Royal Ramblings

10 days. Where have I been? 

If we're friends on Facebook, you most probably know where I am. I'm just there and on Instagram, too. This will start as sad my dear royal readers, but I do hope it will end in a happy note. So I hope you'd bear with my drama queen moments in a bit. OK, here it is.

Let me bleed with thoughts.

I love blogging, I really do! This is the only thing I have. As in, I don't have any "formal occupation" to put in when I fill out any form (like when King R and I bought new specs in Quiapo). Bebengisms gave boost to my slowly-going-down confidence when I quit my job last year. This cyber palace opened new experiences for me. I have been invited to events that I never thought had ever existed, I received items/services I know I won't personally spend on (like an Enjoy Philippines membership card and Revlite facial treatment by AIP) and most of all, I've met people -- mostly women -- who, may not be like me but are also blogging. The latter's the coolest, I guess. My being a SAHM won't make me meet intellectual, conversationalist kind of people every day. Well, conversationalist -- I can get that from cab drivers. Intellectual -- I rarely get that from the people I encounter. So yes, I officially love bloggers' events for that reason. 

Bounty Fresh's Top Torikatsu: More Than Just a Katsu

I love food! Who doesn't? I mean, check Instagram using the hashtag #food and you'll see like 68M plus plus posts. So when our friends from Bounty Fresh sent me packs of their new product Top Torikatsu, I was really excited to cook it.

"Bounty Fresh, the award-winning makers of innovative, quality chicken products, has launched Top Torikatsu, the first and latest in a line of delicious heat-and-eat items made especially for young people with busy, active lifestyles who hardly have the time to prepare a good meal."

I've been buying chicken katsu at the supermarket long before I was introduced to this product so I basically know how it tastes and what to expect. But no, this one's different! It has two flavors, which you can actually see inside and taste eventually, when you take a bite -- classic (sweet tangy mayonnaise) and cheese & chives. While most of my fellow mom bloggers rooted for Cheese & Chives, I think that I prefer the taste of the Classic variant.

Pray Without Ceasing

Two hours earlier, I was really really sleepy. Obviously, it changed. In between my yawns, I almost wanted to get pissed at my daughter who didn't show any signs of sleepiness. While she was putting herself to sleep, I scanned my Facebook and then my Instagram. 90% of posts in my newsfeed are about Yolanda. It woke me up -- literally and figuratively. Honestly, I didn't watch news, I didn't get too involved by posting updates on my social media accounts; and yes, I haven't donated anything. I must be a selfish witch, you can say that. But hey, I actually do not care about what other people will think of me for not getting involved, for not posting about #YolandaPH updates and for not donating. Why? Because I know that God sees what's in my heart. I am not worrying because I know He is in control.

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I am sharing with you these thoughts because it is something that I'd like you to realize. I know that Yolanda's victims need clean water and warm food; and that my thoughts wouldn't be of great help. But let me tell you this my friend, Zamboanga recently suffered what man has done. It was not mother nature's rage. It was a man-made destruction, but they have survived and by God's grace, moved on. 

What an eventful weekend!

My Samsung S3 Mini's battery was sick this past weekend; hence, lack of photos that serve as microblogs on my Instagram account. I bought a new battery earlier after doing some errands. The battery was so swollen kaya pala it's not working. A blogger with no camera in a bloggers' event is like a soldier in a battlefield without a gun. Yes, epic fail. I brought my point and shoot camera but guess what? Battery's low. Why?

Anyway, my mantra lately? I am too blessed to get stressed!

I'd be doing separate posts for each of the events I've been to but these are some snippets. I had my most-awaited hair makeover courtesy of Cynos Inside Hair Care. I love my ash blonde crowning glory. Really. As in, this is my #ggss moment. Hehe. Then I went to see TriNoma's Merry Musical Nights launch. Was I tired? A bit. But I didn't forget Sophia's bilin: donuts for pasalubong. I bought Krispy Kreme. She wolfed down one with sprinkles before we went to slumberland.

Squeeze Your Creative Juice with Planet Slate's JuiceBox

My being a stay-at-home-mom (SAHM) means I need to be as creative as I could be in entertaining my little artist. It'd surely be impractical and costly to go out every weekend. And it's not in my mom-vocabulary to basically stay at home and do nothing (though I personally would choose that in a heartbeat). The great Pablo Picasso said: "Every child is an artist; the problem is staying an artist when you grow up." 

See, our children could be the future Picasso. The possible key to that success would be the parents' consistency in developing the child's gift of art. Like what I said, we rarely go out. Commuting is a big production number. But hello, we need to shop. We go to the supermarket for groceries, mall for clothes that would replace the old ones and bookstores for books (duh Queen B, did you really have to mention that? lol). That's just about it. We forget that there are other things that my daughter needs. Say, art materials? Oh, I do need some, too. Crafting is something I love doing to relax and just create. 

Please Forgive Me

For not blogging regularly, that is.

Like what I said on my The Captain's Treat for His Girls post, I felt sluggish these past few days. Actually, I still do. I've been minimizing my every move 'cause I easily get dizzy. My body's been acting up really crazy lately. I know you royalties understand. Don't worry, I would have a new giveaway up for you tomorrow to compensate for my shortcomings. Wow, may ganun. Oo muther dear, you and I have a relationship! I want to take care of you, my readers. I know the exact feeling of a reader who was ignored or treated not-so-nice by a blogger. Major turn-off! So I'm trying not to be that kind of blogger. I hope I'm doing good. Send me a message if you feel like I'm not ha. :)

Remembering Papa

I was eight when my father died. I will never forget that I lied. They were busy preparing for Papa's hospitalization when I told my folks I was not feeling well so I would not go to school. I didn't expect that that absence from school would be the day we will lose the king of our kingdom. 

Honestly, I just cried because my sisters were crying. My mom was hysterical. The first thought that came to me: "paano na kami?"  He was our superhero. Come afternoon naps, when Mama was the fatter version of Queen Ravenna, Papa was our Thor – gwapo and strong. He protected us from whatever punishment we could have gotten from the jail warden. He worked nonstop to always give us what we needed. He brought me to school with our Lite Ace while my sisters commute. My last birthday in 1992, I had a classic mocha cake from Merced Bake Shop, lots of party food and a set of new clothes from Cabbage Patch Kids. New Year's of 1993, he woke me up to welcome the brand new year with the fam bam. He fed me grapes like I was Cleopatra. I was Papa's little Bebeng, I was his princess. But when he died, I knew my tears weren't because I won't see him every day anymore but because I knew this day will come. This day that I will miss him so much.