FOR KEEPS: The Laguna Escapade 2012

I said it on Facebook and Twitter, I'll say it again: I JUST HAD ONE OF THE BEST WEEKENDS OF MY LIFE! :)))

There, I said it!

After months of planning, the weekend that we were just talking about finally became a reality.  Yang, Jacky, Elaine, Clareth, Jeju, Cjane and I went to visit Criselle's private resort in Pangil, Laguna.  These girls are seven of my closessssst college girlfriends so you could just imagine how fun it was to be with them!

The overnight stay was a blast! Criselle's family accommodated us so well that we couldn't just ask for more (HAHA)- super duper delicious foods, unlimited videoke, unlimited swimming, super duper delicious foods (again), tour guide to Ambon-ambon falls and super duper delicious foods (again hahaha!  It was THE perfect stress-reliever!

I enjoyed the Laguna escapade so much that I can't put it into words, so let the pictures tell you. :) And by the way, yes, our trip was well-documented! :)

before departure @ Ilang-ilang Residence Hall, UP Diliman

On the way to Laguna! :D

THE VIEW <3

First wave of super duper delicious fooooods! Thanks to Criselle's mom! :)))

FOR KEEPS. With Cjane and Criselle.

 

Unli-swimming! Hello Jacky, ok ka lang? :)

Second wave of super duper delicious foods!

Unlimited videoke!

Charotera. Thank you so much, Maria.  Now I have a wet-look pose. haha

Stargazing

What happened to the frustration game? HAHA

Good morning, world! <3

Start of our hike to Ambon-ambon falls

 

It's my first time to ride this thing! HAHA. I think we rode this for three times in crossing rivers. :))

Here's the prize of the longest hike of my life <3 God is so great! His creations are amazing!

OA ang saya! :D

On our way back, satisfied and awed by the undiscovered treasures of Pangil <3

 Third wave of super duper delicious foods! SUPER THANK YOU VALINA FAMILY!

Made perfect with a twist of bukoooo!!

So that was my Laguna experience 2012! I don't get to go out with friends this often, so this experience will surely be cherished. Again, thank you so much to the girls who were with me: Criselle, Jacky, Yang, Elaine, Jeju, Cjane and Clareth. Thank you also to Criselle's family for the hospitality.  Thank you also to the other people who helped us during our stay there especially to Mang Rodelio Mendoza, our tour guide to Ambon-ambon falls for the patience! hahaha

Most especially, thank you Lord for giving us the chance to experience Your creation at its finest once again! <3

Ang haba na! haha

Spread the happiness,

DMD

UP Lantern Parade 2012

I don't know why but the annual Lantern Parade in the University of the Philippines Diliman makes me fall in love with UP again.  Since my freshie year, I never missed a Lantern Parade and I don't intend to miss any in the years to come. So here are some of the pictures I took for this year's parade. HAHA. You see, taking beautiful shots is not my cup of tea.  Worse, I don't have a DSLR or even a digital camera with me so you shouldn't expect high quality photos. HAHA. Sorry! :)

EPIC CROWD!

The Lantern of my beloved college, UP College of Business Administration, deserves a place in this post. :) GO CBA! <3

The entry of the UP Students of Destiny (UP SOD).  If I am not mistaken, this is an Oble made of glass (or not?). I was amazed by the glamor of this entry.  Not only that, the UP SOD played Christmas songs throughout the parade. One can really feel the Christmas spirit!

Honestly, I don't know this man but I really appreciate the fact that he posed in front of the camera.  He is from the College of Fine Arts (CFA). :)

Now CFA, as always, made an array of beautiful lanterns! Here are some of them:

This year, I spent my Lantern Parade with three of my closest friends Criselle, Yang and Jacky.  Unfortunately, Criselle had to leave early to do some org works so we weren't able to take a picture together.  But here are Jacky and Yang!

With Jacky. Oh, and those kiss marks? Well, you know, some big guy kissed us. HAHA!

