Kung minsan, di ko maiwasan MAINIS!

I am Filipino by heart, by blood, by upbringing, and ways. Although I am living and working in the United Kingdom, together with my family, I could not deny my roots, and I am not trying to, not even thought of it. But, often, when I watch broadcasts and news from the Philippines, I can not help myself from being annoyed of how economics is going on. Our economy has declined, and continues to do so. It's is so painful to think that as an OFW, part of our job is to send home money because we have got love ones. All we wanted is to share to them what we have. Yes, and we do this without grudge. We are not rich, or well off. We live just like any other people around. We pay tax, tax, tax, tax, and neverending tax, and if we don't go the extra mile of doubling our time for work, or getting another job, we end up with nothing left in our pockets but debts adding up in our credit cards. But as a natural Filipino, we are as hardworking and tough as ever. All we see is the monetary reward we could get during payday, so our kapatid, Nanay, Tatay, pamangkin, inaanak, lolo, lola, tita, tito, anak, bunso, kuya, ate, kapitbahay, boyfriend, or whoever we think is especial, can feel that indeed they are special to us through sending them some sort of allowance or gift. And the joy that it brings them is enough thank you, afterall, we do not ask for any return.

The main reason I am discussing this matter in my blog is to ask where does the money go after it leaves our love one's pockets? My family there usually spends it back to the Philippine markets, which means, that money goes back to the Philippine economic circulation. Imagine, how many overseas Filipino people send money home every month? How much money do they send in total each time? How much of this money is brought to the Philippine economic circulation? Why on earth can't I see any improvement to our economy?

I was just watching the crisis of rice going on a few weeks back, and our government there looked so stupid from watching them from here. They argue, they discuss, they try to formulate solution to the crisis, but at the end of it all, crisis remained the same. I feel so sorry for those people who needed to queue for a long time under the heat of the sun to get just a couple kilo of rice, and they have to do it over again the following day. I honestly say it is very stupid, ridiculous and revolting. Why on earth can't the government take over in distributing this staple in an easier way? Being the government, they should have authority and control, and of course the resources to make this process better and more convenient. I suppose, I will be routed back to the old and unchanging reason the government have "Walang Budget Para Dyan." Argument finished. So, you'd better shut up. Fine, whatever. But still there's this burning call from within me to call upon my co Filipino overseas worker to think about our contribution to our Philippine economy. We should come forward and be heard and influence the decisions our government makes. Afterall, we are the ones that bring greatest flow of money to them. And I believe, we all have the desire, that someday, we go home and retire there. Of course, of the years we live our life abroad, we get used to the ease of doing our daily chores, and when that time comes, we think it's nicer because in the Ph, we can get yaya, helper, or anybody... and we could live a quiet and peaceful life. But what about those people who have always been poor? You can not blame them, because of their status, they could not get education, and the reasons piles up like the gulong ng palad, paikot-ikot, minsan nas itaas, minsan nasa ilalim. But did you ever thought that that gulong (wheel) will someday gets pudpod (thin)? and becomes useless. Poor gulong, never experienced a better life. From the moment it decided to become the wheel, it carried a whole load all its life.

day out

this photo was taken on our simple day out to the beach

and this


and this!!!!!

Pasahe
Sa Isang Jeep

Pasahero: Mama, Magkano Po Yung Pasahe?

Driver: 7.50 Yung Minimum

Pasahero: (Dumukot Ito Sa Bulsa Para Kunin Yung Pera Niya, Ngunit sa Di Sinasadyang Dahilan Kulang Yung Pamasahe Niya.) Patay, Kulang Yung Pera Ko. Paano Kaya Ito? (Nag Isip Ito At Lumingon Sa Driver. Napansin Niya Na Duling Ito. Sabi Niya Sa Kanyang Sarili, Tama Duling Yung Driver Sigurado Pag Nagbigay Ako Ng 3.75 di Niya Mapapansin Na Kulang Yung Pera Ko. Kasi Doble Yung Paningin Nito. Inabot Niya Sa Driver Yung Pera.

Ngunit Laking Gulat Niya Nung May Sinabi Yung Driver Sa Kanya.

Driver: Kulang Ito!

Pasahero: Anong Kulang? Di Ba Sabi Mo 7.50 Yung Minimum?

Driver: Oo Nga 7.50 eh Dalawa Kaya Kayo.

