Memory Lane
I'm headed to Vegas to spend New Year's with my family tomorrow. I'm actually looking forward to spending time with them because I can't quite recall when was the last time we were all together to ring in the new year. Back in the day, I always questioned my mom when she would sprinkle coins of all denominations all over the house. She said it was so we could have a "prosperous" new year. As much as I heard that word and read it in Christmas cards, I never really knew what it meant at the time. When we were younger and would spend new year's at someone's house, all the moms would make sure that all the kids had some money to jingle in their pockets right before midnight. The theory was that if you have money in your pocket going into the new year, you'd have money for the rest of the year. Kinda like that "theory/superstition" that whatever you're doing on new year's, you'll be doing for the rest of the year...if you're partying, you'll be partying for the rest of the year; if you're watching TV, chances are you'll be a couch potato for the rest of the year. Get my drift? Growing up, New Years were always cool party events because while we were jingling money in our pockets, the moms and aunties were busy ringing bells, the uncles were clinking glasses, and while us short kids were busy jumping up and down ('cuz the theory in that is growing an inch or two taller!), all the other adults would start showering us with money! It was like a pinata being broken, except there was no pinata- only money crazed kids grabbing and pushing for whatever coins came their way! Of course, there was always the cousin (not me!) who didn't get anything and so aunties and uncles would have to fish through their pockets to scrounge up for that quarter to appease the kid. Ha. All I know is that going into high school, family new year parties quickly lost their appeal and I wanted to do everything BUT spend the new year with them. Self-absorbed and young MnM. As I got into college, not that I was any kind of regular party goer or anything, but I was more able to have a tad bit more fun..aka..via alcohol and clubbing! Ha. Oh man. Memories.
I'll be flying out of MN amid the crazy snowstorm we're having and my parents will be taking a roadtrip from da Bay. This new year's celebration has been in the works since last Christmas. 'Tis nothing big really. During the past few years, some of my relatives have been leaving da city for Sin City because of affordable housing. Hell, who DOESN'T have relatives nowadays in Vegas? Anyways, some of our clan will be boarding up in one house and like the auntie of the house said, "Don't expect me to cook for you- we're going to the buffet!" Cool! I also got in touch with one of my oldest best friends from grade school, D, who I hope to see even for a bit. D had been the new girl in 6th grade and as luck would have it, we were seated together because of alphabetical order of our last names. We were inseparable ever since! We became a tagteam of sorts, always getting each other's back, and always getting each other out of trouble- aiya! After 8th grade graduation, her family upped and moved to Vegas and she's been there ever since. Through the years, we've played that keeping in touch game- writing letters every day that would later become weeks, months, and then holidays; we'd call each other once in a while to catch up, mostly on birthdays; we'd even make a point to see each other when we could. Even though we even lost track of each other for a few years, what meant the most to me was that when we did finally get a hold of each other, it was as if time had never passed. We just picked up where we left off and everything was right with the world again. That's the one thing that I love about D! Currently, she's a blackjack dealer at one of the major casinos and mom to one of the cutest kids. Hopefully I'll get a chance to see her!
My time here in MN seemed really short. I actually took down all the Christmas decor today. Just last night, the lights were shining brightly from the tree and tonight, nada. It took time to carefully and painstakingly put everything away, labeling which ornaments were in which bag, wrapping delicate and fragile ones in tissue paper, and of course, putting things back into its original packaging box. Yes, I'm anal that way. This task, by the way, was done entirely by me because to be quite honest, I don't trust hubby to do it! Lol! Coincidentally, hubby will not be joining me in Vegas for New Year's. After new year's, I'll be heading back to da Bay with my family...road trip! Man, I won't even go there with how long it's been since we've had one of those! Weather-wise in MN has been a bitch, but what else should I expect from a MN winter? Of course, it decides to snow the day before I leave and I'm just hoping that my flight to Vegas won't be delayed. I'm actually hoping that enough snow will fall throughout the night so that I could make a snow angel tomorrow- my students would totally get a kick out of that!
Anyways, it's now 3am in the morning and I have yet to pack. I'm such a procrastinator when it comes to packing! Aiya! I always dread goodbyes at the airport, but the silver lining to that is that there will always be a reunion later on. So to hubby, even though we cannot be together for new year's, I'll be thinking of you! To Chelle, Happy 33rd Birthday girlfriend! To everyone else, a happy and safe new year to you all! Much love! Goodbye 2005...Hello 2006!
Friday, December 30, 2005
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
MnM's Unofficial Year in Review
Yes, yes, I snagged this from J, Rho, and Consuela. I swear, it always trips me out to think that it was like pulling teeth to get J to start a blog and lookit him now! Ha...seems like he's all over the map with the blogging thang! Anyways, now and then there's always these surveys, quizzes, and whatnot that I like to byte off of and well, here's one for ya'll. Take the last sentence of the first entry of each month, cut and paste, and voila, Year in Review. Here's MnM's 2005.
January: Happy 2005, ya'll! Here's to new beginnings! love and peace...
February: Considering that our town is booming, it'll be interesting to see what the town demographics are...yah, in other words, are there any other Pinoys/Pinays up in our area!
March: There are never the right words to comfort the grieving, but the fact that they are in a better place, without sickness and free of pain and suffering, encourages me.
April: Oh yah, and last but not least, a Happy Birthday shout-out goes to ME! =)
May: I hope that you had a great birthday- love and miss you!
June: Your much deserved summer vacation is just around the corner- hang in there!
July: Do I need to boycott you guys for a while???
August: I totally hate it when there's a lull in between blog posts...I tend to want to write about everything that's happened! But laundry loads await...
September: Pictures of Mount Rushmore and our trip coming soon....have a great weekend ya'll!
October: *Hubby...the flowers were beautiful! Just a few more days...
November: And it did my soul some good.
December: Much love ya'll!
Yes, yes, I snagged this from J, Rho, and Consuela. I swear, it always trips me out to think that it was like pulling teeth to get J to start a blog and lookit him now! Ha...seems like he's all over the map with the blogging thang! Anyways, now and then there's always these surveys, quizzes, and whatnot that I like to byte off of and well, here's one for ya'll. Take the last sentence of the first entry of each month, cut and paste, and voila, Year in Review. Here's MnM's 2005.
January: Happy 2005, ya'll! Here's to new beginnings! love and peace...
February: Considering that our town is booming, it'll be interesting to see what the town demographics are...yah, in other words, are there any other Pinoys/Pinays up in our area!
March: There are never the right words to comfort the grieving, but the fact that they are in a better place, without sickness and free of pain and suffering, encourages me.
April: Oh yah, and last but not least, a Happy Birthday shout-out goes to ME! =)
May: I hope that you had a great birthday- love and miss you!
June: Your much deserved summer vacation is just around the corner- hang in there!
July: Do I need to boycott you guys for a while???
August: I totally hate it when there's a lull in between blog posts...I tend to want to write about everything that's happened! But laundry loads await...
September: Pictures of Mount Rushmore and our trip coming soon....have a great weekend ya'll!
October: *Hubby...the flowers were beautiful! Just a few more days...
November: And it did my soul some good.
December: Much love ya'll!
News Around da Twin Cities
So a bear was sighted in the neighborhood of da wood. A BEAR! Apparently, bears are known to wander into the metro this time of year looking for a place to hibernate. According to authorities, we humans shouldn't be alarmed, but to be quite honest, I really don't know what I would do if, for example, I was walking around the corner of our place to get the mail when lo and behold, there's a black grizzly wandering in my direction. The only survival tip that comes to mind is to play dead...but in my fear, would I remember even that? They say not to panic because, just like they say for other nasty rodents, they are more scared of you than you of them. Suuuuuure. They say, as long as you're not trying to harm them, they will leave you alone...for the most part. For the most part?!
The authorities have not caught anything just yet (and by caught, I mean, use the tranquilizer gun thingy and drag him back into the woods), but a lot of calls came through about a black grizzly wandering around the shopping area not too far from where we live. In fact, it was sighted near Lifetime Fitness, the gym that hubby frequents! That is just way too close to home!
But my question is, if they have a tendancy to wander into the metro area during this time of year, where are they usually spending their days? Are they really that close to us that we realize? I mean, after winter is done, how likely will I be to run into a bear if I went out for a run?
See peoples...just another thing to add to my list of reasons of why people should hibernate, too!
Peter Jackson flicks
Everyone has been talking about this movie as one of the last huge blockbusters of the year...and I have to agree. Directed by Peter Jackson, director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, it did not disappoint with delivering a 3-hour flick that only resulted in me wanting more. As hubby commented, it was like a LOTR three-hours and not like a Dances With Wolves three-hours. It was good! It was intense! It was awesome! (And btw: hubby and I have been on a Lord of the Rings trip these past couple of days. We popped in the Special Editions and have been soaking up anything and everything Middle Earth. It just reminds me what great movies these are and what huge fans we are!) And maybe I'm not a very good movie critic because honestly, i'm easily impressed. I'm not one of those viewers to continually point out the CGI graphics, the green screen effects, and whatnot; rather, I am one of those people who will get so into the movie that even when the most obvious is about to happen, I will be genuinely surprised and shocked that it did! I'm such a dork! Lol!
