BAGYONG ONDOY
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LESSON:
the past few days has been so unbelievable - it was crazy, i honestly felt like it was the end of the world - we had the water rising at really high levels - more than 30 feet, there was no electricity and it was real dark, we only had 1 candle lighted. there was a point that after praying real hard, i had to ask GOD to why all of this was happening?! then i felt guilty. i said, LORD, i leave it upto you, and continued praying.

thankfully, the rain has stopped - or else, i wouldn't know what to do anymore. the lesson i learned here is that never loose faith in the LORD, and i will never loose faith.

THANK YOU's:
i could not thank all the people who have sent their concerns and thoughts, it eases all of these things happening around. again, i want to mention their so i will never forget what they did for us:

- auntie dawna, uncle david, yaya dolly, bona and domi - thanks for adopting us for the last few days, thanks for taking care of us.

- tita bebs and SY family - for all the support, and for offering us to use one of your car when all of our cars are flooded.

- LIM Household help - mang ben, noby, manang gilda, manang glenda, for helping us clean all the mess in the house, for the hardwork and never giving up.

- LIM relatives - ako aida, ahya mike, achi twing, ako belma, achi mich, ahya ichi, ahya ival, uncle k, auntie gi, tj, tristel, ako bot, ahya poy, by, dyan - with your thoughts, and concerns, and tulong - maraming salamat.

- ninang judy and mech - thanks for offering your home for us to stay,

- DLSU FRIENDS - mic for calling, tracy for offering to clean up the house, cheryl for calling from singapore.

- SMG friends: ringo, pat, ryan, sarah, cheryl lee - thank you, your messages means a lot to me.

- paulo, angel - marameng salamat for sending messages even if you guys are far (NY and MELBOURNE)

- bon, for offering to help whatever you can for my family.

ang dami kong taong gustong pasalamatan, at in my own little way, i hope maramdaman nila how grateful i am. ipagdadasal ko ang sambayang pilipino - lalo na ang mga apektado, at namatayan. its okay to loose material things - given that it may either be part of our home, or 3 of our cars, rather than to loose a loved one.

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some of the things, i have to do:
1) need to sponsor one more kid from world vision - i promised the LORD that i will do this, once all of this tragedy is all over.

2) i have to give money to our househelp - their familes might be in need as well, and they might have lost a few things. i thought, charity should start at home. i heard mom and dad are planning to buy new mobile phones for them, since some got lost in the flood.

3) i have provide mom some agents, or contacts, because we want to buy a new house. if anyone knows, please PM me.

am flying out on the 30th, WED AM, and i asked mom and dad whether they need me to stay and help out, they said that it would be better if i go back na to singapore. so, i shall go.

again, marameng salamat sa lahat ng taong tumulong sa mga nangangailangan, at di lamang sa amin, napatunayan ng incident na ito na there is really goodness within each and everyone of us. :)

AWAKE at night
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unlike the rest of the past few weeks that i spent in manila, this is one of those few days/ moments where i had to wake up early (meaning earlier than 12noon) - i have been such a lazy bum and i am afraid that i am getting used to it. oh by the way, i accomplished a lot of things today:

1) went to ongpin with mom to buy stuff she needs
2) went to cardinal santos to accompany mom with her check-up, she has high blood, therefore she has to maintain it in a manageable level.
3) had impromptu dinner with mom, dad, aggie, tita bot, tita bebs, ako aida and ako belma at luk fu - i was the one who requested for it because i craved for steamboat, and it was really fun having dinner with them, it felt good (in an unexplainable kind of way)

now, i regret it, am bloated, but at least am not alone, i share the bloatedness with the rest of them (7, to be exact) HAHA!

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1. WORLD VISION

on another note, i want to encourage everyone to share their blessings - go sign up at www.worldvision.org.ph - for the longest time, i have been planning to sign up, and am proud to say that i have sponsored one child since a month ago - am paying PHP600 monthly charged on my credit card. i know, its little, but if everyone of us signs up, then at least we can make a difference. i have been trying to encourage some of my friends to do that as well. on top of that, am planning that if everything goes well, by this Christmas, i could sign up and be the donor for one more child.

i have to remind myself to ask friends to sign up, MUST send them an email!!!

