Prof should've told me that...

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1. Honesty is definitely NOT the best policy. Sometimes, It’ll only get you into trouble.

2. Just because someone is nice, it does not mean he/she is a friend.

3. You cannot confide in your boss just because.

4. Pessimism keeps you on your toes. Optimism makes you complacent.

5. Do not take sides. Think independently for your own good.

6. Silence is power.

7. People skills is all you need to get promoted. The rest, you can dump the assigned shit to everyone else under your power.

8. Being proactive - any shit that you say during conferences that will make heads turn to you.

9. Loyalty doesn’t get you an award. It’ll only make you stuck and you’ll hate yourself for not leaving when it’s too late.

10. There is no permanent alliance. You will always be a one man show.

And this is not to rain on a graduate's parade...

Blessing of the Fire, Easter Vigil

What exactly is this thing called "Blessing of the Fire"? We've been Catholics all our life but we've never really participated in something like that. So when we were told that there's this "Easter Vigil" we decided to give it a go!

Easter Vigil, defined by Wikipedia as:

...also called the Paschal Vigil or the Great Vigil of Easter, is a service held in many Christian churches as the first official celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus. Historically, it is during this service that people are baptized and that adult catechumens are received into full communion with the Church. It is held in the hours of darkness between sunset on Holy Saturday and sunrise on Easter Day—most commonly in the evening of Holy Saturday—but is considered to be the first celebration of Easter Day, since the Christian tradition considers feasts and other days of observance where Masses are celebrated to begin at sunset of the previous day.
     In the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion, the Easter Vigil is the most important Mass of the liturgical year as well as the first celebration of the Gloria during the fifty-day long celebration of Easter, and is marked by the first use since the beginning of Lent of the acclamatory word "Alleluia", a distinctive feature of the liturgy of the Easter season. Similarly, in Eastern and Oriental Orthodoxy, the Divine Liturgy which is celebrated during the Easter Vigil is the most elaborate and important of the ecclesiastical year. The Easter Vigil has enjoyed a substantial revival among the Lutherans.

Now there are some rules to follow:

1. Ask the "regulars" or the parish exactly what time is the vigil. We arrived at 5:30 pm only to find out that it's scheduled for 8pm.
2. Ask what exact candle/bottle to bring. (See photos to know why)

By the time we got there

Lake Caliraya

Lake Caliraya was simply defined by Wikipedia:

Lake Caliraya is a man-made lake situated in the municipalities of Lumban, Cavinti, and Kalayaan in Laguna province, Philippines.

Usually after the traditional Visita Iglesia during holy week, majority of the people go to Caliraya to relax.

Caliraya Man made lake

Close Call

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I've seen this old lady for so long that I can remember and every chance we get to see each other face to face, it dawns on me how her face resembles the face of someone I thought I would someday call family.

I'm starting to learn where you got your cheekbones and how the shape of her head resembles that of your mom's.

Every time I see her, I get this rush of emotions that there was a time that if the Universe had twisted our fate, I, as we speak, would be standing up from where I am seated, walk over to this lady, get her right hand and place it on my forehead.

I don't even know if that's included in the tradition, but yes, I could probably do that because when I fell in love with you, I could literally feel that I can move mountains, connect separated continents just so that I could get to where you are.

You know I could do that for you and I feel like I have this overwhelming wave of emotions that I only felt for you. You have made my eyes, the gate to my soul, jump for joy and make my secret tears fall when they are not supposed to.

I should no longer be thinking about this, but there's just something about seeing the shape and facial bone structure of this old lady today that reminded me so much of you.

I lower down my gaze, while inhaling deeply, as I hear my heart pounding so loud that it is almost deafening. We could've been relatives by a certain degree and association. We could've been... in its cultural sense, a family.

But every thing that happened ended up in a close call.


Whew!

Mt. Makiling's Mudspring

Warning: Photo heavy entry.

What do you usually do for Holy Week? While people in Manila are off to provinces for the whole week of R&R,  people (and even tourists) in Los Baños, Laguna usually go up in Mt. Makiling for their Holy Week penitensya.

