In a house with three adults (my siblings and I) having their own profiles on Facebook and Multiply as well as having own blogs aside from a lot of personal agendas on the Internet and the PC itself, dividing the PC was certainly a very big deal. I use it during daytime, my sister would use it for a few hours at night time, and my brother would use it until the wee hours in the morning. Scheduling sometimes created a little tension between us, that each of us really hoped to own a laptop so we can have our own time and space.

When our desktop PC finally decided to go flat line, I knew I had to do something or else my Internet life will be doomed (it is through my writings that I was able to survive basically). I was having problems with finances, and I am really blessed to have a very wonderful friend who helped me see the light on this.






On 28 June this year, I purchased a Lenovo Ideapad S10-2 netbook. This netbook was actually the "baby" of my friend K and I, for if not for him, I wouldn't be able to get this one. Getting to the decision of getting this took some time - I was actually looking forward of getting a Dell Netbook, but I was quite surprised and taken aback that the price on some electronics shops' website wasn't really the actual price on their store. I decided to get this at the mall nearest our place, and after choosing between three netbooks, I went with this one as a former high school classmate have the same netbook (but hers is white), and I don't think I have read a rant from her.

Originally, I hoped to own a laptop - with DVD drive, as most of my old files were stored in DVDs. However, I got to know how heavy laptops can be, and because the main reason for me wanting to own one was its portability, I don't think I can allow myself to carry such weight whenever I travel. I want to make use of free WiFi and to use the laptop just about anywhere (I plan to buy an Internet stick in case there's no free WiFi), carrying a heavy gadget while walking around, checking places, and taking pictures might be a gruesome thing to do.

Netbooks are relatively smaller and much lighter... so I decided to have this instead. Now that I have this, I can be sure that out of town trips don't mean being offline anymore. Sure, I am still am having problems as to how to access old files on DVDs, but I think I can handle that.

Owning a laptop (in this case, a netbook)? Another check on My Bucket List.

*** Jenn ***

Last of the I Love Me series for Girls Talk. This week, it's all about emotions.




When it comes to the emotional aspect of my personality, I am still a work in progress. Growing up, I was ridiculed much by many people that I tend to hide in my shell and wallow. It was difficult for me to process criticisms, that sometimes good constructive criticisms would generally mean negative. When I was much younger, I would throw tantrums every now and then, and when I get annoyed, I tend to become violent. A neighbor of ours was the one who taught me that instead of throwing and breaking things in our house, I should just tear newspapers or punch the bed (so that the mattress would cushion the blow). This got me to control my emotions, but as I am, I really tend to be pissed off quite easily.

Then again, I am happy that even if I easily get annoyed, my negative emotions only have 5 minute life spans. Sure I'd get annoyed, I might even throw some rants, but after a while I am okay already. While it's easy for me to be pissed, it takes a whole lot of things for me to really get angry. However, when I do hit my limit, I am really bad. At one point my sister told me she would never, ever want to see me get angry... so whenever she feels I am starting to get annoyed at her, or she did something that would make me angry being her older sister, she would really do something to cool me off (like a treat to this fast food, or giving me some small knick knacks). The last time I got angry? I think it was late 2007, when my mom and I had a great fight. It was disrespectful on my part to blow up on my mom, I know, but I guess I just hit my limit - I have been keeping all my disappointments towards her, that when Pandora's Box was opened, I just released it all. It took brother to calm both of us, because the word fight was so intense, my brother said he might have a heart attack hearing and watching us. On the positive side of things, it did turn out to be a blessing in disguise, because when all frustrations and all negative emotions were brought up, mom and I made up after 10 minutes, and we've been good friends since. I guess the fight was something bound to happen for us to start anew. To explain things, mom and I weren't really enemies prior to the big fight, it was just I was a daddy's girl and brother's her favorite that we didn't really seem to connect and bonded really well. We were close, but there was a distance. That fight bridged the gap. Well, now mom and I are in a very good relationship - after all, she's the only parent I have now. Oh, and for the record, I didn't use any bad words on my mom, I just let out all my "hinanakit" that dates back to my childhood.

When it comes to handling heartaches and disappointments in life, I still am trying to heal myself, but I guess having a psychologist as an ex boyfriend really helped me get started. He really "stayed" with me - even if I pushed him away over and over, he would always say, "Let me hold your hand tighter." Sadly, our relationship didn't really last because he is American, and aside from the problems with cultures crashing, we didn't really get to meet personally (but he is still my good friend, and he's still my shock absorber whenever I need it). He has helped me get my emotions in shape, that whenever I am faced with something negative, I know I can get pass it.

