No Safe Place

With all the bombings all over the country, do you really think that there is a safe place for us? After the bus bombing in Buendia last night, it is undeniable that there are lots of casualties and you know what? It really sucks because such news are not really new to us. Filipinos are used to all the tragedies. The sad part is we are not given justice and that life is never fair. It never is and it never will be so we just have to accept it at that and be plausible all the time. In my humble opinion, this is what we have to do.

There are times when I'd rather not turn on the tv. What am I going to get? Bad news and all that crap?! Yes, I do know that the media is just doing their jobs to cover the events and all the things pertaining to the effing subject matters of the country. But what are we going to expect? Of course, I do not want to expect nor wait to make things happen or change whatever happened. All the bombings and bomb threats are not within our control. What we can do is to be more aware of what is happening and what we can do to avoid it from happening again. But how? I hope the government will do something about it - something that will have a good impact on the lives of the Filipinos. Okay, some might react that it is an accident since the culprit is disguised as a passenger and no one can ever detect that the culprit is the one who plotted the bomb inside the bus. For now, there is nothing we can do. It happened and it has been done.

Some may say that by staying at home and by not riding the MRT are one of the solutions to these bomb scares. There is no safe place so we just have to be very aware and cautious. People flocked the MRT not knowing that could be the next target. So, what's in store for us? What's next? Can someone give us the correct answers, please?!

Being vigilant may help but there are no guarantees, which is why at the back of my mind this old adage plays: If your time is up, it is up! See, there is no assurance after all. So, let's just live our lives and enjoy the life that we are given. I do not even consider that the bombings are trials in life because these bombings are called REALITY. And, what about the death of our fellowmen? It is called INJUSTICE. So, help us God.

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So I Pray

Before reading this, let us be silent for several minutes. Start by thanking God then continue praying to your heart’s desire.

For my introduction, this is what I have to say – I am not religious but I am spiritual. It is just ME, my PRAYER and my GOD. Please allow me to share with you my journey – as an individual and as a pilgrim of the world.

Praying is like eating to me, it is crucial to my growth as I explore and learn about my spirituality. I keep on searching for ways to know myself and God for ages. Last August was an opportune time for me to attend an ‘Encounter with God Retreat’. The last retreat I attended was wayback 2003. I rarely attend retreats but there’s a jolt inside me telling me that I should. That retreat is extraordinary and special to me because it is our first couple retreat, two weeks before our 6th anniversary. After that wonderful event, I have found a bit of serenity. I thanked God for making me feel that magical jolt.

Apparently, I always try to find balance just like the Yin and Yang. I see myself searching for the kind of balance that would make my life turn 360 degrees. It is in this stage that I started to pray more often than what I used to. I have read the Bible and the books pertaining to that matter until I found Elizabeth Gilbert’s ‘Eat Pray Love’. Her mentor, Ketut Liyer, enlightens us with his words of wisdom: To find the balance that you want, this is what you must do. You must keep your feet grounded so firmly on the earth that it’s like you have four legs, instead of two. That way, you can stay in the world. But you must stop looking at the world through your head. You must look through your heart, instead. That way, you will know God. Such comforting words confirmed my thoughts and convictions that I should continue my soul searching.

In my constant search to find myself and God, I have learned the following:

1. Love and accept yourself.
2. Be grateful with what you are given.
3. Be yourself.
4. Learn to love solace and find peace in solitude.
5. It is hard but we should forgive those people who have wronged us. We should also forgive ourselves, too.
6. Take time to be silent. Silence makes us think and reflect more.
7. When confused and undecided, be still and pray.
8. Practice not to worry too much.
9. Value the non-negotiable blessings in life like family and friends. Although work is important, our work will not take care of us in the long haul.
10. Know God.

To date, 2010 is my most prayerful and busiest year. Whenever I do something, I pray. The act of praying, if correlated with correct thinking, can really do wonders to our lives. It all starts with having a strong mindset and ardent will to change and make things happen.

I also became an agnostic. After my discernment and constant prayers, I am back to normal again. That’s the time that I have proven that I can be ‘still’ without having to worry about my tomorrows. Knowing that we have a loving God makes all the difference. It gives me peace of mind which in turn brings gladness to my heart and fulfilment to my soul. My faith in Him definitely moves me.

It is only NOW that I can finally say I am living my life. I have died and have been renewed by accepting God in my life. I am starting to live my dream. I am no longer worried of the adversities that are yet to come because I know that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13). I have made my own Yin and Yang in a rational way: Good > Bad = Balance. I believe that good must outlive the bad in order to achieve balance. Another equation for a happy and fulfilled life is this: EAT heartily, PRAY solemnly and LOVE unconditionally.

