Baby Talk

I visited my cousin and nephews in Marikina yesterday. I’m so happy to see the newest member of the clan, Mighael Cean. Weird name don’t you think? His mother has a tradition of naming her children with 2 names that starts with “M” and “C”. When she was thinking what to name her 4th son, she consulted everyone in the family, she ran out of ideas. I suggested calling him Mon Charlie, because I really wanted it to be Momon Cha, but Mon Charlie is the closest hahaha. She refused =( She wanted a unique name that sounds good. Sure, Mighael Cean is unique but I’m pretty sure not everyone will get the correct pronunciation the first time (migheyl syan). He’s 3 months old, so small, so soft and so cute. He’s currently the apple of the eye of the family. Babies are so cute and therapeutic! His brother, Marcus Curt, who just turned 2 today, is also cute. He’s still a baby of the family, but you know, as you grow old, you lessen your cuteness and charm hehehe. Let’s just say his popularity rank went down when his brother came. I can see how jealous Curt is now that his mom is much more attentive to his baby brother. I caught him bullying Cean when his mom is not looking hehehe. Kids…

My sister-in-law will be giving birth in 4 months and everyone in the family is really excited. So in a few months, Cean’s popularity will also drop hehehe. My parents think that May will bear a son. Any gender is fine, but I still prefer a baby boy because it’s much easier to play with them. To date, I have 7 nephews and 3 nieces (all from first degree cousins) and I don’t really mind if the male species would dominate our clan hehehe.

When old ones passed away one by one, babies started to pop one by one too. It’s just like the old ones never really went away instead they changed and became much smaller and cuter. Reincarnation, yeah. I don’t know if I would believe it, after all it’s a Buddhism principle. But no living person would ever know what really happens after D, if they do, then they’re dead. Of course I’m sticking to my belief in heaven after life, that’s why I’m doing my best to be good.

I used to be much more normal and dreamed of having kids too. I wanted a mini-me so I wanted a husband that looks like me also. Some thought of me weird and narcissistic for having such standards. But that was then. A friend told me before, that as you age, you change your priorities. I have nothing against children and giving birth, but now, I think it’d be best not to have one anymore. Honestly, I feel sorry for the new generation. It’s saddening but the world is becoming less and less safer and suitable place to live in. Increasing rate of poverty and crimes, degrading quality of education and health, dreadful diseases sprout one after another, global warming, warring nations, corrupt leaders… imagine how the future would look like. But I don’t want to. After all, the most important thing is the present. For now, it’s still wonderful to live and see children grow up.

People of the earth, let’s do our best for the babies of today who will be the people of tomorrow.

Sleepless in Hot Manila

Weee, I just got home! All thanks the summer heat (again) I was up all day again. I just remember how it feels to be awake for 24 hours straight. The last time I did was a year ago (I think) during the Animax 24-hour anime marathon. Amazingly I’m still feeling vibrant. Oh how I hate to be too poor to afford an ACU. Living in a small room with no air-conditioning on the middle of 2007 summer is the worst. The only reason for this room is a sleeping place yet it didn’t serve its purpose. It won’t let me have those sweet dreams I yearn or a sound sleep for an exhausted soul. Really… and not to mention that I share this room with another 37ºC creature, my cousin… haay, what else could be worse. Thankfully, having friends in the medical field can actually help you in various situations as this! I texted Frances and asked for a Dormicum (sleeping pill). Lo and behold, she’s just as awake and restless hahaha. She asked if I want to go out, she’d also hand-over the pill hehehe. The next thing I know, we’re off to Harbor Square. We met her friends who were into motorbikes. We had a little chat and drink at the last standing bar then we tried riding his bike. Frances was thrilled with it and I did enjoy it but just for a try. I knew from the very start that it’s not my cup of tea. When we parted, not even a tinge of drowsiness reminded me that I still have a work at 8:00 in the morning. I think I only had 2 cups of coffee, how come I’m still so genki? We strolled a little around Manila, we even dropped by at Ospital Ng Sampaloc to see if we can disturb Dindee hehehe. But everyone seems to be in a good dream. As Frances dropped me to my place, I think of all those sleepless nights… and I came to realize that I was made for night life! Or is it really just insomnia due to heat. Oh now look at the time! Now I have to get ready for work!!!

10 Things You Can Do to Help Stop the Global Warming

1. Change a light – Replacing one regular light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb will save 150 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
2. Drive less – walk, bike, carpool or take mass transit often. You’ll save one pound of carbon dioxide for every mile you don’t drive.
   
3. Recycle More – you can save 2400 pounds of carbon dioxide a year by recycling half of your household waste.
   
4. Check your tires – keeping your tires inflated properly can improve gas mileage by 3%. Every gallon of gasoline saved keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of atmosphere.
   
5. Use less hot water – it takes a lot of energy to heat water. Use less hot water by installing a low flow showerhead (350 pounds of CO2 saved per year) and washing your clothes in cold and warm water (500 pounds saved per year).
   
6. Avoid products with a lot of packaging – you can save 1200 pounds of carbon dioxide a year if you cut down your garbage by 10%.
   
7. Adjust your thermostat – moving your thermostat just 2 degrees in winter and 2 degrees in summer. You can save about 2000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple adjustment.
   
