Been home for a month now. Gained more weight. Got darker skin. But I’m not complaining. All worth the trip.  I think I’m back to work. More stories later…

Yes, it’s been almost two years now since my colleague and I went for the Facilitator In Training workshop with the Center for Digital Storytelling in the US. The five-day workshop was held at the Stonebridge Farm in Lyons, Colorado. Such a lovely place! Met interesting storytellers. Made good friends. Learned a lot from the training. And yes, had so much fun on our last night together!

Here’s two more songs I’ve heard while I enjoyed my walk in the streets of York. Grew up hearing these at home.

I love my walk in the streets of Cardiff and York. Two lovely places where two of the many buskers I enjoyed played one song that made me smile and think of home.

Am I back yet? Hmm…Oh, yes, I am since three days ago. I was on 13-hour flight from London to Singapore.

Lots of things to digest from my 18-day travel in the UK – which is a good problem. Lots of photos to sort out, friends to email, catch up, and say thank you; calls to make, work backlogs to settle, deadlines to meet, blah, blah, blah…You know what it’s like after you make a trip overseas.

I’m not complaining. Happy to get started with work today. I’m back.

Here’s a short clip of the parade I’ve seen at my hometown (Cataingan, Masbate) last April for our town’s fiesta. Always sweet to be home!

Yes, in less than a week, I will be in London and Wales! My first trip to the United Kingdom. I’m going to attend the 6th International Festival of Digital Storytelling in Aberystwyth (Wales) with Angeline Koh, my friend and colleague.

Exciting, I know. As usual, when it’s still like three or four days away for my trip, I’m not packed yet. Maybe today, maybe today.

“I hope your dreams take you… to the corners of your smiles, to the highest of your hopes, to the windows of your opportunities, and to the most special places your heart has ever known.”

Finally, my younger sister made it! She graduated last 22 March 2011. It’s been quite a journey with her all these years. What a bonus to be able to make a trip to Cebu and actually see her march and go up the stage to receive her diploma. Every step she made brought so much joy to my heart. I always knew this day will come.  It made me think about my own journey, too. How I have taken some detours. How I have lost my way. How I have failed. But there were people who never gave up on me. And I, too, was stubborn – I pressed on despite all the dark days. And yes, I, too, made it!

Congrats, Gen! We love you and we are proud of you! All the best!

Ten years ago a friend gave me a book written by Ruth Myers. To this day, I still have with me the index cards where I wrote my answers to the book’s study guide questions. Four years ago, I moved to Singapore and met Angeline Koh, my editor and colleague. Small world – Angeline and Ruth are close friends! Ruth is a Navigator veteran and author of many books.

Three months ago, I had the privilege of visiting Ruth when I was in Colorado Springs. Yes, I met her, held hands with her, hugged her. She looked so frail, wrinkled, and old. Yet there was so much life bursting out of her faltering body. Her shaky, soft voice, her hungry eyes, her big smiles, her prayers, her touch, and life are all together difficult to forget and impossible not to notice and admire.

While on a boat ride yesterday, I got news that Ruth passed away. The sea was calm. Standing by the deck, I watched the distant islands and let the drizzle on my face. Thank you, Ruth Myers, for touching my life. I’m one of those blessed by your writings and affected by that one short encounter in Colorado Springs.

“There’s one advantage to being 102. There’s no peer pressure.” - Dennis Wolfberg

On our day-long drive to Estes Park and the Rockies in Colorado, we stopped by some places where my friends and I had a treat of seeing the wildlife in the mountains.

I was speechless many a time. Imagine a thought balloon over my head with the word – WOW! –  when I saw for the first time a moose!

But one of the sights that I also didn’t want to let go was this: an old woman who seemed to still have the energy and the eyes to see and enjoy beauty. And yes, she’s using a digital camera. I think I will be just like her in my coming older years. Haha. Mark Twain said, “Age is an issue of mind over matter.  If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” ;-)