lovewilltravel

Bonjour 2016!

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn) — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 02:34:00 +0000

2016 is Year of the Monkey! My year! Whoo hoo! The New Year starts a bit earlier, so I am excited about that. Us Monkey's we can't wait to get the party started!

The Monkeys own year begins on the 8th February 2016 and has the ability to a fantastic year for the Monkey. This year is looking especially promising for any Monkeys who have been feeling dissatisfied with the progress they have been making in recent years as things can soon turn around for them. In order to make this year as prosperous as it can be, the Monkey should begin the year considering all of their aspirations and visualise what they wish to achieve this year.

Goals. Yep, listing them as we write. I didn't realize what a tough year I had in 2015. As soon as things began to take off for me in 2015 after sloughing off all the bad juju I could not wait for things to leap for me. The reality set in and figured I was not quite sure how I would go about leaping. I needed strategy, guidance and experience. I guess I also need opportunity. I need to revisit my goals. I really do need to reflect and realize what it is that I want for myself. It's so much easier to put things off when things are already so great for you. The lesson that I've learned so far is not to be complacent. Complacency is a disease.

Once the Monkey has goals to reach, things can soon come together. The Monkey can receive a great deal of support and should be open to the criticism and advice of others as this can work in their favour. The Monkey is going to need to practice good communicational skills with others this year as to go at something alone could cause the Monkey to feel isolated and will not turn out to be productive. The Monkeys work life this year can see a lot of opportunities and there will be many Monkeys who have been long overdue a promotion which will come for some this year. Some Monkeys may be given the offer to move to another branch this year and if they feel this is of interest to them, they should consider it as a new location could help them advance quickly in the work place. There may be many opportunities for the Monkey to develop their skills and advance in their career if they are motivated. Those who feel that this is a year for change in the workplace and feel their talents would be put to better use and also those who are looking for work in general should be able to secure a good job this year. The Monkey will need to consider alternative areas that they can put their skills to use as this will greatly increase their chances; the end result should see the Monkey in a position they are happy with or can advance from quickly. There will also be some Monkeys who decide to start their own business this year and they would be wise to take professional advice as this should help things happen a lot quicker. The Monkey will also have to take care and spend time reading over paperwork and contracts before signing anything. The progress that the Monkey makes at work can help financially and there will be some who find a way to put their personal skills to use and bring additional income in.

According to this I should expect big career changes. Unsure what there could be. It's possible that there might be an opportunity for me to move locations/jobs should the perfect situation arise. As far as a promotion, unsure if there is even an opportunity out there. There are so many possibilities unsure what exactly is meant out of this. Growth is the key indicator here. I do plan to keep my head down and think of strategies of growth.

With additional income, it may be tempting for the Monkey to make some new purchases, that they have been putting off for a while now and with research, they can accumulate some good purchases at a good price. This is a good year for the Monkey to set some money aside for the future as this will help in future years and the years influence can help them get the ball rolling. Personal interests and hobbies that the Monkey enjoys can develop at a satisfying rate and they should try to dedicate some free time to this when possible. The Monkey should consider taking up an exercise programme alongside a healthier diet if they do not already do so as this will prove to be a good investment for their future. Travel is also looking promising for the Monkey and any Monkeys who have been looking to take a trip somewhere in particular should try to achieve this if possible. Early planning can help the Monkey achieve a lot. The Monkeys social life is looking to be an area of considerable activity with great demand for their time from others.

So much in store for me this year. I do plan on travel soon. I am setting aside money for a large purchase soon. I do plan to spend more time on my hobbies. Lots of plans indeed!

The Monkey may have a close friend approach them for advice and will be able to offer their wisdom with good help due to their understanding nature. The Monkey should also seek help and advice from others when unsure of something as this will help solve a lot of problems this year.

So far I decided that I do not want to be one to give advice. Lesson learned. Those who seek advice do not take it. HAH. And it can be very frustrating for a controlling person like me. It's hard to give the advice, see it not taken and then watch the person crash and burn. Only to have that person turn around and say, "You were right." It does nothing to my ego that they tell me I'm right. It hurts more that they didn't take the advice to sought after. One of my resolutions this year is to listen. Listen and ask them questions that reflect their situation. Simply that. Listen.

The Monkeys home life will also see a great deal of activity with many Monkeys looking to achieve some ambitious plans around the household although they will need to practise good communicational skills with others in the home to make sure everyone is happy to go ahead with their plans. The Monkey can suggest some good activities for their family and will delight in the times they spend with family members. Overall, the Monkey can do very well in their own year and will have a lot to look forward to. Have a fantastic year of the Monkey.

Hoping that all this activity at home will go smoothly. Hoping my skills in event and trip planning will help me in this department. Here is to an awesome and prosperous Year of the Monkey!

Au Revoir 2015

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn) — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 10:01:00 +0000

A few more weeks left in 2015. I can't believe we've gotten here so quickly. The years seem to flash by. In the last few blog posts I've only been able to update annually and it's always in reflection of the year. Let's keep with tradition and look back on the 2015 horoscope:

The year of the Goat starts on 19th February 2015 and is looking to be a mixed year for the Monkey. Certain areas of the Monkeys life will be very good where certain areas will require so care and attention so please do read on for more. Luckily, the Monkey is very smart and intuitive and with a bit of care and planning, they should be able to avoid a lot of problems in the year of the Goat and make the best out of a bad situation.

I'd like to think I did dodge a few bullets this year. I did notice that every time I was near people with negative energy it seemed to suck the life out of me. I learned a new term, "emotional vampire". They are these people who like to suck the emotions out of you and sadly I came across a few of them in 2015. Funny thing is, as soon as the year of the Goat started I immediately let a so-called "friend" go. It surprised me because I was very close to this person in a short period of time and even at one point felt as though they were my best friend. Some of my old friends questioned my friendship with this person and I knew that this person needed some work but I thought they would outgrow it. In any case, the person was draining my energy, my emotions and my sanity. I didn't want to keep this person as a friend because I felt like all this negativity was weighing me down and I didn't want to be brought down because so many other aspects of my life were doing so well.

The Monkeys career prospects are looking very good this year and there will be opportunities for the Monkey to showcase their talents during the year of the Goat and gain the respect of their peers through tasks and projects being given to them so do not shy away from extra responsibilities this year. For Monkeys looking for a different position or those looking for work in general, the year of the Goat can bring some fantastic opportunities and by making inquiries and taking on a positive attitude to finding work could bring some great opportunities in to the Monkeys career life this year which could turn out to be long standing and very rewarding.

The key phrase in the previous paragraph is "positive attitude". In hindsight, if I hadn't let go of some of the negative people in my life I wouldn't have been able to maintain my positive attitude. Despite the many challenges I did face, many things did work in my favor. I remained professional. I maintained my composure. I assured I spoke to people about my feelings and my concerns. I made sure that I focused on the good of the business not on what I go out of it. I learned a lot about others and myself. In terms of my expectations of others, that's another story. This was by far one of the most challenging years in my life albeit successful.

