new year's resolution

So 2008 was a BAD year for my waistline and overall health. So for 2009, here is my game plan:

1. Drink less coffee. I don’t drink a lot of coffee, just 1 cup a day (sometimes none), but I keep on drinking it even if I don’t really like how it tastes! I like the fact that it wakes me up when I’m starting to fall asleep at my desk, but I’ll drink tea instead of coffee beginning today! (it’s only December 31 as of this writing).

2. Pick healthier snacks. I don’t eat heavy main meals but you’ll see me munching on junk in between. I got a good scolding from my husband last night and have decided to change my ways. Not only are my snacks of choice not good for my weight (I eat chips, chips, and more chips!), they really have no nutritional value. So I’m snacking on fruit beginning today. (already had an apple earlier. Clap clap clap!)

3. Drink soda only once a week. I drink diet coke almost everyday. While I’m limited to 1 can each time, I know it’s not doing me any good.

4. Eat more malunggay! This has got to be one of my favorite vegetables in the whole wide world! I should learn to incorporate this wonderful veggie to most of the savory meals I prepare. Buti nalang it’s readily available at the local asian supermarket and my mom learned to blanch the leaves and freeze it. I can use it in place of spinach in my omelet and puree it and add to pretty much anything I cook.

5. Drink more red wine. I love wine but I’m a big white wine drinker. I should split my wine consumption fifty-fifty.

6. Work out 3 times a week. Wish me luck on this one!

it's the holiday season...

Michelle was really excited about Christmas this year. I don’t think she realized the ‘gift giving’ part of it until we actually decided to put the Christmas tree together (no real true because my desire was shot down by every single family member, except for michelle) and presents started piling up under it. Naturally, she believed every present was for her, even though more than half of it are gifts for other kids. She loved the Christmas music that continuously played on KOIT Radio. She calls all Christmas lights and decorations ‘jingle bells’. Her favorite Christmas songs are jingle bells (of course!), jingle bell rock, and feliz navidad (spanish wanna-be ang anak ko e). And this is how she sings it…

‘feliz dididad! Da da da da da! Feliz dididad!’ (I’ll try to take a video and post it here)

We decorated a gingerbread house yesterday and she managed not to eat all of the candy. We’ll try to bake cookies together soon. I didn’t want to make it from scratch so I just bought the pre-made ones that you break off and bake in the oven. I’m sure she’ll have fun getting her hands messy like she did with the gingerbread.

My uncle from seattle is here and michelle is delighted to have another lolo around. She calls him, ‘lolo lori!’ (lolo rollie) and she gets confused because all her 3 lolos look alike (lolo abet, lolo rollie and lolo cesar). My cousin and her husband (also from seattle) will be arriving tomorrow and we’ll take them around to see the spots. San kaya sila maganda ipasyal?

I want to go to target to get a BIG FAKE CHRISTMAS TREE on sale. I wonder if there will be any more left by the time I leave the office? Hmmmm (as of 6 pm..we went to target and all that's left are christmas trees that are 9 feet tall. that's too big for the house so i have no choice but to buy it before christmas next year. hindi umepek ang pagkukuripot. or i might get my real tree next year! i bought several decorations for a good price though.)

Forgot to buy two presents and will try to scour the mall for a decent ‘new year gift’. I should really stop the last minute shopping thing because either I forget, or there is nothing good to buy anymore.

Sana matapos na ang holidays para wala ng kainan!!!!!

gingerbread house

i bought a gingerbread house kit at target not too long ago. i wanted michelle to get her hands sticky as she decorates the house. this is her masterpiece.

christmas eve

michelle's christmas eve presents

how i miss...

The smell of apples remind me of Christmas and the new year. I know it sounds weird because for most Americans, apples remind them of the fall. But being the transplant that I am, this time of the year is the time when apples abound in the markets around the Philippines. There are times when I would linger at the apple section of the grocery store here in the states just to take in the smell of the apples that remind me of Christmas at home. I would leave the area with a smile and a feeling of warmth, like I was home for a few seconds.

I still remember how my dad would start playing Christmas songs as early as September 1st and how I would start asking my mom to go to the mall to start our Christmas shopping in October. My parents would have a budget for each of their three kids on how much could be spent on new clothes for Christmas. The budget for my brothers is always larger than mine, which surprisingly, didn’t bother me that much even when I became aware of how expensive their jeans and shoes were. Every year, when my dad gets his bonus, we would make a trip to RAON and buy one major electric appliance or device for the house. My favorite was one holiday season, back in the 80s when we went there to buy a Nintendo Family Computer and how excited my brothers and I were to be finally getting one. I never got into the whole family computer thing, but I was happy my parents were generous enough to buy it for us. Back then, it was an expensive gift, even for 3 kids.

Trips to raon will include lunch at WAPAC (wala na tong restaurant na to, unfortunately) and they served the best pancit canton and fried chicken I’ve ever had. My parents used to go there a lot before they were married, then at least once a year after they had all three kids. One waitress in particular knew my parents to be regular customers and one Christmas, my dad gave her tip which was almost the same as the cost of our entire meal. After she realized how much she had received, she jumped up and down, teary-eyed, hugged my parents and thanked them profusely. it wasn’t a lot of money but maybe it was enough for whatever it was that she needed. Her joy was electrifying, and I remember leaving the restaurant with a big smile on my face like i was the one on the receiving end.

I miss going to simbang gabi, even though it’s a struggle to get out of my warm bed on cold December mornings. I mostly look forward to the pancit luglog, puto bumbong and bibingka that we ate after the mass. I miss seeing the neighborhood kids dressed in their holiday best, going door to door to greet people and wait for their Aguinaldo. I miss having my cousins over at our house to eat all the food that my mom has prepared. I miss my Nanay Dhe, Nana Juling, Tata Sergio, and Lolo Pacing and the smile on their faces when they see all of their grandchildren together. All four now celebrate Christmas everyday with our Lord, and I bet they are so much happier now.

I am looking forward to bringing Michelle home for Christmas and having her experience what Christmas was like for her dad and me and I’m sure she’ll have a greater appreciation for her heritage, her tradition, and her family. And I hope later on, she’ll agree with me when I say, there is no better place in the world to celebrate Christmas than spending it in the Philippines!

to the camus family

"Earth hath no sorrow, THAT HEAVEN cannot heal."

-Thomas Moore

restaurant review: bong su

After visiting t’s dad at the hospital last night, chel and I were debating whether to get a nice dinner or just get jalopeno poppers for jack in the box. Of course, we decided on dinner and bong su was just around the corner from where we were so it was the logical choice. I have been to bong su before and I wasn’t really impressed with their food. It is fancy (a.k.a. expensive) but the food is just ok, until I had the cod.

The appetizers we had were the vegetable crepe and the crispy crab spring roll…the vegetable crepe was a blander and deconstructed version of your good old lumpiang gulay. The spring roll was forgettable, even if it had soft shell crab in it.

