Womanhood and Everything in Between

Life taught me a lot these past 11 years. Some lessons were easy. Some made me stronger. A few made me doubt myself. And a handful crumpled me in pain. But it was all worth it. You know, when I was younger, I thought life was simple, graduate, get a job, get married, raise kids, buy a house and a car and that’s it. I didn’t know there were battles in between. I didn’t know life could throw you so far off course that you’d question everything you once believed in. But I was raised not to back down from a fight. My father, a retired uniformed officer, taught us how to win battles and how to accept loss with dignity. Losing you, Pa, was the hardest battle of all. I miss you na. In these 11 years, I didn’t just lose a father. I walked away from the corporate world. I lost a friend. We faced setbacks in our business. I questioned my own strength more times than I’d like to admit. There were days I felt like I was just surviving, holding everything together for everyone else, while qui...

11 long years since my last post. I almost forgot how to write or maybe I just forgot how to listen to my own voice. But writing has always been my quiet, secret passion since I was a kid. So here I am, trying again. A lot has changed. My kids are now as tall as me, my eldest even taller. And my youngest, whom I’ve never introduced here, is now 8 years old. And my dad, he’s now with our Creator. Grief isn’t easy, no? It comes in waves, sometimes when you least expect it. But maybe that’s exactly why I’m here again. Maybe writing is where I can sit with it, understand it and slowly heal. So this is me, starting over.

As I am trying to expand my talent around the kitchen, I cook as much as I can during my lean time. Just the other day, I found a bottle of Spanish Sardines and thought of serving it as meryenda to my family. I always keep spaghetti pasta around for moments like this. I searched the net for a quick recipe and landed on MommyJuvs' blog . Luckily, I have a bunch of broccoli as well.  Olive Oil, Spanish Sardines and Basil Leaves Thanks to my SIL for the Spanish Sardines. She bought it in Dipolog when they went there for the CNY. Broccoli, Tomatoes and Garlic The recipe includes lemon juice but because of my excitement of feeding my household with a new dish, I forgot to add it. It also calls for onion and I don't know why I didn't include it as well. Remember I have a poor memory? And here is the outcome! It really tastes good even if I missed the lemon juice and onion. But if you want to have a chunk of sardines to chew on, you can use two bottles for 500 ...

Have you been working your arse off lately to finish a project and no appreciation was sent your way? Are you having sleepless nights already because your to-do lists are never-ending? Do you still feel valuable and happy at work? Oh well, if it is YES YES and NO, I guess we share the same sentiments my loves. Image Source You see, it never really occurred to me to stop working at age 31. Because (1) I am still too young to retire, (2) I want to help my husband with our finances and (3) domestication is not really my thing. But who knows, I might rock my new role now. Lol. Going back, I would like to share to you my recent realizations on identifying if your job is no longer worth keeping. Read on! 1. If you look at your job as a liability rather than an asset. While it is true that   looking for a job here in the Philippines is quite hard and competitive, it is not right to keep a job you already detest.  2. If you bring home tons of work. I have ...

I have yet to share what made me so frakkin' busy for the past 9 months of hiatus and here I am announcing my break up with it. (Un)officially, today marks the beginning of my domestication as I choose staying at home to watch after my kids and leave the corporate world where I just started to shine bright like a diamond. Unofficial because I still have to work at home for a few days and maybe visit the office one more time this week for a smoother transition. Other than that, I am officially a stay-at-home mom. Feels great, I tell you! (You can now roll your eyes. Lol.) Although I am not really sure how long this will last, I will surely savor each moment that I will feed, bathe and pamper my kids. I can now play with them all day. And I would be looking forward to our bedtime stories. But alongside with the wonderful things that I am looking forward with the kids, I know my life would never be quiet and easy. I know that there would be more arguments and heart-wrenching moment...

As a working mom, I often feel guilty of being away from my kids during daytime so I usually find myself rushing home every night hoping to spend some time with them before they fall asleep. I am a regular commuter and that means more travel time for me. It sucks, I know right? Maybe this time you could imagine me running and snaking my way out of the crowded MRT station to catch a jeepney. I am in a constant hurry. I find it uncomfortable if not dangerous but I have no choice and I don't want to complain.  Until something life-changing happened to me last June 20. I slipped, bounced 3-4 steps down (or maybe more) and fell hard on the stairs at the MRT Taft Station. I accidentally stepped on a young lady's umbrella when she dropped it and you know what happened next. My bottom was in great pain and swollen and I was there crying not attempting any single movement to avoid any more injury. The young lady who appeared to be a student didn't leave my side until someone more au...