The dreamer that cheered me

Who wouldn’t enjoy watching a musical with such a handsome lead? That would have been enough to brighten even for a little while a regular Saturday afternoon.


Spending almost two hours inside a cinema in Megamall to hear Franco Laurel sing is enough to cheer me up, I have to own. But then, no offense to him, pretty faces are not really enough. It is like meeting a handsome guy whom you might think could be the love of your life but then the interest wanes once you find out that his personality is boring or his character not strong. What made the difference? The words that sent out the messages of hope.




This might be too much of a comparison but all I wanted to say is that I had a magnificent time being a spectator and listener to the musical Joseph, the Dreamer. I have seen it so many years ago, at a young age when I would not have appreciated it as much as I did last Saturday.

Kudos to the Trumpets! True, in their performance, they displayed their talents. Not to brag about God’s gifts but more so to give God glory through their music, acting and dance steps. I just hope they get encouraged for in the process they cheer hearts that needed a little boost. Mine was thirsting for it after a seemingly quiet yet so chaotic week. Thanks to them, I remembered God’s faithfulness. I felt His assurance that all is well. I claimed as my own His promises. God reminded me to dream once again.

Thanks for jogging my memory.

(Pictures borrowed from http://r-czi.blogspot.com/ )

- He is in control.
- When God closes a door, He opens a window.
- In everything, never look down. Always look up.

My days

Courage. Such a powerful word.

Different levels we use in different situations. I just wish that I could always wield the one I use with kids. It is so easy to tell them, without misgivings, things that should and should not be done.

How do we confront a friend who has chosen a path you know is not correct? How do you tell someone that you have had enough? How do you tell an elder person that he must change or else? How do you deal with your own hesitations and fears?

It is not a pill I could easily take. It must grow. Like a seed sprouting from the ground, it needs the hand of the Creator. But to lay claim to the nurturing rays of the sun, the sprouting plant must first rise above the ground.

- - - - -

It was the drop of water that caused the spill. The straw that broke that camel’s back. The end of the road.

And so I took the plunge. But not without a vest. Otherwise I would have drowned in my own tears.

The lap is not yet finished though. I need to reach the edge of the pool or the shores of the sea. To safety. Or what I think is my haven. I wonder where this swim would bring me.

- - - - - -

There are red days and yellow days. Always. In each and every month I encounter. The yellow days are sunny, bringing me sunshine smiles and tinkling laughter. The red days are hard. You travel down below. Can be for scientific explanations. Or for current situations. Sometimes, you don’t even know for what reasons.

I just thank God there aren’t too many red days. The yellows ones usually topple them.

Humbling images

I knew that it is not as clear as crystal. Otherwise I wouldn’t have taken part of a class and learned from the expert.

I knew that it requires a new way of looking at things. Otherwise I would have just settled by fixing my eyes on books and become trigger happy until I produced something majestic. Simpler, it might be. If I had the time, that is.

But it was not as simple as pointing your camera and just shooting whatever image you want to capture.



It is not just point, shoot and voila!

It needs the eye, the hand and most of all the mind.

Terms such as aperture, shutter speed, ISO became comprehensible. But new photo words came into the picture. Focal length, white balance, depth of field, exposure settings as well as compensation, metering patterns, bracketing technique, etc.

There are rules that must be broken and new rules to go after : rule of thirds, 30/60, bird and worm’s eyeview, dynamic balance, center of interest, etc.

Then regard always the elements of design : texture, shape, color and line. These are just the major ones. There are others to consider.

Bear all this in mind : , make sure that you are correctly framing the image, with the correct shutter speed, aperture opening, exposure, do not forget the rule of thirds, nor the point of interest which must be the sharpest amongst all the images, and try to imagine how it will look like, then shoot. But wait.! Keep your hand on the shutter button! You might need to keep the shutter open, so that there will be a trail effect of light.

Then again, after all the learning, there is still the application

Sent to capture pictures of the world but with certain objectives to subscribe to.



I went out. Took images. Applied what my mind was able to retain in such a short time of training. Came back and presented what I had seen. I succeeded in getting some but miserably failed in others.

15 hours are not enough.

Skills learned are meant to be practiced and perfected.

Now everywhere I go, wherever I look, I try to envision what could an object look like from a certain angle. I reflect on how should I be standing atop a building or even lying along the street just to illustrate something unique about the image.



It is not easy.

It is humbling.

The challenge has not ended. I still need to leave my old mindset. Open my eyes and see the possibilities.

Disclaimer : All photos are the attempts of an amateur photographer. Please keep to yourself all negative comments. :- )

omnium-gatherum

Everything that could go wrong seemed to have gone wrong. The bride felt sick the whole day. The wedding ceremony started an hour late. And then before the garden reception began, the heavens just opened and it rained . Soaking wet tables and chairs were transfered inside a small cramped room. A perfect sunset reception became a cozy, dripping wet dinner. But the bride and groom remained unfazed.


Throughout the celebration, all that could be felt was the love between the happy couple. They were all smiles during what the bride declares as the happiest moment of her life. I was a witness to hurdle-filled union that is made more remarkable for the overflowing of love. I bid you both, Dave and Malou, God's guidance as you embark on this journed called marriage.





It seemed impossible. But I did it anyway. Due to unforeseen circumstances, I did the unimaginable.

I wore jeans during a wedding.