It's easy for me to forgive. I guess having people in my life is much more important than my ego, that when friends or people did something bad to me, I would accept their apologies quickly. Problem is, it's difficult for me to forget, so at times there are pressures, especially when I get to bring up the things they did to me. I still am trying my very best to keep in tune with my emotions. I still get hurt quite easily, but I am learning how to let myself cry once, then move on.

*** Jenn ***

Continuing with the traveling firsts on Nostalgia.

I didn't know the exact reason why I traveled to La Union in August of 2007... I remember that time, my brother was based in La Union that time, and I just went there. I knew there was a reason (otherwise I wouldn't travel alone), but since I was already there, I decided to make the most of it.

One weekend, I asked brother if we could go to the Ma-Cho Temple in San Fernando City, because I have seen his pictures, as well as the pictures posted of souvenir magazines my Aunt had (every year during the provincial day, the provincial government release these magazines to the government employees), it made me want to visit it, too. I still don't have a travel blog that time, but I am already blogging... so even if we still own a film camera that time, it didn't hinder me to go places and take pictures.




Welcome Arch. This was the entryway from the highway... there are still a few more steps before reaching the main entrance.


Statues. There is a row of different statues (possibly gods, sorry, I really don't know), and it was so interesting to see what each symbolizes.


View from the top. Having a good view of the South China Sea.


At the main temple. Sadly, the temple was closed, so we just took the time to enjoy the surroundings.

A little background about the place: It was constructed on September 11, 1975 through the initiative of then Tourism Minister Jose D. Aspiras and cooperation of the Chinese community, this majestic Taoist Temple is located on a hill 70 feet above sea level at Barangay II, San Fernando City, facing the China Sea. Here, people form all walks of life come and pray for change of luck from Ma Cho, a Chinese deity, whose eight inch wooden image surprisingly has a counterpart in the Roman Catholic faith known as the “Virgin of Caysasay” who is enshrined at the Basilica of Saint Martin in Taal, Batangas. (Source HERE)

Everybody (regardless of their religion) is welcome to visit the temple. At times, there are some staffs who welcome guests, but, there are also times like this one - that guests will just have to enjoy the place. After this visit, I think I have visited the temple about three times more, and I might re-visit it when I travel to La Union on October.

*** Jenn ***

Like what I have shared last week, I wanted the family to go back to eating grilled food. I hoped to cook chicken inasal this weekend, but I wasn't able to go to the market to buy some chicken pieces. Good thing, mom asked us to hear mass in SM Fairview so we do the grocery and eat out.




Brother chose for us to eat at Taipan Grill. Mom and I already ate there a few months back, but because brother wanted to taste their food, I also went with his decision - after all, it's still keeping with the grilled theme for the weekend.

Mom went to eat grilled tilapia, I had the grilled chicken (drumstick and wing), while brother went with grilled squid. I loved my food, and what's nice was that this food place also sells their condiments, and we bought a bottle of their barbecue sauce. I loved how it tasted because it had the peanut flavor - kinda like the one in Reyes Barbecue, but I liked the one in Taipan more. I felt happy because in the weeks to come, I can drizzle my grilled meats with the peanut sauce. :)

We had a great lunch, though brother's food was obviously "bitin."


Mom had a coupon for Crepes and Cream - buy 2 crepes and get 1 free. She initially hoped for us to just eat the savory crepes for lunch, but then brother told mom that we could eat real lunch ("real" means a meal with rice), and use the coupon to have dessert crepes. It turned out to be an okay choice, because the free crepe was only for the sweet "make your own" crepe. Mom chose the Crepes and Creme Delight for brother, she had the Mango Mania crepe, and I had the privilege to create my own. I chose blueberries with strawberry ice cream, tiramisu bits, and strawberry sauce. My crepe tasted good, but tasting my brother's crepe, I somehow hoped I didn't speak about having to create my own crepe. Presentation wise, my crepe looked awful, too.

In the grocery, I put in some different items in the cart - zucchini and sesame oil for the bibimbap recipe I wanted to try (I still have to know where to get kosari though); firm tofu for the tofu rice topping recipe, and some yogurt that I will be eating for dinner (with oatmeal) for the next week. As much as I am a foodie and I love to eat, part of me also wanted to change myself physically. More about that next post.

Before going home, we also bought the Ab Rocket machine. My tummy area is my biggest problem, and I put my whole trust on this contraption to help me trim down my tummy fats. Of course, weight loss is a combination of many things, but I really need help. :)

Have a great week ahead, everyone!

