Bago niyo po basahin ang mga liham at pasasalamat namin sa 2007, nais kong ipakilala muli sa inyo ang mga Rebels without Because. Heto na nga, ang Blogkadahan, isang barkada ng mga Pinoy at Pinay na mahilig sa jokes, sa pagkwento at siyempre, sa pagsulat. Sa simula, bloggers lang kami sa isa’t isa. Ngunit pagkatapos ng ilang pagkikita at pagtitipon sa Pot & Noodle House, sa Starbucks, sa bahay ni Batjay at kung saan-saang bahagi ng mundo ay para bang naramdaman namin na hindi lang blogging ang aming common denominator. Compatible pala kami lahat. Kumbaga sa FLAMES eh, lahat kami ay nasa F (friends) at A (admirers, not angry). Meron ding L sa amin (isipin niyo nalang kung sino).

Ilang taon na rin kaming magkakaibigan. Apat na taon na po kaming magkakakilala’t magkakabiruan, magkaka-blogkadahan.

Kaya’t pwede bang magpasalamat? Salamat po sa Blogging Berks sa pagsasama, sa tiwala, sa pagmamahal at sa mga katuwaan. Bihira makahanap ng totoong mga kaibigan sa napakalalim na cyberspace, ngunit hindi imposible. Heto na nga, ang Blogkadahan. Salamat, mga kaibigan.

The Thank You 2007 PostsBorn again in ‘07
To dive in head first, to open your arms and embrace newness — this may lead to beautiful African roses, an even stronger belief in one’s abilities and an ongoing life journey with beautiful surprises, holding hands with that special someone along the way. Joyce shares with us what she is thankful for this 2007.

40 Days and 40 Nights
Svelte Rogue shares her year in seasons — a blend of melancholy and peacefulness, of love and rebirth. She shows us that while winter, spring, summer and fall color each stage of our lives differently, this myriad of colors, in the end, make for a beautiful kaleidoscope, an imprint of each season’s gifts that we will always be thankful for.

Thank You 2007 for friends
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “How much of human life is lost in waiting.” But Mr. Emerson, sometimes it is in the waiting that something blossoms. It is in the waiting that new realizations are made, that new paths are cleared, that true hearts shine. And when that happens, we don’t lose our human life as we think, but instead grow — grow despite the pain and be thankful for the good things that kept us strong throughout. This is what Mec teaches us.

Nauubos din ang malas
While we acknowledge our mortality, it is always unexpectedly painful when loved ones pass on and leave a gap in our lives. These holes will never be filled, but nevertheless we strive to be strong and make life go on. While autumn leaves crumble and fade way, the promise of spring blossoms lightens our hearts and reminds us of the beauty of our lives, despite its impermanence. And so we live, laugh, love and let life unfold, welcoming the blossoms of spring without forgetting the coldness of winter. Tito Rolly shares this with us.

2007
Movement seems to be the theme of Ruth’s 2007. As she puts it, her year has been a rollercoaster. There have been wild dips and unexpected turns, but there was also the thrilling anticipation of what those uphill climbs would bring and the exhilarating feeling that follows. Not everyone can stomach the extraordinary speed and surpises a rollercoaster can bring, but she carries through beautifully with her hair flying in the wind, her arms up in the air, her heart open to and thankful for this amazing ride of a year.

Thank you po talaga!
Be it something as minute as a tea bag or as grand as friendship, we are always showered with something good. This is why there is always something to be thankful for in our lives. Tatang Rome shares with us what he is thankful for in a style all his own — funny, graceful and positively cheery.

Thank you for Mina
Feel the joy, peace and warmth radiate from this beautiful ode to what Tintin is most grateful for this year. There is no greater love than a mother’s for her child. This love is deeply palpable in her beautiful thanksgiving.

Salamat sa Inyo
“A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are.” True friendship is difficult to find but a joy to keep indeed. Over time, it is nurtured. Over time, it blossoms beautifully. To find the right circle of friends for you can also be quite a challenge, but when you have discovered that circle who cherishes you, and who you love back genuinely, in a way, you can say, you have found a home away from home. Sachiko shares her thanksgiving with and for the Blogging Berks — the group of friends behind this Blogkadahan website.

