where's the creek?

I was raised by my grandparents. And when you say grandparents more so in Ilocos Norte, the word "discipline" is not far behind.

At a young age I learned to wake up early 'coz when you wake up late they say you're "sadut" or lazy. After changing into day clothes, us kids were expected to sweep the yard with coconut brooms. At that time in my mind the yard is really soo "dakkel" (a "big" lot, which is common in provincial lots even in fenced in private lots like my grandparents').

I don't know why but I do remember the whole yard is always litterred with lots of leaves. To think the yard is sweeped each morning. There's a lot of fruit bearing trees in the yard. There's mangoes, avocados (3 varieties), langka, bananas (5 var.), guavas(3 var.), dalandan, calamansi, duhat, macopa, guayabano, balimbing, papaya (2-3 varieties), coconut (2 var.), and there's "rimas" also known as seedless breadfruit. The variety of fruiting trees in the backyard kept me from getting sick while I was in the province. My Uncle who planted most of the fruit trees, now and again asks members of the household why the ripe or ripening fruits of certain trees seem to disappear sometimes even before he can have his first taste! Who could the culprit be? Hmmmmmmm...

A creek also runs between the lot of my grandparents and that of the neighbor. That creek had crystal clear water. I remember my lolo "planting" bamboo and string fish baits late in the afternoon then he goes back and gathers/checks the baits early in the morning. He never came home empty handed, and the fish were almost always still wriggling. Us kids took our baths in it and a lot of people from nearby barangays pick freshwater shells along its banks and among the stones. The women also do their laundry there. These days the creek is but a stinky garbage dump.

I was saddened when I last saw it. Some families directed their sewage or dispensed the dirty water from their backyard piggery to the creek. Some even dump their daily garbage there. The creek is dying and out of pakikisama others just don't have the nerve to speak up against those who are polluting it.

I'll post some pics of the creek, upon receiving some files from my cousin.

tug of war sculpture by the Greenbelt chapel

Have you seen the sculpture of children playing tug of war at the Greenbelt chapel grounds?

They sometimes look so alive to me as if they're going to fall or break up any second.

Try to go near their statue, i feel so much animation from that inanimate thing. huh? well, that's my thought...

off the rack at Landmark

I often pass by Landmark and I can't help but wish for some of the dresses hanging on the racks.

Well, I like shopping more so when things that I like to buy fits me!

I love bags! These bags are very affordable and I like the embroidered design. You can find these bags at Landmark.

edsa!

The photos I posted here happens everyday at EDSA. That "tunnel" with lights is actually the MRT -Ayala station where below it are the bus lanes.

Those people standing at the foreground are passengers waiting for their bus. yonder is the EDSA-Ayala overpass. Yup these people do wait for their bus rides where it is prohibited "bawal (nga e!)" zone! The MMDA can't do much about it 'coz these passengers are waiting for provincial buses that do not pass through the appointed bus lanes. I think those provincial buses don't want to stay longer than necessary at the long ques made by other buses. Most (city) buses at the Ayala-EDSA zone line up for passengers longer than the time allowed by the MMDA.

to Greenbelt

the sight of plants relaxes me

From work, Greenbelt is about 2 to 3 minutes walk lang. And along with some officemates we usually go to Greenbelt during lunch break. More so when work is neck deep, we just have to go down and try to absorb some oncogenic sunlight and inhale some of Makati's vehicular pollution.

Here's another shot of the same park (SyCip Park along Legazpi St.).

I was pleasantly surprised when I first passed by Greenbelt 5 (G5), and saw the 2 pools (low lying "fountains"). Those pools gives the shopper or passersby a refreshing view amidst concrete and glass structures. You can see beyond the pool the pocket garden in the middle of Greenbelt. The pocket garden is surrounded by G3, G4, G5, and the Greenbelt chapel.

Here's another shot where you can see G3 beyond the greens.

Next are some shots of the path to the Greenbelt chapel from G5.

The Greenbelt chapel. I sometimes spend some of my time here. The chapel's location is very convenient for Makati workers not to mention the serenity it imbues to whoever seeks solitude inside.

swarovski bracelets and pearl accessories

I am posting pics of some of the pearl earrings I recently sold. I ran out of time then, so i wasn't able to post the Swarovski bracelets pics ordered by some friends and officemates.
Well, here's some...

