A Life in Bloom

My Daily Lunch Dates

2009-11-11T21:52:00.001+08:00

I do not know what came into Joniel that when I visited their office this morning, he was taking photos of himself! And since we rarely have photos together, I ~~requested~~ forced him to let a student take our photo. And since we are inside Ces’ office, we also requested that a photo of us three shall be taken. Here’s the result:

Joniel frequently stars my blog posts, basically because we see each other daily and he usually accompany me when I need to shop during weekdays. He is a batch mate of my cousin and was one of our Peer Counselors. He is one of my most favorite gay friends because he is gay. LOL!

And there’s Ate Ces. DH got my number from her. Haha! I love her to bits and aside from Wes’, her shoulders are my crying shoulders. After Wes, she was the first person I talked to when I learned about the condition of my second baby. She cried with me that day. But aside from sharing my sorrows, she has been sharing my joys too. And I have always been an admirer for her strength and faith. She rarely complains despite of the pains that she has been experiencing.

And this is her office. On her small table, five of us share our lunches five days a week. There’s DD and me, Ate Ces and her DS and Joniel. This is where we talk about trivial and important things alike, share secrets and even funny anecdotes like the one experienced by Ate Ces’ husband abroad while asking lady for the cheapest Outer Banks rentals last month. If only this table could talk!

They’re just two of the many wonderful friends that I have at the university. Aside from my desire to work for and with the youth, another reason that drives me to report to the university everyday is to be with them.

P.S.
It’s a Wednesday, which is our students’ wash day. We (Joniel and I) took advantage of it and declared the day as our jeans day. :p

Saturday 9 on a Sunday

2009-11-08T23:20:00.001+08:00

Saturday 9: Be True to Your School

1. What was your favorite subject in high school? English.
2. Do you watch reality shows? Which ones? Sometimes. Pinoy Big Brother.
3. What's your favorite all time reality show? Pinoy Big Brother, I think.
4. Do you feel "reality" shows are real or are they faked? I don’t really care. Haha!
5. What did you look like when you were a teenager? Slimmer with longer hair.
6. Whose advice do you listen to? My husband’s.
7. How often are you sick? Too often. :(
8. Do you like or dislike change? It depends on the change.
9. How many times in your life have you had a broken heart? What’s that? LOL!

The Sloth Survey

2009-11-08T23:13:00.001+08:00

1. What is one thing you’re supposed to do daily that you haven’t?
:: Sleep early. Yikes.

2. What is the latest you’ve ever woken up?
:: 10 AM.

3. Name a person you’ve been meaning to contact, but still haven’t?
:: A childhood friend, Sarah.

4. What is the last lame excuse that you made?
:: I am still sleepy.

5. Are you a regular latecomer in class or at work?
:: You betcha. Haha!

6. How many times did you hit the snooze button on your alarm clock this morning?
:: No alarm clock here.

7. What’s one thing you’re supposed to do today but feels like postponing on some other time?
:: Help my parents find a good home alarm systems but we prioritized attending Jose Joaquin’s baptism today so it has to wait. :D

Thanks Mai!

Tomorrow…

2009-11-08T23:09:00.001+08:00

… will be the State of the Region Address to be delivered by a high-ranking official in the nearby province. However, since the regional office is based here in the city, obviously, the SORA will be held here! As always, we expect heavy traffic because many VIPs will be arriving to grace the said event. Thus, I need to sleep early (but that is not possible right now) so we can leave early and avoid traffic.

Anyway, it’s a brand new week and I am optimistic! Few days more and it’s December! I can’t wait!

Bob Ong Books

2009-11-08T22:52:00.001+08:00

While our husbands were talking about basketball and cars and Ferrari parts (all alien to me), Marijo and I talked about her collection of Bob Ong books. It was a nice discovery for me because I never knew that she’s into Bob Ong. I asked her who influenced her and no surprise here, it was our friend, Raquel. And because she (Marijo) has two copies of the Macarthur, the unopened copy was given to me! Yay! She willingly lent me her copy of ABNKKBSNPLAko? which I began reading once we arrived home. And boy, it is one hilarious read! Hilarious and true, like what Marijo said.
I can’t wait to finish it very soon and start the Macarthur. And since DH will be leaving for Davao next week, I already asked him to buy me all the Bob Ong books (instead of me using up my GCs from Trin! Haha!)

