Frustrated but Very Much Thankful!!!

aaaaaah, what a day.....   nothing truly major went wrong but maybe today being Thanksgiving, everything felt more frustrating and trying.....

 

started last nite really... after babysitting a very sick Juju - had to rush to Carrefour to get more packing tape - still have a lot of mailings to do for today....  though it was raining I ran to Carrefour at 11:40PM - open 24 hours - Yes, but not last nite!!!  For some reason they decided to be closed early last nite....  so I ran back home empty handed - in the rain!!!

 

Was about to jump in the shower when I realized there was no water....   Nothing!!!   A bit from the kitchen sink - just enough to wash my face and brush my teeth - but nothing anywhere else....   too late to do anything I slept it all off....

 

This morning I woke up early - so I can run to Carrefour and get what I needed before the Postal Truck comes to pick up my mailings... still have a few to pack...  Turned on the faucet in the bathroom, HOPING - and yes, we got some water back....  FREEZING WATER That is!!!  the Hot Water Boiler is not getting enough water to warrant any to come out....  WAAAAH!!!    Washed up with what I have and dealt with my work at hand... got my much needed packing tape... finsihed packing more goods to ship out...  then it was back in the rain to deliver and ship my box to the International Courier.... and rushed back in time for the Postal Truck to come and pick up my mailings....  As you all know - waiting is not a virtue of mine - so I was sooooo frustrated when 2 hrs after the pick up time passed and they still have not come.....   MORE WAAAAAH!!!

 

Eventually all got done...   Mailings got picked up....   the rain stopped....  and the water pumped got fixed (Thanks Juju's Daddy for being such a Handy Man!)...   all is well again....   and took a looong afternoon walk to get rid of all the frustrations out....  looked at some XMas displays....  sat and had coffee outside - and just watched happy people go by....   All the while thinking - all these things happening now much be life's little jokes on me....   and I know I could handle it all - with a SMILE even!!!

 

Then something wonderful happened, amidst all the Personal Messages/ Emails I was dealing throughout the day - I got one from a friend in The Philippines, Isabel Casas - enclosed is a photo of some beautiful Rosaries that she had picked up for me on her recent trip to the Holy Land...  Without me asking for anything, and just casually knowing I collect Rosaries - she picked a few up for me.  MUCH TO MY SURPRISE!!!  This totally erased all the frustrations I felt since last night.... and the heavy heart becomes light as air once more....

   This just proves what I've always known all along - that there is

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS SOMETHING TO BE THANKFUL FOR!!!

Thankful!!

That time of the year again to give THANKS for all the BLESSINGS we have had in our lives the whole year through....  well, in my opinion, we do not need a Holiday to give thanks, nor do we need to search hard for things to be THANKFUL for... everyday we wake up to another day of possibilities is enough to be THANKFUL for....  still, I suppose, it is good to have this Holiday to remind all that we do need to be THANKFUL and GIVE THANKS where they are due - at least one day of the year!

 

So THANK YOU and HAPPY THANKSGIVING ALL!!!   Also, today being the first day of Hanukkah - I wish you a HAPPY HANUKKAH, too!!!

Reflecting, the year has been good...  no major incidents....  no major heartaches....   and though I know now that I will not be able to go to Manila for Christmas and New Year, as I do each and every year - I am still THANKFUL....  will just make the most of things in my own way... on my own.... There will always be a next year....

Hump Day it is!!!

Since it is the Hump Day before Thanksgiving, it is just right to give Thanks where it's due -

so, here goes a few:

Thanks NBC for bringing Dracula back on the screen...  and of course, casting Jonathan Rhys Meyers as the Hypnotic Count..  Perfect Sexy!!!

Thanks Tom Daley for making us feel the Summer Heat, in any season!!!

Thanks to Arena Homme magazine for Having Becks grace us with his Coolness/Hotness

on their Fall/Winter issue.

And Finally, Thanks the Powers That Be behind The Vampire Diaries...  Possibly the most Good Looking cast on TV - even the Guest Stars are Hot!!!

Most Especially, Ian Somerhalder, of course!!  

Am sure you will agree, one look from hom and you are weak in the knees!!

And if you get tired of his smoldering eyes... You can always stare at his smoking bod!!! 

Dress You Up in My Loves!!!

Cleaning up my Photo memory on the iPhone and came across all these cool vases I have managed to pick up, here and there, since trading up to the iPhone 5 back in March of this year..,  so far I have a total of 12!!!

This Fun Jimmy Liao vase was the first one I got...  

