Floods of the Non-Storm (Manila, Philippines)

 Rizal, Philippines -- It's 4:57PM on a very dark Wednesday afternoon. It has been raining non-stop, if I remember correctly, for 3 solid days already. The rains came in Monday afternoon and hasn't let up since. The only respite being a few hours eerie quiet darkness ast night (Tuesday) and a few hours of sneak peak of the sun this morning. Just as we were about to rejoice the end of this unbelievable crazy rains (it's not even a storm!), the rains pound again.

I write this in the comfort of our second floor study room, high and dry. I only know of the rains and the floods through the news and through Twitter. The images on TV are harrowing at worst (heartbreaking at best). I write this because I am thankful that I am high and dry. I also write this because I am ridden with guilt. Merited or not, guilt that I am safe and warm while families have to leave their houses to swim/to be picked up by rubber boats on tops of their roofs/ to be rescued to safety.



Because I am stuck at home and been itching to help but cannot at the moment, this is what I can do for now.

What to Do
1. Stay indoors
If you can't be part of the solution, at least don't be part of the problem. Don't place yourself in compromising situations (i.e., going out towards heavily flooded, dangerous areas unless absofrickinlutely necessary aka anything not life or death). We have more than enough people to save and never enough volunteers to do the saving. If you can't volunteer (which is not required but highly encouraged), at least don't make the volunteers' jobs harder than it already is.

2. Help Disseminate Information
Twitter, our favorite ranting audience, has been very instrumental and continues to be very very helpful in the rescue and relief efforts for the past few days. Pinoys have been rallying behind Yves Gonzales (@doblezeta, @MMDA) of the MMDA and helping disseminate important information re traffic rerouting schemes, flooded areas to avoid, people in need of rescue. It is a happy thought that in little ways, the Pinoy staying at home (those lucky enough to be spared from the floods and have access to the internet) gets to share in the sense of community.

A word of warning though, screen RT's please. SCREEN RT'S PLEASE. I just felt that had to be said twice, for emphasis. Think before you hit send! Ask a) is this verified information? b) how is this retweet helpful?

Also, I understand  Twitter is a personal microblog and you can put whatever you want there since it's yours. In this unfortunate time though, can we put the rants to a minimum? Houses submerged in water and people swimming for their lives I think is about more than enough negativity we can handle. Maybe we can put off the whining a few more days.

3. (If you can) VOLUNTEER!
In this time when displaced people number in the millions (over 1 million families were severely affected by the floods) all help is welcome. If you can find it in your heart to help here are things you may consider: ready to eat food for the evacuation centers, drinking water, milk for the babies/infants, brand new underwear, blankets, and clothes.

Manpower is also needed. The /relief goods will not walk themselves to the evacuees. Packers and kind souls to deliver the goods to those who need them aka warm bodies needed. If you can make time, here are relief center details, there should be one near/accessible to you:

Source: The Rappler

Manila

• UST disaster relief drive now open. Needed: drinking water, instant noodles, canned goods, rice, clothes, footwear, pillows, blankets, sleeping mats, toiletries, and medicine. Drop-off points are the CSC office, Tan Yan Kee Student Center Lobby, or the Local Student Council Office. You may contact Agree Gonzales (09178460671).
• The Mu Sigma Phi of the UP College Medicine (UP Manila) is now collecting relief goods (clothes and undergarments, drinking water, blankets, canned goods, noodles, rice, sleeping mats, toiletries, sanitary napkins, and diapers). Donations may be dropped off at the Mu Sigma Phi Hut, UP College of Medicine, 547 Pedro Gil. St. Malate Manila. Contact Miguel Berba at 0917 823 02 09 for more info.
• San Beda College will be holding relief operations from August 9-11, 2012. Head to St. Maur's Lobby. Volunteers and donations need (canned goods, cooties, medicines, blankets, and toiletries.)
• The Rotaract Club of Manila Metro is in need of relief goods. Donations may be dropped off at 2150 Roxas Boulevard, Cor. Quirino Ave., Malate Manila 1004 (c/o Rotaract Manila Metro and and our sponsor club Rotary Manila Metro). For other concerns and inquiries, kindly contact us at 09175834490 or send an email to racmanilametro@yahoo.com.

Makati

• Mats, old tarps, food, clothes for forwarding to DSWD are being accepted at The Commissary at Whitespace.
• The P&P Tattoo branch in Makati will be accepting donations for forwarding to the GMA Kapuso Foundation. Address: Unit G8 45 Polaris St. Bel Air Soho Condominium Brgy. Poblacion Makati City.
• Santuario de San Antonio Parish now accepting relief goods at parish center rooms 1-4. Volunteers are also welcome. You may call or text 09205085396 if you need someone to pick up relief goods. This is part of the San Antonio Parish Church relief efforts. You may also drop off your donations yourself.
• Welovepost accepting donations and relief goods at 6F Coherco Corporate Center 116 VA Rufino St., Legaspi Village, Makati.
• Assumption College in San Lorenzo Village relief operations begin tomorrow (August 8). Needed: cash donations, canned goods, bottled water, rice, and blankets.
• The Angel Brigade is now accepting relief goods at the Frank Provost Bldg, 120 Jupiter St., BelAir Makati. Tel: 8970383 / 8970307.
• Colegio San Agustin Makati will start accepting donations tomorrow (August 8) starting 8:30am.
• Philippine Red Cross Rizal Chapter- Makati City branch needs blankets, mats, canned goods, rice and drinking water. Contact details: 393-4685, 384-3092 / 0917-5093056 / 0917-8124062. Address: PCPI Compound, Sacred Heart St. cor. Sacred Heart Ext., San Antonio Village, Makati City.
• There's a food drive at The Ritz. People are preparing ready-made food to send to displaced families suffering because of the floods. They need plastic ice bags, rice, and hotdogs. Other donations are welcome as well. Full address: 2302B The Ritz Towers, Ayala Avenue, Makati City.
• The Ateneo Law Student Council has also began collecting relief goods (clothes, medicine, food items, drinking water, and purification tablets). Donations may be brought to the Law School Activity Center (LSAC), G/F Ateneo Professional Schools Building, Rockwell Center, Makati. Contact Person is ALS-SC EVP Bang Dizon 09274515169.

