Update to my XMAS things to do in the Phils. List

Update on my xmas to do list
Well, a few blogs back, I made a list of things I wanted to do when I got back to the Philippines: It was a blog that I got a lot of responses from. Here's the list again with updates on whether or not I was able to do them or not. Pretty interesting figures:
FOOD TRIP:
1) Go to BEHROUZ to eat OX BRAIN - my final destination! 2am on Jan 2 with Norman G. 3 hours before I had to board the plane back to LA. Thanks Normie! You're da best!
'2) Go to Bacolod Chicken to eat ISOL - went with my Tito Juny on a saturday pm then went to visit my lola's resting place..whatever its called.
3) Go to UP Diliman to eat ISAW i was able to eat isaw but not in diliman. I had it in boracay and it wasnt as good. I also ate inihaw na tenga ng baboy..
4) Got to LE CHING to eat DIMSUM - had this for lunch with the kids. I just realized that the dimsum place we frequent here in downtown LA tastes better so that the last of that!
5) Go to FISH LANDING to eat SEA FOOD- had a lot of FRESH seafood. Palawan, Talipapa in Bora and my dad also took me to eat king crabs. Yum yum!!
6) Go to DENCIOS to eat SISIG - not only dencio's but d' famous TRELLIS in Market, Market, the Fort
7) Go to RUFO's to eat TAPSILOG - was able to eat tapsilog but not in Rufo's or Tapa king or goodah! Bummer!! i need to do that when I go back
8) Go to CABLE CAR to eat CABLE CAR RICE - I made it to cable car at 3 am in the morning but didnt order cable car rice. I had a mudslide instead :)
9) Go to SAISAKI to eat JAPANESE FOOD (Pinoy Style) - of course the whole Bautista clan had to continue our saisaki tradition! First tuesday that i was in town!
10) GO to LAPIDS to eat CHICHARON - did this with Art and Skye at market market...with the famous orange suka!!
other kainans I ate in:
Fish balls and Squid Balls on the street!
Puto bungbong and Bibingka! (forgot this on my list!)
Pancake House,
Jollibee,
Kimpura tepanyaki
Summer Palace in Edsa Shangrila to eat peking duck with my lolo and dad.
Div 168 food court to eat mami.
Asakasa Japanese in Tagaytay
Bottoms diner - owned by Raton n cookie's family
Il ponticello - with batchmates

ROAD TRIP:
1) Go to GREEN VALLY, BAGUIO ( HORSEBACK RIDING!!! I MISS our vacation house) - I didnt have time to go up baguio hence was not able to see arwin nevada and family..next time
2) Go to TAGAYTAY ( I want to see what everyone's raving about) - Went to Highlands on xmas day to have lunch with sevilla's and check out their new condo. I am not really impressed with Highlands. I guess it was over sold to me and also, I've stayed in much better places here in the states, like Hawaii but the massage helped a bit! hehehe
3) Go to PALAWAN (my nature hideaway) - my first stop!! always amazing!
4) Go to BORACAY ( I MISS the powdery sand!!! ) my last stop!! Bitin ako sa boracay!
5) Go to the BEACH! ANY BEACH!!!! - I went nga to Palawan and Bora--beach to the max
6) Go to THE FORT - I went to the fort but during the daytime only, not at night.
7) Go to MAKATI - Went to the new greenbelt to have dinner with HS buddies and passed by Rockwell but didnt go down because it was too crowded on new years. So ended up eating at North Park nalang! hehehe
8) Go to MALATE - didnt go there
9) Go to MALL of ASIA - didnt go there!
10) Go to SHOE MART!!!- megamall shopping one whole day was not enough to go throught the whole mall!!!
Other noteworthy things we did:
WORKOUT/SWIMMING: feelingggg! yes, i go to work out two days only though! hahaha went with my lolo and dad and his gf, jacki to sweat it out on the Edsa Shangrlia health club (sosyal!) while the kids swam and ate at the poolside. Thats my dad's idea of spending "quality time". He put me to work on the treadmill!
PAMPERING: Whole day at a day spa for the full package plus hair and nails done and massages for five days straight in Tagaytay, then Blue Water day spa then two days in boracay and on the way back sa kalibo airport..hehehe sarapppp
DIVISORIA 168: SHOPPING TILL YOU DROP!! definitely my favorite place to shop!