Jose Joaquin’s Day

2009-11-08T22:22:00.001+08:00

Today is a special day because we welcomed Jose Joaquin to the Christian world! He is the first born of our good family friends, Marijo and Joel. The rites began a little after 10 AM and it was followed by a sumptuous lunch which we all enjoyed. We opted to stay late, even after almost all of the guests went home. It was a great opportunity to take photos of the little boy who was asleep most of the time! Marijo and I hope to schedule a pictorial for Joaquin. Good for me because I can get to practice. Haha!

Anyway, here is a photo of us at the church:

Bingay, your family is the only one missing! :)

Stylish but Cheap

2009-11-03T09:55:00.001+08:00

Now that Halloween is over, I know that many of us are getting ready for the next big celebration and that’s Christmas! Have you made your list? Took out the holiday decors from the storage? What about picking a pair of Holiday Fun Eyeglasses to complete your Christmasy look? I just checked out the New Arrivals at Zenni Optical and here’s one that caught my fancy:

I love the color and it’s unique design! Say goodbye to your boring and plain eyeglasses and say hello to fun and stylish $8 Prescription Zenni Glasses!

How To Live a Life of Miracles

2009-11-03T09:40:00.001+08:00

Last night, I began re-reading Bo Sanchez’ How to Live a Life of Miracles. I can’t really remember if it was I who bought it or if it was given to us by a good friend, Laurence. But nonetheless, I love how Bo reminds us how abundant miracles are in this world if we are only open to them and make a choice to be aware of them. Moreover, he stressed that everything that we do and say affects us and the world, thus we can choose to bless or curse, to be proactive or reactive.

I like how Bo make things like this understandable and simple. His preaching are somewhat inspirational and practical. And not to mention amusing. :)

Thank You, Ma’am Alma!

2009-11-01T12:47:00.001+08:00

During our stay in the host school of the inter-school meet, we (my boss, myself plus a student assistant) were accommodated by one of our university professors who retired last year. Ma’am Alma, as we fondly call her, is such a sweet and nice person to let us in her house and stay there for five days without charge! She even stayed up late at night to wait for our arrival. On the last night, more staff arrived to witness the socio-cultural contest and guess where they stayed for the night. At Ma’am Alma’s place, of course.

Talking to her is a breeze. She understood our complaints about how our delegation was accommodated by her alma mater. She even sympathized with us when our contestants were not treated and judged fairly. She fed us with sumptuous meals and provided us with beds and pillows to use when we got tired.

She shared to us that the host school and her alma mater approached her and offered her a teaching post but after two weeks, they talked to her saying that they are having problems with her social security claims so they had to let her go. We don’t believe them but we feel for her because she is such an inspirational person and we know that she can positively influence more students given a chance. Thus, she is an invited facilitator and speaker during our graduating students’ retreat. They having her around, talking to her. She taught Religious Studies when she was a professor at the university and many were inspired by the way she taught them.

To say that we are very grateful for her kindness and generosity is an understatement. She is one of the kindest persons who stepped on our university’s grounds. We pray for her long life and good health. We pray that she won’t be doing any disability appeal because she deserves to live a good and comfortable life for a long time.

Thank you, Ma’am Alma, for providing us with a shelter and a kind mother during our stay there. See you very soon!

A Surprise!

2009-11-01T12:32:00.001+08:00

A friend is planning a honeymoon trip to anaheim next year so as early as now, he is already looking for the best deals on transportation, destinations and accommodation. Only the best for the love of his life, he says. It’s a surprise which he will divulge during their wedding reception and his future wife will surely be ecstatic as both of them love to travel. In fact, they met during a trip to Hong Kong three years ago. I am very excited for them and I hope that they will have a fun-filled honeymoon and a blessed married life.

Cheers to A and E!

Friends Understand

2009-11-01T12:23:00.001+08:00

One of my daughter’s classmate is said to be manifesting some of the adhd symptoms. In class, he is hyperactive, inattentive and finds it difficult to focus and sit still. Following instructions is tough too. His mother complained to me that her son is not using the particular notebooks for assigned subjects, thus, making reviewing notes more difficult both for the mother and child.

