The World of Second Chances

The Magical Feeling

August 12, 2018

Life & Love

Photo taken from web.

Because ber-month is less than a month away, I’d like to share the magical feeling of setting up a Christmas tree and adorning the house with Christmas decors. I was the one in charge of the decoration and I used to do it every last week of October. The 4-ft Christmas tree was located in a big box above the cabinet. No matter how heavy it was, my adrenaline rush was enough for me to bring it down alone. Our Christmas tree was an 80’s style tree with its bushy leaves, thus it appeared big and fat.

The original ornaments were a set of reindeers, Santa Clauses and bells of different sizes. When the 90’s came and with two young kids in the house, the ornaments were either broken or lost so I did a DIY that was made of red and gold ribbons. The original Christmas lights were blue and red and were later changed to white. The Christmas star was the last ornament that I put on and it was also a sign of relief because setting up that Christmas tree normally took me around two hours. Despite its height at only 4 ft, it was heavy. It stood on a coffee table that was 2.5 feet so the Christmas tree became a towering centerpiece at 6.5 feet.

In my eyes, our modest home turned into a beautiful castle every ber-monts of the year. There was something magical about Christmas that reminded me that it was a season of giving and forgiving. Ironically, I was not into the religious practice of Christmas and the only Christmas mass that I attended was that one in St. Joseph Church in Baguio City.

I grew up listening to Jose Mari Chan’s enchanting voice. I would hear more of his Christmas songs on the coming months. It would surely bring me back to happier times of my childhood when my mother, grandmothers, aunts and uncles were still alive.
From Word of Honor to Hologram?

August 12, 2018

Life & Love

Photo taken from the web.

It’s 11:22 PM and I can’t sleep yet. It must be the inclement weather. As a person grows old, he/she tends to worry a lot not for him/herself but for those who must be in need. I have become dependent on technology since year 2000 from communication to my daily task plan. Now, I am depending once again on technology to get the latest weather update.

More than two decades ago and when cellphone was not yet in circulation, people depend on another person’s word of honor if they wanted to meet at a certain date and time elsewhere. My most memorable experience was when a friend and I agreed to meet at the entrance of the Baguio Cathedral after my enrollment. Bataan to Baguio used to take 12 hours for cutting trip from Layak to San Fernando to Dau to Baguio so whenever our kind neighbor whose into vegetable selling business would go to Baguio to buy, I was expected to be one of those on the big jeepney for a free 6-hour ride. (I will forever be grateful to the Almario family for that).

Our group arrived an hour earlier at 7AM. I went straight to the school and ate at the canteen. By 8AM, I started the enrollment and finished by 10AM. From the school, I walked along the Assumption Road and headed towards the shortcut going to the Baguio Cathedral. At the back of my mind, I knew it was impossible to meet my friend 4 hours before our intended meet up but anyway, maybe luck was on my side.

When it was confirmed that I was 4 hours advanced and there was no way to tell that friend that I needed to go home that day, I headed to the Victory Liner station with a heavy heart. I made a short call to my mother to inform her that I would be home, using the payphone at the corner of Piltel. It was also my way of letting my friend know that I arrived in Baguio earlier than usual.

It was past 10PM when I reached home and the first thing that my mother said was my friend called up and was looking for me. She said that I was on my way home and that ended the story of how inconvenient it was before to solely rely on word of honor when circumstances wouldn’t allow a person to be true to her word. Maybe some would ask why I didn’t spend the night in Baguio instead. The answer was because I had nowhere to stay for the night as I was on the process of transferring to another dorm or boarding house then.

The generation that I belong to is lucky enough to witness the boom of technology. My first cellphone was an Alcatel as I couldn’t afford a Nokia 5110. I got it through installment (6 months) and I used it for a year before acquiring my first Nokia phone. Whatever happened to Nokia saddens me; they used to be the big thing in the cellphone manufacturing.

