I have not been the most obedient child, nor have I been the sweetest or thoughtful one. But it seems like God is still in favor of me because He has given the best mother of all time.
My mama and I are very opposite in so many ways. She's clean and organized, while I like it cluttered and messy. She likes intricacy while I'm a minimalist. She's a speaker, I'm a writer. She's straightforward, while I'm a bit reserved. She handles money well, while I -- need I say more? hahaha
But no matter how we go on different ways, one thing is for sure, there's always love. She loves me more than I could even imagine. She let's me take the last piece of burger even if her tummy's growling. She'd let me have the second pillow even if it's a hardwood that's beneath her. Yes, she gives me anything even if there's nothing more left for herself. She loves me despite the number of letdowns I gave, despite my rebellions, despite my animosity. She's still there no matter how many times I pushed her away. I love her too. But I don't think I could ever reciprocate the love she's giving me.
To tell you the truth, I've hated her so much before. But when a wee little one turned my life around, when I became a mother myself, that's when I saw right through my mother's eyes... all she did was love. She's the one who shaped, inspired, and encouraged my very being. There's more than a thousand and one reasons for me to to thank her. And I know it won't be enough. My mama is the most beautiful and best mom in the whole world.
A lot of my friends know I did not have the best relationship with my mother. I am hard-headed, stubborn, rebellious, and a tad spoiled brat and she, on the other hand, has the eye of the tigress and the mouth of a machine gun. We do just fine lest our heads collide - it's gonna be chaos.
But no matter how we go on different ways, one thing is for sure, there's always love. She loves me more than I could even imagine. She let's me take the last piece of burger even if her tummy's growling. She'd let me have the second pillow even if it's a hardwood that's beneath her. Yes, she gives me anything even if there's nothing more left for herself. She loves me despite the number of letdowns I gave, despite my rebellions, despite my animosity. She's still there no matter how many times I pushed her away. I love her too. But I don't think I could ever reciprocate the love she's giving me.
To tell you the truth, I've hated her so much before. But when a wee little one turned my life around, when I became a mother myself, that's when I saw right through my mother's eyes... all she did was love. She's the one who shaped, inspired, and encouraged my very being. There's more than a thousand and one reasons for me to to thank her. And I know it won't be enough. My mama is the most beautiful and best mom in the whole world.
I don't know what I have done to deserve such beautiful, empowered, and God-given treasure. I don't even think I am worthy but I know and am very thankful that I am very blessed. I pray that God will continually bless her with good health, and shower her with more blessings as she has been a blessing not just to me, not just to my dad and sister, but to other people as well.
Not everybody is blessed to have a mother, not to mention, the greatest in the world. What more could I ever ask for?
So to you and all the doting moms out there who never cease to love and care, the day is yours, Happy Mother's Day!
So to you and all the doting moms out there who never cease to love and care, the day is yours, Happy Mother's Day!
By Anonymous
What can I say about a girl I loved since I was ten... that I love the way she laughs at me when I commit mistakes, the way she fusses over silly things and even the way she cries over some sad silly late night show...
A Tale from a First-timer
I've never been to any bloggers social gathering before. I never had the courage to join, especially when I know nobody. Last Friday, May 3, 2013, was different. I decided to join Davao Bloggers Acquaintance Party just because. I was apprehensive but at the same time excited. In fact, too excited that I forgot to bring my camera and my phone *facepalm*
The venue was at Krispy Kreme - SM Lanang, but to me it felt like I was in a jungle. Really. I felt like a very little mouse in a jungle full of big unknown creatures. I do not know anybody, except perhaps for the familiar faces I've seen during my usual rounds of blog hops. I was intimidated and too anxious to go anywhere near the big ones, like they're a predator and I'm a prey.
Nobody knows me. But that's probably a good thing. I can just sit there quietly, try to be as small as I can be, and assume that I am invisible to everyone else. And for the win, I didn't have a phone that I can tinker so that I can pretend to look busy. I just sat there and read Krispy Kreme's paper placemats featuring their Mickey Mouse treats even if there's really nothing there to read. Muntanga lang. hahaha =D
It was a perfect fifteen-minute pathetic moment. But I didn't want to be pathetic (yeah, 15 minutes too late). So I flashed a gawky smile to the first stranger in front me and started a small but awkward conversation. Then one stranger after another, they came welcoming me with big, warm, friendly smiles. In a heartbeat, I snapped back into my senses. Hey, I am not in a jungle. I'm in a Davao Blogger's Acquaintance Party! And these creatures here aren't scary after all. Armed with shy His and Hellos, I made my way through the jungle meeting new people.
Yes, I survived.
