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Calves, Sweat, And A Whole Lotta Running

March 12, 2010 at 10:00 am | by Keisha | In Reflections | No Comments
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Last Sunday me and my friends joined the Unilab Run United for Wellness Marathon over at Fort Bonifacio. I actually never though that we would actually be running the marathon. I mean, I always wanted to sign up and join but I never got around to doing it. But with this marathon, I don’t know if it was because of the constant advertisement, or if it was the summer air going on, but for some twist of fate we decided to register and join in the marathon.

Nothing actually went according to plan. For starters, we only had the intention (and the strength) to register for the 3k marathon. But someone must have been pretty amused since 3k and 5k were already full, so… we ended up signing up for the 10k one. Yep, you got that right.

My friends slept over Saturday night so we could all go at the same time the next morning. We ended up waking really early but still, no matter how hard we try, we always seem to end up late for things. When we got there, it was still dark and the sun hasn’t risen yet. We were trying to look for the baggage area when we asked this lady for help. And as always, good fortune comes disguised in an old lady’s physical, and thanks to her we were only a little late for the start of the marathon.

Only just a couple of minutes into the start of the race when we suddenly burst into the start and ran our ass off. There was so much light and it was so blinding that I couldn’t see any of the spectators cheering for us on the sides—I prefer to think of it as cheering—and in a way it really made me confident to run my best.

I did run the 10k. Well.. half of it I ran, and half I jogged. But nevertheless! I still finished the whole 10k. I still can’t believe it though. It seems kinda hazy now that I think about it. Even though it was just the other day, I can’t seem to remember it now if it wasn’t for the resounding numbness in my calves and ankles.

Still, it really was worth the pain. And I can certainly say that joining this marathon really made my senior year memorable!

Ahhh for the Balmy Days of Summer

March 4, 2010 at 3:29 pm | by Keisha | In Reflections | No Comments
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EXACTLY 3 DAYS ‘TIL SUMMER FINALLY ARRIVES.

Need I say more?

I’ve been really really busy lately with a lot of school work. So many last minute cramming to do, projects to submit, tests to ace, clearances to pass, recommendation letters to run after, and all in all I’m just waiting impatiently for finals to finish.

It’s the 3rd day of our finals week tomorrow, and we got 5 more to go.

I’m actually a little bit happy that I’m finally done with Physics (it’s the worst subject in the world, btw.) and that I can finally flush down every single bit of knowledge into my never-ending abyss of forgetfulness that can be found in the deep crevices of my unused mind.

Lots of people do say that junior year is the worst because a lot of colleges will be focusing more on your 3rd year grades more than anything, and a lot of pressure is on you to really study hard—something I desperately tried to do, but unfortunately ended up only trying.

I guess I’m a little relieved that after 13 long years of studying, I’m finally graduating and moving on to another huge chapter of my Life. Well, college is going to be a lot of studying too and I’m okay with that, but I guess I’m more excited about the fact that there’s more freedom, and that with this freedom I can get to expose myself to a lot more things in the world, and that I can really get to know myself more through these.

FREEDOM. I don’t know what’s up with the word, there’s something about it that really gets to me. I know that even when I get to college, get a job, or just be an adult there’s really not gonna be total freedom. But freedom from what exactly? Maybe freedom from the nagging voice of your mom, from your annoying little sister, from the responsibilities you hold as a teenager, from the busy sounds from the streets of Manila, from your job, from your studies, from happiness, from pain, from love, from feeling, from life, from being just who you are.

But most of the time we free ourselves from the wrong things. At first it may seem justifiable, but after a while we realize that there is no such thing as complete freedom. Maybe for a solitary moment though, but not completely.

But I guess it can be a good thing too, ‘coz most of the time we forget who we are in the process of trying to be someone we’re not, and in the long run we tend to let go of the past which binds us with the past, present and future of our soul. Sometimes not being free can be a good thing, and more often than not we get to figure ourselves more without letting go of the truly important things in life — not just for us, but for the people around us, too.

Anyway, summer’s all about chilling and just letting go. I can’t wait to spend what little freedom I have away from the hustle and bustle of Manila and just relax.

I do know what freedom I’m soon gonna have: Freedom from ever wearing a uniform and from waking up at 6!

Eat, Sleep, and Be Merry

February 24, 2010 at 10:05 am | by Keisha | In Reflections | No Comments
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It is a Wednesday, two more days ’til the beautiful weekend finally arrives to rejuvenate the dull and weary minds of the many ongoing rushers in the busy streets of Manila.

Not much of a surprise but just to let you know, I’ve never been more excited for Friday to finally come. It’s going to be a long weekend, and I’m gonna spend my Sunday with my friends over in Tagaytay.

Yesterday was my good friend’s 18th birthday. Normally, 18-year-old girls need to have debuts—it’s kinda the big social event to let the world know that finally, they are adults and they can do whatever they want. And who doesn’t want a party thrown for your honor?

But with the recession going on for the past few… years, less and less people are opting to spend hundreds and thousands of pesos just for one night. We, meaning me and my friends, are one of those people. So instead of having one ginormous party where all you do is sit down, smile the whole night ’til your cheeks hurt and wave prettily, we decided to just hang out, chill and eat.

Yes, eating solves everything. When you’re depressed, bring out the tub and a spoon and dig into your fave ice cream. When you’re lonely, plug in a DVD of your movie/lifestory and eat your heart out with chocolates. Feeling the midnight craving? Thank God for the 24-hour McDonalds down the street.

But besides all the hysterical drama it often falls prey to, food can be the foundation for building relationships, bonding of family and friends, and can simply be a source of happiness.

I have been blessed with an absolutely gifted chef for a mom, and I have had the pleasure of living life every single day because of her. It might seem like a very small thing, but for me, every day that my mom wakes up at 6am just to make us breakfast is amazing. She never fails to cook something delicious, and I can just see her passion and love in the things that she makes. Only downside is, I seem to be gaining a lot more weight than usual. Oh, to live happily in the comfort of food for the rest of my days without any worries would be bliss..

And the great thing about having a chef for a mom is that I get to appreciate food for what it really is. For me, when I see food, it’s not just something I eat. But it’s something that took time to prepare, something that was carefully created with different ingredients that can produce a totally new thing perfectly, a blend of spices that balances all the flavors out.

So for my Saturday night, me and my friends will be having a sleepover and I’ll be making them dinner! I still don’t know what I’ll be making, but it’s gonna be quite difficult since one of my friends doesn’t eat vegetables, two are really picky, and one is on a strict Gatorade diet. Hmm. So in other words I’ll be making dinner for 3 people. Hooray :)

When I’m at home though with nothing to do, I either play the piano or cook. But cooking is more relaxing because anything you put can result to something totally new and different. And it’s a challenge since I live with 5 other people, and they know if the food is good, or to be frank, not.

Plus, shopping for food is fun! I love the smell of fresh fruits and freshly-baked bread in the morning. Same principles as for hunting for bargains in the mall, it’s just as fun to find the best product—or produce—for your money.

Let’s just see where tomorrow leads me, and whichever I’ll get to buy for Saturday night’s party. :)

As Luciano Pavarotti once said, “One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.”