The highlight was the carmelized black cod which was oh so good! Now, I would come back for that!

Dessert was so, so. It’s hard for any restaurant to mess up on dessert.

But if you’re going to bong su, get the black cod. It’s easily one of the top 5 fish dishes I’ve ever had.

it's about giving

I told my husband I don’t want any gifts from him this Christmas.

There are so many things that I have already and I can’t really think of anything that I need. of course there’s so much that I want, but I can live without those. I want to rid myself of self-indulgence and materialism even if I have a feeling it will be short-lived.

I have to keep reminding myself that Christmas is not about me. it’s not my birthday so why should I get any gifts? I don’t even expect gifts on my birthday so why expect any now? Don’t get me wrong, gifts are great…it’s the giving, not the gift. But I know you’ll agree with me when I say that more than half of the gifts you will receive this year, you will never ever buy for yourself. It will end up in the closet or in the garage, gathering dust and you’ll forget all about it until it’s time to clean up all the clutter. You’ll donate the unwanted gift or re-gift to someone else, who, like you, will absolutely hate it, and a new cycle begins.

My husband and I were exchanging ims yesterday and he was asking me what he needs to get for our daughter before he comes home for the holidays. we haven't really decided on what to get her this christmas but this early in her life, we want her to realize what Christmas is NOT about.

It’s not about getting gifts.
It’s not about all the parties.
It’s not about all the candy.
It’s not about all the food.
It’s not about the twinkling lights.
It’s not about the brand new clothes.
It’s not about the crowded shopping malls.
It’s not about Santa Clause.
Not about Rudolph, nor the elves, nor the north pole.
It’s not about the candy canes, the ham, or the chestnuts roasting on an open fire…

It’s about the joyous occasion of the birth of Christ and what he has done for all of us. It is about God, giving; and we, receiving the greatest gift of all.

I want michelle to realize how fortunate and how blessed she is to have what she has. I want her to be grateful and generous. I want her to share and be happy about sharing. I told michelle yesterday as we were singing Christmas songs that Jesus’ birthday is coming up and we had this exchange…

I asked her, ‘what do you want to give Jesus on his birthday?’
‘Birthday party! Balloons…lots and lots of balloons and birthday cake!’, she replied enthusiastically. (I’m not exaggerating!)
‘That’s great sweetheart. Kantahan mo si Jesus ng ‘Happy Birthday’ ha?’, I said to her.
‘Opo,’ she said with a smile.

Of course, I don’t think she really gets the importance of this holiday, but I don’t want her to begin her christmas memories with materialism so I have to start this early by making christmas a holiday about Jesus. I want her to focus on that. I know I’m being idealistic, but the world will not teach these things to my daughter, so we have to.

I’ve also been thinking about what to give Jesus this Christmas. What does the Lord of all things want to receive on his birthday? what God wants is for us to give…and our giving must reflect God’s agenda. here are some ideas...

Proverbs 19:17 — “He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.”

Acts 10:2-4 — “[Cornelius] and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, ‘Cornelius!’ Cornelius stared at him in fear. ‘What is it, Lord?’ he asked. The angel answered, ‘Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God ...’ ”

James 1:27 "Here are the kinds of beliefs that God our Father accepts as pure and without fault. When widows and children who have no parents are in trouble, take care of them. And keep yourselves from being polluted by the world. "

Matthew 25:34-40 — “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ ”

Romans 12:13 — “Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

Malachi 3:10 - "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it."

2 Corinthians 8:12 "Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have."

2 Corinthians 9:7 "You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”

And this is my favorite… Luke 6:38 - "Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”


My Christmas wish this year is for more and more people to fully understand what giving is all about. If you GIVE your tithes and offering to the Lord, and give with joy and gladness, you have NOTHING to fear. God has promised to open floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessings that we will have no room enough for it! Can you imagine being so blessed, you have no room to contain it!? so, give…give…give! you have nothing to lose! we can never out-give God.

love ritter sport!

i have friends who live in germany and whenever they come to the states (or whenever chel goes there), they HAVE TO bring lots and lots of ritter sport chocolates for us here. european chocolates are 10x better than american chocolates and ritter sport is one of my favorites. i especially love the one with whole pieces of hazelnuts. yum-oh!

ritter sport is gaining popularity here in the states. and not too long ago, they snapped this picture of me in the city. i am a ritter sport friend!!!

ano sya, hilo?

sabi sa balita kanina, ang pinakamataas opisyal daw sa kumpanya namin ay nahingi ng bonus na nagkakahalaga ng sampung milyong dolyar! dapat lang daw syang bigyan ng ganon kalaking pera dahil daw sa kanyang pamumuno ay 11 bilyon lang ang nalugi sa amin at naisalba ang kumpanya sa pamamagitan ng pag sanib sa BAC. bukod sa milyon milyon na nyang sinusweldo, kailangan pa raw nya ng sampung milyon. ano sya, hilo?

hindi ako sanay mag mura, pero nang nabasa ko to, parang gusto ko magmura. nagtatanggalan na sa kumpanya namin para nga ibaba ang gastos tapos hihingi sya ng ganitong kalaking halaga. nasisiraan ba sya ng bait?

at matapos maging headline ito sa buong amerika, napahiya yata naman yata sya at binawi ang hinihinging bonus para sa taon na ito. wala ngayon siyang matatanggap ni singkong bonus. kami kaya, may singkong matanggap?

isa nanaman itong halimbawa ng kasakiman ng mga tao sa wall street. sabi nga sa bibliya, "...ang pag-ibig sa salapi ang ugat sa lahat ng uri ng kasamaan". nakapagtataka pa ba kung bakit nagkakagulo ang ekonomiya ng buong mundo ngayon?

one somber moment

yesterday, it was officially approved and we are sold to bank of America. My heart is heavy as we say goodbye to the name many of us so proudly carried for the last 94 years. I’ve only been a part of this great company for the last 5 years of its colorful history but I really feel as if a part of me has died. maybe I’m being dramatic, maybe this really is for the best, but it’s hard not to feel nostalgic and emotional when something this big happens in your life. I am grateful and blessed to still be here, working for a now combined force of the most powerful financial institution in America (maybe the world), but yet there is this ache deep within me that I can’t quite shake and a longing for the better days that once were, but there is a reason for everything and a time for everything.

