...get going...

Our plan to jog on the road this morning did not push through. We decided to jog on the track. As usual, we did our 1 lap walk warm-up. Joy suggested that we'll run ( as in real "run") half of the track, which I agreed to at once. And off we go. At the end, my heart was beating like crazy and I was gasping for air. Perspiration trickled down my face. And boy, it felt good. The pain on my foot was tolerable at the moment. We did that for a couple of more times then opted to walk the rest of the way and till it was time to go home. Three more days to go till race day. It has been more than a month since Joy and me started this morning activity( walk/jog in my case). I have no qualms about getting up early so long as I don't miss my morning jog. I gradually transform from the "more walking" type to the "more jogging, less walking" type( which what I was aiming for initially). Signing up to join a 5K race is the most audacious thing I've ever done. It is also my way of putting myself to the test, in terms of endurance. I want to know how far can I go and come Sunday, I will know...

"Take a look at any school playground, see anyone jogging? Next time you lace up, take a cue from our tiny-tot brethren. Run like an animal."

...counting the days...

I could not barely hear the slow beep my cellphone made, good thing that I was able to wake up at once.( note to self:revert to the previous tone for the alarm) Since missing yesterday's jog, I was looking forward to this morning. To my dismay, I wasn't able to retire at my usual time last night. A friend was invited to a dinner and I was asked to tag along. 9 PM is early for some people. When we got home, it was already past 9. After doing some stuff, I hurriedly went to bed. Thankfully, I was able to sleep immediately. By the time my alarm went off, I still felt very sleepy since I had only 5 hours worth of sleep. I felt sluggish when I arrived at the track. Halfway through the second lap, I decided to stop. I was huffing and puffing like crazy, which I really don't like. Another thing that bugged me is the on & off pain on my right foot. Ironic though, that I can only feel the pain when I'm resting but during my jog, I don't feel a thing ( or probably just don't want to feel it) This has really got me worrying. Its only four more days till the race day....After a couple of laps, I headed home. I'm thinking of doing my jog on the road tomorrow( hopefully). I'm aware that the track is different from the pavement so I'm trying to get a feel of what to expect on the race, in terms how my legs will handle the pavement.

...second thoughts?..(nah)...

It was raining last night. I went to bed at my usual hour, hoping to get going with my routine early morning jog. As it turn out, when my alarm buzz off, I just hit the snooze button and went back to sleep. When I do this, I managed to wake up again after maybe 15 minutes or so, but this morning, I didn't. I drifted back to sleep and woke up a couple of hours later. I missed my morning jog. Five more days to go till the race. I am kind of anxious. I already took a look at the route and to me, it is overwhelming. Well, there's no turning back now. I'm just thrilled about the idea of me, taking on a 5K race. This is one way for me to find out what I'm made of when under "stress"....

...Sunday morning I'm in "love"...

Naicha...got me...

i'm into tofu too

There's always something distinct on Sundays ( at least for me anyway) I don't get to sleep in during this particular day because I have set aside a specific time to hear mass first thing in the morning. I don't like going to church later in the day because that is when most people usually choose to attend mass and I abhor crowds like the plague ( no offense intended) A typical Sunday for me, begin at 5 AM. I normally wake up 2 hours earlier than the scheduled time of the mass. After the mass, we go to Chowking, just a few steps away from the church, where we regularly had our breakfast( the highlight of my day) I said highlight because it is only during Sundays that I get to have a "nice" breakfast ( for me, this is a big deal) On different days of the week, I just get by with a bowl of oatmeal and my ever-present coffee( which is fine by me) On Sundays, I get to eat whatever that appeals to me that's in Chowking and most often has rice. There are times though, that this one particular meal that I usually orders is not available or if it is, took them forever to prepare( I wonder why they are called "fastfood"). This morning, my cousin, Bingbing, went with us to church....

my breakfast of choice
Bingbing's busy with the news
and Joy too
Joy's breakfast

...sleep tight...

