Prof should've told me that...

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1. Honesty is definitely NOT the best policy. Sometimes, It’ll only get you into trouble.

2. Just because someone is nice, it does not mean he/she is a friend.

3. You cannot confide in your boss just because.

4. Pessimism keeps you on your toes. Optimism makes you complacent.

5. Do not take sides. Think independently for your own good.

6. Silence is power.

7. People skills is all you need to get promoted. The rest, you can dump the assigned shit to everyone else under your power.

8. Being proactive - any shit that you say during conferences that will make heads turn to you.

9. Loyalty doesn’t get you an award. It’ll only make you stuck and you’ll hate yourself for not leaving when it’s too late.

10. There is no permanent alliance. You will always be a one man show.

And this is not to rain on a graduate's parade...

Blessing of the Fire, Easter Vigil

What exactly is this thing called "Blessing of the Fire"? We've been Catholics all our life but we've never really participated in something like that. So when we were told that there's this "Easter Vigil" we decided to give it a go!

Easter Vigil, defined by Wikipedia as:

...also called the Paschal Vigil or the Great Vigil of Easter, is a service held in many Christian churches as the first official celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus. Historically, it is during this service that people are baptized and that adult catechumens are received into full communion with the Church. It is held in the hours of darkness between sunset on Holy Saturday and sunrise on Easter Day—most commonly in the evening of Holy Saturday—but is considered to be the first celebration of Easter Day, since the Christian tradition considers feasts and other days of observance where Masses are celebrated to begin at sunset of the previous day.
     In the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion, the Easter Vigil is the most important Mass of the liturgical year as well as the first celebration of the Gloria during the fifty-day long celebration of Easter, and is marked by the first use since the beginning of Lent of the acclamatory word "Alleluia", a distinctive feature of the liturgy of the Easter season. Similarly, in Eastern and Oriental Orthodoxy, the Divine Liturgy which is celebrated during the Easter Vigil is the most elaborate and important of the ecclesiastical year. The Easter Vigil has enjoyed a substantial revival among the Lutherans.

Now there are some rules to follow:

1. Ask the "regulars" or the parish exactly what time is the vigil. We arrived at 5:30 pm only to find out that it's scheduled for 8pm.
2. Ask what exact candle/bottle to bring. (See photos to know why)

By the time we got there

Lake Caliraya

Lake Caliraya was simply defined by Wikipedia:

Lake Caliraya is a man-made lake situated in the municipalities of Lumban, Cavinti, and Kalayaan in Laguna province, Philippines.

Usually after the traditional Visita Iglesia during holy week, majority of the people go to Caliraya to relax.

Caliraya Man made lake

Close Call

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I've seen this old lady for so long that I can remember and every chance we get to see each other face to face, it dawns on me how her face resembles the face of someone I thought I would someday call family.

I'm starting to learn where you got your cheekbones and how the shape of her head resembles that of your mom's.

Every time I see her, I get this rush of emotions that there was a time that if the Universe had twisted our fate, I, as we speak, would be standing up from where I am seated, walk over to this lady, get her right hand and place it on my forehead.

I don't even know if that's included in the tradition, but yes, I could probably do that because when I fell in love with you, I could literally feel that I can move mountains, connect separated continents just so that I could get to where you are.

You know I could do that for you and I feel like I have this overwhelming wave of emotions that I only felt for you. You have made my eyes, the gate to my soul, jump for joy and make my secret tears fall when they are not supposed to.

I should no longer be thinking about this, but there's just something about seeing the shape and facial bone structure of this old lady today that reminded me so much of you.

I lower down my gaze, while inhaling deeply, as I hear my heart pounding so loud that it is almost deafening. We could've been relatives by a certain degree and association. We could've been... in its cultural sense, a family.

But every thing that happened ended up in a close call.


Whew!

Mt. Makiling's Mudspring

Warning: Photo heavy entry.

What do you usually do for Holy Week? While people in Manila are off to provinces for the whole week of R&R,  people (and even tourists) in Los Baños, Laguna usually go up in Mt. Makiling for their Holy Week penitensya.

What exactly is Holy Week? Wikipedia defined it as:

Holy Week (Latin: Hebdomas Sancta or Hebdomas Maior, "Greater Week"; Greek: Ἁγία καὶ Μεγάλη Ἑβδομάς, Hagia kai Megale Hebdomas) in Christianity is the last week of Lent and the week before Easter. It includes the religious holidays of Palm Sunday,Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday) and Good Friday, and lasts from Palm Sunday (or in the Eastern, Lazarus Saturday) until, but not including, Easter Sunday, as Easter Sunday is the first day of the new season of The Great Fifty Days. It commemorates the last week of the earthly life of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Canonical gospels.

I have been to Mudsprings and Peak 2 ( highest peak of Mt. Makiling hiking trail) during my grade school years. We used to camp in Makiling Rainforest Park together with our family friends. For a change, this year ( or what seemed to be my first holy week after not observing it for six straight years) my high school friends and I decided to "hike" Mudspring for Maundy Thursday.

What exactly is "Mudspring"? Laguna Travel Guide defines it as:

The Mud Springs has been popularly but erroneously known as the crater of Mt Makiling. The Mud Springs site is actually one of the mud pots left in the mountain. "A mud pot is a type of hot spring that is formed when due to volcanic heat, sulfuric acid breaks down surrounding rocks into clay. The clay mixes with water to form mud that is very hot (80 C), sulfurous (50mg/L), very acidic (2ph) and varying in consistency and color."

