Thank You for my ABL Team :o)

I had my very first ABL basketball game last Sunday at the Meralco covered courts in Ortigas :o) Hehehe. My mom and my sisters were quite doubtful about my basketball skills and intentions at first, especially since I'm really used to watching basketball games, not playing in them. My only experience of actually playing basketball was in my PE class in 2nd year college :p But I really want to hone my athletic skills in a team sport so I gave ABL a shot (Plus it's my new year's resolution to engage in more sports this year. Thank you Pru for inviting me!). I wasn't really expecting that they'd let me play that day, my personal game plan was to actually just quietly sit and watch first and see how everything works. Hehehe. But She and Em called me just before the second half started and told me I was going in. "Okie..."

Without any warm-ups (my body was still recovering from the lazy holiday mode it went into last Christmas) or much practice, I went in and tried my best :o) I really can't remember how long I was there, all I knew was that I was having so much fun! (Even if there were times that I was quite panicky when I got hold of the ball) :p After a while She and Mia called me for a sub. It was just in time too because I was already running out of breath. Our team was catching up on our opponent (who was first runner-up last year by the way) and finally took the lead. We were cheering them on from the sidelines until the game ended and we won! :o) yipppeeee! :o) Final score was 27-24 :o)

It was such an amazing new experience for me. Watching the UAAP games and cheering for my school is really so much fun but I didn't know that playing in a basketball game could make me feel just as exhilarated. :o) Now I'm really determined to keep practicing and be good at it :o)

Thank You so much for my wonderful Legion of Emee Tan teammates :o) Thank You so much for letting me step out of my box (I know everyone is saying that this is "not me", hehehe) and showing me how fun it could be :o) :o) :o)

Thank You for Kind Strangers :o)

The shuttle I was riding on the way home tonight suddenly broke down in the middle of Kalayaan in Makati. The driver told us that there was something wrong with the clutch, and that he couldn't drive the van any further. He announced that we all had to go down and get cabs to get us home. Everybody was obviously irritated with the hassle. Kalayaan is a very, very busy and dangerous street during rush hour, and hardly any cabs are vacant at this time. I dreaded getting out of the shuttle to compete with the other passengers for any willing vacant cab to go all the way to our place. But we had no choice, so I reluctantly went out of the van and prepared to wait. It was a good thing that three friends (a girl and two boys) who were also in the shuttle with me were kind enough to let me join in their cab when I asked if I could. They were even good-natured about the whole thing - when the driver apologized for the troubles his van caused, they said it's ok and that he take care when he goes home (the other passengers were cursing him under their breaths). So we stood there and waited. Soon enough, a nice clean cab with an equally nice driver came by and agreed to take us home. What a relief :o) Along the way, they asked about me a bit and I soon discovered that they were almost my age and that one of them was actually my neighbor, while me and the girl studied in the same high school. What a small world it really is :o) They had plans of eating out in a bulalo house so I was the last to get off the cab. When they got off and gave me their share of the fare, it was more than the meter so I insisted on giving some back. But they wouldn't accept it and said it's okay. So I got home practically for free in a nice comfortable cab with some new found acquiantances. What started as a helpless situation turned out to be an interesting experience indeed. :o)

Thank you to Kooks, Paps and the other guy (sorry I didn't catch your name) for being so accommodating.

Thank You for bringing me safely home and showing me those nice people. Being helped by strangers really feels good. :o)

Mm

Thank You for a Brand New Year! :o)

Wow! It's 2009! Happy New Year! :o) My family welcomed the new year in a different way this year by spending it in a fabulous hotel dinner party. The food was overflowing, the music was great and the whole Isla Ballroom looked awesome with its festive decorations. Everyone looked nice in their cocktail clothes. We danced the remaining hours of 2008 away to 70's and 80's music. Then, when the clock struck 12, dozens of white and gold balloons and confetti showered on all of us gathered on the dance floor! It was such a magical experience - I felt I was in a Disney channel movie :o) Thank you tita joy for convincing us to come. :o) Then the rest of the day was spent swimming and relaxing by the pool, bonding and playing with our cousins and of course, eating! Thank you to my whole family for making the first day of the year extra special :o)

Lord Thank You so much for another opportunity to have a fresh new start so that I can continue improving Me. :o) Here's to a great 2009 filled with much love, happiness, friendship, blessings, miracles, successes and good health for all of us!

Mm

Thank You for the Health of My Family and Friends

Thank You so much for my dad's successful procedure. Thank You so much for the good health of my mom, my sisters, my family and my friends. Thank You so much for my good health. Thank You so much for the support and optimism of my blockmates and friends. Thank You so much for Nina's call. Thank You so much for Tito Ben's strength and concern. Thank You so much for Tin and Yna's maturity. Thank You so much for Chris of Responsive and Maxicare. Thank You for the assistance of Grace J.

Thank You so much for all these blessings and more.

Thank You Thank You Thank You Lord :o) :o) :o)

Thank You for Rubber Foam :o)

It's flexible, durable, colorful, inexpensive and lightweight. It also stimulates my creativity and relaxes my mind at the same time. Few people know about its great potential. Here are some of the items I've created with it so far:

Thanks to Yns and Neens for introducing me to this wondrous material :o)

Mm

Thank You for my Kind and Consenting Friends ;p

Last Saturday was truly an unforgettable day thanks to my friend Diane :o) From the CEMBO-PEMBO mix up, to searching for the elusive Southern Rice Retailers Cooperative, the confused drivers and barangay tanods, going back full circle in the Guadalupe station until finally arriving at Music Island...it was one heck of an adventure :o) I was laughing so hard the whole time! But everything that happened to both of us that day was all worth it :o)

Thanks so much to the accommodating PDI staff, thanks to the drivers, guards, tanods and by-standers who attempted to point us to the right direction, thanks to Chris for being such a good sport, but most of all, thanks Diane for willing to go through all that with me just to make me all giddy and happy :o) Sa susunod ulit. Hehehe :o)

Thank You for the Chance to Help

Two Saturdays ago our office sponsored a christmas party and gift giving at Hospicio de San Jose. The activity excited me very much, and it reminded me of the "area" days we had in ACLC back in college. We were divided into different groups and interacted with differently-abled children and elders. One group did games while another had a book reading session. Our group decided to have a dance lesson! :o) Joemel, my officemate, became dance instructor for the day. Though they had down syndrome, members of our group gamely followed us and Joemel. We were embarassed to find out that they were actually better dancers than us! Hahaha! Some even knew more complicated steps!

After the group sessions, it was time for the star of the program to come out --- Jollibee! :o) He had a dance showdown with Joemel and one of our participants, hehehe. He also made a special deaf boy very happy that day. It turned out he was celebrating his 10th birthday that day so he had an instant Jollibee party! We all sang happy birthday to him before he blew his candles. And even though he couldn't hear us, the ear-to-ear smile on his face show that somehow he did :o)

We had games, we had prizes, we had food and we had fun. The smiles on their faces and their gratitude for the time we spent with them made my heart swell with joy :o) Thanks to the children, elders and staff of Hospicio for welcoming us, thanks to the ERC for organizing this event, thanks to my officemates who shared this wonderful experience with me, and thank You, for reminding me again how lucky I am.

Mm