bluer than blue

~*~*~*~

gave donna a swatch watch ("fiocchi di stelle" winter collection 2006 model) for her upcoming birthday on january 12, and had it delivered through FedEx. was able to track it online through their website. also bought her a "me to you" tatty bear and named it "blue" and a book as my Christmas gifts.

spent the new year @ fti together with erwin and jona's family. had a great time listening to the band of jona's newphews who's ages were from 8 to 12 i think. the 'oldies' also got to play after the cute ones hehehe =) went to market market with zach and his parents on the first day of the new year.

links:
how tatty's nose became blue and had gray hair
FedEx Tracking Report Page

company christmas party 2006

@westin philippine plaza hotel, december 15, 2006

hawak kamay

Hawak Kamay
by Yeng Constantino

Minsan madarama mo kay bigat ng problema
Minsan mahihirapan ka at masasabing "di ko makakaya"
Tumingin ka lang sa langit
Baka sakaling may masumpungan
Di kaya ako’y tawagin
Malalaman mong kahit kailan

Chorus:

Hawak-kamay
Di kita iiwan sa paglakbay
Dito sa mundong walang katiyakan
Hawak-kamay
Di kita bibitawan sa paglalakbay
Sa mundo ng kawalan

Minsan madarama mo
Ang mundo’y gumuho sa ilalim ng iyong mga paa
At ang agos ng problema’y tinatangay ka
Tumingin ka lang sa langit
Baka sakaling may masumpungan
Di kaya ako’y tawagin
Malalaman mong kahit kailan

(Repeat Chorus)

Bridge:
Wag mong sabihin nag-iisa ka
Laging isipin meron kang kasama
Narito ako oh, Narito ako

(Repeat Chorus)

Sa mundo ng kawalan 2x
Hawak-kamay, Hawak-kamay
Sa mundo ng kawalan

a feel good lunch out =)

went to mall of asia with my officemates for lunch.
we ate at ooki ooki, a japanese restaurant. while
eating i had a conversation with one of our new
hires, bernard, and we came across the topic of
family siblings. i told him that i had a twin
brother and showed him a picture of my twin with
his wife beside him. he's so amazed that i have a
twin brother. also, he managed to catch a glimpse
of my girlfriend's pic in my wallet and asked me
if it was my girlfriend, i said yes, it's my girl-
friend's picture. bernard told me that she is
beautiful and asked me how old she was, and in
turn asked me how old i was. i told him that i am
29 years old. he was even more amazed and he can't
believe that i am 29 years old already. he thought
that i was only about 25 years old. i kidded, and
told him that i have thining hair already and
he still had me mistaken to be younger than my age.
hmmmm... i'm wondering how he came up with that
guess. he looked really serious when he guessed
about my age. anyways i felt good after hearing
what he said regarding how beautiful my girlfriend
is and how young looking i am hahaha =)

on a different note, i've been feeling emotionally
exhausted lately. i have great ideas for gifts this
coming holidays but it seems like the distance is
really making things hard for me and is becoming a
burden evenmore because of the hassles that it
involves. how do i send the gift over, will the
package be received in one piece, will it arrive on
time, will the gift fit in the package, and etc.
i just wish that things were back to normal.

13th month for 2006... yey!

got our 13th month today, had a small celebration and gave
two of my officemates a free lunch treat. we went to tokyo
tokyo at glorietta. had penny brown cookies and ice cream
for dessert. i ordered smackers which is an ice cream sandwich
with two cookies of your choice as the buns. went to timezone,
played time crisis and slam jam =) sweet!

i already have an idea for my christmas gift to my loving and
beautiful gf =) hope to leave work early today so i can make
it at the mall later... Christmas shopping rush... arghhh!!!

curious about the gift? of course it's a secreeeeeettt!! ;-)

here comes another one! (typhoon reming)

~*~*~*~

classes are already suspended for tomorrow.
attended a seminar for Oracle Developer Day
earlier @ hotel intercon makati together
with my officemates. also, had a quality
chat with my baby today.

sunday activities

woke up early to attend makati's morning service,
went to SM and bought a gift for carl's 3rd birthday
celebration. venue was at tropical hut talaba, bacoor.
hooked up with marlon at glorietta to watch happy feet.
didn't have the chance to finish the movie bcause i
got an sms message from donna that she wanted to talk
to me online. had an awesome talk with my baby, she
shared about how anita was so inspired after donna
told her about our love story.

it's already 1:25am and i have to go home now to get
some sleep for tomorrow's work! nyt nyt!

