Bring on the PIGS

BURP! ~

Christmas season is killer for my waist line for sure. For those not from this country, I have to explain that for most homes, any celebration is not complete without the roast pig. It is the counterpart of Turkey. We call that lechon.

The roast pig is stuffed with herbs and roasted over  coals in a pit

After a few hours, what comes out is skin that is soo crunchy and meat that is succulent. this is served with a rich brown liver sauce/gravy.

This is killer for cholesterol levels
We had our lechon chopped before hand.. chopping at home takes a lot of time and effort you know-

So, if you can imagine, we ate a pig a day..... each christmas party had 1 whole pig. (we did not finish the whole pig). The left overs like the head, other meat and the legs get stewed with the gravy. What comes out is a dish you can have for days after. It's lechon paksiw

I am ready for my salad eating days now. Let me not see another lechon till the next Christmas season. I am also sleepy from all the eating that has been going on, and to think there is still NEW YEARS.

Happy New Year everyone!

Ventosa or (how to look like a bludgeoning victim)

It was after the last 5k run. I only had 4 hours of sleep because we had attended a high school reunion dinner the night before. So, we decided to go have a ventosa massage.

We went to chinatown. My husband assured me this is the best therapy for our aching muscles. The masseuse gently massaged my back and then POURED a whole lot of oil on it.  I was thinking....okay.....  it turned out you needed the oil for the cups to take a good hold.

(this is not me)

Ventosa cupping massage is performed by placing a small flame inside a cup and letting the fumes accumulate inside a cup. this cup is then placed on specific points on your back to create a vaccum.  I have seen pictures before but I have never tried it myself. As the girl placed the cup on my back, I could feel the suction pulling my skin. It felt like being pinched by HULK HOGAN. ouch.! She placed several more cups. ouch again.... after a few minutes, the skin where the first cup was placed was getting numb. That's when she moved it.

It felt like my skin was being pulled. I was imagining that this what it felt like to be hung by your skin. It was THAT painful. She kept moving the cups to certain points in my back. I guess it was to release the tension in the "Chi" points in my back. My worst part of it was when she placed it near the base of my armpit. I think she hit my lymph node. It hurt like I was giving birth again-- I gritted my teeth a lot.

I came home looking like this---

The top picture is a closeup of my shoulder... you can see the lines from my bra strap crossing the circles.  
Overall, it was not so bad. My muscles loosened from the cupping and maybe, after the red spots are gone, I can go back for another session.

FYI- a lot of people reacted to my back when they saw it. Those who didn't know about ventosa was a bit shocked.. (i joked that my husband beat me up)-- hahahaha

Milo- give me strength!

I will be running in a 5k again this Sunday. To be honest, I just had 1 training day this week. I was so busy with managing the house and my father in the hospital I just had no time for anything.

It will be the MILO INTERNATIONAL MARATHON.  In the flier, they put the 3k run as a "kiddie run" -- it just takes me back when I was struggling with the 3k run... and they consider it for kids??

Well, Milo is a chocolate drink for kids..so maybe there is a point. Sunday will be the national finals for the marathon. I am just there for the experience (me and little ol' 5k...) Can you believe %k is only a WARM up to the marathoners? I even saw some leggy Kenyans competing last run I was in. I am sure they will be participating again on Sunday.

I hope I can maintain my time-- Considering I will be sleep deprived - It's my father-in-law's birthday dinner on Saturday. We will only have a few hours of sleep. well.. my fingers (and toes) are crossed.

5K- run united

I ran 5k last sunday. Nov. 21. It was my first. 

Was I prepared enough? I don't think so. 

Did I try to prepare? A little bit, when I had the time and energy.

The run was organized by United Laboratories, a big pharmaceutical company. The singlet was nice as was the freebies.

My goal was to finish near the time my husband finished. about 38 minutes. I wanted to be able to sustain my pace for the longest possible time without stopping to walk. Here is how it went:

When the race started at 5:40AM, my husband and friend was already going ahead of me. (they have longer legs..) I told them to leave me behind. There were 4400 people racing in the 5k and it was difficult to run. I knew they had water stations every 1.5km so I guessed it was a good marker for me to guess how far I had to go.

I clocked 6 something minutes my first kilometer. The second kilometer, about 7 minutes. At the first station, there were CROWDS of people standing taking a drink.. (I skipped that station) I  kept going... quite proud I was still running strong (by my standards anyway). By the third kilometer, I clocked in at 22 mins (better than my first try- 28 mins).

