Duh?!!

Yesterday I told my mother I was going to watch a movie (The Darjeeling Limited) by my lonesome self, she asked me "Pinapayagan ka ba ni D manood mag-isa?" ("Does D allow you to watch by yourself?").

What??!!!

First of all, D works on Saturdays so even if he could join me, he couldn't. He knows how much I love to watch movies so he doesn't really hold it against me if I watch without him.

Secondly - I have for the longest time always be independent. So if I want to watch a movie and I cannot find a suitable companion to tag along with me for whatever reason it might be, then by all means I buy a ticket for one! I don't really care if I am seated all alone. It doesn't bother me. I watch because I am interested in the film not what people might think when they see someone all alone in a theater.

Thirdly - I certainly don't conform to the idea that now that I am in a relationship, we need to do everything together, all the time. I don't restrict D's activities, either, In fact when I found out that his friends wanted to host a stag party for him, I encouraged D to go for it. Now if D himself is not comfortable with it then let it not be said that I was the one who prevented him from having a good time. He can be quite staid, sometimes.

Lastly - yes, a silly question deserves a long winded violent reaction from yours truly. By the time I was done explaining my stance, all my poor mother could say was "Ok just be sure you tell D where you're at".

This would have triggered another response of how I don't need to account for every single minute of my day to my fiance but enough said I just switched my cellphone to silent mode.

Thursday Thirteen

13 highlights of my parents 40th wedding anniversary celebration

1. It was a 2 day affair. Feb. 4, 2008 the eve of their anniversary, we checked them into a luxurious one bedroom suite at the Discovery Suites, Ortigas.

2. The room was filled with elegant floral bouquets of roses. There were even rose petals scattered on the bathroom floor. The bathtub was filled with warm water and floating rose petals. The entire suite smelled of fresh roses.



3. My sister and I stayed for dinner which we ordered from room service. We had beef oxtail kare kare, pumpkin soup, grilled rosemary chicken, potato puree, spinach gratin and steamed rice.



4. While they were still glued to the TV watching the live proceedings at Congress, my sister and I said goodnight so they could enjoy their overnight stay in the lap of luxury.



5. The next day, February 5 is the actual date of their 40th wedding anniversary. My sister and I along with D, my fiance picked them up at around 11:45 AM after they checked out of Discovery Suites. We planned a full day for them but we kept our itinerary a secret. They were totally clueless and quite eager to learn about our surprises but we kept it a mystery.

6. Our first stop was lunch at Max's Restaurant in Baclaran. 40 years ago after their very low key wedding with only a handful of relatives in attendance, they proceeded to have dinner at Max's all the way in Baclaran for their 'reception'.

7. We feasted on chicken (of course!), kare kare, pinakbet, sinigang na hipon, fresh lumpia, pancit miki bihon and buko pandan ice cream. It was a great family bonding moment as they regaled us with stories of their wedding 40 years ago. A truly nostalgic walk down memory lane.

8. To kill some time, we proceeded to SM Mall of Asia. Admiring the lovely view of Manila Bay from the 2nd floor as we sipped coffee at Seattle's Best. More conversation ensued with Dad and D taking the helm as we discussed everything and anything under the hot scorching sun. Funny thing is that both D and Dad were in matching maroon t-shirts.

9. Our next stop was Santa Ana church, the church where they got married 40 years ago. We got there just in time for the 6:30pm evening Mass.




10. My sister and I went to the church a week ago to offer a thanksgiving mass specifically for their 40th wedding anniversary. When the lector announced the special intention of the mass, my mother started crying right there. She thought that we were just going to stay a few minutes, say our prayers then leave. She didn't know we had made a special offering for the evening Mass.



11. We decided to head over to Shangri-la Plaza for dinner from Santa Ana. We wanted something light and settled for some seafood fare at Fish & Co. Fish and Chips were the main dish on our table.

12. We celebrated by doing a reenactment of February 5, 1968. We heard Mass at the church where they were wed that Tuesday evening, 40 years ago. And ate at the restaurant where they toasted their nuptials with a select few relatives. I was really glad that D didn't have work so he could join us for that special occasion.

13. We all had a grand time. It was a long day filled with nostalgic memories, bright hopeful prospects for the future and special thanksgiving for the blessings this family has enjoyed throughout their 4 decades of marriage.

Lenten season

Today is Ash Wednesday which marks the start of the Lenten Season. Last year I did not blog for 40 days. This year it is imperative I blog about every single moment which leads to my upcoming nuptials. So I can look back and tell myself wow how on earth did I survive that?

Ok I'm being overdramatic, I am doing just fine, so far.

