On this day, God wants me to know 

... that change is the very nature of life, - welcome it. No glass ever became sand again; No bread ever became wheat; No ripened fruit ever became a flower. Welcome change, and choose what kind of glass you create, what kind of bread you bake, what kind of fruit you harvest.

Today is my second afternoon duty for this week.  Yesterday's duty was manageable.  Just a slight nuisance from the SQA-V machine.  I was supposed to use it for a patient having a scheduled semen examination yesterday.  I thought that it would be best to do all the quality controls for the machine so that when the sample arrives, the only thing I've got to do is to feed it in the machine and voila, my work is done.  But unfortunately the machine failed in its auto calibration.  I tried to troubleshoot the problem but I guessed that the engineer has to come to fix it.  And so it was, the patient arrived and good thing, he didn't bring any sample yet.  I told him that we will reschedule his test since the machine is out of order and that the engineer has to come and fix it by morning time.  At first, I thought it was  a problem and so I decided to call my supervisor and tell her of the situation.  She agreed that it is best to tell the patient to come back until the machine is fixed.  It was good that the man saw and heard my conversation with my supervisor and no more protests nor questions were asked when I told him what my supervisor has just said.  The afternoon went on smoothly with some patients coming one after the other.  My day should have ended fine only if dear husband came early to pick me up from the clinic.  He came from a birthday celebration of one of his colleagues.  To make it up for his tardiness, he gave me some chic Body Shop gift pack consisting of a perfume, lotion and a shower gel.  I tried the perfume on my wrist and briskly sniffed the fragrance.  Because of my dampened mood last night, my nose had the instant aversion to the aroma of the perfume.  I told him  that the next time he decides to buy me some colognes or perfume, he should bring me along so that I myself will have to choose the fragrance I want.  I felt guilty afterwards.  He again made it up to me when he prepared for me some instant noodles to serve as my dinner last night.  He didn't even bothered to play his Legends game last night and just allowed me to use the laptop.  That's my husband, he really knows how to manage my intermittent hormonal attacks.  

As I end this post, I tried smelling again my wrist to see how it smelled this time,  what came to my nostrils is a sweet and mild cherry blossom fragrance.  Hmmm, I think I kindda like it now.  

"Eventually all the pieces fall into place until then, laugh at the confusion, live for the moment, and know that everything happens for a reason".  (--Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw but picked up from my friend Aby's post in FB)

All the events in my life, during the exact time of their occurrences seem to have very vague reasons for happening.  I may not comprehend the reason on that time the particular situation happened but each time I look back now and ask myself "why it happened", I always end up understanding that it happened so that I will be the person I am now, that I will be exactly in the same place I am now and that I might be on the exact moment now.  All events in my life in the past contribute to these 3 generalizations.  I always question why it happened, I sometimes address to God that question.  Frantically, I evaluate and assess what went wrong and lo and behold, I find myself clueless.  Most of the time I questioned, cried, and suffered along the way.  In the stillness of confusion I learned how to be resilient.  I can't control the situation but I can definitely control myself.  Slowly, I accepted the situation and realized that I have to move on.  Life doesn't end with one bad blow and that life is so short to waste it sulking.  Gradually I learned how to laugh about it, just let time took its course to heal me, and hoped that everything will turn out just fine.  I became my old self again and realized that all things happen for a purpose.  It happened so that I can learn something from it, to apply in my life and to become if not the best at least better than before.  I pray to have the courage to stick that wisdom in my head and not to be indecisive whatsoever.

Aby, thank you very much for the countless times you were with me during those moments of confusion...

