A Walk in the Clouds...

...or more specifically, a view from outer space!!!

        While exploring the various services that Google has to offer, I stumbled upon Google Maps, a service of Google that features an extensive map database of USA complete with zoomed-in, up close satellite imagery.  Just type any US address in the search box and Google Maps will search for that address with pinpoint accuracy and display a map of that place... you can click on the "satellite" button and you can actually see the rooftop of the house (or building) that you are looking for.

        Hmmm, have they mapped the Philippines also?  There's only one way to find out...  Zoom out the map to view the entire world, click on the tiny speck of islands at the left side of the Pacific Ocean to center it, and then zoom in to view the entire Philippines.

        Unfortunately, a large portion of the Philippines is still in low-resolution imagery.  Only a small portion of Cavite, Bulacan and Pampanga have been photographed in detail but the satellite photos seem a bit dated.

        Here are a few interesting high-resolution images...  you can actually see some cars along the highway!

1. Petron Gasoline Station in North Expressway


2. Shell Gasoline Station in North Expressway


3. Angeles Exit, North Expressway (interchange is still under construction)


4. Dau Exit, North Expressway (flyover is still under construction)


5. Sta. Ines Exit, North Expressway (the north endpoint of the expressway)


6. Bamban Bridge in the "Lahar" River


7. Bamban Bridge 2 (the suspension-type bridge - you can see its white supporting beams)


8. Clark Centennial Expo (beside the lahar river)


9. Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (can you see the airplane?)

        Sadly, Metro Manila is still in low resolution imagery.  But even then, you can see how "un-green" Metro Manila is with its apparent lack of vegetation compared to the surrounding countrtyside.

        Baguio City, true to its idyllic nature, is shrouded in clouds.  Tsk, sayang!

        But how about this image map of a riverbed in South Africa?  Can you see the image of a man's face?  =)

        Happy exploring!

 

 

The 12 Days of Christmas

        "On the first day of Christmas my True Love gave to me..."

 
        Most folks, I believe, are familiar with the Christmas song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas". If you listen to the words carefully, it seems like nonsense set to rhyme and music, fit to be sung by children.  The lyrics even sound like a silly love song sung by a single woman, whose "True Love", a man, sent her gifts for twelve days during the Christmas season.  (If you wanna know what happened between Agnes and John, the couple featured in this song, click here.)

        However, the song was actually written with a serious purpose.  Some have suggested that it is a song of Christian instruction dating to the 16th century religious wars in England, with hidden references to the basic teachings of the Faith.  It was actually a mnemonic device, a memory aid, to teach the catechism to youngsters, thus they could sing the song without fear of imprisonment.  The authorities would not know that it was a religious song.

        The "True Love" mentioned in the song is not an earthly suitor, but refers to God Himself. The "me" who receives the presents refers to every baptized person who is part of the Christian Faith. Each of the "days" represents some aspect of the Christian Faith that was important for children to learn.

        Let's sing the song now. 1... 2... 3... ready sing!

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On the 1st day of Christmas my true love gave to me... 

 

A Partridge in a Pear Tree

The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, whose birthday we celebrate on December 25, the first day of Christmas. In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge that feigns injury to decoy predators from her helpless nestlings, recalling the expression of Christ's sadness over the fate of Jerusalem: "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered you under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but you would not have it so..." (Luke 13:34)

 

 

On the 2nd day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

 

 

Two Turtle Doves

The Old and New Testaments, which together bear witness to God's self-revelation in history and the creation of a people to tell the Story of God to the world.

 

On the 3rd day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

 

Three French Hens

The Three Theological Virtues:  1) Faith, 2) Hope, and 3) Charity (1 Corinthians 13:13)

 

On the 4th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

 

Four Calling Birds

The Four Gospels: 1) Matthew, 2) Mark, 3) Luke, and 4) John, which proclaim the Good News of God's reconciliation of the world to Himself in Jesus Christ.

 

On the 5th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

 

Five Gold Rings

The first Five Books of the Old Testament, known as the Torah or the Pentateuch:  1) Genesis, 2) Exodus, 3) Leviticus, 4) Numbers, and 5) Deuteronomy, which gives the history of humanity's sinful failure and God's response of grace in the creation of a people to be a light to the world.

 

On the 6th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

 

Six Geese A-laying

The six days of creation that confesses God as Creator and Sustainer of the world (Genesis 1).

 

On the 7th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

 

Seven Swans A-swimming

The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: 1) prophecy, 2) ministry, 3) teaching, 4) exhortation, 5) giving, 6) leading, and 7) compassion (Romans 12:6-8; cf. 1 Corinthians 12:8-11)

 

On the 8th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

 

Eight Maids A-milking

The eight Beatitudes: 1) Blessed are the poor in spirit, 2) those who mourn, 3) the meek, 4) those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 5) the merciful, 6) the pure in heart, 7) the peacemakers, 8) those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. (Matthew 5:3-10)

 

On the 9th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

 

Nine Ladies Dancing

The nine Fruit of the Holy Spirit: 1) love, 2) joy, 3) peace, 4) patience, 5) kindness, 6) generosity, 7) faithfulness, 8) gentleness, and 9) self-control.  (Galatians 5:22)

 

On the 10th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

 

Ten Lords A-leaping

The ten commandments: 1) You shall have no other gods before me; 2) Do not take God's name in vain; 3) Remember to keep holy the Sabbath Day; 4) Honor your father and mother; 5) Do not kill; 6) Do not commit adultery; 7) Do not steal; 8) Do not bear false witness; 9) Do not covet your neighbor's wife; 10) Do not covet your neighbor's goods. (Exodus 20:1-17)

 

On the 11th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

 

Eleven Pipers Piping

The eleven Faithful Apostles: 1) Simon Peter, 2) Andrew, 3) James, 4) John, 5) Philip, 6) Bartholomew, 7) Matthew, 8) Thomas, 9) James bar Alphaeus, 10) Simon the Zealot, 11) Judas bar James.  (Luke 6:14-16).  The list does not include the twelfth disciple, Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus to the religious leaders and the Romans.

 

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

 

Twelve Drummers Drumming

The twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles Creed: 1) I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. 2) I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. 3) He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. 4) He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into the dead. 5) On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. 6) He will come again to judge the living and the dead. 7) I believe in the Holy Spirit, 8) the holy catholic Church, 9) the communion of saints, 10) the forgiveness of sins, 11) the resurrection of the body, 12) and life everlasting.

 ---------------------------------------------------------- 

        This season, may we all find love, peace and happiness in our True Love's gift to us, a Partridge in a pear tree... Jesus Christ... who has been born into this world to save us and to give us the gift of eternal life!  =)

        Here's wishing a Blessed Christmas to one and all!

