It was my birthday..

Yup, it was my birthday last week, it was a quiet celebration,  a reaction to the economic downturn that seems to brew into a recession. I am somehow nudged about this storm that's slamming the country and the world. There's got to be a positive note somewhere, somehow, maybe that of going back to the grassroots, living simply, realizing that consumerism does not make up life, that it is merely a tool. There are things that need to be savored and enjoyed, like our faiths, our lives, and the people around us.

The week before my birthday, I have been cleaning, doing LAUNDRY-my nemesis, the bane of my existence; it took a while to put everything away. That resulted into my downsizing, simplifying, and getting rid of things that I don't need anymore.  Whew, am still not finished but I am beginning to see light.

While doing that, I was able to make macaroni salad (Pinoy Style), recipe below:

crushed pineapple
raisins
carrots boiled and squared
pickle reslish
onion finely chopped
mustard
mayonnaise
hardboiled eggs sliced thinly
salad or elbow macaroni
chopped celery
salt and pepper to taste
pickled bits
boiled chicken shredded

  Portion according to desired quantities. The mixture presents a very colorful, fallish dish. Scoop mayonnaise unto a bowl, drop ingredients individually mixing throughly as you do. After you have determined the right amount and taste, put the macaroni in. Mix thorouly, chill, and enjoy.

Wait, so during Wednesday's Bible Study we had a celebration, then a gathering at a friend's house for cupcake decorating, it was a pleasant birthday. Will update with pictures.

Post Christmas

The celebration of His birth, food, food, and more food, Phantom of the Opera, the Drowsy Chaperone, tears, joy, reminiscing, friends, family, gifts, cards, movies, restaurants, laughter, kitchen, prayers, wishes, and more..

Christmas came and went in a blur, not because I didn't celebrate, it was an overwhelming workweek and then it was time to leave. It was joyful, I heard from friends of old, whom I wouldn't have heard from if it were not for the occasion. Nope, not complaining, that's life, it is mutual, a silent acquiescence to the demands of the day. There are times  when the connection has passed and we want to reminisce the joys of days gone. To get a glimpse and perhaps still grab some of it.  Later on, it became just quiet sighs on the other end of the line, sometimes a quick card without any note, just a signature, when luck strikes, otherwise it will just be a pre-printed name with pictures.

The pleasure, is the bonus of the present, when we are savor the "now", when it is okay to be silent, feel each other's presence, when one can be on each other's face and not get tired of it. The surprise of the enumarable joy that each other brings, filling the void, the hollow of days gone yonder. Makes me want to wish that it is Christmas everyday.

The flipside, of course there is one, there is always going to be one, is the cloud of misery of another life, another being, where only prayer can seem to absolve the pain, the pain that sears through ones gut. Revelations, so painful that to wish for tomorrow is just the right way to do. Then, you shrug it off, dust yourself, and move on.  Ah, tears are shed, but then someone, someone stands up and take charge and says, it's okay, it will all go away.

Oh, where is all that coming from, can I just be in my kitchen, cook and be with friends and talk about nonsensical stuff...

Ha ha, merry christmas everyone, I didn't send out any Christmas cards, this year. Last year my reasons were of being green and thought I would just send out a general email. This year, I have no excuse, I thought I will be able to do so on the plane, but it hasn't even taken off and I was already in dreamland. That's why, you didn't hear from me, I will be better next year, promise.

People: friends, life

They're getting married in 3 months, they don't know where they're going for their honeymoon. He wants activities, she wants to lounge, I say get a big boat, fish, while she lounges. :) We have bigger problems, we squeezed them to invite us, we don't have anything to wear, and we don't have a date. Ha ha, everytime we see them we ask how the preparation is progressing and asked them how many guest there will be, then we will add 2 and maybe 2 more, just in case.  This will be a wedding of the time, everybody is excited about them.

On another note, my friend's darling is quietly going around (there's only 3 of us that matter, he said) asking for the nod.  We gave it to him as quickly as we can muster, it will be nothing less than a wedding band on that ring finger. Does not matter where, how, just that ring and the promise of "till death do you part". He said on their birthday card for me that he is grateful that I embraced him in the group, that he is accepted.  Little did he know that there is no such thing as acceptance, we love her, he loves her, we love him.

It is my ex best friend's birthday today, she is 48. I remember one better time, when we were talking about our birthdays, we were probably in our late 30s then. She said something about us getting old and that we are approaching our 40s, I said that can't be, we can't be that old, if you want to hurry, go ahead, I can stay a little behind. ha ha.. It is sad that we are not friends anymore. I don't think there is anger, just that drifting apart. There were times when I pressed that 1-touch button only to hung up, not knowing what to say, where to begin.  We will probably reconnect, when we are old and wrinkly, when our hands are riddled with arthritis, and too slow to run away or to find a witty retort that is meant to slice the heart and cover it with salt. I hope it is not too late that it will be on a deathbed or near a hearse, as that is really a waste of good time.  For now, we heal, we forget, maybe later, regret the lost times that this silliness brings.

I have been to many weddings, to the frilly ones, the well orchestrated, the hurried ones, and  a few in Nevada.  I have been sponsor or Godparents to some, meaning they look up to me to guide them as they go through married life. So I said to my friends, when it's my time, I will probably just get married in a huff and send an e-vite to y'all that there's a get together next weekend so that you will meet my husband. My family will be copied in the same email, that's when they get to meet them too.  I was just joking about it, this friend said, somehow she sees me doing just that, that she wouldn't put it past me.  It is funny that the things we joke about can actually be an indication or a glimpse of who we are.

Okay, I better get out of here.. too much to catching up to do, eh.