Happy 3 years --

Just realized that my blog is 3 years old this October. How time flies!

TOday I spend time looking back at previous entries, searching for my annual Christmas Want List because I'm getting ready to make this year's list -- and I find that I still have the same things on my list -- one or two things get added, but they all basically fall under the same categories. ^_^

* * *

More on Changes --

It was my youngest brother who introduced Johann to Mozilla Firefox a year ago and I remember saying that I would never, EVER switch to Firefox.

See me eat my words.

I love Firefox and how user friendly it is. I also like the tabs at the top and how you can "custom" your tabs. I like that it isn't as buggy as IE.

And today my sister tells me she's made the switch as well and she discovered Themes for Firefox. ^_^

* * *

In TV News --

We bought and finished watching Entourage. It's clever and well-written and I love the character of Ari Gold -- definitely a must-watch. ^_^

Trip --

Johann and I will be in Manila for the weekend to attend a friend's wedding. We're also going to be haring around the city doing errands and showing Korean friends (who decided to tag along) the sights (aka Malls).

It's a bit weird leaving Seth for the weekend and I actually couldn't sleep last night just thinking about it.

I read that babies this young still don't have separation anxieties and that it would be relatively easy to "renew" the bond when we come back on Sunday.

But earlier today, for Seth's appointment with his pediatrician, he let out a cry of distress when he got into the car first with his yaya thinking his dad wasn't going with him.

Lord. O_O

* * *

And trip --

The trip to Manila begins on a slightly sad note as Seth's yaya has given notice. She has a two year old who needs her and we don't want to stand in the way of that.

So we're in the market for a new yaya for Seth.

It's such a shame, though -- this yaya was amazing and so smart and was so good for Seth.

~sigh~

Interesting --

An official sequel to Peter Pan.

The Last Two Weeks --

September 24, Sunday
Fetched Seth's (future) ninang Rebecca from the airport and had dinner with her at Emilion -- a Filipino Fusion restaurant here in Iloilo. The grilled marlin was amazing! We ordered "Ham Litson" which sounded intriguing but was nothing more than ham. Just ham. With a sweet glaze.

September 25, Monday
Took Rebecca sightseeing and pasalubong shopping. Lunch at Breakthrough. We had scallops and bangus and lechon. Everything was good! We brought Seth around with us in the afternoon and he really enjoyed cruising around the city.

September 26, Tuesday
Rebecca was taking the afternoon flight out of Iloilo so we hung out in our house and played with Seth. ^_^

>>>>>Flash forward to:
September 30, Saturday
My mother in-law came to town to see her grandson. My parents were out for the weekend for a marriage retreat which they organized for the BCBP so we were left holding down the fort.

October 1, Sunday
Had lunch at Rai Rai Ken -- the cooking that day was amazing! Johann had the Charsiu Pork Ramen and I had the Chicken Teriyaki Don and Mom in-law had Seafood Hotpot Ramen and everything was GOOOOOOD! Yum!

>>>>>>Flash forward to:
Yesterday, October 4
Johann and I finally got to watch Devil Wear Prada. Meryl Streep was amaizing and so flawless. I love her character's composure!

Was also very pleased to discover that The Prestige is showing on November 8. H'ray!

Death by Chocolate --

I accidentally stumbled upon this blog when I was looking for a recipe on Martha Stewart's website. (It was a recipe for the chocolate pudding cake that she made when Rosie O'Donnell was on her show.)

Chocoblog

It's a blog where they review different chocolate candies and bars. Yum!

Updates --

So, Johann and I are currently addicted to watching The OC and our favorite character is ...

Seth Cohen.

To clarify, we didn't name our Seth after Seth Cohen. In fact, we hesitated naming Seth "Seth" because we thought people would associate his name with the character from The OC.

We've been spending a lot of time hanging out with Korean friends (who live in one of our properties) and last night, they treated us to Korean food. It was an interesting and very spicy education. ^_^

I now have my brother's laptop so expect me to update more often because I get to spend time with Seth and still be connected to the rest of the world.

The Devil Wears Prada is finally being shown in local cinemas so we might watch it next week with my sister.

Seth (future) ninang is going to be in town for a few days on business so we'll spend time with her and tour her around the city.

Auster is a mind reader --

It wasn't that he had ever wanted a great deal from life, but the little he wanted turned out to be beyond his grasp: to finish his doctorate, to find a place in some university English department, and then to spend the next forty or fifty years teaching and writing books. That was all he had ever aspired to, with a wife thrown into the bargain, maybe, and a kid or two to go along with her. It had never felt like too much to ask for, but after three years of struggling to write his dissertation, Tom finally understood that he didn't have it in him to finish. Or, if he did have it in him, he couldn't persuade himself to belive in the value of doing it anymore.

- From The Brooklyn Follies by Paul Auster

Final Look --

Took a while for me to decide, but I like this new look. ^_^

I got the template from this website.

New Look --

Playing with the look of this blog. I'll try this out for a few weeks and see if I can live with it.

Johann thinks this is appropriate to me because I like popcorn. ^_^

I finished reading ALL of Tracy Chevalier's works and my favorite is still Girl with a Pearl Earring. Fallen Angels was also very compelling.

Currently reading: Paul Auster's Brooklyn Follies

Time for a change --

I've been trying unsuccessfully to change the look of this blog --

Can anyone recommend a good place to find free templates that will be easy for me to modify? (Or can my brothers please make a template for their beloved sister ^_^)

* * *

Been watching --

Prison Break.

Johann and I have been watching a lot of TV Series on DVD.

So far, we've watched:
House MD <-- my choice
Prison Break <-- Johann's choice

I went along with Johann's choice because I've always thought Wentworth Miller was soooooooooooooo cute XD. And then now I'm hooked to the story as well.

Next series to watch:
The O.C. <-- my choice (Not that I need to justify it but, the writer of the series is currently writing Wonder Woman, which I enjoyed reading.)

Memory --

I've been sitting on this entry for the past few days because it sounds sad but it really isn't --

I am slowly forgetting the names of streets in Metro Manila --
Slowly forgetting the names of shops and restaurants --
Slowly forgetting phone numbers and the cost of taking the LRT2 from Katipunan to Gilmore --

I've been in Iloilo for almost 6 months. We've slowly settled into a routine here and life is never boring with Seth around so I really didn't realize how much time had passed until Seth's yaya reminded me that it's already a "-ber" month.

My mom asked me and my sister over dinner a few weeks back whether we preferred Iloilo or Manila. My sister readily answered Iloilo and I said "Iloilo, but a visit to Manila every 3 months to get books."

My sister returned to Manila for the Bookfair and sent me my stash -- the last two Tracy Chevalier books on my list: Fallen Angels and The Virgin Blue and Geraldine Brooks' March.

I'm done with The Virgin Blue (and I didn't like it as much) and I'm starting on Fallen Angels.

* * *

Life measured in reality TV shows --

I've been following Rockstar: Supernova and the show is ending in two weeks. By then, Seth will be 3 months old. (H'ray!) The new season of the Amazing Race is starting very soon as well. There's also the new season of Project: Runway has started on ETC.

I enjoyed making this --

A multiply account featuring my kid ^_^

Bookfair season! --

Please visit my sister's booth at this year's bookfair -- we still have some leftover stock and we're selling everything CHEAP.

We're stall #112.

Japanese manga regardless of size will be P100 each. ^_~ The English stuff will be priced at minimum 50% discount.

Bookfair is from August 30 to September 3.

World Trade Center, Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue (Buendia Ave) corner Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City, Metro Manila. =)

Things Wong Kar-wai Taught Me About Love
by Alice Dallow

1. Requited love is an impossibility.

2. You will fall in love only once. Obstacles will prevail. The rest of your life is spent recovering.

3. Eroticising their possessions will be the pinnacle of your sexual fulfilment.

4. Anything that distracts you from the pain of your loss is good. Some people are more successful in this regard than others.

5. Hook up with someone. Live with them. Sleep with them. Tag along. Don’t be fooled. You are only a transitory distraction. Ask for commitment. Declare your love. Watch the set up evaporate.

6. The most potent way to exist is to occupy someone else’s imagination.

7. Desire is kept eternally alive by the impossibility of contact.

8. Modern communication enabling technologies will only heighten your sense of desolation by making you more keenly aware of the fact that no one is trying to
call.

(Alice Dallow is a long time fan of Wong Kar-wai’s films. In her spare time she makes shorts films and music clips.)

I love --

Tracy Chevalier

I bought a copy of Girl with a Pearl Earring a year ago but only recently read it.

Now I'm reading The Lady and the Unicorn.

I want to get a copy of:
Fallen Angels
Virgin in Blue

>_<

This woman can do no wrong --



Dilana singing "Time After Time"

So far --

I'v seen Superman Returns and PotC: Dead Man's Chest and I'm really looking forward to the next installments next year. ^_^

* * *

Milestones --

Johann and I celebrated our 1st wedding anniversary last Sunday and we treated my family to pizza and pasta. My parents gave us cake. Yum! and my sister created a really lovely photo message for me and Johann. ^_^

Seth turned 1 month old last July 19 and I can feel the "snowball effect" happening already -- in a few more weeks, his blobbiness will disappear and he will start to sit up, grow teeth and eat solids. Grabe! Where does the time go? ^_^

OMG! --

The trailer is out! >_<

The Prestige

Showing this Fall!

