Long Weekends

Also known as: Two long weekends deserve a post

I’ve long moved on from writing diary-type entries on my personal blog because I figure no one else really cares about it except for me. I mean, even I don’t read a lot of blogs that write their days in detail, so I figure who would bother to read that on mine, right? (Unless you’re a stalker. Or you have a crush on me. Or both. Erm.)

But anyway, since we just went throughtwo long weekends in the country, I realized I had reasons to blog about them. In an almost diary-like entry because..well, how else can I remember them? Normally long weekends just pass by like a blur. For other people, long weekends are a time to go out of town, but because I’ve never been lucky with booking cheap flights during long weekends, I never did that. I did have two full long weekends, actually, so instead of going out of town, I filled them with all sorts of activities (other than reading and sleeping). So let’s start.

Filipino ReaderCon 2012

I wrote about the event in detail in my book blog, so this will be more on my reflections on the event. I think I can sum it up in a sentence?

I loved every bit of it.

I knew taking on bigger responsibilities for the ReaderCon this year was a bit daunting, and I was kind of scared that I wouldn’t be able to do it, but I was surprised at how it wasn’t that stressful at all. Sure, there were many times I was scrambling to write blog entries for the site and I feel like I wasn’t able to do all the things I should do, but overall, it was really my kind of thing for my kind of event. I loved it, and it made me realize yet again how much I love words and anything related to it. I had another one of those “I was made for this” moments while I was roaming around the venue during the event.

Don’t you love it when you get those moments?

WYD 2011 Team Reunion

It’s been a year, as I posted a few weeks back, but our reunion almost didn’t push through because of so many conflicting schedules.But we had to, seeing as it was our anniversary and all. Thank goodness we pushed through, because it totally sealed my weekend.

It’s hard to describe why and how I became good friends with these people, especially since I only knew one of them when I joined them for WYD 2011. Of course, being with them for 2 straight weeks is enough to tie me to them. But I don’t know, I feel like our friendship is deeper than normal, and it’s not like I know these people that well.

Perhaps it’s because our friendship does lie deeper, because we’re all anchored on that experience that is anchored on, well, God. I’m no stranger to friendships that were formed in church communities and while I haven’t been in touch with other old friends I met during my YFC days, I knew that the friendships I had with them were the real ones and they were the ones that made me grow in so many ways. And I guess my WYD friends count as that kind of friends, too — but I do hope I keep them for life. :)

I loved our how night ended with a prayer and how each and every one of us were prayed for. What was prayed for me, you ask? No, don’t bother asking. ;) But I really, really appreciate it, and it’s nice to know that I’ve got these people praying for that aspect of my life. :)

Noli Me Tangere discussion + Intramuros Trip

The next long weekend started with our book club’s monthly discussion and a field trip. Our book of the month was Noli Me Tangere by Jose Rizal, which I finished 3:00am Saturday — hours before the discussion! Hee. I’ll write my thoughts on the book on my book blog, so wait for that if you’re curious. :P Anyway, Saturday had us traipsing over to Intramuros for the first time this year for a discussion and I think I was more excited for that. :)

When I was in college, I used to hang around in Manila a lot, because my university was in Manila. I’m not well-versed, and I’m not really a big fan of the traffic and the congestion and the pollution, but I did miss Manila, and being there reminded me of so many college memories. I didn’t really hang out in Intramuros, but we made special trips to the place, and every trip always felt like a new one. Plus, being there reminded me a bit of Madrid! I wasn’t able to take many photos, and I wasn’t able to roam around a lot, but I liked the visit, and the break from my usual Pasig/Quezon City weekend trips. One can only take so much of Robinson’s Galleria and Eastwood every weekend, you know. :)

It was hot and humid and tiring, but I liked it. Like I said, I missed Manila, and it was nice to visit it again. I wouldn’t mind visiting it again, hopefully sooner than later. And also, hopefully when it’s not raining. :)

We capped that Saturday off with a road trip down Taft (I got to see my school again!) and a cupcake / trip planning session with my closest book club friends before going home. Pretty good use of a Saturday, yes? :)