It was a little bit past the 3k that I was losing steam. I found my legs straining to keep my pace. (the under training showing I guess). I walked a little and tried to jumpstart my pace every so often.

When I reached the sign "last 1k" I suddenly had a surge of energy. I wanted to finish strong. Besides, it is where most of the photographers were stationed and I wanted an action picture.. hahahaha. I kept looking for the big arch that was the finish line. How come it felt like the longest 1k of the whole race?

I finished a decent 38:15. It was better than my expectations.  We are planning another 5k in december. Hope to do a better time- The funny part is, I never imagined myself ever getting into running at all.. Now, both me and my husband are buying "running stuff"- watches with laptime (wish list is the TIMEX ironman watch with GPS, heart rate monitor and individual laptime),

no pictures of me running yet... (you don't realize how big you are until you take a picture.)

Hairy Tales (part2)

I was scared. If you had asked me what my greatest fear was before I entered the salon, I woudn't be able to give you an answer.. 30 minutes later, I figured it out.-- It was, going BALD.

The cold water eased much of the sting of the chemical they used. The smell was like something you would put down a drain and not your hair. After a few more rinses, my head was back to normal. I returned to my seat and (thankfully!) still had a full head of hair.

The stylist started cutting and I tried to ignore him by reading a magazine. It was painful to watch my hair fall on the ground like globs. Although I was reading a magazine, my eye was still monitoring the cutting process. I didn't want it to be TOO short. My face would look like a big bun (I have big cheeks)

In 5 minutes, I could see the floor was covered with a year's worth of hair... I felt regret. I was like saying goodbye to an old friend or donating a favorite teddy bear. You have to do it, but it doesn't make it less painful. (remember the last scene of toy story 3?)

Ok. my hair did not turn out to be a disaster.
------The side view is better than the front. (my cheeks are really huge)
------ I dry it faster-- but it is more high maintenance than my previous hairdo. (with all the layering)

Time to let it grow again.! Countdown: 1 year

Hairy Tales (part 1)

Its been a hectic hectic week. I even did not have time to write my assignments for my writing class for TWO WHOLE WEEKS. I am a delinquent. So sorry to my instructor.

However, I finally have time to write and blog.. so here I am. (submitted those assignments last night- FINALLY!)

I really have a lot to blog about and let me start on HAIR. Most people are emotionally attached to their hair (men and women alike)- just look at shampoo and hair regrower ad. As they say, it is our crowning glory.

My hair has been long for 3 years. It was straight, black and reached the middle of my back. Two days ago, I had 6 inches chopped off. (this equals 1 year of hair growth- 1/2 inch per month).. 6 INCHES!!

You know the feeling on going on a blind date? The one your best friend set you up with and said "He's a nice guy.. give him a try".. that was how I felt when I entered the upscale salon in a posh mall uptown. I had mixed emotions. I was excited and ready for a change but part of me wanted to go home.
With one foot in front of the other, I entered and was met by a smiling gay receptionist.

I told him I wanted a new haircut- not too short but short enough to be a noticeable change. He ushered me into a seat. I noticed a garment bag hanging by the side of the chair- it contained a robe. The kind you see in hotel rooms. The asked me to put it on.

"Ice tea Ms Imelda? We also have coffee and juice" the thin lady with an apron/uniform asked, her hair a perfect multicolored hue of blonde/brown. I opted for the ice tea- it was, after all- FREE.

The senior stylist (also gay) finally arrived to "assess" my hair. I quietly told him I wanted a hot oil treatment with color and a cut. The hot oil treatment is different from a full color treatment- its gentler on your hair.

A few minutes later, they were finishing applying the "dye". They started putting the stuff on my scalp and I could feel a burning sensation. Whenever they applied it, my scalp started burning up.

"uggh... it stings..." I said meekly. I was afraid they would tell me I was ignorant and it was all part of the beauty process.
"Maybe you scrubbed too hard when you shampooed this morning...." but his face had a look of concern. (this was not good)

"Mel..." he said, feeling personal enough to give me nickname. "could we go over to the shampoo area?" I kept asking him if this is what I asked for.. a cellophane treatment (the hot oil) and not a full on dye.

"I opted to wash out the darker shades of brown from your hair Mel..." He said flipping his hands in the air. So I did a dye job plus we will do the hot oil later after the cut. I was pissed. The assistant kept washing my hair in a mix of hot and cold water. My head still stung.

