hello world

I think I need to find an outlet for the extrovert in me. I'm glad that I start teaching again end of July. I feel much more prepared now than last time, as I have a better idea of what to teach, what materials to use, and how to proceed with classes :)

Speaking of teaching, I read somewhere that good early childhood programs should have good art programs. I remembered the activity-filled days of my early childhood - playing in the sandbox, creating artwork with potatoes, finger painting, show and tell, building blocks - it was such a fun way to learn.

Tried Barre3 with D last weekend. It was challenging but it felt wonderful to work up a sweat. I'd do it again, if only to build up my muscle strength.

I figured I'd start writing here again, just because I feel like I've been too much of an introvert already. I'd like to take lots of pictures to document experiences and events. So I'm sharing one of the fun things I did during the last long weekend. Watched Forever and A Day with D and Zel :) And we had a cuppa gelato to satisfy our sweet tooth :)

Inner Peace

I finally got a copy of Sarah Dessen's "Along for the Ride" :D Only to find out that she has a new book entitled "What Happened to Goodbye," which I'll probably have to wait about a year for the paperback version. Can't wait to get started on the book! :)

Today was a busy Sunday of sorts. Had a haircut in the morning, then lunch at Kozui, followed by a trip to Shang, where I got myself a bottle of Chanel Aqualumiere (The texture's really light and airy, plus it has a nice finishing scent.), then snacks at Sango.

Watched Kung Fu Panda 2. I super enjoyed the movie. It was so much fun, plus the story line was well thought out. It was just great to laugh out loud :D

I liked the movie's message of inner peace and accepting things and moving on.

To recap Saturday, I did mostly documentation at work. D and I had dinner at Bellisimo (pesto pizza!) and capped off the night with desserts from Paradis. We tried the malunggay (tasted like green tea but D said it tasted like vegetables :| ), coco and vanilla, wasabi (tasted like the wasabi white choco panna cotta i made before. It had a strong kick of wasabi flavor), and ube taro (this had the taste of authentic taro, kind of like it was ground and added to the ice cream). D ended up ordering the Pumpkin flavor and Chocolate and Tomato (this had a rich chocolate taste with tiny clumps of tomato mixed in). I tried the Yolive, which is yogurt with olive oil. It had a slightly slick taste and smelled of olive oil, but it was easy on the taste buds :)

curl up

 Weeks have gone by in a blurry haze of semi-busy-ness. I've been playing the violin constantly, until my arms and fingers ache. My fingertips are rough and a bit bruised from practice. I still have a long way to go but I love how I can create melodies already. It's a nice way to unwind.

 Last weekend - Mother's Day weekend, I met up for dinner with friends at Annabel's. There was some confusion between A. Lee and Annabel's, but that made for a good laugh :) Dinner was nice and cozy, quite the treat given the drizzling weather.

On Sunday, had a Mother's Day lunch at Choi Palace in Eastwood. Was supposed to try barre3 but class got cancelled due to heavy rains. And so, D and I headed off to YogenFruz with Meloy, Marge, and Jeff. I spent the rest of the drizzly afternoon talking and catching up with Meloy. It was an absolutely lazy way to spend the afternoon, and it was awesome :D

Afterwards, D and I hung out at BC's, where we talked over slices of chocolate cake and leche flan. I seldom get to meet with D's friends so it was a nice opportunity to get to know his crowd, or one of them at least ;)

The weekend was truly a wonderful change of pace. I was able to slow down a bit and just relax, kind of like this photo. Credits for the photo go to ashley.

And because sleep seems to be such a long lost friend to most, I'd like to share this photo, from ashley as well, just a reminder to take care of ourselves. 

I just finished reading Skipping a Beat the other day. One of the main characters, Michael, gets a whole new perspective on life after suffering a heart attack and being pulseless for four minutes. This event causes him to re-evaluate what is truly important to him. It was a perfect read for my weekend, as it was exactly what I needed to reevaluate what life is for. As Meloy shared, when things get tough, remember to go back to why you're doing it, go back to what inspires you.

the best medicine

I've been in blog hibernation for quite some time. Not intentionally, actually. Things just got in the way, as how life gets in the way of living :P I've been keeping track of events and conversations and moments through photographs and quick jots in my planner.

