CHOOSING HOPEFUL THIS 2nd PANDEMIC CHRISTMAS

Today is the 2nd Sunday of Advent; we are getting closer to Christmas.  Unlike the previous Christmas; this year is more hopeful, considering the steady decrease of COVID 19 infections.   It’s been almost two years since the start of the pandemic and some say that it couldn’t or shouldn’t last more than three years.

 

The past two years are trying times for sure;  many lost their perspective due to loss of jobs and other livelihood; worse, many lost loved ones. 

For us who remain steadfast; faithfully following protocols; being careful at all times; sacrificed not bonding face to face with family and friends remain strong and hopeful. 

Yet, here we are now in suspense while scientists work hard to determine how to contain the Omicron mutated variant, hoping against hope that it won’t proliferate.   Would it devastate the whole world all over again?  

“OH NO!!!  Not again ” , would be our cry. 

I got inspired to write this blog when Sr. Tricia of the Hijas de Jesus sent me an inspiring homily of Fr. Horacio Dela Costa, a Jesuit priest who has recently completed his doctorate at Harvard University. 

Let me share some excerpts of the homily.

“ Christmas is when we celebrate the unexpected; it is a festival of surprise. 

This is the night when shepherds wake to the song of angels; when the earth has a star for a satellite; when wise men go on a fool’s errand, bringing gifts to a Prince they have not seen, in a country they do not know”. 

“We were promised a savior, but we never dreamed God Himself would come and save us.  We know that He loves us but we never dared to think that He loved us so much as to become one of us. “

“But that is the way God gives; His gifts are never what we expect, instead; it’s always something better than we hoped for. That is why our faith is a faith of the unexpected”. 

“Now more than ever, living in times so troubled, facing a future so uncertain, we need such faith.  We need it for ourselves and we need to give it to others”. 

Lastly, Fr. Horacio said:

“We must remind the world that if Christmas comes in the depths of winter, it is that there may be an Easter in the spring”.  

Isn’t it timely to reflect on this homily?  I myself was so inspired and gathered so much faith by this to fully trust that eventually, in God’s time; things will be alright once again. 

As we anxiously hope that the Omicron variant won’t reach our shores and create another surge, it would be good to  have more faith. 

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CHRISTMAS EVENT?

“Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year”,  so the song goes; for most; it a time to get together and observe traditions.  

It’s the first day of December and Christmas is almost here.  Shouldn’t we start decorating?

Here are traditional Christmas events; I wonder what’s yours. 

Decorating our homes

Shopping for gifts and wrapping them

Office parties

Going to Christmas bazaars 

Friends and class reunions

Attending the misa de Gallo and buying Bibigka and puto bong bong 

Christmas caroling

Kris Kringle

Christmas tree lighting and fireworks

It doesn’t feel like Christmas without some decorations; don’t you think?   Putting up a tree or a wreath on the front door will surely give us the feeling of Christmas cheer. 

For me, no event can beat my family Christmas.  Our  tradition starts when my children arrive from abroad.  There is a continuous breakfast-lunch-and-dinner get-togethers here at home or in restaurants. 

But the highlight is the Christmas Eve dinner which my husband and I always host.   This is a happy event and great bonding time; we usually share what’s going on in our lives and our future plans. For my grand children, I’m sure they look forward to their gifts and what Santa will bring.  It culminates with exchange gifts. 

Every event is appealing. Putting them together makes an exciting Christmas or if we want it less hectic, we can only choose a few.  In the end, it is our choice how to spend the holiday season  and with whom we want to spend it with.

7 TIPS TO ENJOY SOCIAL MEDIA WITHOUT NEED TO DETOX

Many blogs and  books have  been written about the negative impact of social media.  They believe that it is often necessary to detox.

But I believe otherwise.  If we maintain a stable and disciplined mindset, we don’t need such detox.  This is what  I do to enjoy social media. 

1- 

Choose only one platform; I chose Facebook and maintain just that.  In so doing, we don’t spend time scrolling from one platform to the other. 

2- 

Keep only a reasonable number of friends; those who are really great friends that you know personally and proved to be good for you; those that you totally trust; those who cheer along during your triumphs and pull you up when you’re down.  It  is always good to catch up with them  if getting together is not possible.  That way you can still connect..

3- 

Avoid joining groups if they are not useful to you and  if there is nothing to be learned from seeing their posts.  Definitely keep a group of your clan/family if there is one.  Consider also a group within the community to keep you updated on common concerns.  

Sometime ago, my sister included me in a cooking community.  While it was great to learn cooking skills from professional chefs, keeping up with postings to match their’s is tiresome.  I coped but it consumed a lot of my time. 

Moreover, there were so many  people in the group that  I don’t know personally.   I became wary that they could access my posts  and other personal details.  I left the group. 

A close friend invited me to join a home-and-garden group.  Initially, I was just looking at their posts.  I didn’t even feel posting anything of my garden or home because most of their  posts  are magazine worthy.  Not that I’m not proud of my garden which is quite unique to my taste but may look mediocre to others.  I left the group. 

4- 

Avoid posting every detail of  your life.   For your safety, avoid posting personal details; refrain posting your every move and activity; your schedule and where you are going.

