sorry if I don't reply, it's me, not you

It's pretty obvious that I have a lot of issues. One person that can attest to that is my one and only long time boyfriend/husband. But one issue of mine that we tackle once every blue moon is...hmmm...my friends.

Yes, i do have friends, or maybe I should actually say that I did have friends. I don't really know which tense to choose. Marvin is so far the longest and the most trusted friend (if not best friend) I have ever had. We had this conversation this week lang. It's as follows:

(Scenario: we were talking about his hang out with his high school best friend at Starbucks)

Marvin: Alam mo kasi kailangan mo mag karoon ng kaibigan.

Me: May kaibigan naman ako ah, ikaw.

Marvin: Hindi ah, dapat may iba ka pang kaibigan.

Me: Meron naman eh, kaso hindi ko na sila nakakausap/kinakausap.

Marvin: Bakit? hindi ba sila nag paparamdam sayo?

Me: Hindi naman, ung iba nag tetext or minsan nag memessage sa fb or friendster, or nag yayaya sa reunion, pero hindi kasi ako nag rereply. Ako ung may problema.

Marvin: Kaya naman pala eh.

Well, the conversation was somewhat like that.

I really appreciate those that actually still remember me given that fact that I hardly or even never communicate with them. To tell you honestly, I'm not the type of person that replies to texts, invitations, chat conversations or what not. For whatever reason, I'm just like that.

If ever I do reply, please consider the following:

1. I'm in the influence of alcohol (hehehe)

2. I am extremely happy

3. I just have nothing else to do

I actually miss having friends and barkadas. And I always tell myself that someday, I will get in touch with those old pals of mine, that is if they would still take me of course. But for now my deepest apologies for the reunions I did not attend, for the hang outs that I didn't go to, for the chats/messages I did not respond to, and so on.

Memories spent with all of you is something I would most likely never forget. Hope to see you all someday.

LOL

I've been anonymously following a blog of a certain famous local celebrity. To give a hint it's a she. Let's not say who she is but one thing I can say about this certain person is that she is one heck of a great lady. And to add up to that, she has such great humor. Her punch lines are one of the reasons why I follow her blog. Which leads me to my subject: Humor.

Really funny people are hard to find. It's true! I've always viewed comedians as very intelligent individuals. Having the ability to make every single being in a room filled with almost every kind of personality laugh is something beyond talent, it's an amazing gift.

Laughter is the best medicine, ika nga nila. So spread those jokes, punch lines, and whatever ridiculously insane funny lines you can possibly make. Everyone needs to hear a joke now and then.

lipad, sige, lipad

The one thing I hate and love about going on the net is checking airline websites. Seat sales are my worst enemies. When I worked, one of my colleagues would instantly alert me when there were seat sales in certain airlines. And while she booked, I looked. I just couldn't handle the idea of spending money on trips. But now...well, it's a whole different story.

I made a point that this year will be my to-be-not-too-kuripot 2010 year. Eversince I was a child, I would always save up like crazy then spend all my savings on school things. So when I finally got a job that paid big (well, not that big) I saved up, well, pretty much for my age. My baon everyday to work was 50pesos. I walked to work and vice versa. Sobrang kuripot! I even killed myself working by taking extra loads of essays (40pesos each essay) just to get a little extra. The biggest monthly salary I ever got during my 7-month work experience, a whopping 23+k. Na minus na dyan ung taxes, sss, philhealth, and pag-ibig. And where did it all end up, of course,...sa bank.

So imagine how much I deprived myself. For me, it was too much. For marvin, I was way too hard on myself. So this year, I'm giving myself a treat, or should I say treats. I have planned a series of trips for this year. And some, I can honestly say, were not planned strategically.

So this year I'll be wandering off to....

January 15-17- went to Tacloban, Leyte (Redona Family Reunion)
March 4-5- went to Island Cove, Kawit, Cavite (Marvin's 25th birthday celebration)
March 22-25- will be going to Puerto Princesa, Palawan (Marvin, me and Enzo for our 1st wedding anniversary)
April- ask my parents kung san ba talaga pupunta sa holy week
May-June- still not final
July 6-8-  Tagbilaran, Bohol
July 21-23- Coron, Busuanga (son and mother bonding)
August 2-4- Cebu (regalo ni Marvin sakin for my birthday)
August 23-September 3- Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand (my super fast adventure trip)

Well for now, yun lang. (Is that considered an understatement?) Am I excited? Like a little girl in hello kitty world, hell yeah, I'm excited.

