bananaspin

In Mumbai, Day One (Nov 15, 2011)

2011-12-23T22:50:00.006+08:00

Hanna and Ten Little Indian Boys: Cricket Team in Colaba

It has been more than a month since my Mumbai trip. Dreadful blogger :-( I hope to catch up this holiday season. I was in Mumbai from Nov 14-18 for a company global meeting. It was totally interesting , both on-the-job, and off-the-job.

The sequence of this entry may be a bit magulo because some were written in real-time while I was on the plane, waiting in line, etc etc...

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How does one even begin to describe Mumbai? Words are not enough ... It is an overall experience : the smells, the sounds, the spirit, the atmosphere... I am so overwhelmed with all the stories I want to tell.

F58 was our gate for Mumbai ( writing this here in case I forget, I heard Changi is huge!). Must be a busy day. We spent 30 minutes going around in circles over Singapore, waiting for a free runway. And 25 minutes circling above Mumbai. When we finally arrived, I felt like the airport was very much like our vey own NAIA 1, once named one of the world's worst airports. A colleague remarked that the ---- looked even better.

Had my first taste of Indian food on the plane!

Mutton biryani with braised masala eggplant - yummy but super spicy
Rawa kesari ( semolina pudding) - yumyum like Cassava but not as sticky

(I was not able to keep track of all the Indian food I ate during the trip: one thing for sure though, I was not biologically created for Indian food. It could be good... But I think my tummy could not digest all that spice! I was woozy by Thursday so I opted not to be adventurous and ate the familiar dishes)

My hotel room has a red color scheme. HOT! I think it' s very expensive, though. Separate review on the hotel, the Trident Bandra Kurla, in another entry ...

November 15th

Typical Indian taxi. No air conditioning , runs on CNG.
(They also have air conditioned cabs that are blue and more expensive)

I have a free morning. Can't wait to see Mumbai by day. Last night it seemed like Manila. Only with wider and dustier roads, crazier drivers ( also right hand drive) and really quaint taxis with personality.

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I met with my colleague from Manila, Milan and from Dianjun (DJ) from China and we decided to embark on our own Mumbai adventure. We hired a cab to take us to an area called "Colaba," which is about 45 minutes away from our hotel. We were a pretty interesting bunch: tall Caucasian guy, small Chinese man, and a Filipina. we definitely stood out from the sea of Indians.

According to one brochure I got from the hotel, Colaba is often considered the prettiest part of Mumbai. Many of its buildings date back to colonial India, and this is where the most well known of Mumbai's icons are to be found: The Gateway of India, and the Victoria Terminus, or more commonly known by locals as the CST (Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus) station. I never did my research before but i was blown over by the massive structure which is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The 45 minute cab ride to Colaba proved to be interesting. Traffic was heavy, but still moving. I loved the vintage look of the standard Indian cabs, and worthwhile to mention that they are ALL made in India and powered by compressed natural gas. I was amazed by how the air here seemed cleaner than the air in Makati.

Top: CST from across the street
Bottom: Bright entrance going to the trains..

When we reached the CST area, I felt the Amsterdam vibe because of the mishmash of people , the colorful signs, and the amazing colonial architecture. It was not rush hour, so I didn't see the scenes I was expecting to see (trains filled up to the roofs!!) Took some pretty interesting photos. I was a bit shy at first because of my big camera - ah but better to be stared at than regret not taking photos!!

Here, I also had my first Indian public toilet experience :o) pretty tolerable.

Since we were walking aimlessly, we were able to really see Colaba... The University area, the sidestreets, and the wide cricket field. A couple of Indian kids called out to have cricket photos taken. Well I had my photo taken, with an Indian slap on the butt as a bonus ( heyyyy!!! ) , we hurried away soon after. Walang silbi mga lalaking kasama ko :oP They were kids tho, so no worries.

Lost in Mumbai. DJ was a good navigator

After getting lost a little bit, DJ got us back on track as we searched how to get to the Gateway of India. The Gateway is a monument in Mumbai - named as such because it was the first structure to be seen in Bombay when people traveled by water . It was a massive, intricate structure that was very photogenic. The plaza sort of reminded me also of Milan, Italy - up to the pigeon-feed being forced upon tourists for some money! It was interesting that most tourists were really local. I spotted very few foreigners hanging around.The Gateway of India: "worth getting lost just to find it"

Hot and tired, we returned to our hotel at around 2pm. We didn't have the courage to try and eat in the sidewalk eateries. we had a few minutes to spare for the IFC organized walking tour of another area in the afternoon.

When I got back to the hotel, the guidebooks said that where we've been (Colaba) was the prettiest part of Mumbai. Okay then, we had 4 more days left in Mumbai... What else would be there to see?

(to be continued!

Following your Heart

2011-12-07T09:35:00.005+08:00

This is a response to a friend's Facebook status:

"What would happen if one day you decided to follow your heart?"

I recently had an interesting conversation with a friend. He was telling me to start thinking about what I want to do, and not do stuff according to people's expectations. He was encouraging me to take risks while I am still young.

Me: Yes, young enough and will probably live long enough to remember and to regret.
Friend: BUT, you do not want to live up to 60 and think then of what you could have done.

Hmm. Inspiring. But still, reality pulls you down.

Thanks Karina for inspiring this blog post!

Photographing Corregidor : Oct 29-30

2011-11-05T16:16:00.009+08:00

Me against the clear blue sky :-) Photo courtesy of Olga

The Eternal Flame Monument against a purplish sunrise (one of my submitted photos)

.. a late, late post. I vowed to post this first before posting about Mumbai - now that resulted into TWO delayed posts. Tsk. Work really gets in the way of the good stuff...

Several reasons why Corregidor seemed like a good idea last weekend:

1. Had to try out Try, our new DSLR (Nikon DSLR)
2. As "huling hirit"for bonding with one of my colleagues at work ( Milan, who'll be leaving the country soon after 2 years of living here) who has grown to be a great, cool friend.

What I forgot to consider was that it's a Halloween weekend! With all the creepy stories surrounding Corregidor, this time of the year makes it more eerie, at least psychologically.

I wanted to do something nice for Milan before he left the country - he didn't like Manila that much, so I hoped be able to make him bring better memories of the Philippines with him. Knowing that he also dabbles with photography , I thought a photo trip would be a good idea. After considering options from Travel Factor (Bataan - Day trip, didn't jive with our schedules ; Ilocos - 3 days! too long) , I found the Photographing Corregidor trip organized by the Filipinas Heritage Library. So off we went :-)

Our photographer-speaker was Jay Alonzo, coincidentally also my teacher for Photography 101 way back in 2004 (I was still using a Canon film SLR). I liked his style a lot - I feel like his photos has so much emotion in it. And this is what he also hoped we would do : refrain from cliche shots, tell stories, think before you shoot (versus shooting a lot and hoping that something good will come out of it).

I won't be talking much about the history of Corregidor, since you can read about that anywhere in the web. The tour that goes around the island was, in my opinion, one of the most organized ones in the Philippines (similar to National Parks tours in the USA). Our group stayed overnight -- and I highly recommend staying over!

I do like to share with you that it was such a mystical place for me - there is a certain "depth" to the place - as if you are getting so much more than what your eyes can see. It was very similar to the feeling I got when I visited Sagada a few years ago. I did not realize that a place as rich and relaxing as this island is only a 45-minute boat ride away from Manila. There is still much more to be discovered in Corregidor and I am definitely coming back.

Takeaways from the shoot:
(1) I only mess with the settings on Aperture priority. I can never get my shutter speed right. Thanks also to Jay for opening my eyes to white balance manipulation ;-) I love vivid colors and now I know how to get them really POP
(2) Remember your settings! I am guilty with shooting without thinking. I need to devote more patience to composing my shot and knowing my settings so I can tell a story (and be able to achieve similar effects next time.)
(3) Good photos should be able to tell a story even after a long time. How many times have you come across old photos that are quite meaningless? Ah, I look forward to shooting good ones that "speak" ;-)

Sharing with you some of my favorite shots. There will be an exhibit at the Alcove at the Filipinas Heritage Library sometime in December. I wish at least one of my submitted photos can make the cut.

The other Hannah , same sunrise

Early morning, the Cinema

Our team of photographers , speaker Jay Alonzo at far left.

Learn more about The Alcove and the Filipinas Heritage Library
http://www.filipinaslibrary.org.ph/

They have a lot of photography and writing workshops. Highly recommended.

Shorter Takes

2011-09-21T15:25:00.002+08:00

Having no time for blogging (and shorter attention spans) called for a place for shorter snippets of what's up. (I'm chronicling the makeover there, BTW)

Behold, the tumblog --- www.bananaspin.tumblr.com

But I'm keeping this site as well.

Move..that..Couch! - A Makeover Story 1

2011-09-14T13:07:00.003+08:00

Are you familiar with the show, "Extreme Home Makeover" ? I've always imagined being a being a beneficiary of that show. Aside from a spanking new house, you also get to hug Ty, the hunky guy who hosts the show and leads the design team.

Well, a few weeks ago - a local magazine called me about a possible makeover of the Fort Boni condo! I actually forgot that I entered their makeover promo early May this year , and it was such a welcome surprise. (I didn't write about it for fear of jinxing :-) They conducted 2 ocular inspections - first by the managing editor and then 2nd by the interior designer. Now I can freely write about it because we got picked!

The magazine is giving the design team 2 weeks (starting Sept 12) to plan and execute within the provided budget.

We are excited, but at the same time soo anxious. I didn't realize that we will have to let go of most of our old stuff. Our first "wall (color)," our first dining table, our first carpet, etc. I am also nervous about the stuff they will put in.. what if we get a sticky vinyl couch that eats coins and sticks to the back of people's legs? Wah.

Still a blessing. Still another interesting story to add to our (growing) collection. So for now, let's wait until we yell.... "Move... that... Couch!"

*FYI, for the contest entry - We had to send a family photo and some room photos. I also had to write a 150-word statement about why we deserved the makeover. I wrote about how we'd like to make the place ready for a baby, who is living with my mom in Laguna because we don't have a baby-conducive space. I guess the tiny space challenged them!

Lucky

2011-09-05T12:29:00.002+08:00

I really like the word "lucky" - because Luck is the great equalizer. You don't have to be rich, or smart, or a hardworker. You could be the kindest person, or you could be the bitchiest person - but still be lucky. There is no scientific explanation for "luck" !

Look at Charice and Arnel Pineda - I think there are a lot more Filipinos who are better singers , but they got lucky! Manny Pacquiao, lucky (Jinkee Pacquiao, luckier!) . Justin Bieber, lucky. Noynoy Aquino, lucky, lucky, lucky!

People who win the lotto, lucky. Not being caught by MMDA during coding, lucky. Being at the right place at the right time when you first met your partner in life, lucky. Getting what you want after working for it, lucky.

I don't believe that hard work is everything. A lot of people work, work, work - but still don't achieve their dreams. Some blame them for not working hard enough, but I think that's just unfair. Just ask minimum wage earners who really really work hard. Or the Pinoy Got Talent aspirants who get rejected every season...

Hard work and being smart or talented can help. But sometimes, it's better to be lucky.

I just hope all the luck in the world can go to people who really deserve it :-)

My JuJu Journal

2011-08-21T22:17:00.008+08:00

I can't even remember when I did my Juju Cleanse! I guess I was just so bummed out with my laptop crashing (again) making me lose my real time Juju Journal! Anyway... now that I finished my other articles for work, I figured that it's a good experience to share and not worth missing writing an entry for...

Drinks 1-6 , Don't they look yummy? Give your body a break by juicing all day.

Juju (Just Juice) Cleanse was started by the same folks who started The Farm at San Benito. I've always wanted to visit that place for major detox but I heard it was crazy expensive. So when I heard about Juju juices from a colleague at work and from Bianca Gonzales' blog (click here, it's somewhere on this page -- I'm a fan) , I decided to try it. You can read more about the juices and the promised benefits on the official site : http://www.jujucleanse.com/

I opted to avail of the 1-day Level 1 cleanse because it was the least expensive one , plus, I was new to juice diets , not to mention veggie drinks. I did not expect to lose weight , but was looking forward to ridding my body of all the nasty oily stuff I love to eat. I was looking forward to that clean, light feeling.

(I admit, the fancy packaging and colorful brochure got to me too! ) I opted to pick up my juices from the Bel-Air pick up point (you can have it delivered..) and was sooo excited to start. I scheduled my cleanse on the day I was renewing my drivers license since I had a planned leave from work. I figured the less work, the less cranky I'll be from "just juicing" the whole day!

Pre-juiceing: Sipped some mint tea from fresh mint leaves that came with my kit. What a refreshing day to start the day. My tummy and tastebuds were all excited.

Drink 1 - The Green Bomb: There were two of these bottles in the Level 1 cleanse. It had celery, cucumber, buko juice, pineapple, malunggay, spinach, lettuce ... the smell really made me gag :-(( .. First sip --- not bad. But I really had trouble drinking it and I was not able to finish it (I left half an inch in the bottle). For future drinkers -- make sure to SHAKE IT everytime you drink. The potent stuff got stuck in the bottom for me so that was what made it soo difficult to drink!

I left for LTO after the Green Bomb with a bottle of water and Drink #2 in my Juju Bag.

Drink 2 - Spicy Limonada: License renewal was surprisingly fast (Ayala MRT station) so I did not get to drink this at the LTO. With the Green Bomb and water in my tummy, I didn't have problems with the mandatory wee-wee test (oops too much info!) I drank Drink 2 on my way home on board the Fort Bus. I am not a fan of spicy stuff but i LOVED this drink. Refreshing lemon with spicy cayenne pepper taste trickling down your throat. Surprisingly, I felt good after drinking it up to the last drop!

Drink 3 - The Red Giant: All I remember was that the main ingredient of this thing were BEETs. I didn't really know what to expect and it looked so yummy. Sort of tasted like... dirt. Haha. I cheated this one out. I did finish it BUT with the help of a (small, I swear) baked organic chips.

Drink 4 - Alkazest : After the BeetJuice, I was so looking forward to this. Finally! Something close to normal! A buko juice , Grapefruit, Orange, Pineapple concoction. Tasted like Del Monte 4 seasons. Yey!

Drink 5 - Green Bomb, we meet again: Because I remembered to shake ... I was able to drink it ! I was drinking this on my way home to Laguna. So happy that I was able to drink up to the last drop!

Drink 6 - Salaba't Lemon : The last drink and the most soothing one. It tasted much like the Spicy Limonada but the ginger added that extra warmth and made me feel like singing. By this time I was feeling good and actually regretted cheating the Red Giant .. :-( For drink 6 , you can choose to have it cold or warm it up a bit like tea.

Was it worth it? Yeah, I believe so. Even if you are not aiming for weight loss, heck even if you just try it for the experience. It was a pure, natural, juicy adventure. The following morning , my tummy was not bloated and I was craving for healthy stuff. I did not feel hungry at all during the cleanse (it was 500ml of liquids at short intervals) and found myself even craving for a Green Bomb (!!!! I could not believe it myself) sometimes during the week! Note: The juice will not do everything for you ... it's still all about discipline and how or what you choose to eat after cleansing!

Yep, I felt healthy and cleansed - and if I can afford it I would love to do the cleanse every other week. For now, I can only do it once in a while :-) I'm looking forward to doing a 1-day cleanse again with my whole family .. that would be fun ! At least we'll motivate each other. I don't think I can handle a 3-day or a 7-day cleanse. But, you never know...

Thanks Juju folks! I promise no more chips-cheating next time for maximum effect ... and , I was wondering ... can I just order Spicy Limonada sets ;-) ? 'til next cleanse!

Bangkok (not) Dangerous

2011-06-03T08:52:00.006+08:00

That's the title of Nicolas Cage's low budgeted movie which I hated. And the title of my document folder where I dumped all Bangkok-related files when I was preparing for this trip. The movie actually depicted Bangkok as a shady, conflicted place. With gunfights and riots and mafia. Well, there might be places like that here , and it did a good job hiding its shady things from me. For me, Bangkok felt safe, convenient and comfortable.

I am writing this in my hotel room at the the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit , Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok. It is right along the BTS Skytrain, Bangkok's very efficient mass transit system. It flew seamlessly , and though I haven't tried them -- they also have the MRT (subway, which goes out of the city) and the other line which could take passengers to the airport. And, just like my reaction upon seeing their humongous airport, I felt so jealous. Yes dears, I can honestly say that Bangkok (at least based on my very short stay) is better than Manila / Makati. Way better. I can even go as far as saying I would love to get the chance to be based here.

Rationale: No, I am not in Bkk for a vacation (I wish) , but I would love to take my family here. Probably my mom first because we will probably have more fun. Or maybe Sam and my dad would love to see the red light district(s) with all the ladies and lady-bois (so be careful..) I came here for a series of meetings with our global team, plus I was part of the organizing team of two big regional events , one promoting sustainable energy use, and one promoting better SME banking. I am the only non-banker / non-finance / non-engineer in our contingent, which I think, is an achievement in itself.

I really do not have much time for a full account of my experience, but let me share with you my top 3.

(1) The BTS Skytrain. I already talked about this earlier :-) I think they designed the Skytrain to connect all the great places together. It was so convenient to move from one mall / place of interest

(2) Excellent selection.... of merchandise, of places to go , of things to do. I think the choices here are comparable to that of the USA's. You can go bargain shopping on the streets, or you can go luxury shopping in the malls.

Funky art shop at Chatuchak Weekend Market (shopping heaven!) I bought a painting. I think Bangkok offers a lot of opportunities for one to grow his or her art.

(3) Oozing with a unique, charming culture (and cuisine) . I think it is just so different from other places. Little temples are everywhere, the quaint alphabet, distinct Thai architecture and art and crafts. Unlike in Manila where it seems like you are in a confused Western country. You cannot blame tourists from picking Thailand over Philippines as a destination if they want to experience some Asian culture. Oh, but I bet our beaches are still better - and we speak better English (but I don't think that could take us anywhere near the fast paced Thai development - I am not familiar with their political situation... there may be corruption, but at least they get to serve the people.)

Erawan Shrine - situated in the middle of posh malls and hotels.

Curried crab got 1st place for me during this trip. Somboon Seafood, a 10-minute walk from National Stadium station and MBK Mall

I am cheating because THAI FOOD deserves a number of its own but it will then become top 4 :-) I never liked spicy food - but mix in a little bit of coconut milk, Thai curry, a bit of lemongrass and I can handle it. ;-)

Okay , better finish packing now and I head off to breakfast! More to come later.

Sheridan and Sustainability (Puerto Princesa, Palawan)

2011-05-03T10:05:00.008+08:00

My recent trip to Palawan brought about a mixture of experiences. It was my first time in Puerto Princesa, I was travelling with some bankers and a TV crew (what a totally different group of people, I place myself somewhere in the middle), stayed in a posh hotel, rowed through the famous underground river, visited an organic farm, and went “topless” in front of the camera (not kidding). So, I had a really hard time picking my key topic.

But what struck me most was the time, effort and resources a businessman put into integrating sustainability into the planning of the luxury resort. Yes, it is a business – so we have to understand that the primary objective of all businesses is to make profit. But I do give him credit for trying to minimize his negative impact to the environment as much as possible.

Located about 2 hours or so from the Puerto Princesa Airport, the Sheridan Beach Resort is located along the shore of Sabang Beach, the jump off point for the famous underground river in Palawan. It is easily the most beautiful resort in the area, which is sprinkled with small lodging houses frequented by European backpackers. The only “touristy” part of Sabang is a small port and a strip of stalls selling beach wear and souvenirs.

My main mission was to look at the hotel and to find out why it was considered “green” and “eco-friendly.” As I stepped out of the bright lobby and slowly scanned the sprawling resort, my mind flew … how the heck can you build a resort this huge without drastically affecting the ecosystem?? The leisure-loving part of me screamed, “Beautiful! I can swim and relax all day and drink smoothies and have massages by the beach” but my tree-hugging conscience said, “Disturbance to serenity and balance of nature!” I brushed away my judgments and opened my mind to possibilities.

After two days in the resort and conversations with the owners, the general manager, some employees, their sustainable farmer – I went from “I’m never going to promote this place” to “I want everyone to see this place”. I honestly want to go back again and again.

What makes Sheridan Hotel green and sustainable?

Let us first define what “green” means. This label has been taken advantage of ever since being eco-friendly became cool. Here and there developments are claiming to be green because they have plants, they have a garden or a Zen waterfall or if the building is designed using an earthy color palette. I am sorry, but being green is more than just that.

To be considered really “green” – a business must have the littlest impact to the environment as possible. Not only based on aesthetics or physical structure, but in operations and management as well – the way energy / electricity is being used, the way water is used and wasted, the way trash is managed, the way transportation is utilized, etc, etc. I don’t want to get technical and rattle off percentages, but I hope you get it that putting a fortune plant on one’s desk does NOT make you green.

Built with enough setback and well below the tree line

They saw to it that the hotel did not stick out like a sore thumb. Most of the trees that lined the beach are coconut trees and the highest roof of the hotel did not exceed the height of those. They were also conscious enough not to build too close to the beach line.

Maximized daylight and natural ventilation
Most of the buildings were constructed with the goal of maximizing daylight and the natural airflow. The lobby was not air conditioned, and the hotel itself (two structures on opposite sides of the HUGE pool) limited a/c inside the rooms only. The hallways were wide, airy places with a central atrium (?) The restaurant is also open, but I saw that they had provisions for enclosure and a/c when the weather gets too hot. The paint they used are also water-based, lead free and biodegradeable.

Natural cooling mechanisms: Vegetated rooftop and koi pond
The roofs of the restaurant, the spa, and one multipurpose hall had plants and grass growing on top. Vegetated rooftops enable the roof to absorb less heat, therefore cooling the room below, which either saves your from turning on the a/c or if it has a/c, helps cool the room so you won’t have to consume much energy.

A koi pond also surrounds the pool bar. It doubles as décor, natural cooling system and as aerator for the pool.

Where necessary, they used efficient cooling systems such as inverter type aircons (automatic cooling cycles) and exhaust fans.

Solar powered street lights and mosquito ‘killers’; efficient lighting fixtures and lamps
Yep, they have solar powered lamps (sun “charges” the solar panels , that are hooked up to batteries and they automatically light up when it senses darkness). They also have those electrocution machines for mosquitoes, also ran by solar power! The lights in the rooms and common areas are all efficient (compact fluorescent lamps or CFLs vs the incandescent bulbs that mostly emit heat)

Less concrete pavements
The hotel strived to minimize concrete pathways. This way, rainwater will still get absorbed by the ground to continue to be part of the natural hydro cycle

Rainwater harvesting system and Wastewater treatment plant
Clean, non-salt water is always an issue for island communities. Sheridan is able to maximize water use through a rainwater harvesting system and wastewater treatment. Rainwater that flows through “hidden” pipes along the roofs of the hotel get collected into an underground cistern which can be used for watering the plants and flushing toilets.
Wastewater also gets collected to flow through a comprehensive treatment system. Water from baths, toilets, sinks, etc gets treated with organic bacteria, aerated and filtered, so that it may be used again. Careful though, we still do not recommend drinking this treated water (but it SHOULD be okay to drink :-)

I wish more hotels will invest in green practices, whether in Palawan or not. 50% of the world’s resources go to building construction and 45% of global energy is spent for heating, cooling and lighting of these buildings! So, if consumers get concerned about greener construction, the industry won’t have a choice but to follow.

The Sheridan Beach Resort was featured by ANC’s Business Nightly last month. Really great feature :-)

Sheridan's organic vegetable farm is located about 15 minutes away from the resort. Producing their own veggies saves on transporation costs and prevents them from consuming too much gas and diesel for transport. They also produce their own rice. Communities near Sheridan also benefit from this farm since they get to buy pesticide-free some veggies at lower cost.

No excuses...

2011-04-28T11:11:00.001+08:00

Oh but there will always be excuses. Blog backlog!

Too much work. So many changes set to happen. However, this girl thrives on change and as much as I hate to admit it, I work better in a fast-paced environment. (But still, I complain)

Too much distraction. A plethora of stuff waiting to be done. Interesting hobbies. Planned projects. Trips not yet taken. It doesn't help that I also have a husband with a broad range of interests! The result? Endless “to dos” and “to achieves”

Tonyo. Our Mutyo. Bibi T. Abu(rido). The precious bundle of joy who takes most of our attention during weekends!

Just some family updates ... Sam has been busy with his promotion papers, and being editor-in-chief (naks, mapagpanggap ka, sabi ko) of the official magazine of his Unit (mommy, pa edit naman please?), and loving and caring for Bulok, his recently acquired 2nd hand blue car.

As for me, I feel like the recent months passed by in a blur. Had trips to Pangasinan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija , and most, recently, Baguio. I was also able to visit Puerto Princesa and the famous underground river :-) another item ticked off in my bucket list (which is a never ending list, by the way!) Then I have 3 more trips this month...

