PROJECT 52 on 2010

For 2010, I plan to work on a project which I shall call Project 52! So what’s with 52? Well, there are 52 weeks in a year. Through this project, I intend to share to you the highlight(s) of my 52 weeks for this year. I just pray that I may be committed to finish this project.

In case I fail? Uhmm… I don’t want to think about it.

~*~

PROJECT 01

Under my checklist for this week are the following: Oral exam, Praxis Group work, Philo Long Test, Thesis Data Gathering, AEA YES report preparation, Kythe Week bags and Jan23 preparation. What made this week unbelievably tiring and difficult for me is that I have to be always attentive and alert so that I could finish everything on time. Now that was the challenge! How could I be attentive if my mind is filled with so many questions and things?!?

Ending results: (1) My body clock is suddenly distorted. I sleep at 3 and automatically wake up at 7am (even if class starts at 12). (2) My stomach rejects to eat more than half of my regular intake. Or else... (3) Puffy eyes. Boo!

But what the heck,I'm still alive and almost done with my checklist. Yey!!!

To my family who’s always on call whenever I’m alone at home and need them, thank you for all the small talks about big matters that we had. I learned a lot from you.

To my two best girl pals, thank you for keeping me sane. You're simply the best. I don’t want to lose you. (PS. Oo na, you like each other. Kayo na ang friends.)

To you(many people), thank you for being there for me.You guys bring tears to my eyes.

To you(single person), do I really deserve to be your friend? Sana nga. Thank you for just wanting to take care of me. You make me smile.

To You, thank You for making me feel loved through these people. Please continue making miracles in their lives. You truly never fail me.

~*~
PHOTO OF THE WEEK

I shall miss you Massoud. Visit us again on July!

PS. Stop putting things inside your mouth and don't forget to give Z a bath.

~*~

We will rock January 23, 2010.

I’m blessed to have my family. Yes, my family’s imperfect (as seen in our unsynchronized dance steps) but still is the best for me.

Dancing shoes on~Rica Gran

Christmas 2009

Amici & Bowling with Family
Christmas Dinner with the Gang at Greenbelt
Anya and Ela's House Visit
Christmas Party
Post Christmas Dinner
Annual Family Gift-Giving
Bowling at Eastwood
Wall Climbing
New Year's Eve around Metro Manila
Pia's 22nd Birthday Celebration
Christmas Break well spent with family and friends. :)

Smiling ~ Rica Gran

I just met you and I love you.

Notice: The title has no relation to my blog entry.

Hello friends. Do you love me?
If you do, can you give me a gift?
I need a nice planner!!!
Basta hindi bulky pero hindi rin super liit. Please. :P
I shall remember you for the rest of the year.
You might also want to give me an alarm clock.
I really need one.
Thank you in advance. hihihi.

~*~

God's loving message to me.

On this day of your life, Rica Gran, we believe God wants you to know ... that difficult people are very important, - they teach you tolerance and acceptance.

AMEN!

Crossed-fingers ~ Rica Gran

2009: How do you measure a year?

I'm not in the right condition to make a re-cap of what happened to my year. Maybe next time. Right now, I just want to remember what is good about 2009 through a song. RENT, i shall watch you in 2010!

Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes
Five hundred twenty five thousand moments so dear
Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure, measure a year?
In daylights, in sunsets,
In midnights, in cups of coffee?
In inches, in miles,
In laughter, in strife?
In five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes,
How do you measure a year in the life?
How about love?
How about love?
How about love?
Measure in love.
Seasons of love,
Seasons of love.
Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes,
Five hundred twenty five thousand journeys to plan,
Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes,
How do you measure the life of a woman or a man?
IN TRUTH THAT SHE LEARNED,
OR IN TIMES THAT HE CRIED
IN THE BRIDGES HE BURNED
THE WAY THAT SHE DIED?
It's time now, to sing out,
Though the story never ends.
Let's celebrate, remember a year,
In the life of friends.
Remember the love, (Oh you got to, you got to remember the love)
Remember the love, (You know that love is a gift from up above)
Remember the love, (Share love, give love, spread love)
Measure in love, (Measure, measure your life in love)
Seasons of love,

Seasons of love (Measure your life, measure your life in love).

~*~

The other side of the story...have you heard about it?

Please Listen

Let me share to you one of my favorite reflection readings.
I am guilty of wearing thousands of mask. Please don't judge, but just listen. That's what I need right now.

PLEASE LISTEN TO WHAT I AM NOT SAYING
Writer Unknown

Don't be fooled by me.
Don't be fooled by the face I wear.
For I wear a mask, I wear a thousand masks. Masks that I'm afraid to take off, and none of them is me.

Pretending is an art that's second nature with me.
But don't be fooled, for God's sake don't be fooled.

