9 Lessons in 2009

Every year is just a mere page of a book waiting to unfold. This year, I reached a plateau where everything seems the same but when you look back, it was different. I feel like I've changed without instantly knowing it; like I am a different person now. One day, I just felt that snap like I've changed. I felt like I was lazier, crankier, an emotional roller coaster, there are also times that I am better and times that I am worse, but more that that I feel more alone. This is the first of the many years to come that friendships are apart and separate lives are born.

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At first, I attributed this change in me from too much internet usage. I spend a bulk of my day in front of a laptop and my interactions are now in pixels rather than in voices and expressions. Now I know how the computer age can change you without even knowing it. But then again, a lot has happened that made its effect on me. This has brought about highs and lows over the past months. Human as I am, I falter but in time, I got my groove back.

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I want to share my life's lessons in 2009. Extracted from the shambles of the year, I learned, and I learned well. Here they are:

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1. Some things are not worth the rush. We often want things to be done but we lose sight of time. Things do not simply fall in time, they fall in God's time. Great things and plans await us. Just wait.
2. Do what you deem is right for the present moment that will lead you to the future. We don't have to follow the flow of the happy river. Just move even if it's rocky. You'll be surprised of how many fishes will follow your route.
3. Some people are just there to disappoint. You'll have to endure those moments because one moment will not numb you for the next one. Choose your battles. Do not waste your time on petty things but do not allow yourself to be indifferent. Help, as long as you can.
4. The internet is sheepishly evil but satisfyingly good. 'Nuff said.
5. You cannot push something as an immediate concern to people who do not regard that thing as a priority. You will just frustrate yourself of understanding. It also goes out to communication as well. You cannot make them talk to you or hang out if you are not a priority of the moment.
6. "People always leave. But sometimes, they come back." - That's why it's called 'sometimes' because more often than not, they don't. It's only in the sacred space in our hearts that there is an "always and forever". Missing them only means the coming back is worthwhile because when the time is right, goodbyes doesn't mean forever.
7. Never ever give up on friendship. They may wreck your limbic system out of emotions unknown to man, but they are still treasures. Distance, whether space, place or time, is a piece of sh*t, for lack of a better term. Constant communication may be the key but it is definitely not enough. Make time for a physical bond to strengthen the heart bond. Make time!
8. A genuine smile is more often harder to elicit than a mere laugh. People can make you laugh but only a few can make you smile.
9. No one can define the entirety of life and love. What only matters is we live it in its meat and core. Sometimes we tend to focus on the icing that we forget about the cake.

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Live life! Love life! (I meant the latter as a cheer for an upcoming love life not a cheer for loving life! Hahaha! Kidding! =D )

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Happy Holidays!! May you have a fruitful year ahead of you! Thank you for being a part of my 2009 for merely reading my entries and sharing your insights on a couple of my raves and rants.. Hugs and mwah! Have a merry 2009 and a greater 2010!

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Love and Bliss!

Wedding Bliss

Two weddings in a week. Three so far in this year. More to come? Maybe.

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Weddings always fascinate me. I am one of those girls who grew a fondness of the celebration of love and unity as a little girl. Ironically, my fondness did not come from being a part of the entourage. I had been a Flower Girl for several couples, including a bride that I hated simply because she was a fan of my most hated team in basketball when I was a kid! haha! A child's mind is amusing, isn't it?! But generally, I am not totally ecstatic by the thought of walking down the aisle in a gown that itches everywhere, holding a basket of ribbons and flowers, usually the less pretty among the flowers of the entourage, wearing a hair so stiff with spray net that the whole entourage can start a forest fire if were lit! haha! I know Flower Girls of the past can attest to this. Even wearing lipstick is a stress! I always pucker up my smackers since I don't want my lipstick to be smudged or faded. I ended up not closing my lips completely..haha! *Manol!*

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My fascination of weddings started with the wedding reception. We, Pinoys have grandiose wedding receptions. As I kid, I am fascinated with the program itself; by the releasing of doves, bouquet and garter toss and the intermission numbers. As I grew up, I have grown a fondness for words and begun to have a soft spot for wedding speeches. At an early age, a fact has dwelt on me - weddings make me cry. I always regard weddings as beautiful and blissful. The look of the couple on their special day just exudes radiance and pure bliss that seems to envelop the whole crowd. It's that same peaceful feeling you get when you are surrounded by babies sleeping quietly and some, sucking their thumbs. Weddings always place me in wishful thinking. A girl can dream, right?!

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Earlier tonight, attended the Silver wedding anniversary of a family friend. Having 25 years of wedded bliss is indeed a blessing. They were a fun couple and something in them projects maturity in love. Love is always by quality and not quantity.

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They say, there is nothing compared to the early years of love. Last Saturday, I happen to attend the wedding of Don's sister, after much demand from him for the reason that I made their script. (Lame reason..haha!) I was hesitant at first but later on I just said yes, after an "insistent demand" from the brother of the bride-slash-groomsmen-slash-emcee. I went with Queenie, Don's co-emcee. It was my first time to attend alone, with only friends to tag along. I had a great time meeting new friends, talking to them and having a good laugh!

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It was also my first time to join the bouquet toss. At first, I thought they were only joking that we need to grab a rose. I did not realize that the person who doesn't have one, will be the winner. haha! How slow of me! After the toss, a rose slipped through a flick of my hand and I did not mind it. It was a bit later that it has come to my consciousness, if I still have one at all, that I need to get one to be safe. Luckily, the conspiracy against Nang Shine and Lech was on. Every girl has to have one except her. haha! Evil us! I think it was Nang Percy who handed me one. (Thanks again!)

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Came the garter toss- Lech's supposed to be moment. But Don, bantay salakay that he is, grabbed the garter in a bat of an eyelash! Of course, the Beast wanted his Snow White more than anything so if he can't grab the garter, he will grab the one who caught it! Haha! Soon enough, we found the two of them flat on the floor with Don holding the garter for dear life! That literally took our breath away from laughing out loud!

"Victory!!!"

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On top of this all, it was really nice to see the couple radiantly happy that night. I caught up a few glances to them while they were looking at the performers and the slide shows. The look was priceless. If that was the look of love, I would like to have the same in the future. I will. We'll see. Being a softie at wedding speeches, it made me teary eyed when the bride expressed he acknowledgments. It is almost the bride at every wedding who gushes at how much it means to her. What more can a girl ask, that a dream come true?

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Nevertheless, I really had a fun time with the bouquet toss, garter toss and the top-billing "Snow White and the Beast" gibbers! Hahaha! Not bad for my first non-family wedding. Not bad at all!

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Weddings are one of the joys in life and every girl has been dreaming of it until their big day. Yes, weddings are milestones. But we must not forget that life itself is one.

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Love and Bliss Frecklesnoots!

First.

I saw The Time Traveler's Wife last Monday, September 14. It was my first time to see a movie alone. I had a good me-time in a long while. The feeling of watching a movie alone was really peaceful. There were like only 10 of us in the theater that afternoon. Most of them had dates while I am alone, treating myself for I deserve it much. The movie was really good! Not really a must see but it's a breather amidst the stereotype of the movies now. The plot was really unique and it makes you think deeper of what true love is. This movie will make you believe that love transcends time and it really is intensified by absence. I give this a two thumbs up! If you are a hopeless romantic movie buff, just like me, you HAVE to watch this flick!

