Sunday, July 31, 2005

Balinas Family, My Family

"The family that prays together, stays together."

Balinas Children

My family is no perfect but almost perfect
My family is not rich financially
But richer in laughter, joys and love
My family is no popular
But famous in simple things we have done
To make other people lives better
My family may not be together at all times
But has one beat in hearts
Thank God to have a family like mine
Thank God to have parents like mine
And thank God to be part of this family ...

Family

(copied from my old handwritten journal)


Saturday, July 30, 2005

A Path Called Crossroad

Florida Everyone of us encounter certains paths in our lives and one of those is a crossroad. With this, it's us who decide which road to choose since it lies on it your future then.

Since the time I lived separately with my parents, I have been in crossroads several times. I have been deciding for myself at an early age of twelve (12). Hence, many decisions I made before were truly wrong but they made me stronger, better and wiser person.

Currently, I am indeed in the path called crossroad again. Looking on this, which road would I choose? Before, all my decisions always considered my family's conditions. Regardless if I need to sacrifice my wants, what was important then was the happines of my family. But I guess, I need to find happiness for myself by now. By having conversations with my close and trusted friends and seeking for their advises, things get more complicated and I am experiencing confusion. Perhaps, what I need more now is to reflect and ask myself instead what I would like to happen in my life and the picture of the future I want to achieve. Regardless what others may say or comments, what matters, such decision should make me happy, may it be simple or not. Above all, He will always guide me to whatever road I may choose.

Monday, July 25, 2005

If Only, the Movie

Jennifer Love HewittH e loved her like there was no more tomorrow...

The movie tells the story of a young American musician, Sam (Jennifer Love Hewitt) who lives in London with her British boyfriend, Ian (Paul Nicholls) who may be too involved with his work to really pay attention to what is going on in Sam's life. After having an argument, Sam had an auto accident which leaves her boyfriend in pieces... until he is given a second chance to relive the day and make the most to change everything in the right way.

Essentially, the movie gives us a lesson not to take for granted every second you have in relationship because you will never know when it would be taken away from you and how all your actions have tremendous meaning to you and to your beloved one.

Normally, I seldom admire romantic stories because they usually have predictive happy endings. With this movie, there was a twist at the end of it and the plot is such unique because it shows the softness and romantic side of the guy. Also, it's a thrilling way for a guy of expressing his love and appreciation to his love one. It's a shame to say but I cried watching the movie...it has so many emotions and is really touching .

The film is really touching and has some of the most beautiful scenery you will ever see of the English countryside in the second half of the film, in which you will follow the couple as they relive the day that changed their lives.

Friday, July 22, 2005

Before and Now Faces

Little Em Emily_ibm













Are you ashamed of your looks when you were on your younger years? Me, definitely not.

Every time I look on my pictures from our old family photo albums, I am still amaze on how much great change I have on my looks. From a botton nose to a quite nice and bumpy one, from two (2) big round eyes to chinky ones, and from short and wavy hair to long but still wavy. However, there are still some familiar features which never change such as my dimples and ever noticed little ears which both I inherited from my Daddy. Not to mention, my well-formed eyebrows which I got from my Mommy.

Actually, I accidentally saw my old picture in one of my boxes filled with memories. Too much awes in reminiscing the time this picture was taken. I remembered this was during my sister's kindergarten graduation in Assumption, Davao and I was only 3 years old then. Well, I may not be that typical kid where an adult would drool over because I wasn't really that cute. But mind you, thanks to my dimples where everyone noticed and greeted me of how nice I do have them. Huh! Not all kids do have those features. God is really good to me.

Now you see the comparison of Princess Em, the before and now faces. You may have different views but those attached pictures are really me, the Princess Em. I may look ugly duckling transformed to a swan or vice versa... whatever your opinions are, I am still a princess in my own little kingdom.

Thursday, July 21, 2005

" Mataray "

Ako daw ay mataray
Kung kaya't ang ibang tao'y di mapalagay
Kung ako ay makita.

Di ko naman sinasadya
Kung ako'y minsa'y mataray
Kung ikaw ba naman may kausap
Isang taong lalangay-langay.

Pero kung ako'y talagang iyong kakilala
Ako'y di naman mataray
Ako din naman ay may pusong mamon
Kasing lambot ng cotton.

Ang katarayan ko ang siya'y lamang panlabas
Upang ako'y di tapak-tapakan
Ng mga taong walang alam
Kundi ang magmayabang.

