Believe Me When I Tell You

I PAKING LOVE THE CORRS.

Why? Two reasons - they create beautiful music that hits me right in the feels (as they say nowadays), and they are the reason I have Kaze. I am so happy they're back. But even with their new songs and new sound, this one is still my favorite.

They recently performed an acoustic version of this song in one of their recent London gigs.

I am falling in love all over again. Just in time for February. :))

Sleep

This is probably my 4th attempt in actually starting this post. Fell asleep the first three. LOL.

So I'm feeling a whole lot better than yesterday. Still in a weird funk and this time, It comes with shortness of breath. I think I'm having an attack. Hmm, maybe it's the meds that's making me so lethargic and sleepy.

I have this friend who owns a chocolate cafe, and she and her sister would always ask me first if I'd gotten any sleep whenever I try to order anything that has coffee. It's funny and cute and sweet in a way that these people are concerned with my sleeping patterns. So if ever you two come across this blog and this post, it's two in the morning and I'm just finishing this one up and I promise to go to bed as soon as this is published. :D (Nagreport. Haha.)

I have always been nocturnal. Concentration and focus comes so easily when everyone is asleep and the only thing I can hear would be the tapping of the keyboard, or the clicking of the mouse (or the squeaking of an actual mouse, but that's a story for next time), or music, or my voice inside my head. I tend to be more productive and creative. Sometimes, even after being awake for three days (with maybe one or two hours of power naps and copious amounts of caffeine in my system), I can still feel like I can take over the world at night.

But when I crash, I crash badly. Now I'm sick. I can't complain, though. Ginusto ko to. LOL.

The good thing about having a fucked-up body clock is that I rarely get to dream. It's been a while since I had a dream I can actually remember, and having no dreams can at least lessen my confusion/frustration/tendency to over think.

And I should stop before I start rambling again. LOL.

Stress Drilon

I mentioned to a friend earlier today that I think I am destined to be stressed forever. Just when I thought things were starting to pick up, something throws a wrench in the works and I go back to being a huge mess. 

Just to give you an insight as to why I'm posting emo shit like this, something happened today that basically inconvenience some members of my family and I can't help but think/feel that it's my fault and it's eating me. Yes, it's vague, but I do not want to go into details. Pa-mysterious, ganern. Or not.

I am going crazy.

Work, food and friends managed to distract me but my thoughts keep drifting back and I feel detached from everything. Which makes me feel worse than I already do.

Feelings like these make me wish I'm a potato. So I can just potate and not write stuff like this at 5am.

I shouldn't have had that cup of coffee (Kopiko Blanca. Effective, in fairness).

Words

I really don't know where to begin.

Hello, blog. It's been a while.

Okay, that was pathetic.

I miss those days when I had words. When I didn't care what I wrote, as long as I wrote. No apprehensions, no fear. Just me, my brain, and my fingers dancing over the keyboard.

Yep. I miss that.

I don't remember when I stopped. I used to be able to just write about my day, no matter how happy, crappy or weird it was. Now I can't even use up 140 characters.

Maybe it's because of micro-blogging. Or maybe I'm just tired of all the bullshit that words escape me.

Inhale. Exhale. I'm going to bed. Maybe the words will come back tomorrow.

Back in the Habit

I was channel surfing this afternoon and saw "Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit" showing on Fox Family Movies. Nene versions of Lauryn Hill and Jennifer Love Hewitt, Whoopi Goldberg's gubat hair, the songs, the 90's fashion - it's all so nostalgic and fun to watch. Plus with everything that's been going on, I thought it'd be a good title for this post.

Yes, I'm back. I am going to try and post whatever I can, whenever I can, just so I can get back into the writing groove. I miss those days when I can just write about anything.

Aside from writing, I have also decided to add more cardio in my life (especially with the holidays coming up). Starting today, I'm going to ride our rusty-but-still-functioning stationary bike for 30 minutes everyday while watching one episode of one of my favorite shows. Right now, it's Masterchef Australia season 6. Talk about being motivated. Lol.

