Dumbstruck by Nestle's TV ad

I love listening to love stories of family and friends rather than watching fictional characters make love happen. A practice influenced by my first boss who started off weekly staff meetings with an update on matters of the heart. 

I carried on this practice and continue to embrace the thrill, especially during meetings with the Pharmacy staff.  There are times when I drown in tears and end with a reflective mood.   Both heartwarming and heartbreaking love stories affect me the same way. 

When I first came across Nestle's TV commercial, I was left dumbstruck. What came to mind was that drizzling afternoon ten years ago when right just then I knew.  Five years after, J. Bond and I vowed, said I DO, and began living our dream.  Together.

Now on our 5th year, we continue to thrive  on spending our days in the most meaningful way as a couple and as an individual.  I'd like to think that nothing drastic has changed since that fateful afternoon.  Though we have stumbled upon quirks and shortcomings, these are what I tell J. Bond I call "spice".  At times we need a kick, and only spice can make such thing happen. Besides, bland equates to boredom. And, the happy and good moments are what truly matter most.

At this point, it still is hazy as to where our journey will lead despite the presence of a plan. But I am comforted by the fact that I have been blessed with a "double O 7" who folds at my quirks and yet lifts me up at my worst.  A huge chunk of gratitude I owe to my dear friends, B=RAVE Dude Friend and NY-based Pinky, who held me captive on the eve of my wedding. Because of them, I have come to realize that there is no other way of living life than the way life is lived now.

from left to right: J. Bond's bro and wife, B=RAVE DUDE friend and Pinky, US

By the way, I find Kitchie Nadal's version of Apo Hiking's song, Pag-ibig, spicier :)

Crossing The Bar

I first came across this poem when LOLA LILING passed away.  Decades after, I am reminded of this poem as the family is faced with another departure. 

Crossing The Bar by Lord Alfred Tennyson

Sunset and evening star,

And one clear call for me!

And may there be no moaning of the bar,

When I put out to sea,

But such a tide as moving seems asleep,

Too full for sound and foam,

When that which drew from out the boundless deep

Turns again home.

Twilight and evening bell,

And after that the dark!

And may there be no sadness of farewell,

When I embark;

For tho' from out our bourne of Time and Place

The flood may bear me far,

I hope to see my Pilot face to face

When I have crost the bar.

It was 10:57 pm of  August 22, 2010 when I received the call.

We will miss you terribly, Uncle Bob. Thank you for all the good times ... for the witty remarks that made me laugh behind the scenes ... for taking good care of each one's health in the family, especially mine ... and for having stood in as my father during that pre-wedding "pamamanhikan" moment.

Have a safe journey.  Send my hugs and kisses to Dad, Lola Liling, Lolo Buddy and the rest of the gang :)

See right top black and white photo of my uncles and aunts at the prime of their lives.

Standing on the right are Uncle Bob and Dad (in black rimmed glasses).

***Dr. Roberto M. Zaide, September 13, 1936 to August 22, 2010.

Note to non-Filipino readers:  Lolo is grandfather.  Lola is grandmother.

The Love Circle Prayer

Sure, I'd love to get going with my beading. That's what I planned for this month anyway. Bead-Bead-Bead!  Christmas is coming very soon.  Start early before the "rush" begins.  But with my recent medical mishap, life so far have slown down, with ample time to breath, relax, and enjoy my family's sweet and tender loving care =)

Not only that.  I  finally! found time to try-out Bo Sanchez's The Love Circle Prayer.

This ain't  a board game.  Though it looks like one since it comes along with these:  1)  A card showing multiple circles in a a solar system like position, with instructions printed on the right.   And 2), nine pebbles.

A gift given to me a couple of months ago by my friend, Patti, who at that time gave a quick explanation on what it was all about. I had the idea but admittedly I had made no effort to try it out until this "no choice home arrest situation" came along.  So, here's how it goes (a step-by-step guide by Bo Sanchez,  interspersed  with a bit of  "tweaking" and "commenting" from my end) ...

First, a little bit of background. 

Called The Love Circle Prayer, BO Sanchez introduced this special ritual prayer on the following premise:  Pray in the evening before you sleep for seven days, then a Big Promise awaits that will change and transform you and your relationships. (ME:  Oops!  I said my prayer in the afternoon and have already skipped a day.  Is this still valid?  Or better yet, I repeat from the beginning?)

Step 1: Be Grateful For You

Select one stone to represent you. While holding it, thank God for who you are and the blessings of the day. (Example: “Thank you Lord for protecting me from an accident this morning; Thank you Lord that I was able to finish my report and my boss likes it…”) After praying, place the stone at the middle of the “Love Circle” Card.

ME:   How about I use a heart-shape ceramic bead instead of a stone?  I think a bead best represents me :)   And here's what I thanked God for ... "Thank you Lord for answering my prayer! ".

Step 2: Be Grateful For The Love You Received

Select a stone for each loved one in your life. Hold each stone and thank God for how this person blessed you. (Example: “Thank you Lord for my wife’s unconditional love for me.”; “Thank you Lord for my mother’s gift of life to me.”) Place the stone at the outside circle. Repeat for each stone.

