of smiles and sweets

after being holed up at home for the past three days, i was finally able to go out of the house today. first stop? to drop-off mang rene's goodies. second stop? to look for kids with whom i can share lola's candies with.

as always, mang rene was surprised and happy with the little token we gave him. old as he was, he's one of those people who has that capacity to have his face show just what he is feeling. i caught him in the middle of his "duty" guiding the many vehicles that cross his (if i may say so) territory and it gave me such joy to be given that honest and pure smile of his. imagine being in his place... he's probably in his early 60's and yet despite the chilly weather and the holiday season, he's out there in the street still happily working away - smiling at the drivers and passersby.

it makes me think. given the comfort and blessings i enjoy, i really shouldn't take setbacks or those work problems that creep in day-in and day-out of my work bug me that much. after all, tough as they may be, there's always something that i / the team can do to solve it /them. moreover, i should keep my optimism no matter what. no sense in frowning or getting riled up over things. easier said than done i know, but with constant practice, maybe i can be a little bit more like mang rene in that aspect :)

then there were those kids. it took me a while to find them - as in i was literally going around the area looking for kids to give lola's candies too (did i have a certain criteria? not really. i was just looking for some street kids to somehow share the joy in getting candies with). so left, right, up and down i went... when i finally saw them: a group of little boys playing i'm not sure what. i stopped by the road, rolled down my window and gave the candies to the boy nearest to me.

PURE EXCITEMENT. that's what i saw on his face when he saw that it was a bag of candies that i was handing out the window. but you know what really made my heart smile? when i was driving out... instead of focusing on the candies, a couple of boys ran after my car shouting "ate! thank you ha!!" - my heart just melted. now that's real gratitude. and after experiencing street kids cursing or wishing me ill after not giving any alms (i believe this is a common experience during those times when one's stuck in traffic), my positive point of view of them has once again been restored.

finally it was time to go home... surprise surprise! a friend left something for me (a peace offering / happy new year gift?). thanks v! will share it with the family later.

OH OH! LOOK AT THAT! someone's calling first dibs already!! mr. snowman... please give me back my chocolates!!

lol. happy new year everyone!! here's to a happy, prosperous, friendship - laughter - love and happy memories filled 2011! :)

my prayer for thursday

Lord, thank You for another day within this life of mine.
give me the strength to live it well, whatever i may find.
bestow from Your abundance whatever i may lack.
to use the hours wisely, for i cannot have them back.

Lord, thank You for another day, in which to make amends for slights or petty words, inflicted on my friends.
for sometimes losing patience with problems that i find.
for seeing faults in other lives, but not the ones in mine.

Lord, thank You for another chance, in which to try to be a little more deserving of the gifts You've given me.
for yesterday is over, and tomorrow's far away, and i remain committed to the good i do today.

good morning God

in a few days, a new year will roll in and well, i just cannot let another day pass without expressing my gratitude for all that has been this 2010.

so here goes:

thank you for keeping my loved ones healthy, safe and ever embraced in your arms.

thank you for the friendship and loyalty of true friends.

thank you for the challenges that helped define and make our characters and relationships stronger.

thank you for the the upgrades for the press and keeping it full so that a lot of people have benefited from such.

thank you for the furry creatures that help epitomize the definition of unconditional love.

thank you for the sun that rises every morning.

thank you for inspiring books.

thank you for the numerous events that has instilled a smile in our hearts.

thank you for giving us free will and the independence to pursue our dreams and create our own destinies.

thank you for surprises - both big and small.

thank you for the privilege of being able to eat three, four, five (sometimes even more) meals a day.

thank you for the power to help and the to be of service to others.

last but definitely not the least, thank you for always being by my side. guiding me and holding me when i feel that i just can't push on anymore.

