T.O.P. (The Other Place) - Disappointing Food Destination

pasintabi po sa mga kumakain dito..

i really am not pleased with some dishes they served last night during our christmas party slash high school classmates reunion..

first..the baked tahong..#^&$%#*&^$$(*#^#*&..where did they get their raws..small shells and even smaller meat..very dull presentation..where's the cheese..where's the spice..it's just like eating boiled tahong in a small platter..never again..never again..not worthy of the price..maybe the oven is wrecked, or the cook..

second..T.O.P seafood basket..&*^#$&^*%$@^$@Y%$&*(^^%%$@^%$#&#&(*&^%^*$%$..i'm expecting a basket full of big shrimp, tahong, scallops or anything like they do it at "kamayan" or at "palaisdaan"..what the ^%$%..they brought this "bilao"(not a basket) with dull colored tahong, clams, and i can't even look at it closely..&^$^&%&%#*&#$@..it's very wrong to attach the restaurant's name to a very flop dish..whoah..so disappointing..

third..strawberry milkshake..not available..^%$#@%^$#@#$#@$$%$*^%#@*&..mango shake..nothing special..

fourth..spicy fried chicken..in fairness..this is the only dish served which kind of made it to my stomach with a smile..it may be blund comparing it to a buffalo chicken style but it's the dish of the night..

fifth..the sizzling sisig..their style is quite different from other restos..using lots of bell pepper and the meat is just soft..though i like it crispy and really sizzling..yet i'll give them the commendation for simplicity and not the typical oily sisig..

sixth..what's the use of the served vinegar mix?..everyone is clueless..

seventh..T.O.P. rice..in fairness again..it got the flavor..though the chef maybe is in the mood of adding soy sauce that night but it's comparable to other seafood rice..the color is just a bit dark toned..but not that bad..you don't need any viand anymore because it got bits and pieces of shrimps and muscels..if you don't want your rice plain, try this..

other than the food..the crew is just okay..and the ambiance..not that festive but private and simple..with a videoke system (not the typical videoke numbering system i usually memorize)..not that bad i guess..

other than the food..aahhh, i forgot to talk to the manager..he really needs to improve their services..or supervise or quality check or reprimand or whatever or whoever responsible on such services..tsk tsk tsk..i'm really disappointed..i just hope that other customers would not experience the same..work it out..work it out..

unexplained mood swings

sometimes there are moments
you suddenly get lost
from your normal self..
and feel uneasy, awkward,
depressed, down or troubled..
but you don't know why..
you just don't have a clue..
you just not feel right..
something is wrong
yet everything seems fine..
is it just a bad day..
is karma sweeping your way..
it just bother your senses..
cheer up! cheer up!
relax..
breathe..
calm down..
happy thoughts..
better..
yes, better..
smile..
relief..

anti-thesis: there is no such thing as failure

there is no such thing as failure..it is not even the mere opposite of success..

it is just probably a part of our life when we are faced with a very difficult challenge..and upon facing it, we have accomplished it unsatisfactorily or not within our expectations..

easy to say that everything is gonna be alright..they would always suggest us to look at the brighter side..positivism..that it's not the end of the world..that there's a reason why for its existence..that it's just a bad hair day..that nobody is perfect..something like it's balancing the chih..karma chameleon..blahblahblah..we just hate to admit it..these words might not be useful now..it may ease the suffering..but someday the holistic realization would come..that all happen and that' s it..go on..go on..

yes, it will bring pain or despondency..it surely would..for the moment..unwanted yet inevitable..perhaps it should..reminding us that life does not always follow what we sought after..unpredictable it may be..no matter how well we prepared ourselves just to prevent it from happening..

go on..that the day would come that we're gonna say that it's better it happened that way..that it made you become stronger..it would not be a detrimental chapter in your journal but somewhat the point which gave you the inspiration to achieve more..to never take it as a punishment nor bad luck..to see it more as an opportunity to humbleth ourselves and become less complacent, yet still standing with pride and humility to accept challenges..

there is no such thing as failure..and if there is..we still can say we did our best..not exactly..we still can say we can do better..

candle power

a lighted candle symbolizes hope..

give perpetual light for a soul..

a wish in progress..

prevents you from stumbling in the dark..

deviates mood..

melting wonder..

intimate and sensual ambiance..

magical..

mysterious..

creepy effect it may serve..

another year is coming..

at your service 'til eternity..

we all look at candles at different perspective..its meaning and symbolism might be relative to ones belief and perception..it may just be a simple lighting material for some..connects a special connection to ones soul..source of heat and light..rise up temptation..a deep function of art..a profound invention of science..mystical instrument..its power is inevitable..

above are enhanced images of candles which djdmaxxx captured during his visit at carmel church, lipa city, batangas..

e sabi nga ni bob ong

Mga Quotes galing kay Bob Ong

isa ako..sa mga taong humalakhak..sa mga taong namangha..sa mga taong naawa..sa mga taoong humanga..sa mga taong nagoyo..sa mga taong nagtaka..sa mga taong napabili sa librong mamahalin, sa librong worth basahin..hanep talaga si bob ong..i'm looking forward to read another masterpiece of him..below are selected quotes from his books which is an email from a friend..i just can't help but repost it..enjoy enjoy enjoy!

"Lahat naman ng tao sumeseryoso pagtinamaan ng pagmamahal. Yun nga lang, hindi lahat matibay para sa temptasyon."

"Gamitin ang puso para alagaan ang taong malapit sayo. Gamitin ang utak para alagaan ang sarili mo."

"Huwag mong bitawan ang bagay na hindi mo kayang makitang hawakan ng iba. "

"Huwag mong hawakan kung alam mong bibitawan mo lang."

"Huwag na huwag ka hahawak kapag alam mong may hawak ka na."

"Parang elevator lang yan eh, bakit mo pagsisiksikan ung sarili mo kung walang pwesto para sayo. Eh meron naman hagdan, ayaw mo lang pansinin."

"Kung maghihintay ka nang ng lalandi sayo, walang mangyayari sa buhay mo.. Dapat lumandi ka din."

"Pag may mahal ka at ayaw sayo, hayaan mo. Malay mo sa mga susunod na araw ayaw mo na din sa kanya, naunahan ka lang."

"Hiwalayan na kung di ka na masaya. Walang gamot sa tanga kundi pagkukusa."

"Pag hindi ka mahal ng mahal mo wag ka magreklamo. Kasi may mga tao rin na di mo mahal pero mahal ka. Kaya quits lang."

"Bakit ba ayaw matulog ng mga bata sa tanghali? alam ba nilang pag natuto silang umibig e hindi na sila makakatulog kahit gusto nila?"

"Hindi lungkot o takot ang mahirap sa pag-iisa kundi ang pagtanggap na sa bilyon-bilyong tao sa mundo, wala man lang nakipaglaban upang makasama ka."

