Friday Five: Yay!

So, okay, this is much delayed.

Life happens.  I’m not apologizing, and it’s another weekend so I’m feeling all chipper.

I tried to write but I seriously did NOT have the time because my real world had me in chains all week, slaving away.  But it’s Friday!

As always, we start with the updates based on the last list that appeared here two Fridays ago:

1.  Sort the fabrics I picked up from Brooklyn over the weekend.   Done!  I’ve even managed to wash a few sets just to make sure that they are good to go once crafted!

2.  Write five topics to write about here and in my craft blog.  I actually managed to complete this for both blogs, but while the idea was that the “drafts” would help me move forward with the blogging, I haven’t been able to hit the pace I was working on.  Still, it got me posting, and there’s a new post for each site.

3.  Gather the books that I hope to read in the coming days and actually write about it.   I have the books, just haven’t had the chance to list them down.

4. Pull together at least one “care package” from the things I hope to destash and send out.  So I’ve been “cleaning up” but have pleasantly rediscovered things I had made and bought over the past two years which I had misplaced.  So yes, I got the one care package started, but haven’t sent out.

5.  List 10 things in the “turning 50 good deeds” to do.  I didn’t quite hit the 10 but managed to write 6, and wrote about it here.  In addition, I have created a page with the post title, Gift of 50,  (see navigation bar on top please) to keep the updates on one page.

I think that wasn’t so bad — even if it took all of two weeks to actually make progress.  Again, I’m not killing myself over this.  So for this weekend, here’s my Friday Five:

1.  Gather the books that I hope to read in the coming days and write a blog post on it.   I might even start drafting this this afternoon.

2. Care package work-in-progress send out.  One of the sets I have to hang on to, but I think I can actually pack the second and send off before next Friday.

3.  Plan the big five-o celebration.  I’m very big on celebrating birthdays and “big” doesn’t actually mean a huge party — I just want a table of friends to toast the big day.  And it’s right around the corner!

4.  Find the loose postcards I want to work on and actually set aside time to get this project started.  We’ll start with identifying a box they can all go into and then I will write about what I hope to do with them.

5.  Draft a craft project calendar.  I’m trying t plan for the year and get things on track — scheduling christmas cards ahead of the holiday season so that they actually get sent, for one, this time around.

It’s been a very busy week work wise and I cannot be more grateful that it is finally Friday.  It’s been one of those weeks where I was too tired at the end of the day to focus on anything else but catch some much needed zzzzzzs.  But the week is over and there’s finally time to recharge and relax.  Tomorrow.

Happy Friday, everyone!

Gift of 50

Over the previous weekend’s Friday Five, I had set out to write 10 of the 50 good deeds I hope to do as part of my 50th birthday this year.  Yes, I am 50, and I think I have a lot to be thankful for through the years.  2015, in particular, has found me appreciating all that I have been blessed with despite all the bad breaks that have been thrown my way.  In the bigger scheme of things, I think I have been fortunate to be who and what I am.  So in celebration of all the good in my life, I promised to do 50 good deeds — and not the regular kind of good like donating your used clothes to a clothing drive, but the kind of good that makes someone else feel better.

Others choose to celebrate their birthdays with the less fortunate– well, I plan to do that, too, but I think the everyday people in our lives deserve a break or two in a less charitable kind of magnanimity.  Like maybe this or that person would appreciate a simple gift just from out of the blue.   To start things off, I thought I’d try to list 10 such deeds I hope to do just to get the ball rolling.  (Unfortunately, I ran short by four..)

(1) Have you ever thought how that person who serves you your made-to-order sandwich in the cafeteria or deli would feel if you handed him a $20 tip?  Ha!

(2)  Or how that pretty young lady who rings up your sandwich order at the chain deli across the street would feel if you handed her a pair of earrings and bracelet in a nice gift box?

(3) How about leaving a tray of earcandy just for the taking in the office pantry, just because?  (I know I would take one and I make my own!).

