eloie's blog

For MY well being

Me, Myself and I are probably the well appointed three little words for those who are living an independent life or at least for those who choose to be. As for me, I am not just me, or I, or by myself but in all things, I am now me and my baby. Yes, I have a life growing inside me. One that is beautifully established by God. One that my husband and I are both excited and grateful to God about. A true blessing from up above! All of a sudden I don't think of me, myself and I but my baby - in just about everything - every breathe, every thought, every move, every step, every endeavor, all that I practically do, feel, and plan.

For "My Young's" well-being, I take the basic precautions such as resting, increasing my dietary fiber intake, drinking  increased  amounts of water, avoiding caffeine and taking the necessary prenatal vitamins. I also avoid people who are smoking and watch my every step at the sky train and make sure to ingest only healthy and clean foods. In other words, I take steps to safeguard my health for the sake of my baby.

Now that I am pregnant, taking good care of myself is not merely a choice but a necessity. Relaxation, eating right, taking some form of exercise, have never been so rewarding for I know that it will be beneficial to my baby. It 's like being selfish but with a cause. Perhaps it is not selfishness at all but a matter of coping with the never ending changes that one experiences when pregnant.

Image006 baby

I can never forget that one Saturday when I felt more tired than usual. I slept at our sofa right after having breakfast and then again after having late lunch and after that as well till dinnertime. My husband dismissed my being lazy on that day as simple fatigue when in fact I think I am at least two weeks pregnant already! Well, I think my instincts are far better than his. I got a first response home pregnancy test not long after that and of course it tested as "pregnant"! Surely, the easy-to-read results in the thermometer-like device are pretty accurate as they claim to have detected pregnancy hormone levels in 62% of women 5 days before their expected period.

Thus from then on, I am - eating, drinking, sleeping, living for two!

Skytrain/Bus Etiquette (adapted from canucks forum)

1) Let people get off from the train first –especially seniors, babies and disabled.
2) Do not block the entrance/exit. Only after people has gotten off should you try to go in.
3) If you have a huge back pack, try to not carry it on the back. You would disturb others who are sitting or standing. Just hold your packages down whenever you can.
4) Do not tug or lean on the handrail. It is not yours only. Allow other people to use it. They might fall down without holding on to something.
5) If you are talking on the cell phone, can you not speak that loud?
6) Can you not eat and drink at the skytrain? You might spill out to other people, especially ice cream and drinks.
7) Can you not do your personal things? E.g. cutting fingernail, combing hair, picking on nose.
8) Instead of leaving the newspaper everywhere, can you bring the newspaper out the station and leave it on designated paper bins?
9) If you are sitting on the disabled seats, can you let seniors or others with kids take the seat?
10) If you know you would get off the next station, can you prepare for it? As a result, you would not push other people when you get off. And while you are waiting for the bus and not using a pass, can you prepare the exact change in advance?  As a result, you would not keep other people waiting behind you to get on the bus.

Lastly, can you cover your nose when sneezing or coughing? Man! Don't you know that this lessens the spread of the common cold and flu?

Signs

Protect the Seals

V1
And the sign said long haired freaky people need not apply
So I tucked my hair up under my hat and I went in to ask him why
He said you look like a fine upstanding young man, I think you'll do
So I took off my hat I said imagine that, huh, me working for you

woah!

Chorus:

Sign Sign everywhere a sign
Blocking out the scenery breaking my mind
Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign

Green campaign

V2

And the sign said anybody caught trespassing would be shot on sight
So I jumped on the fence and yelled at the house, Hey! what gives you the right
To put up a fence to keep me out or to keep mother nature in
If God was here, he'd tell you to your face, man you're some kinda sinner

Repeat Chorus:

Bridge:

Now, hey you Mister! can't you read, you got to have a shirt and tie to get a seat
You can't even watch, no you can't eat, you ain't suppose to be here

Sign said you got to have a membership card to get inside Uh!