Marikina

• Donations are needed at the Concepcion Integrated School. Roughly 582 families have been accomodated there, no food the whole day according to a DepEd representative.
• St. Scholastica's Academy in Marikina is offering to shelter evacuees.

Mandaluyong

• La Salle Greenhills has started relief operations inside campus. Donations are being accepted at Gate 2 of the campus along Ortigas Avenue, according to a Facebook post. As of posting, only the following donations will be accepted: ready-to-eat food, water, and clothes.
• People may seek center in Greenhills Christian Fellowship. You can also contact their Crisis Reponse team (0917-5327525).
• The lower ground floor of Mega Mall A is a drop off point for donations, as spearheaded by Divine Lee.
• Donations for flood victims may be dropped off at the main gate of the Poveda campus.
• Donations may be dropped off at UA&P Pearl Drive, SM Megamall, CCF (Christ's Commission Fellowship) 5/F St Francis Sq. Bldg.
• Don Bosco Technical College has opened its doors to Mandaluyong residents who have no place to stay. You may enter through Gate 3 along AT Reyes Street. Donations may also be brought to the Convent Building or the open gates of the school.
• Those in the Mandaluyong area may send relief goods, medicines, and other donations to the Solar TV office at the Worldwide Corporate Center along Shaw Blvd cor EDSA.
• Donations are being accepted at the RFM Corp. Center, Pioneer corner Sheridan Street, Mandaluyong City.

Muntinlupa

• De La Salle Zobel has started relief goods collection and distribution for Muntinlupa flood victims. Bring donations of rice, bottled water, canned goods, noodles, blankets, mats, and clothes. Donations may be dropped off at Gate 7. For more details contact Jayjay Jacinto at 09178597602.
• St. James the Great Children of the Poor Apostolate (COPA) is a relief center in Muntinlupa. Needed: canned goods, bottled water, rice, noodles, and cash. Go directly to St. James the Great Parish Church on Cuenca Street of Ayala Alabang Village.
• Southridge is accepting donations for Muntinlupa flood victims. Drop donations off in the SR Lobby.

Navotas

• Philippine Christian Foundation Inc is helping families living in the Navotas cemetary. They need water. For cash donations: HSBC. Account name: The Philippine Christian Foundation Inc. (PCFI) Account No 000075697040. Swift code: HSBCPHMM. For water donations: PCF School, Smokey Mountain Reclamation Area, Paradise Heights, Manila. Road 10. For bulk donations: PCFI can arrange pick up. Contact Ms Elma Tulio at +63920-262-6998 or Ms Tess Sarmiento +0910-2805396

Pasay

• People in the SM Mall of Asia may seek shelter inside the complex. The mall is open until further notice, according to a tweet.

Pasig

• Relief goods (canned food, rice, blankets, clothes, medicine, etc.) may be dropped off at the Tanjuatco Law Office at the 11th floor of Taipan Place, Emerald Avenue, Ortigas Center in Pasig. Look for Jessie or Jossette, call 6370200.
• UA&P also accepting relief goods. Both Pearl Drive and Escriva drive entrances are open.
• The retreat house of Saint Paul College Pasig is now open for students and their families affected by heavy rains and flood.
• One Meralco Foundation is accepting donations in cash or in kind at the Meralco Center in Ortigas.
• The Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health will be taking in donations beginning Wednesday (August 8).

Parañaque

• Merville residents may donate clothes, blankets, toiletries, rice, grains, canned goods, noodles, and the like starting Wednesday (August 8) from 10am-5pm. Collection point is at OLBL Parish, San Lorenzo Ruiz Hall.

