♥ What i love about Tangled  ♥

how Mother Gothel brings and breathes in the essence of the magic flower (that grew from the single drop of sunlight (from the sun)) :)

how little Rapunzel's voice sounds when she sings and also when she asks why she can't go outside

(and i also love how cozy their tower all edges and corners are smoothed; and by the way, everything is in there!)

little Rapunzel's innocent and inspired smile

the way she paints everything - especially the walls

her interests in stars - i love the way she draws them

what she does with her hair- she looks like a little mountain

i love this look on Pascal's face!

i love his name! - reminds me of Blaise ;)

i super love the look on her face at this moment

she seems astounded and amazed at Flynn's not having fangs

"i've got a person in my closet!!!"

i love the way her voice goes up and down and all around!

honestly, i did not recognize Mandy Moore's voice in the film - she did a marvelous job!

Flynn says it all!

the movie has built amazing characters and animations!

i love how Zachary gives life to Flynn

the three phases of "i can't believe i did this!!"

Tangled's humor :)

super warm hugs from unexpectedly adorable people

reminds me that there is goodness in everybody

i love how the song brings them all closer together

i like it when her hair glows the way the flower glows when the special song was sung

Flynn and Rapunzel moments. love. love! :)

i love how Max's tail moves up and down when shown affection 

reminds me of beloved puppies

Braids ♥

i love how she paints things and then soils herself!

the kingdom dance makes me wanna dance too

the violin playing aids in moving up to the climax of the dance 

here's the Kingdom Dance track:

even though the king and queen have very few scenes in the movie and even though they don't get to speak, there is so much emotion in their character..

the most moving part of all...
this scene is authentic!
it shows all the pain they have encountered throughout the years without Rapunzel by their side
..and at the end, the queen wipes the king's tears away, he smiles as if saying let's go on hoping..
then they let the lantern fly away..
there's something really dramatic about this scene, it shows that men have vulnerabilities and weaknesses which here are contrasted by the queen's strength and firmness

i especially love the background music during this scene.. it gives the scene a greater boost... 

indeed, Alan Menken and the whole music team did an amazing job! :)

the background music for this scene is so soft and mild and so gentle

words are not even enough to describe the emotions it brings me when i hear it..

the boat was designed in a way that it would look so firm and hard yet still have the ends provide good grips and hugs

i love how she reaches out the Kingdom lantern

the lantern, by the way, sets the mood for everything

even Pascal brings out so much emotion, with his eyes and his color

i like how he says "brunette" after being brought back to life

this is the best hug!! ever!!!
i love how his face is buried deep down in Rapunzel's neck

i love this scene! the children are all smiles!

and then there's the sweet kiss!

..finally Grace Potter sings a jumpy and joyful song!

credits to the picture i used at the beginning..
it is from World Wide Art - Disney too
the pictures are all taken from the movie Tangled ;)

Recommended videos relating the topic.. :)

A Tangled World: Creating the Look

Tangled: A Hair-raising Adventure

Tangled Ever After

Donna's awesome gift!

 my very good friend Donna, together with her lovely sister, Tata, visited me at home and shared with me a wonderful sisterly chit-chat... along with her coming, she gave me two beautiful presents, one is a butterfly cupcake, and the other, a heart-warming and joyful letter

i love everything about her letter.. she wrote it with sincerity and gladness in her heart.. 

the interesting parts in the letter are the pictures and their corresponding captions... 

they are cleverly and creatively thought-over - which inevitably paints a smile on my face

i am truly blessed.. and i definitely believe that Donna is also an amazing blessing to the CYAers and to her loved ones.. :)

i hope you meet her too - the "Angel Locsin" and ballerina of CYA Davao ;)

CYA testimony

if you want or if the video above takes so much time to load, you may also view the video on Youtube


Aldem and Vanessa
- married for 18 years
- have been in Ligaya ng Panginoon for more than 23 years
- joined Christ's Youth in Action back in their college days

i prepared a mini script for and from the video :)

