The Beauty of Mac

If you're sick and tired of having to update virus definitions or do a periodic scan on your PC, I suggest you switch to Mac or Linux. I personally prefer Mac 'coz aside from not having to deal with the worry of viruses that plague the internet, its easier to use once you get the hang of it. The search feature is great! you won't have to worry about forgetting where you saved a particular file. Just key in the title or some keywords within the document, and it shows you selections instantly! Plus, popularity of Mac's in the country is growing... more and more Mac centers are made put up and the price is getting more competitive too. I can drone on and on about why I'm in love with Mac...but i guess it will take up the entire page of my blog. To view its other commendable features, just browse their website: http://www.apple.com/.

Its a bit disappointing for gamers however--a lot of games and other applications are still unavailable for Mac OS. You can still run those games on your Mac using Parallels or VMWare, but its just not the same. The popularity of the PC is still evident but not unrivaled.

Most--if not all of the Mac users I know would never go back to using a PC. That in itself speaks a lot don't ya think? ;o)

Favorite Hang out places along Tomas Morato

1. Starbucks Coffee

If you’re up for a chat with good friends and want it to go with good coffee and a cozy ambiance, Starbucks is the place to be. There are 2 Starbucks outlets along Tomas Morato—one is right beside Imperial Palace Suites near the junction of Timog Avenue, while the other one is near the Bank of Commerce, near the corner of Dr. Lascano St. The latter is more spacious and consists of two floors, plus it has the advantage of a relatively reliable internet connection. The people behind the counter are very friendly and work fast. If you take a good look at the people frequenting the place, a lot of them are nursing students who study for long hours.

Coffee at starbucks is really good. Also, according to a health conscious friend of mine, the calorie content of the fraps aren’t that bad either. Although buying coffee there is definitely more expensive than buying snack food a grocery and having friends over at your house, the price of goods at Starbucks is quite competitive with other similar stores.

My personal favorites:
Pastries: banofee pie, caramel Belgian waffle
Cold Coffee: Iced caramel macchiato
Hot Coffee: Café Mocha, Peppermint Mocha (Christmas Drink—but they took this one out for this year and replaced it with Dark Cherry Mocha! =( huhu!)
Frappucino: Chocolate Java Chip, Espresso frap




2. Kitchen of Cakes and Coffee (KoCCo or KCC)

Now if you need a bigger table with good lighting, free wifi access, and food that's good for meals and snacks, KCC is the place to be. This relatively new addition to the cafes along Morato is located besides Kozui and in front of Interlook. This is our favorite hang out place when we go out with friends to play dutch blitz. There is a homey feel to the place which makes you feel comfi right away. The crew is very friendly and most of the times the service it not that bad either. What I like most about it is that it offers a wide array of goods, from snack food to meals and deserts. They have coffee buns, pastries, bread, fraps, hot drinks, cold drinks, pasta, rice meals, etc.

My personal favorites:
Food: Seafood Chowder, Chicken in cream sauce,
Beverage: Montezuma (hot chocolate)

High School Musical: Room 77

One of the highlight events of my high school life is a musical we did entitled "Room 77." It was really neat! To the side of the stage was the choir and on the stage there were the actors/dancers. The musical basically focused on the lives of 3 very different people going to the same school and their encounter with God in room 77. I've managed to get the lyrics for some of the songs but I found it very difficult to get the lyrics for all of them.


1. Here We Go Again

2. Nothing Ever Happens in this School

3. Don’t Blame Me

4. Try Honesty

5. Is there a Harbor?

Water into wine
Weeping into laughter
In another time--Another age
Healing of the blind
Stillness from disaster
Lookin for a sign we turn the page

And the pressures of a reckless society
Are enough to make a strong man's knees go weak
And the questions from the masses
Filled with anxiety
seem to be sayin'
You can hear them prayin'

Chorus:

Is there no harbor?
Is there no resting place?
Is there no refuge--no quiet sound?
Is there no lighthouse?
Is there no peace be still?
Is there no anchor to higher ground?

