"He gives strength to the fainting; for the weak he makes vigor abound. Though young men faint and grow weary, and youths stagger and fall, They that hope in the LORD will renew their strength, they will soar as with eagles’ wings; They will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint." Isaiah 40
I hope so that I will grow strong. Hope seems to be the word of the day for me. I read a story this morning about an inexperienced person who used his inexperience to his advantage during a job interview. In job interviews, inexperience is the main reason why employers turn down applicants. But the applicant in the story turned it into a strength by saying that his lack of experience would mean that he'd rely on his out of the box thinking on how to do things. With this, he would be able to contribute fresh new creative ideas than those that are backed by experience. Good point. Nice new perspective don't you think?
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Not to return to what was left behind
GospelLk 17:26-37
Jesus said to his disciples:“As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man; they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage up to the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Similarly, as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; on the day when Lot left Sodom, fire and brimstone rained from the sky to destroy them all. So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed.On that day, someone who is on the housetop and whose belongings are in the house must not go down to get them, and likewise one in the field must not return to what was left behind. Remember the wife of Lot. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it. I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken, the other left. And there will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken, the other left.” They said to him in reply, “Where, Lord?”He said to them, “Where the body is,there also the vultures will gather.”
On the day the Son of Man is revealed - He reveals to us Himself everyday. Sometimes, he makes special revelations and this can happen any day.
Someone who is on the housetop and whose belongings are in the house must not go down to get them, and likewise onei n the field must not return to what was left behind - When He calls, when He makes his little aparitions in our lives, we must let him capture us right where we are. We should be ready to pack up and go. No need to pick up the other pieces of our lives. Hello, the Omnipotent one is calling us! We shouldn't worry about what we leave behind. They should be considered as crumbs.
Jesus said to his disciples:“As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man; they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage up to the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Similarly, as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; on the day when Lot left Sodom, fire and brimstone rained from the sky to destroy them all. So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed.On that day, someone who is on the housetop and whose belongings are in the house must not go down to get them, and likewise one in the field must not return to what was left behind. Remember the wife of Lot. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it. I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken, the other left. And there will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken, the other left.” They said to him in reply, “Where, Lord?”He said to them, “Where the body is,there also the vultures will gather.”
On the day the Son of Man is revealed - He reveals to us Himself everyday. Sometimes, he makes special revelations and this can happen any day.
Someone who is on the housetop and whose belongings are in the house must not go down to get them, and likewise onei n the field must not return to what was left behind - When He calls, when He makes his little aparitions in our lives, we must let him capture us right where we are. We should be ready to pack up and go. No need to pick up the other pieces of our lives. Hello, the Omnipotent one is calling us! We shouldn't worry about what we leave behind. They should be considered as crumbs.
With a grain of salt...
"Take it with a grain of salt."
That's how the saying goes. When someone says something against you, they say, take it with a grain of salt. Ever wonder what it means?
This is what I think it means. Sometimes, it's hard to swallow bad things that people will say about you, especially if you know that it's not true. What do we usually swallow? Food, right? What do we do when food tastes bad and is hard to take or swallow? We add seasoning to give it flavor. We add seasong to make it more appealing. Seasoning makes food taste better (and helps us chew them into tiny bits and pieces!). Therefore, if you take things with a grain of salt, you'll be able to take them as they are, see them in a better light, or to turn them into dust, negligible dust!
But don't you ever wonder why it's salt and not sugar or some other spice? All of them give flavor and all of them serve to preserve. Or maybe sugar: medicine? You know, as Mary Poppins says "just a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down... in the most delightful way!" Hmm...
That's how the saying goes. When someone says something against you, they say, take it with a grain of salt. Ever wonder what it means?
This is what I think it means. Sometimes, it's hard to swallow bad things that people will say about you, especially if you know that it's not true. What do we usually swallow? Food, right? What do we do when food tastes bad and is hard to take or swallow? We add seasoning to give it flavor. We add seasong to make it more appealing. Seasoning makes food taste better (and helps us chew them into tiny bits and pieces!). Therefore, if you take things with a grain of salt, you'll be able to take them as they are, see them in a better light, or to turn them into dust, negligible dust!
But don't you ever wonder why it's salt and not sugar or some other spice? All of them give flavor and all of them serve to preserve. Or maybe sugar: medicine? You know, as Mary Poppins says "just a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down... in the most delightful way!" Hmm...
Like a Frog
A frog has no ears but it jumps, jumps, jumps! That's was an anecdote my friend told me when we talked about "neighborhood" politics. A frog has no ears so he doesn't listen to intrigues. Instead, he keeps on doing what he's good at -- jumping! Thus, by jumping, he covers the distance.
Once when I was confronted with a couple of regrets in life, someone reminded me that going down the road of regret is dangerous and unwise. Likewise, he gave me a good analogy: At work, when a team encounters a problem, what do we do? We usually check what went wrong then we set up measures to make sure that we avoid them in the future and improve the way things are done. We all agree that it's a useless and fruitless exercise to dwell on what went wrong and point fingers at whose fault it is, right?
The same goes for our past. If we detect some of our wrong choices when we look back at our past, there's no sense in dwelling on it. Doing so will only lead to regret. Lingering on regret will bring us no where. Instead, it will be better to acknowledge everything as it is and turn it into a learning experience -- a jump off point. Then, like a frog, jump, jump, jump!
Once when I was confronted with a couple of regrets in life, someone reminded me that going down the road of regret is dangerous and unwise. Likewise, he gave me a good analogy: At work, when a team encounters a problem, what do we do? We usually check what went wrong then we set up measures to make sure that we avoid them in the future and improve the way things are done. We all agree that it's a useless and fruitless exercise to dwell on what went wrong and point fingers at whose fault it is, right?
The same goes for our past. If we detect some of our wrong choices when we look back at our past, there's no sense in dwelling on it. Doing so will only lead to regret. Lingering on regret will bring us no where. Instead, it will be better to acknowledge everything as it is and turn it into a learning experience -- a jump off point. Then, like a frog, jump, jump, jump!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Dance Time!
My husband and I have been going to a fitness gym for about 1 month now. Yep, We're working out. We have to in order to retain my youthfulness (or whatever's left of it...) and to stay fit -- one of our goals for this year. :)
By monday next week, I'll have my 3rd orientation, where one of the trainers will design my own personal fitness program but so far, I've been attending gym classes. I've attended Streetdancing, Body Sculpt, Hatha Yoga, Belly Dancing, Precision Cycling and Capoeira. Of all of these, Streetdancinng, Hatha Yoga and Precision Cycling are my personal favorite.
I don't know if I'm excited about my personal training program but I definitely enjoy the streetdancing class (even if it's jam-packed with people everytime). It's fun and I love dancing!
Dancing is a joy me and my family share. In fact, even my son has catched the interest and the talent (but my son thinks that his Dad is the dance guru because he always sees his Dad dance in our bedroom... well, he has yet to discover the what real-dancing moves mean... hehehe). After the classes, I teach my younger sister the steps I learn and we dance it together.
My son would usually see me teaching my sister the dance moves. I would demo the steps in 8 counts ... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and my sister would follow. Soon, my son would try to dance himself or count with us, saying, "5, 6, 7, 8..." Charming, isn't it.
