AT A FAMILY RESTAURANT

Nikki loves to swing...

Ethan gives it a try.

The kids' play area.

"I'm having loads of fun!"

"Catch me, Mommy!"

A SONG FOR ME

This song somehow just affects me (more at this time than any other time...)

When She Cries Lyrics
Artist (Band): Restless Heart

The road I have traveled on
Is paved with good intentions
It's littered with broken dreams
That never quite came true

When all of my hopes were dying
Her love kept me trying
She does her best to hide
The pain that she's been through

(CHORUS)
When she cries at night
And she doesn't think that I can hear her
She tries to hide
All the fear she feels inside
So I pray this time
I can be the man that she deserves'
Cause I die a little each time
When she cries

She's always been there for me
Whenever I've fallen
When nobody else believes
She'll be there by my side

I don't know how she takes it
Just once I'd like to make it
Then there'll be tears of joy
That fill her loving eyes

(CHORUS)
So I pray this time
I can be the man that she deserves'
Cause I die a little each time
When she cries

ATE AND ME

This is a photo of Ate and me in Baguio. I am the one sitting on the left. I think I was only 3 years old when this picture was taken. Baguio is called the Summer Capital of the Philippines because it is the perfect place to go during the hot summer. More on Baguio from Wikipedia:

The City of Baguio (Ilokano: Ciudad ti Baguio; Filipino: Lungsod ng Baguio) is a 1st class highly urbanized city in northern Luzon in the Philippines. Baguio City was established by Americans in 1900 at the site of an Ibaloi village known as Kafagway. Baguio City was designated by the Philippine Commission as the Summer Capital of the Philippines on June 1, 1903 and incorporated as a city by the Philippine Assembly on September 1, 1909. There is a presidential mansion, as well as supreme court and legislative offices in Baguio. Baguio is the seat of government of the Cordillera Administrative Region. The name of the city is derived from the word bagiw in Ibaloi, the indigenous language of the Benguet Region, meaning 'moss'. The city is at an altitude of approximately 1500 meters (5100 feet) in a moist tropical pine forest conducive to the growth of mossy plants and orchids. Shopping at the famous city market offers one a wide array of locally sourced goods and products, from colorful woven fabrics and strung beads to primitive wood carvings, cut flowers, strawberries and vegetables. (Strawberries and string beans - known as 'Baguio beans' across the Philippines - are shipped to major urban markets.) Tourism is one of Baguio's main industries. Commonly, overseas visitors pass through Baguio, while Filipinos make it a destination.
According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 252,386 in 52,302 households.

I call my sister Ate because that is how we call our older female siblings in the Philippines. This is a sign of respect and was adapted from the Chinese culture (who also have similar terms for calling their older brothers and sisters). My sister's name is Sherry, but since she is the only elder sister I have, calling her Ate is sufficient. An older brother is called Kuya. If there is more than one older sibling, the younger ones add their names after the Ate or Kuya, example: Kuya Ian, Ate Marie, etc.

BACK ACHES AND HEALTH ISSUES

I noticed in the past few days that I have been experiencing low back pains. I really don't know if it's partly due to my disposition (I believe that what we emotionally feel affects our physical health) or because of poor posture. Or maybe it's both. I have been experiencing low back pains since I was in college. After sitting long hours, I would have aches on my back that would not subside immediately. I would resort to hot baths or liniments or analgesics (as a last resort) when afflicted with such pains. When I got pregnant, my low back pains got worse during the third trimster and walking became a bit difficult for me. Compared to that of course, my latest back aches are nothing. But still, it's very disconcerting and so, I would still want to be rid of this. I would have wanted to try acupuncture. But 1. it is a bit expensive for me, 2. it is not available in Zamboanga (or I have not heard of an acupuncturist here) and 3. when in Manila, the location is too far away from our home and is therefore inconvenient for me because no one can babysit the boys. So, lately, I just do the hot baths, liniments and analgesics although I rarely drink medicine now. I try to avoid taking medicine as much as I can and resort to more healthy options like drinking tea or using a hot water bottle. Why avoid medicine you ask? Well, I don't want to harm my liver or kidneys because of medicines. When I get older, for sure, I will be taking supplements but for now, I want to keep my kidneys and liver as healthy as possible.

