Monthly Archives: March 2007

I Can See Clearly Now with Shaving Cream

Soft Foam from stock.xchgMy bathroom mirror needed a cleaning this morning, but I had no wipes on hand. I read somewhere that shaving cream works on mirrors, so I gave it a test. Making sure that H wasn’t looking, I took hold of a can of his shaving cream. I then smeared a little bit of foam onto the mirror, then wiped it clean with tissue. It worked! My bathroom mirror was super clean. No more pesky dots and streaks. Yes! Now I know that can of shaving cream will come in handy for bathroom cleaning emergencies. You know, for when unexpected guests drop by.

Mirror mirror on the wall! Who’s the cleanest of them all? My bathroom mirror, thanks to H’s shaving cream. But, uh, don’t tell H okay? It’s our little secret. ;)

Otter Love

Are you ready for some cuteness? I’m talking major cuteness, okay? Get ready.

Awwwww! Holdings hands at its cutest! My favorite moments: Moment 1:19-20 and Moment 1:25-26 (or if the timecode’s going backward, that’s 00:21-20 and 00:15-14.). Makes you just want to reach for that special one’s hands as well and give them a big kiss. Got this from my cute and crazy Berks sis Tanya Loca.

Mabuhay!

From Mabuhay Cards (http://www.mabuhaycards.com) “Kilig to Da Bones.” “I’ll siomai love for you. Hopia love me too.” “Cow-musta?” “Maligayang Kaarawan, Ate.” “Remember M. Remember E…” You know what follows!

Mabuhay Cards is a great site for Pinoy e-cards. It was fun going through the different cards reflecting Pinoy humor, Pinoy romance, and other emotions that only Pinoy words can capture. Some are awwww-inducing, some are plain makulit! The cards are not only in Tagalog, but some are in Cebuano, Bicolano, Ilonggo, Ilocano and Waray. Nakakaaliw!

This one’s for you guys!

Yey for Google Themes!

Sunrise

I ? the new Google themes. This “Tea House” theme is very charming! I love the Oriental touch. And note that the Fox switches activities too depending on the time of day. I captured this image during the morning, and here he is boating across the lake with a friend. I’ve also caught the fox camped out by the pagoda in the evenings, feeding the ducks in the afternoon, and on other occasions picking oranges and having a tea picnic.

Final Planning

Blossom. From stock.xchng by Henkster.I don’t want to face the fact that our parents are getting old. This weekend, my Mom and I bonded over a little pictorial we did together. Upon seeing one picture of hers that stood out from the rest, she said, “When I die, use that picture, okay?” I was like “Mama! Don’t talk like that!” And then on the same day, my sister J, my Mom and I were in the car when the classical piece Adaggio on Strings played on the stereo. She goes, “You play that in my funeral ha!” I went ballistic and told her “Don’t talk like that nga!”

She goes, “We plan for birthdays, we plan for weddings, why shouldn’t we plan for our funerals?”

I know she’s right but it’s just too morbid for me to deal with. Uggggh. She has a very healthy attitude about moving on in life and it’s admirable. I just can’t imagine my parents being anything other than immortal.

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Jennie’s Crabmeat Dip

Crabmeat Dip
My sister makes a lovely crabmeat dip. She was generous enough to share her recipe so here it is!

Mix 1 block of cream cheese and 1/4 cup butter in a saucepan over low heat. When blended, stir in a pound of chopped crabmeat. Add a dash of onion powder and black pepper to taste. You can also add a little chopped onion in lieu of the powder if you’d like a sharper flavor to your dip. Use real crabmeat if you can, as synthetic crabmeat just misses out on the juicy, savory flavor of the real thing.

Serve with crackers, chips, sliced cucumbers, carrots or celery. It’s the quintessential dip. Simple, elegant and delicious.

Breakfast at Max’s

Free Breakfast Passes I’ve always liked Max’s Fried Chicken. Their Spring Chicken is a classic, especially when you dip it in a mix of Jufran Banana Catsup and Worcestershire sauce. Oooh, lovely! It was a treat therefore when I got free breakfast passes for Max’s Power Breakfast launch. That would be a great way to start this Monday!