I pray for better days ahead for everyone who was part of this company and for those of us that are still left behind.

to all of my merrill lynch family, we are a 'herd apart'! be bullish!!!

home sweet home!

we started sleeping in our new home on monday. like all new homes, it's still cold and quiet but i'm loving all the space we have. we are not bumping into each other and michelle runs all over the place (we have no living room and dining room furniture yet). we don't have to worry about parking so running errands in the evening is not a hassle.

michelle still misses our old home. it hasn't quite registered that this is her new home. she calls the house hers, but refers to it more as 'big house' and not home. i guess she misses the warmth and all the attention she gets when we used to share a home with her ninang's family. we miss them, too, but we gotta do what we gotta do.

i went to home depot earlier to scope fresh christmas trees. it was very cold tonight and the smell of pine filled the garden area at the store. i was so tempted to buy a tree right then and there but i want michelle to pick the tree...not that she would know what to pick but i want it to be an experience for her.

i'm excited about christmas and all the traditions and memories we will have at home.

totoo na ba ito?

is it normal to feel slightly freaked out at the thought of paying mortgage for the next 30 years of my life????

thanksgiving

i am thankful for the forgiveness of my sins and my salvation.

i am thankful for a healthy and loving family.

i am thankful for the new house that the Lord has provided.

i am thankful for the love and support of my friends.

i am thankful for the good job that i have.

i am thankful for the prosperous life that God has promised and the thousands more promises that He keeps.

i am thankful that the Lord is all that He is.

what are you most thankful for?

no pain, no gain

no, i haven't started working out again. this is a different type of vanity for me.

i went to see a dermatologist from the philippines and had 'stuff' on my face cotorized and had a chemical peel. while the doctor placed a topical anesthesia, i still felt some sting and pain from the zapping off of the 'stuff'. but i hope to see clearer skin after several days.

sana effective to. sayang naman ang ibinayad at ang mild discomfort kung hindi.

finally!

we finally have the keys to the house! yey!

pictures tomorrow when the husband arrives. =)

no more bad news

The disappointment upon hearing we didn’t get the big new house took me by surprise. I was more disappointed than I thought I would be. So when I was driving home from work and listening to pastor paul shepard on the radio, I asked the Lord, ‘Lord when? When are we going to get our house?’ I went on and on about my questions and letting out my frustrations while the pastor on the radio was talking about God’s time line and how impatient we all are nowadays. I shut my mouth and paid attention to the pastor.

‘why are we all in such a hurry? Jesus waited 30 years before he began his ministry, and his ministry only lasted for 3 years. Why do we get so upset when we stand in line at the grocery store and there are 5 people ahead of us? Aren’t we supposed to be grateful we didn’t have to grow any of the food we eat? Just think about how long you would have to wait to eat that apple had you planted it yourself.’

God was speaking to me through the pastor’s message. So I said, ‘Ok Lord. I’ll shut up now and wait for you. You know the best time for everything and I will wait. You are in control; you hold my world in your hands.’ So I was driving, enjoying my silence and the renewed peace that the Lord gave me, when my phone started to ring. It was my real estate agent. I thought she was calling to let me know that we should start looking for houses again and start from scratch. But she said,

‘Almira, the first house you wanted…they lowered their price and it’s yours if you want it. You will have the keys in your hand before Thanksgiving.’

Can you imagine my shock?! All I could say was, ‘I have to tell my husband!’. So we hung up and I was frantically trying to get in touch with my husband. It wasn’t until evening that I FINALLY spoke to him.

So we discussed, we weighed the pros and cons

Pros:
· The house has the things we need (4 bedrooms, 2 baths)
· Kitchen is semi-updated
· 2 car garage, side by side with room for 2 more cars in the driveway
· It’s in a nice neighborhood with a BIG back yard for michelle to run around
· The BIG backyard!

Cons:
· It’s an older house
· The master bedroom does not have its own bathroom
· Will need to get new appliances (the previous owner took the appliances away!)
· It’s not as pretty as the new house
· Did I say it’s an older house?

We made our decision and called our agent and agreed to buy the house (driven mostly by the lot size and the great neighborhood). We will officially be homeowners by next week! Yey!!!!!

What have I learned in this whole process? That I am not in control. No matter how I try to steer things my way and get the outcome I want, the final decision is made by the Lord. I really really really have to trust him more and more. When has he failed me?

Just to let you know, our beloved pastor has the gift of dreams (like Joseph the dreamer) where many of her dreams happen in real life. She had a dream about two weeks ago and in her dream she asked Paul, ‘So when are you going to move to your new house?’ In her dream Paul answered, ‘November 26 po, Pastora.’ I called my mortgage lender today and he asked me, ‘When do you want to close the deal?’ I said, ‘Can we close by end of next week?’ And he said, ‘I’m emailing the loan processor as I talk to you.’ and he typed (he read it while he typed), ‘Can we close by Tuesday, November 25th?’ I asked him, ‘are you sure we can close that soon?’ and he replied, ‘Almira, we have all the documents we need. We could have closed last month if the seller got their act together.’ That means we can move in by November 26! Isn’t that a trip!!!!!!???? WOW!!! God proves that he is in control in all situations no matter how big or how small.

I’ve kinda stressed about the money we’ve already spent on trying to purchase this house, from the rate lock to the home inspection and I was upset that if we bought different house, that money we paid (and it’s quite a sum) will all go to waste because we’ll have to spend that money again on a house that we will buy. Can you imagine the details that the Lord takes care of to get everything we need together? He wasn’t kidding when he said, ‘I know the plans I have for you…’ He really knows what he’s doing and we are in no position to ever doubt what he can do!

I am ever so humbled by his graciousness. Sa dinami dami ng pagkukulang at pagkakasala namin, who are we to receive such abundant blessings from Him? *sigh* I encourage anyone reading this to fully trust in the Lord. To follow and obey his commands, to give your tithes and offering to your church, and to read and meditate on his word everyday. I don’t know where our family would be without the loving hand of God guiding us each and every single day. He is good! To God be the glory!!!!

good news and bad news

the bad news is, we didn't get the nicer house...


the good news (??) is that the first house agreed to lower their price.


what to do now? what to do...what to do....

south lake tahoe

we went to south lake tahoe for the weekend. michelle wanted to see snow but there's hardly any snow in the area. she was not completely disappointed though.

house hunter

It has been a mortgage roller coaster ride these last several weeks.Our family had our heart set on purchasing the house I wrote about previously, but it wasn’t meant to be. The house appraised for less than our agreed purchase price and I wasn’t going to buy a house for more than it’s worth. The bank that owns the house does not want to sell it for it’s appraised value (which means less than what we initially thought it was worth) so the deal is off and we’re back to square one.I was hesitant to write anything about that first house because I’m not in the habit of counting eggs before they hatch. But I thought the house was as good as mine…but God has other plans.

I wasn’t heartbroken because we didn’t get that house but I was frustrated the process took so long. I like the house, but I wasn’t attached to it. How can I be attached to something that’s not mine? So we started looking for houses again last week and saw 2 houses across the street from each other that I really, really, really like…not to the point of being attached, but I can totally imagine living in either one of them and feeling like a queen in my own little castle.We have totally outgrown our current home where Michelle has taken over every single bit of open space. There are now too much toys for too little a house, and my daughter just wants to add more. She’s already asked her dad for Donald and Daisy to add to her brood of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse characters. Once we get A HOUSE, she’s going to have a room all to her self and I can just imagine her wanting to pack as many Disney Characters in to her room. The question remains, WHEN are we going to get a house? I don’t know any more because dates seem to be written in sand.

