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I Had Cancer. Let Me Tell You What Chemo Patients Really Need.

Time. Essential oils. You taking my husband on a date. At the worst time in my life, I could have used a gift registry for things like these.

Source: I Had Cancer. Let Me Tell You What Chemo Patients Really Need.

(No, I didn’t have cancer. I am using WordPress’ Press This feature and the article title was assigned automatically.)

Anyway. So I had recently read Cancer is a Bitch, so one  might say that reading this piece from a cancer survivor is quite timely.

My takeaway – Gifts of time. It’s not just friends or family who are sick or getting treatment who would find such gifts priceless and valuable. Most any one would appreciate it. I know I would.

I think that if we really try hard, we can find ways to gift time and experiences to those dear to us.

I haven’t been a great gift giver lately. I’ve gone commercial, or I’ve resorted to picking items from social enterprises or handmade bespoke items just so my gifts would be meaningful. But if I really put more thought and love into the gifts, I would probably be able to find out what the recipient would appreciate more – because it answered a need they may not have even known existed.

Right now, I would appreciate a car wash. Haha. It’s just one of those things I choose not to spend my time on, you know? You don’t even have to wash it yourself. Just take the time to bring my car in for a good cleaning. I would be so thankful. 🙂

I do not mean to trivialize the point of the author from the Story of Stuff Blog. I just really feel that it applies to so many people and to a variety of situations.

I am also at this point where I want to be more intentional in how I spend my time. I’m surely a work in progress. Much of my time, for sure, is wasted on things that aren’t important. Reading about gifts of time and experience just fits right into that concept of intentional living that I would so like to achieve.

What do you think?

 

Gas up at Shell & Get a McDonald’s Voucher

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I got gas from the Shell service station along Timog Avenue today and was surprised that there is a new promo in town:

Gas up at Shell

Gas up at Shell

For every PhP 1500.00 fuel purchase of Shell V-Power Nitro+ Fuels or Shell FuelSave Gasoline (what I use), or PhP 2,500 on Shell FuelSave Diesel, you are entitled to a McDonald’s voucher for a free Cheeseburger or Crispy Chicken Sandwich.

I only filled my tank upto 1000 worth of FuelSave gas. Good thing is that  accumulated receipts are accepted. So next time I gas up for at least PhP 500, I’ll be sure to claim my voucher. Free is free is free. 🙂

In the past they would give back a PhP 50 Sodexho gift voucher for the same amount of purchase.

 

Where do broken hearts go?

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Where do broken hearts go? The husband is convinced he knows where.

Where do Broken Hearts Go?

Gillian Gail Dessert Buffet – VERABEAR

On the last weekend of May, while I was recovering from a brief bout with the flu, the husband and I went searching for Gillian Gail’s Dessert Buffet. I’d seen the ads on Facebook but haven’t heard from anyone who has actually been there. Here’s the address:

3/F Oracle Hotel & Residences, Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City

It is not hard to find, but parking seems to be limited. We parked out front, but there may be basement parking available. We also took the stairs to the 3rd floor, which wasn’t too high. There is an elevator somewhere.

The dessert buffet costs PhP 299.00 for three hours. That comes with unlimited drinks. I hear they also serve some rice meals, and to get that you just up the price to PhP 399.00. I say, 3 hours is more than enough to stuff your face full of dessert! Too bad this wasn’t around (or I wasn’t aware of it) when I was planning my wedding. It is a good place to gather your bridesmaids around, hehe. Oh in fact, the big table when we were there, was occupied by a bride and her entourage.

There’s a lot of dessert to choose from, even non-dessert actually – like siomai, and fish balls. There’s a selection of small cakes, cupcakes, cookies, chocolates, bon-bons (or truffles). There’s creme brulee too! They have ice cream, candies, and some Pinoy desserts too (if I remember correctly).

So the husband is sure that Gillian Gail Dessert Buffet is where broken hearts should go. A sugar coma can help numb the pain. Or, sweets heaven can make you forget the pain. Sugar, after all, takes you to a kind of high, right?

What do you think?

The Great Friendship Weekend 

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Project Life page - The Great Friendship Weekend

Project Life page – The Great Friendship Weekend

May was a month for seizing weekends. There was the Pacquiao-Mayweather weekend, and then our Staycation at the Rockwell, then I had The Great Friendship Weekend.