Quezon City

• Philippine Christian Foundation Inc is helping nearly 6000 individuals (mostly from Smokey Mountain). They need water. For cash donations: HSBC. Account name: The Philippine Christian Foundation Inc. (PCFI) Account No 000075697040. Swift code: HSBCPHMM. For water donations: PCF School, Smokey Mountain Reclamation Area, Paradise Heights, Manila. Road 10.For bulk donations: PCFI can arrange pick up. Contact Ms Elma Tulio at +63920-262-6998 or Ms Tess Sarmiento +0910-2805396.
• In the Ateneo de Manila University Loyola Schools campus, some classrooms may be used by those in need of temporary shelter from the rain. Those with gate passes to the campus may park their cars at the P-1 parking area of the campus, according to an announcement from the university. (UPDATED note: No final word yet if the classrooms are open to the public.)
• Relief operations at Ateneo have also began. Food, water, blankets, and clothes may be dropped off at the lobby of Cervini Hall inside the Loyola Schools campus. Updates on their relief operations can be found here.
• Akbayanihan Relief Center now accepting donations. Food, water, clothes, and the like being accepted at the Akbayan headquarters in 36B Madasalin Street, Sikatuna Village. You may contact (02)4336933 / 09175381816 / 09064304315 if you want to volunteer.
• Relief goods are being accepted at the Mt. Carmel Parish in New Manila, where 500 evacuees are staying.
• The Mother of Divine Providence Parish in Payatas needs uncooked rice, canned goods, noodles, and clothes. Donations may be dropped off at San Juan, Evangelista Street, Campsite, Payatas.
• IskoOperation in UP Diliman will now accept donations. They're also on the look-out for volunteers. Contact the USC-UPD or the college councils (09277571005 or 09065701029), according to USC-UPC Chairperson Heart Dino.
• Those living in the vicinity of Sto. Domingo Church in Quezon City are being asked to help provide food and drinks to 400-500 evacuees staying in the Church. Food, water, dry clothes deeded.
• The P&P Tattoo branch in Eastwood will be accepting donations for forwarding to the GMA Kapuso Foundation. Address: Unit G1-C Eastwood Citywalk 1 Eastwood City, Bagumbayan, QC.
• The GK Command center for relief operations is at the HRD Training Center, Department of Agrarian Reform Compound in Quezon City. They will be accepting relief goods (rice, instant noodles, canned goods, bread, coffee, and sugar.)
• TulongKabataan is accepting flood relief aid at 89 K-7th Street, West Kamias, Quezon City.
• Lourdes Church on D. Tuazon, Quezon City now offering space and snacks for evacuees.
• Relief operations for the PALEA campsite and APECO farmers have begun at the Corinthian Hills clubhouse.
• Those stranded in or around UP Diliman can take shelter at the Yakal Dorm lobby, Magsaysay St. cor. Apacible.
• Donations needed at Miriam College High School. Needed: canned goods, bottled water.
• Donations may be dropped off at the Oracle Hotel in Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City.
• San Jose Seminary inside the Ateneo Loyola Schools campus now open for those affected by the rain and flood.
• Over 2,000 families being housed at Rosa L. Susano-Novalishes Elementary School. They're in need of food and water, donate if you can.
• Beginning tomorrow, donations may be delivered to Moonleaf Maginhawa in Teacher's Village.
• Bridget School in Quezon City is open to those who are stranded because of the rain and flood.
• Rock Ed now accepting rice, canned goods, noodles, biscuits, and water at Camp Aguinaldo. Text Roy at 09178017693. Pick-ups begin tomorrow.
• The UP College of Mass Communication invites people to bring relief goods and donations to Plaridel Hall for UP-wide operations.
• Christ the King Parish along Greenmeadows Ave is now accepting relief goods.
• FEU-NRMF will be open for donations starting Wednesday (August 8). You may drop your donations at UG 8.
• Our Lady of Pentecost parish in Katipunan, Quezon city accepts evacuees. They also need mats, blankets, and bottled water.
• Dakila Artist Collective will be collecting relief goods. You may drop them at Unit 3A VS1 Building #34 Kalayaan Ave. Quezon City. (Near Kalayaan corner V. Luna, white building in front of Metro Oil).
• Relief operations also ongoing at the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino office. Address: 76 K-7th St., East Kamias, Quezon City.
• The Lean Alejandro Foundation also conducting relief operations at 34 Matiyaga St., Pinyahan, Quezon City. Contact Gem at 434-2025 or 0923-826-3198.
• The Partido Lakas ng Masa office has began relief operations at 13 Rigor Street, Barangay Masagana, Project 4, Quezon City. Contact Ate Tina or Lara at 439-5811.
• As of 4:45pm Tuesday, 1464 families are seeking refuge in San Isidro Parish, 250 families in San Antonio de Padua Parish, 182 families in Old Balara. Donations may be sent to St. Peter parish in Commonwealth, Quezon City.
• Binalot has pledged cooked Binalot meals to be sent to evacuation centers. You may pledge meals through their Multiply page, or donate cash directly (details here). Donations in kind are also accepted at Binalot Hang-out Salcedo at HV Dela Costa core Valero Sts., Salcedo Village, Makati City.
• UP Law Student Government now accepts pledges for relief operations. Funds will be used to buy relief goods for flood victims. Donations may be deposited to BPI: UP Law Student Government (account number: 2283-1030-32), just make sure to contact any LSG officer for accounting.

San Juan

• Xavier Schools will accept donations from August 9 to 15, 2012. Bring relief bags containing: 8 canned goods, 12 packs of instant noodles, 2 liters of water, and 2 kilos of rice.

Taguig

• Those living in the Fort Bonifacio area may drop off their donations at the Enderun college. Those who want to help may contact Luz Cleofas of the Taguig DSWD (5423693, 09175637314), says director Lino Cayetano.

Valenzuela

• Donations for Valenzuela may be bought to the City Action Center at MacArthur Highway behind Puregold. Look for Dorothy or Tines.

Pateros
Other evacuation centers and relief operations here.

***

Hats off to the those leading the rescue and relief operations. Thank you for restoring our faith in the Filipino people, time and again. God bless us all.

A Pretty Accurate Depiction of How Adulthood Feels Like

Spencer Radcliff writes about college. I read it as a pretty accurate depiction of how life post-college pretty much feels like. It's a little too spot on, it bothers. Dig in.

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It’s Really Sinking In That College Is Over

Jul. 23, 2012
By Spencer Radcliffe

I don’t really think college is the best time of your life. College is okay. You don’t have to do all that much to successfully achieve a liberal arts degree, and if you have at least a modicum of self-control and are generally an intelligent person, you can spend a lot of time getting fucked up without consequence, aside from an occasionally low bank account. In this sense, my lament is not over missing the “golden days” of college. Meh. It’s not about the pressures and demands of the “real world,” either. While I’ve not exactly entered this place, I’m not afraid of it — I embrace the idea of being self-sufficient, and I look forward to just getting by while cutting my teeth. Really, I’m excited for the future, and the present’s fine too. I’m driving from Kassel, Germany to Brussels, Belgium right now on a month and a half tour wherein, so far, the trip has paid for itself. Being a musician rarely pays off, but sometimes strikes even, if you’re lucky.