Some days I can find
Power for the hour
On the battled line against the rage
Confidence is high
Like a mighty tower
Still I question why
Do I have these weaker days
And will retreat become my battlecry tonight
No, no I can see the revelation
And it's bringin' the Truth to light

There is a harbor
There is a resting place
There is a refuge--a quiet sound
There is a lighthouse
There is a peace be still
There is an anchor to higher ground


6. The Peace that Passes Understanding

Seasons of my soul they come and go
But as they slip away I know
Something else remains that will not change
Places in my heart are torn apart
But in my brokedness I find
Something stays behind that will not change

Chorus:

The peace that passes understanding
Is a blessing that will never fade away
The peace that passes understanding
Is here to stay
The peace that passes understanding
Never passes away

Lord in times alone my heart has known
The quiet words of your tender love
And your gentle touch that changes me
Even through the storm I'm safe and I'm warm
For you have covered me with grace
In your hiding place I am at peace

Peace comes like the dawn
Peace like the world can't understand
You take my hand and I stand
Though others may fall


7. Don't Keep It a Secret

8. Would I know You Now?

Would I know You now
If You walked into the room
If you stilled the crowd
If You light dispelled the gloom
And if I saw Your wounds
Touched Your thorn pierced brow
I wonder if I'd know You now

Would I know You now
If You walked into this place
Would I cause You shame
Would my games be Your disgrace
Or would I worship You
Fall down upon my face
I wonder if I'd know You now

Or have the images I've painted
So distorted who You are
That even if the world was looking
They could not see You--The real You

Have I changed the true reflection
To fulfill my own design
Making You what I want
Not showing You forth divine

Would I miss You now
If You left and closed the door
Would my flesh cry out
"I don't need You anymore"
Or would I follow You
Seek to be restored
I wonder--I wonder
Will I ever learn
I wonder--Would I ever know You now


9. Friend of a Wounded Heart

Smile, make them think you're happy
Lie, and say that things are fine.
And hide that empty longing that you feel
Don't ever show it, just keep your heart concealed.

Why are the days so lonely?
I wonder where, where can a heart go free?
And who will dry the tears that no one sees?
There must be someone to share your silent dreams.

Caught like a leaf in the wind
Looking for a friend, where can you turn?
Whisper the words of a prayer
And you'll find Him there, arms open wide, love in His eyes.

Chorus:

Jesus, He meets you where you are
Oh, Jesus, He heals your secret scars
All the love you're longing for is Jesus
The friend of a wounded heart

Joy, comes like the the morning
Hope, deepens as you grow
and peace, beyond the reaches of your soul
Comes blowing through you
For love has made you whole

Once like a leaf in the wind
Looking for a friend, where could you turn?
You spoke the words of a prayer
And you found Him there
Arms open wide
Love in His eyes


10. We Need Each Other

8 Waves - Drew & Melai Wedding Comics

Keeping in Shape is Hard Work!

Things aren't the way they used to be. Before, I had a monstrous appetite and was as thin as a rail. I recall that I was called a "walking stick" in high school and received comments that I was all skin and bones. Well, that was fine with me--considering I love to eat the kind of food that makes one fat: pastries, sweets, chocolates, desserts, pizza... well, you get the picture.

Now, those days are OVER! I started noticing the change just a few months ago. One day all my pants fit me just fine--then just after a week of late night full dinners and midnight snacks--I had problems getting the buttons closed! Thank God for stretchable pants!

I have weekly workouts and the only thing I could think of that I should do to fit into my old wardrobe is to change my eating habits. The word "diet" appeared in my dictionary. Ugh... ghastly! Let's face it... keeping in shape is not as easy as it was before.

They say I've come to the point in my life where I have to work to keep in shape--and for someone like me that appreciates creamy chocolate shakes--that is a bother. They say that I'll get used to eating "lighter" and its just a state of mind.

To those who have maintained a good physique even with age... cheers!

Memoirs of Chefoo (a trip down memory lane)

Manila. I’m back where I started. This time—not as an innocent, young and carefree lassie—but as a grown, independent woman. Here in Makati, rows and rows of skyscrapers mar the sky, men and women in their tailored suits scamper here and there, each minding his or her own business, traffic mocks the regular stampede of cars invading the streets. Life in the metropolis… it just seems so detached from nature. Where can I get a whiff of fresh air? I look down at my high heeled shoes and sigh. No running around Makati that’s for sure. =)

My mind wanders to another “epoch” in my life to a place where the endless blue sky meets acres and acres of green… where occasionally an eagle soars with its powerful wings and the air smells like grass and morning dew…

Let me take you down memory lane to a place called Chefoo.
(Haha! Drama noh? Cge lang gud, usahay ra ni =D!)

