Movie Review: About Time

When I found out I was about to see a movie about time travel, and that it starred Rachel McAdams, I immediately thought, "Oh no, not another time travel movie." Instantly recalling that she also starred in The Time Traveller's Wife, I feared that this would be another one of those mind-bending, headache-inducing time travel stories.

I was wrong. This movie was fun, and it was mainly because the story focused on life and not on time travel. It showed that even those with the extraordinary ability to bend the time-space continuum are not exempt from ordinary day-to-day situations of ordinary people. Despite the privilege of being able to go back to certain points in time, the main character Tim Lake (played by Domhall Gleeson) was confronted with the same choices we all make. Each gain, each triumph is just as sweet, and each loss just as painful.

This movie is witty, funny, and truly what a romantic comedy should be. It's a date night must-see. It's a movie about life, love, and family- things we can all relate with. The movie left with me with a renewed gratitude for the simple joys of life, inspired to enjoy life to the fullest and without regrets.

Chasing Waterfalls: Tinago Falls

We were still on Day One of chasing waterfalls in Iligan City. After a quick sightseeing trip to Mimbalut Falls, our next stop was Tinago Falls. I revisited Tinago Falls last year with friends and extended family. In that trip, I wasn't with my hubby and daughter Gianne and I promised to be back with them.

The 10 to 15-minute habal-habal motorcycle ride from Mimbalut Falls took us across the border that delineates Iligan City and Linamon, Lanao Del Norte. It's been 10 years since I've taken that route. There has been much improvement in the road that led to the entry to Tinago Falls but the road still gets rough as one gets closer.

It was Gianne's first time on a habal-habal

As soon as we got there, we climbed down the long staircase that led to the majestic falls and its deep pool. True to its name, Tinago Falls is a gem hidden deep in a ravine. One could not see it unless he gets right to the pool that catches its cascade.

Chasing Waterfalls: Mimbalut Falls

Mimbalut Falls in Iligan City

Mimbalut Falls in Iligan City was our first stop on our first day of chasing waterfalls in Iligan City. Mimbalut Falls is at the far end of the City Proper-Buruun jeepney route. The jeep takes one to the junction where habal-habal motorcycles await to take tourists for a quick ride to the easily-accessible waterfalls.

Chasing Waterfalls in Iligan City

In late 2012, I scheduled a hiking trip to Limunsudan Falls in Rogongon, Lanao Del Norte. It was supposed to be a two-day trek to the secluded and rarely-visited falls. Plans changed as national elections neared. Just to be on the safe side, we decided to visit the more accessible waterfalls of Iligan City instead. The trek was supposed to be a sidetrip anyway since our main purpose in flying to Cagayan De Oro, the airport nearest to Iligan, was to join my side of the family in our yearly camping trip, usually done during the Holy Week in my mother's hometown of Initao, Misamis Oriental.

During our two-day trip to Iligan City, we visited Mimbalut Falls, Tinago Falls, and Maria Cristina Falls. Some say all three can be seen in a day but we decided to take our time and enjoy nature's wonders, the people, the food, the feel of Iligan City at a more relaxed pace.

Gianne's Scrapbook of our North Luzon Road Trip

The trip was the first time my father was to return to his roots after more than 20 years. We were to visit his sister (my auntie) and see some of the historical, cultural, and tourist sites of Ilocos in Northern Luzon. There was no fixed itinerary, we just went where the wheels and our gut took us, but here's how our schedule went:

Day 1: Drove to Baguio City.
Day 2: Drove northwest from Baguio City to Marcos, Ilocos Norte. Spent the night at auntie's.
Day 3: Headed to the northernmost end of Ilocos Norte, then northeast towards Cagayan, and southbound to Isabela. Spent the night in Ilagan, Isabela.
Day 4. Drove to Santiago, Isabela to see my father's other siblings. Drove back to Manila.

On that weekend, my daughter Gianne, then 6 years old, was supposed to go on a field trip with the rest of her kindergarten class, but we had to take this rare chance to drive to my father's birthplace in Ilocos Norte which meant she had to skip the field trip. To make up for it, we decided to make this scrapbook.

Facebook Rules for my Tween

Despite Facebook's popularity especially among kids and teens, my hubby and I have maintained our rule not to let our kid, Gianne, have an FB account. We believe that the internet is not a very safe place for young kids. But while she was in 7th Grade last school year, it seemed like she was the only one among her peers who did not have an FB account. And since she was studying in a Science high school, her academic load has grown heavier and she needed all the support she can get in making the load easier. So we made a compromise. She was allowed to have an FB account, but only I knew the password. And with it was the promise for me to never pretend to be her while on FB because that would be dishonest (and that would be identity theft). 