And that's it. Later, I will be attending a food tasting event and a gig in BF. It's gonna be the start of an interesting week.

When It Rains...

It's been raining non-stop for the past three days with what feels like no end in sight. I honestly thought it was going to get better when I stepped out earlier to have my car fixed (busted speedometer, but that's another story to tell) because, for the first time in days, I actually saw the sky. But as soon as I got home...

It's raining again. I can hear gusts of wind this time. I find this scarier. And I can only imagine what it's like for those people who live on the streets, without any place to take shelter from the torrential rain and flooding. If only I had superpowers. :(

This is worse than Ondoy. I think what made Ondoy disastrous was the fact that it took us by surprise. Nobody thought that it could cause so much damage. Four years later, it's like nothing has changed even after so much preparation. We live in a tropical country and we know since the beginning of time that we experience this kind of weather every single year. You'd think it'd be fixed by now, especially after Ondoy, but looking at the news footage and the pictures, we know otherwise.

So san napunta yung kinakaltas na tax sa sweldo ko buwan-buwan? Sa bathtub ni Napoles?

Hay. I can complain about corruption all I want, but it's not gonna make the rain stop. I'll just focus on something else, like making sure my family, friends, and students are okay.

Stay safe and dry, everyone! Stay indoors, stock up on supplies, and charge your phones. This could be another long, sleepless night.

The 2012 Status Report

They say that whatever happens to you or whatever you do on the first day of the year is going to happen to you all year round. So far I've been eating, Facebook-ing, Twitter-ing, XBox-ing, Monopoly Deal-ing, and videoke-ing. Hmmm. What bright future lies ahead of me. LOL.

I had a love-hate relationship with 2012. The ups and downs were too frequent that it left me mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted. Still, I'm thankful for the things that happened, and I think it's safe to say that I've learned a lot (about myself, mostly). Now that 2013 is just beginning, I'm quite excited. There will be a lot of changes and big decisions to make, and though it scares me just thinking about what might happen, I know everything will fall into place. Lezdudiz!

Enough talk. Now for my annual status report. :)) 

MOVIES

35 of 60 - FAIL. :| I got distracted by the XBOX. xD

The Mistress. This Guy's In Love With You, Mare. Tiktik. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. The Avengers. Ironman 2. The Hunger Games. Cabin in the Woods. Battleship. Dark Shadows. Men in Black 3. Magic Mike. The Dark Knight Rises. Total Recall. Wrath of the Titans. Super 8. Sherlock Holmes 2. Chronicle. Get Smart. Hellboy. Hellboy 2. Strangers on a Train. xXx. Rise of the Guardians. Asiong Salonga. Confessions (Japanese film). Jason and the Argonauts. Spiderman 3. The Three Musketeers. Midnight in Paris. Something Borrowed. 21 Jump Street. The Dictator. 50 First Dates. The Lady Vanishes.

2013 goal - 60 movies (again). Will try finish them this time. :))

BOOKS

9 of 3 - WIN, with surplus. LOL. Thanks to my sister's Nook.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Books 1-5 (R. Riordan). Neverwhere (N. Gaiman). World War Z (M. Brooks). Strangers on a Train (P. Highsmith). Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal (C. Moore). 

Now reading: A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire #1, G.R.R. Martin)

2013 goal - 5 books.

Here's to an awesome year! HAPPY 2013!! :)

Day 17 (Rainy Days and Mondays)

Classes were suspended today, which means more time for me to catch up on things I normally have no time to do like reading and writing. Oh, and I slept a lot. I think the amount of time I spent sleeping today is enough to compensate for the lack of sleep I will probably experience as this semester progresses. Yep, it's the first semester - the busiest for our department. Better get my vitamins, energy drinks, and meds ready.

A photo of you and your family.

