my neighborhood

The gloomy autumn late afternoon feeling. It tried to feel home.

While I stood there looking out my window standing from the kitchen, holding the almost finished “Spanish bread” dipped in hot tea. Looking exactly at nothing and imagining how is it like at home – the typical Filipino neighborhood would be like this: kids running around wearing oversized clothes, playing outside; Old men sipping coffee and some patting their chickens. Some sitting/squatting on the ground contemplating while whistling – hands clasped together. The women collecting clothes from the cloth lines made out of wire or rope; some in a rush to get home coming back from the market after running errands to get ready and prepare dinner for the night before it gets dark.

I must really miss home.

 

August, my favourite month

#kenkensart

Hello, August!🤗💚

So I made this lettering just before it turned August 1st. I haven’t been doing art lately due to busy life and work schedule.

I get excited whenever August is approaching. It is my favorite month and happened to be my birth month too! lol 😊 There is something about it, the name itself it sounds so unique. 

Fun facts below:

#August is named after August Ceasar, founder and the first emperor of the Roman Empire, who was posthumously adopted by his maternal great-uncle Gaius Julius Ceasar.

In the early Roman calendar, August was actually the sixth month of the year. It was originally 30 days in length, but an extra day (Yay! My and my son’s birthday!!!😎) was added so that it would equal the number of days in July, which was named after Julius Ceasar.

August has two birthstones: Peridot and Sardonyx. Peridot is among the oldest known gemstones and is green in color. Sardonyx is a white- and brown-banded gemstone once believed to have mystical powers.

The official flower for August is the Gladiolus. These vertical-growing flowers were named from the Latin “gladius,” meaning a sword.

People born in August fall under the zodiac signs of #Leo and #Virgo. Leos are known to be dramatic, creative and outgoing. Virgos have acute attention to detail and are the people most likely to dedicate themselves to serving. (Cough! Cough!) They also are loyal, hardworking and analytical. 😲

Well, I am flattered and it’s pretty accurate.. but that could be anyone born on any day of any month. 😂😒😜

 

 

 

**Disclaimer: fun facts source: Richmond Times-Dispatch**

 

Advice from Phillip Lopate on Writing About Your Own Life

Things to remember before writing about your own life

Discover WordPress

One of Lois Roelofs’ reading assignments for a recent writing conference was Phillip Lopate’s Writing Personal Essays: On the Necessity of Turning Oneself into a Character. In “Write Along with Me,” she relays great advice from Lopate on writing personal essays and memoir, while contemplating how best to document her own life story.

---

Think of your quirks

No one wants to read boring stuff, so look for those things that make you unique. None of us is the same, so capitalize on it. When folks tell me they could never be a nurse because of the awful bodily things we have to do, I laugh and say, “I understand. Not all people can be excited about bowel movements.” I’m serious. When a patient had been constipated from days on narcotics, I felt as good as the patient when the stool softeners, or the enema I’d given, finally worked. And…

View original post 239 more words

Giving Blood – helping save lives and the other benefits of it

I recently donated blood – for the first time! My amazing boyfriend has been donating for forever now – even before we met. So it got me into thinking to do it as well. So I did! 🙂 I was never scared of needles but I admit this time I got scared. The thought and feeling of a needle inside your vein sucking your blood for a while.  Yikes! But it was all worth it knowing where it will go. The staff were really nice and accommodating too. I go this sticker and I was so happy and excited lol as if I won a medal or an award. Hahaha!

 

Before you can give blood, you have to fill in pages of paper and answer series of questions. This is to know if you are eligible. You will also have to complete a quick physical that measures your temperature, pulse, blood pressure, and hemoglobin levels. You should be able to find out if you are eligible before going to the blood center by taking an online eligibility test. Be honest! If unsure, ask someone or go to the blood center and they will be able to assist you.

After the blood sucking process is done, you will be asked to take a sit and have something to eat and drink. Free! 🙂 Someone in the kitchen/pantry/canteen will serve you or you can do it yourself. After that, you are free to go. They will also schedule you for your next blood donation – which is for another 3 months. And it all depends on you if you still want to do it. No pressure!

After a couple of days, I received my Redcross donor card together with a superrrrrrrrrrrrrrr cooooooooooooooool letter!

How cool is that? 🙂 It was a pleasure giving blood knowing it helps saves lives and there are benefits for you too! Here are some of them:

1. You’ll get a free mini health check-up
   You can donate blood only if you are fit enough to do so. Before every blood donation process, a series of health check-ups are performed on the donor totally free of cost. This will be of great benefit to you. Your blood will be tested for different types of diseases and if anything comes back positive, you’ll be notified immediately.
2. New blood cells
   After donating blood, the body works to replenish the blood loss. This stimulates the production of new blood cells and in turn, helps in maintaining good health.
3. Reduce risk of heart disease/cancer
   Blood donation may also help in lowering risk of cancer. By donating blood the iron stores in the body are maintained at healthy levels. A reduction in the iron level in the body is linked with low cancer risk. Though iron is an essential element for the proper functioning of the body, excessive iron build up can result in excessive oxidative damage. Oxidative damage is the major culprit implicated in accelerated aging, heart attacks, strokes etc.
4. Burns calories – maintain weight
   One time blood donation helps you shed 650 Kcal. This can aid you in your body weight control measures. However, blood can be donated safely once in two or three months and not more frequently. This will depend on your health status and your blood hemoglobin and iron levels.
5. The joy of saving human lives
   It is such a wonderful feeling being able to help doctors save human lives. There are no perfect substitutes for human blood. The blood you donate is divided into various components according to the needs of patients. Each component can be used by different recipients for various purposes. Many newborn babies may benefit from a single blood donor as their blood requirements are smaller. Every time you donate blood, you can help up to 3 or 4 individual recipients. Be a hero by donating blood. 🙂

 

Thanks for reading, guys! xx

 

*Disclaimer – blood benefits information are from different websites google results.*

 

How To Pretend It Doesn’t Hurt, by Ashe Vernon

Just beautiful. ❤

If he did not know how to love you the first time,
He won’t know how to do it the next.