Where did or will I get the money for all of these? Savings, baby, savings.

Tickets?
Since tickets bought online are paid thru credit cards, you'll eventually have to pay for it months before you even go on the trip. (That of course if you bought seat sales.) Meaning, all you have to worry about is the accommodation, transpo expenses, and food. Oh yeah, the terminal fee and travel tax in the Philippines as well. And since I'm not there to shop, hindi magiging magastos ang trips. All I need is my handy DSLR, and I'm good to go.

Accommodation?
When it comes to these once in a lifetime opportunities, I am not maarte at all. During my South East Asian trip, I'll be sleeping at lodges. In short, places that are extremely cheap that you will have to share a common comfort room, and sleep in bunk beds with strangers in the same room. Does that bother me? NOT AT ALL. Tulog lang naman ang pakay.

Transpo expenses?
Taxi should not be in your vocabulary when it comes to these tight-budget travels. Public transpo is the key. But of course, research is needed. You can't just go into a totally different place without knowing the ins and outs of your destination. (of course, you could if you have the budget for it.) So if you want to save big time on transpo expenses, I suggest you know which bus, train, tricycle, mini bus, or whatever public transpo you'll need to ride on, and where and what time they pass by or depart.

Food?
This is the ultimate splurge.  Never starve yourself, especially if their specialty is the one being served to you. Three words, EAT SOMETHING NEW. If you're at a different place, you should at least try what they usually eat. It's part of the adventure. So make the best out of it. And yeah, if you eat what they eat, the price would most likely be the same with those that actually live there. (Saved up once more.)

Tours?
Ang mahirap sa tours, you'll end up spending more on the tour guide's fee than the actual entrance fee and public transpo itself. Pero if you want everything smooth sailing, then this is a must, unless you're an expect on finding tourist spots. But from my POV, the only reason I'm doing most of these on my own is because I want an adventure. And it's actually easier to know a place if you discovered it all alone. Mahirap ung may nag dadada habang nagtitingin ka ng mga artifacts or whatsoever.

So, I am proud to say that this year I'll be traveling more than I ever traveled before. So what's up for 2011? yes, I have already thought of it. I would really like to go to...

Domestic:
>Davao
>Bataan
>Cam Sur
>Ozamiz

International:
>the rest of South East asia: Myanmar, Laos, Papua New Guinea, and Brunei
>Palau
>South Korea
>Taiwan
>Australia
>UK (calling the attention of Marvin)
>South Africa
>China
>France

Are these possible? pwede kung nanalo ako sa lotto ng bongang bonga. But since hindi naman ako tumataya sa lotto, these are all dreams for now. But the best thing about dreaming, is that you'll always have something to look forward to...

Coincidence

Since I don't believe in destiny, let's just say it was coincidence, shall we?


When I was in high school, I would probably like only two cartoon characters. It would be either Hello Kitty or Marvin the Martian. Having said that, it's pretty obvious where this topic is going.

People, meet one of my high school pillows.

Coincidence No.1

14 is the date of my birthday.

Coincidence No. 2

Yes, the name. Marvin.

And lastly, according to Enzo's lala, it's his favorite pillow whenever he goes to LB.

Torta de los Reyes from the Aristocrat

I was able to learn about this Bakeshop from the Philippine Inquirer. They sell one of the best cakes in the Philippines. People, I present to you, Torta de los Reyes by the Aristocrat.

If you have an absolute sweet tooth, well this is the cake for you. It's a sansrival cake covered with not too sweet chocolate. The best part of the whole thing is the middle layer. It has a completely different filling. It tasted like ice cream with whip cream.

And the most intriguing part of this cake is the design on top. At first, we all thought that it was an abstract drawing. But when we finally got the right angle, it was actually a fat chef holding a cake. Now, that's cool.

This cake now costs 690.00 pesos. Was it worth it? For me, anything top rated, sweet, and recommended is always worth the try. This cake is not the type that one gets addicted to, but it will surely make a mark in your memory.


(In memory of Marvin's 25th birthday cake)

Plastic surgery of Photos

I'm not a big fan of editing pictures. From my perspective, it's exactly like giving photos plastic surgery. But it's now a new generation. A lot of programs have now been invented to give photos an extra kick and WOW factor.

However, my photos, well, they're virgins when it comes to photo editing. The only editing I do is cropping. That's pretty much it. I love my photos the way they are. It's a hard copy of what I view in life.