July is --

National Ice Cream Month

H'ray!

Am loving this song right now --

Afterglow by INXS
Here I am, lost in the light of the moon that comes through my window
Bathed in blue, the walls of my memory divide the thorns from the roses
It's you and the roses

Touch me and I will follow in your afterglow
Heal me from all this sorrow
As I let you go I will find my way when I see your eyes
Now I'm living in your afterglow

Here I am, lost in the ashes of time, but who wants tomorrow?
In between the longing to hold you again
I'm caught in your shadow, I'm losing control
My mind drifts away, we only have today

Touch me and I will follow in your afterglow
Heal me from all this sorrow
As I let you go I will find my way
I will sacrifice 'til the blinding day when I see your eyes
Now I'm living in your afterglow

When the faith has gone as I let you go, as I let you go

Touch me and I will follow in your afterglow
Heal me from all this sorrow
As I let you go I will find my way, I will sacrifice
Now I'm living in your afterglow

Bathed in blue, the walls of my memory divide the thorns from the roses
It's you who is closest

Achievement! --

We got to watch and finish a dvd today! It came with a lot of stops and starts because we were watching Seth but, wow! -- a whole movie!

* * *

Want to watch --

Superman Returns
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Capote
The Lake House
Cars

* * *

Toys R Us --

Is open in Galleria. Has anyone gone there? How is it?

Wonderful --

This was featured on Yahoo! Video --



* * *

Token Seth Shot --



Tomorrow, Seth turns two weeks old and we are celebrating the milestone by bringing him to his pediatrician for a BCG vaccination. We have heard horror stories about wailing babies and fevers and crankiness post-vaccinations so we have mentally and physically prepared ourselves for such a possibility.

* * *

Token entry on parenting insecurity --

I am slowly learning motherhood --

I've always had a fairly high learning curve and am able to cope well with most situations but this one is different. The subject is unpredictable and fragile as hell.

There are moments when my son cries and I can't soothe him -- I have to hand him off to Johann who can soothe him easily. And I wonder whether that is indication of what kind of parent I am.

I see Seth with his yaya (an AMAZING yaya, btw) and I feel like I've already failed because I can't handle my son on my own.

One evening, after putting Seth to sleep, Johann and I talked about how much we admire Seth's yaya and how calm she is and how capable...

...and how tempting it is to just hand him off to her every time he cries or needs to be changed. (We don't, btw -- we try to be as hands-on as possible and take care of him most of the time.)

When does parenting begin? And are my actions and decisions now affecting how Seth will be in the future?

On a bit of a break --

Am not sure when I'll be able to come back to my blog as I have a new job now -- full-time mom to Seth.

He's currently 5 days old and I am head-over-heels in love with him.



When I have more time, I will write about his birth and everything else that has happened so far.

But, for now -- have to say, bye. ^_^

If you're feeling creative --

Artpad!

(100) Things I Have Lived Through
Put numbers instead of x's (1, 2, 3, 4...).

[1] I have read a lot of books.
[ ] I have been on some sort of varsity team.
[3] I have run more than 2 miles without stopping.
[4] I have been to Canada.

[5] I have been to Europe.
[6] I have watched cartoons for hours.
[7] I have tripped UP the stairs.
[8] I have fallen down an entire flight of stairs.
[ ] I have been snowboarding/skiing.

[9] I have played ping pong.
[ ] I swam in the ocean.
[ ] I have been on a whale watch.
[10] I have seen fireworks.

[ ] I have seen a shooting star.
[ ] I have seen a meteor shower.
[11] I have almost drowned.
[12] I have been so embarrassed I wanted to disappear.

[13] I have listened to one CD over and over and over again.
[ ] I have had stitches.
[ ] I have had frostbite.
[ ] I have licked a frozen pole and got stuck there.
[14] I have stayed up til 2 (and beyond) doing homework/projects.

[15] I have been ice skating.
[ ] I have been rollerblading.
[ ] I have fallen flat on my face.
[ ] I have tripped over my own two feet.
[ ] I have been in a fist fight.
[16] I have played videogames for more than 3 hours straight.
[ ] I have watched the Power Rangers.

[17] I attend Church regularly.
[18] I have played truth or dare.
[19] I have already had my 16th birthday.
[20] I have already had my 17th birthday.
[21] I've called someone stupid.
[22] I've been in a verbal argument.
[23] I've cried in school.
[ ] I've played basketball on a team.
[ ] I've played baseball on a team.
[ ] I've played football on a team.
[ ] I've played soccer on a team.
[ ] I've done cheerleading on a team.
[ ] I've played softball on a team.
[ ] I've played volleyball on a team.
[ ] I've played tennis on a team.
[ ] I've been on a track or cross country team.
[ ] I've been swimming more than 20 times in my life.
[ ] I've bungee jumped.

[ ] I've climbed a rock wall.
[ ] I've lost more than $20.
[24] I've called myself an idiot.
[25] I've called someone else an idiot.
[26] I've cried myself to sleep.
[27] I've had (or have) pets.

[28] I've owned a Spice Girls CD/cassette.
[ ] I've owned a Britney Spears CD.
[29] I've owned an N*Sync CD.
[ ] I've owned a Backstreet Boys CD.
[ ] I've mooned someone.
[ ] I have sworn/yelled at someone of authority before.
[30] I've been in the newspaper.
[31] I've been on TV.
[ ] I've been to Hawaii.
[32] I've eaten sushi.
[ ] I've been on the other side of a waterfall.
[33] I've watched all of the Lord of the Rings movies.
[34] I've watched all the Harry Potter movies.
[ ] I've watched all of the Rocky movies.
[35] I've watched the 3 stooges.
[36] I've watched "Newlyweds" Nick & Jessica.
[37] I've watched Looney Tunes.
[ ] I've been stuffed into a locker/I have stuffed others into lockers.

[38] I've been called a geek.
[39] I've studied hard for a test and got a bad grade.
[40] I've not studied at all for a test and aced it.
[41] I've hugged my mom within the past 24 hrs.
[42] I've hugged my dad within the past 24 hours.
[43] I've met a celebrity/music artist.
[44] I've written poetry.
[ ] I've been arrested.

[45] I've been attracted to someone much older than me.
[ ] I've been tickled till I've cried.
[ ] I've tickled someone else until they cried.
[46] I've had/have siblings.
[ ] I've been to a rock concert.

[47] I've listened to classical music and enjoyed it.
[48] I've been in a play.
[ ] I've been picked last in gym class.
[ ] I've been picked first in gym class.
[ ] I've been picked in that middle-range in gym class.

[49] I've cried in front of my friends.
[50] I've read a book longer than 1,000 pages. (i think.)
[ ] I've played Halo 2.
[51] I've freaked out over a sports game.
[ ] I've been to Alaska.

[52] I've been to China.
[53] I've been to Spain.
[ ] I've been to Japan.
[ ] I've had a fight with someone on AIM/MSN.
[54] I've had a fight with someone face-to-face.
[55] I've had serious conversations on any IM.

[56] I've forgiven someone who has done something wrong to me.
[57] I've been forgiven.
[ ] I've screamed at a scary movie.
[58] I've cried at a chick flick.
[59] I've watched a lot of action movies.
[60] I've screamed at the top of my lungs.
[ ] I've been to a rap concert.

[ ] I've been to a hip hop concert.
[61] I've lived in more than 2 houses.
[ ] I've driven on the highway/been on the highway.
[62] I've driven more than 40 miles in a day/been in a car that went more than 40 miles in a day.
[63] I've been in a car accident.

[ ] I've done drugs.
[64] I've been homesick.
[65] I've thrown up.
[66] I've puked on someone.
[ ] I've gone horseback riding.

[67] I've filled out more than 10 MySpace/LJ surveys.
[68] I've spoken my mind in public.
[69] I've proven someone wrong.
[70] I've been proven wrong by someone.
[ ] I've broken a leg.

[ ] I've broken an arm.
[ ] I've fallen off a swing.
[ ] I've swung on a swing for more than 30 minutes straight
[71] I've watched Winnie the Pooh movies.
[72] I've forgotten my backpack when I've gone to school.

[ ] I've lost my backpack.
[ ] I've come close to dying.
[ ] I've seen someone die.
[73] I've known someone who has died.
[ ] I've wanted to be an actor/actress at some point.

[ ] I've done modeling.
[ ] I've forgotten to brush my teeth some mornings.
[74] I've taken something/someone for granted.
[75] I've realized how good my life is.
[76] I've counted my blessings.
[77] I've made fun of a classmate.
[ ] I've been asked out by someone and I said no.

