Of July and Freedom

Speaking of time, June was arguably one of the fastest months for me this year. June, well, just breezed through!  

I went to KL twice last month to spend time with the in-laws and attend a wedding. 

Significantly, I went back to my fitness training regimen. I've been going very regularly. It helps to have a cute personal trainer you get along with. =) 

July ---- this is it! 

Be nice. Be fun. Be kind. Be exciting. 

I'm hopeful. Very hopeful. 

=) 

Tulog lang ang katapat

I've been feeling under the weather for the past few weeks. I had allergies that won't seem to budge, my cough was incessant and I lost my voice for a good 3 weeks. 

I didn't feel tired. I was running around talking to suppliers and meeting up with our wedding coordinator. I just wanted to get a lot of things done before the big day. My internal target is I'll be just sitting pretty on the week of the wedding. I don't want to be running around like a headless chicken trying to check items on my list on the last minute. I definitely don't want that kind of stress! 

Admittedly, I've been losing sleep since I needed to wake up at 4:30 am in some days just to drive out to Tagaytay to meet suppliers and do my fitting. 

I guess the lack of sleep took its toll. 

This weekend, I decided to lay low a little bit. I still ran my errands but wasn't too gung ho about it. I managed to tick off items on my list but I slept when I felt like it. 

Saturday night was spent reading a book and sleeping in. Sunday afternoon, I allowed myself a long nap after our usual family lunch in my apartment. 

Today, I feel like a million bucks! 

Nothing that a good sleep can't fix. 

This week, I won't deprive myself of the Zzzzs. I'll definitely try to iron out more kinks but sleep will be an ultimate priority. =)   

Fighting the flu bug off

I'm double-booked for Christmas parties tonight...

But I can feel the flu bug. 

And I'm fighting it off as best as I can. 

Waaaah.

Come on.

Don't be raining on my parade now. 

Flu...again???

Yoj caught the flu over the weekend after her Boracay trip. She sits beside me so now...it's not surprising that I feel my throat itch and I've got muscle pain.

FLU.

Don't go near me!!! 

Tiis-ganda: When hard work pays off

I have not been drinking a lot for the past 2 months now. I've stayed away from alchy as much as I can. 

No more binge-drinking, drunk driving and Prive' party nights. 

All for the love of better health...and fabulous prenup photos. 

I liked our Jakarta prenup shots in August but I felt like my arms there were humongous. My legs were pamalo ng dalag and I had double chin. 

I work out regularly and I try to eat healthy. 

My nemesis is really my alcohol intake. 

As such, I made a resolve to shun alcohol as much as I can. And if I can't, I made an effort to drink moderately. 

What used to be a bottle of wine over dinner became 1-2 glasses for me. An all-you-can drink mojito night is ROI'd by just 2 glasses. 

IT WAS A LOT OF SACRIFICE, considering that my stress-buster means cocktails or wine nights at Barcino with my ladies. And yes, Barcino has missed me so much for the past 4 months. 

Lo and behold, the hard work paid off. 

I'm happy with the results of our Manila prenup shoot. And I feel less guilty. 

No more binge drinking! 

And I will actually add that to my 2014 resolutions. 

=) 

Day 2 of House Arrest: Confessions of a Workaholic

Day 2 of house arrest. I'm still alive - without the restlessness and fidgeting. 



I feel guilty when I take a break and push work stuff in a corner.

I feel bad putting off things for the next day --- even if accomplishing everything on my list will kill me. 

There. I said it. 

Skye is right. I do not know how to relax. I wish for it, I crave for it, I dream of it. 
But when I get a day or two's break, I don't know what to do. He actually said that he'd be a much better houseband and will reach that goal faster than I can be a housewife.

I get lost without the structure of a to-do list, because truth be told, there's so much to do!!! 

1. Work-wise, I have to build a major platform that needs to be up and running by next year. 

2. That is just one of the hundreds of things I need to do at work. I don't even want to go into mentally enumerating them. 

3. I've got a wedding ceremony and party to organize. Although I'm halfway there, it's no reason for me to silently panic. 

4. 2014 is just around the corner and I'm nowhere near touching my vision board. 

5. I have to account for all my mortgage payment if I want to sell one of my real estate properties. 

Had I not gone on a quick break, I would probably be suffering a panic attack right now. 

I know I'm trying to alleviate my guilt by opening my lappy, going online and trying to be productive by 9am - but it is a slow and good start for someone like me. 

I need to breathe. Yes, I keep telling myself that. 

It's okay to breathe. 

On house arrest: toning down the kuracha mode

I am forced to be on house arrest for two days, starting today. 

