Day 4/30 Your views on religion

Sensitive topic today.

Religion for me is a personal thing. Nobody can/should force someone to follow a specific belief. Its your personal faith no one should be complaining about, so long as your happy of what you are believing in. Be open-minded and RESPECT each other's principles.

P.S. I was born and raised as a Catholic. Yes, I do believe in God. Walang basagan ng trip. =)

Whale you wear me today?

These beauties arrived in the mail today. Yahoo! Happiness. Thank you Monica for your initiative and Cat & Kai for your glorious ingenuity. This really made me and Monica happy today. They are lovely! Plus we love what they wrote on its package. =)

They have other beautiful designs on their facebook page. So if you guys want to order your own handcrafted jewelry, visit them at www.facebook.com/CatKaiHandmadeJewelry .

Day 3/30 Your top 5 pet peeves

Is this some kind of a BV entry? Well, you be the judge. =P  Good thing I only have to name a few. I admit, I easily get irritated. Dont get me wrong but nature didn't bless me with limitless patience. Although, I have had been trying to control my burst, and its effectively working so far. I believe in change, and being 'good' not just for and towards others but for myself most importantly.

However, some things we just can't control. Things I find annoying in some people and are major major turn-off. Now Im going to give you my list before this entry turns into something else. LOL

1. The know-it-all/feeling/boastful/mahangin - This is for me, a major turn-off. You need not to lift a single finger to prove them what you've got, just so a person believes in whatever you say or do. And I do believe  that the key to being successful starts with being humble.
2. The insensitive - I think this is something difficult to realize by the person guilty of this. It is important to think twice or even thrice before you act or spit those words out of your system. Think think think before you act. We all are different, from our beliefs, our ideas, down to our thumbprints (whut?), so people may have different takes on things we say or do. Be sensitive enough not to hurt others.
3. The plastic - If you dont like me or my idea, tell me straight in the face. It will hurt a little 'cos yes, the truth hurts. But dont you worry, i'll get over it sooner than you've expected. Besides, It'd be right to hear it from you than from others. Remember that plastic equates to garbage. =)
4. The over-reacting - I dont think I should elaborate on this matter. You know, just be yourself, girl. Dont overkill it. =)
5. The judgemental - You easily judge on people. But why? You dont know their stories, their past and what that person is going through. Alamin  muna ang totoo.  Makiramdam.

The rationale is simple here: Do not do unto others as you dont want others to do unto you. And I don't know if you believe in Karma, but I do.

Peace. Im out. =)

Day 2/30 Where you'd like to be in 10 years

I would be 38 by that time so most probably traveling around the world? hahaha I wish! But seriously, guess I'd still be working my ass off, for my own family, having a job that would definitely doesn't feel like a job at all because it'll be my passion. And running a business maybe while doing a side line of traveling. One happy working mom and wife :) Here's to hoping and believing in dreams coming true!

Cheers to the future!

Day 1/30 Discuss your current relationship

Please excuse me as I haven't finished this post last night, oops my bad. But wow, seriously? I really haven't expected day 1 is already quite a tough one.haha

Well they didn't specify what kind of relationship, so I just considered the 3 major relationships im currently in now. Oh, just read what relationship interests you most. :)

With my significant other -- Very happy and contented. I dont know how to expound on that more but I'd like to say that giving "us" a second chance is all worth it.

With my family -- I dont have a perfect family but I can say that we are happy and we support and love each other. We may not be together as a whole because of work but we are close at heart and in spirit. We always send messages to each other or talk on the phone. They are my happy pill. They are my inspiration. Although at times, we argue especially when were all together, but that's us! That makes us a family. Ma famille est ma vie.

With my friends -- I have lots of friends. And I treasure each of them. ONE of the important things I realize through all these years is to invest in good friends. Yes, invest in them. My friends help me grow emotionally, spiritually and yes believe it or not, financially. No, they dont give me money but they help and inspire me manage my finances. I am proud of our own little differences 'cos it makes our bond stronger. I love my friends and they're my everyday sunshine. =)

30 Day Challenge

Thanks Google, for the photo.

This is one of those things that got me excited in blogging. I've read this a few times in other blogs I follow but I feel lazy to do it myself. However, after reading tons of this stuff, I kinda want to keep up with the challenges in blogging. I want my blog aka 'diary' to be updated too. The 30 day challenge is actually fun in one way or another (based on my readings).  So today, I am joining in with the fun of the 30 day challenge. =)

Bring. It. On.

