So what are you going to do about it?

I shared on Facebook that I got into a little vehicular accident last sunday night. The last time I had car trouble was when I had a flat tire, driving at night and had to be a girl about it .

Anyway, around 9pm, I got into an accident with a Montero, whose owner claims I was driving fast. When we past by each other, my side mirror was smashed and I had mirror parts flying inside the car, against my face.  Good thing I didn't have scars. We did not file for  a report because my Mom knows the guy since we move in close circles. It was all pleasantries, he was relieved that I didn't get any scratch, blood, on my face, but I got turned off when he said: "Oh, just side mirror. That's only 500 pesos." And with no offer to pay or even pay in half. Not that we are going to make him to, but out of decency. 

The 500 I am willing to let it go. What I did not like is while we were talking in the middle of the road, his wife from the car kept screaming in an impatient, bitchy tone, calling her husband "Dad, Dad (sign to go home)"when she knew we were in the middle of a situation. 

To cut the story short, his Montero side mirror was scratched a little, I went home with no driver's side mirror. No exchange of calling cards/contact information or follow up, no one paid anyone. And my mirror still shattered.

I went home and googled him and found out that this husband (the driver of the Montero) is a "Pastor/Overseer"from a Christian community. Pretty surprising actually.  I took a photo of my destroyed side mirror and reported it to my viber group with my best guy friends. My friend Rogus suggested that I use the mirror from my face powder compact for the meantime:

 This is my side mirror the next day:

I had a hard time parking (I always reverse park) and became extra cautious. Yeah it was hard, but what are you gonna do? Of course I had unpleasant thoughts in my head. But then, at the end of the day I realized it could've been worse:

1. I could have a broken window.

2. I could have gotten thrown off the bridge.

3. I could've had scars on my face.

4. I could've had a major dent on the driver side.

5. I could've met a really asshole driver who will not stop and run away, but instead I got a Pastor (or training to be one).

6. Both me and my Mom could've been really hurt.

So even though I was upset and bothered, I remembered a quote saying: Give it to God and go to sleep. I was able to sleep that night. Normally I'm not really easy with letting things go, but in the past year I have been learning to let things out of my control go and train my self to see the good in the bad. 

The concern that I have is, our SUV is 14 years old and most of the parts are no longer available. When my father was still alive, he also got in the same accident (with a signage, I was told), used an improvised mirror for a week and he had to go to a warehouse/supplier in Manila just to get that part. I do not have the luxury of time to do that this week because I am leaving for a beach trip and I do not like have a pending to do list when I get back. So while watering plants this morning, I prayed again:

"Lord, not to be a spoiled brat or anything but can you please make it convenient for us to replace the mirror within this week?"

It took one single sincere prayer. And just like that, the Universe/Lord convened all the good Titos and Kuyas in our lives and made it possible to get a replacement mirror. It isn't the same kind, but it's something workable. They're going to install it tomorrow.

We're still looking for the actual kind, but for now this will do. Because, you know, what are you gonna do?

My takeaway from this experience are:

1. Even if you know the person you are in an accident with, do not move the car and call the police. (Actually, blotter was a suggestion even).

2. Train to see the good in the bad because it does make a big difference than whining and sulking about it.

3. At the end of the day, what are you going to do?

A new cafe with (still) a working title/name

It is actually easier to just eat at home than to decide where to eat during lunch hour. At home, at least you just eat what is there, but if you are presented with many choices for lunch, that's the problem. Where to eat lunch after having tried practically all the good ones (and reasonably priced) food hubs around the university?

Good thing, Frankie invited us to have lunch at a newly opened cafe which is just literally ten steps from his office. I've been to the opening but haven't tried the actual food served there.

I got disappointed having to pay Php 30.00 for this small sized lemonade that seems just like any other lemonade.

Look, Frankie's iPhone 5 is taller.

Also this Panye (Apple, Lemon, Grapes) smoothie, that is also not a smoothie to the truest sense. Like juice with foamy thing lang. 

 I ordered Pasta Alfredo. (Php 80) and I have a wish list for this pasta:
1. More sauce please
2. A lot softer bread. (Because I almost scratched my gums. Seriously.)

This is their Panini, a Tuna cheese melt, I was told. Aya ordered this and got quite a little disappointed for its lack of cheese.

 Meanwhile, this is  Frankie's pesto. It was alright.

Anyway, I think they are still on their soft opening. Nutritionists actually take note of the stuff that the Chef in this cafe prepare.

But you have to give points for the very nice ambiance and location:

(The two photos above were taken on a different day)

We were really hungry that we finished all of what we ordered. Yes, all of them. But we headed straight to Mc Donald's afterwards. Haha!

So there.

