mao diay

mao ni. mao ni ang hinungdan nganong dapat magtinarong ug 'organize' sa mga papeles.

***


niadtong tuig 2006, ning take ko ani na test kay kinahanglanon sa akong pag apply aron ma naturalisado isip usa ka citizen ngari sa england.

tungod kay sige mi ug larga niadtong mga tuiga 2006,2007,2008,wala usa ko ning apply sa akoang citizenship kay mahadlok ko itanggong nila akong passport.

ug kay tungod giingnan nako nga dapat taguon gyud ning papela (with matching saka kilay for emphasis), kay di na sila muhatag ug laing kopya (mu take sa test balik kun mawala nimo), i made sure, gihipos nako ug tarong. sa sobra ka tarong sa pag hipos, nakalimot na nuon ko, diin nako gihipos.

last nakong hinumdom, nadala pa nako ang papel sa akoang trabahoan, kay akong gi pa serokan (xerox,LOL). apil ang xerox gitago nako kuyog sa adtong orihinal na dokumento.


pasporward karon, di na gyud mapugngan, kinahanglan na gyud ko mu apply ug pasport nga pula, (kay si adrian sige ngalngal kay di mi kalarga ug surprise surprise kay kinahanglan ko pirmi mupila sa embahado sa ubang nasod), wala gihapon nako nakit-an.

mao nang ning take nasad ko ug usab sa test.

mao nang nakabayad nasad nuon ko ug balik.

mao nang wala ko'y katulog kay kinahanglan ug tuon sa libro nga Life in the UK test chapters 2-6.

mao nang gipaningot ko'g bugbog kay basin hinuon di na nuon ko kapasar sa akong ikaduhang take kay nagtinapulan wala nibasa sa libro ahead of time. (nag kraming kagabii..akong aybags murag nag eye luggage).

mao nang nakaginhawa ko ug tarong paghatag sa papel na nakapasar ko..

mao nang dapat mag ampo ug tarong para pasar pirmi sa test.

mao nang gibinisaya ni kay daghan unya makabasa dili ingon nato.

mao na.


***

pagkahuman nako ug paghulagway aning papelesa, gibawi sa akong bana ug giingnan ko nga siya nalang kuno ang mutago niini.

mao na gyud!


***

iampo nalang unta nako nga mas paspas ang pag proseso nila sa akng papeles (para makauli ko sa cebu karong pasko,pohon).

unta dili parehas sa gibuhat nila sa sa papeles sa akong mga manghod. hantud karon, "the appeal is in process" ang itubag sa babaye sa telepono. intawn ang akong inahan, nagsige paabot sa ilaha, natanggong iyang byuti.

galabad gyud akong ulo.

jamaican food, crepes and shakespeare

adrian surprised me by taking me to a jamaican restaurant which he researched. he must have been tired of me reliving the tasty goodness of that jerk chicken we had at manchester this year, and i have been craving for that tasty jamaican recipe chicken, fried plantains,and red bean rice. since manchester is impossible to go to for just this craving,he researched one online for me. and took me there today.

the restaurant was tiny, and i could hardly call a resto, but mostly jamaican restaurant are so laid back and never a fine dining experience.

they ran out of fried plantains though, so we got prawn curry and roti (trinidadian style)..and of course, the famous jamaican jerk chicken and rice. yumm!..definitely a treat where im taking visitors in the future..(yoohoo, anyone wanting to visit me yet?).

overall, the meal was tasty considering it was really cheap=)




jerk chicken meal



showing off the minimal menu



weird drink..it said "kalamansi" ..it didnt taste like kalamansi



the tiny entrance


we also made the most of the day by going and doing the tour at the Globe theatre. we felt William was around in spirit. i learned so much today about him considering i did the same tour 5 years ago...and it helped that the tour lady (named Glenis) was the funniest tour lady that day. she had little anecdotes about the actors tha played in the theater, interspersed with history lecture.



she rocks



costumes they use



props they use...