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now, i just hope that we have lived up to what this season is all about Father. cheers to another year of good tidings and cheer! :)

my prayer for wednesday

Lord Jesus,

i give You my hands to do Your work.

i give You my feet to go Your way.

i give You my eyes to see as You do.

i give You my tongue to speak Your words.

i give You my mind that You may think in me.

i give You my spirit that You may pray in me.

above all,

i give You my heart that, in me, You may love Your Father and all people.

i give You my whole self that You may grow in me,

so that it is You, Lord Jesus, who live and work and pray in me.

Amen.

my prayer for tuesday

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

where there is hatred, let me sow love.

where there is injury, pardon.

where there is doubt, faith.

where there is despair, hope.

where there is darkness, light.

where there is sadness, joy.

o Divine Master, grant that i may not so much seek to be consoled as to console,

to be understood, as to understand,

to be loved, as to love.

for it is in giving that we receive,

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

harry potter 7 + cookbook kitchen

watched harry potter and the deathly hallows with the family... the movie was great BUT given that it's a part 1 of 2 kind of film, it was also frustrating as you kind of want to scream "WHAT'S NEXT?! / I WANT TO SEE WHAT'S NEXT!!" oh well... no choice but to wait for July 2011!

in the meantime, the family and i have decided to just re-read the whole series and have a harry potter marathon as soon as a day frees up! oh such addicts! haha!

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don't you just love bonding moments with the family? i'm so happy that my current state now somehow allows for me to have more of such :)

sharing some pictures from our dinner at cookbook kitchen:

frutti di mare

parmesan crusted white fish

(tried this the first time we ate here and i can't seem to get enough! super yummy!)

kittin's scarlet cake

(their version of "red velvet cake" - yum yum yum! this one's a must try!!)

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a little prayer for today:

my Lord God,

i do not see the road ahead of me.

i cannot know for certain where it will end...

i know that You will lead me by the right road,

through i may know nothing about it.

therefore i trust You always.

i will not fear;

for You are with me,

and You will never leave me to face my perils alone

bubble tea

i was in the office yesterday (yes, despite it being a holiday... oh such joy! :p) when suddenly ate called and asked if i wanted to join them for dinner at bubble tea. i never say no to food so off we went...

i wasn't able to bring piccolo so the pictures below were taken by my ever present and ever reliable mobile phone:

dynamite maki

fish katsudon

(first time i tried such a dish and it's super goood!!!)

takoyaki balls

(so that's how it tastes... nothing fancy but tin says that the one in little tokyo's real good so we have to try that one asap!)

since the photo i took of the actual bubble tea drinks were a bit blurry, i will not post it anymore... hmmm... i guess that's one reason to go back and have some more of bubble tea's yummy bubble teas!

* note to self... try to bring piccolo everywhere i go so that he doesn't miss out on anything!

cafe lidia

dinner for two please :)
beef salpicao for him

chicken kiev for me

i'm so happy that i had my camera (image quality is waaaayyy better!!) this time around... i wasn't able to take shots of the restaurant per se but at least, i was able to do so with their yummy yummy food! mmmmmm! crossing my fingers now that i'll be able to use piccolo more - especially since he has a new and "lighter" friend! hehe!

here's to more adventures before the year comes to an end!!! ;)

life...

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it .
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.
- Mother Teresa

innamoramento

attended sunday service with kate then since she had to go to a surprise birthday party, wandered alone in the mall for a bit. was hungry but seeing that most restaurants had whole bunches of people enjoying sunday lunch with the family, i headed off to one of my favorite stores in the world, grabbed a book that caught my fancy and sat to think where and what i should do next.

i tried calling people to join me but everybody had to do this and that so it was official, today had to be made into me day. i thought it was going to be lonely but it actually felt liberating - so that's how it feels to be by one's self. interesting.

anyway, i found a nice book, paid for my purchase then headed to the place where i know eating alone won't feel so "sad" - i ordered the baja fish wrap (it was my first time to try this particular wrap and i love it! it was super yummy and healthy too!) and my favorite cranberry juice and off i went to thinking i was in some cafe in europe, having lunch and reading about where i am to head off next...

having a book that dealt about one of the loveliest countries there helped set the mood too! hmm... now it's time to warm up the brain and prepare for that day when i can fly off and enjoy la dolce vita in the country where i can totally be innamoramento with the language, gastronomic delights and lovely sights! exciting!