Anyway, I am sure a happy disposition will help my condition as well since endorphins are the body's Prozac. I also plan on taking more milk or calcium supplements (but personally I choose the former). I have been kinda lax in this and I really don't want to be osteoporotic a few years from now. Furthermore, I have to take folic acid regularly (but I usually forget) because I am anemic and my red blood cells (RBCs) are not healthy. According to Nikki's hematologist who got blood samples from Ruther and me a few years ago, my RBCs are not as red nor as disc-shaped as the normal RBCs. So yeah, my RBCs are abnormal. But other than that, I think I am perfectly healthy (though I still have to lose those extra pounds... grr...).

My mom always tells me and my siblings to take care of our health. She and dad always remind us to cut down on sugar (diabetes is in the family history), to eat more fruits and vegetables, cut down on fatty meats and eat more white meat instead, and to exercise regularly. I plan to be more careful with my food intake. I have a sweet tooth so cutting down on sugary food is a bit difficult for me but of course, I DO want to stay healthy so I eat in moderation now. I also try to drink more juices and less colas. It's a good thing the boys are not into colas so less worries for me there. All in all, I suppose we just want to live as long as we can in this world and if we need to sacrifice a few things to do that, then why shouldn't we do so? So maybe, good eating habits, regular exercise and a happy disposition are what we all need to live long full lives...

ITLOG NA MAALAT (SALTED EGGS)

http://www.pinoyfoodtalk.net/index.php/site/comments/itlog_na_maalat_salted_eggs/

Mallard duck eggs, the same kind used for making balut and penoy, are used for making itlog na maalat or salted eggs. I don’t know if that still holds true today or whether large chicken eggs are substituted for the duck eggs which are considerably more rare and expensive than chicken eggs.

Itlog na maalat are sold cooked--hard-boiled to be more precise. The red color of the shells isn’t natural, of course. The shells are colored to distinguish them from fresh eggs. In wet markets, itlog na maalat is sold side by side with fresh eggs and imagine if the vendor gets a little confused and gives you salted eggs when, in fact, you intended to buy fresh ones. In Pateros where making itlog na maalat is a town industry, along with balut and penoy, you can buy them before the shells are dyed.

Salted eggs are often cut into small cubes and mixed with diced tomatoes to make a salad that is the traditional accompaniment for tinapa or any fried or grilled fish. You don’t have to limit the salad to salted eggs and tomatoes, however. You can be a little more creative by adding fresh herbs and some subtle seasonings.

A GOOD FRIEND

Tonight, I was feeling low again and had no one to talk to. So I called my friend up and again, he made me feel better after a 45-minute talk. It's wonderful when you have good friends to share your musings and burdens and they are just there to listen, to calm your fears and to make you feel better afterwards. I feel blessed that I still have such a friend, that no matter the hour, no matter the problem, I can share anything and everything with him. Yes, really really blessed...

APRIL 18 EVENTS

1506 - The cornerstone of the current St. Peter's Basilica is laid.
1797 - Battle of Neuwied - French victory against the Austrians.
1882 - birth of Leopold Stokowski, Polish conductor (d. 1977)
1906 - An earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 7.9, destroys much of San Francisco, California.
1907 - birth of Miklós Rózsa, Hungarian-born composer (d. 1995)
1923 - Yankee Stadium, "The House that Ruth Built", opens.
1942 - World War II: The Doolittle Raid on Tokyo occurs.
1947 - Over 1,000 bombers attack the small island of Heligoland, Germany, detonating 6800 tonnes of explosives, creating the biggest non-nuclear explosion in history, and changing the shape of the island.
1947 - birth of James Woods, American actor
1949 - The Republic of Ireland Act comes into force.
1951 - birth of Ricardo Fortaleza, Australian-Filipino retired boxer
1953 - birth of Rick Moranis, Canadian comedian
1955 - death of Albert Einstein, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1879)
1963 - birth of Conan O'Brien, American comedian
1969 - birth of Princess Sayako of Japan
1976 - birth of Melissa Joan Hart, American actress

COCONUT TREES

I took this photo last April 7, on our way to the pool party. There were just rows and rows of coconut trees, as far as the eye could see...