Yeah, the resolution is indeed poor. The light where I took the pictures is poor din. But, you know I like that feeling of knowing that what you have created/made is appreciated and was/were actually bought! Yup, my simple "creations" were bought and I also am receiving orders, that somehow gives me a nice feeling :).

I welcome suggestions... My creations are very affordable at very low low prices. And if you would like to order, you may contact me here just use the comment post or txt me at 0910-3492214.

I was able to sell the blue and white crystal bracelet (see pic below) sometime in January (2008) and since this is one of the few pics I took of my creations I think I'll just post this and also of some (again blurred) pics of a double rainbow Swarovski bracelet on 10K gold I made for an officemate (he gave it as a 2008 Valentine gift to his wife).

Below is the white Swarovski bracelet (double rainbow) in 10K gold that an officemate bought for his wife as Valentine gift.

Yup, the resolutions are really bad, not to mention that I did not present the pieces in better settings/background(well...) well I am trying to save up for a better camera (an SLR maybe?)

kakenkoyan sa work

Even if dreary ang weather ganundin ang work because of deadlines, good natured officemates make your day naman :)

there's Gil infront of his station, (super busy and dedma to the world as usual!), here kuya Benny and April posed for my cam (this was taken during the last Friday that April is employed by the company (she opted to work in Singapore)

hehehee, kiliti naman dyan!

busy! hehee, si Teri (back at the cam) at April nagko-conference

di talaga matipid ngumiti si Araj at Irvin!

minsan talaga di umiimik si Macoy, serious yan sa work parang tong si Harvs serious din at magaling na layout artist (nagbabasa kasi at dinidiskartehan ang pag-layout unlike other external and inhouse suppliers)

hmmmm...at ano naman ang pinagkakaabalahan nyo, hmmm? (super busy guys, from the left (seated) Martin, Macoy (cream jacket), and Irvin

buhos

There are days na I can hardly raise myself from the bed or rouse myself from deep slumber. Maybe, yan ay dahil sa distance ng work ko from our house. Imagine I have to travel from Monday to Saturday(half day lang naman) from Cavite to Makati. At first I can hardly raise my head from the pillow, ganun!

my cluttered desk at work

I have often contemplated leaving Makati and work in Cavite near our home(of which I did job hunt, unfortunately karamihan grads of IT courses ang preferred, heheheee).

And there’s the horrifying traffic scheme in Cavite – daily travelers refer to it as “buhos.” Buhos works like this – Cavite’s traffic enforcers stop the Cavite bound vehicles at Longos (bottleneck area at the flyover sa bungad ng Emilio Aguinaldo Highway) and they let the Manila bound vehicles occupy both sides of the road. The Manila bound vehicles roar onwards like scurrying wildebeests (ngek, exagz!). Bohus for Manila bound or Cavite bound vehiclesmay last up to 5 to 10(?) minutes then the ongoing vehicular flow is stopped then yong isa naman. Kaya kung ang sinasakyan mo (Manila bound) at di nakalampas sa SM Bacoor ng quarter to 7am at pa-Makati ka well bukas ka na lang pumasok. 'Coz the vehicle flow creates a bottleneck traffic at Niog on to Talaba and again by the tollgate or at the MIA road parallel to Uniwide Sales Coastal Mall. Whew!

Fortunately, it seems that Cavite's traffic management partnered with the MMDA in the current road widening project along Emilio Aguinaldo Highway. The last time I looked the spray painted structures and "USLI" posters has reached Dasmariñas, Cavite. Yeeey!

crazy dance

My daughter likes to dance! Hay naku! I am sometimes amazed with the way she dances to the latest TV soap craze (chan. 7’s Marimar) and (also of Chan. 7’s lunchtime TV show) EatBulaga’s “Kagat Labi.” More so when I found out that my husband taught her how to do the “Kagat Labi” dance.

Hay talaga! Here she is doing the “Kagat Labi.” J

My children's antics keeps me sane from life's daily concerns. My kids are my true joy...