Of Lions and Bees

Confused...

2008-02-23T15:05:00.005+08:00

When will I ever forget him?

I thought before that when somebody else comes along, I'd be able to forget him. I'd stop missing him and wondering how he is. But now that someone has come knocking again at my heart's door, the more I think about my past love, my first love. Why? I am really confused.

I told myself before that now that I'm over him, it's ok to get in contact with him again. But a little voice inside tells me not to. I asked myself, why? I didn't have an answer to that question until just a few days after my most recent birthday. I should avoid anything that concerns him because in the end, no matter how hard I try not to, I'm the one who gets hurt. Why? Because I still love him. Maybe it's true for me, that old saying that first love never dies. Ok fine. He will always have a special place in my heart. But that doesn't mean I can't truly fall in love with someone else, does it?

"Lyko" is a nice guy. He actually possesses a lot of the qualities I am looking for in a guy and I like him. But will I ever love him? I still don't know. Time will only tell. So, does that mean I should give him a chance? For how long? I don't want to make him wait for a long time only for me to realize in the end that I can only love him as a friend.

Thinking about it, along with a lot of other issues in my life, gives me a headache. Maybe I shouldn't think much about it, just go with the flow and see where it takes me. I should also learn the fact that in the game of love, there is always the risk of people getting hurt including myself. It's never simple.

Love, love, love. When will you be coming again to make my heart beat faster? Make everything else around me and that special someone blurred and insignificant? Make me feel like floating amongst clouds? When, when, when? I hope you're on your way to me now once again. I really do...

Back from Singapore...

2007-08-03T15:17:00.000+08:00

It's been more than a week since we got back from Singapore. I've been very busy after that because of my aunt's birthday party so it is only now that I'm writing about my trip.

One genione statement can be said of Singapore - Singapore is a very clean and green country! I really admire it for that. I did get to see and eat the stuff that I wrote here in my previous post. First is the Merlion. I did get to see it and have a picture but not with the more popular one that is along the Singapore River. The Merlion that I visited was the one in Sentosa Island. Now, this is a funny story. I wanted to much to have a nice picture of the Merlion that it took us a while to finish. We thought that the other tourists who were also taking photos near us belonged to our tour group. But we were mistaken. Our group already boarded the bus. To make matters worse, the tour guide miscounted and thought that everyone was already present. And so, our bus passed us by heading for the city. Walking and feeling lost, I thought of how to get back to the mainland. We could take the Sentosa Express then take the MRT to Orchard Road station, the nearest station to our hotel. But then our bus suddenly appeared! Thank goodness! We were really glad they came back. The tour guide apologized and said that she didn't realize immediately that the two from the Elizabeth were missing. I have never been that glad to see a bus in my entire life, honestly! :D

Speaking of Sentosa, I had a great time in that island. Going there was fun already because we rode a cable car. I've wished to ride one in my life and thank God I was able to fulfill that wish. The view of the Singapore River and its banks was fantastic from the cable car. We also rode the luge. It's like a go-kart. I went fast down the hill. Ahhh... very exhilirating. We then went to the Underwater World. I love the sea in general and the creatures in it so I enjoyed this place very much. I liked the part where you could touch the large fishes including the rays which were smooth and slippery. I was afraid at first but I learned to like feeling them with my hands. I also liked the semi-circular aquarium that goes overhead. It makes you feel like being under the sea. It was creepy seeing sharks and giant weird fishes swimming above your head but the dugong or seacow was very cute.

I also didn't that I'll like noodles for lunch and dinner and not have rice, but I did. I never had so much different kinds of noodles before. The char kway teow (fried broad noodles) was a little spicy but it was good enough. I liked more the beef stew noodles that papa bought though. It was very tasty. I should also mention that they have large servings. My father and I could easily share one large bowl of noodles. My skill of using chopsticks was really tested. The one time that I had rice was when I ate Hainanese chicken rice. The chicken was seasoned simply but it was very tender and juicy that it almost like melts in your mouth. Lovely! Last but not the least is the roti prata. It's like a cross of a hopia without the filling and a large pancake. It's served with a spicy curry sauce. Yummy!

Other interesting places for me are the Chinatown, where real bargains are, and Little India. It was my first time to visit a real Indian community with the shops and statues. I took lots of pictures here and even sampled some Indian delicacies.

