for the love of my life....

I COULD NOT ASK FOR MORE
Sara Evans

Lying here with you
Listening to the rain
Smile just to see the smile upon your face
These are the moments I thank God that I'm alive
And these are the moments I'll remember all my life
I've found all I've waited for
And I could not ask for more

Looking in your eyes
Seeing all I need
Everything you are is everything in me
These are the moments
I know heaven must exist
And these are the moments
I know all I need is this
I've found all I've waited for, yeah
And I could not ask for more

I could not ask for more than this time together
I could not ask for more than this time with you
And every prayer has been answered
Every dream I've had's come true
Yeah, right here in this moment
Is right where I'm meant to be
Here with you here with me
Yeah

These are the moments I thank God that I'm alive
And these are the moments I'll remember all my life
I've found all I've waited for
And I could not ask for more

I could not ask for more than this time together
I could not ask for more than this time with you
And every prayer has been answered
Every dream I've had's come true
Yeah, right here in this moment
Is right where I'm meant to be
Oh, here with you here with me
No, I could not ask for more
Than this love you gave me
Cause it's all I've waited for
And I could not ask for more
No, yeah
No, I could not ask for more


now if that's not yet enough, here's a version from Edwin McCain with a video you would surely love..





i love you.. i know you know that...

Leslie & Belle: The Reunion Part 2

Belle is now here in Dubai. She arrived at the DXB airport at around 11:10 pm of 23 June and at 1am of 24 June, she arrived at her Oasis Village accommodation. By 3am, there was an overly-excited me searching for her room. Walking the corridors of her block reminded me so much of our almost inseparable dormitory days.

When I finally found her, as expected, there were no traces of the 6 months we have not seen each other. We were giddily jumping like high school girls.We tried to have an early breakfast in between our stories but stories proved their importance as we were not able to consume our food. Then we made a call to her family. That was the only time I heard Tita Thelma cry, asking me to take care of her daughter. Of course I will even without anyone asking me to. Belle and I have been there for each other in numerous instances and we plan to keep it that way. Besides, I will always be gratefully indebted to the Pajarillaga family when they helped me during my Ufreshies enrollment period. Belle and I were just 16 then. I could not go to UP as my family did not have money for my fare to Manila. I did not need to pay my tuition dues being part of the STFAP scholarship, but at that point in time, no fare money means no UP. I already said my goodbyes to Belle and decided to stay back and study in our province. But God sent the Pajarillagas like angels and lent my family some money. So I could say if not for them, I would have not been to UP, never met the people I know and never experienced the life I had. Maybe I will not even be here in Dubai trying to eat my oven-heated cheese roll.

By 6 am, we were already among the early birds iin Madinat Jumeirah waiting for the bus to transfer us to my place. While waiting, a photoshoot of Belle's first few hours in Dubai took place..


View of the Burj Al Arab at her back *** Belle at Fort Island, madinat Arena


The Mina A' Salam "harbour of peace" *** Souk Ampitheatre and the abra display


entry way to Mina A' Salam

Leslie & Belle:The Reunion ( ooohh, this is scary)..

5 tulog na lang at darating na si Belle sa Dubai..Di pa rin ako makapaniwala.. Gaya nga ng sabi ni Arvin, wala na yata kaming balak maghiwalay na dalawa. To think na part lang ito dati ng mga daydream sessions namin. Pangarap naman namin talaga na mag-abroad together at sabay na mageexplore ng buhay. Actually, London talaga target namin o kaya Paris. London dahil andun yung Tita niya at saka para baka sakaling makita namin si Prince William o baka makakita kami ng sarili naming prince na blue-eyed at w/ British accent pa. O kaya, Paris kasi romantic daw dun tsaka gusto namin masagot si Paolo Santos kung "Does the moonlight shine on Paris after the sun goes down? haha, babaw namin no pero okay lang pangarap lang naman e.. Tapos gusto din namin dati na magwork sa Disneyland HongKong. Akalain mo, gusto pa namin magcrash course ng Mandarin dati para lang matanggap kami..para kaming mga high school na kinikilig sa sobrang excitement habang naghahanap kami ng dictionary sa Powerbooks.. and to think professional na dapat kami umasta nyan kasi last year lang yan.. tapos pag marami na kaming pera, magbubusiness kami ng clothing line.. naglalakad kami sa Glorietta habang nag-iisip ng brand name na gagamitin namin. syempre gusto naming may initials namin. then we came up with "Lesbian" with the tag line "it's fun being a girl".. hehe..