(4)  I know there’s this lady at work who wears a different scarf everyday no matter what the season is.  I’ve chatted her up because of it, and I am planning to gift her with one of Narda’s handmade/handwoven scarves from Baguio — one of the scarves I bought during one of my two trips to Manila last year.

(5)  I’d like to try and get to know someone I work with but am not social with like some of the new assistants in my department, or someone I have seen on the floor but have never interacted with besides a perfunctory hello or how are you.  One a quarter?  Not just sit down and talk but actually pay for the meal.  (Okay, I’m not going overboard with this one..something casual and light..)  I already know who I’m inviting out for the first getting-t0-know-you meal.

(6)  There is someone I work with and have known for years who, I know, is undergoing medical treatment right now.  It wouldn’t hurt to send her words of encouragement but not letting her know it’s from me.  Sometimes it is awkward to accept help from others, even from friends, at a time when you feel most vulnerable, so I will respect that need for space and step back but step up to let her know someone’s rooting for her.

44 more to go.. although one or two of these can count as 3-4 such gifts..  Random listing with links to any related posts will be found on a page so entitled.  (Please check out the navigation bar.)

We always underestimate our ability to make a difference in someone else’s life.  And I think that we have to start thinking small and doing things that are easier but not any less impactful than the millionaire philanthropists out there who can change tides in one fell swoop.  A simple greeting in the morning can change the way someone’s day turns out.  I know it has worked for me, so I imagine it can mean something to others as well.

I know it sounds so cliche to say that we can all make a difference.  But we actually can.  And I think we’ll all be more successful in doing that if we start thinking about the everyday things we can do and do them more often.

Have a good week ahead.. that’s the soon-to-be-50-year-old wishing you one!

Dreaming the dream

I am a dreamer at heart.  I think it’s what gives me hope and what makes me believe that no matter how bad things may get, there is a better day up ahead somewhere.  Maybe not today or tomorrow — but it’ll come.

It’s dreaming that makes me think that the disappointments that life throws my way are but temporary stumbling blocks I can hop over or dance around — depending on which fantasy I’m thinking of at the moment.

In my mind, I think of better days, I go back to warm and fuzzy feelings, and I look forward.  That’s what dreams are supposed to be — at least the ones we consciously spin in our heads and hearts.  It’s supposed to help us focus on what is yet to come.

What sets apart one dreamer from another is if he or she goes for that dream.  Some end up just wishing their life away without taking that giant leap towards finding out if that dream is within reach.  Others jump head first and hit the ground with a loud thud and then they get up and conjure up other dreams.  Others just stay frozen wallowing in their broken dreams.

So I got another e-mail from a Lawyer Wannabe.  (Makes me think I should change my tag line from “Musings of a Filipina living in New York” to “Advice for the legal eagle dreamers out there”.)

KC (also from UP)  is asking me about whether or not she should pursue an MS (driven by the current job she has) or Law which she is thinking of doing.  She wasn’t able to take the Law Aptitude Examination (LAE) as her job required her to go abroad, making her miss the only exam date for UP.  She is thinking of taking the San Beda Law entrance exam because she doesn’t want to wait another year.  Financial considerations are making her think twice about that decision because her parents are both government employees.  The crux of her dilemma is regarding whether she should pursue law or a Master’s degree in Science.

I gave her a brief reply via email which I have expounded below and want to share with those who might be having the same questions running through their head..

I have always encouraged anyone and every one who has dreamed to be something to go for it.  In the end, the choice is yours to live with, and I am of the school of the thought that it is better to try for something and know if it’s for you, rather than keep dreaming and never know.  It seems that so many people think of being this or that but never even get anywhere near finding out if they can be such and such because of sheer reluctance.  We have all heard it said, “Life is short..”.. “You only live once..”.  And yet we think of those phrases only when it doesn’t require us to be brave enough to take the leap, so to speak.If money is a factor then you might want to wait for next year’s UP exam.  Law is a very expensive course to take because of the books and numerous materials to be photocopied.  That is a given in ANY SCHOOL you go to.  So tuition really is the deal breaker.  You also have to take into consideration the fact that you’re working.  I did it back then, but it wasn’t easy.  Can you hack the schedule?

