Our Version of a Bridal Shower/Stag Partay -- 10.24.09

It was our wedding month. Everything was in order.

Our respective pre-wed parties:
Shelley's Bridal Shower - check
Dave's  Stag Party - check

After picking up D from the airport, we went to Jollibee Glorietta for Jolly Spaghetti and Chicken Joy.

An idea came up, which started as a joke. I wasn't sure though who started the joke.

Since we already have attend our respective pre-wedding parties, we decided to create a little party of our own -- more quality time before meeting again the entire family and the big day. We could also say that it's a quick getaway before returning back to regular schedule.

It's something we haven't done ever so it's a good idea before we even become h&w.

Welcome to the Dahlia Hotel. :)

I must admit, the chicken lollipop there is really good! Sorry, no pics for the food as it was gone in less than 5 minutes. Haha!

Anyway, the entire stay, though short-lived, can be considered a time for us to be in touch with ourselves and to renew our feelings for each other -- a reminder of the flaming existence of love.






For complete pics:

Blind Item!

By Ricky Lo

By this time, Kenya Romania must have met up with Mauritius Palau. Their longing for each other must have flowed like water let loose from a dam. Tagal kasi nila hindi nagkita, eh! The brazen Kenya Romania doesn’t seem to care if public sentiment is against her, mapagbigyan lang ang hilig. Sometimes in her excitement, she runs the risk of missing her flights. Funfare’s LAX DPA said that when Kenya Romania flew back to Manila from L.A. in December last year, she missed her flight because she arrived at LAX late. Good thing she was put on the next flight that same night. One time, she nearly delayed a domestic flight because she lingered on the celfon, talking to Mauritius Palau. The lovebirds should relish every moment of their, ehem, stolen time. Anytime now, Mauritius Palau’s wife Jamaica will be joining him. Oh well, once the legal wife comes, the “incidental” one will have to disappear pronto — that is, move out of the third-floor flat she’s staying in, a yell away from where Mauritius Palau is staying!

Sinu si Kenya Romania, Mauritius Palau and wife Jamaica? This is an easy one. Hindi na natuto...tsk tsk!

Vanilla Twilight - Owl City

   

Vanilla Twilight
Owl City

The stars lean down to kiss you
And I lie awake and miss you
Pour me a heavy dose of atmosphere

'Cause I'll doze off safe and soundly
But I'll miss your arms around me
I'd send a postcard to you, dear
'Cause I wish you were here

I'll watch the night turn light-blue
But it's not the same without you
Because it takes two to whisper quietly

The silence isn't so bad
'Til I look at my hands and feel sad
'Cause the spaces between my fingers
Are right where yours fit perfectly

I'll find repose in new ways
Though I haven't slept in two days
'Cause cold nostalgia
Chills me to the bone

But drenched in vanilla twilight
I'll sit on the front porch all night
Waist-deep in thought because
When I think of you I don't feel so alone

I don't feel so alone, I don't feel so alone

As many times as I blink
I'll think of you tonight
I'll think of you tonight

When violet eyes get brighter
And heavy wings grow lighter
I'll taste the sky and feel alive again

And I'll forget the world that I knew
But I swear I won't forget you
Oh, if my voice could reach
Back through the past
I'd whisper in your ear
Oh darling, I wish you were here

Vanilla Twilight – Owl City Music Code

Status Update: US Petition (i)

Today I received an email from the US Consulate in Japan stating that our form I-130 has been approved. Great!

So with this, I will be creating our timeline to monitor the progress of the petition to the road of unity for us newlyweds. Wish us luck!

This will also serve as a guide for the other applicants waiting for their petition. However, visa/petition processing time may vary dependent on the location.

S & D's Timeline

 

Civil Wedding, Mandaluyong City Hall Submitted Paperwork for Petition October 26, 2009 December 16, 2009

November 4, 2009 January 25, 2010 DEERS Applications and ID Form I-130 Approved

TO ALL THE COUPLES -- Married or soon-to-be married

This is a really good story I'd like to share to all couples, happy or struggling you may be. May this remind us how simple things do count. 


