Category Archives: Me, Myself & I

First Baking Exploit

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If the skill for baking will be evaluated from 1 to 5, five points being outstanding, my self-evaluation reveals I fall under 0.43 points.  And the only flour-based dish that I can prepare are plain pancakes.  Not those pancakes made from basics and scratch but those instant type of varieties of pancakes.  Those that you just add 1 egg and water and voila! Pancakes!

Bread products I consume are always those that are available from a nearby bakeshop or grocery store.  Thus, the unhealthy ones.  But now that I am in ketosis and has been doing a ketogenic diet, one food item that I totally miss is the bread.  The white, fluffy and unhealthy kinds of bread!  And this deprivation has gone me nuts!

I am no food blogger nor am I a baker!  And this is definitely not a keto food blog.  But I would just like to post the first bread that I have baked since birth…

yummy magic! frankfurters at the background were the keto friendly variety…

sliced it for 2 servings...

It’s a 90-second microwaved oven keto mug bread! Hahaha! Trying to make keto diet fun… Yoohoo!!!

Lasang tinapay. Inpernes…

I Am In Ketosis

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Let me formally announce to the planet that I am in ketosis.  Yes.  It has been since February 26, 2019 that I decided to try ketogenic diet.  And it has been a grueling struggle to keep under ketosis.

Reason behind this is because I live in a country that is infested with sugar and carbohydrates, the two fatal enemies of this zany diet.  Filipinos like me will definitely go insane if their meal does not include rice.  Rice is in every Pinoy meal from breakfast, to lunch to dinner and even up to midnight snack.  Even desserts of Filipinos can be made of the scandalous rice!  For Filipinos, rice is life!

With regards to sugar, the Philippines has the sweetest varieties of tropical fruits on the planet and only a limited number of cooked dishes are not laced with sugar here in my country.  In fact, it is a well-known fact on the entire planet that only in the Philippines can you find a sweet spaghetti.  Hello Jollibee!  And even the world renowned Filipino Adobo, for it to taste even better must be spiked with the notorious sugar.

Philippines also is so unlike the western countries where keto friendly food and dishes are easily available.  Hello Whole Foods Market!  Aside from being so insanely expensive, It is really a struggle to maintain and retain under ketosis.  In fact, for the last fourteen days that I have been in ketosis, I have survived four social events – including that of Nengkoy’s big birthday party – where cakes, pastas, rice meals and sweet drinks were highlighted.

starting to learn how to cook this expensive keto friendly noodles…

I can actually consider that my reduction in the consumption of sugar and carbs was even harder than when I stopped smoking.  It is because I was born and grew up consuming these that resulted to an autopilot sagacity of my whole persona for rice and sweet treats.  It is unlike smoking, which I started when I was an adult and ceased puffing nicotine also during adulthood.  It is therefore not surprising that I had the worst cold turkey when I was starting ketogenic diet otherwise known as the keto flu for the ketogenic language!

But I guess for every struggle, there is like what Ms. Universe Catriona Gray consider as the “silver lining”.  It has been only fourteen days yet I already lost a whopping 12 pounds!

hope to achieve my ideal weight soon…

Nakaka-aning aning sa hirap!

Nengkoy’s 82nd Birthday

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Last weekend, I and my whole family celebrated Nengkoy’s 82nd birthday.  And every year, we make sure that Nengkoy’s birthday is celebrated in a grand way.  The whole family would spend overnight in an opulent resort out of town.

But this year was a little different.  Though it was still an overnight out of town, it is now held not in a luxury resort but at a more private place.  The venue this year was a little different and a lot farther from Manila.  It was a 5-hour travel by land.  We held it at the super huge and lavish house of Thatcher and Alexis, my niece and nephew-in-law or the two of the plenty grandchildren of Nengkoy.

the crazy and insane team langit

the house

a swim with my grand nephew arziolo

And like every other year that was, this year’s celebration was a blast.  And an addition to the already huge family has joined us, our little boy Arziolo joined the fun filled celebration. 

