Happy birthday, Mama!

Mama turns 55 tomorrow (May 4). I still don’t have a gift for her and I can really get her something nice from Shoe Salon or a cool pouch from Kipling, but I know in my heart that she’d rather see me give her something that can’t be bought anywhere. It is a cliche, yes, but I’d like to think that almost everything about me and Mama is a cliche.

We have the Gilmore Girls type of relationship as a mother-daughter tandem–the one that Lorelai and Emily has (had). I know that she’s not really my biggest fan but I also know that she’s proud of the things that I’ve turned out to love, and that she’d rather show her pride in her own little ways. Most of which, I’m not aware of.

I’m one of the unexpressive people you’ll ever meet. I’d be in love with some guy for years and still manage to not say those three magical words that make the world turn pink. I’d like to think that I got that from Mama. I won’t say it, but I’ll make damn sure that you’ll know how I feel.

Whenever I’m out there, working, or trying to pretend to work, I always think of Mama. I don’t really tell her this, but I want to give her the things that she wants and those that she thinks she needs. Yes, I would give up anything for the woman who made ends meet just so I’d have a good life. Probably four out of five conversations that I have with my mom are arguments–but that still doesn’t change anything. She’s still that person whom I’d always look up to and I know that it’s a given for daughters to look up to their mothers, well, trust me, with Mama, it’s a different kind of admiration. She is and will always be that woman that I’d always dream of becoming.

Mama, happy birthday!

♥ Dyosaimma

 

Happy birthday to the best Papa in the whole wide world (:

Papa turns 52 today!!

I’m not pretty but I’ve always been choosy when it comes to the men that I allow to be part of my life. I’d like to think that it’s really not about being choosy–dahil yan lahat kay Papa.

Well, marami kaming hindi pinagkakasunduan ni Papa, actually. Pero that doesn’t mean that I value him any less. Hindi ko lang madalas ipakita but he is the man that I will forever look up to. When people would ask me about Papa, I would always share stories with so much enthusiasm and pride, kasi si Papa yung tipo ng tatay na feel na feel nya ang pagkatatay nya. He had a stepmom when he was young and it was very unfortunate of him that his father’s new wife fit perfectly into the wicked stepmom mold. Theory ko lang ‘to, pero I think yun yung reason kung bakit he has always worked hard to make his family happy. He would tell us stories about his younger years and how careless he’s been. Ikekwento nya yung mga pinagdaanan nya noon tapos syempre kami makikinig lang. I feel bad whenever we’d get into a fight. Mahirap gumalaw pag nag-aaway kami, actually. Pero ganon talaga minsan. I am sorry for the times na nag-away kami though

It’s Papa’s day today!! Wheeee! (Happy thoughts naman.) Every year during Papa’s birthday, I always say a loooong thank you prayer kasi gift na sa aming lahat na magkakasama pa rin kami to celebrate his birthday. Medyo late lang ng konti ang celebration namin this year ng birthday nya, pero ihahabol namin yan.

Happy birthday, Papa! Sana when it’s time for me to choose Mr. Imma Frias, maging swerte ako sa asawa ko. Gusto ko yung kasing amazing ng tatay ko.

♥ Dyosaimma

What is cute?

Dahil sa batang ‘to, nabigyan ng bagong meaning ang name na “Jeorge” para sa akin:

Ngayon, ang definition ko ng “Jeorge” ay cute. And happiness! Jeorge is now in grade three. Actually di ko maalala kung papano ko sila nameet ng parents nya eh. Basta ang alam ko, cute sya ever since. Medyo maliit na bata si Jeorge, so double ang cuteness. Siguro kaya hindi rin ako madalas magalit sa kanya at sa mga kasama nya, kasi cute nga syang bata. Tsaka masunurin yan, ang hindi lang nya kayang gawin eh bigyan ako ng kiss. When he was still in grade two, magtatago pa yan sa ilalim ng table para lang makaiwas sa kiss. Pumayag na rin sya sa kiss sa cheek eventually, nung nag-offer na ako ng Milo. Oportunistang bata! Hahahaha. Well, sulit naman ang P12 ko.

Jeorge’s mom told me that he would cry pag nag-aaral sila. Well I guess it’s a good thing that I’ve never really seen him cry when he’s with me. Medyo frustrated lang sya minsan, lalo na kapag mahirap na mahirap yung lesson, pero kinakaya naman. He doesn’t like Math, but he’s trying.

Kanina, I greeted him an advanced happy birthday. Tapos nagtanong sya kung anong gift ko sa kanya. Edi sabi ko, “It’s not a toy, but when I saw it, it was like I saw you.”

