Sin City

Off to Las Vegas for the weekend.
More updates soon...

Rekindle the Flame

Funny how things work out when you least expect it. Our once in a blue moon date, just the two of us, was nearly defered by the rain. Initially planned to go by the sea, then decided not to, but still ended up near the water. As we were in the freeway, we spontaneously made a left towards Marina del Rey. We've heard about the place but was not quite familiar with it. We casually circled the dock and chanced upon a few landmarks. Still enjoying the coastline scenery, we soon found ourselves at Venice Beach, a very memorable spot and started reminiscing times of when we were still going out as a couple. As we aimlessly drove through the harbor, tracing the places where we walked and held hands, we finally wound our way to Santa Monica Beach, a familiar territory. It's where we shop and stroll around as a family to unwind mostly during the weekends.

I suddenly realized how similar our night spent cruising the harbor is to our life. It was a metaphor of our past and present. Started out as two strangers meeting in an unexpected situation , then getting to know each other as the days progressed, and finally raising a family of our own.

As we leisurely walked along the promenade, holding hands under a drizzle of rain, I sensed an old, familiar feeling I once had as a young girl smitten with love's first kiss. And it felt good. Although we rarely have the luxury of time for sappiness, it's without a doubt worth getting out of the routine from.

Rain, Rain Go Away

Friday was supposed to be our long, overdue romantic night at the Queen Mary. It's a ship situated by the shore of Long Beach, the pefect place for a dreamy rendezvouz under the stars, so a clear sky is a must. This place is close to our hearts because it's where we had our honeymoon. Since dining out exactly on a valentine's day wasn't the best day for us we decided to put it off for tonight. But California's wacky weather begged to differ. It started to rain yesterday and unfortunately all throughout the weekend and a few more days ahead. Ho-hum. Can't really do anything about that but try to make the best out of it. We're planning to go ahead and eat somewhere else. I've been craving for Black Angus' Chocolate Lava Cake since forever, so I definitely can't put that off. It would be the highlight of a stormy night.

You Know You're From California When...

The fastest part of your commute is down your driveway. You were born somewhere else. You know how to eat an artichoke. The primary bugs that you worry about are electronic. Your car has bullet-proof windows. Left is right and right is wrong. Your monthly house payments exceed your annual income. You can't find your other earring because your son is wearing it. You drive to your neighborhood block party. Your family tree contains "significant others." You don't exterminate your roaches, you smoke them. You see 25 lawyers chasing an ambulance. More than clothes come out of the closets. You go to a tanning salon before going to the beach. More money is spent on facelifts than on diapers. Smoking in your office is not optional. You pack shorts and a T-shirt for skiing in the snow, and a sweater and a wetsuit for the beach. When you can't schedule a meeting because you must "do lunch." Your children learn to walk in Birkenstocks. Rainstorms or thunder are the lead story for the local news. You'll reluctantly miss yoga class to wait for the hot tub repairman. You consult your horoscope before planning your day. A glass has been reserved for you at your favorite winery. All highways into the state say: "no fruits." All highways out of the state say: "Go back." The Terminator is your governor You can't remember . . . is pot illegal? It's barely sprinkling rain and there's a report on every news station: "STORM WATCH" You actually get these jokes and pass them on to other friends from California.

Get Your Own "You Know You're From" Meme Here

You Know You're Filipino When....