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Anyways, I have not been writing for a while now. I have been going on practicum clinical duty for my Advance Medical Surgical Nursing 3 course. As usual, I still lack confidence in what I was doing. I don't know if it's the assessment tool that I'm using or my skills are just too amateur. But then again, learning is a process. This is work in progress. I'm glad I am finished with the requirements ahead of the others and I have already submitted the written reports yesterday. I am almost done with the course! Hardwork, discipline and being diligent pays. I am really proud of myself that I was able wo work on this faster than what I would usually do. I loved to look at the 2 folders containing 126 pages of hard work combined that I submitted! Maybe the diligent gene finally broke its dormant state in my body.. haha! Nah...I just want to get this over with so that I could start with my research proposal ASAP. The idea of having my second degree next year excites the best in me!

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I really had a fun time yesterday! Dinner with Graduate School CI, CI-turned-classmates and other classmates was fun! It was my former CI, Ms. Cormary's Birthday yesterday. Since she's our classmate, she treated our class for dinner at Imay's. It was really really really fun! Maybe one of the funniest dinners I have been to. God knows how censored the birthday girl's blabbers were. Hahaha! My Golly! haha! (shakes head!) Those chats were just beyond morals! hahaha! Nevertheless, it was my first time to go out on a dinner like that. All of them were not really close to me but I had a fun time! It's nice to have your former instructors ans classmates and friends now. This graduate school experience is really different for me but it made me better in more aspects than one. I enjoyed it!

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And also, the books that I've been waiting to get from Don arrived already! Yipee! I'll read The Time Traveler's Wife and One Tree Hill: A Heart So True soon! I still need to convince Don to let me pay for them although I know that my efforts will be useless! (Haha!) I also got another one at National Book Store last night. What is with me and my unintentional fate of getting many books all in one day?! I bought the Expanded Medicine Blue Book, which I should've gotten before my practicum duty. Oh well, I will still need it later on. It is only this time that I have this enthusiasm to learn much. If only, I had this when I was in college...Nonetheless, it is never too late.

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Love and Bliss!

A Day in the Critical Care Unit

I would like to tell people how I assessed my fourth client today using the same tool and how I am getting a hang of it already. I would like to tell them how difficult it is to assess a client who cannot speak because of an Endotracheal tube and can only communicate through gestures and writing. But instead, I want to tell them how distressing it is to be conscious and feeling the discomfort of tubes attached to your body, how frustrating it is to try to speak but you just can’t, to try to be understood but could not completely be.

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I would also like to tell people how student nurses can at times be inefficient in the area, how surprisingly; they haven’t completely mastered some of the basics such as abbreviations used in the diagnosis and they still need to hone their skills and time management more. I would like them to know that I saw a seizure episode but I am was sure if it really is. I would like to tell them how we failed to get the air bubbles out of the IV tubing and felt so small after our preceptor showed us a simple trick and successfully got rid of the bubbles in a bat of an eyelash. But instead, I would tell them how hard it is to supervise five students and how big the responsibility of a clinical instructor is. I want to tell them of the pressure that one feels to be always on top of the game, to be always ahead of the others and to impart to them all that you have for them to become better and inspire them to be. I realized how hard it is to make sure you are better than the students so that you won’t feel embarrassed that you are not any other different than them. I want to tell them that I can’t help but think if we were also like that when we were senior students in the area. I would like to tell people that I have also tried to do the trick to get the bubbles out and successfully did. I would tell them I learned something new, no matter how simple it is. I learned.

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I would also like to tell people how I watched a patient die today. I would like to tell them that I was hesitant at first to assert that I would like to try doing CPR up to the point that it was misinterpreted that I don’t want to. I would like them to know that my forearms hurt from Ambu bagging and CPR takes my breath away, literally. But instead, I would want to tell people how I felt hope during every chest compression that I made, how I tried to straighten my elbows and pushed my weight on him and how I watched every quiver of his heart from the heart monitor. I would like to tell them that I saw this client for a month now since I started being a research assistant and I saw how his physical condition deteriorate. I was planning to assess him as my fifth client before he stepped in the line of death. I would like to tell them how hard it is to decide for the life of a young man, a man who has his own story to tell, a man who will leave those stories with the many people who is significant to him. I would like to tell them of the moment when his girlfriend held his hand and encouraged him to listen to her and to fight. I was not sure if it broke everybody’s heart but it sure left a sting on mine. I watched tracings on his heart monitor, trying to decipher what ECG reading it is but I can’t. I don’t know how. All I know is every quiver signifies hope. Every quiver means life.

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Such is life. Lines are not always straight. Poems do not always rhyme. Maybe life is just about shockwaves and quivers because it is not perfect. It should not be. Life would only be perfect if those quivers end up as flat lines, because it is then that we will know, we are in better hands.

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Expect the unexpected. This is a day inside a critical care unit.

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Love and Bliss!

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August 26, 2009

In The Sea of Yellow

Do we really have to wait for death to know and appreciate how remarkable a person is?

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In the light for Former President Corazon C. Aquino's death, I have come to realize that Cory did not do something extraordinary of political strength..She just goes to show that a man of virtue can lead..Yes, she may have initiated democracy but generally, she just kept the value of honesty, humility and spirituality to guide her steps. She really sees to it that when she serves, she gives it her all. She stoops down to the level of people for them to be able to reach out to her so that the people won't tire their necks looking up on authorities. She always thinks of the people before herself..even on the brink of death, because that's what she is, not what she's supposed to be.

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There are a lot of reasons to love yellow, and Cory is one. All Filipinos would definitely agree that she is one remarkable icon in history. Everybody is aware of this tragedy. But have you come to realize that not only this woman, who is close to the hearts of all Filipinos, has been struck by cancer? A man, who is known to all has been suffering longer. A man, who is the Filipino itself, Juan de la Cruz. As inspired by a column of Conrado de Quiros, I agree that a disease has spread in the nation; a disease of filth in its metastatic form. I am still in the state of wishful thinking that our political leaders would rise above themselves and emulate what a true leader Cory was. She was merely a housewife, but she has that willpower and advocacy to run a nation; a nation worthy of calling our own. Now, who could beat that?

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Undeniably, our nation has been so frustrating. Our leaders should hopefully find it in the light of Cory's death to change. We don't need all those facts and figures to appreciate that we can rise. All we need is to see a better change. Evil should be the means for love to come about and rule, and not to dissolve in invisibility.

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So, are we ready for Juan dela Cruz to die? Can we take it?

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Cory has been the epitome of a leader, a woman and a mother. And the sad fact is, she can't be a mother to Juan dela Cruz anymore. It should be us, the Filipino people, who should be responsible for nursing him back to health. The cancer may not be of metastatic filth anymore but a contagious cornucopia of peace, love and faith. Let us fight to save ourselves so that we may call this nation our own.

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Indeed, a lot is to be learned, appreciated and realized in death. A measure of a person can be known in death, on who he really is, in depth. Truly, President Aquino has lived a fair battle. Many wishes to celebrate a day in the year in her memorial, some wants to make a movie of her life, some even wants her to be a saint. What's next? A monument? As I quote Conrado de Quiros, "The only monuments that last forever are those you build in the heart."

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I agree.

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Love and Bliss Frecklesnoots!

