I feel that I need to learn more about my profession.
I feel that I am not giving my best even if I’m already giving my 100%.
I feel so naive in front of those who are good in analyzing the business side of our process.
I need to learn.
Study.
Cope up with them.
I am sad.
Yet I am glad.
I will improve because I acknowledge my weakness.
Chang: Mommy, what were you doing when you were my age?
I: I was timid then.
Chang: Hahaha! Really?
I: But I was cute.
Chang: Now it doesn’t show.
I: I think I was a latebloomer. I started being noticed in college.
Chang: And then?
I: And then I got my first boyfriend then.
Chang: Ah, that was daddy.
I: Yes, your ugly dad. (joking)
Chang: Is college life so hard?
I: When you don’t have enough funds.
Chang: I think I want to be an IT.
I: Go ahead. It’s a nice course.
Chang: I want a second course, too. Like culinary arts.
I: That’s an expensive course.
Chang: I’ll work first before getting a second course. Then I’ll finance Adi’s education.
I: I don’t think so.
Chang: And why?
I: You might get married after college.
Chang: Of course not! Hahaha!
I: Then, thanks. Thanks for the promise.(in a bored tone)
Chang: Eh, why are you annoyed?
I: I am not!
Chang: Yes, you are. The facial expression.
I: Duh, I am just bored!
Chang: Bored!
I: Of course it’s not because of you. I easily get tired. I am old. Don’t get too affected.
*****
Chang, I will remember the day that you promised that you will finance Adi’s education. Hehehe…. It’s good to have beautiful kids that I am longing to be with when I am not at home.
So, I’m starting the year positive and bright as much as possible. A friend turned minimalist and I am one of his followers. I decided it’s time to assess what’s inside my closet and what’s on my shoe rack because I could be keeping unwanted stocks.
I started with my underwear drawer. I threw away old socks and brassiers.
Then, I went to check on my shoes, flip flops and sandals. I decided to let go of my black boots eventhough it was my favorite. The irreparable hole on it would not be good on my uniform. I let go of an old blue sneakers that I was not using for the past two years. The old pink sneakers must go, too. I decided to include Chang’s violet sneakers, too. The old yellow sandals were not impressive anymore, the blue clogs needed overhauling and the red flip flops looked boring.
My final destination was my closet. I removed all my clothes that I felt inappropriate to my age. It’s good to see those clothes being worn by my tweener especially the cropped green jacket and the nice green dress. I gave the other clothes to Adi’s nanny and she took a look at the shoes/sandals/flip flops to check if she wanted any.
It’s good to see my closet reflecting the real inventory of what I have and what I need. I don’t need too much clothes. I don’t need too much footwear.
Reference: http://www.stuartxchange.org/Alagaw.html
Ever tasted an alagaw leaf? Ever smelled one? If you are not familiar with alagaw, please refer to the link above.
There was a time in my young life that I hated this tree. Its leaves added up to the many dry leaves that I needed to sweep and burn. I hated the pungent scent, too. My hatred turned into love (hehehe) when I tasted my mother’s lutong page with alagaw as extender. Her lutong page is one that I miss about her. Not everybody can cook a page without the fishy smell.
Alagaw is a good mucolytic, too. It has been two weeks since I’m into drinking alagaw tea to loosen my phlegm. I haven’t tried drinking lagundi tea though.
I also make ensalada out of young alagaw leaves, tomato and onion. Try it with fried milkfish or even tinapa.
Apparently, this is done by a carnapping syndicate given the striking similarity in the manner of killing their victims. Atty. Oliver Lozano, Emerson’s father, claimed that his son was a victim of mistaken identity. Of whose identity, he did not elaborate.
My heart goes out to Venzon Evangelista’s wife. I saw her on TV last Monday night and she was hoping that her husband was still alive.
Both of the victims’ vehicles are still missing. Carnappers have evolved these days. They’re getting worse than kidnappers.
Let these two cases be solved FAST.
1. Prell Shampoo- Can you still remember this shampoo? Green shampoo ito na naka-pack sa clear container. Kalaban ito ng Palmolive shampoo dati. Mabango naman kaso di nagtagal sa market.
2. Timothy Shampoo- Model nito ang babaeng white ang buhok. Sabi nila, nung i-try daw nila ang Timothy, naging white din ang buhok nila. Hehehe.
