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.