Rick Riordan

(This is a late post, I forgot to post this when I finished the book ((three months ago)) 

   Aside from John Green, Rick Riordan is, in my opinion, the best author on planet earth (and Olympus). Rick Riordan has been one of my favorite authors (and best friends) since fifth grade. I remember accidentally reading the third book in the series before the others. I read 2 chapters and was instantly fascinated in the world of Greek Mythology. Percy, Annabeth, Grover, Thalia, and NICO (yes, we have the same name) were also my best friends. Journeying with them, fighting monsters, saving the world, keeping the Titans in check, fueled my happiness. They made the world a better place, both in the book and for me. 

   Not too long ago, we were shopping at Target and found The Lost Hero. I remember being super bummed out because I had just finished reading Rick's first Percy Jackson series. After reading a really good book, almost every reader asks the question, "What do I do with my life now?!?". I had this predicament. After skimming through the book and seeing ANNABETH on the top of several pages, I immediately begged my mom to buy it for me. And she did. I got carried away. I waited every year for the next book. I met new friends Jason, Piper, Leo, Frank, and Hazel. We went on lots of adventures and saved the world countless times. 

   Recently, Rick ended the second (and final) Percy Jackson Series. Leaving me with Post Percy Depression (yes, that's a thing). I just wanted to say thank you to Rick Riordan for the great times and new friends, thanks for the unforgettable adventures. 

Christmas 2014

   This Christmas was filled with music, laughter, and happiness. Im glad I got to spend it with loved ones.

   We woke up on Christmas Eve excited and super giddy (my family has this tradition of opening presents the night before christmas). My parents, sister, and I went last minute christmas shopping. And of course, madness. People crowded every corner of the mall, rushing to get what they wanted. Everywhere you looked it was like a sea of people. After delicious (and much needed) ramen, my father and I went to Toy Kingdom to get presents for the (not so) little ones. It was the busiest place in the mall, so of course, madness. After what seemed like forever of standing in line, we finally finished. We headed home for dinner; pasta, ham, mojos, and this super good fajita thing that I fell in love with after one bite. We gathered near the TV and watched the VMAs. I was amazed by all the different personalities and types of music sitting next to each other, laughing and having a great time. After that, we opened presents! I surprised everyone with gifts. Seeing smiles on their faces made me the happiest person on earth.

   The next day (Christmas Day) we woke up to MORE PRESENTS! We had one of those Christmassy moments where we run to our parents and informed them that it was, in fact, Christmas and that Santa had came. We forgot to clean the table, leaving the dinner from the night before there. So we inferred that Santa, instead of eating cookies and milk, ate fried chicken and mojos. We got dressed and headed to Park Homes (my grandma's house) to have dinner and exchange gifts. We played this really fun (and challenging) game called HedBandz, a reversed version of charades.

 

PNSB Christmas Party 2014

   Today was an amazing day filled with unforgettable experiences and good times. We attended the Philippine National School of the Blind's Christmas Party. We played games, danced, and had the time of our lives! 

   Pretty much all the kids there were blind or had a hard time seeing. They touched my heart and made me realize how fortunate I am. We started off with a raffle. Every time the winner was announced the kids would go crazy, cheering, shouting, jumping up and down. Seeing them happy made me happy. After the raffle they danced. They surprised us with their super cool dance moves. 

   Next came the games. We played "The Boat Is Sinking". My brother, Mike, and I guided and grouped the kids. But after awhile I joined in on the fun. The announcer would say, "The Boat Is Sinking, group yourself into..." And then we'd run to each other, hug, and sit down. Then we had another raffle. After, they played an interesting game where they had to connect themselves using a string. They had to put the string inside their clothes and literally connect themselves. And of course (like Gus in TFIOS) I thought of its metaphorical resonance: we're all connected, we're all human, physical appearance and disabilities mean nothing. We're all the same. 

   This next part was probably the highlight of my day. They danced the tinikling (a traditional Filipino dance). Blind kids dancing the Tinikling! I had only danced it once, so when they called us up to try it out I was a little nervous. But I (surprisingly) quickly got the hang of it. I surprised not only myself, but everyone else. It was an amazing experience. 

   All in all today was a grand day. We made lots of new friends. They showed me that I'm very fortunate and lucky to have the life I have. Putting smiles on their faces touched my heart. I will never forget today.

Happy Birthday Dad

Dear Dad,  

   My love for you is infinite. The faults in my stars are vast and numerous, but you overlook them. Sometimes my strings break, you fix them. When I get lost in my own labyrinth and feel like theres no way out, you assure me that there is. You're my hero.

   I remember when I was young you would hold me up on your shoulders. I remember feeling happy, so immensely happy that I'd grab your neck and squeeze the life out of it. I did this because 1. I was falling and 2. I wanted to show you how much I loved you. But that wasn't enough. My love for you is infinite and indescribable. Meaning I'd have to literally squeeze the life out of you to show you how much I love you.

   In short, thank you for being there for me. Thank you for caring for me. Thank you for keeping a smile on my face. Happy Birthday Dad, I love you.

Well Spent Wednesday

   The Salcedo Park has finally reopened! Sadly, the park closed two days after me moved to Salcedo. So we had only been there once or twice until yesterday.

   Yesterday we went to the park and got some fresh air. The park looks brand new. The playground is cleaner, the sidewalks look better, and the grass is nice. We practically stayed there the whole day. I loved seeing my brothers and sister smile while they played at the playground and rode their scooters around the park. While they were doing so, I read. After finishing Paper Towns, which was amazing (John Green has done it again), I reread The Fault In Our Stars. This is probably my third time reading TFIOS, it never gets old. After about an hour we took a break at Coffee Bean, which is right across the street from the park, and had gingerbread cookies. We stayed there till it got dark so we could see the lights that hung from the tree. It was beautiful.

   All in all we had a great day. Were so happy the park is open. And can't wait to go back.