I've been meaning to write something here...anything. Unfortunately, I never get around to doing that.

So many things to write about, so little time to organize them into coherent ideas. I might be able to do that. I hope to be able to do that. =)

The past weeks have been uber busy. I was multi-tasking all over the place! I never thought I could accomplish so much in a short period of time! The downside to that? Several: less quality time with the kids, additional callous on my soles because of walking around so much, harried and hurried decisions, and sleeping when I shouldn't be.

I hope I do get to update my posts here. I will try to do that soon. Before the year ends, at least. ;p

Fourever

Four now. Fourever.

Support Team Get-Together

Much needed R&R of the Support Team.

Happy Meal

Best meal I've had in a while.

For Sunday lunch, Lem, the kids and I went to Wok at The Avenue Square on Magsaysay Avenue.

Wok is a Chinese restaurant and has been around for a long time now. They serve really delish authentic Chinese cuisine.

Lunch consisted of Crab and Corn Soup (approved by Tami), Chicken with Honey (served on a nest of crispy noodles), Sweet and Sour Pork (Enzo's choice), and (Lem's fave veggie) Broccoli with lotsa shrimp! Yum-mee.

The food was good but what made things better were the people I was with. They were such great meal companions. Being with them was sheer pleasure. =D

Thanks to my uber gwapo lunch dates, Lem, Enz, and Tam.

Ain't I the lucky one? ;-)

Comfort Food

Sweets with my sweet. ;-)

Black Forest Freddoccino, Mocha Freddoccino, and sinfully decadent Chocolate Decadent Cake
*Mocha Blends at The West Park, Magsaysay Avenue

Terzo

Life threw me a lemon.

I've been making lemonade for 3 months now.

The sweetest I've ever had.

=)

In Memoriam

Salvador, Magdalena, Jeremias, and Felisa: we will always remember you and the love you showered us. Your memory will remain in our hearts.

¡La Quesadilla!

This snack is very easy to prepare and is both yummy and filling.

Spread about 5 spoonsful of bottled salsa

On one piece of tortilla

Sprinkle generously with cheese (cheddar, mozzarella or both!)

Top with another piece of tortilla

Toast over a non-stick pan.

Slice into bite-size pieces with a pizza cutter or knife.

Comemos, amigos.

Sake Time at the Metro

I first learned about Tokyo Tokyo Metro in one of the issues of Yummy Magazine. After telling Lem about it, we decided that we would check the place out once we have the opportunity. Months passed and we heard opportunity zealously knocking at the door.

Since it has been a while since I've read about the article, we kinda forgot (SOA) whether Tokyo Tokyo Metro is located at Glorietta 5 or Greenbelt 5. Lem said that chances are, it's located at Greenbelt 5 since that is where most high-end restos are located. I told him that Tokyo Tokyo Metro is not exactly what one would consider as a high-end resto. The article on Yummy would have mentioned that. We decided to ask one of the persons manning the concierge desk at Glorietta. She said that all she knew was there is, indeed, a Tokyo Tokyo at G5. She wasn't sure, though whether it's the Metro version. Such a big help. =(

Filled with uncertainty, we walked, nonetheless, towards Glorietta 5. Once we reached the entrance, we rushed to the nearest directory and checked the listing for Tokyo Tokyo Metro. We were at the right place. *insert happy jig here*

Assorted Maki + Cold Sake = Japanese Bliss

We went to Tokyo Tokyo Metro for the Sake. The (relatively) new resto is a little different from the regular Tokyo Tokyo as it serves alcoholic beverages. It is patterned after the Japanese izakaya, a type of drinking establishment frequented by office people after a hard day's work. That is why, aside from sake, they also serve local and Japanese beer.

I have never had sake before. Hence, the excitement at finally being able to imbibe some. When our sake arrived, we stared at the bottle for a couple of seconds before hastily opening the bottle and promptly pouring ourselves a glassful each. *kampai!*

I am not a sake expert but I liked the taste of that particular bottle. It was easy on the nose and the throat, to say the least. =)

Of course, what is Japanese dining without a plateful of maki? We ordered an assortment of makis (is there a plural form?). There was, of course, California Maki, Tuna Maki and a coupla pieces of tuna sashimis. *insert again happy jig here*

Was that all we ordered? Nope. Bring in the bento box.

There were huge prawns, some cabbage salad, a piece each of kani sushi and egg sushi, miso soup and a bowlful of rice. It was good enough for 2 people! =)

After we were done with the meal, though, we realized that we still had a lot of sake left in the bottle. So, we decided to order more food! After perusing the menu, we decided to try the yakitori. They offer chicken, pork and beef. Of course, we wanted to try all three so, we ordered the sampler. I didn't get to try the pork yakitori but i did bite into the chicken and beef. They were soooo tender and grilled just right.

