Why He Broke Up With Me This Christmas

My name is Janice. Of course, it is not my real name. I am 31 years old. For all my life, I just had one boyfriend. I did not mean that I was too picky at things especially in choosing a lover. I just did not like them except one. His name is Josh. He was 24 at that time. Well, it seemed as if I were a cougar. He was just my student back in college. He looked like God descended from Mount Olympus with his muscular buildup and stunning height. As he stands six feet and three inches tall, I could not ask for more. One time, I made a promise not to wear panties all day long if I would be with him. Of course, I was kidding. Only my playful imaginations told me those things. And, I tried it twice. I tried it when we were in Palawan.

Then, a storm came. He flooded me with bad news after a week of adventure in Palawan. It was unexpected to hear bad news after that sweet caress and embrace. Of course, I would tell you this. Josh was caring and sweet, but we never had intimate physical contact. He was so respectful. Even if I seduced him, he chose not to take advantage of the situation and me. 

“We need to break up…” He spoke.

“Why?” I simply asked.

“We lost chemistry.” He continued.

“Really, this Christmas? You want to break up with me this Christmas?” I burst into tears.

After a year of our sweet relationship, he broke up with me. It seemed that all those good times were lies. So, I asked him why he stopped loving me.

“We really needed to have a time off,” he continued speaking in a deep tone of his voice.

“If we lost chemistry, I, at least, taught physics.” Oh gosh! I jokingly said it. Quite funny, he was not kidding. He just said we lost the spark. He kept on talking even if I tried to change the subject. I tried to laugh when I said I could make firecrackers to spark again. Unfortunately, he was not joking.

So, I said, “who’s the lucky girl?”

He said nothing. And then, he vanished for eternity.

Years after we broke up, I saw him at the mall. He stood there for a few moments and then entered the eyewear boutique. I just guessed he wanted eyeglasses for a new look. His body posture changed. He looked very fairly looking and masculine. He picked some of those eyeglasses and then returned them to the stands. Suddenly, a beautiful lady approached him. He smiled at her. As the lady approached him, she kissed him. I told myself to teleport, but I couldn’t. My body froze. I could not move. That proved that I was unable to move on. Of course, there is no such thing as moving on to the situation. After a few moments, I began to return to reality. I saw them going outside the store. As soon as they stepped outside the store, they saw me. The girl was smiling at me. 

Oh, gosh! They saw me stand like a freak. I could barely move a muscle. His girlfriend waved hands. I thought I recognized her.

“Janice, are you gonna watch a movie?” Brenna asked. I got confused. In the back of my mind, I would ask why my best friend Brenna and my ex-boyfriend were together this Christmas. And why?

Josh just stared at me. He felt as if he never knew me.

“No. I had to check some stuff for Christmas gift.” So, I narrated with lies.

“Oh, Darling Janice. You should know my boyfriend.” Brenna was quite excited to introduce him.

“His name is Josh, right?” I suddenly spoke and blew my breath in the air. I confidently said it. I did not care about it then.

“No. My name is John. And how do you know my twin?” John interrupted.

“He was my boyfriend a year ago… But, he broke up with me…” I cried.

“I am so sorry to hear that. My twin Josh died a year ago.” John recalled.

“Oh, I remember you. You must be Janice that my twin brother loved most…” John added.

“Why did he break up with me?” I asked him again.

“I don’t know why he did that. I told him to explain everything to you. Of course, you knew him. He did not talk much. Anyway, he died of cancer…”

That time I froze. I just missed him. The feeling and the spark just brought back to life. I could not forget Josh. Probably, I would not forget John. However, he had Brenna in his life. I knew then why he broke up with me. He did not want me to know that he was dying.

“Well, if you have time, visit my family at home. I am staying here to watch over my family when Josh left. You know where we live, right?”

“Bye, Darling Janice, and Merry Christmas,” Brenna said.

“You, too. The two of you. –”

 

Despite the COVID-19 Pandemic, We Can Still Find Ways to Celebrate Christmas

What gifts do we give to our loved ones this Christmas? We may think of chocolate bars, pairs of garments, jeans, shoes, or smartphones. Some of us may give our friends bottles of ethyl alcohol, packs of face masks and face shields, or boxes of Vitamin C. Others choose to invite their friends and loved ones to go to the beach resorts to unwind. Whatever we decide, we still have to celebrate our Christmas holidays with a warm embrace.