 

 

 

1.. 2.. 3.. Jump!

        While looking for some articles on skydiving on the Internet, I recall that sometime in the year 2000, someone tried to hijack a Philippine Airlines flight from Manila to Davao, wearing a ski mask and swim goggles.  He pulled out a gun and a grenade and announced that he was hijacking the plane. Apparently security is a bit lax at the Davao City airport.

        The hijacker demanded that the plane return to Davao City but the pilots convinced him that the aircraft was low on fuel and so they continued on toward Manila.  The hijacker, undaunted, robbed the passengers of about $25,000 and ordered the pilots to lower the plane to 6,500 feet.

        When a lunatic with a gun orders you to descend, you descend.  Meanwhile, the hijacker strapped a homemade parachute onto his back and forced the flight attendants to open the door at the rear and depressurize the plane.  Apparently he knew something about skydiving and parachuting.

        He probably intended to jump, but the wind was so strong that he had some second thoughts about jumping when he saw how high the plane was flying.  Finally one of the flight attendants helpfully pushed him out the door, just as he pulled the pin from the grenade.  He threw the pin (oops!) into the cabin, and fell toward the earth carrying the business end of the grenade in his hand.

        Ground witnesses reported that they saw the parachute go one way and the man go the other when the parachute opened.

        The impact of him hitting the earth at terminal velocity had little effect on the earth's orbit.  All that remained aboveground were the hijacker's two hands.  The grenade turned out to be a dud.

    Lessons learned:

1. Don't throw yourself out of a perfectly good airplane.


2. If you feel compelled to violate Lesson 1, at least don't roll your own... parachute, that is.

Unburden Thyself

        I never thought picking up the phone to call another person could be so hard.

        I was stuck midway while reading the book "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren.  I couldn't proceed further than Chapter 21 because the previous chapter kept calling me back and I had to read and re-read that chapter just to be able to digest what it really meant to say.

        Chapter 20  of the book was titled "Restoring Broken Fellowship".  This chapter talked about how God wants us to value relationships and make the effort to maintain them instead of discarding them whenever there is a rift, a hurt, or a conflict with another person.  Conflict with another person blocks our fellowship with God and keeps our prayers from being answered.

        So now, the ballgame has changed.  Instead of trying to avoid conflict or running away from it and pretending it doesn't exist, I am now held accountable for restoring broken fellowships.  The ball is now in my side of the court.

        One time during those rare occasions where I watch television, I saw Boy Abunda (of all people!) talking about peace and reconcialiation and telling the viewer to call up someone they have an rift with and make amends in the spirit of the Christmas Season.  What timing nga naman!

        I knew what to do.  I also knew whom to call.  I only had to pick up the phone, dial their numbers, talk to them, say sorry, forgive me, I forgive you blah blah blah and get it done and over with.

        That's easy to say.  The phone felt like it weighed 100 pounds that I couldn't even pick it up.  And when I finally got the strength to pick up the phone and dial the numbers, it was as if my thumb and the "send" key were magnets with like poles opposing each other...  I couldn't bring my thumb to press the send key!  I had mixed feelings actually...  I was afraid, scared, shy... I even felt like I was belittling myself as I tried reasoning out with my pride and my principles.  Aarrrggghhhhh!

        But I knew, too, that there was no way out of my predicament.  I had to do it or I get stuck forever in this rut (and I couldn't continue reading the book).  With nothing else to do, I prayed for guidance, "ventilating vertically" as Rick Warren called it.  I also prayed for those other persons I had conflict with so that God might touch their hearts and appease their feelings when I call them up.

        Finally I was able to pick up the phone and press the "send" key.

        First call got answered.

        "Hello?".

        Ok here goes...  nothing much to talk about so I just went straight to the point.  I said my piece: "I'm sincerely sorry, etc. etc." and after all's been said and done with, and good-byes were said, a great feeling of relief came over me.  Wheeeewwwww!  Ang saya saya!

        It's time to call more people, so I picked up the phone again and dialed the number of the next person on my list.

        No answer...  Nothing but ring ring ring.

        Ok, no problem, dial another number.

        Again, no answer.  Nothing but ring ring ring again.

        What the...???  I sure hope they're not ignoring my call because they know it's me.  But it's 10PM already so they could be asleep that's why they aren't answering my call.

        The next morning I called again.

        No answer!  %!&*%@!

        I used another phone that had the caller ID suppressed so that they won't know that it's me calling.  Still no answer.  Aaaarrrrrgggghhhh!  What now???

        I called the next day and still I wasn't able to talk to them.  Oh no, I'm stuck!

        Two weeks passed and I tried to call them a few more times but still no success.  My fear of calling them was now being replaced with frustration.  Were these people were avoiding me or what?

        It was then that I accidentally found out that I still had some load left in my Sun Cellular phone.  I immediately dialled their numbers.  BINGO!!!  They answered!!!  What used to be fear of talking to them gave way now to feelings of elation that they finally answered.  It was a bit of an awkward talk at first but gradually things warmed up, I apologized for my earlier actions, and finally we were on good terms again.

        Whew!  It does take a great deal of energy to restore a broken "relationship".

        But what a pleasant feeling it was to have finally buried some hatchets.  It was like something heavy got lifted off my chest and I can now breathe freely again.

        I still have two more people to call.  They're not in the Philippines, though, so I will have to "invest" a few minutes of IDD talktime.  But I know it will be well worth every Peso spent.

        I can now go back to reading my book =)

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"Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody." --Romans 12:18

All in a day's work

A photo story...  I found this somewhere on the net.  It's all in a day's work for these people =)

hmmm... whatzup over there???

oh, it's a car that fell into the pier...  poor guy...

easy now folks...  the truck is tipping...

splash!!!

waaaaaaaah!!!

Let's use a bigger truck this time.  Look at how BIG the boom is!

easy does it...  poor car.

finally, the car is out of the water.  Next up is the small truck, hmmm...

the boom is holding strong and the side supports are doing their work...
WAIT!  what's the banana peel doing over there?  Someone might step on it and slip.

see???!  wahahahha  :-D

Lola! Lola!

I overheard this at the jeepney terminal for Pateros in Guadalupe yesterday:

        An elderly lady, possibly in her 60s and with graying hair, climbed with difficulty aboard an obviously full jeepney, trying to look for a vacant space along the seats where she can squeeze herself into. 

        But the jeepney was full already.  The old lady just remained inside, half standing, half stooping, as if waiting for some kind soul to offer her a seat.

        The dispatcher called out to her from outside the jeep, "Lola! Lola! Wala na pong bakante diyan. Sa harap na lang!"

