Two worlds: a reflection

This draft has been written in my PDA during my numerous trips to La Union in the early parts of 2007. I've forgotten about this, and found it again just now. So here...

Our first Christmas and New Year holiday as married couple opened a kaleidoscope of realities that left me reeling in a mix of wonder.

To summarize, year 2006 ended with Joan and I realizing that our families are different in so many ways, both in good and not-so-good things.

A world of difference, I must say.

We both perceive something different, at most alien, in each of our families. The only difference is that we are one family now, and we get to subtly nudge and poke each others families here and there – without trying too hard and without crossing the line.

Cheers!

The Big Day

Hi! It's been a while, but we'll let the pictures describe June 28, 2006 for now...

Our wedding photos, in their initial layout, courtesy of Ariel Javelosa.

More to follow. Take care, everyone!

A day to go

I woke up wishing I was more rested.

I officially went on leave from the office last Friday, but far from taking it slow and getting that much-needed beauty rest, the past days were just as busy as it has been for the past three months.

I spent the weekend with my family for some sightseeing in Tagaytay and Laguna. I met my sister’s two-year old daughter for the first time.



While the get-together and trips left me tired, I was glad to catch up on family news and once again be grounded on the long-term plans my family is taking. I consider these moments precious, given how geographically-dispersed my immediate family is.

Yesterday was spent still fine-tuning our respective wedding prep assignments.

And so the eve of the Big Day began:

Morning –

Had a mug of full-strength Lingzi coffee (two sachets. mmmm!). Brought my laundry to my suking laundromat, and picked up my barong and pants from the dry cleaners.

I learned that pure piña fibers sometimes have natural, irremovable stains, and my barong had a small one on the left side of the chest. Still, the material exudes a certain elegance that is heightened by the intricate hand-woven designs that ran along the sleeves and back.

This barong is, by far, the most expensive and most important piece of clothing I’ve ever owned.

Dropped by the office to activate my email’s auto-reply. It went like

Your email has been saved in my mailbox. I am currently out of the office and will return on Monday, July 10. I will be checking email occasionally. Thank you!

Briefed two of my colleagues who will be taking over the responsibilities I’ll be leaving behind for ten days. I owe you one, guys!

Afternoon –


I skipped lunch to speed up housekeeping of Kampo. The place has to be secured, and I was glad to have inspected every corner of the house because I discovered that our neighborhood cat, Macaroon, has taken refuge in one of the closets. There she was, all cuddled up and cozy among the old blankets.

Ate late lunch at 2pm. I wasn’t hungry at all, but I was constantly reminded by my mother to eat well today and get enough rest, so I went out to a nearby ChowKing and pigged out on their lauriat meals.

Arrived at Manila Diamond Hotel at 5pm, where my sister, her daughter Aly, her husband, and my mother were waiting. Good thing the occupancy was not heavy that day, so my sister was able to get two adjacent rooms, both facing Manila Bay. Lovely!

My fiancée and her family has checked in at a room a few floors above us, so I paid my future in-laws a courtesy visit. Joan’s still busy by then, but I’ll leave the storytelling to her.

We had dinner at Barrio Fiesta at UN Avenue, went back to the hotel, sorted some gifts for the priests and principal sponsors, and settled down to rest.



...

...

My officemates have been kidding me that, somehow, “nerbiyos” (nervousness) will hit me.

Maybe it will. But I had none of it today. ^^