Yeeha!

I'm finally home from work, cooed up on my bed and about to read one of the books I bought early on. :) I tell you, the feeling doesn't get any better than this. :) It's liberating! It's beautiful! :) And another good thing about today is that my supposedly 12-hr shift didn't push through! Did I virtually see you smirk? Oh sure you did! Let's celebrate life!! :)
Rant to you later, blog-y!! :*

ADZU 100

My Alma Mater, Ateneo de Zamboanga University, turns 100 today!!! What a joyous celebration for a school that has reached as far as a century. :) I am joining everyone in spirit and well wishes for another more 100 years of excellence and Pro Deo Et Patria, In the Service of God and Country.

I have the fondest memories with my school, for it has been my ally since the time I remembered knowing the alphabet and receiving formal education. I made good friends with people whom I know for the last nineteen years. :) I was honed into the person I am today by this loving institution. And I take pride in that. :)

*Old Campus, which houses the primary and tertiary students. This has been my home away from home. I bleed blue, truly.

*The H.S. Campus, which stands proud since 2007. My sister was a pioneer in this new campus. It's huge and beautiful. :)

Good Cry.

I squint as I type because I had a good cry. I cried because while I was reading undeniably one of the best books out in the market-- and passionately written, at that-- so much truth and certainties in life came to mind. While I had been putting off reading books that do not fall under the Romance genre, I also had been seriously considering bending my own rules. And that I did when I bought The Kite Runner. Jane, a good friend, had told me to buy it because while I might not really like it because it involved only little romance, a whole new perspective will beckon me.

From here on out, let this be clear: This is not a review, but a reflection of the sort an author wants his reader to have after putting down his book. His piece. His heart. It well may be, at some point, though.

The Kite Runner starts with a familiar setting, one of which I have only read and seen in bold big letters in papers and television. A lot of many firsts have introduced themselves while I was propped up in my bed/chair. I found myself immensely engrossed in Hosseins' every word. The difference in my culture and that of Amir and Hassan was unarguably huge, and I say that with respect and fascination. The book has led me to understand the richness of the Afghan culture and tradition. Time and again, I begin to question the harsh realities set up in the book (and life, in general). How can life be so unfair and cruel, I thought. How can social and political differences in class exist, in the first place? How can it still be their way of living? The difference has brought about hatred and hostility, and at times, war. Why?! You could say this has been going on for as long as the oldest generations of Afghans have breathed life. And it's a sad reality, really. I could not help but cry upon reading them on the book. :(

Love and friendship are also the focal points of the book. And these, my friends, are the reasons why I was crying almost always the whole time I held the book. Like family, friends present themselves as one, especially when we have grown up with them, and their personalities we have accustomed with. Hassan left  a soft spot in my heart. It is because of him that I have, again, found myself strongly pressed with my own beliefs. When we're friends with someone, we do not go about a deaf ear nor a blind eye when turmoil comes. When we  care, we truly should. We walk our talk of loyalty. And we must prove it, even more so during the bad times. My heart bled when Amir turned his back on his servant's son several times. Because of social class, him being a Pashtun, he tried to question their friendship. Or were they even friends, to begin with? But can I blame a child whose entire life has been about pleasing his father, getting his favors, and proving that he is worthy of his love? It's maddening! 

Turning on a new leaf is not easy especially when we have lived with guilt and remorse our whole life. It may not be easy, but it is also not hard. When we've made a mistake, we try our best to correct it, and by God, we really should. Making another wrong does not come up with a right. It's senseless and no matter what, it is never justifiable. After knowing the truth, Amir faced the ghosts of his past and made the right choice when he took charge of caring for Hassan's Sohrab, his nephew. They're family, after all-- with the same blood running through their veins. Mistakes after another, and finally a chance surfaces to correct them. He doesn't throw it away. He makes good use of it. :)

Ah, I could rant on and on, and I won't ever get tired of the many lessons the book has taught me. But, it'll bore you and soon enough, you'll find yourself clicking that red X button. But before you do just that, please take time to read the book. This is the kind of read you would pass onto your children, and them to theirs, and so on. :) Hossein has done a fairly good job when even after reading his piece, I still found myself attached to the characters. This is, after all, a testament of friendship, second chances, love, and forgiveness. :)

*For you, a thousand times over.

