And Why Can't I Move On?

Nope, I am not going to talk about moving on from a heartache/heartbreak, this question (Why can't I move on?) has been bugging me for days now. And yeah, I can't move on. :( I can't move on from one chapter to another. I can't write a single scene for my new manuscript. Hence, I therefore conclude, NG is experiencing what you call 'writer's block'.


Photo credits to Google
Still stuck at Chapter One. :(

And I remember this book I bought years ago.

Photo by NG

Here are some helpful tips when you're experiencing writer's block:

1. Watch romantic movies or television shows that are somehow connected to your plot.
2. Read your favorite author's work or any reading material that might help you with your story.
3. Exercise. Physical activity releases tension and helps increase blood flow to the brain.
4. Write something else, say an essay or a letter for someone.
5. Try something new like writing a scene by hand or writing outdoors.

(How To Write A Tagalog Romance Novel by Apple Masallo. p. 57)

Above all these isa  na lang ang hindi ko pa nasusubukan. ANG MAG-EXERCISE! LOL. Hmm, I should really run again. Jogging buddy, anyone? ^_^


Photo credits to Google





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Baler: Day 2

We wanted to watch the sunrise the following day that we set our alarm at five am. Pero ang bilis sumikat ng araw sa Baler! Nagmamadali. When we opened our door the sun was already up and shining above us. Why, Sunshine, why?  Oh, well, after we ate our breakfast we headed for another tour.

Our first stop: The Balete Tree!

This tree is soooooo huge and sooooo tall. As in ang laki-laki niya. Len and I wanted to climb it but didn't happen. You need a guide in able to reach the top of the tree, which by the way, I think is an enormous task. And because we really wanted to climb those roots and branches, kiber kung walang guide, we bravely struggle our way up. I thought I can climb so easy because I grew up in province (Balayan, Batangas) where climbing was just a piece of cake. And I can climb a tree! Pero iba pala ang mango tree sa Balete tree. Haha! Ang hiraaaapppp! I didn’t got the chance to climb higher because my feet were trembling and I was so afraid that I might fall. Kaya umupo na lang ako.


Summer girls! 

Sige, kapit, NG! Kapit! 

Our Second stop: Mother Falls

As our guide said, “Kung hindi mo napuntahan ang Mother Falls parang hindi ka nagpunta ng Baler.” The trek was, I think, twenty minutes or more or maybe longer. Malalaki ang bato kaya we opted to walk. But it’s rewarding after those long trek. Look at proud Mother Falls!


And us, Summer Girls spent Mother’s Day in Mother Falls! Happy Mother’s Day, Mother Falls. ^_^ Very timely, huh?


The water was so cold and we all shiver. Haha. But nonetheless, we all enjoyed Mother falls.


our third stop: Surfing, Again!

And yay! We surf again! Kala mo mga hindi sumakit ang katawan. Salamat, Alaxan at Salonpas. J Because we’re not really first timers (proud na proud) we immediately hit the beach and began catching waves. See, may photos na kami! Haha. (‘Eto talaga ang purpose ng pagsu-surf naming ulit.)

Thank you, Charliedoes!

Ehem! 

Miss Gypsy Esguerra

Allie Sia Alonzo


Wilhelmina and Ashlene Javier!



We have to thank our ever patient instructor from Charliedoes! Salamat po ng maraming-marami sa pagti-tiyagang magturo sa amin kahit katanghaliang tapat kami lang ang nagpapakatusta sa araw! LOL

By 3pm we were boarded a Baler-Cabanatuan van, after we grabbed a quick lunch (Lunch na ba ang Buy 1 take 1 na burger ngayon at Coke? Haha). And from Cabanatuan, we transferred to a bus heading to Pasay. Despite our aching muscles, bruises and sun-kissed skin, we definitely enjoyed Baler! Baka sa next trip natin ‘yung chill na trip na lang, pahinga muna sa pagpaparusa ng katawan as per Melai’s words. Haha!

Til our next trip, girls! Hooray for Baler!    

Our budget: probably around 1000 (because we surf again) LOL
Itinerary:             5am-7am- Good morning, sunshine! (failed) Freshen-up
                                7am-8:30 am- breakfast
                                8:30-11:45- tour (Balete Tree and Mother Falls)
                                11:45-12:45 (again or past 12:45)- SURF!
                                1pm-2:30pm- pack-up
                                                                 2:45- bound to Cabanatuan (quick lunch na din)


Thank you, Summer! Thank you, Lord, for such blessings! <3





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Officially, NG's Heirloom Series!

