words are life set on paper

“But who can say what's best? That's why you need to grab whatever chance you have of happiness where you find it, and not worry about other people too much. My experience tells me that we get no more than two or three such chances in a life time, and if we let them go, we regret it for the rest of our lives." - Murakami, Norwegian Wood

dreamers can never be tamed

I've always been the type of person who rush through things, always wanting to rush to the next destination. When i was a in gradeschool, i couldn't wait to get to highschool, i thought life was going to be so much better once i was in highschool. Then that time came, still i couldn't wait to grow up. My first real boyfriend was when i was 14 years old, i was just in second year high school then, and that lasted for 9 years. Basically, half of my whole educational life. Then after we broke up, met my next boyfriend after a month then got together after 4 months, broke up then got back together then broke up again, which lead me to realize, half my life i've been rushing from one relationship to another and never really had time to spend on myself. I've been so accustomed to being with someone that i've neglected to spend time getting to know myself. I realized that instead of rushing through my life, a life that once you reached your destination, you cannot rewind or go back anymore, i should just enjoy myself and focus on myself and in improving myself so that i could make better choices that would lead me to a better destination. While of course having fun LOL

People spend time focusing on the destination and disregarding the journey. It's just like the story about the pot of gold in the end of the rainbow, you are so consumed with reaching the pot of gold that you fail to realize your life does not start there, it has already started way before that and by focusing yourself on your goals, you fail to enjoy getting there which when you think about it, is most part of your life. You always want to skip to a new chapter and in the end when you get there, you want to skip to a new chapter again and after awhile you will realize that there are no new chapters anymore and that you have spent your life fast forwarding everything instead of sitting back, being patient and just enjoying the ride because soon enough you will get there.

People spend their time rushing through life not knowing what to do with the time they saved.

My parents used to tell me to enjoy being a student, it's the best time of your life, but the over eager person that i was, wanted to grow up fast. My parents also told me to enjoy being single, it only comes once in your life, but the over eager me again, wanted to be in a relationship so early on that i begged them to allow me. Looking back, now i understand what they are saying and i sure am glad that i finally got it before its too late. Now that i'm still single, this is the time for me to focus on myself, discover and try new things, enjoy new experiences and just be selfish and not have anybody to mind but myself. The possibilities are endless at this point because i have only myself to think about and have yet to start and write the other half of my life.

The best is yet to come.

Sooner or later, you will meet someone, have a partner and settle down and your life will not anymore be your own so savor this time of not having to mind anybody but yourself. Sooner than you think, that time will come, that chapter will come, and you can never go back to this time and will regret it if you didn't make the most out of this opportunity of having your time at your own disposal and making decisions that will benefit you without having to think about other people.

Your direction determines your destination.

Everyone ends up somewhere, but not everyone ends up somewhere they want to be.

This is the time to focus on yourself and find out what you want to be, where you want to be and most importantly who you want to be. What life do you want for yourself and what will make you happy and determine and plan how you can get there.

I've always believed we don't get to a destination by accident, its a culmination of our choices and decisions that leads us to where we are and where we will be in the future. Life is not that random, and that we always reap what we sow. Get to know yourself and what you want in your life to be able to plant the right seeds and get to the right destination.

An abundant life is a life with no regrets. Doing what you like is freedom, but liking what you do.. that's happiness:)

Anyway, these are just my thoughts in lieu of the retreat i attended. All my opinion and with no basis whatsoever, just babbling:) LOL

