TMR Top 10

I got copy of the book yesterday and had a big laugh in a restaurant. I'm all alone and as expected almost everyone stared at me. LOL :D It's ok and I didn't mind...I had a wonderful time reading. Can't wait for the next Top 10 book!

Google translation...really???

I don't know what's happening with my browser. Everytime I open a site the translation function opens. Most of the time it automatically translates the texts in my native Filipino language. I will not mind if the translation is accurate, but unfortunately, it's not! It just change the words which does not give correct grammar, meaning, etc.

It's so annoying!!!

My Photoquotes #3

Finding someone who can share his/her light with you is something of an accomplishment. May we find these persons to help us go through those cold and lonely nights...and if we can, let us be that light to others.

My Photoquotes #2

...just a little courage to begin and it will lead you a long, long way baby!

Happiness...

I took this photo from the spa area of Bellarocca Resort in Marinduque. I was so happy watching the movements of its crew & guests. I love this place!

A mom's view on love of language

Maricel Laxa's For Love of Language

What a perfect timing! I read this article today. This is a good example on how parents should teach and mold their children to be good citizens, that is to love and to respect their country, culture and their native language...not just a practical thing to do so that you can make "utos" to your katulong, to text your driver and to say "pabili po" to your local tindera, but as part of our being Filipinos!

Kudos to Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan.

On Admu Student's essay on Filipino language

Admu student's essay on Filipino language

Napapanahon ang essay na ito sa pagdiriwang natin ng Buwan ng Wika. Sinasalamin lamang nito kung paano tinuturing ng mga nasa alta sosyedad ang ating wika. Palibhasa nagmula sya sa pamilyang mayaman at nakapag-aral sa mga ekslusibong paaralan at unibersidad ay tinitingnan nya na ang wikang Filipino ay isang inferior na wika kumpara sa English.

Hindi ba mas nakakahiya na Pinoy ka pero hirap ka magsalita at hindi ka magkapagsulat at makapagbasa sa katutubo mong wika. Bagamat mas mabuti na mayroon tayong ikalawang lenggwahe, yun ay ang English, hindi dapat ipagmalaki na Pilipino ka pero ang "mother tongue" mo ay English. At sinong may sabi sa 'yo na kailangan mo lang ang wikang Filipino para maintindihan ka ng kasambahay, driver at tindera? Sa pagkakasulat nya iniaangat nya ang kanyang sarili bilang hiwalay at superior sa mga kababayan nating ito.

Higit sa lahat hindi usapin ng pratikalidad ang paggamit ng wika ng sarili mong bansa! Sa totoo lang nakakaawa ka Gng. James Soriano dahil hindi mo alam ang maging isang tunay na Pilipino!

How to Block Your Stolen iPhone?

It's been a week since the hapless night when Ariane's phones were stolen. I googled the internet about stolen iPhones. I learned that these phones have features wherein files can be remotely deleted and you can trace it's location. These can be done if you open the "Find My iPhone" application.

Unfortunately, Ariane didn't know this. So I called her service provider. They told me that even though Apple has these features, here in Phil., Globe in particular, is not providing such services. But in some countries, according to the net, some local service providers can do the tracing and deletion of files.

I was told to go instead to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and to report the incident to the police.

So for you people whose iPhones were stolen, this is what you should do:

1. bring the proof of purchase (Official Receipt)
2. bring the phone's box and look for the serial number and IMEI (International Mobile Equipment identity)sticker. IMEI can only be known through this sticker which is attached in the box.
3. bring your valid ID card
4. fill up the NTC Request Form for Blocking Stolen Phone

NTC staff advised me to call after two weeks for updates.

This will not bring you back your phone but at least the thief will not be able to sell or use it even if he/she change the sim card.

On Bert & Ernie

I was born in the late 60's. Although at first, we don't have television, I remembered watching some shows in our neighbor's house. Our favorite series were, Streets of San Francisco, Hawaii Five-O, Six Million Dollar Man, Wonder Woman and Charlie's Angels. These were prime time series, the only time our neighbor allowed us to view with them.

Early 70's my parents got us a black and white one. There I watched Sesame Street which of course aired in the morning. Some of our sandos or tops were printed with the shows characters. Those were the cheap ones bought from the market. Some notebook covers also have these characters. These items introduced me to Ernie, Bert, Big Bird, Count, Cookie Monster and Elmo with colors.

When I read the petition from gay community to marry Bert & Ernie, I felt somewhat uneasy. You see I watched them as real friends, best friends, and to put malice on that closeness is somehow disturbing.

If I'm to decide, I'll let these popular characters live together as best friends even with their differences and bickering. Let's leave it that way please!

My Prayer

Ariane's cellphones were stolen yesterday. A super bad fellow (or fellows???), took it from her bag while she's walking on an overpass. We called the numbers and a male voice answered...the nerve... he even maximized the use of the free load. Ang kapal din naman!!!