MARRIAGE

When I got home that night as my wife served dinner, I held her hand and said, I've got something to tell you. She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt in her eyes.

Suddenly I didn't know how to open my mouth. But I had to let her know what I was thinking. I want a divorce.. I raised the topic calmly.

She didn't seem to be annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, why?

I avoided her question. This made her angry. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, you are not a man! That night, we didn't talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory answer; she had lost my heart to Dew. I didn't love her anymore. I just pitied her!

With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated that she could own our house, our car, and 30% stake of my company.

She glanced at it and then tore it into pieces. The woman who had spent ten years of her life with me had become a stranger. I felt sorry for her wasted time, resources and energy but I could not take back what I had said for I loved Dew so dearly. Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to see. To me her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer now.

The next day, I came back home very late and found her writing something at the table. I didn't have supper but went straight to sleep and fell asleep very fast because I was tired after an eventful day with Dew.

When I woke up, she was still there at the table writing. I just did not care so I turned over and was asleep again.

In the morning she presented her divorce conditions: she didn't want anything from me, but needed a month's notice before the divorce.
She requested that in that one month we both struggle to live as normal a life as possible. Her reasons were simple: our son had his exams in a month's time and she didn't want to disrupt him with our broken marriage.

This was agreeable to me. But she had something more, she asked me to recall how I had carried her into out bridal room on our wedding day.

She requested that everyday for the month's duration I carry her out of our bedroom to the front door ever morning.. I thought she was going crazy. Just to make our last days together bearable I accepted her odd request.

I told Dew about my wife's divorce conditions.. . She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd. No matter what tricks she applies, she has to face the divorce, she said scornfully..

My wife and I hadn't had any body contact since my divorce intention was explicitly expressed. So when I carried her out on the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, daddy is holding mummy in his arms. His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly; don't tell our son about the divorce. I nodded, feeling somewhat upset. I put her down outside the door. She went to wait for the bus to work. I drove alone to the office.

On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest. I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I hadn't looked at this woman carefully for a long time.. I realized she was not young any more. There were fine wrinkles on her face, her hair was graying! Our marriage had taken its toll on her. For a minute I wondered what I had done to her.

On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I felt a sense of intimacy returning. This was the woman who had given ten years of her life to me.

On the fifth and sixth day, I realized that our sense of intimacy was growing again. I didn't tell Dew about this. It became easier to carry her as the month slipped by. Perhaps the everyday workout made me stronger.

She was choosing what to wear one morning. She tried on quite a few dresses but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, all my dresses have grown bigger. I suddenly realized that she had grown so thin, that was the reason why I could carry her more easily.

Suddenly it hit me... she had buried so much pain and bitterness in her heart. Subconsciously I reached out and touched her head.

Our son came in at the moment and said, Dad, it's time to carry mum out. To him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had become an essential part of his life. My wife gestured to our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I turned my face away because I was afraid I might change my mind at this last minute. I then held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held her body tightly; it was just like our wedding day.

But her much lighter weight made me sad. On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step. Our son had gone to school. I held her tightly and said, I hadn't noticed that our life lacked intimacy.

I drove to office.... jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any delay would make me change my mind...I walked upstairs. Dew opened the door and I said to her, Sorry, Dew, I do not want the divorce anymore.

She looked at me, astonished, and then touched my forehead.. Do you have a fever? She said. I moved her hand off my head. Sorry, Dew, I said, I won't divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because she and I didn't value the details of our lives, not because we didn't love each other any more. Now I realize that since I carried her into my home on our wedding day I am supposed to hold her until death do us apart.

Dew seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove away.

At the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet of flowers for my wife. The salesgirl asked me what to write on the card. I smiled and wrote, I'll carry you out every morning until death do us apart.

That evening I arrived home, flowers in my hands, a smile on my face, I run up stairs, only to find my wife in the bed - dead.