The “blur” means I have plenty, plenty of stuff to write about! There's still the Holy Week break, then the products and places reviews! Whew.

A colleague laughed this morning when I said I have a Blog and Facebook backlog. That made me think – I can't believe I am considering this as a responsibility now.. :-) But it is!

KAOS - Eye Candy

2011-03-03T17:08:00.006+08:00

My mom and dad celebrated their 31st wedding anniversary last March 1. My dad decided to treat us to Kaos, a musical play-cum-circus and acrobatic extravaganza now playing at the Newport Performing Arts Center in Resorts World Manila.

The story, according to the show's site:

In a medieval kingdom, a lonely prince peers into a magical mirror and falls in love with a beautiful maiden from the future. As the past and the future converge, the two discover a love that transcends time and overcomes seemingly impossible odds.This is the story of KAOS, a visual and musical spectacle unlike anything Manila has ever seen

I won't go into detail, but the story shows how he finds her, of course there's a conflict, and their "happily ever after". Then there's a smattering of circus acts in between which they tried to incorporate into the story.

It was an eye-popping visual performance that definitely sent kids (and ladies, probably the younger kind because we were seated next to a bunch of Tourism Management students on study tour) squealing in delight.

My definite favorite was an act called the Human Time Machine, which was soort of a pendulum powered by two men with really great balancing skills. Then I also liked The Cycle of Life , where 5 motorcycle daredevils did heart-stopping stunts while confined in a tiny globe. I had to ask myself, at what point in one's life does one aspire to be a daredevil?

You actually watch this show for the circus acts and not for the story. The story was very "pilit" - which was not good for me because I had very high expectations and was looking forward to a musical play! The costumes were really, REALLY good. As for the actors , singers, dancers = I've seen better! Ah, but the Philippine All-Stars had a cool hip-hop number :-)

The circus acts came from all over the world and were really top quality. You can see that they really spent a lot for it. I appreciated it when they did one act at a time, but there was a portion when too much was happening onstage! It was a HUGE stage with a 3d backdrop (fun to watch by itself) , then a bunch of different groups doing different dances all at the same time, somebody trying to act out the story, some acrobats doing sky dancing, some animals on another side.... it was KAOS turned CHAOS.

Overall, I can say that Kaos was made up of really great acts that didn't quite blend. Or maybe I just think too much. So again, watch it for the visual effects (THUMBS up!) , but don't expect to experience a substantial story. Yay! also for the theater which was huge and spacious, with matching widescreens that showed Chinese and Korean subtitles. Boo! to poor theater etiquette, they allowed latecomers to come in even after the show already started and it was sooo distracting. ( I can't believe how late other people can get! Almost half of the audience came late!).

P.S The big cats they had were also awesome. They had a big white lion and a white tiger. They were beautiful, but I felt kind of sorry for the circus animals doing the tricks and then getting fed meat that was thrown on the ground... the audience can have their photos taken with Sito, the white tiger for Php600 (1 photo) and Php1000 (2 photos).

Since Sam couldn't make it, I found another date for that night, Illac Diaz :-)

KAOS has a six-month run, beginning 1st of December 2010.

Wednesdays: 8:00pm

Thursdays: 8:00pm

Fridays: 9:00pm

Saturdays: 3:00pm & 9:00pm

Sundays: 3:00pm

More reservations and ticket prices: http://www.rwmanila.com/kaos/

Choose Wellness...

2011-02-23T09:41:00.004+08:00

Choose Nestle!

Ha. This is not an advertisement. They just play a big part.

Last Saturday, while doing my weekend groceries - a Nestle Wellness representative asked me if I wanted to have a free nutritional analysis. I knew there's a "selling" part, but what the heck - it wasn't everyday that you get to talk to a nutritionist. They took my BP, my height, my weight, and (augh) my waistline (which I haven't even checked since, well, 2008 - basta kasya pa, isusuot ko). She computed for my body mass index (BMI) and ideal weight-for-height.

I am overweight (though the nutritionist told me it didn't show, thank God) ... I won't reveal my real weight, but let's just say my ideal weight should be betweeen 110-134 lbs. I told her I "just gave birth" , but at the back of my mind I knew that I should stop using that as an excuse because Tonyo is now 5 months old!

I was also told to increase my calcium intake (insert "try Nesvita lowfat milk" here) since I am 28 years old already (read: getting old) and just gave birth. She said milk in my coffee counts, hehe. I also have to lose x number of inches from my waistline in order to be taken out of the high-health risk category (there's a science to that, of course). I need to moderate my food intake and eat more healthy stuff. I need exercise. Brisk walking should be enough (but I badly want to try the Spa's Barre 3, ang mahal lang :oP!!! hello, I need a health and wellness buddy!)

She gave me some reference materials, a tape measure (!!! which is color-coded, tells you when you are dangerously large !!! ) , calorie converter, and a small monthly weight tracker.

Sigh. I feel so sad when I look at them- but inspired as well. Today, I am sick again (Sam even took me to the E.R last night. BTW, we didn't like St Luke's Global's service. That's another story) - and I know I have to get my health back on track. I stopped taking some of my food supplements when I got pregnant, and even if I get back on them again -- I know I still have to change my health and lifestyle habits. I don't smoke or drink -- but I think my late nights doing my hobbies are not healthy as well. Boo.

I don't have a diet plan in mind right now, I'll figure that out through tiny adjustments day-by-day. Goodluck to me on my path to wellness!!!

P.S. -- I know their evaluation is not fake and that they are not trying to sell me stuff. Sam got tested as well and got normal everything. Mag - Navy SEAL na lang kaya ako????

Yayas in Scrubs?

2011-02-19T18:07:00.004+08:00

Tonyo's 6th month is fast approaching. And it is our unwritten goal to start actively searching for his yaya ("Yaya" is Filipino for nanny) by his 6th month. I am actually dreading facing the yaya issue because I have heard so many stuff from my mommy friends. One such issue is about the daily wear of yayas -- the younger ones are prone to love skimpy, sexy wear. Inappropriate!

One alternative is to have yayas wear fashion scrubs . Gone are the days of the drab gray or green medical uniforms - They now come in all colors with cute designs. When Tonyo was in the NICU, Sam and I were able to wear pink and blue Mickey Mouse scrubs. Fun :-) They probably did this to get that "hospital-sick" stigma one gets when one sees dark scrub suits.

I have encountered a few yayas wearing healthcare uniforms - also gone are the days of frilly blue and white aprons for yayas ala-"Dutch maid") and they look really clean, presentable, and professional. Almost as if you have a professional nurse for a yaya.

The downside: I don't think real nurses nowadays are happy with this new "yaya in scrubs" trend !

brought to you by your friends at http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/

Hot Valentine Date

2011-02-13T22:04:00.006+08:00

Yep, we were "Alfa" and "Sammy" for the day..

Feb 12, 2011

It was an accidental cab ride that made me discover the special Valentines coffee course being offered by the Philippine Coffee and Barista Academy (PCBA). At that time, I was still clueless about what to give LTJG for V-day.. so after checking his schedule, I decided to sign us up! (I was so surprised when I got an enthusiastic yes!

Poizone de Amore (Love Potion) is a whole day "fun" workshop (I say fun because, one shouldn't expect to be an expert barista after the session..) for couples on coffee and beverage mixing. We love coffee, but are not coffee connoisieurs - LTJG and I are perfectly happy just tasting that coffee taste - be it from a sachet or from an expensive coffee shop if we want to indulge. We wanted to take our passion to the next level :-) Both of us are not big alcohol drinkers, so we bond over coffee and are more interested in espresso than cocktails.

The workshop was from 9-4pm. We learned about the different ways of coffee preparation (from manual drips, the coffee press, the mocha cup to fancy automatic machines that cost as much as a brand new car), how to distinguish a good cup from a bad cup, the right kind of grind for different filters, etc etc! . I've never had so much coffee in my life! I actually stopped counting after I sampled my 6th kind of drink.

Banana latte

Coffee from a manual drip brewer

Coffee from a coffee press

Espresso from a mocha pot

Mocha "frappuccino" (I put that in quotes because Frap is a brand by Starbucks. It's coffee blended with milk and ice)

Strawberry Banana Smoothie (yep we made non-coffee drinks as well)

Espresso from a coffee capsule

Almond rocha iced latte

Cappuccino ( trivia: a good cappuccino has fine, firm froth - test this by balancing a spoon on the froth.. it shouldn't fall through!)

Choco-orange "frappuccino"(which I commented that it might be better hot, so Mike, our instructor also made me ... a Choco-orange hot latte)

Green Mango smoothie (to cleanse our palate)

Blackforest "frappuccino" - super great, I won't reveal the recipe

Then, we were given the freedom to mix our own "Love Potion" :-)

After trying out three mixtures, we found our signature mix, which we called "RASPBERRY KISS" - we were asked to demonstrate the mix infront of the class. I won't reveal this recipe, either. But like I said during the demo, "It has to be made with lots of love and drank with pouty lips!"

Our potion won! (We were only one of two couples who attended, BUT STILL!) We got Php1000 worth of spa GCs, a box of Toblerone Krispy Kremes, a bag of vanilla smoothie mix, and a bottle of caramel syrup! Our Php3000 registration fee was worth it :-)

BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE...

The night after the workshop, as the caffeine slowly drained out of our system and we recalled the unique and pleasurable experience we had during the workshop, LTJG decided to give me his V-day gift.

Sweet delight, he gave me my very own espresso machine ! Hah! And he bought it last January, when we had no clue that we were going to do our coffee workshop :-)

Little did I know that we could practice what we learned at home :-) Yay! Thanks so much LTJG! (I'm having trouble uploading photos, so next time na lang muna! )

Interested to learn more about your coffee? Email phil.barista@yahoo.com !!!

Generation-We

2011-01-23T19:03:00.002+08:00

5 minutes to watch this video. I love the message.

What's the largest demographic group in the Phils? Youth din diba?

Millennials are the largest generation in American history. Born between 1978 and 2000, they are 95 million strong, compared to 78 million Baby Boomers. They are independent—politically, socially, and philosophically—and they are spearheading a period of sweeping change in America and around the world. No one knows the Millennials like Eric Greenberg. In Generation We, Greenberg explains the emerging power of the Millennial Generation, shows how they (and their supporters from other generations) are poised to change our nation and our world for the better, and lays out a powerful plan for progressive change that today's youth is ready to implement.

My Brother Alex

2011-01-17T11:27:00.003+08:00

I'm an only child, but I have had over 14 brothers and sisters. For those of you who've been following me online for a long time, and for those who know our family - you are aware of our commitment as a licensed foster family by the DSWD. We started taking care of abandoned kids (one at a time, no, we don't manage a home for kids) in 1994. Foster families give kids without parents the family care that they need that is so different from center/ orphanage care. We are on a break from foster care right now because we have our hands full with baby Tonyo.

Some of our kids returned to their biological families, while some got adopted abroad. One of our babies, got adopted by an American family, the Rahns. They changed his name to Alexander and they have kept in touch throughout the years. Yes, we got to see him grow.

My mom probably wondered why the correspondence stopped in 2008. Now we know. Alex got hit by a car while riding his bicycle in September 2008. His parents only had the courage to tell us this year through a Christmas card without the usual family photo . But I am so deeply saddened by the news. I surfed the web and found some news articles on his death. He was 13 years old.. so young, so tragic!

I also found this poem by him on the web. Good job, Alex.

WE LIVE IN UNITY

We live in unity
Every single race
Is the human community
No matter what color face
We can all live as one and still have fun.
If we do not, How would our lives run?
This is the plot
We stick together
Forever.
And ever.
And we can never
Think we are better than others
We are equal brothers and sisters
What matters is the inside
Not the color of then outside.
People have died
Because of race hate,
We can't change that because it's to late.
But how can we make a difference now?
By loving everyone on earth
Because we have been given love since birth.
Love is worth much more
Than winning a war.
Because of race or similar cases,
We could have been nothing
But God made us something.
He made us all equal in his eyes.
If people tell you otherwise, then those are lies .
He made us all equal and the same size
To God, our Father, our Creator.
We can't wait until later to make a change
Because peace is within our range

Alex Rahn
December 29 1994 - September 5th 2008

"Is this Me?"

2011-01-08T15:09:00.002+08:00

To celebrate LTJG's "new toy" (more about that later) , we watched the movie, "The Blind Side" on DVD. I've seen it before but he hasn't. The first time I watched it I was really crying every 15 minutes or so (I was pregnant + it was a really senti movie). Good thing I was so over it when I watched it again. It was still a good movie, though.

There was a scene in the movie where Leanne (played by Sandra Bullock) was giving Big Mike some shopping tips: "Before you buy anything, you have to ask yourself, 'Is this Me?' , if you don't absolutely love it in the store, don't get it." Or something like that. LTJG looked at me and told me, "Ganun nga Momi, ask yourself, 'Is this Me?'"

LTJG is a better shopper than I am. He knows what he wants and when he buys something, you can see that when he gets home he doesn't have regrets and he will really, really treasure what he bought. Nakakainggit. He always buys the right stuff. Me? It takes me ages to shop and to finally make a decision, and when I get home - I almost always say, "Ay, I should've just bought the other one." Even before Leanne's wisdom, LTJG has always reminded me to always just buy something that I am sure that I really, really love.

So the other day, armed with some gift certificates (served as honoraria for one workshop that my team hosted) , I went on a quest for a black leather bag. I wanted one that would say, "professional" , "corporate" , with some personality. I came home empty-handed. No black bag on the racks ever appealed to me - they all just looked the same! I was always drawn to the brighter, bigger, bolder ones. Therefore, I am probably not a black bag person. Hehe. I didn't want to get a black bag just to conform because it might just end up at the bottom of my closet.

No "me" , no bag. Will think of another way to spend my GCs.

2010: Challenges < Blessings

2011-01-01T06:42:00.006+08:00

We started 2010 by saying goodbye to a dear, dear friend Posbi Chris Pantaleon. He was the one who also paved the way for LTJG to be assigned closer to home... mid-year, he "starred" in one of my dreams telling me to "wait for something great in September" (his birthday month, incidentally, LTJG's birthday month as well..). I gave birth earlier than expected in on September 15th but was worrying because Tonyo went to the NICU after an hour or so of being "healthy". We do consider our Tonyo as Chris' gift to us because he was released and declared well baby on Sept 21st, Chris' birthday. Cheers, cheers Posbi. We will continue to pray for you and pray for Peng and Nico.

Anyway, like last year's practice -- here are what clicked and what failed during the past year !

(High) LTJG getting assigned in Elyu instead of Mindanao , and then LTJG being pulled out and being assigned to do office work in Cavite! (Woohoo, maybe not such a bright idea for him, but super great for me..)

(High) Finding out that we're pregnant!

(Low) Financial challenges for the whole family...

(High) Being converted to a 'regular' employee last July 2010, right on time at the brink of financial breakdown and debt. Came on time for the pending birth of Baby Tonyo

(Low) Bad year for my health. Got sick a lot of times - including one non-pregnancy related confinement and a late night trip to the ER. Then there was the emergency CS, Tonyo's NICU and Mom's hospitalization all at the same time!

(High) Surviving it all!

(Low) DMCI is not heeding our complaint against them re: transfer to Pag-ibig financing. We filed a complaint to HLURB and now waiting for hearing schedules. Bring it on.

(Low) Work has been really demanding.

(High) I am still challenged and excited with what I am doing at work. I was given an opporutunity to "shine" last December 2010 and I guess I delivered.

(High) TONYO. TONYO. TONYO.

(High) LTJG's (now Daddy) acquisition of "Bulok" , our blue Honda Civic which started serving us so well just this November. I'm not driver anymore :-)

(Low) The Tagaytay Break in

(High) My first ever tiangge. Hehe. Lugi but it was worth the experience.

(High) Celebrating the New Year with the our small extended Family and feeling so blessed. Happy to know that again, there are more Blessings than Challenges!

The Binan Household: Tito Boyit, Mia, Pepi, Memi, Tonyo (super tulog), Hanna, LTJG

From our extended family to yours, HAPPY HAPPY 2011! I wish for better health for all of us, a good year for business and financial opportunities, and for Tonyo (and us included) to enjoy every second of his life.

Tonyo's First Christmas

2010-12-28T22:25:00.004+08:00

I thought I was going to have a lousy holiday season. By Dec 22nd, I was down with severe colds and cough and slight fever. My mom had to "confiscate" Tonyo from me because he might catch my whatever. Sam got home Dec 23rd evening, and at 3 AM Dec 24, I woke him up because I was having difficulty breathing. We spent that morning in the emergency room of Binan Doctor's Hospital where I was treated to 3 rounds on the nebulizer. Cough cough.

I'm (almost) better now, though I had to make a sacrifice because of the sudden expense. No new camera this year. Gift to self? A brand new Nebulizer! haha.

We still had a pretty enjoyable Christmas with our newest baby! He's sooo observant! Wide-eyed and looking totally interested in everything. His face is so expressive and we just love him to bits!

The Oldest and the Youngest

Lola Salud Fernando @ 84 and Tonyo @ 3 months

QC Family Reunion, Christmas Day

With niece Rika and cousin Paolo

QC Family Reunion, Christmas Day

Cold Christmas in Tagaytay

Dec 25-26

Penaranda Cousins

Penaranda, Nueva Ecija

Dec 27

With Yaya and Manang Lita, SM Sta Rosa (Dec 28)

(We treated them to MMFF, I got a haircut while Tonyo and Wowa went shopping!)

Busy busy season!

4th Wedding Anniversary!

2010-12-26T22:24:00.006+08:00

Dec 16, 2010 ~ 4 years after we got married, I could honestly say that some things super improved... but some things have gone downhill. I will not elaborate on that anymore :-) but the important thing is that love is still in the air and it is not clouding our "real" vision. Good things outweigh the bad ;-) and for marriages to last, I guess you just have to learn to let go of some stuff.

How did we celebrate it? I was looking forward to a date , but my date did not pick me up from my office Christmas party as discussed!!!! :-( I was too sad to get mad when I called him to gently remind him. So after a few weepy moments , we were friends again and got to celebrate over flowers and a take home cake (which he got and just brought home, forgetting to pick me up . argh. Sobrang excited umuwi) . Have to hand it to him tho, these were the BEST bunch of flowers I ever got from him EVER (EVER!) . Sabi nga sa bahay, asenso na si LTJG! It's usually a bunch of not-arranged blooms, the most classic one being a dozen roses stuffed inside a JRS Express pouch.

Anyway, that weekend we drove to our church in Silang to "renew" our vows. We have always been lucky to catch a wedding there , but this time the wedding wasn't until late afternoon. So we just prayed together, took some photos and our traditional pasalubong for the Church office (which is either Sta Rosa Ralo's Cassava Cake or Puto Binan!)

After the Church, we stopped at Paseo de Sta Rosa for lunch at Poquito Mas (Spanish-Latino-Filipino "SPLANTINO") cuisine. I was a bit disappointed with the place, which was not as nice and cozy as before. We ordered Seafood Paella , which was good -- but I think it still needs extra oomph!!

Have you been to Paseo lately? It is really growing! They're packaging it is an outlet area where you can get branded items at lower prices. They have Nike, Adidas, Speedo, Sisley, Crocs, Havaianas, etc etc...

We thank the Lord for another year of love and togetherness, of patience (!!!), of understanding, of overcoming challenges. I love you Sam and Happy Anniversary !

YOU BETTER NOT FORGET TO PICK ME UP NEXT YEAR!

Super Junior

2010-12-12T15:33:00.002+08:00

... is the name of a Korean boy band. And the source of great stress for one of our consultants in the office. Last week, I received about 4 emails from him -- almost panicked, that tickets were about to get sold out and hi daughters would really, really like to watch. He was stuck in Vanuatu and could not get home in time and his daughters would be really disappointed. He was asking (pleading...) me to please buy 2 VIP tickets... at 7,990 PHP each.

WTF!?

He was a really nice guy and I bet with him being absent from home all the time (the guy's family lives in Bacolod, he works in Manila and most of the time out of the country for business trips) this was one of his ways to make up to his family. I didn't even know Super Junior, but there I was buying 2 VIP tickets (the only ones available, cheaper ones were all sold out - and if I didn't reserve ahead of time, muntik na din ako maubusan sa SM Makati!). I don't know how the salespeople at the ticket counter could manage straight faces while selling tickets at outrageous prices!!

I thought the 15,000 ++ I paid for my tickets were really shocking, but while the counter people were checking my reservation, a lady came to claim her Taylor Swift tickets...

"Ma'm, your total bill is 127,000 pesos"

WTF!?! Php 127,000 for ten tickets to Taylor Swift!!And I heard it was also all sold out ... and the concert isn't on until FEB! There were also irked parents trying to buy at SM and being turned away.

As I checked my BPI account last Friday for my colleague's promised ticket payment from Vanuatu, I prayed that Tonyo won't be a fan of something with expensive tickets...

The Little Engine that Could

2010-12-06T09:35:00.004+08:00

Do you know that story? I vaguely remember watching an animated version when I was young. A quick search on the web got me this .. (Wikipedia)

The story of the little engine has been told and retold many times. The underlying theme however is the same - a stranded train is unable to find an engine willing to take it on over difficult terrain to its destination. Only the little blue engine is willing to try, and while repeating the mantra "I think I can, I think I can" overcomes a seemingly impossible task.

An early version goes as follows;
A little railroad engine was employed about a station yard for such work as it was built for, pulling a few cars on and off the switches. One morning it was waiting for the next call when a long train of freight-cars asked a large engine in the roundhouse to take it over the hill "I can't; that is too much a pull for me," said the great engine built for hard work. Then the train asked another engine, and another, only to hear excuses and be refused. In desperation, the train asked the little switch engine to draw it up the grade and down on the other side. "I think I can," puffed the little locomotive, and put itself in front of the great heavy train. As it went on the little engine kept bravely puffing faster and faster, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can."

As it neared the top of the grade, which had so discouraged the larger engines, it went more slowly. However, it still kept saying, "I--think--I--can, I--think--I--can." It reached the top by drawing on bravery and then went on down the grade, congratulating itself by saying, "I thought I could, I thought I could."

The animated clip of the engine wheels turning vividly replayed itself on my mind the whole of last week. This was because of an extraordinary task given to me in the office :: to present the highlights of our program to the Donors Meeting. As a private sector development organization, we receive thousands of dollars worth of donations from different governments, so we are accountable to several embassy representatives.

My Pinoy boss was in the United States. Our Slovak colleague had to be in Cebu for a training. Our regional bosses preferred to have someone personally deliver the report-- so it was only the little engine in the office left -- Me. When someone questioned my capability, my boss said, "She's the one who writes everything anyway, so she should be able to do it.." When I questioned my boss he told me, "Gusto mo bang habang buhay taga-gawa ka lang ng report? Ikaw na."

Oh well. I think I can. I think I can. From my extended maternity leave I was called to be in the office for a dry run infront of our Russian regional boss (who turned out to be a very nice lady by the way) and some of the other bosses in the office. I did not try to hide my nervousness and they were good with it. It was a mixture of nerves and pride when I saw my name printed on the agenda -- my "program assistant" title on the same level as all the "operations officers"

So I did. Infront of our bosses, our donors, and via beamed video and audio to our offices in Hong Kong and Beijing, and to some people who were in San Diego, USA. Turned out okay, I guess.

What I found out is that -- bosses pass notes, too. Hehe.

A passed note from one of our operations officers before and after my presentation

Starting Somewhere

2010-11-29T15:52:00.003+08:00

The beauty of having a regular salary is that I can now set aside some to explore small business opportunities :-) I am still not that business-savvy , but I am so relieved that I can now 'explore' without sacrificing basic needs. Realistically, normal people should not stop working to do their own business. I read somewhere (I forgot where...) that a good start is to use a part of your regular salary to try entrepreneurship first.

Anyway, here is my first venture out of the web! I am so excited about joining my first ever bazaar :-) It's just going to be a weekend market at the Boni Heights clubhouse, and I'm only renting space for 1 day, but it's still a start! It's a sort of extension and reopening of my online shop: http://www.alfacompany.multiply.com/.

I'll be selling really nice bags, purses, passport holders, folios, etc. and if everything works out, I will also have some premium organic soaps on sale :-) I am sooooo excited! And since this is a reopening sale, I just might sell some stuff at a promo price! I am looking forward to expanding our product line but cheers to STARTING SOMEWHERE!!

Here's a quick preview of what we're having:

For yummy bath and body treats, I'll be selling Emu Oil soaps and rubs at the market. The video below shows the whole Venus and Mars selection! Everything really makes me so excited but Alfa Co. can only handle the soaps as of now...