Of course we are very angry but on my part, I don't want to hold on to this negative feeling. I just want to think that he may be in dire need. So I pray to The Great Divine to get this man's soul (bahala na Sya kung san nya ilalagay), so that he will not experience any sorrow...and so that he will not inflict any harm and danger to others anymore. Amen!

"the reminder of one of her stolen phones" :-(

What's In a Name?

Andrei came home last week asking me to help him in his assignment. It's in their Christian Living subject. They need to write something about some words which are associated with the 10 Commandments and sins.

What caught me was the word "sloth". I know its an animal but I never had this association. So I searched the internet and there, it is a nocturnal mammal of Central and South America. It sleeps up to 18 hours and they are really slow moving. This is why they are named sloth, as in lazy, indolent, but actually they are not. Reason for this behavior is that their main food source are leaves which are not nutritious, gives little energy and hard to digest. To adapt, they move very little.

I don't know, but I felt sad with the association. Same with the naming of Tazmanian Devil of Australia.

Sloth

Taz

My Choice for the Week

I'll just share my choice of my FB photo quotes last week. Hope you'll like it too!

A Not So Regular Weekend

Busy day for me. Andrei's first quarterly exam starts Wednesday and we reviewed the whole day. My only break was cooking the rooster which I intended to be our pet but ended up as a meal. Apparently, my husband really planned to have it as our weekend "ulam".

Vina preparing the "chicken meal" while Andrei observes closely .

Chicken Tinola

Chicken Adobo sa Gata

In the afternoon I had a big time headache. I need a breather. And what could it be?... Facebook and a nap. I woke up refreshed and energized to go for a movie with my daughter. I'm glad it's not a serious indie film. I can't handle another headache. Not for now please.

Andrei answering his reviewer.


We came home relaxed...then I saw my hubby watching Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, for the nth time...and who says she can't have another headache? LOL :D

Warm Day

After being so elusive for almost 3 weeks, the sun shines today. It's a great relief. We we're able to dry clothes which were washed last Saturday. Even our love birds got so bored that they chewed the tarpaulin cover of their cage. Things that are so happy on this monsoon season are the weeds and grasses. They really grow fast with rain.

Another good thing was we find time to play outside with dogs. And we also welcome a temporary addition to our list of pets, a rooster. Our friend gave it for "tinola" but we want to keep it. Hopefully, hubby will allow and then I'll buy a hen.

My FB Photo Quotes (last week)

I am enjoying my photo quotes pet project which I started two weeks ago. My FB friends liked it too. Could I make a career out of it? LOL :)

Here's another batch.

St.Joseph Cathedral, Wafujing, Beijing, China
(This Catholic church is located in one of Beijing's shopping districts.)

Buddies, Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia
(resting monks in the moat dike of Angkor's grandest temple)

Guest, Lipa Royale Estates
(In an early morning walk, I saw this moth resting on a leaf. Maybe it was tired after sipping nectar from the weed's flower.)

Setting Sun, Tambaron, Bulalacao, Or.Mindoro
(I was fascinated by the setting sun's reflection in the water during our visit last 2010.)

Lovers, Notre Dame Church, HCMC, Vietnam

What's On My Mind

Since I have nothing much to do last week, well of course except for the household chores :-), I thought of viewing some old pictures from my files. What am I going to do with these photos? Some were already printed and posted in my scrapbooks and album, but most were just in the CDs. I came up with the idea of posting a photo a day with quotes on my Facebook wall. So there, I already posted 6 photos. These are my photo quotes for the week... enjoy! ♥♥♥

Birthday Lunch

Ariane celebrated her 16th birthday yesterday. Although I went in her university to ask her to sign some documents, we didn't have time to dine out. She had classes so I celebrated her bday alone. :-( I had lunch at Banana Leaf with my favorite Hainanese Chicken (with dips of ginger, chili & oyster sauce), Spicy Kangkong, dessert of Thai pudding of pandan and sago, and pandan juice for my beverage.

Pero mas masarap sana kung kasama ang buong pamilya!

BTW, I posted here the link of Banana Leaf's menu. I frequented their SM North (The Block) branch.

bananaleaf

Visit to Rizal's Dapitan

Since this month we are celebrating the 150th birthday of our national hero,Jose Rizal, I'd like to share some photos we had when we visited Dapitan last April. This is a small town in Zamboanga in Mindanao Island, Philippines where he was exiled in 1892.

Punto del Desembarco de Rizal (Rizal’s Landing Point). This is the site where Rizal landed in Dapitan on board a row boat from the steamer Cebu at around 7:00 o’clock in the evening of July 17, 1892. Rizal is holding his hat and to his right is the Captain of the steamship Cebu while the other three are artillery men.

This is the entrance of the museum

Pictures of Rizal's love interests. One of them was Segunda Katigbak of Lipa, Batangas

List of his "14 dont's"

According to this, Rizal named some species that he saw in the area.

Replica of his nipa hut. A lone post which supports the staircase is the only remaining material from the original house.

