Althea Writes Here

I walked through a couple of meters of knee-high floodwaters the other day. Fortunately, I was wearing flip-flops (thick ones, thank goodness) and a short dress. I was scared for a while, but only because I was alone, it was way past midnight, and I remembered I'd scratched a scab somewhere on my right thigh and a word I hadn't thought of since college came to mind: leptospirosis. I waited for a group of people to wade ahead of me, comforting myself with the thought that if I fell into an open drain, they'd notice and get help. But they walked too fast, and when a couple of cars passed through the flood, causing some waves to come crashing at my legs, I panicked and stopped on higher ground, hoping another group would come for me to follow. I waited for a while, but nobody else came. When I checked the time, it was already close to 2 am. Some men pushing a stalled car called out to me and told me to walk right on ahead, the waters weren't deep. But they were too far

There's a You Tube video that I find really funny. It's an ad for Berlitz . In it, a new guy in the German coastguard receives a mayday from an English ship. English ship: "Mayday, mayday! We are sinking! We are sinking!" New guy: "Hello! This is the German coastguard. What are you sinking about?" I've noticed that many of my students don't know the word "sink," and I've heard this action described/depicted in so many ways. Today's was the best ever. We have an exercise called Timeline of the Twentieth Century . It divided the significant events of 1900-1999 per decade, and I ask my learners to use the past tense and give me sentences about some of the events, never mind historical accuracy. I used it with a student today. His English was already good, but, as he said, his words were "trapped inside his head." He tried his best to talk about what happened to the Titanic, and his attempt had us both laughing our h

At some points in my life, I question some of the roads I've taken, some of the decisions I made, and some of the people I've given time and attention to. When I was younger, I'd agonize over having done the "wrong" thing; now, I just forgive myself faster. I understand more than ever that I can't be blamed for not being ready for a lot of things. Some things just can't be rushed. I'm happily learning, though. Underneath it all, I'm just really happy to learn, and I know that everything, everyone I cross paths with is there to teach me something. I was reading Jim Paredes' latest post on the "mid-life crisis," and something he wrote struck me, even if I'm only halfway past 30: When we let go of attitudes, beliefs and ways that don’t work, there appear newer ones that take their place. This will happen repeatedly until we find the right ones that apply to this new stage in our lives. We are like a house in renovation except

Keona turned 2 last May 21. I stayed less than 45 minutes at the party, I didn't get to sit down and eat, and I had no pictures. But at least I was able to kiss her and see her jump up and down with delight upon seeing all of us there and watch her do what little tots are extremely good at doing on their first three or so birthday parties--smudge the lettering on her bumblebees and daisies cake. She went with her mommy and daddy when they brought me to work, and she sat on my lap and pointed out the window. "Sun!" she said, and I remembered how, as a tiny little baby, she would stare transfixed at the plastic bead curtains in my room that glittered when the light hit them, and how, when she was old enough to crawl and stand up, she would try to grab at them and hold on so tight, I'd have to gently pry her little fingers off. She's discovering bigger and brighter things now; I can't believe how fast they grow up! I'm having my "Sunrise, Sunset"

Thanks to Emily's prodding, I went back to the gym today. I challenged myself to reach 400 calories or one hour on the treadmill, whichever came first* and I won! Afterwards, I did 100 crunches on the lower-tech, er, crunch machine. I feel... good. Tired, but the good kind of tired. It had been so long since I last exercised; in fact, I was already toying with the idea of already cancelling my Fitness First membership. Thank God for the extra cash that comes my way--I can afford to maintain it some some. I'm back to my pre-FF form, stamina-wise. I haven't regained all the pounds just yet, but I'm getting dangerously close to it. I'm hitting the gym again tomorrow. One hour on the treadmill again. If there's a yoga class, I'll take it to. The schedule is somewhere in my gym bag. Baby steps. * The hour came first, even if I alternately raised and lowered the incline, and alternately increased and lessened the speed. I can walk 5.5kmph. After that, it

I was going to write something about that what happened today, but in the end, I decided it wasn't even worth writing about. I'm just really happy I made it through this stressful work day. I had to wing six or so lessons, (almost) in a row, without having the documents I sent to my students. Such is life--when the connection's bad, the connection's bad. It wasn't the end of the world, though. I'm just wondering: Did today have anything to do with the earthquakes? I've only experienced two earthquakes in my life, and both times, I really thought I would die. Just in case, this: The Prayer for a Happy Death

