Minus The Plans: Love and Its Whereabouts (1)

Okay, he was right, hehe. We should've checked in at that hotel called The Villas, some two kilometers from the ridge where we stopped for coffee at Starbucks. Then we could've just sinfully indulged ourselves in a relaxing unplanned overnight.

There's no point in fretting now, I know. But it's fun to fret over things really that bad, hehe.

One fine March afternoon, things were a little too 'candid', and I mean spontaneous. It started with me making a not-so-good decision for something which turned out really great after all; and my boyfriend in the mood for some kind of adventure.

We left home at four o'clock in the afternoon when the heat was still a bit scorching. The traffic was heavy right from the start, but we headed out anyway...to someplace we had barely decided. After snaking through a long traffic on his sporty scooter, while trying to figure out at which crossroad were we supposed to turn left, we managed to find Balibago Road and drove fast to Paseo de Sta. Rosa. So it was our first stop where we found not much to do but use the toilet, aside from paying the parking fee. But the walk around was relaxing anyway.

Paseo de Sta. Rosa

Then we moved to Solenad in Nuvali. I loved the landscape, not to mention the ambiance of the square. It was clean, quiet, and decent, just the way I liked it. We took a short walk along the gold-lit pathways lined with generously flowering bougainvillea. I would say there were only a few resto choices in Solenad 1. The good thing was we made the right choice with Kanin Get It!

Kanin Get It! @ Solenad 1, Nuvali

Amen to good food! I had Arroz Ala Cubana in a bowl, and my boyfriend had a sizzling plate of Beef Saplicao. And of course, tall glasses of lemonade for both of us. Indeed, great food yet so affordable at only 150 Php.

Arroz Ala Cubana by Kanin Get It!

Sizzling Beef Salpicao by Kanin Get It!

After dinner, my boyfriend asked if I wanted to sit over a cup of coffee. Oh boy, when did I ever say no to my kind of drug? (hehe) We took another round of strolling perhaps to find a coffee shop. There was Starbucks, and if there were others, that I couldn't remember.

At one point, we were at the confusion of where to find ourselves some coffee, and then only to find out that we've headed out to someplace even farther - Tagaytay!

The scooter ride was fun, scary, liberating, ecstatic, all at the same time! Hmmm...simply put, it was like...

"love on the road!" ;)

@ Solenad 1, Nuvali, Sta. Rosa

P.S. And as to why I was fretting at the start, this story will be continued. Heeee :)

What A Girl Wants

More than fashion and everything I need to state it; other than a girls circle to count on, I want someone I can trust.

Because I want to tell some crazy little stories about my not-so-short life. The troubles and how I laughed at them; the joys and how I cried for them.

I want to share what I've learned from watching people, friends and strangers, and while things, small and big, happen in their lives and make up their faces. And I want to share what I believe in. Some sane, some silly - things I say about almost everything I see. I want to share how I do things. This way, that way, and the details for some.

Crazy little stories, life lessons, and personal beliefs may not be too much to worry about. But truth of the matter is they will last and grow in amount as long as life can go. I want to share how things were with me, how things are, and how they'll be.

So I want someone I can trust. Someone with whom I can be the way I am, as he is to me, without having to put stories into words, so fabricated. Because 'trusting' ain't just about storytelling and listening...or sharing secrets that are supposed to be kept until they're secrets no more. It's rather about making stories, life stories.

Well, I don't always see the point of trusting, but I realize the point of loving when I start to trust. That's cliche, but unfortunately, not everyone knows it. And not everyone believes it because that's one good cliche on love. People rather say, "You be careful." But I've passed judgment, and now I'm rather careless as if it's needless to keep what I had to learn. In the very first place, what is there to mind? I have who I want, and Amen to that.

One time he asked me, "Bakit ka naniniwala sa'kin?" Simple, "Kasi gusto ko."

Yes, it's what I want.

*I don't speak for all girls, but at least for my kind and for whoever agrees with me. And I'm only a little bit typical.

Boys, Girls, and Chances

Not in all, but undeniably in most relationships, there's this chunk of time called period of infidelity - a word, which literally sounds beautiful, but whose meaning's never been in any way pleasing. It's been there like a curse cast to bring love to damnation. Amen to this scary intangible thing, yes. It could rob anyone of his or her faith, trust, love, and innocence.

Yet, something must have been left to make people reconsider, forgive, and forget like nothing happened. And there are three possibilities as to what happens next.

First, there must be a reason to save the relationship. Second, there would be a way to save the relationship. Third, there could be a chance to save the relationship.

A chance, there could be. Or two. Or three. The fourth would be what enormous effort...and risk. Suicide, they call it.

I'm no pure feminist but let me lay the limelight on my gender, and on the more common situation. If for example, a boy cheats on a girl, what could chances mean?

• If the girl considers a third chance after having been cheated for the second time, she is crazy for the boy. For cases like this, I force myself to believe in this "crazy little thing called love" or this "crazy, stupid love". But no, it's not about the last word. A third chance is just crazy...and stupid.
• If she considers a second chance after being cheated once, she loves the boy. Maybe she believes in second chances, and in "love is sweeter the second time around", and in "one more chance". It's crazy. Okay, not that stupid.
• If she doesn't consider a chance, she loves herself. It ain't crazy; ain't stupid. Just an unforgiving sanity.

Simply something like that. So how many chances would you spare?

Step 1: Wordplay

Because there are things not even your smarts could understand. Not without a pen and a paper, or a screen and a keyboard. Not without the wordplay.

There are times when you want to elaborate, but you couldn't without the wordplay. And there are times when you want to feel for everyone and everything, but only if you've done the wordplay.

Not with your friends, nor your best friend. Not even with someone special. Because you just want to do the repartee and the punning with yourself; because there's this language only you yourself understand.

Then, you find a pen and a paper...or your diary. Or log into a blog account. Scribble. Doodle. Tickle the keys.

It's not that you don't want to talk with other people, and share. It's not that you're too private a person. Well, it could be.

I don't know.

As for me, I write because there are things I don't understand. I write because I want to understand. And the first step to it (as I believe so) is "simply" talking to myself. Simply, the wordplay.

"You happy? Yeah, scary. Scary? You know, happy beginnings. They're cliches. So what? D'you really have to care about how you started? People say... Ain't about what they say. Right. So, you love him? Next question. Whaaat? Not now, please. Besides, do you really need to ask that? Yes. No, you don't. Oh, yes, you love him now. Be careful what you believe in, baby. I might believe so too."