Happy New Year!!!

Before it gets too busy.. 

Wishing you all the BEST in the year to come!!!  Great Health..  Lots of Love and Joy..  

And more Blessings to come in 2014!!!

Happy Holidays!!!

In just 4 days it will be XMas...  Been counting the days...  So I should not be surprise and yet, here I am still trying to figure out how time could have flown by so fast!!!  

I think really, the trouble lies in the fact that I have been trying so hard to make myself busy with work...  With the Typhoon Haiyan Charity Event am hosting on FB... Babysitting...  And in between, filling up my time with going here and there, finding the XMas spirits  in forms of Holiday displays... All in hopes of forgetting the fact that am not going to Manila again this Christmas.... 

XMas Splendours: Here, There, Everywhere Photos

 

Find them I did!!  And I must say, am pretty happy with what i have seen...  Though sadly, in Taiwan, it is pretty much on the Retail side...  Most are from the malls, department stores, and shops...  Telling us all to be Merry, give the Gift of Love - all of course, can be purchased through them...  Lol!

Xinyi Districe XMas Wonderland: Year after year, this place always keeps me Merry with their wonderful displays... SEE THEM ALL HERE!

 

Unlike the Xmasses in Manila: Where you go to church with the family for Simbang Gabi (Night Mass culminating to XMas eve)...  Then you reward yourself with Puto Bungbong and Bibingka treats - both Filipino treats traditionally served over the Holidays.;   Where everywhere you turn, houses are decorated festively - inside and out!;  Where children comes around to sing Christmas Carols in hopes of making some XMas money for themselves...;  Where every night from about a week before XMas, through the New Year Celebration, is a nite of festivities and getting together with family and friends...;  Where everyone, no matter how rich or poor, seems to be able to find happiness in these joyous days!  I miss all these..  To me, this is what Christmas is all about.

Though my last Xmas in Manila was somewhat bittersweet - with it being the last Christmas my Mom was alive - I can still look back and Be Happy...  Those days - the ups and the downs - will Forever be embedded in my mind and heart...  And I would not have trade them for the world...  It was the last time I saw my Mom lively...   It was a Quiet one (with basically just Mom, my Stepfather and myself)  but nonetheless a Happy one... We still had a pretty nice feast - with neighbours (Mom's friends) bringing over this and that...  Mom being sooo happy with each and every caroler that comes by (though it's the same ones each and every night, singing the same songs..)  Seeing the joy in her face over this little thing was enough to bring tears to my eyes....  Seeing and feeling genuine Happiness from her with having at least, one of her children with her for the Holidays....  All these are still fresh in my mind....   They have become part of those "WARM FUZZY FEELINGS" one gets over the Holidays....  This is now my Second XMas without Mom...  Am coping but I do realize now that it is True what people say: "The Pain of Loss does not go away - but it does get better."  

XMas 2011: Last XMas with Mom.

 

And I also accept the fact that "People are People"...  As much as it hurts at times, especially during the Holidays, the feeling of being forgotten, taken for granted, or being spoken badly of - I know that I must learn to let go and just move on...  Just live my life and let the

others live theirs...  To not be hurt so much with other people's words and actions...  We all have our own lives to live, and we live them the way we best know how...  

So, I focus on this: Trying to stay positive..  Making the most and being Merry with what I do have... And just keeping my Loved Ones - the dearly departed and the far away ones - at Heart!  And wish one and all the Happiest of Holidays and the Best that 2014 has to offer!!!  

Keep Safe and Be Happy All!!!

Last Minute Hump Day Post!

 

Been so busy everyday, am losing time to do Personal Blogs again..  Boo Hoo...  But I fond this new VERSACE Ad quite SEXY and noteworthy of a last minute Hump Day post!  GLEE's Nolan Funk appears in Donatella Versace's Spring/Summer 2014 menswear campaign...  27 year old Nolan totally embodies the Versace man...   and then some, as the boy can sing, dance and act!!!

Check out the photos, am sure you will all agree - fully dressed, partly dressed or right down to his skivvies - he oozes SEX APPEAL!!!

Pre XMas Dinner

Just as the Christmas season at the malls seems to be happening earlier and earlier each year, so seems the Christmas dinner with the besties..  And this year, it is the earliest yet - with us having our Annual Dinner on the 15th of December...

Scheduling amongst us is always a big factor, of course...  With this year being the worst...  Sue and Cecilia are still pulling overtimes at their respective jobs...  Juliana leaving the 19th to spend the Holidays in the Bay Area...  And sadly, David even had to miss this dinner - as he is on a tour in  the Czech Republic and Austria.

So we made do with the time we had..  3 hours of eating, gabbing, eating, exchanging gifts, and eating some more..  Lol!!!  The venue was Dan Ryan's Grill at the Xinyi District Mitsukoshi Area..  Food was good enough, service OK, but we did get our own quiet area that enable us to relax and enjoy the time together...

With Christmas being a fave time of the year for me, it is always great to be able to spend it with the people I like, I love..  And these girls, being my Best Friends in Taiwan, am always happy I get to spend a Holiday dinner with them, before we all do our own separate Celebrations...  It is a night for us to give Thanks for being in each others' lives...  And to toast the new year to come...  

Thank You Juliana for the "Oh So Cute" Sony Angels...

Thanks Sue & Cecilia for the Yummy Chocolate covered Coffee beans

that comes in this lovely tin from agnes b.

But Most of All, Thank You for the friendship all these years and for many more years to come...