But here's the catch, if I say  I'm against the idea of editing photos, it's just like saying that I'm against plastic surgery, which is not true. I have always thought that it's alright for individuals to visit their plastic surgeons every once in a while, as long as it made them happy. But if they aren't happy, then that's a totally different issue.

So what must I say about photo editing? I say, as long as it makes my photos better, and makes me happier, then let's give it a go.

what is there in the future?

I've been battling with my thoughts lately. Been contemplating a lot if I should actually pursue my career as a nurse. And now I've come to a conclusion,...ahm, maybe.

As others may know that taking up Nursing was never a first choice, nor was it a second, or a third, or a fourth choice for me. Maybe the fiftieth, or fortieth. Well, no one will surely know. The bottom line is that growing up I never imagined working at a hospital wearing a nurse's uniform. It never EVER crossed my mind. But here I am today, with a Nursing degree and a license to be one. I had good grades in college, never failed an exam or subject. I did well in our Nursing Licensure Exam; however, having good grades doesn't really mean that you love it, or whatever you are doing. Right? It just happens that you're good in understanding, analyzing, and memorizing certain things. But the passion to do your work is what will truly set you apart from others.

I may have fell in love with Nursing while in College, but just like any other love, we could sometimes fall out of love. Yes, I have to admit that being a Nurse will never be a long time profession for me. If ever I do end up one in the long run, it would simply mean that I'm working for the money. Money would only be the reason, and it's not a good reason from my point of view.

I have always believed that we should be doing things that we love. But from the opinions I've been hearing (you know who you guys are) they say that it's just not how life works. They said that you can't always have what you want in life. It's just not the way it is. You'll eventually have to sacrifice certain things, in order to commit other desires. Yes, it's probably true. However, I would like to differ. I would like to believe that you can have everything you want in life. That everything is possible, and that time is never wasted when you do something you love.

Unfortunately, nowadays money is the focus of them all. Yes, I know, we need money. Success doesn't come while we just sit in a chair doing nothing. Work must be done. And in order to have a good and respected employment, we have to get an education. But here's the misconception. When people say "education", first comes to mind is school. Years of sacrifice staying in a four-walled room, with a blabbering person in front of many young (and sometimes old or middle aged) people telling them how things work. But to tell you honestly, I hardly remember 80% of the subjects that were forced into my complicated brain. The things I know and understand now, are those that I've acquired beyond those four walls.

So do you think being a nurse is something I will ever desire to become? The answer is pretty clear. So you may ask, "So Nica, what do you want to do?" I have an answer to that, but since I'm still looking for a way for that to happen, we'll just have to wait and see....

Island Cove Hotel and Leisure Park

Island Cove is definitely a place to remember. With their friendly staff and serene environment, anyone would surely like this escape.

Island Cove is located in Kawit, Cavite and owned by the Remulla family. It's easy to get there even via public transportation. Any vehicle going to Maragandon, Cavite City, and Naic would probably pass this place.

Their rooms are clean, spacious, and have that homey feel. Aside from that, the hotel has its own swimming pool and jacuzzi.

Their cafe at the lobby offers a lot of sumptuous light meals. There are also a variety of cakes to choose from. One of the best dishes is the seafood pasta. It's quite different from others because it has a distinct kick to it. The sauce is incredibly delicious.

The Fishing Village, Island Songs, Animal Island, Oceania Park, and the life-sized chess are just some of the many activities that can be done and seen here. 

The Reptile Tribe (part of Animal Island)

If you want an escape that will truly make you relax then I highly recommend this place. You can visit their website at http://www.islandcovephil.com/.

nevermind..never in mind

Forget. Forgetfulness. Forgettable.

blast to the past

Lately I've been typing names from the past on the net. Damn technology. It certainly satisfies your curiosity. Been typing random people since God knows when until the people I've met this very day. I'm not stalking or anything like that. Just plain curious. Some revelations are shocking and others are well, the exact person you expect them to become. What do I get out of this? Peace of mind. I just don't want to walk down the street in the future and think what and where those people are now.

To all those I've searched, I am much impressed. If ever we meet somewhere down somewhere, the possibility of us greeting each other is not that high. However, I wish you all the best!

Pananaw

Back when I was in College the only subject that I truly enjoyed and thought was interesting was no other than Philosophy of Man, or as we called it, "PhiMan."

