Okusan Ever After

Silence

2008-04-27T18:49:00.000-07:00

This blog has been silent for a while because I have been more active with my multiply site.

Ijjou desu.

Oolong-Cha

2008-03-11T03:22:00.000-07:00

As I live with the walking evidences everyday, e.g. slim and beautiful skinned women and even men, healthy oldies (heck, my manager who is past his 60 is still active in the business and even monkey-business and his menopause-d wife is even healthier than my mother who haven't reached that stage yet), I couldn't help but believe that their tea-drinking habit is the key to their health and beauty secret.

I hardly see the Japanese drink plain water, they usually quench their thirst or pair their meals with a cup of green tea or the brown-colored Oolong tea. It's even easier to find an Oolong tea container than a normal water jug or "pitsel" from the hundred yen shop. Green tea is popular around the world but Oolong is the household tea here. They serve it in restaurants, fast foods for free. Even in anime, you see the characters drinking a glass of brown water. These are what triggered my curiosity with Oolong-cha.

The taste is kinda weird but I'd love to give this tea a chance in our daily diet. I was about to buy a pack but because it's not as cheap as the green tea because it always comes in at least 30 bags (no trial pack). I figured I had to research about more about its health benefits and see if it's worth it.

And this is what I found:

Weight Loss

Scientists from Japan's University of Tokushima School of Medicine found that people who regularly consumed oolong tea experienced more than twice the calorie-burning results compared to those who drank green tea.
A study published in the Journal of Medical Investigation found that women who consumed wu-long tea directly after a meal increased energy expenditure by 10%. This compared to an energy expenditure of 4% for green tea drinkers and 0 for water drinkers.
Researchers at the Suntory Research Center in Osaka, Japan found that drinking wu long tea 15 minutes before eating foods high in carbohydrates curbed rises in insulin, thus reducing some of the fattening effects of carbohydrate intake.

Better Skin Condition

Researchers from Japan's Shiga University of Medical Science found that drinking wu long each day helps to clear up skin problems within one month.
Dr. Kenichi Yanagimoto and colleagues from the University of California found that people who drank wu long tea on a daily basis experienced a fifty-percent reduction in free radicals within 15 days.
Free radicals are damaging substances in the body that contribute to signs of aging, including wrinkles and dark spots that are caused by ultra-violet rays, chemical food additives, pollution and stress.

Healthy Teeth

A study by the Department of Dentistry at Japan's Osaka University showed that regular consumption of oolong tea strengthens teeth and helps prevent tooth decay by inhibiting the build-up of plaque.

Stronger Immune System

According to a study published in Antioxidants & Redox Signaling, test subjects who consumed wu long were found to have stronger immune systems and a reduced risk for infections.

I guess I have to start filling my pink Oolong jug not just with water but with a bag of this promising tea.

Penne in Tomato and Cheese

2008-02-27T22:10:00.000-08:00

I had a craving for Sbarro Baked Ziti, but since it's impossible to find that here, I wanted to make anything Penne. I have a Penne Pasta, my friends left me with fresh tomatoes from the last party and I have a bag of Mozarella Cheese, what to do? So after searching the net I found this recipe which originally requires baking but because I don't have an oven, I used the oven toaster instead.

My camera phone ran out of battery so I wasn't able to take a picture of it, also I thought it would come out just okay and not worth blogging about. But I was wrong, it turned out delicious and if I just added more mozarella cheese and salt, it would have came very, very close to baked ziti. I now love toasted mozarella cheese. Even reminded me of Pizza Hut... yum, yum.

Again here's something vegetarian for a change, and fitting for the lenten season. It's so, so easy pa I swear!

Ingredients:
single serving of Penne Pasta (basta ndi marami, yung tama lang for 1 person)
1 fresh tomato, sliced in to cubes or 1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 teaspoon of dried Oregano
garlic and onion
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
salt and pepper
lots of mozarella cheese (at least 1/2 cup)

How to:

If you're using fresh tomato, the first step is making the tomato sauce. In a heated casserole, put in the sliced tomato, mix it, flatten the tomato cubes, put 2 tablespoons of water and the sugar, when you think the tomato has been juiced out, meaning there are more juices and less tomato cubes, set it aside.
Cook the Penne Pasta like any pasta.
Heat vegetable oil, or any cooking oil, saute the onion and garlic.
Pour in the tomato sauce, and add the oregano, adjust the taste with salt and pepper. Then simmer.
Turn off the fire, add in some of the mozarella cheese.
Mix it with the cooked Penne Pasta.
Put it in an aluminum plate or bowl and put the rest of the mozarella cheese on top.
Place inside the oven toaster and heat it for 7 minutes.
If you're a cheese addict, you can sprinkle it with parmesan cheese upon serving or eating.

Eggs and Buffalo

2008-02-25T20:30:00.000-08:00

I'm in search for light meals that doesn't require pork or beef in accordance to this season of lent. I found this Egg in Tomato Sauce recipe which is just perfect. I tried it, it tastes goood but because I have no talent in cooking eggs in any style(they just manage to appear ugly), I opted to post the pic from the blog where I got the recipe instead.

I followed the recipe (saute garlic, put the tomato sauce and the rest of the seasonings, then break the egg) but I made changes with the ingredients because some are not available here.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
tomato sauce
dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt, black pepper, & cayenne pepper or chilli pepper to taste
1-2 eggs per person (up to eight)
parmesan cheese

Try it for your breakfast, or light dinner... i now love the taste of egg and tomatoes together!

**********

Because it's just impossible to satisfy my hubby with just an egg for dinner, especially when he only had bread for lunch (yeah bad wife), I made him Buffalo Wings which I just discovered is easy to make. Yes it's the same buffalo wings we enjoy at Don Hen's or Hooters in Singapore.

Ingredients
chicken wings (cut the small part of the wing)
oil for deep frying

for the chicken breading:
1 dash pepper , Ground
1 dash garlic powder

1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon paprika or chilli pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

for the chili sauce:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup hot sauce (or depending how hot you want it)

Mild: Use 3/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup hot sauce.
Hot: Use 1/4 cup butter and 3/4 cup hot sauce.

Directions:

mix the breading
wash and dry the chicken
completely coat the chicken with the breading.
chill for at least an hour (This will help the breading to stick to the wings when fried.)
deep fry the chicken until brown
place in a paper towel or strainer to drain the oil
Then melt the butter, mix in the hot sauce
pour the chicken into the pan to coat it with the butter and hot sauce mixture
serve hot

I served this during our house warming and little Chelsey's mexican themed birthday party.. and the guests loved it! I am sure you will love it too! =)

Bad Hair Days

2008-02-25T14:04:00.000-08:00

I called the Salon to make a weekend appointment for haircut and hair color, then I realized my dry scalp also badly needs of moisture so I added hot oil. Since I'm already at it I figured to just do a complete overhaul with a facial, manicure and pedicure. So there, I was slated for an early 10 am appointment for the next day, it's rather early but I have to make it on time if I am serious about beautifying myself, you know how strict Japanese are with appointments.

But alas! the following day I woke up at 11 am... I was so so late! Before I could grab my phone to take my chance on my appointment, I realized it's just a dream, heck I can't even speak nihonggo to make that appointment! And of course, I don't have that money to waste for those kind of services.

I guess my subconscious is missing my regular salon visits back home, as well as my aching ingrown toe nails. How I miss our condo in MET where my favorite salon was just in the ground floor. For only P100 I could just ask Bong, the stylist to blow dry my hair straight if I just feel like having a straight hair for the day. He is also the best colorist I know coz hindi "nangangalawang" yung color even if 4 months have passed when I had it done.

I have been wanting to grow my hair long but I didn't realize it's so hard to maintain a very, very curly long hair without the help of those trims and hot oil treatments. I didn't even bring my ever reliable virgin coconut oil! Every day, it takes at least 10 minutes to untangle every strand and now, I can't sleep without the hair clamp Rose gave me because I had to tie it up while sleeping or else that 10 minutes will become 30 minutes just for the hair alone.

I love my hair now, but I think I have to give it up. Not that I'll go bald, but I am thinking of having my hair shorter for easier maintenance. I wonder if these styles will work for me, hehe.

Egg Tart

2008-02-22T23:57:00.000-08:00

the box says "Please enjoy our taste!", oh I surely did!!

Let me share to you the most delicious egg tart i've ever tasted. We were ordering Cooc pizza for dinner when I saw the egg tarts on the brochure, it's been a while since I had one so I ordered a box. It costs Y299 (113 php) for two small rounds but it was definitely worth it!

It was still warm when it arrived which lasted even after we have finished the pizza. The crust is like a soft biscuit, it's crunchy but you won't be afraid to lose a teeth when you bite it like the normal pie/tart crusts I have eaten. It breaks on your first bite and the egg filling practically melts in your mouth that you don't need to chew it. The caramel on top gives that sweet after taste.

To give a better picture, it is an egg tart that tastes so much like a creme brulee.

I love it! I love it! from now on, we're surely be ordering pizza more often. =D

Top 1

2008-02-19T17:13:00.000-08:00

I was very, very shy and anti-social back in gradeschool and because of that I only made 1 bestfriend then. She was rowdy, tactless and "burara"(which is why after 5 yrs the boys in our batch got the shock of their lives when she was crowned Mutya ng Dabaw), very opposite from my passive persona which I forgot how we were able to bond, but we managed. And she is the longest/oldest (how would you describe that) friend I have.

Her being studious influenced me to do better in school. I think I have never studied harder in my entire life. We even spent our recess and lunch breaks at the library studying. Ever since I made friends with her, I became consistently in honor roll and graduated in top ten. We never competed with each other, however there's this girl she wanted so badly to beat. This girl is our top 1 and she gets upset whenever she slips in her race.

When I asked her why she couldn't be happy with her top 2 spot, she answered that because her dad promised to stop drinking if she was able to land on class' top 1. See, her dad couldn't make a day pass without at least a bottle of beer. He wasn't a bum or a drunkard, he is actually a doctor and a very good father. As a child who descended from a family of doctors(her mother is also a doctor), she knew very well that this is bad for her father's health. While I enjoy the P10 my grandfather pays me per honor certificate, her efforts are all for a more serious cause. There was a time that I wanted to ask miss top 1 to study less and let my bestfriend go ahead, or maybe I asked her that and she just smiled at me. I forgot. Well anyways, my bestfriend still failed to land on that precious spot.

Last Sunday night, my brother broke the bad news, my bestfriend's father died of liver problem probably all those alchohol took its toll. It was said to be sudden, one day he just went in coma then died the next day. And these memories loomed over my head when I heard about it.

The last time I talked to tito was during my wedding preparations when I went to their house to look for my friend. And he gave me pointers about marriage. Well, you never really know.

It makes me sad thinking about her and how she is right now. I asked my bro to buy flowers or mass card but I want to call her or send her a message, but what would I say? When you know there's nothing you can do to make her feel better. Oh what to do... =(

Happy Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T20:41:00.000-08:00

Unlike in the Pinas, UK, US or Singapore where all my friends were whining about how hearts and commercialism about this day flutter all around the places, it is the complete opposite here in the land of the rising sun. It is as mundane as usual, quiet and no im-so-sad-i-don't-have-a-date-today faces splattered on the streets.

But the stores are filled with chocolates though, because on this day, the girls actually have a chance to send their feelings across a clueless man with a pretty box of chocolate, hoping that at the same day next month they will reply with another box of chocolate or flowers if they are lucky.

Days before valentines I get fliers for a session of chocolate making lesson or valentine cake baking lesson. And the hundred yen shop is brimming with cute wrapping stuff and baking ingredients that are not ordinarily available. While stocking up on confectionery sugar, dried fruits, peanut crush.. etc.. which I don't plan to use for valentines but just contingencies in case I will need them in my future cooking or baking attempts, I see lots of giggly high school girls shopping for their ingredients and wrappers for the chocolate they were going to make. All these because if you want to send your feelings across with a stronger impact, the chocolate should not just come from a store's shelf, but should be lovingly made with your own hands from scratch. If Maria Clara have known about this, it would definitely make her gasp for air in protest.

One may see this as a male chauvinistic part of their culture, but after seeing those high school girls smile with excitement and after a walk down the memory lane, I wished we had a day like this back home. A day where girls are given freedom to say how they feel without fear of being judged. If we just had a day like this, it could have saved a lot of young and not so young hearts from suffocating which is much worst than breaking. I personally think it's fun too.

I think this is the only part of the planet where the commercialism of the Heart's day cannot penetrate. Maybe Japanese are just too stoic for that or maybe they just want to keep it real. I never hated valentine's day, even if I am no longer the "I AM NOT BITTER" kind person that I used to but I still hate the commercialism that engulfs the whole meaning of Love which is the reason for the celebration. The pressure and expectations that are pumped to the limit cheapens everything and make you wonder if it's real or obligatory.

I spent this day working, actually forgetting that it's the V-day if not for my friends back home who greeted me. I had no expectations because I am in a V-day twilight zone, if the day ended without a date or flowers, I'm perfectly fine with it. Workday ended with a plan to just cook for dinner and make my Hubby a heart shaped strawberry cake. But Hubby took me to Hotel Centraza, with a reason that he had to meet a Japanese client, he is a bad liar but I believed him still because he always meets with clients so I thought this is just one of them. But instead of meeting another Japanese to impress, I was greeted with a table with a "Reserved" sign on it. He made reservations to that expensive restaurant I have been wanting to go! The place was not full but he insisted on making a reservation because he said it is more special. I was suprised and very happy, especially with the buffet of crabs, incredibly tender steaks and the DESSERT table that can make you cry. And he just grinned from ear to ear saying "akala mo hahayaan ko na wala tayong valentines?". We left the restaurant with very full bellies so we opted to just walk home. It was romantic.

I had no bouquet of flowers to boast this year, but this time the day was unexpected and more sincere and special. I think this is how we should celebrate it, it doesn't really matter if its with friends or loved ones, as long as there's no expectations, no pressure... just love.

just one of those on the dessert table

ADDU HS

2008-02-05T00:27:00.000-08:00

got this from my brother, about our High School way way back

1) section mo nng 1st yr high ka?
• 1-Red

2)eh nung 2nd yr high?
• 2-Blue

3)3rd yr?
• 3-Red

4)4th yr?
• 4-Red

5)anong best year for u? bakit?
• 3rd yr. kasi that's the year I got out of my shell and made my barkada. Atsaka marunong na ako tumakas at mag malling.

6) Kung naabutan mo si Sir Calotes,like mo ba siya? miss mo na ba xa?
• yes and wala ata ako natutunan sa kanya hehe.

7) san kau kumakain kapag lunch?
• Sa canteen or sa classroom, pag may extra cash or craving for pancit, punta sa Magallanes para kumain sa isang cheap bakery.

8) san tumatambay after skul?
• front field at magpa-dooding sa mga gwapong soccer players or CAT commanders.

9) lagi ka ba late pagmorning?
• oo, hanggang ngayon kahit ndi na ako highschool

10) nasuspend ka na ba?
• wala

11)Bakit?
• kasi I see to it na 3x lang ako ma-late sa isang month

12) masaya ba pag fiesta days?
• super! walang pasok and daming activities and pwede akong pumunta ng school pag gabi.

13) have u ever danced on stage?
• sa stage wala. pero sa gitna nang covered court oo. yung inter-year folk dance contest 2nd year tapos nagchampion kami.

14) nagka bf/gf ka ba nong highschool days mo?
• how I wish but then, buti na lang hindi

15) sinong all time crush mo nun?
• dalawa actually, si Erwin Santos nung 1st year, and si Carlo nung 3rd year and many more years after.

16) would u go bak?
• Definitely!

17) ano lagi mong binibili na panwich?
- tuna panwich

18) overpricing ba ang tali s hair??
• oo! P2 for one tali sa hair.

18) nakakita ka n ba ng multo s skul?
wala

19) u ever sang on stage pag may program?
• wala

20) fave subj?
• Theology by Fr. Reyes, English by Mrs. Baldovino(the best!)

21) Nabagsak k n ba?
• Hindi pa

22)have u ever been sent out?
• Yes, Theology class nung 1st year by Brother Alex, bestfriend ko noon kasi muslim kaya ayaw niya ng Theology kaya nag cchika lang kami during classes. Na-high blood si Brother.

23) feel mo ba malau ang HS bldg till kanto bnda s space burger?
• wala pang space burger noon. Pag hindi close ang Acacia gate, malapit lang.

23) have u ever ran the oval??
• wala pa ring oval noon... teka, meron nang oval ngayon??, sa front field lang ako tumakbo punishment for being late.

24) varsity??of wat?
• wala

25)do u miss addu high??
• I really do. I also miss the Ateneo HS wooden building... syet naabutan ko pa ang wooden!

Home Sweet Home

2008-02-04T16:39:00.000-08:00

We just finished moving to our new house in just one weekend. Thanks to the help of our pinoy friends here who helped Dan carry all the heavy stuff and Juliet's bf who donated a washing machine(that works faster than an ordinary one) and a decent light set!

We also bought second-hand stuff from an american guy who left for Korea, they are mostly kitchen stuff (stove, rice cooker, toaster, and lots and lots of pots and pans), and since he loves to cook he left us with lots of gadgets for cooking which I luuuvv!! By tinkering with the stuff, I learned that you can schedule the rice cooker on what time to cook rice for you. Just set its clock time correctly, click the "予約" (yoyaku, or appointment) and set what time it will cook. Of course don't forget to put the rice inside. No worries, coz contrary to what Lola warned, the rice here doesn't turn into lugaw even if left emerged in water for hours.

Adding fixings to the house is the easiest thing here in Japan because everything you need and can think of can be bought from the hundred yen shop. Like there are endless types of cleanser you can choose from like kitchen oil stain cleaner, kitchen anti-fungus cleaner, refrigerator cleaner, furniture cleaner, etc... and different types of hooks, basta everything! Just a few trips to the hundred yen shop and our house is clean and fixed, and you wont even see messy wirings.

To solve our dilemma with the lights, we found this light socket set from Bic Camera, it's a bulb socket with a pull string for on/off (wala kasing switch dito for lights, so we need that string), and we only plugged to the light socket on the ceiling. No fancy fixture, just that which costs only Y1000 and a light bulb for only Y580 and we now have a light for the other room! I learned that even light bulbs don't come cheap here because the only brands you can choose from are National, Toshiba and other popular Japanese brands which spell E-X-P-E-N-S-I-V-E. Ironically, the lights in the house gave us more pain in the butt than the aesthetics.

Also, our bathroom is changed to a more modern module from Hitachi, with a bigger ofuru or bathtub and a computerized water heating system! No more twisting and turning of knobs, just one click of a button and we instantly have hot water. The previous owner also left his airconditioning unit, so we're looking forward to one cool summer. Our verandah is also bigger than the usual, as in it's big that we can have a party there or set up a kiddie pool.

My life here in Japan is almost perfect. I have a house that I love to bits, lots of genuinely helpful friends and enjoyable get togethers, we have the world's best and most systematic transportation system, we don't have to pay for house rent, electricity, gas and water are all taken cared of by the company, I love the food here and I have mastered doing grocery and finding the ingredients that I need without nosebleeding from all the overwhelming kanji and thanks to Maila, I can now cook a gyudon comparable to Yoshinoya's!

If not for their work culture, I can live here forever, I might even get inspired to get serious in studying their language. Oh why can't everything be perfect!

Light up Our New House

2008-01-31T00:12:00.000-08:00

Since I arrived here last September, Hubby and I are sharing the house with a colleague. Actually, nakikitira lang kami since the unit we wanted was not yet available. But starting tomorrow, we are going to move our things to our new house. It's a rule here for every condo/mansion to repaint, replace wallpapers, tatami, tiles and etc.. whenever a unit has been vacated, that is why we had to wait for a week before we could use the unit.

It's on the 3rd floor, with verandah(as usual), 3 bedrooms and a corner unit! It's actually the reason why I wanted to wait for it than look for another one. I like a corner unit because it has lots of windows which will become a blessing when summer comes and I like a bright house.

