Extreme Fun at Sandbox

I was randomly surfing the internet, when I found a post about Alviera's Sandbox. I think it was from a blog. It caught my attention as I was also looking for an adventurous place to go with Patrick.  I found it cool as I discovered that it has a roller coaster zipline. Never heard. Never seen. It was actually my first time to learn about it. Wanting to know more, I browsed a lot more. I felt lucky to know that this Ayala's property is located in Porac, Pampanga. As you know, I reside in this province. They officially opened last April 12, 2014.

Immediately, I grabbed my phone and gave Patrick a ring. I was relaying about Sandbox with so much energy, like I wanted to drag him to the place at the moment.

Being spoiled by this guy, he took me to this amazing place on April 25, 2014. It is just skip and a jump away. You can take NLEX, then proceed to SCTEX.  It is just off the Porac exit. You would see the broad open area with many flags waving.

They offer different outdoor activities, and packages as well. We chose Package A.

Photo from Alviera Sandbox website

I have acrophobia (fear of heights), thus, most of the activities gave me a fright. I survived all, except one; wall climbing. Yes, it is an easy task, but it requires too much forceful physical exertion. Plus, the rubber shoes I borrowed from my little sister was very, very bulky, giving me a tough time to step on stones. I was halfway up the wall, when I gave up. Hihi!

Roller coaster zipline was my favorite. Aerial walk was the most challenging one, but I reached the finish line! Nailed it!

We were not able to experience its mini golf, as we were in a hurry.

Crew here are very kind and accommodating. They would even volunteer to be your official photographers. Haha! Also, there is a cafeteria in there where you can munch and rest. Their burgers and shakes are yum!

I would not overcome this extreme adventure without Patrick's help. Ain't even fun without him.

P.S.

A lot of our pals asked about Alviera's Sanbox location and how to get there after having posted our pictures. Yay! :)

An Infelicitous Second Look on the Year 2013



(Mukha akong sasali sa Miss Gay. Lol! I don't care! Haha!)

I remember my retrospective on 2012 that I did last year. I mentioned on my blogpost, "Review & Reflect Upon the Year 2012", I felt like there was this baggage I left in 2012. I was wrong! I actually took it with me as I voyaged to 2013. It was a baggage that I should've left the earliest. A baggage that I handled improperly.

 

I became a sinner. Mountainous mistakes were committed. (Not a crime, alright? Neither drugs. OMG!) One is a lifetime mistake. What I thought to be a kindness turned out to be a wickedness. I was at my worst. I don't know if I only made a wrong decision, or perhaps I was not smiled on by good fortune, or it could be karma. There's too much negativity around me.

 

Though it is agonizing, I still want to take a second look at the things that happened last year. Here:

 

January

• Celebrated New Year with the whole family.
• Made a birthday presentation for Daryl
• Met Dan, brother of my former schoolmate Baste
• KT at Seder Compound. I enjoyed their hospitality.
• Accidentally bumped into my highschool batchmate, Sharifa, at a certain birthday party where we had a shooting.
• First hosting job with a new katambayer, Ate Pen
• I learned that Paolo/Monkey guy had been telling some of our mutual friends  that we had a relationship before. This made me angry that I droped his name o FB.

February

• February 8 - hosted Lel Brothas Rock Middle East concert. I was criticized by some for letting Arab guests take pictures with me.  My sister actually scolded me in front of the producation team. Lol!
• Feb. 19 - I had my first virtual conversation with Patrick
• Photoshoot with my KT Family
• Reunited with my twinnie bestfriends, Joseph and Alyanna, at Pizza Company after 2 years
• KT shoot at COMSOFIL's awarding ceremony

March

• Kuya Tim and Brian returned to the sandbox
• Mjhae's Gift of Music. It was a birthday concert where we had our production number.
• First meeting with Doctor BJ Jurilla, a very chivalrous man
• An issue about Tito Nadz's sprouted. TFC Riyadh got entangled on the issue.

April

• Patrick, who I used to call Buko, had a vacation in the Philippines
• Gave into Gwiyomi craze. I made a video. Check this out: My Gwiyomi
• My parents did too - Gwiyomi Parents at Elchico
• KT shooting with the RED family
• Stopped exercing and began to munch all food I want
• Seifeldheen's birthday celebrated at home

May

• Ate Yayah's birthday
• The longest and warmest hug I got from winkie guy
• The whole family flew to Philippines on May 10 for a vacay.
• Patrick flew back to Riyadh on the 11th. We dint see each other. Lol!
• Mother's day
• Finally created an instagram account
• Met the whole production team of Kabayan Tambayan. Shot at Ilocos Norte with the Cardio Boys and Francis Pega. I got tanned... Big Time!
• Rode cray cray rides at Enchanted Kingdom
• Met some of my college chums and other pals
• Kabayan Tambayan 1st anniversary
• May 27-29 - First Asian tour. First 2 days were spent at Hongkong, last day was at Shen Zhen, China
• KT at Ilocos Norte Episode was aired - KT at Ilocos Norte
• A coffee tryst with Doctor BJ. He got to see our house in Pampanga.