Saturdays are the days I chose to sleep in, meaning I usually get up at past 6 or almost 7 in the morning. For some people, this is still early. No matter how hard I try to sleep till mid morning, I just can't do it. Whenever I feel that there's already light outside, it seems that there's an automatic device inside that tells me "hey, its morning already, time to get up". I guess I can say I'm a morning person. Though, there are times, I envy those people, who can sleep the entire day and wake up in the evening. Even if I slept late, I still manage to wake up the same time. So for those days that I will go out to jog, I make it a point to sleep early so I can catch at least 6 hours worth of shuteye, because if I don't, I get cranky the next day. I don't feel as good when I lack sleep for more than a couple of days( I think this is true for everyone). My grandmother used to tell me that you can't replace the hours of sleep you lose the previous night by sleeping the whole day. I believed her because I tried it once and it was not good, just made me more grouchy. Whenever the chance comes up, I really try to get enough slumber as much as I can to at least make up for those times that I don't get to sleep in. Normally, I just manage to snooze for 6 hours every night unless I go to bed way before 9 PM. I'm trying to shoot for more though...plus, I don't want to miss seeing the sunrise every morning so I guess its all worth it...

...gimme some for my pain...

I'm worried sick of the upcoming race I decided to join. For some unknown reason, my right foot in question is starting to hurt again. Before I went to bed last night, I rub on the pain killer liniment, I mentioned in my previous post. While I was sprawled on the bed, I could feel some tingling sensation on my foot. It was not really that painful but still, unpleasant. When I woke up this morning, I tentatively stood on one leg and realized that its not that painful anymore. I went out to jog again this morning. I did my usual 1 lap walk then continued to jog for 2 laps. The moment I stopped to take a water break, my legs were throbbing, especially, my right foot. I tried to walk, careful not to limp. I walked for 2 more laps then jog again. I was able to do so for 2 laps and there was no pain. ( weird) Does this mean that I won't stop jogging till my lungs give way? ( what a distressing scenario, I can't barely make it for 1 mile, how much more if i jog longer...) When I arrived home, I did some stretching and when I pressed down my fingers on that particular area of my foot, it hurts. I noticed also that it slightly hurts when I walk up and down the stairs. I guess I overstress this when I begun to jog for 1 mile straight. So much for building mileage....

...books got me...

I begun my "fling" with books during my high school days. A classmate introduced me to the world of Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. ( Strange though that Sweet Valley High never find its way into my must-read list). I devoured every book about the "detective" brothers I could find in the library at that time . But it was when my aunt gave me a novel entitled "The Hotel" by Arthur Hailey that really piqued my interest in reading. That was when my "love affair for reading started. After reading that particular novel, I was instantly hooked. I even asked my aunt if she had any other books for me to read. As it turn out she has. I've been reading since then. In between doing homework, I managed to squeezed in time for my reading. There was a time that I cried over one novel of Danielle Steel; forgo dinner just to finish Sidney Sheldon's "Doomsday Conspiracy and for one brief moment, contemplated on pursuing a career in law, after I read John Grisham's "The Rainmaker". With each book I finished, I crave for more. I did not necessarily settle for fiction. As I grow older, I ventured into reading nonfiction too. I am equally delighted with it. So delighted in fact, that I bought a book on photography worth almost a thousand. My biggest splurge. I already have several nonfiction books in my collection, thanks to my generous friend.

Reading has given me immense pleasure, besides for someone who thrive on being alone, its the perfect hobby(or whatever you may call it) for me.Nothing makes me drool more than anything but the display of neatly covered and arranged paperback or hard-covered books at National Bookstore( where I frequent), Fully-Booked and Powerbooks. Its always a sight to behold and every time I came to this places, I felt like a child inside a big toy store. And it is during these times that I am made painfully aware that I'm broke when I badly wanted to buy a book.( well, enough of my mawkishness) Just so you know, I rather prefer to be inside bookstores than out shopping for clothes and what not.....

...i'm in pain...

After a day of rest, I went back to my usual morning routine-that is, jogging early in the morning. I'm kind of proud to say that I jog more now compared to when I first begun this new diversion. I still take walk-break, I guess I really can't wean myself from it besides, I read somewhere that it is important to do so. I planned to jog again for 1 mile straight this morning but it did not happen. Before the end of 2nd lap, I was already catching my breath plus there was the irksome pain on my right foot. I walked for 1 more lap before I set off to jog again. I noticed that when I jog I can hardly feel the pain, it was as if it wasn't there. The thing is, I can't sustain to jog for a long period of time before I begun gasping for air.( I'm worried of the upcoming 5K race..will I survive it or will I just make a fool of myself...) I just hope this pain will eventually disappear come race day. I applied a medicated gel-patch to the area concerned and tied it with a hankie to keep it in place. Later tonight, before I retire for the day, I will apply a pain killer liniment. With any luck, the pain will be gone ( or if not, at least tolerable) by tomorrow. I'm trying not to hobble while I walk. It really sucks...:-(

hope this will help

...into the race...

