April 18 - Flowers: The Good and the Bad

photo by d2digital
I like flowers. In fact, there was a time when flowers were part of my weekly budget. Pag may occasion, lalo na. Pero yung inexpensive blooms lang, like mums, gladiola at saka-- anong tawag dun?-- yung purple or white or yellow na magandang gamitin for dried flower arrangements.

Anyway, my rich sister just hosted a big party at her house and opted to have flower arrangements galore as decor. When I say "galore", as in, joskoh! Ang daming bulaklak!

Now while we were just sitting there, amidst all the colorful flowers, someone said: "Amoy funeraria, 'no?" Ngak! (sniff-sniff) Oo nga.

So heto: will someone take note of this please pag mamatay na ako -- AYOKO NG SUPER DAMING FLOWERS SA AKING WAKE HA? Patay na nga, amoy patay pa. Just one on each side of my coffin, one on top and a couple of smaller arrangements sa ilalim will do. And then paki inform na lang the others na in lieu of flowers, please send donations na lang to our parish church. Okay?

Yun lang. And, ayoko rin ng Zesto ha? So funeraric.

April 17 - Ukay-ukay

After the outing and lunch at Kanin Club, we went to Oca's construction site in Sta. Rosa so he could have some work done. Sa second floor ng clinic that he's doing is an ukay-ukay store.

My finds for this trip:
1. Books galore -- three storybooks for Gobgob,one sci-fi book for Koko and two Winnie-the-Pooh books for myself (P35-P40 each)
2. Socks -- no, they're not used (P10 each)

Ang daming magandang sweaters. But why buy a sweater in this sizzling hot weather?

April 16 - Kulay Away

The company was divided into four teams and everyone competed in the different challenges set every week. May bowling, videoke, badminton and all sorts of parlor games during the outing.

Dyan mo makikita ang mga tunay na kulay ng tao. May sobrang competitive -- "It's all about winning!" May gusto lang mag-enjoy -- "It's just a game." At merong competitive, pero in a nice way -- "It's all about teamwork."

So, sinong nagwagi? Who cares? We all had a great time. We all won big bucks (even the losers did!) And we all got drunk.

April 15 - Selective Punctuality

Many times I go to the office, turn on my computer and FB while waiting for the people to come. Before I know it, 10 AM na. One by one, nagsisidatingan na ang mga tao.

Anyway, today is different. At a little past 7:00 AM, I was one of the last to arrive. Kasi company outing. Ganun?!

April 14 - American Junk, Pinoy style

photo by ms nis
Some people can't do without Doritos or Lays. Joskoday-- around P100 isang supot! Hindi naman siya nutritious.

Kung junk lang naman, Oishi na lang ako. Or Jack n Jill. Ang daming pagpipilian at a fraction of the cost!

Nandyan ang all-time favorites, walang kakupas-kupas na Chippy, Chiz Curls and Clover Chips. Basta yung mga original flavors nila. For Chippy, dapat yung pula. For Clover, dapat yung blue.

Kung gusto mo ng maanghang, may V-Cut. O kaya yung hot na Grower's peanuts (great with Coke lite!)

Need something for your sweet cravings? I love Oishi's Sponge Crunch and Choco Plunge! As in, yummy!

Other chicherya that I like: Piattos (cheese and pizza flavor, in particular), Nova (healthy pa, ek), Marty's (blue), Beer Match Salt and Vinegar, Nagaraya (yellow), Boy Bawang (chili cheese).

Now if you really like Lays and Doritos but don't have the budget for it, try any of Oishi's potato chips. They have a dozen flavors. May gourmet chips pa sila na around P40 lang. I think the closest thing to Doritos would be-- yung yellow orange ang packaging, starting with the letter T. Darn I forget the name.

O iyan ha -- Chicherya 101 in time for the summer outings!

April 13 - Brazilian Ka Dyan!

Sino bang nagpauso na maging hairless ang mga babae in certain parts of the body? Kainis siya. Kasama na rin yung nagpauso na dapat maputi ang kilikili.

Pero heto ako -- giving in to the dictates of society. So in time for the company outing on Thursday, siyempre I waxed myself clean.

Kaartehan ko, I do my waxing three ways. For the kilikili I use Epilin warm wax, kasi nothing else would do (except siyempre ang matalas na razor blade). For the legs, I use the No Hair Wax Kit -- this cold wax I won via a ruleta game sa Sta. Lucia (ang jologs!). For the bikini area (as if I wear a bikini) I use cream. Last year I used Body Natur, which was okay with me. But since it's no longer available in Watsons, I tried Veet. I think Veet is better.

So, will I ever go Brazilian? Ngak n'yo!

April 12 - One Oasis

photos from oneoasisland.com websiteOne Oasis is a medium-rise real estate development along Ortigas Extension. Amidst the squalor of Floodway are these residential condominium buildings with a resort-like ambiance.

Overheard conversation between two men in the bus, both looking in awe at One Oasis:
MAN1: Wow, ang ganda. Siguro ang ganda rin ng presyo. Pangmayaman.
MAN2: Sa probinsya, basta sementado bahay mo, tingin sa 'yo mayaman ka na.
MAN1: Lalo na kung may pintura!

Makalipat na kaya sa probinsya?

April 11 - Pork Sisid

photos from mares.com
Money or no money, I've decided to buy new snorkeling gear in time for the office outing.