Lauren intermittently woke up a couple of times last night, undecided about the best position to sleep.  Mars has to go for an overtime today and as he was leaving, I asked  him to take Lauren and let Nining take care of her as I catch some sleep.  That was the reason why I woke up around 10:30 a.m.  I woke up very hungry and decided to cook for some oats-one of the food they say that boots the serotonin level.  To make it a little palatable, I dashed some chocolate powder and sugar while cooking.  I hoped that Lauren will also eat some spoonfuls if she she sees me eating oats.  She only had a 1 bite the last time I asked Nining to feed her with that food.  Lauren ate with me but I think she still didn't like it but thanks to the diversion from watching YouTube in the computer, she managed to ate more than 1 spoonful.  She didn't notice the spoon reaching her lips.  Maybe out of habit, she just opened her mouth as the spoon is near her lips.  We finished the bowl of oats, drank some milk juice and continued watching video clips of animals and babies in the computer.  She was very quiet as she watched the theme song clips of her favorite TV shows.  She got tired afterwards and she was taken by Nining back to the room hoping to put her to sleep for her usual noon time naps.

So what's next for me?  Today is Friday, and a weekend.  I don't know what to do, what is it in store for me in my agenda.  Actually there's none.  I wish to cook later but still I'm wondering what to cook.  Mars called and he told me that he'll have to buy his lunch outside and eat at the laboratory pantry.  So again, what's in store for me today....I was website hopping when I encountered one very nice article about the topic "wanting to be loved".  I read that in order for one human being to be wanted and loved, one must be able to become lovable.  Most of the time, we are waiting for the right person to come into our life but most of the time we fail to become the right person ourselves.  All of us must be ready to fill in the space of becoming the right person before we should be looking for the right one.  Maybe the right man/girl is just also waiting for us.  So how should we be ready to become the right one for them?  In Sri Lanka, they have this saying that a a flower full of nectar doesn't have to beg from the honeybees to pollinate it.  The honeybees know which one has the sweetest nectar and once they find it, they will know how to take care of it and not to destroy it.  The article continued that we must first be flowers with nectars in order to attract the "honeybees".  These honeybees will know the flower which posses the sweet essence.  I quote this from the article: "For human beings, spirituality and love constitute the nectar of life, the sweet essence within".

I think a flower having a sweet nectar doesn't end with the honeybees' discovery of the flower.  While the flower is alive and capable, it must make its effort to continually produce the sweet essence. It must always be rekindled.

Once you pop, you can't stop!

There's this line popularized by a Pringles ad, "once you pop, you can't stop".  

Just recently at 14 months old, Lauren learned to walk on her own unassisted.  She can be included in the bracket of late-walkers.  I was really praying a few months back that she start walking soon as I envy some of the babies around her age who already started walking.  And now that she knows how to move around by herself, I now have second thoughts praying way back then. To my surprise she's now going anywhere she wants to and plays with anything her little hands could grasp.  One time she was in the toilet playing, another time in the kitchen attempting to open the cupboards and now inside our room, pulling all the papers from the cabinet, my socks and undies from the drawer, the pillows and blankets are scattered all over the place.  I'm sure this is just the start...more to come from my darling Lauren.  I know she'll drive me nuts putting the place back in order.  But that's just how it is, she may become a little monster but the bottom line she's still my little darling I love very much.  Starting to walk is just the beginning of this.  As I contemplate on the line "once you pop, you can't stop", I guess that's the same with Lauren now, she has learned how to walk and she's all over the place non-stop.  Enough of this for now....enough also of me munching Pringles from its canister.  But on the contrary, I can stop knowing that I should leave some for my dear husband.

I've Got a Feeling

This is one of the few days which I really feel so down.  I don't like to go to work later, I'm tired, dead beat tired and most of all bored to death.  I wish to have some kinda inspiration to get me going.  I really wish to set my feet on new grounds to start anew.  I don't know how and when but I really, really, really hope that something good and better is coming soon.  I must be strong and not be easily wavered, so long that I keep my focus I know anything is possible.  But first, I've got to deal with what is in front of me now.  Got to get ready for another grueling evening duty at the clinic.  I pray that tonight is gonna be a good night....(makes me remember BEP's song...."I've got a feeling, that tonight's gonna be a big night")....well hopefully...

