frangipani

i once mentioned i am a bookworm although i do not buy expensive books.
i have read probably soooooo many books in my life that it's happened that i actually bought some books twice or thrice. i used to buy recently published best-sellers and some collector's pieces but i've learned that if i wait awhile, i can get them at a much lower cost. so now, the books i purchase never go beyond a hundred pesos. after all, i have a reasonable income, and you can't eat books, after all. it's food for the soul, though. but still, you get no nutrition!

that said, i just finished reading FRANGIPANI by CELESTE VAITE. i am sad to say this is the first time i have read a book set in Tahiti and it's surprisingly good. most books i read are either set in britain, ireland, france, of course the u.s. and some other place but not Tahiti.

FRANGIPANI is about a woman named Materena who is a professional cleaner and it's about her life; a woman struggling with a husband, family, relatives etc. it's essentially the same in every country but there are bits and pieces that i learned. for instance, you're not supposed to get married until you have at least one child yet, that you don't wash your hair if you have your monthly period, to avoid foreigners at all costs and to plant a tree for every child you have. it's funny and it's something you won't want to put down until you've finished it and then you'll regret finishing it because then it will indeed be over.

it may seem simple but it delves into being a mother, a wife, a friend, a human being who gets sad, happy, who is firm in faith and lives! it's uplifting and poignant and it can make you cry and laugh out loud. i am so glad i found this book. it cost me only 50 pesos too.

basically, it tells you that life goes on... years may pass, white hair may sprout from your head, you may gain weight but you will still survive.

(*thanks to www.biblio.com for the photo)

etcetera

my thoughts aren't well organized these days that is why i haven't posted. my mind is both blank and a mess (huh?)... so i'll just jot down some random thoughts:

• i am feeling mad/disappointed/hurt at the bf today. i shed a few tears and while i understand his rationale now, he still needs to make up to me--big time!
• my bff is a martyr and i hate it! her husband is having an affair and she is still staying with him. she says its because of their child but hello??? unfortunately, it's not my life so i cannot judge, let alone decide for her. i'll have to grin and bear it. it's just sad...
• they royal wedding was nice but i was undewhelmed by kate's dress and william's hair is quite thin. imagine him at 40!
• my sinuses started acting up yesterday but i misdiagnosed it (feeling doctor). i thought it was just headache, when i took proper medication i am now feeling better!
• the baby's terrible two's are is really terrible. there are times when i want to strangle the baby. or do we really just spoil him?? i am still wondering
• i am going to palawan with the girlfriends soon! can't hardly wait.
• i am now officially a pirate! i can now download movies and tv shows to my computer!! i love it!!
• i am thankful for the beauty of life and the gift of family, loved ones and friends.
  

random information

i guess i haven't been quite forthcoming about me--yes, me! all you know from my profile is that i am female, single and a mother. other than that-nada, zip! so i'll let out a trickle of information regarding myself.
i'm going to follow the notes from facebook where you write details about you. here goes:

1. i love shoes. i used to buy at least a new pair a month. then i gave birth. so now it's like a new pair for an event, party etc. no more impulse buys.
2. i don't bring a purse to work.
3. i just recently learned how to use piratebay.org. = )
4. i love cheesy, sappy songs. i relate to the lyrics!
5. i love being alone. time for me, myself and i!
6. i never drink wine. wine gives me headache. i have been non-alcoholic, non-smoking since the baby! a complete lifestyle change.
7. my baby is spoiled!! by me!
8. i love canned sardines.
9. i don't like swimming. but i love going to beach resorts. = )
10. there are some people i dislike the first time we meet. and my instinct is usually right.
11. i shop anywhere. i buy brand new, branded, no-brand, ukay2x, surplus clothing. as long as it looks good on me, i'll buy it.
12. i only buy cheap books. i used to buy a lot of expensive books before. not anymore.
13. much as i love shoes, i hate high heels i.e. stilettos. i prefer wedge heels and fitflops.
14. i am now only learning to apply color-blocking. i used to be matchy-matchy when it came to shoes and bags.
15. i don't like my computer. it's a gift from the bf and he chose this. i like my old one better. (ssshhh.. don't tell him though!)
16. i no longer like to go out at night. no more clubs, parties etc. i would much rather stay inside my bedroom and chill.
17. i don't always check my email. hence i miss out on cebu pacific airfare promos!
18. i love praise and worship songs. they say singing well is praying twice.
19. i am a good girl at heart. i may be sarcastic, insulting and no-nonsense but i am also astute in understanding people and quite sensitive. (i know when to keep my mouth shut)
20. i mind my own business. i am always late when it comes to rumors, gossip and chika!
21. i am now patient. i have learned to be since i hooked up with the bf and became a mom!!!
22. i have a love/hate relationship with chocolate and coffee.
23. i use whitening soap.
24. i keep a diary so i won't forget what happened in the past. (i am very, very forgetful you see)
25. i am a happy person. my glass is always half-full.

