Life Is What We Make It

Pixel Bug Weekend # 1

sunshineforlife — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 05:56:53 +0000

Another weekend photo meme hosted by Sassy Mom.

My first carousel ride! Ever!

I was sort of nostalgic making the carousel ride last weekend. Why? It’s because when i was still a little girl, i’ve seen and read carousel rides in books and i have always wish that one day I will be able to ride it.

In 1996, someone invited me to ride it at Ayala Center in Cebu City but did not make it because i was alone. I felt corny to ride it with a boyfriend. I was with a bf but my mind was on my friends when we enter the game park at that place. So i missed the ride in 1996.

Last year, i have watched the whole series of Stairway to Heaven and again their was a fantasy land and the carousel ride was a memorable ride for the main character of the tv series. I said one day – one day, am gonna be on it!

Last Sunday evening (November 1), my wish came true! We spent the night at Gloria’s Fantasy land in Dapitan City. It was like a mini-Disneyland and i then know there’s a carousel ride somewhere inside the park. When i saw it, believe me, i was the first one on it and i just called the kids and my daughter later. lol! I made three rides.

I missed the ride in 1996. I was still single. Thirteen years later, my wish came true and it was a ride made with my daughter. I just love the moment.

How To Protect Yourself From Swine Flu?

sunshineforlife — Wed, 06 May 2009 14:29:59 +0000

With the swine flu cases escalating and people being afraid to do the things they usually do, what precautions do you do to protect yourself and your family?

From my nook of the country or the world, swine flu is only in the newspaper and in TV. The scare has not yet literally hit us but i know that people are taking their own precautions.

The swine flu this time makes me recall my memories of SARS. So i think what we did that time can still be applied to what is happening now.

I really don’t think that swine flu virus is airborne or else fatalities would have gone up in millions in the span of time since the news of a carrier and death came out. So too much anxiety would be unnecessary. Everyone should just be sure on keeping themselves maintain their good health so that resistance won’t go down that will cause them to easily catch any virus be it H1N1 or not.

Here’s my share of protection:

1. Eat healthy foods. Eat more on fruits and vegetables especially the ones rich in vitamin C. If possible avoid meats the meantime. If can’t be avoided then cook them very well.

2. Maintain good hygiene. If you living in a neighborhood who does not practice good hygiene, orient them, wether they like it or not or if possible get away from the place. Good hygiene means taking a bath daily or everytime you came back from outside.

During the SARS, the clothes we wear for the day is not used again unless washed. OUr footwears are not brought into the inner part of the house. In the evening we spray the shoe area disinfectant.

3. Wash hands properly. If water is unaccessible, use disinfectants like alcohol and or hand sanitizers.

4. If the swine flu is already positive in your area — use disposable masks. Don’t reuse the dispo masks.

5. Take plenty of rest as much as possible when you feel the first sign of flu and take lots of fluids — even before it started.

6. Avoid unnecessary anxiety. At times it’s the stress and worry that caused one not to rest well so the resistance went down.

7. Avoid public places for the meantime. Don’t stand-by in the malls as much as possible. If you need to shop, go in quick and shop and then exit the place.

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Additional thoughts:

Many deaths in China during the SARS period was psychologically enduced. People are so anxious that once they got caught the virus all they think was they are going to die. And when they get well, their family will never ever accept them.

In times like this, family love and care and support is very important. So being sick and snag away for quarantine and total isolation from the loved ones can cause trauma that for sure makes the sick or the patient more ill.

Hmmm i got so much to rant…i’d better end this and make another post.

Patience to the Max

sunshineforlife — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 13:55:21 +0000

Are you a patient person? Has your patience been tested a lot of times? What have you done about it?

++ Am a patient? I’d like to say I am because I can when i want to. I am the type of person who as much as possible don’t like anyone lose their patience on me.

++Has my patience been tested? Yes.

++ What i’ve done? One of the unforgetable, i ran upstairs and screamed and cried out loud because it’s not allowed to talk back to my MIL coz she is already old and she might die blah blah. so one day she attacked me inthe kitchen while cooking and shove my cooking stuff in the air using her cane. She really tested me hard that day but i just kept my cool but i almost died of heart attack, so i have to scream.

If it happen again, i will go out and breath deeply, and go somewhere quiet to clear my head. At times, it’s great to eat the comfort food. lol!

Emerald Sunday

sunshineforlife — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 13:36:48 +0000

Will Appreciate Your Vote!

sunshineforlife — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:19:24 +0000

To celebrate Lainy’s 1 year blogsary, she launch this writing contest and here is my entry.

