so what..... Happy Sunday anyway...

-So what that is has been NON STOPPED rain.....

-So what if I will be drenched by the time I get to church....

-So what if Juju and I will be STUCK indoors most of the day - as today is babysitting day....

...there are still many things to be HAPPY about....  so Be Happy....  

in fact, Be Happy Everyday!

L O V E * AI

Was fortunate enough to be able to catch the VIP Screening of this Taiwan made film....   LOVE....  I believe it came out around Valentine's Day - so I was surprised to get a Pass for a special screening just last nite.....  Thanksto Lyn and Shaun - for not wanting to see it - I got to go.... hahahahahahahaha....

Almost did not go for a few reasons:

-so last minute..

-it was a rainy nite so being lazy was more on the agenda...

-was afraid it will not have English Subtitles like most Chinese films released here...

am sooooo very glad I had a changed of heart and actually got myself to go.....  it helped that the rain subsided a bit when I went (even stopped altogether on my walk home!)....  from the poster alone, I knew I was interested in seeing the film....  too many familiar faces that I like - Mark Chao, Ethan Ruan & the MONGA BOYS, Zhao Wei, A-Shin's Eddie Peng and the main draw for me: SHU QI...  and the movie was sprinkled by special appearances of other familiar faces.....   plus filmed all throughout Taipei that I recognized and even a bit in Beijing.....   the director & producer and star of the film, Doze Niu even made an appearance before the movie commenced.

I knew that with the subject matter... and all the intertwined stories, i knew that even without the English subtitles, it will be easy enough for me to comprehend....   it was an added plus, that I was treated to English Subtitles.....    not at all expected.....    and yes, the stories were simple enough and even somewhat, predictable, as most love stories go: "she loves him, he loves another" variation, "man who cannot feel falls in love", young love, middle aged love, old love, etc...; ....  but the way there handed down to us - was quirky, funny, touching.....     the actors all delivered....   all as charming as can be....  maybe it helped that there were many of them to watch - one does not tire entirely of just one actor's acting.....most of the IDOL DRAMA actors are better watched in small dosages....   and SHINE they did....  they made me laugh, cry and feel.... which was a bit weird as I was seeing the movie on my own....

Shu Qi, to me is incomparable.....  so understated in her acting but can make you feel so much with just a glance....   she is, like most of us, is getting on in age but still, as luminous and as commanding a presence, as ever....  when she is in the screen - everyone else disappears.....

shipping nightmares

the last few weeks have been relegated to dealing with shipping nightmares......   just when one thinks, it is so bad, could not get any worse - it does!!!

certain shipments from China I have been waiting for actually ended up in America....   and before I could even say SHIP TO ME - they were already and shipped the wrong way....   Via the Postal Office... to one name, one addy.....   of course, it means, BINGO!!!  Taiwan Customs is having a field day with the shipment and with the new Taiwan laws of no more than 5 pcs - it is triple red flagged and have to go through so much crap... or red tape as it is often called....

was trying to clear them last Friday but was not to be...after of close to an hour talking with the customs officer, we were told that we needed to go to a different office...  a much farther one, speak to the powers that be and have them deal with my two boxes....

today, Monday the 20th, we headed on early enough to the said office to try and clear the boxes....  after over an hour of form fillings, photo copying, etc...   we were being asked an absurd amount of money for one of their reps to head on down to the customs office and check out the shipment....  it seems that as part of the new laws, anything that has more than 5 pcs of the same thing, will be subjected to this particular office's findings - to see if tou must then go back to the he itmes are deemed harmful or releaseable....  no matter thwat they might be.....   and all this extra work, time consuming process, are charged on the shipper or the receiver.....  and even if you agreed on paying the fees for this, you are subjected to a waiting period.....  as they figure out when they will be able to send someone over for you to meet.....   at the said time, even when they deem the goods releasaeable - you still cannot take them...  you must then go back to the same office, and pay them for a clearance certificate - then and only then can you even get back to the customs officers, claim your packages and again, be subjected to their questionings and tehir own set of tax fees....  separate offices, remember....

to date, I still have no packeges cleared to me... huhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhu.....

REVENGE is SWEET!

One of the Guilty Pleasures and yes, somewhat of an ESCAPE for me when am in Manila tending to everything else going on is to watch DVDs of movies and TV Shows I am missing out on... and not having Cable at home, nor time really, I really do miss out on a lot....  Must rely  word of mouth from friends recommending them to Facebook posts boasting about shows.....  Mags....  etc....  just to keep up....  and THANK GOD for them, or else I completely miss a good show...  and THANK GOD, even more, for DVDs - especially here in the Philippines, one can get a copy of just about anything....   