5- 

Do not feel obliged to post something everyday; and only when you have a post-worthy item to share.  Keep in mind that it is futile to greet your partner happy birthday or anniversary if he doesn’t have a Facebook account. 

6- 

Keep a mindset not to compare yourself with others.  Always feel grateful and happy for who you are and what you have.  If not, this is when feelings of insecurity and anxiety start. 

You will see posts that will make you insecure, envious, jealous and feel left out.  Just remember that you only see that fraction of their lives.  Know that at every point, no one is excepted from coping with a difficult life.   So take hold of yourself; don’t let them affect you in a bad way . 

Understand these scenarios that may possibly affect you. 

—You  see posts of a family always eating in high end restaurants and you ask yourself when was the last time you dined there? 

What you don’t know is that maybe the  family is living beyond their means; their credit card is always in the red and are worried how to pay next month’s bill. 

—You see a wife often post Michelin-star-quality meals.   In reality, her husband expects that for dinner everyday.  She feels it’s drudgery and is often tired.

—Someone keeps posting fabulous parties she attends, all  dressed up in glamorous gowns.   Then you say: I wish I can go to such parties too and you feel left out.  What you don’t know is that she hates parties but for one reason or another she needed to go; but she’d rather relax at home with a good book. 

7- 

Establish a time to open your social media account and stick to that.  Discipline yourself so as  not to interfere with your work schedule or doing housework.  Remember that everything excessive is not good, so let’s not overdo social media.  

I’ve been on Facebook for more than a decade and I never felt needing a detox.  In fact, I look forward to the time I’ve set to scroll my newsfeed. 

I’ve reconnected with town mates; with relatives and friends who now live abroad.  We enjoy relieving interesting memories of the past and sharing how we are coming along. 

Everything is great, no need for detox. 

STEPPING BACK FROM THE WHIRLDWIND OF LIFE

The pandemic turned our lives to slow living.  

No going out except for necessities.  No dining out, no parties, no chilling at cafes, no strolling in malls and no travel.  No spa as well and no mani-pedi in saloons; not even for a trim.  In other words; just stay home. 

What is slow living?

It is a life approach where we elevate the quality of life by slowing down daily activities to give way doing more important things.  

It is creating a good balance in all aspects of our lives.   

It is also a lovely change of pace when we realize that we have been doing so many things, get so overwhelmed yet find something is missing.  

It doesn’t mean we have to do things slowly, like taking too long to make tea. 

Some say : declutter, be a minimalist if you wish ; cook simple meals, turn off the noise; minimize  social media time.  

Someone said:  “stepping back from the whirlwind of life”.

I am one person who do things fast; I walk fast and eat fast.  Slow living taught me to slow down, spend time and energy only for what’s important. To savor my food; enjoy every moment and never to be rushed or frazzled with what I need to do.  

I learned to take time to appreciate that I’m really alive and found that I want to spend time laughing, loving and living fully engaged on what matters most.

Looking back to the times my son and his family visit; he will always nag me: 

“Mom, sit down already.  We came here primarily to bond with you while we eat”.  

I have the habit of calling them to the table while I finish last-minute fixings   Now I realized that I often missed out on the fun and conversations.

I’ve learned to do things one at a time within a calculated time frame; no more multi-tasking because it causes stress.  I cook simple meals if I can; if not my husband understands and suggests takeout.  My husband and I found a rhythm in going about our chores and hobbies.  I keep our home clean and orderly but if I can’t vacuum today, that’s okay, I can do that tomorrow.

Slow living gave me time to think about my life and I’m glad that I never compare my lifestyle with others.   I am grateful for what I have.  Keeping up with the Joneses or in this modern day we say; keeping  up with the Kardashians will only cause frustrations which in the long term doesn’t matter at all.  I am happy with my own unique life.  

I realized that it is easier to accept life’s imperfections, I do not worry or overthink because life doesn’t always turn out the way we want to; sometimes they turn out better; even beyond our wildest expectations.

I think I am liking the feeling of slow living, so much so that after the pandemic, I will keep this lifestyle.  It feels liberating, it makes me breathe easier and makes life really simple.  

One great thing in slow living is I can stay right here at home, no need to go and live in the countryside, in “the little house on the prairie”.

But when the pandemic is over, I’ll still dine out with family, meet up with friends, checkout the malls, go have mani-pedi and travel to visit our children abroad. 

My garden, my sanctuary. 

WILL IT BE PINK?

Yesterday someone  wrote  that 

“Social Media Tickled Pink by Robredo’s Decision “ to run for 2022 elections.

I was already in bed, about to sleep last night when I heard my Viber notification.  I was tempted to ignore it but it maybe my daughter. So I opened my iPad. 

Lo and behold!  I saw three pictures of buildings all lit up in pink sent by my comadre. One of DLSU, Ayala mall, Cebu and St Luke’s Medical Center.  

I became curious so I opened Facebook since my daughter mentioned earlier that “ #VP LENI” was all over social media.  I was surprised to see a lot of pink indeed!   Some of my friends even changed their profile pictures with pink circles, others made their own kind of pink pictures.  