BORACAY: horseback riding
banana boat
para sailing
ATV off roading
fly fish ride
jetskiing
eating crepe with ice cream
Jony's shakes - the best!
PALAWAN: Underwater Cave
Honda Bay Island hopping w/ snorkelling
Crocodile Farm
Ate at Baker's Hill
PEOPLE TRIP:
1) My family - Saw them all! Im so happy...
2) My HS school friends - i saw the important people
3) My college friends - hmmm...not really
4) My friends in the music scene - yes, a few
5) My chat buddies - a few as well
6) My College (UP) - had no time
7) My family's business (Phil. College of Criminology) - had a great time orienting my kids with the family roots and also shot a few rounds at our firing range
8) My lola's resting place (haven't mourned her yet) - went with my tito..was crying sa car palang. Bought a huge pot of flower and then konti lang pala puwede lagay sa vase
9) My two sponsored children in Tarlac - wasn't able to go because didnt go that way
10) My old stomping grounds too many to mention!! - well most stomping grounds were not even there anymore!

DI KO TRIP:
What Im not looking forward to:
1)The PAWIS - got a lot of pawis which I ended up liking because nakakapayat hehe
2) The HEAT- felt the heat and the stickiness
3) TheTRAFFIC - i got stressed out driving around like playing grand tourismo
4) The POLLUTION - so baddd i went home with a soar throat
5) The LUBAKS - ibang klase!
6) The Airport porters - yep, i successfully shooed them away
7) The slow sales ladies - this was totally annoying! I wanted to help them pack my stuff! 3 people to check out your items? Cmon!
8) The Vendors offering you stuff in traffic (Takatak boys) - yep, and the beggars too I did buy sampaguita for my car just like the old days!
9) The Cheezy TV personalities - thank God I had no time to watch tv! although usong uso ang mga artistas endorsing products such like BELO and REAL ESTATE...
10) The corny TV shows - pleaseeee, thanks to Pal's delayed flight from Kalibo, I was forced to watch wowowee for a whole hour in the terminal area! talk about tasteless show!!
So I did pretty well for three weeks. So Im three days and counting on jetlag mode but tomorrow I have to pack again for a 3 day Music Ministry Retreat up the mountains of Sta Clarita! Not to mention Im leaving for France on Jan 18. Now how many of you can honestly say, you can keep up with me?? Even I can't keep up with ME! hahaha what can I say life IS very short. I wish I had 3 more lifetimes to enjoy with other people too! Like dividing my self so that I can be in 3 places at once!
My next trip sometime mid July is to see other friends I was not able to see this time due to schedules. Plus the possiblity in investing in some property. Then I want to take the kids to a few more destinations like:
1) Baguio
2) Subic
3) Pagsanghan Falls
4) Corregidor
5) Cebu
6) Batangas
thats it (which is actually A LOT) for now...do I have vacation hangover or what? well..Im still jetlagging so Im gonna blog away!I'm sure this weekend I'll be forced into my regular sked and my regular routine. Back to singing worship to the Lord. Vacation's over!

First few days back in the US...

Third day of erratic sleeping patterns....There are some things you just have no control over, jetlag is one of them. Yesterday, Jan 4, I woke up at 4am. I said, okay, i'll just pretend I'm one of those people that have to get up really early to go to work. And so I fought to keep awake only to be defeated around 1:30pm when a headache started to give me over to the otherside. I started becoming cranky and felt disoriented and so I had to go to sleep. Woke up at around 7:30p, bought the kids some chow and went home and tried to sleep again around 10pm. Still, I woke up at 4am and tossed and turned for about an hour. I finally gave up hence this blog. Btw, the kids are pretty much on the same schedule as I.
On the emotional side of things, its pretty up and down too. Its normal for me to feel a deep sense of sadness coming back from any vacation. Its a little different this time. Who am I kidding? Its A LOT different! LOL! I feel somewhat lonely and confused a little bit. I DO take comfort in the fact that I know its temporary and it will pass. But the fact of the matter is, at this very moment in time. It here. hehehe
I guess its because I left the Philippines 7 years ago with a bad taste in my mouth. I was escaping a life that at age 24 went all too fast for usual people my age. It was all about bitterness, anger, destruction, confusion, etc. I hated my family, I hated my life, everything was just darkness. I was soooo confident before I left (if you would notice in my pre-trip blogs) that this trip would reinforce my decision to move to the US. I knew, I would come back patting my back.
Well, the complete opposite happened. I had the best time of my life! Bar none! the first week into my vacation, I was already starting to questiton why I left in the first place? Shocking but true. This trip was about relationships. Mending, reconnecting, discovering. My past relationships. I was so amazed to feel all the love from everyone, in one way or the other. Even from my HS friends and after college friends. But most shocking of all was from my family. Its absolutely the first time I felt the love of my family. I had this sense growing up that I didnt belong in any family or that noone really wanted me around. Well, that obviously, is a complete and total lie that i conjured in my head! Either that or people have really grown up and matured. You'll soon find out more detail about this when i start documenting my Balikbayan Chronicles pretty soon. I'm sure I'll be blogging a few more times this next couple of days to keep me from going insane from jetlag.
But, what really has helped me right now (literally), is chatting with my Ate Mel. She always is able to put my confusion into perspective like noone else can.I feel bad that we were not able to see each other because of scheduling conflicts. For almost ten years now although we are separated by the Pacific Ocean and the challenges of our own lives, we always find the time to pick up where we left off and she just manages to give me perfect timing advice 100% of the time. She calms my mind down when i start getting overly excited , overanalytical and overintellectual. hahaha Thanks, ate mel! You are SO RIGHT in saying that vacations have a way of making life SURREAL. I feel much better now. I love you! Promise, when Im back mid-July you'll be the first person on my list!
I've been chatting with her while finishing this blog. And so, a million messages later, Im a step closer to recovering from post vacation blues. I wish this would go away already so I can get back on my saddle without looking back at what I Ieft behind...