June

• A serene summer getaway at Baguio
• Midnight hangout with CEU (all campus) former USC
• Came back to Riyadh
• Alas! Opted to change my passé Nokia & Sony Ericson phones to Samsung Galaxy S4
• Father's day
• On June 18, Patrick visited me at home. It was his birthday.
• Winkie guy held my hand. It was a goodbye touch, I guess.

July

• Saudi Arabian crackdown
• 2nd hangout with my twinnie bestfriends for this year. Alyanna shared her plan of working in the Philippines. She dint encourage me to do the same thing, but I wanted the idea too. So, I immediately told my parents about it once I got home.
• No coomunication with Daryl
• Shabu-shabu session with my TFC family
• Mama's birthday
• First kiss
• Tita Amy left IGEC

August

• Pre-birthday dinner at Holiday Inn with my family.
• My birthday. We threw a small party at home with family and friends.. Patrick gave me a watch.
• KT shooting at Al Yamama Hotel
• Iftar with twinnie bestfriends at Trader Vic's
• First good morning
• Reunited with my highschool classmates (Alyanna, Joseph, Dante, Hawie, Jesika)
• Attended and hosted lotsa events
• New admission officers

September

• Good times with RIS Babies (Alyanna, Joseph, Florence, Jed, Jesika, Everly)
• Ate Jhoy left IGEC
• Submitted my resignation letter to IGEC
• A big Howdee birthday party of Papa, Bubot, and Irah
• Booked a flight to Philippines
• A night out with CBFEB - bowling
• I was invited by Ma'am Alvarez to become one of the speakers for CEU Mass Communication Convocation, but I had to say no.

October

• My parents' anniversary celebrated at Buffalo
• Joined FuGen's Palarong Pinoy, held at Fantasy Land. Encountered a huge yellow python and took a pic with it.
• Media & Culture Club Riyadh invited me to host a concert, but I rejected it.
• A 2-day Eid rave
• My ex-boyfriend came back to Riyadh.
• Joseph and I were two of the judges during RIS Field Demonstration

November

• Nodded to be one of the models for Clicks of Hope. I was under RCA.
• Start of being a jobless babe
• Chili's with the Esponilla Family
• Kuya Jonjon and Ate Ezzel got engaged
• KT at PKR's Opening of Basketball League and shockingly saw Dan

December

• Made a lifetime mistake
• Touchdown Philippines
• Established the mini-mart. Yep! I became a vendor. Lol!
• CEU USC get together
• KT shoot at SM Pampanga
• A sombre Christmas
• Became one of the bridesmaids

Of course, I would not broach my sins and go into details. I hinted at it, notwithstanding.

We are about to sail on the 3rd quarter of the year. Unfortunately, there is no progress in my life yet. I am not getting any results, albeit I try hard. No matter how devastated I am now, I still want to end this with a hope.

I am struggling right now, yet striving. There may be times that I feel hopeless and helpless, but I still wake up happily every morning and I manage to thank God before I head to dreamland at night. I know I'll get through this real soon. I can't wait to be at the finish line.

A note of thanks to these good people:

• my family
• relatives
• Patrick
• Daryl and his family
• TFC (Kabayan Tambayan & Balitang Middle East)
• RIS family
• CEU family
• The Filipino Community in Riyadh
• Facebook Friends / Online Buddies
• IGEC
• Brian/Dan/Doc BJ/
• Bornalians

A heart full of thanks to Almighty Allah for giving me the strength to continue fighting.

 _____________________

 

See my other retrospectives:

 

2009 - "God made my 2009 a blissful year!!!"
2010 - "A Retrospective of 2010"
2011 - "Let's Revert to the Year 2011!"

2012 - "Review & Reflect Upon the Year 2012"

Boston

"Boston"

by: Augustana
 

In the light of the sun, is there anyone? Oh it has begun...
Oh dear you look so lost, eyes are red and tears are shed,
This world you must've crossed... she said...

You don't know me, you don't even care, oh yeah,
She said
You don't know me, and you don't wear my chains... oh yeah,

Essential yet appealed, carry all your thoughts across
An open field,
When flowers gaze at you... they're not the only ones who cry
When they see you
She said...