3. Kao Feather Shampoo- Was it Dina Bonnevie who endorsed this product? Remember the jingle, Kao Feather the mildest shampoo ever?
4. Dimension Shampoo- Sino di makakalimot sa Dimension versus Pantene logo war? Hehehe. Baligtarin mo ang logo ng Pantene, yun ang logo ng Dimension. Magkaamoy pati. Kung si Nikki Prieto (now Nikki Teodoro) ang first commercial model dito sa Pinas ng Pantene, I think it was Mayumi Cabrera who endorsed Dimension. Labanan ng magaganda yan!
5. Lifebuoy- Lulubog-lilitaw ang family soap na to. Orange ang trademark nyang kulay. Masakit sa balat ko nung bata ako kaya ayokong gamitin. Hehehe.
6. Magico- Family soap na puti. Mild lang ng konti sa Perla pero Perla pa rin ang dating. Gustong-gustong ipampaligo ng pinsan ko at namumuti daw sya. Namumuti dahil dry ang balat. Hindi pambata ang sabon na yun.
7. Wonder Boy- Bilib ako sa Chippy dahil na-sustain nya through the decades ang marketability nya. Ang Wonder Boy, pagkain ng mga batang masa. Asan na kaya yun? I miss the taste!
8. Kiddie Kurls- Pantapat sa Chiz Curls (spelling?) ng mga batang masa. Paboritong bilhin ng tatay ko sa amin pag bumabagyo. Isang malaking supot para enjoy kaming kumain kahit baha.
9.Haba-Haba- Haba daw sumulat at pantapat ng masa sa sosyaling Kilometrico Ballpen. Ideal ang Haba-haba sa mga nagtitipid gaya ko.
10. Tretorn- Sosyal ka pag naka-Tretorn ka! May kaklase ako nung grade school na sandamakmak ang Tretorn. May time pa na nabasa sa ulan kaya napilitan syang mag-tsinelas pauwi. Ang Tretorn shoes nya, ayun, inamag lang sa classroom dahil ayaw iuwi. Anyways, madami naman daw syang shoes! Rich kid!
11. K-Swiss at Kaypee- Pag sosyal ka, K-Swiss, pag masa ka, Kaypee shoes. Nagkaroon ako ng Kaypee shoes, pink. Agad bumuka nung mabasa ng ulan. Mabuti naman at may sapatero laging dumaraan para i-repair ang sapatos ko.
12. Mighty Kid- Hats off ako sa tibay ng sapatos na to. 1985, nakatanggap ako ng aguinaldo na tatlong daang piso. Ang halaga ng Mighty Kid na nabili ko ay 250 pesos. May sukli pa akong pambili ng doughnut.
My husband and I clearly made this a rule: “Love thy neighbor.” We consider our neighbors as our second family. It’s nice to be giving and receiving foods from them. We look after each other’s kids when the mother is busy doing her household chores. It’s a nice set up. I love it!
We are also neighbors to the barangay hall so it’s expected that there will be noisy days sometimes. It’s okay if what they’re noisy about is for public service but it’s never okay with me if what they’re noisy about is for their own merry-making session.
I usually keep my cool. Unbelievable but true. It will take sometime before a person gets on my nerve. Humanda ka lang pag napuno ako, you don’t want to see me angry. I did not have a good sleep last Saturday night so I woke up groggy Sunday morning. I put Adi to sleep after lunch and at around 2PM, I was awakened by a loud noise, a siren coming from the barangay patrol. Adi was awakened and cried so loud; frightened. Miel took him and brought him downstairs. Then somebody threw a firecracker near our apartment and I heard Adi cried so loud, more frightened.
I am a peace-loving person but I can be very brave when it comes to protecting my family. I opened the window and checked who threw the firecracker. Around seven barangay tanods were there, also looking at me. I gave each of them a dagger look. Yes, maybe it was not them who threw the firecracker but as a barangay tanod, they should have reprimanded whoever threw it, debah? I shut the window loudly after checking on them.
Look, it’s not the first time that they acted like hari ng barangay . Nobody wanted to oppose them for whatever reason. I could have let the incident pass by had what they did did not frighten my little one.
I will always stand by my family especially if the one affected cannot defend himself.
The World of Second Chances 