BLOG TO WORLD; BLOG FOR YOU AND ME

To win the prize, friend’s support will be part of the points system to win — so at this point, may i ask you, and you, and hey you to please vote for me here -

I AM CONTESTANT # 19 – JOYS IN LIFE

If you think my entry is not that very good compared with the other entries, stilll there are choices of points, so, you can give me points that you think i deserve.

Please accept my thanks from the bottom of my heart.

Quite Long Tag

sunshineforlife — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 11:59:59 +0000

Grabbed from Z because am in the mood to do this tag while ec dropping.

1. Name the people who made you laugh last night?
My family or else no one.

2. What were you doing at 8:00?
8 am: was at work. 8 pm: at home in front of the pc.

3. What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
EC dropping.

4. What happened to you in 2006?
2005-2006 semesters ended, i applied for work and i was accepted. Took better care for mom after her first heat attack in January that year. Memorable year because Nelson flew from Kuwait to meet me for the first time after 4 years of online friendship.

5. What was the last thing you said out loud?
Pol, turned on the fan!

6. How many beverages did you have today?
Only water.

7. What color is your hairbrush?
Black.

8. What was the last thing you paid for?
Lunch.

9. Where were you last night?
At home…

10. What color is your front door?
Brown.

11. Where do you keep your change?
In a black purse.

12. What’s the weather like today?
Very hot though it showered for some minutes this afternoon.

13. What’s the best ice-cream flavor?
Chocolate!

14. What excites you?
Meeting and chatting with old friends.

15. Do you want to cut your hair?
I just had it cut so am going to have it long again.

16. Are you over the age of 25?
Of course and am loving it!

17. Do you talk a lot?
I am a listener.

18. Do you watch the O.C.?
What’s that?

19. Do you know anyone named Steven?
Nope.

20. Do you make up your own words?
I can’t remember.

21. Are you a jealous person?
Yeah i am..on moderate level.

22. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter ‘A’.
Aileen (one of my college buddies)

23. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter ‘K’.
Karen (met her last week. She came back home for a short vacation from Ireland.)

24. Who’s the first person on your received call list?
Dr. Zamora (work related)

25. What does the last text message you received say?
“Thanks. Adtoon lang nako diha karon.” From my aunt.

26. Do you chew on your straw?
Nope.

27. Do you have curly hair?
Not really curly. Maybe it has a natural wave now that am older.

28. Where’s the next place you’re going to?
Outside the backdoor to p__

29. Who’s the rudest person in your life?
Only God knows. lol!

30. What was the last thing you ate?
Rice and plain boiled malunggay.

31. Will you get married in the future?
I think so..and it will be in a church…with the person whom i can really accept of who he is.

32. What’s the best movie you’ve seen in the past 2 weeks?
Spring Waltz. (it has a happy ending)

33. Is there anyone you like right now?
Like? I like to eat ice cream pero walang money to buy one?

34. When was the last time you did the dishes?
Sunday – two times – the one for breakfast and for lunch.

35. Are you currently depressed?
Sadly yes and my size says it all.

36. Did you cry today?
Nope.

37. Why did you answer and post this?
Coz i have time and for a filler.

38. 5 people you tag next?
Not just 5 — but anyone who likes to grab this.

WQ – Favorite Ice Cream

sunshineforlife — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 23:02:01 +0000

“What is your favorite ice cream flavor or ice cream concoction?

My answer:

Chocolate! Plain chocolate or the one with bits of nuts and lots of marsh mallows. I think that’s in the famous Magnolia’s Rocky Road! I am a chocolate lover that if i have the chance to pick the ice cream that i really wanna eat, it’s of Chocolate.

How i wish i have a photo of a Rocky Road or anything Choco ice cream.

I often say, i love chocoloates or anything brown so it can be an ice cream, a muffin, a cake, or a fudge. As long as it tastes chocolates then am in heaven. But i know too that not all brown are chocolates, so I don’t really like the mocha flavor and the cookies anc cream stuff.

I love my favorite ice cream paired with a slice bread! That would be so yummy.

Emerald Sunday – Spring O!

sunshineforlife — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:06:50 +0000

These are green spring onions or we commonly call it here locally – sibuyas dahon or in Tagalog dahon ng Sibuyas. The greens were sliced this way and can be great toppings for Linagpang. We had this last Monday lunch time.

More greens here.

Graduation Memories

sunshineforlife — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:52:21 +0000

What graduation memories do you hold dear in your heart and why?

All my graduation days i hold dear to my heart. Because each graduation day marks an important chapter in my life. Graduation day does not only mean farewell and success but it is also a signal or signage that says: GO ON or MOVE ON!

