Ten Is Tin

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I've mentioned that it was Elmer and my tenth anniversary on August 28, and that I would tell you more about it. Well, that's it. There's nothing more about it, seriously. Null. Zero. Nada. Zilch. There was no celebration at all. Not even greeting each other "Happy anniversary, Mahal." Kasi nga 'di ba I've also mentioned na may pinagdadaanan ako.

Ganito kasi 'yun.

Months ago, my friends at work found a super cheap fare to Palawan. That was in March. Travel period was, from that time, in a couple of months for a couple of months. They invited me to go with them and asked me to bring Elmer with me. They were two pairs of couple, so Elmer and I would make the group three pairs of couple heading to Palawan in September. To cut the story short, Elmer and I agreed. We booked for a flight to Palawan. That was in March. Yes, we are heading to Palawan on September 3 and staying there until September 7.

You must know by now that Elmer is now with a new company that also works for Texas Instruments. He switched companies in July. You know what that means. New company. Tenure back to zero. No leave credits. Heavy workload. Limited number of people. So again, to cut the story short, his boss didn't let him go on this trip. He couldn't join us.

We Missed Guimba

It's been months since the last time before we could visit Guimba again. I made sure we make it this time for Muder's birthday. I requested for this vacation leave months ago. We left Baguio on Saturday evening. We could have left earlier but Calli and I still had to wait for Nikki. Her school decided to have classes that Saturday. Wrong timing lang. Meanwhile, Elmer couldn't make it. He's such a loser at his new job. Very heavy workload with limited manpower. Hindi makapag-VL ampotah. At yan ang dahilan ng 'di namin pagkakaunawaan (Read: Ayoko siyang unawain) these past few days. I'll tell you more about that sooner or later. Nasa-sad lang talaga ako nang bongga.

Okay, going back.

Nikki, Calli and I missed a lot in Guimba. I missed particularly the house, Fuder's cooking, the walang wawang conversation with Vian and Muder, my endless pagalit-slash-pang-iinis kay Jayvee and so many more. At syempre more than any of these, mi familia.

Sunday was Muder's 50th birthday celebration. On Monday, we had a great lunch with Fuder's fish escabeche and ginataang hito on the table. Ansarap kumain talaga 'pag libre, err, kasama mo ang pamilya...lalo't antatakaw nila. ^_^ I wish I had taken photos of these priceless dishes, uhm, this moment. I just noticed that whenever I'm in Guimba with my family, I (most of the time and unintentionally) disconnect myself from the world wide web. I also forget about my cellphone, my laptop, my camera. I think that's good, para maiba naman.

I missed the breakfast. We always have two sets of breakfast in Guimba basta walang pasok. I don't know why. Nakasanayan na lang siguro. One light breakfast at around 6AM or basta pagkagising na lang, with bread and coffee/milk/tea. Then a heavy one at around 9AM, with ulam and rice. 

Milk Tea for Three

Muder's Big Five-0

Fifty years ago, on August 26, 1962 was when the most consistent woman in my life was born. Hallelujah that day came. If not then you know what would have happened.

Last year I promised her an extraordinary celebration on her 50th birthday. She dissented, or maybe that's what I thought. She mentioned that she would just like to keep it simple and that she didn't want any party, just an intimate lunch or dinner with her family. All the while that was the plan. But at the last minute, she changed her mind. There would again be a party. Although still simple, just merienda with family and few friends.

Be ready. Photo bomb's coming up.

Back From A Short Hiatus

Ahaym sorry.

My last post was just something that was sitting in my Drafts for months, that I had to do a little editing for before publishing it online. I lost my "gana" to write for a bit there. You see, even My Project 365+1 needs updating. I assure you, the project's still on. I just couldn't find time to stitch the photos together. I promised myself that I'd finish that before Friday. That's why after a little while on hiatus,  I feel like I owe you some updating and my blog(s) an apology. 'Sensya na, may pinagdadaanan lang. Fret not because I'm so back!

Checking on it, it was just one week lang naman since my last post. But it felt like forever. Geez! For now, I would like to update you with what I had been doing for the past week.

Some random photos lang after the break, a'right? ^_^

Coffee or Tea?

