Battling Boredom

Life has dramatically changed.

For someone who couldn't live without regular long walks and sightseeing, you could say this 3-week-old bed rest might as well start to kill me. Being 7 months and sixteen days gravid, we all know the baby's not supposed to come out until the first week of September, but some complications might lead to premature labor if I stopped listening to my doctor and did things my way.

On the bright side, God has a very good reason for restricting me from leaving the house unless I need to see the OB-GYN or take some lab tests: I'm growing another human being inside of me, and it's our daughter, that's why I'm willing to miss a couple of parties and spontaneous adventure trips if it means not risking her life.

Hell, yes, I'm bored. But nothing will ever compare to the kind of happiness and contentment my little one would bring. Anyway, a month and a half more won't seem like forever as long as I have the laptop and a phone beside me. Thank goodness for technology! :-)

She Let Me Break the Rules

The Simpsons overdo it, though.

When I was growing up, my parents prohibited us from talking back when an adult, or anybody who's at least 10 years older reprimanded us each time they saw fit. Filipinos see it as an act of respect when a kid shuts his mouth in the face of intolerable criticism by an elder.

Five days ago, I can't believe my mother gave me permission to brazenly retort to a self-righteous, haughty, and pretentious family member who's 20 years my senior. Not that my mom has lost her cultural morals and decided to promote abdication of sense of respect. It was simply the right thing to do.

Sometimes, you can't just sit still in a corner with your lips zipped when your relatives are trampling on you and your dignity, especially when they're trying to haul your dead father into the picture. It's sad that it reached this point, since I thought family will always be family, but I guess there comes a time when you need to defend yourself and immediate kin to folks you learned to venerate most of your life.

Painful words had to be said out of necessity, because it would be downright wrong to opt for silence in a situation that requires you to fight back.

The details, I'll spare you. If you belong to a decent family that values confidentiality, I'm sure you'd comprehend.

The Art of Losing Weight

Before

...and after

I've shed scads of pounds over the last few weeks, but if this is how Kate Cancio spends her time brooding in solitary, I honestly don't know how I did it.

When people ask me how I got the slightly flatter tummy, the answer they get is "No rice nor any form of carbs for lunch." Albeit the occassional pizza and pasta affair, frequent heavy snacks in the afternoon and the full meal at dinner come creeping into the back of my mind every time I give that advice, it's the best that I could do, since the "No Rice Policy" has worked impeccably for me. :-)

My Month of March

Yipee! I haven't blogged in more than a month, which means I'm not Blogspot-dependent and could live with the traditional pen and paper for my personal journal. Thing is, I really wanted to post some stuff on-line, but I felt the information I was about to divulge would be better off if it remained between me and my honey (as most were too kinky), or me and the Almighty God (too delicate).

For the sake of keeping tabs on my journey via the all-omnipotent net, here's a general rundown of what's been taking place in my color-specked life lately:

1.) I was devastated when Francis Magalona, the Philippines' pride and King of Rap, passed away on March 6th. He'll be sorely missed.

2.) I dyed my hair oriental red. Two weeks into my new look, the tint has faded into copper brown.

3.) I think by now it's obvious to everyone that the weather's starting to toast. I ought to stay smart and choose not to take sunscreen for granted.

4.) Zakeisha's now over three feet tall! And to celebrate her physical progress, we rode her very first horror train at World of Fun (an amusement park inside a local mall). She was thrilled when the keeper actually let her fall in line with other kids who were also over the moon.

5.) I've become more of a dreamer than I ever was before. My goals are nagging me 24/7.

6.) Work has been intermittently crazy. Just recently, Rona, our ingenious video editor, and I had to get a job done until 5:30 in the morning. Last Thursday tops the record, we finished three plugs in half a day.

7.) Manny Pacquiao has caused quite a raucous when he announced he signed a deal with ABS-CBN despite the fact that he has an existing contract with Solar Entertaiment. Yeah, it's a boon that he retracted. He should be burned in hell if he ever pulls a stunt like that again. How can you trust a wannabe politician if he has no word honor?

8.) I just realized taking the Metro Rail Transit from Buendia, Makati, to Araneta, Cubao, takes less time than the shuttle service and contributes to more time with Zakei and my hubby, though this requires me to tussle my way through a swarm of mean and absurdly aggressive female passengers (the first two cars of the train are always alloted for women, children, and old folks only) trying to set foot in the vehicle. You won't believe how the rush hour brings out the devil in some people in Manila.

9.) I'm enthralled every time my husband picks me up from the office. I could smooth-sail through the sea of road hubbub when he's with me.

10.) Nelson and I can't wait for the loooong weekend beginning in the second week of April. We've been scouting for a fresh vacation spot that's worth the moolah. We all need to retain our sanity and a nice, refreshing break out of town won't hurt.

In the advent of summer '09!

I Blew My Fuse

Anger is a gift, a potent fuel that could either make you reek of revenge and self-deteriorate or channel your strengths and creative juices into a force a notch higher than anger itself -- change. What I've noticed among most successful folks is their dynamic affinity with the emotional boiling point at a certain stage in their lives. They were dissed by the others, mocked, put down, betrayed, and their remarkable response to what the world has brought upon them eventually led to the birth of new perspectives. In a roaring attempt to prove the "bad guys" wrong, they commit themselves to a lifetime of achievement.

A great catalyst, indeed, anger shouldn't be depicted as a mammoth conduit for rampant annihilation. If there's one thing that can turn your anger into a futile whiff, it's none other than hate. Hate leads you to a lot of sinning and leaves little or no room for positive occurrences.

Despite the personal progress I've made which stemmed out of pain, I have yet to master the art of molding anger into a compelling ally in all my pursuits. Yes, the world is apodictically replete with bitches and bastards of various sorts, and when I feel like retaliating in a snap, I constantly remind myself of the power of winning slowly but surely.

Remembering Papa

My father showed me the meaning of selflessness.

To my mom, he was absolutely human and less than perfect, but he made her feel that he loved her unconditionally, and left her a reason not to forget.

To his kids, he was unbearably overprotective, though we now comprehend why he chose to be intermittently hated rather than letting us be. He never relieved himself of the burdens and paternal duties in situations that called for him to be weak.

To his friends, he was the best intuitive ally. He often saved them without asking for anything in return.

To the rest of the world, he's simply somebody who passed away. Others will go on without giving a damn. But I tell you this...

There once lived a man who was zealously eager to give up his own happiness, if that meant seeing his wife and children smile.

Ma and the greatest papa ever in happier days

We miss you, papa. It's been four years today and we've never felt more emotionally famished every time you cross our minds.

Breakfast Smells Bitter

Purr...

This morning, the Metrorail was a vessel of residual pain. The short trip to the office induced a poignant mulling over the months that passed. The demise of my father and beloved cat brought about an affliction that will change me for the rest of my life.