And now this hoarder/misadventurer is doing the happy dance! Yihee! Finally, my first series ever is out! #proudnaproud sa sarili haha! I guess paulit-ulit kong sinasabing it took me a year and a half to finish this but it's all worth it! So to introduce, officially, my four babies! :) *drum roll, please* hehe


Urbanus

Aquila

Gauis

Crystal

At sabi ko nga panindigan na lang ang antique effect!

The Sorelle siblings! 

To God be all the glory and praise!
 

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Baler: Day 1


Last summer, together with my writer friends (Gypsy, Allie Sia, Wilhelmina and Ashlene) I was blessed to experience the beauty of Sagada. We experienced loads of fun, activity and body pain, of course. Ah, our spelunking days! We spent days with an endless laughter and an endless chatting, hence, we call ourselves, ‘pretty girls who never stopped talking’. And so this summer, we plan another trip as 2013 approaches. And our destination: Baler! We are all excited about the trip and also excited about one activity; surfing! It was mixed emotions for me, really, a part of me was screaming for the thrill and adventure and an itsy bit part of me was scared. Paano na lang kung madala ako ng malaking waves? Sa payat kong ito hindi malabong mangyaring tumaob na lang ako basta sa board. At hindi ako nakakalangoy sa dagat hanggang pool at falls lang ang kaya ng powers ko. LOL. But the thrill and excitement was so high, kaya naman, ‘Bahala na si Lord’. I just prayed. Haha

We met at Gateway Cubao around 8pm (our bus will leave at 2am), got some catching up to do about each other, and then hit the movie house to consume the remaining time. We watched “The Big Wedding”, by the way. ^_^ After the movie we ate dinner and headed to Genesis terminal.

We secured our seats earlier so all we had to do was to show our tickets to the officer assigned. Lesson learned from last trip; book early for transportation and hotel. We were all comfortable in our seats, thanks to Joy Bus of Genesis Transport. It is a direct trip from Manila to Baler without stop-over plus they provide a snack. And oh, Joy Bus have its own toilet inside.

Look how we enjoyed Joy Bus!






Originally, we’re about to stay at Isla Virginia Resort but ‘things’ happened and we decided to look for another place. Luckily, the tricycle drivers were helpful enough to help us find a lodge. And it was a blessing for all of us because our lodge was just a few steps away from Sabang beach (surfing area). After a quick breakfast, we freshen up and change to our surfing outfit!


Yay! Beach!


Sabang Beach!


Gypsy, Wilhelmina, Allie Sia, Ashlene

Moi, Wilhelmina, Allie Sia, Ashlene

And yes, sa katanghaliang tapat, we learn how to surf. Thanks to our ever patient and cool instructor from Charliedoes. They were so accommodating and cheerful. They also enjoyed our struggle to stand on our surf board, along with all of our antics that they didn’t mind if we exceed more than an hour. First day, first time to surf and no one bothers to take a picture! Ganyan kami ka-excited. Haha!

After lunch was our tour. You can hire a tricycle for the tour. Bargain price is 500 pesos per tricyclye, but Kuya Loleng lowered his price for 400 pesos and we ended giving him 500. Hindi madali ang daan at may kalayuan ang Ermita Hill at ang Anao Islet. 

Baler Museum

The Pretty Girls in front of Quezon's House

Goofing around!

Ermita Hill!
We struggled climbing because we just surfed. At ang pinaka-kawawa ay si Wil! hihi 






Only the three of dared to went down. :)

After our dinner, again, we all complained about how our body ached. LOL. Deja vu, huh? And as usual our famous line: “Ginusto natin ito, hindi ba?” But despite our aching body, we wanted to surf again. Well, for solely because we wanted to have a souvenir that we rode the waves. Ipinagpaubaya na lang namin kina Pareng Alaxan at Salonpas ang aming mga bugbog na katawan. And believe it or not by nine o’ clock this hoarder was sleeping, which rarely happens.

And oh, bonfire!



Our route: Manila-Baler c/o Joy Bus
Where we stay: La Flor Lodge
Our budget: Probably around 2000.
The itinerary:     7am- arrived at Baler
                                9am-11am –breakfast, fresh-up
                                11am-12nn (or past 12)- SURF!
                                12nn-2pm-freshen-up, lunch
                                2pm-6pm-tour (Baler Museum, Bahay ni Quezon, Church, Ermita Hill, Anao Islet, Falls)
                                6pm-7pm-rest
                                7pm-9pm-dinner







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NG's Heirloom Series


Horaaaay!! *throws confetti* *do the happy dance* *and cartwheel* Finally! Finally! ‘Eto na talaga ang highlight ng career ko! (At malamang dito na din matatapos. Lol) My very own series: THE HEIRLOOM SERIES!

