Be Tulala: the Mind Needs Sufficient Rest Too

Have you ever caught yourself with a "nakatulala look"?

Me, countless times already. It's my relaxation technique. All of us are so pressed for time, pressured with deadlines, stuck with commitments, that our minds go on overdrive. When that happens, our body feels the stress, and that's when we start feeling sick, and really getting sick.

When I look at my kids eyes, all I see is innocence and contentment. No pressures, no problems, no stress. Childhood is a bliss.  And you know, letting go of everything that's bugging my mind really helps, and I do that with my "tulala" look (sometimes with mouth hanging wide).  Oh, sleep is a better alternative. But when you are in the office, and you're swamped with work, a few minutes of being "tulala" can help. A few minutes or so of that, and my mind feels refreshed.  Don't ask me the scientific reason behind it, because I don't know. I'm just saying it works for me.

Try it and let me know.

Baby Names

This is a short one.

My Mama assisted our Parish yesterday for the Baptism of many, many babies (since it was the Feast Day of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception).  She went home with this funny (funny weird, not funny ha-ha) anecdote. 

A child was going to be baptized with the name of Cellphone.  According to the mother, it's a combination of the kid's parents' names. The mom is Cel, and the dad is Ponciano; hence the name Cellphone.

Another child was baptized Charger. Again, another combination of the names of the kid's parents.  This time, it's the dad's name first: Charlie, and the mom: Gertrude.

The priest wanted to get angry, but in order to preserve the solemnity of the Sacrament of Baptism, he just shook his head and moved on with the rites.

I get the name combination thing, but can't they think of  a better name than that? Surely, there are a gazillion names out there. These names could have been used as pet names/ nicknames, but not the names in their Birth Certificates, and worse, their Baptismal Certificates.

Tsk...tsk...tsk...
 

An Open Letter to Tupperware Brands Philippines

Photo credit: www.tupperwarebrands.ph

Dear Tupperware Brands Philippines,

I would like to thank you for the rare opportunity for being chosen as one of this year's Tupperware Women of Confidence. This is not only a great privilege, but the status is a humbling experience for me - humbling in the sense that I have neglected to appreciate how people have looked up to me because of my confidence story.

Thank you for making sure that Nanay Remie, Dollu and I were well-fed all the time. Thank you for the beautiful flowers. It was my first time to receive flowers like those (Swear!).  Thank you for the nice hotel accommodation. Thank you for making sure that we got home safely by ensuring that we have transportation fare. Thank you for the massage.  It was my first time to have a massage in a hotel since it's more expensive that the usual spas or salons. Thank you for the plaque, it's so beautiful. Thank you for the bag. This may seem over-reacting to you, but honest, I don't buy Aranaz bags because they're expensive. And you gave me one!!! It's a dream come true!

Thank you for the Tupperware products that I have already distributed among my family and friends since they ransacked my bag as soon as I got home. (They were more excited than me for my stories about the two-day stay). Of course, I left some for my personal use. Thank you for having a great staff who made me (us) feel so welcome and appreciated. Much thanks to Ms. Rina, who even ensured that we were "busog" in the evening until she left for home. I thank Kit and Ms. May (and the guys who brought our bags down) who accompanied us downstairs to get us a taxi. It was a simple thought, but very meaningful. Thank you, Ms. Patty, for always reminding me how to smile during the video shoot.

 

Thank you for the photo shoot and the video shoot. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience (and another dream-come-true. I felt so sosyal and so artista. My kid was so surprised and happy (giddy too) when he saw me all made-up. He said I looked like a princess. Now isn't that something to be really happy for!?

 

Thank you for the Confidence Building Workshop. I learned a lot from it. I would have wished it were longer, but I don't think I would remember everything taught to us anyway, if the workshop were longer. It was, indeed, very helpful. (See, I'm trying to sit down properly, while I'm typing this: one leg sort of crossed/behind the other leg, and I'm having cramps already). 

 

You have made me realize that I can reach out to more women (and hopefully, men) out there who need a little boost in their confidence, and this will be my personal agenda in the days to come. I am just an ordinary person doing what I usually do with my life, but you made me feel like this big inspiration to others.

 

It has been a great privilege to be part of your life-changin activity of aiming to help more women to achieve confidence. God bless you all.

Sincerely,


 me


P.S.

Thank you for the GCs.  The people of Leyte benefited from them.

 

Win a Gift for Someone you Love Contest (from Sample Room)

Without batting an eyelash, I will give this to my Mama.

That's my Mama and her signature "tawa".

My Mama grew up in the province with very little in life - she didn't even know who her real mother was, until she was a teenager. She has no dad.  Life for her was working for other people (some were relatives) in their homes, washing clothes, cleaning houses, and scrubbing away pots and pans until kingdom come. She is naturally beautiful and sexy, but having very little in life meant that she had to forego all those beauty regimen to maintain her beauty.

 

While I was growing up, she would always tell me to take care of my skin, which I stubbornly neglected until recently. I remember, when I was still a kid, I shameless asked my Mama this question, "Ma, bakit puro butas-butas and mukha niyo?" Imagine, such a tactless question from a child! I am so ashamed to recall this, yet I have to share this. (Well, I actually thought they were scars. It turned out, it was called open pores!)  She answered patiently and with understanding (for my blunt question) that she was not able to care well for her skin when she was growing up. Heck, getting enough food and nutrition was even hard to come by, what more for the skin! So, her skin turned that way, she said.

 

It is only when my siblings and I have grown up that she had paid attention to her own skin. She only recently discovered that moisturizers and toners are different and that foot spas are great. Because of Sample Room, she gets a taste of products that we normally do not attempt to buy, either because we are unfamiliar with the bran, or it's too expensive to try.  She would give comments such as, "This is one is nice, pero mabantot." Or, "Wow, my skin looks good after this? Ay, kaya pala, ang mahal!" Here's another one, "Ano ba yan, senior na ako, pwede pa ba akong mag mask?"

 

Now at 69, my Mama looks like she's still in her early 50s. She may not have had the luxury of scrubs, toners, moisturizers, diamond peeel, lotions, etc., during her youth, but she grew old with love from her husband and kids. And that is enough to keep her beautiful inside and out, forever..

 

What would she do with those Sample Room products if she wins it? I know, she'll examine them, try them, and give them all away later to those she feels would need them most (But I would stop her from giving all away; I'll make sure she has more than enough for her personal use).

That's my Mama, beautiful and generous.