Curbside Stories

The first book that I bought this year is "What To Do Until Love Finds You" by Michelle McKinney Hammond. I bought it because it is my cousin's wish to have for Christmas but unfortunately I wasn't able to buy one for her because the bookstore ran out of copy. Luckily, I found it in a school supply store and swapped it with "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin that I gave her as a replacement. She obliged and now, we're both happy.  This book is all about creating and finding your own happiness in the simplest of ways. There's actually a guide on how to do it. I am excited because aside from taking the Reading Challenge , I am hoping to make people happy also through this journey.

I found this Reading Challenge in 9gag  (kudos to the one who originally did this, I'm gonna find out soon) and I couldn't resist but take the challenge. One of my goals for this new year is to get back to reading. I believe this challenge will help me fulfill that goal even if I wouldn't be able to finish the challenge. But, who knows? I might. I am keeping my fingers crossed. The image is blurry but here's the content. If you would like to take the challenge, please feel free to do so and involve your friends or relatives so that you will have different things to talk about when you catch up with one another. You can do this in no particular order: A book with more than 500 pages A classic romance A book that became a movie A book published this year A book with a number in the title A book written by someone under 30 A book with nonhuman characters A funny book A book by a female author A mystery or thriller A book with a one-word title A bo...

Hmnnn... Seeing old friends and discovering new places thrill me. I have many friends who now live in other countries and meeting them in some place always gives me the jitters. I have three best friends in college that I only get to see whenever one comes home from Australia. I actually find it odd to meet them only once when the two are just two towns away from mine. Distance makes the heart grown fonder... and that is true in our case. Photo from here . I remember many summers ago, I went to Puerto Galera for a vacation together with some friends. It was my first time to go to the place and the first time that I will be away from home for a week. I swear, I wasn't able to sleep the whole night preparing for my things and thinking about all the things I could do in Puerto Galera.  It was a thrilling experience and it was the best summer vacation ever. So, now I am thinking of going to the place again.

Photo from here . I find this 50 Questions Challenge challenging. Seriously. Everyday is a challenge for me. I raise a child solo, budget my finances, pay the bills, fix things in the house... everything. I basically do everything all by myself and ending the day right is challenge enough for me. If ever I fail to end the day happily, I don't consider it as failure, just temporary setbacks or a time to reflect if where I am going and what I am doing is what I really wanted in life.

Photo from here . I always have something to look forward to in the coming day. I don't actually consider the next morning as a curse--I think no one should think of if that way. Tomorrow is a Monday and although I know I will be faced with tons of work, I am still excited to greet the day because it is the day that I will get to have little chats with officemates during break time and it is the day that I will meet again a new client and meet new friends. Every day is a blessing and it's enough reason for us to be enthusiastic.

Yes, I think so. I am not materialistic. Things don't make me happy. When I was younger, it's all about getting the latest gadgets and going to places, but when I had a child, everything changed. What I have in mind now is "growth and sustainability". Having extra money would be great but I will not be depressed if I don't have it.

Photo from here . If I could turn back the clock, I'd turn it to the time when I was still a medical student. It's really my dream to become a doctor but due to some unavoidable circumstances, I had to stop. And stopping was the silliest decision I have ever made in my entire life. I am actually still regretting it. Whenever I remember how bad a decision it was, I just tell myself that if I pursued it, I wouldn't have had the most precious man in my life... my son.

Photo from here . If there is one thing I would like to try, it is to bungee jump. I am not really a thrill seeker, I just want to try it because everyone who has tried it said it was fun. I want to experience jumping from a high platform, feel the wind, experience gravity in its most powerful state, scream my heart out and to be pulled back by an elastic rope upside down.

I have forgotten about this challenge, but, better be late than never. I had the most memorable and productive year.  I know that what I had in 2010 is the result of my being optimistic.  So, if there is one thing (not really a thing) that I would really like my son to have, it is my being optimistic. I know that he is.  He doesn't give up easily on anything especially if it has meaning to him. I may not have the riches but the right attitude towards life is something that will make him survive the surprises of life.

Today's challenge question is really easy.  What are the things that you do everyday that make you totally happy? Photo taken in our favorite restaurant.  I always buy him little toys before we go to the restaurant so that he will not get bored waiting for the food to be served.  Obviously, he's already hungry in this photo. 1. I spend quality time with my son.  I have a very busy schedule, I actually did not have a day off last week.  Despite my busy schedule, I always find time for my son.  There are days that I instruct my son's nanny to bring him to the office and we will have dinner together in a restaurant.  Before he goes to sleep and before I do my part time job at night, I would tell him stories and cook dinner for him.  Whenever I do not have a part time job, I do not open my computer because it is the only time that I get to catch up with his life.  Seeing him smile and laugh and sharing me his stories are what really makes me...

Photo from here . Today's 50 Questions Challenge is related to the day 28 question. I miss my parents so much and I wanted to be with them.  They both live in the US and I hope I can visit them.  I really don't want to live there for good, I still love living in the Philippines.  If I will be given a chance to go there, I would just probably stay there for a month or so... of course with my son. Photo from here . But, if there is one place that I would really like to visit aside from the US, it is Paris.  I just want to see in person how majestic the Eiffel Tower is.  And, fall in love there (huh?).  

