Eat. Pray. Love.

Good Read

I just finished reading Elizabeth Gilbert’s best seller entitled Eat, Pray, Love, a true story based on her own life as a 30-something year old American woman. At the start of the novel, I noticed how heavily depressed she was and how stupid I felt reading about her anxieties and despair.  In my mind, I wanted to say, “Stop whining lady! There’s poverty and war in the world and you are depressed because of… what?” The origin for her intense depression was somehow not crystal clear to me , as she reasons her divorce with her ex husband and her love/hate relationship with her ex lover. Did she break up with her husband for a chance to be with another man? (I am actually looking forward to the film adaptation for me to truly understand this issue.)

In any case, the first part of the book, set in the stunning and charming capital of Italy, was written with sheer delight inspired over what may be one of the best cuisines in the whole world. With her quick-witted and thorough narration of her experiences in Italy in learning the culture, the language and their God-sent food, I found myself laughing with her in her encounters. I visualized and reminisced on Rome, which is one my favorite cities in Europe. I tried to remember how the Piazzas and the fountains looked like, and how in each small street or alley, one is bound to find a gelateria, a trattoria or an osteria. I would generally assume that it is common for depressed and bothered people to take refuge in food… I mean delicious, mouth watering food. And reading the EAT part of the book, lightened up my feeling towards Elizabeth as she tried to put herself together in preparation for a greater journey ahead of her.

As I got to the PRAY part of the book, I found myself learning more about meditation and Hinduism. This chapter was a big change from her Italian journey as she eloquently described her spiritual journey in that small Ashram in a remote rural village in Mumbai, India. I mean I could easily picture the contrast of dusty India and cobblestoned Italy. However, this spiritual journey of hers made me applaud her as it took her strength and a lot of patience in her pursuit of devotion.

Finally, after all the drama in her life, and 8 months away from the bustling New York City life of hers, she found peace and contentment (as it appears). When I was reading through the last part of the book, LOVE, I felt that something in her changed. She was actually happily chilling in Ubud, a town in the middle of the island in Bali, Indonesia (the last setting of her 1 year hiatus). Naturally, everything is a love story.  And in this chapter (at long last!),  she indeed found love, sex, romance and everything a woman would need after eating all the pasta & pizza in Rome, all the scrubbing of the floors in the tiny Indian Ashram and all the conversations over coffee with a toothless Balinese healer.

Well done Elizabeth. You are finally living.

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Good things ahead!

Horoscope for May 20, 2010

The Bottom Line

You’re finally getting your routine down — time to focus on the next big goal.

In Detail

Everyone needs to do a serious cleansing every now and then. It’s your turn now, so you probably want to get serious. If you have the urge to throw things out — even if you’re emotionally attached — don’t stop yourself. Think of it as a new start, and move on. After all, if you don’t get rid of the old, there’s no way you can welcome the new. You’ve got nothing but good things ahead.

*** Time to be inspired 🙂

Fish eye.

Finally found a Fish Eye lens for my Holga 120cfn camera!!!

Fish Eye Lens

I bought it for P1,800 from Lomo Shop— Contact Engie (0922-8170077).

So far, so good…

Partial Unofficial Tally as of May 12, 2010 FROM GMA News Website 7:57 am – 88.55% of ERs

(Click to see Dashboard)

Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino (LP) is leading the presidential race with 13.5M votes, while Jejomar Binay (PMP) and Manuel Roxas (LP) are almost head to head in the vice presidential race. Presidential hopefuls Manuel Villar, Gilberto Teodoro Jr., Richard Gordon, and John Carlos delos Reyes have already conceded the race to Aquino.

A lot of people have been asking what the word concede means. Lifted from http://www.merriam-webster.com, concede is a transitive verb meaning to grant as a right or privilege, to accept as true, valid, or accurate, to acknowledge grudgingly or hesitantly.

In short, all presidential candidates except for Erap Estrada who is second with 8.6M votes (as of 7:57am), have admitted defeat and showed support to Aquino.

Oh Bless our country. Tomorrow will be the day when change will happen…

Hoping for the best.

Got Inked!

Biography from Wikipilipinas

Benigno Simeón Cojuangco Aquino III (born February 8, 1960) is the son of Benigno Aquino Jr., a former senator and Marcos critic and Corazon Aquino, a former Philippine president. A current Senator to the 4th Congress of the Philippines, he served as former Representative of the 2nd District of the province of Tarlac to the 11th, 12th, and 13th Congress of the Philippines (1998-2007).

Noynoy, as he is fondly called, was born in Manila to a clan of politicians. He is the only son of Benigno Aquino Jr. and former President Corazon C. Aquino. He has four other siblings, Kristina Bernadette, Maria Elena, Aurora Corazon and Victoria Eliza.

He completed his elementary, secondary, and college education at the Ateneo de Manila University where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in Economics in 1981. After graduation, Noynoy became a member of the Philippine Business for Social Progress in 1983. He also worked humbly as a retail sales supervisor for Nike Shoes and as an assistant for advertising and promotion for Mondragon Philippines, both in 1985 to 1986. He also was the vice president and treasurer for Best Security Agency Corporation from 1986 to 1993 and served as executive assistant for administration (1993-1996) and fields service manager (1996-1998) for Central Azucarera Tarlac.

* He is also known to have no track record in corruption, as well as limited accomplishments in the political arena when he was in Congress & in Senate. Trying to live the legacy of his father & mother, he is now striving for transformational  change as seen in his platform.

Interior Design

I have been planning on having my father’s house repainted for months now. The old rose gate color is now what it seems like salmon, and the white exterior of the house has a black and white tie dye effect.

Browsing through online interior design websites and blogs, I came across a lovely page called Indian Summer. On the home page are photos of a cozy home, painted in bright hues, a Mexican Interior design signature. I Love Love Love this type of interior! ❤

An Indian Summer showcases products/ furniture/ designs w special focus on India and Asia.

Taken from An Indian Summer – ASIA Design, here’s a peg I want for my old room. I was never a huge fan of the color green, but this makes green look good.

Nice & Clean

Now fully inspired 🙂

I want this! *Sigh*

Colorful & Cozy

Resort Style

Holga Shots

Here are some photos from my Holga camera.

Dec 2009, Philippines PRO400H 120CFN

Garden Stones

Boracay Island

January 2010, Paris PRO400H 120CFN Film edited in Mac

Metro in Paris

March 2010, Vietnam Velvia 100F 120CFN

Street in Saigon

Fishing Village in Mui Ne

April 2010, La Union Fuji Provia 100F 120CFN

San Juan, La Union

Thunderbird Resort at Poro Point, San Fernando

Precinct Finder.

Know your Precinct. Come out and VOTE this May 10, 2010.

CLICK HERE: Comelec Precinct Finder

My oh My!

I have been out and about for the past few weeks, and for a while i forgot all about my WordPress. Summer is moving so fast I could barely blink & bid April good bye. It’s already May and in 30 plus days, we’ll be halfway through  2010. What do you know…

April happened so fast, I already spent my 26th, got on a plane to HK and sun bathed in Boracay all in 3 weeks, which reminds me, I must now enter a frugal lifestyle for the coming months. Time to hibernate.

p.s. Happy Birthday David Beckham. *drool* 🙂

May 2, 1975