Saccharine Sweet Alibi

3 days, zero post......

Here's my alibi...........

Friday was my son's PTC, it was home study day as well, therefore my weekend started quite early. Better yet, allow my paparazzo to illustrate...............

I spent the entire weekend with my kiddielets............
Well, almost........Yeah, I'm the teeny tiny dot with the red helmet............... I soooooo look like my Dad in this photo.........Hope you all had a saccharine sweet weekend as well :)

Unduly Extended Weekend

Actions have consequences.......

Too much of a good thing is baaaddd tsk tsk.......

ACTION: (Excessive) Reading
CONSEQUENCE: Asthenopia (eye strain), headaches

ACTION: (Overmuch) PlayingCONSEQUENCE: Muscle soreness

ACTION: (Over) EatingCONSEQUENCE: heartburn, constipation, indigestion

ACTION: Self-indulgenceCONSEQUENCE: Paparazzo shots

LESSONS LEARNED:
1. Observe proper reading habits.
2. Too much exercise can make you susceptible to ilinesses.
3. Everything in moderation.

TO DO THIS WEEK:
1. Get enough sleep.
2. Go on a 7-day fast.
3. Plan.

Divaness: More Wakeboarding Shots

Just received these pics of moi as taken by Erwin de G last weekend. Thanks Erwin and Marlene........
O da va, feeling divaness................

O humabol pa, poginess, macho-fafaness!!!!

chuvaness............

Battle Scars

Believe it or not, I happen to love ALL my scars - each and every single one of them. Even with the latest advancements in cosmetic surgery (and a fitting budget), mark my words, I would never have them removed.

Ask anyone who knows me, I call them "battle scars" or "medals". If scars could talk, each one would have it's own unique tale to tell.

The oldest one being the one on my left knee, I got it when I was about 10. I fell off my bike and rammed my knee into a piece of driftwood. That was the last time I ever rode anything with 2 wheels.

There's a huge one behind my left thigh that looks more like a huge burn. Slipping off while ripping a slider (see that yellow slider on the background), the metal pipe managed to scrape quite a few layers of skin. If it weren't for my knee brace [which I have to wear whenever I play because I tore my MCL (Medial Collateral Ligament) falling with my left leg first from the top of a 6-ft A-frame, the huge white thingy on the background, but that's another story], the entire leg would've probably been grated. To top it off, immediately after the scrape, I fell on my ass and slid down the fiberglass siding, thus sharp fibers managed to find their way into my already burning scrape. I was all alone so I drove myself to the nearest clinic which was about 100 kilometers away. After which, I laid face down on the E.R. bed for more than an hour as the doctor tried to pluck every shard. Since the fibers were translucent, removing every single piece was an impossible task. He then proceeded by pouring antiseptic onto my open wound. I'm sure you get the picture, and it ain't pretty.

I have one right above my right eye. Again while wakeboarding, I was on my way to the dock when a newbie went straight at me. Had I not managed to hide under my board in time, she would have decapitated me (she was probably traumatized by my forked tongue as I never saw her again, ever........).

There's another one near it. Right above my eyebrow. I was ripping a slider (the same one that managed to scrape my thigh), I fell off the wrong side and failed to let go of the rope. Smack!!! The side of my face met the end of the metal pipe. The cut would have needed 3 stitches but thanks to the able hands of Ellen and Keren (of Lago) who administered first aid. Also quite a number of butterfly tapes plus heavy antibiotics, I did not need any stitching.

The most visible (and most recent) is the one under my right knee. We were on our way to a restaurant and I was so hungry that instead of walking 10 extra meters, I jumped over the fence not knowing there was a metal bar protruding from the ground, hidden beneath the grass.

I have a lot more scars. Not physical scars but emotional scars. From childhood. My first heartbreak. Betrayals. Bulimia. Depression. Harsh words from a supposed 'friend'. And many, many others which I'd rather not mention.

They will always be there to serve as reminders. Maybe even mementos.

The battle scar on my left knee symbolizes courage. Even after a major wipeout, I need to muster up the courage to try again. Otherwise, I will never mount again.

The battle scar behind my thigh epitomizes willpower. Even after an injury (or a heartbreak), I know I have to gather up my determination because life, indeed, goes on.

The battle scars on my face emblematizes the power of time, and forgiving & forgetting. Given time, our skin (especially our hearts), can forgive but never forget.

The battle scar on my right knee symbolizes restraint. That some things can definitely wait.

The emotional battle scars represent life. There will always be ups and downs. It may not always be fair, but it sure is wonderful.

So I will keep wearing short shorts no matter how old I get or no matter how many stares get thrown my way. After all, I earned them and I will forever bear them like medals......................

Sugar-Coated Ecstasy

Finally, after nearly 8 months of hibernation........................

I'm back in action................. Heaven in a nutshell, to me at least......................Heck, even Joel managed to find his piece of heaven as well......................... And lookie, lookie what I found inside their new (to me) brochure............... Closer, closer...............(taken during last years comp, ahem, ahem, shameless self promotion alert haha) Sheer bliss........


P.S. Thank you Allan D for taking these cool pics...............

Thank you Erwin & Marlene, super enjoy ako haha. Marlene, sorry for the misspell, na edit ko na di na mauulit. Hope to see you soon, sa Friday gusto niyo??? haha :-)

Thank you Joseph & Celina R. Up until last week, I was thinking of shutting down my blog. It's people like you who give me the energy and the balls to go on. I can't wait to see you both again (plus your kids) in December................

Bongganess: My Top 5 Fave Beaches in Pinas

In gayspeak, bongganess simply means bongga. Allow me to give a new meaning to the word. From now on, I will use it to mean 'my favorites'. I will use bonggacious (pronounced as in delicious) to mean 'bongga'. Claro M. Recto???

