RUN & BIKE..THEN SOME

Here’s the plan for the day: Run 10k and bike for an hour. I successfully completed this but without a few setbacks.

RUN

Before I began my run, I had to stop by the restroom to pee; call it psychological but when I know I’m doing a long run, I need to urinate. To those who are aware of the restroom by the polo field of the Alabang Country Club, this is not very clean. As I entered the cubicle, something fell on my forearm, I screeched and left.

I couldn’t go to another restroom and delay the run anymore as it was getting late so I decided to run and stop by my parent’s house to relieve myself as well as wash my forearm. Lucky for me their house is along the route I planned to take. Once I finished this, my mind was clear and I had a good run. No major problems here. I felt no pain and was enjoying my slow, steady run.

The only thing I noticed was that there were only two other runners and that surprised me because normally on weekends you will find quite a number of them.

BIKE

As I reached the car, I got my bike out, stretched, drank water and put on my new shiny white bike shoes. I don’t know how many signs of the cross’s I made. I was nervous especially seeing so many cars along Acacia Road. You see, I am still trying to get used to the cleats; it’s nerve wracking.

I knew then that I had to change my plan of cruising along the big 8 loop (if you are a runner or biker in the Alabang area, then you know what I’m talking about) but rather avoid Acacia road and take Acacia Road Ext then Cuenca St and just let the bike take me anywhere for as long as I do it for an hour.

As I was going up my last hill along Country Club Drive, a middle-aged man quietly sneaked out from behind me, greeted me and as I was catching my breath, I managed to say “Good Morning”; I think the words came out from my nose. He just left me and I wanted to shout out at him, “I’m tired because I already ran 10k earlier!” Of course I realized I shouldn’t assume he hasn’t biked an hour already and that maybe he is a strong rider.

So there I was, happy to enter the Country Club, detached my left cleat; this is the foot I have gotten used to landing on, gliding towards the car with a smile from ear to ear, so happy I succeeded in my plan, then, BAM!!!! I fell. For some stupid reason, I didn’t land on my left foot; probably leaned on my right and just like that I was on the ground. Fortunately, I was able to detach my right foot from the cleat, got up and immediately checked on my bike. I asked it if it was okay and that I’m sorry I scratched her. If there was anyone near me, that person would’ve thought I was going nuts.

During the drive back home, I kept replaying the scenario all over, wondering what I did wrong. I knew I would fall one day. Professional bikers have warned me that this would happen. The problem with wearing cleats is not being able to balance or get it off in time during sudden breaks but the advantages weigh more than the falls (as long as I don’t fall on my head or during heavy traffic), it makes riding easier. The thing is I had time to take them off.

I arrived home bruised and bravely told my sons I fell and that this is fine because I learned something. While cleaning my wounds I thought: Thank God there are other medicines than mertiolate (anyone my age knows how painful this medicine is when applied to wounds). “Learn to live another day”. “No pain no gain”. “Learn from your mistakes.” Yup I agree. In a nutshell, this experience just made me a smarter rider—I hope.

The First Day of December

It’s Dec. 1, Christmas is just around the corner and still I find myself needing to grasp this truth. The weather is not exactly cooperating either when the cool breeze is only felt at night but the scorching rays of the sun rule the daytime.

One thing for sure is that I am almost done with buying Christmas presents (this includes the gifts I have to buy for others) and I feel a great sense of relief while I hear of others who have not started their shopping. Shopping is more difficult now that prices have gone up so the search for cheap goods made of good quality is a tedious task-it’s like treasure hunting.

I am excited though about getting together with family and friends. There’s so much joy in bonding accompanied by good food and drinks. The happenings in this world like gruesome killings, deep levels of poverty, disasters caused by calamities and the like make it difficult to celebrate a joyous event like Christmas. Nonetheless, this day of celebration will come and if there is any other time to help, it is now.

In a nutshell, for us who have been lucky, let us offer our prayers to those who are hurting and let’s give a little more to the needy. Spend wisely and the money saved, share it and touch a life.

This Year's Christmas Tree

My home is all decked with Christmas ornaments. One of my favorite but sometimes stressful activity is rearranging furniture and decorations to give my house a new look. Christmas time brings out the “interior designer” in me (if I had a past life, I was probably this or a shoe/bag maker).

Each year I try to do something different with the Christmas tree, using ornaments I already have. This year I told the kids the tree will represent them so I hung their toys and some of the artworks they did at school.

Here’s a close-up of one side.

The kids picked out the toys and here you can see Herbie the Love Bug, Ben 10 accessories, Pokemon balls, Transformers action figures, a colored rubber ball and a paper spider Diego made in school. Luckily they have colorful toys.

In a nutshell, I am happy the kids love the tree. They played a big role in making this happen. I just realized we did not spend anything, we kind of recycled. I think that's cool.

MY BIKE

I am embarking on something new. To go straight to the point, I will now try to be a biker. My hubby Jamike, bought me an Orbea Onyx full carbon road bike. Just writing this is already a mouthful for me.

I remember years back when he convinced me to take up running. He just kept pushing me, patiently running next to me at snail pace until I developed a love for this sport. A few months back he has been convincing me to take TI (Total Immersion) classes to improve my swimming strokes but I kindly begged off even if he offered to pay for this.

