Here’s to a great year ahead!

Last December 25, during our annual family reunion, during our traditional family update (a family member is to update the whole clan on past and future happenings in the family, such as the birth of a baby or future wedding), my uncle, the oldest of my mother’s siblings, gave me something to ponder on. Something he said caught my attention:

As you all know, I turned 73 last August. I’m still working [he’s a lawyer with his own law firm] in Makati, and I intend to work until I die. Why? I remember Tatay when he retired. He grew old fast…too fast because after almost 40 years of teaching, suddenly, he was doing nothing. When he died, I told Nanay, “You musn’t be like that, you must keep on being active and keep yourself busy.” And she did. She was active in church. She visited us here in Manila often. And she died at a ripe age of 89. That is what I’m going to do. I’m going to keep myself healthy, not only physically, but also mentally.

I know all of us are not reaching that “retirement” stage just yet. But looking beyond the obvious in my uncle’s speech, I realized that doing nothing is much, much harder than doing something. And I’d rather be doing many things than doing nothing and watching my life waste away.

So for the year to come, my hope is that we will all have fruitful, not to mention happy and healthy, lives.  As a side wish, I also hope we all do something, no matter how small, to make the world a better place to live in.

My favorite 2008 Christmas moment

How fast time flies! We have been preparing and excited for Christmas…and now it has passed. New year is up next on the list! So many great memories for Christmas…how fun it was and how happy I was with all the gatherings with family and friends! Isn’t it fun to celebrate with our loved ones?

But my favorite Christmas memory is with someone I don’t know personally.

Every year, I prepare candies and crispies to give away to street children I pass along while going to and from work (and when I go out). This year though, I just concentrated on giving away crispies because it seemed that those children appreciated these more. Anyway, this year, I noticed that  I barely see these children anymore. As a result, days to Christmas, I have given crispies to only 3 children. Where the heck are they???

So, I resolved to other measures. I just bought noche buena food and picked two people I would give them to. The first one was our neighborhood ice cream man. He’s ourt favorite.

Now, for my favorite memory: The second one I gave the food to was the gasoline man who always put air in my tires. Almost every week, I would pass by Shell in Better living, and every time, he’s there. He already knows the pressure of my tires, and no need to ask anymore. What struck me the most about him is that he was so hardworking (he might have needed a shoulder pain pump for all the work he’s doing) and yet he always smiles, as if providing service is a pleasure for him. So I said to myself, someday, I’d like to do something good for this man.

Last week, I went to Shell one afternoon. Seeing me, he approached immediately [with a smile] saying, “Mam, 30 po diba?” And I told him, “Kuya, di po ako magpapahangin. Ibibigay ko lang po ito sa inyo.” And I handed him the food. If I could summarize Christmas happiness in one moment, it would be that. The look on his face is something I will never forget. He looked so happy that all he was able to say was, “Thank you Mam,” with tears almost falling. As I left the station, I looked at him from the side mirror and saw him still staring at the noche buena package. It might have been a problem for him to find the money to buy noche buena for his family, but now, no problem anymore! His family will be having noche buena! Grabe! I was so happy. My heart was full again and I also almost cried out of happiness. I decided to do this every year!

Aaaahhh, Christmas is indeed a time for giving!

*****

Speaking of giving, what also made this Christmas memorable was the new friends I made through blogging.

Thanks to jeannie, yeine, and jo for the goodies. Super love ko lahat! As in!

Thanks to kayni and dyanie for the cards and the notes you sent. [You know, I also have cards for you but I haven’t dropped them yet…I am the queen of tamad talaga. He! He! Sana kahit late, ok pa din sa inyo!]

And thanks to sheng for the gift and card, especially your message. I was so touched. Thanks so much dear!

There! Christmas is not yet over. So sa mga gusto humabol, pwede pa! He! He! Kahit love ok na!

Merry Christmas!

Before we all get busy,

I want to greet you all…

May we all truly experience what Christmas means.

Remember, there is no Christmas without “Christ”.

Let the pounds come in!

With all the Christmas dinners and lunches coming in since the start of December, so have the pounds (I’d be lucky to find a diet pill that works)! I don’t know why it’s so hard to stay away from food during the Christmas season. I mean,we have food whole year round and I don’t have a hard time watching my food intake! But lo and behold! When Christmas comes, we all find the “perfect excuse” to pig out!

Last Friday, my CSA friends and I had our annual Christmas dinner. It was potlcuk, and all brought mouth-watering food, from the salad to the dessert (I finally tasted the Conti’s Frozen Mango Tart that Rico recommended…yummie!). Then, the whole weekend, it was a celebration of my father’s birthday (December 13). The food literally flooded and I couldn’t contain myself! Almost every moment, I was munching. So, it was weekend of eating, eating eating! This coming weekend and the following days will be very busy days…busy with parties that is.