They have already brought the kid to a specialist who affirmed that indeed his is a case of adhd. It is unfortunate that some teachers fail to understand his situation. Indeed, there is a need to educate, even our educators.

One night, our daughter related a story about the boy who started a fight with another boy. She complained that this boy seemed to be quarrelsome. What my husband advised her touched me. He said that this boy is not like them and that he is a special kid. That is why she (my daughter) and her friends and classmates should understand him. At her age, I do not know if she understood what he said but every time she complains about the behavior of this kid, we remind her that he needs understanding because after all, they are friends.

De-Stressing, His Style.

2009-11-01T12:12:00.001+08:00

Someone’s honorarium increased and he promised to sponsor our office’s Christmas party this year! Woot! Being a food lover and a generous person, our boss never fail to share his blessings to us. Birthdays and other events are always remembered and celebrated. He usually surprises us with treats whenever there’s an event, or when he receives a bonus. But unfortunately, eating is also his coping mechanism. And just like me, he is carnivorous! He used to follow a strict diet which made him lose weight but it’s impossible to achieve now, even with the aid of best weight loss pills because eating has been his de-stressor. Our work load is quite heavy and aside from that, he is also taking up a doctorate degree during weekends in Davao City. And when things get tough at work and school, what does he do? Eat! He hopes to finish his degree next year so he can have his life (and ideal weight) back.

Gregarious

2009-11-01T11:48:00.001+08:00

Your Friendship Style is Gregarious

You love being with people, and you find it easy to make friends.
Hanging out with your friends gives you a real charge, and you tend to be busy every night of the week.

You enjoy interesting conversations and shared activities with your friends. Your motto is: "The more the merrier"
While you love your friends, you don't love it if they put demands on you. You don't think that friendship should be about obligation.

You and an Empathetic Friend: Are get along best one on one. Your Empathetic Friend loves talking about your social circle but may feel left out when the whole gang is around.

You and another Gregarious Friend: Are a perfect match. You've finally found a friend who's as outgoing and fun loving as you are.

You and an Independent Friend: Are well suited for each other. You don't put too demands on your Independent Friend, and your Independent Friend finds you fascinating.

You and a Philosophical Friend: Are pretty different. You're high energy. Your Philosophical Friend is more cautious. You'll have to meet in the middle and learn from one another.

What's Your Friendship Style?

Blogthings: Discover the Parts of Your Personality that Have Been Hiding

Free Shabby Blog Stuff

2009-11-01T11:27:00.001+08:00

I feel that there is a need for me to revamp my blogs. Hopefully, I can do it very, very soon. There are various free templates for bloggers out there and many of them I find nice. Here’s a recent find and if you’re into shabby things, you will definitely like them: shabbyblogs.com. They don’t offer templates but backgrounds, blinkies and other stuff that you might find useful for your blogs, whatever platform you might be using. Most stuff were made by Corina Nielsen, Christina Renee and more so you are assured that they are nice and very pretty.

Happy blog redesigning!

Worth the Wait

2009-11-01T11:21:00.001+08:00

The year is about to end and I am happy to report that most of our plans materialized this year. One of our biggest accomplishments is being able to go on a vacation, just the three of us, and enjoy each other’s company. It was not as grand as an orlando vacations (maybe in the years to come) but what made it very memorable was it happened when we celebrated our anniversary plus the fact that we have waited for this vacation for three long years. Finances was not the problem. It was time. My husband’s work is very demanding and his schedule is very unpredictable. Even weekends which were supposed to be his time for us were not spared. That’s why when we finally found time and the opportunity, we grabbed it and scheduled a trip to Davao City. We hope to do more family travels in the coming years so we save, save, save!

Coloring Fun for Kids

2009-11-01T10:50:00.001+08:00

My daughter enjoyed a week of semestral break. As advised by her classroom adviser, I allowed her to just enjoy the vacation and did not require her to review her notes nor practice her penmanship (a chink in her armor actually). We allowed her to watch her favorite DVDs and Disney Channel shows. She was also given unlimited number of hours to just play, read her books, do art and more until she gets tired. And while I was browsing the web for an effective antivirus software, I stumbled upon a fun site that offers various coloring sheets for free. There are hundreds of images and themes to choose from and my daughter was overwhelmed by the choices I presented to her. Here’s one of the many that she chose:

She surely enjoyed working on her Nemo coloring sheets. Next in line are the Care Bears, she said.

