Strike a pose!

This is a result of having not much to do on a cold and rainy day. Theme: nabiyaan si lola sa trisikad! lol

Shilly-shally (Shinallan bah???)

Last night, the movie Lions for Lambs triggered my introspection about many concerns – politics, war, and most all – the issue of making a decision. This is one of the many lines that got me into thinking:

"Professor Stephen Malley: The decisions you make now, bud, can't be changed but with years and years of hard work to redo it... And in those years you become something different. Everybody does as the time passes. You get married, you get into debt... But you're never gonna be the same person you are right now. And promise and potential... It's very fickle, and it just might not be there anymore."

Promise. Potential. Fickleness. Decision. Ahhhhh….bull's eye!

I’ve been here and there in all the four corners of my mind and my brain is going into overdrive as to where am I going. My fickle-mindedness has been annoying me since time immemorial that’s why I’m dragging my feet heavily because I don’t want to jump into a decision unless I’m pretty sure that I left no stone unturned in coming up a choice. This is major, major, major! Whichever way I go, I’m going back to square one.

To some extent, I can say that having no choice is easier because you have to do what you have to do…but I’m not complaining. It’s just complicated but still, having options is without a shred of doubt, favorable.

Darn! It’s tough to be at sea and in uncharted waters. Sink or swim. Of course, I’m choosing the latter but I’m in a quandary of doing butterfly, freestyle or breast stroke. As of the moment, I’m just floating and going nowhere. Tagai ra gud ko ug salva-vida beh! Kakapoy bya!

I know I shouldn’t shilly-shally nor dwell on this floating status for too long. Unsa may akong gihuwat? Pasko??? Hinoon, dool naman…Seriously, I’m incredibly guilt stricken for choosing the easiest way – that is, doing nothing! tsk tsk

Somebody…stop me!

O-Hole

I always hear that NZ has a great deal of ozone depletion but I haven’t really bothered to look at the reason why. My languid mind just hurriedly hypothesized that the world’s pollution resulted it. Been a bit passive about this matter until this morning when I read the news:

"Ozone hole biggest on record this year"

Instantaneously, it ignited my curiosity…BIGGEST hole as in??? I googled about the matter at once! I’ve learned that ozone hole is actually a seasonal incident that occurs in the earth's atmosphere above Antarctica. And since it's practically our neighbor, NZ is also affected. This is how our planet looks like on September to December (spring to early summer):

Despicably, this can cause:

• Skin cancer
• Eye damage such as cataracts
• Immune system damage
• Reduction in phytoplankton in the oceans that forms the basis of all marine food chains including those in Antarctica.
• Damage to the DNA in various life-forms

What instigated this?

Correct if I’m wrong, I think my hypothesis is apparently accepted at 0.05 alpha hehe (I dread statistics). I only have very limited knowledge of chemistry but I can see some carbon chuchu that must have initiated this. My low-voltage brainpower cannot reliably decipher the mind-boggling jargons that detailed the phenomenon so read here for more info if you’re keen about it. If you happen to translate those lingoes into a layman’s term, please do share it. I certainly need a brilliant mind like yours to tell me WHY that “hole” happens here when I know for sure that NZ is an environment buff: our garbage won’t be picked up if it’s not properly segregated in the color-coded bins; cars should pass a strict emission test every 6 months; you can also see the very obvious green surrounding and smell the clean air – I should know how pure the air is because I used to have upper respiratory problems (triggered by fumes and dust in Pinas) that didn’t bother me since I arrived here (TG). And Antartica? No person even lives there! Don’t tell me the penguins are the culprits. Baloney!

For crying out loud! WHYYYYY isn’t the hole directly located over the regions that emit most of the smog like Peru, Russia or China (based on National Geographic’s 10 Most Polluted Places). This is like paying for someone else’s debt! It’s soooo unfair I should rant and rave!!!

The scenic beauty of NZ is indubitable and whatta shame if we can’t fully enjoy the outdoors because that o-hole inevitably concerns us too. Haaayyyy sunscreen and dark sunglasses galore nalang mi ani but what about the other life-forms here???

Grrrrrr…**at wits’ end**

My swallowing blues and first ambulance ride

Last week, after taking a large tablet, I felt it “stuck” in my chest. I have had a tablet-gagging experience before but not like this. This time, it was intense and progressing... As time passed, the pain increased and radiated to my back; it hurt when I moved, shallowed or inhaled. I tried to stay calm, breathed deeply…Yet, despite the attempt to compose myself, I felt my heart beating fast, really fast. Fright was overriding me already. In my mind, I thought of calling emergency if it won’t get better after 10 minutes. At such bad timing, the cordless phone was dead; the battery went out because it wasn’t placed properly overnight. My mobile got no enough load to call either (I rarely use it now). I needed to walk out of the house and get the other phone in our stock room. Slowly, I managed to get it. All the while, the pain endured and so I decided to call 111. Talking made me more uncomfortable so I hang up the phone without much ado and quickly called hubby too. I briefly told him about my condition and said “I love you” which got me really teary-eyed. I questioned: Is this it, Lord? To my surprise, I didn’t panic nor resist. Call it faith or whatever, but the thought of surrendering to His will made me at peace. After 10 minutes, the ambulance came. They monitored my vital signs on our way to the hospital. My legs were wobbly but there was a great relief because oxygen in my blood was fine and my heart was beating fast but steadily. I reckon that I might have choked big time.

To cut to the chase, after 2 hours (definitely, not a short while) of pain, and x-ray exam, the pain gradually vanished. The doctor said it was kind of strange but the good news was: I’m alright…still alive and kicking =) Thank you, Lord.

