GREAT BARMY PILLOCK!

Buti na lang wala nang nagbabasa ng blog...

2010-05-05T23:27:00.004+08:00

Sometimes, I come up with the weirdest, strangest thoughts. Though, maybe it's kinda true (?). Case in point: I miss my barkada, but do they feel the same? I'm beginning to think that bridge-burning could happen, just so that "letting go" could happen. Tutal, kanya-kanyang buhay na 'yan. Nakakapanghinayang? You betcha.

2010-02-27T22:22:00.000+08:00

I just can't wait to hear about the next fitness fad...

2010-01-13T12:03:00.001+08:00

It's aliiiive!!!!

Canne'd

2009-05-27T09:34:00.002+08:00

Saw the director who won in Cannes this morning on Unang Hirit. Congrats to him... yey

Never really was a fan of indie films. Themes like sadness, sex, homosexuality, violence seems to be the ticket to worldwide accolades, well, most of the time.

I'm pretty sure the people behind them spent a lot of time and (often, their own) money creating their movies. They really deserve all that praise for their hard work.

No offense but, wala na po bang iba?

I guess I'm just too shallow for these things.

Gee Whiz...

2009-05-12T21:03:00.001+08:00

Allow me to share a shallow yet very frustrating thing...

I went to work in decent work clothes with the idea that I would get to do some real work like discussions with the staff, catching up on our projects and meeting some document requirements. I psyched myself up and prepared for what could be a real day IN the office.

But alas and alack, Big Boss had something else in mind.

I was tasked, no, ordered to take the car we're building out on test drives. Yup, test drives - more than one test drive which practically took up the rest of the day! Our mechanic and I would take the car out, test drive it, search for any kinks, repair it and test drive it again for 4 times. Sigh.

What made it really bad was that I really wasn't wearing something comfortable. The sun was out and the A/C was non-existent. Not exactly a jeans, (new) T-shirt and leather shoes activity. Big Boss breathing down my neck did not help.

I really hope we get everything sorted. Being some kinda Jack-of-all-trades can be a pain especially if the higher ups want you to pull off one job after the other plus the ones in between.

Til then...

And now, a word from our sponsors...

2009-04-28T11:16:00.000+08:00

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Tickets Available Now!

2009-04-19T20:10:00.002+08:00

Randy Randoms

2009-04-19T16:02:00.015+08:00

Whew ~ I can’t believe my last blog post was on January!

Marlie’s six and half months already and she’s been on a couple of trips with us already. First was in Subic and the other in La Luz, Batangas. Our baby’s beginning to love the great outdoors, especially the beach, just like her parents. She’s also getting to be a girl about town because we’ve been going to the malls and restaurants lately.

Our project car might have hit a snag lately as Vic, our mechanic, has decided to pursue greener pastures. It’s sad seeing him go. From here on, we’ll have to rely on his assistant Joey and simultaneously search for a mechanic to help us continue with the project. Sigh~

Earlier this month, the Questor peeps decided to hook up down south. Yep, through the wonders of YM and Facebook, we were able to actually plan an afternoon together. Though we missed Cecil, we were glad to have Patty (a friend of Cherry and Bambi), join our motley bunch. As always, it was a pleasant reunion, mostly filled with laughs and good cheer. We have yet to show Cherry a convincing marketing pitch to launch P3 alongside ABS-CBN’s Pop Icons...

kwee kwee!

Bellissimo!

2009-01-25T18:16:00.006+08:00

It's been about 9 months now but well worth it. My brother and I have been on the firing line most of the time but we're glad our foray into car restoration has been quite a learning experience. Our Italian beauty is already shaping up to be meraviglioso!

Hopefully in a few more months, we'll be done. Vic, our mechanic jokes a lot about having the car finished by Valentine's Day, ergo the color Rosso Red, heheh...

Believe me, doing all these bits of fettling plus doing my real job is absolutely draining. But nothing's better than being with my girls at the end of the day. Molto bella!

EEEEEEKK!!!

2008-12-15T20:08:00.003+08:00

Happy Holidays to all our fans (and inmates...)

I Sigh the Signs...

2008-12-07T08:31:00.006+08:00

Nope, this isn't about our knack for making up the quirky signs. Rather, I found myself a bit irked one night while watching to the news. If memory serves me right, the story was about how we've practically rearranged and bastardized the standard descriptions for road signs. The feature showed flawed city, town and barangay street signs. They were recklessly designed, poorly researched and misuse of public resources. All that and the government agency tasked to do it right doesn't seem to care that they've somehow screwed up.

The top boss at the LTO was first to admit (God bless his soul) that our road signs are flawed and are in dire need of an overhaul. He sounds like a straight-arrow, maybe there's hope? It has to come from him rightly so because it's his agency that releases our driver's licenses. Thinking about it, wasn't there a section in the driver's license exam that deals with familiarity with street signs? Other than that, didn't driving schools teach students how to read street signs as part of their course? What happens when a new driver can't distinguish the signs he's learned from school and from the "real" world? Nagtatanong lang po.

Speaking of top bosses, at the end of the news feature, the reporter had a word with the general manager of the MMDA. He asked why they were so intent on using a pink color scheme for most of their signs and why, as a government agency, aren't they conforming to international standards. I think he quipped something like, "Eh, sino ba nakaaalam nun dito sa atin?". Do road semantics and politics mix? Sir, this isn't what I'm paying my taxes for. I shrug and roll my eyes.