It seems that my solo was getting accustomed to the thought that his Mommy also dances! Now, whenever we ask him to dance, he will usually point us to the sala, where my sister and I usually have our mini dance classes. If we won't go to the sala with him, he would pull us by the hand and bring us to the sala and say, "Dance!" and "Watch!," which translates to: "Mommy and Daddy dance while I will watch."
In the sala, he would sit on his rounded rattan floor pillow, put his arms on the center table and wait for us to showcase our groove in sets of 8 counts. Hahaha! Yes, we have to admit that he's starting to become a charming little manipulative boy in a disarming way.
By monday next week, I'll have my 3rd orientation, where one of the trainers will design my own personal fitness program but so far, I've been attending gym classes. I've attended Streetdancing, Body Sculpt, Hatha Yoga, Belly Dancing, Precision Cycling and Capoeira. Of all of these, Streetdancinng, Hatha Yoga and Precision Cycling are my personal favorite.
I don't know if I'm excited about my personal training program but I definitely enjoy the streetdancing class (even if it's jam-packed with people everytime). It's fun and I love dancing!
Dancing is a joy me and my family share. In fact, even my son has catched the interest and the talent (but my son thinks that his Dad is the dance guru because he always sees his Dad dance in our bedroom... well, he has yet to discover the what real-dancing moves mean... hehehe). After the classes, I teach my younger sister the steps I learn and we dance it together.
My son would usually see me teaching my sister the dance moves. I would demo the steps in 8 counts ... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and my sister would follow. Soon, my son would try to dance himself or count with us, saying, "5, 6, 7, 8..." Charming, isn't it.
It seems that my solo was getting accustomed to the thought that his Mommy also dances! Now, whenever we ask him to dance, he will usually point us to the sala, where my sister and I usually have our mini dance classes. If we won't go to the sala with him, he would pull us by the hand and bring us to the sala and say, "Dance!" and "Watch!," which translates to: "Mommy and Daddy dance while I will watch."
In the sala, he would sit on his rounded rattan floor pillow, put his arms on the center table and wait for us to showcase our groove in sets of 8 counts. Hahaha! Yes, we have to admit that he's starting to become a charming little manipulative boy in a disarming way.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Akeelah and the Bee
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond mesaure. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same."
Have you ever seen "Akeelah and the Bee"? HBO was featuring it 2 months ago. It's very inspiring. The quote above is what struck me the most.
Have you ever seen "Akeelah and the Bee"? HBO was featuring it 2 months ago. It's very inspiring. The quote above is what struck me the most.
Google-ing my Name
An article in Reader's Digest said that once in a while, one should google his own name to see the information available to all about one's self... So, last night I googled my name and this is what I discovered -- namewiki:
The origin of my first name is Hebrew. It means God will add.
Here are the stats related to my Maiden Family Name:
It is the 10196th most common family name in the United States
It occurs 2902 times in the most recent US Census (2000)
1.08 out of every 100,000 people in the United States have it as a family name
77.39% are White
0% are Black
9.75% are Hispanic (any)
7.37% are Asian / Pacific Islander
0% are American Indian / Native American
2.69% are Two or More
Whoah! No wonder, we didn't know much of our kin. Most of them are white and are in the US. Hahaha! Hmm, why is my Dad's skin dark, then? Hahaha
Check out your family name in namewiki. Has it reached the US, yet?
The origin of my first name is Hebrew. It means God will add.
Here are the stats related to my Maiden Family Name:
It is the 10196th most common family name in the United States
It occurs 2902 times in the most recent US Census (2000)
1.08 out of every 100,000 people in the United States have it as a family name
77.39% are White
0% are Black
9.75% are Hispanic (any)
7.37% are Asian / Pacific Islander
0% are American Indian / Native American
2.69% are Two or More
Whoah! No wonder, we didn't know much of our kin. Most of them are white and are in the US. Hahaha! Hmm, why is my Dad's skin dark, then? Hahaha
Check out your family name in namewiki. Has it reached the US, yet?
Thursday, September 25, 2008
It is about time!
Eccl 3:1-11
"There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every thing under the heavens. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant. A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build. A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them; a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces. A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away. A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to be silent, and a time to speak. A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
What advantage has the worker from his toil? I have considered the task that God has appointed for the sons of men to be busied about. He has made everything appropriate to its time,and has put the timeless into their hearts, without man’s ever discovering, from beginning to end, the work which God has done."
It's time for me to be born again with a new mission and vision. It's time for me to plant anew. It's time to kill negativism and time to heal my soul. It's time to tear down the walls in my life and to build bridges, meaningful relationships and wonderful memories. It's a time to laugh more than I cry unless I cry for joy, love and success. It's a time to dance because life is worth celebrating! It's a time to scatter stones and make them as cornerstones for different dimensions in my life -- Family, Career, Friendly Communities, Service and Adventure! It's a time to embrace life -- to gracefully respect the 30 years that collected and the 30 plus years that I will groove about. It's a time to seek my full potential and to lose my inhibitions. It's about time that I keep every my heart, body and soul healthy and cast away heartfelt wishes and prayers to guide me everyday. It's a time to rend everything that seems broken in me and a time to sew the mysteries of my years into one beautiful quilt that will keep me warm til the end of my days. It's a time to be verbally silent about my complaints in life and a time to speak more of what's good, true and noble. It's a time to love as much as a can and hate things that deem to destroy life, love, and meaning. It's time to wage war against things that destroy purity and innocence and a time for inner peace, sanity and spiritual security.
God has pressed upon the timeless in my heart. I'm silencing my intellect and my soul so that timeless and purpose will emerge.
"There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every thing under the heavens. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant. A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build. A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them; a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces. A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away. A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to be silent, and a time to speak. A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
What advantage has the worker from his toil? I have considered the task that God has appointed for the sons of men to be busied about. He has made everything appropriate to its time,and has put the timeless into their hearts, without man’s ever discovering, from beginning to end, the work which God has done."
It's time for me to be born again with a new mission and vision. It's time for me to plant anew. It's time to kill negativism and time to heal my soul. It's time to tear down the walls in my life and to build bridges, meaningful relationships and wonderful memories. It's a time to laugh more than I cry unless I cry for joy, love and success. It's a time to dance because life is worth celebrating! It's a time to scatter stones and make them as cornerstones for different dimensions in my life -- Family, Career, Friendly Communities, Service and Adventure! It's a time to embrace life -- to gracefully respect the 30 years that collected and the 30 plus years that I will groove about. It's a time to seek my full potential and to lose my inhibitions. It's about time that I keep every my heart, body and soul healthy and cast away heartfelt wishes and prayers to guide me everyday. It's a time to rend everything that seems broken in me and a time to sew the mysteries of my years into one beautiful quilt that will keep me warm til the end of my days. It's a time to be verbally silent about my complaints in life and a time to speak more of what's good, true and noble. It's a time to love as much as a can and hate things that deem to destroy life, love, and meaning. It's time to wage war against things that destroy purity and innocence and a time for inner peace, sanity and spiritual security.
God has pressed upon the timeless in my heart. I'm silencing my intellect and my soul so that timeless and purpose will emerge.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Vanities, vanities !?!?!?!
"Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth,vanity of vanities! All things are vanity! What profit has man from all the labor which he toils at under the sun? One generation passes and another comes, but the world forever stays. The sun rises and the sun goes down; then it presses on to the place where it rises. Blowing now toward the south, then toward the north, the wind turns again and again, resuming its rounds. All rivers go to the sea, yet never does the sea become full. To the place where they go, the rivers keep on going. All speech is labored; there is nothing one can say. The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor is the ear satisfied with hearing. What has been, that will be; what has been done, that will be done. Nothing is new under the sun. Even the thing of which we say, “See, this is new!” has already existed in the ages that preceded us. There is no remembrance of the men of old; nor of those to come will there be any remembrance among those who come after them." Eccleciastes 1: 2-11
What's the sense of doing anything, then? What's the sense of working hard on anything? Wala na atang sense...
....
Or maybe, proverbs is teaching us to work on something that will be worth while. Wonder what that will be for me. I better find out and start working on it soon. I only have a few years left. I have to keep my thirty, flirty and thriving "motto" on a roll.
Think quick, my girl! Any suggestions?
What's the sense of doing anything, then? What's the sense of working hard on anything? Wala na atang sense...
....
Or maybe, proverbs is teaching us to work on something that will be worth while. Wonder what that will be for me. I better find out and start working on it soon. I only have a few years left. I have to keep my thirty, flirty and thriving "motto" on a roll.
Think quick, my girl! Any suggestions?
Sunday, September 21, 2008
First Aid Training Moments
These are some of the pictures during our 1st training day.
They are about to carry me in this picture... Yihee...
Trainor: First Aiders, line up by height!
First Aiders: Yes, Sir!
One-Man Carry: Lover's Carry
(Disclaimer: We're not lovers)
Mukhang ang lakas ko, no?
2-Man Carry: Carry by Extremeties
(2 of the smallest/light-weight members of the class decided to make me their "victim" and carry me this way across the room during their practical exam. Naks, way to go!)
(2 of the smallest/light-weight members of the class decided to make me their "victim" and carry me this way across the room during their practical exam. Naks, way to go!)
2-Man Carry: Forgot what this is called. Let's call it, Prinsesang nakaupo sa tasa carry in the mean time. Hehehe. I felt like a princess.
6-Man Carry or Snow White and the 6 dwarves carry hehehe.
(Yep, again, I'm playing the "victim" here. That's what I get for being the talents female in the group...)
They are about to carry me in this picture... Yihee... Believe it or not, I felt tired even if I usually played the "victim."
Haircut Incident
Yesterday, my husband and I decided to give our son another haircut -- his fourth. He cried his eyes and lungs out during his third time even if he had it at a haircut salon catering to babies and children. This time around, we went to the barber's shop in our neighborhood that my husband suggested because it said "kids haircut salon," too on its signage.
We thought that maybe if our son had a haircut at the same place and time his Dad is having one, then the stress and trauma will be less. We guessed wrong. :(
Polo didn't care if his Dad and Mom were both wearing the usual robe. He didn't want to wear one. Period. The friendly barber and I just wrapped a mini towel around Polo's neck.
Polo didn't care if we seated him in a child-friendly-barber's-chair-car that's situated right in front of a tv playing Barney. The car nor Barney, his friend, didn't do the trick.
Polo didn't care if I was seated on the barber's chair and carrying him all through out the haircut. Mommy's charms didn't work but from time to time, the Pizza Hut commercial and thoughts of spaghetti, pizza and chicken was able to temporarily distract him. Some times, singing fill-in-the-blanks Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and Row, Row Your Boat did the trick but only momentarily...
Polo didn't even care if his father was seated in the barber's chair beside him, having his dreaded good-boy barber's cut (I say, "dreaded" because the usual barber's cut is not his dad's style. Polo's dad prefers the layered crop style of more modern haircutters). Polo just kept on crying and shouting (good thing, he wasn't physically violent).
The good old barber (who seemed like a scary stranger with a comb, a pair scissors and a razor to Polo), was skilled and patient enough to cut our little boy's thin hair. Once in a while, he tried to charm Polo but to no avail. In Polo's mind, the barber was the enemy. In Polo's one-year and seven-month's mind, all he wanted to do was get out of the shop and ride his Papa's car.
After an hour or so of torture for Polo, we all decided that his hair has been trimmed enough. Between sobs and deep breaths, Polo was comforted by his dad. We paid for the father & son haircut, said "bye" to the barbers and headed to the nearest happy place Polo knew -- Jollibee.
Polo was rewarded with a Jolly Sundae, Jolly Fries and a Jolly Meal Toy. In the happy place, it seems that the shadows of the barber shop incident have slowly melted away. Thanks to Jollibee, our little cub was sane again.
We're still on a quest to find a suitable happy-place hair salon for Polliepoe.
We thought that maybe if our son had a haircut at the same place and time his Dad is having one, then the stress and trauma will be less. We guessed wrong. :(
Polo didn't care if his Dad and Mom were both wearing the usual robe. He didn't want to wear one. Period. The friendly barber and I just wrapped a mini towel around Polo's neck.
Polo didn't care if we seated him in a child-friendly-barber's-chair-car that's situated right in front of a tv playing Barney. The car nor Barney, his friend, didn't do the trick.
Polo didn't care if I was seated on the barber's chair and carrying him all through out the haircut. Mommy's charms didn't work but from time to time, the Pizza Hut commercial and thoughts of spaghetti, pizza and chicken was able to temporarily distract him. Some times, singing fill-in-the-blanks Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and Row, Row Your Boat did the trick but only momentarily...
Polo didn't even care if his father was seated in the barber's chair beside him, having his dreaded good-boy barber's cut (I say, "dreaded" because the usual barber's cut is not his dad's style. Polo's dad prefers the layered crop style of more modern haircutters). Polo just kept on crying and shouting (good thing, he wasn't physically violent).
The good old barber (who seemed like a scary stranger with a comb, a pair scissors and a razor to Polo), was skilled and patient enough to cut our little boy's thin hair. Once in a while, he tried to charm Polo but to no avail. In Polo's mind, the barber was the enemy. In Polo's one-year and seven-month's mind, all he wanted to do was get out of the shop and ride his Papa's car.
After an hour or so of torture for Polo, we all decided that his hair has been trimmed enough. Between sobs and deep breaths, Polo was comforted by his dad. We paid for the father & son haircut, said "bye" to the barbers and headed to the nearest happy place Polo knew -- Jollibee.
Polo was rewarded with a Jolly Sundae, Jolly Fries and a Jolly Meal Toy. In the happy place, it seems that the shadows of the barber shop incident have slowly melted away. Thanks to Jollibee, our little cub was sane again.
We're still on a quest to find a suitable happy-place hair salon for Polliepoe.
Thirty, Flirty and Thriving!
That's the wish the 13-year old girl in the movie Thirteen Going Thirty made on her 13th birthday that magically turned her into a 30-year old lady the next day.
Thirty, Flirty & Thriving! - Yes, I'm thirty. I've been repeating this line in my head over and over again since July. Now, whenever I repeat it in my head, I'm no longer sad that my "youthful" 20s are over but I'm more excited about being a full-pledged adult! I no longer have time to waste. I must pursue my dreams, no longer make excuses for myself and jump into adventures that will define me.
