A Wicked Surprise

What a crazy, exciting and fun Saturday it was for me. Jen's sisters (Miren and Patty) and I have been conspiring for weeks to organize Jennie's wedding shower party. It took about 2 weeks to decide on the theme, the concept, the guest list... and another week to invite guests, assign potluck food, follow-up on attendance. It was actually fun planning and putting the whole thing together. What was difficult was trying to keep everything a secret, especially for me and Jen's sisters because we speak to Jennie almost everyday! So throughout all the sneaking around, textings and YMs in the middle of the night, email exchanges, and crazy runabouts getting lost looking for the venue (i was late for the shower, would you believe that? I got the villages mixed up -- Went to Merville instead of Marcelo green Village in Paranaque!! Smart! But i still got there ahead of Jennie -- Phew!), we finally managed to give Jennie her dream bridal shower (i hope...).

Anyway, here are pictures from the Wicked-themed party (Jennie and her family love the musical Wicked so it was only appropriate to make the show, along with other popular Broadway shows, the theme of the party).



Thanks to Me-An and Patty who helped me big-time by sending me broadway playbill photos for the look of the posters and invitations (see extreme top photo) and Me-an especially for putting together those super fun shower games (thank you even more for excluding me from them, haha!). Thanks to Miren and Patty for all the help, grabe! -- I wouldn't have a clue what to do with a Broadway-themed videoke session if not for their extensive collection of music, musical shows and minus-one CDs! Oh, Miren's souvenir broadway musical CD compilations were a perfect remembrance to all Jen's guests. Really nice... And of course, a big thank you to all the guests who confirmed, got to the venue on time (even when I was the one who arrived late -- kakahiya!), brought food, and just made Jen's special day even more super-duper extra special by simply being there and letting her know just what she means to them :-)

Lastly, to Jennie, my sweet soul sister and over-all best friend -- i hope this will be one of your best-remembered days in the video gallery of your mind... I'm really glad to have been a part of it :-)

Now off to the wedding day!

Blind Contour Friday 15 - CRAZY PORTRAITS

This is a drawing of my grandchild.

Well, actually, he is more like my grand"nephew", and I his grand"aunt". Ah, yes, I am 31 years old and I have a darling 1 year old, extremely handsome grandchild we call Enzo. He is such a bundle of joy to be around. He isn't a fuzzy baby, and often times he just laughs and bounces around in his bed whever he gets excited watching the people around him.

Once again, for this sketch, i missed the spots on the page and drew the eyes further down the head, which moved his mouth and his stuck-out tongue outside his chin. He was leaning back on his favorite teddy and birdie printed pillow that time, laughing at everyone around him, and probably wondering what the frig we were all fuzzing about.

I enjoy being his new lola (Filipino word for grandparent). But "uncle" Nicky doesn't seem too happy with his new family position...

To see more blind contour sketches, visit Inkfinger.

7-Up!

One of my favorite bloggers, dear MamaK, tagged me with the theme "Seven Things" and i found her own list quite interesting. So i'm posting my answers to her tag to feed my own curiosity about myself... Don't worry guys, I'm not tagging anyone. But you can feel free to make your own list on your blog if you feel like it :-)

Here goes...

7 celebrity crushes:
1. Brad Pitt - Er....uhm....drool.....
2. Mark Wahlberg - The Italian Job did it for me
3. Richard Gere - And so what if he's an oldie?
4. Orlando Bloom when he was Legolas - My oh my, what a hot blond he was......
5. Tom Cruise - ok, it's a bit cliche but it doesn't mean he's no longer handsome. And I can pretend Katie does not exist....
6. Hugh Jackman - love the accent, love the body, love the face
7. Jim Caviezel - Oh no! Is this sacrilege? But, but, his eyes are just so beautiful....

7 Things I'm good at:
1. Graphic Design and Digital Imaging
2. Drawing (depends on my mood)
3. Singing (it's the stage fright that kills it)

4. Cooking for my hubby - Chicken fajitas, Tuna pasta, Chicken in Tarragon Cream Sauce are my specialties :-)
5. Playing billiards (for a girl, at least)
6. Irritating my husband
7. Shopping (hehehe)

7 things I plan to do before I die:
1. Make sure i've set aside an inheritance for my children and grandchildren
2. See Nicky (and whoever other child will come after him) get married and become successful in his chosen career
3. Meet and get to enjoy being with my grandchildren
4. Travel to places I still have not seen
5. REALLY finish an oil painting and be proud enough to display it at an exhibit

6. Create a children's book with my friend Jennie
7. Make sure I let my husband know just how much I love him and how my life was made more meaningful because of him :-)

7 things I cannot do:
1. Write to save my life
2. Wrap gifts - I suck at it. I can't even cut tape properly!