Fond Memories

2009-11-01T10:27:00.001+08:00

November 1 is a special date for Filipinos. We usually honor our dead on this day. Many of us usually go home to our hometown to be with our loved ones and to visit the graves of our beloved dead.

My fondest childhood memories include spending time with my grandmother, brothers, cousins, mom and aunts at the public cemetery, visiting the graves of our grandfather and uncle. We usually go there around mid-afternoon bringing with us flowers and candles. Vendors abound at the entrance of the cemetery and we are usually given money to spend on whatever food and stuff that caught our attention. We bought popcorn, peanuts, soft drinks and juices. There were plastic balloons, paper dolls, toy cars and even toy car accessories. Our parents, being parents, usually complain about that. But our grandmother, being a grandmother, financed our endless trips to the vendors’ stalls. We ate and play and talk while the adults talked about adult stuff. When the evening comes, when we were full and got tired of our toys, we usually gather around the lighted candles and gather the melted wax which we turn into balls of wax.

Those were the good old days and I miss them. The remains of my uncle and grandfather were transferred to the memorial park, where my grandmother’s remains are. The place isn’t as crowded as the public cemetery but going there isn’t fun anymore. And it’s not because there are no vendors. There are plenty. It is because we have all grown up. Some of us are now working in big cities. And our grandmother already left us.

I miss those days filled with fun and laughter and love. I miss being with my family and relatives. I can never bring back those times, I know. But I am keeping those happy memories in my heart.

Sunshine Plata: Filipino Coffee Painter

2009-11-01T10:07:00.001+08:00

Resourcefulness and creativity is very natural to us, Filipinos. So it’s no wonder when our very own, Sunshine Plata became famous to the world as the Filipino Coffee Painter. She claims that the subjects of her art are products of her dreams. Many of her master pieces were already sent to London and Canada for viewing. Moreover, she already did some one-woman exhibit featuring her works of art, plus a coffee painting workshop for young and old alike. Two of her paintings were even bought by Ripley’s Believe it or Not!

Kudos, Sunshine! Thank you for making us proud!

P.S.
Get to know more Sunshine Plata and her unique art by visiting her blog.

Sunday Stealing Meme (11/01/09)

2009-11-01T10:00:00.001+08:00

Sunday Stealing: The Strange Question Meme, Part 1

1. What is the color of your toothbrush?
:: Purple and white.
2. Name one person who made you smile today.
:: My daughter.
3. What were you doing at 8 am this morning?
:: Having breakfast prepared by my husband.
4. What were you doing 45 minutes ago?
:: Instructing DD to take a bath.
5. What is your favorite candy bar?
:: Twix.
6. Have you ever been to a strip club?
:: Nope.
7. What is the last thing you said aloud?
:: To DD: “Go, brush your teeth.”
8. What is your favorite ice cream? How to choose?
:: Old fave: Coffee Crumble. New fave: Double Dutch. Yum-o!
9. What was the last thing you had to drink?
:: Water.
10. Do you like your wallet?
:: Very much. It was a gift from Mark (one of my brothers in-law) two years ago.
11. What was the last thing you ate?
:: Rice, luncheon meat and salted egg with tomatoes.
12. Have you bought any new clothing items this week?
:: Nope. None yet.
13. The last sporting event you watched?
:: I was at an inter-school meet last week so I saw a lot of sporting event! There was basketball, softball, lawn tennis, table tennis and badminton.
14. What is your favorite flavor of popcorn?
:: Cheese.
15. Who is the last person you sent a text message to?
:: My husband.
16. Ever go camping?
:: Yeah, during my elementary days.
17. Do you take vitamins daily?
:: Yup. My resistance is weak and it seems that I get sick quite often. Do you think I need to consider getting a health plan from bcbsnc?
18. Do you go to church every Sunday?
:: Yes, when I can. But being sick like today, I only catch Sunday Mass on TV.
19. Do you have a tan?