Of course, I'm not flirty. I don't intend to put my beautiful marriage on the line here just because I'm in my 3rd decade. That's not the dream that I want to pursue or jump into without excuses, nor is that the adventure that will define. Rather, I will flirt with life itself. I will be more decisive in pursuing the bucket list I have in my head (which reminds me... I have to write it down one of these days). I have to be more daring in doing or trying things that I've set aside for a long time now like being involved in a good cause, getting back in shape, climbing a mountain, painting, etc!
Thriving. Yes, I'm thriving but more than that I want to soar! I want to stop focusing on my career and start soaring 360-degrees. I want to establish good and meaningful relationships with my husband, my son, my parents, my sisters, my in-laws, my girl-friends and my friends. I want to develop my other skills -- physical, artistic, mental, etc!
I have to admit that the reality of being 30 years old has changed me:
I’m more concerned about my skin. I now have a regular skin regimen for my face.
I'm also paying more attention to my hair. I iron it out every morning.
I'm more concerned about my body. I enrolled in a gym. Have to get back in shape.
I took up First Aid and Basic Life Support with CPR Trainings (thanks to the company I work for)
I’ve also established time with girl-friends and couple-friends
I also realized that it’s not worth it chasing shadows to push career. There are more important things in life than stressing over a certain desired designation.
I'm enriching my mind with Sudoku puzzles (that I grudgingly share with my husband) and with a Reader's Digest Asia subscription.
I'm extending my imagination by reading books. I just finished "Number the Stars", a thin paperback by Lois Lowry. I'm in the middle of "The First Wives Club" and "One Voice, Please" (a book my friend Macopa) lent me.
Thirty, Flirty & Thriving! - Yes, I'm thirty. I've been repeating this line in my head over and over again since July. Now, whenever I repeat it in my head, I'm no longer sad that my "youthful" 20s are over but I'm more excited about being a full-pledged adult! I no longer have time to waste. I must pursue my dreams, no longer make excuses for myself and jump into adventures that will define me.
Of course, I'm not flirty. I don't intend to put my beautiful marriage on the line here just because I'm in my 3rd decade. That's not the dream that I want to pursue or jump into without excuses, nor is that the adventure that will define. Rather, I will flirt with life itself. I will be more decisive in pursuing the bucket list I have in my head (which reminds me... I have to write it down one of these days). I have to be more daring in doing or trying things that I've set aside for a long time now like being involved in a good cause, getting back in shape, climbing a mountain, painting, etc!
Thriving. Yes, I'm thriving but more than that I want to soar! I want to stop focusing on my career and start soaring 360-degrees. I want to establish good and meaningful relationships with my husband, my son, my parents, my sisters, my in-laws, my girl-friends and my friends. I want to develop my other skills -- physical, artistic, mental, etc!
I have to admit that the reality of being 30 years old has changed me:
I’m more concerned about my skin. I now have a regular skin regimen for my face.
I'm also paying more attention to my hair. I iron it out every morning.
I'm more concerned about my body. I enrolled in a gym. Have to get back in shape.
I took up First Aid and Basic Life Support with CPR Trainings (thanks to the company I work for)
I’ve also established time with girl-friends and couple-friends
I also realized that it’s not worth it chasing shadows to push career. There are more important things in life than stressing over a certain desired designation.
I'm enriching my mind with Sudoku puzzles (that I grudgingly share with my husband) and with a Reader's Digest Asia subscription.
I'm extending my imagination by reading books. I just finished "Number the Stars", a thin paperback by Lois Lowry. I'm in the middle of "The First Wives Club" and "One Voice, Please" (a book my friend Macopa) lent me.
Do Good. Be Good. Stay Good.
Reminder for the week:
"Refuse no one the good on which he has a claim when it is in your power to do it for him. Say not to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,tomorrow I will give,” when you can give at once. Plot no evil against your neighbor,against one who lives at peace with you. Quarrel not with a man without cause,with one who has done you no harm." Proverbs 3
Thanks to the book of Proverbs.
"Refuse no one the good on which he has a claim when it is in your power to do it for him. Say not to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,tomorrow I will give,” when you can give at once. Plot no evil against your neighbor,against one who lives at peace with you. Quarrel not with a man without cause,with one who has done you no harm." Proverbs 3
Thanks to the book of Proverbs.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
"The Scene is Safe. There is one victim lying on the floor..."
"The scene is safe. There is one victim lying on the floor. I am Margaritajelly trained in First Aid. May I help?"
That is more or less the standard opening line I'll use in emergency cases from now on. Yep, I'm a trained First Aider. I took up First Aid and Basic Life Support and CPR in a training organized by our company.
Completing the training automatically makes me a First Aid volunteer should an emergency happen within the office. Based on the code of trained First Aiders, we should not refuse aid when necessary. I didn't think that it'll be mandatory but what the heck.
I enlisted for the training and even coerced my husband to sign up, too because we're parents now. A child is depending on us for his daily subsistence, growth and safety. Therefore, we should know first aid and basic life support. Simple. Hehehe. Unfortunate for my husband, his registration was declined but mine was accepted. It's better that one of us be trained than none at all, I guess.
After the 2-day session, I learned how to assist a victim in sitting up, standing up and walking. I know how to carry a victim or transfer him from one point to another by myself, with the help of another person or with the help of a group of people. I am equipped with a Red Cross Triangular Bandage and I know how to fold it and use to bandage wounds on the head, eye, hand, arm, foot and legs. I am now knowledgeable in CPG. I just hope that I won't panic (or go on weepy-weepy mode) when "duty" calls.
Talking about weepy-weepy... I cried during our CPG practical exams. In my head, I was thinking, "I've got to do this right because in real life scenarios, the victim's life survival (and life!) will depend on me." With that thought in mind, I checked if my hands and counting were correct and remembered that I was supposed to look at the face of the victim, which was a CPG half-body dummy at that time. Upon looking at the dummy's face, I imagined what it will be like in a real emergency situation. Then, it happened! Weepy-weepy mode came crawling in.
I felt sad that the victim (then dummy) was in a life-and-death situation. I felt desparation and frustration, thinking that the victim should have been revived by now (why will it have to take more than 5 cycles of 30 compressions and 2 mouth-to-mouth resuscitations-breaths?). Little by little, my emotions took the better of me. I had to stop in the middle of my practical exam, excuse myself and went to side to cry.
Nyak! Nyak! Nyak! Teary-eyed, red-nose and blushing, my mind brought me down memory lane. I remembered the grieving I experienced during my grandfather's death. I could taste the shock and helplessness I swallowed when I had a miscarriage. It all came back to me.
After 20-30mins, I was able to shrug it all off. Yeah, I literally had to shake away those tear-jerker fluffy stuff inside of me by jumping, moving around and shaking my arms and body. (What a weirdo, you might say? What can I do, I was borne into an emotionally sensitive family.) After 20-30mins, I was taking my practical exam again. This time around, I had enough strength to push back my tears and calm my nerves.
I guess, it's better to shed all my tears now during the exams than in real life. Hopefully, when the time comes, i'll be more emotionally stable.
That is more or less the standard opening line I'll use in emergency cases from now on. Yep, I'm a trained First Aider. I took up First Aid and Basic Life Support and CPR in a training organized by our company.
Completing the training automatically makes me a First Aid volunteer should an emergency happen within the office. Based on the code of trained First Aiders, we should not refuse aid when necessary. I didn't think that it'll be mandatory but what the heck.