When I was younger, I was never a coffee aficionado. My parents and uncles and aunts were and still are. I remember them chatting over cups of coffee even during some hot mid-afternoons. I only learned to consume cups and cups...and cups of coffee when I started working in a call center. Oh yeah, I've been a huge coffee fan since 2004. And it's good my company for giving its employees free coffee. Most call centers do.

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Tea, on the other hand, is something that I only learned to love taking a couple of years back. Elmer's mom, who happens to be a health buff, was the one who I got the influence from. She believed that tea was much healthier than coffee. While popular belief labels tea as a health drink and coffee as not, I've read that mounting evidence suggests that coffee and tea are both brimming with about the same amount of anti-oxidants in them.

Despite my love for coffee, I have never become a patron of popular coffee shops like Starbucks, Gloria Jean's or the others. First, I am cheap. Paying at least P80 for a short cup of coffee, to me, is robbery. Second, magagalit si Elmer sa akin. ^_^. Sipping on a cup of Starbucks aromatic coffee as I feel the cool Baguio breeze, once in a while, is, I think, heaven. But I still prefer to have my caffeine fix at the comfort of my home or at the office. 

My good friend at work and I have (almost) never failed to take at least one cup of coffee during our breaks until she was advised by her doctor to cut down on her consumption of coffee and some other foods and drinks and until our boss instructed us to not go on break at the same time anymore. Since then, I have been sipping on coffee in the pantry all by myself.

Lesson learned: (1) Do not see your doctor. He/She might ask you to stop doing things you love to do, or eating and drinking foods you love to eat and drink. (2) Hide when you see an approaching boss. ^_^

How about you? Coffee or tea?

Ciao! ♥

Photo Studio by PicsArt

Once in a while, I check new apps and games at Google Play Store. My recent find is this Photo Studio by PicsArt. I had already tried a couple of photo editing and photo community apps and I think this one is by far the best. It's easy to use and not to mention, FREE!

 

Although it has not reached Instagram's popularity just yet, I think it will not take long before that happens because of all the many things you can do with your photos with it. It has various options to choose from to edit or enhance your photos - masks, collage, frames, borders, stickers,  text effect, clipart graphics, callouts, crop, rotate, color adjust and so much more!

...and The Healing

Why is this titled as such? Click and read this to find out. ^_^

The way my friend Charlie described the suspense that I would feel of the movie The Healing made me all thrilled to see it. So that very day when I got home, I told Elmer we would see it. His treat. I got a nod. It was perfect!

Yesterday, after Elmer seeing Dra. Clemente for the test result, we only had 5 minutes to walk up from Benguet Lab on the ground floor to the cinema 4 floors above. We still didn't have ticket nor food. In short, we missed the first 8 minutes of the movie, which was just fine.

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All of a sudden, Elmer has become conscious of the food he eats. I said I liked popcorn. Before entering the cinema, he bought popcorn but never tasted it. Maalat daw kasi. Arte lang! So ako ang ngumata nang ngumata ng popcorn the whole time.

-- SPOILER ALERT --

The story was very much, almost exactly, the same as Final Destination. 'Yun na 'yun na mismo ang takbo ng story. The only difference and what made feel like the story was not bitin was the fact na parang na-end ni Ate Vi ang "sumpa".

I didn't like the movie at all but I super enjoyed the experience. I don't know if you're like me na 'pag ako nagugulat-gulat at napapasigaw-sigaw sa loob ng sinehan, kahit walang kwenta ang story, enjoy na enjoy na ako. Feeling ko sulit na sulit ang ibinayad ko.

After almost two tensionadong oras, Elmer and I were out of the cinema. I went straight to the ladies CR. Andaming kolehiyalang nanood. I was waiting for my turn sa toilet when I felt na parang I was catching attention. I tried to ignore. Still waiting for my turn nang napalingon ako sa shirt ko. Lintek! Para pala akong naligo ng cheese powder from the popcorn. So embarrassing! #wapakelshindinamannilaakokilala

So there. P180 for a ticket was I think sulit naman. It depends on how you look at it. Just look at the bright side na lang. Which is? ^_^

Ciao! ♥
 

The Sickness...

