International Symbol For Marriage

Too funny :-)

Lunch with Hubby

Finally had the chance to have lunch out last Sunday. We rarely go out these days, as you can probably tell from my blog. Anyway, we wanted to try Seryna Japanese Resto in LIttle Tokyo near Cinema Square but they close early and we weren't able to catch them on time.

We went to Shinjuku instead. It was my dad's favorite Japanese resto when he was still alive. Maybe because it was very close to his studio. I have a vague recollection of dining there once, when the restaurant was still small.



Anyway, here's our spread.









I like the spicy tempura maki (second photo from top). The food is generally good and reasonably priced. There were some Japanese patrons inside so we know that food will be ok.

Under the Weather

I've been feeling the weather this past few days. I even took this day off to rest but I lost my voice in the process. Not sure why that is so after resting and sleeping pretty much the whole day. I should be feeling better.

Maybe I should write a piece to while away the time.

So here I am typing away. I swear I typed over 500 words, but when I read it again, it sounded so self-absorbed and didn't make much sense. So, I erased it all.

My brain is too foggy to function.

So, to those who are reading this, I wish you a safe and healthy week.

My Housekeeper's Grocery List

This is the kind of list that I have to decipher every weekend:



I love my housekeeper and all, but the things on a typical grocery list are too funny sometimes.

Tell me, can you find beef roe? Lumpia saper? Bague beens?

He he he.

Phone Conversation

I was calling somebody's office. I've made several calls in a span of a few hours because I badly needed to talk to that person. The secretary who's been answering my calls seems a bit pissed today. I was even extra courteous on the phone since I really really need to talk to that person.

Me: "Hi, Can I speak to Miss So and So please?"

Secretary: In Tagalog, "She's not here yet, please call around 2:00 p.m."

Come 2 pm I call back.

Secretary "Not yet here"

2:30 p.m.

Me: "Do you know what time she'll be back?"

Secretary; "Miss so and So said she might be in at 3:00 p.m. today. PLEASE CALL BACK AN HOUR AGO"

Well, I did call an hour ago, but Ms. So and So wasn't there either!!! Ha ha ha.

Random thoughts about wedding and marriage

I just watched Eat, Pray, Love on video. I’ve read the book of course, but only had the chance to watch the movie lately. Anyway, watching the movie renewed my interest about Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of the book, and wondered if she really got her happily ever after, years after the book was written and published. I browsed the web and came upon an article at the Wall Street Journal Digital Network. The article was written by Elizabeth Gilbert’s friend, and fellow writer, Ann Patchett. This is an excerpt from the said article:

AP: Many people confuse weddings with marriage, or they don't think past the wedding to the marriage. What are your feelings about weddings and how do they figure into the bigger picture of marriage?

EG: I think this is a particular trap for women—especially young women of the romantic variety, which is to say: young women. I myself have never been enchanted by the dream of the white wedding, and, heaven help us, the expectation that this exquisitely catered event should be "the happiest moment" of one's life. But I did ask a number of my heartsick single female friends about this very question, and one of them gave me a truthful and illuminating answer: The fantasy of the wedding day is that it represents undeniable public and private truth that you have been chosen. For that one day, you are the most valuable creature in the world—a treasure, a princess, a prize. For many women, who have never felt chosen or desirable or precious, this is an unshakable yearning. And I'm afraid many women do choose the wedding over the marriage. It seems a steep price to pay, but it comes from a place of deep, sad longing to be loved and to have it proven that you are of value.

After reading that, it got me thinking about my own wedding and how I didn’t get the wedding that I really wanted. You see, I never had dreams of having a grand wedding with hundreds of people in attendance. I wanted a quiet, simple wedding in a small chapel with just my husband, myself, our parents, our two siblings and a handful of very close family members. Mine would be counted with just two hands. Hubby, probably even less. Instead, we got married in one of the biggest churches in Metro Manila, it took me over five minutes to walk that long aisle, and we had over 250 guests, 70% of which, I have never met nor have been a part of our lives until that moment. Yes, we did the whole dog and pony show, to appease the in laws. And yes, I do cringe at the memory of it all.

To quote Elizabeth Gilbert, “ For that one day, you are the most valuable creature in the world—a treasure, a princess, a prize. For many women, who have never felt chosen or desirable or precious, this is an unshakable yearning.”

I grew up with a loving and caring mother, so my yearnings for feeling precious were next to nil. Okay, to be truthful, I didn’t always feel that way (hello, teen-age years) BUT, with a mature(er) eye looking back at my life, wow, I got lucky. By some cosmic draw, I was placed in my mother’s womb and brought up in this world by her.

Which brings me back to why I’ve written this piece. I have met brides who gushed and stressed about the wedding details, the worst of them all are called bridezillas. Apparently it’s a new breed of high strung women, driving their fiance, family members and wedding coordinators crazy with their incessant quest for what they deemed will be the happiest day of their life. Girlfriend, if your wedding day is the happiest day of your life, you’re doomed.