So with the creation of her Facebook account, I gave her some rules to follow. So far, she has been trusting when it comes to the rules I set and she follows them knowing that there's logic behind it. Yes, for her to follow a rule, it has to be logical to begin with. As with any parent-child relationship, some rules may not work for all kids; they're just based on what works between the particular parent and the child, and in this case, us. This is still a work in progress and can be revised as the need arises. 

The Year that was 2012

So what happened in 2012? The world did not end, the skies did not fall, and life went on as usual. It was a good year. It was a year of many small blessings, simple joys. It still brought its share of frustration and sleep deprivation, but 2012 was also a year of achievements, fun, and adventure. God is good... all the time.

The year started as usual, but it was probably the most lethargic New Year's Eve celebration we ever had- we had a hearty family dinner with extended family members, then we each found our places on the couch, went to sleep, and woke up as the fireworks were about to start. We joined in by lighting our Dragon fountains, sparklers, and fireworks with a prayer for another round of blessings in 2012.

Gianne Graduates from Elementary School
This was the year our daughter, Gianne, finished primary school and went to high school. She was aiming to qualify for two science high schools- Makati Science High School (MakSci) and Manila Science High School (MaSci). During the school year, Gianne had been busy with school work making sure she had the required minimum grade to qualify for the entrance exams, and at the same time she had to make time to review for the tests.

Exam results came out during the first quarter of the year. I was ecstatic to find that she qualified for both schools! Since she was the first in her school to qualify for these Science high schools, her school made a congratulatory poster of her and displayed it during graduation:

Proud parent moment

Wearing her two medals: Honorable Mention and Writer of the Year

Summer
Summer was spent mostly at home doing chores and working on my struggling "business venture." Since I did not have househelp, life revolved around chores, occasional outdoor trips, my favorite halo-halo bought from the corner store, errands, and more chores, and more errands. As has been the trend, the temperature seemed to get higher every year. There were days when I was just completely unproductive as I refused to leave the comfort of a soft couch and a fan on full blast.

Mt Batulao on a Sunny Day

I consider myself lucky for having been able to climb Mt Batulao in Nasugbu, Batangas both in rainy and sunny weather. Mt Batulao's rolling trail is mostly open and exposed. Closer to the summit are grasslands on its flowing slopes, while in the lower hills are farmlands tilled by the local farmers. 

On beautiful sunny weather, the trail can be hot and scorching. The cool Tagaytay wind makes up for the heat but it's enough to give anyone a nice tan. On rainy days, the trail gets terribly muddy because the same lower part of the trail is used by farmers in transporting their produce on horseback. While the higher parts of the trail are not frequented by livestock, certain parts are steep and can be very slippery.

For this hiking destination, I decided to make two blog entries- one for the rainy hike, and another for the sunny day. Rain or shine, Mt Batulao is always worth the trip.

View from the trail

In October of last year, hubby and I decided to take two American friends, a newlywed couple, on a quick dayhike in Mt Batulao. It was sort of a double date and a chance for us to show them our neck of the woods since both hubby and I grew up near the Tagaytay area. Mt Batulao was a perfect destination for us since after a quick hike, we could also do some sightseeing and go on a quick food trip in Tagaytay City.

Gianne at the Fully Booked Junior Book Crew 2012

My daughter Gianne has always loved books. By the time she was 12 years old, she has read a number of fiction series such as Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Chronicles of Narnia and The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel. She has also become a fan of Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Though she started her love for fiction with books for younger readers like Nancy Drew and The Babysitters Club, she maintains her all-time favorite is the philosophical novel Sophie's World.

Last summer, Gianne qualified to be among the 30 kids who were part of Fully Booked's Junior Book Crew (JBC). The kids had to go through an application process where they filled out a form with their personal information, their hobbies and interests, and details about the books they've read, their favorite authors, and their favorite genre. They also had to explain why they wanted to be part of the Junior Book Crew. Soon after the last day of the application period, applicants were contacted by phone to set up an interview appointment.

Fullly Booked Junior Book Crew 2012
(Photo by Fully Booked)

Fully Booked gives this description of the Junior Book Crew:

The Junior Book Crew is a month long workshop that will give children ages 11-16 an opportunity to expand their love for books and the written word, plus a chance to experience what it is like to perform certain tasks in the bookstore. 

Mt Batulao: A Dayhike in the Rain

I consider myself lucky for having been able to climb Mt Batulao in Nasugbu, Batangas both in rainy and sunny weather. Mt Batulao's rolling trail is mostly open and exposed. Closer to the summit are grasslands on its flowing slopes, while in the lower hills are farmlands tilled by the local farmers. 