I heard the unit costs only Y60,000/month (P21,600), pretty cheap but the company will shoulder everything except for the appliances that is why Hubby and I have been busy looking for things to fill our house. As in from lights(that's one thing weird here in Japan, hindi kasama sa unit ang ilaw!) to curtains. We went to Yodobashi this afternoon to look for lights but I was shocked to find out how expensive lights here are! The cheapest one we could find is a bedroom light for Y8000! So now we are searching for second-hand lights for sale or giveaway in the buy and sell forum. I can't possibly spend Y24,000 for all the lights in the house!

Since the 3 bedrooms are too much for the two of us, we are planning to use one bedroom as our walk-in closet, yipee! dream come true! hehe.. and the other one as bodega or guest room, if we ever have guests. So whoever wants to visit Fukuoka, rest assured that you have a place to stay.. just bring your own light.. hehehe =D

Women's Clinic ala Spa

2008-01-28T22:20:00.000-08:00

I became alarmed when my right breast is painful than the usual and decided to find a gynecologist to have my long overdue breast exam after 3 years. At first Hubby and I went to this women's clinic in Tenjin because the doctor speaks english daw, but actually he only knows basic english conversation like "where are you from?" or "what is wrong with you" so we still had a hard time understanding him during the examination. He only did "manual" breast examination and referred us to this women's hospital in Hirao (another town) that specializes in breasts. All that for a whopping Y8500! (I am never going back there again).

After reaching Hirao and studying the map, we finally found the Oikawa Women's clinic. It was one quiet and clean hospital, it looks like a hotel really. Unlike a normal hospital, you won't see patients, doctors or nurses busily roaming around the lobby because the patients have special waiting rooms designated according to the specialty they need. Only the patients who are waiting for their bill or their companions stays in the lobby to wait. Since it was a women's clinic, they have this special waiting area for women and children only. Hubby and I stayed there at first because of the more comfortable sofas but we were escorted to the other area because it was strictly for women. And we don't know why they have to have something like that.

After filling up my forms, I was called to this room which I assume was the breast examination room. With the dim lights, the smell of scented oil that fills the room, and the relaxing music made me feel I was transported to a spa. Then I was lead to this very small room with locker, closet to hang my clothes, shoe rack, mirror, cushioned stool and magazines where I was asked to change into a chocolate brown gown (that doesn't resemble a hospital gown at all), and wait there. Plus, their comfort room was like a victorian dressing room, the toilet bowl was hidden by a divider with lots of flowers, which makes the room smell of flowers, then it has a charming dresser with mirrors and lights around it. Para talaga akong nasa Spa and waiting for my massage attendee!

So I was called back to reality and had another "manual" breast exam, the doctor even drew circles on my breast which I assume are the cysts and measured them (pwede pala yun?). Hubby was strictly not allowed inside the breast examination room so I was all by myself with my survival nihongo because it was not an english speaking hospital. But I managed from the mammography, which by the way is I think one of the many painful things women had to go through, sakeeet! until the ultrasound. Unlike in Pinas where we had to wait at least a day for the mammogram result, after a while I was already called in to the doctor's room and my mammogram and ultrasound was already displayed there while the doctor explained to me the findings.

Thank God it was just Fibrocystic breast tissues and I have nothing to worry about. Buti na lang din that the doctor could understand english medical terms so I was able to ask if it's already Fibrocystic adenoma (which needs surgery) but thank God again it was not! He basically told me the same thing I heard from all the doctors that examined me, that this problem on my breast will clear up once I bear a child and start lactating. So there was nothing to worry about daw. Uhuh.

The whole exam costs only Y11,000 and every cent was worth it. It was indeed a world class medical service right from the state of the art machines to time efficiency. I am not worried anymore, para akong nabunutan ng tinik sa dibdib, and a with service like that, I will never have second thoughts again on having this exam regularly. Susundin ko na si ma'am nurse na dapat every year!

hubby trying to answer my all-nihongo patient form

Friends Ba Kayo ng Ex mo?

2008-01-26T05:00:00.000-08:00

Got this from a friend through friendster, I know I shouldn't be answering questions like this but I can't sleep and I have nothing to do and I think it's kinds fun din and I want to tag some of my friends.. bwehehehe... ang hindi sumunod sa tag pangit.

1.Friends ba kayo ng ex mo?
♥ hindi

2.Ma ayos ba kayo nagbreak?
♥ maayos namanm, tapos naging hindi

3.Naging masaya ka ba sa kanya?
♥ minsan

4.Sa tingin mo naging masaya siya nung kayo pa?
♥ malamang hindi

5. Namimiss mo ba siya?
♥ hindi rin

6 Love mo pa?
♥ definitely not.

7.Musta naman lovelife mo ngayon? may bago ba?
♥ very happily married to a man with sexy chest hairs hehe

8.Hinihintay mo parin ba siya?
♥ hindi na

9.Kung mahal mo siya, bat di mo balikan?
♥ binalikan ko nga noon, pero ayaw na niya kay Sheryl Cruz =P

10.May bago bang bf/gf ex mo?
♥ happily married na rin

11. Nagtagal ba kayo?
♥ Sa awa ng Dyos umabot naman ng 4 yrs.

12.Natatakot ka na bang magmahal ulit??
♥ natakot after a series of wrong guys after him

13.Umaasa ka ba na may taong magmamahal sayo?
♥ meron talaga! lovable kasi ako! =D

14.Pano kung kayo rin ng ex mo in the future??
♥ impossible

15.Galit ka ba sa kanya?
♥ hindi na

16.Wat if, one day sabihin niya na mahal ka pa niya??
♥ malamang on drugs sya nyan

17.Ano kanta mo sa kanya?
♥ "Mr Dreamboy, Mr Dreamboy, ako kaya ang nasa isip mo.."

18 .Nagawa mo na bang maghabol? sa knya?
♥ yep, and thank God! he was in his right mind and did not take me back

19.Nakikita mo pa ba ex mo???
♥ hindi na

20. anu ba tawagan nyo?
♥ labskie (eewww)

21. bkt mo siya nagustuhan?
♥ kasi feeling ko ako si Sheryl Cruz

22. sa tingin mo cnu ang susunod sknya?
♥ may mga sumunod na ndi ko naging boypren. pero ang totoong sumunod ay si Sergio... kaya si Marimar na ako ngayon!

23. my communication pa ba kayo?
♥ wala na

24. kailan ba naging kayo?
♥ hala, nakalimutan ko na.. June or July ata yun, tanong ko muna si Jaja, sya kasi nag rremind sa akin noon pag anniv.

25.kailan kau nagbreak?
♥ hala, ndi ko na rin maalala

26. bakit?
♥ because destiny had to lead us to better partners, that will make us better persons and we both deserve to be happy.

27. Anong message mo sa kanya?
♥ friends?

I am tagging Georgia, Ysilona, Poeticnook, Claire, Madz, Mau, Dee, Chellie

What a Friday Night!

2008-01-26T03:01:00.000-08:00

Maila and I had a date after work, we had ramen, window shopped, shopped at Daiso and had coffee and made some chiklets at Veloce until the cafe closed at 11. It's been a while since we last had a night like this since we became very busy with our lovelives, and it's also been a while since I had my bowl of the most delicious ramen in the world - Ichiran Ramen!! Actually, when she invited me for a "gimik", I hesitated and would rather curl up in bed because of the cold weather, but since it's my chance to eat ichiran ramen, I pushed my lazy-couch-potato mood aside (what a friend! hehe).

Well, hubby doesn't like eating at Ichiran because he doesn't get full from the Y650 a bowl. Konting dagdag na lang daw, pwede na kami mag eat-all-you-can.. which explains my weight gain.

looks harmless, but so deadly delicious!

Maila is not taking a test, she is just eating her ramen =p

When I arrived home, I found my hubby busy on the skype talking design stuff to his developer in Pinas. Then I saw that we had all our laundry washed and hanged and our bedsheets, pillow cases, futon cover and winter blanket fresh and cleaned from the laundrymat! He did all that while I was away and I was very impressed on how productive he is. Thank God for the PSP that kept him company while at the laundrymat. And thank God for a husband like him. =D

There is also good news tonight, because Claire is now in labor! We're very excited for the arrival of the first VPAL baby! Baby pa, bongga na, kasi tiniming niya ang pag "out" niya sa last day of work ng nanay niya!

I am so excited, I hope Darrix will keep his word to post the pics as soon as the head comes out.. ooppss ayoko ata makita vajayjay ni Claire, sige, when the baby comes out na lang! And I hope Claire will still remember us after the epidural wears off... sabi kasi nila nagiging makalimutin daw yung side effect nun... it's just like saying she will get total amnesia.. hehehe =p

Also, a long lost friend confided something to me tonight... hmmm, which I really can't tell yet. But I am so happy! I am just writing it here to mark a very special day. =D

The Good Daughter

2008-01-25T23:04:00.000-08:00

I wrote a letter to my tita in the US because my mom told me to and because my tita wants to get my Japan postal address. I heard she and her husband is going to Europe (again!) for a vacation, so for conversation sake, I told her that Dan and I are also planning to have a vacation there because we still don't have a honeymoon yet. See, "planning" is different from "going" because with "planning" still entail "saving", "saving" and more "saving", plus "applying for vacation leaves", "applying for visa" which may either lead to actually "going" or "not going".

Then she replied like we are actually "going" and told me not to forget about my parents and that my mom told her about my "promise" to bring her and papa to Singapore. You see, I just told mom before that there's a promo fare to Singapore on May and Hubby's whole family is going there. So Hubby offered to pay for my parents so that we can get together in Singapore hopefully. And that was before all these expenses for papa's hospitalization and other stuff came in. Plus we have to book in advance to get the promo fare, but with my dad's ongoing recovery it's just impossible to do that.

Since hubby has given a LOT already since what I have is not enough for their needs, I will assume that Singapore trip they are hoping for. The fare is easy, but the pocketmoney is a different thing. And I have other things to save for this year, so it will not be an easy task for me.

What actually irks me was how my tita told me, "do not forget your parents" when I told her I may be going to this grand vacation. Am I supposed to feel guilty if my husband do able to save for our dream vacation, but I won't be able to bring them to a Singapore trip?

It even reminded me of how another aunt told me last year, "tulungan mo papa mo, ano ka ba, wala ka bang naipon?", when my dad was diagnosed with this disease and at that time might require operation. It was so hurtful to hear those words like you never did anything, like I am laying golden eggs here.

I do want to give my parents a long deserved vacation, but I just don't want to be pressured on it and I don't need the guilt trips. It makes me feel so sad that after all you have done, kulang pa rin.

Roller Coaster

2008-01-25T16:03:00.000-08:00

I thought when you find the right person, get hitched and settle down you are finally saved of riding that emotional roller coaster ride. But I was wrong, because after finding the right person, got hitched and settled down I realized it's not yet the end of my fairy tale after all. Because I was not a princess who slept for 100 yrs nor an orphan slaved by my stepmother and sisters, well this is not a fairytale land after all.

Okay, okay before you jump into conclusions or before my lawyer friends offer me their Pro Bono divorce/annulment services, let me make this clear that I am talking about my career.

I have come to a point that I already know what I want to do with it, after 7 years of hardly threading on my chosen career path. I found the technology where I want to specialize in but it wasn't enough. This happened a year ago when I talked to the vice president of this certain firm and he told me something that confirmed what I have been thinking about for a long time but chose to ignore (because I am so lazy to move my butt), he said if you want to stay longer in this field, you have to master an industry because technology changes, but the business rules in an industry don't. It may be just part of his salestalk to lure me, along with the others, to his company but I know part of it is true.

Now, I found the industry I want to focus on and which path to choose (if there are options). I thought it was just a whim but after months of finding myself seriously looking for a job in one, it's gotta be something serious. Initially, it was just the money that I am after but after a while, I can feel it's something more than that.

I had a chance to be in a big company before I came here, but I wasn't ready and not sure if it was something I want. Plus I was still a new bride who just wanted to be with her husband. And now okay, so I know what I want but the problem now is, that something is being so elusive! To date, I have flooded my resume to all of the industry's job site, and I have talked to 5 different recruiters. I have even talked to recruiters from London and Singapore, I'm not yet sure where they got my resume and to think I only posted for Tokyo jobs (because my hubby loves working here as much as I hate it, but then I have to be with him). But all of them either rejected me, ignored me or never called again.

My first rejection was with this very big multinational company, and they have this opening in Tokyo. After the first interview, they rejected me because for them, I have an unstable employment history. I was so disappointed and it hit me like a bedrock, I sulked to my friends like a girl who just lost this almost perfect man because my records show that I am afraid of commitment. At least this man told me straight why he doesn't want me, through a very formal and beautifully written email. Then hubby tried to comfort me with "it's okay, just wait, maybe God will give you the 2nd best company." and I answered, "but I don't want the 2nd best!". See, so like a brokenhearted girl.

I feel like I'm on the dating game again because the feelings to deal with are so alike, the hopes, expectations, frustrations, waiting to death and rejections. It's also as exhausting.

Inspite of it all, I am not losing my faith. I pray for it and doing the best I can, what happens to it is not in my control already.

I am still on my journey and the roller coaster ride is definitely a part of it as well as the happy ever after.

Instant Starbucks

2008-01-24T14:00:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure if we have this one in Pinas but I was surprised to see cups of Starbucks coffee casually displayed at a convenience store near the office. I haven't tried one yet, coz I am trying to stay away from caffeine, but if I am a coffee addict like my other friends, this would be good news for me. If you're craving for a cup of Starbucks but you don't have time to waste on a fancy coffee shop nor wait for your name to be called, for only Y210 you can get one in a dash - minus the cute barristas though.

Heaven

2008-01-24T13:49:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite desserts in the whole world, Strawberry and Cream mochi. All the goodies that I love are rolled into one rounded treat, it has cake, cream, mochi and strawberry. It's not too sweet, perfect for a not-so-sweet-tooth-but-loves-desserts person like me.

They said a piece of mochi is more fatenning than a 3/4 cup of rice, but whattheheck this goody is available during winter season only and it's worth all the fats it will add on my already big hips.

Costs only Y250 and comes in a pretty take-out box. Yummy! it gives me one good reason to look forward to winter.

Bday,Bday...

2008-01-20T22:43:00.000-08:00

I planned many new recipes to cook for Hubby's birthday, because he likes anything sweet I decided to try my hands on baking for the nth time. Cookies and Cream cupcake and chocolate cake were among the list. But on the day itself, my body hurt so, so bad from the skiing the day before. As in when I woke up I couldn't move from the pain and I was crying! I never had that kind of "pamaol" or muscle pain before, and what's worst was the Alaxan we had at home are expired. I had the day off, coz I couldn't possible bike nor walk from the pain. I may have a lot of time to cook and bake that day before Hubby got home, but most of the time was spent agonizing on the bed, I couldn't even chat with my friends coz my fingers also hurt.

Hubby did get home very early from work, bringing with him a box of japanese "salompas" that truly, truly relieves the muscle pain(for about 3 hours I think). I was also able to drink Mefanamic Acid donated by a pinay friend. It was my hubby's bday and I couldn't possibly just let it pass without even a small celebration. Even under his strict order for me not to go out so the "salompas" will work longer, I snuck out of the house while he was napping and went to the nearest grocery(Thank God for Sunny 24 hrs supermarket that's all over the place!) and bought some stuff to cook. For longlife, I cooked a very special spaghetti with mozarella, oregano and basil eklat chuvaness, with garlic bread(cream the butter, then pour in some garlic powder and salt and pepper, spread on a loaf bread and toast). Because there were no available cake in Sunny, I bought some vanilla ice cream instead, showered it with Oreo cookies(his favorite) and M&Ms chocolate (his new favorite), put on some candles and voila, an ice cream cake! (a cheaper version of Cold Rock ice cream in GB that costs P395 a cup).

27 Things I Love About Him

2008-01-15T15:10:00.000-08:00

He has the most beautiful eyelashes which I envy. It is so thick that even the Shu Uemura eyelash curler couldn't curl.
I hated chest hairs but surprisingly, I find his ala Sergio chest hair really sexy.
He is very intelligent.
I have never met anyone as passionate and dedicated to his craft, a total opposite of myself.
In less than a year, with hardwork and "charm", he is able to master the Japanese conversation and now speaks like a native (even speaks nihongo in his dreams!).
But when I brought him to Makati Med Emergency, and was on drugs (the pain and muscle reliever drugs the doctors put him in), he was talking in straight english all night until the drugs wore off.
At grade 3, he was able to make a simple database system for his mother's office and even made his first P5,000 for it. At grade 5, he started teaching computer classes (to adults) in his tito's computer school.
At 27 he is able to establish his own company which he started 4 yrs ago (with his friends Ben and Georgia's Harley to help him with his first client), made deals with clients in US, Singapore, Japan and Philippines. Also, because of no.5, he singlehandedly, able to bring his developers to live and work here in Japan.
Inspite of no.8, he always tells me we are poor and we have no money (so kinda like Claire!), and I should simplify my lifestyle.
He knows what he wants in life and had it all planned out, but then being the businessman that he is, he already have plan B, C, D for unforseen circumstances that might happen. (actually he always have plan A, B, C, D in everything)
Even with no. 9, whenever I'm in trouble with my credit card or there is emergency at home, he provides for me with no qualms at all.
Not just No. 11, but when I say I really want something and I couldn't afford it, and he thinks it will make me really happy, he will surprise me with it. (and will still remind me that we have no money so I should still simplify my whims)
But he loves to gift me with personalized, hand-made things he made by himself, inspite of his busy schedule. That is why they are definitely more priceless!
On our first valentine, and he was in Japan for a business trip, he still made it a point to be memorable for me by asking his most good looking developer to dress up and go all the way from Taft to Makati to deliver the biggest bouquet of flowers I have ever seen in my entire life, which he himself designed through the power of laptop, digital camera and wi-fi.
At work he is a stern boss, but at home is is literally a baby. Talks and acts like a baby, for all those asking me, that is the reason why he calls himself "babyng smol" because at home he said he is still a small baby. It is annoying, funny and cute altogether.
He is not a sporty person, and I like it coz I wouldn't have to force myself to like to climb walls, crawl, or play this and that.
He may not be sporty, but he is so good at biking (one hand, no hands, fly, even wants to try unicyle).
We are just two lazy people who loves to stay home and cuddle, and we both prefer to explore a city than a beach.
He is very supportive of my interests and he is the main reason for my new found love on cooking and (hopefully) baking.
Also when I go shopping, he is not like normal men who passively sits on a sofa or rushing me to finish, instead, he helps me choose, fit or decide, no matter how girlie the stuff I am buying.
He is very, very, very, very, very, very, very patient.
Because of no. 21, we only had 2 fights on our more than a year of being together.
With all his achievements and responsibilities, he still remains simple, uncomplicated person.
Inspite of no. 23... it takes a very understanding, very secured woman to love and stand by him. *wink, wink*
With his unimposing ways, I learned how to be patient and compromise.
When we were just starting to be boyfriend-girlfriend, my mom warned him about my temper and tantrums, but because of his patience and "strategies" I was able to overcome this "sickness" I have since I was young. He said this is actually his greatest achievement.
He is two years younger than me, and I am a year older than her eldest sister. But he is way, way more matured than me.

Today, the man who owns to all those things I listed above turns 27. The man whom I believe God prepared me for. God couldn't have gifted me a more perfect husband than him.

I love you baby more and more everyday!

Bad Dream

2008-01-12T02:00:00.000-08:00

This might be a season of bad dreams.

Last night, I dreamed that Hubby and I had a big fight and because of that, I got back to one of my exes (guess who!). I don't remember anymore what happened in that dream but when I woke up this morning I was crying and scared that I was looking for my husband whom I gladly found at the end of the bed dressing up for work. He hushed me and told me to get up and start getting ready for I was running late for work.

Ah, I was so relieved to be back to reality.

Too much sleeping is indeed bad for your health.

Friends

2008-01-11T18:30:00.000-08:00

7 noon, 3 na lang ngayon...

I got so engrossed with the hustle and bussle of juggling the roles of being a wife and an employee that I forgot the other life that I was missing until I saw the pics of my highschool friends' holiday in Davao. I forgot that December is also a time of many reunions and get togethers and catching up on each other's lives. Seeing my barkada in their all-girls nightout (minus the bfs of course), doning on their sexiest gimik attire, checking out the latest hip places and reconnecting with highschool batchmates made me feel a little envious, coz I used to be present in all those events. It is just weird to realize that this is my first time to miss one and I didn't even remember that we usually have one!

