VERY COLD!
That is what it says on the forecast for last night, today, and tomorrow. I woke up this morning, er, afternoon...the sun was shining brightly...I checked the weather on the laptop and it said -24. Dude. There have been some schools in MN that have closed due to the cold....NOT the snow, but the cold. Ya'll know how there is a huge difference between air temp and wind chill factor? Well, some air temps around MN fell to about -48! People from da Bay keep asking me what that kind of cold feels like. There are NO words to describe it. The word "painful" comes to mind, but doesn't quite convey it fully.
When hubby gets called to a site, it's always afterhours. 'Course that means going when the temps are the coldest. I feel so bad for him 'cuz here he is trying to get over an already bad cough, leaving at the coldest times of the evening, parking in an open garage, and then keeping his fingers crossed that the Lex will actually start up! 'Member how I mentioned that the news have been offering tips on frostbite (which can happen in a matter of minutes...)? They've added hypothermia to that! They say that if you must go out for any reason, you not only HAVE to have your hat, gloves, scarf, etc, but you should also bring along blankets or sleeping bags...in case you get stranded...in case your car dies on you. Not cool. Not cool at all.
Even our Bible study has been cancelled due to the cold. We don't want to risk our cars freezing up and anyone getting sicker than they already are. Did I mention that our apartment underground garage is heated? Thankfully so. There are a few cars outside that haven't moved in a week...honestly, I don't think they can move, even if they wanted.
But hey, gotta run. It's gotten warmer. 'Tis only -2 out! We're goin' to head to the grocery store before it starts dropping again. Peace out, much love. Have a great weekend ya'll...
Friday, January 30, 2004
Wednesday, January 28, 2004
People over 35 should be dead. Here's why:
Got this email forward from best galpal VirgoCapri. Made me laugh hella hard and so I thought I'd share it with ya'll...
According to today's regulators and bureaucrats, those of us who were kids in the 40's, 50's, 60's, or even maybe the early 70's probably shouldn't have survived-
* Our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paint.
* We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets, and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets. (Not to mention the risks we took hitchhiking).
* As children, we would ride in cars with no seatbelts or air bags.
* Riding in the back of a pickup truck on a warm day was always a special treat.
* We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle.
* We ate cupcakes, bread and butter, and drank soda pop with sugar in it, but we were never overweight because we were always outside playing.
* We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle, and no one actually died from this.
* We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then rode down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
* We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the street lights came on.
* No one was able to reach us all day. NO CELL PHONES!!!!! Unthinkable!
* We did not have Playstations, Nintendo 64, X-Boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on cable, video tape movies, surround sound, personal cell phones, personal computers, or Internet chat rooms.
* We had friends! We went outside and found them.
* We played dodge ball, and sometimes, the ball would really hurt.
* We fell out of trees, got cut, and broke bones and teeth, and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. They were accidents. No one was to blame but us. Remember accidents?
* We had fights and punched each other and got black and blue and learned to
get over it.
* We made up games with sticks and tennis balls and ate worms, and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes, nor did the worms live inside us forever.
* We rode bikes or walked to a friend's home and knocked on the door, or rang
the bell or just walked in and talked to them.
* Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment.
* Some students weren't as smart as others, so they failed a grade and were held back to repeat the same grade. Tests were not adjusted for any reason.
* Our actions were our own. Consequences were expected. The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke a law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law.
* This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers and problem solvers and inventors, ever. The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and
new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all. And you're one of them! Congratulations!
*Please pass this on to others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before lawyers and government regulated our lives, for our own good! People under 30 are WIMPS !
**Just for the record- I turn 30 this April!!!
Got this email forward from best galpal VirgoCapri. Made me laugh hella hard and so I thought I'd share it with ya'll...
According to today's regulators and bureaucrats, those of us who were kids in the 40's, 50's, 60's, or even maybe the early 70's probably shouldn't have survived-
* Our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paint.
* We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets, and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets. (Not to mention the risks we took hitchhiking).
* As children, we would ride in cars with no seatbelts or air bags.
* Riding in the back of a pickup truck on a warm day was always a special treat.
* We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle.
* We ate cupcakes, bread and butter, and drank soda pop with sugar in it, but we were never overweight because we were always outside playing.
* We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle, and no one actually died from this.
* We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then rode down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
* We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the street lights came on.
* No one was able to reach us all day. NO CELL PHONES!!!!! Unthinkable!
* We did not have Playstations, Nintendo 64, X-Boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on cable, video tape movies, surround sound, personal cell phones, personal computers, or Internet chat rooms.
* We had friends! We went outside and found them.
* We played dodge ball, and sometimes, the ball would really hurt.
* We fell out of trees, got cut, and broke bones and teeth, and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. They were accidents. No one was to blame but us. Remember accidents?
* We had fights and punched each other and got black and blue and learned to
get over it.
* We made up games with sticks and tennis balls and ate worms, and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes, nor did the worms live inside us forever.
* We rode bikes or walked to a friend's home and knocked on the door, or rang
the bell or just walked in and talked to them.
* Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment.
* Some students weren't as smart as others, so they failed a grade and were held back to repeat the same grade. Tests were not adjusted for any reason.
* Our actions were our own. Consequences were expected. The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke a law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law.
* This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers and problem solvers and inventors, ever. The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and
new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all. And you're one of them! Congratulations!
*Please pass this on to others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before lawyers and government regulated our lives, for our own good! People under 30 are WIMPS !
**Just for the record- I turn 30 this April!!!
The Long Table
When my sister was dating my now bro-in-law, so many relatives were asking her when she was going to have "the long table." I seriously had no clue as to what people were talking about, and apparently, none of my friends did either. I finally learned that "the long table" was another way of saying "to get married." It signifed the long table that would be used at the wedding reception for food. In the Philippines, they didn't have sit-down dinners like we do now; rather, they had long buffet tables, hence the name. Makes sense now, doesn't it?
Wedding Bells
Something must be in the air. Wedding bells are about to ring out loud (and often!) this year. So far, there are two weddings that are set for hubby and I to use as our excuse to be back on the west side (two Hustler crew couples), and the Penalosa-Gee ceremony, which from what my sources tell me, ain't goin' to be a year engagement if the bride can help it! With all the wedding planning and such, it kinda makes me miss that whole aspect of putting one together. Just the other day, I was browsing in Borders and saw all of those Bridal mags...there are some seriously cute dresses and ideas out there!
Congratulations are in order to my homegirl at Cornerstone, msbLiSs and her man. They tied the knot last weekend and I just want to wish the newly happy couple much love and happiness! Other wedding announcements: Ms. Voodoo & Mango, who'll be having their nuptials in December, and Firemarshall J and his princess- date yet to be announced.
When my sister was dating my now bro-in-law, so many relatives were asking her when she was going to have "the long table." I seriously had no clue as to what people were talking about, and apparently, none of my friends did either. I finally learned that "the long table" was another way of saying "to get married." It signifed the long table that would be used at the wedding reception for food. In the Philippines, they didn't have sit-down dinners like we do now; rather, they had long buffet tables, hence the name. Makes sense now, doesn't it?
Wedding Bells
Something must be in the air. Wedding bells are about to ring out loud (and often!) this year. So far, there are two weddings that are set for hubby and I to use as our excuse to be back on the west side (two Hustler crew couples), and the Penalosa-Gee ceremony, which from what my sources tell me, ain't goin' to be a year engagement if the bride can help it! With all the wedding planning and such, it kinda makes me miss that whole aspect of putting one together. Just the other day, I was browsing in Borders and saw all of those Bridal mags...there are some seriously cute dresses and ideas out there!
Congratulations are in order to my homegirl at Cornerstone, msbLiSs and her man. They tied the knot last weekend and I just want to wish the newly happy couple much love and happiness! Other wedding announcements: Ms. Voodoo & Mango, who'll be having their nuptials in December, and Firemarshall J and his princess- date yet to be announced.
Must See TV
* Smallville
* One Tree Hill
* American Idol
* Celebrity Mole
* VH-1's Bands Reunited
* Sports Center
Must See TV...if you've got time to kill
* Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
* Punk'd
* repeats of "I Love the 80's" and "I Love the 70's"
* repeats of Charmed, Will & Grace, & Friends
* anything on TLC that have to do with house makeovers
* Food Network
Must See TV...stuff you don't really care for, but will watch anyways
* Bachelorette
* The Surreal Life
* Real World / Road Rules
* Fabulous Life of (insert celebrity name here)
Just for the record- I DO NOT watch all of these on a daily basis. Really, I don't.
* Smallville
* One Tree Hill
* American Idol
* Celebrity Mole
* VH-1's Bands Reunited
* Sports Center
Must See TV...if you've got time to kill
* Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
* Punk'd
* repeats of "I Love the 80's" and "I Love the 70's"
* repeats of Charmed, Will & Grace, & Friends
* anything on TLC that have to do with house makeovers
* Food Network
Must See TV...stuff you don't really care for, but will watch anyways
* Bachelorette
* The Surreal Life
* Real World / Road Rules
* Fabulous Life of (insert celebrity name here)
Just for the record- I DO NOT watch all of these on a daily basis. Really, I don't.
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
VH-1 Addict
My latest guilty pleasure on TV is VH-1's Bands Reunited. Have you heard about this? They go around the world rounding up all of these members of bands that have broken up, try to get them to meet up for a reunion, and then give them a once in a lifetime opportunity to perform for a one-night only concert. You've got this camera crew roaming the streets and literally barging into these peoples' lives to pop the question of reuniting with people whom they haven't seen in about 20+ years, disregarding the fact that there was probably a very good reason why the band broke up in the first place. Most of the featured bands are from the good ole 80's era-don't you just LOVE the 80's?! There was even a band I swear I never heard of....Romeovoid??? They were from San Francisco, too! Seriously though, as shamefully addicted as I am to these damn reality shows, this one is really good! It really tugs at your heart strings to see these people share their initial skepticism, meet up, shed tears, talk about the old days, talk about the breakup, get back on the instruments that many haven't touched since they left the band, struggle to remember the notes, practice for one day, and then perform in front of their loyal fans. I must have cried at almost every single reunion, but then again, when DON'T I cry?! lol! You would think that since it made it on TV that all the bands consented, yah? On the contrary! You wouldn't believe some of the drama that led to the break-up of some of these bands though. For example, take Extreme ("More Than Words"). Meeting up wasn't even a possiblity. Turns out that one of the guys stole one of the other member's wife! DOH!
If ya'll haven't seen this yet, go check it out. They've got repeats goin' on and you can see bands like Berlin, Flock of Seagulls, and Kajagoogoo reunite and some (Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Extreme) that don't. It's a reality show that really rocks! (haha, okay, those are NOT my words...really).
What If?
So of course this got me thinking as to how I would react if I were to be reunited with some long lost friends. I can name a handful of people whom I don't keep in touch with anymore and a couple people from high school that I had a really bad falling out with. Honestly, I would be just as skeptical because in my eyes, I was the one who tried everything to keep things from falling apart in the first place. With these two particular gals from my ICA days...dude. Now if they were the ones to initiate the contact, and if they were to admit how wrong they were to act as they did, then yah, maybe I would consider seeing them again. Ya'll might be saying, "Oh MnM, swallow that damn pride of yours and be the bigger person!" To that, I say hell no. I've done that way too many times through the course of my life and I was always the one left feeling hurt. I have always been the bigger person and you know what, after a while, you just say, "screw it!" You tried, but apparently it didn't mean as much to them as it did to you. Why waste time? Am I one to hold grudges? No, not really. It's all in the past. Let's move forward and get on with your life. But honey, I can forgive, but I can't forget. I take friendships seriously. But if you messed with me, ya'll better have a damn good reason for me to even give you five minutes of my time. It's like that.
As disappointing it must have been for the fans, I guess I can empathize with those band members who refused to meet. As much as people move forward in their life and as much as they want to put the past behind them, sometimes it just doesn't seem worth it to revisit and relive the hurt all over again.
If I was given the opportunity to meet with these"old friends" of mine, would I? I don't know. I really don't.
On a Sweeter Note
Watched "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton" today. Hubby has been sick for the past few days now and work decided to give him a much deserved day off. We've been cooped in our place since the weekend so we decided to travel that hop, skip, and a jump to the movie theater across the way. 'Tis a hassle, you know, to get all bundled up in your winter gear when all we had to do was walk from the car to the theater. I tell you though...that less than a minute walk was cold....hella cold.
The movie is cute. It's just one of those romantic, fun, make you smile, kinda movies. If you do see it, see it with your significant other OR see it with your best girlfriends so ya'll can drool over Mr. Tad Hamilton. I won't go into any details, but one of my favorite parts had to do with "the different kinds of smiles." If you can name your significant other's various smiles and what each signifies, that's true love baby...it's all in the details.
Did MnM cry during "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton?" Do you even have to ask?!
My latest guilty pleasure on TV is VH-1's Bands Reunited. Have you heard about this? They go around the world rounding up all of these members of bands that have broken up, try to get them to meet up for a reunion, and then give them a once in a lifetime opportunity to perform for a one-night only concert. You've got this camera crew roaming the streets and literally barging into these peoples' lives to pop the question of reuniting with people whom they haven't seen in about 20+ years, disregarding the fact that there was probably a very good reason why the band broke up in the first place. Most of the featured bands are from the good ole 80's era-don't you just LOVE the 80's?! There was even a band I swear I never heard of....Romeovoid??? They were from San Francisco, too! Seriously though, as shamefully addicted as I am to these damn reality shows, this one is really good! It really tugs at your heart strings to see these people share their initial skepticism, meet up, shed tears, talk about the old days, talk about the breakup, get back on the instruments that many haven't touched since they left the band, struggle to remember the notes, practice for one day, and then perform in front of their loyal fans. I must have cried at almost every single reunion, but then again, when DON'T I cry?! lol! You would think that since it made it on TV that all the bands consented, yah? On the contrary! You wouldn't believe some of the drama that led to the break-up of some of these bands though. For example, take Extreme ("More Than Words"). Meeting up wasn't even a possiblity. Turns out that one of the guys stole one of the other member's wife! DOH!
If ya'll haven't seen this yet, go check it out. They've got repeats goin' on and you can see bands like Berlin, Flock of Seagulls, and Kajagoogoo reunite and some (Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Extreme) that don't. It's a reality show that really rocks! (haha, okay, those are NOT my words...really).
What If?
