Roselle Flower Tea

When I was in the Philippines, I used to buy Roselle Juice from a supplier and it costs a lot mainly because Roselle doesn't grow in my country. Here in Myanmar, I first had my first taste of Roselle in a Shan soup dish when I lived in Lashio. Now that I am here in Mandalay, I got hold of Roselle leaves at first, and dried them using my dehydrator, to make tea. They are actually sold in the supermarket as one of the vegetables people buy to use in cooking. 

A few days ago, we went to a morning market and found Roselle flowers sold at a really cheap price. So I bought some, and dried them in my dehydrator.

Now I have a jar full of dried Roselle flowers to make tea or juice with.

This is one of the reasons why I like it here in Myanmar. You get everything cheap and healthy. Unlike when I lived in Singapore, where everything is quite costly.

Roselle has a lot of health benefits. Here is a video I found. Do watch it.

Self Preservation is Self Care

In this time of uncertainty, one is certain: life is precious but we don't know when we'd die. I hope you all have this in your heart, that our lives matter, so does everyone else's. How we take care of ourselves, we must also do with others. Although, self care first, before others, is not at all a bad thing. For how can you give if you are no longer capable; how can you give if your body fails you already? How can you protect others if you are already dead?

So yes, if you want to care for others, make sure you are doing good and well. I am saying these things because a lot of people are dying in all parts of the world, and it is not just brought about by this pandemic, but a lot of other factors.

Just recently, my Facebook newsfeed flooded with different opinions about the policeman who shot a mother and her son, in front of his very own daughter, and the other people in the home of the victims. My first question was, why did he shoot them? Second question, what triggered the incident? 

There are far too many questions why things happen. There are so many reasons behind every action, and to speculate is never a good thing. What was on his mind? How did he feel at that moment, and why? Instead of giving speculations and opinions, I think it is best to look at all angles, and listen to all sides involved.Was he under the influence of alcohol, or drugs? And of course, what about the victims. What happened? What did they do to provoke "the man with the gun" that caused him to fire his weapon at them? Maybe if we look at the situation and seek the "why", then we will understand what truly happened. 

Given the same situation, in case a man points a gun at me and my child, I wouldn't do or say anything that could worsen the situation. To say things to provoke the one who has the upper hand will surely put me and my child in danger. To be meek in a dying situation is better than to meet anger with anger and pride. I speak for myself, I don't know how other mothers would do it in that same scenario. Self preservation is self care, so I can continue to love and care for my child. I will never be able to do that if I am dead.

There's No Place Like Home

There's No  Place Like Home..

There's No  Place Like Home..

There's No  Place Like Home..

Do you remember The Wizard of Oz? Well, I just wish I have Dorothy's ruby shoes right now.. I could tap  my red shoes and utter the words, but I will still be here, sitting in front of the computer, waiting for my loved ones to go online for a chat. 

Every OFW dreams of going back home and celebrate Christmas with loved ones and family. I always travel homeward at this time, but because of the pandemic, I am stuck. Well, it's not just me, and many of us working away from family and loved ones. It is one of the things we face, and should bear the burden of, although it is not really a bad thing these days. At least we have the Internet and Zoom to see everyone through online meets. I could just imagine how it was back then when OFWs didn't have these necessities. It must really be heartbreaking for everyone. 

Anyhow, I and my brother may not be with them this Christmas, but I am pretty sure we will still be together, online, that is. I pray this pandemic will end soon, and although nothing will become normal right away, I just hope things will get better. And hopefully too, I will be home in December 2021/

 

Almost Christmas, Time to Decorate..

Inspired by the recent Project X - project-based Science Competition, we made Christmas symbols using recycled materials. 

Our first Christmas symbol is the Christmas tree and its decor. 

It's still missing the decor on top. We are thinking of a star or an angel. But we are busy yet right now. 

I will be sharing the materials and procedures on this link.

Isn't it wonderful to decorate for Christmas and save the planet at the same time?

Because.. Why not???

Ah, a well deserved break. Today marked the end of 2020 for all our classes. We had online Christmas parties organized for for each class, this morning. After our staff meeting, all's done. Napped through the afternoon and woke up with Voice on Netflix  still playing. Hahaha.. What to do when the pandemic is still not over? Netflix, Netflix and Netflix.. Can you relate?

At 2 in the morning, I am cracking Walnuts. This is actually in preparation for all the recipes I am going to follow for our Christmas Medya Noche on the 24th.

But cracking Walnuts is better with Cabernet Sauvignon. Ha! So I opened my red wine ahead, hahahaha...

Oh well, look at this yummy Walnut. Isn't it gorgeous?   If not for the pandemic, I 'd be on a plane now, bound for Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok, then Manila or Cebu, then my hometown, instead of killing time like this. This will be the first time to spend Christmas away from my family. It's a good thing I have housemates to spend it with. 