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Listening To: Love of My Life by Jim Brickman

A Cacophony of Nothingness

I can barely believe that it had been one whole year that I am a nurse, a professional bum for that matter. Last July 24 marked 365 days of unemployment and career misdirection. Yes, I had made a few bucks with my online shop but nothing close to having a career with my license on hand and at stake.

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Though I am currently pursuing Graduate Studies, I am still constantly bumped by the questions, "Now what?", "What happens next?", "Is this all you can do for a productive time?" Yes, I am a full time student. I usually spend my weekdays finishing paper works due on weekends. But that was last semester. This time, I am quite relaxed with requirements. My current subjects does not require endless paperworks yet. This time, we are more on lectures and paperworks will come towards the end of the semester. The big shebang would be my research proposal for my thesis, which I haven't had a final thought of. I am currently on the pursuit of my 33rd unit. The Masters program has 46 units. That means, I have to finish 2 subjects in the second semester, take my comprehensive examinations possibly in the summer then finish my thesis by October next year. Well, on the optimist point of view, it will be just 1 year more for me to get the coveted MAN degree. But come to think of it. It will be another 365 days of unemployment and bumness.

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You may say that getting a job is the solution to this bumness. But you see, a job as a nurse is not the easiest thing. It's much more easier to pass the boards than to look for a job. Plus, if I stop being full time in my masters, when will I graduate? Let alone another semester? So as much as I also wanted to be one of those hospital nurses, I think I have to be realistic enough and focus in my direction. Although, at times, I can't really help but refer to myself as unproductive. Getting up in the morning late enough not to have breakfast, Plurking, Tweeting, chatting and doing some homeworks. That's my typical day lately.

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I really wanted to do more. But I don't want to make the same mistake again of rushing into things and falling short of a flop. I've learned a lesson early on and have come to realize and accept the consequences. This is where career misdirection # 1 took place. Original Plan: Apply, Review and Take NCLEX.... Evilness: long story..refer to previous blog entry .... Rebound Plan: Take up Masters. Until now, I have not applied for NCLEX. I have placed it low on my to-do list. After all, America is just there; just there preparing herself again, building up bucks, getting ready for me.. (bwahahaha!)

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Lately, my book whore soul has been awakened. Buying books really comfort me. I don't know but maybe this is my subconscious taking her throne. This career stressor has been bugging me and maybe I do need comfort. And what better way to ease it that buying books. I told myself that I won't buy again for this year since there are a lot of titles waiting for me to be read. It looks like I hoard books now rather than collecting them. I just bought 2 titles this week and I may buy another one, or two soon. Hay life! It's really a dog-eat-dog out there! Maybe I just really need a breather even if my life seems a breeze now. Hanging in the air can also be tiring. Thoughts bug your head.

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So this is my life in a year, darlings... Not as productive as others but I can be contented. Though I can't deny that I don't have to rush work since this household's daily needs is sustained, I still want my own career path. I still want my own success. Oh well, one step at a time, right? I always say, I have to finish my Master's Degree so I'll just go straight. Anyway, once I have it, it would be like my all seasons VIP pass to employment. So, let's just wait and see. No rushing.

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Right now, I am a research assistant (career misdirection #2..hahahaha!)... At least it's an additional compensation for me. I see it as my practice job..hehe! Giving your all, satisfying people... and all that jazz!

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Yes, the future is super scary for me but I'm definitely looking forward to it! Hopefully, by this time next year, I'll be blogging about my ramblings and complaints on how tasky thesis writing is. Because hopefully, it just means I can finish and graduate in October 2010.

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P.S. Congratulations to the Angeli Illuminati Christi for having a 100% passing rate in the June 2009 Exams! The results were released on July 25, exactly 1 year and 1 day after we got ours.

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Love and Bliss Frecklesnoots!

Weekend: L.I.F.E. in a Nutshell

This was one of those giddy, flowy and just plain good weekends I had. And as the hours unfold, I found myself inside one of those cartoon tents in which it's just an ordinary thing outside but impossibly big inside wherein it's close to a palace already. (Seen it?) I felt like that was my Saturday and Sunday, ordinary routine but I had a glimpse of what I think is the entirety of life, as we know it.

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• L.- Love and Lost

Last Sunday was a family and friends day. Apart from not having enough sleep that night, I had lunch with Kai and Queencie. Kai was home for the weekend for the burial of her lolo, and evil as I am, I immediately thought that we should meet up, for old time's sake.. hehe! And we did! It was a lighter and happier mood this time, unlike the day she left for Manila that I felt like our eyes were wells of tears! haha! This time, we were in our usual crazy-happy mood catching up on little details of our topsy turvy and as much as I don't wanna say it, separate lives. =( It swells my heart reliving moments like these. We had quite a lengthy chat about school, friends, life, love, lost, and a little gossip won't hurt too. hehe! Speaking of lost, how can one thing be lost if not yet found?! Well, Queencie had her share. hihi! Now, it's safe to say, that 4 Royalty Girls are very much single and available! haha! Hmmm...makes me wonder, maybe the royal standards are just too high that "commoners" can hardly stand it... hahahaha! Love is what it is, darlings.. We just have to put extra value in it to make it secure and worthwhile.. Right, girls? haha!

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After our short lunch date, I went home so that we could get ready to hear mass. Afterwhich, we had our usual Sunday Eat-outs. It was kind of a different mood while we're eating. We talked about fun and a lot of different stuffs that night; school, work, modus operandis, the 1920's debut we attended the day before, and even another botched up wedding (tsk tsk). See? Life is about love and lost here. I just love my family and friends. They are my home. Boyfriend? Coming soon... (hahaha!)

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• I.- Imperfection Intervention

Human as we are, we're dressed and stuffed by imperfections. Over the last week, I was annoyed by someone and this person's habit of being so indifferent on things of important concern. And I am not the only one who had felt the offense. I talked about this thing to persons whom I can seek affirmation and/or validation regarding my reactions to this, and more or less, they agreed because they have also experienced it, same person and not. What we agreed upon is that we had never understood why that person acts that way and a big block is that the reason was never always verbalized.. Oh well! Whatever. And as we talk about the "love that was lost", we also agreed that he needs to find himself first before he could go on. Bottom line, we need change. We cannot be just who we are because we may not be aware that we are already pissing someone's head off! Change for the better, darlings...

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• F.- Finding Happiness, Enjoyment and Meaning

Almost anyone will agree that life is only worthwhile if you are happy, enjoying and finding meaning in everything. I has happy this weekend, I definitely enjoyed and everything almost had its meaning. Although, there are just some things quite irrelevant and pointless but you can;t help to find meaning and enjoy it. My Grad School classes were good last Saturday. We had no class on Advanced Statistics to start off. hehe! I was also kinda surprised myself that I think I grew an interest in Research. Our Research class was really good this time, simple but to the point. And as usual, classes with Ms. Junsay are a blast!

