Typhoon Ondoy

International Name: KETSANA
The Date: September 26, 2009

I'm still overwhelmed by the extent of the damage that Ondoy has caused. People have died... many were left homeless as they were ravaged by the flood. As of this moment, many are still waiting to be rescued.

this floodwater is waist-deep.
our antique narra sofa can be partially seen floating here.

that's another cabinet floating around.

I'm just thankful that we have a 2nd floor in our house. We still had a dry spot to rest in and space where we moved the ref, and some other appliances that may be damaged by water.
It had been the worst (and hopefully the last) flooding i've ever seen in my life.

My prayers for the less fortunate victims of Ondoy who were left homeless, for those still waiting to be rescued, and for those who died in this calamity.

Please pray for them, too.

Flowers

Happen to pass by Dangwa on my way home. The jeepney driver was taking detours and shortcuts to avoid heavy traffic jam. So there i was, sitting inside the vehicle looking out the window, taking in all the sights and sounds of the busy street brimming with flowers and people haggling with the vendors.

Looking at the flowers, i began to get lost in my thoughts. I remember ninang's flowers, which i took home and adorned our little grotto for a couple of days. I remember the last time i had flowers on my desk at the office. I remember that one time i took home some mums bought form Tagaytay, which died after a week (maybe because i didn't have a green thumb?). I remember the orchids that papa was able to grow and the pretty white flowers that bloomed under his care.

And before my thoughts went any farther...i let out a sigh to get me back to my reality.

I just thought, if i wanted flowers, i'll buy them myself.
;)

Block off

No work. No classes. No pesky phonecalls. No clients to accommodate. I am on official leave today. Bwahahahaha! After all, i still am entitled for a birthday leave, you know!

Nope, i didn't have a party. I figured it was a nice day to do the laundry. It was a sunny day with some wind. Very good combination!

By afternoon, i was store-hunting in Quiapo with my cousin and we were lucky enough to find what we were looking for. Looked like i hit a goldmine. I was looking for curing salt for my hamonado, but the store also had baking ingredients (choco bars, powdered chocolate, colored sugar, candy sprinkles, etc) and materials for packaging... oh it was wonderful!

I ended up buying not just the curing salt. I also got candy sprinkles and the cellosheet -plastic wrappers- for future use (to wrap my brownies with).

Yeah, talk about being lucky.
;)

and the name was Frank

Public storm signal #3 is up in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces and cities.

Last night, i had a hard time falling asleep because of the strong gust of wind (yup, one can hear the "blowing" sound of it) and the disturbing sound of house's roofs that one would think they will be blown away any moment. I was paranoid that i might wake up in our 2nd floor room sans the roof!

Then i remember this parody of a tagalog Christmas song i used to hear as a kid (and yeah, i'm also guilty of singing this tune):

Tuwing sasapit ang bagyo
Lumilipad ang mga yero...

+ + +

I got up by lunchtime and looked outside to see that the street was already flooded. Thank God it didn't reach inside the house as it usually does when a heavy downpour occurs.

But when i read the news today, oh boy! (hehe! Beatles!) hundreds of families were displaced by floods in Metro Manila.

Typhoon Frank (international codename: Fengshen) left a significant portion of Metro Manila flooded, leaving several thoroughfares impassable to traffic and people, and displacing some 850 families from their homes.

I'm more fortunate than them. And yet i sometimes complain about the house being flooded from inside the bathroom! I should be thankful that i'm still in our house.... and blogging about it.... with all the usual homely comforts that an evacuation center cannot provide.

'nuff said.

+ + +

One Fine Day...

Snaps from my Saturday morning jog!

Morning has broken...

Approaching the Jumbo Kingdom Floating Restaurant...

Closer shot

Sunbathing?

Today's catch...
A lifetime of togetherness...

walking by myself from the office

7:30 PM

Passed by the chapel but its huge doors were already closed. So i just uttered my thanksgiving prayer while i walked towards the covered walkway near Finance Building. The leaves of the trees were rustling and i felt the cool December wind blowing when i reached the open space of the compound. I closed my eyes for a while and inhaled deeply, feeling the wind on my face. I thank God for moments like that.