Reproductive Health Bill

as i said, i am a Catholic. i believe in God and the Church. however, i am also liberated. i believe in the freedom of choice, the value of life and responsibility of raising and rearing children. so i am pro-RH.

educated people know how much it costs to raise a child. it does not begin only upon giving birth but at conception wherein the mother needs vitamins, supplements, ultrasound and blood workup to ensure both the mother and the baby's health in the womb. it is obvious in the number of kids most professionals have. 2 or 3 at most because they want to ensure that the kids they have will be well-fed, cared for and properly educated. unfortunately, those in the slums have kids every year. some have 4 or 5 or 6, others even have more than that. and it's sad that the children are hardly able to eat decently 3 times a day, let alone to go school or have regular medical and dental attention.

i think the RH bill is important but more importantly, the government should first educate the people. there are those who oppose the bill without knowing what it is exactly.

i have a child and i am sometimes overwhelmed by the amount it costs for immunization, hospitalization, food and clothing (this is excluding toys, chocolate and chickenjoy)-and i have a decent paying job! how much more difficult would it be for a jeepney or tricycle driver with 5 kids to feed?

while natural or rythm method is practical it often slips up whereas there are contraceptive pills that do not cost more than 50 pesos or is given free at the health center. this method of contraception although artificial is even more practical and much safer for the mother. there is a woman who has 13 children even before she is 30 years old. it's simply outrageous, don't you think?

that said, i also think the Church should maintain its separation from the State. leave the government to do its job and instead focus on the people.

i only hope people will learn to use their minds and think. life is hard enough as it is, let us not add more little people to the equation. little people who are helpless and often become the preys and pawns of scrupulous individuals with loose morals and high sense of greed.

Holy Week

it's the Holy Week, so what are you giving up?

i'm a born and bred Catholic. and i've been raised to observe Lent both in the home and in school. my Family does not believe in Lenten holidays like going away to the beach, etc. instead, i was often forced to join processions, avoid eating meat, shower before 3 pm (i was a kid before you know!) keep from laughing out loud and pray.

as i got older, i began to avoid doing those stuff--and getting away with it. in a way, i have a different way of expressing my faith. i don't believe in joining the Via Crucis anymore because it has become a race, each one eager to get to the following station before the others instead of focusing on the prayers.

one time, i was able to do the vacation thing. i went to a beach resort out of town with friends and partied on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. (i thought i'd be struck with lightning. luckily, i didn't)

this year though, i promised to avoid meat on Fridays. it was surprisingly easy to keep. anyway, i am thinking of doing a bigger sacrifice. i'm still wondering what i will be giving up and i don't have much time.

ask me no questions

i had lunch at my bff's house today. it was fun-as always. there was great food, great company, laughter and kids.

as i was going home, my friend B1 asked me if i knew the latest about G and B2. i didn't so i so she told me about it. the thing is, the story happened to B2 way back in college, some 8 years or so. G wanted to know if the so-called story was true. so she asked B1 and B2 (separately, of course). B1 didn't have any idea especially since it didn't concern her. however B2 denied the "allegation". they left the matter at that. but today B2 uttered the words "i hate her". her being G! ooooppsss!

i think a conflict is in the works for G and B2--yet again! they had quite a falling out a couple of years ago but i thought it was over. now a new one is brewing?? i hope not.

in my own personal opinion, i would rather let sleeping dogs lie. it happened in the past, let it stay there. besides, it's not G's life but B2's. she can be shocked to the high heavens but at the end of the day, who is she to question B2's choices. we all are different people with different views and principles.

that said, ask me no questions and i'll tell you no lies. = )

have a great day!

no one but me

i started this blog way back in 2009. but i stopped writing because i just got too caught up with motherhood, work, the bf and life... you know how it goes. anyway.