It took me a loongggg time to finish four books. Emphasis talaga sa long dahil inabot ako ng isa’t-kalahating taon para mabuo silang apat. A day before my birthday (November 2011) I conceptualized this series upon hearing a specific bible story in our service. Romans 16: 3-27. It is also where I get Urbanus, Aquila and Gauis’s names. And the thought of making a series thrilled me. And I prayed for this, hard and long. Pero hindi pala gano’n kadaling bumuno ng series, kaya super taas ang kamay ko sa lahat ng may series.

FAST FACTS:

Heirloom

An heirloom is something, perhaps an antique or some kind of jewelry, that has been passed down for generations through family members. Sabi po ito ni Kumareng Wikipedia. :)

The Heirloom Series

    This series about four siblings given a task by their father: to find their family’s lost heirloom. A set of moonstone jewelries were held in a possession by Sorelle family for a decades. But due to author’s crazy mind, at para na din may series ako, I made it a point that the heirloom got lost. Urbanus, Aquila, Gauis and Crystal (the Sorelle siblings) were given the task by their father to find the heirloom. And so the story starts.
    Alam ko pong masusubok ang ‘willing suspension of disbelief’ ninyo dito, I know how impossible it is to find an heirloom, lost for years, in consecutive manner. But nonetheless, sabi nga, “Walang imposible kay Lord.” I believe that these four were guided by our Father up above in able to find the heirloom and along it, the half of their hearts.

Why Heirloom?

Naging obsession ko yatang magsulat ng mga lost something. hehe. I remember in my novel 'Meet Me In The Bukid' kalahati naman ng nobela ang hinahanap ng heroine. Naisip kong iwala ang isang buong jewelry set para may manuscript ako. haha! *Joke lang*



Urbanus

Photo credits to Google
Alex O'Loughlin

Urbanus is the eldest among them. He looooveesss Math. As for his heroine, gustong-gusto ko ang pangalang Faith o kaya Faithie that's why I insist for him to love Faith. ^_^


Aquila

Photo credits to Google
Jensen Ackles

Second among them. He's the most playful and cheerful among them. He loves to talk and loves to cook. Siya ang kinalabasan ng pagma-marathon ko ng Supernatural. Ang pagiging makulit ni Dean (Jensen Ackles) ay inilagay ko kay Aquila.


Gauis

Photo credits to Google
Byung-hun Lee

Third brother, obviously. hehe. Siya ang pinaka-tahimik sa lahat, sana nagawa ko siyang maging tahimik. Gusto ko din ang pangalang Love kaya iyon ang ibinigay kong ka-partner sa kaniya. Haha.


Crystal

Photo credits to Google

The youngest Sorelle. The brat. The most annoying Sorelle. But among them I love her next to Aquila. Sa lahat ng nakabasa ng 'My Sweet Peril', 'Like The Nightangale's Love' and 'Life Sweetest Cake', marahil ay kilala na ninyo kung sino si Gray. I wanted him to be the bad boy image kuno kaso iba ang gusto niyang mangyari kaya hinayaan ko na lang.



We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
Romans 12:6-8






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From NG with love


The hoarder is baaaaackkkkkkk! :) And I'm happy to share that I am also back to crafting these past few days. Yesterday was a big event for Precious Hearts Romances, it's their Grand Fans Day. Yay! Luckily, this hoarder has been invited to be a part of the event. And as a token of appreciation to those people who waited and show their support to us writers I decided to give something back to them.

I crammed making this token of love simply because I am a 'cramming girl'. haha! So a day after the event I hurriedly visit one of my favorite shops, Papelmelroti to buy some paper crafts. I originally plan to made my own paper, but unfortunately mailap na naman si time sa akin. So I ended up exhausting my creative juices to think of something. And I ended up giving away my own loot bag (notepad and bookmark inside).

From NG with <3 the making


back to crafting! 


nearly done



bookmarks from folder bought from Papelmelroti
This bookmarks was originally a whole folder from Papemelroti. I just cut them in a size of a bookmark and punch a hole on it. I tied jute string to upper part to compliment the vintage feel.








The finish product!

Maraming salamat po sa lahat ng nagpunta! Your presence is overwhelming! ^_^
To God be all the glory. :)

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Ah, Love!

I read this story/article way back when Friendster was a major hit. I was college then. I even copy this story it in my journal and marked the part I love most. Days, weeks, months and years passed the journal gathered dust and I buried it in a long-forgotten place. But just in time for Heart's Day I rediscovered this treasure. Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! <3 <3 <3

photo credits  of violin to Mr. Google
text and layout by yours truly. :) 

And the touching part, eh? Because only Time is capable of understanding how great Love is.

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