Again, the movie was intense...dinosaurs, freaky natives, bugs (and ya'll know how I DETEST bugs!), and oh yes, a huge ass chimp! It's got its moments where I was like, "okay, THAT was weird." If you've already seen it, I'm talking about the vaudeville entertainment show for Kong and the ice skating/sliding around scene. If you haven't seen it, don't worry, I didn't ruin anything...according to hubby, those scenes were put it to show the "connection" between the blonde and the chimp. Ha. Ok. Whatever. I really did like Adrien Brody's character. Here's another one of those leading men, not Brad Pitt-esque, but still quite romantic and sexy in a way. Who cares about the huge nose! But really, just his willingness to keep on going to save the girl was just totally heart melting...wow...damn.
But okay, enough about the huge ass chimp, let's talk about the movie reviews for May 2006 for a sec. I think that May is going to be quite anticipated by lots of moviegoers- here's just a list of what's coming out!
- The DaVinci Code. Starring Tom Hanks and Audry Tautou (from Amelie), and Ian McKellen (plays Gandalf in LOTR). If you have yet to read the book, please do so BEFORE the movie comes out! This Dan Brown novel is such an intelligently woven suspense thriller that will leave you questioning all the things that you already know. If you've read the book, you know what I'm talking about. After I saw the new trailer, I was totally psyched, but also kinda freaked out. I heard that Harrison Ford was also up for the main character, but I think either way, Tom Hanks will do a great job, too.
The DaVinci Code opens up on May 19, 2006.
- X-Men 3. Jean Grey returns stronger than ever as the Phoenix. Cyclops. Storm. Rogue and IceMan. A very pissed off Wolverine and a whole new bunch that includes Beast and Angel. It's funny because I was never a big fan of X-Men until the movie...the only Marvel Comics superheroes that I was familiar with was SpiderMan and Batman! In any case, this is going to be the big showdown that can't be missed.
X-Men opens up on May 26, 2006.
- Mission Impossible 3. Okay, let me just say that I'm tired and done with the whole Tom Cruise-Katie Holmes otherwise known as TomKat fiasco. Too much attention, too much media, too much exposure, just plain too much is just sickening. BUT, haha, there's always a 'but' in there, I really enjoyed the Mission Impossible movies thus far and will probably head out to the theaters to catch the latest (and maybe the last?) one. Of course we can expect the directors to out-do the last one, make it more heart-stopping, more intense, more thrilling, and all the other mores you could think of to make it the best. And that alone will make me want to see it...'cuz it's all about the movie experience!
MI:3 opens up on May 5, 2006.
There you have it ya'll...the best is yet to come!
So a bear was sighted in the neighborhood of da wood. A BEAR! Apparently, bears are known to wander into the metro this time of year looking for a place to hibernate. According to authorities, we humans shouldn't be alarmed, but to be quite honest, I really don't know what I would do if, for example, I was walking around the corner of our place to get the mail when lo and behold, there's a black grizzly wandering in my direction. The only survival tip that comes to mind is to play dead...but in my fear, would I remember even that? They say not to panic because, just like they say for other nasty rodents, they are more scared of you than you of them. Suuuuuure. They say, as long as you're not trying to harm them, they will leave you alone...for the most part. For the most part?!
The authorities have not caught anything just yet (and by caught, I mean, use the tranquilizer gun thingy and drag him back into the woods), but a lot of calls came through about a black grizzly wandering around the shopping area not too far from where we live. In fact, it was sighted near Lifetime Fitness, the gym that hubby frequents! That is just way too close to home!
But my question is, if they have a tendancy to wander into the metro area during this time of year, where are they usually spending their days? Are they really that close to us that we realize? I mean, after winter is done, how likely will I be to run into a bear if I went out for a run?
See peoples...just another thing to add to my list of reasons of why people should hibernate, too!