ME:  Obviously, I stuck it out with beads!  The stones??? These are on display now.  (Lol).  Now, who are these gracious folks who have "pierced"  the heart?  Start from the star-shape bead then go clockwise (in no particular order)  -- Family1, J. Bond, Family2, Family3, Family4, Friends (one bead), Family5, Doctors and Nurses (one bead).  Here's what I thanked God for in a gist ...

"Thank you Lord for Love and Care of Family, for the gift of "unspoken" friendship, and for healing!".

Step 3: Be Grateful For The Love You Gave

Hold each stone representing each of your loved ones, and thank God for how you were able to show love to that person. (Example: “Thank you Lord I was able to spend time with my son today”; “Thank you Lord I was able to tell my father I loved him today.”) As you do this, move the stone from the outer circle to the inner circle. Note: If you weren’t able to show your love to that person that day, plan how you can do it the next day.

ME:  Yikes, I need major improvement on step 3.  A little MORE loving won't hurt, right?  My apologies to the folks represented by beads 4 to 8.  Hopefully, I make it up to you one of these days.  

I wonder if The Love Circle Prayer truly works.  It's too early to say.  Besides, I  already got the time wrong and skipped a day.  Apparently, this entails a lot more effort, patience and discipline.  Perhaps, having more FAITH also matters.   Time is not a concern here, just allocate 5-10 minutes per day. That's it!  I've decided to start all over again, with seriousness this time :)  I know I can do it.  After all, the best way to enrich the heart is by giving THANKS!

In this LINK, Bo Sanchez further explains why this ritual  will change your life. He says,

If you do this for seven days, you’ll be changed. How? By the power of gratitude. For seven days, you’re reprogramming your mind to look at the way your loved ones bless you. And not how they irritate you.

March 2, 2010 I ♥ KIM

I nagged my friend, Chiqui, to buy me this CD in SM Makati when I went on a one-week leave in 2007.  Instructions were crystal clear . . . buy NOW, send thru my husband, pay when I return.

Instead, she gave me this as her birthday gift :)

Yes!!!  I  ♥ KIM CHIU.  I  ♥ her song CRAZY LOVE . . . . Listen to the song and sing along with Kim.

Boy, I am super baduy and crazzzzyyyyyyy!!!  But  these two make me tick and smile wide.  So yes, I am baduy . . . crazy . . . plus a Kim-fan . . .  therefore, I am inspired. Wheeeee!!!!

How nice it would be to go back in time and experience this ♥♥♥ cRaZy -  kilig -  pupPY - babaw love one more time ♥♥♥  Gosh! Can't take off this smile from my face :)  I can't even think sTRaiGHt . . .

Hmm . . . I think this is an effect of following too much blogs of today's young generation. Here's the common theme:

-  subject:  a mean (haha!) Crush

-  story:  Crush ignores, abuses or does not even know that she exists!

-  conclusion:  i am brokenhearted!!! too (LOL!!!))

I agree, to be young and in-love is a crazy combination.   Even my beaded cloth necklace can't make a perfect heart shape.  That's how crazy it can be.

But think of it this way. . .  Crazy Love is such a sweet spice!  Without it, how BORING it will be. . .  no smiles, NO TEARS, no mind games, NO STUFFED TOYS, no chocolates, NO ROSES, no torn letters,  NO SLEEPLESS NIGHTS, no first sweet kissES :(

So to my fellow "young" bloggers, just enjoy the ride.  I'm pretty sure that when you reach my  "teeny-weeny" bit older age, you'll also look back and smile at the craziness  ♥♥♥☻♥♥♥

P.S. I call my husband Gerald and he calls me Kim in my BADUY and CRAZY thoughts!

February 23, 2010 the WACKY team

We met in 2004.  They helped me run a mall. 

Or a better way to way to describe it is that THEY RAN THE MALL and I was just their conductor.

I palpitated to my reply when the move was discussed with me.  I said yes but I was not expecting the huge responsibility that came with it.  Aside from running the mall, I  also needed to lead the team.  I  wanted to back off!  But I did not and I'm glad that I didn't.

I never expected that this move would  lead me to a set of wacky characters.  Why I said wacky?  Let me put it this way . . . Individually, they have their own characteristics.  But when together, they  transform into one and can be described as: 

BUBBLY, FUN-LOVING . . . GORGEOUS???

NOISY.  I swear. They have this talent of  talking  all at the same time whether it be in a meeting or on lunch break  And yet, each one heard and understood what everyone said.

 

POKER addicts (not all).  There were plans of holding Friday Poker sessions.  It's still a plan to this day =)

BEACH-bums.  I prefer the mountains.  But with them, there's no other  choice but the beach.

frustrated SURPRISE PARTY organizers!  With the many times a surprise party was organized, they finally succeeded  with my bridal shower party held in the office!  Imagine how the office looked. . . all the sexy "tits and tats" displayed on the walls and tables at 10 AM . . . work hours and opening time of the mall.  Hilarious!

