Jetstream: When Time Stands Still

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I have always believed that when two people who are in love with each other first kiss, time would stand still for them. I think it’s because of the wonder of the moment --- that moment when you finally get a taste of what it feels like to love and be loved in return --- all enveloped in one sweet kiss. You don’t know if you’ve kissed for a second, a minute or an hour. It doesn’t matter to you because in any case, you still end up forgetting to breathe...but you know you’re still alive --- you can feel your heart beating rapidly, trying to win a losing race.

At that moment when time stands still, you realize that you wouldn’t mind kissing the same person for the long run. You realize that you would do anything and everything to get kissed that way and to feel that way again and again.

I was afraid that time standing still was a myth --- something that romance novels describe but no one in reality has ever felt. I didn’t think I would ever get the chance to experience that phenomenon…but to my surprise, I did. In that one kiss, I knew I have found something and someone very special. 

I am blessed.

Reministream: The Swing

My crude drawing of the swing.

One of the most dangerous contraption in a playground is the swing. This is really too sad because it is also one of the most enjoyable...for me, at least.

As a child, I had a couple of harrowing experiences that involved swings. You see, when I was young, our "yaya" or nanny, would take me and my sister to the village's playground which used to be three houses away from our home ( a big three-story house now stands in it's place...pity). There, we would go on the swing and play in the sand with some of the children from the neighborhood. 

I remember the first time I got into a swing accident. I was just walking along behind the set of swings, minding my own business, and then suddenly --- boom --- a swing hit me on the back of my head. Some kid had been swinging really high with such energy and gusto and I failed to see the swing crashing down over me. I went home that day with a bleeding head. I don't remember how my mom reacted when she heard the news, though. 

A few years later, the swing caught me off guard once again. This time, I got hit on the top of my head. I remember volunteering to push my sister while she was on the swing. As she gained height and momentum, I didn't realize that the swing had swung too high that when I moved closer to push the swing once again, it came crashing down on top of me. Again, I went home with blood gushing in torrents out of my head. I remember how my sister cried her heart out that day because she thought she'd killed me. Even though I had blood squirting out of my head and it looked like it needed plumbing to get the blood to stop, I was laughing it off. It didn't hurt at all. I was telling my sister that I would be okay, that it was just a wound. I remember it so vividly until now (proof that my skull might have been bashed open but at least I still had my brain intact)! What I still don't remember was how my mom reacted to the news once again, but I do remember that she had to cut and shave off the hair surrounding the gash, put some white cream on it (Zinc Oxide, I believe...it wasn't the first or last time I got that cream on my head) and a bandage. I don't remember ever being brought to the hospital...I think I was more afraid of the doctor than of dying...yes, I was the one who did not want to go and get my head checked. If I turn out to be crazy because of all those head injuries I have had throughout the years...well, all I can say is that in this case, ignorance is bliss!

I can't imagine now how my mom must have felt whenever she'd come home from work only to hear about my swing incidents...more proof that we weren't the boring part of her life, hehe.

Now that I think about it, those swing incident didn't really traumatize me because even now, as an adult, whenever I'd see a swing I would still happily get on it...consequences be damned. ;-p

Bookstream: Julia Quinn

I consider Julia Quinn's books "light" reading. Her novels are the kinds of books I read for rest and relaxation. Her writing has a poetic quality to it, most likely because she writes historical romances. As an author, she has a great sense of humor. Any author that can make me laugh out loud is an author I would choose to read again and again.


The first Julia Quinn book that I read was titled "An Offer from a Gentleman," set in the late 1700's. The book had a Cinderella-like feel to it...which was perfect for me because I love fairy tales!This blog proves it! 

I was glad that it was the first of Julia Quinn's books that I read. It was well written and the plot was everything I wanted in a story.i would love to talk about the book in detail, but I might ruin the surprise for anyone interested in reading it. Anyway, with that book, I was hooked. The fact that it was part of a series of books also  helped. It made me want to find out how she thought of happy endings for those other interesting characters. And so I started "collecting" her books...from the series to the stand-alones.


I haven't read her latest book "Ten Things I like About You" but it will definitely be part of my to-read list!


To find out more about Julia Quinn and her books, check out her website: http://www.juliaquinn.com/

Safetystream: Why Car Doors Should Always be Locked

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The other night, my sisters and I were on the way home from a road trip to Tagaytay. It was around 1:30 in the morning. As we stopped by the stoplight, a couple of boys, round about 10 to 12 years old approached the car. I think their intention was to beg for money, but we decided to ignore them. I only give money to old people who can't work anymore. People who look like they could earn a decent living --- I would usually ignore. Anyway, as they were knocking on my window, they started harassing me (I was driving). 

This boy of about 10 years old, started cursing at me and shouting at me. But what scared me the most, was the fact that he was already trying to open the car door. I was glad I had the door locked! Now, the thing about this was that the whole day, my sisters had to remind me to lock the car doors. Yes, I've been forgetting to lock up while we were in the car. 

It was a jarring wake up call for me. If my sisters hadn't reminded me time and again to lock up, I would have forgotten it again and again. I'm glad now that they did or else I wouldn't know what would have happened if I didn't. Same goes anywhere --- in a cab, at home, in the bathroom --- always lock up! We never want to get caught with our pants down!

