HAPPY NEW YEARS, MANY NEW YEARS AHEAD!!!!

The end of the world averted 
New year... new life... new beginning
Welcome 2013
And  many more new years coming!!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

I'm catching up with the girls! I made it to Dodit's birthday lunch with Dulce, Zita, and Jeanette who is visiting from MNL.

I tell you, we'll make up any excuse, anything, to see one another.


Girls really wanna have fun!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME?!

This has been the worst respiratory allergies I've ever had, on my birthday, at that - I hate it!

I think I'm allergic to something in the bedroom - dust, dust mites - I don't know but I hate it!

I've been sleeping on the couch in the living room for a while now and I hate it!

I've been awake and coughing the whole night, on my birthday?! God, I hate it!

Health is wealth, but not for me right now, and I just hate it!

On the other hand, this new couch, (I actually opened up the sleeper), is so very comfortable and cozy, I like it!

I slowly open my eyes and I see my living room, so spacious, so beautiful, I like it, I love it!

I look out the window and see that I live in one of the finest neighborhoods in town and I love it. I'm very proud of it.

So what am I complaining about? What I'm going through right now is temporary, nothing serious, and it'll go away.
So what am I complaining about? I'm depressed. But, yup, there are a lot more people more depressed than me and for a lot more serious reasons. 
So what am I complaining about?

I have so much to be grateful for, really! - So shut up!!

I'm not coughing so much now...

I'm getting quieter now...

I'm getting sleepy now...

Happy Birthday? - YEAH!!

"Happy Birthday to me

Happy Birthday to me

Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to me."

I'm really falling asleep now... Oops! Just got a birthday text from my brother at 2:36 after midnight. Lemme reply to this first.

All right, I'm slowly falling asleep now... Another birthday message from another brother at 2:55. I'll reply tomorrow...

Goodnight... Happy birthdzzzz...

JULY 4TH CELEBRATION

(by photobucket)

We went to a friend's condo at the EMBARCADERO overlooking the Marina on the North, Coit Tower on the West, the Ferry Building, the Bay Bridge on the East, Transamerica Building and the Financial District on the South. Spectacular view 360 degrees! Not the typical high rise condos but separate homes like townhouses - just magnificent! A gathering of friends, old and new, great food, great music, (of course, I provided the music!), bright colors of the American flag everywhere, (of course, I wore my red, white, and blue jacket!). And, of course, we all watched and enjoyed the spectacular fireworks running simultaneously here in SF and across the bay from her roof deck. WHAT-A-VIEW!!

Great, fun celebration of the signing of the Declaration of our country's Independence on July 4, 1776, the "official" birthday of USA!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, USA! HAPPY 4TH, EVERYONE!!

Happy 75th!

HAPPY 75, GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE!!!

http://goldengatebridge75.org/celebrate/golden-gate-festival.html

We were there!!!

12th

Today is my dad's 12th anniversary of his death. Has it been that long?

I miss you, Pang, I love you.  Rest in peace.

MOTHER'S DAY

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY ESPECIALLY TO THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MOTHER OF ALL - MY MOTHER!

Hello, Love

HAPPY VALENTINE... BE MINE.

A Gentle Reminder

... for the unthankful heart -

Estonian Proverb

Who does not thank for little will not thank for much.

Frank A. Clark
If a fellow isn't thankful for what he's got, he isn't likely to be thankful for what he's going to get.

Let's be grateful for what we have, big or small -

Meister Eckhart

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, 'thank you,' that would suffice.

THANKSGIVING

H. U. Westermayer
The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving.

COUNT OUR BLESSINGS

BE GRATEFUL

AND BE HAPPY!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

No-Show!

Darn! I could have seen the Blue Angels from my deck but I chose to go down the hill to experience this year's Fleet Week up close and personal, and the show was cancelled - too much fog!

Last night, Norman and I decided to have dinner at the Marina and at first we thought it was a mistake going there 'cause there were so many people in the streets after the Blue Angels Show; hence, crowded restaurants everywhere. But it was a nice night and it was actually great rubbing shoulders with the crowd so alive and animated! Cool night yet warm and ambient!

After today's cancellation, glad we went out last night!

Brother Jesse's 10th

Today is my brother Jesse's 10th death anniversary. Rest in peace, my dear brother. We love & miss you. I did a little something for you to commemorate your 10th. Hope you like it.

