Photo: Chamie's "Copper Creations"

My friend and coresident Chamie makes these cool copper bracelets by hand in her spare time. One morning, she took some of these baubles and had me try it on.

"But my hands are vein-y..." I said, with a dash of arte,  and whining..
"It's fine, 'Tep, you're not vain."

haha... She guessed later, that i meant veins. not the other thing.

:-)

Love,

S.

Chamie's handmade copper bracelet, and cocktail ring. October 3, 2012. PGH, Manila.

Photo: Rose Heart Clay

Rose Heart Clay. July 27,2012. Crowne Plaza, Ortigas.

     I couldn't sleep...had too much coffee when I went to work earlier, and now i'm still wide awake, and its almost 5AM. I know I'll be having a lot of patients to see, but I can't help not sleeping. I used "extra-strength coffee", AND had another cup of regular one...geesh. Me and my choices...

Anyway, the opening ceremony for the Olympics is on...I'm watching it via ABS-CBN...but the reception really isn't all that hot. i have no choice, it's the only channel that's showing the olympics opening ceremonies.

The British sure do know how to throw a party! :-) I love it! :-)

I'm inspired...Practice really DOES make perfect...

I wonder how long it took everyone to get this all together. :-)

(I'm actually going to start my tour of duty in a few hours...not a wee bit sleepy. good luck to me.)

:-D

Love,

S.

Photo: Early morning bookworms

The early morning bookworms. February 2012. Ermita, Manila

Sometimes, early in the morning, I purposely wander over to this roadside book vendor (a.k.a. "Alika-Book" to see if there were new titles that I would like. They're pretty cheap, and once or twice, I find a title that I can't seem to let go of, and then I buy it.

One morning, I chanced upon these two ladies who were also avid readers...and we launched into an impromptu book discussion, which was totally great. Instant learning from the street, I'd say.

:-)

The lady in the middle has a son who was also a doctor, and she liked the fact that I was interested in photography...and that my life wasn't solely revolving around medicine. :-)

 I bought a book at that time, too. Always a good memory attached to a buy whenever I get one.

Now these are nice surprises in the mornings. 

much love, 

S.

Photo: with Herv and Gayle

With Gayle and Herv...two very good friends from Sci High. They just popped over (from wherever they were at) and we had dinner together at Cafe Breton...

Ah, good times.

:-) That's "Gaylederma" and "Manager" in da hauz... :-)

Ah, love them. and Loved that we had a great time! :-)

Love,

S.

Photo: Lasts and Firsts

38th Floor

Sunrise in the new one. :-) (May 19,2012)

Same great adventure...just moved to a new place. :-)

:-D

Love, 

S.

Photos: Chef's Quarter dinner

Pulled pork.

Bruscheta.

The "Special" Pasta

The "Surprise". :-) (I think it's creme brulee on brownie with strawberry and grape sauce.)

(food pics from when I had dinner with Sep and Auntie K.)


Love,

S.

Photos: Psych FC "Weekend Clini

That's Aleah (Mercurial Vapor), Ma'am Wamcie (T90) and of course, moi and my "boyfriend" the CTR360. (It took me a while to "make the commitment", but now I'm here, and football is such a joy to play....even if i'm still on the drills. :-))

Psych FC has expanded...:-) Wacks, the little boy of 5 years just wandered into our playing field and asked (very shyly) if he could kick the ball too. Guess what...he loved it so much.

So did his cousin Jill, 8, the swimmer, who could also kick a mean ball herself. :-)

Now why do I have the feeling he's going to want to play some more football this summer? ;-)

Double attack! :-) - with ma'am wamcie as goalie! :-p

post-football smiles. happy happy.

To be perfectly honest, I never did like football. I usually took up sports because either I couldn't stop thinking about it, or I was trying to impress someone.

This time,though,  I'm just learning for me. There's a lot about it to love. :-)

Love,

S.

Puto and Chocolate.

Where I grew up, this was one of my favorite picks for Sunday Morning breakfast.

Photos: that probably won't save the world :-p

March 26, 2012. My nephew (more like, cousin) Myles/Noyib before he bit into the Wasabi sushi roll. (Poor dude didn't know what hit him.)

