Weekend Boasting and a No Way Tag

Cebu - Roxas - Batangas - Dumaguete.

Have never spent a Saturday yet at home or particularly in Manila this year. I was always out of town and the latest was in Dumaguete. As my sister told me in YM, “hambog!” (braggart/boastful). Hahaha. Talaga! hahaha. And that’s what I love about having my own blog. I can boast around and it’s okay, because it’s my own blog. You will read it or not, and I won’t even get hurt that much even if you don’t really read unlike if I see you not really listening to my stories. Hehehe.

Anyway, the story… My officemate (along with her sister) and I availed of the P99 promo of Cebu Pacific. Their original plan is Cebu for the Sinulog. Fortunately, all flights are fully booked coz if they’re going to Cebu, I won’t come along. Just been to Cebu and it was for two weeks. So suggestion was Dumaguete. And there were still lots of vacant seats. Yipee! We bought our tickets before Christmas. So when I saw my cousin Vera and her boyfriend Stephen during the weddings, I told them and somehow made plans. I told them that I want to go diving but I don’t know how. And because Stephen is a really kind-hearted and generous guy especially to Vera’s relatives, he said that he’ll give us an intro to diving FOR FREE!!!

So Jan. 19, we headed to Dumaguete. We met the scuba diver friends of Stephen and they taught us the basics of scuba diving. Actually, it was Borge who was our dive master. But his friends are really helpful, especially my diving buddy Ian. For the intro, we went as far as 15 feet. Saw lots of fish and corals! Ang ganda! But I experienced problems with my ears. I still don’t know how to equalize.

The next day, we went to Apo Island. I went first, with buddy Ian again. We went as far as 7 meters (21 feet) coz I already know how to equalize. Naks! Hehehe. Since there’s a limited number of gears only, i gave my friends a chance to dive. but I got addicted to it. So, I was really persistent that I would dive again. After lunch, Vera and the divers dived into the drop-off point. I also want to!!! But Stephen said that I can’t coz I’m still a beginner, but he promised that I can go diving after them but just at the boundary of the drop-off point. So after them, buddy Ian and I went diving again. Since we’re in the middle of the sea, they taught me how to jump off from the boat. I did not do what I usually watch from the TV/movies that they’ll turn back from the sea and tumble around. I did the Great Stride or I just step off the boat. And I did it perfectly! Hehehe. Well since my buddy was pasaway, and I already know how to equalize, he brought me to the boundary of the drop-off point and a little beyond it. So somehow, I experienced the drop off point. When I asked him afterwards how deep we went, he said 10 meters. But I know when I looked at the watched while underwater, it said 12. maybe it’s the time that I saw not the meters. Hahaha. It’s okay. 10 meters is still 30 feet! Hehehe.

Honestly, even if it was just last weekend, I already miss diving. I’m getting addicted to it. And my cousin Randall just has one response to that: “Welcome to the club!” hehehe.

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This is a long overdue tag from Duke and Wil. 10 things that I would never do. Never say never is one of my mottos, but I hope I’ll never do these talaga.

I’ll never…
1. Regret anything. – I don’t want to regret anything. I just learn from things that happen. But the closest to regret I’ve ever done I guess is resigning from my former job. hehe

2. Eat a cockroach. – hello?!?!?! I can’t even touch nor look at one

3. Have an affair with a married man. – especially after experiencing what happened to our family after my dad have an affair. No way will I destroy a family for my own sake. And it’s bad. Period.

4. Step on other people to get ahead/Ruining a person’s reputation for my own benefit. – I have to copy this Duke. And I just can’t bear that I’m better off than someone by not being fair. I just can’t. ako pa! I’m always concerned with other people’s feelings

5. Date/Have a relationship with my friend’s ex. - I don’t know. It’s just a rule for me

6. Migrate to another country. – I just don’t like to. As I said in my previous post, I would like to live in the province. I just imagine myself living in another country because I’m studying there or my job assigned me there for a certain period of time.

7. Work in a government agency. – this is a big HAHA for me. Because unbelievably, I’m working for a government agency now. I still do not have my civil service, to give me an excuse not to work for the government, yet I’m here. Haaay… hehehe

8. Work that involves finance. – In college, I failed only two subjects. And they are both Math subjects (Math 17 and 36). Hehe. And my highschool Math teacher told me that I’m good, but I’m careless. So imagine.. I can’t really be involved with money nor math. Yet my previous and present jobs both deal with money and finance. And now I’m planning either to get an MBA or Masters in Finance. Labo ko sobra! Hahaha.

