25 Things About Betchai
February 15, 2009 by betchai-t-luc
Joanie tagged Chay, Eng, Maui, MJ, Tes, Sam and Leih. Then, Tes and Eng tagged me. It was fun reading 25 things about them, knowing how we can be almost the same yet so different. I think this is an extension of the virtual cocktail party I did previously where I shared 5 things about me. But now, it is gonna be more, it will be 25 things! It would be me (25 times)!!!
(my photo taken by Khai, Valentine’s 09 )
Fun has been started, so here goes:
For the first 5, I won’t elaborate much, I have explained too much already in my Yes, I Am Slow post.
1. I am not comfortable attending parties.
2. I had a very small and simple wedding.
3. I am frugal, but not stingy.
4. I can not drive.
5. I get mental blank a lot of times, or as Tes may have put it, forgetful but thoughtful. We do have selective memory 
.
Too add to these, here are another 20:
6. I am not your typical lady, I get bored shopping . I only go to the mall if I have things in mind to buy, or I need to scout for a price. I would always prefer spending my time in the great outdoors, communing with nature.
7. Again, I am not your typical lady, I don’t go for handbags. Tried behaving like a typical lady before , but I kept on leaving my handbags, in the restaurant, in the cashier, in the classroom, anywhere. I lost a wallet and other stuffs as a result of leaving my handbag (when I was still in the Philippines) and it was a great pain to be calling all banks for fear someone had taken all my money away and used my credit card. But I do have a few handbags when occasion calls for it, otherwise, you see me with a backpack and sling bags. I love backpacks and sling bags, I find them very functional. And for some reason, when I wear them, I never leave them behind, something with my selective memory? Thus I have the ladies kind of bakcpack too, when I am not in the trails.
8. Once I started wearing comfort shoes, I could not go back. I could not find myself wearing my old shoes anymore, not because I do not like them for I like girlie shoes, but because my feet, knees and back now feels hurt whenever I wear them. And to think, when I moved from Connecticut to San Diego, I donated a lot of my warm clothing, but not any one of my shoes. I was so attached then to my shoes 
. But in a year’s time, slowly, I gave those shoes away, some sent to the Philippines, some to Goodwill and Salvation Army. Had I known, I would have not paid for extra luggage just for those shoes . I still wear girlie shoes, but only if it is very comfortable. So, yes, now, I am limited to buying shoes only at Walking Company and Foot Solutions. And @ REI for hiking and backpacking.
9. I use orthotics insole. And since I wear different shoes everyday afraid that my shoe will smell if I wear the same one everyday, thefore, I also use different insole everyday, different of the same kind. Why? Because my feet is naturally sweaty, I hate to admit it, but they are! So, to keep my feet smelling fresh, have to give my shoes and my insole a week to breathe before I wear them again. And to think I use foot deodorant and foot powder
10. I am not very good in organizing. A lot of times, those junk mails pile up, and when guest come, I hid them in cabinet, and forget about them. This year, I decided to sort out all those junk mails, it took me a week to do them and to be honest, there are still some left behind. Now, I try my best to open all junk mails, and throw it to the recycle if they need not be shredded, otherwise, I shred them right away. This is one thing I do not like in America, I find this country too wasteful in paper, so many junk mails!!!!
11. I love cooking, and I love what I cook
12. I hate washing dishes! Several times Khai had to wash the dishes again I already had washed for they were still dirty
13. I can not wear cologne or perfume because I would get runny and stuffy nose, sometimes worse, a throbbing headache. I hate my allergies, sometimes it is so embarassing to suddenly sneeze at someone . If someone just sprayed a cologne or perfume, I pray hard I will not sneeze and get headache, or I distance myself away until the smell has subsided and has been diluted by air and is not as strong anymore. But if I wear it myself, how can I spray it onto myself without getting its first dose of smell?
14. I love nature, hiking and taking pictures. Like Tes, I do not want to use photography since I feel like I am not in the level of photographers.
15. Connected to number 14, the reason why when the weather is good, I do not stay at home, since I love to wander around grabbing any opportunity I could to capture nature’s unfoldings and sweet surprises. One of the sweetest surprises I ever had is when I capture a hummingbird finally.
Hummingbird
I can not explain the joy when I got this photo, totally unexpected, like a gift from above! I was just planning to take a close picture of the flower, and all of a sudden, a hummingbird appeared right in front of me and kissed the flower.
Another surprise I had is when I stepped on to the trail and was greeted by this,
California Wild Poppies
I know I have a lot of wildflower fields picture, maybe some a lot better than this and a lot wider than this, but those other pictures, I knew what to expect, I went there with a purpose of experiencing them. This one, this is just one of the trails so close to home, and came when I did not expect it at all.
