While We're Apart, We Would...

In our fairly sustained relationship (18 months & 12 days), we've only been physically together for roughly 12 weeks (3 months)combined. In the months and days in between, we've been in constant communication through text (daily), email (at least 2x a week), Skype (weekly) & phone calls (at least 1x a week).

Our most enjoyable quality time bonding moments would be our marathon weekend Skype conversations. We're online most of the weekend, I hear him when he's fast asleep and he hears me when I am. I'm just thankful that he's patient enough to stay up with me and just talk..well, sabi nya he has insomnia.

So those weekend marathons would mostly comprise of weekly recaps on how our week was, comfortable silences and some in between. What we do to have a semblance of being in a date are:

1. We rent similar movies together and watch it simultaneously. He would rent sa 99 cent rental while I borrow my sister's dvds or I DL. Now, discovering the LFD website, I've been introduced to sidereel.com kaya even new episodes of Family Guy, we watch together. Even new movies like Burn After Reading, we've seen it na.. although nag hang ang connection nya that one time.

Salamat at finally my internet connection is steady.

Other things we've done:

a. We've played games together sa Yahoo games. (Fun naman, we play billiards mostly).
b. Other things I've done virtually: I've sent him e-cards, flowers, hoochy mail (this is a bit for adults only)..
c. We took an online compatibility test: we're 73% compatible..mataas na yon ha.
d. Ate at the same time.
e. Made babies: the virtual picture kind (you saw batang ex in previous blog entry).

Some things I'd like to do virtually:
1. Go on a virtual tour together.
2. Watch concerts via AOL.
3. Surf the Web together (surprisingly, we haven't done this).
4. Do Karaoke together.
5. Share a common calendar. Google can do this.

Things that will never happen:
1. Talk with a webcam..although sya minsan nag we-webcam, this is iffy for me..very big brothery.
2. Share an on-line journal together or a joint web site.. with his hacking paranoia and his techie skills, hindi ata kaya.
3. Shopping together, online.. hehe

I'm off to find other means to be together!

An Email That Makes Yo Go Hmm...

I just got an email from Mr. Pavia. I don't know if it's a warning for me of things to come, or he's telling me that he won't be a husband 1.0 :) Mahabang Hmmmmm....

INSTALLING A HUSBAND

Dear Tech Support:

Last year I upgraded from Boyfriend 5.0 to Husband 1.0 and

noticed a distinct slow down in overall system performance,

particularly in the flower and jewelry applications,

which operated flawlessly under Boyfriend 5.0 .

In addition, Husband 1.0 uninstalled many other valuable

programs, such as: Romance 9.5 and Personal Attention 6.5,

and then installed undesirable programs such as :

· NBA 5.0,
· NFL 3.0 and
· Golf Clubs 4.1 .

Also Conversation 8.0 no longer runs, and Housecleaning 2. 6

simply crashes the system.

· Please note that I have tried running Nagging 5.3

to fix these problems, but to no avail.

What can I do?

Signed,
Desperate.


DEAR DESPERATE, ,

First, keep in mind,
· Boyfriend 5.0 is an Entertainment Package, while
· Husband 1.0 is an operating system.
Please enter command: ithoughtyoulovedme.html and

try to download Tears 6.2 and do not forget to

install the Guilt 3.0 update.
· If that application works as designed ,& nbsp;

Husband 1.0 should then automatically run

the applications Jewelry 2.0 and Flowers 3.5.

However, remember, overuse of the above application

can cause Husband 1.0 to default to

Grumpy Silence 2.5 , Happy Hour 7.0 or Beer 6.1 .
· Please note that Beer 6. 1 is a very bad program

that will download the Farting and Snoring Loudly Beta.

In addition, please do not attempt to reinstall the

Boyfriend 5.0 -program These are unsupported

applications and will crash Husband 1.0 .

In summary, Husband 1.0 is a great program,

but it does have limited memory and cannot learn

new applications quickly. You might consider

buying additional software to improve memory

and performance. We recommend
· Cooking 3.0 and
· Hot Lingerie 7.7.

Good Luck!
Tech Support

How to Bridge the Gap

Age Gap- I'm not only talking about the distance, he's 8 years my senior (the same age as my oldest brother). Frankly, I prefer it this way. Older men are more patient and tolerant. They love deeply and they're not afraid to talk about the relationship. They chose the words they say wisely. Like, every time I ask him if it's a "promise" he tells me "No, it's not a promise, it's a commitment that I intend to keep". Aaaw..sweet. I'm learning a lot from him, but it doesn't mean he's not learning anything from me. Madami rin ha. It's a give and take. The one thing I learned lang, no matter how old they are, they're all pa-baby! I'm not complaining, it's cute :).