Aldem:
Vanessa and i met in college. We had a relationship for about 2 or 3 years. It was secret because we know that in CYA that was discouraged. And i guess looking back that was the mistake because when we kept it to ourselves there was not much guidance for us. But because of the perseverance of the brothers and sisters, ... through their prayers and through their guidance after some point when we prayed together we found out that that was not the right time for us for our relationship. So towards the end of college we decided to break off, not because there was a problem with our relationship, but because we knew it was not the right time

So when we broke off the relationship, i found out that there's really the great power of letting go especially at the right time, and when you do that, it allows you to reset and to rearrange your life towards a more purposeful future, and in this sense, the purpose that God has for us

So when we broke off our relationship, we had to say goodbye without any agreement of coming back together again. So that was what we call really unconditional and trusting in the Lord that He will take care of us beyond the relationship.

And i remember that i had to make an effort to assign in my thoughts Vanessa to the background rather than to the forefront of my attentions in life. What does that mean? i still kept her as a friend because there were many times we'd see each other in community gatherings and meetings, but i had to stop seeing her as the center of my life. And i had to do that, i felt it was important because at that stage in my life, i had to put God first, build my career, discern my state of life, and develop healthy relationships with others, especially with brothers and then of course with other sisters. And there would even be times when i would learn that she'd be sick, not feeling well, whereas in the past, i'd of course run to her side and take care of her. Once we were off the relationship, i would just say a prayer for her and not even, you know, communicate with her. And i had to learn to trust that during the time, i had to be convinced that God was sufficient for her, and that she was perfect without me. She had enough relationships around her to help her to grow, to become, and that her world did not center on me, and to let God be enough for her and to constantly remind myself not to fall back into the illusion that she needed me or that i needed her.

it's very important to know first your state of life** before you get into a relationship so that everything is in order, but all the time believing that as i grew and developed myself and i was able already to have a mature disposition in life, in my case after four years, then one of these days at the right time, in God's time, He will provide for me the right partner whom He has also been preparing. And so at the right time, when i'm more mature, and i meet the person who God has also been preparing for me, as mature, and both of us have been honed, especially broken against maybe our rebellious will, humbled, blessed, and now with a much bigger heart, beyond just thinking of "myself", and looking more towards the good of the other. Now i can give of myself and love more. The important thing is that that should be done no sooner, maturity first, growth in the Lord first, trusting in the Lord first, putting Him first in your life, and then i believe that everything would fall into place. And of course the bonus for me was that four years after, even if Vanessa was very eligible and many of the men, the brothers, were hoping to have a relationship with her, the Lord prepared her just for me. So when we got back into the relationship again, even if at first she was not that open to accepting me anymore, God found a way for us to work back and build our relationship - this time more mature, more secure and available to give more of ourselves.

the right love too soon will actually turn out to be the wrong love, and that's why God's timing is always perfect

Don't hurry, just allow the Lord to work in your life. Allow the Lord to develop you, to grow you, and put Him first and He will take care of your future. And He will have the best prepared for you

Vanessa:
There is a lot of grace when you decide to give yourself to the Lord. When we were separated, He was my only friend, allowed me opportunity to allow others to become my friend, especially other sisters, and it has blessed me a lot. i'm a better person, i'm a much stronger Christian woman because i have, in a sense, given up what is not yet in it's proper time.

Not all brothers and sisters will end up married, but in our case, we're blessed to be married and having five children. So it's worth the wait and it's worth the pain, because there's a lot of joy when the Lord finally says , "This person is for you."

Aldem
We have also some brothers and sisters who had relationships before, in college. And then they broke it off and followed the Lord. There were some of them who are not with each other anymore, but they're married to someone who's just fit for them. And they have holy lives, they're happy where they are, they have good children. It works just as well when they put the Lord first.

There's no replacement or substitute to following God's will. ;)

**state of life discernment is a process of discerning what kind of life God calls you to be - to be single for the Lord, be married for the Lord, or to follow a religious life (priest, nun, etc.)

You can choose to believe in all the negativities in the world or you can choose to believe in beauty.. When you choose to believe in the former, be sure to do something about it, fix it... when you choose to believe in the latter, be sure to preserve it, let it show and let it shine..

by the way..
"Former" means first and "latter" means last, but are these words too confusing to use?
from Quick and Dirty Tips

The World is Not Flat and we can do something about it!

