Nix Schmix

Turning Semi-Vegetarian

2011-11-24T15:00:00.000+08:00

I suddenly decided to be a vegetarian last Nov. 12. Well, to be honest, I couldn't turn into a 100% vegetarian because I love meat too much. But, not so much that I can't not give up pork and beef entirely. Since Nov. 12, my only sources of protein have been chicken, fish, eggs, soy products, and legumes, all of which I haven't been eating a lot of the past 2 weeks as well. After only a

Give Something Yummy for New Year's Eve, Too

2011-11-18T12:27:00.001+08:00

UPDATE (11/18/2011, 9:30 PM): As of 9 PM tonight, we have achieved our goal. I am at a loss for words. We can't thank you enough! May God bless you 50,000 times more! Paglipon's ministry is not just about holiday food baskets though :-) If you'd like, you can also give donations to support their livelihood projects. We also encourage you to donate practical items that these families can use

Help me prepare Noche Buena for 50 families

2011-11-11T02:20:00.001+08:00

UPDATE (11/18/2011, 9:30 PM): As of 9 PM tonight, we have achieved our goals for both the Noche Buena and Media Noche food baskets. I am at a loss for words. We can't thank you enough! May God bless you 50,000 times more! Paglipon's ministry is not just about holiday food baskets though :-) If you'd like, you can also give donations to support their livelihood projects. We also

Join the Book Drive for Kids in Ulingan, Tondo

2011-11-11T01:41:00.001+08:00

Calling everyone who's got a surplus of children's books! We need your help :) Please read this forwarded email from a big-hearted gal named Melita: I would like to pay it forward to the children of Ulingan, a dumpsite community in Tondo, home to over 400 families that battle poverty day in, day out. It's been "adopted" by Project PEARLS, a not-for-profit organization composed of the kindest,

"Did You Know?" 10/7/2011

2011-10-07T13:00:00.004+08:00

So, on most Fridays I do a blog post like this, where I list at least three things that I learned over the past week (or weeks) that are new to me. The terms "first world" and "third world" are outdated geopolitical identifiers that were used after WW II. Click here to learn more. I'm amused by the simplistic way that the former powers-that-be divided up the world then to know who was on whose

When My Kids Get Hurt

2011-09-03T02:04:00.005+08:00

My sons began taking up taekwondo just last summer. This was a decision they made themselves. They were promoted to high yellow belt last May. Now, they're working towards getting blue belts. It required them to experience sparring. I've surrendered myself to the fact that boys will be boys, so scrapes & bruises have recurring roles on my kids. But when they asked for my permission to let them

Breathing Underwater, Day One

2011-08-30T03:17:00.008+08:00

Learning to SCUBA dive has been on my bucket list for 8 years. A number of friends with open water diver licenses have been telling me to go for it but, I haven't because of 1 major detail: I'm a working mom. If I only had myself to think for, I'd have gotten licensed within the first year that diver friend #1 had raved to me about it. Being a mom means my family gets first dibs on my budget.

Is Your Birthday a Holiday?

2011-08-18T16:20:00.001+08:00

My youngest bro was born on August 19. That means he gets a day-off on his birthday as long as he lives in Quezon City, the same day being "Quezon City Day". Well, this worked for him only until the year 2000. The next year, we moved to the US. He's still based there now. His not being able to again enjoy the automatic birthday day-off kind of made me rub my hands in glee at first. I've always

"Did You Know?" 8/12/2011

2011-08-12T13:18:00.009+08:00

Every Friday, I'll be posting a "Did you know?" blog entry that lists at least 3 things I learned the past week that are new to me. Did you know that... A pineapple is actually a type of berry! The article here says: The pineapple “fruit” is not really a fruit at all but is a mass of individual berries fused to the central stalk. Thank you, anonymous poster at MLIA, for that bit of fruity

"Did You Know?" 8/5/2011

2011-08-05T15:41:00.000+08:00

Every Friday, I'll be posting a "Did you know?" blog entry that lists at least 3 things I learned the past week that are new to me. August 5 (that's today!) is International Beer Day! Kampai! There are about 100 things we don't know about sharks. Crepuscular Rays, Phosphenes, Dysania, Gynecomastia, Paresthesia are just 5 of 25 everyday things that actually have names. Learn something new

Know any Pamahiin?

2011-08-03T22:36:00.002+08:00

What Pinoy child didn't grow up hearing about pamahiin (superstition)? The funniest I've heard so far is to not get cut during Black Friday because a priest will emerge from the wound. Whut?! I've been working on a children's story for the past 2 years. It uses a lot of these superstitions that abound in our local folklore (sourced most of them from FB friends). But, I need more. What are

Campaigning Never Ends in the Philippines

2011-07-29T17:50:00.002+08:00

Earlier this afternoon, we chanced upon a small event on the corner of Canley and Kamuning Roads in Bagong Ilog, Pasig City. We saw congratulatory flowers on stands and there were huge speakers blaring out "Let's Get Physical" on the other side of the road. There were Pasig City police standing guard on both sides of the street. And then there was this: a huge tarpaulin announcing that the