With Love from Orlando...

Whew!! Dang it's hot and humid here! And we ARE taking off all our clothes, of course to bare swimsuits! hehehe It reminds me of Manila! Soooo...sticky!! We're about half way into our Disneyworld (appropriately Florida since we're all over the place) adventure and we sure are having lotsa fun! The last time I was here in Disneyworld was 6 years ago and this place was giving me flashbacks of my ol' trip listening to Enya through Florida's thick tree riddled highways. Yep, Enya always does it, this time on my IPOD instead of a Cdplayer.
That was a trip for me and someone who had a special place in my heart..this time, its for the kids. I took along my other nephew, Parc, whose Storm's age since his parents are in Manila and he's practically orphaned over here. They all have had good grades and have been working hard at school and other stuff and so I thought it would be a great gift to take a vacation before school started again in September. Plus I am going to be pretty busy last quarter of this year because of preparations for the UK tour next year and stuff Im doing for church. It will be a pretty exciting last quarter though! (Especially since the song I made for Nicolas Cage's movie Ghostrider got picked up and will be used for around 3 mins in a scene in the movie. But that's going to be in a blog in late September when I go into their studio to help in arranging the song to be played by a full orchestra!---of course I had to throw a bit of exciting news though unrelated! hahaha so watch out for that story) Sooooo many good and great things are going on in all areas of my life. I give God all the glory for everything He's done in my life. Its been amazing! I'll post pictures tomorrow of our trip here... For whats going on with our trip, tune in to my next couple of blogs for a daily account. I'll try to keep it updated! Florida sunshine to y'all!

Relentless - The Struggle for Peace in the Middle East

HonestReporting has launched the film, Relentless: The Struggle for Peace in Middle East. "Relentless" is a powerful one-hour documentary using primary source video clips to examine the history of the Mideast conflict and how the Peace Process unraveled in a surge of violence. "Relentless" provides Americans of all backgrounds and persuasions with the balanced, honest facts needed to understand and contextualize the struggle in the Middle East. An acclaimed production for individuals and nationwide communities concerned about the struggle within the Middle East and the threat of a broader conflict that could engulf the West. "Relentless" is an important documentary for anyone interested in learning the truth about the Middle East conflict. Alan Dershowitz

Obsession: What The War on Terror Is Really About

If Loose Change blew your mind, just watch this. This movie explores what all Radical Islamic Extremists, who only make up 10%-15% of the Muslim population, are really trying to do, and how. You have to see this movie to get a real prespective of the problems we have in the world.

More kids for me!!!

Well, kinda.....I just received my two adoptions! Well, kinda again....hehehe no, no, no, Im not doing the Angelina thang and forming a United Nations center in my own backyard...

My hubby and I have decided not to have any more of our own kids. I was planning a family of four a few years back. If I were to have a boy, I would name him Skye and if I had a girl I would name her Sunshine. But now, plans have changed. We are answering a higher callling. Selfless and unconditional. There are still a lot of things we want to accomplish in life that's bigger than ourselves and we realized that having more of our own would mean, we would need to devote more time to our family rather than reach out to more needy childen and noble causes.