Yang and I together with this pretty white lady from CFA!
Trivia: Since our freshie days, Yang and I always go to the Lantern Parade together. #clingyyy :)

So that was my Lantern Parade 2012 experience.  For me, this event showcases the diversity of the different colleges and sectors in the university and how well this diversity blends together.  Every "entry" is a creative depiction of a message to the public.  In the end, the UP academic oval became an avenue of colors and Christmas spirit. 'Til next year, Lantern Parade!

Oh and before I get this one off my face,

last shot! This one's for vanity sake. :)))

Stay happy,

DMD

First wave of quintessence

What is LOVE, really?

 First picture together. We weren't a couple here yet.  We were just asked to pose together so that the other "love teams" in our class would pose a picture too. :)

 March 9, 2010. Bahay-Bakasyunan sa Camiguin. Don't be fooled! This was just a dare by some of his friends.  What makes this special? Minutes before this picture was taken, he confessed his feelings for me.  And yes, minutes before this, he told me the three words every girl would want to hear from the person she loves.

April 10, 2011. Lumbia National Airport, Cagayan de Oro City. 13th monthsary.  You see, we're in a long distance relationship and even if I go home, I don't get to see him often.  This was the first monthsary that we spent together, like, physically. :)

Latest photo. 2 years, 9 months and counting. :)

Until now, I still find love mysteriously magical. Nevertheless, I thank God that He made our paths cross and trail together, hopefully forever.

Spread the love,

DMD

TRANSITION

Earlier this morning, I panicked when I was told by a friend that Dilnet's already blocking Tumblr! Oh, my posts there! :( So here I am, transferring some personal aspects of my life in this blog.  I initially made this account for my self-proclaimed creative articles or the remnants of my creative juices which has eventually dried up without my knowing.  But because of some fearful uncertainties, I will be posting pictures and personal experiences here! How's that! So brace yourself, blogpsot, the rants of someone dancing in the rain will be much louder in the coming days. :)

Dear YOU,

Let it be known that you have been very dear to me since I got into college. Both of us witnessed how we struggled and fought for what we once thought were our dreams. You know me. You know that.  Somehow, maybe because of the busy environment that we were in, we built a gap- no not a gap- a wall- a wall that separated us at some point and is now threatening to shatter the closeness that we built.  I am guilty.  I denied that wall’s presence in its early stage and it grew thicker, higher and stronger everyday. I am denying that wall’s presence until now.

I am sorry if this has to happen.  Maybe if I wasn’t too absorbed on some other things last sem, maybe if I chose to recognize that wall and made some actions to stop its growth, things would be different.  I miss the US. I miss you.

Nevertheless, I just want to let you know that I still care for you.  I can’t stand to see you suffering or crying for reasons you don’t deserve.  I can’t stand to see you give and give and give and receive far less than what you deserve.

You are a girl blooming with talent, benevolence and beauty. There are times when you fail to recognize the things around you that matter more than having someone to exchange “i love yous” with. You keep blaming yourself for some past mishandled relationships. A lot of times when you forget that you are worthy of attention, of love that shouldn’t only be heard, but more importantly, felt.  You have become too aggressive that your emotion is overpowering you.

The ability to accept things that are not meant to be at least as of now, is a necessity in this life. After all, life doesn’t end on broken relationships. Moreover, broken relationships do not make you less of a person. NEVER.

You must first learn to value yourself before you give all the love to someone.  In that way, you won’t feel wasted at the end of the day. You have to realize that there is more to life than what you are seeing right now. Someone, someone somewhere can give you the love that your heart has been longing for so long, the love that you know your heart still longs for until now. Someone, someone sometime will give you back the love that you unselfishly give, maybe even more.

I want to tell you a lot of things. I wish I could just be there for you when you need me. But there’s this wall.  I am afraid we already have our own worlds right now.  But I just want you to know that I still care. That I am still your friend. That I am still here.  I will always be.

Love,
ME

P.S.
Sorry for the redundant phrases and wrong grammars. Its 2 am and I just type whatever my mind would tell me to. :)

Withered

I used to be dancing at the top,

with the winds that tickle my body,

birds that hum melody,

sun that shows my radiant beauty,

or rain that leaves dewdrops on my skin,

fruits that almost mimic my color

and brightens day by day,

nests that find comfort with my foliage

and branches that seldom dance with me

as I watched how buildings grow

like the pile of garbage across the street,

how vehicles run and blow black smokes,

how people walk hurriedly,

how people stroll,

how they throw an annoying guffaw,

how they can be so silent

and can be so calm

when they sleep beneath my shades

until the wind that used to tickle my body

shook me hardly,

the branches that seldom dance

removed its hold from me,

what they call “gravity”

drove me down

and the soils of the Earth

caught me

and gave

me a place

 to

rest.

