Goodbye 2011

A little less than 10 hours to go before 2011 comes to an end and
well, I'm thinking of writing a year-ender post or something. But I
can't quite think of what to put in. Seriously. It's like my brain's
programmed to process a single word only, and that is: food, food and
more foods. Lol!

Kidding aside, though. 2011 has been a hell of a year for me. So many
things had happened; some were good, others were bad and a few were
unforgettables. It's not the best year, that I must admit but I can
say that I've learned a thing or two from it. :)

First thing I've learned from 2011? Well, it's to not dwell on the
past and move on. However painful or joyful your life went on a
certain part, you've got to move forward because life goes on. It
always has and forever will be. Keep your focus on what's ahead.

Second, I've learned that a little "spoil/pamper yourself" and "me
time" moments won't hurt. Sure, spend time and effort with your
friends or loved ones but you got to give yourself some quality time
too. Do things that make you happy because life is short. Enjoy it
while it last.

Finally, I've learned that time is precious. Before, I used to think I
have an unlimited supply of it. But now, it's crazy how I think I'm
running out of it. So make the most of your time.


And there goes my year-ender. I know, it's pretty lame. Ok, scratch that. It's soooooo lame! Haha. Anyways, I'm excited for the New Year's Eve later (because they always rock!
:D) and yeah, we'll be kissing 2011 goodbye in a matter of hours. Wuhooooo! I'm hoping
for a firecracker-injurie-free New Year's Eve for y 'all! :)


Keep safe and enjoy the rest of the year,
Joey

Christmas Is...

Merry Christmas to you wherever part of the world you may be right
now! I just ate my breakfast with my family and boy, I think I'll be
undergoing food coma any minute now with all the food that I've
consumed since Noche Buena last night! ;)

Anyways, it has been a while since the last time I blogged and I miss
Blogspot, seriously. So I think this is the time to get reunited with
my own little world here and what better way to start blogging again
than writing about the sole reason why we celebrate the Yuletide
season, right? *smiles*


Our family has been attending the Candlelight Communion---the annual
Christmas Eve service in our church, Cathedral Of Praise---last night that has the
theme of "Ang Diwa ng Pasko." We've been attending that service for
years now and I've been hearing and reading the Christmas story
forever that I can do a storytelling of it. But last night, it was like my
first time to hear the story that it gave a whole new meaning to me.

All my life I've seen how Filipinos celebrate Christmas and how we
make a big fuss about what foods are to prepare for the Noche Buena or
what clothes to shop to wear on Christmas day or what gifts to give to
our families, friends and godchildren that we forget the real meaning
why celebrate this momentous day. We are caught up preparing for
ourselves that we forget about Jesus.

Christmas is all about Jesus. He was born because God gave Him to the
world out of his unfailing, unconditional love so that every single
person in this world may know the Light and follow the Light.
Everything about Christmas is about Jesus Christ, that's why it's
called 'Christ'-mas. It is not about you more so not about me. He's
the sole reason why we are celebrating this season. We are celebrating
His birthday.

We don't need extravagant things to be happy because everything else
doesn't matter without Jesus. He is the source of our happiness and
every possession we have. May we never forget to thank Him today for
coming to the world for us and may we remember to give Him a gift
today, that is ourselves. May we spend time with Him today. It's His
birthday after all. :)


Peace and love and prosperity may be with you. And Merry Christmas to you too,
Joey

A Moment to Remember

You know that surprised feeling when a totally unexpected thing happens to you that you just don't know how you're gonna react to it? That's how I felt earlier. Actually, I was in a state of shock, disbelief and overflowing joy. Mixed emotions, ika nga.
Why? Well, you wouldn't believe who we bumped into last night! (Hint: He's an Azkal player :D) I didn't expect to see him at the UFL Cup opening ceremony yesterday kasi nga kakatapos lang ng game nila against Singapore the other day (Hint #2: Tapos injured pa siya) so when my friend, Mel and I saw him, napatili kami ng "Chieffy!" nang slight. Hahaha!
Yez, that's Chieffy Caligdong, the 2011 Long Teng Cup Golden Boot Awardee no less!! So you could just imagine that surprised, starstruck-ed feeling we felt that time! Waaaaaah!!!
We were on our way home when we saw him. Naka-mizuno jersey, shorts at cap lang siya. Sobrang simple. We congratulated and shook hands with him before leaving. Parang nagmamadali sya. Papunta sya sa gate ng RMS, kami naman papuntang LRT station. I thought the story ended there... But wait there's more! :D
Mel and I were talking about the brief experience pa when we saw Chieffy again! Nasa Vito Cruz na kami nun sa tapat ng Starbucks! Haha! Ambilis nya maglakad! We called him and thankfully, nakilala nya kami! Weee! Then, he invited us to have snack with him! Nakakahiya pero nakakahiya din syang tanggihan. Hahaha. So we ended up eating at Jollibee. He treated us cheeseburger meal and he bought fried chicken with spaghetti for himself. While eating with him, di pa din ako makapaniwala na kausap ko sya at kumakain ako kasama nya. Di ko nga nakain yun cheeseburger eh. Haha!

Sabi nya, kami daw unang taong nakasama nya after their trip to Singapore. Sobrang flattering! Answerte namin!! :p Then, pauwi we took the LRT. He said that was the first time after a long time that he rode the train. I feel so lucky and flattered that I get to share that experience with him. :)
During that moment with him, dami naming napagkwentuhan: from his kids, wife, parents, plans and the team. Haha. Makwento sya to think na it was our first time to talk to him. Nakakatuwa. He doesn't choose the people he talk to. Feeling ko mas lalo ko syang nakilala.

