I decided to make mango vinaigrette today.  A couple of days ago I bought lettuce, carrots, and alfalfa sprouts and so I planned on having a salad for dinner tonight.

So, a few minutes ago I start assembling all my ingredients and discovered that I didn't have any kalamansi.  Everything else was available, including the most important ingredient --- the mangoes chilling in the ref.

And so  I step out to go to the corner store to buy the kalamansi.  I'm back in a few minutes and I get ready to start making the dressing.  I open the ref and ... what the?!?  Where did the mangoes go?

I looked in the trash to see if there were mango peels, and there weren't any.  No one here in the house has eaten mango today.  My mom confirms that she did put mangoes in the ref to chill so I knew it wasn't my imagination.  Gigi and the kids just left but I saw that Jean-Luc brought home bananas, not mangoes.  Again, mom confirmed this because she said she was the one who prepared his things.  And so I ask again ... where did the mangoes go?

Sigh.

There goes my plans of a salad with mango vinaigrette.

I can use any old dressing, I know, but I really had my heart set on the mango vinaigrette.  Sigh.  Kainis.

Reckless drivers of public transportation should equipt their vehicles with safety equipment, if only to warn the passengers that it is going to be a roller coaster ride.  My head, arms, shoulders, back, and thighs have bruises from trying not to fall out of the jeep.  The only time we (the passengers) felt safe was when the jeep was stopped to pick up passengers.

It's bad enough that the driver weaves in and out of traffic like his pants are on fire, when he stops to pick up passengers or let passengers down he seems to stand on the breaks!

Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if I was in jeans.  'Cause then there would be some friction on the seat.  Sadly, I was coming home from school so I was wearing slacks, and I was slipping and sliding back and forth on the seat.  I found myself wishing, not for a seatbelt, but rather for one of those off-road safety harnesses.  You know the type.  The one that straps you into your seat and keeps you in place no matter what.

The driver was young ... possibly in his early 20s and his friends were in the front seat with him.  Maybe he was showing off to his friends.  I don't know.  But you can be sure if someone actually got hurt because of his shenanigans, he will suddenly plead innocent and say he didn't know he was going so fast.  Huh!  A likely story!

My morning class was screwed up earlier because of a cliche ... "technical difficulties".  Almost half the computers in DCL2 were down because of an electrical problem, not to the computers, but to the room.  Turns out there was a power outage the night and it somehow affected only the 3rd and 4th row of the room.

It was messed up because I had a quiz followed by a new lesson and the only way they could take the test was by taking turns.  And THEN, it turns out that the moodle site is buggy on IE so some of my students had to repeat their tests because IE kept freezing in the middle of the test.  Sigh.  This also happened in the evening class.

Afterwards, we couldn't really have a good lesson because, a third of the class didn't have any computers to use.

I feel bad for my students and I hope to make it up to them on Tuesday.  Maybe I can schedule something fun for then.

I fish in my bag for my house keys as we were close to the house.

Me:  I forgot to give Erika my keys.  That means she will have to ring the bell later.  I really should have these keys copied for her.

We stop near the house to enter the garage.

Dad:  My susi ka?

DUH!  Was I talking to myself in the car?

I took a cab home from TK today and I had the misfortune of having a driver who takes advantage of nice people.

The cab fare from the MRT station to my house is P37.50.  I always pay P40.  Today I didn't have any change so I gave a hundred and waited for change.  Most drivers are honest and give P60 change.  I don't make a fuss about the P2.50.  I would give it anyway.  But this driver ... this driver needs to be blogged about.

He gets P40 from his wad of bills and then fishes around on his tray for coins and comes up with P8.  He hands it to me and says that he doesn't have any coins left.  And sits back and waits for me to disembark.  What I was waiting for was for him to ASK me if I had change.  I was traveling with my mom so between us it was highly possible that we would have had P40 in change.  But no, he did not ask.  I debated whether I should ask for the P100 back and just fish for the P40 in my coin purse and thereby spend more time in his cab or just take what he gave me and note that I was robbed P12 and just blog about it.  Obviously, I opted for the latter.

If you think about it, what is P12, right?  But think about it, if he cheated every single passenger he has out of P12, how much money is he actually stealing?