What did we have for dessert? 2 pieces of the fudgiest fudge brownies came with the bento box. It came with a dipping, ehrm, icing. The bittersweetness of the brownies complemented pretty well the delicate and fluffy icing that had a slight hint of coffee. =D

After polishing off our dessert, I stared longingly at the sidewalk outside. I was hankering to light up a stick and pollute my lungs.

2 thumbs up for Tokyo Tokyo Metro. We shall come back for the food and of course, the sake. =)

333 =)

Ang Lider ng Dating Raan

Minuend and Subtrahend

Spot the Difference.

Power of Two

1 is a lonely number. 2 is better.

Birthday Dinner (July 21)

This is sooooo long overdue...

I had every intention of posting this ASAP but for some reason...or a lot of reasons, I never got around to do that.

Anyways, for mother's and Enzo's joint birthday dinner, we decided to go to this quaint Italian inspired resto at Cereza on Magsaysay Ave.

Grissini Ristorante is tucked in the back of the group of restos and cafes at Cereza. It is warmly lit and looks really welcoming. It actually looks more like a trattoria than a ristorante. The sign says ristorante, though. So, ristorante it is! =D

After we were seated and (tried) to settle down, perused the menu, then gave our orders to the (uber patient) waiter. Waiting on us requires a lot of patience. Being a bunch of food lovers, we sometimes find it hard to decide on what to order.

Complimentary bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar dip

After much deliberation, these are what we decided to try:

Insalata Verde

Mixed greens (mostly lettuce, actually) with slices of onions, tomatoes, cheese shavings and drizzled with some vinaigrette.

Ravioli di Spinaci

Spinach Ravioli in Alfredo Sauce with Grated Parmesan Cheese. This is an okay dish 'cept that I think they forgot to drain the spinach. It's also a bit dry and bland. I still managed to polish it off, though. =D

Creamy Tuna Penne

Now, this we really loved! The pasta is cooked al dente. It was seasoned just right. Plus, unlike most dishes that involve fish, this doens't smell fishy at all. Tami really loved this and helped himself to seconds and thirds.

Roasted Pork with Baby Potatoes

 There wasn't really anything extraordinary about this dish..there was just a need to order a meat dish for Enzo.

Pizza di Quattro Formaggi

 I forgot what kinds of cheeses exactly were included in this pizza. Definitely, there's blue cheese and some parmesan. I don't know what the other two were. I forgot to ask. It doesn't matter, though. The pizza was va' bene! Molto bene, in fact! Tami had no qualms eating it, blue cheese and all.

Steamed Salmon with Basil Pesto

The very reason why we decided to dine at Gressini...mom wanted to eat this dish again...The fish was oh-so tender yet disappointingly under seasoned.

In all, it was a good dining experience.  

 

 

Many are Cold But Few are Frozen

A couple of days after Ondoy ravaged a large part of Metro Manila, the news of a another oncoming typhoon was splashed on the internet and evening news. Everybody braced themselves for another encounter with nature.

After reading about the oncoming typhoon, I kinda forgot about it. It was Monday when I first read about that. It was supposed to make landfall on Friday afternoon. Since I was busy with work (work, and more work!) in the days that followed, it didn't occur to me that the reason why it was raining heavily when I woke up on Friday was because there was a typhoon! I was clueless as well when text messages from applicants started coming in, asking whether the interviews that we have scheduled for that day will still take place. Yes, of course, I told them. Why on earth not? I thought to myself.

It was only when I went downstairs to have brekkers that I remembered that Typhoon Parma (woot) was supposed to make its grand entrance that day. LGUs, NGOs and the media were in close coordination in the effort to prevent another 'Ondoy incident' from taking place in Cam Sur. I wanted to just stay at home and crawl under the covers but of course, a recruiter's work is never done. I had to report for work, come hell or high water (literally and figuratively). So, armed with a big, nay, huge umbreller, I slipped on a pair of rubber slippers, rolled up my jeans and hailed a ride to the office.

Although there were some brave applicants who still went to the office in spite and despite the downpour, we had to get in touch with the rest of the people whom we scheduled for an interview that day. After all the applicants left, the team decided to have lunch. When we went outside, we found out, much to our dismay, that the street in front of our building was already flooded. There was no way we could get to our usual lunch place without getting drenched. Since we were not yet done for the day, we decided to just order in and have lunch in the office.

We hurriedly finished all reports that needed to be submitted that day because we really wanted to go home as early as possible. It was just 4PM and already, it was starting to get really dark. After submitting all reports and replying to all important emails, we had to complete one last task before we called it a day: take an online assessment.

The online assessment is supposed to be part of the recruitment process for one of our programs. We had to take it to experience it first hand. While in the middle of taking the assessment, however, my phone rang. It was pop. I had to cancel the call since I was not yet done with the assessment. When he couldn't get in touch with me, he sent a text message saying that parts of Panganiban Drive (one of the major thoroughfares in Naga City and where I usually pass on my way home) was already flooded. He told me to use my best judgment when deciding whether I would go home or not.

