I don't really brag about my purchases, except for the books and for this one. But save those sneers, what I am about to brag has a little story to tell.

You must understand, after I first set foot on Mt. Apo with my ever reliable Sandugo sandals, my feet got sunburn and blisters. So I promised myself a good pair of shoes for this kind of adventure. It took me almost a decade to be able to afford one. And here it is! Finally.

Well, I must have been very nice this year because I got the perfect(est), best(est), and comfiest hiking shoes this Christmas! Woot! And the best part is, I definitely am the luckiest when I got this.

Earlier today, my workmates and I visited Providence Home of St. Joseph at Tugbok District, Davao City. It is a home which caters abused, abandoned, neglected, and orphaned children. At first I thought of it as an ordinary outreach activity, something like those any other outreach programs required by our schools way back in high school and college. But this time, it's different. I guess when you grow up and do things willingly, you see things differently.

We had the usual programme: introduction, games, presentations, yadda yadda. Then the children took us by surprise with their numbers, when in fact, we should be the one surprising them. It was a lot fun than I expected. Yes, I was more inclined to the fun part. I was never emotional when it comes to this. But what gave me away was when they sang a Christmas song with the words:

Lagi mo na maiisip na sila'y nandito sana
At sa Noche Buena ay magkakasama.
Ang pasko ay kay saya kung kayo'y kapiling na
Sana pagsapit ng Pasko, kayo'y naririto...

To my non-Filipino speaking friends, to simply translate this song it means, I wish my loved ones are here this Christmas.

Yet despite that lack of fashion sense, I definitely am no sloppy dresser either.

I missed reading. I haven't read for months. With an exception to The Maze Runner, which I've read from my phone. But I had to stop halfway because my eyes have been complaining of eye-strain. That means, that novel would have to wait until the next paycheck and I'll purchase the real book instead.

Yep, this is so me.

Anyway, it's Saturday and I finally got time to read uninterrupted. I was too engrossed, I kept on telling myself 'just one more chapter' that I've totally forgotten about dinner. I can't help it. It really feels good to disconnect from the real world and enter another world that could simply bring you mayhem, sadness, happiness, love and so on and so forth.

I just finished reading one and as always, I ended up becoming a victim of emotional trauma from the hands of a paperback. I think regardless of the number of books I've read, I could never get used to it. Books will always stab and wound me, or take me on a high. However it goes, it's an enjoyable experience nonetheless. Yes, I am grabbing another one so that I will have something to blame for my lack of sleep at night again. Haha. Bless my eye bags.

Yesterday, I was supposed to be buying a book for my goddaughter who just turned 15 last Nov. 2. Yep, I was only 14 when I became a godparent. Kaya ngayong sumasahod na ako, kailangan ko ng bumawi. I am really happy she wants to have a book for her birthday. I didn't have second thoughts on buying her one even though I have been avoiding bookstores because whether I'm broke or not, I never got out of there empty-handed. But this time, I decided to step into the bookstore again, keeping in mind that I will only buy what I needed to buy. Much to my dismay, the book that I am looking for isn't available.

I can't help but look around. And just by that, I am well-aware I am losing the battle. There is no way I can fight the urge. One book. Just one book, I thought to myself. Lo and behold! I came out of the bookstore like a child grinning from ear to ear with a bag full of candies, except I was clutching these:

I remember the time when my friend Anne and I went on a ride to Jack's Ridge when I jokingly asked her to give me that cute little tin box from her car's dashboard drawer to which she was hesitant at first and told me she'd give me the Bible instead. I replied, we have a lot of that at home in different versions and translations as a matter of fact. Then she started asking me questions about the Bible to which I promptly and precisely answered. We discussed the Bible to the point that you can tell how much I know so much about the Bible (read it almost cover to cover). I even told her I read the whole book of Revelations, which is my favorite book of all.

She gave me that look of utter disbelief. Well, I couldn't blame her. I am known for being stubborn and mischievous. And being someone who have read the Bible is too far from how they've known me. Don't get me wrong, I just know the Bible - the same way I know my Science lessons. So, it's not what you think it is. I don't mean to offend anyone, but I'm not a devotee, a religious freak or something. But what shocked her the most was when I told her I am a Pastor's Kid (PK).