So at this point, it may be questionable what I’m even distraught over. It isn’t that things are harder. It’s that everything post-college is immediately and inherently different. In college, everything could be looked at through a four-year scope: friends, lovers, lifestyle choices. I never wondered where my friends would be in a month, a year. They were there for the same four years as me. Now, I wonder which of my friends will take a leave of absence from my life — for an internship in New York, freelance work in Los Angeles, whatever. While these things are worthy of celebration, the after-effect for me personally is a friend I’ll see much, much less.

Relationships have changed entirely. I have always been one to take relationships very seriously, looking toward the long-term, but relationships in college often seemed limited to four years, max. However bittersweet it was to know your lover would likely head in a different direction after graduation, it was the reality of college. In the month and a half since graduating, I haven’t put any effort into new relationships. This is in part due to the fact that I lived with my parents for two weeks, and have been in a different city every night since (which is a bit too transient for love), but also because I’m terrified that there will be no definitive crossroads at which you sit down and say “college is over, we have to part ways” or “I love you immensely and will follow you anywhere.” I love commitment, but I’m afraid of being in the early stage of a relationship and not knowing when commitment will be required because there are no more definitive time frames — only the future.

My most prevalent concern is becoming stagnant. In college, there was always something to look forward to, always something to aim for. A great party, a miserable term paper, going home for a week — there was always something in sight. I fear post-college is an endless tunnel. The only thing I can think to do about this is to keep moving. The only thing I can think to do is keep living and try to progress and change whenever possible, as frequently as possible. Stay in touch with friends, visit whenever possible, be open to love but don’t obsess over it, make a little bit of money, stay alive. I guess Blink 182 said it best, “I guess this is growing up.” Or maybe it was Kid Rock with “get in the pit and try to love someone.” Either way.

Hey Joe, I Think We Should Hang Out

(Disclaimer: This will be a gush-y, fawn-y post about Joseph Gordon-Levitt. There will be lots of adjectives and adulation and geek-ing out over mundane things. This post most probably will involve a LOT of estrogen. Run away while you can (come back for the other, less estogen-y posts, ok?) You have been warned.)

I've always loved Joseph Gordon-Levitt since I saw him on "10 Things I Hate About You". I think I was 11 then, and my little tween heart thought this scrawny boy with dimples was such a dreamboat. He wasn't a Leo Di Caprio (who, at the time, was a hit with girls my age post-Titanic) but JGL was adorable.

JGL on 10 Things: What made my 11 year old heart squee

JGL was scrawny and awkward then, unlike Leo who was already a pretty boy through and through. Back in the late 90's, JGL was one of the lesser known Hollywood stars (well, next to the explosive Titanic fame of Leo) so it was kinda cooler (at least according to me) to say he was your favorite. Apparently, I was already trying to channel hipster cool even before I understood what it was haha.


#TDKR
I caught The Dark Knight Rises (with Neng and Mahal) over a week ago and I was reminded of my love for JGL. In the movie, he plays New York cop John Blake. Great movie (again!) from the genius mind of Chris Nolan (maybe a separate post on my 2 cents on the Batman trilogy... maybe).

John Blake in TDKR: beefier JGL in a cop uniform
- I think I just heard my egg cells say thank you

 Kudos to the Nolan brothers and the rest of the TDKR ensemble for an amazing last installment -- but my biggest takeaway from the move was... BEEFIER JGL. Yuh-huh, much beefier JGL. Mmm.. mmm. *Now I let a teeny bit of shame wash over me. Aaaand, we're back to my original thought, beefier JGL... In a cop uniform. Are you kidding meee*

A writer once described JGL's build as uh... "like a gymnast's." I'm not sure if that's a compliment. But as far as manly men go, erm... I wouldn't exactly be excited at the mental picture of a guy in tights. BUT... thank you to TDKR (or maybe his new other movie "Don Jon's Addiction"?) our favorite boy has gotten a little more beefy! Broader shoulders, beefier arms, and a full face that make him look more leading man material and less of 'that guy that got friendzoned in 500 Days.' When JGL came onscreen, looking every bit spiffy in his NY cop uniform, Mahal and I were elbowing each other trying our best to keep our stifled squeals in. Definitely way hotter than his whiny 500 Days' Tom! :)

JGL = GQ Cover Material
 A few days ago, I was on Facebook and I chanced on a link to a JGL GQ article. He was apparently on the cover of GQ for August of this year. And our favorite geek is cleaning up pretty well.  Just look at how that vest hugs him. Right? 31 looks good on him :)

I've always loved him for his geeky charm. He is the quintessential boy-next-door. As bad as that cliche is, he literally can be how your neighbor looks like when you get lucky in the neighbor lottery. He's cute but unpolished; none of the glossy, unbelievably beautiful spawns of Hollywood. His uncertainty kinda gives off a feel that he doesn't think he's good looking. That alone makes him a knockout in my book. But our boy has some more surprises.

All grown-up JGL (Yum! haha)

You look at him and you get an inkling there's so much more than to that (yummy) scruffy face of his. The GQ write up about him just about confirms my suspicions about him -- that he is interesting and smart and will make awesome conversations. I really think we'll be fun together when we hang out. (Haha, yuh hanggang "heng out, heng out" level ang na-aabot ng imagination ko.)

His self-awareness makes it so fascinating to hear him talk about himself. He says he didn't go to his prom and admittedly thinking/talking a little too old for his teenage self. JGL on his teenage self:

"I was a sort of serious little dude—snobby. I thought girls my age were very frustrating. They were, like, looking in their compact mirrors and shit, and I thought that was evil," he says, adding that he was in danger of becoming "a hopeless ivory-tower douchebag. I'm a little more forgiving now. I've grown to laugh at myself a little bit more than I did."