Another similar but less painful incident happened again tonight with the same tablet. **darn!** Certainly, it is happening while I am writing this but I calmed myself and am waiting for it to disappear so I can have a goodnight sleep. It’s past 1am already =( **sigh**

Goodness! I guess I am ridiculously babyish or freaky to have a tablet-swallowing problem at my age. Oh pleeeeaaasseee don’t laugh at me. I’ve been trying to subjugate my psyche because I know it’s all in the mind – just plain neurosis. I’ve just read about “phagophobia” or fear of swallowing (a psychogenic dysphagia) and I think this is its milder kind. I learned that when I get nervous, the muscles of the neck and throat tense up too thus, enabling this gag reflex.

For many years, I’ve been inconsistent in my attempt to overcome this fear huhu. I can’t recall why or what triggered this trouble. This silly part of me is sooooo enduring tsk tsk

Tomorrow, I’ll try that banana trick. I hope it will work hhhmmmm…**crossing my fingers**

Unpredictable

I woke up with clear blue skies. I thought it was going to be a perfect day until suddenly (as in superduper unexpected), hail was falling like mad. Hmmmm for a moment, I thought winter was over...maybe not =(

it's raining...ice hmmmm

after 15 minutes the sky is clear again

Haaayyyy...ano ba talaga, kuya?

Winter and Spring

Winter is officially NOT my cup of tea. Gloomy, cold, wet and the nasty flu is about everywhere. I got red marks surviving it. Most of the time, I was awfully lethargic and I inevitably brought the weather everywhere I went **sigh**...My first winter was truly dreadful but I aspire to weather the “storm” next time. I certainly would not want to be labeled with Seasonal Affective Disorder (winter depression) so I must rise to the occasion hehe.

Thankfully, the gloominess of the sky is gradually bringing back its bluish color and the vivid hues of the surrounding are emerging. Yahooo!!! It’s officially springtime here. Now I know what it really means when you say I am full of the joys of spring =D

While putting away my winter clothes, I’m also ditching Ms. Misery! Impromtu!

Goodbye winter, hello spring!

Ready to go PRO hehe

Exploring my knack (feel na feel ko naa koy talent haha; feeling lang) in photography was made possible by hubby’s enduring support of my always-finding-something-new-to-do self. We purchased a high-end point and shoot camera a few months ago. I rejected the urge to buy a DSLR because I thought it was overly ambitious to abruptly shift from digital compact camera to DSLR. Aside from the fact that I wasn’t sure if I really have the ability to take awesome photos, there is a $400-500 price difference from what I wanted as well. Hence, we settled for a Canon Powershot S5 IS.

For a moment, I thought I made the right decision but to my dismay, I humbly admit my regrets for not listening to D’s opinion (he should have insisted harhar). I mean yes, it’s a really good camera but after discovering my flair (trying hard) in taking photos, I’ve wanted to do more. My present camera is a disappointment already because of its limited features. If I will sell this in TradeMe (counterpart of ebay in US), I will probably lose around $300 because it’s 2nd hand already. Money spent and lost equals a new DSLR **sigh** if I only listened to hubby…well, lesson learned hehe =D

Now, I’m drooling for Nikon’s entry level D60 that hubby believes I’ll get tired again sooner because of its inadequate features (again?). He is suggesting that I’ll get the mid-level D80 and I sooo get his point therefore I concur; no more qualms about it hehe. But with its whopping price, I feel quite silly to splurge for my hobby and so I am unwearyingly waiting for the price to go down as Nikon just released its new version – the new and improved kickass D90. I wonder when it will be available here in NZ. Perhaps two years later waaaahhhh I hope not! Please lang!

As of now, I’m fidgeting to jump on the DSLR bandwagon…hmmmm patience, patience, please abound =D

Housing in NZ

I dreamt of buying a house as soon as we get settled here in NZ. Based on my research, NZ has a high percentage of homeowners so I thought that houses are affordable. Well, reality-check, not anymore!!! The influx of immigrants made the value of properties twice as much for the past 5 years. Of course, supply and demand is basic economics so go figure. Although recently, there has been a price slash caused by the dollar depreciation or whatever but the interest for home loans is increasing too. So, it’s still the same story.

Nevertheless, my sister and I tried browsing for some prospect homes because we’re simply pathetic dreamers hehe. And for months of house hunting (kinda window shopping lang), here are my findings:

1. Most houses are old as 40years or more and the designs are not appealing at all. Look!!!

These four houses are the very common "brick-and-tile" homes here. You see it everywhere as if they only have one architect here in NZ before haha! They are called "units" (like duplex) so the land isn't yours alone. Prices for these houses range from $320,000-$400,000 depending on the size/location.

Also very common here are these weatherboard/hardiplank houses which are newer compared to the brick-and-tile style but less durable. Prices are more or less the same.

What do you think??? Omigolly! my dream would turn out to be a nightmare if I spend 30 years of my life paying a monthly amortization of $3000-5000 for one of these unsightly houses (excluding other expenses like property tax, repairs, etc). In short, soooo not worth it!!!

2. Newer or nicer houses usually cost a whopping price of half to a million dollars. Apparently, we can’t afford that!

3. Other nicer houses that are affordable are found in the far-flung or "unsafe" (a la Bronx) areas. Thanks but no thanks!

Hence, this leaves us one choice: stay in the fantasy of owning a house until further notice. Wish the government’s plan to make housing affordable will push through soon or else the exodus of NZ citizens will never end. Living in this magnificent place is becoming more and more expensive now. If this trend continues, perhaps NZ will become the dreamland of the rich only =(