it has always been one of my great dreams to make a difference.

"i don't know why i think i can make any kind of difference. all i know is that i want to."

i wish these words were written by me, but they're not. these are the words of angelina jolie, as written in a journal she kept on some of her first few travels as a un goodwill ambassador for the unhcr - united nations high commissioner on refugees.



these lines i'm sure echo the sentiments of many other people in the world, myself included.. in a major way. (hehe, seriously!)

i reeeally don't read books! its sort of my frustration! i admire people who have favorite authors (meaning they've read enough of a lot of authors to actually have a favorite.) and those who are so in-the-know with all the great works. i'm the type who really wants to read, but after a few pages, i get sleepy!! (ack! how sad!) but recently, i did get to finish a book.. 'notes from my travels' by angelina jolie. yes, she has a book.



its both intensely inspiring and extremely depressing. it opens up your eyes to the many, many injustices around the world, but also lifts your spirits with stories of the unbelievable strength of these people. for those who are thinking of studying humanitarian aid, something i plan to hopefully study in the future too (sabay tayo ben ha!), this will probably be a good book to read.

i was just so moved by what i read, so allow me to share a few lines that struck me most in the course of my reading the book..





"i honestly want to help. i don't believe i am different from other people. i think we all want justice and equality. we all want a chance for a life with meaning. all of us would like to believe that if we were in a bad situation someone would help us."

"i don't understand why some things are talked about and others are not."

"i wasn't sure i should go - i'm still not sure, but - and i know this may sound false to some - i thought of the people who have no choice."

"what i am reminding myself is that these problems do not disappear just because we do not hear about them. and in that thought - there is so much more happening around the world than what is communicated to us about the top stories we do hear."

"i told one of the workers how i admired him for being able to work there everyday, all day long. he said, 'yes, it is hard work, but it is for the children, so it feels good.'"

"when they say, 'each person can make a difference,' i believe that is true."

"could you imagine if that was our everyday life? could you imagine acknowledging every individual you pass and smiling at one another? showing respect to everyone?"

"the imbalance of funding in the world makes no sense to me."

"and yet with all of these complaints, i have never felt so good in my life. i am so tremendously honored to be with these people. i realize more everyday how fortunate i have been in my life. i hope i never forget and never complain again about anything. but damn - my feet are itchy."

"earlier this morning i was complaining about my feet being itchy. this afternoon i met a man who lost his leg. he greeted me with a smile and was joking with his doctor. he found the energy to be a gracious host to us visitors."

"there are so many cambodians over a certain age who will remember everything. i don't know how they live on. but they do, with so much strength of will and power and spirit. they are an example to us all."

"it is a shame how, for a time, i can so easily shut out the world's problems when i am safe at home."

"they understand something about life that many of us (thank GoD) never will, and they focus on many things we have forgotten. they know what to be grateful for. they appreciate the importance of family and community. they understand the power of faith and love."

"this message is written on the board: 'if we all do a little, we can do a lot.'"

"i think this is the hardest thing to see, to listen to them with their bruises, dirty torn clothes, cut fingers, as they smile at you. they are children. they still dream. they seem so full of hope, it breaks your heart."

"the mind wants to forget because it hurts and weighs so much on the heart and soul."

"i've stopped writing for the last few minutes. he was trying not to cry. william told him it was okay. he can talk only about what he wants. the man apologizes. can you imagine? someone apologizing because they can't tell you how their family was killed."





i hope what i shared touched you as much as it touched me..

lovers in sydney.. plus one!

day one.. a chilly day around downtown sydney.




day two.. hiking around the beautiful jenolan caves and look out points.




day three.. a big beach day in non-beachy weather.




my last night.. dinner and drinks at the harbour.




day four.. bumming, eating, more bumming.

bonus features..

happy to be in sydney! obvious ba? =p jumping, dancing, skipping make the nicest photos. hehehe!




birds of sydney. for some reason.. there were sooo many birds just hanging out everywhere and anywhere. and oh, we spotted one wallaby too.




twenty two stops to penrith. this is what boredom can sometimes make you do.