Holiday Hunks

Though the Traffic Stopping Sexy Bench Body Billboards are long gone - due to some Governmental Laws - Bench continues to thrill and titillate with their Sexy Hunks in Undies ads in magazines and in stores...  

Here's the Internationally known Pinoy Brand's Holiday 2013 Underwear Campaign...  

Super stand out in my book is this Hottie: Vince Ferrarren

Though not so much Showbiz Star Studded, this Circus theme campaign is still oozing with star powers from the modeling world - both local and international.. 

Hot in any color, John Spainhour

 

Anthony and David Semerad

 

Sam Adjani

 

From My Husband's Lover: Pancho Magno

 

Enzo Pineda

 

Borgy Manotoc

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And of course, a Bench Body campaign would not be complete without the appearance of Actor, Endorser, and Hunk for the Masses: Jake Cuenca!

Not quite sure if this photo is part of the campaign, nor when this was shot..  I really do not think so but....  it surely deserves to be posted - HELLO!

A Wonderful Feeling!

Christmas has a way of making me feel like a little kid - Always!  

And I could not be any happier...  

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold,

everything is softer and more beautiful."

-Norman Vincent Peale

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No matter where I may be for the season, I do go out of my way to look for some Christmas Cheers here and there...  And also bring a few of my own to friends, family and some strangers, even...  My way if sharing, giving back, and doing what I can - help where I can...  

Note: Please do help me in helping the victims of the recent

Haiyan Typhoon.. Pls Read Info Here!  Thank You.

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This year will mark the 2nd year in a row I do not get to go home to Manila and spend it with the family...   For a few different reasons, personal and otherwise,  it just did not work out...  Am saddened by this but at the same time, I accept it..  Will just make the most of it all...    Of the circumstances...  

No Matter What, I will have the Christmas spirits in me...  

and Christmas will always be my most Fave time of the year!!

Ghosts of Christmas Past!

"A Happy Memory is a hiding place for Unforgotten Treasures."

-Paul L. Powers

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With Christmas fast approaching - it is  always good to look back

at some of the past ones...

 they bring back memories that are dear to us...

1993:  XMas totally dedicated to that loving Pooch, Baxter! 

San Francisco, CA - USA

2003: Narita Airport

Narita, Japan

2007: XMas with the Family

Taytay, Rizal - Philippines

2010: Attending an  XMas Pa.rt given by

the PNN Group

Manila, Philippines

2011: last Christmas spent with Mom

Rizal, Philippines

2011: Hanging with Juju, GioGio, Lisa et Gaspard

Taipei, Taiwan

(Not) So Lucky!

I was once  told that to the Chinese, drawing the numbers "666" - is considered a Lucky thing..    So I was all smiles when this happened to be the number I drew at the Post Office this morning...

Sadly, it is not to be so for me... So far, nothing has been going my way... From my packages not arriving... To not being able to get my replacement credit card mailed out to me... To nit being able to get Lucky enough to order something online - though I thought I was being quite fast in ordering... And this n that in between that should have been simple enough but proving to be trying...

Oh well, not much else one can do if one is giving it their best right... This time around just need to SMILE and Accept the fact that some things are just out of my hands...

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Later in the early Evening, decided to quit the work and the worrying been doung all day and relive the frustrations with a looong walk... Great Decision as it works for me each and everytime...

Under one of the Busiest Freeways of Taipei!

Entrance to Raohe Street Night Market

Raohe Temple

And the scenic view from the Rainbow Bridge, Dajia Riverside Park.

Black, Gray & White... And Hot all over!

In honor of World AIDS Day, this past December 1st - Element Magazine unveiled their Visual AIDS Awareness Campaign.  The magazine brings the message across with sexy photos of naked, very fit, toned bodies with their sensitive parts covered by tapes boasting important messages.  Ingenious and Hot!!

The campaign is spotlights a total of 9 athletic models, both straight and gay men - not to sure who os who.. But who cares!  Some of the notable personalities who bared all for the campaign are  popular fitness model, Jason Chee; Mandopop singer, Hagen Troy; and Singapore's Manhunt International winner for 2013, Jason Tan.

Popular Asian Fitness Model, Jason Chee.

Mandopop Singer & Songwriter, Hagen Troy.

Singapore's 2013 Manhunt International Winner, Jason Tan

Come Out! Come Out!

Am sure no longer Breaking News for most, Fave Olympic Diver's Coming Out story has been dominating my FB newsfeed - with SEXY photos to boot..  So it is just fitting to have him on our HUMP DAY entry, right?

Really though, did this come as a total surprise???  Not so much for me..  Have been a fan since the last two Olympics he has been in..  The last one he truly made a Splash... Coming of age and being soooo comfortable in his own skin...  Literally,  as he wears minuscule speedos at every meet... No Objection here!!!  And call it "gaydar" or what not - there was just something about his posts that suggests it will be just a matter if tome till he comes out..  And here you go...

Honestly though, it matters not to me if he is Gay or Not..  He is a Talented Diver with a sparkling smile to boot ..  So am already, and will always be, a Fan!

Am sure the news just doubled the number of fans

who would love to kiss him under the mistletoe this XMas!!!

Read More about Tom Daley's Coming Out Here!

 

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The one that came more of a surprise for me is the news of Maria Bello coming out this week, too!

I have been a fan of hers for quite some time now too..  Always thought that she is one of the best out there..  Underused and soooo underrated...  This woman can play Soft and Tough..,  sexy or strong...  Sophisticated or Trashy.. All with so much GUSTO!  So, this is another case where one's sexual orientation does not matter much...  Am A Fan Already!!!

Maria Bello's Coming Out Story!