So, here is a warning to all you taxi riders.  Don't trust the cab driver of NASI (that was the name on the door) to give you the correct (or fair) change.  He will try to cheat you.  I didn't get the plate number nor the name of the driver, but at least you know the name of the cab.  Either avoid riding it or just prepare exact change.

I hope it helps.  And I hope karma bites him in the ass.

When I take a bus and an evangelist boards and starts "preaching the Word of God" it pisses me of.  Why?  Because we can't walk away.  We are, in effect, FORCED to listen (unless you happen to have an MP3 player handy, which I don't.  And now they have extended their "captured market".  They now evangelize in jeepneys and trains!

Today I had the misfortune to be on the train (MRT) standing at the junction when this very old lady (white hair, wrinkles on wrinkles, stockings rolling down the legs)  boarded the train in Cubao.  She starts off on the wrong foot with me when she repeatedly stood on my foot despite my telling her several times that she was hurting me.  She apologized each time, of course, and then would promptly turn her back and put her foot RIGHT BACK ON TOP OF MINE.  I was thinking, "patience ... she's old ... she may even be senile ... she isn't doing it intentionally ..."

And then a young lady (n her early 20s) across the car from me stood up and offered the old lady her seat.  The old lady refused and even got angry when the young lady insisted she sit down.  Before the young lady could say anything else the old lady suddenly stands straighter and in a loud voice says, "Greetings, my brothers and sisters in Christ ..."  The young lady immediately reclaimed her seat, shoved earphones in her ears and proceeded to ignore the sermon.

I looked at her and I was thinking, "shucks!  I wish I had brought my earphones!"  I had to suffer through that sermon (spoken at a loud voice beside me) for several stations.  By the time I was 1 station away from my destination (and could, by then, change location without arousing suspicion that I was just avoiding her) I immediately moved to the doors.  I don't think  I had ever been so happy for the doors to open.

I'm a Christian but ... if there is one thing I hate, it is being preached at.  I hate people who think or act that they are better than me.  I hate it when people start their sentences with, "take me, for example ..." or "look at me ..."  I understand the concept of giving personal testimonials but holding yourself up as an example seems to be boastful (prideful).

There was this other time when I rode a jeep and across from me was a young pregnant woman.  Beside me was an older woman who I thought at first was just kindly.  She asked the pregnant lady if it was her first baby. Next thing we knew she spent the ENTIRE jeep ride lecturing the poor pregnant lady TO DEATH!  I was beside her and thinking, "shut up!" especially, when she started spouting nonsense, and later, forcing her beliefs on us, the other passengers.

She spoke in the vernacular (Tagalog) but since I am not good at that, here is a rough translation of some of the stuff she said:

Have you accepted Christ into your life?  I can tell you are going to say yes but I can see in your eyes that you haven't ...

The Lord provides.  Take my word for it, you will not have to work a day in your life to feed your family.  It is your husband's job to make sure to earn enough to feed you and your children together.  Your job is to stay home and be a mother to your children and a wife to your husband, nothing else.  I have never worked a day in my life but my belief in God was strong and he has provided.  By the miracle and grace of God we were able to raise four children.

Don't use a cellphone.  It is dangerous for the baby because of the radiation.  Do you know why there is radiation?  Because it is one of the instruments of the devil.  If you keep using a cellphone that means you are inviting the devil into your life.  That's why, look at me, I don't have a cellphone.  This is because I want to keep my spirit pure.

You know television?  Work of the devil.  The radio?  Work of the devil also.  The devil uses our modern communication devices to tempt us to hell.  That's why for me (and my family) we don't have any phone, tv, or radio at home.  Bad for the soul.

Yada yada yada ...

When I was a little girl I used to watch The 700 Club.  At the time, I don't think I realized that it was a Christian (religious) show.  I just liked the stories and debates.  Nowadays, anything religious on TV is anathema to me.

Enough with the egotistic know-it-alls.
I'd rather have a philisophical DISCUSSION (which translates to an exchange of ideas) rather that to be preached at (talked at).
I'm sure you will agree with me when I say, we hated it as kids when the grown ups kept telling us what to do.  I'm all grown up and I still hate it.

I'm a Christian.  But I'm a Christian with a brain ... with my own thoughts and beliefs and, as I recall, according to the bible, God gave me the right to free will.  Then, what gives these evangelists the right to strip me of it?