"PK ka pala? Really?!"

"Oo. Hindi pa ako pinanganak, pastor na papa ko."

"As in?"

"As in."

"Sure ka bai?"

"O, lagi!"

I can't remember how many times I've been to the beach just for 2014. Now, I'm really staying true to what I claim myself to be: a beach bum. Hehe. I just woke up from being knocked out after a whole day of Island Hopping with friends to celebrate my friend, Kevin's birthday (in advance).

I'm actually still at lost for words. My mind isn't fully functional yet.  I guess all that swimming and that dive I did from the top deck of the boat are to blame for that (*cough* excuses * cough*). So I'll just let the photos speak for it. I really don't have a lot of pictures though, some of these were just grabbed from my friends. :)

Kami at ang eskandalosong monopod ni Justin. Ok lang, smile pa rin.

Anyway, this man right here is my bestfriend, my confidant, my mentor, my pingpong coach, my biking buddy, my counselor, my tagasaway na utro pud pasaway, my kilig factory, my panda, my gummy bear (kay makagigil), my pillow, and of course, my inspiration. I hope I did justice to his beautiful face even though I think I overdid the goatee. Haha. :P

I was mindlessly lurking on my Facebook news feed when I suddenly stumbled upon one of my friend's drawings. I stared at it for a long time. Something bothered me. It couldn't be the stroke or the colors or the medium used. It's actually a pretty good drawing. But something is stirring up in my heart, and it's mixture of feelings of anguish, remorse, envy, and then there's a sudden longing.

I realized I terribly miss drawing.

When was the last time that I actually drew something? I don't effin' remember. I haven't been doing vectors and vexels, nor simply draw with a pen and paper for years. Yes, it has been years! I have been stuck. Although at some point, I would draw something, then I suddenly don't want to proceed. I stop and never finish it. The feeling of 'it's not good enough' is holding me back that I just toss whatever I had started and move on as if I haven't done anything.

A few weeks ago an old friend dropped by unexpectedly. He's a regular guest, always coming unannounced.

We had something way back. We were roommates for a varying length of time. I think he's cool. He says I rock in that Taylor Swift raccoon eye make-up. We watched movies together and he loves Harry Potter too. We read books together and we do it all night long. I think he's smart. He always has this way of stimulating my mind. We exchanged ideas from night until morning. He's creative too. Sometimes he fuels my imagination as I've done a lot of artworks with him. I had a lot of fun and memorable experience with him that there are times I would never want him to leave. But he left anyway.

WARNING: IMAGE OVERLOAD

What could be more fun when you go on a trip unplanned? Well actually, we planned this trip two weeks ago. Everything was almost set that we almost booked for a packaged trip: complete with an itinerary, a place to stay, and transportation. What we only have to do is enjoy the trip. Three days later, more than half of our company backed out. So from ten, we went down to four. Haha. Bummer.

The four of us pushed through though. Not sure how exactly we're going to make it since nobody has been to Surigao before. We were only equipped with what other blogs feed us about how to go the Enchanted River and that was it. But we went on as planned: go to Enchanted River and explore Britannia Islands.

Okay, just so you know, I am not a travel blogger. And if I were, I'm not a good one at that. But I will try to be detailed as much as I can (as far as I can remember). What you will read here will be more of our experiences and [mis]adventures during this getaway. I won't promise I'll be generous with words because what I will say will most likely be an understatement, it may or may not convey what we have actually seen, heard or felt. But I'll try my best anyway. And I'll be honest as honest can be. So here goes..

Day 1 - Come What May
We left at 2am from Davao City boarding a bus going to Mangagoy, Bislig City, Surigao, taking us there by 8am. The moment we stepped down the bus, habal-habal drivers approached us asking where are we headed. Took us quite some time to answer because we just realized we don't have an itinerary.

We scoured the map and located all the places we want to go to and discussed then and there what's the best to do to maximize the trip. What would we do without Jan's phone? Haha. We decided to go to Tinuy-an Falls, proceed to Enchanted river, and lastly, stay overnight at Britannia. So after befriending and having negotiations with the drivers, we hailed a habal-habal to take us to our destinations.