I love the Philippines. I love the weather. I especially love the beaches. Since I've been talking chaka for the most part of the week, today I will talk about the places I love here in Pinas, the beaches in particular.

Well then, here's my top 5 bongganess beaches in Pinas.........

Number 5: Puerto Galera in Mindoro

We used to go here a lot since my parents then had to go here nearly every week for work. Syempre, sama kami lahat magkakapatid.
(1994)
(1995) (1996)
Number 4: Fortune Island in Nasugbu, Batangas

Although this is still a boat ride away from the island proper, I love the exclusivity feeling bonggacious. This is an exclusive members only resort then, although I don't know if it's still running as this was in 1995 pa. Grabe it's been so long but I can still remember all the fun my sisters and I had. This was atop a steep hill. Of course I'm not in the stills as I was the photographer/ choreographer of this shoot. Grabe ang kukulit namin noh??? Uso noon ang Maskman...........Probably the only picture with me in it, gosh ang botchog ko..... Inside the ship (Tipaklong, Tellylumbaloo, Momoshi, Cocoroco, I was Ivyribichichihuahuatarampipipomporontongwatongwatong, in short, Ivyribi - see hindi lang kami ang weird, pati nicknames namin haha and FYI my maternal grandmama Nanay Cora still calls me this to this day as do all my titas haha)At the marina
Number 3: Boracay

We went there January 2000. I don't really know if it's still as pristine now as it was then. We were on the other side of the white beach and there was no one ther but us (well, plus the bantay there). Again, an exclusive resort. Kung iniisip nyong may pambayad ako, wala akong pambayad dyan. Our stay there was courtesy of my dear Tita Lily. Sunset

Number 2: Punta Baluarte in Calatagan, Batangas

Why??? I have several reasons......

1. Dito nabuo ang aming pagmamahalan nyakanaman. (1998)2. Dito kami nag re relax pag super stressed kami. (1999)3. Wala lang. (2000)4. Di lang siya pang sports, pampamilya pa. (2001)5. OO, pampamilya siya talaga. (December 2001)6. Hindi lang pagmamahalan namin ang nabuo dyan, pati yung bunso namin mwahaha. If my eldest was made in Frisco, my youngest was made in Punta Baluarte. In case you didn't notice, I was 2 months preggers already at this time. (2002)7. Babalik at babalik ka talaga. Here we are again in 2002, about 3 months after Josh was bornP.S. It's under new management so it's not as fun as it used to be. The last time we went there was in 2003. The restaurant has closed down as some of the facilities as well. Baka kaya hindi na nasundan si bunso??? mwahahaha

Number 1: Lago de Oro in Calatagan, Batangas

One reason, and one reason only..................

I've been doing this since March 2004.............Asan na yung beach??? O ayan yung beach matatanaw mo sa kanan.................The next shots are courtesy of our good friend Mon delos Santos....... Hay naku, it's been 8 months. Wala na akong pakaialam kahit bumagyo, I will go there everyday this sem break. Bahala kayo.........

P.S.
To my most avid commenter and dear sis tellylumbaloo.............O ipipilit mo pa yung Caliraya, hindi yun beach, lake yun, shungak mwahahaha..............

To my dear cheverloung kafatid Tip...............No I'm not joining this coming comp. No, I'm not scared of losing, ano ka ba naman 8 buwan na akong walang praktis noh. Hindi ko kailangan ng lakas ng loob, marami na ako noon. Ang kailangan ko ay sponsor. Any volunteers???? mwahaha

Things That I'm Grateful For

I first heard of 'The Secret' from my husband about 4 months ago after he heard his crush-in-denial Karen Davila on the radio rave about it. Aba maganda siguro, masubukan nga at baka sakaling bumait na ako. The first time I read it, no impact, reminded me a lot of Dale Carnegie's 'How to win friends and influence people'. Then I see it featured on Oprah. Mabasa nga uli, baka sakaling umepek na. After bombarding myself with 'The Secret' i.e. reading the book thrice, watching the movie 4 times, and playing the audiobooks on my ipod almost everyday, I think I'm on my way to recovery, I mean enlightenment.

So here's a list of things that I'm grateful for:

My husband Joel, my soulmate and the love of my life. For the constant love, patience and understanding he showers me with.

My 2 boys, my little angels, who always have and always will be God's greatest gift to me and my husband. They are my constant reminder that life is indeed beautiful.

Our work, which gives us the opportunity to juggle our routines and spend a lot of time with our kids.

My family who always has and always will be there for me no matter what.

My in laws (mother-in-law, sisters-in-law) who have always been supportive and understanding in more ways than one.

My mother, for showing me through example the power of sheer willpower, determination, and strength.

My Tita Loi, for always being an epitome of poise, grace, and kindness.

Wakeboarding, for rocking my world and for the exhilarating highs, excitement and sheer bliss it has given me.

and the not-so-personal stuff:

President George W. Bush, for showing and reminding us all that war is really not the answer.

President Gloria Arroyo, for making me realize the at 5'1" I'm not that short after all.

Ex-President Joseph Estrada, for giving us third world folks a glimpse at a very luxurious life through his colossal mansions and by importing all those Escalades and Navigators.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, for saying on national television (after the verdict on his father's plunder case was given out) "ginawa nila yang batas para parusahan kami". It made me brush up on my history lessons, reminding me that the first set of laws were established in 1760 B.C. under the Code of Hammurabi. I thought for a moment I was dreaming and that until this century, laws were non-existent.

What about you, what do you have to be grateful for???