Speechless me!

I'm a person of many words, my posts can attest to it. But today I decided to just let the pictures speaks for itself, no detailed itinerary talks. See the pics and I know anyone can relate to the same profound emotions I've been feeling when I was there taking some of the shots below.

Have nice viewing everyone!!

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Who would not wish for a trip that includes a cruise in one of the famous floating restaurant in Loboc River? The food, fresh air, the country songs, smiling faces of Boholano not to mention the picturesque view of a place- so green, the water - so clear, the air - cold and fresh that you could utter a wish to just stay there for as long as you want!

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Busay Falls - a mini falls about one and a half meter at most. It marks the point where the floating restaurant cannot go any further. Shot taken by chinaeyes alexis.

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Loboc River @ the background




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The floating restaurant




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I had taken shots below while wandering alone along the shore of Balicasag Island

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As early as 5:30am we were already in the middle of the sea, eyes alert and always camera ready because at any moment, dolphins will be swimming by. There were around ten boats with tourists on board, and just like us, hoping to take a closer glimpse of these sweet, playful creatures. Every time dolphins came out of the surface, everyone was shouting in glee, fingers all pointing towards the direction of the swimming dolphins, all boats were racing towards it just at the same time that these playful creatures swam back to their hiding. The lines "ayun! ayun! ayun! wala na!" (translation: there! there! there! It's gone!), paired with an almost exasperated look, were famous.

I am just lucky enough to capture dolphin's dorsal fin in one of my shots. This is an achievement because no one in our group did! Can you spot a pair of dolphin?

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We had also dropped by the Butterfly farm. It is in this trip that I was able to differentiate the pupa of a moth from that of a butterfly. And that a lazy butterfly actually lives for 90 days but a butterfly who loves to fly and pollinates every flowers it passed by will only live for 21 days. A side information added: Butterflies lived a short life but their mating usually lasted from 3hours to 24 hours, non-stop! Some of my guy-colleagues even wish they have the stamina of a butterfly! (lol)

Pictures of a butterfly below taken by cj, the flowers shot by chinaeyes alexis

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Can you spot the Mayon Volcano? This is a shot taken by ram aboard Zest Air on our way to Bohol.

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Tierra Azul beach basking in a fresh Saturday sunshine. It's a perfect weather for dolphin watching! Pictures below taken by CJ (you're the wackiest dude!)

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A Bohol trip will not be an official Bohol Trip unless you have spotted a tarsier. Because the entire day of our first day were jam-packed of country-side tours, we stopped by the tarsier sanctuary at past 7pm. At my first glance, I thought it was a rat! I took a closer look and my gaze was met by an enormous eyes. They said a tarsier's eyeball is as big as their brain. I wasn't able to take a good shot because of low light. Flashes were strictly not allowed as these will stress this vulnerable creature. And when the tarsier is under stress, it tends to hurt itself. Suicidal! Thanks to the big boss who shared the good shots.

Life's uncanny twist

Life is composed of good and bad jokes. Jokes that are real, are happening and are meant to knock you down big time! Jokes that will mold you into who you will become as years go by.

It is the 'bad jokes' really that makes a life all worth living. Unpleasant jokes are the ones that leave marks into our being. When you happen to take a flash back at your earlier life, you would recall those but the recollection will just make you smile and wonder how in the world you were able to surpass those great trials.

I have a friend who happened to have her most unpleasant joke in her entire life so far and it took place yesterday. Her bad fortune yesterday might not be at its highest peak yet but this one really knocked her down. I can relate to her situation because I happened to be in her shoes a month ago when I had dealt with the possibility of my being an instant jobless.

She applied for this global company where all her abilities are put into test: her memory and adeptness, patience, health and her financial conditions as well. But she'd overcome it all except for the one thing that is beyond her control. Once she's in with the company, she will be sent abroad for a required training, for chartered accounting I guess. Thus, passport is one of the most important and a must requirement and she have not applied for one yet.