MILESTONE

It's my brother, Tony's, "Big _OH" birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BROTHER! HAVE FUN, BIG TIME!!

(Family has a big surprise for him! Shh... He thinks they're going to Fort Bonifacio for dinner with just family, but the big bash is at Wack-Wack Golf and Country Club with about 100 guests waiting for him. I'm excited! Wish Mike and I and our families were there!)

... And Cathy, too!

Wow, what a special day today, celebrating different occasions! It's one of my closest friend's birthday.

Beauteous like a goddess

Lovely human being

Beautiful soul 

Pure spirit and

Transcendence 

That's Cathy -

The epitome of beauty.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY DEAR FRIEND... LOVE YOU!

Thanks for a beautiful friendship.

Also, Remembering Deena Today

Today is my mother-in-law's 4th anniversary of her hereafter.

Girl-Bonding!

Last week was our usual get-together with my high school classmates, and it was a blast, always a blast! Especially with Jeanette visiting from Manila, she's hilarious! Most spouses were there but they left us girls alone, and we left them alone, too.

Nothing beats girl-bonding! It's simply precious. So special... there's nothing like it! Our host Dodit, the food, the company - superb! Laughter and picture taking - non-stop! And gosh, there must be at least 3 topics of conversations going on simultaneously, either one-on-one, or with a few, or with everyone! God, were we loud and noisy, as if we had not seen one another for ages, and we get together almost every other month! Anyway, every once in a while, "an angel would pass," meaning, total silence - a split second, whenever we were looking at the photos... Then all of a sudden, "WOW!", "BEAUTIFUL!", "NO, not that!", "Yea, this one... that one, put that on facebook!"... and more boisterous laughing!

Didn't I just say, "Laughter is the best medicine," a few posts down?

Oh, love you, guys... oops, girls!

BIRTHDAY BOY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAY, MAHAL! LET'S CELEBRATE!

MILESTONE

MY AUNT'S 75TH BIRTHDAY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TITA HELEN! CELEBRATE BIG TIME!

On My Birthday

First of all, I took a day off. I told my boss I didn't want to have a boss on my birthday. She laughed. I was going downtown to shop but I did my TM program first, about 10 a.m. and then fell into a deep sleep till almost 2 p.m. (Whoa! my body surely needed that!) It was too late to go downtown as I had a 4 o'clock appointment with my hairdresser, so I thought I'd go to the gym. But I was fussing around the house and before I knew it, it was too late to go to the gym. So I went to Starbucks instead, hung around, read from Howard Schultz' (the founder of Starbucks) book, ONWARD, till it was time for my hair. I told my hairdresser it was my birthday. Putting me under the dryer for about 20 minutes, she whispered, "Birthday dreams!" (I like that!)

I accomplished nothing that I wanted to do on my bithday, but I did what my body and soul needed - beauty rest, beauty treat and little extra things I did to make my day special. First, when I was at Starbucks, I asked a young guy seating on a sofa if someone was sitting on the other side. He completely ignored me. Or perhaps, he was too focused on his computer that he didn't hear me. I took the other seat. Later, he spilled his drink and I completely ignored him... then I decided to help him clean up his mess. Just thought I'd do something good on my birthday. And while I was sitting, I saw a homeless guy right outside the door standing and begging. I don't normally give to beggars/homeless, (read my post, Awakening!, 2/8/10), but watching him while I was enjoying my drink somehow didn't feel right to me. If I didn't see him while I was eating, that's different. Anyway, I decided to give him a few bucks so he could treat himself on my birthday. I also tipped my hairdresser more than usual so she could enjoy herself. I just wanted to feel extra good on my birthday by giving! Later I went to church for a little spiritual connection.

Norman treated me to a fancy Asian restaurant down the hill and a fancy dessert up the hill!

The following day, back at work, I decided to treat my colleagues for dinner. I didn't want to tell them it was my birthday but at the spur of the moment, I thought of giving something back as everybody has been so nice to me. So we had a take-out dinner from a Thai restaurant. On our next break, they called me to the lounge, and to my surprise, there was a birthday cake for me! God, I can never thank them enough! How can I? Everyone's so good to me!

Cost of dinner - $80.00!

Birthday cake - priceless!!

Thank you, guys! You're wonderful!

Birthday Girl!

Me

My wish -

Be happy!

To love

and be loved -

The greatest joy of all

To me, The greatest gift!