The Pageant, the Palace and the Princess

I want to walk away.  The spotlights of the gymnasium are blinding my eyes and the cheers of the crowd shouting my name are breaking my eardrums. My deep red gown that shows the whole of my back, arms and cleavage already feels uncomfortable along with this heavy thing they call crown that they just placed on my head.  No, I don’t want to walk away. I can see my teachers smiling at me as if I am the most adorable person in the world and I could imagine my female classmates green in envy because I just won the title they have all been dreaming of.  I can see John, no I do not see him now, but the mad crowd might have covered him from my sight.  Maybe he did not really come.  That would be impossible, of course he is here.  He must be so proud of me.  Tomorrow, he will tell me how beautiful I am tonight and how much he loves me.  I will tell him I love him too and we will be a perfect couple.

                “Come forward Leizle,” the shout of that guy startled the thoughts battling in my mind.  I walk towards the pool of people holding cameras with the same confident poise and the same fake smile I’ve been wearing for the past hours.  My pictures will be feasted by many soon- these will be one of the photos in the school paper and these will be posted in Facebook.  Then, a talent manager or producer or movie director or such sort of person will see my pictures and will bring me to fame. Now, I am imagining exaggerated events again. I need to focus to stay beautiful.  The series of clicks and flashes seem to be forever.  I don’t like this.  No, I like this.  I really like this.

                After almost another dreadful, no, wrong… after almost another enchanting hour, I am at the backstage, changing my gown to a t-shirt, a pair of jeans and slippers.  I place my crown, scepter, sash and plaque of recognition in a paper bag with utmost care.  Someday, I will be bragging all these to my future children.  They will praise me and they will be proud of having me as their mother.

                I start my walk towards my house.  Daddy will hug me for the first time and will be sorry for not driving me to the contest venue because of his field works. Mommy will be happy when I’ll show her my awards and she will regret that she exchanged gracing the pageant for some client meeting that had been her usual excuse since I was in the first grade.  They will hang my plaque in our lobby along with the awards I reaped throughout my life.  Everyone will admire me.  They will tell Daddy and Mommy how blessed they are for having a daughter like me.  Dad and Mom will be proud.  Then we will have a dinner together after a long time.

                One more block and I am at my house.  I pass by the home of Martha.  I hate her because everyone likes her, including John, I think.  Of course not, John likes me, no one but me.  The flowers he gave to Martha may just be gestures of gratitude for some help she extended to her.  They mean nothing more, I know.  I pass by the small home of Karen.  I see the one and only vehicle her family owns- a cab.  Their cab is dilapidated; I would never wish to ride in such a vehicle again.  I wonder how Karen survived riding that cab every morning when her father drives her to school.

                At last, I am at the front of our house.  I stop to admire the splendor of the building and the exquisiteness of the landscape of the front yard.  Its beauty is a thing to behold.  This is a palace.  I am the princess.

                I press the doorbell and Ate Mayet, our housemaid, come running towards me.  She smiles when she saw the crown in the paper bag I am holding.

                “I know you will win, my alaga always win,” she says with a wide grin while freeing me from the things I have been carrying.

                “Where is mommy?”

                “She’s not home yet, maybe later.”

                “Daddy?”

                “He’s not here too.  They will be home Leizle, soon.  What do you want for dinner?”

                Of course, what would I expect?  I realize I have been imagining impossible things to happen.  Now, I don’t understand why tears would want to come out from my eyes.  I don’t know why my heart wants to shout something it had been carrying for a long time. I must be happy, very happy.   This is my night.

                “Nothing.  I want to sleep.”

                I run inside my palace, straight to my room, to my canopy bed and my soft satin pillows because I can’t hold the moisture coming from my eyes.