I have tried V&M and I just love the stuff. The best ingredient that the soaps have is Premium, organic EMU OIL! Emu oil is good for just about any skin problem: allergies, rashes, dark/ flaky skin, swelling, itchiness, etc. etc. According to www.emuoilguide.com:

Emu oil is a proven anti-inflammatory, with effects comparable to that of ibuprofen; a bacteriostatic, meaning that it does not promote the growth of bacteria; a Hypoallergenic which means it is not known to cause skin irritation or have any side effects; a highly penetrating oil that absorbs without leaving a greasy feel; and a non-comedogenic, meaning that it does not clog pores.

Emu oil naturally contains Vitamin E, which is a major antioxidant and healing agent; Vitamin A, a known skin repairer and antioxidant; Linoleic acid, which helps to ease muscle aches and joint pain; Oleic acid, which is a proven skin cell regenerator and anti-wrinkle agent; Sapogens, proven skin softeners; and Terpines, known antiseptics.

Emu oil products make wonderful moisturizers that can smooth and condition rough elbows, knees and heels; soften and moisturize hands and cuticles; reduce the itching and flakiness associated with dry skin; and protect the face and hands from wind and weather.

Best of all, emu oil skin care products contain powerful antioxidants, as well as a known skin cell regenerator and anti-wrinkle agent, helping to improve the condition of aging skin. Offering both skin-thickening and moisturizing properties, emu oil skin care products help counter the wrinkles and dry, scaly, thinning skin that commonly occur with aging by moisturizing, lubricating and replenishing dry or irritated skin on the face, hands and body: and by preventing additional moisture loss by forming a protective barrier.

See you at the Weekend Market! Dec 4, Saturday, 10am-8pm, 2F Bonifacio Heights Clubhouse, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig (It's actually Dec 4-5 , but I only signed up for Saturday :-) oh, and LTJG and Tonyo will be there to support their mommy!)

The one that got away... ;-)

2010-11-26T20:22:00.005+08:00

Two of my highschool batchmates just got married (to each other!) They've been dating for 12 years (so their invitation said, I've lost count) and we've all been waiting for the "big day". They were one of the few (if any?) surviving couples from our batch since high school.

I wasn't able to go to the celebration because I was still uncomfortable with my stitches then. But my dad was there because he was also Ninong. The girl and I weren't really that close back in high school , but my dad and her dad were fraternity brods. I would consider the guy a close friend since he lived nearby and we used to hang out with other "dorm-dwellers" after school. We also loved to hang out at his house (always open to visitors)... so we were no strangers to his parents.

During the wedding, my dad met the guy's dad. When Tito Kaying found out that I was my father's daughter, he reportedly exclaimed... "Si Hanna? Hanna Fernando? Yan yung gusto ko paligawan kay Caloy dati eh!" My dad was so surprised that he called me just to tell the story. Later on during the parents' speeches... Tito Kaying again mentioned that there were 3 girls he liked for his son to court "sana" back then ... Gmeleen (our class valedictorian, now a lawyer), Lea (daughter of former UP President Emil Javier, now happily married and residing in Canada) and.. Hanna (now.. what?) . But of course, Tito Kaying also said that if he knew Chel (the bride!) back then, he would have liked her as well :-) Bumawi!

It was flattering :-) Caloy and I were never romantically linked so it was also funny that his dad remembered me. Anyway, I consider Caloy and Michelene "it" couple of our batch. Showbiz royalty :-) I heard it was a fantastic event and the two honeymooned in EUROPE! From time to time they uploaded photos in FB showing happy photos from Venice, Switerland, Paris, Greece.

Sheesh, sarap!!! (Joke ito... ) Sana nga ako na lang .. hahaha. What should one do to afford all those?

Anyway.. CONGRATULATIONS you two!!! You had us wait long enough for the wedding, don't wait too long for the little 'uns!

Deperate and Daring

2010-11-26T19:54:00.005+08:00

Last Sunday, unidentified men broke into our Tagaytay home while my parents were sleeping. They rummaged through the rooms and also took my mom's bag which was sitting right next to her on the bedside table. They were able to get cash, my mom's phone and a collection of credit cards and ATMs. As one of our ninongs said, this Christmas season, people are getting more desperate and daring.

That morning, police found out that the house next to ours was also broken into (no people inside) , and that most of the non-valuable contents of my mom's bag was scattered across the neighbor's garden. They also found gloves and a knife. Were the robbers ready to kill?

Thank God my parents did NOT wake up. What could've happened then? They could have been killed. Up to now we are pressuring the subdivision's security and Tagaytay police to not let this slip. We have already been warned by some of the locals that police might just take advantage of us and ask for "allowance" in exchange for the real investigation of the case. There's a risk of shelling out money while a fake investigation takes place.

To date, what we have is an erroneous police report. I do not want to jump into any conclusions about our police force, because they are "brothers in service" after all. I hope this won't turn out to be a disappointment.

My Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy (FNAB) Experience

2010-11-13T09:07:00.004+08:00

Huge sigh of relief.

Last week of October, I was bothered by the most painful sore throat I've ever had. No amount of Vitamin C / Strepsils / Orofar / Salt gargles could take it away. I felt weird because unlke my other sore throats, this one seemed to have "localized pain" . To make things scarier, I felt a marble like lump in my throat.

It was a weekend so I scrambled to find a clinic. We don't have a regular family doctor (maybe it's about time we get one) , so I just made do with the first clinic I saw. She checked me out, felt the lump , and said that it may just be a swollen lymph node - but she sent me for a thyroid ultrasound just to make sure. I declined antibiotics for the swollen nodes because that would mean I will have to stop breastfeeding.

When I had the ultrasound, we found out that (1) Yes, indeed I had swollen lymph nodes , BUT (2) I also had a small "nodular cyst" in my right thyroid. Sheesh. They advised me to visit an ENT doctor for interpretation and future action.

I decided to get an ENT closer to our home in Taguig, so the soonest available one was from Healthway at Market! Market! I was surprised to meet the handsomest doctor I've ever met (haha!). But hated him as soon as he told me that we had to perform a biopsy on my cyst to determine whether it was cancerous or not (benign). Now, I am super afraid of needles that when I was in 4th grade they had to chase me all the way home from the village clubhouse to give me a Hepa booster!

He told me that the sensation would just be like expressing blood from your arm, "Pero sa leeg nga lang ang tusok." WTF! That was reassuring. I asked him if he has ever pricked himself before and he candidly admitted giving himself Botox (kaya pala gwapo...) The procedure was called FNAB or Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy where they stick a needle through your throat to access the lump and get samples. Dr. Pogi scheduled me for an ultrasound guided one so we can make sure that he will just make one prick (because my lump was still small)

I wanted to put it off because I wasn't feeling anything anymore - but decided against it when I thought about Sam's colleague who got diagnosed with throat cancer. He used to always dismiss recurring sore throats.

The procedure was postponed TWICE. First because the radiologist was not available, then the next one was because Dr. Pogi had an emergency! I was so frustrated because I wanted it over and done with to put an end to the stress, and I wanted it done before I get back to work. My dad's doctor friend then referred us to a well-known pathologist who holds clinic in front of the PGH.

Apparently, this Dr. Avila is very well known! He performs FNABs and you get the result within 20 minutes (unlike in hospitals or labs where you have to wait for a week!). I waited for more than an hour with all the other patients who came to see him . There were people from Batangas, Bicol and one even came from Aklan! Turns out even big hospitals like Asian send specimens to him for analysis.

You know when they tell kids "parang kagat lang yan ng langgam" when talking about injections? Well, injections feel like REALLY BIG Ant bites, hehe. But for FNAB, I guarantee that it is even less painful than your red ant bite! I felt so proud and brave afterwards. Dr. Avila also told me that my lump was easy to find and it was a good thing that I did not waste my money on an ultrasound-guided procedure. I saved almost Php 3,000.00.

So there, I got my results. More than half of it I didn't understand - but was happy to see the word BENIGN. Good, good, good! I consulted an Endocrinologist and now I am on thyroid medication which can hopefully melt away the cyst. I am to take it everyday and will have to go back to my Endo for blood tests/ ultrasounds in a few months. Thank you God talaga that it's benign!

I really hope you wouldn't need this but I am throwing in Dr. Jose Avila's details. I really did not find anything realistically helpful to me on the net, so I hope this personal experience of mine on FNAB can help others in need.

Dr. Jose Ma. C. Avila, MD
Pathologist
Unit 307 3rd Floor
West East Center Bldg
1336 Taft Ave, Ermita, Manila

(he's also the Chairman for Pathology at UP PGH)

Clinic: MWF, 9-11 (first come, first served)
Tel Nos: 524-6143

Cost: Php 3,000 for one "prick" , additional Php 1,000 per additional prick (for multiple pricks) - might sound expensive but it is really cheaper and more efficient than having it done somewhere else - where they still have to send the specimen away to a lab for analysis!

I would like to thank my mom and dad who came with me! And I am happy to report also that the first four patients' results came out negative for cancerous cells as well. I hope all of those who remained in the waiting room were as lucky as us.

Diaper Rush

2010-11-09T00:30:00.004+08:00

So great to be back here in our small home where everything is within reach. We had to be forced-evicted from Laguna because the house’s ceiling there was infested by termites! The smell of the pesticide is bad for the baby (and mommy , who almost got sick upon first sniff of the dust and the pesticide.. had to take major doses of Vit C.) My mom stays here with me throughout the day, and of course, my dad lives with us here.. so – kumpleto ang pamilya ngayon!

My days with Tonyo here are numbered tho, because I go back to the office next week and he gets left behind in our home in Laguna with Wowa. I will get to see him when I go home mid-week and the weekends. We decided not to get a new yaya yet while he’s so small. Probably in 6 months or so. I stopped breastfeeding already (or pumping) because I have a lot of medical stuff going on (but that’s another story) I’m liking it here at Boni – the downside is that we don’t have much TV (a hazy channel 2!!!!) and that I don’t have regular net access, just the portable Smart Bro which gets so slow sometimes.

Anyway, the purpose of this post is a diaper review! I’m just in that review mode, hehe. We have so far tried 3 brands: Huggies , EQ and Pampers Comfort.

When my aunt and uncle went home from the US last September, they brought with them 2 huge bags of Huggies Snuggles. They were soo cute with the baby Winnie the Pooh designs! This is why during the first few weeks, I really did not use them. I had to give daily diaper supply when Tonyo was in the NICU so I alternated the Huggies that I already had with some store bought Pampers.

However, the NICU used EQ dry whenever Tonyo runs out of diapers (and before I get to bring his supplies) So I am fully aware that he’s not allergic to any of them. I wanted to use EQ because they’re the cheapest ones, but when we brought Tonyo home and I got to do the changes personally, I changed my mind. Pampers Comfort, in my opinion, was true to its promise that for every 2 diapers with a different brand, you only use 1 Pampers diaper.

EQ simply falls apart even while changing (I think it has so many “loose flaps” that go all over the place). It also gets soaking wet and wee wee wets the bed or the baby carrier. I believe it irritates the baby whenever it gets squeezed. The seal is good tho, just like the commercial said: will still stick even with baby powder. The design is a bit blah but that’s not really important.. I got stuck with some EQ diapers when I asked Sam to buy "Pampers" and he thought I meant any diaper. Sigh, just like those "Colgate" , "Gasul" and "Xerox" stuff where people get confused re: the brand and the generic name!

Huggies look extremely comfy and sturdy, and super cute because of the design. It has nice circle Velcro flaps that holds really well! But, like EQ, wee wee also gets squeezed out! Baby’s butt is quite sticky every nappy change.

The best wee wee retainer for us is Pampers! Baby’s bottom is still dry even if the diaper is so heavy already! It really absorbs wee wee away from baby’s skin. Yey! It’s P&G’s gift to mommies. Tho slightly pricier than EQ, I’d rather get Pampers for convenience and comfort! Each diaper features a different animal character each time. What’s not quite good about are the adhesives. You stick it wrong the first time and you’ll have trouble sticking it on again. (I use medical tape when that happens..)

What we use I believe is the local version – we haven’t tried the imported ones but we soon will because my FAFI (former AFI barkada) friends just gave us packs of what looks like the imported kind! (Thanks FAFI!!!)

So there you go, EQ may be cheap , Huggies may be cute and expensive.. but mid-priced Pampers is the winner for mommy and Tonyo!

Husbands and Wives

2010-11-05T14:40:00.003+08:00

My husband recently got transferred to somewhere closer. This pleased us a lot, but according to him, this is his busiest job so far. Which I think is true, his assignments before took him away for long periods but he got longer vacation time and when he's home, he's really home. This new job enables him to go home on weekends - but he has constant 'homework' and his phone beeps and rings nonstop about work-related stuff. Geez. Talk about being an underpaid semi-corporate slave.

Anyway, he has some office-related tasks that I can handle so he sometimes asks me to help out (sweetly). Yep, me and him staying up together oh so late working on his stuff. This is what I call making the most out of our time :: bonding over work!

Well, now he's at work and I have some of his homework. I came across an article written by one of his colleagues about a wife of a military officer (whose rank is wayyy higher than LTJG's). Since this article probably won't be available to the general public, I just wanted to share its essence to the military wives -- or to the OFW wives out there. I guess it applies to people in long distance relationships!

Husbands and Wives go their separate ways as Husband A and Wife A. After months or years of separation, pressure and change - they come back together as Husband B and Wife B. Their priorities and motivation may have changed dramatically. This is very challenging and often frustrating since these individuals process life changes differently. One has been dealing with pressures of war or work , while the other one is left behind single-handedly managing the household. This transformation make reunions difficult and married life tough to handle.

I really liked what she said, and I hope to be reminded about this whenever I feel frustrated about "forgotten" family priorities. Women (is this correct? Well, I admit that I am like this) tend to keep silent about feelings and hope that their significant others "sense" their needs and frustrations. But as the book says, Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus - they have entirely different cultures and languages. Throw in the complication of a military life or a long distance relationship, and you really, really have to work harder.

Snippets

2010-10-26T00:10:00.002+08:00

Since I am not always sure about how much time I will spend on the PC (because baby is soo unpredictable) , I can only do snippet-blogging :-)

... Tonyo's taking Heraclene, which I found out is an appetite-booster. This results in frequent feeding and frantic, impatient cries whenever I cannot give him what he wants en punto. We only have 3 capsules left. I have to admit, I enjoy breaking them open and making his milk turn pink.

... "Hindi kita mahal sa paraang gusto mo, pero mahal kita sa paraang alam ko" Sarah Geronimo to Coco Martin in the telenovela, IDOL. Hehe.

... I watch TV Patrol all the way up to Magkaribal in ABS-CBN. I will miss these telenovela marathons when I go back to Taguig. I especially like IMORTAL , primarily because I have a massive girl crush on Angel Locsin. Weird nga lang talaga umarte si Rico Blanco! Parang comedy.

... Just as I am recovering from all the hospitalizations and getting ready to get back to work, something weird popped up over the weekend that prompted me to have a thyroid ultrasound. :-( Does not look good but I'm getting a specialist opinion tomorrow. Sheesh. When it rains, it pours! Good thing I have medical insurance now. What I am dreading is that they might classify me as high risk already hehe.

Hokey, nap time! (mine..)

Senior Citizen @ Shakeys!

2010-10-19T16:18:00.008+08:00

Turning 60 is such a milestone ... they say life begins at 60, and that's also when you earn your 20% discount!

My dad's 60th birthday was last October 1. My mom and I wanted to give him a special party, but we were stumped because I was supposedly due to give birth on the 3rd of October! So we played it safe and made party reservations for October 23. We planned a 'surprise' children's party!

We were in for a surprise, however - when both my mom and I were hospitalized and then I had to give birth early .. via C-section! Hay. We lacked the mobility to push through with the party! I couldn't drive and didn't have access to my dad's friends contact numbers because I was stuck in Laguna with painful stitches. So, we had no choice but to clue my dad in so we can have a driver, hehe. He knew something was happening, but did not know the details!

The party pushed through last Sunday, Oct 17 (we were able to have it moved earlier!) , and my mom and I were sooo happy because we had a good attendance. My dad's family, high school barkada, amateur radio friends, Realtor friends and brods from the UP Beta Sigma came and were so game with the kids party that we organized. Hey, when you're old, you usually go to parties where you just sit around and eat. Well, we had a party host, balloons, games and a MASCOT! We got good feedback about the idea.

Party held at Shakey's Restaurant , Star Cruises Building, Newport City.

Bottoms Up! We were able to get a former AFP general and a retired Ambassador to drink iced tea from baby bottles. Hehe.

I can't seem to upload more photos! But we also had a Mickey Mouse cake (gift) and some really cool lootbags one of my dad's classmates donated. They were paper bags filled with "old-timer" candies like Tootsie Roll, Orange Swits, Curly Tops, Tira-tira, Juicy Fruit, Goya Coins - ang galing talaga!

I also gave the guests a preview of the 60 stories book we're doing for my dad. My dad is a very helpful and friendly person, that a lot of people have great stories to tell about him. I started this research about 3 months ago through emails to his classmates and frat brods. Sayang, hindi ko natapos in time for the party, so I just printed out draft layouts for people to enjoy :-) So interesting to learn about his crazy antics , like getting detained in Cebu during the Martial Law years!

I hope I can just organize parties all year long. :-) Happy Birthday Pepi, we love you so much.

"Ate"

2010-10-15T17:18:00.002+08:00

Someone’s proud to be an ate!

Her eyes sparkle when she sees Tonyo. She follows us around when we’re carrying the baby. She sits patiently by my feet whenever I sit down with the baby. And, if we allow her, she sniffs attentively. Most amazing was when she didn’t attempt to jump up on the bed when Tonyo was there.

I’m talking about our dog, Mia. A few days before I gave birth, our dog, Mia was miserable. She hardly ate and she claimed our bathroom as her depression zone. When we asked her to go away (nobody wanted to pee with Mia looking at them with her sad eyes), she claimed a quiet corner and proceeded to “relocate” all her dog toys from her small bed to that area. We concluded the following: (1) She sensed that my mom was sick and that I was anxious, and (2) She sensed a major change coming.

When we got back from the hospital (no baby yet since he was in the NICU) , Mia was still miserable. Following a phone conversation with a Vet-friend, we realized that Mia might be jealous and is "feeling" the coming of the new baby. My friend told me to “include” Mia in all the excitement. And that was when we started calling her “Ate” and telling her things like…

“Ate, we have a baby brother coming okay? You will take care of him ha?” “Mia, you will be Ate to baby Tonyo okay? When he’s big already you will play!” “Ate, when baby comes you stay here okay? Maliit pa sya e, bawal pa play!”

– call us crazy but it seemed to work!

When we took Tonyo home, I saw none of the frantic barking from Mia that I was expecting! She welcomed us by standing on her hind legs, her tail wagging affectionately. She followed us around.. and when we entered our room (which has a makeshift “gate” so Mia can’t enter) , Mia peeked through the gate excitedly. Up to now, she sometimes brings her toys and stays by the door, as if patiently waiting for Tonyo to play with her.

Now, Mia responds to calls for “Ate”. She gives an apologetic look if she suddenly barks when Tonyo’s sleeping. Of course, we guard her well whenever we’re with Tonyo.. but we feel like they’re going to be good friends when baby grows up!

On the occasion of Tonyo’s first month-birth-sary, allow us to honor the proud Ate – Mia!

Unexpected Turns

2010-09-23T21:18:00.003+08:00

Nothing is ever certain.

I had my pregnancy/ maternity leave/ office stuff all planned out. I was scheduled to go on maternity leave Sept 27th, a week before my real due date, Oct 3rd. As a result of this announcement, a lot of my office events and deadlines got pushed earlier "so I can still do them before I go on leave" - mind you, that was a bit stressful. I secretly wished I could go on early maternity leave! (Be careful what you wish for...) I had back to back meetings and impossible deadlines.

Sorry, job. I had to leave behind a LOT of unfinished business.

I went on leave on September 13th following my checkup which showed signs of baby stress. To make things worse, my mom was also getting sick at that time. Life really has unexpected moments : as I was being sliced up in the operating room, my mom was also being admitted to the same hospital. We were in separate rooms because she had a verry bad cough and a mysterious rash (she's okay now..) . We both checked out after 3 days.

It was the most grueling week of my life. Spent in pain and in emotional stress. I was still in the recovery room when the pedia talked to me about our baby being admitted into NICU. I hated being in pain and helpless and emotional , not being able to visit baby immediately, and not having my mom beside me for emotional support.

I am so thankful for the presence of my husband, who was able to fix his schedule to take care of me , and to be my source of strength throughout the ordeal. If my life were a movie, last week was really Sam's "moment" as an excellent father and husband. I just can't help but look at him and be filled with awe and love.

To our relatives, friends, and loved ones who showered us with support, thank you very much. Happy posts ahead... :-) God is still making sure that Baby Tonyo is "well done" before he is trully released to the real world.

Baby update:

As of today Sept 23, SAMUEL ANTONIO "Tonyo" PACUA (born Sept 15) is recovering nicely from his pneumonia and UTI under the care of the NICU nurses at the Binan Doctor's Hospital (Laguna) . He's out of the incubator, no more tubes and ventilators attached. He is still finishing up his antibiotics and can now feed like a regular baby. We still don't know when we can take him home, but we can visit him whenever we want to! He can now also be "viewed" in the regular nursery :-) He is absolutely beautiful (which means he looks a bit like me..) but a lot of people say he has more Sam in him than Hanna.

NICU nurses swear he's the loudest crier (parang inaaway, ma'am) - but he is always such an angel whenever we visit. Hmmm, kunwari mabait when mommy and papa are visiting?

Early Birthday

2010-09-13T22:17:00.003+08:00

...waiting for Wednesday, my stomach doesn't hurt enough,pain always is the sign...

.. opening lyrics to one of my favorite songs from Lisa Loeb's Tails album.

Indeed, I am waiting for Wednesday. Because on Wednesday, Sept 15th, Tonyo will say hello world! He'll be coming right in the middle of a crowded house of balikbayans (all my uncles and aunties are home from the USA for a high school reunion). They were NOT supposed to be here because Tonyo's not due 'til Oct 3rd (they'll be back in the US by then), but I guess the kid is itching to get dollar-gifts (hmmm...)

Tonyo treated everyone to a scare-show last Saturday during our 37th week checkup. No heartbeat registered via doppler, no movement whatsoever during the impromptu ultrasound. My OB dragged me to the O.R so she can hook me up to a monitor (she called in TOCO, they strapped stuff to my stomach while it printed out readings) , all the while rambling, "Nakuuu Hanna, kung walang mangyari sa atin, bubuksan talaga kita ngayon na.." She was near tears, I was near tears, as we waited for the heartbeat and fetal movement to register.

Finally, I felt a familiar kick. And my doctor heaved a sigh of relief. After 3 minutes of quiet, Tonyo was kicking as if nothing happened. I was unhooked and made to take what they call a Biophysical Scoring (BPS) ultrasound, where Tonyo scored 8/8 (very good) and everybody happy once again.

Whew. My dad said maybe he was already practicing to be a diver - trying to see how long he can hold his breath.

Now, we were given a choice to wait for labor to begin, while monitoring through BPS every 3 days. OR we can do elective CS. Of course, most of the family, including my husband- vote for CS. This will take away worries about Tonyo's state since we just won't rely on his movements (and my judgement) inside me.

I am quite nervous. I've never been sliced before. I dread the long (probably painful?) recovery period. Good luck to us! I can still probably do last minute shopping tomorrow .. hehe. May mga kulang pa..

Oops Moment...

2010-09-06T12:23:00.006+08:00

We were supposed to re-use an old crib for the baby. To our dismay, the old wooden crib in our bodega in Laguna has been damaged by the countless floods and termites :-( nobody thought of cleaning it out after every flood. Now, we have to get 2 cribs. One for Laguna, and one for Boni. After giving birth, I'll be staying in Laguna then we'll just move to Boni when I have to get back to work already. We still need to leave a crib in Laguna because of our "midweek baby arrangement" with my mom before we have to be forced to get a yaya.

We thought of getting a pack 'n play first because it is more expensive. We figured it will be easier to squeeze out a smaller amount for a wooden crib once we have to move on. Hearing of a Baby Company sale at SM last Saturday, off we went! There's this brown Disney Baby crib we've been eyeing and we hoped to see it there. Unfortunately, the only Disney they had was a queer orange one :oP.

BUT, they had a very nice charcoal gray Baby Company pack 'n play with some animal designs. What was even better was that it was ON SALE, and was half the price of our Disney dream! The salespersons (both of them men, one was slightly 'feminine') were really great about discussing the specs and demonstrating the assembly of the pack 'n play. So, after 30 minutes of discussion, we finally decided to get it! It was 50% cheaper than the Disney.

The guys brought out new stock (the only one left!) and assembled the unit for our inspection. As they were packing it, and as we were about to close the sale, we suddenly heard a loud CRRACCK. Everybody froze. Turns out that the central mechanism of the thing was made of cheap non-flexible plastic! I was sooo disappointed , Sam was laughing and the salespersons were just... speechless. Nahiya ako for them! Imagine, making a sales pitch for something that broke right before our eyes! We looked at the Disney materials and it really looked more durable.

