Date with HONEYLents and Ate Althea

Yesterday, December 26 my sister Eya and Tal wanted me to get out of the house and go anywhere I please. I first wanted to go to UPLB or Tagaytay or even Baguio City but it's too risky for me to travel now that I'm 5 months pregnant. So I decided to to see Shangri-La Plaza mall. I thought that mall would still be very "sosyal" but it has changed a little bit...just a little bit only! Majority of the mall rats there are coño and just a few average ones. Since we arrived there lunch time, I chose to eat at Cravings. Their chef's salad was perfect and satisfying especially the dressing! Althea enjoyed her pasta and Tal (not yet hungry at that time) just ordered coffee. We took pictures (well, just a few) using my low-tech image camera while wating for our orders. After lunch, Tal stayed at Power Books to read while Althea and I went to Rustan's Department store. Obviously we visited our favorite section there, the beauty products galore area! I made a list of all the products that I will definitely be needing after I give birth (that if my OB-GYNE would approve) like Shu Uemura cleansing oil green tea, mascara ( still looking for the best brand) and  Clarin's Anti-cellulite serum (just in case). Well, there's one item that I'll be needing after 3 months and that is anti- stretch marks lotion (still need to find the best product in the market - suggestions anyone?)

All the walking and window shopping made my eyes and legs hurt. The only thing that would help  fuel-up my body again is a big slice of double chocolate cake at TCB...YUMMY!!! The delightful treat made me happy and ready to go home. Thank you my HoneyLENTS and ate Eya for encouraging me to to go out. Hopfully next month again!♥

The Great Lover

The Great Lover
Rupert Brooke

I have been so great a lover: filled my days
So proudly with the splendour of Love's praise,
The pain, the calm, and the astonishment,
Desire illimitable, and silent content,
And all dear names men use, to cheat despair,
For the perplexed and viewless streams that bear
Our hearts at random down the dark of life.
Now, ere the unthinking silence on that strife
Steals down, I would cheat drowsy Death so far,
My night shall be remembered for a star
That outshone all the suns of all men's days.
Shall I not crown them with immortal praise
Whom I have loved, who have given me, dared with me
High secrets, and in darkness knelt to see
The inenarrable godhead of delight?
Love is a flame; we have beaconed the world's night.
A city: and we have built it, these and I.
An emperor: we have taught the world to die.
So, for their sakes I loved, ere I go hence,
And the high cause of Love's magnificence,
And to keep loyalties young, I'll write those names
Golden for ever, eagles, crying flames,
And set them as a banner, that men may know,
To dare the generations, burn, and blow
Out on the wind of Time, shining and streaming...
These I have loved:
White plates and cups, clean-gleaming,
Ringed with blue lines; and feathery, faery dust;
Wet roofs, beneath the lamp-light; the strong crust
Of friendly bread; and many-tasting food;
Rainbows; and the blue bitter smoke of wood;
And radiant raindrops couching in cool flowers;
And flowers themselves, that sway through sunny hours,
Dreaming of moths that drink them under the moon;
Then, the cool kindliness of sheets, that soon
Smooth away trouble; and the rough male kiss
Of blankets; grainy wood; live hair that is
Shining and free; blue-massing clouds; the keen
Unpassioned beauty of a great machine;
The benison of hot water; furs to touch;
The good smell of old clothes; and other such
The comfortable smell of friendly fingers,
Hair's fragrance, and the musty reek that lingers
About dead leaves and last year's ferns...
Dear names,
And thousand other throng to me! Royal flames;
Sweet water's dimpling laugh from tap or spring;
Holes in the groud; and voices that do sing;
Voices in laughter, too; and body's pain,
Soon turned to peace; and the deep-panting train;
Firm sands; the little dulling edge of foam
That browns and dwindles as the wave goes home;
And washen stones, gay for an hour; the cold
Graveness of iron; moist black earthen mould;
Sleep; and high places; footprints in the dew;
And oaks; and brown horse-chestnuts, glossy-new;
And new-peeled sticks; and shining pools on grass;
All these have been my loves. And these shall pass,
Whatever passes not, in the great hour,
Nor all my passion, all my prayers, have power
To hold them with me through the gate of Death.
They'll play deserter, turn with the traitor breath,
Break the high bond we made, and sell Love's trust
And sacramented covenant to the dust.
- Oh, never a doubt but, somewhere, I shall wake,
And give what's left of love again, and make
New friends, now strangers...
But the best I've known
Stays here, and changes, breaks, grows old, is blown
About the winds of the world, and fades from brains
Of living men, and dies.
Nothing remains.

O dear my loves, O faithless, once again
This one last gift I give: that after men
Shall know, and later lovers, far-removed,
Praise you, "All these were lovely"; say "He loved".

The Great Lover - a poem by Rupert Brooke

My friend and my lover

Talento Tiongson Castro...my friend and my lover.
Thank you for bringing out the best in me and for tolerating my not-so-good moods. But most of all thank you for giving me the greatest gift you can give...Iglesia Ni Cristo.
I love you very much!