We also went to the Night Safari, the first of its kind in the world. We rode on a tram, and with the help of the guide, were able to see many forest creatures that are active at night. I've been to zoos before but this one was really different. It makes you feel a bit scared but excited at the same time. The landscaping and design of the zoo was such that the animals feel that they are in their natural habitat which also made me feel like in a real forest, watching closely for any stray animals that might cross our paths.

Now comes Orchard Road, said to be the shopper's paradise. I have never seen so many malls in one street. You'll never get enough of them! The memorable ones for me are Wisma Atria where we had our first meal in Singapore at the Food Republic here, the Far East Plaza where I bought my Harry Potter book, the Tangs which we reached unknowingly after getting off the MRT, and the Lucky Plaza where we often ate and met many Filipinos, and did a lot of shopping.

The Elizabeth Hotel where we stayed was a cool place. Its interiors were really Elizabethan, ornate, complex and beautiful. The service was very good and the place was clean and complete. It was somewhat homey, too.

Finally, the Changi Airport. It's only the second airport I've been too but I like it. It's huge but the general atmosphere was relaxing.

Haaay... We really covered a lot in three days but I know that Singapore still has so much to offer. I really, really enjoyed this trip that somehow, Sinapore is now occupying a special place in my heart. I would gladly accept another opportunity to go back. There is still so much to explore and experience in this small but wonderful country. Well, maybe someday, the Merlion and I could have more pictures to share. :)

Around the World: First Stop... Singapore

2007-07-14T13:20:00.001+08:00

I'm in the third decade of my life (time really flies...) and I have not been on a plane even once in my life. I've often wished of riding one someday, and now it is finally coming true! Not just with one trip but two and hopefully more. God really has a way of making our dreams come true, sometimes even in ways that we don't expect, and better too.

Now, my first trip will be to Singapore. This trip I won from a raffle from a local supermarket. Who would have thought that one day after doing my groceries I'd see my name on a poster saying I've won a trip to Singapore?! It was really amazing, I could hardly believe it myself. Before, I thought no one really wins in those raffles.

The trip is for two for three days and two nights. I will be going with my father. Since I'm really excited about this trip, I've read a lot about Singapore so I'll know what to expect, what to do, and where to go. Here are some of places that I plan to visit and things to do there.

The half lion, half fish creature that often represents Singapore in postcards and everywhere else in the world is called the Merlion. There are actually two of those in Singapore and the smaller one is called the cub. The larger one is more than 8 meters high. It is located in the Merlion Park adjacent to one Fullerton. I won't leave Singapore without having a picture together with this giant lion/fish!

Next is Sentosa island found at the Southern portion of Singapore (well, at least that's how I see it in maps). This island is filled with many attractions some of which are beach resorts, zoos, museums, outdoor activities, and the list goes on. My favorites are the Underwater World and riding a luge. Even going there is fun because you can ride a cable car to go there. Now, that's the transportation I want to use!

Another activity I'd like to try is cable skiing or wakeboarding at Ski360degrees. It's located at East Coast Parkway. I'm sure it would be very fun and exhilirating. That's why I'm bringing a bathing suit with me. :)

They say that food tells a lot about a people and their culture, so what better way to explore culture than through eating?! I'm really going to try different native Singaporean foods. Since Singapore is like a melting pot of many cultures, its food is also a mixture of different cuisines - Chinese, Malay, Indian, Peranakan, etc. Some of the foods I'd like to try are the Hainanese chicken rice, cha kway teow (fried flat noodles), and spicy crabs.

Of course, what would a trip be without shopping? There are a lot of shoppig places in Singapore from the high-class luxusious malls to the all-time favorite street markets and bazaars where you can find a variety of items at very affordable prices. I plan to go to the Mustafa Plaza and Sim Lim Square but I'm sure I'll have a grand time going from one mall to another especially that our hotel is near Orchard Road, one of the busiest streets in Singapore linen with hotels, malls, restaurants and other establishments. By the way, we'll be staying at The Elizabeth Hotel along Mount Elizabeth. I hope the facilities and service are great.

By this time, I'm not sure if I'll be able to fit all of those in three days. I do hope I can. Nevertheless, I'm definitely sure that it would be a very exciting and memorable experience.

