I got a new book yesterday. Benazir Bhutto (Reconcilliation - Islam, Democracy and the West). I've been eyeing this book for a while. I saw it on the Doubleday flyer (was tempted to buy it online), then I saw it at the department store, and it was like calling me.. but of course, as what I'd usually tell myself (would I be able to finish reading it? do I need to know? do I want to know?).
So, yesterday, when I passed by again the book aisle, there, I saw it again. Little did I know that Sue was observing me, so she said, "get it now, you've been looking and looking at it, get it over with and put it in the cart". So I did.
Now, that was a long introduction.
To be honest, I haven't started reading it yet. I just read the backside, people's comments about it, and I just opened the first page and started reading the sides, and the first sentence of the first page.
No, I don't think I read that slow. I just wanted to treat this book as something special. The woman who wrote it was killed a few months before the book is published.
Usually, I start reading books as soon as I get it. If I like the book and how the author writes - like I can easily understand what the hell he's talking about, I would read it from cover to cover. And sometimes let my self go and explore the world the author's talking about.
I don't like fiction much. I love the one-person storytelling. After Mitch Albom's books (to which I read somewhere that he has a new book coming), I kind of drifted to health books - which I'd usually bring to the hospital when I have to wait for sue at the waiting area (very inspiring eh).
Some years ago, I tried reading Hillary Clinton's book but I don't think I've finished it, 'cause I still see a bookmark in it somewhere in the middle. Reason why I don't know.
Well this time, I take my time. I would like to absorb whatever insight I will gain from this book. I want to be emotionally and mentally prepared. Have a very open mind about things.
After all, not too many people can have an "insightful insight" around us.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Cuts like a Knife
...Actually, I was cut by a knife. I cut myself this morning at work while chopping some onions. Yes, it hurts. No, I didn't cry (well almost). But I tell ya, it woke me up! Okay, I wasn't dozing off but I didn't have any energy at all - specially when I learned I don't have the main dish to cook. And instead of stressing myself out, I felt so stressed to be stressed.
This is the second time it happened to me with the same knife but the 4th time I cut myself while working at the daycare. Yes, I got rid of the dull knives that wanted to chop my fingers off. My __boss prefer I use a new cheap knife than to get me a good knife and a very good sharpener. Oh well, life goes on. Maybe if my fingers ends up in a soup kids eat then she will wake up and give me a good set of knives. Eeeeow! that's way too creepy now eh. Okay, enough of this psycho sick-to-the-bone-morbid thought.
Let's get to some analogy shall we? A knife like any other person that comes along in your life, can be as sharp as new - you have to get to know each other before you can maximize the potential of your knife-knifer relationship. (knifer, I made this up, better than cutter). You have to get that groove on how to swing it, so that there'd be no arguments or discussion when you are both pursuing an important goal. Like any other relationship, there will be ups and downs - how you cut the onion is different as to how you cut the tomato. Or better yet use another knife for that. You don't want the juices out of the tomato before you can even benefit from it.
Yay! what an analogy. Maybe it's really not my day today so I better shut it.
Tomorrow could be slightly better. So, until then.
This is the second time it happened to me with the same knife but the 4th time I cut myself while working at the daycare. Yes, I got rid of the dull knives that wanted to chop my fingers off. My __boss prefer I use a new cheap knife than to get me a good knife and a very good sharpener. Oh well, life goes on. Maybe if my fingers ends up in a soup kids eat then she will wake up and give me a good set of knives. Eeeeow! that's way too creepy now eh. Okay, enough of this psycho sick-to-the-bone-morbid thought.
Let's get to some analogy shall we? A knife like any other person that comes along in your life, can be as sharp as new - you have to get to know each other before you can maximize the potential of your knife-knifer relationship. (knifer, I made this up, better than cutter). You have to get that groove on how to swing it, so that there'd be no arguments or discussion when you are both pursuing an important goal. Like any other relationship, there will be ups and downs - how you cut the onion is different as to how you cut the tomato. Or better yet use another knife for that. You don't want the juices out of the tomato before you can even benefit from it.