First destination: Tinuy-an Falls
Dubbed as little Niagara falls (or something like that), it was more majestic than what I saw on pictures. Stunning. Breath-taking, to say the least. We rented a life vest (optional at 30 pesos each), and enjoyed the cool and refreshing waterfalls.




By 11am, we took off and proceeded to our next destination, the Enchanted River - in hopes of being able to get there on time for the fish feeding at 12noon. But it took an hour and a half of butt-numbing, dusty, windy ride from Tinuy-an to Enchanted. Kaya sayang, di namin naabutan.

Second destination: Enchanted River
A few meters from the spot were vendors selling fresh sea food. Surprisingly, it was cheap. We bought crabs, curacha, and some fishes that I can't identify. We have them cooked, then excitedly went down the river.

The river was surprisingly ummm how do I say it? Not fascinating as I thought it was. I was speechless. Well, in a way that I was a little disappointed. What ran through my mind were the words: is this it? Yep, honestly. Maybe it's just me, or in this case, us. Or maybe because there were so many people that time. Or maybe we were just expecting too much. No. It was already too developed and it was the hordes of people that didn't make the enchanted river so enchanting. But the place is beautiful nonetheless. And yes, it would have been better if there are only few people in there. So if you want to go and enjoy its true beauty, I suggest you do it on weekdays.

Enchanted River

After a few minutes of jumping and diving and swimming, we had the much awaited feast. This.


By 2pm, since there are still a lot of people swimming in the river, we decided to go island hopping then. Renting a boat costs 160 per hour. Thinking that an hour is enough to tour just a few islands after the mouth of the river, we gave it a try. It's cheap anyway. But we were so wrong. We never ever thought the place is teeming with surprises. One stop led to a discovery of one beauty to another. Everything was just so unexpected.

First stop: Pacific View
The beach isn't as awesome as you'd think it is. But still, the place is beautiful and the view of the open sea is so calming. Not bad for a ten-peso entrance fee. :)

Pacific View Resort

Second stop: Sarasosa Cave
Now, this is something that we never expected. What I pictured out when the boat driver told as he'll take us to cave, was just a small cave, where you can just take a little stroll, take pictures here and there, and pronto! you're on the other side. But judging from the picture, do you think it is a small cave?

Definitely not. It took us about 30 minutes to maybe an hour of exploring the dark, challenging yet magnificent cave. I would've gotten a lot of bumps on the head if it wasn't for the hard hat. I'm careless at that. And yep, you could die in there if you aren't too careful. Not exaggerating. You could slip down the slippery rocks and fall down a few feet while sharp rocks wait below. Challenging, yes. And it's an extreme experience for first time spelunkers like us.



Third stop: Sibadan Fish Cage
Have you ever gone swimming with the stingray? We did! Well, we didn't only swim with the stingray, but with sharks, and fishes as big as 2 feet weighing 30 kgs, and a lot more as well. How cool is that? Unfortunately, we didn't have an uber-awesome underwater camera to take photos of that. But hey, we managed to snap our attempt to swim with the stingray. :)

Swimming with the stingray

I don't know whether you should call us bold or just stupid because we were told we are the only ones who attempted to go near the stingray. Well, he no longer has a barb, okay? But we're still careful not to be lashed by its tail. And, he's too cute, especially when he asks for food. Haha.

Feeding the stingray

By 5pm we decided to forego the last list on our itinerary: Explore Britannia Islands. Why? One, because it's already too late to go to Britannia; two, rain is about to fall; three, we think there are just too many beaches we've been to that is pretty much the same as Britannia; and lastly, Sibadan Fish Cage is cool and cheap and it's better than staying in some overrated posh resort. We decided to stay for the night there.

Our intuition not to go to Britannia Islands was right. At night, we had fun watching lightning bolts and thunderstorms. And for dinner, we had barracuda soup. It was so good. Perfect for a cold, rainy night.

Day 2 - Off to More Adventures
Day 2 greeted us with a cool breeze and the calming sound of the waves. It's actually our first time to eat and sleep ON the sea. Yep, Sibadan is a floating resto and lodge. By breakfast we had fresh lobsters and danggit. Okay, this is also one of the reasons why we preferred to stay in Sibadan. Their lobsters are way cheaper (900/kilo) compared to the ones offered in Britannia and yes, we've never tasted one before.

fresh from the sea!