One may ask when the Christmas holiday starts. Well, the Christmas season commences in the month of September and ends on New Year’s Day. This season of compassion, love, and mercy extends to the joy of giving gifts. Even if Christmas is every day, it seems different when we revel in it this Christmas season. Without the bonuses, incentives, and thirteenth-month pays, we can still enjoy these months of laughter and smile.

 

And yes, we know about the current COVID-19 situation. We all suffer pretty bad. Some of us lose our loved ones; some struggle to find means and ways to survive. Without good food to eat at the table, we need to make sure that we can have get-together parties at home with our loved ones while ensuring the social distancing protocols. Despite COVID-19, we can still enjoy ourselves eating hot vegetable soup.

Moreover, spending Christmas holidays does not require great food on the table. We need to forget those days when we can afford to buy 13 kinds of round fruits in a basket placed at the center of the table. We must forget those packs of hams, those bowls and plates of macaroni and fruit salad, just a piece of Pork Lechon, some bottles of expensive wine, and the like. We cannot afford to have them.

Without a doubt, spending this Christmas season with friends and loved ones remained very important. Without any food preparation, we can still welcome the year 2021. We can still wonder if some people are fine. As we feel their pain, we cannot help but wonder asking if they have some delicious meals on the table. How about the local government unit (LGU) officials and their constituents, the city counselors, the city and town mayors, the governors, the congressmen, the commissioners, the secretaries, the senators, and the country president, do they still suffer the struggles that we face these days? Do they still celebrate Christmas without those delicious cooked meals at the table? We just do not know. We just guess, for sure. Despite COVID-19, we can still celebrate Christmas though.

 

Nang Dahil Sa COVID-19, Nawala Ang Spark; Nakipag-Break Up!

Araw ng Biyernes noon, pero hindi Friday the 13th. Sinabi ni John sa akin through the phone text messaging na makipag-usap daw siya. Excited ako, kasi baka may surprisa siya sa akin. Hindi ugali ni John na makipag-text, kaya lalo akong na-excite. Sa isip ko, baka tungkol ito sa plano namin na pumunta sa Samal Island. Nakita kasi namin ang mga posts sa Misamis Oriental Journal.

“Bakit? May surprisa ka ba?” Iyon ang mga tanong ko na may kasamang saya sa mukha noong makipag-usap ako sa video chat sa Messenger. Excited na nako.

“Sa palagay ko kailangan na nating maghiwalay.” Iyon din ang diretsuhang bigkas sa bibig niya. Sa isip ko na nagbibiro lang siya. Pero ang mukha niya ay nagsasabi ng totoo.

“Ano? Nagbibiro ka ba?” Ang seryosong tanong ko.

Bigla siyang tumahimik. Napagtanto ko na hindi siya nagbibiro. Siya ang tao na nagsabi at nagtanong sa akin kung ano ba ang gusto kong wedding. Ipinagpakilala pa ako niya sa family niya. Niregaluhan pa niya ako ng aso na gustong-gusto ko. Sabi niya mahal daw niya ako. Kahit COVID-19, pumunta pa siya sa bahay at nagdala sa akin ng cake from Goldilocks.  

“Bakit?” Tanong ko ulit na may luha sa aking mga mata.

“Walang ibang babae. Wala ka ring ginawang mali. Parang nawala lang ang chemistry natin.” Iyon ang sabi niya. Para akong nabilaukan. Gumaralgal ang boses ko. Para akong nagkaroon ng cerebovascular disease sandali.

“Sige na. Puntahan mo na mga kaibigan mo. Alam ko na strong woman ka. Kaya mo yan. May pupunta pa akong trabaho.” Parang okay lang siya. Hindi man lang niya alam na nasaktan ako.

“Wat da pak!” Iyon na lang ang naisip ko. Naiinis ako. Ang dating excitement ko ay napalitan ng inis.

Parang pinatay niya rin ako. Namatay na nga ang mother ko a week ago, tapos nakipaghiwalay pa siya sa akin. Parang gumuho ang mundo ko. Hayon, natulala ako na nakahiga at nakatingin na lang sa kawalan. Si John kasi ang sandigan ko. In fact, siya ang emergency contact ko kung may emergency ako. Noong namatay si Mama at halos ako mabaliw, siya iyong nag-comfort sa akin. Pero isang linggo pa ang nakalipas, nakipag-break up pa siya sa akin ngayon. Sa panahon pa ng COVID-19 and Christmas, ginawa niyang masaklap ang lovelife story ko. Ang sakit!