I gave you the impression that I'm secure, that all is sunny and unruffled with me, within as well as without; that confidence is my name and coolness my game; that the weather's calm and I'm in command, and that I need no one.

But don't believe me. Please.
My surface may seem smooth, but my surface is my mask.
Beneath lies no smugness, no complacence.
Beneath dwells the real me in confusion, in fear, in aloneness.

But I hide this.
I don't want anybody to know it.
I panic at the thought of my weakness and my fear of being exposed.
That's why I frantically create a mask to hide behind, a nonchalant,sophisticated facade, to help me pretend, to shield me from the glance that knows.

But such a glance is precisely my salvation, my only salvation. And I know it. That is, if it's followed by acceptance, it is followed by love.

It's the only thing that can liberate me from myself from my own self-built prison walls, from the barriers that I so painstakingly erect. It's the only thing that will assure me of what I can't assure myself that I'm really worth something.

But I don't tell you this.
I don't care. I'm afraid to.
I'm afraid your glance will not be followed by acceptance and love. I'm afraid you'll think less of me, that you'll laugh and your laugh will kill me. I'm afraid that deep down I'm nothing, that I'm just no good, and you'll see this and reject me.

So I play my game, my desperate pretending game, with a facade of assurance without, and a trembling child within. And so begins the parade of masks. And my life becomes a front. I idly chatter to you in the suave tones of surface talk. I tell you everything that's really nothing, and nothing of what's everything of what's crying within me.

So when I'm going through my routine, don't be fooled by what I'm saying. Please listen carefully and try to hear what I'm not saying, what I'd like to be able to say, what for survival I need to say, but which I can't say.

I dislike hiding. Honestly.
I dislike the superficial game I'm playing, the superficial, phony game. I'd really like to be genuine and spontaneous and me.

BUT YOU'VE GOT TO HELP ME.

~*~

For everyone: Are you also guilty of wearing thousands of mask? What kind of mask do you usually wear?

Early Christmas Gifts

God knows how stressed I am for the past few weeks. I don't seem to get enough time for my own family and even for myself. Not that I'm complaining about school work (I've already learned how to love and appreciate my studies), i just want a BREAK from this nerve-racking routine. It's as if after submitting a requirement for school, my brain automatically shuts down for the next 24 hours, which is not good!
But the Lord never fails to surprise me with great things and I am more than blessed for all the early Christmas gifts he gave me.
1. A Grade of C in chapter 2 of our thesis
- It was quite a relief to know that everyone in our class got a C. Why did Mr. Venida gave us a C? For him, C means "Continue working". So technically, he didn't give us a grade. Thank God, it wasn't an F.
2. Pia and Kirae
- Pia texted me out of the blue if I was doing anything. Since I didn't want to do anything productive that night I called her immediately. Our chat lasted for more than an hour. I won't tell the details of our conversation, but I surely miss her. Thank you for bearing with me. You know that you can count on me as well. Love you Pi!
- Kirae's YM avatar is a pic of us taken during LTAB of YE 20. Another person whom I miss big time. I shall see you soon girlfriend. Love you Kirae! This one's for you.


3. Kythe
-Kythe means healing through simple sharing and togetherness. It's true that every moment spent with these kids can actually make them happy and feel alive. But personally, I cannot deny the fact that these kids have helped me more than I helping them. They're smiles and innocence makes me want to be a kid again. They remind me to concentrate on what is good and nice about life and to stop being pessimistic. I love them. I love being with kids. They make me want to shift into a different career path. Can you imagine me teaching toddlers?

~*~
Photo of the Week

Sleeping Chinggay during Kythe-Ateneo's Make a Splash at Manila Ocean Park last August 2009.
~*~

4. Immersion = Memorable Vacation
- I never thought that I would actually love to live near the sea. Unisan, I shall return. I'll make a separate entry for this.

Season's greetings ~ Rica

Up, up and away!

With Angelo and sleepy Eli

Ate Ollie and Kuya JB's son, Eli, celebrated his first birthday yesterday at Royal Palm Residences clubhouse. The theme of the party was UP! Eli was super cute in his Russel outfit. The whole venue was prettily decorated and the whole party was well organized. The emcee/magician/puppet master was pretty good as well. He sure knows how to get the attention of the audience (both kids and adults). Click this to see the pictures from the party.

A huge poster of Eli greeted the visitors at the entrance.

The stage had a replica of the old man's house with floating balloons. The house is about 3 feet tall. Lolo made this for Eli.

A miniature replica of the house for the table centerpiece.

And for the loot bags/giveaways, each kid got to take home a backpack with goodies inside.

One Big Happy family!

The cutest first birthday party I have attended so far!!! I love you Eli. *gigil*

~*~

Photo of the Week:

Funny Face with Angelo.

~*~

Wants-to-be-a-kid-again ~ Rica Gran