PINAY NEW YORKER

I am still up and it’s 2:10am.  I just figured it’s a Saturday tomorrow (or rather, it’s already Saturday) which means no work to worry about, so I might as well make the most of the fact that I don’t have to wake up early to get ready for another day in Manhattan.  I have been trying to back up my USB keys and I’m trying to slowly write my files on the laptop to CDs.  Tons of pictures, scrapbook files and layouts and what have you.  It has happened to me at least once already that the hard drive decided it was going to just quit on me and I lost a ton of stuff which has made me wary of leaving only one copy in one specific drive.  Not a wise use of data space, I know.  But hey, I take a lot of pictures and while I do delete the undesirable and bad copies, I end up keeping quite a lot.

I almost dozed off at 10pm but I got my second wind shortly after.  The space heater is keeping me company in this cold, cold night.  I wanted to go outside to take a picture of the “wolf moon” (the brightest moon of the year reportedly) but it’s literally freezing outside.  I already did my share of snapping away earlier at Bryant Park, and the memory of the freezing cold hasn’t quite left me yet.  Lesson learned: too cold a night to indulge in my hobby.

I was tempted to just postpone what I have been doing for tomorrow, but it didn’t take me long to remember I won’t have the same luxury of time as it’s different when I’m busy preparing meals and taking care of my boys when they are up.  We’re hoping to do some errands but I am not too optimistic because again, it’s freezing outside. 

I do have to make a trip to the post office because I’ve made another sale at  my Etsy shop.  I have a feeling I underestimated shipping costs and I will just have to carry the difference with my second customer being from the UK.  I am not complaining.  A sale is a sale.  This whole Etsy thing is a learning experience for me.  No matter how prepared I think I am, (boxes designed and ready for assembly — check.  Packaging embellishment — check.  Shipping tag — check..) there are still little things like the thank you note to slip into the package which I had to layout and print this afternoon.  (Note to self: print extra thank you notes, assemble more boxes, prepare a box that will not be as bulky.)

Photographs have been a major focus of late, though.  I am still thinking of how I can possible make some money out of the pictures I’ve been taking and have taken.  It’s all brainstorming for now because my hands have been busy with the plyers and tools to come up with more goods for my GothamChick store.  But I’ve been experimenting with settings as I try to make the most of the lighting in Bryant Park which might change sometime soon.  There’s a luminosity that is just breathtaking if you stop to look at this unique tapestry from a distance.  I also wanted to capture the ice forming at my favorite Josephine Shaw Lowell Memorial Fountain.  I wouldn’t be surprised if I will find it encased with an odd shaped ice mold on Monday again.

Time to hit the sack.  The pictures can wait.  I need to snuggle up to the little boy — holding him and drinking in his scent is the best aromatherapy that brings me to la-la land and into a deep and restful sleep.

The memories will be there tomorrow when I continue with my mission to save them for posterity.

We woke up to a rainy and windy Monday.  Whipping out an umbrella seemed to be an exercise in futility as we dropped Angelo off in school, but he made it.  After wading through the morning traffic, we eventually got to Manhattan.  After a wet morning and early afternoon, it looks like the sun decided to peek out and it’s actually clear outside. 

This and the previous week happen to be milestone weeks for me as I step in (literally) into a new phase in mycareer.  No, I did not decide to give up on the corporate world and shift to retail.  I officially started with a new boss after the original one fell victim to a reorganization sometime last year.  I would’ve had until the end of February to find a new position within the company, and I have been trying to find a good fit since late last year, but in the end it all worked out.  The last opportunity that came up turned out to  be the best of all, finding me back in the same department where I started out in 7 years ago.  It was like “coming home.”  (And I write that with a smile on my face.)

I am grateful because the uncertainty is gone.  I had had enough time to absorb the facts of my situation and having known as early as the third quarter of the previous year of my fate and how much time I had left has helped me to anchor my feet firmly on the ground.  It helped me to deal with the situation with calm more than panic.  Had this opportunity not come up, I was getting ready to look outside of the company and see what was out there for me.  Given the current economic climate, I didn’t want to have to do that, but I could not let the days go by and wait for the end of my “grace period” without doing anything.