IT ALL COMES BACK TO YOU
A little lilac flower uncurling its petals, slowly, quietly, welcoming the morning dew as it touches its skin in greeting. This is the imagery of Jet’s graceful words. In her poetic thanksgiving, we feel her heartfully embrace the charm and fascinating surprises her life brings.

And now I’m ready to be extraordinary…
Mari is a warrior maiden — tough, calculating, passionate. 2007 has presented her with vast opportunities to shine. In her thanksgiving to this year, we see how this woman radiates with a hard-edged strength that is softly tempered by the love of family, of self, and maybe even something more.

Thank you 2007
With positivity, acceptance and an understanding of what the world has shared with him, Bong K embraces all of 2007’s gifts with fervor. There is always a reason to give thanks, be they minute or grand, and he lightheartedly and beautifully shows us how.

I open my arms and embrace you
2007 has been my favorite year — I turned 30, I discovered the life path I want to pursue, I glowed in the love of friends and family, and helped others shine. Words will never be enough to capture my thanksgiving for 2007, but in this poem, I hope I give structure to my thank-you, even just a little bit.

Two branches of one tree face the setting sun
With his trademark wit, Batjay gives us a glimpse of how the year was good to him. Feel the pride and share the love with him and his 2007.

I thank you, 2007
Each year makes her stronger, more soulful, sassier and sexier — our gorgeous Ajay gives her thanks to a much-loved 2007 and excitedly looks forward to a spectacular 2008, one that looks to be filled with even more lovin’.

In other blogs:

Thank you 2007!
Ibyang shares with us why this year has been a beautiful year of transitions for her, as well as a meaningful one for self-discovery.

Thank you 2007!

Each year makes her stronger, more soulful, sassier and sexier — our gorgeous Ajay gives her thanks to a much-loved 2007 and excitedly looks forward to a spectacular 2008, one that looks to be filled with even more lovin’.

I work in the service industry where Thank You is an overused word. Perhaps it takes pondering on what “Thank You” really means that we get to see the beauty and poetry behind it.

Thank You Lord because each time the sun rises, I know that there’s another day to be enjoyed and relished. I cannot thank you enough for the laughter of my kids and the gift of this full-throttle life which makes me look at the wealth of those experiences with open eyes and joy!

My children will always be my inspiration and my pride, my anchor through the flotsam and jetsam, the clear skies and stormy seas. Life would be easier without them, but then what kind of life would that be? Single parenthood has given me purpose and immeasurable courage, a chance to transcend my character flaws and weaknesses and strive to always be the greater person than I am. Thank You Paolo, Dionne and Dianne for letting me learn with each new day the letters l, o, v & e in the alphabet and demonstrating it in the many ways we can, with shrieks and laughter in our home and beyond.

I thank My Person for appreciating myself and plainly just forgiving myself when I succumb to stress and pressure. I am not superwoman and there is just so much I can do after all. I have never felt better with my life, growing old, and being able to view the world at a different perspective, sans the pettiness of those younger years. I have learned to choose my battles, and not fight everything that comes my way.

How do you define ‘compromise?” I’ve done so in different ways without losing sight of my self or the things I stand for. I have learned to constantly learn because this gives my life reason and meaning. When I cease learning and knowing, I cease to be.

Thank You to my friends for rocking my world. You realize that am not the most ideal person to reach on the planet, that when you text or message me at decent hours of the day, I may be sleeping or recovering from an headache-inducing graveyard shift. Thank you just the same! Genuine friendship is the one thing in life I’ve been blessed with, something always worth celebrating with silly chats and conversation over a cup of coffee. I thank my friends for the gift of acceptance, wonderful laughter and love.

Lastly, I doff my hat to Moy Kotik .. that’s Russian for My Tomcat, the last person who says to me Good Night over the wonders of electrons, SMS and chat. Through all the frustrations of technology , love rules after all and I am the happiest person on New Year’s Eve, spending it with a Most Special Someone - in real. Let the fireworks begin!