You don't know me, you don't even care, oh yeah,
She said
You don't know me, and you don't wear my chains... oh yeah,

She said I think I'll go to Boston...
I think I'll start a new life,
I think I'll start it over, where no one knows my name,
I'll get out of California, I'm tired of the weather,
I think I'll get a lover and fly him out to Spain...
Oh yeah and I think I'll go to Boston,
I think that I'm just tired
I think I need a new town, to leave this all behind...
I think I need a sunrise, I'm tired of the sunset,
I hear it's nice in the Summer, some snow would be nice... oh yeah,

You don't know me, you don't even care, oh yeah...

Boston... where no one knows my name... yeah
Where no one knows my name...
Where no one knows my name...
Boston...
No one knows my name. 

Divert & Paint

While everyone is knotting and designing his/her loombands, I am busy dipping my brush onto the watercolor and applying the paint in different strokes on my pad. I paint.

 

 

I never imagined myself having a keen interest in art. Simply because I suck at it! I have an ugly penmanship, so never did I expect a beautiful artwork could be made. However, no exaggeration intended, my life becomes heavier day by day. Several doomed things happened and are still happening. Trying to be resilient, I'm distracting myself with something that can help me rid of these unwanted thoughts. Shockingly, I shifted my attention to painting. Well, a friend unintentionally yet positively influenced me.

I bought materials 5 days ago. These materials are reasonably for beginners only. Who knows I might build a passion for painting and eventually do a canvas painting? Haha! But I don't think so. Presently, watercolor painting is my expedient diversion move. Pictures below signify the association of my craft and what I've been feeling lately. Ok, nuff with those mushy lines! Haha!

 

WARNING: I'm a novice. Do not establish high expectations. (Lol!)
 

 

 

 

Clicks of Hope

How many alibis did I offer to photographers? Not to brag, I rejected a lot. Like what Ms. Susie Khalil said, taxes are virtually non-existent here in Saudi Arabia. Perhaps, this is one reason why each Filipino in the kingdom has his own DSLR and eventually engages himself in photography. Some even own different brands which come in different sizes. Some even have their own studios. I believe these camera-freaks seek subjects, be it for their portfolios or for fun. I am honoured to receive such invitation. However, I am not comfortable with it.

If you are an online buddy, you would notice I upload pictures of mine regularly. Sure you would think I love to pose in front of a camera... And that camera is mine. Seldom do I accept photoshoot invitations. Very seldom, as my family and I are uncomfortable with the idea of striking a pose over the heads of various photographers... unless there is a sense of purpose behind it. A meaningful purpose, to be exact. One of these is the "Clicks of Hope".

Clicks of Hope was a fund-raising project organized by Cameraderie last November 22, 2012. Riyadh photographers unified as one for the benefit of Typhoon Yolanda's victims. This project was able to raise approximately PHP 100,000.

It was a great experience! It is a good way to showcase one's talent while extending a hand. Good job, Filipinos!

Here are some photos taken by different photographers:

Credits to all photographers
Concept by: Riyadh Creative Artists

Stoned

Like what I've been doing for the past years, blogging has become my way of expressing myself without doing it by word of mouth. Silently voicing out, it is. I start a blog shedding tears, then it calms me as I type each word. My reliever.

I want to make this post creative. I want to use metaphoric language so it would not be easily perceived by whoever can put up with this stupid personal blog. So they won't have a hint what I am going through. But thinking of metaphor junks would torture me more. One simple thing. I am hurting. So much...

At this very moment, sleep does not want to welcome me. So many things are spinning in my head. Right at this very moment, I want to disappear. I want to be gone. Otherwise, just be a kid again. Can I be that again?

I wish I could zip into the past where my innocent mind makes the flow of life easier; When the only lie I could utter is a friend ate the pie, though it was really me; When the only sin I could commit is either littering or loitering; When toys are the only things I could play with; When the most painful thing I could ever feel is the bruise on my knee.

It is so different now. No more innocence, all wrongness. I can curse everyone. Lies are my favorite words. I still litter and loiter. I actually do both at the same time. I create trashes and throw them to a loved one. Toys are too mainstream perhaps, hence, I play with people's feelings. Do you know the most painful thing I felt? Heartbreak.

Yes, it was all my fault. I want to be a kid again, so I can stop myself from doing a lifetime mistake. I want to be a kid again, grow up, and become a good person. When I become one, I will search for him, wherever he is. And when I find him...I will just love him and will never hurt him.

If a time machine would have a hard time sending me back to my toddler years, might as well bring me back to February 2013. That's only a year ago. A bit easier, huh?

I may sound very stoned now, but a part of me is still aware that there is no probability of this idea at all. But not waking up anymore is possible and I think, hoping for it is just alright.