Prenup Done :)

Wedding preps-panic attack!

Aaaaah! I'm a bridechilla. Literally. I never actually started to seriously plan the details of my wedding, well, first because I'm not detail-oriented. Oh yeah, I am! But being a girl, it's actually hard to decide on what I really really want for my wedding. Next, we are on a budget  NO we're more of practical. Sure, this is once in a lifetime event and we want only the best. However, being tied to a budget is really hard. If I had only all the money in the world, I'd choose the BEST suppliers without batting an eyelash. But I don't want to start married life poor (if you know what I mean). And third, I just wanted to be married to the love of my life peacefully. Why is wedding planning so stressful for me? Hahaha! But it's a kind of stress I'd welcome in my life.

So as I was saying. I'm a bridechilla. For the past months since I got engaged, I haven't sat down on the nitty-gritty details. I have booked all the major suppliers that I needed (I think!). And after that, I'd been procrastinating, just making the most of our engagement period. Hahaha! Until NOW. I suddenly realized, April is about to end. Ack ack ack! Need to seriously start planning the details.

Happy preps to us!

Bitterness Kills

Read this message from one of the FEAST Builders:

Have you ever seen a drug addict? He looks so skinny and haggard that it's like he walked out from the TV show, "The Walking Dead". This is because not only does shabu prevent you from eating for days, its chemicals poison your body.

Sadly, this is exactly what happens to people who don't forgive. Bitterness is a drug. As human beings, aside from physical food for our body, we all need love for pur soul. Bitterness not only prevents you from receiving love, it actually poisons your body.

I am sure you have heard this before: Chronic anger for someone is like holding a knife to stab your enemy -- except that you hold the blade instead of the handle. So each time youbstab, your enemy may not even feel it, but your hand is cut deep. The tighter you grasp, the harder you stab, the deeper you cut yourself. SO STOP CUTTING YOURSELF.

Do not wait for the other person to say sorry, or deserve forgiveness. If someone pushes you in deep swimming pool and you are drowning, do you say, "I will not start swimming unless you say sorry". Do you see how insane that is?

Sadly, that's what bitter people do. They wait for the offender to repent before they forgive them -- not understanding that they are already drowning in their bitterness and their anger is already ruining their lives.

Our founder, Bro. Bo often says, "You forgive not because they deserve to be forgiven but because you deserve to forgive. You deserve the inner happiness, spiritual freedom, and if I may add, the robust health that comes from forgiving others."

So today, as we ask the Lord for physical healing, let's also ask for him to helpnus remove any unforgiveness in our hearts.

Do not do it for the other person. Do it for yourself and stop hurting yourself.

You deserve it!

Be blessed.

Bro. Ped

****************************

Yeah, I deserve it. :) After almost 5 years, I think it's time to truly and sincerely forgive.

The year that was

This 2017, I promised to update this blog more often (just what I have promised last New Years' but failed to do teehee). I hope to write about the best of my 2016 but I still have wedding-related errands to do, hence, I will do it on Thursday (yes, I have to be specific with my goals!). I will have time for myself for the next two weeks as I'll be starting my new work on the 16th! Hooray!

For the meantime, this picture sums up my 2016:

This year, I earned my MBA (after 3 years yay! 🎓), got engaged 💍, lost my engagement ring (and thankfully found it 😆), went to Vietnam with Avon ladies 💄, went to US 🇺🇸 (first out of the country trip with my fiancé), attended 4 weddings 👰🏻 and got a new job 💼. Certainly, 2016 is one for the books. 🙏 Thank you, Lord ❤️

Aside from those written above, fiance and I already bought a property. Aaack! I am so excited! Really, I am so blessed this year.

Buti na lang!

This statement really made my day *rolls eyes*

"Buti na lang 'no mababait nagiging boyfriend mo... 'Di ka pa naman mabait."

Spoken by no less than my... mom. *bow* Nanay nga 'kita. Lol. Hahaha!

What is happening, world?

I am not the type who posts my political views online because I opt to discuss it face to face with someone. But I have seen/read people attack one another... and it's sad. It is so heartbreaking. It breaks my heart that hate is so mainstream nowadays. The more we try to unite/move forward, the more we fall apart... The world is divided more than ever. And I am not talking just for my country, but for the rest of the world... Ang sakit sa puso lahat ng mga nangyayari.

Everything's been toxic for the past days but hey... LIFE.GOES.ON. I can choose to sulk over it or be the change that I want to see in the world.

Last August, Marion and I won first place in our club contest -- Marion was the Champion for Evaluation & I am the Champion for Humorous Speech Contest (Funny kasi talaga ko eh. Lol). Haha! Because of that, we represented the club in the Toastmasters District Contest (yehesss level up talaga ko eh. Marion was so used representing our club in the district level while it's actually my first time as one. And oh, yun talaga #relationshipgoals namin hahaha!). 

