It sounds like the gift came in handy at just the right time! A product that helps even out skin tone after sun exposure can be a real game changer—especially after a vacation when your complexion might have some uneven patches or dryness.
My eldest niece, Izelle knows how to poke me…
She gave me as a present another set of something to tickle me to my vanity.
Well, she actually gave me this last Christmas, but I could only use it since I came back from my vacation. I needed to even out my sun-kissed skin complexion.
Reality sneaked-in. I was informed that my sugar level is elevated. My doctor decided to monitor it and I ended up having to prick my finger two hours after each meal. My level has maintained between 6.4 mmol/L-6.9 mmol/L. At some point, where I consume at every meal carbs and all the other delicious good stuff 😉 then it shoots up to 7.4mmol/L. A healthy blood sugar level maintains typically at below 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L).
After monitoring this for 6- 8 weeks, my doctor was leaning towards the diagnosis that my digits indicates Type 2 diabetes.
My additional symptoms:
Shortness of breath
Pain in my feet or legs
Dry skin
Weakness or Fatigue
The need to urinate a lot
What to do:
Its simple actually.
Keeping a healthy diet and consuming less carbs is first on the list.
Regular activity is most important.
Exercise helps because it:
1. Lowers the blood sugar level without medicine
2. Manage weight by burning extra calories and fat
3. Improves blood flow and blood pressure
4. Increases energy level
5. Improves one’s ability to handle stress
My diet consist mostly of rice, rice and more rice. Even my hubby noticed that if I don’t eat rice, then I become depressive and moody. Wait-I let me correct that: I am moody when I get hungry and I seem to be always hungry when I do not have rice in my meal…at least every other day.
So, I was browsing and scrolling through my 6 year old smartphone 😉 and found something interesting: something that might help even if I eat rice all the time: A “low sugar rice cooker”.
Amazon sells several brands. I got one just last month. It’s teeny-weeny, actually just enough for hubby and myself. Instead of cooking 4 cups of rice each time, this one can makes 1.5 cups to 2 cups at most. So, it already forces me to minimize our rice intake. The rice also tastes somewhat better that usual. Although it has less starch now, it tastes sweeter and more loose. Mind you, I did not change the type of rice that I am used to. I just changed the way of cooking it. I have to admit I like it better now than before.
And I have been eating rice all my life! Oh, the exercise part will be in my next blog… 😉 😉 😉
Here I was, enjoying my day off after like weeks of running around like a chicken without a head. I decided to indulge myself in another K-Drama series “CLOY”.
I started where I stopped last time, which was episode 12. Then hubby came into the room to check what I was up to. Being the curious Boar that he is, I smiled and immediately defended my laziness as “enjoying” my much-deserved day off. (Of course, with a huge silly grin on my fat-freckled old face).
Seeing that the setting is partly in North Korea, got him hooked. He grew up in East Germany or DDR. He felt he could relate to the situation-environment and practices that was somewhat “realistically” portrayed in the drama. My hubby is not one to binge on K-dramas. He used to binge on all the Star Trek episodes…. Even got his encyclopedia, but never on K-Dramas.
In any case, I change the audio in German as well as the subtitles, for his convenience. Then I explained the story to him so that he can still follow even after skipping the first 11 episodes. He watched it with keen interest and even made some comments about how it was similar to the old DDR times. I didn’t notice when he fell asleep, but suddenly, I could hear his very light regulated breathing. I debated whether I should stop watching and only continue when he wakes up again. But, I thought, since he would most probably still watch the first 11 episodes when I am not home anyway, I just let him sleep further.
About 30 minutes towards the end of the 12th episode, he suddenly stood up. Looked for the remote control and paused the ongoing episode. I’m like: “whoa! what happened?”. And he goes, “let me go to the toilet for a minute”.
“Huh!!!! But you were sleeping the whole, so why bother to pause the episode when you go for toilet break. You won’t be able to follow the ongoing story anyway”.
To which he replied: “Yes. That’s why!”
Duuh!!! I suddenly felt like I was the one who just woke up!
How has your 2025 been so far? I fear that to some, as early as January on, the year has already been very dramatic. It may have brought in tragically a sad beginning, thus they are hoping for a sweet and happy ending!
Remembering that I have lived only over 24 months past 5 decades. I should still be quite active and feeling elated. But it seems like when I start to recall the journey I have traveled so far, I feel the need to slow down now and meditate. Perhaps, start to plan another route.. take another turn or even uproot myself again.
You see, I may have told this story a million times here in my blog, but I will have to write it again.
I started doing summer jobs when I was only 12 years old. Yes! Every summer diligently until I got into college, a prestigious private college in Metro Manila.
Then I started my gig as a working student. I was fine and actually doing well both in managing my time between school and work. I could also maintain a so called-social life while in balancing work and studies. Then I moved on to the corporate world — and I was on my highs! Better than taking brownies, I would say 😉 !!!
It happened sooner than expected that I moved to another continent. I integrated myself and settled up my own hub in a country far from my own. Learned two new languages, built my own circle of spider’s web and started to conquer the world. Well, my own small world, at least!!!
Fast-forward, post Corona Pandemic, my highs staggered downwards. Three years later, I only want to have a slow, laid back life, preferably back in the Philippines. Yes, I am experiencing “pre-retirement” symptoms.
For now, since I still cannot afford to retire, I can dream… and you see…
A dream is a wish your heart makes
When you’re fast asleep
In dreams, you will lose your heartache
Whatever you wish for, you keep…
And in some days, I wish I could just disappear quietly. Without bothering anybody, I hope to end everything in my life without leaving a trace or an inch of proof to my existence. Nevertheless, thinking, hoping and praying that I would come back, being reborn to a new world with better circumstances. Like I said, it’s a tragically sad beginning to a sweet and happy ending!
STOP! STOP! STOP!
Have faith in your dreams and someday
Your rainbow will come smiling through
No matter how your heart is grieving
If you keep on believing
The dream that you wish will come true
Okay! So I am really just being overly dramatic!
Actually, I believe I only want to take a break, a “sabbatical” as some would call it. But sabbatical costs money.. and money has to be earned first… juice colored!!!!
In the last hours of the year 2024, hubby and I spent it with some very close friends over good food and wine. We shared stories about how we have spent the whole year, what has happened and started talking about plans for the coming new year as well.
As the year 2025 finally crept in, we welcomed it, each with a glass of good reliable and sweet Asti. We greeted each other with a kiss, a hug, and a rat-tat-tat of fireworks.
We watched amazed at the fireworks of the neighboring houses and establishments for the first 2 minutes. Then somebody suggested we go to the town square where we could see more fireworks display. Everybody struggled to put on their jackets, moi aussi naturellement!!! I was so happy to be one the first to get out of the house and ran towards the place which was only a few meters from the house. I stood there with my closest friends in awe at the fireworks display, with a bottle of Asti in one hand and mobile phone in the other. Trying to capture the moment with my mobile phone. Well, try doing it yourself in wintertime with a -7 degrees celsius temperature. My hands were shaking. I didn’t even notice it until I suddenly felt the cold creeping from my feet to my legs. I looked down and then I realized that I came out of the house only wearing house slippers!
So, that is how it started! During the first few minutes of 2025, I ran out of the house in my red winter pantofle!!! Soft yet warm and very light. How do you think I managed to get out of the hose without realizing that I only had them red slips on?
Have you ever read the satire: You have two cows?
I came to this through a shred posting on Linked in, tried to trace the origin, and ended up with a posting in NewstalkZB from way back in 2015. The satire itself has been in existence 1935 and has had so many versions. It has evolved through out times, depending on how the need to use the analogy arises.