THE RIDE

My family traveled around for quite a bit when I was young. See, Mom and Dad were missionaries then, and where they go, my sister and I go. Shortly after I finished pre-school, we packed our bags and headed for East Malaysia where Dad was assigned to teach in a certain Bible School in Miri, Sarawak. The problem was, all schools in the area had Chinese curriculum and required all transferees to have adequate knowledge of the language. Since my sis and I didn’t know squat about mandarin, our parents decided to send us miles and miles away to a boarding school way out in West Malaysia for our education. To get there, we had to board 2 (or was it 3?) planes and a taxi going up Cameron Highlandswhere the school was located. And get this—we had to get there by ourselves! I remember we had these tags that read “Young Passengers Traveling Alone.” I hardly felt any pressure though. I was with my sister =). Poor sis! I was as carefree as ever in all our trips, while she had to bear the burden of taking care of me and getting us safely to where we were heading. Mind you, we are only one year apart but she was given all the responsibilities: cash, directions, you name it! (If you happen to read this sis, I want you to know that I appreciate it, super)

THE SCHOOL

Dozens of missionaries’ kids from different parts of the globe converged in Chefoo. There were Thais, Americans, Dutch, Koreans, New Zealanders, Canadians, Burmese, etc. … what a sight! The school was run by the Brits, therefore everything, from the education, food and way of life in the school was dictated by them and was totally unfamiliar to me then. Here are some of the things I had to adjust to that I can remember:

1. Meals – No more rice meals!!! I think we only had rice about once during my entire stay (levels 1 to 3). Everything had to be eaten using knives and forks and we were only allowed a maximum of 2 servings per meal. Dinner was served with dessert… my favorites would be chocolate fudge pudding, English triffle and homemade strawberry ice cream! Our dorm aunties were very strict when it came to table manners: elbows should be off the table at all times, serviettes should be properly used, and “please pass the ____” was a phrase commonly used to get hold of objects on the table that aren’t necessarily out of reach, but are just nearer to another person. No slouching was allowed, no boisterous laughs. Only prim and proper etiquette was observed. Grace before meals were sung. Out of a dozen or so songs that we used to sing before meals, I can only remember 2 of them =0! A gigantic bell that could be heard all throughout the school was pulled on to let everyone know it was meal time. We had to line up according to our dorms outside the mess hall and entered it single file when it was our turn. Very orderly. Kind of reminds me of military school (hehe…joke! That’s exaggerating it quite a bit).
2. Baths – Unlike in the Philippines where we’re used to taking a full bath at least once a day, there in the highlands, we took baths only in the evenings and washed our hair once a week using the sink! My sis and I have a good laugh every time we recall the shock of our first bath in Chefoo. We were made to put on shower caps to keep our hair from getting wet, then had to share a bathtub with another dorm mate while we scrubbed ourselves using face towels. The water was drained out only once every 3 pairs of dormers! The good thing was, the water was warm and there was usually enough time to dilly dally in the bathtub.
3. Hair – it was SOP to brush our hair 100 times in the morning and in the evening. If we get ready for school early enough, we could have our hair done by our dorm auntie or a fellow dormer who has a knack for doing hairs (like my sis). There were lots of styles to choose from: pigtails, crown, French braid (single, double, or upside down), ponytail, braids, etc. We didn’t use gel so “spiffing” it up (punk-style) is out of the question =D!
4. Clothing – We changed often enough everyday…. 3 times actually: from our pajamas to school clothes, school clothes to play clothes, then play clothes back to pajamas. But the same 3 clothing were used for the entire week.

SCHOOL

School was a lot of fun. I don’t recall we were pressured academically, and we pretty much enjoyed our classes. We had lots of activities, experiments and hands-on learning. We’d have nature walks, art class, research on wildlife and the different cultures of the world… I think you get the picture.

SPORTS AND HOBBIES

Chefoo was where I learned a lot of outdoor stuff. I learned how to use stilts, do lots of tricks with a jumping rope, do flips on the monkey bars (by the way, I fell on the monkey bars from playing tag while on it and sprained an arm), etc. On Saturdays, we either went to town to play in the public playground and buy goodies, or hiked up a trail and have picnics. Sometimes, we also visit a nearby stable to view and pet the horses there.

The school was located atop a mountain, in a clearing that was surrounded by dense jungle… the sort where trees had large trunks and roots that form stairs, where only tinges of sunshine could pass through the canopy of leaves and the ground was matted with soft dead leaves. There were numerous trails that surround the area….I just loved it.

A stream ran through Chefoo. If you look closely at the stream bed, you can see lots of shiny gold pieces. The stream runs through a section of the school known as “Adventure Island.” It’s a somewhat a child’s playground…. This is where the swimming pool is located and where an assortment of things could be done by a child (left to his/her imagination).