Treatment Strategies for Sleep Disorders

Everyday Sleep Problems

All of us experience difficulty sleeping occasionally. When the problem persists, or it occurs frequently enough to become troublesome and frustrating, we need to pay extra attention and take measures to help ourselves. Untreated problems that do persist can indicate a serious medical condition. Even less serious problems can become chronic if uncorrected.

In the absence of a specific medical sleep disorder, good sleep depends on practicing good sleep behavior or sleep hygiene. There are few things in life more frustrating than lying in bed trying to sleep. Good sleep can be achieved by most of us, but if you are having problems, following the "rules" of good sleep hygiene becomes much more important for you. These are guidelines to help your sleep, not absolute rules. Each of us has specific issues in our lives, which may come in to play a role in our sleep patterns

Sleep Hygiene Guidelines

• If you can't fall asleep or are not feeling sleepy, don't lay in bed trying to sleep. This often will worsen the problem. Get up after no more than 20 minutes awake in bed and do something that is not too stimulating.
• The bedroom should be reserved for sleep and sex. Other activities such as reading and TV will promote wakefulness, not sleep.
• Try not to anticipate poor sleep. Worrying about whether you will fall asleep often means you won't. While poor nights sleep leaves us feeling badly the next day, it isn't a fatal disease. If you just trust your body, you will sleep.
• Establish a pre-sleep routine, which enables your body and mind to slow down.
  Read light material, not work.
• Exercise helps sleep but exercising just before bedtime may cause fatigue but can actually increase alertness. It is best to exercise at least 4 hours before bedtime.
  Many people find that keeping a diary and writing down all that is on their minds, such as the next days schedule, helps leave all those thoughts on paper, allowing them to fall asleep rather than think about what was on their mind.
• Try having a light snack
• Try a warm bath or shower, but 90 minutes before sleep, not just before sleep as we sleep better as our body temperature cools, not when it heats up
• If you are having trouble with sleep at night, DON"T nap in the daytime.
• Your bedroom environment and comfort is very important
• The room should be dark, get special curtains if needed
• The room should be quiet. If this is impossible, consider trying earplugs. Some people do better with some background noise.
• The importance of a good mattress should not be underestimated. Poor quality mattresses loose their support more quickly. The mattress should support your spine in its normal position, relieving the need for muscles to work at support while you sleep. It should feel comfortable, which only you can decide on, and be large enough to sleep comfortably.
• A fixed wake up time is of great importance in developing a good sleep pattern, more important than bedtime. If you are having trouble sleeping, then keep a fixed wake up time, even on weekends. As soon as possible after awakening you should be in bright light, preferably outdoor light. This helps set your internal clock (circadian rhythm).
• If possible, avoid supbstances that interfere with sleep:
  
  
  • Caffeine, even in small amounts, may interfere with sleep for many hours
    Nicotine is a stimulant and interferes with sleep
  • Alcohol, while it can induce sleep, usually leads to overall sleep disruption, with rebound awakening when the alcohol is metabolized after a few hours.
    
    
• Be aware that certain medications can interfere with sleep. Two of the most common are theophylines and steroids used for treatment of asthma.
• Allow yourself to get enough sleep. Most of us need 8 hours, some even more. You cannot learn to do with less sleep than you physiologically need. You need enough sleep to feel alert and well rested during the day without struggling to stay awake, even in quiet restful situations. If you need less sleep than 8 hours, do not spend the extra time in bed, this often actually leads to more interrupted sleep.
  