My doctor slapped me with a medical cert and reprimanded me to slow down, take it easy and just stone at home, after being diagnosed with chronic tonsillopharyngitis, which has been pestering me for two weeks now.

None of my friends believe I can do absolutely nothing in the two days and just stare in space. 

True enough, I managed to (slightly) organize my files and papers for my QC condo, write checks for some payments and finish my book. 

My Facebook wall today was littered by messages from friends scolding me to stay put --- even for a little while. 

Eto na. Makikinig na. 

It's true. We do need time to take a break and recharge once in a while. 

It's good for the soul. It sets things in perspective once again.

It's a welcome break. =)    

Fierce

Third day with the bug but I'm in the office, working like nothing's changed. 

As giddy as ever. Fierce kung fierce. 

I will be relentless. 

You won't bug me, bug. Pun intended. 

Bugged

I knew it. 

I was feeling under the weather last Monday. True enough, I caught the flu bug. Since I had my flu shots this year, my system's been trying to fight it off.  I did panic, though, because I had a lot of mosquito bites last Friday when we had cocktails at Bugsys.

I took the day off yesterday.  To rest. Re-channel. Realign. Re-center. 
All I did was eat, sleep, read, eat sleep. It definitely helped in my recovery. 

I'm back in the office, although I'm not in my best form yet. Just to be sure, I scheduled a doctor's appointment in the afternoon to also validate if I need to be tested for dengue. 

Crossing finges that it's not so that I can go back to my TRX classes. 

It feels good to slow down, though. I shouldn't be stubborn next time, to have to wait to get sick before I slow down.

Yes, yes. I'm listening, beloved Universe. 

Slowing down, slowing down. 

On travel frenzy, getting the flu and the future in-laws

I've got barely an hour to go here at Starbucks, 1 Utama Mall at PJ before future mudra-in-law picks me up to head home. Yep, I've been left alone with her since breakfast this morning...but that's not where the story begins. 

Friday night last week, I was literally dragging myself to the airport along with my luggage en route to KL. Dang flu hit me hard on the exact day that I was flying out. Imagine achy joints, major backache, hard cough, fever and severe migraine all conveniently rolled into one. Yep - that was me when I flew out. 

I was on the verge of tears while in line at the immig feeling sorry for myself. Skye wanted me to defer my flight the following day, but Miss Kuripot didn't want to incur USD$250 for a one-way ticket from Manila to KL.  

So on I went to take my flight. Luckily, I was front row and a handsome flight attendant was there to assist me in all my needs. Well, that's the thing. I was at a near-delirium stage already that I cannot even appreciate the eye candy. Yes. It was that bad.

I passed out in the car when Skye picked me up at the airport. 

Saturday - I was a vegetable in bed but I had to force myself to eat meals with his parents as courtesy.  We were actually reprimanded for eating too late in the night for dinner. As mudra-in-law said, "makan time is makan time." That was again a reminder before we headed out yesterday. 

Segue' to today. When Skye left the house for work, he had to ask me to down for breakkie. "Hey, my Mom's nagging us to have breakfast. I'm packing mine. You have to eat yours." Okaaaaaaaaay. So obedient me, off I went. 

Organic breakfast - free-range egg, oats with organic cranberries, Ceylon tea. A quick conversation with the mudra. Not bad. 

We went to the mall together for lunch and grocery at the organic market. I had great organic soy curry laksa and some rice-veggies. 

And now here I am - sitting alone in Starbucks - enjoying some peace and quiet. 

I have not been forced to wake up and eat my breakfast for more than a decade now. I have been living independently, come to think of it, for more than 10 years already. 

Living in a house with very stringent house rules is weird for me. There's a place for wet and dry garbage, I can't eat in the bedroom (I drink wine and eat chips in mine) and the list goes on. 

Truth be told, I am terrorized by this new set of rules. Even Skye is terrorized by his own parents. Luckily, I am a fan of organic and vegetarian food! Unluckily, Skye is not!!! 

This entire KL trip as a prelude to our Beijing-Shanghai tour is a total frenzy! 

But as I sit quietly here, sitting and drinking my usual Starbucks cafe mocha (which by the way the mudra bought for me), I actually feel blessed and grateful. 

SERIOUSLY.  

First of all, I was introduced to the parents. 

Second, his parents are making sure we are comfortable. The house rules are there for a reason. They may be different with mine, but the rules are there to give order and structure in the house and to keep everyone safe and comfortable. 

Third, it's a quiet time that I get to spend with his mom - something that I never had in my past relationship. 

Fourth, new set of rules means new people in my life. A household extension --- an addition to the family so to speak. Both parents are very sincere and quite caring - forcing us to bring more than enough thermal wear, in case the weather gets weird and it snows in on us. 

