I went to the mall today to get away from the repairs that were going on at the house.  It’s not really a big construction but it’s such a costly one.  But it’s not that, really.  You see, dealing with the costs of these repairs, fixing properties/property taxes, and getting pulled to all directions by different people just make me  feel like such a grown-up.  I have real-world problems now - that’s how I would put it when I complain to my friends.

Oh well, I guess you could say that I have so much to deal with because I have so much blessings in my ward.  With great power comes great responsibility. 

Earlier in the day, I decided to treat myself to some pampering.  I made reservations for a hotel room in Makati where I could stay while the repairs to my home were being done.  But by noontime I decided to cancel it and just do some shopping.  Wandering around SM, deciding against Greenbelt because I might come across the JackSpade store, I chanced upon a sale of luggage and on a whim decided to buy a set.

I liked the color.  I liked the price more hehehe.  So for some reason, I bought it without thinking.  It wasn’t until I was on my way home that I heard myself say in my head, “Oh God, this trip is SO gonna go through now.  I just feel in in my bones.”

Post script:  I’m now in my brother’s room, still hiding from whatever chaos that’s outside.  Surprisingly, in writing this I find that the other people in this house are mobilizing to get things done.  How refreshing

Friday was a big meeting day, pretty much this month’s KEG meeting of all the Java consultants of The Firm.  Of course having the opportunity of my friends being gathered in one place, I brought my camera along and took a couple of shots.

The CGC - Chorva Group of Companies, because not an hour goes by that these people fail to use this word.

You can find the photos of that day through this link.

I’m sure that the prospect of having durian flavoured ice cream here in Manila is tickling every Davaoeno’s fancy.  Well, what do you know?  Fic, the gellato stand at The Fort Strip carries the flavor.

I’ll surely try that next time.

If you’re not hiding under a rock for the past 24 hours then you know about this news.  After an hour’s worth of the utter chaos in India on CNN, I finally decided to switch channels.  I offered a prayer of peace for the people there, and for the whole world.

That’s the best thing we can do for a world in chaos - To think of peace.

Think love.  Think harmony.  Think peace.

I admit that sometimes the stressful times leave my soul scarce in this. 

But at the end of the day we should look into a brighter future.  We should trust in a bright destiny that’s in store for everyone.  We should have the patience to look beyond the chaos of the mundane days.

At some points in my life, when my mouth is almost frothing with confusion and despair, I retreat to a quiet place and muster all my strength into a prayer.  In that silence, I hear Him in my heart tell me:  Patience, little brother, everything will be all right.  Not everything has to be solved today.

Patience 

I know you have questions
same ones as me
How long has it been?
How long will it be?
When will come the morning
to drive the night away?
Tell me when will come the morning
of a brighter day?

Patience, Little Sister
Patience, Little Brother
Patience, Patience
Take each other by the hand
Patience, Little Sisters
Patience, Little Brothers
Let us walk together
to the Promised Land

There’s a river to cross
And a mountain to climb
Patience, Patience
It’s gonna take some time

We must walk in Peace
We got to walk in Peace
It’s the only, only way
If we want to see that morning
Of a Brighter Day 

Patience, brothers and sisters…

That’s the Cherry Blossom Challenge for you!!!  c/o Sakae Sushi at the Fort

Imagine this:  Salmon and Kane on the inside, rice, wrapped in tuna, and garnished with Ikura (salmon roe).  Di ko kinaya!

I’m gonna stick to Spider Rolls (crab stuffed sushi) as far as gourmet sushi is concerned.

It started about a week ago.  As soon as I opened my eyes I was hearing

Papa don’t preach, I’m in trouble deep
Papa don’t preach, I’ve been losing sleep…

over and over again.  I don’t have it in my Ipod, mind you.  I don’t know what triggered it hehehe

Anyway, today I woke up and I was humming a tune in my head without realizing it.  The thought blasted me out of a half-sleep when I recognized the song and my brain started to add lyrics to the hymn

…balatkayo lamang pala
naniwala naman ako

kung liligaya ka sa piling ng iba
at kung ang langit mo ay ang pag-ibig nya
tututol ba ako kung kagustuhan mo
sapat na ang minsay minahal mo ako…

A freaking Imelda Papin song!!!  Now where did that come from?!