And so, the Seeds of Hope adopt a child program at church was the perfect solution! ( go to www.wordinternational.com to read more about the program) For a mere $20 a month, which isn't even enough to buy you a decent meal at Mcdee's or enough to throw that on a drink or two on a saturday night, you can send a deserving child to school! I am the official "ninang" to 2 kids right now that are not related to each other but are both from Tarlac , attend our Word International School over there and have tricycle driver fathers and housewife mothers. Thats only $240 a month per child! And so because of this somewhat miniscule but significant donation, they can have a decent Christian education! Who said philanthropy had to start with the rich? Everyone can spare 20 bucks if they really wanted to right?

It really warmed my heart when I got their pictures and their bio info this week! It made me feel like Im trully making a difference in someone else's life unconditionally, no strings attached. What a priviledge to be able to share such a blessing with the less fortunate ones. What an awesome way to give back! And this is just the start! I want to sponsor at least 10 kids by the end of the year. Thats still just $2400 a year! C'mon! Raising my own kids cost that much per month!

They are both 5 years old and are on a full scholarship (thanks to us) they are so cute and yet so frail you would cry just imagining what kind of life they live. I'm planning to pay them a visit when I come home this Dec or Jan on the way up to our vacation house in Baguio. I want to bring my kids to meet them. It is my hope and prayer that this occasion be a life changing event for them because they have NO IDEA what life is like outside of their very comfortable and blessed life here in Glendale, CA. Sometimes, I want to conk their heads because they don't understand what they have. My only heart's desire...if there was one thing my kids learn from me, it's to appreciate what they have because most children around the world DONT have even 1/4 of what they're currently enjoying and be able to give back to society unconditionally.

Its great to be blessed! Its even greater to bless others!!

In the ZONE!!

I've had another helluva week! Firstly, I went up to support our Church's youth group retreat last week and I was trully blessed. God totally moved mightly. I really went up there with a sincere desire to support the retreat and so I found myself interceding for a breakthrough; but at the same time, basking and enjoying my Father's presence! It was so real to me because of what Ive been through myself as a teen. I couldn't help but think how much more priviledged these kids are to come to know JC before they hit adulthood. I could feel my own pain as I prayed and ministered to a few of them. So much pain, struggles, and challenges...sometimes, as adults we forget what we go through as teens and ignore the kind of battle teenagers go through today. Its much worse these days.

After the week at Idlwyld I went straight into another 2 day boot camp called Vertical Leap by Al Hollingsworth. DANG was it the most POWERFUL workshop I've been to (and mind you, I attend a lot!). He is a family man, businessman, politician, selfmade millionaire, but most importantly SERVANT of GOD. He is my role model of what a modern day Christian looks like. He is at the top of his career and yet serves God with the humblest of hearts supporting his own ministry through his business profits.

His seminar teaches Kingdom Economics. He bridges the gap between God's Kingdom and Earth. Logic and Faith. Invisible vs Visible. The missing link so to speak. He used science, physics, psychology, biology and mathematics to prove that GOD is behind EVERYTHING. He explained it so clear that there is no way you can dissuade me of God's hand in the history of mankind. Something schools would never touch. Everything we SEE is just a manifestation of WHAT WE CANNOT SEE. So on and so forth. Pretty deep huh? You BET! His next seminar will be on Sept 9-10 and Im bringing droves of people to come and learn the TRUTH about LIFE and why it is the way it is. Trully a paradigm shift! I am not the same person I was a week ago. I have finally GOT IT! How the GLORY of GOD WORKS! How JESUS is the ULTIMATE SOURCE (LIGHT) of Everything! How to be in THE ZONE, God's favor and blessing zone, where you're directly in the path that he already finished for us since before the start of time. I do believe I'm in that path right now or getting close to it....its pretty overwhelming yet exciting at the same time! I don't expect you to grasp what Im saying because this could be pretty profound to someone who just dwells in the flesh. Hit me up if you're intrigued. I DARE YOU...This year, I should say, can be called my SPIRITUAL QUANTUM LEAP YEAR. AMen to that!

Midyear Assessment

My spontaneous writing juices come and go in spurts! Its realy temperemental. Then again, its just a reflection of the writer, I guess. hehehe Trust me, I have calmed down a lot! I usually write when I feel like it or if im venting (or maybe PMSing, which I deny) or when Im happy, or when I just feel I need some sort of release. Sometimes, I feel like posting on blogspot, or friendster, or my myspace page. I guess its nice to look back sometimes and reflect on things that where on my mind at that particular moment when I wrote them. Right now is one of the rare occasions where I want to write something but I realy dont know what about which makes this all nonesense right. What makes it even more annoying is that you're reading it! HAHAHAHA so let's see what comes to mind....