One of my closest friends, Tess also changed her profile picture showing  her at Rotterdam; wearing pink with a field of blooming pink tulips in the background

Election fever is really here in spite the pandemic.  Excitement will escalate until Election Day. 

My great memories of elections is like a fiesta. Early on Election Day, people rush to the polls then they gather outside their homes like the are celebrating. 

During my grade school days I tag along with my aunts who were teachers as they perform their election duties. I always anticipate snack time when candidates distribute packed pancit and  puto (dry noodles and native rice cake) in brown paper bags; styrofoam still non existent then. 

But elections were quite different then;  there were only Nationalita and Liberal parties.  Because of that, everyone in town can identify the leaning of every family. 

Was that better then?  Which one is more exciting, and better yet, which one favors the majority?

                           

CERTAINLY NOT FEELING 76

Another year; another birthday and the pandemic is still raging.  As the months moved from year 2020 to 2021, I’d hoped that we will eventually conquer Covid 19;  instead we are now faced with more deadly variants delta and lamda. 

It’s a bit sad to celebrate without family but  I know that I’m not the only one here; all of us are in the same boat.  Last year, my 75th, a milestone;  would have been a great opportunity to party and bond with family. 

I don’t mind staying at home and not dining out.  It’s just that at my age I feel short-changed missing out on opportunities to enjoy life with my family. 

 

But I do understand that’s why I am adopting this mantra:

 “SOON”.  

This week, I sent my younger daughter my Facebook best-of-the-year picture by the gigantic waterfalls at the Singapore Jewel in the latter part of 2019 with a caption: “HAPPY TIMES”.  She replied: “SOON”. 

Yes!  I think that is a hopeful catchword for looking forward and moving on. 

I am an optimistic person; a bright-sider too; with a  glass-half-full attitude and always a full  believer of goods things to come.   Yet, lately I’ve been thinking about the brevity of life. 

Someone said that each and everyone of us has our number of heart beats set and encrypted in our hearts from birth.  How I wish I know how many more heart beats I have left so I can plan ahead. 

Since there’s no way to know that, I’ll not waste precious time by fretting and sulking.  Once again, my friend  Nina’s idea as expressed in one of her facebook posts uplifts my perspective. 

“From here on I’ll start to enjoy life more, without missing it\"s lessons...

I’ll savor the moments, before they become memories.  

I’ll always remember that life is beautiful beyond measure...even when sometimes 

life never turns the way I want...

I will live it in the best way I can...for after all there is no perfect life; but I can fill it with perfect moments”..

And may I add; that while I still have time; I’ll say thanks if I must; apologize if I should and definitely forgive. 

I’ll expect the unexpected; and I’ll  be prepared to deal with whatever comes my way specially when the unexpected is better than what I could ever dream of. 

Should the unexpected be bad news, I’ll accept the pressures, tensions and stresses  with resignation knowing that they are inevitable parts of life.  I know such things too shall pass. 

And I will weave in joy and the joie de vivre of life in my remaining days,  thats for sure.  

THE AUTHENTIC ADOBO

The  Phillipine Department of Trade and Industry  DTI, has announced their initiative to standardize the technique in cooking a few of our popular local dishes like the adobo, sinigang, sisig and even lechon. 

My friend Tess, a great culinary affecionado wondered when she learned about it.  She post this initiative on our chat group.  My offhand reaction was : “why? Just like beauty being in the eyes of the beholder, food is in the taste buds of the eater.” 

On the flip side, another friend and neighbor, Mely says it is good so we won’t depart from the original recipe our grandmothers taught us.  “We are losing the authetic recipies”, she says further: “for  instance, when we say kare kare, surely we mean oxtail and tripe.  But nowadays some are making veggie kare kare, some use shrimp or chicken”.  She has a point here. 

The DTI  announced that their aim is to come up with a cooking technique and tag it as the authentic Philippine adobo.  Since the recipe varies in every region and in every household;  anything done differently is a variation. 

Every household has their way of cooking traditional dishes;  not only here in the Philippines but the world over.  Take the Spanish paella, a specialty dish  often cooked at home; did you know that the authentic one doesn’t use chorizo?  Yet here we can’t seem to make paella without it like it is a major ingredient. 

What happened to the all Anerican hamburger?  The original consists only of the meat putty with mustard and slices of cheddar inside a  bun.  Slices of onions, lettuce and tomato were then considered optional.   Nowadays however, they come ridiculously  tall, one could no longer hold it up to bite due to a lot of trimmings. The more trimmings seems more interesting and yummy. 

With the passing of time, variantions often evolve in a recipe. Sometimes people want change;  sometimes it depends on the availability of the ingredients or what a household can afford. 

I’m not a professional chef but I love to cook  and bake.  Baking cakes I learned from my Mama and Feista dishes like caldereta, asado, embotido, mechado, menudo, etc., I learned from my mother-in-law just the way my husband likes them. 

This is  my triple-cook adobo technique which may be considered a variation but I believe to be authentic: 

Pork cubes are first browned in little oil to keep their juices intact.  Add cooking wine, garlic, banana blossoms, cinammon bark, star anise, pepper corns and bay leaves.  

