Rules for a Happy Marriage

Never both be angry at the same time.
Never yell at each other unless the house is on fire.
If one of you has to win an argument, let it be your mate.
If you have to criticize, do it lovingly.
Never bring up mistakes in the past.
Neglect the whole world rather than each other.
Never go to sleep with an argument unsettled.
At least once every day, try to say one kind compliment or word.
When you have done something wrong, be ready to admit it.
It takes two to make a quarrel and the one in the wrong is the one who does the most talking.

I came across this when I went to my sister's house over the weekend. It was just a small poster but I thought it gave big lessons. I find it applicable not only for married people, but for everyone who is in committed relationships (not necessarily of the romantic kind. Hehe. )

While braving the heavy traffic called Taft Avenue

Oh, don't you worry. I definitely won't!!!

Today's teaching

TRAVEL LIGHT as you go through life and love.

Excess baggage only makes the trip heavier on the soul and on the heart, and wears you down 'til you're ready to give up.

Bring with you only the bare essentials. Live life simply. Have few but quality friends. Live life in the present and don't dwell on the past. Love someone for who he/she is right now and not for what he/she has done previously. Forgive and (though very hard) forget. Enjoy simple and mundane moments. Just laugh it off. Indeed, the best things in life are free.

It's not that I didn't have anything to write about.

On the contrary, so many things have been happening the past few months that life just seemed too complicated for my own bearing.

But things are more or less settling down now. I have new work. I'm still running. I've managed to fix and create relationships according to what's proper. I'm a year older now. My health is more or less stable. There's been a welcome addition to the family. I've seen changes in me which may be for the better (only time will tell). I've managed to keep friendships that matter. And - I'm writing again. Hopefully with no more interruption.

Let today be the day the hiatus ends!

Works of Fiction

While You Were Sleeping

What is it with you
that makes me break all my rules of engagement
and instead create new ones
that would allow a deeper relationship
than just a casual encounter?

What is it about you
that I am so smitten by your charm
that I wake up each day and it is only you I want to see
that I have become what I never expected me to be:
cliche and cheesy; a hopeless romantic in the making?

What is it with me
that change is happening so quickly
And I am finding myself seeing you more often
When I normally burn bridges after the first rendezvous
never to look back ever again?

What is it with us
that I actually see and "us"
Instead of just you and me separately?

--------------

Those Three Words

I was just about to give you a call when you beat me to it. You read my mind. You knew exactly what I was going to say. And I found myself smiling at the thought that you can practically finish my sentences before I even begin them.

I was ecstatic from the inside. The call was perhaps only for a couple of minutes and just when I was about to put down the phone, I finally said it. Those three words. I don't know what I was thinking or if I was even thinking at all. I said it spontaneously. And I meant it.

I've been thinking of telling you those words already the last time I saw you. But I was scared. And I wanted to make sure first. Now, I just blurted it out suddenly. It works better that way, I guess.

I'm glad I finally told you. And I'm overjoyed you said you love me too.

Running the Race

I did it!


I ran my first ever organized 5k run and for a beginner, I think I did quite well. :)

I'll try to do this regularly. It was really a special kind of high to reach the finish line with a decent time.


Next time, I'll try to aim for a better time and perhaps towards the latter part of the year, I'd be running longer distances already.

Three weeks into freedom

Exactly three weeks into unemployment and supposed liberation, and here I am wondering if I’m making the most out of all the free time I have in the world. Since I turned in my resignation letter early January, I have started making a list of all the things I need and want to do when I already have a much lighter schedule. I put the list on Shelley, my laptop, under the filename “Finally” and created a shortcut for it on my desktop for easy editing and reference. When I became officially unemployed and spent much time at home, I still update my “Finally” list, but I likewise have taped scratch paper and posted post-its on top of my table for me to write down whatever comes to my mind as to what I should do during my free time. I have made a list of people I need to meet up with, a number of places I have been longing to go to, and some activities that I love doing which I haven’t done for the longest time. Whenever I find myself bored or at a loss on what to do, I go back to my list to check if there’s anything to do there that I would fancy.

I don’t really know if I’ve accomplished much. There are still so many items in my list which remain uncrossed. But let me see… I’ve gone on an out of the country with some of my closest friends from law school. I’m finished with all the numerous tests which my doctor has asked me to take just to make sure that I’m in tip-top condition. (And they all turned out good, thank you very much, but that is a different blog entry). I’ve crossed out some people in my list whom I wish to talk to or meet up with. I’ve spent time bonding with my nieces. I’ve started reading and writing again albeit ever so slowly, but at least it’s a start, right? I’ve gone back to the gym, I’ve played tennis again and I’m running a 5k tomorrow (which I have been training for ever so diligently but I still don’t know if I can make it!). Lately, I’ve been able to get the “me” time I’ve always been longing for just to sit down and relax and ponder on life and the amusing things connected thereto. And I know there are a lot more things – little things - I have accomplished or have started doing which I couldn’t have done while I was still working.

I guess I’m doing okay.

I know it’s near impossible to do everything I wrote on my list. Perhaps I should start another list: Instead of “Finally,” I should create a “Make Time to Do These Things to Keep Your Sanity” list. I really should remember to take time out to do things that I love doing no matter how busy I get. I think that’s what I forgot to keep in mind when I was still with my old job.

Meet Shelley

She's my best friend and the best partner one could ever get. I could never survive a day without her.

Shelley's my Acer Aspire One netbook which I purchased last December. I am most definitely not the most reliable person to talk to when it comes to gadgets and techie stuff so for more info on the product, check this out.

Here's Shelley inside her case.



And here she is about to get out of her case. Wait for it...wait for it...



And finally, meet Shelley. (with her front and side view)



And guess what? She came with a free external DVD writer! (Although I think the promo was only for last December)


Shelley's very portable. And she has a huge disk space. I bring her with me all the time - in case I get bored, I watch my latest downloads; or whenever I feel like it, I write using Shelley. She's the perfect companion for a bum like me! Hehe.