Once again, I find myself saying “Things happen for a reason..”.  As opportunities slipped by and didn’t work out for one reason or another (too early hours, budget considerations, personality preferences, etc.), I kept telling myself these were just not meant for me.  Otherwise, I would’ve found my new home.  And find my new home, I have.  I am happy that none of those other openings worked out — because I would probably have regretted not being able to go for this post that I now hold.  It meant  working again with the people I had started out with.  The old boss in this department is now gone, but the new one is even more senior and well respected in the company.  Where I used to be on the top floor of the building, I am now halfway down the building, more than 20 floors down but I still command a good view of the same side of Manhattan. 

It’s like the sun coming out again after a day of rain.  It’s just as if someone up there wants to send me the message that everything will be alright.  Amen.

I’ve been trying to write a blog post all week long and here I am trying once again at 15 minutes to midnight this Sunday evening. I’m torn between putting coffee in the coffeemaker or pulling out my pearl and silver findings organizer from my craft closet to try and come up with a piece for my Etsy store.  CSI NY is playing until 12:35 so I can expect to be up at least until the end of the rerun.

It feels like Winter came back full force all of a sudden after it afforded us a respite last week.  I actually even found myself spending a few minutes a night or two in Bryant Park as I tried to capture the visual magic of the lighting effect on the bare limbs of the trees that stand regally above the ice skating rink.  The view is breathtaking from above and from across the street.  So twice I walked into the park and clicked away. 

It’s been a little project of mine and I’m coming back to experiment with my fancy point-and-shoot this coming week, weather permitting.  It’s a sight that will disappear once they take down the skating rink and we slowly slide into spring and between the first and the second visit, the Empire State Building had changed its lights from white to green. 

The trees seem to  have a life of their own.

I’m slowly getting back into the swing of things.  I’ve picked up my projects and started getting on with the scrapbook material sorting and I am seriously trying to avoid picking up a crochet hook and hoping to shake the urge to start another piece.  (Too many things in progress at this time..)  I picked up a piece of paper I had put some resin on as an experiment and now I have an idea about creating scrapbooking embellishments like those gel stickers.  But that’s another project for another time.. I have enough on my hands right now.

I’m in New Jersey at a friend’s house tonight, catching up over wine and cheese.  I slipped away and grabbed my laptop trying to keep myself awake.  It wasn’t the company — just plain old jetlag.

It’s the second day of a long weekend.  Perfect timing indeed given my continuing struggle with jetlag.  I woke up at 5am this morning for the first time.  I would normally wake up between midnight and 2pm, as if I were just taking a siesta break back in Manila.  Once I’m up, I’m up.  Trying to get back to sleep is practically impossible.

So I’ve been trying to get my things stored away so that I can start doing my projects again.  I almost got tempted to grab my pliers today.  I have been skimming through my old magazines, tearing off the pages with recipes, finding word art to save, and preparing to discard the old magazines in my coat closet finally. I don’t know why but I have found it hard to get rid of my first sets of Better Homes & Gardens, Food & Wine, and even the last few issues of the now-defunct Rosie.  While it had long ago been decided that I would keep my Food & Wine mags for future reference, I think it’s about time I got rid of the rest.  There’s the pressing need to make room for more supplies and projects.

I’ve done less than half a dozen magazines, but that in itself is an accomplishment.  I haven’t done much in terms of my Scrap Mag Project.  It’s something I’ve had to put aside because of the thousand and one other things that I’ve been trying to finish.  The magazine clean up should bring me closer to actually creating something from all those captions and letters I’ve meant to clip.  Soon, I hope.

I’m back to that phase where I find myself wishing that there were more hours in a day,and more days in a week.  I don’t know if it’s just the jetlag or if there are just too many things going through my mind.   I am still “crawling” through the last few chapters of Dear John.  (which I have to finish soon, what with the movie hitting the big screen this February.)  It’s the start of another year and I am nowhere near the “reading goal” I had set for myself this time last year.  Let’s give it another try this year.  The books that are waiting to be read are still on my book shelf. 