Your middle name is your mother's maiden name. Your parents call each other "Mommy" and "Daddy." You have uncles and aunts named "Boy," "Girlie," or "Baby." You have relatives whose nicknames consist of repeated syllables like "Jun-Jun," "Ling-Ling," and "Mon-Mon." Mine by the way was "Che-Che." You call the parents of your friends and your own parents' friends "Tito" and "Tita." You have four or five names. You greet your elders by touching their hands to your forehead. You always kiss your relatives on the cheek whenever you enter or leave the room. You follow your parents' house rules even if you are over 18. You live with your parents until and at times even after you're married. You decorate your dining room wall with a picture of the "Last Supper." You keep your furniture wrapped in plastic or covered with blankets. You have a Sto. Nino shrine in your living room. You have a piano that no one plays. You keep a tabo in your bathroom. You use Vicks Vapor rub as an insect repellant. You eat with your hands. You eat more than three times a day. You think a meal is not a meal without rice. You think sandwiches are snacks, not meals. Your dining table has a merry-go-round (lazy Susan) in the middle. You bring baon to work everyday. Your pantry is never without Spam, Vienna sausage, corned beef, and sardines. You love to eat daing or tuyo. You prop up one knee while eating. You eat your meal with patis, toyo, suka, banana catsup, or bagoong. Your tablecloths are stained with toyo circles. You love sticky desserts and salty snacks. You eat fried Spam and hot dogs with rice. You eat mangoes with rice--with great GUSTO! You love "dirty" ice cream. You love to eat, yet often manage to stay slim. You put hot dogs in your spaghetti. Everything you eat is sauted in garlic, onion, and tomatoes. You order a "soft drink" instead of soda. You hang a rosary on your car's rear view mirror. You get together with family at a cemetery on All Saint's Day to eat, drink, and tell stories by your loved ones' graves. You play cards or mahjong and drink beer at funeral wakes. You think Christmas season begins in October and ends in January. Your second piece of luggage is a balikbayan box. You've mastered the art of packing a suitcase to double capacity. You collect items from airlines, hotels, and restaurants as "souvenirs." You feel obligated to give pasalubong to all your friends and relatives each time you return from a trip. You use paper foot outlines when buying shoes for friends and relatives. You're a fashion victim. You can convey 30 messages with your facial expression. You hold your palms together in front of you and say "excuse, excuse" when you pass in between people or in front of the TV. You ask for the bill at a restaurant by making a rectangle in the air. You cover your mouth when you laugh. You respond to a "Hoy!" or a "Pssst!" in a crowd. You'll answer "Malapit lang!"--no matter the distance--when asked how far away a place is located. Goldilocks is more than a fairy tale character to you. You refer to power interruptions as "brownouts." You love to use the following acronyms: CR for comfort room, DI for dance instructor, DOM for dirty old man, TNT for tago nang tago for kill joy, KSP for kulang sa pansin, OA for over-acting, TL for true love, BF for boyfriend and GF for girlfriend. You say "rubber shoes" instead of sneakers, "ball pen" instead of pen, "stockings" instead of pantyhose, "pampers" instead of diapers, "ref" or "prijider" instead of refrigerator, "Colgate" instead of toothpaste, "canteen" instead of cafeteria, and "open" or "close" instead of turn on or turn off (as in the lights). You use an umbrella for shade on hot summer days. You like everything imported or "state-side." You love ballroom dancing, bowling, pusoy, mah jong, billiards, and karaoke. You have a relative who is a nurse. When you're in a restaurant, you wipe your plate and utensils before using them. You can squeeze 15 passengers into your five seater car without a second thought. You wave a pom-pom on a stick around the food to keep the flies away. You always ring a doorbell twice, assuming that the first ring was not heard. You let the phone ring twice before answering, lest you appear overly eager. You use a rock to scrub yourself in the bath or shower. You're proud to be Filipino - and you pass these jokes on to all your Filipino friends!

Get Your Own "You Know You're" Meme Here

Crossed out the ones that do not apply to me.

Got Faith?

"Faith is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see." Heb 11:1 NLT

"The only person who never makes a mistake is the person who never does anything." Theodore Roosevelt

Life is the ultimate game us humans play. Some, it seems as if were cut out for it. And some, regrettably aren't so fortunate enough. But these not-so fortunate events that we encouter are the defining moments that transform us into the person we ought to be. Sunday morning's speaker talked about how most christians unintentionally forget to pray. The reason is: when one is living in comfort, safety and convention, it would be needless to call upon God. But at times of uncertainty, defeat, loss, sickness, and death, why is it that one not only remembers to pray but makes it almost an urgency to cry out for mercy and grace?