Out on the street, past the intersection, towards the other streetcorner where fruit vendors were lined up beside one another. My nose was pleasantly bombarded y the smell of mandarin oranges. I would've bought some to bring home but my hands were already full.

Colorful lanterns were hung everywhere. Christmas lights dance before my very eyes to the tune of "Jingle Bells". Loudspeakers in front of the beauty parlors fill my ears with Christmas songs. I smiled a little smile. But it was my heart that smiled the widest.

The night was brighter. And despite the cold weather, I have this warm feeling inside me that makes me feel good. It's telling me that things are gonna get better. I was happy.

I never noticed these things before when i walked these streets with somebody. And during the first few weeks when i had no choice but to walk by myself, i was always afraid and in tears. But lately, i'm getting the hang of it.

The night was brighter. The sounds were clearer. The mood was lighter. Everywhere i turn, the things i see make me thank God for the small but meaningful things around me.

Every smile i see was greeted back with a smile. But it was my heart that smiled the widest.

;)

Weekend Run

I said i'm gonna do it again, and so i did!

Nevermind that my feet was tortured by the killer boots yesterday. Nothing's gonna stop me from this now. Except maybe the rain but hey, there's such a thing called treadmill at my aunt's place so i have no reason not to pursue this newfound addiction that i have. ;P

Unlike last week, there are no special attractions today. (I wonder if we broke Ireland's record for the most number of dancers gathered in a dance routine? We'll see about that later.) But today we have a new addition to the bunch!

Si Apple! She's my aunt's niece (in her husband's side, so she's not my cousin) and my younger sister's batchmate in gradeschool. So, y'all can say we're not pretty close (with the age gap and the fact that we rarely see each other) and as usual, my introversion gets in the way.

All throughout the drive to Luneta Grandstand, we were silent at the backseat, laughing occasionally when my uncle cracks a joke or tells a funny story about his younger days. All throughout the drive i was thinking of a good opening for a conversation or at least some small talk. I was telling myself go ask anything! It's gonna be almost 2 hours of walking and jogging and it's pretty damn awkward to act as if you don't know each other.

So i started with a simple how do you do?. And that made the ball rolling. It may not be a very engaging conversation filled with profound words, but at least i got her talking! The whole 2-hour session was fun. We did three rounds at the CCP Main Building ramp and even made fun of the group of guys who passed us by.

We stopped by the market before going home, and while my aunt and uncle do their shopping, Apple and i stayed in the car and talked while we wait for them. Aside from a few silent moments, we were alright. We made fun of some campaign posters of candidates for the barangay elections, we talked about places we've been in and places we wish to explore, and shared some commute bloopers. We were laughing until it was time to go home.


= = =


Now i'm thinking. She was another person who saw my extrovert side--my crazy side. Most of my relatives' and neighbors' (people outside work and school) impression about me is i'm a shy, straight A and boring type of person. It's only just recently that i have let them see my extroverted side.

Most people think i'm a weird person because i got accelerated in gradeschool and i took up psychology in college (close to being untouchable). Well, i can be weird sometimes (we all have our quirks) but i can be fun, too!

When people meet me the first time, people think i'm a chinita snob. But i'm not. Most times, i'm just quietly assessing the other person and also thinking of a good line to start a conversation. Or maybe there were instances when i didn't notice the other person when i'm walking on the street coz i'm so focused on getting to my destination (or maybe i was deep in my thoughts!).

I'm not perfect. I'm not an all-knowing person. I can be slow sometimes. I'm not a chinita snob.

So next time you see me, go ahead and say hi. Make your presence known when you see me walking down the street. As long as i don't get rubbed the wrong way, i won't bite. And you might just see the sweetest chinita smile you've never seen before that could add some more sunshine to your day.

= = =

Have a great weekend!

Malaya kang gumalaw!

(Translation: You're free to move)

I've decided to tweak my weekend routine by doing some walking/jogging with my aunt and uncle. It's one of the many things I've put on my to-do list after picking up from my last episode. I've closed up another chapter, so it's just fitting to do a different number this time.