The small details of your lives are what really matter in a relationship. It is not the mansion, the car, property, the money in the bank. These create an environment conducive for happiness but cannot give happiness in themselves. So find time to be your spouse's friend and do those little things for each other that build intimacy. Do have a real happy marriage!

If you don't share this, nothing will happen to you.

If you do, you just might save a marriage.


Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.

.
A CHRIST-CENTERED MARRIAGE IS A MARRIAGE THAT IS SURE TO LAST A LIFETIME.

Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. Matthew 19:6

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 GOD LOVES YOU <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

A CHRIST-CENTERED MARRIAGE IS A MARRIAGE THAT IS SURE TO LAST A LIFETIME. Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. Matthew 19:6

 

 

A Timely suggestion in the unlikely occurence of an EARTHQUAKE (repost)

FROM DOUG COPP'S ARTICLE ON THE 'TRIANGLE OF LIFE'
Edited for MAA Safety Committee brief



My name is Doug Copp. I am the Rescue Chief and Disaster Manager of the American Rescue Team International (ARTI), the world's most experienced rescue team. The information in this article will save lives in an earthquake.

I have crawled inside 875 collapsed buildings, worked with rescue teams from 60 countries, founded rescue teams in several countries, and one of the United Nations experts in Disaster Mitigation for two years.. I have worked at every major disaster in the world since 1985.

In 1996 we made a film, which proved my survival methodology to be correct. We collapsed a school and a home with 20 mannequins inside. Ten mannequins did 'duck and cover,' and the other ten mannequins used my 'triangle of life' survival method. After the simulated earthquake, we crawled through the rubble and entered the building to film and document the results. The film showed that there would have been zero percent survival for those doing duck and cover; and 100 percent survivability for people using my method of the 'triangle of life.'

This film has been seen by millions of viewers on television in Turkey and the rest of Europe, and it was seen in the USA, Canada and Latin America on the TV program.

The first building I ever crawled inside of was a school in Mexico City during the 1985 earthquake. Every child was under its desk. Every child was crushed to the thickness of their bones. They could have survived by lying down next to their desks in the aisles.

At that time, the children were told to hide under something. Simply stated, when buildings collapse, the weight of the ceilings falling upon the objects or furniture inside crushes these objects, leaving a space or void next to them. This space is what I call the 'triangle of life'. The larger the object, the stronger, the less it will compact.. The less the object compacts, the larger the void, the greater the probability that the person who is using this void for safety will not be injured.

The next time you watch collapsed buildings, on television, count the 'triangles' you see formed. They are everywhere. It is the most common shape.

TEN TIPS FOR EARTHQUAKE SAFETY

1. Almost everyone who simply 'ducks and covers' when buildings collapse are crushed to death. People who get under objects, like desks or cars, are crushed.
2. Cats, dogs and babies often naturally curl up in the fetal position. You should too in an earthquake. It is a natural safety/survival instinct. You can survive in a smaller void. Get next to an object, next to a sofa, next to a large bulky object that will compress slightly but leave a void next to it.
3. Wooden buildings are the safest type of construction to be in during an earthquake. Wood is flexible and moves with the force of the earthquake. If the wooden building does collapse, large survival voids are created. Also, the wooden building has less concentrated, crushing weight. Brick buildings will break into individual bricks. Bricks will cause many injuries but less squashed bodies than concrete slabs.
4. If you are in bed during the night and an earthquake occurs, simply roll off the bed. A safe void will exist around the bed. Hotels can achieve a much greater survival rate in earthquakes, simply by posting a sign on the back of the door of every room telling occupants to lie down on the floor, next to the bottom of the bed during an earthquake.
5. If an earthquake happens and you cannot easily escape by getting out the door or window, then lie down and curl up in the fetal position next to a sofa, or large chair.
6. Almost everyone who gets under a doorway when buildings collapse is killed. How ? If you stand under a doorway and the doorjamb falls forward or backward you will be crushed by the ceiling above. If the doorjamb falls sideways you will be cut in half by the doorway. In either case, you will be killed!
7. Never go to the stairs. The stairs have a different 'moment of frequency' (they swing separately from the main part of the building). The stairs and remainder of the building continuously bump into each other until structural failure of the stairs takes place.. The people who get on stairs before they fail are chopped up by the stair treads - horribly mutilated. Even if the building doesn't collapse, stay away from the stairs. The stairs are a likely part of the building to be damaged. Even if the earthquake does not collapse the stairs, they may collapse later when overloaded by fleeing people. They should always be checked for safety, even when the rest of the building is not damaged.
8. Get near the Outer Walls Of Buildings or Outside Of Them if possible. It is much better to be near the outside of the building rather than the interior. The farther inside you are from the outside perimeter of the building the greater the probability that your escape route will be blocked.
9. People inside of their vehicles are crushed when the road above falls in an earthquake and crushes their vehicles; which is exactly what happened with the slabs between the decks of the Nimitz Freeway. The victims of the San Francisco earthquake all stayed inside of their vehicles. They were all killed. They could have easily survived by getting out and sitting or lying next to their vehicles. Everyone killed would have survived if they had been able to get out of their cars and sit or lie next to them. All the crushed cars had voids 3 feet high next to them, except for the cars that had columns fall directly across them.
10. I discovered, while crawling inside of collapsed newspaper offices and other offices with a lot of paper, that paper does not compact. Large voids are found surrounding stacks of paper.