Breakfast doesn't get any better than this. Yummeh!

After breakfast, we decided to go island hopping again. We think the place has a lot of spectacular, almost untouched places to offer, and I don't know why I haven't read any of those from other bloggers.

First stop: Vanishing Island
There's not really a lot to see here, but we had fun running around like we're little kids. Haha.

Kids at vanishing island

Second stop: Margarita
We've been underground. We've been to the sea. Now, we're going on a high land. Nothing beats the feeling of being atop a hill or a mountain overlooking the beautiful view of the sea. If I were to have a beach property, I would want it this way.

Sun-kissed and lovin it!

Third stop: Tinago Islands
Well, this isn't really a stop. We were just touring one island after another, admiring the beauty of nature. It was a relaxing experience.

It was already late when we had our lunch back in Sibadan. We had crabs and maya-maya soup. And as usual, it tastes so great! By the afternoon, we decided to take a rest. I think we've done a lot and gone to too many places in a span of two days.


By dinner, we had kinilaw na danggit and adobong saang, and a sparkling red juice to cap off the night.

Day 3 - Going Back to Reality with a Blast
I woke up to the soothing sound of the waves. Waking up early morning has never been this refreshing and calming. A few minutes later, a few fishermen came in with their fresh catches: crabs, fishes, shells, and whatnot.

We took a little swim and had crabs (again! but a different variety) for breakfast. I don't think we'll ever get tired of eating crabs (even though my allergies started to come out), especially that they tasted so good. Haha. We stuffed ourselves with food to get ready for a long trip back home.

Well that's it. There's actually a lot of fun and funny things that happened. But I don't think I'd be able to send the message across the way it actually has to be delivered. So, we'll just keep it to ourselves.

Best. Trip. Ever.
What I really like about the trip is its spontaneity. Going out of our way to try new and interesting things is always a fantastic experience. Planned trips are good, but unplanned trips are way better.

So what are the perks of unplanned trips? You never know what surprises await you. You don't have to follow an itinerary which means you don't have to worry about time. You don't get stressed when your trip didn't go as planned. You always leave your options open. You take risks which add to the thrill and fun. And best of all, you live for the moment.

We've been living a life where we plan almost everything. Sometimes, a little spontaneity is all we need. Right?

A word of advice
If you're planning to go on an unplanned getaway, I'll tell you one stinging truth: money matters. You never know what's in store for you out there. So you better be prepared. But whatever amount you spent on a trip, I say it's definitely, definitely worth it. :)

If there's one thing I miss about the now defunct social networking site, Friendster, it has to be the testimonials. I was digging my old Yahoomail (yep that one's still alive), and I never thought I'd stumble upon (some of) my Friendster testimonials. Now, I remember saving them before because I printed them for my scrapbook project in college (thank God for that). I read them again and found myself laughing and *sniff* almost crying. Gawd, I just realized I miss a lot of my friends.

Don't you get excited when you get this notification?

Anyway, I'd like to share with you what my friends said about me. You may not be interested about it but I'll post anyway. Who knows? Yahoomail, like Friendster and Multiply, may be blown to oblivion. At least I still have these testimonials saved here on my blog. 

Everyone of us has this awkward or maybe undesirable habit, but since we're already living in a society where the not-so-normal is more than welcome, let's just say such habit can add up to the personality which makes one even more interesting. We always have a thing or two in us that sets us apart from the norm. What's normal for us could be something others often dismiss as odd, weird, awkward or sometimes annoying. Everyone has quirks. Every. Freakin. One. And I believe no one is an exception to this rule.

Today I was told I am weird for dipping my instant pancit canton in a Pinakurat vinegar before eating it. Well, that's just one of the many things that make me weird, or I should say, unique. So today, I'd like to share with you a bunch of things that are perfectly normal for me which you may find pretty different, not normal, weird, or whatever you call it. And maybe uninteresting. And some items could strip off any respect you have for me. Haha. But for the sake of fun and telling the truth, I'll share it anyway. Here goes...

