“We swung over the hills and over the town and back again, and I saw how a man can be master of a craft, and how a craft can be master of an element. I saw the alchemy of perspective reduce my world, and all my other life, to grains in a cup. I learned to watch, to put my trust in other hands than mine. And I learned to wander. I learned what every dreaming child needs to know -- that no horizon is so far that you cannot get above it or beyond it.”
― Beryl Markham,
West with the Night
There are times when I get too comfortable in one place that I don't notice how far I am from the rest of the world. The process of preparing for big battles, taking care of relationships and changing priorities all seem like monumental tasks, and it's so easy to forget that the world is out there, beautiful and near and just waiting to be visited.
A couple of high school friends and friends from Cebu called out of the blue and dragged me out of the house for an unexpected trip to Tierra Alta, that gorgeous place up in the clouds (a bit of an exaggeration, yes, but it's the closest you can go if you're not a mountain climber or on a plane, haha!). I was *busy* lounging in my big oversized T-shirt, relaxing with the customary tea after getting some work done when they announced that they were coming to pick me up. That was, I swear, the shortest prep time I've done in my life! No regrets, however. Tierra Alta is even more beautiful since the last time I visited, with new hotel rooms and a sky lounge. Plus, I got to meet and reconnect with old and new friends and realized how much I missed just being with people!!!
A couple of shots taken with phone and special child Canon 50D.
I got an early Christmas gift from Kat, a photographer/graphic designer friend of mine currently based in SG: a new domain name! Couldn't quite believe my ears when she told me that she got me this as an early Christmas gift. With her help, I jumped from a Blogspot subdomain user to having a domain name of my own. I have always wanted to get a domain name of my own, but domains and htmls and the mention of codes and lines of code freak me out and give me a serious case of the hives, so I stayed away. Perhaps this is the Universe's way of telling me that it is finally time to get a domain of my own, and Kat was the person to prod me into taking that important step.
Soooooooooo, welcome to www.joselleamahit.com!!! (still can't believe that I now have a .com after my name. If there's such a thing as a hundred degrees higher than super stoked, that's where I am right now, LOL!)
The holidays is gearing up to be a great one for me, I can feel it! Thanks Kat for such an amazing, wonderful and super thoughtful gift!
“Tea pot is on, the cups are waiting,
Favorite chairs anticipating,
No matter what I have to do,
My friend there's always time for you”
--Anonymous
I love the thought of setting dates for meeting friends... it is something worth looking forward to. Yesterday was a great Sunday, the first Sunday of summer and it was sunny and warm. I got out of the house and dropped by Robinson's to buy the silvanas that I promised to bring along with a box of tea. I arrived late, as usual, although the sun was still shining bright although it was nearing 5 PM. Darwiza's house, a 3-story "building" is nearing completion, although the first floor was almost done and felt so much like the lobby of a nice, small hotel. She had prepared a nice table for us, complete with a tea set for my tea (yay!!!). Serlyn prepared pasta, someone bought chicken, the others brought fruit mix, coconut shake and ice cream. For an afternoon snack, we sure know how to prepare!
Love, love, love days like these :)