Saturday, December 31, 2005

i lost my back pack in germany last october...

... and it contained my passport, money, muesli bars, water jug, date planner, pens, lip balm and most of all, my laptop. that may explain why i haven't been blogging from that month until late november when i got my laptop back.

yes i got my bag back. everything including the muesli bars. and it's one story that i have not blogged here because i know it deserves a perfect timing to share with others. i won't go into the details on how it was lost (ok, i was eyeing a cute guy two seats away from me!), but i would rather spend more time thanking people who helped me get it back.

so my hearfelt gratitude are in order to the following people:

1. the deutsche bahn guy wearing a red hat for calling immediately the train that i took, alerting them of my missing bag.

2. the guys at the "Fundbuero" for being patient with me as i nervously fill-up the missing items form.

3. the lady at the "Fundbuero" for giving me 3 euros, the remaining amount that i needed to buy my ticket back to brussels. in exchange for her kindness, i asked her to have my box of tea. she declined but i insisted .

4. the police at cologne for calling the embassy for me. they made me calm.

5. the cologne cathedral for being my refuge in the 2 hours that i waited for my train.

6. jenny, mimoy, candy, emmanuel and lebo for helping me get through my misery during that week and ate ley for putting some sense in me (she always does!).

7. lea and her bright idea that thomas might help.

8. thomas who speaks german and has the most wonderful heart to help. i lost the bag on thursday and by monday the following week i already had good news due to his persistence in calling DB cologne. they found my bag in hamburg, 4 hours away from cologne.

9. and nicole, for taking over what thomas did because he had to leave for the philippines. nicole patiently called the people in hamburg and translated the german instructions for me.

10. and to the Higher Being.


i will not forget this experience, it has taught me that people are good!

again, my heartfelt thanks to you! may you be blessed with peace, prosperity and happiness always!

happy new year to all!


"Free Gifs & Animations" http://www.fg-a.com.

this is marc's version of the truth, sometime at 12:59 AM 3 comments if you can't live with it, he can.

Friday, December 30, 2005

and while we're on the topic of praying...


...you may want to watch this clip of the dalai lama speaking at stanford.

by chance, i have just finished reading a good book co-written by the the dalai lama with howard c. cutler (courtesy of cands and emmanuel. thank you guys.)




this is marc's version of the truth, sometime at 2:02 AM 4 comments if you can't live with it, he can.

drawing the line

this is not fresh news anymore:


coming to terms with my sexuality and going up catholic has been a constant inner battle.

and i am about to draw the line mainly because of this one. it has been on my mind since last month and it had me thinking about my values. and how the church values me.

it's been more than 10 years now that i am not practicing my religion. although i still go to church to pray, over the years i have managed to quiet down the battle from within for acceptance and tolerance, because i know from my heart that the god that i am praying to is not judgmental and vindictive.

how i wish that the church becomes more ope...nah never mind.

this is marc's version of the truth, sometime at 1:31 AM 5 comments if you can't live with it, he can.

it's belen and lea this time.

aha! i am having a sudden spurt of i-miss-these-persons sydrome!

it's belen and lea this time.

i miss you girls, you are the joys of my year! i wish your holidays have been buen!

cuidate mucho, un beso!

this is marc's version of the truth, sometime at 1:19 AM 0 comments if you can't live with it, he can.

another sign that i am a geek.

i almost asked elinor ostrom's autograph when i saw her for the first time in a scientific conference in bonn, germany, last october.

call me a geek. i'm proud of it.

this is marc's version of the truth, sometime at 12:58 AM 0 comments if you can't live with it, he can.

everyone says i love you.

this guy is part of a long story that started in april this year. he's the most uncomplicated guy i met in this cold city. and i still see him, but not on a regular basis.

so today we met again and had the usual (i don't need to tell you what).

and then he said "i love you". and kissed me longer than the great wall of china. (did you know that if you're in the moon, you will see this wall?)

whatda.

funny thing is i only said 'whatda?' after peeing at home (i usually have flashes of eureka thoughts after i pee). i almost forgot that he said that to me. i don't even remember what i replied to him after he said that.

and in the theatre tonight at the film museum of brussels, barely two hours after i heard THOSE words, i caught myself watching a woody allen film incidentally titled 'everyone says i love you'.

darn.

lea says he must be on to something. i said nah, he might be saying goodbye.

this is marc's version of the truth, sometime at 12:24 AM 0 comments if you can't live with it, he can.