"Did You Know?" 7/29/2011

2011-07-29T13:30:00.002+08:00

After a hiatus of 3 months and 1 week, my Friday blog series "Did you know?" is getting resurrected today. If this is the first time you've heard of this series, it is a regular (supposedly) Friday blog post that lists at least 3 things that I've learned the past week that are new to me. Here we go... image source Sharks are actually very shy and scared of humans. Come to think of it,

Challenges of Breastfeeding

2011-07-11T15:37:00.001+08:00

Because a friend and I decided to create a video documentary on wet nursing for our undergraduate thesis, we learned everything a mother needed to know about breastfeeding and breastmilk years before we ourselves became mothers. This stock of knowledge has enabled us to help dozens of friends and relatives with their own breastfeeding issues over the last decade or so. From these experiences,

Working with Young Minds

2011-07-10T06:19:00.003+08:00

The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that if I were to switch to a different career, I would most likely pick up where I left off as a Schoolteacher. Back in June 2001, I had just moved to New Jersey from New York and my lack of confidence in pursuing a career in journalism in the U.S. (despite an offer to work as an editor at a publishing company) made me take a detour towards

How to Help Falcon's Victims

2011-06-26T04:53:00.003+08:00

What many of us didn't realize when Typhoon Falcon's tendrils slammed against the Philippines is that it, in fact, did not make landfall. Its center stayed right on the Philippine Sea, largely due to the LPA that was pushing it northwestwards towards China (see the better explanation here). If it had actually crossed through Luzon, then it would have been another Ondoy experience. Thank God,

Fake Accents

2011-06-24T01:50:00.001+08:00

I got in the elevator up to my office along with two other girls who are call center agents in another company. They stood behind me, which was good because this conversation happened and I couldn't stop myself from rolling my eyes: Girl 1: He asked if I was in Pensacola, I said (cue fake American twang) "No, I'm in Florida" Girl 2: *giggle* Girl 1: And then he asked if I knew where Pensacola

All that Jazz

2011-06-22T11:09:00.004+08:00

I met my husband long before his band went "above the ground", so to speak, from being an underground indie rock band in the late 90s. That is most probably the reason why I don't have "celebrity goggles" when it comes to him. If he tries that rockstar attitude with me, he's gonna get in trouble. Our kids are understandably awed whenever they see him perform on stage or on the telly but, to me

Sensible Godparenting

2011-06-16T06:30:00.001+08:00

My kids with one of their "kinakapatid" Our fourth godchild had just turned one year old yesterday. She is a gorgeous baby girl who is now in that stage when she finds her own voice entertaining. Another of our godchildren is turning 3 in a few weeks. He has just started going to preschool yesterday. His mother reported that he wasn't anxious about the new experience at all, and had

Hauntings in the Campus

2011-06-05T15:58:00.005+08:00

Tweet 1996 was the year I entered the De La Salle University Manila campus as a "froshie". Just like every freshman in a university campus, I was nervous, wary, and just generally lost. But, thanks to the help of upperclassmen friends on the campus, I was able to find my way around and get used to the ins-and-outs during the first month. Although, I wasn't sure why one of the info they

Our Nanny is on Facebook

2011-06-03T00:24:00.001+08:00

Yesterday, I offered my sons' nanny, Rochelle, one of my extra USB thumb drives, knowing that she has a Friendster account and that she might want to back up her photos and whatever she had there. Imagine my surprise when she replied: "Ha? Magsasara na pala ang Friendster?" Why wouldn't she know, I wondered. So I asked: "Bakit di mo alam? Di ba nag-f-Friendster ka?" Rochelle: "Di na.

Happy Lemon Time

2011-06-01T12:48:00.004+08:00

Tweet My husband's persistent pestering to make me try the Cocoa with Rock Salt & Cheese drink at Happy Lemon has finally paid off. At the first sip of his favorite drink there, I knew I had found a new potential night cravings material. It's gorgeous! Hot chocolate, salt, and cream cheese?! Wow. The hubby tried to recreate this drink at home by preparing a cup of Swiss Miss then

Bring Banchetto Back to Ortigas Center

2011-05-28T02:43:00.001+08:00

A text message from my brother-in-law said it all: "BAKIT WALANG BANCHETTO???" May 13 had just turned into May 14 and we were planning to meet him at Banchetto on Emerald Ave. in Ortigas Center. We found out later via @iLoveBanchetto that they had put up shop behind The Forum in Robinson's near Pioneer Ave. in Mandaluyong City that night. It was unexpected. Something was up, definitely.