The said speaker called it the OGM Oh God Moment. Situations we get into when we need Him the most, our rock-bottom. When one gets laid off work or loses a loved one. But at this most vulnerable state, the weak is separated from the strong, the losers from the champions. It truly defies the power of our faith. Do we push through or give-in? Would our faith be strong enough to withstand these uncontrollable forces of life?

Living in a world free from adversity is ultimately everyone's desire. But we wouldn't be living in reality, won't we? I personally fear failure to steer clear of personal & public humiliation. At one point in our lives we have experienced the harsh feeling of embarassmnet brought about by failure. But don't these short-comings, we cautiously evade from, not only keep us from folly and settle for mediocrity, more importantly hinders the possibly of doing something great?

This Moroccan Proverb says it all; "If you don't have something to die for, then you don't have anything to live for." The twists and turns, ups and downs of life are the things that make us alive. It keeps us going and wanting for something more. By doing so, we need to step out of our comfort zone and push ourselves in the edge. It is the willingness to drown, to take that plunge knowing God is in control. This can significatly be applied both in the secular and spiritual point of view.

We can never run from the inevitable. When life makes a sudden left turn or if we purposely decide to go out from our boundaries in search of a much higher potential, remember that God has a greater plan and purpose for each hurdle we go through and mountain we climb. The shepherd would never leave his sheep astray.

God's Perfect Choice

Back in the days when I was still single, my friends and I had a simple prayer, typed in a cute little stationery, safely tucked in our organizers as a reminder of God's special plan. It wasn't as much as my prayer for God as it was His words speaking directly to me. I remember shedding tears while dutifully reading it almost every night, for I had an overwhelming feeling that His plan for me is imminent. And as I prayed about it, I kept my faith alive for that special someone. My bestfriend shared this prayer with me during our college years, right after college I met someone whom God intended for me to be with for the rest of our lives.

Everyone loves to give himself to someone;
to have a deep soul relationship with another;
to be loved thoroughly and exclusively.
But God says: "No, not yet, not until you are
satisfied, fulfilled and contented
with being loved by Me alone;
with giving yourself totally to Me;
to have an intensely, personal and unique
relationship with Me alone.
I love you My child, and until you discover
that only through Me your satisfaction will be found,
you will not be capable of the perfect
human relationship that I planned for you.
You will never be united with Me exclusive
of anyone for anything else...
exclusive of desires and longings.
I want you to stop wishing; to stop planning;
and allow me to give you the most thrilling plan
ever existing... one that you cannot imagine.
I want you to have the best.
Please allow me to bring it you.
Just keep watching Me, expecting the greatest things.
Keep experiencing that satisfaction
knowing that I can give all.
Keep listening, and learing the things I tell you.
You just wait. Don't be anxious. Don't worry.
Don't keep looking off and away from Me...
or you'll miss what I want to show you.
I want to see in flesh a picture of your relationship
with Me and to enjoy materially and concretely
the everlasting union of beauty, perfection
and love I offer you Myself.
And then...when you are ready
I'll surprise you with a love far more exciting
than any of you could dream of, you'll see
Understand that until you are ready,
and the one I have for you are ready,
I am working even to this minute to have
both of you ready at the same time.
Until you are both satisfied exclusive of Me
and thus...perfect love and dear one
I want you to have this most wonderful love
knowing that I love you utterly."

Be My Valentine

Often wonder how Valentine's Day came about? It's one of the most romantic stories that truly deserves a very special day. According to stories, Valentine was a priest during the third century in Rome. The emperor at that time decided that single men made better soldiers and began to outlaw marriage for young men. Valentine on the other hand realized the injustice began performing marriages for young couples. When his actions were discovered he was then put to prison but soon fell in love with the jailor's daughter. He was deemed as the first person to ever write a valentine greeting, which he signed From Your Valentine, an expression that lasted throughout centuries.

But why February? February was traditionally a time of celebration in honor of the
god of fertility and sensual pleasure called the Lupercian festival. It was a time to meet and court prospective mates. In 496 AD Pope Gelasius forbid the pagan festival and christianized it by replacing a saint for lovers. Hence, the martyred Bishop Valentine was chosen.

Thursday Threesome

Onesome~Home: What's the three things your dream home must have?

His & Her bathroom sink

His & Her walk-in closet

Library

Twosome~Improvement: What's the one thing you'd change about your current home?

I'm currently living in an apartment with my family. Everything is temporary

because I am definitely looking forward to the day we get out very own

house.

Threesom~Shows: Do you ever watch home improvement shows? Do you actually learn anything? Or is it simply entertaining?

I usually watch anything at HGTV. They have great ideas about anything

under the sun. I don't copy it, I don't think I could ever do that mainly

because I am not a very artistic person in terms of interior design. I

usually copy whatever's on the catalogue. But I have a good eye in colors,

furniture pieces and the likes but having them to actually put together is

tough.

Meme by Thursday Threesome

New Addition

My hubby and I started collecting DVD's about 2 years ago. We have been scouting for the best deals since then and approximately 200 titles are now in our shelf. We rarely go to the theaters and would rather watch them at the comfort of our own home. Here's our recent addition. We usually buy one of each; this time there's family, drama, and hip-hop; depends on what's on sale.

Sound of Music

You Got Served

Big Fish

For the love of Humanities

Summer of 2004 I had the privilege to be at a class which I have never in my entire life thought would spark something inside of me. It was just a humanities class that I was supposed to get just so to fulfill a mandatory requirement of the college. No, it wasn't any ordinary class and it definitely wasn't any ordinary teacher. He ignited a passion within and gave me a whole new appreciation for humankind's civilation, history and the arts.

Mr. Tropf is truly a dedicated teacher and last night I was decided to let him know. I still had his email which was saved in my yahoo address book for any questions or notifications us students have during the course of his class.

I politely greeted and informed him that I was one of his former students. I then told him that I was looking forward to attending more of his classes but was saddened to find out that he would not be available to teach the said course this semester. Lastly, I thanked him for being such a devoted mentor and without a doubt hit the send button.

I never really expected anything out of it. I was even sure that it might just as well bounce back in my inbox and reply as a mailer-daemon error of some sort. He probably changed his email address or perhaps deactivated his internet provider.

In a matter of minutes I had a reply. It wasn't a mailer daemon.

From: "Ralph Tropf" <***@earthlink.net>
To: "deb sev"
Subject: RE: Hello
Date: Tue, 8 Feb 2005 17:45:13 -00


Hi, Debbie

Yes, I was supposed to teach Humanities 002, but at the last minute they needed me to teach English 28 instead. So I am teaching that class on Friday mornings from 9:00 AM to 12:10 at Trade and Tech.

I will be teaching Humanities 001 again at Trade and Tech Summer session. Then, I will be teaching Humanities 31 at Pierce College in the fall, 2005. Humanities 31 is about modern art. If you are interested and you want to go all the way out to Pierce College in Tarzana, you can take that class.

Art History is just about painting and sculpture. You could also take Humanities 02 with another teacher. There are several sections offered.

Thank you for your kind words. Good luck with your college courses.

I now know what to do after BSN. Study some more.
So much to learn, so little time.

Quizzy Pooh

You Are a Life Blogger!

Your blog is the story of your life - a living diary. If it happens, you blog it. And make it as entertaining as possible.

What kind of blogger are you?

My very British name is

Elizabeth Watson. Take The Very British Name Generator today! Created with Rum and Monkey's Name Generator Generator.

Spring Semester Begins

Endless lines, students hustling in and out of classrooms, not to mention the bookstore, jammed parking lots were the signs of the start of spring semester. Yup. Another semester has begun once again as I made my way to my Psychology class. Initially I had a hard time looking for my classroom, which happened to be all the way down the Automative/Welding/Carpetry Department. I have always been anxious to walk that part of the building. Gives me the creeps. Anyway, I found a couple of students who were as lost as I was and finally found our way into class.

