2014: ???

???... coz i don't know how to describe my 2014. honestly, the first thought was shattered dreams. but then i kinda remembered that there had been some good things that happened in my life. i really am not sure if 2014 had been a remarkable year for me, like it's a year i remember for something. all i can think about is how heartbroken i was for having my dream shattered. maybe it's because it happened at the latter part of the year. okay, let's enumerate the highlights of the year:

1. shattered dream. this is number one since i've kept on mentioning it since earlier. what made it more heartbroken for me is that it was not really shattered by other people (yes, partly) but the decision of not pursuing it and losing confidence in myself (the reason i didn't pursue it) hurts even more.

2. monthly meeting friends who i have not seen for a very long time. well, it's not really super every month but i think i only missed 2-3 months. i'm glad last year that i was able to see some friends again. friends i have not seen for years.

3. out of town with the dilags. finally! i got to join the dilags in an out of town trip that needs overnight stay. i just followed them but still i got to be with them for more than a day.

4. visayas exploration with the spammers. we conquered visayas in september: dumaguete - siquijor - oslob - cebu city

5. cliff diving! i don't know how to swim and yet i jumped cliffs with deep waters. i'm so proud!

6. the birth of the facebook thank you posts. it all began when i was starting to lose self-confidence. i need to counter it with something positive. i need to be reminded why i should be thankful. thus the birth of the thank you post. i just post when i feel so down.

The Enchanting Siquijor

as soon as we arrived in the port/pier, we're already enchanted with the beauty of Siquijor. the water is so clear, and it has white sand.

we stayed in coco grove, and the resort is really really nice! with a very nice welcome for us in the pier. a little pricey, but it's really beautiful.

the signal is weak in siquijor, and there are only certain areas in the resort that has signal and also wifi. so, you can really relax and have vacation. just like what happened to me and my friends. when we were still in dumaguete, we were on our phones for work, and we can't work in siquijor anymore since there is no signal. time for us to rest.

siquijor is just a small island. you can tour the whole island in a day.

we took the coastal island tour.

first stop is a big balete tree. but its not only the balete tree that you can find there. you can have a fish foot spa.

and we visited a church made of wood. i think it's my first time to see church made of wood.

next stop is the cambugahay falls..

you have to climb 100+ steps, i forgot how many. we were warned by our kind driver/guide/photographer/videographer. when going down, we didn't mind it. going up, we counted aloud and we were out of breath.

that's the start of the adventure. when you reach the falls, you can do the tarzan jump.

even if you don't know how to swim, you can still do it. the water in that part is not deep. but there are full of rocks, so still be careful. and since we are adventurous, we jumped near the falls which is kind of high. this time, if you don't know how to swim this is not recommended coz the water is deep.

i also jumped! thanks to the encouragement of my friends and pol who assured me that he will save me after i jump. everyone just told me to relax and i will be fine. amazingly! i did not panic after jumping and i did float! a little fyi about me.. i don't know how to swim. hehe.

next stop: salagdoong beach. it's a public beach. for the first time in siquijor, we ate a lot since the food is cheaper. hehehe.  you can swim in the water, better to wear sandals because it's kind of stony.

but the real highlight: cliff diving! it's so high. much higher than the falls. and you should jump if it's high tide and the water's really deep because it's full of rocks. it's sad that we were not able to experience it since it is low tide. it is not safe to jump. so we just took pictures.

honestly, i'm not sure if i'll jump if ever. the waves are also strong. why did i never learn to swim?

and you now another good thing about siquijor? everyone is so nice! i really recommend that you visit siquijor. go! book now!

*thanks to the spammers for the other pictures

What is the Allure of the Vintage BMW Bike?

The BMW vintage motorcycle has long been a staple of motorcycle collectors, particularly models that were built right after World War II when the German company was back on its legs. Models like the beige R50 from the 1950s and the R5 1/3 with its classic hardtail seat are items chased after by collectors big and small. Fortunately, there's been enough production over the decades that some of these models can be found and are not completely lost to history or private collections. However, folks do need to take the time to hunt down the right bikes as these motorcycles do tend to go very quickly.

