Our badminton racquets  were laid to rest for almost a year now.  Yes, laid to rest because our enthusiasm to play badminton died down.   But now, I have this yearning to belong to a sports club who played once a week.   I’ve been eyeing to join a badminton club and get back to action again. I know that we will find it hard to start all over again after we had been inactive playing for a year.   Muscle sores and panting will be one of them but I am open to that.  As long as we take the initial step and practice and play regularly, we will be able to slowly but surely get the feel of the game.   Before we hanged up our badminton raquets, we were already participating and actively playing in tournaments.   However, there were conflicts in schedules so we gave up playing in favor of other commitments. 

Now, that our schedules will allow us to play once more, I encouraged my husband to sign up in a badminton club for a game or two once a week.   We might as well do it soon because I can feel that my husband and  I are both slowing down.  Sports for all I know will make us active, fit, alert and young.  Winning more friends is a bonus.

I then have to take our racquets out  from it’s hiding place to see the light of day!

What will I do to complete my look for the coming wedding of my officemate?  Alright, I have spotted a gown in a mall somewhere and a pair of heeled shoes to match.  All I need to do is to purchase them.  I have already talked to my favorite hair stylist to do home service for my pedicure, manicure and hairdo and make up of course.  Since, I will be one of the sponsors, I wanted to stand out too (vain huh).  

 My stylist suggested to have an eyelash extension which is a hot new rage now.   I remember my friend whom I met few weeks back proudly displaying her thicker, longer, eye opening and prominent eyelashes.  Such a cool and sexy look! 

Okey, I trusted my stylist when she promised that  she will transform me on the day of the wedding with my new look to WOW!

My daughter tagged this pictures just to let me know that she’s getting gah-gah over these trendy footwear.  Well, alright they all looked good but told me she particularly liked the  shoes with 3 to 4 inches heels.  I can’t seem to get the idea of  those high heels to be a part of her wardrobe.  It’s impractical (for me)!  I know that it is modern and she gave me some reasons why she loved those shoes.

1.   It completes her looks in the proper pair in the right shades.  2. It make her look taller and will get noticed. 3.   High heels make her fell sexy and classy  4.   They make her feel confident, and said that when she will wear them, she will be able to maintain her posture. 5.   For her, shoes in a way help to really dress up any outift even if it an old pair of jeans, it will look great if worn with the right shoes.

I cut her short because I know she can give me 10 or more reasons so I will be convinced to buy her such shoes.   

Well, I reviewed the pictures and loved a pair too!  Hmmm.. I will still check and balance my budget.

I got a call from a friend an hour ago updating me of his plans to revive “Mabuhay” Toastmasters Club where my husband and I were a member of.  The club ceased to hold its weekly meeting when most members got so busy with their respective works and with their other committments.  The dwindling membership and attendance affected the club’s operation and saw it’s “death” early part of this year.   However, a well-meaning friend , a dentist Dr. Delfin decided to bring back life to the club by calling all members to once more join and participate.   We did responded to his call and signed up a reinstatement Membership form and the club will be in action again starting this Friday.    We have to give justice to the name “Mabuhay” which means “Long Live”!

We learned and appreciated the art of public speaking through this club so we are supporting it.  Although, we are busy but we promised that we will find time to attend just so we can contribute the skills we have acquired during our active years in Toastmastering.

I am already a CTM (Competent Toastmasters) and would love to target the DTM ( Distinguished Toastmasters Category ) hopefully.  Self improvement…

…. of migraine headache attack!   This usually comes once a month, much like a monthly period.  I just had an  attack very early this morning.  I have the onset of symptoms like flashing of lights (aura)-  experiencing flashing, brightly colored lights in a zigzag pattern usually starting in the middle of the visual field and progressing outward; and  nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.  It is already a warning signal that an impending headache is coming and  for sure, I will be pinned down to bed the whole day because the symptoms sensitivity to light and sound.  I considered sleep as the best possible medicine.  

My husband knows that if I had migraine headache that he will leave me alone and that he will not bother me for I will prefer to lie in our room with lights out during the attack till I got up and feel fine after around 12-24 hours.  Vomiting is the best relief that I can have then I will sleep and forget about the throbbing pain. 

Around 5pm  my husband knew perfectly well that I am doing fine for I am already working on this blog and chatting in the Facebook on the sideline. 

