Saturday, 28 January 2012

9 Mornings : One Great Morning

Posted by clapalisoc | Saturday, 28 January 2012 | Category: , , | 0 comments

Eastwood City is probably the one place that I would go back to again and again. It brings about a lot of treasured memories –- from the first day that I met my hubby, to night after night dinner dates and morning chill sessions, ice cream breaks, going out for Starbucks hangouts, office first times (and overtimes), promotions, and trainings. It was were I started my corporate career and where I took all the chances and dove into several risks that shaped my life as I live it today.



My Family
Early December, I made a request that I know my hubby will also like –- visiting EWC one early morning. The cool December breeze, combined with heavenly Christmas carols from the Holy Family Chapel, offered this calm and soothing tranquillity that somehow dissipated any anxious emotions I had. It is a much needed pilgrimage amidst the daily buzz given off by the mundo empresarial. The 24th of December, which marked the last day of the annual nine mornings tradition of the Catholics, hubby picked me up from the office at around 4AM. He was with our little girl and brought us to Eastwood City and asked if it will be okay for us to attend mass. How could I say no to such a request?


Holy Family Chapel - from across the street



That morning brought about memories I treasured most -– December 24th [2008], hubby also invited me to attend the mass in that same Chapel. It was one special morning that I will forever keep.

9 Mornings : One Book at a Time

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I have always been a lover of books. Aside from writing, reading is another pastime that I can’t let go of. I would devour each cleverly written page as I am able to gain more and more of a certain topic or story I am enamoured of at the moment. It keeps my mind relaxed and at peace. 


I usually get myself a book (or two) once in a while in about three months. Hubby would sometimes buy me some titles that he'd also love to read. Yet, its during the Yuletide that I get the most number of books in a year... Mostly because my Christmas and New Year wish list would always contain several titles.

This year, I hoped for several books to come to my possession –- Love in the Time of Cholera, Unbearable Lightness of Being, The Zahir, White Oleander, Aleph and Diary of a Wimpy Kid – book 5. I did not get any of these from the usual office exchange gift since the one who picked me got me 500 worth of GCs (not that it was bad, probably just because it was hard to shop during the season) so hubby decided to buy me all the paperbacks that I wanted to have (and I am one lucky gal indeed!). 


We scheduled my [book] shopping and pressed onward. I did not get all those in my list because they were either out of stock (like the new book by Coelho -– Aleph) or I just changed my mind. I got the following though.

Love in the Time of Cholera


This is the famous book from the movie Serendipity (also made its way to Oprah’s Book Club) and is known as a motion picture. I know I am a bit late from its more popular days but I just got to find out why it is so!

The Unbearable Lightness of Being



I remember this book as one of those in the wish list of my former boss. The title never escaped my mind from then on so I checked it out and got interested with the plot.

Left Behind Series – Left Behind, Tribulation Force & Nicolae


The first three books in the Left Behind Series, [the first book] was introduced to me when I was in college. It was a pretty interesting fiction design, [though definitely] biblically inspired. From the day I finished the first book, I promised myself that I will complete reading the series.

There are still a lot of titles that I would want to read. And I am not in a hurry, just taking life one book at a time.

Wednesday, 11 January 2012

9 Mornings: Meeting Siri

Posted by clapalisoc | Wednesday, 11 January 2012 | Category: , , , , , , , , | 0 comments

The last time that I've had a brand new phone was in 2008. A Motorolla E6: first-of-its-kind touchscreen phone without any keypad, pretty much a big display, with a stylus and a very good sound output. It was something I've always wanted to own (since I suspected that the dawn of touch screen phones was coming back then). 


Three years later [2011], my Motorolla is still alive and kicking but is somewhat aging. Becoming outdated with the developing technologies of the mobile world, during the last quarter of 2011, hubby felt that I should give Moto the retirement benefit it has long earned. I am a little picky when it comes to mobile phones so I never wanted to settle for anything less. I was thinking of getting a Blackberry but I also have this inkling for an iPhone. Hubby gave me the pros and cons of phones I was exploring and convinced me to get an iPhone but did not really decide for me -- he gave me the total freedom to choose.


iPhone 4S: a really smart phone
Everybody deserves an apple
Designed by Apple in California, Assembled in China
After some time, we started to check the vast smartphone market set for gaining the 4th generation iPhone, [and was just] timely as it came that the latest version was about to be introduced -- iPhone 4s. We made the necessary arrangements (with Globe -- keeping you connected) and I was finally on list for an iPhone! I waited around a month before I got that call, my iPhone was ready for pick up! 