Ode to the Ikot Jeepney (that took me from CHK to Math building)

Watching it coming was a relief,

The yellow roof seemed to

Mimic the sun’s brightness as

It trekked along the rough

Cements of reality.  It halted in front of me,

As if saying  I’m your savior

Ride quickly.  I can feel its tires

Rolling again as the wind

Budged my dry hair and cooled

My face.  The air felt so good.

It made its journey to the

University Avenue, passed by

The statue of the Oblation,

Slowed as it approached a bump

In the road.  The whir

Of its machinery filled the air

Along the bunch

Of houses in the Residence area.

Then this high-powered, open

Automobile joined the cluster

Of vehicles in the Krus na Ligas.

The violent city was not a rigor

To its sturdy structure.

At some point, the wheels twisted

And entered the University gate

Carrying the iskos and iskas with pride.

As it braked hard, I joined the tumult

Of shoe wears, emerging from the jeepney,

Walking to where fate

Would take them.  I took

A deep breath, glanced at my watch

And grinned.

 I still have five minutes.

Wish Upon a Paper Star

Green star. I chose a green paper star though it doesn’t really look that attractive.  My mother told me to write my wish for Christmas at the back of the star so that some magical angels of Jesus will make it come true.  When we went to mass, my eyes lingered upon a huge Christmas tree made up of paper stars with a variety of colors.  My mom said one of those is mine.  I spent the whole period of the mass guessing which of those is my star.

            The memories were still clear as they used to be and I can still feel the horrible pain engulfed in my knees when I was tortured to kneel on a floor of salt and mongo seeds.  It was a punishment for breaking the star that was supposed to be the crowning glory of our Christmas tree that year.

            Let me explain it.  My mother was in the laundry room that time washing our clothes.  I and my little sister stole some chocolates from the refrigerator and we decided to escape from the eyes of the tiger by eating at the porch.  Now our porch that time was a devastating scene of Christmas decorations scattered everywhere.  My tongue was about to capture the sweetest stolen taste when I saw a bullfrog leaping towards me.  The excitement of tasting the chocolates was overshadowed by the fear of the leaping creature.  My poor feet ran in all directions until it stepped onto something hard, something precious- I thought I was dead that time.  I never told my mother of what happened.  She never knew that it was the frog’s fault.  She wouldn’t care anyway.

            You’d be surprised to know that the frog’s name was Dolly.  My sister named her after the first cloned sheep and until now, it didn’t make sense at all to me.  She thought the frog was her friend while I considered it a beast.  We always have a fight about that. It’s quite absurd when you picture it out.  More often than not, my sister will end the argument by reiterating lessons she know we both knew from our Christian Living and Values Education class.

            I consider myself fortunate for having been sent in a private sectarian school where I first experienced being shouted by a teacher because I forgot to make the Sign of the Cross before reciting “The Lord’s Prayer”.  My juvenile mind would always look forward every first Friday of the month when we’re obliged to the mass and holidays of obligation when no classes were conducted.  Students in our school were automatically considered as part of the elite class. Only few were privileged to enroll in the school.  When I asked our maid why her son wasn’t enrolled in the same school as I, she reasoned out that they’re poor.  “And we’re not?” asked.  She said we’re rich and I love it.  So, I spent my childhood thinking that we’re rich.

            The jeepney to school would pass by a beautiful scene of the sea kissing the sky.  It would always leave me admiring the beauty the world has to offer.  I was feasting my eyes upon the usual panorama unfolding before me when I suddenly bumped into the person beside me.  I dread that road repair project because it made the vehicle experience rude bumps.  Actually, I didn’t understand why that path had to be repaired when it wasn’t ruined in the first place.  I saw a big picture of two people beside the road that was under construction.  I recognized both of them.  They once visited our house during the town fiesta.

            I couldn’t describe how busy my mother was when those two persons in the picture confirmed that they will pay us a visit.  She hung curtains I saw for the first time.  The table cloth was at its best color.  These two men entered the house with two or three men in sunglasses and pistols following them.  I heard phrases like congressman and governor so I assumed that they held the position.  I was surprised how our maid managed to give them a wide grin while serving them a glass of soft drinks when I though she doesn't like them at all.