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After class, I got home and got ready for Fritzie's Roaring 1920's debut party. (see video here) It was a fun, fun, fun party! Probably the best one I've ever been too! Almost everyone was in their 1920's attire, including us of course. If I has known that the prize for best costume is an iPod Shuffle, I should have stepped it up.. haha! It was also my first time to wine and dine on the fullest of a full course meal! Chef Gene Gonzales prepared the super sumptuous meal! (He's the one who cooked for Juday and Ryan's wedding) I loved the main course , Beef Steak with Truffle best! The dessert was merengue with berry glaze and Ylang Ylang cream sauce. It was my first time to taste a flower! haha! Delish! Smells good too! Each course was served with fine wines shipped from Manila. The Torrontes and Moscatel (award winning one) were stocked out and served there. So, those wines cannot be found anywhere in the country but there at the party. Nice! I think I've had 4 little rounds of 3 different kinds that night. The food really does taste good if paired with the perfect wine. I just wish I was a wine monster so that I could drink more. haha! I also loved the program. There was a service and a small coming out ceremony at the beginning. I absolutely love when the family danced the Tango! I was also fascinated by the dancers who did the Charleston. A lover of all things old and classic, that was my kind of party! Whoever said money can't buy happiness is correct. But money can definitely buy enjoyment, a whole heap of it!

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• E. - Expect the Unexpected

We went home after the party that night. And as I went down the stairs, something happened! haha! I slipped and fell down a step or two! Gosh! haha! Must have been the wine?! hahaha! Even as I stood up my feet were crossed! haha! A couple of guests saw me, but who cares?! People fell down stairs always! It's not a one-in-a-million sight! haha! But my brother has that disgusted look on his face! boo hoo! The morning after, I saw a bruise on my hand. Bruce, my bruise is back! hehe! Luckily, not with Willis.. hehe! (When I had 2 big bruises months ago, my brother named one of them, Bruce and my friend Don, named the other one Willis. haha!)

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There were also a lot of unexpected things in the quest of this "godly" degree! (rolling eyes) We were supposed to have our health assessment activity in the Emergency Room for a month but our instructor changed our area. I was supposed to be assigned in the Medical ICU with Eunice, my classmate who is also a staff nurse there but she was 'unexpectedly' called for a training in Cebu. At first, I expressed that it's kinda weird and sad that I'll be alone there. "Ahay, ako lang to ya isa? Alone ko ya?"...Then she went "Gaga! ara to si blah blah, etc., etc."... (me with a fake sad face) "Ti sige na lang eh! duwa na lang kamo to" muwahahahaha! So she just assigned Jelai with me. hehe! Talk about manipulation! haha! Joke!

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Another thing unexpected that afternoon is I kinda have a job and I have no choice but to say yes. For Ms. Timay, it was not an offer, it was a command! haha! "Nagay na da! Indi ka na kapangindi!" So, I am now a research assistant. Such an etchos job title! All we just have to do is interview the respondents using the tool of the researcher. The compensation? 100 pesos per hour! haha! Happy times! Now I have the money to..... hihihihi! It's just a sideline but it's worth it since I will also be at the Medical ICU doing my stuff that time and the respondents will be the significant others of clients in the ICU. It will be just like getting paid while killing time..hehe!

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So, that's L.I.F.E., as my weekend presents it everyone!

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Enjoy life and just be happy. Just be.

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Love and Bliss Frecklesnoots!

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Listening to: Let Me Be Your Wings by Thumbelina

Store-bought Memories

Being a bum at home, has left you no choice, has it?! I just don't like wrong timings. Well, being called over to our store is always a wrong timing. hehe! I don't know why I haven't grown affection to manage that little nook in Calle Real. Since I was little, I was really hesitant to go there and help out even if it was summer days. The only consolation I had before was extra money. haha! Well, maybe because we are not obligated to tend the store, unlike some of my Chinese classmates, who until now, does some tasks around their store. I, particularly, have been pushed (or is always pushed) but not obligated.

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Right now, I am the go-to man to close up the store if ever my parents had to go early. I always froen at that thought. I don't like it. I never did. (Oh God! Why do I feel like my Grandma will kill me for saying this! haha! Pls., don't pop out of your picture in the altar and stranggle me here.hehehe!) Being here at home most of the time has left me no choice. For every time that I am called up, I feel like I am frantically recalling how to liquidate the cash registers! (Read here to remember the story. It's on the bottom part.) I hate how I always sneeze when I'm there because of all the dust in that tiempo betamax of a place! Simply put it this way: I have not grown affection to our business.

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And so, all I do there is sit at Mama's chair and wait until the cashiers are ready for liquidation. And while I sit, either I read the papers or go treasure hunting in Mama's drawer. I have grown a fascination on bundles of pens because of it. When you get to open Mama's drawer, you can see a lot of pens! Different ones, all from different brands and sources. The last time I dug in there, I brought home a CD Marker. haha! I always toyed with those pens, checking if they work, checking if what color it is or just simply look at the designs and brands. hehe! And since it is very hot and humid in there, I prefer to stay inside where I can have the electic fan all by myself. And suprisingly, hearing the wind blow right though your ears can be nice and refelective. Now you know how bored I am! haha! Another thing that I caught myself doing is riffling the notepads in the desk. (I had a hard time Googling the term 'riffle' until I got it right! haha! Don't know how to describe thumbing through the pads.) It can be pretty amusing though. hehe! Well, wierd as I am, I always thumb through my paperback novels and smell them, so the notepad isn't an exception. I didn't smell it though. Imagine the dust! It would kill me!

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I also hate it when people think you've got no problem with money just because you're Chinese or because your business had stood up a name because it is one of the oldest establishments in the City. I hate listening to every word of it! And besides, I was raised thinking I haven't got all the money in the world! Heck! I don't even manage a bank account or an ATM. But, I like money, I just don't like doing store business with it. haha!

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On another light, there are still things worth remembering. When I was still in Hwa Siong, our store has been a safe haven for me. As long as I get there after dismissal, I know I'm OK. Not to mention the unlimited supplies for school. I never experienced going school-supplies-shopping. All I do is "call and they deliver." haha! School stuff has been always within reach for me, and that alone has made my life easier. I also remember a time when we got a hang of eating merienda after we got out of school. Mama has them ready when we got there. Then the three of us, together with my sister would crowd the button booth inside our store then pig out right there so that the clients and agents wouldn't see us and more so, wouldn't disturb us. haha! Our "menu" would run from a simple bread to meat rolls to burgers and even sweet, chili and saucy chicken wings with rice and drinks! Thank God for Jolibee! haha!

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As I sit there in Mama's chair, I remembered all these things. Being there is not so bad after all. I'm the COO of the store, for crying out loud! I should learn to love it, right? (gag. gag. puke. gag. haha!) That evening, I didn't expect Mama to hand over my "consolation". She gave me extra cash. Haha! I feel like a little voice in my head was saying "ooohh...i like..." and the child store helper in me was quite awakened. haha! But it still doesn't erase the fact that I don't like it there, most especially if I am called and not needed, even if I am the COO. haha!

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and P.S. COO is not Chief Operating Officer, it's more like, Child Of the Owner...hahaha!

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On another note, it has been almost a month that I haven't blogged. It's hard to be idle for a long time. It's like words have to be warmed up in order to get out of your brain. Nevertheless, its good to be back! Hello blogosphere!

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Love and Bliss! (I almost forgot to place this. It has been a looong time, indeed!)

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Listening To: If We Hold on Together by Diana Ross!

The Meantime Girl

She’s the one you call when you’re bored because she makes you laugh. She’s the one you talk to when you’re feeling down because she’s willing to lend an ear and be a friend. She’s not the one you call when you need a date to your company’s Christmas party, or to go dancing with on a Saturday night. She’s the one you spend time with between girlfriends, before you find “The One”. You know, the one who you keep around in the meantime.