(copied from my old handwritten journal)

Saturday, July 16, 2005

Spinal Alignment Therapy


I visited a health center located in Quezon City where it practices the eastern way of medicine. Such visit was highly influenced by a friend of mine who like me has quite a number of body aches which according to the hospital doctors, I am perfectly normal. But I am not.

After series of communications with the doctor, Spinal Alignment was introduced to me as a first step in dealing with my body problems before doing the cleansing and healing/preventing the body problems.

Spinal Alignment is a technology to correct the structure of our spinal cord. Backbone of our body is very important because it is where the blood flows as well as nerves are connected and dependent. Should there would be a bone misalignment, then there's an effect already to the flow of the blood to the nerves then to the functions of the internal organs.

My session to correct my spinal posture was the most tortured therapy I ever had. It just made sense because I realized I have several problems which needs to be corrected such as my kidney, lungs, lower back pains and most of all, my colon. At first, my therapist gave me a 101 crash course on body structure and how our spinal backbone connects everything from head to toes including the differect body organs. Then he started massaging and analyzing my backbone. Most of the time, I was standing where he pushed each misaligned bone at my back while I swang back and forth my leg (alternately my left or right leg). He told me my pelvic bone on both sides were quite dislocated as well as the lower and middle back bones where my kidney and lungs were connected. I could not explain the pain I experienced during my therapy. I know I have high threshold on pain but on this therapy, I can't control my tears to fall because of too much pain I felt. Hence, after 2 1/2 hours with tears of doing the things instructed by my therapist, my whole back was full of pain but I know my spinal posture was eventually corrected and that's the only thing that made me happy. Hence, there are follow-up exercises that I need to do on my own to fully gain the proper spinal posture. After 10 days, I have again a spinal alignment therapy.

There are other technologies in the market to fix body bone misalignment such as acupuncture, chiropractic, etc. But at the end of the day, what is important, you should know first what your body is complaining and how you would like to address it. With this, seek for a person whom you think you can trust to fix it, may it be the western or eastern way..

Here Comes Harry Potter.. Again

The Magical World of Harry Potter has been opened again with another book entitled "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince". Everyone is so curious on what would be story of this. Would it be with same exciting story and plots as the previous books?

Here are some of the verified facts about the book six :
  • The HBP (half -blood prince) is not Harry
  • The link between The Chamber of Secrets and Half-Blood Prince relates to discovery Harry made in 'Chamber' that foreshadows something that he finds out in 'Prince'
  • Tom Riddle is not the Half-Blood Prince (he is Voldemort)
  • More characters will die in book six
  • There will be a new character named McClaggan
  • Dudley Dursley is not the Half-Blood Prince (..duh..)
  • We'll find out more about Peter Pettigrew and what happened to him
  • Harry will tell his nearest and dearest about the prophecy when he's ready
  • Muggles are noticing more and more odd happenings now that Voldemort has returned
  • We will find out more about the circumstances of Voldemort's birth
  • Hermione and Draco will not date (..duh..)
  • We'll see more of Narcissa Malfoy
  • We'll find out more about the relationship between Snape and Sirius in their Hogwarts days
  • Harry won't go back together with Cho Chang
  • We will find out more about Gwap, the giant (half brother of Hagrid)
  • There will be new Minister of Magic
  • Arthur Weasley is not the Minister of Magic
  • Harry won't stay with the Dursleys in all summer; in fact, he will have his shortest stay yet
  • And the wizarding world is really at war again, and Harry has to master his own feelings to make himself useful


Mary GrandPe is the genius artist of the cover art of the book. Hence, she drew also the illustrations inside that precede each chapter of it. She did also the first five Harry Potter books cover art published by Scholastics

Such book's release date is July 16, 2005 worldwide with 672 pages (US edition) and 608 (U.K. edition) with 10.8 million copies (US). Like the five Harry Potter books, everyone expects this will be again a best selling novel of our time.

Wednesday, July 13, 2005

Meet My Blog Girlfriends

Dessagirl and Fisherpau are my two (2) blog friends whom I consistently communicate and update comments on each blog we post. Also, they are my ex-officemates and continue to be good friends and through blogger, we become closer.

Dessagirl is one of the sweetest and charming girls I have met. Also, she is such a fashionista where her choices were the things I never thought I would eventually appreciate. With her tweetum and funky colors like baby pink and purple which you would seldom see in my closet are her favorites while mine are the basic and formal colors like white, blue and black. Adding more, she loves to collect kids stuffs like power puff girls and bratz stuffs which you would never see in my place. I thought we would never be friends because of the differences on the things we individually enjoy to have but then opposite really attracts. Hence, she taught me to be a "kid" again and appreciate simple things with beautiful and dainty colors.