you could tell, i got a lazy left eye



more props


at the embankment, adrian asked whether i was up for a crepe. did he really think id say "no" ?.

the ending, we had big portions of crepes.




outdoor eating, we were still feeling summery..




having his coffee




the cute interiors




he ordered the plain one with maple syrup




hmmnn, i wonder whose order this was? LOL.


we were fully satiated with our pigging out. we decided to drop by earls court to get my "regular fix" from the filipino store.

we went home waddling like ballooned penguins, literally.

happy penguins at that.

prague reminisce

*prague by the bridge and by its unique street cafes*


im just remembering prague, in a visual way.

in as much as words enthrall and excite me,i still get inspired visually.

i was looking at photos of our mini break this year to this historical czech city,i am taken back to the walks,and the conversations weve had.

boy, am i glad, im born in the time where at a push of a button, i can relive experiences again.

i think, to be born in the times before digital, people's imaginations have to vivid and memories tack sharp to remember what im able to now.

these details of past holidays will always be sharp, and vivid, as far as my computer and memory card lets me.

sais

6 years.

thats what we will be on the second of this month (august).

i almost forgot.

almost. but i will never.

every single day that i wake up beside you, i will be reminded of that date, i surrendered myself to a lifetime of mutual love and respect and admiration.

you, the best person who knows me. or actually, you are catching up now with kharla.

we both know, our marriage is unlike any other because of the age gap, two cultures and different upbringing, but really, a lifetime of deciphering the other is enough excitement to keep us both glued to this commitment we sealed on the fateful day.

are you still with me?

wait, dont answer that question.

i know the truth.

its in the surrendering silence you give me when i am being a spoilt unreasonable brat, or the rolling of your eyes when i nag you to put suncream every single day (and even in winter). its the laugh you give when i say something "unlady-like" or its the way you wake me up if i fall asleep in the middle of a movie.and its the pretend calm in your voice but the wild panic in your eyes, assuring me "everything's ok", when you drove me to the hospital when i had an allergy attack.

ours is not a textbook romance. not at all.

thats why these 6 years have been the most brutally honest, and the most exhilirating experience i could ever imagine.

i can't believe i have been this lucky.


* * *

i promised to not embarass you with "i love you's" in my blog anymore..so here's being mushy without saying those words.

now, your turn.

mind yoga and madeleine p.

let go,let go
let go
of things you
have no control over...

im letting go.


* * *


photo: an old one, but readjusted.


* * *

its almost 3 am. i cant sleep. listening to madeleine peyroux...and a glass of hot chocolate drink to put me to bed.

so far, the more i listen to her music, the more, my creative juice is flowing..

i am a music nut. music puts everything in its place for me.

puts me in the mood for anything.

creativity, leisure, dancing, going out, staying in, cleaning, cooking, wakes me up,

and hopefully, putting me to bed.

things i cant teach

one can give material things, one can shower people with "luho's" and gallant gifts.

but these things i cannot give: to teach these:


1) appreciation... to appreciate things around them and appreciate the little things that happen in their midst. appreciate the sacrifices done on their behalfs.


2) "utang-na-loob"...my father was an example of this. to show gratitude to people who have always been there. to let them know that you appreciate the times they were there in difficulties. sadly, not everyone practice this. gratitude is twinned with appreciation. if appreciation is not there, how can gratitude be present?


3) good manners...if you live with people who by example show manners who are not of good example,expect someone to grow exactly just the same. all of us unconsciously grow with the environment we live in. but only a special few will fight to follow the good from the bad.


4) respect...ahhh, the magic word, this is not something you teach people..this is earned. but how to do that? i wouldnt know the answer. because sometimes, i dont get the respect, i thought i deserve from the people that i thought id get it from.