"Are you sure my hair won't fall off? because it feels like it will....!" I was growing nervous by the minute..

-- to be continued--

Wanderlass and the Candie Shop

Lilianne, and her two sisters are great travellers. (they actually have another sister- but she lives in Japan and I haven't met her). Aside from travelling, they are foodies and  great story tellers too.

Lilianne has a great travel blog- www.wanderlass.com and has had her works published on magazines. She has been cited by one website as one of the top 40 travel blogs. She is also an avid photographer.If you love to hear stories about travel, check out her site.

Her sister, Candie, has her own blog too.. most of the time, she blogs about food. She is part time tour guide if anyone is interested in visiting the Philippines. her blog is - www.thecandieshop.blogspot.com (this is a cute play on words of her name).

If I ever have blog envy, these two women are on top of the list.

Beach

I mentioned i got my camera back. I am also learning to use it more because we are planning to go to Israel next year. (in the itenerary is Jordan ~ petra, Jerusalem, and Egypt). So you see, need to get the photo skills together to get nice pictures for the trip.

here are some of what i took last weekend on a trip to the beach

Me?? A Runner?

3:30 am... wake up call.. YAWWWWN  (am I really doing this???)

shoes --- check
racing shirt--- check
race bib (my number)--- check

I couldn't imagine myself waking up at this hour to run...much less run 3 kilometers!

After splashing some water and getting dressed, (The racing bib definitely does nothing to my profile)
I grab a banana and head out the door. Outside, it was still dark and everything and everyone was still asleep. The streets were deserted as we drove to  our friend's houses to pick them up. (we were kind of a big group)  As we neared the venue, I could see the big globe in the middle of the grounds~ it's the symbol of SM Mall of Asia- the largest mall in this part of the world.

  We park near the starting gate and head for the different booths stationed at the race. This is my first race and it was organized by a bluewater dayspa.

We take souvenir photos at the starting gate and the winner's podium as we wait for the start of the race. It was about 5AM and the sun has not risen yet. The 10k runners were the first to get going at 5am and the 5k (where my husband and my friend were participating) followed at 5:20 am. By the time we assembled for our run, it was 5:30 and the sun was beginning to rise over the horizon.

Admittedly, I DID NOT prepare for this race AT ALL, but I was determined to do my best and finish. a picture says a thousand words and mine says... you need to get to the gym PRONTO! (LOL)


The buzzer sounds and the girls and I start running. I start slowly trying to pace myself. I kept thinking...Breathe in breathe out.  Some runners were like bullets, running past the slower ones and whizzing through the crowd. After a few meters, I look around, trying to see how the girls were doing. My friend (the thin one) was right beside me, and Dulce, was already about 20 meters in front... WHAT??? She was faster than me! (well, she was part of the track and field team in high school after all)

I feel my lungs giving out on me (good thing my friend was as out of shape as I was). WHEEZE.. PANT....WHEEZE.... (I kept my mind on breathing.. I don't want to be the person who collapsed in the middle of the road)
I slowed down and started a fast walk. (my friend is also beside me). By this time, the sun was already up and the temperature was a comfortable 27C. We were in the middle of the running pack. Around me were young ones, old ones and the one's who were passing us... (the fit ones)

I was sweating and panting and was doing a run/walk combination. I was thinking...you can do it!

We round the corner. My other friend Dulce, was nowhere in sight. A water station at last! We get our fill and get our second wind. I urged my friend to start running again. My shins were kind of hurting.... Further down the path, we see the sign "LAST 1KM"~ I look at my watch. 19 mins. has passed. I tell my friend we can make it to the finish line in and clock in in less than 30 mins. (by my standards, its a good time).

Behind me, I hear the group from the 5k gaining on us (their route was longer than ours but would converge on the same path on the last part)... it was the local police force. They had Tshirts with POLICE on the back and were in a pace, chanting while jogging. I was tempted to join their group but was so winded I couldn't pace myself with them.

Beside me, my friend urged me to go ahead and run if I wanted to as we already was about 500m from the finish line. (she was more tired than me). I opted to stay with her.

Finished 28 mins. (not bad at all considering my shape at the moment).  Everyone was happy and satisfied we got to get our picture taken with local celebrities.

Me and Daniel (a brazilian model/actor).. isn't he cute?






