Keep Moving Forward

In the midst of our thesis and internship, I found ways to indulge on other things as well. Like not going to work for a day because it coincides with the musical concert where famous Disney soundtracks were given tribute. I've a poor sense of priorities, remember? Just kidding. I nicely asked permission from the supervisors to allow me to be absent due to 'personal reasons'. Here are photos taken last September.


Tank top: Topshop | Knitted cardigan: from Macau | long golden skirt: Verlyn Guiyab | Belt: H&M | Necklace: from Macau | Bag: Kenneth Cole Reaction


Just days ago, I was watching Meet the Robinsons. It's a favorite if only because of this particular resounding scene that is true in every way you look at it. If there's anything that Disney teaches everyone, it's that against all odds, we just have to keep moving forward. 

Lewis: Look, I'm sorry your life turned out so bad. But don't blame me you messed it up yourself. You just focused on the bad stuff when all you had to do was... let go of the past and keep moving forward...
Bowler Hat Guy: Hmm, let's see... take responsiblity for my own life or blame you? Dingdingdingdingding! Blame you wins hands down!

Thanks to my thesismate Kim Sta. Rita for being very very kind and accommodating!

Changing Colors

Sometimes, it's easier to speak in metaphorical tongue rather than state the obvious. Say something out of your ordinary babbles and everyone around you would assume that there's a problem in your corner. Explaining why I did what I just did isn't exactly one of my strong suits. You see, there's a difference between explaining the facts as you saw them and being defensive about the circumstances. And often in that difference, do I find myself misinterpreted by most. To prevent myself from getting entangled into deeper complications, let's leave the obvious and start with the metaphorical context. 

Dress: Daniel Hechter | Bag: Ralph Lauren | Shoes: BGBG | Watch: Anne Klein

2 days before the graduation, all the would-be graduates were called to school for our third to final (there was the Recognition Rites the following day which I opted not to attend anymore) school activity. And let me tell you there's no better way for you to feel you're truly graduating than wearing your toga for the first time. It's in that instance where we all had to put it on did I feel the completion of all the things I worked for in the past 3 and a half years. That was it, I was truly graduating. More than the excitement though, I was bothered. I'm a very sprightly person. I hate doing nothing. Whether I'm doing something I would benefit from in the future or doing something that would incriminate me eventually, I always prefer being busy. That's why I couldn't get off my frustration, even when I was already in my academic attire. I knew I was headed to a few months (which I hope will end soon) of nothingness. Who knows how the rest of the year would unfold for me and though I do not despise the unknown, I fear the future. 

Enough of my sentiments! 

If I were to study college once more, I would've chosen De La Salle University over and over and over again. I highly doubt there's a more suitable university for me in the country. I liked all the competent professors (Sir Gojocco who taught me Philosophy, Sir Villacorta from my Great Works class, Sir Lim of Market1, Ms. Reyes who taught me Statistics2, and of course my thesis mentor Ms. Lysa were my favorites) I had the privileged to be under to, the top of the line technology used inside the campus, the well-constructed and decorated buildings especially the recently risen Henry Sy library, and of course the type of students who were admitted in DLSU. I'm not a snob but I take pride in knowing that majority of the people I came across with, either in a class we shared or just along the halls as we transferred from one building to another, are the future shapers of various industries in the country. 

FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL MEMORIES YOU'VE LET ME EXPERIENCE, THANK YOU DLSU! I now understand why the graduates of this university are still in one with the activities of the present batches spiritually, physically, and financially. La Sallian education is indeed incomparable.

Thank you for all the photos, Hannah!

Son of the Terrorist

There are a lot of books lined up for me to read this holiday season. Somehow, there seems to be a theme but let it be said that I’m not wishing to ‘alter the face of the world’ in any way that deviates from peace and harmony among all nations nor have I a death wish of some sort even if the books I’m deeply attached to at the moment include a few eyebrow-raising topics, namely: 

Only a few books have the power to evoke such strong emotion in me that I feel the need to share my newly conceived thoughts with others. When I entered the book store and proceeded to my favorite sections which are History and Politics, and Non-fiction, it caught my attention at once. I’ve never thought that such a book could ever be published. I wanted to buy it and immediately read it but I knew I had to think things over first. There were a lot of things that had to be considered at that moment, on top of which was my tendency to empathize with the writer so much so that sometimes, I overlook what I already know and arrange my concepts in accordance with what I’ve read. I’m an adult yet I am still very malleable. And so I was afraid that after reading it, I might find a way to justify what happened in our history, at least in my mind. But I knew I had to read it, if only for my love of deepening what I know of our rich history. And I did. I’ve finished reading GROWING UP BIN LADEN.