Chieffy is sooo bait, sobrang down to earth and very approachable! No wonder a lot of people look up to him and idolize him! Idol, saludo ako sayo! Iba ka! I will never ever forget this day! Thank you Chief sa snack, kwentuhan at sa autograph! Unforgettable experience! Sana maulit! :D

Kutless in Manila

Okay. I noticed I've been blogging most about sports lately. Can't help it! I love sports. Hehe! But today, Imma blog about one of the things that I so much love as well, which is music. And the Only One who will forever be a first to my heart, God. :)

So, yeah, Kutless is here in Manila! Yay!!! They're doing a 3-night concert for free (because Ptr. Sumrall believed that sharing the gospel is free)! In Cathedral of Praise (where I go church to, btw! I feel super blessed!:>)! Their first night concert last Friday was a blast according to my Mom (yes, she's a fan of rock music too!) and an awesome number of a thousand people got saved! Wow! And last night, I attended their second night concert here! I was alone because the person I invited to the concert didn't make it. :( But then I didn't feel so alone at all. How would you be able to feel that when you are so overwhelmed with praise and worship towards God? :)

I've known about and had been listening to Kutless for years now since I heard one of their songs sang in our church which is "Strong Tower".

After that, I googled them, looked for their songs online and saved in on my mp3 player. ;)

Last night was one of the best nights of my life. I've never had so much fun worshiping God on a rock concert as much as I did last night!
Seeing so many people coming and responding to the invitation of receiving Jesus in their hearts was just so awesome and amazing feeling knowing that God is moving in their hearts! I felt so much blessed! :')

Thank you Kutless for coming to Manila! And thank you so much COP for bringing them here! Most of all, thank You, Jesus for looking out for our souls and for loving us unconditionally. You are the best thing that ever happened to me. <3 To God be the highest glory!

PS. Please come back to Philippines soon, Kutless! :)

PPS. Now playing: What Faith Can Do (on repeat! LSS na ako last night pa;) )

PPPS. You can check 'em out online: here. :) Or you can follow them on Twitter! Thank you!

I Can Serve Invitational: Kaya FC v Philippine Azkals

So, what is I Can Serve Football Invitational? It is a charity football tournament featuring the Philippine Azkals and top United Football League clubs; Global Smartmatic Futbol Club and Kaya Signal Futbol Club. Scheduled on September 19 to 24 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, the tourney is a single round format with Azkals like Aly Borromeo, Anton del Rosario, Jason Sabio, and Nate Burkey of Kaya Signal FC and Misagh Bahadoran, Paolo Pascual, and Angel Guirado of Global Smartmatic FC playing for their respective clubs when they face the national football team players like Phil and James Younghusbands, Mark and Matthew Hartmanns, Chieffy Caligdong, Ian Araneta, et al. Proceeds of the tournament go to the ICanServe Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes early breast cancer detection through community-based screening and high-impact information campaigns.

As much as I wanted to watch all the three games but my sked wouldn't allow me. It was just only yesterday that I was able to see the last I Can Serve invitational game between Kaya FC and the Philippine Azkals, together with my friends: Jean, Mel and Kate (extended friend hihihih! Nice to meet you, Kate!).

Being the ever sluggish that I was, I came almost late but not quite. I came just in the nick of time! Thank goodness! :) My friends and I got a free tix each as Kaholeros (yep, we've that perk! But just for this invitational games hehehe!) but we didn't use it because the seat we were designated to seat was in the white bleachers and the sun was scorching hot yesterday that we thought of just buying an upper grandstand tix para di masyadong mainit. Arteh? Hahaha!

The game started so slow with both teams couldn't find a chance to strike a goal until "Mark Hartmann opened the scoring parade of the national squad in the second half via free kick in the 55^th minute. The 19-year old Fil-British striker sailed his attempt above Kaya Cignal’s wall defense to score the stunning goal.

Fil-Spanish Angel Guirado, who just arrived from a brief vacation in Spain two days prior to the match, made the second goal with a crossover fake off his defender at the 67-minute mark of the match. Three minutes later, Chieffy Caligdong followed up a saved shot by Kaya Cignal’s goalie Saba Sadeghi to hike Azkals’ lead, 3-nil.

Phil Younghusband, who aggressively attacked Kaya Cignal’s defense all throughout the match, finally gained ground with two goals – a great feed from his brother James in the 82^nd minute and the final goal four minutes later.

Fil-German goalie Roland Muller also made a good account of himself in his debut with the team, saving four attempts of Kaya Cignal." (from here)

I super enjoyed watching this game! It was so much fun! Thanks to all the people who came up with this idea and made it possible. The real winners in this tourney were the fans who watched and all the women fighting against breast cancer. :)

The Dream Is Still Alive: On To The Semis Baby!

September 23, 2011. Around 9-ish pm, Philippine-time.

Do you know that this is an epic day for all the basketball fans and all the Filipinos in the world? Why? Because Smart Gilas Pilipinas -- Philippine Men's National Basketball Team -- clinched one of the 4 spots for the national teams who will advance to the semi-finals of the FIBA Asia 2011 as we ditched Chinese Taipei off the competition via a 17-point-lead, 95-78. Yes, Philippines is back, baby!! :)

After 24 looong years, (1987 was the last time we booked a spot in the semi-finals of FIBA Asia) Philippines reached again the semis of one of the most important league/tournament in the world of basketball, FIBA Championship. The overwhelming surge of joy, gratitude and Filipino pride just rushed through me when the final buzzer was heard and the clock stopped; indicating we survived and won the crucial game (we are down on the first quarter and keeping up with Taipei at the second) that I actually teared up. Most especially, when I heard Mico Halili, one of the commentators said that Philippines is now one of the top four teams in Asia. :') Finally, all the hard work of Gilas boys has paid off! I can't help but feel so proud of Smart Gilas!

