If there’s one thing I am quite vain about, it’s how I smell whenever I go out. Emphasis on “go out.” :D

I usually don’t wear cologne whenever I run, the mixture of sweat and heady scent of cologne just don’t sit well with me. Same with staying at home. Deodorant and baby powder usually do the trick. Besides, I can always take a shower whenever I wanted — or when my husband begins to complain about me starting to smell :P But going out, that’s a different story.

I have a variety of colognes and body sprays that litter our toiletries shelf. The scent I wear usually reflects my mood or activity for that day. I’m partial to fruity, chocolate, candy, and subtle floral fragrances. Too strong, it’ll make me dizzy and very uncomfortable. I guess that’s why it’s no surprise I preferred Benetton Giallo over the other perfume for women from United Colors of Benetton Colori 2010.

Described as sparkling, vibrant and radiant, Benetton Giallo had this fresh, fruity smell I like. A bit flowery, subtle enough to wear all day without making me dizzy. The dry-down has a hint of musky vanilla, but still very feminine. I tried it on when my husband and I went out on our weekly date — I think he liked it… A lot :D

Benetton Giallo is actually just one of the four new fragrances that United Colors of Benetton recently unveiled. Two for women, two for men. Each came with corresponding colors translated to scent. Benetton Rosso, red. Sexy, lively, and warm. Benetton Giallo, yellow. Sparkling, vibrant, and radiant. Benetton Verde, green. Energetic, natural, and strong. Benetton Blu, blue. Fresh, airy, and infinite. A 100ml bottle sells for Php1,350 at Beauty by SM in SM Department stores.

I just love the yellow one :D Which one is your scent?

I’m not complaining (well, not much, anyway), as this indicates that our home business is doing better. But still… I can’t help but long for the hours when we got to spend a lot of time during the day at home together, and the lunch or dinner dates of “just because” occasions. I am a woman, you know. I may be very practical (sometimes even to the extent of being called “totally un-romantic” by my friends), but sometimes it’s hard not to be lonely here at home even with our hyperactive Shih Tzus running about. Work stress, topped with occasional bouts of loneliness, hasn’t really been good to my temper during the past few weeks.

Our friends can attest to this: my husband is as practical as I am… and probably even more “un-romantic.” :p Just think of it this way… I got Facebook flowers instead of real ones for Valentines’ Day, because, as he said, “it’s the thought that counts!” But he does leave me surprises (like tangible surprises) every now and then — that’s my Marc for you, he can be quite unpredictable. I was feeling cranky last Monday, so many things to do and Marc had to ask me to be the one to feed the dogs their dinner. Imagine my excitement when I saw that little black box lying innocently on top of the dogs’ food container.

Jewelry? No, it’s not what you think.

It’s a Timex Ironman Triathlon watch!!!!!!! WEEEEEEE!!!!!!

I’ve been hounding Marc for weeks to get my own watch. I borrowed his sports watch during the recently concluded Neutrogena fun run, and it really helped me a lot in pacing. He never really thought the watch would benefit me much as I don’t really wear watches on a regular basis. I usually just depend on my mobile phone for the time. But the Neutrogena fun run proved to him that a sports watch, especially with an interval timer like the one he just got me, would help me a lot in improving my running performance. And since my husband is a sports freak… Well… He got me my very own Timex Ironman Triathlon (50-Lap Full) sports watch!!! I just love the color, it matches my cyan/black/silver Adidas Ozweego running shoes perfectly! :D

Did you really think it was jewelry in the box? I wish! Hehe :P Thank you, hon!!! :)

Last Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia, my husband Marc and I ran for a cause that we truly believed in: The National Geographic Earth Day Run 2010. The price tag per distance category is quite steep (more expensive than the other races we’ve ran), but it’s NatGeo! What can I say? I’m a NatGeo fan girl! :D

The proceeds of the NatGeo Earth Day Run 2010 went to DAtE (Design Against the Elements), “a global architectural design competition meant to find a solution to the problems presented by climate change.” I’m not sure if it was on TV or something I’ve read, but from what I remember, contestants in this competition are to design a prototype to be used in a planned eco-village in Taguig. The design must be able to withstand the effects of climate change — an example would be the recent typhoon Ketsana, which submerged practically the entire Metro (our house included! hehe).

I guess the idea that the recipient of the run’s proceeds was a competition aimed to prevent another “Ketsana tragedy” made this run close to our hearts. It was a run that we just had to participate in. There was a “cheaper” run held the same time as this one, the Earth Day Run at the Fort which benefited Greenpeace, but there was something about DAtE’s specific cause that made us opt for it (not to mention the fact that hubby and I are both NatGeo fans!).