In recent years I added chopped fresh oregano and pandan leaf to enhance the taste and vanish the gamey flavor of pork. 

When pork cubes browned a bit, add in  the vinegar, soy sauce and some  water.  Simmer until pork is tender. 

In another skillet, heat oil and fry the drained pork cubes until they brown some more and release most of the fat resulting  to a better color and are crispy on the edges.   See how the finished product look like  in the photo.  The remaining juice from the skillet  maybe thickened with cornstartch  for gravy.  Though some of us  like the adobo with a little soup to top over rice. 

FINALLY GOT THAT ELUSIVE COVID-19 VACCINE

Feeling so blessed today!  Jim and I got our first jab of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine today. So happy I feel like crying! 

The opening prayer at the vaccination center was so touching that I must have shed a tear or two.  Maybe I was full of emotion that I only remember this: “we are not doing this only for ourselves but for others, especially our families. 

We have registered with our LGU  (local goverment unit) 4 times on line  and submitted and accomplished registration forms twice.  We were also assigned Registration ID numbers. Yet we were never called for our vaccination date. 

I was already  feeling left out when most of  my walking  buddies and neighbors got their first dose.  We didn’t want to just  walk in; most often, walk-in’s were not entertained.  Besides we didn’t want to go without an appointment lest we won’t be entertained and be exposed to a crowd in an enclosed area. 

Tired of waiting, today, we decided to walk in.  We were determined to be vaccinated with any brand of vaccine Thanks to The Lord, we were given our preferred vaccine. Truly, everything is done  in God’s own time. 

Excited, I messaged my children and they were all happy for us.  My son replied: 
“Congratulations! Will say a thanksgiving prayer”. 
“So happy, I feel like crying”, I texted back. 
“I felt the same when we got it”, he texted back.  We aren’t cry babies but we take our health very seriously, hence the emotion. 

My son, the eldest and also abroad bought us Vaccines with an affiliate private company in town but they prioritized their   employees.  We had to wait for the next batch due in September.  In spite that, my son urged us to take the first vaccine available. 

Our younger daughter, also abroad, was happy for the good news and cautioned us to be more careful as ever due to the Delta variants that are highly contagious.   “It is still a long way to go but at least there is progress’”, she said. 

Our older daughter in town was the one who really pushed us to walk-in today.  She has been looking for ways to accelerate our chance for vaccination.  Now she tells me to apply cold compress.  That’s how our children take care of us, each his on way. 

The waiting and the stressful effort to register has paid off. 

“They also serve those who also stand and wait”. 


Sent from my iPhone

FATHER’S DAY, BIRTHDAYS AND MILESTONE CELEBRATIONS, PANDEMIC TIME

Today, we celebrate Father’s day with just us, my husband and I.  Like any special event during this pandemic, we couldn’t gather family and friends for a more elaborate celebration. 

But there are ways to go about not being together. This year I wrote letters to my grandchildren and my daughters. Food and gifts can still be delivered. Video calls are also great ways to greet everyone. 

Our older daughter in town sent her gift of great foodies; all of which are her Dad’s favorite; along with pasta in truffle oil, she prepared herself.  I believes it is a great substitute for a lunch treat she usually gives on such occasions.  Not to be outdone, our children abroad sent heartfelt messages and video-called. 

I believe half of our Philippine population celebrated milestones and birthdays at home twice already during  this pandemic because family members in town can’t even join in for a meal. Many are surely disappointed that they couldn’t have a party. 

My daughter’s in-laws started the tradition of sending over food to each family member: to brothers and sisters families on birthdays as a treat.  So this practice of sending over food in lieu of inviting them over is not new to them.  

So really, we have no choice.  While dining out is already allowed, many, like us are still reluctant to dine our; a way of playing it safe. What’s the rush anyway?  After all we can have food delivered to our doorstep. 

My older daughter sent her sister in Singapore tiramisu for her birthday last week. She secretly requested her sister’s husband to order the cake for her. 

So, today, Father’s Day, who  else will make it a very special day for my husband but me.  I have to step up my lunch menu.  I hope he will love it. 

To conclude; I am again Inspire as always by my friend Nina’s post today, let me quote it in part:

“Today we give much love and gratitude to all fathers as we celebrate Father’s Day. We thank Father God for the unconditional love giving His only Son, Jesus to redeem us.  May His love be perfected in us as we show His love to others and open our hearts to give kindness. “ 

Happy 7th birthday to a wonderful grandson

Happy birthday, Lucas!  A 7th birthday is a milestone; it is often celebrated in a more elaborate way.  I’m glad you can celebrate with 4 of your closest friends.  Enjoy your party and hopefully next year we can celebrate your birthday with you. 

You are the most anticipated and awaited baby in the family.  Everyone rejoiced when you finally came. 

I for one almost have no words to express my joy.  I love you already even before I even saw you. 

Yes, we were there at your christening, it was a solemn and happy occasion.  We also enjoyed the reception afterwards; where else but at one of your favorite places, the American club which is second only to the toy store, right?