quick kl hits!

long lay overs are usually a hassle. but not when its long enough to meet up with an old friend, have a photo by the petronas towers, enjoy a good breakfast, and even buy a few pairs of shoes! woohoo! (thank you benny!)

ruled guilty.

i can't believe its been more than six years ago..



i remember watching our senators walk out as if it were just a year ago, when it was announced that "the no votes have it". my hair still stands on end when i remember it. i remember my siblings and i rushing to join the historic edsa dos revolution. fighting for what we believed was right, joining jim paredes and thousands others singing "huling huli", waiting for "justice to be served".

then, erap stepped down, and gloria stepped in.

and now, though not in full, the verdict has been read.

not guilty on the charge of perjury.
guilty on the charge of plunder.
sentenced to reclusion perpetua.

abs-cbn news anchor ricky carandang said earlier that in some way, each president we've had has been accused of some form of corruption. but it is only now that a case has been seen through to a verdict.

i am pleased that this chapter is almost over.. but it makes you think, how about all the other cases? how about all the other names that came out in the hearings on jueteng, the jose velarde account, and misused government funds? do they all walk free? how about all the others accused of corruption, independent of the erap case?



former president estrada answered a reporter's question on what his message to the filipino people is.. "nakakalungkot kasi ang ating mga kapitbahay na bansa ay umaangat ng umaangat, tayo hindi pa din.."

his camp will file for a motion for reconsideration as they fight for their stand that he is innocent.

president gloria macapagal-arroyo, through spokesperson ignacio bunye, issued the following statement after the verdict was read.. "we have a country to run, an economy to grow and a peace to win. we hope that this sad episode in our history will not permanently distract us from these goals."



i did join edsa dos to oust erap.
but i was also one of those who were pro-impeachment for gloria.
i'm sure there are many others like me, and many others who disagree with me.
are we just being too picky with a leader to believe in?
will it ever be possible for us to have a clean and honest administration?
we are a great people and we deserve a great leader, don't we?

in what case is it right to let go and forgive?
in what case is it right to keep fighting for what is right?

(this is all very confusing.)

my main man part three!

just in time for the celebration of the four years of my blog.. i just got the most wonderful news this month..

my main man has found his main woman!!



meet the future mr. and mrs. jc gonzalez!!

aaack! just thinking about it, naiiyak na ako! i am so sure na buong wedding ceremony, i'll be so emotional. hahaha! i am just so happy!

you know how you just see it when two people are meant to be together? haaay. ganito ang kuya ko at si tracy. ang galing, galing. they are really a major blessing in each other's lives.. and to our lives too!

cheers to the davao wedding next year!! the pamintuans and the gonzalezes shall come together. nice!!

love you tracy!
love you brow!
can't wait to see you two plus bacci again!!
what's bacci's role sa wedding?!
(hehe.)

happy fourth anniversary to superbianca.blogspot.com!!

and as promised, to celebrate my blog's anniversary, i have answered a few of your questions. thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who posted a comment or question or reaction on my blog!! ang saya, saya magbasa! thaaank yooou!! and i hope tayong lahat, we have many more years of blogging to come. :)



jaker asked..
random question lang what made you decide to study in ateneo for college? hehe.. no more lasallian spirit? hehe la lang.

anonymous asked..
what was it like to graduate from la salle for high school and from ateneo for college?

nicole asked...
since you went to my school (la salle zobel) where should you think i go for college? la salle or ateneo? i'm currently in my junior year in dlszobel :) i'm aware that you went to ateneo, why?


ang saya saya ko at napaka-blessed ko na makapagtapos sa mga schools na yun. if i were to do it all over again, i would still choose the same schools to go to!

la salle zobel.. prep to high school ako sa zobel. sobrang saya kasi kahit hindi number one ang school namin sa academics (compared to to other high schools i mean), priority naman ng zobel na maging well-rounded ang students. culture sa school namin na di lang galingan sa grades, pero pati sa iba’t-ibang extra curricular activities. cheerleading and basketball games were a big part of my life kasi yun ang celebration naming ng school spirit, joining student council and yearbook committees was great, forums kasama ang ibang schools, big, big part din ang inter-class or inter-batch play and filmmaking competitions, pati spiritual activities like search-in. ang saya saya ng high school graaabe!!