        She just remained inside as if she did not hear someone calling to her from outside.

        The dispatcher repeated what he said: "Lola! Lola! Wala na pong bakante diyan. Sa harap na lang!"

        The old lady didn't move.

        The other passengers were becoming impatient.  A bit irritated now, the dispatcher again called to the old lady in a louder voice: "Misis! Misis!  Sa harap na lang po ang bakante.  Wala nang upuan diyan!"

        Nothing happened.

        So again, "Misis! Misis! Wala na pong bakante diyan. Sa harap na lang!"

        Finally, the old lady turned her head towards the dispatcher and slowly climbed down the jeep.  The dispatcher again said "Sa harap na lang po ang bakante misis."

        As she alighted the jeep, she looked at the dispatcher from head to foot with menacing eyes.

        She took a deep breathe, and, as if summoning all her strength, she blurted out "Hoy, MISS pa ako noh!!!"

        All the passengers inside the jeep laughed out loud. 

        Bwahahahahhaha!  =)

Forks in the Road

(Left mind rules over the right mind... this is the result, hehehe)

        From time to time, the path ahead divides in two, and we have to face that rarely-simple, usually-procrastinated and uniquely-excruciating decision... this way or that.  Being a bit of a fence rider and a person who generally prefers living in shades of gray, I can't imagine any situation I'd rather avoid. But try as I might, those moments still come, inevitably.

        It was easy when I was younger.  I just deferred as long as I could, then I took the easiest course.  I went with the flow, the path of least resistance.

        So simple.

        So what if that easy choice could lead to years of gnawing dissatisfaction which might then flower into outright depression?  Who cared if it might ultimately require painful, drawn-out backtracking?  At least the initial way was easy.

        Nowadays, it's agony.  The choice at the fork never seems easy any more.  I suppose that's one of the curses of growing older.  I don't have the comfortable luxuries of ignorance and inexperience to fall back upon.  Things are beginning to look eerily familiar, and patterns that have formed over the course of my life are starting to become obvious.  Not to imply that a matured clarity has taken the place of youthful blindness...  I'm just as capable of self-deception now as I've ever been.  If anything, I might be better at it, as my rationalizations become ever more convincing and better argued.

        It's all so exhausting...

        I'll move on.

Patatawarin Po

"How to Forgive"
    -- from Lolo Dexter's Tips and Advises archive

        Forgive and forget, let go and lighten your load. A grudge can be a heavy weight to bear...

Steps:

1. Think about what happened.


2. Acknowledge all of your feelings. There is often anger lurking behind any hurt or sadness you might feel.


3. Express your feelings - write them out, talk to a friend or simply allow yourself to feel what you feel.


4. Accept responsibility for your own emotions. Although you were wronged and your emotions may be justified, it is still up to you to decide when you're ready to stop feeling angry or upset.


5. Talk to the other person about the behavior that upset you and how it made you feel. The odds are that you won't feel truly ready to forgive until you know this person has heard and understood your perspective.


6. Try to understand the other person's perspective, even if you don't really agree with it.


7. Rebuild trust in the relationship. Make agreements about acceptable future behavior whenever appropriate.


8. Make the decision to forgive, and communicate your forgiveness to the other person. Once you've done this, make every effort to move on and let it go completely.

Tips:

1. You can forgive someone without condoning his or her behavior; forgiveness isn't the same thing as approval.


2. Avoid a defensive reaction by first venting your emotions outside the presence of the wrongdoer - this will help the interaction to be more productive.


3. Wait until you are truly ready to forgive. Respect your feelings and take all the time you need.

Tips from other people:

Put your pride aside
Don't let your pride hold you back, especially if you really intend to forgive. Know that you're not perfect and (obviously) neither is the other person.
- Jewel E.

Why forgive?
Let go of any ill feelings toward anyone, for your own gain if not for the other person. The main person who hurts when you have ill feelings toward someone else is yourself. You owe it to yourself to forgive and let go.
- Deedee

Forgiving equals forgetting
If we truly forgive, we also have to forget. We cannot take it from our memory but when we truly forgive it should never be brought up or used against that person, thats what true forgiveness is. If we continually bring an issue up, we have not forgiven.
- Lisa C.

Forgiving
Forgiving doesn't mean you allow the same offense to be repeated over and over. If the offense has stopped you can forgive, if not then learn to either live with it or move on.
- Christine S.

Decide either way
If you don't make the decision to forgive, your relationship is never going to improve. It might take some effort to forgive and not think negatively, but if you want the relationship to continue, it's something you have to do. If you don't want the relationship anymore, then make that decision and make it easier on everyone, instead of waiting for it to hit rock bottom.
- Maccoolit

Things worth having are often hard to get 
Getting to a stage where you can forgive and forget is not easy. Three years after breaking up with someone, I still feel hurt, angry, and sad at times. Recently I was out for a meal with friends and suddenly started thinking about the past, it made me cry (again). I talked things through with my friends. The next day, one of them said to me "You are one of the most forgiving people I know, so why haven't you forgiven yourself yet?" Forgiving yourself is often the hardest thing to do, but I know I'll get there in the end.
- I'll G.

Forget 
I have learned that forgiveness isn't just saying that it's OK. It's also making sure that the topic never comes up again. If you find yourself constantly bringing up the thing you supposedly forgave them for, then you still have some issues with the problem that need to be worked out. Don't forget that you can love the person, but not love what they did. They are two separate things!
- A-boy

------------------------------------
"Forgiveness is a funny thing. It warms the heart and cools the sting."  -- William Arthur Ward

What's in a Name?

        OK. So my name's FLORENT.

        It's not such a big deal. Really.

        But if not for the fact that I've never met (or known) anyone who carries the same name as mine, I wouldn't fuss about me having such a "unique" name. My parents said that they named me after a close friend that they knew back then, someone named Father Florent, a Belgian priest who used to teach in Saint Louis University in Baguio City and who later became the president of Saint Louis College in San Fernando, La Union.

        Anyway, Tuesday afternoon found me hitching a ride with a client to do a project in Agoo, La Union. It was a looooooong boring ride as the client, a distinguished gentleman in his 70's, who was to be my host over there, slept all throughout the journey, even snoring loudly most of the time. His driver was just content with playing Schumacher with the buses on the highway, never saying a word lest he lose his concentration and the car ends up in a ditch.

        Hohuumm! I couldn’t sleep with all that snoring! It didn't help also that I was told off by someone "Huwag kang mangulit ng taong nagtatrabaho!" while texting.  It was like a slap in the face. Aaarrgh! She could just have told me "I'm busy" or "brb" or "gtg" or "bye" or something less distressing. Oh well, baka busy talaga siguro perhaps hopefully sana. Life goes on...

