JOY, as defined by my computer’s Encarta Dictionary is something that brings happiness: a pleasurable aspect of something, or something that is seen as a source of happiness.
Right now, I am very very busy and I have the most demanding schedule I’ll probably be having in my entire college life. There are times that I just really wanna cry to release all the pressure and stress that I’m going through. At times like this, I learned that it’s best to cling to the things that bring us happiness. For it is through these things that we could draw the strength to carry on. At this point in my life, I wanted to remind myself of all the things that brings joy to my heart and helps me relax after a hard day. Big or small, I believe that we should celebrate joy wherever, whenever, or to whoever we find it. I must agree with Kris Aquino that “focusing on what elicits joy rather than what causes sorrow really makes life so much more pleasant.”
Now, I want to share some of the things that make me happy at this point in time. Also, I want to encourage all my friends to have their own “Joy List” for it’s so much fun writing it. It will make you realize how mababaw a person you are and how blessed you are.
1. New issues of K Mag! It thrills me a lot the moment I hear that a new issue of K Mag will be out soon. And the moment I see one in a magazine stand makes my heart want to jump. I love Kris Aquino so much and it delights me to death that she has her own magazine now. No, I am not yet obsessed. It’s just that, Kris has always been my idol. Even before I became one of Regine Velasquez’s most avid, I’m a Kris Aquino fan first. If my memory serves me right, I became her fan when I was in grade 3 and since then, I have followed her career. Knowing that she has her own magazine now where she can share more of her thoughts is just so wonderful.
I got myself a copy of K Mag’s latest issue last Sunday (third day from its release). I make it a point to buy the magazine’s latest issue on the first day of its release but if I don’t have time that day, I always grab a copy as soon as I can.
2. Seeing the rain. Ironic as it may seem but I love it when it’s raining. I know studies show that rainy season causes a lot of people to get lonely making it the time when depression rate increases. But it puts a smile in my face. It feels so great that once in a while, we get a break from the really hot climate in this tropical country and experience a cold temperature. And come on?! Isn’t it great to wear and parade your jackets? Hehe. It also when it rains that I reminisce memories, both good and bad ones. And it just feels so great to go back and remember old times. Or maybe I’m just really weird…
3. Reading John Lapus’ blog. He is one of my favorite local celebrities ever. I admire his confidence and his ability to ignore his critics’ opinion. I love his “if you don’t like me, I don’t like you either” aura. Perhaps, life in this world will be more pleasurable if we will just ignore what other people are thinking about us. I read John’s blog every time he has a new entry. He updates his blog once a week. He writes it in taglish cause according to him, he’s not good in English. But mind you, he writes really well and you’ll see how a deep person he is. His blog is so refreshing! It really takes away my stresses. Haha!
4. Listening to “Pare Ko” and “Hotel California” before sleeping. Moralists won’t be happy upon reading this but I’m so sorry, they’re my lullaby. I love this two songs so much. I listen to “Pare Ko” when I am so stressed and I just wanna shout “putang ina” to all the people or things that causes my stress or my pains. I prefer Sponge Cola’s version of the song from the Ultramagnetic album. For one, I love Yael and his husky voice. And I’m so thankful that the band’s version retained the foul words unlike the other versions of the song which tamed it down a little bit. On the other hand, I listen to “Hotel California” when I want to feel relaxed, when I want to just float in the clouds and rest. The song is so hypnotizing for me.
5. Seeing my potato chips! Yes, I love potato chips and I don’t care if they’re junk. I buy my own potato chips cause my mom won’t buy me. I know that they’re bad for my kidneys but what can I do? I love salty foods and potato chips are delicious. Come on, give me a break! I don’t eat chocolates because I’m allergic to it so potato chips nalang. My chichiryas are all in my bedroom, beside the entertainment cabinet. It gives me joy to see them there when I get home from a very stressful school day.
6. Buying new books. Next to my computer, books are my best friend. I love bookstores so much! My trip to malls won’t be complete without a visit to Powerbooks or National Bookstore. Now, I have a new home when I’m waiting for my mom and my sister to finish their long hours of mall strolling, Bestsellers at Robinsons Galleria. That bookstore is so serene and all the books are arranged properly. Not to mention, they’ve got a really big area so almost all the books available here in the country are all there. The likelihood of unavailability is very thin. Not of course if the book is out of stock everywhere. Anyway, it’s not a secret to everyone that I love reading and I worship books. At times when I feel so sad and tired, I buy a book and it totally elates my heart. The last book I bought was Mitch Albom’s newest paperback, “For One More Day”. My mom paid for it and told me it’s her advance birthday gift to me. Right now, I’m saving for the coming bookstore sale this August and September. The titles I’m going to buy are: “The Devil and Miss Prym”, “Like Flowing River”, “The Witch of Portobello” all by my favorite, Paolo Coelho. Other titles I’m saving for are: “The Book of Laughter and Forgetting” by Milan Kundera, “The Death of an Ordinary Man” by Glen Duncan, “Written on the Body” by Jeanette Winterson, and “The Baker’s Apprentice” by Judith Ryan Hendricks.