8. Plant a tree – a single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over it’s lifetime.
   
9. Turn off electronic devices – simply turning off your TV, DVD player, stereo and computer when not in use will save you thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
   
10. Spread the word! Convince your family, friends, colleagues and classmates to do the same.

-taken from www.climatecrisis.net

It’s Renchard’s birthday! He had his party last night. He and Frances finally made up prior to that and I’m glad to see them to be jolly together again. Oh how it feels good to make up with your enemy. Look who’s talking, they’ve been insisting me to reconcile with Kuya Aris, but for some reason, my ego won’t let me do it. In my deepest sense of reasoning (rather immaturity), I am not in the position to apologize because I firmly believe that I was innocent. But of course, a time would come that I’d humble myself and plead for forgiveness, not only from him but every person I’ve hurt no matter how unintentional. I’ve already set 2 conditions for me to do that: first, if I manage to have my lifetime wish granted. Second, if I have to part with the concerned person –say, if I’d be leaving MDH or going abroad or even dying… and maybe when I become a little more mature hahaha…

anyway, I’ve always felt, that one way or another I’ll have to get rid of those hatreds felt toward me and same goes for myself. I guess it’s one of those things that contributes to the fear I feel towards death… don’t get me wrong for I am not afraid to die, it’s just that the thought of leaving an unfinished business behind is pathetic. I realized this when I was reading “The Sandman: The Dream Hunters” by Neil Gaiman. By the way, I just have to praise Gaiman for this piece, the story was very Japanese, it’s as if reading an actual Japanese folklore written by a native Japanese. And of course the message was very clear and effectively expressed (that is if I got it right). This is the first time I’ve read Gaiman’s work and I’m afraid that I’m actually interested to read more I hope I don’t get to shove off my other literary priorities hehehehe…. Oh well, to try new things brings you more learnings and draws you to a new world which is actually good.

Today is also the Earth Day and I attended the Earth Day Celebration at CCP. There were booths of various environmental organizations and screening of documentary films discussing environmental issues of course. I was able to watch the “Inconvenient Truth”, a documentary film about global warming facilitated by Al Gore. At first, I couldn’t help thinking that this is nothing more than a political campaign. But after watching the film, who cares about his real purpose. It has a very significant message for every earthling. And with the heat that every one of us is experiencing right now, I believe it’s high time that we do something about it. A time for a change of lifestyle. In our own little way we can help save the earth from global warming. We can reduce our CO2 emission (reduce smoking, avoid smoke belching, if you’re a rich kid, opt for a hybrid car), we can conserve water and energy, we can recycle, we can plant trees... and we can convince our families, friends, colleagues, classmates, and our community to do the same. I’m not an environmentalist and I admit that I rarely do measures to help the earth, simply put, I don’t have the right to talk big. But I love my nephews and nieces… I love my friends who are member of the next generation. I believe that they deserve a clean water, a fresh air, to be free from biohazard… the future generation deserves a home. And we the incumbent beings have a role in giving those needs. Let’s help our mother planet!

It’s so freaking hot! You bet it’s the start of summer. When I was still a student, the heat was the sign of a long rest! Summer vacation of course. It used to be exciting. But now, it doesn’t make any difference, summer or rainy, you have to go to work *sigh*. Well, I’m a student again, the vacation would have a slight impact on me since I have a special schedule at work, so I guess I should be happy (a little). But damn, going back to heat, it’s killing me! Even with 2 e-fans focused on me, and I’m wearing my usual sleeping get-up -sando and shorts- huh I’m still sweating like hell! And it’s so damn hard to sleep when the temperature’s up like that. I’m thankful that it rained last night, somehow, it cool a little… I want an ACU!!!

Anyway, the other day I went to Medical City to visit an aunt who had just a major operation. I am already aware that Medical City moved to a new and bigger building also along Ortigas, but I never imagined that the improvement was overwhelming. The last time I went there was 11 years ago, when my grandfather had his 2nd mild stroke. Everything I knew of Medical City back then was erased when I saw the new one. It doesn’t seem like being in a hospital when you’re at the lobby. It feels like being in a hotel hehehe. And dear Lord they have a Starbucks IN the lobby. Cool huh. Anyway, I felt a little sad for MDH, our facilities were too far behind Medical City, St. Luke’s and Makati Med. I’m frustrated, we have a bunch of competent doctors, they deserve facilities matching those hospitals… oh well… doctors have clinics in more than one hospital, I’m sure most of them are staying in any of those hospitals too.

No classes and work for me today, I stayed at Starbucks Robinson the whole day... I consumed two tall cups of coffee... My second round is the featured Cinnamon Streusel Latte. I just love cinnamon, I couldn’t let this pass. And though I’m broke to death, as long as I have my credit card, I can survive hehehe… ah spent hours of relaxing like an exhausted adult... reading manga... ‘Goth’. I forgot the mangaka, but it’s really interesting. The lead characters are not your typical shojo manga character. Just a brief description, the lead characters are both obsessed with torture and killing/gory stuff… for real, and that’s what drives them together. Well it seems that both have hidden desire to kill each other (mr. and mrs. Smith? hehehe). Oh, but that damn Sakuma, giving me the 1st volume only, which left me hanging… again… aww these manga in my PC… really!!! Man, my coffee consumption is finally taking effect... i'm palpitating... haay, last year, somebody special used to remind me to moderate my coffee intake....

It’s Ash Wednesday. I’m thankful that I was able to hear the mass at the Hospital’s chapel. Look at my forehead! Whew, actually I’m really guilty that I have forgotten about it this morning and I have eaten meat for lunch… anyways, just a few minutes ago, Fars treated me to Starbucks. Coffee is best when it’s Starbucks… and it’s free hehehe… the moment we got our order, it suddenly rained… a hard rain… so we have no choice but to drink our coffee there (it was supposed to be “to go”) then just a very few minutes the we shook… earthquake hehehe… damn it was strong huh! Gosh, what’s happening… going back to rain, I’m thankful it rained because it’s so freaking hot already! I’m gonna have a good sleep tonight… and by the way, Ma’am Len is pregnant! Woah! So many babies for this year – Jona’s, Ate Cherie’s, Lynn’s and of course Ma’am Len’s… hehehe…