Spread the word and save someone's life.

Lucky

Lucky
Jason Mraz/Colbie Caillat 

Do you hear me,
I'm talking to you

Across the water across the deep blue ocean
Under the open sky oh my, baby I'm trying
Boy I hear you in my dreams
I feel your whisper across the sea
I keep you with me in my heart
You make it easier when life gets hard

I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again
Oooohhhhoohhhhohhooohhooohhooohoooh

They don't know how long it takes
Waiting for a love like this
Every time we say goodbye
I wish we had one more kiss
I'll wait for you I promise you, I will

I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again
I'm lucky we're in love in every way
Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed
Lucky to be coming home someday

And so I'm sailing through the sea
To an island where we'll meet
You'll hear the music, fell the air
I'll put a flower in your hair
Though the breezes through trees
Move so pretty you're all I see
As the world keeps spinning round
You hold me right here right now

I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again
I'm lucky we're in love in every way
Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed
Lucky to be coming home someday

Ooohh ooooh oooh oooh ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ooooh ooooh oooh oooh ooh ooh ooh ooh

Lucky Ft. Colbie Caillat – Jason Mraz Music Code

Happy Birthday Lola with Estrel's Caramel Cakes -- 09.17.09

Lola's birthday was last year, and D was able to join the celebration. This was also the semi-pamamanhikan as D's Aunt and Uncle were part of this. Usually we'd celebrate lola's birthday with a dinner at some resto nearby the house. but, as "lolas" get tired from walking on a distance that younger people could easily manage, we held her birthdays at home. This year was D's first celebration with the Perezes, together with his uncle and aunt (his parents were still... abroad). in turn, this also was our "pamamanhikan".

Ever since we celebrated lola's birthday at home, we would order one. These made-to-order cakes should be ordered at least 2 days in advance, to be picked up on the arranged date. If you have no time to pre-order, they also have on-shelf cakes available, but in very limited quantities.

Lola is not really a fan for sweets, but she does like Estrel's Caramel Cakes so it's a real treat!














What makes this cake simply unique is the intricate icing flowers that adorn the cake.

Estrel's Contact Details:
Estrel's Caramel Cakes (Since 1947)
54 Sct. Tobias cor. Sct. Limbaga, Quezon City
Ph: 371-7938

For the complete pics:

Poweplant Malling -- again! -- 09.16.09

After going through the pre-marriage counseling, we went to his place to get some rest and to leave our paperwork behind. The day was indeed ours for the rest of the afternoon. 

Although I have nothing much to rave about Sumo-Sam, we went there to have our early dinner, before the crowd kicks in. Even if D already lived in Japan for almost 2 years, he still wanted to give Sumo Sam a go. So there.

