October 6 came and went, and I didn't even notice it until several days later. It used to be an important date for me, and I guess it still is, but the signifance has changed. And it's a change for the better.
It's our anniversary--my ex's and mine, that is. After we separated, I dreaded this date's coming. It always brought back sad memories. But not anymore, I'm happy to say. There's no bitterness looking back, no anger, and certainly no more hankering for what might have been. I've truly moved on, and it feels so liberating.
Just after our breakup, I went into a terrible depression that felt like it was going to last forever. I thought I would never recover. But all things do pass, and time does heal all wounds. What I felt was never coming has come. If there's any proof needed, it's an October 6th that's without painful memories, without sadness, and heck, without my even noticing it!
Friday, October 19, 2012
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Top Ten!
My girls were dismissed from school early today because of Ms. Marce, bless her soul. I don't know who's happier when classes get suspended, me or my girls. But this time, there's even more reason to be happy, courtesy of a piece of paper my girls showed me when they got home.
It was Alden who first gave me a little slip of paper saying I'm invited to their school's First Quarter Recognition Day because she's in the Top Ten in her grade level! I wasn't really surprised, because I knew she'd be in the Top Ten, as she consistently is. But of course I was very happy.
Then Jigme showed me her own invitation slip. Yippee!
I waited for Rajni to give me her good news as well, but she was quiet. I waited for maybe half an hour; nothing happened. When I couldn't stand it anymore, I gently asked Raj if she had something to tell me about school. Her face was blank.
"Are you in the Top Ten this quarter?" I prodded.
"No, Ma."
I patted her back and said, "That's alright. But let's study harder this time around, okey?"
She nodded and continued to look at her computer screen.
I felt a bit sad for her. Her sisters getting into the honor list must be difficult if she herself is not in it. I don't mind too much that she isn't academically excelling, but I don't want her to feel inferior to her siblings. So I continued to assure her that it was fine, no worries, it's cool especially since there are three more quarters ahead to make better grades. She seemed to be okey, so I finally left her alone.
Moments later, Raj tossed a crumpled piece of paper at me--and it was her own invitation to the recognition ceremony! Hah! She was just pulling my leg earlier. She too made it to the Top Ten in her grade level.
You got me, Raj.
It was Alden who first gave me a little slip of paper saying I'm invited to their school's First Quarter Recognition Day because she's in the Top Ten in her grade level! I wasn't really surprised, because I knew she'd be in the Top Ten, as she consistently is. But of course I was very happy.
Then Jigme showed me her own invitation slip. Yippee!
I waited for Rajni to give me her good news as well, but she was quiet. I waited for maybe half an hour; nothing happened. When I couldn't stand it anymore, I gently asked Raj if she had something to tell me about school. Her face was blank.
"Are you in the Top Ten this quarter?" I prodded.
"No, Ma."
I patted her back and said, "That's alright. But let's study harder this time around, okey?"
She nodded and continued to look at her computer screen.
I felt a bit sad for her. Her sisters getting into the honor list must be difficult if she herself is not in it. I don't mind too much that she isn't academically excelling, but I don't want her to feel inferior to her siblings. So I continued to assure her that it was fine, no worries, it's cool especially since there are three more quarters ahead to make better grades. She seemed to be okey, so I finally left her alone.
Moments later, Raj tossed a crumpled piece of paper at me--and it was her own invitation to the recognition ceremony! Hah! She was just pulling my leg earlier. She too made it to the Top Ten in her grade level.
You got me, Raj.
Monday, October 1, 2012
The Perks of Being a Flu Sufferer
It's the fourth day of the second flu I've had in two or three months! I usually am healthy and therefore don't get sick often, so maybe I should be worried now. But I'm not, because I know exactly why I have the flu (again), and it's not because of a weaker physique. Well, it is, but it isn't entirely that per se. It's mainly because of stupidity, curiosity, and an absurd desire to lose weight fast.
