2011... love?

Looking back at the past years i realized that each year has a general theme to it.

2009 - Eat
2010 - Pray
2011 - Love? Sana! :P

Back where I started

The theme of 2010 is searching and self discovery.
I wanted to be fearless and not hold back. I took chances. I tried things out of my comfort zone. I sought ways to learn new things. I searched for my spirituality. I found happiness in myself and in a developing relationship with God. I was happy being fearless, I was falling in love. But now, I find myself not necessarily back exactly at my starting point, but at some point resembling the start. I'm unsure what makes me happy, what i want to do. But now I'm different. I've changed over the year. In my journey of self discovery, I'm discovering the selfish Sarah. Or is it that I have evolved into a selfish form of myself? (not like i was not selfish before, but there's a new facet to it now). In trying to know what makes ME happy, it what drives ME, developing ME, I might have put too much focus on ME. I'm happy that I can now feed the wants I have and not over think of the implications on my image or what I must do... I do things because I want or feel like it. However I have come to lose the part of connection with others. Too much focus on me, I lost focus on relationships with other people. I have put myself at the top and have been unable to balance the implications of my actions and wants to how I treat others.  I find that sad, but the feeling of regret is not so strong. I'm still trying to seek balance in not being consumed by what others think, and pleasing others and being able to acknowledge my own wants.

I feel that I'm back to where I started in terms of direction. I don't have a clear direction where to go from here. But i'm a different person now... hopefully a better, more rounded person.

‎"Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly. Kiss slowly. Love truly. Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile."

feel the fear and do it anyway

I just love the line... Something I will challenge myself to. I'm always afraid eh. :(

Eat Pray Love

 "A friend took me to the most amazing place the other day. It's called the Augusteum. Octavian Augustus built it to house his remains. When the barbarians came they trashed it a long with everything else. The great Augustus, Rome's first true great emperor. How could he have imagined that Rome, the whole world as far as he was concerned, would be in ruins. It's one of the quietest, loneliest places in Rome. The city has grown up around it over the centuries. It feels like a precious wound, a heartbreak you won't let go of because it hurts too good. We all want things to stay the same. Settle for living in misery because we're afraid of change, of things crumbling to ruins. Then I looked at around to this place, at the chaos it has endured - the way it has been adapted, burned, pillaged and found a way to build itself back up again. And I was reassured, maybe my life hasn't been so chaotic, it's just the world that is, and the real trap is getting attached to any of it. Ruin is a gift. Ruin is the road to transformation."

day off!

I was supposed to fly to Rome from Sept 23 to Oct 1 for the beatification of Chiara Luce Badano. Arrangements like visa and passport didn't quite fall into place but nevertheless I was able to know about her beautiful life and in a way maybe that was God's intention. :)

I still am taking a week off from work even if the trip is cancelled. It's MEEEE TIMEEE!
Things I have lined up:

• exercise time - daily yoga at eastwood
• go to the mall and spend girl time with Lalee and Mama
• John Mayer concert
• spend time with friends - badminton with LD, meetups with HS friends
• create the australia blurb book
• take time to pray and feed my soul

What is your phantom?

Some notes from the sessions i'm attending at Loyola school of theology..

1. Need to be perfect - BEING LIKE GOD
     creating order based on rules
     this is very common
     people who follow doctrines per word (bookish, en punto)
     when essentially God asked us 2 things only - to love God above all things and love our neighbor like how God loves them
     there is a drive to be worthy, but the right idea is that we are in a constant cycle to perfection (but never actually reach that)
2. Need to be needed - SERVICE
     becomes wrong when you think/demand something in return after
3. Need to succeed (or seem successful) - IMAGE
     creates the need to have a mask to cover our ugly side
     we are driven by society's definition of successful (money, position)
4. Need to be special - DIFFERENT / UNIQUE
     common in artists
5. Need to be analytic - INTELLIGENCE
     we think we can control the world through our intelligence
6. Need to be safe & secure - FEAR
     what are you afraid of?
7. Need to do everything well - MAKE THINGS HAPPEN
     when you over do it (too many things), you tend not to focus and not to do things well
     you have a tendency for "flight" when something goes wrong
     counter phobic: when you are afraid of something you take control and turn things around and counter attack
8. Need to lead / control - ORDER based on IDEOLOGY (and justice)
     we want things our way and impose this on others
     danger: pairing up with #2. One serves the other leads
9. Need to be comfortable - PEACE

These are not necessarily bad as long as you do not associate your identity and soul to it. You just have to be yourself. It is important to watch your motives: right deed but wrong reason is still a wrong deed. It's wrong if you do these things for yourself...it should be for others!

i want to fall in love with YOU

I still feel disconnected from Him. 
One time i felt while praying if i'm talking to God ba talaga or to myself lang.
I've been complacent in developing my relationship with Him. 
I've been distracted.
I want to fall in love with Him.
I don't know how.