What exactly is Holy Week? Wikipedia defined it as:

Holy Week (Latin: Hebdomas Sancta or Hebdomas Maior, "Greater Week"; Greek: Ἁγία καὶ Μεγάλη Ἑβδομάς, Hagia kai Megale Hebdomas) in Christianity is the last week of Lent and the week before Easter. It includes the religious holidays of Palm Sunday,Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday) and Good Friday, and lasts from Palm Sunday (or in the Eastern, Lazarus Saturday) until, but not including, Easter Sunday, as Easter Sunday is the first day of the new season of The Great Fifty Days. It commemorates the last week of the earthly life of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Canonical gospels.

I have been to Mudsprings and Peak 2 ( highest peak of Mt. Makiling hiking trail) during my grade school years. We used to camp in Makiling Rainforest Park together with our family friends. For a change, this year ( or what seemed to be my first holy week after not observing it for six straight years) my high school friends and I decided to "hike" Mudspring for Maundy Thursday.

What exactly is "Mudspring"? Laguna Travel Guide defines it as:

The Mud Springs has been popularly but erroneously known as the crater of Mt Makiling. The Mud Springs site is actually one of the mud pots left in the mountain. "A mud pot is a type of hot spring that is formed when due to volcanic heat, sulfuric acid breaks down surrounding rocks into clay. The clay mixes with water to form mud that is very hot (80 C), sulfurous (50mg/L), very acidic (2ph) and varying in consistency and color."

We're supposed to meet at 6am in UP Main Library where we can park the cars properly and reach Mud Spring before lunch, but since some of our friends are running early morning errands and coming straight from Manila, we were able to leave at 7:30am.

By the time that we arrived, we have to listen to an orientation, assign a team leader, get the orientation stubs and trail map.

There is an entrance fee of Php5.00 each visitor that must be paid, they check your bags as well for any life-threatening apparatus.

Rules:

1. Follow entry requirements.
2. Observe access hours.
3. Use established hiking trails.
4. Camp in designated campsites.
5. Obey garbage in, garbage out rule.
6. Leave what you find.
7. Beware of obnoxious plants and animals.
8. Respect wildlife.
9. Prevent forest fire.
10. Stop vandalism.
11.  Be considerate of the other visitors, and
12. Familiarize the guide map.

Hikers

OFF

I sit in the corner office tapping my fingers on the table.

I really do not know what else to write; in fact I don’t seem to have my brain tonight to write with, knowing that you are here.

It’s just like Janet Jackson’s song:

“I heard from a friend today and she said you were in town, suddenly the memories came back to me in my mind…”

My phone’s been ringing for quite some time now. It’s your 25^th call since, let’s say an hour ago.

You just don’t know when to give up do you?

Normally, my drafts would’ve been finished by half past three. I would probably be enjoying a nice cold slushy with a colleague. But today is totally different.

You are here. We are breathing the same air.

You keep asking me in your text messages where am I and attempting to pick me up for coffee.Like last time, we had coffee. Do you remember?

We had a great time over coffee.

Actually the coffee in that shop sucks because it was hardly recognized by my taste buds, but something about sitting right in front you that made it taste so sweet.

Actually there isn’t much to talk about. We didn’t have much to talk about during that time.  I was just enjoying your presence in front of me like how an awkward teenage in love behaves.

My phone. It’s ringing again.

“Dude? Aren’t you going to take that call?” Nathaniel asks me. Nat is in graphics division and currently works during the late hours.

“Sorry Nat.”

“If you want to get rid of the guy, remember there is an off button.”

He’s right. There is an off button.

I can’t always be your welcoming committee. I can’t always be your security blanket; you shock absorber, your so-called best friend.Best friends don’t make their friends cry themselves to sleep.

There goes your 27^th call again. Nat winks at me.

You’ve had enough of my past already and I am in whole new light now, not to mention I now have my own turf. I will not allow you to trespass and get into my system once again. I finally reached for my phone and pressed the red button.

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OFF

Such a small gesture and step but makes a big difference. I will no longer complain about having been treated unfairly. I will no longer have sleepless nights asking why and I will no longer have to deal with your empty promises and will no longer give you permission to get my hopes up.

I realized that half of the painful events are with my permission and I have allowed you to mess with my head.

Not anymore.

Thank YoUniverse

I think it was just around this time of last year. I was talking to a friend who's getting hitched in her early thirties.

"Where were you when you were 26?" I asked.
"I was partying and having the greatest time of my life!" She said.
" I'm 26 and I've never felt so friggin' old."
"I'm past 30 and I've never felt so young..."