        So the project got implemented smoothly and by Wednesday evening we celebrated by eating pancit maki bihon in one of the eateries downtown where the Rotary Club of Agoo holds its regular Wednesday meetings. While we were eating the Rotary Club members slowly trickled in. My client-host, living up to his "distinguished" status, was greeted by almost everyone who came in (although he wasn't a member of their club). He is really well known in that place.

        My client saw an old caucasian guy at the opposite end of the restaurant and he got up from the table to approach him. He came back with this guy and he introduced us: "Florent, meet Florent", he said.

        Guess who he was?

        (Drumroll!!! ta-ta-taraaaaan!!!) He’s the one! The only! The cute and handsome like me: FLORENT SALS.

        Live and in the flesh!

        Florent Sals was so friendly and obliging and he wore that effervescent smile all throughout our conversation. He is already retired, probably in his 80s, and he has also ''opted out" of priesthood already as he introduced me to his wife and to his grandson who were eating at a nearby table . For a while, I had forgotten that I was with my client. I was ecstatic. I had planned on trying to look for him sometime so that I can personally meet him while he is still alive. And here he is now standing right in front of me! It was like a dream come true (ang babaw ko no? hehehe..)  He gave his regards to my parents, whom he hasn’t met in a long time.

        He also mentioned that there's another Florent from Agoo, a godson of theirs whom his parents also named after him. What???  Oh no!  So my name’s not unique after all. Darn!

        Here's our pic together.

        More proof! Here's the pic of his rotary shirt with his name embroidered on it.

        Wow! Thank God for Father Florent. If it weren’t for him my parents would've named me FROILAN FLORA and the Japanese and the Chinese would be twisting their tongues to death right now trying to pronounce my name.

Simply... Amazing!!!

        Six months ago, I was fortunate enough to have been given a copy of a book that's been on the bestseller list of some local bookstores for many months since the start of this year.  I've seen it displayed on the bookshelves of National Bookstore with the words "over 16 million copies sold" prominently displayed on its book cover.  I even saw one of my officemates bring a copy of this book to office and upon seeing it, I nonchalantly said ''That's a good book!" even though I haven't actually read it yet.  The book was just given to me by someone I didn't know albeit I was just a guest at this church service in Makati, where I gave in to a friend's invitation out of curiosity more than anything else because I had nothing else to do during that weekend.

        I did a quick browse of the book and I instantly saw the words "God" and "Jesus" in almost every page of the book.  "Oh no!" I said to myself, "It's another book on religion and spirituality!"  After that, I didn't bother opening the book again.  I just took it home and set it aside among my other things where it promptly got lost in a pile of documents lying in some corner of the house.

        Fast forward to today:  That same book now has dog-eared pages, some phrases and sentences are haphazardly underlined with black ink, and notes in my very own chicken scratch handwriting are casually written on the margins and in between sentences and paragraphs.  This is the first time I "desecrated" a book like this; any person with a melancholic temperament would posthaste burn at the stake if they saw what the kind of "torture" I did to that book.

        I've no regrets doing what I did to this book though.  I am now midway through reading "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren and I must say that the timing was just right for me to have started reading the book.  If I had read it then, I wouldn't have appreciated what was written on it.  Let's just say that God purposefully "hid" the book from me... perhaps He knew I wasn't ready to read it yet at that time.

        I just accidentally "found" that book sometime in October (or maybe it was the book who found me?) only after I had ''Quenched My Thirst" and was yearning to know more about who my Savior was.  But even when I had found the book already, I still couldn't find time to start reading it.  I always had a ready excuse: "Sorry. I'm busy…"

        Enter Singapore…  'Twas the time of my life, spending vacation and reunion time with the family after so many years of being apart due to my work.  Needless to say, I was still "thirsting" for Him.  I still didn't know what to do next even though I knew that I had already accepted Jesus into my heart and into life.  I kept asking ''What next? How should I live my life now? What should I do???"  Still, so many questions remained unanswered in my mind.

        And so He intervened again...

        A friend of some friends who I met during my stay in Singapore gave me a small booklet by the same author entitled "What on Earth am I Here For?"  It's just a small 4"x6" booklet, 70 pages thick (or thin) and it's quite easy to read it in just one sitting.  "Ah! Finally, here's something that I can finish reading quickly!" I said to myself.  I didn't have any excuse anymore not to read the booklet.  I opened it up and started reading.

        Would you believe it if I said that the answers to all of my questions were revealed right there in that one small booklet?  I was touched!  I had been asking questions repeatedly and He provided the answers. 

        It was simply... Amazing!

        Indeed… everything, no matter how small, happens for a reason -- His reason.

        And true to my inquisitive self, the answers I got led to more questions.  But this time, I knew now what to do next... I picked up the book that I "found" and started reading the introduction to "The Purpose Driven Life".  Not knowing it, I had commenced a new journey -- a 40-day spiritual journey that will enable me to discover the answer to life's most important question: ''What on Earth am I Here For?"  I started devoting at least an hour to read just one chapter each day and to reflect and meditate on His word.  As the author has written, by the end of this journey, I will know God's purpose for my life and I will get to understand the big picture -- how the pieces of my life all fit together.

        It's true… Each day I know (and feel) that I am getting closer to completing this journey.  The answers slowly reveal themselves, but not in the book anymore.  This time the answers are revealed in life -- in real life.

        "Seek and you shall find".  Again it's really... Amazing!!!

        And like any journey, it is better when it is shared.  I haven't got anyone joining me in reading the book... yet (the author recommends joining a small reading group) so I just oftentimes call up or text some friends to bounce ideas off each other.  Like teamwork, relationships and community produce spiritual growth.  So I thank God
for the privilege of having these friends. They are indeed a wonderful blessing to me.

        With grace and guidance from up above, I know this is a journey I will not fail.

---------------------------
"I love those who love Me; and those who seek Me early shall find Me." --Proverbs 8:17

Splish Splash

        Shyly, he asked her if she would like to make a trip with him to his hometown, just a short drive away from Manila.  They have only dated three times and she was a bit apprehensive about coming along.  She knew she could trust him... he was so comfortable to be with, always smiling and making her laugh even at the smallest of things and she felt as if she had known him for a much longer time.

        And so without thinking further, she agreed.

        Along the way, he kept telling her of this special place in his hometown where he went to everytime he needed to think or have time for himself.  From the way he told of that special place, he seemed really very excited.  And his excitement was rubbing off on her... her heart started beat faster in anticipation of seeing this "special place".

        They arrived at his hometown and he excitedly showed her around the place, starting from the park, to the municipal hall, to the church and all the way to the market where she enjoyed tasting the native delicacies and buying some gifts to bring to her siblings back home.  He showed her all there was to see... except this special place. 