Too much of Dessagirl, what can I say now to Fisherpau? With this lady, she is one of the intelligent people which I love to be with. Not to forget, she is very articulate too. Many thought she is difficult to be with because of the way she communicate (simply because she talks most of the time in english). But mind you, she is very simple and humble, not to mention, very helpful too (whatever it takes). And I am proud to say, she is and will always be my blog guru because she diligently taught me on how to have a blog web and make it quite creative. (However, it was Wats0n, another blog friend of mine who introduced the 'blog" in my system). Above all, she may not be physically sexy but because of her gigantic and romantic heart, her aura shines in her to be a sexy one.

There are so many things I can share about these two (2) girlfriends of mine but to sum them all, they are my precious friends worth to have for life. I am very lucky to have them and will always cherish the things we share. I thank God for giving me friends like them.

(well, oks ba ang mga sinabi ko sa inyo?)

Sunday, July 10, 2005

Woman' Heart


" The key to a woman's heart is through an unexpected gift in an unexpected time. " -- from the movie, Finding Forrester, dialogue of Sean Connery

I fully agreed when I heard this dialogue in the movie that I watched in one of my lazy Saturdays. It all sounds so true to a woman like me. Come to think of it, such statement came from a man's point of view.

Woman always want surprises that make her heart lift even mind. It will always be a fact that woman will always be different to man. Being a true woman in heart is something that even gays can never imitate. God must have done it purposely.

(I copied this in one of my old journals still in handwritten)

Monday, July 04, 2005

Great Works from Great Author


Dan Brown is the author of the numerous best selling novels namely, Angels & Demons, Deception Point, Digital Fortress and not to forget the famous and controversial, The Da Vinci Code.

To give you an overview of this talented author, he is a graduate of Amherst College and Phillips Exeter Academy, where he spent as an English teacher before turning into a full time writer. Mind you, his first work was not the famous The Da Vinci Code, instead the Digital Fortess. Such novel became a #1 best selling eBook. Hence, this was followed by Deception Point which also touches issues on national security, morality of politics as well as classified technology.


Aside from being a son of a math professor and professional sacred musician, Brown has been highly influenced by philosophies of science and religion. With these perspectives, these served as an inpiration for his highly acclaimed novel Angels and Demons - science vs. religion thriller where the protagonist, Robert Langdon, a Harvard professor of iconography and religious art is solving a crime set in Swiss physics laboratory, hence saving the Vatican City.


Another person who greatly influenced Brown is his wife Blythe who is a historian and painter. They collaborated on his researches and frequent research trips in Paris where they spent time in the Louvre for his thriller, The Da Vinci Code. This novel achieved numerous success simultaneously topping bestseller lists in New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Publishers Week and San Francisco Journal. More so, it is now being adapted for film by Columbia Pictures where Tom Hanks portrays Robert Langdon.

Having four (4) great works, his followers are definitely waiting for the next one which will surely be another best selling novel of our time.

Sunday, July 03, 2005

A Special Day Such As Birthday

Month of July is special to me because it's my "birthday" month. Well I'm not gonna reveal the exact day but to share a little clue, I'm a leo.

Since I was little, my parents always wanted to celebrate my birthday but as far as I can remember, I was always sick during those times. That's why I don't have much pictures of my birthday parties coz it's always cancelled and they were only celebrated with my siblings and house helpers instead. Poor me, the only picture I had was when I was nine (9) years old which I believe was my last birthday party as a kid. Well, that time I wasn't sick then and I invited my friends from school and ballet. It was really fun because of the games, gifts and so much food especially the nice birthday cake with candles to blow.

Years passed and I was separated to my parents, I no longer celebrate my birthday. But my good friends from college as well as work were kind to celebrate my special days at their expense.

Few weeks from now, it's my birthday again. How will I celebrate it? Who will be the generous group to organize and sponsor it? Honestly, I am not looking forward to it. Simply, I just want to be with my sister and her family and eat in a fine restaurant (charge to me definitely). It would be better if my Mom's around but I know it is not possible because she's scheduled to fly to Manila a month after. But mostly, I thank God for giving me another year the chance to enjoy life and be with my family and good friends. Before I forget, I want to take this opportunity to thank my friends for remembering my special days and for kind enough to sponsor them. I guess I'm one lucky gal to have you as my friends.