No way was I gonna get trapped in the office! I definitely did not want to spend the night there. I wanted to go home so I hurriedly finished the assessment. Not bothering to doublecheck my answers and sometimes just taking wild guesses when I couldn't immediately figure out the answers. Eventually, I was done. Flood or no flood, by George, I was gonna go home.

I left the office together with my team mates. When we got to Panganiban drive, there weren't any available public transportation. A number of private vehicles sped by but no jeepney nor tricycle. We all decided to walk then. The sooner we got to downtown Naga, the better. We were pretty sure that we could get a ride home there.

The street was indeed starting to get flooded. I waded in the water. I still successfully got my jeans wet even after rolling them up again because the water was more than ankle deep. My companions were telling me to get out of the water and walk on the sidewalk where the water was not so deep. I was actually having fun wading in the water so I told them I was okay...until they warned me of snakes that might be gliding in the flood. Ssssssnakes! Eeeep! Fast as lightning, I ran to the sidewalk.

Eventually, a jeepney ambled by and we scrambled in after it stopped in front of us. It was a good thing since when we got to the really flooded part of Panganiban Drive, we found out that it was indeed flooded. Knee-deep, almost. Ack! When we passed by Panganiban Bridge, I noticed that the river almost reached the bridge. I hope it didn't rise any further. Otherwise, since we live on the riverbank, if it overflows, it would most definitely spill over into our backyard. If it rises even more, into the house.

The Bicol River, as seen from our backyard. Photo by Bro. Jay.

After the slow jeepney ride, we finally reached downtown Naga. It a while for me to find a tricycle to take me home. I did find one eventually. I reached home safely. Thank God.

It was a good thing that even thought typhoon Parma was tagged as a super typhoon it did not wreak as much havoc as expected.

Thank you very much to all family, friends and loved ones who expressed concern and prayed for our safety in the midst of the typhoon.  

More pictures from Naga City Deck.  

Higit Sa Lahat, Tayo ay Pilipino

In times like this, it is good to know that there have been times like this.

Once again, the Filipino people's indomitable human spirit is put to test. We will, yet again, prove to the world that there is nothing that can put our nation down.

We are a country divided by various political affiliations, religious beliefs, scandals, intrigues, and whatnot. Apart from Pacquiao's fights, however, we are a nation united by calamities. When adversities come our way, we close ranks and pull all stops in helping those who were not as fortunate as us.

Here in the Bicol Region, we have had more than our fair share of calamities. Being the typhoon belt of the Philippines, we have experienced countless typhoons in varying degree of intensity. Over the years, we have lost thousands of family and friends to raging floods and landslides as well. Eventually, we have learned to accept typhoons as part of our life.

Although we may sometimes feign nonchalance at the threat of an oncoming typhoon, we will never be impervious to the sight of the victims of calamities in other parts of the country. Here is our small contribution to the victims of Typhoon Ondoy: Concert for A Cause.

Thanks to Naga City Deck for the link and the update.

N.B.

I heard on the news this morning that the Naga City Council passed a resolution yesterday to release Php500,000.00. This will be donated to LGU-Marikina, which is one of Naga City's sister cities. Vice-Mayor Gabby Bordado said that the fund will be released and forwarded to the City Government of Marikina within the week.

The fund is relatively small compared to the donations given by other entities. I am positive though, that it will still be of some help.

I hope that it will be put to good use.

Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce

Currently Enzo's favorite, this pasta dish is very simple and easy to make. Even a kid could make this. Afterall, Enzo did! =)

The ingredients are very common and can be found in any pantry or grocery (if you don't have them yet).


Cook pasta of your choice according to package directions. The sauce is kinda thick so you might want to use pasta of "sturdier" make such as spaghetti, penne, farfalle rigatoni and the like. I used rotini (swirl) this time since the kids find the shape fun and interesting.

For the sauce, roughly chop 1 onion and saute in olive oil until it turns translucent. Add 2 cups of tomato sauce and season with salt and pepper. Add a teaspoon of dried basil and least 5 cloves of finely chopped garlic and let simmer until sauce reduces and slightly thickens. Add half a cup of grated cheddar cheese and stir thoroughly to avoid lumps. Continue stirring until cheese melts. You may use other relatively soft cheeses and even Parmesan cheese as well. Once cheese melts, gently pour in a cup of all-purpose cream. Stir continuously and allow the sauce to simmer but never let it boil. Combine with cooked pasta. Serve hot and with some warm, thick bread on the side. The bread is best for mopping the sauce from your plate. =)


Buon Appetito!

Thank You.

"The imperfections of the human state are outweighed by the glory of human love..."

Thank you very much for loving and accepting this human state, imperfections and all.

924

To the good times and the bad. Cheers, old girl.

Bitter Swill to Pallow

I'm like a kid all over again.