Today's topic is about family. I was planning on writing about only my biological family but then I realized that there are so many things and people I am grateful for that these deserve some sort of recognition. So yeah, here goes nothing. (Excuse the crappy picture resolution. Facebook picture compression really sucks, and uploading it here compresses it more. Oh well.)

Mi Familia

Miwa's birthday.

Gabutero Reunion 2011

I grew up in a simple home with my parents, sisters, and maternal grandparents. I'd like to think I turned out quite alright. :)) I look forward to reunions because of all the food, laughter, and asaran that goes on. You can't be pikon in a Gabutero Reunion. :))

Highschool Barkada (aka SNG, or Short-Notice Gang)

With HS Girlies in San Pablo, Laguna

May Birthday Bash 2011

I am so thankful to have friends with whom I share a strong bond. Most of us have known each other since pre-school, and for us to still meet for special occasions or just to hang out because we're bored says a lot. 15 years (give or take a few) of laughter, food, drama (I have never seen a barkada that didn't go through some sort of issue, hahaha), and more food and laughter. I will forever love these people.

Ang Bandang KAZE

KAZE with Ruth @ Cafe Boheme

Cubao X

Miwa, Chiqui, Tin, me, Chevy, Tuesday, Hannah, Jimbo,
and Wendell @ The 70's Bistro, QC

I'm soooooooooo lucky to have found 6 other people who share my passion for music. We're turning 8 years old this October, and again, I can't ask for better bandmates. I'm also thankful for all the friends we've made since we started doing gigs. Top Junk, Session Road, Mozzie, Rosco, Kagaws, PNE, etc...seeing how they perform and how much they're into their music keeps me so inspired. 

Alligators

@ Okiniiri No

My college life would've been so boring if it weren't for these people. Even the story of how we became "alligators" is still so funny. Doilet Daks, chickens, Tagaytay food trips, Bento-Ya dinners, Dyosas, videoke - whatever it is, I always go home with painful cheeks from all that laughing. 

Student Teams and Orgs

The Collegiate Mover, July 2012

PRSP Team @ Yakimix, Sept. 2011

What I love about being a teacher is that I get to meet new and interesting people everyday. My students come from different walks of life, and they somehow manage to make my life and my work a lot less boring. And seeing them do something great, accomplish something they thought was impossible, surpass my skill, and exceed beyond my expectations is such a great joy. It makes me feel like I'm actually doing something right.

Le Kiddies

With Manny, Adelle, Krizia, Carla, and Mikey

This picture was taken during Krizia's birthday (the girl in the purple shirt). Krizia, Manny and Mikey are my original "kiddies", meaning they were the first batch I ever handled. We grew together in school; me as a teacher, and them as young, mature professionals. I'd like to think they learned a thing or two from me, as I did from them. Now they're all working in their chosen fields, and I am so proud of them. I've also found new friends that are worth keeping.

I'm so used to seeing them in school, it's kinda weird that I don't anymore. Good thing I still have Carla, Adelle, and the rest of the "kiddies" to keep me company. LOL.

And I guess that's all she wrote. This is probably the longest entry I've written in a while but hey, I'm trying to brush up on my writing skills. Now I should probably go to bed. I'm sure classes are going to resume tomorrow. 

When It Rains, It's Four

As much as I like the cold and the rain, the current weather condition is making me restless. I hardly consider strong winds and heavy downpour as "bed weather"; after Milenyo, Ondoy, and all those other storms that uprooted trees, submerged cities, and made cows fly, I'm paranoid as sh*t. The fact that it's already nighttime isn't helping either.


Aaaaaaaaaaaand we just had our first one-second brownout. Time to break out the flashlights and candles, and I should go check on my cats. 


Here's a little something to ease my nerves. I saw this way back and I still can't help but laugh. K Brosas, Y U SO BENTA?

Greetings from Nueva Ecija!