"Kung nagmahal ka ng taong di dapat at nasaktan ka, wag mong sisihin ang puso mo. Tumitibok lng yan para mag-supply ng dugo sa katawan mo. Ngayon, kung magaling ka sa anatomy at ang sisisihin mo naman ay ang hypothalamus mo na kumokontrol ng emotions mo, mali ka pa rin! Bakit? Utang na loob! Wag mong isisi sa body organs mo ang mga sama ng loob mo sa buhay! Tandaan mo: magiging masaya ka lang kung matututo kang tanggapin na hindi ang puso, utak, atay o bituka mo ang may kasalanan sa lahat ng nangyari sayo, kundi IKAW mismo!"

"nalaman kong hindi final exam ang passing rate ng buhay. hindi ito multiple choice, identification, true or false, enumeration or fill-in-the- blanks na sinasagutan kundi essay na isinusulat araw-araw. Huhusgahan ito hindi base sa kung tama o mali ang sagot, kundi base sa kung may kabuluhan ang mga isinulat o wala. Allowed ang erasures."

"Wag magmadali sa pag-aasawa. Tatlo, lima , sampung taon sa hinaharap, mag-iiba pa ang pamantayan mo at maiisip mong di pala tamang pumili ng kapareha dahil lang sa kaboses niya si Debbie Gibson o magaling mag-breakdance. Totoong mas importante ang kalooban ng tao higit anuman. Sa paglipas ng panahon, maging ang mga crush ng bayan sa eskwelahan e nagmumukha ring pandesal. Maniwala ka."

"ayokong nasasanay sa mga bagay na pwede namang wala sa buhay ko "

"hinahanap mo nga ba ako o ang kawalan ko?"

"hindi dahil sa hindi mo naiintindihan ang isang bagay ay kasinungalingan na ito. at hindi lahat ng kaya mong intindihin ay katotohanan. "

"Kumain ka na ng siopao na may palamang pusa o maglakad sa bubog nang nakayapak, pero wag na wag kang susubok mag-drugs. Kung hindi mo kayang umiwas, humingi ka ng tulong sa mga magulang mo dahil alam nila kung saan ang mga murang supplier at hindi ka nila iisahan."

"Mag-aral maigi. Kung titigil ka sa pag-aaral, manghihinayang ka pagtanda mo dahil hindi mo naranasan ang kakaibang ligayang dulot ng mga araw na walang pasok o suspendido ang klase o absent ang teacher. (Haaay, sarap!)."

"Mangarap ka at abutin mo. Wag mong sisihin ang sira mong pamilya, palpak mong syota, pilay mong tuta, o mga lumilipad na ipis. Kung may pagkukulang sa'yo mga magulang mo, pwde kang manisi at maging rebelde. Tumigil ka sa pag-aaral, mag-asawa ka, mag-drugs ka, magpakulay ka ng buhok sa kili-kili. Sa banding huli, ikaw din ang biktima. Rebeldeng walang napatunayan at bait sa sarili."

"Tuparin ang mga pangarap. Obligasyon mo yan sa sarili mo. Kung gusto mo mang kumain ng balde-baldeng lupa para malagay ka sa Guinness Book of World Records at maipagmalaki ng bansa natin, sige lang. Nosi balasi. wag mong pansinin ang sasabihin ng mga taong susubok humarang sa'yo. Kung hindi nagsumikap ang mga scientist noon, hindi pa rin tayo dapat nakatira sa jupiter ngayon. Pero hindi pa rin naman talaga tayo nakatira sa jupiter dahil nga hindi nagsumikap ang mga scientist noon. Kita mo yung moral lesson?"

"Nalaman kong marami palang libreng lecture sa mundo, ikaw ang gagawa ng syllabus. Maraming teacher sa labas ng eskuwelahan, desisyon mo kung kanino ka magpapaturo. Lahat tayo enrolled ngayon sa isang university, maraming subject na mahirap, pero dahil libre, ikaw ang talo kung nag-drop ka. Isa-isa tayong ga-graduate, iba't-ibang paraan. tanging diploma ay ang mga alaala ng kung ano mang tulong o pagmamahal ang iniwan natin sa mundong pinangarap nating baguhin minsan..."

"Sabi nila, sa kahit ano raw problema, isang tao lang ang makakatulong sa'yo – ang sarili mo. Tama sila. Isinuplong ako ng sarili ko. Kaya siguro namigay ng konsyensya ang Diyos, alam niyang hindi sa lahat ng oras e gumagana ang utak ng tao."

"Obligasyon kong maglayag, karapatan kong pumunta sa kung saan ko gusto, responsibilidad ko ang buhay ko."

"Nalaman kong habang lumalaki ka, maraming beses kang madadapa. Bumangon ka man ulit o hindi, magpapatuloy ang buhay, iikot ang mundo, at mauubos ang oras."

"Masama akong tao, tulad mo, sa parehong paraan na mabuti kang tao, tulad ko."

"Hikayatin mo lahat ng kakilala mo na magkaroon ng kahit isa man lang paboritong libro sa buhay nila. Dahil wala nang mas kawawa pa sa mga taong literado pero hindi nagbabasa."

"Mas mabuting mabigo sa paggawa ng isang bagay kesa magtagumpay sa paggawa ng wala."

"...madaming teacher sa labas ng eskwelahan. desisyon mo kung kanino ka magpapaturo. "

"dalawang dekada ka lang mag-aaral. kung 'di mo pagtityagaan, limang dekada ng kahirapan ang kapalit.sobrang luri. kung alam lang 'yan ng mga kabataan, sa pananaw ko ehh walang gugustuhing umiwas sa eskwela."

"iba ang walang ginagawa sa gumagawa ng wala"

selfish am i

selfish am i to say that i need you to stay..
selfish am i to always want to hold you right next to me..
selfish am i to smile everytime i feel you're just near..

selfish am i to be sad when your not here..

selfish am i to look for ways to be there..
selfish am i to find myself calling back to you..
selfish am i to wonder i'm the only one feeling that way..
selfish am i to never let go of these happy moments..
selfish am i to wish you'll forever be at my side..
selfish am i to think i'm not selfish myself..

missing not only puto biñan - part 2: oavp-slom

part 2: oavp-slom

intro..office of the assistant vice president..oavp for short..the office of the highest ranked manager of the transco’s region..south luzon operation and maintenance(slom)..and of course, the office of the staff..the office of the special workforce committed to efficiently implement work plan targets and reach corporate goals and objectives (anyabang naman..hehehe..pero tunay yan..)..

