For the love of belly dancing

I've been devoting my entire weekends preparing for this one. 6 more days to go! I hope to see y'all there. :)

Much love,

Tin

P.S. We're pre-selling tickets... You can contact me through Facebook, Twitter, email or SMS.

Enchanted Farm

Welcome to Enchanted Farm. This is where hope is planted and dreams bear fruit.

Teacher Brenda devotes her time educating the children in the community.

Soon enough, this makeshift basketball court will be turned into a real sports complex, thanks to Meralco and Toby Sports.

Bayan-Anihan area, sponsored by Selecta - where families of the community can plant crops for them to sell and/or to eat. They can exchange with other families in the area.

Say hi to the little piglets! :) This pig pen is special --- it doesn't smell awful at all. That's because they use organic feeds (hence, pig poop doesn't smell).

Meet Cappuccino, one of the baby goats in the farm. When she grows older, she will produce goat's milk and goat cheese, just like her momma.

At present, Enchanted Farm is only seven months old, but Gawad Kalinga is working towards the goal to make this 14-hectar land:

1) a Village University,

2) a Filipino Silicon Valley, and

3) a Filipino Disneyland for social tourism.

The Enchanted Farm is located in Barangay Encanto, Angat, Bulacan. Compassionate people are needed. Want to help out? Call or text 0916-499-0699, look for Matt.

I absolutely love Valentine's day.

Some say Valentine's day is superficial, but to me, Valentine's day is a reminder for everyone to express how they feel for others (romantically or not). Ever since I was a kid, Valentine's day has always been my favorite day of the year. What I like about it is that it's technically just an ordinary day, but everyone's (especially those who are shy about their feelings) given a reason and an opportunity to go ahead and wear their heart on their sleeve.

This Valentine's day, I've been extra courageous about showing my heart. I gave presents to some people who aren't necessarily close to me, but are nevertheless special to me. I greeted almost everyone I came in contact with a Happy Valentine's day (and really meant it), like Alex and Zeus of Starbucks, my classmates and even the guards. In return, I received big smiles and lots of warmth.

From acquaintances and loved ones I received these:

a Villars chocolate bar

a red rose

a box of Ferror Rocher chocolates

a bouquet of pink roses

With open hearts, we all got a taste of heaven. Haaaaa.. I feel good. ♥

Happy Valentine's Day, y'all! *sending everyone a cosmic hug* :)

Psalm 5:13

For you, Lord, bless the just; you surround them with favor like a shield.

Norwegian Wood

My guy best friend gave me the book entitled Norwegian Wood written by Haruki Murakami last year during my 20th birthday. I have been wanting to read and finish the entire book, but I only found the time to do so this year. Honestly, I was not expecting anything sentimental or emotional from Murakami, since it seemed to me that his writing style did not linger too much on the (deep) feelings of the persona.

Compared to Kafka on the Shore (another work by Murakami which I have previously read), Norwegian Wood hit me at the right spot --- enough to make my heart vulnerable to the words he wrote...

Memory is a funny thing. When I was in the scene I hardly paid it any attention. I never stopped to think of it as something that would ma

ke a lasting impression, certainly never imagined that 18 years later I would recall it in such detail.

After reading that part, I kept highlighting and highlighting and highlighting...

Beautiful. That was just absolutely beautiful. ♥

(Trivia: The song Norwegian Wood by the Beatles is a significant detail in the book. Listen to it here.)

Departure

Life tends to be monotonous at times, routinely, even. There are days that at the moment you wake up, you mutter, "here we go again," because you know what will happen. You know who you are going to see today, what you will do and how the day will end. After all, you've been living like this ever since you can remember. You have mastered going on about your life.

But this is an illusion. The world is in constant flux, right before your eyes. It is happening everywhere, even inside your own body, and yet it is a fact that is easily, carelessly neglected. You are always warned; the signs never fail to do their part. Nothing should surprise you.

But then it happens. Suddenly you lose a loved one. He left you. Maybe on purpose. Maybe it was just time. Nevertheless, he has left. And you can do nothing about it.

You stop on your tracks and fall silent. What else can you say? What else is there to say, if he has already left and would never come back? As the reality of his departure is sinking in, a hole is drilled in your heart --- a part of you that you are so unwilling to let go of, but circumstances force it out of you. Ironically, it is at this realization of him leaving, that his presence is magnified.

Memories of him flood in your mind, but to you, at this point, they are not mere memories. You are taken to a time when he was still here, with you. These events seem new to you, despite the nostalgia, for in these flashbacks, you see him in a clearer light. You watch every little gesture he does, listen to everything he says and love every piece of his existence.

And that does it. Sadness creeps in, and stays there.

One day, you will wake up, whole; and the past would only be a dream--- a life you lived in another paradigm.

It begins with no words, but with two fluttering hearts.

Love month has arrived, and I will show you my heart.

Stay tuned.