I want to have a deep and tangible relationship with Him.
I want to truly know that my faith is not just in my head, but in my heart.
I want to feel connected.


I almost started crying when Ailen and myself talked today. Some of the things she said hit very close to home.


Florendo, Ailen:
yeah i know the feeling....work/diff activities tend to eat you up and leaving you empty inside....so its really important that you have the 1:1 with God everyday so that you'll know what to do, how to react, etc. we have to pray to God ..have that conversation with so that we share all our concerns, worries, joys with Him
but the good news is begin and begin again. now is a good oppurtunity...dont wait for the talk in rockwell.
spend 10-15min a day conversing with God
[Me: yun ang prob eh.. parang sometimes i feel crazy and parang think if i'm just talking to myself]
nah God will give you the necessary grace
trying to talk with him is the first step....maybe next  clearing away what hinders you from Him
di ba if you like someone you like to talk with him alot
think of it that way...have a sincere desire to like God because you know in HIm you will find true joy and peace
the joy and peace the the materialistic worlk cannot give

blue, down, and out

it must be the hormones. PMS.
I hope it is coz I just want this over sensitive, emotional, negative, depressed stage to be over.

I don't get it. I don't get me. The slightest things make me feel disconnected from the people around me. It's like, I am retracting myself from what's happening around me in order to avoid being affected -- hurt. It's been a little roller coaster for me for only one aspect of my life...but 2 fridays ago, I noticed that I'd have non talkative moods that I wished I wasn't noticed at all at work. I'd choose the conversations and would not be sociable. Then there was last Friday that I became sensitive over a joke from Moe. I didn't realize that I was upset about it until after. It was like i was blocking out what happened while it was happening and I can't remember details. I just remember clearly that I said "not interested" and that was already sarcasm bordering nasty. I didn't deal with it well. Instead of trying to make things better with Moe when he apologized thru text, I continued to feel upset -- yet trying to get over it. It felt more like, trying to to feel anything.

And now, my shunning the world (or just 1 person), has escalated to being embarrassed that I got upset...and has made me feel weird, and cautious towards Moe. I'm not sure if he thinks i'm still mad...or i'm just not interacting with him. Pero it just feels weird to feel close to him like it was before. It's like i crossed a line and can't go back. And that also makes me just want to crawl back into my cave.

Mood swings, when are you going to end? I feel like the life got squeezed out of me. I feel cynical things in the real world will not go my way. It's like i'm waiting for the next mistake to come my way...and so i'm just crawling back into my cave.

Lenten Reflection via the virtual retreat from Fr. Ted

Day 1: The Ladder of Temptations

Lord, i have lost touch with you. I have been complacent in nourishing our relationship that I let my sins and shame get in the way of spending time with you. Like the prodigal son, I ran away from you. But I know that life is not meaningful without you. Yet I can't get back to you. I don't know how to. I try to do good deeds and follow your commandments yet I doubt myself if I do this for Your glory...or is it for my own. I yearn to strengthen my relationship with you! I want to know you more! I want to fall in love with you! Why can't it be just simple, why do i have to make things too complicated? Or do i really? Grant me the grace, Lord, to decipher whether this road back to you is really difficult. Is it something I have to earn first by learning more about you thru the doctrine? Am i just impatient? Or am i doing things wrong and thinking too much -- preventing myself from actually rebuilding the relationship. 


Grant me the humility, above all things, to acknowledge my weaknesses. I think that in doing so, I will be more aware of my other shortcomings that prevent me to return to you. Grant me the wisdom to hear you and see you in the daily happenings of my life. Grant me the silence in my heart so I can turn off distractions and focus my attention on you.


Day 2: The Ladder of Trials

HOW MUCH CONFIDENCE DO YOU SHOW IN THE LOVING PROVIDENCE OF GOD? I know this in my mind...but I find myself wanting to feel it in my heart. Knowing is not the same as believing and having faith. I do have faith, but maybe I do not see God's providence in the simple and everyday events in my life.