boss mandy..aab..mr. buencamino..the avp of slom..the big boss (figuratively and literally)..i would definitely won’t forget him..i really learned so much from him during my stay there.. he may have this terrifying and strict image for some, but I consider it one of his priced asset as a leader..he really knew how to handle people..wait till they see the other side of boss mandy..he really can be congenial..he loves to tell stories (me nakakatawa, nakakamangha, at minsan e meron din ako hindi ma-gets pero tumatango pa rin ako..hehehe)..he even told a spooky story during the milenyo luzon-wide blackout when i'm sleeping on the sofa at oavp, he heard this scary noises like someone’s walking in the office and i still was deeply asleep and don’t even feel anything..it gave me a little doze of goosebumps upon hearing that the next morning..fyi he’s good in golf..

the pea’s..oavp’s technical staff..at present; sir benjo, sir roger and sir bogs..they take care oavp’s business process..sir benjo handles review of purchase requisitions, job orders, work orders and the likes(hindi ko mkklimutan e yung 5s ng wallet)..sir roger handles matter on safety and environment..sir bogs is into performance monitoring, work plan accomplishments and ims certification..but my long-time immediate boss at oavp would be boss pat palad(believe it or not..manager na ng opo ngayon..bilib talaga ako sa boss ko na ‘yan..at sino gang makakalimot sa walang kamatayang videoke masterpiece nyang “simply Jessie”)who has been replaced by sir bogs just this year since his promotion to opo..other ex-oavp-pea’s includes boss ross (nasa laguna substation na sya ngayon..nasa oavp siya pag naririnig mo na ang “the way you look tonight”) and sir telly (manager na ngayon ng cavite branch at dati ding naging technical staff sa osvp)

the technical support staff..this was my group then(ang pinakakontrobersyal na grupo..itanung nyo n lng sa kanila kung bakit)..this include john(senior engineer din sa oavp..beterano n s korporasyon..madalas sya ang finance officer pag kailangang bumili ng regalo asap at ndi p nsweldo), malou(hot momma ng oavp..ina ng pinakakakaibang anak sa balat ng lupa..hanga ako at kinaya nito si pauline, jerome at si x..hehehe..pabor na rin sa’min ang taray nito para makasweldo kami kaagad), marlon(hanep din ito sa programming..mabilis pumick-up khit bago p lng sa ofis e tambak na ang project..sna mpacheck-up ko ulit sa kanya laptop ko), and sir toklits(all-around man ng oavp..siya ang pinaka-techie s oavp..s fx nya aq skay upto turbina pg uwi ko ng tgif)..

the assistants to the assistant..mam claire (natatarayan ang iba sa kanya pero superbait naman nito pg nkasundo mo na..hanggang ngayon e ndi ko pa sya natatalo sa badminton..magulang kasi..hehehe..supergalante nito at mhilig manlibre) and camil(tantanan nyu na ang tsismis sa’min..we’re just friends di ga..kahit mahilig ito mangutang e ndi naman napalya magbayad..wag nyu n lng sya pipigilan pag nakita nyu sya nagbubunot ng sahig..hehehe..)..my best buddies at the office..they would always share their blessings to me(pagkain, pasalubong, tshirt, atbp..)..and I would not forget our dine-ins(from goto to eat-all-you-can to gonutsdonuts) especially at tagaytay and alabang(na madalas e uuwi akong natapunan ng pagkain ang suot)..

corpcomm..the office also abodes the corporate communications group which deals with various corporate social responsibility , environmental programs and whatever special activity the company endeavors(as in lahat ng naiisip na kakaibang activity eh sila bahala madalas dun..at madalas wala sa opis..suki ng travel order at office order)..sir nelson would be slom corpcomm’s heart and soul (napakasipag ng taong ito..mabait pa at madalas yan mamigay ng tshirt at sari-saring rikutitos pag me travel sila..khit papatay na e mkikita mu p rin sa stage at ng-eeemcee)..sir nelson’s staff at present includes rona(davaoeñang napadpad sa oavp..ang muse ng slom..), cathy(ang ng-introduce ng classical music sa oavp..kaya lahat kami e tinotopak minsan..hehehe..), blythe(the future congressman ng laguna..bunso ng oavp..me bakal ngayon sa ipin kaya kahawig daw ni betty), dennis(ndi ko pla sure kung ndun pa xa kasi lam ko e p-canada na ito..pro madalas e xa ang indicator na maniningil na si camil ng tubig), and steve(parang model ng silverworks sa dami ng bling bling na nakasabit sa katawan)..and don’t forget ex-corpcomm robert(oavp’s richkid..as per rona, ang taong adik sa camera..presently e professor sya ng devcom s uplb), joshua(hyper kulit din..nsa uplb n din ngayon), mandy(mejo lagging minsan..at sbi e mdalas e kwarcraft ni cathy), darius(ngayon e driver na ni boss mandy at parang mag-aabroad n dn), and gimo(sumalangit nawa ang kanyang kaluluwa)..

(m)eating..my life at oavp wass probably 60% attending meetings..assisting(maghanap ng vga cable..sino ga talaga ang nakain ng cable..madalas akong pagabutan ng kawalan eh), making presentations(tinodo na ang paghasa sa powerpoint creativity dito..), presenting(sarap din ng feeling pg lahat e managers ang audience mu tus they would listen to what you are saying..as if), minutes of meeting(dahil sa iso daw na madalas e gagawin lng pag mg-aaudit na)and of course eating (am snack, lunch, pm snack..malas mu lng pg naubusan kyo ng ulam sa canteen, ipaalala mu nga yang canteen sa sunod na blog at ilang beses din kami ginutom ng mga yan..siyempre pumirma ka muna sa attendance)..and if its my lucky day, i had chances of going out on travel and escape from the canteen menu(wg lng sa ovp at sure na baka n nmn ang ulam..uunga k n tlga sa sunod mong kain..hehehe..joke)..

to be continued..

KUNG PAO VS ALFREDO

KUNG PAO VS ALFREDO

these two foodpick really is different from each other..of course, alfredo is more of an italian flavor while kung pao is more of an asian style.

i'm a bit disappointed with kfc's alfredo..i think the flavor is lacking..i don't know but i really can't find the creaminess and that right cheesy blend that other alfredos offer..that pasta needs more improvement, i guess..not for me..i would not include this in my order list the next time..

with the kung pao..it reminds me of yellowcab's charlie chan chicken pasta but with the different noodles..the taste is quite quizzical..sweet, hot-chilli, oyster saucy, predominantly salty..and don't forget the peanuts..it would be a surprise treat for somebody who has not yet tried charlie chan's..

of course, the chicken is great..it's kfc!

i'll definitely choose kung pao over the alfredo..but better order an asian salad also because it somehow complement the salty kung pao with its sour dressing..

chao!chow!

missing not only puto biñan - part 1: sweet home adelina

it has been more than two months..leaving a town which adopted me for almost three years..and i just can’t help but miss these things..miss these people..miss these places..miss these moments..