Lauren attending a birthday party

Yesterday, Lauren attended the 1st birthday party of Gabriel.  I sensed that she enjoyed the party.  She really liked seeing other kids, looking at the lights and playing with the balloons. The party was held at the Gondolania Theme Park in Villagio.  The place was very nice, complete with crystal balls giving the atmosphere of a real party.  It was also not too crowded which allowed children to roam around and do some party games.  The food was great and everybody both young and old had a great time.  

That is the birthday boy, held by his mom.  We could have taken a much nicer picture with the celebrant but he got tired and was already sleeping when we tried to have a snapshot with him.  I was surprised that at least on the background in this photo, Gabriel had a picture with Lauren.

Bugs bunny pushed Donald Duck, and to our surprise!  DD almost fell off the stage.

Lauren seems to be afraid of Donald

Daddy and Lauren playing "Eat! Bulaga!"

Lauren pointing to somewhere

This was the party place at Gondolania

I'm Yours - Jason Mraz

I really, really love this song...Love the melody...

Leila:  "Luvcy, why do you love me?"

Mars: "What else is there for me to do but to love the one who completes me."

And  he said I complete him. This made my day!

Pad Thai

Tadaaa!!! Today I've got to try one recipe of Pad Thai.  I had fun doing the cooking since it is very simple, quick and easy.  The only trouble I had was cooking in a hot and humid kitchen.  Infact, today's temperature is around 41 degrees Celcius.  I was already hungry the moment I finished cooking.  I was looking for something to pair with my pad thai and  I found some chicken skin which Mars' bought from the souq the other day.  I took a few pieces of these so called bad for the heart food, grabbed a pepsi and that was my lunch.

Here's my recipe:

3 T. fish sauce
1/4 c Tamarind juice
2 T. sugar
2-3 T. Chili Sauce
4 T. Vegetable oil (I used what I have, Canola oil)
8 oz. chicken, shrimp or tofu
1 tsp chopped garlic
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1 cup bean sprouts (I used the one in can)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped peanuts
1 egg beaten
1 lime or lemon
8 oz. rice noodles

1.  Soak the rice noodles in warm water for 5-8 minutes or according to the package instructions.  Be careful not to over soak.  It should still be flexible but firm.
2.  Combine the fish sauce, tamarind juice (I think tamarind paste can be used as well), sugar and chili sauce in a bowl and set aside.  You may use a commercially prepared pad thai sauce instead and thereby omitting all the first 4 ingredients.
3.  Heat the oil in high heat, add the chicken, tofu or shrimps or all of them for variety. Stir fry for a few minutes and set aside.
4.  Add again 1 T oil in the wok stir fry the garlic, scallions, bean sprouts and peanuts for 1 minute.
5.  Drain the noodles and toss in the wok, add the pad thai sauce and stir fry quickly.  Push the noodles into one side of the wok and add 1 T oil, scramble the beaten egg.  Combine all cooked ingredients and stir fry for  just a little bit more.
6.  Serve with lime or lemon.

Note:  My idea of a real pad thai is the one we order from the Thai Snack House at Al  Mirquab St.  The next time I'm cooking pad thai, I think Ive got to add more peanuts and veggies (romaine lettuce) and maybe add more oil.  I was so careful not putting too much and I think that was why my final product was a little dry.  Some chili powder or  flakes can be added if preferred.

FYI:  Pad Thai, though a Thai dish was originally brought to Thailand by Vietnamese traders.  There are actually two types of Pad Thai, the dry and the one which is popular outside Thailand, the heavier and oilier version.

Now that I'm full, I can concentrate on my next project...Wix.

New Dress A Day | 365 Days. 365 New Outfits. 365 Dollars.

New Dress A Day | 365 Days. 365 New Outfits. 365 Dollars.

I love this site.  She's amazing!  Now the more I want to have sewing lessons!  Mars told me he'll going to buy me a sewing machine probably soon!

Cutting labels

Right now, I'm cutting all these labels while I listen to Yahoo music as well as catching up in Facebook.  This is one kind of multitasking that I don't mind doing.  I better finish cutting so that tomorrow I can start labeling our shelves.  This afternoon I will have my very first PM shift duty for the Ramadan period.  I wonder what is it in store for me?  Will there be a lot of patients? Will I be free to do other things?  Well I guess I'll get to see later...