There are a lot more, but I do not want to get carried away talking about how generous is mother nature in treating us with surprises to lift our spirits.
16. Though I love all nature, the ocean, the mountains and the desert, but if I have to choose just one, then, the beach is my favorite place in earth. It is my sanctuary, a place where I can get lost with the sound of the waves. It has witnessed so much emotions from me, this is where I cry if I am sad, this is where I jump for joy when I am overfilled with happiness.
And yes, yesterday, we spent our Valentines at the beach. Morning, a gull surprised me when it swallowed the whole fish
Gull Eating Fish (1)
Gull Eating Fish (2)
Gull Eating Fish (3)
Gull Eating Fish (4)
Gull Done with the Fish
The gull probably knew I was thinking, that I was not in a very good angle to take its picture, s/he sent another gull to fly over me
And I made several couples happy yesterday, I could not count how many approached me to take them a picture of the sunset with their camera of course. And this was the sunset from last night
Sunset @ Valentine’s Day 2009
I know I have taken many sunset pictures, but I always see sunset as different each time. For last night, I find that there are sun rays appearing at the horizon
Sunset with some Sun Rays (the dark orange lines), Valentine’s Day 2009
17. I am a beach bum. I know…I know…I just said it number 16 that I love the ocean and that is my favorite place on earth. But you can love the ocean by just experiencing it the way I was explaining above, or you can really be with and in the ocean! What I mean by that is enjoying the waters. I do not mind getting sticky and for some women icky. I used to stay in the water for hours, I forget about time when I am in the water! I remember when I was young how the other passengers in the bus would distance themselves away from me, they thought probably I had some kind of contagious skin disease, for my sun burn was really unsightly! They were not simply peeling, there were some blisters on my skin, really yikes. Probably, if you do not know me, and where I got those from, you would also distance yourself away from me. Those days, I did not know about the existence of sun block lotion yet
When Khai and I were still dating, we used to boogie board a lot. After one hour, he was done, while I was not. So for hours, he would just walk on the sand, while waiting for me got out of water. When we were married, the truth came out, Khai would tell me, “how many hours would you be in the water dear? If 2 or 3 or 4 hrs, I can just go hiking or biking first, and join you later.”Eh hehehe, does not sound very romantic eh? But we both have our independence, so yes, sometimes I boogie board alone (as long as I am right in front of a life guard), while Khai is mountain biking somewhere.
18. I love watching Broadway shows, musicals and Cirque Du Soleil. I do not sing but hearing the actors and acresses makes me dreamy that I too can sing, dance and act like them . Watching Cirque du Soleil makes me dreamy I too have their flexibility. My favorite broadway would still be 42nd Street, I think it is really FUN! I so love their dance! Though I love Mamma Mia, Wicked, Rent, Les Miserables, but I guess I am more into singing and dance. I have not seen Miss Saigon and Lion King yet, but love their songs. I have not seen all of Cirque du Soleil shows, and it is my wish to see them all! I just have seen Mystere and Ka at Las Vegaas, and their riad shows Quidam, Alegria and Corteo. I could not find a favorite, maybe it is Ka, but they are all magical to me.
19. I used to say teaching is my passion and my all and be all. I love teaching. But know what? Sometimes I dream I am teaching less and hiking more, doing more nature photography. So, maybe, when I get rich and win a lotto, I will teach less and I would hit the trails more. But maybe that is the reason why I am not rich, so I can still share in empowering willing minds.
But at least, teaching allows me to pursue my hobby, it gives me enough free time to be free in the trails, and take picture. So, I am very happy with my chosen profession still.
20. I am not fond of watching TV, the only thing that can make me glued is watching tennis!
21. Connected to number 20, I watch tennis tournaments whenever I could. I can be a tennis reporter, you know, in my dreams Hahaha. As early as now, I am making plans already to watch the coming Pacific Life Open at Indian Wells, CA. Oh yes, I love taking pictures of tennis matches and tennis players too.
Once, I got lost in Indian Wells seeking for photo opportunities, I did not realize I was in the players room, I saw players playing table games, etc, and being so casual and fun. I kept on gazing at them and taking pictures, until I realize all the people beside me have ID, they were all “photo journalists”, though no one asked me to leave, but I realized I should have not been there.
22. I love taking pictures of wildlife, but I do not think I will bring any animal home, including dogs, cats and bunnies for pets. One, I have bad allergies, two, I am lazy, always think of going somewhere, and I do not think it is right I always leave them to someone to take care of them while I am away.