I have also become too wrapped up in the technical world that I haven't touched based on my other side, coz with my high school friends, I can never talk about Java, IT companies, salaries, not even the latest PSP or Wii, otherwise, they will just give me a blank stare. It was just plainly being kikay and all that. No wonder I have become a little grumpy at times, kelangan ko na ata mag reboot. =p

I think I really have become domesticated, oh no, I am just becoming a wife... what will happen if I become a mother?

the Ateneans in green?

"highschool life oh my highschool life..."

Prayers and Camera

2008-01-11T02:00:00.000-08:00

We say our prayers and we are awed as we see them answered. And we become happy and thankful.

But last Wednesday, I saw how it was to be on the other side, to be the instrument in making a prayer happen. Thinking about it, made me all the more believe in prayers and all its amazing ways of making it happen if it's meant to be given to you.

A month ago, a friend jokingly asked me for a digital camera, kahit na daw yung mapulot ko lang sa basura dito. Apparently, people back home still believe that the streets of Japan are filled with trashed but still usable electronic goods. Well, maybe a long time ago, but not any more now because they already put up a rule against that and they had to pay the government or sell it to a recycle shop if they want to dispose it.

I know it was just a joke but I also know that she really need it for her band's gigs and her children's activities. As much as I would want to give her one, I just couldn't spend Y20,000(cheapest I could find) or more for a gift these days as my dad got sick and all.

Last payday, I asked hubby to withdraw money from my bank so I could start my christmas shopping and send money home. When he came back, I was surprised to find the amount in my passbook to have Y10,000 more than my expected amount. I didn't exactly know where it came from, maybe it's the interest I earned all those times that my account had been idle, since my husband provides for everything I need here, I rarely withdraw from my bank unless there is emergency back home. or realistically speaking, maybe I just forgot the exact amount of how much I have there.

Then I also received a call from a pinoy friend who told me that there was Canon Powershot 7 mega pixel digital camera on sale at Kitamura for only Y10,000. Anyways, I thought I have an extra Y10,000 and a cam right on the budget, so why not seriously buy one for my friend. I know it is still too much a cost for a single gift, but I'm really supportive of my friend's calling of spreading God's love through her music. And I couldn't thank her enough for all the prayers she said for me when I'm in trouble. I was so ready and excited to grab one of those dirt cheap cameras, but unfortunately, they were sold out already when I got there.

But, but, last Sunday when I had nothing to do while waiting for Hubby to finish his meeting with his Japanese clients, I found myself in one of the recycle shop here. There I found this super cute Fine Pix camera, old but still looks new. It is also way cheaper than the other one, this may be second hand but it is still in perfect condition. So I bought it right away and because it was New Year they had this raffle at the store where I won extra store credit which I used to buy myself a hello kitty hand bag!

As I excitedly told my friend I already bought her wish, I was touched to know that it was indeed included in her kids' prayers every night and it was an answered prayer for them. I know they need it as anybody does but I never thought that they seriously wanted one. No wonder, everything just happened smoothly until I found one that is perfect for them and for what I could only afford.

This may be a simple story, but it's a simple way of reassuring us that God indeed listens to our prayers. Especially now that it's the start of the year and many of us are already making plans, or even confused on how to plot their lives for this year. Some of our prayers might be answered, some may not. But if it is meant to be, it will happen.

Years back, I didn't understand my friend's decision of choosing her life now than all those tempting offers laid before her(she could have been in showbiz now), but that is where her heart is and where she believes she should be. She said she may not have a lot but she is sure that He will provide. The camera is just one simple thing and she had been through a lot more that will really prove that He indeed provides.

Each of us has a purpose and a path to take and we have goals we want to achieve, and we can also stumble upon challenges along the way, but if we just continue praying and believing, then we have nothing to worry about.

I Miss Cebu too...

2008-01-10T20:12:00.000-08:00

While reading Mau's blog about Sinulog and the new happenings in Cebu, I felt a tinge of nostalgia and there is no more denying that I really miss that beautiful city where I lived for 4 years. How I left the place left some not so good memories and experience that there was a phase that I was so afraid of going back there and face the mess that I left off. But now, oh boy I really, really wanna go back there again and check out the place, and of course attend the much awaited Sinulog!

Aside from the non existent pollution and the urban but laid-back life, I love Cebu because that is where I first learned of independence. I stepped foot on that city for the first time 7 years ago with no idea on how to do the laundry, ironing, cooking, ride the jeep, budgeting or even cleaning my stuff for I was so used to having maids around me and parents and grandparents telling me what to do, where to go... I couldn't even speak Cebuano very well, I didn't have any plan of learning it coz I grew up with the notion that speaking in bisaya is baduy (well that was how it was in Davao or at least in my school). I was also overwhelmed with the freedom I had, for all my life I was always too sheltered and life was too routinary. But I was often found crying because I missed my dad, and my guy housemates would tell me their comforting words, "kelangan mo lang ng boyfriend.". And that was how the metamorphosis started (with a buffet of freedom plus the need for a boyfriend, you know what happens next) ;P.

Now, I can perfectly survive by myself and I can even feed another mouth with my cooking skill. I can speak Cebuano better than Tagalog, and very comfortable using the dialect (well if you want to survive and enjoy the city and its fabulous inhabitants, you gotta master the dialect or else mabaligya jud ka). The closest people in my heart are those fabulous ones I made friends there. Plus, I managed to go around with their very complicated Jeepney Route System by... learning to ride the taxi! Hence, I really can't say if I finally learned to budget.

But the most important things I learned from my stay there were the lessons on life and love, which would have been impossible to learn if I was just safely tucked in Davao. Cebu was my brewing pot where all the right decisions and mistakes I made that rooted from all that freedom are what built my character now.

When the Hongkong honeymoon Hubby and I planned didn't push through, I suggested that we go to Cebu instead, but he didn't want to and asked me, "hindi ka pa ba nagsawa sa Cebu?".

Well, I guess you'll never have enough of home.

To Ski or or not to Ski

2008-01-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

The pinoys here are planning to drive up to Tenzan Highland in Saga for some skiing adventure. The price is a little steep for Y6000 (or 2300 pesos) per beginner plus we have to chip in for the gas so I am contemplating if Hubby and I should go. I am not kuripot nor have I sulked in to my shell and bade goodbye to adventures BUT it's just because of these horror stories Hubby tells me about skiing. He said he saw one person who learned to split instead of ski and tore her pants in the process. And I don't want that to happen to me kasi kakabili ko lang nung pants ko sa GAP and it's so darn hard to shop for a pair of pants! and also he told me that I'll get body sore after and I will surely be absent from work the next day. When I said, I'll just rent a sled, he just teased me more with "sinong hihila ng sled mo?" and when I said I will just sled like that video I saw of Jan W., he said "mag sled ka pababa tapos ndi ka na makahinto, tuloy-tuloy na hanggang sa pinakababa hanggang mawala ka na." - que horror.

So what should I do? The closest ice activity I had was ice skating in mega mall, and that wasn't even a nice experience to relate to, that is why I'm not sure if all his stories can really happen to me coz I don't have a single idea on skiing.

Is it worth trying? will I enjoy it? should we go or not?

Frozen Delight

2008-01-08T23:00:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday we went to Canal City to return our Coleman air bed because after 2 months of use, it suddenly gave up on us. We just woke up that morning, sank in the floor. Our other pinoy friends who bought the same air bed also had theirs returned for the same reason but they had theirs exchanged with new units right away. But on our case, Coleman had to investigate it for some time due to the many returned cases, all by pinoys. (ano ba kasi ang ginagawa ng mga pinoy sa kama nila) =p Well, yesterday, Coleman gave us a call and informed us that they're giving us a replacement but it will be the last one. So now, hubby and I are cramping ourselves in our single futon while we wait for the our new bed, not that we're complaining hehe.

Anyways highway, on our way to the store we passed by Glico Ice cream vendo! It's our favorite ice cream, I personally like it better than Hagen Daaz actually (mas barato man gud hihi). So even if it was freezing cold, we still couldn't resist the inviting vendo lights. We gave in to temptation and grabbed two for our hearts content, may heater naman yung mall so ma-eenjoy pa rin namin yung ice cream. Oh it's been a while since I last had a stick of my super favorite, Glico Chocolate Mint Ice cream! That sweetness of chocolate and the right tinge of mint, makes me want to live here in Japan forever or better yet, buy myself my very own Glico vendo. What I like about this ice cream is, it doesn't melt easily, so I can take my lovely time eating it without having to worry about being bulingit.

simple pleasure for Y120

Holiday Shots

2008-01-05T18:30:00.000-08:00

How we managed to celebrate our first holiday together...

went to our favorite Yakiniku place after a very, very busy work day

traditional xmas party with manito-manito with pinoy friends

goofing around with my best gift ever

eat again at New Couria buffet restaurant

shopped for my boots! (fatness is the result of all the eating)

another strolling and shopping at Tenjin Chikagai (subway)

Go With the Craze

2008-01-03T21:00:00.000-08:00

This is how the queue at the cashier at the Games Department of Yodobashii looked like awhile ago. Apparently, the Japanese are not yet done with their New Year shopping. And this is the busiest floor in the store, where people are lining up for the latest DS Lite, PSP Slim, Wii Fit and game softwares. We also bumped into a pinoy friend who was buying his Bleach Anime Figures.

I guess it's the DS Lite, PSP fever that brought the people here. I am not a game lover and didn't have any plan of partaking with the craze, but last night during the party that we attended, everyone had their own PSP Slim (because Sony just released the PSP Slim Deep Red Value Pack) and were busy playing Tekken. And the other friends kept lending me their PSPs and convincing me to make Dan buy one for me or for us. I thought I was a hard nut to crack on this one, but when they showed me that I can play The Sims 2, with my very own pink or lavander colored PSP Slim plus I can also connect to Wi-Fi and surf the internet, I conceded. It's not that expensive here anyway, so hindi masakit sa budget.

So this afternoon, I went with the flow that lead me to Yodobashii. I originally wanted a pink PSP, but Hubby asked for a compromise, since he said anything but pink, I chose Lavander.. =D
It is soo beautiful, so cute... I haven't played with it yet but simply looking at it makes me swoon.

As of this moment, Hubby brought it at Lex house to downgrade the software so it can play P games. Since he is the only one around here who can do it.

As I've said, i'm not a gamer so let's see how long this baby is gonna last on my hands.

Lavander PSP Slim

VPAL Global Kriss Kringle Result

2008-01-03T03:23:00.000-08:00

Hehe parang lotto result. =D

Anyways, congratulations my dear VPALs for our first successful Kriss Kringle! I never thought we could pull this off so well even with some glitches on the side. Speaking of side, here's a side note: I officially hate the Philippine Postal Service! My gift to Mau hasn't arrived yet and I'm no longer expecting it will. Stupid me for being optimistic on our Notorious Postal Service and sent the gift through ordinary parcel mail when the Japanese postman promised that the longest it will take to arrive in the Philippines is 20 days for a futsu mail. My wiser kunsensya was telling me "lumluman pa na sa custom and kung magustuhan goodbye na", while the kinder one hoped, "hindi naman takaw sa mata ang box ko, plus sa Makati naman ipapadala and I still believe that Filipinos are still worth dying for.." But, 48 years na ang nakakaraan wala pa rin. And what made it even worse was when I asked my cousin to call Makati Post Office to inquire and this is what the person on the other line said "Ma'am kung ordinary mail wala pong assurance na makakarating." Itaga nyo yan sa bato, even better, gawin nyong motto before even thinking of sending something back home. I couldn't believe it, our Postal Service couldn't even promise to deliver the most fundamental reason why they are there. So when I lost all my hopes, I crammed to buy Mau another gift in the middle of a very, very busy work week, so Maila could bring it when she left for her christmas vacation.

Oopps, I got carried away with my side note. I just actually wanted to thank my Mommy Claire for the fabulous gifts from the fabulous US of A. Obvious talaga ang pagkakikay ko sa gifts niya. A complete set of Morning and Evening Olay Regenerist plus 3 kinds of Burts Bees tinted Lip Balm! from the wishlist talaga.

Since santa said I've been good this year, may bonus pa na package from Europe! Royal Mail pa, which made me feel like the wife of Prince William na may matching messenger pa na naka kabayo hehehe.

Salamat Georgia!

2 in 1 perfume with bolang krystal or sosyal na bato ni Darna?
(kidding aside, the smell is like you're fresh out from the shower)

Plus I also received a snail mail christmas card from Maricris, since it was addressed to Dan and Me, it was officially the first christmas card we received as a couple.

Call me old-fashioned but what made the gifts and cards more exciting was it came in snail mail which we very seldom use nowadays. The hand-written envelopes, and cards gave it a more personal touch, I even found myself telling Hubby "ito pala writing ni Crys noh?" or "pang electrical engineer lagi writing ni Georgia." and of course it made me miss my friends even more.

To VPALs, thank you for the wonderful years of friendship!

Sale, Sale, Sale

2008-01-03T02:41:00.000-08:00

I just found out the best time to go shopping in Japan, it's after the New Year (I think Jan 2-3) where all the stores go on sale and I mean super sale! I was surprised to see Tenjin overflowing with people bringing along lots and lots of shopping bags. One thing that is popular now is what they call the Happy Bag, it is a bag or box of goodies from different brands that actually costs around Y30,000-Y50,000 but sold for only Y10,000. The brand that was sold out first was Nike, where you can have a sweat pants, jacket, sweater, etc(I forgot the other stuff inside) for only Y10,000. I got Hubby a Dunlop Bag with a more formal, business styled jackets and shirts inside for his birthday. If only Shu Uemura or Bobbi Brown had a Happy Bag, I could have gotten one for myself hehe.

Bic Camera also had their own version of a more exciting Happy Bag, they had ipod for Y4,990, 8 mega pixel Digicam for Y19800, Digicam plus a printer for Y23,000, Laptop plus a printer for i think Y90,000 or less. I wanted to buy their Happy Bag of 5 mega pixel digital camera for only Y9800 (a gift for my friend in davao sana) but they ran out of it when we got there. Umaga pa lang daw naubos na, zannen desu ne.

GAP was also on sale and it was so filled with eager-to-spend Japanese. I didn't buy anything coz I have already finished buying gifts for my friends, and I didn't find anything interesting enough to make me squeeze in to the long queue. Louis Vitton was also interestingly crowded, parang SM lang sya sa Pinas that it didn't look like the goods cost an arm and your two legs.

Nakakahawa ang energy ng mga Hapon kanina, but too bad I had no reason to shop anymore(plus Yahoo Dome flea market is just a week away), but I know better now so next year I will wait for the after new year to buy my gifts. =)

Cold Pasta Salad

2008-01-02T15:33:00.000-08:00

I discovered this dish new to my taste buds when we were in this fab buffet restaurant at Canal City, and the line to the tacos was long, so I tried this what they call Pasta Salad for appetizer instead. I don't really like pasta on mayonaise but surprisingly, I loved it. I love the taste of garlic, vinegar, cucumber and tomatoes together.

Last night, I had a craving for it, so I made my own version of Cold Pasta Salad. Hubby hates anything with mayonaise(like he never touches macaroni salad) and vinegar, but he got curious of what I was eating, tried it and was able to finish one bowl and just then did I tell him the truth which he answered with a shock, "huh? may mayonoaise at suka pala yun??" then shrugged it off with "sige gawaan mo pa ako ng isa pa please..".

Oh my, one of my resolution for 2008 is to lose weight, but I can't help it, I just love cooking and eating. The New Year hasn't quite kicked in yet and I'm about to break one of my resolutions. tsk tsk.

Anyways for those who are curious to try this Pasta Salad, let me share with you the recipe.

Ingredients:
Pasta (spaghetti, curly, macaroni, etc..)
Cucumber cubed (optional)
Carrots minced (optional)
Tomatoes cubed (optional)
Bell Pepper minced
Parsley
fried bacon

for the sauce:
1 cup mayonaise
2 tsp cider vinegar
dash of sugar
salt and pepper to taste
onion powder
garlic powder

How to:
Cook the pasta. Mix the vegetables and bacon with it. Then cover it with the sauce. Shower it with parsley and lots and lots of Parmesan cheese! Add some croutons and chill (or not, you can eat it right away if you want).

New Year, New Shoes

2008-01-01T20:08:00.000-08:00

Thank God the japanese take New Year seriously, at least we can celebrate one normal holiday (coz we had to work during Christmas). We have almost a week off and free from work related stuff! That is why I was so excited to make my first Buena Noche, I didn't mind the very strong wind and the drizzle of snow(masakit pala tumama sa mukha ang snow) while I biked to the nearest grocery to get some ingredients. Added bonus to my bravery was most of the things in the store was on sale! I was able to buy 300g of ground pork for Y70, half a kilo of fresh strawberries for Y147 (that usually costs Y400-Y700) , Beef meat for Y350, 5 bell peppers for Y200 (believe me that's already on sale, I'm not sure why bell peppers are always expensive anywhere) and 4 carrots for Y100.

I made Pork Embutido and Beef Mechado for the main course. I highly recommend the Mechado recipe I got from here! It's delicous! I followed the recipe to the T and just added sugar and cheese to suit my taste. Hubby kept reheating the Mechado leftover until there was none left. About the embutido, well I love all embutidos, so I'm not the best judge for that, but I gave some to our Pinoy kapitbahays as New Year gift, and they are still alive and never called in for some complaints so I guess I did a pretty good embutido.

The best part was, I made my first ever cake! Emphasis on the word "made" coz I didn't bake it. I just bought a ready made chiffon cake, powdered whip cream which I just mixed with milk and vanilla. And Loaded it with lots and lots of strawberries inside. When I was piping the frosting, I realized I have no calling at the pastry department. I just couldn't make a decent shape so I just asked our housemate Jhen to do the honors in decorating after I painstakingly covered the cake with icing. (ang hirap pala!). I also bought a ready to use pencil icing (it's just a pastic shaped into a pencil with colored pink icing inside) which I intended to use for lettering. But the cold weather froze the icing inside that made it so hard to write with. So ended up writing "Hapi 8" instead of "Happy New Year 2008". My sweet toothed Hubby finished the cake faster than New Year to finish.

my first ever cake

After dinner, Hubby and I went to Canal City to see the New Year countdown, but because of the bad weather it was canceled. So we just walked around showered with snow, and my feet was kept warm with my new boots Hubby bought for me as a New Year gift. Yes, I finally found a pair of boots that fit my big "bagtak". Actually, I already gave up the search when yesterday after mass, while walking around Tenjin, Hubby and I passed by a shoe store that was on sale. Where I found this pair that according to the price tag originally costs Y9500 then dropped to Y5000, then to Y3000 until Y2900 when I found it! It fits so great and so comfortable to walk on. It feels sexy wearing them. =)

"look ma, boots and skinny jeans that fit!"

Happy New Year indeed.

Toxic

2007-12-22T20:46:00.000-08:00

I thought it was over, but last friday a major issue on our project came out that had us migrate our application to the latest JXTA version. Any developer would know how pain in the ass migrating at the last minute is. So we ended up going home at 7 am on Saturday.

Slept at 8 am then woke up at 1:30 pm to prepare for the xmas party, buti na lang our housemate Jen has enough initiative to boil the quail eggs while we were sleeping. See, every house should bring a home cooked food at the party and we thought of bringing Quail Egg Surprise and Fruit Salad. It was the easiest thing I could cook.

It was Hubby and me's teamwork mode once again(that's what we usually do when we there's somethings we have to accomplish in so little time). I listed the things that he should do and buy then off he went to get them plus our kriss kringle babies' gifts. Aside from the real kriss kringle gifts, he has to buy our "something warm" and "something funny" that we failed to give before the party because I left and lost those that I bought 2 weeks ago in the grocery (ga-second lang jud ko ni Claire sa pagkakalimtanon). While I stayed at home to cook and planned some "gimiks" for the party. All that we had to do before the party starts in 3 hours. Buti na lang there is Lex who is willing and efficient in last minute must-dos, like I had to delegate to him the prizes and the prizes were really nice and naka wrap pa!