Ang paborito ni Pong Pagong

I bought some nice and fresh Kangkong leaves from the souq today.  One bundle costs QR 4.  I can't imagine paying around Php 50 just for these herbs!  Way back in the province in the Philippines, we were just getting this for free from the neighbor's backyard or from the marshlands.  Since I am here in the desert, without any hesitation I shelled out QR 4 for a bundle of Kangkong just so to satisfy my craving. I plan to divide into two dishes, one half as adobong kangkong and the other half as a simple salad with tomatoes and bagoong. Yummy!

Visit to Al Rafa

Today we went to Al Rafa Clinic to have Lauren seen by the pediatrician.  The doctor is a kabayan and that is why it is not so difficult communicating my concerns.  We went there for a free consultation since the clinic is having a commemorative promo of having free check ups which coincides with the Indian Independence Day.  I was glad that Lauren didn't have any tantrums.  Taking care of her wasn't that difficult even though Nining was not with us.  I let her stay in the house since she is fasting the whole day and when we left she hasn't had her ifthar yet.  I was even lucky to have some free meds from the clinic. Ninang Elouisa and baby Norien was also there.  We also visited Ninang Shary in the clinic's lab.  Then later we went to get the Honda car fresh from a repainting job and after that we finally head for home.  Lauren fell asleep as we were travelling.  So far for this day, I'm so beat tired.  Oh I remember I still got to do some scanning.  Enough of this blogging and got to do what hubby asked me to do.  All for the love of family, a wife and mother must do so many things.

Pondering thoughts...

I've arrived at the clinic an hour before our actual work starts.  I want to finish some stock inventory affairs that was why I decided to come early.  Well it turned out fine, since I was able to do a lot of stock transfers to our other locations.  I don't mind doing a little extra for the other extra jobs I have at work, so long that I don't fall below the expectations of my superiors.  I accepted an additional work inspite of having already an existing job description.  I do kinda like this extra job though I really need time to manage everything.  I realized now that a lot of people are depending on me and that I must not let them down.  I also learned that the other technician who's I'm helping in this job will also go for vacation.  Should I feel scared that I will be left behind to do all the work?  I hope I will be able to manage everything if not exceedingly well then at least at par to what is expected of me.  May the good Lord grant me the strength, the wisdom and the patience to do what they ask of me.  The bottom line is, I will do only what and when I can.  What I can't, then I raise my eyes to Heaven and ask for help.

Multitasker Lei

I was at work from 8 am til 1 pm.  Though it is a Saturday, still a lot of patients are coming for blood works.  I did manage to do some stock monitoring activities as well as running HbA1c tests in between patients. Those will be my additional work this week plus Hematology benchwork.  Granting that if I go to my other duty at the Central Store by Monday, then at least I will have less work to endorse to my colleagues.  I wish I have the luxury of time to manage all the jobs assigned to me.  How often I wish that I have a superpower to be in many places at the same time.  If that happens then I'm one of a kind multitasker.  I might be blogging right at this instant and also doing my shopping at Carrefour or Lulu.  Or I could be playing with Lauren and also attending to husband's needs at the same time.  Wish I could be that girl.  Oh well back to reality and time to do other duties....I guess only in my daydream that I can become a supermom. Later...

Grilled squid on Friday the 13th

What's with Friday the 13th?  Some consider it to be an unlucky day. I have learned that the fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskevidekatriaphobia.  Para what?  Well it is better to know the meaning than the word itself.  On the other hand, my husband likes the number 13 since this is his birth date.  He thinks this number is indeed lucky.  