So of course this got me thinking as to how I would react if I were to be reunited with some long lost friends. I can name a handful of people whom I don't keep in touch with anymore and a couple people from high school that I had a really bad falling out with. Honestly, I would be just as skeptical because in my eyes, I was the one who tried everything to keep things from falling apart in the first place. With these two particular gals from my ICA days...dude. Now if they were the ones to initiate the contact, and if they were to admit how wrong they were to act as they did, then yah, maybe I would consider seeing them again. Ya'll might be saying, "Oh MnM, swallow that damn pride of yours and be the bigger person!" To that, I say hell no. I've done that way too many times through the course of my life and I was always the one left feeling hurt. I have always been the bigger person and you know what, after a while, you just say, "screw it!" You tried, but apparently it didn't mean as much to them as it did to you. Why waste time? Am I one to hold grudges? No, not really. It's all in the past. Let's move forward and get on with your life. But honey, I can forgive, but I can't forget. I take friendships seriously. But if you messed with me, ya'll better have a damn good reason for me to even give you five minutes of my time. It's like that.
As disappointing it must have been for the fans, I guess I can empathize with those band members who refused to meet. As much as people move forward in their life and as much as they want to put the past behind them, sometimes it just doesn't seem worth it to revisit and relive the hurt all over again.
If I was given the opportunity to meet with these"old friends" of mine, would I? I don't know. I really don't.
On a Sweeter Note
Watched "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton" today. Hubby has been sick for the past few days now and work decided to give him a much deserved day off. We've been cooped in our place since the weekend so we decided to travel that hop, skip, and a jump to the movie theater across the way. 'Tis a hassle, you know, to get all bundled up in your winter gear when all we had to do was walk from the car to the theater. I tell you though...that less than a minute walk was cold....hella cold.
The movie is cute. It's just one of those romantic, fun, make you smile, kinda movies. If you do see it, see it with your significant other OR see it with your best girlfriends so ya'll can drool over Mr. Tad Hamilton. I won't go into any details, but one of my favorite parts had to do with "the different kinds of smiles." If you can name your significant other's various smiles and what each signifies, that's true love baby...it's all in the details.
Did MnM cry during "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton?" Do you even have to ask?!
Monday, January 26, 2004
New Look
Hey ya'll...if you haven't noticed, my blog has a new look c/o and thanks to Doh. I'm not completely sure that I like it just yet, but since hubby got a new skin, I wanted one, too! I've been killing my eyes for the past couple of nights browsing through blogskins.com and after a while, they all start to look the same. In any case, I will try this new one for a few days...but I'm thinking I may go back to the original one. What do you think, people? Feedback, feedback please! Let me know if you like this one or should I trash it and stick with the other one. OR if you guys just happen to come across a skin that you think I might like, well by all means, pass it along! Til then...much love.
Hey ya'll...if you haven't noticed, my blog has a new look c/o and thanks to Doh. I'm not completely sure that I like it just yet, but since hubby got a new skin, I wanted one, too! I've been killing my eyes for the past couple of nights browsing through blogskins.com and after a while, they all start to look the same. In any case, I will try this new one for a few days...but I'm thinking I may go back to the original one. What do you think, people? Feedback, feedback please! Let me know if you like this one or should I trash it and stick with the other one. OR if you guys just happen to come across a skin that you think I might like, well by all means, pass it along! Til then...much love.
Sunday, January 25, 2004
Being Sick Sucks
My head is congested, my nose is all stuffed, my throat is scratchy, and my body is aching. Hubby came down with something late last week and I'm just beginning to catch it, too. It sucks. Coincidentally, the weather over here is getting colder and we're expecting a big snow storm tonight. Hubby had been going off site at all weird hours of the night, then still wakes up early the next morning. I honestly don't think he gets any of the required hours of rest that his body needs. Nyquil has become our friend and we had to make a run at Walgreens for some Vick's Vaporub. Ya'll remember when you were young and your mom would rub that vaseline-like gel on your chest and back when you couldn't breathe? Your body would get all warm, your nose would clear up enough for you to inhale and exhale easily...then later on, you'd apply some more Vick's, but it just didn't seem the same compared to when mom put it on? Awwww....kinda makes you miss your mom, doesn't it?
So here we are, two "kawa-wa" people, doing nothing but sleep. We don't have the energy to do anything else. I've been in my pj's all day, my hair is uncombed, and I'm about to head back to bed after this. Man, this will definitely mess up my sleeping routine (like it isn't messed up already!).
We missed Sunday service today. Hubby got called into work. Took a lot for him to get himself out and about, but with sniffling noses and congested head, he went. As for me, aching body and all, I got what lil' energy I could to get out of bed. My head was pounding, but I was getting hungry. Nuked me some oatmeal, turned on the TV, found me a Christian channel, and in hubby's words, "got my Lord on." It was cool...'twas just like going to church, but in the comfort of your own home. Now, I wouldn't choose to do this every Sunday. I like going to church, being with other people, feeling the beat and rhythms of the praise band, and just being in the presence, you know? But since we didn't and couldn't make it today, this was the next best thing.
Deja Vu
Ever have recurring dreams? I used to have this recurring nightmare that have thankfully ceased, but today as I took a nap, I dreamt about something that I KNOW I dreamed before. It was weird. And in that lil' space on consciousness within the subconsciousness of sleep, I told myself, "hey, I've seen this all already!"It played out almost exactly as it did the first time. I can only remember bits and pieces now, but I know that it had something to do with a break-in of someone's house. Whoever it was would break into peoples' home, do some kind of graffiti thang, and leave. There were all these clues here and there, but I could feel the fear of anxiety of not knowing who it was and the paranoia that the culprit may still be in the house hiding somewhere. I even remember saying to someone, "This is like a Nancy Drew mystery." Don't ask. Lately, I've noticed that most of my dreams have a connection to the last thing I watched on TV, the last thing I read, or even thought about. The last thing I thought about before I took my nap was the lock on the door. We have one of those latches, like the ones in hotel rooms, and I remember thinking, in case hubby comes home and I'm sleeping, he won't be able to get in. I mean, the thought was such a quick one...nothing that seemed so significant in the first place. It was weird though. Simply weird.
Speaking Of...
Totally off the subject of recurring dreams. I don't know if ya'll ever check out some of the sites I put up on the left of this page. There's the "kaibigans," "blogs i read," and "kababayan links" that offer some good reads of other interesting and fun blogs and sites. Then, there's the "currently reading." If you notice, I've been reading those Nancy Drew mystery novels. Yes, just like the ones we read (or I did, at least!) back in elementary school. I totally loved those books! While I was still teaching, I told myself that they would make good additions to my class library. I've been meaning to get them, but I never did..until now. At Sam's, they sell them in a pack of 5 books for $10! I noticed that they have the entire set, (59 books total), but we bought the first five to start. They're hardcover books and have the same picture that I remember. I read the first book in two hours from start to finish. They're obviously not long, but it was such a trip down memory lane. The hilarious part in all this was that these books were originally written in the 1930's. Back in elementary school, I don't remember thinking much about the language of the book or the signs of the times back then. But now in 2004, it's funny to think of today's kids reading these books in the "bubblegum" - goody-two-shoes era. I laughed out loud when I read, "Oh dear, I'm in such a quandry!" When we first meet Nancy Drew, she is 18 years old, just graduated from high school, got a brand new convertible, and wears suits. It's funny because is she was a girl of today, all of the "Oh dears" would be changed to "Oh sh*t" or "Dammit!" I'm rethinking whether or not I would add these to my class library. I probably will just for the fact that these were the kinds of books I read when I was younger, and plus, it would give students a peek into the past of 'good ole days.' But in the meantime, I'll enjoy the trip of my own through the good ole days!
Ice Palace
Under "cool links," there's one entitled "Ice Palace." Apparently, there is this huge winter carnival that the city of St. Paul holds. It's not a yearly thing, and the last time they had one was 12 years ago. The main attraction is a palace/castle completely made out of ice! It just opened last Thursday and will be on display until February, but the construction of it has been making the news every night. It's all done by volunteer construction workers. They take the frozen blocks of ice from a nearby lake and it literally takes weeks to build. When it's done, people can go into it, walk through it, and there's even an ice skating rink in the middle of it. Hubby and I saw it from the freeway last night and it was beautifully lit up with blue lights to give it that "icy" feel. It's funny 'cuz when we first got to the Twin Cities area, they said, "This is the most humidity we've gotten in a while." When it started snowing, they said, "We're due for a major winter this year." Now, here's the ice palace which they haven't had in 12 years and we're here to see it! Man, I don't know if it's coincidence or by chance that we're here to experience all of this (and if you know MnM at all, then you already know the answer to that!). But in any case, check out the link. If and when we go, I'll tell you all about it.
Birthday Shout-Outs
Today is my niece/goddaughter Sabrina's 7th birthday. Yesterday, her and her brother had a birthday bash that unfortunately we could not attend. =( I called Bina this morning to sing to her "Happy Birthday" and from what she told me, she had a blast! She is into the whole "Princess" phase lately- for Christmas, she got all these ballerina/princess gifts, and yesterday, her parents got her a princess cake. Now even before I knew that, I bought her a card that just happens to be princess themed that had a cut-out crown which she could decorate with stickers. She told me that she loved it so much that she wore it at the party. Awwww. I totally remember the day she was born and all the times when I had to babysit her. And look at her now....7 years old, 1st grader, and one hella madal-dal little girl! lol! Maybe I'm biased, but she is one of the smartest lil' 7 year-olds I know and yes, Ninang is so proud! Happy 7th Birthday Bina! Love and miss you!
Oh, and not to forget my Lolo's 89th birthday on Saturday, Jan. 24th. Knowing Lolo, he probably went out dancing at the senior center. From what I hear, he is "the ladies man!" hahahah! Seriously, my grandfather loves to go out dancing and honestly, I think that's what keeps him young. For as long as I can remember, he's always been healthy and I'm thankful that he's lived this long to see his children, grandchildren, AND great-grandchildren grow up. Happy 89th Birthday Lolo...now go get your dance on! =)
P.S.
My gallery is FINALLY up and running! Check out the pics! =)
My head is congested, my nose is all stuffed, my throat is scratchy, and my body is aching. Hubby came down with something late last week and I'm just beginning to catch it, too. It sucks. Coincidentally, the weather over here is getting colder and we're expecting a big snow storm tonight. Hubby had been going off site at all weird hours of the night, then still wakes up early the next morning. I honestly don't think he gets any of the required hours of rest that his body needs. Nyquil has become our friend and we had to make a run at Walgreens for some Vick's Vaporub. Ya'll remember when you were young and your mom would rub that vaseline-like gel on your chest and back when you couldn't breathe? Your body would get all warm, your nose would clear up enough for you to inhale and exhale easily...then later on, you'd apply some more Vick's, but it just didn't seem the same compared to when mom put it on? Awwww....kinda makes you miss your mom, doesn't it?
So here we are, two "kawa-wa" people, doing nothing but sleep. We don't have the energy to do anything else. I've been in my pj's all day, my hair is uncombed, and I'm about to head back to bed after this. Man, this will definitely mess up my sleeping routine (like it isn't messed up already!).
We missed Sunday service today. Hubby got called into work. Took a lot for him to get himself out and about, but with sniffling noses and congested head, he went. As for me, aching body and all, I got what lil' energy I could to get out of bed. My head was pounding, but I was getting hungry. Nuked me some oatmeal, turned on the TV, found me a Christian channel, and in hubby's words, "got my Lord on." It was cool...'twas just like going to church, but in the comfort of your own home. Now, I wouldn't choose to do this every Sunday. I like going to church, being with other people, feeling the beat and rhythms of the praise band, and just being in the presence, you know? But since we didn't and couldn't make it today, this was the next best thing.
Deja Vu
Ever have recurring dreams? I used to have this recurring nightmare that have thankfully ceased, but today as I took a nap, I dreamt about something that I KNOW I dreamed before. It was weird. And in that lil' space on consciousness within the subconsciousness of sleep, I told myself, "hey, I've seen this all already!"It played out almost exactly as it did the first time. I can only remember bits and pieces now, but I know that it had something to do with a break-in of someone's house. Whoever it was would break into peoples' home, do some kind of graffiti thang, and leave. There were all these clues here and there, but I could feel the fear of anxiety of not knowing who it was and the paranoia that the culprit may still be in the house hiding somewhere. I even remember saying to someone, "This is like a Nancy Drew mystery." Don't ask. Lately, I've noticed that most of my dreams have a connection to the last thing I watched on TV, the last thing I read, or even thought about. The last thing I thought about before I took my nap was the lock on the door. We have one of those latches, like the ones in hotel rooms, and I remember thinking, in case hubby comes home and I'm sleeping, he won't be able to get in. I mean, the thought was such a quick one...nothing that seemed so significant in the first place. It was weird though. Simply weird.
Speaking Of...
Totally off the subject of recurring dreams. I don't know if ya'll ever check out some of the sites I put up on the left of this page. There's the "kaibigans," "blogs i read," and "kababayan links" that offer some good reads of other interesting and fun blogs and sites. Then, there's the "currently reading." If you notice, I've been reading those Nancy Drew mystery novels. Yes, just like the ones we read (or I did, at least!) back in elementary school. I totally loved those books! While I was still teaching, I told myself that they would make good additions to my class library. I've been meaning to get them, but I never did..until now. At Sam's, they sell them in a pack of 5 books for $10! I noticed that they have the entire set, (59 books total), but we bought the first five to start. They're hardcover books and have the same picture that I remember. I read the first book in two hours from start to finish. They're obviously not long, but it was such a trip down memory lane. The hilarious part in all this was that these books were originally written in the 1930's. Back in elementary school, I don't remember thinking much about the language of the book or the signs of the times back then. But now in 2004, it's funny to think of today's kids reading these books in the "bubblegum" - goody-two-shoes era. I laughed out loud when I read, "Oh dear, I'm in such a quandry!" When we first meet Nancy Drew, she is 18 years old, just graduated from high school, got a brand new convertible, and wears suits. It's funny because is she was a girl of today, all of the "Oh dears" would be changed to "Oh sh*t" or "Dammit!" I'm rethinking whether or not I would add these to my class library. I probably will just for the fact that these were the kinds of books I read when I was younger, and plus, it would give students a peek into the past of 'good ole days.' But in the meantime, I'll enjoy the trip of my own through the good ole days!