True to its “earth” cause, paper cups were used at the water stations. One thing though… I wished they didn’t keep the water running at the cool-down shower provided by a Manila Water truck. It just kept dispensing water! Call it a pet-peeve, but it really irritates me to see water running ceaselessly. I’ve lived 26 years of my life in Blue Ridge where water didn’t come easy (we had to use a pump to get water, as the hilly terrain of where we live caused water pressure to be so low). Seeing water wasted like that just annoyed me. There’s nothing wrong with providing the best for runners (the shower was a nice way to cool down), but hopefully next time, they can find a device that will allow the water to run only when needed, like a switch or something. Wasting water like that (in the middle of a drought, no less) just didn’t sit well with such an “earthy” cause.

But overall, it was a fun race. I ran at a slow pace on the 3km route as I couldn’t afford to go all out. We participated at the Tail Runners Metro Dog Run the day before, and we’ll be running next week at the Greenfield City Sunset Run 2010 (who else is going? Hubby and I are both doing 5km). I forgot to bring my iPod, so I got to listen to the people around me. And yes, they all seemed to be having fun :D

I’m definitely going to watch out for the progress of DAtE. Who knows? The competitors might actually come up with something that we can all adapt to make our homes climate change-ready!

But it wasn’t so bad. Really.

It honestly feels good being able to contribute in saving energy resources — even if it was just for an hour. I guess I stretched the statement a bit and turned off more than just the lights — I unplugged even the electric fans and computer equipment. I’m home all alone, so no one complained. I’m all sweaty with a brand-new bruise on my knee (I didn’t see the chair blocking my way to the front yard), but I feel great being able to take part in the Earth Hour cause.

Maybe it made a difference, maybe it didn’t. Maybe we’d still run out of resources no matter how much we try to save. Maybe I’m just too optimistic. But hey, nothing’s wrong with hoping. And yes, some effort is better than none at all.

My finishers’ medal! 5km run at the 2010 Condura Run for the Dolphins

Moving on… I’m proud to say that I started 2010 with a healthy progress: I finished 5km for the first time ever, and that’s without using my inhaler! Not even once :)

I was tempted to sign up for the 3km run when my husband first told me about the Condura Run for the Dolphins. I’ve already completed 3km at the Globe Run for Home 2009, so I knew 3km was not impossible. But for some reason, I heeded that insane idea and signed up for the 5km run. I had about a month of preparations for that run. And though I wasn’t that confident, I knew I could always just walk it off when the going gets tough. To my surprise, I completed the race in 45 minutes and 5 seconds… without the inhaler :D

It’s not much for seasoned runners, but it was a huge milestone for me. I’m asthmatic, and though I now have a reasonable control over it, it still acts up sometimes. A 5km run would have been insane to do had I ran it in December and not on the 7th of February — I’d probably end up again with an oxygen tank hooked up my nose. The month-long endurance training and encouragement from my husband Marc paid off — I completed 5km, and I could still breathe normally enough to join Marc and our friend Juned for breakfast after the race.

So after that I went back to running 3km, the next one being the Century Tuna Superbods Run. I clocked in at 24 minutes and 15 seconds. It’s my best time at the moment, and such a far cry from my awful run at the recent Unilab Run United for Wellness where I finished at an embarrassing 32 minutes and 7 seconds.

I miss running at the Marikina Sports Center race track :(

My awful performance at the Unilab run doesn’t falter my liking for running a bit. I don’t blame anyone but myself: it’s the exact same route as the Century Tuna run, and yet I felt tired due to lack of sleep and training. I have to admit I totally relaxed my training before the race — my husband and I joined travel bloggers for a trip to El Nido for five days exactly a week before, and it was hard to get back in sync after losing my running tempo to lazy afternoon naps on a hammock and binging on chocolate bars, pork, and buttloads of rice :P I’m far from getting discouraged; if ever, that awful Unilab run was a wake-up call. I resolved to do better next time.

Trying to get fit isn’t easy, I know that now. I’m not as young as I used to — and I’ve been so out-of-shape for the past 3 years that my body needs to start from beginning. I don’t hope to get back my endurance when I could still run a 50-meter dash in just few seconds, and jog across the full length of a basketball like I did when I was younger, but I do aim to complete fun runs at reasonable times. And maybe, just maybe… the half-marathon run (21km) at the Singapore Marathon in December. I dream big, I know that! :P But you’ll never know unless you try, right? Besides, I still got about nine months to prepare :D

My husband and I will be running at the upcoming Globe Run for Home 2. I’m still doing 3km, and I’m aiming to beat my disappointing time at the first Globe run last year. Hopefully, this will be my last 3km and I’ll finally be able to move on from beating my own time at this event :P

