Third World Eyes

Blogs Moved!

2007-08-17T06:11:00.000-07:00

My new personal blog is at www.thirdworldeyes.com

And my photography business PHOTOGRAFFITI is now located at http://aueysantos.wordpress.com.

Check it out!!

Auey

Lightening Up

2007-01-30T17:15:00.000-08:00

This whole cooking lifestyle change for 2007 is real work. Good thing I have my handy dandy kitchen helpers.

#1. My favorite cookbook

The Best Light Recipe

I've always been a fan of America's Test Kitchen and the Cooks Illustrated magazines, thanks to my sister/pastry chef/kitchen mistress Rachel. The recipes are always on target, often needing only salt and pepper adjustments to match the individual palate. My favorite recipes in this book are the low fat glazes for broiling and grilling fish. They have the Hoisin and Ginger Glaze, Mustard and Brown Sugar Glaze, the Honey and Chipotle Glaze and the Sesame Soy Glaze. Paired with a good fish fillet, steamed vegetables and brown rice - my tummy is satisfied each night. It's been a mix'n'match pan-hopping love affair!

#2 My favorite new cooking tool.
The Lean and Mean George Foreman Grilling Machine

Did I just hear a collective groan from the general public? Early apologies but I am going to start sounding like a crazed homemaker with a hysterical testimonial. But yes, the George Foreman Grill is amazing!!! Three points why I love my new grill.

#1. I'm saving electricity by not having to fire up the entire gas stove for just two fillets of chicken breast. And I don't have to stand over a charcoal BBQ for the same effect.
#2 I can actually SEE all the fat drippings come out of the grill, therefore reducing fat content in the food. That of course, results in a healthier dish
#3 Cooking is lighting fast! For fish, you can grill up fillets in 4 minutes, both chicken and steak take about 5 minutes. Voila!

I've started developing my own recipes and while I don't see myself in the running for Top Chef anytime soon, I'm really enjoying this new culinary side of me. Last night, I made grilled catfish with low-fat yogurt, tumeric and cumin, with a side dish of green beans and sauteed soy mushrooms and it was pretty darn good. Top that off with a desert of mocha ricotta creme (recipe courtesy of South Beach Book) with a bonus piece of Ghiradhelli dark chocolate for good behavior. Who says dieting has to be a sacrifice?

P.S. I dropped a dress size!

www.thirdworldeyes.com

2007-01-23T07:49:00.000-08:00

My new blog address! Check it out!

The Song Running in My Head

2007-01-23T07:41:00.000-08:00

I first heard this on last week's episode of Grey's Anatomy. Makes me feel like crying which I've been doing a bit of lately.

Falling Awake
Gary Jules

Gary Jules Falling Awake Lyrics
Eagle in the dark
Feathers in the pages
Monkeys in my heart
Rattling their cages
Found a way to blue
Another ghost to follow
Said its only up to you
It's the hardest pill to swallow

mmmmhmmmmmhhhmmm

You never get to choose
You live on what they send you
You know the kind of use
Things you love will get you
One foot in the grave
One foot in the shower
There's never time to save
You're paying by the hour

And that's just the way it goes
Falling awake
And that's just the way it goes

Slipping through the bars
Aware of the danger
Of riding in the cars
Taking candy from strangers
You're never out of hand
Never out of pocket
Super sonic man
Do you want to buy a rocket

Well that's just the way it goes
Falling awake
Falling awake
And that's just the way it goes
Falling awake
Falling awake

Eagle in the dark
Feathers in the pages
Monkeys in my heart
Are rattling their cages
I could learn to play the game
Learn to run the hustle
If I only had the brains
The money or the muscle

South Beach Diet Weigh In - Week 3

2007-01-22T10:28:00.000-08:00

So we moved on Phase 2 of the South Beach Diet and I am so happy to have my carbs back. I reintroduced fruits in our diet, plus whole grain bread and brown rice. While eating brown rice still takes some getting used to, I feel better already. No more midnight cravings for macaroni and cheese. What I still do crave for is pizza and hamburgers. But Andreas makes a good substitute cheeseburger with lean meat and fat reduced cheese, on an eggplant "bun." Pizza is made with thinly sliced portabello mushroom as a crust, with fat-reduced mozzarella. It's not the same thing, but it certainly is healthier.

Weight-wise, we haven't continued to lose any more weight. I've gone down 4 pounds in the first two weeks, and it sorta plateaued from there. Andreas lost 10 pounds.

On the upside, I did lose 1 1/2 inch from my waist and 1 inch 1/2 inches from my hips.

I still walk 6 miles a week, plus 30 minutes of light weight training and calisthetics daily.

More progress reports to come!

Oh, and my new discovery is Whole Grain Chips Ahoy. At 50 calories a cookie, I feel justified eating them if I do 10 minutes of jogging in place or dancing around the living room with Axel. Why deprive myself of everything I love?

New Home

2007-01-19T16:32:00.000-08:00

I'm moving my blog to www.thirdworldeyes.com! Same mad ranting, new URL.

South Beach Diet Weigh In - Week 1

2007-01-07T14:42:00.000-08:00

So at the start of the year, my hubby and I made a pledge to start better eating habits and take a more active lifestyle. To do this, we turned to the South Beach Diet, which had worked for us in the past. The first time we did the diet, my husband lost over 40 pounds in a span of 6 months, while I lost 20 pounds. Of course at the time, I was also breastfeeding which may have contributed a LOT to my weight loss.

*A word of caution for South Beach Diet wannabees -- this diet is not designed for you to lose weight in a short time, but rather a lifestyle change for better eating habits and nutrition. The rapid weight loss in the first two weeks is a fringe benefit, but as my friend/physical therapist/nutritionist extraordinaire warned me, the diet can make you balloon up fast if you don't stick with it for the longterm. The South Beach diet is neither low-fat nor low-carb. Instead, it retrains your body to eat the good fats (aka good cholesterol) and the good carbs for longterm health goals.

Right now, we are on Phase I, the first of three phases in the South Beach Diet. It's also called "Strict Phase" - what I also call "LIVING HELL." This phase lasts for two weeks, in which, you must eliminate all sugar, all starchy, all fruit, soda and fatty cuts of meat. Only non-fat milk and fat-reduced cheese can be consumed, along with foods with sugar substitutes. My husband also calls this the "cleansing phase" of the diet because you are removing all the bad sugars and processed foods from your system, so you can start with a clean slate when you introduce other foods that will be allowed in Phase 2.

I bet you're wondering so what are we eating? Well, lots and lots of salad and vegetables -almost 3x more than what we use to eat, plus lean cuts of meat. So we've been grilling a lot more these days (thank GOD for our George Foreman grill!). We are also consuming lots of fish. The South Beach Diet book has a lot of great recipes and I modify them a lot to what ingredients we have. The other day, I made a ginger Tilapia, which was yummy...and a roasted eggplant which tomato, basil and low-fat mozzarella. It was basically a CPK pizza which had everything but the pizza crust.

And how do I feel so far? Well, yes I am lighter but for the first few days, I felt like I have less engergy to do things, and often find myself sleepy during the day. On Day 2, I took my usual 1 mile walk and it took me 30 minutes instead of the usual 15 minutes. I was soooo sluggish. My body is readjusting to the fact that I don't have a lot carbohydrates and sugar, which are ready to burn for energy. But after 5 days, I feel a little bit better already. One big plus I noticed is that my tummy already feels a little bit flatter. The reason for this is the scientific process of "ketosis," which means the the body fat is broken down for fuel.

So our official weigh in:
me (January 1) 133 lbs
(January 7) 129 lbs
hub (January 1) 185 lbs
(January 7) 179 lbs

Yippee!! I'm a LONG WAY OFF from my goal of 105 pounds but something about Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet gives you instant gratification that it's working and you see results immediately. After Phase 2 of course, the weight loss slows down to just one pound a week, which is considered healthier for long term weight loss but it's nice to just see the diet WORKING! Of course, the real test will come when I have my blood testing done next month and I'll see if I succeeded more in obtaining my primary goal, which is lowering my cholesterol.

I'll write more about our progress here. If you're interested in reading more about the South Beach Diet, check out the official website here. Or you can just read the book The South Beach Diet, like we did. I also found some great recipes at this blog, check them out!

Good luck to us!

6 Years Ago Today

2007-01-06T17:23:00.000-08:00

Yet another year...

2007-01-01T18:58:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, friends. Once again, another 365 days have passed and what do we have to show for it? For us, it was a big move across oceans, finding new jobs and surviving it. Last year, I declined to make any resolutions so I wouldn't have to look back and see what I didn't manage to do once again. I once looked back at my old diary of 1998, and saw the following resolutions listed:
1. Get organized.
2. Lose 10 pounds.
3. Choose to be happy.

Ha! Almost a decade later, and I'm still aiming for the same goals! =) So...for 2007, I'm yet again declining to make any real resolutions and just choose to be happy. Maybe if I'm happy, organization and losing those 10 pounds won't matter much anymore. Hahaha!

But the hubby and I did make a pact to start a new healthier lifestyle - in nutrition and habits. So, as a start... we cleaned out our kitchen cabinets of all things sugary and processed, and stocked up on healthy food. We just want to take care of our health better, considering our genetic history. But this is not a new year resolution but more like a new life resolution because we want to go beyond 2007.

Have fun everybody! Here's a peek at our photos from our quiet New Years Celebration. Here's to 2007!

Photo Booth

2006-12-22T00:24:00.000-08:00

Our computer has this application called Photo Booth, which "simulates" taking photos in yes, a photo booth. While I know most of the effects can be done 100 times better in Photoshop, there's this instant gratification factor for kids and the likeminded. And my son absolutely loves it. If I don't tear him away from the screen, he'll take photos of himself all day long. Here's a sampling.

You can read more about Photo Booth here and here. Happy snapping!

The House of Sick

2006-12-18T20:06:00.000-08:00

The bug is definitely going around. As early as last week, both Axel and I muddled through with a slight cough and sniffles but today, the hubby came down with full-on symptoms. In the family, he was the only one who didn't have a flu shot and I'm beginning think that's why he was the hardest hit by whatever's going around. Hope everyone else is feeling better! Keep well everyone!