A colorful Team Manila jeepney, with Rizal on the exterior, was also "parked" on the activity area. We took some souvenir photos for D to take back in Japan. He even tricked me into smiling for the camera when he intentionally set it in video mode!

"Rockwell Ikot" Jeepney

After fooling around and trying different clothes from the different boutiques, we finally landed at Lulu Belle -- the frozen yogurt (fro-yo) place affiliated with FIC -- that one with the "Pink" Christmas tree (I could have sworn the tree came from the Dimensione store within the mall! lol). It was newly opened at that time, so we gave it a whirl.

The counter's white cow coin bank "moo-ed" when fed with coins!

This is D's first try of the Japanese "mochi". Ironic for someone residing in Japan. Since then, he's been eating mochi whenever we have fro-yo. 

For the complete pics:

Pre-marriage Counseling at the Mandaluyong City Hall -- 09.16.09

So what is this about?

Before getting married the legal way, couples must attend the family planning orientation, or known as the "pre-marriage counseling" c/o the Mandaluyong City hall's City Health Office (CHO).

Some people would "skip" it and go ahead with their wedding. We didn't. Aside from the fact that we have no choice because our license will not be released, Dave and I were curious as to how folks here conduct counseling in our hometown. We find this also as a "rare" opportunity -- rare in a sense that we can only do this once in our lifetime. After all, there is and will only be ONE wedding.

Here's a sneak peek on how this thing goes:

Pre-marriage counseling in Mandaluyong only comes once a week at a certain time (Wednesday, 1:00PM). The session is only good for couples aged 25 years old and above, but those who fall below this age category must instead attend the DSWD seminar.

Seminars are usually done in CHO. However, since we had quite a number of couples attending, the venue was moved to a courtroom-like area. I forgot though the actual name of the room. lol.

The first guy who spoke actually started to give an orientation about the process of getting a marriage license, and other how-to's.

What other people don't realize is that there are really important reminders out there that are not really new to most of us. However, hearing it from a 3rd party professional would get the message across the soon-to-be-wed couples.

City Health Officer teaches the "natural" method of family planning through a marker, 

similar to that of a rosary.

After discussions on reproductive health, different methods of family planning and the importance of foreplay before the intercourse (oh yeah, no holds barred on the terms used), the seminar ended at 4:00pm. Since everyone in the venue were deemed to be "mature" audiences, no censor was necessary.

Just right after the entire thing, we received the certificate.

Next, we would be getting our marriage license!

Defying Gravity - Glee Cast

 


 
Glee Cast - Defying Gravity (glee Cast Version)
Something has changed within me
Something is not the same
I'm through with playing by the rules
of someone else's game

Too late for second guessing
Too late to go back to sleep
It's time to trust my instincts
Close my eyes and leap

It's time to try
defying gravity
I think I'll try
defying gravity
Kiss me goodbye
I'm defying gravity
and you won't bring me down...

I'm through accepting limits
'cause someone says they're so
Some things I cannot change
But 'til I try I'll never know

Too long I've been afraid of
Losing love I guess I've lost
Well if that's love
It comes at much too high a cost

I'd sooner buy
Defying gravity
Kiss me goodbye
I'm defying gravity
I think I'll try
Defying gravity
And you won't bring me down...

I'd sooner buy
Defying gravity
Kiss me goodbye
I'm Defying gravity
I think I'll try
Defying gravity
And you won't bring me down,
Bring me down

Ahhhhhhhh!

Couple's Foot Spa at Wow Salon -- 09.15.09

Dave always wanted to have his feet done.

When I first met him, with matching pinkish merthiolate-made toes (sorry baby, can't resist!), I knew that he would enjoy pampering his feet.