This has been a really bad week. Aside from my laptop's demise, work has been a real challenge (can't expound on that. Let's just say it's only the second week and I feel like I was thrown under a bus 14 times). This weekend is just what I need to cap things off.

It's my Lola's birthday today! Since she's here in Nueva Ecija, the whole clan decided to hold the reunion here so she won't have to travel far. I'd like to say that the travel time was long, but I really didn't notice since I practically crashed as soon as I got in the car at 5AM (went out the night before and came home sabog at 2AM, hehe). Anyway, it's my first time to visit my Tita Susan's house and I'm having a chill time so far - stuffed myself senseless, sang a couple of songs (I think that's why it rained pretty hard), stuffed myself senseless, wrote on my Uncle Nel's dusty Alterra (mwehehehehe), took pictures of people and cats sleeping on tires, and listened to my cousin's friends tire-out the videoke machine. Oh, and I stuffed myself senseless.

Happy 85th birthday, Nanay Rubing! I heartyouberimeni!

Miwa, Lola and I. <3

Crash

My laptop crashed last Saturday.

It started with the OS acting up, and then boom! There goes the hard drive.

I knew it was bound to happen sooner or later. That laptop's been with my family since I was still an ignorant college freshman in UPLB, and I'm honestly surprised (and impressed) that it lasted this long. I've been meaning to make backups of my files but kept putting it off, so now...you know what they say, "nasa huli ang pagsisisi."

Everything's gone. :( My school stuff, my video and audio files, and my pictures. The last one's the real kicker; these are things I cannot recreate nor download (in high-resolution, because FB compresses photos like a steam roller), unlike all my other documents and files.

I just remembered that my portfolio was in there. ARGH.

Moral of the story: MAKE DOZENS OF BACKUPS.

So now I'm laptop-hunting. I need one that can handle Sims 3 and Adobe Photoshop (not at the same time, of course). Any suggestions?

Enter the Dragon

So much for my 30-Day Blog Challenge. LOL. I was consumed by work (as I expected), but I will not make excuses. I will finish this challenge eventually. xD But for now...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2011 was interesting, to say the least. It showered me with blessings of friendship and family, but it also came with challenges that tested my strength and character. I think it's safe to say that I'm ready to take on whatever this year throws my way, after everything that happened last year. But before I talk about my plans for 2012, there are a couple of things I'm thankful for.


1. My family's health. Last year was so stressful - my grandmothers on both sides, my mom, and my grandfather. I'm just so happy that we got through everything, that we're still in one piece. It made me appreciate them more, and not take them for granted just because we see each other everyday.

2. Friendships, old and new. I love my highschool friends. We've been solid for years and years, and I honestly can't see myself without our usual pig-out sessions. I hope our bond lasts until we start comparing disabilities. xD Forever na to, guys! And let's make our last year in our 20's count. More foodtrips and out-of-towns! :))

I'm also thankful for my newfound friends. I'm glad circumstances led us to meet and to get to know each other, because I honestly think I've found people who are worth keeping.

3. My "kiddies". They're one of the reasons why I'm not yet insane. Work can be stressful at times, but I think I manage to keep myself together because I know I'm doing this for them. And I've recently seen and felt how they show their appreciation, and it really warms the heart. Their kind words will take me far. :) So to you, my dear kiddies, thank you so much for everything, and for teaching me lessons in life that I don't think I will learn anywhere else.

4. The band. Whenever work becomes too much that not even my kiddies can do anything, I turn to music. I am very lucky to have my bandmates who are very talented and very, uh, crazy. I will never get tired of spending time with these people, and I hope we get to make more music in the future. Full length album na to, mga panget!

There. Now that that's done, what are my plans for the Year of the Dragon?