Toward the end of July, Elmer mentioned to me about this very unusual something that he observed. He thought there was what appeared like blood in his urine. He said it was just one time and the color was not very distinct red that's why he couldn't tell for sure if it really was blood. He immediately brushed it off, or maybe that's what I thought, so I also did. I never thought it was that big of a deal to him. It only occurred to me yesterday when he mentioned that he again observed the same in his urine the day before and that he would consult a doctor.

It was his day off yesterday. Original plan for the day was for the two of us to just go out and see a movie. So added to our agenda for the day was a visit to Benguet Lab to see a urologist before heading to the cinema. Unfortunately, urologist was out. Time was around 4PM. Family doctor would arrive at 5:30PM. He said he would see the family doctor instead. So we waited. 

We killed time at a nearby Bibingkinitan. By the way, at around 5AM yesterday,the weather looked promising. I knew Mr. Sun would already show himself up. And it didn't disappoint me. Sun came up but late in the afternoon when we were already in SM, heavy rain started to pour again. Really heavy rain. So a hot brewed coffee at Bibingkinitan was just perfect. 

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I never knew that Elmer was afraid of doctors until yesterday. Ako kasi, konting kibot, especially 'pag sa mga bagets ko, consult a doctor agad. In those ten years that Elmer and I are together, not once that he consulted a doctor. Never, until yesterday. Before going out of the house, Mama Shirley talked to me on the phone.

Mama Shirley: Mia! (she calls me Mia and may exclamation point talaga, haha) Pilitin mo si Jay-ar (Elmer is Jay-ar) magpa-checkup. Takot sa doctor 'yan! Pilitin na pilitin mo ha! Baka kung ano na 'yan. Nasa lahi pa naman namin ang cancer.

Just Saying

The Aftermath

 "What we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and to one another." - Mahatma Gandhi

The Aftermath of the aftermath

"The activist is not the man who says the river is dirty. The activist is the man who cleans up the river." - Ross Perot

"The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is now." - Dambisa Moyo, Zambian economist

"As each tree falls so does the earth's ability to heal itself and to adapt to the effects of our changing climate." - Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs addressing Copenhagen COP15 UN conference (13 December 2009)

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It's all coming back to us now.

And it's sad.

If we love our children, let's make a difference...

by being different.

 

*All other images are from Yahoo!

Ciao! ♥

 

Goodbye Frizz

Here in Baguio, I do not have a "suki" salon. Before, I would only get a haircut every time I was in Nueva Ecija. There was one salon there na 'pag magpapagupit ako, papasok lang at sasabihin. "Parang dati po." 'Yun na. Gets na niya ang gupit na gusto ko at swak naman sa akin. 

But after a hair rebond and hair got longer, I had to cut it na. I never had a long hair talaga. Hindi kasi bagay sa akin. It has become inconvenient for me to go down to Nueva Ecija every time I would like to get a haircut. I've already tried having a haircut in a couple of salons here in Baguio. I would say, I'm still in my search for a "suki" salon. 

Have you seen my photo here? Okay, ginawan ko na ng paraan 'yan. My friends Joy and Karen were also in the mood for a haircut. Because my hair looked like it badly needed some trimming, I joined them. 

We headed to Domingo Cabato Jr. Salon, a small salon in General Luna. Yes, mhin na mhin ang name. Joy knows Dom. 

These were the "after" shots. Sana daw may "before" shots. Sabi ko, 'di na kelangan. ^_^

Cuma-camwhore lang.

Taste Buds At Work: Army Navy's Charlie Bravo Querida Mia

When Elmer and I dined at Army Navy in its Session Road branch for the first time, he had a burger while I had a burrito. Fair enough for Army Navy is well-known as a Burger+Burrito joint, right? That time, I took photos of the place, the food that we ordered and this ad table standee showcasing Army Navy's Querida Mia.

That's why I promised myself that I'd order Querida Mia next time. So when Aunt Erma invited us for a dinner at Army Navy, I fulfilled my promise. ^_^

Go Harry!