As what stories have told us, there would always be three points of view: the protagonist’s, the antagonist’s, and that of the truth. The only things I knew of Osama bin Laden were those coming from the vantage point of the Western countries. I’ve never known the side of bin Laden nor the underlying motivations of the actions that came from both the Western countries and the world-known terrorist. I wonder though, in which part would the story of OBL’s wives and children fit? Where would the lives who have witnessed directly his emergence to power fall? The book was written by his first and most important wife Najwa Ghanem bin Laden and his fourth son Omar bin Laden, with the aid of Jean Sasson. I thought I would know the motivations behind OBL’s deep-rooted hatred towards United States and Israel. I thought that the two bin Ladens would, in layman’s term, betray the man of the house by giving away confidential accounts. In a way, I was disappointed for I didn’t find any of these. In another way, I thought both mother and son were honorable. They recounted how difficult their lives have been while they were still in OBL’s guidance. I couldn’t fathom why they had to be free of modern convenience when the bin Ladens are known for being one of the wealthiest families in all of Saudi Arabia. Even more, I couldn’t fathom the unwavering devotion and loyalty Najwa showed to her husband. She gave him 11 children and though OBL had 5 more wives, 1 of which was said to be annulled shortly after the marriage, I think it was Najwa who held his husband’s adoration the most. After all, she was told over and over again before she left Afghanistan “I will never divorce you, Najwa” despite his declaration that he will allow any of his wives divorce him. Anyone, but Najwa. Besides, there were instances in the book where she said that she can’t fully disclose all information about her husband for she believed that they were family matters. She never once said that she was dissatisfied with the life her husband made her live. To think that she was forced to live uncomfortably.  She chose to stay with him in spite of Omar’s pleas for them to leave his father. She loved her husband and she knew that he will always play a part in her life beginning from the moment she was born until her last days for he was her first cousin, then her husband, then the father of her 11 children.  There was more to Osama bin Laden than being the head of the al-Qaeda. “The West knows him as a terrorist. Najwa bin Laden knows the man”.

The fruit never falls far from the tree, they say. But what happened between Osama bin Laden and his multitude of children is a direct contradiction to this adage. It was bravery on the part of Omar bin Laden for having the guts to leave his father and voice out his non-acceptance of the life his well-revered father forced upon him, especially in a culture that puts fathers on a high pedestal. Omar epitomizes the existence of choice in every situation. He grew up having high respect for his father, had diligently obeyed his father’s orders, never questioned his father’s decision, and yet his mindset took a different path. He opted for peace rather than violence. He chose to be his own man rather than an extension of his father, which was unusual for a son in his culture. He eventually left his father and fled to Jeddah where he assumed a normal life, the life he had been craving for since his troubled childhood. He, along with his brothers, might have suffered because of his father but he never lost faith in him. Though he was groomed to succeed his father’s position in al-Qaeda, he was never a part of the organization for he never shared the same violent beliefs. “My father’s proclamation had been given: His love for his sons did not sink further than the outer layer of his flesh. At least I knew exactly where I stood. My father hated his enemies more than he loved his sons”. Yet he didn’t believe that it was his father who was behind the attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. He waited for his father to clean his name but all hopes had vanished when he heard OBL took credit for what is considered the worst terrorist attack USA has ever experienced. The way I see it though, despite their differences Omar would forever be the young boy who did all the tricks just to get his father’s attention. 
“I am not ashamed to admit that I loved my father with the usual passion of a young boy for his father.”

I don’t mean to offend anyone with my outright opinions. The book has been published in 2009 and as we all know, the world’s No. 1 terrorist was killed by the CIA in 2011. Who knew what happened with the bin Laden sons during that time gap? I didn’t make further researches so I am not claiming that the sons nor anyone belonging in the big bin Laden family is whether purely good or bad.  Again, my intention is not to offend other people’s sensibilities, especially those who have been directly affected by his terrorist attacks. I am merely responding to the messages of one of the books I consider highly emotive. I have nothing good to say about Osama bin Laden for up to this day, I know only little of what shaped him into becoming the Public Enemy that he was. But I have high regard towards Najwa Ghanem bin Laden and Omar bin Laden. They may be carrying the name bin Laden but it does not mean that they are representation of the ideologies of Osama bin Laden.

“My father was not always a man who hated. My father was not always a man hated by others. History shows that he was once loved by many people”.

“As the son of Osama bin Laden, I am truly sorry for all the terrible things that have happened, the innocent lives that have been destroyed, the grief that still lingers in many hearts.”