I am actually lucky to have been blessed with a goodlife. I have loving parents, we have the things we need - a beautiful house, a great community, healthy bodies, great working atmosphere and officemates who are God fearing. 


Maybe one of the things why I do not blame God for my seemingly suffering is that I firmly believe that I brought these things upon myself. Looking back, the biggest trials seem to be related to Alan. But in both cases instead of feeling abandoned i felt that i was being called. Called back. Maybe for some time i felt emptied, but it was because I failed to see what I had gained by taking that away. I was not seeing clearly that it was God's will and He has a greater plan for me. Maybe the difficulty God is distinguishing whether things that happen is part of your plan or is this something that we brought upon ourself. Like a consequence of wrong doing. I know you are a merciful and forgiving God, but I can't help myself from thinking that. 


"Your experience of nothingness is God's way of telling you, 'I am your ALL.' "


Lk. 23:46 Father, into your hands I commend my spirit


Day 2: The Ladder of Truth

Bring to Jesus your heart. Allow Him to fill it with meaning. Talk to Him on how to find
His will... Ask God to reveal to you your purpose in life, that which you are most passionate about. What is first in your life?


Isn't this just timely?

First of many dates

Last weekend, I went on a long overdue date with God called Life's Directions retreat. It has been a while (around 9 years) since my last retreat in Baguio with Fr. Reuter. I couldn't postpone this any longer. Two years ago, I really felt that I was in a quarter life crisis (even before all the engagement stuff happened). It was because after nearly 25 years, I didn't make sense of my life. I didn't know if what I had done mattered, and more so I had no idea where I was going.

I don't want to get into the retreat details, but I would like to share the most memorable quote I got from Hector.

Kailangan magtugma ang plano namin ni Lord. Kaya kailangan naming mag-usap ng Diyos lagi.

The retreat is the first of many more dates I'll have with the Lord. :D

27 things when I was 27

1. Watch hot air balloon -- Feb. 14, 2010 with singles club :)

2. Cheese and wine night with HS friends at Barcino on February 20. It was a fun night since there were a lot of us who made it -- imagine we were 10! We celebrated birthdays for January and February and Bunny passing the nursing exam. It was a night of planning for weddings to come (Be and SCs) and a night of guessing if boy or girl ang baby ni Ninay. I love my girls!!

3. Ran 10k in 01:15:47 in the Unilab's Run United event last March 7. I didn't know how i'd make it since I didn't have time to really practice. I'm so happy I finished under 1:30! I think I'll take a break from these runs...mejo trauma pa ang legs ko. Plus napapansin ko lumalakas ako kumain pag tumatakbo. hehehe

4. Went to a retreat, Life's Directions, with Eleni and Moe last March 12 to 14 at Karis Retreat house, Tagaytay. We actually don't have a picture the three of us together (as proof) -- sayang. It was a good weekend spent with friends and most specially with the Lord. A long overdue date (with God). :)


5. Rode a human gyro ride last March 20 at the Philippine Science Centrum in Marikina


6. March 21, Watched a  movie alone. This became more literal than I expected -- because I had nothing to do on a Sunday afternoon I decided to finally try watching a movie alone. So I chose "Remember Me" as recommended by Ponch. Hala! When I entered the cinema, only another couple was watching. May up and down pa yun cinema so I was literally alone sa down area. hahahha creepy but nice na din. :) Mental note to self, next time watch a more popular movie so that there are other people around. Creepy yun thought that some creep might just sit beside you and you have no one to shout for!


7. Belly, belly, belly dancing! March 25 with officemates... Patricia Rimando invited her friend from college, Nina to teach us! We weren't very good but it was an experience... it's a good workout too! hahaha

8. Australia!! Sydney opera house, blue mountains, taronga, 12 apostles and the great ocean rode adventure, philip island and the penguin parade, up close and personal with a koala (no platypus sightings though), puffing billy 
9. Milked a cow in the philip island farm
10. Had a long conversation / series of conversations with a guy stranger from the plane from Sydney to Manila
11. Wicked!!
12. Devonshire tea and high tea with Blanchita
13. Go on EMEA shift and thriving :)
14. Go out with strangers -- from LD batch 81. It was uncharacteristic of me to join a group of people whom I dont know well and present myself to join their gimmick. Good thing Len and I just took a chance and showed up in their laser tag gimmick! It's nice to meet new people... it's fun. It makes me feel free and happy again. :)