Hiling

2007-03-15T17:07:00.000+08:00

MOOD: Senti
MUSIC: Hiling by Frio

Have you ever experienced hearing a song for the first time and liking it immediately? I often do. sometimes it's the lyrics, sometimes the melody, sometimes the singer's voice, and sometimes you simply like it! Here's one song that could be placed in this category for me. I first heard it in the TV drama "Sana Maulit Muli" and instantly liked it. This song is a bit sad but still filled with hope. It's entitled "Hiling" by Frio. I couldn't find the lyrics anywhere in the web so I just transcribed it myself when I got hold of a copy of the song. 'Hope everything's right.

Click play to listen to Hiling by Frio

Hiling
by Frio (Sana Maulit Muli OST)

May bakas ng luha ang iyong mga mata
Ang tamis ng ‘yong halik ay lumipas na
Dahil ngayon nagbago na ang lahat
Nang di sinasadya
Masaktan ka giliw ko

Chorus:
Ngumiti ka naman
Wag ka nang lumisan
Nang mapawi na ang lahat ng sakit na nararamdaman
Ngumiti ka naman
Wag ka nang lumisan
At kapiling ko ang lungkot sa aking pag-iisa
Kung wala ka na

May naiwan pa bang liwanag sa iyong pagsinta?
Nang sakaling di man ako umasa pa
Marahil ngayon sasapit na ang bagyo
Bubuhos na ang ulan
Kung wala ka giliw ko

(Chorus)

Sana ngayoon dinggin ang aking hiling
Ang nagsisimula na ngiti
Sana maulit muli

(Chorus)

Kung wala ka na…

Hurrah to my Christian Bautista Fansite!

2007-03-13T14:42:00.000+08:00

Woohoo! I can now truly say that I've contributed something to the web. My fansite on Christian Bautista now has 1732 clicks (including mine of course)and is fast becoming a frequently visited fansite. It even registered 3rd on Google when I typed "Christian Bautista Fansite". It's not much as compared to other sites but I'm pleased with what my site has accomplished particularly with the comments in my guestbook and the other contributions of visitors.

There are still a lot of things to add to it and my visitors can expect a better site in the coming days.

My fansite on Christian Bautista is at http://mychristianbautista.tripod.com. I hope more fans will be able to view my site and participate in the online activities.

Isang Saglit, Isang Tingin

2007-02-15T15:25:00.000+08:00

MOOD: So-so
MUSIC: Isang Saglit, Isang Tinging by Ronnie Liang

The background music of a skin whitener commercial caught my attention recently. I didn't like the commercial itself but the song made me stop for a moment and listen to the soothing voice of whoever was singing. Not long after, I started hearing it on the radio. I started asking, "Who could be singing this song?" and "What's the title of this song?" Apparently, no one also knew at that time. Then last Sunday on ASAP, Piolo introduced Ronnie who will be seeing his latest single. And then came that familiar tune, and I realized, "It's Ronnie singing!" As Piolo has said, it is Ronnie Liang's latest single and the title is "Isang Saglit, Isang Tingin". Sorry Ronnie, I wasn't able to recognize you voice! But it sure is a very nice song. Good job Ronnie! I hope you'll have more songs that will capture the hearts of listeners

Here's the lyrics of "Isang Saglit, Isang Tingin".

Isang Saglit, Isang Tingin by Ronnie Liang

Bigla na lang natulala na para bang bata
Kapag nakakakita ng nahuhulog na tala
Naganap ang lahat sa isang iglap

Chorus:
Isang saglit, Isang tingin
Ba’t ngayon lang napansin
O anong ganda, ako ba’y umiibig na?

Kung pwede lang di pumikit sayang ang sandali
At baka pa makapuslit ang karangyaang umakit
Pwede bang hingin ka sa langit

(Repeat Chorus)

Mundo ko’y umilaw
Biglang luminaw
Pangarap pala’y ikaw

(Repeat Chorus)

Isang saglit, isang tingin
Ito ba’y nadarama mo rin?
Sana ako’y mahalin
Sana ako’y mahalin

I think one of lines in the song is right for me, "Ba't ngayon lang napansin?" To think that I really like Ronnie and even voted for him while he was inside the academy. Tsk, tsk, tsk. Anyway, here's the video of Ronnie Liang singing in ASAP '07 which answered my questions. (Special thanks to mspakips in YouTube)

'Hope to hear more songs from you Ronnie!