Peter Jackson flicks
Everyone has been talking about this movie as one of the last huge blockbusters of the year...and I have to agree. Directed by Peter Jackson, director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, it did not disappoint with delivering a 3-hour flick that only resulted in me wanting more. As hubby commented, it was like a LOTR three-hours and not like a Dances With Wolves three-hours. It was good! It was intense! It was awesome! (And btw: hubby and I have been on a Lord of the Rings trip these past couple of days. We popped in the Special Editions and have been soaking up anything and everything Middle Earth. It just reminds me what great movies these are and what huge fans we are!) And maybe I'm not a very good movie critic because honestly, i'm easily impressed. I'm not one of those viewers to continually point out the CGI graphics, the green screen effects, and whatnot; rather, I am one of those people who will get so into the movie that even when the most obvious is about to happen, I will be genuinely surprised and shocked that it did! I'm such a dork! Lol!
Again, the movie was intense...dinosaurs, freaky natives, bugs (and ya'll know how I DETEST bugs!), and oh yes, a huge ass chimp! It's got its moments where I was like, "okay, THAT was weird." If you've already seen it, I'm talking about the vaudeville entertainment show for Kong and the ice skating/sliding around scene. If you haven't seen it, don't worry, I didn't ruin anything...according to hubby, those scenes were put it to show the "connection" between the blonde and the chimp. Ha. Ok. Whatever. I really did like Adrien Brody's character. Here's another one of those leading men, not Brad Pitt-esque, but still quite romantic and sexy in a way. Who cares about the huge nose! But really, just his willingness to keep on going to save the girl was just totally heart melting...wow...damn.
But okay, enough about the huge ass chimp, let's talk about the movie reviews for May 2006 for a sec. I think that May is going to be quite anticipated by lots of moviegoers- here's just a list of what's coming out!
- The DaVinci Code. Starring Tom Hanks and Audry Tautou (from Amelie), and Ian McKellen (plays Gandalf in LOTR). If you have yet to read the book, please do so BEFORE the movie comes out! This Dan Brown novel is such an intelligently woven suspense thriller that will leave you questioning all the things that you already know. If you've read the book, you know what I'm talking about. After I saw the new trailer, I was totally psyched, but also kinda freaked out. I heard that Harrison Ford was also up for the main character, but I think either way, Tom Hanks will do a great job, too.
The DaVinci Code opens up on May 19, 2006.
- X-Men 3. Jean Grey returns stronger than ever as the Phoenix. Cyclops. Storm. Rogue and IceMan. A very pissed off Wolverine and a whole new bunch that includes Beast and Angel. It's funny because I was never a big fan of X-Men until the movie...the only Marvel Comics superheroes that I was familiar with was SpiderMan and Batman! In any case, this is going to be the big showdown that can't be missed.
X-Men opens up on May 26, 2006.
- Mission Impossible 3. Okay, let me just say that I'm tired and done with the whole Tom Cruise-Katie Holmes otherwise known as TomKat fiasco. Too much attention, too much media, too much exposure, just plain too much is just sickening. BUT, haha, there's always a 'but' in there, I really enjoyed the Mission Impossible movies thus far and will probably head out to the theaters to catch the latest (and maybe the last?) one. Of course we can expect the directors to out-do the last one, make it more heart-stopping, more intense, more thrilling, and all the other mores you could think of to make it the best. And that alone will make me want to see it...'cuz it's all about the movie experience!
MI:3 opens up on May 5, 2006.
There you have it ya'll...the best is yet to come!
Sunday, December 25, 2005
The Magic of Christmas
It never fails at this time of year. Whether or not the past year had been the best or worst, everything seems to fade needlessly into the background around the holidays. Why is that?
Last Christmas had the potential to be rather unpleasant. Maybe it was because it would be my first Christmas ever spent away from my family, maybe it was because I was totally bummed that hubby and I would be alone in our brand new house for the holidays, and maybe it was because we just weren't getting along because we both woke up on the wrong side of the bed. I remember thinking, "Damn, what a crappy Christmas!" Talk about a Bah, Humbug attitude! Hubby and I decided to check out this one church for their midnight service. It was about an hour away from where we lived. It turned out to be one of the most beautiful services I have ever attended- from the symphony of music and songs, to the message of Christmas, it was just what I needed to melt away the negative vibes I was feeling. But to top it all off, as we walked out after the service, it started to lightly snow. It was beautiful...it was magical.
For many, Christmas is about the busyness of all the shopping for that perfect gift. The words of this one Christmas song that our 3rd Graders performed at our show sums it up on point, "It's traffic, it's people, it's lots of noise, it's busy moms and dads, it's cranky boys and girls...it's ringin' and singin', it's street corner elves, it's every shopper's dream, every one for themselves, it's sights that you can't possibly find anywhere else, it's Christmas in the city." The commericialization of this holiday has gotten people so engrossed in the spirit of shopping that the true meaning and spirit of Christmas has been lost. It really is sad. I get on my soapbox about forgetting the true meaning of Christmas, but at the same time, I buy into it myself because let's face it, it doesn't seem like Christmas unless there are gifts to give. But it really is the wrong mentality to have.