I've heard of lightweight chassis'...

2008-12-03T22:52:00.005+08:00

...but this is ridiculous!

Kain tayo! (Let's eat!)

2008-11-16T13:26:00.008+08:00

My mom fondly recalls that when my siblings and I were little, while other moms had a hard time feeding their kids, she had the most difficult time keeping us from eating too much. While she was away, we would hang out the kitchen and try concocting our own little "gourmet" meals. Our kusinera that time, Ate Epion, could only sigh in relief that we didn't set fire to the kitchen.

Fast forward to today. Yes, I still eat like there's no tomorrow, but thank goodness our kitchen hasn't burned down. I still like to cook and do so from time to time. Some recipes I got from watching Food Network shows while others from books and magazines. (Thanks Cherry for that FOOD Magazine special you gave me a couple of Christmases ago. Sulit na sulit na talaga siya!)

Now, you might be thinking I'm doing something like Bobby Flay's Cumin-Crusted Chicken with Cotija and Mango-Garlic Sauce. It's a mouthful to say and frankly, sounds difficult to do. Best to take my chances with something a lot simpler and a lot more familiar, say, Breaded Cream Dory Fillets and Sumkinda Tomato Relish -

How about a stir-fry dish? Here's my humble take on Stir-Fried Pork with Baby Corn and Mushrooms -

Some say cooking is a stress-reliever. As for me, I'm just happy seeing Donna, our friends and family enjoying a nice, home-cooked meal. Soon, maybe even Marlie will get to do some cooking like her mom and dad. Cheers!

*In case you folks would like to try the recipes, let me know! Post a comment or e-mail me.

Time flies...

2008-10-23T10:27:00.007+08:00

Very short post. I hope my blog still works...

Donna and I were very blessed with the birth of Marian Annelie Lacuna. Yep, we're parents now and never been prouder. She was born 30 September, 2008 at St. Lukes Medical Center, but I'll leave all of the details to Donna and her blog. *wink*

Cuutieee!

And now, for some laughs...

Dr. Bob Y. Ramo

Order Slip for a Battle Tank

2008-04-08T12:21:00.003+08:00

With work getting far more difficult, I would've placed an order for a couple of these right now. It would be absolutely perfect! A couple of articulated arms for picking up stuff like a crane and a bulldozer attachment for plowing through debris makes this Zaku Tank a boon to the heavy equipment trade. Anybody out there selling one?

I'm on the run like a refugee...

2008-02-20T10:22:00.005+08:00

No, I didn't get myself into trouble with the authorities.

Back in the Q days, whenever RX's Monster Riot and TM's Friday Magic Madness would play The Alarm's "Rescue Me" and "Rain in the Summertime", my boss could be heard singing these with gusto. The only Alarm song I knew then was "Absolute Reality" and these other ditties became very catchy.

Lo and behold this -

With a little bit of online research, I found "The Best of The Alarm and Mike Peters". The album rocks, especially for someone who misses the "old days" of alternative rock. It's gritty, a bit passionate and a requisite for someone who just wants to let it all out. Donna can attest to the letting it all out bit.

Maybe I'll check out the Wild Swans & New Order next...

Buta Swims...

2008-02-10T06:51:00.000+08:00

Whew! I finally got my blog rolling again. The past few months have been a harsh lesson in being patient and time management. Had a couple of skirmishes here and there but now, the dust is beginning to settle a bit. I should seriously get my act together.

2007-09-07T11:53:00.001+08:00

2007-09-05T13:57:00.001+08:00

Went to the Queen City of the South last May with Donna and her college buddies. Most of our trips to the south have been to sunny Boracay. Cebu's a definitely a welcome treat especially when it comes with a trip to the island of Malapascua, reputedly known as the next Boracay. Our friend Clint describes the place as a "thinking man's Boracay". I wonder if that "thinking man" ever saw this?

Ex-hubby of "Dime" Moore?

Anyways, the port to Malapascua's a good 3-hour from the city. The boat trip was breathtaking, with seabirds doing fly-by's and schools of small fishes jumping out of the water.

Malapascua Island is certainly a find. Though creature comforts like beer, beer and beer were a bit pricey, we were astonished to find that it's a beachcomber's paradise. During high tide in themorning, one can take a morning dip in the clear waters. No waves here, just a peaceful, lazylapping of the water. Once the tide ebbs in the afternoon, the beach is teaming with life. Avariety of fish can be found hiding in every nook or in plain site cleverly camouflaged like leavesand rocks. (Just click to enlarge the pictures)

That's it for now. At the moment, a sight like this is all I can think about...

Bulletins with Butterfly Wings

2007-09-04T20:21:00.000+08:00

Between the months of July to September, I was able to retouch/letter 2 mangas. The last one was a bit difficult, citing lack of sleep and time. Even the most well-planned schedule will eventually fail due to human (that's me) error. To my boss, I'm really, utterly sorry.
Whew! Good news is, the house is just about done. We're thinking about moving the furniture in one at a time. Kudos to my foreman, Ike, my lead painter, Andy, and their minions for a job well done! They built a beautiful house.
Designed a movable kitchen counter.
Designing a sofa/coffee table.
Fixing/customizing a computer table.
Searching for a consul table.
Pondering on a doing landscaping project.
Pondering on which cable TV, phone and internet provider to subscribe to.
Replaced Junior's front tires with brand new ones. Goodyear Fortera R15/25/70. Also had the front brake pads changed from re-lined ones to decent, branded replacement pads (Bendix, Aussie-made). Now the squeaks from braking are almost gone. In taking care f cars, never, ever substitute quality for an unreliable cheap buy.
Had a 3rd reverse light installed on Ace.
Thinking/wanting to have my PC upgraded.