Passport application here in the Philippine is one of the greatest challenge for every Filipino. If you want to have your application submitted in a day, you'll have to wake up very early and line up your ass at DFA at a wee hour or to be specific, be there as early as 3AM so you could grab a slot. If you're late you'll end up standing at the line's tail 'til your foot sore and if you're not lucky enough, head home without being accommodate because DFA had already filled out their slots for the day.

Being ill, she decided against lining up herself waiting for her slot number to be called. She went to some agency, filed for an expedite passport application, agency promising her to have her passport in no less than 10days, paid 1300.00 or something closer to that amount and wait. The company she'd applied to on the other hand never did falter doing their follow ups of her passport. Now and then she'd received a call, a text, an email, a call again asking the status of her passport application and if there is already a feedback of its release date.

Today, March 8, 2010 is supposedly her first day at her new company. Yesterday, her luck went down. The company called and canceled her employment all because she could not provide her passport's release date. This, I thought, is a total zero consideration though I understand they have every right to turn down her employment. The agency gave no further details on the release date but just keep on assuring her they're working on it.

The release date is just what the company is asking. The agency was not able to provide it. DFA is transferring their office which will affect the processing of passport application. Being assured of the employment since she'd already signed a job offer sheet, she'd submitted her immediate resignation and already served her last day at her previous company last Friday thus making her today an instant jobless.

Wrong move? Or is it just the twist of fate? Conflicts entangled as if, if one conflict is solved, one is simply designed to be there to prevent her from getting the job she had so aspired. It seems like there is unseen reason to it all. Well, being an instant jobless does not mean an end of the world for her but putting up all her strength and hope to this 'job of her dreams' and having to exert all effort that it totally felt like she was fast-flying, broke her wings, somersault into the
air and 'splat!' suddenly hit the floor, helpless. I understood her bawling.

And to think of it all, the job is already an inch-away and she could already have it, its becoming positive that she could feel it and even I already had wish her luck for her new found job. Only the fate intervene as if everything that happened for the past two weeks of her application dilemma were all but a joke. A bad joke. A bad dream. The pleasing feeling of nearly-acquiring it returns a bitterly disappointment.

As we try to alleviate her grief (strong word but the only exact word I could think of to describe her bellowing), we could only think of something: a reason for it is yet to be understood. We'd tried to shift her focus on small positive things that happened like she'd already completed her requirements and applying for another job would mean less effort and time arranging for those papers not to mention she just got a call from a prestigious company considering her application.

We made funny comments just to lighten up the moods and somehow our unhappy chats drifted to a jovial conversation. We jokingly said we could share her our happy meals consisted of noodles, breads and oat meals. Then I told her, 'don't worry time will come that when you look back you'll find humor in this'. Adding up, 'sometimes bad thing leads to a breakthrough, you just never know.

Yes I'd said life is composed of bad and good jokes. But let me stress on this, life itself is not a joke for it is brought into purpose. Yes, the choices we made decide our fate which partially means we are basically in control of the things we would like to achieve. But ironically there is always this divine intervention that however we tried, there are things beyond our control making it impossible to reach that choice we so wanted.

The ten years are over

Once upon a time, when this girl was just 17, she’d outlined a plan of having her dreams achieved within the next ten years. The future ‘ten years’ were comprised of lucid but distant images forming within the confined of her head. A girl with an eagerness to make her life better and with sense, she’d focused her attention to continue her one track journey to a future that is still so unpredictable.

In her mind ran picturesque dreams of what she wanted her life to be. In her dreams, it was very easy to arrange everything according to plan without encountering complications, disputes, consequences of her every actions, troubles, and the antagonists – to whom she will be dealing with later on in her life.

Her pensive thoughts and her passion for life affected her disposition, her control to direct her life according to what she wanted and not to what her immediate kin dictated. Her personality, I may say, is both defined and authoritative – very classical which just made her more sturdy and determined.