1. Watch 60 movies. It felt great when I finished my target (50) last year, even if I watched the last one on the last day of the year (photo finish!). This year, I'm going to add more, and I will try my very best not to cram like hell. Watching around 20 movies in a week almost turned my brain to mush. :))

2. Read 3 books. Unfortunately, I only managed to read 3 last year. I was halfway through the 4th book, but I ran out of time. :( I'm lowering my target because I don't want to fail again. :))

3. Watch what I eat. No, this doesn't mean I'm going on a diet. I mean, I've said that a thousand time but I don't always pull through. So instead of going on a diet, I'm going to be more careful with what I eat. Less sweets and fatty stuff, and no softdrinks. Now you may think it's still dieting. In a way, I guess it is but the difference is, I won't be minimizing my food intake. Lamon parin kung lamon, but I will be more careful with my food choices. :)

4. Relearn the piano. It's been ages since I sat behind the piano and I've forgotten almost all of my pieces. Must relearn them, and I also wanna learn new songs. I never had any formal training and I have a hell of a hard time reading notes, but I know I can do this. Targets - relearn ALL of my old pieces (which is a grand total of...4) and learn new songs (5). Challenge accepted!

5. Expand my wardrobe. I recently realized that I've been wearing the same stuff for, uh, two years I think. Gotta shop more often. Plus I gotta find a rack for my shades. :))

6. Travel with family and/or friends. I want to see more of the Philippines this year. Gotta start saving money and robbing banks.

And just in case someone takes me seriously, I was just kidding about the robbing banks thing.

First trip of the year - Baguio with HS girlies. Whee!

I guess that's it. Let's do this, 2012! I will transform into a dragon this year! *roar, hagis-mesa, buga-apoy*

Day 13 (After Two Days)

Your favorite musician and why.

I remember seeing Only When I Sleep on MTV and wondering how the hell did these people manage to hoard all the beauty genes in the world. Unfortunately, the video looked a little too old-fashioned for me so I used to change channels whenever it came on.

And then my sister bought a copy of their CD, Talk on Corners. I heard Intimacy and No Good For Me, and I was hooked for life.

I love The Corrs for a number of reasons. Andrea's voice is pure and powerful without being too exaggerated. The violin parts are hypnotic. The lyrics cut through the heart. And basically, they're very easy to listen to. Of course, the number one reason why I love these Irish siblings - I met my own band mates/life partners because of them. If it weren't for their music, KAZE would never have existed.

Here's one of my favorite songs from The Corrs. Enjoy!

===

I wasn't able to post for the past two days. So much for the challenge. Still, I will complete the thirty days no matter what happens, although I can already see the gaps between my posts when September comes in. Gahd. Kerigofight! 

Day 11 (Makeup? Haller.)

What's in your makeup bag?

So I'm sure you guys understand why I crossed out the word "makeup". I mean, HALLER. Me? Makeup? Nuh-uh.

I remember one of my students peeking inside my bag and said something like "a glimpse into the life of Ms. K!" It actually made me wonder what was inside my bag that would give her a glimpse of my life, so I guess it's great timing that I get to write about this today and see if she's right.

So without further ado, I present to you my very messy bag.

1. House Keys - I don't leave home without it. Sometimes I don't know if I'll get home late (I let my workaholic self take control or I get bouts of spontaneity and end up having dinner with friends) and since they usually lock the main door, I have to have these with me so I can get in without waking up people.

2. Perfume - I have two Bvlgari bottles, which I use sparingly. These were just given to me, but I heard they were a bit expensive.

3. Cellphones - I'm using my dad's old Nokia E71 China phone (Smart) and an LG Cookie (Globe). I use the former for personal stuff, and the latter for work.

4. School supplies - I always have to have a pen and a whiteboard marker for my classes. Sure, we have e-classrooms now but there's something about writing on a glass board that makes me feel like I'm a teacher. LOL. As for the highlighter, it was just there in the bag.

5. iPod and charger - I take this with me everywhere I go so I can drown myself in music when necessary. Bought this from a co-worker last Christmas as a gift to myself.