All quoted sentences were directly copied from Growing Up Bin Laden.

All the books can be found in Fully Booked.
All the pictures were via Google

"I write emotional algebra." - Anais Nin

Top: Old Navy| Skirt: The Ramp

"The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say"

“I am lonely, yet not everybody will do. I don't know why, some people fill the gaps and others emphasize my loneliness. In reality those who satisfy me are those who simply allow me to live with my ''idea of them.”

“There were always in me, two women at least, one woman desperate and bewildered, who felt she was drowning and another who would leap into a scene, as upon a stage, conceal her true emotions because they were weaknesses, helplessness, despair, and present to the world only a smile, an eagerness, curiosity, enthusiasm, interest.”

"Don't say anything, because I see that you understand me, and I am afraid of your understanding. I have such a fear of finding another like myself, and such a desire to find one! I am so utterly lonely, but I also have such a fear that my isolation be broken through, and I no longer be the head and ruler of my universe. I am in great terror of your understanding by which you penetrate into my world; and then I stand revealed and I have to share my kingdom with you"

"Everything with me is either worship and passion or pity and understanding. I hate rarely, though when I hate, I hate murderously."

"I don’t really want to become normal, average, standard. I want merely to gain in strength, in the courage to live out my life more fully, enjoy more, experience more. I want to develop even more original and more unconventional traits"

“I am only responsible for my own heart, you offered yours up for the smashing my darling. Only a fool would give out such a vital organ” 

“She lacks confidence, she craves admiration insatiably. She lives on the reflections of herself in the eyes of others. She does not care to be herself.”

What more proof do we all need to convince ourselves that keeping a diary can go a long way? There's Anne Frank then there's Anais Nin. Maybe I'm aware of this eversince a lot of emotions and events in my life started to bother me. Why else would I have patiently maintained a diary for 8 straight years? :)

Dream Summer Destinations

Others have already escaped their school bullshits, pardon the term, and are now spending their precious time in glorious places while others are still stuck in school, either running after their teachers to have their clearance paper signed or preparing for their coming finals. I belong in the last category. I'm still stuck in school, besting my laziness out but somehow it still gets the best of me which results to continuous tardiness. Aside from trying not to be late and summoning my studious will to meet all the requirements of my subjects, I daydream. I know it's summer cause I keep on falling in and out of dreamland. 

Dreamland 3: Eskaya Beach Resort & Spa in Bohol

Dreamland 2: Bellarocca Island Resort & Spa in Marinduque

Dreamland 1: Amanpulo Resort in Palawan 

Please please please, let me win the lottery!!! The only way for me to reach these luxurious resorts is if I win the lottery. Or if I save my daily allowance for 500 days! Grabe bakit presyong ginto!!! :( Why do I have the feeling that even after college, these resorts would still be just part of my dreams? To add some more salt to the wound, I  just found out an additional dream. That is, to someday write about my experience in these places!!! Hmm. Going to luxury beaches - More Fun In the Philippines. Haha!

All the pictures belong to their websites

Train of Thought Series Part 10

Time has flown!!! When I opened my dashboard, I saw that I've published 322 entries already. I thought I was somewhere near 250 only. Overjoyed, I hurriedly clicked on 'New Post' and settled my fingers on the keyboard. Only, I don't have any thoughts to share. My river of a brain is clam, no ripple to bother with. I just wanted to put thoughts into writing, not to add new thoughts that I don't even know if I can publish someday. Surprises, surprises! Instead of checking my daily blog readings I opted for the blogs that though I don't visit often are highly riveting. I'm talking about the blogs of Bianca Gonzalez and Divine Lee. In the middle of reading their own thoughts, I'm overflowing with ideas! Suddenly, I remembered I haven't explained about my year old blog name 'Of Great and the Greatest'. Suddenly, I remembered I did a little arranging of my 'life in a box' the other day (more of this in future posts). Suddenly, I remembered I have a new reader. Expect these three things to be in nitty gritty details in my next Train of Thought posts. 

Thank you so much for all the love and support!!! <3

Best of 2011

2011 has just concluded. But the lessons I've learned from it still linger. Here are the 12 most memorable moments of my 2011:

12) Trip to Singapore

Cleanliness is next to Godliness, they say. My first trip to Singapore proved how true this saying really is. 