Axel meets Santa

2006-12-17T19:59:00.000-08:00

Twas Axel's first meeting with Santa. Our mischievous little one reached out his hand in a friendly handshake and said solemnly to Santa, "Peace be with you." LOL.

Rancid @ The Warfield

2006-12-16T20:05:00.000-08:00

The Warfield on Market Street is a beautiful old theatre, now a bit rundown and worn from hosting decades-worth of rock acts. It was charming, had a lot of character and was an excellent backdrop to Rancid, revealing a unique juxtaposition of classical beauty and the organized chaos of a punk band.

Rancid has been on my ipod for about a year now - introduced to me by my punk of a husband. But I didn't really know much about them, other than they were lumped together in my ipod playlist with The Descendents, the UK Subs and Circle Jerks. So I came to the concert with an open mind and open ears. Sometimes it's better that way. With no pre-conceptions, my mind was an open slate.

The crowd had a smattering of 30-ish couples (like ourselves), a majority of neo-punk kids (I classify anyone below 25 as "young") and a few dads with their tween kids in tow. But we were all in the Rancid zone as they spewed out chest-throbbing riffs, pounding drumbeats and lyrics so loud, it drowned out my screaming inner demons. Their stage-side manner was awesome. The show came complete with skateboarder like jumps, spitting and flying fists. Their energy was infectious. From our view, we could see the kids down below moshing, as poker-faced bouncers guarded the frontrows. The hubby forgot about his cold and sore throat and belted every single lyric he knew, including "Journey to the End of East Bay".

A highlight of the concert was when the vocalist of their old band (I'll get my hubby to verify the name) for a once-in-a-lifetime jam. And revealing my age once again, I truly enjoyed the acoustic encore set. Playlist to follow! I'll try to get my hubby to add on to this one, it's more his thing but I'll be sure to listening to Rancid on my ipod more often from here on.

It was a good time.

The Nutcracker, Sweet!

2006-12-15T20:05:00.000-08:00

My MIL gifted us with tickets to watch the San Francisco Ballet's Nutcracker. We had pretty decent tickets in the Dress Circle, which meant we were high enough to see enough of the pretty snowflake patterns the dancers were making, but far enough not to be a nuisance if my toddler son started acting up. Plus with the higher view, we could see the entire depth of the stage.

The matinee we saw was called a Family Performance, which I interpreted as the family-friendly option. When we got to the War Memorial Opera House, the lines were bursting with cute little girls wearing red velvet dresses and frilly collars. My husband swore he saw a boy dressed as Little Lord Fauntleroy! Good thing my son was oblivious to the frilly fashion in his olive corderoys and ratty Steve shirt. As the line started to move forward, fake snow fell from the sky as a special effect. Then children were given free stuffed toys. Everyone was waiting for the characters to arrive in the lobby for a special meet-and-greet and obligatory autograph signing. During the intermission, they gave out free organic milk and chocolate chip cookies. It was great!

About the ballet - the show was an amazing display of grace, athleticism and aesthetics, real eye candy. Everybody watched in wide-eyed awe as the dancers transported us to this magical world of the Sugar Plum Fairy, toys coming to life, and a court of flowers. My son's favorite parts included the battle between the King Rat (or mouse?) and the Nutcracker/Prince. He also loved the boom of the cannons. I was proud of my son, he was very behaved and sat through the entire performance. He actually squealed with delight. Not all the children enjoyed it though. During some lulls, you could hear a baby whine. One child behind us actually bellowed out an indigant "AGAIN?" when the Prince came out on stage for his second round of solo pirouettes.

I loved the scenery and the costumes. Now, I'm mainly a cynic at heart and watching the Nutracker at Christmas time is such a cliche, but I can understand the lure of it. Waiting in line at the bathroom, a grey-haired lady with a kindly face struck up a conversation with me - saying that watching the ballet is a family tradition every Christmas.

Memories of my early ballet classes in Kapitolyo came back and for exactly 4 seconds, I regretted not sticking to my classes (which I exchanged for piano later on). I have a newfound appreciation for these dancers who make everything look so effortless. Every single precision leap through the air, graceful bend and tip-toed prance were woven together seamlessly. And the music! Nothing like a live orchestra to make music pound in your chest and reverberate for hours after. For a few hours, I was able take a mental break from the holiday rush of things and escape to an imaginary and magical world where we can all be kids again.

The official website of the San Francisco Ballet's Nutcracker.

naw-sfo Party

2006-12-09T20:04:00.000-08:00

A nice cozy get-together of the SF Bay area n@wies. Merry Christmas!

Splendor in the Snow

2006-12-03T22:48:00.000-08:00

Finally, our first taste of snow!

We had visited Yosemite National Park during the spring but we were really curious to see the pristine beauty of the park during the winter. Axel's first reaction to the snow was priceless. He kept referring back to his books, naming characters Snowy the Polar Bear and Mumble the Penguin. He recognized the snow from those books and he just started laughing and jumping in the powdery stuff. At first, he refused to wear gloves and ended up with ice cold digits. We built several snowmen, the hubby made some snow angels and we practiced our pitching skills by throwing snowballs at tree trunks. It was awesome, truly.

The rest of the time we spent in Yosemite Valley, hiking the nearby trails. We didn't reach Half Dome but just walking around gave us the heebie-jeebies. The entire place made us feel so tiny and insignificant in the world. Grabe, sobrang ganda.

Another thing about Yosemite is how it affected our sleep and eating habits. Yes, I know we were only there for three days but the mountain air seemed to intoxicate us naturally. I slept soo good. Apart from the fact that we shared a room with Oma and Axel, it was so nice to be in bed and snuggling by 8PM. The food also tasted better and went down easier. We stuck mostly to the Food Court fare at Yosemite Lodge but on the last night, we splurged at Mountain Room Restaurant (no, not the Ahwahnee - maybe in another lifetime). Everything we ordered was excellent.

I want to go back again, maybe in mid-January so we can go snowshoeing in Badger Pass. I feel so Christmassy now. =)

Axelisms #1

2006-11-29T22:41:00.000-08:00

Axel's favorite phase these days is "It's broken." But his usage is somewhat varied.

Example #1:
(when hearing music he finds too loud) Axel points to his ears and says "It's broken."

Example #2:
His eyes start tearing up after some allergy sneezes. He freaks out upon seeing his tears. He points to his eyes, and says "It's broken."

and finally in it's correct usage, Example #3
Upon hearing the car engine turn over after failing to start. "It's broken!"

Not to be confused with Winchester Cathedral...

2006-11-28T09:38:00.000-08:00

I recall seeing the Winchester Mystery House featured on the TV show Ripley’s Believe it or way back when I was in high school. We finally got to see it for ourselves, driving to San Jose one rainy afternoon. The story goes that there was an eccentric millionairess Ms. Sarah Winchester who manically built rooms in her house, expending it from an 8 room house to a 100+ room mansion. The twist is that she built contraptions and secret passages to confuse the ghosts of those killed by the Winchester rifle, which her husband’s company manufactured. The under-the-floor contraptions turned out to be water saving devices. The secret doors led a commune-with-the-spirits room, where incidentally she could also eavesdrop on her household help. She was a weird woman, all 4'8" of her.

Actually visiting the place was creepy, sorta gave me an I’m-being-watched vibe and the entire house reeked of something old and dead. Being inside the house gave me no sense of location. After walking miles of stairwells that lead nowhere, winding corridors and passing through secret closet doors, I was exhausted. I wonder how dark and twisted Ms. Winchester’s mind was to design a monstronsity of a house.

Check out the official website of the Winchester Mystery House here.

Andrew

2006-11-27T10:03:00.000-08:00

A recent pictorial with Andrew, who just turned one year old. Such a cutie pie.

Pass the gravy, please.

2006-11-25T09:55:00.000-08:00

What started out as plans for a simple turkey breast dinner with gravy turned into a full blown traditional feast, taken straight off the suggested menu of Cooks Illustrated. It was my mother-in-law's idea who wanted to prepare a traditional dinner in celebration of our first Thanksgiving in the U.S. We all took part in the kitchen dutes: my MIL took care of the roast turkey, bacon and apple stuffing and gravy. Hubby took charge of the garlic mashed potatoes and I did the apple pie. Everything tasted great, mostly at least. The only thing I could care less for was the cranberry sauce, that goop is disgusting I swear.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Pacquiao Knock-out!

2006-11-19T23:23:00.000-08:00

My aunt isn't all much of a boxing fan but she certainly got a nice present with the knock-out win of Manny Pacuqiao in Las Vegas yesterday. Her birthday coincided with the big event and at risk of not having people (95% Pinoy) come, they decided to order the match on HBO pay per view and open their house and spanking new HDTV set. Here's the reaction of my (extended) family upon the Pacman giving the knock-out blow. Poor Morales, beaten to a pulp a third time. Pinoy Pride!

Baby Loves Disco

2006-11-18T14:44:00.000-08:00

Whoever came up with the 'Baby Loves Disco' is a genius. Take a happening club downtown at an off-hour, say Saturday at 2pm, open it up to dance-loving parents and ask them to bring along their kids! And charge $10 a head. We had wanted to go to Baby Loves Disco since August but all the dates were sold out 2 months in advance. So we finally got tickets and had a blast! So much fun! Check out their official website here. The organizers were amazing. There were baby-changing tables, breastfeeding sofas and a healthy food buffet consisting of cheese, chips, hummus and loads of fresh fruit.

Love in the Time of Cholesterol

2006-11-16T21:20:00.000-08:00

love for bacon...
love for cheeseburgers...
love for crispy pata...

Such a paradox when your only love stems from your only hate. Not to be melodramatic but today, I discovered my cholesterol levels have hit the roof. At 265, my cholesterol levels are now "flagged" for heart attack risk. So, after Thanksgiving, I am going on a diet. Yes, it's been said before (in this blog no less) but this time, it's my health at stake. From here on, I will exercise more and eat more healthy. And starting tomorrow, I will do my blog ala Bridget Jones.

3 Great Kids

2006-11-12T02:55:00.000-08:00

I love shooting photos of children, especially kids as fun and free as the ones featured below. Emily, Bradley, and Zachary sure gave me an aerobic workout that day with their soccer playing, skateboard riding, pogo stick jumping and tree climbing. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon, eh? To enjoy the show, just click on PLAY.