We're supposed to meet at 6am in UP Main Library where we can park the cars properly and reach Mud Spring before lunch, but since some of our friends are running early morning errands and coming straight from Manila, we were able to leave at 7:30am.

By the time that we arrived, we have to listen to an orientation, assign a team leader, get the orientation stubs and trail map.

There is an entrance fee of Php5.00 each visitor that must be paid, they check your bags as well for any life-threatening apparatus.

Rules:

1. Follow entry requirements.
2. Observe access hours.
3. Use established hiking trails.
4. Camp in designated campsites.
5. Obey garbage in, garbage out rule.
6. Leave what you find.
7. Beware of obnoxious plants and animals.
8. Respect wildlife.
9. Prevent forest fire.
10. Stop vandalism.
11.  Be considerate of the other visitors, and
12. Familiarize the guide map.

Hikers

OFF

I sit in the corner office tapping my fingers on the table.

I really do not know what else to write; in fact I don’t seem to have my brain tonight to write with, knowing that you are here.

It’s just like Janet Jackson’s song:

“I heard from a friend today and she said you were in town, suddenly the memories came back to me in my mind…”

My phone’s been ringing for quite some time now. It’s your 25^th call since, let’s say an hour ago.

You just don’t know when to give up do you?

Normally, my drafts would’ve been finished by half past three. I would probably be enjoying a nice cold slushy with a colleague. But today is totally different.

You are here. We are breathing the same air.

You keep asking me in your text messages where am I and attempting to pick me up for coffee.Like last time, we had coffee. Do you remember?

We had a great time over coffee.

Actually the coffee in that shop sucks because it was hardly recognized by my taste buds, but something about sitting right in front you that made it taste so sweet.

Actually there isn’t much to talk about. We didn’t have much to talk about during that time.  I was just enjoying your presence in front of me like how an awkward teenage in love behaves.

My phone. It’s ringing again.

“Dude? Aren’t you going to take that call?” Nathaniel asks me. Nat is in graphics division and currently works during the late hours.

“Sorry Nat.”

“If you want to get rid of the guy, remember there is an off button.”

He’s right. There is an off button.

I can’t always be your welcoming committee. I can’t always be your security blanket; you shock absorber, your so-called best friend.Best friends don’t make their friends cry themselves to sleep.

There goes your 27^th call again. Nat winks at me.

You’ve had enough of my past already and I am in whole new light now, not to mention I now have my own turf. I will not allow you to trespass and get into my system once again. I finally reached for my phone and pressed the red button.

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OFF

Such a small gesture and step but makes a big difference. I will no longer complain about having been treated unfairly. I will no longer have sleepless nights asking why and I will no longer have to deal with your empty promises and will no longer give you permission to get my hopes up.

I realized that half of the painful events are with my permission and I have allowed you to mess with my head.

Not anymore.

Thank YoUniverse

I think it was just around this time of last year. I was talking to a friend who's getting hitched in her early thirties.

"Where were you when you were 26?" I asked.
"I was partying and having the greatest time of my life!" She said.
" I'm 26 and I've never felt so friggin' old."
"I'm past 30 and I've never felt so young..."

They say that if you really want something so bad, you just breathe a sincere prayer to the Universe.

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I remember saying something to the Universe, while groggy inside the cab, on my way home.

"I want to change my life in 2010."

Some might think it's absurd. Say it to the Universe? For real? I am re-reading Eat Pray Love again and Liz Gilbert, the Author of the memoir, was told:

"Where did you get the idea you aren't allowed to petition to the universe with prayer? You are part of this universe, Liz. You are a constituent - you have every entitlement to participate in the actions of the universe, and to let your feelings be known. So put your opinion out there. Make your case. Believe me - it will at least be taken into consideration."

And just about an hour later, the one thing that she sincerely asked (with good intentions) and needed the most was immediately granted.

When I turned 25, I was told that I have to be careful with what I wish for, because I will get it. I've heard and read that line for quite sometime and it's becoming a cliche.

I don't know how many prayer requests I have sent the Universe, but they say when you ask, you will receive. It's just that you will get first what the"Universe" thinks that you most importantly need, even if it doesn't go with your plans. There is someone who knows exactly what you need, better than you do.

And it's Him.

And a couple of months later, my life literally changed.

I'm not really religious, but I am very spiritual. What's the difference? I quote this article:

"People really want to understand the difference between religious and spiritual.Spirituality is something internal.Religion is something external."

Tomorrow might be the start of a whole new adventure for me to go after something that I am passionate about. I'm excited and nervous at the same time. I believe that people we have met (and eventually became friends with) are not just by mere accidents. And as Oprah said:

"Every little thing that's happening to you every single day prepares you for what is in store for you in the future."

I've been through ( or I might still be dealing with) a quarter-life crisis phase but now, but a year after saying that I've never felt so old, now I've never felt so young.

Lord, I'm very, very thankful. I'm very, very grateful. Thank you for never forsaking me, no matter how hard-headed I've been for the past years.


Love,
K

What do you usually do on Sundays?

 I love Lazy Sundays. I'm too lazy to write today so here's what I am up to:

1. Reminisce what happened the previous day.

My White Hat Date with Cams yesterday at ATC

 2. Get excited and prepare for the coming week.

Goodies that I bought from NBS for my idea book for writing

 3. Find something nice...

Mommy and Baby early morning sweetness

 4. Do something relaxing.

My sister getting a free back massage

Happy Sunday Everyone! <3