Life’s Sneak Preview

Last Saturday, I really took time to travel back home despite the heavy downpour of rain ‘coz I wanted to spend my weekend with my family and be with my mom on Mother’s Day. My travel was not in vain ‘coz I was able paint a smile on my mom’s face on that special day. My sis bought bunch of flowers to which we prepared and made into a nice bouquet. I also bought a special present paired with a personalized greeting card, adorned with fragrances so that mom would smell the sweet scent by the time she receives the present. Whoaw! I could just see my mom smiling from ear to ear as me and my sis handed to her our special presents. Read full story >>

This year’s Philcom summer outing was themed “Hawaiian Delight”. Held last April 19, 2008 at Duka Bay Resort, everybody was just having fun, with team Ula-ula (Red), Pulo (Blue) and Mele-mele (Yellow) on the row. Lots of team games were prepared, plus more surprises and instant prizes were given away. And there comes the highlight of it all – the Cheering Competition and the search for Mr. & Miss Aloha 2008! Some other add-ons? Well, aside from the festive summer banquet and the non-stop videoke, the summer “escapaders” also enjoyed swimming, scuba diving, snorkeling, and boarding on the glass-bottom boat. Whew! It was indeed a tropical blast for everyone!

This was indeed a blessed and victorious week for me. I’ve had a 3-day soulful retreat at Xavier University (Holy Week Triduum Retreat) held on March 20, 21 and 22 – that’s Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Black Saturday, respectively, with Fr. Johnny Go as the speaker. Unlike any other retreats I’ve been to, this was the first time that I came in as an individual registrant, and this was also the first time that I haven’t spent my holy week with my family back home. Read more >>

The month of February is a double celebration for me. First, there’s the Valentine’s Day… and second, there goes my birthday! And speaking of big day, what’s a celebration without a food? Our Valentine’s Day was not to be outdone. With the initiative of our section head in consumer IT (thanks Che!), we ordered our favorite delicacies (we had upto 5 main courses plus desserts) and enjoyed our advanced dinner at the office. I say advanced dinner ‘coz it was like eating twice as much the regular meal, haha! Then came our joint birthday celebration (Chona, Hazel, Judith & me). With the four of us joining forces, we were able to come up with a not-so-grand yet festive celebration in the office. Daghan naka-kaon, wala man pud nakulangan ang food so far, na accommodate ang first ug second floor nga mga pipol. Yeppey!! Happy birthday to us! Hehehe!!

It was such a blissful New Year’s Eve for the four of us in the family (my mom, my dad, me & my sis). At the strike of twelve, we started our own “opening salvo” for 2008. While our neighborhood were so busy firing their explosives and enjoyed watching the fireworks display on air, we just turned our loudspeakers on, with those lively Christian music on the playlist. Our living room seemed like a concert stage, with the four of us singing and dancing ‘till we were sweating all over, whew! I was ecstatic! Not only did we celebrate that special eve with a bang, but above all, we were able to express our thanksgiving and gave glory to the ONE up above through music and dancing which inspired our souls. To me, that was a more meaningful way of welcoming the New Year!

If I try to recount all that I’ve been through since the start of this year, I can really attest how blessed I am to have encountered such a circumstance in my life that says “when it rains, it pours!”. Absolutely overwhelming! As in grabe jud mag bless si Lord, lubus-lubusan! Sobra-sobra!  Graces truly abound to the point that I could no longer contain them with my both hands open. Trials were just tiny miniscules compared to the overflowing blessings I have received.

This Christmas, I wanna make a difference. I won’t wish for a new dress, a new bag, a new pair of sandals, or a new tech gadget. I want something different. I’ve had enough of receiving graces in abundance, more than those earthly things on the list. I have so much in me that I just simply wanna share – my time, my happiness, my dreams, my laughter, my friendship. Simply saying, all I want for Christmas… is to GIVE!

Have a meaningful Christmas, everyone!

After exploring White Water Rafting last April (with my colleagues) and last September (with my college friends), came my adventure finale for this year, the Mapawa River Trek. Whoaw! That was probably the most challenging nature encounter I had since the time I climbed the 10,000-ft. Mt. Kitanglad, traversed the Noslek Canopy Walk at Claveria, slid through a zipline and rappelled down the Macahambus gorge 150-ft below, and cascading the wild rapids of Cagayan de Oro River. I say “most challenging” ‘coz it was actually a combination of the thrill and excitement I had on those previous adventures I’ve been through. Read more >>

!The “ber” month seemed to have been set for my frequent travels. Last September, I was bound for Cebu for Jeff’s homecoming, which was followed by our travel together in Iligan and in my hometown Malaybalay. Then came the succeeding month which was indeed filled with travel sked.  I spent the entire first week of October in Manila for the 7th Excellence Conference. I was then off for Davao for two main events which was held a day after the other: the 6th PIIE Mindanao Congress and the 1st Mindanao Bloggers Summit. Add to that my travel back to Bukidnon, then straight to Cagayan de Oro. Hooh-hah!! “Don’t you get tired of traveling, Von?” my friend wondered. Well, not as for now, hehe. It’s good that I’ve made the most of my travel time this year ‘coz I may not be able to focus more on that thing next year. It would be somehwat another journey then, a time to set another milestone in my life. Praying to God for His guidance and protection. May the force be with us!

The first week of September was such a blast! I had conquered those wild rapids the second time around! Wahoo!! Such an exhilarating feeling! With me was Pinky who invited me over, and her friends (Kate, Bernadette, Randy, Bryan and Roland) who traveled far from Manila just to try out our very own CDO White Water Rafting Adventure.  Thrilled with last April’s rafting adventure with my colleagues, I anticipated a more exciting rapid encounter this time, knowing that cold and rainy season falls on the “ber” month and so more captivating rapids are expected on the river wild.  And I wasn’t mistaken then. We had that entire 4-hour journey along the river with those “chocolatey” stream, an indication that the depth of the water is at maximum level. Read more >>

Got an email invitation from my fellow amuler Walter just this morning. Whew! Mindanao Bloggers Summit! That sounds so interesting! I’ve been blogging for quite some time now, and it’s my first time to have heard this so-called summit for bloggers like me (thanks Waltz for informing me, hehe!). Can’t wait to pack my bags and fly to Davao in two months time. And what’s more exciting is that registration is absolutely FREE! To all my fellow bloggers out there, I’m inviting you to join the 1st Mindanao Bloggers Summit on October 27, 2007 at Davao City. See you there!