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She’s not one of the guys, not a tomboy, but you don’t look at her as a “real” woman, either. She’s not bitchy enough, moody enough, or sexy enough to be seen in that light. She’s too laid-back, too easily amused by the same things your male buddies are amused by. She’s too understanding, too comfortable – she doesn’t make you feel nervous or excited the way a “real” woman does. But she’s cool, and nice, and funny, and attractive enough that when you’re lonely or horny and need intimate female companionship, she’ll do just fine. You don’t have to wine and dine her because she knows the real you already, and you don’t have any facades to keep up, no pretenses to preserve. You’re not trying to get anything of substance out of her. She’s not easy, but you know that she cares about you and is attracted to you, and that she’ll give you the intimacy you need. And you know you don’t have to explain yourself or the situation, that she’ll be able to cope with the fact that this isn’t the beginning of a relationship or that there’s any possibility that you have any real romantic feelings for her. It won’t bother her that you’ll get up in the morning, put on your pants, say goodbye, and go on a date with the woman you’ve been mooning over for weeks who finally agreed to go out with you. She’ll settle for a goodbye hug and a promise to call her and tell her how the date went. She’s just so cool . . . why can’t all women be like that?!

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But deep down, if you really think about it (which you probably don’t because to you, the situation between the two of you isn’t important enough to merit any real thought), you know that it’s really not fair. You know that although she would never say it, it hurts her to know that despite all her good points and all the fun you two have, you don’t think she’s good enough to spend any real time with. Sure, it’s mostly her fault, because she doesn’t have to give in to your needs – she could play the hard-to-get bitch like the rest of them do, if she really wanted to. But you and she both know that she probably couldn’t pull it off. Maybe she’s too short, or a little overweight, or has a big birthmark on her forehead, or works at Taco Bell. Whatever the reason, somehow life has given her a lot of really great qualities but has left out the ones that men want (or think they want) in a woman. So she remains forever the funny friend, the steadfast companion, the secret lover, and you go on searching for your goddess who will somehow be everything you ever wanted in a woman.

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She doesn’t captivate you with her beauty, or open doors with her smile. Mainly she blends in with the crowd. She’s safe. She doesn’t want to be the center of attention and turn the heads of everyone in the room. But she wants to turn someone’s head. She wants to be special to someone, too. We all do.

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She has feelings. She has a heart. In fact, she probably has a bigger and better heart than any woman you’ve ever known because she’s had a front-row seat to The Mess That Is Your Life, and she likes you anyway. She obviously sees something worthwhile and redeeming in you because although you’ve given her nothing, absolutely no reason to still be around, she is.

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found this in Nang Maane's blog several months ago. I just forgot to post it everytime..hehe! I loved this post. It's so in-your-face! haha! Oh well, I'd rather be a meantime girl than a good time girl...

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Love and Bliss!

Mixed Mondays

I don't know why I feel so emotional today. I just do. (Hormones?! I really don't know!) Nevertheless, I feel like I can't contain my emotions, they just flow out..These things depict my mind, heart and soul now...

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• Weddings almost always make me cry.
• Watching the Judy Ann-Ryan wedding made me cry and swoon and get envious
• I love the above mentioned wedding. I think it topped Lea Salonga's in my list. But I still love Lea singing her wedding vows
• "And if life should come to just one question...Do I hold each moment true?...no trace of sadness..always with gladness...I do." I love lea Salonga!
• I just got misty eyed by merely reading Flora's blog entry about her sister's wedding. It was just a short entry describing the place and how they also teared up. And I don't even know her sister! It was just beautiful. Love is.
• I am in a sing-song mode
• Beautiful Girl by Jose Mari Chan made me nostalgic
• "afraid for love to fade before it can come true..."
• "so close to reaching that famous happy end..almost believing this was not pretend..now you're beside me and look how far we've come..so far...we are..so close..."
• Wedding Dress by Matt Nathanson which was featured in last weeks OTH episode
• People Always Leave (in all its matter and form)
• Thinking of Chad and Hilarie leaving One Tree Hill makes me teary eyed. I'm getting sentimental over the friendships that I formed because of One Tree Hill and primary because of "Leyton"
• I am excited and anxious for tomorrow's season finale..I hope they get a decent send-off.
• books..
• love songs...
• being solitary
• envy..
• rainy day thoughts...
• paperworks...unlimited paperworks..
• deadlines
• limits...
• yesterday's medical-surgical-dental mission..view photos here.
• life path and career...
• love and lost..
• excitement..
• confusion..
• aniticipation...
• I wanna feel how it is to be IN love...
• (sigh..) (sigh...)

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So looking forward to tomorrow's One Tree Hill season finale!! I'm so glad I finished all paperwork due this week! whew! what a relief! I only got 2 more left. I'll see if I can start with one tomorrow.

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Love and Bliss!

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Listening To: Angel by Kate Voegele

Happy Day Tag-- Day 7& 8

super late post....

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DAY 7 .

I was in Bacolod for the baptism of my cousin's son, Dennison Clyde..He was such a cutie baby! He smiles and laughs at everyone. Ambok-ambok!! I attended his baptism as his godmother. The other godmothers and godfathers are their families and friends also. A pair was a mutual friend of my mom's since they are the supplier of Pilot products..hehe..As usual, Bacolod is fun! It's really fun to see and catch up with relatives. I only knew that afternoon, that my cousin Kitchie arrived already. We saw each other that night. She was the center of the family's grilling about her boyfriend. haha! We went home the next day.

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DAY 8 .

Last day of the Happy Tag post..It was a Tuesday. Tuesdays are One Tree Hill days. This is the episode before the season finale which would be airing next week. Lucas and Peyton got married!!! And I was crying the whole time when Haley read the prediction box until the end of the ceremony!! I cried again when Lucas said "Peyton Scott"...Awwww! I love this show!! It's only sad to know that Chad and Hilarie won;t be coming back next season...Just knew about this last Wednesday...tsk..tsk...I hope that Mark Schwann and the other writers would give them a proper send off next week! But still...Nothing's gonna be the same... (People Always Leave)

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So that's the end of it..8 Happy Days! That was a rather crazy week with paperwork deadlines screaming at me. But nevertheless, I finished them all and all I am left to do now is my take-home exam, a reflection papar and a research paper...I can do it all by the 20th.

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This is a good tag. Sometimes, I can only see darkness in my days but this enable me to puch myself and see the light. As I post happy thoughts here, I am affirming that life is indeed good!

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Love and Bliss!

Happy Day Tag-- Day 5 & 6

DAY 5

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The comedy happened late night..Pahabol! haha! Jam Jam, my brother's best friend slept over at our place. That afternoon he told me that he can perform pranic healing on me.. He knows how to. I am really fascinated how it works..with all the aura and chakra thingy. However, I was not able to be "healed" since I was still doing my homework when we was ready to begin. Instead, my brother took my place. It was really funny seeing them! hahaha! Jam Jam was doing this aura sweeping while trying to hold his laughter! hahaha! I was just on the computer trying to hold mine as well! JJ was also laughing! hahaha! So from the middle of the short session until it was finished, the three of us are holding our laughter. My stomach was already hurting!! haha!