When I was a kid, I used to get sick a whole lot. The hardest part of getting sick was having to take all the medicines prescribed my pedia. I have never liked the smell and taste of any medicine and I always have a hard time ingesting them

Growing up, I realized that there is an even harder pill to swallow. The bitter truth.

Fiesta Eats!

What's a fiesta without food?

Every year, mom endeavors to serve good food that our guests will love and appreciate. There are some tried, tested and popular dishes that she serves every year. Usually, though, since we have guests who come over every fiesta, she tries to change the menu every year and is careful not to serve the same dish over and over year.

Super Soft Pork Steak

Potato Salad

Pork Humba

Catfish in Hot and Spicy Coconut Cream Sauce

Crispy and Crunchy Breaded Chicken with Sweet Sauce

Australian Mixed Vegetables (that's what the recipe says, I swear!)

Spicy Hot Chicken Salpicao

La Piece de Resistance: Creamy Mango and Jelly (I couldn't get enough of this stuff)

Fruit, Wine and Beer!

Enzo lost a tooth today. One of his lower incisors fell to give way to the permanent tooth.

This is again, one of the many milestones in his life. As always, I have separation anxiety attacks whenever something significant happens to him...

That's all part of motherhood, I guess... =)

Fluvial Procession 09

The annual Fluvial Procession, as seen from our backyard.

The Fluvial Procession marks the end of the Peñafrancia Fiesta in Naga City. The image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia (Ina) is carried on foot from the Metropolitan Naga Cathedral by Voyadores until the Tabuco Bridge. She is then transferred to a huge barge manned by, ehrm, men from the Church, government and other sectors of society (traditionally, women are not allowed to accompany Ina). The barge then makes its way through the Bicol River until it reaches the riverbank near the Basilica Minore, the Shrine of Ina.

Huge crowds would gather along the riverbank, lighting candles, waving white hankies, praying and zealously shouting 'Viva la Virgen.'

**More pictures, courtesy of Dyehri.

Murphy Was with Me Tonight

Murphy decided to pay me a visit tonight.

There I was, all set to go home from work when boss called and asked if I could please be kind enough to update and send another report before I left? I had to acquiesce since it was either that or allow our unit to incur the wrath of the almighties. After finishing the report, I sent it to boss and asked if I could now leave and go home. He said that he forwarded my email to Makati and would I please not move a muscle until he receives word that no other info, data, and whatnot were needed. So I did. Or rather, didn't. Move a muscle, that is.

Oh, hey, he said after several minutes. We need to make some changes. Please edit the data accordingly. And I did. While I was in the middle of carrying out the instructions, I received yet another call. It was boss again. Turned out, there was no need to edit the report because the one I sent previously was already a-okay. Undo. Undo. Undo.

My team mates and I finally got the go ahead to, ehrm, go ahead and head for home. =) It was, afterall, already 1AM. We were at the office for almost 15 hours...time to rest the weary soul.

When we went out of the building, we were greeted by the deafening sound of pouring rain. It was raining so hard! We had to go back inside to grab some umbrellers. Each armed with an umbreller, we decided to brave the rain. We had to walk a bit (okay, more than a bit) since there weren't any available ride anywhere near the building.

It was cold. Our umbrellers didn't provide much protection from the water. There was a slight breeze so it weren't just our footwear and the hem of our pants that were getting wet. Almost every part that the umbreller didn't cover was starting to get wet as well. *sigh*

We have walked a substantial distance when we saw a chariot approaching. Okay. It was just a tricycle. But to a trio of drenched, cold, tired, and hungry workers, it seemed like it was a ride sent by the gods from the high heavens. When the tricycle stopped in front of us, we hurriedly scrambled in lest it turned into a pumpkin...and my team mates might turn into mice as well. Yes, Dyehri, I know that you'll be reading this. And when you do, kindly show this to JJ as well. Ha. Ha. Ha.

My rich  team mates got off at their stop in downtown Naga. They didn't have any change on them so I had to pay for their fare as well. You're still reading this, aren't you, Dyehri? =D

The rest of the ride home was uneventful (thank God for small miracles). I got off at my place. Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, I was proven wrong. It rained harder and when I reached our gate...It was locked! I contemplated on just climbing over the gate to get to the other side. Then again, the night (or early morning) wasn't really going so well that all sorts of things imaginable and unimaginable, even, might happen while I was climbing the gate. Not a good idea, I decided. So, I took out my phone and called my brother. Ehrm. Not picking up. I called my father instead. Good thing he picked up after a thousand rings. Okay, after just several rings. When you're out in the rain, tired and freezing, it would seem that way. Theory of Relativity. I think. Anyway, he picked up and told me to wait a bit while he got the key and went out to unlock the gate for me.