Doin' the Sex Talk

2011-05-20T03:15:00.006+08:00

Tweet In the debate on "Sex Education" during ABS-CBN's "Harapan" about the "RH Bill", the obviously out-of-place Fr. Melvin Castro asked the pro-RH panel if the inclusion of sex education is mandated because of doubts around the parents' ability to discuss the topic with their children. Rep. Risa Hontiveros replied that it is there because, according to surveys, most parents are not

Reaching A Point of Clarity

2011-05-17T17:49:00.001+08:00

"Knowing what to leave out is just as important as knowing what to focus on." - Warren Buffet Another sleepless night found me staring up seemingly blankly at the ceiling but, inside my head was chaos -- a brew of ideas that kept churning, mutating, bubbling, and glaring at me. It was stressful, to say the least, because there is only one me but I have all these plans and dreams. There was

A Purple Ribbon for Reproductive Health

2011-05-11T22:25:00.000+08:00

Our local RH movement recently adopted the purple ribbon, a global symbol of the anti-domestic violence campaign for women and children, as its banner in the continuing fight for the RH Bill to be passed into law. Supporters of this 16-year old battle are optimistic that the winds of change will arrive soon and carry with it a shower of good news. The new logo, created by the talented design

How to Defy the RH Bill

2011-05-11T21:21:00.005+08:00

This is by far the most stupid thing ever said against the RH Bill: Click to view larger image Apart from holding unproductive rallies, purposefully disobeying the law, refusing to listen to reason, let's think about the different ways we could participate in "civil obedience". Better yet, let's show our defiance towards the RH Bill by: Having unprotected sex. Turning a blind eye to teen

Just in case you need more convincing...

2011-05-11T04:49:00.003+08:00

The Real Deal: Facts Behind RH Bill

The Mommy Radar

2011-05-07T20:01:00.001+08:00

One of the funniest stories I have about Mama is that time when she suddenly walked into my room, made me sit across her on my bed, and worriedly asked me, "Why are you drinking? Do you have a problem?" Incredulous at my mom's question, I wasn't able to keep a loud laugh from bursting out of me. Of course it annoyed her and made her want me to see that she was serious, which was severely

Can HIV+ People Have Babies?

2011-04-26T05:08:00.001+08:00

"If a woman knows she's HIV-positive but, she wants to have a baby, she should know what options are available to her", I said to my husband. "Are HIV-positive women allowed to have babies?", he asked. I replied, "Of course. It doesn't mean she's HIV-positive that she shouldn't. There's just the heightened risk involved." "Because she could pass on the virus to the baby, right? How does

The Price of An Apology

2011-04-25T03:59:00.005+08:00

Two events in the local media world took place almost side-by-side over the last 4 weeks. One involved a very popular game show host while the other involved a highly respected writer. Both committed offenses to certain people and both, unfortunately, bungled their attempts at restitution. "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,

"Did You Know?" 4/22/2011

2011-04-23T06:09:00.005+08:00

On most Fridays (ok so it's a Saturday already, sorry for the delayed posting! Still in recovery now, details below), I'll be posting a "Did you know?" blog entry that lists at least 3 things I learned the past week that are new to me. What we have here today are nifty things about I.V. catheters and a mind-blowing detail about an event that happened over 2,000 years ago. So, I was in the

Jane Doe and John Doe vs. Child Abuse

2011-04-15T03:13:00.001+08:00

Click here to add as PicBadge And so, it has come to this: libel suits are being thrown at the revolutionaries. But, here's the twist: Joe and Diana Suan, parents of the 6-year-old Jan-Jan, filed the libel suit before the Quezon City Prosecutor's Office. Named respondents were child psychologist Dr. Honey Carandang, Grate, Silva, and an undetermined number of "John Does" and "Jane Does". (

Why Prenatal HIV Testing is Important

2011-04-13T05:38:00.002+08:00

It was almost 10 years ago that I was living in the U.S. during the second trimester of my first pregnancy when, at a regular check-up, I was briefed by one of the senior nurses about the routine HIV screening exam. She explained it to me in a calm and professional manner, then gave me a pamphlet to read through and a consent form to sign once I've decided to undergo the exam. I could "opt-out

RH Education Can Save Lives

2011-04-09T16:45:00.001+08:00

As the long, uphill journey of the RH (Reproductive Health) Bill becomes even more difficult, one truth remains steady on its dark, bloody path: the rising number of RH-related deaths. What makes this even more depressing is the age range of its victims -- it's getting lower and lower every year. Related link: PHILIPPINES: Faces of HIV grow younger A friend of mine is involved in a research

"Did You Know?" 4/8/2011

2011-04-08T13:33:00.003+08:00

Every Friday, I'll be posting a "Did you know?" blog entry that lists at least 3 things I learned the past week that are new to me. The original Adobo recipe does not use soy sauce (toyo). Learned via this tweet and that tweet by the always entertaining Carlos Celdran. I guess this makes Adobo sa Puti kind of like the prototype instead of one of Adobo's many versions. I haven't made an

"Did You Know?" 4/1/2011

2011-04-01T13:16:00.101+08:00

Every Friday (or at least on most Fridays), I'll be posting a "Did you know?" blog entry that lists at least 3 things I learned the past week that are new to me. I missed posting an entry last Friday (3/25/2011) because of a tech problem: my prepaid SIM card died on me. With no warning at all, around 2 or 3 A.M. the day before (3/24/2011), a "No Access to Network" message came up on my mobile

The Sad Truth About Jan-Jan

2011-03-29T04:22:00.328+08:00

The local blogosphere is now littered with way too many opinions, theories, philosophies, and psychoanalytical essays about our society in attempts to make sense of the Jan-jan scandal. At the risk of oversimplifying a serious incident, it seems to me that it happened because a 6-year old was convinced he could get whatever he wanted by doing what his parents let him believe was good and right.