I’ll get to that soon enough.

I’ve actually been here since Thursday evening (January 7).  The jetlag is still a handicap, so between the unpacking and catching up with sleep, I haven’t been able to do much.  My mind is still pretty much in Manila.  I am worried about my Dad who is stable but still gravely ill.  The reality of being back in New York has already hit me, what with the ultra cold temperatures we are experiencing.  (Currently 27 degrees with a realfeel of 9 according to Accuweather.)  I actually braved walking back from the cornerstores as Alan drove to an event in the city.  It wasn’t that bad only because the sidewalks weren’t littered with snow.  Imagine how much colder it would be if the snow hit us.

It’s bittersweet being home, but after putting together all the pros and cons, this is where I’m supposed to be.  My father was taken ill and rushed to the intensive care unit midway through what was supposed to be a four-week holiday.  Angelo and I had spent the afternoon with him at his place for lunch.  He had given his Christmas present to Angelo which delighted the tyke no end because they were look alikes of his beloved Transformer robots.  Forget that they were knock-offs.  He only cared that he had new robots which looked like his favorites.  Grandpa got a loving hug.  I wish now that I had captured that moment on camera. 

In the midst of unpacking, I find myself making a mental list of the things I had hoped to get which I failed to, places to visit that I didn’t get to reach, and a host of other non-events that I had been looking forward to doing during this trip.  And yet there were many firsts, and much more that I had managed to do given the short period of time that I really was able to move around.  I didn’t really lose out on much.  It was just that I had to adjust and realign my plans based on the events that cropped up.

A vacation in Manila is never long enough.  Yes, even if my original four weeks stretched to five and made it a full month for me.  (Arrived on December 7 and left on January 7.)  Yet there I was imploring the Korean Airlines ground crew to check a last time before checking me in if there were two seats that opened up on any of the flights to New York on January 9, hoping against hope for one last extension.  The flights were full.

So I headed home.  Been home a week now but still not quite back to the usual routine.  I slept from 9pm-midnight and have been up since.  Soon the boys will stir and get ready for another day.  I guess that’s all the shuteye I’m getting for now.

I’m winding down the visit here in Manila and blogging has been on my mind in practically everything I’ve been doing.  There are moments when I’d be thinking of a line to write as I am commuting from one place to the next. I’ve tried. The thing is, I seem to be in a rut.  What to do.. I figure I’d just write off the cuff and see what comes out.

I have snippets running through my mind, and it’s more of a running list of random thoughts instead of coherent stories or posts.  I think that’s a start.

Meanwhile, I’m trying to figure out the best possible way to spend the next 48 hours.  Literally.  I will have to be on my way to NAIA by this time on Thursday to catch my noon-something flight to Incheon then to New York.  *sigh*  Can I stay?  Unfortunately, no.  I have already over-extended Angelo’s vacation.  He was supposed to return to school this Monday.

During previous visits, I usually pack my last 48 hours with last minute meetings.  This time, I have picked a few important and “cannot do without” meetings. I’m almost done.  The rest of the time, I intend to spend with Dad who is still in the hospital.  I tried to spend time with him yesterday but he was asleep the two times I was there.  At least it gives me comfort that he is at rest, and not in distress.

Right now, I literally just want to walk to the corner (N. Domingo and M. Paterno) with my cam in hand to snap up more pics of Jeepneys for my Flickr folder on the King of the Road.  That wouldn’t really be such a bad idea considering it’s probably the safest place for me to be at right now with an SLR-looking cam shooting pictures of moving vehicles without having to fear being held up or having my cam snatched away from me.

Hmmm.. that’s a thought best translated into action before it starts to get too hot here in San Juan.

It wasn’t for lack of things to write about — more of having not much time to sit down and compose my thoughts.  Too many things happening all at the same time.

But I’m back — I hope.. LOL  That seems to be an ambivalent thought.. Well, we’ll see..