-------

headed over to venice piazza (how apt) soon after to get a copy of the 2011 BDJ planner for me and the besty - i got there early so i gave myself another treat! treated my footsies to a scrub and when they got their much needed r & r, went down again to the fair.

i was pretty disappointed at first since they no longer had the planner which had perfect binding (the next batch will arrive late in the afternoon still) BUT i soon realized that with all the coupons that could be teared off from the planner, it would be best to get the ring bound version so as to avoid future "loosening of pages" once we start using the coupons. so armed with my two new planners, i went around the fair... noticing the long lines and scorching heat of the sun, i quickly retreated back to the car though and went home with my loot!

didn't quite make it home right away though as i made a little stop at the beau's to have good old local pizza (pizza! ahh another sign! haha) and pancit canton! yummy :p

-------

i don't know where or how to put it in, but i just have to say that yesterday was such an eye opener. not just for the things that i suddenly was able to do again but because of how everything just sort of fell into place. the message from the service... finding a good book... eating and being comfortable with just myself to keep me company... getting disappointed then seeing the silver lining when i didn't quite get what i wanted... simple yet happy times with the people i love the most...

thank you God! thank you for drawing me close and for bringing me back to you.

I will sing to you, Lord
A hymn of love
For Your faithfulness to me
I'm carried in everlasting arms
You'll never let me go
Through it all...

everything with a place and a purpose

Mortals make elaborate plans,
but God has the last word.

Humans are satisfied with whatever looks good;
God probes for what is good.

Put God in charge of your work,
then what you've planned will take place.

God made everything with a place and purpose;
even the wicked are included - but for judgment.

God can't stomach arrogance or pretense;
believe me, he'll put those upstarts in their place.

Guilt is banished through love and truth;
Fear-of-God deflects evil.

When God approves of your life,
even your enemies will end up shaking your hand.

Far better to be right and poor
than to be wrong and rich.

We plan the way we want to live,
but only God makes us able to live it
- Proverbs 16:1-9 (The Message)

longing for good news

when life throws you curve balls.
when things don't go as you planned them to.
when bad news wake you up in the middle of the night.
and when everything else is going topsy turvy...
have yourself a little sugar rush!
grab a cupcake or two :)

musings on a friday

today marks the last friday for this month. my oh my! how time flies! imagine, in a month's time, the -ber months will roll in!

bar season!

sem break season (as if i'll have one)!

christmas season!

i wonder how the other half of this year will pan out...

oh well, here's to hoping, praying and wishing that as mr bennett croons, "the best is yet to come"

muffin surprise

i had to deliver some cards to a client in gateway, when m sent an sms asking where i was. i told him that i was on my way to the said mall and asked if he wanted to ride with me going back to the office after i'm done. he said he wasn't finished with his interviews yet but that he'll update me of his whereabouts as soon as he's ready to go home...

after my meeting, i decided to walk around a bit and check the shops in the mall - i don't really frequent the place and well, you never know... something interesting might pop up :) so there i was going around and around when i got a message from m saying he was on his way and was actually pretty near already. we met soon after and lo and behold, he had a surprise for me! tucked in an inconspicuous yellow paper kit was figaro's chocolate muffin! (sorry for the massacred muffin picture... i devoured the muffin on our way home! haha!) yum yum yum! don't you just love sweet and thoughtful family members? :)

she's back!

jane's back!!

