Eleven years ago I met a group of people who blew me out of my mind. I first met them at a training session. I had meant to ask why all the trainers were male. I was going to bring it up with the leader since I thought we needed to be inclusive. 

I got the surprise of my life when I realized during the training that they were all gay. I didn't bring up the issue of inclusivity anymore since the group was in good form. I also thought they would bring a lot of fun to the project. We traveled across the Philippines together for three years. Of course, that gave me a chance to get to know them better. 

The project eventually ended, but we all kept in touch. It's been years since I've seen most of them. We planned to meet up a year ago, but they decided to go to Taiwan to celebrate Pride. Ahh, sometimes it really takes time to plan a get together with over 10 people. It finally happened and we had so much fun. 

The reunion wasn't exactly to celebrate Pride month, since our goal was just to have a get together. It just so happened it's Pride month. I just added some colorful elements for the party. We reminisced, ate, laughed, reminisced some more and ate some more. 

I'm really happy we got together again. I hope we can do this more often. Realistically, it will be hard, so likely our next reunion will be for my golden year. They were the ones who organized my 40th birthday many years ago, so we'll see how things go. 

Love you forever girls :)

#BeKind #StaySafe

I always knew that I would eventually go back home. That made it really hard for me to adjust to life in Singapore. It did not help that I had to travel a lot. It was impossible to put down any roots or establish deeper relationships. I did make some friends, but between traveling and being sick half the time it did not really leave me enough time to socialize. I'm grateful for the friends who have been patiently been there for me the past ten years. 

Two years ago I realized I needed to make a better effort at keeping in touch with my friends back home. It's not really enough to let your presence felt by liking their posts or leaving comments. I missed a lot of important occasions already and I felt I needed to be physically present for get togethers. So in 2019 I organized a get-together and then I went home again to surprise someone for a birthday. It made me really happy and it helped my healing journey. 

I'm so blessed to have friends who are always just there for me. It's really important to have a solid support group. Last night we had a farewell video call for one of our friends who's moving to the US. We ended up looking at our old photos and it felt like no time was lost. The funny thing is when we're together we don't feel we've all aged. I really look forward to going home and being able to send them stuff from my kitchen. And hopefully have those get-togethers again (eventually). 

Day 22 Minimalism Challenge, Evaluate your storage. I have been doing this by part in the past week. I started with my fabric stash since I realized I just kept ordering fabric without checking my stash haha (#fabricaddict). I made a list of projects and then a list of fabric I need to complete those projects. Now I just need to make sure I stick to those projects haha. We're also evaluating our freezer today since we need to start emptying it before we go home. I'll be making a list also of things to cook for the next few weeks and won't be doing groceries anymore. 

CB///*Yr2/133 #StuckAtHomeDay/Yr2/156 #NewG313 #Home71 #StayHome #BeKind

Last night I met up with my work lunchmates for dinner. It's been seven months since we've been to the office. My lunch mate the last seven months has been Sweetie (when he's home). Sweetie's reports to the office now 4 times a week so when my lunchmates asked if we could meet-up I was happy to oblige. 

We met up at McDonald's (it's just across where I live). When we were complete it was just like yesterday when we had lunch. Soon enough we were laughing like how we usually are. "Food consciousness day" was cancelled for the night and we binged on fastfood.

As much as I'm used to being home and socializing online, I realized hanging out is part of who we are as humans. We are meant to socialize and have adventures together. My lunchmates are precious to me since they keep me sane during work days. 

I just met with two of them last night, but we're usually a bigger group. We have to follow the limitations so we can't meet as a big group just yet. We're hoping that we can all come together by Christmas since it looks like none of us will be able to go home. 

An evening full of laughter is what I needed after a long work week. What about you? What's your lunch set-up everyday?

CB//193 #StuckAtHomeDay/223 #StayHome #BeKind 

We waited for this wedding for over a decade, approximately 14 years I think.

Leejay, I met you while you were still part of the children's choir (together with my crazy neighbor, Jajah, who was your best bud back then). I tried really hard to find the photo where you guys had on white togas and a huge purple bow, but it escaped me.

Denz, I met you in our alma mater while you were part of Harlequin Theater. You became my friend for life when you brought Alan, my thesismate, to my house at two in the morning. And then eventually you joined the choir.