You might probably won't understand why I reacted the way I did (but for some of you, basketball fanatics and sports freaks, you probably know and feel the same thing), that's just because I've been a big supporter of the team since they started playing for our country and since no tv networks would wish to televise their games. ;) I've been a long-time fan that I've seen their dedication, hard work, and improvements just to bring honor to our country. Not only that, throughout the years they're playing, I've also seen how skeptics have doubted (some of em still do, btw :| ) their abilities to compete against other national teams in Asia, how haters have flooded their fanpages on social networking sites with insults, pointless criticisms and other 'words of discouragement'. But they proved em wrong everytime they go out on that court and play; all out, all heart.

And now, seeing Smart Gilas winning against tough teams in Asia, I wish and pray that these doubters will start to believe and support our national team. After all, it's our flag that they're sporting, right? :)

As for the players and staff of Team Pilipinas, congratulations! You deserve to be where you at now. The whole nation is so proud of you! The dream to qualify for the Olympics is still alive and I believe in you guys! We believe.

Keep the spirit up. Seize every opportunity. Never surrender. Focus. Eyes on the prize and that is to bring pride and honor to the Philippines. Laban para sa bayan! Go Gilas!!

Mabuhay ang Smart Gilas Team Pilipinas! Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! :)


PS. Watch Smart Gilas' semi-finals game tomorrow against Jordan* live at 8pm (Philippine time) on AKTV IBC 13 on free tv and BTV on cable and support our national team! :)

PPS. *Note: Philippines had already beaten Jordan a numerous times before; including the recently concluded Jones Cup 2011 and even in the first round of the FIBA ASIA 2011. So, I'm pretty confident that we can beat them again and book a seat to the finals. :D But it won't hurt if we will pray for their victory, right? Right! Lezdudiz! We're in this together! :)

Better Late Than Later

I rarely do blogs about celebs or other personalities alike -- which I'd like to coin as CeleBlogs. Wala lang. Pauso :D -- but one can do exemption to the rule, right? :)

So, this is for my favorite Azkal player who celebrated his birthday just the other day, err two days ago?... James Joseph Placer Younghusband.<3 Before I give my message to him, puhlease lemme share you some bits and pieces about him ;)


James plays as right midfielder. He was recently part of the San Beda-Rizal Team in the Smart Club Championships. He was born in Ashford, Middlesex, England on September 4, 1986 to an English father and a Filipina mother.

At the age of 10, he signed up for Chelsea and made appearances for the youth and reserve teams. He had stints with other English teams such as Wimbledon (2006), Staines Town (2007), Woking (2007), and Farmborough (2008). His family moved to the Philippines in 2008.

In 2005, James was called-up by the Philippine Football Team Federation and participated in the Southeast Asian Games held here. From then on, hd has become an integral part of the team. His recent goals were in March 2011, against Mongolia during the away game of the play-offs for the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers and against Myanmar during the group stage qualifiers of the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup.**

Belated happy birthday James! Thank you so much for representing the Philippines with all your heart through your passion and dedication to football! You are one of Philippines' sports pride and you deserve to be idolized by many. May you keep inspiring the Filipinos, most especially the youth to play your most-loved sport -- football.

I wish you good health all throughout the year. More blessings to you, your family and of course, to the Azkals team. Keep smiling! :)

Dear Crabbies

I was wide awake from midnight to 3 in the morning earlier to watch the Philippine Azkals game against Kuwait Al Azraq so I woke up late today. I wasn't able to catch the rerun of the game which I've no plans of watching again. I was solemnly having my brunch when I overheard these guys talking about the game and how they bash the Philippines Men's National Football Team; like 'puro papogi lang ang alam,' 'di yan makakarating ng World Cup,' and 'mag-artista na lang sila.'


These crabbies! I'm pissed so Imma give these crabs a piece of my mind. So, listen crabbies, and listen very well..


First of all, it's not the Azkals' fault if they were born and blessed with good physical attributes. (Baka inggit ka lang kuya dahil pogi sila at ikaw ay hindi? Sisihin mo parents mo. Hehe :p)

Second of all, their good looks is NOT the issue and most especially, NOT the reason why they lost to Al Azraq. (Ambabaw mo. Or wala ka lang talagang masabi dahil wala ka namang alam sa football?)


Thirdly, there are reasons why they lost to the Kuwaitis: 1) The game last night was an away match for the Azkals and making an away goal is freakin' hard considering they are the visitors. There's the home Kuwaiti crowd and they are not that familiar with the pitch. 2) They played in a hellish 44-degree-Celsius weather. And most of the Azkals were not used to that kind of weather. You can just imagine how hard it is for them to play 90-minutes of running and kicking ball, plus those extra pushes and other physical counter-attacks by the Kuwaitis. That's exhausting and not to mention, dehydrating! 3) Kuwait Al Azraq is a better team than us. They rank 102nd in the FIFA World Ranking while the Philippine Azkals rank 159th, 57 steps under the Kuwaitis. They possessed the ball most of the game, the players' footwork was amazing, they had a superb defense, and they were really quick in counter-attacking, which just goes to show that they are really a tough team. 4) Captain Aly Borromeo and Stephan Shrock weren't able to play because of the suspension they got from their game against Sri Lanka. They were a big loss to the team. Captain Aly is a great defender as much as a great leader. Without him at the back really made a big difference. Though, Anton del Rosario, Rob Gier, Ray Jonsson and Jason Sabio did an amazing job at the back last night making sure the Philippine defense was tight. If not for their defensing, Neil Etheridge could've conceded more than just 3 goals considering how lethal those Kuwaitis were on the penalty box! Moreover, Shrocky's absence in the midfield area brought a slack offense to the team unlike on the games against Sri Lanka when they were more offensive and that was mainly because of Shrocky's great tackles and amazing passes. 5) There were no substitutions made until the last minutes of the game. That could've been a lone goal from the Kuwaitis if only Coach Weiss made an early substitution. The second goal was just plain stupid. The third one was due to exhaustion.