My officemates and I trooped over to Max’s Greenbelt (which was hidden behind all the ongoing construction). Menu choices were: Tapa, Pepperoni Omelet, Sausage, Longganisa, Boneless Bangus, Adobo Flakes, and Tocino. Each meal comes with rice, 1 to 2 eggs, and your choice of drink: iced tea, brewed or instant coffee. They also served Champorado with tuyo (optional). Mitzi and I got the Tocino Meal (“tender pork seasoned with salt and pepper, pan fried with a tangy caramelized coating”), while Sheila ordered Bangus (“half-sized bangus marinated in garlic and vinegar for that real daing flavor”). And… what? No chicken in the menu? I was looking forward to that!

Bangus Meal Tocino Meal Creamy Champorado
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Let Your Truth Shine

Kat's Banner Rocker Mom Kat wrote a fantastic piece on her own experience with conformity and finding strength in her individuality. It is a thoughtful, inspiring and well-written piece. I’m encouraging you to drop by her site and have a read.

*****
Conformity is a concept we are all familiar with. We conform to be recognized or not to be recognized at all, depending on our intentions. It usually comes at a time when we’re most uncertain about ourselves. High school, college… man, those were years of needing to be part of a flock. Conformity didn’t stop at wearing the same socks as everyone else (in my batch, it was St. Michael’s with the ?s) or styling your hair a particular way (again in my batch, wearing a “payneta”). Conformity was also about giggling on cue and possessing a certain attitude, depending on what clique you belonged to.

Beyond college, there is work and lovelife. I’m certain you’ve had your share of “When will you have a boyfriend?” or “When will you get married?” or “When will you have kids?” A part of society has set a standard that they wish the rest could conform too. And the truth is, you really don’t have to.

The great thing about conformity is that eventually you intimately discover your own truth. You discover how different you are. It is then your choice where to take your uniqueness. All it takes is courage to let your truth shine.

In mint condition too!

Together Wedding Trading Card
Inspired by Junnie and his trading cards, I tinkered around with fd’s flickr toys to create my own.
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Misheard Lyrics

Tawa ka naman muna. I got this from a forwarded e-mail and promise, you’ll laugh at least once. If you don’t, there’s something wrong with you. :D Kidding! O game, tawa naman diyan.

PAG MURA ANG SONGHITS NA NABILI MO…

I decided long ago, never to walk in edu manzano… (I decided long ago, never to walk in anyone’s shadow)

Cry by Mandy Moore – A walk to remember… it was late afternoon! (I’ll always remember, it was late afternoon)

All My Life by K-ci and Jojo – supposed to be you’re like my mother,supposed to be you’re like my sister (close to me you’re like my mother… close to me you’re like my sister)

Where’s the Love – People killing, people flying, children hurt an living, crying… (People killing, people dying; children hurt and you hear them crying)

Leaving on a jet plane – so kiss me and SMAFFLE me… (so kiss me and smile for me…)

Usher & Alicia’s My Boo – It started when we were younger you were NINE… (It started when we were younger you were mine)
Here’s more: … and you were my BEYBLADE… it started when were younger you were FINE…

If I Ain’t Got You by Alicia Keys – “some people want TAMBOURINES..” (diamond rings)
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30 Things from Martha Stewart

While I find Martha Stewart formal and seemingly strict, you gotta admit she is a domestic genius. Never mind if she seems like the type who’d scream at you if your souffle falls. In 2006 she released her list of 30 Things Everyone Should Know. After surfing the net, I finally found the list and am sharing it with you:

1. Create a home safety kit.
2. Tie a bow and necktie.
3. Prepare a green salad.
4. Mix a margarita
5. Paint a room.
6. Do the laundry.
7. Load a dishwasher.
8. Make a bologuese sauce.
9. Open a champange bottle.
10. Eat a lobster.
11. Make chocolate chip cookies.
12. Arrange flowers.
13. Take a good photograph.
14. Remove stains from linens and clothes.
15. Carve a turkey. Continue reading

Ni hao!

I’m back! Our Beijing trip was a wonderful experience. Thanks to everyone who shared their advice on how to deal with the cold. Your tips were all very helpful! I layered a lot and discovered I could handle zero degree cold. Yeah! After the jump, I’m sharing some pictures from the trip. It will be quite lengthy so grab yourself a bag of chips before the show begins.

The shopping was excellent. I got the hang of haggling after awhile. If we had more time and more pocket money, I could’ve shopped another day. The sights were awesome and I feel really lucky to have seen the beautiful Beijing landmarks. The food was okay. It was very delicious, but honestly I think the Chinese food here in Manila tasted pretty much the same! The people were generally pleasant though I did encounter some rudeness. Tsk tsk.