The District contest was held two weeks before our US trip. We represented our club and guess what?! I was able to deliver the speech perfectly - I did not forget any lines and ika nga ni Marion, nagtransform daw ako. Hahaha! Ok daw pala sakin pag naprepressure ako -- I was the second to the last contestant so I have seen how good the other contestants were. I didn't actually practice my speech infront of my orgmates kasi nahihiya ako. 

Marion won 1st runner up for the Evaluation Contest while I was... the Champion for Humorous Speech Contest. Wohooo! Achievement unlocked. I am starting to believe that I'm a funny person. Lol.

with my orgmates and friends from Emperor Mandarin TM Club

As the Champion, I have to represent the District in the Division Contest. I told Marion, "Baby!! Pag nanalo uli ako, makakapunta ako ng Davao para sa Nationwide contest. Kakaririn ko to! Haha!" BUT unfortunately, the Division contest coincided with our US trip. Hay. With that, the first runner up, Myles, represented the District in the Division contest. That's life. There's always next year. Haha! Kala ko pa naman makakapag-Davao na ako (Nationwide contest will be held in Davao). Lels. Talagang inassume ko eh no na mananalo din ako sa Division contest. Hahaha! Assumera! But hey, why not? 

with my number one fan & mentor :)

Below is the copy of my speech (It was actually recycled from my "old" speeches but enhanced specifically for the contest. Hahaha!)

IMPRESSIONS

Have you ever made a good impression? Or was it a worst depression? There are moments in my life that I tried to impress people... and I failed. Miserably. Nowadays, there are only two groups of people that I try to impress aside from our honorable, smart and gorgeous judges (looks at the judges and wink at them)... Do you know who they are? *Pause* Boys! And of course, Toastmasters!

Let me talk about the first group of people who are easier to please -- Boys! I remember when I was an incoming freshmen college. I was waiting in line when two guys before me caught my attention. They were good looking and macho *flexes arms* -- you know those typical guys who i only see in commercials and magazines. They were talking about how the line for enrollment was taking too long. You know what I did? Of course, I did something I'm best at -- eavesdropping!

Guy 1: It's so matagal the line here no, pare?

Guy 2: Yeah and it's like already lunch time na.

And so... this is how they speak here...It's like they are all rich ha. I was busy listening to their conversation when the guy turned to me. I swallowed hard, bit my lip while he opened his mouth and said, *Pause*

"Hi Miss, what time is it?"

I was startled. Oh.my.gosh. They're talking to me. These two angles infront of me are looking at me, waiting for me to answer the billion dollar question -- what.time.is.it. *speak slowly* The world turned into slow motion. I suddenly head wedding bells ringing.

The flirty version of myself flashed my close up smile, tucked my hair into my ear, looked at my watch (Action: This is it, I got this) and said, "It's like parang 11 am na". The guy said, "Thanks. It's so matagal the line here no? By the way I'm Dan & this is my friend Mark."

"I'm Patricia. But you can kul (Bisaya accent of call) me Pat." Uh-oh. What did I just say? My brain gone wild the moment I said that. "I really meant call". The one word ruined the perfect moment. I wanted the ground to swallow me alive. I turned not just red but maroon out of embarrassment. I excused myself, turned my back from them and started walking. The guy called out to me and said, "Hey Pat, you have putik on your legs." I turned around to look and said, "Oh, this one? It's a benign irregularity of the skin called... balat. For your better understanding, it's birthmark. Thanks anyway so if you may excuse me, I need to go to the restroom." *Pause* You know what happened when I was only a meter away from the? I tripped and kissed the floor. (Walks then trips)

Can I get any luckier than that? What a way to make a first impression! It turned out those guys were my blockmates and they became my boy friends. BOY space FRIENDS (emphasize). Because apparently, they were boyfriends. I fell down on our first meeting, but I stood tall in our class until we graduated. But I still fell short of my accent and pronunciation. (Looks sad).

So in 2011, I finally decided to work on my tongue by joining Toastmasters. My! I never knew people here are even harder to please. Just look at those faces (Points at the audience). Here, I met some of the most critical people especially in the field of grammar and they weren't impressed with me! I also got to know a lot of great speakers and I learned a lot from them. I was mentored until I knew the elements of public speaking little by little. I even enjoy ordering my meal at Jollibee in PREP (point,reason, explain, point) pattern -- *stop then act like ordering something* I'll order Jolly spaghetti please because that's my childhood favorite. You know, when I was a kid, my mom would cook it for me so let me have a Jolly spaghetti please.

As I progressed in my speeches, learning to use my body (sexy pose) and my voice (sing) when I talked, I gained confidence and earned friends without the thought of impressing them. It came out naturally and in fact, somebody in Toastmasters was so impressed that he became my boyfriend (Looks at Marion and wink).

Fellow Toastmasters, we don't need to please anyone except ourselves. Work on your insecurity by self improvement then before knowing it, you have already radiated a good energy to everyone that you get to impress them without knowing it. Although you never get a second chance to make a first good impression, you'll always have a second chance to make a BETTER and lasting impression.