3. Burp on command
4. Lying - I always get caught... so what's the point?
5. Add, subtract, multiply, divide and anything that has to do with Math and numbers!
6. Small talk. I hate small talk.
7. Interior Designing - i can't seem to automatically know how to match furniture pieces. It's sad....

7 things that attract me to the opposite sex:
1. Height
2. Smile (beautiful teeth is a bonus, but not a requirement)
3. Lean yet fit body
4. Eyes

5. Sense of humor
6. Thoughtfulness
7. Loyalty

7 things I say often:
"can i share?" - to all my close friends when i have to break a news bit...
"hello!" - said in astonishment over something that was said to me
"masaya ba?" (is it happy?) - in reference to almost everything when i want to know if a person likes something
"anyways"
"okidoks"
"whatever" - most often used when Allan and I argue and i get tired of making my point (men!)
"love you, baby" - to Nicky, because he'll always be a baby to me.... *sniff*

They Say It's Your Birthday!....

....HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU....... JENNIE!!
God bless you today, dear friend..... :-)

Blind Contour Friday 14

I'm late in my Blind Contour post. My drawing was done last Friday, but my computer conked out on me shortly after and i couldn't scan my picture till today. So i'm posting two BCDs this week....

Anyway, this is me doing a blind contour of me doing a blind contour.... haha!



I shifted around several times on my bed while holding onto my sketch pad, till i chanced upon my reflection on the full-length mirror beside my dresser. Thought i'd be an interesting subject that day because I had on a colorful beaded necklace with a matching beaded bracelet and a bright turquoise tank top. I thought I looked like E.T. in drag in this drawing though -- the shape of my head and the giant eyes skewed towards the lower part of my face was a clear reminder of the famous alien. Then again, it may actually be an accurate self portrait of how i feel on a daily basis.

The Halloween Dino Hunt

But of course.....Nicky went as a dinosaur this Halloween!


After all that talk on his Jurassic and Cretaceous creature obsessions, will it seem fair to our dear boy to have him don a Pirate or Spongebob costume? Of course the task, i thought, was almost impossible when we began our search. We went to every single mall we knew that carried Halloween costumes and the closest we found was a blue reptile-like creature which fit toddler sizes only. I was about to give in to a Ninja outfit when i decided to ask around for possible costume designer referrals, in hopes that 1) he or she makes dinosaur costumes and that 2) they can make it in less than a week! Thank goodness, Jennie (Thanks so much, Jen!!) had made some inquiries recently with a costume designer in Alabang and she forwarded the contact details to me. 'Lo and behold, they do make customized dinosaur costumes! And at a VERY reasonable price! And.... they only needed 2 days to make it! Fantastic!




So here are some pictures of how Nicky's costume turned out. One word when i saw the finished product -- WOW! It exceeded all our expectations, really! The costume makers were great in meeting all our little requests. The reward for this almost impossible costume-hunting task?





Nicky won the grand prize in Powerbook's Halloween Costume Contest! :-D

Blind Contour Friday 13

A blind attempt to make my Unicorn statuette come to life...

Sigh... been caught up all week with family stuff, last-minute errands and rush final artwork preparations. My head is now throbbing.... I think I badly need this one week vacation. I will be busy this whole weekend (tons of parties, family reunions and Halloween celebrations!) so i'm posting my illustrations early :-)

My favorite Unicorn (the real statuette actually doesn't have any color, i just added these in...)

So, in my "play hour" with Nicky the other night, i decided to include my beloved Unicorn statuette in the Jurassic play theme happening on his bedroom floor. After a few minutes of watching his T-Rex biting and clawing his Stegosaurus... I got bored and instead took out my sketchpad and did a quick sketch (using a ballpoint pen! I couldn't find a decent sharpened pencil in his bedroom....) of my Unicorn. Can't say it was a great sketch given i only a ballpen on hand, but i think it's pretty much what i'd imagine a horned horse would look like.

I also did a Blind Contour version of the statuette, but this time including the base because i found the flowery details on it challenging to draw. Didn't feel like coloring in the BC, though... just felt like it needed to be kept that way to give attention to all the little details going on inside and around it.


For more Blind Contour drawings, visit Inkfinger.