If you went for your masters, will your job pay for it?  If they will, then isn’t that a more practical route?  You mentioned MS so I am guessing your training is in the sciences and not the arts.  You have to weigh your skills against your dream.  Law requires a lot of writing — if that is not your strength, that is going to be a problem.  Our exams are all about reasoning out — more so in the Bar.

Regarding the financial aspect, my question is, if you are already working, why do you need to depend on your parents for tuition?  I would like to think that they had done you well by taking care of you up to this point, so it’s about time you stood up on your own.  However, if your intention is to be a full time student, then that is another matter altogether.  I think it will do you well to sit down with your parents and find out if they are prepared to continue to support you so you know where you stand if you make it to law school after all the exams are done.  You wouldn’t want to have to face the choice of foregoing your dream due to financial unpreparedness.  Their ability to support you should not deter you from pursuing your law education or your masters — it will help, but I know you can find a way if you put your heart and soul to it.  I did.

If it means that much to you, then by all means take the entrance exams.  Passing that hurdle is one step closer to the dream, but until you actually do, there’s no use fretting about the rest.  I know that might sound rather whimsical, but sometimes, you just have to throw all caution to the wind and go for it.  If it is meant for you, it will land on your lap — even if you don’t make it to the law school of your choice.  Opportunity will come knocking, maybe from UP!  Who knows?

The long and short of it is that you will never really find out until you go for it..  I think the best advice I can give you is to follow your dream but be ready to make it come true.  Do not ever let yourself be limited by your resources — if you don’t have them, find them.  We have been blessed with different levels of intellect, and my mother always harped on the fact that we were not created equal for a reason.   There are some of us who are more blessed than others, but that doesn’t mean the lesser ones are any less in the eyes of the boss upstairs.  It’s just the way life works — we can’t all be superstars.. otherwise, there will be no fans.  We can’t all be lawyers — and we can’t all be accountants or scientists of this or that discipline.  But we all have a role to play.

Find what it is that makes you happy.  Keep dreaming, and make those dreams a reality.

Related posts can be found here at Lawyer Wannabe.  (See navigation bar.)

Friday Five: Long Weekend Ahead

I am excited for the long weekend coming up because it’s one of the last few long weekends we’re having for a bit.  Well, that is, unless I choose to take some time off.  So I thought I’d start it by setting my sights on what I hope to accomplish in the next three days when it’s supposed to be brutally cold in my part of the world.  Right now we’re battling temperatures which are definitely below freezing, so I have made up my mind to stay indoors unless it’s absolutely necessary to go out.

First, the update.  Last week I set to do the list below and here’s how I did:

1.  Sort my ribbons.  This one actually went somewhere and is a work in progress, given my fabric freebie stash which I picked up Sunday.  (More on that later.)
2. Sort my shoes.  Decisions have been made and the ones heading to shoe heaven will be discarded.
3. Label and organize the Christmas decor in the attic.  Packed and labeled and stored.
4. Gather my loose postcards.  Hoping to do more of this during this particular weekend.
5. Mail some postcards home.  Postcards written on and addressed — just looking for my forever international stamps.  (Almost there.)

So how’s my weekend looking?  I’m excited to create and organize my supplies.  My fabric stash has mostly been sitting in the same bags they were brought in, except for the slivers of hand-dyed silk that I have washed and been drying/ironing to work with.

The postcard project brewing in my head will need those postcards to be gathered, and I have already set aside a container.  I’m looking forward to curling up with one of the books waiting for me to open this weekend — besides those that have been sitting stewing in my virtual library on Kindle.