To cut the story short, I enjoyed the night. I enjoyed their presentation of how Davao Bloggers started, their previous and incoming activities, and their goals. Which makes me want to slap myself for not joining this group ages ago. What have I been missing? Sigh. I am so amazed by their camaraderie. The fellowship they have shown is different. They are a family. The more I see them together, the more that I yearn to be part of it. Which I believe I should be. (Brace yourselves, new member coming! hehe)
I enjoyed the games and of course, the food! It was an awkward start but ended with a blast. A big one at that. And now, I look forward to more blogger gatherings like this.
I'd like to grab this opportunity to thank everyone, especially the officers, behind the Davao Blogger's Acquaintance Party. Thank you for bringing us together. We, especially the newbies, need events like this. A chance to gather, mingle, share and just enjoy the day with our fellow bloggers.I certainly think this is still, after all, a jungle... only filled with crazy but beautiful and friendly creatures.
I've never been to any bloggers social gathering before. I never had the courage to join, especially when I know nobody. Last Friday, May 3, 2013, was different. I decided to join Davao Bloggers Acquaintance Party just because. I was apprehensive but at the same time excited. In fact, too excited that I forgot to bring my camera and my phone *facepalm*
The venue was at Krispy Kreme - SM Lanang, but to me it felt like I was in a jungle. Really. I felt like a very little mouse in a jungle full of big unknown creatures. I do not know anybody, except perhaps for the familiar faces I've seen during my usual rounds of blog hops. I was intimidated and too anxious to go anywhere near the big ones, like they're a predator and I'm a prey.
Nobody knows me. But that's probably a good thing. I can just sit there quietly, try to be as small as I can be, and assume that I am invisible to everyone else. And for the win, I didn't have a phone that I can tinker so that I can pretend to look busy. I just sat there and read Krispy Kreme's paper placemats featuring their Mickey Mouse treats even if there's really nothing there to read. Muntanga lang. hahaha =D
It was a perfect fifteen-minute pathetic moment. But I didn't want to be pathetic (yeah, 15 minutes too late). So I flashed a gawky smile to the first stranger in front me and started a small but awkward conversation. Then one stranger after another, they came welcoming me with big, warm, friendly smiles. In a heartbeat, I snapped back into my senses. Hey, I am not in a jungle. I'm in a Davao Blogger's Acquaintance Party! And these creatures here aren't scary after all. Armed with shy His and Hellos, I made my way through the jungle meeting new people.
Yes, I survived.
To cut the story short, I enjoyed the night. I enjoyed their presentation of how Davao Bloggers started, their previous and incoming activities, and their goals. Which makes me want to slap myself for not joining this group ages ago. What have I been missing? Sigh. I am so amazed by their camaraderie. The fellowship they have shown is different. They are a family. The more I see them together, the more that I yearn to be part of it. Which I believe I should be. (Brace yourselves, new member coming! hehe)
I enjoyed the games and of course, the food! It was an awkward start but ended with a blast. A big one at that. And now, I look forward to more blogger gatherings like this.
I'd like to grab this opportunity to thank everyone, especially the officers, behind the Davao Blogger's Acquaintance Party. Thank you for bringing us together. We, especially the newbies, need events like this. A chance to gather, mingle, share and just enjoy the day with our fellow bloggers.I certainly think this is still, after all, a jungle... only filled with crazy but beautiful and friendly creatures.
The attendees. Me, the girl in yellow green. Photo courtesy of Algene Cutamora. |
My love for digital art started from a simple photo manipulation. I was 17. All I did was edit a photo by adding fancy texts, splatter some brushes here and some glitters there, and voila! I called it art. And I was so proud of it.
Then one photo after another, I started to improve. I explored almost everything that has something to do with pixels. From photo manipulation to vector to vexel to digital paint. It became more than a hobby... it became my passion.
Today, I'd like to share with you my firsts on every type of project I made. These are just a few of a hundreds of my projects during the early days of still learning how to unleash creativity using the digital technology.
Then one photo after another, I started to improve. I explored almost everything that has something to do with pixels. From photo manipulation to vector to vexel to digital paint. It became more than a hobby... it became my passion.
Today, I'd like to share with you my firsts on every type of project I made. These are just a few of a hundreds of my projects during the early days of still learning how to unleash creativity using the digital technology.
When people learn that I work from home, I get different reactions. Most people would say "Ka hayahay." Hayahay is a term from our local dialect which could mean any of the following: relaxing, comfortable, convenient, ease, and all other terms related to it. It is as good as saying "It must be nice to have a stress-free work."
No, not really. And there's no such thing.
Sometimes, people envy me, thinking that I hold all the time for myself. Note, thinking. It seems most people with "real jobs" think home-based jobs can be as easy as just clicking the mouse, (e.g. paid to click, networking, referrals, ponzi schemes) earning while doing almost nothing. No. These are real office jobs we do, only we chose to be at home.
Working from home is not what you really think it is. I am well aware of the perks of working at home, and I absolutely love it. However, I can't deny the fact that I also need to acknowledge the perils that come with it.