Fifth, and most important of all, I'm grateful for my timely recovery. Imagine the horror and terror of being in Beijing at 4 degrees with a flu. It will be a so-near-yet-so-far experience of being almost at The Great Wall but never really reaching there.  

Some may not realize it, but health --- is the greatest equalizer of all. Rich or poor, it doesn't matter if you don't have great health. And yes, I'm grateful, too, for that timely reminder. 

Off we go to Beijing and Shanghai for the rest of the Holy Week. 

Safe travel for me and Skye. 

   

Gratitude

This week, I'm grateful for a lot of things.

Not in its order of importance, I'm grateful for:

1. Some desk time. 
2. Me time.
3. My new Kindle Paperwhite. 
4. Being able to finish reading The Perks Of Being A Wallflower.
5. Friends. Old and new. 
6. Time to work out. 
7. Healthy, organic food. 
8. Skye. 
9. His penchant for planning ahead. 
10. His corny but cute rhymes. 
11. My Mom. 
12. My Dad. And his coming around.
13. Abbygale. 
14. My own parking in the office --- because it's soooo hard to get one. 
15. My best friends. 
16. Being able to catch up with Ian.
17. Being able to convince him to get back into the circulation.
18. Coffee. 
19. Hot chocolate. 
20. My cozy apartment.
21. My cupboard and ref filled with so much food from Christmas hampers. 
22. Good health.
23. Unexpected windfall.
24. Reliable team members. 
25. My efficient admin assistant. 

What a blessed life. :-)

Coffee love: the deprivation that's driving me insane

Coffee is my fuel in the morning. It's both psychological and physiological, but I need my coffee to kickstart my morning. 

All of my team members back in Jakarta know that if anyone wants me to contribute a humongous proportion of my brains in the discussion, we gotta have the brew! 

I have been having gastric cramps and hyperacidity attacks for several days now, which merited a trip to the doctor. Lo and behold --- the treatment requires me to stay away from caffeine for 2 weeks. 

2 loooooooooong, aggrandizing weeks!

Hindi lang 'yan. The list goes on. I cannot drink coffee, tea - not even hot chocolate! I can't drink any soda (not really a loss) nor eat anything spicy or with tomatoes. Spell pizza and pasta - just my favorites and my staple food. 

2 weeks. 

The rest, I can stay off of them, but coffee --- is a different story. The deprivation makes me crave for sweet stuff - cakes and pastries, even the very faddish tea drinks. 

2 weeks. 

Oh well. I gotta do what I gotta do.  

Life and five balls

Bryan Dyson – Former CEO of Coca Cola delivered this very short but equally poignant speech. It hit home for me so I wanted to share it: 

“Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them – Work, Family, Health, Friends and Spirit and you’re keeping all of these in the air.

You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls – Family, Health, Friends and Spirit – are made of glass. If you drop one of these; they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for it.

Work efficiently during office hours and leave on time. Give the required time to your family, friends and have proper rest. Value has a value only if its value is valued.” 

 
Very well said. 

The spice of life…or a lack thereof

I’ve been having persistent discomfort on my upper left abdomen so I went to the doctor today. It’s not really painful – like I said, there’s just a discomfort and it’s been there for more than a week now.

Normally, I’d feel the pang of discomfort every now and then. I just shrugged it off and ignored it. This year, though, Feng Shui wisdom reminds me to take care of my health. So off I went to SOS for another check-up.

Doctor’s orders:

No more coffee – which just happens to be my fuel in the morning. Don’t expect me to think without my daily dose of caffeine.

No more spicy food – at all. My tolerance for spice is extremely high that I can drink Tabasco sauce straight up. Yes – no spice. Not even a tinge. Kill me now.

No more stress. I was advised by Dr. Joyce to avoid stress at all costs. Sige --- please explain how this is even possible with my kind of work and lifestyle. Should I seriously think of becoming a full-fledged tai-tai now? I mean…seriously?

Wow. Heavy.

These are a few of my favorite things. My brain doesn’t start working without my café latte. Spice is the way to go for me, thus, my natural love for Thailand and its food. And stress…I was born to be a miracle worker, so to speak.

This is a major lifestyle change --- but it’s probably the Universe’s way of telling me to hit the brakes and slow down.

Again, there is always a silver lining. In this case, it’s always better to change lifestyle for better health than suffer a debilitating disease.

So, okay, foyn – Madame Universe, I may sound begrudging, but thank you for the nudge.

Hope you won’t take the spice of my life completely, though. I love my wasabi and Tabasco waaaay too much.