On the brighter side, let me share some happy thoughts. For starters, I am starting to look like Winnie the Pooh because of my tummy. Hehe!

See what I mean?
Second, I attended one of my blocmates' wedding last Saturday. ( Read more... )

Last Friday, September 4, was Chin’s 31st birthday. And though we are in a tight budget, I really wanted to give him a simple birthday surprise so I decided to buy him a cake.
My only problem was... How do I hide the cake? How do I bring it home without him seeing it?
Luckily, Ate Reimitz (my sister-in-law) came to our house that Friday and she and Rayman went out. That was my chance to sneak out. After they left, I hurriedly changed clothes and left the house. I withdrew money from my ATM and bought a black forest cake.
On my way home, I was thrilled with the idea of surprising him. I thought that my plan was a success… until I reached our front door. ( Read more... )
- Mood:
happy
Anyway, my tummy is getting bigger and I am starting to feel nervous. In a few months, I will give birth to our first child. I dread the labor day. Though I am excited, I am, at the same time, scared. I have no experience whatsoever in taking care of a child and raising one. I only have one nephew. I didn't get the chance to practice by taking care of him when he was still a baby. I don't know how to carry and bathe a child. I don't know what to feed him/her when I don't breastfeed him/her anymore. I swear, I know nothing. But then again, the child is here and I am ready for this. I am ready to learn. And I am gonna learn because I will do all of these for my child. Gee, this is making me emotional.
Anyway, we haven't bought anything for the child. We'll probably buy stuff when we already know if our child is a boy or a girl.
Whoever wrote PGMA’s speech, I must say, did a good job. Ayos ang mga banat! But let’s not talk about her speech. I don’t usually talk about politics in my blog especially now that I work here in the House.
On the “jologs” side, SONA is an opportunity for me to see celebrities. Last year, I saw Assunta de Rossi with Rep. Jules Ledesma. This year, I saw someone “bigger.”
( Read more... )
Also last month, my father informed me that Monterey is selling sows that will give birth by July. Since we still have money (because we didn’t spend it on the Palawan trip), we decided to invest our money on the pigs instead. From our savings, we were able to buy two pigs which cost as P40,000.00.
I don’t know why but I had this premonition about A(H1N1) when I bought those pigs. I was anxious that I was carrying this virus. Who knows, they said someone in Congress had A(H1N1) before she died. But I brushed it off because I know our area is not infested by A(H1N1) and, as far as I am concern, I am not a carrier.
( But then... )

As one of the precautionary actions taken by the House of Representatives, employees and visitors who enter the premises of the House are screened using a thermal scanner that determines one's body temperature. If you're fever free, you are given a pink sticker that says FEVER FREE. The sticker serves as a pass.
Today, my body temperature is 36.2.
- Location:HOR

That's our baby!
IMPRESSION (from the OB-GYN Sonologist report):
SINGLE LIVE INTRAUTERINE PREGNANCY, 7 WEEKS AND 6 DAYS BY GS AND CRL. GOOD CARDIAC AND SOMATIC ACTIVITY.
MINIMAL SUBCHORIONIC HEMMORHAGIC FOCUS. NORMAL ADNEXAE.
Whatever that means. :) Had my OB ultrasound last June 13.
I must say that OB-Gynes are not my favorite doctors. I have my reasons. Hehe!
(P.S. I still use Ronario because that's the name written in my Medocare card. I have to use that name so I can claim benefits intended for me like this ultrasound. I didn't pay for the test because the card got it covered. :) )
- Mood:
ecstatic
This post is a bit late but I'll post it, anyway.

