Turn Your Face to the Sun

Turn Your Face to the Sun http://pamiegarcia.multiply.com/ <div><embed allowscriptaccess="never" style="WIDTH: 426px; HEIGHT: 320px; " name="flashticker" align="middle'/" src="http://widget-67.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="l" wmode="transparent" flashvars="cy=mp&il=1&channel=648518346359986023&site=widget-67.slide.com">  <div style="WIDTH: 426px; TEXT-ALIGN: left; "><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=mp&ad=0&id=648518346359986023&map=1" target="_blank"><img ismap="isMap" src="http://widget-67.slide.com/p1/648518346359986023/mp_t024_v000_a000_f00/images/xslide1.gif" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=mp&ad=0&id=648518346359986023&map=2" target="_blank"><img ismap="isMap" src="http://widget-67.slide.com/p2/648518346359986023/mp_t024_v000_a000_f00/images/xslide2.gif" border="0"></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=mp&ad=0&id=648518346359986023&map=E" target="_blank"><img ismap="isMap" src="http://widget-67.slide.com/m/648518346359986023/mp_t024_v000_a000_f00/images/xslide9_1.gif" border="0"></a></div></div> Thu, 3 Jul 2008 22:59:50 -0000 Wed, 2 Jul 2008 14:26:44 -0000 Turn Your Face to the Sun http://images.pamiegarcia.multiply.com/logo http://pamiegarcia.multiply.com 100 100 Photography 101 Prelude: Good thing i listen to nice people -- Jonah who advised us to buy a DSLR camera & Marion who corrected me (i thought D40, D60 yung Nikon na to pala hahaha.. just goes to show how utterly devoid of knowledge i am when it comes to cams.. pang point & shoot lang kasi ako eh). ~~ I've always been fascinated with photography although it has never been a skill of mine. however, my brother is quite the shutterbug. he took a course on photography at the New York University while I took Journalism.. we thought then that it was a good combination... I would write about stuff, he'd supply the pics. after all, something becomes significant only if it is given proper meaning. We'd go around NYC, walk all the way from 8th St (where NYU is located) upto uptown Manhattan until we'd find ourselves at Riverside already (that's a looong walk)! Once we even walked from Rockefeller Center to the Twin Towers (before 9/11) upto the Washington Museum.... that's like, a hundred blocks (ok, t... http://pamiegarcia.multiply.com/photos/album/50/Photography_101 Wed, 2 Jul 2008 14:26:44 -0000 the birthday girl and her advocacy ...Understand how beautifully God has added one more day in your life - not because you need it, but because someone else needs you http://pamiegarcia.multiply.com/photos/album/49/the_birthday_girl_and_her_advocacy Mon, 30 Jun 2008 05:23:09 -0000 Father's Day Roadtrip http://pamiegarcia.multiply.com/photos/album/48/Fathers_Day_Roadtrip Sun, 15 Jun 2008 12:47:18 -0000 Life in Puerto Princesa ...your smile outshines even the sun the wind whispers your name the stars shine brightest when you engulf me in your embrace Life has led me to you my http://pamiegarcia.multiply.com/photos/album/47/Life_in_Puerto_Princesa Tue, 10 Jun 2008 03:23:49 -0000 A Thousand Spledid Suns         After a relaxing massage and while Macky was watching Barney (again) & Ivan was out with my dad having cocktails on board the USS Tortuga with the Commander General of the US squadron (who is here, along with US naval forces for the Balikatan exercises), I sat in front of my PC and decided to write about this book I read just a few days ago.  Being the perennially proud bookworm that I am, I could not help but devour the 367 page book in a day and a half. I couldn’t put it down. Cliché I know, but I dare you to read it and you’ll agree with me.               My mom who just came from the US gave me this & told me that whenever she’d see someone reading at the airport, she’d approach her (it would always be a woman of course) & strike up a conversation. Later on, my mom would recommend this book but she was astonished that all the people she had spoken with already... http://pamiegarcia.multiply.com/journal/item/18/A_Thousand_Spledid_Suns Wed, 28 May 2008 06:36:45 -0000 Weddings & Holidays We were in Manila for a few days to attend Pauline & Ralph's wedding. Ivan & I were the cord sponsors. It was nice to be 'home' -- with Mae & Marian in QC and with Mommy Annie & Daddy Nap & Tita Pau in Rizal. They all missed macky so much, they were sooooo sad to see us leave. We always look forward to holidays in Manila for shopping, shopping & more shopping. But at the end of the day, when our muscles are all sore & the money is all spent, we realize Palawan is still our http://pamiegarcia.multiply.com/photos/album/46/Weddings_Holidays Mon, 26 May 2008 11:16:29 -0000 Any man can be a father... It takes someone special to be a dad. Until you have a son of your own . . . you will never know the joy, the love beyond feeling... that resonates in the heart... of a father... as he looks upon his http://pamiegarcia.multiply.com/photos/album/45/Any_man_can_be_a_father..._It_takes_someone_special_to_be_a_dad. Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:48:54 -0000 A trip to Kalayaan Island Ivan went with Papa & Gen. Esperon, AFP Chief of Staff to visit the Kalayaan Group of Islands. They landed at Pag-Asa, one of the islands being claimed by China, Vietnam, etc.. they left the airport at 1:30 pm and Ivan was home bu 6.. man, what a trip... :) He swears that the island is so beautiful & he hopes there would be a resort there because the sand is powdery-white.. I just hope something good comes out of this controversy surrounding the JMU and that finally we will have our freakin' http://pamiegarcia.multiply.com/photos/album/44/A_trip_to_Kalayaan_Island Wed, 26 Mar 2008 04:54:30 -0000 Easter Sunday Swim http://pamiegarcia.multiply.com/photos/album/43/Easter_Sunday_Swim Wed, 26 Mar 2008 04:23:18 -0000 To contemplate and bear the fruit of contemplation Last night, I decided to edit my friendster profile because it has been a while since I've written something about my life. With me, whatever is written on my profile, is dependent on my current state of mind. Sentence number 1: Happily married with one adorable kid (gleefully anticipating the arrival of another bundle of joy).|| Yep! Ivan and I are trying (very, very hard... wink wink) to have another baby. Macky is already two and I will be 30 this coming June and we really want to have another addition to our blessed family. It would be stupendous if we could have a girl this time.. :) but of course I'll be grateful for whatever God will give us. Ivan and I will be celebrating our 3rd wedding anniversary this April and boy, it has been one heck of a ride. I'm proud to say that although there are times that I just want to stranggle him for being so makulit, there has never been an issue so huge as to cause a big fight (thank God for... http://pamiegarcia.multiply.com/journal/item/17/To_contemplate_and_bear_the_fruit_of_contemplation Sat, 8 Mar 2008 06:09:50 -0000 Getting Some R&R We spent the weekend at the newly-opened Daluyon Resort (www.daluyonresort.com) in Sabang, home of the Underground River (a UNESCO Heritage site). It's such a beautiful place! Anyone who wishes to see the best of what Palawan can offer should go there. But let me warn you, a night at this paradise doesn't come cheap. It opened three months ago but it already has a growing reputation and the resort is always fully booked. This isn't any wonder since the rooms are large and equipped with the best amenities (17" flat screen tv, air condition, king sized beds with goose-down pillows & covers, beautiful bathrooms) -- undeniably luxurious! And the food, man, don't get me started! The restaurant serves gourmet (just see the menu) which are so scrumptious the whole family will surely enjoy it. You can see from the pictures that we all had a good time. I can't wait to go back with Ivan and Macky and have another opportunity to relax and just do nothing amidst breathtaking surroundings. I... http://pamiegarcia.multiply.com/photos/album/42/Getting_Some_RR Sat, 23 Feb 2008 15:12:48 -0000 Happy 2nd Birthday Macky!!! http://pamiegarcia.multiply.com/photos/album/41/Happy_2nd_Birthday_Macky Mon, 18 Feb 2008 08:50:19 -0000 VIP's and stuff... http://pamiegarcia.multiply.com/photos/album/40/VIPs_and_stuff... Mon, 18 Feb 2008 07:01:54 -0000 There is never a humdrum day for me and my boys.. They say life in the province is routinary.. bucolic. I beg to disagree! Everyday, every single day, my boys and I find something new to do, some new place to visit or new foodies to eat. And with Kuya Drew and Kuya EJ to dispel boredom and gloom, life sure is merry every moment -- except during nap times of course. http://pamiegarcia.multiply.com/photos/album/39/There_is_never_a_humdrum_day_for_me_and_my_boys.. Wed, 6 Feb 2008 02:28:50 -0000 ...Good for the Heart and Soul "Happiness resides not in posessions and not in gold; the feeling of happiness dwells in the soul..." Here are pictures taken this December -- some in Palawan, some in Parañaque (Christmas Day -- thanks to Jonah, Ivan's cousin) & the rest are in Subic. http://pamiegarcia.multiply.com/photos/album/38/.Good_for_the_Heart_and_Soul Thu, 27 Dec 2007 05:52:45 -0000 My Cause, My Fight: 5th Palawan Youth Congress on Drug Abuse Prevention This is Not Goodbye By Pamela P. Garcia (Closing Remarks during the Culmination of the 5th PYC) A line from my dad’s favorite song goes, “And now, the end is near, and so I face, the final curtain…” I can not help but think of that song whenever I am to give the Closing Remarks to an event. Especially this event, the 5th PYC which we organized and pored our hearts over, for countless days and nights. The back-breaking task of organizing something as ambitious a project as this, the many hours spent perfecting all the key elements but still encountering problems in the end are sometimes so overpowering that we can not help but feel disconsolate. Yet hearing the beautiful and grateful words of the participants, and seeing the glowing, happy faces of our youth delegates who came from all over the province made the effort truly worthwhile. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the following individuals and groups who gave their 100% support to this endeavor. Their dedic... http://pamiegarcia.multiply.com/photos/album/37/My_Cause_My_Fight_5th_Palawan_Youth_Congress_on_Drug_Abuse_Prevention Tue, 18 Dec 2007 05:02:41 -0000 Beautiful Brunei Darussalam It was another enjoyable trip abroad with my favorite travel buddies Ivan, Macky & of course our financier, my Mom. We left last Dec. 2 at 7:00 am on board Royal Brunei Air. The 1 hour and a half flight gave us plenty of time to go around Gadong, Bendar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei Darussalam. This independent sultanate is to put it mildly, a sleepy town. Not much can be seen or done here but it does hold a few surprises! You'll be amazed when you visit its museums, Jerudong Park and the Empire Hotel, reputed to be a 7 star hotel! It even has its own cineplex and bowling lane for its guests! Just the lobby itself would take your breath away! For the duration of the 17th International Federation of Non-Government Organizations Conference which my mom & I attended, Macky & Ivan were mall rats! Good thing the hotel was annexed to The Mall so they had plenty of things to do (and buy) most of the time. The staff of the Philippine Embassy also made our trip memorable by taking ... http://pamiegarcia.multiply.com/photos/album/35/Beautiful_Brunei_Darussalam Fri, 7 Dec 2007 02:53:09 -0000 Some Like It Fat Today, I am at my fattest. What used to be a 24 inch waist, has now expanded to 27! I had to totally revamp my closet because nothing fit anymore. And giving away my clothes was extremely difficult -- especially this little black Ralph Lauren cocktail dress which I grudgingly gave up because I realized my waist will never be as it once was (enjoy the dress jam, I know you'll do justice to it!). Thank God, my cup size increased as well! At least, I'm still proportioned.  I have become fuller, broader... yet happier. I am at my heaviest yet, surprisingly, my happiest. All because of motherhood. Whenever I meet people whom I haven’t seen in years, they’d say, “Ang taba mo!” Uncouth, I know, but I don’t blame them. After all, they’re used to this image of a thin Pam. Unnerved, I smile at them and say, “this is what you call progress.” Honestly, despite being miffed (for a few minutes) whenever I hear this, the realization that I feel happier and better about myself erases any trace... http://pamiegarcia.multiply.com/journal/item/16/Some_Like_It_Fat Tue, 20 Nov 2007 06:30:53 -0000 say a little prayer please : A Letter from Carlo Cruz, whose wife perished in GLORIETTA <A class=select href="http://ateneo.multiply.com/journal/item/1686/say_a_little_prayer_please_A_Letter_from_Carlo_Cruz_whose_wife_perished_in_GLORIETTA_">Link</A> http://pamiegarcia.multiply.com/journal/item/15/say_a_little_prayer_please_A_Letter_from_Carlo_Cruz_whose_wife_perished_in_GLORIETTA_ Tue, 23 Oct 2007 14:21:37 -0000 Pictures of Home No matter what you've done for yourself or for humanity, if you can't look back on having given love and attention to your own family, what have you really http://pamiegarcia.multiply.com/photos/album/30/Pictures_of_Home Sun, 7 Oct 2007 09:00:36 -0000 Be a Traveler Not a Tourist I've been traveling since I was a baby. My first trip on a plane was when I was barely two months old. I got addicted to plane rides eversince. Thank God it was a vice we could afford. My mom, an avid traveler (from whom I got the obsessive compulsion to have my passport stamped every 3 months), took us all to different places every year. We all looked forward to summer and christmas vacations because it would mean we would be going to Hong Kong or Thailand or some other foreign country again. And even if we didn't have the time to travel abroad, we would travel to local places and be exposed to a myriad of sights and sounds. I'm pretty proud of the places I've been to mainly because it has widened my horizon and made me more accepting of people and cultures. Among my most favorite places are the old world countries of Europe. I've lived in the US and boy is it nice.. And Asia has its tantalizing allure but Europe.. oh Europe.. it is indeed in a league of its own. We were there for mor... http://pamiegarcia.multiply.com/journal/item/14/Be_a_Traveler_Not_a_Tourist