I’ve been spending a lot of time on ETSY  trying to put up a shop.  Ambitious, indeed!  So I’ve been here, there and everywhere — and trying to come up with something special which I hope to sell soon.  It’s just that quality control and experimenting with what I’m trying to produce is taking some time.  I’m getting there.

Meanwhile, I’m trying to make the most of what’s left of fall.  New York is still pretty much in yellow and orange.. there are patches of bare trees already, signalling the coming of winter.

Pictures soon.. and more on Etsy later.

One of the first things I attempted to create from odds and ends in my stash of findings and charms and broken accessories was this charm bracelet which I had set out to be a “DINNA” bracelet.  The primary inspiration being I wanted it to be representative of me and my world.  (Talk about being self-centered!)  It took me a while to pull all the charms I needed together although I’ve had half the bracelet in my box for quite a long time.  It was a way of pulling bits and pieces into one whole again after ages of non-use.

I started with this matte gold chain from Liz Claiborne which I had bought 80% off on the clearance rack a while back.  It had a coy (fish) attached to a studded ball and your usual branded toggle clasp.  (I’ve set this part aside for another project.)  The toggle clasp was a good size so it could be used as a pendant dangle instead of a neck closure.  What appealed to me when I saw it was the matte gold finish.  And at 80% off its original price, I calculated how much per foot the chain was costing me after I bought it for under $10.00, and it was definitely way below the actual cost of this type of double link chain.  The chain was originally around 22 inches so there was the possibility of creating at least a bracelet and a shorter necklace.  (Bracelets should at least be 7 inches long, and 8 1/2 inches for bigger wrists, or if you prefer the bracelet to dangle freely when your hand is down.)

The pearls I used came from a mother-of-pearl shell disc and pearl necklace I got from my trip to Manila in 2008 which had broken off its clasp and a shorter second strand.  The clasp and second strand are intact and I use it as a choker now, but I disassembled the part that had broken off and took some of the pearls as charm drops.  I had not yet learned much about wire wrapping this type of bead/pearl, so I made do with a simple string through and then created the head with the two ends of the wire together.

The charms itself have their own stories to tell.  Most notable of this is the heart locket which had been a present from a friend many years back — meant for my baby-to-be if it turned out to be a daughter.  I’ve had this for as long as I’ve been married but had never used it.  Finally, a chance to make it the centerpiece of my own personal charm.  I haven’t yet chosen the pictures I will put in it but I intend to get to that soon.  I didn’t get the charms in one trip.  They were acquired through weeks and weeks of trying to decide what I wanted in this “me” bracelet.  Some of the things I wanted, I couldn’t find, like a fleur de lis charm (the Paulinian in me) or a lighthouse (which I am enamored with, wherever we go.)

Clockwise from right, the charm bracelet begins with a round donut hole charm that I found engraved with “peace”, “smile”, “love” and “amour”.  I  liked it when I saw it because it conveyed such positive thoughts.  It was a good sized weighty charm and I needed an anchor for the toggle end and it had “Amour” which would relate to the next charm.  I picked up the Eiffel Tower and Statue of Liberty charms to symbolize the two cities I love: Paris and New York.  (No charms for Manila — but I figured the pearls were representative of the so-called “Pearl of the Orient”).  Then I picked a good sized flower charm because I liked things feminine, like shoes and the bag (which is engraved with PARIS) charms that follow.  The heart is the center charm, followed by a “G Clef” which represents the musical side of me.  Then there’s an Angel hanging on a moon which is my little guy, and the sun which represents Alan who is “the light of my world.”  I found the horse charm by accident which I could relate to, having been born in the year of the horse.  The clown was a filler charm but which I felt drawn to because I have always liked knick knacks with a clown in it.  (I would’ve opted for a lighthouse but I couldn’t find one in the various trips digging through trays and trays of various charms.)