The Quail Egg Surprise was a success despite making Jen rush to Joe's condo (mga 6 buildings away) to get his eggs este extra eggs when we got short of it. But Hubby was running late, it was an hour past his ETA and still no sign of him. I was getting worried coz I might not have enough time to wrap the gifts. The thought of giving a gift poorly wrapped or just tossed in paper bag was horror for me (yes, I'm very OC with the presents that I give)

I was so ready to strangle him, but when he finally arrived, all my wrapping worries disappeared when I saw the gifts in their pretty paper bags. With plastic pa, coz it was raining that night. Oh I completely forgot there that I was in Japan! where stores could put your gift in a more beautiful bag when you tell them it's a gift. They make sure that in any weather, your gifts will be presented beautifully. Hubby had to bike them for 30 minutes under the rain, but when he came home, it was still in perfect shape because of the waterproof-plastics carefully wrapped around them. Sugoi jud yah!

Plus Hubby got nice "somethings" stuff, nicer than those that I lost and they were just not "hundred yensies". Buti naman at hindi kuripot ang aking mister at may taste rin.

All in all it was a fun party even if everybody crammed in preparations and crammed like sardines in Marj's small unit.

Pasko na talaga... =D

Busiest

2007-12-18T22:01:00.000-08:00

These has been one of the busiest days of my life, work schedule has been so hectic to catch up with the Dec 20 release plus this project is not an easy one. Since this is a research and development, it requires a lot of tinkering with some Java open source libraries to ensure a very, OA sa ka-secured communication that could really push your patience to the limit. Ugh, thinking about it makes me puke.

Because of this, I am so way beyond my expected holiday preparation schedule. I haven't even shopped for gifts to my friends, decorate the house with xmas trimmings, learn new recipe for our first Noche Buena and I have completely abandoned organizing the Christmas Party for our small pinoy community here. Good thing, someone was responsible enough to carry over the job at the last minute.

I haven't even seen a single popular Christmas illumination here in Fukuoka. I have lost track of time that I was surprised to know it's only less than a week til the big day.

But good thing that today, the worst is finally over. We have solved the major problems and working for its release. I can finally (I hope) concentrate on the holiday, albeit a bit late. I hope no big issues will come up so Hubby and I can go with the rest of the gang in Huis Ten Bosch(mini-Amsterdam theme park) in Nagasaki this friday (or is it saturday?) where our agency is taking us for a treat (all expense paid!). We are going to watch fireworks and illuminations. At last I can finally enjoy the little christmas air this country could provide.

I'm so excited!

2007-12-10T23:00:00.000-08:00

I was walking around Canal City and the place was on its usual Sunday festive mood. As I was looking on to the new Chrismas decors, this loud ringing of bells instantly caught my attention because it never stopped and each sound was accompanied by children's shrill. I followed the sounds and it lead me to the open area between the cafes which they turned into a playground. They put up these small bellhouses.. or a little bahay kubo with big chimes or bells that children can make melody or noise with. Those bellhouses around the giant christmas tree reminds me of a puto bungbong stall during misa de galio. No matter how grand the decorations around you or the exciting christmas sales (like 70% off in GAP!)... nothing can come close to a Philippine Christmas and you really can't help but miss it.

But I enjoyed watching the children play though, like how could they horse with the water when it's too cold. Oh well, it sure is fun to be a child.

Something Made

2007-12-07T00:00:00.000-08:00

While hubby was still having overtime, I grabbed this chance to buy his christmas present because I would definitely need a lot of time to choose and decide and concentrate because men are just too difficult to buy presents for. After an hour and a half in the store, I went to 100 yen shop to buy wrappers and ribbon before I went to McDonald's to grab dinner for Hubby.

As soon as I got home, I started wrapping the gift. Oh I just love wrapping gifts! especially now that 100 yen shop is flooded with cute wrapping stuffs. Anyways, I realized I forgot to buy a gift tag so I squeezed some creative juices so I could find ideas on how to make one from things we have at home. Then I found this shiny silver box of XXXXX(bwehehehe =p), with a clean white inner side and cut it to form a card. We also have this free magazines from stores where I found these cute anime drawings. So to make my card more interesting I cut out these cartoons and pasted them on my card. And for the finishing touch, I shaped what remained from the silver box into tiny squares and scattered it on the card. Of course to emphasize love, I formed a very small heart from the red paper in the magazine.

Tada! a shiny, comical gift tag that doesn't cost a penny.

From (toot) with Love

2007-12-06T18:56:00.000-08:00

(backview of the package) ano kaya? ano kaya ang laman?!

Last night when I came home, I was surprised to find a package on the dining table, colorful but a bit worn, when I checked it I was happy to see my name on it. It was for me and it came from my VPAL mommy! It really put a smile on my tired face. I wanted to tear it open immediately but we had a rule to open it on Christmas eve, so I just content myself from pinching, pressing, shaking, guessing and even tearing it a bit to have a little peak. I was like light years ago, when I find my gifts under the chrismas tree and everyday until Christmas eve was like torture for me. Unlike my brothers who had very low emotional quotience, I survived each year without tearing them open before Christmas. I'm not sure how well I'll do this year though, I don't think I still have that patience anymore.

This might be my one and only wrapped gift this year because for sure Hubby will just take me shopping for my christmas gift (he is just not fond of wrapping gifts) so I think I will have to wait til the 24th or else there won't be any to open.

To my mommy, whom I cannot tell yet coz the others still have not gotten theirs, whatever's inside... thank you! I commend your postal service for a job well done because the package came earlier than expected. =)

To my baby, I wish your gift will not get lost in transit with the holiday traffic already starting. Seeing how worn the package from my mommy turned in, I will post your gift's picture here so you will know how it originally looked like...

for my baby, wrapped with love

Lease of Life

2007-12-05T10:25:00.000-08:00

What a relief, papa just came out of a successful surgery and now nursing in his recovery room. Added blessing was his doctor told us he found a stone in his pantog (ano nga ito sa english?) during the operation and took the initiative to blast it to pieces so we won't have to pay for another separate operation. His personal impression on the tumor was benign but we still have to wait for the biopsy result to be more sure. I hope everything will turn out well.

Dr. Escudero was not an accredited doctor of papa's health insurance that is why they won't cover the procedure to our frustration. We thought of changing doctors but he has been my dad's surgeon ever since and he couldn't be confident to trust his health to anyone else. But it turned out to be the best decision. I may have a poor xmas this year coz I have to pitch in to the cost but if everything will be okay, it will be a very happy christmas.

Thank you Lord for this another miracle.

Cutina Review

2007-11-29T01:14:00.000-08:00

I just popped my last tablet of Cutina, that anti-pimple medicine I'm taking since last month and which I also blogged about. Now it's time to give it a review.

It is indeed effective and i wasn't surprised when I saw in the pharmacy that it was already number 1 in the market. If I just knew about this during my wedding preparation, I could have faced the altar pimple free and with less foundation.. =P

There were no major side effects, just a more yellowish colored urine, but I did feel depressed and irritable one time, but fortunately, it turned out to be just my monthly PMS. This medicine did its best to help prevent breakouts, even my menstrual pimples are smaller and gone after 2 days without leaving bad marks. I only got 1-2 small pimples for those days I was too lazy to wash my face before going to sleep. Ordinarily, I get at least 4 as penalty and they swell like a balloon and leave ugly marks. But now, "buyag-buyag", I don't have new scars anymore, yipee!

About its whitening effect, I couldn't really say much about it since i'm on my pants and sweater 95% of the time and my skin has never seen the sun since fall started. If I did get whiter, I couldn't credit it to Cutina.

It's the best, a heaven-sent for problematic skin like I have, thanks to Japanese vanity and ingenuity. On the way home, Hubby and I passed by the pharmacy to buy another bottle but this time we got the 120 tablets because he is convinced with the effect and he also want to take it. Now Cutina has caught the male market. =)

Bad, Bad

2007-11-29T01:00:00.000-08:00

Got a mail from my mom bearing bad news, but everything's fine for now and we're still praying that it will be better. This is the hardest part of being away from home, you tend too fret with the slightest problem coz you really don't know what is going on. But i'm so thankful that I have a husband at times like these making it easier to handle and less frightening in facing the worst case scenario. He doesn't have to say anything, just a hug made me feel i will never be alone, i guess it's the best feeling in the world.

Because of that, my first Hot German Potato Salad was a failure. I became restless and kept messing up in the kitchen. The potato was super over-boiled, I pud too much vinegar and too much spring onions... bad bad bad. As a result, we just had a fried chicken for supper.

Aurora Borealis

2007-11-19T12:40:00.000-08:00

Last saturday, I met a Japanese woman who is taking up masters in Plasma Physics in Kyushu University. Actually, I just knew that day that there are many branches in Physics, like Maila's boyfriend mastered in Solid Physics. So when you know someone who says he masters in Physics, the next question should be "what kind of physics?" (basta something like that).

She must be very smart since Juliet and Maila (both engineering graduates) both agree that electromagnetics is the most difficult subject, and this woman is mastering in this area. Anyway, to clearly describe her field(since the only thing we knew of Plasma, is the Plasma TV), she talked about the Aurora Borealis or the Northern Lights as an example of an effect of Plasma activity(basta something like that hehehe). I didn't know about this once-a-year phenomenon until that day (dah, sige lang man gud basa ug showbiz), so I read more about it in the internet. It seems fascinating, and I pledge to myself to watch live it before I die.

Now I have one reason why I want to go to Canada, coz they said it's one of the places where you can see it.

Roads I Travelled

2007-11-18T21:30:00.000-08:00

I seldom bring a camera because I always forget to charge it, so it stays in the cabinet uselessly. Before we head to the Mikan Picking, I had to charge it for 10 minutes because I just couldn't go to my first Mikan Gari undocumented. On our way home since the battery life had 9 minutes left, I decided to take pictures of the roads that I bike on, pass by every single day to and from the office. I just realized now that the trees have beautifully turned to red and yellow, sometimes we really need to take a time off to appreciate the good things around.

I snapped away til my camera went dead.

autumn na jud diay..

All STOP

All GO

Maila, Juliet and Hubby's office

Aming Kapitbahay

2007-11-14T04:00:00.000-08:00

This is our view from the house, an old style Japanese house with a nice Japanese garden with a pond (not seen in picture). We're lucky that we have a totally different view apart from the towering mansions around the neighborhood. The house is one of the very few traditional houses hidden in the city. I rarely see anyone there, so I wonder if the trees are trimmed or they just naturally grow in perfect shape.

One day, I'd like to put a Japanese garden just like this one, with swing, jacuzzi, pond and Cherry Blossoms that sprawl in the backyard of my Victorian Style house, around a white picket fence but with a high-tech-security gate.

Presenting, my confused dream house. =)

* I got this picture from a friend who took this with his new Pentax DSLR camera. The pic doesn't look like it was taken at night.

Monopolized

2007-11-13T22:00:00.000-08:00

Hubby and I found this Monopoly game set at the second hand store for only 1,050 yen, my "smol na baby" said it's one of his few frustrations to own one because it's his favorite game but they couldn't afford one before so I gave him a go to buy it, even though I find it expensive for a board game.

I never played Monopoly ever in my entire life and I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy it, but I still gave it a try for the love of my Hubby. We started at 9:30 pm but at around 1:30 am, we're still on our first game. Hubby was so shrewd that's why game got exciting and we lost track of time, and I wouldn't even take bathroom breaks, we just stopped when we got so hungry. Because we were too hungry to cook for our very late dinner, we went out to eat Ramen at the famous Yatai(street stalls) by the Canal City river. There's this stall there that people line up for and is always full that's why I never got the chance to eat there but since it was already late that time, the line was bearable. Finally I was able to taste their famous ramen and quench my curiousity. Indeed, it was the best ramen in i've tasted, even better than Ichiran Ramen. The line and the Y700 a bowl were truly worth it.

After that we walked around Nakasu(Fukuoka's red light district) and had fun watching the drunk salary men, and their overly made-up Nakasu girls. And some gals and boys flirting with each other.

There were much too see when japanese play hard on their Saturday night but we had to go back home coz we were itching to finish our Monopoly match. Then the game went on for another 1 hour and a half before I beat Hubby to his favorite game, a beginner's luck I would say. And called it a night.

Baby Souvenir

2007-11-13T18:40:00.000-08:00

I found this trinket on Juliet's cellphone and I think it's so cute. It's a souvenir from her japanese friend's child's christening and I decided to post this here for those who are looking for giveaway ideas. Actually, it doesn't look like a souvenir but an ordinary cellphone trinket with a picture of a cute angel.

If you think you're this angelic, you can also make one like this for your birthday party giveaway. =P

Japanese Rice

2007-11-08T03:00:00.000-08:00

"Foreign rice is for foreigners, Japanese people like only Japanese rice." - A Japanese rice shop worker.

While Hubby and I was on our train ride to Yanagawa, we passed by some rice fields and he told me stories he heard from his Japanese friends. According to them, Japanese are pretty protective of their rice industry, they make sure that Japan's rice could supply themselves so they do not allow imports. The very few imports they get(for diplomatic effect) goes to making rice wine or foreign aid. So basically, every pack of rice available in the market is made here.

What impressed me is how the government take care of their rice farmers. The seedlings, which I believe are products of an extensive research in our Japanese funded IRI in UPLB, are provided by the government and their harvest are also bought by the government. Per planting season, as they were given seedlings, their estimated yield quantity and cost are recorded so when disaster arise that could destroy their field, the government pays for everything and even for the rehabilitation cost and replanting.

My family's source of income back home is our farm so I could totally relate to the story and couldn't help to compare how our government is treating the farmers. There are no regulations on agricultural imports so the poor farmers could barely compete with the prices.

I remember one time, I had coffee with my tita and our country's agricultural attache to Japan. He said the Japanese sent 100 (or was that 1000?) mini-tractors for donation to Filipino farmers. He promised my tita to reserve one for our farm, but lo and behold, as soon as the tractors arrived, it was sold by the son of our then pareng president and of course, heaven knows where the money went.

Japan is an industrial country with barely a space for their people while Philippines boasts of its endless agricultural resources but the reason why we couldn't come close to the quality of their rice is such a bitter irony to swallow.

Emergency Exit for Real

2007-11-08T02:00:00.000-08:00

Okay, I may have lived in this country for a year if you sum it all up but there are still things here that amazes me.

This morning my workmate went outside the office to look for our building's main trashbin, he tried the main pantry and then the fire/emergency exit. A few minutes after, a security personnel came up whom he thought was just having his routine check, but then the man asked him if he opened the fire/emergency exit door. The personnel was speaking in nihongo that my workmate barely understood, so our japanese boss came out and talked for him. I was also called outside for a short orientation on how to use the fire/emergency exit.

Apparently, that door shouldn't be opened unless there's a real emergency because opening it could trigger the alarm at the security office. So that was what the poster on the door means.

Hubby said it is a standard here, but my previous company building was not that advanced since the emergency exit was used for smoking or our shortcut to the parking lot.

Well, I think the infamous "fire exit" fantasy will remain a fantasy in this country...

Looking forward this christmas!

2007-11-06T23:30:00.000-08:00

Aside from being our first christmas together as husband and wife, what makes it more exciting is the package that I will receive from my global mommy of our VPAL Global Kriss Kringle!

I'm not sure anymore when was our last Christmas together or at least the last December that we're almost complete. Was that time when Georgia's mom and sister, my mom and brothers came to Manila? hmmm...

Anyhow, it couldn't be denied how much we miss each other when we were all bursting with excitement when we plan for our kriss kringle (hmm teka, hindi kaya excited lang makatanggap ng gift galing ibang bansa?).

It started when my google talk became unusually quiet during office hours, and it was not that easy to reach my NEC Pals anymore because of the different timezones. Then I realized since each one of us are now scattered in different parts of the globe(may Asia, North America and Europe pa! and maybe one day, madadagdagan ng Africa or Middle East courtesy of Mau), it would be challenging yet fun to do a kriss kringle for this coming holiday. So last Saturday even if I was so tired from our trip in Yanagawa, I finished the automated kriss kringle program, that shuffles our names and automatically sends our manita through email. I didn't want to kill the excitement by dilly dallying so by 3 am on Sunday, the baby names were all sent. Also that night, I posted our old pictures in Facebook.

This kriss kringle will be a far cry from the one we had by the Ayala pond during our last chrismas in Cebu, where we only had P50 limit for the gifts and we were swarmed by mosquitoes. Now we didn't set a limit because of the differences in currencies and inflation rates, and the wishlist are simply amazing, from man to gadgets and even Italian shoes and boots. I'm crossing my fingers that we can all follow our rule that we won't open our presents until Christmas eve, especially Lizette, I doubt if she can resist to untie the red bow in McSteamy from Europe the moment it reaches her doorstep. ;P

This chrismas will not only show the tight bond we have even if we're miles apart but it will also remind us how far we have gone from our comfort zone. =)

By the way, if you also want to have a computerized Kriss Kringle, I can share the source code with you.

T.G.I.F.

2007-11-03T10:11:00.000-07:00

A frustrating week at work was capped by a sweet date-night with Hubby who came home early from a client meeting with a growling stomach. We initially planned to eat at an Eat-All-You-Can restaurant underneath Hakata Eki but the price increased from Y1500 to Y2600. And I didn't want to spend over go-sen-en for an Italian dinner no matter how charming the restaurant is with mini river and tables with umbrellas and a fountain. Sayang I didn't bring my camera-phone, I could have at least taken a snapshot of that lovely place.

So we did the next best thing, which was to eat at Ichiran Ramen! yummy, yummy! After that we shared a Coffee Jelly at Veloce for dessert. I just love the coffee here! too bad caffeine is bad for my boobsies. =(
I'm so happy to realize that my hubby could also be my chitchat buddy, whom I can share a cup of coffee and conversation with.

When we went back home, he immediately cleaned the room(with the vacuum of course) and changed the sheets because it has gotten too dusty already and I'm sooo allergic to dust.

In just a night, all those servers and protocols that gave me headaches were forgotten.

***************************

Today I also discovered a cheaper way of using the subway. They have this Tonari Kippu (next station ticket) which only costs Y100 for the next station. Like, Hakata to Higashi Hie normally costs Y200 but when you purchase a Tonari Kippu, it could only cost Y100, since Hakata and Higashi are "magkatabi na stations". I took the subway to work this morning because it was drizzling. After work, since the office is still 2 stations away from the house, I walked to Hakata and bought a Tonari Kippu to reach home at Higashi. So I saved Y100 and used that money to buy my favorite Croissant. =)

Blissfully Sick

2007-11-02T16:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I woke up with painful body and chilling from the cold autumn morning. It's one of those days when you're not sure if you're having fever or just a lazy bout. But my body was so painful that I cannot get up and I was freezing. So I decided to call sick from work. Hubby was so worried and left late for work. Para saan pa daw yung pwede syang pumasok anytime if he cannot take care of me.. aww. That morning he juggled calling his team members, updating their status and cooking my breakfast and lunch.

Before my hubby left for work, he wrapped me with jackets and blankets and I slept comfortably the whole day (as in literally). I woke up at already 6 pm when he called to pick me up and eat at Yodobashii Genki Sushi. He brought his work at home so he could check on me, we slept together at 8:30 pm (tulog na pud) and he just woke up at 2 am to continue with his work. I couldn't sleep so chatted with Claire until I was sleepy again.

This morning he woke me up with a kiss and asked if I was already feeling okay, I saw him busy catching up on his work, taking a bath, dressing up for a client meeting today, doing the laundry, cooking breakfast and preparing my baon. He was like superman, and deep inside it was entertaining to watch him with the house chores.. bwehehe.. ;P

It was domestic bliss, maybe I became sick to make me appreciate him even more. Haay, if only I am fluent in Nihonggo, if only I love to learn this language, and if only this damn SIP Server works... I could say that my life here is Perfect!

Cute Things

2007-10-29T20:00:00.000-07:00

These are the pictures of some cute things I found around here.

The water clock with 2 cute ninjas peeing on it.
This clock in Tenjin is real, it changes every minute to tell time.

during hot summer season, kids (and even moms) can play in this wading pool.
Sosyal na canal.

Trick or Treat!