Where is the magic?
At last night's midnight church service, the pastor began his message with an eye-opener. He wanted to share some pictures of his family and his neighborhood, but the pics that popped up on screen didn't only include sweet pics of his wife and kids, but also those of the Earth (his neighborhood). He continued to share how certain catastrophies befell different parts of his neighborhood: a tsunami, an earthquake, hurricanes and floods, starvation, war. It was such an in-your-face reality check that we all needed and the effect was so profound. There is a prophecy in the Bible that talks about the coming of a Messiah who would also be called the "Prince of Peace." But where is the peace in all of this? Where is the peace in our world? Why is there so much disaster and death when there should be peace?
A few days ago, hubby and I finally watched "Hotel Rwanda." As I watched this movie, it made me realize how naive I had been about the world. For those of you who have not seen "Hotel Rwanda," in a nutshell, it's about a civil war in Rwanda between the Tutsi and Hutu peoples and while one side is trying to eradicate the race of the other, there was one man who risked so much to save so many. This all happened in 1994. In 1994, I was in my second year of college, probably having way too much fun. How is it that I never heard of this incident in Rwanda? I will shamefully admit that I was never big on world events. I did not follow what was going on in the world around me and perhaps it was because I was in a selfish state of mind. There is a part in the movie where the main character expresses how glad he is that the situation had been caught on film and would be aired worldwide. It would hopefully generate aid to their country and put a stop to all the unnecessary murders. There is a line spoken by Joaquin Phoenix that sums up how people view such disasters so far away from our immediate neighborhoods, "When people see this on the news, they will think to themselves, 'Oh, that's so terrible!', but after that, they will continue eating their dinner." That's the sad reality of our world. We care, but not enough to really do anything about it.
Where is the peace in all of that?
The peace lies within ourselves. We have to WANT it. Because if we WANT it bad enough, it will force us to take action. The pastor then went into the spirit of gift giving. In fact, he spoke about the gift that God is willing to give to us time and time again. It is a gift that He does not force upon people, but with it, peace could be possible. That gift is forgiveness.
His challenge for us was, "Who are you going to forgive tomorrow?" Everyone has heard of the whole "forgive and forget" thang. And let me tell you from my experience, forgiveness is not an easy thing. There are a lot of things that have happened in my life from my elementary days to the present that have been yearning for that signal that everything will be ok. It's tough and it's something that I struggle with everyday. But then I have to ask myself, how willing am I to have peace? Do I want it bad enough? Am I ready to let bygones be bygones and move on? It's a struggle that I keep praying will get easier with passing day. It's so beyond my comprehension that someone as mighty as God can send His only Son into this world to die and save US from sin. What an awesome God that He is!
Christmas worked its magic once again last night. It didn't snow like last year (thank goodness!), but the essence of the midnight service spoke to me in so many different ways. Whether it was heartfelt music of the Christmas carols that sang of Jesus' birth, or the candlelit sanctuary that filled the room, or simply the message of forgiveness- it was all there. All of the drama that has been troubling me faded away. The focus that had been on ME, ME, ME meant nothing. The only thing that mattered was having peace...peace in the world, peace with our neighbors, and most importantly, peace within ourselves.
*From the bottom of my heart, wishing ya'll a very Merry Christmas...love, joy, and PEACE to you all for the new year and always...
MALIGAYANG PASKO AT MANIGONG BAGONG TAON!!!
It never fails at this time of year. Whether or not the past year had been the best or worst, everything seems to fade needlessly into the background around the holidays. Why is that?
Last Christmas had the potential to be rather unpleasant. Maybe it was because it would be my first Christmas ever spent away from my family, maybe it was because I was totally bummed that hubby and I would be alone in our brand new house for the holidays, and maybe it was because we just weren't getting along because we both woke up on the wrong side of the bed. I remember thinking, "Damn, what a crappy Christmas!" Talk about a Bah, Humbug attitude! Hubby and I decided to check out this one church for their midnight service. It was about an hour away from where we lived. It turned out to be one of the most beautiful services I have ever attended- from the symphony of music and songs, to the message of Christmas, it was just what I needed to melt away the negative vibes I was feeling. But to top it all off, as we walked out after the service, it started to lightly snow. It was beautiful...it was magical.