Some things I learned from the saleslady:
1. Mares is a brand known for snorkeling gear. Other less expensive brands may not be as reliable in terms of quality
2. Look for gear that has no phthalates -- something manufacturers use to make plastic look like real silicon
3. Phthalates can cause skin allergies

I did some research and found out that phthalates have been found to have bad effects on our endocrine and reproductive systems. It also has some links to obesity. Ganun?!

Mas compelling reason yata yun kesa skin allergies. Anyway, my new gear doesn't have phthalates. Thank goodness! At least hindi ako tataba sa kaka-snorkeling, di ba?

April 10 - Galit sa Pera

Unlike before, we don't buy groceries anymore on a regular basis. Pag may pera, well and good. Pag wala, Oca just gives a small amount to the maid, enough for food for a day or two.

Anyway, today is one of those rare let's-do-the-groceries day. And say -- aside from the groceries, bumili pa ang hubby ng rice cooker (nasira ng mimay ang aming rice cooker for the nth time!). Plus, two boxes of GSM Blue for the employees' summer outing.

Thought balloon naming dalawa on our way home: naku, baka isipin ng mga maid -- "Mayaman ngayon si sir. Maka-bale nga."

Thank goodness hindi naman sila bumale.

Actually, that's a thought that has come across my mind many times already. Parang nakaka-guilty to spend on yourself tapos pag humingi ng tulong ang iyong employees, tatanggihan mo.

Pero naman -- can't we be galit sa pera once in a while?

April 9 - My Divi Reunion

It's been quite some time since I last went to Divisoria. Just over a year ago, when I was the purchaser of supplies for the parlor, I used to go there at least once a week.

Went there to buy uniforms for our office outing. There's a lot of demolition and construction going on pala. Good to see progress, 'no? Pero baka naman magtaasan ang presyo ng items sa Divisoria! Baka mawala ang charm.

If you ask me, what Divi really needs is serious cleaning. The streets aren't just dirty, they're grimy. The esteros are filthy. And the street vendors -- wipe them out, please! Unfair competition na siya to legitimate store owners. Ang hirap pang mag move around with them hogging the streets.

April 8

April 7

April 6

April 5

April 4

April 3 - Black Saturday

When I was young, pag Good Friday, there's always the Station of the Cross around the village. May kasamang procession yun at taun-taon, pahaba nang pahaba ang ruta n'ya.

Come Easter Sunday naman, there's the Salubong. In the wee hours of the morning, the images of the Virgin Mary and the Risen Christ would meet at some point. The highlight of the event would always be the angel lifting Mama Mary's veil. Every year, may bagong contraption or gimmick na maiisipan ang simbahan. And every year, the spectators, especially the kids, would watch in awe.

In between these two major events in the Christian world is Black Saturday. In Christmas terms, this is actually Christmas eve. There's a very lengthy mass around 9or 10 PM, which even my very pious mom rarely attends.

In my family right now, there's nothing much. Well, Oca's busy with a project. The kids -- wala lang. Medyo in pain because of sunburn. Ako, facebook, games, TV... would've baked pero kulang sa ingredients.

What a Blah Saturday.

April 2 - Accidental Penitensya

How do you sacrifice when you're on vacation?

Well, this morning we didn't eat the can of tuna that we bought for breakfast. Pero kung tutuusin, wala lang kasing umeffort manghiram ng can opener from Aling Irene, owner of the resort.

We left the resort around lunch time. Our plan was to look for a place that sold packed lunch and have a picnic at Mt. Samat. Syempre wala kaming mahanap. Nalipasan na rin naman ng gutom, we just went ahead, saw the museum and even went up to the Dambana ng Kagitingan -- a huge cross monument -- on foot! May kataasan at kalayuan din yun.

Pagdating sa taas, we ate ice cream. Picture-taking. Wee-wee break din for D' Gob.

On our way home, we just dropped by one of the gas stations along NLEX for our lunch cum dinner. Yellow Cab has become a Good Friday tradition. Weird choice for a Good Friday meal. Nagsomekindafasting naman kami eh! Yah right...

April 1 - Visita A La Playa

We've been going to the beach every Holy Week for some time now (mga Hudyo!) Pero may somekinda penitensya rin naman kasi we never book a reservation. Kaya taun-taon, may dramang "There's no space for you at the inn."

The hubby kasi likes to go on unplanned outings. This year, the only things we decided on were:
1. We'll go north - Bagac. Bataan specifically
2. We'll bring baon, but only chicherya and drinks

Syempre pagdating namin doon, wala kaming matuluyan. We asked from the pinakajologs resort to the medyo jologs to the pangmayaman (Montemar). Lahat walang bakante!

Buti na lang, as we made a stop at the gas station, Oca came across a streamer of FLOEN resort. May number. He called and our luck -- may bakante. It took some time for us to find the resort. At least it was well worth it.

FLOEN is far from five-star. But at least it's relatively clean and not so crowded. We stayed in the caretaker's cottage, which is a nipa hut with very modest amenities. May isang kama na may kutson, dalawang electric fan, sariling banyo. Walang tiles, de buhos ang toilet, pero at least may tubig. Kung hindi ka maarte, pwede na rin.

The owner is Aling Irene, a charming lady with a very nice smile. Simple lang siya. Who'd ever think she owns vast tracks of land plus both the Shell and Petron gas stations sa bayan?

Oca and I decided tutularan namin si Aling Irene... pag yumaman kami. Yayaman pa kaya kami? Hamo, pagdarasal natin 'yan ngayong Semana Santa.

March 31

March 30

March 29

March 28

March 27

March 26

March 25

March 24

March 23

March 22

March 21

March 20

March 19

March 18