So for this day we became Spartans as we trudged Greenhills. One of our pitstops everytime we visit the mall is DnD because of the super-sulit siomai all-you-can. As a dimsum-lover, this is a steal! :) 

After a sumptuous fill, we walked around some more and tried to ride an FX that would go to Ortigas. How convenient it was! For only PHP10, you could get to Galle, The Podium, Megamall or even Shangri-La via crossing. So we decided to get off at Megamall since Dave has this craving for Mang Inasal. 

Sooner, we found ourselves walking towards Crossing (yes, we love walking together!) so that we can get to that tricycle terminal near Bermuda (Hahaha!). We asked the trike driver to drop us off at McDo Barangka (fyi, this was where we first met! Hehe! Mush much?!). From McDo we walked a few meters to Wow Salon.

This is a salon that Dave and I frequented because of the super affordable services, but no short in c-h-e-a-p from the satisfying results for each service availed. My family also would come here for our regular haircuts and treatments.

Their foot spa is an amazing PHP250, which is a combo of a foot soak, foot scrub, foot rub, a quick massage and a pedicure.

A colorful mural of all the services jazzes up walls on the foot spa area

Nothing beats spending time with your partner on simple pleasures like these. No matter what activity you both partake, but it's how you did it together counts.


Complete photos here:

Trip to the US Embassy and elsewhere -- 09.14.09

Like what was mentioned earlier, Dave went back to the Philies to have some paperwork done. Part of the many things we needed to do was to wake up on the break of dawn to get to the US Embassy, Manila. 

You see, since he became a naturalized US citizen only last May '09, the requisites for marrying a foreign national is not really as complex as it seems. The difference is only in the form of paperwork to be submitted. Also, make sure that the marriage is well-planned for smooth execution -- no shortcuts here, and it should not be something that you would just jump into, I may add.


For instance, in our case, we need to go down to the US embassy for him to get a "Legal Capacity to Marry". Actually, I don't have to be there for him to get this piece of paper. I only tagged along so that I know how the process goes. 

All I knew was we have to be early as the lines in the embassy could already be long by 5AM. We were correct! There were already about 20 people in queue at the gates by 5:00AM! Good thing, Dave already has a "blue" passport, which only means that he has a separate queue -- and he was first! Yay!

Things to know when going to the US Embassy, Manila:

1. Plan ahead - Some offices in the Embassy could only accommodate requests on a certain date or time. Sometimes, only a certain number of people can be accommodated. Be sure to contact first the Embassy for schedules, or check their website.
   
2. Always bring your passport. No passport, no entry -- simply put.
   
3. Be at least an hour earlier or 2 if you have an appointment.
4. If you don't have an appointment, it is advisable to go as early as 5:00AM to avoid long queues, and to avoid missing cut-offs for quotas or times.
   
5. Cellphones/cameras/electronics are not allowed inside. They are to be left on the counter upon entering the gate. You will be leaving another valid ID to deposit your gadgets. 
6. Gates open at 8:00AM, but they let in a few people by 7:30AM
   

I ended up waiting at the Yellow Cab pizza, which is open 24 hours, since I forgot to bring my passport. Dave then had to fall in line. 

Once I've finished the Charlie Chan Chicken pasta I ordered, I went to Starbucks just right across to have some morning coffee. By that time, it was already 6:00AM and Dave was still on queue. We were just exchanging text messages until the time he went inside the embassy, which was around 7:30AM. 

By that time I got really bored that I had to read ALL the magazines inside Starbucks. If you ask me whether I remember what I learned, I'll just answer no. Haha! 

After this, we decided to go home and relax for a while (actually naligo kasi we didn't have time to take a bath that morning coz we were rushing! Haha!).

So we then went to Trinoma and tried Steak Sizzlers located at the 2nd floor food court. The meal was very filling and very affordable.  I think the sizzling steak below was probably at the PHP100-130 range.

After walking around looking for a wedding band, and several pictures taken later, we decided to get some fro yo (frozen yogurt). And since we were already in Trinoma, the best way to satisfy this urge is to run down at Red Mango! 

Now that's some craving! 

