24 — Rewind

As I was searching for inspiration to come up with a new blog for the week, I decided to reread my old posts.  I came across posts from the month of February (of last year).  I was just beginning to blog then and I think only a handful of people were visiting my site at that time. 

For those of you who didn’t reach that far back, here’s a repost of a blog that talks about a very exciting day in the life of the Supergoddess. 

Okay, okay, so this is cheating.  I’m reposting because my brains just got too fried after staying under the sun watching baseball games the whole week… I can’t come up with a new and exciting blog at the moment, so please bear with me.  In the coming days, I promise something better.

For the love of Jack Bauer, here’s a rewind… (and I added pictures, too!)

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Don't you just love this guy??

19:00:59

Now that sounded kinda Jack Bauerish.  Somehow i can’t help but hear the seconds ticking away in my head – as it does in the show.

I have been here in the kitchen for the past hour, awakening the kitchen goddess in me, attempting to create a masterpiece for dinner.  As I wait for the food to cook, I couldn’t help but think of how fast the day went… and wonder if I spent it in a productive way  (thus, the transformation from kitchen goddess to Jack Bauer).

 This is today’s version of   My  24…

5:30 … alarm rings

5:31 … snooze

5:35 … alarm rings again

5:35:15 … snooze

(okay, so that basically went on every five minutes until 6:05 when i finally decided to wake up and start my day)

6:10 … prepare breakfast, packed lunch, school uniform

6:30 …  wake up child

6:30:30 … take a shower

6:45 … still taking a shower

7:00 … dress up in a rush

7:30 … bring child to school

7:40 … pray for no traffic

7:45 … pray harder for no traffic

7:55 … child in school 5 minutes before the bell. (Yey, what a feat!)

This has by far been the most boring 2 hours in Jack’s life, should he be in my shoes.  I do wonder how he can fight terrorists, fly to another continent, fight more bad people, defuse a bomb, etc. etc. all in one morning.  I have already used up about 2 ½ hours and the farthest i have been to is my child’s school.  And you saw how exciting those two hours were. 

Fast forward to 11:00… by this time, i have already consumed about 3 cups of coffee (to jumpstart the day, thus more excitement); i have been to the bank; i have gone to the other household that i’m managing, talked to the workers repainting the other house; left instructions with the domestics; gone to the grocery to buy enough food to last us for two weeks… i have talked to a couple of friends using my cellphone…

11:05… talk to architect…

11:55:10 … architect leaves… multitask : can now chat with someone from the other side of the world (who says that Jack is the only one who can communicate with people in other continents?); chat with someone from this side of the world (who says they actually work while they are at the office?!);  

15:00 … still chatting with that someone from another continent, and that other someone who’s just here somewhere… done fixing files… okay, so not really done, but at least the attempt to fix was there…  balanced my bank account already…

15:05 … get ready to pick up child from school

10 hours have passed from the time i was supposed to wake up.  Jack probably has killed a gazillion bad people in ten hours. 

Kitchen goddess doing a 24

Before I bore anyone with the details of the remaining hours leading to here and now (exactly 19:29:50), guess I’d transform back to the kitchen goddess that I am aspiring to be. 

Jack Bauer will probably go crazy if we trade places for a day.  So far the most challenging part of my day was keeping my pretty pink toenails from breaking or getting scratched.  

That and oh, yeah, saving our dinner from burning….

 19:30:00

 

 

 

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photos via google images

*repost of original blog entitled 24 published Feb 4, 2010.

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Highlight of My Year

The year 2010 seemed to have just breezed by. 

I don’t know why but as we get older, the days just pass quickly.  You wake up on a Monday (sometimes grudgingly), do your work or your errands… before you know it, it’s midweek already… and then it’s the weekend… and then you’re back to Monday. Unlike when we were young and the days seemed endless.  You stay in school for what feels like a very long time, but in reality, it’s just a school year.  Or remember those endless summer days and nights?  They just seemed, well, endless…

endless days

The last two weeks of December was a blur.  It was a series of Christmas parties, reunions, dinners and lunches.  It was mostly fun, somewhat tiring, and a whole lot fattening.  I think I gained about five pounds just these past couple of weeks.  THAT is definitely NOT the highlight of my year. 

I have to say, though, that I have honed my entertaining skills given the number of times I hosted a Christmas reunion/party at home this year.  Not bad for someone who used to be afraid of having guests at home.  Like I told a friend of mine, I was truly channeling Giada de Laurentiis these past two weeks!

sample of my feast

Right now I am preparing — yet again —  for another gathering… New Year’s countdown this time.  But before I turn on the domestic diva mode, let me recall the things that happened this year (2010) that pretty much stood out.

—  We moved to a new house end of 2009, and was fully settled by January.  Fully settled meaning most of the house is fully decorated.  However, we kept tweaking some parts — add tiles here, put a roof there, add glass and wood on the fence, etc… thus,  basically the relationship with the architect is long lasting.

— I became more hospitable, more welcoming… I learned how to warmly receive guests.  I used to be afraid of big parties at home.  I dreaded having to fix up afterwards.  For some reason, after we moved to the new house, my perspective changed.  I looked forward to having guests.  We have a group that meets at my home almost every other week.  I have thrown countless parties — and enjoyed every minute of organizing them.  One thing I learned, as I opened my house, I basically opened my heart to people, as well. 

— I started to write regularly again.  Thanks to this blog, I am able to do something that I am passionate about.  I may not be able to write as often as I want, but I do try.  And it’s the perfect outlet.  I love, blogging.

— A favorite writer of mine posted a comment on one of my blogs. Yey!  I almost died of shock, but yey! just the same. Did I say I love blogging?!

— I met new friends and got closer to old ones.  My baseball family is really like family.  I believe all those games helped strengthen the bond between us.  It is good to know that there are people who will look after my son when I’m not around… the same way that they can trust me with theirs when the need arises.  I am also thankful for the blog friends that I found this year.  Who would have thought?  I started blogging just with the goal of somehow being read by someone… I never expected I will form friendships along the way.  A big bonus… or better yet, a blessing. 

— We got a dog.  A yellow labrador. Now a big, yellow labrador. A big, yellow labrador that drags me around the garden whenever I am the one holding him.  I used to be afraid of dogs.  I didn’t like the noise, the smell and the thought that they might bite my legs.  But now I know what googly puppy look means.  My big labrador gives me that look and my heart just melts. I love this dog to bits!

— Sometime during the year I realized I was losing some jewelry.  The thing was, I couldn’t just accuse anyone.  Given the number of workers who went in and out of the house (because it has been a work in progress, like I said), I had no proof.  I was heartbroken.  For some time I didn’t know who to trust, how to trust… But then I guess the most important learning that I had given the incident was that after all that has happened, one’s relationships with people are still more important than any material thing.    And yes, I learned to be more careful (and responsible) with my things, too. During that really low point, I prayed for inner peace, more than anything. 

— I counted — and shared– my blessings.  I became more appreciative of what I have.  Appreciative and thankful.  And I learned how to share wholeheartedly… without expecting for anything in return.  I knew that when you bless someone, you will be blessed back.

count your blessings

Moving on… moving forward…

I am thankful for all the days I was blessed with this year, whether good or bad, exciting or boring… Am glad I was given those days.  I am thankful for friends, near or far… from baseball fields to malls, from Ohio to London to Sweden… You guys totally rock!!  I am so blessed, indeed.

And I am looking forward to another year of abundance. 

Happy New Year everyone!  See you next year… or tomorrow. 🙂

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photo credits: beach house and blessings — via weheartit.com;  Sumptuous feast — mine!!!