While waiting for what seemed like eternity (relativity, again), came the piece de resistance. A big Pajero came speeding by. When it whizzed by me, it brought memories of the uber fun Jurassic Park Ride at Universal Studios. What happened next was not fun, though. The Pajero was going so fast that it splashed tons of water as it sped by leaving a veeery drenched bystander in its wake. I wouldn't really have minded that much had that bystander not been me.

*sigh*

Eventually, my father came out with the key and let me in.

I am still seething at the series of events that Murphy contrived to happen to me tonight. I'm too worked up to go to sleep.

I am starting to calm down though. I see Khaled Hosseini on my side table. He'll keep me company until I drift off to sleep.

Toodles, then. Mustn't keep Khaled waiting. ;-)

Voyadores Parade 09

VIVA LA VIRGEN!!!

Some weeks after a school year opens, up until Peñafrancia Fiesta Week, schools, colleges and universities in the entire Bicol Region busy themselves with the preparations for the Annual Peñafrancia Festivities.

One of the much-awaited activities is the Voyadores Parade.

Loosely translated, voya means to transport something to another place. A voyador, therefore, is someone who transports something to another place. Makes sense?

During the Peñafrancia Fiesta, the voyadores are men who are responsible for bringing the image of the Lady of Peñafrancia (otherwise known to Bicolanos and other devotees as Ina or 'mother' in Bicol), on foot, from the Basilica Minore to the Metropolitan Naga Cathedral. Men from various socio-civic, religious and government organizations take turns in carrying the image until it reaches the Cathedral. This event is known as the Traslacion, which marks the novenarium in honor of Ina.

*Click here for more pictures of the Traslacion*

Quite recently, the Voyadores parade has been included in the long list of parades and activities during the fiesta.

Representatives from schools, colleges and universities re-enact the traditional Traslacion and incorporate songs and dances. The result is a wild display of color and festive music fill the air as well.

Truly, Bicolanos do everything to make their fiesta as fun and lively as possible...all in honor of the woman they love the most---the Ina of all Bicolanos, Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia.

More Murakami, Please!

Last night, I reached and read the last page of Haruki Murakami's collection of short stories, Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman. I started reading the first of the 24 stories some months ago...For some reason, whenever I tried to finish the book, I dozed off after a few pages...some people suggested (explicitly) that this could be a sign of aging. If so, then how come I stay wide awake and finish all the other books and reading materials that I've read recently? =p

No matter, I finished reading Murakami's book and that's what matters the most.

Reading Murakami's short stories leaves you with a certain je ne sais pas quois. You read a story. You finish it. Then you ask yourself, "What the ef just happened?"

Some of his stories are easy to categorize...they're either sad, depressing or poignant. Some left me speechless and stumped and...argh! I can't even describe it!

I finished the darn book. I enjoyed it immensely. I look forward to reading more of his works.

'S all! =)

The Sum of All Fears

What scares you?

Bugs, snakes, vermin, relationships, committment, death...we are afraid of a lot of things. Sometimes these fears are a result of various past experiences. Some, though, are totally unfounded and sometimes, downright preposterous. Some fears are manageable while some, unfortunately, manage to take control over your life.

Life is too short to be spent being afraid. There's a choice, really. You can spend your life being afraid or you can start taking control over your fears. You can either try to run away and escape from what you fear the most or you can face it, embrace it and conquer it.

September

I can't believe it's already September. Once again, time flew by with nary a glance at my direction...

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

I was smoking and getting my usual early morning dose of caffeine when I noticed a couple of big, black butterflies fleeting in the backyard.

As they went about with their business, I contemplated on the fact that I've been seeing a lot of black butterflies in our backyard recently. They could be the same pair that I see everytime. Is it just coincidence then, that a lot of people I know have been dying in the past of weeks?

I've always wondered why black butterflies have been associated with death. I believe that they're too beautiful to be associated with something that evokes pain and sadness. Is it because the lifespan of most butterflies are too short? Most of them live for just a few days, the lucky ones get to roam various gardens for a maximum of 1 year.

Watching them from my perch, I wondered what I would do, how I would live my life if I were to be given just a few days to live. I was stumped. Thinking about that almost gave me a headache. Afterall, looking back at how I've been living my life, after all these years, I still have very little, or nothing even, to show for it. If I quietly leave, I'm afraid that nobody will even notice.

Here today, gone tomorrow.

From Baby Boomers to Generation X-ers

Sharing this...from an email that was sent by yet another cousin. Ehrm, yes, I come from a rather large family. Literally and figuratively.

TO ALL PINOY KIDS WHO WERE BORN IN THE 50's, 60's, 70's and early 80's!

First, some of us survived being born to mothers who did not have an OB-Gyne, smoked and/or drank San Miguel Beer or Syoktong, while they carried us. The manghihilot was the cheapest way to deliver babies. Dinala ka ba ng nanay mo sa pediatrician for DPT? While pregnant, they took cold or cough medicine, cortal or medicol, ate isaw, and didn't worry about diabetes or cervical cancer.

