Aha, There You Are!

The minute my lovely friend excitedly announced that she had read my latest blog entry, I realized how busy I've been. And how I unknowingly broke a promise.

It was so easy for me to swear this one would've monthly updates. Haha. By latest, my friend meant November '09. Finally, I'm embracing the idea that blog maintenance can be tough.

What's really tough, however, is this:


While household and ministry works have kept me from maintaining my blog, Mr. Rooster has maintained his machismo despite his backbreaking quest for his lady love.

Naks naman.

Are you wishing she'd finally show up or this pursuit would go on forever? 8) Have a nice day everyone!

Maybe You've Answered This Already

But I'd still like to ask about your ideal date anyway. 8)

For the hopeless romantics, perhaps it should include burning candles and their smiling ideal partners. For the still hesitant types (ahem, ahem), ideal dates could also involve laughing family and friends.

Well, I can already see the delightful parade of your thought bubbles so I'm joining in. Mine would have something to do with being my loved ones and...

riding a hot air balloon (just look at that cute ladybug!)

seeing white fences amid wild flowers (because the wild ones are usually prettier)










spending the autumn season (who wouldn't fall for fall?)











milking lovable cows (so that cheese would taste much more delicious)












lying on the grass (barefoot would've been so much better)











dancing in the rain (there. barefoot happiness)












having picnic under cherry blossom trees (diet? what diet? 8D)













riding the bike (even when I don't know how)












swimming with dolphins (altogether now: under the sea! under the sea!)












sleeping altogether on the roof (top of the world)











There. These activities complete the puzzle that is my ideal date. Even though it currently remains ideal at least to me (financial constraints, these-should-also-happen-every-weekend mindset, etc.), I shall always look forward to the ideal situation where it'll no longer be.

Well, what about yours? 8)

Matching Types

Directions: Do the following characters a little favor by leading their way back to <3.

Sakura & Kenshin

Kaoru & Kyo

Mikan & Shinichi

Tohru & Howl

Haruhi & Shaoran

Ran & Natsume

Sophie & Tamaki

Checklist:

Alice Academy - Mikan & Natsume
Cardcaptor Sakura - Sakura & Shaoran
Detective Conan - Ran & Shinichi
Fruits Basket - Tohru & Kyo
Howl's Moving Castle - Sophie & Howl
Ouran High School Host Club - Haruhi & Tamaki
Rurouni Kenshin - Kaoru & Kenshin

Merely listing down the names of my all-time favorite anime couples has put me in a full-blown swooning condition. Well, I just can't help but give in. 8) Anime fanatic or not, we have fancied the affection of couples around us. Be they our parents, grandparents, neighbors or even strangers, we certainly have.

Haha. If my brother reads this entry, he'll surely tease me. Not only does he know I've never been in a romantic relationship, he also predicts 30 to be my marrying age. He attributes his forecast to my homebody/bookworm/passive self, by the way.

Now that I'm practically hearing his laughter, let's go back to the said couples. Shall we? 8)

So the seven lovely pairs have spellbound me for years. And as far as the spell is concerned, there's no breaking it. Not even my realization that I'd never attend their wedding ceremonies could cause some crack.

Oh well. I admit their *coughs* love stories *coughs* give me some idea about endless marriage possibilities. At times, I relate my personality to those of the heroines' as I reflect on my brother's prediction. I even consider some of the heroes' admirable traits as I think about an ideal partner. Like Kenshin's strength or Shinichi's wit or Kyo's confidence or...

Haha. These personal ideas aside, matching real-life lovers might not be as easy as that of anime couples BUT it sure is in a Grade A status as this article shows. 8*

Eensy Weensy, Anyway

Somehow, our bedroom still looked tidy. My books were all lined up. Brother's closet seemed okay. Even the resident spiders were cooperative; none of them dared to spin a noticeable web.

Yet I reached for some rag and started cleaning anyway. "I am just killing time," I thought. Until a few arachnidan ruins showed up. There they were, enjoying their hideaway while reminiscing their more meaningful past.

Our room wasn't that neat, after all. And of course, it'll always get dirty. Dusts intend to lurk and the spiders shall multiply. Hence the maintenance. It's a lot like life, isn't it? Despite the inevitability of problems, people still choose to hold on. Anyway:

The Paradoxical Commandments
Dr. Kent M. Keith

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.
The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.
People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.
People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.
Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.

Now if only I could track down those spiders and tell them that despite the current maintenance, I understand their cobweb construction anyway. 8)

Even the Jaded Ones Will Shed a Tear

With this very heartwarming video, they surely will:




As soon as my brother and I watched this, we realized how we both wanted a lion as a pet. Badly. (Job 12: 7-9) <3

I Thought I Heard Them Cry

The branches, I mean.

A few thousand days ago, our landlady wanted shelter from the sun. So she planted a black plum tree in front of her apartment complex. Yesterday, she wanted shelter from the storm. So she cut off its branches. 

I wish the tree were portable so it could be spared. But it is hers. And more importantly, she was right. As another typhoon strikes, less branches also means less risks:

The woman in the picture is her housekeeper. Someday, I'll ask her to teach me how to climb a tree. 8) By the way, here's the result of her ninja-like struggle:

It's not a pretty sight, is it? I'm sorry. When the branches were removed, some part of me was also taken away. Whew. But then again, the act was necessary for...  

         people: Safety? Check. 
                    Ample Vitamin D in the morning? Check.
         the tree: New look? Check. 
                      Another milestone? Check.
         both: "Natural Disaster-Free Future?"

Check. So cry no more dear branches. 8) 

Even Goats Quarrel, Sometimes

The Meh Story

Goat No.1: (silently walks away)

Goat No.2: Hey, I''m not done with you yet. Hey!

I saw this cute couple a few months ago. Have you noticed they were both unharnessed? Hmm. Maybe it was their first year anniversary that their equally romantic owner temporarily let them go. Or maybe they were really siblings who just escaped the harshness of barnyard life. I wanted to ask them (haha, in my mind at least) to introduce themselves. But of course, with the apparent tension between them, all I'd get would be a loud "meh." 

Have you also been in a fight? Be it a pillow or some Pacquiao-inspired fight, perhaps all of us have. One disliked aspect of conflict is the silent treatment. Many animals could feel sorry for the second goat then because it hurts to be ignored.

With people, it still does. Right? It really does. But if one's purpose is to lighten the tension at first, silent treatment can be okay (Proverbs 17:14). I may be sharing this now but once in a while, I don't get to heed the said advice. 8|

In any case, it will always be an inspiration. 8) Hmm. Seems like it also inspired our beloved goats:

Goat No. 1: I'm sorry. I just didn't wanna say anything 
                 worse.

Goat No. 2: It's okay. I'm also sorry for hurting you.

Tricycle Driver: Wanna ride?

Goats: No, thank you. We'd rather walk together. Wanna 
          join?

The End <3