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anyway, next week, i have to be back on track and focused on my goals. i hope it will be a breeze.

MACAU
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i really like macau, it is almost the same as HK, but it is less busy, a lighter atmosphere. i think that spending 3d/2n in macau is enough - as you really can't do anything there anyway, aside from touring and playing in the casino.

on our first day, we just stayed in the venetian - we were stuck there since there was a typhoon/ storm signal no. 8 -- we saw trees falling down, barricades being carried around, and that sort of wind carrying things around - it was a bit scary, but it was good, i felt safe and secure.


cho's favorite noodle - with luncheon meat and fried egg.


i love roast duck and char siew rice - their brown sauce made it all the more special.


i ordered snickers flavored gelato - this was my favorite chocolate made as an ice cream, while cho ordered strawberry. his was better, i must say. it costs HKD 25 per scoop, and this was inside the venetian.


you could stay in the venetian for 2 nights straight, without getting bored, it is super big with almost 395 retail shops for you to splurge.


we arrived late at out hotel since we can't leave the venetian - we were there around 1AM, still we had to take reroutes, since we cannot take the bridge. i love our hotel - we stayed in THE EMPEROR HOTEL.


it has a nice flatscreen tv, and i watched channel news asia all night.


the next day, we woke up early to go to senado sqaure - and i went inside this church to pray.


st. paul ruin's burned last 1600's, and i learned this story from leo that i will share - when the church was burning - the villagers all came to gossip and see what was happening, and during that exact same time when everyone was at the church, a catasthrope happened at the village, it was flooded and everything was wiped out. it was said that GOD wanted to save his people, even sacrificing His church being burned.


around that area, i fell in love with maxim's egg tart. i knew that maxim had the best pastries in HK, and that was like 16 years ago - so i can't believe that they still serve the best eggtart i have tried in MACAU.


we had lunch at this portugese restaurant - and it felt like we were lost in translation. they were asking us if we want RICEY, or rice in our language, or PATETI (spaghetti) in our language, it was ok since we all had a good laugh.


we went inside the macau tower, unfortunately we couldn't go up since there was a storm. the government is really crazu catutious, even though it wasn't raining anymore.


i love the bigness of the couch, and the color of the wooden table.

we also went to the fishersman's wharf, and different casino-hotels like wynn, lisboa, etc to look see. we loved macau. :)

back from my favorite place in the world
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i arrived early this morning from Hong Kong/ Macau (1am) - we were supposed to land at 12mn but lo and behold, our flight got delayed since first, they couldn't get a signal from the PHIL AIRPORT; and when we were nearing MNL, we had to go round and round, since the runway is apparently closed. i don't want to sound too negative about this - but why are we paying all the taxes for terminals and travels - if they couldn't even operate it properly, and we are paying roughly a total of Php2,400 that is around 50USD per person, they have to do something right.

anyway, let's remain positive on this entry. i haven't blogged for quite some time, since there is really nothing to blog about - i mean, there are some, but i am just too lazy to do it - no photos, no anything, so am back with a vengeance. i went to HK/Macau with cho, my brother and our SY cousins (adu, lin and leo). it was DLSU's sem break (cho and leo are still in college), while adu and lin both took leave from their respective offices, and i am just here bumming around, so we all decided for a quick short trip.


late lunch at causeway bay - we accidentally went inside this place thinking that it was what i was looking for, we got stuck in there, but the good thing is that they serve really good beef noodles.


i was able to get some shirts from UNIQLO - they were still on sale at HK$19-99. cheap.


i wasn't able to get anything from muji, though i was trying to look for dad's eyeglass case, which is not in the store anymore.


leo, cho and i got shoes from puma. adu got his from reebok and nike. i was looking for the nike walking shoes in grey - but i couldn't see it in HK, i saw one in SHOE SALON kasi at Php2,400.


