View from Eagle Point. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
We transferred to Eagle Point this morning because we decided to extend our stay in Anilao but Blue Ribbon no longer has rooms for us. Because you know, revenge travel.
But before we left Blue Ribbon, we had to consume our breakfast that came with our room.
Breakfast of champions. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
I had calories. Lots of it. I knew I would be expending energy when I dive in the afternoon.
Of course, the obligatory selfie. Photo by CallMeCreation.com Leni Robredo watch. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
My sister bought 4 of these as part of the campaign fundraising for Leni. Most of the campaign funds for Leni and all campaign sorties are arranged and funded by volunteers. My sister gave two to my twins and I tried one. Looks cute.
Meanwhile…
They just won’t quit swimming. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
Despite the multiple application of sunblock, these kids still got toasted. Well, they started swimming in the morning until sundown everyday. 🙄
Low tide. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
We waited for the waves to calm down and for the tide to ease before snorkeling in front of the resort. I couldn’t dive much because I needed to guide my mom as she latched on to the diving buoy. She didn’t last long though, probably just 30 mins.
My older sister was with me but I still couldn’t dive because the resort didn’t have the rope and weights that would keep the buoy in place. It would be such a hassle if that thing escapes. Next assignment: buy rope and weights.
I was in the sea for 2.5 hrs though and it made the trip here worthwhile.
Another beautiful Anilao sunset to take home with me. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
Hopefully we will have more sunsets like this before the southwest monsoon starts. I’ll take a leave probably next month and bring the girls here again. I’ll check another diving resort that is near a marine sanctuary, probably Arthur’s.
Here’s to more freediving, mountain climbing, and camping. ❤️💪🏕️
This has been my office since yesterday. Sometimes I work at the restaurant but it’s quieter up here in our room’s balcony.
The long fins are wonderful! I can go deeper with less effort compared to my old fins. The length and the material (sort of rubber?) that makes the fins flexible do make a lot of difference. Now all I have to work on now is my breathing so I can stay near the corals longer before ascending. The diving buoy was also worth every peso I paid for it. I don’t have to swim so hard to reach the spot where I want to dive and it’s so convenient to have the baby shampoo within reach when my goggles need defogging. It also helped when the currents were strong this morning at Sombrero island and at Sepoc beach.
Maricaban island. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
We left the resort at around 7:30 am. It was high tide so the currents were strong around Coral Garden so we were brought to a place that has less currents with corals that are not as bright as those in the Coral Garden. But still, the currents were strong and we had to battle with these while we dived. That’s why my body is aching right now.
Cave at Sombrero island. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
Twin I has become an excellent freediver now that she has my old fins. She has been swimming on her back and flipping underwater. Twin A has improved a lot and has been diving for the corals as well but she preferred to stay close to me because of the strong currents.
That’s someone else’ kid on the sand while Twin I snorkels for shells. Photo by CallMeCreation.comClear waters. Photo by CallMeCreation.com With my mom. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
We went back to the resort at past 10 am since my nephew still had online quizzes and classes. My twins enjoyed the pool for a bit and they took a nap with me. Of course, I still worked and edited a lot of stories today. The resort’s internet connection is decent for emails and browsing but for video calls, better use your Smart data for steady connection, which I did.
Anilao always had lovely sunsets. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
To cap the day and to give me energy (I didn’t have lunch because I slept), I had this…
Chocolate milkshake, fish and chips. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
Tomorrow we transfer to Eagle Point Resort and we got a loft unit that has a lot of beds and is near the restaurant. We don’t have to go far to dive in a marine sanctuary because it’s just right there in front of the resort.
My body is aching. Diving with strong currents is definitely a whole body workout But I won’t exchange it for anything else in this world.
The carroza of the Santo Entierro (dead Jesus). Photo by CallMeCreation.com
We went to UP today because the girls finished late with their review. We didn’t have enough time to go to Intramuros before the sun sets, so we just decided to have long walks for exercise in UP–the nearest open space. Since today is Good Friday, we were just in time for the carroza procession of the statues of saints in black and the Santo Entierro (dead Jesus). Traditionally there would be a mass before 3 pm afterwhich the Catholic church will go dark after the last carroza enters the church gates after the procession.