Coach Rio Dela Cruz showing the 3km route for the Globe Run for Home 2

It will be challenging though, there’s going to be a different race route for the Globe run this year. I’m quite excited really, because for the first time, I’ll be able run within Makati CBD. Not that I want to do that during rush hour — I don’t want to get trampled upon by office folks rushing to their buildings during work week. Makati will be peaceful on a Sunday morning, but it’s still an experience I look forward to :)

I honestly can’t believe that the Globe Run for Home 2 will be my fourth fun run this year… and it’s only March! Having a competitive spirit at least once a month isn’t so bad — it keeps me on track, albeit my 5-day moment of weakness in El Nido. What I’m loving most about running is the feeling of being stronger, and free of being so dependent on my inhaler. I still keep it around, ready for any freak-of-nature bout of asthma, but I haven’t used it in a while — probably since last January 1st.

Running has been good to me. Though this seems to be a sports fad like badminton was a few years back, I think this sport is something that will stay with me. Besides, I nerver really liked badminton much anyway. But I’ve been a runner before — a short-distance sprinter, to be more precise — and running is something that I can grow to love and stay loyal to :P Sounds cheesy, but hey, training for long distances is a commitment — the daily runs, the hours at the gym — it’s not easy, but I’m beginning to love it again. What can I say? I think I’m getting hooked on running once more. Running love, the second time around :P

See you at the next fun run! I’ll be the chubby girl with short hair and a bright green iPod :D

… And we thought we saw the last with Hitler.

I still can’t find the words to say about this. It’s been more than a week since the news broke out, but I’m still in a bit of a shock. The mass murder in Maguindanao was just so horrible, so inhumane. It’s incredible that those who committed the crime felt they were powerful enough to get away with it. Frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if they did. Such a negative thought, I know. But with our screwed up justice system, it’s something you come to expect.

Let’s hope for the best; hope that the victims and their families receive justice they deserve.

This time, it’s different. Because this time, my family and I also needed to pick up the pieces and move on from a tragedy brought about by the destructive side of Mother Nature: Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana).

As you can see in my previous post, our bungalow in Cainta was flooded. But the photos in that post were taken before the worst happened. About an hour after that Marc, my dad, and I were already running on adrenaline trying to save and secure important items before evacuating to a neighbor’s two-story house. Both cars were submerged in the flood — Marc and my dad could only look on sadly from our neighbor’s window, hoping against hope that maybe (just maybe) the cars would miraculously remain undamaged even if the essential parts were helplessly drowning in murky water.

More nerve-wracking was having to leave our dogs behind. We weren’t the only family our kind neighbor took in, so we could only take with us the two tiny dogs not part of our canine pack. We left our other dogs on floating airbeds and secured viable exits for escape in case they needed to. Having a bit of knowledge on our pets’ pack behavior on taking care of each other when the going gets tough was little assurance — not knowing what might happen to our pets was just pure torture.

Water reached chest-deep by early morning and subsided by the afternoon of the next day.

Early Sunday (27 Sept 2009) afternoon, people are going back to their houses. My dad surveys flood damage to our home.

I slept off the rest of the afternoon waiting for the water to subside, but partly I also wanted to prolong the time before I had to face our ruined belongings. My sister warned me of the disarray I would face, but I was not prepared for the mess I saw. Unlike our neighbors, we aren’t fortunate enough to have maids and house boys to our advantage — it was only me, my dad, Marc and my sister against a muddy, flood-stricken house. My mom, being half-immobile due to a stroke she suffered about three to four years ago, still tried her best to move things around to help us clean up the mess we called our home.

We didn’t want to trouble our neighbor further — their hospitality and kindness of taking us in for two days were more than we could ask for — so we did our best to make the dirty house at least livable. From the bedrooms to the kitchen, to the living room, the home office, then the yard. It took us more than a week to clean things up and let the gravity of the situation sink in.

You see, cleaning up wasn’t just physically tiring — it was emotionally draining as well. Apart from scrubbing floors, walls, and tabletops, we also had to sort through our things ruined by the flood, and that includes having to throw away now-useless memorabilia and priceless treasures of sentimental value. By the time we finished cleaning, we were numb both physically and emotionally.

Indeed, this flood was one of the most difficult ordeals my family had to go through. But strangely enough, such tradegy is also a paradox of sorts. Typhoon Ondoy brought disaster to our relatively peaceful community, and yet it also fostered new friendships and strengthened ties between neighbors, friends and family. We will forever be grateful to our neighbor who lived right across our home and took us in, as well as all our friends and relatives who braved the heavy traffic and disaster-stricken streets to bring us food and drinking water when we had no means of travel to get essentials outside the disaster zone. Even those whom we did not expect to help our family did. Strangers became friends, and a community that used to meet only at Christmas bonded together to pick up the pieces and move on.