They say that if you really want something so bad, you just breathe a sincere prayer to the Universe.

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I remember saying something to the Universe, while groggy inside the cab, on my way home.

"I want to change my life in 2010."

Some might think it's absurd. Say it to the Universe? For real? I am re-reading Eat Pray Love again and Liz Gilbert, the Author of the memoir, was told:

"Where did you get the idea you aren't allowed to petition to the universe with prayer? You are part of this universe, Liz. You are a constituent - you have every entitlement to participate in the actions of the universe, and to let your feelings be known. So put your opinion out there. Make your case. Believe me - it will at least be taken into consideration."

And just about an hour later, the one thing that she sincerely asked (with good intentions) and needed the most was immediately granted.

When I turned 25, I was told that I have to be careful with what I wish for, because I will get it. I've heard and read that line for quite sometime and it's becoming a cliche.

I don't know how many prayer requests I have sent the Universe, but they say when you ask, you will receive. It's just that you will get first what the"Universe" thinks that you most importantly need, even if it doesn't go with your plans. There is someone who knows exactly what you need, better than you do.

And it's Him.

And a couple of months later, my life literally changed.

I'm not really religious, but I am very spiritual. What's the difference? I quote this article:

"People really want to understand the difference between religious and spiritual.Spirituality is something internal.Religion is something external."

Tomorrow might be the start of a whole new adventure for me to go after something that I am passionate about. I'm excited and nervous at the same time. I believe that people we have met (and eventually became friends with) are not just by mere accidents. And as Oprah said:

"Every little thing that's happening to you every single day prepares you for what is in store for you in the future."

I've been through ( or I might still be dealing with) a quarter-life crisis phase but now, but a year after saying that I've never felt so old, now I've never felt so young.

Lord, I'm very, very thankful. I'm very, very grateful. Thank you for never forsaking me, no matter how hard-headed I've been for the past years.


Love,
K

What do you usually do on Sundays?

 I love Lazy Sundays. I'm too lazy to write today so here's what I am up to:

1. Reminisce what happened the previous day.

My White Hat Date with Cams yesterday at ATC

 2. Get excited and prepare for the coming week.

Goodies that I bought from NBS for my idea book for writing

 3. Find something nice...

Mommy and Baby early morning sweetness

 4. Do something relaxing.

My sister getting a free back massage

Happy Sunday Everyone! <3

Jellybean catches Royal Fiancé/Bride Hype

According to Yahoo! News:

We may have reached an apex in Royal Wedding hysteria.

A 25-year-old accountant has found Kate Middleton's face in a jelly bean. Yep. Wesley Hosie and his girlfriend, Jessica White, noticed that a mango bean in the jar they had purchased from the Jelly Bean Factory featured an uncanny resemblance to Prince William's future bride, the Telegraph reports.

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"As Jessica opened the jar, I saw her immediately. She was literally lying there staring back at me," Hosie said.

And the pair immediately saw an opportunity in their blessed jelly bean.

"Given that the royal wedding is only a few weeks away, we hope to make a few pounds out of it by selling it on the internet to a collector."

Read full article HERE.

Review: Century Bangus Tocino

Months ago, when this was first released, I read tweet reviews from various celebs about how good Century  Bangus tocino is.

But when Jenni Epperson, one of Manila's top fashion stylist and mom blogger reviewed and recommended it, I knew I just have to give it a try.

Check out Jenni Epperson's old blog for the How To.

Image from Jenni Epperson's old blog

Image from Jenni Epperson's old blog

Few months ago, I asked my Ate Helen to cook this (since I don't want to mess it up, effortlessly) and it really tastes so good! You can hardly even tell that it is fish!

Since Holy week is coming up next week, I recommend this to those who will observe Lent and will go meatless, to try and taste it for yourself!

Breakfast this Morning c/o My Achi Helen

Century Bangus Tocino is available at all leading Supermarkets Nationwide... in the Philippines. ( Sorry I just had to say that because I have readers from outside the country, ang Shala! Hello there! )

Thank you Ms. Jenni for the Century Bangus Tocino Post. (You can check her new blog or simply just type www.jenniepperson.on the URL).

