Just Another MRT ride

The sunset was oh so beautiful yesterday, did you notice? I was thankful for the first time to be standing inside the perpetually overloaded MRT! It's simply splendid to witness splashes of colors in the horizon after a busy working week! 

On another note, a lot of people may be wondering why I'm fond of photographing just about any thing. You see, I'm at this point in my life where I'm trying to be content wherever I am, whatever I have. I always think this year is a holding pattern for me. Last year was definitely the hardest year of my life ever and this year, I have this feeling that God just wants me to chill. Sure, there are lots and lots of days when I wish I was somewhere else, earning bigger, photographing the grander things in life. I still do cry a lot at night, unguarded. I'm still hurting for the "could-have-been thoughts". But since, I'm in a holding pattern, I better just be brave and see what these boring, limited, simple things have to offer. I may find beauty in them, I may not. The thing is, I just have to try. I may get my chance someday. 

And here are some photos along the busy EDSA:

You don't take a photograph...

Finally bought myself a camera necklace and had a fun time taking photos of it last weekend.  This one was taken in front of our house. That red bokeh there was actually my blouse hanging in the clothesline. I just love the summer afternoon light and the warmth it brings to photos. On where photography has taken me still surprises me most of the times. But I think I've fallen in love with it because it gave me a different perspective, a different lens to look at life, if I may put it that way. 

When I look at this photo, I remember my father sitting in his "kubo" and taking a siesta. I remember my nieces going about just outside the house playing with the other children in the neighbourhood. I remember just falling in love with the lemony light. Oh yep, photography made me feel cheesy and poetic like this. Like the quote says, we don't take photos, we borrow it, or to be specific, we just borrow moments. Because that afternoon and that moment weren't just mine. They too, belonged to others. 

Life is Full of Beauty

It's Friday!!! I am heartily looking forward to this weekend. For a change, there's no funeral and cemeteries  I have to go to. My last three weekends were spent attending funeral and searching for cemeteries, it's just excruciatingly depressing. I know despite all these sudden deaths, life is still beautiful. There are plenty in it that are beautiful... if we only take time to notice them.

Lord please lavish those precious people with the awesomeness of heaven. And may the people they left behind get through the grief by your most awesome grace. This I pray.

Where Am I?

At the 7th anniversary of a Christian fellowship I attended on February 26th, the speaker posted this question: "Where are you in your walk with the Lord?"

That was two weeks ago and the question still lingers. Last night, I went home asking where am I in my life in general? The recent death of a cousin has got me all thinking about my own life, how I've been living it. Am I making a difference? Am I moving towards God's purpose? Have I established meaningful relationships? What will people say about me when I die? Why am I hurting just by writing down these questions?

Maybe I'm hurting because I know I haven't done anything to answer those questions. Yes, I might have done small things to live life in a good way, to say the least, but honestly, I don't think I'm living life fully. Because otherwise, I wouldn't have to feel this way.

That night at the fellowship, I remember myself crying out to God, silently, almost begging... "Lord I don't really know where am I in my walk with you... I think I've already forgotten to dream, scared that once more, my dreams will cause me pain, not happiness... Please give me a new set of dreams... Just something to get back on, something to fuel my soul everyday... something to make me feel alive... something that will be worthy, for you and for this world..." This prayer still echoes in the deep recesses of my heart.

Missing Teas and Talks

I miss chitchats with old friends over a cup of tea or coffee. I wonder where they are and if, like me, they too are stuck in the busyness of work. Probably. *Sigh. I'm just too overworked to ramble more. Out now, leaving you with this quote and photo:

"Find yourself a cup of tea; the teapot is behind you. 

Now tell me about hundreds of things." 

~ Saki

Hong Kong Promenade

Just want to post some photos I took at Tsim Sha Tsui (TST) Waterfront Promenade in Hong Kong on my trip there last November 2009. TST is probably one of the most accessible and the cheapest spot to go to in HK that you simply cannot miss! Here are 5 things I love about it based on one fine winter afternoon visit:

1) Roses at the Promenade - After seeing these lovely blooms in TST, I have officially fallen in love with roses! :) Look, they were lovely, weren't they? *Sigh. See this album for more roses.

2) The famous harbour of HK - plus some cheap ferries sailing by. Riding a ferry is also a must try!

3) Photo op with a stranger - This Chinese looking guy asked me to join him for some photos at the Avenue of the Stars, why not chok-nut? He was looking at his camera; I was looking at mine! Hahaha! :) I love my yellow get-up and boots! Boots is love. :)

4) Oldies in the Promenade - I love the oldies at the Promenade too. I made a chitchat with this lolo fishing; stated that he'd been there for hours but wasn't able to catch any... till hallelujah!!! I came and he caught one small bloated fish!!! :) I could not forget his joy though not captured here! :)

In HK, you see most oldies and retired folks in the parks and in the promenades. I think that's why HK has so many parks and promenades fit for tambayan. This place is just an oldies friendly place. I wish Philippines could do the same.. but when oh when?!