Father's day in heaven

Fiona Apple's 'Never is a Promise' is currently playing but this is not just about the song's sad lines. Its tune and rhythm pinched me, scraping my other side.  Warning: this post post is a little sentimental. Well anyway, Paul's father was in town last Wednesday and arranged a dinner for the 3 of us. It's also a sort of advanced celebration for father's day. It was a fine, lovely dinner at one of our favorite restaurants nearby, which is another story to blog. We went home with laughter  and tummies full, but the thoughts we discussed over dinner simply seeped in. The feeling of having a father. The chance of conversing with someone, a father figure, discussing real stuff. That's where it all started.

It's one of those days when I badly miss my father. But no wishing or dreaming could bring him back to life now. And I know he's happier where he is now. He is now in a real peaceful world watching over me and my family. Although I always miss him everyday in every corner of my life. He used to tell us lovely stories, jokes, lessons and anything under the sun. He was my confidante, my music teacher, my rock, my best friend, my inspiration, my loving father. I miss him now. I'll still miss him tomorrow. Everyday.

It was and still not easy. Seven years without him is painful yet to completely move on. I have fond memories of my father that until now, I cry buckets whenever I remember them. He was a cool and very generous and kind man, my family couldn't ask for more. He may not be perfect but he was a genuine man to everybody. He showed the world to us (his children), taught us to never give up on our dreams and to be humble in whatever circumstance. I am who I am now because of him. He taught me life's big lessons. The words "dont look at today as today lang, decide and plan ahead for your future," will forever be stuck in my head. He let me discover things on my own, to be responsible of my own actions. And most of all he taught me to love unconditionally.

One time, he told told us that when something good or bad happens, it happens for a reason. And yes, Now I have slowly realized the reasons why you needed to go so soon. Thank you for everything, Pa. I hope you know how grateful I am to be your daughter. I love you very very much and I hope you could read this.

Happy father's day! Sending you lotsa love kisses and hugs! Rock on!

My late father in his teens. He's rockin' the heavens now for sure. =)

Murphy's law

That moment when you do so much effort not to feel/look stupid in class, apparently, Murphy's law always seem to lurk out.

Happy Independence Day!

I love that Google pays tribute to the 115th Independence Day celebration of the Philippines.

June 12, Araw ng Kalayaan. Thank you to our ancestors, our heroes and heroines who fought hard and even died for our Independence, for the freedom that we are presently enjoying. May people make use of this liberty in best ways that we can, for the betterment of our country and countrymen.

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! Mabuhay tayong mga Pilipino!=)

The thing that must not be named

Photo: Google

So long summer. Seasons of rain and school are here once again. My 3rd year since I've enrolled in graduate school. Wow, 3 years have already passed and yet here I still am, doing simultaneously my course work and thesis study back to back with my job as a RA (Research Associate). Not that I'm complaining. I am actually overwhelmed.

The idea of getting serious with my thesis has finally sunk in. My data has been there for months, no.. years now and it'll get stale if I dont work it out asap! And besides, I really really want to finish my Masters sooner than Ive dreamed of. I already started talking to my thesis advisers about my study and after all the meetings and consultations, I realized that I still have so much work on. *shrugged* I'm both excited and anxious of what's going to happen to me, academically speaking, in the next few months especially that I have finally decided and even told my advisers that I want to present my proposed study this semester. *sigh* And for that, I am going to work triple time on writing my proposal. So as a working student, me and my friends organized a strategy called, "writing Wednesdays". Its a day spent for thesis/manuscript writing in the library. And I guess its a pretty good start since we really aim to accomplish something by the end of this semester. I am really hoping we could sustain it.

Now let me go back to my articles.

Ad majorem dei Gloriam.

I bumped into these awesome artists while music trippin' on a chill, steady Saturday. Their use of xylophone, violin and other instruments all together just make me squirm inside. It adds more texture to the songs' rhythm. Oh how I adore them! I am currently obsessed with their songs and how well-rounded they are in those rockin' instruments.

Have a great weekend!:)

Happy World Ocean Day!

Everyday should be World Ocean Day. I wish for the day when more people know the real value of our ocean and how very important it is to our daily lives. 

Below are some facts about our ocean.

It's easy to forget the critical role the ocean plays in human life. The salty water of the ocean covers more than 70 percent of the Earth's surface. Ocean plants produce some 50% of the planet's oxygen. Seawater absorbs a quarter of the carbon dioxide we pump into the atmosphere. And seaweed extract helps keeps your peanut butter and ice cream at the right consistency! 

For more of the interesting facts and information about our ocean, please click the link below. 