One by one and slowly, the leaf of the ‘ten years’ were flipped open. The vivid dreams she had had were painted but on these pages the images were altered and lots of settings were added. The people she’d hope she’d be with were no where in sight. The happenings that she’d never dream of occurring come to pass. At some point, there were mishaps and her messing up of her life. It was never perfect. She took the wrong move. She trudged a wrong turn. She’d reacted to people in a wrong way, misjudged some instead of trusting them and trusted some when she should not have. The life that she intended to be differs from the one she’d drawn in her memory. But in totality, all of it was never frustrating. All of it comes down to a life’s lesson brought by experience in her years.

Sometimes, this girl has this yearning of coming back to that past to re-paint her dreams, alter some and restart again to efface all the unpleasant things that happened and to make right of all her mistakes. But no, this time she knows better. She is now aware of the truth that in reality, everything is far from perfect and each action results to a series of consequences. Consequences that may either be a major break through or a downfall. No matter how she would like to change the past, unpleasant things are always bound to happen. No matter how she wanted to have every thing in place, her decision, outlook in life and attitude will always affect the outcome. Not to mention that she also cherished all the memories of people she’d met unexpectedly and the lessons that came with her every wrong decision.

This post is dedicated for her 27th birthday. The age that she’d hoped all her dreams will be realized. Tomorrow will mark the end of the ‘ten year’ margin she’d set for herself to accomplish her goals. In some way she feels like celebrating because somehow her ten years had been fruitful. On the other hand, she is feeling a lump in her throat whenever a thought struck that the ten years had already ended.

... And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It is the life in your years that matters.

What a writer needs

This has been the longest time I was out of blogging - no new post and no blog-walking. I know some of you may wonder why I haven't got any updates on my blog. I so wanted to post a new entry but found no sensible topic to talk about. I've had my several moments when the inspiration struck but thoughts were just drowned by urgent matters at hand - workload and deadlines. And when I had the chance to sit and finally put thoughts into writing, my mind would go blank. I was only seeing white spaces. I was trying hard to look for words to describe my intent of writing but just like a blind man, I felt like I was groping in the dark.

There will always be days that a writer needs an inspiration from one musing to another. Sometimes, that inspiration comes from unlikeliest situation. My main source of reflections are people around me, my past and daily experiences and some reads from inspirational books. But when an inspiration is suppressed without me acting upon it immediately, it eventually dies down and so is my enthusiasm of writing sometimes comes with it.

The reason why I started blogging was not only because I wanted to enhance my skills in writing and improve my vocabulary. It is more of an exercise of clarifying my mind of negative thoughts, focusing on positivity of every situations while extracting viewpoints and new ideas from my every reflection.

Whenever I sit down to write, I always ask myself the purpose of my writing. If someone reads it, will they get insights from it? Will they learn something new from reading it? After reading, will they also have their own reflection? Whenever I post some rantings, I don't feel any ounce of achievements from writing down my raves. That's not the kind of composition I wanted to accomplish. I wish to be a creative writer who never run out of ideas.

This is me ranting and I have came up with this post because of my current inability to write down thoughtful topic. But I hope that you also find this one informative.

Embracing the change

Today marks my first two days with my new company. I again, as new hire, go through the usual but very helpful stuff called orientation. Introduction to the company’s history and background, to the different process involved in managing its people and business, to the different policies enforce for the benefits of both the company and its employees. One day is not enough to fully orient oneself. A day or two is insufficient to have myself adjusted to the change of the environment, people, process, technology and business.

My previous company has been my comfort zone for quiet a time. Now that I moved out, I feel like I stepped into a different world. Strange! The changes are very obvious.

Sometime yesterday, I told myself to just feel the change and go on with the flow of the environment, be familiar with it because the change will become a part of me eventually. I’m here. This was what I was aiming for; the moving forward; the growing up. Now, I will just have to explore the change, understand, embrace it, and move forward with it while having a positive perspective in mind. This change is for my benefit.

