Welcome 2013!!!

In less than three hours, the Earth will be completing its 365th revolution around the sun. We will be bidding goodbye to 2012 and will be welcoming another year with high hopes that it will be better, more prosperous and happier than it was in 2012.

As I welcome this year, I pray for abundance of love and happiness. I also pray that the Lord will continue to grant me and my loved-ones with good health and longer life. And like my wish last year (if it is not too much to ask) aside from success in thesis writing for my masters, a love story written and perfected by God. 

So, without so much ado, I am greeting everyone a prosperous, purposeful and joyous 2013!!! May all our hopes and dreams come true this year. Have a blast and keep safe everyone!

At the Sky Lantern Festival at Nuvali (123012).
 Taken by EPL-1 in Candle Scene mode, post-processed in Instagram.

Cheers!

Tis' the Season to be Jolly!

Merry Christmas everyone! May this season be merry and bright for all of us. Let's make this Christmas more meaningful by reflecting on the things that we could do not just to make ourselves happy but to make others happy as well.

Remember happiness is not counted by the material gifts we received but by the value of love we give and share and returned to us. Happy holidays everyone! Have a merry, merry Christmas!

Lovelots,

Photo Diary: BLS and First-Aid Training 2012

Group picture, supposedly. Thanks to the one who called the shots, blurred picture plus missing people. Lolz! :p

The four of us.

Workbook.

Taken after our early (?) morning jog (?) :)

Certified runners on your left and mid right, FEELING runners on your extreme right (count up to 3 from the extreme right to know). :)

Love Never Fails...

(Since multiply as a social network is about to close in a few hours, I am now completing the process of copying and transferring my blogs from multiply to their new home. I will be sharing with you some of my favorite blogs written in Multiply.)

I received a text message from an unknown subscriber early this morning, it said, "The best part of being in love is when you just love a person and be happy about it, even if that person can never be yours, even if you know that it can't last forever! That's the true essence of love. It's not winning someone. It's not owning a relationship. It's just about being happy cause you know you've loved and love unselfishly..."

How many times have we heard people say love means letting go or that love means seeing someone happy despite the pain you feel. Well, honestly as a hopeless romantic myself I do believe in these virtues. But I have to admit that loving in a one-way street is not happy, nor is the best part of loving. Sometimes the only best part of riding a one-way street is the lessons you learned after. 

In my perspective (with all courtesy to the author of the message) the best part of loving is to love and be loved back. The true essence of loving is sharing yourself with others who appreciates you for who you are and knows your real worth. It's all about being true to yourself despite being one together. In true love pain is inevitable (a point I agree with the message) but in time you will realize that pain will make you a stronger and better person. And true love is a love that is designed by the Master, a love story He created just for us. A perfect match He has prepared in which we are to share our ever afters.

Still the perfect definition of love is how it was described in the Bible. I Corinthians 13:4-8 says, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." This is the kind of love that will make us truly happy.

*First posted on Multiply: Apr 28, 2010, 10:46 PM*

Regards,

Tagaytay Haven Hotel I (Ulat)

Last November 19-22, the Basic Life Support and First-Aid Training for Dep-Ed Region IV-A Personnel was conducted at Tagaytay Haven Hotel 1 located in Brgy. San Francisco, Ulat Road, Tagaytay City, Cavite.

I really have no idea as to the price of this place because I came here as a participant and the arrangements were done by other people but I could share with you some pictures I took around the place for information and promotion (but without any monetary gain, just to make things clear) in case you are looking for a place to stay in Tagaytay.

Location:

1) Accessible - though not really located along the highway, the small road from the highway isn't really too far (can be walked, in case you have no car).

2) Seven out of ten (7/10) in terms of being easy to find because you might miss the sign especially if you are driving too fast or during the night.

3) Near great destinations in Tagaytay.

The view from the highway.

 

The marker.

The road from the highway leading to the entrance.

People Change... Even Friends

More often that not, I find it a pointless drama to get a bit disappointed with friends. I've lived up to the idea that if you love a person, you will try with all your might, to understand them and be reasonable about everything and anything you are going through. Not until the day I discovered that my "pointless drama" is not really pointless at all, I realized that "Hey! I am also entitled to a plight of emotions, and it is my right to get overly upset at times."

It was repeatedly heard and said that change is the only constant thing in this world. I have learned along the way that people change, but I was not oriented to deal with the fact that somewhere along the way, friends- my friends- will change, find new ones and eventually forget.

It was just disappointing when your so-called friends replace you with new ones (replace is the perfect term) while you, the pointless drama queen, is still keeping their place in your life despite meeting new people along. Then, at a snap you would realize that things were not really the same after all. 

And in these times I would wonder, are these changes for the good or bad? 

The reality: People and feelings change, and friends are not exempted from the rule. Not even them.

(Photo taken from tumblr.)

The Nissin Yakisoba Story

Setting:
Department of Education
City Schools Division
City of Santa Rosa
Division Office 4th floor

Characters:
Venus (moi)
Kristine (nurse)

Introduction:

It was a typical Monday in the office, came lunchtime wherein every body's so idle in going down and buying their food. At 1 pm, my hungry stomach prevailed so I went down with Kristine and bought food at 7-eleven. I bought a jumbo hot dog sandwich and a nissin yakisoba cup noodle.