We’re hoping to close on this house around December 15. I already imagine myself cleaning the house, baking my famous buko pie (ehem!), putting Christmas decorations and arranging presents under a real Christmas tree. I told myself that for our first Christmas in the new home, we would get a real tree, where ever that new home will be. Never mind that it’s a pain to dispose that real tree after Christmas, I want the smell of pine to fill up the house even for just one season.I’m looking forward to all the memories we’ll have in the house. But I can’t get my hopes waaaay up and set myself up for disappointment the second time around. *sigh* God will give us the house that’s perfect for us, in His own perfect time. =D

iha...

i made egg pie today. the texture isn't perfect yet, but it tastes really good. had my mom not stopped me, i would have wolfed down a quarter of the pie in one sitting.

my mom said, 'iha, nagdadiet ka...'

of course i stopped.


[my] mother knows best.

oh yes, he did!

rain, rain, go away....

she loves wearing her rain boots (bota) most especially. kahit hindi umuulan gusto nya isuot. sulit na ang binili nila mommy and daddy just watching her wear all of these. =D

click on hello kitty for more photos

o-ba-ma!!!

obama won the elections!

it feels great to witness this part of american history. we've come so far and achieved so much since the civil rights movement. i know that we all can't really be color blind but it's reassuring to know that we can set aside race and differences and elect a president based on credentials.

i am excited for my daughter and the generations to come because obama has paved the way for all colored people in america.

i have a lot of respect for john mccain. i think he's a very honorable man who also had great plans for our country. i honestly could vote for either one of them. but the thought of sarah palin sitting in the white house makes me shudder if anything were to happen to john mccain. and for that i can't vote republican this year. sarah palin is too green, waaaay too green and not ready lead the nation, even just as second in command.

CONGRATULATIONS PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA!

I AM SO PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN TODAY!!!

go out and vote!!!

i don't care who you vote for, but pray before you do.

if you are eligible to vote, but yet you don't, you have no right to complain about which president takes office.

california academy of sciences

we bought a membership to the new california academy of sciences which gives us unlimited visits for one year. we want to take michelle there frequently and get her interested in the sciences.

since paul is here this weekend, we braved saturday's the pouring rain, thinking that many of the visitors would be deterred by the downpour. we were wrong! the parking garage was full and the museum was packed! we didn't get to see everything since it was so crowded but michelle had fun looking at fish and dinosaur skeletons. she's into dinosaurs right now. she would ask me to look for tv shows that feature dinosaurs (and no, not the cartoon kind but the jurassic park type of dinos) and she would watch them even if they are an hour long.

the cal academy building is one of the most eco-friendly buildings in the world (read more here) and it's a great place to take kids and get them curious about the world around them. here are some of the photos we took at the academy. more photos in future visits.

halloween

michelle was dressed as an angel for halloween. paul and i were hoping angelic traits would manifest on our darling little daughter who has been trying out patience a lot lately. =)

she loved her costume and enjoyed halloween. we didn't really go trick or treating at the mall because she got distracted by all the toys so we went toy window shopping instead. but after that, we headed to tselogs for some fun with the rest of her friends.

here are the photos.

tick-tock-tick-tock

don't you just hate waiting?????

sunog! sunog!

nasunugan ng inuupahan nilang bahay ang kaibigan ko kahapon! buti nakalabas lahat sila ng bahay kaagad, and everyone is safe. the fire started in the kitchen, but pretty much the entire house had smoke and water damage.

it will cost $150,000 to fix the house and they will not be able to live in it for 4 months. buti nalang at mandatory ang insurance dito para sa mga bahay, kung hindi, naku! san naman kukunin yung perang yon di ba? mabait din naman yung may ari ng bahay at hindi sila sinisi or anything. sino naman kasi ang gustong masunugan di ba? at least mapapagawa na yung bahay niya.

they lost everything in their kitchen and most of the things in their living room. i wonder what else they need to (partially) start over?

mabait parin talaga ang Lord dahil walang nasaktan sa kanila. there is always reason to be thankful talaga. you just have to see past the trials and see God's hand at work.

RIF-ed

RIF = Reduction In Force

5 people were laid off from our office yesterday. thus beginneth the first wave of lay offs after the merger was announced between the firm and THE BANK.

one of the people who was laid off was actually someone i was truly, truly fond of. it broke my heart to see her say her tearful goodbye. she was a great employee. unfortunately, there is no real method to this madness, we don't really know what the formula is to laying people off. it's not about seniority, not really about performance. it seems like lately, if you're called into your boss' office and he shuts the door, you're out of luck.

the big boss gave a speech on the trading floor before the end of the day. this weighs so heavily on his shoulders because he is the first to know who and how many will be let go. i had a lengthy conversation with him the day he found out about the lay offs and he started our conversation by saying, 'almira, if there is one thing i hate about my job, it would be this.' i've never had to break the bad news to anyone so i can only imagine how difficult it must be. at the end of the day, these people are your friends even though it's really just work that tie you together. still, you spend at least 8 hours of your day with these people. you are aware of their quirks and their issues. you develop a fondness, later on, a true friendship with these people. and then, unfortunately, there will be a time like this when you have to see them go.

the stress and the sadness at work has been giving me headaches. it's been extremely difficult for everyone. at least 150 people were laid off from NY yesterday alone and there are more to come. morale is low, nerves are shot. it seems like everyone should hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

HOPE. i guess that's what separates the men from the boys. i know where i should rest my hope in. come what may, God is in control of my life!

be nice to me...

i gave blood today!

i am a blood donor virgin no more.

this week is life safety week at our building and one of the activities was donating blood. the blood centers of the pacific where there to accept blood donations so i signed up to donate. it's for a good cause and it doesn't me cost a dime, so why not?

i ate a good lunch because i've been told that skipping a meal or donating blood on an empty stomach will make you pass out. so ron and i shared a patty melt from taylor's and some onion rings. delish!

after i filled out a long form and they asked a series of questions about the time i've spent out of the country in the last 12 months (where and how long ), i was set to donate blood. i sucked up any anxiety i had and told myself, 'there's a first time for everything!' takot kasi ako sa dugo. so this is a big step for me. so i lay on the bed and donated blood. i felt like my time took longer that the other donors...yun pala i had to squeeze the ball the gave me every few seconds to encourage blood flow.

after donating, they give you snacks and you have to stay in the facility for at least 15 minutes, just in case you pass out. i was feelin' good. feelin' cocky. in my head i was saying, 'yes! hindi ako hinimatay!' so i was eating peanuts, drinking water, waiting for my 15 minutes to be up. when out of the blue, i started feeling weird, the room started to get dark and i felt like i was spinning. there was a lady sitting next to me and i said, 'uhm, i think i need to lie down.' she stood up immediately and informed the nurse. the nurse told me to move my legs a little while i was lying down so blood will continue to circulate. so much for my confidence! after two minutes, i sat back up feeling much better. the nurse asked my how come i knew what to do when i get that feeling...i told her, 'it always happens to me when i accidentally cut myself and the wound starts to bleed.' so sanay na ako!