According to Wikipedia, the history of his analogy was such: “You have two cows”
Socialism: If you have two cows, the Government takes one and gives it to your neighbor. Communism: If you have two cows, Government takes both and then gives you some milk. Fascism: If you have two cows, you keep the cows and give the milk to the Government; then the government sells you some milk. New Dealism: If you have two cows, you shoot one and milk the other; then you pour the milk down the drain. Nazism: If you have two cows, the Government shoots you and keeps the cows. Capitalism: If you have two cows, you sell one and buy a bull.
Bill Sherk mentions that such lists circulated throughout the United States since around 1936 under the title “Parable of the Isms”.[2] A column in The Chicago Daily Tribune in 1938 attributes a version involving socialism, communism, fascism and New Dealism[nb 1] to an address by Silas Strawn to the Economic Club of Chicago on 29 November 1935.[3]
The list on NewstalkZB is longer. It shows the analogies per country.
My favorite one though is venture capitalism:
You have Two Cows
I finally understand how I ended up to where and what I am right now. After more than 5 decades…
Reassessing my economical status in life, now I know I should have poured more effort into being a venture capitalist.
I should have assessed, own or not own, do another turnaround on the cow or cows that I never actually own in full anyway, take money out from all different institutes, including from the government, who normally bleeds the consumers to death. I could have used the opportunity to gain from something almost non-existent or was just a partial capital. Unfortunately, it is a talent that I never had and an imagination that is too much for my tired and lazy brain to comprehend or even to come up with.
Although I wish so much that I were a Traditional Capitalist myself, I think I am actually or I lean towards being a Socialist.
In any case, a cow seems to be the solution to the economy.
Well, this cow, is becoming old, tired and saggy. This cow has finally succumbed to the gravity of its biological nature. It is slowly ageing away. This cow is almost at the end of the long, never-ending tunnel where there seems to be no light. And yet it still continuous to crawl and fight its way in the corporate political bullshit. This cow will work harder for much longer because this cow feels the need to carry the burden of the responsibility that life has dropped on it since birth.
This cow is just slowly waiting for the very day it has finally reached it’s limit. When this cow can finally say: enough is enough! This cow needs to also enjoy the fruits of the hardships it has gone through. This cow will drink all the milk it has saved up.
It all started many years ago. When I decided to move out of my homeland in search of greener pastures. It was way back in the late 1990’s when I left the Philippines. With the promise to myself that I would be back after one year. After almost three decades, now, I slowly start the preparation for my promise to myself – the long delayed journey back home.
I never thought it would be difficult. Heck, I really did not think much about it at all.
Until now, it seems like everything that I had to go through when I moved to Europe, I have to reverse. I left to find a better future. I did in one way or another succeeded. I could establish my life here in Germany. I, like many others had to go through all the discrimination, stereotype and all the craziness that Filipinos experienced from their countrymen. Sadly, yes. The Filipino mentality of ingit( jealousy), yabang (bragging), and the never ending “keeping up with the next Juan/Concha attitude.
With much effort, I am glad to say that I survived. My world became smaller in exchange for peace and content. I learned how to live without having to please others. I strived to work hard and develop myself without stepping on others. I got ridiculed for being Eurotrash- simply because my husband is 12 years my senior. But despite of it all, I prevailed.
I concentrated on working my way up at work. I struggled. I sacrificed everything that was left of my youth and productive years knowing full well that I will someday soon enjoy the fruits of my hard labor.
That someday is somewhat getting nearer now. Parang, isang abot-kamay na lang. Or, ilang tulog na lang.
But now that it is getting nearer, I sometimes feel like I am walking on thin ice.
The pressure is on!!!
So far, in the qualifying round, the team with best standings are Germany, Portugal and Spain.
Needless to say, I am tipping for Germany.
In last night’s game against Switzerland, the German team definitely had it bad. The first goal was not counted. Apparently it was offside-goal. After that, each goal attempt somehow wouldn’t go in anymore. No matter how they tried to attempt a goal up to 80++ minutes of the game, they didn’t seem to have luck on their side!
