Showing posts with label Nature. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nature. Show all posts

Tuesday, 28 April 2020

Lotus

Having watched mostly Chinese dramas, movies, and anime recently, it is not unlikely that I get to see a common thing among them especially those associated with or inspired by Chinese mythology. I am particularly referring to lotus.
One can check online how it has been associated not only with Chinese folklore but also with ancient civilizations and religions given it's nature and character. It is indeed a pleasant water plant, full of symbolism.

The recent lotus that I have seen was in donghua  or Chinese Anime Mo Dao Zu Shi. What caught my attention though was when it was served as a soup. I didn't know that lotus is an edible flower. Out of curiosity, I of course want to taste a lotus dish. If it isn't for CoVID-2019, I might've already planned a trip in Southeast Asia for the sole purpose of seeing and eating lotus. I'm really curious how this flower is served as a dish in our regional neighbours.g


Now Playing: WENDY - What if Love

Monday, 19 December 2016

Waste Trading Markets

METRO MANILA

*AYALA
Every 1st Friday of the month -
Gold Crest Car Park, Ayala Center (along Arnaiz Ave. Makati)

Every 2nd Friday of the Month -
Glorietta 3 Parkway, Ayala Center, Makati City (island in the middle of Anson's Glorietta 3 and Landmark

*SM
Every first Friday to Saturday of the month
8 AM to 2 PM at all SM Supermalls



ANTIPOLO

*SILPLAS
Marcos Hiway, Brgy. Mayamot, Antipolo
Contact : Ms. Bernal
Tel: 632-5145080 ; 632-7267272
- Plastic, Fabric, Electronic parts and Rubber scraps recycler


Tuesday, 1 November 2016

Forced Monday morning jog

Waking up on a Monday morning from at least six hours of sleep was lovely. I even wanted to hug my kidneys for doing their job pretty well. Perhaps my kidneys were the ones that would want to hug me for giving my body a very much needed at least six straight hours of sleep. It's just four hours most of the time.

It's not every morning that I get to have a chance to enjoy sunrise while jogging so when I felt lazy to get up and hit the valley, I had to force myself. I had to seize the opportunity. Besides, I didn't want to give an inch to laziness when it comes to fitness.

I may have been "working out" indoors but getting outdoors is equally important. I need Vitamin D from a just risen sun while sweating.

Discipline pays.

I'm glad to have pushed myself because I realized that it's been quite I while since I saw the trees in our valley a little after sunrise. It's usually during almost sunset. Besides, fresh air! Hello, oxygen!

My next morning jog will be tomorrow since I don't have work tonight (November 1). Can't wait!

Now Playing: Savage Garden - I Knew I Loved You

Saturday, 10 September 2016

Another Friday Morning Jog

It's that time of the week again when I return to Antipolo to spend my day off because it's where I could refresh, rejuvenate, relax, and recover best. Of course, I just go introverting.

As usual, jogging is a mandatory itinerary of my off-duty. You can't just not be tempted to run in our hamlet. 

Took a different starting point for my morning jog, for a change. So I ran for more than a kilometre. Aahh.. Endorphin!

There's a particular drive where running through it even for just one 'lap' is challenge enough. One can start either ascending or descending. 

By default, I went descending first. I think the 'stress' helped me warm up enough that I didn't have an abdominal oblique strained throughout my jog, which was the case the last time I had a jog.

I wonder if the image on the right looks like a flat surface. It’s nowhere close to that. It’s so steep I actually wanted to compute its slope. I still remember the formula (y=mx+b)! Too bad I don’t know the variables so I just jogged through it, for which you really have to #FindYourStrong. I specifically bought a pair of Saucony for roads like this.

I think I'm getting addicted to endorphin, which is not unusual. Had I gotten out of bed earlier I would've stayed longer outdoors, ran an extra half mile. My feet also had  to take things slowly. It seems to be in particular need to adjust with my change of routine.

My Friday morning jog was sort of liberating. As I was changing my usual route, I discovered that there's a drive where you could really feel and hear the whoosh of the wind. It's lovely.

The other thing I discovered, not scientifically discovered or I don't know, was a bug (left). It's the first time I saw such bug. The top image, a caterpillar, is a usual sight though. I usually see lots of it in our hamlet.

Now Playing: Backstreet Boys - Masquerade

Tuesday, 6 September 2016

Recovery Drive

For the past weeks, I've been frequently writing here even more than once a day. But as noticed, my last entry was on the first hours of September 1. Perhaps because I've been not feeling well during those days, especially over the weekend when I've been absent.

Once again, things have taken their toll on me. I've been absent for three days this past week and during those days, I was just in Antipolo. I had to use milieu therapy, though this is typically used for mentally unhealthy patients. I thought I could make use of the principle.

Being around nature is invigorating, but I must admit that despite those days spent outdoors though just in our hamlet I still need more exposure with nature. I need a dose of Vitamin-D from the morning sun and tons of oxygen from the trees up and down the hills of our hamlet.

