2012.

More lows than highs. 
More confusion than clarity. 
More doubts than certainty. 

There are just so many things you can never foresee
My life has never been what I see in my head
Instead its more of what life gives me
And I try my best to make it work.

Nevertheless, here's to the year of struggle.
For all the things I discovered about myself.
For being a tad bit wiser and a tad bit better.
Most importantly being challenged to be ME.

I felt that this year, the insides of me died.
And in every death there is a beginning.
Here's to what's in store in 2013.
I claim it to be MY year, by hook or by crook.

I pray for Clarity. Patience. Acceptance. Perseverance. Faith.
May it be a completely different and absolutely thrilling 2013!

12272012.MOA.

. The constants. Couldn't be any more grateful for them. 

Great food. Even better company. 

Christmas Traditions. Exchanging gifts. 

It really is more fun to celebrate holidays with the family. 

So I haven't written anything here for quite sometime and it really has been a crazy month actually. Having spent 2 weeks in the school where my sister teaches watching over the little kids and seeing them play and dance and prepare for their Christmas party. There's endless partying and shopping in between also. I just got down from a quick trip to Baguio, to witness my friends' wedding. Weddings are my favorite events, I just love celebrating love and sharing these kinds of moments with the people we love. If there's anything that this month has taught me, its the importance of the little things in life. Seeing people you haven't seen for a long time; reconnecting with old friends; having fun with family and friends. This life may always be crazy but in between are more subtle moments where we can just take in everything and still see the beauty of life. My life hasn't been really good not exactly ideal in fact, but yet, I still find it beautiful. It is beautiful because of the people I have in it. It is beautiful because of the many things that happens a midst the craziness of it. It is still beautiful because inspite and despite everything, I can still feel, witness, and the most important of all share love. Its Christmas in a few days, and isn't  it that Jesus' birth is the best symbol of how much God loves us?  So I hope that in between the crazy traffic, last minute shopping and partying this holiday season may we not forget to share the love that has been given to us. It really is the main reason why we are celebrating it anyway.

As I'm writing this down and I reflect on so many things in my life, I guess its time to reconnect with my faith once more. No better way to celebrate the holidays than realizing what it really is for. 

Will Grayson, WIll Grayson

Just finished reading Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan.

I swear I am in love with these two writers. Separately they're amazing \what more if you combine their genius in a book its double the genius. WHAT? But seriously, they have the capability to actually bring you into another world and another dimension and make you forget of your own reality and just enjoy the characters of the story. And also they never forget to deliver endless life quotes in a book. This one isn't any different as I actually have a bunch of pictures of these and there are a number of dog-eared pages in my book. I can actually read this book again and again and again and again.

One more thing going for this book is its main idea. How you come into terms with who you are and being friends with people and how to be a friend and it even touches on gay awareness, but most importantly the book teaches its readers how to confront different and difficult emotions all together. Its crazy, really you should pick this one up. I'm not so sure with what I'm writing or why I am writing this but all I really want to say is this book is too awesome for my life. I swear. It has such a depth of love in its different forms.

Its a genius concept written by really incredible writers and in an unorthodox way. Yes. This book is unorthodox. And I just completely fell in love with it.

me: you know what sucks about love?
o.w.g: what?
me: that it's so tied to the truth.

- Will Grayson, Will Grayson, Green & Levithan, 2010

Let It Snow

I felt so alone on that train.. a weird unnatural kind of alone that bore into me. It was feeling just beyond fear and somewhere to the left of sadness.Tired but not the kind of tired that sleep fixes. Ir was dark and gloomy, and yet, it didn't seem that things would get any better if the were turned up. If anything, I would be able to get a much better look at my unpleasant situation.- Jubilee, The Jubilee Express

 There is always the risk: something is good and good and good and good, and then all at once it gets awkward. All at once, she sees you looking at her, and then she doesn't want to joke around with you anymore, because she doesn't want to seem flirty, because she doesn't want you to think she likes you. It's such a disaster, whenever, in the course of human relationships, someone begins to chisel away at the wall of separation between friendship and kissing. Breaking down the wall that is the kind of story that might have a happy middle-- o, look, we broke down this wall, I'm going to look at you like a girl and you're going to look at me like a boy and we're going to play a fun game called Can I Put My Hand There What About There What About There. And sometimes that happy middle looks so great that you can convince yourself that it's not the middle that will last forever. - Tobin, Cheertastic Christmas Miracle

But then again (and here is one of my main complaints about human consciousness): one you think a thought, it is extremely difficult to unthink it. And I had thought the thought. - Tobin, Cheertastic Christmas Miracle

Aladdin :)

After a few days of caving in at the house I finally decided, or my body had such a good nights rest that I was able to actually get up and drive and leave the house, to go take a look at the Aladdin The New Stage Musical at the Meralco Theater.

