The Benefits of Oregano

Oregano (Scientific name: Origanum vulgare) is also known as Wild Marjoram, Mountain Mint, Origanum, Wintersweet and Winter Marjoram.

Hand of Hope: Samuel Alexander Armas

A picture began circulating in November. It should be "The Picture of the Year," or perhaps, "Picture of the Decade." It won't be. In fact, unless you obtained a copy of the paper, you probably will never see it.

Tracey Connelley, Baby P's Evil Mom, Shows NO Remorse

I have never been affected by any story as much as Baby P's story has affected me. Yesterday evening, I found myself sobbing twice! I just can't get over the sheer horror of the story.

Baby P's Murderers -- Why Are They Being Protected?

In my country, it has never happened before that the media and the people have been forbidden to actually reveal the names and faces of TC and SB, the murderers of Baby P.

That Winter The Wind Blows Finale: Did Oh Soo Die?

Over the holy week break, I spent the entire four days just watching the 15 episodes of this Korean show. Yes, I am a self-confessed Korean drama addict. I already have my favorite actors and actresses; albeit, I don’t know their names.

Dec 16, 2012

Old Lady Vajayjay Day

Life has been...well, rather predictable.  It's a happy life, but it's a predictable one.  Even ghosts and helpers scratching each other's eyes out are predictable.  But every now and then, something unexpected happens..so, I blog.

Earlier this morning, we decided to eat lunch at Greenwich after Paige's event.  While eating, Riley wanted to go "pee-pee".  So, I grabbed her and ran to the bathroom. It was occupied, so we had to wait for a bit. While waiting, this old lady arrived and waited as well.  When the door opened, she tried to get through first. I knew I had to give in, but I was holding a toddler who was all too ready to pee.  I figured, old bat vs. my daughter, daughter wins hands down, so I nudged her to the side, and entered the door, but the old lady followed immediately and locked the door behind her. I had no time to close the door, and Riley was already peeing in her undies!  So, I had to set her down on the toilet fast.  The old lady stood behind me and started making the "whish..whish..whish..." sound to get Riley to probably work her bladder faster.

So, anyway, after Riley finished peeing, I grabbed her, stood her by the sink to remove her undies.  It is at this point that I saw the old lady, lift her skirt, whipped her panties to the side and started to pee.  She did not remove her panties.  She just grabbed the cloth covering her crotch, whipped it to the side and peed!  Yes, I saw it and everything else that cannot be unseen. Que horror!

"Ugh."

Obviously, we couldn't get out just yet.  So, I stood there, holding Riley, stared at the door and marveled at my amazing luck. I was not in the mood for an Old Lady's Vagina day, but well, that was what Fate had in store for me.  I kept biting my tongue until she finished with her Amazon River-like pee.  And when she finally finished, I rushed outside and started laughing and laughing.

Nov 25, 2012

Paper Pictures

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.9

Nov 13, 2012

Love This App!

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.9

Nov 8, 2012

Paige Bagged The Gold

Video is not that great though. Its awful and its cut abruptly.

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.9

Oct 31, 2012

Art attack

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.9

Oct 21, 2012

The Cockroach Story

One night, I was watching TV and Riley was playing by the window.

When suddenly a cockroach flew in and landed on her head.

I started screaming and screaming like a raving lunatic, "Aaaaaaaagh!!!"

This startled Riley so she ran towards me. I frantically looked for the cockroach on her head, but I couldn't find it.

I breathed a sigh of relief and wondered, "Where did it go?"

On cue, Riley held the cockroach in front of my face. Apparently, she caught it and just held on to it.

It felt like the damn thing was staring at me. I started screaming again. She let go of it, and I grabbed a book and crushed the disgusting creature to death.

This kid is definitely something else. She's not at all afraids of bugs - crawling or flying. She thinks it's fun to catch them.

Meanwhile Paige is afraid of every creature that moves including lizards and very, very small spiders.

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.9

Oct 12, 2012

Drowning

Once again, I bit off more than I can chew. I am barely sleeping.  And god, I miss you.

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.9

Sep 30, 2012

His and Mine

It sucks when your husband's thighs are skinnier and fairer than yours.  I also have more hair. It's like I'm the Missing Link to the Human Evolution or maybe I'm Bigfoot with amnesia.