"Did You Know?" 3/18/2011

2011-03-19T11:12:00.002+08:00

Every Friday, I'll be posting a "Did you know?" blog entry that lists at least 3 things I learned the past week that are new to me. Public Service: Please take some time to pray for Japan and help out. And now, back to today's show... The Filipino word for violet is "lila" and for penguin, it's "pipit tubig". I really like how descriptive and lovely-sounding a lot of Filipino words are. Acc.

Hunger and the RH Bill

2011-03-07T13:57:00.003+08:00

My heart is still breaking and I am in tears as I write this blog post. I've just watched "Philippines - City of Guilt", a documentary on how abortion is an ever-present option especially in the nation's capital, despite well-fed politicians and controlling religious leaders insisting that it's illegal and punishable by the law. Women who take this option without a second thought are more

"Did You Know?" 3/4/2011

2011-03-04T16:45:00.012+08:00

Every Friday, I'll be posting a "Did you know?" blog entry that lists at least 3 things I learned the past week that are new to me. Five new things this week :-) Image source Here's an easy test you can do to check if that UNOPENED and RECENTLY EXPIRED bag of Baking Powder sitting in your pantry is still OK: dissolve 1/2 teaspoon baking powder in 3-4 tablespoons of tepid water and/or a glass

We're All Askals

2011-03-03T22:36:00.007+08:00

"'May lahi'", my husband uttered with disdain. How he hated that term because it seems to suggest that Filipino is not a race. Worse, that it's beneath every other "race" in the world and that it needs to be "mixed" with other races to breed "worthy" or "classier" individuals. I told him that I'd like to retort to the next person who uses that term, "No, we're all askals." My husband replied

God's Annual Surprise for Us

2011-02-26T04:26:00.006+08:00

This year would be, if I counted correctly, the fourth year that God has been dropping on us a big bag of surprise when school enrollment season comes around. We're always not sure when the package will arrive, but we know it will come at the perfect time. And when I say "drop", I mean exactly that -- something came down from above. We don't know where or how. This year, the package arrived

"Did You Know?" 2/25/2011

2011-02-25T13:21:00.022+08:00

Every Friday, I'll be posting a "Did you know?" blog entry that lists at least 3 things I learned the past week that are new to me. It just so happens that this week, most of the new things I learned are about our national bird, the Philippine Eagle. Have you seen one up close? It's HUGE and absolutely breathtakingly beautiful. Did you know that... Image Source The Philippine Eagle is a

The Dis-Trust Condom of Ayala Alabang

2011-02-25T02:17:00.003+08:00

UPDATE: Muntinlupa Council has just one-upped the bullies at Bgy. Ayala Alabang. Click here to read the full article and then do the dance of joy! :D ---------------------------------- For most of February 24, 2011, the Pinoy twitterverse was all abuzz about -- of all things -- condoms, thanks to Bgy. Ayala Alabang's version of an RH strategy (Bgy. Ayala Alabang Ordinance No. 1 for 2011). The

"Did You Know?" 2/18/2011

2011-02-18T03:27:00.006+08:00

Every Friday, I'll be posting a "Did you know?" blog entry that lists at least 3 things I learned the past week that are new to me. Guess what? It's 8 new things this week! :D NDRRMC is also on Twitter. Follow them @NDRRMC_Opcen NDR--what? Formerly known as NDCC (National Disaster Coordinating Council) during GMA's time, the group was renamed to NDRRMC or National Disaster Risk Reduction

Dealing with Newly-Wedded Woes

2011-02-15T21:54:00.008+08:00

This is the second of a two-part blog post about love (read the first one here). Not just because this month the world celebrates Valentine's Day. Recent events and realizations inspired me to write these posts. I hope they'll do some good :-) People get so excited about the wedding, busying themselves way too much with the details, that they don't see the wedding as really just the sendoff

"Did You Know?" 2/11/2011

2011-02-11T23:00:00.007+08:00

Every Friday, I'll be posting a "Did you know?" blog entry that lists at least 3 things I learned the past week that are new to me. There's an island for sale over on Multiply. I'm not kidding! Check it out here. All yours for only PHP6M! Culion Island in Northern Palawan used to be a leper colony. But, thanks to WHO, the place has been leprosy-free for years and is now being promoted as a

How Valuable Are You?