Well, I am surpised that my profile views this month has risen to an all time high of 325. Wow, I usually get over a hundred a month so Im really baffled at this sudden surge in views? I wonder about friendster sometimes. Why can't they fix their damn server! Its either slow, it doesnt log on correctly, pictures are not where they're supposed to be and profiles that I dont care for pop up on my front page. So, I have a love-hate relationship with this site. Its just nice being connected to people you havent seen for a long time and know what they've been up to. See, Im just rambling again, making no sense at all.

Hmm...let see if I can make more sense here. How about a mid year assesment of my life in general. Well, I really can't complain about my life. In fact, ITS GREAT! Its still on the upswing and things are just about to burst in the next couple of months. Still surreal if you ask me. Glorty to God for that. Its all from Him, I swear its not me or my own efforts.

MY SON, STORM - My son graduated from Elementary with an Academic Excellence Award signed by President Bush. Wow, thats better than Ive ever done! It really DOES give you a warm fussy feeling inside! hahaha It makes every effort that Ive made to make sure he does his schoolwork properly worth every struggle. After all, ever since last year when Mikey retired me, i have completely devoted myself to motherhood and committed to the development of their gifts and talents and that they grow up much better individuals than I. And all parents will agree with me that this is not an easy task. Many would say a full time career would have more dignity than one that chooses to be a stay at home mom. Trust me, all my old friends will gag at the thought of me being a full time mom but I should say, its the best thing I could've ever done not for me but for them. They have NOTHING on me! But enough about me...

ALL his grades are A's and 4's. These leaves me a bewildered but proud mom (very blessed to be exact!). Then again, the American educational system isn't one to boast but hey, achievment is achievment. He's 2/3 to his black belt in taekwondo with a silver medal to his name. He joined Chorus, played cello (for a few months) and got into the GATES program (gifted students). All this and having to contend with me and his sister! Thats a great accomplishment! WOW! He has the purest heart amongst the family. Next to his stepdad of course who is by far the most selfless person I know. (That would be in a latter paragraph). We had fun last week at Knotts Berry where I trained and psyched him to get over his fear of rollercoasters. After that first ride where we got pulled back 124 ft in the air thrown across 3 loops. He was totally sucked into the adrenaline rush. So now, like me he's a rollercoaster junkie! He's developing a love for soccerr (which was also may favorite sport growing up) and he's leaving on Saturday for a one week field trip to the Capital, DC for an educational field trip which I wish I could've done when i was 11.

MY DAUGHTER, SUMMER: Her story is not far from her brother's. She's incoming 5th grader and also exceeds any mothers expectations in grades and co curricular excellence. Also straight E's. She was definitely teachers pet and volunteered at school to do more than she was obligated to do. She worked for the library and read to younger kids. Kinda reminds me of me during the same age! She took up the violin this year and was also in her School's award winning drill team. She just recently concluded her ballet recital (Swan Lake) where she played one of the peasant girls. Bravo to that. Have you realized yet how busy they are? Wait till I throw in my sked then you'll wonder how I juggled all this and still have my sanity intact!

Of course, they've also been involved in musicals and drama skits at church these past couple of months. Busy is an understaement, indeed.

MYSELF: Well, first and foremost. I have been busy shuttling the kids to and from their activities. I have been busy serving in Church as a member of the Music team (where else) and now even busier being handed my own ministry (creative arts) to help people realize their God' given talents and use it to further the Kingdom. The music team is gaining recognition in LA's Filipino community. We were front page of the Balita Newspaper published here and I had a picture on page 47-48. Of course, the newspapers are nothing new for me but this one is more exciting because it is for God's work and not mine. We even had around a 3 minute spot at a local Filipino cable tv show. Not too shabby for a church. My own Creative Arts Ministry is moving so quickly. As soon as we activated it, we had several opportunities to use the different talents in and out of the church. We are planning a concert/musical on October 2006 among other monthly activities.