The route was to go around the field in front of the Luneta Grandstand and then proceed towards the CCP Complex. Once there, go up the ramp in front of the main building and then back to the Grandstand.

follow the yellow line

up the ramp, then down to the other side

Seen along the way:

one of the many groups doing aerobics along Roxas Boulevard

participants to the Anlene Movement

i envy her long and slender legs ;P

The change of scene was a breath of fresh air (figuratively and literally). Temperature was just right but the 1.5 hours of walking and jogging was more than enough for me to break up a sweat. Lots of it!

I went home feeling a bit lighter. Nevermind the tired legs and sore feet coz it's part of doing it the first time. The pain will go away. I wanna do it again next week!

'Til next Saturday then!

Friday Night-out

As if the feast during the birthday celebration wasn't enough, the girls headed to SM Mall of Asia for some Chinese food for dinner. I was reluctant to join them because i'm subjecting myself (once again!) to less food intake during nighttime. Plus, it was really a special dinner meeting for the doctors who have just graduated from our deployment program. We were just dragged into it.

But it turned out to be a different night. It was filled with laughter, funny stories and conversations about anything and everything. One of the doctors even made a joking remark about the alleged Glorietta 2 bombing.

Finally went home a little more happy, and stuffed! But then, i gained double the calories i burned during the previous afternoon. I'm really getting fat fast. Must.do.something.

More Surprises

I know i said i love surprises. But definitely not this kind of surprise:

Thick black smoke from a fire
less than a hundred meters away from our house

And i still had the time to take a pic! A neighbor was amused that it was a camphone that i got my hands on during that time and on a similar incident. Others would've taken their most important belongings, but then, the fire was really not that near so we need not panic that time.

I can still hear Ted's voice in my head when he once said that i should've been a reporter--perhaps a news photographer--coz i seem to get a kick out of covering what's happening around me.

Well, I myself am surprised at how "brave" i could get, taking pictures and videos of such events.
Goes to show that you never really know what you're capable of doing unless you really do it.

= = =


I gave her food, i gave her water. I held her gently and ushered her to her cage. All i wanted was a night's sleep without her hogging the bedspace, or running around and stepping on my fat belly.
But i realized, too late, that i shouldn't have messed with a cat in heat.

good thing she didn't bite

Yeah, that's how it is, taking care of living things. At least, Mae, yours don't have sharp claws.

;)

Life's Little Surprises

Showed up at work today wearing a skirt. Like last time, i got people talking. The office people are so used to see me wearing slacks or jeans during washday.

they never thought i could put this number on

Surprise, surprise! It's not even a washday. It felt like a Friday though coz tomorrow's a holiday (end of Ramadan for our Muslim brothers and sisters), so i put on my Friday-best. Besides, i didn't have a pair of jeans or slacks available as i brought them to the laundromat last night.

So folks, if you see me again wearing girly clothes, you already know why.

Obiwan kept looking at me from head to toe (lingering from the waist down) telling me i should wear girly clothes more often as it looks so good on me.

"Aww, shut up" I said while wiping drool off his chin.

;P

= = =

I had the office people pleasantly surprised, but i was in for a shock before that on my way to work.

Good thing i followed my instincts and had quick reflexes that time, or i wouldn't be blogging for quite a long time.

Someone up there really loves me still.

To the driver of that white SUV (not really sure if it was a CRV coz things happened so fast), perhaps you need to have your eyes checked. Or go back to kindergarden coz obviously, you don't know the difference between red and green. YOU SUCK, BIG TIME!

= = =

This time around wasn't as awkward as the previous one, albeit brief. But thanks for staying a little while longer.

The question still dangles in my head though, as i listen to my Rivermaya mp3 collection at 1am (it's Friday already): "What could be wrong kaya?"

You said you have under-estimated me. I say I have over-estimated you.

But you said I haven't seen the best part yet.

OK, surprise me.

I love surprises.
;P

Out with the Old...

The good old fusebox.

Like our antique narra furniture, this is one of the things in our house that's older than me. I grew up seeing that box which somehow gives me a sense of safety whenever i pull down its rusty lever way back in the years of almost day-long blackouts.

This box was the first thing i rushed to when electrical cables in our street exploded and almost broke into a fire.