the needle is bigger than your vaccination needle. it is a bit painful and uncomfortable, the small wound is still bleeding so i have to keep it covered maybe until tomorrow. i think it will bruise, too. i wont forget the feeling of that warm blood flowing through the tube down to the bag below, the needle pulsating with the flow. freaky!

i will donate blood again. the nurse said that the blood volume with be replenished by the body in about 5 days, but the red blood cell levels wont be the same until after 55 days or so which means no donating for at least that long...not that i'm in a rush to do this all over again. i'll definitely try my best to donate every year.

i really feel this is something worth doing. i know deep inside we all want to do something good for others and i think this is one of the easiest ways to reach out and save a life.

day off and day dreaming

i took yesterday off with the intention of taking michelle to the new california academy of sciences at golden gate park but due my unpleasant situation and michelle's slight temperature, we stayed home and did what this mother and daughter does best - lie in bed and watch tv.

i was supposed to report back to work but still due to my unpleasant situation, i had to stay home and answer nature's frequent call. i was working from home though. there were too many reports to approve and i felt so guilty not coming to work. but i knew i would have been miserable in the office and the other women using the ladies room will not be pleased either. (i don't need to elaborate!)

so here i am dreaming of vacation places when i know that all vacations will be put on hold for a good year at the very least. i would love to go to aman pulo when we go to the philippines but i'm not sure i can afford to spend $600 per night for a room. so i dream of something else...that much dreamed about trip to morrocco...wait! that is yet another expensive trip.

so i move on to mexico's caribbean coast. aaaaah! the white sand beaches, fish tacos, and a margarita on hand. ayayayayay! golly! after this month, who knows what kind of vacation i will be able to afford.

so i dream a more realistic dream. vacations will be different for at least one year. we will be spending our vacations and long weekends at home. our new home.

dehydrated and crabby

food poisoning. need i say more?

*sigh*

no more new clothes! it's time to tighten that already tight belt. i've been glued to cnn live online to catch EVERYTHING that's going on. stocks are dropping like flies. ford was selling stocks for 2 bucks, GM was 4, we are at 13!!! can you f'n believe it? --- sorry! been hangin' out with an italian new yorker from brooklyn. kapish?!?


'buko pie! buko pie! bili na kayo ng buko pie!!!'

DOW IS down

777 points! can you believe? God is already brewing something. It's so obvious!

today i heard our office's BIG boss scream. sya yung pinaka mataas sa buong western region. when it looked like the bailout plan was not going to pass, he stormed back to his office, screamed "aaaaaaaaargh!!!!!" and slammed the door shut.

talk about frustration!

in the 5 years that he's been our boss, i have never seen him lose it like he did today. he's always calm and cool and collected, pero today...grabe! nakakakaba. e super bait talaga nung taong yon. he also has a very deep relationship with the Lord and so I look up to this guy in so many ways. pero, tao lang din sya tulad ko na nafufrustrate.

kala ko magcoclose ang trading ng maaga kasi baka magtuloy tuloy ang bagsak ng dow jones industrial average. sabi sa news, that 777 point drop was the equivalent of $1.3 trillion in lost value of stocks. grabe no?

mini-moon

paul and mimie's 3rd anniversary mini-moon

don't panic!

Our need is not to prove God's faithfulness, but to demonstrate our own, by trusting him both to determine and to supply our needs according to his will. FAITH is refusal to panic.

very timely sa situation ng mundo ngayon no? my friend ron shared this with me this morning. he was listening to pastor rick warren's podcast (of purpose driven life fame) and he felt that the Lord was speaking to him directly and it blessed and reassured him so much he had to share it with people he knows....and i am sharing this with you also. when the urge to panic starts creeping up on you, remind yourself that God is truely faithful!

the bright side of things

i have so much to be thankful for! (didn't i say the next blog was positive?!)

on sunday, my husband and i will be celebrate our 3rd wedding anniversary! yey!!! no gifts this year. we opted to skip the gift and just stay at the four seasons on saturday night and enjoy several good meals throughout our stay.

i got spoiled during my stay at the beverly wilshire (a four seasons hotel) for my birthday and i wanted paul to experience it too so we decided to celebrate our anniversary the 4 seasons in sf. yesterday, i called the concierge desk for a request...

'i have a question/request. my husband and i attended a wedding there last year where the appetizer that was served was white truffle ravioli. i checked your restaurant's menu but i didn't see it there. do you think we could have that as our entree` for dinner on saturday night? my husband and i are celebrating our anniversary.' i told the concierge.

'do you have the name of the wedding party?', she asked me.

'yes. the groom's name is _____ _____. his wife's name is ______ but i forgot her maiden name. they got married in august 2007,' i replied.

'let me talk to the chef and see what he can do. i have your number, i will call you back shortly.'

a mere 30 mins went by and my phone rang.

'hello ms. almira, the chef said it shouldn't be a problem. it might not be exactly what was served at the wedding but he will do his best to replicate the ravioli. do you have reservations for dinner yet? i can arrange that for you and make sure you get the ravioli for your entree,' said the concierge.

'that's great! thank you very much! dinner on saturday, 630 pm. thanks again!'

four seasons is awesome! i hope they come through and have that ravioli ready for dinner on saturday. super sarap talaga yung ravioli na yon. paul and i wouldn't ask for it if it wasn't so good. 1 year after the wedding we attended, we are still talking about it. =)

God has blessed me with a wonderful husband. very patient to his impatient and moody wife. a doting father to his amazing daughter. he's a good son, good brother, and a good friend. i love you beb!

we are [again] one step closer to purchasing the house we want. the first lender has approved our offer, but the second lender has yet to give their verdict. it takes faith to purchase a house in this current market with so many uncertainties...pero like i said many times before, when the Lord blesses, he will add no sorrow with it. God will provide!!!

o di ba? maraming dapat ipagpasalamat? =)

hangin' tough

today was a tough day at work for me. i'm not the type to get stressed very easily but i just felt exhausted and my back was hurting so much. the breakroom discussions revolved around the merger and what the future holds. i felt like i was part of 'camera cafe' minus the punchline. we have a similar coffee machine at work and a lot of conversation took place around the coffee machine. coffee fuels our office as most of the employees are in by 530 am.

here is what you will hear in the breakroom:

'hey how's it going?'
'all things considered, not that bad.'

