I have decided to set my home-decorating mission into very small milestones so I will not feel so overwhelmed with filling up our small abode. As you know, I started with the one-walled foyer. I am proceeding with the "wall milestone" approach which, in my estimate, should get me to complete the whole mission in 2-3 years!
I have just finished another wall. This is one of our living room walls. At the back of which is our jungle storage area.
Let us start with my nice jar which I got from Mandaue Foam for a little over PHP2,000. It has the same design as my other jar in the foyer but in a different shape.
This is my cute red cabinet which I purchased from iDeas almost a year ago. I did a bit of an overspend on this one because I fell in love with it. It looks antique and is not an ordinary furniture piece. This holds the mini DeVant TV which we got from a sale. The TV, by the way, only costs more than PHP7,000 and is doing pretty well.
The paintings I purchased from the Home Market section of Market! Market! They have the original paintings done by Filipino artists... not as famous as Arturo Luz but their works are very nice, too.
This is a depiction of Old Manila by a certain painter with the last name Cruz. I apologize for not getting his full name. I need to go back and ask. Price of the painting plus the frame is PHP450.
The black and white painting captures the Eiffel Tower. This is by another Filipino painter with the last name Alvarez... again, I am not doing my homework. Sorry. This cost me around PHP700.
The most expensive art we have is a painting of the Magellan's Cross by Antonio Calma. Not too expensive still because we got this for just PHP3,000 after haggling with the art store. We are after all their "suki" already. I really liked the color and how it blends with the furniture placed on this wall.
That's 2 down and more than 10 walls to go.
By the time I finish, I may need to start re-decorating again. But, I guess, this is the fun (and pocket damaging!) part of building a home.
It has been four months with my less stressful job. And I have had three monthly visits - the most frequent that I had since four years ago. There was a moment of normality with my monthly cycle after I gave birth to my little boy but things went back to abnormal mode because of stressful work. Now, I am normal again!
Sorry, too much information above.
But yes, I am slowly realizing that my hypothesis is correct... that there is a certain level of stress that the body can sustain. The mind may be strong but the body has its limits.
And how can stress be just right?
I spend 8-10 hours of intense focus at the office. I run from one 30-minute meeting to another, take lunch on my desk, write business cases and ideas papers, and troubleshoot issues.
And then everything stops. Just when I have had it.
Next, I get a life.
I help my son with his homework.
We play trains after.
We sometimes go out and have fun on a Friday.
Saturdays and Sundays are spent with more energy. I do day sleep less. And my outlook has become more positive... far more positive.
The Lord has finally called me to slow down. And slow down I did.
I do not know how long this will last. I hope it does for a while.
A month after the Guangzhou-HK trip, I was back in the air.
It was Beijing this time... farther than HK so imagine my struggle in the plane. I was determined to overcome my fear because I have never been to the China's capital city before. So I resorted to my usual formula before any air travel... fervent prayers several days before the flight.
Beijing was huge. Perhaps, one of the more huge cities I have visited.
Let's start with the airport. The design is your usual modern airport except that it was massive.
The city is actually a large flat land mass so it makes sense to make everything big.
Streets are wide.
Buildings are grand. Check out the one below housing one of the largest TV networks in China.
Malls are big.
The one near our hotel actually has this enormous gazebo, the ceiling of which serves as a big, big TV.
Of course, I would not just talk about the city's size. It is common knowledge that Chinese history is rich. And since I am a self-confessed History nerd, I was super game for any temple watching.
From the hotel, my forever business trip companion Eric and I took the subway to Tiananmen Square. We got off at the east side and visited the famous Forbidden City gate.
Our attempt to go in was fruitless because the guards were actually leading people out... for a reason that both Eric and I could not figure (blame it on language barrier). While consoling myself to my plans of going back with the whole family, we saw another gate with less people coming in. We went in and paid RMB10. To our dismay, it was just a huge garden.
The most exciting view was this.
But a little more walk brought us to this wonder.
Lucky us. All for Php65.
The area was built in the 1400s. The Chinese ancestors walked these very steps and worshipped in this Front Hall. It was preserved very well. Wait til you see what's inside.
Eric was delighted.
It was, then, off to a short tour of the Tiananmen Square before calling it a day.
The tour of Beijing was super short but I enjoyed it alot. I would love to explore more and see the history. Next time for sure... with the little boy and hubby.
This space is dedicated to the one who should have been born sometime this September.
We could have been four by now.
It would have been one of the greatest times of my life.
I'm sorry. I just could not take the baby and pregnancy declarations now.
While they are all happy and giddy, a part of me is still stuck in the dreams and plans of eight months ago.
I did move on. It's just that September came and I remembered. Sigh.
Oh, get a grip.
It's going to be alright... promise.