        Finally on the last night that they were there, he told her to get dressed.  He took her down to the edge of town where the park was.  At first it didn't seem like a special place to her.  All she saw were some bushes and some small plants and some big boulders strewn about. 

        He asked her to get out of the car and she did.  He took her hand and slowly they walked down a path with only the lights from the car showing them the way.  After all it was almost midnight.  She wondered why he asked her to get dressed when it seemed as if they were going for a hike.  Her body tensed at the thought of what he might do to her in the woods.  It was very dark.  She didn't know anybody in town and she was very far away from home.  She couldn't readily call for help if something bad happened to her.  In her excitement to get dressed, she even forgot to bring her cellphone along. 

        She started sweating from mixed feelings of excitement and fear.  She didn't know where she was being led to.  They continued walking further.  He walked her up over a hill and through some thick trees.  She could hear a river up ahead.  The continued walking down the hill to the river and to a tiny little peninsula that stuck out into the water.  There they stood on the tiny peninsula with the water surrounding them, the little eddies of current almost splashing water at their feet.  The full moon and the stars were in place above them, making the water glisten and shine. 

        Slowly, he faced her.  He took her hands in his, bent down on one knee and looked her up in the eyes, the light from the moon illuminating his face.  He took a deep breath and with the fervent passion that only a person in love can say, he breathed out her name and asked her to marry him. 

        It was just too perfect for her... the moon, the stars, the little peninsula, with the trees and the water all around them.  A tear broke out from each of her eyes.  She was completely overwhelmed... and without thinking she said yes. 

        She wrapped her arms around him and they shared the biggest kiss they had ever had.

        It was such a perfect moment..... until they fell in the river. 

        They were embraced and they both lost their footing, falling together into the water, making a very big splash and laughing like little children as they tried to "save" each other. 

        The moon, the stars, the river and the trees all shared in their laughter and joy.

Online!

        Finally, I'm online once again!

        Yipee!!! Yipee!!! 

        Hip Hip Hooray!!!

        I still have to get my thoughts together though, so that I can get back into my blogger mode.  There's so many blog topics that crossed my mind that were lost in the netherness of cyberspace as a result of being offline, and I had no choice but to simply let these go.  I'm starting off with fresh new topics...  It's like starting to blog all over over again...  whew!

Moving... Moving... Moved!

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          It's almost one week and still there's no Internet connection at our new office... Everyone's getting restless, fidgety, and almost at their wit's end.  Well, what can you expect if people are unable to browse their favorite websites, retrieve their e-mails, chat with others via Yahoo or MSN Messenger, and even unable to check their new messages on Friendster.

          Oh, there's no telephone line also!

          Aaaarrrrrggghhhhhhh!

          What more, even Friendster's remote blogging feature is acting up and so I am unable to post to my blog even if I want to.

          Double aaaarrrrrggghhhhhhh!

          Oh well...  That's just some of the pains of moving to a new office address, albeit temporarily.

          We've expected this move a little more than a month ago.  The company we were leasing our old office from gave us sufficient notice period to vacate because they had to do some major rehab works in the floor we were in.  But then, due to numerous other jobs that we had to prioritize, we haven't really planned for this move very well and so we were caught slightly off-guard.

          My officemates were already showing signs of worry because with just two weeks left, we still haven't found a place to transfer to.  We had already scouted several vacant office spaces and we even contacted several brokers to help us in our search but the places we saw were either to big, too expensive, or too far away for our liking.  The few available places that were acceptable to us were in Makati but then we will have the problem of re-applying for a new business license (our company's registered in Pasig City) and confronting higher tax rates come February 2006.

          Surprisingly, I wasn't worried quite a bit even if we only had two weeks left to vacate our old office.  It was as if I was "expecting" things to fall into place exactly at the right moment... Prayers helped, of course.  And so not surprisingly, things did fall exactly into place at the right moment!

          Just last week, the company I'm doing consultancy work for in Makati suddenly decided to consolidate its offices into one location so that they can save on rental cost.  However, they were unable to terminate their lease contact in one of its offices because they signed a one-year lease term that will expire only on February 2006, thus they are still obliged to pay the remaining portion of the contract term even if they won't be using the office space anymore.

          "Wow!", I thought.  What timing!  I quickly grabbed this opportunity and happily proposed that we take over the remaining portion of the contract.  The company was just all too happy to turn over the office to us.  Of course we were happy, too!  We no longer had to pay the two-month deposit and one month advance rental just to get the office space.  And there will be no long-term lease agreement for us.  Our former landlord had also agreed that we can still maintain our business address in our old office in Pasig, thus we no longer had to re-apply for business permits and go through some more bureucratic paperworks and approvals.  It was like getting a three-month reprieve so that we can still continue looking for our "ideal" office space in Pasig City while we are temporarily based in Makati City.

          Our new location is a very lovely plave for an office!  It's actually a two-bedroom condo unit, located at the second floor of the building, with elevator access and guarded entry.  The environment around the building is a bit laid back, not like the glitzy, noisy atmosphere in Emerald Avenue in Ortigas Center with its ostentatious yuppie crowds.  I could actually hear birds chirping outside the windows of our new office... just perfect for capturing that inspiring and creative moment that's utterly important in our line of work.  I could also hear some dogs barking and some roosters crowing in the distance.

          And for our gastronomical urges, there are numerous places to eat around that offer pang-"masa" delicacies ranging from tapsilog, lugaw, goto, isaw, sisig, balut and even taho and fresh buko juice in coconuts delivered at our doorstep!  And mind you, the prices are also pang-masa!  Yum!!!

          So now, the only thing that's lacking is our Internet and phone line connection.  But this is only a temporary setback.  Actually, there are some benefits to being "offline" for a while...

          Here's what I've done so far while offline:

1. Organize the files on my computer neatly into their very own folders and subfolders.  My computer desktop, which used to be cluttered with too many icons and folders, is now clear and I can now clearly see the wallpaper behind it.


2. Back-up the files on my computer's hard drive and burn them on CDs.


3. Defragment my computer's hard drives.  Now my computer runs "a bit" faster.


4. File away the few printed documents that are still residing inside my table drawers.  (I have almost succeeded in running a paperless office, if not for the contracts, proposals and invoices that still need to be printed anyway).