Blind Contour Friday 12

I recently joined Blind Contour Friday -- a series of fun drawing activities participated in by several illustrators, which will require members to post blind contour illustrations on a weekly basis. The last time I did something similar to this was back in college when my Compos1 (Art Composition) professor would make us draw subjects placed in front of us while our hands and sketchpad were hidden under a giant "bib" (read: Manila paper with our heads poked through). It was a fun art exercise which I looked forward to a lot, so being a part of this group seemed like a cool idea.

Anyway, my first "attempt" at Blind Contour is actually my breakfast this morning. I rarely eat breakfast, because I normally sleep really late the night before (due to work overtime) and end up waking up somewhere between breakfast and lunch. But today seemed to be a good day for breakfast, so I helped myself to some Vienna sausages, bread rolls and a cup of decaf coffee. My placemat had these cute yellow daisies and green stripe patterns on it, so i thought i'd include them in my sketch. I liked my coffee mug a lot because it had a really dainty ladybug on it and it seemed to add to the sunshiny mood of the morning. I struggled with finishing my bread rolls since I was on a low-carb diet, but it didn't seem natural for me to eat my sausages alone. By the time I ended my illustration, my coffee was cold....

Check out more Blind Contour drawings at Inkfinger.

What? Another Tag?

I know, i know... I am aware of just how busy I am these days. In fact, I have three projects i need to submit before Friday (duh, that leaves only today and tomorrow!). But when my head begins to cramp from so much visualizing and pretending to know what I'm doing (hehe), I just have to stop and leave it completely to do something else. So what do I decide to do instead? I answer Crazy Momcat's interesting tag!

I'm to list 20 random things about myself and I'm to tag as many people as it took minutes for me to write my list. Well, I won't tag anyone this time (seems like everyone I know is tag-tired already), but if anyone would like a quiet diversion from whatever he or she is doing, just feel free to swipe it off my post! :-)

20 RANDOM FACTS ABOUT ME

1. I am part Chinese (from my dad's side), part Japanese (my great grandma was from Okinawa), part British (my middle name when I was single was McCann) and part Filipino (from my mom's mom's side.

2. I have never been to any other country (apart from the Philippines) other than China and HongKong.

3. I married a man whom i had known for only 4 months. We've stayed married and recently celebrated our 7th year wedding anniversary.

4. I HATE spiders. As in frickin' scared-to-death of them!

5. I am an only child.

6. I love to paint but I can never seem to finish any of my pieces.

7. I was kidnapped by a crazy man when I was 9 years old. I was with my 8 year old cousin then. We managed to escape. He, on the other hand, was not so lucky. The police killed him.

8. I loved riding BMX bikes and doing all sort of stupid bike stunts when I was in 6th grade. And yes, I loved the movie "Rad".

9. I don't eat almost all kinds of fruits. The most I can take eating is a banana.

10. I had never had a major stitching in any part of my body until I gave birth normally to Nicky. Think about how horrified I was then!

11. I experienced post-partum depression for 2 weeks after giving birth to Nicky. Since I had NEVER ever held or seen a baby in my family all my life, I had no idea what to do with Nicky in those first weeks. Thank goodness it only lasted two weeks...

12. I sing. But I don't sing in front of a lot of people because I have stage fright. I can actually start a career as a ghost singer for someone else.

13. I adore the Beatles.

14. I don't like wearing perfume. It causes me allergies.

15. I don't carry around a handkerchief because I always end up losing them.

16. I am a worry-wart and I've been praying for a cure.

17. I miss my Grandpa Charlie a lot. He passed away 3 years ago. I've always seen him to be a cartoon character -- who'll never age and never die. Sigh...

18. Rainy days and Sunday afternoons really get me down.

19. I don't trust a lot of people because I've been hurt a lot in my life. I've learned that the only one you can trust in this life is God.

20. I hate bathrooms with wet floors and that don't carry toilet paper. As in big time!

I could go on and on with this list... but the tag says I should do 20. So maybe I'll save my 21 onwards list on another post :-)

And hey! If you decide you want to be tagged, let me know if you've posted your answers to your page so I can go read it.

What are the 20 Random Things I don't know about you?

No 7-Year Itch

Seven years ago yesterday, Allan and I were married at the St. James Cathedral in Ayala Alabang Village, Muntinlupa City at 3pm. So much has changed since then -- aside from waistlines and scale numbers, Allan and I have grown stronger in our love and our commitment to one another, we have become more secure of our relationship, and God has played a bigger and more active role in keeping our family together.