Ice Palace
Under "cool links," there's one entitled "Ice Palace." Apparently, there is this huge winter carnival that the city of St. Paul holds. It's not a yearly thing, and the last time they had one was 12 years ago. The main attraction is a palace/castle completely made out of ice! It just opened last Thursday and will be on display until February, but the construction of it has been making the news every night. It's all done by volunteer construction workers. They take the frozen blocks of ice from a nearby lake and it literally takes weeks to build. When it's done, people can go into it, walk through it, and there's even an ice skating rink in the middle of it. Hubby and I saw it from the freeway last night and it was beautifully lit up with blue lights to give it that "icy" feel. It's funny 'cuz when we first got to the Twin Cities area, they said, "This is the most humidity we've gotten in a while." When it started snowing, they said, "We're due for a major winter this year." Now, here's the ice palace which they haven't had in 12 years and we're here to see it! Man, I don't know if it's coincidence or by chance that we're here to experience all of this (and if you know MnM at all, then you already know the answer to that!). But in any case, check out the link. If and when we go, I'll tell you all about it.
Birthday Shout-Outs
Today is my niece/goddaughter Sabrina's 7th birthday. Yesterday, her and her brother had a birthday bash that unfortunately we could not attend. =( I called Bina this morning to sing to her "Happy Birthday" and from what she told me, she had a blast! She is into the whole "Princess" phase lately- for Christmas, she got all these ballerina/princess gifts, and yesterday, her parents got her a princess cake. Now even before I knew that, I bought her a card that just happens to be princess themed that had a cut-out crown which she could decorate with stickers. She told me that she loved it so much that she wore it at the party. Awwww. I totally remember the day she was born and all the times when I had to babysit her. And look at her now....7 years old, 1st grader, and one hella madal-dal little girl! lol! Maybe I'm biased, but she is one of the smartest lil' 7 year-olds I know and yes, Ninang is so proud! Happy 7th Birthday Bina! Love and miss you!
Oh, and not to forget my Lolo's 89th birthday on Saturday, Jan. 24th. Knowing Lolo, he probably went out dancing at the senior center. From what I hear, he is "the ladies man!" hahahah! Seriously, my grandfather loves to go out dancing and honestly, I think that's what keeps him young. For as long as I can remember, he's always been healthy and I'm thankful that he's lived this long to see his children, grandchildren, AND great-grandchildren grow up. Happy 89th Birthday Lolo...now go get your dance on! =)
P.S.
My gallery is FINALLY up and running! Check out the pics! =)
Friday, January 23, 2004
And So It Begins...again!
The past few days, we've been having all these major weather advisory alerts. It hasn't snowed much this month, but with the temps dropping to as low as -33, well hell, it might as well, you know? The locals over here have told us that the "snow is a 'comin." Well, last night it came. It didn't come in full force yet, but when I went with hubby out to a job site last night, we already saw two car accidents. These fools over here just do not know how to drive for the life of them, I swear! It's scary when the car starts slippin' though. I get all nervous and try to maintain my regular path of breathing to calm myself. Thankfully, we got to our destinations and back home again safely.
This morning was a winter wonderland. The sight of untouched snow is really beautiful to me. Makes you want to bundle up and play around outside...kinda. As I write this, the only sounds you can hear from outside are the busy snowplows doin' their thang outside. I'll admit, it's fascinating to watch them clear the roads. I don't know why. Probably 'cuz it's still something that you don't see everyday if you're a CA native.
I'll admit though. I have been quite disappointed. People have been telling us that this winter is going to be a long one- the past few years have been "mild." Maybe in my eyes, I'm expecting a blizzard. In a weird and twisted way, I want to see snow 2-3 feet high! I want to see cars buried deep and kids rejoicing outside because school was closed for the day. Perhaps it's just that inner child thang wanting to make a snowman. A real snowman, mind you, nothing like the mini-alien one I made during our first snow in November. Maybe a part of me wants to see how it is to be "snowbound." (3rd grade history reference ya'll...a well-known American poet named John Greenleaf Whittier wrote a poem about the love for his family and the memories he had growing up. It includes the times when it snowed so much that they could not leave the house and hence, the title "Snowbound." Okay...moving on...) Schools here have snow days, but they also close down when it gets too damn cold! The wind chill factor is a major threat over here. (Sidenote: a teacher had a question to one of those weather columnists in the paper as to how cold it can be to still allow kids to play outside. Response: "in the past, it was deemed safe to have kids out with a wind chill factor of -15. But now, it's been changed to -10." Now, I know that kids have that extra oomfph of energy and warmth, etc, but c'mon people, that's freakin' cold! I'll tell you this- when I do get my own classroom and the weather is negative outside, sorry kids, we is a'staying inside! Mrs. Myra is way too cold for this sh*t!
So the wind chill factor is a major threat over here. Each night on the news, there's some kind of tip on how to deal with frostbite. Dude, frostbite?! Apparently, frostbite can occur within a matter of a few minutes. I was not aware. And ya'll know what parts of the body are the first to go? The nose and the ears. Nah uh. Not me. Again, there goes yet another reason why I choose to hibernate during these winter months. If I don't have to leave the warm comforts of my home, I won't. And about all of those people ice fishing in the middle of them lakes...crazy mf's...all of 'em.
Have a great weekend ya'll...be healthy and be safe. much love...
The past few days, we've been having all these major weather advisory alerts. It hasn't snowed much this month, but with the temps dropping to as low as -33, well hell, it might as well, you know? The locals over here have told us that the "snow is a 'comin." Well, last night it came. It didn't come in full force yet, but when I went with hubby out to a job site last night, we already saw two car accidents. These fools over here just do not know how to drive for the life of them, I swear! It's scary when the car starts slippin' though. I get all nervous and try to maintain my regular path of breathing to calm myself. Thankfully, we got to our destinations and back home again safely.
This morning was a winter wonderland. The sight of untouched snow is really beautiful to me. Makes you want to bundle up and play around outside...kinda. As I write this, the only sounds you can hear from outside are the busy snowplows doin' their thang outside. I'll admit, it's fascinating to watch them clear the roads. I don't know why. Probably 'cuz it's still something that you don't see everyday if you're a CA native.
I'll admit though. I have been quite disappointed. People have been telling us that this winter is going to be a long one- the past few years have been "mild." Maybe in my eyes, I'm expecting a blizzard. In a weird and twisted way, I want to see snow 2-3 feet high! I want to see cars buried deep and kids rejoicing outside because school was closed for the day. Perhaps it's just that inner child thang wanting to make a snowman. A real snowman, mind you, nothing like the mini-alien one I made during our first snow in November. Maybe a part of me wants to see how it is to be "snowbound." (3rd grade history reference ya'll...a well-known American poet named John Greenleaf Whittier wrote a poem about the love for his family and the memories he had growing up. It includes the times when it snowed so much that they could not leave the house and hence, the title "Snowbound." Okay...moving on...) Schools here have snow days, but they also close down when it gets too damn cold! The wind chill factor is a major threat over here. (Sidenote: a teacher had a question to one of those weather columnists in the paper as to how cold it can be to still allow kids to play outside. Response: "in the past, it was deemed safe to have kids out with a wind chill factor of -15. But now, it's been changed to -10." Now, I know that kids have that extra oomfph of energy and warmth, etc, but c'mon people, that's freakin' cold! I'll tell you this- when I do get my own classroom and the weather is negative outside, sorry kids, we is a'staying inside! Mrs. Myra is way too cold for this sh*t!
So the wind chill factor is a major threat over here. Each night on the news, there's some kind of tip on how to deal with frostbite. Dude, frostbite?! Apparently, frostbite can occur within a matter of a few minutes. I was not aware. And ya'll know what parts of the body are the first to go? The nose and the ears. Nah uh. Not me. Again, there goes yet another reason why I choose to hibernate during these winter months. If I don't have to leave the warm comforts of my home, I won't. And about all of those people ice fishing in the middle of them lakes...crazy mf's...all of 'em.
Have a great weekend ya'll...be healthy and be safe. much love...
Wednesday, January 21, 2004
Aries, the Ram
I seriously cannot stand all these damn pop-ups that I get when I venture online. They're so annoying and instead of subscribing to a program to get rid of them, I simply click them away. I'll admit though that there have been a few that have caught my interest here and there...recently, it was a pop-up about astrology. Back in the day, I lived to read my horoscope on a daily basis. In high school, I was usually the first one to leave the house. I'd wake up early for school, get the paper, read my horoscope, and walk down to the bus stop to wait for either the 52 Excelsior or the 29 Sunset. It was just one of those things that I didn't quite take seriously, but it was still fun to find the parallels, anything, that was similar to my life and the reading. Of course, I'd probably look too much into it, and deep down I probably felt that the stars and the position of the planets DID determine the outcome of my day. But when you're young like that, you're bound to believe anything that seems romantic in nature and so out of the ordinary that it is impossible to not believe in it. Hahaha, or at least I did.
So I checked out this site on astrology and decided to read just for fun. During my phase when I was so into it, I already basically knew my zodiac profile-
"Aries, the ram, is a natural leader. The Arian is headstrong, brave, positive in manner and attitude, and is a born survivor. Aries people are dynamic, direct, quick to respond in situations, and loves a challenge. On the downside, although they love a good challenge, Arians get bored quickly. They are more interested in the chase, than the catch. Arians can be emotional, combative, jealous, and impatient. "
I wouldn't say that I agree 100% that this profile fits me to a tee, but there is some truth in some of these traits. I can say that I'm definitely an emotional person. Not in the sense where I will make a scene about everything in public or whatnot, but more like I'm one of the people who feel easily touched and cry at movies and commercials (YES, commercials!). I need my tissues for any occasion called for 'cuz you just never know. I would also agree that I have a positive attitude about most things, I'm headstrong, and I am a survivor (think Beyonce and Destiny's Child!).
On the downside, people born under the sign of Aries are known to lack patience- it's not a virtue for us! I will agree to that to a certain degree because when it comes to my students in the classroom, I am a very patient person. With kids, you have to be. It's just not beneficial to anyone if a teacher cannot hold it together and lash out at every single thing knuckle-headed kids are prone to do. BUT, when it comes to other people...oh man. I think that over the years, I've began to be less tolerant of some things...mainly stupid, ignorant, and ill-mannered people. It blows me away at their actions and some of the things that come out of their mouths. Also, when people say that they're going to do something, then do it dammit! There are just so many talkers out there. If you're going to talk the talk, then hell, you better walk the walk, too, ya'll know what I'm saying? My patience wears thin, but I find myself doing that whole "Hoo-sah" thang like in Bad Boys II to calm myself down. There are A LOT of things that I can take, but in anything and everything, there's only so much I can take as well.
In any case, not to dwell on the negatives, Arians make good friends and are also known to make sacrifices for loved ones. In the workplace, Aries people usually do not seek monetary rewards, but rather inner satisfaction. Well, they got THAT right 'cuz there sure ain't that much to make in teaching! When it comes down to it, and any other teacher out there will back me up, it's really about the kids and making a difference in their lives. Heck, when I was still teaching catechism at my old church, I enjoyed that MORE than I did at my after school job...and teaching CCD was volunteer! You know, if money wasn't an issue and it wasn't for the fact that we've got bills to pay, I would do it for free.
Well, now ya'll know a little bit more about MnM...or, Arian people for that matter. Does that profile fit the MnM that you know? Let me know 'cuz maybe I just don't see it. Hahaha, btw: another downside of the Aries sign is that they do not take criticism, however constructive it may be, very well....supposedly. So be gentle! ;-)
Birthday Shout-Outs
Yesterday, the 20th of January, was my Pop's 62nd birthday. I got a chance to talk to him briefly while he was at the office to wish him a great day. After his surgeries last year, my dad has turned to a better and healthier lifestyle- yay for him! Turns out that he walks his treadmill daily and watches what he eats...something that he didn't do before. I'm so very thankful that he's recovered so well and I pray that he'll have many many more birthdays to come. Happy 62nd Birthday Dad!
Also wanted to wish Kuya Sam a happy birthday today. I met Sam during my Barangay years- I was in high school and he was a student at Cal Berkeley. He took up the role as "kuya" and I've been calling him that ever since. We danced with Barangay together and even made the switch to with Edwina to form Larawan Dance Company. When I got to SF State, he transferred over to finish up his program and we even worked together for PCN. I think it was those couple years at State together that we became closer and even though he moved back to Southern Cal, we still keep in touch. Happy birthday Sam...gosh, is it your 34th already?! Hope you're feeling better and ready to hit the clubs tonight! Much love!
I seriously cannot stand all these damn pop-ups that I get when I venture online. They're so annoying and instead of subscribing to a program to get rid of them, I simply click them away. I'll admit though that there have been a few that have caught my interest here and there...recently, it was a pop-up about astrology. Back in the day, I lived to read my horoscope on a daily basis. In high school, I was usually the first one to leave the house. I'd wake up early for school, get the paper, read my horoscope, and walk down to the bus stop to wait for either the 52 Excelsior or the 29 Sunset. It was just one of those things that I didn't quite take seriously, but it was still fun to find the parallels, anything, that was similar to my life and the reading. Of course, I'd probably look too much into it, and deep down I probably felt that the stars and the position of the planets DID determine the outcome of my day. But when you're young like that, you're bound to believe anything that seems romantic in nature and so out of the ordinary that it is impossible to not believe in it. Hahaha, or at least I did.
So I checked out this site on astrology and decided to read just for fun. During my phase when I was so into it, I already basically knew my zodiac profile-
"Aries, the ram, is a natural leader. The Arian is headstrong, brave, positive in manner and attitude, and is a born survivor. Aries people are dynamic, direct, quick to respond in situations, and loves a challenge. On the downside, although they love a good challenge, Arians get bored quickly. They are more interested in the chase, than the catch. Arians can be emotional, combative, jealous, and impatient. "
I wouldn't say that I agree 100% that this profile fits me to a tee, but there is some truth in some of these traits. I can say that I'm definitely an emotional person. Not in the sense where I will make a scene about everything in public or whatnot, but more like I'm one of the people who feel easily touched and cry at movies and commercials (YES, commercials!). I need my tissues for any occasion called for 'cuz you just never know. I would also agree that I have a positive attitude about most things, I'm headstrong, and I am a survivor (think Beyonce and Destiny's Child!).
On the downside, people born under the sign of Aries are known to lack patience- it's not a virtue for us! I will agree to that to a certain degree because when it comes to my students in the classroom, I am a very patient person. With kids, you have to be. It's just not beneficial to anyone if a teacher cannot hold it together and lash out at every single thing knuckle-headed kids are prone to do. BUT, when it comes to other people...oh man. I think that over the years, I've began to be less tolerant of some things...mainly stupid, ignorant, and ill-mannered people. It blows me away at their actions and some of the things that come out of their mouths. Also, when people say that they're going to do something, then do it dammit! There are just so many talkers out there. If you're going to talk the talk, then hell, you better walk the walk, too, ya'll know what I'm saying? My patience wears thin, but I find myself doing that whole "Hoo-sah" thang like in Bad Boys II to calm myself down. There are A LOT of things that I can take, but in anything and everything, there's only so much I can take as well.