Dahil ba sa nawala iyong chemistry, break up na? Kailangan pa ba ito? Alam natin na, sooner or later, mawawala ang chemistry. Hindi na man naghiwalay ang iba. Pero bakit si John nakipahiwalay sa akin? Nang dahil ba sa COVID-19 at wala kaming constant bonding, nawala ang chemistry?

“Wat da pak!”

Dusit Thani Lubi Plantation Resort: Visit today

Haven’t you visited Dusit Thani Lubi Plantation Resort yet? Well, you can visit the place as early as now. As long as you all have the travel documents, you can spend your holidays at Barangay Pindasan Municipality of Mabini, Davao City, Mindanao 8807 Philippines. That’s right. You exactly get the accurate location and probably pack your things up!

At Dusit Thani Lubi Plantation, you can spend your holidays at the beachfront infinity pool; a fitness center; a villa spa; a fully-equipped dive center with facilities for snorkeling, diving, jet-skiing, and kayaking; a tennis court; The Mill, an entertainment center with fun indoor activities; Tarictic Grill, an all-day dining poolside restaurant; Burger Bar, a western restaurant and bar; The Warehouse, luxurious locker rooms for day experience guests. You can check the trip advisor website for details.

Again, Here’s the address to remember.

    • DUSIT THANI LUBI PLANTATION
    • Barangay Pindasan Municipality of Mabini, Davao City, Mindanao 8807 Philippines

Club Asiano Resort: A must-see paradise to visit

Haven’t you visited Club Asiano Resort yet? Please do. It isn’t far away. You can visit the place as early as now. As long as you have the travel documents, you can spend your holidays at Babak, Island Garden City of Samal, 8119 Davao del Norte. That’s right. You get exactly right.

Here’s the Number to Call

    • 8118 Brgy. Camudmud, Babak District, Igacos
    • M: (+63) 922 866 5881
    • Please check its website by clicking the link.

How to Get There

Here’s what you need to do. From Babak Warf, turn left and follow the road to Camudmud. It is only around 7 kilometers from the port. Next, you’ll be passing by Babak Market and Monfort Batcave. Once you see the signage of Barangay Camudmud, you can look at the left side and search for the Club Asiano signage. Then, you turn to the left. All, you have to do is to trace the steep path down. Upon reaching the bottom, you need to turn right and find the second signage that points to Club Asiano.

Digyo and Kalanggaman: Two islands to explore

Looking for matchless tourist charms these days seems enticing. You cannot get rid of the cerulean-blue and turquoise-blue beach and pool waters in your mind because you are into them. You just think of the beach activities going on, as well as camping by the beach. Who else doesn’t like that? So, you know how to build fires in the sand at night time and you then chat with your friends while holding bottles of beer in your hands. As you love to see the stars during nighttime while watching those night-birds fly, you get lost in time as you begin to unwind and recall those good moments down to your memory lane. If you think about that, then you probably are romantic.

Maybe, you want to go to Kalanggaman Island in Polompon, Leyte. It sounds overwhelming to check the place and the thrill. Kalanggaman Island is a well-known destination in Leyte. You can call it the most stunning island in the entire Philippines if you like. Because of its expanded powdery white sandbars on both ends of the island, you see wonders on an island. The cool and unblemished waters on Kalanggaman Island makes it very welcoming to go reeling and diving. Well, you cannot find any private resorts or any accommodations on the island. However, you can go camping. Now, the next time to visit a paradise, you need to consider Kalanggaman Island as a weekend getaway. Most people visit here just to enjoy the beautiful beach, stunning sandbar, and amazing views.

Or, perhaps, you want to check Digyo Island in Cuatro Islas, Inopacan, Leyte. It can be an interesting destination for holidaymakers and tourists. You can be one of the visitors who visit the tourist spots in Leyte. You notice that this island is called “Cuatro Islas.” It is because you can find other islands in the area, namely Mahaba, Apid, and Himokilan Islands. You can get mesmerized by the long sandbar on Digyo Island. You also get fascinated by the crystal clear waters which can be picture-perfect for swimming. However, there are cottages available on the island. Well, are you hungry? You can order some kinds of seafood on the menu.

