hip-hop

i had a blast tonight. it was my second attempt to attend a hip-hop class at the gym, and i'm glad it turned out great.

my first attempt was way back two years ago, and it sucked. the instructor was more concerned about you getting each and every step right rather than making people enjoy. as if we are professional dancers!

but this time around, the instructor told us upfront, "i don't mind if you suck or if you couldn't get the steps right, all i want is for everyone to have fun". and that spelled the difference!

the tune was "my style" from black eyed peas' new album. the steps were complicated at times; no one could get the fourth set of steps right cause the beat was damn too fast. but nobody cared, we were laughing and having fun the entire hour.

oh well, looks like i found myself a new dig every tuesday night...

salamat

may malaking pangyayaring nagbabadyang maganap
na sa ngayo'y wala pang katiyakang

hatid nito'y panibagong pintong magbubukas
dala sa aki'y magagandang oportunidad

new and big opportunities are on deck. things have been looking up for me these past few years. and just tonight, i received a letter from my landlord saying they prefer sign me up for another 2 years - without any rent increase - even though rents in my area are up by 10-15%.

but now, i'm scared. ano kayang "kapalit" ang naghihintay sa aking kapalaran? ayokong isipin pero the law of gravity says, "what goes up must come down". it's scaring the shits out of me - seriously.

but at the height of my paranoia, something dawned on me. i'm so blessed and i have to be thankful. god has blessed me so much and i have to be thankful to him.

funny how He has continued to bless me, in spite of what i've been and what i've become. maybe heto nga yung "unconditional love" that they've been talking about. mapa-sino ka man, mapa-ano ka man, anuman ang iyong nagawa sa buhay, He does love us unconditionally.

hindi ako madasaling tao. heck, i'm not religious, period (contrary to what some may have thought). i have very personal reasons for this, but tonight, i'm putting them aside, because i know i owe a lot to Him and the "world" in general.

napakadaling tumanggap pero mas madaling makalimot magpasalamat
hayaan nyo akong magpaabot ng isang mataimtim na pasasalamat sa nasa Itaas.

thank you...
...for all the blessings you've continued to shower upon me
...for all the doors of opportunity that continue to open for me
...for all the challenges that have made me smarter and wiser (hopefully)
...for all the frustrations that have made me stronger and tougher
...for all the experiences that have made this life richer
...for the smiles, tears and fears that break the monotony of life
...for the optimism that ensures i get to always "hang on"
...for the pragmatism that keeps me always grounded
...for the safe and peaceful environment that i now live in
...for the music, the talk and the shows that add color to my living
...(i just have to have this in filipino) para sa sining ng pamilmilosopiya na nagbibigay ng kahulugan sa bawat karanasan ng buhay
...for the opportunity to share my life with, and maybe inspire, people around me
...for the opportunity to help others and give back whatever i've received
...for being able to live a meaningful and fruitful life
...for a wonderful set of parents that love me more than i can understand
...for people who have allowed me to enter their lives as a friend or acquaintance
...for people who trust me with their problems and secrets, and look up to me for advice (i am not worthy!!!)
...for people who have believed in me and continue to believe in me, even though i don't believe in myself 98% of the time (let's leave the 2% for pride)
...for the people who just lets me be me, whoever and whatever i may be
...for the people that remain civil to me no matter how much they hate me
...for the people who have "rejected" me or doubted me in one way or another that have subsequently have made me tougher (and bitchier)
...for the people who intimidate me that have forced me to learn to deal with my insecurities

...for the people i work with who bring laughter each day - or otherwise
...for the people who bear with my complexity, bitchiness, craziness and "attitude"
...for friends that continue to love you and make you feel loved no matter how many thousand miles away you may be.

marami pa'kong dapat ipagpasalamat
isang gabi'y lubhang di sapat
upang lahat ng ito ay maisulat

itong pagbati'y taos-puso't at di lamang pabalat
sa Kanya sa itaas at sa inyong lahat
maraming maraming maraming salamat

(shet ang drama ko!)

breakfast

everyday, on my way to work, i pick-up breakfast from maxim's cake shop. it's one of the more popular bakeshops here in hk ala goldilocks or red ribbon.

on monday, a new bread/roll (whatever!) immediately caught my fancy. you see, i usually take two pieces everyday, and when you do that for five days a week, you simply don't have a lot of choices. so a new "flavor" definitely gets me all curious.

"blueberry and cream cheese" one sign read. hmmm, sounds good. i got it. and i later found out that it was, um, a blueberry cheesecake stuffed inside a bread.

"italian beef" another sign read. hmmm, maybe it's ground beef in tomato sauce ala calzone. but no, as you can see it was a double dose of carbo...

...yes, that's right. it's fusili in tomato meat sauce stuffed inside a bread! i'm very much willing to share. anyone interested?!