I am thankful I have the sustaining support of my family. As well as my beloved D who continues to fill my heart with so much joy. I still swoon in his mere presence. I'm also amazed by his natural cheerful tendency to fill my existence with so much laughter and good positive energy. I sometimes pinch myself and ask what I did to deserve such a wonderful partner in life. This year, instead of sacrificing something for Lent, I will simply make a vow. A recent scare with D's health has been weighing heavily on my mind these past days. It has been agonizing as I called on all the saints in heaven and prayed like I've never prayed before in my life for him to be given a clean bill of health. But certain factors still worry me so I keep praying for strength. I hope I can be strong for D when he needs me the most. My vow is to be healthier spiritually, emotionally and most of all physically. Wish me luck in my endeavor!

Real Rankings

We blog for various reasons but whether we monetize our blogs or simply use it as a virtual diary, we hope we receive ample traffic so it won't seem like we are talking to ourselves. Finally there is a tool that analyzes our Blog Ranks. IZEARanks.com ranks bloggers based on actual traffic, site visits and unique visitors. After you sign up, you simply insert a javascript into your html code. Once you have verified ownership of the blog and chosen the category your blog belongs to, the device automatically takes over and starts accumulating the data. You choose whether you want to display pageviews and visitors or just your RealRank.



They also provide the IzeaRanks Badge code which you can prominently display anywhere on your blog. You may add as many blogs as you want. Plus, you can compare the rankings of your blog(s) with the more popular blogs by adding up to ten blogs. They provide true analysis of your stats through color coded charts. RealRank is a more accurate ranking than the other systems which rely on complicated samplings and link-weighting algorithm. It's based on real traffic! So sign up at IZEARanks.com and get a kick from watching the rankings of your blog.

Ruby Tuesday!

40th Anniversary Gemstone: Ruby, because rubies are thought to possess an eternal inner flame which is a symbol that the passion in a marriage is still very alive and strong after 40 years together.
40th Anniversary Color: Ruby red.
40th Anniversary Flower: Nasturtium



Today February 5, 2008 marks my parents' 40th wedding anniversary.
My sister and I have a few surprises up our sleeves for them.
In a few months as I embark on own journey of marital bliss, my wish for them is they continue to be showered with more exciting blessings in life as well as inspire me with the knowledge that marriages can and do last a lifetime! =)

Engagement Rings

I don't have one. Yet it doesn't stop me from browsing the Internet to admire the several varieties available online. James Allen is one of the most prominent online diamond jewelers which offers a wide range of engagement, anniversary rings and wedding rings. All beautifully encrusted with sparkling diamonds. Their easy to navigate website is comprehensively designed with information about all types of rings. You can even design your own ring, if that fancies you. They also have an excellent technical support on hand to cater to all your questions about jewelry. Valentine's Day is just around the corner so go ahead and indulge yourself. Wow, all these stunning diamond rings from James Allen is making me drool with delight. Diamonds are indeed a girl's best friend!

Discontinued brands

Yesterday while watching "P.S. I Love You" (the Hilary Swank film not the one with Sharon Cuneta) there was this scene which made my head nod in agreement. Lisa Kudrow's character along with 2 other women are stuck on a tiny boat in the middle of nowhere. Her make up kit is accidentally flung out of the boat and she tries desperately to reach it. Then she laments how she hates make up companies because just when you find the perfect shade of nail polish or lipstick, 6 months later they discontinue the label. I found that quite realistic and funny.

I understand her frustration. Through the years I've tried several brands of cosmetics, was totally devoted to them like they were heaven's gift to women then a few years later or worse just a mere months later I discover to my chagrin they no longer manufacture them. In the process, I need to switch to another brand, get used to the fact my new lipstick was a tad too pinkish or too amber for my lips. It is pretty frustrating. I soon developed this complex which made me think I was cursed or something. My theory was that I was the only person in the whole world who was buying that certain shade of burgundy lipstick, that blend of foundation/pressed powder which didn't make me look like a geisha or a certain brand of bloody red nail polish. Therefore the cosmetic company was losing millions of dollars just to cater to the whim of one single individual. Ergo for profit purposes they had to discontinue manufacturing that particular shade because I would only buy them like every 8 months or every other year! Yes I know I got some twisted sense of self worth! Now ladies fess up, I'm sure you have experienced this same dilemma, right?



P.S. I loved the movie!

What's the Buzz?

The buzz about town is that you can drive more traffic to your blog! It is very easy through Buzzfuse. You simply enter your email address, sign up, wait for the confirmation email. This will lead you to register a user name, add your picture to spice up your profile, key in your preferences then start marketing your blog. I joined and it took me merely a few seconds to go through the entire process.
On their main website, you can browse and read informative blog articles on anything and everything under the sun. As well as see posted pictures and videos from other users. It is a great way to promote your seldom read blog posts! So why don't you give me a buzz and join my inner circle? One more social networking site won't do you no harm. =)

This is a paid review