Check out my first slideshow!

2006-11-06T23:53:00.000-08:00

Halloween Aftermath

2006-11-05T00:24:00.000-08:00

Halloween was pretty low-key here in our neighborhood. In fact, it almost didn't happen for us but after a little coaxing, my son finally allowed us to dress him in an old "Steve" shirt from Blues Clues. So carrying his handy dandy notebook and his stuff toy Blue, we went door-to-door for trick-or-treating. In our immediate vicinity, we only went to around 7 houses successfully, the rest were either a) out partying at Castro b) ignoring their doorbell (HELLO! We can hear your TV on!) or c) as one old man put it, "...we ran out of candy already..." (yeahhh ssshure)

But still, we came home with a pail of loot, only about 3 pieces which my son ate before he decided he didn't like sugar. At our own house, we only got two trick-or-treaters. Weird. So the leftover candy will go to the hubby's candy foundation, which will sit on his work desk for weary office mates.

Afterward: We opened Pandora's box. Since Halloween, my son has totally got back into his Blues Clues mania. He's been insisting on wearing it EVERYDAY now, even at night, paired with his pajamas. I hope it's a phase.

Recipe: Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

2006-11-03T00:38:00.000-08:00

...also known as Pepitas.

We tried this recipe and yielded some yummy results.

RIP Jack

2006-10-31T23:55:00.000-08:00

Jack will forever be remembered as our first Jack O'Lantern. He is the pumpkin we received free on the at J. Perry Farm field trip (yes, the one the size of Axel's head.) We have only ourselves to blame but we did everything we could.

Shortly after being knived and tortured (his insides hallowed out), Jack went on public display. After which, Jack got soft. And that the candle kinda cooked him from the inside. In two days, Jack's face collapsed, suffering major internal damage. He eventually just disintegrated into nothingness and was flushed down the garbage disposal.

Happy Halloween everyone!

One Titanic Exhibit

2006-10-30T23:13:00.000-08:00

The $22 I spent to get into the ongoing Titanic exhibit at the Metreon in San Francisco wouldn't have even gotten me a 3rd class passage on the real Titanic ship back in 1911. In fact, a third class ticket or "steerage" class ticket back then would have cost $38 or an equivalent $700+ by today's standards. A first class ticket would have cost me $2500 or a whopping modern day's equivalent of $78,000. That's just some of the interesting trivia I learned today.

Note for photography buffs: there was absolutely no photography allowed inside because of the extreme monitoring for UV lights on the artifacts. Some portions of the exhibit had fiber optic lights (according to my friend Horace) and using flash was equivalent to a year's sunlight exposure. The only object we were allowed to shoot was this big model ship.

All that's missing are one inch Leo and Kate dolls.

The exhibit itself was amazing. With all the Discovery documentaries, corny Rose and Jack references and books written, the Titanic story has been retold over and over again. But this time, the exhibit allowed the actual recovered artifacts to tell the story. It finally became real for me. Items such as shaving implements, letters written to loved ones, leather luggage and jewelry were on display, perfectly preserved by sea water and time. But what saddened me the most were the stories of the hundreds of immigrants on board, who dreams drowned in the Atlantic Ocean that fateful night.

As we entered the exhibit, we were all given replica boarding passes and assigned "characters." I was Mrs. Nils Palsson. Towards the end of the exhibit, you could check if your character survived the tragedy. I didn't =(

David Hume Kennerly @ Apple SF

2006-10-30T23:06:00.000-08:00

A friend and I attended a free seminar at the Apple store today, featuring Pulitzer prize winning photographer David Hume Kennerly. While it was nothing more than a portfolio slideshow, I still enjoyed the talk. He took the famous resignation shot of former President Nixon. However, I did wish for a little more in-depth explanation of his techniques and approach. See his award winning work at www.kennerly.com

Dad Shoots Axel

2006-10-29T23:46:00.000-08:00

This is my new favorite photo of Axel, taken by my husband. I'm pushing him to join me in the photography business. I think he has a great eye.

Axel Axel Pumpkinhead

2006-10-23T12:53:00.000-07:00

Field trip! Axel's Pre-K class took a field trip today to J. Perry Farms in Ardenwood, Fremont. Good thing they were color coded (orange) because 5 other schools had their field trip as well. Highlights were the tractor hay ride. We got a quick tour of the organic farm and learned interesting factoids about vegetables, like how pumpkins grow. The tourguide-slash-farmer also had interesting advice for people with allergies. It's apparently good to consume honey made by bees in the region you are residing in. This is because the bees will carry the pollen from your area, and the honey will help you build a strong immunity to the allergents in the pollen! You learn something new everyday. Later, all the students were allowed to pick one free pumpkin, the size of their own head. When we got home, I went ahead and carved the pumpkin's face, under Axel's careful supervision. We'll use it to decorate our patio on Halloween.

Another One Bites the Dust...and another one...

2006-10-22T02:05:00.000-07:00

While we were off gallavanting in the Central Coast countryside, our two dear friends Tikoy and Caloy were busy getting hitched...but not to each other! Yes, best wishes and congratulations going out to Caloy and his new wife Tetet, and Tikoy and the new hubby Mejandro! May the "smug marrieds" continue to multiply and be smug about it.

Carmel Mission

2006-10-22T01:18:00.000-07:00

My favorite photo taken at Carmel, CA at the old Mission church. It was our first time inside. I was fish-eye lens crazy on this vacation but for this photo, I think it was just perfect, if I may be my own fan for just a second.

Zebras on Highway 1

2006-10-21T01:50:00.000-07:00

Yep! We had just driven back to Highway 1, after a great tour at the Hearst Castle in San Simeon when we had to do a double-take. The tour guide had mentioned that Mr. William Hearst had purchased wild animals in the 20s and that some of them now roam free on the property. Never had we expected to see zebras mingling with the cows in Highway 1. Here's the photographic proof!

Guilty Pleasure #1: Project Runway

2006-10-17T22:20:00.000-07:00

Ok, confession time. I LOVE watching Project Runway. I'm PR junkie. I even follow this blog for the inside 411. AND all the Bravo blogs. It's deathly addictive. Now that it's over, I fear that Bravo's replacement Top Chef will not fill my Wednesday night TV void.

Can I just say, I secretly hoped Jeffrey would win from the beginning? I love this guy's style, his Unabomber outfit, his hideous neck tattoo. But then again, I always did root for the underdog.

Doing the Touristy Thing: SF

2006-10-15T00:08:00.000-07:00

We had to bring Mama around and see the Bay from the boat-perspective. It was too bad the Alcatraz tours were sold out, but it makes a nice excuse to come down to the City.

I uploaded more photos at my brand spanking new flickr account (which I have yet to figure out)!

Half Moon Bay Part II

2006-10-08T23:47:00.000-07:00

Just more beach-bumming on a sunny Saturday....

Unveiling a New Superhero

2006-10-05T23:04:00.000-07:00

Much to our surprise, my 3-year-old has finally taken to the concept of "dressing up." An old family friend gave us a Spiderman costume, which I had pretty much written off as an ebay to-sell item. But he proudly put the costume on and did a little song-and-dance number to the Spiderman theme, while checking himself out in the mirror. Well...looks like we're all set for Halloween!

Spiderman scales a California King size bed, with only his bare hands and an Ikea footstool!

Spiderman, Spiderman,
Does whatever a spider can
Spins a web, any size,
Catches thieves just like flies
Look Out!
Here comes the Spiderman.

Of course, my lispy speech delayed son says it as "Pie-ther-men." It's adorable all the same.

Lunar Park

2006-10-02T15:21:00.000-07:00

I am a huge fan of American Psycho. Disturbed as I was by the book, I completely devoured the movie. Every last bit. Christian Bale, yum. I even bought the DVD, director's cut.

Now, upon seeing a paperback copy of Lunar Park at my local Borders, I just had to have it. And as an unevolved bookavore, I finished this novel in 3 days. Not a quick departure from his usual world of booze, drugs and hedonism, Bret Easton Ellis managed to bring the familiar theme into his alter-sense of reality. Confusion hits the reader as you slowly realize that this a book of fiction, not fact. Check out the author's official website, and you'll see what I mean.

It's the perfect book for novelist groupies.

Here's the premise. Lunar Park is supposedly the memoirs of bestselling novelist Bret Easton Ellis, post-American Psycho. He's battling with the ghosts of his past, namely the one big ghost of his father whom the character Patrick Bates is based on. The book quickly draws you into Ellis' own Twilight Zone (insert Rod Serling's voiceover here) and the reader starts contemplating whether the author is zonked out on hallucinogens or if he's sincere in his fear and paranoia. It's an amazing read.

The more obvious theme is the complex father-son relationship and the irrepairable damage a father can inflict. The secondary skin is lighter, humourful, almost satirical as Ellis pokes fun at the horror genre from a honest and fresh voice of incoherance and insanity.

Just Our Luck

2006-09-29T23:04:00.000-07:00

I knew it must have been a bad omen that I watched Lindsey Lohan's movie "Just my Luck" on not one, but two flights between SFO and Manila. It really set the stage for the entire trip. Not that the premise was pleasant one to begin with. But at some point, we had to throw our hands in the air and ask "Why, God, why?"

Our bad luck streak:
1. Andreas' mobile phone was stolen at SM Megamall....
2. ... along with Tatay's death certificate and other important receipts.
3. Since the phone contained all relatives numbers, we had difficulty reaching them and them reaching us regarding the memorial service.
4. Axel got an up and down fever. On the upside, it was NOT dengue.
5. After taking care of him for two days, I caught the bug he had and was sick for two days well.
6. On our last two days in Manila, our last "mad rush" to get things done --- Typhoon Millenio hits.
7. It knocks out power and lotsa trees. We stay indoors, safe.
8. We almost miss our flight, thinking that it was a 10PM departure when in fact it was at 5PM. We discovered our blunder at 2PM. Thankfully, we arrived at the airport 10 minutes before the flight desk is closed, at 4:05PM

All this in a span of 10 days.