Surprise na lang muna! I also want to see how Jeorge will react when he opens his gift. Niloloko kasi namin sya, sabi ko ang regalo ko sa kanya ay leeg. Heehee. Happy birthday Jeorgie Porgiiieeeee!

♥ Ate Imma

I’ve Heard it Said That People Come into Our Lives for a Reason

I forgot to post this last January 18, na birthday talaga ni Sir Alan. Huli man daw at magaling, naihahabol pa rin.

Two of the most beautiful people (both inside and out) I’ve met in my life: Diane and Alan Reyes. Parang Juday at Ryan Agoncillo na 40 year old version lang diba. Well, si Sir Alan papayag yun na kamukha nya si Ryan, dahil look alike naman nya talaga. Pero malamang sipain ako ni ma’am.

“I’ve heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason. Bringing something we must learn and we are lead to those who help us most to grow if we let them and we help them in return. Well, I don’t know if I believe that’s true. But I know I’m who I am today because I knew you. Like a comet pulled from orbit as it passes a sun; like a stream that meets a boulder halfway through the world. Who can say if I’ve been changed for the better? But because I knew you, I have been changed for good.” — For Good, Wicked.

I’ve posted entries before about the Alan Reyes who changed my life. Yes, I sound cheesy at madrama. But really, I will never run out of ways to thank the person who has made my life better. In an interview, Ruby Rodriguez said that it was Vic Sotto who pulled her into show business, closed the door and sealed the deal for her. Well, Ruby has Vic and I have Sir Alan. Last year, I told him that I was going to hold summer classes for some students. I told him that the bulk of the materials that we were going to use for the course would come from me, my brain farts basically. I told him that if it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have such a nice job. His reply? “I only opened the door. You did it all by yourself. Your Reyes Family is proud of you.” Tears!

Sir Alan, you probably know this already, but the love and gratitude in my heart is overflowing for you and your family. Belated happy birthday!

♥ Dyosaimma

Happiness is in a Brown Paper Bag (Part Two)

December is a very, very busy month–I’d like to think na that’s applicable to almost everyone, because it’s the Christmas season and all that. At dahil busy ako, hindi ko na halos maayos ang kwarto ko. I was only able to fix it this week, actually. So ayan, ngayon ko na lang ulit nakalkal ang mga dapat, like my brown happiness paper bag! Hihihihi.

My little brown paper bag had these inside:

 Happy Lemon GC + Kimidoll + Camera extender + Banapple sticker + Kikomachine 7 + First book ng Narnia

All in all, nandyan na yata lahat ng mga bagay na pwede kong ikatuwa. Hihi. I’m actually more touched with the post-its na nasa bawat gift, wala lang. Whenever I read messages, I can imagine the person who wrote (or typed) it na nagsasalita. I hope I’m not the only one.

Yes, nape-pressure akong kumpletuhin yung books sa Narnia series. So far I’m not bored with it. Thank youuuuuuuuuuuu, Mr. Brown Paper Bag Man. Ang arte ko diba, hindi pa kita pinangalanan. Hihi.

♥ Dyosaimma

Thank you! (;

I am tired. Really tired. It was a very long day at work, but I’m not complaining. And today, happiness is in this brown paper bag. I may be tired, but I will sleep with a smile on my face. When I wake up, I know it’ll still be there.

♥ Dyosaimma

The Big Guy’s Pizza Visayas Avenue Branch Boo-Boo

Yesterday, I realized that there really are two kinds of people: The smart ones and the people from Big Guy’s Pizza Visayas Avenue branch.

I’ve ordered in Big Guy’s Pizza before, pero sa Libis branch ako lagi. The people there are friendly and efficient. I called the Libis branch last Wednesday to order a 36″ inch pizza for my birthday (Thursday, 8th of December) and they referred me to their Visayas Avenue branch because it’s nearer to our building. So I placed my order to this girl, who could not get the name of our building right. I should’ve seen that phone call as an omen with how things will turn out the next day. I told this Big Guy’s Pizza Visayas Ave girl that I need the pizza to be delivered by 3PM. Not 3:10, not 3:30, not 3:45. 3PM. Actually ganyan ako sa phone. As in clear na 3PM.

The next day, December 8, Thursday, at 1PM, I called Big Guy’s Pizza in Visayas Avenue to confirm my order. The same girl answered the phone and she said that I should expect the pizza at 3PM.

3PM comes. No pizza.

3:10. 3:20. Still no pizza. Even the guards in our building were telling me that my pizza is very late already. 3:20 na eh.

So at 3:30, I called Big Guy’s Visayas Ave again, to ask where the hell the pizza was. The same girl whom I confirmed my order with, told me that they cooked my pizza late kaya 3:10 na nakaalis yung delivery guy sa branch nila.

