Tell Me Who Your Friends Are...

These are the best friends you can have in the entire world. I am not exaggerating.

After more than a month of hibernating in the countryside, I hesitantly came back to the city. I am glad I did, even if only temporarily for now. You know what they say about surrounding yourself with people who will welcome you with open arms, no questions asked? These guys have done that over and over and over again.

And they are so much fun! It doesn't matter where we go or what we do. We could go out to a bar. We could go rough it out and have a simple meal on a redwood picnic table. We could chill on plastic chairs. We could go to a fancy restaurant and enjoy a sumptuous meal.

It doesn't matter! When you're with real friends who have solid characters, you are going to be just fine.

Right now, more than anything, I am thankful for these people.

What are you thankful for?

Thinking LASIK Again

It's been a while since I made a joke about getting LASIK, but I am actually seriously considering this operation. Not now, probably not in the next months, but whenever I don't feel well and my eyes start having that burning sensation, I am reminded of LASIK.

Having worn eyeglasses since I was in third grade, you'd think I have gotten used to not having good eye sight. Still, I bet there is nothing more convenient than being able to wake up in the morning not wondering where your glasses are; nothing more convenient than being able to swim without worrying about your contacts.

We do have more choices when it comes to eye doctors and clinics in Manila now, but I suppose we're still not up to par with the options in, say, the US. For example, if you are based in Austin, you can easily find the best Austin eye doctor in your area. I am not sure about the comparison of costs, however.

Creativity in Play

Oh, the joy of being a kid. I remember Deepak Chopra saying that babies are full of bliss, that they bubble with bliss. Spending time with my nephews, I believe that. Of course, they have their moments - lots of them, actually; moments when the entire neighborhood probably thinks we're abusing them, but in reality they're only having their teeth brushed. In general, though, when one watches them at play, one can't help but feel happy.

One thing I love about these two is the fact that they still go all creative come play time. They are not the most "well-endowed" kids when it comes to toys, but they have their fair share. For Christmas, we got a couple of boxes of Duplo, which Sam and Eli thoroughly enjoy. The other day, though, I saw them having a blast as they found a different way to play with the Duplo box.

Go Kart baby!

Annoying Ringtones

Don't get me wrong. I am not complaining about my phone. In fact, I love it. It is the best phone I have ever had, and I have no intention of getting a new phone in the near future. (Okay, maybe when the iPhone 5 comes out.)

I guess I was just bored today because I found my ringtones annoying. Really annoying. There are, of course, other choices, but I just couldn't find one that does not grate on the nerves. Moments like these remind me of the old times (notice I removed the mandatory "good"; as I said, I love my phone) when I could create my own ringtones and use them for my phone.

For those of you who are lucky enough to have that option, I suggest checking out free ringtones mobile 17, which will make your life easier. And more fun. The best thing is that you do not have to shell out money.

Whatever music you want, you can play around with. I wouldn't mind hearing Disturbed's Asylum whenever my phone rings, you know!

In any case, is it true that you can play around with ringtones - like create your own - if your iPhone is jailbroken? Not that I am planning on doing that, but it just makes one wonder. For now, I shall be content with putting my phone on silent. Perhaps tomorrow the ringtones won't be as annoying.

My Quirky Nephews

It's really handy to have your camera phone within grabbing distance. You never know when the kids pull a funny stunt without intending it. Today, Sam fell asleep playing a game on the iPad. 

I wonder if there is any precedent. (Yeah, I have been known to do this as well.)

To Move or Not to Move?

I suppose I should be more specific. I am thinking - have been thinking - of whether I should start looking for a place of my own again. Some of you may know that I have been staying at my parents' place for the past couple of months, and if you know me, you'll realize the adjustments that I have had to make. Not to mention the adjustments may parents have had to make.

It's nothing to complain about, really. I am lucky enough to have a place to run to anytime I have the need. I have been, however, living "on my own" since I was 15, so this is huge.

Of course, the decision depends on so many factors, the major one being the cost. It's not like I am destitute, but renting a condo will mean shelling out 3 months of rent. Then I have to think of the additional cost of a house cleaning service, electricity, water, and Internet.

Daily Bread: Surprised By God

Today's Daily Bread reading couldn't have come at a better time.

If Naomi had dreamed about returning to her former home prosperous and successful, entering Bethlehem would have been a nightmare. While living in a foreign land, she had lost her husband and two sons and returned with only her daughter-in-law Ruth and a heart full of sorrow. “Do not call me Naomi [pleasant]; call me Mara [bitter],” she told her former neighbors, “for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me” (Ruth 1:20).

Eat-Sumo @ Los Banos

One of the things I really miss about living in the city is the food. Yup, I love good food and the ease by which you can have it when living in the middle of a bustling town. I have been having mixed feelings about going back to what has been home for many years. I do miss my friends a lot. And yes, I miss the food.

After going to the Sunday service late this afternoon, we decided to go out for dinner. It was not horrible, but it really made me excited to go back to what I now like to call smoggy civilization. We chose Eat-Sumo, a Japanese restaurant just a few minutes outside of the campus. I have really been craving sushi these past days, so it was a logical choice.

First impression: don't expect much. 

Ordering counter and kitchen front

Today's Endorphins Brought to You By...

I used to think that endorphins were overrated. Maybe they still are, I really am not sure. One thing I do know is that even when I do not feel like getting on that elliptical bike, I always feel better after I push myself to do it. Today, I was thinking of giving myself a break, but I thought that whenever I don't feel like doing something just because I don't, I'll go ahead and push myself anyway.

Thank God I did. I guess the combination of endorphins and vitamins works! Speaking of vitamins, I am only taking basic supplements, but maybe this is a good time to look deeper into this market? Has anyone heard of the products Designs for Health Adrenal Complex? I have been looking at this line, and while impressive, I have absolutely no clue about many of the labels! I was just thinking that maybe, taking hardcore supplements will be more beneficial health-wise.

Easy on a Saturday Afternoon

Yesterday reminded me of what weekends are supposed to be. When I was a very young kid, our parents used to take us to the soccer field up in the mountain for a picnic. I remember kicking a ball around. 

In the recent years, weekends were either about eating or drinking out with friends or working. Not that there is anything wrong with either - it's just that I seemed to have forgotten that a weekend could be just about sitting around being quiet and not really doing anything. Yesterday, we went out to take the kids to Baker Field, a place in my hometown where I used to play soccer as a high school student.

It was boring at first, but then after a while, you won't be able to help but appreciate your surroundings. Lying down and looking at this view is hard to beat.

View from the grass; the "new" Carillon in the background