So they are secondhand. So what?

Sometimes, buying brand new shoes can be disappointing. After like a year, your shoes would probably look like the ones sold as "ukay ukay," a term used for places that sell secondhand goods (like clothing, shoes, bags, curtains, bed sheets, towels, etc.) at dirt cheap prices usually shipped from the US Salvation Army to the third world countries such as the Philippines (Urban Dictionary).

I have sorts of these items. From pillow cases to bed sheets, jersey shirts to shorts and jackets, I find having these secondhand products worth investing. Some of the items are unreasonably priced high, the fact that those are secondhand and are supposed to be a lot cheaper. Anyway, they will always be cheaper than the brand new ones.

So why not buy secondhand shoes? After all, with some good skill in bidding for a lower price (hangyo lubo in Cebuano), you can have the items with that hidden smile on your face. It could be as low as the last three digits you would settle for a brand new pair of shoes. Last February 25, I took the chance of shopping at an ukay ukay stand and bought two branded pair of items for only 750 pesos! I think the shoes looked descent enough. I soaked the shoes in Ariel Powder Color and Style for 4 hours and thereafter brushed them. I rinsed the items in Downy Fabric Conditioner to give them that better smell. Sun dried for 8 hours, the shoes looked clean and were ready to wear!

Black-Browning My Hair

Our hair, our crown of glory. But as we grow older, our bodies produce less melanin, which makes the hair appear black. But there is always a way to counter the appearance of gray hair.

I came to know this hair coloring product. It is a more practical brand since its unused contents can be further applied later.

First Time Cooking with a Glassware

When the Visions' glass cookware items were brought home, everyone was curious about using them for cooking on LPG stove. They were apprehensive whether or not it could withstand the heat when cooking. This morning, we put one of the glass wares to the test. I asked my brother to buy pork for Adobo (meat on vinegar and soy sauce reduction.) After mixing the ingredients (garlic, onions, banana blossom, pepper corn and seasonings) in the 2.25 L Visions' Cook Pot, the glass ware was placed on top of high heat stove. We were looking at the cooking process and we noticed that the boiling was a lot faster. We could see the food being cooked inside as the container is transparent. After around 45 minutes, the meat was already tender. Usually, when doing this recipe, the mixture would dry up. In this case, the sauce (reduction) was still there and the meat was kept moist.

St. Valentine's Date with the Choir

As usual, the school choir 2016 proceeded to MonMon's Bakeshoppe after the 3rd Mass on the first Sunday of Lent.

"Be with me, Lord," we sang during the communion. The prayer was also the celebration's psalm. As this day commemorates St. Valentine, everyone was talking about love matters.❤

Today, Ash Wednesday

Now, on this day of the opening of the Lenten season, I take this time to post something.

What's with having my forehead marked with ash? In this morning's mass, the priest had us told that it is the start of our journey in this season of Lent. The celebrant added that though it is marked with reflective and solemn mood, it is supposed to be also a time to be joyous about the assurance of Jesus of our salvation through his great love and mercy.

In the school, a fellow is apprehensive about having marked with ash for one might not be able to follow the "obligations" during Lent. Humans as we are, it is inevitable for us to commit sin, at any time of the year. For one thing, having the thought that one might find it difficult to do fasting and abstinence, is never an excuse not to attend to Holy Masses. On the other hand, one should not be comfortable about sinning, knowing that God is compassionate anyway.

For sure, God does not want us to live a miserable life. Every day, we struggle for living. What the Lord wills us to do is along the way of our living, we sow justice, make peace and give love. Doing these will surely give us that feeling of happiness. That when we close our eyes at night, we are joyed that on this day, we have seen the face of God in those whom we have extended our help and love.