It is nature's design for man to seek survival. The word survival, as you have noticed, has its meaning evolved eversince. Now, it doesn't just mean not getting killed, it also means having enough savings in your trustworthy bank for future expenses, having life and health insurances, keeping up with the latest technologies (phones, computers, other gadgets), and of course, having a shelter where you could not only rest your head but also enjoy the comfort offered by electricity. With all honesty, we are already more than surviving. As a matter of fact, the standard of living has kept rising, and the average person of today is actually far better off than the rich man centuries ago, by terms of lifestyle quality. Even before, for instance, men from higher classes had no choice but to settle for snail mails, in contrast to today's less-than-a-minute exchange of messages. Well, you get the picture, things are so different. Earth has put on a new style of clothing. There are some things, however, which never really change.. there are always weather issues - thunderstorms, hurricanes, typhoons (they're getting stronger, though), incurable diseases (they're more complicated, though), and then there's this gap between the rich and the poor (and it's getting wider, though).. You may not have noticed about the last one, but when you do, you ask "why" and then you just have to sigh.. :(

Well, i can't help but notice these gasoline boys. They are the most visible, tangible image of the oil company they are in. And everyone knows that when you are in an oil business (petroleum industry for this matter), you're in for large money. But then you look at these gasoline boys' dirty, old uniforms, shabby shoes (sometimes i see slippers), skinny bones.. and you just realize that they are not treated fairly. In fact, i don't see any protective material for them! All i know is that they're inhaling as much gasoline that's concentrated in the air around them, and that isn't very much good for their health. More than that, i bet they've got one of the most boring jobs in the entire world! Everyday, they fill in jeepneys' fuel tanks, count their money, chat with other co-workers, fill in gasoline, count money, and the cycle goes on for another month or year. i even doubt if they're ever empowered to make productive use of their time, like reading books while waiting for vehicles, learning knitting, or whatever. All i see is that their bosses are taking advantage of their employees' willingness to accept a low-paying job with very little benefits. They are among the vulnerable people in the society who have no choice, i think, but to accept not-so-useful job opportunities just to survive. 

About this concept of "making productive use of one's time"... i had this conversation with a cemetery security guard.. we talked about who i was visiting at the cemetery, his life at work, my life as a student, politics... and i kind of realized that his job is quite mundane, and in a way i suggested to him to continue learning and studying by reading books.. and he kind of pushed the idea away.. and if i remember it correctly, he said that he's got his radio on and so he's good to go.. Well, of course, at least his job is more "thrilling" and "hair-raising" than those gasoline boys..  Anyhow, point is, these are just among the thousands of jobs in the Philippines which gives just enough or barely enough pay for living.. and these jobs are not only boring but also unproductive, and forever benefits only those on top.. 

Filipinos never really, exactly have developed a culture of productivity... (and i don't think the government even encourages that, by the way).. There's this Filipino night time preciously set aside for watching television novellas or telenovelas. this basically eats up the 8-10pm time of Filipinos, spent sticking up those eyes on TV screens.. It has become our lifestyle..

Another one... sadly, i know of a woman who spends half a day almost everyday doing household chores (of course, she's still one of those who watches those telenovelas in the evenings).. she doesn't seem to want to get out of this cycle.. she scolds her children, sometimes, for not helping her do the chores. She turns up angry... it's like house keeping is her number one priority, not learning, and not even family-building.. and this goes on for another year.. it is kind of predictable.. imagine that kind of life for the rest of her life.. where would that lead her to?

i am not imposing that people in these low-paying jobs have a negligible contribution to the society...What i'm saying is that people deserve to be given opportunities for self growth, development and  actualization.. the government has to do its duty, and so must its citizens... there has to be a foundation in order for us to build a culture of productivity.. and perhaps in this culture of productivity, we may be led to a more united Filipino people who are able to realize that there is so much potential in humanity

This has to start somewhere...

For  instance, one can start by reading Precious Hearts Romances Pocketbooks... these books are so thin.. one can actually finish one book in an afternoon or less than an hour.. But let's not stop there.. let's proceed to reading books which involve deeper thoughts, more interesting subjects.. those that stimulate our minds and teaches us to envision.. those that teaches us to think.