In any case, not to dwell on the negatives, Arians make good friends and are also known to make sacrifices for loved ones. In the workplace, Aries people usually do not seek monetary rewards, but rather inner satisfaction. Well, they got THAT right 'cuz there sure ain't that much to make in teaching! When it comes down to it, and any other teacher out there will back me up, it's really about the kids and making a difference in their lives. Heck, when I was still teaching catechism at my old church, I enjoyed that MORE than I did at my after school job...and teaching CCD was volunteer! You know, if money wasn't an issue and it wasn't for the fact that we've got bills to pay, I would do it for free.
Well, now ya'll know a little bit more about MnM...or, Arian people for that matter. Does that profile fit the MnM that you know? Let me know 'cuz maybe I just don't see it. Hahaha, btw: another downside of the Aries sign is that they do not take criticism, however constructive it may be, very well....supposedly. So be gentle! ;-)
Birthday Shout-Outs
Yesterday, the 20th of January, was my Pop's 62nd birthday. I got a chance to talk to him briefly while he was at the office to wish him a great day. After his surgeries last year, my dad has turned to a better and healthier lifestyle- yay for him! Turns out that he walks his treadmill daily and watches what he eats...something that he didn't do before. I'm so very thankful that he's recovered so well and I pray that he'll have many many more birthdays to come. Happy 62nd Birthday Dad!
Also wanted to wish Kuya Sam a happy birthday today. I met Sam during my Barangay years- I was in high school and he was a student at Cal Berkeley. He took up the role as "kuya" and I've been calling him that ever since. We danced with Barangay together and even made the switch to with Edwina to form Larawan Dance Company. When I got to SF State, he transferred over to finish up his program and we even worked together for PCN. I think it was those couple years at State together that we became closer and even though he moved back to Southern Cal, we still keep in touch. Happy birthday Sam...gosh, is it your 34th already?! Hope you're feeling better and ready to hit the clubs tonight! Much love!
Monday, January 19, 2004
Insomnia
I honestly thought that I was getting better at this going to sleep earlier thang. It worked for a bit, but like many new year's resolutions, the idea gets stale and eventually fizzles out. As I write this, it is 5:27am CST. The weather outside is -5 degrees with a wind chill of -20. 'Tis nice to be indoors. For some reason, I can't sleep. So, as a treat for ya'll, I thought I'd write about what goes through my mind during these long, restless and sleepless nights. A quick warning...don't expect anything profound. It'll probably be more of ramblings and random thoughts of nonsense.
*TV shows. You ever watch a TV show where all the events seem to mirror your own life? It's as if some producer put a camera inside your mind, captured all the images and thoughts within, and decided to get white actors to act out the story of your life. I seriously believed that in the case of Ally McBeal, 'member that show?....skinny ass Calista Flockhart (current galpal of Indiana Jones/Hans Solo himself, Harrison Ford) getting more anorexic looking as each season passed? That show was SO me! Okay, so I wasn't a white chick or a lawyer. I never wore obnoxiously short skirts, my best friend wasn't the District Attorney, nor did I ever see dancing babies anywhere or get stuck in a toilet...but when it came to relationships, MnM = Ally. On the show, Ally was always falling for the wrong guys. She would take the risk of a new relationship, open herself up to vulnerability status, fall hard, get hurt, and be screwed. Ultimately, after being hurt one too many times, her biggest fear was that she would end up alone. In my early to mid 20's, I can say that I truly empathized. I watched Ally McBeal religiously and if anyone were to call me or page me (remember pagers?!) on Mondays at 9pm, they would be ignored, cursed out and/or quickly dismissed. Hahaha, it was like that. Man, if it ever makes it to dvd, I am so adding that to our collection!
*How about movies? Ever watch a movie and realize that the trials and tribulations that the main characters are going through in a relationship could easily be your problems? And as you watch, you can't help but shed those tears because dammit, you know what they're going through? Then you realize that those tears are really tears for yourself because you see how pathetic it plays out on TV and as a result, you start to feel sorry for yourself? And when the main characters make up, it gives you hope that things will work out better for yourself, but if they split up, you feel that your relationship is doomed as well? Ever feel that way? Well, I haven't felt that way...I was just thinking some of ya'll might've been in that situation....yah...you know...'cuz none of that stuff ever goes through my mind. =p
*I've been playing with the idea of writing an autobiography. I'd chronicle my life from my earliest memories, the good ole days of being a latch-key kid in elementary school, my personal trials during my teen years and into high school, the years that I dedicated to learning about my culture through folk dancing, my college/PACE years, all the friendships and relationships that have come in and out of my life, and leading up to my marriage and recent move to Minnesota. Goodness...would it result in a life well lived thus far? Would anyone be interested to read about MY life? Do I want to subject myself to the many dramas I've had in my almost 30 years of life and re-live them once again? So many questions to think about. But don't worry ya'll...if I ever decide to write one, all names will be changed to protect your identity. =)
*This whole online journal thing is such a trend that it blows my mind as to how many people out there blog. Blog and write about whatever they so desire, allowing family, friends, and strangers into the depths of your inner thoughts, willingly putting yourself out there for all to see and enjoy a different form of voyeurism, and just being open and honest leaving yourself prey to criticism in all degrees. It took me a while to catch on to the trend and now, it has become a release for me- a forum in which I can voice my thoughts, ideas, opinions, and feelings. For others, it falls into the same category as reality television. People are intrigued as to what happens to other people- it's just that natural curiousity, the desire to escape into another lil' world, and to basically live vicariously through others. I enjoy blogging, reading other peoples' blogs, and watching silly reality television. I admit it- I'm addicted.
I can go on and on about what goes through my mind at these ungodly hours of the morning. Although there's so much to share, my mind often races faster than my fingers can type that's it's impossible to catch up. It is now an hour since I first started this entry and my eyes are feeling heavier with each passing minute. I guess it's safe to say that I will be sleeping in today. Screw the new year's resolutions...for one day, at least. It's a holiday....I deserve a break. I'll start with my new sleeping routine tomorrow...
I honestly thought that I was getting better at this going to sleep earlier thang. It worked for a bit, but like many new year's resolutions, the idea gets stale and eventually fizzles out. As I write this, it is 5:27am CST. The weather outside is -5 degrees with a wind chill of -20. 'Tis nice to be indoors. For some reason, I can't sleep. So, as a treat for ya'll, I thought I'd write about what goes through my mind during these long, restless and sleepless nights. A quick warning...don't expect anything profound. It'll probably be more of ramblings and random thoughts of nonsense.
*TV shows. You ever watch a TV show where all the events seem to mirror your own life? It's as if some producer put a camera inside your mind, captured all the images and thoughts within, and decided to get white actors to act out the story of your life. I seriously believed that in the case of Ally McBeal, 'member that show?....skinny ass Calista Flockhart (current galpal of Indiana Jones/Hans Solo himself, Harrison Ford) getting more anorexic looking as each season passed? That show was SO me! Okay, so I wasn't a white chick or a lawyer. I never wore obnoxiously short skirts, my best friend wasn't the District Attorney, nor did I ever see dancing babies anywhere or get stuck in a toilet...but when it came to relationships, MnM = Ally. On the show, Ally was always falling for the wrong guys. She would take the risk of a new relationship, open herself up to vulnerability status, fall hard, get hurt, and be screwed. Ultimately, after being hurt one too many times, her biggest fear was that she would end up alone. In my early to mid 20's, I can say that I truly empathized. I watched Ally McBeal religiously and if anyone were to call me or page me (remember pagers?!) on Mondays at 9pm, they would be ignored, cursed out and/or quickly dismissed. Hahaha, it was like that. Man, if it ever makes it to dvd, I am so adding that to our collection!
*How about movies? Ever watch a movie and realize that the trials and tribulations that the main characters are going through in a relationship could easily be your problems? And as you watch, you can't help but shed those tears because dammit, you know what they're going through? Then you realize that those tears are really tears for yourself because you see how pathetic it plays out on TV and as a result, you start to feel sorry for yourself? And when the main characters make up, it gives you hope that things will work out better for yourself, but if they split up, you feel that your relationship is doomed as well? Ever feel that way? Well, I haven't felt that way...I was just thinking some of ya'll might've been in that situation....yah...you know...'cuz none of that stuff ever goes through my mind. =p
*I've been playing with the idea of writing an autobiography. I'd chronicle my life from my earliest memories, the good ole days of being a latch-key kid in elementary school, my personal trials during my teen years and into high school, the years that I dedicated to learning about my culture through folk dancing, my college/PACE years, all the friendships and relationships that have come in and out of my life, and leading up to my marriage and recent move to Minnesota. Goodness...would it result in a life well lived thus far? Would anyone be interested to read about MY life? Do I want to subject myself to the many dramas I've had in my almost 30 years of life and re-live them once again? So many questions to think about. But don't worry ya'll...if I ever decide to write one, all names will be changed to protect your identity. =)
*This whole online journal thing is such a trend that it blows my mind as to how many people out there blog. Blog and write about whatever they so desire, allowing family, friends, and strangers into the depths of your inner thoughts, willingly putting yourself out there for all to see and enjoy a different form of voyeurism, and just being open and honest leaving yourself prey to criticism in all degrees. It took me a while to catch on to the trend and now, it has become a release for me- a forum in which I can voice my thoughts, ideas, opinions, and feelings. For others, it falls into the same category as reality television. People are intrigued as to what happens to other people- it's just that natural curiousity, the desire to escape into another lil' world, and to basically live vicariously through others. I enjoy blogging, reading other peoples' blogs, and watching silly reality television. I admit it- I'm addicted.
I can go on and on about what goes through my mind at these ungodly hours of the morning. Although there's so much to share, my mind often races faster than my fingers can type that's it's impossible to catch up. It is now an hour since I first started this entry and my eyes are feeling heavier with each passing minute. I guess it's safe to say that I will be sleeping in today. Screw the new year's resolutions...for one day, at least. It's a holiday....I deserve a break. I'll start with my new sleeping routine tomorrow...
Sunday, January 18, 2004
For Donna
what's a young girl to do
when all she ever knew and loved
is quickly taken away from her
by death and all the pain that accompanies
the sorrow?
a girl of thirteen
no longer a child, but not yet an adult
is left to deal with the insurmountable emotions
that cannot be explained because the only one who could enlighten the situation
is gone.
too young to understand? I think not.
the complexity of the moment is seen with great clarity through her eyes.
the feeling of having to face the world alone with no one to guide her,
to share comforting words of wisdom in times of despair,
is frightening.
it happened all too fast, and yet each moment can be replayed in her mind
it will be the day that she will never ever forget.
the days and weeks to follow will seem endless and trying
and it will seem that the pain of her loss will never end
but in time, it slowly will.
she will cry and she will grieve
and it will be hard to say goodbye
but the tears will become tears of joy that there is suffering no more.
letting go and moving on will be the greatest challenge-
but doing so will not mean forgetting and loving less.
love between a mother and child is unconditional
it is perfect, it is unbreakable, and never-ending.
Donna, when God called your mom home, she began to live out her higher purpose
to continually watch over you and guide you as your angel
never ceasing, and always and forever loving you.
*Tita Ena- rest in peace...
what's a young girl to do
when all she ever knew and loved
is quickly taken away from her
by death and all the pain that accompanies
the sorrow?
a girl of thirteen
no longer a child, but not yet an adult
is left to deal with the insurmountable emotions
that cannot be explained because the only one who could enlighten the situation
is gone.
too young to understand? I think not.
the complexity of the moment is seen with great clarity through her eyes.
the feeling of having to face the world alone with no one to guide her,
to share comforting words of wisdom in times of despair,
is frightening.
it happened all too fast, and yet each moment can be replayed in her mind
it will be the day that she will never ever forget.
the days and weeks to follow will seem endless and trying
and it will seem that the pain of her loss will never end
but in time, it slowly will.
she will cry and she will grieve
and it will be hard to say goodbye
but the tears will become tears of joy that there is suffering no more.
letting go and moving on will be the greatest challenge-
but doing so will not mean forgetting and loving less.
love between a mother and child is unconditional
it is perfect, it is unbreakable, and never-ending.
Donna, when God called your mom home, she began to live out her higher purpose
to continually watch over you and guide you as your angel
never ceasing, and always and forever loving you.
*Tita Ena- rest in peace...
Friday, January 16, 2004
A Day of Blessings
This morning I got a call from my sis back in CA and off the bat, I knew why she was calling. Tita Ena, who has been in stage IV of her cancer, passed away early this morning. Although we have all been expecting this, it still comes as a shock when it happens. Plus, I've never been one to deal with death as well as my parents. They've always shown strength, whether it has to do with acceptance or just trying to be strong for all the other family members, I don't know how they do it.
Just to stray from the subject real quick, many of you may know that I've been one to be very open to the whole intuition thing. I've always had a sixth sense, that "feeling" when you know something is going to happen and it does. But it's not so much like ESP because I can't will myself to think about something that will happen tomorrow and it does. For me, I tend to get these fleeting thoughts, and as quickly as they come and go, sure enough, it happens. Even before the phone rings, I'll already know who is going to call...and it's not because I told them to call me at a specific time. Call it ESP, call it what you want...I have it.
Last night as I was praying, I had this feeling in my heart about Tita Ena. I thought, wouldn't it be sad if she passed away today (Jan. 16th)? Coincidentally, today is my mom's birthday. I remember that on my dad's birthday back in '92 I think, we found out that his oldest brother passed away. Some might think it's eerie to have someone pass away on your birthday, but I think in some ways it's like a blessing. It's like that day was chosen to celebrate two lives- someone's birthday and another's death. It's that whole balance of life thing...I guess. Hahah, maybe I'm just reading too much into something, but still. In any case, although it is sad that Tita Ena is gone, I'm thankful that her suffering is over. She had been receiving hospice care at home and had all the morphine at her fingertips to dispense when she deemed necessary. From what I hear, she was in a lot of pain. I'm glad that her family from the Philippines were able to be with her during her last moments, but I still can't feel sad for her two children. Since their dad isn't well enough to care for them, I believe that they will be put into the care of an auntie back in PI. They're so young and I can't even imagine how it would be to grow up without a mom. But Tita Ena is in a better place now and I'm thankful for that. Keep her and her family in your prayers ya'll. Thanks.