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.9

Sep 29, 2012

My Bridge

I can never get enough of this.

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.9

Just Give Me a Reason by Pink



I have been playing Pink's The Truth About Love album nonstop. I'm addicted. This is one of my favorites. I love every song in the album but I love singing along with this.

I am so in-love with her.  I'd be a lesbian for her. :)

Good Morning Sabado!

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.9

Sep 22, 2012

Everytime

Ouch.

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.9

Sep 18, 2012

Kabute

There are some people who pop in and out of your life with no regard to how you'd feel when they appear and eventually leave. People like that exist and they're one of the most cruel human beings who ever walked the face of the earth.

I exaggerate, of course.

It's just that I realize I have a lot of that kind of people in my life.

You're one of them.

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.9

Sep 16, 2012

Fiesta 2012

It's exactly 12:27 in the morning. I'm sitting at the balcony, listening to a friend, complaining about her boyfriend.

The mosquitoes are very happy. I'm their free buffet and it's about to rain again. Life.

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.9

Sep 14, 2012

Crappy Day

I think the weather suits my mood. I am feeling absolutely crappy. just plain shitty.

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.9

Sep 3, 2012

Rooftop Prince: The Ending Sucked!

Time travel love stories often suck. 


This time it sucked big time. I am crying my eyes out and it's because of that blasted Korean drama - Rooftop Prince. I absolutely hate the ending. 

 I mean, the story starts with this Prince who time traveled and met this spunky girl. And for 19 episodes, it was about this Prince and this girl. And then he went back to his own time - 300 years ago - and he was shown to be pining for her, freaking miserable. The show didn't even bothered to show what happened to him.  They just abruptly ended it there with him miserable while eating the meal she used to cook for him. He probably died miserable.  And he was the one I fell in love with.  He was in 19 friggin' episodes - not the effin' comatose guy who did nothing for the whole 19 episodes!!!

Meanwhile, the girl ended up with the Reincarnation of the Prince on the 20th episode, the last effin' episode. The guy was in coma for the first 19 episodes and I was supposed to be happy that she ended up with the Reincarnation? I mean, hello? it's a freaking fairy tale with time travel and all, they could just went all out and bring back the blasted Prince to the present or bring the girl to the past and all that. Stupid writers. I don't like the comatose guy. Stupid, stupid ending.

I don't even understand why that stupid Prince didn't even realize that it wasn't his wife who died in the first place. Didn't he bother to look at the face of the floating corpse when they fished it out of the water? it's so freaking stupid! I can't believe how stupid the ending was!

I'm so pissed. I wasted my time on that drama.

I'm so pissed that I've blogged about how pissed I am. 

Fucking stupid ending. And you know what's even more infuriating about this - I went to 12 different stores just to look for the blasted DVD of this stupid drama.

Stupid ending.

Jul 19, 2012

Because It Only Happens to Me

I know these things happen to me, so I shouldn't have been surprised. After all, I am cursed.

I fall down stairs with half of the University's student body watching me roll - literally roll from the second floor to the ground floor. I am that girl who walks around with her ass hanging out for all the world to see - and yes, again, I mean that literally. So, when something embarrassing happens to me, I shouldn't be surprised, right? No. For the life of me, I am always caught unprepared.

Earlier this afternoon, I decided to look for something to give Paige on her birthday. I thought of buying her a Leapfrog "pseudo" tablet for kids. But you know how those things are and Paige plays Sims on my computer. She manipulates Mommy's Samsung phone quite well. God, she has figured out that Eula Valdez is Rita Avila in Walang Hanggan even before I even had a clue.  (She was watching Eula Valdez stared at Rita Avila's wedding picture and she was like, "Ay mama! Si mama sia ni nathan!") But I digress. Point is - this will bore her out of her wits! 

It would have been different if we got her this -


But this is a bit expensive and her father wouldn't go for it.  He is about "practicality" which is okay, considering how flighty I tend to be.  Anyway, I thought I'd check out video consoles in this store.


When I entered the store, I noticed that everyone was looking at this guy standing outside the store - across the store actually.  Anyway, I barely gave him notice and I started checking out game consoles.  But their conversations caught my attention.