We went up, i read the cover only from numbers 1 to 2 then started pouring the flavoring and the oil on the noodle (which is a no-no) then I poured hot water and waited for 3 minutes before eating.

Climax:

After 3 minutes, I began eating my yakisoba alongside with my customized hot dog sandwich. I wondered why it tasted bland but I just thought that probably its really bland. Then, Kristine my beautiful co-worker asked me if I was eating it with soup. Of course, I replied YES!

Then she said, "Di ba walang sabaw yan." Then I got the cover then she read it and lo and behold. Number 4 instruction says- Remove the water while Number 5 says- Then add the oil.Then we just started to laugh. Well, everybody commits mistakes.

Morale:

1) Always read instructions before doing anything you aren't familiar with.

2) Ask if you don't know.

3) Learn from your mistakes so it won't happen again the next time around.

4) Laugh and move on, cest la vie. :)


*This post was first posted in Multiply on 11-18-08, 8:12 am.*

Generosity and Honesty

I would like to say that this has been one of my favorites because the act in itself is not something that's too-good-to-be true. Here it goes:

What will the world look like if there's none at least one man possessing a generous heart? What will happen to me if there's not even a single person who will help me with my problems? These are few of those many questions which entered my mind yesterday as I was on my way home.

At the terminal, I encountered a man asking for help. He needs to purchase medications for someone with epilepsy, he even brought the prescription. Though I know that this could be one of those familiar modus-operandi that people use to fool others, I took the risk and gave something from my humble pocket. Why? Not because I want everybody to know that I am a nice person but because I felt his sincerity and honesty when he spoke his lines.

I also wondered if he was actually telling the truth how painful could it be that no one bothers to believe you- that no one even cared for you. Or if he wasn't then his conscience will take care of him. And what if someday I am placed in that same situation and asking and begging are my last resort- at least someone bothered to care.

I just really hope that people would become honest and sincere with everything they do, not playing around with others even if they could work and earn money on their own. Then it would be one wonderful place to live in.

*First posted in Multiply on 08-01-08 at 1:15 pm.*

Say It With Flowers

Because I am way too excited to unleash the photographer in me and my next photo session will have to wait until next week, I decided to use these zinnias as subjects so I can test and try the specs of my new "baby".

I took these pictures using RAW format and exported in JPEG format using the camera software. No major post processing done, except for the Popart filter (which is also incorporated in the camera and available for pictures set in JPEG format), some cropping (because of the tarpaulin and gates in the blurry backgrounds which I find not appropriate to be in the pictures) and the watermarks which I placed using Lightroom.

So here they are:

Focal length: 14mm, F/3.5

Popart filter, focal length:16mm, F/3.6

 

Focal length: 16mm, F/3.6

Hacienda Darasa Garden Resort Hotel

Last April, we visited Hacienda Darasa via a deal we purchased in Cash Cash Pinoy. Here's my take on the place. Pardon me for whatever shortcomings I may have, this is the first time I'm writing a review about a place.

ACCESSIBILITY

Hacienda Darasa Garden Resort Hotel is located in 791 Pres. Laurel Highway, Darasa, Tanauan City, Batangas.

The Hotel

From Santa Rosa City, we drove to South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) via Greenfield-Unilab Exit. From SLEX we drove until Star Tollway, the gateway to the province of Batangas, via CALABARZON exit (which by the way lessens travel time and helps commuters avoid heavy traffic in Sto. Tomas, Batangas). We entered Tanauan City via Tanauan Exit. From there, we turned left until we reached the intersection after the City Market. Then, headed right to reach the place. From Waltermart, it's around 5-8 minutes drive to Hacienda Darasa which is situated on the left side of the road.

Impression: Accessible. 

• Commuters will not have a hard time reaching the place because of available public transportation. For more info on how to get to Hacienda Darasa, visit their website here.
• In any case you need to buy something, the market and grocery are just a ride away.

   

ACCOMMODATIONS

The voucher that we purchased entitled us a discounted stay at three Superior Rooms. It looked exactly how it was posted in their website.

Group picture inside our room.

Reservations are a must because rooms are limited.

The view from the hotel patio

Impression: Cozy, homey and neat.

Cons: Eating is prohibited inside the room. But you can bring in as much food as you want, granting you will pay for the corkage.

Caleruega Church

Since I am still contemplating on the things I would be posting in this blog, I will be kicking-off with our department's trip to Caleruega Church last June 8.

Transfiguration Chapel

Caleruega Church also known as the Transfiguration Chapel is located at Barangay Kaylaway, Batulao, Nasugbu, Batangas. The privacy that couples and their families get during the wedding, which adds up to the sacredness and sincerity of the ceremony, makes this place a favorite wedding destination. Plus the fact that strategically it is near Tagaytay, another place for dream weddings. Unfortunately, a wedding ceremony was occurring during our visit that's why we have no pictures of the chapel's interior.