Do your preaching at churches and prayer rallies and prayer meetings.  That's what they are  there for.  THAT is your venue.  Shut your trap when you are commuting.  Give your fellow commuters some peace and quiet.

I hate commuter evangelists.

It's been a very busy day and it started at 5:20 am when I received a text from Beej asking if I was up to bowling today at E-Lanes after lunch.  Of course, I said yes.  --- and had a decent game.

The weirdest of all, though was when I went to Erika's school to watch and support her and her group mates in their research paper defense.  I have presented and attended a few of these over the years and this is the first time I ever encountered a defense that got turned into a variety show, with the teacher requiring the students to sing, dance, declaim, etc. for extra points --- just like trained poodles to who want to please their master.  And the kids and parents are so desperate for the kids to have high marks that we do it!  I regret that when Erika asked me to sing for them I declined.  I didn't realize that it was that serious.  The disappointment on Erika's face was painful to see but I didn't see why, of the parents of the students in the group, I the only one getting "dragged into" helping them out?  And I knew for a fact there were 2 more there with me.

Let's face it, a defense is not really the most exciting activity in the world, but making the kids and parents jump hoops for "doggie snacks" cannot be right.  Nor does it befit what is normally a formal event.  If it was really necessary to have intermissions of the sort to "lighten things up" then just have the intermission numbers.  The kids would do it anyway, whether or not you give them an extra grade.

Of course, that may mean their attention would be divided between their academics (the research paper) and the co-curricular (intermission number) but hey, such is life for a student!

Erika was so confident in her delivery.  I hope their group gets a good grade.

My dad sent an email in one of our mailing lists that grossed me out SOOOOOO MUCH!!! that I am having trouble sleeping.  It is a warning to always wash new underwear before wearing them.  Long and short, this lady buys a new bra, wears it unwashed and develops a rash.  She goes to a doctor and he prescribes a cream without looking at her breast.  When the pain got too bad she goes to another doctor and when she took off her bra her left breast had several LARVA PEEPING OUT OF HER PORES.   As in, wiggling, wriggling, live LARVA (WORMS!!!) were living in her left breast on and around her nipple!  The case was so severe that the larva tunnels were deep.  Turns out they were eating (living off) the fat in her breast.

YUCK!!!!!!
That is SOOOO GROSSSSSS!!!!!

First of all, how could she not notice that WORMS are growing in her breast?  How could she make it reach that point?
Second, hello!  How long do you wear a bra?  Don't you change it everyday?
Third, why didn't she show her breast to the first doctor?  She already said it was hurting really bad, so why would the doctor take her word for it that it was "just a rash"?  How many rashes have white heads sticking out of them?

TOTALLY GROSS!
How in the world am I going to sleep now?  I'm so freaked I keep checking my left breast for parasites.  I know, I know, it's psychosomatic,.Empathy pains, I guess.  I just can't believe how stupid she was!

Personally, I think it may have been the water that piggy backed the larva, not the bra itself.

Soap.  Water.  Alcohol.  Waaah!

Yahoo has been giving me some problems a few days ago, which is why I have been asking most of my friends to re-add me to their lists.  For some reason, I couldn't do any modifications through the messenger (to the contact details or the address book).  Any changes I wanted done had to be done on the site.  Every time I tried to modify via the messenger I would get a server error message.

I licked that problem yesterday.  Know what I did?  I uninstalled Yahoo Messenger and all plugins related to it, then I deleted the yahoo folder on program files and searched the temp folder for anything yahoo.  After the cleanup I reboot my PC then reinstalled YM.

Guess what?  It works fine now.  Sheesh!

For goodness sake!  What is wrong with these bus drivers!  It's bad enough that they drive down EDSA like they are the only vehicles on the road, what makes it worse is most of them are smoke belchers and it seems like all of them just LOOOOOOVE to lean on the horn.

Okay, I get it.  They lean on the horn to get our attention.  However, unless the horn sounds like "FTI", ""Alabang", or "Cubao", "Fairview", "Monumento", etc. I don't see the point of honking and honkng.  It's not like we would be able to tell the honks apart, right?  We tell them apart from the signs on their front windshield, not from honks.

How difficult is it for the bus drivers to understand?  Is it a compulsion?  Do they not care that they are breaking our ear drums?