I love how 2007 went, and how it will end

With his trademark wit, Batjay gives us a glimpse of how the year was good to him. Feel the pride and share the love with him and his 2007.

ang dami kong ipinapagpasalamat ngayong taon. nasa banyo ako kaninang umaga nung sinulat ko ang listahang ito sa toilet paper habang nakaupo sa trono.

(more…)

Thank you 2007
for the gift of words
through these I have reached out
connected
hopefully inspired
hearts and souls and random strangers.
The more words are written, the more people are touched.
I hope I have made a positive difference.

Thank you 2007
for the gift of travel
through this I have embraced
cultures, colors, sounds and sights
one doesn’t experience everyday.
They add to life’s flavor beautifully.

Thank you 2007
for the gift of creativity
through this I have determined my life path
not one dictated by decimal points and career paths
but one driven by passion, positivity and
that inner fire.
I have chosen correctly.

Thank you 2007
for the gift of family
through this I have cherished heritage
more and more
appreciating similarities, celebrating differences,
treasuring the bonds that keep us in sync.

Thank you 2007
for the gift of love
through this I have grown as a woman,
a wife, a friend, MYSELF
with support and understanding from
my soul’s counterpart
I am, we are
shining.

Thank you 2007
for the gift of life
through this my 30 years
have been nothing short of brilliant
golden
empowering

beautiful.

With positivity, acceptance and an understanding of what the world has shared with him, Bong K embraces all of 2007’s gifts with fervor. There is always a reason to give thanks, be they minute or grand, and he lightheartedly and beautifully shows us how.

Everyday is education, we learn new things about us, our family and friends, acquaintances, people in our neighborhood, our work and officemates, playmates and even enemies (if you have one) etc.. and we revisit or re-learn them, each lesson we experience, and sometimes we even forget that one lesson had already been experienced..

and so I reflect ..
that in each passing day, with love or hatred, I did okay..
yes I did okay that…

I should be thankful

…and in 2007, significant lessons have been re-learned

…thank you 2007, thank you for making me realize

* that no matter how hard I try, talagang pogi pa rin ako
* that “just anything” is not an option for me
* that to do anything else is a waste of time
* that there are basic things we need to be assured of: self-respect and self-worth
* that I am too old not to tolerate the pain of rejection
* that there will always be others who will not share the same pathos, principles, points of view
* that life is too short for me not to enjoy my loved ones
* that anger and resentment need time to defuse
* that I have imperfect family, friends and self that make us human after all
* that my memory bank has no space for those that encourage returns of rancor, bias and intolerance against people and others who might have wronged me

Thank you 2007 for
* the friends i have now, the ones I shared happy moments with
* the friends i am not close to and I am close to
* the soft bed
* the books i have read
* the people around me
* the nice clothes i have worn
* the intellectual sojourn in Tripoli, Phnom Penh and Kalimantan
* the random acts of kindness’ with strangers
* the love, tampuhan, kindness, understanding and sex (not necessarily in that order!)
* the adobo
* the enseladang ampalaya with manga
* the fried galungong
* the kamatis
* the tears
* the heartaches
* the lost friends
* the butas na medyas

2007 is great!

Mari is a warrior maiden — tough, calculating, passionate. 2007 has presented her with vast opportunities to shine. In her thanksgiving to this year, we see how this woman radiates with a hard-edged strength that is softly tempered by the love of family, of self, and maybe even something more.

We are now at the culminating part of the year. A lot of things had happened - some eventful, some the inevitable humdrum and the few serendipitous yet unforgettable ones. These have all made a striking impact as to who I am now and what I have become this 2007.

The rat race is well, still a rat race. The shift to the BPO industry has been good to me and my family. Being at the driver’s seat is far better than the erstwhile, alipin sagigilid. Now, there’s more room to grow, more space to maneuver and more opportunities to explore.

On the home front, there are obstacles and the occasional frustrations but all are manageable. I remember telling my mama about expectations. Reality is, we don’t have control over other people’s emotions and actions, rather it is up to us to change our attitude towards the people and the situations that cause us pain and discomfort. We cannot forever shun nor shrug them off. Either we deal with them now or be burdened by unnecessary angst. When the situation becomes onerous, I believe that it is best to step back, reflect and re-strategize. In sum, it all boils down to choosing one’s battles.