2011-02-08T02:51:00.006+08:00

This is the first of a two-part blog post about love (read the second one here). Not just because it's Valentine's Day next week ;-) Recent events and realizations inspired me to write these posts. I hope they'll do some good, especially for my single friends out there :-) My guy best friend, Cary, used to whine about how difficult it was to date most of the single women at his church. "

WoMo to SAHM

2011-02-06T00:15:00.000+08:00

It used to be that one of the corner offices in the floor above mine at work was the stronghold of a tough mama, whose reputation as an iron-fisted bitch preceded her like an entourage would a celebrity. I am proud to call her my friend. We worked in different departments but we became connected through a common friend and interest. It was during off-hours hook-ups over drinks and good food

"Did You Know?" 2/4/2011

2011-02-04T18:54:00.007+08:00

Every Friday starting today, I'll be posting a "Did you know?" blog entry that lists at least 3 things I learned the past week that are new to me. Let's begin: Did you know... Organ transplant patients have to take a daily maintenance drug that will prevent their bodies from rejecting the transplanted organ for the rest of their lives. Also, doctors will closely monitor the next 5 years after

Hung Over the Spicy Sesame Noodles and Dumplings at Shi Lin

2011-02-03T22:00:00.003+08:00

Xiao Long Bao - simply heavenly :-) I once told my husband that I can eat Chinese food, specifically dimsum, all day every day for the rest of my life if I have to. If it came down to that, I only wish those dumplings would be from Shi Lin. The dumplings are made fresh in their kitchen, and you can see the hard work that goes into each piece of dumpling through the large, clear kitchen window

RH bill: Economic, Health, or Spiritual Issue?

2011-02-01T17:45:00.000+08:00

UPDATE (2/1/2011): The House has just passed the RH Bill yesterday :-) It now moves on to the second reading. Stay updated, stay informed. Here's a link to the full consolidated text of the RH Bill. ---------------------------------------------------- I've just been listening to RockEd Radio's live broadcast of a discussion about the RH bill. The special guest was JC Delos Reyes, who ran for

Top 5 Lessons from Papa

2011-01-31T20:42:00.008+08:00

Reading about the Tiger Mom took me back to the days when I froze every time my father spoke. I used to answer "Papa" (that's his pic on the left) to the question "What are you afraid of?" But now, myself raising two young boys and looking back through the eyes of a parent, I am grateful he was so stern with me (not as much as the Tiger Mom is to her daughters, thankfully). More importantly, I

Filing VL to be at Your Child's Sickbed

2011-01-26T02:08:00.004+08:00

UPDATE (2/4/2011): A friend, who's also a dad and has experienced an ER situation with his son, suggested that maybe there should be a policy that allows SL credits to be converted to ELs (Emergency Leaves). I think that's a good idea. I hope someone can turn it into a reality. -------------------------------------------------------- Early in the morning one day in late August 2009, I got a

It Was a Bad Day, but Now I've Put a Star On It

2011-01-18T00:30:00.003+08:00

Last Monday morning (Jan. 17) was supposed to be Day 1 of my "Detox Vacation Time". We were supposed to fly out of Manila towards Dumaguete at 7AM. This meant we had to be up by 4AM and be checked-in by 5 AM. The flight was delayed 30 minutes (I'm guessing because of uncertainty about the weather in the Visayas region, which had been going on for 2-3 days already), but went forward anyway,

Is Gravity Stronger in Mactan or is Cebu Pacific Pulling One Over Us?

2011-01-17T00:51:00.002+08:00

My father-in-law had just returned to Manila from performing with his band in Cebu. It was Sinulog Festival season, one of the biggest and most celebrated festivals in the country, so we expected to hear details about how festive it was. Instead, he ranted about what seems be an anomaly with the weighing scales at the check-in counter of Cebu Pacific Air in the Domestic Airport at Mactan, Cebu.

New Ideas for Kids' Healthy Snacks

2011-01-09T03:18:00.003+08:00

We got another nicely-formatted letter from the preschool principal about a month ago, informing parents about "Culinary Week" on Jan. 5-7, during which the young ones will be taught how to prepare some simple healthy eats. And, parents can also join the fun by assisting their kids. I thought this was a really good move on the school's part to help parents come up with new ideas about what

Vitamin E for Empathy

2011-01-05T20:19:00.004+08:00

One of my cousins had just forwarded me one of those "good living" guidelines. You know, those that read like a simple handbook and list daily reminders for essential but oft-overlooked must-dos like "Smile often", "Start the day with a prayer", "Drink 8 glasses of water daily", just to name a few. Well, the one she emailed me contained one that is new to me: "Live with the 3 E's -- Energy,

10 Thank Yous for 2010

2010-12-28T07:36:00.003+08:00

Last Sunday, our church's senior pastor, Robert Hern, shared his family's New Year's tradition: individually creating a "Top 10 things you are thankful to God for" in the outgoing year. This reminded me of the "7 in 7 to 2010" blog series that I did last year where I named 1 thing I'm thankful for on each of the last 7 days of 2009. I had told myself earlier that I wanted to do a similar series

Staying Up Late is Overrated

2010-12-27T23:40:00.001+08:00

Today, I got my Christmas wish: I "hibernated" for 10 hours. Well, technically, I wanted to be on snooze mode for 12 hours, uninterrupted. The 10 hours was interrupted after the first 6 hours, and it's 2 hours less than my desired hibernation time, but sleep is sleep, and for someone who's been having an average of only 4 hours of sleep time the past 6 weeks, this was already pretty awesome.