Birthday Shout-Outs
It's my mama's birthday today! I called her this morning, and although there's a sadness in the air, she was in good spirits. Plus, she jokingly said, "see, your Tita Ena was waiting for my birthday!" I think that would be fitting. Like any other family, our family has tons of drama (which I will not go into). It usually has something to do with the in-laws that marry into the family. But being the eldest in the family and one to keep the peace within, my mom was always accepting of all of them, even when other relatives weren't. During Tita Ena's last weeks, my mom has been going to the house to visit, to pray, and to just be with her and help out around the house where she could. My mom was probably one of the only family members to visit her so often besides my Lolo and maybe in appreciation to her, did wait for her birthday.
In any case, my mom will be celebrating at Todai's for lunch today. Actually, I think I ruined the surprise for her! Since I talked to my sis earlier today, she told me of her plans for the whole family to go to lunch and so I brought that up in my conversation with her. My mom was surprised, "We are? Oh, I didn't know that." Ooopsie! Well, my mom turns 60 today and happy to say, she's as healthy as can be. With all the drama, trials, and sacrifices that she has made in her lifetime, she definitely is a dakilang pilipina. Happy Birthday Mommy! Love and miss you.
Today is truly a day of blessings...
This morning I got a call from my sis back in CA and off the bat, I knew why she was calling. Tita Ena, who has been in stage IV of her cancer, passed away early this morning. Although we have all been expecting this, it still comes as a shock when it happens. Plus, I've never been one to deal with death as well as my parents. They've always shown strength, whether it has to do with acceptance or just trying to be strong for all the other family members, I don't know how they do it.
Just to stray from the subject real quick, many of you may know that I've been one to be very open to the whole intuition thing. I've always had a sixth sense, that "feeling" when you know something is going to happen and it does. But it's not so much like ESP because I can't will myself to think about something that will happen tomorrow and it does. For me, I tend to get these fleeting thoughts, and as quickly as they come and go, sure enough, it happens. Even before the phone rings, I'll already know who is going to call...and it's not because I told them to call me at a specific time. Call it ESP, call it what you want...I have it.
Last night as I was praying, I had this feeling in my heart about Tita Ena. I thought, wouldn't it be sad if she passed away today (Jan. 16th)? Coincidentally, today is my mom's birthday. I remember that on my dad's birthday back in '92 I think, we found out that his oldest brother passed away. Some might think it's eerie to have someone pass away on your birthday, but I think in some ways it's like a blessing. It's like that day was chosen to celebrate two lives- someone's birthday and another's death. It's that whole balance of life thing...I guess. Hahah, maybe I'm just reading too much into something, but still. In any case, although it is sad that Tita Ena is gone, I'm thankful that her suffering is over. She had been receiving hospice care at home and had all the morphine at her fingertips to dispense when she deemed necessary. From what I hear, she was in a lot of pain. I'm glad that her family from the Philippines were able to be with her during her last moments, but I still can't feel sad for her two children. Since their dad isn't well enough to care for them, I believe that they will be put into the care of an auntie back in PI. They're so young and I can't even imagine how it would be to grow up without a mom. But Tita Ena is in a better place now and I'm thankful for that. Keep her and her family in your prayers ya'll. Thanks.
Birthday Shout-Outs
It's my mama's birthday today! I called her this morning, and although there's a sadness in the air, she was in good spirits. Plus, she jokingly said, "see, your Tita Ena was waiting for my birthday!" I think that would be fitting. Like any other family, our family has tons of drama (which I will not go into). It usually has something to do with the in-laws that marry into the family. But being the eldest in the family and one to keep the peace within, my mom was always accepting of all of them, even when other relatives weren't. During Tita Ena's last weeks, my mom has been going to the house to visit, to pray, and to just be with her and help out around the house where she could. My mom was probably one of the only family members to visit her so often besides my Lolo and maybe in appreciation to her, did wait for her birthday.
In any case, my mom will be celebrating at Todai's for lunch today. Actually, I think I ruined the surprise for her! Since I talked to my sis earlier today, she told me of her plans for the whole family to go to lunch and so I brought that up in my conversation with her. My mom was surprised, "We are? Oh, I didn't know that." Ooopsie! Well, my mom turns 60 today and happy to say, she's as healthy as can be. With all the drama, trials, and sacrifices that she has made in her lifetime, she definitely is a dakilang pilipina. Happy Birthday Mommy! Love and miss you.
Today is truly a day of blessings...
Thursday, January 15, 2004
Life Ain't Fair
When people talk about "Life," there are so many phrases and sayings that come to mind. "Life is a bowl of cherries," "Life is a journey," "Life is like a box of chocolates," but lately, it seems that the neverending theme is centered around the saying that "Life ain't fair."
Sometimes it's difficult to thank God for all the bad things that happen in our lives. We find it hard to understand that the worst things happen to the best of us. There are those who are laid off from their jobs, those who are in debt, those who are alone, those who do not have anyone to pray for them, and especially those who are sick. One of the blessings that I'm thankful for everyday is the health of hubby and myself. I'm thankful that my dad has been recovering quite well after his surgeries and that the rest of my family has been more or less healthy.
Cancer. I've really come to hate this word and all it is associated with. When I think of cancer, I think of pain and suffering. While there is no cure for it, I'm comforted that with the latest treatments out there, there is always that hope that it will go into remission and/or be removed from one's system forever. Cancer has been around for so long, but as naive as it sounds, you don't really think about it until it affects someone that you know. I've always heard about it, I've always known about it, but when you learn that someone whom you know and love has it, it completely blows your mind.
I have an auntie back in CA that has Stage IV cancer. Little did I know that this is the last stage of the disease. She had breast cancer a few years back, and after having both breasts removed, it seemed that the cancer was gone from her body. It wasn't. She's been really sick since October-November, in fact, they say that it's a miracle that she lasted throughout Thanksgiving and Christmas. I had the opportunity to visit her while I was in town and man, I didn't even recognize her. She looked so frail as if the life had been sucked out of her. It's just so sad because my uncle (her husband) had a stroke back in '97 and since then, he has been confined to a wheelchair and is need of a nurse at home to take care of him. They have two children, 13 and 6. It just doesn't seem fair that two young kids should lose their mom at such young ages.
One of my oldest friends just told me that she has cancer. Again, you don't think about it until someone you know has it, but damn, this woman is my age! I've known her since the 1st grade and it's crazy that someone who's always had a perfect bill of health is stricken with this disease. She just had a baby last year and it turns out that some bad cells of her placenta invaded her uterus resulting in a rare form of cancer. If there's anything positive to say about her finding out about the cancer, it's that they found it early and that it is definitely treatable. They say that chemotherapy will do the trick and all I can do is pray and keep my fingers crossed that it does.
Upon our return to MN, we found out that a member of our church has lung cancer. Just last week, we learned that it has spread throughout her body. And just the other day, hubby found out that his co-worker's mom has terminal cancer as well. She only has about 3-4 more months to live. Of course there are so many factors that lead up to getting this disease- lifestyle, exercise, nutrition, foods...but what it comes down to is that anyone can get it. It's downright scary. Yet, as unfortunate as these situations are, we must trust that it's all happening for a reason. I take my dad for example. He had gone in for a checkup- he had been feeling sick, congested, had flu-like symptoms, and he was constantly being short of breath. Turns out that he had a silent heart attack. Not good. This meant that they found some clogged arteries and that a quadruple bypass was in order. But during his examination and x-rays, the doctors also found an aneurysm in his stomach that was close to bursting. Had it not been for his exam, they might not have found that aneurysm. The tumor was about an inch or so away from bursting...and when tumors burst, it's very likely that the person will have a stroke and die. Although my dad had to go under the knife twice, it has saved his life. Now, he's eating better, getting more exercise, and living a healthier lifestyle than before. In all these situations, it will be the hardest thing to see the positive that may come out of it, but there will always be something.
Life ain't always fair. But what comforts me and I hope will comfort others too is that "If God brings us to it, God will bring us through it." Please add these people to your prayers and that somehow they will be cured. It may take a miracle and miracles do happen. Much love...
When people talk about "Life," there are so many phrases and sayings that come to mind. "Life is a bowl of cherries," "Life is a journey," "Life is like a box of chocolates," but lately, it seems that the neverending theme is centered around the saying that "Life ain't fair."
Sometimes it's difficult to thank God for all the bad things that happen in our lives. We find it hard to understand that the worst things happen to the best of us. There are those who are laid off from their jobs, those who are in debt, those who are alone, those who do not have anyone to pray for them, and especially those who are sick. One of the blessings that I'm thankful for everyday is the health of hubby and myself. I'm thankful that my dad has been recovering quite well after his surgeries and that the rest of my family has been more or less healthy.
Cancer. I've really come to hate this word and all it is associated with. When I think of cancer, I think of pain and suffering. While there is no cure for it, I'm comforted that with the latest treatments out there, there is always that hope that it will go into remission and/or be removed from one's system forever. Cancer has been around for so long, but as naive as it sounds, you don't really think about it until it affects someone that you know. I've always heard about it, I've always known about it, but when you learn that someone whom you know and love has it, it completely blows your mind.
I have an auntie back in CA that has Stage IV cancer. Little did I know that this is the last stage of the disease. She had breast cancer a few years back, and after having both breasts removed, it seemed that the cancer was gone from her body. It wasn't. She's been really sick since October-November, in fact, they say that it's a miracle that she lasted throughout Thanksgiving and Christmas. I had the opportunity to visit her while I was in town and man, I didn't even recognize her. She looked so frail as if the life had been sucked out of her. It's just so sad because my uncle (her husband) had a stroke back in '97 and since then, he has been confined to a wheelchair and is need of a nurse at home to take care of him. They have two children, 13 and 6. It just doesn't seem fair that two young kids should lose their mom at such young ages.
One of my oldest friends just told me that she has cancer. Again, you don't think about it until someone you know has it, but damn, this woman is my age! I've known her since the 1st grade and it's crazy that someone who's always had a perfect bill of health is stricken with this disease. She just had a baby last year and it turns out that some bad cells of her placenta invaded her uterus resulting in a rare form of cancer. If there's anything positive to say about her finding out about the cancer, it's that they found it early and that it is definitely treatable. They say that chemotherapy will do the trick and all I can do is pray and keep my fingers crossed that it does.
Upon our return to MN, we found out that a member of our church has lung cancer. Just last week, we learned that it has spread throughout her body. And just the other day, hubby found out that his co-worker's mom has terminal cancer as well. She only has about 3-4 more months to live. Of course there are so many factors that lead up to getting this disease- lifestyle, exercise, nutrition, foods...but what it comes down to is that anyone can get it. It's downright scary. Yet, as unfortunate as these situations are, we must trust that it's all happening for a reason. I take my dad for example. He had gone in for a checkup- he had been feeling sick, congested, had flu-like symptoms, and he was constantly being short of breath. Turns out that he had a silent heart attack. Not good. This meant that they found some clogged arteries and that a quadruple bypass was in order. But during his examination and x-rays, the doctors also found an aneurysm in his stomach that was close to bursting. Had it not been for his exam, they might not have found that aneurysm. The tumor was about an inch or so away from bursting...and when tumors burst, it's very likely that the person will have a stroke and die. Although my dad had to go under the knife twice, it has saved his life. Now, he's eating better, getting more exercise, and living a healthier lifestyle than before. In all these situations, it will be the hardest thing to see the positive that may come out of it, but there will always be something.
Life ain't always fair. But what comforts me and I hope will comfort others too is that "If God brings us to it, God will bring us through it." Please add these people to your prayers and that somehow they will be cured. It may take a miracle and miracles do happen. Much love...
Wednesday, January 14, 2004
Birthday Shout-Outs
You know...April must be a busy month for everyone. 'Tis when spring is in the air, love, and flowers...and a whole bunch of whoopee and baby making! There are a lot of birthdays this month and I just wanted to give my lil' shout outs. (And they say December and the winter months are busy....pshhh, whateva!)
*Miss Lily, my homegirl from Cornerstone, turned 25 yesterday. I had a chance to mentor her during her first year and since then, we've gotten pretty tight. When I first started out, I was given one of the tiniest rooms on the 3rd/4th grade floor. It was actually a room used for piano lessons. We converted it into a classroom and boy, let me just say that it was very "intimate." As the school expanded, we learned that another 3rd grade would be added and rumors were going 'round that the computer lab (which was next door to my small ass room), would be changed into a classroom. This computer room happened to be the biggest room on the floor. Well, yay for me, I got it and Lily became the new teacher to win my small, intimate, hella hot room (no windows, people!). Anyways, since I was leaving, the question once again arose as to who would be the lucky teacher to grab hold of that room. Lo and behold, Lily, my mentor-ee was the lucky winner. Ah...tis nice to "pass down" something that means so much! I truly enjoyed having that huge, cool room. Plus, it was the only room with A/C and on hot days, was my room the most popular or what? lol! In any case Miss Lily, hope you had a great day at school with all your lil' rugrats. Happy 25th Birthday!
*My nephew and godson Nico turned 3 yesterday! Turns out that for his special day, Mommy, Daddy, and Ate Bina were going to take him to Denny's! Yes, kids eat free on their birthdays- can't pass that up especially when Nico loves his Grand Slam breakfast! Nico and Bina are going to having a joint birthday party in a couple of weeks, but sad to say, I won't be able to make it out. My sis has been telling me though that Nico keeps asking, "Is Ninang coming to my birthday?" Awwww...don't tell me that! It's so cute when I call home because he's becoming VERY talkative now (just like his sister!) and you can actually hold a mini conversation with him. Too too cute. I figure that he won't miss me too much at his party, but I'll definitely make it up to him somehow. Happy 3rd Birthday Nico- Ninang loves and misses you! Be a good boy, okay?
You know...April must be a busy month for everyone. 'Tis when spring is in the air, love, and flowers...and a whole bunch of whoopee and baby making! There are a lot of birthdays this month and I just wanted to give my lil' shout outs. (And they say December and the winter months are busy....pshhh, whateva!)
*Miss Lily, my homegirl from Cornerstone, turned 25 yesterday. I had a chance to mentor her during her first year and since then, we've gotten pretty tight. When I first started out, I was given one of the tiniest rooms on the 3rd/4th grade floor. It was actually a room used for piano lessons. We converted it into a classroom and boy, let me just say that it was very "intimate." As the school expanded, we learned that another 3rd grade would be added and rumors were going 'round that the computer lab (which was next door to my small ass room), would be changed into a classroom. This computer room happened to be the biggest room on the floor. Well, yay for me, I got it and Lily became the new teacher to win my small, intimate, hella hot room (no windows, people!). Anyways, since I was leaving, the question once again arose as to who would be the lucky teacher to grab hold of that room. Lo and behold, Lily, my mentor-ee was the lucky winner. Ah...tis nice to "pass down" something that means so much! I truly enjoyed having that huge, cool room. Plus, it was the only room with A/C and on hot days, was my room the most popular or what? lol! In any case Miss Lily, hope you had a great day at school with all your lil' rugrats. Happy 25th Birthday!