Like I said in my previous post, my three-year-old Calli seems like she's fallen in love with Harry Potter. Oh Em Gee! She would start watching Harry Potter whenever she remembers and feels like it. She would tell me, neighbors and people, "Nami-miss ko na si Heri. Love love ko si Heri." Earlier today when I came home for "lunch", I found her watching Harry Potter at 7:30 AM. Yes, that early. While on her bike she exclaimed, "Ang galing-galing ni Heri, Mommeeh! Ambilis niya ma-bike." I paused for a bit from eating my breakfast (Yes, I'm having my breakfast during my "lunch") and tried to recall remarkable scenes of each Harry Potter movie. Wala naman eksena dun na naka-bike siya ah?

One time I asked her,

Me: Bakit hindi ka yata nanonood ng Heri?

Calli: Kasi napapagod na siya ma-magic Mommeeh. Wawa naman siya. Papahinga pa siya.

Na-memorize na nga niya ang ibang eksena.

Tignan mo Mommeeh, sasalita ang sombero. (Pauses and waits) Gryffindor!

Tignan mo Mommeeh, dalawa mukha niya.

Tignan mo Mommeeh, nalilipad ang saksakyan.

Tignan mo Mommeeh, blah blah blah.

Hayna! At meron din siyang,

Mommeeh, naka-lisp tick (lipstick) si Heri?

And here's the video of her cheering for Heri, err, Harry. I cut it short because she was just saying the same thing anyway for, I think, five minutes.

3 F's of Birthdays: Family, Food, Fun

How are you my dearies? I hope everybody's fine after all the heavy rains and strong winds brought about by Gener. Gener has left the Philippine area and yet it's still raining. It's been raining for weeks now here in Baguio. And. I. Hate. It. Dirty clothes already piled up. Ga-bundok na siya. Still, I'm not letting Pinky (the new house help/nanny) wash all the dirty clothes at once because 1.) We do not have a very long indoor clothes line to hang them on, 2.) There are still a few pieces on our line waiting to dry, and 3.) There's another typhoon coming.

The continuous raining didn't stop us from going out on Sunday. I mentioned here that we had an invitation for a dinner on that day. It was Aunt Erma's son Christian's birthday. We headed to Army Navy in Camp John Hay like we were instructed. So it was not really "dinner" after all. But that was free meal for us so I have no complaint. ^_^

Taste Buds At Work: 50's Diner's Pizza Burger

If you love pizza, and you love burger, then you would definitely love a pizza burger.

On Sunday when we dined out at 50's diner, I was not in the mood for a rice meal although I didn't have lunch that day. I thought, it was too late for lunch and too early for dinner. I knew 50's Diner's burgers were much bigger than the usual size that were served in most fast food chains. So burger - pizza burger - it was.

50's Diner's Pizza Burger, P135

With lettuce, onion rings, tomato slices, cucumber slices and few potato slices - usual burger add-ons

With lotsa cheese, mushroom, bell pepper and pineapple slices - common pizza toppings

The lettuce, onion rings, tomato and cucumber slices were not yet topped to the burger patty so you could have some kinda make-your-own burger thing on your plate. But the mushroom, bell pepper and  pineapple slices already were along with the thick grated cheese. I easily tasted the familiar pizza flavor in the juicy patty. 

As a pizza and burger lover, I just simply couldn't find anything not lovable about this pizza burger. I just loved it! Aunt Sol, who was sitting next to me ordered a 50's Burger that was exactly as huge as the Pizza Burger that I ordered, commented, "Pinilit ubusin ni Mia ang burger. Anlaki kasi." Inubos ko talaga 'yun kasi ansarap e. 

And now that I am writing about it and have again taken a look at its photos above, kahit malakas ang bagyo, parang gusto kong sumadya sa 50's Diner at kumain ng isang masarap na Pizza Burger. 

50's Diner

92 Upper General Luna Road Corner Brent Road

Baguio City 2600

Military Cutoff Road

(Beside Kubong Sawali)

Baguio City 2600

Note: There may be a lot of other blogs out there that offer an extensive and more detailed review on the same topic as the above. Things I put here are just my two cents. I don't even consider this a review. Just a kwento on the experience per se. Enjoy! ^_^

Ciao! ♥