A Different Kind of Exercise

My friend Majel sent me this text that I'd like to share with you:

"Today, let's try a different exercise.

Ready?

1.  Stretch your patience.

2.  Bend in humility with your knees in prayer.

3.  Inhale peace, love, patience and laughter.

4.  Exhale anger, pride and hatred.

5.  Wiggle away from temptations.

6.  Twist away from suspicions.

7.  Finally, bend backward, look up to heavens & praise God always.

Have a great and joyful day!"

Ang Makulay na Daigdig ni Nora (My Colorful Life: Part 1)

My journey through life has never been "normal".  Weird to some, funny to others.  Yes, I had my share of ups and downs but everything I went through only made me stronger.  Join me down memory lane as I recall the "weird" stuff about me.  Laugh and cry with me as I open the pages of my colorful life story.

1.  My mother has 9 siblings and my father has 7 but could someone please tell me why I'm  the only biological child?

2.  Tatay is a native of Cavite and my mother a pure bloodied Kapampangan but their only daughter is an Ilongga!   Their paths unexpectedly crossed in Marbel, South Cotabato where I was eventually born.

3.  Nanay delivered the youngest child of her mother, being the Rural Health Midwife of Marbel during that time.  I thought I could enlist her in the Guinness Book of Records as the only woman who delivered  both the baby of her mother and the baby of her daughter but unfortunately, I had to be under Caesarian Section so my plan didn't materialize.  Sayang!

4.  In my father's side, my grandfather died at age 96 and after 1 week, my grandmother followed. She was 98.  In their 77 years of marriage, not once did they live apart from each other. They used to eat together in 1 huge plate.

5.  In my mother's side, her grandmother passed away at the very young age of 103.  Maybe because she was a meat lover to the very end, begging for pork adobo before she finally left.  I could still vividly remember her last moment on her death bed.  Nanay was whispering in her ear that she shouldn't worry about the family she's leaving behind.  But this really made me laugh:  "Ima, kung sinusundo ka na nina Apo, etc., sumama ka na para masaya na kayo lahat sa langit."  (Grandma, if you're being fetched by your husband and relatives, why don't you go with them so all of you will be happy together in heaven?)  My great grandmother gently nodded her head, heaved a sigh of relief, and she was gone.

To be continued . . .

From Pink to Blue

As you have noticed, my blog layout is now changed including the colors.

Wala lang.  Feel ko lang na it's about time to change. 

Thanks to my 13-year old son Gio who was more than willing to help me reinvent my blog.

I have deleted the "Comments" portion beginning 2011 but due to insistent public demand, I will put it back starting today hah hah . . .

Enjoy your weekend everyone! 

Like A Child Again

It was raining when I woke up this morning but since Ate Ella and I go to the wet market every Saturday come rain or shine, we left the house @ 6AM.

I wore a waterproof vest on top of a sleeveless shirt partnered with knee length shorts and my favorite bakya (wooden slippers) with matching wide-brim military hat.

Whenever a bayong (native basket specifically used for marketing) is already full, I walk to the parking area and place it inside the car then go back to the market to buy more (we normally fill 4 baskets).

In my 2nd trip to the car, I found it difficult to walk because of my wet bakya.  So I did the most sensible thing to do when going back to the market -- I ran barefoot through the heavy rains, carrying my "precious" bakya!

Suddenly, flashbacks of my childhood memories came to life and brought a nostalgic smile on my face.  I was like a child again, running barefoot in the rain but enjoying every moment of it.

I was still grinning ear to ear when I caught sight of my long lost kumare whom I haven't seen in ages!

Despite the chill of the cold weather, her spur-of-the-moment compliment warmed my heart and fired up my soul.   She blurted out: "Nors, di ka man lang tumanda!  Wala ka man lang wrinkles!"

Hmmm . . . maybe I should run barefoot in the rain more often heheh . . .

Thank You, Running Atom!

My fellow TBR marathoner and good friend Alfredo A. Vedarozaga posted this beautiful message in FaceBook that I would like to share with you.  It is his comment to my blogpost "Choose to be Happy Now" which I published last October 17, 2010.  Pido is otherwise known as the Running Atom, being the genius behind the awesome blog http://www.runningatom.blogspot.com/.

"Hi Tita Nora, I was touched by your blog post about being happy now!  


You always make my heart melt and I so adore you for being strong despite those trials and adversities in your life.  Though we don't know what lies ahead of us, I'm sure God is so happy for you both for being a good child, and a very loving parent at the same time.


Your positive thoughts and spirit surely vibrates among your blog readers, friends, and colleagues.


I believe that we chose who will be our parents before we came down and experience earth life.  So whoever our parents are, we really have to love them and give them our due respect.


Keep on inspiring us Tita Nora, and be strong always.


God bless you po always =)"

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YES! I'm Back With My Newest Recruit: T. CHINKY

Yes, I know.  I have been "lazy" for the longest time now and would have been hibernating for eternity if not for the much-needed Divine Intervention sending T. Chinky to drive me out of my newly found comfort zone.

T. Chinky is Eia's lovely new SPED teacher.  For those reading this blog for the first time, Eia is my 11-year old daughter with Down Syndrome who is at present studying in IMAI (Integrated Movement Academy Inc.).

In the middle of our Parent-Teacher Conference, they suggested that Eia should be encouraged to engage in sports.  I told them (T. Chinky and T. Lily, the Principal) that Eia joins 3K races and plays tennis.  That's when T. Chinky expressed her desire to join the Milo 5K Fun Run.  I told her she's quite lucky because Runrio opened additional slots for 5K.  

