Thank You List 3

i am past the fidgety, anxious, praning phase of my unemployed self. there have been times when i felt most insecure because of my nothing-ness (i am not even bankrupt! i just don't have moolah. period.). i often found my wiser self telling my crazy self, "be still and chill." now, i am back to my grateful, joyfully waiting self. Thank you Lord for Your Cup runs on overflow again.

1. spontaneous bowling escapade with family. it was not only spur of the moment but it was one sure way of forcing myself to stretch and flex and feel oh, so sporty.

2. those savory longganisa from Imus that we had for breakfast every other day for the past week -- crunchy and crisp in the outside, moist and flavorful (with just the right amount of that garlic-ky taste) inside. it is so yummy that even the meat that got caught in those strings, you'd have to finish off. (boo to these braces, i have been deprived from licking those meaty goodness from strings, from bones, because my brackets might snap. i will never want to be rushed to Emergency just because i always eye everything as "finger lickin' good!." i think i still have rep to protect.)

3. watching American Idol auditions is a landmark case for a nut job. i found myself hysterical (either out of sheer admiration or disgust) or silenced because of disbelief (either in the judges' decision or Steven Tyler liplocking moments with an auditioning fan). however way i felt still does not prevent me from looking forward to the Season's pilot in Hollywood.)

4. i am back in my reading form, devouring one e-book after the other. for the past week, i finished 3 and am now reading Room by Emma Donohue.

i so remember my St Paul days when i literally read all the Nancy Drew books we had in our libe, borrowing those to be read at home, hurrying to complete my homework, eating dinner like Speedy then holing in my room, on bed, reading, being transported to being Nancy. i only stopped when my eyes hurt. (and now, i am wearing glasses. my astigmatism has long been treated. but, at least, i do not have my genes to blame solely for my malabong mata. and i am not entirely regretful either.)

5. doing the grocery and buying the usuals for home and pantry, which gave me some sense of "responsibility" and a semblance of domestic (wifely) household authority. i do not freak out if my usuals are P2.00 more expensive than two weeks ago. i have the Market to blame anyway. besides, i cannot saute my coins or fry my bills and serve them for lunch, can i? i noticed, however, that i buy less of junk (read: potato chips!) and more of cookies (i am in the "searching for the best choco chips in the grocery" phase. i remember doing this before and it was Chips Ahoy winning hands down. but this was before i was made aware of Soft Batch from Keebler's. i have yet to try the other brands from hi-top's cookies section. indulge me. i have nothing else more academic to do! #puppyeyes)

6. watching very recent episodes of Desperate Housewives and House is ME time. no matter how stereotypical the wives in Wisteria Lane are or what an a**hole Dr House could often be, i always enjoy every episode as the plots and scripts are well-thought. hindi nakaka-bobo unlike some teleseryes being shown in our local channels. like Bollywood drama that i enjoy a lot(!), DH and House surface conflicts that are real and realistic, and happy endings do not happen all the time, which i like because i am not left with any illusion that every day is like a scene straight from Aesop's fables or Bible stories.

7. learning to download torrents for my ebooks and searching for those good reads while on the lookout for the number of seeders, health, etc. iBooks is my new bestfriend and so is demonoid.

8. a niece treating me dinner in Chili's, which i think deserves a Thank You in many levels and layers. my only free meals are with my parents, at home, Ninong V or with mr P. as a habit, i go dutch with friends or treat my officemates, especially my former staff. my niece treating me to dinner was a change i welcomed albeit uncomfortably at first. she was also reassuring that if i felt weirded out, i should just think that it was a younger sister or a friend was treating me out. after a number of postponements and change of venues, we finally had that dinner --- the dinner that did not only give me really yummy food (nachos for appetizers, my chicken fingers, her oldtimer burger and high and mighty pie for dessert!) and good company (also with our ipads to take photos and immediate uploads in FB), i was assured that i can never die of hunger because loved ones will always be there to feed me and that good relations strengthen networks (i was able to get very friendly rates for my niece when she and her friends hie off to Palawan next month.)

9. being reaffirmed that i did well and have been pleasant in dealing with people because i can always go back to them and seek their help or assistance. totoo talaga yung kasabihang, you reap what you sow.

10. despite the totally matrabaho after-annulment tasks, my papers are now with the Quezon City Hall civil registry. in two weeks, they will be endorsing my papers to NSO and 2 weeks after that, everything is made official. literally. last and this year were true test beds for patience. i am nearly a Pro.

11. pancakes, eggs and bacon for breakfast --- comfort food, at home and free! and that bulanglang that was made as authentic as possible --- patani, saluyot, bulaklak ng kalabasa together with the usual suspects --- okra, sitaw, kalabasa. it was delicious in an odd way but i was convincing myself more that i needed that for good health, just like sunblock for good skin, which i never got to doing yet.

12. being told that i'm off Braces by mid-Feb. woot! but being told that i'm on Retainers for a year (saka na ako mage-emote about this when i'm in them already. i realized that it's loving myself more if i don't sweat the small stuff, when i don't dwell too long on the bad, dark side of things and people, when i let go when things don't turn t as planned. happy-ness is a choice and so are survival and long life.

13. different stories on Motherhood and being mothers. i am extremely blessed to be able to see and know first-hand how LOVE and motherhood perfectly go well together, and how control, selfishness and disrespect could also be masked as motherly love. i am not (yet) a Mom but i always pray to God that He gives me the wisdom and the grace in super extra dosage if i do become one so i will never mistake pakikialam and panghihimasok as love of a Mother to a child. i think there is that very very very thin line delineating love from control, and it is only with His guidance that one would know (and feel) the difference. i am just so glad that, in my immediate, intimate circle, i am surrounded by women who, as Mothers, truly mean well.

14. being given the big role of picking a name for a possibly new puppy, a girl this time. i chose Pink, and i hope the new one would live the name --- if ever mr p does find one. lol.

15. observing that i drink more water now than before. next should be eating less rice (and stop making that excuse that we have our own bukid and that our rice is free anyway and yes, dinorado.

16. my postpaid phone bill being paid. mahaba-haba na ata listahan ko kay mr p.

17. finding my boys crowding around me, asleep, while i sleep soundly as well.

18. long baths and longer time for my lotion and cologne moments --- the perks of having so much free time

19. sleeping well and being awakened at the middle of the night with "i love you" and "thank you baby" --- for reasons that only he knows. well, asking, "bakit honey?" would spoil the moment, diba?. (or i'm just probably rrreeaaallly nice and all so-pleasant this week and less tibak and all so feisty. (feisty is so Jo. hahaha!)

20. my niece telling me that she enjoys reading my friends' blogs as well. oh, i am so going to gloat ---- birds of the same feather --- are UP girls! :)