Today, marks exactly one year since I first set foot into the corporate world. Time flies really fast when you get too preoccupied, with or without fun. I never even thought I'd survive a year in this dog-eat-dog world. But look! I'm still here, more alive than ever, typing out loud when I should be prepping for work.

365 days is too short, too fast, and too furious. Within that span of one year, I've lost some and gained some. Aside from the weight and acne scars, I have also gained knowledge, a new sport, friends, and love. I am really thankful that things happened the way they did. It molded me to what I am today - bug fixed and updated. Still under development; a work in progress trying to achieve how the Supreme Being designed me to be.

I don't have a task right now and I've been spending my precious working hours trying to figure out what else can I do aside from researching-just-for-research-sake-because-i-have-nothing-else-to-do-kind-of-task. I am bored. Hence, time is running painfully slow. But who am I to complain? I get paid for this anyway.

I plugged my earphones in hopes that it can slowly kill boredom. Turned on Spotify's radio, chose a random station and to my surprise, it played Jamelia's Superstar. I was discreetly dancing in place. Head bobbing, feet moving, hands in motion but not too obvious for the boss to notice. I was trying to remember the steps when we danced this way back 2004.

For a beach bum like me, what's not to love living in Davao when after a stressful week at work and you feel like chilling by the beach on weekend, you just cross the sea and in a few minutes, bam! You're there.

The recent Kadayawan festival was a blast. Not for all Davaoeños though, especially after Ramon Bautista made a remark "madaming hipon sa Davao". Which provoked the ire of some public officials and stirred netizens to rage.

Okay, I understand where all that hate is coming from. I get it, that was offensive. But if we were to look at it the other way, it shouldn't affect us, right? I mean, why do we allow people to demean or belittle us? Because just by reacting to that, we are just validating his claims. If it isn't true and we know for ourselves that it isn't true, then we can just brush it off our shoulders and move on. We know better. If we haven't made a big fuss out of it, the issue would have died down before Bautista could step down the stage.

Bautista said something that earned him one way ticket to public stoning. But he already expressed apology publicly. Isn't that enough? I think calling for persona non grata is just too much. And people are just overreacting way too much. Yes, I intended that redundancy.

I arrived home sleepy and my mind drifting. Went straight to a familiar door, turned the knob, put my bag down, removed my clothes and threw it carelessly on the bed, then I changed to my usual pambahay. I was about to throw myself to bed when I realized that I am not in my room.

Here's a glimpse of my room now. And I'm not sorry for the mess that I have just made.

Whenever I tell people that I have never been to Starbucks, I always get that expression of disbelief. Now, that makes me feel like I am such a loser and I think the world thinks it's a crime or something. Hmmm.
Never been there nor tasted anything they have to offer. Okay, I'm not a coffee person to begin with, that's one. Two, I don't feel like I belong there. So why bother? And three, I can already buy at least three pre-loved books at BookSale for a price of one coffee.

I don't remember how long it has been since the first Starbucks in Davao opened. But I do remember the incredulous number of people on queue waiting for their turn to order on the first week of opening. Why?

This day didn't go very well. Seems like everybody and everything that surround me is testing my patience. I lost my cool; one more tic and I'd reach my boiling point. This day simply sucks. I want it to end so soon that I'm already looking forward to working on Monday.

But one message changed everything. Just one simple message from the boyfriend and it brightened my rather gloomy day. It wasn't even cheesy. It's just a simple and casual message. And just by that, I know he's thinking of me.

They said it's always nice to have someone in your life who can make you smile even when they're not around. I wouldn't disagree on that because it is absolutely true.

My lab,

I love the way you look at me, the way you make me laugh, the way you tell me to eat the last grain of rice on my plate, and for letting me eat food I've never tasted before. I love the way you randomly kiss me, the way you squeeze my love handles or massage my back. I love it when it rains because you would hold me very close to you while we share the same umbrella. I love it when you try to fight sleepiness despite being tired from the whole day's work just because you still want to spend more time with me. And yes, I can name more.

I wanted to go biking... with a twist: one that's placed on a cable that's suspended on air over 60 ft. Just that. Nothing exciting. 

