Examples:
Everyone, as in EVERYONE, say ‘you’re welcome’ every time you thank them. And I thank everyone whoever did anything for me, like fill up my glass of bottomless iced tea, pick up something I dropped, let me pass him or her in a public vehicle, everyone. So here, if I’m sitting at a table in a restaurant, you’d hear me thanking all the servers whoever came near our table and you’d hear all of them say you’re welcome every time.

Everyone, as in EVERYONE, is very nice about me not speaking Bisaya. You know in Manila when people do not speak Tagalog (or straight English), they sneer at you? Here they immediately adjust to you and are sorry that they didn’t ask you a question in a language or dialect you’d understand. They don’t make you feel stupid because you don’t understand them, but they make you feel like they’re the one who’re sorry that they asked you in Bisaya. There were quite a few who immediately switched to English while talking to me.

My very favorite incident yesterday. I went to school with Jette and stopped by BPI at the corner of Perdices Street and Legaspi (I think… that’s what it said on the ATM locator) to settle my credit card bill, and when I went to the counter, the manong there told me to fill out a deposit slip. I had no idea what to do or which information to put on the slip because in Manila, I just hand over the statement and they process it for me. So I might have stayed in front of the table where you fill out the forms for a solid ten minutes before dejectedly going back to the counter. With puppy dog eyes, I said, “sir, hindi po ako marunong mag-fill out ng slip kaya hindi ko po alam kung anong ilalagay. Hindi po kasi ako hinihingan ng deposit slip sa Manila, eh”.

He looked at my form, nodded and took out a huge pad of deposit slips. He got a sheet of carbon paper, too, put it under the first page, and started scribbling. Then, he tore the deposit slip I made the way I imagine the Katipuneros tore their cedula. I was standing there, biting my lip to keep from squirming, but he processed my payment, stapled my receipt and the deposit slip with my statement and handed it over to me. He said with a smile, “ayan, para may sample ka”.

Is it stupid that felt touched? I mean, who but a Dumagueteño would think to do that? I was impressed with the initiative. So manong, I didn’t get your name, but thank you, thank you, thank you very much.

If everyone in Dumaguete were customer service representatives, there would be very few angry customers. They’re all so genuinely warm and welcoming and… nice, you’d be embarrassed to be irate. Plus the service is always good, you’d be hard-pressed to think of anything to be irate about.

I wish I’m just starting to write Jacob’s story so I could have put more emphasis on the Dumagueteños. I wasn’t able to portray how beautiful it really is here and how beautiful the people are. ‘Di bale, marami pa akong characters na pwedeng dalin dito…

*huwag ka kumindat diyan, nameless-kapatid-ni-Jacob*

Day 1: March 6
Landed a little after 3 p.m., went home to drop off our stuff at Jette’s (aka Edith Joaquin) house, then off to get groceries from Robinson’s Place before Gabby’s Bistro! Yay! Had Cajun Chicken Fingers, Mozarella sticks and lemonade (and am now hungry). Caught the start of a National Geographic Channel documentary on the Porsche 911 (and drooled) before losing consciousness.

Day 2: March 7
Woke up at around 9 a.m., had brekkie… did we have breakkie? I can’t remember. Then I went online to catch up on work for a while while Jette cooked pasta putanesca ala Jette (yuuuum). Had lunch, then Jette took a nap while I worked some more. We went to a recital at Siliman University and watched the performances by Sidlakang Negros Vox Orphanorium and Siliman University’s COPA (College of Performing Arts) Chanters. I loved the music and envy those who are blessed. Then we went to Hayahay for Fruit Pizza. I was intrigued enough to try it but thought it was weird. Put a bite in my mouth and heard angels sing. I think I can live on it for days and days and days. Then we went back to Robinson’s Place to watch Alice in Wonderland! I enjoyed it. Love Johnny Depp and Tim Burton and Helen Bonham-Carter and Alan Rickman. Then home where I snacked on leftover pizza and read Kyle before bed.