Since the day i learned what the box is for and since the day i was tall enough to reach it, i have designated myself to check on it whenever an electricity-related incident or emergency arises.

I have shared so many adrenaline-pumping moments with that box.

But yesterday, we had the house rewired and the fusebox had to be replaced by a circuit-breaker.

Ladies and gentlemen, good ol' fusebox has left the building.

;P

Circle

Yesterday had been a long day.

It rained nonstop early in the morning and brought floodwater inside the house, so I had to call up at work to tell them I couldn't make it. But they said the competition must push through and they can't perform without me.

So an hour before the event, I was at the office in a flash (faster than the flash flood that washed our living room floor). Now I usually am a lucky girl but by 1 pm, the President declared work suspension. That automatically meant postponement of the competition.

Talk about being lucky.

Oh well! It meant more time for us to practice.

By 4pm my energy was pretty much spent but the girls were raring to see a movie and tagged me along. The mall was packed with students and working-class people who opted to drop by and pass the time before going home.

ticket line

the movie poster

A Love Story was about, well, a love story! It had its twists and some flashback scenes that tricked the audience on who plays what role. I don't wanna spoil it for those who haven't seen the movie yet. So I will say no more. ;p


= = =


Then I went home and found out my grandfather has just been called back by the BIG BOSS.

Lolo was a war veteran. He rubbed elbows with the late Ferdinand Marcos (former Philippine president) during their guerrilla days. He had been blind since I was a little girl. He's seen so much. Done so much.

He died in his sleep. He was 89 years old.

Pahinga na 'Lo.

= = =

I still went to work today though for the staff meeting. Plus the office people prepared a little something for the August celebrants.

August babies: me + miss E + Manny (now you know why we're pretty close)

Aside from a few close colleagues, they didn't know what lies behind that smile.


= = =

Kinda mixed up right now. In the middle of a whirlwind of emotions - at one point happiness (still from my birthday), then grief (for lolo's death), frustration, relief.

But one thing is for sure: that whatever phase we are in, whatever we are facing right now, the show must go on.

Life goes on.

Damsel in Distress

People were already going home a few minutes after the Chief declared work suspension by 4pm due to the heavy rains and flooding. But I had to stay for a few more hours to practice the steps for next week's presentation. The group planned to practice today but I was looking forward to go home already as I don't wanna get stranded on my way. They caught me by a phonecall. I should have ignored it when the office phone rang, coz it was closing time anyway. My bad. So I had no choice but to join the practice since it was still raining hard.

By around past six, we finally packed it up. It was already dark outside and it was still raining a bit. Plus, I was on my own because all my officemates have gone earlier. Jeepneys were cutting the trip just to avoid the flooded areas. I had to walk some more to get to my next jeepney terminal.

So there I was. The moment I never wished for, but it was already happening. The flood water was knee-high. Murky, dirty water with a lot of what-nots floating in it. My pants and platform shoes were soaked in the flood as I half-waded towards the next terminal. The umbrella was then used as a cane to guide me as I take baby-steps to avoid open manholes and excavations on the road.

Finally, I was walking in the street of my own neighborhood. Wet, tired, and cold. I hugged my jacket tighter for warmth, and tried to suppress a sob that threatened to escape from inside me.


I was thinking to myself, "So this is what it feels like."

Hours ago, J texted me that he wouldn't be able to come to the office to accompany me home. I know he wouldn't let me walk in flooded streets. Or he would not let me walk alone if we really can't help walking in it.

But my superman's got fever. So I walked by myself.

on death and dying

Tita came home today without the usual funfare

She was particularly silent, not her usual gay self

No high pitched laugh, no American twang

We should be all smiles upon meeting her

but we were all crying.

We missed tita so much and now she's home

But what should be a happy reunion

is now a sad family gathering

Tita came home today

for the Lord has finally called her.

She is home indeed.

(Tita died July last year. We had her babang-luksa yesterday)

= = =

Now why would I be writing about death and dying?

Well, for one, we had just commemorated my aunt's death anniversary yesterday. Here in the Philippines, we have this custom we call babang-luksa. Literally, it means we stop mourning a year after the death of a loved one or family member. Elderly women lead the prayers, then lunch or snacks are served depending on the time of the day the family preferred the ritual done.