Finances are going to need quite a lot of care and attention in 2015. Care and strict control will need to be applied to finances this year so please be sure to keep a close eye on spending and avoid any major outgoings without speaking to a professional first and always check the Tong Shu Almanac for the best dates for big purchases. When signing documents or paperwork, please always remember to read through thoroughly and always read the small print as missing out on fine print may lead to later problems. Although finances are not looking great for the Monkey in the year of the Goat, travel can be a very rewarding aspect of the Monkeys life and some money should be set aside for this if possible; the Monkey can benefit from researching deals and offers before committing their money to a holiday. A good way to make the most of travel is with friends or loved ones; the journey does not have to be across the world as a trip in the same country can still greatly benefit the Monkey this year. The Monkeys talents and hobbies can serve them well this year as they can enjoy spending time on what makes them happy which will also provide time out to relax and enjoy time on their own or with others. The year of the Goat favours creativity and by making the most of talents, the Monkey could find a way to use this to bring in extra funding.

I am probably considered a fanatic about finances and budgeting. This paragraph sort of surprised me because I thought that was a common trait of Monkeys or is it a Capricorn thing? Unsure. What I will say is that I've been blessed and fortunate to have been able to travel internationally this year. And a second time in a few weeks!

Another area that will require care in 2015 is health and the Monkey would benefit from dedicating time to keep a relatively healthy diet and get some exercise to stay active; while this may not be the best year for financial investments, the Monkey should invest in their health and wellbeing. The Monkey will have a busy social calendar throughout the year of the Goat but they will need to be careful to avoid arguments and disagreements this year as a small disagreement could soon turn in to something much bigger; this goes for all aspects of the Monkeys life including work, love life and more. The Monkey will have many good times with friends, family and loved ones throughout the year so it’s not all bad news. The Monkeys home life should be busy this year and as I said above, they will need to take care not to upset others and try to avoid arguments and disagreements and the best solution is to talk through them so try to take a deep breath in moments of anger and try to resolve problems before they become serious. Travel can be very beneficial for the Monkey this year and especially so with family. Overall, the year of the Goat will require some care in certain areas of the Monkeys life although there will also be some particularly good parts of the Monkeys life that will counterbalance this. The Monkey should be able to overcome a lot of problems this year although please be careful with finances this year as this will require some care and attention. Have a fantastic year of the Goat.

This final paragraph scares me a bit and I think I will spend less than I intend on this trip. Having a hefty buffer is always good practice. As far as disagreements and arguments. I did have a colleague that I did not get on well with. This person was very nice but not always agreeable. They were very stubborn and set in their ways. It did not seem to me that they were willing to work hard in their role. They seemed to be the type of person that was complacent and did not want to work harder than they though they needed to. I feel that when you're new to a company you should work hard to gain your colleagues trust and respect. This person did not seem to agree with that work ethic. They demanded respect from the start and they never proved themselves during their tenure. I tried my best to avoid conflict with this person. I kept my judgements to myself and allowed others to figure it out on their own. In the end the person saw themselves out. I did not think much in terms of their skills. They were very basic and did not seem to care about anything aside themselves. I'm glad having survived that experience because it was difficult for a Monkey like me to keep my mouth shut. Glad things worked out for the best.

After reading this fortune I realize that it was definitely a tough year. Out of all the negative rubble so much good came out of it. I always try to see the positive and smile at having survived through so much negative.

Good bye 2015. Happy to look forward to 2016.

Hello 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn) — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 16:36:00 +0000

So, we are halfway into the new year. But according to the Chinese calendar our year is just starting. Last year, I posted The Year of the Snake prediction so it's only fitting to post The Year of the Horse from tarot.com:

In general, "you snooze, you lose" could be the action-oriented Horse's motto. Furthermore, dishonesty and injustice may backfire spectacularly this Chinese New Year. The forthright Horse does not reward those who achieve their goals through underhanded methods.

The Wood element is ambitious, assertive and heroic. By aiming high this Chinese New Year, you can achieve much more than you ever dreamed. Settling for second best and sitting on the sidelines may result in terrible disappointment.

In a Wood year, you'll fare better by working to improve your life, rather than trying to maintain the status quo. Apply for jobs that pay more, afford greater satisfaction and offer more leisure time. Demand more from your romantic partner, and don't tolerate shoddy behavior.

Horse years are wonderful times to expand horizons, explore unfamiliar territory and get plenty of mental stimulation. If you've been thinking about taking or teaching a class, this would be a wonderful time to do so. Learning a foreign language and mastering a musical instrument are also favored activities in 2014. Beware of biting off more than you can chew, however, because Horse years can prompt people to overestimate their abilities.

Since we are half-way into this year, I think it is safe to say that most of this has come to fruition. I aimed high and achieved. I had a dream job in mind for months and this was it. This is what I always wanted in a company, this is always what I wanted in a group of people to work with, this is always what I wanted in the my role in a company. I couldn't ask for anything more. I'm absolutely thrilled with working for my new company. I can't wait to continue growing in this role and what my future holds with this company. Hater can go ahead and hate, but I have everything that I wanted in this job and all the good that comes with it.

Looking Back At 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn) — Thu, 15 May 2014 06:39:00 +0000

My last blog post was in February 2013. At that point, the Year of the Snake was slithering its way into our lives. I read a prediction for the New Year, which can be so vague and general:

"Look for holes in the loop. A new-found ambition to greatness will inspire you to be all you can be, and provide you with the follow through to actually achieve your goals."

What does any of that mean? Well my goal was to better myself career-wise. So, then I secretly looked for a new job. People around me were getting promoted, finding better jobs and overall felt far more content than I did. I felt safe in my job, but I was unhappy and dissatisfied. I knew I had to leave because I could feel the nepotism burning a hole in my pocket. My envy in 2012 was getting the best of me in 2013. My hole was the mistreatment I felt. My hole was realizing my self worth. So, I left.

It felt good to leave. Once I got there, it was a different story:

"The Snake likes protection, needs to feel safe and secure to utilize its special analytical skills. This is the year to make headway in slow and methodical ways. Things will definitely be accomplished as you focus forward."

I felt safe, this was my comfort zone. I knew how to do this. I knew how to own it and run with it. But was I happy? Was I satisfied? No. But I kept making excuses to stay. I made a promise, so I decided to stick with it.

At the end of the year, our boss decided to leave for another office. Bigger, better opportunity meant more money and responsibilities. In came our new boss and so did a new me.

"This is the year to make headway in slow and methodical ways. Things will definitely be accomplished as you focus forward."

I realized a new me under this regime. I felt empowered, I felt supported and backed up. This is the type of person who should be leading us to success. This new me wasn't going to take bullshit from no one. The more I realized that I wanted something better for myself the more focused I became. I began to say, "No" more. I realized my strengths and weaknesses. I learned to stop being afraid of things. I learned to ask for what I want instead of expecting it. I became stronger by the end of the year and I love this new me. Onward to 2014.

Fast Feast Revisted

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn) — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 20:18:00 +0000

Just recently visited my dentist this weekend and he told me started the Fast Feast Diet a month ago. I told me I looked skinnier. I definitely don't feel as though I do. Maybe from months ago, which would make sense but I haven't tried to keep off the pounds. His approach to the diet is different from what I was doing, which was the 3/5 rule. He instead was fasting on a daily basis. When you fast on a daily basis you can decide on any time of the day to "feast", for him he decided to feast at the end of the day by 4PM. He said that he lost lots of weight, his belly has shrunken and he feels less bloated. I would say, that yes this IS the effects of fasting. You do feel less bloated and after the first week, possibly first few days, you feel more energetic. It's an unusual and surprising effect.

I don't know if I'll end up doing the Fast Feast Diet again, but he did say that the way I was doing it was far more difficult. Which would explain why I failed miserably at it. What I do intend to do is go on a diet. I'm working on it, not perfect.