Myles and his classmate JR slept over at my place for a couple of nights, so I  got to hang out with them. My conclusion? Teenage boys have a HUUUGE appetite...and are always texting. lol.

March 2012. One of my coresidents points at the pre-packed meals at the Co-Op. ..quick and easy, and with reusable containers. My fave is (easily) the Bicol express (pork in coconut milk, with lots and lots of chopped peppers!). I'd have it 3x a day, if I could.

Jan 2012. Oh look...a resto with my name on it (everyone calls me Manang/ "older sister",  back home. Even my nanny as a child calls me that.)

March 2012. The little dude had his dad watch over him the whole time, while he (the dad) instructed the barber ever few seconds...perfect haircut? or stage dad.

one of the two has to be the "cuter" option. :-D

And because Trina did not want the first years to be the only ones with the coasters on their tables, she got these Japanese-inspired ones from her recent trip to Japan for us. Guess which one's mine? (actually, it's the pink one, left-most, second-row.) Trina: "I knew you'd pick that." 

My teachers are greats in their field, I'm proud to say. We just recently went to a scientific meeting and one of  our teachers/consultants presented a lecture on Self-harm in Bipolar Disorder patients, and we were simply blown away. I thought (and said so) that it was "a masterpiece in organization/collation of data". She, Dr. J., was truly in her element, and now we have an idea of the shoes we have to fill when we do our Grand Rounds (mighty big!). :-D

This one was of the Guevarra "sisters"... ;-), during the 20 minute act break of the "Mamma Mia" performance. I had a great time with these ladies (Ivy's my best friend..and her sister and Mum were there too.)

Anyway,

it was a long day...can't get the stories out yet, though.

wait for me?

Love,

S.

Photos: From Leila's birthday party

My godchild Promise. Baby Love. :-)

with Trin and Chamie, my favorite girls. :-)

As you can see, Chamie's daughter Promise (and my godchild) totally loved the Spaghetti! :-D She's a cutie!



Love,

S.

Photos: PPA Convention, Tagaytay January 24-27, 2012

Taal Vista Hotel, January 26, 2012.

The place was really nice. This was at 8AM, when I was just going around to take pictures... the place itself is pretty. My photos don't do it justice, but when I say pretty, and calm, and peaceful (and super windy!), I really meant it.

That's Taal Volcano in the background. The venue was just my kind of space...lots and lots of wide open spaces, and photo options. 

That's Taal Volcano, a "Volcano within a Lake." <-- Dayanara Torres said something to this effect earlier.

Taal Vista has a Walden Pond type of feel...no doubt this guys things so too. :-)

Pre- or Post- performance. Can't remember. :-)

"The Lings", minus Bien...who was SROD at the time. :-p

"Mga Anak ni SBV"? ;-)

Oh, and I got to meet Margie Holmes. Isn't that cool too?

After we did our dance number. :-) (We won 3rd place, though. hehe)

Oh, and guess what. Promise was there..."Gilagid" smile and all! :-)

(there were other happenings, on that "last thursday night". haha.)

We had a great time.

Love,

S.

Photo: Lings Night 2

Lings Night, Vikings. January 18,2012.

Photo: Pops and Mamita

Pops and Ma at Lemuel's Wedding. December 30th, 2011. Photo By: S.

Two of the funniest people I know...  :-)

(For someone born only two months after my mother, my father really likes to make fun of their age differences...saying that he married a [much] older woman. Go figure.)

Happy 31st Anniversary, Mader and Pops!

We love you!

- Phanie and Donskie.

(Ma was born December 13th, and Pop, February 22. What a difference two months makes...haha.)

Photo: Promise at 9 months

One afternoon, Promise visited the callroom right before getting her due shots. She looked really cute in a pink tutu and a be-ribboned top. This is me having fun with her while waiting for her "mummy" to finish seeing her patients.

My godchild Promise is now 9 months old. (Where'd all the time go? :-))

 

One of my friends told me, "S., if you're going to be dating this year, maybe you shouldn't post so many pictures of you holding babies. Baka they'll think you're a mom or something..." And i'm like, "Oh, eff that...why wouldn't i want to post a picture as gooey gooey with Ninang-Baby love as this one?" 

(Promise was in a good mood on this day, I suppose. However, I also look forward to having the "best shoulders" when the time comes Promise needs one. :-)

(I love the little chipmunk! :-))

Love,


S.