"I have made death a messenger of joy to thee, wherefore dost thou grieve?" —Baha’u’llah
This was something my father quoted when he spoke in the mass for my grandfather.
My grandfather, my second father, thank you for everything.
I will never forget the sacrifices that you made for us especially the ride to and from school everyday during my elementary and high school days. I love you.
Our marriage contract has been buzzing in my head for two weeks now. I haven't filed it in the Local Civil Registrar (LCR) yet. My only free days are Fridays and two Fridays ago was May 1, a national holiday and this Friday was my grandfather's burial. I could have asked anyone to file it for me but I want to do this myself.( Because... )
( Read more... )
I've heard that my grandfather is in coma and is fed through tubes. I only learned about it yesterday and it makes me sad. Because I was so busy with my personal life, I wasn't able to go home this weekend. I wanted to go home right now but I still have things to do and I am the only one left here in the office. I hope to finish everything today and ask my boss to let me go home tomorrow. They say he's dying. I don't want him to die.
The last time I saw him was before I left home after our wedding. My sister even had our picture taken. I know that something was wrong with him that afternoon like he was epilectic or something. I feel terribly sad right now.
What's sadder is it is his 84th birthday on the 9th.
I just want to go home.
You can call me weird but I took pictures of the birthday greetings that I received (text messages, call logs, greeting cards, YMs and Friendster comments and messages).
- Mood:
sleepy
* Harry Potter 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 (I already have Book 3)
* An Innocent Man, Playing for Pizza, A Painted House, The Appeal, The Associate, The Broker, The Street Lawyer (all by John Grisham) (I’ve read some of them but I still want the books.)
* The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
* Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
* The Element of Style (Strunk and White)
* Practical Magic (Alice Hoffman) or any of her books except for The Probable Future
* Bags (A white one and a black one that I can use when I go to the office.)
* capri pants (chocolate brown, white, khaki, black or cream [arranged in order of preference]) size 26
* skirt (denim) size 26
* jumper na skirt
* thumb drive (2 gig or higher)
* The Notebook original DVD
* puzzle na 500-1000 pieces
* file case
* case ng PSP
* UMD ng PSP
* lipstick/ lipgloss (ma-orange red ang kulay), eye liner (brown), concealer (Oo, dalaga na ako!)
* Victoria's Secret body splash and lotion (Romantic Wish, Endless Love)
* pusher at nipper (Solingen) (I am my own manicurist/pedicurist.)
* pouch na lalagyan ng kikay stuff
* chess board (magnetic o crystal yung pieces)
* scrabble board
* teddy bear
abstract things
* that everything will go well on our wedding day
* that I will learn to forgive, forget and let go of certain things
* magnificent business idea that will make me rich
* health and prosperity (Yes!)
I'll be posting my wedding wish list some other time. I am not yet finished with it. :)
* Pinagagawa ako ng sulat para patalsikin ang isang tao sa trabaho nya. Hindi ko alam kung paano isusulat. Eh paano naman kasi, months ago lang eh ako pa ang nagtype ng recommendation letter nya para sa position na yon.
But, surprisingly, I smiled at him when I saw him looking at me yesterday. He even tried to make small talk and I did talk to him. He asked me where I am working and, of course, I asked him the same. He said he is a CPA and is working as an auditor somewhere in Makati. I've learned a few things about our other classmates, too. I really haven't been in touch with my elementary classmates. I am not close to them because I was a transferee.
Rayman was with me but I didn't bother to introduce him to my classmate. I think he need not know some more personal stuff about me directly from me.
So, why am I writing about my encounter with him? Well, I was just surprised with how I reacted when I saw him. I acted like we were old friends or acquiantances who appreciate seeing each other after a very long time. I admit that it was nice hearing from him. I swear I didn't see this coming. I never expected that the day would come that I will be able to smile at him and talk to him in a very civil manner because I really hated him. I guess, time heal all wounds. Or I probably just grew up, forgot the reasons why I hated him and realized that people do crazy stuff when they're young.
And speaking of birthdays, I gave myself an early birthday gift. I asked my mom to buy it for me in Saudi. She arrived last March 19, Thursday.
I haven't paid her yet. Hehe! I still have to instill games on it. So, where do I get free games?
I am also thinking of buying a new memory stick with a bigger capacity and a case (protector) for it.
My Tita Ken (one of my father's first cousins) and I are having a weekend getaway and I am really excited.
Tita Ken is my kababata. We're of the same age that's why we used to hang out together when we were younger. Though we haven't been seeing each other lately, we're still good friends.
I really think that we deserve this break. We both need some quite time away from everyone so we can do a lot of thinking. This weekend will be good for us. Plus, this will be our last bonding activity before I get married so I am really looking forward to it.
My sister was laughing at me last night. She told me I've been acting weird, like it's the end of the world for me. Eversince this getting married got into my head, I've been doing or planning to do things that I haven't done before or those that I think I wouldn't be able to do after I got married. This getway is one of these things. (Having a birthday bash/bridal shower minus the man coming out of the cake is another. Your ideas and suggestions are welcomed.)
I ignored her comment. I don't think she understands. In a few months, big changes will take place. I just want to enjoy my last two months of being single. I will surely miss being single. Just the same, I am excited to be married.
I am proud to say that I still know how to make a fire (but not by rubbing two stones, okay?). See, I boiled water in our kalang de kahoy. I am really probinsyana.
Anyway, my brother was able to buy LPG this morning and it's 600 pesos. So expensive! Well, that's how it goes. Law of supply and demand. My father said we should complain to the Department of Energy because it has advised that those who sell the LPG above 500 pesos should be reported to them.
Years ago, coffee was the main crop in most farmlands in our neighborhood. I can still recall that at a certain time of the year, its white flowers bloom and its fragrant scent fills the air.
People in our barrio wait for the coffee beans to emerge and ripen. From green, they turn red and it’s harvest time. Harvesting coffee beans is a tedious task, something that I did not enjoy as a child. And so is the postharvest handling of coffee. The coffee beans, after they are harvested, need to be sundried. So, every morning, we put nets on the ground and put the coffee beans in them to dry. Before the sun sets, we put them back in sacks. I used to loathe this task and worst, we have to do it every day until the coffee beans are black, dry and detached from their coat, creating a sound when you shake them.
But eventhough I dislike these tasks, I am glad that I experienced them. Life was hard back then and those experiences make me appreciate the life that I have now.
But coffee is not all about unpleasant experiences. Coffee is also a load of happy childhood memories. We used to climb these trees and swing in their branches. We used to play bahay-bahayan and make-believes underneath these trees.
At times, they also serve as my refuge. When something at home or in school is bothering me, I would find a spot amongst the coffee trees, climb one of them or just sit and lean on the tree trunk and think. Sometimes, I have a pen and notebook with me and write. Sometimes, I think aloud and tell the coffee trees of my worries. Sometimes, I cry. And sometimes, I just sit there quietly while my mind wanders.
Right now, I just want to go home and sit underneath a coffee tree. But the coffee trees are gone and I have no place to hide anymore.
Today, I just want to be alone. I was thinking of going somewhere alone but I don’t know where to go. I thought of Vigan last night but it’s not possible. I am thinking of going to the beach but it’s no fun going to the beach alone. And it’s pretty pathetic (and morbid) that I’ll drown and no one will be able to save me in case. So, here I am moping in my room. I don’t want to go to the mall, it’s too crowded and so is Divisoria. I don’t want to see friends because I am not in my best mood today.
I just want to be alone. Maybe next next week, I’ll do that. By Thursday, I’ll be off to somewhere. Maybe then I can go to Ilocos or ride a plane to somewhere in Visayas or Mindanao. Then, I’ll turn off my cellphones so no one can reach me and bother me. Maybe then I’ll be able to do a lot of thinking, meditating and contemplating.
(On a different note, I think it's odd that someone like me who's been with coffee even before they become beverages don't drink coffee. What do you think?)



