Birthday Is Food & All Those Little Things That Count; Happy Birthday, June Babies!

Today is the Feast of Saint John the Baptist. Also, my birthday. So, I'd be happy if someone can sing for me? I really can't stand my singing voice. Lol.

I decided today is going to be perfect. And, I really think it's important to say that to one's self upon waking up. I am honest to admit I'd been going through these last few days with painful constriction in my chest. It feels like I'm one curvy specimen of a girl who has to hide the evidence of my gender by binding my assets with layers of gauze and look like a man for some impossible mission. You've seen that in movies, don't you? Remember She's The Man (Amanda Bynes and Channing Tatum)? Only, it's a pain for entirely another reason. But no sob story today, sorry. We'll do that in another rainy day. Maybe. Lol.

The day has been so kind to agree with me with these following:

1. A nun greeted me "Happy birthday!" at the church.
Like any decent human being, I am (and always will be) grateful for the gift of life (yes, whether it sucks sometimes, still). Being a Catholic, it's tradition to make some thankful offering for another year we're blessed with. When I was younger I felt this was an obligation that I had to do without thought because it was just the way it was. But now, it's just different, it becomes a way of life to be always thankful.

The nun who took the paper where I wrote the reason for the mass offering (birthday) and who's offering (moi) was smart to figure out, from my name, that it's me who's having the birthday. So yeah, my name's a female version of St. John's. Don't get excited and think that because it's my birthday I'm going to make it easy. You can make a guess from these variations: Joan, Joanna, Joanne, Jean, Jeanne, Jenny, Jeannie, etc. When you get it, we'll have dinner, my treat. Lol.

2. Google greeted me with sweet treats.

There goes my initials.

3. I indulged myself with more sweets and pack of something sour and spicy.

So yes,

[1] I love vanilla ice cream.

[2] I like wheat something. That one above, one side's covered with chocolate. Double awesome.

[3] Birthday in the Philippines is celebrated with something long - noodles, spaghetti, you get the idea- for long life (also, long lie. lol. that one I stole from a friend). But I'm cheap I went for the instant kind instead of cooking from scratch.

4. My family in the island was celebrating with me. My mother was so thoughtful to tag me.

[1] That's the real deal with the veggies and pork/meat. (I mentioned above about the tradition of cooking food of something long on birthdays). That's pancit canton. 

[2] That's dinuguan. 

[3] Grilled pork.

No, the leashed dogs were not for the occasion. Ekkk. 

5. They're thoughtful to want me to gain weight.

To the June babies, I'm sharing these with you. Most importantly, I'm wishing you love, joy and peace of mind. Cheers! :)

She, With A Broken Heart

She is not going to take it sitting down.

Nor she is going to bury her head under her pillow and weary herself out by crying bitterly.

She is not shutting her pain down because she is a masochist, but because she has faith of a greater joy that will come after the pain and she wishes to appreciate and enjoy it for all it will be. She vows to make herself happier without you.

She will make the hole in her heart a start to make and do something good. No, better. And be better than ever before. And no, she will not do it with the hope of getting you back or making you fall in love with her again or more. But she will do it for the person who does not like to be stuck in the same place where you left her -- shattered and lonely.

She will live with the brokenness and slowly put herself back into place because it will help her lift others and be a testimony they too could make themselves whole again and be a better version of themselves. You only broke her heart. Never her spirit.

She may be lonely because she will miss the familiarity of you -- wit, sarcasm, lengthy conversations -- but that will not make her retreat into the dark corners of her room and drown in sorrow. That will make her seek out her friends and see the world and meet people instead. Perhaps, by leaving her, others will thank you for blessing and gracing them of/with her company.

For some reason, brokenhearted people develop eating problems. Either they binge, or they do not want to eat. She did the latter once before. But she vows that no matter how small the bites she will take and how long it will take her to bite and chew and swallow her food, she promises not to skip any meal. She swears to stay healthier and sexier than ever, for herself and for the next person who will take your place.

No, you will not hear her nagging or call you incessantly or stalk you. You never had her doing that before when you were, she sees no point of doing it now that you are over. You will not find her chasing you around. If there's one more thing she learns so well, it's to respect herself more.

She is not going to bitch you about it--whatever your reason/s for leaving her -- because that will be giving you the reason to believe you were right to leave her after all. She intends to prove you wrong and you will know about it - the woman she will become. But don't worry, she will not gloat. She will be gracious to wish you happiness still.