At around 3:45-3:50, the pizza finally arrives. It was cold and dry. The kids whom I bought the pizza for, were all hungry by then. I had to stop them kasi hindi pa kami nagdadasal and I haven’t taken a picture of the pizza yet. Buti nga at naalala kong birthday ko (dahil na rin sa prayer ng mga bata), so hindi ako naging mahadera even though I had every right to be one. I had no plans of paying for the pizza by then, but I thought that the delivery guy would be the one who’d suffer if I wouldn’t pay. So naisip ko na lang na tawagan yung Big Guy’s Visayas Ave to complain about what happened.

That’s exactly what I did today. To my dismay, pababaan pala ng IQ ang mga tao sa Big Guy’s Visayas Ave. The supervisor told me that they will give me back my money if I can return the pizza ng walang bawas. Nung narinig ko yan, pumilantik na tenga ko. Unang-una, sila na ang may mali dahil 3PM dapat nasa akin na yung pizza, tapos 3:10 nila pinaalis yung delivery boy. I did not even receive any proper apology from the branch supervisor, all I got were excuses. I had no choice but to call the Libis branch and have the supervisor there, who is really, really kind and dependable, to help me with my problem with the Visayas Avenue branch. She told me that their Visayas Ave branch is new at yun na rin yata ang pinakaproblematic sa lahat.

UGH. I guess what I’m trying to say is that okay, I get it na under training pa yung mga tao because the branch is new. Pero diba kahit na trainees, dapat hindi shinu-shut down ang utak? You never shut your braindown when you’re at work. People expect you to function properly, people pay good money to see you function properly. Errors lead to losses and very angry customers. Employees are representatives of a business or a company, so it’s important that they know their roles. Their mistake is the whole company’s mistake. I like Big Guy’s Pizza, as in natutuwa talaga ako sa kanila kasi sulit yung 36″ pizza nila, ang dami dami ng mapapakain nun tapos very generous pa yung toppings. Pero yung mga ganitong klase ng manifestations ng katangahan, mas powerful ‘to sa sarap tsaka sa dami ng toppings eh. Kasi aanhin ko yung sandamakmak na mushrooms at pepperoni kung bumaliktad na sa gutom yung sikmura ko kakahintay sa pizza?

If you want to order Big Guy’s Pizza and you’re from QC, avoid the Visayas Avenue branch at all costs. You may call the Libis branch at 584.6702, where there are smart and nice employees. If they will suggest that your place is nearer Big Guy’s in Visayas Ave., tell them that you can not deal with people with negative IQ’s because you have the tendency to chop their heads off with an ax. Oo, may dala ka kasing ax palagi, for practical reasons.

♥ Dyosaimma

Thank youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

Huling araw ng pagiging 19+n year-old cute girl ko ngayon. And this is how I’ve decided to end my year:

WITH A SMILE!! Wheeeeee! I was really sad when I celebrated my birthday last year, because it coincided with the most stressful days of my job. This year medyo toxic pa rin with work shizzz but I’ve decided to not let all the stress get in the way. Ano ba, once in every 365.25 days lang ‘to, so might as well sulitin na diba. Hihihihi.

Sending very, very good vibes! And love love love! Sa amount ng love na nakuha ko this year from the people around me, kahit gaanong pag-gi-give back pa ang gawin ko, parang hindi ko yata kayang pantayan ang mga binigay sa akin ever. Thank you, world. Thank you, Lord. Seriously, thank you.

I am looking forward to being 19+n+1 years old. Wheeee.

♥ Dyosaimma

 

My little sister is now 16!

December 2 is my sister’s birthday. 16 na sya this year. And may I just na WHOOOO three years na lang, pareho na kaming 19! Papa is back here in Manila for her birthday. Nakakakilig. Ngayon kakatapos lang naming magligpit. Lahat kami sabaw na kasi medyo maraming bisita. Mama and Papa had to cook all day, tapos kami naman ng sister ko, utusan. Pero fun! Kasi nga sabaw eh, asaran lang ng asaran forever.

Happy birthday Semeona III! My dear sister, you are old.

♥ Dyosaimma

Ooohhh I look so radiant here!

Taken last Saturday at Burgoo in Greenhills, where we celebrated Dremon’s birthday. Actually nag-drawing lang kami ng butterflies at nagpaka-artsy-fartsy sa paper place mat (na akala ko dati eh cartolina lang).

I will try to post some pictures from last week’s celebration. Hindi ko kasi control ang mga ganyang bagay, mas powerful ang internet connection namin kesa sa mga online plans ko. That’s life. At least ang radiant ko sa picture diba! Wag na nating pansinin si Dremon. Joke lang. Mas pogi sya in real life, I think. At cute sya pag sabaw. Ako naman, cute forever. Hihihihi.

♥Dyosaimma