9. Commit suicide. - I’m afraid of hell

10. Send chain letters. – but I can tag other people. Actually, I just can’t think of anything for number 10. hahaha.

So the 5 lucky people whom I’ll tag are:
Tani – coz you love answering memes. Hehe
Jase – I can’t think of anything that you would never do
Vina – same reason as Jase and coz you are going in a vacation. Labo! Hahaha!
Ate Mai – I just want to learn what you would never do
Lei – coz I missed you last Monday. hehehe

Blessed

i was supposed to do Duke's tag, but i think it can wait. hehehe.

last night, at the Singles prayer meeting, the Gospel was the Wedding at Cana. for those who are not familiar with the story, this is Jesus first miracle. He attended a wedding and the wine ran out. so, Mary asked Jesus to perform a miracle. and Jesus just turned the water into a wine.

last night, the activity at the prayer meeting was to write in a piece of paper the events in 2006 when the wine ran out, and on the other side to write the events when the water turned into wine. in other words, problems/trials and blessings.

natahimik ako bigla. sobrang i can't think of any when the wine ran out moments ko. all i can think of are blessings. i know i didn't celebrate my bday for 2006, but i still didn't consider it as a problem or what. there came a point when i don't want to serve in the LSS or SE, but still i didn't see a trial in my life. emo moments lang ako nun. hehehe. but for the blessings, a lot. for every problem that i'll try to think of, all i can think of is a blessing.

but the way to describe 2006 for me is a year of semi-fulfillment of my dreams.

first, 2006 had been a year full of travelling. around philippines nga lang. but it was really from northern luzon to mindanao. and mostly are job-related. coz that's what i really like with my work. the travels.

second, i asked God for something. well, it was a demanding request. but still i asked Him for it. and you know what??? He somehow gave it to me. well, still not really given to me. but He made me see that it is possible. that nothing is really impossible if it's according to His will. well, now i still don't know what His will really is.

third, being able to serve in Mark 10. i love kids. and i really want to be a pre-school teacher. but it's not for me. so God just gave me the Mark10 kids. Mark 10 is a ministry for the kids. the Youth ministry is for 13yo to 21yo. Mark 10 is for those whose age is below 12. saya!

fourth, i got to serve Him in many ways. especially by sharing and testifying about His love. and being able to serve in outreach programs. also, with this outreach programs, i got to serve again with the Youth ministry. it's 2007 already, but super blessed tlga ako with the YLSS Lipa.

fifth, my family. i saw how blessed i am with my family. and got to see most of them again at the end of the year.

ang dami pang blessings, but for now ito muna. i know 2007 will be a year of change for me. there will be lots of changes. i just don't know what. but i pray that it is for good and has something to do with what i'm praying for for the longest time. hehehe.

but a change that i know is specific. i'll be fast in taking a bath. 15 minutes maximum. new year's resolution. hahaha! sorry tlga guys last saturday. for the YLSS Lipa Team, thank you so much. you had been more than a blessing last weekend talaga. Jimly! :)

Back from the Visayas Region

Warning: a long post

When my officemates asked me, where had I been and I just went to work yesterday. My answer would always be.. Visayas. I don’t wanna tell the three (naks! Three daw!) places that I’ve visited. Actually, it’s only two. Gusto ko three, bket ba? I still count Leyte. I saw their church, and the wet market. So counted na yun. Hehehe.

Two of my favorite cousins got married last Dec. 29 and Jan. 6. One in Cebu City and the other in Roxas City. These two cousins of mine are the 1st two grandchildren in my father side. And I’m the third. So, napressure ako bigla. Hahaha. Of course, I would like to be next. Hahaha. When people asked me before when I would get married? My answer is Feb. 2007. So it would be December, January and February. But as my cousin told me, it’s not really the month that mattered. They’re just a week apart. So your wedding date should be just a week after. Hmmm.. that might be the reason why my wedding didn’t push thru (duh! As if I have a bf to get married to. Hehe).

With the long vacation, especially with nothing to do except to eat and sleep, I realized a lot of things. Some of these are:

Even i regularly hear mass, I still don't know how to be a commentator. for both weddings, I was the commentator/lector yet there are still eroors. Contrary to the chismis that Randall's wedding is my practice and DP's wedding is my performance, I feel that for both it is still practice. Mali-mali. Hahaha. Sorry talaga dear cousins. I just really don't know how to be a commentator.