15. Finished a bottle of wine with Gino last July 31 to celebrate his and Chesca's birthday! It was a first time to have inuman with him...and just stay up all night making kwento. =)

16. Traveled to Germany...alone! This was for an almost 3 week business trip. On weekends I planned trips to Frankfurt on the first weekend, then Heidelberg on the 2nd weekend, then Hannover on the last weekend to visit Cathy. I also managed to do #17!!
17. Visit Paris!! ...and most important, do a jumpshot in front of the eiffel tower! hahaha. KG's friend, Grem, was super accommodating and brought me around...in 1 day! It was a short side trip before I flew back to Manila but I'm definitely going back... hopefully with Chesca (since we planned this like forever!).
18. Drink and appreciate beer -- this happened in Germany where the friends I made introduced me to different types of beers and blends. I like the radler beer (almost 50-50 with lemonade) because it's light but still tastes like beer and the other mix with grapefruit juice -- which actually tastes more like juice than beer. Thanks to Marieta & Richie, Taty and Susanne for introducing me to the beers! I think I drank more alcohol in those 3 weeks than in the first 6 months of this year. hahaha
19. One of my other "single" goals was to eat alone in a restaurant (just like in the movie) and I was able to successfully do this in Germany...of course! A lot of my meals I spent inside the hotel or just like a fast food chain/take out counter so it wasn't very awkward. And despite doing a lot of other things alone, I still had to gather courage to go to a restaurant and sit there, order, and eat alone. I did my best not to hurry eating and just leave. Net-net, i must say that food is still best experienced when shared. :)
20. Sing in front of strangers! It was a slow Friday night at Kiss the Cook resto of Waya and they had a guitarist. It took a looooong while before I actually gathered the courage to volunteer, and more so to sing. Wheeeeew. I can't say I sounded good, but at least I did it! Red-face and all afterwards. hahaha Not to downgrade this accomplishment, but there was around only 6 other people in the room -- including Gabe Mercado who was also dining there. Pressure noh, kse he was also singing some songs.


21. Fed my soul-- attended a short course at the Loyola School of Theology (Spirituality for Act II of your Life) which turned out to be more for middle aged people! Haha. But in any case, I was able to pick up a few items to think about regarding myself, my relationship with God, and how I should be approaching this life. I have definitely acknowledged things that have been holding me back (like fear!) and have started thinking about what my life project should be. But importantly, I have realized that I should always keep focusing on nurturing my talents because this is a form of praising God and will prepare me for my life project. :) - September 7 to October 12 (Tuesdays)


22. Namaste! I have tried Bikram yoga at Eastwood during my week long leave... it was a trial promo for beginners and I was able to attend 6 of the 7 day trial. I am not sure though how often I'm planning to continue because as much as I like being all calm and flexible, it is a little routinary. September 28 to October 4


23. 10/01/10 - John Mayer Concert!!!! "You waited 5 months...and it rains." That's what he said seeing the full crowd under a wave of umbrellas and rain coats. It was soooo awaited that even rain did not stop us from staying outside and watching him play. He was amazing. Great guitar, great vocals. Too bad he couldn't play all of my favorite songs (like Love Song for No One) but at least he was able to sing Why Georgia, No such thing, half of my heart, She Says.


24. I'm now a Ninang! Anduin (Ninay's baby) is my first inaanak sa binyag 

25. [Nov 13] Boracay baby! beach, booze, bikini :P

26. Master chef Mendoza! My first try at bread with sticky pecan rolls [November 16] 

Went overdrive during Christmas and New year with Foccacia, cheesecake and ribs :) 

Cheese fondou c/o Lalee but plating by me hehehe






27. Completed simbang gabi :)


nice to do:
target weight / waistline --> target is 120
baking classes

26 has come and gone. 27 is the now

I am looking forward to this year -- a year of adventure! I want to -- no, I will do 27 new things again this year! I AM NOT OLD, I feel that my life is just beginning! 


Deep inside, i don't feel that much has changed in me since high school and there's still that little school girl afraid of the world. What has changed though are all the experiences (almost 9 years of that) and help I've gotten from family and friends who has made me who I am today -- faithful, tough, optimistic and yet crazy. I've got a loooong way to go but I know that I am now headstrong and ready to face the world. I will fall and fail sometimes (oh no!) but I'll be tough and stand up again. :)


Among the greetings, I hold Tanya's close to my heart--
A blessed birthday to you:) I pray that God will continue to grant you the desires of your heart according to His perfect will and timing.


