Its Been a Great Year! 06/04/2010
 After baby was born, I imagined my life would revolve only around house chores, endless wet diapers and boring parental stuff. But being a parent has been anything but boring! Since Karsten was born, we have traveled through Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, and the Philippines. I have also recently flown for work to Cebu, Boracay, and Vietnam. Life has never been more exciting and unpredictable. I have learned much about the trials--and treasures--of being a mother, but am still learning how to best manage my time. When I am not at work, it is an opportunity to just spend time with my baby, enjoying every smile, every new development. I know time will fly so fast and I'll wonder where it all went. I want to be able to look at my baby and know that I gave him as much love as I could; even though, as a working mother, I can't be with him every moment of his life, he will still know that I tried my best. Having a supportive husband and family is a blessing, and I couldn't do this without my loved ones and friends. Happy weekend! Life and Baby Joys 04/15/2010
 Well look how he's grown! My handsome boy has surprised all of us with the rate he's putting on the pounds! Now, at three months and a bit, he's getting into all the interactive stuff, starting to coo and baby talk, and drool like crazy! Oh, the joys of motherhood! I think it can be a whole different blog on its own. In other aspects of my life, I am enjoying it more everyday, completely at peace and happy. Karsten! 02/02/2010
 He came to us a bit before Christmas Day last December, and has been the best--but noisiest!--gift ever. Here's our little boy Karsten, who has been taking up much of my time and all my life, right now. Isn't he beautiful? He is a week old in this picture, but its been over a month now, and he is twice as big! Action Africa!--Help out while you Holiday! 11/18/2009
 Action Africa is the result of a select group of individuals collaborating to unite each of their particular, specialized backgrounds with one commonality – an enthusiastic passion to support community and conservation-based projects in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. As an Action Africa volunteer, you will lend your helping hands to the cause whilst also reaping the benefits of a hands-on, highly rewarding experience. Action Africa's Aim is to give international volunteers the working holiday of a lifetime, by making their trip here filled with fun, adventure and recreation, as well as the gratification of knowing they have made a tangible difference in the communities and lives they have touched. It is a life-changing experience that will stay with both the volunteer and those they have reached out to help for many years to come. For more info, check out www.action-africa.com DANCE FOR A CAUSE 11/03/2009
 THE MARTINEZ SISTERS: DANCE FOR A CAUSE The Martinez Sisters are a family act; a professional dance group performing all year round, in aid of outreach programs and social consciousness awareness. This Christmas, their upbeat dance numbers and lively choreography will bring life to any seasonal event! Past performances include venues like the Muntinlupa Bilbid Prison, the Manila PGH (Philippine General Hospital), and the Mad Dogs Annual Toy Run for Orphans in Handlebar, Makati. Book now for your corporate Christmas party or local outreach event. Contact: Joy Martinez 0916-171-3838 or 0915-314-1689 email: brodanny_joy@yahoo.com Visit our Website: www.ourlifefoundation.wordpress.com Philippine Flood Disaster 10/02/2009
 The recent Typhoon “Ketsana” (locally called “Ondoy”) was the worst flood to hit the Luzon area in about 40 years, its damage catastrophic. This typhoon hit the country’s capital hard. Whereas other catastrophes have happened in surrounding provinces, or farther out, this one blew in to the main city districts and left hundreds of thousands homeless. Almost everyone I know there knows someone, family, friends, or colleagues who were seriously affected, if not in loss of life, then belongings and lifesavings. My own sister lost her apartment. And as clean-up continues, drawing everyone together in relief efforts, another typhoon is plowing in tonight. Please keep the Philippines in your thoughts and prayers, that they will make it safely through the storm, and that the next incoming one won’t be too devastating. Artistree 09/06/2009
 Artistree is a small but vibrant community of young artists who have devoted themselves to making a difference. They are bright, they are energetic and they care passionately about leaving the world a better place than they found it. Check out their website, art and events here. Happy Birthday, Dad! 09/05/2009
 Hey! It's my dad's birthday today! I feel slightly guilty that it took Facebook to remind me (a week ago, in advance, I mean) am making up for it now... My dad is a great guy, a great father of 13 children, and just a little history: he was a sailor in his past life (before I was born), meaning I inherited two things from him: a love for traveling the world, and a love for good drinks. In tribute, I'm posting links to two published articles I wrote about my dad quite some time ago. You can read them here and here. Love you, dad! Living Asia Flashback 08/29/2009
 The Living Asia Channel is a Philippine-based cable/satellite television channel that features the best of Asia and the Pacific. It airs 24/7 in Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Oceania, the Middle East, and North America through the facilities of Dream Broadcasting System and Mabuhay Satellite. I still get mail from viewers, or friends currently watching the show, and while it makes me smile for a bit, it also brings back nostalgia, and a little sad feeling that I’m not in the Philippines anymore, as I really miss Living Asia. It was a pleasure to work with everyone in that company, to meet the new and different individuals we had to work with in various countries and provinces, learning from both the older and younger colleagues. If it wasn’t for them, I would never have travelled to China, or been held by the police, or eaten ostrich meat or bulls’ testicles, or gone scuba-diving, or met my husband. Living Asia has a new website now, up on www.livingasiachannel.net , featuring all the Asian Destinations and some Web TV clips. Have a look around! You can also watch live at http://www.livestream.com/livingasiachannel Lastly, here’s a link to a show featuring me and my sister Tessie during one of our travel/adventures in Subic Bay! http://www.livingasiachannel.net/gftw/gftw.htm From time to time, I'll be posting Asian Travel features on this blog, with pics of the crew and our many shoots. Cheers! My New Journey 08/28/2009
 Maybe it was something that I just thought wouldn’t happen to me—at least not “RIGHT NOW”. One day, last year, one of my nine sisters remarked casually, “Hey Nikki, maybe you’re barren.” And at 28 years old, I must admit I had previously thought that if I was going to be a mother it should’ve happened a long time ago, and maybe now was too late, at least for my personal itinerary. I had places to go, things to do, more worlds to conquer… …or so I thought. But the last 6 months of my first pregnancy have been a journey in itself, one I’m so glad I accidentally signed up for (Heh). It’s been something like an elite club I’ve just joined, where all of a sudden this world opened up to you—a world of women who were always around, but you just never understood them; things never really clicked; I never really saw what they were actually going through. Until now. Now, we talk about babies, and husbands, and tummies and cravings and emotions—all of which was completely alien to me prior to this. But today, it makes sense, and I finally get it. Motherhood happens to teach us what we know least about ourselves, and what we need to know about Love—unconditional love, love for others, self-love as well as self-less love, and love that gets tired but never tires of it, because there’s always something new and surprising around the corner. It seems like a long, long, journey, like I’ll never get to my destination…but then, I know now what that old quote means, and I stop trying to “get there”, but just enjoy the view. Finally. | ArchivesJune 2010 Categories |
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