2007-10-29T14:00:00.000-07:00

Last night was my first trick or treat, not that I went to different houses to ask for candies, it was my first time to be "tricked or treated" because halloween back home is celebrated in a very different way. When Chi-Chi's father told us they are going to our house, I was just as excited to buy our baby some treats. I think I got a little carried away because I arrived home with bags of snacks and chocolates which I thought was too much for the little girl so I ended up eating the half.

Chi-Chi was so cute on her little witch costume, she's the only baby we know so she's our only visitor. She was a bit cranky because she was watching the Cartoon Network when her parents dragged her to go house-hopping, I think her mood matched her witch costume. =) But still she cannot hide her delight whenever she sees her bag getting fuller in every stop.

Hay how I wish we had this when I was a child at least for a day, I get to be on my Wonderwoman costume and get snacks for it. It could have been so much fun.

Another Kikay Entry...

2007-10-26T11:00:00.000-07:00

When I was younger, I had this belief that one day my pimple scars will be perfectly gone, I just had to find the miracle drug to make this come true. I went to different dermas and they all suggested surgery, a famous derma in Cebu even told me "ampuan na lang nato na 'day" (remember that Claire? hehehe). I resisted that fact so I tried every cream in the market, name it and I'm sure I have tried it, not even wary if it will make my face worst because what have I got to lose? Minsan patong-patong na yung mga nilalagay ko sa mukha ko. And that's how my kakikayan started.

Then I got tired and lazy to layer all those creams on my face everynight and I already reached the point that I have accepted this "scar-y" imperfection. I rest my case, ampo na lang jud makatangtang ani (only prayers can make this gone). Plus, trying all those creams is so painful in the pocket.

So I was on a search for a good moisturizer to maintain a healthy skin and to prevent future wrinkles, etc.. basta something to put before going to bed. I just wanted a simple regimen. I borrowed my friend's Olay Total Effects for a testrun but it was too oily for me. So I just settled on GNC Vitamin C cream. But one day, Arlene told me about the cream she had been wearing every night and she is happy with the effect.

That is the cream I bought from Taipei Duty Free shop a month and a half ago for $18. I have using it since then and I am just as happy with the effect and now I can even recommend it for you to try Olay Regenerist Perfecting Cream. This is not a paid advertisement okay. =)

What I love most about is its lovely smell and non-greasy formula, perfect for my oily skin and I can even use is as an eye cream. It's also gentle for sensitive skin because it worked for Arlene, who has the most sensitive skin I know. Since I used it, I haven't touched my TCA peel which I used every 2 weeks to make my skin regenerate like a snake.

My scars are still here and I still get pimples every period, but it's not as bad as before. It has kept my skin healthier with less effort, I have now a simplified regimen of wash(Clearasil Pink)-tone(Extract Tea Tree oil)-moisturize(Olay). Pefect for a busy wife like me.. =)

I took my picture with my Nokia N93 last night after I washed my face, it's a bare face without anything on it, I guess the lady in the Duty Free shop cash counter is right when she said it can make your skin pink.

The bad thing about it is, it's not available here in Fukuoka.. I'm not sure in major cities though. It's not even in the Philippines, so maybe Claire and Georgia(my more beautiful friends from US and UK ) will now know what to give me for christmas.. bwehehehe

Maki for Dinner

2007-10-25T23:18:00.000-07:00

When I say I want less fattening food, Sushi Maki comes into my mind because it is healthy and few bites can already make you feel full plus it's delicious and easy to make! My Maki has fresh lettuce, cucumber, crabsticks, roast ham and cheese, rolled with Japanese rice poured with a small amount of vinegar.

a war zone of Sushi Maki... that is the bamboo maki roller

yatta! an almost perfect roll!

Rolling a maki is harder than it seem, this is just my second time to make one by myself and I still haven't made a perfect roll where the fillings are tightly settled in the center. So I'm not in the position yet to teach how to roll a maki. But to make the maki intact, just spread japanese vinegar on the nori at the end of the roll and stick them together. Before slicing, put japanese vinegar on the knife so the nori and the rice won't stick to it.

Ittadakimasu!

Purely Vanity

2007-10-25T14:00:00.000-07:00

I vowed to slow down on cooking for a while and go on a diet because I am getting fat. If I still want to fit in to my pants, I have to slim down.

But alas! last night after office, my hubby took me on a date because every Wednesday is a "No OT day" in their company. I just wanted to eat Ramen and Ice Cream(yeah diet daw) but he wanted to try the Eat-All-You-Can restaurant Maila was raving about, so there goes my diet...off to thin air. I have to learn some South Beach Diet recipe!

On the way home, we dropped by the drugstore to buy a mouthwash, while I was looking for one, I found my favorite Calbee Pizza junkfood on sale for only Y100! I thought it's seldom that it gets on sale so I made the best decision of my life by grabbing 2 packs! from then on I kissed my diet goodbye.

Since I will take a rest on looking for new recipes, I turned to another interest which is Kakikayan. While my hubby was waiting for me outside the drugstore, I detoured to the medicine aisle to look for a beauty medicine. I already got my first pay so I wanted to try the vitamins Idel recommended. There were a lot of them and I thought I neededed help so I called hubby and asked, "bby tulungan mo ako maghanap ng Vitamin C please" (it was a decoy of course, I wasn't really looking for a vitamin C but I have to make it seem really important, hehehe).

I showed him the Cystina-C and he asked the Pharmacist some questions. When he relayed to me that it was more on skin whitening, I acted surprised "ano? meron palang ganun?" (yeah right dramatic actress kaayo. Actually I had to do it coz if he learns that it was all for vanity, he wouldn't help me.) But I didn't like the idea of taking 6 tablets per day as required by Cystina-C when I really don't need whitening so the pharmacist lead me to another medicine named Cutina whose purpose is to stop pimples, cure scars and smoothen the skin from within (kasabot jud ang pharmacist unsa akong kinahanglan da). Good thing hubby understands the pains of having rice fields all over your face so he supported me in buying the medicine and said if it will work for me, he will buy one to.. hehehe.

And so I bought Cutina that contains Vitamin B2 phosphoric acid ester,Vitamin B6,Vitamin B1 nitric, Nicotinic acid amide, Biotin, Pantothenic acid calcium,Vitamin C and L - Cysteine which promises to clear my skin from within. Only Y1680 for 60 tablets and good for 1 month. I still don't know if it's effective but I'll surely write another entry for this kung mugwapa na ko samot after a month.

I read their site this morning, and I'm thinking of buying their clear gel which clears the skin from the outside with Salicylic acid as its active ingredient. It costs Y2650, it's pretty expensive so I have to ponder hard on this. Hmmm...

Because I also ran out of face powder, I bought myself a SelfIt Shiseido powder foundation. SelfIt is a cheaper variety of Shiseido, I am not sure if they sell it outside Japan though. It only costs Y1200 but it has a good coverage and doesn't melt in my skin. I planned to buy my favorite FaceShop Phytogenic powder but I thought since I'm here in Japan, might as well use a Japanese brand that I can't normally afford back home. As the saying goes, "When in Rome do as the Romans do." or in my case, "When in Japan, do as the Japanese do... except speak Nihongo" (bwehehehe).

Japan is a wonderland for a certified kikay girl like me, they have all the answers for every vanity call. If you just stop converting to peso and be a 'little' lose on your yen, you'll surely have some fun. =)

Well, I hope their kikay stuff are really as amazing as their electronics. Let's see... =)

Loving Miso

2007-10-22T19:30:00.000-07:00

I don't like Miso soup or anything with Miso in it. But it changed when my friend introduced to me the Shiroi Miso or white miso and the ways on how to use it on cooking. I learned that Miso and Japanese Ryori Sake (Cooking Wine) could be a delicious combination.

For today's lunch I prepared Friend Chicken marinated in Miso, it's the easiest one I could remember among the recipes my friend taught me. It is easy, just mix the miso paste with the sake, making sure that the sake will not overpower the white miso, you can put a little water to dillute the miso paste. Add pepper and salt to taste. Then marinate the chicken in it overnight. It is best when grilled but fried also tastes good.

Because I woke up early, I was able to make a bear-shaped nori rice, because the chicken really go well with nori, it feels like you're in a Japanese Barbeque party. To make nori rice, I poured a little Japanese vinegar on the rice before I shaped it. I don't actually know why, but that's what Maila taught me.. hehe. For dessert was the can of mixed fruit on sale for Y100. Busog!

For dinner, we have Chili Sea Bass... o di ba.. parang sosyal! Back in Firipin, I always hear Sea Bass on the menu of the classiest restaurants, or in showbiz parties I see on The Buzz so I've always been curious what it is. I thought it was a kind of sea weeds hehe. Until my friend told me that Sea Bass is one of the cheapest fish you can buy here in Japan and it is called Saba here.

So I bought a pack of sliced Saba for Y278 and looked for a recipe which calls for sake and white miso. And so I found the Chili Sea Bass recipe and altered it so I won't have to buy what I don't have in the kitchen. This is fish is really flavorful, no wonder it has become a staple in gourmet dishes. O diba... parang sosyal na sardinas ang ulam namin... ;P

Ingredients:
6 slices of Sea Bass (preferably skinless)
3 cherry tomatoes (small tomatoes) or sliced tomatoes will do

for the spicy rub
3 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon chili pepper

for the sauce:
1 tablespoons White Miso
1 1/2 tablespoons Tomato paste or 1 tablespoons Tomato Ketchup
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup Mirin
1/4 cup Japanese Cooking Wine
Chili Pepper (depending on how spicy you want it, i put about a half a teaspoon since hubby doesn't like spicy.)

Steps:
1. Mix the ingredients for spicy rub then set aside.
2. Mix the ingredients for the sauce on a separate bowl then set aside.
3. Heat a small amount of oil in the pan. It should be hot but careful not to burn the oil.
4. Lightly dip the fish on the spicy rub then put in the pan. Fry in low heat so the fish will not lose its juiciness. Don't wait for it to become super brown, just cooked enough, fry around a minute.
5. When all the fish are fried, arrange it in the serving platter. Wash the pan or in a separate pan, heat the sauce until it boils then add the tomatoes.
6. Pour in the platter with the fish, then garnish with parsley.

It's delicious especially if you prefer food with different tastes, spicy, sweet and salty. =) I still hate Miso soup but I now have a newfound love affair with white miso and my cooking.

A Time to Walk

2007-10-22T12:39:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I had to reach Seinen Center by 11 am for the private nihongo class so I left the house 30 minutes before. But the wind was strong at that time and it was so difficult to ride the bike so I decided to leave my bike at Gion(2 stations away from Seinen) and take the subway to get to Tenjin where Seinen Center is. The class was nice coz it's not crowded, there's only 3 of us there, I wanted to attend the advance class but it starts at 10 am, the teacher asked me if I don't want the challenge but I told her the challenge to wake up before 10 am is more difficult hehehe. I wanted to buy the Master Series Book they are using but she wouldn't sell it to me unless I attend the class.. bongga!

Anyways after the class, I wanted to rush home coz it was so cold and I wanted to sink in my bed while eating chocolates and watching Greys Anatomy. Especially that Hubby was in a client meeting then it meant I have all the bed for myself.

I was supposed to take th Y100 yen loop bus (it's a bus that takes you anywhere in Fukuoka's main places for only Y100) but it is so slow because it has many stops, it might make me more sleepy than I already was. Since I have all the time in the world, I decided to walk from Tenjin to Gion (I think it's like Guadalupe-Buendia), with my IPOD and my maong trench jacket to keep me warm (which I bought in Whoops! in a whooping P2000 with Georgia, Mau and Jaja... George, sulit jud sya kay dili baduy diri!) I journeyed on foot and smelled the roses.

Walking in pleasure is indeed a different experience, it gave me better perspective than when I ride the bike, the subway or the bus. I realized how beautiful and clean the place is, thanking God that my life is less stressful now and happier. Then I thought of my friends who are currently also living their dreams, the birth pains of leaving your comfort zone really pays off. Thank God for the courage to outshine the hurdles along the way.

Then when I got home, I received a news about the bombing that happened in Glorietta 2. It is sad but also good thing that it didn't happen when I was there coz I am really a mall rat or at the time Georgia and I were busy shopping for our trips (unsaon na lang, sayang ang among lahi). I heard later that my tita and cousins were there having lunch during the bombing, but they were at a different part of Glorietta so they were gladly safe.

Indeed there's a lot more to be thankful for that day.

Gourmet Friday

2007-10-19T21:20:00.000-07:00

I had an early knock off because there has not been a reply from the client about the SIP Server I am going to use. So I dropped by the grocery to buy milk,vanilla and egg separator to make myself a leche flan from Rodel's recipe (Juliet's bf).His leche flan is one of the best I've tasted so I was excited to try making one myself. It turned out good, I think this is the best leche flan I've made, except that my caramel was too saucy/watery coz I put too much water on the sugar. =(

These are the ingredient's of Fukuoka's famous leche flan:
6-8 egg yolks
1 cup fresh milk
1 cup condensed milk
a dash of vanilla

And of course you already know what to do with them. I didn't take a photo of it coz I murdered it as soon as it was done. Meaning I ate half of it already so it was not photogenic anymore.. hehe.

This Leche Flan will be our dessert (or my hubby's only coz I already ate my share) and our main course is the Shrimp Scampi... or rather the Ebi Scampi. Well, I have this frozen shrimps and I didn't know what to do with it so I looked for some recipes from the internet and found this recipe for Shrimp Scampi. I forgot how Scampi really tasted coz it's been so long since I last ate my favorite Shrimp Scampi with Cream and Pasta at Oliver's Sandwiches in Glorietta. So I'm not sure if I got it right, I substituted the white wine with Japanese Cooking Rice Wine. I just got disappointed with the shrimps coz it got smaller and smaller as they were cooked. Well, what can you expect from a frozen good.

Shrimp Scampi is expensive when you order it in the restaurant, it's also the most expensive pasta in Oliver's. So if you're wishing to eat something gourmet, and you have Shrimps just follow the recipe on the link. It's so easy. =)

My Ebi Scampi

Sailing in Fukuoka

2007-10-18T11:30:00.000-07:00

One of our friends invited us to go sailing with his Japanese friends and his family. We went to Shinakoshima, a small island in Fukuoka and had barbeque at the port. It was my first time to go sailing and now I understand why rich people splurge on a yacht and why owning yacht is often part of a person's dream. It's definitely great to be in the middle of the sea, away from your usual world with just your luxurious yacht or your family/friends. Hubby found it boring and missed his laptop, especially when they stopped the engine and pulled up the sails and let only the wind to glide the boat but for me it was really fun and relaxing!

When I grow up, I want to be rich and buy myself a yacht!

You're easy breezy and I'm Japanesey

2007-10-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

Beef, Asparagus and Carrots Roll

Hubby likes asparagus and we have this pack of asparagus in the fridge that has been waiting for me to get my hands on but aside from saute-ing it with pork or egg, I don't know what else I am going to do with it coz frankly I don't really like it that much. Good thing I found this recipe from Kitchen Cow, oh it's so delicious! I am not good in food presentation so my picture doesn't do justice on how good it tastes. But I highly recommend it for you to try. I used the thin slices of beef instead of the sirloin so I didn't need the toothpick to roll them together making it much easier. If you want some other way to serve yourself some veggies, just follow Kitchen Cow's recipe! It's yummy! Now I have a new friend with Asparagus. =)

And for today's bento or lunchbox, I made Spam Musubi which I also found in the internet. Just follow the recipe on the link. On the way home last night, I dropped by 100yen shop to buy me cookie cutter (for the Spam) and sushi molder(to form the rice). There's a lot of cute bentou stuff that I wanted to buy but i'll just save it for later when I have enough time and creativity for a pretty lunchbox. =)

My Japanese Lunch

*My entry's title is from the song 'easy breezy' by Utada Hikaru, it's a cute song and I'm not sure if I understood it well, but it's a nice song to pep my day. Try downloading a copy from Limewire, I'm sure you'd also enjoy it. hehe =)

Easy Breezy

2007-10-18T07:25:00.001-07:00

My new favorite Japanese Song...

Fashion Mornings and Some

2007-10-17T11:00:00.000-07:00

I bike from house to the office for 15 minutes everyday and everyday, no matter how sleepy I am, I get shooked up to my senses by the live catwalk on the streets. Japanese fashion is always a feast to the eyes. The coats, boots, layered shirts...they are always put together that it makes me feel like a grandmother with my usual Philippine office attire and my very pink Hello Kitty fleece jacket..eeewww.

I REALLY want to try Japanese fashion and blend with them, and I have a long wishlist for that, like a pair of boots, fancy coat, black leggings, skirts, layered sweater, semi-dress, accessories, smaller thigh so it will look good with a pair of black leggings and smaller butt so the skirts will fit me hehe.

Speaking of Japanese fashion, let me take you to Japanese beauty department. I have friends who are asking me about Gluthatione or some whitening pills here because as they said it all started here so it might be cheaper here. But as I roam around their drugstores, I think Gluthatione is a thing of their past. (This is just my own conclusion). Because they have a lot of beauty pills here with ingredients whose names are so foreign to me, that claims to lessen melanin production (so whitening sya), minimizes blemishes from within and hasten metabolism(so makapayat pa jud). From the pictures on their promotional posters, I assume it also delays ageing. Even their ordinary vitamin C has claims that it whitens your skin. Kumbaga higher level ang whitening nila. I don't know with these women they are so white but they are still obsessed with whitening. You won't see papaya soap or whitening lotion because they prefer to work from within.

Something also caught my attention at the drugstore, it's in a tube bottle as big as the Large Pantene Conditioner with a name Emotion Type Lotion. Well, it's a lubricant! Do they really need help that much or is it for the middle gendered? I mean in the Philippines I only saw lubricants on a sachet but here it's in a bottle! Hmm... now I know what to give Mau on Christmas bwehehehe.

Work no Koto

2007-10-17T10:20:00.000-07:00

Since I've become too domesticated with my previous entries, let me tell a story about my work. I've been working on a P2P thru JXTA project for a popular Japanese telecompany. I'm still getting a hang of the JXTA (Juxtapose) protocol when the client demanded to connect the application to a SIP Server (Session Initiated Protocol). So I added Java Telephony on my code and installed this server with a ~~funny~~ cute name, Brekeke where I connected my application, and a Windows Messenger 5.1 which has a SIP communication support. But to my dismay, the two cannot see each other, they cannot communicate with each other. You see I am trying to make a Skype Client like application, where my application connects to the SIP Server and be able to send a message or call another client. I thought it was my application's fault so I tested two Windows Messenger that registers to the SIP Server, but it still gave me the same result. I clearly followed the instruction in the server's tutorial on how to use WM with it, kulang na lang mag tumbling ako. Suspecting that it was the VM Ware's fault, I even tried to ask Claire and Georgia to help me using their WM but their version was old, so they couldn't do anything. I even posted a topic on the forum which proudly displayed my full name! arrgghh! Then I got an account on another SIP Server and connected the WMs but still the same thing happens.

So to keep myself from sulking on frustration, I distracted myself on chatting with Claire, Lizette and Georgia about anything under the sun and moon. It can be really frustrating you know when you can't make a supposed to be simple thing to work. I began to think maybe I am not cut out for this job.. maybe I am really meant to be a geisha... tsk tsk.

Then realization happened... I downloaded another free SIP Client and connected it with the Server. Installed another in my VMWare and voila! it worked! Connected my application and yatta! it also worked. I added a CallListener to my app and yey! my app is ringing! and even accepting calls!

I received a reply on my post this morning and it says it's because of unsupported chorva of Windows Messenger and their SIP Server. Grr, they should have said it in their tutorial Guide.

Oh well, this is such a boring entry... cooking and recipes are far more interesting to tell. I tried but ndi talaga ako bagay mag technical hehehe.

Actually all I wanted to say is Sam Milby and Piolo Pascual are gays and dating based on Lolit Solis account on PEP. Wala jud mabuhat.

Pretty Bento

2007-10-16T20:00:00.000-07:00

Claire shared me this link about lunch bentos made creatively by a Filipina who is suprisingly not living in Japan. Her entries are so fun to read and her bentos make me envy of her rich imagination. Check it out too and be inspired. When I have time, I plan to raid the 100 yen shop for bento goodies and try to make myself one.

