Monthly Archives: June 2007

Back from Vacation

You know the feeling when you need a vacation from your vacation? *yawn* I sure do. Pardon me while I ramble for today. Rambling = scattered thoughts so, I hope I don’t lose you in my ramblings.

Bangkok was great! I really love their BTS (Skytrain, ala a better MRT). It’s super efficient and very accessible. Traffic is terrible there, so taking the BTS was the best option. Even if there were a lot of people, it wasn’t crowded.
Food trip galore. Tom Yum everyday! On the 2nd day, my tongue was beginning to get numb from all the spicy food I ate. It was nothing that ice cream from Cream & Fudge Factory couldn’t cure though! We ate a LOT of Thai food. After each meal, H & I would remind each other that we needed to start working out when we got back to Manila. Yeah, I gained weight. Ang sarap naman kasi kumain, lalo na kung Thai food.
We stayed at Bangkok Palace, a hotel quite detached from the shopping area. It was okay. I wouldn’t stay there again though. I’ll write about my stay there later on but for now… no to negativity!
Thai massage is the best! I got a 1-hr foot massage on Day 1, which was perfect after a long day of walking. On Day 2, I went for the 2-hr full body Thai massage. BLISS.
Siam Paragon. Siam Ocean World. MBK. Siam Discovery. Central World. We did a lot of mall-hopping when we were there. The malls were pretty close to one another, so instead of taking the BTS, we just walked to all of them! Great way to burn so much of what we were eating!
It was hot in Bangkok, but not sticky hot like in Manila. It’s not as polluted as Manila either, so walking around was not a problem. We’d get to our destination a bit tired and a little bit sweaty, but the light breeze was a comfort so we didn’t mind at all. If we had walked the same routes here in Manila though, we would’ve been tremendously sweaty and would have headaches from the heat.
We took the Cebu Pacific promo. I don’t think I’ll do that again. The flights were terrible — turbulence galore, there was hardly a smooth moment… it just wasn’t worth it. Fine, we got to avail of a reasonable price for the flight but man, I was hanging on for dear life for most of the trip. The plane was small, one I don’t think was fit for that international flight. Maybe this situation is unique to our experience but it’s enough for us to say that we won’t be going for these international Cebu Pacific flights anymore.
Right now I’m aching to get back in bed, turn the AC on full blast and curl up under the sheets with a good book till I fall asleep. So tired. I haven’t recovered from that stressful flight back! I already miss Bangkok though. Next year I’ll do the touristy thing (Elephant Farm, floating market, etc…) when there’s more time. I can’t wait!

I’ll post pics sometime soon. Meanwhile, I hope you can check out an interview I had with BlogInterview.com. How was your week?

See you in a week!

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These little bunnies will keep you company for the next week! Meanwhile, would you like to…

… read the Desiderata, translated in Filipino by Tito Rolly?

… see what makes a caramel-and-white colored halo-halo special?

… share your thoughts on why having a baby is not a game, nor a race?

… find more ways to make your kids eat more veggies?

… learn a quick and easy way to document the good things of your day?

… get a letter from your past?

… make a condensed milk sandwich?

… meet stuffed toys who blog?

Enjoy! And please help feed the bunnies.

Pinoy Ingredient Substitutes

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Did you know that if you don’t have water chestnuts, you can use singkamas instead? That if you don’t have buttermilk, you can use sweet milk and yogurt instead? That if you don’t have ghee, you can use vegetable oil?

I’ve felt frustrated whenever I’d stumble upon a recipe I’d love to try, but find out later that the ingredients are not available here in the Philippines. It’s not like cardamom is readily available or zucchini inexpensive.

Nestle has this portion of their site called “Pinoy Ingredient Substitutes.” It is a list of hard-to-find ingredients with their easy-to-find substitute. Go through the list and see how helpful it can be for you!

P.S. And no, this is not a paid post. I write about things that interest me. If I am asked to review something, I will disclose it.

A Quiet Love

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Last weekend, I went on a date with the first man I ever adored. I was a bit shy asking him out a few days before. While we’d see each other often and while we do have some one-on-one time, making time to go out together, just the two of us, is something we rarely do. After he confirmed our date through SMS, I was thrilled. A few days later, we caught a movie and had a great dinner. It was one of the best dates I’ve ever had. I went on a date with my Dad.

I’ve always had a quiet relationship with my Dad. When I was younger, I wished he would talk more so we could bond more, the way my mother and I did. Through the years though, I came to understand that his silence didn’t mean absence.

Our date started with small talk in the car ride going to the mall. We then saw Mr. Bean’s Holiday which we both immensely enjoyed. After the movie, we had dinner and spiced it up with lots and lots of talking. We both had warmed up already and stories on family, careers, plans for the future, health filled the night.

We were quiet on the way home. It wasn’t awkward though, nor was it an absence of things to talk about. We were just enjoying each other’s presence, our own quiet way of celebrating our date.

I love my Dad a lot. In his quiet way, I feel his love for me too.