Gung/Palace/Princess Hours

2007-02-10T13:46:00.000+08:00

'Just finished watching Gung. And I really liked it! Shin (Joo Ji Hoon) and Chae-kyung (Yoon En Hye) are so adorable! They really look good together. But I think the ending would have been better if scenes were shown instead of just Shin telling what happened in the palace after Yul (Kim Jung Hoon) had his press conference and the king decided to give up his throne. In fact, I have these ideas on my mind of how I would have ended the series if I were the writer. Maybe I'll write it here as a fan fic when I have the time and the mood to write it. Nevertheless, Gung has invigorated my love for Asian dramas. It's been a long time since I really liked one.

Too bad Gung S (supposedly Gung 2) didn't have the same cast. I've only seen one MV of Gung S and it didn't attract my attention much. I hope it's as good as the first one. But I REALLY hope there will be Gung 2 that would really be a sequel of the original Gung, like Shin and Chae-kyung having kids and living a more "normal" life and then something happens to bring them back to the palace...

My desktop wallpaper now is a collage of pictures of Shin and Chae-kyung I got from http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j234/BB-Girls/Goong/Shin%20and%20CG/file.jpg.

Here is my favorite MV of Gung made by Jennifer Nguyen. Special thanks to beechang.

Gung OST:
01. Perhaps Love
02. Give Me A Little Try
03. Doo Gaji Mal
04. NanNeul Saranghae Nuhman Saranghae II
05. Dang Shin Eun… Na Neun Ba Bo Ib Ni Da. [acoustic ver.]
06. Perhaps Love [remix version]
07. 1993 Gwang Hwa 49 Nyun
08. Goong
09. Bok Jang Bool Ryang!
10. Woo Joo Jung Bok #1
11. Crystal Flower
12. A Dancing Teddy
13. Nae Ga Sun Taek Han Gil Ee Ya!
14. Dah Ji Mot Han Ma Eum
15. Ggot Ip Ee Nae Rin Da
16. Woo Joo Jung Bok #2

And now for one of the cutest pics ever of Gung, Shin, Chae-kyung and their baby (princess?)...

Post Holiday Season

2007-01-03T15:01:00.000+08:00

Christmas season is over and everything's almost back to normal right now. My entry today will be on several topics since a lot happened to me during these past few weeks.

1.) I can proudly say that my culinary skills have improved quite a bit this holiday season. I personally cooked most of the dishes for our media noche. I prepared the grilled spareribs, baked whole chicken, seafood pasta and the fruit salad. I will be sharing now my recipe for seafood pasta. I actually got it from the net but modified it to include common ingredients, so somehow it's my recipe.

ISSA'S SEAFOOD PASTA

Ingredients:
250 g shrimp
250 g crabstick or crab flakes
2 small cans (240 ml) evaporated milk
1 cup water
4 tbsp flour, mixed in 1 cup cold water
4 tbsp celery, chopped
2 bell peppers (1 red & 1 green), chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 clove garlic, chopped
1 bar Swiss cheese, cut into cubes
1 tbsp margarine
salt and pepper
500 g spaghetti

Procedure:
1. Melt margarine. Saute garlic, onion and celery.
2. Add flour, carrots, bell pepper, salt and pepper. Stir and cook in low heat for 2 min.
3. Add milk and water. Allow to boil. Stir occasionally.
4. In a separate container, boil shrimp and crabsticks. After boiling, peel shrimp and cut crabsticks into cubes. Set aside boiled water.
5. Add cheese to the sauce then add the shrimp and crab. Cook in low heat for another minute while stirring.
6. Cook pasta in the seafood boiled water then drain.
7. On a dish, pour cheese sauce over pasta. Bon apetit!

* Makes 7-8 servings

2.) Goals for shopping next Christmas: Shop early again for gifts. Make a strategy before shopping - list people and what to give them, set a realistic budget for each, choose where to buy
which gift, make a schedule.

3.) Over the Christmas season, I was also able to make considerable improvements in my website so I think it is now worth sharing it. My site is called Planet Hyun Hea and it's found on http://planethyunhea.bravehost.com.

My favorite page so far (because it's the page that took me the longest to make) is my page on Christian Bautista, so please do check it out on the favorite artists section.

