Malamig ang gabi, ang sarap [tapusin ang pangungusap nang ayon sa iyong konsensya]

Ang lamig!  Nitong mga nakarrrrrraang gabi napansin ko na parrrrrrang sobrrrrrra ang lameeeeeeg.  Parang wala ako sa Metro Manila.  Sa katunayan, nakajacket ako ngayon (na ilang buwan ko ring hindi nagamit) at may malamig na milo (malamig parin) habang tumitipa sa keyboard.  Sarap!  Hindi naman ako nahilig sa mainit na inumin.  Mapa-kape o tsokolate gusto ko laging malamig, kahit na malamig na ang paligid.  Ang sarap sanang may kayakap sa mga panahong tulad nito - bed weather.  Pero dahil wala naman akong syota at walang chicks na gustong yumapos sa aking slightly chubby na pangangatawan,  pasimple ko na lang yayakapin mamaya ang aking sariling mga bisig sa pag-idlip.

Medyo marami akong ginawa nitong nakaraang linggo.  At mas magiging busy na ako lalo kapag natanggap na ako sa inaaplayan kong tindahan sa pamilihang bayan ng Muntinlupa.  Matutupad ko na rin ang pangarap ko na maging tindero ng tinapa.  Actually, pangarap yan ng bunso naming kapatid.  Ako na lang ang tutupad para sa kanya. Tamad kasi sya mag-aral noong elementary sya at ang panakot nila nanay sa kanya eh magiging tindera sya ng tinapa paglaki nya kapag hindi sya nag-aral ng mabuti.  Malugod naman nya iyong tinanggap - bumanat pa na marangal naman daw na trabaho ang pagtitinapa.  Tama naman.

Noong Biyernes eh dumalo ako sa kasal ng aking mabuting kaibigan na si Chris.  Sa St. Joseph Church sa Las Piñas ang kasal.  Hindi ka tiga-LP, siguro ay hindi ka pamilyar sa St. Joseph Church, pero malamang sa malamang ay narinig mo na ang pamosong Bamboo Organ.  First time kong makapunta sa simbahan na 'yon, at 'yon na rin ang aking unang pagtapak sa simbahan at unang kasalan na inatenan ko sa taong ito.  Oh di ba, back-to-back-to-back ang first time, kaya nag wish ako.  Hindi naman para sa akin ang wish ko kundi para sa bagong kasal.  Na sana ay maging matiwasay at habambuhay na maligaya ang kanilang pagsasama!

Napadami ako ng kain sa reception.  Bihira lang kasi ako maka-attend sa mga ganoong handaan kaya sinulit ko talaga ang buffet dinner. Sa mga kasalang napuntahan ko, never pa ako sumali sa kahit anong pakulo, kaya nung naramdaman ko na malapit na magsimula ang paagaw ng garter, palihim na akong umeskapo.  Pero hindi rin natuloy ang balak ko dahil bago pa man ako makalabas eh narinig ko na si Chris na tinatawag ang pangalan ko sa mikropono - ayown, hindi na ako nakatanggi.  Dahil lagi na lang iniiwasan ang garter sa mga ganitong okasyon, binaliktad ng host ang mekaniks.  Ang makakakuha ng garter - OUT.  Inulit-ulit ang paghagis hanggang sa isang lalaki na lang ang naiwang hindi nakakahuli sa garter.  At si Kaloy ang lalaking 'yon.  Pero sinadya talaga ni Kaloy na hindi makiagaw sa garter.  Hmmm...maparaang bata! XD

Hindi pa doon natapos ang gabi dahil pagkatapos ng reception ay dumaan pa kami sa bahay nila para sa isa na namang equally engrandeng kainan at inuman.  May mga pictures pero hindi ko na dito ilalagay, tinatamad ako mag upload.  Eto na lang ang picture ng bagong kasal.  Hindi pwede ang close-up dahil wala naman akong pahintulot na ilagay ang larawan nila dito.