Photo: JS Prom, Take 2

Prom. Photo by: Roz.

And so, for our high school* reunion, the Class of 2006 thought up the theme of J/S Prom...and so we ended up looking like this. Prom is prom, and this salmon pink number that I got off a rack is getting to be quite a fun pick. :-) Prom should be fun and carefree. :-)

Anyway, these are some of my classmates who came to the "prom" . My best buds in High School (sans Ria, whose baby had an asthma exacerbation at the time) were there. Antoine and Ivy picked me up at the salon...and I got a ribbing for "going all-out"...and I was like, hey, it took me 13 years to have another chance to dress up at prom, so why not? LOL"

:-)

It was a fun night... so good to see familiar faces. :-)

Something tells me "Makati Nights" are going to get more frequent from now on, considering there are a lot of us based in Manila now. <-- Makati, much to Antoine's delight, because he lives there, is the middle of everyone's location, so there. :-)

Happy New Year, folks!

Love,

~ S.

* high school  = RTPM Dumaguete Science High School (the regional science high school for Central Visasyas)

Collage: pop of color

And so I've come up with the idea of making collages for everybody...and printing them out as Christmas Presents...after I've done a "vanity" one of my own. :-)

'If one spends all year taking pictures of everybody/people, one ends up with a lot of pictures to put in a collage." - Me.

Let's see if it works. haha.

Merry Christmas!

Love,

~ S.

Photo: Buses and Trains

Keys on a red wall. Mr. Quickie, Robinsons Manila. November 30th, 2011.

You know for sure...

That when you say "I Love You" first, and then the other person says...

"Whoa!"

or

"Thank you."

It's definitely unrequited. :-p

---

Check out "Buses and Trains" by Bachelor Girl. It's a classic-in-the-making. If not, then for the lovelorn, at least, who want to be all intellectual and still a bit whimsy about it. Love.

Love,

S.

Talking to the moon

"Moonshine".  December 12, 2011. Ermita, Manila. 

I’ve had a session in supervision today… my supervisor came over to the department and we saw one of my long-staying patients, one of the most difficult cases I’ve had so far. She’s been admitted almost 5 weeks (our target is acute care – 2weeks.).

The visit from the supervisor was a great help, especially in cases like these. I entertained a neurological problem, but the scans were clean. I was kind of grasping at straws, but as per request, I think I’ll have to change medications to a faster acting neuroleptic.

(The gratification for one’s work in psychiatry is of the much-delayed type. It can take months. Years. )

-----

One of the nurses at the ward, has a sort of “gift”. I’ve never really explored it, but sometimes, just for fun, we ask him for a “reading”. With almost crystal ball-accuracy, he can give you a reading of your current state of affairs. When I was in the ward earlier and waiting for a procedure to be done, I asked him, “Hey sir, does your spirit guide have any message for me today?” and I chuckled.

He smiled, and thought for a little while… while I worked on some paperwork. Presently, he said to me, “You seem sad..like you’re walking around in sort of a daze. Your happiness should not depend on anyone, or anything for that matter…it should come from within.”

I guess he’s right…I’m pretty tired. And I've been really tired lately…

And then a few minutes later, he comes up to me and says, “Ma’am, I think I remember what I told you before, ‘If you settle for something right now, that’s all you’ll ever do, and that’s all you’ll ever get.’ “  I just gave a small smile, and said thanks. I mused about it, of course… I’ve realized, ever since he first said it, that I tended towards settling.

Maybe it’s time to think about myself and not about other things, or other people. Settling is not good…I deserve to be in a situation that would make me the best person I could be, and the happiest.

-----

I had a camera discussion with a friend earlier.

Yes, my Lumix is a beauty, and when I’ll have time, I’ll go do boulevard sunset shots, and shoot my favorite subjects.

People.

By the way, I took that picture above while listening to Sara Bareilles’ “Wherever the Wind Blows” when I got home tonight. I’ve been trying out the different settings.

------ 

Oh, and by the way, when I get stressed, I tend to sleep a lot.

Love, 

S.

P.S. The inspiration for the title came from Bruno Mars'. "Talking to the moon". <- Which is like somewhere out there, but more hiphop. ;-)