wonderings and wanderings

When Brack woke me up a few minutes before six a.m. I asked him when can we have a vacation that all we'll do is sleep and eat. He told me, "Not now, when we retire, for now, you have to get up because we have a lot to cover today." Although in slight somatic distress from the eight hours road trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco the day before, I acquiesced and took a quick shower. After the continental breakfast at the Hotel, we're off the road. It was a day of bridges...Golden Gate Bridge is the most popular of all, Bay Bridge is the longest at eight something miles, but the San Mateo/Hayward Bridge awed me much. It's a mixed prodigious and tranquil moment I had crossing it. I could elucidate but I chose not to, rather urge you to visit San Mateo, cross the bridge, feel it, and experience that feeling.

I stand on a bridge of one span and see this calm act, this gathering up of life, of spring water and the Muse gliding...Denise Levertov

Brack said I cook well, the children agree, but my clam chowder seemed inferior to the clam chowder served with sourdough bread at the Fisherman's Wharf. Downtown San Francisco with its narrow hilly and crooked roads is so alive with people and stores, not like Downtown Los Angeles which seemed like a ghost town on weekends.

Northern California is enticing; I'm zealously looking forward to my next visit.

That was last week...

Saturday night, Abraham and I were here...

The American Idol Summer Tour at the Staples Center

Sunday, we were here...and there...

Coronado Island, Old Town San Diego, Balboa Park, Seaport Village

And if you've watched "Last Days on Earth" tonight like we did and heard the smartest men of science talk on the final days of the planet and how humans will be extinguished, you might slow down and decide to smell the flowers. You wouldn't expect to hear scientists saying something of this effect, "look for love because it'll be very difficult for someone not to have someone to hold onto when that time comes." A lot of people were asked on what they'll do and what's important to them when the final day comes...there were a lot of answers...but one word was mentioned the most...family.

We're just glad, our wonders and wanders, gave us these bonding moments...















...even this duck wanted to bond... it walked towards Abraham and Lemuel several times, seemed to enjoy being photographed. Abraham enjoyed taking pictures, Lemuel wanted to hug it.

...reaching for the world, as our lives do, as all lives do, reaching that we may give, the best of what we are and hold as true...Philip Larkin

(Click on each picture for a larger view, then click Back icon to return to the blog)

a thousand things...Part 2

…running here and there. So much to do for a body and mind undergoing midlife transformation (or crisis? LOL)…just seemed to be lacking time, rushing and constantly stressed. I need to talk to a neutral person…and hear what she or he might say about this totally mind boggling changes. And how do you know you're in that stage actually? assume that you're going to live until 80 and by 40 you are in your midlife? hahaha!!! I am not an actuarian, nor a mortality expert...just a thought.

Will be back after this road trip to Frisco :-)

Birthday Vanities

They say that if you want to stay young, you should lie about your age. Much as I want to, I was so vocal of my age before that it’s too late for me to lie about it this time. Better yet, I’ll just stop counting for I did, celebrate another birthday last month. Upside? Wisdom and experience, I’m a year wiser. Downside? Eye cream, night cream, moisturizers, and every other product I am used to seeing my mother use are now occupying most of my dresser space. Scary…

What’s with birthdays anyways? A week of treat. This is what I like in Uncle Sam’s country. If it’s your birthday, you can expect to have lunches, dinners, and treats without shedding-out a single cent. Very much different with how birthdays are celebrated in the Philippines – its either you throw a party at your home or take your friends and family someplace to have a good time, in both cases however, you most probably will pay for it.

Kristine started my birthday week with a lunch at Pasta Primavera.

The day of my birthday was a Pirate party at AON Center.

Friday was lunch with good buddies in Accounting Department, again Pasta Primavera.


Weekend was a buffet with family and relatives.

Speaking of birthdays, I share birth month with a close friend from high school – igan Bu. I haven’t seen her since the high school reunion in Cavite City, our hometown, in 2000. Bu came to the west coast for business and we got to see each other in Long Beach. Imagine the scene at Westin’s Room 946? Loud? Nope! Worst!!! It was a night of flattery and complementing each other by saying…”Igs, maganda ka pa din!” (Friend, you’re still beautiful!) “Ikaw din igs!” (You too Friend!) Not only that, Brack had to stand at different corners of the restaurant just to get the best angle of us, trying hard to hide the undesirable fats. What do you expect from certified vain people anyways?

But it’s not all vanity; they say too that July-born women are more loving and caring than women of other birth months.

Here, look at igan's luggage-full of just purses and shoes, yes exclusive for just purses and shoes to use for a five-day business trip with matching pirate treasures…she has a big bag, or a chest, full of these thingies she calls “happiness.” Isn’t that loving and caring? Of oneself it is – and vanity is the right word. No matter how it started – it ends up to the V-thingy. Well…it’s our birthday – so just bear with us on this blog.
Igs, thanks for these lovely thingies on my ears and neck :-)

To me fair friend, you never can be old. For as you were when first your eye I eye'd, such seems your beauty still. William Shakespeare

P.S. Big hug and kisses to all my friends who remembered me on my birthday with their emails, ecards, phone calls, treats, and gifts :-)