On the lighter side, I am so excited to blog about receiving the gift sent across the miles from Allison. Thanks for Mel hosting the online exchange gift last December. Honestly, I never planned of joining but as if there's someone who coerced me to immediately signed for this activity. Turns out to be fun! Charge to experience. What I got? Two pieces of fashion jewelries: earrings & bracelet, a cosmetic set, a corsage and a journal. I absolutely like the journal, perfect for writing down thoughts. And the color, purple - love it ! Thanks again Allison. The package actually arrived second week of January. But since I addressed it to province, I was only able to check on it this week. Here are the snapshots... opps! the pictures are to follow. I am updating my blog from an internet cafe (I guess this will be the case from now on until my budget allows me to buy my own laptop), seems their USB port is not working :(

I fall in love with Theo again

First of all, Theo is not my boyfriend and there is no intimate strings that attached us. Most importantly, he is not a guy.

Okay, Theo is the fur-headed, the plumpy, the naive "Theodore" of Alvin and the chipmunks. Yes, I've watched Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel movie. But I admit, I like the first one better. I like their dialogue, the story, the music, their songs. And I laughed harder in the first movie than this one.

I instantly fell in love with Theodore after watching the first movie. Why did I fall in love with him? Maybe because of his timid and yet thoughtful lines. Or maybe because of his chubby cheeks that I really would like to pinch. The scene where he is requesting to sleep with Dave really appeals me.

"I had a nightmare... can I sleep with you? You won't even know I'm here...." And the next morning, you see him sleeping in Dave's face covering his eyes! (lol)

Switch topic: Today is my last day at office. I am torn between what was and what could be. Monday, I will be taking a different route. Excited. Sad but definitely happy for the change.

Life has great options. You don't always have to pick what seems to be the best. Sometimes, the best and the perfect are not always what makes you happy. You may have chosen what seems to be a wrong decision or caught in a not so good situation but at times, it is through them that our lives become better! These lines best describe all the unpleasant things that happened for the previous days. All are blessing in disguise.

It's Positive!!!

Before end of yesterday, I received two phone calls. An invitation for an interview scheduled within next week. Guess what? Those phone calls came from two of the prestigious, multi-national company: Accenture and Lawson! But it wasn't the chance of exploring opportunities with them that delighted me yesterday. It was the hope that came with those calls. Yes, those two companies were the ones I was eyeing on my previous job applications. Myself was appeased thinking if these companies are considering me regardless of my course, then why not the company I was about to join this Monday? My hope was rekindled. At last, I won't end up bumming around for God knows how long.

Then the night came. Sleep was scarce. I felt the tension again. It seems the renewed hope I just had earlier was flickering. Morning came and I received a text message from my headhunter instructing me to check my mail. I was hoping for a positive feedback but I don't want to set my expectation to something that I know will just disappoint me so I was thinking the other way around. I was really feeling butterflies on my stomach while I was on my way to office. If I could only have wings on my heels then I, by all odds, flew over Ayala just to reach my desk, open my computer and check my yahoo mail.

I was really praying and God again this time expedite the answers. There in my monitor the lines read: "...that would be fine and no conflict on her end since she is qualified for that position based on her work experience..."

I was just so happy and just murmured a thank you to Him.

I'm scanning my memory for what happened these past few days. I remember those phone calls. I realize just when I was feeling dejected, God made something happen through other people. By receiving that phone call, it helped me to be able to see through dark clouds with revived hope and a disposition that no matter what the result is, there are still better options for me to choose from.

And really, when it rain it pours! Because after reading that mail, I received a message from an overseas friend telling me that she was able to purchase the book I was hoping to buy online. And she is going to ship it within 4 to 14 days. Can't wait! Thanks Ferly. I know you're not reading my blog but just the same, thank you again. That book will help me in my next career project - acquiring an ISEB certification, hopefully.

Now I am just looking forward to Monday, my first day to this new endeavor. I am glad everyone is wishing me luck. Their encouragement is already a strong shield for me against whatever challenges I might face with this new work.

New work, new challenges. Higher position comes with greater responsibilities. Greater responsibilities come with greater risks. So help me God :)