i was real ecstatic when they told me that we already have some episodes from drop dead diva season 2... unfortunately, given work and all the other things that i had to attend to, i was only able to start watching a while ago :(

i must say, the premiere episode did not disappoint! quirky yet witty as always, it makes a seemingly hardcore and "serious" profession like law (forgive me if that sounded like a stereotype) look as if you can really have fun and be fabulous while strutting your stuff and bringing justice to those who deserve it. think elle woods of legally blonde but in a more down to earth and regular you and me theme ;)

panna cotta high

i love love love panna cotta! and so when i saw this blueberry panna cotta in starbucks, i just had to try it out!

it was soft and creamy but given the graham-y crust in the bottom... it somehow reminded me more of blueberry cheesecake rather than my ever beloved panna cotta.

oh well! never mind that little thing... after all, it was quite delicious and made my tummy real happy ;)

lunch at laya

i haven't been spending that much time with the bf as i should so after starting june right with a movie date (satc 2) come the first weekend of the month... we had another round of girl bonding time last saturday at a friend's private kitchen tucked in wonderful antipolo.

since there was two of us and there were two menu sets (laya signatures and laya favorites) available... we decided to get both and just share each dish as it came. perfect decision as we were able to taste and stuff ourselves with the best that laya had to offer ;)

appetizers

Trio of Appetizers: Crabstick & Cream Cheese Dumpling with Spicy Mango Sauce; Shrimp & Chicken Wanton Bag with Thai Sweet Chili; and Stir fried Kaffir Lime Pork in Lettuce Wrap


Nor-crusted Dori Fillet with Wasabi Aioli

soup

Thai-Spiced Pumpkin & Cashew Nut Soup

with Coconut Cream Froth & Wanton Crisps

Cappucino of Thai Tom Kha Gai with Gingered Chicken Skewer

salad

Grilled Chicken with Mixed Greens

in Oriental Soy Dressing

Asian Caesar Salad Sticks

with Ginger Garlic Aioli

intermezzo / palate cleanser

Calamansi & Orange Blossom Honey Granita


Fresh Lime & Mango Sorbet

main course

Thai-Style Grilled Hanging Tender Steak in Red Curry Sauce

with Nasi Goreng Wok-seared Indonesian Fried Rice

Prawn & Mango Curry

with Pumpkin Basmati Rice

dessert

Cashew Mango Kesong Puti & Banana Chocnut Spring Rolls

with Creamy Chocnut Dip

Suman Rolls & Caramelized Mangoes with Mantecado Ice Cream in Latik Sauce

the company was wonderful (as always) and the food was divine! *sigh* what a wonderful way to end a very toxic week and such a sweet way to welcome another (hopefully not as toxic) week ahead :)

lunch at nuvali

ate cat and i went to laguna for a morning meeting a few days back... since we were in the area already, we decided to drop by nuvali. there wasn't much to see yet but we were amazed at the existing structures and overall grand plan that the developers are imagining for this city.

Converging nature, people, and technology in NUVALI, sustainability cultivates the dynamic relationship among the ecological, social, and economic webs of life.

amazing. that's all i can say and well, i'm excited to see just how this city will look like when it's fully developed already! for now though or for the duration of our visit rather, we enjoyed solenad - the recently opened commercial center which boasts of some of the metro's favorite restaurants, a lake where you can enjoy boat rides or feed the koi fish that know when there are people around (PG much!?) and loads of activities if you're there during the weekend.

since we went there on a weekday, the place was pretty quiet and there were only a number of people in the area. after going around the place and looking at all the establishments, we had this urgent rumbling that made us realize it was lunch time already! so after reviewing the various restaurants that we could go to and debating whether we were to go japanese, italian, filipino or chinese, we decided to try pig out.