As for the air pollution, is it really that expensive to have their oil changed or to have a tune up?  It's the company that pays for it, I know, but I don't know why they can't do the responsible thing and make sure their vehicles are not smoke belchers.

These, more than any other, are the reasons why I would rather take the train.

I got it into my head to have a salad and pasta lunch. This isn't unusual in itself. What I did differently, though, was I took out my food scale and measuring cups and tried to see how much food would actually make up a proper meal. I was surprised at the outcome.

I actually found it difficult to finish my food ... but that may be because the weather's been so warm I've been chugging down a lot of iced green tea. Oh, the salad was mixed greens with apples and italian dressing. The pasta is penne with abalone mushrooms in herb, garlic, and mushroom sauce. The glass in the corner has iced green tea in it.

---

One of our members in TK, Dr. Bert gave me a bunch of fresh cherries last Friday. I've never had fresh cherries before. I've eaten them canned and bottled but somehow, fresh cherries are still better. They're crunchy and juicy, and kind of remind me of grapes. My folks and I are eating them slowly 'cause we don't know when we will get another batch.

Dr. Bert says his supplier also has fresh blueberries. I'm really looking forward to those. I want to buy a big batch and see how they turn out in muffins. Somehow canned blueberries just don't turn out as well as I would like them to.

---

Ever hear of Vitaminwater? Kasuy and I saw this at Rustan's last week. They're expensive (even on sale!) so it would not have ordinarily made us stop but reading the label was an interesting experience and made me buy 1 just to taste it. Here is what it says on the Multi-V (lemonade [a-zinc]) bottle (that's the one on the far left).

Remember "the Jetsons"? All they had to do was push a button to get dressed, microwave a pill to eat a three course meal and throw Astro out on that treadmill thingy to walk him. Talk about the good life.

Well, we created this all in one product containing more of the nutrients you need, from vitamin a to zinc. Think of it as a drinkable swiss army knife. Ok, so we didn't invent the flying car or legless robot maids, but come on ... like that's ever gonna happen.

Vitamins + water = all you need

For best results, stick in fridge.
The inside is natural, the outside is plastic.

Truth is, I have yet to taste it. Price-wise ... same as buying a mocha frapuccino at Starbucks. I'll let you know once I get around to opening the bottle and tasting it.

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Let's get one thing straight ... I DO NOT LIKE PIZZA. I DO NOT LIKE PIZZA. I DO NOT LIKE PIZZA. I don't HATE it. I'd eat it if there was no other option, but just the thought of it is making me GAG. Offering me pizza may be a thoughtful gesture but for me it's like offering cigarettes to a non-smoker or giving candy to an insulin-dependent diabetic. I DON'T LIKE PIZZA. If I wasn't willing to attend a VA Pizza party, it wasn't because of the company (I love VA!), it was because of the pizza!

Telling me that "it's good for you, it's a full meal", sorry to say, is a bunch of crock! That's not the way I eat and all that mess of fat is NOT good for me. People who really know me would tell you I'm not a fan of meat or cholesterol or so much cheese. For example, the ONLY time I eat steak is when I meet up with friends and they all decide to eat at Snackaroo, which is, at most, once a month ... and even that is difficult for me. For those who don't know ... I really don't eat beef (except the few times it is grilled). I challenge you to think back at all meals we all shared and tell me how often you've seen me eat red meat ... or even pizza, to be specific. I DO NOT EAT PIZZA.

I eat pasta, and even then, I don't really go for the creamy sauces, unless I don't have a choice about it. I prefer pesto or arrabiatta, or putanesca.

I eat chicken (not fried), I eat fish (steamed, preferably), I eat veggies (in salads), I eat rice (preferably red rice). I eat, I eat, I eat. I don't starve myself. So if I turn down food I don't eat, don't get offended, please. I appreciate the thoughtful gesture, but I won't eat it just to please you if I think it isn't good for me or my body.

To be fair, though, my aversion to pizza may also stem from the fact that I worked in Shakey's for a couple of years when I was in my teens. Whatever the reason, though, I hope you can all respect my desire NOT to eat certain food. I know most of you are not as concerned about the food you eat and that is your choice. But I AM concerned about my food intake and thank you for respecting that.