EGG PIE

This is a popular snack/food in the Philippines. I've eaten this since I was little and I still love the taste.

Here's more about egg pie: http://www.pinoyfoodtalk.net/index.php/site/comments/egg_pie/


It’s a custard pie. If you buy it in a panaderia (small neighborhood bakery), it is called egg pie. It is usually 10 inches in diameter and you can buy it whole or per slice. In pricey joints, it is much smaller (the size of a cupcake) and it is called custard pie or egg tart. Basically, it is the same. Custard baked into a pie shell. Aside from the price, the main difference between the egg pie from the neighborhood bakery and the egg tart from “classy” joints like The Portuguese Egg Tart Factory, is in the crust. The cheaper egg pie has an ordinary pie crust while the more expensive egg tart has a flaky crust similar to phyllo.

Commercial egg pie like the one in the photo (above) does not have the smooth and even dark brown top of the egg pie sold in neighborhood bakeries. The dark top is made by adding a thin layer of meringue (stiffly beaten egg whites and sugar) after the custard has been poured into the pie shell. The meringue darkens as the custard sets during baking. Well, that was how egg pies were in my childhood. I guess the extra effort of adding meringue to the custard has been dispensed with to save time and labor. Or, maybe, someone decided that the egg pie looked more natural without the darkened meringue.

From Pinoy Food Talk







Another version of egg pie. I buy this one in Zamboanga. Most of the egg pies in Manila are like the one in the first photo.

PINOY BIG BROTHER

I have a confession to make. I am a BIG Big Brother fan. I just find this reality tv very entertaining. Not only do I brush up on my Tagalog but I like to see which of the housemates deserves the big prize. I suppose I am only interested in the Pinoy Big Brother because when I read about the international Big Brothers, it didn't catch my fancy.

Anyway, you might say, "What is it to me?" Well I am excited about the upcoming Big Brother swap. A housemate from the Philippines (Bruce Quebral) will fly to Slovenia and will stay there for a week! Likewise, a BB Slovenia housemate (Tina) will come to the Pinoy Big Brother house starting this Saturday. I am so excited! Well actually I think pretty much every Pinoy BB fan is excited. I'm going to stick to the tv like glue this week and next week. I hope this Tina girl will learn much from her (short) stay here.

SAD NEWS

Another school shooting has occurred in the US. I read here that this is the deadliest school schooting in US history. This is a sad, sad event. Thirty-three people were reported to have died after the shooting spree. This event changes the face of education in the United States. I was thinking that if I had kids studying at a university in the US, I would maybe pull them out and send them elsewhere. I know that sounds really crazy (overprotective, if you will) but if schools are no longer the safe institution we see them to be then maybe our kids are better off learning at home.

In the Philippines, we do not have problems like school shootings. But despite this, I would still rather homeschool Nikki and Ethan because of the many benefits it brings to us. We are closer as a family, the boys have great fun learning and clearly, they love life and they love being themselves. No pressures at all. I don't want to send Nikki to school then find out that he's become bored or that his classmates or teachers don't understand him. We have fun with unstructured learning, looking at pictures and studying the solar system, singing rhymes and reading books, coloring and doodling and painting and so much more. It IS hard work but I love what I do and I love that the boys are thriving.

I suppose the US will find ways to control this kind of tragedy from happening again. But until kids grow up to be God-fearing people and have respect for life, how are we to know that sending them to school is safe for them?

MOSHI MOSHI

A pay phone in Japan... (Took this photo at Yokohama while Ruther was buying some cream puffs...)

I DREAM OF ANTS

Last night I dreamt of ants. I really don't know what happened in my dream but all I remember when I woke up was that there were a lot of ants in my dream and I was finding a way of getting rid of them. Funny huh? But I just checked the meaning of ants in a dream and this is what it says:

To see ants in your dream, signifies your general dissatisfaction in your daily life. You are feeling neglected and insignificant. Petty things will annoy you throughout the following day. You will learn that cooperation will be the only way to achieve your desires.
Ants also symbolize hard work, diligence and industry. Increase business activities are expected.