I still can't believe just how good God has been to me. Allan and Nicky are the proof of His immense love.

Thank you. Sniff*...

Anyway, wondering how we celebrated our 7th year of wedded bliss (sans the itch)?
Allan and I at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel where we checked in last Saturday to celebrate the same place we first had our honeymoon. Instead of our original plan to dine at a fancy fine dining resto, cutting up our steaks and sipping wine with our pinky finggers turned upward -- we thought better and ditched the idea. So we ended up chowing down tons of shrimps, baby back ribs and barbecue chicken legs at Bubba Gump! Wisest decision we've ever made :-)
A new haircut and look to start off the beginning of a new year of marriage ahead, hehe.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, HON!

On the 8th Day, God Made Lego

Now I've seen it all. Just when I thought I would no longer be amazed by the extent of what sculptures and life-sized objects these famous Lego bricks can create and just how patient these Lego "sculptors" can get with their masterpieces, I then stumble onto this website -- featuring the ENTIRE BIBLE (as in every single chapter and verse!) made out of Lego bricks! These amusing set of Lego dioramas are obviously the work of a Bible fanatic with way too much time on his hands! And crazy as it may seem to most of us, I must give credit to The Rev. Brendan Powell Smith for coming up with a truly unique and innovative way to get people to read and understand God's Book, from cover to cover.

Check out the entire Lego Bible at http://www.thebricktestament.com.

Old Obsessions

My son Nicky is a very passionate child. When he likes something... he absolutely pours his entire being into it and obssesses over it until you can no longer stand hearing about it any longer. For a six-year old, Nicky goes out of his way to not only fancy his object-of-the-moment by simply looking at its pictures or watching movies about it. He actually goes online to read about it further, learn its scientific name (if it had one), note down trivia, research on books that may be available in bookshops, and actually go to these bookshops and see if they had it on sale. That's how intense and passionate this kid is!

At a very young age of 2, Nicky was fascinated with cars. So fascinated was he with this four-wheeled invention, that we now have possibly five parking lots to fill with his tons of toy cars. He used to dismantle each one, look at all its parts, study how the wheels turn and analyze the differences between each model. It came to a point when he would buy Car Finder magazines and read about the cars being sold... and could even name the most reasonably priced car being sold that week! And this was at age 4!

Then the affinity evolved from cars to Thomas the Tank Engine toys (of course we just HAD TO get the entire train set and the Thomas Friends), to Bob The Builder (yes, yes, we have the talking Lofty, Muck, Dizzy and Travis toys too...), and now he is deeply passionate with DINOSAURS.

His love for this old timers go much deeper than any of his older obsessions. I am amazed at how knowledgeable he is on the subject! He can rival any paleontologist when discussing the subject matter -- pointing out the detailed differences of a Pterodactyl and a Pterodon, enumerate all the carnivorous dinosaurs and the herbivores, debate on claims that the Brachiosaurus appears to have lived in the Jurassic Era and when in some books it says it existed in the Cretacious era.... It's absolutely crazy to be listening to all these information all day, everyday, believe me!

But despite moments of protests ("Please, Nicky... can we talk about something else... like Pyramids or constellations...."), I am so proud of my little boy. Fighting any fears that my Nicky is turning into a little nerdy Ross (from Friends, duh!), I focus instead on the positive effects of having affinities at an early age. His love for dinosaurs may build on his interests of other subject matters like paleontology, archaeology, geology, and cosmology. I read in the Paideia School website that "an affinity provides us with the connection, the engagement of process and meaning. The inspired learner learns not only about the subject which is the source of inspiration, but also how to learn. This person can take these essential skills and apply them to other learning situations."

Coolness. Sounds so scientific... Makes my family sound like geniuses! Hehe. Now I'm wondering what I have a passion for.....

Clothes.....shoes.....bags......shopping........ Wow, I feel smarter already! :-)

A Day In The Life . . . of a Beatlemaniac

I love the Beatles.

I feel I need not expound much on that statement. People who know me well enough are no longer surprised. It amuses me though to still see people's expressions whenever they find out that I am actually a Beatle fanatic. Somehow they always tend to judge the way I look or dress or talk with my choice of music. Why they do that is beyond me. But the fact remains... I love all Beatles music.

So to respond to Jennie's "verbal" tag was a welcome invitation to leave my thoughts of work and deadlines, and to spend a few minutes to indulge in a fun question and answer thingy that involved my all-time favorite band. Here are my answers:


Pick a band/singer + Answer using only titles of their songs.

I choose you: THE BEATLES - Who else?