The best thing about the whole subject was of course the teacher. Si Miss Ramoya. Anyone would agree that she was different. From first impressions, she looked like a rocker chick. She would only wear three colors. White, Black and Grey. Never have I seen her wear any other colors other than the three. She slouched all the time. Never had good posture. But that girl could surely give an incredible lecture, that's for sure. She gave outrageous points of views about any topic, certain ideas that I myself would never imagine.

Syempre, when I was in SLU I would usually be seen sitting with Kate Pisla in this class. A great mind. But discussions would usually be with a best friend of mine before, Mr. Ivan Ocampo. Another great mind as well.

I remembered our class then. For a month or so, Ms. Ramoya considered our class a wall. No one reacted at all. If a question was raised by her, no one ever got the guts to answer or give a POV. I don't know when we first started interacting with one another but I glad we did.

The very first time I answered her questions was when we were discussing "The Little Prince". We were at the part when the Little Prince was stuck in the desert. And she asked what the desert meant or what did it symbolize in the story. Without knowing (kunwari), my right hand was up in the air. And of course she called me, since no one else was raising their hands. My answer? I remember somewhat saying that the desert was an empty place (obviously). That even if tons of people where there, nothing or no one would really matter because the one he loved (the rose) wasn't there. It symbolized a never ending land of emptiness, hopelessness, a pointless life. But the well was a sign of hope. That even after all the never ending sand, something new would come about somewhere. Well, Ms. Ramoya said it wasn't the answer, but considered my perception interesting, and that she knew what I meant. But it was still wrong.

I was humbled when I was one of the two students in all of her classes, and the first person in our class that got a perfect score in an essay quiz. That was surely unexpected. But from what I learned from her is that grades are just numbers. For some it may seem important, but it doesn't really matter if you learned nothing from that perfect test.

Among all the discussions that we had that semester, I keep one of her questions always in mind.

Miss Ramoya: "When does a mountain become unclimbable?"



The answer: When you think it is unclimbable. One's way of thinking could do tremendous things. Sabi ko nga, pananaw lang yan.

sabi niya M is for Marvelous

1st year college:

It was a few minutes before lunch. I was sitting on the bleaches reading my notes. (And when I say reading notes, it means I look at my notebook for a few seconds to a minute, then stare into the distance for 30 to 60 minutes right after.) While trying to observe the people who were wandering about the gym, I spotted a guy who was wearing a blue sports shirt and khaki pants. He was waiting for someone. Then when he left, and I returned to my dream world.


2nd year college: (1st semester)

Another year, another semester. I shared a class with that boy that I noticed last year. It was my NSTP class. That been said, not all of the students knew each other. There was one group that was in-between our groups. He was grouped with one of my closest friends. I found out that he was a Dean's Lister (such as I). That was it.


Second year college: (Second semester)

He became my classmate. He usually had the highest score during our anatomy and physiology class, and if ever he was 2nd highest, that simply means that I was first (hehehe). It started from him borrowing my handkerchief, then my notes, then my assignments, then my test paper..(joke!). Then one of my blabber mouth friends told him the truth. When he took one step forward, I took 5 steps back. It only lasted for less than 2 months. We departed to different schools.


3rd year college: (1st semester)

Let's call this the confrontation. One word for this is "Cathedral". The place where everything and anything was thrown (at him). From my POV, it just had to end.


3rd year college: (Second Semester)
Let's blame text messages for this one. Who knew greeting someone a Merry Christmas could mean a lot. From there on it's now history.


Our first concert: MYMP (nong hindi pa sila sikat, no one actually knew yet who they were)
Our first movie: Blue Moon (sobrang corny)
Our first date: Valentines of 2005; where: Chowking at SM Baguio (pagbigyan)
Our first trip together: Bauang, La Union (nag beach with my barkada)
Our first play/skit together: I don't remember the title basta siya si Gorio at ako si Lina (oo nga pala, namatay ako sa typhoid dun. sisishin si Gorio! hehehe)

The first time I talked to him: When he was studying Tortora's Ana-Phy
The first time he talked to me: When he responded to my statement
*What did I say? Ako: "Pinapasabi ni Batz kita na lang kayo sa ****."


You're turning 25 soon. I know you're feeling old. You have a lot of potential and I'm thankful that you are here with me. I've learned a lot from you. Starting from animals, to geography, to computers, to techi things, and to life. My wish for you is that you'll be able to accomplish your dreams, and get the chance to enjoy life. I look forward to growing old with you....

Let me be the first to greet you a Happy 25th Birthday! I love you,..you know that.. ;)