When I read this, I felt something cold go up my spine. The reading/interpretation is so perfect that I had goosebumps all over. I am a believer of signs. I see answers in things other people might interpret as nothing. (Besides, I asked for a sign and prayed for one.) I think this is my answer. Maybe it's time I focus on myself at this time. I have always been a nurturing person and I always put others' needs before mine. Maybe this is telling me that I deserve to have my dreams realized, that I deserve to be happy and that it's okay to get out of my comfort zone. Maybe it's time for me to fly...

SOMETHING THE LORD MADE

I slept at 4am this morning because I stayed up to watch this movie on HBO. Oh my god. A really really wonderful and inspirational story. It was so interesting that I was awake during its entirety. I was pretty sleepy when I was flipping through the channels but when I saw this, all I wanted to do was finish the movie. It's that riveting. I usually experience this kind of feeling with books. I usually get so riveted in unput-downable books that I HAVE to get to the end of the story or I would not be able to sleep, or if I do try, I would just toss and turn and wonder how the story would end. This movie moved me so much, I just HAD to know how it ended.

Something The Lord Made revolves around 2 people during the Great Depression: Dr. Alfred Blalock (Alan Rickman), a white surgeon and Vivien Thomas (Mos Def), a poor black carpenter-turned-lab technician who started a medical revolution. The story begins with Vivien, recently out of a job as a carpenter, who applies at a doctor's clinic doing menial jobs until he expresses great (this is an understatement) interest in medicine. Dr. Blalock notices this and gives Vivien a chance to be a technician and don the white coat, letting him perform minor surgery on dogs for his study on trauma. Vivien astounds Dr. Blalock with his natural gift, sharp memory and dextrous hands. Due to the success of his research on trauma, Dr. Blalock is assigned as Chief Surgeon at the Johns Hopkins institution, a place where, during those times, blacks had to enter through the back door. Together, Dr. Blalock and Vivien tackle the impossible task of treating the Blue Baby Syndrome (Tetralogy of Fallot). This was the time when heart surgery was never done and was deemed an impossibility due to the fact that the heart had to pump blood to the brain constantly and damage to it could lead to brain damage or even death. But after successfully operating on a baby, these 2 performed something of a miracle. Since their success, they have been together until Vivien became the Director of Laboratory at Johns Hopkins and Dr. Blalock died in 1964. The movie ended with Vivien given an honorary doctorate degree and his own portrait beside the (then deceased) Dr. Blalock in the Johns Hopkins hall. Since then, Vivien has been called "Dr. Thomas".

This story was based on a magazine article "Like Something The Lord Made" by Katie McCabe who interviewed Vivien in 1985 (the year of his death). After this sensational story came out, it was only then that the poor carpenter, who never had a medical degree, was given the recognition he richly deserves. During the success of the Blue Baby operation, it was only Dr. Blalock who was renowned internationally but only because it was the way things were done back then. But now, Vivien Thomas will be a man no one will overlook nor forget because he truly is a miracle from God.

What made this story very interesting to me is that this is not just a story about the pioneers of heart surgery but it is also about the relationship between the two, how racism and discrimination affected them during those times, how ambition and opportunity moved them to do the impossible and how passionate they both were about medicine and saving lives. Truly a movie worth watching.

Dr. Alfred Blalock and Dr. Vivien Thomas

FATHER AND SON

Took this photo last month at 8 Waves.

FIGURE SKATING

I watched the 2007 State Farm US Figure Skating Championship this morning on ESPN. My sister and I love watching women figure skating competitions. I really don't know why. But maybe it's because we appreciate the sport, admire the skaters and become mesmerized sometimes at the choreography. I missed the short program which was shown earlier but I got to see some of the best skaters in the second part of the competition. The skaters were as follows:

1. Alissa Czisny - This girl was very graceful although I understood she is quite tall. But on the ice, she did great jumps and never fell once. She had a cute Audrey Hepburn costume that fit her music which was taken from the Sabrina soundtrack. She was very expressive and really just had a fun time.

2. Rachel Flatt - This girl is also very expressive and graceful. She did a perfect triple lutz - triple toe combination which was really astounding for me. She made it look quite effortless. She did fall once but it didn't faze her much.