Dinner and a movie seems to be the kind of date that works for us. We will go out again. I can’t wait to hear his jokes and stories. And I am also looking forward to the quiet moments we will share — quiet moments with the first man who filled my heart, who held my hand, who makes me feel loved in his own quiet way. My Daddy.

*****To my Dad, to your Dads, to all Dads who are reading this… Happy Father’s Day!

Break muna!!!

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Medyo makulit ‘tong survey. Sasagutin ko ang mga backlog ko na tags ninyo — malapit na malapit na po. Bakit ako nagta-Tagalog? Ang dami ko na kasing mga dokumentong binabasa at sinusulat na nasa wikang Ingles kaya heto na’t magsusulat muna ako sa Tagalog.

Sagutin niyo na rin ang survey na ito. (Ano nga ba ang Tagalog ng survey?)

*****

Ano ang iyong almusal kanina?
Cereal – Nestle something na low-fat cereal and skim milk. Healthy daw!!!

Ikaw ay may itlog — nilagang itlog. Paano mo ito kakainin?
Yum. Lalagyan ko ng Knorr. yun liquid seasoning ha, hindi cubes!

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I am not spam!

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While I do not always reply to comments right here in the blog, I do reply to comments via e-mail 99% of the time. I’ve gotten some feedback that my mail would usually go to the spam folder.

Am I pink and rectangular? Am I good when caramelized? Am I delicious when topped with a bit of ketchup then sandwiched in between two pieces of wheat bread? Am I savory when taken with rice dotted with Knorr?

I am not spam!

Thanks to the wonderful readers who’ve shared this with me. I had no idea some of my replies to your comments where being canned and packed as spam.

So just in case you think I’m ignoring you, I am not. Replying to each comment is one of my little joys. May I make a request? I think some e-mail clients have that option of designating particular e-mail addresses as non-spam. Could you kindly to that with my e-mail address (tonigrrrl AT gmail DOT com)? That would be really great so we can keep the conversation going. Thank you very much!

And suddenly, I am hungry.

Race you to the top!

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The Rules:
1. For every impulse buy item that you resisted buying, put a coin into the Lottery Jar.
2. For every household chore completed, put a coin into the Mall Jar.
3. For every bad word spoken, put a coin into the Cussin’ Jar.
4. For every time you deposit into your savings account, put a coin into the Retirement Fund.

If these jars were in your home, which jar would get filled up first?

“Ikaw ay isang sanggol ng sansinukob, sampu ng kagubatan at mga bituin…”

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One of the things I love about being Filipino is the beauty of our language. Romantic, intelligent, gruff but suave — if our language were a person, these are the characteristics he would have.

I came to appreciate the language even more upon reading Tito Rolly‘s translation of the Desiderata. His words are deep and moving, as you will see and experience for yourself. With permission from Tito Rolly, I am sharing with you his beautiful translation. Perhaps you’d also like to have Batjay accompany you in your reading? Click here – it will open in a new window.

Mga Mithiin

Mahinahon mong tahakin ang kaingayan at mga agam-agam ng buhay, at pakatandaan ang kapayapaang mayroong taglay ang katahimikan. Hanggat maari ay makipagmabutihan sa lahat ng nilalang.

Turan mo ang iyong paniniwala ng buong kalinawan, katiwasayan at walang pag-iimbot; at makinig sa iba sapagkat kahit na ang isang hunghang at kulang sa aral, sila ma’y may kwentong may kwenta. Pakaiwasan ang mga hambog at mapupusok, sila’y panggulo lamang ng kaluluwa.

Huwag piliting ikumpara ang sarili sa iba sa dahilang ikaw ay maaaring maging mayabang o kaya nama’y mapuno ng kalungkutan; parati kang makakakita ng mga taong mas magaling o mas mababa sa iyo. Ikagalak mo ang iyong mga narating o nagawa katulad ng iyong pagkakilig tuwing ika’y may bagong hangarin. Panatiliin ang interes sa iyong napiling karera, kahit gaano ito kahamak; sa pagitan ng pabago-bagong panahon, ito’y mananatiling sa iyo.

Parating mag-ingat sa iyong mga gawain pagkat ang mundo’y punung-puno ng kadayaan. Ngunit huwag mong pabayaang bulagin ka nito; marami pa ring mga taong may mataas na pangarap at hitik ang kapaligiran ng kabayanihan. Mahalin mo ang iyong sarili. Huwag mong utuin ang sarili mong ika’y kaibig-ibig. Lalo namang huwag mong pagdudahan ang pagmamahal; sa harap ng tagtuyot at pagkukunwari, ang pagmamahal ay pabalik-balik tulad ng damo. Makinig sa mga nakakatanda habang isinusuko ang lahat ng bagay na mura.