I enlisted for the training and even coerced my husband to sign up, too because we're parents now. A child is depending on us for his daily subsistence, growth and safety. Therefore, we should know first aid and basic life support. Simple. Hehehe. Unfortunate for my husband, his registration was declined but mine was accepted. It's better that one of us be trained than none at all, I guess.
After the 2-day session, I learned how to assist a victim in sitting up, standing up and walking. I know how to carry a victim or transfer him from one point to another by myself, with the help of another person or with the help of a group of people. I am equipped with a Red Cross Triangular Bandage and I know how to fold it and use to bandage wounds on the head, eye, hand, arm, foot and legs. I am now knowledgeable in CPG. I just hope that I won't panic (or go on weepy-weepy mode) when "duty" calls.
Talking about weepy-weepy... I cried during our CPG practical exams. In my head, I was thinking, "I've got to do this right because in real life scenarios, the victim's life survival (and life!) will depend on me." With that thought in mind, I checked if my hands and counting were correct and remembered that I was supposed to look at the face of the victim, which was a CPG half-body dummy at that time. Upon looking at the dummy's face, I imagined what it will be like in a real emergency situation. Then, it happened! Weepy-weepy mode came crawling in.
I felt sad that the victim (then dummy) was in a life-and-death situation. I felt desparation and frustration, thinking that the victim should have been revived by now (why will it have to take more than 5 cycles of 30 compressions and 2 mouth-to-mouth resuscitations-breaths?). Little by little, my emotions took the better of me. I had to stop in the middle of my practical exam, excuse myself and went to side to cry.
Nyak! Nyak! Nyak! Teary-eyed, red-nose and blushing, my mind brought me down memory lane. I remembered the grieving I experienced during my grandfather's death. I could taste the shock and helplessness I swallowed when I had a miscarriage. It all came back to me.
After 20-30mins, I was able to shrug it all off. Yeah, I literally had to shake away those tear-jerker fluffy stuff inside of me by jumping, moving around and shaking my arms and body. (What a weirdo, you might say? What can I do, I was borne into an emotionally sensitive family.) After 20-30mins, I was taking my practical exam again. This time around, I had enough strength to push back my tears and calm my nerves.
I guess, it's better to shed all my tears now during the exams than in real life. Hopefully, when the time comes, i'll be more emotionally stable.
Sunday, September 07, 2008
My Personal Mid-Year Review
Reviewing my 2008 to do list:
1. 12 scrapbook layouts for the year (or at least one per month)
-I'm way behind... :( I must look for a new hobby...
2. 54 blog entries or one entry per month
-Have a lot of catching up to do... Nyark!
3. Tapusin na ang wedding album and wedding video (Hello!!!)
-Wedding album, check! Wedding video and Portrait picture to go...
4. Print and organize our pictures in a photo album (all of them are just digital files eating up Marvin's disk space!)
-No progress here, yet...
5. Update my resume and send it out
-Done. I'm not seriously looking. Just want to know my options.
6. Read the Bible Daily
-Ummm... Needs improvement.
7. Renew my driver's license
-Check! I'm now driving our automatic car. Yahoo! It feels great. I've been driving on my own for at least 3 trips now. 1) From Makati-Pque; sunday night; thru the rain (difficulty level - almost high); 2)From our house to SM - daytime (difficulty level - low); 3)Pque-Makati-Pque (difficulty level - medium).
For this, I'd like to thank my husband for his trust in my driving capabilities, for the space he is giving me to learn, and for the "connections" he established, such that we were able to simplify my driver's renewal process.
8. Renew my passport
-Check! Check! Check! I even had my last name updated in my passport. Good girl.
9. Get a passport for Polo
- Red Flag alert blinking!!!
10. Better and deeper relationships
- Improving... :) Need to be consistent in this area.
11. Become a manager by year-end
- Still wishing for it but am thinking if it's that important...
12. Transfer house or find one of our own
- (Dead air)... I am grateful for the house that we're currently living in. I love the house. The environment and security is ideal.
13. Hire a good and worthy househelp/yaya
- Yaya is doing good. She's is often more like heaven-sent. Still praying that she'll stay for long. I thank God for her everytime I remember her and how she takes care of my son and the famly.
14. Report for work on time (God, help me)
-Slowly but surely, I'll get there. Hehehe...
15. Be on time for everything (The Lord of time, help me)
-Same status as # 14
16. Lose weight - go back to my pre-pregnancy weight of 128lbs
- Well, my APE results say that I'm overweight for my height. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. I'm enrolling in the gym this month. I will start brisk-walking-semi-jogging activities with my friends.
17. Eat right, stay healthy
- Now more conscious of what I eat. Less junk food and sweets. Hope I keep this up. Keeping my fingers crossed.
18. Develop my cooking & baking skills -- cook/bake once a month
-Zero progress... My Tita gave me and my husband a campbell's cookbook as a gift on our birthday. I'll cook something from there soon. I'll write above it in the future, well, hopefully. Hehehe...
19. Go on dates with my Husband - once a month
-So far, so good... Keep it up!
20. Go on dates with Polo - once a month
-Dates with Polo are currently with my husband and I. When he grows up, we'll have mother-son bonding time.
21. Go on dates with my mom - once a quarter
-I owe my mom, 3 dates + 1 for Q4 of this year.
22. Go on dates with my parents - once a year
-I accompanied them to a Traditional Chinese Medical Doctor yesterday... We had some bonding time while waiting for China Doctor to arrive and we had lunch together in a nearby Chinese Cafeteria. I think that counts. Maybe, I can target more than 1 for this year.
23. Go on dates with my sisters - twice a year
-To be scheduled soon. Hope my Ate's hectic sched permits a sisterhood bonding achu... chu... chu... :)
Mama Mary's Birthday
It's Mama Mary's Birthday today. I prayed to her this morning, asking her to bestow upon me the strength and goodness to be like her -- graceful, humble, sincere, and wise.
It's Mama Mary's Birthday today. The Gospel today details their family lineage. Can't help but think about our family's medical history and pray for the healing of all our generational illnesses.
It's Mama Mary's Birthday today. I'm reminded to be loving, sincere, considerate and caring.
It's Mama Mary's Birthday today. The people organizing the mass in the building near our office refused to let us in the theater to hear mass because the theater is full already. I hope my husband and I get to hear mass on time later. I'll have to file for undertime, though, but that's not a problem because it's Mama Mary's Birthday.
It's Mama Mary's Birthday today. I pray for her help and guidance as I discover motherhood. May she give me wisdom and patience.
It's Mama Mary's Birthday today. I pray for my Mom, my Mother-in-law, my sister (who's a mom, too) and all my friends and family who are moms. This entry is beginning to sound like a Mother's Day prayer. Wonder why Mother's Day and Mama Mary's Birthday didn't coincide in one day... I thank God for all of them. I pray for their children and their family. I pray for their health and well-being. May their spirits be filled with God's graces that sickness, confusion and chaos flee from their life.
It's Mama Mary's Birthday today. May all children love their mothers. May they learn deep respect and care for the ones who nursed them. May all orphaned children find comfort in the arms of Mama Mary. May all those seeking direction and love receive the warmth of Mama Mary's accepting arms.