3. Kimmie Meissner - This girl is already a world champion and when she was on the ice it clearly showed. She skated to Galicia by Farruca and it was really a dramatic piece. She was graceful and really felt the music. Her triple-triple combination was also wonderfully executed and I really admired her leg extensions. The commentators really praised her straight-line footwork.

4. Emily Hughes - This is the sister of champion skater Sarah Hughes. She is also quite good. Her music was Sylvia by Delibes and she wore a deep purple costume. She is a strong skater because of her athletic body. She was not as graceful as Alissa or Kimmie but she was still powerful and had presence on the ice. She fell once but still had high marks at the end.

5. Katy Taylor - Katy is a wonderful skater but clearly, she was not at her best. She skated to Theme and Variations by Tschaikovsky. Although her choreography was good, she was a bit stiff at times. She fell twice and you could tell that she was quite affected by those falls because for the rest of the program, she failed to do the rest of her jumps. But I am sure after this experience she could still turn out to be a strong contender in future competitions.

6. Beatrisa Liang - This girl clearly understands music. She skated to Caravan by Duke Ellington and she was very expressive and very graceful. She fell twice but performed very well. Her triple triple loops were executed well. Another strong contender.

And the winners are:
Champion - Kimmie Meissner (photo)
Second - Beatrisa Liang
Third - Emily Hughes

PUFFY

I woke up this morning feeling like someone punched me in the face the night before. My eyes were puffy and I had a hard time opening them the first time. This usually happens when I cried the night before so I was not really surprised that my eyes were like this. Am I feeling a lot better this morning? I’m still not sure. Frankly, I don’t want to think or feel or assess anything at all. I just want to go about my day without worries that by tonight I might be in tears once again. Maybe I’ll handle it, maybe I won’t. But I know who I am and I’m happy with who I am and I know that I can live with that.

You must all be thinking, “What the h*** is she talking about?” Well maybe someday I just might tell you…

A REASON TO BE PROUD

http://www.sportinglife.com/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=boxing/07/04/15/manual_101055.html


PACQUIAO COMES THROUGH DESPITE CUT

Super-featherweight king Manny Pacquiao obliterated the unbeaten record of Jorge Solis in Texas with an eighth-round stoppage win on Saturday night.

In front of more than 14,000 fans in San Antonio's Alamodome, Filipino southpaw Pacquiao (44-3-2, 34 knockouts) floored Solis (32-1-2, 1 ND, 23 KOs) twice in the eighth round, the second of which forced referee Vic Drakulich to count him out.

'Pacman', 28, took time to adapt to the Mexican's unorthodox style early in the fight and was cut above the left eye by an accidental headbutt in the sixth round.

Spurred on by the cut, Pacquiao immediately rushed to Solis, throwing several big punches which rocked his opponent.

The tempo was maintained in the seventh round before the General Santos City native floored Solis.

And, in the eighth, Solis was unable to withstand the pressure, beating the count once after being officially knocked down for the first time - he had earlier been pushed to the floor.

Sensing the stoppage victory, Pacquiao pressed home his advantage to knock Solis down again and, while the Guadalajara man got to his knees, he failed to beat the count and suffered the first defeat of his 36-fight career.

"When I got cut, I knew I needed to throw more combinations to knock him out," Pacquiao said afterwards.

"When he got hurt and saved by the bell, I decided to go to the body and head to finish him off."
The win saw Pacquiao, regarded as the world's top 130lb fighter, retain the nominal WBC International super-featherweight belt.

Pacquiao now turns his attention to the forthcoming Congressional elections in his homeland before aiming to land a rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez.

Saturday's undercard included two world-title fights.

Mexico's Cristian Mijares, 25, defended his recently won WBC super flyweight championship with a dominating showing against two-time former world champion Jorge Arce of Mexico. The 12-round bout was won to Mijares on scores of 119-109, 118-110, 117-111.

And in a battle for the vacant WBC light-flyweight championship, Mexico City's Edgar Sosa surprised the division's former champion, Brian Viloria of Honolulu, 115-113, 115-113, 114-114.