It's all in trusting the Lord because it is HE who knows what is best. 

Focus and direction

i'm now reading "Rome sweet Home' and i'm happy in re-discovering my faith.
tonight's reading, i found this prayer actually given by a Christian. It's beautiful nonetheless.


Lord, 
I'll go wherever you want me to go
do whatever you want me to do
say whatever you want me to say
give away whatever you want me to give away


They said, "Yield you heart to him -- trust him". This reminds me of one of MME (now Saint Marie Eugenie) famous quotes -- "My life must be a constant ‘YES!’ to God"

2010 is to Taking Chances

What a timely song to find...saw this like a month ago but I'm falling in love with it more the past few days. It gives me goosebumps or that jumping tummy feeling. All I want to do is to take chances, stop living on the safe side and live more on the edge hehehehe.

Taking Chances (Sang by Celine Dion but written by Kara Dio Guardi)

Don't know much about your life.
Don't know much about your world, but
Don't want to be alone tonight,
On this planet they call earth.

You don't know about my past, and
I don't have a future figured out.
And maybe this is going too fast.
And maybe it's not meant to last,

But what do you say to taking chances,
What do you say to jumping off the edge?
Never knowing if there's solid ground below
Or hand to hold, or hell to pay,
What do you say,
What do you say?

I just want to start again,
And maybe you could show me how to try,
And maybe you could take me in,
Somewhere underneath your skin?

What do you say to taking chances,
What do you say to jumping off the edge?

Never knowing if there's solid ground below
Or hand to hold, or hell to pay,
What do you say,
What do you say?

And I had my heart beaten down,
But I always come back for more, yeah.
There's nothing like love to pull you up,
When you're laying down on the floor there.
So talk to me, talk to me,
Like lovers do.
Yeah walk with me, walk with me,
Like lovers do,
Like lovers do.

What do you say to taking chances,
What do you say to jumping off the edge?
Never knowing if there's solid ground below
Or hand to hold, or hell to pay,
What do you say,
What do you say?

Don't know much about your life
And I don't know much about your world

I've got a feeling, that 2010's gonna be a good year

i've got a feeling, that tonight's gonna be a good night

What's in store for me in 2010? A LOT. Because i've planned a lot, and i'm happy that I did! 2009 was a year of spontaneity. And 2010 for me will be the year that my plans push thru!

This will start with a role change at work where i'll be finally be put into a more technical role. I know it'll be difficult going back to being DM and tickets, I know i'll regret being on shift again on holidays, I know there'll be sleepless nights because of big issues but at least this is what I choose to do. (second choice that is)

Then we've got Australia with my sisters in March. I'm looking forward to that because it's the first visa-needing out of the country trip i'll have. It'll be out of Asia and it'll be a whole different season (autumn!) and enviro. OOOH, and I hope Wicked will still be showing there. To the great outback, here we come!!

And 2 years in the making, i'll have the EURO TRIP with chesca!!! We've been moving and moving this but i know this time it'll push thru. We'll be planning this ourselves so i'm expecting mistakes and inefficiencies in prices and scheduling but it will be great! mistakes and all! that's what's fun being with chesca, it doesnt really matter how many mistakes or wrong turns you made, because the journey is the adventure! Idol ko si chess! ang lakas ng loob, hehehehe.

Highschool friends are planning our first major out of the country trip too -- somewhere in asia lang. After SCs wedding. This is another experience altogether. Out with the girls -- girl bonding and girlie activities. hehehe. I know it'll be fun...and magastos. I have no idea where i'll get the money yet, but as long as I have work then it'll come. =P

Speaking of work, this year i'll be turning 5 in HP. WHEW, yes it has been THAT long. I'm actually a senior now in the team and it feels good and awful at the same time. Good because i know the ins and outs already, but awful because I know i'm getting old! hahahha, yes people are mostly younger than me nowadays. So this year, i'm looking at updating my resume. Its been great with HP but I want adventure out of the country -- Singapore specifically where it might be a good and safe place to start. I want to do this with chesca who is a seasoned OFW. hehehe If she gets a job there i'll start looking too.