Chris and Joy. XD



At kahit na hindi nya ako kinuhang bestman o kahit groomsman man lang (nagtatampo talaga? haha), ibibigay ko parin sa kanya ang painting na ginawa ko talaga para sa kanila.  Hindi ko dinala noong araw ng kasal kasi wala naman akong dalang sasakyan, at saka nagdadalawang isip pa kasi ako noon kung ibibigay ko nga ba yung painting o hinde, hahaha, pero syempre ibibigay ko talaga sa kanila.  Ewan ko, medyo nalulungkot lang kasi ako na ipamigay yung painting, para kasing may sentimental value na sa akin ang bawat isa sa mga simpleng pinta ko kahit ba parang kinahig lang sila ng manok na nagtampisaw sa pintura.  Buti sana kung bibilhin, kikita pa ako, hahaha. :-)  Invited ako sa Thursday sa bahay nila Chris para mag lunch (actually, sinabi lang na pumunta ako nang lunchtime sa kanila - hindi naman sinabing papakainin ako ng lunch.  assuming lang ako).  Dun ko na lang ibibigay ang painting nila. Panget ang painting ko, pero mas may halaga 'yon sa tingin ko dahil may labor of love ang regalo ko.  Isang simpleng pinta na maituturing ngunit extra special dahil bahagi iyon ng aking pagkatao - at iyan ang matatawag kong tunay na regalo; higit sa anu mang pera, plato, mug, rice cooker, plantsa, picture frame, kaserola, arinola, atbp., na regalo ng iba.  Haha. XD  O sya, akin na talaga ang perfect gift.  Hahaha! XD

Oh, byerts!

Welcome 2011! :-)

Post sa FB ng classmate ko nung HS - taon na ng onse-han! Hahaha... parang ampanget pakinggan. XD

Maikling post lang ito para batiin ang 2011.  Naway maging maligaya at payapa ang taong ito para sa atin.  Ulanin sana tayo ng swerte, bagyuhin ng biyaya, at bahain ng limpak-limpak na salapi!

Hindi ako naniniwala sa horoscope shitnitz, pero kumunot parin ang noo ko sa narinig ko sa tv kanina.  Sa taong ito, swerte daw ang zodiac sign ko...sa kaibigan.  May mga kaibigan daw ako na matatakbuhan sa oras ng kagipitan (at may kagipitan pa talaga na magaganap? pano kung magkatoto yan? lokong astrologer yun ah).  Ok naman ang swerte sa kaibigan, pero mas gusto ko ang swerte sa pera! pera! pera! hahaha (oo, ako na mukang pera). XD

O sya, naghihintay ang inumin.  Manigong bagong taon sa inyong lahat! XD

Byerts!

Fa la la la la, la la, la la...♫♪

[Aminin mo, sinubukan mong kantahin yung title] Sinubukan kong balikan ang huling post na ginawa ko noong nakaraang taon. Titingnan ko sana kung meron ba akong ginawang Christmas post o new-year-resolution-shitness o kahit ano tungkol sa pasko at bagong-taon, at kung nasunod ba ito o hindi. Wala pala. Balak ko pa ngang tuluyang patayin si bloggie noong mga panahong iyon. I-li-link ko sana dito sa post na ito ang ka-emo-han ko dati, kaya lang wag na, baka hindi mo pa tapusing basahin itong post na 'to. Napakaloser ko pala noong nakaraang taon - hanggang ngayon, haha. 'Yon lang, wala na ang dating bigat. Mas maluwag na ang kalooban ko ngayon dahil wala na akong inaasahan. Madalas kong marinig ang ibang tao na nagpapayo na dapat daw kinakalimutan ang mga masasamang bagay/alaala/guni-guni at suicide attempts. Wala akong balak na kalimutan ang mga kasawian ko noon dahil gusto kong manatili ang mga iyon bilang aral na maaari kong balik-balikan kung sakaling maharap ulit ako sa ganoong klase ng sitwasyon balang-araw.

Nagbackread ako ng posts ko noong Disyembre ng nakaraang taon.  Medyo nalulungkot ako sa katotohanan na hindi natapos ang 2009 ko na masaya, tapos ngayong 2010 eh, well, so-so lang, kung yung makalumang standard ko ang pagbabasihan. Walang engrandeng pangyayari eh. Parang, wala lang. Nabuhay lang ako ngayong taon para kumain at matulog at kumunsumo ng oxygen. Kung mamatay ako, tae lang, walang magiging laman ang CV ko na ibibigay sa Kanya.