5) love. one cant buy love. no amount of money, or buying people's wares from them, buying all the stuff they sell you, they will never love you back. they would still love the ones who never gave a toss.


these are the ironies of life. im writing it down. to remind myself that there was a time, i learned these lessons the hard way.


di na gyud ko muusab, ikausa nalang...

max surban was a childhood hero.

girls of my heart

had a nice evening out with friends tonight.

most of them know, it takes alot of coaxing for me to go out nowadays as i have politely been declining evening for noisy clubs and dancing. i prefer talking and eating (of course!) to anything. and if there is dancing involved, id be partial to that done at people's homes than in clubs. clubs are such meat markets (another blog altogether).

tonight, we talked about our respective work, (sidelines,lol), men in our lives, buying houses, promotion and babies...and advised one of us who needed some guidance on the track where her lovelife is going.

the restaurant (Marco's Tapa's bar) wasnt all that.it was overpriced and not at all tasty...we moved to a family owned cafe (a better atmosphere) for coffee..but for all the booboos with dinner, the laughter and the topics we talked about just made up for it all.


food and friendships never fail to give one a good night.

wishing you a lot of nights like this.




me after putting the make up on





i was picking up eve from her house




lisa and eve wishing sarah a healthy baby=)




beautiful and inspiring beings




tash and i





im caught in between smiles=)




my coffee had a star..the waiter said, because i am...awww.im gullible.

feeling nature

adrian and i were lucky to have a little sunshine after going to the garden centre on sunday.

he suggested to go walking by the woodlands and fields just near where we live.

when we got there, i felt as if i was in commune with nature. i felt the tingling sensation of the wind on the wisps of baby hairs on my forehead.

(i also wished we had a dog to walk, as most people who were there, (three people actually), they were there with their bestfriend canines. )





i took the opportune time to breathe in the view that greeted me.

i listened to the beating of my heart (and adrian's heavy breathing from climbing the hills,lol).

i was in the threshold of immersing myself with the unspoken, and in the border of freeing my spirit from the body.

i was drinking in the moment and i was drunk from its sanctity.

and i embraced the union of my soul with the winds.




tuesday evenings do this to me.

i reminisce feelings. i soak up in memories.

senti, to put it bluntly....

getting some inspiration

apart from people i know (and some personal heroes), i get my inspiration from my day to day activities.

adrian and i went to the garden centre today. it was supposed to be yesterday but as we decided to do a mini barbeque by ourselves (i am constantly craving for barbequed pork), we decided to postpone it for today since we expected it to be a rainy day.

after finding the herb we wanted to get, adrian left me at my favourite section of the centre (as he loves to call it, "the arty part"), whilst he went hunting around for more plants.




i love some of their garden decorative pieces...



flowers everywhere, of course




of pretty colours too=)



on his element



sweet treats




my favourite corner



and of course, whats a visit to the garden centre, without having a coffee and cake snack at their snackbar.


photos: taken by gigi (canon g10)

la la la la la la la means

i love you...



* * *

this photo exemplifies "all form and no substance"..i wish he could learn photography. i have no patience to teach him. and he seems not interested.

i am longing for the day that he would whip out the second cam and say, "hold that pose!".

but it doesnt matter, he is loved no matter what.


* * *

did my friends tell you im corny when im in love?

photo: adrian in his second job as a photography assistant.

constants

i find myself constantly thinking deep but having less to talk/write about.

i have been, more often than not, too unmotivated to talk about myself. not because of wanting inspiration (i have alot of them in my life), but more because life has been a steady ebb recently, i am lacking words to describe life without being too pompous and sickeningly overtly in self-love mode.

i want to write how really wonderful it is when i wake up when sunshine through the bed window is tickling my nose, or how beautiful it is to drive through the countrysides and the horses grazing by the fields are framed beautifully by a peppering of colourful flowers.

i want to share how nice it is to hear being complimented for work you will do anyways even if its insults coming my way, or how amazing it is to work with such inspiring intelligent people who devote extra unpaid time to work for the sheer love of it, but really,sometimes, i just cant.

if beautiful things are food, id be a glutton,and im suffering from indigestion right now.

but i will not write it, because i know,it is only half the truth.