After three months we went back to stay longer, I volunteered to looked after you and fed you at night until the small hours.  I almost didn\"t want to sleep so I can spend more time with you. 

I treasure the week I was called to bring and get you from school, do you know that I had a lot of fun being with you?  You were such a behaved little boy, you patiently waited without whining as I fumbled buckling you up on your complicated stroller. 

I am happy that you easily make friends. You are born to be sociable, it’s no surprise because as young as you are, you already have a likable personality, easy to be with. Sometimes a joker but you can be very serious too, though humor is good;  its healthy to laugh. 

You are also compassionate. We were so impressed when you shared some of your toys and clothes to the typhoon victims.  You went even further by asking your friends and classmates to donate as well.  We are so proud of you. 

I am amazed how fast you are growing up. I am happy that you enjoy sports. Recently I was impressed when you explained the steps of your whole soccer game. You know the rules by heart.   

If I were only there to watch you play, I would be your volunteer cheerleader. I would clap, jump and shout with joy when you score.  Who knows I may even do an Indian dance? 

But I worry too,  especially when you are playing soccer; so please be careful and concentrate while you’re playing.  My prayers are for your good health and safety always; free from accidents and untoward incidents; and to steer you away from bullies and people with bad intentions. 

Though we live far apart I thank your Dad and Mom who always update us on your activities.  Do you know that we delight in knowing every little thing about you. You are such a lucky kid since you have your parents\" full attention. 

We always look forward to your visits with so much anticipation.  We miss you; just remember your Nana and Papa are always back here in Manila. 

We love you so much. Stay safe, our grandson. Grow well, learn well and live a life that will make your parents proud. 

Enjoy your party. Have fun!  

Xoxo , Nana

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET 16! an open letter to my granddaughter at 16

Happy birthday sweet 16! 

An ordinary greeting would never, ever do—it has to be special that’s why I’m writing you.  

Thank you; you made me a grandmother! 

When you were born, I felt lucky to have a granddaughter.  I am at a loss how to find the right words to tell you now how much you mean to me.  I fell in love with you right away. 

Papa and I couldn't wait to see you, so we rushed to Makati Medical Center to take a glimpse  at you through the nursery window.   After a day or two, we went back to fetch you home. 

Oh, what sweet smell you brought to our home.  I just love that smell of a baby.  You smelled so good and you were so beautiful. 

Your arrival was perfect timing since I just retired then.   It gave me the opportunity to watch you grow everyday as you hurdled through random milestones.  Like the time you first turned over on your stomach, learning to stand,  your first few steps, sucking on your first lollipop and many others. 

I will forever cherish those days when you were almost three and already so companionable.  Thanks to your Mom who planned for us to get you 3 days  a week. 

You loved to put on clothes from a big box of outgrown, but still beautiful and colorful dresses from ate Yela.  You kept trying them on one after another all day like you were doing a fashion show.  Sometimes you even woke up Papa from his nap to zip you up. 

I like that you are taking your studies seriously, you work hard for high grades thats why you are always on the top 10.   Keep it up and it will be second nature to you. Remember that hard work pays and will help you through future challenges. 

Remembering our bonding times at the mall always make me smile. I enjoyed those lunches when we laughed a lot and I miss that now; hopefully after this pandemic we can do it again. 

Life is good but we are not always on cloud nine.  There are times when life can be difficult, full of challenges;  but life can be happy and full of joy too.  So enjoy the good times and take the challenges in stride.  I want very much to protect you from life’s hard knocks but I know that you have to try your wings so I can only pray for your safety and well being. 

You are still so young, sweet and innocent, while  I am old and wise; so take advantage of my experience; learn from my mistakes while I'm still here, and still lucid . Talk to me, ask questions; seek me to clarify doubts, come to me for comfort.  I'm here and I always have time for you. Don't ever hesitate to call me, message me, see me; I’m just nearby. 

No matter how old you are and how high you will soar, I will always be your Nana;  Papa and I will always be there for you.  You are such a delight and a pleasure to have as our granddaughter. We are grateful that we got to know you well from birth. Someone said that a granddaughter is a wonderful dream that never ends. 

Please know that my prayers are for your success,  happiness and good health always and remember that I always love you dear.   

Happy birthday!

XOXO, Nana. 

MY JOURNEY TO A BETTER HEALTH Part 1 of a series

How it all started: 

It was this recurring chest heaviness that doesn’t go away unless I burp that caused an episode.   On this first day of March, I couldn’t burp when I felt that heaviness and tightness again. This happened while I was halfway walking my daily 10,000 steps. 

I went home and I still couldn’t burp.  My husband gave me water and after a few minutes of rest, he took my BP: 190/85. 

The very next day I had blood tests

 that was prescribed earlier by my endocrinologist. I also underwent ECG as advised by our family doctor. 

Next move is to get an appointment with my endocrinologist  and a cardiologist.  I had to download an App to book an appointment on line.  My endocrinologist only do virtual consultations due to the pandemic. 

My son was anxious that my appointment with the endocrinologist is after 4 days and the cardiologist will only see me after 10 days. “Why the wait?”, he asked  “did you tell them your condition?”  