Day 3: March 8
Woke up at around 7, got up at 8. Worked, worked, worked after a breakfast of leftover cheese popcorn. Cleaned up the living room (which I’ve already messed up again) a bit then plunked down to watch the Oscars. Ben Stiller was awesome as a Na’vi haha loved Sandra Bullock’s speech. Now have a long list of movies I want to watch. Congratulations to Kathryn Bigelow for being the first female to ever win an Oscar for Best Director. She’s extremely talented and also very pretty. Twilight’s Anna Kendrick was also gorgeous. I loved Kirsten Stewart’s gown but she looked awkward in it especially when she was introducing the horror movies whachamacallit. Brain stopped function when I saw Ryan Reynolds, Sam Worthington and Robert Downey, Jr. Had a sandwich, milk tea and leftover pasta for lunch, then watched videos on YouTube. Such as the one posted below:

Bathe, did the laundry, then worked on this entry. The day’s still kinda young

Will update later.

So happy, kailangan talaga glitter text LOL

I think the scariest part of being a writer is actually having what you’ve written published and released for people to read, enjoy, love or hate. I know all my stories will not be good, and people will love them or hate them, and either way, they will be more than happy to tell me. Siyempre, sana people will love them. However beautiful or horrible a story is, its author wrote it from the heart. So when you hear people tell them they like your work… nakakataba talaga ng puso.

Thank You, Neish! You made my day

* Quote from Mother Teresa.

The Marcellano Promise (Book 1 of 4): Falling For Vann
Yumi Sagara

Para kay Samantha, hindi na kailangang sabihin pa ni Patrick Vann Marcellano ang tatlong mahiwagang salita; sigurado siya, mahal siya ng lalaki.

Mula nang magkita silang muli, wala nang ginawa ang lalaki kundi kulitin siya na tanggapin ang inaalok nitong trabaho sa sarili nitong kompanya. Gusto siyang tulungan ni Vann na kalimutan ang kamatayan ni Allen, ang kuya nito na siyang una niyang pag-ibig, and ultimately stay permanently in their little town. Kabaligtaran ng ginagawa nitong pang-aaway nito sa kanya noong mga teenagers pa lang sila, ngayon ay gusto na siyang pasayahin ng kababata—which he did.

Ngunit nang bumalik ang hindi naman pala namatay na si Allen, nagkaroon na si Samantha ng alinlangan ukol sa damdamin ni Vann para sa kanya. Because, suddenly, he was driving her away….

The Marcellano Promise (Book 2 of 4): All For Froilan
Yumi Sagara

Tila isang anghel sa buhay ni Aki si Froilan Marcellano. Isa itong mabuting kaibigan. Noong magipit siya, pinatira siya ng binata sa bahay nito. Walang malisya sa pagitan nilang dalawa dahil bukod sa wala siyang panahon sa pag-ibig at pagyaman ang nasa isip niya, hindi rin pagnanasaan ni Aki ang mukhang seminaristang kaibigan. Isa pa, mabait at gentleman ito. Panatag ang loob niyang hinding-hindi siya nito ‘gagapangin’.

Kahit nang umalis ng bansa ang kaibigan, nanatili pa rin siya sa bahay nito. Ang hindi inakala ni Aki, isang hunk na Froilan ang babalik matapos ang ilang taon. And my, he was gorgeous… and hot!

Natagpuan ng dalaga ang sarili na siya mismong ‘gumagapang’ kay Froilan isang gabi. Pero patulan naman kaya nito ang gaya niyang isang charity case lang yata sa paningin ng binata?

The Marcellano Promise (Book 3 of 4): Forever With Luke
Yumi Sagara

Ang tanging nais ni Summer sa buhay ay makaalis sa bayang kinalakihan. Sawang-sawa na siya sa lahat ng sulok ng bayan ng Estrella at gusto niya ng bagong kapaligiran, ng mga bagong kakilala. Hindi niya rin makita ang sarili na mag-aasawa at tatanda roon.

