Rest easy, Michael…

Remember the time when the man in the mirror was bad?

Gone too soon indeed is the thriller that was Ben.

Rest easy,  Moonwalker.

Amen.

A simple tribute to Michael Joseph Jacskon (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009)

Full Circle

My Mahal and I are already married for more than a year.   Sad to say that most of that time was spent apart.  He has to work  in Hong Kong while I need to stay in the Philippines to teach.

I think the longest time we lived under one roof was 2 months.  That was summer of  2008.  We settled in a little flat in Hong Kong.  That house for me was special.  I considered it our first home.

When summer of 2008 was over,  I needed to return to Manila.  Little did we know that I was not alone when I left Hong Kong — baby was already with me

Two bleeding episodes, 9 months of growing a bump, and a ceasearan section later, I returned to Hong Kong  just this May.  I was so thrilled of spending my 2-week vacation in our old flat.  I was so glad that my husband had meticulously maintained it in terms of cleanliness.  He is so much better in house cleaning than me.

And that was my last return to our old,  little,  sweet flat.

With my husband’s new job in Laguna, and baby who is already starting to coo and smile, my hubby and I decided to finally settle in the Philippines.

We were just newly weds when we first opened the door of our  flat.  Now we had closed  its door as parents to a cooing baby girl who had waited for us to come home together.

We just got home last 21st of May.  Together.  At long last.

A full circle.

Pinoy Pulutan and Earth Hour

Pulutan (n.) (literally “something that is picked“) is a term roughly analogous to the English term “finger food” or “appetizer”.  A snack accompanied with liquor of beer.

Pinoys have an appetite for the mundane of things.  Let me demonstrate…

The balut. An 18-day old chick resting innocently inside its shell.

The Isaw. Chicken intestines grilled to fecal perfection!

Yep… perhaps we are already familiar with these two.  Such delicacies made Pinoys famous in the gastronomic world.  But have you seen this one coming?

Megamouth shark. The world's rarest and most elusive specie of shark.

A Megamouth shark was captured by fishermen off the coast of Bicol while fishing for some mackerel.  Instead of letting it go, well,  the poor shark became a perfect pulutan sauteed in coconut milk.  Click here for the complete story.

Wow! That’s another first for the Filipino people!

Sorry if I am making a mockery out of this but I find butchering that poor giant fish  the top of the long sad list of stupid things Filipinos had done.  My gahd!!!  Are we that poor to include a megamouth as pulutan?!

What is most ironic and bizarre about our love for dear Mother Nature  is that the Philippines was hailed first in town and city participation out of the 88 countries among 25 different time zones in the recent Earth Hour.

Sadly, hanggang pakitang tao lang tayo!  I guess for us Pinoys, turning off the light switch is way much easier than sparing that megamouth as pulutan.  That  mouth-watering morsel that comes ever so often!

We can’t blame Filipinos – turning off our light switch is way easier than passing a concrete bill to protect our forests and oceans (which is in dire straits as with our poor fish) or segregating our wastes. We can’t even decently throw a candy wrapper in a trash bin for crying out loud

Top participant in Earth Hour? Nah…

Turning off our light switches for 60 minutes is one thing – being sensitive to what Nature really asks of us is another.

Tagay pa!

A Caffeinated Surprise!!!

I did not have a decent sleep last night. I guess it’s a hormonal thing for a primigravida on their 8th month.

I was actually light-headed when I squinted my way to our dining area. There I saw a package addressed to me. The sender…. duh…. her name didn’t ring a bell.

When I opened the package…. lo and behold! A dream came true right in front of my eyes….

Starbucks Planner 2009

My God! I never thought a stranger by the name of Maver will send such pure bliss through the mail. Thanks to my oh so sweet husband (Mwah! Mwah!) who won Maver’s online “contest” to  get me this planner.

I have been collecting these prized organizers since 2005, the year Starbucks first came up with the idea. Since I am a primigravida deprived of coffee, I stopped my reveries of having the sought-after Starbucks Planner this year. I had totally accepted the fact that a toothless smile from a healthy baby is the trade off for saying NO to a cup of steaming Caramel Macchiato.

Let's take a peek...

Maver, you have no idea how much I am raving right now. As if you have treated me with 16 tall cups of my long lost Caramel Macchiatos. Belated happy birthday Gossip Gehl! May the Lord multiply your happiness and blessings ten-fold this new year.

Galing Talaga ng Pinoy!

Check out the names of these Pinoy establishments and laugh your heart out!

• Parlor in San Juan is named : Cut & Face
• Wholesaler of balut in Sto.Tomas, Batangas : Starduck
• Fast food eatery in Nueva Ecija : Violybee
• Internet cafe opened among squatters named : Cafe Pindot
• In Manila , there’s a laundry named : Summa Cum Laundry
• Petshop in Ortigas : Pussies and Bitches
• A pet shop in Kamuning : Pakita Mo Pet Mo
• Bakery : Bread Pit
• Bank in Alabang : Alabank
• Restaurant in Pampanga named : Mekeni Rogers
• Restaurant in Pasig : Johnny’s Fried Chicken: The ‘Fried’ of Marikina
• A boxing gym : Blow Jab
• A tombstone maker in Antipolo : Lito Lapida
• A copy center in Sikatuna Village called : Pakopya ni Edgar
• A beer house in Cavite called : Chickpoint
• Laundromat in Sikatuna : Star Wash : Attack of the Clothes
• Internet cafe in Taguig named : N@kopi@
• Name of a kambingan : Sa Goat Kita
• A salon somewhere : Curl Up And Dye
• A lugawan in Sta. Maria, Bulacan : Gee Congee
• A water refilling station in Dapitan named : Wa-Thirst
• A store selling feeds for chickens : Robocock
• Shoe repair in Marikina : Dr. Shoe-Bago
• Shoe repair store along Commonwealth: SHOEPERMAN: We will HEEL you, save your SOLE, and even DYE for you
• Petshop : Petness First
• Flower shop : Susan’s Roses
• Taxicab : Income Taxi
• A 2nd hand watch store : 2nd Time Around
• A squid stall in a wet market : Pusit to the Limit
• A shrimp store : Hipon Coming Back
• A gay lawyer’s extension office: Nota Republic
• A ceiling installer : Kisame Street
• A car repair shop : Bangga ka ‘day?
• An aquatic pet store in Malolos: Fish Be With You
• A fishball cart named : Poke Poke
• A beauty salon: Saudia Hairlines
• A bakery : Anak Ng Tinapay
• A resto along Mayon road in Manila : May Lisa Eatery
• Laundry shop : Wash Your Problem
• This mobile massage business name isn’t funny, but their slogan is: Asian Mobile Massage Service: Massage only, God is watching
• Ice cream parlor: Dila Lang Ang Katapat
• Chicharon store: Chicha Hut
• Neighborhood pizza store: Pizza Hot
• A fishball cart near UST: Eat My Balls
• A barbershop in Cagayan de Oro: Pinoy Big Barber
• A Resto : The Last Supper
• A goto resto : Goto Ko Pa!
• A peanut vendor’s cart with a funny name : Mani ni Papa
• A gym in Malolos : Gaymann Fitness Center
• My brother’s party needs business : Balloon-Balloonan
• A Chinese restaurant in Pasig: Lah-Fang
• A store selling fresh chicken, owned by woman named Dina: Dina Fresh Chicken
• An actual bait and tackle shop in U.S.: The Master Baiter
• Panaderia : Trimonay Bakeshop
• Salon : Hair Dot Comb
• Peanut wholesaler outlet in Laloma : Mani Pakyaw

Source: My acknowledgments to the true source. Forwarded Email.