  
  If you are still having sleep troubles you should discuss it with your family physician or seek help from a sleep specialist.

~*~*~*~

i've been having a hard time sleeping for the past weeks so
i did a little research about how to treat sleeping disorders.
hopefully i'd be able sleep like a baby again =)

goosebumps from a song

title: How great is our God
by: Chris Tomlin

The splendor of the King, clothed in majesty,
Let all the earth rejoice, all the earth rejoice.
He wraps Himself in light, and darkness tries to hide,
And trembles at his voice, trembles at his voice.

Chorus:
How great is our God, sing with me,
How great is our God, all will see,
How great, how great is our God.

Age to age He stands, and time is in His hands,
Beginning and the end, beginning and the end.
The Godhead, three in one: Father, Spirit, Son,
The Lion and the Lamb, the Lion and the Lamb.

Bridge:
Name above all names,
Worthy of all praise,
My heart will sing
How great is our God.




~*~*~*~

an mp3 for this song was given to my by an officemate
who is a Christian from another church denomination.
i would really love to play this @ church if given
another opportunity. i have downloaded the chords
already and it has basic chords only! sweet!

gettin' sporty

last monday with homer @ blue rackets

~*~*~*~

played basketball last sunday and badminton last monday, whew!
even so, haven't had enough sleep last monday and tuesday =(

company GA and wedding gowns...

~*~*~*~

had time to rest @ our household, got bored
so i went to a nearby net cafe to chill and
and check if donna is online, turned out that
she was =)

had a few minutes to chat with my baby today.
exchanged sweet nothings over voice chat, she
asked me about the wedding gowns she liked.
our choice? gown #3 (the one with the purse).

played six songs for our general assembly @
diamond hotel manila: time after time, with
or without you, jagged little pill, to be
with you, cry, and everywhere.

oh and by the way, HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

this month's activities

>> marj's send off @ ma'am eva's condo unit (slides 1-3)
>> carisse's bday @ 15/F pantry area of our office (slides 4-6)
>> halloween party @ our office (slides 7-8)

angeles adventures

~*~*~*~

went to angeles pampanga last sunday together with some of the broskis from our church. we heard an awesome lesson from eric mendoza, the church leader there.

went to a local videoke bar/restaurant for lunch after the morning service. sang some songs: natutulog ba ang diyos, broken sonnet, and kung wala ka(a song i dedicated to my ini-irog).

we went to diosdado macapagal international airport after lunch. one of the sisters had to send off a family memeber that day. afterwards, we went to SM city angeles. we strolled for a bit while the other bros and sis were having their dates.

lastly, had to visit my future mother-in-law in cavite to attend her birthday celebration. had pancit, hotdog, and bbq for dinner. overall, i had a tiring but fun day as well.

silver lining

escape

how do i find peace in pandemonium,
in the midst of a busy life
close my eyes and savor the moment
dream of days we shared our lives

listening to our heart's music
i watch other people pass by
ironically escape the chaos around
thoughts of you brings a natural high

a smile sprung from my short escape
enough to make me through the day
this is how i cope while waiting
dreaming while you're away

~*~*~*~



i miss you d....

got these replies from the poetry forum
about this poem:

===
Guess it is true HopelessRomantic... distance does make the heart grow fonder!
from: Lion~*
===
Just so ... thoughts reach far ...

Beautiful.

Love,
Margherita
===
This is wonderful. My husband is away for work all the time so I can relate. In fact, our first wedding anniversary is this Sunday and he'll be working in another state for it. It's so good to be reminded that I am not alone. That there are others who feel the same as us.

Thanks for sharing!!
from: treasuredgem
===
you totally are a hopeless romantic!!!!!!!!!!
but your poem is the bomb
from: muchoki

the day after typhoon "milenyo"

Typhoon batters Metro Manila, Bicol

'It's like waking up from a nightmare'

THE STRONGEST typhoon to hit Metro Manila directly in 11 years toppled trees and billboards, triggered flash floods and landslides, shuttered offices and the financial markets, and caused a Luzon-wide power outage on Thursday.