I've always been fascinated with theater productions. Theater has always been the one thing I wish I could be a part of, again. I remember the adrenaline of having to go through everything from stage design, props, to costume, the makeup, the actors, to lights and music and nothing compares to the feeling of seeing it come alive all at once.

I've always fallen in love with stage production especially with the lights. I've always been fascinated by dancing lights and how it creates more meaning, depth and reality into a scene. A wrong lighting could potentially ruin everything. This is what I liked best about the play though, the production was a feast for the eyes. The lights were gorgeous, the sets were also drop dead. Its amazing how they were able to re-create the palace, the street market and yes, even the flying carpet. I could just imagine, jaws dropped when this was happening on stage. I swear, the kid in me was extra giddy, alive and kicking!

This musical has a totally new approach to the story. It has comic reliefs here and there which tied seamlessly to the story itself. It wasn't trying too hard, it was put in places and it wasn't over killed. It was really a joy to watch, the costume, music and set gives off the 'Arabian nights' vibe that the story really asks for.

I never really thought that this story was actually the best story among all of the Disney Princess. Aladdin have these subtle morals injected here and there that both kids and adults could learn from. Its lessons are important in living our own happily ever after.

Kryzha Veron :)

TO THE SLOWEST PERSON TO GET ALL THE JOKES, ALL THE TIME, 

TO THE PERSON THAT GETS 'BULLIED' EVERY TIME AND YET LOVES US STILL

TO ONE OF THE MOST TALENTED PEOPLE THERE IS IN THIS WORLD

and

TO ONE OF MY FAVORITE GIRLS IN THE WHOLE OF YFC AND THE WORLD...

Happy birthday Zha! :) May this year be a year of love, hope, happiness and success for you! :)

Though we have not seen in each other in months and I've been out of the loop in your life, know that I am proud (proudest at that) of the person that you're slowly becoming to be. Always remember what I said before 'stop comparing yourself to me (or in this case, to other people), and just be YOU'; because, you, no matter how slow and lost and corny you are, you are awesome and great in your own way. You are special like that. :)

 I love you, Zha. I'll always be here for you, whether it be your needs for MTQ or for anything in the world, really. Continue being passionate with what you do, sharing God's greatness in your life to other people and be a blessing to everyone you are with, because you are.

Happy birthday, again! :) I better see you soon woman. We have a lot to catch up on. :)
Love you to the end of time, Catapia.

I really wish that I could write something of substance and life more here but I can't write about life because, I haven't been living it. When will I ever get the chance to anyway? Oh, the world of the unknown.

A 'big girl' kind of night for me! First time that I went out at night without my sister! HAHA.

Missed these bunch of people from college. Last time I've seen them was graduation. OA sa tagal please.

Indeed, some things never change, will always be grateful to have met them! Here's to getting old(er) together! :)

*All pics by Tiffany! 

Carmela's Diary: Weekend Trip to Bacolod :)

The story of this trip is quite funny if you ask me. I wasn't really suppose to come but one of our friends had to cancel so I just got her ticket instead. So all of a sudden I'm en route to Bacolod for the Masskara Festival. :) Oh, and the timing couldn't get any better also, since I just got my new camera a few days before the trip!!! And before you continue, I must say that this would be a lengthy one!

October 19

It was quite a hectic day! My sister and I weren't able to pack anything the night before since we were preparing for her school's Halloween Jamboree. Our flight was at 7pm and our friends have decided to meet up at 4pm in Katipunan. The jamboree finished at around 1pm (good thing the place was just 5 minutes away from our house) we rushed home and had to pack really fast since we have to leave by 3:30pm. Phew. So I literally just dumped all of my clothes in my bag, bahala na anong istura ko sa Bacolod. I ended up having too many extra clothes! Then finally we got to meet up with our friends and we we're shortly on our way to the airport! 

Upon our arrival in Bacolod we were met by Kris' tita and we're treated to dinner. Yes. We had our first Inasal dinner in Bacolod. Then we went to the house to settle down, let Royce finish her paper and freshen up a bit for the night!

Royce being Royce, said we should hang-out at Dugout for the night, since her friends would be there and off we went but for some reason, her friends weren't able to come anymore. So we just finished our drinks and went home. It was too long a day to even have the energy to party elsewhere. 