An Unexpected Encounter

2006-12-02T12:48:00.000+08:00

MOOD: Happy/overwhelmed/teary-eyed
MUSIC: Everything You Do by Christian Bautista

"I believe some things are meant to be. As sure as there is love, yours is meant for me..."

I have been a huge fan of Christian Bautista for quite some time but I had been unable to see him in person. When he had his major concert, I wanted so much to go but I was tight on money then for the tickets. Every time he had a mall show near our place, I really tried to watch it but either I had to go somewhere else or do something important. One time, my friend told me that Christian was having a show at a mall on a certain Sunday. I was available then and was able to go to the mall but when I saw the poster for the show, my friend had given me the wrong date. It was on Saturday and not Sunday! I missed it again! It became really frustating. I was already thinking that maybe I just wasn't meant to see him. But why?! Or maybe my patience and determination was just being tested. I really had no idea. I came to a point when I just told myself, "If I'll see him, I'll see him."

That happened one ordinary Friday afternoon. I was going home from work when I decided to pass by the mall to buy Christmas presents at a bookstore. I was still several meters from the activity center (the central part of the mall where a stage is located) when I heard it... a very familiar voice coming from the speakers... I didn't have to recognize the song to know whose voice that was. My heart took a leap! I rushed to the stage area to see with my own eyes if he was really there or it was just his CD playing. He was there right in front of me! And it was real!

I squeezed my way through the crowd to take a closer look. By the time I planted myself just a little behind the steel fence, he passed by singing and shook hands with people. By instinct, I grabbed my celphone and tried to take a picture of him. Shucks! I was only able to take a pic of the guy's head in front of me. Oh well, seeing him was enough for me.

Then I saw the table where they sell his CDs. Buying a CD would be your pass to have a seat beyond the fence, get closer, and probably get a handshake and an autograph. I already had both of his CDs so it wasn't an option. But then, an autographed CD would be different! I might as well give myself an early Christmas gift that can't be bought in the department store. So, I bought his second album and took a seat in the middle row. Ahh... it was such a bliss listening to him sing his famous ballads live. I couldn't have been more contented. An old lady next to me commented and told me that she found him cute. I was just able to nod and smile but deep inside, I was saying, "Oh yes... and more than that."

The show was simple but really nice. While he was singing, fans were able to have a picture with him. One mom even had him carry her baby and took a picture. There was also a Q&A game with prizes from his sponsors. He waved and greeted everyone he could see from the stage, even those riding the escalator or those at the back of the stage. His jokes were simple but entertaining. I had to agree to the lady, he was really cute.. and adorable, not just because of his looks but because of his personality and his overall presence on stage. He didn't sound or look arrogant at all. He was simple yet one of a kind.

The show ended and those who wanted his autograph were asked to line up in front of the stage. I found myself in the middle of the line. While waiting for him to return from the backstage, I was just calm and cool. "Yes, I'll get his autograph and that's that, nothing much to be excited about, " I told myself. But when he reappeared and the line started to move, that's when my heart started to go thump, thump, thump. "What will I do?! What will it be like?! Do I have to say anything?!" Fortunately, I was distracted by this guy who asked me if I wanted to have my name on the CD with his autograph. Of course! I gave him my name and wrote it on a piece of paper and gave it to me. Then I remembered, "How about having a picture with him?" I didn't have a friend with me to take it and I was too shy to ask just anybody there, so I just told myself that taking a picture of him would be enough. Finally, it was my turn. I won't ever forget that moment when I moved forward... gave him the piece of paper... He looked at it and said... "Hi Issa! How are you?" with a big smile on his face... I smiled back and said, "Ok". It was all I could do at the moment. He tried to make a conversation but I just stood there smiling like a post almost glued to the ground watching him sign. It was a good thing that one of his staff who saw me holding my phone asked me if I wanted to have a picture with him. Oh, a heaven sent photographer! I gave her my mobile and posed at his side. I didn't have to smile for I was smiling all the while, a really huge smile. After signing my stuff, he gave them back to me and again flashed that wonderful smile and thanked me. I thanked him back and reached out for my CD. I'm sure he said something else but I was too overwhelmed then to comprehend it especially with that smile never disappearing on his face. I don't know if he found me amusing or weird or what he was thinking but he continued to smile at me as I was already moving away from the table with my newly found treasures. It was really hard not to smile back at him. And then I was off the stage.