I actually have a theory:  my neighbor must be sending out subsonic sound waves of the songs from his house while I’m asleep to drive me crazy in the morning.  That’s one hehehehe

As I was telling this anecdote to my friends we ended up singing the whole song to infect everyone with a cheesey LSS. 

Oh well…

See me on the reflection of her glasses?

I can’t tell you guys enough how beautiful the views I’ve witnessed are in my last vacation.  I just can’t wait for my next trip.

I’m actually thinking about going back there for another three days.  The people are so warm and welcoming.  They are even anticipating for my return ever since I opened the idea during one of my chat sessions with my Sister-in-law

So I might be coming back to this in a few days time.  Again, in a fashionable tourist capacity hehe.  Although the traveller in me is pushing to add another place under my belt.  But again, don’t you just love that?!

I was by the Americas team early this week and was admiring J’s action of Fate/Stay Night’s Saber, when he said that he had one extra and if I wanted to make an offer.  So this found its way to my desk two days after.

It comes with two swords, the visible and the invisible (glass) excalibur.  The coolest thing I spent one grand on Hehe :-D

As always, once a week, we do lunch at the Paul Calvin healthy buffet.  Anyway, I love their desserts.  It’s a very wide selection!

But why select right?  It’s a buffet, you can have it all hehe

Talk about healthy food, I think this is almost unbelievable

Light chicharon, curious…

I like prospects that have really been thought of.  I appreciate small details.  Like this one, the developers really thought of getting a lucky date.

This was taken during my vacation.  We managed to squeeze in some business within that pleasurable stay.

I just sold my Morgan - my laptop of three years.  I’m gonna miss her

Yes, I named my laptop because it was something special for me (Katas ng hardwork hehe).  Maybe my car as well when I get it - Dasboot or Breezy. 

For now, I’m eyeing this little baby.

(Got this pic from Yugatech)

This is the Astone UMPC.  It suits my needs (7″ ultraportable thing), especially now when I’m mostly in transit and at events.  Hmmm…

I was looking for one at Parksquare and the lady at Ambassadors Appliances offered me a very good deal on an Asus Eee PC 900 series (XP Home).  Heck, it’s cheaper than my phone and has an Intel Chipset inside.  I now call her Alisa - of Alisa Sotto of the Sweep Series

Update: It has been a couple of days since I bought Alisa.  I’m loving her.  It’s like I’m not carrying a laptop when I have her in my bag.  Ultramobile PCs definitely suits the blogger lifestyle

Being right is easy, in theory.  Being right is a state of being, a state or a place of the absolute.  But it takes a great amount of will to be right and not flaunt your righteousness - to be right PERIOD, so we can say.

Run from everything that gives you the evil thoughts… but stay close to anything that makes you want to do right. - The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren

That is all that God asks of us.  To be righteous within, and to be tolerant without.  There may be grace in righteousness but there definitely isn’t in flaunting it.

One should be content at being right.

For most of the trip, the subjects in my photographs have made my stay there more meaningful and fun.

There’s my brother Aki

Aki with Jude, my nephew

My other nephew Das

Of course the whole gang of that night

I lost track of who’s back in Manila by now…

I was on the road for most of my vacation, so it’s just right that I blog about it hehe

We came to pick up our designated driver - my sister-in-law’s sister.  Then we gave my bro’s driver money to go back home, in short, we ditched him. lol

The fun thing about joyriding in Davao - it’s very clean and pleasant.  The roads are wide, the sky is always clear, the skylines are not yet riddled with billboards and no traffic.

In fact, This is the most traffic we encountered