I planned my wedding in less than a month. It went something like this: reserve the church, plan a dinner shindig in the same facility, buy a simple wedding dress that doesn't look like a meringue, finish the paper work (which took the longest!), choose a menu from a caterer, get whatever free bridal cake and flowers that come with it. Done. Finito.

Brides get so caught up in the details and try to make everything look perfect. That’s right, look perfect. Real perfection doesn’t exist, but, happiness, kindness, laughter, patience, loyalty, forgiveness and love do. Shouldn’t you strive for those instead?



I didn’t look forward to our wedding. Instead, I looked forward to our marriage, which is the most exciting, exhilarating, frustrating, frightening, heart breaking, funny and hair raising roller coaster ride of my life! I love being married to Hubby. It’s the best decision I ever made in my whole life.

I didn’t have the quiet wedding of my fantasies, but I do have the marriage of my dreams, nightmares and all.

Washing hands

My nephew Jayjay and my niece Ashley love to play in the bathroom sink. I found out why. They like to mix together liquid soap, alcohol and hand sanitizer and wash their hands with them! I often wondered why the supplies in the bathroom downstairs suddenly get depleted whenever the punks are staying over.

Sir Charlie Stinky Socks

My niece Ashley despite being so makulit, is really very sweet. Before going to bed, she would ask me to read her a bedtime story. I purchased some books specifically for this purpose. Sir Charlie Stinky Socks is my favorite because it is beautifully illustrated and quite funny too.



Ashley liked the book and kept asking questions about the illustrations and giggled so much when I read it, I made funny sounds too when I described the beasties and she seemed to have enjoyed that.

I love reading stories to that little girl.

Too tired to go home

Jayjay calling his dad on the phone:

"Daddy, we will sleep in Ninang's house tonight because I'm too tired to go home na."

Our house is less than ten minutes' drive. I suspect the real reason why they refuse to go home is this:



They were sulking by the time we drove them home the following morning. The little boy was throwing a tantrum and was at a foul mood since he didn't want to go home yet. The little girl was giving me the woeful eye as they alighted our car. Haay.

We had return them home because I promised their dad I would bring the two punks home after breakfast.

I love you ..... You love me

Before going to bed, my niece Ashley who ambushed us for another sleep over, said to me:

Ashley: "Ninang, I love you, you love me. We are a family."

Awwww my heart just melted.

Taho for breakfast

Love it!

Dinner at Cafe Mary Grace with the BFF

Finally had dinner with the BFF. She's been pretty busy with her job lately but she called me the other night and is in desperate need of "girl talk". Her job is driving her nuts. Ha ha ha.

Anyway, we had dinner at Cafe Mary Grace in Greenbelt 3. Mary Grace is famous for their ensaymada with grated queso de bola on top.

Cafe Mary Grace also serves pasta and an host of other dishes. Of course we had some creamy mushroom pasta since the BFF loves to eat creamy pasta when we dine out. Anyway, I liked the pasta because it wasn't too rich. The BFF wanted it to be more creamy though.



We were so engrossed in our conversation and laughter, I forgot to take pictures of our dessert. The BFF had a cheesecake and I had grilled cheese roll.

Luckily though, the waiter volunteered to take a group picture otherwise we will be having extreme close ups from taking our own photos.



It's always fun talking to my BFF. We've known each other since we were ten years old and even though we no longer see each other as often as we would like to, we always keep in touch via phone and most often via telepathic communication. Ha ha ha. One or the other seems to know if the other one is in need of a shoulder to cry on.

Ramblings

I have nothing to blog. Hubby's been away and I've been eating fastfood almost every night. I feel like a friggin' bachelor(ette).

I've been living in Makati since Hubby's been away to lessen commute or driving time. I said to myself, this is my chance to dine out every night, sample all the great restaurants in Greenbelt. However, none of that happened.... Hmmm...

I find myself getting quick take out somewhere, hurry back to the condo and be on Skype to talk to Hubby.

I ate out once, at Razon's, to have their famous Halo-halo (Yummy!) and Palabok (which tasted like water, no kidding).



So, fast food and quick take outs became my meals. I find cooking for one isn't really that great.

Which got me thinking, if, at my ripe old age of 37, I am still single. What would I be doing?

So, it brings me back to the last time I was truly "single", before I met my handsome prince, Hubby. College.

I completely missed out on the wild party scene during my college days. Most of my friends were homebodies and foodies like me. I was always eager to come home, read a book or watch TV and curl up in my bed.

So, it brings me back, seventeen years later, pseudo single, and I find myself doing the same old thing. Except now there's internet. But essentially, I am still reading (e-books), watching stuff on TV or You Tube, curled up in bed using my iPhone.

Pathetic. Bwa ha ha ha! :-)