Elementary day graduation was a big day for me and my sister because it means that in 2 months we will be off to a dream school – a boarding school. Though we both tried to take exams at a nearby prestigious school yet our heart was fixed on the boarding school, located 21 kilometers from our home.

Highschool graduation was another big day in my scholastic journey. After 4 years of study and labor (i work to finance my tuition) i look forward to graduation day. Not to brag i got a lot of suitors at that stage of my life and that last year in highschool, my boyfriend’s parents liked me very much that they want me and their son to be married. Oh no! I felt inlove that time but marriage was still very far from my mind. I told them i was going to college because i want to finish a degree before settling down. My bf’s family were there during the Baccalaureate program and Graduation exercise, but my boyfriend was not around. I can remember my mom commented during the Tribute to Parents, “where is your boyfriend? It looks like your boyfriend are his parents.” I laughed at her comment but it made home in my mind. Yeah, i felt that if he would just make his best to arrive even just on graduation day, he could have made it. But anyway, weeks after that, i broke up with him.

In my school, NCEE results will be given to highschool graduates after the graduation program (Sunday noon). Only the top examinees will be announced during the program. So if you are not one of the top 3 or whatever number, then you seem to be restless the whole graduation program because your mind is looking forward to know the score of the exam. Long time ago, NCEE seems to the mark or the thing that will dictate a student to a good future if not a bleak future. Luckily i passed! Me and my sisters passed with a good score. It was happiness for my family but me personally, i was not happy. I was sad (i cried) because my 2 bestfriends did not make it. To make it worst, the passing is 50 and their score ws 49. I cried with them. Passing the NCEE meant that i will be able to go to the boarding school in Bukidnon (a dream school for college education).

College. Very very memorable. I was loveless (because me & my broke up July) though i was still head over heels inlove with him. My mom knew that we broke up but somehow maybe she was thinking that months later after July we would get ok, so i was stressed up on what would my mom think and say if that guy won’t make himself seen when the family gets together after the graduation program. So i asked a faculty to help me get an appointment with him. lol! Yeah i did that because i want to talk to him and it was not for me but for my mom. hahahaha. He agreed and we talked at the Academy grounds. Do you wanna know my dialogue? I can still memorize it by heart so pasensya na sa kahaba ng aking post.

Arlene: Hi. Good evening. Thanks for coming.

Guy: Good evening! You should thank Ate Inday or else i won’t be here. (lol he still sounds angry. so i was making sure i would be able to say what i wanted to say that night)

Arlene: (with air of confidence but was shaking inside) When are we getting back together?

Guy: Not yet. Kulang pa ang pagka good girl mo.

Arlene: (smiling)

(i was thinking hmmm not a negative answer. his answer was hopeful because it means that he is observing me daily and he thinks am not yet enough to be a good girl so we are not yet getting back together)

“My family is coming on the week-end and am sure my mom will look for you. Will you lunch with us on Sunday?

Guy: No. I won’t. Just tell your mom hi.

Arlene: Thanks. That’s all i want to know. I don’t like to expect and be disappointed. It’s better you said you won’t be coming and still you will show yourself up than telling me now you are going and yet you won’t because you want to hurt me. So. Agreed?

Guy: Agree!

We said goodnite. My mom arrived Friday afternoon and for sure she looked asked me about him after the Consecration service and i told her he is very busy so he can’t be around. My mom understood yet on the Sunday lunch, she put some food in a box and asked my roommate to give it to that guy. lol!

Another thing to note that graduation day was — I was loveless yet i was able to have a picture taken with my ex bf in highschool (my first love). It was the first time we said hi since he left my school in 1987 and that year was 1994. His brother was also a graduate so he was there.

I also had a picture taken with a friend turned boyfriend 2 years later, whom i never thought would be the father of my first child.

All these happening but at the back of my mind, i was thinking of the guy i talked to the nights before. lol! Luckily when i was walking from the church back to the dormitory, i passed him by a store (congress week was starting) and right away i told him, come on, stand beside me and smile (at then coach my father to click the camera). I was all smiles in the picture! lol!

Another thing to note why my college graduation is so memorable – it is the day when my father told me, he stopped working as in stopped because it is now my time to support him because am already done with college. (this spoiled really my mind that day. My world shook after hearing those words. because i had high hopes that after graduation, i will find a job then 3 of us (me, my mom, and him) working then we could easily send my 2 younger siblings to school. But it was not to happen that way anymore. That was then the turning point my feelings for him as a father totally changed.

Thinking then years later, in 1997, they were guys destined to be part of my life – THE PAST (highschool), THE PRESENT (that college guy), and the THE FUTURE (the friend who became a bf later in life).

Now enough enough. Am sure are not sleepy reading the whole post. (am sleepy writing this post so apology for all the mistakes)