Well, searching for a must-see stop in the country is easy. Various websites, such as Big Seven Travel, Out Of Town Blog, and Tourist Spots Finder offer some exciting tourist locations for reasonably priced adventures. You only need to Google it and register or sign-up for something.

Llagas Beach Resort: A fascinating resort to visit

Going to Llagas Beach Resort is a good decision. Llagas Beach Resort is located at Barangay Hermano, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental. Its ocean-blue waters fascinate beach-goers who love to dive and swim. The small shingles and stones will require us to wear beach sandals or slippers. Now, if we want to go to the beach in Misamis Oriental, Llagas Beach Resort awaits us.

A moment to enjoy the cold, refreshing ocean-blue waters at Llagas Beach Resort in Baliwagan, Misamis Oriental

The Place

Llagas Beach Resort has been here for years. It is in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental. The beauty of Llagas Beach Resort catches everyone’s attention. Beach-goers like us can cook our meals. We can grill fish or bring our food. The resort does not have a cafeteria. In this case, we can bring chicken or pork Lechon. We can, also, bring cooked root crops and bowls of rice with grilled bangus, tamban, or tulingan fish. Additionally, we do not have to pay any corkage fee. We just need some food to prepare and bring. Well, the good thing is that we have a karaoke bar there.

A place to take a picture for social media posts…

The Perks

The beach resort is plain and simple. It is just a picture-perfect resort for pictorials. We get to stand on and against the rocks. We need to see the video to see what I am talking about. By the way, the entrance fee of the resort very affordable. Please check the photo below.

How to Get There

From Cagayan de Oro, we take a public utility jeepney (PUJ) or a bus to Balingasag. We just take a PUJ with a signboard Cagayan de Oro to Balingasag or Lagonglong or a bus going to Lagonglong, Misamis Oriental. From Cagayan de Oro, you can tell the bus or jeepney driver to drop you off in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental. As well, we need to talk to the driver to drop us off at LLagas Beach Resort. From the main road, we only need ten steps to get to the beach. It is as simple as that. Please watch the video…

Extra Words

We need to bring food, water, and other beach paraphernalia. Though we can buy some food products somewhere nearer, it would be wise to cook for our meals, right? We tell you this, Llagas Beach Resort is a perfect beach for you and me. So, what are we waiting for?

3 Best Tourist Spots In The Philippines To Visit

The year 2020 appears to be the COVID-19 pandemic and the critical period in human history. Most people during this time hope to end the crisis before the end of 2020. The number is perfect to consider since the double twenty on a calendar appears no more than a coincidence. It is a time of something worth remembering. It is quite remarkable to imagine if we can revel life before this year ends.

Now, choosing the best places to visit is challenging. We have to consider the distance from the hand-picked beach resorts on the list plus the considerable financial resources that, somehow, hamper us to go. And yet, we have the best destinations to stopover if we just decide which one to spend for the paramount vacation ever.

Camiguin Island

We can explore some of the famous sites in Camiguin. Of course, we know it as an island province in the Philippines. We also know its location to be located in the Bohol Sea, about 10 kilometers off the northern shoreline of Mindanao. As history unfolds, Camiguin is geographically part of the Northern Mindanao Region in Region 10 as a former part of the Misamis Oriental province.

El Nido, Palawan

Well, we can visit this high-end beach resort in the country. Most foreign tourists choose to visit El Nido because of its amazing place, beach, and people. To ask where El Nido is, we will surely take our time to check where El Nido in the Philippines. As mentioned, El Nido is a Philippine municipality on Palawan island. Most tourists know this place in the country because of its white-sand beaches and coral reefs to reach you to the gateway to the Bacuit archipelago.  

Zamboanga City

We just discovered this one yet. Zamboanga City, officially known as the City of Zamboanga, is classy and highly urbanized. Local and foreign tourists can see it in the city, particularly the Zamboanga Peninsula of the Philippines. According to the researched data, this figure to claim that Zamboanga City has been the sixth-most densely inhabited and third-largest city by land area in the Philippines.

For Tours:

Please visit the Facebook Pages, such as The_Philippines and Guide to the Philippines for more details and updates.