The period from 1955 to 1969 produced some of the most sought after BMW motorcycles with engines ranging from 250cc to 500cc, or essentially a bike for everyone's tastes. A good number of these models were sold both in Europe as well as the U.S., which would have likely convinced people that BMW was doing well. Ironically, the company was having serious financial problems at the time. This was also the period that the BMW motorcycle saw the last of its models equipped with a sidecar. After this time period, BMW riders wanted an “unencumbered” motorcycle for pure riding, so the accessory began to disappear.

There was plenty of groundswell to carry BMW forward. Many of the young riders from the 1960s had matured but still wanted a BMW motorcycle. This kept the vintage look and design in place for another decade, sticking to the famous black BMW bike look started years earlier.

The motorcycle models made from 1970 to 1982 carried a lot of the same pin-striping and black BMW motorcycle look of the earlier years. They also had thicker seats for longer riding, and many BMW models became the first touring bikes for long-distance riders. However, the later models had quite a bit more work added to them with bigger engines. Eventually, the old-style kickstart pedal was eliminated in trade for a key ignition. By 1977 a 1,000cc engine model became available in the R100/7.

Starting with the 1983 models going forward, the era of the vintage BMW motorcycle ended. Models produced afterwards had modern looks, far more plastic fairings for wind resistance and a different look. The bare metal body look didn't reappear again until the souped up R1200C model showed up in a James Bond film in 1997.

Finding a vintage BMW motorcycle can be done either through a BMW dealer or through private sales. The best way to get started if looking for a first bike is to go through a dealer, however. This is because there's a lot to learn when taking on a BMW motorcycle. These bikes take some time to understand, learn, maintain and keep running. And the older the model chosen, the more learning there is involved with keeping it running right. So a new buyer looking to get into the world of BMW motorcycles should do some homework first and research how these machines work.

SHOOT! ...Not...

my friends and i did the beer pong challenge last night. beer pong is there are glasses of beer on the table, and you have to shoot the ball in the glass. if you shoot it, the other person will drink that glass.

and of course, i didn't get to shoot any. as expected. hehe. and it brought me memories of my basketball class for college p.e.

i can say that my basketball teacher came to know my name. why? because she waited for me with two of my classmate-friends for almost 2 hours i think.

the exercise for that day is really simple (if you're good in basketball). just shoot two consecutive free throws then you can go home. that's just the activity for the day. and you guessed it.. i was not able to get in the free throws consecutively. i think 15 minutes before the class ended there were still a few of us left. so our teacher decided that we  just have to have two throws in, even if it's not consecutive as long as it's two. all of my classmates were able to finish it. so they all left. i was left alone shooting. our teacher of course was still there, and two classmates (who were my friends) stayed. i can't shoot two. after a long long long time, finally! it's in! and then we went home.

do you know the anime Free!? i think i have some similarities with rei.. he knows all the theories and technicalities, but not the application. well, our difference is at the end, he became good.
i suck at sports (except being a goalkeeper for soccer, naks!) but for basketball, i know a lot on its technicalities since i had been watching basketball since i was a kid.

this is a nonsense post but i just want to post something here in my blog again. and well, just sharing something about me :)

Reunions

it's april and one of the good things that happened to me this year is meeting and seeing people i haven't seen for the longest time. every month, there are sets of people i have not seen. and it's like i have rekindled my friendship with them

january - angel/friends of race (last time i saw them is i think for more than a year already)
february - se34
march - highschool friends
april - racho family

but the sad part is in every month also (except january) i've been going to wakes. this has been the reason i saw these friends again.

i'm looking for ward to seeing more friends as the months go by but i pray i won't meet them in wakes this time.

