Have a happier new year, everyone!
Life
Hey, I am still alive!
It is interesting how preoccupation makes us unmindful of other stuff which are continuously spinning. When things become overwhelming, it really feels liberating to get loose and laugh, be annoyed and surprised alike by the changes we randomly notice in a few minutes.
- It has been weeks since I have stopped eating pork. Difficult, yes. Like a hard habit to break. But it is self-imposed in the spirit of trying to be healthy. And I am happy with the initial results.
- Since my visit two years ago, I had to see an ophthalmologist again because of the eye discomfort happening lately whenever I am wearing (which I don’t on a daily basis) my glasses. Guess what? My grade decreased by 0.75. How cool is that? “Is this normal?”, I asked. “Yes, but very rare. There was a movement in your cornea, so and so….”, the expert said. Too technical to me. There are unbelievable circumstances which really do happen that you can only care less about the hows and whys. What matters more now is that my eyes are happy again. Okay, I take it back. That was rare. I am rare. LOL.
- I finally managed to pay attention to my iTunes and came up with new playlists which include Linkin Park, Justin Bieber (LOL), John Mayer and Christmas songs. I wish to share some soon.
- Flickr freedom! It has been blocked across UAE since 2005 because it was allegedly “inconsistent with the religious, cultural, political and moral values of the UAE”. Yahoo, which owns Flickr, has not disclosed the condition(s) met for the ban lifting. I have not decided yet on reviving my Flickr patronage, Webshots (which was there just when I needed it most) is doing a good job so far.
- If things are not going to be sorted out through “peace talks”, the Blackberry email, web and messaging are to be banned in the UAE due to security concerns starting mid October. You can anticipate the drop in prices. I wonder what is going to happen in my company provided unit.
- iPhone has been officially released in the UAE, too. But to most of the consumers’ dismay, the voice call feature is blocked across the country. Well, yes, Skype ban is on.
- You want a degree on mothering? The University for Mothering and Family Science (Ajman, UAE), the first in the world to offer a “mothering profession” has been formally launched. The four-year programme currently has 25 enrollees. Annual fee is AED 25,000 (USD 6,806).
- I have stumbled upon another amazing illustrative blog. That is where I sourced the above photo. An addition to my favorites: Milk toof (remember the book?), Indexed and Blogusvox‘s Buhay Buhangin Series.
- And the list goes on.
I am not experimenting on the permanence and randomness of life. But I wanted to come up with a very random changes list because I am at the point of nowhere today. Apparently, life is not always a bed of roses. One of my favorite approaches to find my focus is to defocus by realizing (over and again) that the world is not only about me and my situation.
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(Owl You Need Is Love – how cool is that? I can’t help but discreetly take a photo of this bag in Forever 21 in Marina Mall. Lots of kooky and fashionable stuff, but I did not buy any heehee.)
I am most of the time jealous of the long weekends in the Philippines. (Although we are not sure about the government’s plan on sustaining the holiday economics.) So I feel privileged whenever we have our once in a crescent moon extra mile break. Yes, not once in a blue moon since our long breaks in the UAE are normally triggered by Islamic celebrations. The intent to travel outside the Gulf did not occur to me, I even begged off to close friends not to go with them in this wonderful getaway to a beach in Ras Al Khaimah, another UAE emirate neighboring Dubai.
Read MoreBefore we go back to the regular programming (i.e. resume with the regular topics from the giveaway phase), I would like to share this entry from a friend whose blog is, by intention, known to very few friends-readers. We have not seen each other ages ago, but with her, the “once a friend, always a friend” cliche is very true. As I read her comment, each word struck me. I felt that she was indeed talking beside me. Not surprising though, she is one of the sincerest and warmest (but she is not a wolf!… I think only those who are oriented with Twilight Saga will get the joke) people I know. I am not sure if you noticed this entry from the at least 30 comments on the giveaway post. I am afraid that you were too intent on the “questions” asked. Haha. Anyway, here it is:
Jo, deary
Here’s hoooping I “win” this time:
(1) How we met virtually and/or in person
I remember it so well, Jo and her smile. It was your first day at work, my first few months or so. We were both early birds. You greeted me first! And so it was love at first sight for moi. Thanks, Jo, for that beautiful morning. And for all the rest of the mornings that you are a part of my life, that is, for life
(2) Why you read this blog
Because although you don’t exactly blog your more personal stories (hear my clamor, hehe), it makes me feel OK that you’re OK, then I can sleep more soundly, naks, hehe. It just warms my heart hearing from you.