Toward the end of the week, I rejoined a gym, I had an apple for breakfast and for lunch. I picked up a bag of apples yesterday and some oatmeal. This morning I had, coffee, apple and oatmeal for breakfast. Then I broke and had a left over donut from yesterday. Told you, I'm not perfect.

I was able to put in a 30 min/1 mile walk around the neighborhood with my dog. It's good exercise for her and an excuse for me to get in some sort of cardio. I do hope to make it to the gym later on this afternoon. It'll be less crowded because today also happens to be Superbowl Sunday and the 49ers will be playing that same afternoon.

Here I am, on my way to a healthier me. I'm not exactly sure how I'll be going about it, but one way or another I have a goal. That goal is to fit in my clothes better and to walk around feeling lighter, more confident and happier. Other than that, I'm not exactly sure if I'll be focusing on a weight just quite yet.

The lightest I remember ever being is 103lbs, I met Jason at 112lbs and thought at my fattest I was at 118lbs. Now, I'm well beyond that. I'm unsure where I'm at. Possibly near 120-130lbs? If I could at least be 118lbs, I'll be happy. I do know that if I was at 118lbs I'd want to go lower to 110lbs. Which is always the hardest 10lbs to lose. I'd love to be at a round 110lbs. I'll be at an average weight. Even at 103lbs, that wasn't even below average for my height. I'm just so short, it's hard to even say what's AVERAGE for me because either way I'll look like a waif.

But here's to my road to a healthier me!

Happy 3rd Birthday Chloe!

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn) — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 23:46:00 +0000

Chloe is and has been the sweetest blessing in OUR lives. She has touch each of our hearts by being the kindest soul. When Jason first met Chloe, his heart melted. It was love at first sight. They haven't left each other's side since day one. My mother has always been afraid of dogs. But because of Chloe's sweet and calm nature, my mother has overcome that fear. Fittingly enough, Chloe came into our lives a year after we lost an important member of our family: my grandfather Cayo. I never noticed until months after that we choose a name for the new addition that also started with a C. She has my grandfather's kind spirit that we all loved among other things which remind me of him. The relationship between Chloe and my father is a bond that no man, woman or child could replicate. She has loved my father unconditionally. My father, lost his father and Chloe helped him heal from the pain and separation. It's been a blessing having her little heart love ours.

Since Chloe is a Rescue dog, we didn't know exactly how old she was. The animal shelter assumed she was about 4 months old. So, we counted it backwards to January as being her birth month. At this point, we could choose any day to be her birthday. The question begged to be answered, which day do we choose? I was born on January 10th, Jason was born on February 5th. Since Jason and I had always felt this strong connection with each other and now Chloe, it only made sense to use the day that was our halfway mark: January 23rd.

From that point on, we have always celebrated Chloe's Birthday on this day. Just yesterday marked her 3rd birthday. I can't believe she's getting older each day and that one day she will no longer be with us. I adore her to bits! I'm just glad that my friend Jackie helped me to get her. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have Chloe in my life. It really was my friend's persistence that helped us. When we arrived at the shelter there was already a family ready to take her home. Luckily for me, my friend called in to let them know that we were on our way to pick her up. It was an opportunity of a lifetime that will never present itself again. I'm truly blessed.

Happy 2013!

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 19:43:00 +0000

2013 is starting off to be a happy year. Unfortunately, we didn't do anything fantastic for NYE. Just a very ho-hum type of evening. We almost fell asleep during the ball drop. It was pitiful in my opinion. But I had a wonderful lunch with a good girlfriend that afternoon, so not completely lost.

I hope that my day's events doesn't reflect what is to come for 2013. 2012 wasn't too kind and we started off with a bang by having NYE in Las Vegas. Good times. So, I guess it doesn't really mean anything does it?

2013 will be the Year of the Snake. Snakes scare me, so I'm sincerely hoping it will be a great year! Let's just get some info of what we can expect this year. From hanban.com:

The 2013 Snake of year has ability to read complicated situation quickly in a controlled manner which is good for business. Signing documents of any kind requires very thorough attention. 2013 horoscope predict it is a good year to begin important detail work. Research and investigation are supported. The Snake has sneaky energy that can be to your advantage. Look for the holes in the loop. A new-found ambition to greatness will inspire you to be all you can be, and provide you with the follow through to actually achieve your goals, And, 2013 year of the Snake also supports added responsibility,
But 2013 Snake need to watch for fanatical commitments since Snakes inclination to spend money quickly than earn them may produce tensions in personal relationships. Create a safe space to work from this 2013 year. The Snake likes protection, needs to feel safe and secure to utilize its special analytical skills. This is the year to make headway in slow and methodical ways. Things will definitely be accomplished as you focus forward.

It looks like to me that 2013 is a good year to put things into gear for 2014. It also seems like the year that people are spendthrift. So be careful about how you spend your money. I already see myself doing this. After my birthday, I already purchased a brand new 3D telly and a brand new pair of designer sunglasses. As much as I'm spending, I'm taking advantage of every opportunity to get some extra money. So bring it on universe!

As for everything else, things could use some changing in my life. I need new opportunities to catapult me. The economy is slowly coming back up here in California. We are hiring people left and right over here. I hope to carry on to new and better things soon. I hope the same for all of you too!

Fast Feast, Week 2 Day 6

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn) — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 21:25:00 +0000

Week 2 is closing in and I've got the results:

Monday 298/1200: -75% -75%

Tuesday 298/1200: -76% -151%

Wednesday 1128/1200: -6% -157%

Thursday 1182/1200: -1% -158%

Friday 1541/1200: 28% -130%

Compared to last week, I'm at about exactly where I should be. I pray I don't go lower than -34% for the rest of the week. Which would be more than last week.

Ideally I should be at -50% for the week. It looks like I can limit myself to going 40% of my daily calories for Saturday and Sunday. So 1680 cals a day for Saturday and Sunday.

For today, Saturday 732 cals for today. I have 468 cals for a 1200 calorie intake a day. For my ideal limitation of a 1680 calorie intake for today, I have 948 cals left for the day.

I do hope to stay within my calorie intake, so that I can continue to lose weight.

Wish me luck!

Fast Feast Week 2, Day 2

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn) — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 18:42:00 +0000

Today is my second and final day of fasting for this week. I haven't weighed myself yet, because as I mentioned yesterday I've been constipated.

I suspect it's because I haven't been drinking my Oolong Tea in a week. After learning that Oolong Tea speeds up your metabolism, I've been weary about drinking it during my fasts in fear of being hungry. But I guess the Oolong was helping me with my bowel movements since it's known for speeding up metabolism and for helping with slimming waistlines.

Unfortunately, for today I didn't bring any Oolong Tea. But instead I'm drinking Green Tea. Hopefully it'll help. There is also another tea by Bigelow called, "I Love Lemon Herb Tea" which contains rose hips, lemongrass, lemon peel, lemon verbena, peppermint leaves, and hibiscus. Luckily, Lemon Verbena has some of the same benefits as Oolong Tea. So, this should help my digestion for today.

It's 11:12am and I have had nothing to eat. So far, all I'm consuming is a Lemon & Green Tea mix I concocted in the breakroom. At around 12pm, I plan to have a bit of my intended breakfast. And when I return from my actual lunch, at around 3pm I plan on having my intended lunch.