ateneo.. years before college, alam ko na na gusto kong mag-aral sa ateneo. dun kasi nag-aral daddy ko, kuya ko, at ate ko, so pakiramdam ko, ako din, meant to be dun. napaka-conducive to learning ng ateneo. ang ganda ng campus, ang competitive ng students, challenging ang professors, plus ang ganda ng diversity ng community. if you are more into the humanities, ateneo is the place for you.

pero eto lang ang added note. senior year na ako sa college nang umupo ako sa ateneo side kapag ateneo-lasalle uaap game! hahaha! sobra kasi ang attachment ko sa “la salle school spirit” na up until junior ako in college, sa la salle side pa rin ako umuupo at kumakanta nga alma mater! by the time senior na ako, tapos naging classmate at nakilala ko na sina larry, magnum, at la, na-realize ko na ang ateneo school spirit ko, at umupo na ako sa ateneo side. hehehe!



desiree asked...
bianca, what's the state of your heart?

105 over 62! woohoo! i’m one healthy gal.

hehe.

but really? seriously? its fine! very much fine and blessed, and in love with the LoRd and in love with life. thank you for asking.



anonymous asked..
at this point of your life, alam mo na ba talaga yung gusto mo gawin sa life mo? yung certain ka na talaga sa mga gusto mo, like 10 years from now.

i can’t say i know for sure kung ano talaga ang path ko in life, but i do know that i want to help others who need it, and that i want to make a difference. (whatever that may mean.)

and i’ve said this and written this, that my ultimate dream is to be a great wife and mother. (yun, sure ako. :p)



avril asked..
what keeps you going, especially during those challenging moments in your life?

first of all, challenging moments in life are exactly that. challenging. as in. hindi siya madali at all. ang hirap!! and what keeps me going is still life itself. na kahit ang daming nakakasakit na pangyayari, you still have to know that life will give you so much more! both good and bad, but still, a lot more! faith will keep you going, hope and positivity will keep you going. and of course, love will keep you going.



atomicgirl asked..
what's the best post you've ever had so far sa blog mo?

mahirap pumili ng favorite post! ang daming sobrang memorable na posts, ang daming breakthrough moments ng buhay ko, madaming major life sharings. hehe.

most meaningful post na lang, yun ang masasagot ko. that was my first post for this year, my first post after being on blog leave for one year. i think i was even crying while writing that. major yun.



liz asked..
if you will be given a chance to create a philo name (like maybe biancaness haha!), what would it be at ano yung magiging details ng philosophy mo in general? thanks! :)

wow! pressure naman yun! haha! mag-aaral muna ako bago ako makabuo ng sarili kong “philosophy”. hehehe. but.. isa sa mga dream ko ay ang maging professor ng philosophy, and dream ko na magturo ng subject na “philosophy of love” or something like the “philosophy of realism and idealism”. hmm.. dream lang naman. :p



anonymous asked..
ang question ko ay, saan ka nagpagupit?

anonymous asked..
how do you take care of your hair??

alex carbonell of propaganda is the only one allowed to cut my hair!! hehe. and, pantene total care conditioner really does wonders!



orange asked..
i've been wanting to know ever since yung model ng cellphone mo. wala lang. mababaw pero that's what's bothering me :D hehe.

ngayon? a pathetic, super sira, at bugbog na 6230! pero plano ko to get myself a 6300 soon. :)



majee asked..
any advice on study habits? you've mention before na super nerd ka talaga..

yes! yes! definitely! certified nerd talaga ako! hahaha. ask anyone na kasama ko sa school.

my best tip would be.. to listen in class and to take down notes! pag nakinig ka in class na talagang todo kinig, tapos sinulat mo pa, kahit papaano, parang twice mo nang inaral. by the time you have an exam, because you listened, madali na yun para sa iyo!