+ Are you male or female:
Girl (“She's the kind of girl / you want so much it makes you sorry / Still you don't regret a single day..”)

+ Describe yourself:
Glad All Over

+ How do some people feel about you:
Here, There and Everywhere

+ How do you feel about yourself:
Getting Better

+ Describe your Ex:
Bad Boy

+ Describe your views on your significant other:
Baby It’s You - NAKS!

+ Describe what you want:
Money (That’s What I Want) – (“The best things in life are free / But you can keep them for the birds and bees / Now give me money / That's what I want…”)

+ Describe how you live:
Hard Day’s Night

+ Share a few words of wisdom:
Here Comes The Sun - The only way to live life....

It Wasn't Me!

This is Nicky's publicity photo in the souvenir program of the Finding Jesus musical. It was recently emailed to me, and I posted it because I thought it was a really quirky shot. Everyone in the cast had the usual smiling, cutsie and bright shot for the program. Not my Nicky. He just had to be different. 'Atta boy! :-)

Showcase

Busy, busy, busy!

But I am not complaining! In fact, I more than welcome all the work that flows in and out of My Left Hand nowadays, despite the grueling schedules that we have to keep for us to meet our deadlines. Just this August and September, we have been blessed with wonderful work and great clients, and I give all the thanks and glory to God for keeping us busy and for blessing us with a talented team with whom we’ve had a chance to work with and who we will surely continue to enjoy the pleasure of working with in future My Left Hand projects.

So to make it all worthwhile, I am posting our recently accomplished work, which we are all very proud of, as my way also of thanking everyone who have put their time, thoughts, talents, and spirits into turning simple advertising projects into great works of art! (Plus of course, we haven’t updated our website yet, so this is the best I can do to showcase our recent portfolio of works, hehe.)


UPHS Billboard along South Super Hiway

Footloose Souvenir Program

Calayan Surgicenter Billboard along South Super Hiway and EDSA, Gualdalupe

National Statistics Office Online Service Print Ad
Thanks so much to the wonderful creative and production team from all these great work sprung forth – Allan Marasigan, Jennie Nuyda, Lita Lao, Emil Esguerra and Barbz Javier. I will continue to post more work later on ☺

If Tomorrow Never Comes

I received an email from my good friend Leah which forwarded a poem that kept alive the memory of all those who perished in 9/11. Reading the thoughts that went into the poem, I felt that we could all benefit from reading it as a reminder of what life really is -- fleeting, uncertain, temporary. Think about your life, the people who you've met -- acquantances, childhood friends, clients, suppliers, bosses, officemates, past and present relationships both good and bad -- and people you may meet still. We will never know when he, she or we will breathe our last breath. We take for granted a lot of things in our life thinking that there is always tomorrow to make up for it. Well, maybe there is no tomorrow. There even may not be a next hour or a next minute. Only God will tell us when time is up. And when He does, are we ready?

IF I KNEW

If I knew it would be the last time
That I'd see you fall asleep,
I would tuck you in more tightly
and pray the Lord, your soul to keep.

If I knew it would be the last time
that I see you walk out the door,
I would give you a hug and kiss
and call you back for one more.

If I knew it would be the last time
I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise,
I would video tape each action and word,
so I could play them back day after day.

If I knew it would be the last time,
I could spare an extra minute
to stop and say "I love you,"
instead of assuming you would KNOW I do.

If I knew it would be the last time
I would be there to share your day,
Well I'm sure you'll have so many more,
so I can let just this one slip away.

For surely there's always tomorrow
to make up for an oversight,
and we always get a second chance
to make everything just right.

There will always be another day
to say "I love you,"
And certainly there's another chance
to say our "Anything I can do?"

But just in case I might be wrong,
and today is all I get,
I'd like to say how much I love you
and I hope we never forget.

Tomorrow is not promised to anyone,
young or old alike,
And today may be the last chance
you get to hold your loved one tight.

So if you're waiting for tomorrow,
why not do it today?
For if tomorrow never comes,
you'll surely regret the day,

That you didn't take that extra time
for a smile, a hug, or a kiss
and you were too busy to grant someone,
what turned out to be their one last wish.

So hold your loved ones close today,
and whisper in their ear,
Tell them how much you love them
and that you'll always hold them dear

Take time to say "I'm sorry,"
"Please forgive me," "Thank you," or "It's okay."
And if tomorrow never comes,
you'll have no regrets about today.
(Anonymous)

Little Shop of Horrors

I walked into the mall I frequented. I picked a shop to visit. I liked what I saw. I ran my fingers through the rack. I picked up an item. I inspected. I looked. I felt.