The boys, on the other hand, are nearing their teenage years. They’re still the same rowdy, playful, thoughtful and sweet little boys. And they’re growing up fast, too. L, 11 years old is now 4’9” and N, 9 years old, is 4’8”. In no time, they’ll tower me already. My graveyard schedule allows me to spend more time with them. I can fetch them everyday in school and bond with them longer.

This year I have made two major decisions. One, I’m off to embark on the biggest expense in my life - relocation, and second, giving myself another chance to love and be loved.

Leaving the country has been on my mind for years. I studied the possibilities of employment, cost of living and the quality of life of the potential “second home”. I decided to go with the country that is closer to ’Pinas because my parents still need me. Plus, I have a better clout in that country work-wise. At present, I’m in the process of collating all pertinent documents and securing all necessary accreditations for immigration. I’ve told my parents and my kids of my grand plans and thankfully, they’re all for it.

Lastly, my lips are sealed. Ha-ha! Seriously, now I believe that you don’t find love, love finds you.

A little lilac flower uncurling its petals, slowly, quietly, welcoming the morning dew as it touches its skin in greeting. This is the imagery of Jet’s graceful words. In her poetic thanksgiving, we feel her heartfully embrace the charm and fascinating surprises her life brings.

I once wished there was more substance I could attribute to my life. I should have been careful, I guess.

‘Benign’ is a word I have associated with my life for some time. Some friends have a different word for it… ‘charmed,’ I believe it is. It’s a constant drone of serendipitous days in which my smoke-glassed eyes see ‘random kindness in every corner because ‘life is really a beautiful thing’ and ‘everything happens for a reason.’ Well I guess you can tell that I’ve never had to sell myself so hard before and felt so sick in my stomach afterwards because from that point on, I wouldn’t know what to do in case anybody bought it.

You can tell that I have never really known what going without was all about until I’ve had to go without something I worked hard for. You can tell that I have never wondered how it was to be on the outside looking in because the way things went, everything was a big flat plane that it didn’t matter on which side I stood. You can tell that I have never had to wish I had time for everything I needed to do, or needed sleep so badly I had to slap sunshades on my eyes, or felt all alone in a sea of people, or write a post-dated check, or mourn a death.

There is a bud frozen in the snow for a long, long time. Perhaps its spring has come.

How many clichés have been written up for someone who has ‘made it through the rain?’ I don’t even want to know. But yeah… that’s how it’s been. This year presented me with a lot of firsts. Out of circumstances that often came as a bolt from the blue, I have had to become something different, something else… something more. My comfort zone has lost all definition because these circumstances have constantly defied its perimeters and bit by bit I found myself thinking a little differently, feeling a little braver, acting a little more sure.

There were moments when I thought things were so unbearable and I wondered what was becoming of my life… all systems were breaking down and the world as I knew it was fading away, fast. The one thing I wanted to say was, ‘Forget it!’ But I knew I couldn’t. There was no way I could stop. I had no choice.

That window in the picture is our kitchen window in the first home we bought here in Southern California, 2 years and 2 months after that rainy August night when we first came out of LAX. Whenever I look at that window, everything comes back to me… every step taken and taken back, every line toed and finally crossed, every misstep that plunged me down, every little moment of riding high. They would come to me all threaded up in one orchestrated string of events. And then one day it struck me… I did have a choice. And the choices I made… well, this is where they all led to, to this moment when I could look at my window. And back, again and again.

I have earned it.

‘Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be great, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be?’
– Marianne Williamson

I thank this time… and the God of these times… who helped me make the choices I made.

“A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are.” True friendship is difficult to find but a joy to keep indeed. Over time, it is nurtured. Over time, it blossoms beautifully. To find the right circle of friends for you can also be quite a challenge, but when you have discovered that circle who cherishes you, and who you love back genuinely, in a way, you can say, you have found a home away from home. Sachiko shares her thanksgiving with and for the Blogging Berks — the group of friends behind this Blogkadahan website.

I don’t know why but these days, I’ve been very thankful to Doc Emer for forming this blogger’s group, and for inviting me to join in, and for you guys for welcoming me in the band, helping me in so many ways that I’m sure you don’t have any idea at all how comforting it is for me to have you all here, as brothers and sisters.