And so.... yesterday, we finally got our preferred brown Baby Pooh Disney pack n' play at the Landmark - where it was P300.00 cheaper than at Market! or SM ... and I also got an additional 5% discount :-) I was so happy because I used to visit it everyday, and I finally got to take it home. No glitches during the demo, and the materials were wayyy better than the Baby Company one. If it lasts up to Tonyo's toddler-ship, it can even convert into a mini tent with a zippered door. Yey!

There's even a matching stroller, but we're still crossing our fingers and hoping that someone will give us a stroller as a gift, hehe.

After visiting the store everyday, hehe... we finally have it :-)

Tonyo’s Shopping (and Wish!) List

2010-08-28T09:34:00.002+08:00

My former boss and now “client” Nanette took me baby stuff shopping yesterday afternoon. Being a 3-time mom, she was quite familiar with newborn essentials (but maybe not quite updated with newer technologies, like disposable liners for baby bottles and those nifty portable cribs/playpens called “pack and plays”, hehe). Nanette and the salesperson were surprised when I told them I haven’t really finished my layette shopping. “Ma’am, tapusin nyo na soon kasi in a few days baka hirap na kayo maglakad!” the salesperson warned me when I told her that I was entering my 35th week. Soo… I am panicking right now. Haha.

The shopping trip was a good catch-up experience with Nanette (who, by the way, just got promoted from Senior Manager to Assistant Vice President of one of the country’s top banks! Woohoo! This only proves that Nice Girls CAN Also Get a Corner Office!) and earned our Tonyo a very nice Baby Mickey terry cloth hooded bath towel and wash cloth set, and a cool KoziBlankie crib comforter/ bolster pillows and flat pillow set (blue, with a sun / moon / stars design.. I just love them!) I wouldn’t have bought these items for ourselves, so thank you , thank you ma’am!

I’ve had this baby essential list for a while – so maybe it’s about time I get serious with it! My best friend and maid of honor Gladys is also organizing a baby shower (she was also the one who threw me a bridal shower!)… so maybe I’ll try and coax her to look at my list ... wink, wink! At this time, only my clothing list is somewhat complete. Uh-oh.

NEWBORN CLOTHING

Kimono (newborn) – 1 pc ok, need 2 more
Sando – 1 pc ok, need 2 more
“Going out” shirts – We probably won’t take Tonyo out much during the 1st few months so we’d appreciate slightly bigger stuff!
Pajamas
Mittens / gloves – ok , 3 pairs
Baby socks – ok , 4 pairs
Baby booties – ok, 2 pairs
Baby hat/ cap – we have one cap with an elephant. I love it.

DIAPERS

Cloth lampins – we plan to be somewhat environment-friendly and use disposeables only when traveling
Disposeables – have no idea what to get
Pins/ Clips -

FEEDING

Milk/ Formula - wish: breastfeeding :-) is a breast pump really necessary?
Feeding bottles – wish: I want Pigeon or Avent , 3 small ones and 3 slightly bigger ones
Nipples – hopefully, Pigeon
Bottle Brush
Sterilizer – my boss says he’s going to give me his son’s
Burp cloths – ok c/o Memi who went into a sewing frenzy
Bibs
Receiving blankets – maybe 2 pcs?

BATHING and CLEANING

Baby wipes – or maybe do it the old school way? Cotton and water in a Tupperware container!
Rubber mat/ waterproof pad
Diaper rash ointment – wait for what the doc says
Baby Bathtub
Bath products – I was thinking Human Nature’s chamomile baby wash, but depends on what doc says
Hooded towels – 1 pc from Nanette! Maybe get 2 more
Wash cloth – 1 pc from Nanette, have to get 2 more
Baby Nail clippers

FURNITURE and GEAR

Crib or Cradle – have to get a wood one for Binan and we really, really want a Pack and Play for Boni. Pack and Plays start as cribs for the newborn and convert into a playpen for growing babies. These can also be folded into a very portable size (like a duffel bag). We’re looking at Disney and Enfant brands. WISH WISH.

Infant Car Seat – Tonyo will be shuttling to and from Binan and Boni a LOT. Safety first.

Diaper or Baby Bag – my dream is a Coach bag, hehe. But Tita G from the States is bringing us something, I can’t wait!

Stroller – Wishing for a Graco. I really want to scout for a reversible one (the one you can push with the baby facing you) Oh – or maybe something with a drink holder for the mommy. Hehe.

Baby carrier – Got an RJelly Sling from Kiel! (have to figure out how to use it tho.. I can’t even put Mia in it. Hehe)

Baby Toys , Baby Books, Baby Music (I’m curious about the Baby Einstein Tag Along Tunes)

Thermometer

Anyway, moms out there – did I miss out anything from my shopping/ wish list? Of course, these are “needs” – I have TONS of “wants” and “nice to haves” in my mind!

BPI helps companies go "greener"

2010-08-26T07:29:00.001+08:00

BPI+Sustainable+Energy+Finance+Program+for+SMEs

BPI supports the private sector to practice sustainable business through investments in energy efficient and renewable energy technology. The program was entered for this year's G20 Ashoka Changemakers Challenge. Please click the link above and feel free to explore other ideas around the world that help improve the SME industry! We will definitely entertain your questions and info requests if you join the on-site discussion. Thank you!

Getting Into the Saving Habit

2010-08-24T14:53:00.004+08:00

It's been a while! Just a brief update, we're now on our 34th week and the doctor says it is not surprising if I give birth on the 2nd week of September. Uh-oh, we're not ready yet! I have to think of my maternity leave and the onslaught of expenses. One of the sites that I frequent while pregnant is www.babycenter.com - and I think the featured article today is a perfect match for me. It's all about savings! These are stuff that one knows about , but sometimes, just can't get into the habit of! I'd like to share it with you :-) because I think it will help you and your family, pregnant or not!

10 Easy Ideas to Get Into the Saving Habit
http://www.babycenter.com/0_getting-into-the-saving-habit-ten-easy-ideas_1497539.bc?showAll=true

Log your spending habits for one month
It doesn't take a miracle to save money. It's as simple (and as difficult) as figuring out how to spend less than you earn. But before you can cut your spending, you need to know exactly where your money is going.So, for the next month, keep a log of all your daily, weekly, and monthly expenditures. Use a little pocket journal to jot down notes as you go, just as if you were keeping track of expenses on a business trip.Prepare yourself for some sticker shock. That harmless morning latte you buy on the way to work can add up to a tidy $60 a month, or $720 a year, or $7,200 in ten years — a nice chunk of savings. If your drink of choice is bottled water, fill your eight daily glasses at the tap instead and you could pocket up to $1,400 a year. And those impulse baby clothes purchases you put on your credit card? Tack another 20 percent onto what the price tag says — that's how much interest charges could cost you unless you pay the bill in full each month.You don't have to go without caffeine, and you can still dress your baby in adorable outfits — just be smart about it. If you can't afford the cafe on the corner, keep a stash of ground espresso at work and make your own pseudo-lattes (microwave ovens do a respectable job of steaming milk). Never leave home without a full, reusable water bottle. Wait for those baby clothes to go on sale, and give yourself a cash limit when you shop.

Pay yourself first
It may seem counterintuitive, but the secret to getting into the savings habit is to put yourself first. That doesn't mean buying every CD or kitchen gadget that catches your eye — it means including yourself among the regular creditors you pay every month.Set some realistic long-term goals and then "pay" yourself by putting money aside in a savings or investment account on a regular basis. If you wait until the end of the month to see what's left over after paying for essentials and shelling out a few more dollars here and there for extras, you (like most people) will probably find that there isn't much left.Don't give yourself a choice. Set up your retirement, emergency savings account, and college fund with automatic monthly transfers — no matter how small— from your paycheck or checking account. Like nightly tooth flossing, regular saving is a healthy habit that accrues over time and becomes a routine you can't live without. And at the end of each month, you'll have the immediate gratification of knowing you socked something away for the future.

Stagger your savings due dates
Most IRAs, college accounts, and other savings options allow you to pick your own date for automatic withdrawals from your checking account or paycheck. Stagger these dates to make sure all the money isn't transferred out of your account on the same day.If you're paid every two weeks, tie one withdrawal to each payday. If you're self-employed and money comes in throughout the month, pick a couple of dates in the middle of the month at a time when you're not paying other bills.

Pay down debt
You've heard it before, but it still may seem hard to believe: Paying off your debt is one of the best ways to save money. That's because the interest you pay on most loans (particularly credit cards) is much higher than the interest you earn with most savings options. So get rid of as much credit card, student loan, auto loan, and other personal debt as you can (a home mortgage loan should be your one big debt), and then start saving.For more on paying off and consolidating debt, see our guide.

Be your own loan officer
When you finish paying off a loan, keep making the monthly payments — to yourself. Put them into a savings account or, better yet, set up an automatic withdrawal for the same amount into a higher-yield investment account.

Motivate yourself with a big-ticket goal
Pinpoint what you really want (a new sofa, a DVD player, a vacation) and what it will cost, then set a realistic goal, such as giving yourself six months to save for it. Cut out pictures that illustrate your goal and put them on your bulletin board at work, on your refrigerator at home, and in your wallet. Every time you think about buying new shoes or towels, ask yourself whether you want or need them as much as what you're saving for.

Open a savings account you can't touch
Save for even bigger purchases, such as the down payment on a house or car, by putting chunks of savings into certificates of deposit (CDs). These accounts offer virtually no risk, they earn higher dividends than plain old savings accounts, and the money must stay in the account for a predetermined period of time — so you can't get at it whenever temptation strikes.

Start a loose change jar

Put a jar — preferably a large one with a narrow mouth, so you can't get your hand into it — in a prominent place, and empty your pocket or wallet change into it at the end of the day. If you can't stand the thought of rolling coins, use the change-counting machines available at some supermarkets when the jar is full. At the end of the year, this found cash can add up to enough money to pay for a weekend getaway, a holiday gift, or a health club membership.

Sock away surprises

Anytime you get an unexpected windfall — a tax rebate, holiday bonus, or cash gift — put it into your savings account. You weren't counting on this money as part of your regular income, so don't spend it as such. Think of this as your Europe or new car account. Or, if you haven't gotten out of debt yet, use it to pay down credit cards and loans or make an extra mortgage payment toward the principal (which reduces the interest you pay over the life of the loan).

Step off the gas
It's pretty obvious that the less you put in your tank, the more you can put in your change jar or savings account. If buying a more fuel-efficient car isn't feasible, figure out how to cut back on your regular driving.Carpool to work or preschool if you don't already. Plan ahead and cluster errands instead of constantly jumping in the car. Walk to your destination or from store to store whenever possible. And for your next vacation, don't overlook the gems in your own backyard — consider exploring your own state instead of driving across a couple of time zones.

A Day with Pigs

2010-08-05T13:40:00.005+08:00

Our head office picked one of our bank's clients to be featured in our international annual report. This client is a multi-millionnaire pig farm owner, and he's getting richer by utilizing pig poop for electricity! Biogas at its best. As one of our posters say, did you know that garbage can pay your bills? (In this case, poop will pay your bills!) This farm owner uses his methane to power his whole farm and uses Meralco only as backup.

Quick note on what our company does: we help commercial banks understand energy efficiency and renewable energy projects so they can lend money to companies who want to "go green" and also save money in the process. (I think that's as simple as I can get) I usually do our marketing materials, presentations, case studies, awareness partnerships, and most of the time also keep track of the loans and our program's development impact (greenhouse gas emissions, energy savings, etc..)

Anyway, our company sent a New York-based photographer to do the pig shoot. Since I am the local contact person, I had to arrange for the shoot. I missed going on trips like this! I used to have lots of fun doing our AFI shoots before. The farm was based in Bulacan and I was quite starstruck with our photographer because he's the type that wins New York photography awards and shoots for NatGeo Adventure magazines. The past 3o days he has been shooting around the world in countries like Yemen, Uganda, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, India... whew. I had to remind him what country he was in!

It was a tiring day and my boss kept on reminding me that I was pregnant (he finally got tired of it and decided to stay under the shade and not follow us around) . But it was great being "award-winning photographer's" assistant even for just a day. I told him that I once dreamt of being an employee of National Geographic even if it was just for lugging camera equipment around. He used a Canon EOS 5D with a multitude of lenses. I got to hold a Canon G11 to do some video and some "supplementary" shots.

The farm owner was so accommodating and pleasant, that it as hard to believe that he was a multi-millionnaire. He still keeps his relationship with the bank even if he doesn't need financing anymore. He now pays for his investments in cash. It feels really great to be part of an organization which helps create opportunities for small businesses!

I look forward to developing more success stories like his. Sorry I can't post photos until the annual report comes out!

Love + Reunions + Reminiscing

2010-08-01T22:51:00.004+08:00

MY HIGH SCHOOL BEST FRIEND JUST GOT MARRIED!

It is a given fact that weddings are all about L-O-V-E. Weddings are also occasions where precious reunions happen. The wedding was held at the picturesque Caleruega Chapel in Batulao (too bad it was raining.. good thing it stopped after the ceremony and we were all able to walk out comfortably), and the reception was held at the equally beautiful Balai Taal (the other side of town..) A few special high school friends were there – and yes we took a lot of photos. As I reviewed the photos, I itched to look for similar ones from wayyyy back when .. we were younger than our (still !!!) young selves now.

Em and I were inseparable in high school. We were almost sisters. I spent a lot of my time hanging out (Sleeping? Living?) at their house in LB (I lived in a dormitory but Em’s mom adopted me most of the time). One holy week and summer break, I adopted her and we stayed at our home in Tagaytay. My parents took us to see the beautiful Caleruega Chapel, where Em said, “Hanna, dito ako ikakasal!” And sure enough, Em kept her promise and got married to her Kyle in Caleruega last July 31, 2010. I did the first reading during the ceremony (less stress for a pregnant woman, said Em) and I couldn’t help hold back the sniffles as I saw her walk down the aisle. Our happy high school memories flashed back in my mind! Grabe, ang dami naming pinagsamahan!
Our high school barkada, called 3.14 (for Pi, or P.I. - ahah, remember we were high school during the time when rock bands were making a come back and it was super rebellious to say bad words in songs. We thought the play on Pi was cool. Go figure) was composed of myself, Em, Gladys, Tin, Mel and Ros. Tin, nasan ka na ba??? Anyway, as of 2010 – we have two single ladies remaining! Mel and Ros, we’re rooting for you.

Ralph was the girls’ ever reliable driver that evening. Ralph – everybody’s friend! He’s super close to all our high school groups, and I think has never missed a batchmate’s special event. Invited talaga sya lagi sa lahat. And … I am proud to say that he was my prom date during my junior year (wink!)

Even Mio was there! The “Brendan Fraser” of our youth, hahaha. He was 2 years ahead of us in UP Rural High, but we still became friends. I don’t recall how, but I know Em had something to do with it. I had no idea that we had this “old” picture, but I accidentally found it when I was looking for the others. A welcome addition to this then and now collection.

The rain and mud that day did not dampen our spirits, (although it ruined some of our shoes! But I’ll let Sylvia blog about that! ;-) my net connection is soo bad, I can't upload more photos anymore huhu ). We are all so proud and happy for our Em, “the little duckling that could.”

(and now that I have retrieved a lot of old high school photos, HS friends, get ready to be tagged on Facebook... bawal un-tag!)

Spa-turday

2010-07-26T12:42:00.006+08:00

I really admire my husband for his effort to make it to every pregnancy check-up, even if it means travelling for 8 hours (both ways, from his place of assignment and back). Yes, he basically just sits there and smiles (none of the fussy husband questions for my OB like what I imagined before), but I really appreciate it. It makes the loooong OB wait worth it! Plus, if he's here, he pays for everything, hehe.

(Note: I just informed my OB that we're sticking with her and not transferring to Asian, and she sounded so genuinely happy. Made me happy, too!)

Last week was a bonus, since he was able to come home Thursday night to attend to some official business in Cavite come Friday AM. So Friday was still spent in our respective workplaces. Saturday, we were supposed to attend a nephew's birthday party in QC with my parents -- but the car was still having problems because of the flood so we ended up spending the whole morning in Taguig! As much as we wanted to enjoy our home over the weekend, we still had to go home to Laguna because I had an OB checkup that Sunday.

(Singit: Thanks Ma'am Arlene for visiting us , bringing Gab + the book!)

We decided to drop by Market! Market! before going home to Laguna - where Sam suddenly decided to have a foot massage. I wanted to bring him to Mikaela (they have fab 1-hour Xiamen Foot Massages worth P350.00 that are soooo good. Try it!!!! We used to live near the San Lo branch where I once had the massage while Ruffa Guttierez and her mom and dad were in the same salon!!!) but he said it was too far. So he settled for the Big Apple Spa at Market. I left him there and then decided to get my much needed pedicure (I can't reach my toes anymore...) , and settled for the California Nails Day Spa (?) which looked deliciously pink! It was interesting because I was put in between two old men having their own foot spas! I also thought they looked like retired military men, hehe.

I got the better deal because my pedicure was cheaper than Sam's massage :-) hah! According to the husband, the foot massage at Big Apple was "for compliance" and too expensive for the quality (it was like P499.00 for 45 minutes) . My spa-pedicure at California Nails cost me P390.00 , lasted more than an hour and the lady was soo gentle. It had a bright, cheerful ambience, too!

It was KKB anyway and we "bonded" by texting while we were at separate spas. Not an ideal arrangement, but still fun.

Twas a good weekend of dreaming and planning about the baby! Oh, and we also had fun thinking of the nasty stuff we want to do to our agent at DMCI. :-) That's marriage for you, for better - or for worse!

At exactly 30 weeks :-) We can't wait to meet you, baby!

Putting it into Practice

2010-07-25T17:20:00.003+08:00

Books I've read or talks I've listened to on personal financial management always warn about changing lifestyles at the slightest increase in salary or benefits. I guess this is true... because as you get more purchasing power, the more you feel like you can get more of this and that, the more you want that "some more", the more you feel deprived of what you've been missing. Tsk.

I am guilty of being on that track. Extra money don't go to savings. They go to "extra expense", to small prizes that I think I deserve. Sigh. I have to kick the habit!

Now, I am put to the test. My new job entitles me to a super nice medical benefits plan, where they will pay for 80% of my hospital expenses when I give birth. And this means ANY hospital, ANY doctor. The 80% includes room, procedures, doctor's fees, tests, etc etc. They pay 90% for CS -- but knock on wood we are hoping for a normal delivery.

A HUGE part of me badly want to transfer to Asian Hospital. I heard that they have really nice hotel-like rooms , they have "birthing rooms" (private labor + delivery rooms where you don't have to be transferred from one room to another), a great nursery that they call the "huggery", great staff, good food, good ambience, good hospital room view. And if my plan pays 80% (plus Philhealth pa) , it will really be such a sweet deal. BUT, transferring to Asian will mean switching doctors and more gasoline expenses for checkups. Right now, our car is broken (the Aveo got flooded boohoo) so we have to rely on my dad to get around or hire a driver -- which can get expensive. We're also considering the distance from our Laguna house and the traffic that usually clogs up SLEX!

Right now, I go to Binan Doctors Hospital ( a small, family-owned private hospital in Binan, Laguna) with my OB since baby Sarie. Giving birth at BDH is more convenient and wayy cheaper. A rough computation of my canvassed costs for normal delivery less my medical plan 80% showed me that we could pay around 30K for Asian, but in BDH we'll probably only pay around 8-10K!

Hey, BDH took good care of me when I was hospitalized because of Baby Sarie. The facilities could be improved aesthetically, but everything was clean and functioned well.

The "maarte" side of me is really heartbroken to bid bye-bye to the posh hotel rooms at Asian, but we have to be more practical, to think of everyone's welfare , and not to be carried away with this so-called extra perk, which might have a lot of "hidden expenses". We have decided to stick to our basic plan and go with our current OB and hospital.

I've never experienced Asian before anyway so I shouldn't feel bad about what I'll miss. BDH is well within our range, medical plan or no medical plan. Probably better to save for baby's future than opting for a "lifestyle change" (read: luxury hospital) this early in the game!

On the Job Quotes

2010-07-19T21:46:00.002+08:00

So, I officially started as a "real" employee in my what used to be a consultancy post last July 16. It was just a regular day at the office except for two significant conversations I had from our "top two"

-----

Number 2 Boss (heavy Brit accent, approaching my desk to shake my hand): Heyah Hanna, congratulations on your first day!

Me: Thank you!

Number 2: You're OURS NOW, ha ha! (evil laugh)

------

Later that afternoon, I ran into Number 1 Boss (the top boss of the Phil. office)

Number 1: Hey Hanna, congratulations !

Me: Thanks! Good or bad? You should have heard Boss 2 give me an evil laugh...

Number 1: Huh? Over email?

Me: No, in front of me while shaking my hand.

Number 1: Ah, this will be good for you! Don't worry about him, he's gonna be gone soon. Me, I'll be here for a looong time.

-----

Which is actually true because Boss 2 is going to be reassigned to another office soon (but still with the company).

I am excited but at the same time scared of what is in store for me. Right now, I feel like work "landslided" on me. Sigh, God - thanks for giving this to me ! Give me the strength to handle it.

Taste + Texture (Beijing Part 1)

2010-07-10T20:17:00.011+08:00

Some kind of meat that you roast for a bit before you eat.

It tasted like beef but did not look and feel like beef!

I quit asking.

Just like any other "business" trip, it was another whirlwind travel adventure. My unemployment gap was cut short because of the regional workshop they wanted me to be a part of. I was not supposed to sign up for the "extended-but-temporary-contract" but when I found out that they were doing it because they wanted me to join Beijing, I just gladly agreed :-)

For weeks leading to the trip, I had guilty mommy moments - especially with people all around me saying that I was a bit crazy traveling with a big tummy. But my doctor gave me the go signal, so what the heck! Plus, I vowed not to treat pregnancy as a sickness. (But don't worry guys, I also promised that this will be my last plane travel before I give birth.. I already declined a Palawan and a Boracay trip!)

We flew to Beijing for a two and a half day workshop with our regional colleagues for some best practice sharing. I met people from East Asia working on projects similar to ours -- delivering access to finance for small / medium enterprises. Some of the programs included expanding microfinance, developing appropriate banking and finance products for those in far flung areas, and formalizing loan channels for small businesses. There were also discussions about how our company could get involved in low cost housing, greenhouse gas abatement and sustainable and responsible financing.

It was all pretty interesting, but I have to admit I had a LOT of spaced out moments. Anything with numbers really make me blank out. Note to self: I have to get used to this finance stuff, I have to expand my knowledge and get over teenage math and economics trauma!

Anyway, the trip was a mixture of work, culture, sights, smells, tastes and camaraderie. China's currency is the Yuan or the Renmimbi, RMB or CNY for short (I don't know why they call it a variety of names).

It was around 6.5 RMB to 1 USD or roughly 7 PHP = 1 RMB. I thought it was an expensive city ... or maybe just because we were living in the expensive area. Allow me to share with you some highlights of my trip:

Shangri-La's Kerry Centre Hotel, Beijing

Located about an hour's drive from the airport, Shangri-La's Kerry Centre Hotel is located in the middle of what they call the Central Business District. Compared to the previous hotels I've tried while working for this company, I thought it was the least luxurious. Personally though, it was very luxurious for me :-) It's a working traveler's dream. You get free broadband access in your room and breakfast buffet everyday worth 168 Yuan.. (at 900 Yuan a night, dapat lang!!!)

The breakfast buffet at the Coffee Shop was okay ( by far the best breakfast buffet I've ever had was at the Parklane in Cebu!), the hotel bar was really nice (with couches, bar stools, private nooks with wide screen TVs for the World Cup junkies.. I enjoyed a mocktail called delight with strawberry, kiwi, dragonfruit, pineapple and orange.. thanks Paula!), and we discovered this yummy dessert bar called Bento and Berries which sold their cakes at 50% off after 9pm. It was also from this dessert bar that I order steamed milk to bring to my room before going to sleep.

Stirfried and Duck Overload

Bullfrog in chili sauce... it wasn't the chili that I was worried about.

Authentic Chinese food is wayyy different from what we get here in Manila. My boss said (his wife is Chinese) that each region has a different cuisine, and what we usually get in Manila comes from another part of China.

I've experienced Chinese lauriat meals before, but what I had for the past few days topped those. We ate at Chinese restaurants for a total of 3 times, with the "learned" people ordering for us -- and it was just an ENDLESS stream of food! No complaints, they were all good, but stuffing one's tummy with tasty stirfried food one meal after another is not particularly healthy...

Everything laid out infront of us looked pretty much the same. Sliced, diced and smothered with sauce. I was really careful with asking before I ate. They kept on telling me, when you eat Chinese, you don't ask - you just eat. You savor the taste AND the texture. Thanks to Milan, I had a taste-and-texture tester and was thankfully spared from the super spicy or terrible things. We weren't able to go the food alley where they served scorpions on sticks tho, which is good because I really can't be THAT adventurous with a baby on the way.

