GREEN MINDED

How green are you?



If small steps do count then I hope our efforts add up to every one else’s – for that giant leap for Mother Earth.

Our little efforts:
•Low energy light bulbs at home
•We live in a building. Vertical housing is more environmental.
Let's allot land for trees.
•We’re commuters – less polluting
•We love walking – it’s good for us and the environment
•We have our groceries delivered at home via the pushcart (Thanks, Rustan’s!)
•We turn off the main switches when leaving home
•We share/donate old clothes, shoes and bags
•Rechargeable batteries for the digi cam
•J has stopped smoking – almost 4 years na!
•We re-use envelopes
•We re-use paper
•Job Orders – soft copy, as much as possible
•We turn off the computer at the end of every work day
•Our biggest contribution: We’re childless by choice! Imagine how much carbon footprint we’ve saved. =)

We hope to do more.


Photo credit: Open.Salon.Com

LOOKING BACK

Was inspired to do this after reading The Chiconomist's entry (Thanks to M!).

What have you done in the last 10 years?

2000. Finally moved on from my first heartbreak (took me two long years). Met J – my Great Love, my Best Friend. Life reminded me: Life is short, stay away from emotional vampires. Met D. Opened my eyes to a brand new world. "Modelled" for HP's brochure. Events Host.

2001 and 2002. So in love! I was a living example of second chances at love. Believe!

2003. My sister P entered pre-school. I was a teary, sentimental, excited Ate on her first day! It was official: may pinag-aaral na ko. =) I volunteered to send her to school. Road to Number One. Family moved to a new home. Papa’s semi-retirement. J's bible study and baptism (so My Big Fat Greek Wedding!).

2004. Momentous Year. Got married. Nestled in our Asian-themed apartment. J's Accident. A Matter of Life and Death: In a span of two months, I was a bride who almost turned into a widow. Major adult moment! It was official: Number One na! Bangkok. HongKong. Macau. Life's Lesson: Believe a person the first time s/he introduces her/himself to you.

2005. P entered Grade School – Gasp! She’s growing up too fast. Palawan. Pahiyas. Singapore. Boracay. Encantadia. Other Favorites: KMJS, IMB, KST. Promotion to Project Manager. Q. Moms print ad on Good Housekeeping. Bought our first major investment.

2006. Northern Exposure: Vigan, Laoag, Pagudpud. My niece S is born. New friendships. Turned 30. Wrote a lengthy "Thank You" letter to my parents -- they couldn't stop crying! =)

2007. Survived Sagada! My first Ad Congress, Subic. Exciting account: American Idol.

2008. Kuala Lumpur. Papa’s back in KSA. P turned 10. Started blogging. Boxing. Morning runs/walks in UP.

2009. Davao. HongKong x 2. Love Life Love Q. Mom and Sis moved with Papa to Jeddah. The long wait’s over: J and I moved to our very own home (delivered earlier than expected)! Survived Ondoy. Facebook. Dance class. 10th Year in Service.

Love life!

HK HOLIDAY

For the first time, J and I welcomed the New Year in a foreign land. We usually celebrated NY's Eve at my parents home in Antipolo and then NY's Day at Tita Happy's (J's family) home in Cainta. But my family is now based in another country so instead of feeling senti and sad, I decided it'd be best for us to travel.

I love how Hong Kong was dressed up for the Holidays!

HK FOOD TRIP

Who says you need lotsa moolah to see the world?

Here's how we survived HK on a budget: Cheap Meals!


We had yummy desserts from one of the shops (Chinese characters, sorry!) in the Granville area. The place always had a looong waiting line so we got curious.


The desserts we tried are as good as the ones we have in Manila. This is so turon-ala-mode-HK version, LOL!


Filling! BBQ King's chicken meal came with green leafy vegetables (must be Chinese petchay?) as a side dish and clear soup. HKD34 = around PHP238. This is one of the stalls at the Food Republic, Silvercord mall, Canton Road.


BBQ King's pork meal, same price


Beef rice topping from one of the food stalls near Nathan Road, around HKD20.


I like the tetra-packed iced tea, around HKD5, found everywhere. I tried it because all the locals were having it. When in Rome...


