The Joys of Simple Life

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 .

It was a very nice day last Monday. Sunny, with unique little cloud formations on the sky. Still on vacation, I decided to enjoy the beautiful day!

Monday’s Sunrise 

Without Khai, I have fewer choices, so, I decided to go to the mall since that is the activity that Khai and I less do together. However, since I am not a mall rat, after one hour at the mall I got bored, maybe I got bored looking at the people happily swaying their shopping bags while I did not have any ! Seeing shoppers going out from Louis Vuitton or Gucci or Burberry or Jimmy Choo stores with their huge shopping bags bearing the name of the store just made it more unbearable for me! I knew, I must make my way out of the mall, before the devil Prada calls. I took the bus leaving the mall at 1:00 pm!

I got off Mira Mesa to have lunch at Filipino restaurant. I had kare-kare, bopis and cassava cake. I think those familiar with the serving here in America would know it is very huge that can serve several people, yet I finished them in one sitting , plus I had a cassave cake. I felt guilty after that I wanted to run but my stomach was too heavy to run . I instead stopped at a supermarket and bought some Ligo sardines. 

I hoppped in the bus again and decided to get off at our community park and walk the calories off. I thought with all the weight in my backpack it would be a great exercise to burn all the saturated fats I just ate. At first, I was contented walking around the park while watching some kids playing soccer or baseball or tennis, but after I completed my round at the community park, I felt I needed a more uphill exercise. I decided to continue my walk at the nature trail right next to the community park. At this point, fear slowly came in! I would be hiking alone! Not that I have not hiked alone, but if alone, I usually take the more popular trail at Torrey Pines, or in fact, even in this same trail during spring when a lot more people are enjoying its wildflowers. 

I was thinking of just staying at the community park, do another round again. But then, I started thinking if do I really have to fear? I fear being alone in the trail, what if all of a sudden someone will take advantage of me? Despite I know our community is one of the safest community in San Diego, but still, I was afraid once I round the hills and

Piedras Pintadas Trail Adjacent to Rancho Bernardo Community Park

I would be transported in an instant to a place that seemed too far away from civilization,

An Outside of Civilization Scenery After Rounding the Hill

even though I knew it is right next to the community park.  

However, the clouds were rolling in so beautifully that I was thinking what a beautiful sunset it would be! I did not want to be at the community park at sunset, I wanted to be at the other side of the hill facing the lake and its surrounding hills. And since it was stil at broad daylight, I took courage. I armed myself with a prayer, an earphone left hanging with a cell phone in sight pretending I was talking to someone! I must have looked weird talking to myself blah blah blah, but then, no one saw me since there was no one at the trail at all! When I reached the lake shore, slowly, I came at peace. Walking by the lake and seeing white egret and ducks seemed to calm down my fear. I had to be silent, I did not want to scare them away, after all, I want to take them a picture .

Egret

Can you spot the duck?

Then, I heard a hiss! I was so afraid it would be a rattlesnake! My heart started thumping, oh no! But as I looked around, I was so glad they were just bunnies! They seemed to be having a meeting where to run away from me

Bunnies

Before they ran away, I was able to snap them a picture only that they were hidden behind dried bushes. When they ran away from my sight, they startled little birds that were just on the grass I did not see before, two of these birds landed on a chaparral near me,

Can you spot the two small birds?

I started to calm down again and felt these creatures were heaven sent to accompany me. I took a deep breath, said a short prayer again and resumed my walk. Slowly, I was starting to see a lot more birds, in my every step, they flew away from the grass, a lot of them! Only that I can not take a picture since their color are the same of the hills and in dark shadow. I just enjoyed myself watching them flew, it seemed they were my companions. I started to see also a lot more water fowls of different species on water.

I realized when I cleared myself from fear that I started to see more. At about 4:30 pm, I already had completed the trail and I knew I had nothing to fear anymore as I was seeing already some bikers, dog-walkers, runners and hikers in the trail. Some of them were by themselves, some with a partner. I was no longer alone! It was already time to enjoy the sights! At about 4:45 pm, I called Khai, since his work is so close to this trail, thinking of inviting him over. However, when I called him, he was already exercising at the gym! I had to cut the call short when I saw a flock of birds migrating right in front of me. So I had to rush in ending the call, telling Khai, “okay dear….got to go, there’s just a lot of birds.” And Khai knew what I meant of that, he laughed while telling me good luck! Good luck indeed, for after I put down the cell, took my camera out, the flock of birds were already gone from my sight! I was about to put back my camera, get my cell phone and talk to Khai again, when all of a sudden, a flock of egrets came into my sight! So, I hurriedly snap pictures of them in their flight before I lose them again.

Egrets in Flight (1)

Egrets in Flight (2)

Egrets in Flight (3)

Egrets in Flight (4)

While I was following the flight of egrets with my camera, I did not notice I was right at the middle of the trail and a biker stopped since I was blocking his way. I smiled at him, said, “Am sorry to stop you”, and moved to the side. He smiled back, telling me, “No problem, that was wonderful! I would have missed that amazing experience if not for you, so thanks to you!” We both took a quick look at the lake again, but there were no more birds in flight, but it was still beautiful.

Reflections On A Calm Lake

He went back riding his bike, and said, “have  a good night, you take care!” That assured me I was with nice company in the trail! I resumed my walk, but this time taking into consideration that I won’t be stopping right at the middle of the trail so that I wont stop the bikers or the trail runners.

I know the colors would still change more dramatically and more beautifully, but I did not want to be behind the hill hidden from the lights of the community park when it gets dark.  As I walked back to the community park, another set of a flock of birds in flight surprised me. This time, they were not forming a V but a curve.

Birds In Flight (1)

Birds in Flight (2)

The sky was getting darker and the colors started to get more intense, sadly, I really had to go despite I still saw some ladies also alone walking with their dogs, and some couples walking leisurely. When I was near the community park, I felt safe enough to look back, oh, how I wished I was still at the other side of the hill facing the lake when the sky turned to these colors.

The Hues of Dusk Over the Hill

The Hues of Dusk Over the Hill

But then, seeing the darkness, I knew I would actually rather be at the community park in the safe lights of civilization. When I was walking on lighted roads already, I looked back again at Piedras Pintadas, 

Rancho Bernardo Community Park looking at Piedras Pintadas

so thankful to God for the experience I would have missed had I let fear dictate me. There are two kinds of fear, one that is good, that keep us away from harm. And one that is bad that paralyzes us and stopping us from doing things we could or should do. I know some people fear love cold hurt they never gave themselves a chance to love. I know some people fear losing their riches that they missed out on enjoying life. I know some students fear to fail but they end up failing because they never start! I know some parents fear their kids to play out of the doors afraid of rattle snakes and insect bites that kids end up physically frail and less healthy than they should and are disconnected with the natural world. I am so glad my parents let me play in the field, let me jump into the river, let me wander for mushrooms, let me climb trees, for I do not think I will exchange my childhood with what the world has to offer to kids now which are mostly based on gadgets. There are so many fears, some of them helped us away from danger, like jumping from a skyscraper. But some of them, we just have to let go, to give ourselves the best chance in life.