Under One Roof

Here is this week’s question… Do you like your neighborhood? Do you like your neighbors?

Just like Teacher Julie’s answer, I don’t. I don’t like our neighborhood nor the neighbors that we have. Actually, I have a love-hate relationship with everything surrounding our residence. Some of our neighbors are distant relatives. What I don’t like about them is that they would gossip about us when we go out. From the number of grocery bags we have to carry to the house, to the frequency of our outings, to the days we are late going to work. We know because we hear it from other relatives.

Our neighborhood was once peaceful-looking. Now, it looks like a slum area because our neighbors would build additional floors like a bird’s house. Our once sturdy looking fire wall is being used by a relative’s own home wall.

The only thing I like in this neighborhood is that we can leave the house for days and not worry about it being burglarized. That’s due to everyone knowing every one else. And the relatives nearby. But the gossip is vicious. I almost punched someone in the face once not too long ago because of it. Just like Teacher Julie’s neighborhood, ours include loud neighbors who would use videoke even though they know how it would echo in others’ houses. They would chat just outside our gate in the middle of the night and would laugh like there’s no tomorrow. Neighbors who don’t have any consideration at all surrounds us!

We are eyeing a neighborhood about three streets away. Near a chapel and the place is so peaceful. God-willing, we can move there one of these days.

If you would like, join us here.

Here is this week’s question… Are you a patient person? Has your patience been tested a lot of times? What have you done about it?

Unfortunately, I have yet to learn the fine art of patience. I have never been a patient person. Actually, I am well-known among family and friends as the most impatient person this side of the planet. I hate waiting. I hate being stalled.

I know that I have to learn to be patient. We have a decorative plate in our kitchen that says, “Lord, grant me patience. But I want it right now!”. Hahaha

If you would like, join us here.

Here is this week’s question… What is your favorite ice cream flavor or ice cream concoction?

I love anything chocolate and banana-flavored. That’s why I love banana split! There’s also this cheap ice cream that you can buy for 7 pesos only. The one you can find in the supermarket. I forgot the name but it sells a banana-choco flavored ice cream that I love.

And of course, the ice cream below, a combination of vanilla, chocolate and banana… yum!

What’s yours?

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I love the questions at Weekly Questions that’s why even if I am late (it’s every Sundays), I still write an entry to answer each question. Anyway…

Here is this week’s question… Are you happy?

In all honesty, I can say that I am 80% happy. I am happy that I have my family with me. I am happy that I can provide for their needs. I am happy that I had a normal childhood and that I am still friends with my highschool buddies. I am happy that I am educated and that I live a simple life and I have simple dreams.

The 20% is for being a coward. I hate taking risks. I know that my life will improve even more if I will just learn to throw away the junk of some past mistakes and learn to take (calculated) risks more. And some things that have something to do with my writing.

What about you… are you happy?

If you would like, join us here.

Here is this week’s question… What frugal or practical Christmas tips (does your family practice) that you can share to cut down on Christmas-related expenses but not necessarily sacrificing on quality?

Actually, my family does not practice frugality in holidays. Maybe, it’s because we all know how life is too short. We don’t overly spend but then we also don’t cut down on our Christmas-related expenses. Unspoken, we all think that it could be our last Christmas together so why bother being frugal about our plans. Pilosopong pag-iisip but that’s our family when we lost two members.

We are planning on going to Hongkong Disneyland but since there is a longer Christmas vacation this year, almost every package is already taken. We are still thinking of where we are going. Might be Cebu and Bohol or somewhere in Luzon.

If you would like, join us here.

Here is this week’s question… What are the special things that you look forward to every Sunday?

I love Sundays. This is the only day in the week that you will surely find the whole family together. Since my sister and my brother are both working and going to school on Saturdays, we only get to eat lunch and dinner together on Sundays. Sometimes we eat out.

This is the only thing I look forward to on Sundays. Spending time with the whole family.

What about you?

Join us here.

Note: I haven’t joined Weekly Questions in a while but I still want to answer past questions. I will be posting it later

Here is this week’s question… What makes you cry? Actually, this is the question for the first week of September. I was not able to join that week but I would still like to answer the question.

Little things could make me cry. I am a crybaby! *sick Do you know that when I read James Patterson’s Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas, I cried buckets while my sisters were sleeping? In the morning, my dad and my siblings looked worried when they saw my swollen eyes. Hahaha! They didn’t know that I cried because of the novel. I also cry while watching sad movies and tv shows. Especially when a person sick with cancer is shown dying. Strikes a chord in me.

Here is this week’s question… What are your facial or beauty regimens that you do before you go to sleep? You can also write about what you do to keep your skin soft and smooth.

I actually don’t have any ritual that I follow. I am not fussy when it comes to my face, fearing that the more I put on it, the more I would be prone to skin breakouts. I wash my face at least 15-20 minutes before I go to sleep. Just with soap and water. I don’t use cream or anything on my face.

When I find a pimple on my face, again, just plain soap and water. I only use cream when I am in a cold place and I feel my skin is dry.

What about you? Any rituals?

Happy Sunday everyone!

Here is this week’s question… If you were an Olympian, what sport would you be participating in?

Definitely a swimmer! First off, since this is just wishful thinking, I might as well wish for something that I truly fear of doing. I don’t know how to swim. I have this irrational fear of drowning. Plus, I don’t have the body of a swimmer.

I have always regretted the fact that I didn’t learn how to swim early on. It would have been cool and useful to know how to swim. But growing up, we were not really into outdoor activities. We tended to stay at home and well, I got hooked into reading novels…

What about you, what sport would it be?

Have a great week everyone!

*If you want to participate in Weekly Questions, you can go to this LINK and leave a message.

Before anything else, I would like to apologize to everyone because I haven’t been visiting your blogs and dropping cards regularly like before. I just had a lot of things to do plus I am taking care of Hazel for a few days now. She has colds and is now currently sporting a swollen face because of allergies. I, myself, has been under the weather for days now. But I will be visiting you all later Anyway…

Teacher Julie says… Let’s say we forget every stress, in whatever form and shape that comes our way and indulge in SIMPLE PLEASURES that we can enjoy alone. This is much like what we want to do during that Extra Hour where we spend “me” time.

The Weekly Question #9:

What are the 5 simple pleasures that will give you, well, simple pleasures?

I am a person who is easily pleased. Here are the 5 simple pleasures I have in life:

1. Hanging out with my family. I love chatting with my sisters about anything and everything under the sun. It doesn’t matter if we’re at the mall or just hanging out at our living room. As long as we are together, it pleases me a lot.
2. Making everyone around me happy. I have this attitude that it doesn’t matter if I am not happy or uncomfortable, as long as everyone around me is having a grand time then I am happy.
3. Buying clothes for Hazel. I just love buying girly clothes for the little girl. Before, I kept on telling family and friends that I would rather have one boy than a girl. But now, with Hazel, I think I would love to have a girl and a boy hehe
4. Buying, reading, collecting good books. I am a bookworm. I have to have three books at any given point in time. I have this weird habit of reading three books at the same time.
5. Just seeing and hearing everyone at home laughing. Don’t you just love to hear your family laughing? It’s music to my ears.

There you go. Simple things that give me pleasure. Come on, tell me what simple pleasures you have in life.

I hope everybody’s doing great… How was your week so far?

*If you want to participate in Weekly Questions, you can go to this LINK and leave a message.