Song of the Moment

2006-09-24T06:15:00.000-07:00

SUMMER HIGHLAND FALLS by Billy Joel

They say that these are not the best of times
But they're the only times I've ever known
And I believe there is a time for meditation
In cathedrals of our own

Now I have seen that sad surrender in my lover's eyes
And I can only stand apart and sympathize
For we are always what our situations hand us
It's either sadness or euphoria

And so we'll argue and we'll compromise
And realize that nothing's ever changed
For all our mutual experience
Our separate conclusions are the same

Now we are forced to recognize our inhumanity
Our reason coexists with our insanity
So we choose between reality and madness
It's either sadness or euphoria

How thoughtlessly we dissipate our energies
Perhaps we don't fulfill each other's fantasies
And as we stand upon the ledges of our lives
With our respective similarities
It's either sadness or euphoria

Goodbye Tatay

2006-09-20T06:21:00.000-07:00

It took me awhile to get to know Tatay. Although I met him over 12 years ago when Andreas first became a friend, it was difficult to understand him. He was always a bit elusive and mysterious, prompting us to call him Andreas’ Snuffalupagus dad because Andreas was always talking about him but we never saw him. Soon, bits and pieces of his personality came together as I begun to understand this great man. He was a man of science but also a man of God.

He never talked that much, at least when I knew him. To say he was a man of few words is appropriate, but the words I’d hear him utter were always entertaining or new such as strombotiko (def:over the top, outrageously extravagant). Or his words were educational, because he was a natural teacher by nature. Or his words were historically trivial funny one-liners.

Tatay was fabulously smart – graduating with multiple degrees in chemistry, engineering and finally with a doctorate in natural sciences. BUT despite this academic background, he was a big fan of Steven Seagal &Van Damme, movies and tv shows like Charlies Angels and A-Team. He liked shows where the hero was clearly good and the villain was clearly bad. I get the impression this reflected him and the way he saw the world – there were no grey areas and his life was guided by a moral compass uncomplicated by reasoning and bargaining. His sense of morality was uncompromised. But what I admired in his most was he lead by example. He was not a preachy man, never pushed his beliefs on others and never passed judgment. When he had an opinion, he would rather keep it to himself. His actions spoke louder.

We know he was a devout man of God, attending mass faithfully every day, rain or shine – walking the few kilometers to the church in his pristine white polo and white bitin pants. This was his uniform of sorts, much like Einstein who wore the same thing everyday. He was practical enough not to fuss about such frivolous matters such as fashion. He needed his time and mind for other things. I had the impression his silence just meant he was calculating some complex scientific question in his head.

He was a man not without his eccentricities. While many knew him as a teacher and a chemist, he was also a money launderer. Not the illegal sort, but of the literal sort as I one time walked into their bathroom in Hoover with peso bills neatly being dried by the bathroom sink. Andreas said that he just likes his bills clean and germfree.

When Andreas and I had the opportunity to leave for the U.S., we questioned ourselves knowing that Tatay and Mama would be left behind in the Philippines. He never said much on the topic but I asked him one day what he thought about it. He gave us his blessings, telling us very simply – “Auey, I had the chance to live my life and walk my path. Now it is time for you and Andreas to walk your own.”

Today as we say goodbye to Tatay, who will walk his own path now to be with the Lord – let us remember him as man of god, a man of science, and a man who believed action truly spoke louder than words. I’d like to imagine him now in heaven, a germ-free clean environment, floating with the Charlies angels wearing his pristine white polo shirt and bitin pants, watching Steven Seagal all day, while guiding us all from above. I love you, Tatay and we'll miss you dearly.

~ Taken from the eulogy I delivered at Tatay's memorial mass, Sept 19, 2006

Congrats to Jasmine & Dennis

2006-09-17T06:17:00.000-07:00

My favorite photo from recent wedding coverage of Jasmine & Dennis' Wedding. It was a great wedding, beginning to end. Congratulations to the happy couple.

A Taste of the Peppers

2006-08-28T09:11:00.000-07:00

My first taste of the Red Hot Chili Peppers came from my ex-boyfriend who gave me a bootleg tape of Mother's Milk. Soon after, I became the girl in college as one wearing the "Red Hot Pepper" shirt. And finally, 15 years later - I got to see them in concert, live at the Oakland Arena!

Early advisory came out that the Peppers were playing the same night the Raiders had a football game in the neighboring stadium, so expect loads of traffic and no parking. We decided to BART it, along with the legions of football fanatics and Pepper rockers. As we descended the BART stairs, a sea of black (Raider team color) overwhelmed the rocker people. So I guess watching football is still a more popular pastime in this area, over attending rock concerts.

A little off-tangent trivia - Ateneo de Manila buys the parquet wood floor of the Oakland Arena, thus explaining why there's a huge Warriors sign on the basketball court of ADMU.

The air was nice and nippy with just a hint of autumn in the air. The crowd? A good mix of aging 30somethings (us included), a majority of young'uns wearing their mandatory rock costumes and a sprinkling of parents accompanying their minor children. One parent loudly proclaimed "This is going to be a long night." There was a kid maybe 14, all dressed in red. Ronald McDonald red hair, red t-shirt, red shorts and a red face and body tinted with red paint. He was accompanied by four tennybopper girls in tight tank tops which read "The Peppers". I trailed them with my eyes as they walked around the stadium like mascots trying to see if they could get to the front of the stage. People occasionally asked to take photos with them, making them mini celebrities for the night.

Food prices were highway robbery. Beer was $9. Garlic fries were $6. Hotdog was $5 and a Pepsi was $3. Why? Why? Whyyyy?

I brought along my binoculars and tried to absorb every single detail. 8 bouncers in blue in the front, 6 huge Marshall speakers, 6 smaller speakers on the left. The entire Backdrop resembled was a huge screen which extended to the ceiling, showing a multi-media experience of sight and sound. The images broadcast on this massive video wall included animation, mixed with live feed, some with graphic warholic effects - all show in real time. It was like nothing I've seen before. It made me want to change careers and live out my dreams of becoming.... a concert video producer. Ah, to dream.

Okay let's get to the music. The opening act was this group called The Mars Volta. I can't even begin to describe their music. It was part Led Zeppelin (because of the vocalist's sound quality to Robert Plant), part Jamiroquai due to the funky beats, part Sabor Latino due to the use of Cuban percussion instruments, and part Metallica. The music was so confused and so was I. A quick visit to their official website bio says they disdain labels and don't want to branded as such and such music. No wonder. Or maybe my judgment is so clouded by the fact that I was DYING to get the Peppers on stage and anyone who had a hand in delaying the experience sounded like crap. They also had the gall to call the crowd "boring people." Well maybe because they bored us! The most exciting part about them were their jewfros.

Finally the Peppers came on stage. Their first song was Don't Stop. And man, could they play. Just the four of them on stage energized the entire arena with beats so powerful you could feel it in your chest. Anthony Keidis looked the same, except for a small tummy apparent under his white tank but his voice was still as crisp as white Chinese laundry. Flea was amazing, jumping around like Tigger on steroids while blasting out those catchy beat-funky bass riffs. I never noticed how much Chad Smith looks like Will Farrell. He was such a huge guy, practically dwarfing his drumkit. The baby of the group John Fruscinate, looked the oldest and most worn by drugs. But the broadcast images of his fingering proved his musical prowess hasn't faded one bit.

In true album promotion fashion, they played most of their hit songs from their latest album "Stadium Arcadium" and while I hadn't listened to the entire album yet, it made me want to buy it. Their sound has deviated a bit from their older albums, but still maintains the Hendrixique guitar workings of Frusciante, that made me fall in love with them (and with John) the first time around. I really couldn't stand it when Dave Navarro replaced him in the mid 90s. Carmen Electra can have him.

*a little disclaimer. These photos aren't mine. I "borrowed" them from Yahoo news. Rules said no camera. Refer to the ticket above.

Some songs I was dying to hear but they didn't play were:
Knock Me Down
Give It Away
Suck My Kiss

But one surprise highlight was when Frusciante sang "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?" originally done by Carole King. Who knew he could sing?

And then they said, Thank you and Goodbye. What? It's over? But then I recalled my top three signs that a band is making a fake concert exit.
1. It ain't over until they give away the drumsticks.
2. It ain't over until the band hadn't sung their most popular hit, from the past.
3. It ain't over until stadium lights are turned back on.

So amid loud cheers and deafening applause, the Peppers came back to sing two encore songs "Under the Bridge" and an obscure hit from Mother's Milk album. The applause saw no sign of waning, and we still wanted more. I scremed my throat raw but they were already tucked away safely in their jumbo jet or hotel room or wherever tired rockstars go after a concert. We had to console ourselves by listening to our their CD afterwards. "Give it away, give it away, give it away now...."

The Peppers came a long way since they wore socks on their naughty bits. If they're still touring in another 15 years, I'm there. Totally.

www.photograffiti.us

2006-08-27T20:04:00.000-07:00

www.photograffiti.us is finally up and running!

Dennis and Jasmine

2006-08-22T14:07:00.000-07:00

Here's my favorite photo from an engagement portrait session yesterday. I couldn't help thinking who they're celebrity lookalikes were when it hit me. Dennis looked like a moreno Aga Muhlach from some angles (especially the dimples) while Jasmine looked like Winnie Cooper from the TV show, "Wonder Years." It was a great afternoon spent at the San Jose Rose Garden. It'll be such a priviledge to cover their wedding next month.

I am the Germinator

2006-08-22T13:16:00.000-07:00

...or should I say Germinatrix? =)
For my birthday, I received two sets of DIY gardening sets, complete with pots, peat pellets and seeds. Both ordered from windowbox.com via amazon, one set was an Italian Herb trio, the other was a Sweet William. Of course, I immediately went to work while Axel played with the boxes. It was so awesome, the way the peat pellets magically became perfect potting soil with the addition of a little water. Coolness galore. Now, it's a waiting game.

Meanwhile...at the other side of my garden, I successfully germinated some California Giant Zinnias. Of course, these flowers are notoriously easy to plant. Hence, it's popularity with second grade teachers to give out as science projects. It's just nice to see things grow. In true germinator fashion (feign the German accent now) "I'll be back....with updates.