Then after all that trauma, our baby cribs were made of hard wood covered with lead-based paints, pati na yung walker (andador) natin, matigas na kahoy or rattan at wala pang gulong.

We had no soft cushy cribs that play music, no disposable diapers (lampin lang), Noon cloth or rattan duyan lang tied to the posts or ceiling, babies fell asleep sa sobrang hilo.

When we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, no kneepads, sometimes wala pang preno yung bisikleta.

Take-out food was limited to Ongpin's pansit or Aling Toyangs pre-cooked ulam in kalderos. No pizza shops, McDonalds, KFC, Subway, Jollibee; and, coffee was just kape hinde ga-mahal as in Starbucks.

As children, we would ride in jeepneys libre pag kandong, hot un-airconditioned buses with wooden seats (yung JD bus na pula), or cars with no airconditioning & no seat belts (ngayon lahat may aircon na) .

Riding on the back of a carabao on a breezy summer day was considered atreat. Ngayon hindi na nakakakita ng kalabaw ang mga bata! Did you make your own saranggola and pasted bubog on the strings? =)

We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle purchased from 711 (minsan straight from the faucet or poso). Walang 711 noon...sari-sari store lang ni Mang Akong to buy sarsi, suntan, RC cola or choco-vim.

We shared one soft drink bottle with four of our friends, and NO ONE actually died from this or contracted hepatitis.

We ate rice with star margarine, pampatangkad daw, took raw eggs straight from the shell, and drank softdrinks with real sugar in it (hindi diet coke), but we weren't sick or overweight kasi nga......

WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!!!

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, and get back when the streetlights came on. Sarap mag patintero, tumbang preso, habulan at taguan. Tandaan mo ba PIKO, step-no-step- yes, trumpo, garter & mala-ahas sa haba na goma? Kung naulan, jackstones, pick-up sticks or sungka, bahay-bahayan, tinda-tindahan, titser-teacher- an or swimming sa baha or kangkungan.

No one was able to reach us all day (di uso ang cellphone, walang beepers) . And yes, we were O.K. Sipol lang ni tatay ang meron noon!

We would spend hours building our wooden trolleys (yung bearing ang gulong) or plywood slides out of scraps and then ride down the street, only to find out we forgot the brakes! After hitting the sidewalk or falling into a canal (sewage channel) a few times, we learned to solve the problem ourselves with our bare & dirty hands .

We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 100 channels on cable, no DVD movies, no surround stereo, no IPOD's, no cellphones, no computers, no Internet, no chat rooms, and no Friendsters, Facebook. MSN etc...WE HAD REAL FRIENDS and we went outside to actually talk and play with them!

TV viewing was a treat, kilala mo ba si Popeye, Gumby, Betty Boop & followed the bouncing ball in Melody Tunes? That was karaoke then, LOL!

We climbed walls and trees (to get aratiles and catch salagubang & tutubi - tied them on the neck with a string), fell out of trees, got cut or "bukol", broke bones and teeth and there were no stupid lawsuits from these accidents. The only rubbing we get is from our friends with the words...masakit ba ? Pero pag galit yung kalaro mo, ang sasabihin sa iyo..beh buti nga !

We played marbles (jolens) in the dirt , washed our hands just a little and ate dirty ice cream, fish balls & inihaw na baga. We were not afraid of getting sick or germs in our stomachs.

We had to live with homemade guns, gawa sa kahoy, tinali ng rubberband , sumpit , tirador at kung ano ano pa na puedeng makasakitan, pero masaya pa rin ang lahat. We made up games with sticks (syatong), and cans (tumbang preso) and although we were told they were dangerous, wala naman tayong binulag o napatay... paminsan minsan may nabubukulan lang.

We walked a lot, rode bikes, or took tricycles to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just yelled for them to jump out the window!

Mini-basketball teams had tryouts and not everyone made to the team. Those who didn't pass had to learn to deal with the disappointment. Wala iyang mga childhood depression at damaged self esteem ek-ek na yan. Ang pikon, talo.

Ang magulang ay nandoon lang para tingnan kung ayos lang ang mga bata, hindi para makialam at makipag-away sa ibang parents.

That generation of ours has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers, creative thinkers and successful professionals ever! They are the CEO's, Engineers, Doctors and Military Generals of today.

The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had failure, success, and responsibility. We learned from our mistakes the hard way.

You might want to share this with others who've had the luck to grow up as real kids. We were lucky indeed.

And if you like, forward it to your kids too, so they will know how brave their parents were.

=)

Maki-Kain ng Kani Maki

Home-made maki by (self-proclaimed) Sushi Chef Enzo. He taught himself how to use chopsticks so he "could eat 'em properly." Kampai!