Marriage on Weekends

2007-10-15T23:50:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday hubby and I watched the weekend fountain show at the Canal City while sharing a Y103 ice cream on a cold autumn night. That building infront is the Hyatt Hotel, on the second floor is where Hubby took me for an official date and where he proposed his love for me. Charing! He treated me on a Y10,000 tabehoudai dinner, it has the most delicious looking buffet table I have ever seen, too bad I wasn't able to eat well that night because I was so restless. It was a torture looking at the mouthwatering lobster that I was afraid to eat coz hindi ako marunong kumain nun na hindi nakakamay.. hehehe. But I made Dan promise to take me there again on our first year anniversary.. or maybe this Christmas na lang kaya... hmm...

Chinese Again

2007-10-15T01:00:00.000-07:00

I miss my friends in Cebu, I mean my friends from my previous company in Cebu, especially now that everyone of us are in different parts of the world (Georgia will soon be in UK, Claire is in the US, Crys and Arlene in Singapore..etc). Which makes it impossible to imagine that one day we are going to gather together like we used to. One thing that we usually do in Cebu was eat at our favorite chinese restaurant, Harbor City of which their Lahug branch we frequently visit. And where we always order their Steamed Rice that used to cost only P30 per bowl..(pila na kaha ni karon?). That is why I suddenly had the craving for it. It's been years since I last had my fill because it is not available at any chinese restaurant in Manila (even here in Japan), it's uniquely from Cebu so when I miss the food in Cebu, it's not their Lechon that first comes to mind, but instead the Harbor City steamed rice!

So I asked Claire for her mom's steamed rice recipe, bought myself a steamer last week but only got to cook it last Sunday morning because I couldn't stop my craving anymore (dili ko buntis oi). I thought, I already have the recipe, then why settle on reminiscing?

I altered the recipe to make use of what we have at home because we haven't gone to the grocery yet, so I had very limited supplies. The recipe calls for a lot of vetsin(which is expected in a chinese recipe), I tried to stay away from it but I couldn't get the kick and spunk I was craving for so I gave in and put a small dash of Maggi Magic Sarap on the sauce.

And this is my first attempt to make Pork Steamed Rice. It's not as brown as the one from Cebu coz I used Japanese Toyo, which I think has less coloring. But overall it tastes close to it. =) My hubby haven't gone to Harbor City so he couldn't really relate to it but he ate 2 servings. Yatta! Thanks Claire for sending recipe! =)

Haay... I miss the chitchats, laughter and fun that used to go with it back then. =)

Pork Steamed Rice

Ingredients:
Cooked Rice
Pork, peeled Shrimp (or Pork lang kung walang shrimp I used dried ebi for garnish)
Green Peas
Onion, minced
Sesame oil
for Sauce:
3 cups water
1/2 Pork Cube
2 tbsp Cornstarch dissolved in water
3 tbsp Toyo
salt and pepper to taste
for Meat:
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp vinegar
garlic
pepper to taste

1. Put the cooked rice on separate bowls that is safe for steaming. Set aside.
2. Mix the ingredients for the meat with the meat and marinate it for 30 minutes.
3. Fry the marinated meat until brown then set aside.
4. To do the sauce, Mix the pork cube with water and Toyo. Saute the onion with butter or sesame oil. Pour in the sauce, simmer. Then add in the dissolved cornstarch while stirring, add in the green peas, and the meat. Simmer again. If it is too malapot, add water and adjust the taste with salt, toyo and pepper. Add a dash of vetsin or Maggi Magic Sarap.
5. Pour it in the bowls of rice. Then Steam for 15 minutes.

Lasagna for the very first Time!

2007-10-09T21:52:00.000-07:00

Lasagna ala Juliet, Maila and Ria

One thing I love in this country is that they have a lot of holidays. Yesterday was Grandmother's day or something like that so Juliet, Maila and I had time for a baking fest at their home. We went to the nearest market to buy ingredients for Lasagna and I was assigned to make a list of the ingredients to buy. But bad me got all the recipes we read from the internet all mixed up and ended up buying some stuff that are not in the recipe that we picked. So as not to waste the unneeded ingredients, we opted to make our very own Lasagna recipe.

It was our first time to make a Lasagna because we all grew up without an oven so we just based it according to how we perceive an ideal Lasagna should be. It is like a spaghetti but only it uses a different kind of pasta and arranged in layers. And so we did. Now I know that the distinct smell of Lasagna came from Oregano.

We had lots of fun, we took turns in test-tasting the sauce para walang sisihan. The end result was kind of soggy lasagna which we realized, it was short of flour but it was DELICIOUS! Maila's Japanese boyfriend even said that it tasted like it was cooked in the restaurant and ate half of the pan. Indeed a success. The boys are even clamming for more. Well, iba na talaga when it is made with laughter and love.

After that we baked Banana Cake for dessert which is medyo palpak but I will post the recipe sometime when it has been perfected.

Anyways, here is the recipe of Lasagna ala Juliet, Maila and Ria:

ingredients:

9 pcs 2 inch wide lasagna noodles

3 cups Tomato Sauce

1.5 cups Milk

400 grams ground beef

white onion chopped

Mozarella Cheese

Butter

Oregano

Basil

Garlic Powder

Salt and Pepper

3 tbsp Flour

How to:

Cook the lasagna noodles like spaghetti noodles for 4 minutes. set aside. Mix the tomato sauce and the milk then set aside. saute the ground beef with the onion and set aide. In a separate pan, melt the butter, pour in the mixed tomato sauce w/milk, add in the flour while mixing constantly until it thickens. Add in the ground pork, and oregano, basin, garlic powder and salt and pepper to your taste. I prefer lots of oregano.

Spread thin layer of the sauce on the pan. Then layer it with lasagna noodles, sauce and mozzarella cheese in order. Bake it for 15-20 minutes. Serve hot with a dash of parmesan cheese and love. charing!

Ikot-Ikot

2007-10-05T02:00:00.000-07:00

If I am not in the mood to cook for dinner and neither does my hubby, fastfood chains like McDo or Jollibee(ay wala palang joliibee dito), is in the least of our options. Instead, we go to the 4th floor of Yodobashi where our favorite Ikot-Ikot restaurant is located. We call it Ikot-Ikot coz first, we don't know how it is called in Japanese, second the food pass by infront of you through a revolving counter. It's like a walkalator for sushis, maki, french fries, karage(fried chicken), calamares and even desserts, each plate costs Y105 or Y157 for the desserts. Except for beverages which you can get from the vending machine at the entrance. This is the real fastfood. You just grab a seat, chopsticks, wasabe and kikkoman, select from the revolving choices and if your object of desire is not among them or somebody from the other side got to it first, don't fret coz you can just push the intercom infront of you and order from that menu, but you have to know how to read kanji or hiragana or else you just have to make do with what is infront of you. hehe.

So this is our quick fix to our laziness and hunger combined tonight after my hubby's client meeting. And we leave the place never have to be guilty about how much junk of carbo or oil we took in. And because of that I got entitled to eat my favorite ice cream at Lawson for dessert! Yey!

our dinner costs Y945 for two

High School Life

2007-10-05T01:00:00.000-07:00

I found these highschool questions from Idel's blog and I thought it's fun reminiscing the good old days...

Who was your best friend?

I have different sets of friends from 1st year to 3rd year. My closest are my barkada since 3rd year which we called TALFAVA. Abbreviations of our last names hehe. One of them, Langga Teves was one of my bridesmaids during my wedding. And Sue used to be my condomate with Georgia.

What kind of car did you drive?

I don't drive and I can't drive until now. But hatid sundo ako sakay ng aming volkswagen even if our house is just 5 minutes away by trisikad.

It’s Friday night. Where were you?

Home kasi strict ang parents and grandparents ko hehe.

Were you considered a flirt?

When I reached 3rd year and started going out(friendly laag lang gud) with the basketball varsity team from the Chinese school, some started labeling our barkada as flirt. Plus I was friends with one of the flirtest girls in school that even my kuya was warning me of not to get influenced by her.

But actually I only flirted with one person for 4 years, and he's not from other school but my seatmate.

Were you in the band, orchestra, or choir?

Ngek no talent on that area.

Were you a nerd?

I wear skinny jeans while ambil or bell bottom was the fad.. but I am not a nerd.

Who was your favorite teacher?

A lot. Mrs. Baldovino my english teacher, I learned a lot from her and I guess she is the reason why even the most stupid student in Ateneo can speak good english. and Mr. Potestas my Math teacher because he is so funny. And Father Reyes in Theology... because he is the most handsome priest I have ever met and until now I couldn't figure out why he calls me "Miss I love you!" maybe he could see the lust in my eyes? hehe

Speaking of teachers, I hate my H.E. teacher Mrs. Misa (may she rest in peace) because she threw a potholder at me when I did not separate the 1st gata from the 2nd for the chicken curry, and I screwed up on the baking class. I threw 1 dozen of eggs in the canal because I did not separate the yellow from the white for the chiffon cake. Heller, I didn't know it was that important to separate the egg! At nilapastangan niya ang unfinished stuffed toy ko kasi mali daw ang paggupit ko.. but after I passed it, I saw my work at the exhibit, it turned out to be one of the best. Ayaw pa kasing maniwala na kaya kong ayusin yun. That is why until now I still keep the stuffed toy, it reminds me not to judge the book until it is finished. hehe!

What was your school mascot?

A blue knight.

Did you go to the Prom?

Of course! We were made to line up and meet our random partner at the stage. While waiting for our turn I had a fight with my barkada Ella and because of that I left her and went to the back of the line. It turned out, she got to be the partner of our crush Angelo Aquino and I had a forgettable partner tsk! It could have been me if I didn't move an inch.

The prom was a blah! but it was fun after because we met up with our boy-friends from the chinese school at The Spam's, the hip disco bar at that time. That was my first time to go out at night with boys!

Did you have a job your senior year?

Nope, i was not allowed to get a job, though I wanted to apply as a summer crew in Jollibee.

Did you go to school with anyone who is now famous?

Juris of MYMP, Jinky of Freestyle who sang the most beautiful Lupang Hinirang during school programs. She should sing it in one of Pacquiao's fight.

Did you go to a senior trip?

Just the senior recollection.

Have you gone to a class reunion?

December last year, we had our first batch reunion. It was fun to see the people you've grown to be with since nursery. Since we are already adults, there were no more social barriers, I even got to talk to the most elusive bachelor in our school for the very first time. And I was able to ask straight to his face the question that I wanted to ask him back then, "kaya ba wala ka pang nagiging girlfriend kasi bakla ka?". Bwehehe ...

Chinese for Dinner

2007-10-04T23:00:00.000-07:00

my Chicken Wings with Oyster Sauce

For a balanced meal, I see to it that we have vegetables for dinner because lunch baons are often the quick-to-prepare-meals like fried pork, fried chicken, breaded shrimps..etc. Tonight I had a craving for some chinese meal, some familiar dish that is usually served in our favorite chinese restaurant (saan pa ba?). So I thought of the beef in oyster sauce, but we can't afford beef here in Japan so I settled for what I have in the fridge, chicken wings and brocolli, and found this recipe from my favorite site in the internet which I adjusted to suit my taste. Unlike in Chinese restaurants, this has no added MSG so it's safe and you won't get dizzy after eating. hehe. My hubby and I loved the result of my first oriental main dish, so I am sharing this recipe for you to try. Go! it's as easy as dialing for a Chinese takeout.

Ingredients:

6 Chicken Wings
3 tbsp Soy Sauce
Spring Onions (sa bisaya pa sibuyas dahon)
Ginger (luy-a, the amount depends on how you like ginger on your food)
Brocolli florettes

for the sauce:
3 tbsp Oyster Sauce
1 tbsp Sugar
1/2 tbsp Salt
dash of pepper
1 cup of water

thickener:
dissolve 1 tbsp cornstarch in 2 tbsp of water

Steps:
1. Cut the Chicken in the joints and discard the small parts. (I kept them for the Sotanghon I am planning to make).
2. Wash the Chicken and mix them with the Soy Sauce (for added taste, I sprinked some Lemon Pepper powder). Let it stay for 10-20 minutes.
3. Steam the brocolli for 3-4 minutes then line them on the serving plate. (we don't have a steamer so I just used this metal plate with stand and place inside the caserole with water).
4. Deep fry the chicken then set aside. Since my hubby is so conscious of his oil intake, I drained the oil on the abura paper.
5. On a different pan, (or you can wash the pan where you fried the chicken), heat 2 tbsp of oil, saute the spring onion and the ginger until fragrant.
6. Put in the Chicken and the Oyster sauce mix, cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until the sauce is reduced to about 1/2 cup.
7. Put in the thickener, mix until the sauce thickens, then pour into the serving plate with the brocolli.

I really love to cook! especially now that we have bigger kitchen, affordable kitchen gadgets from the 100 yen shop and of course, someone to cook for. I am hoping that I can post more successful recipes here. Actually, cooking has become my stress reliever, today I couldn't make my JXTA MembershipService code to work, I was breaking my back(literally) for the whole day for nothing. It was such a relief being able to make a successful dish that I was craving for or else, I would have called today officially a bad day.

I am also itching to try my hands on baking, my mouth has been drooling for dessert recipes in the internet that is why I am so excited to use the new oven at Maila's house. I hope to post my first cake or brownie recipe here.

Yo desu, desu yo!

2007-10-01T00:40:00.000-07:00

"zenbu okota koto ga, riyuu ga arimasu."

Just one of the nihongo I learned from Maila's boyfriend. It means, "everything happens for a reason.", I asked him to translate the english version for me to tell him he is not only a blessing to Maila but also to a learning student like me. Because ever since they became an item, and he started hanging out with us Filipinos, I get to learn nihongo conversation.

It was from him that I learned the different uses of "ne?", "yo!", and of course the "desu yo?", "desu yo!" with different accents. I get to use a lot of these expressions when we talk, I have long heard of these words but I just didn't have the confidence to use them coz I'm not sure when to make singit it to the conversation and what accent to use. Also, you don't normally get to use it in the office coz it's inappropriate or it may be appropriate sometimes but I'm just really careful in talking with superiors, baka bastos ang dating.

Now, I can have a normal conversation with a real japanese and hopefully learn to converse better. Konti na lang... ne?

Through Thick or thin, hot or cold

2007-09-30T23:44:00.001-07:00

Hubby and I compliment each other very well, even if our interests differ like North and South (his passion is to develop softwares while my passion is err.. anything but that..), we still find ways to have fun together and well, live happily and peacefully. Until now that the Autumn breeze is here, we found out that we have one big difference to settle.

It began to be cold last night so I turned off the fan and closed the windows because I felt like catching a fever because it was too cold for me, my hubby didn't complain until I touched him and he felt hot. He said he gets feverish when it's hot, he didn't complain when I turned off the fan and closed the windows because he didn't want me to get sick.

Needless to say, I couldn't buy the electric blanket(a blanket that emits heat when plugged) from the Buy and Sell forum to prepare for winter, unless we want to be like the usual Japanese couple that sleeps on a separate futon.

He told me he just wear white shirt and shorts at home during winter while I am wrapped like a lumpia or suman. Winter is like his energizer, while I am at my lowest during that season. He doesn't like to use heater while I am wishing for a centralized heater.

This will be our our first autumn and winter together so I wonder how we will live together during these times. I was suggesting for a temporary divorce, where I could use the spare room at home and bask in my electric blanket and heater. Anyway, the marriage contract didn't say through hot and cold right? =P

Holidays on Mondays always get me high...

2007-09-27T09:18:00.000-07:00

A walk to the Rainbow

listening to the streets of China in an educational playground

my serenity

"Itay, ba't nyo ako iniwan dito?"

Hello Kitties live! in Tenjin

2007-09-26T10:00:00.000-07:00

Sayonara Party and Reunion

2007-09-25T11:20:00.000-07:00

At Ruby and Randie's Sayonara party held in Sannou Park.

reunited with my closest chinese officemate from previous company

what a way of practicing nihongo while having fun!

Kaun pips reunited. Come next month, everybody has resigned

Guess who wants to be a dad?

My New Favorite Yuzu

2007-09-21T16:15:00.000-07:00

Honey Citron Tea

A lot of my friends dislike tea, even if Judy Anne Santos already popularized the L-Carnitine of Green Tea ~~to get you a yummy boyfriend like Ryan Agoncillo~~ to burn your fats, they still prefer that diet pill over drinking green tea. I can't blame them, I don't like the weird taste of tea either, plus that after smell in your breath.

But I change my mind with this tea Maila introduced to me which she bought from her vacation in Busan, Korea. It is called Honey Citron Tea, made from Citron fruit which ONLY grows in Korea and Japan. It looks like a marmalade so I got surprised when Maila scooped some and put in our cup of hot water. It is just like a juice, no weird taste nor an after-smell. Plus, you can eat the Citron Peel when you've reached the bottom because it is so sweet, unlike Orange and Lemon peels that are bitter. Actually my favorite part is munching on the peelings.

It is called Yuzu in Japanese and Yuja in Korean. It is said to have 3 times more natural vitamin C than lemon and ten times more than apple. Plus it can solve necessary quantity of vitamin C with 1-2 cups of Citron tea one day for adult. I wish it also burns fat coz I can't get enough of it. I make a cup or two after meals, hot or cold. Maila like it hot but I like it better in cold water with ice, it tastes like the Iced Tea back home or the honey kalamansi Otep used to sell in NEC way, way back.

It is my sole reason why I frequent Maila's house (ahihihi) coz she always serves it or sometimes I demand her to serve me some (bwehehe). I was even willing to go to Costco (a Makro like department store miles, miles away) just so I could get my own jar of this tea.

Good thing I found one available in Gyomu Su-pa in Gi-on! It's rather expensive for Y680 for a tea but with its health benefits and the energy I save from biking to Maila's house make it a good buy.

I'm not sure if it is available in other countries but if you find a Korean store around, I'm pretty sure they have it. And if you find one, go grab yourself one. You will love it. I promise!

Coffee Break

2007-09-21T16:00:00.000-07:00

Veloce Iced Coffee and Strawberry & Yougurt Bread

I don't usually drink coffee unless needed, like if there's a lot of things to do for the day and I didn't get enough sleep the night before, because I have a low caffeine tolerance. Unlike Georgia and Claire na ginagawang tubig ang kape.

I discovered a cafe here in Fukuoka named Veloce and I love their Iced Coffee, especially this hot summer season. It's cheaper compared to other cafes here but for me they have the best cofffee in town. Even with 2 servings of gum syrup and 2 servings of cream... the coffee doesn't lose its smooth bitter taste. It becomes sweet with a hit of bitterness which I love. For Y160 for Iced Coffee and another Y130 for my favorite pastry, followed by 4 cups of water after to dillute the caffeine (by the way they don't have decaf here)... completes my Japanese Snacktime!

By the way, here in Japan it's okay to go to cafe or fastfood like McDonald's alone. Nobody will give you a sympathetic look, or you will not feel out of place amidst the noisy people around because they have a special table for single but not necessary lonely customers.

Ever since I wanted to go to cafes alone with a book and a cup of coffee. But I couldn't do that in Starbucks in Glorietta or Greenbelt could I? or else I will look like one of the pick up girls and well, sitting alone in a cafe simply doesn't suit well with our culture.

Here you can lose yourself with your book and coffee combo coz the person seated beside you is also busy in his own world. As soon as you get your coffee from the counter, the coffee shop becomes a blank canvass for the world you would want to imagine yourself to be in.

Last night my hubby had his dinner at 11 pm coz I came home at 9:45 pm from my coffee break. Tsk, tsk bad wife.

New Bonding Activity

2007-09-21T14:30:00.000-07:00

I am never fond of computer games, but my husband wants me to play computer games with him. (what's with guys and computers really, my hubby is not the only guy in my life who wanted to get my interest in playing with these games). Hubby taught me how to play Dota, Starcraft and Diablo but to no avail, I just lose interest after a game. I don't want to strain my eyes.

Then hubby installed Mario Games and other family computer games in the PC and bought a joystick much to my protest coz I thought it's just a waste of money. He used a lot of tactics to get me to play these games, first Mario World, then the Mario Kart. Until I gave in and started to like Mario Kart since we can play it together and race to the finish line. Mario Kart is a kart racing game played by different Mario characters, along the way you get powers that you can use to topple the other characters.

Slowly I found myself addicted to it, since hubby has mastered the game already, I am always challenged to beat him or kill him with homing bombs (sa computer lang po). Maybe it helps that my hubby is not "mainitin ang ulo" when I don't get things right instead we just keep on laughing.

Everynight I await his return so we could play together, it's no fun to play with AI coz walang kukulit sa iyo and wala ka rin kukulitin. I own the joystick now and he just settle with using the keyboards. The other night was my first time to join him in the stand of victory as the 3rd placer.
Next goal will be to beat him to first place.

Papayag ba kayo...

2007-09-21T13:53:00.000-07:00

Na ganito ang suot ng batang anak ninyo?

I saw this displayed at a Kid's Boutique at the Canal City. I think it almost gave me a heart attack, can you imagine a 5-7 yrs old kid wearing this skimpy shorts and with bra inside her "plunging" polo short?

Kung ako may anak na babae, ndi ako papayag dahil ako lang ang may karapatang magsuot ng ganito.. hmm may big sizes kaya sila...bwehehe...

Shoyu in Japan

2007-09-19T23:18:00.000-07:00

It's difficult to be a cook here in Japan when you're a Filipino who is so used with sweet taste. We all know our tastes are totally opposite from Japanese, they love salty, we love sweets (heck even our toyo are sweet), therefore sometimes looking for ingredients at the su-pa is like finding a needle in the haystack. Or sometimes it needs some magic to get the right taste when you want to cook Filipino food.

Like last night, I wanted to cook Pork Bistek (you know that familiar sweet with a hint of tang, filipino pork steak your mother serves you back home). Instead of pork fillet or shoulder steaks, I made do with the pork strips we bought yesterday. Then the shoyu (toyo) and lemon juice that had been resting in the fridge for days.

Making the marinade was so frustrating because the shoyu was so salty and its flavor was so strong plus the lemon juice was super sour that they didn't mesh well. I even tried putting sugar, mirin, even yuzu but to no avail, the taste of the shoyu overpowers everything. So I gave up and went to the nearest grocery to buy a real lemon fruit and another toyo (maybe kikoman coz I am more familiar with it's taste). But Kikoman was expensive so I carefully chose from the long array of toyo, I read each of their names and I found out that there are many kinds of toyo here. There are Sashimi Shoyu, Koi-Kuchi Shoyu, Usu-Kuchi Shoyu and blah, blah (I couldn't read the kanji anymore hehe). I picked the sashimi coz since it is used with sashimi which we usually bathe with lemon juice before pouring toyo so it must be less salty . And hoped for the best.

And it did, the Sashimi toyo and real Lemon Juice extracted form real lemons blended well, plus the sugar, pepper and garlic. Perfect! I gotta admit, I made a delicious Pork Bistek.. hehehe.

Curious, I researched the difference of those toyo here in Japan (here is what I found in the internet).

Dark soy sauce (koi-kuchi shoyu)
Dark soy sauce contains carmel for coloring and thickening, and his a rich flavor. It is by far the most common type of soy sauce.
Light soy sauce (usu-kuchi shoyu)
Light soy sauce is amber in color, clearer, thinner, and saltier than the dark soy sauce. Light soy sauce is used to season foods like fish, vegetables and clear soup without imparting a dark color.
Tamari
Tamari is produced in and around Nagoya, in central Japan. This is the mother of all soy sauce from 400 years ago. Unlike the others, it is made using a lesser quantity of wheat to no wheat, which is much produces a darker and thicker sauce. Tamari is good for Sashimi, Teriyaki and Nimono (simmered dishes).
Saishikomi
Saishikomi is twice fermented and is a darker and thicker soy sauce for Sashimi and Sushi
Shiro
Shiro, or white soy sauce is a lighter colour than light soy sauce. Unlike Tamari, Shiro uses a larger ratio of wheat to soybeans and requires more salt water than others. It is used for cooking white fish, vegetables and soup base for noodles.
Gen-en (low salt)
After brewing, 30-50% of the salt is removed from the soy sauce to produce a low-salt version.

I found out that we're using Koi-Shoyu, that is why it is so salty. I hate it, and now I knew this I'm gonna buy a different kind before our kidneys give up. hehehe.

A Housewife Day-Off

2007-09-17T23:05:00.000-07:00

Fukuoka Symphony Hall

Last Sunday, I asked a day off from my boss aka my husband so I could go with Maila and Juliet to watch an orchestra concert. So I left my husband at home with nothing to eat and biked to Fukuoka Symphony Hall with my girl friends. A friend of Juliet and Maila gave 3 tickets to the concert so I was able to watch a live full orchestra concert for the first time, for free.

It was superb! Bravo, bravo. It's really different when you hear it live, it was like falling inlove with my first love all over again. As soon as the maestro lead the first beat, I was taken to a different world where everyone understands the same language, very relaxing indeed.

That evening, I went to Maila and Juliet's place to have a Filipino dinner with Juliet's boyfriend and their Japanese officemate Goto-san. Actually, I just invited myself coz I didn't feel like cooking for dinner, I just let my husband eat McDonald Pork Burger for his supper. The girls cooked ginataang monggos, pritong isda and Humba plus a yummy, yummy leche flan and chocolate chip brownie for dessert. After the filling dinner, I brought home a serving of leche flan and brownie to take home for my husband, while on the other hand, one of my girl friends got herself a new boyfriend. Indeed, "the easiest way to a man's heart is through his stomache". (well that will be another story to tell).

Before you accuse me of being a bad wife for leaving my husband with nothing in his big tummy while I go for a girl's day out. I made it up to him by cooking a hot Egg Drop Soup (not the instant type but from scratch talaga), Lemon and Pepper chicken and Kani Salad for dinner tonight to ease his exhaustion after a day of long distance biking with his friends. I planned to put the recipe here but I'm sleepy already so next time na lang.

By the way, I'm proud to say that I already know how to make my favorite maki sushi! Though it doesn't requre any cooking, rolling the rice is a bit difficult even with the bamboo roller. I still couldn't make a perfect centered filling, but I will try next time.

Magaling-Magaling

2007-09-12T10:41:00.000-07:00

Japanese service never fails to amaze me. Last night, I realized my new phone still had no email service, when I asked Dan how to get one, he said we have to go to Softbank office to have it set up. But after our Ichiran Ramen dinner, he had to rush back to the office so he no longer had time to take me to Softbank.

I want to live a normal life here in Japan, I mean, I want to go to places, get basic services without Dan's help. So I decided to pass by Softbank and try as much as I could to have my keitai email.

When I entered the small shop I went directly to the anime looking lady and managed to say "sumimasen, watashi no keitai no emairu wo setapu shitain desu ga, do shitara ii desu ka?", in the middle of saying this I forgot that I don't know the nihongo for setting up my email. The anime lady didn't understand what "setapu shimasu" means.. so I tried different ways of pronouncing it like "shetap?", "shitappu?" but to no avail, at last she understood me when I said, "emairu wo tsukuritai desu"... nagsisisi na nga ako bakit pa ako pumunta dun. She got my keitai and did something to it when she stopped and asked what my phone's ansho bango is (PIN number). Dan bought the phone so I didn't know, baka isipin niya na ninakaw ko yung phone, I explained to her that it was new and my husband bought it from me. She asked a lot of things which I didn't understand so "hai" lang ako ng "hai". Then her phone rang and she excused herself to answer it... I thought wala na syang silbi sa akin since hindi rin namin alam ang PIN, umalis na lang ako na hindi nagpapaalam kasi may kausap pa nga sya sa phone.

When she suddenly appeared to me at the bicycle parking lot, running and asking "daijoubu desu ka?" (Okay ka lang?). Imagine she got out of the shop and followed me, just to make sure I got the best service.

Only in Japan...

F4 Stopover

2007-09-01T15:23:00.000-07:00

I am here in Taipei, the land of the F4, for my stopover to Fukuoka, I arrived too early so I decided to roam around the international airport and look for that blind massage coz I badly need a massage after that panic packing I did.

On my way to the massage center, nauhaw ako, I looked for a water fountain pero wala, naisip ko tiisin ko na lang.. pero ndi na kaya, tuyo na talaga ang lalamunan ko. At napabili ako ng USD2.00 na bottled water, most expensive water na nabili ko sa tanan buhay ko! (OA). Buti na lang talaga may $50 akong dala. And then napadaan naman ako sa Duty Free Shop, and I decided to check it out since I have a lot of time to kill when I found the pot of cream Arlene was telling me about... which I wouldn't say muna kung ano. It's not available in the Philippines and baka wala rin sya sa Japan and since nabaryahan na yung $50 ko (excuses, excuses)... binili ko na sya for $18. Ang saya pala gumastos in USD kasi ndi mo alam na hundreds na pala ginagastos mo hehehe. After I paid for it, the chinese saleslady told me in her broken english that the cream is indeed good... sabi niya "it will make your face pink, I put too". Sus sana sinabi niya yun habang nag iisip-isip pa ako kung bibilhin ko yun para ndi na ako nag isip pa! hehehe... Hay ang arte ko talaga!

And then while watching the runway, natulala ako nung dumaan yung Eva Air na Hello Kitty yung paint sa body ng plane. Gusto ko picturean but I was too excited to get my camera from my bag. Nung bumalik na ung ulirat ko, nakalipad na yung plane... tsk tsk.. sayang! ang cute talaga ni Hello Kitty!

So that's what I did during my stopover... and you guessed it right... ndi na ako nakapagmassage (naging beauty cream na)... kaya nag iinternet na lang ako ngayon. hehehe

Vanity

2007-08-24T12:32:00.000-07:00

You Are 64% Vain

You're a little vain, but you also work hard for your good looks.Just remember, everyone knows you are a total hottie. You don't have to remind them.

How Vain Are You?

Mirisi

2007-08-18T02:25:00.000-07:00

I got stuck on the road in the middle of a temperamental storm, wet and confused on how to reach the condo which is barely a kilometer far and I have finally ridden a pedicab to save myself from skin disease brought by the infamous flood in Buendia/Washington street. All because Georgia and I wanted to watch the new Star Cinema movie, A Love Story. It was all over the news that strong rain will loom over Metro Manila until Saturday but still we went out to catch the 10:55 last full show, but it was because the rain stopped by that time. You know naman, Pag-Asa can be hopelessly wrong with their forecasts.

But no, when we left Glorietta the predicted rain was in full force, buti na lang I brought my umbrella kaya naunahan namin sa taxi yung mga sosy na walang dalang payong at ayaw mabasa. But the driver just dropped us at Petron Station because the road along our condo is unpassable because of the flood.

Para kaming basang sisiw dun amidst the rain, strong winds, thunder, figuring out how to get home. Nakakatakot pa yung dalugdog coz I remembered this news I watched in TV Patrol a long time ago, where two friends got struck by a lightning because the tip of the umbrella they were carrying was metal. The friend carrying the umbrella died and yung isa naman tumalsik lang and lived to tell the story. Since I was the one carrying the umbrella, ako yung pwede matamaan ng kidlat... and si Georgia naman tatalsik sa hanggang bewang na baha at matetepok din sya due to elephantisis or Leptospirosis. Sus wala pa tawon mi liwat!

Buti na lang may dumaan na pedicab and our problem was solved. But my heart went out for this manong who make a living out of transporting people stranded in the flood. Nung dumating na kami sa pinakamalalim na part, bumaba na sya sa pedicab at nagtulak. Half of his frail body was submerged in the filthy water of Makati from sewage and canals. Basura everywhere, for sure may mga ipis and daga pang nag sscuba diving dun. He was so thin, so I imagined him to be the usual padre de familia I see in documentaries, who bears long hours of dirty jobs to feed 7 mouths waiting for him at home. It was one humbling experience, thank God my Dad is not one of those and at this time, comfortably sleeping on his bed.

A Love Story is one movie worth crossing that flood waters for. Yun bang kahit binagyo na kami eh we didn't feel na nalugi kami. Beautiful. Ang galing ni Maricel.

Papa Josh

2007-08-11T13:07:00.001-07:00

When I saw in the news that Josh Hartnett arrived in Davao, I got excited with regret that I didn't go home for a vacation. As in nakakaloka! Among all the hollywood actors, si Josh Hartnett talaga ang crush ko since 40 days and 40 nights. I think kaming mga Chiztiks like him a lot even before. My kuya works as a writer/press for PIA Davao, so I thought they will have the usual press conference there and he will get to meet him. Kung andun lang ako, sasama talaga ako sa kanya kahit na ako na bibili ng bagong cellphone niya. But then I saw in the news that the bigtime networks couldn't even have a decent interview with him (that they even had to make abang for him outside the airport toilet!), so I assumed baka walang press conference ang magaganap because of the OA security.

But when I received a text from my brother saying "kainuman namin si josh hartnett ngayon", naloka talaga ako lalo! waaahhhh! I almost died from inggit!

Then I learned, it wasn't a press conference, he just knew some people from the production team and he wanted to meet the director coz kuya is also into filmmaking and scriptwriting kaya mas interesado sya sa director. Kung ako pa yun, makikiusap ako sa kilala ko na ibugaw ako kay Josh.. bwehehe.

When he went to Mt. Diwalwal, it was their Wrap Up Party that is why he was not only able to meet the director (ano nga pangalan nun) but also the hollywood hunk and the japanese superstar Takura Kimuya. So nakiinterview na rin sya dun for his article. Josh was really down to earth daw, unlike Takura na maarte. Well siguro nanibago ang hapon sa surroundings and maybe he thought "kangitngit ba diri!"(translation: "it's so dark here!" if you don't get my joke, it's because people around him are brown colored mao ngitngit).

Since it was too late to fly in, I just asked him to get an autograph from Josh for me. But he gave me more than just an autograph, may dedication pa! =) Nagkkwentuhan kasi daw sila while he asked that, the actor even told him he has also been to Japan and he thought it's too cold there. Thus, the content of the dedication. It was written in a torn page from his notebook, in a typical american handwriting (mukhang left handed sya noh?) nonetheless I still treasure it coz hiningi yun ni kuya for me.

Awhile ago, kuya asked me who Takura Kimuya is, coz he learned from the producers that it was so hard for them to fly him from Japan coz nagkagulo sa Narita Airport. Bakit daw ganun? and bakit ganun ka arte? It just now that he knew how popular the actor is, sayang nakihingi rin sana ako ng autograph kasi crush yun ni Georgia, tsk tsk.

Haay, the perks of his job. Gusto ko na mag career change.

my bro at work

perks of the job... PRICELESS!

Little Miracles

2007-08-10T23:32:00.000-07:00

Due to the countless demands for our field(thank God!) job interviews has become part of my profession's culture. I like job interviews, although scary, especially when it's the part where you get to meet the top guns because it's usually not technical and you are free to ask whatever about their company. But I hate virtual interviews aka via phone or web cam, I don't know why but it scares me a lot. Phone interviews make me tongue tied, that is why I think I don't have a future in call center.

Yesterday, the Japanese manager sent me a mail about my scheduled interview for today (the previous one I wrote about has been moved). And it would be via Skype (uggh!). I was hoping I'd have the interview when I get to Japan so it will be more personal. So I panicked, and asked my hubby last night to practice again with me coz my tongue needs to be twisted enough for nihongo. Then my hubby's collegue in the land of the rising sun tipped that there will be very technical questions. And so I panicked all the more... imagine a TECHNICAL interview via WEB in NIHONGO! How can all the things I hate come in one dreadful morning. What a luck huh?

I panicked (again) and became restless, I wasn't worried about how much I know, but how I'm going to express it in a language I just started to REALLY learn.

And then I realized that there is something bigger that all of those things I was so worried about. I was so ashamed to admit that it never crossed my mind before I started panicking and feeling angry to my hubby (wala lang gusto ko lang magalit sa kanya) when it has always been there all the time. So I got my pink rosary and said my prayers, for the interview, for my family and my friend's father's health as well. Coz you know when you start to say it, your problem feels so small and you tend to remember others to create one collective petition that can come close to its greatness.

So the day of the interview came, and it turned out it was going to be a panel interview by 4 japanese engineers and managers who don't understand english. My japanese manager was so nervous and my hubby too (natatae daw sya sa nerbyos). It should be enough to turn my knees into jelly and back out, but thankfully, it went good. Not very well, of course as expected my nihongo grammar went circus, but they understood me and I was able to answer their questions.. including the technical ones! (OOP, TCP/IP, DBMS, Postgres, CUnit, ...). Good thing, I wasn't asked about stuff that I don't know.

Everything went well today.

I've never written about my faith practices but I guess it is but right to share something that has become a big part of me. Praying the Rosary have been a savior to me ever since. During my father's kidney operation, a painful breakup from a long term relationship, discerning if Dan was the one, a day and another, hours before my wedding and even in simplest times like riding a taxi alone at night or even before a big date.

As we go through our ever afters aka adulthood/parenthood, we meet obstacles in different shapes and sizes but we should always remember that there is something greater that these and it's just right there with you all the time.

Strictly Girltalk

2007-08-06T00:33:00.000-07:00

This afternoon Georgia, Rose and I went to SM women lingerie department because the expensive Wacoal brand is on sale. We dug in to their array of colors and styles in 50% off the tag, good deal indeed. But what makes it interesting is, the saleslady gave us a tip on how to properly wear a bra. You should bend over, push your excess fats on both sides to fit everything inside the bra cups, before joining the hooks. You'll know if it fits well when there are no longer visible extra fats near or under your underarms.

If Georgia didn't convince me to fit the bras I was about to buy, I wouldn't know my right size. Because I insisted I was B80 but when I fit it the way the saleslady told us... it was bad. So the saleslady suggested another size, it was my first time to fit a size D75 coz I thought pang amerikana lang yung ganung size. But it was the most perfect fit! I loved it... nawala yung extra fat sa tabi and ndi ako parang naiipit. Relax na sya kung baga at may added cleavage pa.

All these years I was wearing the wrong size, maybe I got these fibrocystic cysts from wearing a support that is too small for me, lagi pa naman akong may underwire, so lagi silang naiipit ng mga wires and I know coz nag iiwan sya ng bakat. Plus I thought I was just too fat that is why I have those extra fats on the sides. tsk tsk.

So ladies be sure you are wearing your perfect size. Do the bend over thingie. Coz this is not just for vanity, for the cleavage or anything, but more importantly for your health.

Baby Shower

2007-08-04T09:46:00.000-07:00

It's Aliya Garielle's shower party today at her parent's condo roofdeck at Valero Street. She will soon be another new addition to the Alama girls. Puro girls na yung pamangkin ko, wala pang lalaki... hmm.. baka ako yung unang magbibigay ng lalaking apo. (sana kung ndi ba-og.. hehe).

Her mother prepared games for her guests, sayang ndi ako nakasali sa mga couple games like the Gerber feeding contest (gusto ko pa naman makatikim ng Gerber!), coz my husband is in a far, far away land.

An hour before the party, I crammed to buy a gift at Landmark. Gaby is registered at Podium in Rockwell but it's too inconvenient for me since dapat may sasakyan or mag taxi to go there, kaya I didn't have any idea what to give. Last night I asked Venice and Claire for suggestions, and you can guess who gave the best idea... syempre si Venice hehehe. Next year pwede na kita tanungin Claire, kelangan mo pa ng practice. =P Since I wanted a gift that is not a problem if it has a duplicate, Venice suggested lots of diapers (I didn't know new born babies already use diapers) and Wipes (Coby daw yung brand). But when I went to the baby section in Landmark.. I was overwhelmed with all the cute baby stuff that I wanted to buy them all. Buti na lang I was able to control myself to just get the diapers and the wipes. But when I passed by the feeding bottle section, I was swayed by the Avante sales girl to buy a bottle that is anti-collic (anti kabag) and has very soft nipple. It was very expensive but it's the best in the market (according to my cousin) so I bought it. Isa pa, with its price, I don't think my cousin's guests will buy it even if it's in their registry... kasi ka-presyo na niya yung isang bathing tub. Syempre when you are a guest, you'd rather get the bigger and cuter gift. And I was right, ako lang talaga nagbigay ng feeding bottle. So to some who is clueless on what to give on baby showers, I think that Avante feeding bottle is a good idea.