Clean up after your dog

V3
And the sign said everybody welcome, come in, kneel down and pray
But when they passed around the plate at the end of it all,
I didn't have a penny to pay, so I got me a pen and a paper and I made up my own little sign
I said thank you Lord for thinking about me, I'm alive and doing fine

Repeat Chorus
Repeat Chorus

© 1970, 2002 Five Man Electrical Band

(Pictures shown are signs found at Vancouver bus stops and parks)

No Bullies Allowed

My hubby specifically instructed to meet me at one of the Translink skytrain stations one fine afternoon so after getting off the bus from work I hurrriedly started off the five minute walk to a sky train station that would bring me to our meeting place. Passing by rows of coffee shops, pizza joints, fast food chains and convenience stores, I remembered that I didn't have lunch that day - actually forgot to - as I got caught up with paperwork i.e. checking the exam papers and submitting the final marks of the students to the school management. I then decided to grab a quick to-go snack at McDonald's. I know exactly what I would have so I quickly ordered their filet'o' fish sandwich, small french fries and vanilla shake then went on my way. I would eat my sandwich once I get off the train, I thought to myself. Anyway, it doesn't take long to wait for the skytrain as it always comes and goes every 10 minutes.

Once inside the spacious coach, I suddenly realized that it is already rush hour and indeed there was no sit available which left me standing beside strangers of all races and from all walks of life.  I held on tightly at the pole for support while my other hand clutched the Mcdonald's food bag and shake. I took a small sip at my delicious shake to reward myself for standing on 3-inch heels. No problem! Standing on public transports is not really painstaking for me but feeling a sudden surge of acid in my stomach and actually hearing it growl does. And so when some passengers took off at the next stop and I had sat myself comfortably at  one of the two-sitters, I helped myself with a handful of french fries and took another sip at the shake. At least, this would help quiet the pangs of hunger and thirst that I am experiencing after a long honest day's work!

Then out of nowhere, an old Canadian woman in her 50's or less - as they look older than their age - sitting in front of me - suddenly reprimanded me for eating and drinking inside the train. She even went to the extent of drawing my attention to the signs situated on top of the train doors to support her case. So there's the little red sign! The one that has the little drawings and a diagonal red line slashed across it. At last, with her help I have found it for I knew in mind the rules in public transports but never actually found a sign that restricts eating and drinking. I've been riding buses, taxis, and trains for a while now and have actually seen many people bringing in and drinking their capuccinos, frappes, sodas, or water and eating a big slice of pizza, sandwich, nuts  or  chips inside the so-called No Eating/Drinking zones! And so far, it is at the train station where I mounted that you can find a lot of these so-called careless offenders!

Unfortunately when I looked around the coach, I learned that I'm the only one doing the unlawful deed. They say misery loves company and it would have been nice to find another "innocent" offender but I found no one else to point at. I figured that ignorance of the law excuses no one and I do know what is the right thing to do so  I just finished chewing the food that's on my mouth, rolled the top of my McDonald's paper bag, took another sip of the thick shake to clear my throat and said  "Sorry, I'm pregnant and I forgot to have lunch today - that's why I'm hungry". In a second, without any warning, that woman glared at me and said - "Oh yeah? Is that why you're eating Mcdonald's?"


Hell yeah!!!! That's none of your business - I thought. But I didn't shot back at her nor even rolled my eyes for I know better. I almost felt grateful to her for being righteous but what appeared to be a respectful concerned citizen is really nothing but a pale ugly wicked Canadian bully in my eyes! Maybe- just maybe, TransLink should also post a No Bullies Allowed sign in it's coaches.

Retail therapy

My husband and I always argue about things...and "arguably" just simple ones! Things such as who is the better celebrity apprentice, what is the real cause behind the current worldwide rice shortage, or whether the game shows on TV are rigged or not - somewhat unexpectedly spark an argument.  Sometimes we also compete. So far, we have done bets against each other on who will emerge the winners in Survivor, Dancing with the Stars, and American Idol. (reality TV junkies we are!) But this doesn't mean that we are exactly opposites. In fact, we are the best of friends! So after a long and tiring argument or probably just agreeing to disagree - we simply kiss and make up.