It's Mama Mary's Birthday today. Let's all pause and pray. :)
It's Mama Mary's Birthday today. The Gospel today details their family lineage. Can't help but think about our family's medical history and pray for the healing of all our generational illnesses.
It's Mama Mary's Birthday today. I'm reminded to be loving, sincere, considerate and caring.
It's Mama Mary's Birthday today. The people organizing the mass in the building near our office refused to let us in the theater to hear mass because the theater is full already. I hope my husband and I get to hear mass on time later. I'll have to file for undertime, though, but that's not a problem because it's Mama Mary's Birthday.
It's Mama Mary's Birthday today. I pray for her help and guidance as I discover motherhood. May she give me wisdom and patience.
It's Mama Mary's Birthday today. I pray for my Mom, my Mother-in-law, my sister (who's a mom, too) and all my friends and family who are moms. This entry is beginning to sound like a Mother's Day prayer. Wonder why Mother's Day and Mama Mary's Birthday didn't coincide in one day... I thank God for all of them. I pray for their children and their family. I pray for their health and well-being. May their spirits be filled with God's graces that sickness, confusion and chaos flee from their life.
It's Mama Mary's Birthday today. May all children love their mothers. May they learn deep respect and care for the ones who nursed them. May all orphaned children find comfort in the arms of Mama Mary. May all those seeking direction and love receive the warmth of Mama Mary's accepting arms.
It's Mama Mary's Birthday today. Let's all pause and pray. :)
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Of spots and dots
Last week, 2 dermas confirmed that I have vitiligo. It's a skin disorder where my immune system hinders my melanin-producing cells from producing melanin or skin pigment. This, thus, results to white spots on my skin.
Most say that there is no cause nor any certain cure. Some respond to the available treatments, others don't (Hmmm... ) .It can be hereditary - 50 % of those who have it, have relatives who have it also (As far, as my parents can trace, no one has it in our family) . It can also be caused by stress (Now, I see what's potentially causing it in me...).
I read about 2 herbal remedies in the internet (which I accessed through my SMART phone using WAP -- Yep, just wanted to endorse SMART a bit). One is Anti-Vitiligo from True Herbals. 45% of those who have used it, reorder. There are also testimonials displayed on the site about people whose pigments were restored.
Interesting! Hopeful.
The other one is Dermatint... Haven't read much about it. I'll update you guys.
Before going to the 2nd Derma consultation, I went to our company clinic to have the dots on my neck (otherwise known as warts) cauterized. I was expecting our company surgeon to put anesthesia on the dots before the cautery but I was surprised and a bit dismayed to know that anesthesia is only applied on dots on the face in his clinic. Bummer!!!
Anyway, I was decided to get rid of those small but many dots on my neck so I went through with it. I faced the music but didn't appreciate the rhythm much. The treatment was torture! I felt like I was being tortured for my sins. The instrument used had a needlepoint tip that was used to prick the dots at the same time burn them. The burning felt more like an electrocution. I cringed, shivered and perspired on the chair.
I felt like Manny Pacquiao after a boxing match -- though hurt and beaten, I emerged like a champion, a hero that braved it all.
Whew! That was such an ordeal. Btw, I still learned that I have dots on my face and some flesh-colored ones left on my neck. I'll have it done elsewhere next time around.
My derma pursuit continued on... After consulting about Vitiligo, I availed of the medical facial and acne surgery treatment offered in the Derma Clinic. I know, the terms seems to technically medical. I think that it's just one of their marketing efforts to make their treatments seem scientific and serious vs the regular commercialized treatments in most Derm-Spas.
The medical facial is a facial with steam and the works. The acne surgery treatment is for the removal of even smaller dots on my face that are commonly called as white and black heads.
I had a lot of black heads on my nose and chin. Eck!
After my spots and dots sessions, I decided to call it a day and went home. Afterwards, I started the skin maintenance (or beauty) regimen recommended at the Derma Clinic. I, now, wash my face, apply toner, followed by clarifying lotion and sunblock (in the am) or pore cleanser (in the pm) on my face. Hopefully, this will keep my facial skin in good shape til the next decade or so. For my Vitiligo spots, I also brought home some breastfeeding-friendly meds (That's until I completely weaned Polo off breastfeeding. Most of the serious meds for Vitiligo can only be used when I'm no longer nursing).
Now that I'm in my thirties, I take heed to Baz Luhrmann's advice in the song "Everybody's Free to Wear Sunscreen" -- "If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience…I will dispense this advice now.
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded. But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked…."
Most say that there is no cause nor any certain cure. Some respond to the available treatments, others don't (Hmmm... ) .It can be hereditary - 50 % of those who have it, have relatives who have it also (As far, as my parents can trace, no one has it in our family) . It can also be caused by stress (Now, I see what's potentially causing it in me...).
I read about 2 herbal remedies in the internet (which I accessed through my SMART phone using WAP -- Yep, just wanted to endorse SMART a bit). One is Anti-Vitiligo from True Herbals. 45% of those who have used it, reorder. There are also testimonials displayed on the site about people whose pigments were restored.
Interesting! Hopeful.
The other one is Dermatint... Haven't read much about it. I'll update you guys.
Before going to the 2nd Derma consultation, I went to our company clinic to have the dots on my neck (otherwise known as warts) cauterized. I was expecting our company surgeon to put anesthesia on the dots before the cautery but I was surprised and a bit dismayed to know that anesthesia is only applied on dots on the face in his clinic. Bummer!!!
Anyway, I was decided to get rid of those small but many dots on my neck so I went through with it. I faced the music but didn't appreciate the rhythm much. The treatment was torture! I felt like I was being tortured for my sins. The instrument used had a needlepoint tip that was used to prick the dots at the same time burn them. The burning felt more like an electrocution. I cringed, shivered and perspired on the chair.
I felt like Manny Pacquiao after a boxing match -- though hurt and beaten, I emerged like a champion, a hero that braved it all.
Whew! That was such an ordeal. Btw, I still learned that I have dots on my face and some flesh-colored ones left on my neck. I'll have it done elsewhere next time around.
My derma pursuit continued on... After consulting about Vitiligo, I availed of the medical facial and acne surgery treatment offered in the Derma Clinic. I know, the terms seems to technically medical. I think that it's just one of their marketing efforts to make their treatments seem scientific and serious vs the regular commercialized treatments in most Derm-Spas.
The medical facial is a facial with steam and the works. The acne surgery treatment is for the removal of even smaller dots on my face that are commonly called as white and black heads.
I had a lot of black heads on my nose and chin. Eck!
After my spots and dots sessions, I decided to call it a day and went home. Afterwards, I started the skin maintenance (or beauty) regimen recommended at the Derma Clinic. I, now, wash my face, apply toner, followed by clarifying lotion and sunblock (in the am) or pore cleanser (in the pm) on my face. Hopefully, this will keep my facial skin in good shape til the next decade or so. For my Vitiligo spots, I also brought home some breastfeeding-friendly meds (That's until I completely weaned Polo off breastfeeding. Most of the serious meds for Vitiligo can only be used when I'm no longer nursing).
Now that I'm in my thirties, I take heed to Baz Luhrmann's advice in the song "Everybody's Free to Wear Sunscreen" -- "If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience…I will dispense this advice now.
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded. But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked…."
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Pah-Cuhn!