im sure somehow somewhere, someone reading this would think, life would'nt be that perfect for her. and they can enumerate in their heads the many things wrong about me (generous weight, thinning hair, and etc)..and all the wonderful things (they would like to think) i envy from them.

and there lies the problem.

in as much as i can enumerate them, in unison with certain people who are willing to cast stones about how different and sad my life would be, i can enumerate them without feeling.

i dont feel what i lack. i do not feel something is lacking in my life just because i dont have it.

the problems i may have, or the lack of perfection in my life may be glaringly obvious to most, but my life to me is just imperfectly perfect.

the logistics, the unsymmetry of events, the careless mishaps, or the lack of certain (specific) things i may never attain in this life (i.e.did i say babies?), these are the mark of me being the woman who clearly aspires to enjoy life at her utmost.

yes, balding top, weightgain, bad posture,etc..included--part of the happy equation.

happiness after all, is what we make it. i make mine, with a little bit of perspiration and aspiration. and there is no deodorant involved.


*part of pondering my life, series*


* * *

photo: a little girl with expensive taste=)

randoms

ive been feeling under the weather recently. not really ill, but not a hundred percent too.

im falling asleep everywhere, and ive got achey muscles and bones.

im getting paranoid because of this swine flu epidemic that seems to scatter on the news recently.

heavens forbid.

ii suddenly stop blogging or become invisible from the net, it only means one thing.

heavens forbid!

bad thoughts, shoo!!!


* * *

im working on my days off. ive volunteered to go to work to cover sickness and absences from some of the staff.

i actually find that im bored when im not busy. when the first opportunity to work overtime came, i jumped at the chance.

today i worked even if i didnt need to. one colleague is off due to flu-like symptoms.

im on multivitamins overdose and exercise overdrive.

this paranoia has some uses i suppose.


* * *





lunch by the window, by my lonesome ..Carluccio's South Kensington


it was a two course lunch for me yesterday,but i was on my own in a table originally for two.

the food was very much carluccio trademark, nice and jsut right. but i was needing some company.

i texted the entire time with karla. she was getting ready to go out on a date. while i was on my own.it felt like she was there. the constrained laugh i had on my face between our exchanges probably made some of the diners who were sat near me probably made them worry i was a little bit funny.

i was on my own physically, but actually, it was a lunch date with my bestfriend,Karla. i cant wait for her to visit me next year.

thank you heavens for technology.

(PS: its so sad that i get embarassed taking photos of people in close proximity as i know they could get really uncomfortable. i wish id be less worried about it. someday, ill be able to unlearn this habit. )

unravel

i always loved that word.

it brings up an image of a nicely knit-top slowly untangling the knits to reveal whats underneath.

or a scenery thats unfolding right before our eyes.

i was happily trudging in the internet one april night when i came upon a blog announcing how one starts to unravel the mysteries of oneself by joining a self discovery course.

what caught me were the words that said " ways to see yourself". how timely.. it was the time i was in between flying to Prague for a mini break and to Cebu right after for my brother's wedding while i was bombarded with wants i knew i could do without (babies? or uni? babies or uni?).

i was in a crossfire of listening to the many voices in my soul, that needed enriching.

my brain is enriched with academic input from university work. my heart is enriched with my work in occupational therapy, so are my hands. but my soul needed enriching. to dig deep behind the materialism that faces me day in and out (did i really need that new top?), and just digging more deep underneath the cynicism that i see day to day when i talk to people who hold the "ive been there and done that" attitude, its knackering (for the lack of a better term) and soul destroying most often than not.

the promise of seeing myself in a different way and looking and digging deeper was so inviting (and so refreshingly positive) that i decided to enrol in its late summer intake (coz i knew i was free from university classes). i emailed Susannah,the woman behind the course and the rest is history.


let the unravelling begin.






me, midnight coffee-cafe crawl in Prague...our last night in the city.



* * *

how timely too. something to keep my hands and mind busy while i fiddle impatiently for my siblings' visas to come through.