Those were probably two of the longest 2 minutes of my life! I was almost trembling while walking away. I was like floating in the air, glidng through busy shoppers of the mall and seemingly unaware of their presence. I decided to stop by a fastfood to calm myself and clear my muddled mind. I orderd an applepie and sat on an empty seat. It was only then that I was able to check out my CD, the cover and a postcard of him all with his signature. Looking at them while eating my applepie, I could only recall the wonderful experience I just had. I never thought such simple things and moments could be very precious to me.

So, that was how my wish came true. It was such a unique and memorable experience for me that I decided to preserve it in a scrapbook. I have always wanted to make one where I can put bits and pieces of memories instead of just putting them in a box like the rest of my treasured memorabilia. But I didn't start my scrapbok because I wanted to put things as they happen, not when they happened long ago, and the first entry in the scrapbook to be extra special. So I waited for another memorable experience to come along. At last, an extra special experience came my way inspiring me to creatively preserve that memory.

I guess there really are just wishes that do come true in the most unexpected time and place. I didn't plan a trip to a mall show, concert or somewhere else to see Christian but I was given the opportunity not only to see him but also to listen to him sing, meet him up close, have a picture with him, talk to him, and to smile back at him. Sometimes, God grants our wishes in ways more than we originally hoped for. We just have to wait and be patient.

"If I'll meet him, I'll meet him"... and so I did.

Christmas is In the Air

2006-12-01T12:57:00.000+08:00

MOOD: Relieved
MUSIC: Sunshine on My Shoulder by John Denver

Yes! We're almost finished cleaning and organizing the house. It was really time consuming and took a lot of effort but it was all worth it. It was tiring but not so much because my mom and dad helped me. Each of us had our own nook to fix. Our house, the first floor at least, looks so much different now that I sometimes catch myself just staring at the walls and ceilings.

And because the house looks much nicer, I was encouraged to put up more Christmas decorations. We used to just put some Christmas lights on the terrace and a couple of lanterns. Now, straight from Divisoria, my mom and I bought a Christmas garland and some decors of pine cones and poinsettia with glitters and bows. I added some ribbons to it from my craft materials collection. And presto! The house now has a feeling of Christmas in it. It makes me feel excited about Christmas now, though not as much as when I was child. Oh well, at least I still have the Christmas spirit.

I've started buying presents for my 13 godchildren, a couple of nieces and some friends. I'm thinking of giving something different for my family this year, perhaps a treat for a day at the mall, I'm still not sure. I'll figure it somehow. I also hope to get together with my old friends this Christmas season.

Many say that Christmas has become commercialized and so materialistic. I think it becomes so when you let things be like that. You get stressed on buying the right presents on time, decorating the house, and planning parties for family and friends. You become overwhelmed by so many things that you don't get to enjoy Christmas yourself. For me, Christmas is a season of happiness and thanksgiving. These material stuff are just a part of the whole Christmas spirit. There is a lot more to it and I hope everyone gets to discover it one way or another. Besides, the first Christmas celebration was just a very simple one.

Get organized!

2006-11-23T14:39:00.000+08:00

MOOD: Thinking mood/determined
MUSIC: Start of Something New by Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens (High School Musical)

I just spent some of my savings to have our house painted. Now the walls and ceilings are all white. The house now looks a lot brighter!

Next, I want to clean and declutter our house, the first floor at least. The task is pretty much huge because we really have a lot of stuff and we only have a limited space. I surfed through the net for some tips and found one site to be very helpful. It's on http://organizedhome.com.

Here are some of the tips that I plan to apply. I am going to start it later and then spend my free day tomorrow doing the bulk of the job.

I plan to use a combination of the so called four-box method and closet-go-round method. Using the four-box method, I am going to set 4 boxes and label them as "put away", "give away/sell", "storage" and "trash", and then put stuff in the proper box as I clear things. Then using the closet-go-round method, I will go from one closet or section of the house, classify stuff, empty boxes (put away stuff to proper places, give away/sell stuff to accessible place for disposal later, storage stuff to proper storage places, and trash goes outside for pickup). After the boxes are emptied, I will go on to the next closet or section of the house and start all over again.

After clearing every section, I will then have an easier time organizing them more i.e. putting labels, arranging stuff, etc. The important principle is to give each item a "home" so nothing gets lost or becomes a clutter. I will also have a list, both hard and soft copy, of where I put things so I'll know where to look for them.