Natulog sa (labas ng) Pansitan

I took this pic during one of the Job Fairs we participated in in Legaspi. I wanted to laugh out loud but I could not find the heart to do so. Instead, I felt pity for this guy who was obviously dead tired after a day of job hunting.

Gargol

Branding made easy. No frills. No fancy names. Straight to the point.

Farewell, Tara

Early this morning, my father received a message from one of his former classmates, Larry Santelices that his daughter, Tara, passed away at 4:00 AM today.

Tara is the victim of a VERY senseless crime. She was mugged and shot on the head on the eve of her birthday, August 6 last year. She was in coma eversince and never recovered until her demise early this morning.

Up until now, we still could not comprehend why what happened, happened. In the words of my brother, "Why did this have to happen to a really good person?" I agree. There are a lot of criminals and people with black hearts roaming the earth and committing various crimes against humanity. Why can't they all die instead?

Tara was very young, very pretty and could have had a bright future. That was cruelly cut short. We could only find solace in the belief that "She who dies young, God loves the most."

As we bid farewell to Tara, allow me to reprint the lyrics of one of her favorite songs, Across the Universe by The Beatles (children of AdNU HS '69 tend to be influenced by their fathers and develop a love for any Beatles song):

Words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup,

They slither wildly as they slip away across the universe

Pools of sorrow, waves of joy are drifting through my open mind,

Possessing and caressing me.

Jai guru de va om

Nothing's gonna change my world,

Nothing's gonna change my world.

Images of broken light which dance before me like a million eyes,

That call me on and on across the universe,

Thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letter box

They tumble blindly as they make their way

Across the universe

Jai guru de va om

Nothing's gonna change my world,

Nothing's gonna change my world.

Sounds of laughter shades of life are ringing

Through my open ears inviting and inciting me

Limitless undying love which shines around me

Like a million suns, it calls me on and on

Across the universe

Jai guru de va om

Nothing's gonna change my world,

Nothing's gonna change my world.

May you rest in peace, Tara.

Sabado Night Conversation

Akala ng marami, masakit ang magmahal ng taong hindi ka mahal. Ang di nila alam, mas masaklap at mapait ang magmahal ng isang taong ikinakahiya ang pagmamahal mo.

Lost Hombres

Singing to their hearts' content...Boss V is going to Clark for about a month. It was Jj's bday as well. Plus, we'll be extremely busy in the coming months. So, we felt that a team night out was in order. It was rather difficult deciding where to go and what to do. Naga is just a small city and there aren't really that many places to choose from. Eventually, we settled on singing for our supper. So, we trooped to a good videoke place in one of the hotels here. Everyone had a fun time releasing all stress and angst. It didn't matter that everyone was out of tune most of the time. :-D

Thank You for Calling...Please Don't Call Again

A cousin emailed me the following:

Actual call centre conversations !!!!!

Customer: 'I've been ringing 0800 2100 for two days and can't get through to enquiries, can you help?'.
Operator: 'Where did you get that number from, sir?'.
Customer: 'It was on the door to the Travel Centre'.
Operator: 'Sir, they are our opening hours'.

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------

Samsung Electronics Caller: 'Can you give me the telephone number for Jack?'
Operator: 'I'm sorry, sir, I don't understand who you are talking about'.
Caller: 'On page 1, section 5, of the user guide it clearly states that I need to unplug the fax machine from the AC wall socket and telephone Jack before cleaning. Now, can you give me the number for Jack?'
Operator: 'I think you mean the telephone point on the wall'.

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ----

RAC Motoring Services
Caller: 'Does your European Breakdown Policy cover me when I am travelling in Australia ?'
Operator: ' Doesn't the product name give you a clue?'

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ----

Caller (enquiring about legal requirements while travelling in France ): 'If I register my car in France , do I have to change the steering wheel to the other side of the car?'

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ----

Directory Enquiries Caller: 'I'd like the number of the Argoed Fish Bar in Cardiff please'. Operator: 'I'm sorry, there's no listing. Is the spelling correct?'
Caller: 'Well, it used to be called the Bargoed Fish Bar but the 'B' fell off'.

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ----

Then there was the caller who asked for a knitwear company in Woven.

Operator: 'Woven? Are you sure?'
Caller: 'Yes. That's what it says on the label; Woven in Scotland '.

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ----

On another occasion, a man making heavy breathing sounds from a phone box told a worried operator: 'I haven't got a pen, so I'm steaming up the window to write the number on'.

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ----

Tech Support: 'I need you to right-click on the Open Desktop'.
Customer: 'OK'.
Tech Support: 'Did you get a pop-up menu?'.
Customer: 'No'.
Tech Support: 'OK. Right-Click again. Do you see a pop-up menu?'
Customer: 'No'.
Tech Support: 'OK, sir. Can you tell me what you have done up until this point?'. Customer: 'Sure. You told me to write 'click' and I wrote 'click''.

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ----

Tech Support: 'OK. In the bottom left hand side of the screen, can you see the 'OK' button displayed?'
Customer: 'Wow. How can you see my screen from there?'