"Hilinga na baya ta naghuba na diyan."

HUH?!  And indeed, this guy had his pants down.  He was wearing shorts underneath and he was wearing this black sando shirt.  But still, he had his pants down.  He had his back turned.  He was facing the wall, looking at his crotch and he was like adjusting something.

"Kasubago pa baga yan dian", they said.

"Binendahan kamot nia ta sige baga yan suntok dian kasubago."

And so I offered an opinion, "Siguro po may hilang sa payo."

"Iyo, nauranan garo yan", one saleslady said.

And they all laughed. And they kept watching him and laughing.  It took him about 5 minutes to finish whatever it was that was keeping him busy down his pants.  It was weird because there was no security officer around.  Anyway, he finally finished and slowly turned. And then he stood with his arms crossed like as if he wasn't fiddling with his thing a minute before.

"Hmm. Garo bistado ko. Shit! Garo iyo."

I peered at him again and then it hit me, "Bulay, taga-Mabolo. Bistado ko pa. Shit! Baka mabistado ako."

"God, sana po dai ako nabisto."

I turned around and pretended I didn't see him.

And then fate bit my ass and started laughing. 

He must have seen me  because, I heard someone shout, "Tere!"

I felt my heart dropped to the floor.

Should I turn around and wave?
Should I pretend not to hear him - but oh, God, that's an awful thing to do.
Should I skedaddle and leave the store. Yes, that's what I should do. NOW!  

I slowly turned and I slithered my way slowly to the side door like the awful Christian that I am.

"O, garo may bistado digdi", somebody said.
 
"Tere! Tere!"

Bulay, I thought.

"Ay, si ma'am palan bistado," I heard someone said as I walked outside the door.

Pakshet.

Jul 9, 2012

Got My Mojo Back

If there is one thing that can inspire me to write - that would be my sister's writing or blog. She's a goddess when it comes to writing. You should check out her blog and see for yourself.  Actually, she's the one who introduced me to blogging.

Every now and then, people would ask me, "What do you do?" Short of telling them to go fuck off, I always force myself to explain my work. But unless you're Internet savvy, I doubt that you would understand my work.   I started out as a writer and for a while there, I get this little pleasure from telling people, "I'm a writer".  Sometimes, conveniently dropping the word "content or online".   But I never really felt right about that.  There were times when I felt like a fraud for even uttering the divine word "writer".

But my sister, well, she's a writer.  She can write about the most mundane things and you'd probably devour them like they're the Revelation decrypted.  That's not something I can claim. I am a freaking fraud.

Fortunately, for me, I no longer have to say, "I'm a writer" - my work has evolved and it is even more complicated. I'd rather not explain. I do not write as much as I did before.  So, I enjoy blogging now.  Online writing has rules.  So, it's a pleasure to write without worrying about keyword placement or grammar.  I can curse and nobody will give a damn. After all, this is my blog.

I think I'll be writing again.




Jul 8, 2012

Banned from Mexicali

We actually just wanted to have an early dinner and maybe coffee - and actually, that was what we had. We had an early dinner at Biggs, then we transferred to Avenue Square for coffee and cake and then we transferred to Mexicali for nachos, beer and french fries. Yes, we ate a lot

Tinay and I had a blast while Tin sat there and pondered over her life - or her love life to be specific. I think we're banned from Mexicali for life. 

First, we got them to give us a free plate of nachos. A bug fell on this plate of nachos we ordered - and practically finished eating - so we were able to get a free plate! Tin made a mess on one of the tables. Tinay bothered the crew with her Batibot Theme Song cover and I made an ass of myself singing "Cool Change" with the acoustic duo. We were embarrassing, but boy, we had fun! And we weren't even drunk.







Off My Bucket List


Sing with a Band in a Bar? Done.  Of course, the band was composed of only 2 people, so it's not really a band. And my audience was mostly outside the restaurant. And it wasn't a bar - it was a Mexican restaurant. But yeah, I did it, so there. Off the bucket list. 

 
Tinay and Tin were posers!  Did you read that Tinapay?  You should have sung!  Oh, I forgot you did! :))






Jul 7, 2012

An Open Letter to Teacher Mots of Teacher's Pwet

Dear Mots,

It's just sad that you are already taken. My friend has a HUGE crush on you. You seriously have an awesome effect on her.