After I had my snack, I went to St. Lazarus Shrine for the anticipated mass. Afterwhich the choirmaster told us that we'll be singing for a funeral mass nearby which will be officiated by our parish priest.

On my first year of being a church choir member, I was usually making up excuses not to come with the choir to sing on funeral mass. The thing is, even if I am not related to the departed, seeing the family members left behind mourning makes me cry so easily. It took some time before I could go with the choir and be able to concentrate on singing rather that absorbing the mourners' loss and having a sob fit. Well that's how weird I am.

The homily went on like: we should not view death as an enemy and we should not be afraid of death.

I once read from a book by Leo Buscaglia that those who scream loudest from their deathbeds are those who have not lived fully. Perhaps they need to reconcile with other people--to forgive or ask forgiveness themselves. Perhaps they are worried about those people they'd be leaving behind. Or perhaps they can't let go yet. The priest said we have to accept that we all die. Una-una nga lang.

It is often said that life is short so we should enjoy every moment of it. Savor every minute, every breath we take. After seeing quite a number of deaths (family members and those I know of) I am now consciously taking steps in enjoying this life God has given me. I may slack off once in a while, getting contented with living in the sidelines. But I constantly push myself to go out there, dive in the middle and play an active part in this big stage we are in. I may not land the lead role, but at least I tried. Better than nothing, isn't it?

No matter what role we play in life, may we always give it our best shot. I constantly remind myself those things whenever I see myself backsliding. I can say I am a work in progress.

Here's a nice thing to ponder on:
"When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a way that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice." -- Author unknown

Have a good day everyone and may we all live a full life.

Livewire!

The following pictures were shot last night during a near-fire incident in my neighborhood, just two houses away from our house.

This was the fourth time it happened in a month, and i hope this is the last time i'll be seeing such horrifying things.

It started from the electrical cables outside which, people say that due to it's age, cannot hold the amount of current passing through it (overloaded), so it exploded and snapped. It nearly started a fire and threatened the lives of some neighbors.

After numerous phonecalls to the fire department and Meralco, volunteer firefighters came to the scene after a few minutes. They're always first to arrive in emergencies like this.

Two hours later, the servicemen from Meralco came at last. But it took them the whole night to assess and repair the damage and finally replace the old cables. Hopefully, after this, I could sleep peacefully at night and not be paranoid about fires occurring in my neighborhood.

the morning after...

As if nothing happened!

A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That....

Yesterday, i learned that the size of one's foot is proportionate to the circumference of his/her ring finger.

Hmm, made me remember the thing most Pinoys do when buying pants (jeans or otherwise). What most of us do (yes, I'm also one of "them") aside from checking out the pants size stated in the label, we hold up the the waist of the pants from both sides and try to fit it around our neck. I was once told that the circumference of the neck is proportionate to a person's waistline. Interesting!

So I tried researching for some more of the human body's surprising facts when it comes to proportionality. That's where Wikipedia comes in. What a cool source.

- - - - -

Meanwhile, ate G invited some people at the office to have lunch at her place. It was fiesta in her neighborhood last Sunday and she had the excess ingredients cooked up for us (too bad I wasn't able to take pics of the sumptuous feast). Although I've already had lunch with Ted, we happily obliged to ate G's request and sampled among others the very delicious spaghetti, the yummy garden salad, the tasty squid, and the sweetened nata de coco for dessert. It was kinda an eat-and-run thing coz we had to be back at the office by 1PM.

- - - - -

Back at the office, it rained hard yesterday just before closing time. Weather reports announced the first tropical storm that entered the Philippine area of responsibility was named Amang.

Typhoon Amang leaves RP

05/21/27 08:30 AM

Two days after being the first typhoon to enter Philippine territory this year, typhoon "Amang" (international codename: Yutu) left the country Sunday night, continuing to gather strength as it did so.
The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Amang was located 1,350 km east of Batanes as of 10 p.m. Sunday.
It said Amang now has a maximum sustained winds of 175 kph and gustiness of 210 kph, and was moving northeast at 22 kph.
Amang was expected to be 1,790 kms east northeast of Batanes by Monday night. - GMANews.TV

- - - - -

I really am not a big fan of rain. Especially because when the rainy days come, it also rains inside our bathroom. And why is that? Well, nakakita na ba kayo ng alulod sa loob ng banyo?

