So, I decided to finally use that blogspot button "Next Blog" to check other blogs here and almost all the sites I got into, the blogger is a Mom. Wow. Really, I am not kidding. 

Most posts are, of course, about their daily life with their kids, places they went to as a family, pictures of them lounging in the park or at home playing, baking, or whatever you can do at home. Then I wonder when I'll be posting similar stuff? Of course, try as I might to keep these kinds of thoughts away, I can't help but still think about it. I have a couple of friends and batchmates who are already married and have kids, and I smile and think, "Wow! Are we really in the marrying age already? How time flies, really!"

This usually leads to daydreams of a happy family life, with a kid or two running around while I bake an apple pie or something. What? Lol. Yeah, my thoughts run around like crazy. It's more fun though when my friend voices out our dreams, she'd be like, "Aimee, we'll be neighbors and we'll have tea time while our kids play. Then, we'll go to the park to play with the kids and go to the mall and shop for our husbands' ties." Yes, ties, cause apparently, said "husbands" have no sense of taste (and they work in a corporate company where ties are a must). Poor 'em. Lol.

Sweet thoughts. These keep us sane while we wait for the day we're actually doing that and I'll be blogging and posting pictures about it, with our tie-wearing husbands. (Sorry, I just had to add that!) ♥

of cute pens & notepads

I like collecting cutie pens and notepads. I have always been fond of cute and girly stuff, blame it on my kiddie height and on the child in me that will never go away. ^_^

As a child, I remember always feeling happy whenever I receive those pretty organizer notebooks during Christmas or on my birthday. It served as my toys in my teenage years and helped me be a *bit* organized with my daily-life schedule - as if the 14-year-old me had that much events to go to and stuff to do. Do homework, clean my room, buy this-and-that, things-to-pack for a field trip, read this book, watch my fave-at-the-moment anime, do the laundry, wash the dishes, meet up with friends, go to Megamall with the family are what you'd mostly see scribbled in a doctor-like-script in the pages of my organizers. I once ran out of pages and I didn't wanna buy filler pages 'cause they're super plain and dull, so I made my own pages! Hey, I am  no art club member for nothing. Lol! And I actually still have those pages now (in that blue and red organizer with Samurai X stickers). Preserving them, you can say. Lol!

A Moment of Weakness

Admittedly, hard as I try to positively look forward to the future, I still have my moments of doubt.

Growing up, I've been taught the cruel "reality" that if I am too happy today, then I'd be sad tomorrow. Life's worth of happiness is so limited that we'd ought to be careful when and how much to feel it, so they say. To me, that's just cruel. Does this mean that I am always to dread the post-effect of my happiness? That we can never be truly happy without having to think of what will come next?

I'd just recently been overwhelmed with happiness and gratitude to my Father that right now, I'm not feeling sad, but dreading what unfortunate thing will come next. This is no good a habit and must be totally rid off. It is during this vulnerable time that I think and ask, "Where will life take me?"

At twenty-four, I am actually pretty blessed - my family's with me, I live in such a beautiful place, I am starting to establish a grounded relationship with God, I have a good job, friends surround me, and I have friends back home who never forget to communicate and tell me I am missed. Life is good. God has always been good. This kind of life was just a distant dream before. I remember just imagining living in Richmond and telling my friends how it is here, driving around the city in my own car, having the things I've dreamed of - and here I am actually living all these. It is amazing how dreams can come true. Of course, that is not to say I didn't like it in Manila. I loved it there. It is a big part of who I am, helped give me friends that I will now treasure for the rest of my life, and taught me life's lessons I couldn't have learned any other way.

As I write this, an epiphany hit me, it's like He spoke. I am only 24, it is not the end of the world. I am just beginning my life-long journey. I need not know where I will be going, I only need to know that my Father is in control. I am in good hands and will always be. It is written:

"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the Lord. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."

                                                                                                                             Isaiah 55:8-9

As I've said before, "I am where God wants me to be." His will brought me here and I will continue submitting to Him. Definitely, God's way.

Once Upon A Spring In Seattle

An early birthday treat last Spring presented itself when a friend of mine had the chance to go to Seattle for a conference. Thrilled with the thought that I'd get to see one of my friends again, we made plans to go tour the city that started the Starbucks' craze. And with it being only a couple of hours away from Vancouver, it made it oh-so-convenient for us to rendezvous. How fortunately convenient it is that I only had to take one bus to get there, right?