Yay! what an analogy. Maybe it's really not my day today so I better shut it.
Tomorrow could be slightly better. So, until then.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Winter whites and blues
I'm getting tired of winter. And pretty sure I'm not the only one. There are hundred or thousands or even gazillion of us!
First, it's no fun anymore to wear a heavy jacket each time you go out of your home. And if there's tons of snow, make sure you have your boots on, otherwise, your feet will be wet and shoes soaked.
Wait. Hmmm...I think, did I? wrote about this winter thingy.. nah, I think you're just imagining. That was somebody else's.
Okay on with the winter blues. So I guess that's why they call it blues. But all I see is WHITE!. And our neighbor mostly listens to reggae. (boink!)
I think we should just focus on the good side of winter. (Which is good because it's 6 am and I don't need to culminate some negative vibes before I go to work)
Let me think for a bit here. (ponder...pout...sigh)
I guess for some people, winter season that brings a lot of snow, is good- for skiing, for making their house postcard perfect, for covering up their ugly landscaped lawn, for covering the potholes on the road(sort of).
Also, during winter, you get to use your flannel sheets, your comforters, you flannel pjs, and of course ALL your socks!
So, I suppose it's not really that bad, just that you gain a few more pounds in and out. And you can't really tell when it's gonna end.
Darn! it's gonna snow again tomorrow...
First, it's no fun anymore to wear a heavy jacket each time you go out of your home. And if there's tons of snow, make sure you have your boots on, otherwise, your feet will be wet and shoes soaked.
Wait. Hmmm...I think, did I? wrote about this winter thingy.. nah, I think you're just imagining. That was somebody else's.
Okay on with the winter blues. So I guess that's why they call it blues. But all I see is WHITE!. And our neighbor mostly listens to reggae. (boink!)
I think we should just focus on the good side of winter. (Which is good because it's 6 am and I don't need to culminate some negative vibes before I go to work)
Let me think for a bit here. (ponder...pout...sigh)
I guess for some people, winter season that brings a lot of snow, is good- for skiing, for making their house postcard perfect, for covering up their ugly landscaped lawn, for covering the potholes on the road(sort of).
Also, during winter, you get to use your flannel sheets, your comforters, you flannel pjs, and of course ALL your socks!
So, I suppose it's not really that bad, just that you gain a few more pounds in and out. And you can't really tell when it's gonna end.
Darn! it's gonna snow again tomorrow...
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Lost and Found
Yesterday (Saturday - in case you didn't know), I found a long lost friend of mine or rather she found me - again. It gave me an odd feel at first, thinking, "we've lost connection after high school and to think she drifted away from our group mid sophomore year, now what could we possibly talk about (other than high school updates)?" But after a couple of hi's and hello's, it just clicked - like we both knew where to pick up the conversation.
Yes, I thought of her every now and then, like when you would think of some people who came and went in your quaint life. When somedays you get to have odd moments where the world just stood still and you think of how the people you knew from the past is doing. Honestly, I never expected we'd ever talk to each other again. Other than probably the usual adding of batchmates to your friendster profile.
Nevertheless, I am glad. No, I am more than glad to be friends with her again. I just hope it's for keeps this time around. No more drifting away.
Come to think of it, most of us,we find comfort in having people we've known during our younger years. You got to admit it. It's like being with family. That no matter what your differences were or are, no matter what you've become, that part of you, the part that longs for a connection becomes alive. Is it because, you don't really have to pretend or put a mask or make a good impression like when you meet new people? I guess.
There's already a foundation either nurtured through the years, or left to be nurtured anew.
Now, I am getting serious about these things again. Sorry, it's the weather here - it seems like it's all-year winter season.
But yes, suddenly I find myself missing her, missing people in my past that I have fondest memories of. Don't you just love the surprises that life brings you?
For sure, I do.