He sounds like he's the type you can talk to about many things. And that he is self-aware is kind of an insurance there'll be less douchebag-gery (if any, at all) and more candid thoughts. He sounds like he doesn't take himself too seriously and that always makes for fun conversations. I have a feeling it'll be super fun to spend an afternoon with him, drinking coffee and picking his brain. There'll be witty banter and really interesting exchange. And yup, he seems to be the type to pull out verbal calisthenics and not make it look weird! And yeah, I will be ogling him all throughout coffee. And since this is my blog, maybe he will ogle me back. Maybe.

Zooey D. describes him as, "Very intellectual. Very, very serious and very intense". Mama likes (yes, I am aware that those two words don't sit so well with me and my personality, and I am bothered by how those two words are uh, awkward, but... it's just so... fitting haha).

Hey Joe, (JGL apparently likes to be called 'Joe') how are things? You know, I think, maybe we should hang some time :)

"If Men Were Like Buses, How Do You Catch The Right One?"

I saw a tweet from Chesa yesterday about a blog post she wrote on "Pamamanhikan". (Sidebar: I met Chesa through a Life's Directions retreat I went to sometime in 2010). I clicked on the link and was happily brought to  Chesa's blog where she recounts her lovely story of the Gian-Chesa long engagement.

I just clicked for that one entry. Little did I know I would be spending the next hour or so reading through Chesa and Gian's love story. I love how she wrote the stories - nakaka-kilig without being nauseatingly cheesy. It was like having dinner with a friend and listening to her as she giddily spills the details on a new boyfriend  :)

It warms my heart to hear of beautiful stories of people who found the perfect partner, at the perfect time. It warms my heart even more that Gian and Chesa are people that I know. All the best for you both! :)

I'd just like to share an inspiring article I found in Chesa's blog. For all the lovely ladies (who are still looking!), here's some crunchy food for thought :)

***

"If Men Were Like Buses, How Do You Catch The Right One?"
Michelle McKinney Hammond

If men were like buses, how do you catch one? A more important question is - how do you catch the RIGHT one? Simple: You take only the bus that's headed the RIGHT direction. First we must allow our Heavenly Father to do the picking. And second, the decision for a mate must be made on a spiritual and intellectual basis before it's made on an emotional one.

Whenever you meet a man, you need to get clearance from God, check out his attributes, and then allow your heart to engage. Dating exists not for mating; it exists for collecting data. I believe that the biblical design would be friendship, courtship and then marriage.

Friendship is two people walking together in agreement and accountability, learning and growing together. Courtship follows the mutual agreement to commit to one another exclusively - it is the decisive turning toward the agreed-upon goal of the marriage altar. It is a period of laying a foundation and preparing your life together after marriage.

But dating? Well, if you do date, use the time wisely to gather facts. So when you do gather facts, let us compare the process to clothes shopping.

Does this man want you? Is he pursuing you? The man who is right for you will pursue you and God's hand in the relationship will be clear. No guessing, no fleeces, no dead ends. Scripture says: "He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord" (Prov 18:22). Note - who finds whom? THE MAN FINDS THE WIFE.

From the beginning of time, God has transported men & women across the world in order to put them together. At the RIGHT TIME, He will bring that man on the scene and he will find you. In God's perfect design, the man is the one who recognizes his mate. Adam has no problem recognizing that Eve was his missing rib.

You do not need to strategically place yourself anywhere. You don't have to help a guy because he's shy. Men will do whatever they have to do to get what they truly want. The man in your life should recognize you as the pearl of great price in his life and be willing to do whatever he must in order to gain your hand. If he is passive about gaining your affections, take it as a sign that he is not interested.

Many a woman's mother has suggested that it is a good idea to marry a man who loves you more than you love him. As cold as that sounds, it actually might be scriptural if you stop to think about it: "We love him because he first loved us" (1 Jn 4:19).

Until then, take the ultimate chill pill. You don't need a bunch of men in your life to make you feel all right about yourself. You need only one man - your man, the one God has selected to select you. And trust me, the right man at the wrong time can be just as awful as the wrong man at any time.

So trust God's timing in this. He is the ultimate matchmaker. Relax, sit pretty and allow yourself to be found. Again - WAIT until the man voices his intentions. He should take the lead in establishing the relationship. You may have an inkling that he is the one, but God will use the man to set the tone of the relationship. Allow him the opportunity to woo you - this is your first act of submission. Jesus set the standard for all men to follow. They should love us first. And they should lead the relationship. 

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For now, I relax, sit pretty and allow myself to be found :)

Let's Do Some (Virtual) Shopping, Shall We? (The Charles and Keith Edition)

What better way to while away a rainy Saturday evening than to go shopping? Granted all the shopping to be done is uh... virtual haha. But retail therapy, virtual or otherwise is always fun!

My go to place for shoe eye candy will always be Charles and Keith. Since there is no Charles and Keith Philippines online (at least in the main website), I picked the Singapore site. I just thought there'd be more selections there cos that's where it's from?

Anyhoo, my virtual self has a hundred grand to spare. Yuh-huh, disposable income! (and uh-huh, virtual! haha) This is where that money will go :)

C&K - Head over Heels (SGD56)

 For starters, I'd go with this nude strappy heels. They go in black and red, too. But I feel this is the most elegant looking of the three. This should go very well with black painted toe nails and cropped pants!

C&K - Perfect Partner (SGD44)

Next up is this very straightforward red and nude slip ons. Perfect for days when you don't want to give too much thought to your wardrobe but still want to put on a hint of put-together but subtle elegance to the ensemble.