Until, finally and literally last minute, Füllkrug made it with a head-shot. The game ended with 1:1 which brings the German team in the lead in Team A and in the whole EM 2024.
Ice breakers do help a lot. In certain situations, if you do not want to be branded as obnoxious, rude or arrogant, you need to have a bagful of ice breakers to get by. For me, my name is enough. Call me egoistic, but i would not dare disregard if somebody mentions my name or call me by my name to get my attention.
If somebody calls my attention with my first name, Hannahlo – then that person must know me from work or at some point, maybe a distant acquaintance. If somebody calls or addresses me as Miss or Ma’am, then most probably that person is a guest or customer or client. If somebody calls me by my pet name, Ayls, ‘Nang Ayls, Ayling then it must be my hubby or my immediate family member. Both my blood relations and my in-laws call me “Ayling”. Endearments like “Ateng” , “Ateng H” would come from my dearest and closest friends who are either here in Germany or somewhere else in the world. I am also referred to as Han, Hannah to which I also normally respond to. suffice it to say, I usually reply depending on how I am addressed. Mind you, if you whistle or start blabbing to me without me looking at you in the eye, well… you won’t be able to get any reply. Call me snob, obnoxious or arrogant… but I simply won’t.
If by chance we know each other, but I just walk on by… please do not think I am ignoring you or pretending I do not know you. The most probable reason is that I am zoning out during that time or I do not have my eyeglasses on, therefore I am not able to recognize you. Most of the time though, if we know each other for a while, then I would recognize your voice… only then will I, yes I promise… I will say hello and stop by for a few minutes to exchange pleasantries.
As a child, I was always told to prepare for the future. Now as a soon to be pensioner— I am always thinking of preparing for the future although short as it may be compared to the future i was preparing for as a child and the present that took almost all my life.
What is one supposed to do? Ho does one prepare for it? What does one need to know?
I tell you, although I may have gathered all the experiences and lessons I have learned throughout my entire life, I still have to consider factors that are still going to happen. Factors that are unexpected but may also bound to happen. Factors that are part of my fate… and the most important is the destiny that will always happen. Sooner or later, it will, dare I say eventually!
Yes, much to my regrets, I have waited too long to start preparing for retirement. I was always confident that having a place to live in Manila regardless of the size, was enough for my husband and I to stay at when we retire from work. I forgot to consider our comfort and more so, to be able to enjoy our hobbies while we live a serene stress-free life in a not so hectic environment. Conclusion: we look for a place outside Manila. Not too far out in the outskirts but definitely out of the Greater Manila area.
So, I started searching for an optimal place.
Looking at “Ready for Occupancy” houses was the original plan. Big enough for hubby and myself, not too far out in the province and most of all, affordable and fitting to our budget. The websites, Lamudidotcom and DOTdotcom helped me a lot. Although, I still needed to make time and invest on seeing the houses myself.
It’s amazing how many houses/properties are being sold at the moment. It seems like the business of build and sell is booming.
To start with, I needed to know the location. When we hubby and I started planning on the retirement house to prepare, we were actually going towards North of Manila. Pampanga, La Union or even Bataan.
Somehow, in a short span of time, we switched to South or Metro Manila. Not really quiet sure now how it happened. Well, not, I think I still remember how it happened.
Whilst hubby and I were in Manila last December 2023 for a much earned vacation, we were invited by our friends who came to visit us in Germany early that year. They brought us to the new-Boracay and showed us around Manila as well. It was an awesome experience. One that will definitely go into my list of “Milestones in my life”. While we were in Boracay, during a chilling time at a bar called “OM”, sniffing on my Shisha lamp, we started talking about getting a retirement home on the Island. There is a place there being developed that seems like paradise. We had lunch in the area and visited some condominium units that are for sale, well to see and compare to house and lot properties. The difference, comfort, the environment and area of recreation as well as security are big factors to consider. Of course, needless to say, we fell in love with the place. The problem was, the developer didn’t have a bigger unit available for us.