There's  a new cafe in the university and I think I just gave away its name. :)

[Project FeeTrail November 2014]: Last Sunday's Wedding Lingers

This month's Project Feet trail goes to the Transfiguration Chapel in Caleruega, Nasugbu, Batangas. This is my wedding florist sister's second wedding held here and it's my first time to set foot in this area.

As usual, we were "covering" event for www.aprillearaguas.com and I found myself listening to Fr. Allen's (from Caleruega) wedding sermon. To date, may I just say that, of all the wedding ceremonies I have covered, this, by far, is the most informative, educational, personalized, creative sermon that the officiating priest really did get to know the couple, shared to everyone at the church their love story, and was very funny and witty all at the same time. The sermon was long but his lecture was so worth it, I felt like whipping out a notebook and start taking down notes.

He spoke about investments, practicality, and all that ( I was already so close to tapping the shoulder of one of the guys from Nice Print Photography, our co-wedding suppliers, to ask for a copy of the video of the sermon clip alone, haha) and a lot more. But probably one of my biggest take away from the sermon was (non-verbatim):

"If you think, that on this wedding day, this officially ends all your heartache, you are wrong. It just means that you will experience all your heartaches all over again and a thousand times more. So you bettter think, (the bride) , think and decide while you can. This is your last chance. You can stand up and go to the reception since every thing is already paid anyway. I want you to imagine everything you went through. All the struggles, all the heartaches, failures and disappointments, and I guarantee you that you will endure that one thousand times more with the groom. Now, are you willing to endure that for (the groom)?"

Bride replied with a fierce "Yes Father!"

And of course, the little Carrie Bradshaw in me sneaked up behind my ear and whispered what Father Allen had said. I thought of everything I went through (You know of the feeling of going through hell and back, then brushing dust/ashes off your shoulder's after running through fire? That's what it felt like after reminiscing). I have not found someone who makes all those pain worth enduring for.

Special Guest: My mom who posed when she saw me taking a photo of the church from my phone. 

I tell you, I enjoyed the wedding ceremony. If the fifteen thousand cost of church is true and you get this priest, well it was so worth it. So worth it that I asked for the priest's name and have taken note of it. His sermon/ceremony was long and I learned a lot. I don't know the couple personally but felt how they were loved by everyone inside that church. More of that soon on www.aprillearaguas.com.

Taylor Swift's Cray Video: Blank Space

Okay, I don't think I've written it here before but I'm a Taylor Swift fan for years now. I started to like her so much when I found out that she writes her own songs (just like when I found out that Mariah Carey writes her own songs too!) My favorite album to date was her Speak Now album and have been looking forward to the lyrics of her songs.

 And I like her fashion style, her red carpet looks, her hair style, make up, how she treasures her friends, the way she wears her red lipstick, dance like she doesn't care and how she makes money out of a broken heart.

Today I watched Taylor's new video, Blank Space, one of my favorite songs in the new 1989 album, and I gotta hand it to her. I love this cray cray video.

Oh Taylor, if only I could do the same (make money out of a broken heart), I'd be rich like you too! Hahaha!

18 things I would tell my 21 year old self

What I would tell my 21 year old self:

• You will have all these Plan A, B, and C after college graduation and life will not turn out the way you planned and it will be okay.
• You will make two big mistakes in your twenties and those two will be your best teachers.
• You will start your career with a sucky job but you will actually find a job that you really like and be proud of.
• You will smoke, drink and party, thinking you are invincible in your twenties. By 28, you will quit your vices by going cold turkey and you will make it. 
• You think you can no longer resign and take time to figure yourself out at 23? It will catch up when you're 26 and your change of life will start from there.
• You will have your fun in the city and by being independent, but you will be back, reformed.You will retreat from the forces of the Universe then later find out that it was for your own good.
• You will flunk an eligibility test but you will have a Masteral Degree before you turn 30.
• You think you will work for TV and Publishing as a writer, but you will actually become a writer for a highly regarded university and work for the government.
• You will lose some long time friends but it will be worth it. You will be lucky to stay close friends with those you grew up with after all these years.
• You will fall, hard in love, and become unimaginably stupid. But don't worry, you will be saved.
• You will be failed by some people, even those you highly respect and who you look up to. But you will learn your great lessons from them. 
• You will lose loved ones, and learn that you will have no choice but to go on. And you will be fine. 
• You will ignore it, but your father is right. You will fight it, but your mother is right.
• You will travel, meet people, read a lot, and do a lot of research in pursuit of happiness only to find out that it actually starts with you.
• You will witness how people just like to talk but can't really walk and eventually learn to stop listening to outside forces, trust yourself, and depend on your good judgment.
• You will have no idea how hard comparing yourself to other is only to realize that the competition is only with yourself.
• You will still be single by the time you are 30 and you're going to be totally, unbelievably, fine with it.
• You will like yourself better at 30 and in the coming years. Claim it, live it!