New "Firsts" this Christmas

2010-12-24T04:38:00.002+08:00

My mother-in-law's birthday is December 25. So whenever we greeted each other "Merry Christmas" once the clock struck 12, turning to greet her was more special because it's also her birthday. But who knew that Dec. 25, 2009 would be the last time we'd do that? She passed away last May. She had been dealing with cancer for 2 years by last Christmas, but she was coping well; she was healthy

Holiday Traditions I Miss

2010-12-04T07:11:00.005+08:00

Since becoming a mom, holidays have become...a chore. It's true that Christmas is for kids. But sometimes I wonder if I could turn the clock back again. I used to celebrate Christmas the way it should be -- with a sense of profound and grateful joy, Christmas songs and goodwill to all mankind. Holidays in my family started when my mom took out the Christmas decorations. Decorating the tree

Singapore Food Craze in Mani-lah!

2010-12-02T01:50:00.005+08:00

Thanks in part to Cebu Pacific and Tiger Airways making leisure trips to the "Lion City" very affordable, Pinoy tourists (particularly Manileños) have brought home a new foodie craze for everything Singaporean. The fact that SG is currently somewhat a PH "annex", because a lot of our IT pros have gone in droves there to seek greener pastures, contributes to the hype. Manileños have learned to

Anti-RH Debate Misses the Point

2010-11-26T00:29:00.004+08:00

It is disturbing when political and spiritual "leaders" say one thing and do another. In an article that was published yesterday, "When does life begin? RH debate rages", Rep. Roilo Golez, who is anti-RH bill, asked and attempted to answer (in vain) this age-old question. When you scroll down the article, you'll see Bishop Bacani stating that despite of the debate, the Catholic Church is "for

The Queen of Manila

2010-11-19T03:40:00.005+08:00

Let's get this out of the way: I am NO fan of Imelda Marcos. But after 3 hours of walking this and that way with Carlos Celdran on his "Living La Vida Imelda!" tour, in which he revives the sensationalism around the Marcos couple from the 60s to the 80s, I got to wondering why I don't like the imeldific First Lady of the Martial Law era. Moreover, where did I get the idea that she's downright

Parenting Style Makes A Lot of Difference

2010-11-14T16:29:00.004+08:00

I have two girl friends who are each raising a little boy. I'm close to both of them, so I've had opportunities to observe their distinct parenting styles and also kind of get inside their heads about their parenting principles. It's been really interesting, to say the least, especially because their kids are so similar: rambunctious, naughty, curious, in perpetual motion. So I see the two

Of Grief and Playlists: Bye, NU 107

2010-11-11T20:29:00.003+08:00

If time travel became possible today & I came face-to-face with my 16-year old self, I would probably sneer at whatever 31-year old me would say. For one thing, 16-year old me would NEVER believe I'd be depressed over the closure of a rock radio station 15 years later. What had happened to me? Bubblegum-pop-music-loving me was introduced to NU 107.5 & alternative music, that's what. Little

Why I Refuse the Starbucks Planner Promo Card

2010-11-05T02:38:00.006+08:00

I began declining the Starbucks Planner promo card in Holiday Season 2006. Friends who know me very well know that I don't put up with anything that doesn't make sense to me, and buying a dozen cups of coffee at Starbucks just to get 1 measly planner that's nothing special (don't use that "It's limited edition!" line with me or I will slap you) makes absolutely no sense to me. Consider this: 1

Boo to Sore Eyes

2010-11-01T16:47:00.004+08:00

The last 2 days of my digital detox became so much easier because I woke up with sore eyes last Saturday morning. I haven't had sore eyes since I was 7 years old! I could not open my peepers at all; they felt like a swollen, throbbing mess, and I could feel a sharp pain on the undersides from time to time. Had to wear sunglasses for two days and my curtains were drawn the entire time, because

Meaningful Birthday Gifts from the Man Upstairs

2010-10-25T15:21:00.002+08:00

A few days before my birthday, I was feeling pensive and melancholy. Was it because of turning a year older? I'm tempted to blame it on my hormones because the "monthly visit" came on my birthday. Or maybe it was because of the beautiful solitude in Guimaras, where I spent my birthday weekend? Fast forward two days after my birthday, thanks to my husband and a very dear friend, I realized

The Simplest Checklist for Expectant Parents

2010-10-24T06:54:00.008+08:00

When I was around 6 or 7 months pregnant with my firstborn, I began doing what most first-time moms would do: create a checklist. Jennifer Garner's character in the movie Juno called the phase "nesting". New moms are expectedly excited about this part because, 1 - it involves shopping, and 2 - the activity kickstarts the mother mode in your brain, which will stay on forever. But what most new

Are We Aging Faster, or Are We Just Getting More Careless?

2010-10-22T00:15:00.008+08:00

I think it was in an old Reader's Digest issue from maybe a year ago that I read about a 50-something year old woman, whose doctor declared her healthier than her 30-something year old son. Of course she would be, I scoffed, life was simpler then. But now I'm wondering if that is all there is to it. Was the daily routine of life really simpler back then, or are we just not as mindful as we

Two Cats, a Girl, and Her Bed

2010-10-21T03:16:00.003+08:00

My cats have become drawn to my bed and made a habit of snoozing on it in all sorts of positions -- curled up, twisted, on their backs, on their sides, stretched all the way out. It's not uncommon for pet cats to do this, but I'm feeling pretty special about their doing so particularly when I myself am on the bed :-) Tiger (white one) is the kitty who loves me the most and I know this because he

The Older I Get...