No, not really. And there's no such thing.
Sometimes, people envy me, thinking that I hold all the time for myself. Note, thinking. It seems most people with "real jobs" think home-based jobs can be as easy as just clicking the mouse, (e.g. paid to click, networking, referrals, ponzi schemes) earning while doing almost nothing. No. These are real office jobs we do, only we chose to be at home.
Working from home is not what you really think it is. I am well aware of the perks of working at home, and I absolutely love it. However, I can't deny the fact that I also need to acknowledge the perils that come with it.
My Workstation |
Ten years ago, I chose to study nursing because I thought this career could take me to a good life: work abroad, have a car and build my dream house. One hundred hospital duties, thirty absences and countless pink slips later, I dreaded the fact that I chose Nursing.
I regularly slept in class, I flunked a major subject because of accumulated absences, and I loathed every second of every day of every 8-hour health care lecture. I just do not like it. It costs more or less than half a million pesos to send me to nursing school and I ended up being a disappointment.
You know what's so depressing? it's when you're down to the last 50 pages of the book that is totally gripping and has held you captive and awake at nights. The fact that you're about to leave a different world that you have loved and the characters you got attached to. You're excited to know how it's going to end and at the same time saddened because you know that that's the last of that world.
This is the best epic fantasy series I've read in a long time, and it has finally come to an end. Brandon Sanderson, I hate you so much. You should have just shot me to the head instead.
Anyway, I feel like I've been Brandon Sandersoned. I just got more books from him and these are next on my reading list.
This is exactly how I feel right now |
Will probably get hardcover copies for these. :) |
Anyway, I feel like I've been Brandon Sandersoned. I just got more books from him and these are next on my reading list.
The Way of Kings Part 1 was out of stock, but still I got myself a copy of Part 2. Excited lang. hehe |
Look what came in the mail today!
I didn't throw a hundred bucks for this just to be taken away by careless freight forwarders. Just so you know, a local bookstore actually sells books like these but since they're too pricey (almost 50% more than the original price), I decided to order from the actual Barnes and Noble site. Saves more even with the freight fee included. But of course, the loooong wait and anxiety is the price to pay.
Gasp. It's worth the wait. I am so stunned. B-E-A-utiful is an understatement.
I know EP leatherbounds are waaaay better, of course, paired with a price that I cannot ever afford. But who needs a sixty-dollar worth of leatherbound book when I got these? I couldn't be more satisfied. These B&N books have elegant covers with intricate details and beautiful design, gilded pages, readable fonts printed in a smooth paper, plus the smell... ahhh the smell... I'm so in love.
I'm not an expert on scrutinizing book make or quality, but I believe
this is a bang for your buck. They are actually cheaper than I
thought. I mean, $18 for a book to be this absolutely gorgeous? I got myself a great
deal. These books are a keeper.
The only let down is the ease of reading for the bigger ones. Yes, they're not just eye-candies for shelves; I plan to actually read them (although I've already read most). To bind more than 5 novels into one book, imagine how thick, big, and heavy would that be? But that's okay, I have read the Deathly Hallows (in Hardcover) without complaints. Although these leatherbounds are heavier. I don't like reading while lying down anyway. So a heavy book on the lap wouldn't be much of a problem.
I hope they make more leatherbound editions. Imagine having Tolkien's Lord of the Rings in leatherbound. Uh-huh, EPIC.
Anyway, could somebody spare me a hundred bucks? I dream of having the entire collection one day, but I'm good with just a few. Four more will do. Would that be too much to ask?
You know how much I wanted these from my previous post. Gawd, I've waited for more than 2months for these books. Yes 2 months. Scared the hell out of me. I am used to buying stuff overseas and there was never any issue regarding delivery delays or items not received. But this one really gave me worries.
The boxed set |
The Classics are ♥. Need I say more? |
Gilded pages. Love it! Looks like I just opened a treasure chest ! |
Gasp. It's worth the wait. I am so stunned. B-E-A-utiful is an understatement.
I know EP leatherbounds are waaaay better, of course, paired with a price that I cannot ever afford. But who needs a sixty-dollar worth of leatherbound book when I got these? I couldn't be more satisfied. These B&N books have elegant covers with intricate details and beautiful design, gilded pages, readable fonts printed in a smooth paper, plus the smell... ahhh the smell... I'm so in love.
The pictures don't even do justice. |
I know someday this will come handy for my son's Literature class |
love the illustrated flyleaf |
Who doesn't love books with maps?
|
yes! some books have illustration on them! |
Anyway, could somebody spare me a hundred bucks? I dream of having the entire collection one day, but I'm good with just a few. Four more will do. Would that be too much to ask?
Perfect! But it breaks my heart that the more I look at it, the more I long for the other collection. LOL |
I am a HAPPY worm! |