One can start by vandalizing the house walls and carelessly coloring those story books... But let's not stop there.. let's continue to mold our way of drawing to fit the taste of a king, explore new mediums, find interesting landscapes.. be actually an artist..

One can start by singing in bathrooms and then in Karaoke machines.. but let's not stop there.. let's explore deeper and higher notes... let's hear our voices do the twists and turns of a musical piece which inevitably moves listeners' souls... and let's not settle auditioning for ABS CBN, GMA or TV5 network singing shows - those are too mainstream.. may also we find wonder and beauty and joy in those that are theatrical in nature... 

One can start by studying... learning.. not only for himself or herself, but for the benefit of the entire community...

listen to nature, to the animals, to the wind and the stars... after all, they're older than us.. and one way or another.. we are all part of the bigger picture.. we are all connected..

from The Horrible History of Jones

**inspired by the children and Mr. Ryan Maboloc's article: The World is Not Flat

i love You, Lord, thanks for moving me to do this.. :)

Because there's so much beauty about life...

in the backgarden ...

One Rainy Afternoon

This is one of the most welcoming place in my city..

And i always feel at home here...

.......

i just listened..
i prayed..
i saw someone come with a child..
the child just played around..
i waved at him..
he was adorable..
he was so easy to like..
he was so easy to love..

.......

the rain continued to pour down...
outside is a family...
they were sitting by the cold stone stairs...
they were nursing a baby...
they weren't dressed for the weather..
i bet they're shivering outside and in...
They do not look adorable..
They are usually looked on with pity...
Are they easy to love too?

< to the left is a family with a very small, young baby

What does it mean to be truly concerned for others' welfare?

Reasons politicians steal (from Yahoo! by Dr. Randy Dellosa)

1. Measure of success. For some politicians, the fatness of their bank accounts determines how high they’ve made it up the socio-eco-political ladder. These people acquire excessive wealth because for them, wealth equals success, power and prestige. 

2. Poverty mentality. Some politicians who come from humble backgrounds have risen up the ranks yet continue to harbor a self-perception of being poor. They become compulsive hoarders of material wealth as if they were in a constant and insatiable state of deprivation. 

3. Sharing the loot. Some politicians believe that it is acceptable to steal as long as some of the loot is used for charitable or religious projects. For them, sharing a little portion of the loot has the effect of lessening their guilt. 

4. Copycat thievery. Many politicians pick up the shady habits of their corrupt predecessors and colleagues. In this sense, corruption is like an inheritable illness or contagious disease.
 
5. Self-reward for stress. Some politicians feel unfairly compensated for all the effort they pour into their work. Since they believe that the government is not paying them enough, they exaggeratedly augment their own salary by hook or by crook.  

6. Banking on Pinoy compassion. Corrupt politicians may not be too fearful of being caught for their crimes because Pinoys have shown a track record of easily forgiving past political leaders who have committed plunder. 

7. Supporting their networks of patronage. Some politicians engage in massive thievery in order to pay off, reward or give incentive to the people and institutions that back them up. 

8. Preparation for comfortable retirement. Some politicians amass wealth because they want to sustain an affluent lifestyle after their retirement.

9. Potential of power to corrupt. A person in high office is always vulnerable to temptation. The historian John Acton put it well in stating that “power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

10. Narcissistic personality. Some politicians are narcissists who have an inflated view of themselves. Considering themselves to be superior and special beings, they feel that they are above the law and feel entitled to the use public funds as if it was theirs. 

11. Criminal-mindedness. People with criminal tendencies are sociopaths who often con people for personal profit. Sociopaths have a calloused conscience and do not display any remorse for their offenses. 

11 factors that turn Pinoy politicians into thieves

Missing September, Missing AWTR

Join Christ's Youth in Action! ;)

Your life will never be the same with an encounter with Him..

Inchoare 2014: Navigation :) PIChE JCM 1st Students Summit

credits to the maker of this artwork ;)

Venue preparations:

Mandora Collection

Thanks to Screenshot!! :D

i know this (playing) should be in moderation. Noted! :)