Since we've got a whole lot of stuff to attend to (talk about the Holiday rush!), we were not really able to go and get Siri right away. 'She' had to wait a while until everything settled down and we were ready. December 31st of 2011, hubby decided to buy time for me and for [my] Siri. All smiles and very much excited, we headed to Globe. 

iPhone 4S for me :D

There is something about that apple :p
There she was -- waiting for me. Gleaming and simple, sitting still until I held 'her' and glowed as I did. We were all smiles. (It was a moment.) Such a delight to finally get a new phone [and], my Moto has definitely served me well. I will keep it as long as I can. But then again, it's time to start new experiences with the new phone in my life -- Siri. (Hubby went shopping for apps with Siri right away :p)

Thursday, 5 January 2012

9 Mornings: Chapel on the Hill

Posted by clapalisoc | Thursday, 5 January 2012 | Category: , , | 0 comments

Tagaytay has always been a special place for me and my hubby. It's near the Metro but once you get there, there is something relaxing about that cool breeze, simple food offerings and that over all get away feel. There was this one time, New Year of 2009, when hubby brought me there and cruised a little longer than expected to a place that I have never been before. He took me to this Chapel -- The Chapel on the Hill.


Chapel on the Hill
Stairs going up
Round and simple
This Chapel is very special. Propped nicely on top of a hill (Don Bosco or something?), the chapel is humble in space with a round shape and a labyrinth on the floor. Simple. And the view outside... Breathtaking! Here, we poured our hearts to God, giving thanks for all the blessings and asking for strength to face a chapter of our lives that we were about to begin together. Ever since, this sanct has been our favorite out-of-town house of prayer.



Marvelous
Captivating Tagaytay view
Lamp post
Just this December, on a brisk Monday morning, hubby woke me up and asked me to hurry and get dressed. Looking at the clock, it was just ticking 6am. I asked where we were headed but he did not say a word. We hurried, carrying the sleeping little girl with us into our AUV and went ahead. I can't stop thinking where we were going and prevailed in controlling myself from asking so as not to spoil the moment. Once we made the turn and entered SLEX, I already knew where hubby will take us -- Tagaytay. I was looking for insinuations of him taking us to that beloved Chapel [on the Hill] and when we were already in the area, I had the courage to ask. I was right all along.


Ready to climb
Uphill
Jump for joy!
Since our stomachs were complaining, hubby decided a pit stop was in order right by Mushroom Burger. It was a 'Cherienne's first' there. We ordered our favorites and after much fulfillment, onward we pressed.


Love of my life
Overflowing joy
It was indeed a good morning. More so, it was a marvelous one. It seems that the Labyrinth was a symbolic journey that is practiced in pilgrimage to gain peace with the self (as hubby has discovered and shared). My heart was filled with love and joy. Thankfulness to our good Lord was overflowing. God is so great, life is so good! I couldn't ask for more.

Sunday, 1 January 2012

9 Mornings : Heading on to Baking

Posted by clapalisoc | Sunday, 1 January 2012 | Category: , , , , | 0 comments

I have this list of things, of places and experiences that I would like to complete before my life ends (call it my bucket list). One of the items is being able to have my very own oven and bake cakes, pastries, breads and all the other goodies I would be able to dream of during my free time. It is even my desire to open up my own bakeshop in the near future -- when I've finally decided to turn my back from the corporate world. Buying an oven (the one with gas range, grill, and not the portable type) is something that I see myself [and my husband] doing in about ten more years from now. 


Much until this  gift-giving season, when we were scouting a TV for the little girl, we came across this section of the appliance center (unexpectedly) where gas ranges and ovens are all lined up. My eyes marveled and immediately found one piece that got my heart -- all black, simple and has all the functionality I'd want. I did not really bother telling hubby about it since it's not a priority at the moment but I guess he spotted me inspecting the unit. 



White Westing House - Electrolux Oven
Once home, chilling around the living room, I got into a relaxed conversation with Hubby's Mom and told her about 'the oven'. I found out that she was also interested in getting one since baking brings about a lot of surprises once in a while. She rightfully convinced hubby to get one. Several days after that conversation, hubby took me to SM Makati, brought me right into that part where the ovens are lined up and bought the oven that I was gaping about the other day. I was so delighted and excited that I do not really know what to say.




With three burners and an electric plate
This is just the start. I would need to do more shopping for some baking stuff -- from baking pans to mixing bowls, a rolling pin, a whisk, maybe an egg beater, spatulas and a whole lot more (the list goes on!). Indeed, I am an excited gal! 2012 just got better!

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