Of course I did, the reason for the appointment is part of the profile when I  booked an appointment.  But that’s the reality nowadays, specialists only see so many patients a day, you have to fall in line unless you go to the hospital emergency. 

Booking for tests and procedures works the same way; book for an appointment on line to get a patient reference number; then call a scheduler for a particular test/procedure like ultrasound, ct scan, BMD, thread mill, etc.  This is not easy, those stations do not answer.  After a few rings, I was advised to call again. 

This added to my stress, I have been on the phone almost the whole morning to confirm one test if I got lucky.  Most of the time I gave up to do that again the next day.  

The whole process of tests confirmation  and doctors consultation took two weeks. 

I have to say though that this episode on March 1st is a blessing in disguise and I have to thank The Lord for making it happen. It is a wake-up call that prompted me to seek medical help. 

It was not the Ides of March after all that caused all this but a reality; a challenge that I need to overcome with lifestyle adjustments.  I will focus on what I need to do to overcome this condition in the succeeding posts of this series. 

ON ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

This week, my journal on “The Things I Learn Everyday”, is  about acronyms and abbreviations.

 

I took time to find out what IMHO means when I  encountered it twice on a post of my FB friend.  I didn’t realize there was an earlier debate on whether H stands for “humble” or “honest”. 

The debate went on until Alexis C. Mdrigal of The Atlantic, saw a glossary from a 1986 PC magazine and found that IMHO stands for “In my humble opinion”. 

When I was introduced to texting early, early on, I didn’t understand some common acronyms used in informal internet lingo.  So every time my daughters used one that I didn’t understand, I asked.  Nothing wrong in asking rather than remain ignorant forever, right? 

Acronyms are coined from the first letters of a phrase or a title to form a word or a significant set of letters.  Relevant acronyms during this pandemic times are: 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Emergency Use Authorization (EUA); 

get the drift?   But there are exceptions, one is:  CUL, it means “see you later “. So it’s not only the initial letters that is being used, but also letters that sounds like a word. 

In the informal vernacular messages used by Filipinos; letters and numbers are combined to shorten a word but I wonder if they qualify as acronyms. 

22o reads totoo, meaning it’s true. 

L8 is late

This technique is used locally in sending  Short Message Service (SMS); see this is the way to use an acronym in formal writing:   Notice I wrote the full phrase first followed by the acronym. 

Have you heard about a mother who sent a text to her son about the sadden passing of an uncle.  In closing she wrote; 

“LOL, your Mom”. 

“Mom, why are you laughing?  Uncle passed”, son asked 

“Why?”, I said Lots Of Love”.  

Is this also debatable?  

When I was young and goes around the cemetery on all saints day;  there is that standard “RIP” written on graves.  My friends used to say “Return If Possible”. 

Grammar dictates not to confuse acronyms with abbreviations.  Abbreviation is a shortened version to represent the whole; common of which are: St. for street,

 Ave. for Avenue, 

cm for centinter, 

in. for inches, 

Dr. and Prof. but Atty is an acronym,which  means “a thousand thank yous”. 

Do you know this acronym?

HHOK,  “ ha ha, only kidding”! 

JOURNAL OF NEW THINGS I LEARN EVERYDAY

Two months passed and I’m wondering how everyone is doing about their new year’s resolution or whatever they resolved to pursue this year.  We all know that interest wane after a month or two.  Some resolve even fall apart just as they started. 

I think I have a good start, maybe even great and I feel I can do this and won’t lose interest.  

It dawned on me to log new things that I learn everyday.   Never old enough to learn, right?  

They could be in the form of:

-ordinary life lessons that appeal to me;  

-quotes that are great to live by; 

-idioms or expressions I can use; 

-words  whose  meaning I cannot understand when they stand alone 

-internet lessons that will keep me cyber-up-to-date. 

Here are a few I’d like to share though, I already logged a lot. 

I learned to use a QR code on my iPhone.

That's a good one, right?   Now I feel confident bringing out my iphone when I enter establishments using QR code instead of signing on their logbook.   

Here are some quotes:

From Predident Joe Biden: 

“Failure at some point in your life is inevitable, but giving up is unforgivable.”  Who knows when I’ll hit a rough patch and this will give me courage?

“Somewhere along the course of life, we will learn about ourselves more and realize that there should never be regrets but life-long appreciation of the choices we made. ” - from a post of my friend Nina. 

Here’s top favorite quote, a copy was always under the glass top of my office desk 

“The Lord is my Pacemaker”  

by Tobi   Miyashina. You can google this, a great one to live by. 

“In almost every aspect of life we can manage our risk but not in love; it is all or nothing. It is absolute bliss or total devastation”   -

 I got this from a novel I read but I can’t recall the author. 

Here are some of the few words I learned; words that are easy to understand when used in a sentence within paragraphs because I can grasp the idea but not when they stand alone. 

Now I am confident to use them in sentences; as my grammar teacher used to say: new words learned become “words at your command”.  

Wait, did I just use an idiom? 

Smidgen - /smijin/  - A small amount of something.  

Interloper - /in(t)er lo par/ - A person who become involved in a place or situation that he is not wanted or is considered not to belong.