And so the following day, Saturday, I dropped by Toby's MOA before proceeding to my appointment in Makati to register T. Chinky, Ate Ella, Gio, Eia and myself.  But to my frustration, the lady informed me that the 200 additional slots that came Friday were filled-up in just one hour.  In her own words: "Dinumog po kami dito."

Oh well, better luck next time.

Or so I thought.

Thursday, July 21, I went to BGC to pick up my takbo.ph runfest kit.  I first went to Runnr to register for Unilab Run.  It caught my attention that people were carrying Milo 5K race kits so I inquired if there were still slots and when the ladies said yes, I excitedly asked for 5 registration forms!

It took me one whole year to train for my first 5K race and only 1 week to train T. Chinky!  Whew!  What a challenge!  I had to read and reread my Runnersworld complete book on women's running.

T. Chinky was able to convince T. Ellaine (Eia's former SPED teacher) to train with her and I said to myself: "Good.  The more, the merrier."

Monday, July 25:  We walked 1 km for 10:26 mins. This eased T. Chinky's apprehension of not finishing within 1 hr.  Surely, she would arrive in less than 1 hour even if she'll just walk.

We then followed 1:1 sequence (1 min. run, 1 min. walk) completing 1 km

We then followed 2:1 sequence (2 mins. run, 1 min walk) completing 1 km

We then cooled down by walking 1 km for 14 mins.

Wednesday, July 27:  Classes were suspended due to Juaning.  We trained for 45 minutes inside the covered court in our village with varying sequence.

Friday, July 29:  We skip training due to hectic schedules

Saturday, July 30:  We skip training due to emerging cough and cold of T. Chinky

Sunday, July 31:  RACE DAY      

3:30 AM: I called T. Chinky 'coz I was having second thoughts.  The weather wasn't cooperative. And she wasn't feeling well due to lack of sleep and slight cough and cold.  But I could sense that she really wanted to go.  So I decided to leave my kids with Ate Ella and meet her just outside Philamlife Village. Luck was still with her for her brother Matthew consented to accompany her.  It wasn't safe to travel alone early in the morning.

Due to bad weather, T. Chinky and her brother Matthew arrived quite late at our meeting place.  But MOA was just near so I had no doubt that we'll arrive before 5:30 AM.

It was the first time that the MILO Marathon was held in MOA.  I didn't anticipate that Diosdado Macapagal Ave. would be closed.  We had to drive back to MIA Road to make a U-turn to Roxas Blvd. then right turn to Edsa and make another U-turn to go to MOA.

We were still looking for parking space when the first wave of 5K runners went through.  We successfully squeezed ourselves to join the 4th wave and we were off.

As expected, we just walked for the first 4 minutes.  After that, we executed the 2:1 sequence: 2 mins run, 1 min walk, stopping at every water station.  I promised T. Chinky that I would be with her up to the Finish Line.  And so her brother.

T. Chinky, very much alive and jubilant (and wet) with her first 5K and her brother Matthew who's wearing Gio's singlet (hussh . . . pls don't tell Coach Rio). 

The trainer and the trainee:  Congratulations, T. Chinky!  Out of the 6,937 5K runners, only 5,332 finished within the 1-hour cut-off time.  You ranked 2,375 with an official time of 45:32.  Would you believe you're ahead of 4,562 runners?  Galing galing!  Let's start training for your first 10K heh heh . . .

Eia in her Milo singlet.  Next time, I will bring her to run with me -- rain or shine.

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Saying Goodbye Thrice

Tuesday, March 29, 2011:  I said goodbye to my helper of almost 8 years.

Sadness tried to stop me from letting her go but I had to set her free.

Remember the feeling of breaking it off with the person you really love, but you have to end the relationship because it isn't right?  You initiated the break-up but it still hurts just the same.

It was my decision to terminate my helper's services but for some unexplainable reason, I still felt a slight stab in my heart.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011:  I said goodbye to DELANOR Health Products Trading.

My business technically ended last Feb. 15, 2011 when I decided not to renew my contract with Starmall Las Piñas.  However, I didn't apply for closure right away  because I still had to establish "closure" to the very core of my being.

As I was sitting in the Treasurer's Office of our City Hall waiting for my turn, I still couldn't believe that I was about to say goodbye to a dream I once had -- a dream I thought I could turn into a reality which would last forever.

But the feeling of emptiness didn't last long.
I just told myself: " If I could say goodbye to my dear husband, I could say goodbye to anyone or anything."

Thursday, March 31, 2011:  I said goodbye to STI, my son's second home for 4 years (from Grade 4 to HS 1)

Dec. 15, 2010 . . . as I utter these words in opening my speech during the final recognition day of STI, I could already see tears flowing down the cheeks of my audience.
Dec. 15, 2010 was the day STI informed everybody that it will close its basic education program.  I don't know how and why I was chosen to give the inspirational talk in the culminating activity of my son's school but I'm happy I did it.

Last Wednesday, however, as I was driving from home to STI to get Gio's Form 137 and Certificate of Good Moral Character, it dawned on me that this was the very last time that I will set foot on this school. Suddenly, my heart hardened and I found it difficult to breath. It wasn't just a stab that I felt.  It was more of an elephant leg crushing my chest.  Sure, there are a lot of schools in Las Piñas but it was already inputted in my CPU that my son would finish high school in STI.

After I got the 2 envelopes, I said goodbye to the staff and teachers who were playing cards in the lobby trying to amuse themselves.  I wanted to tell them that "everything is for the best" but opted not to.

As I walked back to the car, I said a prayer for everybody.  My heart grieved for them and for a while, I forgot my own problems that were choking me for the past 3 days.

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