We had too much food that I forgot the names of the restaurants. :-) Probably the most important meal of our trip was our company-sponsored dinner at the famous Quanjude restaurant. Net research says that the Peking duck served at Quanjude is the best in Beijing, due to its secret recipe used to feed Chinese emperors! I'm not a duck connoisseur but I really liked it ! Ah, but after 5 peking duck rolls , I was about to shout Quack!!!!-that's enough.

Your typical Peking duck roll: Thinly sliced duck, cucumber, baby onion and hoisin sauce. Mmm. I rolled about 5 of these..

That's about it for the taste and texture part. I've uploaded more descriptive photos on Facebook. I was also able to see a little bit of Beijing on my last day, watch out for that post!

Make Way for Miss Hawaii!

2010-07-04T17:32:00.006+08:00

Jalee (USA) , Hanna (Philippines), and Jules (Uganda) hanging around while waiting to know our final cast. Denver, Colorado, 2007

There were about a hundred of us and she was one of the first few people I met during Up With People staging ("staging" meant preparation for the tour, which included workshops and show rehearsals) in July 2007. The way I remember Jalee way back then was that she was this really pretty, smart, bubbly, down to earth, adventurous, kind hearted girl from Hawaii. She had super great stories to tell about doing volunteer work all over the world and even whitewater rafting in the Nile!

Towards the end of staging, she was cast in Cast C (I was in Cast B) -- so we didn't travel together. But still, she was a significant part of my UWP staging.

Fast forward to 2010, thanks to Facebook, I learned that Jalee was crowned Miss Hawaii 2010! I never knew she wanted to be a Miss something ... She looks and sounds so different now. Soo cool and we're all so proud of her! That pageant definitely knew how to pick its winners. I hope I can catch Miss America somewhere here!

Got this from the Miss Hawaii website. I am actually part of this layout , haha! If you look really, really hard. Bottom photo, 3rd from right, arms up, wearing a black shirt and an ethnic print red-orange skirt. I'm guessing Jalee's the one upside down, she was one of the lead dancers in our mixed-cast Arizona show.

Curious? Read about her here: "Miss Hawaii Begins Reign With Service"

Hoy Mommy!

2010-07-01T17:19:00.003+08:00

Ma! Alam ko binabasa mo itong blog ko.

I-update mo na yung blog mo... www.memicanblog.blogspot.com. Nabubulok na. If you update it, I promise, igagawa na kita ng FB account. Marunong na ako e :-)

:-) Mwah. Love you. Thank you for the ulam.

- hanna

Wishes for Baby Sam

2010-07-01T17:05:00.001+08:00

We’ll call the baby Baby Sam for now. We do have a complete name already, but I’m still feeling a bit madamot about it, hehe. But for sure, he will have a Samuel somewhere. Why? (1) to compensate for my husband Sam’s “hindi-pinag-isipang pangalan na Sammy” – yup, Sam’s full name is Sammy and not Samuel, and (2) In the Bible, Samuel is Hanna’s son. Which is very perfect… it also means, “God Hears”

Every night I have been praying special prayers to St. Raymond Nonato (A Novena for Expectant Mothers, from a my former BPI manager) and also prayers to St. Gerard Majella (the Patron of Mothers and Children, my first copy of which came from Kiel, and I also got some copies from other friends via email , thanks!!). It is interesting to note that St. Gerard and I have the same birth dates! The familiar words of the prayers said over and over also help me to have a good night’s sleep.

I love the pregnancy! Yes, even the aches and discomforts that come with it. I like how he sometimes kicks me comfortably in the middle of my tummy, and I still find it great whenever he kicks me down below … even if it is quite painful. I like imagining him making funny faces whenever I do something stupid, or hugging me from within whenever I am feeling sad. Hmm… perhaps what I don’t like about it (minsan lang naman) is that it makes me more absent minded than ever. Like that time that I spooned in uncooked rice into my decaf instead of sugar. Haha!

In my night prayers, the Novenas usually have blank spaces saying, (say your petition / wish here) – and just like the way I usually do it, I’d also like to send my wishes out to the universe so the elements can conspire to grant our hopes and dreams …

- a healthy and happy baby (dami pa iba wish, like smart baby, adventurous baby, water-loving baby, pero baka maoverwhelm ka, next time na lang muna yun!)
- a safe and easy delivery for mommy, no complications (or expensive medications!)
- safety of Popi Sam, and hope that he will be able to spend a lot of time with us
- good health for all the people around us, especially to Wowo and Wowa (note: Lola Memi and Lolo Pepi have christened themselves Wowo and Wowa even BEFORE that show Agua Bendita came. Last year pa sila Wowo and Wowa for Sarie and even for Mia. Inis nga kami that the evil grandmother in the show calls herself Wowa! Grr. ) and Lolo Andoy and Lola Doray. We hope they can all be strong and healthy enough to witness Baby Sam’s growing years!
- for mommy’s employment status to get formalized before the baby comes so we can enjoy the great medical benefits
- for the conditions (financial, environmental, Philippines, etc) around us to improve so that baby may grow comfortably
- having Ninong Gibo will be a nice touch!

Yes that last wish is for real. I’ve worked on it, got some progress… but I’m now stuck ... so I think I still have to work harder and think of another strategy… hmmm.

Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind

2010-06-27T15:03:00.007+08:00

June 27, 2010

My mom's family has a weekend house in Tagaytay. Built in 1997 and "lived in" in 1998, it is my parents' baby because they were the ones who scouted for the property, oversaw its renovation, picked the initial interior design. Of course, throughout the years, its "look" has already reflected the personalities of everyone in our family who considers it as a temporary sanctuary. My mom's country feel, my uncle's Middle Eastern vibe, and other trinkets from my other titos and titas. My parents religiously come to the house every weekend to do some maintenance.. dusting, gardening, etc.

The house has a split level 1st floor, a 2nd floor and a loft. It is big work maintaining a Tagaytay house, since everything is almost always moist. Molds and mildew grow quickly, paint peels earlier than expected, and iron fixtures rusts so quickly. I rarely go with my parents because the mold and pollen give me annoying sniffles.

My mom keeps the house spic and span whenever they close it up for the week. She knows the place inside out. Last week, my parents came home with a weird, eerie story. When they arrived at the house that Saturday evening, she noticed that some things weren't where they were supposed to be. Some picture frames were face down, wall hangings on the floor, some displays upturned or on the floor. She narrated this to us with my dad making "Twilight Zone" sound effects.

---

This weekend, I decided to come with them to Tagaytay. Being the wimp that I was, I asked my mom to come with me to my room. To our horror, the room looked like a crime scene!

The table held some highschool and college mementos, scented candles and
some of my frogs. Even my huge UPLB Parolan trophy was on the floor!

There was some some sort of poop on the floor so we ruled out poltergeists and assumed that it was a huge rat. We closed the door and decided to deal with it in the morning.

"Ma, rat diba -- bakit cat ang drawing?"
"Eh di ako marunong mag draw ng rat"
Ok.

Early this morning, my dad drove to town and brought home a big rat trap and some tinapa for bait. We had a fun time setting it up - warning my dad not to scream like a girl lest we lose all respect for him, hehe. It was set up in the middle of my room as he remained vigilant about any snaps or weird sounds.

By mid morning, nothing was happening. My mom and dad got impatient and started dragging things out of my room.

At the corner of my room stands Sam's pride and joy - one of the things he brought into the marriage... his drum set.

Have to live with Sam's drum set.

As my dad pulled out the bass drum, something rustled inside. And they caught sight of a tail and a reptilian face! My mom told me to stay put, Ahas!!! By that time I was sitting on a ledge far away from them, yelling at my parents not to move the bass drum because someone could be bitten. But the 2 managed to tape one side of the drum shut and dragged it out to the lawn. My dad then fetched a security guard to come inspect our "visitor".

They took out the bass' foam padding, the guard's happy voice proclaimed, "Hindi ahas!! BAYAWAK!" Bayawak is the local term for monitor lizard.

OMG. Indeed, it was this alligator-like thing, almost 2 feet long, pumped up with adrenaline. It was probably very hungry as its tummy was already collapsed. The guard casually reached in and caught it , and asked if they could keep it in the guardhouse as a pet. We obliged.

What drama! All the elements of a mystery... a plot... a series of unknown suspects (mumu, rat, snake..) a twist, as surprise ending, and a hero. What a weekend!

Back to Barracks

2010-06-23T21:55:00.003+08:00

June 23, 2010

It was a good (almost) 2 weeks of being husband and wife. Sam came home last June 11 to join us for the ultrasound, and I didn’t even know that he was on R&R! I only found out when we were talking with some of his classmates, and I was like, “Huh? R&R ka pala?” Well, it was a surprise blessing!

What’s really great was that his break coincided with the gap in my employment contract so I had a lot of free time. I think what’s even harder than being apart for a long time -- is that whenever you get that rare time together, you just want to make up for lost time and have fun BUT have to remember to be “real” as well. There are “real world” things to face, like family finances, dirty laundry + dishes, groceries, and STUPID DMCI Agent (specifically named NEIL ZAMORA, har, let’s get that out in the open I don't care if he finds out. ). It is so hard to take our attention away from planning picnics or “dates” when you have real world issues bugging you. Sigh.

Anyway, just a recap of our semi-break! It’s semi because I had to go to the office from time to time and he also had to attend to some “official” things on certain days.

- Ultrasound! We were also given a taste of 3d-4d imaging and now we are so tempted to go for the 7-month package. We’ll see how our moolah looks when that time comes. After the ultrasound, Sam was ultra happy so he took us out (together with my parents) to pizza.

- Mistah Hanna’s wedding at the Nuestra Senora de Gracia church in Guadalupe and reception at Blue Leaf. It was such a perfect wedding… it was my first time also to see an onsite video by Jason Magbanua , ang galing! Special mention also goes to the Joy San Gabriel mini-cakes. The couple’s pre-nup pictorial concept was also creative! They were palengke photos that showed Hanna wearing a house dress (‘duster’) and husband Albert ala-jeepney driver/ kargador/ pedicab driver. So cute!

- Sad thing, we had to dip into our savings because I couldn’t come up with my half for the condo amortization due to some late salaries and fees from some rakets. Will do better next time. Funny thing, I forgot to take out my “visioning” post-it from our passbook when we took out money from the bank. The teller laughed when he saw the purple post-it that read: “GOAL: 500,000 by 2012” Heheh.

- Errand day following up DMCI, inquiring at Pag-ibig, and checking out other financing institutions. We have been under DMCI’s high-interest in-house financing for more than a year now! To think that we were promised that we could transfer to Pag-ibig Financing in less than 6 months! The agent NEIL ZAMORA keeps on stringing us around, blaming Pag-ibig’s long process – when we found out they haven’t even submitted our docs to Pag-ibig! The NERVE talaga. I will write up a separate post on this highly stressful experience. We just wish that we could transfer our loan from in-house to another entity because it will cut our monthly amort to half! That will definitely be a big relief.

- I never did get a “real” date. For me a real date means movie, nice dinner (not fast food), overpriced coffee. But it was okay! I can date myself, hehe. I can spoil myself if he’s not here. We were able to watch Prince of Persia tho, and we really liked it!!!

- Drinking milk with honey every night, reading to my tummy, waiting for the baby to kick Sam in the face (which he did, once, when Sam sang to my tummy. Baby’s got taste!) . Also worth sharing is that the baby squirms a lot whenever we get to watch World Cup matches. It’s either he likes football or he gets irritated with those vuvuzuela horn sounds.

- I get irritated but I will miss cleaning up after Sam’s clutter. We have different standards for “clutter”. I am makalat to him, and he is makalat based on my standards. But it was nice when he asked me to lock myself in one bedroom while he dusted our room and the whole unit. Yey!

- We also reorganized the bedroom to make room for the baby and baby things. Such a relief also not to have my leg banging the corner of the bed every time I have to work on my desk (I am very clumsy)

- Sam is obsessed with Flat Screen TVs. We now have a pile of brochures and clippings, and I get bored to death with his detailed comparison of specs which he insists I listen to. But we have an agreement: He is not going to buy a TV until we have solved our DMCI issue. We’ve also agreed that I will not touch or contribute to this whole TV thing. It’s HIS project.

- We also had pizza for Fathers Day. We had a huge Yellow Cab Four Seasons Pizza delivered at our house in Binan to celebrate Sam and my dad. My mom cooked spaghetti and prepared fruit salad. The dinner was shared by my uncle, our old yaya and her brother’s family. We have a big household in Binan.

- I told Sam I want to cut up my credit card. He offered to hide it instead. I am now card-less until I finish paying the installments charged there.

- Our goodbye dinner tonight was sosy. We had an office event at Conti’s this afternoon and I took home leftover Lengua Estofado and Mango Cream Pie. We just cooked rice and then shared 3 slices of pie (melted, because I took public transpo going home..) and a mug of Kopiko instant coffee for dessert. He washed the dishes because I wasn't feeling too well. I just overheat a lot these days, huhu.

- And it took me HOURS to finish this entry because Sam is still here and being so talkative about loans and TVs and what he would like to do to the DMCI guy (tear him to pieces, report them to HLURB to Tulfo and to XXX!) Now he has finally gone to sleep…

Sam will leave tomorrow AM for Elyu. I will have a cleaner house and a fuller pantry but I will miss him to bits!

Look What I Have!

2010-06-12T10:00:00.002+08:00

I didn't want to share the photo but Sam already did on his Facebook so nainggit na ako.

With the whole family in tow (meaning my mom, dad and Sam) , baby and I went for a congenital anomaly scan yesterday, June 11. And there we found out that that the baby was saying “I love you” to the world (143 heartbeats per minute) , has intact and complete organs, a fully formed face, complete fingers and toes, and….

… his very own :tutoy:

Throughout the morning yesterday, Sam was already bugging me with short exclamations of “It’s a Boy!” – and as the ultrasound device touched my tummy , he again shouted (for good measure I guess..), “It’s a Boy!”

And lo and behold the OB Sonologist goes, “Oh yes, It’s a Boy!”

And there was my baby boy, flashing his thingie in our faces as if saying, “Yes mom, quit looking at dresses and pink strollers, because I am a boy!” Um, anak – kakatapat pa lang sayo nan, yan na ipapakita mo samin. Ano ka, porn star??

It was a fun scan, and the doctor even showed us the baby in 3D, which was absolutely, absolutely magical :-) She threw in a free profile pic in our envelope even if we got only the basic 2d package! Thanks so much!!

Hello world. I'm too young for Facebook but checkout my profile.

Last Monday

2010-06-10T09:22:00.003+08:00

(this is a delayed post - I wrote this last Monday , June 7)

I prefer to do my groceries on Mondays, when the mall/ grocery store is not crowded (if you've been to Market! Market! the crowd can be soo overwhelming) . Monday is also “personal grooming” day when I feel like it, because for the same reasons, there are no lines in my favorite kikay places.

This morning, I decided to hitch a ride with my dad to Market! Market! so I can walk around Serendra and Boni High Street before the shops open. I usually walk around our compound but I wanted to window shop. It is very rare anyway that I go inside the shops at Serendra and Boni High so it was fine with me even if they were closed!

My pleasant stroll was interrupted by a very unpleasant call from HSBC saying that I missed my bill last cut-off so I have to pay them immediately so that my account could stay “current” – I was super floored because I didn’t receive my bill to be reminded about that. I know I should be more responsible, but heck I still should have gotten the bill! Then she went on to say that the next bill is due on June 25th BUT if I didn’t pay at least 1k IMMEDIATELY, I will get regular calls from their collections department. GRABE, I felt like such a delinquent! If only some of my utilities aren’t automatically charged to this card, I will really stop using it for convenience. I promise I’ll just fix these and finish my installments and it will be goodbye cards for me. And to think that I just settled a card problem with HSBC when they issued me another card (which I didn’t activate) and then charged me annual dues and (ugh!) late fees!

Anyway, on with my Monday… I just have 3 things to share with you which totally saved my day. Consider this a continuation of a Kikay post. On Saturday, Sam and I (if he gets to go home) will be attending one of his girl mistah’s wedding. I love Sam’s girl classmates because they’re really cool and nice, so I am excited to go to this one. She has resigned from the service (inggit!) and will be relocating to Guam end of June to be with her husband who, if I am not mistaken, is with the US Navy.

I have gained weight and I look bulkier than usual , uh-oh , so I really want to compensate and look nice for that event. I rarely get to dress up lately so I am excited to try and be pretty. So here are my highs for today:

1. Lay Bare Waxing Salon (3rd Floor Market! Market!)

I discovered this last March because I found out that their prices are really affordable and there were good reviews on the Internet. I usually do my legs on my own (hassle and messy!) so I tried Lay Bare. Their staff is fun and great (I’ve met Lyka, Camille and Danica) and will make you feel really comfortable. They also use homemade cold wax made of sugar and honey which greatly reduces the risk of your skin getting burnt. If there’s any hair left, they make sure you’re cleaned up with the use of threading.

This morning I just had my eyebrows groomed through threading (they don’t do eyebrow wax), since my legs are not yet “due”. I don’t think I can ever try a bikini or a brazilian wax because I’ve heard some of the girls in the other cubicles and it sounds soo painful. Anyway, sharing with you some of the basic prices: Half-Leg Wax = P300.00, Underarm Wax = P150.00, Eyebrow Threading = P100.00

(I will gladly go for a bikini or a brazilian if any of you first timer girls can also be there and do it too. Hehe dare?)

2. Bench Fix Lab (2nd Floor Serendra)

Thanks Kiel for telling me that there’s a Fix at Serendra!

I usually go to our neighborhood hairdresser in Laguna ( an old gay “lady” with cropped colored hair named Bonnie. He’s nice but their young gay manicurista is soo noisy, swears a lot, and talks about his boyfriends all the time. P50.00 per haircut, how can I complain?). I search for a (Bench) Fix salon whenever I have extra money and need an extra oomph of service. A haircut at Bonnie’s lasts for about 2 weeks, then my unruly and outrageously thick hair is all over the place already. A haircut at Fix can go uncut for 2-3 months.

I like Fix because I think their employees are really professional and their facilities are funky and clean. I loved my then stylist from Fix Greenbelt (Jenny) and wished that I could afford everything that she wanted me to try ( I hardly pass by Gbelt anymore) . The Fix in Binan closed down already. The Fix at Market! is always so crowded, and not too well maintained. So this morning, I discovered Fix at Serendra and decided to try it. My stylist was a young, cute (gay, I think – he said “Bakla din yata yung sa Market!) guy called Ice who told me he hopes I can grow my hair longer because he feels that it will suit me better. I told him I was hoping that I can do it too – but I just get so annoyed with the growing out stage that I just have it cut anyway.

He fixed my Bonnie-cut hair, carefully adding texture layer by layer. The result is a super nice cut that doesn’t make me look like a boy. We are going to try and grow my hair longer from now on so I promised him I won’t cut and will follow his advise to only go back to him in 3 months. Good Luck.

Haircut at Fix : P250.00 , mental note , go back to Ice mid-September before you give birth.

3. Skechers Shapeups - walking shoes :-)

Naw, I get paid to review this so you’ll have to wait for that one (it's still queued for pricing). If you want to get paid to do honest reviews of stuff you love or love to hate (no need to wait for article requests) , click this link to learn more!

http://www.reviewstream.com/referral_link.php?acc_name=yanna.alfa%40gmail.com

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Back Issues of Wedding Magazines - Up for Grabs!!!

2010-06-06T14:12:00.000+08:00

Hi, I'm clearing out senti-stuff from my room (have to make room for the baby and all the baby stuff, coming soon..) I'm donating some clothes and books and there are just some stuff that I want to have good homes.

I have a stack of really nice wedding magazines (old issues, but I believe articles and photos are timeless!) looking for new owners!! Planning our wedding was one of the best (and honestly, one of the most stressful) times of my life and these magazines were part of our journey!

I'm giving them away, so we just have to meet up (Makati CBD or Market! Market!) . Or if you want me to ship them to you, I'll charge you the shipping cost (The maagazines are heavy..) If interested, please email me at hanna.fernando@gmail.com or end me a Multiply/ FB message. Pls specify the issue that you want.

Here are the magazines

1. YES! Magazine "Celebrity Weddings" (Special Issue, released in 2006) , 120+ pages
- featuring weddings of Assunta de Rossi, Lorna Tolentino, Sunshine Cruz, Lucy Torres, Charlene Gonzales, Lea Salonga, Ruffa Gutierrez.... and perhaps 20+ more artistas. Fun read.

2. METRO Weddings Special Collector's Issue (Best of 2006) , 128 pages
- 115 Unique ideas from real brides, 31 Romantic, grand and fun themes, Celebrity weddings including Alunan-Aranaz, Zubiri-Tan, etc...

3. WEDDING ESSENTIALS December 2004-June 2005 Issue . 203 pages , with Isabel Roces on the cover
- Weddings 101, Miriam Quiambao's home, Fairy Tale weddings, Gown, Makeup, Invitations samples,Song ideas, photos, photos, photos!

4. WEDDING ESSENTIALS July-December 2005 Issue. 204 pages, with Valerie Bariou on the cover (this particular WE issue had two covers released, the other one had Samantha Brandon)
- Budget weddings, Reception special (venues, food, etiquette), Children in Weddings, Cakes, Bouquets, etc etc...

5. WEDDING ESSENTIALS January-June 2006 Issue, 231 pages with Jasmine Maierhofer on the cover (super thick issue!!!)
- Weddings in Boracay, Reception setups, AMAZING photos of wedding details such as cakes, invites, giveaways , etc ...

That's about it :-)

H.A.B

2010-06-05T07:40:00.005+08:00

I'm a sucker for freebies. Especially if they come as a complete surprise :-) I was out shopping for a dress yesterday (my old dresses look lumpy already because of my preggy bulges all over, hehe) because I'm set to attend two weddings this season. I wanted to get something that can be accessorized to look formal but is also appropriate for the office. Para tipid.

I swear, the choices are so limited for nice maternity dresses. It's either they're very casual, or very... matronly looking .. or designed for the average Filipina size (which is wayy tiny). Heck, in the US , I can actually fit in "Petite Medium" clothing! I also couldn't find stretchy or empire cut dresses off the no-maternity racks.

So I wandered off to Greenbelt 5, guiltily sliding my budget scale upward. I came across the revamped H.A.B (Havin' a Baby) and LOVED their dresses. I believe some of their stuff can also be worn even if one is not pregnant! I had a hard time choosing between a shimmery formal one (which was beautiful but will look too glamorous for work) and a simple shift dress which can pass for casual/ office/ formal depending on the accessories. The staff at the store were very helpful (BTW, it's the same store where we bought our Belly Belt). In the end, I got the shift dress, which was also within my original budget :-) Am happy.

Then, the surprise came - I got some freebies with my purchase! I got a small canvas tote, two magazines (Mommy Academy and Smart Parenting), a portrait voucher from The Picture Company, a print voucher from the Stork Studio, discount cards from Baby Couture, VMV Hypoallergenics, and Fully Booked, a voucher for a trial music and play class at Gymboree, a baby feeding guide , a Caltrate sample pack.. plus a sample diaper from Drypers. Hehehe. FUN!

Luck=Happiness=You

2010-06-05T07:33:00.003+08:00

“People universally tend to think that happiness is a stroke of luck, something that will maybe descend upon you like fine weather if you’re fortunate enough. But that’s not how happiness works. Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon I, and sometimes travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings… (continued at the end of entry..) …”

I am so afraid to write about it because I might jinx things. Ah, but my mind is swimming with a lot of things and I just NEED to write about something. (With that sentence, I feel a gentle kick in my tummy. Okay, baby, you write this with me )

How does praying work? We have been so blessed lately that I am afraid that everything will go downhill from here. I feel like my blessings have reached a “quota” already, and God might say, “Oooops, tama na!” Hehe. But I am soooo thankful for a lot of things right now that my corkboard here at home has a sign that says, THANK YOU.

Reminding myself to thank God for the blessings
( -- along with the reminders to print the photos and a postcard about
a super nice stroller which costs PHP55,000 (!!!))

I’ve always believed in “visioning” and when I look back, I see that the most significant moments of my life (positive, of course) are almost always results of a childhood dream, a high school essay, or a college hope. I still have a lot of these “hopes and dreams” and may the universe will not stop conspiring to bring me these (hah, that’s not original..) I just need to remember that God has a wider timeline than my attention span.

My contract with my current job ends on June 30 – but I have already consumed the 150-day per fiscal year cap, so technically, I cannot go to work anymore. Any work I do beyond the 150 days is considered pro-bono :oP which unfortunately, I am doing a lot of. They cannot award me with another contract ‘til July 1st, but they are currently doing that as fast as they can because there’s a really important meeting in Beijing (yes!!!) that they want me to be a part of. (Mommy Note: Of course, I will first get OB clearance!)