Nengkoy gave us a scare last year when she suffered from some numerous serious ailments.  We hope that this year would be a very good year for Nengkoy health wise.  The whole family only has two wishes for her.  That would be good health and continuous luck in her mahjong exploits.

this out of town celebration will not be complete if there would be no mahjoong session.  playing mahjong with my elder sister, my niece erika and the owner of the house thatcher 

Happy BIrthday Nenkoy!

Happy Birthday Nanay!

I Wanna Sing In A Pub Choir!

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I think I am a rare Filipino breed.  Reason behind this is because I cannot sing!

When I was in Jerusalem, I was able to meet a bunch of cool Jews in a coffee shop who were celebrating Purim. My sister Ester who toured with me decided to stay in the hotel to read about the Holy Bible’s Queen Ester, her namesake.

These young Jewish people were surprised to know that I was a Filipino travelling as a tourist in their country.  One guy then uttered to the group that Filipinos seem to have the genes for good singing voice. The whole bunch of these cool happy people then started teasing and entreating that I should sing a song for them.

a stock photo of my trip to jerusalem… it’s not rare meeting cool strangers in that city

I tried doing it but they obviously did not liked what they’re were hearing.  I stopped and did not finish.   I was like Cameron Diaz singing “I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself” in the movie My Best Friend’s Wedding.  After my singing, they were gracious enough to clap their hands while doubting if I am really is a Filipino and simply moved on and continued on with the Purim revelry with me.

I remembered all these when I happen to bumped into a fascinating YouTube video regarding a joint where hundreds of strangers inside the pub would learn and sing together a popular pop song.  Watch this…

Internet indicates that Pub Choir phenomenon started two years ago in Brisbane, Australia and the fun and fascinating concept/activity has been booming and expanding all throughout the Land Under. 

And if this phenomenon would finally arrive here in Manila, I would be one of the few Filipinos who could not sing would enlist and would definitely sing my heart out in this event. I and my rare kind of Filipino breed would definitely unleash the Cameron Diaz in all of us!

Handa AWIT!

 

 

 

Trying My Nutty Best This Valentines

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It is early morning and it is Valentines.  It is early morning and it is Valentines and I am trying my very best not to be the grumpiest, old and solo living creature on the planet.  I have been for the past years!

surprisingly received the most sought after dessert this valentines from super friend gie and a cute valentines napkin from super friend mj

This day this year, I am changing gear and is trying to rewire my nutty brain.  I chose not to be bitter.  I am not the rebel heart this year for I chose not to maltreat those who loves celebrating this day.  I was a success of not wearing all black today.  And I actually was able to control my emotions of not kicking and smashing the Valentines heart designs in my gym last night!

Though living solo and celebrating Valentine’s today solo, I would like to put my bearing and my outlook on a very positive note.  I will treat this year’s celebration on a more amiable light.  Because of this, let me greet everyone who happens to read this post a very Happy Valentines!  I hope you stay in love and celebrate this day all throughout the year!

Ayoko magpaka-ampalaya ngayong taon, para maiba naman!

Finally Understanding A Priest’s Homily

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One opposite of living a normal life in a Catholic country like the Philippines is not having a Catholic priest as a friend.  In this particular aspect, I have long considered myself as abnormal, a nonstandard and an aberration. 

Yeah, I guess I am one of those self-promoting folks in Manila who lacks a saintly priest as a friend.  Dealing with a Catholic priest on a regular basis is an unchartered territory for me.

Maybe one of the reasons why I don’t have a Catholic priest friend is because I am seldom impressed by their delivered Homilies during a Holy Mass.  Commonly, priests in their Homilies would often talk too vague and too imprecise and they would move from one topic to another in a nonsensical fashion.  Their line of thinking often times is so ambiguous and so formless I would often suspect that priest’s common mental illness is schizophrenia.

But the priest I heard last Monday during a Holy Mass in Greenbelt Chapel to commemorate the death of my boss (Sir Larry Cruz) eleven years ago was somebody who was impressively different.  He was specific and was exact.  He was coherent and was so cohesive in his Homily.  His talk was well research.  It was actually enjoyable, charming and was very inspiring.

