525,600 minutes

How do you measure, measure a year?
-- Seasons of Love, Rent the musical

It's amazing to think about the past 364 days, tucked away in our hearts no matter how these days were spent. My calendar was marked by birthdays, anniversaries, deaths, deadlines, reminders, vacations, dark and desperate journal entries, meetings, reunions... Somehow it saddens me that there were precious minutes missed because I had been too lazy or scared or bitter but it also warms my heart because the moments I allowed myself to love, be loved, cry, ask, pray, laugh, breathe, had been greater than the moments I wasted.

It's been a tough yet greatly blessed year.

May we all continue living in grace, love and peace. I offer a special prayer for those who are in pain especially those who were hit by the recent disaster in Asia, the survivors of the recent typhoons, for Tatay and Nanay, for Bunny's Papa and Lola, for my and Kulas' families, my friends, and my heart--to always be welcome to joy and pain, for complete healing...

A Blessed New Year to all of us.

Seasons Of Love Lyrics
525,600 minutes, 525,000 moments so dear.
525,600 minutes - how do you measure, measure a year?
In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee.
In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife.
In 525,600 minutes - how do you measure a year in the life?
How about love? How about love? How about love?
Measure in love. Seasons of love.

525,600 minutes! 525,000 journeys to plan.
525,600 minutes - how can you measure the life of a woman or man?

In truths that she learned, or in times that he cried.
In bridges he burned, or the way that she died.
It's time now to sing out, tho the story never ends let's celebrate
remember a year in the life of friends.
Rememberthe love! Remember the love! Remember the love!
Measure in love. Seasons of love! Seasons of love.

So how did I spend the holidays, you ask?

1. A couple of days before Christmas found me and Kulas finishing our shopping at the Fashion Market of Market! Market! which, I must say, impressed me this time. I didn't and still don't like the place that much but it won over the mighty tiangges of Greenhills this year.

2. I actually mourned the death of Panday.

3. I had a December 24 lunch date with Mama at Frio Mixx where she let me smoke my lungs out sans the guilt. We bought some more presents and tried on shoes and wished we weren't such girls...

4. I prepared the Caesar's salad and helped with the christmas meat loaf. I also cooked lengua that was good but too rich.

5. Went to Misa de Gallo with the family, cried a bit--missing Tere, went home to eat my favorite ham and hot cocoa. Gifts, gifts, gifts.

6. I spent Christmas day with the Monteses and had a really good time. Gift-giving and a christmas program to the families of their former household helps. After that, jamming with the kids: Tusa conducting and playing the bongos; Belay on clarinet, Gushi on the flute, Bits on bass, Bing and Juan on acoustic and electric guitars respectively. Oh, and Kulas on his shaker made of a Pringles canister and rice. Chuch Mangione's Feels So Good and the Mambo #5 were the repertoire. Christmas joy :)

7. Went to visit Tatay and Nanay and syempre, naki-usyoso at Da King's tomb. I swear, Mama will be seen on TV anytime...

8. The best part of the Christmas holidays is me sitting here in the office, cursing Citizen Girl for being so lousy, stupid and lame.

I feel truly blessed this Christmas. It's not only the gifts and the food on the table, but more than that, life turns itself into a complete makeover even when sometimes I am too blinded to see...

***

I hope, for once, that I won’t be too lazy to do anything. It’s time for me to write again or at least blog my inanities. I need to do something other than think about what to do. All I seem to be busying myself with these days (not counting hours in the office) are pondering how to go about the things I have to do to augment my income, my art workshops, the depressing state of my wardrobe and the wedding. I am becoming too self-centered it pisses me off. I better quit thinking and just go right on doing.

Merry Christmas! 

Videokegirl

We have a videoke machine right inside our office conference room. Fun huh? :p

The Great Carousel Ride

I haven't had enough time to be still since I arrived from Davao. No time to talk about that overwhelming sense of accomplishment and pride during that camp; the six-foot drop of waves along Davao Gulf which we traversed to and from Samal island--the kids were screaming, crying, praying and singing "sailing, I'm sailing home.." altogether; the mangroves we planted, the coastal clean-up we did, even the surpsie awarding of badges to the girls--there are so many stories to tell but I am scrambling for time.

There's also the story about Tere leaving for Singapore, that immense sadness I felt when I got home to find the room empty, the extra pair of slippers under the bed, the blue toothbrush...

And then Kulas and his family's pamamanhikan. Now I have a diamond ring on my finger. Though I don't really like wearing rings, I have to admit it feels different to be wearing one that means something special.

I am again leaving town in a few minutes. I hope, when I get back, the world is still waiting for me. The Great Carousel Ride keeps going and it'll soon be my turn to be in one place and stop moving for a while.

birds in Sarangani

Exhibit T: Heart and Mind on the Same Axis
A Photo Exhibit by Tina Basco, photographer and filmmaker

These are photos taken by my friend Tina Basco. Her first solo exhibit will be opened this Saturday, December 18, 2004, 3pm at the Conspiracy Bar and Restaurant, Visayas Avenue, Q.C. Entitled, Exhibit T: Heart and Mind on the Same Axis, it is for the benefit of Kythe Foundation, an NGO for children with cancer.

Photography, art, literature enthusiasts, children's welfare advocates, or simply you who loves kids and life, drop by the exhibit and make this a different christmas for these children.

hot seats (taken in a cafe somewhere along NLEX, i think) 

bush in Laoag sand dunes 

Blogging this standing up--literally.

1. I'm back from Davao

2. I'm leaving for Antipolo tomorrow til Friday.

3. It's the pamanhikan on Sunday.

4. Kulas is beside me, standing too.

5. I miss Tere so much. She's in Singapore na.

I'll blog something substantial soon. Cheers!