I used a sauna suit on two consecutive cardio workouts. Tsk, tsk! What a no-no that is. I was curious to learn how the suit would feel, and to know if it really helped to get rid of water weight fast. After each workout with the sauna suit (one was a run and the other was on the elliptical), I felt drained and literally on fire. My skin was feverish to the touch and I remember thinking this must be how Dante's inferno felt like. I happened to glance at the mirror and I looked very flushed. And of course, I was dripping buckets of sweat. To make things worse, I had to jump straight into the shower to get ready to go somewhere. I had zero time to cool down, and the extreme temperature swing must have wrought havoc on my system. As it happened, my daughters have been coughing and spreading cold viruses all over the house, and I became an easy victim to these nasty disease-spreading bugs.
And so, last Friday, after our usually tiring Thursday badminton games (yes, I've been an exercise freak lately) I had to concede to my body's demands to rest, stay put, and enjoy all the niceties of a full-blown flu.
Believe me, I'm the last person who'd say they enjoyed staying in bed all day long. If I had my way, I'd be moving about, running and playing badminton at all hours if that were possible. (Curiously enough, I also enjoy being the opposite of that--a couch potato--every now and then.)
But this time, I didn't mind having the flu so much. I learned from the last time I had the disease that there's nothing you can do about it, that bitching and moaning won't help. You just have to grin and bear it, and wait until the flu departs of its own volition.
I also had a rather pronounced weight loss after my last bout with flu, and I was secretly hoping that this time I'd see the same effect. (This is not happening, according to my weighing scale.)
But perhaps the main reason why I'm suffering the flu without any complaints is that I have someone to share it with. My eldest daughter, Jigme, is also sick with it. I told her to not go to school on Friday, so that she'd hopefully get well when she takes an important college entrance exam on Sunday.
When Sunday came, the two of us were still sick, but we had to suck it up for the college test (the USTET). Our bodies, however, were fortified with flu-fighting drugs and lots of Vitamin C, so we felt strong enough, if not a little dizzy and weak-kneed, for the task at hand. It surely was more challenging for Jigme, because she was the exam taker and I was merely the alalay. She said afterwards that she thought she did a good job on the exam. Thank goodness.
It's now Monday, and we're still recovering. A "fun" thing we've started as a result of having the flu is this ritual involving Berocca. Berocca is a tablet (very expensive too, if I might add) that you dissolve in water and drink to make your body stronger and more resistant to diseases. People have sworn it works to stop a flu before it even starts. (I learned about it from a friend after I already had the flu, so I don't know how accurate that claim is.) Anyway, we've been taking it for two or three days now, and it seems to be helping. The problem is, we don't like the taste of Berocca at all.
We start our ritual by getting three glasses of water: two for each tablet of Berocca, and the third as Jigme's "chaser." We drop two tablets on two glasses, and watch in wonder as they slowly dissolve and fizzle. Gradually, the glass of water would become orangey and effervescent. Maybe we are too easy to please, but we do find the simple process fascinating to watch.
Then comes the hard part. We'd take our first sips, grimace, look at each other, and put our glasses down. We'd then take turns urging one another to finish the drink. I usually finish faster than Jigme because I don't find the taste as objectionable as she does. Besides, Jigme uses a "chaser" of water, so she'd feel very full afterwards. But the last time we took Berocca, I made the mistake of mixing it with iced tea instead of water, and the taste was horrendous. I think Jigme and I finished our drinks at about the same time.
With a flu, I do have to stay in bed most of the time. I'm thankful that Manang is here to look after things while I'm indisposed. During the day, I really must take naps because I typically don't sleep well at night. I have weird dreams and must go to the bathroom every two hours or so. I do drink plenty of water at all times, hence the frequent bathroom visits. I need the water not just for recovery, but because I get dry mouth from all the meds I'm taking.
I'm now more open to the idea of taking flu shots to prevent future recurrences, but I'm not sure how helpful that would really be. I hear there are lots of strains of the flu virus, and a flu shot won't protect you from all of them.
