Femilia.Com

Hey ladies.... (not) trying to get pregnant? Or just plain curious? Try tracking your menstrual cycle! It's cool!!!

I never really understood our eggs and their precious dates so technology like this excites me.

Once upon a time, I tried mycycle.com. I was religiously checking because we were trying to get pregnant. Eventually, I got tired of tracking and stopped checking. A few months after I gave birth, I accessed the account again... and lo and behold! TLO's conceptualization date was right there! Sakto. Kaya lang, site's all messed up now. So here's something new that works the same way...


FEMILIA.COM. Sample report below.

DISCLAIMER: I'm the only person I know who believes in this deal. So please, do not make this the solution to any of your egg problems. See a gyne! Now!

Anti-Smoke Belching Campaign #007

4 more sticks and a cup of coffee. Terrible headache, feeling weak. 

Gave in... no more, no more...

Anti-Smoke Belching Campaign #006

Failed. 2 sticks. Just had to...

:(

Anti-Smoke Belching Campaign #005

Every Tuesday and/or Saturday, Mr. Smith visits and talks about his woes with the wife. Today's highlight involved physical violence. Mrs. Smith kicked Mr. Smith in the thigh area and he's in pain. This, after Mrs. Smith confronted two women from Mr. Smith's work... one of the ladies is allegedly the "other woman."

I don't know when this "special role" that I play for Mr. and Mrs. Smith will ever end. I am the bleeding ear that must hear about their financial, emotional and sexual problems. I have been lobbying for divorce since I learned how to construct sentences in English. But nothing ever happened...

I want to smoke, but I won't. I have a serious chest ache. Usually goes away after two puffs... must endure.

Anti-Smoke Belching Campaign #004

Shift's about to end. Didn't smoke at all. Yes! 

Anti-Smoke Belching Campaign #003

Anti-Smoke Belching Campaign #001 - All about routine
Anti-Smoke Belching Campaign #002 - All about anxiety and anger

Third craving for this shift is due to "GV" reasons. I love smoking breaks. I'm attached to the "idea" of smoking breaks because... I have to say... the best years of my life were spent under man-made clouds. I never had to lie in this world. I never had to give up on anything or anyone in this world. I will definitely miss the conversations wrapped in poison haze.

Hence of all the reasons to date, this is the most painful of all...

Anti-Smoke Belching Campaign #002

Warning: This is a very angry nicotine-free post. Parental Guidance is advised.

The need to travel overseas for work-related reasons is a need that I've been able to "escape" over the past seven years. I just had to maintain:

1) a non-travel ready profile ---- never applied for a Passport
2) a great network of possible referrals --- if/when someone needed to be sent somewhere, I was the first to give recommendations (ex. Person X will be happy to go! She has a passport, a visa and she's been there too!)
3) a healthy databank of witty replies to follow-up questions about my passport --- (ex. Boss asks "how many times do I have to tell you that you need a passport!?!" and I reply "I don't need it for Baguio and Cebu... don't worry, I'll take care of it when provincial government units start requiring passports before entry.")

All these didn't work with my new employer and boss... didn't even get to try because it was clearly discussed before I joined --- Annual planning session/s in "other" offices should be expected. Just received some emails from the boss about an upcoming travel and I feel like I'm going to throw up anytime between this sentence and the last line. I want to smoke before I start cursing out loud.

I have been assessing the root cause of this travel-anxiety-evil for quite some time now... so before I light another cancer stick, here goes the 5Why's for this craving:

1. Fear of getting lost. I have a terrible sense of (non)direction. I'm capable of getting lost in our own neighborhood. What's going to happen to me if, and when...
2. Fear of getting arrested. The world is cruel to travelers from third-world countries. Because of certain prejudices, we've become the "favorite" people of immigration officers. We're high potential drug dealers/carriers. I do not want to be the next victim of prohibited drugs"planting."
3. I FIND THE US VISA APPLICATION PROCESS DEGRADING. <Please insert profanities and very angry howling>. I never dreamt about living/being in the US. I like it here. I hate it that I have to go through the hassle of completing paper work and answering arbitrary questions from consuls just to prove that I will returm to my homeland after my business in the "promised land." I am a valuable talent, at least according to my employer, and therefore I'm needed in their country. I'm not begging for entry. I hate it that I worry about possible DENIAL on first try --- but that's only because I don't want to fucking do it again for a what-the-hell-how-did-that-happen-approval the day after getting denied. Let it be known that if this is not a requirement of the job, if I can delegate this to someone else in my team... I'd be a happy camper if I didn't have to fucking go. Fuck everyone who thinks that Filipinos will eat shit just to see snow or whatever...
4. Thought#3 will never go away until the day that all Americans will be required go through the same process that we Filipinos go through whenever we attempt to enter the land of Uncle Sam.
Whew! There you go. I didn't smoke!!!



Anti-Smoke Belching Campaign #001

I don't know how long I may need to keep doing this but I need a way to survive this Anti-Smoke Belching Campaign of mine. Here's a temporary (?) strategy. I will post one entry every time I feel the need to smoke. I will explain why I need to smoke. This task accomplishes two things:

1) distraction from the craving
2) exhaustion from answering the WHY*
The 5Why strategy is a simple framework used in problem-solving and decision-making situations. If done properly, it brings you to the root cause of any problem at hand. Smoking is a problem. I hope to get tired to explaining why I need to smoke until the craving disappears.


For the past three months, I've been walking from home to the office. The leisurely walk gives me time to enjoy music, musings and... vice! Yes, smoking while walking. Didn't do that tonight (success 1). My throat felt so dry the entire 20 minuets. When I got to the building, I wanted to drop by the smoking area. Didn't do it (success 2). After I logged-in to my work email, put my lunch in the fridge and a host of other pre-shift routine tasks... felt the need to smoke again. Force of habit. I've been starting my shifts at work this way, for the past 10 years. I did not give in (success 3). 


5Why's for this craving entry:

Some lines from The Little Prince. I just remembered that 10 years ago, I started smoking because the job was stressful... because I'd rather be somewhere else than take calls. But I love my job now. So the reason's outdated.


“Why are you drinking?” demanded the little prince.
“So that I may forget,” replied the tippler.
“Forget what?” inquired the little prince, who already felt sorry for him.
“Forget that I am ashamed,” the tippler confessed, hanging his head.
“Ashamed of what?” insisted the little prince, who wanted to help him.
“Ashamed of drinking!”

So this is Anti-Smoke Belching Campaign #001... happy to say, I survived three smoking cravings!

Hopeful Monday

An optimistic Monday for some long overdue resolutions:
1. No smoking
2. No coffee
3. No work while at home

Wish me well...