Highlights of my trip were: Eating hot noodle soup and hard boiled egg at the Great Wall. Climbing the Great Wall. Getting lost in the city with friends and finding our way home with the help of a rare English speaking Chinese MBA student. Finally learning how to haggle. Drinking a Starbucks latte at the Forbidden City. Watching a panda scratch his butt on a tree trunk. Eating Peking Duck at the best place ever. Having my and H’s English and Chinese names carved on soft jade. Eating candied strawberries. Watching Prime with my roommates instead of going out drinking. Coming home.

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Happy Monday!

It’s going to be a great week!

Photobucket - Video and Image HostingMy officemates and I are going to Beijing! I’m so excited. Beijing’s temperature freaks me out a bit though, -8 deg. Celsius. Our Manila weather is at 25 deg. Celsius. I haven’t packed for the trip yet. I have yet to find a good hat. Does anyone have any Beijing tips or tips for dealing with such cold weather? I’d appreciate good advice! I revel in the tropical climate of the Philippines and can live wearing flip-flops everyday. Cold weather scares me.

Photobucket - Video and Image HostingWe have finally moved out of our old home and into the new home. My body ached the whole weekend but I’m just glad the move is done. I’m excited to make our new place homey. The quest is on for the perfect welcome door mat.

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting Photobucket - Video and Image HostingAny Sims fans out there? I recently got the Seasons Expansion Pack. It friggin’ rocks. In one word, it’s magical. Here are some highlights from each season in my neighborhood:
Winter: Snow angels. Snowmen. Snowball fights. A penguin visited our lot and we got to pet it. It returned the favor by peeing on our driveway. Family stayed too long in the cold and shivered badly. Trooped into the home and warmed up with hot chocolate. Heavy Snow Day, so school was called off. Snow falling from the sky was magical.
Spring: Spring showers. Thunder sound was realistic. Lightning struck my fountain and put it on fire. Plants bloomed. I wish the Sims had umbrellas when they’d walk in the rain.
Summer: Kids played Marco Polo in the pool. Tried catching fireflies in the evening. Had water balloon fights in the garden.
Fall: Harvested fruits and vegetables from the greenhouse. Played catch in the yard.
Reviews mention that building relationships can be affected by the season. I haven’t noticed how it differs per season yet, but I’m very much willing to ahem, play some more and observe.

Photobucket - Video and Image HostingFinally, thank you to the kind soul who nominated my blog at the Philippine Blog Awards. Wifely Steps was placed under the Home and Living category. Awesome. Even if I don’t make it as a finalist, having been nominated was a great honor. Salamat!

So it’s going to be a great week! Whatever negativity comes your way this week, choose to deal with it positively. It’s alright to feel bummed about it but choose to be happy, choose to be peaceful. Good vibes will follow. Happy Monday!

Starbucks Love

One for me please!Say we’re in Starbucks. What would your drink look like? I stumbled upon this interesting link. Create your Starbucks drink, see how it looks like and if you’re lucky enough (translated: there are supplies), you can get your drink on a complimentary t-shirt. I had fun playing around with the choices, but this is how my typical Starbucks drink is. Decaf depends on the time of day, though. I was surprised to find Chai Tea Latte as part of the choices! I love Chai, but Starbucks here doesn’t carry it. Ah well, a Cafe Latte would have to do for now. The T-shirt looks so awesome too. The designs are by Mychael Knight, one of the contestants from the third season of Project Runway (no, not the one with the car named Kit). It would be interesting to walk into Starbucks and just point at your chest when the barista asks what your order is. Just don’t get too offended if they stare a little too long, you asked for it after all. Now what would your drink look like?

While we’re talking about Starbucks, have the baristas ever misspelled or mispronounced your name? I’ve been called Connie, Pony, Dony. My friends have given names like Ligaya (of the local movie “Ligaya Ang Itawag Mo Sa Akin”), Nimfa, Adonis… I forgot the other names. They’re usually funny names with back stories. I’m sometimes tempted to give a false name to avoid misspellings and mispronunciations. Nothing fancy, something simple like Michelle or Marie. But knowing myself I’d probably forget about that a minute later and end up upset while I wait for my real name to be called, only to realize that the Cafe Latte that has been getting cold labeled “Michelle” near the bar was mine all along.

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