Alagaan ang tibay ng dibdib ng sa gayo’y masalag ang lahat ng biglaang kamalasan. Ngunit huwag mong pakadibdibin ang kadiliman. Maraming pangamba ang isinilang sa pagod at kalungkutan. Maging maamo ka sa iyong sarili na dulot ng isang mabuting pagdidisiplina. Ikaw ay isang sanggol ng sansinukob, sampu ng kagubatan at mga bituin; ika’y may karapatang manirahan dito. At kahit ito ma’y maging malabo sa iyo, walang kaduda-dudang ang sansinukob ay dapat lang na mapasaiyo.

Kaya naman maniwala ka sa Diyos, ano man ang kanyang anyo sa iyo. At kahit ano pa man ang iyong pinaghirapan sa gitna ng kaguluhan ng buhay, panatilihin ang katiwasayan ng iyong kaluluwa. Sa lahat ng pagkukunwari, kahungkagan at nasirang pangarap, masarap pa ring mabuhay. Maging maligaya. Sikapin mong maging masaya.

Building a home for positivity

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I spent a good ten minutes thinking of a nice way to share this piece of good news with you, but I was too excited (still am) to compose my thoughts. And so I’ll just say it out loud:

I’m blogging for Inquirer.net!!! I’m giddy, happy and very thrilled. I can’t stop smiling and even shed a little tear of joy when I saw the masthead for the first time.

My blog is called Happy Nest. It is a blog about positivity, about the good things that make our every little day a bit better. Positivity is a beautiful thing to share. I am very grateful to the INQUIRER.net for inviting me to join their team and encouraging me to spread a little more sunshine.

The official announcement can be found in this INQUIRER.net Blogs post. Joey Alarilla, INQUIRER.net editor, also introduces Happy Nest in his blog. It was in his post that I learned that I made history by being “…the first ‘pure blogger’ (read: non-mainstream media journalist) to launch a blog at INQUIRER.net.” I think I’ll do the Dance of Joy! Care to join me?

And so without further ado, here is the link to my Inquirer.net blog: Happy Nest. Regular updates will begin on Monday, June 11. I’m so excited! When you hop over to the Nest, a winking egg will be welcoming you. This illustration was prepared by H, who is just as elated as I am. I will still be blogging here of course, but I also hope to see you in Happy Nest! Here’s a toast to the good things and to positivity. Cheers!

Because Ice Candy is Happy Food!

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This entry is dedicated to all those who need cheering up, especially my friend Pag-Asa. *hugs* Do grab some ice candy from your nearest sari-sari store or prepare your own. It’s a picker upper!

Do you remember going to your neighborhood store and buying ice candy prepared this way? Ever since I saw some plastic ice candy bags at the grocery I’ve been on a freezing frenzy. So far I have turned the following into ice candy: Milk. Orange Juice. Iced Tea. Water. And… avocados! Just put in the flesh of two avocados in a blender, pour in some milk till it covers the avocados, add sugar according to what your sweet tooth whispers, and hit the puree button. Afterwards, use a funnel to pour the avocado mixture from the blender into each plastic ice candy bag. Two avocados gave me 5 ice candy bars.

I also used overripe mangoes for ice candy. They were too mushy to eat as they were, so turning them into ice candy was the best solution I could think of. Just pop in the sliced mangoes into a blender, mix in a little sugar, some milk or yogurt and you’ve got yourself mango ice candy. Just like the good ol’ days.

You can also use your ice cube tray, plastic cups and popsicle molds to prepare this frozen delight. I like using these little ice bags though. A little nibbling on the plastic, a little sipping of the chilled sweetness and I’m transported back to my childhood. I’m a ten-year-old again, standing outside our neighborhood store, feasting on ice candy under the afternoon sun.

P.S. Does anyone know how to make monggo ice candy?

Globe Visibility Saga Update

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It’s finally working! After doing some tests in our area, on our laptop, our data card and our sim card, it was determined that our sim card was defective. Double whammy! I had a defective sim at a time when the network was badly congested. Globe has replaced my sim and I am able to surf the net from home at last. The speeds I’ve encountered are at 800+ kbps. Normal but not as speedy as before. It will pick up, I was assured once the system gets “robust” again. I like that word — robust. I do hope that Visibility gets a robust boost soon.

To those who are still experiencing problems, do have your sim checked in case this is one of the barriers to your surfing. Thanks to Globe for helping me out on this.

*****

In other news, I’ve put something new in my sidebar — embedded music from Imeem. Some music to read this blog by. Thanks to missyosigirl for the lead.

“Lend me your ears!”

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My first time to try this audio thing. I liked it! Rambling is fun, I do that a lot but the last time my ramblings were recorded was way back in the ’80s. Mix tape of my kiddie ramblings, courtesy of my folks. I think I’ll be doing this rambling thing once a week. It’s a nice change from typing. And there’s no Backspace key. So pardon some grammatical errors, some long pauses (you don’t hear those when you’re reading blog posts now, do you!), and… well, I hope you can hear me out! And do try it. All you need is a mic and your beautiful voice.

My first recording:

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And then I answer Ajay‘s and Rachel’s Interview Me questions.

Yahoo! This has been fun. Till next time!