This is the rock formation also called Lovers' Rock, where Rizal and his wife Josephine spent their romatic moments. The one sitting on top was my daughter wanting to know how it feels, sitting there chatting with someone you love. :))

View of Dapitan bay

Replica of Rizal's clinic. This now is the massage/spa hut being managed by Rizalistas.

Our Fledgling

Another school year started last Tuesday. Ariane left for her college studies. How time flies! It seems not so long ago when I brought her to De La Salle in Level 1. Anxiety attacked me. Can she cope in the big school? Can she get along with her teachers and classmates? Well, apparently she did and made it with flying colors.

Now living alone in the big city and studying in a state university, our fears (me and my husband's) are that many. But not letting her study in that university was never an option. As parents, we should let go so our kids will have a better future. Even if sometimes, there were sleepless nights, hoping and praying that everything will go well for her.

Empty nest syndrome they say? No, not yet, because we still have one with us and still in his elementary level... but then maybe yes. And who cares what do you call this feeling? Nothing is more important than securing your nestling and fledgling. Making sure they'll be safe no matter what...that's what mother and father birds should be.

To Be Fit

Life is what you make it. Kung gusto mo sumaya, tumawa ka! Kung gusto mo pumangit, sumimangot ka! Kung gusto mo pumayat, mag-exercise ka! Argggh! Ito ang line na ayaw ko. Wala ba namang instant?

Like something safe na inumin then after an hour, ok that's OA...a month or maybe months, I'll be fit and sexier agad. I know I'm so tamad. I can't sustain the early morning walks with my husband. I'm insomniac and sleeps for 4 or 3 hours only, tapos gigising pa ng maaga para maglakad???

Sabi nga nila, pag ayaw, parati may dahilan, pag gusto may paraan! And, because I want to be leaner and fit (chos! ^_^). I started playing badminton...again! I've been playing for 2 days now. I swear I'll do it more often. Hopefully it can reduce my bulges...o minimum lang ang goal ko ha. Achievable. Saka ko na pangarapin ang maximum, which is ma-eliminate ang mga pohtang bilbil ito! ahihihi

All for the sake of beauty

After all the traveling that I've done in the last two months, I observed that my skin seems so dull. SOS derma...I visited my derm clinic and had my facial. After almost two weeks... mirror, mirror on the wall... duh! it's back on the same dullness. So, even though, I still have the trauma of my previous facial treatment, I bravely called the clinic for appointment.

I had my 3rd session last Monday and it was so painful that I cried. The dermatologist increased the intensity and there was no anesthesia. I went home with a red hot face that even cold compress can't ease the pain...how I sacrificed for this one. I just hope the effect will be great. Otherwise, I'll declare war with my dermatologist!!!! :D

Mindanao Trip 2011

I've been traveling a lot these days. Last month with my sisters and in the last two weeks with my family. It's our tour month and we decided to visit Thailand. But before that we went first to Mindanao.

My hubby's friend invited us to his hometown Oroquieta in Mizamis Occidental. We had so much fun touring around this part of Mindanao... my deepest gratitude to our host. Highlight of this trip was our swim and feeding of dolphins. That was lovely!

Our last destination was Dakak in Zamboanga. The resort is under renovation. They're constructing pool and function rooms. It's a bit chaotic or maybe my expectation was a little bit higher.

We also visited Rizal's Dapitan and the "one and only team park of Visayas and Mindanao" (their slogan), which is Gloria's Fantasy Land. Ariane and Andrei had fun with bump cars and roller coaster ride was also a big hit.

Stupidity

Last weekend my husband and I bought chocolate bars from Chocolate Lovers. It's a castle like building in Cubao, selling chocolate bars and baking supplies. I used to come in that store 14 years ago. I made chocolate lollipops and baked cookies and brownies. My sisters were my selling agents. hahaha

Christmas was the best time to sell those goodies. My nieces and nephews got tonsillitis tasting the sweets. Oh, I missed those days...

This time I bought choco bars for Ariane's graduation party. Ate San brought mini-choco fountain from Europe for the kids. Ok, I said let's try.

The chocolates should be melted first. I put chopped white chocolate in an aluminum bowl in the microwave oven...(stupidity #1) aluminum and stainless are no-no in a microwave. The result was fine, it melted with good consistency. Next, I put regular choco in a ceramic bowl and in less than a minute..."ay ate ang oven umaapoy!!!" It flared up. For sure, it's still the effect of previously using aluminum.

I thought, "fine, end of project!", then I remembered we had a spare microwave. It was a gift for my husband last X'mas. (Bigla ko lang naisip, bakit niregaluhan ng oven ang asawa ko??) But anyway, thank you whoever you are. I'm glad I didn't include it in our annual raffle. :o)

So again I put the choco, but it didn't melt. Another minute and the oil separated. Hay, (stupidity #2) I tried the consistency with my left index finger..." ahhhhh, shit kumapit ang chocolate!!! Pathetic! :-(

We made four boxes

choco leaves

choco shells

the rejected ones

my burned finger :D