Unforgettable! The super spicy beef noodles from the Chinese Traditional Noodle House near the Granville Circuit. J and I love spicy food but this was way tooooo hot! After the first subo, we both turned VERY RED and nagpapawis na! Sumuko kami dito! Lesson: in HK, when they say "spicy," they mean SPICY! Sa Manila kasi, bitin kami sa "spicy."


Our daily breakfast from the Coral Cafe -- came with the travel package. We loved watching the locals do breakfast. Most of them had congee or noodles.


Day 1: Ham. Day 2: Luncheon Meat. Day 3: Sausage. You can't complain if you're on a budget! LOL!


Yang Chow fried rice, sharks fin and quail egg dumplings from Lok Yah Lau. Around HKD76. I'm a dimsum lover so of course I had to try authentic HK versions! Yummy!


My New Year's Eve meal -- pork chop in tomato sauce from one of the Canton Road restaurants. Around HKD40. The lines were soooo long everywhere that night. Our meals were bland -- J had spare ribs -- so we dropped by Burger King for some comfort food (burger and onion rings!) right after, ang takaw!


Noodles merienda at the Cheung Kee Cafe when we visited the Big Buddha. They tasted like instant noodles. HKD20 each bowl.

SINO'NG BABY MO?

I'm J's baby sa aming Kris Kringle!




Eksena sa aming condo before the Q Xmas Party...

A: Asan na gift mo sa Baby mo?
J: Next week na lang, bigyan ko ng GC.
A: Kawawa naman yun, walang makukuha tonight. Ano'ng wish niya?
J: Twilight...(Lying)
A: Give me your Baby's wish list. I'll go to Shangrila and shop for you.
J: Hwag ka nga makialam!
A's Thought Bubble: Hwag makialam?! That's so not us!
A: Aha! Ako baby mo noh!
J: (In denial)


Eksena sa Q Party - Revelation Time...

D was carrying a Royce bag (one of my wishes).
A's Thought Bubble: Ah, Si D pala ang Mommy ko!

Revelation 1: D's Baby is J!
A's Thought Bubble: Oh! J and I wished for the same thing!

Revelation 2: Confirmed: I'm J's Baby!
At pinatago pala niya kay L ang gifts(yes, more than one, he got everything on my wish list!) kaya wala siyang dala.


SURVEY

Ang mga pangyayaring ito ay:

A) Itinadhana. Ganyan talaga pag soul mates.
B) We're so cheesy talaga!
C) Super baduy!
D) All of the above

GHOSTS

It's Halloween. But I won't be writing about ghosts of the supernatural kind. Rather, of the emotional type. And somehow, I'm not sure which one's scarier.

I can't exactly tell when it happened -- but it did! A few years back, I've finally exorcised the ghost of J's girlfriend past.

I have to admit it took me awhile. During our first years as boyfriend and girlfriend, I was often haunted by the history they shared. And it didn't help that she moved into the same Network where J and I work! (Someone told me that move of hers was "scary" -- ex-GF weird scary! LOL!)

Throughout the "hauntings," J would tell me, "Gumagawa ka ng sarili mong multo."

And I guess one day I finally saw the light in his words. True, the horror was just all in my head.

She was part of his past which I needed to accept. And her move to the same Network was "trabaho lang, walang personalan." She never bugged us, not once (she has resigned BTW).

So one day, I finally laid the ghost of his past to rest. Because the truth is, "What you need to know about the past is that no matter what has happened, it has all worked together to bring you to this very moment. And this is the moment you can choose to make everything new. Right now."

Photo: J's. It's Baguio's White Haunted House (aka Laperal House / Addams Family Summer House) in front of PNKY (where we stayed one time!). Boo!

LOVE: 40 WAYS TO MAKE YOURS LAST...

Here's what couples should be doing according to Glamour magazine (Aug2009)...

Once a week
> Fight (a little).
> Have sex (obviously). But also...
> Have generous sex.
> And have before-work sex.
> Compliment each other.
> Shower together.
> Get into bed and...sleep
> Let something go.
> Laugh so hard.

Us: 8 of 9 - CHECK!

Once a month
> Be do-gooders.
> Do something scary. (But J's fearless!)
> Talk about money
> Brag publicly about him.
> Declare something "this stays in Vegas."
> Be the man.
> Disappear together.
> Disappear alone.
> Go to a party! And mingle separately.
> Have sex some way you've never had it before.