C&K - Color Luxe (SGD59)

Isn't this platform heel so feminine and powerful, at the same time? This should be perfect for regular outfits that need an "oomph". Casual Friday night with friends? Black shirt and dark denims feeling so blah? Throw this on and you're game on!

C&K - Demure (SGD56)

Isn't this color just a happy burst of sunshine? :) This would look so good with maxi dress in a happy color, too!

C&K - Tropical Escapaders (SGD47)

This white sandal just screams lazy Sunday :) It's the kind of foot wear you sport for early Sunday al fresco dinner/QT with the family. I can imagine being in a clean, crisp, white shorts and a flowy, floral top with this :)

C&K - Modern Meadows (SGD59)

It's a happy combo of casual and elegant. Plus, it's a wedge shoe so extra points for comfort (at least over heels haha).

C&K - Treasure Forever (SGD80)

Since this is virtual shopping, never mind that the info page for this shoe has the boxes 39 and 40 (my shoe size) crossed out - meaning unavailable. I like this one cos it's the kind you can wear with if you're trying to pull off 'corporate chic' -- not too stiff but not too casual-y either.

C&K - Striking Sandals (SGD96)

Isn't this sucha power shoe? I'd think with a killer pair like this, you'd never have a fashion blah day!

C&K - Sparkling Ensemble (SGD54)

It's cute and formal and low profile. It's like you mean business but are still saying "I'm a girl" :)

***

Now to make all that disposable money in real life currency. Hmmm.

I Want...

I'm looking for something but I can't quite put a finger on what it is. Is that weird? It's like something is missing, it's just that I don't know what it is.

I spent the last  hour on the internet doing embarrassing internet searches. None of the "will-ruin-my-reputation" types but more of the "really?' types. It's a little pointless to mention that and not give you my actual search strings and rob you of the joy of laughing at me and the juvenile randomness (you know I just wanted to put those 2 words there, teehee).

Open on my Firefox tabs are Philbert Dy's menu of movie of reviews, Hunger Games and John Carter reviews, a youtube clip of Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone (okay okay, the title of the clip is "Andrew and Emma Best/Cute Moments" -- and yes, I plan to watch 2 and 3 also), an Andrew Garfieild photo feature, um... Yahoo OMG Boys of Summer (... so this is how shame feels like haha!), and a Thought Catalog article by Chelsea Fagan, "Crying is Awesome."

Aren't they the cutest? (Photo credit: ellinort.blogspot.com)

I want to write more. But as of late, the only entries I am coming up with are whiny, broody, or giddy vanity entries. In my head before I write, I was hoping to come up with witty lines and sentences about my everyday life. But they just end up... lines and sentences about my everyday life. Haha! Let's get some practice today. And have some fun while at it, too!

That's what I'm talking about! (Photo Credit: Luigina Foggetti - vis.ualize.us)

I want a comfy, cushy seat, a great view, and enough time to kill. I haven't had lazy Saturday/Sunday done right. There's an art to it and I don't want it to just be staying in your jammies til it's time to sleep again. I want lazy Saturday to have a flow but just a little slower. The kind where I can get lost in my thoughts for a good half hour, snap out of it wake up to the company of stories and laughter. I want good brunch food with pretty eggs and fluffy pancakes and real good coffee. And real good cake. Or gelato.

I want to be in my favorite shirt, good socks and ratty running shoes. I want sweat to roll down my forehead, my thighs slightly burning, my feet a little sore while I round the UP oval a third time on a breezy Thursday evening. I want to feel that power in my legs and that burst of stamina brewing in my belly ready  to fuel a second wind.

Parivrtta-Janusirsasana - sarappp! (Photo credit: omtimes.com)

I want to be seated in a heated room, on a sticky mat, with yellow lights shining on my face. I want to touch my toes and stretch my legs and bend it like a pretzel in a hot yoga room. I want to be given a pat by my good teacher and told that I do the pose so well. I want to feel that slight pain and pressure and relief as a go deeper into a pose. I want that happy glow of gratefulness after a good yoga class and that feeling of knowing your body a little bit better.

I want to be in happy huddle of friends over coffee, laughing so hard at an inside joke my tummy hearts and happy tears rolling down my cheeks from too much squinting. I want to be in the middle of great shared humor and the warmth of great friendship. I want a blurry evening of laughter and great stories. I want a heart throbbing with pride and joy at the blessing of having found kindred souls to share great moments and memories.

***

I think that's just what I needed :)

Why Things "Happen To You"

Dennis is one of the most successful people that I know. He comes from a comfortable background as his father runs a successful distribution business. He is an architect by profession but decided to give up a career in design to pursue entrepreneurship fresh out of college. Hardwork and good business sense paying off, he was running 4 very successful companies before the age of 30.

He is beyond successful as an entrepreneur, has a happy and beautiful wife and baby daughter, and hands down an all-around very nice guy. He is one of the people I respect the most.

One fine Saturday, I ran into him and got a nifty surprise. As he waved hello to me, he walked towards me. When we were at conversation distance, he said: "Let's have coffee some time. You might have some questions, I'd be happy to answer them."

I was beyond surprised; I was floored. I was going to get a one-on-one mentoring session with Dennis! I was over the moon. The person I look up to knows me! Haha.

I waited for the "some time" to come. I waited to run into Dennis again. I would see him every now and then but he was always talking to someone else, talking on the phone, or has to run. I can never seem to get a hold of him. But I just... waited.


It was a "test"
A little over a month after I got the invitation for coffee, I found myself in a huddle with the boys. Dennis was congratulating Vincent for the birth of Vincent's baby girl and swapped newborn baby stories. Ray and I stood by and listened in on the two of them. After a few daddy tips exchanges, Vincent had to run, leaving Dennis with me and Ray.