Then of course, later on after work I plan to have my half chicken burger for dinner. On a feast day, a whole chicken burger is too much food. But a half chicken burger on a fast day feels like it just isn't enough. It's satisfying indeed, but I'm still hungry.

I kept busy yesterday evening to keep my mind off the hunger. When I began to feel light headed, I decided to lay down. When it came to go to sleep, I had difficulty sleeping. I went to be at about mid-night. At around 3am, I woke up and didn't return to bed until 5am. I woke up at 8:30am groggy. I feel fine now, but it's possible it's the Earl Grey I had all day yesterday that hindered my sleep. Fasting alone, affects my sleep so that didn't help me any.

I'll try to stick with Oolong Tea. But it speeds my metabolism so much that I tend to get hungry quicker during fast days.

First thing I thought of today was, I survived my first day of fasting this week. I can't believe it's already day 2. I can't wait until tomorrow to break my fast.

This same time last week, I suffered the last evening of my fast. I think that was all due to the fact I had cereal in the morning and it didn't stay in my system long enough. I thought carbs stayed in your system forever. hah But I guess for whole grains, not so much.

Yesterday was fairly easy. Mostly a liquid diet. Which keeps me satiated. Today, I assume will be much harder as it usually is.

I haven't quite decided yet if a 2 day a week fast is much more sufficient or easier than a 4 day a month fast. I've got 4 more weeks left of this diet.

Fast Feast Week 2, Day 1

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn) — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 19:36:00 +0000

So, I ended up over indulging over the weekend. This is how my week looked:

Monday: 298 (25% of daily cals)

Tuesday: 294 (25% of daily cals)

Wednesday: 1197 (100% of daily cals)

Thursday: 1182 (99% of daily cals)

Friday: 1518 (over 26% of daily cals)

Saturday: 1908 (over 59% of daily cals)

Sunday: 1582 (over 32% of daily cals)

For Monday and Tuesday I had a deficit of 75% of my daily intake. While on Friday, Saturday and Sunday I had an overage of an average of 39%.

You can break it down this way to get a better idea of what's going on:

Monday: -75% -75%

Tuesday: -75% -150%

Wednesday: 0% -150%

Thursday: -1% -151%

Friday: 26% -125%

Saturday: 59% -66%

Sunday: 32% -34%

TOTAL: -34% for the week

So the theory stated in the documentary: "Eat, Fast and Live Longer" was correct. On my feast day, I never compensate for my missing 75% completely. It's always just a little more.

Although I was really looking forward to Feasting on my feast days over the weekend. The meals weren't very satisfying.

On Wednesday, when I broke my fast I had a Protein Style cheeseburger from In-N-Out burger. I was trying to stay within my 1200 cal intake and feel indulged. It didn't work. It wasn't quite as satisfying as having a chicken burger on a thin Orowheat bun. Surprisingly.

On Friday, drinking alcohol was satisfying in a social aspect, but not as far as consuming. On Saturday our meals were so so. Even the pizza from Fresh & Easy was just OK, when I anticipated that it would be more exciting. On Sunday, Dim Sum was delicious, but not the satisfaction I was looking for.

We even got pies from our favorite pie joint in San Mateo, and that was a short-lived excitement. Over indulging, but short-lived.

I'm looking for that long-lasting satisfying meal. I'm finding them after a long morning of fasting and having a delicious meal at the end of the day.

I've also noticed that I've been constipated since Saturday. Sadly, whatever junk we've been eating hasn't been helping my bowel movements.

Well back to my fast today and hopefully I'll be able to cleanse. I've been really looking forward to today. And as far as Day 1. I'm doing fine. It's 12:33pm right now and all I've had for the day is hot tea.

I plan to have a half chicken burger today for dinner. I know I'll be greatly satisfied with that. I'm trying to prolong my hunger until the very last minute. I'll need some energy later when I have to walk for nearly an hour up stairs and across campus.

All I've brought with me is my Kale, Cucumber, Orange Juice and two baby nectarines. One nectarine for now and one for after. I hope! I can never tell how hungry I'll feel later.

I did notice though, that over the weekend I over-indulged because I was being satisfied by the foods I was eating. I'm sure I would have been satisfied with my healthier meals. But I figured, why not enjoy. I didn't enjoy.

Maybe I'll do this week different.

Fast Feast Day 5

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn) — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 19:40:00 +0000

I'm glad to say I survived the week. I forgot to also mention that I'm maintaining a 1200 cal diet during my feast days. I can consume as many calories as I'd like, but I decided to stick to a 1200 cal a day diet to help me lose 1 lb a week.

Considering that the host of, "Eat, Fast and Live Longer" lost 20 pounds in 6 weeks. Which is approximately 3 1/3 lbs a week. If I can lose approximately 2 lbs a week from fasting alone, I could possibly lose more pounds by maintaining the 1200 cals a day on my feast days I figured.

It turns out, I'm satisfied with my 1200 calories a day. In fact, it can be sometimes too much food. And I try to force myself to eat more.

Today, after a planned dinner, I'll still be in a deficit of 450 cals so I had to add on more food.

i mentioned how the feeling of hunger brought back some bad feelings from my past. When I feel hungry, it isn't as traumatizing. In fact, I feel excited to eat. And the longer I put it off, the more satisfied I feel when I eat.

I'm excited for the weekend. I don't plan on blogging. But I do plan to do so on Monday when I begin with my Fast again.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Fast Feast Day 4

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn) — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 20:39:00 +0000

This morning, I was fairly hungry. I decided to have my juice for breakfast this morning instead of cereal. I had Green Tea until I had lunch.

At around noon I was starving. I ended up eating a few grapes to keep me satiated. At about 1pm, I really had to have my meal and no later. For lunch I had Chicken Tikka Masala and Rice, only 350 cals. It was alright, but nothing great. It kept me full and craving my grapes. I hate half of the grapes I brought with me.

I noticed that I don't eat as much as I used to. It's nice to keep track of my calories but I can't imagine this forever just to keep my size.

I almost cannot wait to do my next fast on Monday. Only because I know that results for weight loss will be greater. I am almost getting addicted to losing weight.

As far as eating, I plan on going out to eat this weekend. Japanese on Saturday and hopefully Dim Sum on Sunday. At this point, I dont' know how I'll be able to track my Dim Sum meal on Sunday. But hopefully it won't be that difficult.

As far as keeping within calories for my day, I'm doing real good. Even though this is just day 2 of trying. I tell ya, it's just so much easier fasting. Nothing to record. HAHA!

Fast Feast Day 3

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn) — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 18:23:00 +0000

Today is Day 3 of my Fast Feast Diet of 2:5, two days of fasting and 5 days of feasting. Today is my first day to FEAST!

This morning I woke up at 7:30am, a lot later than the day before. I thought that I would wake up famished. Especially since I went to bed thinking of BLT's and cheeseburgers. But I woke up satiated. Not starving.

For breakfast, I had cereal. I brought my juice to work instead of drinking it first thing in the morning. I was going to use it as an emergency meal when I start getting real hungry.

From 6pm to 9pm was the toughest time for me last night. I finished my dinner at around 5pm and started to get hungry again at 6pm. I was considering having another 100 cals at 8pm. But I waited it out til 9pm. Then at 9pm I decided to try to go to bed. I didn't get to sleep until 10:30pm.

I was very surprised about feeling full this morning. I even considered that the next month I should do a 4 day fast and then eat the rest of the month.

