Curbside Stories

It has been more than a week already since super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) made two land falls in the Southern part of the Philippines, particularly in Samar and Leyte. Since then, the lives of many, not only in the Philippines but also from around the world, has changed. While the Visayas region was busy preparing for the typhoon, I was with my family, tucked safe and sound in the comforts of our homes in Luzon. Although the weather bureau warned us of storm signal number 1, it was relatively peaceful during the day. It was only at around 7 o'clock in the evening when the heavy rain poured with gusts of wind, but, it was not enough to cause me to be awake the entire evening. Nobody  really knew or has not anticipated how strong the typhoon was until the news broke in the morning that most of the provinces in the Visayas region, especially Leyte, was severely damaged. The super typhoon literally flattened the entire province, leaving more than 4 thousand people dead and mill...

Are you in a relationship wherein you absolutely feel that he is the right guy for you and he also loves you dearly yet he just couldn't commit to being with you forever? I know a lot of women has this issue with guys. I am sure that generically they will answer "I am not yet ready". But, what would you do if this "right guy" just won't commit? Would you say bye-bye or would you extend your patience and believe that he'll change his mind eventually?

Photo from here . Have you ever tried dining alone in a restaurant? I have tried it a couple of times. The first time I did it felt like I am the loneliest person on the planet but I also felt freedom. After a doing it a couple of times, it gave me a sense of empowerment... like the thought of paying for an expensive meal all by myself is so fulfilling, I never have to wait for anyone to finish his or her meal before I stand, I don't have to think of topics to discuss over a meal, I get to enjoy my food because there's no time pressure... I mean, every woman should do it often. It also opens the door to meeting new friends and perhaps a future partner.

It is the 20th century but believe it or not, ending a relationship because the parents doesn't approve of it still happens. Parents have various reason for disapproval--religion, family background, social status, looks, etc. Regardless of the reason, still many couples separate ways because one of the partners value and respect their parents and are afraid of being disowned by their own family. I have a colleague who had an unplanned pregnancy with her boyfriend for years. Despite being in a relationship with the guy for years, her parents are still against their relationship. When she discovered they were pregnant, they eloped but eventually decided to face their parents to sort things out. At first, the parents were furious to the point of really disowning her. Fortunately, her parents finally accepted the fact that she is pregnant with the guy they despise and were married soon after. Another story that I would like to share has a sad ending. The guy decided to end his ...

I feel like the most naive person in the world. I overheard from fellow commuters earlier this day about their date rendezvous last weekend. I was actually shock to hear them talk about personal matter inside a public utility vehicle. Anyways, the girl is 10 years my junior. Hold your calculators and let us not talk about my age. She was telling her friend that she finally agreed to have a date with a guy who's been wooing him for quite some time. He likes the guy but she could not find the time to have a date. So, finally she did and she admitted to kissing the guy before they separated ways that memorable evening. The question now is, would you kiss on a first date? How does it feel? Does that permit a new level of relationship?

I have a friend who had a relationship with a Muslim guy. My friend is Roman Catholic. Their relationship was good but when my friend had to go back to the Philippines for a vacation, her then-boyfriend married another Muslim woman because the guy's parents doesn't approve of her. It was a fixed marriage, a norm in where the guy lives. My friend told me that one of the factors why she did not expect the relationship to last is because she is of a different religion. Although the guy didn't ask her to change her religion, it was obvious on the part of the parents... it was a requirement. Would you change religion for love? Does religion ever matter for a relationship to pursue and to last? Can't we just all respect each other's beliefs?