"

Mexico Typico

2006-08-20T12:58:00.000-07:00

Thanks to our friend Guy, we have our new favorite restaurant. Located in Union City near the Hayward border, it's a total dive called Mexico Typico. Pros: family-oriented, friendly service, generous portions of homestyle Mexican cooking. Cons: blaring Spanish MTV throughout the meal. Did I mention it's totally affordable? Our average bill is $18, would be even less if Andreas doesn't order a Corona. Axel loves the cheese quesadilla with a mandarin Jaritos. Love it.

Above is a photo this shrimp thing made with tequilla. The other dish is a chimichanga.

C is for Comfort

2006-08-20T01:35:00.000-07:00

My son with his new best friend, Cookie Monster. Photo taken at Half Moon Bay State Beach.

Man, I'm Old!

2006-08-18T11:14:00.000-07:00

A birthday email from my friend Josephine...

George Carlin's View on Aging

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids?

If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about aging that you think in fractions.
"How old are you?"
"I'm four and a half!"
You're never thirty-six and a half. You're four and a half, going on five!
That's the key.

You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back.
You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead.
"How old are you?" "I'm gonna be 16!"
You could be 13, but hey, you're gonna be 16!

And then the greatest day of your life . . .
You become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony . .
YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!

But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there?
Makes you sound like bad milk! He TURNED 30; we had to throw him out.
There's no fun now, you're just a sour-dumpling.

What's wrong? What's changed?

You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40.
Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away.
Before you know it, you REACH 50 and your dreams are gone.

But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!
So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60.
You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70!
After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!
You get into your 80's and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime. And it doesn't end there.

Into the 90's, you start going backwards; "I Was JUST 92."

Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. "I'm 100 and a half!"

May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!

Happy Birthday to me!

The Inconstant Gardener

2006-08-12T14:50:00.000-07:00

I started a new hobby. With the help of totally awesome book You Grow, Girl! and some cyber pals, I sat down one day in a patch of land and started digging away. I'm not *quite* ready to commit to an entire garden but I did commit to a few potted plants. Under my ward now are three pink dahlias, 1 sunflower, 1 lantana and several zinnia seeds that have yet to make an appearance. There are also some shrubs and assorted greens an aunt gave me. After two weeks of on and off gardening, I've learned some stuff.

#1. Gardening is a great bonding activity for a parent and a toddler. Who could ask for more? The toddler digging in the dirt, looking for worms and slugs while you can work on the more ardouous tasks nearby. It's bliss.

#2. Wearing gardening gloves is absolutely essential. I like feeling the grit of soil between my fingers but I can't stand being bitten by fire ants, getting tiny rocks under my nails, and minute cuts from sharp leaves.

#3. Digging in soil brings out the inner child. I honestly don't know why people hate weeding. I love it. I'm constantly looking for little weed sprouts to dig up and unroot. It's so much fun!

I know I must have the green thumb gene in me somewhere. My greatgrandfathers on both sides were farmers so maybe instinct has kicked in. Let's see how this newest project fares. I want to try growing herbs but our backyard doesn't receive a lot of sun, so I don't think that's feasible. I must do research on shade-loving plants.

The lyrics of one of my favorite rock musicals come to mind. The Little Shop of Horrors

I've given you sunshine
I've given you dirt.
You've given me nothing
But heartache and hurt.
I'm beggin' you sweetly.
I'm down on my knees.
Oh, please-grow for me!

Go Giants!

2006-07-22T23:51:00.000-07:00

"Take me out to the ballgame,
Take me out with the crowd.
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,
I don't care if I never get back...

Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game."

We got free tickets to the Giants-Padres game and jumped at the chance at the 'real' ballgame experience - the rowdy crowds, the beer in plastic cups, Barry Bonds. And to top it off, the game landed on "Spare the Air" day so all BART rides were free! So we hopped on the 6:00pm train to the city and ventured into the crowds at the AT&T Park. First off, all we noticed that the crowds were very family oriented, lots of orange jerseys, lot of garlic fries. The game seemed secondary to the food itself, which wasn't just limited to hotdogs and cracker jacks. Suprisingly, churros was a hot item. We reluctantly bought a $5 cotton candy for Axel.

Disappointingly enough, the Barry Bonds homer didn't happen. The Padres were smart enough to walk him not one, but two times - the second time by hitting him above the knee. =( That benched him for the rest of the game. Click here for a game blow-by-blow.

On the promenade level, families and other baseball fans hung out without even watching the game. The giant coke bottle is actually a slide! I bet Axel will love that when he's older. The eening was capped off with a 15 minute firework exhibit. It was truly awesome.

Running in my head.

2006-07-22T02:23:00.000-07:00

...are the lyrics of Lisa Loeb's song "Fools like me."
Pretty catchy.

But I did, I can
I was, I am
Only human, living, dying
Just like any fool who ever breathed
If love is blind
If love's a drug
It always is
It always was and
Love was surely made for fools like me.

Ode to a Loyal Friend

2006-07-17T00:36:00.000-07:00

June 16 1997 - July 17, 2006
Goodbye, dear Murphy.

I received the sad news today that my black dachshund Murphy passed away from heartworm. She was sick for some time now but finally, her little heart just gave up.

Here's my little eulogy.

I first laid eyes on Murphy as she peered up from her cardboard box somewhere in Quezon City. My husband (then boyfriend of 4 years) wanted to give me a special Xmas present and I was going to choose one from a litter of three puppies. Her real name is actually Alanis (siblings: Aramina and Armageddon) which I changed immediately. I had already chosen the name Murphy because I was expected to buy a brown dashshund, hence the full name Murphy Brown. But instead, we ended up with a scrawny black one. She looked at us with soulful eyes and well, we scrapped the name idea and brought her home.

That first night with Murphy at home was terrible. I consider it my first taste of parenthood. She bawled all night, peed everywhere and wouldn't leave my side. But as Murphy grew up, she inarguably became the alpha female of the house. Barely 12 inches tall and 20 incles long, she could stand up to any dog or person that came her way. She could outwit her dog trainer Joseph any day of the week, fleeing for the highground when she heard him at the gate. She had a great distaste for any man without a shirt on, therfore making us forewarn any gardeners or carpenters who might be tempted to strip. To our dismay, she bit not one, not two, but three men who happened to come too close to our gate unaware.

Murphy was fiercely loyal and extremely territorial. I joked that she was part lion cuz she moved the grace of a cat, and had the unneediness of one too. At the end of the day, she'd casually come over to your lap for a quick stroke and when she had her fill, would be content to sit on your feet while you watched TV. Perhaps a little identity crisis?

I can't recall how many puppies Murphy produced with her husband Malcolm but I do remember that she was a good mom, practically nursing them til she became reed thin. And she was always protective, guarding them from harm, as much as she protected us and the household. When we eventually sold her puppies, she prodded them off into the 'real world' without a backward glance and (so I imagined), mourned their loss privately.

She was also a real warfreak, getting into fights with our other dog Polka. She and Polka had a love triangle over the white part-Dalmation-part-Labrador Apollo. When they were in heat, they'd fight to the death for their true love. I remember being 7 months pregnant with my son, carrying a bloodied Murphy to the veterinarian. That's the way she was, very passionate about everything.

And I can't forget the time we were driving her and Malcolm to the vet for the immunization shots. Both dogs were secured and tied in the back of the pickup truck. We grew alarmed, when we noticed that Malcolm was barking over the edge of the truck frantically. Upon looking at the rearview mirror, we discover that poor Murphy had jumped off the truck and was running along side the vehicle on her tiny legs. It's a miracle she didn't die having been dragged by the leash for almost a kilometer! But she was determined to run alongside as fast as her 6 inch legs would take her. It was the most horrific, yet most hilarious moment of our life as pet-owners.

Yeah, Murphy was a good dog. I'll miss her a lot.

Happy Birthday Schatze

2006-07-07T21:13:00.000-07:00

Some people don't need 33 reasons to jump for joy. =)

When Backs are Turned

2006-07-03T01:21:00.000-07:00

I step out of the room for a *split* second and when I return I find an open bottle of Vicks, a grinning child and a greasy mohwak. I just had to snap this.

Sugar Spice and Everything Nice

2006-07-02T01:24:00.000-07:00

Here are my two favorite shots from a recent client pictorial. 2 1/2 year old twins Mak and Brett were so adorable and fun to shoot. It was impossible to take a bad photo of them.

Napa Valley Train

2006-06-26T00:52:00.000-07:00

Welcome aboard the Napa Valley Train! An experience straight out of an Agatha Cristi novel. The trains themselves are from the 1920s and refurbished into a mobile fine dining restaurant. They serve lunch and dinner while you tour 3-hours around Napa county.

My mom, sister and brother are visiting from out of town, and we wanted to try something different. It seemed ideal: less stress, no walking, lots of food and plenty of wine, what more could one ask for? We enjoyed it a lot, and since the train was very slow you could enjoy the landscape. There was also a wine tasting
compartment but we did not bother going there anymore. After all the complimentary wine and the motion of the train, you feel a little whoozy.

In the photo below, you can see the gorgeous salmon we ate, served with a little caviar, capers, olives and whipped cream. Desert was a vanilla creme brulee. I gained 10 pounds just looking at it. The cuisine was first class, and the ride picturesque. A good way to spend an afternoon and approximately $80.

Finally...

2006-06-25T01:15:00.000-07:00

... a decent portait of me and my husband, taken by my sister Rachel at Muir Woods, CA. I set up the lighting, she pressed the shutter. I'm always behind the camera that by looking at our family portraits, you'd think my son was an orphan. Well, finally here's photographic proof I exist!

Back in the Saddle Again...

2006-06-12T14:56:00.000-07:00

*drumroll please* Presenting my first professional portrait pictorial in six months! I couldn't have asked for better models, lighting conditions and background. Everything just worked out seamlessly. More photos can be found here.

My new photography business name is ::photograffiti:: I am currently constructing my business website and it's exciting to be doing something FOR ME again. It felt invigorating to be working again, capturing those toothy grins and chubby yummy baby feet. Thanks Ella and Julz for helping me rediscover myself again.

Dwarfed by Sequoias

2006-05-27T10:04:00.000-07:00

There's something humbling about walking through a forest of trees over three thousand years old. During a recent visit to Yosemite Park, we ohheed and ahhed at these living giants. I tried to imagine how Merry and Pippin must have felt after being kidnapped by the ents, and shuddered at the thought. Many legends tell tales (including a favorite of mine by Jane Yolen) of walking trees and if they were true, maybe the world would be a better albeit creepier place.