Although I don’t actively participate these days, I always leave the Gmail page open so I can see you guys and read the many amusing, informative posts and catch up with what’s going on with all of us here.

I don’t know why but seeing some of your names lighted on Gtalk comforts me too. Ilang taon na ba tayong magkakasama sa grupo na ito? I’m just so happy we’ve found each other. I read Cecile’s post and I realized she opened up to us for the first time and I felt warmth and happiness in that too. Some of us here are very private people but telling us their worries because we know nobody will judge you here. You know you will get very good advice and information. You know you will get big hugs and warm words. And sometimes, harsh words too when we needed them and I for one have never been offended cos I feel and I know that the person cares enough for you to say those brave words.

These are very smart, highly educated, well-travelled people successful in their respective worlds but there is no showing off, no below the belt attacks and no I’m-good-and-better-than-you attitude. There are members like Tatang and Tito Rolly, ready to share with us their wisdom and experiences in life. Not only because they are mature but also because they’ve been through a lot and are willing to share with us what they have learned in life.

I wish I can say the same thing for me but alas, I’m still searching for the answers myself. I am successful in raising my kids and building a good family, and now in a point in life where I am approaching the second step or shall i say the third stage of my life. Will I fall down or not? Whatever the answer is, I know the Berks are there for me.

And I am saying these things from the bottom of my heart.

Thank you again.., again and again.

love,
sachiko

(more…)

Feel the joy, peace and warmth radiate from this beautiful ode to what Tintin is most grateful for this year. There is no greater love than a mother’s for her child. This love is deeply palpable in her beautiful thanksgiving.

The year is almost finished and if I were to recount all that I’ve accomplished, some may not be impressed to hear that there was only 1 item on my list.

However, that 1 item happens to be to bring forth my daughter safely into this world. Job done, and done very well, in my opinion.

I recounted her story in my other blog, and I’ve talked about my challenges in being a Mom. The challenges aren’t over yet, but the joy of having a daughter keeps multiplying.

There are no words I can write eloquently enough to describe the sweetness of finding out I was pregnant. I felt like a miracle while growing a miracle inside my belly. There are no adjectives to adequately describe the joy of hearing her heartbeat for the first time or seeing her tiny image on the ultrasound screen. There’s no other experience that can compare to childbirth. Unless you’ve been a Mom you cannot tell me, “I know what you mean”. You can’t, you can’t.

I’m sitting here typing this at the tail-end of Thanksgiving, and I’m so overwhelmed at the blessings in my life. I often lament many things in my life.

A fat bank account? I don’t have it.
Time to exercise? I don’t have it.
Enough time in the day to pursue all that I want? I don’t have it.
A glamorous life? I don’t have it.

But what I do have, I consider more precious. A healthy baby daughter. And a gem of a husband. The future is pregnant with possibilities. Good possibilities. For my daughter, for my family. After all, I have a great man to hold my hand while I traverse through the challenging road that lie ahead. I have a daughter to dream for, hope for, guide, raise and love.

So that 1 item on my list? Yes, just one. I am happy to be able to put a check mark next to it. I have 1 major to do on my list for 2007, and so many blessing springing forth.

Here is a story of a year in love, multiplied by sixteen. Here is a story of growing together, growing old together. Here is the story of a passionate and nurturing love. Here is JMom’s story, and the thanksgiving that goes with it. 

Our 16th anniversary fell this week and so did his birthday so I thought I would write about what makes me grateful to have him in my life. I’m talking about my husband of sixteen years. The more I think about what I love the most about him, it becomes apparent to me how the little things in life are what really makes life worthwhile. No, it’s not the earth shaking moments or expensive gifts that I appreciate the most, it’s the everyday mundane things that are often taken for granted that sticks to my heart.

I always joked that the reason I married him was because he promised to always wash the dishes for me. Friends and family told him he was crazy to want to marry me. MY friends and family warned him. The poor guy went for it anyway, claiming he was getting a great deal. I happen to disagree. I got the better deal.