Jailhouse Rock!

2007-07-26T13:10:00.000+08:00

This was taken from the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center. Other than "Radio Gaga" by, heheh, "The" Queen, the inmates danced to "Jumbo Hotdog" and "I Will Follow Him". Sure made me smile today.

Testing, testing. One, two, three...

2007-07-26T09:33:00.000+08:00

This must be the busiest time of my life...

Belated Happy Birthday, Pepe...

2007-06-20T09:25:00.000+08:00

Sketch of himself - Ink
Bureau of Public Libraries - Sent to Dr. Blumentritt in 1887

" Men are born equal, naked and without chains, They were not created by God to be enslaved, neither were they endowed with intelligence in order to be misled, nor adorned with reason to be fooled by others, It is not pride to refuse to worship a fellow man, to enlighten the mind, and to reason out everything. The arrogant one is he who wants to be worshipped, who misleads others, and who wants his will to prevail over reason and justice."

(Jose Rizal - "Message to the Women of Malolos", Europe, February 1889)

Places in the country I've visited...

2007-06-20T08:53:00.000+08:00

Looking at this, there's still a big part of the country I think I'd like to visit...

Palawan?

Batanes?

Davao?

My Lakbayan grade is C!

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out atLakbayan!

Created by Eugene Villar.

Tickled Pink

2007-06-11T08:59:00.000+08:00

I could say that there have been some "considerate" improvements to driving around Metro Manila these days. Some streets are even showing some little improvement and organization. Now, we've got road safety signs, barriers and dividers to make driving a little easy for us. Of course it does take a while to get used to them but at least someone's making an effort to make them aware to the motoring public.

What's gotten my irk though is the current color scheme they're following. Heavens, PINK?! BLUE?! What are these people thinking about? At least they should have the decency to color the concrete barriers/fences in yellow. That color's easier seen whether in a dark road or during foul weather.

We regularly tune in to the morning shows on TV every morning. Road accidents concerning cars being flung from concrete barriers or ramming on to the steel fences have somewhat become a regular feature on the shows. Whether it may have been the driver's fault or otherwise, the severity of the accident may have been brought to a lesser degree had the warning signs or structures been more visible. Heck, nobody can see pink at night.

Lets just hope each and every local government office sit down and finally tackle this problem.

Just my two-centavos' worth...

Afterthought from a very strange experience...

2007-06-04T12:54:00.000+08:00

A couple of years ago, my wife's friends encouraged us to join a badminton club. Since I've been thinking of getting serious with the sport, we joined without much hesitation.

Just like any club, we met and played with several folks, some became very good friends. Aside from that, we were able to hone our skills thanks to training sessions and tips from member-coaches.

Last Saturday, I was one of the players from our group who participated in the annual inter-club tournament. Players from their respective mini-groups called pocket e.b.'s (eye balls) were matched with other pocket e.b.'s from the club's ever-growing roster. The whole idea of the event was meant to foster camaraderie among fellow members and not so much on whose team had the most wins.

Alas, somehow the whole event reminded me of an inter-barangay basketball league gone bad. Well, at least no such things as fisticuffs and the dreaded patayan ng ilaw (setting up a free-for-all by turning the lights out) escalated. The atmosphere simply became tense with some players complaining about the rules, mechanics and other players who seemed to have miffed (or riled) them.

I scratch my head and sigh...

T.O.D.A.S. Tiger Lolos

2007-05-22T08:51:00.000+08:00

What happens when the T.O.D.A.S crew composed of Ritchie D' Horsie, Val Sotto and Joey De Leon decide to spoof Jojo A. & The Tigers, that dance group from Penthouse, Live!? Hilarious... Oh, there's also a clip from the original Penthouse and the real dance group. Thanks to Nostalgia Manila and YouTube for showing this... masakit na tiyan ko sa kakatawa...

Weekend at Subic!

2007-05-15T07:53:00.000+08:00

Spent another weekend at Subic last April. This time with Donna and her family. Most of my trips to the former U.S. base were on business. It was actually my first time to venture out to the other attractions like the Zoobic Safari and Camayan Beach. Had loads of snap-happy fun with my camera especially at the zoo. :D

This is my lovely niece Bea, with her lovely mom Lea at Max's.

View at Camayan Beach Port. When you look down, you can see fishes already!

Beboygum and Ray A., Lea A. and Chocnut

Choo-choo! Us, Dennis and Shane and our ride. Zoobic Safari...

And now for some Animal Crackers...

And finally...

From Jala-Jala with love...

2007-04-25T08:29:00.000+08:00

Spent a weekend with Donna and our Baddicts! pals in Jala-Jala, Rizal. It's always fun going to the provinces, this one nestled just before the Rizal-Laguna bounds.View of the Bay at Dawn

The scenery was wonderful and lush, with green being the constant color, highlighted by Laguna Bay's blue.

