Music is good medication.

So lately, I've been getting sick a lot. Maybe it's because of my lack of rest this past semester everything is pretty much catching up to me right now, which stinks. I gotta take care of myself more, like work out, eat well, sleep early - basically live a healthy lifestyle. This will be one of my new year's resolutions. Hopefully I can keep it.

Although I've been under the weather, one of the things that makes me feel better is MUSIC! There is this 15-year Filipina girl, Charice Pempengco, who recently appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres show. Oh my gosh - the girl can SING. Here's a video of her singing one of my fave songs - Listen (I think she owns the song here and does it better than Beyonce)

I'm officially a fan. Teehee.

Now off to sleep since I'm actually trying to sleep early and feel better.

My Facebook buddy

This is a long overdue post...

//

I was at Target when I got the call. Juno called me and told me he had some bad news to tell me, and told me that Julian died. I seriously thought he was joking and I kept telling him to shut up. I was in shock leaning up against one of the store aisles, still holding the cell phone in my ear with Juno still on the line. I didn't know what else to say - I was shaken. I did not expect to hear anything like this.

I met Julian this year at FCA College Park's Culture Night, where his band Emanon performed. Although I met him only ONCE, we managed to keep in touch through Facebook almost daily. I saw him again at the Filipino Festival in DC, but I didn't get a chance to talk to him since he was performing. That would only be the 2nd and last time I would see him alive. Through our exchange of messages, I could tell he was a great guy. He was one of the nicest people I have ever met, no doubt. He encouraged me a lot by just being who he was with his positive attitude.

Although I only knew him for 7 months, I am grateful to have met a person like him. He was only 19, but was taken back home to be with the Lord because he finished what he was supposed to do here on Earth. Rest in Paradise Julian, I'll see you later.

From this experience, I reminded that life is short and you really don't know what is going to happen in this life. Only God knows everything in his perfect will and plan for you.

Well I don't know what else I'm feeling, but as soon as I figure out how to put myself into words, I shall write something on here.

R.I.P. Julian Nalos

Mind games

I think mind games are quite fun.

It started with "My train runs". Then I learned "Johnny Whoop", "Snaps", "Around the World", and this other one I THINK I figured out (I'll call it "A puppy can go through the door, but a dog can't").

They sure make you think outside the box. You just can't think too hard into these games or you won't get it. It took me EXACTLY 1 day to figure out "My train runs". Hahaha.

Wicked

Almost a month ago, I bought Wicked by Gregory Maguire. It took me a while to read it and I finally finished it last night. Not that it was boring, it was a little bit hard to get into at first but I found it got better as I got more into the story. The reason why it took me such a long time to finish was because I was busy with a whole bunch of stuff and I couldn't read it consistently as I would've liked to.

Anyways, the book basically tells the life story of the Wicked Witch of the West, her real name - Elphaba. I definitely have new insight of this so-called wicked witch because Maguire takes a different take from the Wizard of Oz movie. Her life story to me was quite sad. Apart from the preconceived notion that she was a completely bad person, there were actually some good aspects of her character. She pretty much had a downfall...hmm you'd have to read it to see. I'd give the book probably a 3.5 or a 4 out of 5 stars.

Now onto The Kite Runner :)

Saving up

I am saving up to get me one of these:

NIKON D40x baby! I will join Ica and Tim's Nikon club...hopefully soon. Haha. Looks like I won't be buying anything for a long time except for food. I will probably get it at Ritz Camera since they have good warranty deals and that's where I got my last two digital point-and-shoot cameras. I remember I went there over the summer asking about the camera, and the guy was for real trying to make me buy it on the spot, so I just told him I'd come back the next day...but I never did.

Anyways, I want to get a DSLR because there is a HUGE difference in quality and it just looks so much better. And I want to improve my picture-taking skills.

Happy Halloween kids!

the Word

It's been a while since I posted!

Today, I went to a class at Mclean Bible Church about "How to Study the Bible." I know it may sound silly to some of you, but I really took a lot from it. I could go on and on about it, but everyone should go to this class when they offer it again.

Since we talked about God and the Word, it reminded me of this song...here's a verse from The Cross Movement's I Am That I Am:

In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God
And the Word was God and God is still large
Though some find Him strange
He can't exchange or rearranged, and He sure can't change
Makes Himself known, makes Himself heard
Makes Himself seen, all through the Word
Sometimes a lot in a little, sometimes in a riddle
Sometimes when He's revealing He's hard like Peanut Brittle
But He'll break it down in bite size pieces
With a complete thesis, that we can eat up
Like Reese Peanut Butter Cup
So good to the roof of your mouth it'll get stuck
So you can savor the flavor forever
To keep your spirit strong and your intellect
Clever, pull the lever on all the things you think you know
Shed the dead leaves so you can grow and sow and reap and expand
And humble yourself under the mighty hand of the one that said I AM

It's old school, but it's still awesome =)

Video game pianist

This guy is AMA-ZA-ZING! I wish I could play piano like him. Check out his site.