Through my cellphone, I was able to confirm appointments and meet ups if it was a yes or a no, a sure one or a maybe. Some friends would say that they were on the way when in reality, they were still at home and dressing up. Some would cancel at the last minute.

Six or 7 years later, texting became a thing of the past because we now have Facebook messenger, Viber and Line (to name a few). What puzzles me actually is how people of today seem to become aloof when it comes to face-to-face communication but are very sweet and friendly on messenger. I don’t want to think that I now have more virtual friendships than a real one because to be honest, I am not for anything unreal; I can drop relationships that do not make me happy.

Maybe the texting or chatting of the future is through hologram. When that happens, I will still stick to what my heart truly wants— a real friendship or relationship with connection.
2018 Balanga Flood

July 24, 2018

Life & Love

Photo taken from the web.

July 22, 2018. It was another rainy day. I woke up at 8:45 AM, still groggy from the cold tablet that I took the night before. I checked on my Facebook and as a normal routine, I sent a private message to my family in Balanga.

Nothing seemed abnormal so I just focused on the day’s tasks. After lunch, I saw my classmate’s sister’s post about the raging waters at their farm in the upper part of Balanga. Then, another post from my cousin about how the waters in the lower part of Balanga seemed to be quickly increasing with that day’s heavy downpour.

After an hour, there was another post from a relative about the possibility of a flash flood at the low-lying areas there. I sent a private message to my father and brothers and they assured me that everything was under control. I slept and when I woke up at around 4PM, my brother’s message worried me a lot. The flood waters were rising and the residents were not prepared for an evacuation. They had limited time to save all their furnitures and appliances. It was unexpected.

They miscalculated the effect of the heavy rains and how the saturated soil failed them because they were used to the floodings. Tenejero, Ibayo, Talisay, Bagumbagayan, Pto Rivas and Tortugas have always been flood-prone areas there. I grew up experiencing walking in the flooded streets of Balanga but it was just a way of life there. It paled in comparison with the July 22nd flooding because almost all of the barangays in Balanga were affected.

The stress of being physically not there for your family affected me that night. I texted all that I thought needed concern and assurance especially those who were probably alone or trapped. I was hoping that typhoon Josie would be a weaker version of Ondoy or Yolanda.

The next morning, when their cellphone batteries were drained, I just checked the news online. I saw the damage; muddy floors, flooded furnitures and appliances; it was a total mess but my family and friends were safe.

Then I realize that we always complain about our daily discomfort when the real discomfort is facing danger or even death.

We don’t bother about the neighbors next door but they will be the ones to give us help and shelter during the trying times.

We don’t even know the members of the rescue team but during the time of calamity, they are the ones risking their lives for us.

We don’t appreciate the food being served to us but food and water are the basic things needed to survive.

We don’t give much importance to our surroundings, the environment, the changes until we’re at the receiving end of its wrath.
Agnes of God (1985 Film)

July 16, 2018

That’s Entertainment

I was trying to remember old movies from the 80’s when “Agnes of God” popped into my mind. Meg Tilly played the role of Agnes. In case you are not familiar with Meg, she’s the ex of Collin Firth and in case you do not know Collin Firth, just watch Mamma Mia. 🙂

Agnes of God is a story about a young nun who is accused of killing her newborn baby. Dr. Martha Livingston (Farrah Fawcett) is assigned to assess her mental state. Dr. Livingston sometimes clashes with the mother superior (Anne Bancroft) but gets her cooperation in the end.

I read that there’s a real-life story about this and the movie is inspired from it but I’ll just focus on the movie. From my perspective, Agnes is a deeply-troubled young woman who experienced abuse from home. It is not just physical, emotional and mental abuse but also sexual abuse. The perpetrator is no less than her mother because her mother hates her so much; she’s even considered a mistake. If Agnes experienced sexual abuse from a young age, then the concept of sex is nothing new to her.