2010-10-15T02:40:00.009+08:00

OK, so I'm not that old yet, but I always feel older than I really am. I guess that's why I'm a lot more comfortable with friends who are older than me. But it sure is super cool that I've usually been mistaken for someone in her mid-20s ;-) I wonder why, hmmm...? Now that I've just turned a year older... I know myself better. Because I know myself better, I've learned to be a lot

Wisdom vs. Rules

2010-10-12T03:00:00.001+08:00

"Practical wisdom is the combination of moral will & moral skill." - Aristotle A wise person is made, not born. You don't need to be brilliant to be wise. Without wisdom, brilliance isn't enough. This TED video is quite long, because you can't rush an important message like this. Standards, procedures, organizations do have a purpose in society, but they shouldn't take precedence over reason

Happily "Unfriended"

2010-10-11T05:37:00.001+08:00

Realized just now that I hadn't been seeing the status updates of a certain someone. I went to confirm a hunch and was quite happy to discover that she had "unfriended" me :D Normally, that would make anyone feel offended, but I truly felt more relieved than anything. Like, the proverbial thorn was pulled from my side. You might think, some problems can be solved simply by a "Remove Friend"

Bullying is Not a Playground Prank

2010-10-06T04:53:00.003+08:00

October is National Bullying Prevention Month in the US. This becomes much more relevant off the heels of the recent tragedies involving 8 young men who were "bullied to death" in just the last 3 weeks. It is mind-boggling and heart-wrenching at the same time. Is it just coincidence that all these kids are gay? If I remember correctly, some of them were already being bullied even before they

Being Anti-RH Bill the Right Way

2010-10-04T04:19:00.006+08:00

I've read many anti-RH bill articles and comments but I haven't found one that truly makes sense. I wanted to understand the other side without hearing/seeing the words "morality", "spirituality", and most especially the very odd "contraception = abortion" argument. That doesn't even seem to be biologically possible. We're getting carried away with religious sentiments, so we need to focus

Thailand's Weapon of Mass Protection

2010-09-30T23:23:00.000+08:00

Misinformed Biases and the RH Bill

2010-09-30T19:13:00.007+08:00

The moment P-Noy said that he will back "responsible parenthood" and "informed choice" when it comes to family planning, pinoys everywhere already knew that the Catholic Church leaders (specifically CBCP) would be up in arms all over the issue again. And then, when PNoy followed that up with an expanded version of his take on responsible parenthood, including birth control, everybody knew that

Ninja's Piano Fingers

2010-09-25T19:32:00.001+08:00

After four months of piano lessons, Ninja shows us what he's learned so far. I am very amused by those piano fingers. They remind me of someone... :-)

Creativity

2010-09-25T04:58:00.010+08:00

UPDATE, 7 P.M.: The spirit was very willing but the flesh was equally very weak. My body reminded me this morning that I was very ill for 4 out of 7 days the past week and that I needed to rest more. When I woke up to get ready for the meeting, my head went dizzy and my legs ached like I'd just finished a marathon (something I'd never do, by the way), so that was that. Tragic. Oh well, I

A Numbers Game and the Red Pill

2010-09-22T02:13:00.010+08:00

Stumbled on a most intriguing video post on my Facebook news feed asking "Do you know what motivates you?" (go watch it now then come back) Last week, a friend confided in me that a recent meeting with her manager extinguished any enthusiasm she had left for her job. It was a performance appraisal meeting, and her manager showed her the "stats" -- call center metrics that counted how many

Not cool, Sept. 18, not cool at all

2010-09-18T12:37:00.005+08:00

Last July, I had already blocked my Sept. 18 for an important event in my writers' organization. In fact, I was supposed to help out in the prep and event date activities. But alas, that plan was suddenly nixed when work (training) took over. It's a long story with ugly surprise twists so I won't go into it today. Maybe not ever. It just makes me go..."argh". Yes, it bums me out so much

Society vs. Children

2010-09-17T19:33:00.002+08:00

Just this week alone: newborn baby left in a Gulf Air plane; 8-month old baby found dead on a ship; 2 or 3 other cases of babies left in different places. And this morning, police received reports of a possible hostage situation but, upon arriving at the scene, what they find is a child left alone in a condo unit. I can't understand. What is feeding our society's hatred of children? Yes, HATE.