Pah-Cuhn - That's how Polo pronounces popcorn, our little family's favorite midnight snack. Be it in plain, kettle corn, butter or cheese flavor, this snack turns him up & about!
One midnight, Marvin cooked microwavable popcorn. He was shaking the container to wake me up and join him (it's not fun to eat popcorn by yourself, he thought). I woke up and munched on the popcorn as well. I think that the happy sound of our midnight munching was loud for bedtime that it woke Polo up.
Without flinching or thinking twice, he sat up and smiled at the sight and smell (!) of the popcorn. It almost seemed instinctive. He dug into the plastic container and joined in the midnight snack fun.
The other evening, we had popcorn for dessert. When the plastic container was close to being empty, Marvin told Polo that we finished the whole pack already. Polo moved towards us and was extremely delighted when Marvin brought out the microwavable popcorn pack and poured more popcorn into the plastic container. Polo said, "Waaaaaaaaaaaaw," (Polo's version of "Wow!") while marching in place and swaying left to right.
Aside from Pah-Cuhn, here are the common things that he says:
Word (Polo's pronunciation -- his own version)
Bath (Bah-t)
Feet (Fith)
Teeth (Tith)
Door (Douh)
Light (Layht)
Lola (Luh-Lah)
Lolo (Ugh-Ugh) - hehehe!
Lolo Dante (Ugh-Ugh 'Te or O'Te) - Hehehe! We often tease my dad about this.
Tita (Tah-Tah)
Tita Jaz (Tah-Jaz)
Tita Chi-Chi (Ta-Chi or 'Chi-Chi) - Chi prefers the 2nd option, of course
Comb - (Cuhm)
Brush - (Bah-sh)
Angry - ('Gree)
Yaya - (Yah-Yah)
Yaya Erlyn - (Yah-Yah Eh-Leehn or Yah Leehn)
Angel - (Nh-Gehl)
Diaper - (Purr)
Star - (Stah)
High - (Hahy)
Guard - (Gahd)
Amen - (Ey-men or 'Men)
He can also fill in the blanks of these statements:
Brush your ____ (teeth)
Comb your ____ (hair)
Change your ____ (diaper)
He can also fill in the blanks of the ff nursery rhymes:
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
Itsy-Bitsy Spider
Rain, Rain Go Away
Just last Saturday (Aug 30, 2008), I discovered that he learns how to count from 1 to 10! Yey!
He also knows how to march on command
Our Polliepoe is one year, six months and 11 days old and he's learning fast.
One midnight, Marvin cooked microwavable popcorn. He was shaking the container to wake me up and join him (it's not fun to eat popcorn by yourself, he thought). I woke up and munched on the popcorn as well. I think that the happy sound of our midnight munching was loud for bedtime that it woke Polo up.
Without flinching or thinking twice, he sat up and smiled at the sight and smell (!) of the popcorn. It almost seemed instinctive. He dug into the plastic container and joined in the midnight snack fun.
The other evening, we had popcorn for dessert. When the plastic container was close to being empty, Marvin told Polo that we finished the whole pack already. Polo moved towards us and was extremely delighted when Marvin brought out the microwavable popcorn pack and poured more popcorn into the plastic container. Polo said, "Waaaaaaaaaaaaw," (Polo's version of "Wow!") while marching in place and swaying left to right.
Aside from Pah-Cuhn, here are the common things that he says:
Word (Polo's pronunciation -- his own version)
Bath (Bah-t)
Feet (Fith)
Teeth (Tith)
Door (Douh)
Light (Layht)
Lola (Luh-Lah)
Lolo (Ugh-Ugh) - hehehe!
Lolo Dante (Ugh-Ugh 'Te or O'Te) - Hehehe! We often tease my dad about this.
Tita (Tah-Tah)
Tita Jaz (Tah-Jaz)
Tita Chi-Chi (Ta-Chi or 'Chi-Chi) - Chi prefers the 2nd option, of course
Comb - (Cuhm)
Brush - (Bah-sh)
Angry - ('Gree)
Yaya - (Yah-Yah)
Yaya Erlyn - (Yah-Yah Eh-Leehn or Yah Leehn)
Angel - (Nh-Gehl)
Diaper - (Purr)
Star - (Stah)
High - (Hahy)
Guard - (Gahd)
Amen - (Ey-men or 'Men)
He can also fill in the blanks of these statements:
Brush your ____ (teeth)
Comb your ____ (hair)
Change your ____ (diaper)
He can also fill in the blanks of the ff nursery rhymes:
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
Itsy-Bitsy Spider
Rain, Rain Go Away
Just last Saturday (Aug 30, 2008), I discovered that he learns how to count from 1 to 10! Yey!
He also knows how to march on command
Our Polliepoe is one year, six months and 11 days old and he's learning fast.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Cool Changes
We transferred to a new house last March 15, 2008. We now reside in a 2-storey house with 4 bedrooms, 3 toilets, parking slots for 2 vehicles, a garden, a maid's room and enough space for Daddy's unused video and photography equipment and so much room for Polo to walk, run around and play in.
I love the neighborhood. It's secure, quiet and peaceful. I hear a lot of birds chirping in the morning. When I look out our window, I see the sky and our work-in-progress garden where my Mom and Dad planted flower-bearing plants. The stack of old that used to be in our room in the old house is now gone, all organized and neatly kept in our cabinets. When we step outside our room, we see a spacious living room to our left and a homey dining area and kitchen to our right. Another thing I love about the new place is that we never run out of water!!! Goodbye water shortage! Good bye water tank delivery! :) Wohoo!
Secondly, today marks my first day in the Product Marketing Team of SMART Money Activations. After around 4 years of being away from Product Marketing, I decided to go back. Thankfully, our company allowed me to jump around different teams and go back to where I started. So let's see how it goes. Hopefully, this time around, I'll stay longer. Hehehe.
I love the neighborhood. It's secure, quiet and peaceful. I hear a lot of birds chirping in the morning. When I look out our window, I see the sky and our work-in-progress garden where my Mom and Dad planted flower-bearing plants. The stack of old that used to be in our room in the old house is now gone, all organized and neatly kept in our cabinets. When we step outside our room, we see a spacious living room to our left and a homey dining area and kitchen to our right. Another thing I love about the new place is that we never run out of water!!! Goodbye water shortage! Good bye water tank delivery! :) Wohoo!
Secondly, today marks my first day in the Product Marketing Team of SMART Money Activations. After around 4 years of being away from Product Marketing, I decided to go back. Thankfully, our company allowed me to jump around different teams and go back to where I started. So let's see how it goes. Hopefully, this time around, I'll stay longer. Hehehe.
Monday, February 04, 2008
"Look, Ma, No Cavities!"
Polo's teeth received a Pedia Dentist's stamp of approval last Saturday, February 2. We can now teach him to say, "Look, Ma, No Cavities!," as the cute boy in Colgate's commercial would say.
It was Polo's first dental check up. His appointment was scheduled at 1pm (which didn't turn out to be a good schedule. It's not advisable to have a dentist check a baby's set of teeth after lunch because the baby is prone to throwing up his lunch if he cries too much). Instead of having lunch, we gave him a heavy breakfast and a light snack, as instructed by the Pedontist's assistant.