"I never heard from you," Dennis said to me. I was surprised. I didn't expect to, but I mindlessly mumbled, "huh?" Then Dennis said in a very nice way, "You never called me or texted. How long ago was that? I think a month na, no?"

Quizzical look on my face. I wasn't following. (In my head, "I was supposed to call him?!")

Dennis smiled and said, "That was a test."

WHOAH. That was a test?! (WTF) Still no words from me.

Dennis continued, "I was waiting for you to call me. I was testing if you'd call me."

I was choosing between panic and shame. "Oh," was the only thing I could muster.


Because you wait
Then Dennis said the one thing I was suspecting about myself but kind of keep brushing aside because no one was calling me out to it: "You're like this about everything, aren't you? You wait for things for things to happen to you."

It was so spot on, I couldn't say anything. I wanted to reason out that I respected his time, that I was waiting for a go signal from him that it was alright to talk to him, that I was waiting for his permission, yadda yadda. Then it occured to me, why would I need anyone's permission? Why did I think that I was not worthy of his time? Why was I, a grown capable adult living in the real world, acting like a high school kid waiting for the teacher's permission to go to the frickin' bathroom?


Make things happen
This Dennis -- who has only been saying hi to me from afar for the past year or so, who has not spoken to me any longer than 5 minutes, who doesn't know me, my family background, or my history -- read me like a book.

He said something that profoundly affected my perspective:

"You have to fight for the things that you want. You have to make things happen to you.
I'm sure you're not like this just this one time, right? You must be like this at everything, this is how you approach life, tama ba ako?

The people who wait, all they get is crumbs. The people who get the best things in life, they fight to get the best things in life. If you don't, people walk all over you. Don't be surprised when things just keep happening around you. YOU HAVE TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN."

I felt so naked. The man read to my face the story of my life without even asking me anything. But I've never felt so empowered. It just clicked. And with that one statement, so many other questions were answered.

He went on, "Don't ask me when I'm available. You tell me when you're available and ask me to be available. That shows you're hungry."

After that, he gave me his schedule and along with it, a chance to redeem myself. I'm happy to report that we did go on to have that meeting. And again, the man wowed me with the way he thinks. No wonder he is successful.

For your time, for your patience, and for your keen attention. Thank you, Dennis!

Things I Should Do

Someone has a little (too much) surplus of time (or made-up idle time)

Finish "People Buy You"
I've had that book open for over a month. And I thought I was on track on my 'One Book, One Month' rule. Last 20-something pages shouldn't be so tough. Lest I shove it back to the shelf unfinished, along with the five other books I started and didn't finish.

Start watching my saved episodes of "Undercover Boss"
Caught the '7-Eleven' episode a few months ago and realized that this is pretty good TV. The kind you actually learn something from (for business) and not just idle 30mins where your brain kinda goes into coma and leaves the "laugh" and "applause" functions on. I downloaded 5 episodes (in true hoarders fashion) and haven't touched it since. I LOVE my tv and I told myself I should at least get something more from it (other than witty lines to blog about haha)

Watch "Suits" Pilot
3 TV friends actually gave good reviews for "Suits". It's an hour long so it kinda turns off that ADD kid in me #nothighonprioritylist

Finish my PSP
PSP = Personal Success Plan. It's an activity from the last Boot Camp where you plot out your life for the next 5 years. It's daunting and scary and exciting. I started with the words already but 3 weeks after the camp, I never got around to actually finishing it.

Print out Dream Book
Inspired by the Bo Sanchez tip to write out your dreams, I started a Dream Journal about a year ago. It still has blanks but some parts I had all made out in vivid word color. I think I must have forgotten some of them cos I haven't gone back to it in a really long time. Time to whip out the pages lest I forget about them.

Write a Book Sequence
I hoarded books last January. The group made a good deal with the publishers we were able to get Book Sale prices for brand new, fresh off the presses books! What's a nerd to do but buy all of them! I think I at least owe that to all the book worms of the world :) I think I got around 8 books. I've read 3 of them, I think. My goal is to finish off all the books before the year ends, with room for 2 more.


Watch One Movie Every Sunday
My episodes of movie downloading binges have resulted into a hard drive with a very big collection of movies. I have a lot of good movies saved but (blame it to the ADD, hehe) I never seem to reduce this list.

***

 Why I turned this supposed to-do list into a blog entry baffles even me.

What Would Make Me Happy Now

I've been in a weird place emotionally lately. It feels like I don't have a good grip of myself and been pooping around uh, emotionally. Sorry for the graphic, even I don't quite know what that means.

Sunday (aka vegetate-in-the-house day) was a quintessential case example. I was sitting on the couch, mindlessly channel surfing, hoping to catch reruns of New Girl/HIMYM/Cougar Town on Star World. I chance upon "Got to Dance UK" which, as literal as it gets, is about dance. I group of 8-year-olds in red hoodies gave a surprisingly good number and wowed the judges. As they were congratulating the group and their 16-year-old choreographer, fat tears were rolling down my cheeks. The kids weren't hamming up the show with sob stories or anything. It was just a group of kids who were great at dance. And there I was... crying. (WTF)

Then I caught a good chunk of Bridesmaids on HBO. I probably don't even need to write it anymore cos I really think you will have guessed it yourself without any help from me. My shirt got a wee bit too wet from  wiping my cheeks dry. Lost thirty-something lady, breaking down right smack in the wake of her best friend's impending wedding. That's a little too easy.

I've never been one to find comfort in retelling these kinda stories of feelings, in person. I'm the kinda person that waits for the perfect moment/setting/timing/person to do this with. The thing is it never comes. So I'm stuck nursing the ugly feelings my myself, or having YOU read it over this blog -- sucks to be either of us haha.