Not Jogging but Brisk Walking

I’ve had several attempts to get fit. This week I was influenced by my high school friend Shom to go jogging. I told her “No, just brisk walking.” 

Before the semester ended last month, I already had plans of supposedly joining my classmates in MS in their Muay Thai…wait was it Muay Thai? Or Kickboxing? I am so bad at these things. Anyway, bottom line is, I want to have an option of stress busting other than reaching for that delectable, mouth watering Keebler’s Chocolate Lover’s cookies… oh shit. This is supposed to get me up from my ass and start walking.

Anyhow, for the first day, we succeeded. Shom was jogging and I was brisk walking together with another friend from high school, Dhoddie, who I called last minute to join us and he did. Since he was recovering from what I assume to be gout, he was somewhere in between Shom and Me. Somewhere in between jogging and brisk walking.

And oh how I was sweating… I was sweating due to consistently talking and laughing the entire time while brisk walking and as Dhoddie puts it… my walking route almost lead me to that 7eleven convenience store that offers air conditioning and ice cream…aaah.

Why brisk walk? You may want to ask.

First, and Shom laughed when I told her that I don’t want to jog but brisk walk instead, because, for the love of me, I do not know how to jog.

Shom: Is there a proper way to jog?

Me: I don’t know how to properly jog. I mean, look at them (pointing to the joggers in marathon outfits) they seem to have this… (And I perform a demo).

I do not know proper breathing. I don’t know what is the proper speed and all that so I’m going to do brisk walking instead. (But truthfully, since after years of sitting on my ass, I haven’t really had a proper exercise. We didn’t even have proper stretching before heading to the UPLB freedom park grounds, the last time I had impromptu jog was back in high school when we had exercises in CAT and I went home with a fever.)

It’s not like I never tried to see exercise as a stress buster. Back in 2005 a roommate and I enrolled at Fitness First Plus (Now called the Platinum thingy) and though I enjoyed all the great facilities, trainer and dance classes, I often find myself hanging out in their sauna instead. In fact, I enjoyed their sauna so much that I only come to the gym to spend hours and hours at the sauna and enjoy a refreshing shower afterwards. I remember one time, since I was working on a night shift; I fell asleep inside the sauna and woke up dehydrated! Stupid, I know, I know, but what can I say? I really love saunas and although I also enjoyed their indoor pool and Jacuzzi, nothing beats the relaxation that I get from the sauna.

Next, I tried yoga. In fact that was the last fitness thing that I indulged. I bought yoga outfits, yoga mat and a very fashionable Nike yoga bag that seems to be on a limited edition. I enjoyed and loved yoga so much because it is the combination of the meditation while trying to get fit. I sleep better and my back hurts a lot less. I was sweating like crazy with all the breathing and stretching and it doesn’t look strenuous compared to running on a treadmill. My yogi even told me that I am flexible for a beginner (Naks! Thanks to ballet and gymnastics classes when I was 5 years old and thanks to cheerleading back in High School) but I never really came around to doing a handstand on my own. I don’t want to cause a commotion inside the sacred shala. My favorite yoga pose is the corpse pose, where after all the difficulty in yoga poses, you lie down on the floor to cool down. I remember telling friends at work that when I “cooled down” I think I fell asleep and woke up already alone in the entire shala!

But despite my yoga practice, I lived a very unhealthy lifestyle. I remember going to the Shala with my friend Mai and after feeling great with all the stretching and sweating we’d reward ourselves with Starbucks frappes over cigarettes. Nyeh! Wala din?!

So fast forward to the present. After quitting my vices and overhauling my lifestyle, I am now living in the suburbs. No nearest fancy gym and Shala. Majority of the people are jogging and into marathon these days and I am not really much into conforming. But after several months of prodding from my mother, I have decided to give this whole “fitness’ thing a try once again, under the following conditions: 1) I do not join her jog so early in the morning. 2) She buys me proper shoes. (LOL!)

Shoes. That’s another thing. I ransacked my shoe cabinet only to find that, other than my collection of my high heels and wedges, I do not own a pair of rubber shoes. I have chucks and flat sneakers that are totally not suitable to jog in. But since I am just brisk walking, my sneakers seem to be my temporary fix for the meantime.