---

One of my favorite food of all time is Century Tuna Hot and Spicy! I love it on bread, on warm rice, or in spaghetti. I liked it plain or mixed with another sauce ... I just love it! But then, I really like tuna, whether fresh or canned. Actually, I like big fish 'cause their bones are big enough for me to avoid, hehehe. Thank you, sis, for feeding me Century Tuna Hot and Spicy for dinner.

I've been single again for quite some time now ... and at times I can't help but think that maybe it is time I should be dating again. Whenever that happens I don't necessarily spot anyone but I look at (and observe) the men I interact with on a more or less regular basis. Big mistake, that. Each time I do that it makes me decide that I am better of single.

I don't ask for much from a guy, really, no matter what our relationship is (friend or possible "playmate" or partner). Top of the list, I look for a guy who is a gentleman.

• I won't wait for you to open a door for me if I reach the door first, 'cause I'm capable of doing that myself. But I think it isn't right to allow me to keep the door open for YOU to pass through it. When you pass the portal, hold the door open for yourself, man! It makes you look like a wuss to have a woman holding a door open for you.
• When we go out to watch a movie or something and we need to do some walking (like from the car to the theater) I think it is rude to walk several steps in front of me. It makes me feel like a medieval chinese woman walking behind her man. First of all, I have no idea WHY you are walking in front of me and not beside me as it makes conversation difficult. Second, what's the rush anyway? I never do photo-finish meet ups when watching a movie. I'd rather spare myself the unnecessary tension.
• I don't mind a guy who is solicitous but I don't want too much of it. If you knew me well enough then you'd know I don't like being touched too much in public. As I may have mentioned in the past, I have a 5-second tolerance window. You can only touch me (my arm, my shoulders, etc.) for up to 5 seconds, after that I get uncomfortable and feel that you are already invading my private space. I NEED MY SPACE!
• Don't follow me around like a puppy dog. I appreciate the concern and that you like being with me but it is making me claustrophobic. I can't breathe! It makes me want to run as far away from you as I can. And I don't want to feel that way about anyone.
  
• When you talk to me, look at my eyes. And if that is difficult to do (given my unique condition) look at my face. Don't talk to my breasts. They don't answer back. Don't talk to the invisible person beside me, you won't hear his response.
• At a restaurant: How I eat is my business. When we go to a restaurant and I choose not to finish my food, don't scold me for it. Eat your own food and allow me to enjoy my food my way. If I choose to doggy bag it, that is my choice to make. I'm paying for it anyway.
• At a restaurant: I'm all for economical eating so I don't mind per se sharing food, but please don't assume that each and every time we eat you can just share my food. I also don't like people picking food from my plate. If there is something there that you like, please ask me first if you can have it then WAIT FOR MY RESPONSE. For all you know, I've been saving it for last 'cause it is something I like, too.
• At a restaurant: We just shared a meal and it is time to go. I don't expect you to help me out of my chair, but I do expect you to wait for me to stand up and walk with me to the door, and NOT leave me at the table as you make your way to the door ahead of me. That is just plain rude!
• When I speak, don't try to talk over me. Listen to what I have to say first. And then when I am done, that is when it is your turn to speak. Simply common courtesy, don't you think?
• If you are in a grouchy mood, do not take it out on people. Stay home and sulk if you must but do not, I repeat, do not growl at other people, especially those who do not deserve to be growled at. It is just plain childish and I hate it! I scold children for that, you can ask my nephews, nieces, and daughter. If you do not want to lend your phone or laptop or ipod or whatever, just say so nicely, no need to bite their head off and make them feel bad for asking. Remember, it's YOUR gear, you have the right to say no, and there's nothing they can do about it if you won't allow it. Don't get snide and make trite remarks. Just say "NO" and that's that. If they insist then just stand firm, but do it nicely. Don't bite their head off.

There's more but my folks just called me down for lunch so I will end this here.

In summary ... men are just too much trouble. Any man who cannot be a gentleman to me and other people (not just women) is no friend at all. I'm not looking for perfection in a friend. I can accept that we all have faults. But I would appreciate my male friends to at least make an extra effort to be a better person when they are with me and mine. It has to start somewhere. Is that too much to ask?

It looks better now but believe me, these past few weeks our street has been almost impassable. Definitely it has been difficult for neighbors who usually leave their cars parked outside. Now they end up parking at the end of the street and cluttering up the houses THERE.