The Rape of the Dalagang Bukid.
Bulawan Restaurant, April 14, 2007

We enjoyed some fresh, unpolluted air, homemade food that didn't seem to run out, beer in our bellies and our friends' good, warm company.

Donna, Jonas and I went down to the lakeshore to take pictures. It was a surprising to find cows, goats and horses grazing about. Of course, them animals also had their own surprise waiting for us...

Ick! LANDMINES!

Kudos goes to Roy, Lara and little Ryan for bringing us there. We really enjoyed ourselves and had a chance to recharge our vacation-yearning, work-weary batteries!

Lango...

2007-04-19T12:39:00.000+08:00

Anejo Rhum 15 Years Old proof: "Nakatikim ka na ba ng kinse anyos?"

-This ad really raised a lot of eyebrows when it came out. The same people behind that
campaign are back with a new slogan, this time for a brandy ad:

Gran Matador Brandy: "Nakatikim ka na ba ng GRAN-MA?"

Kyun, Kyun, Watashi no kare wa, Pilot-o!

2007-03-27T08:35:00.000+08:00

I've been having my own Macross Flashback lately. Last week, I saw the movie "Macross: Do You Remember, Love?". It's now up there on my favorite movies list after watching it for the nth time. For me, it's the ultimate space opera, a love story incredibly woven around explosive space battles and the survival of the human race. Released way back in 1984, the production was certainly top-notch, even considered ahead of its time.

To continue my little Macross "revival", I got to listen to one of Mari Iijima's special project CD's, "Mari Iijima Sings Lynn Minmay". Ms. Iijima is the voice actress behind Lynn Minmay and also happens to be her singing voice as well. Seven tracks make up the CD with six of them being re-arranged, updated versions of popular Lynn Minmay songs "Angel's Paints", "Love Goes Away", "Zero-G Love", "Cinderella", "My Boyfriend's A Pilot", "Do You Remember, Love?", and a new, non-Macross song "Why".

The re-arranged songs were done when Ms. Iijima migrated to the U.S. Among the songs, I must say that my favorites, despite my lack of knowledge of any Japanese, would be "Angel's Paints" and the sentimental "Do You Remember, Love?". "Angel's Paint's", from "Macross Flashback 2012", is a delight to listen to. It's light, breezy and sweet just like Minmay. It was a surprise when I got to hear "Do You Remember, Love?". I was treated to a piano-only arrangement which sounded quite more sincere and soulful than the original version.

This album's gonna be in my MP3 player for a while...

Drama-rama sa Hapon!

2007-03-21T15:24:00.001+08:00

This was one pet peeve I've always had. At work, we usually tune in to GMA 7 around lunch time to catch Eat Bulaga! and the rest of the Drama-rama block. The current slew of shows consists of Daisy Siete, Muli, Princess Charming and capped-off with the Koreo-novela rerun, Full House.

Okay, before anyone starts commenting that I've got waaaay too much time on my hands, we don't really "watch" these shows. We just listen to them and go on our usual tasks. It's just been a habit that has made our afternoons more bearable and less boring.

Believe me, listening to them is fine. Just fine. So, how about a lazy critique?

Daisy Siete Season 14: Siete-Siete, Mano-Mano
The latest season of the "phenomenal" Sex Bomb Girls opens with what seems to be an action-packed theme song. I think the story revolves around the girls trying to get into a URCC-type fighting tournament. Throw in a case of bad stepfamilies, evil, conniving co-workers, a little dancing, hunky, brainless beefcakes and a plot that doesn't seem to really have anything to do with the title and you've got a recipe for...... Say, I think the EB Babes are waaay hotter than them! Honestly, the Sex Bomb Girls have been found wanting in beauty. Buck-toothed Rochelle, eat your heart out!

Muli
Alfred Vargas plays OFW husband to Marian Rivera. Sent to work in Malaysia, he falls for rich Chinese heiress Carrie Lee. Just like her old role, kawawa na naman si Marian Rivera. And guess who torments her? No other than the legendary Odette Khan! Tears are starting to stream out of the TV on to the office floor. The good news is, it's almost 4:00pm! Yey!

Princess Charming
The penultimate hurdle, este, show of the afternoon. It's actually spun-off from Bakekang and focuses on Charming's life before she met Bakekang, Kristal, Valeria etc. I don't get it. It seems that according to these scriptwriters, the world is wrought with bad stepfamilies with ugly secrets and greedy, vanity-stricken rich folks. Iyakan na naman! I find it hard to look at Marc Herras and Mylene Dizon as poor folks...

Ho-hummm... formula, formula, formula.

Nakakalula...

2007-03-08T09:22:00.000+08:00

Been through a lot the past few weeks. Getting all sorts of work done. It's fun, scary, stressful and very tiring. With all the hats I'm wearing, I hope me and Donna get a vacation soon... Looking forward to white sand beaches and that ocean air! Sigh!

VEGETABLE PANCIT CANTON?!!!

2007-01-29T10:26:00.000+08:00

Been seeing Quickchow's Veggie Pancit Canton commercial. The ad shows a mom who lovingly prepares a meal of fried chicken, rice and vegetables. The food was even decorated to look like a face. Fun, 'no?

Well, instead of appreciating his mom's hard work, the stupid brat becomes disgusted with the meal! Mommy gets frustrated and in comes the pancit canton. Tuwang-tuwa si bata! Namputcha! bilib na bilib si Mommy sa pancit canton na may gulay!

