Blogging on a Friday night. My internet connection is finally restored after almost a week, but since my brother kidnapped my laptop (with my permission) I'm blogging on another source.

Yesterday was Valentine's Day. How was your celebration? For sure a lot of people are still having a hang-over of this so-called "Couple's Holiday". You also would want to ask me if I got envious seeing those ladies with flowers in their hands (and huge bouquets at that). Well, sadly it's not like that. One thing I realized was while this day is commercialized, huge bouquets of flowers are not practical. Especially if you don't have your own car and you'll just commute going home. Nakakaawa ang mga flowers. Nakakahinayang na masisira and it will just wilt in a day or two -- if not in a week.

You might be wondering how mine was. Well, mine was typical. And while I have known myself to be someone who has never celebrated this day (even when I was still in a relationship ages ago), I will not hide that I sort of wanted some variety this year.

As always, I spent my my day mostly at work. This is my second time to celebrate Valentine's Day at the office and as I was busy with the paperwork, my office mate, Bernice gave me this card. We also held an open-microphone singing contest at the end of the workday where employees were allowed to sing to their heart's content.

This shot was taken a week before Valentine's. Yesterday, I spent the remaining minutes of my lunch time inside the church. It was one of my wishes to spend time inside a church ALONE. And yesterday, I got it. While it sounded creepy, and the silence inside the church might be eerie to some, I did not feel that way. Instead, it felt wonderful to be sitting inside a place of worship, taking delight in the silence and the light of the afternoon as I tried to verbalize my heart's desire to God for a different Valentine's Day.

I left work promptly at 4:00 pm because I planned to see one of my former professors, Ma'am Cez Villegas as I won't be doing anything post office hours. We had this wacky photo session with the students and her friend and colleague, Mrs. De Guzman. Once we were back to our "normal selves" off we went to this "hole-in-the-wall" coffee shop, Don Antonio's Cafe which is just a few steps away from the university. You might think it looked familiar. Well, it is. The said place has been there all along but I did not discover it until August last year when one of my friends invited me here to hang out post work. We shared Fish n' Chips (which I have been craving for for some time) and what else can I say? It's tastes the same, as delicious as that of being served in the restaurants near my office, without costing me an arm and a leg.  

Now, who says you should be a Valentine Grinch because you're single? I want to believe, God answered what I asked for in the way He wanted (and I was prepared for that unexpectedly) for He literally gave me a different Valentine's Day. Who says it's all about mushiness and flowers? I got a job, I was in the company of lighthearted people, had a simple feast on good food and I've been blessed with a funny yet thoughtful friend.

At the end of the day it just makes me think... I've got all that I needed. And I am more than happy and thankful.