2013: Blessed Year

if i can describe 2013 in one word, it will be blessed. i can't really particularly pinpoint major blessings but i really blessed for 2013.

the first month is already a blessing. i went back to korea, this time with friends. and experienced skiing, met g-dragon's dad.. and the highlight of all, watched bigbang's concert in seoul. the concert is a highlight coz it had been our dream for years already to watch their concert in korea.

and the second month for me brought a big change in (career) life. i resigned and went back to my former company. yes, it was still stressful most of the time, but something's different now. and it's for the better. some said that i've matured. i'm not sure, but the change in career is one blessing for me also.


and then of course, my winning of an instant camera! yes, it's a big deal for me.as i have mentioned in my previous post, it had been a childhood dream to own a polaroid, that's why it's a big deal for me to win this. i was thinking of buying already, so the winning is perfect timing. thanks buzz korea!

but what makes the year a very blessed year is meeting friends again after not seeing them for a long time.

i'm looking forward to 2014 because i know it will be a year that i would always cherish. i know the lots of good things will happen to me this year :)

Thank You Buzz Korea

i can't believe i won in a contest. and not only just won but the second place! and i love the prizes!

 yes, they are psy products. i'm not a big fan of psy but i have to admit that the items are cute.

but what made me like, i mean love my prizes more is the instant camera! it had been a dream of mine since i was a kid to own a polaroid camera. yup, that's the reason why my first digicam's brand is polaroid. hehe. that's why i'm very thankful to buzz Korea.

 and look! the instax pictures have designs.

i really appreciate my gifts. the pictures i have taken, i post them in the psy notebook that i received.

yes, i super love these gifts. again, thank you buzz korea. i also suggest you visit that website, coz besides of the cool events that they have, you would learn a lot about korea and get inside tips from people who visited the country already :)

A Day in the Park

i have never written in this blog about my visit in korea. i had posted about kpop and food but the places i have visited, not yet. as much as i love hongdae (i always stay there) or dolce vita, or any other place in south korea, i'll start with Yeouido Park. if you are to visit korea, i really recommend that you also visit a park. 

so what's good about Yeouido Park? it's a park in the middle of the government and banking district of seoul. it's a big place that would really be nice to stroll around or to have your exercise.

the funny thing when we visited, there are cats that kept on following us.

it even posed for a picture when i tried to took a picture.

then you can pass this informative tunnel..

and when you go out the other side of the tunnel.. wow! the view is simply breathtaking

near here, you can put locks also just like in Namsan Tower.

or just simply sit there and enjoy it as a swing.

and if you're lucky, you can watch some events there

all i can say is you can simply relax and enjoy your stay in the park.
remember, even if you're traveling, you still need to stop and relax. you'll enjoy your vacation  more. :)

Liar Game

Liar Game..

my favorite japanese series. it's a different kind of series not your usual story. it will make you think and be confused. it's not a lovestory but a mind game.

anyway, akiyama is a psychologist who brought down a networking company before. and nao is an innocent girl who asked for his help for this game.

for all the liar game series and the new movie ( with a new girl lead), the girl lead would always ask the help of akiyama. but along the way, when the game is getting really tough, they would doubt him and not follow him.

well, it just made me think about my faith. i would always ask God for His help. sometimes it's really clear on what He wants me to do. but it's not my comfort zone, it's an answer i am not used to, and when life is getting really tough, i would abandon Him. i will not follow Him. i would think of "something better/solution", but in the long run, i would realize that everything would be easier if i just followed Him. i may not know the reason but He knows the game plan, i just don't follow it.

just like nao in the series, akiyama wouldn't tell her his game plan. even if akiyama's game plan seems stupid but in the end, nao will just realize, he is right all along. why did i not just follow him?

it really takes faith to trust.