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DAY 6

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Today was Mother's Day. Aside from being sooooo happy to have a great mom, another comedic stunt was done by the boys! I love these kids! They really make me laugh every single time! We had our lunch at Emilion (Grand Dame Hotel). This lady, who was allegedly the grandma of ther classmate, who owns the hotel, was the center of the bruhaha. The boys and Papa were arguing this lady's persona. The boys were saying that she is the grandma of their classmate but were not sure which side of the family. They said she saw her at their friend's house when they used to go there. Papa was in disagreement and claimed that she is just a look alike. This issue kept popping out at random moments during our meal. Until it came to a point that the boys betted against Papa. The bet was, whoever loses will scratch the winner's back for one day! haha! To confirm the issue, Papa asked the waiter. And....dun-dun-dun-dun...He lost the bet! hahaha! The boys were laughing at him! haha! He made the boys greet the grandma, since they won anyway! hahaha!

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I was so full of my lunch. I even got dizzy after the elevator stopped at the 2nd floor then went down again at the ground floor. To found out that, my brother pressed the elevator button at the second floor since they used the stairs going down! grr!

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Nevertheless, today was good. I haven't continued my paperworks but I am optimistic. I have already finished half of the bulk for the following week. Tomorrow, I'll be in Bacolod for Dennison's baptism. I'm gonna be his fairy godmother..hehe! So that means, minus one day for work. Still, I have to finish all of my requirements by May 20!! I have to be in that family vacation!!! See you Cebu and Bohol!!!

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Love and Bliss!

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Listening To: One Voice by Billy Gillman

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May 10, 2009

Oh Happy Day!

H-A-P-P-Y.....HAPPY!!!!!

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Today is Tuesday and I am soooo happy!!! I was just smiling the whole day from morning till this very moment. If all days were and will be today, then I have no problem of it AT ALL!

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This morning, I learned that my One Tree Hill book arrived at Nong Don's already! I was still in denial for like 2 seconds or so since I didn't knew he ordered it already! Waaaahhh! I let out a silent brain scream for like 30 minutes! AAaaaAaahhh!! Had I not browsed through Barnes and Noble, I won't discover this real treat!! I'm sure it will be just pure eye candy when I can get hold of it soon! My mind was practically a scrambled egg that time! I was thinking of some tasks to browse on and alongside with it was TV Tuesdays and my books!

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What better way to celebrate a book than to get another one! Last night, Kai and I also ordered online (after browsing and drooling over a lot of sites that afternoon!). I was supposed to get The Second Summer of Sisterhood and Girls in Pants by Anne Brashares for a step to complete my Sisterhood series. But, the Girls in Pants was already sold, so I just settled with the second book in the series instead. It was hardbound..hehe! This noon, Kai already cashed in for it so that it can be shipped. I'm expecting it tomorrow.

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Today, is also TV Tuesdays! Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill, my love, came back from another hiatus. I was happy...plain happy....Today's episode were not totally eye popping great, but the story was on. I love One Tree Hill's genuineness in friendship and relationships! I almost cried in the first 15 minutes of it! haha!

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I went to school at 5 pm for our supposed to be initial meeting on Advanced Medical Surgical Nursing 2 with Mother Queen. Turned out, we went out for a pizza and pasta at Piazza! I don't know if she informed some of our classmates that "plans have changed"..hahaha! Royalty Girls day out! We rode the Royal Car as she said! haha! We talked mostly about school stuff there, confidential or not..Rnjoyed every moment of it!

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After the "liver refill", she dropped as off at SM City. I decided to drop by at National Bookstore so I can check a book. What better way to top 2 books in a day than to buy another one! haha! I bought James Patterson's Sundays at Tiffany's. My impulsivity was on today. I felt like reading it as soon as I get home but I haven't since it was already getting late when I arrived home. While I was riding the jeep home, Mama called me that we will go to SM..so I went home, then went back again! haha! She bought me yellow sandals. YELLOW!! At first, she wanted the purple one but my eye was stuck on the yellow. It was so candy-ish and yellow-y!!! So, I got what my eyes wanted. Yippee!!!!

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Today was just a happy day! No problems, no hassles...Just pure bliss!!!

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MUCH Love abd Bliss Frecklesnoots!

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Listening To: There's a Kind of Hush by The Carpenters

Man VS. Beast

Encounter # 1 : Dog

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I was dropped by our car at home after class. I got down carrying my schoolbag (I was in Elementary then.). All of a sudden, the neighbor's dog got out of their gate! As a kid, it was normal to be terrified of a dog, even if you are twice his size, more so, a running dog! So as I stood beside a parked car, the DARN dog chased me! And as dumb as I was, I ran frantically around the parked car as fast as Flash could! Actually, both me and my sister was chased but she had a little brain more that I did so after 1 round around the car, she directed herself to the car that dropped us and hopped on. So what about me? I ran around the parked car again! Yeah...I was chased by a dog ans I ran around the car...TWICE!!! And so they say your perception becomes wider in mild to modern anxiety! tsk, tsk...I got dumber instead!

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Encounter #2: Frog

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I am terrified of frogs. I have this feeling that if I come near them, they will leap at me and stick their eew-ey slimey jelly skin at my exposed body part! Yuck! And so, I had several encounters of this beast. First up: I was in high school. It was just another school night when I went in our gate. I was one of the last ones to enter. But as beast luck gets to me, I was the only one who saw a frog sitting with their usual stance at the step of a stair. It looked at me like I'm the vulnerable taget and it was ready to leap. Shit! My heart pounded so hard similar to my scream! It was big. It was a toad I think. It was a yellow frog with streaks of green. It was just simply a monster! Yellow's my favorite but not on this one. I dispise it! OK, so on with the story. After I screamed, it was just then that the others notice that a beast was at the stairs. I won't go up. I can't. I feel like crying by the mixture of fear and of getting off guard. So Papa went up then covered the DARN frog in the corner with his foot so that it cannot leap. But I won't go up still. "No! I won't go up! You might kick the farog toward me when I go up!"...Aahhh...Fear..It really gets you vulnerable. The solution? Trust. I just gathered every strength of my leg muscles to sprint up the stairs so that I could escape the beast! I did.

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Encounter # 3: Laboratory Frogs

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All of us had that nasty experience of having to find a frog or toad for next day's Biology class. Lucky me, I was not assigned to do it. I refused to! So that day was exciting and jerky! It was not as if frogs will be leaping everywhere from beaker to beaker but the mere prescence of frogs alarmed me. Our frog was so little, the can of sardines is practically a palace for it. haha! Emil's was a toad. A big, huge, pregnant toad! They were working beside our table. I jerked everytime a group screamed because their frogs leaped. The horror! I was not at ease for the whole period. But luckily, no frog got me that day.

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Encounter # 4: Rain Toad

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When it rains, it pours. It pours beasts! You notice that frogs show up when it rains? I was in Janiuay for an on-call duty in the RHU Delivery Room. It started to drizzle when we were called that someone was in labor. We ran from the staff house to the Heath Center. We hurriedly put on our unifors then zoomed. We were laughing since we haven't gotten over such craziness of having to put on our scrubs over our clothes , leaving such a mess in the staff house. Then all of a sudden, Queencie screamed! I was behind her when a toad leaped over her foot while running! Luckily, I heard her and my gut instinct, told me to jump! I saw it. I saw that DARN toad! It was big! But it did not touch me...harharhar! After we arrived at the RHU, I was catching my breath! I didn't know if it was from the rush of dressing up, the run or the toad! haha! You can read the original story here.