the food was amazing! we especially loved the chicharon rice! how come no one has ever thought of that before? haha! but what really struck me was how you can gorge yourself with all those fatty and cholesterol building food (it's alright to cheat on your diet every now and then and INDULGE...) then somehow make up for it somehow by flushing all the bad stuff out with natural and pure blended juices and shakes! oh well, you only live once right? might as well make the most out of each day or should i say meal? ;)

every little thing

Every little thing I do

Trickles down and lands on you

I don't plan to get it wrong

Maybe keep your raincoat on

Even just one small mistake

Something ripples in the wake

When I see your face so bright

Makes me wanna do every little thing right

kaizen

i saw this book in my mom's "new books" stash and i was easily lured by the philosophy it swears by: great change is made through small steps.
If you're looking at changing something in your life, in your attitude or maybe in your relationships - may it be with yourself or with others... then this book is a winner! it's short yet filled with great insights that are simple and easy to take heart :)

what more important task does this life hold than to draw out the possibility in each moment? - Robert Maurer, Ph.D.

i can do anything good!

Sometimes we all need little wake up calls to make us appreciate all that we are and all that we have.

Thank you Toni for posting this in your site :)

"I can do anything good! Yeah... Yeah... Yeah..." - Jessica

being erica

what if you were given the chance to redo things from your past? 

correct the wrongs you did and maybe do things differently?

would it matter? 

would it make things better? 

or would it just make you realize that things happen for a reason and that the best thing you can do, is learn, grow and do what you can to make things better now - and in the future?

thanks ina for sharing this tv series with me :) i'm just in season 1 episode 1 but i think it's really pretty interesting! i'll have to share this with ate cat! :)

quotable quotes:

"well, no one is ever stuck anywhere. you are where you need to be right now and when you are finished doing whatever it is that you're meant to be doing... then you move on" - Dr. Tom Wexlar

"your parents opinions, your friends opinions. yeah, of course, they're always going to matter... THEY JUST DON'T MATTER AS MUCH AS YOUR OWN" - Dr. Tom Wexlar

"change. sometimes it sneaks up on you. sometimes it hits you over the head. and sometimes you turn a corner only to find you're different in some small way... and the world? it doesn't look quite like how it used to. so where do i go from here? no idea. and for the first time, i feel like it's a good thing" - Erica Strange

looking back (re-blogging from an old post)

the day i learned to be happy was the day when i realized that i was content with myself.

it entailed a moment of reckoning, of acknowledgement, of peace. no words were said but the intensity of the feeling was overwhelming. from an inconspicuous bauble, it turned into a radiant gem - shining, sparking, blinding all reason.

to be at peace is to be one with thy self. to be honest. to be true.

nurture your friendship with others, but more importantly... nurture your friendship with your soul.

planning. destiny. daydreams.

there's a fun element in planning. planning your day. planning what to do. planning where to go. plans. plans. plans. although some people will not recommend it - since it sometimes leave people complacent and unmoving... waiting for that one big opportunity to take a leap... to take a stand. i believe that planning is an essential element into working towards one's dreams.

after all, no one can really get anywhere without first thinking or making a decision as to where one wants to see one self right? consciously. unconsciously. every day life is a by product of the things that we consciously and unconsciously think about.

the world is ours for the taking. our destiny awaits! destiny. how do you see it? do you see it as a fixed future "end" for you or do you see it as a challenge - a term that's used to describe this clay-like form we call our lives that we can mold and shape as we deem fit?

i daydream a lot. sometimes it amazes me just how i can close myself out from anyone / everything and just stay in my little bubble where everything i think of happens (or so i believe). a peaceful world. smiles and laughter all around. the ability to do as i please without fear of not so nice / good consequences (ie. eating sinful foods will not harm my diet nor add pounds to my frame; traveling the world will not cost an arm and a leg; sleeping in will not result to missed work days)

planning. destiny. day dreams. oh such wonderful moments await if we only knew how to think about the good stuff! happy thoughts make happy individuals lead happy lives don't you think? :)

summer delight

i woke up late this morning. sleepy from watching too much Avatar - The Last Airbender cartoon... i'm not sorry though as it's really entertaining! not to mention, inspiring as there are a lot of things that one can learn from it (piece meal in size but still very engaging).