October 20

Since Yma and I are going home 1 day earlier than the rest of the girls, we decided to go around the city this day. We were off to Mambukal Falls which was an hour drive from the city. But before heading straight to Mambukal, we first went to the market to buy some lunch. We were also able to buy some snacks for us like Lumpia, Ringbee, Nips and Knicknacks. And ofcourse we need to have our ice cream fix. Crunch for Kam, Yma and Royce and my ultimate favorite Orange Twin Pops for me! 

This isn't the first time I went to Mambukal and this place really reminds me of Eco Park here in Quezon City. So we settled first, had a quick lunch before we decided to explore the place even more. 

After lunch we decided to go and see the 7 falls that this place was famous for. It was quite a trek actually. And it was quite a long one too just to get to the first fall. The things is though, when we were about to go to the third one, the rain started pouring really hard and it was too dangerous to continue so that's about the most that we could see. Since it started raining, I couldn't take pictures with my cam, good thing though is that my sister and Royce had waterproof cameras, so yes, no one could stop us from taking pictures, not even the rain. 

Afterwards, we had to tidy ourselves and go home immediately since we were trying to catch the electric masskara float parade. We also stopped by the new municipal office of Bacolod to have our picture taken. After this day, I realized 2 things. 1. Longchamp is really waterproof! Swear none of our things were wet after that dreadful rain and 2 I'm the clumsiest person I know. I manage to get myself a scratch despite being extra careful. 

I got cut with one of the rocks going down. It was a short one but it was really deep!!!
Thankfully I always have bandaids with me

Then we were off to the street party! We all decided to wear neon/ loud colors not only for the roofdeck party but also since we're going to the Masskara Festival, one of the most colorful festivals in our country. First time ever in my life that I've experience this kind of mobbing and walking, and I really mean endlessly walking and waiting! It was fun though but really super tiring and of course we just had to squeeze in a quick visit to Calea and fulfill our sweet tooth craving! I could really eat here all day, everyday! 

After we had our share of Calea cakes we went back waiting for the electric masskara parade, which for me was a tad bit disappointing, maybe because it wasn't exactly what I was expecting especially having to wait for around 10 minutes just to wait for the next float. Also by the time the floats approach our side of the street they're tired already and we couldn't exactly feel the festive mood but aside from that it was all good.

So here's when the mobbing started. As Royce did her thing in McDo and while we waited for her outside, Kiefer asked us to meet him in the Sun booth which was a few blocks away, and that's why we get mobbed, pushed and stepped by everyone else just to get to him. Once we got there it was endless kulitan but good thing though was it wasn't as hot and we were able to seat! YES. Finally. Also we were able to force him to join us at the Roofdeck Party at L'Fisher.

We were once again mobbed looking for Royce's friends since we're gonna be with them for the night. At about this time, the lolas, Kris and Yma decided to go home, yes at 11:30ish. But we just went on with our plans anyway. We partied at L'Fisher, walked the stretch of Lacson even ate Balut, passed by Dug-out, got lost going home. Phew. It was such a long and tiring day, indeed. 

October 21

We started this day with a mass, had a quick rest and off we go to buy pasalubong. To our surprise we even caught the assembly of the street dancers and the parade for the day, so we took this opportunity to have our pictures taken with them, with their colorful and really creative costumes before heading to our next destination. Oh, this must be said that the lazy me, forgot to charge my camera thus I wasn't able to take as many pictures as I wanted to during this afternoon. :(

We really planned to visit The Ruins right before going to the airport since it was on the way. This must be said though, The Ruins is one of the most picturesque place I've ever been to. (And when I say picturesque, I mean, its still pretty even if you use different brands and kinds of camera!) I also heard they serve good food, but we were short with time and we weren't able to eat in their cafe, but since its worth a return trip to, maybe we could eat while waiting for the sunset (which is the best time to go to this place by the way) next time. I spared some of my battery for the moment I'll be seeing this place so I was still able to snap a few shots before my camera battery died on me. Please forgive the vanity in this set though. 

And it was time for me and Yma to leave. While waiting for our plane we just played Monopoly Deal Millionaire, good thing the plane was semi on time unlike the previous flight and we were once again bound for reality, aka, Manila!

And that was it, some kind of weekend huh? So long Bacolod! It has been a great weekend! 'Til next time! 

This makes me wonder where our next destination would be? 

PS. Sorry for the other pictures who are on landscape instead of portrait. I have no idea how to rotate it once uploaded here. I also got other pictures from my friends too! :) Sorry if its a lengthy one, but hey, its full of pictures anyway! :)