Bus ride home

Crappy.

Today, I just wish I'd wake up in my bed in my own room with the pink curtains drowning the sun's rays, and realize everything was just a fading dream.

But I'm wide awake, on a bus ride home.

Happiness is like a tiny little spire of the church you see from a distance. You know it's near, but not quite. It gets bigger everyday. You get nearer everyday. But not as near as you'd want to be. Until you can't see the whole church, until you're not holding its frames, and all you can see are the spires, then you're not as close as you'd want to be.

One can only act tough for so long.

Romeo save me I've been feeling so alone.

I am going crazy.

Solitude can only benefit you for a relatively short period of time. In a month or so, you have by then found yourself again, learned new things, explored the world, raised the bar, expanded boundaries, and challenged self-imposed limitations. By the middle of the second month, you are just about to go crazy. You intensely feel the importance of your family and friends. You pounce on anyone online (during the wee hours of the morning in Manila) to lessen the loneliness. The everyday routine is driving you insane. You've had enough of the break from the drama. You're ready to plunge right back into it. :->

The place I'm staying at is spiffy clean. I have packed lunch everyday. (I can now perfectly cook rice without a rice cooker.) I've explored every nook and cranny of nearby villages. I've finished 4 books. I'm halfway done with my movies.

I still have 39 days to go.

I should've packed more sunshine with me.

Post Valentines

The night of Feb 13 2009, I was in the pits. RX was having the Single's party and I could hear their live music playing on the radio online. That didn't help lift up my spirits. While they were partying the night away, I was at the hotel eating chicken noodle soup. Now don't get me wrong... I tried going out that night. It was a Friday, and naturally people will be out having drinks. Well, I was technically correct. People were having drinks. Couples and families were having wine inside restaurants. Where are the bars and the clubs and the beer??? So I ended up having chicken noodle soup. Cool.

The next day was entirely different from the night before, though. I braved through the cold and the long lines and went up the Eiffel Tower. How could you not be amazed and feel blessed when you're at the topmost deck of the most famous landmark in the world? I still get goosebumps everytime I remember that moment :D It's Valentine's and I'm on top of the world (literally and figuratively). I love life and life loves me back. Haha! I can't remember what I did for Valentine's last year... but most definitely, I'll remember what I did for Valentine's this year for as long as I live:D

I always thought that Valentine's is a hassle... with or without a boyfriend. Too many expectations, too much cliches, too many pretensions. Not much has changed in my perception. Haha! I just enjoyed the 14th this month that I just had to post something about it. :P

From a foreigner's point of view

Talk to them in English and they reply in French. You let them read the translation of what you want to say and they still reply in French. Je ne vous comprends pas (translate.google.com). Amf. How hard is that to comprehend. More often than not, you also get the feeling that you're being talked about. In between the flurry of unrecognizable words, you hear your name and see them look at you. They know you know they're talking about you, but they won't bother to translate :P As much as you want to fit in, the fact that you can't speak French makes you feel like at an outsider. So when you hear someone say "Hoy bilisan nyo maiiwan na tayo!" in the Metro (French version of MRT), you can't help but smile and start a conversation with a kababayan. Then after a few days, McDonalds and KFC begin to seem like an oasis in a desert of restaurants serving cold cuts, wine, and cheese. At least when inside a fastfood chain, you feel comfort in the knowledge that you're not the only one having a hard time ordering. The place is packed with other foreigners who have gone tired of the cold cuts too.

Does the moonlight shine on Paris?

YES.

Lion King The Musical

The moment Rafiki started singing the opening chants of Circle of Life, I was already blown away. I need not watch the rest of the musical to decide whether it was good or not. I already knew it was going to be great. I couldn't even describe the emotions I felt while Rafiki was singing, and all kinds of animals were parading down the aisle towards the stage. Life-size elephants and giraffes, antelopes, buzzards, deer, cheetahs, zebras, and tigers were all walking down the aisle and were within arms' reach. Consuelo was rubbing my back while I futilely stopped the tears from falling because my eyeliner wasn't waterproof. The opening act was simply overwhelming. I already felt that every penny I paid was worth it (and more).

The story wasn't different at all from the cartoon. Same characters, same plot. What made it better, though, was the production itself. The life-size puppets, the costumes, the head pieces, and the special effects made a whole lot of difference. Flat images from the cartoon came to life in Lyceum Theatre. Pride Rock rose before my eyes in all its glory, the stampede scene was incredible, Scar was brilliant and was true to its character, Timon and Pumbaa are funnier, and Nala was very... agile :D

I could go on and on and describe the songs, characters, and scenes one by one, but I'd be doing my readers disservice. It is enough to know that the musical is worth watching. Even if you're not a fan of musicals and fall asleep while watching them, I guarantee you my one month's allowance that you will love Lion King.

I know I'm blessed more than I deserve. But you won't hear me complaining :P Keep it coming! :D

(taken from Simba's solo Endless Night)
I know that the night must end
And that the sun will rise
And that the sun will rise
I know that the clouds must clear
And that the sun will shine
And that the sun will shine

If you like it then you should've put a ring on it

I want to remember this for the rest of my life.

HILARIOUS!!! =))


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The TomTom and Ben Love Affair

As I write this entry, I'm watching the snow fall outside on my way back to Huddersfield. It's probably subzero already, and the cold is seeping through the train's windows. My scarf isn't helping that much and my ears are about to fall off because of frostbite (exaggerating here. But it's really cold. Take my word for it). I don't care. I'm extremely tired, but definitely overjoyed. Another dream come true. :D

Although I didn't get to see the queen (nor her boys... dang it. haha!), I passed by her palace. I fell in love with Ben, and I'm going back to see him again. Long distance doesn't really work you know (no pun intended). Tears fell as the first lines of the opening song of my first musical was sung. I still can't believe it... I get goosebumps as I type off the words and remember that I watched my first live musical at WEST END. West End, London baby!!!! WEST END!!! I navigated through Convent Garden (thus getting the nickname TomTom... I didn't realize til now that I was really good at maps. If only maps worked in Manila as well. Streets keep changing names you know :P), which I later learned that it wasn't called Convent... Covent pala. HAHA! I crossed the London Bridge, walked along River Thames, and cheered the new Chinese year with a (cute) stranger.

I got my fair share of unfortunate moments: I lost my favorite pink beret, (literally) had nosebleed while in the Tube, and walked around the city in subzero temperature. But when I recall all my London moments... meeting Ben, watching Lion King, touring Notting Hill while snow was falling, seeing Platform 9 3/4 (there really is one :P), attending mass at Westminster Cathedral... I know that my ill-fated experiences are outnumbered by overwhelmingly great ones. Not only did I tour the city of London, but I also rekindled a friendship with a sister in Christ. Tears are forming in my eyes right now as I list down all the blessings. I am again awed by God's greatness and goodness to me. There really is a God, and everywhere I look, I see Him. :)

More than I could hope or dream of,

You want to pour your favour on me...

So blessed I can't contain it.

So much I gotta give it away.

Your love has taught me to live now.

You are more than enough for me.