5. Get acquainted with the new landlords... They're a very sweet old couple who run and manage the entire building, They're really very mabait and accommodating and always ready with their smile =)


6. Lay out plans for next year's activities and timelines.


7. Make kulit to the service providers to install our Internet and phone line connections ASAP.


8. Make kulit to the service providers to install our Internet and phone line connections ASAP.


9. Make kulit to the service providers to install our Internet and phone line connections ASAP.


10. Sort out my e-mails and reply offline to those that need to be replied to.  (Finally I was able to use Microsoft Outlook's "Work Offline" feature)


11. Make my Christmas List: the list of people who will receive gifts from me this Christmas (are you in it?).  And more importantly...


12. Make my Christmas List 2: The list of people I will be receiving gifts from this Christmas (again, are you in it? hehehe)

So there it is.

Now I know -- I can definitely survive without Internet...  but for one week only!!!  I might exhibit withdrawal symptoms beyond this period, hehehe.

Now, plz, plz, plz, I need my regular Internet fix  ;-)

The Magic and the Mystery...

Love is like magic
And it always will be.
For love still remains
Life's sweet mystery!!

  Love works in ways
That are wondrous and strange
And there's nothing in life
That love cannot change!!

  Love can transform
The most commonplace
Into beauty and splendor
And sweetness and grace.

  Love is unselfish,
Understanding and kind,
For it sees with its heart
And not with its mind!!

  Love is the answer
That everyone seeks...
Love is the language,
That every heart speaks.

  Love can't be bought,
It is priceless and free,
Love, like pure magic,
Is life's sweet mystery!!

---------------------------------
"Love has its own reasons which reasons do not understand."

Break It To Me Gently...

"How to Tell Someone You Just Want to Be Friends"
    -- from Dexter d'Mango's archives

 
            

                 "Er... I have to tell you, I'm involved with another pig..."

        Aha!!!  So you want friendship... But he or she wants more. How can someone draw the line without making future encounters awkward?

Steps:

1. Try subtle hints that let the other party know that you're not interested in romance. For instance, "I really value our friendship" (with emphasis on "friend"), or "It's so nice to have a guy/girl friend who I can talk to without any kind of romantic tension to get in the way."


2. Mention that you're involved with someone else (assuming that's true) if the other party is a new acquaintance and shows unwanted romantic interest.


3. Tell the person up front that you enjoy being single right now and are not looking for a romantic partner, but that you're always looking for new friends.


4. Make a joke out of your rejection if the person is an older friend: i.e. "We'd never make a good couple; we know each other's hang-ups too well - there'd be nothing to argue about!"


5. Be honest and tell your friend why you don't think a relationship would work out, unless the real reason is that you aren't attracted to him or her. Even the closest of buddies would have a hard time rekindling a friendship after such a harsh rejection.


6. Change the subject after you've dashed the notion of romance and try to forget about what just happened. Dwelling on the reasons why you don't want to get involved with a friend won't do the friendship any good.


7. Enjoy the friendship as you always have.

 
Tips from other people:

Be honest
Forget the subtle hints, they are no good. If you really like him as a friend, be honest, tell him directly that what you want is a friendship. Relationships have to be based on the truth! If you know he wants more, it's cruel not to tell him how you feel. He will understand! And remember to be happy for him when he finds someone else. ;)
- Marie S.

A more honest approach... 
Tell them casually that you want to talk. Simply explain they are important in your life, but you would prefer to be friends.
Other good ideas:
    - Can't handle relationship emotionally
    - Met someone new
    - Don't want a serious b/f or g/f
- Meagan M.

A comment on tip #1.
If you want to tell someone that you "just want to be friends", don't tell them that you met someone new. You'll be creating a challenge, a nearly competative situation. Use the vague, but direct "there's no chemistry".
- Joe D.

It won't happen 
Guys, do not ever assume that if you remain friends with a girl she will gradually warm up to you. Usually, when a girl says she wants to be friends, she really means it. Friends - period! You can either chose to be her friend, or get out of the picture before something ugly happens to your bank account. It is a vain hope that you will ever win her affections. Girls can smell desperation from a mile away, and it doesn't turn them on.
- Deedee D.

How to break the news
Be honest, but definitely don't mention that you like someone else. If this happened to me, I'd be mad and upset. If they really like you and you don't feel the same, it'll only make things harder the longer you drag things on. Don't wait, because you don't want them to like you even more.
- Anonymous J.

---------------------------
So I‘ll be movin‘ on
In time you look I will be gone
‘Cause when I needed you
You were never ever there for me
So I‘ll be floating in the breeze
Like a falling leaf
Don‘t look for me ‘cause I‘ll be moving on

Sole Searching

Here's a Million Dollar Question... "Why do women love shoes?"

It's a very interesting fact of life that I still find so hard to comprehend. 

And so after doing a quick survey and frantically searching the Internet for answers, here's what I got:

Answers from women:

• Even if it took me hours to decide what shoes I'm gonna buy at least I don't end up not liking the shoes I bought.


• I adore them because I love walking in a room with the stride of confidence that a great pair of shoes gives me.


• Shoes can make an outfit look completely different. A skirt with flip-flops is casual, but put that same skirt with some strappy sandals, and yowza - super sexy! I have to have tons of shoes to suit my every mood!


• Alam mo kasi, napaka convenient kapag bumili ng shoes kaysa damit kasi, pag shoes, right there and then you can try it on, while kapag clothes you need to go the fitting room to try it on. At kadalasan pa, you need to queue up to wait for your turn.


• Me, I feel relieved of my tension and stresses kapag may bagong shoes. Feeling ko nga ang ganda ganda ko kapag maganda rin shoes ko. And it also adds confidence in me


• Hmm... I think a big part of my obsession is because they're so easy to swap around with outfits and they can change the whole ensemble. I can be wearing flip flops with jeans for a casual look-- but if I change into stiletto boots, the whole outfit is transformed. It's magic, I tell ya!


• And what about those stiletto heels? They make a woman taller! Need we say more? They also make the muscles in the legs flex while walking - which is a beautiful sight. And they make that distinct noise of sharp pounding, watch out, femme fatale approaches...


• Each shoe can say something different about you and your outfit.


• Beautiful feet make a woman beautiful all over and every lady knows this.


• Whenever I go shopping I would always buy a pair or two. Ba't ba ang hilig ko sa sapatos? Sakit ko na ata ito.


• While nowadays almost all artictles of clothing have become interchangable between men and women, the shoes remain distinctly gendered. A man wouldn’t dare to put on most shoes that women parade in every day! Thus, wearing ultra-feminine shoes simply makes women feel and look more sexy!


• Every stylish outfit requires a perfect pair of shoes. Wearing the right shoes with that killer dress is a sure sign of a lady’s impeccable taste. That’s why "How many pairs of shoes do you really need?" is a ridiculous question.


• Buying shoes makes me feel sexy especially if it fits well.