I remember making “fairy gardens” with my friend, Tara, out of moss, ferns, sticks and wild flowers. Sometimes we'd imagine ourselves to be great chefs and invented an assortment of pastries from the clay pit. We took turns on the flying fox (no time to explain bout this one) and played in the tree house.

On wet days, my friends and I played with mud.... while singing “Mud! Mud! Glorious Mud!” =). The mud felt really good then, as we squished it in our hands and made miniature castles and moats with it. We also had time for skating, biking, playing stuck in the mud, poison ball, capture the flag, and a whole lot more.

In the evenings, we had fun in our dorms crafting, playing indoor games, or playing dress ups. Sometimes, a bedtime story was played to get us all effectively settled in bed. I can still remember “The Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Friends” being played on the cassette.

Chefoo cultivated my love of sports. The school encouraged kids to do lots of outdoor sports and held Water Olympics, Sportsfest and Mini Olympics (I’ve forgotten how often though).

• Water Olympics had events like the ball and spoon race, kickboard race, underwater diving, and all the strokes (freestyle, breast stroke, back stroke, etc.). My sis was a “born” swimmer… she got lots of awards. I just placed in the ball and spoon race and kickboard race.
• Sportsfest – All the students were divided into teams (My sis and I were always on opposing teams). Events basically include track and field sports (sprints, relays, obstacle course, long distance running, high jump, long jump, three legged race, etc). I joined most of the events… I didn’t join the long distance and high jump. Only level 4 students were taught how to do the high jump and I was in Chefoo upto level3 only Sprinting, hurdles, relay, obstacle course and long jump really rock! I miss ‘em sports. I never really got to try them again once I got out of Chefoo (except for sprinting).

• Mini Olympics – Teams had to create their own country, create a map for it, a national anthem and design a flag. My team’s made-up country was named “Austranada,” represented by the color pink. My sister’s was “Oringinelle” (I think), and were the orange team. Events here were cool! We had events such as:

1. Shadow boxing
2. Weightlifting – here, sticks with two balloons on either end were lifted by the players. The player which lifts it most convincingly/dramatically to make it seem so heavy wins.
3. Maria went to town – an interesting relay involving dress up clothes and a wheelbarrow
4. Pole climbing – balloons were popped that were located on top of poles. Some balloons contained water!
5. Boat racing – two races were performed here… on one hand the boating pond was used and paper boats that were made by players were raced by blowing using straws. On the other hand, boxes were used to craft bigger sized boats that were carried by different players in a sprint.

   There were a whole lot more but I can’t remember them anymore.

I daresay I’ve got much more I can write about on the subject but I gotta wrap this up now or I’ll never get to post it.

When I was shedding tears and homesick to the bone one night, my Dorm Auntie said to me “One of these days you will miss Chefoo,” –- and she was right. My sis and I left Chefoo after being there 3 years… I have wanted to go back --even for just a visit, but I haven’t been able to. Now the structure is still there, but the school is not. Home schooling is prevalent with missionaries' kids now, so the place was decidedly sold to a Methodist organization and converted as a retreat house or a camp site of some sort. There are only 2 people from our school that I’m still in contact with…I wish there were more but, what can I say? I was a 3rd grader then =).
Time to come back from memory lane...

I'm once again here in Makati. I've got to go home.. its 6:30pm. Adios!

Hope for the Discouraged

I.
There are times I feel so unworthy
So bogged down and downright crushed
So ashamed to enter His presence
The guilt of sin, the broken trust

II.
What must I do to set things right?
Can God see my struggles? Hear my cries in the night?
Will he forgive me in spite of the mess?
My battered soul, will it find rest?

Chorus:
In Him I can live my life again
In Him I can sing and laugh in the rain
In Him there is hope and a future for me
In Him I will trust, he has set me free!

III.
Just trust in His boundless love for you
He sees your struggles, He’ll carry you through
Total surrender is what He demands
He’ll fix tomorrow, you’ll be safe in His hands

IV.
There are times you’ll be discouraged
When you succumb to temptation’s charms
But don’t ever think there is no hope
‘Cause Jesus cares, He awaits with open arms

(Repeat Chorus)

Bridge:
Grace… it’s nothing I deserve
Umpteenth chances… I really cannot understand
Why He… takes time to pick up the broken pieces of me

(Repeat Chorus 2x to fade)