marc jacobs in fashion walk is heaven - they were on sale, as much as 50% off at some items. it is the only marc jacobs outside of US, that has their special items line - meaning cheaper than the MJ items, but still ex compared to other brands.


we took this photo at the MRT station, wala lang.


on the second day, we went to tsim sha tsui - actually, i like to stay at TST, almost everything is there na kasi, and i always have this great feeling when am there. headed off to my favorite restaurant in canton road, beside cotton on.


and this is what we ordered, roast pork barbecue (char siew) and roast pork (crispy)


.. we cannot not have this, roasted goose. i always go to this place, when am in HK.


i introduced this mango drink to cho before, and he wants to have it again. SUPER YUM!


i was able to see my friend, charlotte, we went to have drinks at TST also. i remember i was able to eat at this street with jac (a friend who is also based in HK) last time i was there. i also brought dried mangoes and banana chips for her, she loved it.


food republic's, sgt pepper chicken rice is heaven, and its even better in HK rather than SG.


chicho and i shared this mango-pomelo on crushed ice.


we went to the ESPRIT outlet store looking for aggie's gift, we finally got her a bag. whee!!

i was able to shop in moderation, i have to be proud of myself, i wasn't able to use any credit cards for shopping, just used whatever pocket money i brought, i am maturing na ata. HAHAHA!! overall, here are the things i got,

1) 2 pairs of jeans, H&M and GIORDANO
2) 3 items from UNIQLO
3) 3 items from BOSSINI
4) 1 pair of PUMA shoes
5) 1 polo from H&M
6) 1 belt frm GIORADANO

next post, featuring macau.

c/o Facebook: 25 Random Stuff About Me
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since i don't want the whole wide world to see this, i decided to post it in my blog rather than FB. actually, that is why i still keep my blog and multiply account - its for the people who really know me, rather than just acquaintances - i have never really been good at that.

so here are 25 random things about me:

1. i still get panic attacks on the night before flights heading back to sg. that would be that hardest part, but once am back in the country, am normal as i could be.

2. i do have a lot of faith, and i believe in the power of prayers.

3. i chose people that i associate myself with - who i want to be with, shop, dine or travel with.

4. no idle time for me - i have to always do something.

5. patience is definitely not one of my virtues.

6. i dislike people who don't value time. i don't make anyone wait for me.

7. i take myself out from negative situations - i don't want to be in it.

8. i enjoy life, and makes the most of it.

9. i love being alone - i am at my best when i am alone and comfortable. i don't want people to bother me.

10. i eat good food. i don't want to waste calories by eating something i don't even like. if i am going to gain weight, it better be good food that i want to eat.

11. for me, dessert definitely comes first (cake, pastries, chocolates, etc)

12. i give everyone a fair chance. i always believe in the good rather than the bad.

13. i love to read wherever i am.

14. i can't live without music - whether its from my iTon (iPod) or wherever.

15. the ocean is therapeutic for me - it revitalizes me.

16. i want to travel and see the world. who doesn't?!

17. i'd rather stay home that go out.

18. i know what i want, and go for it - if that makes me a pain in the ass, then so be it.

19. i want to be in control in things that i can, but also learned not to sweat the small stuff, especially if its out of my control.

20. i feel guilty for being masungit to the people around me. though, i really try to be nice.

21. i expect so much from people around me. if i don't expect anything from someone, it means, i don't really care.

22. i am a worrier, i always expect the worst in every situation.

23. and that is why, i am always prepared and organized.

24. i can easily detach from people that were previously close to me. i sometimes weigh if i don't give a flying freak about them or still care; and usually the latter wins. (except for some) HAHA!

25. i still want to do a lot of things at this point in my life. i definitely want to do the following:
- i want an adventure trip to somewhere - beach, some nature place, etc.
- i want to sign up for world vision, and at least get 1 kid before september ends.

anyway, am off to bed.