Who would have ever thought that someday the two of you would tie the knot. Well... I did. Jajah did. Everyone else did, except the two of you. And that's why we just let you be when you started having coffee time on your own (notice I did not term it as "coffee date"). We knew that something was brewing, but you guys were taking your own sweet time.

I wasn't surprised when one day I received a call from Denz. He told me he was falling in love with Leejay. He didn't want to since you were best friends and he didn't want to ruin your friendship. At last! I thought and I was one of those who encouraged him to pursue Leejay. And when I got the chance, I gave Leejay some unsolicited advise to take the chance and get in a relationship with Denz. Now na!

Well, you guys made up for it and here you are, MARRIED! It was truly a pleasure to witness how God wrote your love story and here's the video I put together with the help of Jajah, Ate Edith, Kuya Yul, Ate Rose, JM and Jay. I shed some tears while making the video because I realized how much you guys have been part of my life.



Take care and may God bless you with many, many kids!

Finally had time to meet up with my high school buddies today. There's just 5 of us in our barkada and probably around 15 in our extended one. We usually meet-up for Christmas but with work parties and family reunions, it was just hard to bring all of us together.


One of my best buds arrived from China. She arrived on the day I left for Singapore last week and I just arrived in the nick of time for our annual Christmas get-together. Time flies so fast we just realized today that we've been together for more than 23 years now. We were just high school freshmen when fate sat us in class together. We figured that since we were all seated together then we'd be friends (it was that simple before!). So for all four years of high school we ate together everyday at the lunch counter.

We all had varied interests and we practically did not see each other when we went to college (to think we all went to the same university). What kept us together though were some traditions we started off in high school. Here are some:

1. Valentine's day - we weren't popular in high school and we were definitely wall flowers during high school dances, so we made a pact that until we marry we'd celebrate Valentine's day together. We still have two singletons so we continue to celebrate Valentine's together -- usually a day before or after now.

2. Christmas - I don't really know how it started, but for many years now we each create our own wish list and send it to each other and we buy our Christmas gifts based on that and that reassures us that we received gifts we really like during Christmas. And, of course, we always get together for the holidays.

3. Bridal Showers/Baby Showers - we do this for each other depending on who's getting married/having a baby.

4. Summer outings/out of the country trips - we do this every once in awhile and our brood's growing so we try to make sure that we go to places where the kids would enjoy.

5. Always have something the same - it may be pajamas, a blouse, a bag, Christmas decors or whatever catches our fancy. Every year we get something the same. Mababaw lang but it keeps us together.

We don't really see each other that often nor do we keep tabs each other through social networking sites, but our friendship has so far been fun and meaningful through the years.

Love you girls! Here's to xx more pounds! Haha.

I met up with my colleagues from a previous job last night. We met at our old hang-out place, Wendy's Parksquare, where we used to spend only PhP200 every Friday night. I don't know how five of us would get filled up with just PhP200, but we did.  (Remember my blog "Songs fromWendy's"?).

We decided to meet up last night because Jihan's home from Abu Dhabi. We haven't seen her for a couple of years now and not everyone was present for my wedding last Christmas so it was the perfect opportunity to see each other again.

I will not be surprised if Wendy's bans us on our next visit. We were really rowdy. We just couldn't help but laugh about how things were in the past. It was definitely just like old times (without the booze though!) and everybody was just the same save for the fact that half of us were already married and have kids.

Things were so different for me seven years ago and I never really planned what I'd be by this time. The only thing I envisioned back then was the fact that I didn't want to be working in an office by the age of 30 (and I did!). Seven years ago I actually had the time to curl my hair whenever I wanted to (I even had a curling iron in my office drawer!) and I led a routine life. Everything was almost the same week in, week out, save for the gimmicks every once in a while.

I don't have a routine now and I can say that I'm definitely happy in all aspects of my life, but one thing I truly miss are my old friends. Good thing though I have several barkadas who I meet every once in a while. I thought I'd make a post about last night's reunion after sifting through our jurassic photos. It made me a bit emo and nostalgic.

Those were the days :)

My brain's been muddled up lately with a lot of things (isn't that usual?) and I just don't really know what to blog about! Too many things buzzing around my head and I just couldn't get a handle on what I should post about. Well... I did manage to post something on my work blog about the newest gadget on iGoogle (Blogger Play) after realizing I haven't done a post for 2 weeks already and something about bridal showers in the Twisted Wedding Planner. See? Sometimes it's really better to have a niche blog, at least you know what exactly you should post about. Sigh.

