All I Need

I was scheduled for duty in a certain lying in in Makati yesterday but thank God it was cancelled. My clinical instructor got sick the whole day yesterday and I was actually saddened because I still need three deliveries for my completion. I have yet again to go through my messed up schedule and see where I can fit my extra duties. But things happen for a reason and I'm happy to say that I have chosen to spend my "night shift" with my family rather than sulking and bumming at home. We decided to have a very late dinner at Ayala Triangle because my mother wanted to see the symphony of lights and sounds. It was breathtaking and it seemed like I was part of those Christmas Coca Cola commercials that make you reminisce of happy thoughts. The Christmas songs were magnetizing and I just couldn't stop being so amazed with the play of lights. Everyone should really see it! After watching, we headed to Wee Nam Kee - a Singaporean restaurant that is famous for their Hainanese chicken.

 Tastes really good and not to mention really healthy. The chicken is half roasted and half steamed. :)

 SPICY KANGKONG :)

With my Sister

With my mom..whom I totally love, adore and admire despite her natural lack of ability to smile at photographs. hehe :P 

I love my family more than anything else and I'm truly grateful and blessed to be given the time to bond with them. I may have dropped some of the things I love doing but there is certainly no regret because I know I have chosen the good and right decisions in life. Right now, I can feel that my life is not just a bliss of joyful moments but an unlimited, continuous array of happiness.  

You are alive with just the fact that a lot of people love you and that the love you can share is so much bigger.

One More Night

Spontaneity. I guess that's one thing I've learned in College. You can't truly enjoy life when you stick to certain number of "things to do" and time management. It is when the unplanned plans turn into moments for life that you appreciate every single tick in the clock...like you never want it to slow down or come to an end.  

I am blessed to have John and Arcee in my life. I have probably mentioned it over and over again but I think that when you are given treasures, it becomes an automatic response to be proud about them. The same goes for my friends. I am extremely and beyond galaxy grateful for having such baliw buddies who never get tired of each others company. We never run out of random jokes to throw at each other, stories to share and  life problems to answer. We don't need the alcohol to get wild, the drugs to get high or the cigarettes to relax. We just need US (and maybe some food :P) and that shoos away the bad vibes. 

I am really Happy. :)

Sticks and stones will break my what?

I am whiny and I complain when the need arises or when I'm feeling all so stubbornly out-righteous.  It's something I never really like doing but somehow my autonomic nervous system always finds a way to send viral signals telling me to "JUST GO AND SAY WHAT YOU WANT, YOU FREAKING WOMAN!"  That's a pathological reflex powered by a shot of adrenaline. Yeah, It's  probably one of those illnesses that forbids you to act like a normal rational person. But hey, we need an outburst sometimes. I can't stop talking when I know I'm right especially when the words being formed by my mouth and vibrated by my voicebox are so perfectly constructed that I, sometimes, even get surprised. It's like my eyes always give that feeling of "what do you have to say now, mister?" And that's a win-win situation.

There are days, though, when I know that I cannot pull myself together and cannot divulge any personal matters that's beyond my emotional capacity. My tears are very shallow and I guess that's already a given fact especially to those who really know me. I have the tendency to be emotionally unstable but just to a certain degree that is...still considered normal. I know well how to balance the three parts of my psyche so I know for sure I'm not ending up in an asylum.

I'm not wrecked. It's just that the events that have occurred are giving me a sense of so much responsibilities. You know...the pressure.

Food Snaps for the Weekend

Healthy Shabu Shabu and Buffet 101

All photos taken by Venice Furio

Thesis. Thesis. Thesis

If there's really one thing in the world I'd never want to do EVER again, it would be this. It wasn't about the stress. No, definitely not. Four years in college have taught me how to use swords and guns in preparation for battles like this. I (I know I have my groupmates with me but just for emphasis purposes I'll use 'I' instead of 'we' so as not to generalize the whole group because they might have different thoughts regarding thesis) fought it out right - although not perfectly- just in a sense that it rewarded me with a good grade. But grades were never my target (at this point in life) because two years ago, I told myself that If I am to devout my time and energy on something then it has to be driven by a significant purpose and not by mere numbers. If the energy I gave for this project was just ultimately based on aspiring to get Best Thesis  or a grade of 90 and above then I am no better than a blind cat endlessly chasing for something it would never figure out. So, frankly speaking, I was working on this for two semesters not knowing its purpose. I remember one time when me and my groupmates were talking and I mentioned that I'd rather have grand case presentations every semester wherein I could apply all my nursing skills and knowledge rather than working on one thesis that I would never seem to understand. I never liked the process of thesis making one bit because my heart was not in it. Throughout the process I must admit that I only worked as a machine because I needed to produce results and nothing more. 

There was one point though where my group's thesis adviser said that at the end of everything... no matter what the result of your data gathering is, no matter what grades the panel give you and no matter what other people would say about your study, it would just all boil down to one thing - Relevance of the study. At that point, I assured myself that there is a reason for doing this thing. Maybe, it wasn't just crystal clear at my side of the window. I hope that I get to see the purpose of this all at one point in time.  

Ready for submission.

All done :) Thank you Ma'am Magpatoc for everything you've taught us. 

Being a pig after the defense :D

Hi THESIS IT GIRLS! Thanks for trusting me as the leader of the group. Thank you for understanding my shortcomings and my selfish attitude sometimes. I love you mga Miss, haha! May Yabu date pa tayo :(

Bente

(how do you properly spell 20 in spanish? Nah, let's just say that's the way we do it here in Manila!)

20. I keep on repeating that number in my head for three days now and it wont't sink in. I think a part of me will forever be stuck in that stage where things will always be okay. I'm honestly scared and I want to refuse the fact that from now on... I need to act more mature and be prepared for what's about to come. I hate to admit that I'm going to enter that part of my life where decisions and actions become EVEN MORE crucial. Everything will be different and I know that I feel like im talking way too serious here but I just feel that I have the need to. I feel like things have to be in order because responsibilities will weigh heavier and I might not be able to accomplish what I'm supposed to do. Maybe, it's because I have an absolute fear of the future, the unknown, or the ones I can never anticipate. But despite all the burden in life, I'm still hopeful that events will turn out the way they ought to be.

Anyway, so...yes I just turned 20. it's been 20 years and i think Im doing quite okay with life - okay, maybe I'm more than okay and Im proud to say that I'm one blessed kid. I can't think of any reason to hate life as a whole. I've told people many times that there's nothing else I need. I have all the Love from my friends and family. I am a witness to my own blessings and I know that my BLESSINGS are more than what I truly deserve (not that I'm complaining :P). So, what more do I have to ask for? Life has been extremely good to me and despite all the trials and hurricanes, God has made a way to make things okay again. BLESSED. That's just it. There's nothing more that can describe my life. I mean, Ive been living a routine so there's nothing gigantically or evidently great about me but I'd like to believe that no natter how infinitesimal my everyday happiness is - its still something worth telling and worth living for. :)

20 seems like a very big number right now. :P

I never celebrate my birthday in a grand way. The last time I treated people out was on my 17th birthday pa, haha! My friends must be complaining big time right now! Sorry, guys! My parents are both out of the country: My mom's in Australia with my brother because it was his graduation last September 24th and my dad's working overseas. It's just me and my sister who are here in the Philippines. My dad kept on saying "wala kami dyan sa birthday mo" and I think he's either sad or regretting that I have no parents physically present with me on my "special day". But I told him that it doesn't make him any less of a father...that I'm blessed to have him...that he doesn't have to feel like there are shortcomings on his part.

I was really sad though because this was the first time ever that my mom was not with me on the day of my birthday. Well, actually, I never felt that it was my birthday because of thesis. It wasn't until the the night of september 25th when John and Arcee spent dinner with me in PepperLunch that I felt the birthday vibe. John told me that it's just a matter of thinking and choice (there goes John's wisdom). It's always good to have friends like them and I'm ultimately thankful for the friendship over the years. I just absolutely love these two.

Oh! and Arcee treated me in Yakimix. Oh, the joy of unlimited sushi and tempura. 

My sister and I celebrated my Birthday two days before and guess where? YABU: THE HOUSE OF KATSU! There's no Joke to the HYPE! My sister also got me a shirt from F21 and shades from Cotton On. Thank you, sister! I love you to the farthest place in the galaxy and back - please don't ever forget that no matter what!

Birthday wish: TOP THE NURSING BOARD EXAM or at least pass it :D

Army Navy MARINES.

NOLAN, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE GOOD TIMES.

Words cannot describe all the memories so let's just make the photos do the talking.

See you real soon, couz! and hopefully, next time, we all get to do this with kuya Yuya, ate Rosal and my brother!

COUSINSSSSS <3