Yes, I thought of her every now and then, like when you would think of some people who came and went in your quaint life. When somedays you get to have odd moments where the world just stood still and you think of how the people you knew from the past is doing. Honestly, I never expected we'd ever talk to each other again. Other than probably the usual adding of batchmates to your friendster profile.
Nevertheless, I am glad. No, I am more than glad to be friends with her again. I just hope it's for keeps this time around. No more drifting away.
Come to think of it, most of us,we find comfort in having people we've known during our younger years. You got to admit it. It's like being with family. That no matter what your differences were or are, no matter what you've become, that part of you, the part that longs for a connection becomes alive. Is it because, you don't really have to pretend or put a mask or make a good impression like when you meet new people? I guess.
There's already a foundation either nurtured through the years, or left to be nurtured anew.
Now, I am getting serious about these things again. Sorry, it's the weather here - it seems like it's all-year winter season.
But yes, suddenly I find myself missing her, missing people in my past that I have fondest memories of. Don't you just love the surprises that life brings you?
For sure, I do.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Crossing borders
There is a borderline of friendship that can only be seen if you cross it. I don't know if that came out right but I hope it did.
A lot of books have been written about friendship, about how to nurture it, cherish it, remember it. Hmm, so far I haven't come across one that tells the don'ts. So, I guess we just have to come up with one as we go along the way. (to where I don't know)
One recent DON'T is don't judge your friend. Never assume you know your friend and tell it to their face what you think you know WHO they are. Never! Never do! Come to think of it, just because you hang out and you talk a lot on the fone every single day, you STILL don't have the right to accuse your friend of being somebody she is not. If I can only write all these on Caps without appearing too anal, I would. It's upsetting enough to hear harsh words from a non-friend, what more from a friend?
Now the Do side of this one is, if you plan to kill the friendship and not to hang out anymore, by all means, assassinate your friend (right to her face) and tell her how miserable you think she is, how a chronic complainer she is, how she didn't show any "compassion" to your miseries in one of the darkest hours of your life while you were sulking and your partner was shoveling the snow (out in the cold). Then by all means, DO! Do tell!
Whew! So you think you know somebody, when that somebody whom you call your good friend, thinks she has you all figured out.
I suggest to think any words that will come out of your mouth before you even speak it. As the saying goes, "If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all" (or something to that effect).
And that my friend, is true.
A lot of books have been written about friendship, about how to nurture it, cherish it, remember it. Hmm, so far I haven't come across one that tells the don'ts. So, I guess we just have to come up with one as we go along the way. (to where I don't know)
One recent DON'T is don't judge your friend. Never assume you know your friend and tell it to their face what you think you know WHO they are. Never! Never do! Come to think of it, just because you hang out and you talk a lot on the fone every single day, you STILL don't have the right to accuse your friend of being somebody she is not. If I can only write all these on Caps without appearing too anal, I would. It's upsetting enough to hear harsh words from a non-friend, what more from a friend?
Now the Do side of this one is, if you plan to kill the friendship and not to hang out anymore, by all means, assassinate your friend (right to her face) and tell her how miserable you think she is, how a chronic complainer she is, how she didn't show any "compassion" to your miseries in one of the darkest hours of your life while you were sulking and your partner was shoveling the snow (out in the cold). Then by all means, DO! Do tell!
Whew! So you think you know somebody, when that somebody whom you call your good friend, thinks she has you all figured out.
I suggest to think any words that will come out of your mouth before you even speak it. As the saying goes, "If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all" (or something to that effect).
And that my friend, is true.
Friday, February 22, 2008
The easiest goodbye
Sometimes, saying goodbye is the best thing you can do to move on. And never look back.
We are finally saying goodbye to our small apartment come March 1st. We lived in this building starting in a tiny apartment - then after more than a year moved to a small apartment (same building). Now, we are moving to a big apartment (as compared to the previous tiny and small). But this time it's in a different building. Woooohooo!!