Whenever I am in Antipolo, I would make sure that I get to have a morning jog. However, I had a sunset jog last Friday before going back to work. But I had an indoor exercise on Friday morning. Still, I have to admit, despite the doses of endorphins from my Friday exercise I know I still need more.

Had I made it out of work early this morning I could've gone to Antipolo so I could have another jog. But I left at almost lunch time because I had to finish a monthly report, thanks to my weekend absences.

Sometimes I wonder ♫ if this is a spell that I am under keeping me from seeing the real thing ♫ which I really need, the endorphins from outdoor exercise or simply an exposure to nature. Sometimes I just want to take a stroll but it usually turns into a jog as I am taking advantage of the opportunity.

Our hamlet is a pretty nice place. Well, it is a very nice place. Unfortunately I don't know our neighbours, not even one. Perhaps some have taken notice of me jogging every morning recently but I can't remember which ones have seen me jogging more than once. Well, I'm quite familiar with the old guards. They're nice people.

Perhaps I'll try mingling with a neighbour or two though I'm pretty sure I'll end up doing so with their dogs.

One of the advantages of jogging in our hamlet is having a beautiful view of the valleys and sky and trees. As last Friday's jog was a sunset one I also got to see a different yet still beautiful view of the sky.

This was taken just above our adjacent neighbour's roof, without filter.

I've been recently looking forward to returning to our hamlet in Antipolo, like always. One of the things I plan to do next is being able to jog again along Twiter Drive, which is a very steep and isolated drive in our hamlet. At the topmost of the road also live at least three dogs, which I think are dobermann. I still remember  in one of my jogs before when I reached the top of Twiter Drive with them awaiting almost blocking my path. I don't know what they're capable of but if it's dangerous, I'm glad to have made it past them safe and sound and whole. I wonder how it looks now.

Reviewing my Tumblr posts make me impatient on my next return to Antipolo. I would love to return tomorrow after my shift although we have a P-Team meeting at perhaps 6:30PM. Well, I'll just have to leave at 4PM.

I must make it happen, returning to Antipolo tomorrow. I really need some outdoor exposure. Just can't wait till my off-duty on Thursday. It feels like I'm going nuts if I can't see those lush greens again. Well, all I have to do is go BDO. Find ways.

Now Playing: Foy Vance - Guiding Light

Saturday, 27 August 2016

Refreshing Antipolo

After my recent return to and departure from Antipolo, I've come to remember how much I love the countryside. I already miss our hamlet. I guess it's pretty obvious given my blog entry before this, When in Antipolo.

One of the things I look forward to whenever I return to Antipolo is the fact that I am pushing myself to really take time to jog. That's why I get more excited looking forward to my next off-duty.

So Friday morning was a jogging moment. What I loved about my jog this time was finding myself having two laps although there were quite a number of walks on my second lap.

The other nice thing about it was getting caught in the rain. I was actually already cooling down when the rain poured. I just took a quick shelter under a tree then decided that I would love to get soaked, just like I used to be when I was still a kid.

I am planning to return to Antipolo even before my next off-duty. Actually, I'm planning to do it tomorrow. I have other reasons too besides the refreshing effect of being in Antipolo. I guess work has been that stressful that I need something to clear my senses. And I would need to see a lot of green living things.


When in Antipolo

A lot of thoughts are going here and there inside my head that I wish I could go back to Antipolo for a jog, which I usually do whenever my head feels "heavy" with thoughts and what else, or go to Lala-Land so I don't get to hear these buzzes.

Going to Antipolo albeit just an overnight stay during my off-duty refreshes me so I get more convinced that once we move out of the condo, I'll definitely opt to stay in Antipolo. Never mind the travel.

I need our hamlet's peace and quiet, the green scenery, and the distance from the metro. Besides, I get to see my books on a daily basis. There's free food too.

One more thing, staying in our hamlet really motivates me to take a jog albeit the threats of rain.


Friday, 12 August 2016

A Friday Jog

It's good to be back home, in Antipolo. Truth is I can't remember the last time I was here. It's been that long.


The calm Antipolo brings makes me rejuvenated and the opportunity to run through some drives in our hamlet is energizing. Jogging at the Legazpi Active Park is nice. The last time I did was even productive, like I've gone the extra mile. Not literally though. Going for a lap and a half straight of jog is an accomplishment for me. But jogging in Antipolo is different.

For an introvert, having the tracks all to myself is exciting. I get to jog without other people around, though I don't mind seeing a few but that rarely happens. Jogging in Antipolo, in our hamlet to be exact, allows me to unload my thoughts. Not to mention that exercise is a great way of getting rid of toxins in the body.

Exercise does not only do good to our physical health. It does the same to our mental health. And they go hand in hand. Both need to be kept at their best.

Although it usually takes me just 15 minutes to jog in our hamlet, I dare say I've covered enough. I just can't push further because my usual situation doesn't allow me to. But it's better than not doing anything.

I decided this morning to stay a bit longer outdoors just to appreciate nature, do a lot of breathing exercise, and have some of indoor exercises out there. I also took a photo of a white santan. I was planning to stay longer although the rain already started pouring then I realized that my shoes would also get wet. :(