Oh hi there! | Thank you 2015 and Hello 2016!

So, it has been a while since I have obviously updated my blog, this little space of mine in the internet. My last post was in April 2015, and so many things have already happened to me since then. It has been a good 2015 and I will find the time to post some entries in the coming days. Sure, there may have been a lot of challenges, both in my work and personal life, but hey, these challenges are part of life. Life's not perfect, as what people say. But I am still thankful for these challenges for they have made me appreciate more and be grateful for what I have in my life.

I guess when you reach a point in your life when you have experienced a lot of things, or life has thrown you lemons that you can actually make a business of selling lemonades, or you have lost a lot and win some, or maybe when you have made peace with yourself, you become more grateful for everything that comes your way. Regardless if they were good or bad, you still thank God for everything.

So thank you God for 2015. And thank you for giving me 2016. I hope I can live up to the challenges that will come my way, live according to Your will, and be more courageous to take risks this year. I accept all the blessings that You will give to me, with an open and thankful heart.

Grateful

On my 'normal' working days, I find myself doing my usual stuff and routine. 

That is, “get up, get dressed, get ready, go to work, do actual work, travel/commute, go home”. 

The past months, or even years, have been filled with a lot of things that have kept me going with my usual routine. There have been some few exciting times when I got to take a break or vacation, whether going home to my beloved hometown for the weekends, or on luckier days, drove around towns, visited some tourist sites, and most recently fly out of the country and travel on my own (which I shall write about it soon). 

Living and working in the metro can actually take up one’s strength, health, patience, and sanity. If you aren't really born in or have lived your entire life in the city, just like the probinsyana that I am, the craziness of the metro can actually get to you. It actually has gotten me - I welcomed 2015 lying in a hospital bed and spending the first two weeks of the New Year inside my hospital room, underwent several tests (I was diagnosed with acute peptic ulcer) and basically just resting and recuperating. It was a good wake up call, and a reminder, again, for me to take better care of my health. 

After my hospitalization, I went back to work and was welcomed with a greeting card and stuffed Minnie Mouse with well-wishes. It was such a nice welcome. 

After months of medication and going on a special diet, I can say I’m back to my normal self. I have to eat and live healthier, exercise more often, and do all those healthy living stuff. I guess I am more cautious now and have actually been preaching people to eat on time (if you find yourself working over lunch, I suggest that you get up, take a short break, and EAT! It will be good for you, believe me!). 

Life has been busy since then. There were good days, and not-so-good days; though this is not to say that the bad ones outweigh the good ones. Life isn’t perfect, but you can make it beautiful! (Naks, cheesy line!)

I find myself appreciating more what I have, taking better care of myself, spending more time with people who matter, doing more sensible things, and thanking God for what and who I have in my life. 

So in this ‘normal’ day, as I was putting on my red lipstick after my lunch break, I thought again about everything that have transpired in the past year, months, weeks, and days. 

My red-stained lips broke into a smile. 

Laundry Tips

One of the things that living away from home taught me is doing my own laundry. Luckily enough, our household help has given me laundry training in my earlier years (way back from my high school). She taught me the basics of handwashing, that is, you have to separate the “whites” from the “colored” ones, soak, rinse, dry, and hang. I may not yet be an expert in doing the laundry, but I’m proud to say that I can wash my own clothes, and actually enjoy doing it. I know some people who do not wash their own clothes for the lack of interest, or perhaps they have the luxury of having other people do their own laundry. I have nothing against this. We all have our own interests, and doing the laundry is one of mine.

So for the interest of laundry, here is an infographic on some cool laundry tips that I found in the internet that I’d like to share with you:

Source: http://mentalfloss.com/article/56519/8-brilliant-tricks-make-laundry-day-smarter-and-more-efficient

Happy laundry-ing! :P

Black and White

Chocolate Kiss, UP Diliman. 23022014.

Friends and babies

I'm thankful for life-long friends such as them.

Friends who go back all the way, from a time when we were still in high school, wide eyed, slightly ideal, and not so jaded. ;-)

Some of them chose to go from friends to being more than friends, hubbies/wives/partners, and  to being mommies and daddies.

And today, we celebrated the christening of their second bundle of joy. 

Audrey. 

One of my best friends' pretty baby. 

Welcome to the Christian world, sweetie! :)

(Photos grabbed from Mark Parcia.)

The week that was.

A hefty serving of burger and fries, reminder that it's okay to be silly, and a week of hard work. 

Thank You, God for the week. 

You still even blessed me with a more meaningful weekend.

Of food, hospitals and gratitude

About two weeks ago, I was hospitalized for a stomach flu, or what is otherwise known as acute gastroenteritis. It came at a time when I had so many things to do, and in the middle of preparations for a tour that I am organizing for work. It also came in the middle of week, Wednesday. I was leisurely having lunch by myself in a local restaurant in town where I ordered their set meal. 

 The culprit. Two servings of porkchop, spoonfull of mashed potato, and buttered corn and carrots. The extra serving of rice isn't in the photo. ;P

It was a fairly good meal, so good that I even ordered an extra serving of rice to go with it. The place was also to myself as there were only few customers at that time. So that made my lunch time even better. 

With a big meal like that, I felt really full after. As I always do after a full meal, I try to walk or do other things, but not just sit around. I went through my usual work routine.  However, after about 3 hours, my stomach felt really painful. I went immediately to our office clinic, was given medicine, and told to rest. The day was almost going to an end, so I thought of waiting then going home. Unfortunately, the pain was still persistent, and to make the long story short, I was admitted to the hospital. 

The whole experience was really a wake-up call on my part. As I was lying on the emergency room and in the hospital bed, especially at times when I am just by myself, I thought about how important it is to take extra care of your health. The saying “health is wealth” is really true. 

Being in the hospital by myself also made me realize how strong I could be, as well as opening myself to my own weaknesses. It kinda makes you strong and rely on yourself, which is one of the realities of adulthood. 

And of course, the experience showed me how much love and care there is from the people around me. So, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who have shown these two things to me:

First of all, to my family – mom, dad, ate letty and my sister Regine – They were present whenever they can be and showed me unconditional love and support. Thank you. 

To my Rotary family – Ate Mela, Jamie, Tita Mayos, Tita Monette, Tito Greggy, Tita Renz/Momsy, Alquin and Z, thank you for visiting me in the hospital. I really appreciate the fact that you went to the hospital to visit me after the club meeting. To Ate Gigi, for texting me, thank you. To Dr. Alava/Tita Doray, for still giving advice even if you were also not feeling well yourself, thank you po. (Pasensya na rin po kung nakulitan kayo sa akin. Hehe). 

And of course, to God almighty, for giving me healing and restoring my health, thank you, Lord. You are indeed the best healer. 

So there, be safe everyone. Remember, prevention is still the best medicine for any illnesses. So let’s all take good care of our health.