So last night, I really attempted to get fit on my own. No Shom or Dhoddie to accompany me, just me and my newly created “Werq It” playlist that houses songs from various artists from Britney Spears, Lady Gaga to California Swag District. I am kind of afraid of getting bored like what my classmate in MS told me, she got bored while jogging even with the company of her iPod. But this time, I found another fitness hobby: Jogger watching. Although I have this rude habit of staring, I was able to keep it on the down low as I watch joggers ahead of me with the way they jog. One jogger actually caught my fancy: A gay jogger. And he doesn’t care and give a shit if his pelvic bones are swinging from side to side in its own rhythm that caused joggers after him to stare, imitate and make fun of his move (Yes! I walked, I saw and I watched!) He’s gay, jogging and so proud of it!

That inspired me to walk my “brisk walk”. Since I am “brisk walking” anyway, I might as well enjoy the walk. So there I was last night, doing a brisk model catwalk in rhythm with Lady Gaga’s “Born this way”, very America’s Next Top Model peg.

Ruma-Runway!

Next thing I knew, I was sweating, finished three non-stop laps and was…enjoying.

So when you see me doing my brisk walk… oh well. I am enjoying.

Hey

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Hey,

I know it’s kind of late for me to write this considering things have already been said and done. I know how awkward this is for you and me after all, it’s been a while.

I’d like to thank you for putting things in perspective for both you and me. It was hard to go through it alone for all this time you were just sitting on the bleachers while I get stuck in the middle of this circus.

Things have been looking up, I guess, for both you and me. Everything’s been really fine and I’m happy that I am now in a different place than I was a few years ago.And you’re starting to be really great too. I can see that you've warmed up now, though it took you an entire era to reach that, at least, hey, you’re here now.

And you know I just had a few realizations because the last time was all blurry. You were a perfect gentleman who valued silence. I know I should be more like you, but I just can’t because I am me and there’s no one I’d like to be other than myself.

Remember how you know how I love to keep you in my life on the sidelines? You seldom see the glitter in my eyes but you’re familiar with my infectious laugh. I tend to savor my private happy moments but you know my moments of downfall.

I know it appears that you have the last say, but I’d like to let you know that I have recuperated really well and I am fine now. Not that I don’t need you anymore, but I can now take it from here.

Though I am close to you, I’m really a hundred miles away, so I would really appreciate if you don’t jump on my trampoline of emotions and test the gravity just so you can validate yourself. You can do that, baby, but not to me.

Oh hey, 


By the way, thank you very much for not talking. 

Cameron Diaz's "Bad Teacher" Movie Trailer

I'm super glad my friend,Paulie, downloaded this. WE MUST SEE THIS MOVIE!

I love Cameron Diaz and her roles. I like that she's confident and can pull almost every role. Her confidence is just sexy.

Guide to UPLB Grad School

I had plans of pursuing grad school, I just didn't know that I would "afford" to have a devil-may-care attitude to throw my girl-about-town life in the city and be what they call a... " Graduate School Resident". So when the opportunity presented itself, I would really be stupid if I don't decide to give it a go.

The first week, I got culture shocked. I was still having this "jetlag" from being a vampire/someone who worked at night for six straight years (I worked in the Business Process Outsourcing  industry for 6 years), and at the same time adjusting to the laid back lifestyle and living with back with my parents. ( Been on my own since I was sixteen).

So I came up with this: Guide to UPLB Graduate School.
WARNING: Some photos were taken using camera phones (VGA and 2MP resolution and point and shoot camera).

• It is best to always set other people's expectations. Tell them it's your first time, or you're not really from "here" so you would save yourself the "ang-stupid-naman-nito" looks. It's a good thing I did ( even if I grew up in UPLB) because people are nicer knowing that you're new and majority of them are more than willing to show you around and help you set expectations.
• Another thing: This community always assumes that you know or you're from here. So prepare yourself for hear all kinds of acronyms from GS, OR, CDC, OVCCA, etc. 
• Again, you will not die if you ask.

Enrollment

• Do not expect to be officially enrolled within the day. Regardless of your academic status ( Freshman entry, Regular, Probationary and the likes). 
• Signing up for a SystemOne account - (online enrollment thingy) makes yourlife easier however, if you are a newbie like me, expect the unexpected.
• Wear something flat( ballerina flats, crocs, flipflops and the likes). If you're a freshman enrolling for the first time, the hospital where you're going to have your medical exam taken is located up in the mountain and the distance from your department from one another is always almost a jeep ride away. But then you have no choice but walk (unless you have your own transpo).