Fri, 5 Oct 2007 02:21:07 -0000 Amazing Thailand After a truly hectic week spent at the Chateau Royale Golf and Country Club in Batangas for the 15th National Youth Congress, my boys and I decided to spend four glorious days in Bangkok, Thailand. It was my fifth time to go to Bangkok and so naturally, I would be Ivan and Macky's unofficial tour guide. After a three hour enjoyable & quiet plane ride (macky was asleep most of the time & Ivan was really excited since this would be his 3rd trip abroad), we arrived at the Suva-chuva-chuva International Airport (the correct name escapes me at the moment), 1 in the afternoon (2 pm here.. they are an hour late). The airport itself is already a tourist attraction! Too bad we can't say that for our own airports, tsk tsk... There were so many arrivals that day and the line towards the immigration counter was sooooo long, good thing the Thais really care for babies and put much priority on families traveling with infants... We were ushered to the VIP line and whizzed our way past the long... http://pamiegarcia.multiply.com/photos/album/29/Amazing_Thailand Wed, 3 Oct 2007 07:59:47 -0000 Our Love Story Begins My dad wrote, in the introduction of his new book that, "time has the power to diminish all human memory; that as it lapses from days to years, time wears away an event's vividness, sapping its brilliance, dimming its intensity." He added, "events with consequence, equally as those with none, suffer from the eroding bleakness of time's perpetual forward motion." As I have been tasked to make the lay out & proofread the book, this passage struck me and in an instant I just had the compelling need to upload more of our wedding pics. It was a wonderful event, one I am not ashamed to show and certainly most proud to share. So thanks papa. :) Looking at all these pictures made me realize that although our marriage is still in its infancy, I can't help but think that Ivan & I have been together forever! I mean, we were "on" for four years kaya siguro ganun. Ha ha! I love seeing the faces of the people who mean so much to me, so happy (while some were in tears) and having a good time... http://pamiegarcia.multiply.com/photos/album/27/Our_Love_Story_Begins Tue, 18 Sep 2007 09:19:05 -0000 An Abundance of Bliss I just returned from a three day training at the Province's oldest municipality, Brooke's Point. It was our fourth training for the month and as has been our custom, Ivan and Macky tagged along. It was a tiresome 5 hour ride to and from the place but the trip was worth it, especially after the sucessful training and the wonderful bonding we had with the 70 participants from different high schools. Training young people in enhancing life skills has really become my passion. I am proud to say that I am doing my share in making this world a better place to live in. And yes, it does help me sleep better at night. There really is no joy greater than being able to help others. In my case, I help these young people -- and hundreds of others (I've already trained close to 1000 youths) -- by empowering them on the dangers of drugs as well challenging them to share and give back the knowledge they have learned. I urge them to educate as they have been educated, to empower as they have been empo... http://pamiegarcia.multiply.com/journal/item/13/An_Abundance_of_Bliss Sat, 15 Sep 2007 16:03:01 -0000 ELS Training in Beautiful Brooke's Point This is the 4th training for the month and we had 70 participants from different high schools in the municipality of Brooke's http://pamiegarcia.multiply.com/photos/album/26/ELS_Training_in_Beautiful_Brookes_Point Sat, 15 Sep 2007 01:20:14 -0000 The Paradigm of Drug Abuse Prevention I've been active in this field for almost ten years; it all started when I was 19 and I volunteered as a researcher at the Quezon City Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Center or Tahanan where my mother was the Administrator. As I studied the patients and became a witness to their everyday struggle, I realized I needed to be more involved. So I traveled with my mom as we attended various conferences in Europe, Asia and the US. I underwent intensive training under foreign experts in drug demand and supply reduction.   I learned so much from almost four years of traveling, studying, training. Moreover, because of these trainings I was able to spend weeks and months in Austria, England, Switzerland, China, Indonesia, Thailand and even when I was studying in New York, I often visited the Daytop Village in order to aid my learnings. Those experiences were utterly unforgettable and completely changed my life. A whole new horizon opened up before and I was never, ever the same. &... http://pamiegarcia.multiply.com/journal/item/12/The_Paradigm_of_Drug_Abuse_Prevention Fri, 31 Aug 2007 09:20:07 -0000