Recently, my days have been a mix of Korean dramas (49 Days is turning out to be quite an enjoyable watch!), Japanese lesson preparations (I'm tackling that particle test this week), birthday dinners (My tummy can attest to those meals), violin practice (for an upcoming recital), dates with the boyfriend (I particularly enjoyed our quiet lunch at Kozui), work, books, chats with friends, etc etc.

Tonight we gathered together once again, after last night's celebration at Emerald, at Kimpura for yet another birthday celebration. This time there was one long rectangular table instead of two round ones. And today, maybe because I wasn't as sleepy as I was last night, I laughed until my belly reverberated with the mirth.

I remember during my last trip to Toronto, my aunt was saying how laughter is a form of therapy and release (which would probably explain laughter yoga). It was only when she mentioned this fact that I realized I hadn't laughed - in that belly-rumbling way - in quite some time.

Any maybe because I get tired more easily these days that today felt extra special. It felt wonderful laughing with my extended family as we reminisced childhood days, as banter was thrown around from one end to the other, as my cousins giggled and chuckled.

Laughter is indeed the best medicine. It's probably good exercise for the lungs, but it truly works wonders for tired spirits like mine.

laidback

The weekend was a happy laidback event.
On Saturday, I went off to my tutees to find out they had long exams scheduled the following week and that I wasn't scheduled to have a session that day. So, I trekked off to D's. I met him halfway in Ongpin where he was walking at racing pace to meet me :D We had a good heart-to-heart that day over day-to-day things. I felt happy that we got to talk about all sorts of different things. We hardly get any face-to-face time during the week so it's nice to be able to catch up on weekends.

Had a light yummy dinner at Wabi-Sabi. I got the Pho noodles and D had the Banh-My vietnamese sandwich - veggies and veggie meat on a baguette. This is what Sako got me before in Canada :) Nice and healthy. Paired my dinner with a refreshing bottle of Bundaberg's peach drink.

We were supposed to play badminton this morning but the court was locked and we couldn't find the caretaker so we ended up doing sprints along the driveway with our daschund racing behind us :D Not exactly a workout but we were able to work up a (minor) sweat.

Caught "The Adjustment Bureau" at Greenbelt. I really liked the movie. I liked the chemistry between the two leads - Matt Damon and Emily Blunt. But my favorite characters were the members of the Adjustment Bureau, esp. the one named Harry. The guys had such neat tricks, opening doors to instantly reveal different locations and notebooks with scribbles of ripples and change and intersecting lives. It was thought-provoking with its questions on free will and fate and choice. But at its core was the love story between Matt and Emily's characters.

D and I also tried the honeybread gelato at Cafe Ti Amo. I liked the crunchy ends of the thick toast. It was a simple snack of thick buttered toast sprinkled with cinnamon and topped with scoops of gelato and blueberry chunks. A sweet snack for the tired shopper. I like the store decor, with its warm brick wall and brown and nude chairs. It gave off a New York feel. Ironically, it's also the kind of cafe you'd most likely find in Seoul - a Western cafe with an Asian twist.

***
Today was a day filled with small memorable moments - laughing around the dining table over a late lunch, window shopping with D, talking while resting our tired feet on a mall bench, browsing through rows and rows of books, staring curiously at a person's dreadlocks (they were truly awesome dreadlocks!), bonding with sisters before sleeping about what happened to them during the day.

It's the tiny moments of quiet happiness that recharge me for the busy week that lies ahead. It's the quiet moments that make me feel anchored and thankful and blessed.

have a blessed week ahead!

losing touch

I was shooting a scene in my new film, No Strings Attached, in which I say to Natalie Portman,

“If you miss me. you can’t text, you can’t email, you can’t post it on my Facebook wall. If you really miss me, you come and see me.”

I began to think of all of the billions of intimate exchanges sent daily via fingers and screens, bouncing between satellites and servers. With all this texting, emailing, and social networking, I started wondering, are we all becoming so in touch with one another that we are in danger of losing touch?

It used to be that boy met girl and they exchanged phone numbers. Anticipation built. They imagined the entire relationship before a call ever happened. The phone rang. Hearts pounded. “Hello?” Followed by a conversation that lasted two hours but felt like two minutes and would be examined with friends for two weeks. If all went well, a date was arranged. That was then.

Now we exchange numbers but text instead of calling because it mitigates the risks of early failure and eliminates those deafening moments of silence. Now anticipation builds. Bdoop. “It was NICE meeting u” Both sides overanalyze every word. We talk to a friend, an impromptu Cyrano: “He wrote nice in all caps. What does that mean? What do I write back?” Then we write a response and delete it 10 times before sending a message that will appear 2 care, but not 2 much. If all goes well, a date will be arranged.