For complete pics: 

Fireflies - Owl City

Fireflies

Owl City

You would not believe your eyes
If ten million fireflies
Lit up the world as I fell asleep

'Cause they'd fill the open air
And leave teardrops everywhere
You'd think me rude
But I would just stand and stare

I'd like to make myself believe
That planet Earth turns slowly
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay
Awake when I'm asleep
'Cause everything is never as it seems

'Cause I'd get a thousand hugs
From ten thousand lightning bugs
As they tried to teach me how to dance

A foxtrot above my head
A sock hop beneath my bed
A disco ball is just hanging by a thread

I'd like to make myself believe
That planet Earth turns slowly
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay
Awake when I'm asleep
'Cause everything is never as it seems
When I fall asleep

Leave my door open just a crack
(Please take me away from here)
'Cause I feel like such an insomniac
(Please take me away from here)
Why do I tire of counting sheep
(Please take me away from here)
When I'm far too tired to fall asleep

To ten million fireflies
I'm weird 'cause I hate goodbyes
I got misty eyes as they said farewell

But I'll know where several are
If my dreams get real bizarre
'Cause I saved a few and I keep them in a jar

I'd like to make myself believe
That planet Earth turns slowly
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay
Awake when I'm asleep
'Cause everything is never as it seems
When I fall asleep

I'd like to make myself believe
That planet Earth turns slowly
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay
Awake when I'm asleep
'Cause everything is never as it seems
When I fall asleep

I'd like to make myself believe
That planet earth turns slowly
It's hard to say that I'd rather stay
Awake when I'm asleep
Because my dreams are bursting at the seams

Fireflies – Owl City Music Code

R&J's bulalohan atbp. -- 09.13.09

Contrary to the previous post where we need to be prim and proper, we now dine at a more low scale, casual setting. Situated across the Mandaluyong City Hospital, along Boni Ave., R&J's Bulalohan is one place where Dave and I would usually dine out because of the proximity -- since both of us live in Mandaluyong. On top of that, it offers mouthwatering local cuisine. No wonder local celebrities flock to the place as its walls covered pictures of some famous people who have tried their bulalo. 

So to start the day, we ordered the following: 
-bulalo -rice -tocilog -large fries -iced tea

Total bill: around PHP250-300 for the two of us. Not bad for a "heavy" breakfast.

Note: A platter of fries here have a huge serving (unlike most fastfood chains)

Dave then went to visit their cousins while I went home so I could prepare for later's date: Kimmy Dora: Kambal sa Kiyeme at G4.

I must say, no disappointments here! This is the only local film where I really laughed! Eugene Domingo really hit it big time, and this film surely showed how versatile she is in acting. It's not like those no-brainer comedy films out there that is practically called "a waste of time". For those who haven't seen it and needs a good laugh, this is the film for you. I have already bought a pirated copy for Dave because the original one was not out at the time he was here. But I plan to buy the original copy some time this week. :)

After the movie, we went to Jollibee in G4. Yes! Dave missed Jollibee so much that he had to buy 2 Jolly Spags for himself. Now that's what I call appetite! After all, is there a Jollibee in Okinawa?

We did a little window shopping around Glorietta and we also checked out Nike Stadium where the "Team Pilipinas" jerseys were sold. Good thing we still had one his size! He said he already has basketball shorts so we didn't buy the matching shorts. However, I am currently tasked to look for shorts since the ones he had were given away. So it's up to me to get the shorts, also sometime this week.

Of course I never thought that women could get bored while their partners shopped. Hence, a few pictures it took to ease the boredom (sorry baby, but it was fun being with you! haha!).

After shopping, we decided to unwind at Timezone to do our usual videoke sessions. I always enjoy taking videos of him. Some clips below:

Cravings for more R andJ's grew. So again, we went there and ordered other bestsellers there like the sisig, lumpiang shanghai and garlic rice. Oh, did I mention that they always serve soup with any order and still request for more, if desired? I guess I didn't. 

Truly it was a day of fun and food, or I must say R&Js! Need I say more?

RJ's Bulalohan

Boni Ave.
Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila

(02) 533-4811