MY BAND: hmmm...extraordinary news! I have a signed and sealed contract for us to play in Cannes, France on Jan 21, 2007! We are being flown over there by an Int'l MAJOR Label (i cannot divulge the name yet because they need to make the announcement themselves first) all expense paid to take part in the midem.com music festival! Just go to their website if you care to know more about it. We're only playing one hour show and are going to get paid for it as well! YES, we have been picked up by a MAJOR LABEL! Never been done in the History of the Filipino people! Then to make you even gasp more...we're playing for the World cup or its equivalent next year in EUROPE! That is coming up soon too! Stay tuned on our website for a major announcement on it when the time is right! We will be frequenting the UK next year for a serier of tours (check our myspace page for the exact dates) It'll be an awesome way of seeing Europe! For free and actually with PAY! So, great things , great things!

MY HUSBAND: Yes, the unfortunate thing is still tied up in Seattle due to some personal and family business he needs to attend to but he might have a breakthrough next week and be able to move here finally. He has A LOT going on too! He got picked up by Eric Clapton. Yes, there's only ONE Eric Clapton, to represent him as a publicist. We are going to be guests at Nicholas Cage's NewPort Bay mansion in the next two weeks because Mikey is writing his auto biography and possibly collaborating on screenplays, comic books and other stuff. Of course, while he works I'll be chilling with Nic's wife at their very own spa and beachfront! hahaha Yes, Mikey is not only a Music collector and freak (he owns at least 5,000 cds) he is a total COMIC NERD (God only knows how many boxes of really old, musty comic books he has!). I dunno how I end up with comic nerds all the time! (maybe because I like reading them myself, duh !!??) Well,this time, this is the last stop!

Oops, I don't want to forget to mention the fact that his dad has been so generous to give us a car. So what are my choices? The toyota sequoia or land cruiser. I went to the dealership yesterday to test drive them and DANG they ride like airplanes!! The sequoia ride is like coach and the LC rides like first class! woo hoo...so, thats going to happens sometime in the next few weeks depending on the availability of our choice. After that, I'll be able to finally buy a jetski that Ive been wanting for the last 15 years! This is way back mid 90's when we were almost going to buy one in Manila and "charge it to the band!" hahaha

Then there's his non-fiction book about the 80's thats being picked up by Harper Collins. Thats going down in the next 2-3 weeks. And he's finishing up his gothic romance novel with a character he based on me (that should be interesting!) I haven't read it yet because he wants to surprise me when its done. And then the Nic Cage projects follow after that. Oh, I forgot to mention he got offered to run the Berlin branch of the recording co that's picking us up but he turned it down because there's NO WAY I'm moving to GERMANY! Im a SOCAL kinda gal. hahaha

Are you dizzy yet? I haven't mentioned the activites we're doing as a family. hahahaha...We're going for a whole week to Disneyworld this August as my 'good job on your grades' gift and should definitely be a blast!

We're planning to finally go home to Manila this Christmas or sometime that season depending on when they get off for Xmas break. I haven't been home in 7 years!! It seems like forever. I miss BORACAY and PUERTO PRINCESSA and SEA FOOD and HUMUS w/ OX BRAIN and BACOLOD CHICKEN HOUSE and LE CHING and SAISAKI and KAMAYAN and DENCIOS..need I go on

Wedding Bells? Well, after forfeiting my April 05 deposit (which I put a year ago) on a gorgeous spanish style house up in the Pacific Palisades hills with a garden overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the Southern California coastline, we've decided to move it sometime summer next year because my lolo could not make it this year for health reasons. Next year, the whole bautista clan will show up so we decided to move it again for the nth time. That will be something to look forward to as well. I've had the invitations, save the date cards, disposable cameras and guest books since last year! Heck, I even bought my dress already a month ago. You're jaw will drop when you find out where and how much I bought the dress!??! Marshall's, price tag: $25 dollars!!! hahahaahahah I was just buying some everyday stuff and as I was in line in the check out counter, there it was beside me. A simple spaghetti strap, creme colored gown with beading at the torso area. Its abolutely simplicity at its perfection! GORGEOUS!! Why make the dress where me because of its price tag? I'll WEAR the dress, thank you.

There's an Israel trip coming this October as well, not sure if we can go but that's definitely on the top of the list of places to visit together with Kenya to see the conditions of our churches there (im thinking, what I could've spent on my dress would be well spent in those areas). Since becoming 'retired' last year. Ive decided to devote my spare time to philanthrophy work. Its not an angelina jolie thing. This has been in my heart a long time ago before the husband stealing but its okay since Im a humanist media darling started her mission. So that's that for now....this is my life midway into 2006. hmm..this turned out to be a long journal!!! The best news this blog has to offer??? I have a date with KAL'EL TOMORROW!!! Superman begins.....woo hooo