WARNING: Queso-filled.

This is to the man who has mustered some courage to really pursue me and break through my diva walls. To my El Gwapo, thanks for being my new BFF, my prayer partner, my jogging coach, my shopping consultant and my ka-HHWW. 

Through you, I am becoming more and more convinced that God really really really loves me and favors me. =)

Happy birthday, Love!

Ang Syota Kong Puti

Naaalala niyo pa ba yung sinulat kong Walang Pamagat? Wala pang isang taon buhat nang sinulat ko iyon  pero napakarami nang nangyari sa akin. Nakapagdaos ako ng aking kaarawan sa bahay, ang theme ko non ay geek. Nakapunta rin ako sa lugar na isa sa aking pangarap dayuhin, ang bansang Israel. Nakapunta din ako sa unang pagkakataon sa Mindanao upang mag-abot ng tulong sa iilang mga barangay. At itong huli, natapos na rin ang bahay na pinapangarap ng aking mga magulang. Tunay ngang walang maikukumpara sa gawa ng Diyos. Lahat ng aking natamong biyaya ay dahil lamang sa Kanyang kabaitan at pagkakaluob.

Pero siyempre alam kong mas interesado kayo sa aking buhay pag-ibig. :-) Napakamakulay nito ngayon (naks) dahil sa syota kong puti. Hindi ko nga akalaing magugustuhan ko ang katulad niya. Ang tipo ko kasi dati ay Pilipinong lalaki na kulay kayumanggi. Pero siguro nagustuhan ko siya hindi dahil sa lahi o hitsura niya. Isa siyang mabuting tao at napakapasensiyoso.

Nung una ko palang siyang nakilala, hindi ko siya gusto. Hindi kasi siya gwapo sa paningin ko hehe. Pero walang biro, hindi ko siya gusto nuon dahil para bang may naplano na ako sa aking isipan na klase ng lalaki na aking magiging boypren. Pero dahil sa kanyang panununuyo (at siyempre panalangin) nagustuhan ko na rin siya. Ganon yata talaga kaming mga babae. Dapat hinihintay, dapat sinusuyo at matira ang matibay!

Hindi ko naman sa nilalahat, pero alam naman natin na ang mga tao sa ibang bansa lalo na ang nasa may bandang kanluran ay hindi masyadong mahilig maligo. Hahaha. Kaya naman nuong nagde-date pa lang kami, inaamoy ko talaga siya nang bongga (palihim nga lang), dahil kung hindi siya mabango, hay naku, ayawan na.

Ang syota kong puti ay nagtatrabaho sa kumpanyang gumagawa ng computer games. Kaya siguro halos lahat ng pag-uusap namin ay mayroong sound effects na kasama. Mas naipaliliwanag niya ang kanyang sarili kapag sinasabayan ng tunog ng inilalarawan niyang bagay. O-ha!

Ang syota kong puti ay mapagmahal, hindi lang sa akin pati na sa kanyang mga magulang at mga kaibigan. Siguro isa na rin sa nagustuhan ko sa kanya ay ang pagkakatulad ng kanyang ugali sa ugaling Pinoy. Siya ay magalang, konserbatibo, simple at masayang kasama. Isa rin siyang dakilang maginoo. Hanggang ngayon ay hinihila pa niya ang upuan para sa akin at iniuusod palapit sa mesa bago ako umupo. Kilig!

Ang syota kong puti ay takot sa akin. Haha biro lang! Ang totoo, ang syota kong puti ay may malaking puso na parang isang bata. Siya ay mapagkumbaba at madasalin. Natutuwa ako kapag kinukuwento niya sa akin kung paano pinagaling ng Diyos ang kanyang sakit sa ulo o dininig ang kanyang mga mumunting panalangin.

Ano pang masasabi ko? Ang syota kong puti ay da best! Salamat, Lord!

Turn It Off: Ways on How to Use Online Networks to Enrich My "Real" Life

Before I became a netizen, I was a library-goer. My huge shoulder bag used to contain a pencil case with different colored gel pens, a pocketbook to read in the subway, and a cute phonebook that was made in Taiwan. I also kept a diary with a planner at the back where the birthdays of my close friends and relatives were marked. Playing games for me then involved huddling up with my cousins in our living room to play Scrabble or Pictionary or a trip to the nearest arcade. To call for pizza deliveries or plumbing services, we would use the very handy Yellow Pages.

And then internet happened. Everything can now be done in the world of triple w. 

Image from dvdactive.com

I don’t know if you guys are familiar with the movie, Electric Dreams. I was one year old when it was released. I'm not really sure how I can connect it to this blog post but I think it's cute so I put it up anyway. The movie was about a love triangle between an architect (Lenny Von Dohlen), a home computer and a pretty cellist (Virgina Madsen). In contrast to the film’s poster, the home computer was actually the one responsible for sort of bringing Dohlen and Madsen together.

In a recent article I read from RelevantMagazine, the writer suggested ways on how we can use our Internet pursuits to add meaning and richness to our offline life. And this inspired me to come up with my own. We don't have to be tuned in to various social networks just to gain 'likes' and look cool, and get addicted to the point that what we consider our important relationships start becoming shallow online connections.

Facebook

Aside from checking in at every posh place every time I have the very rare opportunity to, and aside from posting several variations of my angled head shots, I think I can do more with it by engaging my spheres of influence to be involved in something radical and purposeful. Some call this "very brave and selfless" act of sharing information with a mere click of the computer mouse as slacktivism which may seem a semi-passive and lazy way of being involved with advocacy issues, but didn't the Kony Rally start this way? The viral video that the NGO, Invisible Children spread made all of us become aware (and uncomfortable) to the extent that it urged us to do something about it. And what about how Daphne Oseña used Twitter and Facebook to obtain support from Canadian volunteers of Global Medic to supply and restore clean water for the province of Cagayan de Oro, Philippines after the devastation brought by typhoon Sendong?

Photo taken from aljazeera.com

Let's use this social network to create groups and communities of people and spur them into positive action. Let's leverage on it to encourage, uplift, inform and innovate. I know Facebook is meant for us to have fun, but 'meaningful' can also ride along with it, right? 

Pinterest
I use Pinterest to compile images of places I'd like to visit someday and to share photos of other people's dream destinations, most of which I'd tag as eye candies cause these places are too sweet for me to afford. But perhaps, instead of just re-pinning the bytes, why don't we use Pinterest to connect to people who'd like to travel to the same places and organize an à la gapyear.com tour with travel buddies (potential friends) all over the world? Travel is more fun, not to mention cheaper and safer when done in groups, and like-minded 'pinners' can use this network to gain not only cheaper hotel rates but more culturally-enriching travel experience. 

Instagram
Girls like me love taking photos - not just of our own pretty faces but also of every single meal we're about to partake in a day. Sushi and wasabi? Click! Cheese sandwich and orange juice? Click! Green leaves? Click! Why don't we use Instagram then to gather friends and colleagues in a food-tasting (with photography, of course) party? Host a costume party at your place and make a DIY photo booth. While you're at it, why not youtube some songs you've been wanting to learn with your guitar or piano and host a jamming session with friends? 

Let us not only be digitally wired but let us also be plugged in to a community of sociable people thriving in healthy, solid and deep relationships.