Us: 8 1/2 of 10 - CHECK!

Once a year
> Build a doghouse or whatever team project.
> Get something that'll grow with your love.
> Say the tough thing.
> Cancel Valentine's Day and invent your own lovey-dovey holiday. (We don't do Valentine. But we have our Daily Dates! Awww.)
> Fall apart.
> Don't get up. At least once a year.
> Talk birth control.
> Re-kiss your First Kiss.
> Write each other.
> Think back on all the reasons you fell for him.

Us: 8 of 10 - CHECK!

What's your score?

THE DESTINATION

It's the journey, not the destination. The cliche can't be more true with last night's movie date. We watched "Il Destinazione" -- one of the movies in the 8th Italian Film Festival. And our "journey" to the movie was far more satisfying than the destination (the film itself)!

The journey:
*We were first in line! Tickets for the 9:30pm screening were released at 8:30pm.
*After getting our tickets, we decided to go home to kill time (Ang saya to have that option!).
*The tickets were free!
*I was excited because it's been awhile since our last foreign Film Fest date.
*We left our home 9:15pm and we were in Shang by 9:25pm. The film started after 9:30pm (Ang saya!).

The destination:
*The movie was only 2 hours long but it felt like it ran for 10 hours! It was such a streeeeeeeeetch! People were actually leaving the cinema 30 minutes into the movie!

SWEET SURPRISE

After a not-so-good work day, guess what I found on my office chair?!



I got two boxes of my favorite ROYCE chocolates from J! So sweet! I could melt! The sweet surprise didn't change the office hitch but it did WONDERS to my mood.

Thank you, Baby!

ONDOY

These pair of rain boots (they are no Plueys!) got us through the Ondoy clean-up. My 3 year old niece said,"I like your boots, Tita A!" It was enough to make me LOL!Something I so needed to do through the devastating disaster.



Our family's Ondoy experience was heartbreaking -- the flood water was chest-deep inside my parents' home; the first floor of my brother's home was also submerged in water -- but yes, we still have so much to be thankful for. We're counting our blessings.

Thank you to...

*J for staying with me (and my family) all throughout the Ondoy ordeal

*all the kind and thoughtful messages (calls, text, email, Facebook messages) from family, friends, acquaintances

*the prayers from every one

*my Tita Belen, Tita Cita, cousins Ana and Jon, for sending helpers to assist us in the clean-up; for bringing my parents' and sister's wet clothes to Nueva Ecija for washing and drying

*my Tita Belen and Family (and House Help) for feeding us all throughout the clean-up

*my bosses (specially Ham) for allowing me to take one week off

*my officemates / friends (specially Lots, Nadia and Maricel) for taking on my load while I was on emergency leave

*my cousins Arlene and JM for the rides

*my Tita Es, Tito Rey, cousin Kris for the help (so generous!)

*my Tito Cesar, Tita Lil, cousin Cza for the relief goods & cleaning materials

*my cousins Ana, Jon and Mylene for the cleaning materials (Complete! May mga sako pa for all the garbage!), fresh towels and dry beddings

*to my cousin Pia for trying to go to Kingsville twice

*my cousin Pia (again!) and Tita Tens for volunteering to pick my Dad up from the airport

*the mekaniko who's working wonders on my parents' flooded car

*our Cleaning Team: Ate Hasmin, Aling Ineng, Aling Ising, and a Boy

*Jill and Isay for welcoming my brother and his family to their home for so many days

*to my client Jenny for postponing our Friday meeting (so kind!)

*Gladys for updating me whenever she could

*Gladys (again!) and the Moments staff for bringing smiles to our Cleaning Team's faces. Wednesday, they were kidding me about wanting to be televised as "volunteers." They got their wish Thursday! They were on TV by Saturday.

*GMA for releasing our 13th month pay earlier than usual

*Maricel for working on the HR assistance (such an angel!)

*the GMA Coop for the help they're extending to members via grocery GCs

*Ondoy for reminding all that we cannot hang on to material possessions. Only Love endures.

*THANK YOU, GOD, for keeping my loved ones safe.

The darkest hours come just before dawn. I'm looking forward to sunshine-y days!