We watched this kind of procession in Pampanga in 2019 when we went to see the actual crucifixion of a man, which aas his annual panata (pledge).
There, the long procession with the grieving Mary at my back. Photo by CallMeCreation.comWhile my girls ran into the sunset. Photo by CallMeCreation.comCris-crossed the UP Lagoon. Photo by CallMeCreation.comAnd had their leisurely walk at the academic oval. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
They stationed themselves at the amphitheater while I had one lap around the oval to have my exercise.
Photo by CallMeCreation.com
Then we stayed at Quezon Hall so I can do my stretchings until the sun went down.
Photo by CallMeCreation.comPhoto by CallMeCreation.com
Tonight they’re staying with their dad and will just come back in the morning to clean their bikes so we can drive to Intramuros or Baywalk and bike there.
My exercise was short so I continued my workout at home.
This is a reminder that I can still reach my foot from behind. More yoga please! Photo by CallMeCreation.com
My yoga mat is still dirty I ought to clean it tomorrow. But my freshly vacuumed bedroom floor will do for now.
More muscles! Photo by CallMeCreation.com
This is a love letter to myself (and my girls when they get to read this in the future), reminder that I should take care of my body not because I need to attract men but to make me feel good and to protect myself from non-communicable diseases. Diabetes runs in my family and my father died of diabetes complications. I don’t post such photos on social media but posting this on my nameless blog is like an accountability to myself and for my girls to read when I’m already gone.
So tomorrow, Sabado de Gloria, we clean and oil our bikes and off we go to the Old City to see old churches. All the saints’ statues and even the cross will be draped in black cloth until the Easter salubong (Mary Magdelene meeting the Risen Christ) at dawn.
It was every boy’s fantasy to be part of Top Gun after it was shown some thirty-plus years ago—my brother included. The aerial dog fights and anything about flying jet planes tickled their imagination. So I guess my brother is looking forward to watching Top Gun: Maverick. I also remember a poster of Top Gun Tom Cruise in the old house I grew up in…I asked my older sister why she put that up and she said she can’t remember why 😂 I’m thinking twice if I should brave watching this movie in theaters but this kind of movie should be watched on the big screen. I’m wary of being in enclosed spaces because Covid is still very much with us. One of the reporters in my bureau was reinfected with Covid, two months after of getting it in February. I don’t want to get bogged down by Covid again. It was just a nasty experience.
This is the reason why it’s better to completely heal first instead of using another person to “heal”/forget. To basically rebound. You’re still being toxic yourself so it’s gonna be hard to have a healthy relationship with anybody who still carries a lot of baggage.
Some friends don’t understand. It’s not me just holding on to the past; it’s me trying to be healthy first before anything else. I need to learn to completely love myself first before I love another person outside my immediate circle. But I’m not doing this with the goal of meeting a new person. I’m doing this for myself because I OWE it to myself. I’ve been through so much shit and it’s about time I prioritize me.
So right now I’m trying to start my week with good vibes. Like this, a clean workspace to motivate me to be productive on Mondays.
I bought a new desk mat because I’m tired of my mouse pad moving around my table. Photo by CallMeCreation.comWatering and pruning my plants everyday to keep them healthy. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
These are the little things I regularly do to love myself and appreciate life again.
Tomorrow I may go to Marikina to look around a pottery maker’s showroom for reasonably priced decorative clay pots and pedestals.
Pink is the color of tomorrow! Photo by CallMeCreation.com
My big roses have started to bloom again. Lots of patience and moving around of pots to learn the optimal sun exposure and watering frequency of these flowering plants. Good things come with patience. You can’t just rush things.
While the world is busy with Ukraine and its effect on each region, Myanmar has been largely ignored these days. The Myanmar central bank suddenly came out with a directive regarding forex:
A Myanmar resident, who asked not to be named for security reasons, expressed concern about being able to access their deposited savings and how much could be withdrawn.
“If we can’t withdraw, everything we earn will be stuck in the bank,” the resident said.
The official central bank exchange rate for the kyat is currently 1,850 per dollar, but this tends to be well below the unofficial black market rate.
The country’s economy is spiraling down further. It’s hard to do my reportage remotely when nobody is willing to talk to me, even anonymously.
Balloons over Bagan, Myanmar. Photo by Boris Ulzibat on Pexels.com
Looking forward to the Holy days next week. Metro Manila will be empty of people eager to go to the provinces as they do their revenge travel. The beaches will be teeming with people. As for me, I’m staying put since I know the provincial roads will be super clogged with SUVs. Maybe the girls and I can go to the Intramuros churches to do visita iglesia and at the same time I can do sketching. We can bring our bikes. We can also bike along Roxas Boulevard, along Manila Bay.
Manila Cathedral. Photo by Gerald Escamos on Pexels.com
Before that, I still need to help them review for their upcoming tests and I’m giving them some pointers for their music lessons.
My drawing for my girls’ music lesson. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
Now I know why I had to go through those rigorous piano lessons and rondalla practices all those years: so I can teach my children music down the road. 🤔 I even had to teach them how to properly write a G clef. One day they will learn how to transcribe music notation on music staff, the least favorite of my duties as a music student 🎹 and glee club member.
After the first batch of their final exams, we will be celebrating the girls’ 11th birthday. I need to order food before everything closes down for the Holy Week.
Giving people the benefit of the doubt sent me to the deeper end and it always, ALWAYS had been detrimental to me. I justify my love for them that’s why I give them allowances.
Took me so much hurt and rude awakening to realize he is an evil person. I had been making excuses in my head, searching for the good in him but I ignored the big glaring fact that he is what he is.
Learned the hard way.
Let me tell you another story. This one is less political.
So my ex-husband hashad this penchant for cheating on me even before we got married. Why I stuck with him, I don’t know. Maybe I was there to prove something, like I can turn him around/rehabilitate him or what. Anyway, this story is not about that.
There was this girl who kept on messaging him on his mobile phone. One day she called. I answered it. Told her I was the wife of M. She threw expletives at me and among the many things thrown at me, all I could remember was she was a gf or something—whatever. I shouted at my bf (at that time) and threw his phone, broke it and flushed the SIM down the toilet.
I learned that my bf/ex-husband didn’t lose contact with his gfs and he kept them all on the side, you know, “in case of emergency.” (Among the other life skills I learned was to hack into his emails and his phone to discover his indiscretions). I stalked this girl online for a long, long time and messed up her blogs and so on and so forth. My investigative journo skills were in full mode at that time. What bothered me was that this girl looked like me, my brother said. At that time she was a call center agent. I learned that she took up a course under the UP College of Mass Communication but got kicked out of the program and had to relocate to a faraway campus, got into another program where her grades were more acceptable. Anyway, with the rise of social media, she became more visible to me. What’s funny is that because she is so in love with herself, she didn’t even bother making her social media accounts private.
I no longer have a beef with her right now and out of curiosity as to what she’s up to, I searched for her online. It seems like she lives on the outskirts of BGC, one of the condos there on the edge because I think one of the views from her window faces Taguig and she hangs out at BGC a lot. There was one time there was an art fair at Bonifacio High Street and she had a booth there and I came face to face with her. She probably doesn’t have any idea who I was but I fully knew who she was. She is this artsy-fartsy thing who does art commissions, or so she tries to project on her social media posts. She hangs out in coffee shops around BCG and does art on her tablet.
I think she’s a perfect target for someone like J. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets to pick her up randomly.
It’s just a wild thought but I know she would be a good fit because she’s shiny, she’s superficial, and she knows how to project herself. He likes superficial things. They’re exactly the same age.
It was just unfortunate that I gave my unconditional love to somebody like that. It’s hard getting it back, hence, my emotional bankruptcy. A PR professional friend messaged me on FB tonight and asked me how I was and if I already have a bf (after J). I said no, I need to heal and I’m not searching—that I’m done. I’m happier like this. She said it’s when I’m not searching the One comes. I said no, just the thought of it creeps me out. It’s just too painful, I told her. I don’t think I can have another one again.
I mean, ok, they’re happy. The on-screen couple turned real-life couple. Good for them. I just hope it lasts. Excuse my jadedness.
There are people made for this, and there are people who are not. I clearly do not belong to the first group. Even if I gave my all—all my love and kindness, tried to see good in people even if they don’t deserve it—I always end up in a ditch and disrespected.