Today I will be cooking "inihaw na pusit" (grilled squid).  I just finished preparing the squid (removing the outer skin and the plastic-like squid's version of its backbone).  Right now the squids are swimming in the marinade I prepared from a cup of 7 up, soy sauce, lime juice, garlic and pepper.  Later I will stuff the squid with tomatoes and onions and finally grill.  It is my first time to cook this recipe and based on the numerous instructions how to cook squid, I learned that I should avoid under cooking nor over cooking the squid.  So the right timing must be observed, just around 3-5 minutes on each side or just when there are burnt marks imprinted on its sides.  I guess I just have to do it and see.  I wouldn't know unless I try.  Will update later for the final product.
                                                         

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Here's how it looked:

I must say I wasn't satisfied.  Probably because I failed to wash all the ink out of the squid.  Lesson learned I should have pierced the sac so that It will yield all the ink and wouldn't make the inside so wet and black.  It was not chewy though since I was very careful not to overcook it.  


So much so for Friday the 13th.  I wasn't so lucky though.  There's always a next time to perfect every dish.

On top of my wish list:

I wonder when will it be available here in Doha?

My joy and my pride, my Lauren Leela at 14 months old.

Hymne - Era (lyrics)

Chanced upon this video:


Another proof that I am full of contradictions.  I have a thing for this kind of music.  A mixture of Celtic and somewhat like Gregorian chant like music.  I think only a few enjoys this genre. Each time I immerse myself with this kind of music, I feel a silent glitter of peace deep within.  I imagine that I am a tiny creature facing the very vast nature in front of me.  As the blue sky towers above, I imagine I am atop of a cliff and looking down on the lapping waves of the blue ocean down below. As I raise my hands into heaven the cool wind blows continually balancing the warmth of the bright sun above.  The feeling is overwhelming, something that is just there for the moment.  I feel a very fragile feeling of peace which is like being cuddled beside your man just after a very precious moment of lovemaking.  So serene and peaceful.  I wish to hold onto this feeling, I wish for it to stay but as I try to frantically tighten my grip over it, the more that it slips away from my grasp.  At this stage the feeling of deep trance is slowly dying.  As I open my eyes, I can see that I'm back to where it all started.  Back to earth, back to reality.

"One day you're going to wake up and realize how much you love me and when that day comes I am going to be snuggled up beside the one who knew.”


Got this from a friend's Facebook page...I think these are self-consoling words pondered upon just after a break-up.

Right now I'm searching my mind of what should I cook for dinner.  Or better yet, I should search the fridge, isn't it?  Mars said he likes chicken for dinner.  Husband says chicken, then its chicken.

Later tonight, if ther'll be time (hoping that he won't be glued on his laptop playing Legends again), we'll be watching some recent Tagalog movies.  I might choose the latest one of Bea and John Lloyd entitled Miss You Like Crazy.  (Corny ba? Gusto ko kiligin eh, paki nyo ba?  lol) We both love watching downloaded movies even before we were still dating.  Being cuddled in hubby's arms is actually what I like in this movie dates at home. Hopelessly romantic?  I say, yes maybe.

I learned from Nining today that Lauren is increasingly becoming very naughty these days.  When Nining was fixing the master's bedroom this morning, Lauren silently found her way going to the bathroom.  She opened the water supply of the bedet and started playing with the flowing water.  She began crying as Nining led her away from her newfound playground.  Oh my, I hope that she won't become a little monster in a few months.

Later...

Oh btw, today there was twice on 2...First time. (lol).

Label

Spent the day doing a task which requires me to label some shelves for our laboratory items.  I could have finished the task only if I was told the correct shelf to label.  I was almost finished when I was told that I'm labeling the wrong shelf!  So it took time again for me to remove and put back in place the labels in the correct shelf this time.  Good thing there's always next time to continue and hopefully finish the job.

Ramadan Kareem

Tomorrow will be the the start of our month long 5 hours duty.  Yes its nice to have just 5 hours at work but sometimes it's a lot more stressful since the workload is just the same and we try to squeeze all of them with 3 hours less of our regular duty.  Another thing to observe starting tomorrow is the fact that we won't be eating nor drinking in public.  Ramadan is the holy month for Muslims to fast and pray.  Eating is not allowed from sunrise to sunset.  I admire how they manage to program their bodies to undergo such sacrifice.  To all my Muslim friends and colleagues, Ramadan Kareem.   