There are some good times shared in this apartment (the small one). After occupying a tiny one, we felt we could breathe a little better in this small space. After all, there's a lot of windows (surrounded!) in the living room and bedroom. You can see the price of gas in both shell and esso - and compare them once in awhile! You can follow the flow of traffic from the one intersection to almost the next, during the summer, you can hear the kids playing in the yard of the daycare, and in some odd nights, you can hear somebody yelling to someone to open the front door! What a character! Yep! this building has a lot of character-s. There's some zombie-looking people, hobbits, the tin man, the lion, scarecrow, and even a witch!..so I think one way of describing this building is picture the wizard of oz meets the narnia characters plus lord of the rings. That should sum it up.
Come to think of it there's really no reason left to stay in this place. Like a lover waiting for that perfect timing to leave - it is time. No buts, no ifs. We just have to go.
Yep, we are packed!
We are finally saying goodbye to our small apartment come March 1st. We lived in this building starting in a tiny apartment - then after more than a year moved to a small apartment (same building). Now, we are moving to a big apartment (as compared to the previous tiny and small). But this time it's in a different building. Woooohooo!!
There are some good times shared in this apartment (the small one). After occupying a tiny one, we felt we could breathe a little better in this small space. After all, there's a lot of windows (surrounded!) in the living room and bedroom. You can see the price of gas in both shell and esso - and compare them once in awhile! You can follow the flow of traffic from the one intersection to almost the next, during the summer, you can hear the kids playing in the yard of the daycare, and in some odd nights, you can hear somebody yelling to someone to open the front door! What a character! Yep! this building has a lot of character-s. There's some zombie-looking people, hobbits, the tin man, the lion, scarecrow, and even a witch!..so I think one way of describing this building is picture the wizard of oz meets the narnia characters plus lord of the rings. That should sum it up.
Come to think of it there's really no reason left to stay in this place. Like a lover waiting for that perfect timing to leave - it is time. No buts, no ifs. We just have to go.
Yep, we are packed!
Monday, February 18, 2008
Time to look for katy
There's a point in your life where you find yourself vulnerable to all the crazy elements of society. No matter how good and lucky you are, but it's a big world ( although we grew up singing "it's a small world, after all") and there are A LOT of crazies out there (yes, not just in the cyber world).
After seeing the neighbor picking his own lock (apparently, he lost his keys when he slipped on the icy sidewalk), we found ourselves looking online for a security bar or an alarm system to put by our door.
Let me tell you about this neighbor. He is our new next door neighbor, moved in last December. Started hammering something the first couple of weeks but to our dismay, is still hammering that damn nail (we think he's using a sole of his shoe or the head of a screwdriver) - or he is building a rock climbing wall - ha! but seriously, how many nails can you hammer in such a small apartment? And this neighbor keeps on introducing himself everytime you see him (cookoo alert!). So I suppose you would understand our sense of fear for this loonie or for any other loonie who lives on our floor and in our building.
The other night, an hour after midnight, a guy who lives a few doors down, forgot he was cooking some hotdogs and most likely, fell asleep! What an idiot! The alarm went off, there was a lot of smoke in the hallway and when we were about to leave our apartment, the old lady who lives a couple of doors away says, "it's ok, somebody just forgot a weiner on the stove". Couldn't help but laugh afterwards - that damn ass forgot his weiner on the stove! ha! And to top it off, he denies he had his weiner left on the stove. We saw about three firemen come in his apartment, hopefully they gave him a good whack on the head! Another idiot!
(sigh) It's a big world alright. Lots of space for idiots and loonies to roam around. Anywhere you look, there will always be somebody around the corner who's on the borderline of loonieland.
But hey, what can I say, this country's dollar is called a loonie. Need I say more?
After seeing the neighbor picking his own lock (apparently, he lost his keys when he slipped on the icy sidewalk), we found ourselves looking online for a security bar or an alarm system to put by our door.