Kabaligtaran iyon ng mga plano ni Luke. Gusto lang ng kababata na maging doktor sa ospital sa bayan nila, magkapamilya at mamuhay nang tahimik.

Kaya bagaman natutunan na nilang mahalin ang isa’t isa, iniwan ni Summer ang lalaki para hanapin ang lugar niya sa ilalim ng araw.

Only to discover that her heart would always belong to Luke at kakayanin niya palang manatili sa kahit saang parte ng mundo basta kasama niya ito.

So she came back to Estrella. But it was too late…

The Marcellano Promise (Book 4 of 4): A Bride For Parker
Yumi Sagara

Namomomroblema si Allyson Trinidad kung paano uuwi sa San Joaquin at harapin ang kanyang konserbatibong mga magulang ngayong buntis siya at tinakbuhan ng buwisit na ama ng batang kanyang dinadala.

Salamat na lang at isang estrangherong nagngangalang Parker Marcellano ang nakilala niya at nag-offer ng tulong. He was willing to pose as her husband sa harap ng parents niya.

Ngunit hindi niya nahulaan na pareho nilang magugustuhan ang pagpapanggap. And Allyson found herself wishing na sana ay totoo ngang asawa niya ang lalaki.

Pero walang puwang ang pag-ibig sa buhay ni Parker. His zest was for the outdoors, sports and adventures. Hindi ang tipo nito ang natatali lang sa trabaho at bahay.

In particular, major no-no kay Parker ang matali sa isang babae….

Love Next Door
Hannah Wabe

Hindi na kailangan ng anumang verbal cue. Sigurado si Dr. Ethan Uy, he had the hots for his very hot neighbor.

Simula noong lumipat ito sa condominium unit na katabi ng sa kanya, nagulo na ni Josephine Hernandez ang buhay niya. Hindi naging hadlang ang manipis na dingding na naghihiwalay sa mga kuwarto nila para maging malapit sila sa isa’t isa. Every night, as they lay on their respective beds, they would talk about almost anything. At sa bawat gabi, lalo siyang naaakit sa kapitbahay. Kung ang pantasya niyang matulog sila sa iisang kama ang basehan, mukhang masama nga ang tama niya sa dalaga.

What was worse, his best laid-out plans were now in disarray because of this—kabilang na roon ang plano niyang mag-propose sa girlfriend niya….

I Love You Most
Jean Mae Oryza

“I want you to pull out your books from all bookstores. Pino-pollute mo lang ang utak ng mga kababaihan sa librong ’yan,” feeling hari na deklara ni Patrick, hawak ang librong isinulat ni Joanna na pinamagatang ‘I Love Me More’.

“May sariling utak ang mga readers ko. At saka, maimpluwensyahan ko man ang girlfriend mo o hindi, hindi mo pa rin naman siya puwedeng pakasalan,” balik-singhal niya.

“Mabuti’t nabanggit mo ’yan.” Nagsalubong lalo ang mga kilay ng lalaki. “Ang lakas ng loob mong ilagay diyan that you’re single when in fact, seven years ka nang married!”

Napahumindig siya.“Wala kang karapatang pakialaman ang buhay ko.”

Nakakaloko ang ngiti ni Patrick. “I don’t think so. Because, my dear Joanna, whether you like it or not, I am still your husband.”

Miss Perfect No More
Ella Gualvez

Sa mata ng lahat, perpekto si Megan Mejia. Sophisticated, demure, elegante at well-bred ang imahe niya sa mga kakilala. But that was all it was—an image. A façade. Kabaligtaran ng lahat ng adjectives na ipinangde-describe sa kanya ang tunay na Megan. Sigurado rin siyang mawawalan siya ng kaibigan sa opisina kung alam ng mga ito kung gaano siya ka-peke.

Kaya naman ganoon na lang ang takot niya nang mabuko ni Troy ang pinakatatago-tago niyang sekreto at i-blackmail siya nitong ipagkakalat iyon kapag hindi siya nakipag-date dito. Kandatayo na ang balahibo niya isipin pa lang niya ang magiging reaksyon ng mga katrabaho kapag nakarating sa mga ito kung ano at sino talaga siya.