Backstage Pass

2010-09-15T14:38:00.004+08:00

This headline caught my eye in my Tweeps' feed today: "If God Exists, Then Why Does God Hide?" (Huffington Post blog). I wanted to immediately hit "reply" and say "It's not God who hides, it's us who hide from Him." But something stopped me and told me to read the article first. The author's main objective for writing the article -- to say the least -- got me completely hooked. Within the 4

Bag of Bones

2010-09-14T01:34:00.026+08:00

June 7, 2009: after what I can only call as a "freak" biking accident, and after getting an x-ray done and 3 hours of waiting in the ER, one of the ER doctors finally checked on me and told me, as gently as she could but without mincing words, that "It's really bad. It's a bag of bones." I'm not gonna go TMI on this by detailing exactly what "bag of bones" meant. If you can take it,

"What I Want to be When I Grow Up"

2010-09-13T09:46:00.005+08:00

It's "Dress Up Week" at my kids' school. They have one every year. I am so green with envy! Going to school in costume, and it's not even Halloween! Or United Nations week. (Sidenote: This is the first blog post I've made here in 2 years! Been microblogging on Facebook & Twitter, which has not curbed my talkativeness, unfortunately, and so here we are again.) So, "Dress Up Week". This time

See EXACTLY what "Easter" really means

2008-03-24T06:28:00.000+08:00

What is Easter really? Here's a medical account of the physical effects of the process of crucifixion that Jesus' earthly body suffered through before He finally committed His Spirit to God. This isn't the first time I read this, and every time I do, my heart overflows with gratefulness and thankfulness to God, for what He has spared us from. "By His stripes, we are healed." Indeed, Jesus

Have you seen the prettiest cupcakes on cyberspace??

2008-03-18T14:16:00.000+08:00

My friend Isi (who's an award-winning baker-in-the-making ;-)) showed me this album on Flickr, I just couldn't stop myself from sharing it with everyone else :-) Aren't these just the coolest things?? And they're REAL cupcakes! They look like Claylettes (check out http://claylettes.multiply.com --> yummy yummy!), don't they? Hehehe! Isi said these are made with fondant instead of the usual

"Borderline"

2008-03-18T09:10:00.000+08:00

Got this off Goldie's blog... hahaha.. soundtrack ng buhay!THE SHUFFLE TESTRULES:Put your music player on shuffle.For each question, press the next button to get your answer.You must write that song name down no matter how silly it sounds!1. If someone says "Is this okay?" you say?"All I Want" (Toad the Wet Sprocket)2. What would best describe your personality?"Bittersweet Symphony" (The Verve) -

Funny Bridgestone tires TV ad: Heartbroken Dog

2008-03-13T06:47:00.000+08:00

Dog's heart is broken by a two-timing bitch... too funny not to share ;-) Check it out at http://augierivera.multiply.com/video/item/14

Lights Out for Mother Earth!

2008-03-12T11:51:00.000+08:00

Reposting from Kage's blog:On 29 March 2008 the Philippines will join countries around the world as we literally "turn the lights out" for Earth Hour - an event that will fuel awareness on climate change and prove that when the people of the world work together, they can make a difference in the fight against global warming.Earth Hour will take place throughout the Philippines from 8 to 9 in the

You gotta see these...

2008-03-12T10:14:00.000+08:00

"Serves them right!" That's all I can say. Stupid potheads who have nothing better to do but waste everyone else's time and patience, here's one up your arses. Umayos na nga kayo!You gotta see this - http://delfindjmontano.blogspot.com/And for something MUCH MUCH MORE WORTHWHILE - http://pangeaday.org/index.phpExcerpt from the site:What Is Pangea Day? Pangea Day taps the power of

100 things to learn about Photography

2008-03-11T11:40:00.000+08:00

Wise, practical -- and funny!-- insights about photography are awaiting at http://rcquimson.multiply.com/journal/item/9/100_Things_Ive_Learned_About_PhotographyJust some of my fave tips on his list:20. Try to compose more and to hit the shutter less 22. Do something different to recover creativity 31. Read books about photography 39. The best equipment is that what you have now 42. Pay attention

This is what relaxing really looks like...

2008-03-11T08:17:00.000+08:00

Para sa lahat ng mga naagrabiyado sa transport strike today (like moi!) ;-)

Kids left for dead in dumpsite (have you heard about this?)

2008-03-10T13:54:00.000+08:00

Sometime last week, my co-manager here in the office has been relaying to us very disturbing text messages that she and her churchmates in Laguna have been passing to each other. It started with a report about a young child's body found in some dumpsite in Binan, Laguna. The internal organs were taken out and there was P5000 in the child's hand.I don't know what to make of it. It really

Blaaaaratatatat...

2008-03-10T09:23:00.000+08:00

* I really liked "10,000 B.C." :-) It's unpretentious and the storytelling is original. Actors are relatively unknown, and they can act, which makes the story all the more intriguing right to the very end. I love how the cinematography makes you feel the mysticism and understand how familiar objects are ultimately horrifying to ancient peoples.* Good thing we watched "The Water Horse" last

Top this: Reason to get a Pay Advance

2008-03-10T07:08:00.000+08:00

My kids' yaya, Rochelle, asked me if she could get a month's pay in advance. Naturally, I asked why, because she never asks just for any reason, and this is only the 3rd time she did this in the 2+ years she's been with us. Well, I wish I hadn't asked in the first place.Rochelle said that her father (let's call him "Papa") got into a serious issue, about one of his farmhands who was killed on