11) Arrival of my cousins Elija, Caoume, and Alex Valle

My two 1-year old cousins Elija and Alexandra visited the country for the first time. They were such bundles of energy that my love for doing outdoor activities such as running, jumping repeatedly, and pure horseplaying had an excuse to resurface. Haha! As for Caoume who has visited the Philippines for the 3rd time, well, we talked about ideas, imaginary worlds, her gadgets, my gadgets, clothes, and her themed parties. It was so cool hearing a mature opinion from a 5 year old kid. I liked it whenever she would say "I have another idea, Ate Gellie" or her response whenever someone would tell her something that she thinks is not true, "Tell the truth!" "For real!". 

10) The rare two times that TRIBO was complete

I've been writing about my barkada (clique) eversince I began sharing my thoughts through blogging. I love them! Ironic enough, we've been complete only twice in 2011. I've no one to blame but myself. In all their 18th birthday parties, it has been me and me alone who didn't fail in the not attending department. It was never an intentional thing on my part, honest! Anyway...

9) Day in the Dumpsite
Seeing, touching and smelling the consequences of our irresponsible waste management served as eye opener for me, making my advocacy for responsible waste disposal take another notch higher. And by higher I mean I try to get my entire family involved.

8) Seeing a Dachshund give birth to 3 puppies
We have a lot of dogs, from Labrador Retrievers to Shi Tzus to Dachshunds to Malteses. But I never took care of a dog personally, until I saw my Dachshund gave birth. I took one of the 3 and brought it with me to our home in Manila. I named her Miuccia but while she's still a baby, it's Miuccinelli. My brother Gio said that "Boner" is a more appropriate dog name. Kuya Gian said "Phino" is much better. To accommodate the three names that we wanted we wrote "Miuccinelli Boner Phino" on her birth certificate. Days after, her name was reduced to "Miu Miu". I won the name game, like a boss.

7) Hitting two birds with one stone
While having lunch with my 2 college super buddies, I was also accomplishing a school paper. It was really brilliant of the situation to offer me two things I really wanted to do without having to sacrifice the other one. Hannah and Lina, 2 of my college friends who have been with me since day 1 of college, are more of a lifesaver sent from above. No, really. Always, they've covered up my messy tracks.

6) Overnight class in Biology
Probably one of the best, if not the best itself, moments of my college life is the overnight trip in Batangas for my Biology class where the main goal was to plant trees in the mangroves. Staying up beyond sleeping hours outside the bunk where no one was supposed to be and playing the famous spin the bottle game lead to a night of confession. I'm just so happy that until now, all the secrets that I thought each of us couldn't tell others are still locked up and left in the hammock where our discussion came about.

5) She brings out the child in me
In one of Janica Barrera's house visits, it rained. We took the umbrellas, slipped on our slippers, then went out. Laughing and dancing and splashing on the puddles - now that's our kind of fun.

4) The Great Shift
When I first took up my Marketing class with Hannah, we realized that our true calling wasn't to be accountants. Fulfilling the demands of marketing, which involved weekend filming, events making, performing and presenting, didn't feel like working. It felt like playing, only with stricter and more limited rules.

3) Last Photo Op with my cousin Alissa

I have 8 (Alissa, MC, Ram, Vince, Rayne, Caoume, Elija and Alexandra) first cousins but I'm closest to Alissa, what with only 6 months age gap. I practically grew up with her! Between the 2 of us, she's been the ate through and through. Everyone babies me, pardon the term, everyone asks her to look out for me. And she has always done those things for me. If there's someone who knows all the gory details of my life, it's her. Last September 2011, her family made a great move. They migrated to Canada. Watching her walk away from me with tears in both our eyes felt like watching my childhood abandon me step by step. (I really really miss you, Ate!)

2) Hong Kong Trip with Lola Ester

My parents once told me and my brothers that they love taking us to other countries because in such trips, we show a part of ourselves that they haven't seen before. In my most recent out of country trip, they allowed me to explore with just my Lola (grandmother). Few days after that trip, I told my mom that she's right. I discovered some of my personalities that I wasn't able to see before. Besides, it was so cool travelling with someone with whom I have A LOT of similarities; eating habits (I'm sure you'll agree with me on this, Lala), on top of all. To add icing to the cake, Lola likes extravagance as much as I do. Haha!



1) Asian Cruise
My birthday celebration 2011 is by far the birthday to beat! I knew I could've chosen to celebrate it with both my family and friends but I decided to spend my special day with just my family, on the high seas. Seeing all the scenic view, dining in 5-star buffet restaurants in the ship, and simply experiencing a dream come true were all made perfect by sharing them with my family.



2011 has been sooo good to me, wasn't it?


P.S. It's my birthday this coming 8th of January. It's my birthday month!!! Expect a lot of birthday posts coming :>