Yes, we still got a looong way to go and still got to learn a lot as a football nation to get to the World Cup but never tell me it's not achievable. Years ago, Philippine football was never this big. But now, every Filipino is talking about it. Meron na ngang haters e. That only means, Philippines is getting better and better as a football nation.


Now, crabbies, if you still don't wanna believe that..why don't you just go find yourself your own country and make your own football team? Or better yet, why don't you find a merchandise store where you can purchase a brain?

I *heart* LAKERS

Today is one of the darkest, gloomiest days of my life as a Laker fan. I've never seen this coming... I've never thought for a single moment that my team would end this way...this early in the season, but it is what it is. Today, Lakers were 'swept' -- 0 to 4 -- by the Dallas Mavericks off the NBA playoffs, losing the chance for a 3-peat championship.

There, I said it. The last time Lakers was swept off, if I remember it right, was in the year 2008 against the Boston Celtics. But also remember, what we got after that year..and the year next to that. A championship. We'll be back.

Yes, it hurts. It stings. But I understand that every team, every single fan, has their year. 2011 does not just belong to us. I know as well that we can't win every year..every title. Losing is a part of life. Circumstances such as this, brings a lesson and a promise of making you stronger. We'll be back.

If there is one thing good out of this though, is that we lost to a great team, the Dallas Mavericks, who have put up one helluva fight from the very beginning. Congrats! They deserved it. I just hope they play the same way til the end.

Yes, this is a tragic day for me as a Laker fan..seeing my team not playing in the finals..but even though and despite of that, I'll stick with my team no matter what. THE SEASON MAY END, BUT THE LOVE NEVER DOES. I am a Laker fan forever. Through thick and thins, and up and downs. GO PURP AND YELLOW!! :)

PS. I know this is so much for a send-off party but Phil Jackson, hats off to you, Sir. Thank you for everything. You will be missed. :(

Date A Girl Who Reads

by Rosemarie Urquico

(In Response to Charles Warnke’s You Should Date An Illiterate Girl.)

Date a girl who reads. Date a girl who spends her money on books instead of clothes. She has problems with closet space because she has too many books. Date a girl who has a list of books she wants to read, who has had a library card since she was twelve.

Find a girl who reads. You’ll know that she does because she will always have an unread book in her bag.She’s the one lovingly looking over the shelves in the bookstore, the one who quietly cries out when she finds the book she wants. You see the weird chick sniffing the pages of an old book in a second hand book shop? That’s the reader. They can never resist smelling the pages, especially when they are yellow.

She’s the girl reading while waiting in that coffee shop down the street. If you take a peek at her mug, the non-dairy creamer is floating on top because she’s kind of engrossed already. Lost in a world of the author’s making. Sit down. She might give you a glare, as most girls who read do not like to be interrupted. Ask her if she likes the book.

Buy her another cup of coffee.

Let her know what you really think of Murakami. See if she got through the first chapter of Fellowship. Understand that if she says she understood James Joyce’s Ulysses she’s just saying that to sound intelligent.  Ask her if she loves Alice or she would like to be Alice.

It’s easy to date a girl who reads. Give her books for her birthday, for Christmas and for anniversaries. Give her the gift of words, in poetry, in song. Give her Neruda, Pound, Sexton, Cummings. Let her know that you understand that words are love. Understand that she knows the difference between books and reality but by god, she’s going to try to make her life a little like her favorite book. It will never be your fault if she does.She has to give it a shot somehow.

Lie to her. If she understands syntax, she will understand your need to lie. Behind words are other things: motivation, value, nuance, dialogue. It will not be the end of the world.

Fail her. Because a girl who reads knows that failure always leads up to the climax. Because girls who understand that all things will come to end. That you can always write a sequel. That you can begin again and again and still be the hero. That life is meant to have a villain or two.

Why be frightened of everything that you are not? Girls who read understand that people, like characters, develop. Except in the Twilightseries.

If you find a girl who reads, keep her close. When you find her up at 2 AM clutching a book to her chest and weeping, make her a cup of tea and hold her. You may lose her for a couple of hours but she will always come back to you. She’ll talk as if the characters in the book are real, because for a while, they always are.

You will propose on a hot air balloon. Or during a rock concert. Or very casually next time she’s sick. Over Skype. You will smile so hard you will wonder why your heart hasn’t burst and bled out all over your chest yet. You will write the story of your lives, have kids with strange names and even stranger tastes. She will introduce your children to the Cat in the Hat and Aslan, maybe in the same day. You will walk the winters of your old age together and she will recite Keats under her breath while you shake the snow off your boots.

Date a girl who reads because you deserve it. You deserve a girl who can give you the most colorful life imaginable. If you can only give her monotony, and stale hours and half-baked proposals, then you’re better off alone. If you want the world and the worlds beyond it, date a girl who reads.

Or better yet, date a girl who writes.

*Note: Isn't it cute? Ima self-confessed frustrated writer. So I was kinda touched when I've read this. Now more than ever, I wanna pursue this writing passion that is in me so someone would date me! Chos! Hahahaha :P But really, this is brilliant! Aye, date a girl who writes! :)

Date An Illiterate Girl

by Charles Warnke (Jan. 19, 2011)

Date a girl who doesn’t read. Find her in the weary squalor of a Midwestern bar. Find her in the smoke, drunken sweat, and varicolored light of an upscale nightclub. Wherever you find her, find her smiling. Make sure that it lingers when the people that are talking to her look away. Engage her with unsentimental trivialities. Use pick-up lines and laugh inwardly. Take her outside when the night overstays its welcome. Ignore the palpable weight of fatigue. Kiss her in the rain under the weak glow of a streetlamp because you’ve seen it in film. Remark at its lack of significance. Take her to your apartment. Dispatch with making love. Fuck her.