*i'm too lazy to proofread, if there's any typo or grammatical errors

with much L.O.V.E

*will change bad pic. time constraint sorry*

Behind every successful man is a woman (sometimes rolling her eyes) and that i believe best describes my mom, especially the rolling her eyes part. HAHAHA. My father, when sharing his story to us, always credits my mom as one of the secrets behind his success. I also believe it to be true because until now she is still working hand in hand with my dad and they are such a good team. My father the brains, my mother the neck that turns his head. So if we can't go to our dad because we are scared shitless of him, we go to our mom and she has that special way of convincing him. An example of that would be when I was in High school and wanted to entertain a "suitor" (their term), my father was very much against the idea, but i told my mom, i really liked him blah blah (sheesh, I was 14 or 15, what did i really know then right.. so funny) and she talked to my dad and convinced him to at least entertain the thought and meet the guy, which he did. Well, i still wasn't allowed to go out but my dad agreed to him visiting me at home, huge huge leap, since in High school i can go out only until before dinnertime (we had to eat dinner at home) and have to be accompanied by my yaya and driver. Seriously, they had to follow us around in Quad everywhere we went.

Anyway, If you already haven't guessed why, i'm writing this post in lieu of Mother's day to give credit to where credit is due. My mom who is fun loving yet hardworking, strict yet flexible, strong yet understanding, obsessive yet light-hearted. We are very lucky to have a mother who is the right balance between a parent and friend. Seriously charming, my friends and all my ex-bf's love her, i think they love her more than they loved me! hahaha. She may not have been the typical filipino mother who cooks, cleans and helps you with your homework kind of mom, you can hire someone to do that anyway, she provided us with a much deeper support, advice and care that cannot be measured and expressed in numbers or described in words. I guess it was in a way a feeling, a sense of security that she was always there, to help us out in times we really need her support, that she will always look after what is best for us and that she is always on our side even if we make mistakes, i believe that is immeasurable.

so to my mom, Happy Mother's Day!!!;) *do i get brownie points for writing this??? kidding!!!! HAHA*

baby lets cruise

I was looking through some pictures in my dad's laptop and i came across the pictures of our cruise to Mexico. It was a lovely experience actually, my first time to go on a cruise. Mexico is such a darling place, fun and culturally rich.

We, my mom and i, chose Carnival Cruise for the trip and boarded their Elation Cruise ship.


The ship was enormous and i was surprised to find out that they have prepared all these different activities for us, like dance classes, art workshop, fitness class and so on, we even had a showcase on our last night where guests performed. Food and drinks were overflowing, we were fed like six times a day, all buffet except for dinner. So you can imagine how i took advantage of that one! hahaha. There are clubs and bars inside the ship with different themes like jazz bars or disco, to suit your different fancy.

Mexico was amazing, i would love to come back again. The food, the beaches, the people, it was an amazing smorgasbord of culture and heritage. We weren't able to explore much though, because of time constraint but i loved the laid back feel of the country. There is something for everyone, from the poshest to the dirt ridden.

Nice beaches, water sports, riding horses, ATV coupled with interesting locals, really a place worth visiting :)

wisdom.

a collection of quotes, lines, sayings, words to guide you through the trek we call life. words to live by. something to lull about. :)

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.

People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can't find them make them.

Fortunes are made and lost overnight. Live within your means.

Idleness is the mother of all vices.

Most people struggle with life balance simply because they haven't paid the price to decide what is really important to them.

In the end the king and the pawn go in the same box.

You can’t choose your family, but you can make one.

There are many ways to kill a cat.

Man can only take so much, but the better man should be able to take so much more.

The only thing that stands between a man and what he wants from life is often merely the will to try it and the faith to believe that it is possible.

Take it as it comes, leave it as it goes.

Richness is not who has the most but those who need the least.

Life is a series of problems either your in one coming out of one or getting into one, cherish them.

Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through life trying to save

Have enough education so that you won’t have to look up to people; and then more education to be wise enough not to look down on people.

When there's smoke, there's fire.

Life is a dream for the wise, a game for the fool, a comedy for the rich, a tragedy for the poor.

Life is about bridges; knowing when to build them, when to cross them, and when to burn them.

Telling the truth and making someone cry is better than telling a lie and making someone smile.

You are doomed to make choices. This is life’s greatest paradox.