Then, it happened.

She walked right up to me. She watched me. She gave me a wide grin. Then she opened her mouth and the words rolled off her tongue and sent chills down my spine.

“Ma’am, pwede niyo siya i-fit.”

The hair on my nape began to rise. My pupils dilated. My heart palpitated.

I stared at her with horror and disgust. I thought about the tens of thousands of sales ladies who have walked up to me in the store and flung those very lines at me. ME -- a helpless victim of fashion who mistakenly wandered into that very store and fell right into her trap.

I bit my tongue. I had to prevent myself from letting her know the truth. The truth… The truth that I have always known -- na pwede talaga siya i-fit! That it never once crossed my mind that this privilege will ever, EVER actually be withheld from me by her or anyone!

Why??? Why do they say these things? Why will I want to buy something I could wear and not think that I can try it on to fit? Do people actually get shocked at the thought that this store is so one-of-a-kind that they not only sell the clothes, they will actually let you fit them first! WOWOWEE, you lucky duck!!! I swear. Every friggin’ time they ruin it for me and make my shopping hour a living hell.

And just as I thought it couldn’t get any worst, she went on…

“May malalaki pa po kaming sizes.” (eyebrows shoot up now)

“Bagay sa inyo ho yan kasi maputi kayo” (this referring to a brightly colored rice sack of a blouse with what seemed to be kalachuchis and dama de noches hanging on cheap threads across the neckline)

And, like I didn’t catch it the first time…

“Lahat po ito pwede niyong i-fit.”

I took a deep breath. My eyes swept the rest of the remaining beauties on hangers, turned around, and walked out the store.

Just as I thought my nightmares couldn’t get any worst, I walked into another store and examined the nice display of shoes on a shelf. I picked up a shoe. Then he walked right up to my side. I asked if that was the smallest size they had.

“No, ma’am. May ibang sizes pa po kami.”

So I asked for a size smaller. Once again, it happened.

“Ay ma’am, yan po ang smallest na po.”

The hair on my nape began to rise. My pupils dilated. My heart palpitated.

I gripped the shoe tightly and warned myself to not pound the heel on his head. No. No. NO!

Instead I gave the same look of disgust and horror I have well practiced by now, put the merchandise down and walked out the door.

I began to get light-headed. My head started to spin. What is happening? Why are they out to get me? I grabbed onto the escalator railing for balance. I panicked. I quickly lit my Marlboro Lights stick and took a deep drag on it. I walked out the mall. Ah…… the nightmare is over.

The story above is a true story and may or may not happen to you at any time in your life. But it happened to me. And continues to happen on a regular basis. Because I love shopping. Horrors and all. So beware. Shudder…

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!

A Welcome Change

Finally -- a look I can finally call my own! And what better way to start fresh than to shed off the old blog skin and to dress it up to suit my personality best.

The new masthead is actually an oil painting i did recently called "Coming Home", which i never really got to finish (well, Picasso almost always left his paintings unfinished, didn't he?). Being the perfectionist that I am, I always saw something in it that I wanted to change or to improve. So I decided to turn a section of the canvas into something that i could appreciate better on a regular basis. The color schemes I chose are what I would consider a reflection of my state right now -- quiet, calm, refreshed and just enjoying being in the present.

Over-all I am happier with this new look.

Hope you guys like it! :-)

An Incredible Baby

A year ago, on July 13, my nephew Deion Christopher was born 3-1/2 months earlier than he was supposed to. Anyone who didn't know about the miracle of his conception would have thought that his survival then was almost impossible. He was premature, he had a cardiac arrest a few minutes into the world and was revived, and was cared for in an incubator of the neonatal intensive care unit for weeks. But his family knew that he wasn't meant to leave this world just yet. After being told by doctors that my cousin would not be able to conceive a baby due to "faulty plumbing", the Lord granted the couple's prayers still and allowed Russelle to conceive. So how could a miracle baby such as Deion not make it through another trial still?

Fast forward to July of 2005, Deion turned a year old, and has never seemed more healthier and more "bibo" than ever! He celebrated his "incredible" life with an aptly-themed Incredibles birthday party at McDonalds. How quickly time flew, indeed! Everytime I look at his face and watch him crawling on our living room floor, I am constantly reminded that the Old Testament God that practically walked and breathed amongst His people, still performs mind-boggling miracles today. God must love Deion so much that He gave Him a special chance at life. I can't wait to see the unfolding of God's purpose in Deion's life. We all can't wait to watch the glory of God shine through him.