*My nephew and godson Nico turned 3 yesterday! Turns out that for his special day, Mommy, Daddy, and Ate Bina were going to take him to Denny's! Yes, kids eat free on their birthdays- can't pass that up especially when Nico loves his Grand Slam breakfast! Nico and Bina are going to having a joint birthday party in a couple of weeks, but sad to say, I won't be able to make it out. My sis has been telling me though that Nico keeps asking, "Is Ninang coming to my birthday?" Awwww...don't tell me that! It's so cute when I call home because he's becoming VERY talkative now (just like his sister!) and you can actually hold a mini conversation with him. Too too cute. I figure that he won't miss me too much at his party, but I'll definitely make it up to him somehow. Happy 3rd Birthday Nico- Ninang loves and misses you! Be a good boy, okay?
Monday, January 12, 2004
Broken Hearts and Contrite Spirits
Late last night, I had the most wonderful spiritual experience. It involved just God and myself. I know that there are many skeptics when it comes to faith in the Almighty, but when you open yourself to Him, you truly begin to feel Him work within you.
Yesterday's Sunday service was quite an emotional one. One of the longtime members of the church was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. In fact, they had just learned that the cancer has spread quickly to other parts of her body. The elders and deacons of the church scheduled to pray over Auntie Beth and I'm guessing these prayers last about 30 minutes to an hour. Well, it turned out that the pray over lasted about 4 hours! That's a whole lotta praying! They were sharing about those four hours of prayer and how there wasn't a dry eye in the house. People were praying fervently for a miracle for her health, they were praying for each person in our church, and were also thanking God that although we do not understand all the pain that comes into our life, we must be ever so thankful to Him because He knows what is best. Then Pastor Gonzalo (Papa) went up to speak and off the bat, he was downright emotional. He basically shared about thankfulness and how we should use every opportunity to thank God for all that He has blessed us with. He shared that we must always be thankful for our spouses because God has blessed us with another person to share our life with- no matter what mannerisms or bad habits they have, no matter the wrongs they have done us, no matter the problems that come about, etc. It was through God's love for us that this other person is in our life...and of course I do thank God for hubby each day. =) Papa also shared about that he arrived in the States and the first time that he saw snow. As cold as it was, he picked a handful of snow and kissed it, and thanked God for it. It was such a sweet story. Later on while we were all eating after the service, lo and behold, it started snowing! Anyways, with all the messages on being thankful and being more prayerful ("the family that prays together, stays together") and listening and singing to all the beautiful praise music, I couldn't help but feel touched. I really felt God communing with me and yes, 'twas a good thing that I had my handy dandy supply of kleenex in my pockets. I always thought it was sorta funny to see people raising their hands high, simply because I rarely saw that at our church. But when you feel the Holy Spirit working, you're moved to just close your eyes, feel the music, and raise your hands to heaven.
So after the service and fellowship, hubby and I go home and I'm feeling really good about the morning. I felt proud because one of my resolutions was to take some initiative and get to know more people in the church and yesterday, I talked to many people whom I've never spoken to before. The rest of the day goes by, hanging out with hubby, watching TV, doing schoolwork, and whatnot. As hubby and I get ready for bed, I begin to feel something in my heart. It wasn't a pain of any sort, in fact, it's difficult to explain. I have been reading this book called New Believers and it basically talks about steps that "new" Christians can take to live their life with Christ. Some parts I really feel that it doesn't pertain to me- I've always believed in God; it's not as if I was totally converting from worshiping a cow or something, you know? There are many parallels when it comes to Catholicism and Christianity. In any case, I did some reading like I always do before I go to sleep, and there was that feeling in my heart that was telling me something, I'm not quite sure what. Growing up, I have always prayed before I went to bed and in the past few year, I have been talking to God MORESO, than I have before. I usually like to wait til hubby is sleeping, I turn out the lights, and do my thang with God.
I started to feel emotional last night as I started praying. I started to remember the words of the book I was reading that said that there are so many who verbally say they have accepted Christ into their life, but it is only until they have confessed to God their sins that you allow Him in. I got out of bed, went into the bathroom, and all of a sudden, I was crying. I started to pray and then I understood that the feeling in my heart was like an overflowing of emotion in my heart. It's like God was talking to me, but I wasn't listening. I really opened myself to Him, confessed, and I swear, I felt His hands on me. After that, I felt renewed in spirit and that feeling in my heart was changed. It was like a sigh of relief, the "see, doesn't that make you feel better now that you talked with me and let me in" feeling. The moment I accepted Christ, I knew that my life would change for the better, but I have to say that it wasn't until last night that I really and truly let Him in. Just in this day alone, there hasn't been a moment where I didn't get teary-eyed just thinking about last night. I feel like a whole different person...and I'm so very thankful.
Late last night, I had the most wonderful spiritual experience. It involved just God and myself. I know that there are many skeptics when it comes to faith in the Almighty, but when you open yourself to Him, you truly begin to feel Him work within you.
Yesterday's Sunday service was quite an emotional one. One of the longtime members of the church was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. In fact, they had just learned that the cancer has spread quickly to other parts of her body. The elders and deacons of the church scheduled to pray over Auntie Beth and I'm guessing these prayers last about 30 minutes to an hour. Well, it turned out that the pray over lasted about 4 hours! That's a whole lotta praying! They were sharing about those four hours of prayer and how there wasn't a dry eye in the house. People were praying fervently for a miracle for her health, they were praying for each person in our church, and were also thanking God that although we do not understand all the pain that comes into our life, we must be ever so thankful to Him because He knows what is best. Then Pastor Gonzalo (Papa) went up to speak and off the bat, he was downright emotional. He basically shared about thankfulness and how we should use every opportunity to thank God for all that He has blessed us with. He shared that we must always be thankful for our spouses because God has blessed us with another person to share our life with- no matter what mannerisms or bad habits they have, no matter the wrongs they have done us, no matter the problems that come about, etc. It was through God's love for us that this other person is in our life...and of course I do thank God for hubby each day. =) Papa also shared about that he arrived in the States and the first time that he saw snow. As cold as it was, he picked a handful of snow and kissed it, and thanked God for it. It was such a sweet story. Later on while we were all eating after the service, lo and behold, it started snowing! Anyways, with all the messages on being thankful and being more prayerful ("the family that prays together, stays together") and listening and singing to all the beautiful praise music, I couldn't help but feel touched. I really felt God communing with me and yes, 'twas a good thing that I had my handy dandy supply of kleenex in my pockets. I always thought it was sorta funny to see people raising their hands high, simply because I rarely saw that at our church. But when you feel the Holy Spirit working, you're moved to just close your eyes, feel the music, and raise your hands to heaven.
So after the service and fellowship, hubby and I go home and I'm feeling really good about the morning. I felt proud because one of my resolutions was to take some initiative and get to know more people in the church and yesterday, I talked to many people whom I've never spoken to before. The rest of the day goes by, hanging out with hubby, watching TV, doing schoolwork, and whatnot. As hubby and I get ready for bed, I begin to feel something in my heart. It wasn't a pain of any sort, in fact, it's difficult to explain. I have been reading this book called New Believers and it basically talks about steps that "new" Christians can take to live their life with Christ. Some parts I really feel that it doesn't pertain to me- I've always believed in God; it's not as if I was totally converting from worshiping a cow or something, you know? There are many parallels when it comes to Catholicism and Christianity. In any case, I did some reading like I always do before I go to sleep, and there was that feeling in my heart that was telling me something, I'm not quite sure what. Growing up, I have always prayed before I went to bed and in the past few year, I have been talking to God MORESO, than I have before. I usually like to wait til hubby is sleeping, I turn out the lights, and do my thang with God.
I started to feel emotional last night as I started praying. I started to remember the words of the book I was reading that said that there are so many who verbally say they have accepted Christ into their life, but it is only until they have confessed to God their sins that you allow Him in. I got out of bed, went into the bathroom, and all of a sudden, I was crying. I started to pray and then I understood that the feeling in my heart was like an overflowing of emotion in my heart. It's like God was talking to me, but I wasn't listening. I really opened myself to Him, confessed, and I swear, I felt His hands on me. After that, I felt renewed in spirit and that feeling in my heart was changed. It was like a sigh of relief, the "see, doesn't that make you feel better now that you talked with me and let me in" feeling. The moment I accepted Christ, I knew that my life would change for the better, but I have to say that it wasn't until last night that I really and truly let Him in. Just in this day alone, there hasn't been a moment where I didn't get teary-eyed just thinking about last night. I feel like a whole different person...and I'm so very thankful.
Friday, January 09, 2004
Small World...again!
Talk about small world! Hubby and I went to the grocery at around 2am this morning...don't ask why we chose an ungodly time to go, we just happen to be awake! Anyways, as we were checking out, the cashier (who happened to be quite tattooed out!) started some small talk with hubby about California after he pulled out his i.d. Doh said I was from da Bay and he asked whereabouts I was from. Excelsior district...yeah representing, lol! He said he grew up at 24th and Mission...DUDE! That's where I went to school, I say. I asked him if he went to Mission High, simply 'cuz that's the main public school out there and he said that he went to Thorton in Daly City? Eh..I never heard of that school. Then he chuckled and said that ti was a school for "messed up kids." 'Course that brought up my next question of why the heck he is here in MN, but I didn't get a chance to ask. Well, Doh and I were joking that since he was probably a knuckle headed kid back in the day, his parents probably sent him to live with Aunt so-and-so out in the Midwest to "straighten up." Shoot...my cousins who messed up way back when got sent to Alaska, some got sent to the motherland, but other people...I guess the Midwest would seem like a punishment in itself. Hahaha...'tis jokes lang people. Me, I'm liking MN more and more now. Aside from the cold, it's turning out to be a blessing in disguise. Dude....24th and Mission? That is yet another "small-world" incident to add to my list. First Ibalik and the Cutting Edge crew, living out near my hood...and now Rainbow Grocery clerk guy who lived in the hood where I went to school. Now that I think about it, if you keep heading toward 16th and Mission, that's where you'd find all the police cars trying to keep the peace with the local gangs...'twas the North against the South. Hell, I'm just glad I never got into that craziness. In any case, small world incident #2...and of all places, too! Any more???
Oopsie
I'm still riding high on that phone call for that interview I received the other day. After sharing my good news with my lovely readers (psst...that's YOU!), there was a message on our answering machine from the same lady who called. Turns out that there was a problem in scheduling with some of the interviewers and that it had to be re-scheduled. On the down side, it won't be until March. On the plus side, the lady sounded really apologetic and her exact words were, "we are VERY interested in meeting with you." That's good, right? She could've said that they were just plain interested, yes? Well, I'm hoping that the bomb resume that hubby put together for me caught their eye and that they're looking for someone with my skillage. 'Yo, ya' bettah recognize! Lol! =) We'll have to wait and see. In the meantime, keep your fingers and toes crossed for me...I'll keep ya'll updated.
Talk about small world! Hubby and I went to the grocery at around 2am this morning...don't ask why we chose an ungodly time to go, we just happen to be awake! Anyways, as we were checking out, the cashier (who happened to be quite tattooed out!) started some small talk with hubby about California after he pulled out his i.d. Doh said I was from da Bay and he asked whereabouts I was from. Excelsior district...yeah representing, lol! He said he grew up at 24th and Mission...DUDE! That's where I went to school, I say. I asked him if he went to Mission High, simply 'cuz that's the main public school out there and he said that he went to Thorton in Daly City? Eh..I never heard of that school. Then he chuckled and said that ti was a school for "messed up kids." 'Course that brought up my next question of why the heck he is here in MN, but I didn't get a chance to ask. Well, Doh and I were joking that since he was probably a knuckle headed kid back in the day, his parents probably sent him to live with Aunt so-and-so out in the Midwest to "straighten up." Shoot...my cousins who messed up way back when got sent to Alaska, some got sent to the motherland, but other people...I guess the Midwest would seem like a punishment in itself. Hahaha...'tis jokes lang people. Me, I'm liking MN more and more now. Aside from the cold, it's turning out to be a blessing in disguise. Dude....24th and Mission? That is yet another "small-world" incident to add to my list. First Ibalik and the Cutting Edge crew, living out near my hood...and now Rainbow Grocery clerk guy who lived in the hood where I went to school. Now that I think about it, if you keep heading toward 16th and Mission, that's where you'd find all the police cars trying to keep the peace with the local gangs...'twas the North against the South. Hell, I'm just glad I never got into that craziness. In any case, small world incident #2...and of all places, too! Any more???
Oopsie
I'm still riding high on that phone call for that interview I received the other day. After sharing my good news with my lovely readers (psst...that's YOU!), there was a message on our answering machine from the same lady who called. Turns out that there was a problem in scheduling with some of the interviewers and that it had to be re-scheduled. On the down side, it won't be until March. On the plus side, the lady sounded really apologetic and her exact words were, "we are VERY interested in meeting with you." That's good, right? She could've said that they were just plain interested, yes? Well, I'm hoping that the bomb resume that hubby put together for me caught their eye and that they're looking for someone with my skillage. 'Yo, ya' bettah recognize! Lol! =) We'll have to wait and see. In the meantime, keep your fingers and toes crossed for me...I'll keep ya'll updated.
Wednesday, January 07, 2004
Cross Your Fingers
Just had to share my good news with ya'll today. I received a call from the school director of St. Andrew's Academy over here requesting for an interview! I had sent my resume back in December and I honestly hadn't given it another thought because of the holiday rush and traveling back to CA. 'Twas just yesterday when I was bloggin' about IKEA that the thought passed through my mind. I know my mom and pops have been praying that I find a job and hopefully, their prayers will be answered soon. In any case, the position is for a 3rd grade teaching position starting this fall. If you can imagine it, hubby and I got all hyped and were jumping around all excited. Hey man, it's been a while since I've worked so any potential school that shows any interest at all will get me jumping up and down- lol!
The interview is set for Tuesday, January 20th- my dad's birthday! I'm asking ya'll to please include me in your prayers that the interview goes well. No wait, not well, kick ass is more like it. Any words of encouragement or advice is gladly welcome. Do me a favor ya'll...keep your fingers crossed for me.
