Showing posts with label wander. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wander. Show all posts
Tuesdays With Morrie is a book that I got to know through a friend. I saw one of his online posts, and didn’t waste my time having a second look. It was just one of the many passing updates on my news feed from my online friends which I rarely put too much attention to.
It started with curiosity and a book that was on sale at Goodwill. It was cheap and I could afford it hehe
The book left me with the impression that nothing is forever. Nothing lasts for eternity. Well, except for the One who is Eternity.
People come and go. They stay for a season and a reason. Some choose to stay, some choose to leave, and some just have no choice but to submit to the natural way of life, which one of them is death.
Humans die. Human death is a dead end, everyone must face it. To leave the physical world is something that no one could ever run away from.
But the memories we create with our loved ones, with the people who stay for a season and a reason worth all the struggle and pain we face in life. The experience of being alive and living and loving the moment is a gift from the One who lasts for eternity.
The present is a gift I am in the process of consistently trying to be grateful for. I can be an overthinker sometimes and that ruins the gift of the present. I am always praying to have a grateful heart, a heart that is overflowing with gratitude. In good times and bad times, I desire to be grateful to the LORD.
The attitude of gratitude is a good way of living a good life, of no regrets, of contentment, and of joy.
I hope and pray we also find peace as we journey to a life that is filled with gratitude to the One who stays and lasts forever.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV
[18] give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
The day of my flight to Taiwan was rainy. There was a typhoon or an incoming storm, so the weather wasn't really that good. It wasn't the best weather for any kind of trip.
Going to NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport), I am thankful to have a point-to-point bus transport from my town to Terminal 3. The bus fare costs is 300 Philippine pesos. It took me more or less two (2) hours to reach the airport from my hometown. It was a long ride, always, and the bus air conditioning was too much for me in the rainy season. Good thing, I had jacket jeans and I felt so cool wearing it.
UBE Express, Inc. is a human logistics service provider committed in providing a safe, convenient, reliable and modern bus service in adherence to applicable legal and regulatory requirements set by the Philippine government. We offer point-to-point service with the goal of giving our patrons an ultimate bus experience. In addition, we also provide tarmac shuttle service for various airlines in transporting passengers within the airport facility.
It was still raining hard when I finally arrived at the airport. There seemed to be a lot of people, especially inside the airport. I printed my boarding pass from the AirAsia kiosk, which was really convenient for me, and I got to keep it for pasting it on my journal notebook. After that, I went straight to the security check-up and I passed. But unfortunately, some of my journaling materials, like glue and small scissors, got confiscated, which made me a little sad. I was still glad I passed the inspection. Thank you, ma'am and sirs at NAIA, for keeping us safe!
Before getting something to eat, I went straight to my boarding gate to make sure it really did exist. It was not a long walk, but not short either. It was walkable, and I got to do some sightseeing inside the airport. There were a lot of stranded passengers due to bad weather, and I could tell they were not happy about the situation. But it is better to be safe than sorry, right? Right.
I walked back to the Fruitas stand I saw when I was sightseeing. I had a mango and watermelon smoothie, and it was good, but it had a lot of ice. The ladies at Fruitas were so kind to give me some of their fries from Potato Corner. I was embarrassed, but they were persistent, so I accepted the free fries.
Special shout to the ladies at the Fruitas stand at Terminal 3! God bless you more!
I had my dinner snacks on a chair near my boarding gate, and I arrived so early at the airport that I had a lot of waiting time, probably around two (2) hours. I patiently waited and tried to get busy. I tried to get some sleep and massaged my face with a guasha. I was thinking of reading, but my book was inside my suitcase, so next time I'm gonna put it inside my carry-on bag.
When it was boarding time, I discovered that I had to pay the Philippine travel tax. I had no idea about it. One of the flight attendants helped me; she instructed me to do it online. I think I paid 1600 plus Philippine pesos.
My flight from Manila to Taiwan was scheduled at 11PM, and it got delayed too for twenty (20) minutes due to bad weather, which was not an ideal time for me, but the cheapest. I regret booking that flight schedule. Next time, I have to make sure the flight won't inconvenience or take a toll on my health.
My Expenses for Day 0:Plane Ticket Price (RT) P6,077.50 ($110.50)Bus Fare P 300.00Fruitas Smoothie P 200.00Travel tax P1,600.00Total is P8,177.50
It was also boarding time when I started crying for no reason. I want to say for no reason, but I was aware of the real reason. Boarding the plane reminded me of the time I was leaving Austin, Texas, at Austin–Bergstrom International Airport. It was so heartbreaking watching my boyfriend see me leave. It was a sad day.