But the best thing about our being best friends is that -  we both enjoy shopping! - and I insist that we shop wisely. At least for me, shopping is a form of therapy. Recently, we shopped for "spring wardrobe" during a mall wide sales event. Hand in hand, my husband and I went to a shop in which lo and behold - the prices were really low compared with other stores of the same genre.. As it turns out - that certain shop was bought out by a big retail chain which is the reason why they are holding such a huge clearance sale.

But so much for the small talk. Like the fashionista that I am - I want to show off some of my great finds here.

Babydoll lace 3 butoon cami 6.98 SALE

Babydoll smock lace cami 4.98 SALE

Plaid western style short sleeve shirt 9.98 SALE

Longsleeve AOP kanga pocket tee 9.98 SALE

Floral print vneck tunic 9.98 SALE

Instant nostalgia

There’s so much campaign going on supporting zero Trans Fat warning all of us to avoid processed foods - and I consider myself an advocate. But after cooking a pack of yellowish noodles with one bag of kalamansi-flavored spices and two bags of oil? Voila! I’m instantly transported to a sweet old place called Manila. Not too bad! After being away from my native land for some time now, an occasional treat of homegrown instant foods like these is actually good for the "heart"!  So here's my grocery list of instants:

Instant "heart" foods

Lucky me pancit canton                                   $0.50

Clover Chips snacks                                        $1.40

Moondish Laing                                               $1.00

Reno Liver Spread                                           $1.99

Purefoods Corned Beef                                    $2.39

Barrio Fiesta Bagoong                                     $6.00

Fibisco 6 pack Choco Mallows                         $1.99

Coolly Piggy Chicharrón                                   $1.25

Ready to eat Champorado and Ginataang mais  $1.99

Honestly, the imported Lucky Me didn't have the same saltiness and spiciness of the local one! But I won't complain. Right now, I don't crave for a more tasty meal than this.

The Coconut Maple Analogies

• National Bookstore : Chapters
• SM Shoemart : Sears
• SM Hypermarket : Canadian Superstore
  
• SM Bonus : President’s Choice
• SM Megamall : Metrotown
  
• Robinson's : Zellers
• Rustan's : The Bay
• Waltermart : Wal-mart
• Ayala Center : Robson Street
• Greenhills Shopping Center : Richmond Night Market
  
• Makro : CostCo
• Mercury Drug : Shopper’s Drug Mart
• Toy Kingdom : Toys ‘R Us
• Office Warehouse : Staples
• Ace Hardware : Canadian Tire
• Blims : The Brick
• Jollibee : McDonalds
• Pancake House : Ihop
• Max’s : White Spot
• Don Henrico’s : Boston Pizza
• Dunkin Donuts : Tim Hurton’s
• Aristocrat : Swiss Chalet
• Outback Steakhouse : The Keg
• Furusato : Tojo
• Max Brenner : Death by Chocolate
  
• Goldilocks : Goldilocks
  
• Subway : Subway
• Starbucks : Starbucks
• Magnolia Ice Cream : Dairy Queen
• Fitness First : Fitness World
• Metrobank : RBC
• PAL : Air Canada
  
• Malate : Gastown
• “Dampa” : Granville Island
• Ultra : BC Place
• Araneta Coliseum : GM Place
• CCP : Canada Place
• PICC : VCEC
• PGH : VGH
• PLDT : Telus
• Globe vs. Smart : Bell Canada vs. Telus
• Sun Cellular : Koodo
• Skycable : Shaw
• Villman : NCIX
• Penshoppe : Bluenotes
• Bench : Roots
• Private Joyce : La Vie En Rose
• Ricky Reyes : Great Clips
• ACA Video : Blockbuster Video
• Enchanted Kingdom : PNE
• Ocean Adventure : Vancouver Aquarium
• Rizal Park : Stanley Park
• Baguio City : Whistler
• Taal Volcano, Tagaytay : Grouse Mountain
• Boardwalk, Subic : White Rock
• Quezon Bridge, Quiapo : Burrard Street Bridge
  
• UP : UBC
• Mapua : BCIT
• Ateneo : SFU
• AMA : CDI
• Manila Bulletin : Vancouver Sun
• ABS-CBN vs. GMA : Global vs. CTV
  
• Regine Velásquez : Celine Dion
• Ernie Baron : Mark Madryga
• Julius Babao : Steve Darling
• The Buzz : ET Canada
• K! The 1 Million Peso Karaoke Challenge : Don't forget the lyrics!
  