Whether you like it or not, the digital age has produced a new format for modern romance, and natural selection may be favoring the quick-thumbed quip peddler over the confident, ice-breaking alpha male. Or maybe we are hiding behind the cloak of digital text and spell-check to present superior versions of ourselves while using these less intimate forms of communication to accelerate the courting process. So what’s it really good for?

There is some argument about who actually invented text messaging, but I think it’s safe to say it was a man. Multiple studies have shown that the average man uses about half as many words per day as women, thus text messaging. It eliminates hellos and goodbyes and cuts right to the chase. Now, if that’s not male behavior, I don’t know what is. It’s also great for passing notes. there is something fun about sharing secrets with your date while in the company of others. think of texting as a modern whisper in your lover’s car.

Sending sweet nothings on Twitter or Facebook is also fun. in some ways, it’s no different than sending flowers to the office: You are declaring your love for everyone to see. Who doesn’t like to be publicly adored. Just remember that what you post is out there and there’s some stuff you can’t un-see. But the reality is that we communicate with every part of our being, and there are times when we must use it all. When someone needs us, he or she needs all of us. There’s no text that can replace a loving touch when someone we love is hurting.

We haven’t lost romance in the digital age, but we may be neglecting it. In doing so, antiquated art forms are taking on new importance. The power of a hand-written letter is greater than ever. It’s personal and deliberate means more than an email or text ever will. It has a unique scent. It requires deciphering. But, most important, it’s flawed There are errors in handwriting, punctuation, grammar, and spelling that show our vulnerability. And vulnerability is the essence of romance. It’s the art of being uncalculated, the willingness to look foolish, the courage to say,

“This is me, and I’m interested in you enough to show you my flaws with the hope that you may embrace me for all that I am but, more importantly, all that I am not.”

Taken from: soulcaptivity 

february in hindsight

These last two weekends, 

I tried the wet burrito and tamarind iced tea at Ristras :)

Ended the Mexican lunch with interesting drinks from Happy Lemon. Green tea with rock salt and cheese for me, and Chocolate with custard for D.

Shopped around GH and discovered Cath Kidston - classical, floral, colorful designs. Got myself a London-inspired wallet :)

 D and I watched I Am Number Four, which I found entertaining and fun :) 

D got me this adorably packaged jalapeno sauce from Costa Rica. Love the hat detail.

A lot of things happened this Feb. I predict things will get pretty busy the next few months ;) Busy...in a good way :)

For fashion inspiration, I love these dresses by Adelarose. 

red

My wardrobe is sorely lacking in the red department. I need to go get some red shirts so I don't have a hard time picking what to wear on birthdays and other special occasions.

Friday was A-pe's birthday. Spent most of the night chatting with Cha :)
Saturday was Angkong's birthday :) Celebrated at New Dynasty. One of the more memorable bits of the evening was plotting to switch the channel of the TV in the function room. The story behind that was one of my great aunts was watching a Taiwan singing talent show while my uncles wanted to catch the latest score of the basketball game. We made several attempts to change the channel but my great aunt always shouted out to go back to the original channel. A-ku had several accomplices but it was always Mission Fail :)) In the end, we decided that someone should pretend to trip on the tv cable wire which would shut the tv down hehe. We were too nice to execute the plan though haha.

We also discussed sleeping habits - talking in your sleep, sleep walking, falling asleep when the TV is on but then promptly waking up when your spouse turns off the tv, lying positions (do you sleep with your head elevated or flat), and other sleeping habits.

I got a chance to see the sketches that Angkong made. Some were quite realistic. I remember sitting still in our Toronto dining table once, while Angkong made a sketch of me. He really does have a talent for drawing :)

Today, I cleaned and tidied up my closet. There's more space now and I color coded my shirts. Hopefully, I can keep my closet this way throughout this year.

Had dinner at Buddy's with my family. Simple dinner of pancit lucban and sago't gulaman. It was a nice quiet evening.

Tomorrow's Monday. It's also Valentine's. Most importantly, it's the day D arrives home! Yey! :D

To end the post, I'm reposting the chorus of The Script's Science and Faith. Love the song :)

"You won't find faith or hope down a telescope
You won't find heart and soul in the stars
You can break everything down to chemicals
But you can't explain a love like ours"