WTF! We're feeding this junk to kid's these days for the flimsy reason that they're supposed to have (dehydrated) vegetables!!! Alas, this culinary(?) abomination is right up the same alley of the pancit ulam. Vegetables! Goodness gracious! These people think they're artificial noodles are supposed to replace real honest-to-goodness vegetables?!!

Kung tutuusin, it did come from the producers of a famous artificial juice drink. Go figure.

"An Ounce of Prevention..." --and all that jazz

2006-12-01T09:30:00.000+08:00

At the advent of Typhoon Reming, Dad told me to have the carpenter board up the glass doors on the roof and veranda. These were the same doors where water from the previous Typhoon Milenyo seeped in and flooded, yes flooded, parts of the house. Luckily, as the PAGASA forcasted, Metro Manila was spared from all that wind and rain that battered Bicol and the rest of Southern Luzon. I just hope the worst is over and people in these provinces were able to survive the rest of the storm.

Now, it's basically back to normal here in the garage and in the construction site. That means I have to get my sorry ass back to work again. Yes, it's supposed to be a holiday but apparently, people in our business don't have one. On the way to work, around 9:30am, I was surprised to see my uncle/boss drive past me. That would've meant the bloke was here much earlier than I was. Talk about minus points for me. Does the guy ever sleep or decide to stay longer at home? Oh well, things are back to normal indeed...... BOLLOCKS!

Gundam Evolve 8: Strike Gundam

2006-11-27T17:12:00.000+08:00

Well, there's nothing much to post. Got this short CG film from Youtube. Sunrise Studios made this and the director might have seen "The Matrix" a wee bit too much. The Strike Gundam moves just like Neo!

"Deseo un bueno, ¡limpie la lucha!"

2006-11-20T16:27:00.000+08:00

"I want a good, clean fight!" as referee Mills Lane would've said it in Spanish. Manny Pacquiao once more, and I guess finally, proved to Eric Morales who's the better pugilist. Filipinos here and abroad, this guy included, have just been administered another shot of Pinoy Pride. Right now, the people in this country need a good dose of it.
(photo courtesy of Associated Press)

Chad Vader - Dayshift Manager

2006-11-16T09:38:00.001+08:00

Aww heck! Maybe they'll come up with a Villains Quiz...

2006-11-13T09:55:00.001+08:00

Which member of Voltes V are you?

You are Steve Armstrong! You were born to lead, but you're a bit of a hot head when things don't work out the way you expected; and that's because you are secretly a perfectionist. You try your best to be optimistic when situations are bleak. You exude confidence and demand respect from those who are much younger than you. You truly believe that you make the best desicions for the people you work with. You are fearless and always try to push yourself as far as you can go.
Take this quiz!

Quizilla | Join
| Make A Quiz | More Quizzes | Grab Code

Ay Ewan!

2006-11-05T21:57:00.000+08:00

I'd just like to thank Edward Furlong and the Geezer for giving me and my partner hell last Saturday. Next time guys, maybe you'd want the other team to enjoy playing first rather than giving them a quick and painless loss... Then again, maybe we were just a waste of your time so you guys decided to finish off the game to queue early, huh? Bullet day...(Balang araw...)

For Vegetarians...

2006-10-31T10:39:00.001+08:00

Donna and I were asked to prepare for last night's dinner. Just like any other task, this was a.s.ap. coz' my dad was supposed to be home early and my mom won't be able to cook. So, we hopped on to SM Hypermarket and bought us Roast Chicken in Lemongrass and Pata Hamon (that's ham-cured pork leg, btw) at the rotisserie and got us veggies for our sides.

Anyways, I wanted to share this quick, simple recipe for Boiled Vegetables which our labandera, Aling Estring taught us. I think it's a recipe similar to the Ilocano Dinengdeng or Inabraw, without the bagoong. Simple fare, really, but it goes well with any fried, dried food, fish, beef, pork or poultry. The veg-flavored broth makes for a nutricious starter and the boiled veggies a terrific side dish. It's perfect for pouring over a plate of hot rice.

Bebert and Donna's Va-Va Veggie

Ingredients:

Any Pinakbet set from the grocery, just set aside the ampalaya for another dish. Or...
Eggplant, 1 piece, sliced or cubed.
Okra,1 bundle or 6-8 pieces sliced.
String Beans, 1 bundle sliced.
Squash or Pumpkin, 1 cup, cubed.
Tomatoes, 3 pieces, cubed.
Kamote Tops, 1 bunch
Onion, 1 piece, coarsely chopped.
Garlic, about 5-6 cloves.
Baby Shrimps, like the ones used for pancit (hibe). 3/4 cups.
Seafood Broth Cube, 1/2 a cube. Dilute in 1 cup hot water.
Cooking Oil, about 2 tablespoons
Salt and Pepper to taste.
Water, about 7 cups.

This is quite a free-flowing recipe, so basically just boil everything until they're tender. Using a small, 2-quart pot, we started with sautéing the garlic and onions till they were lightly-browned and translucent. We followed it up with the Tomatoes and Baby Shrimps. Take care not to overcook the Tomatoes. Sauté the Shrimps until cooked then add the Broth Cube mixture and 7 cups of water. As the broth starts boiling, start adding the Squash, because it's the hardest veg. Then we added with the Eggplants, Okras and String Beans. Add the Kamote Tops at the last moment then turn off the stove. Add Salt and Pepper to taste. Serve on bowls or pour on to hot rice and enjoy!