The house where I live in is kind of an ancestral house which belongs to my grandparents. It was a large house subdivided to accommodate the number of families (us and my father's siblings' families) who either opted to stick with the oldies or just can't have a place of their own due to financial constraints.

Unfortunately, our bathroom space is located between two high structures. When it's raining heavily, most of the rainwater go through our kitchen roof then to the bathroom roof and ends up in the gutter down to our bathroom drain.

So year after year, when the rainy season comes, it frustrates me that i couldn't crap in there without getting wet. We had to resort to bringing an umbrella inside the bathroom so we could do our "dirty business."

More frustrating is the fact that we need a considerable amount of dough to solve that problem. And even if Mom and I put our savings (if there's any) together, it's still not enough to do some makeover for the house.

- - - - -

But now that my sister is also working, my hopes are up that one day, we could do the much-needed overdue renovation to the old house, starting from the bathroom. Then perhaps, we could pick up from there. We've got plans for the house and I'm hoping that little by little, and with some help from sis, we could make it feel more cozy and homey. It may not look like a dream house, but then, that's a different story.

- - - - -

With a little bit more of patience and hard work, one's dreams can come true.

Yes, sweetie, good things come to those who wait. Pana-panahon lang yan!

Today...

The car and the passenger jeepney were blocking half of the street where I pass by everyday.

closer view of the damage

Good thing I left home early for work. ;)

- - -

Anyway, I'm going back to my aerobics-taebo session today at 8am. I'm looking forward to losing a little of these flabs in my body. I know it would take a great amount of time and effort, considering the extent to which my once not-so-hot-but-looking-okay body became im-so-not-fit-and-not-okay frame. But more than my wish for a leaner body, doing this exercise jumpstarts my working day and gives me another reason to be happy. (Exercise releases happy hormones)

But then i guess, being happy doesn't necessarily need a reason. Or does it?

Nah, just stay happy folks! And have a great day ahead.

Another Day....

Wednesday

Had dinner with the St. Lazarus Choir at Aristocrat. I didn't intend to stuff myself that night because I was once again subjecting myself to diet+workout to lose the flabs I have acquired over a couple of months. But our former chaplain, who is now based in the US, was in town so I figured: what's wrong with a night of kwentuhan over dinner with good friends?

I gave in. I just told myself, "well Tsiki, Thursday naman bukas. You'll be burning those calories at aerobics class tomorrow."

Thursday

I did burn those calories through one hour of aerobics and tae-bo. You folks might say "good for you." I even skipped the usual office merienda of cholesterol-laden fishballs, squidballs, chicken balls (gosh, what other kinds of balls will they think of next?) and opted to snack on some pears. Healthy diba?

Ayos na sana but nagkayayaan ang Training Girls to have dinner at Lola Ely's. It's a homey and charming place where everyone can just go and enjoy the food without burning a hole in their pockets. I swear, their chicken barbecue is worth the almost 10-minute walk to their place (located at the corner of Bambang and Felix Huertas Streets in Sta. Cruz) from our office. At least I get to burn a little more calories before devouring Lola Ely's heavenly specialty.

Another 10-minute walk to reach my jeepney terminal to go home. But leisurely done this time while talking with my supervisor. Non-work stuff. We split up at the corner of Oroquieta & Malabon Streets and I proceeded to walk the remaining 3 minutes to my terminal. All the way home, I was thinking....

Twice a week of aerobics/tae-bo class; twice a week (average) of 15 to 20-minute run on the treadmill; a weekend of doing chores. Not bad.

In the span of three years, I have never maintained my ideal weight for more than a month. It takes a lot of work for me to take off a few pounds, but it takes just a couple of days of impulse snacking (plus occasional heavy dinners) to gain it back (minsan doble pa!).

Next week, there will be no time for all of my workout sessions as I will be doing fieldwork. Too bad.

But then, there's always another day!