we've moved!

may 15, 2007: passing score is 50%

joy's first shot at hairdressing.

lem gave her 2 out 4, mere 50%.
she got the front and back right.
never mind the sides.

non sequitur

june 30, 2007: moving it

while looking at pictures of tibet taken by sam's friend, lee-san, joy told lem how awesome the images are.

joy: "these images move me."
lem: "yeah, they are good."
joy: "that's what images do, so sasamahan mo na ako sa monet exhibit bukas?"
lem: "di pa rin. malamang, i will be moved nga, moved to boredom."

joy went alone.

february.6.2007: she says ...

I first saw Lem's name on his father's lecture notes. His name was sandwiched between the names of his other two siblings, Ada and Les. Their names were labels of the boxes strung together to illustrate a data structure known as a linked list. Professor Quiwa was my teacher in two major Computer Science subjects.

The name took a boy's shape when I first met Lem while I was applying to join the UP computer Society. He was this slender, silent, shy guy who was surrounded by loud friends. I was this plump and sociable gal. We might have looked worlds apart, but, as some would say, we have shared the 'same wavelength' from the beginning.

We got to know each other more through emails. We were both busy working on our theses then and we were working under different departments. Instant messaging was not big then nor was text messaging. We would send each other emails in between breaks. Lem even took pains to compile these email exchanges into a book.

After graduation, I went home to Davao, my province, to rest and contemplate on what to do next: whether to stay there or go back to Manila to work. During this time, Lem and I would exchange snail mails and he would call me long distance (we both didn't have mobile phones then.) Then i finally decided to go back to Manila to work. Just before my first day of work, on January 8, 2000, we officially became a couple.

We both love to eat. Every chance we get, we try out a new place or frequent our favorite resto. It has been always a habit to exchange stories and talk things over during these times. We also enjoy watching movies. Our dates are mostly food binge and movie dates.

After 5 years of going steady, we decided to marry. We had a modest ceremony on March 12, 2005. The day was graced by family and friends. The day after, we set off for our honeymoon. We toured Bohol and had a wonderful time at the beach.

Having a wonderful time still.

january.20.2007: he says ...

I met my dearest wife, Joy, during college. And it was not love at first sight - mainly because I do not believe in such a thing. ”Attraction at first sight” might be possible but not love. She was an applicant in an organization I belonged to, the U.P. Computer Society, and I sat in her interview. I distinctly remember getting the impression that she was an honest and open person because of her frank (i.e. blunt) answers.

We got acquainted with each other during the lazy times spent at the organization’s tambayan (place where people hang out), but got to know each other better because several times we attended the same class. We studied and worked on projects together. I remember feeling curiously “at ease” when I was with her. We “clicked”, and my fondness for her developed.

I expressed my love for her one day. A year later, on January 8, 2000, she expressed the same. (Yes, it took a year because there were hindrances to our relationship.) She became my first girlfriend and me her first boyfriend. Our relationship continued for nearly 5 years and at around the end of October, 2004, we decided to take the next step and get married. Despite the fact that I was late an hour on my own wedding day due to a series of unfortunate events, we began the rest of our lives on March 12, 2005.

november.5.2006: etched in wood

joy, in one way or another, always finds herself messing things up.
early this morning, under the sun, love is ever new.

joy: love mo pa ren ako?
lem: oo naman.
joy: bakit?
lem: hindi ko ren alam.

november.4.2006: thumbs up!

( she is loved. by him.)