Binondo Food Walk

for her birthday, my friend Son wanted to go around binondo and have a food trip. eating and trying out their specialties. so we did just that. but we started late (after lunch) coz i still had some errands. we tried out different dishes and they were all good. and they're not expensive. there were four of us, tried out 10 food i think and spent only around P1,000. coz we started late and we were really full, we were not able to go to some other places so there'll be round 2 (hopefully). but here are the food that we tried:

Tasty Dumplings - Porkchop Noodles, Spareribs Noodles

Porkchop Noodles

 they're really tasty. i think they're really known for their porkchop coz every table has an order of porkchop, but some has rice with it. we had noodles with it. the porkchop was separated from the noodles unlike the spareribs noodles. i know why their porkchop is famous. it's yummy.
but if i have to choose between porkchop noodles and spareribs noodles, i choose spareribs noodles. for me, it's tastier.
each noodle costs P115

Sincerity Restaurant - Sincerity Fried Chicken

sincerity fried chicken

for us, it tasted like chowking's chinese-style chicken. but since that's one of my favorites in chowking, then i also like this chicken. hehe
sincerity fried chicken: half - P150; whole - P300

Shanghai Fried Siopao

 

obviously, we bought fried siopao. but they also have other goods to sell. for just P16, it has full of meat. it's worth your money. this is the only take-out i bought, and when i brought it home and heated it with oven toaster, it still tastes good

Dong Bei Dumpling

of course, when you talk about chinese food, dumplings should be included. this store offers different kinds of dumplings but basically the ingredients are the same. hehe.
you would also see how your dumplings are made

basically that's our food trip and also halo=halo somewhere. hehe

what's also nice about binondo is that you can find cheap gigantic vegtables on the road. here's an example of a giant ginger that my friend bought

at least now, my memories of binondo is not only the dentist (that was there my dentist was before) & my dad's office before but now also foodtripping in binondo :)

2012: Fangirl and Reunion Year

honestly, a lot of things happened in 2012 most of them happy memories because of fangirling and re-acquaintance with friends and family. that's why it's fangirl and reunion year.

i had been fans of others before, but it's with bigbang that i had been a very big fangirl. and if you've read my past posts, i have been a fan of kpop & kdramas and coz of this i have met some cool people. in a way they helped in unleashing the fangirl in me.

as early as february 2009, i have blogged about my love for bigbang. and of course when they finally came here, i just have to watch their concert. so october 24 is the highlight of my year. it is the concert of bigbang here. highlight not only because i've waited for years for me to watch them but as early as april, we are already trying to find ways on how we can get good seats (no, i didn't get the tickets for free, no discounts even but it's okay). and seeing them just few steps infront of me and them smiling at me personally.... *faints* no i didn't faint in the concert, the ticket is too expensive for me to waste on fainting moments. hehe.

here are some pictures i took of the concert (except for those with me of course), and i have to make it fast coz of some technical problems. sorry

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

reunions with:

•  family - it's my cousin's wedding so our relatives who are already based in another country went back and the wedding was held in bohol. bohol is a special place for us cousins since that's where we spent our childhood Christmases
• childhood friends - these are the friends who saw me and who i saw in diapers. again, it's because of a wedding
• friends: spammers, bld, angels, econsoc, etc - it's like i saw my friends more this year compared to last year. and went on a trip with some of them
• philippines - honestly, i feel like i've reunited with my country again. after 4 years i've been to a lot of places here and also discovered new ones. it's not as much as my trips before but it still means a lot to me

A Paradise in Philippines

i haven't posted in here for a very long time. and just like my posting in my blog, i haven't discovered new places in the philippines for years.

and i'm so glad to have discovered Calaguas. RACE has invited me for their trip here. and i don't regret joining it.

when the boat finally reach the place, i was rally amazed. coz the place is postcard-perfect. literally, it's like you're looking at a postcard or a painting or a photoshopped picture. it's really just so beautiful.

the sand is fine, white sand. and the water is sooo clear. you can take underwater pictures without going underwater. that's how clear the water is.

the place is not yt exploited. and i hope it won't be exploited ever. there's no electricity there, but you will survive. water is from the poso. you sleep in tents. well, there's a cottage but don't expect a room with a bed you find in resorts, it's not.

i really can't describe how beautiful the place is. i just really recommend that you visit it. well, travelling there is not easy. land travel for 10 hours, then a boat ride of 2 hours. it's in camarines norte, bicol so expect the long drive. but if you have the time, go visit it.