BTW, my birthday is coming so some of you might want to give me one of those books as your birthday gift. Just tell me you’re giving me that title so I won’t buy it na. Hehe!
7. Enjoying a Bubble Tea. We (meaning my mom, my sister and I) are so addicted to these teas that came all the way from Japan. The Bubble Tea is a Japanese franchised restaurant that recently opened at SM Megamall. They’re menu are mostly beverages (hot and cold) but they also offer some sandwiches, pasta and rice bowls. With the name itself, you would know that the restaurant’s specialty is in teas. They’re teas come in varieties of milk teas, milk shakes, ice tea based, fresh brewed black teas, tea slush, and hot teas. What make these teas extra scrumptious are the bubbles or black sagos (similar to the sagos they put in the Zagu Pearl Shakes before) that they put on it. They’re all great but I must say that my top favorites are the Coffee Milk Shake, Taro Milk Tea, and nothing will beat the Black Sesame Milkshake for me. We enjoy these bubble teas every Sunday after attending our church’s service. What a perfect way of completing our weekends. (As of now, they only have two branches, the one at Megamall and the one at The Block)
8. Catching Oprah on TV! These days, I don’t get the chance to watch The Oprah Winfrey show as often as I want to because of my very inconsiderate class schedules. I hope Star World will be more considerate for people like me. Why not a primetime replays at 11 or 12am or perhaps a weekend marathon during midnights if they can’t accommodate it during primetime? I love talk shows so much. Today, I’m so glad to wake up with The Ellen DeGeneres show at ETC 2nd Avenue with Christina Aguilera as her guest. It really relaxes me every time I watch talk shows and it is my dream to have my own in the future. I really feel that I was born to talk and interview people. Other talk shows that I watch are Private Conversations with Boy Abunda, Boy and Kris, Korina Today, Larry King Live, Tonight with Jay Leno, The May Lee Show, etc.
9. Coming to school early for my first class. It rarely happens so I’m glad if I’m able to wake up early, there’s no line in the fx terminal, and the mrt and lrt are not prima donnas that day.
10. Seeing Kris Aquino back on TV. It feels so great that she’s back on TV after her three months of maternity leave. I just admire this girl so much that even though I don’t like Deal or No Deal, I watch it because of her. For me, Kris is the host to beat! I want to be like Kris, I want to talk like her, dress like her, and be as influential as she is. I have high respects for this lady because of her unbelievable talent (in hosting), her intelligence, and being the controversial A-list celebrity that she is. I’m also very excited about her new show in ABS-CBN that will start running on August entitled “Weekends with Kris” every Saturday at 5pm.
11. Daily Lunch with Korina. We’ve been doing this for 2 years now and it feels so great to talk and share anything, everything under the sun with your best friend while having a sumptuous lunch at are favorite canteens/restaurants.
12. Being able to watch 2-3 episodes of Desperate Housewives. I am currently watching the series’ season 3 and it’s so much more addicting than the past two seasons. I missed Wisteria Lane so much and I’m just so glad that I have the complete third season DVD already. After Desperate Housewives, I’ll be watching Grey’s Anatomy Season 3, Ugly Betty, then go back to Sex and The City. I’m also gonna watch Brothers and Sisters, Dirt, and Heroes soon.
13. Burning my downloaded songs and videos on CD. It delights me the most when my burner does not hang up when I’m burning those.
14. Sleeping early during Fridays and Saturdays. Ever since this term started and I had to deal with this class schedule, my Friday and Saturday nights are spent sleeping. It’s an advantage for me cause I get to sleep early. I’m really not a morning person so it feels great that during weekend mornings, I get to feel how it is to eat a “matinong” breakfast and accomplish things early in the morning.
15. John Paul Abellera read my review. He’s the scriptwriter of “Paano Kita Iibigin”, the latest movie of Regine Velasquez and Piolo Pascual. It made me very very happy when he was able to read my review of the movie in my livejournal. He also left a thank you comment that flattered me big time. It’s the scriptwriter himself! I’m so glad!!!
FYI: I haven't seen any of the four Harry Potter movies because I was always telling myself that I want to finish reading the book versions first before watching.
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