Walang ibang choice para kay Megan kundi tanggapin ang paghihiganti ng lalaking nasaktan niya ng pride at puso ten years ago….

The Lady In Red Velvet
Audrey Torres

Bago pa man siya sumabak sa trabahong iiwan sa kanya ng tiyahin, inihanda na ni Doris ang kalooban sa pagharap sa bagong amo na ayon sa Tita Agnes niya ay eccentric, perfectionist, ruthless, heartless at supladong slave driver.

Pero hindi siya naging handa sa natuklasan: Si Mags Brennan ang estrangherong sapilitang nangolekta ng ‘thank you kiss’ mula sa kanya matapos siya nitong iligtas sa manyakis niyang date, one fateful, unforgettable night.

At lalong hindi niya inasahan ang lungkot at disappointment nang wala siyang makitang recognition sa expression ng boss niya. Habang siya ay kayang iguhit ang mukha nito by memory, si Mags ay hindi yata mai-connect ang clumsy secretary sa kaakit-akit na babaeng naka-red dress noong gabing iyon….

A Treasure To Hold
Precy Dizon-Kohl

Ang sabi ni Bryan, naaalala raw nito ang sarili sa kanya. Gaya ni Meredith, loner din ang binata noon. Iyon umano ang dahilan kaya siya nito inaalok ng pakikipagkaibigan. Mukhang tama naman ang desisyon niyang tanggapin iyon dahil natuklasan niyang masaya nga palang magkaroon ng kaibigang lalaki.

Pero giit ng best friend niyang si Racquel, a man and a woman cannot be just friends. Malamang daw na may gusto sa kanya ang mayamang binata. Tinawanan niya lang iyon. Imposible sa tingin niya ang teorya ng kaibigan dahil maraming babaeng naghahabol kay Bryan at sigurado siyang lahat iyon ay higit ang katangian sa kanya. Isa pa, may mahal siyang iba.

Ngunit iba ang ipinapahiwatig ng kabog ng dibdib niya sa tuwing masasalubong ng paningin niya ang masuyong tingin ng binata…

Along Comes A Stranger
Mari Calingayan

Natigilan si Mark sa akmang pagsasabon sa caretaker ng bahay nila, na noon lang niya pinuntahan matapos ang ilang taon. Sampung minuto na siyang kumakatok sa pinto at nakababad sa ilalim ng malakas na ulan. Balak yata siyang patayin sa pulmonya ng tagapangalaga ng bahay bago siya papasukin sa loob niyon.

Ganoon na lang ang gulat niya nang hindi ang inaasahang matandang lalaki ang nagbukas ng pinto. Sa halip, bumungad sa kanya ang isang pagkaganda-gandang babae na sa amo ng mukha ay papasa sa role ng anghel sa pelikula.

Ngunit may hawak itong shotgun sa isang kamay at determinadong nakatutok iyon sa kanya….

Kailangan Ko’y Ikaw
Suzette Brioso

Parang biniro ng tadhana si Nadia nang makilala niya si Mohammed Montelibano, ang may-ari ng ospital na kanyang pinagtatrabahuhan. Nahuhulaan niya sa mga ikinikilos nito na may gusto ito sa kanya. At may bumabangong takot sa dibdib niya dahil doon.

Isang karangalan na pinag-aaksayahan siya ng atensyon ng isang guwapo, mayaman at makapangyarihan na binata. Pero batid niyang kailangang maging handa rin siyang masaktan sakaling hayaan niya ang sariling tuluyang umibig dito. Hindi imposible na libangan lang ang tingin sa kanya ni Mohammed—isang diversion habang hinihintay nito ang pagsakatuparan sa matagal nang napagkasunduang kasal nito sa babaeng gaya nito ay mula rin sa isang makapangyarihang pamilya….