* * *

will you unravel with me? *Hugs*

10th of july

sisterhood is the best brotherhood



* * *



Dear Ana,

Do you remember what today is? (10,jul?).

This morning, you probably should have woken up quite early, and had a hearty breakfast (or not, depending on your excitement).

Today, you probably felt high and excited even if you havent had a wink of sleep from last night.

Today, you probably ran over and over the things you should have in your carry-all, and ran over them again just in case you missed anything you were supposed to bring.

Today,you probably changed outfit a 100x considering you already had prepared 3 different outfits to choose from to wear for today's travelling.

Today, you, Mama and Roi left the house early just to make sure you get to the airport early enough just to avoid last minute traffic jams, which normally happens on days were travelling.

Today, you probably have taken a hundred pictures by the airport, while you wait for your flight to announce boarding.


This time, you probably are several thousand miles mid-air, and wide awake enjoying the glorious movies for viewing on the plane.


Tonight, i probably would have been so hyped up and going crazy, running over a thousand lists in my head, and changing the sheets at the second bedroom over and over again.


Tonight i wouldnt have gotten any sleep because i would have been excited to meet up with you at heathrow tomorrow.

Would've, could've..


Unfortunately, today was'nt happening. But we know it will,soon.

The good thing is, we had a dress rehearsal in our minds of how this day should have gone through.

And on the day, we will relive July 10 all over again.


See you soon.


Love,

Ate.

looking forward and ahead

im excited. let me enumerate my excitement in bullet points. easier to skim read,lol.

-i bought my first fine art prints from THE SIROY...yippeeee, im excited to have her photos in canvas...they are my first serious art..an original Siroy. one day,when she's being interviewd on television shows, or when she's busy touring the world for her exhibits, i could say, i have the first few Siroy original..i can't wait for december to come for me to see and touch it. ai, puwede imo sign-nan with matching dedication please? please make my heart happy=)


-mama and i talked on the phone and we discussed our plans for the next few years. we know these are just plans but theyre exciting altogether. after theyre here this year, im planning to get my mom a multiple entry for 10 years so that she can just travel back and forth...i want to take my mom with me around the world. she deserves it..and of course, not forgetting my siblings...esp my sister Ana who has to carry our luggages (lol). peace kai!


-adrian and i have plans. instead of sitting on our butts waiting for my family to arrive for the summer (murag thats unlikely as we feel they are actually here by september), we plan on keeping ourselves busy, exploring the neighbouring towns and villages. but most of all, were slowly doing up our "old rambling" house in preparation for our guests...although the house is still ok, we might as well keep ourselves busy than being idle. today, i was rearranging furnitures and knickknacks to create more space in this european space that we have. eing the hoarder that i am, i needed to rejig the space in the loft and put all my shoes there, and winter clothes for the guests to have space in the guest bedroom. a mighty task, i might add.


-food. i have to include this here. i am excited to experiment. my most treasured recipe books are accummulating cobwebs, i need to pay attention to them now that i have time. im sorta leaning into mediterreanean cooking. ahhh, summer does this to me.


-chocolates. im actually planning to enrol myself at a chocolate-making class. (the art of chocolate making has always been an interest,lol). the task now is to find somewhere that does it on a tuesday or a wednesday. yellow pages come in handy the next few days.


-photography. no explanations needed. the word alone is exciting as exciting can be.


