Why Owl City

Because Owl City songs makes me happy, light and bouncy.

It has been quite a while since I've been fascinated by Owl City music. I was never a fan of Electronica/Techno Pop due to my classical background in music but Owl City changed that. It wasn't just music that drew me to Owl City music but the clever rhyming and message of his songs. Oh yeah, Owl City is just a one-man act, if you don't know yet, by Adam Young.

Add to the fact the unique story of Adam Young's rise in the music industry despite knowing nothing of it. I recently came across a half-year old post in Plugged In Online about the song Fireflies which made me smile deeply.

"I can remember sleeping out on a dock on the edge of this lake and looking up at the sky. There was a meteor shower that night. I remember thinking, What a cool idea of shooting stars being fireflies, and trying to translate that into music. That’s what spurred it on."

In a world where chart-topping tracks often trade in edgy or deliberately controversial imagery, "Fireflies" is an amazingly unique expression of one young artist’s wide-eyed wonder at the world. John Keats would be proud. (read full article in Plugged In Online)

It's just uplifting to know that God chooses the unlikely people to make a difference even in the most unlikely places.

Down from the door where I began

Down from the door where I began I lost track of the time when I missed writing in this blog. I lost my quill somewhere along the way because of so much excitement in the hills yonder.

So many interesting things have happened in January and are happening in February as well. I will update as soon as I can. Though I am not sure what my SOON means. :)

If My Heart Was A House You'd Be Home

I first heard this line from a cheesy quote sent through text. Though it sounds cheesy, there's much sweetness in it. And it got even meaningfully sweet when I found a song of the same title by Owl City.

It's a really beautiful and cool song--all of Owl City's songs are cleverly written if you must know.

You're the sky that I fell through

And I remember the view

Whenever I'm holding you

The sun hung from a string

Looking down on the world as it warms over everything

Chills run down my spine

As our fingers entwine

And your sighs harmonize with mine

Unmistakably

I can still feel your heart beat fast when you dance with me

We got older and I should've known (Do you feel alive?)

That I'd feel colder when I walk alone (Oh, but you'll survive)

So I may as well ditch my dismay

Bombs away, bombs away

Circle me and the needle moves gracefully

Back and forth

If my heart was a compass you'd be north

Risk it all cause I'll catch you when you fall

Wherever you go

If my heart was a house you'd be home

It makes me smile because you said it best

I would clearly feel blessed if the sun rose up from the west

Flower balm perfume, all my clothes smell like you

Cause your favorite shade is navy blue

I walk slowly when I'm on my own (Do you feel alive?)

Yeah, but frankly I still feel alone (Oh, but you'll survive)

So I may as well ditch my dismay

Bombs away, bombs away

Circle me and the needle moves gracefully

Back and forth

If my heart was a compass you'd be north

Risk it all cause I'll catch you when you fall

Wherever you go

If my heart was a house you'd be home

If my heart was a house you'd be home

Random Yet Not So Random Day

This has been a very wonderful and interesting day for me. I'm now in Isaiah in my Bible reading and it's been so wonderful to read HIStory.

For the rest of the morning, Kuya Derek shared to us girls in the office from different verses in the Bible--which of course is a natural thing to happen anytime and anywhere in the office. It's just so amazing and wonderful to talk about God all the time. Probably that's one reason also why I love being in Doulos.

We had lunch at McDonald's with Kuya Derek and Mr. Kenji, a graphic designer from Wycliffe International. Oh, by the way, Wycliffe International is our office neighbor. It was wonderful to have lunch with a neighboring brother--spiritually and physically. He seemed to have enjoyed our company too. I mean, we're a bit rowdy and loud at times when we laugh and tell stories. We even got louder when the guys (Kuya Franco, Kuya Paul, Kuya Oda, Kuya Digi, and Tim) arrived. It caused quite a riot in McDonald's because we're jeering and pointing at each other, "You!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

See here, we girls and Kuya Derek left a message in the office that we're at Starbucks which of course was designed only to make them envious. Our efforts failed though because they headed to McDonald's for lunch and found us out. So there, you get why we were jeering at each other. Nahuli kami! :D

Anyway, lunch was very noisy. This was the first time I experienced everyone having lunch outside. The only thing I regret was leaving my camera behind. When everyone had their fill of food, they started leaving. That's when Kuya Derek whispered to us girls, "Let's go to Starbucks!" So, haha we're at least making our message a reality.

I'm not really fond of Starbucks coffee but I enjoyed it anyway since I was with great company. Office nowadays is FULL. Full of talks here and there and full of work and full of people. Really FULL. But despite being full, we welcome anyone who can come and make it more full. :)

On the way home, I sat at the back corner of the bus as usual. Students on their way home also rode  in and I was immediately surrounded by public school students speaking in English. As I've gathered from their conversation, they're practicing English and have been making rules on how to stick to it. I was delighted to hear that they are actually taking English into practice! You must know that not everyone here is into speaking English nowadays though it is supposed to be our 2nd language.