Doozy- /dooze/  -something outstanding or unique. 

Gnarly- /narle/  -difficult, dangerous, challenging 

Here are some expressions and idioms new to me:

“On tenterhooks”- means, waiting nervously for something to happen. 

“The whole kit and caboodle” - means a collection of things. 

“The world is your oyster”  means being able to do anything you want because you have the opportunity to do so either through talent, looks, luck, power or money. 

There are more new words in my journal but I feel this will suffice for now and you get the idea.  Do I sound like grammar teacher?  You be the judge. 

LAGOM LIFESTYLE

I recently read about Lagom, pronounced:  “La-gum”,  a Swedish word meaning “just right” - “not too much, not too little”.   It is a balanced lifestyle when we live according to our values and priorities. 

To live lagom,  we need to evaluate the way we live; examine each and every aspect to check if we are living “just right”.   How do we keep our homes?  How do we manage the kitchen?  Do we practice minimalism?  Simple living? Frugality?  Hopefully, a balanced life. 

Lagom means natural.  I have no problem with that as I prefer using real plants to decorate like dried flowers twigs and leaves and I use more wooden furniture. 

Lagom means our home is in order; minimal fixture, no clutter.  As Marie Kondo often reminders us, let’s keep only what are useful and what makes us happy. That way, it is also easier to clean and to keep in order. The idea here is to create a place where we can relax and destress and enjoy our home. 

Lagom means frugal. It doesnt mean having less. To me frugality means choosing what is practical and less expensive without sacrificing satisfaction, comfort and quality.    It is spending less on some items in order to have extra money on things that matter most. 

Lagom eliminates wastage; let us shop and cook only what is enough for the family.  If it is a  favorite dish,  cook more and  freeze in batches for future meals, thus saving fuel and effort. 

 We can try switching our diet eating more plant-based food.  When buying cooked food, take out or otherwise, let  us order only what is enough; we should not feel ashamed to split orders for two people to share as most orders are hefty anyway. 

Lagom favors the environment. It encourages repair, recycle and reuse, including segregation.  It saves the Earth for future generations. 

If we try living lagom, we save money if we are mindful of using power and water efficiently.   It is such a waste if we keep lights and fans on when not in use.  My son  said he cringed when he saw someone at the golf course bathroom let water flow while brushing his teeth. 

There are many more ways to live lagom as anyone can think of.  We ourselves will find more ways as we go along.  Practise will eventually turn into a habit. 

I’m sure that most of us are already living lagom in the way that suits our lifestyle. However having developed life-long habits would be a challenge,  but by being mindful about it all the time, we can succeed. 

THE NEW NOTEBOOK

This is not a sequel of “The Notebook” ,the best-selling novel of Nicholas Sparks.  This is just a regular notebook that could be used as a planner or journal. 

Every new year all of us get a new planner or a new notebook; others get so much more than one.   We feel excited and we take time to decide  how best to use them. 

On the flip side, you may argue that you do not need one; “I’ll use my phone, I prefer to go paperless”.   Of course that is always an option.  But isn’t it more exciting to hold that beautiful notebook; run your fingers over those soft blank sheets? 

It maybe great to make a family recipe notebook out if it.  Or will you use it as it is meant to be; a planner where you log your plans, appointments and other work-related matters?  Shall you use it as a personal journal, as in a diary? 

Actually we can do all that and more because we usually get more than one and its a pity to leave those beautiful pages blank.  We just have to decide which ideas will best suit our lifestyle. 

Every year, I add one to my notebooks. Most of my journals maybe called “perpetual” because they don’t expire.  I continue  to log my notes as there are ideas or info warranting documentation.  I also intend to add more and revise, customize and improve what I already have. 

Health-medical history notebook-

A priority for a senior like me especially that we feel new aches and pains everyday. Doctor’s appointments,  test results, medical prescriptions, maintenance medicine are vital info needing reminders. 

Notebook for expenses-

 I log all my expenses; those that are paid in cash and another for those charged to my credit card.  This comes in handy because I  like to stick to a budget. I also use my list to cross check those that come out of my credit card bill. 

Locator notebook- 

I list where I keep important items. This saves time to find them or just to assure me that I did not misplace them.  However, this year I intend to include a diagram of where exactly things are located. 

Recipe and meal planning- 

a) Family recipies from my Mom and mother-in-law. 

b) For daily meals and special dinners. This is useful when I’m running out of meal  ideas. I have on log what I served some Christmas dinners ago.

Personal info notebook-

Passwords,usernames email addresses, membership and  ID numbers. 

Book on Birthdays- 

Birthdates of people that matter to me. 

This year I’m adding four notebooks: 

Reading list-

I’ll list all the books I read and their authors.  I intend to include a list of favorite blogs and articles. 

Blog notebook-

Although all my blogs could be accessed on icloud, I still want to go through them written down. I may put my comments as to why I’ve written them. 

Quotes and affirmations -

Though I remember some quotes occasionally; now I’ll log all my favorite quotes, bible passages and inspirational phrases.  This is a great tool to go to when I need inspiration while going through a rough patch or when i need to lift my spirits. 