Let me tell you about this neighbor. He is our new next door neighbor, moved in last December. Started hammering something the first couple of weeks but to our dismay, is still hammering that damn nail (we think he's using a sole of his shoe or the head of a screwdriver) - or he is building a rock climbing wall - ha! but seriously, how many nails can you hammer in such a small apartment? And this neighbor keeps on introducing himself everytime you see him (cookoo alert!). So I suppose you would understand our sense of fear for this loonie or for any other loonie who lives on our floor and in our building.
The other night, an hour after midnight, a guy who lives a few doors down, forgot he was cooking some hotdogs and most likely, fell asleep! What an idiot! The alarm went off, there was a lot of smoke in the hallway and when we were about to leave our apartment, the old lady who lives a couple of doors away says, "it's ok, somebody just forgot a weiner on the stove". Couldn't help but laugh afterwards - that damn ass forgot his weiner on the stove! ha! And to top it off, he denies he had his weiner left on the stove. We saw about three firemen come in his apartment, hopefully they gave him a good whack on the head! Another idiot!
(sigh) It's a big world alright. Lots of space for idiots and loonies to roam around. Anywhere you look, there will always be somebody around the corner who's on the borderline of loonieland.
But hey, what can I say, this country's dollar is called a loonie. Need I say more?
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Today's epiphany
I read somewhere a long time ago, that in this life, there are three things you must do before you die. One is hug a tree. Second, write a book. Third - hmm, honestly, I can't remember. So, you might as well make up something according to your liking. So, for me, my third one would be...(thinking....pouting....thinking....) Okay! I can't come up with one at this moment. Can I get back to you on that?
The first one (hug a tree), well my parents' house is surrounded by trees - but I never thought of hugging one really. And now, I have been living in the city and if you hug any of those trees, heaven forbid, you might find yourself a squirrel to take home. Yay! I guess right now, this tree-hugging gig ain't gonna happen.
The second one though, writing a book. Now, that sounds more like me (at least that's what I try to convince myself). I have been contemplating on what should be my first book (and probably my last, too!). Should it be a cookbook? Since I cook for a living (if you don't know by now, please see my previous blogs). I am thinking of making it more kid-friendly type, meaning meals that kids would love to gobble down - no questions, no arguments, no negotiations. After all, I cook at a daycare and the kids are growing - vertically and horizontally! But of course, skeptic as I am, I still think that this is too premature of an idea and to hype up on all the inspiration would be...a little too soon...yeah, too skeptic.
On the other hand, why not a novel? But about what? Should it be a mystery, drama, comedy or adventure. Or maybe a horror-thriller where all characters die in the end - all in pieces! Yeah, too bloody.
Wait, what about an interactive one, huh? One that you squeeze in some blank papers for readers to take notes on. (Boink!) Why not just pile a whole slew of papers stitch it together and make a notebook- ya, very original! (another BOINK!).
The first one (hug a tree), well my parents' house is surrounded by trees - but I never thought of hugging one really. And now, I have been living in the city and if you hug any of those trees, heaven forbid, you might find yourself a squirrel to take home. Yay! I guess right now, this tree-hugging gig ain't gonna happen.
The second one though, writing a book. Now, that sounds more like me (at least that's what I try to convince myself). I have been contemplating on what should be my first book (and probably my last, too!). Should it be a cookbook? Since I cook for a living (if you don't know by now, please see my previous blogs). I am thinking of making it more kid-friendly type, meaning meals that kids would love to gobble down - no questions, no arguments, no negotiations. After all, I cook at a daycare and the kids are growing - vertically and horizontally! But of course, skeptic as I am, I still think that this is too premature of an idea and to hype up on all the inspiration would be...a little too soon...yeah, too skeptic.
On the other hand, why not a novel? But about what? Should it be a mystery, drama, comedy or adventure. Or maybe a horror-thriller where all characters die in the end - all in pieces! Yeah, too bloody.
Wait, what about an interactive one, huh? One that you squeeze in some blank papers for readers to take notes on. (Boink!) Why not just pile a whole slew of papers stitch it together and make a notebook- ya, very original! (another BOINK!).
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