Joyride

A drive without a certain destination in mind, only for the pleasure of it. Online dictionaries may have different definitions, but this is how I say joyriding is.

Spring is finally here. The sun's been out and the sky's been blue since Saturday. To celebrate this re-birth, A and I went for a joyride last weekend. We ended up circling a part of Prague 4 called Šeberov.

Some snapshots taken during the drive:

Didn't I say before that I'm a sucker for sunsets? There's something romantic, at the same time melancholic, about them. It's like letting go of something you cherish yet waiting and hoping for something more beautiful to come soon.

Which way to go? To the left or to the right? Neither. We went straight ahead where we circled Šeberov for several minutes.

Less than an hour later, we headed home giddy with the experience. (Yes, mundane things done spontaneously usually make me giddy with happiness. ) We weren't ready to give up the day yet so we strolled around the apartment complex. We have been living here almost a year but it's only now when we knew that there's actually a mini park with this man-made pond just a few meters from our flat. At night, the view just gives you a feeling of peace.

Sunsets and spring. Happy days are here again!

Moonriver and me

One afternoon I came home from work with no gameplan in mind. Usually I would be running crazy with list of things to do. From watering the plants to cooking dinner, my hyper self would always find something to do. Not this time though. I found myself staring at the ceiling until I got bored with its whiteness.

So I hit the keys and surfed away.

YouTube is one of my faves these days. It's like a manna from heaven. With just one click I can find the music I'd like to hear that goes with my current mood.

I was in the mood for Sarah Mclachlan. Her "Surfacing" album is simply timeless. When I searched for "Last Dance," it led me to a video of a guy (or a kid?) playing it on piano. He did it so well that for the first time ever I left a comment on Youtube.

His profile says he's up for requests so I wrote " how about Moonriver on piano or violin?" His reply came just a few days later:



FYI, "Hlodavecvodni" means water rodent. I don't know what YouTube was thinking or why it felt free to give me this awful nick.

Anyway, me and Moonriver go a long way back. It's been a favorite since time immemorial. At least that afternoon didn't go to waste. Moonriver got played for me when I least expected it. Ha!

More rants

I haven't forsaken thee, my blog...

I have been just busy with the day to day life, and lazy as well. I just couldn't bring myself to write. Mentally constipated is how I was, and I believe, still is.

I also believe I'm suffering from the downside of getting off the pill. I decided to give my body a break from it after almost three years, and what do I get? Dizziness, depression, and bouts of lethargy are just some pains my ungrateful body is giving me in return to my taking care of it. And oh, this bloating that just appeared overnight which gives me a distended belly I so abhor, is also a part of the most unwanted list, thanks to my ever going ballistic hormones.

Unsolicited as this is, if ever you're thinking of being on the pill, really really think again. You might not feel any side effects when you start on it, but you might feel a lot when you stop using it. Like me.

A said I might as well go back to it. Very tempting but no, thank you. No wonder some people get hooked on drugs, and I don't just mean the ones being sold in the streets. Prescribed drugs are just as addictive. Who wants discomfort? Not you and I certainly wont buy it. But I refused to bow to my body's immediate need which is to alleviate whatever discomfort it is feeling by taking the same drug that caused it in the first place.

The rough drive to wellness is just starting. Hopefully the road isn't long and winding...

Speaking of long and winding road, I just remembered a line from a Filipino movie eons ago. This is total digression but what the heck, I'm entitled to write in random thoughts once in a while.

In the movie, Rene Requistas (RIP) was pissed big time with someone and he said to him:

" You're very rude! Capital RIP, rude! The long and winding rude!"

There. If that was like "huh?" to you then I can only blame my hormones for my flat sense of humor.

Just ranting

In one of my previous posts I wrote that it takes several Murphy's law incidents to get me really annoyed. Most of the time I just laugh everything off. When I'm annoyed, it's because something or someone is really pushing it too far.

"Why don't you have a baby now? You're not getting any younger. The clock is ticking. Is there a problem? When you're past 35, better not have one..."

These are just some lines or questions that have been irritating me like a wart on a skin. I absolutely don't mind those well-meaning friends who probably think I'm not doing the world a favor by not producing an offspring now, but virtual strangers who fire me those lines just for what, for the sake of conversation or just for the heck of making unsolicited advices, are another story.

I don't owe them an explanation but if that's what it takes to shut their mouths up, I'll give them some.

A baby isn't the be-all and end-all for me. It's my relationship with my husband that is first in line. If a baby happens along the way, I would be happy and would consider it as another blessing that came our way.

We want to enjoy as a couple first before plunging ourselves into a long-term responsibility. We want us to travel and explore the world , be silly together, and when we've had enough of that, be serious in raising a family together. I've heard enough whining from friends, who right away had babies, to last me a lifetime. I don't believe in that crap that someone can complete you-- even a baby, especially a baby. You have to be complete first before you have one. That way you can give your all without expecting something back. So age notwithstanding, I'd rather be silly and be free for now, not break free from it all later.

Lastly, I believe when something is for you, it happens to you. Everything great that happened in my life was something I didn't look for. It was just handed to me when I was ready to take it and take care of it the best way I can.

Almost three years

On Saturday, the 8th of March, it will be my third year here in CZ. Time went by so fast. I still remember how cold it was when I got here, how homesick I was, how I longed for sunny PI and its yummy food. After three years the longing is less frequent. I can finally say I've adjusted here so well.

March 8 is also International Women's Day. They celebrate it here though it's not a national holiday. Women usually receive flowers, chocolates or something to let them know they are appreciated. We thought of celebrating my third year anniversary in CZ and the Int'l Women's Day in Budapest. We were all set but then we unexpectedly bought an expensive, brand-new toy last Friday. I'm suddenly dizzy from spending hard-earned cash. I guess Budapest has to wait.

They say home is where the heart is. PI is a place I will always, always heart and yet Prague has also managed to win my heart.