My Love, My Hero
Ada Manahan

In a matter of minutes, pagkababa sa eroplano ay nagulo ang plano ni Bea na pagbabakasyon sa Pilipinas. Bigla na lang siyang dinamba, pinosasan at dinala sa NBI mula sa airport. In-interrogate siya tungkol sa mapanganib umanong drug lord. Kahit nang walang makitang ebidensya ng koneksyon niya sa mga kriminal at mapatunayang nagsasabi siya ng totoo tungkol sa identification niya, hindi pa rin siya tuluyang pinalaya ng nakakainis at supladong NBI agent na humuli sa kanya. Sa halip na ihatid siya sa kanila, dinala siya nito sa sarili nitong bahay sa probinsya.

What transpired next were like scenes from action movies—barilan, habulan, suntukan, patayan—at kasali siya sa lahat ng iyon! Mabuti na lang papasa ring action star ang kasama niya—si Jason Henares.
Nang maalalang ito rin ang nagtangay sa kanya sa gulong iyon, binawi ni Bea ang compliment na naisip para sa binata.

Dear Enemy
Charmaene Marie

Gustung-gusto talaga ng kanyang ama na pinahihirapan siya, nagngingitngit na naisip ni Jacob. Hanggang sa last will and testament na iniwan nito ay kitang-kita iyon. Ang kondisyon nito ay magtrabaho siya sa diner ng kaibigan nito at iwan ang villa, ang condo unit, ang mga kotse for six months. Kung hindi, mapupunta sa inaanak nitong si September Olivarez ang lahat ng dapat sana ay mamanahin niya.

It was ridiculous! Siya na lumaking señorito, magtatrabaho? At sa isang maliit na diner? For six months?

Pero wala siyang ibang option maliban sa sumunod. Gayunpaman, humanda sa kanya ang September na iyon oras na matapos ang anim na buwan. Sigurado siyang malaki ang kinalaman ng dalaga sa desisyong iyon ng kanyang ama at magbabayad ito sa lahat ng pagpapahirap na gagawin sa kanya….

Smooth Operator
Nicole Stephanie

If there was an aspect of Riggs’ personality that was apparent to Dynah, it was his being a womanizer. Wala itong ibang mapagpipilian sa pension house na iyon kaya siya ang kinukulit nito at kinakausap. Nahalata yata nito na sa kabila ng pag-iwas niya, kapansin-pansin ang mga reaksyon niya na telltale signs ng attraction niya para sa binata.

Kaya ito na-cha-challenge.

Kaya siya nito kinakausap.

Kaya siya niyayayang mag-date.

Sa suot ba naman niyang pulos kabaduyan at balut na balot sa katawan, malaking salamin at braces, mas katawa-tawa pa siya kaysa kay Betty La Fea.

So no, hindi siya pini-flirt ng sikat na basketball star, ‘pinagtitripan’ ang mas tamang salita para roon….

The Fake Girlfriend Job
Isabel Margarita

Kasama sa ‘employment package’ nang i-hire si Kisses ni Miguel Takeuchi sa restaurant nito ang trabaho bilang fake girlfriend nito sa harap ng lolo nito. Ang objective ng charade ay ang magustuhan siya ng matanda.

Hindi akalain ni Kisses na magiging epektibo ang drama nila. Sobrang boto sa kanya ang lolo ng lalaki, na kahit nang matuklasan nitong peke ang relasyon niya sa apo nito, trabaho ang ibinigay nito sa kanya, kapalit ng kapatawaran nito.

Ang trabaho?

Kailangan niyang pangatawanan ang pagiging nobya ni Miguel to the point na mapilitan ang binatang totohanin ang drama nila.

In short, kailangan niyang akitin si Miguel Takeuchi….

It’s Always Been You
Lorry Virgo

It’s karma at work. Iyon ang naisip ni Lorraine habang ramdam na ramdam ang sakit dahil tila na-get over na ni Xander ang infatuation nito sa kanya noon. She used to enjoy his meek stares when they were young at ang pamumula nito kapag nahuhuli niya itong nakatitig sa kanya. Pero hindi na ito nahihiya ngayon sa kanya.