And in between these major plans, I have a bucket list which will definitely go hand in hand with the 27 things I'll have to accomplish while i'm 27. Who knows, maybe i'll find love this year....maybe not. Definitely, I'll find God and thru each and every experience I'll praise Him for giving me these opportunities to experience life and share myself to the world.

ready to run!

i'm so excited... i just can't hide it! it will be my first run tomorrow morning. hopefully this will be the start of many more runs. ...and maybe this may be the way to get to know you-know-who. hehehe

if i could only write it all down here..i would. but for now i'd rather keep these exciting stuff in my head. =P

dating

so i told my highschool friends to set me up on a date. the thought runs chills down my spine. what if i dont like him from the start? what to talk about? what to wear? what if we have totally nothing to talk about anymore? what to do after if you dont like him?

why go out with a complete stranger? sounds insane to me. on the other hand, it is still just as difficult and awkward to think of dating a guy friend. for one, you definitely have something to talk about. you have things in common. you know he's great to hang out with. you know how he looks and sometimes this wont matter as much coz you already know the personality -- so in a way madadala na lang yun kahit di mo talaga type. he's probably seen you in your worst and knows trash about you but likes (as in you are friends) you anyway. BUT if things turn sour then can you just go back to being friends? Won't it get weird transitioning from thinking of him as a friend to something more?

I really try not looking at guys (guy friends) as prospects so that you can see and get to know them in a very objective light. Not just seeing the pogi points but knowing them for who they really are. It makes it extra difficult though to see them in a different light afterwards. The problem with me is that if i like a person as in crush-like then i become weird around them. hahaha -- eto na ang effects of growing up in an all girls' school. I think that i'm very obvious around my crushes.... i might either just keep on smiling, be too conscious about myself, or be masungit to counter being obvious.

SO. How DO I meet my 'One'? Am I even fit for this relationship stuff? Is it meant for me to pair up or maybe i'm meant to be single forever?

In Limbo

I like this post from Daxx (one of our parish-mates). This is what I've been doing wrong for so long. Can someone tell me and help me get out of this and reverse this so that I can now steer my own direction? Finally I have turned off all the different compasses from other people but am just going round aimlessly. I know there is only ONE compass I need, and that is God but somehow I can't truly sense it yet.
-----
The vast majority of us, since childhood, have been trying desperately to prove our worth. We try to prove our worth to our parents, teachers, friends and lovers.We become so absorbed in meeting their standards that we missed out finding our own potential.

To focus our life in proving ourselves to others is not only a loosing battle but a waste of time. 

The downside of proving your worth to others is that different people has different standards of what being “worthy” means. To be obsessed in proving our worth to another person is to give that person control in your life. Now think how many persons are you trying to prove your worth? 

Ten?  

That mean 10 people are somehow stirring your life in 10 different directions. 

Feeling dizzy?

If we give more time meeting other’s standards, we may sacrifice finding our own identity. 

God did not create us to prove ourselves to others, but to live life to the full. Jesus Himself said: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” And we shall find life’s fullness in discovering and living out our vocation. Our vocation is God’s will, calling and plan for our lives. 

“Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.” -John 4:34   

To discover and realize God’s plans for our lives is to open ourselves to unlimited possibilities that we have not even come to imagine. Living out our vocation is to let the seed of greatness that God planted in us grow. And like a small mustard seed, it shall grow into a great tree. 

The road to greatness is the path of discovering our God given gifts and living out our vocation. We should stop trying to meet other people’s standards and start living in His. 

In every one of us lies a great potential. 

You do not need to prove it. 

It is there.

What you need to do is live it.

…unlimited possibilities awaits.



Blog by Daxx Bondoc
(www.inspirationalblogs.com)

500 days of summer

I loved how they got a long really well and the fun they got into. Tom is a "nice guy" (you know the quote, nice guys finish last) and he really grew onto me. All throughout, I was still wishing hoping that she'll change her mind about relationships specially that they really had great chemistry. Awww... but they were just not meant to be. SAD. Had a good time watching with Len, Elds and Moe -- the singles club. hahaha 


Some ouch quotes (the last one particularly struck me)
Tom: You don't want to be named as someone's boyfriend, and now your someone's wife
~~
Summer: You weren't wrong, Tom. You were just wrong about me. 
~~
Rachel Hansen: Tom, I know you think she was the one, but I don't. Next time you look back, I think you should look again. 
~~

Summer: I woke up one morning and I just knew.
Tom: Knew what?
Summer: What I was never sure of with you. 

And some awww quotes

Paul: Robin is better than the girl of my dreams. She's real. 

~~

Tom: It's official. I'm in love with Summer.
[while Montage of Summer plays]
Tom: I love her smile. I love her hair. I love her knees. I love how she licks her lips before she talks. I love her heart-shaped birthmark on her neck. I love it when she sleeps.