And there was Mr. Chambers, looking a bit scruffy and tousled. He admittedly said that him teaching in the mornings was a total drag and would have preferred starting class at 3pm. His awkwardness made it obvious that he was a novice in our college. But then he turned out to be quite the comedian. He made jokes, as he said, to fill in the gap, hoping time will pass without us noticing that he had nothing to teach, as of yet. He was called in the last minute because our supposed professor could not teach anymore for reasons with held from us. He then asked each one their majors and called out the roll.

The students were passing jokes and playful insults but then he continued on with his nonchalant way of teaching. He pojected a friendly student-teacher realtionship, which was good, for a change. It helps a lot to relieve that tension I often have with instructors. We don't have quizzes, only midterm and final. That's about it. The reason why he didn't want us to write any papers, is because he knew that majority of the class were taking his course mainly for pre-requisite purposes only. He didn't want to force those who aren't really interested in it. Well, he's right. But we should still get our money's worth from all the expensive books and of course the time and effort we have spent. And besides, I happen to like Pychology not only because I've taken it as a major way back in 2000 but I like exploring how the mind works. I hope he could pick up the pace as the rest of the semester eventually unfold.

BlogQuiz

What do you think of my newly decorated blog?

I like it! Looks great.
It's okay.
Needs a bit more redecorating.
Don't like it at all.

Shopping Frenzy

My family and I set out to the mall and checked out the latest stuff from the usual line up of retail stores . First up...Danielle's most beloved place; right next to PetCo(pet shop); Disney. She couldn't contain her excitement and started striding down the hall as soon as the ultra-lit sign was visible.

Inside, she tried on the little back-pack and put it on like she owned the place. I bought her this cute slip-on sneakers. It's a replica of Vans; a real hot item right now. We went in and out from about 3 more stores until we got to Old Navy. They had the most adorable stuff for girls. Got her 2 boat-neck tees and a pair of irish-green moccasins.

I literally felt like a kid in a candy store because it has been quite awhile since we shopped. All three of us had this terrible flu which my hubby is still recovering with. Thank God we got our stamina back. Well, I healthy doze of shopping spree could definitely do the trick. And it felt good. Of course I bought a little something, something on the side for moi as well.

That time of the month

Every so often women including myself experience a cluster of emotional, behavioral and physical disturbance. I usually feel very hot tempered, irate...I can go on and on. But often times I wonder if it's just me, is it a part of who I am. It really is hard to say whether these changes are caused by a hormonal imbalance or is used merely as an escape goat.

Alleged culprit:PMS .

Women and most of all men always blame it on pms. To quote my hubby,"Is it your time of the month?". He makes this satirical comment whenever I get ticked off every little idiosyncrasies that he has. I don't know but it is exceptionally irritating during that time. And so I looked up this alleged culprit of women's temporary insanity.

Well, although its causes are still unknown, evidence suggests that it is greatly linked with hormones. These are the symptoms:

1.Questioning all thoughts and actions, the need for reassurance.
--oh yes

2.Being vulnerable and over-sensitive.
--sniff

3.Feelings of guilt.
--a bit

4.Loss of energy and motivation.
--very much so

5.Loss or gain in weight.
--nope, that's one off the list

6.Poor quality of sleep, or (less frequently) an excessive desire to sleep.
--insomniac

7.Agitation and restlessness.
--of course

8.Loss of sex drive.
--a-ya-yay

9.Difficulty of concentration; forgetfulness.
--hmm..what was the question?

10.Irrational thoughts.
--not sure

11.Physical aches and pains, sometimes with fears of more serious illness
--uhuh

Okay...
I think the only way to abate these dreadful symptoms is to understand what you're dealing with along with healthy diet and exercise. As for me, whenever I have this feeling of sudden rage, I try to relax and think of something happy. Can't say that it's always effective though, but in a way it helps. But I just wish...oh dear God how I wish we could give the men a slice of this unexplainable madness.