5) And finally, SUNSET - I got there at almost sunset time so I stayed there till the sun hit the horizon for some sunset shots. I learned this famous TST sunset from a guy I met in Kowloon Park. He scrawled the direction in my notebook so off I went. :)

*** 

Some travel thoughts: My travel in Hong Kong (that lasted for almost a month) was a period of humbling and then trusting back the Author of my life again. What God may have taken away, I know he would replace it with something greater and grander. I just have to trust again and continue my walk with Him... one day at a time. 

Don't Miss a Sunset

I've been pondering about sunsets the whole day. I miss seeing one so badly it makes the shutterbug in me ache! Hahaha! Well, that's just me being melodramatic! :) It's Thursday, no wonder I'm wistful and wishful. But seriously, I wanna be out there capturing beautiful sunsets, pretty soooon.

As an alternative to this hunger for sunset, I'm uploading photos of sunset taken during my vacation in Hong Kong taken at Repulse Bay in December 2009.  Just looking at these photos makes me all dreamy (as if I'm not already in a dreamy mode!). I love this side of HK, no concrete jungles, just the sea, the ships, the boats and the sun waving goodbye! :)

"May I never miss a sunset or a rainbow because I am looking down"

~ Sara June Parker

Sentiments on my Birthday

Today is my 28th birthday! Yikes, I'm old! I just got home from my simple birthday dinner and know that I should blog about today ASAP. For it's already 10:30 PM.  I don't wanna miss out an entry on my special day although nothing really special happened during the day. The truth is: I am quite melancholic today.:(  And it showed in the photos taken two hours ago so I don't really wanna post them except for this one:

Those were my few guests (minus my brother and my nephew Paul who went to the car already) which may very well explain why I'm sad today. For one, neither one of my parents are here today (my Papa's in Casiguran and my Mama's in HK). My oldest brother is also working abroad. Although all of them called me early today to say their greetings, something is still missing.  I don't know why I haven't learned to get used to this set-up in my family (my Mama's been an OFW since I was eight years old).

Or perhaps, I couldn't help but compare this year's birthday to my 27th when more family members were present (my Papa included) and we spent two precious days at the beach. And I didn't have to work.  

Well, anyway, I didn't invite much, just few of friends whom I know would be available, although sad to say (again) that most of them didn't make it. Why oh why??? Hmmm... I guess this is another reality you have to deal with when you're growing older or nearing your 30s.  Either you classify your friends to (a) workaholics; (b) night-shift/midshift workers; and (c) already married and have more important things to do.

Moving on... I think despite today's sadness, I should gently pat myself on the back for knowing who I treasure. Because today, I honestly did not ponder on things that I don't have (work abroad, savings, err boyfriend, etc.) Yes, there are plenty of things that I miss out on life, that I wish I have, that I get insecured about. 

But still, I am thankful... for friends who remembered (through FB and SMS), for my new job, for family who stick through my mood swings, for talents that I've been gifted with, for being a recipient to God's amazing love and grace for 28 years. Most of the time, I just really need to practice having a grateful heart.

Thank you and I'm sorry Lord for today. Next year will be better right?

2010 Valentine Project

It's Valentines! ♥ ♥ ♥ I'm dateless today (it's a long story why I'm single) but that doesn't mean I can't be in a hopeless romantic state, right?  Let me be the Ms. Romantiko through these love notes in photos albeit I have no one special to celebrate this day with, romantically speaking. Since I learned that I should pray for the right man and seek His will over the love section of my life, I've started praying and knocking on heaven's door for that one man I'm going to spend the rest of my life with. In the meantime, I'll keep on wishing, dreaming and praying. :)

I first posted these photos in my facebook and was so overwhelmed with comments from friends who appreciated them.  Thank you guys! It's wonderful being able to share the love bug I felt when I was doing this little project! :)  Happy V-Day!  Hopefully, next year's will be er, more romantic. Hmmm...

Simply Lai

Today, I re-created this site and promised to stick to this blog. I've been here since 2008 but have done most of my sporadic blogging in the past three years (2007 to 2009) in a now defunct site (Multiply). Time came when I wanted something new. I felt like I've outgrown them and just needed a new breathing space with all the major changes in my life that happened in the last part of 2009 which shook the best of me.

Can't think of any other name than Simply Lai. It's lousy. I knooooow. :) But I want to make things as simple as a blog's name, no complexities. In so many ways, I'm true to that title. I have simple wishes and desires at this stage in my life. I'm in the process of rebuilding dreams, learning to love myself again and reconnecting with God. I wish to keep this simple and sweet as days roll by.

I want to write again. I want a clean slate, a fresh start. We all want one right? So dear world, I'm back on my feet. Let's rrrrroooooll. This is me at 27, no make up, no blues. Can I just stop here?! :)