My only link to the online world that week was a choppy, grounded DSL cable connecting me to the web for a maximum of two minutes before shutting me off. It wasn’t much to go on with. Luckily, good friends were patient enough to update me in the on-goings of things through text and an awfully noisy phone line.

The third Philippine Blog Awards was also held in October. Being in such a desperate situation, I could not help but feel frustrated at the idea of possibly not being able to see the fruits of a year-long series of events I co-organized due to important yet unfinished tasks I could no longer accomplish in such a state. Thank goodness for my fellow organizers who have unselfishly made sure that the Awards Night pushed through. Without them, this year’s PBA would not be possible. You know who you are :D

Though Marc and I nearly canceled our trip to Cebu for the Visayas leg of the Blog Awards, I’m glad we didn’t. Spending time with good friends (albeit the PBA work involved) really helped alleviate the emotional and mental stress the Typhoon brought.

I also celebrated my birthday on the 8th of October, but it was different this year. I foregone my usual tradition of blogging on my birthday for fear of being too emotional, having wounds from Ondoy still a bit too fresh in my memory. My family only had a simple take-out dinner for five in our still-a-bit-dirty home, but I couldn’t be any happier. No need for gifts or expensive new gadgets. I was lucky — we were lucky.

Having my family (both human and canine) alive and well for my birthday is something I am forever grateful for. We survived. Thinking of things that could have been made me realize just how lucky we are. And for me, being gifted with another year (and hopefully, many more to come) is probably the best birthday gift ever :)

More Ondoy aftermath photos here

Pardon the awful formatting, I’m blogging through Flickr. My dad have just turned off our circuit breaker, I’m just using PLDT WeRoam on my netbook. It’s very slow, especially at this awful weather, but it’s allowing me to connect and upload some photos at least.

I don’t normally blog immediately about calamities like this, but this flood is the worst I’ve ever experienced in my lifetime. I’ve lived along Katipunan Avenue in Blue Ridge since the day I was born, so I never really experienced flooding (Blue Ridge is pretty high up, it’s on top of a hill). First time ever for my family — flood reached inside our home.

You can see more photos I took on my Flickr Photostream. Watermarks are pretty crudely done, sorry for that. It’s not easy to work with diminishing power on a small netbook. I’ll probably edit this post and fix the formatting when everything settles.

Stay safe guys!

Anyway, here’s the presentation in PDF. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have the “magical” effects I used during the actual presentation but the info you’ll need are all there :)

WP magic with Custom Fields & Conditional Tags

My mom preferred giving the silent treatment, while Dad could go on for hours lecturing me about something I did wrong—or about to do wrong. So it’s really no wonder I got a lot of anecdotes from him. He liked making metaphors to explain things, and I have to admit sometimes I couldn’t help but do the same :P

But among the many metaphors and anecdotes my dad gave, one sticks out as my favorite.

It’s best never to assume that you’re already the best. Remember that there is always someone better than you out there, so don’t stop striving and learning to be better.

The first time I heard my dad say this was during the time I was a Graphic Design Editor for my college paper. That was the first time I actually held a position wherein I would have people reporting to me. My dad, being a dad, cautioned me not to let it get to my head. He reminded me that though I seemed to be “the best” there is, there will always be somebody out there who will be better.

One can interpret this in two ways. You can think of it as a challenge to better yourself further since you know there is always competition, or, you can think of it as a humbling idea that would keep your head on the ground. But I always believed that my dad wanted to instill both into me. Challenge yourself, and remain humble.

I’ve met quite a few people who have allowed their accomplishments get to their heads. Some liked to brag, some liked to treat people like they’re below them, and some take advantage because they think they’re better. I think you’ll agree with me when I say that conceited and self-centered people are quite annoying (and sometimes even damaging to others). But when you really think about it, people who excessively believe too much of themselves most often than not end up not listening to others who can help them do better.

Unfortunately, once you believe you’re already on top, there isn’t any other place for you to go but down. And that’s such a sad thing. Who knows what else you could have accomplished if you didn’t make yourself believe you’re already the best there is and there is nothing more for you to learn?

Well, I must say I’m glad I listened to my father.

I’m 27 years old, and I can humbly say that I’ve accomplished quite a bit of the goals I set for myself when I was younger. But still, I continue make myself better; I continue to study and learn new things that could further improve me and my work. I know that God gave me talent to do some things better than other people, but because of what my dad taught me, I continue to believe that there are also a lot more people better than me. That thought doesn’t put my confidence down—far from it—but it does give me a reason to better myself and continue bettering myself.

Thank you, Dad. I’m glad you took the time to teach me these things.

A Happy Fathers’ Day to all you dads out there!