[78] I've slapped someone in the face.
[ ] I've been skateboarding.
[79] I've been backstabbed by someone I thought was a friend.
[80] I've lied to someone to their face.
[81] I've told a little white lie.

[82] I've taken a day off from school just so I don't go insane.
[ ] I've fainted.
[ ] I've had an argument with someone about whether cheerleading is a sport or not.
[83] I've pushed someone into a pool.
[84] I've been pushed into a pool.
[85] I've been/am in love.

* * *

Last night --

I realized that I've never been hospitalized in my entire life. When I give birth will be my first time ever to be confined in a hospital.

Still no --

I'm still pregnant.

So far, I have been told to:
- go up and down stairs
- to walk around
- to do squats

Good news? My blood sugar is normal -- it has been for the past 6 weeks.

Bad news? Until I pop, I have to go through an ultrasound and a nonstress test once a week.

(The nonstress test is a misnomer. In my opinion -- it is stressful >_<. Imagine lying flat on your back when you have 10 pounds of baby and fluid pressing down on you. To encourage the baby to react, the interns ring a bell for 21 minutes. Ouch.)

* * *

Discovery! --

Dunkin Donuts Iced Coffee is yummy! Well, am not allowed to drink coffee but it smells really good! Johann had me try a sip and I didn't realize how much I missed coffee until that one small taste. ^_^

Now if I can have donuts with it...

* * *

A belated congrats! --

To dear, dear Gabs! Good luck with NUS! (We will definitely go and visit you there! ^_^)

No --

Realized that people might think that I've given birth already since I haven't blogged in almost a week. I haven't yet.

Based on today's visit with the OB-Gyn, it's not going to be this week. ^_^

Starting this week, it's a series of the same tedious tests just to monitor that the kid is okay. I had a very interesting experience in the labor room having a Nonstress Test done (I'm hooked up to a fetal monitor and they check the baby's heart rate.) -- a very pregnant lady was wheeled in and she was in labor. In order for the residents to conduct the NST on me, they had to ring a bell. I could just imagine how annoying that sound was to the laboring lady. I requested for them to stop so she could proceed with her labor in peace.

* * *

Lookie what my hunny gave me! --



(Image "borrowed" from Amazon.com)

I've been waiting for this book to come to paperback for a really long time. When I saw that Amazon had it already, I was praying that our local bookstores would get it soon.

I asked Johann to check Fully Booked and Powerbooks for this and he didn't say that they had it already. Instead, he surprised me with it when he returned to Iloilo last Friday.

Glee! ^_^

Power Failure part X --

A few days ago, my dad spotted the electric post across the street from my house sparking and then catching fire. We immediately contacted PECO and they informed us that their ONLY troubleshooter was on call. We also called the Fire Department and, within a few minutes, they were there. It took a few more phone calls to PECO before they eventually sent their repair crew over.

By then, a line had broken off and was on fire, dangling a few feet above the ground.

Life in Iloilo --

This morning, Johann and I and my parents attended a mass with our "new" friends, R & F who were celebrating their first wedding anniversary today. They're my youngest bro's batchmates and our families are quite close so, when I came back to Iloilo, we got in touch with each other and became friends. ^_^

After the mass, we joined their family for breakfast at Sarabia Manor's Salvatore restaurant. It was a wonderful morning and a wonderful breakfast. Johann and I really enjoyed watching the egg guy make the omelettes. ^_^

It was also fun talking to R & F who are also expecting their first child. F and I have been exchanging notes about our pregnancy experiences and about our concerns about childbirth.

It's wonderful having someone who can relate to you about the things you are going through. ^_^

Chatting with F made me realize something about Johann and myself -- we are too bookish. Not that that's a bad thing -- whenever we encounter something new, our first instinct is to find books and/or articles and read up.

This is us with R & F at the breakfast this morning. My mom took this picture. ^_^
* * *

Busy --

Despite my own perception that life in Iloilo would be slow and "blah", I find that my days move quickly here and they're filled with things to do and errands to accomplish.

We've slowly adapted to a schedule here of breakfast, morning errands, lunch, afternoon errands and dinner -- we get time for ourselves in between the work that we do.

The pace is different, everything is more relaxed because time is not a big issue. From my house to the city usually takes 7 to 12 minutes. Heavy traffic usually takes about 30 to 45 minutes to go through.

We're more relaxed and feel less hurried but, at the end of the day, we realize that we've accomplished so much.

What pleases me the most is being able to see how our help has freed up some of my parents' time. They're able to go out and enjoy themselves and not have to worry about the work that usually gets piled up for them.

* * *

The downside --

I've been here for a month and I've experienced more power failures in that month here than I have in my stay in Metro Manila. Okay, maybe that's a slight exaggeration -- but there have been a LOT of power failures in Iloilo lately.

Last week, during the bagyo (Caloy), the power went out and PECO (Panay Electric Company) decided NOT to entertain the phone calls and inquiries from the people. Mayor Trenas was really upset over this and publicly reprimanded PECO.

* * *

Missing Manila --

What I miss most about Manila are the movie theaters. The lovely seats. The lovely popcorn. ~sigh~

I also miss being able to cook -- I don't like our kitchen here because I feel like I'm trespassing. I think about making cheesecake sometimes or even katsudon.

And, yes, I miss my sibs and my friends in Manila. Thank goodness there's Y!M and PLDT's PhP10 per phone call and mobile phones.

* * *

Another photo --


Johann and I at F's birthday dinner a week ago

Coldplay in Singapore --

July 10, 8pm

I want to go and so does my hubby!

... but we can't.

* * *

On trying to watch the Da Vinci Code in Iloilo --

We only have 2 decent cinemas in Iloilo -- one of which is SM, which has stood by its ground not to show any movies Rated R-18.

Last Thursday, Johann and I went to Robinson's Place to try to catch the first show of the Da Vinci Code at 1030am. We got in line at around 1015 and was surprised to see that they hadn't started selling tickets yet. 1030 came and went and still no tickets to sell.

At around 1045, someone in line decided to ask the person at the ticket booth what was holding up the line.

Apparently, they only had HALF the reel and they didn't have the permit to show the movie yet.

Johann and I decided to leave -- we should've left a lot earlier. The movie people should've informed the queued people of what was happening instead of letting us line up like that.

We tried again today -- after making sure that they had the entire movie and the permit to show. We caught to 1030 show, which actually started at around 11 -- but we didn't mind.

Next week -- X-Men!

* * *

One more thing --

We now have DSL!!! Hurrah!

Today I learned a lot --

Johann and I woke up REALLY early today to go to the local SSS branch to update his status (from Single to Married) and to get our SSS IDs.

Today I learned that:
- the SSS loves black ink. We had to redo our application forms because we had filled them out using blue ink.
- they have a record of EVERYTHING so you can't lie about not losing your old ID. Apparently, I had a digital ID issued to me last April 27, 2000 but I lost it. I had to go and accomplish an affidavit of loss and pay the PhP150.00 replacement fee before I could get my new ID.
- 2 IDs is key. More is better. So bring an original copy of your birth certificate, your marriage license, etc. etc.

It was a tedious process and I'm glad we went early enough so we were able to finish everything that we needed to do.

So why did we go through the trouble of getting our IDs?
Because SSS benefits are excellent.
- After a minimum of 120 payments, when you hit 60, you get a monthly pension FOR LIFE. (You are guaranteed enough money for groceries and whatnot for as low as PhP282.00/month in SSS remittances.)
- You have maternity, disability and sickness benefits, provided you are vigilant in filing your claims. (I recently calculated my maternity benefit and went "wow!")

For people curious about their SSS status, you can check it online.

* * *

The other thing I learned --

The SSS office is very near the NSO office and, as early as 7, there was a loooooong line at the NSO office. They were people getting their birth certificates and other documents that the NSO keeps.

You can get these documents online as well. You'll have to pay a little bit more for the convenience but, hey -- it beats standing in line for half the day.

Saying goodbye --

Today Johann is saying goodbye to our beloved PC in Manila. When we decided that I was going to come home to Iloilo to give birth, we knew we couldn't take our PC with us so we sold it to a friend and bought parts that I used to build a new PC here in Iloilo.

Our friend is getting the PC today. I'm not there to say goodbye, but I feel the loss of such a trusty companion -- that PC was the very first thing we purchased with our own money and it was a PC built to serve our needs. There were no compromises and shortcuts when that PC was built.

The new PC is actually much better, infinitely faster and has a better graphics card -- but it really is a bittersweet moment having to say goodbye to something that was an integral part of our daily lives.

* * *

I miss DSL --

Didn't realize how much I miss having DSL and how I took for granted such a wonderful service until I had to deal with dial-up.

Something as simple as updating my blog takes a few minutes longer -- having to wait for pages to load. Window shopping on Amazon.com is next to impossible because it takes forever for pictures to load.

I don't even have Y!M yet because it wouldn't download properly (and I can't tie up the phoneline =P)

In the continuing quest for DSL here in Iloilo -- I've made a habit of calling every other day to check on my application. I finally got a breakthrough last Wednesday when I spoke to a person who actually knew her job.

I finally have a service order and installation is pending availability of a line.

Am hoping that we get DSL by the end of the month.

* * *

Funny things you read in the paper --

Saw this on the ad for the movie "Apoy sa Dibdib ng Samar" --

Oo, inaamin ko sila ay mga yakal, lawaan, apitong at narra at kami ay saging lang.
Pero maghanap kayo ng puno sa buong Pilipinas -- Saging lang ang mga puso.

* * *

Sunday is --

Mother's Day. I am quite pleased with what I got for my mom (on behalf of my sibs) -- a pair of capri pants, a nice cotton top and funky wedges to complete the outfit. I didn't break the bank for this outfit, though -- decided to go to SM Department store and bought everything there. ^_^

We were walking around a mall yesterday and she _was_ looking for new clothes.

My dad also asked me to get my mom something (from him) and this one took a lot longer to find. My dad is practical and I don't think he would've appreciated it if I spent his money on something "frivolous" <-- am not quite sure what counts as frivolous for my dad. I finally decided to get a "coin purse" (can actually fit bills) in green Chinese silk -- Green is my mom's favorite color and she needs a wallet that's more accessible. It wasn't so expensive either, so my dad can just buy something else if he doesn't like the idea of giving that to my mom.

TV Shows I watch --

I really enjoy watching "How Clean is Your House" on ABC5 every Monday at 7pm. The show's two hosts, Aggie and Kim, are really witty and they offer very good practical tips on cleaning.

I enjoy shows where places get cleaned and organized -- it really appeals to the OC in me. ^_^

The other show I really like is "Child of Our Time" on Hallmark, which tackles the whole Nature vs Nurture discussion regarding child development. The last show I watched had to do with gender identities and "brain gender" --

Posting from Iloilo --

So I'm currently in Iloilo preparing to give birth to my son.

At the airport last Thursday, I encountered the party of Dennis Rodman and, like every other person at the airport, I took out my phone and started taking pictures of him.

When I arrived in Iloilo, the first thing I did was contact the local PLDT office to apply for a DSL line. I was initially impressed with how efficiently they handled my call -- I was informed that there were available lines in my area and that they would send someone over the next day with the application form.

The next day, the person from PLDT arrived late -- affecting our schedule for the entire day. After filling out the form, I was told that it would take 3 to 5 days for activation.

That was the start of the Labor Day weekend --

When I called back last Wednesday to ask for an update of my application, I was informed that they ran out of DSL lines in my area and that it would take between two weeks to two MONTHS for them to give me a line. I told them to keep my application on priority and that I would call to follow up the application in a few days.

I was given a different number and was given the impression that my application would be filed in their database.

I called again last Friday just to make sure that I was already in their database. This is my conversation with the person who handled my call:

Me: Hi, my name is ... and I would like to check on my application for a DSL line.
PLDT: What's your phone number?
Me: It's 3xx-xxxx. The line is under my mom's name ...
PLDT: Ma'am, I don't see your application in my records.
Me: That's strange. I spoke to Eden and she said she would handle it.
PLDT: I'll give you Eden's cellphone number so you can ask her about your application.
Me: Um... isn't that your job? Could you please ask Eden regarding my application? I'll call in an hour to find out the status.
PLDT: Ok.

~sigh~

Thirty minutes later, I get a call from Eden and she explains that she gave my form to her boss who is currently out of the office for a meeting. I asked her why my application wasn't placed in the database yet and she just gave me a roundabout answer about how she gave the form to her boss and that her boss is at the office.

I told her that I wanted that application processed and that I would check on Monday to make sure that they've done their job.

In the meantime, I was stuck with an old laptop with a faulty modem you have to tilt at an angle in order to get a dialtone.

I took matters into my own hands and asked for a Philips-head screwdriver, opened the laptop and fiddled with the modem. And here I am.

* * *

Labor Day weekend --

Last weekend, my father-side relatives from Manila and Cebu decided to spend the long weekend with us. I was a bit worried about how I would entertain my cousins as there really isn't much to do in Iloilo. I packed some board games with me, hoping that would help pass the time.

We played Carcassonne, Fluxx and Landlord -- while munching on "snacks" like pan de sal (from a bakery that's been around since 1896), macopa (which I don't eat, but my cousins seemed to love), baye-baye (I can't explain this one, basta it's yummy), peanuts and pistachio.

I was especially thankful that I got to spend some time with my cousin who is currently based in Cebu -- we were able to talk about my impending motherhood and how she handled the changes and challenges in her life (she's married and has a 3-year old and they moved to Cebu a year ago).

* * *

On the Reading front --

I FINALLY finished reading Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice after 3 years of starting and stopping. It was an enjoyable and rewarding experience. I went to National Bookstore and picked up a copy of Sense and Sensibility.

Since the movie is coming out in two weeks, I also reread Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code -- it really is an exciting read and I wonder if Ron Howard et. al. would be able to do it justice.

Am I spoiled? --

40+ means you're spoiled

Do you have:
(1) your own cell phone
(2) a television in your bedroom
(3) an iPod/MP3 player
( ) a photo printer
(4) your own phone line
( ) TiVo or a generic digital video recorder
(5) high-speed internet access (i.e., not dialup)
( ) a surround sound system in bedroom
(6) DVD player in bedroom
(7) at least a hundred DVDs
(8) a childfree bathroom <-- not after June ^_^
( ) your own in-house office
( ) a pool
( ) a guest house
( ) a game room
(9) a queen-size bed or larger
( ) a stocked bar
( ) a working dishwasher
( ) an icemaker
(10) a working washer and dryer
( ) more than 20 pairs of shoes
(11) at least ten things from a designer store
( ) expensive sunglasses
(12) framed original art (not lithographs or prints)
( ) Egyptian cotton sheets or towels
( ) a multi-speed bike
(13) a gym membership
( ) large exercise equipment at home
( ) your own set of golf clubs
( ) a pool table
( ) a tennis court
( ) local access to a lake, large pond, or the sea
( ) your own pair of skis
( ) enough camping gear for a weekend trip in an isolated area
( ) a boat
( ) a jet ski
( ) a neighborhood committee membership
( ) a beach house or a vacation house/cabin
(14) wealthy family members
(15) two or more family cars
( ) a walk-in closet or pantry <-- used to have one
( ) a yard
( ) a hammock
( ) a personal trainer
(16) good credit
( ) expensive jewelry
( ) a designer bag that required being on a waiting list to get
( ) at least $100 cash in your possession right now
( ) more than two credit cards bearing your name
(17) a stock portfolio
(18) passport
( ) a horse
(19) a trust fund (either for you or created by you)
(20 ) private medical insurance
(19) a college degree, and no outstanding student loans

Do you:
(21) shop for non-needed items for yourself (like clothes, jewelry, electronics) at least once a week
( ) do your regular grocery shopping at high-end or specialty stores
(22) pay someone else to clean your house, do dishes, or launder your clothes (not counting dry-cleaning)
( ) go on weekend mini-vacations
( ) send dinners back with every flaw
( ) wear perfume or cologne (not body spray)
( ) regularly get your hair styled or nails done in a salon
( ) have a job but don't need the money OR
( ) stay at home with little financial sacrifice
(23) pay someone else to cook your meals
( ) pay someone else to watch your children or walk your dogs
( ) regularly pay someone else to drive you
( ) expect a gift after you fight with your partner

Are you:
( ) an only child
( ) married/partnered to a wealthy person
( ) baffled/surprised when you don't get your way
( ) been on a cruise
(24) traveled out of the country
(25) met a celebrity
( ) been to the Caribbean
(26) been to Europe
( ) been to Hawaii
(27) been to New York
( ) eaten at the space needle in Seattle
( ) been to the Mall of America
(28) been on the Eiffel tower in Paris
( ) been on the Statue of Liberty in New York
( ) moved more than three times because you wanted to
( ) dined with local political figures
( ) been to both the Atlantic coast and the Pacific coast

Did you:
(29) go to another country for your honeymoon
(30) hire a professional photographer for your wedding or party
( ) take riding or swimming lessons as a child
(31) attend private school
( ) have a Sweet 16 birthday party thrown for you

... I didn't think I was to begin with. But 31 is cutting it a bit close. ^_^

* * *

Saying goodbye --

Somehow this song always seems to be part of the goodbyes in my life --
Leaving on a Jet Plane
by John Denver

All my bags are packed,
I'm ready to go,
I'm standing here,
Outside your door,
I hate to wake you up and say Good Bye.
But the done is breaking, surley moan,
The taxi is waiting, blown his horn.
Already I'm so lonesome I could die.

So kiss me and smile for me,
Tell me that you wait for me,
Hold me, like you never let me go.
Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane,
Don't know when I'll be back again,
Oh Babe I hate to go.

So many times, I let you down,
So many times, I played around,
but I can tell you, they don't mean a thing.
Every place I go, I'll thing of you,
Every song I sing, I sing for you.
When I come back, I'll bring your wedding ring.

Now the time has come to leave you,
One more time has come to kiss you,
Close your eyes and I'll be on my way.
Thing about the day will come,
When I won't have you leave alone,
About the day, when I won't have to stay.

... When I left Xavier to pursue my MA, this was the song I sang to my workmates. Everytime I travel, this is the song in my head. Now that my stint with the ALLC is over and I am on leave from the University until October, this song is playing in my head.

During the closing ceremony for the ALLC, I was pleasantly surprised that they selected this song to close the festivities.

Support my friends! --

A few friends recently opened Cafe Press stalls to display their talent --

Please visit and spread the word:

Laikaken
Origami Dreams

Breakfast --

For breakfast, I promised Johann I would finally prepare the Alaminos longganisa which has been in our freezer for the past two weeks. I don't like cooking Alaminos longganisa because it is a tedious task -- first, you have to boil the longganisa and then let it fry in its own oil. A lot of patience is required because the perfect Alaminos longganisa has to be "tostado" --

The first time I saw Alaminos longganisa, I was afraid to touch it -- I was afraid of the pointy, toothpick-like skewers that hold the longganisa together and it smelled strange to me. As an Ilonggo, I am used to the sweet-salty smell and taste of our longganisa. Alaminos longganisa has a distinct vinegar-y smell and taste.

Johann's roots can be traced back to Pangasinan and the longganisa is one of the things he remembers and loves from his childhood. I've prepared Alaminos longganisa for breakfast a total of 4 times now -- the first time was a disaster as I had no idea how long it would take to cook it. We ended up having brunch instead of breakfast and the longganisa was not "tostado" enough --

The concept of the "tostado" longganisa is also alien to me as the Iloilo longganisa isn't meant to be "tostado" -- come to think of it, I remember eating skinless longganisa growing up.

The next few times were much better and I decided to play with the Alaminos longganisa. I've mixed it in a rice dish with tomatoes and seafood (all cooked in the rice cooker) and I'm thinking of mixing it in a pasta or pizza one time.

This morning was the fourth time -- I separated the longganisa into pieces, careful not to dislodge the toothpick-like skewers and I poured enough water into the pan. And then I waited.

Waited for the oils to start oozing out.
Waited for the distinct smell of vinegar and salt.

When all the liquid had evaporated, the sizzling started and the longganisa started to acquire its distinct crunchy exterior.

The smell woke Johann up and, while he set the table, I started to fry some eggs to go with the longganisa.

Perhaps the most interesting part of breakfast was the choice of dipping sauce -- we had run out of vinegar (because I used it to deglaze the pan) so we used some sinamakan (a seasoned vinegar) from Iloilo.

You know what, Alaminos longganisa goes very very well with Iloilo sinamakan.

* * *

For people curious to see how I look --

Click here.

Things I've learned from watching television --

Recently, I stumbled upon an episode of House. I don't regularly watch this program, but I've heard about how good it is so I decided to sit through the episode.

The focus of the episode was a nun (Sister Augustine) and the conflict between faith and reason -- to make things more interesting, everything was happening on Christmas.

Episode Transcript here.

This is my favorite exchange in the episode. (Chase is a doctor.)

Chase: ... I chose 1 Peter 1:7. “These trials only test your faith to see whether or not it is strong and pure. Your faith is being tested as fire tests gold and purifies it.”

Augustine: “And your faith is far more precious to the Lord than pure gold; so if your faith remains strong after being tested, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day of His return.”

Chase: He hasn’t left you. The only thing in the way of your knowing if he’s left you is your fear. You have a choice: faith or fear. That’s the test.

Augustine: Do you think faith doesn’t mean I won’t die?

Chase: It will affect how you experience your death, and therefore your life. It’s up to you.

* * *

For writers --

The British Council announced the Bridport Prize for short stories and poetry.

The gist: First Prize is GBP5000, Second Prize is GBP1000 and Third Prize is GBP500. Deadline is May 10.

More details here.

* * *

And "Hurrah!" to Winnie the Pooh --

He got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame! Click here for the article.

Pooh is 80 years old, btw.

Date Day! --

Johann and I decided that we were going to treat ourselves to lunch at a place we've never been to before. With the heat and the weather as it is, we were limited to Gateway and the surrounding areas. We found ourselves in Marikina Shoe Expo -- our first time there and we had lunch at Bellini's.

The food at Bellini's was delicious -- Johann had the Seafood Risotto and I had Pesto on Fettucine. The service, however, was a little "bleh" -- the waiter taking our order was busy fixing the table beside us while he was taking our order. We weren't sure if he heard our order or if he got it right. It also took them long to serve our drinks and to replenish our water. The serving size was also a bit small, considering how much the meals cost.

For dessert, Johann and I visited the newly-opened Dairy Queen at the Gateway Food Court. They were busy and packed! And the quality of their ice creams suffered a little. I had the Pecan Delight, which is Pecans and chocolate. The chocolate and the nuts were only mixed on the top 1/3 of the ice cream -- when I dug deeper, it was all vanilla.

BUT --

It was soooooo yummy! I love gooey, melty ice cream!

The people behind Dairy Queen also brought in Orange Julius and I can't wait to try their smoothies!

We were supposed to watch a movie after, but we were crashing from all the carbs so we headed home.

Fun Meme --

The Wikipedia Birthday Meme
Go to Wikipedia and look up your birthday (excluding the year). List three neat facts, two births and one death in your journal, including the year.

Events:
1907 - Maria Montessori opens her first school and daycare center for working class children in Rome

1931 - Thomas Edison submits his last patent application.

1936 - Porky Pig premieres.

Births:
1883 - Khalil Gibran, Lebanese writer and painter (d. 1931)

1960 - Nigella Lawson, British chef and writer

Deaths:
1852 - Louis Braille, French teacher of the blind (b. 1809)

This caught my attention --

Teens lack money smarts, which talks about how US teens lack financial literacy.

They apparently have a 30-question test to see how "money savvy" you are and students can only answer an average of 52.4% of the questions correctly. This number has been on the decline since 1997.

Then I followed the other links from the site and it led me to this:
10 Financial Tips for Young People

I'm about to be a mom and I want my son to have a secure and stable future. Johann and I started taking steps towards this right after marriage by placing our money in efficient interest-earning savings funds.

As much as I'd like to say that I am very good with handling money, I sometimes fall victim to splurges and "crazy" spending -- my one luho is shopping and I indulge in this once in a while. These days since I can't shop for myself, I buy stuff for my son -- thank goodness onesies and mittens and booties are cheap!

Our other luho is books -- and it is dangerous for me and Johann to be in a bookstore with a credit card. We try to get a book or two a month, but sometimes, we go over the limit.

* * *

Kiseki wo shinjite --

I don't remember when it was that my sister and I sat down to watch a feature on The Prince of Egypt. I don't even remember if we saw that feature on television or on one of our DVDs.

What I do remember is hearing a snippet of the Japanese dub for Prince of Egypt and the song "When you believe" --

It was an amazing and memorable moment and one that sparked an obsession that was only recently satisfied.

For her birthday, my sister got herself the Special Limited Japanese Edition of Prince of Egypt -- this edition was offered once before many years ago and it sold out before we could get it.

We listened to that section a few days ago and, while we were watching it, I was thinking about how certain things are so universal that, in any language, you will understand it. (Rent in Japanese is another example. ^_^)

Like the Ant (or how we're preparing for the Holy Week) --

Johann and I are preparing for Holy Week next week and we've started stocking up on DVDs to watch during that time. Today we went to Metrowalk with my sister and we purchased the following:

Elizabethtown
Serenity
Everything is Illuminated

We still have half a box of the Gilmore Girls Season 3 and full boxes of Seasons 4 and 5.

There were a LOT of good titles available at Metrowalk and we'll get them the next time we're in the area --

Good Night and Good Luck
The Squid and the Whale
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
plus a shedload of Indie films

We've discussed grocery plans for Holy Week and we plan to do our buying on Tuesday.

* * *

Oh --

And I got to eat Iceberg Halo Halo today with my sister (and Johann paid for everything) --

Yummmmmm.... ^_^

Jaa ne --

My youngest brother is now on his way to Japan to take his PhD in Japanese Studies.

I really admire my youngest bro's determination and vision -- he applied for a Monbusho scholarship and was granted one. I'm not surprised, though -- if you look at his CV, you'll see how dedicated he is to the study of Asian/Japanese history and how he has pursued it so passionately since he graduated from college.

I remember meeting with his Philo teacher (who was a batchmate) and she told me that, even then, my bro was able to connect questions in History to questions in Philosophy.

My other brother recently found out that he got the scholarship to pursue his MS in the United States. He'll be leaving this August. This brother's interest is Science and he works for the Manila Observatory. I've visited him several times at his office and I am always amazed at how effortless the work is for him -- how forecasting and crunching data seems like second nature to him.

I'm really proud of my sibs and how they were brave enough to pursue their passions -- ^_^

* * *

Sunday afternoon with Mahar --

I needed to return a book to Mahar and he wanted to show me his new place so we decided to meet up yesterday afternoon.

I really LOVED visiting his new home -- it has a very welcoming feel to it and you could really see how the place was designed for a family. He took me around the neighborhood and talked about some of the people living in that subdivison as well.

... now I want to live there, too. O_O

After we left the subdivision, we both started talking about wanting something sweet to eat. We decided to check out Cordillera Coffee along Xavierville only to find that they were closed on Sundays.

So, guess what we did --

We drove to UP and had carrot cake at Chocolate Kiss.

Carrot cake is an ongoing craving of mine. It has been indulged by Johann and my sister many many times already. During one really intense craving moment, Johann and I took a jeep to UP to have carrot cake at Chocolate Kiss.

... I really should just learn how to make it.

After UP, Mahar was contemplating going to Gateway for the sale but we decided to swing by Shoppersville so I could pick up a half-gallon of FIC Pistachio ice cream. We got to the FIC freezer and saw that it was near-empty. Thankfully, there was someone kind enough to dig down to find the last Pistachio ice cream for me. (Guess he understands the needs of a pregnant woman. ^_^)

All in all, it was a wonderful afternoon of conversation and spontaneity. ^_^

Best bit of advice from Mahar (actually, Mahar's mom through Mahar): It is practical to be happy.

* * *

Oh --

and I finished reading The Professor and The Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary.

Apparently, one of their most prolific contributors was a doctor who was also an inmate in an asylum.

It's an amazing reconstruction of the greatest set of books (IMHO) was formed.

Now I want to read this: The Meaning of Everything : The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary also by Simon Winchester.

I'm a big fan of the OED -- and, at one point, I was actually working towards getting my own 20-volume set. I had called the local Oxford books distributor and inquired about how to get it in. The books are expensive, costing $800 dollars (used) on Amazon. Let's not even talk about shipping costs. The guy I talked to used words like "container" and "ship by sea" -- O_O

I'm currently reading Jonathan Carroll's Sleeping in Flame. Carroll is one of Johann's favorite authors and he is very happy that I have finally decided to read one of his books.

* * *

Joy and Jubilation! --

Martha Stewart on Lifestyle Network! Mondays to Fridays at 9pm!

Madness! --

This is really, really fun! (Or do I just think it's fun because I haven't been able to go clothes shopping in almost 7 months? ^_^)

Dollmaker!

Plans --

Yesterday, I submitted my final grades online so the only thing I need to do is clear my desk at the department and I would've completed all the requirements for this semester.

My stint at the ALLC ends on April 21 and I really, really want to take on a second module for May -- but my ever-growing girth is slowing me down and this infernal heat is really, really, REALLY getting to me.

April 9 marks the end of the Childbirth Preparation Seminar that we've been attending for the past few Sundays now.

April 13 to 16 is Holy Week and we haven't really made plans yet.

* * *

Remembering --

Had lunch with E yesterday at Ateneo. We ate at the Clubhouse (Manang's -- to the younger batches) and I was telling him my plans.

We talked about how much free time I will have after the baby is born and he said, "Well, the bright side is that you get to write again."

And that's when it struck me -- that I had forgotten that. And I am glad to be reminded of it -- it is something to look forward to. ^_^

* * *

Take 2 --

My Johari window --

Again. ^_^

A bite at a time --

So this is what's been on my checking pile:
- 6 brown envelopes containing my En11's group project on Critical Thinking <-- done!- 21 brown envelopes containing my En11's individual evaluation papers (a follow-up to Critical Thinking)
- Final exams of my Lit13 classes (x2) <-- done!

Deadline for grades has been pushed back to April 3 but, if all goes well, I'll be done by Wednesday next week.

H'ray! ^_^

* * *

Am curious about this --

Sebastian's Ice Cream
Flavors:
BANANA BONANZA - Banana Ice Cream with chunks of Dark Chocolate and Walnuts
SWISS CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE - Delectable Cheesecake ice cream with Graham Crust pieces and chunks of Toblerone Chocolate with honey & almond nougat
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH - Creamy Vanilla ice cream with gobs of unbaked Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough with Walnuts
CHOCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS - Rich Chocolate ice cream with a thick Fudge ribbon & even more Dark Chocolate chunks
BAILEYS FUDGE - Bailey's Irish Cream ice cream with a thick ribbon of rich chocolate Fudge
PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE DOUGH - Dark Chocolate ice cream with unbaked Peanut Butter Cookie Dough loaded with chocolate chips
BERRY WHITE - White Chocolate ice cream with a luscious Strawberry ribbon made from real fruit
PB & J - Choco-Peanut ice cream with Graham Crackers & a whimsical Strawberry Jelly swirl
MAPLE WALNUT - Sweet Maple ice cream loaded with crunchy Roast Walnuts
MIDNIGHT PEANUT BUTTER CUP - Devilishly rich Dark Chocolate ice cream with Reeses Peanut Butter Cups
MACADAMIA WHITE - Delicate White Chocolate ice cream garnished with Macadamia Nuts
MANGO SANS RIVAL - Buttercream-Cashew ice cream garnished with wafer pieces, Cashews, and a luscious Mango ribbon made with real fruit

Contact info:
sebastians.icecream(at)gmail.com

* * *

It's been a while --

I love my hubby. ^_^

Errata!

Mothers Day is on May 14! (not March 26 as I previously wrote)

Almost there --

It's the last week of classes. Next week, I just have to be in school on Monday to proctor the Lit13 exam and on Friday to receive the final papers from my En11 class.

My parents are arriving next week and I'm looking forward to going baby shopping with them. (The last time they had to go into a baby section for a massive purchase was when my youngest bro was born 26 years ago! O_o)

On my watch list is V for Vendetta and *koff* She's the Man.

A follow-up to the previous post --

After that wonderful experience of discussing syllogisms with my class, I decided to give them a quiz (to check how much they've actually understood).

My class looked at the syllogisms on the blackboard and quickly went to work analyzing its validity. Some used the Venn Diagram method and others had an improvised version of it.

The outcome, everyone in my class got an 8 and up. (The perfect score is a 10) And no one groaned or complained when I announced there was a quiz.

* * *

School year's ending! --

It's almost over and I have survived another semester! Hurrah!

I had wonderful classes this semester and I'm proud of myself for rising up to the challenge of making this an interesting semester for ALL of my classes. Normally, I would be complaining about how tedious it is to teach English and how I prefer to teach Lit. This time, however, I'd like to say that my English class has made the whole semester enjoyable.

My only niggle this semester was having to check papers pregnant. No more lying on my tummy in bed checking. I have to sit at the dining table or the coffee table or fashion a table of sorts using pillows on the bed to check. But I have checked ALL the papers and I have NO backlog whatsoever.

Yes, I am smug. ^_^

* * *

On the weather --

I hate it. It's hot and humid and sticky and bleh.

I have made a mental note that, next time I get pregnant, it will be during the rainy months.

* * *

Activities this month --

Lit13 Exam - March 20
Mom's birthday - March 22
Bro's birthday - March 27
Submission of Grades - March 31
Bro's despedida - some time end of March, early April

ALLC teaching stint - TTh until April 21
Childbirth Preparation Seminar - Sundays until April 9

So that's what THAT looks like --

My class and I have been struggling with syllogisms for the past two weeks. While other teachers have moved on to the next chapter of the lesson, my class and I are still neck deep in major premises, minor premises, conclusions and S, M and P (terms in syllogism).

I admire my class' determination to really understand the lesson and it's been quite a challenge.

Yesterday, we had a breakthrough -- we finally figured it out! After days of listless looking students, you could really see the spark of interest returning to their faces. So many hands were raised in recitation and students were offering ways we could improve our improvised Venn Diagram.

Tomorrow, we test how well we understood everything with an activity and then we move on to Fallacies.

* * *

You know your bro can't help you when --

You ask him if he knows how to plot Venn Diagrams
and he replies, "Why does that sound familiar"

* * *

Silver lining! --

I have, in a cardboard box sitting in our dining table,
the two-disc widescreen special edition of the RENT DVD
the DVD for Mirrormask
and the boxed sets of Seasons 2 to 5 of Gilmore Girls

... just in time for the summer. Whee!

* * *

Sweet thing my hun did --

My hun is a fruit hater -- who especially hates mushy fruits (and vegetables). I have recently developed a liking for avocados and was able to purchase really beautiful avocados from the Dizon's stall in Megamall.

I had forgotten that I had two neighbors (my brothers) who also love avocados so, in an act of SUPREME SACRIFICE, I gave up my perfect avocados so my brothers can enjoy them.

When I came home the next day from work, I saw four perfect avocados waiting for me. Apparently, my hun stopped by SM Makati on his way home from work and was touching/squeezing/weighing avocados to make sure they were nice and he got some for me. ^_^

Bleh --

This is what I've been reading for the past few days now --

Syllogisms (wikipedia)
Syllogism Evaluator
Syllogisms (philosophy pages)

I finally figured out an easy way to teach my students this -- I do feel the satisfaction of having conquered something so unwieldy but, at the same time, the cynic in me know that my students will not appreciate the effort and will forget about this on Friday.

~sigh~

* * *

New experience! --

I took my mom's advice (that I should try to keep working until before giving birth so I won't have a difficult time recovering) and accepted the teaching stint with the Ateneo Language Learning Center.

It is an interesting experience -- twice a week, I meet with a group of 12 students from different parts of the world and we try to help each other improve our English.

I started today and the stint runs until end of April.

The challenge is to keep the class interested in learning English (and not killing their poor fingers from the activity sheets)

Oscar Cheer List --

Monday is Oscars and I'm rooting for the following to win:

Actor - Philip Seymour Hoffman, Capote

Supporting Actor - Paul Giamatti, Cinderella Man <-- He should've been nominated and would've won for Sideways

Actress - toss up between Judi Dench, Mrs Henderson Presents & Keira Knightley, Pride & Prejudice

Supporting Actress - Rachel Weisz, The Constant Gardener

Animated Film - Howl's Moving Castle!!!

Picture - Capote / Good Night & Good Luck

Director - George Clooney, Good Night & Good Luck
<-- it would be interesting if he won, but I think they're going to give it to Ang Lee this year

Finally! --

Johann and I finally got to watch a movie! Pride and Prejudice! H'ray!

We watched the first show at Gateway yesterday. I really enjoyed the movie -- Matthew Macfadyen is so cute!

* * *

I made this --

Watched Tyler Florence's Ultimate Cheesecake and suddenly started craving for one --

After the movie, Johann and I went to Rustan's Fresh and got the ingredients for cheesecake --





It looks a bit melty because I was impatient and took it out of the fridge before the prescribed 4-hour chilling was over. But it was yummy!

New Toys! --

My bros were recently in Singapore and this is what they brought home for us --



I kept the Shuffle and Johann's using the Nano (I didn't want the Nano because it looks to fragile =P) --

So, what's on my shuffle? A lot of classical music and a Podcast of Fairy Tales. I stick one earphone in my ear and the other one in my belly button and *voila!* ^_^

Strange, strange --

Yesterday was strange, to say the least. I was already on my way to work when I found out that classes were cancelled for the day. This was a welcome relief, because I wasn't really in the mood to teach that day. (Case of the grumpies. *grump grump*)

I still went to the office to pick up readings and papers to check over the weekend.

I spent the day watching the goings-on on television and it was a very distant/alienated experiencing.

I didn't know what it was about--

I can't explain it, but something felt "off" about this "revolution" --

* * *

Sumo, raar! --

Met up with a friend for lunch today and we decided to try out Sumo Sam in Shangri-la. The menu is amazing! So many things to choose from! Johann and I were overwhelmed and we wanted to try EVERYTHING.

Since it was our first time, I decided to go with my Japanese "tester" food, katsudon. (Tester = something I eat at all Japanese restos -- if they muck up a Katsudon, then everything else must suck) Johann had the spicy chicken teriyaki. It was all yummy!

Sayang lang I can't have maki and anything raw. =P

I made this! --

It was my bro's birthday last Tuesday and he asked me to prepare the Tofu Lasagna for his office. I also offered to make a Spinach Artichoke dip for him.

Everything was relatively easy to make and it took us 1 hour of prep and about 30 minutes of baking to make both dishes and they turned out really well. (IMHO *koff*)



My bro asked us to join him at his office for lunch and I was very happy to see that his officemates liked the lasagna and the dip.

* * *

Oh, and my current favorite --



I don't like the pregnancy pants being sold in the maternity stores -- the one with the adjustable waist band. I think it works when one is late in their pregnancy but, for someone who is just 23 weeks in, it looks really baggy and bleh.

I found this pair of pants from Yvonne's for under PhP600 and I love it! The waistband is elastic and wide enough to accommodate my growing girth and it looks very sleek pa rin.

^_^

* * *

Zaturnnah! --

My sibs and I (with Johann) watched the matinee show last Saturday and had the time of our lives! It is clever and campy and everything else in between.

Eula Valdez was a revelation as ZsaZsa -- and Ricci Chan was perfect as Didi.

After the show, we texted everyone we knew and told them to catch the musical.

How I spent my Valentine's Day --

Johann and I had a pre-Valentine's celebration last Sunday. We knew that things would be hectic on the 14th and we didn't want to be a part of it. We are also planning a post-Valentine's celebration this coming Sunday.

The morning was spent attending to bank-related errands and then a trip to Mercury to purchase this month's prenatal supplements. I also had to get bandages and a hot/cold pack.

You see, last Monday, our infirmary informs me that I have tendonitis in my left wrist and I have to keep it immobilized for a week or so.

We had lunch at Sweet Inspi and treated ourselves to Mongolian.

We were supposed to go to Gateway after to watch a movie, but we were so loggy from our meal that we went back home and stumbled upon Scorcese's Casino --

Wonderful film. Must get a copy of it. ^_^

I spent the afternoon reading Christopher Priest's The Prestige and ended up finishing it the same day. My hun is pleased that I finally read a book that he recommended. ^_^

It's a must-read! It's being adapted to a movie by Christopher Nolan and will star Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman.

We trekked off to Starbuck's to claim our V-day "freebie' and found ourselves in a line that stretched from the counter to the door.

* * *

Merriam-Webster's Words for 2005! --

Click here.

* * *

Movies!!! --

So many good movies out! ~sigh~

Must watch:
Brokeback Mountain - Gateway 2, 7:00 / Gateway 10, 6:20
Fun with Dick and Jane - Gateway 9, 5:20 7:20
Munich - Gateway 4, 6:00

There's also Malick's The New World, Goal! and The Pink Panther.

Am curious --

Indulge me?

Tin's Johari Window

C, friend and co-faculty has a version of this -- a Johari Bag and she asks her class to fill it up as part of their Pre-Reflection paper activity. I was happy to stumble upon an online version through M's friends. ^_^

New blogstop! --

Check my links section and you will find my friend J and his blog New Age Pirate.

* * *

Love and Sacrifice --

Attended a wedding with my brother last weekend. It was his good/best friend's wedding and he didn't want to go alone. I tagged along because I love attending weddings and looking at dresses and whatnot.

The priest gave a lovely homily that started with a lot of palakpakan, which amused me and my brother.

It was what he said after the nth palakpakan that affected me.

He ended the homily with three words for the couple to remember --

Love.
Sacrifice.
Commitment.

I don't remember what he said about love or commitment. It was what he said about sacrifice that made me go "wow!" --

He said that to love is to endanger yourself.

You step out of a world that you know and you control and you enter into a world that is unfamiliar and new --

The sacrifice in love is to willingly give yourself over to the experiences of loving --

the laughter and tears;
the celebrations and the defeats;
the everything and the nothing.

... wow, di ba? ^_^

New Recipe --

I've been thinking about making lasagna ever since I saw Giada de Laurenti make one on her show Everyday Italian (Lifestyle Network). I also wanted to make something using ricotta cheese.

Today was a light day for the Ongs, so I decided to go to Fresh to pick up ingredients for a lasagna.

I found this recipe on Allrecipes.com and it looked easy enough so I decided to give it a go.

It's tofu lasagna -- and, yes -- it's meatless.

We did some modifications, though. The recipe calls for all the ingredients for the filling to be mixed. I decided to separate the sauce mix from the tofu-cheese filling. And had one layer of just the tofu-cheese and one layer of the sauce. And I used a canned sauce (Hunt's Garlic and Herb).

This is how it turned out --





I had extra sauce, so I put it in a bowl and served that as well. My hubby loved it -- he kept asking for another helping. ^_^

A tip for people interested in trying this recipe -- make sure to drain ALL the water from the tofu. It really does make a difference.

Apparently, there's also oven-ready lasagna sheets -- no need to pre-cook the sheets. O_o

* * *

More on cooking --

One of the questions I am asked whenever I bring out my baon during lunch break is whether I was the one who cooked the baon. Most times, the answer is no -- we usually get heatables from DEC or leftover takeout food and bring that to work.

There are times when I do feel like cooking AND cleaning up after myself. During one of those moments, I decided to make Katsucurry, which is really just pork tonkatsu and japanese curry sauce.



* * *

Pregnancy-Vanity issue --

I'm 21 weeks pregnant and it's still an awkward phase for me -- I no longer fit into my regular clothes, but I'm still too small to actually wear maternity dresses and whatnot.

At work, the news of my pregnancy is slowly making its rounds around our office and I am amused with people's reactions. The most common one I hear, though is this --

"You're pregnant?!? I thought you were just getting fat and I didn't want to say anything."

I don't take offense to it, btw. I guess it's really just an indication of the awkward phase that I'm in.

I have put on some weight -- a requirement for a healthy pregnancy and delivery. That's why I'm glad that we don't have mirrors in my house. What I have is my husband's assurance that I am glowing and lovely.

In case people are wondering what I look like -- here.

Vanity prevents me from actually placing the tag here. ^_^

Wake-up Call --

The weekend was surreal, to say the least. What was up with the world then? In the Philippines, I literally woke up to the news that people died in a stampede at Ultra. I took a shower listening to news about the trouble that Danish caricature caused in the Muslim communities. And then there was the ferry boat accident in Egypt.

~sigh~

The stampede at Ultra saddened me the most, realizing who the majority of the casualties were and why they were lined up to get into a game show. It was difficult watching the news coverage and seeing even more people asking, despite what had happened, if the show was still going to go on -- people seeing the brief "disturbance" as their chance to get into the stadium and be part of the audience.

People were that desperate.

I was reminded of Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery," which we took up in my fiction class a few weeks back. I think of all the stories for that section of the semester, "The Lottery" was the one that jarred them out of their dream existence. I remember reading about "The Lottery" when it was first published and how people were so shocked to come face to face with an account of their cruelty. Even though it was a work of fiction, people couldn't quite accept the remote possibility that they would be capable of such an atrocity.

And here we are.

Where life has imitated art. 72 people died and the question on most people's minds was still -- "Will the show go on? What happens to my lottery ticket?"

And then there's the blame game. Whose fault was it?

The easiest answer would be the security teams of Ultra and ABS-CBN. There were too few people managing the crowds. I watched the DILG interviewing/interrogating the ABS-CBN head of security. The head of security was trying to justify the 1:200++ ratio. The security from Ultra admitted that they weren't clear on their role at that event, so when the madness started they didn't know what to do. There are even accounts of the security guards being the first ones to leave and seek higher ground.

Some people were saying that it was the PNP's jurisdiction, since the lines were on public roads.

In today's newspaper, the headline for one of the tabloids said that the President will really go after ABS-CBN for this and I wonder whose best interest is being served here. I wonder if there is anything more to what our president is planning. Some other enterprising parties have also "cashed in" on the tragedy -- a class action suit is being planned and rival networks have used this to encourage people to watch their shows instead.

While ABS-CBN has taken full responsibility for the accident and is currently in the process to reimburse medical and funeral expenses, I can't help but think that this is a stopgap measure.

That there are harder questions with less digestible answers and more difficult sacrifices need to be made --

* * *

More on the weekend --

In contrast to the madness happening all over the world, my sibs and I enjoyed an afternoon with our sister (it was her birthday). She treated us to Steak MD and then we visited Wheatberry and Greens nearby.

Everyone went crazy for the Wheatberry sweets and we ended up having dessert there. I had the double chocolate cream puff and I finished the whole thing without sharing it with anyone. >_<

On our way back to Katipunan, we dropped by Cost U Less, which had always intrigued us. We were pleased to find some products that were featured on Lifestyle Network's Unwrapped.

Fun fun afternoon with sibs. ^_^

An update --

Life is going well for me. I am enjoying the new sensations my pregnancy has brought with it --

I am, however, having problems with my clothes. I've been slowly purchasing pieces that can accommodate my growing girth and I'm trying to find clothes that I can still wear even after I give birth. Thankfully, I've managed to find such pieces and I am pleased with the investment.

I've been enjoying a relatively trouble-free pregnancy -- no morning sickness, no food cravings/aversions, my skin wasn't affected by the hormones, etc -- so I am wondering when the other shoe is going to drop.

Yes, I am still suspicious about the universe. I know that there needs to be a balance of sorts and I'm waiting for that to happen to me.

I just hope it's not anything bad.

* * *

Dates --

February 4 - sister's bday
February 6 - school holiday (H'ray!)
February 18 - Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah with sibs
February 21 - bros' bday

It's a busy month for me -- tomorrow is Chinese New Year and we have to attend a wedding in Manila. (We don't mind going because the food promises to be good. ^_^) Today, I dragged Johann to UP Film Center because the English Dept sponsored a showing of Kidlat Tahimik's Mababangong Bangungot (Perfumed Nightmare), which I thought was excellent.

At the end of the movie, our students clapped. I don't know if that was sincere, but I'd like to believe they got something from the movie. ^_^

Making French Toast --

E gave me a loaf of honey bread which he and his sister baked. When I saw it, I immediately asked him if they've tried making french toast with it and he said no. I told him that I might give it a go and that I would tell him how it turns out.

Johann and I made french toast last Thursday and we used E's honey bread.

It turned out really well. ^_^





My hubby's only complaint is that it wasn't sweet enough. I cut back on the sugar because I thought the honey in the honey bread would be enough sweetness.

Carlo Vergara's Zsazsa Zaturnnah: Ze Muzikal --

Eula Valdez
Agot Isidro
Tuxqs Rutaquio
Ricci Chan
Lauren Novero
Arnold Reyes
Deeda Barretto
Wilma Doesnt
Mayen Estañero
Tess Jamias
and the Tanghalang Pilipino’s Actors’ Company

direction Chris Millado
music/lyrics/musical direction Vincent A. de Jesus
adaptation Chris Martinez

lighting design Shoko Matsumoto
choreography Ding Cruz
set design Sonny Aniceto
costume design Nicole Mori
technical direction Barbara Tan-Tiongco
stage management Chynna Roxas

February 10 | 11 | 17 | 18 | 24 | 25 March 3 | 4 | 2006 8:00PM
February 11 | 12 | 18 | 19 | 25 | 26 March 4 | 5 | 2006 3:00PM

Tanghalang Huseng Batute (CCP Studio Theater)

Tanghalang Pilipino 832-3661 / 832-1125 locals 1620 / 1621 /
(0920) 953-5381 / 0920 953-5419
email ccptanghalan@yahoo.com
TicketWorld 891-9999

Should've written earlier --

But I've been busy and, every time I sit down to write, I couldn't think of anything to say.

Today I do. ^_^

I got an email from Fully Booked informing me that I'm one of the people who won their Booked the Halls! promo and I get a free book! They sent me a list of books to choose from and, imagine my glee when I saw Jamie Oliver's book Jamie's Kitchen there.

Yay!

* * *

Best gifts for Christmas --

I got really interesting presents this year. The safe fallback was always clothes but, because of my condition, getting me a gift has become more of a challenge for my siblings.

My bros got me the Iron Chef (Japan) guide book that details all the battles and the recipes for the best dishes are also there. They also got me the Jamie Oliver First Season DVD set. Glee!

Johann was supposed to get me this really lovely blouse that would work as a maternity thing, but they didn't have stock of my size. ~Sigh~ So he surprised me with the Gilmore Girls Season One boxed set. ^_^

Ah, DVD-watching goodness. ^_^

My sister got me a really lovely kimono-inspired top from Topshop for Christmas. I tried it on before we purchased it to make sure I can still wear it even when I get big. ^_^

Friend B surprised me with the Complete Peanuts Book 1, which is my current bedside reading. ^_^

* * *

Best gifts for Birthday --

Considering that my birthday is just 2 weeks after Christmas, I rarely expect lavish gifts, but my siblings managed to WOW! me for my birthday. They got me the Region 2 4-disc set of Howl's Moving Castle that came with an actualy film cell from the movie. So clear, so lovely and the subtitles were so accurate! ^_^

They also got me a hair dryer, which I used today. Yay!

My hun is getting me my waffle maker and I'm just trying to scout around for the best one. So far, the Asahi one is the strongest contender with three changeable plates (one for paninis, one for sandwiches and one for making waffles).

Best part about this birthday is being woken up at midnight and having your hubby greet you "Happy Birthday" and being able to say "Same to you" ^_^

First post of the year --

I finally got my Starbucks planner yesterday (in SM North Edsa -- because Katipunan ran out of planners). H'ray!

Been trying to think of a way to sum up the year that was and the word that comes to mind is possibilities.

It was a year when I explored new frontiers --
-- I got married and discovered what it meant to be a wife.
-- I moved out of our unit in San Juan and moved into a unit in Katipunan and learned what life is like without household help.
-- I decided to downsize and focus on the essentials and am slowly learning about authentic friendships and what matters most.
-- I'm pregnant and am currently learning what it would mean to be a mother.

There were a lot of tragedies in 2005 -- the tsunami that hit Thailand, the hurricanes and the earthquakes, etc. What I learned from that is how valuable life is and every minute of it.

When I was in Iloilo, I attended the birthday party of one of my parents' friends -- she is a cancer survivor and, every year, she makes it a point to celebrates her birthday. For her, her birthday celebration marks each blessed year of her life. For her, her birthday is a celebration of her life and what she had to go undergo in order to realize that.

This year, we got treated to a talk by a recently-ordained Carmelite priest. It was on forgiveness and was part of his series of talks for the Advent recollection. It was a timely talk, considering a year was ending and another one was about to start. The topic was forgiveness and the outline was simple --

Who.
Why.
How.

One of the things he emphasized was that we should forgive ourselves for the people that we were. I'd like to think I've done just that and I'm starting the year with the slate clean.

And then I got a new year message from Gabs -- she quoted lines from RENT:

Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes
Measure your life in love

I'm thankful for that reminder and I'm looking forward to the year ahead.