Relationship Must-Haves

I asked friends for their relationship must-haves but they never responded. OK. So here are generic answers. Others say it's trust. Some say it is faithfulness that matters. Above all, it's the L word - LOVE.

For me? I've been in two long-distance relationship, so I say it is communication and sacrifice. Plus, lots of prayers. And as I observed, my friends (in their relationships) balance things -  when to loosen or tighten, when to and not to talk (for girls) and when to/not to enter their own caves (for the guys).

Thanks to my officemate Lemuel, who says: Commitment, Communication and Contentment with one Super Glue and that's God! -based from experience.

And here are the couples close to me, who love, been hurt and loved again.

my friends Jans & Pol - one couple I admire. hard as rock, cool as ice.

college classmates Mae & Glenn - sweetest couple ever & now has a cute toddler

architects Jared & Grace - the look-alike couple

Ye & Lorz - been together since first year college

my friend Clyde 'the long time no-boyfriend since birth gal' has found her main man Roland

my then officemate Ting and bf Bry - sacrificing long-distance love for their future

my then officemate Nang Annette with Tito Ram who's having their Dec'07 wedding. congrats!

my friend since grade school Vicky and her beau Mark (my high school schoolmate)

-been together for as long as I can remember.

and finally, the crazycat and kuringmunding. because we are: the crouching cat and the hidden pusa? :p 

My Boondok Experience

It’s almost a year that I’ve been to the mountains. It was a neither a camp nor nature tripping with my friends. It was a 6-month work. I worked for one of the PNOC contractors which constructed the Northern Negros Geothermal Project.

This is me taking a little time for a pic where steam from the earth is part of the background. 

Imagine, I’m staying at the mountains for the whole week and only get to see the city when I get home on weekends. And we live in our two-storey staffhouse, the office at the ground floor and our sleeping quarters above. What I see everyday aside from the pre-fabricated offices and the ongoing construction are, of course, the mountains, lots of trees and the fog every afternoon. Plus, the people I see everyday are still the people I saw until my last days of my work.

 
In rainy days like this, I remember how our staffhouse slightly sways (was only made of coco lumber and wood) and we can hear the roar of the wind. I even bring my thick jackets and comforter for it is cold at evenings. The only sight we have at night are the city lights. We are several meters away that there are no public jeepneys or tricycles. Only private trucks and pickups. I even pity the children who are waiting to hitch a ride for school which they do everyday.

 
Living in the mountains was a happy experience but there are times I get bored. And we adapt the living-in-the-boondocks lifestyle. We eat supper at 6pm and we sleep early, most of the time. The only pastime? TV, computer and texting.

 
For work, I either stay at the office working on construction plans or at the field. I learned a lot not only work-related things but also with life. Sooo many experiences and a bit of sacrifice – yes, for the whole six months. 

*with officemates and the fog in a late afternoon. lamig! we are the only 4 women in the office.

*plus my two pics doing field work - safety shoes & hard hat with messy hair. lol 

Loving Mom More

It was my Mom's birthday yesterday so I thought on writing about mothers. To my mother, happy birthday! God bless you always. With love, Nat.

When I watched the movie 'Because I Said So', I smiled and said to myself 'my mom is (sort of) like that'. God forgive me but sometimes she's so annoying. Believe or not, she still tells me what to do even in little things where, READ THIS: A lady in her mid-20s can decide. Probably she hasn't let go of me as her baby girl.

But I owe a lot to Ma. I'm even proud to tell my friends and officemates that most of the clothes I wear are from her (she either made it herself or the one who bought it). Plus, the shoes to complete the look. She's the one who even encouraged me to wear make up (I didn't wear make up 'til I finished college – so light you can barely see). She's much more fond of jewelries than I do (I don't care that much).

When I look at myself specifically on my toenails and fingernails, it was just like hers (and the shape doesn't look nice). People sometimes tell me, I look like her. I just say, 'not really'. Sigh! But there are things that we don't have in common. She nags and complains a lot and I don't (Hardly. I swear!). And I always pray that she'll have peace of mind and accept some things we can't change.

There's just one thing she trust me at: relationships. I think she feels I can handle it well; really well.

So here are excerpts from an article I read, Making Peace with Mom. It enumerates the problems and the how-tos in dealing with it.

*She's expert on everything.

smart saver: Keep a lighter lead on your drama.

*She's a downer.

smart saver: Use polite business responses.

*She over-mothers you.

smart saver: Tell yourself she's just concerned.

*She plays the martyr.

smart saver: Let her know you're mature enough to handle the news and help her deal.

*Her next picture is next to passive-aggressive in the dictionary.

smart saver: Control your response to keep you mom from seeing she's gotten into you.

*She-gasp-turns into a human being.

smart saver: Thank! At least for the moment, she's finally treating you like an adult.

Lea to Play Cinderella

Wow! Lea Salonga to play Cinderella?! That for sure will be ONE great Broadway show!

Quoted from here official site: Lea will be playing the title role in the Asian tour of Cinderella presented by Broadway Asia. The tour will begin in August 2008 in Manila, Philippines!

I saw it in the news last night. She looks stunning in her Cinderella ball gown. She really is one woman every girl should love. One of her songs that I like is 'On My Own' (which I still can remember the lyrics).

There you go, Felbert! (my friend who likes broadways and such).

My Five Top Places

Dreams…

1. Paris

   • Great architecture! Have my pics taken at beautiful landmarks.   

   • Fashion!!!

   • Buy a Louis Vuitton luggage. (if I could build 10 houses at one time. Har!har!)

   • Learn and try to speak French.

2. Italy

    

   •  Still great architecture. Visit churches and cathedrals.

      

   • I love pasta! So, eat out   and  forget the carbs. 

      

3. Brazil

   • The Havaianas land. Wow!!  
     

   • Meet Paulo Coelho and ask for an autograph.

     

4. US

   • Meet and see dad again after several years and say ‘can I get my mana now?’ haha!

   • Visit my relatives.

   • Bring my BF and check out cool gadgets, and buy myself one. =)

   • Take along my bro and visit tourist spots.

   • Buy mom a Tiffany jewelry (as if I can afford).

   • See the skyscrapers!  

5. New Zealand

   • Work, work, work!!! (in a few years, I hope)

   • Be part of great constructions and soon, a well-developed country.   

 *my acknowledgment to dA for the stock photos. I love that site!!!