I was very much delighted that I had to talk to them even if they're complete strangers.  I just talked to them out of nowhere, encouraging them to keep up with their English exercises. I had a  very fruitful conversation with them but it was cut short when they had to get off the bus. I hope the girl who asked for my Facebook would really add me up. I would love to hear from them and how they're coming with English. And someday, it would be a great to share Jesus with them too.

This is quite an ordinary sounding day but it was altogether amazing for me. Every little thing today was wonderful. Don't mistake it, every day is wonderful but this one is as distinctive as yesterday was distinctive in its own way. I don't know. There's just some sort of happiness and wonder in everything. Must be God, you know. ;) If it's joy that you can't describe, God is most likely the only Person behind it all. There's just not enough words to describe what God does and how He does it. I'm constantly amazed and awestruck how He moves His hand in me, in people, in everything.

LL Then and Now

I took a Love Language test a few months ago and well it still hasn't changed. I guess Quality Time will always be at the top and Receiving Gifts and Words of Affirmation exchanging positions in the 2nd and 3rd spot. It's just so funny that Physical Touch often comes out with only 2 points.

Love Languages aren't stable as one of my mentors have said. It could change depending on the circumstances you go through life. So, the result you get today may not be the same next year.

Whatever your love language maybe, I hope that it's founded in the First Love there was before time.

I feel loved when...

The Five Love Languages

My Primary Love Language is Quality Time

My Detailed Results:
Quality Time:	12
Receiving Gifts:	6
Words of Affirmation:	6
Acts of Service:	4
Physical Touch:	2

About this quiz

Unhappiness in relationships is often due to the fact that we speak different love languages. It can be helpful to know what language you speak and what language those around you speak.
Tag 3 people so they can find out what their love language is.

Take the Quiz!
Check out the Book

The Blind Side

People do really have a blind side. I can't understand how a film like Blind Side with such an excellent plot and moral has been shadowed by a morally empty film of blood-suckers (not to be named).

I don't exactly hate the not-to-be-named film. I enjoyed the first installation of the blood-suckers' saga. Well, not because of the story but because of the effects and sounds. Just because I enjoyed it doesn't mean I liked it. Like a puff of smoke, the enjoyment I experienced vanished.

Enter the blood-sucker's saga's second installation. Saw the trailer and it looked exciting with all the chasings and transformation effects of the blood suckers' enemy: werewolves. Sure the effects and action-packed scenes are great but what exactly are exciting scenes without a story? Useless scenes, aren't they? Useless scenes combined together equates a useless film. To quote a friend's friend, "...it was a lame story about an obsessed, self-abusing girlfriend who can't get over her boyfriend leaving her."

Fans of the blood-suckers' film will likely argue that their movie is different from The Blind Side. Well, it really is! The Blind Side may not have the action packed scenes and effects but it does have a cleverly weaved story that is real, morally rich, and excellently performed.

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Click here for The Blind Side review by Christianity Today

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Sore Eyes and a Sore Heart

Early this morning, I had the feeling that my eyes aren't well. I am a person for alternative medicine and so I was looking for natural ways to relieve my eyes. We had no more teabags so I thought I'd watch a movie that'd make me cry but I couldn't find one that would. As you might know, tears are the most natural cleansing agent for the eyes.

Arriving home tonight from my tutoring I borrowed my mom's menthol stick. I rubbed it around my eyes while checking emails. It didn't work immediately though. It did work after I read news about Doulos's destiny.

Yes, Doulos. The ship that I've loved more than any other. The ship that many has loved because of the love that flowed from it. The loveliest and oldest sailing ship will cease its sailing after December 31, 2009.

The email came from the OM Director of Australia. It must have been causing sadness to many hearts tonight but some things must come to an end and Doulos is just one of those things. I guess I never expected that it must come so soon.

But for all the sadness that it's causing I still praise God that even for a very short time He has allowed me to serve in the ship. It was one of the most wonderful moments in my life. One of those little jaded treasures that you would never trade even for tons of gold.

Here's a passage that the OM Director found comfort in and I thank him for sharing it. If you've known Doulos, I hope the following passages would also give you comfort.

 Isaiah 46: 9 – 11
9 Remember the former things, those of long ago;
       I am God, and there is no other;
       I am God, and there is none like me.
 10 I make known the end from the beginning,
       from ancient times, what is still to come.
       I say: My purpose will stand,
       and I will do all that I please.
 11 From the east I summon a bird of prey;
       from a far-off land, a man to fulfil my purpose.
       What I have said, that will I bring about;
       what I have planned, that will I do.

God is sovereign. He gives and He takes. And it's all for His glory. Doulos must come and she must go too. And it's all for His glory.