We were inspired by our run and vowed to run another race next month. I need to train after all... bought shoes, registered for another race and scheduled my training sessions. (hopefully lose weight too).

But for now, we have to get breakfast!~~~

addendum:

got the results: placed #294 out of 659 runners... official time- 27:50

cookie cookie cookie

I should have titled this YUM YUM YUM....

I tried the recipe I found in a application I had in my iphone (BIG OVEN)

Crispy Oatmeal cookies

3/4 c Margarine; softened  (you can use butter)

3/4 c Light brown sugar (I think if you use white sugar, you'll get a crispier cookie.. it all boils down to preference)

1/2 c Sugar  (I think you can reduce the amount of sugar to 1/4 cup)

1 lg Egg

1/2 ts Vanilla

1/4 ts Salt

3/4 c All-purpose flour

1 1/4 c Quick-cooking oats

1/2 c Chopped nuts (optional)

finely chopped

1/2 c Raisins, seedless (optional)--- I hate raisins so I didn't put any.

Instructions

Recipe by: Womans Day (19xx) Preparation Time: 0:12 Cream butter and sugars until fluffy with electric mixer. (see above pic)...

Beat in egg, vanilla and salt. By hand, stir in flour, a 1/4 cup at a time. (see side picture)

Stir in oats. (Add nuts and/o raisins now.) Crop by rounded teaspoons about 2 inches apart. They will spread. But if you want them thinner still, flatten each one with a glass bottom thats been coated in granulated sugar. Bake at 350. About 12 minutes (not too dry!) but browned. Cool on wire rack. Yield: 3-4 dozen If raisins are dry, they will draw moisture from batter as they bake. So use real fresh or plumb (soak) them with a little hot water..

The cookies turned out great. The kids loved them. This one is something I would try again.

now off to cookie land!

3k and writing

Getting psyched up. My friends invited us to run at a charity fun run on Oct 17 (sunday). Considering I only get a few rounds of badminton a few times a week, I should be worried. However, I am in good company. LOL. My friends are also semi couch potatoes and it is only a 3k run. (piece of cake !!!)

I am trying to get healthy again ~ actually, there are fun runs (3k, 5k, 10k) almost every Sunday. But I have to see if I can muster myself to train these two weeks before the run.. I am pretty excited and NOT worried AT ALL. Maybe because I have friends with me.

I am finally having some very bright days ahead. I enrolled in a new writing class (online) that starts next week. I need a break from work (you know, sell...sell..sell.. and managing the customers etc). I FEEL so GOOD looking forward to writing again.

I also am attending a FOOD WRITING seminar - also next week. Well, I really love to learn how to write about food.. because, I love to eat!! har har...

I am also COOKING again. Yup.. getting busy alright. I got around to cooking some chocolate chip cookies a few days back. Tonight I will bake a cheesecake and maybe throw in a batch of crispy oatmeal cookies. I love the smell of baking in the house.. don't you? I just feel warm and cozy. I am going to test a oatmeal cookie recipe I got online. Will blog about the results (with pictures!)

Oh, and I got my camera back too... going to fiddle with it and get to know it better.. maybe I might get lucky and get some good pictures.

Rain and my airplane

I have been in and out of airplanes for I don't know how many times. So I can say, I am an experienced traveller. However, my trip back from China  was the closest I have felt to being on the news. (if you know what I mean)

Maybe I have been watching too much AIR CRASH INVESTIGATION for my own good. But, by golly, that flight really gave me jitters.

The weather was cloudy as we checked in at hangzhou airport that morning. We were relaxed and looking forward to going back home after 5 days of working. We boarded the flight on time and eased  into our seats. Things got rough halfway into the flight when the pilot, in a distressed voice (well, that's how it sounded to me) suddenly announced over the PA system...

"We are going to experience sever weather conditions, everyone ...pls FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS...  I REPEAT, PLS FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS!! Cabin crew, secure the cabin"

I could hear the whirling of the engines to my right as it struggled to push through the wind. The plane shook and rattled the overhead bins so hard I could hear the screws jiggling above. Due to the number of people who booked early, I was seated two rows away from my husband (either being seated apart or being seated in the last row.. I chose the former). The planed dipped three feet and I gripped the armrests and closed my eyes.  I wished I was beside my husband and could grip his hand instead. I dare not look at the other passengers for fear they might reflect the same anxiety I was experiencing.

