Baguio Country Club

Overcast two-day stay at the Baguio Country Club. It was for work but it wasn't so stressful and I got some much deserved (lagi naman) R&R.

Little nook over our seminar venue

View from our bedroom window. It's so peaceful, isn't it?

Facade at dusk

Pictures were taken with my camphone so there aren't as high-def as I would like, but you get the idea.

Acuatico

So the family went to Acuatico for the weekend. Place was great and the staff were great. The food was a bit so-so but then again, I'm on a diet. Hehehe.

At that time, the place was fully booked, but you wouldn't feel it. the cottages were grouped around the infinity pool and it was quite private.

Even fully booked, the pool was never more than a third full, it was that big! I realized I don't have pictures of the beach, but it was good too. Sand wasn't really powdery, but it wasn't rocky either. And it didn't have seaweeds. :)

Loungers were generously placed around the pool and on the beach.

I could definitely come back here!

what to do when someone, whose opinion you have always valued, doesn't even make the effort to clear a few minutes to listen to you?

Letting go is easier than one expects, when one doesn't have a choice.

Caramoan

For the Holy Week long weekend, G invited me to join her church group for a 3,000 peso-challenge vacation in Caramoan. Kuya Mark arranged everything for us and I just had to appear at the designated meeting place. Nice, right!

For those geographically challenged like me, here's the wiki link on Caramoan.

We left on wednesday night and arrived at about lunchtime on Thursday, after a butt-numbing van ride through the night. (There were 14 of us and no hope of getting bus tickets with the Holy Week crush.) Then a 2-hour boat ride (also butt-numbing since you had to sit on a very narrow bench with little leg room). Then a trike ride until we reached Paniman where we rented a house (Kuya Ramil! He's famous). Kuya Ramil's wife also prepared our food for us including packed lunch for island hopping.

After some freshening up, we went straight for the short trip island hopping. Then the long-trip island hopping on Good Friday where after swimming and rolling in sand, we also played capture-the-tail(?) and patintero. Just before sunset, we went to the cave where Survivor holds some of its council meetings. We were not prepared because though some  of us had portable lights, we left them at the house. Sayang. hahaha.

Then, for dinner we had  Kuya Rico's surprise(?) birthday celebration -- with pansit, cake, and ice cream. We also played pinoy henyo, I lost because I couldn't guess "Bam Aquino". Nyak.

We left on Saturday and got back at around 12 midnight.

My left side was totally sunburned (because of the boat rides while island hopping) but I made lots of new friends!

I was a bit lazy and too preoccupied to take pictures. Here are some of them.

And hey, we exceeded the 3000 pesos budget by (drum roll please) 180 pesos. Hahahah! Great fun. I hope they invite me next time. :)

she shrugged because that was what one did when one had her heart broken

Paper Quilling: Christmas Decorations

Way delayed post and out-of season. LOL! I know Easter just passed, but here are some christmas decorations made through paper quilling!

Paper quilled pictures

Paper quilled snowmen

Quilled christmas tree

All courtesy of my creative sister! 

Oh hello there.

I haven't been posting lately because, well, because I've been busy and I haven't had any drama lately. Whew what a relief!

So what have I been up to?

Well, I'm now up to date with Naruto manga and anime. Yay!

I'm reading more -- trashy and non-trashy novels. :) I've had my head up in the clouds or immersed in a novel lately.

I have a secret undertaking which, for now, must remain secret.

I've come to terms with the longest heartbreak I've been nursing and decided that I can still be friends with him...because he has no idea he's broken my heart. Of course, this is still subject to evaluation.

To take my mind off things, I've enrolled in a MOOC. hahaha. Massive online open course. I love it though it eats a lot of my time.

Generally, I've been peaceful like I've never been peaceful before.

I'm hoping to get the writing juices flowing but I really have no idea of a story or even a small bit of dialogue that's begging to be written.

Oh, I got a haircut. Yeah I got a haircut.

Work's still good.

And sometimes, sometimes I think I can go on like this forever.

If this isn't peace and serenity, I don't know what is.

"not all who wander are lost"

--- yep, some of them are running away.

"God helps those who help themselves"

Does this work in dating too? So, should I ask him out?

I talked about you today. Kind of casual-like. Because you were relevant to the discussion.

I was glad to know that I can talk about you, without feeling a twinge. I didn't even feel sad.

I'm almost there.

Happy New Year!

In line with my goal to CREATE more, I decided to take pictures of fireworks! Yeah!

I don't usually go out on New Year's Eve because I'm asthmatic, plus, I'm afraid of stray bullets. But I decided to do so this year just so I can take pictures. I stayed out on the second floor balcony. The view wasn't really that clear as it was cloudy that night. And the fireworks were a bit far away. Good thing, my camera had pretty decent zoom.

I thought it would be easy to take pictures but it was actually frustrating! I had to zoom in, and get the timing right. Which was really hard!!! I used the fireworks preset on my camera and it was a bit slow in processing the pictures. Anyway, here are some of my attempts (I had LOTS!!!):

Difficulty getting them into the frame and timing's off:

I really couldn't get the explosions at the right time

Here's some success. This one's a bit nearer but blocked by some trees and power lines. Didn't have to fiddle with the zoom:

Happy New Year! I had some lucky shots and I uploaded them on Starry-Eyed Photos :)