For many, Christmas is about the busyness of all the shopping for that perfect gift. The words of this one Christmas song that our 3rd Graders performed at our show sums it up on point, "It's traffic, it's people, it's lots of noise, it's busy moms and dads, it's cranky boys and girls...it's ringin' and singin', it's street corner elves, it's every shopper's dream, every one for themselves, it's sights that you can't possibly find anywhere else, it's Christmas in the city." The commericialization of this holiday has gotten people so engrossed in the spirit of shopping that the true meaning and spirit of Christmas has been lost. It really is sad. I get on my soapbox about forgetting the true meaning of Christmas, but at the same time, I buy into it myself because let's face it, it doesn't seem like Christmas unless there are gifts to give. But it really is the wrong mentality to have.
Where is the magic?
At last night's midnight church service, the pastor began his message with an eye-opener. He wanted to share some pictures of his family and his neighborhood, but the pics that popped up on screen didn't only include sweet pics of his wife and kids, but also those of the Earth (his neighborhood). He continued to share how certain catastrophies befell different parts of his neighborhood: a tsunami, an earthquake, hurricanes and floods, starvation, war. It was such an in-your-face reality check that we all needed and the effect was so profound. There is a prophecy in the Bible that talks about the coming of a Messiah who would also be called the "Prince of Peace." But where is the peace in all of this? Where is the peace in our world? Why is there so much disaster and death when there should be peace?
A few days ago, hubby and I finally watched "Hotel Rwanda." As I watched this movie, it made me realize how naive I had been about the world. For those of you who have not seen "Hotel Rwanda," in a nutshell, it's about a civil war in Rwanda between the Tutsi and Hutu peoples and while one side is trying to eradicate the race of the other, there was one man who risked so much to save so many. This all happened in 1994. In 1994, I was in my second year of college, probably having way too much fun. How is it that I never heard of this incident in Rwanda? I will shamefully admit that I was never big on world events. I did not follow what was going on in the world around me and perhaps it was because I was in a selfish state of mind. There is a part in the movie where the main character expresses how glad he is that the situation had been caught on film and would be aired worldwide. It would hopefully generate aid to their country and put a stop to all the unnecessary murders. There is a line spoken by Joaquin Phoenix that sums up how people view such disasters so far away from our immediate neighborhoods, "When people see this on the news, they will think to themselves, 'Oh, that's so terrible!', but after that, they will continue eating their dinner." That's the sad reality of our world. We care, but not enough to really do anything about it.
Where is the peace in all of that?
The peace lies within ourselves. We have to WANT it. Because if we WANT it bad enough, it will force us to take action. The pastor then went into the spirit of gift giving. In fact, he spoke about the gift that God is willing to give to us time and time again. It is a gift that He does not force upon people, but with it, peace could be possible. That gift is forgiveness.
His challenge for us was, "Who are you going to forgive tomorrow?" Everyone has heard of the whole "forgive and forget" thang. And let me tell you from my experience, forgiveness is not an easy thing. There are a lot of things that have happened in my life from my elementary days to the present that have been yearning for that signal that everything will be ok. It's tough and it's something that I struggle with everyday. But then I have to ask myself, how willing am I to have peace? Do I want it bad enough? Am I ready to let bygones be bygones and move on? It's a struggle that I keep praying will get easier with passing day. It's so beyond my comprehension that someone as mighty as God can send His only Son into this world to die and save US from sin. What an awesome God that He is!
Christmas worked its magic once again last night. It didn't snow like last year (thank goodness!), but the essence of the midnight service spoke to me in so many different ways. Whether it was heartfelt music of the Christmas carols that sang of Jesus' birth, or the candlelit sanctuary that filled the room, or simply the message of forgiveness- it was all there. All of the drama that has been troubling me faded away. The focus that had been on ME, ME, ME meant nothing. The only thing that mattered was having peace...peace in the world, peace with our neighbors, and most importantly, peace within ourselves.
*From the bottom of my heart, wishing ya'll a very Merry Christmas...love, joy, and PEACE to you all for the new year and always...
MALIGAYANG PASKO AT MANIGONG BAGONG TAON!!!
Friday, December 23, 2005
Midwest Winter
Greetings from ass-freezing Minnesota! I have been back here to spend the holidays with hubby and since I arrived, there has been so much to do. Here's a rundown of things Minnesotan winter that I SO wish ya'll could experience with us.
- Can I just talk about the weather really quick?