• Hay naku.. ako every payday ang bili ko ng shoes, kasi nung bata pa ko panay hand me down kaya yun nung nagka-work na ako, sarap ng feeling talaga kapag bago and shoes!!


• Shoes can be a reflection of our mood for any given day. High heels if you’re feeling sexy, slip-ons for comfort and so on. I think if diamonds are a girl's best friend, then shoes are her best lover.


• At ang sarap feeling kapag bago ang shoes.


• As a woman it's just something that is part of me - I love shoes.


• Maybe women are born with a part of the brain whose sole job is to deal with how we feel about shoes. It’s possible I suppose because it’s something that is so ingrained within us, most of the time we don’t question it - it just is.


• Shoes contribute so much to how we feel about ourselves. It’s like having a good or bad hair day.


• Feeling ko lang na-re-release ang stress ko everytime I get a pair of new shoes. Sounds weird pero ganyan yata talaga kaming mga babae.


• Its our fetish!

 

And some answers from the boyz:

• This is more complicated than rocket science.


• Beats me!!???


• Ganun talaga ang mga girls especially kung quality shoes ang gamit nila and quality shoes can only be found @ firstquadrant philippines! kaya visit na -- www.firstquadrant.org and kung interested kayo...email me @ xxxxxx@yahoo.com thanks a lot! POWER!


• It's okay to have many shoes... but just remember this... marami man silang sapatos... pagdating nila sa bahay tsinelas pa rin ang hahanapin!


• hehe! the thing is... madami ring tsinelas ang mga girls... in different colors pa... hehe!!

------------------------
She's got new shoes.
Oh! How she dances!
Twist and turn!
Step and shimmy.
She's a feather in his hands.
Together they weave among the crowd
so easily!
She's got new shoes.

Bloopers Galore

          (Nov. 11, 2005) I had to rush over to Naga City in the Bicol region last friday to meet with some prospective clients so I had no choice but to take the 7AM Philippine Airlines Manila-Naga flight. The flight was delayed a bit since the pilot still had to wait for take off clearance because of the threat of some typhoon in the Bicol region at that time, so I was psychologically preparing myself for another "bumpy" flight just in case we would be met by rain and strong winds again when the plane lands in Naga.

          So I was pleasantly surprised that the flight proceeded smoothly and 45 minutes later the plane was already flying over Naga City. I haven't even finished reading my newspaper!

          As the "fasten your seatbelt" sign came on, the stewardess announced on the plane's intercom in a very professional (and sexy) voice: "Ladies and gentlemen once again the captain has turned on the fasten your seatbelt sign to signal our approach into Manila. Please ensure that your trays are stowed... (long pause, like someone was talking to her) ...to signal our approach into NAGA. Please ensure that your trays are stowed, the window shades are up and that your seatbelts are in the upright position. Thank you."

          The group of foreigners in front of me started chuckling but before they could make any comment, the stewardess quickly came on the intercom again, without the sexy voice this time, and said quickly "...that your SEATS are in the upright position. Thank you!!!"

          Ok. So all's well that ends well. I won't mention na lang about how the pilot attempted two times to land on the runway because he didn't get the landing approach right the first time and he had to abort the landing and had to circle the plane above the runway while banking it steeply to the right in order to attempt another landing approach. The plane was so close to the ground that it seemed as if its wingtips would graze the treetops and chop off some leaves and branches (and some unfortunate fellow's head if he happened to be on top of the tree).

          So nope, I won't mention about that incident anymore. Sorry... People might be scared to fly PAL because of this.

          P.S. Good news! We all landed in one piece (obvious ba?). There wasn't any standing ovation from the passengers though, hehehe =)

 

 

 

Finding Wings

        I first read Trina Paulus' book, "Hope for the Flowers" back in High School.  It is a story about a caterpillar named Stripe.  The story had no impact on me back then; I just read it because it was required reading for our English class... And so I went on to college, graduated, got a job and started working.  It was then that I stumbled upon the book again inside National Bookstore.  I flipped through the pages, started reading and before I knew it, I had finished the book right there and then, right in front of the "No Private Reading" sign inside the store. 

        I couldn't get enough of the book and so I bought a copy for my own even though I had already read it from cover to cover.  (And that was how the name "Pepperstripe" came to be.)

        Stripe's story goes like this:

        Stripe was born a tiny striped caterpillar who loved to crawl around and eat leaves.  He became bored with just crawling around in a field. One day, when he was looking off in the distance, he saw a pillar going up into the sky. He thought, "I wonder what that is." He crawled toward the pillar, and saw that it was a pillar of caterpillars climbing upward. He couldn't see the top of the pillar because it went up into a cloud. He thought, "Maybe that's what caterpillars are supposed to do--climb caterpillar pillars." He got on the caterpillar pillar and started to climb up. The only way to do that was to step on other caterpillars' heads, so he kept pushing his way up. Every once in a while, he would ask another caterpillar, "What is at the top of the pillar?" They all said, "We don't know, but everyone is going up there, so it must be something important."

        On his way up, he stepped on the head of a little yellow caterpillar that was very pretty. He felt bad about that, and did something someone isn't supposed to do when he is stepping on others' heads--he looked her in the eye. He thought, "She's a lovely little caterpillar." He said to her, "Maybe it would be better not to climb this caterpillar pillar, but to go back to the field and just hug a lot." The two of them worked their way down the caterpillar pillar into the field, and hugged a lot. After a while, hugging got a little boring, and Stripe said, "I'm going to go back up the caterpillar pillar and see what's up there." She said, I can't go back up that," so Stripe left her.

        Lonely, the pretty yellow caterpillar was crawling around in a field when she saw something funny hanging from a branch. It was half of a little case and half of a caterpillar. She said to the caterpillar, "What are you doing?" He said, "I'm spinning a cocoon." She asked, "Why are you doing that?" The caterpillar said, "Because I'm going to die." She said, "Why do you want to die?" He said, "Because if I die, I will be born again as a butterfly." She said, "Are you sure? Suppose you aren't born as a butterfly?" He said, "I will become born again as a butterfly, because that's what caterpillars are made to be. But they have to die first."

        She thought about that for a long time, because doing that was a big decision. Finally, she decided she'd be willing to die and be born as a butterfly. She realized that if she did that, she wouldn't have to climb the caterpillar pillar; she could fly over the top and look down to see what was up there. She spun a cocoon and died, and became born as a butterfly. So she flew over to the caterpillar pillar and found Stripe, very close to the top of the pillar, almost about to find out what was at the top.

        Do you know what happened when a caterpillar got to the top? A caterpillar underneath him would push him off, making him fall all the way to the bottom of the pillar and die. But before that happened to Stripe, she rescued him. Later on, Stripe spun a cocoon and became a butterfly too.