Happy Birthday, sweet Deion!

Red Sea, White Wedding

Peachy & Nicky off to a wedding
Originally uploaded by chrixean.

I am so back! I crossed the Red Sea as I said I would, and now I'm back on dry land. After a month and a half of hell and high waters, and a week of being cooped up in a hospital room (Allan was confined in the hospital for Atypical Pneumonia and Gout!), I am ready to move forward and face newer, brighter and more exciting days ahead! I mean after hitting rock solid bottom... there's really nowhere else to go but up, right? So up i go...

First few things on top of my list after stepping out of the hospital? Get a pedicure, have my hair shampooed and blow-dried, attend a wedding! For the latter, I really had no choice. I would have wanted to get a massage or a facial ( a much-needed one!), but Nicky was assigned to be a coin bearer at Allan's cousin's wedding so I had to go as his "moral support" (aside from the fact that Nicky can't drive to the church, hehe). Turns out Nicky didn't really need any. He was as confident as he always has been -- doing the task he was asked to do without any complaints or apprehensions. Of course, I know he would have prefered to watch Spongebob that night over marching down Santuario de San Antonio's looooong center aisle. But being the obedient boy that he is, he just took on the task and made sure he had fun doing it. In fact, he had so much fun that night that he made lots of friends, and made sure he included himself in every single bride-groom photo he could get away with.

Hmm... I could learn a thing or two from Nicky.

Surviving the Red Sea

The Lord will make a way for you where no foot has been before
That which, like a sea, threatens to drown you, shall be a highway of escape.
- Charles H. Spurgeon

If i have not been updating my blog for quite a long while -- forgive me. I have been, and still am, on a long journey. This journey has forced me to face life's cruel realities and has taken me to and from several hopeless situations. I guess, as Jennie has told me recently, it is just a season that I am in. And like any season, it too shall end to make way to a new and better one.

I recently read this book by Robert J. Morgan called the Red Sea Rules, which talks about how the same God that led His people into the Red Sea, led them out of it as well. The promise is true to us and our situations today in life as well. The same God who allowed us to be in this current problem, this ongoing trial, this seemingly never-ending adversity, is the same God who will lead us out of it. The reality of the Red Sea event, as Morgan puts it, is -- God will always make a way for His tired, yet TRUSTING, children, even if He must split the sea to do it. In my case, God has provided me with every single means to comfort and uplift me through these trying times, and He has done so in the form of simple and joyful circumstances or through very well-meaning and supportive friends who have never failed to stop praying for me and my family (you all know who you are -- God bless you!). He never promised He would remove us from our current situation nor did he say he would take away the problem, but He does promise that He will never leave us and that He will see us through till the end of the problem. So right now, my circumstances have still not changed, but at least I am filled with the hope, encouragement and comfort that God sends my way for me to endure despite the trials.

For anyone who may be going through a really tough time in their life right now, if it is your season of dryness or despair, or if tomorrow seems unclear for you and you are in a state of being lost and confused, Robert Morgan gives us 10 Rules on how to survive life's difficulties and uncertainties based on the story of the Red Sea:

RULE #1:
Realize that God means for you to be where you are.
RULE #2:
Be more concerned for God's glory than for your relief.
RULE #3:
Acknowledge your enemy, but keep your eyes on the Lord.
RULE #4:
Pray!
RULE #5:
Stay calm and confident, and give God time to work.
RULE #6:
When unsure, just take the next logical step by faith.
RULE #7:
Envision God's enveloping presence
RULE #8:
Trust God to deliver in His own unique way.
RULE #9:
View your current crisis as a faith builder for the future.
RULE #10:
Don't forget to praise him - always!

I now face each day less overwhelmed because I now try taking smaller steps and deal with the challenges that come bit by bit, part by part. As I continue on this journey to the Red Sea, I am at least prepared to face it without the fear of drowning. I hold on to the promise that my God will lead me out -- safely and a much stronger person.

When you don't know what to do next, cast out fear and seek light for the next step. Trust God for guidance in small increments; taking the journey one footprint at a time. If you can't see what lies dimly in the distance, do what lies clearly at hand.