* * *

my lovelies, what made you excited today? i want to bask in excitement with you guys...

just one of them days

today im at home.

it's part of the benefits of being a student that you have a summer holiday. by summer holiday, it meant, no classes on days youre supposed to be at university, and you're stuck at home or doing whatever. (adrian still has classes coz he's teaching below university level, their holidays dont start until the middle of july--so im home alone).

last year, adrian and i spent our holidays over at the philippines.

this year, (supposedly )with my family here in the UK-- to tour them at days im free, which are tuesdays and wednesdays and the weekends. (Monday,Thursday and Friday, i still need to report to the hospital as they are the one who has been paying my tuition fees,lol). plus, im using the remaining annual leave i have, in the philippines over the christmas period.


but God has plans. other plans i am still waiting the outcome of.

apart from the fact, that we decided NOT to get a schengen visa anymore for my family (because initially we thought of taking them to paris and some parts of France), because their visa from the UK is taking SOOOOO LONG. my sister's and brother's visa is taking forever at the appeal process. all because they (or whoever it was that read their application) assumed they were husband and wife and not brother and sister. not reading application forms (esp if youre an entry clearance official) is the worst thing you could do at your job.


everything is in God's hands now.

if because of Adrian's stern complaining letters to the embassy ends up being misinterpreted as being belligerent, all i could think of are two scenarios...1) Mama has to fly on her own to the UK (while Ana and Roy wait for their visas)...or 2) they are coming here while im already back at uni (which means, ill be up to my neck with university and work,and entertaining guests at the same time, the thought makes me tired).


if there is a third plan in the offing...it will be the surprise number God has planned for me, for us. and all i could do is just sit on my hands and wait.


* * *

doesn't life throw you surprises most of the time? no matter how solid, and careful your planning is...God still is THE GAME MASTER. He rules the roost definitely.





life is like taking photos of adrian..when you catch him looking relaxed and smiling, and you just wanted to capture the moment...he'd suddenly pull a stunt like this as you press the trigger.

it ain't easy...

penny for your thoughts

yesterday, adrian and i were invited to a bbq party. it was penny's belated birthday celebration, and just a gathering of her dearest and closest.

ive been friends with penny since 2005. i cant believe weve been friends for that long. we hardly see one another anymore as she works in London, but we do have a catch-up once in a while for some girly chatter and grub.

weve been through one another's milestones, getting married (her), buying a house (her), moving jobs (her), university (me), my father's death, and travels (her and me).

i wasnt feeling too well yesterday (a littel flu-ey) but as i had already said i was coming i thought, showing my face was the least i could do.

when i got there, the smell of bbq food (and the tasty desserts) and catching up with penny's family and friends made adrian and i last till 10 pm.


i love bbq's. and friendships too.






after she blew her cake...




tash was there...eve was in wimbledon so she couldnt make it...





chilled bbq



* * *

how about you..will you invite me to your bbq's? =)

i promise to be a good guest.

a tale of two meals

yesterday (friday) was the last day where we had to hand in our placement results to our university. it was also the day where we had to meet up after we did not see one another for two months (the duration of our internship placements).

after meeting up at uni, we decided to get some meal somewhere in town to have a catch up and just tell one another our plans for our summer holiday. most of them are going on holiday. spme going to spain, some portugal, one was off to italy and another going cross country in the scottish highlands. because apart from these are students, most of them are like me, working full-time too, and this summer is the holiday they can have the time to do it.

while i, have done my holidays during school term (prague and cebu and hopefully another cebu visit in december). until then, adrian and i cannot plan for anything as we are waiting for Ana and ROi's visa to accompany my mom to travel to the UK.




amanda and sharon...




group 17




interesting convo for zoe,dawn and leslie




sharon's pint for beer and a banana?! waiting for her meal




myself and anne




Amanda.........





michelle,dawn,michaela and laura




Amanda and her buns...and her burger,lol.




dawn and my fave girl, leslie



* * *

at 5 pm, i had another appointment to catch.

hurriedly i drove from colchester back to stanford and went home, changed into a dress and went to The Haywain for a night of just chatter and catching up with everyone=)



everyone was already in the swing of things





cheryl and barbara




it was still light at 7pm



eve,sarah and yvonne



yvonne and chelson



lauren,cheryl




barbara,natasha and gina




eager for their orders



salmon and caesar salad for some people



cheryl's selfconscious




i dont have a photo



* * *

today im off to a barbeque party...i cant wait. =)



* * *

all photos are taken by the G10 compact..x