Patay! Akala Mo Lusot Kana ha?

Sender: Sargentlover@yahoo.com
copy from pinoy jokes

And More!

Siyempre, Winner!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi folks, as promised, I will tell you of what has happened on the basketball game last Saturday. Ipswich Tigers (our team) won against Barangay WJM by 20 points. That's a huge tambak to their group. Ang sakit-sakit. Arayyyyyy! They were not able to catch up, Tigers already scored well above from the very first quarter, talagang di na nakabawi, ni hindi nga nagawang makalamang man lang kahit isang point lang at anytime. Anyway, just to be fair, wala kasi silang mga cheerer, whilst us, talagang kita ang suporta ng mga nanunuod. We also have pompoms, and children cheering and screaming for their dads. And their energy is so contagious, making the mums to dance with them, too, despite hesitations, di na napigil. Hala labas ang giant braso at bilbil. Di bale, worth it. Panalo naman.

Here are the Pics. Only few, kasi pati ako, isa na rin sa mga nag-cheer kaya nakalimutang mag take ng photos.

Joke lang

Why Did the Chicken Cross The Road
By Juan Walker
Posted: Jan 13, 2001
www.gin.ph

KINDERGARTEN TEACHER: To get to the other side.

CAPTAIN JAMES T. KIRK: To boldly go where no chicken has gone before.

SIGMUND FREUD: The fact that you are at all concerned that the chicken crossed the road reveals your underlying sexual insecurity.

BILL GATES: I will soon release the new Chicken Office 2002, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your checkbook.

CHARLES DARWIN: Chickens, over great periods of time, have been naturally selected and evolved over time in such a way that they are now genetically endowed with the capabilities required to cross roads.

RALPH WALDO EMERSON: The chicken did not cross the road. It transcended it.

BILL CLINTON: I did not, repeat, did not have sexual relations with the chicken.

ERAP: Ang media ang may kasalanan diyan!

MIRIAM DEFENSOR-SANTIAGO: " Aha! I know it! That chicken crossed the road to provoke me. I move to permanently hold in contempt that chicken. I request for a restraining order, your honor, so that the chicken would not be able to cross the road again!"

RAMON REVILLA: "I concur, your honor. You see, may timbangan ako ng manok sa bahay. Doon ko nga nalaman na 96 grams ang 1000 na bills ng 1000 pesos tomake 1 million pesos. See 96 grams? 96 grams talaga! Malapit yun sa isang kilo...eh sa 96 grams talaga eh...Pero huwag nyo akong tanungin kung ilang kilo ang manok na nagcross ng road. Eh, di ko nakilo eh. I guess, takot syang pakilo. Baka kulang sya ng 96grams. In short, kulang sya ng isang kilo."

EMMA LIM: Para po uminom ng iced tea, your honor!

CHAVIT SINGSON: Eh, nililito nyo lang po ako, your honor. Di ko alam kung bakit nagcross yun ng road. Wala naman sa ledger ko kung bakit. Nililito nyo lang po ako. Nililito nyo lang po talaga ako.

CLARISSA OCAMPO: It crossed the road to go to the office of, I am sorry, Mr. Estelito Mendoza.

ESTELITO MENDOZA: Whether I will quit as a defense lawyer of the president or not, shall depend upon the decision of the president himself, not the crossing of the road by the chicken.

RAUL ROCO: It is a noble profession to be a chicken and to cross that road!

CHIEF JUSTICE HILARIO DAVIDE: Unless there is an objection, the chicken can cross that road.

Migration or Migrating?

I can relate to what is going on currently here in the UK, seems that most of the Filipino Nurses, who were once very excited to come here, are slowly finding their way to other countries such as Australia, Canada, and the USA. I even heard that someone went to Dubai, UAE, following becoming British. Apparently, there's more income oppurtunity over there. Well, I can't argue enough. I could not deny the cost of living here in the UK...it is very, very expensive. A litre of petrol now is over a £1.00, whilst couple of years back, it's only 50p, meaning all the prices have gone double. Our weekly grocery now costs around £80-100, and that only includes fresh vegetables, fruits, meat, dairy, bread and daily needs for pack lunches of the kids and myself. This budget does not include the bulky stuffs such as washing powders, home cleaning agents, and clothes. It used to be just around fifty pounds. Yes, prices have definitely doubled, yet our salary have only increased by around 4% in total since we're here. Disgusting isn't it? A pity!!!!!