I also plan to set up a "launch pad" for every person in our house. A launch pad is a place to put things that you usually need before going out the door in the morning and other everyday trinkets. For me, those things would include my watch, glasses, comb, celphone, coins and hair accessories. For Carlo, that would be comb, gel, glasses, celphone, homework, notebooks and pens. For Papa, that would be glasses, watch, celphone, keys, coins, folders, pens, envelopes and notebooks. Since Mama rarely leaves the house, her launch pad would contain stuff she regularly uses at home like comb, pens, facial cleanser and cotton.

I've listed some things I'll need to organize the hard-to-organize stuff at home and buy them later such as key holder or sticky hooks for the keys, small stuff organizer (with lots of sections) and a cork board for those urgent letters and bits of paper with reminders.

I hope I'll be able to accomplish my goals. I really want to get our house organized once and for all. Life would also be much simpler if everything is in its place. Good luck to me!

PDA Flu

2006-11-11T13:51:00.000+08:00

MOOD: Just okay
MUSIC: No Promises - Shayne Ward

PDA Flu
Signs and symptoms: Insomnia (at least until PDA is over), singing or humming of songs like "Hawak Kamay", presence of PDA scholar pics and comments in personal blog or website, inability to resist visiting the PDA website, texting for your favorite scholar, watching PDA every night.

I finally have been afflicted with the PDA flu. I used to watch it only 3-4 times a week but now I watch it almost every night! Even if I have to wake up early the next day, I still can't resist watching especially when I see something happening to my favorite scholars in the PDA update. Oh well, at least I could still make up on my sleep.

I'm rooting for Ronnie and Yeng. I also like R-Jay but he was expelled from the academy early in the competition. I really hope either Yeng or Ronnie wins.

Now to another topic, my website is finally taking its shape. I have been busy with work these past week that I barely had time to do it. Every page now has the basic features and I just have to put in the details. Last would be improving the site's looks and adding user-friendly features.

I am currently watching "Seodongyo" at koreancat's YouTube channel. It's one of the best koreanovelas I've ever watched! I really like it because it is not only a love story but it also depicts the power struggles and internal conflicts in an ancient kingdom. The flow of the story is well paced and the events are well thought of. Every episode seems to be more exciting than previous episode. Plus, of course, Jo Hyun Jae oppa is there! I'll be telling more about Seodongyo on my next post. I just hope koreancat will post the next episodes soon. Thanks koreancat!

Finished at Last!

2006-10-31T13:26:00.000+08:00

MOOD: Happy, shalala!
MUSIC: Arigatou Tomodachi by Jun, Eman and Jay-R (PDA)

Truly, arigatou! Thanks Lord now that I have finished doing my clearance from school and I was able to get my diploma. I'll just wait for my TOR and HD. Wheww! After tons of signature, more than a month of going back and forth, and weeks of anxiety and confusion, I finally finished everything and I can rest my mind and heart, for a while at least. Completing a goal is really sweeter if it was done with hardwork. :) :) :)

Now, starting anew... moving on... living the life that's meant for me...

MUSIC NOW: Salamat Sa 'Yo Ina by Ronnie Liang

I'm not sure exactly why but I like this PDA scholar, Ronnie Liang. He's not the best scholar in the academy but he's goodlooking and has a soothing voice. Maybe I like him because I think he has most of the things I like in a guy. He is nice (not a bad boy image) but not boring, has a passion for music, responsible and persevering. I like the way that he wakes up early to run on the treadmill while the others are still snoring in their beds. He's friendly but not the loud type of person. I hope I'm right about what I think of him and I hope he stays long enough if not win in the competition. If not, I wish I'll still be able to watch him on TV or in concerts after PDA.

Now that I have less things on my mind and more time, I really have to start working on my site. I also have to start organizing my room which I have been planning for the past weeks. By the way, I finished romanizing Noreul Saranghe. I'm not posting it yet because I want to post it with the English translation.

I'll be working on my site now...

Lessons in Life

2006-10-24T15:54:00.000+08:00

MOOD: Mixed feelings (happy, worried, grateful, confused)
MUSIC: Your Love by Alamid

Life is really so much different for people depending on where they find their happiness. One may find happiness in fame, power, knowledge or in their achievements in life. But others may find happiness in the simplest things of the world - being at home with the family, having peace of mind, or getting in touch with old friends.