Sincerely,
ME

P.S. I know I am doing a poor job on "marketing" my friend right now, but I doubt it if your girlfriend would appreciate this blog post.

P.P.S. You have got to admit this is flattering though. As you would say, la lungs. :)

An Ordinary Life

I haven't been blogging. It's easy to just tweet a thought at any given moment that I don't find the need to blog anymore.

Life is not that different as well.  Life is... well, the same.  Life is as it should be.  There is nothing extraordinary that is going on, but curiously enough it's the sheer normalcy that makes it all so worthwhile. I'm content and yes, happy.

I can probably right about that, right?  But who would want to read about a happy ordinary life?  An ordinary life is ordinary.  A happy life is an insult to the miserable.

I think people have stopped visiting my blog.  They have stopped wondering if I posted anything new because for months now, I haven't.  I also have started an anonymous blog where I write anything I want. I doubt if anyone I know reads that one. No one knows the URL address, not even my husband.

There are just some thoughts I want to keep to myself.  Ironically, I don't mind sharing the same thoughts to complete strangers who accidentally find that blog - as long as they don't know me.  I like it that way, I can write without worrying about hurting anyone.

I have stories about Paige and Riley, but it's just so easy to share these stories on Facebook that I have stopped writing about them. I should start doing that again. I think my daughters would appreciate that one day.

Life is amazing, isn't it? It's exciting and banal at the same time.  My life, albeit ordinary, is pretty interesting and it's because I am surrounded by amazing people with unique stories.  My friends - all of them are crazy, mind you - have unique lives.  They have different stories to tell.  Truth is, I have the most ordinary story.  They are a bunch of amazing people with unique stories. I can probably write about each of them and submit their stories to "Ate Charo" and I'd get a lot of money.

The thing is life is exciting, but it can change in a single instant.  Something monumental can happen because of just a little ripple.  A small pebble stuck in your shoe could bother you long enough to have you bending over - and this can cause a ripple effect.  This can change your whole life. This can lead you to pursue a course you never planned and submit yourself to a future you never imagined.

I do not lead an extraordinary life. And this is why sometimes, I don't have anything to write about. But you know what?  I love it. I love life and all of its unexpected turns and twists and I just can't wait to see what's around another ordinary bend.  Because you know what?  Life is a tease.

It always dangles a promise of something wonderful.  My life is pretty wonderful right now.  Give me a million dollars and it'll be perfect - but right now, it's pretty wonderful. I am living a life of laughter and a lot of lovin'.


Jun 7, 2012

Sssshhhh...

I have a secret. I have secrets. They are really not my own; although, I have my own.  There are secrets that I will never tell.  They are mine and mine to keep.

This day has been...well, interesting, to say the least.

Secret #1 is a good secret or a horrible one.  It depends on how you look at it and in whose perspective.  I think I can say the same thing for Secret #2.

Again, it can be a good secret or a horrible one. You can't say the same thing for all secrets. But I kind of like this one for pure selfish reasons, reasons that I am not really proud of.

Oh, well.

I never claimed that I'm a saint. I'm far from being one.

Oh, by the way, I have been blogging. It's easy to blog from my phone. It's quite convenient, so I often blog here. Just so you know. In case, you're interested which is quite unlikely. But hey, you're reading this, so what does that say about you?

May 16, 2012

It Just Occurred to Me That...

Apr 30, 2012

My PostSecret #001

Apr 29, 2012

Mobile Blog

Sometimes, I don't want to go online and I just want to do a random blog post on my phone. Thus, I have my mobile blog.  I haven't been blogging here. I've discovered the pleasures of anonymous blogging. I get to write every thing down without worrying about what you'd think or offending anyone. The thing is, I don't know who reads this blog. I don't know how much information I divulge here. So, yeah. I like writing anonymously. I still have people reading my thoughts without worrying about their judgment. And I can be as vulgar and as honest as I want to be.

Mar 23, 2012

Addiction

I want to play sims 3.

