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Hansel and Gretel used pebbles to be able to go back home even if they were intentionally left to get lost in the woods. So they kept going back to the place they know and the people they come "home" to (although "home" was not really the correct term there), much to the chagrin of the person who want them lost.

One day, the antagonist found out about the pebbles thus Hansel and Gretel had to improvise. They made use of the bread that they were supposed to eat to mark the paths they set foot on. They placed breadcrumbs because they can't drop pebbles. Unfortunately the birds came and ate the breadcrumbs and the poor kids got lost, so they went on anyway deeper into the unknown forest.

They found a wonderful house made of all the delicious things they could imagine BUT a witch lived in it. To cut the story short, they pushed the witch in the boiling cauldron and killed him/her. (Do male witches wear that witchy frock they emulate on Halloween? *shrug*)

Okay, it is quite a brutal fairytale to tell the kids but how does it relate to the real gist of my blog?

In the effort of people to leave a mark on this world, blogs became the way that was paved for that chance. If you blog it, you know you meant to have someone read it. These are the breadcrumbs and pebbles found all over the digital forest that is separated by a thin line with reality. Some of these posts will be remembered, some will be forgotten but nevertheless, you've made your imprint. Who will read your written thoughts a hundred years from now?

I came across my old Livejournal blog tonight and I pressed rewind and read my earliest entries. It was like collecting back the breadcrumbs and pebbles. I'm pretty sure that somewhere in the middle of my entries, I got lost. My blog made me smile at the nonsensical things I did... wince at the hurtful memories, and marveled at the realization that sometimes, I do make sense.

...and oh yeah, I have one major thing to do: a witch hunt. ;-)

...and somethings you can't help but notice nonetheless.

It's like an unwanted update about your ex from a well-meaning person --you have no choice but to listen.

It's like looking at that one dress you know you'd look good in but won't have somewhere to wear it to.

It's stacking a bunch of boxes of good stilettos when you're the sneakers-and-jeans kind of girl.

So what's the use actually of putting up your new year's resolution? I can tell you one reason: it's a reminder of a lot of resolutions that have gone by unnoticed. They got shelved reluctantly as "things you can do without" plainly because you choose not to.

As what a dear person told me, in the end, it still boils down to how you want your day to go: have it ruined because it didn't start right or get spontaneous and have fun anyway. This, coming from a control freak? Yeah. I learned to loosened things up a bit... no use going around town to put things where they ought to be, if those things got minds of their own.

Have a happy new year everyone! :-D

01. Play with Hannah and Sean more - i now can because my sched's better! yehey!
02. Pork-less diet.
03. Drink more water.
04. Organize files more often.
05. Ditch the old dark wardrobe and buy happy-colored clothes.
06. See my girlfriends more often.
07. Go out of town on one or two weekends in a month.
08. Ditch my N70 for a better phone in 5 months (coz my 2-year lockup with Globe will end on May)
09. Smile more often -- not really a prob anymore
10. Exercise more *yawn*

I'm bent on doing this and yeah I sure will. :-)

HAPPY new year!

Another year has passed and how would I rate 2008? I say it's been great. My happiness-o-meter is sky-rocketing.

This is the year I went to places, met a lot of people and had a life away from the computer (which has been my life since 2004). This is also the year that I learned who really are my real friends. This has been the year I reunited with my high school best friend.

I am thankful for the blessed year... for waking up to the laughter and smiles of Hannah and Sean... for finding strength because of my family and for FINALLY getting my yearbook photo taken. This is a testimonial that God really takes care of me and every one of us.

There are so many things to be thankful for this year and I smile at the knowledge that I am blessed with a loving family, wonderful loving people, great (real) friends who understand the nature of my job and a job that I love so much with one of the most wonderful bosses on earth (Ms. K) ever.

Okay I'm going back to sleep... :-) I feel like reading a book in bed and staying offline.

...and I wish you all a Merry Christmas.

I'm at home, working still. Looking forward to a better year.

Love,

G

..so I've been listening to a lot of Submarines and Joshua Radin songs...

The lines that caught my attention are:

That's why the best thing I can give to you is for me to go
Leave you alone
You got growing up to do

Yep, these words are simple but they hit right home.

when you hear nothing but the whir of your CPU's fans...

it makes you wonder... is this peace?

then reality tells you "no silly, that is the sound of you being idle. now get back to work."

The interesting thing about social networking sites is that you see how people evolve right before your eyes with every digital record of their lives.

I see different stories start and end right here. I see people who used to bash others come to be the ones who are practically smacking and licking the *sses of those people they profess to "not like." (Note: my vocabulary has been edited to because I'm a wholesome mom now, so graphicgurl of graphicgurl.com is sooo dead. not.)

I get into online "fights" because I give constructive criticisms especially on photos and some people could not take it. Seriously, that is why your (that person) stuff still look too Photoshopped--a bad photo will remain a bad photo. The feeble attempt of making your photos seem acceptable is uhm, hilarious.  I stopped giving out comments to these people now because frankly, I don't effin' care anymore. My time is too precious to be wasted on giving out comments like "NICE!" and NOT mean it. When I say it is nice, I mean it. I'm done.