Just had to share my good news with ya'll today. I received a call from the school director of St. Andrew's Academy over here requesting for an interview! I had sent my resume back in December and I honestly hadn't given it another thought because of the holiday rush and traveling back to CA. 'Twas just yesterday when I was bloggin' about IKEA that the thought passed through my mind. I know my mom and pops have been praying that I find a job and hopefully, their prayers will be answered soon. In any case, the position is for a 3rd grade teaching position starting this fall. If you can imagine it, hubby and I got all hyped and were jumping around all excited. Hey man, it's been a while since I've worked so any potential school that shows any interest at all will get me jumping up and down- lol!
The interview is set for Tuesday, January 20th- my dad's birthday! I'm asking ya'll to please include me in your prayers that the interview goes well. No wait, not well, kick ass is more like it. Any words of encouragement or advice is gladly welcome. Do me a favor ya'll...keep your fingers crossed for me.
Tuesday, January 06, 2004
IKEA Is A Comin'
Word was going around and we weren't sure if they were rumors or not. But alas, 'tis true, 'tis true! We saw the familiar blue and yellow under construction and we couldn't help but cheer. An IKEA is being built right across the way from Mall of America, which of course means even more congestion, more traffic, more drivers who shouldn't be behind the wheel in the first place, and even more crazed shoppers to deal with. Moving to Minnesota, hubby and I were quite disappointed to find out that the nearest IKEA to us was in Chicago! That is an 8-hour drive from us! Now do we really want to drive all that way for votive candles? I think not. Seeing that we had to stock up on candles before we left, we hit the Emeryville IKEA. With 3 bags of votive candles (and $300 worth of stuff we probably didn't need!), we left happy and content. Plus, hubby was thinking that if we were ever in need of any IKEA-gear, we could always ask friends like Eastbay to send us a care package. Lol!
Well, care packages no more! 'Tis cool enough already that Mall of America and future IKEA is only a 10-15 minute drive from us. I already told hubby that if I don't score any teaching gigs by this summer, that's it...I'm working at IKEA! (I wonder what the discount is like?)
Sending Some Aloha
Speaking of care packages, best bud Firemarshall J is in the process of sending da Manimtims some aloha from da islands. Turns out J is making his way back to the mainland to finish his studies and to pursue other "interests." (sorry J..couldn't resist that one!). I figure that I better take advantage of the time he has left over there and get him to send some Kauai Kookies (macademia nut and shortbread), some Jawaiian reggae and popular traditional music, some t-shirts, some sandals, etc. No puka shells though. I think I'm pretty much done with that phase. Da list goes on, but like I said, J is moving back and this is the opportune time for a care package. I think I even got him goin' to the swap meet to get us our goodies. Plus, ain't nothing like that you can find here in Minnesota! I'm about to ask my mom or sister to send us some Pan De Sal bread and Ramen noodles! They do have Ramen over here, but you can't beat Pacific Supermarket prices of 12 for $1, right?! In any case, much love and appreciation to J in advance for our aloha package.
Anyone else wanting to send us some love from da Bay is by all means welcome to do so... (hint, hint)
By The Way...
I was very skeptical when locals over here told us that one could feel a significant difference in the weather. Meaning, be it 10 degrees or -5 degrees out, you can tell. For me, cold is cold. Ain't no difference or question about it. But I have to admit...there is truth to what these locals say. Last time, I was bitching about 7 degree weather with -19 degree wind chill. 'Member how I was out waiting for hubby to pick me up? 'Member the whole, "this is THE coldest I have ever felt in my entire life" cold? Well, today, hubby and I ventured out to Sam's Clubs to buy some essentials (rice, spam, the basics), and the weather out was only 13 degrees. 13! I mean, don't get me wrong, it was still cold and we went out prepared with our thermals and other gear, but it wasn't AS cold as the other day. It kinda blew my mind. Locals have also been saying that the January and February months are the fiercest in terms of winter weather. In fact, while the rest of the West side of the country takes vacations in the June-August months, folks over here take time off in February to get away from the freezing temps. It hasn't really snowed lately, just light dusting of flurries. I was telling hubby today that if it didn't snow for the rest of the winter and all we had to deal with was the cold, I think I'd be okay. 'Tis just scary when people talk about pneumonia and frostbite (FROSTBITE?!) and you're looking outside your window at the sunny skies. Confusing and misleading. In any case, I will be the first to admit that these Midwesterners are NOT crazy to be out and about in 10 degree weather...some having barbeques and some venturing out in shorts. There IS a difference...I just had to clarify.
Last Thoughts
As I write this, I'm watching The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and tonight's guest is the talented and hunky Tom Cruise. Jay Leno had just challenged Tom in a hand wrestle and while they were at it, Tom had to get outta his seat and position himself better. Needless to say, his ass was straight staring at the cameras and I'm sure, giving women all over the satisfaction of seeing his tight tushy. Lol! So is there even a question as to who won the hand wrestle? Who cares! All America saw was Tom squatting and flexing his derriere! My last thoughts? Um, I don't really have any...I just had to share that!
Word was going around and we weren't sure if they were rumors or not. But alas, 'tis true, 'tis true! We saw the familiar blue and yellow under construction and we couldn't help but cheer. An IKEA is being built right across the way from Mall of America, which of course means even more congestion, more traffic, more drivers who shouldn't be behind the wheel in the first place, and even more crazed shoppers to deal with. Moving to Minnesota, hubby and I were quite disappointed to find out that the nearest IKEA to us was in Chicago! That is an 8-hour drive from us! Now do we really want to drive all that way for votive candles? I think not. Seeing that we had to stock up on candles before we left, we hit the Emeryville IKEA. With 3 bags of votive candles (and $300 worth of stuff we probably didn't need!), we left happy and content. Plus, hubby was thinking that if we were ever in need of any IKEA-gear, we could always ask friends like Eastbay to send us a care package. Lol!
Well, care packages no more! 'Tis cool enough already that Mall of America and future IKEA is only a 10-15 minute drive from us. I already told hubby that if I don't score any teaching gigs by this summer, that's it...I'm working at IKEA! (I wonder what the discount is like?)
Sending Some Aloha
Speaking of care packages, best bud Firemarshall J is in the process of sending da Manimtims some aloha from da islands. Turns out J is making his way back to the mainland to finish his studies and to pursue other "interests." (sorry J..couldn't resist that one!). I figure that I better take advantage of the time he has left over there and get him to send some Kauai Kookies (macademia nut and shortbread), some Jawaiian reggae and popular traditional music, some t-shirts, some sandals, etc. No puka shells though. I think I'm pretty much done with that phase. Da list goes on, but like I said, J is moving back and this is the opportune time for a care package. I think I even got him goin' to the swap meet to get us our goodies. Plus, ain't nothing like that you can find here in Minnesota! I'm about to ask my mom or sister to send us some Pan De Sal bread and Ramen noodles! They do have Ramen over here, but you can't beat Pacific Supermarket prices of 12 for $1, right?! In any case, much love and appreciation to J in advance for our aloha package.
Anyone else wanting to send us some love from da Bay is by all means welcome to do so... (hint, hint)
By The Way...
I was very skeptical when locals over here told us that one could feel a significant difference in the weather. Meaning, be it 10 degrees or -5 degrees out, you can tell. For me, cold is cold. Ain't no difference or question about it. But I have to admit...there is truth to what these locals say. Last time, I was bitching about 7 degree weather with -19 degree wind chill. 'Member how I was out waiting for hubby to pick me up? 'Member the whole, "this is THE coldest I have ever felt in my entire life" cold? Well, today, hubby and I ventured out to Sam's Clubs to buy some essentials (rice, spam, the basics), and the weather out was only 13 degrees. 13! I mean, don't get me wrong, it was still cold and we went out prepared with our thermals and other gear, but it wasn't AS cold as the other day. It kinda blew my mind. Locals have also been saying that the January and February months are the fiercest in terms of winter weather. In fact, while the rest of the West side of the country takes vacations in the June-August months, folks over here take time off in February to get away from the freezing temps. It hasn't really snowed lately, just light dusting of flurries. I was telling hubby today that if it didn't snow for the rest of the winter and all we had to deal with was the cold, I think I'd be okay. 'Tis just scary when people talk about pneumonia and frostbite (FROSTBITE?!) and you're looking outside your window at the sunny skies. Confusing and misleading. In any case, I will be the first to admit that these Midwesterners are NOT crazy to be out and about in 10 degree weather...some having barbeques and some venturing out in shorts. There IS a difference...I just had to clarify.
Last Thoughts
As I write this, I'm watching The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and tonight's guest is the talented and hunky Tom Cruise. Jay Leno had just challenged Tom in a hand wrestle and while they were at it, Tom had to get outta his seat and position himself better. Needless to say, his ass was straight staring at the cameras and I'm sure, giving women all over the satisfaction of seeing his tight tushy. Lol! So is there even a question as to who won the hand wrestle? Who cares! All America saw was Tom squatting and flexing his derriere! My last thoughts? Um, I don't really have any...I just had to share that!
Monday, January 05, 2004
Brrrrrrr!
Yes, so I haven't bitched about the weather as of late. Honestly, it hasn't been THAT cold to me. Okay, so it doesn't help that I'm usually in the comfort of my lil' abode of an apartment where the heater is blasting from the moment I go to sleep to the moment I awake. Plus, out of all the things in this apartment that works the best, it's the heater- yah, that's one helluva good thing! It can get so warm up in here that hubby can lounge around in shorts! Um, not me. I'm the cold one. I'm the one that needs double and triple blankets...the one that needs to wear thermals when venturing outside...the one that needs to accessorize with a fleece knit cap, a fleece scarf, leather gloves, a poofy jacket, and double socks and STILL be cold! What usually happens is that around 3 or 4ish in the morning, I'd get out of bed, take that short walk from the master bedroom to the thermostat, switch the "heat" to "off," and on my return trip to the bedroom, it ain't nothing but vinyl tiles...COLD vinyl tiles. I then climb into bed, snuggle up to my personal human blanket, and do the Rogue-thang from X-Men and wait for hubby's heat to transfer to me. Hee hee, just another thang husbands are good for...warming up their wife! =) Why is it that men are always so warm?! Hubby always takes one for the team and lets me put my freezing hands underneath his shirt or my cold feet on his. It's hubby who insists that we leave the heater on all throughout the night for MY benefit, not his. What a guy, eh?
Don't talk to me about being acclimated to the cold...nah uh. Ain't nothing normal for this California native to be trudging along in below zero weather...the moment I take a deep breath outside, I feel like my lungs are icing over! Y'know that cool and fresh feeling you get when you chew Ecclipse gum? Or how about those Listerine squares that you let melt in your mouth? Well, just imagine about 10 packets of each in your mouth, but all at the same time! This isn't a joke. It's seriously that cold over here.
Yesterday has to be D-Day, THE coldest I have ever, ever felt in my whole entire life! After getting our praise on at church, hubby and I head to a work site in downtown Minneapolis. I get dropped off at Borders to bide my time and when hubby is done, I tell him that I'll wait for him outside. Outside. Now remember all them accoutrements that I need to suit up for the cold? Well, I wasn't completely prepared. In the 3-5 minutes that I waited for hubby, I swear, I literally could not speak. My insides were numb. I could feel the cold from the pavement move through the soles of my shoes and the gloves I was wearing didn't do jack for me. It was so cold that my teeth couldn't even chatter and if I were ever to have any kind of frostbite, the first things to go would be either my pinky fingers or my pinky toes! By the time hubby came around, it took me about five minutes to defrost myself. On the real though, it is fricken' cold out here.
Current temps outside: 0 degrees
Current wind chill: -19 degrees
So I guess you know what that means in Minnesota, eh? 'Tis a perfect day to go ice fishing!!! (Aw hell no!)
Yes, so I haven't bitched about the weather as of late. Honestly, it hasn't been THAT cold to me. Okay, so it doesn't help that I'm usually in the comfort of my lil' abode of an apartment where the heater is blasting from the moment I go to sleep to the moment I awake. Plus, out of all the things in this apartment that works the best, it's the heater- yah, that's one helluva good thing! It can get so warm up in here that hubby can lounge around in shorts! Um, not me. I'm the cold one. I'm the one that needs double and triple blankets...the one that needs to wear thermals when venturing outside...the one that needs to accessorize with a fleece knit cap, a fleece scarf, leather gloves, a poofy jacket, and double socks and STILL be cold! What usually happens is that around 3 or 4ish in the morning, I'd get out of bed, take that short walk from the master bedroom to the thermostat, switch the "heat" to "off," and on my return trip to the bedroom, it ain't nothing but vinyl tiles...COLD vinyl tiles. I then climb into bed, snuggle up to my personal human blanket, and do the Rogue-thang from X-Men and wait for hubby's heat to transfer to me. Hee hee, just another thang husbands are good for...warming up their wife! =) Why is it that men are always so warm?! Hubby always takes one for the team and lets me put my freezing hands underneath his shirt or my cold feet on his. It's hubby who insists that we leave the heater on all throughout the night for MY benefit, not his. What a guy, eh?
Don't talk to me about being acclimated to the cold...nah uh. Ain't nothing normal for this California native to be trudging along in below zero weather...the moment I take a deep breath outside, I feel like my lungs are icing over! Y'know that cool and fresh feeling you get when you chew Ecclipse gum? Or how about those Listerine squares that you let melt in your mouth? Well, just imagine about 10 packets of each in your mouth, but all at the same time! This isn't a joke. It's seriously that cold over here.
Yesterday has to be D-Day, THE coldest I have ever, ever felt in my whole entire life! After getting our praise on at church, hubby and I head to a work site in downtown Minneapolis. I get dropped off at Borders to bide my time and when hubby is done, I tell him that I'll wait for him outside. Outside. Now remember all them accoutrements that I need to suit up for the cold? Well, I wasn't completely prepared. In the 3-5 minutes that I waited for hubby, I swear, I literally could not speak. My insides were numb. I could feel the cold from the pavement move through the soles of my shoes and the gloves I was wearing didn't do jack for me. It was so cold that my teeth couldn't even chatter and if I were ever to have any kind of frostbite, the first things to go would be either my pinky fingers or my pinky toes! By the time hubby came around, it took me about five minutes to defrost myself. On the real though, it is fricken' cold out here.
Current temps outside: 0 degrees
Current wind chill: -19 degrees
So I guess you know what that means in Minnesota, eh? 'Tis a perfect day to go ice fishing!!! (Aw hell no!)