So here’s this long weekend’s list… and for those straying into my space for the first time and coming upon a version of this regular post, the point is to create a simple, doable and easily achieved checklist of things to do or start during the weekend, with a progress report due the following Friday.  What for? The intention is to give you a sense of accomplishment at the end of the weekend, helping you to start the week off right.  It’s also supposed to help you keep track of where the weekend went beyond the regular errands you have to run.

1.  Sort the fabrics I picked up from Brooklyn over the weekend.  I did it once before and came upon a listing for “free fabrics” from Craig’s list where they give away everything and anything — as long as you want them and pick them up where specified.

That sojourn and what I got from the trip is another blog post altogether, but I need to sort through the stuff I got and start planning on what to do with them.  I had also promised my benefactor that I would share and give away whatever I didn’t make use of, and I don’t want to sit on it too long before I forget.  So I will be spending a fair amount of time going through most, if not all of the stash.

2.  Write five topics to write about here and in my craft blog.  I’ve been pretty happy with how my blogging has been in this corner of the web, but I’ve really been working on getting the other blog, which is my “craft” blog running again.  I think writing five topics down and actually starting a draft post for me to go back to later will help build up my writing ideas and keep the posts coming.

While I write very spontaneously here, I have things I want to do in the other blog which are more entrepreneurial.  But just like any business, it takes focus and a plan and I have a rough idea brewing in my head but I need to concretize them and make it happen.  That’s why I’m hoping to start with opening that space up again and being more active there.

At the same time, I don’t want to fall into a rut again here, and with the half dozen things I’m behind on in terms of topics I want to write about, starting a post should help goad me to tap the keys and actually get those posts done.

3.  Gather the books that I hope to read in the coming days and actually write about it.  I have always loved to read and have been lamenting the fact that I haven’t been doing enough of it the last couple of years.  There is a different enjoyment that I get from thumbing through pages and actually seeing the story unfold in my head.  I have the books — I just need to actually sit down and open them.  (Note to self:  Write about the books!)

4. Pull together at least one “care package” from the things I hope to destash and send out.  Through the years, I have accumulated a lot of things that I had acquired either as gifts or purchases — and some of these things have outlived their usefulness or no longer mean the same thing to me.  Others I had plainly forgotten about or no longer want.  I have always believed that one man’s trash is another’s treasure.

At the start of the year, I had written my “16 for 2016 post” which I have condensed into a list as a page of this blog.  (See navigation bar.)  #14 of the list reads:

Destash: Give 5 items away from my current stash (clothes, books, art supplies, postcards) every month beginning March.  

I have to get started on this, and I have several ideas in my head.  It doesn’t have to be your typical bag of hand me downs.  I have a lot of other things which I am sure others will find useful.  I can actually give them away to someone I know, or leave it out in the open for someone who might fancy it to pick up.  This weekend, I want to pull one such package and make a decision as to how I am going to get rid of it.

5.  List 10 things in the “turning 50 good deeds” to do.  BFF Fe just reminded me that I’m turning 50 in a few weeks.  (Yes, I’m hitting the big five-oh.)  Again, in the same list mentioned above, #16 was “Celebrate my birthday by doing 50 feel-good deeds.”  I have to start somewhere.  No rules really — big, small, something ordinary to something I would need to mount a major production to accomplish.  One year to do it, before my 50th year is done.

My Friday is turning out to be quite the weekend start with things going haywire in my real world.  (Read: my day job).  Ever have one of those days when you just want to crawl under the table and hide?  This is one of them.  The good news is it’s almost ending, and I can maybe sit down with a bottle and drink the nerves away, and actually start my weekend on a relaxing note.

Happy Friday, everyone..  bundle up!

In My Mailbox: Beda Law Entrance Exam on Friday — what now?

I love getting mail from those who stray into this corner, and today, one greeted me from a “Lawyer Wannabe”.   (You can email me at pinaynewyorker at gmail dot com). I didn’t get a name exactly so I am going genderless on this, and just reprint the note I got.

