written ages ago.
Since I got to the States, my life has made a drastic change. My 25 year old self would be shocked to see what she's turned into in just a couple of years. I've done a complete 180. And it's a relaxing break from the whirlwind life I used to live. I call this the Domestication of Maya Navarro. It's the stuff housewives and old maids are made of. I'm enjoying it so far but I don't know when I'll grow restless from too much down time.
Mornings
Before: Wake up to the sound of my annoying alarm clock at about 8/ 8:30 am, drag myself out of bed to shower, get dressed for work with about 2-3 outfit changes before finally settling on my first choice, drink coffee or pour coffee into a tumbler and drive to the office. In stilettos.
Now: Wake up to the sound of baby Armaan cooing in his crib. Sing him a good morning song while I unwrap him from his swaddling blankie. Change his diaper and play with him on the bed. Sit him down on his walker and turn on his Shapes and Colors DVD while I make coffee and cook eggs for breakfast. Barefoot and in my jammies.
Lunch
Before: Grab quick lunch at the caf or a long lunch with bosses. Or skip lunch due to the number of things to do for work.
Now: Put Armaan down for a nap while I cook (yes ladies i cook now) or heat food. Then watch TV or play Guitar Hero on PS3 (I'm getting really good!!). If I dont feel like playing, I just watch TV and drool over Home TV Shopping stuff like the Pancake Puffs maker or the Chef cuisine equipment. Very Bree Van de Camp.
Afternoon
Before: Work work work
Now: Read a book while Armaan watches his series of cartoons: Postman Pat, Theodore Tugboat, Pecola, Sitting Ducks etc. Then Ate gets home and we chat and eat snacks and play with Armaan. Or we watch downloaded movies cinema style with the blinds closed and everything. Or we cook. Again, I have learned how to cook already. Or am still learning. cookbook-in-hand style. I have cooked spaghetti, carbonara, other pasta inventions and viands like adobo, caldereta, pochero, nilaga, tinola and have experimented with Indian and Chinese cooking like Chicken Tandoori, Tofu with sesame, Lemon butter fish and shrimps, and a few more other recipes from the Internet. As I type, I'm preparing for another batch of beef caldereta with a twist (To Al Jean, thanks for the recipe).
Chicken Tandoori
Pochero
Night
Before: Dinner with friends/ dinner with Chev and a movie. Drinks or coffee with friends. Get home at around 11 or midnight, latest at around 2am then sleep. It also used to be nights at Embassy, Cuisine, Ponti, Capones or Good Earth. With blaring music, cigarettes and alcohol.
Now: TV show marathon. Mondays it's Gossip Girl, Tuesdays it's American Idol and Hell's Kitchen, Wednesday it's A.I. again and then other shows like Supernatural, Smallville, House, and Sunday's Desperate Housewives. Then it's off to bed at 10pm. Ho-hum. There are days though when we go out for dinner or we drink and play poker here at home because of the DUI law thing. Sometimes we also play Taboo and my newest game board Scene It or other card games. With chips and soda and occasional wine or beer.
Weekends are spent like how I spend it in Manila. At the mall. Bright side: At least now I don't have to work during weekends.
And on some very special weeks, I fly off to Boston to be with Chevy. And we go around and eat at places we've never tried before or have been recommended by friends or by the Best of Boston or we just hang out at this apartment and watch TV (usually NBA, Comedy Central and Food Network). Someday we plan on taking culinary lessons so we can start our own diner or cafe in Manila haha.
Sounds like a total bore huh? Not really. For me, it's my rehab from days when I shouldn't have partied too hard or worked too hard or drove home from a bar buzzed or wasted with the risk of hurting myself or other people. I enjoy learning new skills and exploring new places. It's like household-parenthood training.
I'm floating now and can't work until after 60 days since I got here. Soon I'll get back on my feet and join the Big Bad World of Work again. Hopefully :) I'm both excited and dreadful at such thought. Until then I'm just enjoying looking after my baby nephew. I mean, who wouldn't right?
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