        Once again, there was hope for the flowers...

        What does that story say?  It says that if you're willing to die, you can be born again into a better life.  For two caterpillars, we all know, surrendering to the cocoon is the only way to finally fly.  For us humans, surrendering to the Lord and allowing Him to fulfill His purpose for us in our lives is the only way to finally fly -- to have eternal life with Him.         

        That is His purpose for us... 

        If you want to read the longer version (full text) of the story, click here. Or better yet, buy a copy of the book from National Bookstore and experience the fun reading it with the illustrations and all. 

-----------------------------------------
"Life is changed, not taken away."

Google Talk

        Ever wondered what Google would say if it could talk?  Wonder no more. Enter three or four words and Google Talk will finish your thoughts by searching for what comes next after these words.  Then it will remove the first word of the search string, add the found word and repeat.

The result seems to be meaningfull sometimes. Other times it is giblish. But always fun.

Here's what I got when I entered "dexter is so..." as the seed entry:

"dexter is so... adorable! and i love you In many languages, and dialects. in the Netherlands. from the United States Code Title Chapter and section headings contained herein are PROVIDED as IS, without express OR implied WARRANTIES INCLUDING, but not LIMITED to the following: plants are considered to be the most important thing You can do to Help the homeless Walkathon on the National Mall in Washington, DC. and the surrounding area."

Hmmm.  Not bad, eh? =)

Try it out: Google Talk

Madilim ba?

        I used to think that this song was "Jologs" when I first heard it aired over the radio.  Nowadays, this 1988 Awit Awards Song of the Year by Gary V. is starting to become my regular morning repertoire inside the bathroom.  It's a good thing the neighbors (and their dogs) are too far away from the bathroom window so they can barely hear the racket I'm creating every morning =)

        It's a spirit-lifting number with a reassuring message that He will always be there for me, no matter what...

Take Me Out of the Dark
- Gary Valenciano

Just what is it in me?
Sometimes I just don't know
What keeps me in Your love,
Why you never let me go

And though you're in me now,
I fall and hurt you still
My Lord, please show me how
To know just how you feel

You have forgiven me
Too many times it seems
I feel I'm not what you might call
A worthy Christian after all

And though I love You so
Temptation finds its way to me

Teach me to trust in You
With all my heart
To lean not on my own understanding
I just forget
You won't give me what I can't bear

Take me out of the dark, my Lord
I don't wanna be there...

 
        I really like this song but don't come to me saying na "tumatanda na ako", because I'll answer you back "eh ano? guwapo naman!", hehehe.  Well, ganyan lang talaga, it's just part of the pleasant discoveries that I find along the way as I journey through life with a renewed purpose.

        Life is surely worth living for Him!

        Now, if only I could find a guitar chord music sheet for this song -- my daily early morning rendition would be truly complete =)

-----------------------------------------
Find the complete song lyrics here.

1...2...3...click!

        I'm not really a photo bug.  The way I take pictures is I just snap away with my cameraphone like a trigger-happy gunman with the hope that my shots will come out just fine.  It's a good thing that this is now the era of digital technology, otherwise I would've wasted rolls and rolls of film if I was using the standard "Kodak" to take pictures.

        So after sifting through the 747 images squeezed into the 256MB memory card of my phone, finally, here are some pictures that are worth sharing.  If you notice, there's few pictures of people in my shots.  Well, that's just me... I prefer taking photographs of odds and ends to chronicle the travel highlights. 

        So here they are...  Lolo Dexter's Sing-Thai photo gallery...  =)

The famous "Elephant Show" in Thailand.  Notice that the purple elephant is sitting on his behind -- that's a very difficult trick for an elephant!

 

"The Alien" is caught by Dexterazzi shopping in Thailand...  in the ladies clothing section.

 

This is the Golden Pagoda containing the relics (bones) of Budhha, who died 2,600 years ago.  The Pagoda looks like an inverted ice cream cone.

 

Feet galore!  You have to take off your shoes to enter the temples.  Hmmm... is that feet I smell?  Ha-chooo!

 

People are so cleanliness-conscious that they take off their shoes when they get into their cars.

 

Mosquito nets protect lions from dengue.

 

Cash offerings at the temple.  Monks are fobidden to touch any form of money...  so I wonder who gets the money?

 

Three Lotus Flowers in bloom mean "I Love You" =)

 

Wow!  A bunch of Blue Roses at the temple!

 

Thais are so fond of flowers.  Real orchid flowers even adorn the restrooms inside their airplanes.

 

If Singapore has its Merlion, Thailand definitely has its very own Merelephant.

 

"Tuk-tuks" are incredibly fast and noisy too.  They can do wheelies and jump over cars just like in the James Bond VISA commercial ;-)

 

Notice the street posts and road barrier?  Nope, this is not a flooded street.  It's actually the waterway (highway?) leading to the floating market, accessible only by long-tail boats (which actually have long noses).

 

An intricate woodcarving from a tree stump.  Notice the fine details of the leaves, the vines and the animals.  This quality work will definitely rival, if not outshine, the works of the mountain tribe woodcarvers in the Philippines.

 

This is what I call free signage...  Fake Louis Vuitton bags being sold outside a Louis Vuitton store selling the authentic pieces. 

 

Sawasdee Girls quietly say "Welcome to Thailand!"

 

Ey!  Sawasdee Babes!!!  "Welcome to Thailand!!!"

 

So THAT's how they clean the windows of the plane!

 

Here's how to make cotton candy...

 

Is the Merlion sick?

 

Another "sick" creature... Hmmm, there must be something in Singapore's water that make animals do this...  dwaarrrrkk!

 

Bawal maligo dito. More water... The Fountain of Wealth in Suntec City.

 

Pink walkway!  How happy and gay, hehehe!  ;-)

 

Wow!  Our favorite junk foods are now available in Singapore!  Yessss, way to go, Jack 'n Jill!

 

Aloha daw o?!  I think it's supposed to be "Mabuhay Banana Philippines"

 

Free groceries!!! =)

 

Is that a building or a billboard?

 

Wow!  I didn't know buildings could do that!!!  The Westin Stamford hotel in singapore practices its 9-11 evasive manoeuvers.

 

Jealous husbands and wives go here to swim.

 

...and non-jealous husbands and wives go here to dance.

 

The Merlion (which looks like King Kong) stands guard over Sentosa Park with its eyes a-glowing.

 

Spiderman working undercover in Singapore.  No wonder the city-state is relatively crime-free!

 

         So there they are!  Now, if you're looking for real people pics with all the smiles and poses and the 1..2..3..clicks, you can visit my sis' photo album and photo gallery for some other travel highlights (quickly now, while the pics are still there, hehehe).