(3) A link to your most favorite post from this site (and why)
It has got to be this: http://witsandnuts.com/2010/06/11/the-things-that-we-love/#more-3044
Why is it my fave? Let me count the ways:
1. It is categorized under life and I am naturally drawn to life stories.
2. I can so relate, being an immortal myself, hehe.
3. It’s so Jo(4) Topics that you want me to write about/proposed changes to this blog
I wouldn’t want you to be any other than your good ol’ self, Jo, although this is too serious an answer, hehe. Hokey, since you’ve asked anyway, I wish you’d blog about your day to day inspirations…
(5) “A suntok sa buwan possibility”, the first thing/question you are going to ask me if we ever get to meet in person.
Does this apply to me? Hehe. I emailed you a question before.. If you just didn’t receive it that’s why it’s unanswered, it’s the same question I would want to ask you. Otherwise, it’s “How are you? Really.” And I hope the setting is as cozy as when we had our last long talk at RCBC Plaza, remember?
Then, am gonna hug yah real tight!!! I really really missed you, my friend. I’m happy when you’re happy. But you know when you’re not, you just have to holler, hokey? We’re all here for you kasi lab na lab ka namin.
It has been a week since my last entry. It is not by intention though. Work is becoming more stressful. Anyway, I am a believer that no stress is too big if you are willing to face it and let go at the same time. That second part I meant as to let the situation take care of itself. There are things that are bound to self correct or deal with themselves. So, the “this, too, shall pass” is very true. At the end of the day, we shall sleep peacefully and let stress take care of itself.
Well, it is the 17th of July and apparently, it is my birthday. Really, has it been one year already? It felt like I have just blinked. I noticed that in the first two years of my blogging life, I have never blogged during my birthday. Hence, I want to do it differently this year. In four hours, my birthday is over, which I have long realized is also a state of mind. There are moments that make us feel like it is our birthday even if it is not and vice versa. Since I am writing this as random as possible, I am challenging myself to hit the publish button in 15 minutes. Let us try that by sharing a few of my out of nowhere babblings:
(1) I realized that my Twilight Saga addiction is subsiding immensely. I have watched Eclipse (third installment) the other weekend and I finally felt that I watched it objectively. And well, I have not written my review yet.
(2) However, I watched Eclipse for the second time (yesterday) to show our care for a friend. Believe me, I am not making excuses. Haha. Our dear friend went to Philippines for a whirlwind vacation like I did and coincidentally, she has been stranded in the airport like me because of typhoon Basyang. Just to cut the long story, she did not have time to watch Eclipse in Manila. As we were intent on watching Inception yesterday, we did something we have never done ever. Our group did a movie marathon in the same mall (different cinemas). They let me decide on the sequence. We took the 7pm-9pm screening of Eclipse and 9pm-11pm screening of Inception. I told them it is better to start with the first, otherwise it cannot compete with the latter as a benchmark. Wow, Inception was woooooooooow! A brainy movie.
(3) Basyang reminded me of my Ondoy experience, which I have accepted now as traumatic because I dreamt about it for several nights when I returned here.
(4) I am overwhelmed by the amount of entries and quality of response I got for the blog anniversary and birthday giveaway. Thank you so much for taking time to join. In particular, the questions for the # 5 requirement made me giggle, nod, and scared. Haha. I am making the comments visible in a few hours. I am going to announce the winners soon.
I think that is more than enough of random babbling on my birthday. I am thankful to God for the continuous blessings in many forms (including the trials). I shall not ask for more, especially that I got my flat tops, Cloud 9, and other priceless stuff. Seriously, just a thought is more than enough. I thank each and everyone. At this point, my birthday wishes, except for having a good health, are directed not for myself (the fate of the Philippines, included).
Good night. Tomorrow’s another day to live by.
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