+++ MY SILENT REVERIES +++

existence
Wednesday, October 10, 2007

before i went on hibernation last weekend, i squeezed in a lunch date with sexy sini during her lunch break. let me remind everyone i haven't had any meat in my body in months after deciding to be low carb, partial vegetarian! so i begged sini to go to a sushi bar just so i can have sushi or some kind of fish. well, so we both ordered a bento tray and a generous sushi selection ( i did not finish any of the sushi - i had one or two of each and i was about to puke my brains out).

in that intersection of hollywood boulevard and vermont avenue, for her one hour lunch break, we shared endless laughters and memorable conversations of love, life and friendships. even squeezed in a little shopping for a necklace. it's been 15 years since i knew her and not a single thing change.

[sushi selection]

[japanese bento tray]

weekend came and i, i sort of, well, i went into hiding...except that i did spend some time with people from church to go watch the pacquiao-barrera fight. i lost my voice screaming my butt off that night.

determined, after that, i ditched my regular "saturday-night-gimikera-party-gal" image to "i-will-be-low-profile-&i'll-be-off-someWHERE-tranquilizing" to unstress my weary mind, body and soul. with cellphones turned off and ipod blasting in my car, i just drove off.

and there, at that undisclosed location, i attempted to rejuvenate my eahausted self from the cares of the world. and it has never been more filling to just enjoy such animosity.

when i opened my quiet cell as monday morning approached, it was overflowing with voice messages and gazillion texts..most of which i deleted. i filtered the messages and selected only a very few for a call back. well, in fact, i only called one person, kuya arthur because i knew he needed me after leaving me array of detailed texts and voice messages ( take note: he often leaves me just one message so i knew it was an emergency situation).

it turned out i was right. upon meeting him, we dived into discussing his problems. we figured out some kind of solution to his dilemma. knowing him when he's stressed out, he always asked me to eat out after. i think that was his own way of destressing himself. as always, he made to decide where to eat out. and we ended up here.

[korean barbeque and the generous "bancha" - appetizer]

["galbi" - marinated beef on the grill]

being partial vegetarian, i declined on the fat slabs of korean steaks (although, i was itching to try it. ) i ordered their vegetarian "bibimbap" ( with mushroom, spinach, bean sprouts, carrots, bean jelly, spinach and dried nori flakes on a bed -" furikake" in japanese on abed of sticky rice - i had three big bites of the rice and that was it!) but they still had some chopped beef on my clay bowl. so i just took it out.

while i watched kuya enjoy his thrid korean barbeque meal with me, he gave me a lecture why i'm so crazy, not showing my face, not returning his calls, and now, not eating meat at all..(that's his typical self ---lecture here and there...) and i just gobbled up on my freshly made bibimbap, green salad with peacan, and fried tofu (my version of meat for three months now).

[korean BIBIMBAP]

[FRIED TOFU]

[green salad with peacans]

but beyond the great food, i'm grateful for the gracious company of my friends who constantly worry about me. they knew me so well that when i decided i would be "gone" for couple for days, they talked among themselves who was going to take me out on what day JUST because...i knew also that they thought i was probably in surgery to be that awfully quiet and distant.

people asked me where do i obtain my amazing strength. well, of course, my faith allows me to replenish strength when i'm weary. but my family and friends multiplies that God given courage when they are with me and believing in me. and this difficult path to battling life has been triumphant for me because i am surrounded with amazing people who refuse to give me up especially on the most challenging, mind boggling stage of healing.

i am humbly appeciative.

i realized, i'm so fortunate.

thankful that i am super blessed.

i exist...i am here..

i will live and enjoy each day of life...for them.

they make it worth living.

Labels: food, friendship, fun, lifestyle

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