6. Earplugs - I use this in gigs, when I have to do backup vocals. My hearing kinda sucks, so I can't quite hear my voice coming from the monitor speakers. I need these so I can hear myself and try to sing in key.

7. Brush - I think this is self-explanatory. LOL.

8. Medicine - I just recovered from a bad asthma attack a couple of weeks ago so I have to bring with me my trusty Ventolin inhaler. Having asthma sucks; no matter how deep you try to breathe, it's like there's an elephant sitting on your chest, with a cat trapped in there with all the wheezing going on. I take this with me everywhere I go (like my iPod haha) because I never really know when and where it'll attack.

9. Flashlight and matches - your basic emergency stuff. But to be honest, I really don't know what a box of matches is doing in my bag.

10. Alcohol - I gotta keep my hands clean, right?

Okay, now what do these things say about me? I really don't know, but I guess it does tell people a bit about me when they do get to peek inside my bag, assuming they can see anything through the mess. LOL.



Day 05 (No Reason)

A photo of yourself two years ago.

Photo taken by Nimrod Lozano

So I just got home from sessiOnroad's last gig before Hannah goes on "maternity leave". It's already past 3AM, but I'm still high from that awesome, awesome set. I'm supposed to be getting ready for my class tomorrow later, but I thought I'd make a quick post to save face. I don't want to put too huge a gap between my entries so that challenge wouldn't go to waste.

Aaaaaand that was as far as I got before I fell asleep. LOL.

Two years ago, I was fulfilling a dream. I've always wanted to be in a band, make music and play for a crowd. I was lucky enough to have found six other people who shared my passion for music, and after years of challenges and hard work, it finally paid off in the form of a 7-track CD. We called it "No Reason" to celebrate how we got together as a band - wala lang. We were just a group of people who loved music and never really thought we could pull off something like releasing an independent album.

I still get goosebumps every time I watch videos from that night we launched our EP. The feeling you get when you hear people singing along to a song you wrote is indescribable - I wanted to cry, jump for joy, roll on the floor and laugh my ass off, hug Justin Bieber...I was in an all-time high. August 1 will have a special place in my heart forever and ever.

So what's in store for the KAZE, now that two years have passed? Gigs and events with our other band friends, usually up north. It sucks that we don't have a decent bar here in the south. We've also written more songs and recorded demos, which we will work on until the end of the year. Hopefully we get to release another CD by next year, and I can barely contain my excitement.

Day 04 (Bes Pren)

Your favorite photograph of your best friend.

Before any of you ask, I'm going to explain the picture later. Gotta do some kind of intro first.

I don't know why, but proctoring the validating exam always leaves me drained to the core. It didn't help that my head started pounding and I started feeling nauseous an hour into the exam, and there was nobody there to take my place. I managed to get through the three-hour exam in one piece (I'm not sure if I can say the same with the students who took the exam), and I was lucky enough to find one of my students who always had medicine with him.

Anyway.

Last December, my HS girlies and I went on a grand Laguna getaway where we ate, drank, slept, and had the most competitive game of Jenga, Scrabble, and Pinoy Henyo. This photo was taken during our second day while we were checking out the grounds of Casa San Pablo. Add a little bit of Photoshop and voila! Instant movie poster! I love this pic because, well, it's funny as hell. I can so imagine her in that role - responsible and eager house help by day, con artist, drug lord, and murderer at night. Like in those slasher flicks. LOL.

Yes, this is my best friend. No, her name is not Inday (it's close, though).

I've known her since grade school. I was jumping from group to group, trying to find people who had the same interests, goals and ideas, when I met her and her group. I was a huuuuuuge fan of Sailormoon at the time, and it was nice to meet and talk to people who also loved the show. I remember us talking outside the classroom about the latest episode and speculate on what's going to happen next and other stuff. Who would've thought our friendship would grow from anime?

We've been best friends for more than a decade. We don't get to see each other that much anymore because we have to live our own lives, but we make it a point to meet at least a month for dinner or coffee and pick up where we left off. Our friendship has gone through its own ups and downs, and though we did not survive unscathed, at least we've become stronger.