I am borrowing Ruth and Lara’s example and go back through this year.

JANUARY - He cleaned the house and paid the bills for me. The girls and I came home from our Philippine vacation to a clean house, warm food in the oven, and I found out he even paid the bills on the first of the month so I can just relax when I got home.

FEBRUARY - He gave me a foot rub. When I first met him, he couldn’t touch my feet without me breaking into a laughing fit. I was that ticklish. But it’s one of those things that he likes to do when we are just laying around watching TV. He would hold my feet and absentmindedly rub it. I guess I got used to it and even grew to like it after all these years.

MARCH - He made soup. He’s not too big on soups but I am, especially when I am feeling sick. I had another bout of the cold, the kind that knocks me out and I just want to stay in bed sleeping. He made chicken soup with rice (arroz caldo), his version of it, and it was good!

APRIL - He eats fish. Well, it’s not just this one time that he ate fish. He eats fish all the time now but there was a time when he wouldn’t touch fish. It wasn’t until after he married me that he started eating fish. He claims I slowly poisoned his tastebuds with patis (fish sauce). I think it’s one of the sweetest things because he gave something he hated a second try because he knew I couldn’t live without seafood. Now, he is my sushi partner. His family still can’t believe he’s eating raw fish.

MAY - He makes me a mother. I mean he makes me a better mother. He never fails to remind me what a great job I’m doing and he always reminds the girls to appreciate the things their mother does for them. When I slip on my mothering duties, he’s there to take up the slack. He thinks his mother is a goddess. Who wouldn’t love a man who appreciates his own mother?

JUNE - He weeds the garden for me. I love having a garden and I love spending time outside in the garden. I love getting vegetables and herbs to cook from the garden. I don’t like weeding or digging in the garden; so he does that for me. I blog about my garden, I boast about the tomatoes and beans and herbs from my garden, but actually, it is not my garden it is his. His plan, his sweat, his toil that goes into our garden that I love so much. He lets me take credit for it and just shakes his head with a smile when I tell him I got another comment about how great MY garden is.

JULY - He vacations with me. July is usually our time together. We send the girls to grandmas house for the summer and we use this time to reconnect with each other. Sometimes we just sit and talk for hours. Talk about our day, about the kids, about friends, about us, and anything that comes to mind. We take short get aways on the weekend, if it’s nothing but going for a walk on the beach or just on a short drive to anywhere.

AUGUST - He lets me go. He always says he hates the times when the girls and I are away from him. He says he is miserable, missing us. But family is very important to him and he would never deprive us time spent with family so he lets us go. Every summer and other occasions when we want to spend time with family, he lets us go.

SEPTEMBER - He pushes me. No, not physically He pushes me to do things for ME. Sometimes I get so into doing things for the girls or for him that I deny myself some of the things I enjoy. He is the first one to encourage me to go for it; no matter what IT may be.

OCTOBER - He is the father I would want for my children. When the girls were young, he always said he will need a shot gun and that they would not date until they were thirty. It was the homecoming dance and he found out his oldest daughter will be going with a boy she likes. He didn’t reach for the shot gun (he doesn’t have one), instead he talked to her about boys and told her that they are all bad. Hehe! No, he didn’t do that. He talked to her candidly about being honest with us, about her relationships with friends and boyfriends, about sex. Yep, they actually had THE talk, much to his daughter’s chagrin. Now, he sits in the parking lot after school everyday, waiting for them to finish socializing with their friends. When they have friends who need a ride or need to come to our house, he lets them.

NOVEMBER - His time. November is HIS month. Our wedding anniversary is two days before his birthday and he planned it that way. He said he didn’t ever want to forget our anniversary, so he chose our wedding date as close to his birthday as possible. LOL! That’s also why Thanksgiving is both of our favorite holiday. We have much to be thankful for in November.

DECEMBER - The man can laugh. I don’t think I would every marry anyone who couldn’t make me laugh. He laughs. He laughs heartily, and he laughs at my stupid jokes. He isn’t afraid to have fun and to make fun of himself. When I am being silly, he just laughs and shakes his head. He indulges me and the girls and most importantly, he is still blind after 16 years. Love is blind but he will disagree with you.