part 1: sweet home adelina

intro..not as famous as its neighbor subdivision south city homes, yet, adelina seems to be more serene place to live in at biñan(marami kasing balitang nakawan at patayan sa south)..the place is just a 25-30 peso tricycle ride from bmp(pede 9or10or15 pesos lang pg dun ka sa paradahan ng san vicente)..the road going there is quite narrow and trenched with illegally parked vehicles(parang parking space nila ang daan, walang pakundangan!), wandering residents and children(parang mga barako sa daan at walang pakialam na baka sila masagasaan), big buses (as in..lhat ata ng service bus ng mga techno park sa laguna e nasiksik sa daan na ito, malas mo talaga pag naabutan ka ng mga ito sa umaga, sunud-sunod na aarangkada.. siguradong late ka)and musical funerals (maniwala kayo, hindi ata kumpleto dito ang burol pag walang videoke).. even though I haven’t had the chance to meet any friends at adelina, I still can say people there are okay..

the house..this is actually my second home.. the place is cozy and clean..not that big but it has its own parking area, a garden, a backyard, two bedrooms, a kitchen/dining area, a living room and two bathrooms..the place is owned by tita marlene, tita helen’s bestfriend..i’m just so grateful that she permitted me to stay there while I started as a cadet at oavp february-april 2005 and when I got back to work for good at oavp from aug 2005 to june 2008..approximately 3 years..how would I not love this house..i even like my room there more..that long time I’ve lived there, I even missed opening the gate and the set of keys required before you can enter the house(susuko ang magnanakaw sa dami ng kailangang distrunkahin bago makapasok)..and I even had that force of habit to automatically lock-up the door upon closing it..

tita lalen/tajelenz/tita helen..if not for her, I would not be in transco..and if not for her, I would not have the chance to live in biñan, to live in adelina..i can’t forget the first time I went to transco for the cadetship exam, she treated me for lunch at rsm and gave me a ride up to turbina(siya talaga ang pinakagalante sa lahat ng mga tita ko)..and of course, who would not agree that she’s one of the best cook in biñan..everything that she cooks is a feast(paano na kami kung wala siya..lahat kami e mangangayayat)..i never mentioned to her that she already perfected her menudo..she’s like my dad, she can turn a simple recipe into a flavorful carte du jour(parang nagutom tuloy ako)..i also miss every morning when we go to the office, she’ll drive the car, we’ll listen to the radio (tanda kaya nya yung sintunadong nakanta ng happy birthday sa radio, yung dj ng wrr), and we’ll race our way to the bondy clock most of the time (buzzer beater talaga madalas..)

tita marlene..she may look trivial to some who don’t know her, but she’s a biggie at napocor..i mean she’s one of the vip’s there..i know her main brainchild is the corporation’s financial statement and she’s one of the key personnel who attend congressional and senate hearings..at home she’s different..she has this funny side..she tells these funny stories during dinner or in a carpool and I can’t help but laugh (kahit ilang beses ko na narinig yung istorya e tatawa pa rin ako kasi iba siya magkwento, at bigla na lang sisinghot ng malalalim pag alam nyang napapayabang na..hehehe..)..she’s not fond of cooking(pero trip ko yung pork liver steak recipe niya at siyempre ang walang kamatayang Spanish pork chop)..

jen..tita marlene’s niece whom just lived at adelina last year..who would not remember her first week at psalm..ask her why..bwihihihi..the first day really shocked me, I’m already trying to sleep in my room, then I heard her arrived and the rest was an emotional scenario indeed..though we have not talk that much but I hope she continue her law school goals..(musta na kaya sila ni bes..hehehe..)

dinner..this is the only time of the day we spend time together and talk the "talk"(mga paparating na bonus, tsismis sa opisina, pagdidiet ng tita, maalaala mo kaya stories, mga hindi matuloytuloy na lakad, at kung anu-ano pa).. and sometimes it will took us an hour to finish(at ako madalas ang tagaubos ng kanin at ulam, sayang naman e)..

the dogs..mich, wacky and meggy..three shi tzu dogs (see pets unlimited photo album for their pictures)..at first, it was only mich..a very loved dog indeed..she’s the house’s unica ija..she loves chicken, liver and chocolate (sobra adik nito sa chocolate..tunog pa lang ng foil e lalapit na’to at magmamakaawa na bigyan sya)..this may seem absurd but she used to wake me up in the morning when I haven’t got up yet and it’s late..then wacky and meggy..would you believe that I was mich’s “attending birth doctor” when she “normally” gave birth to these two(as in todo naka-surgical gloves, parang grey’s anatomy)..such an unforgettable experience..they sometimes fight when they get jealous of the other being given special attention..who would not miss their warm welcome every time you arrive home..stress relieving, as my titas always say..

watch out for part 2: OAVP…

stay while they fly away

a colleague from transco called while i’m on duty at the substation telling me that there was an urgent hiring of electrical engineers and linemen for new zealand and the promised compensation is really beyond our rates here in the philippines..good opportunity indeed..

one thing for sure..i still am not sure, at this moment, considering working abroad..

not 100%, i guess..yeah the money is good..new zealand ice cream is a must try..living a new life is a dream..escaping from many philippine dilemma will be very relieving..new zealand is new zealand..

but new zealand is not philippines..definitely my comfort zone..absolutely home sweet home..the people i love..the foods i crave..the places i go..the festivities i celebrate..the life i lived..but uncertain it is..here our life in the philippines..

i wish this time of thinking to fly abroad will not come my way..but it’s inevitable especially for young professionals because one day could be not a brighter day..i come to think of it..i was mislead..the predicament is like something that i can’t determine what is right or wrong..what is better or worse..what is priority and what is not..the difference is not even always a contrast..

i definitely won’t settle for the present status quo..the default is way still far from my childhood goals..what can i say..contentment has not found me yet but i wanna be there..i don’t know if it will require a change of venue..i guess i still am not ready..

it’s a big deal..that’s why i’m writing about it..we all want a brighter future..i am hurting because that brighter future would be quite impossible to establish here..but that itsy bitsy teeny weeny probability of reaching it here keeps me going..

i would like to stay while they fly away..but if destiny still permits me to leave the life i dreamt..let it be..

acceptance is the bottom line of happiness..

Kwentong Batangueño

Dine sa Tuklong ay may puno ng kape na arogang-aroga pa ng Mamay. Sadyang pinapugadan sa hantik na guyam at pinabantayan sa bilot. Naulutang ngatain ng Mamay ang bubot na parang sinturis. Pasal na pasal. Nang bigla na laang siyang napaumis, humirindat at tuluyan ng nabang-aw. Bigla na lang nagpatikar, lumiban ng karsada kahit umaambon naglulupagi sa gabokan kaya puro libag, tubal na tubal, talipa ang sipit at gura.