I’ve been running ..err..in my case walking then eventually jogging, for a month now. I’ve been pretty consistent with my daily jaunts to the local high school oval track near my place. It can be daunting at times especially, the “waking up early in the morning” part but fortunately, I’m used to getting up at the crack of dawn so this is not a major adjustment for me, still I always rely on my cellphone-cum-alarm to jolt me out bed at exactly 3:30 AM daily. One thing I had to give up was staying up late way past my bedtime to catch late-night shows on TV. If have to jog the next morning, I make it a point to be in bed at 9 PM, more or less. Since I begun this new-found physical activity, I can say that, I’m hooked..so hooked that I signed up for the 33rd Milo Marathon this coming July 5, just over a week from now. I was very excited after I finally registered myself on the 5K race. Then days later, I was having some thoughts ( not second thoughts, of course, I’m still in for the race), I was starting to ask myself if I can really do it. I mean I’ve never been physically active for quite a long time now since I stop going to the gym ( hence, my weight gain and nickname, Kung Fu Panda). Well, the only way to find out, is to join the race and see for myself come July 5. Hopefully, I will finish the race not in totally bad shape and in under a reasonable time for a beginner like me….let’s see about that…

...forced rest day...

It was raining the whole day yesterday. A typhoon was in full force in some parts of the country. I decided not go out this morning to do my usual jog. I know the track would be wet and somehow I really don't like jogging on it. Besides, my leg was bothering me lately so I opted to rest it for awhile. I can't risk of being in pain come July 5. I was watching TV last night until I fell asleep ( this is what I usually do when I don't need to get up early the next day). I did not set my alarm but at around 4 AM I was awaken by the noise of the TV set, I forgot to turn it off last night. I pulled the curtains aside to have a look at the sky, it was littered with clouds..( I was thinking that it will rain again but it did not) I went back to sleep when I woke up again it was already past 7 AM. I lingered in bed for awhile and try to drift off to sleep again but I could not anymore. So I got up and took a shower. After I dressed, I had my usual morning coffee while flicking on the channels. I noticed I can't feel pain on my leg, hopefully, it won't come back anymore. I guess I just overstress it for the past few days. I had been jogging for 1 mile straight now so I guess that's what triggered the pain. For a beginner like me, jogging 1 mile is a big deal ( of course, I don't intend to settle for just 1 mile forever). I'm taking it slow...one step at a time...

...another walk/jog day...

I thought I won't be able to walk/jog this morning. I had only 5 hours of sleep last night and I was not really up to getting out of bed but since my alarm was already shrieking like crazy, I decided to go through it. The pavement was wet when we went outside. It was raining last night and there were still wisp of white clouds on the morning sky. I was thinking that it might rain and true enough, after a couple of laps on the track, there was a drizzle. I don't like the sound my shoes created when it made contact with the surface and worse, water managed to seep into my socks...( could this be a sign that my shoes is starting to give up on me?..hope not...) The pain on my right leg nagged me again this morning while I was jogging. I tried to jog for 1 lap at a faster pace than I usually do and by the time I got to the end, I was out of breath but it was good..:-) The 5K race is fast approaching....

...back again...

After three days of being off from my walk/jog session, it felt good to be doing it again. As usual I woke up early this morning to make way for my pre-walk/jog routine. I was able to jog again for 4 laps straight without having to stop for a walk-break. I was telling Joy that we should train ourselves to handle long runs ( or in our case, long jog) to prepare for the upcoming 5K race we signed up for. I still felt the pain on my legs but when I started jogging, it was gone. We did not bring our own water bottles so by the end of 4 laps we stopped then walk for 1 lap then bought some water. My mouth was parched from thirst. I could have gulped down the entire 500 ml content of water but I tried to slow down. I always felt fine after every walk/jog. I'm in it for the long run....

...happy father's day...