:: Nope.
20. Do you prefer Chinese food over pizza?
:: Absolutely!
21. Do you drink your soda with a straw?
:: Yeah.
22. What did your last text message say?
:: From me? Asking my husband to buy me ascorbic acid plus a loaf of bread.
23. What are you doing tomorrow?
:: Probably go out with my family and visit my relatives’ grave (if I feel better). Or stay home if I still feel sick. I hope it’s the former.
24. Favorite color?
:: Pink.
25. Look to your left; what do you see?
:: A wall.

Under House Arrest

2009-11-01T09:28:00.001+08:00

Someone is on house arrest today and that is me. :( Like what I mentioned on my previous post, I have been feeling sick and today is the worst day so far. Aside from a clogged nose, I am also coughing and have difficulty breathing, no thanks to my asthma. We were supposed to visit my relatives’ graves and stay at my parents’ home but due to my condition, we have to stay home. *sigh* Hopefully, this day’s rest will let me recover so we can go out tomorrow.

Good Bye Kurt.

2009-10-31T22:37:00.001+08:00

Today, we attended the burial of a cousin’s first born. The baby named Kurt just celebrated his first birthday last month but due to his congenital heart problem, he died last Wednesday. I feel for my cousin, his mother. I know that she and her husband did their best to take care of their baby. They even got him an affordable health insurance. His maternal grandma, my aunt, even planned to bring them to another city for a short vacation today but then, it was his time to go.

We pray for the repose of Kurt’s soul and we thank the Lord for the time He has given us to to love and care for him.

Upgraded Bejewelled Blitz

2009-10-31T22:24:00.001+08:00

I promised myself that there’ll be no more Facebook games for me but when I saw the new Bejewelled Blitz, I can’t help but try it. I like the new look plus the chance to gain the points from the remaining power ups once the time is up is nice. Even the graphics when you achieve certain high scores were improved

I guess that revamping the game is a wise move to make people play it again. I, for one lost interest on it some months back. ! So in this case, change is definitely good. I bet that no one missed the old Bejewelled Blitz!

I was Missed?

2009-10-31T21:28:00.001+08:00

Being away for relatively long is not a good thing for the house in our family’s case. I came home to a house that seemed to have been devastated by a typhoon! Toys and books and clothes were everywhere! Even the bed was unmade and I can only guess that it has been that way for three straight days, no thanks to a father who doesn’t know how to make the bed before getting up and to his daughter who acts and behaves like her dad. Even the garage floor was not spared. There were traces of spilled iced tea and juice plus bits and pieces of papers, some leaves and flowers. I had no energy whatsoever to deal with the mess so I just cleared the other bed of the clutters and slept. I am grateful that our laundry/ cleaning lady arrived today and put things back to order again. And aside from that, she also helped me gain back my sanity. Haha!

Upon my arrival, my daughter and my husband said that they missed me. And I believed them. They missed having someone ordering them around to clean up after themselves. Right, Babe? Haha!

Blabbers.

2009-10-31T20:57:00.001+08:00

After being away for almost a week, I finally reported for work this morning. I was late because I got up late too. I was feeling a little bit under the weather since yesterday. Good thing the boss asked for a half-day rest for all of us who went to the inter-school meet yesterday. But then, we had to report this morning because classes for the second semester will start on Tuesday. Thank God for a long weekend which will allow us to get more rest. However, I have a long list of tasks which I must accomplish. It’s not that I am complaining ha. :)

Happy Saturday evening!

Ready for the Holidays?

2009-10-30T19:35:00.001+08:00

What comes next after Halloween? Christmas! Surely, most of you are already preparing your gift list and searching for nice christmas cards to send to your loved ones and friends. I feel guilty for preparing these late in the past years but I hope to do better this time. By next week, I will come up with a list and schedule my shopping. Moreover, I will make sure that friends and relatives will receive their Christmas cards on time (and not on Valentine’s Day!).

Speaking of Christmas cards, have you noticed that they too, have evolved? Many online sites are now offering affordable personalized Christmas cards. You can choose to have your own wordings and even place your desired photos or pictures. Of course, you are still free to choose your desired style, be it angel or Santa Claus and more. The possibility is endless! Moreover, the instant preview feature lets you see your design as soon as you choose it. So easy, right?

I am actually thinking of getting my Christmas cards from an online shop soon. I can design one but printing can be expensive. With online card shops, bulk orders is cheap without sacrificing the quality so I get my money’s worth.