Typhoon "Milenyo" (international name: Xangsane) brought Metro Manila to a near-standstill with all flights and sea travel in and out of the region canceled. It also forced officials to suspend operations of two commuter train systems.

AT A GLANCE
• Classes in all levels still suspended in Metro Manila this Friday
• All government offices still closed in Metro Manila this Friday
• At least 18 persons dead
• Luzon-wide blackout
• Thousands of trees felled
• Billboards and lampposts torn down
• Trucks and cars overturned
• Flooding and landslides
• Thousands stranded
• Flights and sea travel canceled
• Overhead trains systems LRT and MRT stopped
• Trading on stock and currency markets suspended


magallanes flyover

manila

~*~*~*~

got this news update from inquirer news.

typhoon boredom

~*~*~*~

attended my bestfriend's(angel) wedding today. her husband was of
indian origin and his name is praveen. they met at dubai while angel
was managing figaro's branch there and praveen was a regular customer.
it was a stormy day, typhoon milenyo hit makati having signal# 3.

was about to go home after the wedding when i noticed that electricity
was cut from our neighborhood, i think the entirety of manila's power
was cut down because of all the electric posts that were toppled down
by the storm so i decided to go to our office instead.

out of boredom, was browing through my friend's blog and found this
website that calculates one's celebrity look-alikes. it's funny because
i tried to calculate my celebrity look-alikes twice and it generated
the same result. i have jericho rosales, tom cruise, and joshua jackson
in my list hehehe =) also tried to generate one for donna.

stressed out and 2 days of sleepless nights

how much can a heart endure for love?
how long can love wait against our need for it?
how do you keep the love alive while distance takes it's toll?

~*~*~*~

i'm tired... soooo tired

funny quotes

"Guys, let's call it tonight!"
"All of a suddenly..."
"C'mon! Let's get it on with it!"
"When it rains, it's four."
"Thanks God!"
"The nerves!" or "The nerd!"
"The idea crossed at the back of my mind."
"(name of person), eat your hat out!"
"This is our rooster of clients..."
"The more the manyer."
"It's a no-win-win situation."
"Burn the bridge when you get there."
"What are friends are for?"
"Well well well. Look do we have here!"
"Been there, been that."
"Base-to-base casis."
"You're barking at the wrong dog."
"I'm only human nature."
"The feeling is actual."
"Get the most of both worlds."
"Please me alone!"
"It's as brand as new."
"I couldn't care a damn!"
"what's your next class before this?"
"nothing in this world is perfect except the word change."
"Im sorry, my boss just passed away." (translation: kakadaan lang ng boss nya.)
"Hello,.. for a while, please hang yourself..."

fallen

felt unloved, alone today
confused from some of your ways
unholy hours filled with longings
i know everything has an ending

i lie with awakened thoughts
my body aches for comfort
drained from this struggle
exhausted from this battle

i seek and reach for you
hoping your love is true
i fall, every second counts
you're nowhere to be found

i bleed, my spirit broken
from the heights i've fallen
scattered pieces of my soul
i thought you'd make me whole

~*~*~*~

i suddenly woke up @ 3:30am and
i can't go back to sleep, so i just
decided to purge the bad stuffs in
my heart.

sunday service and ethel's birthday

sang 'natutulog ba ang diyos' in our service last sunday.
didn't have enough time for practice, just bought the videoke
cd sunday morning and practiced for about 1 hr only. eventhough,
i still managed to pull it through. played with zack after
the first half of the service who's getting stronger and
smarter everyday =)

went to ethel's birthday celebration later that day. there
were lots of food on the table, lumpiang shanghai,
pimiento cheese rolls with sugar sprinkle, carbonara, spaghetti,
potato balls, chocolate mousse cake, turon, and pork mechado.
good thing we had ariel and his van with us, we didn't have
a hard time going there.