CNU: My Alma Mater

Yes, we complain and cry and attempt to disown it, but deep down, loves, we are graduates of an amazing school. Cebu Normal University, a state university first known for its outstanding training with those majoring in Education, has now cemented, plastered, and bound its name onto the minds and hearts of people nationally by its consistent impressive performance in the widely anticipated annual June Nursing Licensure Examinations.

Baby Shower

With her baby bump about to burst, the new mother-to-be, Mimi, spent her birthday celebrating her little baby girl's Baby Shower.

Last July 29, 2012, Princess and I attended a gathering of a few friends and family of the bloooming preggy hosted by her Tita. =D With her ever supportive hubby, Miko, by her side, co-hosting the event, she glided from group to group entertaining everyone like the gracious host she is. =D

*That's JULY 29, not June ^^*

The Vampire Hunter

Mr. President. The Vampire Hunter. Now wouldn't that be cool? Eh? Not.

For another one of those somehow-getting-frequent spontaneous girl's day out with my bestie, we decided to have ourselves some movietime. =D

Took a quick (and really cold) shower, a little food to sustain me self for the travel, and off I was in a cab speeding towards SM under the rainy downpour of Cebu. Met up with Chibon, lots of chikkas happened, lotsa laughs and window shopping, a little time over the ATM for some greens and then more chikka moments in Flame It for an early dinner. Finally, movietime. =D Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. =D

Beach Tents and Falling People

~ H + A = ?? ~

That's the phrase that got stuck in my mind since my beach day with the 6B gang. As a consolation for Ariel and the rest who wasn't able to attend our station outing, as a team building excursion for newbies and old bees to bond, and mainly as a despidida party for dear Bon who will soon be flying outta here and onto the next chapter of his life, we somehow got to organize this get together. It didn't matter where, all that mattered was the company and moments we shared. Emo much?

THE MEET-UP.

June 23, 2012 5:30am, I woke up feeling giddy for the upcoming event. Hurriedly took a shower, some chinese-inspired breakfast my mum was serving, and finally I was on my way to Mimi's (was gonna hitch a ride with her and her hubby, Miko). Ran a little bit late and arrived a little over 7am. We then headed straight for the meet-up place (Mandaue) to pick up some stray passengers (haha).

Miko and Mimi <3

Snow White and The Huntsman

It's Independence Day for all Filipinos so Cheers to us! =)

A while has passed since my last movie excursion and since today was a holiday and a day off, I felt that itch to have me some movie time. =D

For today, I asked my brother and sister (my eternal movie buddies) to watch Snow White and The Huntsman with me. =D I've been wanting to watch it since I saw its first movie trailer a long time ago as is evident in this post. =D And now I finally get to see it! =D

Kyle's 14th

Today was my cousin, Kyle's birthday. As is tradition in our family, a family dinner is always done, of course separate from all the other birthday dinners the celebrant is to attend. ^^

For today, we attended mass (a must especially on a birthday) and headed to the mall after. This was beginning to be a pattern these past years. But nonetheless, it's fun. It's always fun with the family. It doesn't matter what place we go to, or what thing we do, the company makes it all better. Sort of. ^^ On the good days. hahaha ^^

The Avengers

It hasn't been that long since my last movie in a cinema. I remember my Hunger Games moment with my friend and confidante, Sofia. It was a blast! I had a blast! Both with the movie and the company. =D But now, since Elbert's been out of the country, it's been pretty hard to find movie buddies. Everyone's busy doing their own thing, busy getting on with their own little piece of paradise, and me? Well, I'm left to fend off for myself I guess. =)

The Last Day

The following would account for one of the saddest, most unbearable moments of my entire life. For this blog, I will recall everything that happened. Not because I find it nice, but because this marks as one of the biggest changes I would have had to face so far.


March 07, 2012 12:00PM

I spent the day with Elbert. My last day with him before he leaves for New Zealand. We attended the PDOS Seminar together. Met up at Robinsons Mall at around noon for some grub with his Mum (we ate at RaiRaiKen's...the only Japanese place there) and talked. I was a bit nervous being with his Mum but thank God she was very nice (of course, I've met her before but we haven't really talked like REALLY talk). =)

My Valentine

February 14 is a day known to all. Of course, I am not one to break tradition. =)
Here's what happened to mine. =)


Went on duty early on the day. Woke up at the crack of dawn to prepare for my first day back from vacation. Work wasn't so bad. The usual sounds of stressed-out nurses, tired doctors, and aching patients filled my ears. And though I've been at this job for quite a while, having just gone on a relatively long vacation, I actually needed time to reorganize myself and adjust to the hospital environment. =p My head kept spinning the entire time and the only thought in my head was "Work's gonna end soon..." over and over and over like a broken record.

Quake hits Cebu (Feb.6,2012)

A 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit Cebu 20 minutes ago. I felt it. For the first time, I felt the shaking and the unsureness of what's gonna happen next.

There I was sleeping peacefully in my room, when all of a sudden, I got jolted right out. I felt the bed start to shake, slowly at first and then gradually build its speed and intensity. Then, for a few seconds, I heard and felt the world rumble a deep, frightening sound. Then it ended just as abruptly as it started.