Now Playing

Hey! :) These are shots taken from my phone to remind me of days that's already passed... :)

*Addiction. Sigh. Why must you empty my pockets? Stop being so delicious, please. :/

*5+ PM- Everyday traffic. :(

*A girl can dream. Swept off :)

Add caption

*Hi! I love you for being a great buddy! :)

*What's new in town? Not so much for my taste.

Waddup?

Good morning, friends! :) Waking up this early on a very beautiful Wednesday morning is rewarding. I feel nothing could go wrong today. Folks, it's true: mind over matter. :)

I have a lot of things I'm looking forward today. Work is fun. I miss my friends though, for after work, sleep consumes me. A very good friend is leaving soon. I wish time could stop then. :( Good byes are really tough. But then, whoever said life wasn't? :/

I smile. I cringe. I'm a little teary-eyed. All these emotions as I type...

Thank You, Lord, for an amazing sleep and for the gift of life. :)

No Pressure :)

I love chill Sundays like this. I'm lying on my back and typing lazily. And I think to myself, "I've never had this chance in a long while. Gosh, I'm living THE life." *smiles sheepishly*

While it's nice to go out on a weekend and experience good food, being this relaxed has always been my thing. I'm really blessed! :)

We Did It!

I'm back from a one-day trip to the mountains with my friends. :)

We were really excited to see the famous Osmeña Peak because we have always heard about it. We live within the province and we thought it's about time to go see it. So, off we went after my AM shift at work. Travel time took approximately 2.5 hours because traffic was less, and the bus driver was a road-rage. We went there with a slight idea as to where to spend the night but we never booked it because there was no number to reach. My friend, Yani, thought we were doomed. Choi and I thought otherwise. A friendly local, whom we called tatay, helped us around by showing us the Barangay Hall, or Town Hall, where we could pass the night. We were really blessed because everyone helped us. It was a very comfortable sleep with two of my greatest friends while the rain outside was pouring hard. :)

We set out early the next day, at 5 A.M. We were supposed to trek thirty minutes earlier but we couldn't because it was still raining. So that meant additional minutes of sleep. ;) We were accompanied by Tatay Tonton, who was very kind enough to trek with us until we reached the peak. The road we traversed in was mostly graveled and wet. Only a few kilometers from the main road was concrete. I tell you, the locals we met, children and elderly alike, were very friendly and courteous. We were greeted by a warm maayong buntag, or good morning. The sun during this time was still hiding. The clouds were surrounded by thick fogs. The mountains seen from afar were also covered with one. The wind was even very cold.

*Right on, friends!

*Paarssleeey!

*The sun is starting to come out. Sort of. :)

We were very amazed by the views we see. These are things we don't get from the city. The warm welcome of the locals, the cold weather, the very beautiful views of the sea and mountains, and the likes. I've seen made a living for their families. They tended their crops and even built their houses made of wood themselves. And I thought to myself, "Hey if someone like them would offer me marriage, I'd say yes because I know I will never go a day hungry." And the rural living was peaceful. Ahh, this is life! :)

We walked for almost two hours until we finally reached the peak. Here, the fog was even thicker and the wind was harsher and colder. We were actually shivering! We had our breakfast thereafter. We could not see what's behind the fog. We were disheartened because we came a long way to witness its beauty. But to be sad is to insult the magnificence our eyes have laid on. So we took photos of whatever we could see. :)

*This and below: Trail leading to the peak

*We've reached the top! :)

We trekked down after the wind at the peak became unbearable. We all had our fair share of bloopers. We slid down one too many. Hahaha!!! :D It was so much fun! When we reached the foot of the mountain, the sun was shining brightly and the clouds were starting to steer clear of the fog. We decided to trek the peak again, the second time around. I was hesitant but I was with two of the most persistent people I know, so I was at the losing end. We were really close to the peak when we saw the dark clouds looming above us. Lo and behold, it rained and we got wet! You could just imagine us going down a rocky, slimy, and difficult train. We could not believe our fate!! But we ended up laughing at our ourselves because this was one for the books! We were looking for adventure and we had our fill! Oh gosh! Hahaha :) 

I'm very thankful I had this funny and wonderful journey with my loves. Of course, we all missed Anne, who was sad she couldn't go with us. We may have not seen the many pointed hills, but I know there will be many opportunities to come to see them again. We got wet, wild, and happy! :)