UP = University of Pila 

Hunger Inducing Joey Pepperoni Pizzeria

I learned about Joey Pepperoni Pizzeria from my sister Apy and my friend Joy when they both went to Rhianna's concert in The Fort. Apy went home with something from Joey Pepperoni's and I told her I have to go there!

So Joy and I went there, and another time we took our Balikabayan friend Erna, but that was when we thought that Joey Pepperoni's branch is only at The Fort. ( Well, actually I think that's only me. Lol).

Now, thanking the good Lord for SM, Joey Pepperoni's is now just 30 good minutes away from rurban elbi.

House Parties: An Ice Cream Party

Since Theme Parties are the latest thing, here's another low-cost, low-maintenance House Party ideas.


Whatyanid:

• A carefully planned guest list. The Chemistry of your guests should be very well thought of because the success of the party is very much dependent on the chemistry of your guests. ( Read: They must have the potential to mesh well).
• Check if there's an event. ( A birthday coming up, Graduation, Promotion or a Rant-fest.)
• Take note of the place where the party is going to be held and dress appropriately. ( Low vs High maintenance)
• Be sensitive to the party host - ask for what else that you need to bring. ( Most parties in Western Countries have guests bringing in wine.) Check if there's a need to bring liquor or chips and the likes.
• Come in your happy self. (No to negativity)
• Bring a camera if you like. And Prepare to have your photo taken (Just in case others will bring their cameras as well.)
• Don't forget to have fun!

A friend is leaving to take a vacation plus her birthday is coming up next week, so we decided to have a low cost gathering and send off party. Since the celebrant loves Ice cream, we decided to have a "No-Alcohol-just-Ice-Cream Party".

Chilled Ice Creams

Happy Birthday Apy!

Dear "Ate" Apy,

You bake cookies and cupcakes while I sit in front of the TV.
You resuscitate my sucky dishes so that it would be edible.
You were doing my Auto Cad til wee hours in the morning while I collapse on the floor due to lack of sleep.
Your word and promises of commitment is always as good as your signature.

To say that you are a woman of strength is an understatement.
You were always be the one who rarely, if never, conformed.
Beneath what people see on the facade is a person stronger than she gives herself credit for.
Because since we were young you've always had your own concept of freedom.

When I was your age I got quarter-life crisis,

Threw my girl-about-town life and overhauled my life anew.

I'm glad that you're like wine who gets better and better each day

Because of that I call you "Ate" because you're more of an "Ate" than I could ever be to you.

You were always the life of the party, of our clan, in every reunion, in every given social situation.
And people most often recognize you more than me.
And you have no idea how much I really don't mind people doing that,
Because I am the proudest sister anyone could ever be.


Happy, Happy Birthday Apy! I love you!  <3

Photo taken by: Jay Barona, 4.08.2011

Nestle Philippines TV Commercial: Nestle 100 Years "Pag-Ibig"

Have you seen this new commercial from Nestle?

I am a HUGE SUCKER for these "stories" especially the oldies part. 

<3

Beaches and Soundtracks

While majority of my friends are busy planning beach trips this summer, I am enjoying my first summer in my personal Sabbatical and that means this summer it’s going to be all about: My Summer Job, Old and New Friends, Books and *drum roll please* Writing.

Just because I can’t be on the beach this summer, it doesn’t mean I can’t take (at least) my spirit there so I put on my iPod and reminisce the best summers that I’ve had for the past recent years.

Canyon Cove Beach Resort, in Batangas with my high school friends, BMS+Blacksheep.

Beach Song: Chris Brown’s With You

I need you, boo, I gotta see you, boo

And the hearts all over the world tonight

Said the hearts all over the world tonight

Canyon Cove, by day

Canyon Cove, by early evening

I think I am the only one who’s aware that this song by Chris Brown is blaring several times a day all over the resort.

This is actually the best beach trip that my high school super friends and I had because it’s all our first time in this awesome resort and got a really great deal thanks to Joy and it’s the first time that Ellis (then based in Japan) and Erna (based in Dubai) came home at the same time.

Pancit with a kick!

This post is divided into two parts and is dedicated to my two friends who got me hooked on this pancit with a kick!