Let the anxious contract you’ve unwittingly written evolve slowly and uncomfortably into a relationship. Find shared interests and common ground like sushi, and folk music. Build an impenetrable bastion upon that ground. Make it sacred. Retreat into it every time the air gets stale, or the evenings get long. Talk about nothing of significance. Do little thinking. Let the months pass unnoticed. Ask her to move in. Let her decorate. Get into fights about inconsequential things like how the fucking shower curtain needs to be closed so that it doesn’t fucking collect mold. Let a year pass unnoticed. Begin to notice.

Figure that you should probably get married because you will have wasted a lot of time otherwise. Take her to dinner on the forty-fifth floor at a restaurant far beyond your means. Make sure there is a beautiful view of the city. Sheepishly ask a waiter to bring her a glass of champagne with a modest ring in it. When she notices, propose to her with all of the enthusiasm and sincerity you can muster. Do not be overly concerned if you feel your heart leap through a pane of sheet glass. For that matter, do not be overly concerned if you cannot feel it at all. If there is applause, let it stagnate. If she cries, smile as if you’ve never been happier. If she doesn’t, smile all the same.

Let the years pass unnoticed. Get a career, not a job. Buy a house. Have two striking children. Try to raise them well. Fail, frequently. Lapse into a bored indifference. Lapse into an indifferent sadness. Have a mid-life crisis. Grow old. Wonder at your lack of achievement. Feel sometimes contented, but mostly vacant and ethereal. Feel, during walks, as if you might never return, or as if you might blow away on the wind. Contract a terminal illness. Die, but only after you observe that the girl who didn’t read never made your heart oscillate with any significant passion, that no one will write the story of your lives, and that she will die, too, with only a mild and tempered regret that nothing ever came of her capacity to love.

Do those things, god damnit, because nothing sucks worse than a girl who reads. Do it, I say, because a life in purgatory is better than a life in hell. Do it, because a girl who reads possesses a vocabulary that can describe that amorphous discontent as a life unfulfilled—a vocabulary that parses the innate beauty of the world and makes it an accessible necessity instead of an alien wonder. A girl who reads lays claim to a vocabulary that distinguishes between the specious and soulless rhetoric of someone who cannot love her, and the inarticulate desperation of someone who loves her too much. A vocabulary, god damnit, that makes my vacuous sophistry a cheap trick.

Do it, because a girl who reads understands syntax. Literature has taught her that moments of tenderness come in sporadic but knowable intervals. A girl who reads knows that life is not planar; she knows, and rightly demands, that the ebb comes along with the flow of disappointment. A girl who has read up on her syntax senses the irregular pauses—the hesitation of breath—endemic to a lie. A girl who reads perceives the difference between a parenthetical moment of anger and the entrenched habits of someone whose bitter cynicism will run on, run on well past any point of reason, or purpose, run on far after she has packed a suitcase and said a reluctant goodbye and she has decided that I am an ellipsis and not a period and run on and run on. Syntax that knows the rhythm and cadence of a life well lived.

Date a girl who doesn’t read because the girl who reads knows the importance of plot. She can trace out the demarcations of a prologue and the sharp ridges of a climax. She feels them in her skin. The girl who reads will be patient with an intermission and expedite a denouement. But of all things, the girl who reads knows most the ineluctable significance of an end. She is comfortable with them. She has bid farewell to a thousand heroes with only a twinge of sadness.

Don’t date a girl who reads because girls who read are the storytellers. You with the Joyce, you with the Nabokov, you with the Woolf. You there in the library, on the platform of the metro, you in the corner of the café, you in the window of your room. You, who make my life so god damned difficult. The girl who reads has spun out the account of her life and it is bursting with meaning. She insists that her narratives are rich, her supporting cast colorful, and her typeface bold. You, the girl who reads, make me want to be everything that I am not. But I am weak and I will fail you, because you have dreamed, properly, of someone who is better than I am. You will not accept the life that I told of at the beginning of this piece. You will accept nothing less than passion, and perfection, and a life worthy of being storied. So out with you, girl who reads. Take the next southbound train and take your Hemingway with you. I hate you. I really, really, really hate you.

*Note: This is a repost :) I just found it cute. But I love the sorta 'comeback' to this that Ima post later after this. Hihihi :P

Team Coco FTW!

Last Wednesday, February 23, 2011, we had our Thesis Defense for our Project Study subject. That day was so wonderful that after we've presented our thesis, I still couldn't believe that, finally, it's over. Not officially though, 'coz we still have to edit everything and have it binded. There are still work that need to be done. What I'm glad about it is that the day we've all been dreading to come is now over. Defense is freakin' done. Yay!!! I still felt surreal about it! :)


I remember I wrote a note about in FB that night right after I reached home. Here it is.

Ayun. Grabe tong araw na to. Di ko expected ang lahat ng mga pangyayari. Hahaha. Overwhelmed pa din yun pakiramdam ko, actually. Di ko inasahang magagawa ko pero..I did it! Hahaha I freakin' did it!! Kinabahan pa ko ng bonggang bongga the night before kasi feeling ko papalpak ako at hindi ko magagawa ng tama (na syang nangyari buti once lang! Haha thank God!ü) pero ayos naman.