Agnes is raised as an illiterate with no interface from the outside world. The convent becomes her second home when her mother died. Her friendship with Sister Paul and their secret escapade puzzled me at first but later on changed my mind about my perception of the elderly nun. My take is, the reason why Sister Paul told her about a secret passage from the convent to the fields is because she wanted Agnes to experience life outside of the convent; unassuming of the danger that could happen to her.

Maybe, in one of her lone escapades, Agnes met a man who took a fancy on her and she mentioned about the secret passageway from the fields to the convent. Being too trusting, she allowed the man to enter her room. Maybe feelings were also developed but he’s not the type who would wait so on the 7th meeting, he forced himself on him. Because she’s not immaculately innocent, she knew that she was violated that’s why she burned her bedsheet.

With regard to her growing tummy, I think that she really does not know that that’s pregnancy. When she started starving herself because she thought she’s getting too fat, that’s her old tortured soul speaking. When she delivered the baby, she was horrified and angry for bringing another “mistake” so she did him/her a “favor” by killing him/her.

My disappointment in the story is her rapist was never caught and identified and maybe ready to attack another nun or another woman.
Ang Selfie!

June 9, 2018

Life & Love

Suportado ko ang mahihilig mag-selfie. Hindi ako mahilig sa selfie; o hindi sa level na parang sa iba pero suportado ko sya. Hindi naman lahat ng nagse-selfie ay GGSS (gandang-ganda sa sarili). Hindi naman lahat ng nase-selfie ay selfish. Isa din ako sa mga taong mahilig mag-like sa mga selfie photos. Wag mag-assume ang iba pero hindi dahil gandang-ganda ako o gwapong-gwapo sa inyo; the act of taking a selfie picture and then posting it on your wall is the reason for my “like.”

Madalas kong sabihin na “Ambilis ng panahon.”

“Time flies.”

“Where did the time go?”

Hindi yan para magpaka-deep lang ako. Talagang nawiwindang ako minsan sa bilis ng panahon. At dahil ako ang taong may pinakakonting collection ng sarili kong larawan, nanghihinayang ako dahil hindi ko na-capture ang precious moments ko dati. Kaya bagama’t hindi ako ma-selfie na tao, sinisikap kong kumuha ng mga litrato ko ngayon sa bawat okasyong meron ako sa kasalukuyan kong buhay.

Isang na-realize ko kaka-stalk sa profile ng iba ay totoong ang physical beauty ay nawawala o kumukupas through the years. May isa akong hinahangaang beauty queen at medyo nagulat ako na very ordinary na syang tignan ngayon. Hindi na nya panahon. Ang maganda lang sa nangyari, hindi lang magandang mukha ang meron sya kundi natural na talino at diskarte. Tumandang may pinagkatandaan, kumbaga.

Meron din akong na-stalk na hiyang-hiyang mag-post ng childhood photos nya pero minu-minutong mag-post ng picture nya ngayon. Late bloomer sya. Gusto nyang iparating sa mundo na “the ugly duckling turned out to be a beautiful swan.” Kung saan sya proud, okay lang. Buhay nya yun.

But it also makes me think that 10 year from now, mawawala din ang physical beauty na yan. Pansamantala lang yan. Natutuyo din. Kaya ang payo ko sa mga nakikipag-boyfriend o girlfriend sa ngayon ay humanap kayo ng makakasundo nyo sa ugali at pananaw sa buhay. Ang ganda o gwapo ng mukha, kumukupas yan. Baka kaso matanso kapag pumangit na ang partner ninyo ay masama pa ang ugali.
Movie Watching Through The Years

June 7, 2018

That’s Entertainment

So this is not about Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom because the movie is average (3 out of 5 stars) and I promised my friend not to talk much about it (anti-spoiler). This is just about me and my perception about going to the movie in my mid-life.

My first movie house experience was in Balanga. I was 5 years old then. The movie house looked more like a religious fellowship activity with its long chairs. (Imagine the chairs inside the Catholic church, that’s it.) We were too close to the big screen and every time the industrial fan hit it, it waved and distracted us.