"Whir.....whir...... glug...glug...." the plane went as it successively tore through the air and shook. The airconditioning went into overtime and I wrapped my scarf closer to me. (a jacket would have been helpful at this point)

Outside, the dark clouds were punctuated by flashes of lighting as the wind whipped the side of the plane. There was a tropical thunderstorm in Hongkong and we were landing right in the middle of it.
Each flash of lightning was like me seeing my life flash before my eyes. I kept thinking how they can find my remains when they scour the sea after we crash. (GULP) I also kept thinking how my readers (you) would never know what happened to me.

"We are preparing for landing and Hk airport has asked us to maintain position for about 10 minutes. We are STILL under sever weather and we advise you to keep your seatbelts on." The pilot said after a few minutes. I was still not assured though as the plane kept going up and down, side to side.

Thankfully, we landed in HK... I actually did not notice the landing because my eyes were closed most of the rest of the flight. I was truly so dizzy I was afraid I would puke for the first time in years on an airplane.  I guess the storm was so severe, our connecting flight was delayed for three hours (I could hear the thunder ringing though out the modern, glass and metal clad airport). I'd rather be delayed than in an airplane under a tropical cyclone is all I could say....

We finally boarded our flight home three hours later.. and got back in one piece, but as luck would have it, our luggage was left behind in hk. AAAHH..... the joys of flying!!!

Getting Things Done

I finally have some help in the office. My work load has been cut in half (thankfully)

The last few months, it seemed like I didn't get anything done. I was always backlogged for some reason or another. I finally figured I needed more help and hired my sister in law to become my accounting officer. This leaves me with the selling/marketing and talking with customers and not constantly pouring over the accounts I have to collect, review and update.(a nightmare.. but getting checks is wonderful.. hahaha)

Does this mean my business has grown so much it takes more than me to handle it all? MAYBE.

My sister in law is a VERY big help. (love her!!) She makes my life less stressful and I finally can start some writing.

I just have to finish all the quotations/follow ups for the house, go on another buying trip next week and THEN, get some writing done.

I just figured I needed to prioritize and schedule my time. Aside from the tropical thunderstorm that passed through the country (power was out for over a day), the flu going around the house (everyone getting sick).. I could say, this week has been good.

Don't know when I will be writing a blog post again. (My life is pretty redundant and boring at the moment) but I do enjoy reading the blogs that I have been following. Especially the ones with pictures. (moments of perfect clarity)

Lost in Space

You never know what your faults are until somebody points them out to you,
We all know everyone has something that kind of drives other people up the wall...

Mine (as my husband points out) is that I totally space out when I am doing something. I get totally engrossed in whatever I am doing (watching TV, reading a book or newspaper) that I don't hear anything else. He may call me and talk to me and it would be like talking to a brick wall. You never really know these things unless you get to live with them. (my husband actually has other pet peeves about me but he has to live with what he got... har har)

Yup. I REALLY do try to be more concious of not being that way but sometimes, I just tune out. I saw one episode of HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER that perfectly drives this point....


This is a VERY funny episode...  and I sometimes think I am like the girl TED is dating... hahaha

Beauty Idols

I came across an article about Jennifer Aniston turning 40.
It got me thinking, what is 40 anyway?

When I was younger, 40 seems so ancient... and I mean ANCIENT.

Now, I have beauty idols that have aged so seemlessly. They are gorgeous!

Did you know.. these ladies are over 50?

 SHARON STONE

and these ladies--- over 40!

 MONICA BELLUCI

RENE ZELLWENGER

so I guess I just need to take care of myself and hope I age as beautifully as these beauty icons. My ultimate icon is (the sexy 75 year old...)

SOFIA LOREN!!!

June 30, 2010

Half of the year is over..... really, so soon?

We have a new president and my father is a year older. He is 75 years old. By this picture, Can you really tell his age? He doesn't dye his hair (it is still dark and lush)

Sometimes you get to thinking how time really flies.
My Dad was saying to my daughter, " Beyonce, we will celebrate when you turn eighteen. (my daughter is 6)"

My daughter (who is quite the talker and can come back with a witty reply) answered, "Will you still be here?"

My dad just laughed and laughed at her. He will be 87 by the time she turns 18. He said, "I will be here even if you get married!!"

But honestly, you get to thinking about these things. My grandmother is 95 already. (Although she is a bit on the weak side this year), I hope my dad also gets to live that long.

I think my dad is living his life to the fullest, enjoying the fruits of his labor (buying things he wants like a dream car starting with the letter P and a very expensive watch).