Also, I am very excited because my papers are now being processed so I can be a “term employee”. Now, that may sound a lot like temporary, but our donor-driven organization does not “regularize”. So they just award 1 year contracts which can be renewed each year. This is totally fine because these contracts carry a lot of nice perks such as tax free incentives and medical/ travel/ life insurance for you and your dependents. It has been a while since I had company perks!

Baby, are you making mommy lucky?

I like it how my bosses are very honest with me, i.e saying. “I would like to thank you, because we know that we are definitely getting more than what we are paying for” (:Blush:). Another boss in our office also told me that my boss fought hard for the post. Anyway, I am happy, yes – but I am also nervous because I know that getting this post means more expectations and more responsibilities. I am also being encouraged to look beyond our little project and to study all the other areas of the organization so I can handle other stuff in the future. As our "biggest boss" told me during our one on one interview, "If we hire you, we would like to keep you forever. Your project is just a very small part of the whole thing, so you better check out the whole pie." (Yep, even if I already worked for them for more than a year, I still had to go through the application process.)

I say, bring it on. I’ll enjoy it while it’s not yet overwhelming. When things start going downhill (and I start complaining), I’ll look back to this day and (I hope) remember, remember – that this was something I asked for!

“ …. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it, you must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward to that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it. If you don’t, you will leak away your innate contentment. It’s easy enough to pray when you’re in distress, but continuing to pray even when your crisis has passed is like a sealing process, helping your soul hold tight to its good attainments…”

- Text in blue from Elizabeth Gilbert’s book, Eat, Pray, Love

Babymoon

2010-05-31T08:56:00.003+08:00

I so want one.

According to a Baby Center (a pregnancy newsletter I'm subscribed to) , Babymoons are those mid-pregnancy getaways when morning sickness is gone and energy is trickling back. It is the couple's chance for a last "couple only" getaway before the wife gets too big then the baby comes then their lives are forever changed.

Quoting from the article:

"The top dream destination: anywhere you can kick back and relax.The kind of trip you decide to take — and whether you go away for a week or a weekend, to the beach or a favorite city — will depend on how much time and money you have. If you don't have the resources for a trip far away, you might want to make a reservation at a nearby hotel or bed and breakfast. Request the honeymoon suite and treat yourselves to a nice dinner out. Order room service and have breakfast in bed. Just being together, out of your regular routine, will make it special.

Keep in mind that you may have to make some changes to accommodate your condition. Listen to your body and schedule a bit more downtime or naptime than you normally would. You'll need to avoid sports or activities that carry a high risk of falling or that may cause trauma to your abdomen. That means that things like surfing, diving, downhill skiing, and even some amusement park rides are off-limits. And scuba diving is a definite no-go. "

Sam is actually preserving his weekend leaves so he can accompany me during monthly OB checkups. Sam can't avail of his R&R (which was supposed to be scheduled this month) because he gave way to somebody else who lived in Mindanao (Sam explained that the guy couldn't go home to his wife during "quick, stolen weekends"). This is a major bummer because I'll be on vacation starting next week until July! But this is okay, because I imagine that one family in Mindanao is going to be happy to have their daddy there.

Maybe it's the thought that counts :-) Sam texted me last weekend saying that "when the baby comes, I'll go home every weekend." Hah. And so we wish.

Where do I want to go for the Babymoon? We definitely do not have enough money for a hotel or a bed and breakfast, so we'll just go somewhere closer... I want to go to the beach - even if it's just Calatagan or Laiya (not La Union, ang layo!), or have an Italian dinner at Buon Giorno in Tagaytay, maybe visit the Ilog ni Maria Bee Farm in Silang. Or watch that violin concert the Italian Embassy is sponsoring (which I can't find the number, huhu).

Oh well, if we can't go - I just hope he'll be here on the next ultrasound!

Croakin' New Shoes

2010-05-17T21:45:00.004+08:00

First of all, thanks to my Tita G from California who sent me a pair of Skechers Shapeups ! I love them, even if they look so unusually Spice Girl-ish! I use them during my short morning walking exercises. They really do improve posture and you can feel the stretch. I also don't feel any back pain as compared to when I am using my regular track shoes or office shoes. There are a lot of cool reviews from pregnant users, too!

Now... here's another one! Sorry but you can't find anything like this anywhere ! First, it's highly unlikely that anyone near my circle of friends would like to have frog shoes... and second, I had these customized. I first heard about Momo Custom Design from Kiel (salamaat!!!) and when I saw her shoes, I spent a LOT of time thinking and thinking what I would want on my shoes. Hehe. And tada! After around 1 week of conceptualizing with Jasmin of Momo, she painted these!

I bought regular Advan shoes for under PHP 200.00, shipped the pair to Jasmin -- and paid PHP 600 for painting and shipping. We used a German postcard that I have in my collection as peg. I say it's time and money well spent because I just looove them.

Order your own shoes at www.momocustomdesign.multiply.com :-) They have ready made designs you can choose from... or you can be adventurous and try what I did.
Jasmin is very flexible and creative , it was a really fun and creative experience...

Halfway There...

2010-05-17T09:44:00.005+08:00

We're at 20 weeks! Passing the "baby mark" left by our sad loss at 14-18 weeks last year gave us a LOT of relief. I was jittery during the 4th month check up, but was in higher spirits yesterday during our 5th month checkup (especially because Sam was with me :-). Baby gave us a nice, steady heartbeat, which was quite difficult to catch because he/ she kept moving around.

My tummy is already "rounded" , and I have gained around 2 inches around the waist. I now wear my Belly Belt (Sam's happy birthday gift :-) ) and find comfort in stretchy shorts and dresses. I think I am still small for real maternity stuff, and people say it's not a cause of worry because some pregnancies don't show until the 7th month!!!

We are still so afraid of what may happen because we know that there is no way of preventing what might happen (we didn't have any symptoms before) - so we continue to pray our St Raymond of Nonato novena every night - and try to keep the anxiety at bay. Now that we're at 20 weeks, at least our excitement outweighs the worry already!

I was given the go signal for another ultrasound before our 6th month checkup (week of June 15) , and we'll be having gender determination along with a congenital anomaly scan... We are sooo excited. So, what's your guess? Boy or girl? :-)

Photo taken at around 17 weeks, I'm slightly bigger and rounder now.

The Good Soldier Svejk

2010-05-13T14:27:00.005+08:00

Culture stop!

My bosses recently visited the City of Prague in the Czech Republic for a meeting with our European counterparts. I heard it's a wonderful city so I bugged one of my Slovak colleagues to get me something traditionally Czech, preferably a famous pair. He came back to Manila with a Czech patch for my travel bag and two small figurines of famous Czech characters: The Good Soldier Svejk ("because you have a thing for soldiers") and the Golem ("because it looks funny").

I have no pictures yet of my actual two but they are now happily looking at me from my office desk. I find them soo sweet. Hehe. And the story of Josef Svejk equally interesting. It is apparently an unfinished series, I don't know why: (excerpts from Wikipedia)

My Svejk wears a green uniform. I think mine wore a Russian uniform by mistake

(one of the plots of his many anecdotes)

The story begins in Prague with news of the assassination in Sarajevo that precipitates World War I. Švejk displays such enthusiasm about faithfully serving the Austrian Emperor in battle that no one can decide whether he is merely an imbecile or is craftily undermining the war effort. Through possibly-feigned idiocy or incompetence he repeatedly manages to frustrate military authority and expose its stupidity in a form of passive resistance: the reader is left unclear, however, as to whether Švejk is genuinely incompetent, or acting quite deliberately with dumb insolence.

He's probably really famous because I also found a Facebook fan page and a Flickr photo set of all the cartoons from the original book.

The other one, the Golem - has a pretty colorful story as well! He is famous around Europe and have been used as an inspiration for many movies and sci-fi characters.

Depending on the version of the legend, under Rudolf II, the Holy Roman Emperor, the Jews in Prague were to be either expelled or killed. To protect the Jewish community, the rabbi constructed the Golem out of clay from the banks of the Vltava river, and brought it to life through rituals and Hebrew incantations. As this golem grew, it became increasingly violent, killing gentiles and spreading fear. A different story tells of a golem falling in love, and when rejected, he became the violent monster as seen in most accounts. Some versions have the golem eventually turning on its creator and perhaps even attacking other Jews.

Point of View

2010-05-08T20:24:00.007+08:00

Memi, Pepi, Hanna (and baby)

So lucky that my parents support Gibo, too - I would never go to all those sorties in this condition.

I think we have different VPs tho.

I have been so caught up in the "Green Fever" the past few months. The passion and the drive of all the Green Team (and its other variations all over the country, the G-Force, G-Squad, and a whole lot more...) volunteers are very infectious. I am amazed at the creativity, dedication and sacrifice they lent to the campaign. I would specially like to recognize the dynamism of Green Team Cebu for coming up with non-conventional campaigns such as the Flashmob (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXrkl3yCcGU) and the Freeze (http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1302075601170) . I liked how the volunteer coordinators sincerely followed the campaign promise of positivity and how the volunteers (well, most of them) gently reminded each other to steer clear of mudslinging. It was great to see the crowd of supporters thickening from the "Takbo Para Kay Gibo" event in early January , to the increasing Facebook fans, up to the fun "Gibo Rocks" and the 135,000+ people who joined the final Miting de Avance. As my mom and dad said (EDSA I veterans), it was just like the EDSA crowd (I don't know exactly what they meant, they said it was that feeling of unity and doing something for the country) . We actually ran into a few of their friends who were part of EDSA I!

We stayed in the bleachers to avoid getting crushed by this crowd

We eventually mingled :-) I didn't know this girl but I just had to have

a picture with that head dress!

People came to hear the president speak, and not for the free games or entertainment. It was like a huge concert where the rockstar was Gibo. Kulang na lang ang pag-sigaw ng "More! More!" Might sound OA, but it was sort of like magic. Win or lose, we have made our statement that we are definitely not 7%. People came wearing shirts they bought or made themselves, and waving makeshift banners and other paraphernalia. People came even if they were not promised jobs or heaven and earth or P20.00 each. People came because they believe - that he can be the change that we have been wishing for.

Note: Thanks also to GT Taguig who "adopted" us and shared dinner! The coordinato

r even called me and asked if we were coming because some volunteers sponsored food "Sayang naman kasi" The celebrities who were there stayed out of the limelight - but it followed them anyway. Who would miss Ruffa G's and Miriam Q's towering heights over average-sized Pinoys?

Maybe I am sort of biased, but do you feel the same kind of magic and "ownership" towards your candidate's vision? Are your volunteers as passionate? I really want to know. I've been searching the web and news for evidence of such collective action (led by the people and not by the party) for other candidates but have so far come up with nothing.. please send me links! I am also looking for "crowd" photos from your miting de avance. All I see are closeup shots of the candidates. I am sure the "others" have their share of the tech-savvy followers! I want to see the Filipinos becoming involved - even if it is just this one time because that is good enough (for now.) I am sure you have felt the Noynoy/ Manny/ Gordon/ Nick/ Jamby (??) / JC Magic if there is such a thing.

Tomorrow, we all vote. We make our own silent statement. Whoever you are picking for whatever post, I hope you are picking them for all the right reasons. Don't forget that change comes from you, your family, your barangay, your town/ your city, your province - before you start blaming the national government.

Praying for everyone to make the right choice (emphasizing that mine MIGHT not be the right one, so I am praying for all of us) , praying for all winners to be real winners - and praying for all losers to be man (or woman) enough to accept their defeat.

Leaving you with this "huling hirit" a fan music video and song dedicated for all the GT Volunteers. Let's all cross our fingers while the PCOS machines are a-counting. It's a great song - so if you don't care much for my candidate - you may close your eyes and just listen. Hehe, but you'll miss some cool photos and the subtitles.

Malaysia!

2010-05-07T08:35:00.004+08:00

LTJG suddenly arrived Sunday night from his Malaysian journey. I was expecting him on Monday, but he said they managed to arrive earlier so he went home to Laguna - much to the delight of our bundle of mischief, Mia. She couldn't stop barking and jumping and running around when Sam arrived, to think that it was wayy past her bedtime.

He stayed overnight and the following morning I had to leave him for a while to attend the send off for Green Team Laguna and Cavite's motorcade in San Pedro, which I couldn't cancel because I promised some people that I will meet them there to turnover some campaign materials. I didn't stay long because Sam had to leave for Cavite at 10am for the closing ceremonies of the Malaysian training program.

He was back again Tuesday night, this time at Fort.5 and I had a 2 hour roundup of his Malaysia trip. This was his first trip outside the Philippines and I was so excited for him! I saw that he loved the experience and learned a lot. It was fun hearing him talk about Malayan culture and share with me some of the words he learned while there. He also showed me a music video their Malaysian counterparts made for them where he had a few "seconds of fame".

Some stuff I learned:

1. The Royal Malaysian Navy has their own version of Sam's unit called Paskal.

2. According to Sam, Malaysians were very friendly and much like Pinoys and the food was very spicy.

3. Kuala Lumpur is soo clean and that it looked like a well-manicured golf-course.

4. The Petronas twin towers are made of aluminum for more efficient cleaning.

5. Navy ships around the world have fun "rituals" when passing the international dateline. A core group does some role playing where Neptune welcomes the first-timers to the sea. He then lists the ship's "sins" like throwing garbage or people not behaving in the mess hall. Then the first timers will run through an obstacle course set up all throughout the ship! Looked so fun!

We planned to blog about this together but he had to leave again before I could get used to a crowded bedroom. :-) Now it's all quiet and clean again because he left for Elyu this morning. We're looking forward to a break after the elections.

I found a folder labeled "Popi Malaysia" on my desktop with some photos I can share with LTJG's permission!

They had a stopover in Boracay (and Palawan) en route to Malaysia last April.
It was also his first time in Boracay! Some of them played beach football and there were also
pictures of cliff diving, inggit!

Petronas Towers in the background.

View from above

Win new stuff from my store!!!!

2010-05-04T15:09:00.003+08:00

Hello! I'm upgrading inventory and adding new stuff for my store: www.alfacompany.multiply.com- and I need your help ! :-) I hope you can take time to answer this 10 question survey. 5 Winners will receive sample kits of yummy bath and body stuff.

CLICK ON THE IMAGE to start...

Update...

2010-05-03T10:01:00.002+08:00

This says it all.

GIBO Motorcade !

2010-05-01T15:25:00.004+08:00

r
o

No, we didn't join the motorcade - but my small family and I decided to be there for the send off! It was a fun and happy atmosphere at the Fully Booked Parking lot at Bonifacio High Street. Volunteers trickled in sharing all sorts of GIBO paraphernalia - aprons, shirts, baller IDs, posters, calendars, flyers so everyone can give them away.

Some quotes:

"Give away the materials! Konti lang yan, tayo - alam na natin na GIBO tayo so let us influence more people!" - Volunteer

"Kanya-kanya na nga ang pagpapagawa ng materials! Last time umuwi ako damit ko na lang dala ko ubos na ubos talaga!" - Volunteer

"Not for GMA but GO for GIBO!" - from a Tshirt

Later on we're going to CCP for the concert. Go GIBO, for the WIN!

Lessons

2010-05-01T08:36:00.001+08:00

The crash of my external hard drive last month brought a trickling sense of loss. I got it primarily for my photos and layouts, so they won’t hog my laptop’s memory. Sadly, like most people, only 30% of its content had backups. I easily convinced myself that it was no big deal, so I wasn’t too mad about it (especially since it crashed right after somebody borrowed it from me to transfer big files to her PC… grrr). But now, I’m full of “If Only” statements. If only I backed up the files like what I always thought I should do. If only I didn’t let her borrow it. If only I watched her like a hawk while she used it. If only I had finished that album already. If only I had printed the photos already. If only, if only, if only!!!!

Let this be a lesson to people out there who don’t back up their files, and don’t bother to print out digital photos. Virtual storage gets ruined, they crash, they just get lost. So please learn from me and BACK UP files or do it the old fashioned way and PRINT your favorite memories! (Put them in a safe place away from molds, anay and baha)

Sigh. In memory of the following files:

- 2 years worth of digital scrapbook layout and files
- A folder of scanned photos from my mom and dad’s wedding (have to do it all over again)
- Up With People Photos (wahhhhhh) , a UWP half finished digital photo album, and all my scanned mementos (I scanned them so I can throw away the originals – I remember that it was 3 days of scanning)
- Sam’s Photos from his “unit” training. From reception up to his graduation. (wahhhhh)
- Compilation of our wedding photos, our photo album layout. Good thing I had these printed already!!!!
- Scanned “creative work portfolio” and workshop certificates, lovingly arranged
- Raw, layered files of my brochures for work. I kept them there because I didn’t have Photoshop at work to manipulate them anyway
- A LOT of pictures and other files, that I know I’ll probably look for someday.

Sigh.

MMUah!

2010-04-25T18:50:00.007+08:00

As posted in a previous blog post (click here), I’m afraid my kikay fetish is not dying down. Each time I connect to the net to do work-related research, I end up drying up my Smartbro load just looking up mineral makeup online! And it was during those :ahem: research times that I found out that MMU is the shorter way to call Mineral Make Up.

MMU is super light on the skin, and it’s as if you’re wearing no makeup at all (personal experience!). It’s made up of all natural ingredients (no oil, no talc, no preservatives) that feeds your skin with great benefits like cell regeneration and natural sun protection. It’s made of super fine ingredients that can hide fine lines and flaws without clogging pores. And, a lot of MMU websites claim that you can even sleep with MMU makeup on (not that you need to, but just in case!)

MMU brands have a wide range of colors and pigments and they really attracted me the way I used to get attracted to dry pastels and acrylic paints. Professional makeup brushes come in sets of 5 – (gulp) 25! I don’t even know if that’s all of them. Now that I am thinking of adding MMU to my growing list of “all –natural” merchandise, I said, why not learn more about it?

I “researched” (now, with a purpose!) using the Net for nearby makeup workshops. I wanted something useful, non-committal, and guilt-free. I came across the perfect one … Mineraux, a local MMU company based in Bonifacio Global City was offering a half-day MMU workshop for P1,200.00 including refreshments and an MMU starter kit, oh joy!

I joined the April 24 session held at the Numa Tea Shoppe on Rizal Drive. It was a small group, there were only 5 girls (max number is 7), it was awkward during the first few minutes – but everyone loosened up quickly. Our teacher (Melissa, one of the owners of Mineraux), really reminded us to be informal and to have fun! We were taught about basic skin care (cleanse, tone, moisturize!) and how to apply MMU for the “Prime” (no makeup/ day look) and for the “Smoky” look (for those sexy, deep set eyes)

I really, really enjoyed the workshop. I went there with only a few basic brushes and some mineral foundation - but we were allowed to borrow the brushes and sample the Mineraux MMU. Brushes are definitely easier to understand once you learn how to use them (The fan brush is for brushing away loose pigments, kaya sya mukhang walis!). The color of your veins through your skin also determines your skin tone, which is a must when choosing the color of your foundation. I’m an “olive” all along (and I kept on picking warm colors!) I also learned when to use those weird yellow, purple and green concealers I see makeup artists use. It was also great meeting new people! Melissa told us that Mineraux is targeting the older, more mature professionals, hence the lack of shimmer shimmer in their shades.

Time for pictures? When I got home my mom asked, “Aba, bakit ka nagpa-makeup” .. “Ahem, mommy, ako gumawa nan.” Small photos only nahihiya ako , hehe.

Melissa of Mineraux talks about brushes.

.
Check out my seatmate's brushes! Hehe inggit ako.

The left photo , bare-faced. The right one with my usual daily makeup

During the workshop and halfway dolled up. Foundaton and outlined brows pa lang.

"Smoky eyes" -- sorry , I wasn't able to do a better full face-photo , hehe. And.. I'm a lousy kilay-groomer.

After the workshop, we were asked to choose 4 types of MMU to choose for our own starter kit, I chose a concealer, 2 colors of blush, and a mineral veil. Good haul ;-) It was time (and money) well spent. Learn about MMU and Mineraux at http://www.mineraux.com.ph or http://mineraux.multiply.com.

How's your Electric Bill?

2010-04-21T18:13:00.004+08:00

My boss told me that it’s now P13.00 per kwH (or maybe higher, I forgot the exact value). As a result, people’s electric bills have doubled. I’m not super affected because my electric bill here at Fort.5 never goes past P400.00 (woohoo!) We don’t have air conditioning and we’re out most of the time. We actually don’t need A/C since its pretty cool here (no direct sunlight!) , besides – wala sa amin ang nasanay na naka A/C. I have an energy efficient ref, use LPG, and bring laundry home to Laguna (not too efficient, but hey, we go home on weekends anyway, so oks lang). Other appliances include a toaster, a microwave oven, an iron (si LTJG lang naman ang nagpaplantsa, my clothes are usually wash and wear) and an old, old TV (probably the least efficient of our stuff), laptop, printer, scanner. All our lights are Compact Flourescent Lamps (CFL) may cost more but illuminates better and lasts xxx more than your normal round bulbs (meron pa ba non???)

Anyway, I’ve been visiting the Department of Energy a lot because of my job, and I’d like to share with you some of the tips I got from some DOE flyers. They have a LOT on energy awareness, I wonder how they spread the word around? Allow me to give them a hand… and I quote, “Start today and see how much you can save!”

On Airconditioning

~ Choose an A/C unit with high “Energy Efficiency Ratio” (EER). This consumes less electricity. Newer models nowadays are always labeled.

~ If you’re leaving the room for a long time (say, more than 2 hours), turn off the A/C, it uses less current to bring the temperature down again when you return and turn it on again.

~ Switch to fluorescent lighting. Incandescent bulbs are much better heaters than light sources (that’s why they’re used for poultry!) – these IBs will compete with you’re A/Cs, making it work harder.

On Refs and Freezers

~ Defrost regularly. More than ¼ inch of ice build up puts on an extra load on the motor

~ Check ref if it is not losing cool because of a leaking gasket (edge of door). Test this by closing the door on a peso (or dollar or dong or whatever, hehe). If the bill slips out when you pull on it, it’s either the gasket needs replacement or the door needs adjusting

~ Don’t set the thermostat colder to get it started on the theory that it will cool/ freeze faster.

~ Make sure you have just the right size fridge for your needs!

On Kitchen Appliances

~ Thaw frozen food thoroughly before cooking

~ Do not boil water in an open pan/ pot. Covered pots will boil sooner over less heat

~ Never use small pans on big burners or heating elements (for electric). Flame or heat exceeding the diameter of the pan is lost in the air.

On Laundry

~ Avoid washing partial loads. In other words, ipunin ang labada bago labhan. Use the full machine capacity

~ Avoid using the electric drier. Practice using the old-fashioned sampayan !

~ Dampen clothes moderately when ironing. Excessive moistened clothes take longer to iron

~ Turn off flat iron shortly before ironing the last piece.. it will stay hot long enough to finish the job

That’s all for now! Remember, conserving energy or using energy efficiently not only lowers your electric bills but also lets you contribute less to the energy shortage AND pollution ;-)

Love it

2010-04-20T23:16:00.002+08:00

Boys over Flowers in Real: Vic, Ave, Hanna, Jerome, Pete

Salamat kay Jops :-) Hehe. Sorry boys, iba ang love ni JanDi (?) in this version.

Where in the world is LTJG ?

2010-04-17T10:33:00.007+08:00

It has been 3 days without contact, so I decided to surf the web for any relevant news articles and came up with this one:

Reuters Pictures
2 weeks ago
Members of the Philippine Navy salute during a send-off ceremony at Sangley Point Naval Base in Cavite City, south of Manila March 31, 2010. Around 250 sailors are sent to Malaysia to participate in a bilateral maritime training activity between Philippine Navy and Royal Malaysian Navy which aims to enhance interoperability between the two neighboring allies.

Hehe. He's there, somewhere. If you look really hard. My then showbiz-averse husband will be thrilled when he finds out that the news was picked up by international wires!

We miss you LTJG!

Plug: Canvas Earth Bags as Great Giveaways!

2010-04-14T16:25:00.006+08:00

We (well, my mom and I) can produce made to order canvas (katsa) bags for your corporate or personal events! These bags are way useful (none of those trinkets that only gather dust on your shelves) and can even make earth-friendly or bold or "wala lang" statements! Encourage your guests to reduce waste by bringing their own bag when they shop ;-)

We use the thick katsa and double / zigzag (machine) sewing to prevent the katsa from shredding (err, ano ang english ng "nisnis" basta yung nauubos ang cloth). Designs are printed using regular silkscreen paints.

Prices vary according to bag style and print design. Sorry, we won't do zippers or buckles. Plain, velcro or snaps would be fine. Please PM me your specs so we can price :-)

For Doy and Maui's wedding , it was about 14" x 15" with black and gray print. PM me for pricing details.

For my wedding 3 years ago (hehe), we had a variety of sizes with a 4-color print. Prices increase according to number of colors . We can do special orders of very few pieces but of course that will cost more :-) I guess orders of 50 pcs and up would be more economical.