New-Things-I-Learned-Today journal. 

This is what I’m so enthusiastic about.  I already made a few notes. They will be in my next blog. 

Actually there are as many journal topics that you can think of; the ideas are endless.  We also do not need to wait for the New Year to start one. 

So good luck and wishing you joy in filling up those new and  lovely pages. 

HOW TO REGAIN SELF-MOTIVATION WHEN YOU LOSE IT

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Motivation has become a by-word in recent years; it being one of the most sought-after mindset.  Without it, we are unproductive; our work is mediocre because we cannot function fully.  Why do we sometimes lose our motivation?

Could it be that we are over-whelmed with numerous distractions all around that prevents us to focus on one specific thought at a time?  

Think of this, when I open a blog, advertisements pop up before I could even open the first paragraph;  thereafter pop-ups appear in almost every paragraph.  

When I open the news, other topics come up as well; some ads are even blinking that they easily catch my attention.  When I go back to the former news, sonetimes I lose my train of thought that I can’t even recall what it was all about. 

What should we do when we lose our groove?  How do we regain our motivation?    Experts say that we should learn to keep our focus on that one thought we want to pursue and be determined not to entertain any other thought or idea but dwell only on our goal. 

Over-whelmed with numerous tasks and you don’t know where to begin?  Make a to-do list and prioritize; try to tackle the easy ones first to give you a feeling of accomplishment and be encouraged to go on. 

However there are times when nothing is easy. You are in the brink of giving up what you started because nothing seems right.  You are stuck and you are wasting time.  Can you relate? 

Don’t think that only you experience this lack of motivation.  Even famous writers go through the so-called writer’s block.  They, along with other artists alike often need a “muse”; someone to inspire them to start their creative juices flowing again. 

A change of scenery may spark creativity or solve a problem. You can leave your home office and sit on the coach or sip tea in the balcony or garden.  Most people suggest that the best place to get good vibes is the coffee shop.  Go work out your problem there, it maybe busy and noisy as it often is but they say that there is a lot of energy going around there. 

You want solitude or privacy?  Then get on the move, go for a run or a walk.  Fresh air is invigorating and exercise often stimulates the mind.  When I walk, I get ideas out of the blue. 

Not employed but a housewife who can’t get things done but tired?  Everything seem  too hard or boring?  Then a change of environment or routine may do the trick; it could give you a different perspective.   Go have lunch with friends; get a mani-pedi; go window shopping, better yet buy new shoes. 

Fond of gardening?  Grow your own veggies.  Cultivate flowering plants; flowers are known as uppers thats why they are often brought to sick people.  They  bring brightness and cheer all around.   I love my flower garden, it is always a delight to go and look how beautiful and colorful my new bougainvilleas are. During the day, I am often lured to see the garden. 

Start a notebook for affirmations and quotes to boost inspiration so you have something to turn to when you feel so low and unproductive. 

Not one of the  above works?  Someone suggests to do a self challenge; do a 7-day challenge doing something consistently.  Chances are it becomes a habit that easily incorporates in your routine. 

I am a homemaker and after I retired and sold my store; I thought life would be boring.  But I plan interesting things to look forward to after my chores. 

I look forward to relax and read, catch up with news, watch tv, write my blog and even watch a movie. These activities are what motivates me to finish my chores. 

Whether we are employed or not, we need motivation and inspiration to function fully.   The new year is often the time when we decide to improve our lives.  And as we purge the challenges of the past year; we need motivation to meet our new goals; to keep us on track and stay in our game. 

The following image was borrowed from the “300 + quotes to reach your potential in 2019”.

THE MAGIC OF THE THREE KINGS (A childhood memory)

 

As we celebrate the Epiphany,  the feast of The Three Kings, childhood memories are awakened in me.   

After I got my gift from Santa Claus, I still anticipated the coming of The Three Kings. 

My older brother and I used to put our shoes with our socks on them by the door so they would be accessible for the Three Kings to get to them. 

For Christmas we got  what we wished for; we sent our letters to Santa via the postal service.  But we had no wishes from the Three Kings since they usually give us money, coins and lots of coins!!  

One morning though, I was surprised to see my older brother’s sock full of colored marbles.  I guess, the Three Kings knew that he was fond of playing with them during that time.  Though he got coins too, but I got more since i didn’t get marbles. The Three Kings are fair.  

When I got older, I realized that he already knew the magic of the Three Kings but they gave him anyway since his socks were there. 

Every Three Kings morning, after I get my coins I looked out down the street and I always saw three men wallking away and it always looked like they just left our home.  

From my recollection, i must have seen this for at least three consecutive years and the three men always looked the same. My belief must have been so strong that it manifested in my imagination.  

I don’t recall why I did not continue this practice with my children. This is one of my many regrets as a parent; and I have a lot. 

From today’s homily of Fr. Tito Caluag on his online mass, he made a parallel  between the star of Bethlehem guiding the path of the Three Kings to Jesus to that of our lives guided by the same star to do good always. 

He also couln’t forgeta poster in the seminary that says: “we may not reach the stars but they are always there to guide us”, 

This new year, may we be guided by the Star of Bethlehem always.