First of all, my flight back to MN last Friday was delayed THREE HOURS. Yes, to spend all of that time in the airport is just wonderful. It doesn't help that it was a red-eye to begin with. There are just so many math papers that I could correct at 1:30am. All planes coming to and from Minnesota were delayed due to snow. Lovely. When I finally arrived after a r-o-u-g-h flight (turbulence, crying babies, turbulence), the temps were a freezing 4 degrees. Can I just say SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM?! Thankfully, hubby brought along my heavy jacket, scarf, and gloves...just the walk from the terminal to the car was enough to freeze my insides...and oh yah, make me really want to use the restroom! Lol! The first few days that I was here, the temps hit the negatives. The lowest so far has been -3 and that's not even talking wind chill. The other day, it was 0 degrees with a wind chill of -12. It's been a pleasant surprise, though, because the last couple of days has been "warm." By warm, I mean 32 degrees. While there's still snow on the ground, it's still nipply with that icy crisp in the air, but it's warm enough that my nose and ears don't feel like it's going to fall off due to frostbite within minutes. As crazy as it sounds, there is a MAJOR difference between 10 and 0 degrees. Cold is cold is cold is cold, and maybe ya'll just have to be here in the flesh to feel the difference.
- Speaking of cold temps, the keyword is DOUBLE. Double socks, double pants (thermals and jeans), double tops (thermals and long sleeves), scarve, hat, gloves, and jacket.
- Approximate time it takes to put everything on: 10 minutes.
- Approximate time it takes to take off gloves and put on heavy-duty boots over double socks: 2 minutes.
- Approximate time to walk in heavy winter gear from the door to the car without slipping on frozen over ice: 2 minutes.
- Approximate time to catch your breath after being seatbelted in: 1 minute.
*It's such a hassle to leave the house...now ya'll understand the hibernation thang?!
- "Citywide Notification: street parking is prohibited when there is an accumulation of more than two inches from November 1st to April 1st." [That's FIVE MONTHS people!]
- yellow snow...totally gross 'cuz we've seen it EVERYWHERE!
- Learning how to walk. I swear, maybe it's just my West Coast ass, but I feel that during the winter, I need to learn how to walk properly. I have had so many incidents of almost busting my ass, it's not even funny. I don't get it...I make it a point to walk carefully ('cuz if ya'll remember last year, I had TWO major falls...one backward, one forward...not my best moments...), but as much as I do, I'm always doing that embarrassing dance where my hands shoot out to try and regain my balance, but I end up just looking like a dork. Whenever we're out and about, I study how people walk. I check out what shoes they're wearing. I observe to see if they're walking around patches of ice/snow or walking right through it. I've seen amazon ladies ('cuz they're hella tall over here!)sporting their heel boots not miss a beat over here, but when I walk in the exact same path, I bust a move! I really can't figure out if it's the shoes that I'm wearing, the speed of my walk, or simply the balance in this non-MN native body of mine. All I know is that I had better have a hand on hubby to keep my balance, else, my backside is going to meet the sidewalk.
- Frozen lakes. There was an incident some weeks back in Wisconsin where a car carrying a man and his kid ran off the road into a lake. It wasn't extremely cold that the lake was completely frozen over yet and so rescue teams were frantically searching the chill waters for them. But what was disturbing was the fact that the news coverage kept talking about the risk of hypothermia in the cold waters. This was AFTER 30 minutes. Wouldn't you think they would talk about the possibility of DEATH? After a few minutes of watching the anchor interview a doctor of the speed and effects of hypothermia, we both pretty much commented in disbelief, "What about the speed of drowning and death?" I don't know which to be afraid of- frozen lakes or news coverage that doesn't deal with reality.
Ahhh...there's so much more things Minnesota that I can't remember it all at the moment. When it comes to mind, I'll be sure to share.
*By the way, I realize that it's been a helluva long time since I blogged. That's what I get for having to use dial-up at my parents! It just takes way too much time to log in to anything besides my email. I feel that I've totally neglected my blog and all the blogs that I read on a daily basis. I took a few hours the other day, yes HOURS, to catch up on blogs and whatnot. But yes, for the most part, I am all caught up with everyone..and for those who were wondering, yes, I'm still very much alive (and back from da dead...AGAIN!). Lastly, a shout-out to my few faithful readers who continue to rack up numbers on my stat counter- (Thanks Eastbay!) lol! Much love ya'll!*
Greetings from ass-freezing Minnesota! I have been back here to spend the holidays with hubby and since I arrived, there has been so much to do. Here's a rundown of things Minnesotan winter that I SO wish ya'll could experience with us.