Napadpad ang Mamay sa masukal na balinghuyan at doon naulutang gamitin ang kawot para garutihin ang mga bangkalang. Pero liyo at parang barik na barik pa rin ang Mamay kaya naghamon pa ng panumbi. Wala naming kumana kaya pagerper na lang ang napagdiskitahan. Pagkatapos ng barokbokan, lungkuyin at hapong-hapo ang Mamay. Naging matalute ang usapan sa bayaran dahil mulay lang gustong ibayad ng Mamay. Nagkaribok na, nagwasang ang pagerper at tinangkab ang Mamay. Nagligalig ang Mamay dahil sa marami daw kato, amoy hawot at makati pa sa iladong tulingan. Dapat kitse lang daw ang bayad.

Sa pagkabanas ay napaingles ang Mamay "I'm entitled for senior citizen discount". Wala kang galang sa matanda, dapat kang ipabarangay. Siguro hindi ka taga Batangas ano? Naglabas na ng balisong ang Mamay. Oops......awat na.(anonymous writer, but most probably a native batangueño)

akala ko eh kending hubad..

vintage candy memory lane para sa mga kababata ko..aaminin ko na biktima rin ako ng kalokohang tangay ng matatamis na sandali sa pagnguya nito..guilty pleasures ito ng mga paslit na batang katulad namin noon..hindi ko alam kun sino ang sumulat nito pero natuwa ako rito at medyo style din ng idol ko na si bob ong..pero kending hubad talaga sa amin yun, hindi kending hubo (mahalay kasi pag hubo)..

1. KENDI MINT - eto ang kending kanunu-nunuan pa ng dynamite.ang official
na kendi ng mga taong may tinatagong puot sa knilang kaloob looban.mint
candy sya(malamang? !) na may lamang chocolate o kokwang mamasa masa sa
pinakagitna. kulay green ang wrapper nya na may nakaimprentang eskimo na
nakangite at parang gustong magpasubo na.(paborito ito ng daddy at madalas e nagpapabili xa sa'kin nito tuwing gabi nung nagyoyosi pa siya..)

2. LIPPS - ang kendi ng mga batang malalande,mapa nene man yan o
tukling.cherry flavor na kendi na gawa sa benadryl(ayun sa pakilasa ko yan
ha,mapait kase) at sandamakmak na pulang food coloring.sobrang makulay sa
bibig,kadalasang ginagawang panghalili sa lipstik ng mga bata o di kaya
dugo effect sa larung aswang aswangan.payak lang ang wrapper,kulay puti at
pula tapos nakalagay lipps.(meron pa ga nito ngayon?)

3. VIVA! - ang kendi na ayaw na ayaw ni mother lily.caramel candy sya na
mukang tae at mukang hindi masarap bilhin lalu na ang kainin.kulay tae din
ang wrapper nya at mas mamatamisin mo pa cgurong ikendi ang naptalina kesa
sa kending toh. (oki lng sa'kin ang lasa nito..)

4. WHITE RABBIT - ang bi-sexual na kendi.dalawa kase ang klase ng kending
white rabbit,may tinatawag na local at imported.parang vivang pinahaba lang
ung local version,toffeecaram el ang flavor at bukod dun eh wala ng ibang
misteryong mahihita pa sa knya.kulay puti at super milking nougat naman ung
imported.at bukod dun sa chinese character na nakaimprenta sa wrapper nya
eto ang pinaka pambato ng white rabbit imported,ang kanyang inner wrapper
na pwedeng kainin at pagsaluhan ng buong pamilya.happy fiesta!(tanda nyu ga nung pinabalik sa china ang kending ito at me findings n may )

5. PINYA - hindi ko alam kung anu ba tlaga ang lehitimong tawag sa kendi na
toh,pero dahil hndi tayu masyado sure ay itago na lang natin sya sa
pngalang ?pinya?.sya ang kending pinakafashionista ang wrapper dahil
figuratively muka syang pinya.bagsak lang sya sa itsura ng wrapper dahil
mukang tapeteng mura lang per yarda ang itsura nito.at ang
lasa?..pinya. .malamang..(nakakasugat ito ng gilagid..try mu lang..)

6. VICK'S - ang kendi ng mga batang may kakambal o ng mga batang sadyang
madamot lang tlga at pinalaking dupang?vicks candy.mentholated ang vicks at
dalawang piraso sya ng kendi sa isang maliit na pack na hugis inverted
triangle(kumporme sa paghawak mo).kulay hinog na uhog at pinaniniwalaan ng
mga bata na nakakapagpaluwag ng paghinga.hndi ko alam kung associated tlga
ang nakagisnan naming vicks candy sa vicks na pamahid sa sinisipon.(tanda ko nga ito..mura lang din at dalawahan pa..)

7. BUTTER BALL - ang kendi na mga batang may malalaking bibig.ito ang
peter's butterball,ang pinakamasarap sa lahat ng caramel candies.bilog
syang candy na mejo may kalakihan ang hulma kung sa bata ipapasubo.sosyal
ang wrapper dahil ito ata ang pinakaunang kendi na nasa pillow pack at
kulay peach pa.bsta masarap,husto na yun.(ito ang masnakakasugat ng gilagid..pero nakain pa rin aq..tapos magsisisi pagkatapos..)

8. ORANGE SWITS - ang ina ng mga gummi bears at potchi.malalambot na orange
slices na pinatihaya,pinadapa at pinagulong gulong sa asukal hanggang sa
magtanda.apat na slices per pack at mas madalas na makitang binebenta ngyun
ng mga takatak boys kesa sa sari sari stores.(nakakatikim lng ako nito pg naluwas ng maynila at sakay sa bus..madalas pagkatapos magsuka sa hilo)

9. TOOTSIE ROLL - isa sa pinakasikat ng kendi nung panahon ko,sa sobrang
kasikatan eh nagkaron pa ng dance craze na tribute sa knya nung early
90s.caramel candy din ang tootsie roll na kasing haba ng mongol na
makatatlong beses ng tinasahan.bukod sa pwede syang kainin at sayawin ay
pwede din syang itapal sa ngipen para magmukang bungal at yun ang
pinakamasayang purpose ng tootsie roll.(ito ang isa sa paborito q..ang tsokolate ng mga hampas-lupa..hehehe..)

10. ALMO - ang pinagmulan ng mga ovalteenies. chocolate candies sya na
mukang mga tabletang panlunas sa sipon at lagnat.nakalagay sa makulay at
maliit na foil pack at kadalasang nakasabit sa tindahan dahil dugsong
dugsong sya.masarap ang almo lalu na kung hindi mo sariling pera ang
pinambili.(nakakain na rin ako nito pero parang wala masyado espesyal na impact sa aking buhay)

11. HAW FLAKES - ang buhay na patunay na hindi sa ikatlong baitang sa
elementarya unang nagaganap ang pangungumunyon ng mga bata.ito ang haw
flakes,ang kending galing pa ng tsina at naging saksi sa barter trade
system.mas kilala sa tawag na ?oscha? dahil sa kakatwang itsura
nito.maninipis at kulay maroon na amoy pawisang singit ng
bata(maasim) ,nevertheless may basbas at sagrado.dito nagsisimula ang
damdaming makadiyos at madasalin kaya ibahin nyo ang haw flakes.ang kending
galing sa langit.(hindi ko lam ang itsura nito..hindi ko sure kung nakadaupang palad ko na ang kending ito..)