In all those years I had with my late father, I never said "happy father's day" to him whenever this particular day came around. I don't know why. Our family is not the type who are so hype on occasions like Father's Day. And I grew up knowing that its just like any other day. My father and me were never close, though sometimes, I wish we were. I always thought that my father would have preferred a boy for an eldest child instead he got me. For as long as I can remember, I never shared anything with him; never confided to him or ask his opinion. I guess for him, I was just someone whom he needs to fed, clothe and look after until I'm ready on my own. And in return, I regarded him as someone who just happen to be the man whom I have the same last name. An animosity developed between us and bad of me for not trying hard enough to reach out to him. When my father died, it felt like a ton of bricks fell down on me. I cried for all those time I was angry at him and for being indifferent to him. Then I realized that I could not do anything anymore because he's gone already and no amount of crying will rectify my shortcomings.

my father and brother

Today, I relive one particular memory I had with him. An event that somehow always brought a hint of smile on my face whenever I think about it. It happened a long time ago but I can still recall that day. It was one of those rare moment when my father was so obliging to us, his children. He brought me to the playground across the church. I instantly focused my attention to the slide. As I was making my way to it, I was telling myself that I can climbed on it and would slide down ecstatic. I was really confident I could do it. So I begun to climbed on the steps and when I reached the top and looked down, I was not confident anymore. The slide looked very long and never-ending. I was scared even to look down. At that moment, nothing can budge me to make a move. I was rooted on the spot but I also wanted to go down, the slide lost its appeal. So I called out to my father and asked for his help to get me down. I told him I was scared to slide myself down. At first, he looked annoyed and urged me to slide down but I didn't move. Maybe he sensed that I was really scared so he climbed on the steps, then he sat down and positioned himself on top of the slide. He told me to get on his back and he slowly edged his way down, careful not to get us stuck. We might looked so funny to an onlooker but I had the best slide of my life at that time. I was so happy to be on the ground again. When I turned to my father, he just grunted and still looked annoyed and told me that its time for us to go home. I did not mind it, I was still smiling and I was telling myself "pinangga ko sa ako tatay" ( My father loves me..) That was the last time that I ever got on a slide. I never tried again. Much more now that my father is not around anymore to slide down with me when I chicken out....

...lay low...

I was not able to have my usual walk/jog this morning. I slept late last night besides, my right leg has been bothering me lately. I guess I had put so much stress on it for the past few days. I took it as a sign to rest it for awhile even if for just one day. I'll try to have a go for it tomorrow. I noticed that I'm kind of cranky today. Just a slight trivial annoyance sets me off. I'm easily prone to anger. I guess I need to resume my morning routine unless it's really impossible for me to do so. Somehow the walk/jog makes me a little bit more patient and relax to whatever frustrations or discomforts that I haggle on a daily basis.

...hang on...

I had the slightest feeling that it was time for me to wake up while I held on my blanket tightly around me. I took a quick look at my watch, I still have 15 minutes more of shuteye before my alarm will buzz off. I tried to fall back to sleep and I was like floating in between consciousness and semi-consciousness. Then minutes later came the "cuckoo-sound" again. I slowly pushed away my blanket and reached for the light switch. I yawned and stretched out my arms. I was not that too eager to take a shower. For the past two days, the water has been extra, extra cold but then I can't go out without a shower. Another rule of mine. So I headed for the bathroom to get it over with. As usual, I had my banana & Gatorade combo. I watched TV while I chewed on my banana and took gulps of Gatorade in between. It turned out that I will be alone for my walk/jog session this morning. Joy had to pass because she has colds and we agreed that its best for her to sleep in and rest. Lotlot, her cousin, begged off too because she was not feeling well since yesterday. So, I headed to the track alone 15 minutes earlier than usual. When I get there, I did my usual 1-lap warm-up. I then started to jog and I felt pain somewhere in my right ankle but I pushed on. I intended to jog for 4 laps again today, straight without stopping but when I was almost through the 2nd lap, the pain on my leg became unbearable that I had no choice but to stop. I walked and it felt like I was limping. I continued walking for 1 more lap then resumed to jog. Fortunately, the pain has abated, so I was able to jog for 2 more laps straight then a walk-break. I was alternating between jogging and taking walk-breaks, till it was time for me to go home.

pre-walk/jog fare

I was telling myself that I'm not pushing it hard enough but then I also realized that I'm still beginning to get used to this physical activity( running for others but in my case, jogging). My body is still adjusting to the rigors of this new-found activity so I need to proceed with care and caution. Still, nothing beats the feeling of exhilaration after every walk/jog I had. I intend to stick to this, much more now that I have set up a goal for myself. Let's see....

...go the distance ( not a song..)...

I'm kind of excited since yesterday. At last, I finally had the courage to join a race. Yesterday morning, a couple of hours later after my usual walk/jog, I finally registered for the 33rd Milo Marathon in the 5K category. I managed to convinced Joy to join too and she also convinced Lotlot. I'm beside myself with anticipation ( i know I sounded like a broken record now). When Joy told her friend that she join a 5K race, her friend was surprise and can't believe it. Yeah, well...talk about surprises.