Few weeks ago, he mentioned he was trying to get me a bike. Hmm…Seems like he is converting me, making me a triathlete like him. But unlike swimming, biking attracted me more. I kept mum; letting him do all the negotiations with the bike shop owners. It’s just funny that one of my goals for next year is to complete a duathlon (cross my fingers). Some motivational speakers say if you imagine yourself achieving something, it will come to you. So maybe I emitted this energy force and it came to me. Now it’s my turn to make it happen.

In a nutshell, I am very lucky to have someone who believes I can do more for myself. Yes I believe Jamike is the positive energy given to me by God.

THE COMPASS

In my continuing journey of self discovery, I’ve realized that I can read all the inspiring books out there written by renowned spiritual gurus and the masters on living good and positive lives but none of them can make me make that first crucial step—that is all up to me and my stubborn mind.

My recent book purchase The Compass by Tammy Kling and John Spencer Ellis is one book I recommend to those who like me are struggling in this roller coaster ride of life. Here’s one learning I picked up from the said book:

“We must make a decision to be happy despite the death of our dreams. We must be willing to create new ones. Life is short! Realize your dreams, but also accept the death of a dream that didn’t come true or one you need to change, in order to live a new life and create a new dream. Some people are so tied to their old, outdated dreams without giving intentional, conscious thought to whether those dreams still serve them. God has a plan for your life.”

Now why did this group of sentences hit me? At one point in my life, I knew I would end up married with kids but I also envisioned myself to be doing something else while married but along the way I was presented with situations that make this impossible—at least for now.

It’s funny how I ended up with this book when I intended to buy something else. The attendant at the bookstore just told me it’s a good book to read. Just like that I got it.

In a nutshell, I believe God is telling me to finally let go of old dreams and have new ones with my husband Jamike and my two wonderful boys.

NENE

My once quiet and unpopulated community is now quite the opposite. I guess it is a sign of progress, that corporations see the south as a location for growth opportunities so this can’t be a bad thing right? The local government is making adjustments in accommodating the increase in the number of commuters and public transportation. Even the number of beggars has multiplied.

My post will not focus on my little town but rather on the last line. It is so heart wrenching to see the number of babies and children below the age of 5 as victims of the flood and now are living it out in the overly populated evacuation centers with their parents. It’s a good thing their naïve minds and playful spirit protect them from the reality they are living.

Why is it that the poor have many children while the rich limit their flock to an average of three kids? There are many opinions. Some say going to bed is a pastime activity or men get drunk often that they demand sex.

The debate about family planning and the imposition of contraceptives is one I will not start. But this I will say, the definition of family planning can be derived from its two root words: Family & Planning.

In my friendly neighborhood, there is a woman whom I will call Nene. She is I assume in her early twenties but looks 10 years older. Sometime last year Nene was with child. I watched her belly expand as she begged from car to car at an intersection. Months passed and Nene is carrying her newborn and does the same thing. Then months after that I see her pregnant again and her baby is now being carried by a boy around 12 years of age. I also noticed that the other people she hangs around with are using her baby as an accessory. They have somewhat formed a partnership. Maybe they split their collections at the end of the day.

I will use Nene’s story as an example. Is it the job of the government to educate her about family planning? In all likelihood, her parents might have had a similar life and so this is the life she knows. I am not saying this is an experience solely for the poor for I know of several privileged teenagers who practiced premarital sex and “accidentally” got pregnant. This scenario exists among all income status.

For the less privileged, the lives of these children may not get better because this government is not providing their parents opportunities. For a country whose debt will probably not be fulfilled, there are government officials who are stealing from the funds set up to essentially satisfy and provide for the needs of the people.

What is the future of all the Nene’s out there? What is the future of the children they continue to have and their children’s children? Who will help them plan their families? The Philippines is not alone in this plight. We see the same in African nations. To see families struggling to find a home and food to eat is such a depressing landscape.

One solution presented by the government is to convince the people to go back to their provinces to begin a life anew. Most of those who live in shanties are said to have “migrated” to Metro Manila in the hopes of finding greener pastures but end up living a much harder life and since they have spent their meager earnings to survive in the city, going back to the province is impossible.

So what can I do aside from opening my window to give change or food? Some say these beggars belong to a group whose boss tells them to do just that, beg for money. In a nutshell, if this the only way they know to put food in their mouths then this will go on and on. Very sad.

A DATE WITH MYSELF

I did something today. Something I have never done before. No, it’s not any death-defying stunt—I watched a movie all by myself. You may find it corny but I’m sure not many have done this.

It’s a Sunday afternoon and I found myself alone once again because Jamike went to watch Game 2 of the UAAP basketball game between Ateneo and UE (well for Jamike and his siblings, this activity is like a custom) and my sons spent the afternoon with their grandparents and cousins. Since I am not an Atenean fan, quite the opposite actually, I opted to stay home and lay on my own bed.

As I was watching TV I realized I too should do something I want to do. Lucky me “The Ugly Truth” is showing—a movie I could tell from the trailer will not make me think or better yet, cry. So I got dressed and drove to the cinema.

I enjoyed my alone time even if I had to laugh by myself. The truth is sometimes we need to think of ourselves and not rely on others to make our day. That in a nutshell is, using the same title of the movie in another way, is the ugly truth.

Wonder what my next small adventure will be.