another useful tip in studying is memorizing using mnemonics. for example.. the planets in our galaxy! mercury, venus, earth, mars, jupiter, saturn, neptune, well nung grade school ako, may pluto pa. haha! ang naturo sa aming mnemonics? all the first letters of “my very educated mother, just serve us nine pizzas”. hahaha! i know it sounds so funny but it is still how i remember the order of the planets. :p

another tip would be to study the things that you find more difficult, first. para mas hindi ka pa pagod pag inaaral mo yun, para may patience ka pa, at para fresh pa ang mind mo. hehe! at kapag kinapos ka na ng oras, at least, it’s the easy items left and you can breeze through that.

also! it is very important to figure out when its best for you to study. afternoon, late at night, or early in the morning? (sobrang morning person ako and so i often woke up extra, extra early to study. i found my brain was like a sponge!)

lastly, i do highly, highly, highly recommend taking up a part time job while in college. ang dami nitong ituturo sa iyo including being independent, responsible, patient, lahat.. and if you do start working while studying, just a tip, never, never “stop for a sem” or go on “loa”. ay naku! as much as you can, if you’re working, kahit two or three subjects lang, super underload. basta finish school. :) you will make your parents so proud. and yourself as well! you’ll think, “grabe, nakayanan ko yun!”

go, go, go! school is cool!



palito asked..
what's the most important thing to you right now?

finding out what it is that the LoRd really wants me to do with my life!! :) yun ang top priority in my life right now.



gale asked..
do you ever keep travel logs (a diary or some sort) when you visit places? do you keep tickets, magnets, soaps from the places you stayed or anything from your trips and put it in one corner of your room

dream ko na makapag-frame ng malaking old world map sa room ko, at markahan lahat ng lugar na napuntahan ko, at lahat ng lugar na gusto kong mapuntahan.. one day, magawa ko sana yan. hehe.

but so far, what i do collect are my boarding passes and coins of the local currency from the trips i’ve been on!



maxine asked..
who is big brother in PBB? =D

naku! secret..



a curious mind asked..
oprah's favorite question: At 24, what do you know for sure?

that there is sooo much more to know. (so very “atenean” ng sagot, pero totoo!)



anonymous asked..
what's your perfume?

my nose is really sensitive sa mga pabango.. for everyday, i only like using johnson’s baby cologne, as in yung blue, yung regular. ang bangooo! hehe. tapos pag may mas importanteng pupuntahan, i love baby bulgari. :)



lilith asked..
are you happy/contented with your life right now? (coz sometimes i'm worried whether you're feeling down or not)

before answering that, gusto ko lang mag-thank you. aaw. ang sweet mo naman to be “worried” for me! thank you. and “feeling down” is not something to fear. some of our greatest life lessons are learned at the times we feel down!

yes, i am very much happy and contented with my life right now because GoD is so good and i am so blessed.



beekeetot asked..
what is your shopping philosophy?

if you like it, if you feel the price is right, then go for it.

have your fair share of expensive items and el cheapo buys.

classic pieces like dark jeans or polos are worth spending a lot on.

di ako mahilig mag-fit ng damit, i find it a hassle. (but this is not a good shopping philosophy!)

ask yourself, ‘do i really need this?”



pel asked..
my question. when will you visit me and jc? =)

pel!! naku!! sana, soon!! sanaaa!!



mejas asked..
what should we do for the world to be a better place?

a girl named kate sent me a personal message with a quote she heard on the tv show “boy and kris”..

“everytime you do good, the world changes.”



poinks asked.
uhm la lang, just wanna ask if have you ever thought of parang forgiving yourself for loving a person too much?

beautiful question poinks..

the best way i think i can answer this is one line of angelica panganiban in the movie “a love story”, directed by the great maryo j. de los reyes, and written by vanessa valdez..