this year, i decided to resurrect my blog from the dead and decided to write daily. then i realized that was just too unrealistic. so i dared to do at least 2 posts a week. i did it--sometimes! i mean when i travel, i don't bring my computer. not only is it additional baggage for me but i really have to time to write/surf etc. it's useful only for watching movies and if my power runs out? so that's out.

also, i have bad eyes. or sick eyes for that matter. and now more than ever, my eyes are really failing me. my left eye twitches and it scares me. my optician told me before that my right eye was weak so my left eye compensates. i didn't put too much stock in it until this week. yes, the twitching and watery eyes. i went so far as to shut my left eye and used my right eye only. it was indeed blurred. i couldn't make out faces or shapes or letters with a distance of only 3 meters. i was that nearsighted! that meant less computer time, hence less blog posts.

having said that, my blog is so obscure, i don't know if anyone but me knows it exists. sad it may be, it is the truth. i mean, what is the point of writing if no one else can read it. but the thing is, i don't really care. i don't have excellent memory. things tend to overlap or get lost in my memory bank. that is why i have a journal, a diary to remind of what i did that particular day etc. and this blog is one way of keeping tabs with my life. i will read back and recall my thoughts and musings last month or last week.

so even if no one but me reads this, i will keep on writing. who knows, a random commenter just might be lurking around the corner... = )

zipline

i did that! no, that's not me but i was able to do the zipline thing for real!

the bf and i wanted to try the newest in our place. although we are a bit late for this so-called adventure. it opened last year but we didn't want to join the crowd.
we kept putting it off that it took us until this week to actually decide to go.
we planned it for monday afternoon but they close on mondays so we decided tuesday. unfortunately, the weather was bad so it became wednesday. by wednesday, when we were already there, they closed the place down for a wedding reception! ugh!
i had lost any desire of going until the bf said let's go now!
thursday it is!

so we paid, got outfitted with safety harness and helmet and whatnot and rode the golf cart to the take off point-which was quite high by the way.
when we got there, i wanted to go back. i was scared, my palms were sweaty just looking at the 600 meter cable. even the bf was sweating already.

i was up first. when i was asked to get down to start zipping, i wanted to shout no! but when it started it was absolutely wonderful!!! not scary at all... plus the view was amazing.
i shouted back to the bf "it's nice" so as not to scare him! hahaha!
he admitted he got challenged knowing i was able to do it, so he followed suit. the only scary part for me was at the end where they had stoppers/brakes. it was kind of bumpy but other than that, it was all worth it!

afterwards, i got kind of sleepy what with all the adrenaline pumping! but i would go through it again in a heartbeat!

just had to post this. it's summer time!

everything will be better in the morning

you know what they say, if something's bothering you, go to sleep. things won't be so bad in the morning. trust me, its true.
yesterday, the bf and i were sort of in a quarrel. ok, i admit, it was just me. it's just that i got a bit irritated by him and knowing men, who are sensitive as ever, well he had to ask! anyway, as usual for him it was nothing--petty me. and quite naturally, last night i couldn't sleep. my mind was churning and wandering and thinking of so many things: dismal, morbid and tragic. i slept late (although i think it was partly due to caffeine too) and woke up early today. but i had to, it's Monday-flag ceremony and all.
anyway, as i started my day and i had eaten breakfast i realized that misunderstanding was really due to what else? misunderstanding!
and the bf totally made up for yesterday's gaffe. so all's well.

mama mia!

my mother and father left for a week's vacation recently. that meant i was in charge of the household. not good!
for one, i had to think about food. and i'm not good at that. my mom was responsible for feeding us. all i had to do was sit and eat. but with her gone, i had to consider the menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner! not to mention snacks for the help. well because i could only make desserts, i had to resort to buying cooked food! and to tell my brother to eat out just so i wouldn't have to worry about what to feed him.
also, i couldn't just go travel with the bf since no one would be left with the baby. instead, i went out of town with baby and yaya in tow. out of town with my girlfriends. it was such fun but exhausting too. and my baby not used to sleeping at a stranger's house. oh it was my bff's house but he felt weird and slept quite late already.
so while i may be dreaming of living in my own house, with my own furniture and stuff, i guess the One up there knows i'm not quite ready yet. if i can't deal with meals for a short week? what hope is there for me? = ) yep, at my age, i still need my mama!