All these industrious digging is courtesy of the local government. They are supposed to be for flood control and drainage improvement. The day Kamuning is overcome by flood is the day the City of Manila goes underwater. For goodness sake! Kamuning is ON TOP OF A HILL!

The mounds of earth and shale on the roads is only part of the nuisance. Ask me where they did the digging. It was done on the sidewalks which, over the years have been partially transformed into mini-gardens by the neighborhood and in some cases, extensions of their homes. Imagine how this affected the morale of the neighborhood. According to the workers, once they finish our side of the street they will work on the other side. Oh, joy. More digging.

I can't stand it! The sound of several jackhammers "singing" outside my window in the morning is enough to wake up the dead! And this industrial symphony only stops for lunch, then proceeds until 5pm. I'm just glad they don't work on Sundays. That gives everyone (them and us) at least one day of rest.

The dust of the construction is not good for our health. My folks and nephew and nice are already coughing. The noise also gives us a headache of monumental proportions. I go to bed early at night (when I can) to ease the headache and in anticipation of the early morning wake up by the jackhammer symphony.

I hope it ends soon. And I hope they fix the street when they're done. I also hope that after the election, the budget for these improvements won't trickle away into limbo.

As with many people I have my share of pet peeves. And one of them is when people call each other derogatory names or cuss at each other either:

• as a matter of course (and often!)
  
• as a way of greeting each other, much as normal people would simply say "hello!"
  

What has happened to our society? How is it that saying mean things to people is now acceptable behavior? When adults do it I can't help but frown as it is and silently remark to myself on their bad behavior. But when MINORS do it, I want to violently wash their mouths out with soap and slap them silly. Worse even is when adults (meaning people who are chronologically more than 18 years old) do this not only IN FRONT OF MINORS but say them TO THE MINORS themselves.

Maybe it's because I am a mom, but I just can't stand it! I have half a mind to meet the parents of these people just to see for myself if these people were allowed to speak that way at home. 'Cause if that is the case, then I can blame it on the parents for not teaching their children the right values. But if I find out that the parents supposedly brought them up right then I will ask the parents for permission to turn them over my knee and spank them until their hind quarters are sore and they can't sit down.

Don't get me wrong, the occasional word, if properly used is okay. What I abhor is when it becomes such a part of their speech and lifestyle that two friends see each other and the first thing they think of doing is smile at each other and call each other names.

Hmmm ... maybe it is time to explore root words and word definitions. Maybe this will clear things up.

FUCK - this was either derived from the Dutch word fokken which means to breed (as in cattle) or the Swedish word fokka which means to copulate.

BITCH - (noun) it refers to a female of the dog family. Later it somehow evolved to refer (verb) to a lewd or immoral woman or even a malicious, spiteful, and overbearing woman. How it evolved from a female dog to immoral women is beyond me. Unless ... it is being implied that the females of the canine family ARE known to be lewd and immoral and malicious, therefore a woman with such qualities is then a bitch. Is there truth in this assessment? Are female dogs exactly that? Or is it implied that all women are lewd and immoral and are therefore "bitches"? Girls, unless you are dogs, I don't like you referring to yourselves as bitches. Doing so makes the guys think it is okay for THEM to call you bitches. And trust me, it is NEVER okay for ANYONE to call you that.

ASS - (noun) an ass is any of several hardy gregarious African or Asian perissodactyl mammals (genus Equus) smaller than the horse and having long ears; especially : an African mammal (E. asinus) that is the ancestor of the donkey. These animals are known for not being very bright, for being stubborn, and at times perverse. I get the reference. I know some people I would call an ass ... but not affectionately, mind.

JERK - (noun) a single quick motion of short duration; (verb) jolting, bouncing, or thrusting motions; (transitive verb) a tendency to produce spasmodic motions. Given that basic definition, how did the word "jerk" evolve to refer to a person who is unlikeable and annoying? And given that current definition, why, oh why, would you call your friend a jerk?

ASSHOLE - refers to the sphincter or anus.

I don't FUCK around which means I'm not a BITCH about this. Sue me. Not only am I a woman, I'm also a mom and this means I can be an ASS about family values, especially around minors. So forgive me if I JERK when my ears get assaulted by words an ASSHOLE would make if it could talk.

Cuss words or name calling uttered in anger I can understand. I don't like them any better but I can allow some leniency. Any other time though, really ... what's the point? 