This one is a fave illustration from this Popular Taiwanese artist...

Marc Jacobs: first designer outfit for the iPhone!  

Some Eclectic Designs!

Monkeying Around with Baby Milo!

SNOOPY!!!

A gift from Sue n Cecilia from  their last Japan Trip!

These two are acquired from two different Manila trips!

The latest addition:  yellow Rubber Duck is quite popular these days...  

Since the Giant Yellow Duck landed in the Taiwan shores..

Pray For The Philippines

By now am pretty sure all of us have heard of the most recent and most devastating disaster that has befallen the Visayas region of the Philippines.  As stated, Typhoon Yolanda or Typhoon Haiyan, as it more commonly known worldwide, proved to be the most ferocious typhoon to hit anywhere in the world for a very long time.  

Everywhere else in the world, it would have proven a disaster of major proportions.  With The Philippines being surrounded by bodies of water - the magnitude increased two folds.  Reports are now stating, it could even be worse than the Tsunami that hit South East Asia a few years back.  No confirmed number of deaths so far - as soooo many are still missing...  but with towns totally demolished with nothing left standing - initial estimates are well in the 10,000 lives lost.

5 days after the Haiyan wreck havoc in the Islands, so much chaos still ensues...  with lots of people still homeless and hungry...  even worse, CNN's Anderson Cooper, who is on hand reports that in one of the places hit the worst - no relief aids can be seen, nor government aids...  and this cause for more tensions - with local medias and government attacking Mr Cooper and company....  the lack or slow pace the government is taking in sending in help, or making way for the relief goods/help to reach the victims is truly deplorable, disheartening, and making people feel so much more hopelessness about the situation...  Couple this with the public concerns about the DONATION/FUNDS getting to the rightful people, and not the pocket of the politicians arises more concerns...  Totally warranted and understandable, due to the latest round of PORK BARREL SCANDAL, hovering over the Philippine government - with so many Political Figures involved.

 

It scares me to think/know that some of my friends in foreign countries - and even some fellow Kababayans (countrymen) - are apprehensive about donating...  this is a BAD THING as we all know - no mater how SMALL an amount our contributions are - they do go along way in helping out the victims.   My only advice is to: "Be Aware, Make Our Contributions Count."   Mainly it is all about getting the donations to the proper channels...  this we can do so by going through some of the most reputable relief aid institutions: Unicef, WHO, RED CROSS, & WFP - to name a few...  there are others so please be SMART and GIVE WISELY.  Make our CHANGE help CHANGE LIVES!!!

So sadly, due to these matters discussed above:  are the victims to suffer even more so?  Was it not enough that so many lives and livelihood were lost from Typhoon Haiyan?  I for one, am so frustrated and disgruntled over all the reports of late...  to a point that I try not to read anymore....   Who cares about the bitterness Ms Korinna Sanchez feels over Mr Cooper's statements?   At this point, who cares about how slow or uninformed the government was in preventing so much of what went on?  Instead, work together... focus on getting aids to all the needies....  making sure they have clean water, food and a place to sleep in....   Get the Donations and Reliefs goods to the right places....   Yes, this is all easier said than done, but if we do not work together... if we do not let go of our EGOs...  and more importantly, if we do not  focus on the more important matter: THE VICTIMS!!! - chaos will ensue and more lives will be lost...  Let us avoid escalating the chaos and disaster even more than necessary...

LET'S ALL UNITE & WORK TOGETHER!!!
 

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A Letter of Note that I wanted to share...  this one is from one of Philippine Cinemas\'s esteemed directors, Peque Gallaga...  what he wrote, am sure, is something most Filipinos have thought of (Rightly so!), but could not put into words...  well, here it is - well, written , honest and direct.... 

Peque Gallaga"s Letter

am not well versed in Philippine Cinema, not even sure if I have seen any of his movies, but will surely look them up, but I salute him for his letter and being brave enough to Go Against The Flow and Voice Out his feelings...  not be trapped in the "Don't Speak Out Showbiz policy, fearing backlashes from the Goverment and the Industry."

ShuQi by Mario Testino

What a dream combination!!!  Famed Fashion photographer, Mario Testino shoots the enigmatic ShuQi for VOGUE, China...  And the shots are deliciously fun and sexy - even with ShuQi all covered up in stylishly retro classic fashions!

The photos are even more glorious in Black & White.

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And here she is for the Golden Horse Awards promotional ads...  Golden Horse is Taiwan's Equivalent to the Oscars..  She has won Best Actress here previously and this year she is nominated once more...