I am also thinking of migrating to Canada, after doing some weighing up between Australia, New Zealand, US, and Canada. Four years back, I have started to apply to the US, and submitted all the requirements, and when I finally got my ATT for the NCLEX, I just lost interest. I honestly don't know what happened then. Soon as I got the letter, I just set it aside, and kept quiet. I didn't regret my decision, in fact, I felt relieved. Although I have loving family and friends and people that I knew living and working in the US, they are not enough reason that I should go there as well. So USA is out immediately. New Zealand, I tried to contemplate about,but does not sound so appealing to me. Australia, better. Wider place, nearer the PH and nice sunny weather, yet I can not see myself in there, under. Looking at the globe and maps and imagining myself and my head pop up from that huge land does not show a good outlook. Huh, seems weird, but that's how I feel. I have lots of friends and colleagues that are already there and obviously said about nice things about it, but still, these news would not get me there. And lastly, Canada. Easy decision, because there's nothing left...... No. I have to evaluate and compare it to the UK, read forums and blogs about it, just like what I've done with the others, and presto, Canada weighs far beyond the others. I have based my decision on the lifestyle. I am a kind of person that wants a laid back, quiet, yet accessible life. Where my kids can grow up and enjoy the wonders and scenes that God made. I do appreciate that each country have something to offer in this category, but I feel that Canada has got more to offer than anyone else. My husband and kids agree with me about this and we are all getting excited. And the best thing is: We all have promised each other that, should we make a mistake in going to Canada, no one is to be blamed. We must, otherwise, support and work together to make it work, and if not, we can easily go back to the UK.

Basketball

Well, tomorrow will be an exciting event for most of the Ipswich Filipino Community because of the basketball league being held in Cambridge. There is a hardfight between two Ipswich teams, the Ipswich Tigers and Barangay WJM. Ipswich Tigers is my husband's group and Barangay WJM is the other group headed by Erwin Manan.

Both groups have two wins and one loss, so this is definitely a close fight. And guess what, the wives and children are getting so excited, too. Of course they should be there to cheer and support their husbands'. I don't know about myself, feeling this rough doesn't help, just praying hard I'd be there to take good shots.If that is the case, then I shall be able to post nice pics in here. Abangan ang susunod na kabanata!!!! including the latest gossips, you know, just like celebrity players, our local teams have lots of it, too. Hep, Hep, Horrahhh, Ipswich Tigers Champion na. Hep, hep, horeeyyyy, panalo na kami... ang kalaban walang silbi!!!!!

Still Ill

Unfortunately folks, I am still feeling under the weather. I could not get comfortable last night trying to get some sleep. I ache all over, especially my headache, it's bad. Paracetamol 1g doesn't help me anymore. I feel shivery inside, but firey on the outside....to be honest, I can't explain it, and I keep on sneezing. It is flu, I guess. I am not allowed to take Ibuprofen either due to my asthma, therefore I kindly asked my husband to give me a massage, which did help a bit, and I woke up this morning feeling the same (at least I had some sleep).



The sunshine outside is so nice and inviting, but just going down the stairs is so unsafe for me at this time, I feel everything is spinning.

I tried to eat, but I could only take chicken noodles which is absolutely tasteless as well. I have to decide that I should eat, to make me better. In this situation, I need more energy to fight this. As a nurse, I should know this better. And I am drinking plenty of fluids too.

Anyway, to cheer me up, I will just upload this turkey and fruit photos I have taken myself, and boy, don't they look professionally done? I am just glad technology nowadays are getting better each time, and my camera is one of them. Although I love to take photos, I just do not have that professional touch, should I say should I try harder to get that extra edge?

This is Jessica on a morning ready to go to school. Taken from in front of our house.

This is James playing in the park whilst there is some snow. The trick is, when it snows, play while it is fresh. Do not wait when it's melting, otherwise you will just slip.

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introducing my kids, jessica and james

This photo was taken when we were so excited we have nice sunshine on the day so we went to Colchester Zoo unplanned, but by midday, the sun is scorching hot, my James got so grumpy..... and everytime he does, he looked so much of a photocopy of my husband. What a life a woman has. You already have to put up with your husband's tantrums, then you will have to deal to yet another one like him? Well, I am not complaining, they are still the greatest blessing I ever had. I'm just lucky that my daughter looked like me, so I have got a fair share. YIPPPEEEEE!!!!!