Golden rule is ... do unto others what you would like others to do unto you.  Ergo ... if you make it a habit to call people names or to cuss at people, be prepared to be called names yourself and to get cussed right back. And please, don't go getting all upset when they do. Remember, YOU STARTED IT!

A while back I purchased one of those pirated copies of the complete DVD set of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. "Complete", they say. To my extreme annoyance, it was missing episodes 213 to 222 ... basically the episodes where Kendra dies and Angel dies. Aaaargh! How frustrating! I switch to the second disc and all of a sudden Buffy is expelled from school What gives?

Thankfully the videos are "watchable" copies. But I can't help but be very disappointed at the missing episodes. This is the reason why I buy originals, too. At least with originals, I have a right to complain, and I can demand my money back if my copy sucks.

Need to save up again and get myself the original set of season 1 to 7 of Buffy The Vampire Slayer ... followed of course by Angel.

This is a list compiled from personal experience.

You know you're fat when ...

• you dread the thought of getting on a weighing scale
• you can't bend over to pick up something without your skin pinching at the waist
• you look at the mirror and you have an extra chin you surely do not need and cheekbones you can no longer find
• going to the bathroom to defecate is cause for celebration 'cause it means you will lose some of the belly and a pound or two.
  
• you need to buy clothes and you have no idea what size to get anymore
• you buy underwear in your usual size (medium) and find they barely climb up your thighs
• the thought of wearing a bra is torture. You have fat rolling off the top and below the bra line ... front AND back
• you won't even DARE get into a bikini now like you used to be able to. One piece (neck high) suits for me!
• you see your thighs and all you can think of is, "Eww! Cottage Cheese!"
  
• you are wearing your spouse's clothes all the time
• your bustline and waistline measurements are less than 6 inches apart
  
• you tilt your head back and the back of your head is resting on your nape.
• you walk and your inner thighs are rubbing against each other causing your pants to wear out near your crotch
• your profile shows that your belly protrudes farther than your breasts/chest
• climbing a short flight of steps makes your breathless.
• you look at your closet filled with your "thin clothes" and discover you really have nothing good to wear except t-shirts and garterized pants.

Sigh ...

Every time I step out of the house and see the neighborhood wandering around like the streets are their own backyard I get a little bit peeved. No, they don't run after people barking, with teeth bared, so that isn't an issue. But they do enough to drive me bonkers!

They mate in the middle of the street and if a car is coming by ... sorry, driver, but you will have to wait until they're done.

They SLEEP in the middle of the street. Again, if a car comes down the road they just raise their head and seem to say to themselves, "What is that bright light coming towards me?" They still don't move, by the way. You have to honk at them and flash your lights at them to wake them up. And THEN, they move languidly and make you wait several minutes for them to get out of the way.

What really gets my dander up, though, is that it seems like all the neighborhood decided to make the front of our house their public restroom. More than any other house on our street, when going to our house you need to be very careful 'lest you find your foot in something squishy and stinky. No matter what time of the day (or night), someone's is making a deposit at our place. And what REALLY gets my dander up is sometimes, I will SEE the owner WITH THE while IT is making its deposit! Hello! Make a mess at your own place, thank you! I don't shit at your place, don't shit on mine! Why can't he do his business in front of your house instead? At the very least, please pick up the fertilizer your pet left behind. Use it on your plants if you want or throw it in the bin, I don't care, just don't leave it HERE!

And that's just the ... let me get to the now. The neighborhood are neater. They don't do their business on the street. They actually enter our little garden in front, hide behind the hedges, and make their contributions there. It wouldn't be so bad since the plants need the fertilizer anyway, but ... with so many making contributions, our frontage now gives off an uninviting smell.

Between the two it is embarrassing to invite people over. People might think we don't keep a clean house or that we let our pets run amok. The irony is ...we don't have any pets except fish! Our frontage smells like a kennel and we don't even own any quadrupeds!

Many times my dad and I have discussed using his slingshot and targeting any animal that stops in front of the house and positions itself to defecate, whether its owner is with it or not. So far we haven't gotten around to it, but it is definitely something we seriously want to do. Another idea, which I am all for by the way, is to hose them down when they approach. That way the porch gets cleaned, too.