23. I love my coffee with condense milk in it. It may not be the healthiest option, condense milk being a full cream and load with sugar, but I believe it is the best coffee. But we only drink that on weekends. Otherwise, I use skim milk or 1% milk ( I avoid the non-dairy creamers also for they have loads of partially hydrogenated oil despite they say in their lable they have 0 grams trans-fat) and Stevia. But coffee with condense milk is my treat every weekend.
24. I love flowers, all kinds, and to think I have bad allergies! I think it is not just right I have allergies! Thanks goodness for Claritin, otherwise, I will just lock up myself during spring, and that would make me depress probably if I can not go out.
25. I love looking out at our bedroom window or going to the back of our house. Oftentimes, wake up Khai unintentionally since when I see the clock at 6:30 am, I would jump out of bed to open the blinds to look out at the window to check for the sunrise. If it is good enough, I go out and take a picture. If so so, I go back to dreamland. Khai knows how crazy I am with taking pictures, so one morning, he was the one who woke me up, when he went to work, he saw a beautiful sun. He gave me a ring, and when I answered, he told me, “dear, look out, you may want to take picture of the rising sun”. It was this…
Sunrise
I have a very cooperative husband, last Sunday, while I was busy with internet, Khai told me to go out for I may be interested with the moon.
Sunday’s Moonrise from the Back of our House
In the afternoon, if I am at home, I go outside to check for earth shadow during sunset,
Not a Perfect Earth Shadow, but Good Enough
or the moonrise in the evening.
Daytime, if I am at home, I birdwatch.
Singing Bird Waking Us Up Every Morning
So, number 25 still speaks for my love for taking pictures, and nature, for even despite being home, I still am non-stop!
Okay, those are the 25 things about me, I may have cheated, I may have mentioned more than 25 by adding explanation whenever it is about pictures
Anyway, to continue with the tag, I tag Che, Cher, MJ, Chay, Rose, Carmen, Maricar (you can do it after vacation Car), Alfonso, hey, I am tagging you all Salitypers .
I know I read something similar to this tagging before and when you mentioned your first five things - then it was from you I read this first !
We exchange emails a lot and chat a lot and read your blogs seems like I know so much about you - but #23 is something I didn’t know about you hahahaha coffee and condensed milk - I will try that one day and see for myself - I will definitely remember you for that and of course I always remember to come here and check for new pictures ! I really enjoy the view from your bedroom window - what a wonderful view to wake up to ! And those favorite pictures - yeah those unexpected shots are the best shots !
Thanks for sharing 25 more things about you !
hi Beth! of all the photos in this entry…the one i love most…more than the sunset even huh…is jaraaaannnnnnnnn the first photo featuring you, you and you! even without the words it would have said it …your hands wide open and that radiant smile and the confident posture so Betchaily hehehe
Oh my…hate to admit it but my feet are sweaty too!! hahaha i remember my classmate and i were even reprimanded by our college chemistry teacher one time because i was showing my classmate how sweaty my feet were while the teacher was lecturing and i was even demonstrating how the fluid created a squeeky sound whenever i moved my feet hahahaha i am more than glad closed shoes are no longer the in thing here…mmmm my hands are sweaty too in fact the computer mouse could actually kill me now because it has become grounded what with my sweaty palm even with air conditioning hahaha
I felt ashamed for you on number 21 sis…did you blush? hahahaha
Chay…the condensed milk thing isn’t new to me hehehehe try it hehehe
“I love cooking and I love what I cook.” - that would mean you are a good cook sis otherwise you wouldn’t love what you cook hehehehe…
I wish i could look out your bedroom window too hehehe…
Hmmmm i will read Chay’s first then i’ll make mine….i hope i’ll come up with 25…
Love you Beth for numbers 1 through 25 and even for the unmentioned things…if there are..you said kase you might have cheated eh hehehe mwah!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Chay, you hear from Zen, she said coffee with condense milk is nothing new to her
Yes Chay, try it, if you will not like i, don’t blame me…..but that is the reason why I do not buy a lot of coffee at Starbucks since I like my coffee with condense milk better, hehehehe. But we are using Starbucks coffee beans for decaf, like what I told you, coz I had to make use of all the gift cards we get.
Hi Zen, thanks…am glad we have the same favorite picture, ehehehe, just kidding. About the number 21, I did not only blush, I went out of the players and media room with my head bowed down, can not look at anyone of them realizing I was not supposed to be in there. Thankfully, when the guard saw me, he did not say anything anymore, in fact, he smiled at me trying maybe to cheer me up, for maybe he pitied at how I looked :), he did not to tell me anything for how I looked was more than enough, hehehehe.