            By the way, I haven’t told you I curse but never at home unless if I want to kneel in another set of salt and mongo seeds.  A classmate in High school asked me if what’s wrong with cursing.  I told her I don’t know.  Nevertheless, she curses more than I do.  She once cursed a guy who would first touch my lips in two years time.

            Did I tell you that the chocolates we sneaked from the refrigerator bore the sweetest stolen taste? Now, I was wrong.

            The darkness of the night penetrated the starless skies when the whispers of two timid souls filled the cold breeze.  After a while I found my anxious lips sharing a moment of teenage sweetness.  I have to tell you it was worth more than all the stolen chocolates in the world.

            The world grew with me and the blazing flames of reality conquered my mind every now and then.  Mom told me I was still young.  She told me I had gone insane.  Her sharp words pierced through me. I don’t understand why I cried upon hearing what she said.  How I wish she would just let me kneel on another set of salt and mongo seeds.  With my confused views and principles, the world’s own perception and fast revolution rattle my mind.  Our maid gave me a pitiful look.  My little sister looked away.  Suddenly, the stolen chocolates, the frog, the sea-kissing-sun, the road under repair and the two persons in the picture didn’t make sense at all.  I felt all alone.  How I wish some magical angels of Jesus would help me.

            I forgot to tell my mom that the wish I wrote on the green paper star was still a blurred vision from my imagination.

My CW 10 teacher tasked us to write whatever it is that comes to our mind- random events random things, correlations between the paragraphs aren't even necessary.  Here is my output.  It's not good. I am no writer and this blog was not meant to be read by everyone.

Cheers!

DMD

Nostalgia and first post

August 17, 2012, 1:45 AM

It has been almost a year since I became 18 years old.  As cliché as it might sound, last year passed like a wink of an eye for me but looking back, a lot of things happened- happiness expressed, sadness augmented, lessons learned.  As I spend more years here in the University of the Philippines- I can feel how life wants to teach me a lesson.  The past year has been so intoxicating for me and it was during that year when my patience was severely tested, when I realized that my study habit wasn’t enough to fulfill the demand of my course, when I learned how to manage my time, when I taught myself how to find joy and hope amidst the orchestration of frustrating events.  Looking back further, I would reminisce my “high school self”- a girl full of optimism and hope and whose greatest concern that time was to study in UP.  Now, here I am, in the University of my dreams, drinking at least two cups of coffee each day to battle the peculiarly strong temptation of the bed, sleeping an average of 2-3 hours per night, making the library my everyday tambayan, facing the anxiety of “terror” professors, keeping up with the competence of BS BAA and forcing every inch of my body and mind not to waste any precious time.  The words I used were understatements of what I am experiencing now.  I think no words can describe the feeling of handling the life in UP.  The “high school self” in me was nowhere to be found.  Maybe, it was forced to hide because of the pressure that continues to engulf myself.  Worse, maybe, pressured killed it.  Yes, I am mentally and emotionally tortured here.  Yet, studying in UP is no regret.  It made me open to opportunities, made me learn from my own mistakes, taught me how to strive.  It is striving for the best and when you reached the “best”, there will always be something better, so you need to strive some more.  UP life is a never-ending story of striving- of pouring out every effort and exceeding what you once thought were your limitations.  Shallow and funny it might seem, but I would like to compare myself to a sponge once full of water.  The longer I stay here, the tighter the squeeze in me is.  You know what’s amazing?  Once upon a time, I thought I was just this sponge that after being squeezed hardly for a certain period of time will eventually lose every amount of liquid it has.  UP proved and taught me wrong.  Inside me are metaphorical “waters” waiting to be unleashed and yes, I need to be squeezed hardly for that “water” to come out.  It’s easier said than done, everyone. It requires a passionate sense of commitment and determination.  It’s the commitment that will willingly forego any supposedly happy days or friends’ outing to finish a case analysis or study for an exam.  It’s the determination that might shed some tears after failure and frustration but is willing to continue, no matter what happens.  UP honed me to have that commitment and determination.  Someday, I know this will all be worth it- the sleepless nights, the cups of coffee, the pressure, the stress, the tears.  Someday.