The T-shirt I will wear come race day...( FRONT)

You can do it! ( I know I can..)...(BACK)

When we jogged this morning, we timed it. It took us ( that is, Joy and me) 12 minutes & 8 seconds to complete 4 laps on the track. After the end of 4 laps, I was ready to plop down on the track but I did not. We walked over to where where we placed our water bottles. I was so thirsty that I thought I can consumed the contents of a 500 ml bottle all in one setting but surprisingly not.I just drink half of it. After the water break, we walked for 2 more laps. When I felt like I already recovered, I jogged again for 2 more laps then stopped. I drink the rest of the content in my water bottle. My t-shirt stuck on my back and I was drenched in perspiration. I can even feel it dripping on my face. My hand towel comes in handy. After some leg stretches, we headed for home. Another walk/jog session done....more to come though....

my race number (this is really serious now...)

...1 mile at last...

When my alarm buzzed off this morning, I was still very sleepy. I can't barely open my eyes yet because it felt so heavy. Still, I managed to got out of bed, took a shower and dressed. I felt some soreness on my shoulders, don't know why. As usual, I had a bottle of cold Gatorade and a banana. Lotlot, Joy's cousin, joined us today. She just met us on the track. We had our usual 1-lap warm-up. Then we started to jog. I tried to control my pace now and did not start to go out fast as I'm used to. I was aiming to jog 4 laps straight without stopping for a walk-break in between. I did. I'm proud of myself this morning. It felt good afterward. I can almost hear my brain telling me to stop when I was past 2 laps but I prodded on. I ignored my labored breathing and tried to distract myself from feeling tired and pain on my legs, instead I focused on listening to the music playing in my MP3 player and it worked. My 1 mile jog this morning fails in comparison to those miles logged by more experienced runners. Eventually, I will be able to build a reasonable mileage. Until then, I will enjoy the experience I have now...:-) Still, I'm grinning from ear to ear, for the 4 laps....( what a show-off!)

for sustenance

...at PINO...

Lotlot and Joy

Lotlot, Joy and me

Our dessert. I forgot the name again. It was a hodgepodge of three ingredients of a well-known local dessert here called “halo-halo”, which happens to be also my favorite. ( I know I have a lot of favorites when we talk about food…)

Mmm..RIBS…I savored every scrumptious bite I took. Lately, I’ve been trying to shy away from eating meat but when our server placed this dish on our table, all my resolve peter out. ( Talk about self-discipline…huh..well, maybe for the next few days but not last night, when this delectable fare was right there in front of me. I could not say no…).

Paella Valenciana( I’m not sure if I got the spelling right). It was my first time to taste this dish. I’ve had Paella before from Persian Palate but it tasted quite distinct from what we had last night. My friend then told me that Paella Valencia is a Spanish-style concoction of rice, seafood, hard-boiled egg, vegetables and spices. From there, other versions have been derived. I guess it depends on who’s cooking. Another yum..yum.dish, to say the least.

Gamba-something. I forgot the exact name of this dish. It was good but I think it was too hot for my palate. It felt like my mouth was on fire, thank god for the ice-cold glass of Coke within reach. The dish consisted of an assortment of shrimp and squid, spiced hot and soak in olive oil, I think.

Our appetizer…it was very yum..yum..I was attacking it like the eager beaver that I am when it comes to food.Then it hits me, I was not the only one eating so I slowed down. Serves me right, yeah well, I really can’t help it. No wonder I’m chubby ( to put it mildly).

Kinilaw ( in our dialect). Raw cubes of tuna doused in vinegar and other spices. I took a couple of bites just to have a taste. It was okay, but then, I’m not that really keen on raw food.

My friend and her cousin had a spur of the moment decision to have dinner outside so off we go. We went to a restaurant that we’ve never been to before. The place was kind of classy for my taste. ( well, I’m the type who thrive on hurried meals because I’m too impatient to wait especially if I’m so ravenous. Formal setting is not my thing and frankly, I’m not too comfy with it.) As usual my friend did the ordering. I was just content to browse over the menu and was salivating on the pictures depicted on it. Their long list of drinks piqued my interest but that was it, in the end, I settled for a Coke Light in can. Good thing, we arrived at the place when there weren’t that many people yet.( I really have this thing about crowded places.) During the course of our dinner,the place started to fill up. I was fully sated but still manage to squeeze in some dessert. It was time to go but before we did, we had some pictures taken. Anyway, enough of my talk about the sumptuous dinner I had last night. This is by far the longest post I have written in this blog.