In my 12-year career life, this moment is what I cherish most.  I have learned that there was nothing to fear.  They just needed a friend to walk with them in achieving goals.

Now that we have gone our separate ways, we set get-togethers on a trying-hard regular basis.  They are still the same wacky team that I met in 2004 but this time living different passions and dreams.

The two finance officers, Den and Lei, are now living their lives abroad.  One working for a TV network, and the other, a full-time Mom.  

Our Advertising and  Promotions Officer, Rai,  has chosen a different path to take. She is currently taking up nursing. Yup, totally different!   The other officer, Kat, is still working for the mall and I'm pretty sure that she's having a blast.

borrowed Mike's photo

From a teeny-weeny sized mall, Engineer Ariel is now  assigned to the biggest mall. He has finally embraced his single status. I hope! 

Obi, my co-conductor, also retired young. . . younger than I am (in her 20s).  She now heads a newly renovated mall in the North, and is assisted by Engineer Earl.  Travelling to different countries is Obi's favorite pasttime, while Earl fulfills his Daddy duties on his free time.

 

This guy, Operations Officer Mike, is responsible for my beautiful bead photos from 2006 to 2008.  By Beaded Story made its mark because of his work. His two adorable kids are his mini-me.  I described them as "little mice" when they were younger :)   Their tiny whimpering and giggling voices were our sounds in the office on weekends. 

Chiqui, the friend I talked about in this blog http://bybeadedstory.blogspot.com/2010/02/february-5-2010-do-i-study-again-no.html, is currently working for a well-known insurance firm.  All I can say is that she was born to lead.  A great and true friend. We celebrate February 4 together.

I, in case you still have no idea, am living my bead dream and busy rallying for affordable yet quality medicines.

Last Friday, we met because of a very special occasion . . .

Borrowed the photo from Mike.

Roni, the girl who I relied on when I made the move in 2004 and the one who introduced to me the world of bazaars in 2006, got engaged a week ago.  Like the "Kim Possible" she is in work, she is almost DONE with organizing her wedding set in 2010. Only Roni can do that! I am so happy and truly looking forward to celebrating February 4 with her too.

Instead of photos from work, I chose to show photos of our coffee sessions and beach trips. Though we met in work, we are now way beyond that ... We may have gone our separate ways ... building on different passions and different dreams.  But we still SHARE  the same "deep" WACKY FRIENDSHIP :)

2009 Beach trip with our familes :)  Hopefully, the plan in April 2010 pushes through.

February 8, 2010 Thanks BRO!

The last time I listened to this song was on February 4, 2006.  Here's how it goes  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G67qW6V-ZbM. . .

Tomorrow morning if you wake up

and the sun does not appear

I will be here

If in the dark, we lose sight of love

Hold my hand, and have no fear

'Cause I will be here

Thank you for sun-filled mornings . . .

and peaceful evenings

I will be here 

When you feel like being quiet

When you need to speak your mind

I will listen

And I will be here

When the laughter turns to cryin'

Through the winning, losing and trying

We'll be together

I will be here

Thank you for love . . .

and family

Tomorrow morning, if you wake up

And the future is unclear

I will be here

Just as sure as seasons were made for change

Our lifetimes were made for these years

So I will be here

Thank you for inspirations

and never-ending blessings

I will be here 
And you can cry on my shoulder
When the mirror tells us we're older
I will hold you
And I will be here
To watch you grow in beauty
And tell you all the things you are to me
I will be here

Thank you for the splendor

I will be true to the promise I have made
To you and to the One who gave you to me
Tomorrow morning, if you wake up
And the sun does not appear
I will be here
Oh, I will be here.

Here's a fact. . . I'm an abs-cbn primetime bida teleserye fanatic.

I watch teleseryes while I bead. So, before the Santino fever disappears, 

let me express my deepest gratitude to Bro.

THANKS BRO!

January 23, 2010 Love & Care of Family

Weekends are non-bead days. I usually spend these days in a relaxed mode… except this morning. Traffic in Manila on a Saturday is a nightmare! I would have rather stayed home and beaded-away even on a weekend.

But then, there will always be days when we have to put all things aside. On this particular day, we visited Uncle B.Z. at UST Hospital who was diagnosed with Stage 4 Bone Cancer a few days ago =( I felt sad, pain, and what made it more “emotional” was re-living the memories of 20-plus years ago. A lot of hard-to-answer questions, hearts are in sorrow, yet Uncle B.Z. remains to be the gentle and caring man I’ve long known.

Days may perhaps be numbered …. Or maybe not?! Miracles happen! The family had made a conscious effort to walk side-by-side with Uncle B.Z. in his journey. After all, it is in painful moments like this that LOVE and CARE of FAMILY will give each one strength, courage and inspiration.

Nothing else matters.

A photo of Taal Lake taken a few months before I tied the knot. Uncle B.Z. was one of our male principal sponsors, while his granddaughter was our flower girl. I have always believed that there is a golden ray of light at the end of a dark tunnel =)