Hehehe, Zen, I have sweaty hands too, hahahaha!!!! But it does not show much here anymore, but my feet still the same, sweaty
Yes, me too, with the kind of ladies shoes we have, not very absorbent, my shoes would make a squeaky sound also whenever I move. I am glad for the insoles, they help in absorbing the sweat that it does not make noise. That is why I have to take out the insole when I get home, you know, air dry it for a week 
First of, I love the photos Beth! You actually documented the gull’s gluttony! Hahaha. I love the sunset shots! Really vibrant! And that spectacular hummingbird shot, wow!
Thank you for the hummingbird birthday greetings!
I share your enthusiasm for the beach. I love the beach too, but unlike you am not fortunate to enjoy the water (well, the deep part anyway) Not unless I conquer my fear of the deep sea. In fact, for our honeymoon, even during December, we opted for Boracay instead of going abroad (Doods and I love the beach). But on that very same occasion something happened to me that made me fearful of the water. While snorkeling, I drifted too far from the boat and when I looked up, Doods and the boat guy were too far. So sad for me that even with a life vest I still panicked! I was trying to get to the boat but I got tired and very panicky I was literally crying. Oh well, I guess am literally a panicky person… am not as tough as some people. I even get dizzy riding a sail boat on a windy day… *sigh*
Like you Beth, I love flowers too! Of any color and kind! I plant flowering plants even during winter! Teehee
Wish we could watch Broadway together when we get the chance to visit you guys in California!
I am tempted to add photos to my posts just like what you did! Really cool Beth! I did put one, the mags, but more is cool! Hehe… I’ll see if I can
Thank you for sharing 25 wonderful things about you Beth. Now we know you 25-extra points better!
I too was gonna tag everyone, but I thought of leaving some for the others to tag… hahaha! Now everyone is tagged! Cool!
Hi Beth, we have a lot of similarities =) I, too, am not fond of shopping, I only shop if I need to, but I always find the time to buy something to read. I do not own a single, expensive brand name item. Mahilig rin ako sa beach, nature & I’d love to go hiking so that I can enjoy nature more, which is why fate probably led us to each other, you will introduce me to the joys of hiking when I go back to the States. I’m not much of a TV watcher, too - actually 4 months & counting wala kami kahit basic cable here in Italy, we only watch DVDs (mostly my son’s Disney DVD’s).
I love all the nature photos you take!
I can’t wait to meet you! =)
chai!!! ha!ha!ha! as usual the photos are breathtaking!…me thinking now to change my friendster background every week with your lovely phographs..oh! and i’m thankful for letting me used your sunrise photo as my background!!!
i would love to taste some of your mouth watering dishes chai. i love to eat, a lot!
and don’t you worry, i love washing dishes, too! i normally volunteer to wash dishes whenever i’m at friends house.sometimes i do clean their house, because i loved doing it!!
ha!ha!ha!..i used to carnation evap with my coffee before.the taste is something no coffee shops in the west can imitate!!loved it!!
i will make a mental note of your allergies.try not to overspray meself with fragrance when i come to visit you!
thanks for making me 25 steps closer to you!!
i soooo love all the pictures you take. pwede ba ko mag-enrol ng photography class under you? hehe. you are soo good at what you do, sana magkaroon din ako ng kahit katiting ng talent mong yan… kakaingit din ng view sa bedroom mo!
buti ka pa you really find time to go and explore the outdoors. that’s one thing i also wanna try sana. wala kasi ako kasama tulad mo na nature lover din ang partner. haay…
like you i also used to sneeze everytime i smell a strong perfume but now i try to dab a little once in a while when the occasion calls for it and amazingly, i don’t sneeze that much na as i used to back then.
as for the stingy part, yes, sometimes i am stingy. pero when it comes to shopping or malling, aba eh sama ako anytime. kahit window shopping lang hahaha!
you are one interesting woman. i wish to kow you more.
haha! well, you forgot to say you are a photo expert! okay, will comply when i get the time….thanks, beth!
I’m about to read it but i have to comment about your pictures…you should be a professional photographer. The California Wild Poppies and Hummingbird is something I would put on a frame.