This is the second book I read from Mitch Albom and I try to write a blog post about it makes me wander about the first book I read from him which is Tuesday's with Morrie. I went to the search tab and search for the title, but it didn't give me any. I tried the author name and it didn't also. I am surprised and I didn't have a blog entry for Tuesday's with Morrie. I was so confident that I had a blog entry for it. Oh well, I guess I have to read it again or I just have to remember what the book is about.
Eddie is a wounded war veteran, an old man who has lived, in his mind, an uninspired life. His job is fixing rides at a seaside amusement park. On his 83rd birthday, a tragic accident kills him as he tries to save a little girl from a falling cart. He awakes in the afterlife, where he learns that heaven is not a destination. It's a place where your life is explained to you by five people, some of whom you knew, others who may have been strangers. One by one, from childhood to soldier to old age, Eddie's five people revisit their connections to him on earth, illuminating the mysteries of his "meaningless" life, and revealing the haunting secret behind the eternal question: "Why was I here?"
"It is a fiction, slightly non-fiction, and a little bit of self-help." And that's how would I describe the book, the five people you meet in heaven. It was easy and short to read. The length of the book is just enough for the story, no fillers, just the essential. My heart swelled in all the heartwarming parts of the book. I must confess I cried to most of the part of the book. I loveSo how picturesque the used words are, they tickled my imagination.
I took notes of the lessons I learned from the story of Eddie and how he came to know why everything happened in his life and learned their purpose. The realization he had about the things that happened in his life was comforting to a reader like me whose trying to find reasons and purpose why bad things happened even though a person isn't bad at all.
Lesson 1: We are all connected and affect one another by our actions and decisions in life.
Lesson 2: We all make sacrifices in life and it is for a reason, definitely not a vain reason, but a purposeful purpose and reason.
Lesson 3: We forgive. Hate is a double edge sword. We hurt as much as we hate. So, we must forgive instead. Forgiveness is much powerful, than hate.
Lesson 4: We move on. We don't get stuck in one place. We fail, we move on. We got hurt, we move on. We win, we move on. We move on with life, and we're always making progress little by little, step by step.
Lesson 5: We have purpose and we will serve it well by the end of our life. One way or another, our purpose will be served whether we are aware of it or unaware. We got purpose in life no matter how painful life has been.
I must say that this book is on my top good read books. I reall enjoyed and learned a lot at the same. A must read you have to try too, if you haven't.
Let's read more books! Tara!
Love,
Ang Pinay Manlalakbay
I started packing for my Taiwan Trip with all my toiletries, first aid kit, shoes, and clothes. My suitcase was pretty much packed and ready, except for some of the last-minute additions. It was really, really hot when I was packing the suitcase. Sweaty and hot, I survived the heat and was able to write this blog entry.
Here is the list of things I put in my luggage.
Toiletries:
shampoo
conditioner
feminine wash
sunscreen
lotion
perfume/cologne
body wash
toner
cotton balls
cotton buds
facial routine kit
First aid kit:
band aids
burn cream
antibiotic ointment
Tylenol
Tylenol
Eye moisturizer
Shoes:
Tennis shoes
leather shoes
Clothes:
dresses
underwears
leggings
shorts
socks
sleepwear
That's quite a list, but I always try to be prepared and ready for any trip. It is better to be ready than sorry. I know this is not a comprehensive list, but you can modify, add, or remove some things that you might need or not need. It all depends on your comfort, tolerance, and what you need.
Join me as I travel the world. Tara!
Whenever I hear Tyler, TX the first thing that comes into mind is Rose Garden. A friend’s post on Facebook left this impression on me, since it is always fun to visit places with flowers I got interested in that part of Texas. So when I got the chance to go to an area near Tyler with my boyfriend, I didn’t want to miss the chance to be able to visit the flower garden.
It was always a long drive getting to Tyler and aware that driving was not easy, I always tried my best to be of use to the driver. I tried my best to be the navigator which I did okay and food commander which I did good feeding him while he drove us safely to our destination, and he always did a good job behind the wheels.
I got to be in Tyler more than once and visited a few places, thanks to my generous and kind tour guide. Here’s the list of places we got to drop by from all our visits to Tyler:
Broadway Square Mall. It is an old mall in Tyler. You could see pictures of the old mall on the wall of the hallway going to the restroom which felt nostalgic.
Boba Loompia. So good! Filipino food in Tyler, represent! It was so good and nostalgic.