And I have to go back to work now. That one-hour nap became a three-hour power nap, effectively throwing a wrench in my schedule for tonight. :|

Day 03 (Suspension)

Your idea of the perfect first date.

Photo taken from here.

Classes were suspended today, and it was kinda weird because it wasn't really raining hard when they made the announcement. Most of my students asked why when there was no rain, and I told them the guys up north are having a hard time with the weather and that we're lucky we don't get to experience really bad floods here. My prayers go out to those badly affected by the non-stop downpour.

Anyway, on to the challenge.

I have to admit, this is a weird topic for me. I'm not one to go out looking for a romantic relationship just for the sake of having one (unlike some people I know, haha). I'd rather love find me when the time is right. My first plan was to change the topic for Day 03, then I realized that describing my perfect first date couldn't hurt. Plus it's a chance to step out of my comfort zone a bit. So, here it goes.

There are three things I "require" for a first date: good company, good food, and a reliable mode of transportation.

Going out on a date with someone basically means you want to get to know each other, right? You talk about a lot of stuff like school/work, the latest TV series, what movies you like, how Twilight really sucks, and whatever else you can think of. My date should be able to carry a good conversation with me, and not just sit there silently and wait for something to happen. I was told recently about a friend who went on a date with this girl he likes but was silent and brooding the whole time. Uh, no. That just won't do. I can be very talkative when I want to, and my date should be able to keep up and compete with me.

No date is complete without food. The place doesn't have to be really fancy and expensive-looking, as long as they serve really good grub. I'm probably gonna go with tried and tested restaurants instead of trying something new, because I wouldn't want disappointment over food put a damper on things especially when the date is going really well.

Lastly, a car. It may sound a bit materialistic on my part, but I don't really like commuting (I do know how, just so we're clear). I'd rather be stuck in traffic in my car than in a van/bus full of strangers. And I think my date and I can talk more freely that way.

That's it. It actually took me a looooooong time to finish this post, and I'm almost tempted to erase everything and change the topic but I won't. Haha. Here's to hoping tomorrow's topic is easier.

Day 01 (Sunday Slowdown)

A photo of yourself and a description of how your day was.

Okay, Day 1. Where do I start?

I posted this picture almost a week ago, after my doctor ordered me to take a week-long sick leave. As I mentioned in that blog entry, I've been on bed rest since last Tuesday because the cough and colds I ignored the previous week worsened into respiratory infection and bronchitis. Yep, it's a bad case of asthma, thanks to the workaholic in me kicking in and refusing to miss even a day at work. I keep telling my kiddies (a.k.a my students) to take care of their health and rest when they're sick. I should start following my own advice.

At least I'm feeling better now but I'm still having occasional coughing and sneezing fits. Am I ready to go to work tomorrow? We'll see. I might have to take things easy and hope nothing stresses me out (yes, I'm looking at you my dear students).

I woke up this cold and rainy Sunday morning to the sounds of my parents and sisters in the kitchen and Phil Collins' "Another Day in Paradise" blasting from the neighbor's radio. My dad cooked Spicy Kaldereta (a request from me and my sister), I ate a lot, drank meds, wrote a review for Bento-Ya, worked on a couple of grading sheets, and took naps. It's your typical bed weather routine - eat, sleep, surf teh Internetz. The rain is making me want to curl up in a bed with a sea of comforters and uber soft pillows, and read a book or watch a movie or TV series (Game of Thrones?) while drinking hot chocolate. I think I'm gonna be in trouble if the rain doesn't let up and the weather is still like this tomorrow morning.

In other words, today is a lazy, lazy Sunday, and I hope I'm well enough to go to work tomorrow. I miss my desk. 