Dahil jan, thank you ng bonggang bongga firstly, ke JENCIE. Kasi sya talaga yun nagsasabi na wag kami kabahan, na isipin na lang namin yun mga pinaghirapan namin (i.e paggugupit ng coco fibers, pagpunta sa elbi, pag-aaply ng resin sa fibers na ultimate fairness e nakakangawit naman talaga, pagkaka-badshot namin ke sir eli dahil sa pagtakbo namin haha, etc). Salamat sa words of encouragement teh, kumalma ko dahil dun.

Secondly, salamat TEAM COCO: ARVIN, DIVINA, THAL, JENCIE & CHELAMAY. Alam ko pasaway din ako hahaha salamat dahil di nyo ko itinakwil at sinipa paalis ng grupo hahahaha! Pero seriously, thank you sa tulong, pang-uunawa and everything! Go! *jencie accent* Hahahaha!! Para saken, we're the best team! Hahaha!

Thank you din sa panels kanina dahil sobra sobra sobrang bait nila. Di ko talaga expected yun Q&A na magiging ganon. Kala ko dikdikdikin ako ng bongga saka ako igigisa ng todo todo pero hindi. Chill lang. Relax. Hahaha astig. Galing ni God! Sobrang laking favor nun para saken!

Lastly, thank You po Lord sa ability, wisdom na ipinagkaloob Mo samin kanina. I know na I didn't do it on my own, but with You. Maraming salamat po sa pagpapakalma, sa kapanatagan ng kalooban (super light ng pakiramdam ko habang nagsasalita di ko din lam kung bakit, basta yun kaba na naramdaman ko habang naghihintay kaming maisalang biglang nawala nung nakatayo na ko sa harap ng panel. Galing talaga.) Thank You so much, God. You are really the best!! With that, I bring back to You all the praises, glory & honor! Amen. :)


#Overwhelmed #SuperDuperMegaOwverFrigginBonggaliciousMajorMajorThankful&Happy :)))))

Formal :)

With the Tetes: Divina, Chelamay, & Thal ;)

With the panels: Engr. Talaugon, Engr. Galutan, Engr. Balagtas, Engr. Sawal, Ph. D. Marquez, Engr. Regidor & Engr. Leyson

We are the Team Coco! :)))

Goofing around after the defense with our baby! Coir Bonded Particleboard:)

Ayos na! Me with Jencie, Ellen, Son, Jor, Chelamay, Divs :D

Thank You, Lord for this day! This is one memory I won't surely forget for the rest of my life! Thank You so much! I dedicate this day to you!!! ♥

Also, thank you Team Coco! We did it! Kampai!!!! :))))))

The Super Wazak Love Story

Hoookaaaay! I can do this! *ulit-ulitin hanggang matanggal ang kaba* *inhale exhale*

Ito na. Panu ba ang malupit na intro para dito? Bahala na.


Hindi ko inaasahan na maramdaman to sayo. Nakakaloka na sayo pa di ba? E dehins mo nga ako kilala at dehins pa rin kita nakikita..tayo nagkikita sa personal. Pero anong magagawa ko? Dehins ko rin naman pinlano to. Ang alam ko pa nga yun kapatid mo yung major major crush ko.. So bakit ngayon, ikaw na? Nakakainis. Nagmumukha na akong tanga na bigla-biglang ngingiti marinig ko lang o kaya maalala ko lang yun pangalan mo. Tapos pag najo-joey ako, ikaw ang naiisip ko..at ang mga pangarap ko para sa ating dalawa. Hahaha! Tapos nabubwisit, nalulungkot (sobraaa!!), nagseselos (ng bonggang-bongga!!) ako sa mga taong following mo sa Twitter! Nagre-reply ka kasi sa kanila! Tapos saken, hindi? Bwisit ka! Nasan naman ang katarungan dun? Peste..naiiyak na naman ako. *singhot-hugot tisyu-punas sa luha't sipon* *yucks*


Kelan ko nga ba na-realize to? Ah oo. Nung Friday last week..habang nagsusulat ako nung assignment sa Design of Metal Structures, bigla na lang kitang naalala. Tapos bigla na lang, nagulat ako kasi nag-init ang aking mga mata. Naluluha na pala ko at dahil lang yon sa na-realize kong mahal na kita. Bwisit. Nakakainis kasi totoo na. Walang halong ka-echosan. Walang bahid ng biro at kadramahan. Nakakabadtrip. Bakit sayo pa? Ngayon ko na nga lang uli naramdaman to..nung huli kong maramdaman to, ke *toot* pa! At highschool days pa yon ha! Tapos..ketagal ko pang hinintay na maramdaman uli to..bakit sayo pa? Bakit?? *iyak* *tawa* (baliw?)

Bakit nga ba ko naiiyak? Di ba dapat masaya? Ewan ko din. Nalulungkot ako e.. Siguro kasi, alam kong sa pangarap ko na lang ikaw magiging akin. Hahaha! At hanggang sa pangarap na lang din matutupad ang mga pangarap ko para sa ating dalawa. Dahil di mo naman ako kilala..ni hindi mo nga yata alam na nag-e-exist pala ako. Hay.. Ang lungkot. *Wasak na wasak ang puso ni Lastimak!* Wasak nga. :'(


Why do I always fall for the unreachable? Dang.

To you: Kahit wapakels ka sa'kin sa Twitter, labs pa din kita. Hahaha. Sana lang magreply ka na sa'kin kahit isang beses lang. Bwisit ka. Chos! Hahaha. I would be the happiest girl in the world if you do reply to me :)




*Imported from my FB Notes. By Joey Anne Roldan on Monday, February 14, 2011 at 9:14am*

Taylor Swift in Asia

Got this video made by Taylor Swift, herself. It's about her Asian tour this year. I'm a huge fan of her so I got really frustrated when I wasn't able to go to her concert here in Manila last Saturday night :( Ok, maybe this will do. Well, it actually cheered me up :) Thanks for the vid, Taylor!