Bago ako umalis, binigyan niya ako ng diary. Makakalimutin daw kasi ako. At least kung recorded lahat ng events ng aking life dito sa Dubai, wala akong makakalimutang ikuwento sa kanya pag nagkita na kami ulit. Pagdating niya dito, magsususlat pa din ako sa diary na bigay niya dahil it does not change the fact na makakalimutin ako pero at least maikukuwento ko na sa kanya personally ang mga kagagahang ginagawa ko dito. Actually, baka nga di ko na kailanganing ikuwento kasi for sure, kasali siya sa mga kagagahang iyon.

as i always said, Dubai has been good to me.. but im sure, it's gonna be much much better with belle around...

Filipinos the nicest people I’ve met

I was cleaning my room yesterday when I found a torn page of an old newspaper ( 7Days, one of Dubai's tabloids) in one of my drawers. I purposely kept it as the contents make me proud. I just learned today that the article sparked a buzz and had been a hot topic.. let me share it here. this might make you proud of our people..

Filipinos the nicest people I’ve met
Published on: Sunday, 14th January, 2007

I read ‘Cool Hand Luke’s’ letter about Filipinos being Dubai’s nicest people and it really struck a cord. I have no idea what Filipino’s do (or eat!) to retain such a sunny disposition while suffering hardship (as many of them do) but they are indeed a truly fantastic bunch of people.
In four years of being in Dubai I think of all the drivers who have cut me up on the roads and none of them have been Filipino. I think of all the people who have tried to rip me off in some way and none of them have been Filipino. I think of all the disgusting people who spit and pick their nose in public and none of them have been Filipino.Filipinos have a dignity, pride and code of living that they can truly be proud of and which the rest of the world can look up to.
Nigel Whittaker
Umm Suqeim

This did not end here as Nigel's view certainly struck a familiar cord with many other readers, who have flooded the paper with letters of praise for the Filipinos they have come across here in Dubai, with many asking for the secret to our apparent happiness that we seem to carry with us as we go to work. The newspaper company was kind enough to publish some other reactions. and as they put it, no sender seemed to disagree with this claim.here's one example:


Praise of Filipinos is very deserved
Published on: Monday, 15th January, 2007

I would like to second the opinion of Nigel and ‘Cool Hand Luke’ about Filipinos. I never had a Filipino friend or acquaintance, but its hard to ignore how friendly and chivalrous they are. I travel by municipality bus a lot, and usually see men occupying the seats reserved for Ladies. Once a man refused to move out even when requested by the driver. On the other hand, Filipino men gladly vacate their seats for women though they are sitting in the unreserved section. I have been shamed into doing it myself after watching them couple of times. Filipinos never push and jostle while trying to get into the bus and try to be in a queue as much as possible. I am yet to come across a rude Filipino, though Dubai has struck me as a city of exceptionally rude people. They are the only people who still remember the golden words ‘Please’, and ‘Thank You’.
hope my countrymen would take a leaf out of their book and try to be nice to others.
Viva la Pinoy!

Abi Sultan
Dubai

hmm... although i'd say we have a share of not-so-good-attitude bearing people from the land of thousand islands, i'd say, this makes me proud of the ones who have been in dubai earlier than me. and yes, quite big shoes to fill in for newbies like me..

for the man who has been giving me all the good reasons to celebrate Valentine's day!...