Mukhang nagkabaligtad na sila ng sitwasyon. Siya na ang may crush dito—yeah, crush at her age of twenty-nine. Crush na unti-unting lumalago kada araw na nagkikita sila. Crush na dapat nang kalimutan dahil one-sided lang. At crush na hindi tama dahil committed na siya sa iba.

Yet, nang marinig niya ang pagtawag ni Xander, “Lorraine, I want to kiss you.”

“What’s stopping you?” sa halip na bayolenteng ‘no’, ay sagot niya….

I’ve received quite a few emails asking me if I still have copies of my older books, specifically Inosenteng Puso and Rebel Heart. Unfortunately, no. The only copies I have right now are one personal copy and my mother’s copy. So as much as I’d like to share the books with you, I don’t have any more copies to send.

Some, if not most, of my, and other MSV authors’, books are still available online though. Because I buy from National Bookstore, or directly from Bookware, I haven’t had the chance to buy Tagalog Romance from online sellers but there are quite a few.

You can find our books from the following sites:

• Bookware’s Online Bookshop
• PinoyPocketbooks
• Tagalog Romance Pocketbooks

They don’t have copies of my books at Tagalog Romance Pocketbooks anymore, but you can still get copies of my other books. Just click on the titles to get to their individual pages.

From PinoyPocketbooks.com:

• Rebel Heart
• Crescent Heart

From Bookware’s Online Bookshop:

• Playing For Keeps
• Waiting to Fall
• Learning to Breathe
• Raising the Stakes
• Each Day with You

The last five books are still available from National Bookstore though. I also found that Booksale releases the books earlier than NBS, so if you can pass by a Booksale branch, you might want to check them out too.

If you’re unclear as to how to go on about ordering, please read Pinoypocketbooks.com’s FAQ and Booware’s FAQ for instructions and how-tos.

Also, expect to pay for the shipping fee. Very little in this world is free. Hope I was able to help and happy shopping

Last week, I had a meeting with my bossing, Carla Giopaolo (Happy Birthday, Carla!) so I was awake for twenty-seven hours Tuesday/Wednesday last week. I had another meeting scheduled for Thursday this week, so I worked on moving my sleep schedule back to the night. What I did was just mess up my sleep schedule so bad that I’m usually awake for twenty-four, twenty-five hours before I could snatch three or four hours of sleep.

And it all caught up with me Friday morning when the backs of my eyeballs started to throb at 3 a.m. By 6 a.m., the throbbing became lightning bolts and I had to sleep. So I missed my Friday meeting because by 9 a.m., half my face was numb and the only thing that could make me feel better was systematically hitting my skull. Not even the Pacman’s Alaxan FR was any help. Haist.

It only felt marginally better when I woke up Friday night and took catnaps until around 8 a.m. So I was awake again from 8 a.m., watched Jurrasic Park and Madagascar 2 on HBO, then caught A Dangerous Life on Studio 23, before I started feeling drowsy again. So I slept at 3 p.m., and woke up at 10 *palm head*

So maybe it’s not really insomnia since I DO sleep… just on the wrong side of the day. Sleeping pill, do I need you?

Me: (whiney) Punta tayo Baguio.
Kat: (chewing on pizza that doen’t seem to get smaller) Sige.
Me: Kelan?
Kat: Sa weekend.
Me: Nyeh… hindi nga.
Kat: Hindi nga.
Me: Ok.

So I sent an SMS to Ching (Carla and Edith has met her, siya si Richel) asked, told, begged her to come with us since it was a day after her birthday, and since it was our anniversary month… She said she had to think about it, and would just text us mid-week. Two days later, she asks me to call her, and she tells me “Okay, sige. Sasama ako.”

I think I did cartwheels and screamed wheeeeee! for two solid hours (in my head, of course).

So Friday, Kat and I met up at Megamall so we can have dinner and go to her place, so we can go to Victory Liner’s Cubao station. And we were there by 1 a.m. Ching caught up with us at 1:30, and we got the 3:30 trip to Baguio, the City of Pines, the Summer Capital of the Philippines, and to the three of us, the home of our hearts.