*** Jenn ***

When we attended Jamy's birthday party and I got rained on, it made my body weak. Last week, my body can no longer keep up with the viruses attacking me and from dry cough, I got fever, endless sneezing, and lots of body aches.

Tuesday has got to be the worst day because it was when I felt wobbly, and that the steam inside my body was causing my eyes to cry. I decided not to eat dinner that day and went to bed quite earlier than normal, but then my coughs were really getting worse, and because it was dry, it felt as if the coughs were raking my whole chest. I had fever, yet I felt cold...and I couldn't sleep. Funny was that, after an hour or so of battling out the feeling, I got up, went to kitchen and fixed myself a corned beef sandwich. I was really hungry. Then I watched TV and went back to bed after two hours.

The next few days were okay for me, but it was only just last Friday that I could say I was already feeling okay. During my sick days, I only took one paracetamol - and I refused to take the BioFlu tablets my sister bought for me. I don't know why... whenever I am sick, I don't really take medicines and just let my body heal itself. I am not really a crybaby during these times, but somehow I missed my dad. I missed the times that he would by my "nurse" whenever I have the flu. I also missed the times my mom would scramble to find either a papaya or a pineapple for me because she knows those were my favorite fruits. I missed my brother cooking for me... but I don't know if I really had the flu because it went by so quickly.

As of this writing, my sinus area would hurt at times - especially that we went to the mall and it was quite cold there, and it rained hard again in the afternoon - but other than that, I feel very okay, and I can certainly go back to exercising tomorrow.

*** Jenn ***

Like most kids, I was also taught by my parents how to pray and say the rosary. The very first memory I had where I felt genuinely close to God was when my mom took me to the church on my birthday (I cannot recall how old I was back then), and she told me to just talk to God and say my gratitude for becoming a year older, and I just talked and talked in my head and my mom had to drag me out of the church because I don't want to leave anymore. Another memory I could recall was that every morning before going to work, our parents would give us reminders to read the bible, and one time my brother and I were reading, and I told him "I could see some demons dancing in the words..." and my brother just told me, "Just read...God knows you're reading."

When we started living in this neighborhood, the place was still bare (we were one of the first 10 families to live here) and it was somewhere in the mid-90s when we had masses celebrated here - before, we would still go to the next subdivision to hear mass. When the chapel was constructed, I became a part of the Glee Club in school, and because most of us live here, we became part of the choir as well.

Hmmm... you think I am this very religious kid then, huh? Well, in some degree, I could say that I am spiritual, but as embarrassing it is to admit, my heart wasn't completely in it. Sure, at some point I join the bible studies, and that I attend the Sunday masses, but somehow I didn't feel really connected.

In 1992, my parents joined the Catholic organization Couples for Christ. I never thought my dad would join that, but he did. I was happy that they joined, but I was at some point angry as well. I remember it was my elementary graduation, and I finished third in class. It was supposed to be a joyous day for me and my family - but for my dad to say "Go look for your brother, we can't walk back home with you because we still have to attend the Christian Life Program," it crushed me. While most of my classmates were celebrating with their families, I walked home alone, with my medal at hand. I spent my night eating canned sardines on cold rice because my parents were more excited to attend the CLP rather than fix something for daughter.

Still, I joined the Youth for Christ because my parents said so and because my brother was part of it, too. However, being the wallflower that I am, blending in the crowd was tough for me and I didn't become an active member. I would still attend the Sunday masses, but my connection with God was just like that - shallow.






As I grew older, the only time I would talk to God was whenever exams were coming up, or if I am faced with a dilemma. My parents were urging me to join Singles for Christ, but I didn't want to. The distance I created between me and God was a bridge that was difficult to cross, but my dad would always use me as his audience whenever he wants to practice a teaching or a topic he needs to discuss with the fellow siblings in Couples for Christ. Somehow, based on the teachings he indirectly shared on me, God was using him to bridge the gap.

My dad was no longer around when the voice of God called on me to join the community. I was walking in the mall and took out my cell phone and sent a message to brother asking, "Will it be so selfish to say that I wanted to join Singles for Christ just because I wanted to travel?" He replied something like, "On the surface, it is really selfish, but believe me in time you will know the real reason." Completing the Christian Life Program and meeting people who are just like me (broken but trying to pick up the pieces) made me realize that there really are deeper reasons. If I wanted to travel, why not book a flight? Why join SFC? Because God was pursuing me and He didn't give up on me.