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Encounter #5: Mother Rat

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Of all beasts, I am terrified of rats the most! They look so sneaky with pitch black, tiny shiny eyes and those thin whiskers, the dark skin, their little pink beast ears, their quick feet and their long pink whip-like tail! The horror! On goofy days, whenever I see a rat sneaking and running in corners, I always imagine a cartoon sound effect just like in Tom and Jerry. haha! A suspense sound when they stop and look around then a quick music whenever they continue running. This happened one sunny morning after I woke up. When I went outside, I was greeted by a topsy turvy house and loud screams. Our house was a mess! They rearranged the boxes and furnitures so that it will serve as a maze and a trap. I pitched in a few ideas while staying on top of the table. I feel like the chair is low enough for the Mother Rat to reach me. Heck! It looks like a cat! I had a funiture moved and placed 2 fly catchers in the end so that the rat will be directed to the sticky trap. The darn rat won't stick! The trap is too weak for its feet. It just jumped over it and ran to our living room! While the rat was running, all of us, all 6 of us in the house was screaming on top of our lungs and finding a higher ground to climb on! The Ultimate Man vs. Beast experience! I was still on top of the table screaming and trembling! I saw my shorts quiver as a result of my trembling feet! I was really really scared of the mother rat! mother effin' rat! It nearly gave me a heart attack! After which, I transferred to a table beside our aquarium carefully stepping on chairs and not touching the ground. They rearranged our sofas to make sure that the rat cannot escape. But we weren't able to find it anymore. It didn't squeak anymore but we are sure that it was just somewhere there. Then..dun-dun-dun-dun...I saw a long tail under the drawer table! I screamed! The rat was there! Apparently, the drawer had a haloe and it managed to cling there! The rat has a brain. But it still is a BEAST! They poked the table with a broom and the rat fell down and ran. Of course, people on the ground were climbing on chairs! How are you supposed to catch an effin' rat if you're even afraid of it?! haha! That's why this is called Man vs. Beast and man is going down! And so, the rat escaped under the sofa and off to a corner of the house. Who knows where its mouse hole is?! Racumin, here you come!!

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Encounter #6 : Plain ol' Rat

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This was 2 Sundays ago. This is what I meant from my previous blog entry. I was quietly reading a book when I heard a rattle from the blinds. I heard this same rattle the night before when I was about to sleep but I didn't mind it. I thought it was only the wind though it's strange since the windows are closed. When I looked up, I saw a head looking at me. Waahhh! A rat is peeping between the blinds and it is looking at me! I felt terrified I moved the box container away from the blinds so that the rat can't fall there and I transferred to the other bed to observe the rat. Eventually it went away. Darn George Graham! (My brother names the rats George Graham) I turned off the lights and went to sleep. Minutes after, my brother went in the room and talked to me while lying in his bed. Then, there came the rattle again, I screamed and said that it is a rat. We both got scared. After which, I tunred my back and saw the effin' rat on top of the plastic in the box container! (you can see the blue plastic later in the video) Waahh! I screamed, ran bast my brother in his bed and went out the room barefoot! He just called out my name confused as I ran out of the room! haha! Luckily, I did not step on my brother in the sofa bed or knocked his swollen cheek! I went out and sat in our living room. I'm not going back there. I'm not sleeping with a rat! I don;t care if I've got no slippers on. I'm going to sleep in my parent's room. But then, I realized I was about to make Shoti drink his antibiotics so I have to go back there and get the meds.

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My siblings got a fly catcher to place in our room. After they went in, I also did and grabbed everything on top of my bed, put on my slippers and grabbed the meds. I went out. I left the putting off of the aircon since and placing the trap to them. My heart was still thumping. I watched Eraserheads: The Final Set, their last concert, while hearing their plans inside the room. 'Twas good to watch..hehe..brushing up on my pop culture. After a while, I took a peek in the room. They suggested it was good to take a video of the darn rat slipping through the blinds. So I went out to get my phone. I was such a clumsy schmuck that when I handed my phone over, my entire forearm was stuck in the fly catcher they my sister was still holding. I had no choice! I had to peel it off as quick as possible and get off that room! Shit! Nagpilit pa ko! Of all things unexpected! I got out and cleaned my arm as they went on to place the fly catcher. haaayyyy.... Mapatay ako!

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Hazel: This is Man vs. Beast and man is going down! Shoti: No! I'm the beast! (haha!)

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This was the video! It's a bit blurry since my phone is bulok! Just wait for the rat to come out the blinds... Give some credit to the darn rat because rats spelled backwards is star! (yuck!) I was not there when they got the video. That will explain why there are lesser screams.

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I am not afraid of dogs now. But don't you ever play a prank on me involving frogs or rats! I will not forgive and forget you for doing such forever! Please...Please...I beg of you...

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Love and Bliss!

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Listening To: One Friend by Dan Seals

diary of an internet hiatus survivor

I AM ALIVE!!!!

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I took an internet vacation for a week as a sacrifice for the Holy Week. It has been almost a year now since the internet has become a staple in my daily routine. More so, it has become my daily routine! After the June boards last year, I have been hooked. I can sit all day in front of Mig, my laptop, which by the way, has a new anti virus installed (yippee! ). I can just sit all day and marvel on the power of the internet! There's just a lot to do here! And so, I decided to give it up for the Holy Week. Didn't do much to be good, so I figured sending Mig for a week-long vacation will be a treat for him.

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OK, OK...I cheated..twice...but just hear me out..I did not use the internet for fun reasons, for direct fun reasons to be exact. I only used it for sofware downloads.

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So we start on last Sunday afternoon. I went on Plurk vacation and logged off all my accounts.

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SUNDAY: went to mass at 6 pm; had dinner; read Veronika Decides To Die by Paolo Coehlo; stopped because I saw a rat peeping on the blinds; went on a rat chase at midnight (this almost made me die more than not using the internet. Story coming up.)

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MONDAY: woke up at my parent's room (I won't sleep with a rat!); made sure my room was rat-free; read Veronika Decideds to Die; turned on the laptop because my brother has to burn some movies; automatically signed in Yahoo Messenger as setting; signed out immediately after; watched some videos Shoti was watching in the net; told myself to get away from there; got away and took a bath, continues reading; backed up some files on the hard disk; burned the movies; downloaded Nero; watched evening teleseryes; snoozed (ZZzzzZzz...)

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TUESDAY: downloaded another burner; tried to figure out which program is better in burning; tired of figuring out, I downloaded Nero; burned a movie in the software I downloaded earlier; Burned two in Nero; finished Veronika Decides To Die; sent Mig into a forced vacation; watched evening teleseryes; slept!

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WEDNESDAY: started on The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold; wondered what to do the next Monday since I was not able to get my class schedule; texted a couple of people; watched American Idol; went to a general absolution service; had dinner at Al Dente (really wanted to eat steak); decided to order Lasagna but I cannot find it in the menu. The menu seems to point out beef and chicken to me leaving out seafoods and pasta. (Have you ever had a time where whatever or however you focus on something, things just have a mind of their own to point you to temptation. This was it.); ordered Herbed Chicken instead which made my Iced Tea taste funny; laughed our asses off when Papa's dentures broke in half!!!! hahahaha! he even repeated what I belted out and sang "Maria" from the West Side Story and posed for a photo with a "pogi sign" on!! (loser sign placed laterally below the chin) tsk, tsk!; slept with a full stomach!