Note: I also posted this on my Wordpress blog and I think the format there is much better that what I have here, for this post, at least.

...walk on...

It become a habit for me to blog about my walk/jog session. And here I am again. It was the first time for me to ate something this morning before heading out. Since I went to bed last night with an empty stomach, I decided to grab a bite. After I showered, I chewed on a banana and downed it with my usual very, very cold Gatorade. I'm used to waking up in the wee hours of the morning though there are times that my body rebelled but then I am forced to be wide awake because of the incessant "cuckoo-clock" sound of my alarm. It can be unnerving. Joy joined me again but we walked toward the track without a single word uttered. I did my usual one lap warm-up then proceeded to jog. I was able to do so ( with the usual much needed walk break in between) for four laps, which is roughly equivalent to one mile. Next time, I will attempt to jog 4 laps straight without walk-break in between until I'm done. Let's see how it will pan out. I hope my knees will get used to it by then.

I'm a frequent visitor on the Runner's World site, where I browsed over or read some noteworthy articles with regards to running, especially for the beginners. I came across this piece about running tips, quotes and motivation, entitled 101 Kicks in the Butt. I tried this 9. GOOD-TO-GO PLAY LIST
Classic Rock
"Don't Stop Me Now," Queen
"Break on Through," The Doors
"Gimme Shelter," Rolling Stones
"Come Together" the Beatles
"What Do You Do for Money Honey," AC/DC
I must admit that though I profess to be so into music but its only this morning that I get to hear the above-mentioned songs for the first time. I downloaded them last night and transferred it to my mp3 player. I listened to them this morning while I was jogging and it was okay. Music does somehow deadened the sound of my labored breathing and push me to go further until my legs wanted out....

...to lose...

I wonder how anyone can measure a person's importance. We've heard about this quote a countless times before which goes like this--"that we don't know what we have until we lose it." In some ways, this applies to me. I can easily take for granted anything that I have at the moment without even having second thoughts about them. Much worse is that I have take for granted people that have been part of my life. People, whom I wish I was given the chance to make up to them for whatever blunders I have committed against them. But then, its not possible anymore. I guess I am doomed to be living with this guilt for the rest of my life and probably, I deserve it. I don't know if this is my way of making amends ( which does not make sense) or I'm just too scared to let go, because in doing so, it would mean that I admit it to myself that they are really gone.

...it's not easy being FAT...

Since I started doing this walk/jog thing, I can say that it does felt good afterwards. Never mind, the sometimes nagging pain I felt on my legs while I'm still jogging or afterward, when I'm plop down on the bed, switching channels or just staring on the ceiling. After doing this for three weeks now, I decided to reward myself with a new running shirt. There's this Adidas t-shirt that I've been ogling about which I saw on the Internet. Yesterday when I went to the mall with my friend, we stopped by the Adidas store and I saw the t-shirt. I fell for it instantly. I run down my fingers on the cloth and it felt nice to the touch. I know that its made with a material that won't absorb perspiration so that you'll feel dry even if you're engage in a vigorous physical activity for a long time. I realized that its right for me since I do sweat a lot especially when I walk/jog. I chose the XL size and I was looking at it for a moment and I was thinking that it will fit me but lo and behold it did not. I was incensed with myself. Of course, I did not show it. I was so very annoyed yesterday that I put off eating dinner. I went to bed early with my stomach growling because I was hungry. I totally ignored it until I fell asleep. I vow to wear that T-shirt one day but until then, I need to do more work....

...one fine day...( not the movie)...

Joy keeping abreast with the news. I don't really dig news.

I wish we went there to have breakfast, more ample space and the AC unit is full-blast.

My usual "pick me up".

Basking in the mouth-watering aroma of this meal..I should have opted for this one.

My "reward" for jogging 2 laps plus I miss pancakes.:-)

As usual I was awaken by the annoying sound of my alarm. It seemed very far away. I thought I was dreaming again and I tried ignoring the sound hoping that it would just stop but it did not, when I turned I saw my cellphone blinking. So much for another few minutes of sleep. I'm already awake. I have no choice but to get out of bed and go through my usual pre-walk/jog routine. I fell asleep at once last night, by the time my body hit the bed. It meant I was exhausted yesterday. At around 2 AM this morning, I woke up to nature's call. I tried to ignore it and snuggled deep under my Pooh fleece blanket but to no avail. I really need to get up and so I did. Then I went back to bed and drifted off to dreamland again and next thing I knew--came the grating sound of my alarm.