May 25th was US Memorial Day and it meant no work for my program. Instead of planning a weekend trip away with the family, I decided to get in touch with friends and see if anyone was up for some no-good 🙂 Good thing, most were in the mood for just that!

The kick-off though wasn’t with friends – it was actually a huge lunch with the family. My Mom and Dad celebrated their Wedding Anniversary on the 24th and we got together for lunch at Saisaki. While waiting to be seated, Amir busied himself with taking photos:

Photographer Amir

Photographer Amir

After the extended lunch, I met up with my College girlfriends at Pauie’s grandma’s wake. It was a sad occasion, but we’ll take any opportunity to catch up on each other’s lives. We weren’t complete, but Yrish came with her husband and kids. Badong couldn’t get over my goddaughter Sab! She was one of our flower girls and she’s grown big in the last 6 months! She is so cute though, and really really adorable. And her brother is such a Kuya.

Sean and Sab

Sean and Sab

From the church, we walked to the nearby UP Town Center for some grub, and a little shopping too. It was soooo hot outside it felt like we were literally melting. It was a short walk but both Badong and I were winded. So unfit, that’s what we are. Unfit. Haha.

The next day, I had two things on my agenda – meet up with the BFF, and then with the Friendships. This is only the second time this year that the BFF and I are meeting up. The first was with his little boy, in between travels, and this one was just before they left again – this time for Qatar where they are hopefully settling down for a long while. They spent a year in Australia but decided to pack up and try their luck in the Middle East once more. Before then, they were based in Dubai. Anyway, we don’t know when we’ll see each other next, I hope I get to fly out to her then! Hehe.

I decided to bring her to The Bunny Baker Cafe and Cake Studio. It’s a cute place and they serve good food. It’s also located in the same building as my wedding reception and I know Jo would appreciate checking the place out. We shared the Ooey Gooey Dessert – a decadent brownie ala mode on a skillet.

BFF Ooey Gooey

BFF Ooey Gooey

After saying our goodbyes – I went grocery shopping for my next stop – The Friendship Send Off for Rico. The gang was already at a rented condo unit at the Eastwood and I was getting more supplies. No kitchen duty for me – God forbid – but I did bring the videoke!

food for the weekend

food for the weekend

It’s a good thing my friends are talented cooks. All I had to do was bring some stuff, and then sit back, and relax. But that night wasn’t just about eating and drinking, and not even just videoke. We actually got some serious talking done – about work, life, and relationships.

I love having different sets of friends and that I got to see most of them this weekend. I would spend a lot of time regularly with all of them if I could, I am just so happy that even time apart isn’t reason to drift apart. There are still friends I need to setup dates with and it’s good to know that there just out there somewhere. Honestly, I didn’t think I would make friends as an adult so I am so thankful to have found my tribe at work and that our relationship has gone deeper into friendship. Now that I’m in a different program, I don’t see them everyday anymore but the bond is stronger than ever.

Yay to friends!

Not expecting. Yet.

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stairs

Have you heard the news? Another December 2014 bride is on the family way. That makes 3 pregnant celebrities who walked down the aisle around the same time that I did.

They are pregnant. Expectant moms. Yay!

I am not.

Are we trying? We said we would. And we said that we would make lifestyle changes so we can really have a fighting chance of having a baby soon. So far, none of what we planned has yet happened. And there is no baby on the way.

Now how do I really feel about it? Every time I hear about another woman my age getting pregnant, I think I worry more about getting asked about when it will be my turn. It’s that more than feeling sad or envious that I am not yet pregnant. I don’t have the right to be sad, or envious. I haven’t done everything to prepare myself and my body for that blessing.

I don’t exercise.

I still eat pretty much anything I want to.

I could be more intentional in how I spend my spare time and more proactive at home.

We haven’t seen a doctor to help us find out what we need to be doing to make sure we can conceive. I have lived with PCOS and hormonal imbalance since college. They say it really won’t be easy given that. We are both obese. But there are people with similar circumstances as ours who don’t have difficulty conceiving.

Why haven’t I/we done any of these? Maybe because I am afraid that after all the time and effort, we’ll find that we still can’t make babies.

So there. That’s how I really feel about it.

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