So... just send me a message through blogger, multiply or through my email or through facebook or whatever if you're interested! Minimum one month's notice for orders!

A Wedding in Real, Quezon

2010-04-12T13:08:00.005+08:00

4/12/2010

I've said it before and I'll say it again and again. I am yet to find office friends that are as great as my AFI office friends. I don't know, conversations with them are always deeper, more meaningful, and less pretentious. With them I can truly be honest and frank and even pikon. Haha. I miss them terribly. And there is no use going back to AFI because we've all moved on! And I guess that's what makes it more special.

Our friends Maui and Doy got married over the weekend and we had a fun reunion! It was in a far off chapel in Real Quezon, sabi nga ni Doy, "sa nilayo-layo man ng byahe, sa simbahan din ang tuloy" and that made it more fun and meaningful. Everything was brief but sweet , making it definitely a wedding to remember! One can hear the ocean waves during the church (chapel) wedding, and I loved how the breeze kept blowing about.

I loved the priest's sermon and I would like to share it with you. He had 3 bits of advice for married couples:

(1) Be promise keepers. Promises are NOT made to be broken.

(2) Be discoverers. Do not be afraid to try new things and to surprise each other

(3) Be forgivers. A lot of marriages would still be saved if people were forgivers

Maui and Doy's wedding showed that a wedding doesn't need all the frills and headache-pounding, wallet crunching stuff in order to happen! All you need is love, good friends, and a thirst for adventure. CONGRATULATIONS MAUSTER AND DOY!!!

I didn't bring a camera so I just grabbed this one from Vic's site. Looking forward to more photos from Jofel's camera!

Travel stuff:

- Famy to Real, Quezon is a zigzaggy, but otherwise breathtaking ride. Ganda ng mountains! It's a 2.5 drive from Manila , around 3 hours from Laguna.

- La Union has better resorts, but if you're willing to rough it, Real is good for beginner surfers. Maui said the best resort they saw was the Manila East resort. We had a conversation with one resort caretaker, his boss didn't want to invest much on aesthetics because the coast is very vulnerable to typhoons and tsunami!

A Few of my Favorite Things

2010-04-06T21:20:00.005+08:00

… I simply remember my favorite things, and then I don’t feel so bad….

Haha. From one of my favorite sing-along movies. The song played in my head while I was cooking my beef tapa for lunch. Yep, it’s my 28th birthday today and I had a whole day solo celebration. I planned it on a whim yesterday, and I’m quite glad it went well.

I decided to celebrate with my favorite things. Number one would be staying at home. I like staying home alone. Less expensive, you don’t have to look good and you can make a mess. The weather cooperated too! It was sunny out, but the breeze blowing into our room was really comforting that I didn’t need to turn on lights or even the electric fan.

Favorite Breakfast – I love French toast, so for today I made French toast with banana and cream cheese. Mmmm. This was actually copied from a dish I used to order from the Tower 1 Executive’s Lounge in Ayala (I don’t get to eat there anymore…) My version just lacked the cinnamon and confectioner’s sugar. Ah, but I was still happy.

My dad also bought me my all-time favorite McDonald’s breakfast: Sausage McMuffin with Egg and Hashbrowns. I ate the hashbrowns but saved the muffin for later.(ate half for merienda, and as of now, 8pm, di pa ubos ang other half)

Favorite Pasttime – While waiting for lunch, I surfed the net and looked at old pictures (or what’s left, my hard drive crashed last week) and wrote. Okay, I did a little bit of work – but if it’s writing, it’s no big deal. I still got entertained.

Favorite Lunch – I’m very much a breakfast person so I did Tapsilog for lunch. Hehe. I always buy the pre-marinated tapa from Monterey and it's really, really good.

Favorite Luxury – A pedicure and a massage! At home! I originally wanted to go to the Spa at Bonifacio High Street or to the Neo Spa (also in Global City, heard it was better and cheaper than the Spa) but then that meant getting dressed and walking and getting a cab and going home again (too much work!). I discovered Villa Masaje a while back and they give pretty relaxing massages and fun foot treatments. I booked home foot scrub and pedicure (P280.00) and a preggy-care massage (P300.00). That’s not even one fancy massage at a fancy spa. But I don’t think I’ll get a preggy massage again since it’s pretty useless – they can’t massage your foot, they can’t massage your lower back. But those are the places that hurt!!! Besides, Sam gives better massages ;-)

Favorite Dinner – Lucky that I have some pasta sauce in my pantry and that I have a fresh green pot of romaine lettuce I got from Tagaytay last weekend! So it was a salad and pasta dinner for me. I’m not a good cook so I just sautéed tuna from a can to mix with my 3 cheese sauce.

And... after reading a friend's blog - I decided to make an instant invitation for dinner for two. Which turned out to be Kiel's lunch/merienda/dinner in one. Hehe. Kiel, thanks for celebrating my birthday and eating my spaghetti. (Kiel is the 2nd person outside my small family na nakakain ng luto ko.. okay naman sha so far)

Thanks so much to the people who wrote on my Facebook Wall, to those who emailed, to those who called (Allan , Lukas, Tin ! ) , to those who texted from overseas (Manuel, Nyls), to those who texted texted texted (I spent most of my morning responding to text messages…) , to those who remembered even if it has been a long long time since we talked.... to those who did everything and even to those who forgot (okay lang, I’m bad at birtdays, too!)!!! Remember that there were two of us that you made happy today…

Community Impact in Vietnam

2010-04-04T11:03:00.008+08:00

Late upload (4-3-2010)

Our first “official day” in Hoi An was blocked off for community service. The whole delegation took up 3 buses and one mini-van (the van carried the “Mobile Library Team” where I was a part of!) that drove us to rural schools. Three big groups were to work on renovations and gardening (painting, minor repairs, gardening) and our small group of 12 people were to facilitate the library workshops.

I have to thank my baby who brought me to the mobile library team! Not everyone can choose teams, but because I’m pregnant, I was assigned there by default. I missed storytelling and kids – very reminiscent of my AFI and UWP days.

We worked with an NGO called the Global Village Foundation, which focuses on sustainable community development projects emphasizing education and peace building at the grassroots level in Vietnam. You may read more about the foundation here: http://www.globalvillagefoundation.org/. The foundation brings this portable, wooden, suitcase-like container of books to schools so that the kids can experience them. On regular days, the foundation will just stay for a few hours and pack up. Well, I’m happy to share that our company bought two of those “suitcases” so we can leave the portable libraries with the schools we helped that day. The cases probably contained around 60 books (it was heavy!)

Our assignment for the day: in a span of one hour, we had to interact with the kids, show them the books, and tell them that they will be put at a designated place where they can borrow them and read. Each small team was composed of 3 people – two foreigners and one Vietnamese-speaking colleague. I worked with Nhan from Vietnam and Wang Jie from China. We had 3 classes in the morning, and another 3 classes in the afternoon.

Our first class was (almost) a disaster. I was looking forward to an hour of storytelling .. but… we had no idea that the students (around 12, 13 years old) did not speak much English (or were probably too shy to speak it…) and that the books we were bringing were almost all in Vietnamese! The ones with translations were all so basic for the 6th graders. We tried alternating English with Vietnamese translations but it was just too boring.

We altered our strategy in the afternoon and made it interactive. Most of them have never encountered foreigners before, so we did introductions in our own language and made them guess. China was so easy for them, but it really took a while for them to guess Philippines (I was sometimes from Singapore, HongKong, and even Germany haha!). I did a game using basic English words (Stand up and make some noise if you are a “girl”, a “boy” , wearing “red” , have a “dog”..) , it was fun. We also taught them the song, “Row, row, row your boat” while doing some actions and drawing pictures on the board.

And, I can’t believe I was able to do it because I used to hate it when I was in UWP – I taught the kids “Stomp!” – Stomp was a routine we learned in UWP which involved clapping and stomping of the feet to a certain rhythm. To my delight, the kids loved it! Much to the horror of my colleagues who asked me, is it okay for pregnant women to stomp??? Oh well, I felt okay. Then another colleague from the US asked me if I was a cheerleader. Hah. I wasn’t, I’m just … cheerful. Then, as a reward for being so participative – we opened the box of books for them (where they oohed and aahed!) and left it to our Vietnamese colleague to explain the importance of reading to them. She then reads them one book and encourages them to browse the collection for a few minutes. After that, we say goodbye to the class. I taught them to say “Paalam!!!” which is the Filipino word for good bye.

It was a hot HOT day , and some of our colleagues who were doing the outdoor jobs gave up and chose to return to the hotel after lunch. We were also given the option, but our small team decided to continue. By our last class in the morning, a lot of kids were also peeking from outside the classrooms, so we didn’t want to disappoint them by not going to their classes!

We finished up at around 4 in the afternoon… hot, tired, dusty – but happy! And this was the best part of my Hoi An trip ;-)

Panatang Makabago

2010-04-03T21:54:00.003+08:00

Mahal ko ang Pilipinas
Dito naka-ugat ang buo kong pagkatao
Kaluluwa at dugo
Isip at puso
Dito malaya ako
Malayang mamuhay ng marangal
Malayang ipaglaban ang mga karapatan ko
Mahalaga ang paniwala ko
Importante ang boses ko
Kaya’t ibibigay ko lang
Ang boto ko
Sa may integridad at prinsipyo
Sa may galing at talino
Ang may tunay na plano
At hindi lang puro pangako
Hindi ako magpapasilaw sa kasikatan
Hindi magpapadikta sa kahit na sino
Gagawin lang ang tama at nararapat
Para maging mas dakila pa ang Pilipinas kong mahal
At ngayong may pagkakataong magbago muli
Magsisikap akong maging mas mabuting Pilipino
Mas may malasakit sa kapwa
Ito ang pangako ko
Sa aking mga magulang at sa aking kapwa Pilipino
Sa aking mga anak
Sa aking mga mahal sa buhay
Naniniwala akong posibleng makamit ang mabilis na pagunlad
Sa ngalan ng Panginoon
Sa pagkakaisa
At pagsama-sama
Ako ay Pilipino
Mahal ko ang bayan ko.

Created and produced by a volunteer group of the G1Bo Teodoro for President Movement.

I got it from here: www.allgiboteodoro.blogspot.com

A Taste of Hoi An

2010-03-31T11:41:00.011+08:00

... Part 3 ...

I loved Pho Hoa in Manila , and I absolutely LOVED the food we had during my visit to Ho Chi Minh City last year (can't get over it!). And this was probably why I had such high expectations for the Hoi An local cuisine. Di ba dapat mas masarap ang pagkain sa probinsya?

Alright, I guess we ate at touristy spots most of the time , which does not qualify as local. But still... saving grace was this small eatery our cab driver recommended to us :-)

Here are some food highlights!

Hainanese Chicken Rice from the Palm Garden Resort
I was simply famished when we arrived at 3pm during the first day, with only some Skyflakes to fill my always hungry tummy because we didn't have time for lunch. I ordered this Hainan chicken from the hotel, looked good -- but I was disappointed with its bland, bland taste. :-( It was as if they just boiled the chicken and put crushed ginger on the side. Walang personality.

I also had Orange Juice - which was sooo sour. It was pure, warm, with no sugar at all. And because I was not satisfied, I shared a Creme Brulee with Ana. It was... well, a normal Creme Brulee, nothing special. But at least it tasted like what it's supposed to taste like.

That evening, we decided to be adventurous and explored downtown Hoi An - which was about 10-15 minutes away from our resort by cab (cost us around 80,000 Vietnam Dong) I interviewed the driver and asked him where we can get good local food. He drew us a map that brought us to the Wan Lu restaurant in one of the side streets. After struggling with the language, I stuffed myself with an interesting dish called "White Rose" and the tastiest "Yang Chow" fried rice.

An evening downtown. Hoi An is famous for its tailors.
You can make a dress made in under 2 hours (USD 30.00 up)

White Rose, locally known as banh bao vac, is a type of shrimp and pork dumpling made from translucent white dough bunched up to look like a rose.You dip it in a mixture of fish sauce and (i think) vinegar + garlic + sugar. It's not going to be my favorite any time soon (siomai is better) -- but it was... interesting. Sort of like chewing a big glob of bubblegum while waiting to taste the shrimp/pork filling!

White Rose - all dough, hidden shrimp

We also ordered their version of the Yang Chow fried rice, which was so full of sahog - erm, kanin pa lang, ulam na! Tasty and cheap (less than 2 USD for a huge plate good enough for 3-4 pax)

Another interesting find was Banh Phu The , which meant husband and wife cake. Somebody brought it in while we were doing our community service. It tasted a lot like our local sumans, with some strips of dried, shredded coconut inside. It also came with another cake, called Banh Gai (I didn't get the meaning) , which sort of tasted like mochi or buchi (sticky rice with monggo inside?)

After such a tiring day -- I was expecting a feast of a dinner at the nearby Full Moon Resort and Restaurant.. it was such a "twinkling" place straight out of asian movies. Alas, I was disappointed, and I can't even remember what I ate. Each dish was served ONE AT A TIME ... and when another viand came, they took the first one away. It doesn't matter if you didn't get any, or if the dish was untouched. THEY JUST TAKE IT AWAY. Sigh. Even the steamed rice was served last, without any viands to accompany it. Sigh. One of my colleagues said maybe the servers have a quota on how many plates they clear.

Most of the food served that night were tasteless , except for these monstrous prawns . But sadly, we only got to eat one piece each :-( . But I don't believe that food in this region is terrible. I'm guessing we just got unlucky.

That's about it for the food highlights! (The going away buffet at the hotel wasn't much, either) I got myself a familiar cheeseburger from McDonalds as soon as we landed in Manila. Ahh... tastebuds are still alive!

Palm Garden Beach Resort and Spa, Cua Dai Beach

2010-03-30T09:14:00.009+08:00

... Part 2 ....

Travel time was around 2 hours something from Manila to Ho Chi Minh City , and another one hour domestic flight to Da Nang, and then another 45 minute drive to Cua Dai Beach. Forty five minutes were really 45 minutes continuous driving - no heavy traffic at all!

The airport was very similar to Bohol's Tagbilaran airport. The scenery was flat and dry, with small sprouts of development here and there. As we approached Cua Dai beach, I saw "Boracay" in the making. There were huge construction sites for resorts everywhere! We were lucky that we visited before the onslaught of these casinos and monster resorts. (According to one website, "If you do not want to see tourists, Hoi An is not the place for you") Sure enough, I saw a lot of tourists during our stay. But still not as crowded as Boracay!

We stayed at a sprawling beach resort called Palm Garden. Upon seeing it, I can't help but recall my favorite game show, the "Price is Right" where people win weekends at Palm Springs :-) Too bad I wasn't able to use any of their facilities (except for room service - a pregnant woman's best friend) -- but the pool looked fab and the Qui Spa looked posh (at U$D 54.00 per massage!! WTF?)

The rooms were either duplexes or stand alone bungalows. I was on a 2nd floor of a duplex type one. It was huge for just one person (our company has this thing with privacy so they always book one person per room) , and I couldn't help but wish that I had family with me :-)

As for the hotel food, I've tasted better. Even for the breakfast buffet, I steered clear of the unique concoctions and stayed with the tried and tested egg omelettes, cereal and bread.. (Food deserves a separate blog entry... ) I also felt that people at the hotel were very impatient people. While eating, you get asked for an average of 3 times ifyou're done so they can get your plate. For room service, they knocked so loud and fast, you'd think there was an emergency!

A good thing about their beach (even if the sand is not powder-white) , is that it's so far away from the resorts! Felt really peaceful :-) The temperature when we arrived was beach-worthy, but it started getting windy (typhoon-like) the next couple of days.

Dark Skies

Overall, I would rate Palm Garden maybe a 7 out of 10. It was beautiful, but the service and the food was forgettable ! And, if I weren't pregnant, I would've stayed another day in Ho Chi Minh (and not at Cua Dai Beach -- the water looked dangerous anyway)

Up next ... FOOD post !

Whirlwind Hoi An

2010-03-29T21:28:00.004+08:00

Ok, first of all - Hoi An is a real place and NOT my version of the more famous Vietnamese city, Hanoi. My friend Ave asked me if I was kidding or confused when I was telling him about my Hoi An trip, "Ahh, Hanna, ako naman pupunta sa Kok-Bang." Well.. haha.

Upon our arrival, however-- I started getting confused because this might be a mixed up city after all! Check out the welcome sign for our team:
Sheesh! Maling-malina talaga! Hahaha! The sign guy noticed our laughter and was too shy to show his face :-)

Our huge global office is currently under massive reorganization and the management saw it fit to keep the support team in the loop. The "support team" is this layer of our office which provides administrative and technical support to all the finance and whatever expert bosses that we have. In simpler terms, we are the secretaries, IT support, program/ technical/ executive assistants, office administrators, staff writers, etc, etc. As some of our primaries from Washington DC put it, "the people who do the real work" -- and that our bosses probably missed all of us because all of East Asia support staff were virtually unreachable that week.

I regret that I may be unable to give you a "taste of Hoi An". As stated in a previous blog entry, we hardly had time to explore the city. During the time when we were given a choice between go relax and do community service, my team chose the latter (which, by the way - I don't regret!). And during the time that I was excused from some activities, I was just so dizzy to care!

Overall, it was a fun, tiring, whirlwind week. It was sort of like a sneak preview to an award winning film that I will never get to watch. Let me share with you the best parts ...

to be continued....

Quickie Post

2010-03-25T07:50:00.002+08:00

I'll have more time to detail my trip to Hoi An when I get home. I underestimated the schedule they gave us (doesn't seem much, but it's really packed once you've experienced it)

Also, our resort is quite literally in the middle of nowhere - which is good if you're here on a holiday - but not if you want to squeeze in as much experience you can squeeze in a short, 4-day workshop week. All sights and shopping are closed by the time we end our typical day. Oh well, less expenses!!! Ah, but I can't help feell frustrated about not seeing this historical place.

The BEACH looks good though, minus the waves that look dangerous. The shoreline's super long and the setback of the resorts from the actual shore is really far so you can appreciate the natural beauty more.

Yesterday, we traveled for about an hour to a very Rural part of Hoi An, where we spent time with public school students. It was such a great experience, at least for me.. since I felt like some of the people there did not want to be there hehe. Sometimes, it really amazes me how other people have no idea how the grassroots live their lives.

Today we have an in-house meeting and some other socials lasting up to dinner. I thought I could get some extra work done here, but I'm just to exhausted to care. Last night, I skipped a group meeting to crash in my room. Hey, baby's complaining..

Tomorrow, we go home!! Tell you more about it then :-) (p.s I don't know what's wrong but I can't seem to upload photos!!)

Mixed Up Thoughts

2010-03-22T16:41:00.003+08:00

Another random post !

1. LTJG came home the other night while I was catching up with old friends in LB. Talagang, "Maghintay ka jan! Gimik muna ako" Hehe. He had chocolate cake waiting for him.

My 9x12 advance birthday chocolate cake because we won't be together on my birthday.

2. Ang itim ni LTJG. Eew. Haha. We also went to the OB for my checkup. The doctor had a hard time chasing the baby around with the doppler. He/She is a very hyper baby. For a moment I panicked because we couldn't find the heartbeat.

3. We brought Mia to the vet for annual vaccinations. She's now so groggy and I feel so sorry for her. A bit quieter around the Laguna house.

4. Reversal of roles tomorrow! I'm leaving LTJG at home to go to Vietnam!

5. It's okay, HE's also going abroad. Inggit din aku!

6. I am so excited to go to Vietnam - the conference venue will be in a city called Hoi An, apparently a UNESCO World Heritage Site! Our company driver, Mang Andy, will be going with us and will be bringing his Nikon D80 SLR Camera (say nyo!!) and agreed to let me be its yaya for 4 days. Yey!

There will be 170+ participants from all over East Asia and we're having a community service day (I'll be reading stories to kids as part of their mobile library project - some will do playground construction, house painting and gardening) , a gala night, and of course, some work involving a review of company plans up to 2013 (but I don't think it's gonna be that hard).

And.. there's going to be a football game with the local teachers ! Argh. I so want to play, but I have to be a good, responsible, pregnant lady. So I'll just cheer :-)

"Juday na Juday"

2010-03-18T10:08:00.003+08:00

I stole that term from my friend Kakay, who, upon showing her my ultrasound scan, exclaimed, "Wow, Juday na Juday!"

Hmp. Talk about stealing my limelight! Oh well, I have to admit, I was thrilled as well when I found out that she was pregnant. So showbiz!

Side kwento. When I was in elementary school, "ULA" with the young Judy Ann Santos was quite popular. I have to find a photo but they said I looked like her. I didn't believe them, but maybe there was some truth to it because the yayas in my old school always called me, "Ula! Ula!" Hahah. They always said hello, patted my head and said, "Hello, diba ikaw si Ula?"

Back to the present.

I was so nervous for my scan yesterday. I had my first scan for baby #2 at 6 weeks - and because I'm under close monitoring, my OB told me to have another one done this week. So, I went. Sam was so jealous because he couldn't be there again, but we couldn't hold it off!

First reaction of OB-sonologist "Anlaki na!". Second, "Malikot!" She couldn't get a good angle for the picture! The baby was just tossing and turning. Hah. Yes, he/she was a marshmallowy blob in the photo - but I thought it was cute. (Pagbigyan ang nanay!)

When I got home, I showed the photo to our househelp, who immediately said, "Ay parang kay Juday!"

Hmp. Stolen glory again.

Kikay Stuff

2010-03-10T16:29:00.008+08:00

I'm not craving any kind of special food. But I am suddenly craving kikay stuff. Handmade soaps , sweet smelling lotions, yummy body washes that I hardly ever cared for before. Also, I now take time to fix and comb my hair, and I even make time for makeup!

Ngyi. Is that legal? Or am I just using pregnancy as an excuse to be kikay?

Anyway, I'd just like to share with you some of the stuff I'm loving lately. Just in case you want to try :-)I have other kikay stuff but I'll show you these first.

Face

Beauche Beauty Bar (P38.00 - 50.00 , depending on where you buy 'em)

Papaya and other fruit acids

At first glance this soap doesn't say much. I mean, it doesn't look appealing or expensive or "sosyal". Think "chunk of papaya soap" I first heard about it from an officemate who has very nice skin, then by coincidence, a friend of mine asked me to try a bar. I also heard that a lot of PAL flight attendants use it. I experienced tingling during the first few tries, but as promised, I saw the difference "after 7 days". Smoother skin, less visible pores, fewer breakouts! Beauche is usually sold as a "kit" with a toner, a night cream, an exfoliant, and sunblock - but I didn't get the others because they had ingredients that can be harsh to pregnant skin.

The downside (at least for me) is that it whitens so effectively :oP - my mom noticed "parang pumuputi ka??" I don't like to go lighter so I alternate it with....

Human Heart Nature Honey and Cocoa Butter Makeup Remover/ Facial Cleanser
(around P100.00)

This is the only HN face wash that I love. It controls my oil without drying my skin, and you can really feel the softness after you use it. As a makeup remover, it removes stubborn eye makeup without the prickles.

Ellana Premium Blend Mineral Foundation
(loose powder foundation , around P400.00 for a 6 gram pot. Might seem a little but it goes a long way)

Upon the suggestion of the Ellana lady, I got the blend in "Hazelnut Latte" ~ medium light with gold undertones. What's good with loose powder is that it covers well and probably clogs less pores than the liquid/ cream ones (c'mon, anything you put on your face is bound to clog something!) This particular blend also absorbs excess oil = less shine!

Tip 1: Good powder is no good with a bad brush. Good brushes can be expensive so I just bought a small one. Ellana has a portable, cute "baby buki" brush :-) Soft, non irritating bristles.
Tip 2: Recognize real mineral makeup from the fake by tapping some on water. If it floats, it's real. Ellana is available online, but you can also visit the SM Makati booth during weekends (groundfloor, at the tiangge type stalls in the middle)

I am tempted to buy all Ellana stuff and all Ellana brushes. Maybe next time, hehe.

Oki, til the next beauty review! I'm waiting for a batch of handmade soaps to arrive so I'll write about those in the next entry.

Who's to Blame?

2010-03-07T09:40:00.004+08:00

Last year, while I was struggling to accept the loss of Baby Sarie - one of our neighbors and her daughter dropped by to visit. We live next to a compound of low-cost houses (I think they're all relatives who inherited the land) , and I was so touched that they brought me some apples though I knew that they did not have that much.

I learned that the daughter miscarried that month as well. But the news came as a complete shock, since her daughter was only 13 years old! Pregnant and miscarried at 13? The girl used to visit our house a lot when Rachelle and Irene were still here (my foster sisters) , they played tag, Barbies, and badminton. As I stared at her thin, barely developed frame, I couldn't help but wonder - what could drive a girl of 13 to "explore" that much and get herself pregnant?