“Good afternoon po, Atty. I’ve read your blog po and naisipan ko mag-email. Sana di po ako nakadisturb.. Can you give me some tips on what to study for my entrance exam in SBC? This coming friday na po kasi. Ano po coverage ng exam? 🙂 Thank you!! “

I wanted to be able to sit down and write a full response but was presssed for time as it would be Thursday already by the time my reply was read.  So I sat on the bus and postponed painting my face for until after I had written a reply.  Time being of the essence, I tried to write a comprehensive response anyway.

Here goes:

Thanks for writing and no, I don’t consider emails from the blog readers a bother.
First of all, good luck!

Secondly, I hope that you were able to read the post on preparing for the exams..

Third– you have to keep in mind this is an aptitude test so there is really no general scope. They are trying to determine if you have the smarts for a legal education. There are no set parameters for review because they are probing what’s already in that coconut of yours. ( just a little humor.. I know you’re nervous.)
Fourth- with that said, what tips can I give you?

– Relax and calm your mind. Repeat over and over to yourself you want this — and yes, you can do it. Doubt will slow you down and the test is mostly under time pressure. Say 120 vocabulary terms in 30 minutes which means you need to answer 4 in a minute. They’re not trying to find the speed readers amongst you but it’s simply because if you had the word in your vocabulary, you wouldn’t even have to think about it.

– Pick the first answer that lights up and don’t second guess yourself. Again, they are looking at what’s already in there so even if it’s a guess, your brain is actually wired to pick that which it knows is true or correct. In the same way, your brain will guess wrong if you’re playing darts not really knowing anything. The tests are designed to see those guesses.

– I don’t remember the San Beda exam but if there is an essay question like Ateneo , answer the question and then explain. They are looking at your writing skills here. Can you form a coherent thought? Can you explain yourself clearly?

If the question is why do you want to be a lawyer, be honest. There is no right or wrong answer as they are looking at how you write. If it’s an opinion question, say, on the death penalty, your first sentence should declare your stand, (for or against). Write a complete sentence, do not say just Yes or no. (Yes, I believe in the death penalty.). Repeat the question if you must within the answer. Then explain.

Never start with “because. ”

Do not use “I think…”. Instead, use “I believe..”

Your last sentence should reinforce or reiterate your stand or first statement, even if it’s a repetition of your first sentence.

Lastly, pray.

Trust that whatever the results are, wherever you land, there is a reason for it. UP said no to me, but I am grateful and happy I landed with the Jesuits. Whatever your faith is, whether you believe in God or not, know that the universe has a grand design. Don’t fight it, just go with the flow.

Dispossess your mind of the idea of being in a courtroom because lawyering is beyond litigation. I didn’t realize that until after law school, and I haven’t done any lawyering except for the periodic legal opinion request from friends who know I am one.

Do I feel like I wasted all that effort and time? No, I don’t. I had always dreamt of becoming a lawyer to be one– I didn’t want to be just a college graduate. I love studying the law and fought hard for it, even when it meant working while studying.

Am I ever going back to being one? I always say once a lawyer, always a lawyer– whether I am just being a mom or working up in my little perch in the corporate world where I am totally in a non-legal function.

Let me know how it goes and where you land. Very exciting times for you! I am fasting today and will say a little something to thenBig Boss upstairs soon as I hit send.

Best of luck!

Related posts on the pursuit of a legal education can be found in the blog section LLAWYER WANNABE in the navigation bar.

My Brooklyn Adventure

So here’s my weekend report:  I only had one plan over the weekend and that was to go on an adventure into Brooklyn and pick up some fabric scraps.  Now, I’ve done this before — the freebie fabric pick up, that is.  The first time was somewhere in the Flatiron district which was closer, and I had come carrying a bag although it turned out to be the wrong one to lug around once it was full of fabric.  Lesson learned: a roller luggage would be best.  This time, I came prepared.