12. KENDING HUBO - also known as neto,nyan o dutdut motion.pabili nga po
neto,pabili po nyan,o di kaya dutdut na lang dun sa garapon.ganyan ang
kending hubo.ang kending walang sapat na pagkakakilanlan at impormasyon sa
sarili.muka syang holen na iba iba ang kulay at flavor(kadalasan
citrus/fruity) .may budbud syang asukal sa paligid at kadalasang nakalagay
sa malaking garapon ng lady?s choice.(sa amin talaga eh kending hubad ang tawag dito..)

13. LALA - ang pinakamasarap ng tsokolate sa mundo ng pagkabata.mas kilala
sa tawag na ?milo?,ang lala ay gawa sa purong kokwa(cge magmarunong tayu sa
ingredients) na hinulma into small rectangular chocolate bars na may
nakaemboss na parang rehas ng veranda.sobrang masarap at sobrang tindi din
kung magpasakit ng ngipin,nevertheless masarap.un naman ang importante eh.(hindi ko rin ito naabutan, baka 70's ito, late 80's kasi ang kapaslitan ko eh)

14. CHOC-NUT - ang hall of famer sa lahat!sya ang pinakasikat na kendi(o
kung anumang twag sa klase nya) sa balat ng pilipinas.gawa sa natuyong
peanut butter at chocolate na hanggang ngayun ay hndi ko makapa ang lasa na
binalot sa palara.all time favorite ng panghimagas o pampalipas
oras.chocnut is simply the best(naks! parang HBO)?(ito, hanggang nagyon e nagpapasakit ng ngipin ko..nagsimula itong nakilala ko as "dragon"..tus lumabas ang "chokomani", ngayon e "hany" ang uso...pero lahat e chocnut sila)

anti-thesis: behind happiness

somebody wrote me a comment in my multiply guestbook that i’m a pretentious person and betting that i’m unhappy with my life..

he maybe have won the bet if he had said that years ago..when contentment has not been digestively written yet in my database..at least right now i’m trying to..

yes, every once in a while..probably felt that way but i believe everybody has that time of his life asking questions of why and when..but life goes on..maybe the shallow person inside me came to see life in a better perspective..

i admit that i'm a pretentious person..that is what my horoscope and stars always tell me..maybe i just need to hide myself a bit..believe me, i'm not good with tru-to-life drama..escapist in the sense that i don’t wanna feel vulnerable to those kind and level of emotions..maybe i just need more time and trust for a person to understand me as me..

i deserve to be happy..everybody does..i had my ways to get out of that gloomy slice of life and trying my best to improve myself and thus live happily ever after..of course life can be so unpredictable unlike fairy tales..but we can always choose the best option..

i am not afraid to be lonely..if it’s the doorway to happiness..

parallel to sun tzu’s art of war: in happiness, prepare for loneliness..in loneliness, prepare for happiness..

still waiting in vain

maybe 99% of every people's life they spend it waiting..that is what people think when they had reached their time limit in this very stressful task of man..and the worst scenario that may occur is when the subject of waiting would not actually arrive as expected..

infinite frustration indeed..

patience is a virtue..but not always..

until when can we wait..

until we wait again..

i thought I am prepared..

you thought you are prepared..

change is inevitable..you always think that way when something has come surprisingly turned the pages of your life.. if you can't do anything about it..you just have to face reality and life goes on..everything is gonna be alright..

but there are things that you can anticipate that for that long run of time you prepare yourself to be protected from utmost misery or melancholic mood..

then that time would come.. most of the time without prior notice..you are going all the way through a transition period again..the path you are taking may not be the path you intend to pursue..you cannot stop..you just have to go on..and wait for that another life changing experience..hoping for brighter days..

then you’ll wish you’ve done better in the past..then you’ll remember the greatest time of your life..then you’ll see yourself walking backwards..the you’ll see yourself in the mirror..you’ve changed..now you noticed..now you realized..

it’s not about the consequences of not doing well..it’s about how you cope up with the challenges of the changing world..if you’ve done worse then..maybe you could improve tomorrow..if you forgot something then..maybe you could do something about it right now..stop searching for what can’t be found..

yet no matter how you prepared yourself for that moment..it always seems impossible to feel what you feared..you can never deny the fact that everything is not in your control..your option may not be limited but not all may not be on the side of your plan..

you thought you are prepared..

i thought I am prepared..

going back to galera

i really thought last friday that our trip to galera would not materialize because of the intervening bad weather..i dont wanna travel leaving my loved ones worrying..

but God is in our side..the sun perfectly showed its smile last saturday shouting the commencement of our risky escapade..

right after a research presentation, the marketing class where i belong held a meeting for our marketing plan..and finally after the meeting, i went home to hurriedly prepare my things for the outing..i really am not prepared so i just put all the things which i had in mind that spur of time and headed to the terminal..thinking that i'm already late, i headed straight to the ticketing office only to find out that the troop was not still there..spoof..i sat along with the waiting passengers and got a local tabloid dated 2006 beside me to keep myself busy..after reading half the newspaper, finally, there they appeared..judit, roselle, bongz and maureen..ready to go..

about two hours..the boat sailed from batangas port to puerto galera..going to mindoro’s pride..the boracay of south luzon..

the sun was already out of sight when we got our feet on the shore of white beach..the dark hues of the night was already complemented by the lights and smoke from the line of establishment along the shore..but we have to see first the hotel room for a little rest..
after checking the bed, cable tv and the bathroom and having a dietary salad and chicha dinner, we headed to the shopping place to test our bargaining skills for the love of pasalubong..i bet i did well that night..freebies and discounts is inevitable..harhar..
our sunday started with a tapsilog meal..then again to the house of malongs, shirts and rikutitos..pasalubong shopping again..gee thanks i had only a hundred peso bill in my pocket..

the next barkada trip would be the banana boat ride..its a first time for yours truly..it really was a surprise the first fall..i thought it was a joke..but the second fall is even more hilarious for roselle grab my back making the fall unpredictable..you must try it yourself..but prepare a hundred bucks..

after a very heavy lunch, is a heavy rest..just consumed the siesta hours inside our room and a little visit to maureen’s pad..just got hooked with the “extreme makeover” episode..
5pm is our time for our kayak tripping..another 100 bucks..but hey..it’s a challenge..it’s a kayak for two so I teamed up with roselle and bongz with judit..paddling is really an effort..that really put my muscles to the test..but once you’ve reached an awesome place..it’s all worth it..