My Male Version

Have you ever wondered how you would look if you are the opposite gender of what you are now? Well, a few months ago, I was intrigued by a phone app that allows us to see how we would look like if we were the opposite gender. So I tried it..

Tadaaah!

 So that is how I would look.. hahaha.. I posted it as my profile pic, and someone was so jealous thinking I have a new boyfriend.. LOL.. 

Anyway, there are a lot of these apps on Play Store, so if you like, you can search what you like to try and see for yourself.. 

Have you ever hugged a tree?

 I have... see????

This tree is said to be old, and it's huge... This was taken last year, on my mother's birthday. My friend Cho cho, a co-teacher from the previous school I taught in when I was in Yamethin, Myanmar took me to see Kyee Ne Lake, the most important body of water in the area as it is said to provide water and electricity in the area. 

I love the fact that being one with nature is not only being there, gazing at the marvelous sunrise, but I got to play around and hug the huge tree. This tree is just in front of the moat around the monastery, but we entered through the park, where people spend time to exercise, kids play on the playground, and in the evening, some shops will open for people who like to relax there. 

I love the fact that the entrance to the park is so inviting. So many plants and flowers in the area, my pictures do not show them though.  

This is just a few feet away from Kyee Ne Lake, which is completely opposite to what you see here. I am glad Cho cho brought me  here last year. This year, as we deal with Covid 19 pandemic, memories of this moment just makes me wish there's another chance for me to hug another huge old tree here in Myanmar.. 

Oh well, back to work. holiday is almost done.. Happy National Day Myanmar...

Empowered Mom (darlingaguilar.com) to rise again..

 A few minutes ago, out of the blue, darlingaguilar.com was available without a broker at godaddy. So what else to do but claim it.. again.. 

I remember how disheartened I was when I lost this domain. And every time I searched it, what I saw were disappointing. From being a make-up site to a monastery website, yo a lotto site in China, a gambling site to lingerie and whatever it had become previously, now I can rest and keep it running as my own site again. It used to be PR 4 so it was earning me a lot of dough. Then I encountered a problem in renewal. It was crazy. I couldn't renew it, renewal always failed. Until it was past deadline and completely, I lost the site. 

But all is well now. I can revive Empowered Mom now. I am beyond grateful. Thank you Universe.. 

Of Domains and Hobbies

Gone were the times when we think of new hobbies, we buy a new domain and set a new blog to go with the new hobby. In those cheap domain days, we could easily find a new thing to do and blog about it in .com or .info, even on .live and .online domains.. We could just easily fill whatever space in the blogosphere and Godaddy just give us all those discount vouchers and so we buy domains in 2s, 3s or even 10s.. I looked into buying more domains for my three other blogs but they are quite expensive now. Plus, it's so disheartening to find my old domains are actually now more than ten times their worth when I bought them just when I was beginning my journey as a blogger, years ago. How time flies so fast.. I am quite dazed and confused at the thought that I was able to manage feeds and feedburners, analyze data and make sure that all writing gigs done before due date, or cut off so I would get my money by the end date and get paid on time. Buying domains was the hobby in those days that paid well afterwards.. 

Now I wonder, will this come back be worth it? Let's just wait and see.. Come holiday, I am going to work on fixing loose ends and see if I can still mend some of them. It seems I have forgotten so much of the routine. I even forget password of sites that pay well. I wonder if I still have orders in my dashboards.. ha! That'll really be a good thing.. I guess I just have to make sure my heart is really into this again. If not, everything will be put to waste.. 

Nothing to write? But I have so many things I wanna share...

Gone were the days when I could keep up posting on 47 blogs and keeping them up to date on a daily basis. That used to be my bread and butter  in those days, and I loved it. I loved the freedom,  as well as the income. Although I had to spend on what I wrote about, I still get more from how much I spent. I miss attending blogger events and meeting, as well as, networking with other bloggers, and learn new things about our job. And the bloggermail of course.. Freebies for review, and some products for paid posting.. hahaha.. Believe it or not, for many years it has allowed me to provide good education and the needs of my daughter, until I joined the public school system and became a public school teacher for less than five (5) years, and moved here to become an overseas Filipino teacher. 

I am having a great time being a Science teacher now, and although we are always busy, especially now that we teach online, I still think of blogging as a good way to express my thoughts and perhaps earn from it again. But then again, maybe not. I heard that some of the clients we had before are now into different mediums. So I guess I am back from where everything started, four (4) blogs, three (3) of which, are old blogs I just republished, while  the rest are hidden, and some thoughts waiting for me to type them... 

I have so many things I want to share, but I don't know where to begin.. Sometimes it feels that I have nothing to write about, and then I sit quietly for a moment, and they come knocking, just when I am about to start doing something job-related.. tsk.. 