Chay - another business idea, I can take Betchai’s pictures and sell it central park
hey, beth!! i loved getting to know more about you through this post:) and what a treat to see more of your outstanding, breathtaking photography aptly placed throughout this interesting piece about you:) the photo of you at the top of the post is awesome!! i so love your smile and the blueness of your jacket, coordinating with the blueness of the ocean in the background, as well as the blue skies above:) who says blue is the color of sadness? you sure proved that wrong in this photo!! hey, i’m all with you in wearing comfy shoes!! why torture our feet in shoes that look gorgeous, but barely allow us to walk? oh, that’s so neat that you love you to cook, but hate washing dishes:) you and i would get along well, beth, if we were housemates, hehe, coz i don’t cook much, but i’m nuts about washing dishes:) it’s my favorite house chore!! oh, the pictures of the hummingbird and the golden poppies flooding that hillside made my jaw drop, beth!! what amazing colors .. and how great that you now have several beautiful hummingbird-in-motion pictures, after many tries! i’m so happy for you, friend! same with the gull picture … it’s so cool that you got to take shots of it devouring that fish:) i will continue my comment later, beth, coz the paper is out now.. oopsie!!:)
“…if a picture paints a thousand words, then how can i paint you…”
… i am lost for words seeing your frames of captured wonders…you are simply AWESOME Betchai!…i am so proud of you…
ang naiisip ko habang nakanganga sa pagkamangha sa mga litrato ay…”the best things in life are free”…and God is truly a great landscape artist…at salamat si betchai ay may mata to capture it with her camera…kaya lang i must admit too….na medyo sad ako…knowing that a lot of people will just probably look at these pictures (kung sakali mang makita nila ito)….yet never really see the beauty…paano nga ba nila makikita ang kagandahan kung ang mundo nila ay balot ng “kapangitan”…
bigla ko lang naalala si Mother Theresa… habang iniipon nya ang mga dying sa Calcutta…sabe nya…sila ay hindi nagkaron ng magandang buhay…kaya sana sa kanilang pagpanaw ay makaramdam man lang sila ng pagmamahal…kahit sa huli nalang…at sa isip ko…sana makita ng mga taong ito ang mga larawan na kuha mo…kase ito ang proof na may pagmamahal ang may Likha sa lahat ng kanyang nilikha…lalo na sa tao…ewan ko…siguro ang point ko…sayang…kaunti lang ang nakakakita ng gandang nakikita mo mula sa pagsipat sa iyong mahiwagang lente…kung anu ang gusro kong mangyari…ewan ko den….ay sori naman…maybe i’m saying that only the rich…see the richness of nature’s beauty…whereas sana the poor can see them too…kase mas kailangan nga nila yun…to isnpire them…to strengthen their faith…ay sori naman ulet kung mukhang KJ…
i’ve been to australia at sa silid ko na nasa hillside…overlooking the beach at Mosman, malapit sa North Sydney…picture perfect din ang view…pero hindi ko matagalan ang pagmasdan iyon…kase nag-iisa lang ako…lalo ko hinahanap yung wala….yung mga loved ones ko…lalo akong na-atat umuwi sa “pangit” na pinas…kase andun lahat ng “maganda” sa akin…sori naman ulet sa kadramahan ng lola mo…
on the lighter side…mabuti at you love what you cook…ako naman i try to define what i’ve cooked…i am allergic to scent…kahit ano…parang di ako makahinga pag may naamoy akong mabango…pero mabaho ok lang…anu ba naman talagang kawirduhan ng lola mo…ahahhaha…patawarin mo na bethchai (ahhahhaha)
…i dont like shopping sumasakit paa ko kakalakad sa mall…pero paglakadin mo ko ng 10 km na may cause…bitin pa ko nun…ayoko ng bags…i go for backpacks…coffee na may condensed milk..panalo! ansarap nun!…
last na hirit…ang wala sa blog na to na pinaka magandang picture ay si Khai by your side…appreciating the woman…the artist…the awesome Betchai that you are…hindi yun na-exhibit …pero iyon ang nakita kong sentro ng lahat ng kagandahang itinanghal sa blog post na to… at hindi lang 25 informations about the blogger ang scope ng post…it definitely spoke of love…beauty…wonders…and the “The joy of simple life”…ang galing mo Betchai…saludo ako!
hello Beth, i was looking for a friendster skin when ur blog appeared on the screen. Then I felt like reading this post. It was worth my time.. as if I’ve been in ur place in few minutes and enjoyed the nature.. ang pinaka nakapag-entertain sa akin eh yung gull eating the fish.. amazing coz nakuhaan mo yun hanggang matapos sya kumain ng buong isda.. and also lovely is the sunset na may rays like a sunrise, very unique..
am a nature lover too. and very fortunate that here in Pinas we have these wonderful nature, a blessing from God. I really plan to visit some beautiful places here and take pictures (though am really not good at it). Hopefully I can share also with u.
I look forward to seeing more of ur posts..God bless