Last night, our long time yaya told me that the now 14-year old girl was pregnant again. By the same 18 year-old jobless out of school youth. It really broke my heart as I envisioned how this would really affect her adolescent years and her psychological state. At 14, I was a junior in high school and worrying about what to wear to prom. At 14 , she would battle morning sickness and the emotional stuff that goes with it.

But at that age, where can one really learn about reproductive health, sex, having babies and its consequences? Who could have warned the girl about how a few moments of release can alter her whole life? How can her young mind handle such a long-term situation? I can only pray that all goes well and that their family can handle these challenges.

Blame the girl? Blame the boy? They wouldn't have understood because of the lack of information (or the quality of available information) out there. Blame the parents? But what if they lack the education as well? Who really teaches family values and interaction? Blame society? School? The Catholic Church?

I hope our society accepts this reality about sex once and for all. So that more and more people (especially the young people!) realize that it is more than just pleasure or pressure or a practice. That one night (or one day, or one hour, or 15 seconds of "heaven") could lead to a long term commitment.

I applaud DOH Secretary Cabral for her spunk and steadfast attitude about RH. The campaign could be improved, yes - to avoid any misunderstanding. But it's a start.

I am a Catholic. But the church, just like everything else - should adapt to the changing times and think of ways on how they can adjust their teachings so that they may be absorbed by the increasingly misinformed and misguided public.

Old-school teachings need to be altered to consider the existence of uncontrollable media.

A Funny Thing Happened at the US Embassy

2010-03-06T18:40:00.004+08:00

I have never applied for a US Visa before, and I have to thank my mom for that. I've had one since I was 3 years old and years after that, all you had to do to renew them were to put them in what they called "the dropbox." I was thankfully awarded a 10 year US Visa a little bit before 9/11 which I enjoyed up to this year. My visa expired last week, March 5th. So now that procedures have changed, and I am older - nobody'll have to get a Visa for me but myself. I've heard a lot of horror stories , not to mention thinking about flushing down $131.00 down the drain if I get refused.

So the day my Visa expired was also the day that I got my US Embassy appointment. My mom told me that it will be an average of 2 hours waiting time before I finally get everything done. I joked, "I hope I sit next to a cute boy"

Well, I got the next best thing. I sat next to a cute girl. ;-) I noticed her the first time she walked in the Embassy pavilion, but not until she sat next to me that I realized that she was Bea Alonzo! She was wearing this flowy white top that made her glow, and was carrying a Dolce and Gabbana metallic bag that was reallly nice. I got an autograph for Sam, and learned that she was applying for a tourist visa so she can do a movie premiere in Hawaii. She's not really one of my favorite local actresses but I still got starstruck, she was so pretty with really great skin.

Off to my interview .. the guy infront of me obviuously didn't get his Visa because I could hear him asking for one more chance. He was really bummed.

The consul at the window was a tall, thin guy with a bored look. I handed him my documents and prepared for a barrage of questions. He leaned forward and gave me a calculating look.

Consul: Hi. When was the last time you were in the United States?

Me: July 2007

Consul: And what was the purpose of your visit?

Me: I was touring with the group, Up With People.

To my complete surprise, the guy leans back spreads his arms wide and lets out a laugh.

Me: What? You've heard of them?

Consul: (Obviously not serious) Yeah and I hear they cause trouble.

Me: We do not!

Consul: Tell me again, what does Up With People do?

Me: (Explains)

Consul: Alright then, your visa have been approved ! Have a nice day.

Hmm... he made fun of me but awarded me with a Visa. Fair enough. :oP

But I can't help but notice that the lines and the systems at the US Embassy was so efficient. I don't think it costs a lot to keep up a system like that! I wonder how come the LTO can't emulate?? Hay.

30 Years + La Union

2010-03-03T07:50:00.007+08:00

March 1, 1980

March 1, 2010

Sabi ng dad ko, mas kilig daw ang mom ko sa kanya. :-) My dad, however, is sooo different when my mom is not around. He's more serious. But when my mom's around, parang nag se-second childhood. Haha. Happy Anniversary Pepi and Memi! I've always dreamt of throwing you guys one big party for an anniversary, di natuloy nung 25th, at hindi din ngayong 30th! I hope I can afford one soon!

The anniversary weekend was celebrated with a long drive. First to Nueva Ecija to celebrate my father-in-laws 70th birthday (Feb 27) , then we pushed forward to La Union a.k.a Elyu to visit Sam's camp. It was a hot, grueling 8-hour drive! We met a fiesta parade in a Nueva Ecija town (1.5 hour traffic) and asphalt-laying during rush hour in Villasis, Pangasinan (1 hour traffic) - good thing some people pointed out a detour that would bring us to the Magilas road... an alternate route going to Elyu and Baguio.

On the first night, we stayed at the Navy guest house, "The Admiral's Cabin" -- big rooms with airconditioning! It was very similar to Nakar Hall in Baguio (a bit bigger and sunnier!). We shared the whole cabin with some pilots who were set to fly to Baguio the next day. (Ms Anna! Your husband was there..)

The following day we visited nearby San Juan to check out the surfers. I was itching to try it but received a bad look from the husband. Oh well, we'll take the baby surfing in 12 months or so :-) We just had a good time swapping stories with Badz, the surf school operator in the area. I bugged sam about him taking surf lessons on weekends.

By lunchtime, we trooped to the Thunderbird Resort (right beside the camp!) where we were able to get free accommodations, thanks to my dad's fraternity brother. The place was fashioned after Greece's Santorini Island (check out the movie Mamma Mia and the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2, and fall in love with the place). I guess this was as close as we can get to Santorini!

The atmosphere was very relaxing - but I just don't like the way the sun shines on you up north. Sobrang init. Make sure to bring your sunscreen and sunglasses - maawa kayo sa skin and sa retina! It was a great place for pictures and I think would be absolutely perfect for weddings! They have a pool, a short stretch of fine-sanded beach, a casino, and a collection of date-worthy restaurants. They have a golf course too (if you can stand the heat,, it was soo dry.)

It was a memorable, picture-perfect weekend for all 4 + 1 in the tummy for us !

More photos here: http://pacua.multiply.com/photos/album/56/La_Union_

Where in the world?

2010-03-01T10:06:00.004+08:00

Today I go back to the 'real world' ... hate to leave this behind:

See you in Manila !

Burger... Burrito...

2010-02-22T22:33:00.004+08:00

or Both?

Well, I had a Chicken Quesadilla (Php135.00, 4 big wedges, had to take one home!) but the tummy was as happy! They shouldn't be stingy with their salsa tho!

I first encountered ARMYNAVY concept resto in Tagaytay. I first thought that it was owned by a former military person, but was surprised that it was owned by the same people who owned and conceptualized Yellow Cab!

I always order the Chicken Quesadilla so I can't give you much variety. Is it good? Oh yes, it is. Especially if you're a cheese lover. However, I think it lacks that Mexican "oomph" - I still think the now-gone TAQUERIA CHILANGA (used to be at the Greenbelt Foodcourt, below the cinemas) has more authentic tortillas and salsa!

I also tasted their Burrito (which my dad ordered) , same comment! Yes, it's good but something is missing. Kulang sa kagat :-)

ARMYNAVY has stalls in Tagaytay, along dela Rosa St in Makati, Glorietta 5 and in Trinoma (I think) They said they'll have The Fort and Ayala Alabang branches soon.

I must say I am not a hot and spicy food person, but I really like jalapeno. The only chili I can stomach. I also like the exciting tastes and flavors of Mexican food (umm, have to go easy on the beans, though!) Ah and the only alcoholic drink that I really (truly) liked was a mojito*.

Now, if only I can find authentic sopapillas* here. Sigh.

*Mojito - I found out just now that this was originally a Cuban drink! The Cuba version uses rum, but the Mexican version uses tequila (of course!) with lime, mint and sugar syrup. Here's the mix . For now I have to try the virgin kind tho ;-)

** Sopapilla - a Mexican dessert - thin, fried flat bread sprinkled with sugar and usually served with honey . I found a recipe here. Hope i can try to make this someday!

GIBO Shirts for Sale!

2010-02-13T21:10:00.003+08:00

Hey everyone! Show your true colors with these GIBO Shirts!!

Shirts are P250.00 each. Available sizes are L, M, S, XS - 100% Cotton.

You can either pick up and pay in Salcedo Village, Makati, M-F, 10 am - 7pm . Or pay via BPI and we'll ship the shirts via Air 21. Proceeds go to the GIBO Volunteer fund. Baller IDs and stickers included!

Please email giboforprez@gmail.com to order!

GIBO 2010!

Featured!

2010-02-12T09:37:00.005+08:00

We recently won a writing contest in the office called "SmartLessons"... People from all over the world submit an essay on the lessons learned in their respective projects and these get judged. Our team won 2nd place! We're supposed to get $250 each (!!!) , but I don't know how I'm going to get it since I get paid by check and not by "credit to payroll" Sigh. And I'm too shy to ask. Technically, only staff can join contests like these.

Turns out winners get featured in our global intranet! I got interviewed (by someone from our Washington office who actually called me 8PM DC time, 9AM Philippine time :-) for the "Real People, Real Stories" page. She asked me about my favorite things and I said, I really like traveling. Then, she asked me what was my favorite travel experience , I said, of course - nothing beats my stint with UWP. The writer found that so interesting and even sang a few lines from our theme song ... sure enough, it became the main topic.

Here's the short, short article now. I was asked to send a photo that shows "my personal side"

Creamy Tuna Pesto Pasta

2010-02-10T20:41:00.004+08:00

I was craving for Tsoko-nut's Spaghetti Jardinero this afternoon. To my dismay, they have replaced it with "Malunggay Pesto Pasta" and I wasn't feeling very adventurous.

But I couldn't shake off the pesto craving so I rummaged around my cupboard and found a package of McCormick Pesto Pasta Mix. I tweaked the simple recipe a bit and came up with something .. well.. less simple. (Hehe... it's not that gourmet, okay... still a beginner here. So excuse the non-culinary language I might have used) The recipe at the back of the pack simply mixes the pesto mix with some oil and water and pasta. Here's my version which totally surprised me :-)

Ingredients:

1 pack McCormick Pesto Pasta Mix
2 fat cloves of garlic, crushed/finely chopped
3-4 "pinches" of Maggi Magic Sarap (optional)
6 tbsp oil (I used olive oil)
1 cup all-purpose cream (I used the new Nestle D-Lite Soy Cream with zero transfat! this might have a big impact on the taste, :-)
1/4 cup water
1 can tuna, drained (1/2 I used in the sauce, 1/2 I used as garnish/ topping, I used Century Tuna chunks in water)
Parmesan cheese
Pasta, cooked according to package instructions (I used San Remo fettuccine)

How to:

1. Saute chopped garlic in 2 tbsp oil until slightly browned. Add half the tuna and toss. Add some Maggi Magic sarap if you want :-)
2. Pour in the rest of the oil (you should have the remaining 3tbsp!) , water and the cream. Gradually add the Pesto mix while stirring until ingredients are mixed well.
3. Mix thoroughly until warmed, do not boil.
4. Toss in the right amount of pasta (I'm sorry I 'm not sure about the proportions .. but based on my judgement and appetite -- the sauce can drench up to 5 servings )
5. Top pasta with the leftover tuna, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese to taste
6. Serve and enjoy!

I served myself (home alone tonight.. boohoo. But that means less dishes to wash, hehe.) and happily satisfied my pesto craving! Sorry I couldn't share a nicer photo of my Tuna Pesto because my photo is blurred and now it looks like an unappetizing blob. But believe me, it looked and tasted better "in pasta" than in the photo. (defensive!)

Simple Joys

2010-02-09T11:58:00.004+08:00

2/9/2010

When is enough, enough?

This morning, we had a staff meeting where our boss updated us on the changes happening to our company globally. There will be changes in job titles, assignments, offices, job descriptions, and when possible, salaries.

I am aware that some people in the office are griping about their salaries. I know for a fact that some of these people are already receiving big salaries, judging from the clothes they wear, the cars they drive, the food they eat, the schools they went to and the schools where they send their kids to, and the amount they pay for their housing loans (1M a month??!?). But I was in awe to find them still asking for more.

If and when I reach that point in my life that I have more than enough money for my basic needs and then some,, will I still feel that I am deprived? Will it be a never ending chase for the big bucks? Scary. I hope not. But we never know... maybe I'm talking about simplicity now because I can't earn much. Talk about sourgraping ;-) haha.

Anyway, this brings me to journal about Chapter 3 of Bo's Simplify and Live the Good Life book... entitled, "Know that Happiness isn't only for Millionnaires". This time, we are asked about the simple joys that we can enjoy with very minimal (or even without!) cash outs. I'll limit my list to 10 things.

When I become super rich... I hope I'll still see the joys in these simple things:

1. Diary. Journal. Blog. - can be done for free or you can also pay for net access.

2. Pray. I find prayers of thanksgiving so refreshing. It reminds me of all the blessings. Also pray for the safety and peace of your loved ones.

3. Make a dream poster/ vision board. This is fun as long as you steer clear of feeling "pity" for yourself because of what you don't have. Think plenty!

4. Re-read your books. Borrow a good book. Or a DVD if you're not a book person

5. Send an email, call or chat with a friend you haven't spoken to in ages!

6.Walk. It'll burn calories. Just make sure you walk around a safe, pollution free space. Like a park or your neighborhood, or a football field

7. Do an art project. It doesn't have to be expensive!

8. Clean out your closet. Have fun laughing at clothes that used to be "trendy" and swoon over those that don't fit you anymore. Donate some to charity :-)

9.Look at old photos and savor the good memories. Reminisce with loved ones.

10. Hug. Kiss. Cuddle. Make Love. (But be sure to stay loyal to your partner ;-)

Have a great week everyone!

40 days

2010-02-08T19:52:00.003+08:00

2/8/2010

Yesterday, we attended the 40th day of our friend Chris' passing. His wife Peng organized a sweet ceremony with a Sunday mass and lunch at the Libingan ng mga Bayani , Fort Bonifacio. After the mass, 29 people were called upon to share "29 happy memories with Chris" with the people present.

Sam had a hard time picking a memory and ended up sharing lots :-) I wasn't part of the special 29 but as a special tribute, I'd like to share one of my special memories with our Fos-b, aside from him being with Sam during our first date and his first "home visit" .

I quite forgot already when this happened, but this was after they graduated from the PMA and were already assigned as tactical officers in the academy (umm I think?) . I was working in Makati but still went home to Laguna everyday. I was supposed to meet Sam after my office hours, but there was no Sam. No text, no call, no email, no paramdam. It was getting late, I was so mad and frustrated.

Just as I was about to go home, Chris texted me and asked me where I was. I told him I was in Makati, about to go home and soo mad that his mistah stood me up!!! He immediately called me and told me to stay put and that he'll "rescue" this date. He told me he was in the Makati area anyway (found out later that he was actually in QC) . In less than 20 minutes, he was there ... treating me to a KFC dinner and giving me a pep talk on the "unpredictable lives of soldiers" . Thanks to him, I did not wait for nothing and that Sam was sort of saved.

It was probably a few days after that when I received this testimonial from him (Friendster :-) pretty hot back then..) This, I also have to share with his Ate Marge ... his sister that is closest to his heart. So weird that he mentioned "kahit mawala ako sa lupa d nya mararamdaman.".. Posbi - ramdam na ramdam ko po.. :-(

Godspeed Chris, keep smiling, keep wakeboarding, and keep making friends in your heaven.

50 Blessings

2010-02-05T09:55:00.003+08:00

2/5/2010

Chapter 2 of Bo Sanchez' "Simplify and Live the Good Life" has plenty of quotes worth sharing! I wanted to choose just one, but what the heck, I'll just share them all.

"There are two ways to get enough: one is to continue to accumulate more and more.
The other is to desire less." - GK Chesterton

"If you develop the capacity to suck all the joy that life has to offer,
you don't need expensive entertainment."

"Focus on what you have, not on what you don't.. because satisfaction doesn't come from getting what you want but wanting what you already have"

The chapter, entitled "Live on Less and Delight in it More" emphasizes the value of counting your blessings. I am so guilty about griping about small stuff that I easily forget all my blessings (and I have so much!) Bo encourages his readers to list down 50 blessings ~ things that I have right now that I sometimes take for granted. It was really hard to think about all 50, but it felt really good once I listed them all. I know there are a lot more!

1. Sam. The husband who tries to give me everything I want but also plays a big role in "grounding" me and helping me live simply.
2. My enthusiastic, supportive, cool parents.
3. The coming of _____. Oops. I'm not ready to share this one just yet!
4. Despite the financial crunch we're experiencing right now.. we are still able to cope with the essentials, and then some. (It's quite amazing how we're able to manage)
5. My "temp" job. And other "temp jobs" that come my way.
6. Very encouraging friends. Friends who believe in me and my abilities. Thank you.
7. My GFI business. Struggling, yes - but the journey is inspiring me.
8. Dream achieved: Living at Fort.5
9. Text messaging
10. My "inherited" comforts. So glad that I had smart ancestors. We need not worry about having a place to live in when worse comes to worst.
11. My very generous family.
12. Ability to express myself through writing.
13. I know people who trust me and believe in me :-)
14. My education. Academic, or otherwise.
15. That I grew up comfortable with both Tagalog and English.
16. I think I am well-traveled. To quote Janet Jackson, "I've seen the world, been to many places"
17. HOPE. Not losing Hope.
18. I had my fair share of birthday parties while growing up :-) Had a nice 1st birthday (so they tell me) , a cool joint 7th birthday party with some friends (it was called 7-11 with Lisa and Ronald) , and a cheezy 18th debut. Hehe.
19. The Internet , Email and reconnecting through social networking sites
20. I am where I wanted to be. It did not turn out exactly as I pictured it, but I have no right to complain :-)
21. So thankful for my experience with Ayala Foundation. So thankful for all my FAFI friends.
22. I am finally learning how to cook. I also have a good stove to practice with.
23. Had pretty neat experiences while growing up that make for good stories. Almost drowning in a Las Vegas pool, being on Batibot, getting chased around the village by a doctor with a needle... etc etc.
24. A nice curriculum vitae.
25. A loving Yaya. She's still with us up to now!
26. Surviving UPLB and having a unique degree , Human Ecology!
27. Sam's always been safe. For this I am truly blessed.
28. We have a TV with an antenna that catches Channel 2 ! :-) Okay na walang cable.
29. I've visited nice beaches and there's still a lot more left for us to visit.
30. We had a nice wedding :-) I had the cake that I wanted and ice cream on the menu... And the photos we have are full of really happy people!
31. There are ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES. I am still looking forward to good opportunities. I am optimistic!
32. The possibility that Gilbert Teodoro will become our next president. Walang atrasan...
33. I've been given the chance to help people in small ways.
34. UP Rural High School
35. Photoshop.
36. Experiencing (and surviving) a hold-up at gunpoint!
37. Surviving the loss of baby Sarie and learning something from it.
38. Blogging. Multiply. Knowing that you can establish a "presence" in this world for FREE.
39. Knowing how to swim and having a swimming pool nearby.
40. New and promising friendships.
41. Loving good books.
42. Public transportation and knowing my way around (kahit limited, pwede na din!)
43. Getting MIA!!! :-) What a bundle of joy.
44. Cameras. Pictures. Fun Memories.
45. I know how to drive.
46. I have lived in comfort but I am not shielded from reality.
47. I have a US Visa, have unused travel mileage that can bring me to the US , and an aunt in the US who's very generous. It's just a question of when to go..
48. Knowing that the biggest challenge that I have to overcome is my laziness :oP Sa lahat ng gusto kong mangyari, sarili ko lang ang kalaban ko. Nobody and nothing else.
49. Hey, I had a pretty healthy Love life growing up ;-)

and..

50. If it sometimes feel that we don't have enough, (because of this list) I can now be reminded that we have more than enough.

What are your 50 blessings?

When Bo Entered my Life

2010-02-05T09:31:00.001+08:00

2/4/2010 (I'm putting dates now because my blogger template doesn't record dates.. hmp)

Not THAT Bo ;-)

I'm talking about inspirational writer/ speaker Bo Sanchez. I am not that familiar with his work in Kerygma, but I was able to catch a few "words of wisdom" from a video of him after hearing mass at the Pavilion Mall in Binan, Laguna. This made me curious so I browsed around his stuff in the nearby bookstore. All his books looked interesting and I didn't know where to start!

I picked up "Simplify and Live the Good Life", which promises to teach its readers "how to create wealth in every area of your life as defined by your values, not as defined by the standards of society" I read the first chapter (yes, at the bookstore..) and I was hooked.

I admit that I am far from simple (not in the Kris Aquino way...) - I love fancy things and lots of drama, and I also make a big deal out of simple stuff (which is not bad at all, but I sometimes go overboard...). Sam has taught me a lot about simplicity. And I thank him for that. I no longer feel deprived whenever we don't do something fancy for our anniversary, or when we don't get to go out on a movie date because of budget constraints. And whenever I DO feel deprived, I gently remind myself that ~ hey , you have everything that you need to live.

(Bo also emphasizes that simplicity does not mean forcing yourself to live in poverty. More about that as we go along, if I can keep up with my journaling)

The first chapter of the book, entitled "Live from the Core of Your Being" says to embrace what is most important to you and work from there. Discover your core and let it inspire you to make your daily decisions and actions.

Hence, I begin my "Simplify" journal. This does not mean that I will end my quest in searching for Financial Freedom -- this just means that I am just seeking more motivation for me to reach my goals.

Journal:
What is my core? What are the most important things in my life right now?

~ My family and family togetherness. I want everyone to stay healthy and happy.
~ Being able to "give back to my parents" for all the non-material and material things they've given me. I long for the time that I can already provide for them (I am an only child, and they've given me sooo much even up to now!! It's time that they take a break!)
~ Living free from financial worries. May be hard to digest, but freedom from financial worries may give way to a happier and healthier life.
~ Keeping friendships. Being able to help others. Doing my job (any job) with commitment and integrity.

Try reflecting on these things as well :-) I hope you can share them with me!

When a Cow Makes a Difference

2010-02-03T09:45:00.003+08:00

I am now here in our office *wasting time* while waiting for a meeting :-). I'm not supposed to be here today because of my work schedule, but we're having a Red Cross outreach on Friday where I volunteered to be a lecturer so I have to attend this training today. (Everybody's gonna get paid as part of our company's volunteer privileges - but not me because of my "temp" status. It's okay tho, feels better that way, hehe)

While waiting, I decided to browse through our company's intranet and would like to share a unique story: Some of our colleagues from the main office went to Nairobi to spend time with kids who lost their parents to AIDS-related illnesses.. and deviating from the usual food, medicine and toiletry-donations... they gave the orphanage...

... a pregnant cow named Gold, a cowshed, feed, and agricultural training.

Talk about teaching men (in this case, kids!) how to fish :-) According to the article... "The gift is an example of sustainable financing at its most micro form – and another example of staff spending their own time and money to help local communities. The cow will provide milk for the children, who in turn get hands-on experience in sustainable farming and animal husbandry."

Found it so nice and just wanted to share ;-)

Turning "Green"

2010-02-01T16:04:00.004+08:00

I don't take credit for this... but it made me feel good that she made an effort to let me know! I received this text message early this morning...

"Hanna, just this morning, I have finally decided on my president and guess who! Gibo :-) 2 votes already from my small family :-) Good morning!"

Thank you, thank you sis, you know who you are.

Just last week, someone asked me if I was campaigning "officially" -- no, I'm not. This is all for free, voluntary, for the country. Besides, I believe I'm not doing much yet.

So there, I am not being paid for these efforts. It saddens me that some people accuse us of being "paid" (and in some GT forums where we are promoting positive campaigning, I can't help but notice that the rudest people are supporters of one particular candidate, and this adds up to my fear of their candidate winning because it will mean that these rude people will have the reason to gloat. Hehe.)

And to end this entry, let me share with you the newest Gibo video -- obviously redemption time for the brouhaha over the alleged piracy of that "other" song. ;-)

Rivermaya’s drummer and “Lipad” composer Mark Escueta relates:

“When I first heard Gibo’s Radio Ad, I was blown away by this line “Sa pananaw ko, matagal na nating gustong lumipad”. Tama siya eh. Hindi lumpo ang taong bayan. Nanggigigil tayong lahat kasi magagaling tayo pero ang daming humahadlang. We just need the right person in the cockpit and Rivermaya believes that Gibo is THE one. Gibo’s words of wisdom have given birth to a new song from Rivermaya, and this song is for everybody, especially the graduating students of 2010. We would like to thank Gibo and his team for having faith in Rivermaya and for giving us the opportunity to write this song. Handa na tayong lumipad! ”

Takbo para sa Pagbabago Video

2010-01-30T09:40:00.004+08:00

Thanks to a member of the Green Team for posting this... :-) Like I said before, I loved the atmosphere during the event. Manalo, matalo ( siyempre, mas maganda, manalo ;-) , we're all in this together and we were doing it more for ourselves.