But I'll stick to my plan for now of the 2:5 Diet.

I weighed myself and I'm currently 3 lbs lighter. No surprise there, I didn't eat anything for 2 days. Hardly.

The real results will be how much I weigh on Monday of next week.

Fast Feast Day 2

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn) — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 18:01:00 +0000

I ended up waking up this morning at 5:36am. I went to bed around 10:36pm. That's a good 7 hours. I just felt so much energy.

For the first two hours I stayed up drinking more Oolong Tea. Then I got ready for work. I made myself a bowl of cereal. Totaling to 145 cals. When I got to work I started to drink Green Tea. It's 10:22am right now and I'm on my second cup.

Last night before bed, I felt a bit heavy. As in fat. But I knew I wasn't gaining weight because all I had consumed was 300 cals. This morning, I felt lighter. My pants feel looser around the waist. But that could all be because of the Oolong Tea.

The benefits of Oolong Tea are a faster metabolism and a smaller waist size, according to Dr. Oz (Hidden Health Benefits of Tea).

So far so good today. I dont' feel famished, but that nagging urge to eat hasn't gone away. This morning at the break room as I was having my first cup of tea, I said I was hungry. But my stomach didn't agree. I wasn't physically hungry. Psychologically I was hungry because I was sitting in the break room and that's where the food is kept or warmed up to be eaten. And that's all it was. It was just an association to food that got me going.

I realized that throughout the day, I always ask myself, what am I going to eat next.

Years ago, back in 2007 when I was a size 1. I remember starving and being hungry. The guy I was living with at the time had food issues and never allowed me to keep food at the house in fear of him consuming it all. I remember making a meal for the evening and I'd have a small portion to myself and he'd eat the rest of it. Which was at least 3 portions. This always left me without any food to eat. So, I was always hungry. And all I can remember from being hungry, is sadness and helplessness. I never wanted to feel that way again.

Which is why, now, I have this odd problem about being hungry. I tend to get afraid and I get really stressed out. This Diet has really put things in a different perspective for me. Now, when I fast, I know that I'll always have food. It's just that, I choose to fast. Whereas, before I didn't have a choice.

I noticed so far, that today, I can't stop thinking what I'll break my fast with. In reality, I'll probably break my fast with a juice cocktail of Kale, Cucumber and OJ. Then it'll be my normal lunch I usually have. But it's the dinner that'll be a treat.

I haven't kept my mind off of burgers all day. My co-worker ingrained In-N-Out burger in my mind, but that just doesn't appeal to me. Then I thought about a Counter Burger, but it's just a tad too far for me. So, I settled on a halal burger from Tayyibat Meat & Grill in Milpitas. It's really just a Harris Ranch burger, but they make it for you and I'm sure it'll be delish! Mmmm cheese burger!

Fast Feast Day 1

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn) — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 17:19:00 +0000

So I decided to do the 5/2 Fast Feast Diet for the next 6 weeks.

My first 2 days I'll be fasting. I decided to do my fast on Monday and Tuesday. So that on Saturday and Sunday I can feast!

On the documentary, "Eat, Fast and Live Longer" doctors suggest to either do a complete fast or a light fast.

A complete fast would consist only of water. You can choose to drink tea and have an instant packet of soup. Our host decided to do 1 packet of Miso Soup a day with tea and water throughout.

A light fast would consist of a light and healthy meal once a day with tea and water throughout. For men, they must consume anywhere between 500-600 cals. Women can consume anywhere between 300-400 cals.

I'm cheating a little by splitting the calories in half. I'm just afraid of my body shutting down from hunger. So far, I've been quite comfortable with doing my fast this way. Maybe in the next few weeks I'll be able to handle a meal a day during my Fast Days.

Today I had a kale, cucumber and orange juice which was about 148 cals. Later in the day I had about 200g of grapes to give me 132 cals. At night, I had a bowl of clear Japanese broth that was only 5 cals. Later, I had a sweet tooth and decided to eat a small white nectarine to give me the rest of my 300 cals for the day.

I ended up sipping Oolong Tea for the rest of the night and all I could think of is food. I wasn't hungry though. I just had the urge to eat.

Overall, it wasn't so bad. After work, I couldn't wait til it was time for be so that I could start the second day of my Fast.

Fast Feast Diet...What Is It?

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn) — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 14:33:00 +0000

I heard about the Fast Feast Diet from my dentist. He told me about an episode of BBC Horizon he saw the other night about a man who went on a 3.5 day fast and then ate as he normally would the rest of the week. He went on to say that the man ended up eating more than he normally would the first day he broke his fast, but never compensated for the calories he would have consumed the previous day.

So let's say you normally consume 1800 calories a day. On your fast, you only consume 25% of those calories. Once you break your fast, you eat 110% of those calories, but never 175%.

During his fast, his blood glucose, his blood pressure and GF-1 hormone levels all decreased. The documentary of this diet focuses mainly on the GF-1 hormone. The growth factor hormone (GF-1), is what helps children grow taller and helps body builders build more size.

After puberty, most of us stop growing taller, but the growth factor hormone still remains. So, in light of this, researchers found that the growth factor hormone is still turned on in many adults and we continue to grow. Not taller, but in other directions. I suppose when we consume food, our body thinks we still need to grow and it begins to release the GF-1 hormone. But many of us don't need to continue growing. So how do we turn it off?

Well, the solution seems to be fasting. When you fast, your body goes into starvation mode and begins to use up the fat our body stores as fuel. When your body does this, it stops producing the GF-1 hormone.

Later, the host of the show does more research and finds that instead of a 3.5 fast he can do an alternate day fast which is the Fast then Feast Diet. Eventually, on a 6 week trial he and his doctor agree on a 6 week, 5/2 Diet. Which is basically, Feast for 5 days and Fast for 2.

At the end of his 6 weeks, not only was he able to maintain lower levels of blood glucose (which in the beginning he was border line diabetic), blood pressure (which he was taking medication to control), and GF-1 hormone.

In the documentary, they state that the GF-1 hormone can lead to cancer. For the host, more specifically Prostate Cancer.

To watch the documentary yourself, feel free to follow the link below for the BBC Horizon episode on Eat, Fast and Live Longer.

2011 In A Nutshell

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn) — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 05:14:00 +0000

So, what happened there 2011? Where did you go?

Well, 2011 was the year I turned 30. Jason took me out to Teatro ZinZanni right before they shut down the original location. The evening was most memorable and I loved every minute of it!

That was also the Christmas he purchased for me my first Tiffany charm. Our local Tiffany's was sold out so they had it shipped from the NY store. Yee!

That was also the year that I started to knit and crochet. I created lots of gifts for Christmas the next year. In fact, Jason's niece still wears the crocheted beret I made her.

2011 is also the year I started working at the school district as a secretary. I realized my calling. It has purpose and it exploits my skills.

2011 was also a year of waking up, finding out what my passion is, understanding my feelings and accepting struggle in order to just get through it. I would say, 2011 was my toughest year yet. I can see why I didn't want to record any of it. I had to live it and tell it later.