My instinct told me it was an earthquake, so I just stayed where I was (since I was already in the lower bunk of the double-decker). But I really thought I was dreaming until the lady on the radio said "it's important in an earthquake that you do not panic". That confirmed it. I just felt a 6.8M quake hit Cebu. And I dreaded what might happen next. Aftershocks can happen anytime.

Let's Welcome 2012

New Year with the Castillo's =)

December31, 2011

Spent the day at SM. And yes, with the entire family in tow. =) It's always more fun with the family. =)
So to commemorate the end of 2011, we ate at a restaurant we've never tried before (again, another tradition..or more like a "thing" we have were we try out new places in town...or at least new places to us^^). This time, it's Krua Thai. =) Absolutely loved it there! Yummy food. Great ambiance. Great service. Oh, and a very awesome lighting for picture taking! Hah! Perfect end-of-the-year dinner, right? Right. =)

Pink Christmas

*Another late post*

December 24-25, 2011

So it's Christmas and as is tradition in our family, we get to celebrate it together. As one. As a family. =) I would like to think that we are close-knit. And I really believe that. Yes, there are the occasional bickering, nagging, and senseless fights but we patch it up and move on. Why? Coz that's what a family does. =) Or at least that's what our family does.

So here's what we did last Christmas. =)

ACLS and ECGs and MEGACODES and whatnot

January 30-31, 2012. 8am-12pm

He practically forced me to do this. ACLS Training, I mean. He just couldn't stop convincing me that I should (no, I'm not saying "I can"...it's "I should") attend this. It's a "once in a lifetime opportunity", he says..."one you don't really get that often that's as good an offer as this one". Okay, so that part I spiced up just a little bit but you get my drift. =p

A Birthday Blog

On October 19, 1987, at exactly 8:00AM (that's what it says on my birth certificate. Which might be part of why I like the number 8. Just a random fact. =p), a young, 26-year-old woman gave birth to a healthy baby girl who SNEEZED first before crying her lungs loose (a comedic and unexpected experience for all the clinic staff ending in a fit of laughter for them, and more crying for her). =p That cute sneezer came to be known as Honey Mariel (aka this writer). =)

Still sneezing more than she does crying, exactly 24 years later, she celebrated her birthday.

Now let me stop using the third-person and switch to first. =)

us for one more year: the story

October 11, 2007 2:00PM. The date and time  I committed myself to dating this one guy. Elbert. =D On that day, I told him all of my darkest secrets at the time. It was a test, maybe, to see if he could accept me with all my imperfections, all my dirt, all my sins. And he did. With open arms and a warm smile. =)

Now four short years later, we celebrate, on that same date, our anniversary. Still together after having gone through so much. Still holding each others hand, still backing each other up.  It's still us. And, God-willing, it will be for many more years.

I know I'm writing this a little bit late coz this one's been due ages ago but hey, it's better than nothing. And besides, it doesn't matter if I write or not coz the memories of the day will and shall stay with us for all time. *mushy much?=p*


This year, we had a 2-day celebration. I already blogged about the 1st day on my post us for one more year: a prequel. This time, I'll be babbling about how wonderful and amazing the 2nd day was. =)

us for one more year: a prequel

First of all, I would like to say I'm happy. We've been together four short years and it was never better. It still is. And not many can say the same. =D Last October 10, 2011, my guy, Elbert, took me biking. =) Now, most of the people who knows me also know that I have NEVER ridden a bike before. Hence, it follows that I absolutely do NOT know how to ride one. You don't have to be a genius to figure that one out. =)

**See how scared I look?**

for my dad with the great big smile

Sept. 24, 2011. A day I've always remembered, since the day I was born, as Daddy's day. His birthday. His special day. His day, period.

On this day, he turned 52. Quite young, if you ask me. hehe =) So we chose to celebrate this one like usual. A quiet family dinner somewhere nice. This year, we chose The Ching Palace at Lahug, CC (coz my sister wanted chinese food and my mum recommended the place).

One Birthday Eve

Last night, Sept. 11, 2011, Princess celebrated her birthday and we were there to celebrate it with her.=)

Since I'm in the middle of my sick leave and haven't entirely recovered yet, I promised myself I'd have a clean, fun, non-wild night. And that I absolutely had. =)

So let's start the storytelling.

I arrived late at the meet-up place - AA Grill - (which was pretty embarrassing) and when I did arrive, Phoebe, Ewew, Tadz, our birthday girl Princess, and her family were already there.

Sugar's Day

It was a night like many others. With people I see almost every day in the past year.

But now, we say goodbye to one.

Mam Donna.

One of our bestest best staffs. One of our most talkative staff. One of our most treasured staff.

A friend. A mentor. A colleague.

A part of our lives.

a friend's farewell

On the night of the 19th of August 2011, our planned dinner and hang-out with Reina pushed through. It's a night with her for one last time. I don't want to sound too melodramatic so let me get straight to the point. She's leaving for Dubai (actually, she already left as of present time) and we don't know when we'll be seeing her again. So for that night, we decided to make the best of everything and spend our last minutes with her having crazy, unadulterated fun.

Right after work, I did some crazy hurricane-like prepping for the night. Then, by taxi, Princess and I went to Margarita (Family Cuisine), and as usual, ahead of schedule. =D