REVENGE is such a show...   COMPELLING DRAMA....  multi layered characters....  great writing....  and beautiful, sexy and talented cast that keeps you glued....  and we are talking multi generations here....  Madeline Stowe looking as luminous as I remember her from The Last of the Mohicans (am sure, Daniel Day Lewis will still make the same promise as he did in the movie: "I Will FInd You!") and Emily Van Camp of Brothers and Sisters fame - all that promise she showed in the just cancelled show - delivers here.....    and she has such a fragile beauty you are compelled to watch her and agonize with her (even when she is doing bad things - justified or not...)   They both have such EXPRESSIVE EYES on cannot  help it but be HYPNOTIZED!

And the supporting casts are noteworthy, too....  from the HOTTIES that are sure to flood the Net and various publications...   to familiar faces....  even Super Model Amber Valetta is in and out of the show - from the eps I have seen so far!!!   Possibly the prettiest cast on TV right now - well, after The Vampire Diaries, that is!

The Gorgeous Cast in a FUN & SEXY Promotional Photoshoot

off to a NOT-SO-GOOD Start...

This Year of the Dragon is TRULY shaping up to be another TRYING YEAR for me....   maybe this year, I will not be getting a break at all........  WAAAAAAAAAH!!!!

Am flying out again tonight for Manila....  must tend to so many things....  was hoping I would not need to till the end of the month but alas, such is not to be so.....  matters have to be dealt with and so off I go later tonight....

Recently, over the weekend actually, I found out that my Mom's older brother has Terminal Cancer, as well... :(   And it seems that the disease has totally taken control and his health is waning by the day....   comes as a shock to me, to us all, as we did not even know he is suffering from Cancer...  but apparently he has been and at a faster rate now.....  We just saw him back in July and though he looked older, he was still fine... up and about... and sharp as a nail....   hearing him, my Mom, and my Aunt (their youngest sister)talked and reminisced about their lives was music to my ears....   

So now, how do I even tell my Mom this?   She has been asking for her brothers and sister to come and visit her - so what now?    Am told that my Uncle wishes to not let my Mom know, as he is afraid of her frail condition....  am Torn....  I understand the reasoning but at the same time, she should have the right to be able to say goodbye to him, as well...  like all of us...

***Haiiis....  first my Mom with Cancer... and now my Uncle.... not to mention their other brother passed away at a younger age in a Cancer related disease, as well....  all these leads me to worry even more...  Life is sooo FRAGILE! 

 (Special Thanks to Juliana for keeping me Grounded....    You are correct... need not worry too much over these matters....   All as it should be... the Power of Positivity!)

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On top of it all, all my shipments have been delayed.....both the ones coming from Japan as well as China....   the Holidays....  Shipping Complications.... all added up to the delays in their arrival... and a big source of my frustrations.....  Been waiting for them to come so I can process and ship them out before my regular Mom visit....  but, it is NOT to happen....  AM STILL WAITING!!    So I cannot wait anymore and must  leave tonight... back in a week's time - hopefully with all the shipments already in Taiwan - and I can just catch up processing and shipping them out....

Sometimes, am really just too tired...  I mean, I can pretty much deal with the Physical aspect of it all but the Emotional and Mental Roller Coaster tend to be too much, at times, and gets to me....   but I know I MUST CHUG along through it all....  SUCH IS LIFE, as I ALWAYS say.... 
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On a POSITIVE NOTE:   am glad that my Dad's Mausoleum had been painted - FINALLY!    I got the materials and my sis had her people do the work...  now it is good as fresh again... and not looking sorry, as I found it when I visited last month....  nothing like a fresh coat of paint, some curtains, and lots of loving to brighten up the place and make it look like people actually do care.....

Not Your Mama's Lanterns!!!

The Annual lantern Festival is upon us once more.....   always right after the Chinese NY festivities....  all over Taiwan, each and every town have their own arrays/varieties of Lanterns on display for this festival....  ornate, handmade, beautiful, colorful and gigantic ones to marvel at....   Each and every year, it so happens that the festival is also quite a wet one , as the rainy season ensues during the month of February...

But this does not stop revelers into coming out for a succession of nites and enjoy the festivities....   gorgeous lanterns to view, as well as, the Happy faces on all the attendees....  RAIN and all.....  Myself Included!!!