But for me, eating (and parties) during Christmas is more than the food (although it is a big part). It is more the company, the love we feel when we get together withour friends and family. Don’t you agreee? So for me, the parties and eating out are subtle excuses for us to be with our loved ones on this special holiday…for us to feel loved. [I mean, who enjoys eating, even if it is lechon, Noche Buena alone?]

Boy, am I glad that I have lots of dinners to attend.. so let the pounds come in!

Another desperate move: my own camera bag

When I bought my Canon EOS 1000D DLSR, I literally haggled for a camera bag because the package did not include a bag. Hello! Where in the world will I put my camera when I walk around or when I carry it with me? So I said to the attendant, if she gives me a bag, I’ll buy the camera NOW. So she did give me one.

After using it for a while though, I realized that it was too obvious that I had a camera with me. I remember when I bought my laptop, I also made my own laptop sleeve and bag so that when I carried it with me, it wasn’t obvious that i had a laptop with me. I decided that I had to do the same for my camera. So there started my  mission: find a camera bag.

As we all know, camera bags are not ordinary bags. It is important that the camera will be protected. So it was not easy looking for one, and I didn’t want the ordinary black camera bags.I looked around and in the Internet for THE bag for me. I really liked the ones from XcessRice Dezigns and the 5-Million Crumpler Bag, as in. I ogled at them for days. But they are toooo expensive for me. In the end, the practical me took over, and I decided I wouldn’t get either.

So I did what I always do when I’m desperate, I made my own camera bag.

I went to Market! Market! and bought my materials. Finding the right bag was important so I went around first. I then realized that there’s an area where I knew I will find the right bag: the baby section. I went there because I knew bags there had the shape I was looking for and that baby bags already had a certain cushion, which was a plus. Lo and behold! I found one for only, get ready for this, PhP300! Gosh! Such a bargain! (Jetty, told you I was a discount shopper!) I was soooo happy! The design, size, and print of the bag were perfect! After, I went to Carolinas to buy foam and brown cloth. And with that, together with my Brother, I set on my project. The only thing I had to do was the protective layer, the thick one, that, obviously, protects the camera.

 The only materials I needed: a bag, foam, and brown plain cloth.

 First, to make the “protective layer”, I measured the bag and cut the pattern on the brown cloth. [Fold the cloth for easier two-sided pattern.] Remember to put an inch of allowance for the hems.

 I did the same on the foam, with the sides having two layers of foam while the bottom part had three layers, for protection.

 Then I placed the foam in between the two layers of siding then sewed on the pattern.

I then sewed the sides and bottoms together to create a box like the one in the picture.

Then, I turned the box inside out…and this is what it looked like! The finished product!

The last step, of course, is that I put the protective layer inside the bag!

There, my very own camera bag!

The good thing with this bag is that I can remove the protective layer if I want to use the bag as a normal bag. Ha! It took me roughly an hour from the measurement to the finsihed product (picture, picture included), so it was relatively easy.

There, another creation under the premises of desperation. Not the greatest bag there is, but I’m very happy with the final product!

Kashing, kashing! Paying it forward

Just want to share something that I got this week courtesy of Rico. [ I’m not accustomed to posting about these things, but I realize that after Rico shared this to me, I want to share this with others too, as what he has done.]

For those looking to earn through post links, there is a very easy way to do this. The process is pretty simple.

1. Send an e-mail to naeem.dollie@tamar.com and tell him [or her, I’m not sure] that you’re interested in posting links from them at your site. [You may or may not mention that I recommended him to you. But he actually told me to reccommend him to my friends, so either may be fine.]
2. He will send you links for you to post on your site.
3. Post the links at your site and e-mail Naeem again that you have posted the links.
4. Payment will be sent.

Links sent will be paid GBP40 each annually (I got two, so that was GBP80, which is around $120). Not bad diba? [Now I can get those Las Vegas hotel reservations.]

So there, so easy! So for those of you interested, e-mail Naeem now!

A sample of the text link, care of Rico’s post

Important note: Although I cannot guarantee that you will actually receive links or be approved, I know that there’s no harm in trying.

Have a great [and fruitful] weekend everyone!

[PS, if you’re wondering where mine are, scroll down until you see the “Check these out” header on the lower right side of my site. There, you will see the phrases “Get life insurance from Life Search now” and “Insure your home with Directline home insurance,” almost inconspicuous. Those are the links assigned to me.]

Early Christmas

Christmas came early for me this year when I recieved presents from my friends early December. I’m not really accustomed to receiving Christmas gifts because since I gave birth seven years ago, my friends took it as a sign that I didn’t want to receive gifts anymore…Wendy got all the presents [not that I’m complaining].