Celebrating World Ocean Day | Smithsonian Ocean Portal

Happy Weekend everyone!

Instabug

Two years ago, I joined Instagram out of nothingness. And getting myself stung by the Instabug, Im not pretty surprised to find out that more than a thousand photos from trips, experiences, hobbies, daily encounters of awesomeness or just plain vanity have already been shared as of this writing. Haha! =P Its kinda like my mini-blog.

Excuse me, its addictive I couldn't help it. =))

P.S. Come follow me: @yaggo . What a shameless plug. haha

Gaaah! I love her! And I love this version I want to cry! It's eargasmic! I wish I had perfect voice like her :) Haha Wishful thinking. She has such sweet, echoing, tagos-sa-buto voice. <3

Now if you haven't listened to this yet, press that play button, and be delighted.

The stars, the moon, 
They have all been blown out  
You left me in the dark  
No dawn, no day, 
I'm always in this twilight  
 In the shadow of your heart
 
And in the dark, 
I can hear your heartbeat 
I tried to find the sound  
But then it stopped and 
I was in the darkness  
So darkness I became

National Ocean Month

I blogged about the National Ocean Month celebration activity last week and part of it was the Linis Bahura (Coral Reef Clean-up) spearheaded by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The main objective was to save and help restore reefs (they chose Ilijan, Batangas this time), which is mobbed by a species of starfish Acanthaster planci or crown-of-thorns that preys on coral reefs. I was about to give up my slot while writing that blog entry, when I realized a few things: Opportunity seldom knocks so better grab it when it comes. Leaving work for a day or two wouldn't hurt much and it is for a good cause anyway. Plus, its an all expense paid trip, they will take care of the tanks, you just bring your own complete set of dive gears, weights included. Fair enough.

All packed up, we left for Batangas very early on Monday. We went to visit the location for reconnaissance after breakfast, then had a brief  meeting after dinner.

Again on the second day, everyone got prepared at 5 in the morning all ready to leave after breakfast at 5:30 so the program could also start early.

"Reef clean-up" Sisid para sa Kalikasan 2013

There were actually media, documenting the day’s activities plus an invited celebrity couple who are also dive enthusiasts.

Celebrity couple Lucky Manzano and Jen Mercado with Exec. Dir. of PAWB-CMMO, Coast Guard Auxiliary and President of Malampaya Foundation Inc.

It was my first dive in Batangas (yes, call me a loser). Batangas is blessed with very rich SCUBA diving sites and it is situated along the Verde Island Passage (VIP) globally known as the center of the center of marine shore biodiversity. It is one the Philippines’ list of must-dive spots. And true enough, their very rich underwater world was astonishingly divine! The locals actually named that barangay, ‘little Tubbataha’. It is packed with diverse marine flora and fauna; fishes in different sizes, corals in different shapes, giant clams, sponges and a lot more invertebrates. It is beautiful. 

Pretty corals

Thousands of fish in different sizes

Unfortunately, COTs or crown-of-thorns starfish infested the area. And the sight of table corals turned either into white caused by the COT’s toxins or brown from turf algae was regretfully awful. 

Crown-of-thorns starfish having brunch on a coral

COTs were everywhere, on and beneath coral grooves. I was so gigil to take them all off. If only I could just pick them all up.

Hiding in a crevice

Getting them off the corals using tongs

 Upside down diver hunting for COTs

                                                          Here's a clip on how we collected the COTs.


I was a bit sad. COTs are not really bad, I mean they are there for a reason. They have an important role in maintaining a reef. They actually help other species of corals a chance to grow. (Okay, Im talking basic ecology here). Some of these fast growing species of corals usually dominate an area, but presence of COTs gives chance for out-competed coral species to grow! However, going back to Spice Girls’ “too much of something is bad enough”, applies in this situation. Multitude of COTs seriously infested the area. Its just pathetic that their population can not be controlled anymore because their predators are already over-fished. 

A giant triton (Charonia tritonis) preying on crown-of-thorns starfish. Isn't it familiar? Yes, its one of those giant shells being sold in stalls near our favorite beach/islands. Awfully, they are endangered.

The cause of their outbreak is known to have been caused by pollution (most probably), an increase in temperature caused by global climate change (maybe), or from high temperature waste water from the neighboring Coal-Fired power plant, although we really cannot pinpoint. These things need verification and evidence. A number of on-going studies have already been conducted by scientists from all over the world since other parts of the globe, not only us have also observed the same enigma. 

Happy divers.

Click this link to know more about this activity.