The night is spent inside for the rain and wind prevailed..tv moments again..ballroom dancing.. soldier..tennis..f1 racing..

monday is preparing to go back home..but of course we’ll not spoil the day..i had a henna tattoo at my back..with the root name of my blogs written..dmax..bongz got a braid..the girls had their shopping again..and then to the boat again..waving goodbye to galera..

relax..breath..calm down..have some time to go to galera..experience the warmth of the sun..the cool breeze..the splash of the waters..have fun with your friends..for you deserve it..

seriously..on grey's anatomy

seriously..i’m getting addicted with this medical drama series..i’m just in the middle of season 3..then, I’m not wondering what is life like if the hospital is your life..what if your world revolve mainly inside the hospital..seriously..i have no clue then..but now everything that is about a hospital fascinates me..

seriously..you might want to take a tour..the ER (they sometimes called this place “the pit”..where the paramedics drops the patient from the ambulance..oh this place can be bloody most of the time and don’t complain if you’ll hear screaming and bones crunching)..the OR (where all the surgeries should take place..where the scrubbin’ takes place)..the trauma room (next to the ER, the special cases goes here)..the waiting room (where the doctor would tell you “we’re doing the best we could” or “it’s a boy” or “please sign the papers” or “please prepare yourself, only a miracle will keep him alive”-those bunch of generic words which you know what you are suppose to expect while you are waiting and of course you’ll always hope for the best)..the locker room (where the hospital people wear their stuffs, eat their apple, and fight a little, or love a little, and fight again, or love again..yes, anything can happen here..did I mention the dog?)..the elevator (everybody’s got a thing in the Seattle Grace’s aphrodisiac elevator..it just heats up the atmosphere..ya’ know..it’s private..no camera..nobody can see the two of you..of course this is where the mc-lovin’ and the mc-drama happens before the bell rings and the door opens)..the hallway (more gossips spread here than any communicable disease)..and let me include the cafeteria (who won’t remember the hotdog contest..who would forget that hospital food is crap!)

seriously..i’m not gonna forget the five interns: meredith grey(most of the time..it’s all about meredith..probably the reason why it’s grey’s anatomy..such an impulsive girl..trying to cope up with the breakdown of his mother from alzheimer’s disease..first day of work tell her that he had slept with her boss, mc-dreamy..a good doctor but affected by chaotic circumstances..a girl who just wanted to happy but everything just keeps getting complicated for her..and she snores), cristina yang (the asian.. the robot intern and very ambitious..a little indifferent but very supportive to meredith..and got a very peculiar relationship with burke..she’s the one who attached “mc” in some words she need to emphasize..actually my favorite among the five..very funny facial reactions..her best episode is her wedding day).. isobel “izzie” stevens(the hot blonde sexy intern..always got attached to the patients she handled..she fell in love with a heart transplant patient but end up wretched with an 8.7million-dollar check..loves to bake..the one who believes in the good side of the moment..optimistic but easily gets affected by the situation), george o’malley (georgie to his family..he’s a very anxious and apprehensive character..got a thing with meredith at first..became torn between callie and izzie, his wife and bestfriend respectively..such a perfectionist but you would not notice..funny and perky but can get really very serious at times) and alex karev (isolated most of the time from his colleagues..he can be the black sheep of the group and one-minute after be the hero of the OR..such a pain in the ass for george..a very unpredictable character..got a talent for addison’s gynecology,what the interns called “vagina club”.. got attached with a preggy jane doe patient)..

seriously..what a very extraordinary cast..yes they have that attitude..they are not just interns..i think they are way out of any real surgeon’s league..not technically I guess but their characters are really intense and very affective..they can really give you that mixed emotion..you can neither love them or hate them..okay..i lied..you’ll love them all..
seriously..there’s more: the chief, the attendings and the residents..completing the web of cast- preston burke (the heart expert, they say the best in the world..yang’s preston burke, they’re a team..very reserved..unusually a mama’s boy..you’ll hate him on their wedding day), derek shepherd (the neurosurgeon..meredith’s mc dreamy..a loner who just lives in a trailer truck..fish and ferry boats..good acting when meredith died), addison montgomery-shepherd (ob-gyne surgeon..ex-wife of derek..derek left her when she’s caught in bed with his bestfriend mark..professional whilst sympathetic..had a thing with karev),mark sloan (plastic surgeon..mc steamy..they call him a male slut..), callie torres (orthopedic..wife of george..extra-size sexy woman..don’t mind nudity..), richard webber (the chief..the hospital is almost all his life..can’t leave the hospital causing his wife to divorce him..respectful but had that kind of ego..had an affair with meredith’s mother) and miranda bailey (my favorite..the nazi..the resident..the general surgeon..grey’s would be very dull without her..best word player..bitchy toungue but funny..a little woman with a huge character..i just love her do the talkin’ and starin’..great, such a great actress)..yes..i did my homework..

seriously..I don’t know really what to tell..take my word for it..you’ll gonna like this one..you have to see the medical cases they encounter and how it is relatively connected to their own life..good screenplay..good stories..you’ll just wanna see the next episode after the other..prepare yourself for every season finale because it’s gonna be one heck of suspension twist and emotional cyclone..seriously

Bugambilya

(inspired by M. I. Garcia's book, Science Solitaire..just wanna make my version of her first title in the book "Bougainvilla", which, by the way, captured my eagerness to write in Tagalog once more..)

imbes na repasuhin ko ang libro, naisipan ko lang n gumawa ako ng sariling kwento ko kakabit ang bulaklak na ito. kakatuwa laang kasi pinahiram lang ito ng tita marlen saken (bespren ng tita lalen)..natripan kong basahin..kakaiba ang istilo at may nakaukit na emosyon at maka-agham na impormasyon sa paglalahad ng isang maikling kwento..
ito ang kwento ko...

pag nakakita ka ng bugambilya..ano naiisip mo? o hindi mo alam kung anu yun? bulaklak yun, tangi! kala mo bastos..

ang bugambilya, bougainvilla sa mga inglesera, ay isang uri ng bulaklak na natubo sa lupa (dyok!)..yung halaman na nagmula pa sa brasil at ngayon ay tipikal na makikita sa timog amerika at sa iba pang tropikal na lugar sa mundo na isa na dito e ang pilipinas..at syempre meron nyan sa batangas..para sa masmagandang tubo at bulaklak, kailangan daw e mayaman ang lugar sa sikat ng araw at may mahabang panahon ng pagtutuyo sa pagitan ng pagdidilig..gets mo..ayaw daw nito ng nilulunod sa tubig..madali itong lumago at matibay kahit tagtuyot..may kulay pula, dilaw, puti, dalandan at maaring maghalo rin depende sa pagkaka-culture dito..

dahil nga mahilig sa paghahalaman ang mga kasama ko sa bahay..natural..may bugambilya sa bahay..lahat ng kulay..ilista mo pa..