Brooklyn Sunset as viewed from Lafayette

Second lesson learned from my first foray into grabbing freebies is one must not underestimate what is available for the taking.  The girl scout in me whispered I should bring an extra tote just in case there was more fabric than I could fit into my trusty roller.  (And there was more!)  I’ll write about my haul another time but anything to do with Brooklyn is an adventure for me.  This coming from someone who has lived and breathed NYC the last 15 years!  Ha!

I got there — remembering to avoid Flushing due to the Chinese New Year.  (Newsflash:  They do dragon dances there and there ARE street closures for this all important Chinese holiday.. )  Had to go by bus and then subway all the way, transferring through no less than 3 lines.  Q88, R, 7 and the G.  I made it.

Once there, that was another story, though.  I almost thought about calling frantically for help from a friend who lives in Brooklyn but I found my destination before I could start panicking.  Before I could even find the place where I was picking up fabric from, I found DOUGH.  Nope, I didn’t find any moolah — I found the one that makes your tummy happy and makes you want to die in a sugar coma.  But I had to pick up my fabric scraps first!  (I was intent on accomplishing my main mission before embarking on any other side trips.)

I’m always the first to admit that I am geographically challenged in unfamiliar places.  Show me a map and give me a minute or two to orient myself — but please don’t talk to me about North, South, East or West.  I’m a very visual person.

Found my benefactor, stashed my haul into my bag and my tote, and with a white garbage bag full of what looked like clothes visible in the open bag and the other hand pulling a roller luggage, I must’ve looked like I had either just come from the laundromat or I was one of those better dressed and well-kempt homeless people.  I didn’t really care.  I wanted my donuts!

DOUGH Brooklyn

DONUT forsake me, my sweet tooth begged.  it wasn’t a very big place, really.  Yet with the sun setting and the place lit up from within, it was obvious there was a line snaking inside.  Now where would I leave my stash?  I pushed the roller bag under one of the benches outside, knowing (and hoping) no one would take such a bulky item.  Then I took my place in line and waited patiently.

Dulce De Leche

I first discovered Dough many moons ago in the winter village in Bryant Park.  They had taken one of the booths during the holiday fair, and I was a customer almost every day, sampling their artisanal donuts.  Dulce de leche, Cafe Au Lait, Cheesecake, Lemon Poppyseed.  It was the treat you would gladly give up lunch for, and Sunday night’s dinner was going to be donuts!

I would have bought 4 or 6 but really had no more room in my tote bursting with the third bag of fabric scraps, and my roller luggage looked like I was going on a long trip with at least a month’s worth of clothes.  So I had to make a tough choice — I could only carry two.  Sigh.  My heart broke.  The cheesecake was a given.  If I had one choice of a donut from this place, I would choose the cheesecake donut without batting an eyelash.  Think of a hearty donut that’s full enough to chew on but light enough to enjoy its flavor with a creamy cheesecake frosting.  NThe Dulce De Leche with its almond slivers was beckoning to me seductively like it always did. I knew resistance was futile, but there was the irresistible Salted Chocolate Caramel, with its chocolate glaze oozing down its voluptuous dome.  .

I inched my way forward and heard everyone ordering hibiscus.  Hmmmm… I was ALMOST tempted, but with one slot taken by the cheesecake I am always faithful to, the hibiscus would just have to wait for another time and day when I could actually maybe carry a box of 6 or a dozen even.  (Maybe if I get to visit their branch in the Flatiron district.)  Alas, “caramel” is always a sure winner in my book.  I had to sacrifice the Dulce De Leche.

Hibiscus Donuts

I paid for my treats and grabbed my roller luggage (which was still there) and set out to plan my trip back home.  I had to improvise with my load — I could not possibly lug everything in reverse. In the midst of it all, I had tried texting my friend but my phone was not sending the message.  Silly me, I decided to reboot forgetting I had reset my code, and which of course, I couldn’t remember. Thanks to technology I was unlocked remotely and was saved!  Imagine no phone and no apps in a strange place.. 
In time, I made it back to my old stomping grounds and got on the bus home– fabric scraps, donuts and all..