groggy and sleepy-eyed, i went down for breakfast. everyone had eaten so i had to eat by myself... lo and behold, just when i was done... i saw a plastic bag filled with duhat (sorry, i have no idea what the english translation for this fruit is though)! i've been meaning to have some of these for a while so i was real ecstatic when we were given a couple! but you know what the best part is? they're freshly picked from the tree! oh what a great summer delight this is :)

how about you? what's your summer delight? :)

mind mapping

i first heard about mind maps when i joined a creative writing class. got further involved in it when i entered the wonderful word of advertising. then somehow forgot (or should i say neglected) the whole process when i embarked on another adventure.

as fate must have had it though, i cannot and should not escape from the wonders of mind mapping. the whole process has come back to haunt me!! (again) - this time, in the form of a book. i haven't exactly read the whole thing yet when a bright idea hit. i can and should initiate a new way of reading:

read. reflect & share. write.

love & respect

there's this blog that i really like going to for the sole reason that the writer has such great insights. she writes from the heart and she endorses only those which she herself has tried or experienced.

as i was going through her page one day, i saw her list of must read books for 2009. they were so interesting that i looked back at her archives, opened her must read books for 2008 and started jotting down all those that i found inspiring as well. to date, i have purchased the followings books for myself:

.

the last of which, i have yet to finish BUT i must admit, has already helped me slowly build and improve myself as a person and as a part of other people's lives.

love and respect. simple words yet they mean so much - these words when perfected can lead to bliss, peace and the knowledge that no matter what happens, the commitment to be with another will prevail. of course, it's not a guarantee of serenity nor a sword cast in stone that everything will work out until the very end but it is an assurance to both / all parties involved that their relationship is not a fleeting thing. it's a friendship. it's a relationship that's valuable and worth fighting for.

breathing time

have you ever felt that the world's running too fast? that everyone's rushing to and fro with their levels of energy and mood swings swinging high, low, high, low, high, low, high, low - like a pendulum going out of control? i have and i've seen such circumstance take a toll on others and most especially, myself. the changes started little by little, then they grew... how i wish that i was and am always graceful in dealing and reacting to all that was and is being thrown at me. but lo and behold, being the human that i am, i had and have my own interpretation of how it is to be dr. jekyll and ms. hyde. scary times.

thankfully, the toxicity of every day has slowly lessened this week and i've been blessed with a bit of "down" time. most of my work have been cast in, so now it's all a matter of working a bit and then waiting for them to roll out and meet the deadlines set. so yes, there's a bit of time for me to stop and smell the roses. oh the beauty of it! just sitting down and working while being on a not harassed state!

lunch time's around the corner and i can't wait to eat in the manner i used to before - slowly... enjoying every morsel, every bite. hmmm... come to think of it, no wonder i was pretty thin back then! hehe ;)

bon appetit mes amis!

sinfully sweet

yesterday was y's birthday. t bought her a cake and gave us some... it was super duper good!! i loved how the icing was real fudgy and had loads of m&m's on it :) yummy!! now i wish that i had taken a photo before we devoured the thing! hehe!

fudge-y chocolate cake from Xocolat. sinfully sweet. like that thing called love (excuse the mushiness but it's valentine's month anyway so there). love love love love love. love is in the air! and it always makes me feel happy and giddy when i see acts of love.

the boys are all grown up now (talking like a mother eh?!) and it makes me happy and proud to see that they've grown into such fine gentlemen. they treat their ladies well and if i may say so, make them feel like real life princesses! who would have thought that these crazy boys of mine, whom i used to play "house" and barbie dolls (hush hush now! hehe!) with will someday morph into these romeos who woo their juliet's with flowers, chocolate delights and more importantly, respect, friendship and love.