So no, friend, I’m better off like this. I need to grow and learn more about the world and the hard lessons life is teaching me. I’m not about to seek comfort and affirmation from someone else because it only leads to disaster.
Lighting candles to soothe my soul. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
I am done with the two curtain panels for the girls’ bedroom.
Photo by CallMeCreatiom.com
Now they’re up on their windows.
Photo by CallMeCreation.com
I’m just finishing a small panel and then I will be done with their room. I can now proceed to do the complicated poppy flower drawing…
Just look at my hobbies—they’re hardly the thing that sophisticated, shiny people do. I do granny things. I’m not even into grandmillennial style…just granny. My interests are contemplative things like hiking, diving, biking, home DIY, museums, daydreaming on a grassy patch of land, gardening, cooking, drawing, singing, and lots of reading. I’m not into clubbing and so over bar-hopping.
I’m boring. I could hardly be an asset to a person who wants to aspire for big things in life like being a fund manager or a fund owner. A CEO of a conglomerate. I also could never be a tai tai nor I wanted to be one.
During this period of transition inmy life I realized I just want to be like this:
Yey! I finally was able to book a home massage! I had a hard time booking them the past few days because 1) either I was too late; or 2) I was too early. It’s hard to time it because there are times I work way past my shift. I could feel my muscles relaxing a little bit but I think a dip in a hot tub is called for. However, I’m too lazy to drive all the way to Makati and I also don’t want to encounter the weekend crowd.
This is one of the reasons why I want a soaking tub in our future house. Whenever I’m at my mom’s, I hostage her bathroom and I spend an hour soaking in hot water in her tub.
Anyway, I received a message from my sister about the supposedly Leni rally on April 30th. It’s not going to push through. There was a notice from the Makati chapter that it was decided by the national HQ of the campaign that the Grand Metro Manila rally may not be in Makati as they’re still deciding which southern city will host. So those who have reserved hotel rooms can cancel their reservations because the Makati leg may be earlier.
Ehhhh, one reservation I had was a one-bedroom suite in a serviced apartment in Valero and that can be cancelled with refund. However, the one in Salcedo is a studio in another serviced apartment and cannot be refunded. That one is more expensive. So might as well we use that for staycation so the girls can enjoy the pool while I have my massage in the room. We’ll also take the opportunity to stroll and shop at the Salcedo weekend market. It’s such a shame though. The amount I will be spending could been channeled to a weekend in Anilao. Oh well.
This morning I woke up at 7:30 to water my plants before the unforgiving summer sun fries them.
My mini roses are thriving under direct sunlight. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
I’ve learned now the quirks of my plants. So my roses love direct sunlight as long as they are watered twice a day. My other plants couldn’t take the heat and have dried up. Or others were over-watered/placed in a shaded area when they should be under direct sunlight so they just died, probably of root rot because the soil didn’t drain well/not under direct sunlight. Some plants, I have learned, have to be rotated to catch the morning sun or the others just like the afternoon sun. All trial and error.
Morning glory. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
So all my morning glory that I planted from seeds have sprouted and are growing nicely. They love direct sunlight. This one bloomed this morning and closed again at noon. It chases the morning sunlight (hence the name). It would look lovely when all of my morning glory plants have bloomed.
This inspired me to go to QC Circle again this afternoon and bought more plants. I couldn’t take photos after I finished transplanting my flowers because it was already dark. My mom would be so envious of me when I show her tomorrow my container garden. 😄
I’m back to sewing for the meantime because I needed to repair some masks and I need to finish the curtains. I also couldn’t finish this sketch last night because this damned poppy is too complicated.
Art and photo by CallMeCreation.com
It may take me a week before I finish this.
Weekends are something I look forward to nowadays. I used to dread it because weekends meant endless hours of living inside my head, of crying, of hurting. I now take it all in stride. Whenever he enters my head, I remind myself of his betrayal and what an assh*le he is, then I banish all thoughts about him—and continue enjoying my weekend.
The truth really did set me free, albeit it was not an easy road. My entire February was all about trying to stabilize myself again. So I am closing this month of March with a healthier outlook and I hope there are no more curve balls coming my way.