Are they as good as they sound and look?  Yes. 

Friday Five: Moving along

This is a much-delayed second post following my 2016 kick off.  I refuse to brand it an epic fail because the year is young, and I try not to be too hard on myself.  As posted in the first iteration of this blog list, the point is to create a simple, doable and easily achieved checklist of things to do or start during the weekend, with a progress report due the following Friday.  What for? The intention is to give you a sense of accomplishment at the end of the weekend, helping you to start the week off right.  It’s also supposed to help you keep track of where the weekend went beyond the regular errands you have to run.

The rules:  (1) Keep it simple.  (Go through pantry and discard expired food.  Pick up prescription.  Mail that birthday card.  Start this project.  Throw that away.)  (2)  It must be doable.  (You have the weekend only and the following week as an extension, so no tasks that will require a huge investment time-wise.)  (3)  Should involve only or mostly you.  (Involving another person would mean depending on that person for the fulfillment of the task.  This is about YOU.)

My first list and it’s progress report:

1.  Write Do.  (BFF Donna who is in Australia.)  This is a work in progress given how long I write.  Yes, I still do snail mail.
2. Create the matching piece for B.  (Gave her a pair of freshwater pearl bracelets.)  Just trying to find the right clasp.
3. Read.  (Book no. 1 was book no.2 of last year’s list.)  Does taking the book out count?  Ha!
4. Sort clothes to keep or to give away.  I’ve actually done well with this as I continue to try and sort my room out the way I want it.  I used to take pride in being able to wear clothes year in and year out but now find that I have to be more conscious of something going out of fashion and resisting the urge to keep something because it cost an arm and a leg.
5. Go through make up stash and discard old supplies.  I love make up so it’s a little difficult to part with it, but part with it, I did.  There are just lipsticks that discolor and whose consistency changes through the year, and there are broken make up palettes that will do you no good with all the powder it spreads around.

Okay, that wasn’t quite as painful as I thought it would be.  So here’s this week’s Friday Five, and hopefully (fingers crossed), I will get things off the list faster and provide you an update next week.

First of all, I’m taking reading off the list.  That shouldn’t be a weekend thing — it should be an everyday thing.  (A blogpost forming in my head.)

Secondly,  I am going to try and focus on very specific items this weekend.  (Well, hoping..)

1.  Sort my ribbons.  (Working on some incredibly gorgeous recycled sari ribbons to use for my necklaces.  Can’t wait!)
2. Sort my shoes.  Some of them need to hit the dumpster soon.
3. Label and organize the Christmas decor in the attic.  Just so I’m not overwhelmed next year.
4. Gather my loose postcards.  Project brewing in my head.
5. Mail some postcards home.

Glorious sunshine after such a wet and snowy morning.  Mother Nature surprises us yet again.  Give me some sunshine please.  Happy Friday, everyone!

Feedback on Feedback : Feeling the love

I used to respond to all comments here individually — back when I could focus and give ample time to write a blog post.  At the moment, I think I’m around 5 to 10 comments behind, but I think I have to start and try to catch up somehow, if only because I’ve been swamped with a lot of much-needed love pats lately.  I know I don’t hear from most of the people who read my posts — and I am grateful to each and every one of the 35 of you.  (Okay, maybe 40.. LOL)  You can see that I haven’t lost my knack for self-deprecating humor when it comes to my readership.

But let me just say I am thankful, and truly grateful that there is that small portion of my ever tiny readership who write and let me know that some of the things I thought made sense only to me actually make sense to others as well.  Not everyone leaves a comment, and there are one or two who e-mail me directly at pinaynewyorker at gmail dot com — and while I don’t get to respond to that in a timely fashion either, reading your questions and notes are a warm hug to my heart.