I keep telling myself I will treat our frontage to a vinegar and water bath to serve as a deterrent to pets --- the vinegar and water erases their scent from the area --- but I just haven't gotten around to it yet. Need to buy a stiff brush with a handle, too. I will find the time over the weekend (I hope) and I will keep my fingers crossed that it will work. Sigh.

In my opinion, though, it isn't the animals that need the control but the owners, for letting them run amok. Can I have them arrested for negligence?

In my opinion, the biggest mistake anyone can make is to mess with MY CHILD. When something happens that upsets Erika, her dad would often try to make light of it and (in my opinion) plays "lawyer" for the other guy. I know it is not intentional. He just assumes that maybe she is overreacting or reading more into it. But that's how guys are.

In my case, though, when Erika tells me these things I KNOW she needs my help already and I come out shooting from the hip with both guns blazing. How do I know it is an urgent matter already? Because, my baby doesn't complain until it has gotten out of hand and out of her control. This particular situation I am about to mention she has been tolerating for 1 entire month.

Someone has been harassing her via text all this time. She made the mistake of responding at the beginning because she thought that the person was a friend whose number she just didn't recognize and then later found out that this person was a complete stranger. At first Erika tried ignoring her, but as with most stalkers, the texter was persistent and finally got Erika annoyed enough to respond again.

Erika and I were having our salon day yesterday when this person started in again. As soon as Erika saw the message she gives me the phone and says, "Mom, it's HER again. Can you handle it?"

I tried to be nice. I texted her back to stop sending Erika messages already because they are not appreciated nor desired. This got her back up and her succeeding messages became more and more bitchy, and she made every attempt to incite Erika to anger to make her respond.

Because of this I immediately called Smart to get the number of NTC (National Telecommunications Commission) to have the situation dealt with. Upon getting the number I immediately called them up. The guy who answered (Victor) advised us to go to their office so that we could show their officer the text messages. NTC will then send the texter 3 warning messages. If we receive ANY other message from this person (which NTC will be monitoring) his/her sim card AND PHONE will immediately be blocked and unusable.

No one messes with me or my baby.

I take the train (MRT) to and from Makati all the time. Rain or shine, this is still the best way to travel. From Kamuning to Makati it takes me 10 minutes, which would take an hour by car or bus. I don't always get to sit but it is such a short ride that it doesn't really bother me.

This evening I took the last train home. The rain was falling hard but this isn't unusual weather for this time of the year. What WAS unusual was that it was also raining inside the train. Yes, I said inside the train! I was in section 015-C of the MRT and the center aisle was wet from the water dripping along the ceiling. We (the passengers) were just thankful that it wasn't falling on our heads but there were sections were the water was quite profuse. I was lucky enough to be far enough away that I wasn't getting wet. But I was waiting for the lady near the puddle to just open her umbrella.

What was weird was that when we looked ahead to the section ahead of us (015-B) they were completely dry.

This doesn't speak well of the maintenance of our public transport system. I wonder how long it will take for the authorities to attend to this?

Most would say that I am not fat. Ok, so maybe I am not overly bulging all over the place. But family and old friends will tell you that I used to be slim as a reed growing up. I don't really want to go back to being that slim, but I do kinda miss having a 23 inch waistline. Don't ask me now what my waistline is!

When I was in my teens and early to mid-20s "cellulite" was a foreign word that had no meaning to me. For the last 10 years, though, I have been introduced to them and cannot seem to get rid of them easily.

Whenever I sit down and forget to sit properly (ergo, straight-backed) it shocks me to see that my belly closely resembles that of Bib, Michelin Man. This immediately forces me to straighten my back and suck in my gut. No, no, no, NO! I refuse to get fat! Thank goodness it hasn't reached the point where I look that way standing up, too. Nonetheless, I cannot stop my vigilance. I must control ... not let go. If I intend to stay slim(-ish) I need to do what I need to do (discounting surgery and drugs) to maintain and improve my figure.

Once upon a time I used to wear clothes sized SMALL. Then there was a time I was wearing LARGE. Now I'm down to medium and I have no intention of going up a size anymore.

I can't jog in the neighborhood because of the dogs. There are no convenient public swimming pools in the area. Once I can get my payables out of the way I will definitely go back to the gym.

Must lose the sitting spare tire. Thank goodness I am nowhere near Goodyear blimp proportions.