Mar 20, 2012

If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda

This Used To Be My Poem For You.
Well, at least until I forgot about this poem
and sometimes, forget about you too.
---------------------------------------------------------------
If you forget me
I want you to know one thing.
You know how this is:
if I look
at the crystal moon, at the red branch
of the slow autumn at my window,
if I touch
near the fire
the impalpable ash
or the wrinkled body of the log,
everything carries me to you,
as if everything that exists,
aromas, light, metals,
were little boats
that sail
toward those isles of yours that wait for me.

Paige's Graduation Number

Old Photos, Old Memories

P1010003 P1010005

P1010016P1010026 P1010027

P1010038

Mar 15, 2012

I'm 32 Today.

So, this is how 32 feels like. It doesn't feel any different. I still feel the same inside, but the number is so intimidating.  It forces me to come to terms with things in my life.

What Have I Learned at 32?

At 32, I have learned to like myself. Oh, I am not at all perfect, but I have learned to be truly comfortable with who I am. It doesn't mean, however, that I will be complacent.  There are some things that I can still change about myself and I intend to do just that.

What Am I Grateful For?

I have lots of things I'm grateful for -

1. My wonderful, uber-patient, saintly husband and my spunky, intelligent, funny and wonderful little girls. They mean more to me than life itself.

IMG_2286

2. Daddy and Mama, especially now after the health scare with Daddy.  I hope he'll respond well to his meds.

IMG_2246

3. My sister and  my beautiful Cori.

12121


4. My friends. I'm grateful for you too, Bes. You're not in the picture though. :) I'm grateful for every person I can truly call "my friend". That includes everyone who has touched my heart and my life with their presence.

DSC06288

Now for my I-am-effin'-32 bucket list:
1. Review for the bar exams. Take and Pass the Bar Exams.
2. Start reviewing for LET. Take and Pass the LET Exam.
3. 26.

That's about it. :)

ako ini

Mar 8, 2012

Ranting: 03.08.2012

God, I'm so tired. I am not cut out for this. I've realized that I do not EVER want to be a businesswoman.  Erbe revels on this however, but I hate it. I HATE IT. I hate waking up early and I hate sleeping late. I hate dealing with people and worrying, constantly worrying. The thing is Erbe loves this, but I end up with the ugly tasks, mostly scolding people. I don't know how many times I've scolded people the past few days. People have come to hate me.  When I used to be "Tere", now I'm "Ma'am".  See? That's how bad it is!  They do not smile at me anymore. They try to avoid me. God.

Meanwhile, they like Erbe. My husband hates confrontation.  He is generally one of the kindest souls in the planet.  He doesn't speak ill of people. He likes to find the best in people.  So, he hates confrontation and he hates scolding people and because I'm quite good at being the ultimate bitch, I do the dirty job. I hate it.

I wish Daddy will just get better soon. I am so fucking worried. I cried at the drop of a hat. I am so stressed out I've taken a bath three times today because bathing makes me feel good. I really need a break.

Mar 3, 2012

Staring At The Monster

Sometimes, bad things happen to people you love.  Often you'd find yourself pretending that it's not really "that bad" or that the monster will just go away.  Sometimes, you end up with a really stubborn one that refuses to let go.

And then, for a single second, it happens.  You find yourself staring at the same truth that you've been trying to ignore.

I'm staring at that now.

My daddy is sick.  He's not perfect, but he's my father. He has his eccentricities, but he taught me one thing � faith, absolute faith in God.

And it's that same faith that I'm holding on to right now. I'm worried. I'm really worried. He has been sick for months now.  He told me, however, that God will heal him.  He does not doubt that at all.

So, I should do the same. But I'm still worried because sometimes, God has other plans.  Sometimes, God sees things differently.

So, I'll stay right here, staring at my monster, hoping it won't open its mouth and eat me alive.

Feb 29, 2012

Circa 2005

IMG01777-20120228-1310

IMG01782-20120228-1313IMG01788-20120228-1319IMG01789-20120228-1320

Random Thought: 02.29.12

I feel sad. I don't know why but I do. Here I am, idly tapping on the keyboards. I still can't use my left hand properly. The damn cut still hurts, so I still have to rely heavily on my right hand.

I really do not know what to say. I just want to write and let my thoughts run. It does not matter where they end. I have been feeling sad since my parents decided to seek treatment for Daddy in Manila. He has been sick for four months now and the doctors here do not know what to do with him.