'how are you guys holding up?'
'it's tough but you gotta do what you gotta do.'

we ordered a bunch of new business cards for our employees, one email i got said, 'i hope we get to use them!' i'm not witty enough to respond to that. i just said to myself, 'i hope so. it will make a good souvenir though.'

speaking of souvenirs, i went to this website that sells our company's wearables and accessories and shoped for several things, they might not be around by january.

i was on a conference call this morning about a new rule that SEC wanted to implement. different people from the industry were on the call, not just people from our firm. there was about 150 of us on the line but only 10 people did the talking. the press was strictly off limits. i have never heard such frustration in all the conference calls i've been on, it was depressing.

and then there's just these random things in the office that makes me want to pull the hair out of my head. just little things that push my buttons but in the end i still said, 'no worries! that's ok' when in truth i wanted to say, 'seriously now! are you being ridiculous!?'

*sigh*

i need a massage. i'm desperate for a massage!

erase! erase! so depressing! my next entry will be purely positive. i promise!!!!

watching wall street go by

the reality of america's financial crisis has been very real to me. gas prices are astronomical as well as other goods and services. but it hit too close for comfort when news spread on sunday that a major bank was discussing a merger with our company.

as i read the headline on msnbc, my jaw dropped and i immediately texted my boss. 'have you heard the news!???!?!?! _____ is going to buy us!?!?!?!? did you know!?!??!!?' i was obviously in a state of shock! i don't think i've ever used that many question marks and exclamation points in a single text message. my boss, cool as always, texted me and said, 'i just found out today as well. i'm keeping an eye on the news because that's where all my information is coming from.'

i was heartbroken. i am very proud of our company, the culture, it's outstanding employees, the name, the brand. it is a great company to work for, maybe not the best, but i think we are still compensated well and the benefits are good. i can't believe that by january, out stock ticker will seize to exist. word is that we will be keeping our brand name but below it will probably say, 'a subsidiary of (name of our buyer)'.

in the office monday morning, you can tell that there is a dark cloud over everyone. it was business as usual but it was a struggle to get through the day when so much seems so uncertain. the whole company tuned in to our ceo as he held an town hall meeting from our headquarters in new york. he answered several questions with, 'we don't have the answer to that yet...' and 'that has not been discussed as of the weekend' i understand that this is all brand new to everyone and not all the bases have been covered (that's why the process isn't complete until january) but uncertainty brings about fear. there were some tears on the trading floor yesterday...tears of frustration and sadness. we still believe in our brand and we know for a fact that we are still a highly profitable company, but after seeing bear stearns and lehman brothers crumble to pieces, we dare not follow their footsteps. our ceo and the board had to act quickly before it was too late.

g.s., one of our biggest competitors, just reported an earnings decrease of 70%. rumor has it that they and m.s. (another competitor) have been advised by the fed to find themselves a buyer by next year. none of the independent brokerage firms will survive this crisis. wall street is changing before our eyes, and it's not a pretty picture.

where do i stand in all of this? like i said, i was heart broken and i am saddened by the whole thing. but at the same time i am thankful that our company is finding a solution before it's too late. am i worried? of course this news will shake me a little bit. but i know that God is in control and i know His plans for me is to prosper me and not to harm me, to give me hope and a good future. All things work together for good, to them that love the Lord. He reminds me of Job who lost everything he ever owned, his family and his friends, and yet one thing he held on to so dearly was his faith in God. God saw how much Job trusted him despite everything that happened in his life, and so as a result, God showed his wonderful glory in Job's life and restored everything back and more. The Lord gives, and He takes away. everything i have is the Lord's, i am but a humble steward. if he chooses to take away the livelihood, then His will be done. i will continue to praise him and tell the world of his goodness. i know he has wonderful plans for me. the psalmist writes in psalm 37:25, "i once was young but now i am old, and yet i have never seen the godly forsaken nor their children begging bread'. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. i know that He will always be my strength, and my provider. there are many things in this world that i do not have control over, but i serve a faithful God who is always in control. he is our greatest treasure. no great job, not even all the money in the world can provide the security that he can.

so, i tell my self over and over, if God is for us, who can stand against us?

the french fashionista

tada!

bisou! bisou!

hmm...where should i shop next?

yes, i think she is very adorable. =) i am one proud momma!

a lot of the pics were blurry because i was laughing so hard as i took them.

more here

EVERYTHING's been keeping me busy

i have work.

i have family.

i have school.

i have baking.

i have church.

all keeping me busy. i felt so so so bad! nakalimutan ko yung practice ng music ministry kahapon!!! urgh!!!! nainis ako bigla sa sarili ko! naalala ko 9 pm na!!!! haaaaaaay!!!!

perry's celebrating his bday today at a club somewhere. syempre nagdecline ako. feeling ko i'm too old for that scene. well, even when i was younger naman hindi ko nagustuhan ang clubbing clubbing na yan. lalo na ngayon na meron na akong asawa't anak. i'd rather have dinner and drinks with friends rather than do the whole club thing. tsaka, di ginarote ako ng parents ko. iiwan ko ang anak ko sa kanila para lang makapag disco?? parang mali yun di ba?

now that i'm back in school, i realize if i want to really finish and do well at the same time, i can only handle one class at a time. my schedule is so full, sa work ko na nga lang ginagawa ang mga school stuff ko. pag nandito kasi sa bahay, mangungulit si michelle. sinubukan kong pagsabayin ang baking at doing homework, muntik na masunog ang crust nung pie.

tsk tsk. pero dahil busy ako...i'm getting a lot of things done. i FINALLY finished the final line up of songs for the wedding video. YES! after almost two years, ngayon ko lang natapos. sue me!

i also finished editing michelle's videos from birth to december 2007. yey!!!!

Video of Tselogs on Adobo Nation

Tselogs Tapas Cafe was featured on Adobo Nation on The Filipino Channel on August 31, 2008. Here is the video of the segment.

happy birthday michelle

my dear daughter celebrated her 2nd bday today. daddy was in portland so mommy only had two hands to take these few photos and a very short video. but it captured the joy of being a kid, doesn't it?

estudyante blues

Months ago, I decided to go back to school and get a masters degree in…well, anything! I got in touch with an old professor from college who said she will gladly write a letter of recommendation for me once I decide on what I wanted to pursue. After going back and forth between getting my masters in English, International Relations, or getting my MBA, I decided not too long ago to get my MS in Human Resource Management.

Ha???? Ano yun? Where did that come from?!

I honestly have no idea! I was desperate to go back to school. I was eager to polish this rusty old brain and see if it can still handle the demands of ‘higher learning’. Since I already am in management, I feel that this will help me become effective and good at what I do. I wanted to pursue something along the lines of what I do without really getting my MBA because deep down I really don't think I'd be happy if I did. Why? I don't know. I just wasn't comfortable with an MBA. (weird no?) Another incentive to go back to school was the fact that the company will reimburse my very expensive tuition at the end of the semester, it was a deal too good to pass up. But I have to get an A if I want to get 100% of my tuition, 80% if I get a B, 50% if I get a C, and zero if my grade is any less than the latter.