And thus, I think I will never criticize anyone who is seemingly dressed improperly. For who is to know the real reason behind such "unsuitable" clothes?

Weddings deserve a lot of respect. Wear the appropriate clothes. But things happen. Been there, done that. Now, don't judge!










= = = =

Are you happy? I could have said yes and it would have been a lie. Or saaid no but this would have entailed endless questions that I was not ready to respond to.

Another question, this time, my own. How do you reply to this question from someone who, in reality, is the cause of your unhappiness?

You don't answer.

You pray.

Pray that somehow you will find a way to have the courage to say the truth. If not to that person's face then to someone else who might have some power to control the situation.

= = = =



Another boss left. In the few months that I worked under him, I have realized and learned a lot of things. Not the intellectual kind but something more important. The experience taught me that it doesn't matter how high they may be on the ladder of the career life. Foreign or local. Man or woman. All of us are human.

I have learned to be brave. I have learned to dare. I hope I remember this.

I wonder what the new boss will bring.

= = = =

Who am i to judge? I may do the same thing one day. But I have to say I felt sad. So sad that I cried. I cry for the choices we make that we know may not be right but still we insist.

There are things that you hoped for, you expected, you prayed for. But to each his own. We make our own choices. Still I feel that in some way, I have failed.

I got reminded though. In this world, we think our decisions only affect us. Not true. Somewhere, somehow, someone is crying.

All I can do now is pray.

We may hope for the best, but what if we didn't do the best?

O God!


= = = =



The last few weeks have been filled with "little" parties for despedidas and birthdays. It was an expensive month. But then, who would exchange any amount for such a great bunch of friends? Only the insane would do!

Wonderful Palawan

The weather wasn't about to let us get away with a planned outing. It just had to rain for straight 8 days before our arrival in Palawan. We were there at exactly the same time that the land could no longer soak in the rain water. It just had to flood.



Good thing there were other places to see in Palawan. Staying at the city, at Puerto Princesa, has its own advantages and beauty. Everything was walking distance or a 6-peso tricycle ride. There are various tourist spots. At the butterfly farm, there were, of course, butterflies! In different colors. Roaming around.

The Iwahig penal colony, with the prisoners roaming within, free to work the land, a semblance of freedom that is surely most sweet to those who experienced the nigthmare of Manila prisons.

I don't like looking down from an elevated area, especially if what you see are tens and tens of meat-eating crocodiles. Good thing they just had their meal or else they might not be that placid.






Decide to take the Honda Bay tour or in simple words... island hopping. I had fun swimming at Snake Island, named as such because of its shape. (I did see a coiled snake under the sea! And boy, did I readily leave that part of the sea!). I took a walk along one of the "hands" of the Starfish Island, with the water lapping around my feet. We had to forego a trip to Lilu Island (guess why? it is short for lulubog-lilitaw. Now, I hope you know why.) so as to visit the crocodile farm. But for sure, it would have shown me its own charms.






There abounded seafood and grilled or barbecued meat. Eat with a magnificent view of the sea. Enjoy your food in a restaurant surrounded with the artworks of a genius of an artist-owner. Just along the main road, there are small nipa huts for the tourists (and even the locals), who would want to experience eating with the provincial ambiance.

For us women, there is another wonderful thing. Everywhere you go, they offer those magnificent pearls. It seemed that we just couldn't help it but stop and see if there is something interesting to buy. And there always was.




But the most impressive? The people! Palawenos seem to ooze with kindness. It was disquieting at first. The never-ending questions. Where are you staying? Where are you from? How long are you going to be here? When did you arrive? What are you doing tomorrow? Have you been to the Underground River? How about a Honda Bay tour? In Manila, it would mean they are planning something fishy. Not in Palawan.


The van drivers who were very concerned. One waited just to make sure that we won't be stranded and brought us to a place where we could stay. Another offered to take our pictures beside touristic spots. It was so easy to ask a tricycle driver where are the good places to eat or buy the pasalubongs. Hotel staff who were most helpful. There was never that feeling that somehow they are trying to con you into something. They are honest. They are kind. They know how to take care of their tourists. They do this because they are proud of their land and knew that their future depends on visitors who must tell others to come also.



I will never forget the young boy who guided this water-fearing tourist --- > me! If not for his kindness, I wouldn't have seen those colorful fishes and missed the fun of feeding them bread from my hand! He was patient enough to point out the fishes and to suffer me holding onto his arm (despite the life vest, for the life of me, I cannot bear not to have something to hold on to!). Dove for starfishes to show us and even willing to take our pictures with them! Wonderful experience indeed!

Someday there will be a Palawan Trip 2!

Let me be

Why the nitty gritty details?

Why me? I ask with patience...

I pause, I try to smile again.

It happens everyday.

Can be fun yet at times tiring.

Just let me be, I pray again and again.

Make the rope longer.

I can do it except maybe today.

Sickness prevents me though it is no excuse.

It is over for now.

Still, it will the same thing tomorrow.

Cakes

My cakes so far...

The first one was from Goldilocks... called something like Mango Light. It was with other Embassy girls. We had a delicious lunch at this famous Japanese restaurant (why do I always forget the name?)...

The second was from Petit Four (my fave bakeshop ever! hahaha!)... with my dearest girlfriends...

Where will my next cake come from? : - )

My birthday has just began! :- )