We have been to three doctors and none of them have been able to provide him with the right treatment plan. It is depressing. We have decided that the best course of action is to just throw the third finger at the doctors here and just go to Manila. I cannot accompany them however. My mother actually wants me to go with Daddy, but he wants her to go with him.

I wish he would just get better. It is so sad to see him like this, sick all the time. And it's his birthday today. :(

Feb 26, 2012

On First Loves

tree-lovers
For a couple of days now, E and I have been talking about first loves.  This was prompted by my own talk with Ms. Francisco.  E knows who his first love is.  I, however, have just realized who mine is while writing this. (Yes, Tinay, you read that right and after you read this, you probably will arrive at an incorrect the right conclusion. :) )

I have been with several people and at one time or another, I felt strongly for them.  Every relationship was emotionally potent.  Curiously, however, it is that first love that has the greatest effect.  Oh, I wasn't an emotional virgin.  I had my own infatuations and I pined over boys with cute dimples and awesome dance moves before I even met my first love.  But I guess, before that first love, true romance - in its real essence - has never touched me.  Ironically, for something that can rock my world, I did not truly expect it.  Looking back, it was a happy experience tinged with elements of sadness and yes, even grief.

I am not speaking of your first crush, first kiss or the guy or girl you lost your virginity to.  I am speaking about your first true love.  Mine was the first person I truly fell madly in love with, the person I thought I cannot live without.  He wasn't my childhood sweetheart (although let us not discredit childhood sweethearts or underestimate the mark they leave behind); I envy E for having one.  His first love was his childhood sweetheart.
First love is the first time we deal with all sorts of emotion - angst, adoration, fascination, lust, anxiety, sadness that know no end.  It's a roller coaster ride.  It's the first person you shared deep connection with both on an emotional and physical level.  You cannot live without them.  You feel alive. It's consuming.  It's fantastic.  And then suddenly, it ends.  Just like that. The best thing that ever happened to you - is gone.
No, this does not happen to everyone.  The scenario may vary, but amazingly enough the emotions are the same.  We never really truly forget.  Unfortunately, for some, they end up pining for the same person.  They find themselves looking for the same thing that they have lost.  They want to recapture the same feelings, the same physical attraction.  It happened to me too.  Now, I know why.

In your life, you meet people.  Some you never really think about again or even remember.  Some you wonder what ever happened to them.  There are some that you wonder if they ever think of you or remember you.  There are some you wish you never think about again - but you do.

However, like everything that has been lost, you need to let go.  We don't really forget our first love, but we should never allow its legacy to dictate the rest of our lives.

Jan 26, 2012

A Jolly Good Fellow

 

hbay

Jan 23, 2012

My Little Girl Has a Crush

Paige has seemingly developed a crush for this little boy in our neighborhood. As her mother, I would have probably just shrugged it off IF the boy were even remotely adorable, but he's not. And that is the understatement of the year. The poor little boy has not seen a bucket of water in days!  He's dirty.  He's often walking barefoot and he is always, always buck naked! Yep, his little twiggy is wagging for all the world to see.  So, you can just imagine our reaction when we heard Paige's neighborhood bestfriend telling the little boy, "I love you daa sabi ni Paige."

I was amused and a little dismayed, but Erbe's reaction was hilarious!  He started critizing our little girl's crush.  Which prompted Paige to declare, "Di dai na lugod ako ma-boyfriend!"  Erbe retorted back, "Kung ito man lang talaga iboyboyfriend mo, talagang dai na!Dai man lamang karakarigos!" I found the whole exchange hilarious. But my little girl was devastated not to have the support of her Papa.

Just look at Paige's reaction.

IMG_1613

IMG_1616

IMG_1617

The other day, I was calling Paige and she said, "May kakaulayun ako mama." Kakaulayun. The word is amusing which got me curious, "Sisay kakaulayun mo?"  She didn't answer.  Bek, however, was standing next to her and she told me, "Hinahalat baga ate katong crush niya dian sa luwas." This enraged Paige who started crying and screaming.

I had to bite my lips to keep myself from laughing. And I called her for a fairly short conversation about crushes and naked boys. :)