Saturday, January 03, 2004
Birthday Shout-Outs
A very Happy Happy Birthday goes out to Ms. VirgoCapri today! VirgoCapri is one of my best girlfriends from high school. I felt so bad because we were trying to hook up while I was in da Bay for the holidays, but we had forgotten to exchange numbers and didn't know how to get a hold of each other. By the time I realized this, I went ahead and emailed her, but turns out that she doesn't check her mail on the weekends. Boo! So we missed the opportunity...next time, we'll definitely be prepared. Much love goes out to her today and I hope and pray that the rest of the year brings much love and happiness to her and lil' Kai.
In The News
Here in MN, we don't have the luxury of getting a newspaper delivered on a daily basis. There is a newspaper dispenser across the street, but when the temps dip into the 10's and below, well, I ain't about to go venture out for one. That's what yahoo and aol news are for! lol! Anyways, when I was home in da Bay, I made sure I caught up with my S.F. Chronicle (I miss the comics!). Aside from the war in Iraq and the political happenings of Terminator turned Governator Arnold, there are some freak stories out there that I don't think get enough attention. Here are just a couple...
* An 84-year old woman was found unconscious in her home. Apparently, she had suffered a stroke the week before and was unable to call for help. She was found by friends who haven't heard from her and have been trying to call her. When paramedics arrived, they were able to save her, but noticed that she had multiple severe bites all over her body. It was reported that because she was incapacitated for a week, her 20+ cats were starved and must have started eating away at her flesh.
(Now I don't know about you, but that's pretty nasty! If any of my pets started to eat me because they were hungry, it's a quick trip to the SPCA for them!)
* A hotel manager and a Japanese prostitute in Hong Kong were sentenced to life in prison. They were charged for organizing a three-day orgy fest that included 100 Japanese men on business and 200 prostitutes. The organizing pair protested that they didn't do anything wrong. Apparently in Hong Kong, it's nothing unusual for prostitutes to hang out at big name hotels where wealthy business men are known to stay. It was reported that there was a lot of sex during those three days. A LOT.
(And they received a LIFE sentence for this?! Don't ya'll think that's a bit too harsh? I mean, everyone went home happy, right?) =)
And my personal favorite...
* There is a debate in Minnesota on the issue of venturing out on the frozen lakes. Some say you just have to be cautious, while others say you shouldn't go out on the ice at all. There have been many reported deaths of people falling through thin ice, some from walking...others from driving their trucks (driving their trucks?!). Some knuckle heads are even known to do some drag racing on the lakes! The rule of thumb for ice thickness is 4-8 inches if you're going to walk, and 8-12 inches if you're going to drive.
(Is there even a question of what people should do in this situation?! Just don't do it!)
Just had to mention though, that with all the thousands of lakes out here in MN, hella (and I mean HELLA!) people are out and about on the lakes doing their ice fishing! As we're driving, you can see all these lil' huts splayed over the lakes and people walking like it's no thang. It sure isn't a sight you see everyday, that's for sure! But in the news, people are being warned because the weather as of late hasn't been consistent. Although it drops into the low teens and even close to below zero at night, the sun has been out during the daytime. Hmmm...the sun out, the temperatures rising...wouldn't people think that some of that ice would melt? HELLO?! I don't care how safe locals say it is to go out on the ice, I will never, NEVER, EVER, EVER, take foot onto a lake! That sh*t is just too crazy for me.
A very Happy Happy Birthday goes out to Ms. VirgoCapri today! VirgoCapri is one of my best girlfriends from high school. I felt so bad because we were trying to hook up while I was in da Bay for the holidays, but we had forgotten to exchange numbers and didn't know how to get a hold of each other. By the time I realized this, I went ahead and emailed her, but turns out that she doesn't check her mail on the weekends. Boo! So we missed the opportunity...next time, we'll definitely be prepared. Much love goes out to her today and I hope and pray that the rest of the year brings much love and happiness to her and lil' Kai.
In The News
Here in MN, we don't have the luxury of getting a newspaper delivered on a daily basis. There is a newspaper dispenser across the street, but when the temps dip into the 10's and below, well, I ain't about to go venture out for one. That's what yahoo and aol news are for! lol! Anyways, when I was home in da Bay, I made sure I caught up with my S.F. Chronicle (I miss the comics!). Aside from the war in Iraq and the political happenings of Terminator turned Governator Arnold, there are some freak stories out there that I don't think get enough attention. Here are just a couple...
* An 84-year old woman was found unconscious in her home. Apparently, she had suffered a stroke the week before and was unable to call for help. She was found by friends who haven't heard from her and have been trying to call her. When paramedics arrived, they were able to save her, but noticed that she had multiple severe bites all over her body. It was reported that because she was incapacitated for a week, her 20+ cats were starved and must have started eating away at her flesh.
(Now I don't know about you, but that's pretty nasty! If any of my pets started to eat me because they were hungry, it's a quick trip to the SPCA for them!)
* A hotel manager and a Japanese prostitute in Hong Kong were sentenced to life in prison. They were charged for organizing a three-day orgy fest that included 100 Japanese men on business and 200 prostitutes. The organizing pair protested that they didn't do anything wrong. Apparently in Hong Kong, it's nothing unusual for prostitutes to hang out at big name hotels where wealthy business men are known to stay. It was reported that there was a lot of sex during those three days. A LOT.
(And they received a LIFE sentence for this?! Don't ya'll think that's a bit too harsh? I mean, everyone went home happy, right?) =)
And my personal favorite...
* There is a debate in Minnesota on the issue of venturing out on the frozen lakes. Some say you just have to be cautious, while others say you shouldn't go out on the ice at all. There have been many reported deaths of people falling through thin ice, some from walking...others from driving their trucks (driving their trucks?!). Some knuckle heads are even known to do some drag racing on the lakes! The rule of thumb for ice thickness is 4-8 inches if you're going to walk, and 8-12 inches if you're going to drive.
(Is there even a question of what people should do in this situation?! Just don't do it!)
Just had to mention though, that with all the thousands of lakes out here in MN, hella (and I mean HELLA!) people are out and about on the lakes doing their ice fishing! As we're driving, you can see all these lil' huts splayed over the lakes and people walking like it's no thang. It sure isn't a sight you see everyday, that's for sure! But in the news, people are being warned because the weather as of late hasn't been consistent. Although it drops into the low teens and even close to below zero at night, the sun has been out during the daytime. Hmmm...the sun out, the temperatures rising...wouldn't people think that some of that ice would melt? HELLO?! I don't care how safe locals say it is to go out on the ice, I will never, NEVER, EVER, EVER, take foot onto a lake! That sh*t is just too crazy for me.
Thursday, January 01, 2004
Happy 2004!
Happy New Year ya'll! While some of you might have danced and drank the night away, hubby and I had our own lil' quiet celebration for the coming of the new year. We spent the night with Dick Clark, MTV, BET, and all them countdown specials on TV. We were invited to a couple of get-togethers, but we had been up at the break of dawn to drive to work site about two hours away. 'Twas a rough ride considering we had just flown in the night before. Not that there was much jet lag of the sort, just the basic weariness of traveling. On the ride back, I got hubby thinking about new year's resolutions. There's the basic ones that mostly everyone is bound to break within a week - y'know, the resolution to work out more and eat healthier. In fact, that is at the top of our list. With all this cold weather, it's so easy to curl up under the warm blankets and just chill watching TV or play PS2. We're going to try our damndest to get into a good, healthy routine. Hopefully by the time the snow melts (did I mention that isn't until April?!), MnM and Doh will be in better shape and showing off the fruits of our labor. Yea!
The Debut
Hubby and I went to Best Buy to buy a couple of dvd's so we can have movie night. We ended up buying "The Debut." Most of ya'll have heard of this movie and most likely have seen it. With all the other Pinoy films coming out, it wasn't that I was boycotting them. On the contrary, I honestly wasn't interested in them for the fact that it was like a Pilipino Cultural Night (PCN). It has the basic plot: American born and raised children being ashamed of their traditional Filipino parents. There's the whole clash of traditions, acceptance, expectations, and the "coconut" issue- brown on the outside, but white on the inside. Throw in the traditional dances of Singkil (and Pandanggo Sa Ilaw, which didn't make the cut...check out the deleted scenes), a modern dance battle, dj's playing hip hop, and some thug-a-licious homies and their done up cars, there you go- instant PCN. 'Course you have to have that one conscious-aware Pinoy who kicks some knowledge about the Pinoy history and struggle. Heck, there's even a puti husband of a Pinay in the film that goes correcting people, "Oriental is not a PC term, you should use Asian instead," and "Filipinos are not really Asian, they are of the Malay race." That straight reminded me of a SF State PCN! It's the same and tired plot and that is why I didn't go out and rush to watch the movie at the theaters. Maybe it's because I was involved in so many PCN's that it's a tired issue for me. The reviews varied from the "it's just like a college PCN" to the "It was a hella dope movie that spoke to everyone." I don't doubt that it was a movie that many could relate to, but like I said, I just wasn't in the mood to watch a PCN-like film.
After watching the film, I have to say that it was pretty good. It still reminded me of a PCN, but it was still great nonetheless to see our beautiful brown bruthas and sistas on the big screen. Plus, it had some big name stars like the legendary Eddie Garcia from the Philippines and the Basco brothers (who if ya'll can remember, one of 'em played Rubio in the movie "Hook" with Robin Williams!). Perhaps I was wrong in not rushing out to the theaters to watch "The Debut." I mean, don't get me wrong, I support Pinoy film makers, artists, and entertainers 100%! Plus, if it helps to make our history and struggle known to others, then yes, by all means put it out there. Our people have been in the shadows for way too long, it's about damn time we're made known to the world!
I would like to see more movies like "American Adobo" and "Better Luck Tomorrow"- movies with a regular plot, but with PINOYS and PINAYS as the headliners. That would be so dope. To all the Filipinos striving to pave the way for other film makers and such, I applaud you. It ain't an easy task. More power to those who see the vision and continue with making Filipinos a bigger presence on the big screen; and to those already in the business, don't forget your roots. Be proud to claim brown!
Goodbye 2003...
As 11:56pm CST came around, hubby and I realized that we didn't splay coins among the rooms and didn't have any coins in our pockets ('cuz if you don't, you'll be poor for the rest of the year....so says the superstitions!). We rushed to our coin bucket and threw coins in all directions, threw some in our pockets, and hubby even had time to grab some paper bills from his wallet. As we started our countdown, hubby and I were jumping up and down ('cuz according to superstition once again, if you jump, you can get taller!) and jingling our coin filled pockets. As the ball in Times Square dropped, Doh and I shared our first New Year's kiss. Goodbye 2003...Hello 2004! Here's to new beginnings, continued love, health, happiness, and peace. Much love ya'll...
Happy New Year ya'll! While some of you might have danced and drank the night away, hubby and I had our own lil' quiet celebration for the coming of the new year. We spent the night with Dick Clark, MTV, BET, and all them countdown specials on TV. We were invited to a couple of get-togethers, but we had been up at the break of dawn to drive to work site about two hours away. 'Twas a rough ride considering we had just flown in the night before. Not that there was much jet lag of the sort, just the basic weariness of traveling. On the ride back, I got hubby thinking about new year's resolutions. There's the basic ones that mostly everyone is bound to break within a week - y'know, the resolution to work out more and eat healthier. In fact, that is at the top of our list. With all this cold weather, it's so easy to curl up under the warm blankets and just chill watching TV or play PS2. We're going to try our damndest to get into a good, healthy routine. Hopefully by the time the snow melts (did I mention that isn't until April?!), MnM and Doh will be in better shape and showing off the fruits of our labor. Yea!
The Debut
Hubby and I went to Best Buy to buy a couple of dvd's so we can have movie night. We ended up buying "The Debut." Most of ya'll have heard of this movie and most likely have seen it. With all the other Pinoy films coming out, it wasn't that I was boycotting them. On the contrary, I honestly wasn't interested in them for the fact that it was like a Pilipino Cultural Night (PCN). It has the basic plot: American born and raised children being ashamed of their traditional Filipino parents. There's the whole clash of traditions, acceptance, expectations, and the "coconut" issue- brown on the outside, but white on the inside. Throw in the traditional dances of Singkil (and Pandanggo Sa Ilaw, which didn't make the cut...check out the deleted scenes), a modern dance battle, dj's playing hip hop, and some thug-a-licious homies and their done up cars, there you go- instant PCN. 'Course you have to have that one conscious-aware Pinoy who kicks some knowledge about the Pinoy history and struggle. Heck, there's even a puti husband of a Pinay in the film that goes correcting people, "Oriental is not a PC term, you should use Asian instead," and "Filipinos are not really Asian, they are of the Malay race." That straight reminded me of a SF State PCN! It's the same and tired plot and that is why I didn't go out and rush to watch the movie at the theaters. Maybe it's because I was involved in so many PCN's that it's a tired issue for me. The reviews varied from the "it's just like a college PCN" to the "It was a hella dope movie that spoke to everyone." I don't doubt that it was a movie that many could relate to, but like I said, I just wasn't in the mood to watch a PCN-like film.
After watching the film, I have to say that it was pretty good. It still reminded me of a PCN, but it was still great nonetheless to see our beautiful brown bruthas and sistas on the big screen. Plus, it had some big name stars like the legendary Eddie Garcia from the Philippines and the Basco brothers (who if ya'll can remember, one of 'em played Rubio in the movie "Hook" with Robin Williams!). Perhaps I was wrong in not rushing out to the theaters to watch "The Debut." I mean, don't get me wrong, I support Pinoy film makers, artists, and entertainers 100%! Plus, if it helps to make our history and struggle known to others, then yes, by all means put it out there. Our people have been in the shadows for way too long, it's about damn time we're made known to the world!
I would like to see more movies like "American Adobo" and "Better Luck Tomorrow"- movies with a regular plot, but with PINOYS and PINAYS as the headliners. That would be so dope. To all the Filipinos striving to pave the way for other film makers and such, I applaud you. It ain't an easy task. More power to those who see the vision and continue with making Filipinos a bigger presence on the big screen; and to those already in the business, don't forget your roots. Be proud to claim brown!
Goodbye 2003...
As 11:56pm CST came around, hubby and I realized that we didn't splay coins among the rooms and didn't have any coins in our pockets ('cuz if you don't, you'll be poor for the rest of the year....so says the superstitions!). We rushed to our coin bucket and threw coins in all directions, threw some in our pockets, and hubby even had time to grab some paper bills from his wallet. As we started our countdown, hubby and I were jumping up and down ('cuz according to superstition once again, if you jump, you can get taller!) and jingling our coin filled pockets. As the ball in Times Square dropped, Doh and I shared our first New Year's kiss. Goodbye 2003...Hello 2004! Here's to new beginnings, continued love, health, happiness, and peace. Much love ya'll...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)