Sweet & Wet Wednesday!!!

Happy Hump Day All!!!

 

Actualy been raining a lot these days, so it makes it hard to get around...  Worse, it makes it very hard to get up in the morning when all one wanna do is snuggle up with the pillow and bundle up in bed...   But such is not a luxury for the working folks like us...  So we get up - make up the bed right away, so it does not entice us to fall back into slumber once more... - And just go about our daily chores and work...

 

One thing I am loving though when the temperature drops, it makes for nice afternoon and evening walks...  The wet pavements reflects the street lights beautifully...  

And one can enjoy the Parks and Playgrounds so much more!!!

 

Pass On The Happy Pills Pls!!!

This is one of those days that I really wish there is a HAPPY PILL one can take...   I need one big time...  no, make that two!!!

Can't seem to shake off this cold that I have had for almost a week now....   I mean am fine in the morning but when the afternoon rolls in - am sooo drained of energy and everything feels sore....  then come nighttime - my head feels like it is pounding hard and ready to explode....  My sleeps have been restless the past few nights....  waking up almost every hour having dry cough spells....  and even having weird dreams and a few nightmares....  I NEED TO RECOVER - SOON!!!

 

Today, am babysitting...  no choice as no one else can come up and take care of Juju....  so I try my best to have energy with her and still entertain her - sadly, there were a couple of moments where I think I failed and my fuse just wants to blow...  instead I walk away and try to calm myself down...  I mean, how do you tell a child that you are sick - so please not much playing about today...  I feel bad even that I have no energy to take her somewhere - as she is accustomed to me doing... she just kept asking "where are we going today?"  to which I reply:  "stay at home for a change because I am sick"...something she does not comprehend, so she replies with "Why Not?" - over and over and over....  WAAAH GOD HELP ME!!!

 

Finally, I think out of boredom, she fell asleep... am having a downtime right now....  writing this and hoping that tomorrow, I am a much better so as we do not end up just being couped up in the house once more....

Am Sick... but so what!!!!

It's Monday once again... taking it easy as am still pretty much weak frombeing sick the whole weekend....  But as you know how I am, For Better or For Worse, I still managed to get out and about and not waste the weekend away....

Saturday was an Artful Afternoon... spending time at 1914 Huanshan Creative Park, taing in the new installations and watching some LIVE PERFORMANCES....   always a pleasure to be here - to check things out....  sadly it was drizzling the whole day and a lot of the happenings was outdoors...  might have contributed to my already growing cold....   still, it was fun!!!

 

Topped off the night with a Sushi / Sahimi Dinner... then DESSERT at Perfume Dance, a new popular Cafe in SOGO....   highly recommended and quite busy actually when we went - everything looks pretty and tasty...  sadly none of the feast for the eyes equaled to feasts for the palette....

Sunday was gonna be a lazy day....  too sick to do any kind of work or even walk somewhere....  but later in the day, Shaun, Juju's Daddy, invited us to take a ride to Jiaosi and dip in the luxurious Hot Springs of Evergreen Resort Spa....   did not need to twist my arm there...  Herbal Springs, Steam Bath, Rooftop Pools - AM THERE!!!!  Cold and all... besides, it can only be good for the cold, right?  If not, at least the spirits....

GioGio and Juju enjoys the Herbal Hot Springs!

 

Like having my own Private Pool!!!

 

And lifted the spirits up it did....  the place is quite nice... and having so little people around made it twice nicer...  at one point when the rain started falling, everyone else left the rooftop pool - so it was having my own Private Luxurious Pool....  it was Heaven, indeed!!!

One Happy Man - with a Cold and All!!!

Dedications..

Today we honour our loved ones who have moved on to Heaven...  You are all Missed Terribly...  Thank you for watching over all of us.....

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And today, we also want to wish our Indian Friends a Wonderful & Fun Day Celebrating Diwali!

It's November 1st!!!

Still cannot believe that there are only two months left in 2013..,  days are really going by way Too Fast!  Or am I just slowing down with Old Age that days seems to be passing me by ever so quickly..,.  Hmmmmmm...  Hopefully it only means I have been quite busy, very active with things to do, and places to go, and people to see that I lose track of my days.....

In any case, Have a Great November All!

 

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November 1st also marks two Holidays I like - a lot...  

Sadly, in Taiwan they are not celebrated...  :(

In Memory of our Dearly departed on this "Day of the Dead" 

What is "Day of the Dead?": PLS CLICK HERE!

Celebrating our beloved Saints!!!