On culture- This also has to do something with the age gap. I know he's Filipino, but he left the Philippines in 25 years ago (1983). Wala pang People Power. So many things have happened in the country since then; but the way they were brought up, kahit na sa America pa yan.. they're very conservative. I'm not saying dad brought us up to be pariwara.. I think the concept of "platonic male-female relationship" is unfamiliar to a conservatively raised naturalized Filipino/American. I have more guy friends than girl friends. I often use the phrase "hindi talo"- which is also hard to explain kasi translated in english, not a loser(?), so parang winner? Ang labo..anyway, long story short, I've managed to successfully explain the structure of boy friends (not a compound word) by telling him I'm not attractive to them and I'm a tomboy. Ayan, pangit na ko, lalaki pa ko. Hay.

The Distance- the distance, I now have lots of tips for people who are in the same situation (LDR). It requires a different blog entry since I've learned a lot in the past year and a half. The best thing I learned? Act as if he's just here but we're both busy so we just talk on the phone all the time. Yup, I learned to be buang-buang. Haha. But really, we don't talk about the obvious- which is the distance. We talk as if we just saw each other kanina. We talk as if he's beside me, and he's asking me to move so he can sit right next to me while we watch a simultaneous movie. He even offers me food while he's eating and I decline as if I'm not hungry :P.


Bolsa Chica Beach, Sept 2008

Measuring Your Heart's Strength

“Distance is not for the fearful, it is for the bold.
It’s for those who are willing to spend a lot of time alone
In exchange for a little time with the one they love.
It’s for those knowing a good thing when they see it,

even if they don’t see it nearly enough…”

-Michelle&Frank www.lovingfromadistance.com

..Wow, never thought the day will come, I'll be quoting websites.

I don't know exactly how I came across their website. It's now one of my favorites. Of course I never left comments, or told the author how much I appreciate their site. I'm just there to leech ideas and loving the experiment. Michelle and Frank, (wow, close? Animosity at its finest). You both rock. I wish you the best.

Heniwei, back to me. Like an idea, it dawned on me..you get to test the true measure of your heart's strength when you're in a long distance relationship. It's the hardest sacrifice you can ever have your loving heart be put through. Not being able to touch, hold, embrace, kiss...it sounds morbid, but it's like practicing your heart, and getting it ready when the time comes that you lose someone you love. Ang pangit. Knock on wood. 43,000x.

Really, LDRs are crash test dummies. I agree with myself. Cheers and apir to me! Inspite of this..absence really makes the heart grow fonder. I wouldn't have it any other way..well, I would want us to be physically together.. the correct phrase is, I wouldn't have any other person other than Mr. Pavia. He's worth every bit of patience and s-a-c-r-i-f-i-c-e.

If love is pure, it will endure..says the corny saying.

Hay, you learn alot of things about your strength and yourself (period). Like;

1. You know how mature you are when you're in an LDR. Aba, hindi ka pwedeng mag-isip at tampong bata! No one will be there para amuhin ka. You can pout all you want til you have lips like Angelina Jolie..hey..that's an idea..hehe.

2. Jealousy will get you nowhere. You have to trust with all your heart. Magselos ka man, can you do something about it? A pint of Jealousy is healthy, but not to the point of losing your mind over it. There are so many other better activities to keep you sane. Like- hiphop classes! Sorry, they're having a hiphop dance class in the other room right now, so.. Net-net, selos? You'll learn to laugh it off. If you trust your partner, it will never enter your mind. So, there.

3. Patience. Kung ikaw, nasabihan ka pang walang E.Q. (not the diaper), ewan ko na lang. Some doctors say that the Emotional Quotation of the child is more important than intelligence. Which I believe..sa EQ, walang over achiever or under achiever. Kung EQ under achiever ka, parang masyado ka ng passive. Deadma to the heavens. If EQ over achiever ka, isa kang atat. Or is it the other way around? Whatev!

It's Mr. Pavia's Birthday Today!!!!

(Today is Nov. 6, 9:25am, Philippine Time).
We're also on our 18th month anniversary. Wow, my longest relationship, one and a half years; and counting on to a lifetime partnership. Love you, chubby!