Anyway, the first one is this 2009 Belle de Jour power planner from Jeannie [I wonder what they mean by “power”]. When she told me she was giving me one [take note, I didn’t ask, the very nice Jeannie just told me she was giving me one], she commented that I hope I will like it. I told her that even if I haven’t received it yet, I loved it already because it came from a new friend. And I do. When I received it [she had it shipped to my house], I was super excited! My sister was already asking for the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf freebies [my other sister already bought the same planner so sister 1 knew what was inside] before I could even open the package. Anyway, I can’t wait to use the planner…19 days to go. Thanks so, so much Jeannie, and although I don’t really have a hectic and busy life, this will be a mainstay of my bag.

The next day, I received another package, this time from an old friend, my kumareng Rusyan, a close college buddy. The package contained gifts for me and ampao for her inaak [Wendy]. She just came from Vietnam and gave me this very nice miniature Vietnamese doll and a violet Kipling wallet [she certainly knows my favorite color]. My first thought was, “Yes! Another wallet!” Well, I’ve started “collecting” wallets from the different places I’ve been to, and this is a welcome addition. I told Wendy not to open the ampao until Christmas so that she won’t be tempted to spend it before then.

I wasn’t expecting an early Christmas this year. But these gifts made my heart happy, not really because of the gifts per se, but because of the friendship they signify, both old and new [and I wouldn’t exchange them for any Ferrari car or Manolo Blahnik shoes] .

Thanks again Jeannie and Rusyan!

Europe post cards: Part 1: Amsterdam, The Netherlands

I know I have promised to do separate posts on the places my sister and I went to in Europe, as well as our adventures [and misadventures]. I know it’s a little delayed, but here’s Part 1, which starts in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Amsterdam was our first stop. It was our first step on Europe soil. We went via KLM, and thus started out European adventure. We already noticed a distinct smell in the plane. No, it wasn’t mabaho, just distinct [we later on realized that the smell carried on until we were in Amsterdam]. My rhinitis caught up with me [because of the strong smell]. We had our first taste of Dutch food in the plane. I found it nice, but I later on decided I can’t live on the taste.

(more…)

Ang bango ng Pasko

Kagabi, ng nagsimba ako, napansin ko na super lamig. Pero iba ang lamig nya…lamig Pasko.

Hindi ko alam sa inyo, pero para sa akin, iba talaga ang simoy ng hangin pag December na. May ibang lamig, may ibang bango.  Sabi ni The Husband, pano daw namin yun naamoy ni Jane (The Wife). Ano ba daw “amoy” yun? Sa totoo lang di namin ma-explain–nararamdaman lang namin. Di ko alam kung psychological lang, pero iba talaga ang pakiramdam ko…iba ang hangin. Ang saya.

Basta ako, iba ang saya ko pag Pasko. Ito ang paborito kong part ng taon.

Ikaw, nararamdaman at naamoy mo ba ang bango ng pasko?

[Yung mga nasa ibang bansa kaya, pareho din kaya ang simoy ng Pasko doon?]

Maligayang linggo sa inyong lahat!

David versus Goliath

This Sunday, lots of people [especially Filipinos]  will be flocking to, Las Vegas, United States, for a reason other than Vegas vacations or gambling. They will be watching the fight between Pacquiao and Dela Hoya.

I’ve never been a fan of boxing. I don’t go on staying around watching two men break each other’s noses and faces piunching each other. I’m content to know who won. Most men, on the other hand, can’t, and by all means won’t, miss this one. I mean, put a beer and pulutan on their table while they watch and they’re fine. Oh, one more thing, you can’t talk to them while this thing is going on. And expect shouts every now and then [at least that’s how it is with my brother and father], maybe some bad words.

But what I cannot deny of course, is I’m also excited about the fight. Manny Pacquaio has given us much national pride, and of course, I would want him to win again, for our country’s sake. And even if I don’t really watch (I watch only the replay, the rounds when there’s so much action), I’m always happy when he wins. After all, his win is the FIlipino’s win.

This Sunday, expect me to be at an almost-empty  mall while the rest of the country watches…not that I don’t care, but just that I’m tamad to watch. But rest assured that I will be celebrating [or sulking, depending on who wins] with the rest of the Philippines after the outcome is known. A lot has been said about this match, who they think will win, what Pacquaio must do to win…should it be short or long? What tactics must be used…etc, etc. But we all hope for one thing: THAT MANNY WILL WIN THIS ONE. Whooo, imagine the pride and happiness a win will bring to us Filipinos!

What do you think, can David [Pacquiao] beat Golitah [Dela Hoya]? Let’s all pray he does.