Feeling nostalgic

How can I forget that coffee shop at Borders, that sunny afternoon facing the sea at Brotzeit, that Christmas feast at Serenity?

Above all, how can I forget all the meaningful conversations I had with you?

I miss you. Take good of yourself.

Here's a friend praying for your wellbeing always,
Diana

I pray that I'll find my habibi

I mean it. But I wrote it because I learned a new word today. Habibi is the masculine form for my love or my beloved in Arabic. The feminine form is habibti.

Found Sambuca (and many more) in Manila tonight

It's been awhile since I last literally enjoyed a meal! Tonight's meal at People's Palace, Greenbelt 3 was a feast for the palate. Maybe the hunger and the wonderful company of sensible people made the dining experience even more memorable. And as if the pleasant dinner was not enough, we later headed to another resto to have some drinks. You wouldn't be surprised if I ordered Sambuca.

I wouldn't say that Sambuca is my favorite liqueur; just that the experience of drinking a shot of Sambuca reminds me of a very good friend back in Singapore. I hope you are well. You are missed.

Hello world from ADB

I got the job that I mentioned in my previous entry. I like the environment - the type of work, the building, the people, the facilities, the food! Thank you, Lord!

I wanted to write these down. These are some memorable lines I gathered during the first quarter of 2011. Some of these lines still make me laugh today. :)

1. On complaining about the salary from her recent promotion, her husband remarked:
    Choosy ka pa! Hindi ka naman UP!

2. Sister, hwag na tayo mag-away. Tutubo din yan[g buhok mo] in two weeks. (As relayed by a gay hair stylist to his client.)

3. Playing charades:
     To guess: Roast turkey
     a. Taya: Manok ba ito?
         Mga tao:  Pwede! Mas sosyal sa manok!
         Taya: Fried chicken?
         Taya: Microwave chicken?
         Taya: Estofado??????

     To guess: Buddha
     b. Taya: Filipino ba ito?
         Mga tao: Hindi
         Taya: Ah! So American?

4. How much copy-pasting can one get???? (As relayed by the boss to his intern.)

5. Boss: I don't reply to stupid emails.
    Intern: (To herself: Gosh, that's why you didn't reply to my mails?!)

6. Trying hard subordinate: So you speak French?
    Boss: Vous parlais francais?
    Trying hard subordinate: un poco
    Boss: That's Spanish!
Oh shit! Too much for trying hard!

7. Person 1: Uy, skydiving tayo sa Clark!
    Person 2: Sige! Pero baka masira ang ilong ko! Malaking investment ito.

8. Don't you know that your office building, since it has everything in it, is actually a spaceship that will just one day take off when there's serious trouble in Manila????

9. No offense ma'am, but your YM ID is a borderline between gross and pervert.

These are all I can remember for now.  :)

cheers,
diane

A plea

Lord, you have blessed me well since I completed my degree at SMU; not that I am saying that finishing my studies in Singapore is not a blessing in itself for I believe couldn't have done it with You. What I meant is you have taken me to personally unchartered paths after my studies - internship at JP, a closure with Ivan, newfound friends, a successful operation and quite a speedy recovery, a supportive family, friends and P@W community, good health among loved ones, and more, more, more..

Lord, I know you have opened another door for me. But I'm getting worried. I know I shouldn't. I am sorry for being impatient (and for counting the eggs while they aren't hatched). Let this be mine, Father. And help me find my passion in this.

Sincerely,
Jen

Some relationship realizations (on a Sunday)

I have noticed that I am the type of person who has a list of things to do on her mind.

I never run out of things to do. I read from an article (I can no longer remember the source) that this is a manifestation of a person's insecurity, my insecurity. According to that article, keeping yourself busy provides the feeling that you are an important person.

Hmmm... While I may be guilty of that, my never-ending list of things to do is really rooted beyond those insecurity issues. This is another topic.

So on a Sunday, I find myself having planned to do many things. And I realized that whenever I have a boyfriend, I guess it is important that we at least share common beliefs and activities so we can multiple task. And for him not to end up complaining that I do not have time for him.

If my bf and I go to the same church, then this is one activity on a Sunday that we can do together.
If he is also that type of person who is dynamic, I wouldn't feel guilty that I do not have time for him on a Sunday because I see him doing things he has to do on Sunday.
If we are involved in studies together, we can study together on a weekend. That is also one bonding session.
If he likes to read books and open to read the books that I read, then we can spend some time reading together. That would be sweet.

And so I have realized that, at least for me, it is important that my partner and I share similar priorities in life. If we just enjoy eating, shopping and traveling together, then I might have to think twice whether we are for each other 'coz these things do not necessarily always happen on weekends. (And I'm just not that type of person.) I will have to examine our current day-to-day activities and observe how we bond with each other.

Ouch!

One doesn’t love in order to do what is good or to help or to protect someone. If we act that way, we are perceiving the other as a simple object, and we seeing ourselves as wise and generous persons. This has nothing to do with love. To love is to be in communion with the other and to discover in that other the spark of God.


Paulo Coehlo, By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept