Photodump: Friends Issue I

kuya Paul Wenceslao's birthday celebration

The birthday boy and I

Joaney and I checkin' out the crowd at Republiq

Yours truly in the mix at Republiq

Beautiful girls all over the... well, you get the picture. Ran into Bea Estrella, Abby Punzalan, and Evonne Trinidad. Here pictured with the usual suspects: Joane, Mack, and Jenn.

Here's a picture of my heart shaped mole. Ate Niccole couldn't get over it so she took a photo during my Friday morning drop-in.

Here I am at ate Niccole's bed tweeting.

With 2 of my favorite girls, Criela and Kyra during Ky's despedida.

Showing off my flexing prowess. Haha!

Crazy antics. Photo courtesy of Jenn.

Jenn and I when we surprised Mack by arriving at precisely 12am on her birthday.

Showing off just how incapable I am of taking a decent photo. Here pictured with the ever so lovely Jenn.

Again with the silly.

I am aware I have way too much energy for a photo. Here posing with Belo at LJ's flat in Serendra.

This about sums up our friendship. I am always the mischievous one. Here with Criela, Kyra and Wendy.

Eating Myc's food is definitely one of our favorite past times.

Very attractive, Myc. Go get 'em, you heartthrob.

I miss you already, Mack.

Criela took this photo of me at home during a surprise visit from her and LJ.

Criela, Myc and I on one of our strange adventures.

Persian Square date with Ms. Criela. Mmmhm.

Coercing friends to meet up with Criela and myself.

Watching the World Cup Championship game with Kalvin and Mikaela. Go La Furia Roja!



AM and I donning red to show our support for the Spanish National Team. We bleed red. No, really.

Kalvin and I chillin' like the villains we are at Jenn's room.

That's it for now, folks. Watch out for the next wave of photos coming your way soon. For now, I need to rest because I've got an early start with work tomorrow. Wish me luck and lots of energy! The next batch will prominently feature Miss Mackenzie Molina's surprise birthday party and will aptly be called Photodump: Mack's Surprise Party.

Ciao, bellas!
Essa

Relationships

Over countless days spent in long conversations with girlfriends complaining and bemoaning men, nitpicking and analyzing every single little detail; where the problem was, what went wrong, I think I've found the answer.

Men aren't the problem, or rather, not entirely the problem. In a culture such as ours, where we demand equality with all, the double standards don't start and end with us women. We've relentlessly shoved back at the media for portraying strong women as shrews and incapable of emotion while allowing men to be successful in both their love lives and careers simultaneously. Yet even as we greedily ask for equality, we wish to preserve and continue the older days of courtship. We want to be wooed. We want romance. We want a grand passion. We want for men to make a great sacrifice as proof of their love and devotion to us. How is it fair that while demanding equality, we also ask for a prince, for lack of a better word; someone to try and win us over? And when the men we pick fail to deliver, we immediately label them as jerks and assholes unworthy of our affection.

How will these men tread the thin chord of treating us equally without crossing over to being chauvinistic? We demand for the same treatment yet take it is a personal attack when we're subjected to a scolding that were it a man in our position, the "scolder" wouldn't have to worry about a harassment case being filed against him.

My point is this, how many times can you expect to tell a man he's being sexist and wrong and idiotic until he finally gives in and stops trying to prove you otherwise? How many times can you expect to tell them something while meaning another thing entirely? We women and our games, expecting to be spoiled and satisfied and satiated at all times, at all costs.

This is unfair, though. The blame isn't entirely on us. More than half the time, we do get it right: Men are scum. Maybe not for the reason we think, but for other unknown reasons as well. They take advantage when they think we won't notice. A few try to bend and subject us to their iron forged will.

The solution: Combat their wills forged of iron with our spines made of steel.

Maybe men and women aren't really soulmates. Maybe our soulmates are our bestfriends and our significant others is just someone you like a little bit more than you like the other members of their gender.

Baffled,

Essa.

Saturday Morning Playlist

Right before heading to bed on this rainy Saturday morning, just as I was finishing up listening to the songs of my past, ate Jill and Pop asked me to join them with the grocery shopping for the week.

This led to me dragging my silly behind to the shower. First time in months that I've been out in broad daylight, albeit no sunlight in this venture.

It's fine. The ice cream we had after totally compensated for the lack of sleep for this little girl.

Saturday Morning Playlist:

1.) Driftwood - Travis
2.) Champagne Supernova - Oasis
3.) Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? - She & Him
4.) Heartbeat - Shouting For Girls
5.) Young Folks - The Kooks
6.) Birds Of A Feather - The Rosenbergs
7.) The Faster The Treadmill... - I Fight Dragons

Hunger

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Home

Goodbyes are the one thing that never gets old. No matter how many goodbyes you've had, it still stings every time it happens. The human capacity for endurance never ceases to amaze me... most times in a good way, but sometimes in a harsh one. Every time we experience something good, there's that lingering fear of loss. Hidden in the deepest, darkest, corners and crevices of our minds, maybe, but still always present; never gone. It's why we take so greedily moments of true, uninhibited, utter joy. Still, while knowing that this happiness is fleeting, we jump on it every chance we get. Have we all turned to martyrdom? Or is the opposite true -- do we believe so easily that this goodbye is always the last?