I hope the others won’t feel bad if I focus on two particular comments received very recently, but I have to start somewhere.  (Kim, I haven’t forgotten about you.)

Tita Clarita wrote:

Hello Dinna,

I read your blog and sorry that I rarely leave a comment but this time your to do list for 2016 inspired me to restart “decluttering/downsizing” my “stuff” so to speak. I am a Lola (73 years old) and I feel this is a good time to seriously start cleaning-up. I did some crafty things (cross stitching, crocheting, knitting, jewelry making) but not expertly, I’d say the result of my efforts doing a project is very basic, passable to a certain point. I have already given away some and now I am going to sort my beads (seed beads, stones, etc) and let go or donate some of them.

I will also “try” to read books to help sharpen my ageing brain, enroll in an aquatic class to gently relieve me of my knee pains, and possibly do a little bit of domestic or overseas travel.

I am not getting any younger so I will try to do my best to reach some of my goals this year or the next.

I hope this New Year and the next ones will bring good health to you and Angelo, achieve your goals, and most of all feel content about your life which I think will in turn bring happiness. You take care.

Fondly,
Clarita

To which the Pinay New Yorker says:  I am glad to hear that people of all ages find some sense in the things I write — and always happy to contribute to your self improvement.  I’m sorry I never directly responded via a blog post to your earlier comment (or I might have), but I do remember.

I am most grateful for your well wishes and your sage advise about contentment.  I am trying very hard to be happy with what I have, because it has helped me to appreciate how blessed I am.  The past few years have been a big challenge, and I know that I have quite a journey ahead, but I think life has been kind with its lessons, and I have been fortunate to have the discernment to know my strengths and weaknesses.  The former have kept me up on my feet, and the latter have continued to keep me grounded and humble.  I keep hearing the universe and the big Guy upstairs reassuring me all will be well — from the way the sunshine feels so differently when it touches my skin, to how words of encouragement come from the most unexpected people like you.

If you are ever in my neck of the woods, please let me know.  I’d love to have coffee or even lunch or dinner with you.  Keep reading!

—–

And an old “friend” from Etsy and here, brought my way by another blogfriend who I have already met in real life (Lou), pops back in.  Cora writes:

Hi Pinay New Yorker,(Dinna)

I was cleaning my computer and saw my old bookmarks with Pinay New Yorker on it. I clicked the link and found your site. It’s amazing to find you are still blogging. Do you remember when I used to order your hand made jewelries thru Etsy?

Well, so many years have gone by, I have a 2 yr. old granddaughter now and will be a grandmother again this coming May. My daughter and her family lives in Brooklyn and I frequently travel back and forth to NY and Chicago to help out with the kid. I was in NY last week during the big snow storm .

Hope things are well with you. God bless and keep on blogging.

Cora 

To which the Pinay New Yorker writes:  Okay, Cora, you owe me a date!  LOL  (I have written her separately to ask that she contact me next time she’s in town.)  A faithful customer of my Etsy Shop (when it’s open, and right now it is!) — from way back.  People must think I’m nuts when I say they can ring me up if they’re in town — and I would be more than happy to make time unless my world is totally turning upside down.  (Half the time, it’s close to that!)  But that is a sincere invitation and I am hoping more will take me up on the offer.

Yes, I’m still blogging and hope to keep blogging, Cora.. there is so much more that I want to write about but hardly have the time to sit here and compose my thoughts.

It has  been such a perk to actually meet strangers who become friends because of this corner of the web.  I had started this blog with the sole thought of being able to do an online journal for my own personal benefit, and that hasn’t changed.  While I have grown in other directions, I have made a very conscious effort to keep this space the same way it’s been through the years.  Other writing ventures — if there are any — are in another space separate from this personal corner.

I have always enjoyed the conversations in this space both on the blog and offline.  Your comments and notes have made such a big difference in keeping me writing, through the challenges the past 11 years this blog has been in existence.

Yes, I’m feeling the love.