Shedding My Old Skin

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:10:00 +0000

Ah metaphors, how I love thee. Alright, so I changed the skin of my blogger page along with other changes. Such as finally importing my old Friendster blog. Granted, it has lots of old me but at the same time I couldn't just throw that away. It's my only window to my old world and it helps understand me. Plus I also have this blog about losing weight and I guess it wouldn't hurt to go back to that from time to time. (In case you're interested in reading it here's the hyperlink to that post: I've Reached My Goal)

I feel better about the change, I felt that the old skin isn't the me that I am now. Frankly, I'm a little disgusted by that old skin. I choose it because of the Frenchy title and well I felt at the time it suited the theme well. For those of you who need visual recall, here ya go:

I feel that the new skin has still the same feel, but less cheesy. And the pain of changing everything? Not only did I have to change the font color on all the posts of this blog, just so that it coordinated better, I also had to change the font color, the style and formatting of the posts that came from Friendster. What an effin' drag! Ugh! But I am so glad that I made the changes. I feel more balanced now. I'm sure there's an easier way to do this, but by the time I figure that crap out I'd be done doing it the old fashioned way. Ya, I'm old, sue me.

Anyhow, enjoy the new skin and enjoy the new adventures of me in 2010. Happy Tiger Year and what not.

Back from The Philippines Part II

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn) — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 20:22:00 +0000

So, as I mentioned in my previous blog we arrived at our next resort The Bohol Bee Farm.

Everything at the bee farm is organic and all of their products, including the food, are produced on the farm. We brought back Honey Banalina, some honey spread, and hand weaved bags as well.

My overall impression of the resort? Fantastic! The best resort we spent our whole vacation on. It was very quiet, relaxing and secluded. I would definitely return to the Bee Farm for another stay in the future. Aside from the relaxing atmosphere, they serve some fantastic food. Everything here, like I mentioned earlier, is organic. From the coffee to the ice cream. Everything. And did I mention that the coffee was delicious?! If you ever plan to visit the Philippines, I'd suggest drinking coffee while you're here. It'll help with the water retention and also, get lots of massages! The massages at the Bohol Bee Farm are affordable, it wasn't the best massage, but it was well worth what I paid for! So, no complaints here!

Here are the prices, not quite sure if they are current. I checked their website, www.boholbeefarm.com doesn't have their prices, but it's a great source of information of this great resort.

One of the most memorable experiences I had in the Philippines was my stay at the Bee Farm. I mentioned how the massage here was mediocre, but I failed to mention how peaceful I felt. The location for my "hilot" was overlooking the sea in a quiet little nipa hut, decorated beautifully with furniture made from wood and grass.

Another great unforgettable memory of the Bee Farm, was the food. I guess I'll start with breakfast. A waffle, piece of ham and a mini omelet. Served with orange juice and coffee. The breakfast was very simple, but also fulfilling. The orange juice was fresh and instead of maple syrup, they provided us with honey to pour on our waffle! Delicious! Also, the brown sugar was great. Just look at how beautiful it is. I regret not bringing any back from the Philippines. Next time I go, I'm definitely buying some to bring back home for my coffee!

Next, is lunch. Being enthusiastic about food, at this point my family caught on to what I was trying to do so they offered up all their dishes for me to take pictures of. Enjoy the food porn.

You'll notice the flowers on my salad, they're all edible! Don't ask me how, I missed the tour because of my massage where they explained all this... Dinner was also very similar to our lunch. Salad and your main course. We also decided to try the ice cream, pandan was my flavor. My bad, it tasted horrible because it was only pandan, no buko...duh lol. Plus, it wasn't sweet like I expected it to be. I'm sure if I tried the other flavors, I would've liked it more. But for some reason, I just wasn't in the mood to gorge.

The next natural transition of the catalog of my stay at the Bee Farm are pictures and descriptions of the resort grounds. Below is the picture tour of the resort, starting from my room to the dining area and the docks.

After our stay, we rushed off to our last resort on the trip, Bohol Divers Resort.

Bohol Divers Resort was definitely fancier than the Bee Farm. And they actually had free wi-fi, so that's always nice.

Above are some pictures of the resort. And below are pictures from the view in our room, showing you a better idea of what the resort looks like.

We enjoyed our time at Bohol Divers. The bar is a great place to go to get fresh smoothies. We loved the green mango smoothie the most. It's also where you can access the free wi-fi.

Our family and I did alot of walking down the beach to the other resorts. Lots of great things to see here. Like vendors selling knick-knacks and colorful seafood.

Beach combing was also great fun at Bohol Divers. White sandy beaches and lots of coral, shells and sea creatures to be seen on this island.

Mom, the aunties and uncles were all crazy about the balut! lol

And it wouldn't be the Philippines without bugs!

At Bohol Divers Resort, we took a tour to Angel Island for some snorkeling and dolphin watching! We had a delicious breakfast at the crack of dawn. Dried fish, longanisa and garlic friend rice. Mmmmm mmm!

Our snorkeling guide! He was crazy, he took us to the depths of the sea just to see some sea turtles and other creatures! It was quite an experience. I wish I had a camera that could take photos of the beautiful colorful fishes we saw. The water was so clear that from our boat you can see starfishes swimming at the shallow end of the ocean as we came closer to Angel Island.

As we arrived to Angel Island, we were greeted by locals who had freshly caught sea urchin. Finding creatures on the sand was endless here. We found sand dollars, crabs, sea urchins and even star fishes.

After our week long trip to the islands, we headed back to the province and spent another week with my father's family. Jason's mother joined us that week and we took her around Manila to check out Intramuros.

Can you believe this historical site is in the middle of Manila?

Once inside Fort Santiago, it feels like you walked into a time machine. You're immediately taken back to the times of Jose Rizal.

It's just amazing that this place is surrounded by a modern culture, I truly appreciate the fact that the Philippines has this historic treasure.

Among all the history, I happened upon a plumeria. It doesn't even look real, it's so perfect. My brother took that photo of me, quite the photographer wouldn't you say?

I enjoyed my two weeks in the Philippines. I can't wait to go back. I have a weird rule about not visiting a country a second time before checking off all the destinations on the bucket list, but I have a sneaking suspicion that I'll break that rule soon!

Back from The Philippines!

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn) — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 09:43:00 +0000

For a moment there, I wanted to name this post "Back from South East Asia!" lulz. I don't know why, it just had a better ring to it. I mean, isn't it weird that you have to add an article before the name of a country? Just think about it? How many countries are there that use an article, before the actual name of a country? Granted, The Philippines is short for The Philippine Islands but why be so difficult? Why can't it roll of the tongue without the article without sounding like a fob? The only other country, I could think of, that uses an article in its name is The UK...The United Kingdom but sadly, I like to just call it good ol' England! lol Anyhow, despite my banter and qualms with The Philippines I can say that the trip was long awaited and well worth it.

It was well worth it to see my family that I've never laid my eyes on before. We've seen photos of each other, we've heard each others voices over the phone. But never once have we breathed the same air, stepped foot into the same room, nor have we ever felt each others embrace.

The first long lost family member I met, was my maternal half-brother Raymond. Ah what to say about my Kuya Raymond, he's definitely the product of my mother's family.

I do at least wish he grew up with my father and then maybe some of those characteristics that I abhor so much from that side of the family would wash off over time. Git em' while they're young I tell ya! Whip em' into shape! He's a good man, with lots of potential. Did I also tell you he has 3 wonderful little girls. Their names are Patricia, Leanne and Leonora (haha after my mom! lulz) Below are pictures of the girls. The first one is myself with my goddaughter Patricia, the oldest. And the second one is of all three girls wearing the HK shirts I bought back for them from the US. (From L to R: Leonora, Leanne & Patricia)

The other family members I finally got to meet were my Auntie Lorna and Auntie Loleng. I don't have any pictures with Auntie Loleng, she's very camera shy. But I do have a picture of my Auntie Lorna and me in a tricycle, one of our many excursions with just the two of us. Most days we would wake up early in the morning, walking about a mile around Island Cove then picking up some hot pan de sal in Marulas or some kesong puti (carabao cheese wrapped in banana leaves) in Tabon.