Rose Garden. I was so in love with all the flowers. They were gorgeous and some of them were in full bloom.
Painted Tree. It was a boutique where you might find some of the curios things you would ever see.
Crumble Cookie. Yum! Yum! Yum! I got no other words but delicioso! Bon appetit!
UT Tyler. His graduate university and my heart was full when he took me there. I love him for sharing that part of him to me.
Bass Pro Shop. It is an outfitter store. It is still amazed me by their wide selection of outdoor clothes, equipments, vehicles, and a lot more. They got everything you need for a wild adventure.
We also got to try some restaurants and this list is not comprehensive since I forgot some of the places we ate at. I am going to update this list as I remember those places. Hopefully, fingercross.
Rotolo's Pizzeria. The Angry Pig was so good. Non-traditional pizza with spicy BBQ sauce, Italian sausage, bacon, jalapeños, and cheddar cheese.
Another Broken Egg. We had our Valentine's date here. The food was good and serving was big. I was so full and so happy to spend the day with him.
The homemade food was the best part. I got to experience real and authentic American food. So good!
I miss Tyler, I miss Flint. I miss him so much.
Are you ready for my new book baby? 📚 I have prepared something for y’all. I am glad to announce that I am going to be releasing a new book baby on my birthday month. I hope you are excited because I am.
My mind gave birth to a collection of poems for the past few year. The poetry book is entitled “The Restless Mind”. It is a collection of my sentiments in life, somewhere in my early thirties.
I dwell inside my mind, more than in the outside world. It might leave positive or negative impression how my mind works. I am an introvert and I am comfortable being with myself. But I always want to be with the my most favorite person in the world right now. I always want and need to be with him. Proximity might not permit that all the time and I try to cope with it and pray for it.
In the book “The Restless Mind,” I shared my thoughts and emotions in situations that I struggled with in my early thirties. I need to let them out. I need to write them, so they will not accumulate in my mind and soul. Some thoughts and emotions can be disgusting, but I would like to believe that there are some good things dwells in my mind.
Book Blurb
Am I just grumbling?Endlessly complaining?I confess.I repent.But is it enough
I would like to share this book to all of you. For you to know that you are not alone, that there are people who struggle with these thoughts and emotions like you, and that they can be overcome and they will pass. They will not stay on you, with prayers and cry to God, everything shall pass. You will receive peace from God as He declutter all the unnecessary baggage you have in your life that will not serve a purpose in fulfilling your God-given purpose.
I hope and pray you find inspiration as you read my new book which is scheduled to be released on April 13, 2025. I hope you look forward to it and find a glimpse of hope in it.
Book Covers of The Restless Mind
Please look forward to my new book. I will be posting on how and where you can a get a free e-book copy of The Restless Mind. I hope and pray you are having a blessed week. Until next time! 🤗🙏🙌
Spring is here! It is the season where everything blooms and blossoms. Who wouldn’t want spring season? Personally, it is my favorite season out of all of the seasons. Flowers are out and the greens are starting to pop in the scenery!
This season inspires me to create a coloring book. Flowers and coloring are two of my favorite things in life. Sight seeing a bed of flowers is a feast for my eyes and coloring flowers in a coloring book is a hobby I really enjoy all the time.
You may download a free copy of the coloring book by clicking the link below:
Just give me a shout out if you are having difficulty downloading the book and I’ll give my best shot to help. Have fun! Color your life!
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell youthat not even Solomon in all his splendorwas dressed like one of these.
Gulaman is one of my top favorite desserts. It is simple, sweet and healthy if eat in moderation. I like the pink and green flavor. I tried making gulaman for the first time and it didn’t succeed, I did the second time, a little better. I did it the third time and it was the best so far. I love the third try results and now I am sharing you the best recipe of my favorite gulaman based on my experiment.
Ingredients:1 pack Zang Gulaman 24g
7 cups drinking water
1 can condensed milk
1 can evaporated milk 354ml
1 or 1/2 cup white sugar
Procedures:
1. Gradually add 1 pack of Zang Gulaman Buko Pandan Flavor into the water while stirring to avoid lumping.
2. Add evaporated milk, condensed milk, and sugar. Dissolve completely and let it stand for 5-10 minutes.
3. Heat with constant stirring until solution starts to boil. Remove from the heat, then pour into molds.
I hope you like it too! Enjoy!
“Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Sinigang na baboy is one of my favorite Filipino dishes. I love it when my mother cook it for our family whenever we have the budget to spare for a meat viand. I really like it paired with a freshly and steamy cooked white rice. I get to eat vegetables because of Sinigang na baboy. When I was young, young enough to not know the importance of green leafy vegetables, I had really hated eating them, but through this delicious dish now I can get some of the nutrients I missed in my childhood.
I crave for home sometimes and the way to somewhat satisfy it is through our stomach. One of my favorite Filipino dishes is Sinigang na Baboy or pork sour soup. I tried cooking it for the first time just recently and it turned out good or quite decent. I guess the sinigang na baboy I cooked the first time was edible.
Ingredients:
1 whole clove of small Garlic
1 piece medium size Gabi
1/2 bulb of Yellow Onion (White or Red Onions will do)
1 string of Pechay
1 string of Mustard Leaves
1 piece medium Jalapeño
1 medium size White Radish
1 piece Tomato
1 pack of 1.41 oz Sinigang Mix
2 lbs Pork Ribs
Seasoning: Salt
Ground Black Pepper
Fish Sauce
Procedures:
1. Sautee chopped onion, garlic, tomato and Jalapeño. Add salt, pepper, fish sauce to taste.
2. Add 7 to 8 cups of water and put the Sinigang Mix. Boil the mixture with the pork ribs for about 45 minutes.
3. Add the vegetables one at a time: Gabi, Mustard leaves, and Pechay. Add fish sauce and ground black pepper to taste. Best serve when warm.
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| Not the best picture, but the best taste so far 😋🤤 |
“Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Banana Bread is the first ever bake goodies I have ever made. It is tasty and easy. I am sharing with you the recipe I found online and change it a little bit. I have used this recipe a lot of times so I can vouch of its success and taste.
Ingredients:
3 Bananas (ripe & large size)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups of all purpose flour / wheat flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chip / fresh cranberries / chopped walnuts etc.
Procedures:
1. Pre-heat the oven for 350 degress Farenheit.
2. Mash the bananas in a mixing bowl and mix all the ingredients.
3. Pour the mixture in 8x8 baking pan and bake for 55 minutes.
Enjoy! Yum!
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| Banana Bread for him that I made with love ❤️😀 |
“Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Thanks to the two complimentary tickets I got from the previous institution I used to work at, my boyfriend and I got to see a car race event for the first time and what more, it was one of the most popular car race event in the world which is NASCAR.
NASCAR, an acronym for the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. NASCAR has three national series that it sanctions for racing.In a historic shift for the sport, beginning in 2020 NASCAR’s premier series became known as the NASCAR Cup Series and featured cornerstone brands as Premier Partners: Busch Beer, Coca-Cola® and Xfinity. The partners are prominently featured in multiple platforms across the sport, including integrations in broadcast, NASCAR digital and social channels, event entitlements, in-market promotions and at-track activations.
There were a lot of people walking towards the main event place from the parking lot and it was a bit of a walk. All the parking lots were full packed and I was just relieved when we got to have a parking space because I thought we might run out of parking spot. They did a pretty good job in organizing and arranging all the cars. Kudos to all the staff at the parking lots!
I am not knowledgeable about car racing or more so NASCAR. I had to research for what the acronym stands for. Google search engine comes in handy always and revealed "National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing" as the meaning of the acronym.
The NASCAR experience was fun and awesome. The revving cars impressed us with their deafening noise we had wear to headphones.
We sat in two of the chairs at grand stand near Turn 15. It was loud and crazy everytime the cars were racing right in front of our eyes.
Circuit of The Americas is the premier destination for world-class motorsports and entertainment in the United States. Set on 1,500 acres in the rolling hills just outside Downtown Austin, Circuit of The Americas has hosted the biggest names in racing, action sports and music since 2012. At its heart is a 3.41-mile racetrack that was designed to challenge the world’s most exacting competitors while providing a thrilling spectacle for audiences
The Circuit
Circuit of The Americas is more than a race track – it’s the only purpose-built facility in the United States designed to host the premier motorsports championships in the world, including Formula 1, MotoGP, NASCAR and more. With a blend of sweeping, fast sections and tight, technical corners, Circuit of The Americas has challenged the world’s greatest drivers and riders.
The food at event were extra-extra pricey. I think triple or quadruple of the regular price. Good thing, we brought our own food and drinks. We got to save some money.
NASCAR is an event that I would like to experience but not something that I badly want to do again. I am glad I got to experience the event. We had to leave early to make sure we would not be trapped in the traffic.
Being able to attend NASCAR event for free is a good experience for me and my boyfriend. Zoom-zoom, broom-broom, racing cars!
“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
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