Manic Monday

February 16, 2010 at 9:52 am | by Keisha | In Reflections | No Comments
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Again, it’s the start of another week and as always, Mondays are the worst. Its the hardest day to wake up and go to work, to school, to wherever you have to go on such an early schedule. I got the Monday blues…
I came straight from school all sweaty from my favorite CAT class (in case you don’t know, it’s Citizens Army Training. Yup, military stuff and yes that was sarcastic.), I was running late for my meeting, and the traffic in EDSA was horrible with a capital H! I wasn’t having a very good day to begin with.
But as I was driving down EDSA late yesterday afternoon, I was listening to my fave radio station Monster Radio, and Gino and Fran was on.
And you know how sometimes when nothing seems to go right that you just want to lock yourself in your room and play your “demon music” so loud that your parents are threatening to kick you out already, something right finally happens? Like a piece of heaven floating down ever so gently that was given to you by God just so that you can finally put a smile into your stone-cold face?
That’s what happened to me yesterday. Well… close to that. :)
Kristinia DeBarge’s “Future Love” just played and I swear there is something about that song that just makes me feel all giddy and happy that instantly, I felt completely myself again! Seriously!
It’s like I imagine a girl getting in her car after a very nice first date and this is the song that’s playing and the girl is all kilig and thinking about what could happen between her and the guy.
And it’s nice to think about the future stuff that could happen to you—could be in school, at work, with another colleague, or with just an unrequited love. And hey, you can never can tell right? :)
Sorry, I’m sappy this way. It’s the post V-day remittances at work.
Anyway, I just wanted to share how hearing one song made my day completely better. So if you guys are feeling down, just pick up your iPod, hit your most pick-me-up song and fire the volume away. I swear, it’s a lifesaver. :)
And it wouldn’t hurt to hear your name being greeted on air as well, hahaha.

Holiday Checklist

February 8, 2010 at 1:33 pm | by Keisha | In Red-Letter Days | No Comments
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For all the other Chinoys out here, February 14 is a double celebration for all of us. It’s one of the most celebrated holidays in the world, the day of Hearts, and also a time to celebrate our Chinese roots. A lot of people will be busy celebrating from day to night with their loved ones and even the single ladies out there can celebrate the holidays without having the need for a boyfriend.
Taken from one certified SSB—single since birth—we don’t need a man to keep us feeling on top of the world during this holiday. Here are a couple of things that I’ll be doing for my weekend holiday, and surely any true Candy girl can do too for this year’s double-up holiday. :)
  1. Go out on a fancy dinner with your barkada and dress up!
    Eating a 5-star dinner is heaven but it’s not something we can do everyday. So why not indulge yourself just this once? And it’s even more fun if you get to spend the night with the people who have made life a fun adventure by dressing up! Wear a dress, put on you killer heels and flash your dazzling smile, and you’re on your way!
  2. Watch a movie with your best buds and end the night in a karaoke bar!
    There are so many good movies that are showing now and its getting hard to choose which one to watch first. so why not watch all of them? Buy your fave popcorn and start your movie marathon with your barkada! And to top the night out, head out to your karaoke bar and show off your shower singing skills!
  3. Go to Chinatown and feast on dumplings and tikoy!
    What’s a Chinese new year celebration without tikoy? Go down to Chinatown and participate in the many festivities that are open to all! Watch the dragon dance and feast on the may delicious Chinese delicacies on the streets. Don’t forget to buy your very own Tiger statue to attract luck for this year!
  4. Take a look at this year’s Hot Air Balloon Fiesta over at Clark!
    Every year the Clark Air Base holds a Hot Air Balloon fiesta and this year the date falls on February 11 to February 14! So why not make this year’s celebration a little different? Head on over to Clark, Pampanga and witness the enormous balloons that will soon fill up the sky. And maybe you can even get to ride them!
  5. Spa, Mani-Pedi, Massage = Heaven
    Pamper yourself to an almost comatose state of relaxation as you give yourself the ultimate Valentine spa package. You;ve been working yourself too hard, girl! Give yourself a break and relax. You can bring all your girlfriends, from your BFF, to mom, and even to lola! It’s surely going to be one memorable bonding experience for all of you!
Here are just a couple of suggestions that I’ll be doing, and that you can do too! Don’t be afraid to try new things and just have fun! The weekend is for relaxation, and the holidays are for bonding with the ones you love. So lucky us we get to spend both of them in one day! And we can also do these things even if it’s not V-Day/New year, too.
So hope you girls have a great weekend, and let me know if you try any of these things! Hoping that everyone will have a fantastic holiday and that everyone will get to spend their weekend with the people they love the most.
Cheers!
Kung Hei Fat Choi :)

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