I have to admit, we cooked this dish by eye, meaning we just waited for everything to become tender. So, I guess my best suggestion for you guys who want to try this healthy dish is to just use your best judgment. But trust me, this is good stuff!

The Dust Begins to Settle...(a bit)

2006-10-26T00:13:00.000+08:00

Whew... Okay, it's been some time again since my last post. Pardon me folks 'coz I've had quite a ride the past few weeks.

Balik-Greenhills
I've recently taken a renovation project in a townhouse near my old office in Greenhills. Working there after almost 2 years felt surreal, parang nasa Questor ulit. I'd sometimes have my meals at one of our old haunts, Jollibee. I miss Sou Zhou Restaurant and it's Steamed Garlic Beef. It's a piece of brisket that's thinly-sliced and sprinkled generously with fresh garlic and dipped in a hoisin-style sauce. Best eaten with Sou Zhou's Yang Chow Fried Rice. Great, it's 12:20 in the morning and now I'm craving for Chinese food.

Another one of our more frequently-eaten restaurants in the area is the Pescadore Grill at A. Mabini St. I recall that it was, more or less, the place to go to after hitting the gym along Luna Mencias St. Our favorite food, or to be more precise, the food that fits our burgeoning budgets - 2 pieces of pork barbeque, rice and soda. A waiter there would constantly ask us if it was payday already ("Sweldo na? Sweldo na?"). He knows it's payday if we start ordering other stuff from the menu like sisig, adobong kangkong, pancit (nga ba?) and the like.

Teka, teka, antok na ako eh. :D

For the meantime, babayoo!!!

4 on the Floor

2006-09-07T18:56:00.000+08:00

Picked this up from our friend Leah's e-mail...

A) Jobs I have had in my life:

Candy Wrapper Designer
Web Designer/Graphic Artist
Comic Editor/Manga Retoucher
Construction Contractor

B) Four movies you would watch over and over:

Macross: Do You Remember Love?
Love, Actually
Batman Begins (until I find some other movie to watch over and over...)
Shall We Dance? (magaling pala sumayaw si Richard Gere)

C) Four places you have lived:

My momma's womb
Kapitolyo, Pasig City
Pineda, Pasig City
Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City

D) Four TV shows you love to watch:

The Simpsons
House
Iron Chef (both the dubbed version and the Lifestyle Network version)
Rides (Discovery Channel - someday, someday, I'll be like Chip Foose)

E) Four places you have been on vacation:

In the States (New Jersey, Texas, California)
Bohol
Boracay
Baguio

F) Websites you visit daily:

Yahoo Mail
My Friends' Blogsites
Baddicts.com (Your Daily Badminton Fix!)
Inquirer.net

G) Four of my favorite foods: Pwedeng cuisine na lang?

Japanese Cuisine
Chinese Cuisine
Italian Cuisine
Filipino Cuisine

H) Four places I would rather be right now: I'd like to bring along my wife too!

Baguio
the beach (Bora, Bohol, Galera, Palawan... basta beach!)
the badminton courts
wishful thinking... in Europe

I) Four things I hate:

A$$holes
Lies
Being late
Dishonesty

J) Four friends I think will respond: ......I think!

Donna
Bambi
Igor
Jennyson

Though I think some of my friends have done something similar already... hmmm...

"Where the deer and the antelope play...?"

2006-08-08T08:38:00.000+08:00

Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam,
Where the deer and the antelope play,
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word and the skies are not cloudy all day.
Home, home on the range,
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word and the skies are not cloudy all day.
"Home on the Range" - State Song of Kansas. Lyrics by Brewster Higley, music by Daniel Kelley

My wife and I have recently been busy looking for a place to call our own. Just like any project, there have been some parameters that are making it difficult to acquire a home. The next few days are gonna be tough but we do hope we'll be able to settle before our little bundle of joy comes out. Yes, we'll be parents soon, and it's really exciting! That's good enough motivation for us to keep looking and working hard for our home, sans the roaming buffaloes and playing deers and antelopes.

Aside from scouring the buy and sell ads, I've been researching on building houses. One option is to build one using prefabricated concrete panels. Some nifty designs came from this contractor's website.

Some screenshots:

Later!

Back to Bora!

2006-08-03T10:56:00.000+08:00

Just thought I'd share some snapshots from our Bora trip last week.

It was our first time to visit Bora during the off season. Sure was windy.

At least the weather got to cooperate the next day. We were able to enjoy White Beach in the morning. Later, went to the back of the island for the boat trip and snorkeling. My balikbayan cousins had a blast that afternoon swimming amidst the fishes and corals.

And now, here's some pics of me and Donna!

Grumble...

2006-07-17T11:31:00.000+08:00

Looks like we'll be seeing more of this weather in the next few months...

Flashback

2006-07-10T09:24:00.000+08:00

Nursing a crushed big toe has its benefits. I decided to play around with my blog and update it a bit.

To start off the year, Donna and I finally tied the knot. Our special day fell on January 14, 2006. There’re just so many, wonderful things to be thankful for, especially my dearest, beautiful wife.