So, I'm doing a random thoughts post. Pffffttt.

1. "You'll just know," is what all my married friends told me when I asked them about "How will you know if he's the one?" And after ranting about my ideal guy, my type of guy, whether it's better to be single or married, I finally have an answer! Yes! The sky is fantastically falling! I finally have a love story to tell. And, I think, my Dad's poem for my Mom (which he wrote about 50 years ago) says it best. You will just know. And for my Gtalk contacts... sorry for being so mushy and cheesy the past few weeks. Tao lang po. LOL.

2. Love is simple. I always believed that love is not complicated. That when it comes, it just falls right into place. No hitches. No hassle. No apprehensions. No anxiety. And the best thing is to be with your best friend. I've met a lot of guys. And I've even made a list on what kind of guys to stay away from based on my experience. It's gotten so bad that I really given up and I was entertaining spinsterhood thoughts on my way back from the US. LOL.

3. Rachel Anne Wolfe and the Aquarela Band. Attended Rachel Anne Wolfe's "Cool" album launch at Fully Booked last October 12, Friday with Sweetie. If you're a child of the 80s I'm sure you'd remember Rachel Anne Wolfe since she's one of GMA's stars. I was quite surprised that she sings (well I don't really remember) and she's still very pretty. She was very down to earth and very much into the internet like her brother, Richard Merk who couldn't stop saying "Google made my life easier!" when I met him.

I also met the Aquarela Band couple, Miguel and Evelyn Juteau, who does bossa nova. I've only listened to a sample of their work in the Multiply account and will most probably borrow Sweetie's CD. I think it would be interesting to listen to since the snippet showed me a different take on bossa nova music. Too bad I missed Sitti's recording of her new album! Arggghhh. Jetlag!!!

I was too shy to have my photo taken with Rachel Anne Wolfe, but I managed to have one taken with the couple (Photo by Jay).


4. Meeting a famous composer. When my best friend and I started hanging out last January, I've experienced meeting a number of celebrities because of him and I've always been starstruck (and when you're in a roomful of media people, it gets quite obvious hehe). Ewanko ba ambabaw ko kasi eh. And when I met famous, award-winning composer, Trina Belamide (she "Tell the World of His Love", "Now that I have You", "You've Made Me Stronger) among others), I was starstruck again. Sweetie's always full of surprises, I dunno who I'm going to meet next. Hehehe, I don't think I'll get used to it ever.

Here's one of her award-winning songs (Overall Second Prize, 1999 USA
Songwriting Competition) -



5. My brain's really mashed up, so here are some photos from the past week -

Taste Asia "3" with Jehzeel, Andrew, Karlo and Miguel. Thanks to Bella of SM Hypermarket for assisting me when I did some grocery shopping! (Photo from Andrew)


At Bonifacio High Street with Andrew, Jay (a.k.a. Sweetie), Juned, Rico and Sasha. (Photo from Andrew)


My second family during Mabel's despidida de soltera. "So who's next?" my Mom asked. (Photo from Micholle taken by Sweetie). (See? Miguel's taller than me now!).

Things will not be always peaceful everytime. We all go through a lot of ups and downs. As my friend, Honey and I realized - life's like a wheel, it's a cycle of being on top one day then it slowly drops to the bottom, then goes back up again, the back down. We usually kid each other every once in a while, "So are you up or down right now?"

Well, that's how life is and that's how you learn. And you learn as well from friends, specifically from the other side of friendship - the one that hurts you and there are times (lots) when because of that incident, the friendship does not survive. I guess here are just some of the "incidents" that one goes through with friendship.

1. The friend who betrays you.
2. The one who spills your secrets.
3. The friend that uses you.
4. The one who steals from you.
5. The friend who becomes an obstacle to the one you love.
6. The one who abandons you when you need him/her the most.
7. The friend who strings you along.

I'm not emo-ing or anything, I thought I'd just look back a bit and appreciate better my friends who are still around - I have friends who I've known since second grade! As you age, you realize that it's better to keep your friends who've been around the longest and one tends to become choosy on new friends. Basta it's just hard to trust na diba?

To my dear friends, you know who you are, hugs and kitakits!