It’s a known fact that I would like to live in the province. Weird ako. When every Filipino likes to go out of the country, me, I would like to settle in one of the provinces. After being in Cebu, Leyte (talaga naman. hahaha) and Roxas this past week. I think it’s really Cebu for me. Even if they said that it’s like Manila, Cebu is still different. There’s still something provincial about the place. Hehe. But I still never know… I could end up in a province that has no electricity. (I can’t imagine myself! Hehe)

Even if I’m going to Cebu since time immemorial, I think I still haven’t been to its tourist spots such as the Magellan’s Cross and the Taoist Temple. But for those who have plans of going to Cebu in the future you should try eating at Harbour City (I’m so happy for my 1st day Cebu, I’ve tasted their rice toppings again. Well, not in harbour city but in Ding Qua Qua. But it’s still the same.) For the pasalubong for your family who you’re going to see agad, give them Masi. My all-time favorite. It’s not really a known food for non-Cebuanos. It’s not a usual pasalubong coz nasisira siya agad. But it’s yummy, somewhat like tikoy with nuts inside :)

I am blessed with my family. Eversince, I already know that I am blessed. But the past week made me feel that I’m really blessed to be a Racho. Starting from my titos and titas to my cousins. Wala ako masabi. Bow ako. My father’s siblings are really kind, mabait and selfless. I’ve discovered this way before pa. Even if my father is like that, they still love my dad. Though he would hear regular sermons from Tita Baby, still he is loved and never abandoned by his siblings. Proof that they are not selfish with one another: when other families would fight for their inheritance. The Racho siblings do not fight. I think they would even give their share to one another. They are not millionaires (I just don’t know with Tito Boy, hehe), but they would still not be greedy about their inheritance.

Another discovery... my father’s family are quiet. I didn’t notice that before til my tita’s family (who had been my dad’s neighbor) pointed it out Telling us that when they were kids, they would not know that there’s a person in the other house, until my Lola would sneeze. Hehe. It’s just then that I realized that they are a quiet bunch and the noisy ones are their wives (Tita Mellie, Tita Virgie, Tita Pennie and my mom). Hahaha.

My cousins and I were like reminiscing about how joyful our childhood Christmases were. That they are beyond comparison. Every Christmas and May (Tagbilaran’s fiesta), the whole family would go to Bohol. So Christmases were always fun. This went on til early 90’s coz Lolo Dinoy already died, and it’s like it would be expensive already. Now, our Christmases are like pale coz we miss the Christmas when we were kids. I thought it was only us, yun pala even our other cousins like Kuya Randall feel that way. Kuya Randall, enjoy ka pala nun khet na nagbabasa ka lang? hehehe. Joke lang! Love you! So because of that I proposed something to Kuya Randall: that when we have kids of our own, we would have a reunion every Christmas.

What I’ve realized when I’m already in Manila.. the reminiscing that happened didn’t really have scenarios. We just reminisce how enjoyable and happy it was but we didn’t really say what happened during those times. Labo noh?

All of us grandchildren want to go back to Tamblot (my grandparents’ house) and restore it to its glory (and also show Eric all the rooms. Wawang bata. Di pa raw niya naikot lahat ng kwarto). My dad and his siblings are thinking of selling it, I think. Wala nga silang pakialam sa mga mana nila diba? Hehe. Lyn and Julie, convince Tito Boy not to sell it and just give it to us the grandchildren. Let’s have our reunions there again. Then for the farm, let’s plant and make it a business. But Kay, no marijuana. Adik ka talaga! Hehehe. Lyn and Julie, when you go back here in the Philippines (October ba?), let’s have a grandchildren business meeting, okay? Naks! Hehehe.

We cousins are close even if we don’t see each other often (especially us who resides in Manila). We would just see each other when we were kids twice a year yet the bonding is different. My cousins’ cousins on the mother side said that they’re not close with our cousins because they don’t see them. Ganun din kme. But still, we have bonded. And we guys have matured. Before, 1st days would always be awkward especially since we don’t speak Bisaya. But now, it’s like we have seen each other just yesterday, and even if they speak in Bisaya, my sister and I (I just don’t know with Eric) would somehow understand them.

Whew! What a long post. I still have lots to say but I don’t wanna bore you anymore. Thank you for reading this, if ever you read it nga. Hehehe.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

and Congratulations to Kuya Randall and DP! Welcome Ate Giselle and Kaye to the Racho Family!