• San Miguel Beer : Canadian Molson
• MRT : Skytrain
• PNP : RCMP
• BIR : CRA
  
• Goya : Purdy’s
• Henry Sy : Jim Pattison
• Manny Pacquiao : George St. Pierre
• PBA : NHL
• 89.9 FM : 94.5 FM
• MYX Music : Much Music
• Music One : HMV
  

What keeps us awake late into the night despite a tiresome day? Part 2

Riverfront view

Picture yourself tired from work longing to submit to a relaxing experience at home. As you enter your quiet riverfront neighborhood, you start feeling better. Driving past a serene park, you savor the sweet fruity scent emanating from rows of Japanese cherry blossom trees that line the street. Once you step at your welcoming front porch, you think of having a BBQ night but quickly change your mind.  Upon entering the house, you go straight to your ultramodern porcelain-tiled kitchen and open your tall stainless steel fridge to fetch some fresh orange juice. After downing a gulp and putting down the empty crystal glass on top of your granite counter, you move towards your 8 by 10 ft patio and slide-open the glass doors to let in the glow of the glorious sunset and savor in the panorama of the snow-capped

Backyard view

North Shore Mountains. You look out at your lushly landscaped backyard and fleetingly contemplated on taking a dip at the inviting warmth of your asymmetrical shaped swimming pool right after dinner. You then step back in, walk past your wide-plank engineered hardwood floor and Zen-inspired living room with a fireplace and a 60” plasma TV and finally open the door to one of the five bedrooms. You open the lights to reveal a large mirror tastefully perched at your spacious walk-in closet which segues to a large ensuite with a glass enclosed shower, deep soaker tub and in-door Jacuzzi, then you suddenly think of what to have for dinner. You plan to prepare a healthy but gastronomic dish tonight and realize that you lack some ingredients. That’s okay; there’s an upscale commercial centre where you can find an organic grocery, posh cafes and  gourmet restaurants just within minutes away -and you don’t mind an early evening walk.

Patioswimmingpool

“If life gets any better than this,

It will happen here.”

Source: New Home Buyers Guide

Dreamhouse

Properties ranging from 1,640 to 2,810 sq. ft. are priced from $1.45M to $2.95M.  Puff! It was already 2 AM when we slept. So what kept us awake late into the night despite a tiresome day? Our dream house!

Comfort foods – then and now

Then

• Arroz Caldo,  Lugaw or Goto with Tokwa’t Baboy
• Lumpiang prito with spiced-vinegar
• Jollibee Palabok, Chickenjoy and Mango-peach pie
• Chowking’s spicy beef-wanton mami, siomai and Halo-halo
• Jack & Jill Chippy or Piattos and Iced Coke or  Pepsi Max
• Puto, Kutsinta, Bibingka, Hopia, Ensaymada or Dunkin Donut’s Munchkins
• Street Fishball, Squidball, Kwek-kwek and Balut
• Hot Dilis, Roasted peanuts and Chicharon
• Steaming Taho
• Shawarma

Now

• Hotdog – Japadog (Japanese style with seaweed toppings) or the famous jumbo all beef hotdogs of the West (topped with fried onions, pickles, and whatever you like) which you can find at street corners
• Bubble Tea – a fruit-based drink with pearls (tapioca balls) - Taro flavor is the most popular
  
• Crepe – my fave is mango-strawberry that’s so popular at the downtown area
• Fruit Shake – my fave is the Strawberry-Raspberry-Blueberry Shake Combo
  
• Frozen Yogurt - 60% less fat than regular ice cream
• Chocolates – always the dark ones for they say it is good for the heart
• Starbucks or Tim Hurton’s coffee – no fussy requests just the regular latte
  
• Pizza – Uncle Fatih's $1.50 per 2 slices deal or the 12” frozen pizza that we bake ourselves or the best pizza in town - Papa John's!
  
• Dan D Pak Cashew Nuts
• Buttered Popcorn

Statistics Canada

Source: Vancouver.24hrs.CA vol4n3 pg3