As a parent, you really want to give the best to your baby, especially if he/she is a first born. So I realized, aside from emotional, it really requires financial readiness on having a baby. Those baby stuff don't come cheap and that small human being needs a LOT of things, I just discovered today na meron na palang baby support for carrying(para siguro ndi ma slide ang bata sa arms mo) and the bathing support (para ndi malunod sa tub siguro). After the party, I talked to my cousin about breast pumps because yun na lang ang major stuff na kulang sila. Nagulat ako how expensive a good one is (P5,000-P20,000). And meron na palang automatic which is recommended para ndi mangalay sa kaka pump. I offered to help with the half of the cost, so tomorrow we will be on haunting mode for a good but reasonable priced breast pumps. Isa pa, sabi ng cousin ko na she can pass it on to me when I have a baby na (God willing). So okay na rin na mag share kami. hehehe.

I'm so excited for baby Gaby, I think it's a good thing na rin that my visa got delayed for a week coz I wanna be here when she comes out.

with one of my niece Bea

our tambayan, Cafe Isla in Serendra (miss na nila si Dan)

Speaking Of Nihongo

2007-08-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

Tonight my hubby told me that the japanese manager is coming tomorrow and I am going to have a job interview with a japanese client. As in tomorrow na agad! Shieks. We are hoping that I will pass so that I will have a work already when I get there, hindi na ako tatambay na parang donya.

This is so sudden, and I am not ready for a japanese job interview. It's so much harder than saying what you did over the weekend, or what will you do this weekend hehehe. So my hubby and I practiced. He pretended that he was the japanese interviewer, I asked him to speak in the most japanesey that he can because I am having a hard time deciphering the tth, and the ssh... in between those brain twisting words. Bungol na nga ako by nature, samot ko mabungol sa mga hapon.

During our practice, my tongue twisted like a gymnast vying for gold because it's so hard to explain your previous projects and technical terms in nihongo. Plus magdagdag pa daw ako ng mga bola-bola. Heller lisod na gani magsulti ug tinuod.. dugangan pa jud nako ug butbot. Ingon baya sa akong mama "never tell a lie!"... pero wala man sya niingon ug "never tell a lie in japanese" so oks ra siguro if I say na 1 year na ako nag C#, na yung isang project ko was in C# when it was actually in Java. Dili na siguro ko gabaan ani.

During our practice I learned a funny nihongo phrase,

Dan: "nihon no tabemono, donna suki desu ka?" (what kind of japanese food do you like?)

Me: "yakiniku ga totemo suki desu!" (I like Yakiniku very much!)

Dan: "aa, ... firipin no kuchi ni aimasu ka?"

English literal translation (aa, do you meet filipino mouth?)

Me: "unsa? bastos yan no?"

Actually what he meant was "Nihon no tabemono ha firipin no kuchi ni aimasu ka?" or in english "Do japanese foods blend well with filipino's taste?" something like that... hindi na rin ako marunong mag english.

Basta yun, you get my drift how hard this is for me. Ang hirap na nga mag explain ng project in english.. mag nnihongo pa ako. Learning is fun, but doing a serious interview like this is not.

Hay totally different from my previous impromptu interview, nung time na yun hanggang watashi ha lang nasabi ko then I just flashed my most beautiful smile. But now, may practice pa.. pag hindi ako natanggap dito ewan ko na lang. Pag puro ako wakarimasen bukas... sasayaw na lang ako.

Ganbatte to me.

Nihongo ni Tsuite

2007-08-01T02:00:00.000-07:00

As I have said earlier, I am now studying nihongo while waiting for my Visa so I could follow my makabugtog bra na husband (murag makabaliguten ni Claire). It's almost a month now and as each day passed I realized how unready I was when I first left for the land of the last Samurai.

When I left, it had already been 3 years since my last nihongo lesson with kato sensei in NEC Cebu, and level 4 pa yun and idagdag mo pa na I always attended class in spirit, meaning absinot kaayo ko. So when I first arrived in Japan to work as an OFW, kahit simple introduction (jikkou shokai) ay hindi ako marunong, I would just impromptu imitate my collegues during introductions. Talagang zenzen wakarimasen deshita talaga ako. Added to that it was difficult to catch up on my collegues who are JLPT level 3 passers and I just came from an american company while they came from japanese kaisha(NEC, Fujitsu). So it was really a miracle that I survived that less than a year stint. It was like going to a battle with only a sword, shield and a perfect 6 pack abs (ala 300).

Now my vocabulary has increased and know when to use some Grammar patterns. I am still not that good but now I can compose some sentences by myself. It helps that I am studying with people of the same level as mine, so no more pressure to catch up with them, and I have the luxury of time to understand each grammar pattern taught to us everyday. Iba kasi talaga pag nag wwork ka while studying kaysa yung your whole time is devoted to studying. Plus I have my husband with whom I can practice with conversation. He speaks like a native already so I can practice listening and speaking with him. He also serves as my inspiration, because he talks in his sleep in Japanese! and baka may babae na syang binabanggit.. kaya dapat ko syang maintindihan.. bwehehe.

I used to hate Japanese Language, maybe it's because of the pressure that went with it before, because now I am learning to love it, because now I am really learning. It's different when you know another language, it's a different fulfillment although I am still far from the skills of my husband, or Juliet or Maila. Also I figured that if I do good at this, it can be my second career when I get tired of programming.. pwede na akong maging Geisha.. bwehehehe.

By the way, I discovered the power of Ginko Biloba. It is said to make your brain sharper. I don't know if I am inherently intelligent or Ginko Biloba is really effective. But I noticed it is easy to memorize the vocabularies. And you know how tongue and brain twister each word in japanese is. It is also said to make a person fertile. So if in less than a month I get pregnant in japan.. then I can say I really owe it to Ginko Biloba.

Now I have all the help I can get in learning this language so my only hurdle on this learning is my laziness... hay if only I can change. Sana naa pud tambal para sa tapol.

Sabi ko Na

2007-08-01T00:13:00.000-07:00

My college friend who is currently working as a teacher in New York left me a message in my friendster. And this is some part of what she said:

"how are you? Congratulations and I am so happy for you. Namiss tuloy kita and yung mga bonding bonding time natin nung college. nway, kaano-ano ba ni mam katie delima ang hubby mong c dan?"

O diba, sinasabi ko na, I now share the question that is frequently asked to my husband, a part and parcel to being married to Mr. Delima. hehehe.

Nope, he is not in any way related to our late dean Mrs. Delima. But how I wish kamag-anak ko si Mam Delima, para mapakiusapan ko sya noon na bigyan ng disciplinary action ang mga crushes ko na hindi pumapansin sa akin. bwehehehe.

Housewife

2007-07-31T03:00:00.000-07:00

I always say dream ko maging housewife. And now that I already know how it feels to be one, binabawi ko na =P

When my contract ended barely a month ago, my handsome hubby-with-a-makabugto-ug-bra-bedroom-voice, asked me to stop working while we are waiting for my Visa and just devote my time studying nihongo. Of course pumayag din ako since dream ko nga maging housewife lang and aside from that, I need to learn nihongo.

So since then, my routine would be from 1-5:30 pm I have nihongo class, go home after and study and make assignments. (One time while watching Regine Velasquez's concert, I was memorizing vocabulary words). Then talk to my husband over the net, chat with whoever is awake at 2-3 am who is usually Claire. And then go to bed.

I love the part where I can wake up late and watch my favorite TV shows like Boy and Kris, TV Patrol, Deal or No Deal, Isabella, Natutulog Ba Ang Dyos. But what I don't like and I think will never get used to is, trying to scrimp because of the fact that I don't work anymore and there will be no more walk in the bank every 2 weeks. I can always ask my husband for more honey este money, but I'm not comfortable with asking him for my facial, pedicure, hair color and many more ka eklatan. This should have been easy for me because I was raised a spoiled papa's girl who gets everything I want, but when I became financially independent for 7 years, it's difficult to fill that shoes again. I learned that there is something better than being spoiled, it's that power of getting what I want, when I want it and nobody cares why I want it.

Not that I still want to be that selfish, but I just don't like to depend on "another person" for my girlie wants.

Good thing this is just temporary, now I know why my husband detests on my idea of wanting to be his housewife. I used to tease/pester him that I just want to be ala Gretchen Baretto, maybe that is why he made me this, but without the Louis Vittons and bodyguards.

Okay baby, I rest my case.

Condolence

2007-07-24T10:45:00.000-07:00

I just received an email from our alumni mailing list and I found out that one of my brother's close friend in high school has passed away. He is so young at 29 years old, and very cutie pa... actually one of the popular guys in school, i'm sure there's so much ahead of him.

It's so sad to hear that a young person to have gone ahead, much more someone you really know.

Hay death. Walang pinipiling oras, or age.

Condolence Jonathan.

Last Day

2007-07-06T19:12:00.000-07:00

Today is another last day of work for me. My contract with this company ends today (do i hear yiheee?). Unlike my last day in NEC and NyFix, this is not an emotional one. Well, my teammates in Northwest Airlines had a lunchout at Terikayi Boy Paseo and that's it. I don't feel sad or anything. Maybe I have gotten used to saying goodbyes or maybe with my six months stay here, I deliberately didn't make any emotional ties with my teammates, my desk or my computer because I knew I won't stay here for long. Like my constant lunchmates are also Sysgen contractuals and Georgia. Today, it's so easy to pack my things.

Part of the resignation is the signing of clearance. As I went from 12th floor to the 5th (where the Project manager and Net Admin are), I can't help but felt a relief that I won't be using the old and dangerous elevator of Citibank Center. I think this building has the worst elevator in Makati! There is one elevator that looks like a horror booth or a cofin because they covered the mirrored wall with black cloth and it wouldn't close unless you manually push the doors. Then one time I got stuck for 5 minutes buti na lang wala akong bombay na kasama bwehehehe. But it's better that what happened to Krizel who got stuck for 10 minutes. Another was when the elevator approached 12th floor, it suddenly stopped and zoomed down to the basement without stopping, just like a free-fall. Last Tuesday night, I waited for almost 10 minutes for an elevator to drop by 12th floor so I could ride ang go home, no it's not that all the elevators were full but they just wouldn't open or the going down button wouldn't work.

Now I just wonder what Citibank is doing with the interests they earn with my ballooning credit card account that they can't even fix their building elevators. tsk. tsk.

I'm just glad I wouldn't have to ride them again. =P

Who's Next?

2007-06-28T00:58:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I was down with high fever due to tonsillitis (again, again). When Monday came, I was still not feeling well and dizzy but I had to get up to pick my checks from the agency and pay our Meralco bill kasi long overdue na sya. And learned that a tricycle ride from Meralco Kamagong branch to kanto ng Mayapis costs a whooping P30! (nag taxi na lang sana ako). Hindi pa ako binigyan ng change sa P40 ko kasi wala daw syang barya. When he said sorry, dahil nahihilo ako at feeling lugi, I shot back at the driver with a malutong na "ay ambot nimo buanga ka!".

Before I went up to my unit, dinaanan ko muna yung broker ko sa baba to tell her I'm going to preterminate my contract in the condo. I asked her to arrange a sublease for me, para makuha ko naman ang deposit ko. When she asked me the reason why, I told her I am following going to Japan tentatively next month. Tapos sagot pa niya, "ay wag mo nang i-sublease! Japan naman pala, mababawi mo din dun yung deposit mo!" and all the other clients and broker in the office agreed with her like I was Gretchen Baretto (boongga boongga). Wala akong masabi coz my body was too weak to explain so I just said "hanapan nyo ako ng sublease kung pwede" and left. Hay mahirap magkasakit pag wala yung asawa. But thanks to Jaja who accompanied me nung Saturday night and Georgia who bought me food last Monday. (swerte ni Dan meron syang mga substitutes).

Anyways, that's not my point. My point is, lahat ng ito ay kagagawan ng Ferrero chocolate na pinadala ni Claire thru Darrix. First time kong nakatanggap ng ganun kalaking pack ng Ferrero, I thought only me and Georgia are going to share it so I ate more than my allowed fill. Then ended up with this painfuuulll throat.

Pero ang sarap talaga ng Ferrero! to think isinumpa ko na itong chocolate na ito when my one true love in highschool broke his promise to give me Ferrero chocolates kasi manliligaw na daw sya, and instead pursued another girl. Then to heal my brokenness (charing akala mo anong problema), I would visit the Ateneo chapel every lunch time to pray, which caught Dan's attention at dun sya nagsimulang mabighani sa aking ganda kaya hindi na niya ako pinakawalan when he saw me again 13 years later!(boongga boongga)

Anyways, that's not my point again. What I really like to make kwento is, my friend sent me his friendster profile link and there I saw that he is already married. It seems everybody is getting married. Matatanda na talaga kami, kasi nasa point na ako when my high school crush is married na.

Parang kelan lang when I was head over heels inlove with this person and now I got tonsillitis from eating lots of Ferrero and he's got a wife already who is not me... thank God!

We never really know what's going to happen in the future. The question now is, who's next?

Pics and Videos and Honeymoon

2007-06-22T02:37:00.000-07:00

Finally I have sorted the 1000 pics sent by Kenneth. And I have posted some here. Buti na lang ndi na ako busy sa project or else baka nga masasabayan ko pa yung pag sort ng pic sa baby ni Claire.

The kakaibang lovestory AVP has been uploaded here. It is 10 minutes long! My kuya tried to make a short movie out of our old pictures and Langga's talent.

The usual prenup videos starring Claire Daria and Harley Subido was also uploaded here.

So there, I think I have finished all the things I have to do about the wedding, since I have already sent Kenneth the selected pictures. Ooopps, I also have to get a new passport with my new name and have to update my insurance to add my husband as the beneficiary.

Speaking of the wedding and all, a friend from US asked me where we had our honeymoon. I answered him, "marami, sa Pearl Farm, bahay sa Davao, sa General Santos..." and he replied, "sana tinatakan nyo bawat lugar!". Then napaisip ako... akala siguro nya inenumerate ko yung places kung saan kami nag procreate!

My, my I haven't gone pervert yet. Actually we haven't had the usual honeymoon in a land far, far away. Lesson learned, amidst all the wedding details, you should book your honeymoon way, way ahead of time. On our case, Dan's uncle offered us a free accommodation in Boracay, my NEC friends tried to book us in Palawan, one of our ninongs wanted to give us an accommodation in one of the honeymoon villas in Chemas resort in Samal Island, but we can't decide because we are not really beach people hehe (sayang ang papaya soap). So it was too late when we finally decided we wanted to go to hongkong. Matagal pala ang hotel confirmation and nag double booking pa kami ng nanay niya and sabay pa kami nag cancel. Whew!

But it's okay, we had fun naman showing our friends around Davao... parang naging honeymoon with friends na sya. Then we went to hubby's house in General Santos, my first time there and his brother was super kind to drive us around the city. I also got to see how Dan and his siblings were brought up and trained in their house. No wonder ganun ang asawa ko! and I realized how opposite we are, like they don't have a single maid while I grew up with more maids around me than family members.

It was actually very tiring post wedding celebration, that I got chills in the evening sa pagod (dahil sa mga lakad at byahe ha!) but it was one unique way of spending our first days as husband and wife. I was happy seeing my barkada and his barkada merge and have fun together. Even the sight of our brothers, Mau and Jaja played pool soccer together (sporty diay ka Mau noh??) was surreal for me.

But I wish hubbyng smol and I can still have time to spend a real honeymoon. I really, really like to discover Hongkong again with him. For now, I really can't complain because my honey gave me my dream wedding.

Thank you baby for that beautiful once in a lifetime memory that will surely exceed any travels I had or will have in the future. Everything in that wedding came from the fruits of your hardwork that you never hesitated to spend on me.

Your love is my fairytale made real.

May Dilemma si Delima

2007-06-20T19:24:00.000-07:00

This time it's not a name game anymore. Tinuoray na ni.

Yesterday, I got a phone call from an IT company I was eyeing months ago. I thought it will be another interview but to my surprise (medyo), when I went to their office on my meryenda break awhile ago, they gave me a job offer. The manager said I had a very good feedback from my last interview with their Irish client so they did not require another interview anymore.

They gave me my asking price (which I just randomly thought of when they asked me of my salary expectations, paano ba naman hindi na ako sanay magbayad ng tax..oooppss). So I'm really not sure kung malaki na sya or hindi for a regular position. But Georgia assured me that it was a nice offer, kasi may 13th and 14th month salary pa daw, medical benefits and a cellphone with P800 plan for free! =)

I am really thankful that my profession is indemand these days that job offers just crop up when you least expect it. I feel truly blessed.

But the problem is, I am waiting for the response from the job I really, really want! It's for a Java Developer position for a large bank in Singapore. What I really, really like about it is, I will be dealing with FIX Protocol. My, my I have long been waiting for a job that involves Java Development and FIX Protocol. For now, it is the only job worth grabbing and being away from my husband for some time. Kahit 6 months experience lang with that job, okay na, if you're wondering why the desperation, FIX protocol is a HIGHLY indemand skill in the US, and even Europe.

I don't know if I got the job, they haven't contacted me since the interview. Well, if I don't get it, maybe it's not meant for me. But I pray that is meant for me! bwehehehe.

About this job offer in Makati, I have to sleep on it, though it is tempting... iba na kasi ngayon, my priorities have changed. It will mean a big sacrifice to stay here in the Philippines while my husband is in Japan. And for what? (I still have to weigh on the for what part).

I will be facing a big risk when I follow hubby in Japan. Since I still have no work there pa, wala pa masyadong Java projects and hindi pa ako magaling mag nihongo, I'm still concerned about my parent's needs (yung biglaan kelangan ng money, another kidney operation) kaya hindi pwedeng mabakante ako na walang work ng matagal. How I wish we are so rich or ang asawa ko kasing yaman ni Yilmaz that staying as a housewife for a while is not a problem or burning my career path as a Java developer is not an issue.

Oh well, this is the start of my ever after. Juggling between my career dreams and starting a family. I don't want to sacrifice either one, if possible.

When a piece of paper with figures and benefits is not enough to convince me, then maybe I just need to pray for a sign.

Name Game

2007-06-19T14:18:00.000-07:00

Ateneans: Mrs. Delima (associating me to our late dean Mrs. Katie Delima, I will now have to put up with questions "kaano-ano mo si ma'am Delima?")

Tagalog: Mrs. Delima
American: Mrs. Deileema
Bisaya: Mrs. Dilema
Bisdak: Mrs. Dilima
Perting jud Bisdaka: "unsaon i-sfell ang Delema ma'am? A as in eagle or E as in apple?"

Wala lang, i'm just making fun or my new last name until it will really sink in that I'm gonna carry it for the rest of my life unless I remarry again and become an Ayala or Pitt! (bwehehe, simbako bitaw! kaluoy pud ni Angelina if ever.)

Busy as a Bumblebee

2007-06-18T03:47:00.000-07:00

Been very busy since I came back from my wedding vacation. I haven't had time to sort out the pictures, and we are already late on our schedule with Kenneth our photog. Paano ba naman, out of 1000 pictures, i only have to choose 130 pix for the album. Kaya sensya na, wala pa rin akong ma-post na pictures on our wedding. Baka next year pa ako maka post, sabay ng baptismal pics ng anak ni Claire.. hehehe.

For now, let me share to you our wedding pics in video. My brother put together some of our pics and made it to a simple MTV of the song I wrote for my babyng smol.

Before the wedding my cousins were asking me about our theme song, the idea of having a theme song is nice. But I couldn't find a song na bagay na bagay sa amin or how I feel about him so I decided to write a poem and asked my friend Cathy (who used to be a UP Conservatory of Music student, and now a member of Awe-Deinz Band) to arrange and sing it for me.

Yun lang masusulat ko sa ngayon, kasi I have to meet my husband (naks! husband na) in Glorietta.

So here's the poem and here's the video.

I tucked my fairytales goodbye, until I cry

convinced that love and destiny is a lie

as dreams of love slowly blown away

and happily ever after ended each day...

I stopped counting falling stars

played a game with venus and mars

gave in to restlessness with a sigh

to keep myself away from all the why

And then you came when I wasn't looking

an answer when I stopped searching

the wind now brings romance

an overwhelming gift, a beautiful dance

your beautiful eyes, made me still

we complete a broken puzzle for real

destiny is my fairytale made true

I can't wait for my happily ever after with you...