My friend( by the way, her name is Joy) decided to join me again. Luckily, I didn't wait for too long. We chatted about anything on the way. We did our usual 1-lap warm-up. Halfway through it, I was already sweating like crazy. I got impatient while untangling the the earphone wires of my mp3 player and it was my fault. At last, it was straightened. We were able to jog for 2 laps straight without stopping. At the end of the second lap, I was gasping for breath. It feels like my lungs were about to burst. We walked for another lap then jog again. That's what we did until it was time to go home. It felt good after every walk/jog session I had. My goal is to be able to jog for 1 mile at least without stopping ( or maybe just for a walk break). I know this is not much compared to those who have been running already. For me to do this right, I should tackle this gradually to prevent some unnecessary injuries. Eventually I will advance to more than 1 mile ( hopefully..:-) Plus, I really do need to lose weight which brings us to one of my Waterloo--food. I'd write about this in the next posts to come. For now this will do...

...no-fuss day...

I woke up late today ( at 6 AM, for most people its still very early) I haven't done my usual morning walk/jog session. For once I was not awaken by the noise of my cellphone-cum-alarm. After I showered and dressed, I always have my first cup of coffee but today was different. For the past few days, I've been gradually weaning myself from consuming too much caffeine. I used to have more than 2 cups of coffee in succession and sometimes in the afternoons too. But I realized that its one of the reason that I gained weight. I use the 3-in-1 instant kind and god knows, how loaded it is with calories from the sugar and creamer. I really tried to control myself. I'm now reduced to drinking 1 cup of coffee. The day was same as usual. I did my usual work on the computer with the occasional visit to my Facebook and blog. Sometimes my Internet connection get bogged down so I have to stop. That's the time I turned my attention to the TV or music. I really have a pretty boring day compared to most individuals and so far, I thrive in it....

...just another "walk/jog" day...

I blinked then opened my eyes. I dreamed but I could not make sense of it. It was still dark outside. I turned and reached for my cellphone. The annoying "cuckoo-clock" sound stopped. I debated over getting my lazy butt off the bed or forget about my schedule and go back to dreamland. In the end, I got up and took a shower. Afterward, I toweled myself dry and dressed. I was chugging on a bottle of Gatorade after I popped one tablet of Centrum multi. I kept glancing at my watch. I always timed myself when I'm getting ready for my walk/jog session. I went down to my friend's room to get my shoes and keys. I was surprised to find her awake. She stays up late at night and rarely wakes up at an early hour. She told me that she'd join me with my walk/jog so I wait for her. After for what it seems like eternity, we were finally out of the door and heading towards the track. We agreed to walk for one lap as some sort of warm-up. Then, we started to jog slowly. I was trailing behind her because my right leg hurts. It took me awhile to get in sync with what I was doing. I started to breathed hard, perspiration trickled down my back and on my forehead. I was almost out breath by the time I finished one lap. I stopped and walked for a few minutes. My legs were burning. When I recovered, I started to jog again. My friend went past me, she turned and motioned for me to go on. yeah right, good for her. My legs were screaming for me to stop so I lumbered along. When it was time for us to head home, my t-shirt was wet and stick to my back( something I'm not really into). Anyway, it felt good. I even had taho on my way home.

...a French Open title at last...

...Federer cried while holding his trophy...

...It's good to be Roger Federer...

...at long last...

...yes...

...tears of joy...

I chose not to watch the final match of the French Open between Roger Federer and Robin Soderling. Though, at first, I watched for a few minutes at the start of the game but I kept on switching channels, so finally, I turned off the TV and went to bed. While I lay on the dark, I was imagining the game in my mind. I tossed and turned. I was debating with myself, whether I should have stayed up and watch the game. Eventually, I dozed off and next thing I knew, I woke up to the beep of my alarm. I scrambled out of bed to turn it off. Then it hits me, the game..Federer...I reached for the remote and turned on the TV, I switched to CNN and there it was. Federer won the French Open. I can't help but smile and muttered "YES!". Way to go, Roger...

...the man who beats Nadal...