The first part of this post is dedicated to Mother Lito Chan who introduced me to Buddy's Makati years ago while we're Apartment hunting. Scenario goes like this:

Mother Lito: Bakla I'm tired na.
Kea: Ako din Mother.
Mother Lito: Tara Lumafang na tayo dito sa Buddy's masarap dyan.

At the counter
Kea: (to Lito) Mother ano bang masarap dito? Di ko masyado forte ang pancit-pancitan..
Mother Lito: Ay, i-try mo itong pancit lucban!

When we're about to eat the pancit
Mother Lito: Lagyan mo nito ( giving me the vinegar)
Kea: Mother ayoko!
Mother Lito: Gaga, masarap yan! ( Then he just poured the vinegar to my hesitant pancit)
Kea (after tasting the finished vinegar-ed product): Masarap nga!
Sabay lafang ng bonggang bongga.

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From time to time I keep on craving for that Buddy's pancit with that weird combination of vinegar and pancit.   I should've taken advantage of my location when I was still living in Makati to order the famous Buddy's pancit lucban. I remember we used to have Buddy's pancit delivered to our office and I would most often be the one who's wolfing down the pancit with over the top amount of vinegar til my lips turn light gray. I call it pancit with a kick!

Now the second part of this post is dedicated to my friend Joy Jarumayan who introduced to me the Buddy's Pancit DIY Alternative. We were lounging in their condo's sofa one lazy January Sunday morning when Ate Lil   cooked instant pancit canton for us.

Must have:

• Pancit canton ( any brand but for us it's Lucky Me Pancit Canton Chili flavored)
• Vinegar ( Del Monte Red Cane Vinegar)

Directions:

• Cook pancit canton according to directions (see pancit canton label pack for detailed instructions).
• Pour 1 to 2 tbsp of Vinegar and mix it with the pancit canton. ( Add more vinegar if you like, in my case I think I had five! )

Voila! Instant Buddy's Pancit Lucban Alternative!

Tips:

• For best results, use the one recommended.
• Tried with Datu Puti Vinegar and Lucky Me Pancit Canton Calamansi Flavor, the taste was just Blah!
• Add vinegar according to your fancy.

I think there's magic in the merging of the Chili taste and Vinegar that gives this dish a kick.

Enjoy! :D

Sanctuario de San Pablo

I keep getting inquiries from friends in Manila about where to go in Laguna other than the forever Pansol Swimming Pools and Private Resorts... then I remembered... Sanctuario de San Pablo!


Last year, just around this time of the year, I went straight from work, took a bus and headed to Sanctuario de San Pablo. I met up with my cousins there because my cousin Stewart and his Mom discovered the place because it's en route to our grandma's house.


WARNING: Photos are not intentionally for blogging purposes so I just chose the decent ones that can be acceptable to blogging standards. 

For updated second entry, click HERE and Accommodations section HERE

The entrance

Popopopoker Fez, Popopoker Fez

Background Music: Lady Gaga's Poker Face

I wanna hold em like they do in Texas please
Fold em let em hit me raise it baby stay with me, I love it
Luck and intuition play the cards with Spade to start
And after he's been hooked I'll play the one that's on his heart...

Last weekend, I played poker for real with my high school friends. It's actually the first time that I (and my friend Joy) tried playing poker.

Okay, It probably was my second time because the first time someone taught me how to play it, I was hanging out in some guy's apartment with a friend and learning poker was the last thing on my mind. ( Read: May kinikimberly clark ang lola nyo! Chos!) In other words, I had completely forgotten everything about it. 

Anyway, last weekend was super fun because our guy friends were painstakingly teaching the neophyte Joy and I the rules of the game. ( After me telling them that there are only three card games that I knew: Ungguyan, 1-2-3 Pass, and Fortune Telling. Yes, I don't know how to play Pusoy Dos or Tong-its. L- for Loser, I know! :D )

How to play Poker? Click Here

The card patterns that I need to study and memorize, parang objective finals exam lang

When your Past creates a whole new Future

"Keets, I proposed and now I'm officially engaged! I'm gettin' married!" A text message read.

Image Source

It was a weekend and I was out drinking with new friends out of town. I know I'm not tipsy and have read it correctly. An ex-boyfriend is gettin' married.