My parents grew up in Kawit, Cavite which is about 15 miles south of Manila. We spent 1 week living in my grandfather's house in the barangay of Panamitan.

I wanted to always remember the road we took to get back home. I took pictures of the road we took from Manila to Kawit and of the walk we would take entering our compound to our front door. The house is on 23 Panamitan, the original address when my grandfather was still living there was 14 Panamitan.

Another thing that I remember the most of my trip out to the Philippines was the food. After we landed in Manila, my brother took us to a wet market in Pasay City where they had fresh seafood for us to choose from and a restaurant right behind the stand where they prepared the dishes for you any way you want it. (Photos from L to R: Wet Market, Lobster, Tiger Prawns, Seaweed, Fried Tiger Prawns, Prepared Seaweed, King Crab, and Roasted Chestnuts.)

We also had a chance to eat at another restaurant in Pasay City during our stay called Barbariba Grill. The food here was delicious! I heard of this place from my friend Reiann. Her family in the Philippines are restaurateurs and she highly suggested eating at her sister's restaurant Barbariba Grill. We ordered their shakes, chicken insanal, bbq grilled chicken, stuffed squid, kare kare and their bagoong rice (<---which was the bomb!) (Photos L to R: Green Mango Shake, Stuffed Squid & BBQ Grilled Chicken and Kare Kare.)

After our first night in the Philippines we jumped on another plane to fly out to Cebu for the Sinulog Festival and for a bit of island hopping. First stop, Cebu City Center. Our hotel was situated right outside where the huge Sinulog parade began. It started to rain a bit outside and the parade was delayed until it cleared up. The festivities had began while it was still cloudy out but the heat made it feel very humid.

The parade was still being delayed so my father, uncle Peping (Joey) and Jason walked along the parade route to see all the bright costumes and floats. Jason was able to get alot of pictures.

It also turns out that there were quite a few movie stars and celebrities that were part of the parade. We didn't see very many, but we did see one. We only knew they were celebrities when the women in the crowd screamed. By that time we were all upstairs in our hotel getting spa treatments. We didn't stay for most of the parade because it was a day long event. It started as early as 10am in the morning and went on until 6pm. It went on for miles. We only showed you photos that were probably 1/4 of the way through the parade. Below you'll see a photo of the one celebrity we saw: Cesar Montano

Soon after we drove over to Mactan Island and stayed at a resort called Plantation Bay. There was lots of other activities you could do at the resort, such as jetski, snorkle, scuba dive, a gun range, etc.

The resort also had a kalesa that we rode around the resort. Below you'll see a video of the whole resort as we ride on the kalesa. (Warning: a little bumpy)

The rooms at the resort were amazing. The views were just as beautiful too. (Photos from L to R: View from our window, me right in front of our window, and me right outside of our room.)

On top of their many amenities, Plantation Bay also had a spa where I got myself a facial. Their services were amazing, my skin looked bright with my pores refined. I thoroughly enjoyed their spa service here. Definitely one of the best. A little more pricey, but still cheaper than back home in the U.S.

After Cebu, we headed straight to Bohol. While waiting at the Port of Tagbilaran I saw a map of the island of Bohol and within it I found the town of Adlawan. Sadly we weren't able to drive through the town, but I was able to take a photo of the map for you all to see.

As soon we arrived on the island of Bohol we took a tour of all the landmarks of the island First stop was, A monument of The Blood Compact of Legazpi and Sikatuna. Next stop was, lunch on Rio Verde Floating Restaurant where they said some yummy Filipino food.

The view from the riverboat cruise was also very beautiful. Please see the photos below.

Then we headed to the Chocolate Hills and concluded the tour by finally seeing the famous Tarsiers.

After the tour, our guide drove us to our next resort Bohol Bee Farm. The experience at Bohol Bee Farm could be a blog post of its own. I'll continue on another blog of the rest of my trip in Bohol and more of the Philippines.

Click here to continue onto the next blog about The Philippines:
Back From The Philippines II

2009 Drawing to an End

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 07:47:00 +0000

Soon we'll all be saying goodbye to 2009. I'd love to say good riddance, but I lost some important people in my life during this year. In March, I lost my grandfather to Prostate Cancer. About two weeks ago one of the older cousins, Walter Vales died of a heart attack.

After losing two people that were once very close to me I realized how much we had drifted apart. I pushed them away and I didn't know why. I knew I loved my grandfather, but I was so afraid of losing him that I tried not to get too close to him after I found out he was diagnosed with cancer. I know it was opposite thinking, but it was very hard towards the end. I think the other cousins would agree with me. Every time we would be around him or if we would look into his eyes, he looked like he was about to cry. And sometimes, he would...and that was very hard.

I used to be around Kuya Walter when I was a little kid, always trying to tag along and be by his side. There was one incident that bothered me as a kid that I haven't shared with anyone, but after that, I had a really hard time staying close to him. But through the years, he always would find me and give me a big hug each time I saw him. He would always reassure me that he had my back and that he'd beat up any person who messed with me. Always the big brother, always the protector and always very thoughtful of others. I think he was like that with everyone he came across.

I wasn't like this just with family, but also with friends. In the past two years I made strides towards building relationships with people I was afraid to bond with. So far, so good. I'm closer with the people I distanced myself from. And as I get older, I try to find all the friends I once had. Through social networking sites I found old friends from elementary school, middle school and high school. It was nice to reconnect and see how their lives have been over the years. But it's hard to be involved in their lives after all these years because I feel so much like a stranger...

Working more towards building bonds will be part of my New Year's Resolution. Another goal I'd like to accomplish is to go to as many countries I can next year, hopefully without going to some of the countries I've already been to. I'll aim at 5-10 countries all visited by 2011. Possible a 1 week trip every 3 months? We'll see! I got to fill my passport up with stamps. Hopefully in my one trip out to the Philippines we'll be able to get a stamp from China...hopefully!

More later...

Cayo S. Adlawan

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 07:28:00 +0000

Published in the San Jose Mercury News on 4/4/2009

Cayo S. Adlawan died Mar. 30, 2009 of cancer, surrounded by the love of his family. He reunites with his wife Ester D. Adlawan; is survived by his children, Mario, Lina & Chris; grandchildren, Marlyncris, Geralyn, Paul, Esthermay, Charisse & Bren. Viewing: 4/8, 11am-9pm, Funeral: 4/9, 10am at Oak Hill Mortuary in SJ.

My grandfather passed on a Monday night. My dad called me right before I got off work and told me to come right to the hospital. I thought he was just rushed to emergency for being an acute illness. I didn't think this would be the last time I would see him. When I got there, he was already non-responsive. I was so sad that I missed his last words, that I missed the last time that I would look into his eyes, or the last time that he would feel my hand touch his.

I cried by his side, never once letting go of his cold hand. He was still breathing. My father was sadly hoping, but I knew that this was it. I saw him take his last breath and my heart was broken.