My parents’ parenting style was too old-fashioned during the 80’s. We were not allowed to go to the movie house with our friends because according to them, it was not a safe place for anybody. There was a time when selected students of our class went to Clark, Pampanga as a treat for something that I could not remember. When we went back to Balanga, one of our classmates suggested to watch a Vilma Santos movie in Recar Cinema. I told the group that I could not go with them because I was afraid of being reprimanded by my father but one of the teachers assured me that they would explain to my father, when needed.

Most of my classmates wanted a Tito, Vic and Joey starrer and one of them warned me that Dolzura Cortes was an adult movie so I went with them instead. That was my first movie house experience in the company of friends instead of my family. Speaking of my family, expect a Friday date with them everytime FPJ had a new movie. Back when I was younger, my mother and aunt used to bring me to the movie house to watch Sharon and Gabby. I was bored; I was too young for love stories then.

In high school, believe it or not, we were required to watch movies in Bataan Cinema for our essay writing. Among the movies that the school required were Ghost, Beatlejuice and Sakay. Quiet and guarded most of the time, one of my classmates asked me if I was okay. I told him (he was gay at that time) that I was not used to watching movies with friends and our schoolmates’ noise were getting into my nerves.

College gave me the liberty to decide on my own. I realized that the movie house was not really an evil place where maniacs and thiefs thrived on. Rather, it was a little dark place where lovers met to express and explore. For the first time, I felt safe inside a movie house with my then boyfriend. I forgot the name of the movie house in Magsaysay Avenue (Baguio) where they offered a double movie to a price of one.

When I started working and earning, dating meant going to the movie house every week. Time Square Cinema was part of my young life in Olongapo and the Harry Potter fever has not yet started there when we watched it. Watching movies in the movie house became seldom and seldom when I moved to my current residence.

Since I got busy juggling my time between work and family, almost all of my activities when I was single took a backseat. The second movie that I watched (in the movie house) as a married woman was Fantastic 4 and that was 3 years ago. We brought our children and it was a playful disaster! Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom looked promising so we brought our children last night to watch. Waltermart Cinema was good enough. The air-conditioning units were working, the floors were clean and the seats did not smell bad. Despite this, I was paranoid and feared about bedbugs on the seats! I turned on my phone’s torch to check further and when everything looked clean, I focused on watching the movie. Of course, there were instances when one of boys would comment about the movie and there I was telling him to keep quiet. The popcorn did not taste fresh and the soda smelled a little fishy. Between the two, I could tolerate the popcorn but not a fishy-smelling soda!

As an adult and in the company of young kids, movie watching is an extension of babysitting. As a giddy teenager, it was automatic that my date provided for the jacket to make me comfortable. It was a rule that my date would be the one to fall in line to get me a food or drink. Now, I am the one doing all those to my kids and I love it.

Did I enjoy Jurassic World?

No.

Did I feel comfortable inside the Waltermart Cinema?

No.

Why?

I am paranoid.

Will I watch another movie again at the movie house?

Yes, when my kids want us to.
Recommendation: Foot Peeling Mask

June 5, 2018

Career, Finance & Product

Warning: Graphic images. LOL!

Our feet are the most neglected part of our body. Between a facial and a foot spa, I am more religious when it comes to the former. Don’t get me wrong; I have my foot spa kit at home but my problem was my rough heels. My foot spa session at the salon did not help eliminate that rough part either so I decided to try Purederm Shiny and Soft Foot Peeling Mask.

The foot masks come in a shoe-like wrap; you can wear socks over it. You just leave it for 60 to 90 minutes. The spicy sensation is distracting; wear it off if you can’t tolerate it because your skin might be having allergic reaction to the substance.

After 60 to 90 minutes, remove the mask and wash your feet with water. You can feel the smoothness thereafter. After 7 days, expect the peeling and voila! Better texture and no rough heels!

I got this product from an online seller—my friend, actually. I recommend this product to those who are too busy to go to the spa. It’s cheap, it’s effective and definitely, this will be my new monthly beauty routine!