Remember this day that you give her up. You will realize, when you look back, she is, and always will be, the one that got away.


Note: Someone breaking up with you is not the end of the road. It's just a detour. Chin up. Be happy because you deserve it. Rock on, babes!

Words from Jamie Varon

Here are thoughts of wisdom from Jamie Varon (you can follow her on her Facebook page):

Doses of New York

Wow.

So, after 15 years, I finally got to watch Autumn in New York (gasp), starring Richard Gere and Winona Ryder. I do remember my friend, Siony, watching it but I forgot with who (I have a feeling she watched it with Jan, her friend since high school from UP High). She was a Gere-natic, while my obsession fascination with New York manifested years years years later, so there was no mutual connection there.

It was a typical movie. A story involving a rich and older (late 40's) bachelor who took pleasure in his indulgences with different women and never thought of the word LOVE. Well, not until he met a young woman who captured his attention and gotten involved with her. But there's a catch to the relationship. She's sick with only a year to live at most and he, being a person who avoided longer entanglements, only offered her the present, until the relationship ends.

With the way their relationship was going, she hoped love was already a part of the equation. That failed when she learned he had sex with his ex on the rooftop of his friend's house on a Halloween Party, while she was in a room telling stories to three beautiful little girls. She got mad, called it off and led her life. He, also led his life, but not handling it well, being miserable without her.

On cue, J. Jackson's Got Til It's Gone starts playing...

Gosh, watch my eyes rolling. 

Eventually, they got back together and sweeter than before with him, recognizing he's in love. They lived happier, until she collapsed, brought to the hospital, operated but was not able to be saved by the best heart surgeon and eventually died.

Sure it was a heart wrenching movie. One that guaranteed to make it at the box office, with people being people, i.e. romantic, who loved a love story and a happy ending (at least they tried).

What really drove home for me, was that he was clear from the beginning what he could offer her, the present of their relationship. He gave her the options to back away or get involve with him with no strings attached. See, there's no mistake and hope of forever. It's more realistic to me. No leading on from either parties. But then, when you decide to commit yourself to someone, you sign up for everything it will be, all the good and the bad, the present or the future. It's pretty much understood without verbally expressing it to just enjoy the moment. This is the part where we all go wrong, I think. And I will leave it at that. Lol.

So, besides the drama, the best part really was that it showed New York City. Woot. I fancy going there. Everytime I watched movies shoot in New York City, my heart just... FLIPPED. I have a feeling I am just really amazed with the crowd and can you imagine not being able to experience being in the city that never sleeps?

Here are the movies that I watched so far set in dazzling, dynamic NYC:

1. Julie & Julia                                          16. Black Swan
2. The Devil Wears Prada                        17. The Proposal
3. New York Minute                                 18. Confession Of A Shopaholic
4. New Year's Eve                                   19. The Mirror Has Two Faces
5. Maid in Manhattan                                20. Stepmom
6. Serendipity                                           21. You've Got Mail
7. Definitely Maybe                                  22. Cruel Intentions
8. Kate & Leopold                                    23. Coyote Ugly
9. Breakfast At Tiffany's                          24. Head Over Heels
10. Save The Last Dance                          25. Two Weeks Notice
11. Step Up                                               26. How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days
12. Ghost                                                   27. Sex and The City
13. Eat Pray Love                                      28. P.S. I Love You
14. Home Alone                                        29. The Terminal
15. Sleepless in Seattle                             30. 27 Dresses

Oh gadd, I could go on and on and on. But let's not forget the TV Series (well, the ones I managed to watch at least):

1. Sex and The City                                   6. Will and Grace
2. Gossip Girl                                            7. 24
3. CSI New York                                       8. Ugly Betty
4. The Nanny                                             9. Mad Men
5. Friends                                                  10. 2 Broke Girls

Also, books. But shucks, this is shameful, I can only think of two. I NEED to do something about it:

1. Bergdorf Blondes by Plum Sykes
2. The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger

Hey, if you have the time, please check this page: http://www.humansofnewyork.com/. The photographer, Brandon Stanton, tells a New Yorker's story. What makes it compelling for me is that, he helps facilitate donation drives for less funded schools, because yes, everyone deserves the access to education. He is able to bring people from all over the world together. If you want to witness humanity (agnostics, christians, bashers, etc.) coming together, you will find it in this page. He was commissioned by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to show the other side of Iran, Syria, Sudan--the side that shows humanity and that they're not all cloaked in violence and hatred. Brandon manages to highlight the ordinary people(and make them extraordinary) and makes famous people (Katy Perry, Ariana Rockeffeller, Derek Jeter...check the photos from The Met Gala 2015) reachable to HONY's followers. Ok, enough. Just check for yourself! Hahaha.