Weirdstream: Noel

Just like any other place, our subdivision also has its own "town crazy." His name is Noel. Ever since I could remember, I would see him walking around as if he was going some place but he was really going nowhere. I guess he just loves to walk. I would know that he was around our block because I'd hear a loud cackling sound --- like that of a turkey --- that would echo far and wide. It was his laughter. Noel would laugh to himself. Everybody just basically left him alone --- he seemed the harmless type anyway.

One night, my sisters and I got home from a late night bonding and girl talk session over cakes and coffee. I was telling them that I would actually miss Noel. I saw that he was getting on in age --- rail thin and a full crop of white hair on his head. I was wondering out loud if he would still roam the streets after he passes on someday.

After I parked the car and we were all getting inside the house, my sisters freaked out. Noel was standing by our gate, just watching all the commotion. I decidedly ignored him and continued on my business. When I got inside the house, my sister asked me: "Was he there all along?" 

"No, I saw him come our way and he stopped by the gate when he saw us. I think he was just trying to see what the commotion was all about." I said.

"But I didn't see him! Is he still there?"

We all peeked through the widows. Yep, he was still there. My sisters turned off all the lights. I felt like we were some covert operators, hiding from an alien "predator."

My sisters were pretty freaked out. "What the heck is he doing there?" one of them whispered in the dark. I shrugged. "He's just watching us."

"I'm getting outta here!" someone whispered. Two of my sisters slunk up the stairs in the dark. I think one of them even crawled up on all fours --- I wasn't too sure because it was dark. I was left downstairs with one other sister.

"I'm afraid to go up!" she whispered to me in panic. "Just walk up as if nothing's wrong and just ignore him...he'll go away." I said. To prove my point I did exactly as I said and safely made it up the stairs to the rooms. My sister followed. 

In the room, one of my sisters quipped:

"So Jet, what were you saying about missing him?"

I left the room with a totally different perspective. 

Reministream: Jumping for the New Year

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When I was a child, the whole family would go to the province every year for Christmas and New Year. We would usually leave the house during the early morning hours when the sun hasn't risen yet and travel by car to Ilocos. It was an exciting time for us --- being awake when the rest of the world was asleep. We would still be in our pajamas, with a sweater or jacket thrown over it. We would have our pillows and blankets with us and we would all be cuddled comfortably on the back seats.

Once in Ilocos, the fun would start: going to the nearby beach everyday...visiting with relatives who would offer gastronomical wonders in the form of bibingka and kalamay...roaming around the town fair (or "perya") at night.

On Christmas eve, there would be a midnight mass. The church would be full of people, young and old. We would feel like celebrities because people stared at us, obvious outsiders --- with our pale skin and chinky eyes. After the mass, there were treats to look forward to: sweet coconut balls and fruit salad...and gift! Loads and loads of gifts!


On New Year's eve, when fireworks were still the "in" thing, uncles and neighbors would set fireworks off in an array of lights and loud bangs! My sisters and I would sit on the window sills and and look outside in wonder. We were small and light enough for the sills to hold all of us! Also, when the church bells would ring at midnight, we would all jump as high as we could to welcome the new year! We were told that if we jump on the eve of the new year, that we would grow tall! And so we jumped...from the top of the stair steps, the chairs, the tables and the window sills!


Now that I look back, those were pretty happy times. Nowadays, it's so difficult to get everyone together, even for just one night. What with different jobs and other responsibilities. We don't get to jump for the new year anymore, since I guess the jumping has done its part...


...we're all taller than we used to be when we were young! ;-)

Jetstream: Slowly but Surely Does the Trick

http://www.gutenberg.org

One of Aesop's fables that I could not forget is that of the story of the thirsty raven. It has stuck to my consciousness through time because somehow, it was a story that inspired me.

This was how the story went:

Once upon a time, there was a thirsty raven. It went around, searching for water. Finally, the raven spotted some water inside a tall pitcher. Much as it tried to get it's beak in to drink the water, the raven could not reach it. The crafty raven looked around and spotted pebbles all over the place. One by one, the raven picked up the pebbles and dropped them into the pitcher. Slowly, but surely, as the pitcher filled with pebbles, so did the water level go up. Finally, there were enough pebbles in the pitcher and the water rose high enough for the raven to reach it and drink.

There are two "morals" to the story: one is "necessity is the mother of invention" and the other, my personal mantra, "slowly but surely does the trick."

In a fast-paced world where everything is done in a rush, sometimes we forget that the more we slow down, the more thorough we become. Instead of fast food, a slow-cooked, filling meal is always better --- more appreciated and more worth it. This is why more often than not, the best meals are the ones made by those you love --- your mother who slaved at the kitchen the whole day or the favorite aunt who can cook the best pies and desserts around. Go to a restaurant serving the same dishes and the feelings evoked are never the same.

Another example is --- surprise, surprise --- this blog. I have several posts already but only a handful (not even "full" --- more like half a handful) of readers. But this doesn't stop me from posting and sharing my thoughts. Someday, I hope to get to the point when I'd have to give away stuff to "loyal" readers and followers...to cater to requests for things to write about...to get paid for writing! I look forward to that...but right now...slowly but surely, I am putting my thoughts out for anyone interested to read.

...and I do hope, dear reader, you are one of them!