Photo from here . I like where I am living, I am close to my relatives and friends but, my Mom and Dad live in the US and if there's any other place I would want to live, aside from the place where I am right now, it is with them.  I have been living almost my entire life away from them and I miss their presence. They never really saw me grow up because they have to work.  If I can just make the US a bus ride away from the Philippines, I probably have done that a long time ago.  Absence makes the heart grow fonder.  It is true in my case.  

Photo from here . Yes, I planned about changing my career.  I am already growing tired of bureaucracy, excessive politicking, communistic type of management.  I never knew that it is more rampant in private offices than in government agencies.  I am actually wondering how I get to live by it for almost 4 years now.  The last quarter of 2009, I already decided it is time to go and look for a better environment to use and hone my skills.   I extended my stay as requested by my dear friends at work.  Actually, it is just the company of friends that made it hard for me to deny their request of me staying for a little while.  The little while went on for months and  I could not believe that it is the last quarter already and I am still living the life and working the work. Changing career is still in my plans, I am actually getting ready for it.  If you are following this challenge, I already mentioned it in my previous entries.   ...

When I was at a lost, about 7 years ago, I said to myself that if I can't go back to continuing my medicine course, I will venture into business.  I actually had two businesses a year after that but it didn't went well.  My planning was bad and so I went back to working in an office.  I did not close the possibility of having my own business, I just need the right time and conviction that it is what I really want in life.  I was engrossed to doing office works that I forgot about the thought until last year when working started to bore me.  It's like getting up each day thinking that I will do the same thing over and over again.  I actually sit for at least thirty minutes on my bedside to condition my mind and my body that I need  to go to work.  It was hard... harder than dieting.  The process went on for two months but within those months I was already looking for something to help me get back to my senses.   Fortunately, I have foun...

Me? Satisfied? I think so.  I am not materialistic.  I find happiness in the simplest of things.  When I had a child, everything about me has changed--my priorities and perspectives in life.  When I was still single, I just do whatever I want--taking little consideration about the people around me.  When Lance was born, I had a 360 degree shift.  Everything that I do now is for him and seeing him happy is what brings me much joy and contentment.   I was asked a while ago a classic question of who will I save in case the boat will sink--my son or my husband?  I said, my son.  Of course at this point, it is all about my son.  He's too young not to be taken cared of.  I did not choose to save my husband (if I have) because I know that he would want me to save our child--there's no doubt about it. I have dreams for my child, although I am not sure whether those are his dreams too, seeing him develop his full potential and creating mi...

Yes! I envy my grand aunt.  She worked in Germany for so many years as a nurse and now that she's retired, she's touring the world.  She recently got back to Germany from a three-week vacation to the US and Canada.  She's planning to put up a business here in the Philippines.  I just admire her for everything that she is.  She shares her blessings to her loved ones.  I for one had my share actually even before she retired.  She sent me to medical school, although I was not able to finish it (I know she's disappointed), she still motivates me to all my endeavors.  I remember one time when I was in college, I was so depressed (I could not remember the reason, though), she bought me a Nokia 6260 cellphone. Although, I have different life path than hers, I hope that I can live the life that dream of not after I retire.

Photo from here .  I hope I am as passionate as they are.  I have lots of things in mind, too many things that I would like to accomplish, that I sometimes lose focus on the things that are really important.  I guess that what makes my dream elusive at times... I lack the passion to pursue it.  I will try do my best to improve on that aspect of my life.  Hopefully by the end of this challenge, I am as passionate as ever... more driven and more inspired to do the things that make me complete.

  Yes.  I wanted to put up a business but I don't have enough funds to start with.  But I am saving for it.   Aside from that, I don't have problems with not doing things because of money.  Money will come and I need not worry about it too much.  I think the problem with some people is that they worry too much about money that when they have more money they can handle, they start to lose grasp of reality that they start to believe that everything in this world comes with a price tag.  Money can't buy happiness... it really couldn't.  It can only give you momentary and superficial happiness that becomes insignificant in time.

I used to cross stitch when I was in college.  I have made several portraits that hung in my grandaunt's house.  My cousin told me that I can sell them from several hundreds to thousands a piece depending on the size and design.  I have thought of it once but never really had a chance to sell a thing.  I stopped cross stitching because I have been using my eyes quite harshly recently (blogging and internet freelancing). Is shopping considered a hobby? Haha! Photo from here . I am into reading again.  I don't get paid reading.  It is a relatively expensive hobby but the ROI is incomparable.  It is with reading that I get inspired, gain knowledge and stimulate my lazy brain neurons.  Here are some of the books that I have read (not listed in order of importance or favorite): 1. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey 2. The 8th Habit by Stephen Covey 3. Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done b...

I find today's question funny. See that photo?  That's my living room.  I know, I am poor at interior designing.  I wanted to achieve the minimalistic look but it ended up looking like this.  I am not complaining.  I thought, this isn't the right time for me to go full blast with interior decorating because my son is all over the place and  leaving furniture alone is not yet in his vocabulary.  As you can see, my home entertainment system consists only of an old style television that my uncle gave me.  *Thanks, Uncle!* The DVD player is inside our bedroom because we seldom watch television shows.  I also do not have a radio or any sound system inside the house.  Ever since cellphones and iPod were invented, it never occurred to me  anymore to buy sound system.  I have plans, though, of improving the house.  Someday, somehow, I wanted to have a living room that looks like this.  For now, I will just be contented wi...