In the end, should I become sick again, I'd dutifully do what needs to be done (resting and taking medicine), but I'll put in extra effort to make the experience relatively enjoyable. I'm learning that your attitude does count a lot. How you choose to act and think can ruin an otherwise enjoyable experience, or it can turn a miserable one into something that's actually fun, cool and even memorable. I know I'll remember our Berocca moments fondly in the years to come :-)
I used a sauna suit on two consecutive cardio workouts. Tsk, tsk! What a no-no that is. I was curious to learn how the suit would feel, and to know if it really helped to get rid of water weight fast. After each workout with the sauna suit (one was a run and the other was on the elliptical), I felt drained and literally on fire. My skin was feverish to the touch and I remember thinking this must be how Dante's inferno felt like. I happened to glance at the mirror and I looked very flushed. And of course, I was dripping buckets of sweat. To make things worse, I had to jump straight into the shower to get ready to go somewhere. I had zero time to cool down, and the extreme temperature swing must have wrought havoc on my system. As it happened, my daughters have been coughing and spreading cold viruses all over the house, and I became an easy victim to these nasty disease-spreading bugs.
And so, last Friday, after our usually tiring Thursday badminton games (yes, I've been an exercise freak lately) I had to concede to my body's demands to rest, stay put, and enjoy all the niceties of a full-blown flu.
Believe me, I'm the last person who'd say they enjoyed staying in bed all day long. If I had my way, I'd be moving about, running and playing badminton at all hours if that were possible. (Curiously enough, I also enjoy being the opposite of that--a couch potato--every now and then.)
But this time, I didn't mind having the flu so much. I learned from the last time I had the disease that there's nothing you can do about it, that bitching and moaning won't help. You just have to grin and bear it, and wait until the flu departs of its own volition.
I also had a rather pronounced weight loss after my last bout with flu, and I was secretly hoping that this time I'd see the same effect. (This is not happening, according to my weighing scale.)
But perhaps the main reason why I'm suffering the flu without any complaints is that I have someone to share it with. My eldest daughter, Jigme, is also sick with it. I told her to not go to school on Friday, so that she'd hopefully get well when she takes an important college entrance exam on Sunday.
When Sunday came, the two of us were still sick, but we had to suck it up for the college test (the USTET). Our bodies, however, were fortified with flu-fighting drugs and lots of Vitamin C, so we felt strong enough, if not a little dizzy and weak-kneed, for the task at hand. It surely was more challenging for Jigme, because she was the exam taker and I was merely the alalay. She said afterwards that she thought she did a good job on the exam. Thank goodness.
It's now Monday, and we're still recovering. A "fun" thing we've started as a result of having the flu is this ritual involving Berocca. Berocca is a tablet (very expensive too, if I might add) that you dissolve in water and drink to make your body stronger and more resistant to diseases. People have sworn it works to stop a flu before it even starts. (I learned about it from a friend after I already had the flu, so I don't know how accurate that claim is.) Anyway, we've been taking it for two or three days now, and it seems to be helping. The problem is, we don't like the taste of Berocca at all.
We start our ritual by getting three glasses of water: two for each tablet of Berocca, and the third as Jigme's "chaser." We drop two tablets on two glasses, and watch in wonder as they slowly dissolve and fizzle. Gradually, the glass of water would become orangey and effervescent. Maybe we are too easy to please, but we do find the simple process fascinating to watch.
Then comes the hard part. We'd take our first sips, grimace, look at each other, and put our glasses down. We'd then take turns urging one another to finish the drink. I usually finish faster than Jigme because I don't find the taste as objectionable as she does. Besides, Jigme uses a "chaser" of water, so she'd feel very full afterwards. But the last time we took Berocca, I made the mistake of mixing it with iced tea instead of water, and the taste was horrendous. I think Jigme and I finished our drinks at about the same time.
With a flu, I do have to stay in bed most of the time. I'm thankful that Manang is here to look after things while I'm indisposed. During the day, I really must take naps because I typically don't sleep well at night. I have weird dreams and must go to the bathroom every two hours or so. I do drink plenty of water at all times, hence the frequent bathroom visits. I need the water not just for recovery, but because I get dry mouth from all the meds I'm taking.
I'm now more open to the idea of taking flu shots to prevent future recurrences, but I'm not sure how helpful that would really be. I hear there are lots of strains of the flu virus, and a flu shot won't protect you from all of them.
In the end, should I become sick again, I'd dutifully do what needs to be done (resting and taking medicine), but I'll put in extra effort to make the experience relatively enjoyable. I'm learning that your attitude does count a lot. How you choose to act and think can ruin an otherwise enjoyable experience, or it can turn a miserable one into something that's actually fun, cool and even memorable. I know I'll remember our Berocca moments fondly in the years to come :-)
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