I am not one who pretends to like something even if I don't.  I am saying right now that so many people are pathetic. Spineless. Blasphemous. If you get mad at me right now because of this statement, please do a doublecheck because you might not be the one I am talking about and feeling ka lang. *mischievous grin*

I will NEVER become a kiss*ss just to earn a living.

My mom and sister just asked me if I take antioxidants. Anti-what?

Blink. I think I missed that part in my "fitness" thingie.

I lost several pounds again after religiously dancing for an hour everyday for more than a month already. I haven't been eating pork for a year already. I ate beef twice this year (could not resist the steak one time hehehe), chicken--hmmm I think I have to work on that coz I ate at KFC about a month ago with Kawen (bad kawen bad!) and Ronnie, my lovable evil "adopted son". Seafood, hell yeah. I cannot give that up.

Even my coffee's got ganoderma--people here at home are eating healthfood. Meatless dishes and tofu and veggie-meat... I'm getting used to it and I like the improvement on the skin and the positive energy at home.

There's that theory that carnivores have a tendency to be more violent than vegetarians. I'd like to keep my frame of mind on that so that I will maintain my weight. I don't want to grow old and die fat. I so wanna look like Isabel Preysler when I get old hehehh. Ok dream on Grace haha. 

So I guess I am turning pesco-vegetarian FULLY by next year.

My four-year-old wrote me a letter. It's actually a piece of paper with random letters from the alphabet written in purple crayon.

She insists on calling it purple.

I got a little emotional when she said the letter is for me and that she loves me.

This happy baby, for the life of me, got every love she NEEDS. I now know why my mom kept telling me before that I was growing up too fast and would I mind being a baby again please?

And I look at her and wonder how am I going to explain to her how the world is not like the nice stuff she reads about at bedtime or not as magical as the Barbie movies she watch. As a mother, you would not want to be the one to tell her disappointing news like "Baby. Santa is not real and you know Cinderella? She's a social climber."

Seriously, I watch Hannah and Sean today at play and I remembered how uncomplicated life was as a child but now that I'm legally an adult and watching my own kids grow, I can say that my life definitely has a different meaning now. You know that bit when people say kids could ruin your future? I dare say it's a different story for me. I have more reasons not to screw up.

I think the first part of "not screwing up" is being happy and staying happy with one's self. A lot of good things come to those who go about everyday with a smile.

They give me a reason to smile and get up everyday and yes, we're gonna be just fine.

Everyone at home is talking about fitness. I'm going crazy.

Seriously.

Because the previous post had negative vibes, I am going to balance it out here on what I am thankful for.

I am thankful for:
1. my family who have been supportive in my endeavors
2. my significant others and friends who constantly check on how i am
3. my job--because no better job on earth than earning right at home and getting to see Hannah and Sean more often
4. my laugh generator :-)
5. just being here. now. so much love to give. so much love i am receiving from those who matter.

:-)

...now.

I haven't blogged for a long time because I don't blog when I'm happy or when everything's going according to plan.

Don't get me wrong, I AM happy with the people who matter to me. Some things just got out of hand, and here I am wondering why people are asking me for explanations.

Some people are actually surprised why I remain unmoved. Why should I be "moved" and who are they? The neighbors have been talking--they told me. See? That alone is talking. It's time I indulge some of my friends and say something.

Newsflash: I don't really care what they say behind my back--I'm too busy making a living and LIVING.

There is a reason why YOU miserable gossip-mongers remain miserable and POOR--because that is all you are doing with your time. Digest your stale saliva and your meager earnings and suffer because you are hmmm... deserving of all that.

Live and let live.

People will hate you because you do not care what THEY think of you OR they are PLAINLY ugly.

...and you little gray cloud shoo...

I've said my piece, now back to work.

Visit: www.gracenaces.com

I long for that.

Soon.

The last photo shoot sessions I will be doing for people will be the ones  on October and those who booked earlier for next year.

:-) I think I'm done with commercial/paid photo shoots. I will only accept photo shoots requested on a personal or friends level.

To all those who trusted me enough to have their photos taken by me, thank you very much.

From now on, I shall be shooting stuff like travel, nature, portraits, and shooting-because-I-see-a-photo-in-this-scene ones... :-)

Watch out world, I'm going to shoot you. ;-)

AGAIN, I will be on a break.

I will be painting.

See you offline.

if there is one thing i can offer, it is raw honesty.

don't ask me to change because i won't.

i did not go out today. too much work to do... missing out on so many things...

the rain is harmlessly knocking outside and the cold is reminding me that i am alone.

and all i can think of is how you are out there.

come home. now. piece together these shards of sanity that are on the floor of my existence.

make me whole. again.



enough of these, i'll go fix myself the nth cup of latte for the day... wait. what day is it again? it's 6pm and im in my pjs. and the rain has stopped. you're still out there.