The 30-Day Blog Challenge

There was a time when I couldn't let a day go by without writing on at least two of my blogs. Even if nothing particularly exciting happened that day, I'd still post a random picture with some silly caption just so I can put something new in there. Now I update only whenever I feel like it (a.k.a "once or twice a month"), and when I do it usually takes me a while to finish because I keep running out of words. I guess I got so used to "micro-blogging", I can't write a decent, full-length entry anymore.

I've tried different things to get me back into writing shape. I boldly went head on with The 365 Project (it's a photography thing but instead of taking one picture a day, I tried doing one post a day) but failed miserably (I think I stopped at 45). I tried it again and did even worse. I made a food blog, but the same thing happens. You'd think I'd be able to write regularly since it's about one of my favorite things in the world, but noooooo. I had to find something to jump-start my writing, and I had to find one fast before I completely lost interest.

This morning, I saw a friend post Day 03 of her 30-Day Blog Challenge and it got me interested. I checked it out, and apparently it's supposed to get you back in the writing habit by giving you a list of topics you need to write about for 30 straight days. The list could be pre-determined, or you could come up with your own. I think I'm going with the pre-determined topics because I tend to run out of ideas, but I might change it up a bit since I don't think some of the things in there can apply to me, like "What's in your makeup bag?"

Here's the list I'm planning to do:


Day 1 – A photo of yourself and a description of how your day was.
Day 2 – A photo of something you ate today.
Day 3 – Your idea of the perfect first date.
Day 4 – Your favorite photograph of your best friend.
Day 5 – A photo of yourself two years ago.
Day 6 – A photo of an animal you’d love to keep as a pet.
Day 7 – Your dream wedding. Your plans for today.
Day 8 – A song to match your mood.
Day 9 – A photo of the item you last purchased.
Day 10 – A photo of your favorite place to eat.
Day 11 – What’s in your makeup bag?
Day 12 – A photograph of the town you live in.
Day 13 – Your favorite musician and why?
Day 14 – A TV show you’re currently addicted to.
Day 15 – Something you don’t leave the house without.
Day 16 – Your celebrity crush.
Day 17 – A photo of you and your family.
Day 18 – Something you crave a lot.
Day 19 – Another picture of yourself.
Day 20 – The meaning behind your blog name.
Day 21 – A photo of something that makes you happy.
Day 22 – A letter to someone who has hurt you recently.
Day 23 – 15 facts about you.
Day 24 – A photo of something that means a lot to you.
Day 25 – What’s in your purse?
Day 26 – A photo of somewhere you’ve been to.
Day 27 – A picture of you last year and now and how have you changed since then?
Day 28 – Your favorite movie.
Day 29 – Something you could never get tired of doing.
Day 30 – A photograph of youself today + three good things that have happened in the past 30 days


I really hope I pull through with this one. That'd be a huge accomplishment for me. And who knows, I might even try to do this on my food blog so you all can watch me gain weight.

Random Update

Waw, a month? That long? Hmm.

I think I know why God made me sick - so I could update my blogs and try to relax and recharge, even with a clogged nose and a sore throat. So, here I am.

The earth shook about an hour ago. I was on my way to the kitchen to get a glass of water when I suddenly felt dizzy. I thought it was because of the meds, but when I got back to my computer, I saw about a dozen or so status updates that there was an earthquake. For someone who can't really feel earthquakes, I didn't know what to think. Should I be happy that I FINALLY got to feel an earthquake after so long, or should I be scared that the quake was strong enough for me to feel it? Or am I just being weird?

Speaking of status updates, I noticed that some of my friends posted in present tense. "Lumilindol!" or "Earthquake!" were the most common posts I saw. It's amusing to see how social networking has changed our priorities - FB first, then duck for cover. A friend of mine gave those people plus points for having no typographical errors in the middle of the shakiness. LOL.

And I think that's about all my brain can muster. Gotta go back to sleep and recuperate. I'm taking the day off tomorrow - hopefully a day's rest and a visit to the doctor will do the trick.