Life is also like a revolving wheel, sometimes you're up, sometimes you're down. Each has its own time.

And once in a while, life gives you surprises. They may be big or small. Others may be good or bad. But whatever they may be, we are all called to face them... to experience them. It then depends on us how to react to them and how to handle them.

These are only a few of the things I've learned these past few days from my friends, Night and Patriot, and from my other experiences recently. These are lessons that I probably will encounter over and over again in the future. I just hope I'll remember them.

Friends, friends, friends

2006-10-21T15:30:00.000+08:00

MOOD: Worried/excited
MUSIC: Noereul Saranghe

I received a text message yesterday from my friend, Night, telling me how her days had been really, really bad! She failed in her practical driving exam because she crashed into something (I'm not sure but she probably was asked to drive the same old vehicle with no hand brake). She her application to study abroad was also rejected. She was walking home yesterday crying. :(

I tried to meet up with her to comfort her or to just simply be with her. But she said that she wanted to be alone for the moment and would call me when she is better. She told me she was tired and depressed but not suicidal. So I just her sent her some comforting messages hoping that they would help her somehow. I really wanted to see her but I guess there are times when one needs to be alone for a moment, probably to think, reflect or to just cry everything out. Letting her know tham I'm just here for her in case she needs me and praying for her would be the best things I could do for her right now. I will be waiting and I hope I hear from her soon.

Another friend just got in touch with me a while ago. He is an old friend since high school and we haven't had any contact for quite some time. We're meeting up later so I'm really excited. Ok, more on that later 'cause I'll be going out now to meet him...

너를 사랑해

2006-10-19T16:41:00.000+08:00

MOOD: Happy and teary-eyed
MUSIC: Neo Reul Sarang Hae

I have been watching Sweet 18 again at home for the second time. I am now on episode 13 and in that episode, after finding his toy robot, Hyuk-Joon (Lee Dong Gun) sang a song to Jung-Sook (Han Ji Hye), and I just love that song! So I tried to look for the title of that song. It's 너를 사랑해 (Neo Reul Sarang Hae/I Love You) by 한동준 (Han Dong Juk). I tried to look for a site where I can listen to the whole song and all I've found so far is this site:

http://item2.naver.com/MusicBGMDetail.nhn;jsessionid
=68E8AB4DAEE 4763B7D7FE2427D6492E5?itemseq=512879

It's only a part of the song but it's better than nothing. I really like that song! Even though I don't understand everything, it makes you want to fall in love - again... :) Haaay....

Here is a copy of the lyrics but I still have to romanize it.

너를사랑해

아침이 오는 소리에 문득 잠에서 깨어
내 품안에 잠든 너에게
우우우 워우 워워 너를 사랑해

내가 힘겨울때마다 너는 항상 내곁에
따스하게 어깨 감싸며
우우우 워우 워워
너를 사랑해 영원히 우리에겐
서글픈 이별은 없어
때로는 슬픔에 눈물도 흘리지만
언제나 너와 함께 새하얀 꿈을 꾸면서
하늘이 우리를 갈라놓을때까지
우우우 워우 워워 너를 사랑해
너를사랑해

My next project - romanize this song and hopefully be able to translate it to English (If I won't find one). And I wish I could have a copy of this beautiful song...

First Entry

2006-10-14T16:06:00.000+08:00

MOOD: tired but satisfied
MUSIC: none

This would be my first entry in my blog. Why Of Lions and Bees? It's just the combination of my name, the italian for lion ("brave as a lion" actually), and the greek for honeybee. It's up to you if you want to figure out what my real name is.

I want my blog to be just an expression of my thoughts for the day or past days and of the things I learn and encounter in my everyday life. Nothing very complicated about it, except when I think of a lot of stuff (which I do a lot on certain days).

Online, I still have a lot to do with my website. It's still pretty empty and I'm still trying to figure out how to organize everything I want to put in it.

On one my hobbies which is learning a language (Korean right now), I learned a lot today from this site, http://www.mct.go.kr/koreanthroughenglish/. Already in chapter 8 and that's when I stopped because my brain couldn't accomodate more information. Also sent an email to edwood about it.

That's it I guess for today. I'm tired from work and all that stuff so I'll just type in more about myself next time.

Annyeong!