Thursday, December 08, 2005

brokeback mountain broke my heart (the story, at least...)











i have not watched brokeback mountain, but for the meantime, let me share with you the original version from writer annie proulx. got me all teary-eyed after reading... it is love... bittersweet love...

thanks,
towleroad for the updates...
malco for the vid of the making of...

god, when will i see this film?! brussels is SO far behind!

visit the official website to watch the trailer.

this is marc's version of the truth, sometime at 6:04 PM 5 comments if you can't live with it, he can.

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

i'm singing in the rain

it must be the weather outside because i couldn't find my self doing anything related to school today.

anyway, i found this site where sound files can be uploaded. now i'm testing if it works. so people help me out will ya? if the link below is ok (not my singing...) please drop me a comment. i found this short (very short !) record of me singing and playing the guitar to tracy chapman's for my lover. i don't give her justice, i know!

hope you enjoy this...but don't say i didn't warn you...

this is marc's version of the truth, sometime at 1:59 PM 5 comments if you can't live with it, he can.

speaking of birthdays...

mine was last month, and what a month it was!

first, my laptop was returned after i lost it in germany! thanks thomas and nicole for all the help! this incident deserves a separate blog entry next time. promise i'll post it soon.


the bday breakfast surprise from ate lea, mimoy and jenny! thank you very much for preparing everything, especially the cake and the orange juice! salamat salamat po!



the bday dinner for ate mariafe. the apple tart is to die for!


preparing a sushi dinner for vegetarians! gawd, it was a challenge for me! thanks for coming, lebo, isabel, caroline (the vegetarians!), bram, nicole (the carnivores, including me!)... glad to know you guys enjoyed the night!


watching two concerts in a row, that of tracy chapman with ate lea and michael buble with candy and ate lea! the latter was a gift from candy! also, seeing swan lake with the girls! wowowow!



i am so blessed! signs of good things to come this year! thank you all!

this is marc's version of the truth, sometime at 11:22 AM 2 comments if you can't live with it, he can.

(belated) happy bday, candy!

we had a great time cooking up the bday surprise for candy last week! we (moi, mimoy, and ate malou, the chief cook) wrapped candy's car in tissue paper and placed candy's favorite breakfast goodies inside. even getting the keys to her car and finding the car in the public garage were adventures themselves! thanks emmanuel for making up the lousiest excuses to go out of your apartment in the cold night just to give us the keys. we hope you liked it, cands, and that you were not late to go to the office that day!

here are the pics...




i love you mama cands! you are one of the best reasons why i am enjoying my stay here in brussels! i wish your steps be lighter with confidence everyday and your giggles more spontaneous with glee! love love love well. live live live!

hugs from me!

this is marc's version of the truth, sometime at 10:14 AM 3 comments if you can't live with it, he can.

Monday, December 05, 2005

dear girl,

i was on my way to the movies when i got your message. it was one of those lazy sundays drenched in rain, when working the whole day on a weekend leads one nowhere but to the relaxing confines of the cinema, a smooth escape that rivals the solitude of my attic. my escape that afternoon was woody allen's matchpoint. it was a good one. but that's not the reason why i am writing you this.

it took me a while to respond to your message. although i am not a bit surprised about how you feel. you can't lie to yourself, not the least about how you feel. i know that when love is calling you cannot play deaf. or when it jumps for joy you can't stop the smiles from cracking your lips. or force the twinkles off your eyes. or when it's pricked you can't stop the bleeding. because when the heart beats, one's mind and body just follow its rhythm.

i feel for you. and now i am still lost for words of what to say to make you feel ok. but i know that this is what i want to tell you (and to myself too): i know that when one gives in to what they feel, it opens up emotions that are most often than not more intense than what they had in the first place. who would have thought that love brings along sadness and happiness, fear and courage, anxiety and resolve, anger and compassion, etc. etc., often in combos that are both lethal or otherwise, whichever way you see it, for passionate people. people like you. people like me.

it is a very strong message to say that you are in love. yet, it is much more stronger to say you realize that you are STILL in love. and with this i envy you. i envy you because you can recognize these feelings. in my case, i seemed to have folded up already after getting hurt with the last one.

don't be like me. i hide it so well. i hide the pain and even the joy that comes with loving that i often don't distinguish either one at all.

you are strong, girl. choose well.

hugs.

this is marc's version of the truth, sometime at 11:31 PM 4 comments if you can't live with it, he can.