On beautiful sunny weather, the trail can be hot and scorching. The cool Tagaytay wind makes up for the heat but it's enough to give anyone a nice tan. On rainy days, the trail gets terribly muddy because the same lower part of the trail is used by farmers in transporting their produce on horseback. While the higher parts of the trail are not frequented by livestock, certain parts are steep and can be very slippery.

For this hiking destination, I decided to make two blog entries- one for the rainy hike, and another for the sunny day. Rain or shine, Mt Batulao is always worth the trip.

The Rainy Dayhike

On a holiday in August 2012, we scheduled a dayhike to Mt Batulao with our then 12-year-old daughter, Gianne. She's been on a few hiking trips with us but this was going to be her first dayhike. She was on her first year in a Science high school and we figured it would be a good way for her to forget her academic load and free her mind from the pressures of school. It was also an excellent bonding opportunity for us as a family.

This trip was our first time to drive to the jump-off because we usually take public transportation. We drove from Manila to the jumpoff right outside Evercrest Golf Club in Nasugbu, Batangas but we planned to spend the night at hubby's parents' house in nearby Silang, Cavite and this meant hubby would not have to drive all the way back to Manila after a potentially tiring 6-7 hour hike.

Conquering Myself at the Ateneo Aquathlon 2013

I swam like there's no tomorrow. I ran my farthest race. I conquered myself at the Ateneo Aquathlon.

I'm not an athlete. Never was, perhaps never will be. But I do try to stay healthy, and I love to swim.  The feel and the sound of the water soothes me to the core. When I'm in the water, I feel isolated from everyone and everything else in the world and being in that state can be very calming. It clears my mind and I emerge revived, refreshed, recharged.

I'm a fitness swimmer at best. My strokes are far from perfect, my speed in the pool is less than average, and I remain doubtful of my endurance since it has never really been tested. Moreover, I can't dance. I have no such talent nor ability in it and I'd be clueless if I ever find myself on the dance floor. Swimming is the closest I can get to making rhythmic coordinated body movements.

As a runner, I suck. I rarely enjoy the act of running. It doesn't give me the isolation I get from swimming, but the sound of the wind, rustling leaves, and chirping birds are a welcome treat. Most people would say running is easier than swimming. I beg to disagree. I run because I have to, when I have to, and that's usually when I'm training for a hiking trip. Plus, there's a quiet strip at a nearby village close to where I live giving me no excuse not to run as a fitness activity.

That being said, why did I join the Ateneo Aquathlon?

Mt Maculot: Same Mountain, New Trail

The Philippine mountaineering community classifies Mt Maculot in Cuenca, Batangas as a beginner's mountain and therefore an easy hiking destination. I've been hiking since I was a teenager, but ironically for me, I never had an easy Mt Maculot hike.

The first time was an overnight hike when I was in college and new to an outdoor student organization. My bag was heavy and even though it was not my first hiking trip, I was still what most would call a "newbie".

The Return to Tinago Falls

In January 2012, I happened to be in Cagayan De Oro when a group of friends and my brother-in-law were also scheduled to be there and I had a chance to show them around. I didn't realize until that time that it's been 10 years since I've been to Tinago Falls. Tinago Falls in Iligan City was still it's beautiful self, the water still clean and refreshing, and the sound of its cascade both scary and magnificent as always.

True to its name, Tinago Falls is hidden in a ravine that can be accessed by a long series of descending steps. From the top of the stairs you can hear the loud sound of cascading waters, but you wouldn't see the falls until you get to the bottom of the ravine where the water falls into a pool about 90 feet deep. 

It turns out that there are two entry points to Tinago Falls. In 2002, we took the entrance from Linamon, Lanao Del Sur. This time, we took the one from Iligan City. Each has a long staircase that takes you to the pool below. 

This was the easier part of the stairs.

The Fun Part

We planned to stay there about an hour, see the place, take photos, swim a bit. We were supposed to head back to Cagayan De Oro before noon but we enjoyed the view and the water so much that we stayed the entire morning.

It's been so long...

My oh my! It's been almost another two years since my last blog entry. The last time I promised to maintain this blog, I had just resigned from my job and was looking forward to a lot of time for leisure and recreation. I was wrong. I was busy still, and my internet connection sucked. Uploading was such an ordeal that I gave up blogging altogether.

After 3 internet providers, we were finally able to get internet connection with satisfactory performance. So now I can blog again and I have so much catching up to do, so here goes...