Say Cheese!

2006-05-18T13:52:00.000-07:00

After referring to the government's website guidelines to taking passport photos, I discovered that ever since 9/11, they do not allow smiles in photos. In their words, the subjects should have a "neutral" expression. Try telling that to a lively three year old. Here's my attempt to get my son to pose.

Me: Okey, here we go. Let's try to get this photo, anak. Please DON'T smile. I said close your mouth!

Me: That's much better but you're still smiling!

Me: Oh honey. Please don't frown!

Me: Oh!!! I'm sorry the flash bothers you.

Me: Much much better. Just try to look at the camera.

Me: Perfect! Good job.

Jackson Pollack Wannabee

2006-05-15T13:40:00.000-07:00

A scene from a typical morning with Axel.

Angela and Mike

2006-05-14T21:36:00.000-07:00

My first real shoot in a long time....

These shots were taken at the quintessential engagement pictorial spot in San Francisco - Place of Fine Arts. Thanks to Eric and Glenn for the help. Angela and Mike were great mow-dels. Salamat!

Are you looking at me?

2006-05-11T00:04:00.000-07:00

This little squirrel challenged me to the staring game. I lost.

Domesticating Me

2006-05-10T23:43:00.000-07:00

Laundry seems to consume my days. At all given times, I either have to do a load of laundry, fold a load of laundry, put a load of laundry into the dryer (it's been in the washer for two days already), or decide whether to transfer a load of laundry from the bed into the basket or on the dining table. Sometimes I choose the dining table because it's a visual reminder that I need to fold it. *sigh* Such issues. I'm so lame.

So in efforts to make my domestic life a little easier, I succumbed to true consumerism via the HSN (or to you rural folk, Home Shopping Network.) The product in discussion? The fabulous Flip'n'Fold!

Ah...the Flip'n'Fold, its lackluster folds don't reveal the joy within. In truth, it looks pretty flimsy. And upon closer inspection, it's just a piece of plastic, that folds into three portions with a little flip at the end. And it doesn't even fold the laundry for you - you still need to fold it yourself. But what it does for you is help you fold laundry EXACTLY the same size everytime! It makes the closets and drawers a whole lot neater, and makes the task of laundry-folding a little less mundane. And for someone whose days' highlight is naptime, there is the really giddy satisfaction of having neatly folded clothes.

How much you may ask, is the price of this fantastic contraption? According to the website, it's about $15. Well worth every penny for a organizing freak like me.

Now back to regular programming. Change channel now.

The 8th Dwarf

2006-04-30T01:34:00.000-07:00

Droopy.

Random Axel Photo

2006-04-21T23:41:00.000-07:00

Taken at Monterey, CA

Monterey is more than a Meatshop

2006-04-17T20:38:00.000-07:00

Okey, forgive me when the first things that pop in my head after hearing the word Monterey are shortribs, BBQ cut and ground beef. Apparently, Monterey is more than a meatshop. It's a beautiful coastal town, and it's just 90 miles away from where we live. How fast can you say, Road Trip??

Driving down Highway 1 brought us past some of the most beautiful landscape and coastal seascapes I've seen in my life. After following mapquest's directions and getting lost once - we finally made it to the oh-so-touristy Cannery row. Yummy taffy, small tourist traps and jazz players. John Steinbeck once wrote that fish were no longer caught here, nowadays it's tourists that get caught and drawn in. Despite the cheese and busloads of Japanese tourists, we really enjoyed it. Being close to the beach always made us happy. My son literally squealed when he saw the sand. In less a minute, his shoes were off and he was frolicking on the shore like the three year old he is.

Monterey Bay Aquarium was amazing. We had so much fun looking at the stinky penguins, the sea otters, and the jelly fish. My favorite moment was when Axel poked and proded a sea cucumber. The marine biologist on duty was especially alarmed when she saw him smooshing it around and patting it like a puppy dog.

In the afternoon, we went on our own way to look for some grub when we saw the sunset going down on the bay so we took a quick detour. The air was salty and fresh, the seascape was rough and wild. I wanted to capture photos of the beach, which was lined with huge rocks smattered with some patches of green and violet. Despite my many layers, I wasn't dressed warmly enough, my fingers were shaking as I clicked the shutter and the wind kept knocking me over. I didn't even attempt to set up my tripod.

When we arrived at the hotel again, there was a power outage. Yes, apparently these things happen in the United States too. The innkeeper tells us there was a tree that fell down on some power cords. So what were we to do? Good thing the innkeeper decided to throw some logs in the fireplace and build a fire. It was so rustic and old-fashioned. Some other guests came into the lobby and we enjoyed some chitchat. Axel warmed up to a golden retriever named Chance. After about 45 minutes, the electricity came on and we went to our rooms and promptly fell asleep with our dreams filled with happy thoughts. You know it's a perfect day when even the bad parts are good.

Easter Balut

2006-04-16T08:25:00.000-07:00

We found balut at the nearby Farmer's Market! Coolness! So, we don't have Easter eggs adorning our house, but we do have yummy balut. Fear factor, eat your heart out.

Happy Easter everyone!

Crash

2006-04-15T22:43:00.000-07:00

I've become really selective about the movies I watch. Not that it's by choice but with all the responsibilities tugging at my sleeve, I don't have a lot of time. Since Crash won this year's Best Movie Oscar, I figure it should be good. It wasn't just good. It blew me away.

If you haven't seen the film yet, I won't spoil the ending for you. But here's what I liked about it. The film doesn't tackle prejudice and racism as a national issue but as something deeply personal and encountered everyday by everyone. The story unfolds through life vignettes of the multi-racial characters in urban melting pot Los Angeles. The film acknowledges that racism and reverse racism exists in this day and age, even 51 years after Rosa Parks made a stand. Or rather, stayed in her seat. One difference lies between the racism of the past and the racism of today. Instead of being loud and violent -- it's repressed, polite and tight-lipped. This is the first film I've seen that depicts it faithfully as experienced in life. I felt oddly liberated after watching the film. My gut instincts and fears about living and surviving in America validated. It was the Significant Human Experience, shared.

Hedwig!

2006-04-14T22:34:00.000-07:00

After ages of looking for Hedwig and the Angry Inch, I finally got my grubby hands on a copy. I fell in love once again with this song.

Origin of Love (exerpt)

When the earth was still flat,
And the clouds made of fire,
And mountains stretched up to the sky,
Sometimes higher,
Folks roamed the earth
Like big rolling kegs.
They had two sets of arms.
They had two sets of legs.
They had two faces peering
Out of one giant head
So they could watch all around them
As they talked; while they read.
And they never knew nothing of love.
It was before the origin of love.

The origin of love

And there were three sexes then,
One that looked like two men
Glued up back to back,
Called the children of the sun.
And similar in shape and girth
Were the children of the earth.
They looked like two girls
Rolled up in one.
And the children of the moon
Looked like a fork shoved on a spoon.
They was part sun, part earth,
Part daughter, part son.

The origin of love.

Now the gods grew quite scared
Of our strength and defiance
And Thor said,
"I'm gonna kill them all
With my hammer,
Like I killed the giants."
But the Zeus said, "No,
You better let me
Use my lightning, like scissors,
Like I cut the legs off the whales
And dinosaurs into lizards."
Then he grabbed up some bolts
And he let out a laugh,
Said, "I'll split them right down the middle.
Gonna cut them right up in half."
And then storm clouds gathered above
Into great balls of fire

And then fire shot down
From the sky in bolts
Like shining blades
Of a knife.
And it ripped
Right through the flesh
Of the children of the sun
And the moon
And the earth.
And some Indian god
Sewed the wound up into a hole,
Pulled it round to our belly
To remind us of the price we pay.
And Osiris and the gods of the Nile
Gathered up a big storm
To blow a hurricane,
To scatter us away,
In a flood of wind and rain,
And a sea of tidal waves,
To wash us all away,
And if we don't behave
They'll cut us down again
And we'll be hopping around on one foot
And looking through one eye.

Last time I saw you
We had just split in two.
You was looking at me.
I was looking at you.
You had a way so familiar,
But I could not recognize,
Cause you had blood on your face;
I had blood in my eyes.
But I could swear by your expression
That the pain down in your soul
Was the same as the one down in mine.
That's the pain,
Cuts a straight line
Down through the heart,
We called it love.
So we wrapped our arms around each other,
Trying to shove ourselves back together.
We was making love,
Making love.
It was a cold dark evening,
Such a long time ago,
When by the mighty hand of Jove,
It was the sad story
How we became
Lonely two-legged creatures,
It's the story of
The origin of love.
That's the origin of love.

Tuloy po kayo

2006-04-06T22:19:00.000-07:00

After a month of living in our new cozy apartment, we played hosts to our first houseguests. Okey, dinner guests. It was strange having people over as we got so used to just the three of us in our space. I suddenly became very conscious of our bathroom grit and kitchen scum, although I know I was probably magnifying it in my mind. But it was great to have adult conversation, kick back with a beer and eat some good food.

Thanks Dyna and Jojo (+ family) for dropping by our humble abode.

My First Library Book

2006-03-20T17:59:00.000-08:00

The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides

I love my public library. I read this novel in a day, while nursing a feverish child to health. Basically, he was asleep and used me as a pillow while I read on immobile. I watched the Sophia Copolla-directed film a few years back and it always haunted me. Suicide and depression are usually mood-dampening themes but somehow I felt lighter after reading this one. Made me think, "well at least I'm not THAT screwed up."

Good light reading on a rainy day. Very intriguing, I was drawn in immediately.

Axel Turns Three

2006-03-17T21:22:00.000-08:00

Background music: Happy Birthday by Altered Images

Happy Birthday to Axel! Since he is (still) such a Blues Clues nut, we made his day special with (yet another) Blues Clues theme celebration. Despite the huge contrast from last year's shindig - he still had loads of fun. His gifts: a Blues Clues balloon, a Tickety-tock clock (bought from Ebay), a Blues Clues jacket (also from ebay) a 'Get to Know Joe' DVD from Tita Reitch and a Thinking Chair (yet again from ebay) from Oma and Lolo), and a cool red Radio Flyer tricycle from Lola.

Lunch was at his favorite restaurant, McDonalds. Dinner was crispy pata, pancit and lumpia courtesy of Lola Cheekie and Lolo Danny, who came over to visit. I bought an $8 cake at Albertson's and stuck in a grocery bought candle.

At the end of the day, Axel contemplated his life as an older and wise three-year-old while sitting on his thinking chair.

Warming our House

2006-03-12T20:43:00.000-08:00

Lovely flowers from our friends Mabel and Steven =)

Second Hand Rules!

2006-03-01T12:30:00.000-08:00

Since our arrival in the Bay area, I haven't been able to stop that internal exchange rate caluculator whenever we go shopping. PhP51=$1. So until this calculator runs out of batteries, I've found great shopping pleasure in anything second-hand!

My top favorites are Goodwill on Geary Street, downtown San Francisco, ebay.com, craigslist and Discovery Shop (benefitting the American Cancer Society). We also do regular rounds of garage sales but discovered most of the good stuff is already on-line. I've found brand new Osh Kosh and Carters outfits for my son at $1-2 each, old Navy fleece-lined jeans for $6. On ebay, I've won a Banana Republic suede leather jacket for $30. My favorite purchase is a second hand Fuji S2 camera for $600, which came with a 3 year warrantee and lots of freebies. And my husband was able to assemble an entire bike from parts advertised on craigslist.com, with a free toddler helmet and wheel thrown in. It's wonderful. I love it.

Of course, there comes a twinge of guilt that all my lovely cheap stuff is ultimately a product of a society of excess. But I get over it as soon as I think of the savings.

Now to finally win an auction on that gorgeous elusive Coach bag on ebay.

Ikea is Swedish for addiction.

2006-02-28T12:31:00.000-08:00

Man oh man. 6 weeks and I've been to Ikea about 6 times, an average of once a week. Is it the intoxicating box organizers that lures me back, perhaps the 99 cent breakfast? Or the fact that even my son and husband, both with attention spans of three year old enjoy it too?

Just check out the goodies we brought home.

Fat Fighters

2006-02-28T12:21:00.000-08:00

I've discovered the best fat fighter! Walking the hills of San Francisco while carrying a 30 pound toddler. I've lost a total of 8 pounds in 6 weeks!

Lovely Loo Literature

2006-02-24T12:24:00.000-08:00

Looking for an interesting read while doing your morning business? We found the perfect book! Mind you, it's not for the faint of heart or stomach. The chapters are short enough to finish from the first grunt to the wipe of the tissue!

Gabby Gets Real

2006-02-18T23:26:00.000-08:00

...Estate! Ever wondered what happened to the 80s matinee idol Gabby Concepcion, after that oh so scandalous Metro film festival scam??? I found this ad in a recent edition of a Bay area newspaper, targetted for the Filipino community.

Take it! Take it!

Axel is Universally Cute

2006-01-21T19:10:00.000-08:00

I've always wondered about my son. Back at home, people commented on how good looking he was. Perhaps it was just his fair skin, I thought. But now I have affirmation that my son is universally cute. We can't count how many comments he gets on the streets from strangers, of different backgrounds and ethnicities. Of course now I'll have to find an alien creature to proclaim my son's adorable, to truly validate my above statement but until then, please bare with me!!

The Surreal World

2006-01-21T17:54:00.000-08:00

I can't believe we are finally here in San Francisco. Everything seemed like one big blur, with images hastily crossfading into each other. I am here, sitting at the studio apartment I had only just googled about over 6 months ago!

Our Cathay Pacific flight was good. No lost or delayed luggage, food palatable, crew extremely friendly. I would rate the entire experience a 9/10. Things were a bit harder for Andreas who took charge of the baggage, while I took charge of the baby duties. I had the easier time I think because generally, Axel was a good boy at the airport, bribed with lollipops to behave. We arrived at 4:30 for an 8:10pm flight , no traffic en route. I'm glad we arrived when we did because the lines grew fast and within 5 minutes of our arrival, the line snaked around the entire NAIA lobby. I think we were among the first 20 checked in for the flight. The ground steward didn't even make a fuss about the luggage (which I strongly suspect were overweight). Immigration went well too. Payment for the exit clearance went without a hitch as well. All they needed were the ACR, passport, a valid exit permit and P2250.

I remember stopping over at HK airport before and I always noticed how nice it was that there was a playground for kids to let off steam. It worked great with Axel! He fell asleep within 10 minutes of the take-off, he was out like a lightbulb and slept the entire 11 hour flight!!!

Our location is great! The neighborhood reeks of vintage San Francisco and visions of Armistad Maupin. So diverse! Lots of aged hippies, Chinese storeowners and upscale yuppies. Our place has a view of the Golden Gate Bridge, but it's been foggy so we only catch portions of it. We are also getting a lot of exercise. It feels like we are constantly on Stairmaster, hilly terrain, level 7!

Some early impressions of San Francisco:
1) Weather is highly unpredictable. We woke up to 10 degrees celsius, it misted over, then had some rain and then as walked into another neighborhood, the sun was shining.
2) There are a LOT of Asians. The minority has become the majority. We feel right at home here.
3) There are homeless people, even in the good neighborhoods. You find them snuggled under covered shop entrances, bundled in blankets and sleeping on newspapers. They scavenge through garbage to find food. Funny how you notice the differences. In colder climates, people freeze to death. In the Philippines, hunger consumes people. Life is hard all around.

Motorcycle Diaries

2006-01-12T12:20:00.000-08:00

Ah, my new favorite movie.

I just finished the 2004 release Motorcycle Diaries (Walter Salles, Director), and I'm in awe. An adaption of the legendary diary of Che Guevarra, the film follows the voyage of young Che (when he was still known as Ernesto) and his friend Alberto across South America on their motorcycle. It's a tale of the youthful revolutionary spirit and how ideas and idealism can change the world. The simulated black and white images of South America and its people were moving and captivating. Set in the late 50's, I am somewhat stunned that over half a a century has passed and how little progress has been made. We have so much to do before we can change the world and its narrow mindset.

Check out the official website www.motorcyclediariesmovie.com

And did I mention, those deep dark intense eyes of Gael Garcia Bernal? I'm sweating already!

Knock on Wood!

2006-01-06T13:14:00.000-08:00

Happy Anniversary to us, Happy Anniversary to Us, Happy Anniversary, Happy Anniversary, Happy Aniversary to us!

It's been a great
2,608,000 minutes
43,800 hours
1,825 days
of
5 years
of married life.

But who's counting!? Love you schatze.

5 year anniversary = wood

A Long Way Down

2006-01-01T12:57:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

I ended 2005 by (finally!) finishing the novel A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby. How apt. The novel tells four different stories of dispair: the wash-out TV presenter, the religious mother who cares for her son, the rebel punkette aka the 'poor little rich girl' and the rockstar wannabee. What they have in common is they all attempt to commit suicide on New Years Eve at the same rooftop. The novel was hilarious from start to finish but scared me a bit because I could relate to a lot of the issues there. Not that I'd ever want to commit suicide but somehow it gave me an inside scope on what goes inside the heads of those who do. I'm still not sure if I like the novel but it did get my brain cranking. It's a dark read definitely, but hilariously so.

Isn't there a song that goes ... "suicide is painless?" Opps, it's from the theme from M*A*S*H.

Incidentally, MY new year's celebration was far from desperate. We celebrated with all our loved ones and had a grand time. Lots of love, lots of hope and lots of prayers for the New Year. I hope yours was great too.

Goodbye, House.

2005-12-15T23:32:00.000-08:00

Closing time
Time for you to go out to the places you will be from
Closing time
This room won't be open till your brothers or your
sisters come
So gather up your jackets, move it to the exits
I hope you have found a friend
Closing time
Every new beginning comes from some other
beginning's end.

~~lyrics from "Closing Time" by Semisonic

We handed over the keys, and the new owners handed over the last one million peso check to my mom. It's final. Finito. The house has been sold. And we will never walk its steep stairwells, roam the dusty corridors or taste the sweet santol from the trees in our backyard.

As my sister, husband and I did our last "possession check" at the house, I wanted to cry. But no tears came. It was like taking care of an old relative in a coma, who after years of attendance, just never woke up and just died in her sleep. As the house's caregivers, we were already all cried out. No tears came.

This is what it is. The house's natural death. Or as my friend Ian put it, another hard-edged chapter ender.

Good morning Ginseng

2005-12-11T23:40:00.000-08:00

I no longer have asthma and I am sleeping full-nights. I feel so much better!!! Although I have been put on on steroids, antihistimines and nasal sprays - I attribute my new found health to the one-day forced vacation at the hospital.

Plus the fact that the house ordeal is almost over. But I've also been taking two wonder herbal teas.

Korean Red Ginseng Tea
One of the "biggies" of the herbal world, red ginseng is a cure-all for most ailments. I drink it daily instead of coffee and now feel lighter and more energetic. Supposedly, the Korean Red Ginseng tea promotes a soothing effect on the human body and mind. It is said that due to its unique nature the Korean Red Ginseng tea promotes a peculiar state of calmness, while at the same time sharpens the mind

Hawthorne Juice
Known as an anti-oxidant and anti-depressent, Hawthorne is used mainly to support a healthy heart. The leaves, berries and flowers are rich in flavonoids and proanthocyanidins, renowned for their ability to support the normal activity and integrity of the heart. My doctor also prescribed it to help me metabolize cholesterol because I had been gaining a lot of weight.

Sickboy and Sickmom

2005-12-06T22:01:00.000-08:00

I'm back at home, taking things easy and guess who gets an asthma attack?? Poor baby.

Hospital Scam

2005-12-06T21:35:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to share with you this new scam we personally experienced while I was confined at Medical City. No worries, I'm okey now and back at home. Just had asthma, and the fatigue and stress probably got the best of me. I have a new arsenal of antihistimines, steriods and nebulization treatments.

Anyhow, this is more important. Apparently, these hospital phone scams have become rampant. I'm not sure if they happen in other hospitals as well, but it's best to be aware that it happens.

After we were settled in our hospital room, we got a phone call from an "operator" who asked for the patient's name for verification because my doctor was on the line and wanted to talk to me. My husband, who's the #1 cynic in the world, gave me name with major hesitation. Then, a man was transferred to the line. He asked me about my condition and he truly sounded like a doctor, mature, knowledgeable, good English. Anyway, he made conversation, apologized that he'd be late for his rounds today and if he could ask us a favor. That is, that he's helping out some foreign doctors and needs some dollars changed. If we could forward daw P15,000 to two
nurses and than he'll give us $300 when he does his rounds.

One hitch: my doctor is a FEMALE.

Andreas already knew that it was a scam but listened to the guy's entire salespitch before telling him politely he had no money with him. The fake doctor then asked if we had an ATM. Ang kapal! Ang kapal!

Immediately after we put down the phone, we called security and then we informed the nurses station. What alarmed us was that 1) the ring from the phone was an internal transfer (not from an outside line) and 2) the scam artist knew the name of our doctor, but not the gender...hehe. We concluded someone is probably going around the floor, jotting down the names of the doctors and made random calls. Our nurses later informed us that on our floor alone, 4 patients received similar scam calls, but with different ploys. Others were asked an advance in professional fees. In a matter of 2 hours or so, the medical city security had sent up extra people to monitor halls, interviewed us for our side of the story, advised us to lock all doors and also had the nurses introduce each and every shift so we were aware of who our REAL nurses were.

We were very happy with the way Medical City handled the situation and of course, we were not stupid enough to fall for such a scam. But what really upset me so much, is how LOW these scam artists will go. They prey on people who are at their weakest and most vulnerable. And when money is very tight, with the anticipation of a huge hospital bill. Some people are so despicable. Or this is a very bad indication of how bad the economy is, this Christmas season.

Sickgirl

2005-12-05T20:40:00.000-08:00

I am now confined at Medical City Hospital. Am. Bored. To Death. But at least I'm breathing =) And a visit from my son cheered me up considerably.

Dying to Breathe

2005-12-05T05:33:00.000-08:00

I can’t fathom how one weekend can start off so great and end so terribly. Saturday morning, my sister and I were able to clean up more garage sale stuff and donate it to a great charity. We met a new great neighbor. I attended the fantabulous wedding of my wonderful friends Peejo and Mabel. And on Sunday night --- my husband rushed to the Emergency room of Medical City Hospital, while I fought for my every breath of air. And ending up vomiting all my dinner too.

It’s 5:27AM now, and I’m still fighting for air. The attending doctor gave me the choice of admittance into the hospital or going home. Being the miser I am, I opted for the latter and now I am majorly regretting it. I had my 6th nebulization treatment in the past 36 days (not counting the three “hospital grade” nebulizations I got at the ER). And yet, I’m still fighting to get the air in. I’m currently sitting on our house’s third floor patio with Gandalf (my laptop). Up here, I can gaze at the open sky and I feel my lungs can get a little bit more air. But the wheeze in my lungs is still very audible and I think I should go to a specialist tomorrow and (maybe) get myself confined.

Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Olivares

2005-12-02T18:49:00.000-08:00

Last night, I watched "Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Olivares". It was such a good movie. I rarely rarely find a Pinoy film that I can praise (and not find a million things to make pintas about), but this one was excellent from script, to acting (the young man who played the lead is one to watch out for - excellent), to direction and cinematography. Not a single frame was wasted.

My only beef was that (I read) that film was shot in digital video and later transferred to film so that it could be viewed in mainstream theatres - Hence, some generation loss and a grainy dark feel. An average movie goer wouldn't probably notice.

I never have a lot of free time and when I watch a movie I feel that I have to chose my movies very carefully. I don't want to come out out a loser (wasted P100, and more importantly, 2 hours of my life that I'll never get back!) Watch this, no regrets. You'll learn things on different levels. It reveals so much about Philippine society, our values, family vs. doing good.
Showed me why I love the Philippines and why I hate it too.

DeMOCKracy

2005-12-01T01:35:00.000-08:00

Finally, out of the house and into a club. Somewhere in the course of giving birth and raising a child, I lost my interest for watching live band music. It wasn’t so much the music itself, crowded rooms, the loud pretentious people, and going home smelling like smoke that annoyed me. I just hated being away from my child at night, or perhaps it was the guilt evoked that I couldn’t take. But tonight was different because my husband’s band “No Respect” was playing its second gig and I couldn’t miss it. The gig was dubbed “DeMOCKracy” and was anti-GMA’s presidency, held at Freedom Bar. Indeed, my husband’s band was good and loud (in that order). They played original music, and one cover of “Opposites Attract.” And my only constructive critcism is that my husband, who’s an excellent guitar player, still needs to learn how to use a unidirectional microphone. All in all, I had fun that evening. Not only did I come home with chimney-smelling hair and a sense of pride of seeing the hubby on stage, but also with these great band photos.

These photos almost didn't make it. About 80% of them were either truncated or corrupted because of faulty CF cards. Thank you to software called Photo Rescue ($29).

God Bless Our Home

2005-11-26T19:57:00.000-08:00

The new house looks good and spotless. After a last few hour mad dash to clean up (aka “hide”) carpentry equipment, loose boxes and stray furniture, we managed to have the townhouse in tip top shape for the house blessing today. (Just don’t open any of the closets, please).

Presiding over the event was the kind priest who had been receiving all our clothes donations at the church: Father Ferdie Santos. We never recognized him as a priest mainly because he looked like he was about 15 years old and was always wearing civilian clothes. The blessing began outside the house, all family members were asked to hold lit candles and the priest sang And the blessing went off without a hitch. He said a few prayers, we responded accordingly that all activities in the house were to be done in the name of God, as witnessed by God. During the entire blessing, my two year old was playing with fire (literally) as he also demanded to hold a small candle. My heart nearly skipped a beat when out of the corner of my eye, he almost lit my brother’s hair on fire. But it was okey, he was under the watchful eye of Oma.

On the menu: Hungarian sausage and salami from Ricky, pancit bihon, lumpiang shanghai and barbecue, all courtesy of Three Sisters and blueberry cheesecake and cupcakes, courtesy of my sister, Rachel. Everything was good.

The only diversion of the day was when we discovered that two family members were sorely missed. Murphy, our black dachshund, had somehow managed to find us. We moved two blocks away and were keeping the dogs at the old house for protection until we install a proper doggie door at the new house. But Murphy managed to find the new home, using only her instinct and wit. This all baffled us because she had never been to the new house before. She was like Benjie! Meanwhile, Malcolm the brown dachshund, made a suicide attempt for attention by blocking one of the cars. The result was another mad dash to the veterinarian to be treated for flesh wounds. Up until then, we realized our townhouse would not be complete without their presence. Tomorrow, a doggie door will be installed and after a week the dogs will join us in our new hour. But until after a medicated flea bath!

Another univited guest came as well: the yellow butterfly. In fact, we already named her Lola. Whether that's Lola (like from Her name is Lola, she was a showgirl) or my Lola Barbara, we leave that up to you. But right now as I'm writing this, she is now perched outside the old white grills we had transferred to the house. Hi Lola.

Paparazzi

2005-11-26T19:54:00.000-08:00

I watched a movie alone for the first time in a long time. It was directed by Mel Gibson and featured some good-looking unknown. Here’s a synopsis. One good actor gets into a Dianaeque accident, after being chansed down by 4 nasty evil paparazzi photographers. The accident results in a spleenless wife and a his 5 year old son in a coma (I know, I know, it’s serious) Eventually, he gets revenge he craves and the justice he deserves. The entire movie reeked of bad acting, campy scriptlines and celebrity cameos. Really, Mel. You shouldn’t have.

More Bubbles Please

2005-11-25T17:51:00.000-08:00

“You’ve changed. You're less Bubbly.” Words told to me by a friend recently, whom I hadn’t seen in about two years. Sad thing, she’s probably right. Funny thing, I never thought I was bubbly, only bouncy and sarcastic.

My Rock Star Hair

2005-11-21T19:48:00.000-08:00

In yet another effort to relax and unwind, I went to the beauty parlor with my sister for a few hours. My regular stylist had moved to the Megamall branch, which was known to be rowdy, chaotic and loud. I had followed him there several times before but the crowd always put me off. So instead, I decide to try a new stylist at the Podium brand. I ended up looking like that chick from the 80s glam rock band Heart. I'm not a happy camper. My hair is simply too thick and wavy to carry off the thinned out layered look. I’ve been wearing my hair in a ponytail every since. I need to get myself to my old stylist to rectify the situation (ouch, go even shorter) or have my hair chemically relaxed. The irony of it, get your hair relaxed to get totally relaxed about my hair!

The Human Pincushion

2005-11-19T16:13:00.000-08:00

After months of complaining of rashes, asthma and insomnia, I finally found some time-out to visit my favorite doctor / accupuncturist at Healthdev in Ateneo. I like going to an accupuncturist because it's like a one-stop check-up. Otherwise, I'd have to go to a dermatologist, a psychiatrist and a lung doctor.

This visit was a bit different. I was diagnosed with both Kidney YIN and YANG deficiency. Then, doctor proceeded to put in a total of sixteen needles: (2) in my head, (2) in my neck (4) in my back (2) in my hands (2) in my arms and (4) in my ankles. When I got home, I did some research and found this definition of my prognosis.

"Kidney Yang is the foundation of body Yang Qi. It is responsible for warming, maintenance of the organs and tissues as well as organ function. Because both yin and yang are housed in the kidney, the ancient OM therapists considered it the “house of water and fire”.

Essence is yin known as Kidney yin and kidney Qi is kidney Yang. If kidney yin is deficient, it fails to harmonize yang and becomes excess. Symptoms are 5-palm heat (heat in the chest, palms and soles) afternoon fever, night sweats, and seminal emission in males and sexual dysfunction in females. When kidney Yang is deficient, symptoms include, coldness, pain in the lumbar region and knees, cold limbs, lack of spirit, impotence in men and frigidity and infertility in woman. If kidney deficiency is associated with cold it is known as deficiency of the kidney essence or Qi."

What does this mean? That's I'm cold, frigid and tired? I just hope I get better soon. I'm running on empty now. Now I'm in serach of Korean ginseng herbs. To be drunk every morning with hot water, no sugar. Hmm..I'm not excited about that.