If there was anyone in my life that I wish lived forever, it would be my grandfather. He was like a father to me. I was always with him growing up as a little kid. As I got older, I would pray that he would be there to see me get married and have my first child. I don't know why, he's just so important to me. I remember for my cotillion, many people commented on the fact that I chose him to be the first person I danced with for my 18 roses instead of my dad. It's like he's my first father and my biological father is my second father. People on my grandfather's side of the family get so mixed up that sometimes they call my grandfather, my father. For instance, when they would tell me stories about my grandfather they would begin with, "Your father used to..."

For his memorial I created a poster to display near the guestbook as well as a slideshow. I promised my family that I would post the slideshow on YouTube so that family and friends from all over the world can view it. Here's the video:

The Latest

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 08:08:00 +0000

Hello World!

I've been MIA for awhile, yes I know. Even after getting the new iPhone, I've been so busy, I've hardly got the chance to keep in touch with anyone. It's 1:10am right now and I'm blogging. I took a nap as soon as I got home and woke up at around 9pm, so I'm buzzing with energy. I've been holding off on blogging because I have some pictures I want to post, but that'll take even more of my time and I want to keep everyone updated on what's going on! I'll blog more later with pictures.

First off, I'm suppose to get a root canal and my dentist has been preparing me for it for quite some time now. The actual procedure is suppose to be at the end of this month. Just yesterday I had to go in because I was having problems with the tooth and I just couldn't stand the pain any longer. The tooth was infected and my face was swollen, I looked like a chipmunk! Sorry, no pictures! LOL He ended up giving me a stronger antibiotic and that did the trick. Now, I'm not quite sure what he has in stored for me. I'm really sad that I have really bad teeth, wish I would've taken better care of my teeth in the past. But, it was difficult for me because I didn't have any dental insurance at the time.

Life in Northern California is difficult for many of us and I realized that while many of us choose the option to either work or go to school. The hype about school is outrageous. It's competitive out there. You've got to exercise your mind in school or in work. If you decide to go the school route, do it all the way...not halfway...all the way! Aim high and go for it! If you decide to do the work route, commit to it and focus on a career, even if you don't have an education.

Some employers, like working students because they feel as though they can't hire you for real cheap. So, being a part-time student has it's plus side. I would still try to take it easy on the school. Take 2-3 classes at most. Don't focus too much on how long it's going to take you, focus on your livlihood. Focus on what's happening in the world.

In the last ten years of my life, I've seen the economy go up and go down. I've seen folks who have gone to school with degrees in Biology and end up taking up careers in Accounting...I know people who went to school part-time, worked full-time in the technology field and learned their way up. I know a few people who actually work in the discipline that they studied in school, most of them, are engineers.

Sadly, everytime I decided to focus on school full-time, the economy has been good. Everytime I want to jump right back into the job market, the economy sucks. I just have really bad timing and planning. I'm learning though.

The job market is real bad right now and I sort of have some insight on how to get with the trend. One thing I have noticed, is a cut back on wages. So, if you're looking for work and your salary history was about $12/hour, cut that back and now people want to hire you for $9/hour...possibly back down to minimum wage. Depending on your experience, you might even be overqualified. Some people I know, adjust their resumes so that they don't seem to have that much experience just to get in there.

People are doing what they have to do to get the job they need in order to get by. With economic trends, there are rumors that we're finally bottoming out and things are getting better. I was skeptical of this at first, but now I believe there are improvements being made, it'll just be a bumpy ride and everyone just needs to hang on.

I watch CNN almost everyday and I get updated every few hours through Twitter, they seem to believe that the President is facing tougher issues than FDR had to face when he adopted the Great Depression from his predecessor. I hope that's not the case, I just think that the American people are being far too dramatic about this and the President is greatly sympathizing with their gripes.

What it also seems, is that there are lots of greedy people out there during this low time in the economy. People are scrambling to maintain their comfortable lifestyles and dare not to cut back. With people like those in our world, it'll make it difficult for our economy to survive it's current downfall.

There's very little room or time for socializing in my life, I'm trying to survive. Hopefully, these next 100 days will get better. Hopefully, my life will get back into order and I'll have the lifestyle I'm accustomed to. The past year has been a struggle and I thank all my close friends who have helped me get by.

Until next time...

Jason's Birthday!

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn) — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 07:12:00 +0000

Jason's birthday has always been a memorable event for me. I can recall last year's birthday I got him a birthday cake with 29 candles on his 28th birthday! LOL

This year I wanted to do something special. Jason isn't one to celebrate birthdays so I wanted to throw him a party minus the fuss. And what better way to do so by planning a surprise birthday party? I did all the planning, but I did get some help from our friends in order to pull the whole thing off. He had no clue what was going on. He though we were going to go out and have dinner then go dancing at one of our favorite hot spots.

Here's a pic of Jason walking into Firehouse No. 1 Bar & Grill and noticing all of his friends waiting for him at the back of the end of the bar.

This a pretty sloppy video of the actual surprise, but it's pretty awesome to see our friends show up for his birthday and show him some love on his day.

Jason had no clue that any of this was going on prior to the actual surprise. We even ran into one of his friends in the parking garage before walking into the bar. My eyes lit up and threw daggers with my stare, wondering at the same time why wasn't he inside with everyone else and hoping that he was able to lie well enough before Jason could catch on. It was quite hilarious. I wish I could've taken a picture of it for all of you to see. But, funny enough even that didn't throw Jason off. *sigh* What a relief that was.

I wasn't able to take a good picture of his cake this year, but here's a pretty good random shot of it. The purpose of this photo is to show you the picture of the 29 candles on his cake, just to show all of you that I got the year right this time!

The following pictures of all the friends that came out and showed some love on Jason's birthday! 1) Jason & Johnny, 2) Amy & Jason, 3) JM, Mikey & Jason, 4) Jason & Jason (lol), 5) Jason, Clinton & Alex 6) Me & Jason

Being that Jason's birthday fell on a Thursday night, lots of people ended going home early. But some of us stuck around and played a Korean drinking game which rightfully so ended the evening for Jason. Here's a video of the game:

Here are pictures of the aftermath. And just to be fair, Jason forced himself to throw up so he could go to sleep and wake up early the next morning for work. But success! I got him drunk and sadly, I couldn't resist taking the photo of him yacking LOL.

Overall, Jason was very thankful for the birthday party. It was nice to see him have such a great time with friends. I should've taken more pictures. There were lots of people missing from the photos. Thanks to all of you who showed up to share this day with him. Love you all! And also thanks to our friends who helped me pull the whole thing off: Phil & Vanessa. If it wasn't for you two, I wouldn't be able to make the party a success thanks for doing this for Jason.

The Dark Side

noreply@blogger.com (Marlyn) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:34:00 +0000

Alright, so I gave in, I joined. I noticed myself going on it almost on a daily once I got it. I think I was becoming obsessed with getting in touch with long lost friends. Then one long day while I was aimlessly searching, I couldn't find the people I was really hoping to get in touch with.

I started to get down and disappointed about it. So, then I got over the hype. I just ended up tightening up my privacy settings and called it a day.

I'd rather be Tweeting or Yelping in my opinion.

I just see it as a huge news feed on the going's on with everyone at school and sort of like a huge phone book. So, I'm ok with that.

Besides all that, things to look forward to:
- Taking Italian and Ballet this semester! So, excited! I hope it'll be fun!
- And I just found out that my school is merging with Cheryl Burke. So, awesome! So, that means they'll be moving our school to a new location in Mountain View. Can't wait to see the new building.
- Jason's birthday!