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ----

Caller: 'I deleted a file from my PC last week and I have just realised that I need it. If I turn my system clock back two weeks will I have my file back again?'.

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---- ------------ ---------

There's always one. This has got to be one of the funniest things in a long time. I think this guy should have been promoted, not fired. This is a true story from the Word Perfect Helpline, which was transcribed from a recording monitoring the customer care department. Needless to say the Help Desk employee was fired; however, he/she is currently suing the Word Perfect organization for 'Termination without Cause'. Actual dialogue of a former WordPerfect Customer Support employee. (Now I know why they record these conversations! ):

Operator: 'Ridge Hall, computer assistance; may I help you?'
Caller: 'Yes, well, I'm having trouble with WordPerfect. '
Operator: 'What sort of trouble??'
Caller: 'Well, I was just typing along, and all of a sudden the words went away.' Operator: 'Went away?'
Caller: 'They disappeared. '
Operator: 'Hmm So what does your screen look like now?'
Caller: 'Nothing.'
Operator: 'Nothing??'
Caller: 'It's blank; it won't accept anything when I type.'
Operator: 'Are you still in WordPerfect, or did you get out??'
Caller: 'How do I tell?'
Operator: 'Can you see the C: prompt on the screen??'
Caller: 'What's a sea-prompt?'
Operator: 'Never mind, can you move your cursor around the screen?'
Caller: 'There isn't any cursor: I told you, it won't accept anything I type.'
Operator: 'Does your monitor have a power indicator??'
Caller: 'What's a monitor?'
Operator: 'It's the thing with the screen on it that looks like a TV. Does it have a little light that tells you when it's on??'
Caller: 'I don't know.'
Operator: 'Well, then look on the back of the monitor and find where the power cord goes into it. Can you see that??'
Caller: 'Yes, I think so.'
Operator: 'Great. Follow the cord to the plug, and tell me if it's plugged into the wall. Caller: 'Yes, it is.'
Operator: 'When you were behind the monitor, did you notice that there were two cables plugged into the back of it, not just one??'
Caller: 'No.'
Operator: 'Well, there are. I need you to look back there again and find the other cable.' Caller: 'Okay, here it is.'
Operator: 'Follow it for me, and tell me if it's plugged securely into the back of your computer.'
Caller: 'I can't reach.'
Operator: 'Uh huh. Well, can you see if it is??'
Caller: 'No.'
Operator: 'Even if you maybe put your knee on something and lean way over??' Caller: 'Oh, it's not because I don't have the right angle - it's because it's dark.'
Operator: 'Dark??'
Caller: 'Yes - the office light is off, and the only light I have is coming in from the window.'
Operator: 'Well, turn on the office light then.'
Caller: 'I can't.'
Operator: 'No? Why not??'
Caller: 'Because there's a power failure.'
Operator: 'A power....... .. A power failure? Aha, Okay, we've got it licked now.Do you still have the boxes and manuals and packing stuff your computer came in??'
Caller: 'Well, yes, I keep them in the closet.'
Operator: 'Good. Go get them, and unplug your system and pack it up just like it was when you got it. Then take it back to the store you bought it from.'
Caller: 'Really? Is it that bad?'
Operator: 'Yes, I'm afraid it is.'
Caller: 'Well, all right then, I suppose. What do I tell them??'
Operator: 'Tell them you're too f --- ing stupid to own a computer!!!!!'

To all Call Center Agents: Hats off to you for keeping your sanity in spite and despite everything your beloved customers put you through! :-)

No Mas Amor Que el Tuyo

Part of the Parma Family tradition (the descendants of Jeremias and Felisa, that is) is to have a Sacred Heart image enthroned in every family's home. Every year, each family commemorates the enthronement by inviting extended family members to pray with them and partake in a small feast afterward.

Then again, that may be just another reason for the whole family to get together and spend an afternoon of good food, good wine and good conversation.

As I mentioned in my other post (I think :-D) these small get togethers are like dry runs for the granddaddy of all feasts...the Holy Week Celebration. Nonetheless, no matter the number of attendees or reason, every Parma Family get-together is always satisfying. Not just gastronomically but emotionally and spiritually as well. :-)

Auntie San's Chicken in Red Wine

Ola's Oh, Crispyness! Lumpiang Shanghai

Super Lagkit Biko, Binya, Binatinglahat

Uncle Padi's contribution: Cake and Retribution

Mom's Fruity Fruit Salad

Anti-Guilt Veggie Salad with Vinaigrette Dressing

Ehem

After the dining table was cleared, Auntie San got busy again to prepare the merienda...

Happy Birthday, Auntie Madre, Auntie Winnie, Mom, Enzo and Aggie!!! :-)

Spaghetti in Creamy Tuna Sauce (yum!)

The way spaghetti is meant to be eaten. ;-)