I have gotten used to this migraine thing that I already consider it as a monthly visitor.

You bet!  Our cafeteria is buzzing these days with discussion about the hostage drama in the Philippines.  We, Filipinos somehow were so saddened by this tragedy and embarrased and angered by the cold blooded behaviour of the disgruntled police officer, Rolando Mendoza.  Lunch break became a lively discussion on how incompetent the police in handling such crisis.  It rattled the Philippines and it raised questions about the police ability to deal with hostage-takers.   It was reported that 8 Hongkong tourist were killed despite the hope that negotiations could bring the standoff to a peaceful conclusions.    But it failed!

Now, that the Hongkong government had issued a warning against travel to the Philippines and requested tourist still in the country to return home, we were telling our lunch buddies who are scheduled to tour Hongkong to cancel their vacation.   We were telling them not to take the risk, but of course we were just joking!  However, they were hoping that by the time they will go on tour, people had already  gotten over the news. 

So, we are expecting a busy cafeteria in the next few days….

If there is bad news.. definitely there will be good news.  The hostage taking incident that happened in Manila which involved a disgruntled police officer  and  ended into a bloody drama was a major event!  While  Ms. Venus Raj,  the  Philippines representative to this year’s Miss Universe pageant may have failed to get the coveted crown, but left something for the whole world to remember — the term “major major.”   Due to it’s sudden popularity, Venus Raj became the hot topic across the globe.   Probably out of nervousness, during the Miss Universe question and answer portion, Venus was asked about the biggest mistake that she made in her life and what she did to make it right.

This is her reply, “You know what, sir, in my 22 years of existence, I can say that there’s nothing major major problem that I’ve done in my life because I’m very confident with my family, with the love that they are giving to me. So thank you so much that I’m here. Thank you, thank you so much!”

She became the fourth runner-up after the question and answer portion.  A major event for us Filipinos to celebrate and to be proud of.   She will continue to gain popularity as everybody seems to be talking about Venus.

Will the word “major major” will have the same fate as jejemon.. the country’s ”Word of the year”  Well, that remains to be seen!

Out of the blue, I took my digi cam and took pictures of the back of my officemates head including mine.  For no reason at all, I wanted to have my pictures different this time because the usual photos are face front.   Today, we have seen how much our hair has grown.  My officemate- Ana has a way past shoulder length  which she neatly clipped while Maureene just had hers hang loose.  It is past the bra line and growing and getting longer.  While mine,  something did not quite feel right.  I am quite worried that the one who did my haircut doesn’t have that “magic touch” because my hair seemed to grow slow.  It is still short , layered and colored.  The highlights are now fading and I believe that I have to visit the salon for a hair make over.  I am giving my hair daily dose of shampoo and deep conditioner hoping it will help make my locks grow faster.  

Our hair is our crowning glory.  Bad hair day affects our mood.  But today, I had achieved the blow dry and perfect volume of hair I like, so I had this aura of calmness and feeling sexy when I report to work.   Before I knew, I was taking pictures left and right and took shots even the back of our heads.

On Sunday, I spent some time in a cave park with my husband and some close friends and I had a nice day, despite the scorching heat outside.  We walked aimlessly, went to Starbucks for caffeine and muffins and wandered around till I chanced upon a souvenir stall in a nearby flea market.  I got a few finds for some great prices. However, hubby is not sold to the idea of what I bought… but it is nice to treat myself to some small things which brings a smile anyway..

10 days to go and the  “ber” month will be here.  Slowly but surely, there is no escaping from the month long festivities in the Philippines as December will usher in.  My husband brought home 3 big empty boxes for us to fill in with such as non-perishable food, household items, shoes, electronics, toys, designer clothing and toiletries.   The boxes are called balikbayan boxes (literally means retun to one’s homeland box) which we usually pack 3 months in advance calculating that it will arrive just in time for Christmas.   We will have it shipped by air which will take around 7 days or by sea cargo -about 45 days.  Freight forwarders are doing a brisk and lucrative business here because most Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are their costumers. It  has developed into a way of life of  the family of the overseas Filipino. 

We still have a lot of shopping to do so we can fill up the almost half full box.  The other two are already securely taped and once the other box is full, it is ready for shipment.  For sure, my children and relatives are looking forward for the boxes.  

There is joy in giving you know….