Reading Sundays

Sundays are often left for church and family things, but last Sunday, I was left with just church, since my brother was busy early in the day. So after going to church with my mom, I took a nap, and then organized my closet when I woke up. When all of that was done (how diary-entry is this becoming?), I went out to our terrace and spent the rest of the afternoon reading under these blue skies:

There isn’t much to say about that Sunday except that I enjoyed that afternoon immensely. I haven’t done that in a while, just stay there under the sunshine and read while music plays from my phone. There wasn’t anything special if you think about it, but that afternoon was just perfect in ways I can’t really describe. Maybe it’s because I needed that rest? That break from all the activities and thoughts? It was my kind of peace, and I was completely content with being all by myself.

It’s been a while since I felt that. Thank God for that Sunday. :)

#achieveRIOT

I think Sunday was peaceful so I could prepare for my Monday gimmick — a much-needed reunion with my Achieve friends. A little history/background: My “Achieve friends” are my immediate barkada. They’re really a combination of my friends, and our group was formed when I met all three groups at once three years ago. I’m glad everyone just jived and we formed this one group, and the name just came from one time when we were planning our first Christmas dinner, and everyone just started saying, “Let’s achieve this!” The name just stuck. One of our good friends, Gel, was on vacation for Singapore for a week, so it was the perfect time to meet up. We were talking over Twitter about it when she said she was so excited that it was going to be a riot, hence the hashtag, #achieveRIOT. :) I know, we’re crazy that way.

So anyway. We met up in Greenhills so we could play laser tag at the request of the balikbayan. We ended up talking more before we could play, of course, especially since the laser tag place won’t be free until 4pm, so in the span of four hours, we have (1) updated each other at the state of our lives; (2) shopped for birthday gifts and (3) bought new iPhone casings — at least, for me and Happy. And this is the moment where I show you my new case, just because it’s so me and the message written inside the case fits something I blogged about weeks ago:

So yay, laser tag!

After that match, we headed off to get dinner. I was really craving for Mexican food since the previous night and I was just so happy that the craving got fulfilled. :D And because it was riot day, we had the requisite crazy pose in the restaurant, which turned out to be really crazy. Ah, I love my friends. :)

As if the food binge there wasn’t enough…after eating that huge dinner, we headed off to get some coffee and ended up eating more. What is gluttony, my friends. What is.

But the most epic part of it, really, other than the craziness and the stories, is how we were talking in the car and then all burst out laughing. It’s not the simple “hahaha” laughter, but the hooting, screaming laughter – one that I would probably get annoyed at if I heard it from other group. I can’t remember laughing that loud and that much for a while, and it was just so awesome to laugh with people you love laughing with! Talk about truly laughing your stresses away. And we weren’t even complete then — imagine if all of us were there! :D

I ended my Monday with a big, big smile on my face. :) There’s really nothing like Achieving days like that. :)

* * *

I actually have one more thing to recap but then I saw that this entry is already a bit…er, long. So my extended weekend and a show recap will be on another post (I also think it deserves that, so I should get busy writing). :)

I know my very few readers wouldn’t really read this, so I won’t be surprised if there would be no comments on this (but if you feel like commenting, come on and surprise me :P). I guess this recap is more for my benefit in the end. Like I said, weekends often just go by in a blur, so the two long weekends are things I need/want to remember, so I can be thankful for the little things and the company that comes my way. These are the things that we will remember, right? The happy moments and the moments where we’ve felt most loved and totally secure in the universe?

To close, the past two weekends reminded me of one of my favorite quotes from St. Therese of the Child Jesus (which I blogged about years ago):

That today you find peace inside you, that you can confide in your highest power because you are exactly where you are supposed to be, but do not forget the infinite possibilities that are born from the faith, that you may use the gifts that you have received and transfer the love that has been given to you, to make you feel satisfied that you are a child of God. Allow his presence in your bones and give your soul the liberty to sing, dance and be warmed by the sun, that is there for everyone and each one of us.

Amen. :)