Sunset Beach. December 30, 2013.

Do you remember that day? I took this during our first date at the beach. This has always been my dream date. And you should know how happy I am to wake up one day knowing that it was a dream no more. And the best part? I got to spend that day with you. It was perfect. Just how I imagined it. But you know what? I realized that dream dates are nothing. Perfect dates are nothing. Really.

I could not find the right words to express how I feel right now. Seems everything I will say is an understatement. I am happy. I really really really am.

Hey you, handsome man with a goatee... you are mine now. And I hope you are sure of what you're getting into because I won't be giving up on you easily. Hahaha. I love you.

I went to my old room upstairs. I wasn't sure why. Perhaps I just wanted to check how it looks now or maybe I was just looking for something to do. While randomly opening cabinets and rummaging old boxes, I was so surprised to find a thing that I've been looking for a long time. This:

It's been a long time since Jan and I spent a long time together. And I'm really happy to be spending even just a little time with him. ^_^

I am at my lowest point today. I lost my appetite, my motivation to work, and myself. I went to the office with very low spirits; unable to laugh at jokes, unable to hold a short conversation, unable to do anything right. And even those cheer-ups and pat-on-the-backs from my friends didn't work.

I smile to suppress whatever it is that I am feeling and for them not to notice it but my eyes say otherwise. The feeling's already too heavy to contain I was about to burst.

Thank God, there's Jan who was there for me even if he wasn't in his best condition. I wouldn't know how to cope if he wasn't there. Thank you Lord, for giving me a shoulder to cry on.

Jan, thanks again. I got your back, you got mine. Here's a song for you :)

My fantasy shelf. Just don't mind those 3 other non-fantasy books there (if you happen to see it)

A little conversation over Viber with someone special, not to mention, someone that I miss is more than enough to make my day. :)

Right now, I feel I am irrationally attracted to someone. And it is not just a mere form of sexual or romantic attraction. I know it runs deeper than that. There's a connection. A strong one at that. It feels like there's something in my core that inevitably, irresistibly, and inexplicably pushes me to connect with that person.

And that connection is the reason why from being a risk-taker I became too cautious because losing that connection is what scares me the most. On the other hand, if I don't take risks, I might end up losing what's already there.

I hate dilemmas. This is kinda hard. All my life I thought choosing what dress to wear is the hardest thing to decoide on. haha

While commuting on my way home, I caught someone looking at me with a hint of smile in his eyes. Then I realized maybe he caught me in deep thought while staring blankly in an open space and then suddenly smiling from time to time. I may have looked crazy at that moment, but I can't help it. There are just simple things that can make me smile, and even just the thought of it can already make me happy.

If there's one thing life has taught me, it is to be thankful for the simplest and even the most ordinary things in life.

There's really no need to sprinkle on a little fancy or throw in flowery words to experience the extraordinary. Ordinary things can really be awesome sometimes.

Sharing ordinary moments with someone, like for example, having a simple but intimate conversation under a tree, or simply blurting out the same set of words simultaneously (this is a rare phenomenon and it is something to smile about hahaha), or simply talking about random things over a cup of coffee, or a simple holding of hands that can send shivers down your spine -- these are the kind of moments you (or I, for that matter) would love to hold, cherish and would tend to reminisce over and over.

I believe in simple acts, simple words, simple everything because they are, after all, the genuine ones; and nothing can beat something that is real. :)

Ecstatic.

That's exactly how I am feeling right now (and the past few days, of course!).

I never believed in chemistry (although it was one of my favorite subjects before). Chemistry, spark, compatibility, really? I was skeptic until I was the one who experienced it first-hand. Funny thing is, at 28, I never thought I'd feel this way. You know, just like the way you felt during those teeny weeny years when you got butterflies on your tummy. But this time, I know it is something more than that. Something more profound.

Bliss. And it is genuine.

Yeah, it feels good. No, it feels insanely great. And to say that, is an understatement.

I feel so blessed to have such friends who will be there for you through thick and thin, have seen your worst, to whom you can be absolutely stupid with, and who will slap you when they know you're doing something wrong. I do have a lot of friends, but only three cliques are really close to my heart to which I consider my family: