A week with no TV

It’s summer vacation (at least here in the Philippines), but my little girls are not watching TV, ironically. I had to impose the rule of no TV for a week after I have noticed that they seem to have gotten addicted to some programs that they usually watch, to the point that it would take them about an hour to finish a meal and we’re also usually late for appointments because they’re glued to the screen. Last Easter Sunday was the last straw, when we came to church late (again) for the nth time.

At first, I thought the rule would be very difficult to impose for in the past they used to sneak while I would be asleep or reading in the bedroom. I was actually pleasantly surprised that they have been very cooperative. They did not plead to have the sanction lifted, although they would assure me that they would not interfere if I watched TV. Once or twice, however, they asked me if their late grandmother had banned me from watching TV when I was their age and how I felt about it, as if to make me feel guilty for rule I was imposing on them. That question was quite easy for me to answer though, since in the first place, I didn’t like watching TV that much when I was their age. I was usually playing or reading and coloring books, especially that I learned to read even before I started going to school and my mother always made sure that I have books and crayons to keep me occupied for hours.

They looked for ways to entertain themselves, nevertheless, and it’s amazing how they seem to have gotten closer to each other the past week. They did not seek to play with other kids, but were content enough to be with one another and attend to their six-month old puppies as well. They checked out their bookshelves and started reading their old story books, even reviewed some textbooks, rummaged through their toys, brought out their art supplies and created a lot of stuffs, including games. Sometimes, they would invite me to play with them too, or become their audience as they make their own videos using my iPhone.

I felt very accomplished that we were able to pull it through with no tantrums at all. Sure, I was tempted to turn on the TV and watch some programs myself, but I refrained from doing it to make things easier for them. I’ve also thought that the money being paid to our cable TV service provider was being wasted, but seeing the end result was worth it. Aside from the renewed bond between them, it has become so much easier to talk to them now that they can focus on my words.

Since they have behaved quite well without TV and the week was over, I guess it’s time for me to give them back that privilege. However, I have to be careful this time that they no longer spend so much time with it or they would just revert to their old ways. Two hours of screen time, i.e., including the use of computers and iPhone, should suffice as the experts say. I believe imposing such rule could help teach them to prioritize things and organize their schedule, starting with the kind of program that they want to watch and when.

Of children’s book and childhood memories

I had been trying to contain my excitement about this new book that I bought for my girls. It comes with reusable stickers and a storyboard. More, it was the supposed sequel to the story of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” that we all knew.

I waited for the right time to give it to them. Since there’s no special occasion, I thought I’d use it as a prize (or a bribe). As always, the house was a mess, so I told them that I would give them something as soon as they’ve put away all their toys and books, and finished their afternoon snacks (I always demand for a clean plate, no spillage). Surprisingly, A quickly started clearing the mess they created without a question or complaint (she’s really improving), whereas Z refused to move until she saw the package.

Well, I have to admit. I was excited to see the contents of the package myself and I was looking forward to helping them set it up. To get the excitement going, I included myself in their race to finish the snacks. However, Z rebuked me, saying that I am no longer a child so I shouldn’t join them anymore. Hmm… can’t I really join them anymore? “But Mommy is still a child at heart,” I reasoned out. And she just laughed.

Sure enough, the package was a treat. The stickers were lovely and the book was not only colorful, but the story itself was interesting. As I watched them play and study their prize, I also remembered the books and toys that kept me company and made me happy during my childhood days. And as usual, a train of random thoughts and happy memories of my childhood had once again erupted… I’ll share some of them here, but I’ll limit them to 25 only, okay? And, by the way, I was born in the late ’70s, so if you can’t relate, you were probably born much later. *wink

1. I would know it was weekend when my older brothers would flock around our tiny red JVC Nivico TV in the living room to watch “The SuperFriends” in the morning. And when that happened, my day was already made.
2. My mother taught me how to read and write before I was barely five years old and would leave me alone while she would go about her daily chores. Books such as “Noong Bata pa si Rizal” (about the Philippine National Hero‘s childhood days), “The Flying Trunk” (I never really liked this story), and “Sleeping Beauty” (my favorite) would keep me company.
3. I was never afraid of the dark or of being left alone. (I’ve always been afraid of lightning and electricity or of getting electrocuted though.) That’s why I could play by myself for hours and never complained.
4. I’ve always loved animals, except cats even if they were all over our place when I was growing up. I liked looking at them, but not petting them.
5. I had this beautiful red jumpsuit that was a hand-me-down from a family friend. I was so attracted to its vibrant color and tiny flowers embroidered just above its front pocket. I waited too long to grow into it, but by the time it finally fit me, I couldn’t wear it because the people around me would tease me. They said that because of its color, a bull would come out of nowhere and chase me if I wore it.
6. I loved chasing butterflies and dragonflies. When it’s time for my afternoon nap and my babysitter happened to fall asleep before I did, I would sneak out of the house and go to the fields in the nearby subdivision with my friends to chase them. (This was when we finally moved to our own house in Las Pinas; we used to rent a Spanish-style house in Manila when I was much younger.)
7. I love plants, especially those that have beautiful flowers, and I liked gardening too. I had my own little garden filled with beautiful plants and rocks (indeed, it was a rock garden too!) and I would tend to them everyday. I would plant the seeds until I discovered earthworms. Since then, I would just water the plants and let my late mother do the planting.
8. I had my first and only Barbie doll when I was around four or five years old. It was a Skipper and I treated it like a small person. I played with it all the time, gave it a bath, made sure it’s always well-groomed, even cut its hair and nails. (My early science discovery: although dolls looked like humans, they do not grow like we do.)
9. I also had a walking doll that would walk toward you if you clap your hands. It could open and shut its eyes, depending on its position, too. Back in those days, such toy was not available locally. I happened to have a cousin who was a seaman, however, and would bring us stuffs from abroad, especially from USA and Japan. (The perks of having a relative who goes abroad and keeps in touch with you!) That’s how I got my walking doll, which I never wanted to part (with). I cried when one of its legs was broken and could no longer walk.
10. Because my brother who was nine years my senior was my first playmate, I learned to play with toys that were supposedly made for boys, such as Lego, Matchbox, and SuperTrams. And I actually loved playing them! My Matchbox car was an apple green Porsche that had destroyed a good number of other Matchbox cars. (Imagine how rough we played!)
11. I used to beat the guys that were around my brothers’ age in “Game of the Generals“. The only ones I couldn’t beat were my own brothers who were nine and eleven years older than me, respectively, and taught me how to play the game.
12. It was my brothers who taught me how to clean the house and cook rice. They were my disciplinarians, too.
13. Tira-tira (stick caramel candy), Kraft cheese sticks, and Jack ‘n Jill Chiz Curls (as well as its cheap imitation brands) were my favorite snacks when I was young.
14. My father had this habit of giving me a big amount of money (too big for someone my age to hold) from time to time. And I had this habit of putting it in my purse and bringing it with me wherever I’d go. Once, I lost my purse and a search team of both adults and kids in our neighborhood helped me find it. Now that’s quite a number of good neighbors we had then!
15. My eldest brother and a cousin about his age liked going to Shakey’s late at night. Sometimes I would go with them, and while they had pizza and beer, I had pizza and chocolate/strawberry milkshake. Shakey’s was also the place where I first saw a band performed live. Up to this time, I like going to that pizza parlor, not so much for their (good) food, but for the wonderful childhood memories I had with them.
16. My late mother was a natural entrepreneur. No matter what kind of product she decided to make or/and sell, it was sure to be a hit. I think I have it in my blood, too. When I was in elementary, I would buy junk foods from a neighborhood variety store, divide them into single servings using my cooking play set and resell them to kids my age, particularly boys. I would also hire some servers and pay them for their labor once all the food’s gone, then use the profit to buy stuffs to sell again the following day. (That’s the only kind of Math that did not bother me, by the way.)
17. I was an introvert at school, but was a complete opposite at home. While I had very few friends in school and kept mostly to myself, at home I was friends with just about everybody in the neighborhood. I played outside most of the time and was a pro at piko (hopscotch), jump rope (including Chinese garter/jump rope), tumbang preso, shato, patintero, and street soccer. (I wish my children could experience playing all of those games, too.)
18. My girl friends, especially those who were very good at drawing, and I enjoyed playing paper dolls so much. We’d make our own dolls and dress them up too. We’d also build houses for them with furniture and appliances out of cigarette cardboard boxes, which we would get for free from a neighborhood store.
19. I had always thought of myself good at coloring, but never at drawing. I used to join some magazine coloring contests for kids when I was young.
20. “Batibot” and “Ang mga Kwento ni Lola Basyang” were the only Tagalog TV programs that I was allowed to watch when I was young. If I wanted to watch TV then, it had better be Sesame Street or some English cartoon program. Moreover, unlike most children in my school and neighborhood, I was exposed to TV series such as McGyver, Mission Impossible, The Knight Rider, Miami Heat, 21 Jump Street, and even Wrestling at a very young age. (You can guess. It’s because of the age gap between my siblings and me, although I also learned to enjoy those programs later on.)
21. I’ve always loved writing and I had kept numerous journals in the past. I would also attempt to write short stories and poems. I never imagined becoming a writer or editor, however. Instead, I’ve imagined myself becoming a TV or radio news anchor and talk show host when I was young. (I had the opportunity to become one after I graduated from college, but let it go because I wasn’t prepared to leave home for work at 3AM nor was I prepared to rent a room in an unfamiliar place.)
22. I loved playing dress up when I was a little girl. To complete the look, I would sneak in my sister’s drawers and use her makeup while she’s at work. (I wonder if she can read this…)
23. Music was a great part of my life when I was growing up; mostly because of my siblings who also loved music. I was exposed to the great 80s hits of Madonna, Michael Jackson, Cindy Lauper, Whitney Houston, as well as of bands such as Duran Duran, Fra Lippo Lippi, Tears for Fears, and so much more. I also learned to love the Beatles and watched all of their MTVs with one of my big brothers. I think I was an MTV addict at such an early age.
24. The first Tagalog movie that I had seen in theater was D’Godson (Nino Mulach, 1983) whereas the first English movie that I had seen in theater was Super Girl (Helen Slater, 1984). I was alone with my eldest brother in the former, whereas I was with all three of my siblings when I watched the latter. I both saw those films at the Harrison Plaza, Manila.
25. I loved the rain. I used to dance, run and play in the rain when I was a child. Now that I am already an adult, I would just walk in the rain, especially when I feel like crying.

I can’t help smiling to myself as I reminisce about these things. Sometimes, I don’t feel like I’m already 34!  Nevertheless, I am glad I was born in an era where I have seen and experience the best of more than one decade.

Finding my way back

I miss blogging!

I miss writing, even editing. But not when it means tight deadlines with tons of articles to write and edit. I think I’d take some rest now from the very same things that used to make me thrive. This time, I just want to write for my own pleasure, find my way back into enjoying it.

After a few months of a sedentary lifestyle–definitely not by choice, I assure you–I long to relive the good old days when I could simply put my energy into every thing that I’d like to do or learn. Here are some of the things that I would like to be able to accomplish and enjoy very soon:

• Resume my adventure in discovering new recipes that will once again make my children look forward to every meal in the day;
• Relearn how to use an SLR camera and shoot beautiful pictures without the aid of a photo editing software (I don’t know how to use one, anyway). With my husband’s advance wedding anniversary gift, a Nikon D5100, I shall not be labeled as someone who owns an overpriced camera but knows nothing about it or photography per se;
• Join fun runs again and go biking with my family and friends, even go back to the gym and work out regularly once more before I become too fat and lazy to do these things;
• Learn how to put on makeup, especially that I recently received a great makeup kit from a friend who came home from Canada. It doesn’t matter if I don’t work in the office or attend parties (except kiddie parties) anymore and do not necessarily need to use some;
• Bring my children to the places I loved as well as introduce them to the activities I enjoyed when I was their age for them to get to know me better; and
• Write about every single thing that tickles my hands–yes, they can now feel again–and imagination while I still can. After all, I blog mostly to keep track of my experiences, to have something to laugh and weep about when I feel lonely or bored, as well as have something to remind me of the lessons I learned in the past as I read my own stories, and to keep my creative juices flowing. Besides, if I die young, at least my children would still have stories to tell others about their mother through my blogs.*wink

Now that I have decided on these things, I feel so much energized. With my physical condition getting better each day, it seems, and with school out in a week’s time, I have more reasons to look forward to each morning, not to mention that my husband’s also coming home soon for a two-week vacation from his work abroad.

My road to recovery: Dealing with peripheral neuropathy

Notice how the flesh beneath my right thumb is slightly bigger than the other one?

I have been on leave from work for about two months now. I have not also been writing and my laptop has been reduced to being a plaything to my daughters. I could no longer run, jump, skip, not even walk for more than 30 minutes. I could no longer travel alone with my little girls. I have lost my appetite for food–and most things–yet I seem to gain weight (probably because of lack of exercise). I get tired easily. I can’t hold an object in my hand for more than five minutes, including my usual companion when my daughters are in school or busy with something–my iPhone. Standing or sitting for more than ten minutes makes me tired and uncomfortable too. My muscles are simply weak. I have also become more irritable, and there were even times when I feel helpless and very emotional.

I remember waking up one morning a couple of days before Christmas and feeling that something’s wrong with my body, particularly with my hands and feet. The tingling sensations had started as well as the numbness, and they simply won’t go away. Right after Christmas, I went to see a cardiologist (the only available internal medicine specialist in the hospital at that time) who tagged my case as peripheral neuropathy. (I later on found out that this is a rather vague term, by the way, which could have different causes and could present symptoms of different illnesses as well. In my case, everything’s still unclear.)  I had undergone a series of tests, which revealed that my case has nothing to do with diabetes, malfunctioning thyroid glands, etc. so I was simply given a 5000-mg Vitamin B complex to take everyday for a start.

Just before the New Year, I had this not-so-brilliant idea that a body massage might do me some good. Well, it did nothing but worsen my condition. On top of my raging nerves, my whole body started to ache all over–every part of my body that the masseuse had touched, that is, including my face. (And I still couldn’t understand why she had to touch my head and face!) I don’t think I’ll ever have another body massage in the years to come and I definitely would never go back to that massage parlor (at the second floor of SM Muntinlupa).

Anyway, I finally saw a neurologist and has been under medication (gabapentin) since then. I still have to undergo a 30-45 minute nerve and muscle test, which I refuse to be subjected to mainly because it  could be extremely uncomfortable according to the articles that I have read. I just can’t imagine myself sitting through the whole ordeal for nearly an hour, with needles being poked on my muscles and nerve endings. Not to mention I have to pay the hospital a substantial amount for it!

My daughters, ages five and eight, have become my guide and helper in just about anything that I needed to do. I feel bad about it, but at the same time, I am grateful to find out that they are more than willing to aid their granny mom in any way they can. I have looked up so many information online about this illness and even met someone (a 78-year old lady) who has the same illness. However, there’s no clear-cut answer as to how I have acquired the said illness, which is rather common to athletes, the elderly, and those who have experienced a stroke, shock, or some serious accident.

I do feel quite good for the past three days now, however. The tingling sensations, although they have started to spread to my arms, legs, and the back of my head especially whenever I exhaust myself from doing house chores and running errands, have now been reduced to 20%. While my toes seldom get numb now, my hands feel nearly 100% normal again. I can now wash my hands comfortably, although I still use rubber gloves when washing the dishes and continue to take hot baths regardless of the weather or the time of day. Moreover, my back pains are gone while the muscle pains on my thighs are also nearly gone now. Although my leg muscles still easily get tired, somehow, I am able to move around more and a little faster now.

Yes, I have lost my extra income and my activities have been limited. I miss doing a lot of things too. However, there are positive things that my illness have also brought about. Sure, there were times when I have felt so broken, even hopeless. But I have learned to lean closer to God. Good friends have shown their concern for me and tried to encourage and help me in anyway they could. My children have never been more helpful and caring to each other and me. The best of all, my husband has been showering me with gifts and affection like he’s never done before.

I have learned to relax now and appreciate the things and people around me. I have come to acknowledge that I also need other people to get through certain situations in life and that I cannot do all things by myself. I am also taking care of my body now better than before. I do some exercises any time of the day or whenever I have sufficient energy to do so, even when I am lying in bed. I try my best to get enough sleep at night and I also take a nap during daytime. I try to keep negative emotions at bay by being more prayerful, by reading good literature, and by refusing to become easily angered as well as by avoiding to comment on situations that I have no responsibility. Lastly, I try to think of happy thoughts–mostly about the wonderful days I have spent with my husband as well as the blessings my family has been receiving from God. Instead of thinking that I might not grow old with with my hubby or live long enough to see my children grow up and each have a happy family of her own, I have started thinking how I could show my love to my family each day.

One thing I have noticed is that I feel so much better and able to do more stuffs around the house when I am happy, when I take things easy, and keep my faith that I shall be totally healed soon by God’s grace (without having to go through more tests). After all, why worry so much when I know who holds my future?

To stress or not to stress

 

(Image by Chemist2dio Labs)

Christmas vacation officially starts today. That means I no longer have to wake up early to prepare the girls for school, at the same time keep a tight schedule as I juggle house chores, child care, online job(s), etc. throughout the day. However, I have a feeling that although there’s no school, things won’t really change much for me. I bet that a few hours from now–after I have gone to bed, that is–I would be up early again as I normally would on weekdays. Blame it on my body clock and the stuffs around the house that need my attention, especially our pets and plants.

I have been neglecting some of the plants, it seems. The big alley cats have been coming in and out of our backyard and have apparently been trampling on some of them. They badly need some rescuing–I have to start transferring them to pots. Meanwhile, our puppies need a good bath and some exercise, too. Plus, I still have more cleaning to do around the house. Honestly, having very young children means that in a week, our house would only be nice and tidy for a day or two. As for the rest of the week, you can expect their toys, books, and art materials, even clothes, strewn all over the place, especially in their playroom.

At times, I would tell myself that I should feel blessed that I have very energetic and creative children. And at other times, well, I give in to frustration, wondering if they’d ever learn to be neat and tidy all the time. Sometimes, I would purposefully leave things lying around like they do, then let them decide how they like the house all messy for more than a day. Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose, i.e., I end up clearing all the clutter.

I guess this is one of the difficulties faced by a stay-at-home-detail-oriented/well-organized-mom who used to work in the corporate world. In my case, I’ve managed to keep my desk clean most of the time when I was still working. I made sure that my files were well organized, so in case I would be absent or away, my boss or workmates would easily find the information or material that they might need from me. And because I used to work outside of home, that means somebody else (a maid) had to do the house cleaning for me while I earn a living.

But things have changed. I am now both a stay-at-home and work-from-home mom. With two little girls and a husband abroad, and without a maid.

Although my husband supports my decision of not hiring a household help for the mean time, he would still prefer that I have one. I guess it’s just better to stick to my decision at times like this and remember the good things that come with it. For one, the girls start learning about responsibilities and consequences. I know it would take a while before they could fully graspit,but it’s still a good start.

Next, we could eat anything we like, anytime, and anywhere we choose. My girls and I are fond of going out for food as well as ordering food delivery, especially on Fridays or weekends. On Fridays, it’s usually no rice for us. That means we could have pizza, burgers, pasta, bread and soup, noodles, etc. on a Friday. And if we happen to have a helper who wouldn’t last a day without a rice meal or couldn’t just eat any type of food–like my last helper–then that would be a bummer for us. (I don’t like planning more than one type of meal just to accommodate someone who can’t appreciate what the majority is having. And no, I didn’t grow up in a household where somebody eats a different meal from the rest.)

Finally, we get to save a lot. Come to think of it, although a helper would be paid at least P3,000.00 a month, the actual monthly budget that we should set aside for one should be doubled (P6,000). The other half (P3,000) would go to household expenses that she would incur but wouldn’t have to pay for, of course: food, water, and electricity. Sometimes, I’d have to shoulder the toiletries too, and most of the time, medical expenses as well in case she gets sick. (Even if I’d take care of her Philhealth contributions, she would have to wait at least six months before she could avail its benefits.)

I guess the big question for me is whether to stress or not to stress over household chores. Although they’re certified mommy concerns, I don’t think they would be worth a line in my forehead. Anyone who has a tip or two on how to run a household like mine smoothly? Thanks!

My misconceptions about China

I enjoy teaching ESL (English as a Second Language), but I didn’t realize that I would actually enjoy having Chinesestudents and professionals in my online classes. Don’t get me wrong; it’s just that I’ve always had Filipinos and Koreans in my classes before. It was my first time to have Chinese students in class. I have also come to admit that I had so many misconceptions about their culture, their country, even their form of government. The following are some of them.

