Coffee and a little gratitude list

Time to blog again and share a little gratitude list! What about you, what is in your gratitude list?

Before sharing my little list, I would like to share that some two weeks ago, I got the news from Pilipinas Bulletin’s (PB) publisher that he’s transferring the management of the transrail newspaper to another group. I will no longer give the details but, yes, I lost my 1-month old column, Good News Express as of August 29. How ironical! It’s supposed to be “good news”, right? 🙂

Anyway, life goes on. I sure hope that I will be able to continue this column in another newspaper or even magazine. I think this country needs more good news! I may no longer have the PB column anymore but hey, I still have this blog! So here are some bits of good news (at least in my little circle) for today –

1. Hubby, a friend, and I went to this cozy café called Cocina Juan, in 100 Maginahawa Street, Teachers Village. The tacos we ordered were so yummy! They also serve hot tea in tall pitchers, not just in tiny teapots! Our friend ordered Chamomile tea and he shared it with us.

It was also good-tasting. Check out the place! Latin American-inspired cuisine but the food still tastes very Pinoy! After all, Latin American culture is very close to home. By the way, wi-fi in Cocina is free (but if I were you, leave the laptop at home and just enjoy the night away chatting with dear friends).

2. Hubby and I realized that it’s been 8 months since we last had a TV (back in Cambodia) and it felt good and refreshing that we actually did not miss having one! Back when I was still in Manila last 2007 (before my sojourn in Cambodia), I actually had two TV sets which I rarely used. It was easy to sell them at cheap prices when I organized a garage sale before my trip. Now that I am back in Manila, it feels strange not to have one when friends will text me to “Please watch this show ha…” but on one hand, it is such a relief to have more bonding time with hubby rather than being glued on TV while eating dinner (something we did in Cambodia but it felt different then because we were away and it was nice to watch TFC and be able to have bits of news and telenovelas from home).

3. I immersed myself in work and realized once again that it’s really therapeutic to just be quiet and work work work! I love working; especially for things that truly matter and make a difference no matter how small. And then, while working, I suddenly got a surprise hug! Ahhh, it’s true. Problems will always come and go but the steady and unselfish love of our family and friends will always be that permanent “home” where we can cry our whole hearts out and feel safe again. [So, go ahead and give a hug to someone right now!]

4. I am back to my no-rice-dinner diet! (lol) I am a true-blue rice lover and this is a tough one but hey, I don’t really feel so deprived now because green salads really taste so yummy…of course, courtesy of my “personal chef.” (Email me for those interested to get the ‘secret’ to make your green salad less boring.)

5. After days of non-stop raining, the night skies have shown big bright stars again!

6. A dear friend gave me pasalubong (homecoming gift) from Baguio about three days ago and guess what it is? Cordillera’s coffee, Hazelnut blend! One of my favorite coffee beans in the whole world.

7. I accidentally tripped on the cord of my old table lamp and hurt my toes. The poor lamp disintegrated into pieces! It was one of the few pieces that I left behind when I traveled in 2007. I kept it in storage and then took it back about a month ago. But lucky lucky me…the lamp is still working properly after I put everything back in again and hubby tried to turn it on!

8. I began reading another book! What’s in your reading list this year? Email me!

Smile, rant, rave, cry, be crazy.  Life is beautiful for the most parts!

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