Hindi ko talaga gustong pahabain pa ang post na ito. Gusto ko lang sabihin na, hindi gaanong maganda ang papatapos na taon, angat lang ng bahagya, mga dalawang level, kumpara last year, PERO (yes, may malaking BUT) - syempre, hindi ko naman hahayaan na magtapos ang 2010 sa napaka-loser na paraan. Gustong kong maging masaya! :-) Eh ano kung wala ako ng mga bagay na nais ko - meron naman akong nauuwiang bahay at pamilyang maaari kong balik-balikan ano mang oras, sakaling maubusan na ako ng batong maipupukol sa madugas na mundo. Hindi na ako magrereklamo sa madugas na mundo, dahil lahat naman ng tao eh nadudugas nya.  Quits lang kumbaga. Madugas naman talaga ang mundo eh. Kahit saang anggulo mo pa ito tingnan, hindi kailanman naging patas ang daigdig,  mapa-pinansyal, intelektwal, pisikal na itsura, lugar na pinagmulan, lahi, buhay-pag-ibig, size ng kwan, at marami pang ibang pagkakaiba at hindi pagkakapantay-pantay ng tao.  Aminin man natin o hindi, meron talagang napapaboran.  Ang magagawa lang natin para maging mas kaiga-igaya at masaya ang mundo ay tanggapin ng bukal sa puso kung ano man ang ibinigay sa atin ng nagbigay (universe man yan o dyos ayon sa iyong paniniwala) - at ito ang nais kong gawin. :-). Sa ngayon, marami akong kakulangan sa maraming aspeto ng buhay - alam mo na, yung mga bagay na madalas tingnan ng lipunan, gaya ng malusog na bank account at kotseng minamaneho, magandang chick, at makisig na pangangatawan. Sa ngayon, masaya ako sa tahanan at malusog na pamilya, at sa bonus na mga kaibigan.  Kung iisipin, fair naman ang daigdig sa pagiging unfair sa mga tao.  Paradox?  Haaay, ayoko na i-explain.  Basta, hindi nalang dapat pag-aksayahan ng panahon kakamukmok ang mga bagay na wala sa abot ng ating kamay. 

Marami akong pwedeng kainisang mga pangyayari sa taong 2010, pero mas madami akong dapat ipagpasalamat. Isipin mo, 365 days akong gumising at natulog para lumamon kinabukasan! 365 na blessings na 'yon!  Thank you Lord!

O sya at humahaba na ang sinabi kong maikli lang na post. Bumabati ako ng Maligayang Pasko sa lahat ng nagpapasko sa inyo. Kung hindi ka man nagpapasko, kagaya ng kaibigan kong si Tobey, wag mo sanang masamain ang pabati ko na ang nais lang naman talaga eh mag wish ng isang magandang araw. XD

Kuha ito ng isang kaibigan sa Sitka, Alaska, noong nakaraang taon.  Yan ang view nila sa likod ng bahay.  Ayoko naman ng snow halos buong taon, pero gusto ko ma-experience ang snow kahit sa pasko lang. XD

Muli, maligayang pasko sa inyong lahat! Hindi pa ito ang last post ko sa taong ito. Hindi ako nakapagpaalam ng matino sa 2009, ayokong ulitin ito sa 2010.

Byerts!

Early Christmas Gift, yeahbah!

Whoooo peeeee! :-) What a great day it was for me! I mentioned in my previous post that I have a small package to pick-up in QC. Well, I got it this afternoon. *insert-happy-dance-here* All the while I thought I was gonna get some chocolates or something usually given as pasalubong (like a shirt or a bottle of  perfume), but to my surprise I got something even better!

I got these...

Not chocolates, but better. XD

This is from Sir Jaime, from Seattle, WA, whom I have known online for quite some time. It's just soooo kind and soooo generous of him to give me all these - a set of acrylic and oil paints (big tubes), paint brushes of different types and sizes (total of 40 brushes!), a brush cleaner, acrylic mediums, 2 palettes and a palette knife, colored pencils, a calligraphy kit, 2 Books, and more.  The wood palette and some of the brushes were actually made in China.  Funny that they had to travel to the US only to be sent back to Asia. When I saw the entirety of what I was told to pick up, I was like - "are you serious you're giving me all these?"  What I received was way greater in quantity than what I originally purchased when I started painting a few months back.  This is an early Christmas gift!  Ang dami-dami at amoy Seattle, Washington pa! Hahaha.

*Thanks again Sir Jaime, I really appreciate everything!  May God bless you and your loved ones!  Btw, thanks also to your daughter and her secretary for being nice when I came to pick up the package (I'm just quite disappointed they didn't offer me anything to drink - hahaha, NO - just kidding sir!)  Ang bait-bait nyo po, I'll buy you lunch when you come over Manila next year.*

Now that I got big tubes of paints, I just need to get some pre-stretched canvas so I can get back into painting. I'm aware I'm not a schooled artist and I never took any art lesson before, but some say I'm doing pretty good for a newbie (LOL yabang lang). And as a learning painter, being restricted by perspectives and shadows is something I don't want to get myself into. That's why I identify with folk art. My instinct to paint and my will to learn are greater than my inhibitions about painting, and I guess that's one good quality I have. Yes people, I paint from my heart (drama ang potah, haha). There were even nights before when I got so engrossed in painting that it was 4am before I realized the time. That's how much I enjoy doing it. Much like having sex, you know. Hahaha, just kidding. Sex is better.