We spent our honeymoon in picturesque Panglao Island Nature Resort in Panglao Island, Bohol. Bohol’s a nice place to spend a vacation, if one’s looking for a more peaceful alternative to Boracay. Sure, you’ll find party beaches like Bora in Alona Beach, but Panglao Island Nature Resort (it’s a mouthful) caters to people who’d like to enjoy a more intimate and private vacation. We loved the location, our honeymoon cottage, the pool, the breakfast buffet, and of course, the beach!

Some Bohol pictures:

Chocolate Hills

Chocnut at Chocolate Hills

Loboc River Tour

Iggy's Cousins from down South

Baclayon Church

Bang! Crack! Ouch!

2006-07-06T10:18:00.000+08:00

Last Tuesday started out like any normal day. The mood at the office was light was actully almost stress-free. Even more, a buyer wanted to see my trusty ol' car (which btw, I'm selling). So it was turning out to be the start of a good day.

That's when it struck... and struck really hard...(aray... ouch...)

While lifting my case of tools, the bottom of the case suddenly collapsed and BANG! - my humongous crocodile jack, a 3 ton capacity garage jack, fell and crushed my big toe.

I blacked-out and was taken to the nearby hospital. The doctor removed (ouch!) my toenail and stitched (double ouch!) the wound made by the jack's impact. To make matters worse, he had my foot x-ray'ed and found out there was a fracture on the toe bone (dunno what exactly they call it). And so, along with the stitches and the bandages, a splint was placed beneath my big toe. Geez...

This frags things up a bit, especially since there's still so much to do. I wonder if my car did that to me, since he found out that he's gonna be sold? Nagpaparamdam ba? Oh well, I guess he made that point more than clear to me, heheheh...

Hopefully in a month or two, my foot will be back to normal again, albeit a missing toenail. I'm beginning to miss badminton.

More updates soon! Pag sinipag-sipag ako!

I Tagged Myself To Update My Blog

2006-05-13T03:48:00.000+08:00

Well... since it's 3:50a.m. and I'm just waiting for manga corrections, I decided to finally (yes, finally) give my blog a mini-update. So, lazy ol' me got this little list from Bambi's blog... *yawn*

My list of ten of life's simple pleasures during the hot summer months.

1. Chewing ice cubes
2. Nescafé 3-in-1 mixed in a mineral water bottle (sans dreadlocks)
3. Mangoes, melons, Nestlé Cream
4. 15-peso cheeseburgers, downed with
5. Coke or R.C. Cola, followed with...
5. ...a 15-peso halo-halo
6. An air-conditioned office
7. Waking up in the morning and feeling that hint of a chill. Usually lasts for an hour then it's back to sweating again.
8. Going to the grocery with my wife. 'Coz it nice and cold there.
9. Going to work wearing shorts and slippers. As long as there aren't any meetings
10. Falling asleep... everywhere. (tsk, tsk)

What I Miss...

2005-12-29T03:50:00.000+08:00

If there's one thing I miss terribly, it's the great outdoors. Wonder when the BadXplorers head out for another climb...

Just Your Regular Random Blog

2005-12-29T01:44:00.000+08:00

Tried my hand at a little picture-taking...
This guy's a freebie from Newtype's 20th Anniversary Issue. Actually, Newtype came out 2 consecutive issues each featuring model kits from Gundam Seed Destiny. This bloke got both, heheh...

Apparently, for nostalgia's sake, this guy's called a Zaku. Although not connected with the original Gundam timeline, Mr. Tomino might've thought it would be apt for a Zaku comeback. Besides, Zakus are probably one of those easily recognizable mechas in the Gundam world... Gahhhd, I feel like I'm back in Questor again. :P I can hear the guys shouting "Otaku!" already.

Played 4 games last night, 3 hard, physical ones and a light game where we were paired up with 2 kids. It wasn't as light as I thought. Those kids played really good badminton. I'd hate to be up against them when they grow up. To the guys I played with, thanks for all your patience. :D

Not to diss any of those bloggers in Friendster, buuuutt... does blogging mean putting up their own 1001 Songbook? Most blogs I've seen are cluttered with nothing but song lyrics. Just a buta pointing out his observation (with his trotters).

As Jan. 14, 2006 draws nearer, we hope we'll be able to finish all our preparations soon. Quite the giddy, excited buta I am!

The Ten-Year Timeline... BOW!

2005-12-21T14:47:00.000+08:00

Was tagged by Bambi for this so here goes...

...10 years ago
I was in my 3rd year of college taking up BS Industrial Design. About this time, we were taking our finals already. I remembered that one of my subjects I was taking that time was called "Engineering Mechanics". Now, this subject involved a lot of physics and awfully mind-bending computations. Don't ask me how in the world I passed that subject with a 3.5. My prof was probably so drunk and stoned from his Christmas parties. Oh yeah, badminton at that time was still a "gurrly" sport for me. I was playing tennis... gahd, do I miss tennis...

...5 years ago
Donna and I were about to spend our 2nd Christmas together. Boy, am I one lucky bloke...

Diba, anime boom na yun? Anyways, I was already one of the “mainstays" in the SVI-ISC roster. "Mainstay" 'coz among the many employees in that company, only three of us - me, Aris and Hector, managed to stay the longest in that company. Maybe it's because we were the only ones who could calm our boss' seething anger. We were this samurai's loyal retainers, if you may. Also, it was at this time that we started doing manga for Tokyopop. This was my first supervisory job which involved hiring and training people to retouch, re-letter manga. Still do so once in a while these days.