Robin Soderling, the man who was instrumental for Nadal's early exit from Roland Garros. I must admit that he plays well. While watching their match, Nadal was running all over the court and was even brought down at one time. Soderling has this kind of composure around him while he trade volleys with his opponent. He will be playing against Federer in the final. I'm still hoping Federer will finally win is this time.

...all set...

jubilant

gotcha

Last night was the live telecast of the semi-final match between Roger Federer and Juan Martin del Potro. I only watched at the start of the game and I decided to skip it and went to bed. When I woke up this morning, I immediately turned on the TV and switched channels for a bit until I saw the news about sports and I was happy that Federer won the match. I'm a fan of Federer but I opted not to watch him play live because I don't want to jinx his winning streak on the Roland Garros, so far. I know that he's a great player but his previous opponents should not be downplayed because they were great too. I watched Federer struggled in round 2 of this tournament and also in the semi-final. In the final match this Sunday, he will be pitted against Robin Soderling, the man who beat Nadal in the 2nd round. Hopefully, Federer will be successful in his bid for the French Open championship. I'm not sure if I'm going to watch the finals tomorrow night.

...birthday boy...

Today is my brother's 18th birthday. I have two brothers by the way. He is second to the youngest. His first name was after my father's name, Benjamin and his second name Jake was from a TV show before entitled, Jake and the Fat Man. He's into basketball, music and action movies like any teenage boys. We were very excited when he was born because at last, we had a brother. I was thinking of many names when my my mother was still pregnant with him. In the end, they decided on naming him after my father.

...bring it on...

As usual I woke up early today. Upon hearing the loud shrill from my cellphone-cum-alarm, I reached for it groggily, taking care not to let it slip off my hand. Blindly, I shut it off. I lingered in bed for a few minutes. There's this trick that I always used whenever I need to wake up early. I set the alarm 15 minutes ahead of the designated time I want to get up. Most of the time it works for me but there are times that I'm so dog-tired that I end up sleeping again and won't wake up till its many hours late. This morning was like any other. After dawdling in bed for awhile, I hurriedly got up, took a shower and get dressed. After a 10-minute walk, I'm at the track. I always get this certain kind of "high" whenever I carry out my morning walk. Its not only walk per se, because I also jog in between till I huff and puff. And after I was drenched with perspiration, I feel elated. Plus there's always a nice view I always look forward to of watching---the changing colors of the sky when the sun slowly creeps up--it is awesome, I tell you. So even if I had to miss my favorite TV shows at night because I have to sleep early, I think it's a minuscule price to pay to stick to this commitment to stay well and to watch each new day unfolds.

...in love?...(who are you kidding?)...

A lot has been told about love, and probably more so to come with the changing times. Love is most often the subject of novels, in movies, music, poetry and the list would go on forever. It has been describe in almost every way imaginable. For the romantics, especially with the women, they often referred "in love" as being sweep off their feet or instant connection or better yet love at first sight. Some would confessed that they have met their soul mates ( that's why they are in love) or they found the one they are sure to spend the rest of their lives with ( but then, reality sinks in and they realized they're not really in love, hence, the divorce or separation). Worst, some would go to the extent of mistaking stupidity for love and use the excuse of being "in love" to agree to met a total stranger and sleep with them. I'm not sure how to say this, but probably, I'm the most unfortunate individual because I haven't been "in love"( not in the real sense anyway, which is a far cry from what most people professed to feeling towards their "loved" ones). It's pretty easy to utter this magic phrase "I love you" without really meaning it. For some men, using this magic phrase has allowed them to get to 'first base" with a least amount of effort and for most women ( no offense), hearing this magic phrase is like a balm to soothe over their fragile views of themselves that borders on absurdity and make them willing participants on acts that is one among many others, tainted concept of love. Thus, the unwanted pregnancies and eventually, abortion. As for me, I don't want to be "in love", rather I want to love and hopefully, with a grain of reality added in. When it happens, it happen. No need to rush things...

...to die for and come back...

A sight to behold for someone like me who go gaga over food. I can't even wait to taste this delectable fare that my friend concocted over the weekend. Actually, this was from the second batch she'd made.

Ahhh...mango float...I was really floating ( of course, not literally ) while I savored every serving...

...2 defending champs ousted...

...king no more...

...just as it is...

They were the 2008 French Open champions. But with a sudden turn of events, their bid for another yet championship title were thwarted when they both lost to their respective opponents. Frankly, I'm not a fan to either of them, though I admit that they really are good. I am rooting for Federer, anyway. I hope he will win this time...