Is not that awesome, doing something for the good of others? Hart. Hart.

Oh, by the way, HONY has published Humans of New York and Little Humans, and Humans of New York: The Stories will be out by October. So, anyone who's feeling generous to a total stranger on Christmas? I would be divinely happy to be that stranger. Hahaha.

Also, if you purchase a ticket for my flight, let me arrive on a freaking awesome night with the full moon rising. Why? Because I just can't get this over my head and I want to live it out:

When you get caught between the moon and New York City...

 Yo, Christopher Cross! You ruined me for life.

Just to give you a glimpse of how New York has been a running joke among my family and friends (I really got a strong support system for this, lol), here's a note from a friend (and I got several of this from others but unfortunately they're back in the province, in my shoe box of stuffs):

This was attached on a white chocolate bar as a parting gift when I went home to the Philippines. See, my name sounded Yankee-ish. FYI: "Hey, Jo!" is how we, Filipinos, especially kids, greet Caucasians and it does not matter what nationality as long as the person is white and yes, it's reserved for males. Dunno if it's good or bad that "Jo" is part of my name. Maybe I should just confess that I'm really a boy.

Do you want some water? In case you're reading this entry out loud and your throat's dried up?

Or perhaps you need a plastic bag? In case you have the urge to throw up? Lol.

They said to speak your dream/s out loud. Better, write and advocate it for the whole world to read.

I should start wearing sunglasses from hereon. To avoid paparazzi.

So, now...

Start spreading the news...

I want to be a part of it... 

Sense of Six

1. I do believe if/when you can't decide for yourself that you have enough, someone comes along or being sent in your way to save you from your destructive self. In my case, this time, my mother was my savior. Losing sleep for two consecutive nights did take a toll on me, though I was all to blame (being wired and all over the weekend). If she did not arrive, I was bound to commit the same blunder for days. So for her sake (she has disgusto with staying up late) and mine, I chose to sleep early (while she was around, that is).

2. In time you have to pay the price for your negligence. Again, I was referring about sleep. Lol. I found myself nodding off often even when I refused to do so. Helpless was the word. I could not even double the dosage of my caffeine intake because that would be compounding the problem. I realized though that when your body's due for the needed rest, it just gave in. But I want to avoid that. Getting sick is not in my life's agenda.

3. Some things happen by chance and not by choice. On some days nights I just can't sleep the required hours-maybe 2 or 3 hours at most. On some days and nights it's everything. I learnt not to fight it though. Sleeplessness eventually gets tired from harassing me. Lol. Although I have to be honest, I love the sleepless nights. I love the solitude it afforded me; every time, it feels like I own the world for just the night while others are deep in slumber. I am not complaining because I love the ride, really. If only we're not designed to sleep.

4. The oldies are more connected online. My mother is, at least. I was with her when she went hopping from one department store to another to check on some stuff, AND here's what I found out:

• She walked slower (while I was trying my best not to sprint to the next destination because it was her call where to go next...sigh, lol), not because she was stopping to look at some of the displays, but to check her phone. Texts or not, it occupied her time. I seriously bet, she was on her Facebook the whole time. So, I learnt that I can unplug/leave phone at home/turn it off or put it in silent mode, while she (and father and sibs) can't.

          Oh yeah, you refused to be a tech slave. But remember their frustration/s when they can't get hold of you? 

Oi, hush.

• She's more pragmatic than I am. Well mothers are... when it comes to parting with money. She was asking me for input ~ me, the fogged brainless. Lol. I was not much of  a help and rendered myself a shame. She ended not buying anything. That kinda dispelled the guilt that was gnawing my soul.

