Service
And she wanted money from me.
She told me in not very many words. Ninang pautang. Godmother, can I borrow money? It was masked as a loan, although the message, I think, is clear.
Play
You have become a Plants vs. Zombies addict.
And you have a headache.
You do not know when or how it happened. You just looked at your iPhone one day and tinkered with the downloading function and bought Plants vs. Zombies for $2.99 along with other games and applications. You are not a game person yourself. You use your time wisely. You know that these kind of games will not do anything for you – will not add a skill, will not improve any of your relationships, will not make you rich.
The Green Book: On Saving
I found this lone piggybank in a toy store and embraced it right away, looking suspiciously to my left and to my right to check if someone will get it from me.
No other takers. I breathed a sigh of relief.
Kidding.
But to tell you the truth, when I got it, I initially thought of giving it as a gift to one of my nephews or nieces but then as the countdown to Christmas lost digit after digit, I started wanting it for myself (it would be perfect too for my daughter…).
Year End Musings
But let me just say that from both ends, from the beginning until the end, there were a lot of good intentions.
Last year, we were invited to invest in a new venture – a restaurant. Hubby always wanted a restaurant to call his own and since we could not fulfill his dream yet because we are both so busy in our careers (design and law, respectively), we dived in, one eye closed.
Sunday Buffet: A Comparison
Of course we did not. But, well, the day was certainly not one of our frugal days. (we try to be frugal some of the time and fail some of the time)
It was my birthday and usually, we go overseas. But, as they say, a baby changes everything (everything) so this year, we had to stay put. I am not complaining, though. I am so in love with baby. With him and our daughter in tow, we headed straight for Hotel Dusit Thani for their Sunday Crossover Brunch.
We love buffets and are partial to Sofitel’s Spirals. But we were ready for a change. There were rave reviews about Hotel Dusit’s brunch. It was a restaurant tour concept and there were four cuisines we can feast on – Thai, Japanese, Italian and an-around-the-world offering. It all sounded very appealing.
You Can Make this a Special Christmas
I mean the crowds are massive and stifling, the parking is horrible, the merchandise are disgustingly overpriced.
Christmas never used to be this way. It used to be special. The glittery, dreamy, new-clothes-new-shoes-lots-of-gifts-and-sparkles kiddy kind of special.
(Or is it because, then, I was not in charge (and not spending)?)
But I have grown up (as I must) and now it is my turn to make it special for my brood.
(And I wonder, was it stressful too for my mom and dad, or is it more stressful now because the world has become more fast-paced, more guilt-ridden, more material-focused?)
So ever since the countdown for Christmas began, I have been on the lookout for other alternative ways to give or buy gifts without breaking the bank or losing my sanity. Here are some of my picks:
He Made it and It Was Beautiful
If the only prayer you said in your whole life was thank you…
I do not know who Eckhart is, except that he was a German theologian, philosopher and mystic born during the 12th century who wrote such controversial articles that he was tried as a heretic by the then-pope.
But this is not about Meister Eckhart or the Secret. This article is about certain prayers, and thank you.
When the Sky Cries
I mean, all of his 16 pounds-almost-five-month-old-body was tense, as he was screaming at the top of his lungs. Wanting my attention.
I read today that I should expect screaming from my 4-month old baby and that I should not worry – it is normal. That actually, screaming is harder for parents than it is for the babies. Theirs is just an outcry, no matter how desperate and agonizing-sounding it is. Their hearts are not broken. They are just manifesting the need to be held.
Wanting attention. Mine.
Because we were apart for almost 14 hours yesterday, courtesy of a Christmas party that I thought I needed to attend because I wanted to network and socialize.
My reaction to that cry was pain in my gut and unbearable guilt.
Because in the past, when he was just forming the first of his memories, he only needed to reach out his hand to me, or whimper, and I was there.