*Will add others that i come across in the future*

i dream watches

When i graduated from High School, i was given my first ever real watch, a Rolex Datejust lady 31, which i found so tiny and never wore. At that time in college, it was the popular choice among girls but i really hated how small it looked in my wrist, so i gave it back to my dad and got his watch instead, a Yacht Master OP Junior size, which if i remember correctly was the first Rolex he bought for himself. I still have and wear the watch until now. I guess that really shows how boyish i was, even back then. My dad, who forces us, well force is such a strong word, advises us to wear a watch daily because he feels that a person who doesn't wear a watch should not be taken seriously because he does not value the time, was coerced to give me his watch just so that i would wear one.

My dad's

And that started my affair with Manly watches, long before big watches became popular for women. I was never really fond of ladies watches, except for Cartier's Tank medium size. I found the Tank to have a quiet elegance that never goes out of style. Don't get me wrong though, i am not obsessed, one decent watch is enough for me, i'm not the type of person who wants something and has to buy it. Besides the fact that i have no money. LOL

TANK FRANÇAISE, MEDIUM

TANK LOUIS CARTIER, EXTRA-LARGE

I'm thinking of selling my Datejust because after almost 10 years, i have not even worn it once and is just collecting dust in the safe. What's stopping me though is the thought that i don't have a dress watch, and of course a junior size watch does not go very well with a gown for formal events. But other than that, i really want to ditch it already. I really am not fond of small things, my first car was a Toyota Fortuner need i say more? Anyway, just musing on what to do while on lunch break. Some of my choices are the Rolex Submariner, Datejust Junior or Panerai. But i'm a bit scared that the Panerai may just be a fad, plus the re-sale value is not that good to be honest, unlike Rolex. Oh well. I think Rolex is safer. but who knows, right? :)

I went to a Jewelry and watch fair last year, and there was a store there selling vintage watches which are to die for. A girl can dream right? If i had the money, i would buy a vintage Audemar Piguet, that i believe would be my ultimate dream watch/collection. Collection... I'm really fantasizing uncontrollably. But buying vintage watches is still quite tricky, like wine it takes a real connoisseur to be able to buy because the it's not just about the outside looks anymore, you have to check the machinery of the watch which i have yet to learn, because like vintage cars some parts may have been changed and some might have been overhauled already this is quite normal but still very risky if you don't have the proper knowledge and eye in looking at the internal parts of watches.

Hands down, Vintage watches are still my top vote. It's just amazingly beautiful that modern watches cannot compare still.

i dream of MARRAKESH

I have always been fascinated with Morocoo, it's one of the places i have been DYING to see since forever. Well, since i studied in Europe at least. Most Europeans told me that it really is an amazing experience, more so than Egypt, who according to them have already become so commercialized. Me and my sister daisy was suppose to go to Morocco with friends before going back to Manila, but unfortunately our schedule never really permitted and did not coincide with our other friends schedule. We were advised not to travel just the two of us girls because it is not that safe for all girls, and well besides, i wasn't about to risk anything after that hell experience of being robbed in Brussels. Robbed on the first day of the trip! Bag and all my pocket money gone. And it was Moroccan gangs who robbed me so well, i learned my lesson. I'll be crazy to go their lair with only Daisy as company. LOL

A country still filled with culture and tradition. It makes you feel you are in the Ancient times, a welcome break from all this technological modern brouhaha.

But of course, still with topnotch amenities at a very reasonable price at that.

Les Jardin De La Koutoubia hotel

Riad Kasbah Dar Ilham Marrakech room

Even the Architecture is beautiful. Really amazing and culture rich. I do hope i can see it before they modernize everything. One of the reasons why i am not so fond of going to the States, except for New York is their Mcdonalds architecture. Everything looks the same! It's like they do not have a past, a history.

Magnificent wonderful place. I wish i can see you soon. Xx

Interesting Morocco facts according to those who have visited.

* Men and Women there, unless they are married do not hang out alone together.
* Alcohol is allowed but frowned upon
* Its not surprising to see men holding hands with their male friends or family
* Men kiss each others cheeks as greeting, but this is not allowed for men to do to their women friends
* Moroccan women are very beautiful and VERY conservative