Retirement
I like any day when I don’t have to go to work, especially
on a snowy day. Retirement is such a blessing, a gift that I should have
accepted two years ago.
BTS is back
I like that I will be seeing BTS, all 7 members, in August in New Jersey. Floor tickets secured, wowza!!! The BTS supergroup will release their new album on March 20th and hold free concerts in South Korea before embarking on a global tour across North America, South America, Australia, and Asia, including the Philippines.
"I Will Come to You"
I like “I Will Come to You” by Jin of BTS on piano. It is a poignant ballad sung by Jin with gentle emotion. He wrote it while he was on military duty. He came back and fulfilled his promise to BTS Army after his military discharge.
In 2025, I vacationed in the Philippines and finally visited
the beautiful island of Coron in Palawan; took a road trip to Connecticut and
Rhode Island; and attended the 45th college reunion in Europe.
But it is the quiet moments I love most, those times of
introspection in between the hectic schedules of trips and sightseeing. In
Norway, I sat at a corner table in the square, enjoying my chocolate ice-cream
cone, and watched people go by. My classmates had walked ahead to the palace,
but I was content (and tired of walking on the cobblestones) and actually thought, “I could live here.” I like the sunrise
view from our cruise ship’s balcony. As we explored the magnificent Schwerin
Castle grounds, the “tunnel of greens” mesmerized me; there is light at the end
of the tunnel. In Coron, I went up the rooftop terrace of our Airbnb house, at
the crack of dawn, to marvel at the glorious sunrise as my family slept after a
full day of island-hopping.
The quiet moments are my precious “me” time, when I slow down, focus on myself, and recharge my batteries during a vacation marked by constant movement and a packed itinerary to hit all the tourist traps.
I like that I started my painting journey.
I am continuing and exploring my artist journey. I dabbled
in pencil drawing before, but painting intimidates me. I am a total amateur,
but I am determined to grow in my craft. I am playing with colors, brushes, and
techniques as I switch between abstracts, patterns, and graphics using acrylic
paints, markers, pastels, pencils,
I like that my art supplies are ready for me to use. I have
a corner of the dining table to lay out my acrylic paints and markers,
sketchbooks, watercolors, pastels, etc.
"Walk for Peace"
I like the Buddhist monks’ “Walk
for Peace”. They started their travel in Fort Worth, Texas, and arrived in
Washington, DC, on February 10. They aim to raise "awareness of peace,
loving kindness, and compassion across America and the world." Amid the
ongoing turmoil in the country, it is heartwarming to see crowds gather along
the monks’ route to support and welcome them and their dog, Aloka. I see the Walk
as a nonpartisan, nonreligious unifying force that has resonated with people
from different races and faiths. According to their spokesman. "It's a
spiritual offering, an invitation to live peace through everyday actions,
mindful steps and open hearts”.
Ten states, 108 days, and 2300
miles later. I still cry when I see the pictures.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/2042326629965078
I like Ube ice cream with hot pandesal and Pineapple Upside
Down cake. I don’t usually eat desserts, but these two tempt me every single
time.
I like that the HBO Max medical drama “The Pitt” features
two Filipino nurses, Perlah (Amielynn
Abellera) and Princess (Kristin Villanueva), as part of their ER team. Not just
background players, but crucial to the emergency department team and highly
respected for their expertise in the crazy, hectic world of emergency medicine.
They provide comic relief when they speak Tagalog to each other, perhaps a coping mechanism to the work stressors. There is
something therapeutic about bantering in your language, and sometimes communicating just with your eyes (and pointing with your lips).
After 15 seasons of “ER” without Filipino nurses, we see
these bad-ass nurses and work besties claim their right to be seen as part of
the team. As an ER nurse for 35 years, I felt represented. Finally.
K-drama
I like K-drama. Over the years, I have watched sporadically
because of time constraints. After retirement, I am enjoying the time to watch
as many as I can. I am currently juggling between several shows: Suspicious
Partner, Crash Course in Romance, Can This Love Be Translated, Cashero, and
Welcome to Samdari. Hey, I am picking up more Korean words as I go along.
I Like… (Part 1)
https://jcerrudocreations.blogspot.com/2016/06/i-like.html