And I thought this was the only beautiful place to see in China!
(Image from DragoArt.com)

1. There is no marginalized sector in a communist country, including China. I was fully convinced that communism exists to provide for every family’s needs equally, at the same time empower each citizen of a communist nation to have a decent living for the common good. However, one of my students told me that there are also many people in their country who belong to the marginalized sector. In addition, many of the poor people in their country become more visible in the streets when the Spring Festival is approaching (to beg for some money or food).
2. Spring Festival refers to a festival of flowers or some sort. A student enlightened me when she explained that it simply refers to the Chinese or Lunar New Year.
3. English is not considered an important language in China. Well, it seems that the Chinese actually care about the English language probably more than any other nation does. I thought that English is not that important to Chinese people; after all, their own language is supposedly the most powerful language in the world next to English. On the contrary, I have found out that they also try to master the English grammar since grade school, and they are even required to take up government-administered English exams throughout their student life. In fact, a high aptitude in the English language is a requirement to a high-paying job in China. And to many, it doesn’t matter if they have to pay a month’s worth of an average employee’s salary just to have a native English speaker teach them to speak the language well. One of my students told me that a certain school charges 4,000 yuan for two months worth of English lessons, with only two meetings in a week. ( Four thousand yuan is enough for a single woman with a simple lifestyle to survive in China for a month.)
4. Shopping is not a favorite pastime in China. Because they’re a communist country, I had imagined that their people must do nothing but work most of the time. In addition, because their government requires a big amount of tax from them, most Chinese probably do not enjoy shopping. (Does that make sense?) In short, I just never thought that there would be so many shopping malls in China, particularly in Beijing, which one of my students had pointed out to me. And just like in probably every country in the world, China’s malls also teem with Chinese shopaholics, not just tourists looking for some great finds. A student advised me, by the way, that the best place to shop is not in mainland China, but in Hong Kong because the price of goods are much cheaper there.
5. Crappy Internet signal is uncommon in China. I usually experience crappy signal in my 9pm classes onwards, and I would easily disregard it as a natural occurrence, where most people are supposedly online at around that time in my area. One of my students, however, took the blame. She said that in China (or at least in her area), you can expect your neighbor to access your internet starting at around 9:00 p.m. My evening classes begin at 8pm, and by 9:00, the signal becomes so poor that we have to disable our videos. She explained that it is not illegal nor legal to hack one’s neighbor’s internet service in China, and many are doing it, especially at around that time in the evening. She even added that a certain hacker’s tool is being sold in their local markets for only 200-400 yuan. The more expensive the tool is, the more powerful it is.
6. China’s one child policy is strictly observed or else… I thought nobody has more than one or two children in China, and again, I was mistaken. One of my students said that it only serves as a guideline to parents, but not exactly a rule for every family to obey. Further, having more than one child–even up to seven–is not uncommon especially among the poor families in China.
7. The Great Wall of China is the only place to see in China. There are many beautiful places to see in China, not only the Great Wall (of China) and this was what many of my students have told me. They assured me that there are many nature parks that would be heaven for a nature lover like me. I only wish I was able to write down the names of those places they have mentioned.

Somehow, I feel that I’ve only uncovered the tip of the iceberg. Each day, I look forward to learning more about my students and their country. I realized that my misconceptions stemmed from my very traditionalview of communism. I wonder, however, if there’s anybody out there who shares the same misconceptions that I had about the Chinese people and their modern communities.

Goodbye, November

It sure has been an eventful month for me and of all the months that came this year so far, it seemed like November was the one that passed most quickly. I don’t think I’m ready for Christmas yet, even if I’ve already started decorating our house. With all the emotions that shook me this month, one would think that I’d be ready to move on, but somehow, something makes me want to look back and hold on. Maybe it’s because my November has never been so colorful in the recent years.

Let’s see… The month started with me getting very excited over my birthday. And that was something that I had not felt in a long time! Then there came my presents from my husband, particularly my brand new iPhone 4S all the way from Singapore. Plus, I didn’t just get one whole day to celebrate my birthday, but I also got a post-birthday celebration on the last weekend of November. I also met a couple of old friends during this month, gained a new friend, and even got two puppies too.

On the other hand, a very good neighbor who had been very fatherly to me died, not to mention a pet fish and another puppy (supposedly the third one that we would get) also died, and I have friends suffering from depression because of a loved one’s illness or death. And then there’s work. Despite my effort to keep only a two-hour work schedule this month, I found that rather impossible. I still get to spend four hours, and there’s a chance that might double in December. Well, that means I’m losing sleep again, and with lack of sleep I tend to be cranky. And it doesn’t matter whether I love my job so much! It still means less time with my children and my own self.

Surprises had come my way in bulk order this month it seems, wrapped colorfully. I have learned a lot of things and realized more than ever what it means to have a good family and true friends. I think I was finally able to distinguish and accept some of the realities in life that I simply refused to face in the past. Thank you, November. I look forward to seeing you again next year, and hopefully, you’d bring me nothing but good tidings then.