Enjoy people!

PS. Welcome to the Philippines, Taylor! Hope you will come back soon! We love you!!! :)

Of Love and Other Stuff

I know this is super duper uber late already.. but hey! It's still 'Love Month', right? February isn't over yet! So Imma blog about LOVE. Yeah. You heard (err.. read) that one right! Hehehe. Anyway, Happy Valentines Day first!! :D

I seldom do blogs about celebrities or popular personalities (which I wanna call CeleBlogs, for short. Chos! Pauso lang :P), but when I do, it only means one thing: I super adore them and I look up to them a LOT. The Philippines Men's National Football Team, collectively known as the Azkals, is one of them.

Top (from L-R): Aly Borromeo, James Younghusband, Neil Etheridge, Ian Araneta, Anton del Rosario, Rob Gier
Bottom (from L-R): Jason de Jong, Phil Younghusband, Chieffy Caligdong, Simon Greatwich and Chris Greatwich

So what they got to do with love?? Hahaha! Well, it's simple! I LOVE THEM! :)

I love these guys not because of their impeccable good looks (oh puhlease I'm not that dense, but of course their looks won't hurt much either! :D), but because of their dedication and passion for the sport, football. One could easily notice that these guys are not playing just for the heck of it, nor just for fun but to bring honor and pride for the country. And they did it. When the team made it to the semi-finals of the recently concluded AFC Challenge Cup where they also kicked the last year's champ, Vietnam off the game; which set the whole Philippines (and I believe some parts of the globe) in frenzy! For the first time in many years, football is once again alive!!! And that is because of these dawgs. They proved the world that even underdogs can bite back!

And just recently, last February 9, once again they proved their skills when they won over the Mongolian team. And I know that they're gonna nail it again on March 15 as they face Mongolian team again for the second leg of their qualifying match. I know because I believe in them! Go Azkals! Laban! :))

Now, aren't they lovable? ;)

Cake Party at COP! ♥

Last Friday, January 14, Cathedral of Praise (COP) celebrated God's awesomeness as we laid our debts to rest. Ok, so you might be thinking, what debt? Looking back, 20 or 30 years ago? (I'm still no human that time, that I'm sure! :D) COP was just like any other church. Struggling, small and just very faithful to God's promises...so we borrow money from a bank so we can build our church and all. Fast forward to the present times, because of God's favors, provisions, mercy and faithfulness, here we are! We already paid off all our debts! We are completely debt-free!!! Thank God!!!! :)

And as a way of thanking God for his goodness, and all of us, COP members for being so faithful to our vows and promises that we are gonna help in making our church free from debt, COP put on a Debt-Free Cebration/Cake Party!! Yay! ♥

That's the cake! A big Goliath Cake! :)

Zoom in!!! Weeee! That's a 19-feet-Chocolate-Cake! Yuuummm!♥

Why Goliath? Well, last year, COP put a giant Goliath statue inside our church which represents our debts. And each time we give our seeds (offerings) and tithes, and fulfill our vows, a part of him is being cut off. Actually that statue was just a head na lang by January this year. :)

And to officially announce that COP is completely debt-free, they burned the mortgage contracts in front of us! Cool!

I love these scenes! :))

Then Pastor Sumrall proceeded to cutting the cake, Goliath's head. And yes, with a samurai!! Hahahaha! Super cool! He did it three times! He said he was so looking forward to doing that, that he just had to do it again for three times! Hahahahaha!

Our tickets! :)

Me, holding my ticket ;)

Mina! :)

Joshua, Kuya Mark, Mina, Me, Alvin and Aldrin eating cakes:)

One more!! :P Sarap ng cake! :)

Cakes!!!

Weeeee!!

Huge crowd at the COP garden! :)

And hey! There's a live band on the parking lot! COP band, of course! :D

And in here, lies Goliath. You read it right. He has a tomb. :P

Thank you Mina, Arvin, Aldrin, and Alvin for the company! I had so much fun!! Thank you, COP for the free chocolate cake! Hope there'll be more cake parties in the future! Hehehehe! And, last but definitely not the very least, THANK YOU LORD for all the blessings and favors and financial provisions!!! If not for You, we didn't have this kind of celebration! Thank You so much, God! Yours are all the honors, praises and glory!!!! :)

There Are No Accidents

Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there…to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson or help figure out who you are or who you want to become. You never know who these people may be but you lock eyes with them, you know that very moment that they will affect your life in some profound way.

And sometimes things happen to you at the time that may seem horrible, painful and unfair, but in reflection you realize that without overcoming those obstacles you would never realize your potential, strength, will power or heart.

Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by means of luck. Illness, love, lost moments of true greatness and sheer stupidity all occur to test limits of your soul.

Without these small tests, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere; safe and comfortable but dull and utterly pointless.

The people you meet affect your life. The successes and downfalls that you experience can create whom you are, and the bad experiences can be learned from. In fact they are probably the most poignant and important ones. If someone hurts you, betrays you or breaks your heart, forgive them because they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious to whom you open your heart.

If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but also because they are teaching you to love and open your heart and eyes to little things. Make every day count. Appreciate everything that you possibly can, for you may never experience it again.

Talk to people whom you have never talked to before, and actually listen. Let yourself fall in love, break free and set your sights high. Hold your head up because you have every right to.

Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for if you don't believe in yourself, no one else will believe in you. Create your own life and then go out and live it.