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THURSDAY: read The Lovely Bones; watched 7th Heaven Marathon; ate chocolate sundae from Jolibee; went on mass; went to buy groceries; watched American Idol; cried after Scott McIntyre was eliminated; stuffed our room fridge with ice cream and ice candy; wondered what to do on Monday; watched Bride Wars on DVD (see..this is the indirect fun of the internet...hihi!); ate ice cream; had a lot of "Shoti teasing"; slept.

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FRIDAY: woke up late; continued reading; watched Charlie Chaplin films (The Circus); took a bath; watched 7th Heaven Marathon on TV; went to mass; thinking of going online on saturday or sunday, watched A Very Special Love and You Changed My Life on DVD that night; still laughed on the same scenes after watching the first movie for the 3rd time! snoozed...ZZzzzZzzZ....

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SATURDAY: finished reading the book; went to mass; bought chicken inasal for dinner; had a lot of shoti teasing and grilling; still on a dilemma when to go online; laughed our guts out when Shoti misheard "5th taste" as "50 first dates" and when after the laugh and explaining, still Papa had no idea what is happening! ; made some purchase invoice for the store; laughed my liver off when Shoti was asked what was the fruit that leaves a violet stain (Lumboy). He answered Pintoora, the bubblegum, with ALL innocence!! and when we laughed off, he suggested another thing with ALL innocence! Chiki nene!!! (hickey) wahahahahaha! that was when my liver bled! ( full story coming soon!); decided to finally log on to the internet. DONE! (It was Easter anyway.)

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That was what I did without the internet. Either way, I am a bum! haha! Well, surprisingly, it was not hard for me to stay out of the online zone. Maybe I have matured enough to develop that sense of discipline in me to just focus on the need and not on the want.

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Still, it's not the meatless diet, internet hiatus or other sacrifices we do. Most importantly, it should be the Spirit of God that will grow within us.

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Happy Easter Frecklesnoots!

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For an Easter treat, I tweaked my site. You can now see what I've been reading and what movies I've seen lately. More fun will be added soon!

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Love and Bliss!

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Listening To: The Closer I Get To You By Roberta Flack

how to know if you belong in OUR Uy Family..

Nothing...nothing...I just thought of sharing some queer facts about our family

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Here are 50 fun facts in random order:

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.1. Our mothers are such "bowel freaks".. I mean, they will drink up almost anything just to make sure they have regular elimination habits. (With a history of colon cancer? Can't blame them!)

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2. All of us have seen at least 4 family members playing Mah Jong.

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3. All family gatherings will involve playing Mah Jong, one way or the other.

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4. When bored, and there is one free table, you play tulod-tulod using the Mah Jong set.

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5. Some family members are good herbal advocates. Some of them even eat fresh herbal leaves off the plant!

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6. You know where to find Eduardo's Casino...

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7. Guys in the family are good beer and/or wine and/or whiskey drinkers.

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8. They will go ma-oy afterwards!

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9. Guy drivers are mostly "road monsters". We almost always have a heart attack when they drive along with reckless drivers. (It's apparent..Uy..Ma-oy!)

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10. When there is a gathering, you will almost always catch 1 or 2 family members taking out left over foods or goodies...(haha! si a-e gid syansi diri!)

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11. A family picture will take you almost 30 minutes to gather all people in one spot and almost an hour to finish taking pictures of each family and of the whole.

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12. We always take over almost the whole space in a photo.

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13. Every picture-taking session involves the four sisters and four brothers in separate.

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14. If you're lucky enough, you will have a copy of them in a jump shot!

(And yeah, they cannot synchronize their jumps, ever!) .

15. A few girls in our family have upper lip hair.

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16. They say, our mothers have the same big booy-ons...haha!

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17. They always mention the "senior citizens" and make fun of them..

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18. People often forgot the letter 'S' in words where it should be. (ex. scallop, Starbuck)-- --why do i recall yoo--isss--eeee at this moment?! hahaha!

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19. People say words with the letter 'S' where it shouldn't be. (ex. Coks!)

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20. They always fight who will pay the bill. (The Rule? When you're in Iloilo, Bacolod money is not allowed..When you're in Bacolod, Iloilo money is not allowed...When in America, Pinoy money is not allowed...Or, they can always get sneaky and pay the bill first before the other does!)

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21. Boyfriends go through Tito Bert's grilling...(sakto?! haven't had this one yet! haha!)

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22. We are all self confessed cry babies!!!

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23. All soul's day, Christmas, New Year are the most fun family gatherings

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24. Birthday parties will always have a fun theme

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25. Last 2006, almost everyone was in Iloilo almost every weekend from Dinagyang to my debut party to Mama and Papa's birthday up to Micay's graduation. That's 3 months in there!

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26. The cousins want the four sisters to ride the roller coaster together and just laugh about it. They are afraid of riding one!

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27. You know who is 'Sipil', the night owl in the family.

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28. You anticipate that A-e will have something to bring for everyone (which involves candies to polymer clays!) at some point in time or in a gathering.

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29. One person remains as the game master every New Year games.

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30. You are positive that there will be at least 2 family members that are just too damn funny to play the games!

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31. Ra-ra Girls!!!

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32. You know who are the family shopaholics.

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33. Family vacations never fail to excite you!

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34. That one summer in Buro-Buro gave you bad sunburns that suntans rule all the bridesmaids' backs in Achi Angging's wedding!

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35. Some guys in the family have foot fungus. (We think fungus runs in the blood of the siblings! haha!)

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36. Most of the cousins are working abroad now.

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37. We are a family of medical people; from nurses to doctor, to medical technologist, occupational therapist and physical therapists!

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38. Remembered one time when we talked about founding a hospital. They joked about Vic Vic as the receptionist! Mani-Pedi?? Foot Spa?! (haha!)

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39. There will always be a lot of catching up to do every family gatherings.

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40. Wacky family photos will always, always be funny!

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41. Our family always walks in FAITH!

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42. You are excited for the June Wedding of Ahia Anton

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43. Speaking of weddings, we cannot just forget that our gowns smelled of cigarette smoke and why is such, during Vic-Vic's wedding! haha!

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44. The cousins all had pah-kah-tseng moments with Angkong.

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45. You have a family tie with an authentic pak-kha (lotus feet).

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46. Balikbayan boxes always contain chocolates, bags and cosmetics, without a fail! Bath and Body Works, anyone?!

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47. A couple of the sisters were once a fan of Nora and/or Vilma! haha!

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48. Everybody gathers around when its Open-The-Balikbayan-Box Time! And they just start grabbing...and grabbing...and grabbing....little did you know, you found you pasalubongs for friends in the arms of a Tita or Tito..(Micay?? hahaha!)

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49. You have wished for a grand family reunion/gathering.

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50. You will make sure you will be there when that time comes.

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So, do you BELONG?? If yes, If yes, i'm sure you have something to add here! feel free!! let's ma-oy together!! haha!

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Love and Bliss!

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PAHABOL UPDATE:

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51. You know who to ask for techie help in the family.

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52. There are 3 Dennises in the family. (It's automatic to attach the last time when mentioning one.)

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