And I just couldn't contain my happiness for them. He was a really good guy and she's an awesome girl. So I texted him back. Actually I did more than just text, I called him up and congratulated him immediately, non-stop in all my high-pitched voice glory. I remember asking for his fiancé's number so I can personally congratulate her and he did give it to me.

So I did text her. Fiancé  and I know each other from way back but we never really became friends, just mere acquaintances. I texted her and she replied:

"Thank you so much! We look forward seeing you on our wedding day!"

Several weeks later, the ex told me that his fiancé told him that, out of the first bunch of people that they have shared their good news with, I was the only one she genuinely felt to be super happy and excited about them tying the knot.

I remember the night when he told me and I called him up to congratulate him on the spot, I got off the phone and got weird quizzical looks from the people I was with. They probably got weirded out and I was consistently yakking on the phone in my consistent high-pitched voice. They asked me who that was (the one I was on the phone with) and I told them that an ex boyfriend called me up to tell me the good news that he's going to get hitched. I got my second wave of weirded out looks.

I don't really care if I appear to be quite unbelievable, or not, but yes, it is possible to be genuinely happy for someone who's been a part of your life. If you were to ask me why or how, I'm going to give you a straight forward and genuine answer: Acceptance.

Acceptance that you're way much better off as friends. Acceptance that someone can take care of him better than you do, and acceptance that someone better can take care of you better than he did. And sometimes, things just don't work out. It is acceptance and open heart that makes you at peace and in my case, I got really lucky that it is genuinely mutual.

Fast forward to post-wedding: Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the wedding due to conflict in schedule.

Several months later, I ran into him at a certain shop with his wife and exchanged pleasantries. As we bid each other goodbye, I watched them as they walk over to the counter's line while I stood there from a distance still feeling very happy for them and grateful how well everything turned out and how everything fell right into place in our own and in God's perfect time.

Your Mother Knows Best

I met your mother just once and she was the type of a woman who will love whom you love.

Image Source

Your mother knows that it is me who came with you one evening and she insisted that I come inside the house for she doesn't want me to sit in that awkward seat in the garden. She called you and asked if I am with you, mentioning my name.

Your mother knows that I was the one responsible for throwing your last surprise party.

Your mother knows, despite the lack of face-to-face time, how I pulled everyone together. She knows how I befriended your siblings when they barely knew that I even existed.

You didn't tell her but she can tell during the time that we are already falling apart.

We drifted ways but your mother knows that behind the platonic one hundred sixty text characters that I virtually sent you, that was me, juvenile but already had a concrete concept of what love is. And she knows that I have loved you in my tender years that little did you know it was real - at least for me.

Because your mother may not know the rest, but she knew at least once when it was still me, you had me at my best.

Los Baños Update Monthly Newspaper

Wow! Los Baños now have this:

The monthly community newspaper. Pic taken from my camera phone.

According to those who gave this to me, after the elections ( I am assuming it's the recent elections) this started circulating around, and it's for free. Nice one right? If anyone from Los Baños is reading this, I suggest you get a copy and see things for yourself.

I heard someone reading this say:

"Pictures and updates from our Mayor is all over in this paper, but he's not regularly seen in the Municipal's office where he should be..."

Then during a discussion weeks ago in one subject in my grad school class:

"The reason Los Baños is not as good as before ( When Mayor, now Laguna Vice-Governor, Caesar Perez) is because we no longer have a 'Mayor'. A lot of people have been saying that he's not really in Los Baños."

Two different persons. One (almost) same thought.

I know it sounds so hypocrite of me, since I've only been really living back in Los Baños again for a year, but I do miss our old Mayor, Caesar Perez. Not because he is our family friend, but because he is the only politician I've seen (with my own eyes during the random weekends that I come home for the past years) that is very hands on and acts as the actual traffic enforcer and is not usually chauffeured around. Before, people are even afraid to "jaywalk" and spit on the street, but now, people just do their own thing as long as they don't get caught. 

One of the many reasons why many people and (migrants) have grown to love Los Baños community is, not only due to it's laid back lifestyle, because it feels a lot safer than the chaotic city. 

We need someone like Vice Governor Caesar Perez back in our Los Baños community. He's not the best Brgy.Captain (Los Baños has ever had) for nothing. Especially now since the issue on peace and order is becoming alarming.