First nite of Lantern watching was done at the SunYetSan Memorial Hall area.... annually, it has been done here and the exhibit is quite large....   just as last year, I went on my own - not minding the rain and enjoying all of it....  even got to take in a pretty cool exhibition (FOR FREE!) about Life in Taiwan over the Decades....  Here's a few photos but you can see more by Clicking Here:

Lantern Festival 2012 : #1

The Following nite... with the weather a whole lot better, i took the bus to the Taipei City Hall area as they were having their own Lantern Exhibition...  not quite as big as the one in the Sun Yet San - but it was none-the-less IMPRESSIVE and FUN....  plus quite a variety of lantern designs on diplay....  DRAGONS included, of course!!!

Click Here for Complete Photos:

Lantern Festival 2012 : #2

Year of the Dragon.... well... not quite....

The most POWERFUL of CHINESE ZODIAC signs have taken center stage once more....   generally a GREAT year for all - but alas, not for the Dragon babies....  myself included....

Well,  need not FRET yet fellow Dragon babies. - it is not all that bad....   UPS and DOWNS are predicted for most of the year but we are being told that there are ways to avoid most of it...   escaped all the dramas and the bad times quietly and unscathed as much as possible....  So, this is what I hope to do....  just to make it through another year without many major upheavals - changes and moving forward with less commotions...  To this, I shall be Happy and Content enough... 

So, here's to all of us, fellow Dragons... here's hoping we all get by and of course, here's hoping that the next lunar sign will bring better luck, much more happiness, and of course, stability and Peace of Mind!

how do you measure HAPPINESS?

Happiness means sooo many different things for so many of us.....   some with goods we acquire; some with the culinary treats we consume; some the experiences from the travels we do; a night out with friends or that special someone; and of course, times shared with family....  in my book, they re all good...  these and many other little things can bring so much Happiness in one's life....   Last week, I had just that....   a few of that really....  but lacking a god NET CONNECTION, I was not able to share them - so will have to catch up this week and share what I can, as time permits...  

Possibly the BEST source of HAPPINESS for me this trip to see and be with Mom, happened when we were able to attend Mass together at Antipolo Cathedral....  it meant so much to me, as my Mom made extra efforts, mustered up a lot of strength to fulfill a promise made to me last XMas....  that on my next trip, she will be strong enough to attend Mass with me.   And though I could see such Pain in her eyes, went she did...  with me and my Stepfather....

It was such a great feeling being there with her...  not only because I knew she was doing this to fulfill a promise to me... but I could also see that it was something she wanted to really do....  and made her happier that she was able to get ut and do this....  gave her  bit more hope - and not just feel that she is to just wait for the time to come - just sitting on her sofa, that she also sleeps in...  and stare out longingly -day in, day out....  such an emotional thing, seeing her do her rosary with tears streaming down her face....   i actually had to go out towards the end - so as i can let my own tears fall without her seeing....

Though the church is just 15 mins away by Tricycle from her home, it still took it's toll as the road is not too smooth.... the bumps on the road can took a bit of strain on her frail condition... but the trooper that she is, you could not even see it in photos - as she willingly smiled....   and this smile, for me, was worth so much more than diamonds and gold....  

Everyday that we have my Mom in this life, is a MIRACLE for me....   have to Treasure each and every single moment with her....

BUT THIS MOMENT, FOREVER I WILL HOLD EVEN MORE SPECIAL!

SpongeBob Goes High Fashion!

SpongeBob,  the iconic cartoon character has been turned by Dutch illustrator Mike Frederiqo into some of fashions most familiar faces - the likes of  Marc Jacobs, Karl Lagerfeld, Coco Chanel, Terry Richardson, Pharrell Williams, and my PERSONAL FAVE from the bunch,Takashi Murakami have all seen themselves immortalised as a Sponge!

Beautiful Skies

....that is just what I had for this Saturday Morning run.....  it was exhilarating and beautiful!!   Made for a Wonderful run and sets the spirits soaring.....  Wish you all have a Beautiful Saturday, as well....

 "Nothing is predestined:

The obstacles of your past can become the gateways that lead to new beginnings."

Eeeeeek, it's Friday The 13th!!!

wow... it totally escaped me that it is Friday the 13th once more.... was just reminded by someone posting about it on Facebook.... so take note all... be extra careful... be wary or strangers bearing gifts... and even friends and lovers being extra nice...

They Just Might Swallow You Whole!!!

Be@rbricks Addiction!

yep...  as if I needed to take on another thing to take up my time, I have now started a new blog spotlighting one of my Obsessions, Be@rbricks...  I figured, with the growing number of them coming to live with me - they needed their own showcase - so if you are a fellow Be@rbrick Lover or just in love looking at Vinyl Cuties - do check out the new page....

Rudi X Be@rbricks