Now let me tell you a story. Months before that, I'd imagine myself listening to Owl City's Hello Seattle and will actually be really on my way to that city. Imagine my joy when the prospect of that coming true was revealed! So, armed with a chock-full of pasalubongs in my suitcase and Hello Seattle on repeat on my ancient iPod, I made my way to my first solo flight ever! The joy of going by myself with a suitcase on hand to a city 200 kilometers south of where I live was truly exciting, I could've been smiling all the way! I don't have any idea what will happen once I get there, I don't know the city and the people, but I didn't care! I just ignored the fear and went on - let the city itself be my guide! Plus, exploring the unknown with a friend by my side just made it more appealing.

I stop writing now and just let you see the adventure Brimen and I had in Seattle, Washington! :)

The Space Needle

Tickets. Of course, we have to go to the Space Needle!

On our way to Pike's Place Market

Having Caramel Macchiato at the first Starbucks

A hearty meal. Nomnomnom

At some sports bar for dinner

Brim and Me. The cheesecakes here are to die for!

With Brim's firends

Spring! I'm blending in. Haha!

While shopping/window shopping. Haha!

Next birthday stop? Vegas, please! :)

Change Is In Order

Soooo, I finally did it. After three years, I say goodbye to the old layout and the old header. I'd loved them before, and they served me well in making my blog a bit presentable. But it's time they go.

Plus, the header I had doesn't get to me now. I'll be forever thankful to my friend who did that though. ☺ It is just funny to look at it now, I feel like it represents me as a geisha. Woman for hire, anyone? Haha! I honestly don't know why I chose that picture, must be those spur-of-the-moment decisions. Or maybe because it appeared to be the perfect representation of someone oriental. But really, it looks like it could pass off as Victoria Court's logo. Lol! But though I wanted to change it entirely, I couldn't stay away from purple! Plus, I fell in love with the background. It's perfect since I'm blogging from a country where maple leaves are so abundant, it has become part of their flag. Canadian Oriental Sanctuary - not bad, eh? ☺

Seriously speaking, err, writing, I need this change. You know when you're heartbroken you tend to change something in your life? For girls, it's mostly hairstyle, right? Yes, this is that kind of change. I'm not heartbroken, though. This one's a happy change.

I was just really happy today that I was inspired to blog and I thought I could use a change in design. That way I'd be motivated to write more. The urge to pour my thoughts out in writing was too exciting, I could've skipped while walking to the bus stop while I was thinking about it. And while on my way home, on the bus, all I did was jot down ideas swirling in my head I'm afraid I won't be able to organize if I didn't do it right then and there. I actually wished I had with me my trusty Blues' Clues-like notepad. There is just such joy in holding a pen and writing down your ideas, right? It was one of my most enjoyable journey home. I actually didn't mind the cold winds Fall has brought with it, and I can even daresay I enjoyed it.

The craving to get down to doing what I'm learning to be passionate about just filled me so much I went straight to my room and worked on this blog as soon as I got home. I thank God for giving me inspiring thoughts like that, that has made my now passion-filled heart excited. I do hope this isn't just a one-time thing, though. But I'm doing alright, I think. See, I'm already in my second post for the day. Who would've thought, right? ☺

Hey God, you have exciting things planned out for me, right? I can feel it and I thank you so much in advance for all the blessings that have yet to come. I am forever yours. ♥

How I Fight Sadness

First of all - No, I am not sad right now. I just thought of sharing what I do when the dreaded sad-bug bites me so hard I'm left to the point of depression for a while.

I don't have a solid formula on how I lift myself up from the misery of the situation. All I know is that I sulk for a bit to get it over and done with, then I stop and decide that my sadness has got to stop. It's not as easy as a snap, of course. It takes a lot of convincing myself that it has to stop.

Of course, that doesn't always solve the problem. So the next thing is distraction, a big one. I watch rom-com movies, anime, read books, talk to someone, look at funny stuff (LOLcats, anyone?) - anything to get my mind of it. It is not running away from the problem at hand. I just know that if my mind and heart are calm, if not think of a solution, I could at least cheer myself up.


I believe in the power of positive thinking. So it is so important that I always have something positive to turn to, to hold onto at any given time. This is one the positive thoughts I make sure I remember. Trusting your hopes materializes them into reality - that's what you need to know. Or it could be the simplest thing like ice cream or a cup of coffee (both are like a big hug for me) or the biggest part of my life, God. I turn to Him and pray, read His Word or my fave bible verses. I pray and pray and read and read until I feel I'm overdosed with hope and trust in Him. That's when things really start to look up.

Actually, that should also say,

Trust in God, not your fears!