oh such a wonderful wonderful wonderful feeling this is - knowing that my loved ones have learned how it is not just to be loved, but to love as well ;)

happy hearts month to all :)

it's that month of the year again where hearts abound and everyone's rushing off to anything and everything bright, shiny red and love depicting. fancy candlelight dinners, overflowing bouquets, boxes and boxes of exquisite chocolates! but are these really what love is all about? are these better testaments of love as compared to other things - spending time, giving a little hug, a little kiss, a warm embrace perhaps?

i used to be in awe of the grand gestures - tangent and very visible professions of love. but as i grew older (and hopefully wiser), i have come to realize that the truest and purest form of love can be seen in the little things. the giving of time - even just a minute or two everyday. surprise calls and emails that wish one well with hints of bountiful hugs and kisses. sudden embraces, snuggling and butterfly kisses on top of one's head while walking. little, simple yet totally surprising acts that makes one feel oh so special and oh so loved!

love love love love love. let's make the world go round and real worthwhile by showing just how great it is to experience how it is to love and be loved!

that old pajama feeling

comfort, warmth and familiarity. words that probably best encapsulate the meaning of that old pajama feeling. faded, worn out and probably filled with little (or maybe even big) holes. these are the words that describe my favorite pajamas!

excuse the cliche but they've been with me through it all - never ending homeworks, projects, exams to study for, late nights of arranging project lists, meeting details and other what have you's... they've brought me to la dee da slumber land and back. back to another morning / day of unwashed fun!

i can imagine the elders cringing, when they read that part! - but at the back of their minds, i bet they're wishing for the same - freedom to just stay in their jammies and enjoy a weekend of r & r :)

so why am i writing about my pajamas? forget it. i think what pushed me to write was that itchy feeling or need to give thanks. express my gratitude for having that place or more importantly, set of souls that give me a feeling of peace and homey-ness. it's like, the world can throw its fury at me but lo and behold, i will stand upright. i will stand tall and composed because i know that no matter what happens, i have a place to be me. i have people who care and love me enough so as to stand by me at my finest and worst hours.

thank you Father for that old pajama feeling. thinking about it now, it's a feeling that i can look back at to bust away a grey and gloomy day.

morning challenge

i love mornings.

although it hasn't been easy for me to avoid pressing the snooze button and wake up as soon as i hear the first morning bell ring, i must say, i love mornings.

mornings welcome you to a brand new day! regardless of the weather (though i must say that can play an influence in our mood as well), mornings bring the gift of hope and endless possibilities for the next eight, twelve or twenty-four hours ahead.

so here's a little challenge, regardless of how late you slept the night before, or how warm and cozy your bed is... as soon as the morning bell rings, open your eyes, stretch, smile and thank God for being given another day to be and do whatever it is that the day is calling you for.

a pot of gold

there's a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow. or so they say. gold. money. wealth. are those the contents of that magical pot? i believe not.

i saw a rainbow yesterday as i was moving along the streets of the city and it made me stop and think (literally). with everything that transpired in the last few months / in the last year, it's so easy to just say that we are doomed - the institutions that supposedly hold everything together are falling apart, mother nature herself seems to be on a large campaign to make us see the error in our ways. but then, you see strangers becoming friends, enemies becoming brothers and sisters, love forcing itself out in the midst of hate, suffering and turmoil.

at this day and age, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow no longer represents the tangible stuff. it now represents us. people, individuals, citizens of this world who hand in hand should work to make things better. the way i see it, the old cliche should be put to heart, "be the change you want to see in this world" - no matter how little, tiny or small, an act of caring, an act of friendship, an act of love can and will make a ripple that will create multitudes of ripples that will eventually change humanity and our world as we know it.

photo: e71

chin up. look up.

when you're feeling down and out, you should do everything to dust the blues away. negativity is a big bully! it'll try to push and squeeze out any joy and laughter from your heart. but chin up. look up. the sky is blue, the sun is shining ever so brightly. take a moment to remember and be thankful that you're alive and able to walk, talk and do magic today - and everyday.

2010 will be a great year!

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer,

believe that you have received it, and it will be yours"

- Mark 11:24