“alam mo bang hindi ko pinagsisisihan na pinaglaban ko ang pagmamahal ko sa iyo? kasi nalaman ko kung gaano kita kamahal..”

at least, para sa akin, agree ako sa linya na yun. you will only regret if you held back your love.. pero kung binigay mo lahat, sa tamang tao, at unselfish love yun, there should be no reason to feel bad about it. GoD-given love yun. :)



rainbow asked..
anong brand ng shades mo with white frames na gamit mo sa singapore?

oranges asked..
where do you buy your sunglasses?

ray ban ang shades na yun! gift sa akin ng good friend ko na si toni during a trip we had recently. terno kasi kaming magkakaibigan nung shades na yun, iba-ibang kulay lang. :p



eLi asked..
where do you usually hang out? :D

alabang town center is, for me, the best as in best place to hang out! favorite mall ko din ang powerplant sa rockwell. if not, friend’s houses lang talaga lagi.



anonymous asked..
i just have thoughts about guys moving on so quickly after getting out of a relationship. i feel disrespected when my ex did. i'm happy for him but why so quickly? just wondering.

hmm.. i really don’t know how to answer this question.. but i’ll try.

hilary duff was quoted in seventeen magazine about how she felt when her ex-boyfriend joel madden got together with nicole richie. she said, “i felt disrespected that he moved on so quickly.”

greg behrendt co-wrote a book with his wife, that they called, “its called a break up cause its broken”.

aside from that sharing, hindi ko din talaga alam ang sagot. maybe only those guys who have experienced that situation can explain how and why it happens. :p



tin asked..
what's the best color (dress) for tan girls like us..??

it depends!

if you wanna look crisp and clean, all white is great on tan skin. if you wanna look classic, black and white never fails. on the beach, bold, bright colors are the best! actually, hindi ko alam! hehe. kung ano ang mood ko that day, plays a big part in what color i end up wearing.



anonymous asked..
what's your secret in saving money? (how kuripot are you? kasi i just started working and i really want to save)

anonymous said...
my question is do u manage your finances??? i read in your other blog that ur smart with money...how do u do that??

to do just that! save money! hehe.

i’m not shy about saying i’m really the “kuripot” type. hindi talaga ako gastador in general. kapag kailangan lang, at sa mga tamang bagay lang. my family brought me up that way.

i make it a point to put my money in the bank, sa iba-ibang klase ng account (savings, checking, or time deposit) para may iba-iba ka din klaseng investments.



guia_franco asked..
like you, i'm also a comm major in ateneo. :) how was your college life like? what orgs did you join? where did you usually hang out in school? aside from dr. garcia, who are your other favorite professors?

my college life was very ordinary i think.. carpool to and from school, tambay sa bench during breaks, panic before orals, pila to death para magpa-photocopy ng readings, and pretty much a nerd and dork. :p

di ako masyado sumali ng orgs sa college unlike when i was in high school! but i did do a bit for ajma and acomm.

hang out! nung freshman ako, i was a proud member of the snake pit! my sister sat there kasi. hehe. pero starting sophomore year, nung tinanggal na ang benches sa edsawalk, dun na ako sa bench right outside the caf. di na ako sure anong pangalan ng bench nun. :)

other favorite professors? definitely sir eddieboy calasanz for philosophy of religion! pamatay sa hirap pero worth it! also, fr. adolfo dacanay for theology of marriage and family life. isa pang pamatay pero worth it! fr. nemesio que for philosophy of ethics, dr. queena lee-chua for mathematics, and sir jo-ed tirol for history. if you are a comm major, sir mark escaler is the best (comm theory will never be more exciting!) and so is sir sev sarmenta (kwentuhan sessions were our classes!) lastly, for physical ed, sir jobet morales is the coolest taekwondo mentor.



greenMangoes asked..
give me one irony in life that you can't live without.

love! it can make you the happiest person in the world but it can also make you the saddest person in the world. it is your greatest strength but also your greatest weakness. it is what makes your world go round but it is also what stops your world in its tracks. it is the greatest, most beautiful irony of life i believe.



summer asked..
you seem to be a very simple & level headed person...what is your trait that you don't like or wish to improve?

sometimes, i have a quick temper.. especially when driving. :s



aerol84 asked..
you have been involved in many advocacies. do u see yourself getting involved in politics someday?