Recently I realized how blogging can be a good source of online friends, but that would be impossible if I continue writing emoish-blahness, which nobody really wants to read. Come on, the world's already full of shit and negative vibes and I no longer want to add up to it. But, errr, bad things do really happen sometimes, so I still might throw some of them here unconsciously (and consciously). This is MY blog, bite me. Oh well, I am, again, speaking in paradox, haha. Kidding aside, should bad things/news/experience come my way, I'd just let it go. Much like reading a book - turn the page when it's done.

I find blogging now a bit of a challenge, but I'm up for it. I mean, I want to thrive on the challenge to write something that people will enjoy, and learn and benefit from. Not a small thing, I know.

That's all for tonight. Byerts people!

 
 

Christmas 2010 Wish List

I realized that it's almost Christmas when I saw a video of Jose Mari Chan's Christmas in Our Hearts on a friend's wall in facebook. Yep, Christmas is near and I think that's enough good news to write about. Time really flies so fast. Teee heee! I didn't get any gifts worth-mentioning last year. Nothing materialized in my wish list last Christmas, pffft. But it's ok. I'm not bitter or something. I'm used to it, haha.

Although nobody's been giving me anything that's on my Christmas wish list for the past n years, I'm still going to write down the things I want this Christmas. This is a "wish list", so I might as well put here the things I really really want! Teeee heeee heeee! XD

So here's my Christmas 2010 Wish List (ambitious edition):

1. Iphone 4

I never owned an Iphone. My 3yo Nokia N73 has been acting up lately, so I guess it's about time to get a new phone. And I think the new Iphone is perfect! XD If you can give me this, there's no need for you to read the rest of this post. XD

2. A DSLR (with a good lens)

Again, I never owned one. I was planning to buy a Nikon dslr last year, but, errr, gaaaah...

3. PS3 slim

If you are nice enough, you may also include Naruto Shippuuden Ultimate Ninja Storm2.

4. A 3D2N vacation package in Coron, Palawan, for 6

That's for me and my family.  A trip outside the country is also perfect (just don't send me to Iraq).

5. A job I really like

I know nobody can really give me this, unless you're a boss in some big company (let's talk). So just choose any of the aforementioned wishes.

How about you? What do you want for Christmas? XD

A SHORT STORY

Once upon a time, a strangely hungry family went out to celebrate the mother's birthday. They sure ate a lot....

But the mother was not satisfied...

and so were her children....

so the brilliant man of the family thought of something.... (dyaran!!!)

He bought a big bowl of Halo-halo. "Dessert for everyone!", he said.

But ended up consuming it by himself.

Tsk tsk tsk... THE END.

Wait!!! That's not how the story ended! The brilliant man didn't eat the gigantic serving of halo-halo alone for chrisake! He ate just half of it. Teeee heee! XD

Went out with my family (minus one - the eldest left early for work, and a soul - Dad, who prolly was with us for all we know ) this afternoon to celebrate our mom's birthday. Just a simple celebration, as usual. This year, we went to Max's at Festival Mall in Alabang. I think we were at Gilligans in Trinoma the other year. Anyways, we arrived in the restaurant a few minutes before 5pm, which made us a bit early for their "Chicken-all-you-can" promo, which starts at 6pm. It's tempting, because you get to have as much "sarap-to-the-bones" Max's chicken for only 165 Php (listen, I wasn't paid to do this, and I'm not promoting it in any way, ok). But it's my mom's birthday, so it's not really the right time to spend reluctantly.  Sky is the langit, I mean, the limit! - sagot ni Ate Be! Haha! I honestly don't like the promo anyway - it sounded to me like "cholesterol-all-you-can".

Then...

Tik-ti-la-ok!!! What the crock is that??? Everybody turned their heads to the direction where the sound was coming from. It was somewhere at the corner of the restaurant to my right...where two ladies were seated. I looked around and saw everyone with the what-the-fuck-is-that-clucking-stupid-chicken-all-about face, while the two ladies had the "no-no-no-it-wasn't-us" look. Hahaha... The speaker was on the ceiling atop the table where the two ladies where seated. We initially thought it's a promo similar to what they used to have, and that they're going to give each table a special dessert or sort of. But we were wrong. The clucking chicken was their signal for the start of the "chicken-all-you-can" promo. I could have gotten what it was had I known the time was 6pm.

It was a very simple celebration, but it was fun. Us going out together rarely happens. Looking forward to the next one. XD

NEW ADVENTURE...