tanda ko nga nung bata pa ko at sinasama pa ko ng namayapa kong ama sa batangas high, ginagawa naming cr ang paso ng bugambilya kasi daw maganda daw sa halaman ang ihe..hanggang ngayon naman eh buhay pa siguro yun..e totoo kaya yun?

at sa kadamihan nga ng halaman sa aming bahay..kahit sa bubong namin e naghanay ang mga paso..at dati nga e ako ang katulong ng tita ethel sa pagdidilig ng mga 'to..

tanda mo ga pag flores de mayo? pupunta ang mga bata sa tuklong para makakain ng busa, pande agua, o sopas..parte ng tradisyong ito ang paghahagis ng bulaklak sa santo..hayun ang mga bata..pinuteh na ang mga bugambilya at nagagalit na ang mga lola at hindi na nagtira..

ito ang hindi alam ng lahat..ang totoong bulaklak ng bugambilya e yung mga maliliit na piraso sa gitna ng makukulay na dahon..opo, ang mga makulay na akala mo eh bulaklak e yun e mga dahon..parang ponsetya..may espesyal na dahon na animoy parte ng bulaklak..

kaw? ano kwento mo?

Jollibee’s Quest for Global Growth

Jollibee is the leading fast-food chain in the Philippines. With its very remarkable success in the country and its vision to expand its market to other countries, Jollibee managed to build their establishment in the United States, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Indonesia, Dubai and Brunei. Well, of course, their main target will be the Overseas Filipino Workers, and subsequently infiltrating the market of the foreign niche they are entering.

If going global means that you would not only cater Filipinos worldwide but also the world market in general, Jollibee’s main concern would be to make their products and services flexible accordingly to the culture and social preference in every particular place without jeopardizing its brand image. A global company tends to unify strategies that reflect the commonalities of market needs across the countries through global standardization. But it does not imply that Jollibee has to serve only their original Filipino-recipe menu in the foreign country because variation of preferences is inevitable and cannot be ignored, Jollibee’s approach would be to adapt its products to fit the global demand.

Its initial strategy of “targeting OFWs and foreign-based Filipinos” and “planting the flag” might have created the risk of targeting only a narrow segment of the world market, neglect large transaction cost and failure to leverage Jollibee’s competitive advantage on new geographic market. This strategy of Jollibee requires enough market volume of OFW and expatriates in the area which could generate publicity through word-of-mouth and eventually attract walk-in traffic of foreign race. This might be one of the reasons why some ventures abroad did not materialize as successful as its counterparts in the Philippines.

Jollibee ought to consider other strategies that will be applicable to the particular undertaking they will be entering. One alternative would be to target place, state, or country where there are few competitors, say; places not yet fully conquered by McDonald’s, Wendy’s or Burger King. With few competitors, they could easily capture the market and set the standard.

Another option is to team up with a foreign partner who can help Jollibee overcome challenges of operating in the foreign niche and provide viable access to distribution channels, suppliers and strategic store locations.

Innovative promotional strategy is also vital, specifically employing the same approach of capturing the younger segment of the market and continually improving its product lines. They should not also forget to bring the warmth of Filipino hospitality and excellent service. Show them the “At home sa Jollibee” and “Bida ang sarap” spirit.

A concrete feasibility study is essential to determine the best locations and the kind of adaptations Jollibee has to consider. With many options at hand, they could combine these accordingly to the selected area of venture.

bluish fate

tell me..how can a dishwashing liquid make my mother’s mood blue?

it was suppose to be a regular thursday for my mom.. get up early.. go to school and teach those nasty kids some good old 2nd graders learning requirements.. go home after doing a little stop-over at the marketplace.. open the backdoor, which is beside the front door (believe me..our house has only two main doors and they are just beside each other).. and suddenly, after dropping her bags and some packs of guppies (small grayish fish worth one peso per piece in the local pet shops)..a terrifying scene almost dropped her heart to oblivion..Aurora’ death unexpectedly came about putting her mood into a grieving soul..

what had just happened? How did it happen? Why in the world would that happen?

she’s a child.. wild imagination.. quite secretive.. loves to play.. play everything that amuses her.. a dishwashing liquid.. maybe she likes something bubbly.. a single drop.. another drop.. and again.. curious.. a little more drop.. water turning blue and suddy.. joy antibac plus pure water equals deadly water.. bubbles.. more bubbles.. poor being.. so sad.. the substance might have been concentrating in her gills that moment.. poisoning her system.. little by little putting her into death.. poor being.. maybe it feels like breathing in sulfur dioxide.. no choice but to breath in again the toxins.. poor being.. the grim reaper must have been crying for the fate of this soul.. the end is just a little tragic for her.. she’s a child.. she does not know what she was doing.. but she surely will know that it’s wrong..

the guppies are for Aurora.. but we call her Aro for short.. actually we don’t know if it’s a he or a she..what we know is that my mom baptized her with that name so we just agrred that she’s a girl.. guppies, hollies and even gold fish are her favorites.. yes, quite expensive.. but mom make it sure that we does not feed her roaches nor lizards.

just last week, my sister texted me “Ui, bli k dw ng bulb para sa kwr2 mu..”.. reading between the lines.. they stole my fluorescent lamp to replace the busted lamp of the aquarium.. attachment is inevitable.. we even talk to her like she’s understanding the baby talks and stuffs.. harhar.. she’s different from the other fishes we kept pet in our aquarium since my childhood because we gave her a name and that made a big difference..

Aro was a vicious eater.. a natural predator in the wild. . it belong to kingdom animalia, phylum chordate, class actinopterygii, order osteoglossiformes, family osteoglossidae, genus scleropages, species s. formosus (nose bleed..)
Asian arowanas are considered "lucky" by many people, particularly those from Asian cultures. This reputation derives from the species' resemblance to the Chinese dragon, considered an auspicious symbol. The large metallic scales and double barbels are features shared by the Chinese dragon, and the large pectoral fins are said to make the fish resemble "a dragon in full flight."
In addition, positive Feng Shui associations with water and the colours red and gold make these fishes popular for aquariums. One belief is that while water is a place where chi gathers, it is naturally a source of yin energy and must contain an "auspicious" fish such as an arowana in order to have balancing yang energy. Another is that a fish can preserve its owner from death by dying itself. (thanks wikipedia!) so much for that blahs..
She’s a predator there in the wild but at home, she’s our pet.. dependent and vulnerable.. we’ll never forget her..

Ps..
Just a couple of weeks after that incident, my aunt gave us another baby arowana as replacement but tragedy sometimes come unnoticed..not eating for days and guppies intertwining the food chain turning parasitism dominant.. Basty followed Aro’s fate swimming to the ocean of heaven..

Ps2..
right now..we’re keeping a baby flowerhorn..Cinderella..Cindy for short..just hoping she’ll stay with us for eternity..