5. Seize the moment. I really can't stop hating myself  since Monday morning. I was out early to send a package to Manila. When I was done I had to be somewhere else. While waiting for the traffic light to turn red, there in the same spot where we (pedestrians) were, was a man singing along with Madel's Grill's jingle. What made him interesting was that, he was singing on his microphone ~ made of newspaper and colorful straw ropes and had a long cord (made of the same rope) attached to his version of pastel colored boom box ~ and dancing with the song, unmindful of the passersby. I don't know if he was in there for the attention/show/alms or if he was a little loose in the head, but his enjoyment amused me definitely and made my morning. What I was/am hating myself for was that, I had the camera with me. For the life of me, I got shy taking my camera out from my bag and take a photo of the man in the crowd! Bummer. I went on my way, proceeded to cross the street with the thought I could catch him again on my way home. Sh@#$%$%$%^&^&*&@##@$$%$T!!! All the expletives in the world filled my brain when he was gone when I came back after few minutes. So yes, I still hate me now. I need to see the man again for photo op and to give my soul a rest. Lol.

Madel's Grill is just across Gaisano Metro Colon and one can't miss it. Maybe one of these days I'll try their food. I found part of Madel's Grill jingle in Youtube, so here's to the LSS:

6. Procrastination - one reason to look forward to waking up the next day. Yo, laundry, see you tomorrow.

5 Ways To Teach Kids To Be Responsible Early

1. Divide the chores between the kids.
  This teaches the kids about the works in the house which is beneficial when they grow up, when they live on their own or have a family of their own. This also teaches the kids how to be responsible early on by doing their assigned tasks. Parents or older siblings have to follow through and make a ruling about tasks undone.

2. Let the kids work for something they want.
  Some kids have the tendency to be brats. They can be manipulative by pulling stunts, like pointing at the toy they want in a crowded store and cry out loud when they don't get what they want. But some parents also have the tendency to spoil their children, giving everything the kids want even to the point of excess. Some reason out that they love their kids. We all do. But we should love accompanied with discipline. Some said they want their children to have what they (parents) have or never had when they were kids. We got that.

  The thing is, by doing so, we are teaching the kids to be dependent. Giving in to all their whims is not healthy. If we want the children to learn how to stand on their feet and be the man or woman we want them to be, it does not start from there.

  If the kids want something, seal a deal by agreeing only if they do something in return for the favor. But parents, make sure you keep your end of the bargain because broken promises to children is disheartening and they have the tendency to remember it for the rest of their lives. Not only that it will affect their relationship with you, but also the trust they have for others will be severed. You can also do some activities that will make the kids earn some money to have their share in buying the things they want. But of course, the activities that should be involved are the ones that interest them so they would do it willingly, wholeheartedly and with pride.

3. Teach them to save.
  This does not only mean setting aside a part of their baon or the monies given. It could also mean not being wasteful on things. Writing papers used as paper planes, let them try using the scratched papers or old newspapers and magazines. If they eat, ask them to get what they think they could consume without leftover. Teach them the importance of saving water and electricity.

  If you could, show them something that tells how fortunate they are for what they have. My parents used to remind us about the hungry children in Africa, the children begging in the street for food, or how some people in the other parts of the world fight for clean water.

4. Introduce the reward scheme.
  There are children who act like responsible adults. But in most cases, children are children. They think of playing, watching television and messing with their toys. Parents, please avoid cleaning after their mess all the time because either it frustrates you, or they will expect you to do it all the time for them. Avoid shouting either and pushing them to do it.

  As parents, with calm authority, ask them to do the work they are capable of doing. Like making their beds when they wake up, putting their toys back on the shelf, doing their homework, folding their clothes, picking the litter from the floor and etc.

  Even the small tasks can be daunting to them and they grumble. Try rewarding them for doing the chores. For instance, serve them their favorite breakfast after they made up their bed, or let them play or watch television when the homework is done. Rewards do not need to be grand. They could be those little things that light your children's eyes or put a smile on their faces.

5. Teach them to be kind and humble.
  Children learn well from what they see. As parents, they look up to us as their idols. We could not only tell them to be kind and humble but we should live and lead by example. Begin the lesson at home by treating the house helpers well and avoid shouting at them or berating them in front of the children on some mistakes. Ask them to apologize when they commit mistakes, especially to the elders. Teach them to give when they can with what they have: old toys, outgrown clothes and shoes, extra school supplies, used books and reading materials, etc. Charity should begin at home.