Made both of old things and new, and while these are gold-finished pewter charms, the most precious charm is the heart locket because of the story behind it and because it’s the only part of the bracelet which is genuine gold.  It’s most special, too, because it’s that part of the bracelet which was a gift.  It had “slept” in my jewelry box forever and it’s about time I wore it.  I have since lost touch with this friend and we haven’t spoken in years –  and while I feel that we have drifted into two separate worlds, there are the memories of the years before that that make this locket special to me. 

I love the way this bracelet jingles and jangles when I wear it.  It has a whimsical tone to it which helps me put on a cheery countenance.  That worked well on a wet day like today when the mood was sombre and dark.  Sometimes all it takes is but a few reminders of the things that matter to us to get us past the downside.  Charmed, indeed.

My hands are all “wired out” and that’s in the literal sense.  I have been practicing working with household wire which have strained my hands no end over the last couple of days.  I just had to give it up for today, and I think I will give my hands a reprieve from the tugging and the pinching and put away the wire for now.  It can get very addicting to the point of not listening to my hands screaming for a break – and just switching the finger against which the pliers rest. ( End of craft report.)

Here I am preparing for another week ahead.  I’m trying to make a mental note of the things I need to do during this week.  I haven’t even hit Monday yet and here I am finding myself wishing there were 8 days instead of 7, and 30 hours instead of 24 to each day.  It’s that familiar feeling of trying to pull the calendar to a slower trot as it heads towards the end of the year.  It’s Halloween next Saturday, and soon, Thanksgiving will be here. 

The weather has been rather fickle-minded, cold one day and almost spring like the next.  We were blessed with near 70s weather last Thursday and while I could’ve opted to work from home, I dropped by the city and came in, just so I could take a walk in Central Park later in the day. I had wanted to check out if my favorite autumn canvasses were already up.  Not quite.  I had missed out on visiting Central Park in the spring, and with the fleeting colors of autumn, I wanted to see if I can catch the landscape as autumn was creeping in, and then come back to view it in full splendor.

I was lucky enough to have had that chance last year when I visited the park in October and then in November again.  (Click on the links to view my pictures of Autumn 2008).  The way mother nature paints and ushers in the changing of the colors of nature when the seasons come and go reminds me that time goes by so fast.  If we don’t grab the moment, it will be gone and there is no way of getting it back.  I remember my regret in not having snapped up pictures of  a favorite tree here in the neighborhood because I told myself it wasn’t going anywhere and I could come back a few days later. I did go back — but to a different combination of hues of the season.  So much can take place overnight that what was once a fiery crown of autumn leaves might be but twigs and branches tomorrow.  Lesson learned. 

While I would’ve wanted to linger, I had to walk through the park in a more purposeful stride, entering through Columbus Circle towards the Bethesda Fountain and then heading back through the Central Park Zoo and out to 57th and 5th Avenue to catch the express bus home.  The landscape was still mostly green.  There were patches of yellow and orange but the park is still in transition.  The ground is not yet carpeted with autumn leaves.  That will probably happen in a week or two. 

I enjoy visiting with Alan and Angelo but there is something special about walking through the park alone.  It allows me to experience the park in a more personal way, the way I want to.  Whether I am walking at a leisurely pace or trying to cover as much ground in as little time as possible, I see the park in a different light when it’s just me and my camera.  There are still many parts of the park that I have yet to find and explore.  I have yet to reach Belvedere Castle, and I rarely get as far as Strawberry Fields where the mosaic dedicated to John Lennon with the word “Imagine” can be found — a corner I’ve seen only three times in the almost ten years I’ve been here. 

No matter how many times I walk back and forth through The Mall, I always find its canopy of giant elms breathtaking, whatever the season, whatever time of day.  And for the first time, I spied the park bench donated in memory of the late Jim Henson, and on it was inscribed: “TO THE JOYFUL  LIFE OF JIM HENSON WHO LOVED THIS WALK IN THE PARK.”  I can relate.

There is always so much to discover and there is much to go back for.  That’s the perpetual tourist in me — and I’m already making a mental note to go back to the park soon.

Bethesda Fountain in Central Park, viewed from the Bethesda Terrace