- Can I just talk about the weather really quick?
First of all, my flight back to MN last Friday was delayed THREE HOURS. Yes, to spend all of that time in the airport is just wonderful. It doesn't help that it was a red-eye to begin with. There are just so many math papers that I could correct at 1:30am. All planes coming to and from Minnesota were delayed due to snow. Lovely. When I finally arrived after a r-o-u-g-h flight (turbulence, crying babies, turbulence), the temps were a freezing 4 degrees. Can I just say SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM?! Thankfully, hubby brought along my heavy jacket, scarf, and gloves...just the walk from the terminal to the car was enough to freeze my insides...and oh yah, make me really want to use the restroom! Lol! The first few days that I was here, the temps hit the negatives. The lowest so far has been -3 and that's not even talking wind chill. The other day, it was 0 degrees with a wind chill of -12. It's been a pleasant surprise, though, because the last couple of days has been "warm." By warm, I mean 32 degrees. While there's still snow on the ground, it's still nipply with that icy crisp in the air, but it's warm enough that my nose and ears don't feel like it's going to fall off due to frostbite within minutes. As crazy as it sounds, there is a MAJOR difference between 10 and 0 degrees. Cold is cold is cold is cold, and maybe ya'll just have to be here in the flesh to feel the difference.
- Speaking of cold temps, the keyword is DOUBLE. Double socks, double pants (thermals and jeans), double tops (thermals and long sleeves), scarve, hat, gloves, and jacket.
- Approximate time it takes to put everything on: 10 minutes.
- Approximate time it takes to take off gloves and put on heavy-duty boots over double socks: 2 minutes.
- Approximate time to walk in heavy winter gear from the door to the car without slipping on frozen over ice: 2 minutes.
- Approximate time to catch your breath after being seatbelted in: 1 minute.
*It's such a hassle to leave the house...now ya'll understand the hibernation thang?!
- "Citywide Notification: street parking is prohibited when there is an accumulation of more than two inches from November 1st to April 1st." [That's FIVE MONTHS people!]
- yellow snow...totally gross 'cuz we've seen it EVERYWHERE!
- Learning how to walk. I swear, maybe it's just my West Coast ass, but I feel that during the winter, I need to learn how to walk properly. I have had so many incidents of almost busting my ass, it's not even funny. I don't get it...I make it a point to walk carefully ('cuz if ya'll remember last year, I had TWO major falls...one backward, one forward...not my best moments...), but as much as I do, I'm always doing that embarrassing dance where my hands shoot out to try and regain my balance, but I end up just looking like a dork. Whenever we're out and about, I study how people walk. I check out what shoes they're wearing. I observe to see if they're walking around patches of ice/snow or walking right through it. I've seen amazon ladies ('cuz they're hella tall over here!)sporting their heel boots not miss a beat over here, but when I walk in the exact same path, I bust a move! I really can't figure out if it's the shoes that I'm wearing, the speed of my walk, or simply the balance in this non-MN native body of mine. All I know is that I had better have a hand on hubby to keep my balance, else, my backside is going to meet the sidewalk.
- Frozen lakes. There was an incident some weeks back in Wisconsin where a car carrying a man and his kid ran off the road into a lake. It wasn't extremely cold that the lake was completely frozen over yet and so rescue teams were frantically searching the chill waters for them. But what was disturbing was the fact that the news coverage kept talking about the risk of hypothermia in the cold waters. This was AFTER 30 minutes. Wouldn't you think they would talk about the possibility of DEATH? After a few minutes of watching the anchor interview a doctor of the speed and effects of hypothermia, we both pretty much commented in disbelief, "What about the speed of drowning and death?" I don't know which to be afraid of- frozen lakes or news coverage that doesn't deal with reality.
Ahhh...there's so much more things Minnesota that I can't remember it all at the moment. When it comes to mind, I'll be sure to share.
*By the way, I realize that it's been a helluva long time since I blogged. That's what I get for having to use dial-up at my parents! It just takes way too much time to log in to anything besides my email. I feel that I've totally neglected my blog and all the blogs that I read on a daily basis. I took a few hours the other day, yes HOURS, to catch up on blogs and whatnot. But yes, for the most part, I am all caught up with everyone..and for those who were wondering, yes, I'm still very much alive (and back from da dead...AGAIN!). Lastly, a shout-out to my few faithful readers who continue to rack up numbers on my stat counter- (Thanks Eastbay!) lol! Much love ya'll!*
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