Finding Jesus

My son Nicky came out in a musical play last Saturday evening, June 11, entitled "Finding Jesus"<--click to view photo album. It was presented at the Insular Life Auditorium in Alabang and was really well-received by Ligaya ng Panginoon members, families and invited friends and guests. The place was packed! The story of the play was about a lame girl named Tabitha who went on a journey with her father and her three chocolate factory worker buddies to find Jesus to heal her of her condition. The entire cast was comprised of Ligaya's Music Ministry members, the Young Adults group, the Junior Young Adults group and the Friends of Jesus kids group.

The musical is an original show written, produced and arranged by Ligaya ng Panginoon and was tied-in together with the Summer Workshop that Nicky was enrolled in -- the King's Kids Workshop -- which taught them basic singing and streetdancing. It was a great summer activity that Nicky was involved in because it gave him a chance to move away from the TV set (thank God!), express himself creatively through music, and interact with kids of all ages in Ligaya. Surprisingly, after the first few excruciating classes where he cried a lot (due to heat, nervousness and tiredness), Nicky found that he actually loved to perform! Although quite awkward at times still (sad to say I, myself, was not bestowed with dancing talents), Nicky confidently did all 4 dance routines - and perfectly, i must say! Hay, proud ang stage mommy and daddy! Hehe.

Ok, just to add to the reasons why Nicky is suddenly now missing his 3-times-a-week rehearsal schedule -- he found a "new love" by the name of Bea! The girl who plays the young Tabitha in the show (see photo), captured my little boy's heart! Goodness, my son is just 6 years old! Nicky wrote his lady-love (who happens to be almost 11 years old, i think!) a letter which said "Dear Bea, I will never forget you. I love you. Nicky". Naloka ako! He never got the chance to give it to her, though. But it just amuses me how expressive he has become of his feelings, particularly with girls he likes.

Prep school starts for Nicky on June 20, and he is already looking forward to new productions and shows he can be involved in. Nawili na yata sa pag-perform! With the success of Ligaya South's first musical production, there is no doubt that new plans for future shows that will involve the kids of Ligaya are already in the works.

To my dear Nicholas -- Bravo! We are so proud of your accomplishments.:)

Abot Na Ang Langit

Your fear of death is but the trembling of the shepherd when he stands before the king whose hand is to be laid upon him in honour.
Is the shepherd not joyful beneath his trembling, that he shall wear the mark of the king?
Yet is he not more mindful of his trembling?
For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun?
And what is to cease breathing, but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered?
Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing.
And when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb.
And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance.
- Kahlil Gibran

My friend Reyster Langit passed away today. He was only 33 years old.


He was a schoolmate and friend of mine at De La Salle University where we both took our Communication Arts course. I think of him, and i think of my years back in college where life was so much simpler then than I know it to be now. Funny how when we were young and carefree we would laugh at the adults for saying that we have it easy still. And now that I am an adult myself, i realize that they were right. Nothing compares to life "in the real world", so they used to call it. Back then, my biggest worries were homework, my "porma" for the day, getting my crush to notice me and getting at least a 2.0 in my grade for any CommArts subject. Now my concerns vary from securing my family's future, keeping the business up and running, taking care of my son's health and security, and keeping my marriage strong. And as the years go by, I am faced by more and more realities of life that I have been protected from by my parents during my growing up years. Tragedies such as sickness, poverty, danger posed by evil elements, and the eventuality of death, are what we grown-ups now have to deal with. 12 years ago, the possibility of death anytime soon or even in a decade or so, would never have crossed my mind. For some reason, young people think that they are invincible and immortal. I thought to myself then, these things only happen to OTHER people -- people who are not my family, who aren't my friends, who i see in movies and TV shows. But not to me. Nor my family. Nor my friends.

The sad reality is, this is what life is. Because life here is but a temporary stopover in the journey towards our eternal life with our Creator. And i have had to face the trauma and loss and sadness of all these ever since I declared myself an adult. I have seen friends and really close family members come and go in my lifetime. All for different reasons. And now, we lost Reyster as well. Or at least, that's how we view it. Our loss is the Lord's gain. And I would like to think that Reyster is now resting in the Lord's arms, free from the pain and suffering that he went through.

So Reyster, if you're out there reading this (from heaven's internet cafe, maybe?), thanks for the short but memorable time we spent us college friends. I will only have fun and pleasant memories...

Thanks for the occasional car rides home when I had to commute late or during the rainy season...

Thanks for letting me and my group use your home for our video projects (Reyster was generous enough to open his home as location for our numerous film projects)...

Thanks for your generous contribution to media and society, your invaluable work has touched innumerable lives here and abroad, and will continue to still...

To his wife Kit, his child and the rest of his family.... my deepest condolences.