His eldest granddaughter is already turning 19. So maybe, he can still see his great grandkids in the near future. He had travelled all the continents (south and north america, alaska, south africa, europe, scandanavia) maybe the only place he hasn't been to is antartica. I would love to travel with my dad again but his knees are not what they were and he is having a hard time walking for long periods. He is the best travel companion (both me and my husband agree) because he doesn't mind where we eat and what price (some people gawk at prices). His main concern is that we enjoy our trip.

He is classy and very dignified. Thanks for the good genes! Happy Birthday Dad!

What time is it?

Time for change.

Tomorrow is the inauguration of the new President of this island nation.

He is the hope we have for change (although I voted for someone else)-- I sincerely hope he does good for the country.

Change is also in my agenda. I have been too nice for too long... (to my workers, suppliers etc) and honestly, they are bringing out the worst in me. It seems like you are nice and they REALLY take advantage of you. I have been  pissed off for about two days. What for? A lot to do with stupidity and people not doing their jobs right.  ARRGG!!!

Ok. (counting 1-10) .... I missed writing in this blog. I was away a bit and been busy.  I have neglected my MAFIA in facebook a bit too! lol. 

Tomorrow is a new day... (and it's my Dad's birthday). I will start my exercise regimen tomorrow. Maybe I'll look like this next independence day.  hahahahahahaaaa..



 

The thrill of it all

They delivered the frame of the main door. It's beautiful.!! Maybe I am over reacting but I am finally seeing the house come together. They also chalked the place where my "fake" fireplace will go.

I am a crazy person. REALLY. (making a fireplace in a tropical country.. what do you call that???)
This is how it will look like.. (more or less) --- (giggle)

My door will look a bit like this. (but I guess it will be a bit bigger).  Then, I will have my english garden on the side of the the house... (ha ha ha ha... somebody called me an eccentric already) with a walkway and climbing vines. It would be interesting to see how everything will turn out.

Housebuilding is an adventure!!!

Run.. Forrest.. Run!

Life is like a box of Chocolates....you never know what your gonna get (or so, the character in the movie Forrest Gump says)

Running has been "in style" lately. I have at least 5 friends who have taken to the sport and joining marathons.

Let's not even talk about those who JOIN triathlons. I can't even phantom swimming in open water. (The cold murky water, crowd diving in... ) really scary stuff. Biking on the other hand... I can bike (give me BMX one though) quite easily but biking for several kilometers on a racing bike... that's another story. Haven't tried it but I don't think I'm built for it. (racing bikes that is) I think it's the concept of being hunched over for minutes at a time and the hard seat on my soft bum that I can't wrap my mind around. Sorry! !
But get me on a regular bike and have me pedal around a nice park (especially ones with flowers and nice weather-- 20C) and I would gladly bike for hours. So, KUDOS and HATS OFF to triathletes out there. Its just INCONCEIVABLE to me how you do it.

Speaking of cycling, I saw an article on yahoo about Lance Armstrong...he's 38??? I thought he was over 40.

Is this what 38 looks like?
 Maybe it's the sun exposure I don't know... but hopefully, (gulp) I don't look that way to other people...

So,... getting back to what I was saying, I think I could manage a marathon if I really tried to train for one. Running is the IN thing right now. Last summer, we had several company sponsored marathons (Century tuna, san miguel beer, etc).

I think I can... I think I can... I think I can...


Maybe if I repeat that over and over, I can get my big butt over to the gym and start pounding on that treadmill.
As for my yoga sessions... I stopped for awhile. Why? well, that's another story. The story of the stalker yoga dude. (lol)

The long Writing Road

As I have blogged, I have been quite busy lately. I haven't written anything significant other than this blog. Hopefully, I might get some inspiration from joining the travel writing workshop this coming Saturday. My writing, honestly, is in a rut.

We would be doing a walking tour/travel writing workshop of Intramuros, the Spanish Walled city in the heart of Manila. The added bonus is that I get some tips on photography too. I was trying to learn basic photography principles before my camera died on me... (it's still in the repair shop).

One of the blogs I follow always has AMAZING pictures. (see blogs I follow- moments of perfect clarity).  I recommend anyone who is into photography to check out her blog.

Thinking about getting the new olympus PEN  camera (they say its like a DLSR but half the weight)...
but I will see if I learn anything from the workshop first!