I recently got back from another trip to Singapore to visit my sister and her family. While there, we picked up right where we left off. Maybe that's the good thing about family... you're connected at the heart so there's nothing you can do that can ever make them stop loving you. The days were spent laughing and hugging and reminiscing and catching up. By the last day though, a sadness hung in the air. A felt finality for this too short reprieve. An unsung melody. A goodbye.

Our eyes were red from trying to prevent the tears from inevitably falling, our nostrils flared and quivered with the effort to hold them back. You have never known pain if you've never seen a reluctant yet inescapable parting between loved ones. With this though, comes the bliss of knowing that you'll soon be together again. But honestly, even that knowledge won't be enough to console you for the moment.

My sister once told me that the best part of leaving home is coming home. So with that in mind and heart, I impatiently wait for my family to come where there is a surfeit of laughter and an abundance of love... home.

**

Photos:

Gettin' some dinner at the airport.

Constant companions: Drei & ate Iyay

Smoking Lounge. Can you spot me?

John Grisham's The Chamber.

One of the greatest things in the world is waking up to you, Baba.

On our way to Universal Studios. Yay!

Just 3 of the most beautiful ladies in the world.

[NOTE: Photos will be added later on.]

Behold the Red Fury

I can't even begin to explain how happy I am with the worldcup finals. Here were some thoughts I wanted to tweet while watching the game:

(Chronological)

- Undeserved Yellow Card for Puyol.

- Sergio Ramos getting a Yellow Card was another WTF moment.

- I want your million pound fingers, Iker. Nice saves.

- 3 Yellow Cards for Netherlands. I demand Red! Poor Xabi received a flying kick to the chest. ):

- ICU Morgan Freeman lookin' all glum.

- FLY, IKER!

- Free Kick fail by Netherlands. Ahahaha!

- STAY AWAY FROM PUYOL says the referee. :P

- I spot the FAKED double whammy by Netherlands.

- Keep calm, Xabi love.

- FLY, PUYOL.

- Don't push Xabi, Netherlands! ):

- 4 Yellow Cards and counting for Netherlands.

- Poor Villa! 5 Yellow Cards for Netherlands.

- Referee trying to join in on the game. ROFLMAO.

- Jesus Navas, I feel like you're going to become a Spanish Commodity very soon.

- Casillas is a beasssst! My heart leapt at that almost goal but San Iker made sure to protect Spain.

- Seriously? at that Yellow Card for Capdevila. 3 Yellow Cards for Spain. Blood bath!

- LOL at everyone watching Sergio Ramos head action. Too adorbs for words.

- Iniesta is PISSED.

- Iker, you truly are a saint.

- Do your thing, sexy Cesc!

- I love Xabi's little cheer to Cesc as Cesc Fabregas subbed for him. ( :

- Extra time. Getting nervous!

- Netherlands finally getting a Red Card! ABOUT TIME.

- Another Yellow Card for Netherlands making it an even 6!

- Fernando Torres is in! My baby Nando. ( :

- Angry Iker is sexy. His face during that scary Netherlands free kick was dreamy.

- INIESTA GOAL!

- Iker and his tears of joy. ( :

- Another Yellow Card for Spain. Sergio Busquets making it a 4!

- Baby Nando pulled a hamstring. ) :

- Baby Iker's face while carrying the trophy. (:

I watched the game over at Copper Grill with AM, Kalvin, Mikaela, Smao, Nas, Yas, Chaz, Don, Rid, Markee and Russ. We all had such a blast! AM and I donned red shirts, red headbands, and red lips to show our support. Viva La Furia Roja!

"...sheer talent and a distaste for nastiness can prevail."

- CBS News Sportswriter Chris Matyszczyk on Spain's world cup victory

ECSTATIC,

Essa.

Show me the light... or not.

Earlier today, I attended a bible study that my good friend, Mackenzie, frequented. In the meeting, we were shown a video clip of a man professing his faith in the Almighty. He compared an individual's faith in God to that of a husband & wife's relationship -- with God playing the husband, and man taking on the role of wife. He proclaimed how very wrong most people's perception of God is, that God is a shepherd and we're all here to do his bidding, and it got me to thinking, how many theories about God and Man are there... and are some truer than others?

Listening to the opinions of the different members of this group was almost disheartening in its same-ness. I witnessed first-hand how easily swayed some people are by provocative words and enthusiastic sermons. Should they attend an anti-religious meeting... would they just as easily believe in the worst? Still, amidst my initial disappointment, it was wonderful to know that in a world as jaded and cynical as ours, there still exists the perennial optimists. Those so ready to walk the earth blind.

Where is the line differentiating the over-religious zealots and the believers though? One of the questions asked by the group facilitator was that which one of us had people we could say knew us completely, and I was the only one to raise my hand. A sudden burst of angry protests erupted from that insanely small number of people. I was attacked for my beliefs. Whatever happened to "To each their own"? If this works for me... then why "fix" what isn't broken?

By the end of the meeting, I was convinced that these people simply wanted to liken coincidences to destiny. They fantasized and sensationalized common occurrences to glorious events. Are these people setting themselves up for disappointment... or are we just happy in the fact that we are not overly happy? I became even more questioning and skeptical of religion after having attended this session.

One thing is for certain though, I just came home from a meeting with a group of people who never tire of hearing their own voices and enjoy convincing people that they are in the know.

A bible study full of megalomaniacs. Irony certainly has a dirty sense of humor.

Perplexed,
Essa