Anyway, baby steps.. I shall find time to share my thoughts here.. and share them bit by bit.. I haven't announced my come-back so I don't really expect any readers any time soon.. 

It's just me and the blogosphere awaiting the reentry of Mommy Dharlz.. 

Excited for this event:

It's a project based Science Competition and Donation Fundraising for the benefit of the Aung Thuka Foundation.. 

Thank you Universe <3 I am happy to be part of this good cause. You too can join.

Donation is still open. Gift giving will be on December 18, 2020. Just contact the numbers on the poster.

No Holiday For a Teacher

I have been teaching for more than half my life. Although some parts of that were involvements in organizations and I didn't really get paid to teach. But for the most part, whether it's a paid teaching job, or as a volunteer, teaching has always been rewarding. Although it entails long hours of preparation, long hours of extended service and unpaid overtimes, it will still be the job I will choose to have. Maybe even after I retire. Ha! I feel guilty sometimes because I am not with my daughter, and not really hands-on with her now, but come to think of it, it is one of the rewards I reaped. I have trained my daughter to become an  independent learner who excels even with less or no supervision with school work. Talking to her everyday online to follow up,  and talking with her teachers during PTC just proves that we parents must train our children to do things on their own then success in their learning can truly be theirs, and not ours to claim. Minimal supervision and mentoring can do wonders for a child who seeks learning and knowledge. That is a good thing. Of course, for my daughter, the training started at home, so she really didn't have any problem. But as a teacher, and seeing that some parents spoon feed their children makes me wonder. I wonder what will become of these children. No matter how much teachers encourage students to do independent learning, but if parents want to do things for their children, then that is the biggest problem. 

Anyway, today is a holiday, Deepavali or Diwali - Festival of Lights for our brothers and sisters of Jainism. We don't have classes today, but we are all busy here in the house finishing tasks and doing school related activities for next week. As an overseas Filipino teacher, each of us always do our best, because we do not want people to stereotype Filipino teachers badly. Ten times the best we gave when we were still teaching/working back home. One could say, there is really no holiday for a teacher, and especially if the teacher is also a mother. Teaching is a lifelong vocation, and just like motherhood, it doesn't end. 

Happy Deepavali/Diwali everyone..

First Project After Hiatus

I have pledged to help in this project because its intention is good. And it hits two birds with one stone. It is a Science competition which is actually a good thing for students to sharpen their brains

and build their confidence as they hurdle the challenges in this project -based Science competition; and of course, this is also a fundraising for the boys at the orphanage of of the Aung Thuka Foundation. Registration fees go straight for the benefit of those in need. 

Anyway, I will talk about this more when the event will start. 

By the way, tomorrow is the last day to sign up for the contest.  Interested students can sign up through this link. 

Rain..

It rained today.. Rainy season is here.. We're indoors as usual because of the lockdown. Glad I still enjoy the rain from our balcony view...

Baking Bread..

Nothing beats baking bread on a not so good day... 

Still I say, Thank you Universe..

Trees..

Day 194 of 2020

Thank you Universe <3 

Trees are wonderful blessings from nature.. More than just oxygen and providing shade, trees can also give us reasons to smile and celebrate life.  

I am grateful for every tree I see.. Young or old, big or small, each is a wonder to behold..

I love the trees around campus..

Especially this...

Feeling Better: 4th Day in the Hospital

I am feeling better today. I can now go to the toilet on my own. My world is not spinning anymore, but I have to be subjected to so many laboratory tests so I must stay in the hospital until all the doctors will clear me for everything, then I can go home. 

I am grateful for my friends and co teachers for standing by me in this crazy time away from my family and loved ones. Technically, these two are family here in Myanmar. I do not know what will happen to me if they weren't around.

Thank you Mr. Steve, our principal, for the flowers. 

And the well wishes from everyone at school. 

I am hoping to get discharged soon. 

A New Beginning

 I had been a blogger since 2009. I stopped blogging in 2015. For whatever reason, only reason knows why. Ha! Kinda philosophical. But really, I just stopped taking care of my blogs, and left the blogosphere.  But I miss it. I miss the entries, making content, writing endlessly when I feel frustrated or when I am excited to share things that bring me great joy, and just want to air out stuff that brings me great sorrow. That was me, Mommy Dharlz a.k.a. Empowered Mom. 

Before deciding a come back, I had to decide on what domain name to take. Should I buy the old names of my previous blogs? Should I get a new one? Of course, I still have my More Food Adventures, A Teacher's Journey and Just the Tip of an Iceberg.. They're all floating and waiting for me to add entry. I will link them up here for easy access. 

So yeah, now I am officially back with my name on the blogosphere as my main blog this time.. I hope you enjoy every post I will share here..