Has anyone noticed? HALF of the year is already finished. (shucks!). Time really flies when you are busy.

It finally got me.

cough, cough....

I started having the sniffles about two days ago. I quickly ate some medicine and drank tons of tea. However, last night, I could feel the cold turning viral and sneaking down to my lungs. You know the feeling like something is clutching you at the chest and you find it harder to breathe?

That was how it got me.

I think maybe the constant traveling and working plus the heat combination finally downed my immune system. I looked like a sick dog.

I had a hot compress on my chest, took some medicine... It's just horrible being sick.

Through out the night I kept coughing up gooey globs of mucus. At one point, I though I might cough up my lungs from the way the mucus was sticking hard to my lungs cells. When morning finally arrived, I lost my voice but my chest felt lighter (mucus expelled by the medicine I took).

Went to work today but I think the cough is getting better.. although I try not to talk too much. No rest for the sick.. too much work to do! 

a house is not a home...

Until its built.....

Yep, my travails in building our dream house. It's 6 months later and we are currently in the plastering stage. That is, cementing the walls. The windows are not up yet and it's starting to rain. Thank goodness we have a roof already.

After months and months, I am down to the last leg of my assignments. (tiles- check. faucets and sink- check).. I still have to deal with the kitchen and cabinets.. (sigh....)

I really hope the house turns out great. I think it will be a quirky house though.. I will have a fake fireplace.. (note, we don't have winters as we live in a tropical country) and a roundish main door... (ala the hobbit house from Lord of the rings)-- It WILL be something to talk about.... hahaha

Keeping within my budget is nerve wracking. Running to and fro is making me stress eat. Yup. my clothes are getting tighter. (groan...) I wish I had the motivation like  Nicole, the girl whose blog I am following (let them eat lettuce)... she has lost 40 pounds! http://letthemeatlettuce.blogspot.com. She is such an inspiration.

The kids are back to school (school here is from june- march.. summer is march - may, rainy season june- oct/nov). Maybe waking up early can get me to go to the gym and hit that darn treadmill.

Something Fishy

Sentosa, Singapore

The purpose of this trip was to actually visit UNDERWATER WORLD. The aquarium inside Sentosa. My curiosity was piqued at a sign by the entrance that announced "fish reflexology"

I left my family waiting for the dolphin show and made my way to try the fish reflexology they offered

http://www.sentosa.com.sg/hotels_spas/spas/spas.html

Package B (50-min) - S$52* per session
Includes:
Spa Fish Pool Dip - 20 mins (preparation up to 5 mins)
Foot Reflexology- 20 mins
Head & Shoulder Massage - 10 mins




I chose the above package because I wanted the try the whole deal. I even got a 10% discount for using my American Express Credit Card. 


Before I entered the fish pool, they asked me to wash my feet at a common area and change into their house slippers. They then directed me to the pool area where a few people were already seated.  On both sides of the pool area were the couches like LAZYBOYS where they perform the foot massage.


The receptionist asked me if I preferred the small fish or the big fish. The small fish pool had 3 people already while the big fish pool had no one. Hmmm.... 


The girl added that you can feel the big fish more.. (more teeth???).. being the adventure gal that I am, I opted for the big fish pool. 

I slowly lowered my feet into the pool and the fish just attacked my feet. (maybe they were hungry). I had to keep myself from jumping because I could really feel their bites tickling my skin. The most ticklish was on the soles of my feet.  They even nibbled in between my toes! Their teeth felt like needles pricking my skin. I just kept wondering, Is this how it feels to be eaten alive?? I kept thinking what if they become like piranhas from the amazon....


They say fish reflexology helps in circulation and removes dead skin cells... I was glad to help feed the fish! hahaha.....  


After 20 minutes, I transferred to the couch and this old man (maybe 60ish) came over to give me a foot massage. It was my first time to have a man massage my feet (aside from my husband) and his massage was not as painful as the foot massages from Thailand that I have had. It felt weird at times though.. old man and my feet... hahaha 


The head and shoulder massage was not fantastic. I think if you plan to do this, skip the head/shoulder massage. I'd rather stay with the fish.

I got another opportunity to do the fish reflexology at a fish spa at a mall. It was a bit more expensive, the fish were smaller and I think they did not like me that much.. not so much fish nibbling at my feet... the pool was actually visible from the outside and people walking past could see our feet being nibbled at. There were several who stopped and took pictures..(Good thing I had a pedicure...)