If there's anything that the recent months have taught me, it's that taking control of your life does not always mean you should have complete control over it. This was something I've always known cerebrally; in fact, one of my favorite chapters of all time is the following chapter in Richard Bach's Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah . Yet in time, as the creature refused to cling again, the current lifted him free from the bottom, and he was bruised and hurt no more. And the creatures downstream, to whom he was a stranger, cried, "See a miracle! A creature like ourselves, yet he flies! See the messiah, come to save us all!" And the one carried in the current said, "I am no more messiah than you. The river delights to lift us free, if only we dare let go. Our true work is this voyage, this adventure." But they cried the more, "Savior!" all the while clinging to the rocks, and when they looked again he was gone, and t

I'm working on a script for Ana's wedding reception program and, for inspiration, I've been re-reading my long-forgotten Shakespeare. I used to think she was pathetic, but this girl Helena has spunk! DEMETRIUS Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit; For I am sick when I do look on thee. HELENA And I am sick when I look not on you. DEMETRIUS You do impeach your modesty too much, To leave the city and commit yourself Into the hands of one that loves you not; To trust the opportunity of night And the ill counsel of a desert place With the rich worth of your virginity. HELENA Your virtue is my privilege: for that It is not night when I do see your face, Therefore I think I am not in the night; Nor doth this wood lack worlds of company, For you in my respect are all the world: Then how can it be said I am alone, When all the world is here to look on me? DEMETRIUS I'll run from thee and hide me in the brakes, And leave thee to the mercy of w

What will your life be like 50 years from now? Donna gave me the link, and I looked it up on YouTube. More information about this video here .

I haven't been able to complete a short story for ages. I've made myself a pretty little writing space, I've dug out the manuscripts I need to revise, I've worked through most of my excuses... and I just can't finish any of them. This is something I needed to hear/read: Stay Out of Perfection Perfecting everything slows down success. Stop organizing and perfecting everything, just allow things to flow their course. If you must correct, organize, and perfect; allow the natural successful flow first. Get things out first, then optimize. Read the rest here .

Laughter, really, is a great de-stresser. France had a four-day weekend, and many of the French went out of town. My learner arrived in the nick of time to have our lesson, and he was breathless over the phone. He explained why he was almost late. He'd decided to take the morning train, and would work half day today. Learner: This morning, I took it off. Me: ... You know, when you say that, you're usually referring to clothes.

Early this year, I said I would start a new habit every month. I started by logging in my food intake and daily expenses in January. I'm sorry to say I've stopped doing that since I got back from Thailand in March. My vacation expenses were crazy--I kept all the receipts, but I simply gave up. But that wasn't the only reason. As I mentioned a couple of days ago, I sort of have three jobs now . The third, I started on March 1. It's a daily thing, and it takes me at least two hours a day--roughly about the same time I take writing down what I ate and how much I spent. I seriously need to learn how to manage my time better. I spend way too much time day-dreaming and watching TV and being my emotional self. I also went on a juice fast in February. I was successful for exactly two weeks, and then I caved in to lovely Italianni's food on my mom's birthday. I'm disappointed in myself, but I'm not beating myself up over it because it really was hard to

This summer, I've taken to wearing dresses to work. I only have a few, but wow, the difference it makes. No more heavy denim clinging to damp skin! I rarely used to do this, as I've always had the commute to deal with. I had this notion that it would be difficult to take jeepneys and tricycles and all manners of public transport wearing a dress, but it's not that difficult, really. I don't think I'm ever going to go back to wearing jeans again. Well, what do you know--I have a girly girl inside me after all. Speaking of which, here's a pretty little summery picture I'd like to share. I took this at Festival Mall when Ruth was shopping for her engagement and wedding rings. Giant hibiscuses were all over the place! This area leads to the movie theaters. More here .

Is it May already? Wow. I've been struggling to get right back on schedule since I got back from my March vacation--which totally threw everything off track--but April, oh, April was beautiful because one of my best friends, Ruth, was back in the country for a three-week vacation from her "new" life in Toronto, Canada. Sherwil, me, Ruth, Emily. We all lack sleep. For a couple of days, we were a foursome again. It was also around this time of the year that Ruth left five years ago. It was a year of letting go for me. My dad also died that year. Seeing her back sort of brought me back to the girl I was for a while, but it only highlighted the fact that I'm so different now. In fact, we're all so different now. In a really nice way. :) More pictures here . Where April also went I have three jobs now, sort of. I'm an English trainer, a columnist for the regional newspaper The Freeman, and, since March 1, a copy editor for The Philippine Star's Inbox Wo