I signed up for just one class this semester. I wasn’t ready to dive right into it so this is my way of ‘testing the water’. It’s an online class, too, (or distance learning if that’s what you want to call it) which is a first for me. I wonder if I will succeed as a student with an already demanding schedule (work, family, and oh yes, the buko pie!). So today, I logged into my class with my heart beating so fast you’d think I was actually going inside a class room for the very first time. There are at least 12 students enrolled in the class and each one of us had to write an introduction. There goes my heart again! “What do I write about? I want it to be short but tells them everything I want them to know about me. Hmmmm…” After minutes of thinking, this is what I wrote:

Hi Everyone!

My name is Almira, I am 28 years old, living in the SF Bay Area and working as the office manager for the Institutional Sales and Institutional Advisory Division for our firm. I have been married for 3 years, and have a daughter who turns 2 years old tomorrow. I received my bachelor’s degree from UC Davis in 2003 with a degree in Political Science and Anthropology. How I ended up in the financial industry is a mystery to me! This is my first class towards getting my MS in Human Resource Management. I am excited and nervous at the same time…excited because I’ve always loved school and nervous, too, because I’m not sure how well I’ll be able to manage my time between work, family, school, and helping my best friend with her new restaurant business.

I was promoted last year to my role but I felt that I needed more tools to help me succeed as a manager so I decided to hit the books again. After reading everyone’s introduction, I think this course (and the many others I will take) along with the professional experience from everyone in the class will help me become an effective manager.

When I have the time, I like to travel, cook, and read all sorts of books (whatever I could get my hands on) and watch the news on TV. My parents and I moved to California from the Philippines 11 years ago so I still feel a very close connection to the Philippines and its people. I am blessed to have the perspective and the experience of living in two very different countries with very different cultures. Having two ‘homes’ has already enriched my life tremendously.

Do you think the above sums me up?

2 days away

my daughter is two days away from celebrating her 2nd birthday. i always gush when i write about her. of course, to me, she is the smartest, most beautiful girl in the whole wide world. nothing can compare to the love i feel her. to me, she is just, perfect!

but in the two years of being a mother, i still ask myself whether i am doing the best job i can. have i been relying too much on technology to help me take care of my daughter? in this modern world we live in, where standards of living are higher and wages can't seem to keep up with inflation, we don't have the luxury of having household help or even be a stay-at-home wife/mother. sadly, i am not like other mothers who have the time and patience to play with their children and read to them for hours on end. i told my husband shortly after my 3-month maternity leave that i don't think i can handle staying at home. my daughter would be so bored with me because i'm the type who just reads or watch tv. but i do make it a point to bond with her - i still play with her, i read to her every day, and i watch her pre-school tv shows with her so she's not just glued to the tv but i point things out to her and encourage dialogue between the two of us. you'll be surprised how extensive her vocabulary is at age 2. we sing, we dance, and play with her little piano. our favorite outdoor activity is blowing bubbles on beautiful sunny days and watching them being swiftly carried away by the wind. now that i'm writing all of these things down, i realize we do a lot of things together, and i don't feel so bad anymore. but still, it feels like my time with her is never enough, like i should be doing more but i'm not sure i know how.

michelle is the spitting image of her father but her behavior and mannerisms are exactly like mine. she loves to sing and dance as much as i do, loves to read, and unfortunately, has the same impatience as her mom's. she is taking an interest in cooking because she often sees me cooking up some buko pie in the kitchen. she would insist i give her something so she can 'luto-luto' like mommy. but michelle is everybody's girl. she's very friendly and outgoing and has a ready smile for anyone, especially at the one holding the camera. =) our neighbor, jordana, once said, 'your daughter is very lucky. i can tell she feels very secure. she knows that so many people love her.' jordana used to work as a social worker before she retired and so she's been around children who received less than they deserve. i am thankful that so many of my friends and family give her so much love and attention. as a result, michelle is not selosa. even if i play with or carry other children in my arms, she would just smile and ask if she could carry the baby, too.

each night before she sleeps, i tell her, 'michelle, pray muna tayo'. she puts her tiny hands together and waits for me to say a short prayer. it's almost always, 'dear jesus, thank you for this beautiful day. bless me, mommy and daddy, and lolo and lola. in jesus name..." she always says 'amen.' if there is one thing in this world that i want her to learn, it is to love the Lord with all her heart. michelle can be the most successful, the most intelligent, even the richest woman in the world later on in her life, but if she does not have the Lord in her heart and at the center of her life, part of me would feel as if i have failed as a mother. the Lord knows my husband and i cannot raise her on our own. so we pray for her, maybe not as often as we should, but when i do, i always feel tears welling up in my eyes. i am truly blessed to be her mother and the only way to show the Lord how grateful i am is to raise her in the way of the Lord.

so michelle, i know you are too young to read this and who knows if this blog will be around when you are able to read and understand everything, but i would like to say i love you with all my heart. you are the Lord's most precious gift to us, and your dad and i will love you forever. may you grow in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. and may you learn to acknowledge that He is your Lord and Savior and the only way to Life. you are blessed to be a blessing to others and you are created for a purpose. may the Lord show you His way and may you follow His way everyday. we love you so much, but the Lord loves you more than we ever could. happy birthday!

well rested

i've never felt this way in about two years!

after an exhausting weekend in southern california for michelle's, paul's and my parents' first trip to disneyland, i had a long weekend to recoup. i worked from home on thursday and friday so i could be with michelle while her babysitter's off on her on vacation. that meant i could wake up at 6:25 am, log in to my computer and remotely access my office desktop, and voila! it's like i'm in my office! i also forwarded my office phone to my cellphone so i don't go back to work on tuesday with a gazillion voicemails waiting to be heard. nobody even noticed i was not in my office. =)

yesterday, michelle and i slept until 830 am and napped for 2 1/2 hours. *sigh* it would have been perfect if i had a better mattress or at least a memory foam mattress pad....so just as i am typing up this entry, i finished buying a 2 inch memory foam topper from overstock. =) aah! the wonders of online shopping!

i'm waiting for adobo nation to start so i can see it's feature on tselogs. we did not seek to be featured on the show. they googled and yelped us and they called the restaurant. i wonder what the response will be?