We arrived at… was it 9? Or 9:30 a.m. and we never actually stopped moving:

9:30a – 11:00p : Ching’s sibs’ boarding house at Eng. Hill. We dropped off our bags, freshened up; I had a really bad tummy-ache because I drank ice-cold Pepsi on a semi-empty stomach at 3 a.m.

12:00p – 3:00p – Lechon Rice at Cathy’s at Diego Silang Street. They serve good food with big servings. I wasn’t able to go back the last time we were in Baguio (since I was asleep), so I bullied everyone and said “doon tayo kakain”. Then we walked to the new Dane’s, which used to be behind the public market but is now in a much accessible area with a bigger store space, for cream puff. They only had two left at dahil hindi siya sasayad sa lalamunan ko, hindi na lang muna ako bumili. Then we walked to UB to watch Kat’s sister’s performance.

3:00p – 5:00p – The Philippine Military Academy. Yes po. Nagpumilit ako umakyat ng Baguio to go to PMA. After that, pwede na ako umuwi ng Manila. I guess, separate entry ang PMA because… well, because. Basta.

Our only group pic at the Lopez Hall of Leaders (Photo by Kat)

5:00p – 7:00p – SM Baguio so Ching, being a good ate, can buy stuff for her sibs. I stopped myself from getting anything although mero akong nakitang magandang tube dress… maganda lang siya, pero wish kung masuot ko ‘yon di ba?

7:30p – 9:00p – Had dinner at Steaks and Toppings, another college hang-out spot because they serve good food at estudyante prices. We were all tired but I didn’t want to go home yet so when Ching started making noises about Market Encounter (the bazaar that they put up at Burnham Park every FlowerFest) I said puntahan na namin para hindi namin ma-miss since I realized I had to come home earlier on Sunday than our agreed upon time of 4p.m.

9:00p – 10:00p – Market Encounter. Nag-semi shopping si Ching while again, I restrained myself, because everything I wanted to get, I could get the next day at the market.

We went home to Osky’s boarding house soon after where Kat and I were supposed to stay that night. I fell asleep as soon as the lights were out but woke up at midnight and stayed awake until 4a.m.

9:00a – 10:00a – Got ready to go out. Tatlo kaming maliligo, and I think I took the longest kasi lamig ng tubig! Wheee! Lovet!

10:00a – 11:30a – Had brunch at McDonald’s Sunshine, then off to market where I did a whirlwind pasalubong shopping spree.

11:30a – 1:00p – Went to Victory to wait for Ching ulit who got us 2:10p tickets, but since napaka-aga pa, we walked back to her sibs’ place to hang. We decided to go back to town so I can finally buy cream puffs.

1:00p – 2:00p – Bought cream puffs, nakapag-ukay pa kami LOL

2:06p – got on the bus back to Manila.

Hay. I so want to go back na. Maybe this year, pwede na ako tumira ulit sa Baguio.

Safe In Your Arms
Edith Joaquin
“Gusto ko lang sanang magpakilala sa ’yo nang pormal,” anang lalaking humabol kay Ina.

Tanda pa niya ang kapreskuhan nito noong una silang nagkaengkuwentro kaya nagtaray siya. “At bakit, sa palagay mo, magkakainteres akong makilala ka? Na guwapo….” Natigilan siya nang tumambad sa paningin niya ang nakaburdang pangalan sa uniporme ng lalaki: Lt. Kyle Magdayao.Napatayo siya nang tuwid at masama ang loob na sumaludo rito. “Begging your pardon, Sir.”

He gave her a disarming smile. “I will accept your apology kung papayag kang mag-date tayo.”

Bukod sa bawal tumanggi sa isang senior officer, hindi niya rin iyon magagawa dahil sa mga mata nitong napakalagkit tumingin. “Sir, yes, Sir,” aniya.

Lalong lumawak ang ngiti ng lalaki….