PS: Did I really write this? I guess, this is the very first serious and no-nonsense blog I've posted since I started blogging! Hahahaha! Yay to me! :D

One Big Chos!

by Joey Anne Roldan on Wednesday, December 29, 2010 at 11:52am (Imported once again from my FB Notes ;P)

2 days na lang, Goodbye 2010 na? Excited ka na ba? Ako, hindi. Chos. Pero bago ko salubungin ang 2011 sa kanto, magpapasalamat muna ko sa mga piling taong nakasalamuha, nakapiling, nakasama, nakaplastikan, nakapoke-an sa buddypoke, naka-like-an ng posts, naka-tweet-an at nakateksan (uso pa ba yan? Chos uli!) ko ngayong 2010. Seryoso ako.

First of all, I want to thank my following sponsors: Folded & Hung for my hair & make up, Jing Monis Salon for my dress, wade for my accessories and Gems & Crystals for my shoes. Chos lang!! Ok. Seryosohan na talaga.

Sa lahat ng nag-like ng posts ko dito sa fb na hindi ko na iisa-isahin sa sobrang dami nila (o, wag ka ng mag-react! Note ko to e. Walang basagan ng trip!), salamat! Kahit alam kong binobola nyo lang ako na gusto nyo talaga yun posts ko. At nagpabola naman ako sa inyo. Hanep! Salamat.

Sa lahat ng bumili saken sa Friends For Sale, nag-add as a neighbor, nag-gift saken sa Farmville, Cafe World, Pet Society at Mafia Wars, dabest kayo! Hindi nyo lang alam kung gano nyo ko pinasaya tuwing ginagawa nyo yon. Kahit pare-pareho naman tayong walang napala roon, salamat pa din! Pa-add naman sa CityVille!

Sa lahat ng nagbasa ng Notes ko (na aminin natin at sa hindi e, wala naman talagang kalatoy-latoy lahat..parang ito.), nagbigay ng komento at nagpahayag ng pagsalungat at kritisismo (naks! Parang tunay!), maraming salamat! O anong natutunan mo? Me natutunan ka ba? Wala? Anak ng..

Sa lahat ng nag-remove friend saken dito at sa twitter at sa tumblr na rin, wag kang mag-alala, hindi ka kawalan. At ang masasabi ko lang, WAPAKELS!!

Sa lahat ng bumisita, tumambay at nagbasa ng blog ko (opo. May blog ako. Kunwari blogger. Haha. Ito yun: http://joeytearjerky.blogspot.com/), marami pong salamat sa inyo. Akala ko talaga walang nagbabasa nito a kami lang ang nakakaalam ni pareng World Wide Web na may blng ako, hindi pala. Meron naman pala. Dalawa ata sila. Chos. Wag po kayong mag-alala, paghuhusayan ko pa.


[O, yan na lang muna. Tinatamad na ko. Bukas uli. Hahaha.]

...after 4 days..saka ko lang uli na-update ito. Inabot na ng 2011! Hahaha. Spell laziness?? :P

At ako'y nagbabalik..

Sa lahat ng nagretweet at nagreply sa tweets ko, sa lahat ng naglike at nagreblog ng posts ko, at sa lahat ng followers ko sa Twitter at Tumblr, you are the dopest guys!! Mas love ko kayo kesa sa friends ko! Hahaha! (Hindi naman masyadong obvious na mas active ang aking virtual social life e no?:D)

Sa lahat ng nainis, nang-inis at nagpainis..TSE! :P

Sa lahat ng natuwa, nakisakay lang kunwari natutuwa, hindi natuwa..HAHAHAHA!!

Sa lahat ng kaibigan kong umalalay, tumulong, umunawa, umintindi, nagpakita ng concern sa'ken nung mga panahong down ako, sa mga nagpanggap na concern, at sa mga walang concern.. Da best kayo!

Sa mga crush ko na naging inspirasyon ko sa mga panahong bored ako sa buhay ko at feeling ko e wala na akong kapag-a-pag-asa.. Hindi ko na kayo iisa-isahin ha? Sobrang dami nyo e. :D Salamat sa inyo! Kayo ang dahilan kung bakit gusto ko pa rin mabuhay sa mundong to sa kabila ng hirap at pighati. Haha! (Hi Phil Younghusband!!:p)

Sa mga taong nanlibak ng aking kakayahan, nang-api at nang-alipusta sa aking pagkatao at antas sa lipunan, may araw din kayo saken! Babangon ako't dudurugin ko kayo! Chos!

Sa lahat ng inutangan at nautangan ko at nagpautang na rin.. Teka, bayad na ba ako? :D

Sa lahat ng nakitalon saken nung sumapit ang Jan. 1, 2010 12:00 am; nakipagbatuhan saken ng piccolo at pop pop; nakipagkulitan at nakikain samin matapos ang putukan at sa inyong dalawa na nakipagchikahan galore saken until 6am nung Jan. 1, 2010.. Ulitin natin! :)

Sa lahat ng nakasabay kong sumakay ng LRT, MRT, bus, jeep, trike, taxi, sidecar.. Wala lang. Hehe!

Sa lahat ng nakasabay kong mag-malling, maglakad sa kalye, manood ng sine at mag-cr sa restrooms ng SM Manila.. Walang lang din, hello! :D

Sa lahat ng nagpatawa, nakitawa at nagtawa saken.. Maraming maraming salamat! Kayo ang nagturo saken na hindi lahat ng bagay sa mundong ito ay kelangang seryosohin.

Sa lahat na rin ng nagpaiyak, iniyakan at umiyak dahil saken.. Salamat! Dahil sa inyo, nalaman kong may kakayahan pa rin pala akong makaramdam ng sakit.

At sa aking pamilya na laging handang umunawa, sumuporta at bigyan ako ng sakit ng ulo dahil ang gugulo nila lagi..Thank you so much! You are the solest reason why I'm like this.. ugh, cuh-razy? Hahaha! :))

THANK YOU SO MUCH, 2010!!! You will never be forgotten! Peace out!