My Ate is 16 years older than me and my Kuya is 13 years older than me. I remember when I was a kid I'd tell myself I cannot imagine being a 20-year old, I was like, "Euwww, that's old!" And to show how maldita I was to them, I'd also highlight how old they were whenever I'd send them birthday cards, and I'd also always tell them, "You are favorite brother/sister... because I have no other choice." Hehehe. But they still love me to bits, no matter how kulit I'd get. That's just me being the youngest in the brood. It's called the bunso privilege. Hehehe.

Anyway, my siblings have been away most of my life. I see my Kuya more often coz he sends tickets to visit him in Jakarta and well I'm still checking if I can afford to visit my Ate soon. I just realized how time has passed quickly and how time has flown since I recorded "Buttercup" with my Kuya when I was 4-years old and how I would hang-out with my Ate's college classmates in DLSU when I was just a toddler (oh yes I can remember). Time flies fast as the old adage says. Miguel's 13 already, it's been almost 2 decades since I started high school, I've known one of my friends since second grade and she is now a mother, how a lot of my friends have left for greener pastures abroad and basically, that I am getting old as well.

Yikes!

It hit me full blast this morning when I woke up from a bad dream. A really, really bad dream which made me realize that there are harsh realities that I am facing and will be facing in the next few years. I've always had very supportive parents around and no matter what kind of scrape or fall I've gotten myself into, they've always been there. I guess I have not really thought about not being at home and not having my parents even though they've been telling me that eversince I was a kid. "Aileen, we will not always be around," is what my Mom tells me every so often.

Strange lah? To think that I've helped my friends organize weddings, given them advise on how to properly burp their babies and how take out goo from the baby's nose.

Wait... I need to emote a bit before I could finish this post.

...

...

...

Let's pause for some photos... (while I'm emoting haha).



Anyway, oh yeah (yea, yea, yea as one of my colleagues would say), I am feeling melancholic. Probably because I had too much tea last night, it took away all the sugar in my system. Hmmm... So what's growing up all about? Paying bills, getting married, having children, having more responsibility. Yeah, no more books, no more school... replaced by bills, bills, bills and responsibility. I'm sure any adult would exchange doing that excruciatingly hard calculus assignment over receiving another bill.

My friend yesterday was ranting about accepting the fact that when you have kids your social calendar is basically filled-up with changing diapers, producing milk, wiping noses, burping the baby, laundry, disciplining your kid and whatever. And how you cannot just easily go to the beach with your friends anytime. I've totally forgotten about those since Miguel's 13 already and has been so low maintenance since he started going to the "big school". I am very lucky and blessed to have such a great, loving, masunurin son (hindi siya nagmana sa akin!).

On the other hand, growing up isn't as bad as it sounds. It's actually great to earn your own money, have responsibilities, children and the other problems grown-ups have. I definitely do not want to go through puberty again. I don't want to go through the time when I couldn't get a hold on my temper (early 20s madness they say). Quarter life crisis? No thanks. And I don't want to go through the time that I didn't know what to do about boleros. Haha. At least now I could just say, "Bug off!" LOL.

I guess I've always remained cheerful despite the many challenges I have faced because I know there is always another day and I will not get lost (even though sometimes I do) because I always leave everything up to God. Plus, as Bugs Bunny said, "Do not take life seriously. After all, no one has ever come out of it alive."

Be silly. Be happy. Be un-serious.

I guess this means I'm ready to be a grown-up now. Are you?

Cheerios!

Well, not my own pad or flat... just a bit of space on Myspace. Not another social networking account! But, oh yes, I signed up coz I got curious after watching the Happyslip Boypren video.

My friends from abroad have warned me that it's pretty wild on Myspace, very unlike Friendster and Multiply. They thought that I might get a bit rattled with aggressive members. But, I thought, well it's just online and I have simply been ignoring them. I get a lot of scraps and invites from people I don't know on Orkut (mostly from the other side of the earth, but some of the scraps are endearing!) and I have an account as well on Facebook, Tagged and I don't remember where else anymore. LOL.

Well, bottomline is, I got stuck at home tonight and was kinda lazy to blog. I finished tweaking my sidebar and was kinda bored coz my best friend, as usual, tinulugan ako! So, I thought I'd head over and check out Myspace. Hehe.

Be my friend! Add me up!

*And if you wanna be my friend in Orkut, just leave a comment with your email addy (and I guess you can figure out what my email addy is)!