tracy. asked..
oh, and have you actually considered running for office? i mean, considering the fact that you have all those advocacies and such..

mhay dela cruz asked..
do you think you have a call for politics?

honestly, i’ve never thought about it until i saw these questions. lagi kong tinitingnan sarili ko as someone na more than willing and more than happy na tumulong sa kung sinumang pulitiko ang may advocacy na pinaniniwalaan ko din.. hmm.. parang hindi ako bagay! hehe. magiging supporter na lang ata ako.. di na yung pulitiko mismo. hehe. we will see!



anonymous asked..
what scripture from the bible do you just turn to, esp in those really, really hard moments in life?

philippians 4:13!! “i can do everything through Him who gives me strength!”



kaRen_myxmatch asked..
what was your thesis in college? :)

a study for a youth-oriented television show that we called “pinoy pop”. my thesis partners were bobby bonifacio and dave corpin. sobrang pinaghirapan namin yun, and thankfully, we got an A. yaaay!!



seallet asked..
why did God allow me(you) to experience a super bad event to happen in my(your) life together with the trauma that comes with it?

for this, let me share with you an recent interview of w magazine with ellen de generes. (by the way, i looove ellen. aside from being such an entertaining personality to watch, sobrang inspiring din niya.)

this was ellen’s answer when she was asked about her childhood dreams..

“i wanted to be famous. i thought if i could find a way to be famous, people would love me. and then you get all that stuff—and i worked really hard to earn all that—and it sounds crazy, but i got the biggest, most wonderful blessing i could get, which was i lost my show, and I lost my entire career, and i lost everything for three years.”

then they asked why she thinks it was a blessing..

“because i got to learn that i was strong enough to start over again. i got to learn how to sit back and watch other people and learn what judgment was and have compassion. and learn that not only was i strong enough to make it in the first place, but i was strong enough to come back and make it again. how lucky am i to have learned that? that took a lot. that's why i look at it as a blessing.”

ang ganda at galing ng sagot niya.


anonymous asked..
my question is... is your surname spelled "gonzalez" or "gonzales"? :)

naku, thank you for asking!! madalas wrong spelling ang pangalan ko. it is gonzalez. thank you! hehe.



eDen asked..
when do you think is the right time to give love another chance?..

“right” time? “another” chance? hmm.. kapag binigay na ni LoRd ang taong tinakda niya para sa iyo, who are we to say “no”, right?! :p



anonymous asked..
three important qualities you think should a TRUE AND LOYAL FRIEND should possess.

respect is the most important. then.. i would say there is understanding, and honesty.



pia adela asked..
i dont know how or if am asking it in a right way....but i want to know your opinion about long distance relationship????


bilib na bilib ako sa mga taong successful sa long distance relationship! case in point, my best friend pepel and his girl pat. they’ve been together for around 8 years, and around half that time was spent apart. ang galing!! they’re meant for each other.



beetledom said...
who is your favorite beatle and why na rin?

i like them as a group!! but i find that paul was the most charming and si john naman ang genius!



anonymous said...
can you give tips on how to get over an ex-boyfriend?! My boyfriend of 2 years and 6 months broke up with me to become a priest. wala man lang akong makitang hint of sadness or pag-aalinlangan from him! I do not know what to do, mababaliw na ko!!!

aaw.. first of all, i am so sorry to hear that.. one thing i know for a fact? advice given sa mga heartbroken is very true, but much, much easier said than done.

actually, what happened to you happened to someone very close to me. and her answer? “i just think to myself that he couldn’t have left me for anyone better.”



agnes asked..
u said u are a 'morning person.' what time do u rise in the morning?

i usually wake up two to three hours before i have to leave the house! kadalasan, 10AM ako umaalis ng bahay to go to work, so by 7AM, i am up! i like drinking my morning coffee while watching tv and going online, exercising, then lounging around again before i actually get ready. :)



nineafter909 asked..
do you believe in 'destiny' and why? do you think you are destined to be with "that someone" you truly love?

i actually do believe in “the one”, very much! pero.. check back with me in 10 or 20 years.. i will let you know kung totoo ang destiny. :p