...Yesterday
Och! I had a bad case of food poisoning thanks to bad oysters. Was in bed the whole day with fever and diarrhea. Managed to get better at the end of the day by relying on a staple of bread, bananas and water. Later on, I finished refining our guest list and started printing the labels for our invitations. Yey!

Watched Maury, Jerry Springer, The Biggest Loser and some other shows on ETC's 2nd Ave. What we perceived of as the Great White Way turned out to be the Great White Trash... (Well, some of the participants on these shows were African-American.)

Tomorrow
Will start delivering the invites for our principal sponsors. We've got 3 weeks to go, Heaven help us!

Today
Woke up feeling like a million bucks! Taught my mom and sis how to print the labels for the invites. Haven't had any diarrhea episodes as of 4:00pm! Went to DHL in Eastwood to have invites for my relatives in the U.S. delivered. Meeting up with Donna later for dinner, maybe deliver the quiches as well, if we have the time.

...I'm tagging: Donna!

The Messenger Just Got Shot...

2005-11-13T06:32:00.000+08:00

Last thing I want to happen is a confrontation between people I love. Unfortunately, I get to be on the receiving end of both of their tempers.

Afternoons and Coffeespoons

2005-10-05T15:19:00.000+08:00

I'm sitting here in front of my PC in awe of what lies ahead. Tons and tons of mangas on tight deadlines, getting jobs for the family business, overseeing my dad's cars - not bad for living on the edge, huh? Suddenly, I've got my hands full. To think that after Questor, I'd be worried about getting work. Oh well, responsibilities are responsibilities. Sigh...

Looking at it with a little optimism, this is probably one way of learning things the hard way. A little sacrifice and maybe, just maybe I'd be able to pull this off.

One activity I enjoy doing a lot right now is preparing for me and Donna's big day. Truth is, I kinda enjoy going to suppliers, bridal fairs, dressmakers, stylists and our chosen function place. During these trips, we tend to learn a little bit more of each other. Last night, she found out that I do a mean impersonation of Cher singing "Do you Believe".

Despite the all the deadlines, all the tough jobs that need to be done, life's been good. I'm happy that friends are there to help. They really are keepers. Without them, I probably wouldn't know what to do.

I'm especially glad that Donna's right there with me all this time. She keeps me calm and focused during times like these. I don't know how she does it, but whenever look at her and she smiles, it just gives me a rush. It feels good, it feels warm and fuzzy. Maybe that's how guys feel when they're "kinikilig".

Oh well, off to work again. This time with a smile on my face...

Feeling like a Monday but someday I'll be Saturday Night

2005-09-24T03:17:00.000+08:00

The past few days weren't exactly what I'd call a walk in a park. More like running though a mine field... on a pair of flippers. I'll get myself well-rested and composed first then I'll try filling in the details in the next few blogs. Hopefully, it won't take too long to write it down. Yawn!

Sun-kissed...

2005-08-05T13:14:00.000+08:00

It's raining outside and I couldn't help but look at these summer photos. Sigh, do I miss the beach...

And a-one, and a-two...

2005-07-26T20:35:00.000+08:00

While arranging the clothes in my closet when I realized that most of my dri-fit sandos, shorts, and small towels weren't being used for the longest time. The last time I had a regular fitness regimen was half a year ago. It would be really nice to go to the gym again while I'm still a few pounds lighter. Not that moving truck tyres and engine blocks aren't a workout, heheh. So far, the only things keeping the ol' metabolism going are running and badminton. Well, I certainly hope that I could do more than that in the next few days......

Everybody's Got a Thang

2005-07-21T01:26:00.000+08:00

One of the hobbies that I share with my Dad is tinkering with cars. Our latest project, a Ford-350, just came from the shop a few weeks ago. Still needs some work with the interior but, hubba-hubba, the thing's one pretty monster. It roars and runs like a monster too! Not for the faint-hearted driver though, it's like riding bareback on a bronco buck! (My butt still hurts from the bumpy ride...)

Woke up, got outta bed, dragged a comb across my head...

2005-07-18T21:15:00.000+08:00

Yawn... Got up at 4am to bring my sister to work and I've never slept since. I don't think I'll ever get used to a full night's sleep. It would be nice though once in a while. Well, I've pretty much drawn up today's agenda:

1) Write a proposal for a client
2) Check the trucks if they're all doing their jobs
3) Continue with my dad's pet project - that big ass Ford pick-up (pictures coming up soon!).
4) Play badminton, hopefully, tonight. If nobody's playing, hit the gym (yeah, right!)
5) Finish my Tita's flyer

Geez, hope I've got it down to tab. Now, on to the hard part - getting it done. Wish me luck!

Take me to my beach...

2005-07-13T19:25:00.000+08:00

Many faces I have seen
Many places I have been
Walked the deserts, swam the shores (coming closer to you)
Many faces I have known
Many ways in which I’ve grown
Movin closer on my own (coming closer to you)

All Saints-"Pure Shores"

Holy Cow! It's a Blog!

2005-07-11T23:01:00.000+08:00

Dang! Guess I got bitten by the blog-bug. Oh well, here' goes anything...