 

that’s me (left) with super friend dominic… nagdadasal? thanks to mj for this blurry photo. hahaha! 

i was so impressed, i took a glimpse of the greenbelt chapel’s priest

He talked about the man whom the Holy Mass was for and successfully correlate my amiable boss’s vocation and persona to his homily.  He was inspiring when he said that it is not about the years in your life that counts, but it is the life in your years that matter.  And what struck me most about this priest’s Homily was his wisdom about: “people will forget what you said”and “people will forget what you did”but “people will never forget what you made them feel”. 

If I am to make friends with a priest that Greenbelt Chapel priest would be the first dude in line!

Hay salamat at sa wakas, naka-intindi rin ng sermon!

Choosing a Bowl of Clam Chowder

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My family is so nutty like a fruitcake!  It has been weeks that some members of my family were contemplating on revisiting and spending the weekend at Okada Manila, the iconic oceanfront integrated resort here in Manila.  We then decided to visit one Saturday.

And while everyone was fixing and getting ready to do the “pasyal” (translation: stroll) everyone were suggesting what to do and where to eat while inside plush and lavish Okada.  That is until I raised the idea of dropping the plan of going to Okada and we should instead go to S&R where unhealthy American food are available.  My nephew Luis reinforced my idea when he expressed that he is craving for some delicious Clam Chowder which Nengkoy also loved and never misses to order every time we dine there.

While we were in the car heading to sophisticated Okada, everybody then decided to do a detour.  We agreed to replace the long-ago-planned weekend destination, that is, from the grand and luxurious Okada Manila to the huddle-filled and unsophisticated food court of S&R membership-shopping store! 

yummy clam chowder and my greasy pizza!

nengkoy waiting for her creamy and savory clam chowder at the food court

I ended up enjoying the Clam Chowder, a big chunk of pizza and two pieces of crispy fried chicken! And since we are there, I decided to buy a tray of huge muffins and a big bag of toilet paper rolls.  While munching on the greasy pizza, I contemplated that my crazy family’s detour to S&R food court was in agreement to Leonardo Da Vinci’s notion that “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”

Krung krung kasi ang pamilya ko.  Dat’s why!

My 2018 Songs

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What was your song last year?  What melody, lyrics and tempo fused into one that moved you and can be considered your best representation last year?  What was that tune in 2018 which you would consider your song?

I got two.  One is a song that I personally did not chose until someone told me it’s me.  My sister after we both have watched the concert of Calum Scott in Manila uttered that No Matter What was so me.  “It fits you” she uttered without me asking her.  Those 3 words she said got stuck and will seem to be forever embedded in my wits! 

My 2018 second song is Para Sa Akin.  Fittingly a Tagalog song, which implies a longing for someone, an aspiration and hoping to be lucky that someone will fall, a promise to be good in case someone falls and without tension and strain letting someone’s affectionate heart beats for me.  I am middle aged, yet, finding someone special is still the ultimate thing that I have yet to receive from the heavens.  Thus, Para Sa Akin (translation: For Me) simply befits me. 

 

You what is your 2018 song?

Drama-dramahan ang peg sa post na ‘to… 

2018 Reflection and 2019 Aspiration

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We have now reached the time of the year when we start to reflect on the year that was.  The compilations are starting to come out for the best songs, movies, Facebook and Instagram posts, fashion and all other bests for the year. 

It is also the time for reflection on a personal level: new people we met, new food we have tasted, amazing new sites we’ve visited, new skills we’ve learned, virtues we’ve acquired or maintained as well as the surprising circumstances we have encountered along the way.  It is also the time when we reflect how we’ve been as a human being and what we want to be in the next year.

As for me, I guess all I can do is be the best person that I can be to those who need me.  And to those who don’t need me, just wait and see because sometime next year you would realize that you do crave and long for me.  Hahaha!  I may not have a new set of resolutions but I will definitely do my very best to stay out of the treacherous waters that would be swirling around next year. 

It is the end of the year and it feels like a lot of people are tired and need a break.  I hope that next year would be more peaceful, meaningful and fruitful for everybody.  Let us hope for the best! 

happy new yeaar from sweet nengkoy! 

happy new year! welcome 2019!

Happy New Year and lots of love from me and my mother, Nengkoy!

Yumaman sana tayong lahat!