YouTube - Eminem - Love The Way You Lie ft. Rihanna

I have developed liking to music which mentions the word "lie".  Don't get me wrong though.  I just like hearing some words which sounds just like my nickname.

Grocery day

Hubby called and he'll pick me up then we'll go to the supermarket. At long last, I can buy our groceries to refill the kitchen and the fridge. Been too busy to do all the errands last week. But darn, I hate to go out in this hot and humid weather. =(

Reset

I successfully log in our system through my Novell password this morning. I was halfway through it when suddenly I was prompted to change my password. All employees are made to change their passwords every 3 months.  It seemed that I changed just recently though. After successfully setting my new password, the system asked me to log in once more. I tried several times using the new password but I don't know why I can't get through. Finally after many failed attempts I got a message saying that my account was locked or something like that. I tried to ask help from our IT technician but I was directed to the helpdesk so they can remotely reset my password. The guy who answered my call guided me through the process. After a successful log in, I was happy that I was able to enter just in time the result of one urgent urinalysis.

Thinking through this, I guess life is sometimes filled with instances like that. We are presented with some situations like forgotten passwords which can be changed anytime so as to have another chance to start all over again. But even if life presents us with chances for renewal, we seldom take heed the call and just ignore it. We might ignore the 3 chances of changing the password which when bypassed will temporarily cut out our connection with the system. Same goes in life, we may be too caught up with a lot of distractions which prevents us from seeing the real score. We are too happy with the present that we don't care what will follow later on. We opt to ignore. Later on, we hope that there's someone who can save us from this despair. Sometimes, it is really beyond our control, we stare into heaven and hope that someone could save us. We hope that there's somebody out there to do the password resetting for us. But I guess it isn't like that. We have to do what is expected from us. This is just me thinking aloud....

Good food + good friends = goodbye to Omar dinner

We've just got home from my brother-in-law's sort of a despedida dinner at the Marriot Hotel. Omar, Mars and I were joined by Jess, Andy, Edwin, Mark and Leslie. I really had a marvelous night dining and itermittently laughing and giggling all througout the dinner. Contributing to my enjoyment was seeing for the first time Jess without any inhibitions talking just about anything. Maybe it was because of the "drink" which they enjoyed only within the four walls of the hotel.

While dining in a 5 star hotel like Marriot, I realized that from time to time, Mars and I should spend yes really spend some time and of course money to be in such a romantic ambiance. I asked him during our dinner that if I was still single, will he take me out to dinner in a nice hotel? He said he didn't got any chance since we were married immediately when I came to Doha. Well I guess it's not yet too late to make up for it.

I enjoyed the seafood buffet and most of all their dessert selections. Too bad that I had a late lunch and that is why I didn't got any chance to stuff my tummy more of the nice and colorful food. Well maybe next time.

I was busy capturing some experimental shots from my dear old point and shoot camera when Omar opened the table for his speech. He thanked everyone for making his 5 years stay in Qatar bearable, enjoyable and most of all memorable. He never expected to be here that long but his dream of becoming a doctor is far more important to him than being an ambulance driver forever. He's glad he's leaving but also sad to leave behind good friends who were with him through thick and thin. Mars, Lauren and I will miss you bro! See you sometime in June 2011.

Marhaba

Marhaba is an Arabic word which means hello! Once again after a very long hiatus, I'm saying marhaba to my blog. I've been caught up with so many things which made me less and less mindful of this space I call my own. In here, I can post whatever comes into my mind and nobody can interrupt while the trail of words come one after the other. I really don't know where the sudden enthusiasm came from. Might be due to boredom? Or probably my need to spill out some of the thoughts that run through my head these days. Or probably just because of plain nothingness, I call "trip trip lang". Bottom line is, I'm writing again. In the coming days, I plan to resurface above the waters and once again breath in fresh air which might somehow bring lucidness to my world.