PREPOST NOTE: I was initially considering putting this blogsite down for good. But I realized this blog, which you are currently reading, has my name on its title, so, more or less, it holds some meaning to me. So I decided to keep yffar's world, and make it my official-happy-site, and keep all the emoish-litany-blahs away. Expect to see more happy thoughts in this site moving forward. Future blahness and anything negative will be thrown to my other site.

Haven't been doing much these days. So, to make my slothful days, more or less, a little productive, I proactively volunteered to learn to cook. I didn't ask anyone to teach me, mind you. I taught myself. Teee heee! XD Yep, I'm learning to cook. Cooking was one task I thought I'd never learn to sit through. Hotdogs, other than eggs and bacon (hmmmkei, include here anything that only needs frying), were the only ones I can do. Well, until now, I can honestly say I do not really enjoy cooking (it's always a mess when I cook), but it is always good to learn to cook a few dishes. This month, I have mastered (?) a few pinoy dishes, and it's a great feeling to have someone ask you to make them something because they love how you make it. I am talking about my Spaghetti, which I want to call, Yffar's Spaghetti. Teee heee heee! XD My family just love it! My first attempt was more on the Italian-style-side, which I prefer, but my family being wanna-be-candidates for diabetes want my Spaghetti pinoy-style....sweet! I've already cooked it a couple of times, and, again, I'm going to make my mom one tomorrow because it's her birthday! Dyaran! XD Didn't get a chance to take some pics of my mastery before, but I have here some photos of the few dishes I cooked recently. Glad I was able to take some shots just before my family consumed everything.

Fried Pork Strips (marinated in self-made-BBQ sauce) with Fried Potatoes and a Special Dressing (I initially didn't know what to do with the pork. I didn't even know what to call this. Whew, glad it ended up good. )

Pork Nilaga. (This is the first Pinoy Dish I ever cooked. Not bad for a first timer. Teee hee! XD)

Tofu Sisig. Yummy! XD (healthy pulutan)

Other pinoy dishes I can make are Menudo and Pork/Chicken Adobo. Include here my Fried Chicken that can match Jollibee's Chicken Joy (now you know I'm bragging). I will try to take some photos and post them in the future. Okay, okay, okay, I know these are easy dishes, but hey, I never cooked before, and I am learning. XD

FOR ONE MORE DAY - A Review

Title: For One More Day
Author: Mitch Albom (Author of Tuesdays with Morrie)

"If you had the chance, just once chance, to go back and fix what you did wrong in life, would you take it? And if you did, would you be big enough to stand it?...."
- James McBride, author of The Color of Water

For One More Day is a very good story about family - mistakes, love, and forgiveness. It's a short, yet very inspirational story that will make you cry at some point (yeah, I did). A good read for people who are losing hope, and faith, and self-love.

Warning: The book is kind of overly-sentimental in most part of the story, so this is not for people who hate dramas and the usual tearjerky stories shown in MMK.

The story is about a man, a former Baseball Star named Chick Benetto, who had a chance to spend one more day with his mother, who died 8 years earlier. The plot of the story moves back and forth between Chick's childhood memories and the current actions happening between Chick and his dead mother's ghost (so yeah, you can also call this a ghost story). Chick's beautiful and happy family-life started to fall apart when his mother died. And that's when his dilemma in life started.

Just like other people who go through too much rain in life, Chick started to hate and ruin his life 'till he reached his saturation limit - getting to the point of trying to take away his own life. When Chick tries to commit suicide, he found himself in a world with its own time in-between life and death, where he had the chance to see, talk, and spend another day with his mother, who even after her death, did not fail to show his son, and make him feel, the eternal power of a mother's love.

I recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick and inspirational read. A great story of redemption and making peace with one's past and mistakes. And I think that's what makes this book extra special.

Just to share: I remember talking to a friend before. I told him I am moving on and will forget all that had hurt me in the past. He said, "No...you musn't forget them...they should always exist." He continued, "You don't even need to act like they don't exist because they do... and they're the reason why you are moving on... a GOOD REASON... a lesson that YOU WILL NEVER FORGET." It's one of his ways of turning negative things into positive (Thanks Jaime). And I must admit I like what he said. For One More Day teaches the same lesson - make peace with your past, forgive yourself, move on, and start over.

Waaaahh....this is just too much of a drama. XD Harharhar.

AFTERWORD:
It's a heartbreakingly-wonderful and uplifting story that will give you the desire to cherish and love whatever you have around you and whoever you have in your life right now - that's how the story serves its purpose. So yeah, go and hug your mom, or whoever it is that you want to hug.

Hugs to everyone. Especially, to YOU!