I am not super religious. There are times I don't attend the Sunday masses, there are times that I don't attend activities of the SFC (Currently I am at a crossroad and I just don't know how to cross the bridge again), but I am very happy to say that I am no longer prayer just for the heck of it, and I am understanding the depth of the word "prayer." For some it meant asking God for something... I have learned that "prayer" can also be something to be thankful for, or something to consult to God - just like writing on a diary or just like picking up the phone in the wee hours just to talk to a friend. I still have a lot of things to patch up - I owe my SFC siblings a lot of explanations, but then again, just like the father welcomed Cain in open arms, I know God will never close the door on me, and I know my SFC family would always be there for me.

I am still a mess, and I need God to help me get clean.

*** Jenn ***

ps - the first picture on this post was taken Feb 2009 in the grounds of Cebu Cathedral. We took part of the 2009 SFC International Conference, and prior to the conference, there was a Pilgrimage Tour (was that redundant?) and it was just amazing to be in the right place at the right time, because when we reached the Cathedral, the people were welcoming the miraculous image of the Birhen sa Simala Lindogon. It was one of the highlights of my Cebu trip - some of the tour guides told us we were so lucky to be staying inside the church grounds and that the staffs didn't ask us to leave. :)

Second picture was taken July 2009 during the Singles for Christ Metro Manila Conference in Baguio City. The theme of that conference was "The Christ Pursuit," which really hit my heart big time. I was just sad that I wasn't able to attend the conferences this year (the SFC MMC will be this weekend), but I really am looking forward to get back in the circulation.

More traveling firsts here on Nostalgia...

I am never the type of person who loves going out at night. At most times, I would decline my friends' invitation to meet up at night because I wasn't really comfortable commuting at night. However, should I meet up with friends during day time, I see no reason not to stay with them until the night time - I can even go until the wee hours in the morning if we have to. Actually, I prefer for us to just stay in a coffee house chit chatting until 5am... I feel much comfortable commuting back home at that time instead of around 11pm.

Following the death of my father and me opening up a travel blog, it opened the doors for me to explore my world and do my own journeys. However, in the many times that I have traveled, I never really dared to travel at night, until March of 2008.

The family already decided to travel morning of 04 March 2008 to La Union for dad's first death anniversary (05 March), but knowing my siblings were planning to leave the night before to make a side trip to Baguio City, I asked brother if I can come with sister instead because there was an ongoing photo contest by Sony Ericsson, and I hoped that this side trip to Baguio City would allow me to capture that picture, and disappointed as he was, he let me come with sister and he would be traveling with mom instead.






My sister was still studying at that time, so I met her at the Victory Liner terminal in Cubao. She arrived around 10:30pm and because we just learned about Victory Liner's deluxe trip through a magazine TV show, we decided to go with it. The deluxe trip was 100% more expensive than the regular airconditioned bus trip, but for the heck of trying it out and the fact that the bus has its own comfort room and its own stewardess, it made us more excited to travel.

The bus left at 12mn. Our ticket indicated us to sit at the last row, but because some passengers didn't show up, the stewardess asked if we wanted to sit near the comfort room. As icky as it sounded, we took the seat so it would be easier for us to try it once the bus rolled. I still haven't taken a plane ride at this time, but I just loved the seats! It's like seating on a La-Z-Boy during the whole ride! If there were television in our front, I would have thought we were flying business class! The bus is a non-stop ride, making me comfortable traveling knowing that no one can flag the bus in the middle of the road.


It was really late already, so the only road shot picture I took was this one - the toll gate at NLEX in Bulacan. The seats were so comfy that I decided to doze off after this, but I did get up twice to use the comfort room.

One funny story about the comfort room... it was so dark outside, we didn't know where we were. Sister got up to use the comfort room, and a few seconds after she entered, the bus entered the zigzaggy road to Baguio City, and it was quite nasty. I couldn't help laughing thinking how my sister looked like inside the comfort room (which is the size of the water closet in ships). I was thinking she was like this sardine inside the can. Hahaha. She actually laughed at her situation, too, saying it definitely woke her up. :)

We arrived in Baguio City around 5:30am. We roamed around the city the whole day and took the bus trip to La Union around 4pm. Up to this day, I still haven't tried taking the deluxe bus of Victory Liner, but since my British friend and I will be traveling to Baguio City as part of our two-week holiday, I think we will be going for the deluxe trip so we could relax during the trip.

*** Jenn ***

ps - I was able to get a very good shot of the Baguio Cathedral's facade taken at dawn and submitted it as my entry to the Sony Ericsson contest, but I didn't win because it was a voting contest and sadly I still don't have many online friends that time.