My friend, who gave me the link to this guy, gave me the sheet music for the Super Mario Underwater theme which begins around 2:10 on the youtube video. I'm going to attempt to play it, so we'll see how that goes. It sounds so bright and relaxing...haha. Plus, it'd be cool to know how to play a random song like that.

Okay - now back to studying, and listening to the music on videogamepianist.com.

No accident

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.

Psalm 139:14

I went to the Bodies Exhibit in Rosslyn with Korina on Friday. We've been planning to go for a while and I was excited that we were able to make it since this was the last weekend the exhibit would be in town. Tickets were $26, kinda pricey for a small museum, but nevertheless a great experience to be there.

I was thinking it would be gross, but it really wasn't. We're talking about dead bodies and parts put in a museum for everyone to see. It made me think to myself, "Wow is that what I really look like inside?!" My favorite part of the museum has to be the Circulatory System, where they used "corrosion casting" to inject something into the blood vessels to harden and reveal them. They also had a section on Fetal Development, which was covered so that people who didn't want to look can pass. I decided to check it out though. I learned that at 21 weeks, the heart starts beating and they even had a fetus at that age. It was very tiny - perhaps no larger than my pinky tip. I couldn't believe our hearts start beating at such a miniscule size. I was awe-struck.

I don't know why people believe in the Big Bang Theory. *BOOM* and we're magically here?! It doesn't make any sense. Looking at the Bodies Exhibit reminded me of Psalm 139:14, where David says we were "fearfully and wonderfully made". Fearfully, as in reverence. Wonderfully as in miraculous. It's absolutely amazing how God created every single one of us to be. We are certainly no accident because there is truly a lot of work put into each of us because He loves us so much that He even sent Jesus to save us. John 3:16 says "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Out of the complexity of our human self, we were made to praise Him, to love, and be loved.

Why Did I Get Married?

Haha, no...I am not married! It is the title of Tyler Perry's latest movie featuring Tyler Perry himself, Janet Jackson, Sharon Leal (from Dream Girls), and Jill Scott (love her music!). I've seen 2 of his movies: The Diary of a Mad Black Woman and Madea's Family Reunion. Both contained the right amount of humor and drama. I enjoy watching Perry's movies because of the way his characters are able to handle and learn from the situations they face. Anyone can relate to the storylines.

Basically, Why Did I Get Married? is about 4 married couples, who are also very close friends and the problems they face with their spouses. Talk about drama! Ahhhh the things they go through - let's just say if I was Jill Scott's character, I would've probably kicked some major hubby-butt. I would go into detail, but I don't want to give away the movie. So can I just say "Love conquers all"? I loved Why Did I Get Married? and I recommend that you go see it.

This movie also made me wonder how my friends and I would be like in the future when and if we all get married! Haha, I know it's a long way from now, but I know 2 Ates that are already married. I wonder who's going to be next.

Not me of course...lol.

Represent

October is Filipino-American History Month. Celebrate being Filipino! Here are shirts I found from pnoyapparel.com that are stylish and illustrate Philippine culture:

"No History, No Self. Know History, Know Self."

"He who does not know how to look back at where he came from will never get to his destination.” -Jose Rizal, The National Hero of The Philippines

Ethnikclothing.com and Teammanila.com also have really nice Filipino t-shirt designs as well. Looking at these makes me want to design my own.

Private

About 2 weeks ago, I was having a conversation with my cousin Aimee and I've known her and her sister, Aileen, since they were born. We're close family friends, but somehow we're related on our mom's side - so we call each other cousins. Anyways, during this conversation she said, "You know what Em, you're a very private person." Being artistic, quiet and reserved, she is observant and notices a lot of things. You know what they say, "still waters go deep". That is the first time someone said that to me. I thought about it for a second and didn't have a negative response towards that statement, I totally agreed with her.

I only trust very few people and I definitely don't give that away easily. I do have a lot of friends, but only few that I can really talk to. Most of them are my friends at church (They're more like family). Some things I just like to keep to myself. Why? I keep a very high guard. Maybe I love my little comfort zone so much or maybe that is a result of what being an only child is to me after all these years. Being an only child has allowed me to rely on myself a lot on things and given me the mentality of "do-it-yourself". And I guess I'm also more of a listener than someone who would tell someone something.

The thing is, I don't have anything to say...
or at least I think I don't.

It's 3am and I can't sleep

I have decided to join the Blogger circle and leave my loneliness behind at WordPress. Emmilaine.com has redirected here.

Here are my reasons for switching (I feel like I'm advertising something):

1) Several of my friends are on blogspot. I was the sole person on WordPress.
2) I am able to customize and make my own templates without having to pay a fee (On WordPress you gotta upgrade!)
3) It is Google-powered.

With that said, I really don't know what I'm going to write on this blog. It's not going to be anything specific. That's why I titled it, "Whatever comes to mind at the moment." I'll just let myself unravel on these electronic pages.

For this post, I'd like to put up this song called "He Loves Us". It's one of my favorite songs of the moment right now.

When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory
and I realize just how beautiful You are
and how great your affections are for me

If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking