Dolled up

Last night, I got a message from my mom asking me if she could give away the toys that I have been keeping all these years. She was in the final stages of packing to move to her new home, and all my other things when I was single has to be displaced somehow. When she mentioned “toys”, the instant object that came into my mind is my rag doll collection. At some point in my teens (and early twenties), I have collected these adorable, pudgy rag dolls.

I have the smallest and the biggest rag doll in my stash. And like a true corny sentimentalist, I have a name for each of them. It’s a sad thing that it never occurred to me to photograph each of them (I have a feeling this would be a little too much, hehe). Some of them are bought, and a lot of them are given by my friends, who never hesitated in indulging me a bit in my habit.

And so I was a little alarmed when she sent me that message. But no, she’s not giving my rag dolls away, she assured me. What she meant were my other tiny stuffed animals I’ve also collected on the side. I’m a sporadic collector (pairs of brightly painted ceramic soup bowls, pig figurines, Readers Digest condensed books, etc.), but aside from the rag dolls and old issues (60s, 70s) of National Geographic magazines, I’ve only managed to collect few items of those before the pursuit went pffft.

My rag doll collection has a special spot in my heart. I’ve dreamt of bestowing the whole coterie to my daughter(s) when they come of age. I think it’s a very girly thing. That’s why I love the dolls very much. Actually, I can only recall a few names right now- Fate, Angelica Pickles, Chrissy, Cindy, Li’l. I’m sure the others are corny names, too ;)

Mom asked me also what’s she gonna do with a whole box of cards and letters that I have. We’re talking about those ancient snail mails from friends, pre-email/e-card days. I have quite a bulk of those, and I told mom to just keep in a box somewhere. I wanna go through each of them one day, and remember all the wistful memories. The rediscovery of this unexpected collection will be phenomenal. I can’t wait!

My rag doll troupe, I hope, will kindle the same fiery enthusiasm in another young girl’s eyes someday soon.

Our so-called nightlife

The only “nightlife” we could call lately are the Saturday night dinners at our friends’ house. Darko and Janet like to have us at their place from time to time, for dinner, drinks, a movie, and occasional shisha smoking. Last Saturday, we were at their place again.

Dinners at the Lazics’ are usually quiet and relaxed. And mostly filled with interesting exchanges of stories about cultural pecularities (we came from three different continents, that’s why). Funny examples: a puto is something yummy we eat in the Philippines, but in Latin America, it’s far from being an appetizing food (a swear word: faggot). And we’re curious to learn the bad words in each other’s countries. Anyway, these nights can be a lot of fun sometimes.

I downed a couple of margaritas before dinner last Saturday, does that make me a boozehound? Hehehe. Darko made his ‘specialty’ homemade pizza again. Bowtie pasta and turkey meatballs completed our dinner that night. Plus of course, free-flowing margarita which Darko was too happy to fuel us up with. Who says quiet dinners mean booze is a no-show?

We brought the movie that night, and we were kind of excited to see The Departed. With its recent Oscar Best Picture win, and a stellar cast, and explosive acting nominations for its actors, I expected a riveting, really rabble-rousing. But I swear, it was so boring my head wanted to explode! I don’t understand why it won. I thought Crash was a little tame and too self-righteous to win an Oscar last year, but at least it didn’t lull me to sleep. Sure, Leonardo di Caprio, Matt Damon and Jack Nicholson were first-rate in their roles, but- oh, my God. It drove me insane! I read somebody’s review about how superior was Alec Baldwin’s role/acting. But all I can say is, huh??!

It was a major disappointment, really. We could’ve picked Tenacious D, or Barnyard. Maybe it would have been worth it. All the wonderful food for dinner and the delightful margarita got ruined by the bad movie.

Moral lesson: next time, don’t watch a supposed critically-acclaimed, dramatic, artistic movie in somebody else’s home. Watch it at the comfort of your home when it’s not too embarrassing to fall asleep on the couch. Hehehe!

A lesson in History

Many years ago (well, not too many), I used to watch this tiny, orange-haired odd little guy and I loved him so! Now I wonder what happened to the show. I just had to post this video clip, one of my favorite episodes of all time. I miss Dexter!

Hummus-ified

I am a new convert to hummus, this Middle Eastern mush which is as flavorful as can be. I never liked chickpeas, but this chickpea-based paste, I discovered, is a different thing. It took me almost three decades before I came to appreciate this stuff. Well, I was a notoriously picky eater when I was a child - never liked hotdogs, didn’t eat watermelons, hated radishes, and pushed aside any salad on the table.

But as I grew older, I came to like all those things and can pig out on them whenever. Many of the food I used to dislike have become my favorites now. Take for instance Japanese food, I swear I would never eat it, but now I am happy as the day is long in a Japanese restaurant. I can’t get enough of sushi! And there’s food I was uneasy and too naïve to try (Indian, Ethiopian, etc.) before, but I learned now that being bold and adventurous has its rewards.

I guess I was just too timid to try new flavors and tastes, and familiar, “safe” food are comfort to me. I was always on the safe side when I was young (like many carbonara-and-iced-tea adherents of my generation). Familiarity is delicious. I think when you grow older, you shed those inhibitions off and you’re more willing to risk your taste buds.

Some of the more exotic food are acquired taste. An occasion ago, you may not like something but the next thing you know, you find yourself digging into that dish. Right now, the hubby and I are totally hummus-ified. After several ho-hum previous encounters with it, one afternoon going home from work, we suddenly had a craving, so we got this tub of Zesty Garlic hummus from Whole Foods. And so we were happy.

So there’s hope for never-tried-before entrees to become your plat du jour. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll have the taste for paklay and lengua (hehehe). And there’s equal hope to my number one disliked vegetable- the squash. Maybe I’ll eat it. Who knows?!

Mom and me

My mom has retired recently, and right now she’s building her ‘retirement’ house in her hometown. I have been quite anxious the whole time prior to her retirement since I don’t know how she would cope with idle life, and to add that I’m no longer with her and she doesn’t have any grandchildren yet to preoccupy her retirement years. My mom, ever the workaholic all her life, might find retirement utterly dull and dismal.

Since I am so far away from her, I try to communicate with her everyday, and I’m doing the best I could to entertain her. My mom and I have always been close, we’re great friends and she’s incredibly supportive of me. And she’s even more supportive of me and my hubby now. When I got married and left home, it bothered me a bit when people’s reaction was that of disbelief and disappointment because I was going to live at my in-laws home and leave her behind. There was an increased bafflement in other folk’s reaction when I left to join my hubby in a more distant place- in another country. I know that in true Pinoy culture- an only child like me must never abandon a single mom like her.

But my mom is far too independent and able to yield to being an emotional sandbag. She knows it would be difficult- but it’s all for the best. My mom is doing fine right now, she has a lot more time to take it easy. No more early morning rituals to work, no more tiresome commute, no more deadlines for her, no more meetings to attend to, no more paperworks, no more boorish subordinates to tell off. Best thing is- she has more time to attend to the two attention-seeking dogs. But I guess, this time mom also has more time to miss me.

I am writing this as a reflection to a feature series “Trading Places” in NBC nightly news, running two weeks now, about taking care of aging parents. My mom, at 63, is still active and healthy and doesn’t need that much help at home except, maybe, for major and heavy housework. What I am a little worried about is that unlike before when we lived in the same city, I could call her anytime and see her frequently. Just the sense of being close by, I know, can make a significant difference for mom. And since I am continents away, I could not be there for her the way I want to be.

This is the bane of being an only child. I think being an only child is best only when you’re young. But when it’s time for parents to be taken care of, you have all the responsibilities all to yourself. You have no support, the kind which only siblings can possibly put forth. And I feel so alone. I have no brother or sister whom I can depend to take turn of taking care of mom when I couldn’t be there. For years, I basked and gloated in the glory of being an only child. But it hit me- hard, that the payoff of being an only child is NOT an extended revelry and self-centeredness.

I can’t help but get a little envious of others who have more than two siblings. They have more fun and more support when they’re older. This is not to say I spurn the reality of who I am. But I guess, now I can say that I wish I had more siblings. It would have been different. But I guess mom and I are destined to be just the two of us. I wish I had more, but I cannot complain. I wish I can make mom happy, even when I am far away.

I’m proud of my mom. Three months since retirement, she recently told me that she has gotten the tempo of doing nothing. But she’s not entirely doing nothing- now that she has plenty of time, the two dogs get baths first thing everyday now. That will keep mom preoccupied for a while. I wish I could give her a dozen grandchildren. I am working hard so that when the time comes, I could easily give her the care that she deserves.

To Mummy, this is an early Mother’s Day ode for you…..

A Cold Day Out

Yesterday, we braved the mid-30s temperature, leaving the comfort of our warm home to watch the President’s Day Parade in Old Town Alexandria. David had a grand time taking pictures, and me- I was too cold and my gloved hand could barely snap pictures. But it was still a great day for a parade- old guys in Revolutionary and Civil War costumes, several George Washingtons, lots and lots of scouts, cadets, the hugest horse I’ve seen so far, and a strikingly authentic-looking Abe Lincoln.

The parade started at around 1 o’clock and lasted for two hours. So all those time, I was shivering and yet having a good time still. My all-time favorite sight in any crowd or gatherings are the dogs- all kinds of friendly and attention-seeking dogs. There were plenty yesterday, and some were even decked out in their cute snow outfits (boots and hoodies galore). The hubby thinks it’s ridiculous, but I insist it’s fabulous. It’s heaven of heavens to be a dog in America.

After the parade, the hubby and I strolled for a while on the icy streets of Old Town. We passed by the Carlyle House, a historic 18th century mansion. We went inside the grounds, however, the mansion was closed for visitors. Come spring, the Carlyle House gardens will be lush and lovely once again. It looked so sedate in winter.

The hubby and I hung out for a while in the frozen Founders Park. We were a couple of nuts having a lark in the park, slipping in the ice and sitting on frigid benches that froze our bottoms. Even the Potomac was frozen, too, with patches of thin ice. It was really a cold, cold day out. We couldn’t find a better day to get our noses iced up.

To cap a shivery day out, I made some chicken macaroni salad. Here’s my recipe:
2 cups cooked elbow macaroni
1 cup cooked chicken, cubed
1 celery stalk, chopped

2 hardboiled eggs, chopped
¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
2-3 tbsp. pickled relish
2 cups mayonnaise
dash of ground black pepper and nutmeg

Mix. Chill. Eat up!!! (Good for a couple of shivery souls… best for warm hearts, too!)

something exotic

For a long time, the hubby and I have been planning to try some Ethiopian food. We have an Ethiopian friend from work whom we asked to take us and be our “guide” in an exotic quest. However, for whatever reasons, we never got to sample any morsel of Ethiopian fare until last Saturday.

Paulos, our Ethiopian tipster, finally took us to an Ethiopian restaurant in Arlington. We asked him what to order and how much should we order. Ethiopian food, traditionally, is served on a round wicker basket (or platter, maybe) and is shared by everyone. And it is eaten with your hands. Paulos said we should have a vegetable order, and then some meat. So we ordered mixed vegetables and chicken curry.

A few minutes later, we were served a huge platter with a variety of sweet-spicy smelling veggies and chicken curry with a wonderfully tasting sauce. And of course, the main attraction was the injera- the Ethiopian bread. We had always been fascinated by this pancake-like bread. Some Ethiopian people from work sometimes bring it at work for lunch, and one officemate even called it a “blanket” since it’s soft and cushiony. I, being too chicken, didn’t try it because I was afraid I might not like it and might embarrass myself in front of a lot of people (in case I make a funny face). But injera is far from being gross and unappetizing. It’s actually bland, because you have to eat with the rich, flavorful food.

So the food sat on a "mat" of injera. But a plate of it is served to each diner. The food was so interesting-looking I had to ask our friend if it was okay if I took a picture of it (we were the only non-Ethiopian diners there at the time). He said it’s okay. We took a piece of injera, sort of ‘picked’ the variety of food on the platter, and ate it. I liked the vegetables a lot- chickpeas, cabbage, pepper, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes cooked in tasty, spice-rich sauces. I liked their tomato salad- simply made with vinegar and olive oil with hot green pepper. The injera "mat" tasted so wonderful afterwards because it absorbed all the juices and flavors of the food.

The lunch was definitely exotic, perfectly delicious and we would totally try it again. Ethiopian cuisine is interesting, and we’re excited to try the beef ‘tibs’ next time. Tibs, according to Paulos, is what all Ethiopians talk about. One thing I learned about the experience? Never shy away from a chance to taste exotic food. Life’s buzz doesn’t happen if you stick to just rice, pasta and fried chicken.

Love tales

Oh, please.

Oh, please.

Don't give me the deep freeze...

my heart's about to seize,

Oh, please.

Oh, please.

Oh, please!

Last Saturday night while we were at our friends house, they related to us how their cute nephew Stefan, while visiting their home minutes before we arrived and upon learning we are coming over, blurted out to them- “Jasmine loves me! Jasmine loves me!” Isn’t that sweet? A 3-year old boy loves me! Well, another 3-year old boy loved me before. His name was Jack, and he was Nursery student in the preschool where I taught before. I believe he’s about 11 now, and I wonder if he still remembers me, his beloved Teacher whom he wanted to marry. He wasn’t actually my pupil, he was nursery kid from the adjacent classroom (I taught Kinder 1) and he would frequent my class to the irk of my other pupils. One day, his teacher told me that Jack told her he wanted to marry me. To that, his teacher said, “well, you should practice writing your name so that at least you can sign your name on the marriage certificate!”

I wonder if memorable little tales are still remembered at this day and age. With so many things going on in the world, too many distractions and too many preoccupations, I wonder if friends still gather and talk about love. You know, just babbling away and giggling recollecting tales of love. I believe love is still the number topic to engross anybody. Love stories are always pleasant and exciting to hear, especially when it’s filled with challenges and twists and turns. And most especially if the stories are about the one you know and care about. I remember a lot of love stories of my friends.

And of course, I have a treasure chest of love tales also to tell my children and grandchildren. I try to look back at all beautiful memories and if I could bottle them up to preserve them for the future, I would. I anticipate a lot of cringing (and possibly barfing, I hope not!) from the young ones when I tell them those tales, but that doesn’t worry me. Because I know, at the back of their minds, in the deep recesses of their hearts, I know these pleasant memories will be embedded there, too. And it will grow, and inspire them to maintain their love tales, too.

No matter what you do, no matter how hard it gets, dwell in the bright side of love. Love always wins.

Happy Valentines Day, everyone!

Can't stop thinkin' about food

Last weekend was all about food, food, food. I got a pint of my super loved Häagen-Dazs Rum Raisin last Friday. It’s one of my favorite flavors, the hubby would tease me it’s because of the rum. Hehe. Our freezer is full of half-consumed tubs of ice cream. When I last looked at the freezer, pints of cherry-vanilla, chocolate-chip cookie dough and some strawberry from a long time ago are lodged there. I guess we’re flavor-hopping. Our trips to the supermarket always have a stopover by the frozen aisle, with us scratching our chins deciding which flavors should we pick. Sometimes it takes us a minute to decide, but most of the time we resort to “whose turn is it this time to pick out a flavor?” fix. The hubby picked his own strawberry-banana smoothie fruit bars. Hmm, I’m not so keen about banana as a frozen concoction, hehe.

We spent the Saturday night at our friends’ house. He prepared three home-made pizza, and it was actually really good. Three varieties pa ha - meatlovers, vegetarian, and pepperoni-mushroom. He was excited to show us how he made the pizza. Well, he had some ready-made dough he got from Trader Joe’s and then he threw in all toppings imaginable. My favorite topping was the Bosnian-style bacon. Bacon and I are not all too chummy, but I like the Bosnian variety. Our friend showed us this huge slab of meat, bacon, that is. He said his mom got it from the farm where another Bosnian was making them. It’s pretty interesting, not the usual bacon in strips we’re all familiar with.

I also made sticky rice, which they like. It’s my own recipe- product of scouring the internet for a recipe which is doable and quick to make. So it’s not quite the "biko" from back home. But biko is essentially easy to make. The one that I made doesn’t look exactly like the stuff I know, but it sure smelled and tasted like one. I, unfortunately, wasn’t a biko-maker in the past. I’ve only learned and was bent upon making these dishes recently. I remember our friends liked the sticky rice dessert we had in the Thai restaurant we went to before, and they liked it so much. I thought it was pretty much like biko, so I told them I’ll try to make one for them. But it took me a long time to find sticky rice in Asian stores. So there, I was able to make some biko with coconut cream topping.

And then, there’s sushi.... (again!). Yesterday, after going to the mall to pick up more beads at Beadazzled (heaven, heaven, heaven!), the hubby suddenly had a craving for sushi. He said I got him into the sushi habit. So we wasted no time in satiating the sushi hunger, off we went to get it! And happier were we after gorging on those bitsy seaweed-wrapped, spicy goodness. We had ten pieces each, and pining for more! I would officially list sushi as one of my could-eat-it-everyday-my-whole-life food. The other one is pizza.

Ah, food. Next stop would be Brazilian food. A lady from work who’s from Brazil is taking us to a Brazilian restaurant soon. That is one yummy thing to look forward to. I can’t wait.

Winter distractionS

It snowed again last night. And this morning, the ground was blanketed with bright sheet of wonderful snow. It was sunny, and pretty much a pleasant day. However, it is still cold. And for these past few days, I’ve been feeling kinda low because of the rotten bitter cold days. How many days left ‘til Spring? I can’t wait.

I’ve caught a fever. A fever making bead necklaces, that is. Somehow I need to distract myself against this tenebrous mood that winter brings. I’ve caught a fever making bead necklaces- and selling them. I’ve made six pieces initially, and was able to sell them all! Now I am making more. I sold another one yesterday. I am so excited, and it got the hubby all excited about it, too. He took wonderful pictures of it.

Making necklaces can be quite complicated. I never attended a class on jewelry/necklace making, so I just sort of taught myself how to do it. I’ve looked into a basic how-to online, and that’s about it. I guess I’m still on the discovery stage and so far, I’ve gotten positive feedbacks about my pieces. And that’s super great and it makes me happy!

I’ve discovered a couple of s that somehow makes this winter bearable, exciting and yummy- salsa and sushi. I’ve gotten the kick out of salsa and chips lately. Can’t get enough of Tostitos and medium Tostitos salsa! I’m quite strange because sometimes I like food as if I’ve discovered them for the very first time.

And I had sushi for lunch today. Isn’t that great?! Sushi never fails to lift up any crumbling mood. My friend gave me a box of California rolls sushi from Trader Joe’s and I just love it! Sushi makes anybody happy. Like a favorite song heard in the middle of a crazy day, like a surprise call from the one you love and miss, like love, love, love. Now that doesn’t make me sound like cuckoo, I hope. Hehe.

Winter is long, and I still have weeks and weeks to go. But I have things to keep me engrossed, unmindful of the single digit temperature and wind chills enough to make anyone insane. I just have to grin and bear it.

Thursday mania

At lunch today, the ladies at work got into some frenzied discussion about Grey’s Anatomy. They’re totally flipped out over the romance, the intrigues and all that fire about the show. And we’re not talking about college girls here going bananas over it. I’m talking about mature, PhD-ed women who eat clinical terms for breakfast and spew out therapeutic this and therapeutic that throughout the day. And they gush about how on Thursday night at 9:00 pm, nobody can pull them out of the couch in front of the TV. Now that’s what I call a happy mania.

I haven’t watched a single episode of Grey’s Anatomy, however. The ladies at work have this “how could you?” look with a mouth agape in protest shot at me. But I heard so much about the show. And of course, the latest furor involving fag name-calling by Isaiah Washington. I heard so much about Dr. McDreamy, and I’m sure it’s a good show. But our eyes are settled on a different Thursday night show- The Office.

How do I describe the show? It’s funny, but not the outrageous scream-in-your-face, silly, gag-ridden funny kind of way. I think it has something to do with Steve Carrell. He’s perfect for his role as Michael Scott- a complete buffoon who thinks he is the life of the office, but his employees think otherwise. He behaves foolishly and inappropriately, misinterprets the context of nearly every situation, is unwittingly mean! But he’s actually quite a lonely guy. If Mr. Burns is a devil of a boss in the Simpsons, Michael is the daft, galling and totally inept boss. And the funniest thing is he thinks he’s got it all- looks, brains, charm, wit, sex appeal! How many times do we encounter people (bosses) like that?! How many clueless nitwits walk on this earth not having the slightest idea how boring and stupid they are?

And Dwight! He’s the poster boy for a bizarre and neurotic, yes-boy, overly ambitious, perennially-abused assistant. He makes me laugh all the time. And Jim and Pam, who like each other but can’t quite get it to the next stage. Don’t you like that kind of love angle?

The office is kind of small and crowded, and the air reeks of boredom and dissatisfaction. It felt like being stuck in a cage, and you’re being sucked-dry of your enthusiasm and joy in life, but can’t do something about it, anyway. In real life scenario, I know it happens a lot. And the biggest clowning glory of it all is having an obnoxious boss, who can keep a straight-face in the midst of his own stupidity. We’ve all experienced this kind of insanity, no?

One of the recent funniest scenes was when Michael decided to have an impromptu Mexican-themed party, and they made do with whatever they have. And so they put the “~” over the n in lemonade bottle making it lemoñade. A kooky way of Mexicanizing the lemonade, huh? Hehe Those guys are so clueless they’re so funny. They recently won the SAG Awards for Best Comedy Ensemble!

And I’m excited for tonight’s show- Michael hires strippers for Phyllis’ wedding shower. It will be a stupidity circus! Get a taste of The Office, at 8:30 tonight on NBC.

I'm in love!

After a day of rest to "rejuvenate" my soul... I thought it's wonderful to go on a spontaneous emotional spree- a wish list daydream, that is. Life is hard, but it's full of beautiful things, too. And I may not get all these things on my wish list anytime soon, but it's still swell to crave. It's free.

And so, here is my wish list. It's a lot of reasons to be happy, actually....

Miu Miu calf leather tote, in Girasole.

I just looove the color. Who can resist a mustard-y goodness? Definitely not me. I love the clean lines, too. Not too high-falutin' yet terribly appealing, don't you think?

Dior leather pumps with logo, in Natural.

All we need is a burst of color. Live! Be free! Taste life!

Narciso Rodriguez empire waist bubble dress

I love the color! It's my dream-dress-of-the-moment. Perfect for spring. Perfect for a wonderful, never-miss-the-fun day. Nobody will ever be sad or forlorn wearing this dress. I

Jake Gyllenhaal, in February GQ

" Dreamboat Extraordinaire".

a peculiar case

Can you believe? Our Christmas tree is still standing? It’s the end of January, and soon it’s gonna be Valentine’s, and yet I still don’t have the strength to tear it down and put way the balls and all the trinkets. A pure case of indolence. No doubt about it. When I told my mom a couple of weeks ago that the tree is still there, she said to me- you’re so Pinoy. Hehe.

Anyway, I know it has to be taken down sooner or later. But when? Well, we seem to be adapted to the sight of the tree. It seems comforting. What to do, what to do? When you start hearing ads on Valentines Day on TV, it’s the time when I want to kick myself in the butt and yell to start moving my lazy rump. Nakakahiya, di ba? Maybe I’ll do it tonight.

I couldn’t be too sure, but the cold weather makes a sloth out of anybody. It’s such an agony to go out, and I feel so sleepy all the time. And yet lately, I have been having trouble sleeping at night. I think I am getting RLS (restless leg syndrome) and becoming an insomniac. See, I’m turning into a hypochondriac! I have such a peculiar case- my sleepiest times are around 2-3 pm when it’s all quite at work; 7:30 pm when it’s time to fix dinner, and 9 pm just after dinner. But when it’s time for bed, I have a hard time. And it’s harder to wake up at 6:30 am.

Can I blame it to the weather?

One thing’s funny though. Recently we purchased new bright red throw pillows. Lounging in the sofa, the minute I plop my head into its glorious fluffiness, I fall asleep instantly! It’s a good thing only if it doesn’t thwart my chores, but it does so it’s a bad thing.

I guess I am falling into a sleeping rut. What shall I do? Sloth and sleepiness is not a proper combination. I have to snap out of it, chop-chop!

haikus of different flavor

Days are in grief when
boredom lurks; so sad, so wrong
a day without you.

Love keeps me so light
like floating on air, so true;
love moves, love sets free.

I wonder, I doubt.
If only all dreams would last.
I wish. But heart doubts.

Leave a heart so blue,
is not what I want to do.
Love, I’ll make you pure.

Until I find you
this heart of mine remains dark…
love sees, love is you.

The yogurt bandit

This incident is getting funnier. It used to be irritating. Now the more irritating it gets, the more comical it becomes. You see, from time to time we like to bring some yogurt at work and we like to eat it as dessert or a snack. What I like is the fruit-flavored, thick and creamy custard style kind. I haven’t been a long-time fan of yogurt. My hubby introduced me to the habit when we met years ago. It was funny because I never liked Yakult as a child. And when I expressed my interest to try the fruit-flavored ones, he told me I will not like it because it tasted like Yakult. But when I tried it, I found it interestingly delicious, and I liked it! And I have been a fan of the fruit-flavored ones since then.

Now back to my story. This morning, I brought the blackberry flavored yogurt at work. I placed it in the ref in the 4th floor kitchen thinking how nice it would be to have it as an afternoon snack. So after a couple of (boring) afternoon meetings today, I rushed to chow down the yogurt, finally! But surprise, surprise! The yogurt was gone.

The yogurt bandit strikes again!

Yes, there's a yogurt bandit. There had been several incidents in the past when all the yogurt that we brought at work went missing when it was time to eat it. I don’t know who’s the nincompoop who got the appetite to our custard-style, fruit-flavored yogurt and stole it. What a twerp. A total idiot. It annoyed me to heavens, after at least four times finding a much-desired yogurt gone, so the hubby and I decided to put a sticker with our name on it – taking chances on being teased about it. But it worked, since then nobody took our yogurt from the ref.

Until now. Well, I stopped the stickering bit ;) so that explains the un-labeled yogurt got stolen again. Or got mistakenly eaten. But, what the ***. Some people are so stupid. I am so annoyed, however, I can’t help to think how hilarious it gets. Is a simple tub of fruit-flavored yogurt really that steal-worthy?!

I hope the yogurt bandit have non-stop diarrhea ‘til the 4th of July.

"Kilig"

What is the English term for “kilig”? Is it giddy? Is it euphoric? Intoxicated? Kilig leapt into my mind just now because I finished reading a magazine article about having a crush and experiencing throes of kilig. That unmistakable rush we feel thinking about something good that just happened, or a thought about someone. Isn’t that the greatest feeling in the world?

Kilig is not all shivers and kicks, it is so much more. Perhaps I wouldn’t be able to define it fully if I were to explain it to my non-Tagalog speaking friends. However, we all know what it is, and would smile complacently thinking about those teenage years overcome with kilig.

What are your kilig moments? I like looking at wedding pictures, and it would be on my list of kilig moments. Why? It is because weddings are a pool of mixed emotions- happiness, agitation, melodrama, guilt, pride, triumph, apprehension, hope and bliss. The look of love between the couple on their wedding day makes me kilig. The promise of a new love, the blossoming of new relationships makes me kilig, too. I delight in listening to stories of getting to know each other stages of dating, of planning a wedding, of seeing someone really likable. Basking in “I really like her/him a lot” thought is supernaturally pleasant.

An unexpected call from a loved one, an unexpected kiss, and unexpected words – these all bring flood of tender sentiments in us all. Who wouldn’t be kilig when a boy you liked brought a bouquet of flowers in front of all your friends in a crowded café? Or when a boy you recently met, and whom you really liked promised to see you after your class, and found him running up in the stairs to catch you as he was a tad late? Or when a boy gives you a tender kiss in front of his all his friends...?

Kilig moments are endless. But only if you allow it to happen. Think about the past, and you will find surprising moments worthy of kilig. Good and happy memories bring this juicy and overwhelming feeling. Love, love, love. It is a vast savannah of kilig…

This piece is for my hubby- the object of my kilig since 1999…

I like my greens... doused with vinaigrette

Recently I’ve noticed my growing affinity for the color green. Not that it has become my top favorite color (I can say I’m still a “red” girl), but green is popping out a lot lately. In choosing household items, it seems to me green was a favored color. When we moved into our new place more than a year ago, I chose olive green bedding accessories and picked a fresh shade of green when we decided to paint one wall.

Our new curtains are cilantro, and even the shower curtain is green- sage to be exact. And I own mint green shirts. Before winter, I oh-so wanted to buy a pair of mint-green western boots. But the verve faded when winter set in. So now, it’s officially in my what-in-***-were-you-thinking moments. I mean, really. Did I really want to trod in the yet-to-be-seen snow this winter in bright green footwear? I know my hubby is having a Nelson Muntz ha-haa! moment right now.

In the past, blue was my favorite color. Then I outgrew it and adopted red as my favorite. I like the fiery, ebullient aura of color red. If this were an instant personality test, then I’m stimulating, energetic and bold. It’s more like the personality I want to match. Reds also have incredible will-power and they enjoy pleasant and colorful environment.

Now, why do I like green? Green is sensational. It could mean a lot of things, too. Greens the foliage, greens the veggies, green the young ‘un, green the money, green thumb, green tomatoes, green light, green with envy. And of course, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. I always associate green with calmness, ease and relaxation, and life.

Last weekend, the hubby and I made some avocado shake – perfect green thirst quencher. Then I started to pine for green kaong and buko-pandan. Darn. The hubby and I love the greens, too. Aragula, bibb lettuce, romaine, spinach, endives, dandelions. We’re happy to munch on these greens, but we don’t agree on the dressing. He’s a ranch person while I’m a vinaigrette person. And I don’t just want it spritzed, I want it doused, deluged and drenched in vinaigrette. That will make me a happy green goat.

startin' the year right

We wanted to start the year right. And so the hubby started a 365 set on flickr. And this is my idea of starting the year right: banana spice cake.

4 ounces butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 large egg
2 to 3 bananas, mashed, about 3/4 cup
1/4 cup buttermilk or sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 scant teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Heat oven to 350°. Grease and flour an 8-inch square pan. In a large mixing bowl with electric mixer, cream butter and brown sugar. Beat in egg, milk, vanilla, and mashed banana until blended.

Combine remaining dry ingredients and spices. Stir the dry ingredients into the first mixture until moistened. Spread in prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly touched with finger.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Now, let’s see. Hmm, I hope this doesn’t mean fatty cheeks, fleshy arms and chubby waistline for me.

Life is like eating artichokes

Life is like eating artichokes, you have got to go through so much to get so little.

What did you do in 2006 which you have never done before?
Can’t say.
Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, or will you make more for next year?
I’ll probably make a new one. I don’t remember if I ever made one this year.
What memorable places did you visit?
NYC and Outer Banks in North Carolina
What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?
More courage and more patience
What date from 2006 will be etched upon your memory, and why?
July 23-26th “lighthouse hunt” in North Carolina.
What was your biggest achievement in 2006?
My newest rep: a good cook.
What was your biggest failure?
Can’t seem to identify a penny, a nickel and a dime
Whose behavior merited celebration?
Mine and hubbys!
What did you get really, really excited about?
Birthdays and anniversaries
What song will always remind you of 2006?
Bad Day by Daniel Powter from American Idol
Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? happier!
ii. thinner or fatter? fatter, unfortunately
What do you wish you’d done more?
More exercise
What do you wish you’d done less of?
Temper tantrums
Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate last year?
Sadly, yes.
What did you do on your birthday?
Dinner at McCormick & Schmick’s with the hubby
What kept you sane?
Quiet comfort of home and that there’s always tomorrow
Who did you miss?
Mom, and Bub (my dog who replaced me in my mom’s world - my mom’s enfant terrible)
Tell us a valuable lesson you’ve learned in 2006.
That it doesn’t make me less of a person if I can’t please a lot of people, and that growing old isn’t that bad
What was the nicest thing someone told you about yourself?
I’m a good wife ;)
The most touching experience you’ve had this year.
When the hubby got sick, and I took care of him.
What did you hate most about yourself this year?
I always have bad timing in throwing a bad mood. I never learned.
Quote a song lyric which sums up your year.
Five hundred twenty-five thousand,six hundred minutes,
Five hundred twenty-five thousand moments so dear.
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure, measure a year?
(“Seasons of Love”, Rent)
Was 2006 a good year for you?
Yup. Life has been good. Can’t complain.
What was your favorite moment this year?
A lot! David’s birthday, my birthday, weekend trip to NY with friends, summer trip to North Carolina, our anniversary…
What are your favorite months of the year?
June, July and December
What are your least favorite months of the year?
January and February
Do you have a new year’s resolution for 2007?
To be more assertive.
What was your most embarrassing moment of 2006?
Let’s not even go there.
What are your plans for 2007?
Cook more. Bake more. Play tennis more. Read more. Travel more. Eat less. Study more. Start a new hobby. Learn new skills. Work harder. Stay healthy. Get more sleep. Make more new friends. Become a pet parent (maybe). Always be happy.

A happy Christmas, and a merry mix-up, too!

It’s Christmas Day! But it’s raining here… What a soppy way to spend a wonderful Christmas day. But anyway, a happy Christmas is still a happy Christmas, be it rain, shine, snow or a mix-up midnight mass; or here or there or missing family and friends.

We spent the Christmas eve at our friends’ home and of course, the center of attention that night, except for the delicious feast, was the 3-year old Stefan, who expertly tore off the wrappers of his presents. Well, we got some presents, too. Some nice, some junk hehe. But as we always prompt ourselves- it’s the thought that counts. For our good friends who hosted the party, we got them a good-humored wooden plaque which said: “My Wife Wanted A New Experience, So I Showed Her The Kitchen”. They were delighted with it and unhesitatingly hang it in their kitchen wall, like a religious icon for the wife, a self-proclaimed kitchen skeptic (and proud of it!).

Earlier last night, we went to hear Christmas Eve Mass at our parish. The schedule online said 9:30 p.m. for Misa Noche Buena. Well, we blissfully (albeit unintentionally) ignored the information, fixated on the 9:30 pm. So imagine our shock when we realized the 9:30 pm Mass was the Spanish Mass! So we heard the Mass in Spanish and I tried to keep up with the prayers and the songs. My Beginners Spanish was no match for the priest who rapidly spewed out his sermon, I had no time to catch all the words, hehehe.

But I must admit, it was a great experience. It was unexpected, but a fortunate incident nonetheless. I found myself singing with “hosanna, hosanna, hosanna en el cielo…..”- the only nearly-familiar song phrase that night. I loved it. I guess there’s a different kind of spark channeling our interest with a language we are still learning to speak, we got ourselves more into it. It was one-of-a-kind Christmas eve story, surely.

Hope your Christmas was happy and memorable, too!