Michelle @ Disneyland

this is michelle singing to the 'hotdog song' from mickey mouse club house. watch her reaction when the announcer speaks.

tselogs nation!

yesterday we went to the abs-cbn studio in redwood city so that chel can tape the segment that features tselogs. when we got to the studio, they were interviewing this tall, buff looking dude and the people in the studio were gawking at him. the guy is good looking but not my type. i was never really into bald guys. but even if he was 'my type' i'm not sure how thrilled my husband will be to read that. ;-) any hoot, i didn't know who this 'celebrity' was if he was indeed one. lai said, 'maybe he's some basketball player from the philippines?' it was only later on that evening that someone told us that the guy was brandon vera, the ufc champion. i've heard of his name before but i don't know how he looks like because i never watch ufc. the girlash in me refuses to watch something that seems so brutal(too strong of a word, please pardon my lack of a better adjective).

but on to tselogs nation....

i have never been to a taping of a talk show before. lai, chel and i watched the taping of will and grace years ago before the show won its first emmy and we saw the detail that is given to each episode. adobo nation is no exception. taping started promptly at 7 pm and we didn't leave until almost 9 pm...and this for a 60 min show were most of their features are taped before hand.

i must admit, i have never seen an episode of adobo nation before. my excuse is that my daughter and her noggin network dominate our tv sets at home...but i know about the show and have heard a lot of good things about it from people. it was very interesting and entertaining to watch these 3 smart and witty people interact with one another. jc, karmina, and jaja were also very nice and friendly.

so here is the evidence that we were at the show. i don't want to give too much of the episode away so you all can watch adobo nation in whatever part of the world you're living in. again, please watch adobo nation on sunday on tfc!

click here for more photos.

tselogs on adobo nation

please watch adobo nation on tfc (or any abs-cbn channel across the globe) this sunday at around 4:30 pm. they will feature tselogs this week.

here are some photos i took at the restaurant today while they were taping. chel will be in the studio tomorrow to tape the segment on tselogs also.

the magical world of disney

disneyland and disney california adventure photos are here

GO! MICHELLE! GO!

the happiest place on earth!

we're going to disneyland!!!

new photos

random photos of michelle

walang kalatuy latuy

yan ang masasabi ko sa coverage ng nbc ng olympics dito sa west coast!

excited pa naman sana ako manood. minsan lang to no so i want to see a lot of games. pero lahat ng games, delayed na. yung pinaka magagandang events, they show it so late at night so tulog narin ako.

michael phelps is the biggest name in olympics right now, pero kahit isang event nya, wala akong napanood. since i read the news a lot, dun ko nalang nalalaman ang mga nangyayari sa olympics, wala na tuloy excitement. lalong nakakatamad na panoorin sa tv.

***

did you hear/read/watch that american boxer who thought he was ahead in points so what he decided to do in the last 50 seconds of his match was just dodge his opponents punches? when the final bell rang, his coach broke the bad news to him, and he broke down and cried. e kasi naman! over confident! haaay!

what about the chinese singing girl that was not 'cute enough' for the international stage so they found a 'cuter' girl to lip-synch in her place? i wonder what damage this has done to the little girls self-esteem!?

e yung spanish basketball team naman that pulled their eyes back to make them slanted (singkit)? wala man lang ba ni isa sa kanila or sa mga tao sa paligid nila ang nakaisip na a lot of people might find it offensive? talk about smart!

e what about the chinese gymnasts who claim to be 16 years old when they really all look like they are 12 years old to me! sus! i know most asians are petite, pero OA naman ang pag exaggerate nila sa age ng mga chikiting na yon. oo, mga chikiting pa sila. the olympic committee is turning a blind eye kasi daw sa passport na pinakita ng China, 16 years old na yung mga bata. ok, pagkatiwalaan natin ang papers na pinapakita ng China...a country that can and will control every aspect of society if need be. they of course have their country's best interest. it would be stupid of the i.o.c. to ignore this. if they are cracking down on doping, they should crack down on this, too.

di ba? for someone who hasn't been watching the olympics, updated ako sa mga controversies? hehehe i read them all online. i have mixed feelings tuloy about this beijing olympics. ako lang ba ang kinilabutan at natakot sa nakita kong libo-libong intsik na nagperform? naisip ko, if they china decides to wage war on any country, lagot na! sobrang dami nilang man power! at napansin nyo kung pano mag marcha yung mga sundalo nila? grabe no? daig pa ang sundalong di susi. maganda tingnan...pano kaya sa gyera, ganon parin sila magmarcha?

may balita ba kayo kung may nanalo ng medal para sa pilipinas?

sideline

mabenta ang buko pie! i made 7 pies on friday night. ubos na sya as of yesterday evening (saturday).

i'm making 7 again tonight. hanggang kelan naman kaya maglalast itong bagong batch nato?

i don't want to make too many pies in one go. i want to maintain the freshness of the pies although i like it best when it's been sitting in the fridge for several days. i eat it cold or warm. chel has a slice a day and sabi nya hanggang ngayon daw hindi sya nagsasawa.

sabi ng daddy ko, 'siguro pwede na akong magretire, gawa nalang ako ng buko pie!' hehe and this from the man who was VERY critical of this endeavor because he doesn't like buko pie. feeling nya kasi pag ayaw nya, ayaw na rin ng lahat ng tao! pero ngayon, mega support na sila sa sideline kong to.

profit? wala pa halos kasi pinangbibili ko ng ingredients ko in bulk para makatipid. siguro in the next several weeks, meron na ulit akong kikitain. =) ilalagay ko sa piggy bank ni michelle para di ko galawin.

the bridge

i used to be able to post videos from youtube but i think you can only do it now for videos you own. my cousin from italy sent me this...

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRLRSXd4fzA

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i hope you like it

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michelle the magician

michelle the great!

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until she gets distracted by a bird!

the dark knight on imax

WOW!

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i've been inside the imax theater at the metreon maybe half a dozen times but all the movies i've seen there were the regular movies that just happened to be showing in the biggest theater at the cineplex. the dark knight was the very first imax movie i've ever seen and all i could say is...

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WOW!

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the movie was great. heath ledger was amazing although i was expecting more screentime for him. it was a good call by the director. the movie is not about the joker, although the hype was all about him and the great actor that was heath ledger. i don't think it would be good to saturate the movie with the joker's psychopathic antics. heath was a very effective joker and i found myself covering my eyes and my ears whenever they alluded to a bloody scene. the director was nice enough to move on to the next frame before showing us all the bloody and gory bits.

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i think the joker is one of the best villain roles any actor could play and heath was blessed to have been awarded the role. is it an oscar-worthy performance? i say a nomination is possible but winning the oscar might be a long shot. but i hope he wins. his career held so much promise but he didn't live long enough to show the world his full potential. sayang.

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but what is with batman's voice!?!?!??! seriously now. he growls every time he speaks. there was one scene towards the end that i totally did not understand what he said because he sounded like a pitbull in a dog fight! actually, it sounded like a cross between a lion and a pitbull.

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but back to my imax experience...the aereal scenes where they showed the chicago (gotham city, most of the scenes were shot in the windy city) and hongkong were breathtaking! (kelan kaya ako makapuntang hongkong!?!?!??! jean, i tour mo ako!) my stomach was doing flips as it felt like i was standing on top of those skyscrapers myself! the sound quality was amazing, too!

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so, when the next BIG blockbuster comes out and it's showing on IMAX, i have to watch it in imax. sure it's pricey, but the experience is well worth it. i love watching movies in the movie theater. dvds don't capture the same thrill as watching the film with 500 other movie-goers. i'm already looking forward to may 2009 when i see hunky hugh jackman as wolverine. i'm sure that's another WOW experience!