Off sick

It is my day off today from a night shift yesterday morning, but felt so ill that I could not even get up from bed, and when I did, the world around me was spinning. My husband got the two kids ready and send them to school, and when they're gone, I'd tried to go downstairs to see what I can have for breakfast - there's sunny side up egg, bacon, toast, and baked beans. All are nicely presented, but the thought that I will be sick afterwards put me off. So instead, I just grabbed a bottle of water from the garage (not used as a garage, but a stock room) and a liter of tropicana orange juice from the fridge. This should sustain me all day, I guess, than being sick, which I hate terribly. Just think of my diaphragm muscle aching afterwards!!!! Huh, no way.....

Anyway, I felt so rough that I have to call my workplace and let them know I could not make it tomorrow for a 12-hour shift on a day. I don't think I would get better so soon. Our nurse in charge could sense it from my voice, I do not have to explain. I took paracetamol this morning, which made me feel a bit better, plus our aircon on full blast. Saying that, as a normally active and early person, lying in bed here make my back achy... what I am gonna do?

Blogging after a Night shift...Nightmare.

Being a nurse in ICU is such a rewarding career, but of course, there's this one thing that I could not really get on.... And that is doing a night shift. No matter how quiet the shift was or how fun the night has been after catching up the latest gossip from a colleague, soon as I finish the shift, I feel so rotten. I keep telling myself, I should get used to this following over ten years of nursing experience... but hey, it is always the same. Yeah, there's always chance of career change, but I honestly do love ICU nursing....I do, I do, I do. No matter how much I tell myself not to, but I do, I do. Probably, will retire doing the same thing.

Anyway, now that I have started blogging, I have something to look forward to opening my laptop when I get home aside from reading the latest news frontpage. I don't mind it today because it is my day off from this morning and I have got nothing to do. Hah, the kids are at school, and my hubby...o my beloved hubby, he's gone to work, bless him. He has got a business and owns his time therefore often I arrive from work seeing him doing his accounts or his marketing from home, but today he is not here.... He has actually gone to his warehouse, and guess what when I checked in the kitchen, there's also breakfast ready. How sweet! There's scrambled egg, fried eggplant, and dilis (anchovies)... SARAAAAPPPP (deliciousssssss). Here I am again, lost the appetite to try the latest diet craze I've been thinking for the last few days. My friends keep telling me I have double my size and I need to lose it ASAP. That is really cruel, but in fact is true. And to retalliate to them I often say, "yeah, I know I need to lose weight, but dieting is not part of it!" I would rather excercise... but then I have once joined a gym, but only attended times counted by my fingers in one hand, and gave up. My poor husband once convinced me to join him jogging, as he loves running and basketball, which I kindly gave into. You know what happened? I was walking halfway through, mind more the going back! Such a pity to myself, my legs are in so much pain I have to go off sick the following day. I honestly could not walk. But now, I am getting better each time. Who knows, I will lose few pounds and get comfortable wearing summery clothes soon. Afterall, summer is here.

Welcome

Hello to the one reading this blog. Your visit is very much appreciated because this is my very first attempt to blog. You may notice the difference in how I introduced and wrote on this one. In fact I have been wanting to create a blog for years following having fun reading other people's blogs. Not only having fun, but also getting interesting information about almost anything. Yes, it really does help a lot in learning little things everyday. Anyway, I better introduce myself before I get too excited.

Well, foremost, my name is Mary. I am 32 years old, married, and have two children. I am a nurse by profession and working in the intensive care unit of one of the UK's NHS Trust. I am born Filipino, yet now obtained, together with my family, British Citizenship. I would say, I am honest, humble, God-fearing woman. Also a passionate mum to my two kids, and a very loving wife to my husband and responsible and helpful daughter to my parents and a truly dependable friend to my brothers and sister. A loyal person, and always looks to the bright side of everything. I always say: "Everyday and everything is beautiful as soon as you decided it will be." No matter how dull and gray a moment is, once you made up your mind that it will be better, it will be better, isn't it?

I am interested in general information, I love to share ideas about things that will make our lives easier, and surfing the net during my free time.