It's taking all of me to NOT wallow, to NOT swim in this "seemingly" poetic pool or weird sadness and unidentified feelings. (Okay, okay, this post IS wallowing). So I have decided to veer away from the melancholy and think about the things I want, the things I know will make me happy right abouts now.

Conversation
Good fucking conversation. I would love to meet someone new, or rediscover an existing friendship, pick their brains over coffee, and just go WHOAH. I haven't had that in a loooong time.

I wanna talk about the idiosyncrasies of Sheldon Cooper, why I love driving in the rain, how I feel about being 25 and how it's both exciting and scary at the same time. I wanna talk in long winding sentences. I wanna word vomit all the pent up feelings my brains been holding in for so long.

I wanna use 'naive', 'oxymoron', 'juxtapose', 'schaudenfreude', and 'chutzpah' in my sentences. I want verbal calisthenics exchange and not feel weird about it. I want to bring out fancy words from the vocabulary arsenal and just use them for show.

I want to hear about a different way of looking at the world. I want to know about life with siblings. I want to know about growing up traveling the world -- about seeing the Disneyland at 7 years old and trying to understand French over a colorful macaron in the park. I want to hear about movies I haven't seen and why I should see them. I want to hear about books I never thought about reading and why I should read them.

I want to spend a rainy Tuesday afternoon drinking coffee by the store window swimming in gratefulness at the gift of this kindred soul. Dear Lord, please make it happen :)


Long Drive
Haven't had the chance to enjoy the great SLEX highway in a while. Driving the superhighways have a way of calming me and clearing my head. I remember back in my old job when I was very happy I had to drive to Laguna on a regular basis.

It was still so vivid to me how I would leave the office at 10 in the morning, all worked up, creases on my forehead literally from grown up office stuff (said like real 3-year old haha) to head on out to drive down South. I get on the car and as soon as I go past McKinley and legally drive and cruise at 100kph, it's as if the open roads have a power to uh, "ease the blues away" haha.

Then, at around 4 in the afternoon, as I head up back North, my head is clear and my thoughts more neat than when I started out in the morning. This time though, if I have my way, I'd like to drive down South not for work. I'd love to take to the highways, go up to Tagaytay, and settle in a Starbucks and just stare out at the lake. I know that kinda sounds straight out of a cheesy Tagalog movie haha. But what can I say, good coffee and a steady afternoon are for me a good enough reason to spend on gas and and brave the highways.

Oh, the joys of a long drive :)


Good Movie
If you ask me what my idea of a good time is, it may be a different list every time, but I'm very sure all my lists will include time spent inside a good movie house.

I haven't seen a movie in the movie house in a while. And I miss it like crazy (OA haha). Pero in fairness, I actually do miss being inside a movie house. Plush seats, cold aircon, a warm hoodie and movie house chow -- WOW. Haha, it takes little make me happy. Someone take me to the movies! *hint*

I have yet to see The Amazing Spiderman and I'm really looking forward to it. Just you wait Garfy, just you wait. Tin and Lai and Mahal, Friday? :)

***

Just writing about these kinda makes up for the way my screwy hormones have been acting out lately.

"Shared Future"

I'm equally embarrassed and giddy. Now that I just wrote that, I think I'm a little more embarrassed than giddy. I've been giving my mind a little more leeway lately to wander off into an unknown future ehem.. a "shared" future.

I live in the predominantly Catholic (attempting to be modern but surprisingly still very sexist and double standard) Philippine society where it's kind of given that women have to marry. I'm 25 and I think whether I like it or not, there is a proverbial countdown timer plastered on my forehead -- counting down til the day I find a suitable mate to marry. That, or my egg cells are counting down haha.

So here's a naked admission. I've been spending a lot of time and brain space lately wondering how my "suitable mate" looks, feels, and sounds like. It must be because it's a long time coming. Or maybe also because half of me is wondering (more like wishing and hoping haha) whether this "suitable mate" might be in the person of this very interesting boy that is now in the horizon.

Hold your horses, no intention has been expressed. No clues have been given. Only my wandering eyes and overly imaginative mind giving life to this not-yet story. Real life hasn't measured up to "my" stories in my head yet but the giddy and the fun of the guesswork (regardless of the real life answer) has made this not-story something I keep coming back to.

Indulge me this one time (okay, this won't be the only time haha) about how I hope this "shared future" looks like.

There is a lot of talking. We're so fond of each other. Fascinated.We talk about the bottoms of our ice cream cones, my perfect parallel parking, how the tie went perfectly with the striped shirt. We talk about small things, about mundane things and talk about them in a way like they are important. I'm always interested with what he has to say, he's the same.

There is a lot of laughing. Because we are funny together. And we are fun together. Because the world is always more beautiful with a little more laughter.

We rock lazy Sunday. We like it laid back and we do laid back like a boss. No rush, no hurry to catch our movie. Snuggled in the cold comfort of the plush movie house seats. Steady night cap over coffee and some thoughts on our movie. Quiet drive home.

We are fun company to our friends. We are accommodating when we are in a group and never make anyone feel awkward with unnecessary and outrageous displays of physical affection. We are still two different people not one giant hug-gy blob.

We are dreamers. We lie under the stars and talk about the future. We get to  laugh at each other's secret dreams as we celebrate the absurdity of some of our dreams. But we keep dreaming anyway. We talk in vivid colour and we dream in detail. And we're grateful for the gift of another person who understands dreaming dreams and dreaming together.

We are voracious learners. We are obsessed with getting better. We grow together.

We are good together. I am my best when I'm with him and I pray that he is, too. Our friends say we are good together and genuinely wish we end up together for a really long time. We radiate a quiet steady, happiness.

There is magic. Something inexplicably beautiful.