If it is true that a person has 4 lifetimes, I do wonder sometimes in which lifetime I am now.
If it is the first, at least I know I will have more chances of improving myself. My attitude, my outlook in life.
If it is the second, I thank God that I still have three more lifetimes to enjoy.
If it is the third, then I am grateful for the chance to be able to help others and myself for a better future.
If it is my last, I can only say that I am thankful to have lived a good life. I appreciate everything that happened to me. I am happy to have met all the people who helped me turn out to be how I am now. Those who molded me, my personality and way of thinking-I thank thee!
To the people who helped me reach some parts of my destiny (or perhaps it was faith) in this life, I know and believe that it was not a coincidence, it was just meant to be. You came to my life for a reason and it has been fulfilled.
To you who came and went; who could not stay in my life, I regret but I also could not stray. It was a nuisance but one that had to happen. Still I am thankful for the time together. At one point or another, it has also helped me mold my personality.
To you who are part of my life not by choice, I would be happy to have you again in my next.
To you whom I only dreamed about but could not be a part in my life, and if it is fate or destiny, maybe someday in some other life, it will then be.
For only one Great Being can tell and can assign everyone’s destiny.
When it comes to Fate there are no so-called Coincidences. Fate is determined by the choices one makes. This is why each and every individual in this universe be feel like gods in their world. Every single person can actually design and engineer his/her own life destination.
But what if, and only if.. indeed it is possible that Fate chooses the person? In example, what is bound to happen, will happen, as Fate wills it so. Would this be then Destiny and now anymore Fate?
So, when does Destiny become Fate? Destiny is preordained by a higher Being. Destiny is a gift from God.
Suffice it to say, when Destiny takes over, it will always win – or not?
Will Fate then be erased and forgotten as the Will of the Great Being precedes Fate?
In this case, is it because Destiny always overrules Fate?
Or is it because, the choices one made was also Destined to happen?
Fate and Destiny? How can it be determined which is which?
Is it my Fate to live longer because I chose it to be?
Or is it my destiny to live longer because it was preordained?
I will be celebrating Christmas in the Philippines again. The last time I spent Christmas there was way back in 2010.
The perks of celebrating Christmas in my birthland is.. well.. needless to say important because it will be time spent with my family. Cheaper, because I have my own place there – no need to book for hotels and car rentals. And of course, I know the go-to places during holidays. Or at least I thought so. Until my youngest brother flatly pointed out to me otherwise.
I said to him, I want to go visit Palawan.. he said, nahh.. better to go to Siargao Island.
I said to him, I want to eat at Vikings..he said nah.. that is sooo last decade. There are more better places to eat at nowadays.. no need to go to the malls for that.
I said to him, I want to go shopping at Megamall.. of course he said to me… that’s your problem. I don’t go shopping anymore!! Hahaha. So I said, where do you do that nowadays? He goes, well I have three sisters living outside the Philippines, big brother whom I can rely on for man stuff and daddy stuff and of course my mom in Chicago, so where do you think I go shopping?
ooohh.. I forgot. We do send him whatever he needs and even stuff that he does not need. That of his son Rhyzee as well. Rhyzee is my newest nephew. His name is Rhyzel Kristof, but I call him rhyz, rhyee or rhyzee. And for Ladeedee, well, I try, but honestly, after some years, I still don’t know her preference. She always just smiles when I ask her want she wants. So I guess, she already has everything? 😉
Almost everything else that they need are sent either from the USA or from Europe. The perks of being the youngest brother. Don’t get me wrong. He is not spoiled. In fact, he hardly asks for anything from us. If we ask him what he wants or what he needs, he just just say, “Wala. I’m good”. Save niyo na yan for your trip”… Ganun siya. But we buy him stuff anyways.. kasi baby bro namin siya.
Anyway, so, going back, I wanted to go to a resort for a week. He said he would look into it.
Sofar, the choices:
1. Batangas
2. Quezon Province
3. Cagayan de Oro – Camiguin