The clinic was child-friendly. It had books for children and stuffed animals hanging on the dentist's chair. Even the pedia dentist and her assistant looked fun as she was wearing a scrub suit with cute colorful animals.
Dra. Eala asked for our child's name. Upon saying, "Polo," she promptly said, "Oh, just like the candy." Dentista talaga! She then gave us a short orientation, saying that I will have to sit Polo on my lap, facing me and then let him lie down with his head landing on her knees. She also said that Polo will definitely cry because this will be a new experience for him but it won't be traumatic because it won't hurt.
It was Polo's first dental check up. His appointment was scheduled at 1pm (which didn't turn out to be a good schedule. It's not advisable to have a dentist check a baby's set of teeth after lunch because the baby is prone to throwing up his lunch if he cries too much). Instead of having lunch, we gave him a heavy breakfast and a light snack, as instructed by the Pedontist's assistant.
The clinic was child-friendly. It had books for children and stuffed animals hanging on the dentist's chair. Even the pedia dentist and her assistant looked fun as she was wearing a scrub suit with cute colorful animals.
Dra. Eala asked for our child's name. Upon saying, "Polo," she promptly said, "Oh, just like the candy." Dentista talaga! She then gave us a short orientation, saying that I will have to sit Polo on my lap, facing me and then let him lie down with his head landing on her knees. She also said that Polo will definitely cry because this will be a new experience for him but it won't be traumatic because it won't hurt.
That's exactly what we did. Using the dental mirror, she checked crying Polo's teeth (which only took less than 5 min) and then smeared fluouride on his 6 little teeth. That's it! It was definitely quick! What followed after was what took long -- consultation. She asked us about Polo's eating habits, diet and dental hygiene. She also gave us tips and allowed us to ask questions.
That's how it went and then she charged us a sizeable amount for the whole thing. :) But we didn't mind because it will be another year til we have Polo's teeth checked up again... because his 6 little milk teeth are cavity and problem-free!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Race On!
Since November 2007, I have been planning for Polo's 1st Birthday Party. I got in touch with close to twenty establishments, asking for quotations, party packages for a children's party and stuff. Finally, last January 25, I made up my mind. National Sports Grill was our final choice. Marvin and I signed the conforme and paid the 50% down payment for the venue of Polo's 1st Birthday.
It was the best choice after all, the theme of our party is racing cars. How can it not be about cars when Polo's line of interest is anything that has four wheels and goes vrrrroooom, vrooooom! When he sees cars or vehicles on tv, on the street or sees toy cars, he'll drop everything and inspect the underchasis, the wheels and say "vrrrooom, vroooom..." with gusto! Hehehe... Sometimes, he even pretends that our tv remote control is a car. If we give him a cookie during meal time, expect that he'll say "vroooom, vroooom..." and drag the cookie like it's a car before he bites it.
Let's park Polo's fascination about cars and vehicles and go back to my party planning checklist:
Venue - NSG, 3rd Level, Greenbelt 3, Check!
Party Decor - c/o Tanunings, Check!
Party Host and Magician - c/o Tanunings, Check!
Game Prizes - bought them myself at Divisoria, Check!
Loot Bags - bought them myself at Divisoria, Check!
Invites - artsy-craftsy work in progress, THIS MUST BE RELEASED NEXT WEEK!
Signature Book - sourced out 2 supplier options, still need to compile the pictures.
Gift for Polo - Check! Marvin bought it last Sunday. He couldn't resist the urge to buy something for Polo whenever they are out together in a mall. Hope Marvin isn't tempted to open our gift for Polo before his birthday.
Audio Visual Presentation - I deligated this to Marvin. Hope he starts working on it this week.
Birthday Cake - c/o Just For Kids, the kids version of Kink Cakes. We placed our order last Sunday and paid for 50% of the cost as well. Check!
A couple of things left and the race is on to Polo's 1st Birthday Party! Well, that's until we release the invites.
Out in the market, once again
I have already accomplished my Goal # 5. I already downloaded my updated resume from Jobstreet DB and sent it out one manpower consulting firm and to 2 companies in need of product/brand/marketing managers. I'm praying that I'll find a new job before the quarter ends. :)
I have mixed emotions on this one. I'm excited to conquer new territory at the same time that I'm perplexed about the new challenges that will be set before. I am hopeful, however, that my whirlwind 7-year experience in SMART has seasoned me and chiseled me into a heavy-duty marketing person.
On the mommy side, I'm looking forward to weaning Polo from Breastmilk to Formula. February 25 will be the day. I expect that I'll feel some sense of liberation but I'm sure that I would still experience separation anxiety. Hehehe... What can I do? Breastfeeding is an experience that ties the heart of a mom to her child.
Slowly shifting from Breastfeeding to formula-feeding will also give me some room to take on new responsibilities and challenges at work. I'm ready now to stretch myself once more and strive for excellence in work and at home.
... So help me, God. Amen.
I have mixed emotions on this one. I'm excited to conquer new territory at the same time that I'm perplexed about the new challenges that will be set before. I am hopeful, however, that my whirlwind 7-year experience in SMART has seasoned me and chiseled me into a heavy-duty marketing person.
On the mommy side, I'm looking forward to weaning Polo from Breastmilk to Formula. February 25 will be the day. I expect that I'll feel some sense of liberation but I'm sure that I would still experience separation anxiety. Hehehe... What can I do? Breastfeeding is an experience that ties the heart of a mom to her child.
Slowly shifting from Breastfeeding to formula-feeding will also give me some room to take on new responsibilities and challenges at work. I'm ready now to stretch myself once more and strive for excellence in work and at home.
... So help me, God. Amen.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Let the Heavens Rejoice
"Let the sea and what fills it resound,the world and those who dwell in it;Let the rivers clap their hands,the mountains shout with them for joy before the LORD." Psalm 98
This is my struck for today. It is a command to rejoice and be happy. So be it. Be happy, my heart. :)
Reading the words of this psalm reminds me of my old tambourine dancing days in the BLD Youth Ministry. I miss dancing and singing for the Lord will all my might. I miss serving the Lord.
This is my struck for today. It is a command to rejoice and be happy. So be it. Be happy, my heart. :)
Reading the words of this psalm reminds me of my old tambourine dancing days in the BLD Youth Ministry. I miss dancing and singing for the Lord will all my might. I miss serving the Lord.
First and Foremost
Happy New Year! Here are my Goals for this year:
- 12 scrapbook layouts for the year (or at least one per month)
- 54 blog entries or one entry per month
- Tapusin na ang wedding album and wedding video (Hello!!!)
- Print and organize our pictures in a photo album (all of them are just digital files eating up Marvin's disk space!)
- Update my resume and send it out
- Read the Bible Daily
- Renew my driver's license
- Renew my passport
- Get a passport for Polo
- Better and deeper relationships
- Become a manager by year-end
- Transfer house or find one of our own
- Hire a good and worthy househelp/yaya
- Report for work on time (God, help me)
- Be on time for everything (The Lord of time, help me)
- Lose weight - go back to my pre-pregnancy weight of 128lbs
- Eat right, stay healthy
- Develop my cooking & baking skills -- cook/bake once a month
- Go on dates with my Husband - once a month
- Go on dates with Polo - once a month
- Go on dates with my mom - once a quarter
- Go on dates with my parents - once a year
- Go on dates with my sisters - twice a year
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