Eat to Live Not Live to Eat

Many people have advised me to eat a lot so I could gain some weight. After all, I am underweight and a bit skinny. I have been eating a lot for the past few months starting July. Every day, I told myself that I am going to eat more than I used to so that I could get a little bit of fat in the right areas. There are also times I felt like I am already a glutton but then, can I blame myself? Who could resist a delicious slice of cake and an irresistible ice cream? So much for my indulgence :)

Then...

Hardly do I notice that it is already October. I think I have succeeded halfway. I gained a few pounds and people started noticing that I am not that skinny. But, some say that I am still thin but not too thin. I think it is a compliment. Thanks to the workout sessions after lots of pigging out! :) I am grateful for the added pounds but not for the added bulges in the wrong areas!

Did I do it right? I don't think so. What I've learned from eating a lot is that I should also exercise! I should burn the calories I gained! There are times when I don't have lovehandles (bilbil in Filipino) but then I noticed that I have a little bulge here, a little bulge there or wherever! I should also be mindful of what I am eating. After all, my body is God's temple. I must not eat junk or something that could ruin my system. I should eat in moderation.

At least once a week, I have a meatless day and I do it on a Friday. Thus, the term Meatless Friday was coined and etched in my stomach's vocabulary. Because of this, I am also able to help our environment. Imagine the greenhouse gases being released by these meaty animals and the economical footprints that go with it. Honestly, I can't resist meat especially barbecue and steak. But, we can control what we eat. It just starts with the correct mindset guided with the correct attitude.

Let's all eat to live healthily and eat for the right reasons. :)

101010 and Eat Pray Love

10.10.10! This was a remarkable date for every Filipino who still hopes and believes that someday, Pasig River will come to life again. This is also a very special day for me and for my sister and friends who endured the exhausting run yesterday.

Whoa! We are all newbies in this 10K feat! This is our first time to run for a cause! It took me 1:36:17 to finish the race, not bad for a starter or so I thought. :) Well, we have to run, jog and walk since there are lots of people running with us side by side! After the run, Tata (my running buddy) and I fell asleep soundly. Oh, did I mention that we forgot to eat? Hahaha!

After waking up from a long nap, we watched Julia Robert's movie, Eat Pray Love. The movie was filled with lots of food scenes that our mouths water while watching Julia eat her big pizza and gelato - not to mention that we fell asleep without eating, so that means we are damn hungry.

At Jack's Loft, we ordered a full plate of carbonara, one huge fishbowl of iced tea and their spicy squid sampler. We are about to eat ice cream but we decided to go home so as not to overeat. If fengshui experts call the 101010 day a lucky day, I call it a day full of blessings and fun!

Dine, Surf and Have Fun at SM City Baliwag

To be able to taste one delicious food in a day is one scrumptious treat. What more if you are given an opportunity to taste several dishes and snacks all for free? Several dishes and snacks are lined up in SM Baliwag's food court. We started to let our taste buds tickle at about 3 PM. My tummy is already bursting at its seams and I felt my belt getting tighter and tighter as I taste all these delicious treats. Mind you, 'mouthwatering' is an underrated word to describe how palatable the foods taste like!

Here are some of our food sponsors who gave us these ambrosial foodies.

If you want a laidback lunch and relaxing dinner, try these:

1. Sisig Hooray - When it comes to pork sisig, this sisig stall has already made a name for itself. Tasting their sisig gave it more justice than simply looking at their flavorful choices. You can really taste the rich flavor of the pork. To make it even tastier, sprinkle it with soy sauce, hot sauce and the like. They also have chicken and squid sisig to boot.

2. Seafood Grill- The tuna kaldereta is palatable. You can taste the tuna and its kaldereta sauce is tasty while the seafood kare-kare is also bursting in flavor. These two dishes are healthy alternatives compared to their original counterparts.

3. Ka Damian - For a total taste of Pinoy ulam goodness, pork binagoongan and sinarsahang tadyang would be the best bet to combat hunger after a hard day at work.

4. Chin's Empress - The beef ampalaya patatim of Chin's can be a perfect treat if you're going to visit someone. Wow.

5. Baliwag - I simply love their liempo and lechon manok. I hope to take these goodies home.

For fast snacking and chitchat, check this out:

1. Hero Sausages - I personally like this because of its flavor. This hungarian sausage stall may be bit pricey compared to its competitors but it is worth your every peso. Their hungarian sausages taste like the ones serve at the hotel. Bravo!

2. Potato Madness - The junior size potato is just the right size to satisfy our little hunger cravings. Perfect for the movies, though. I like the potato goodness in every bite.

3. TK Takoyaki - Their beef and squid takoyaki balls can be as good as ulam, too.

4. Pinoy Lugaw - This yummy goto and fresh lumpia is simply delectable. Yum. yum. yum.

5. Chef Chow's - The salmon roll, chikuwa, meat balls and crab claw are wonderful treats especially if you've got a headache. Really.

Most of all, I enjoyed the food sessions and its magnificent wi-fi experience. International counterparts now fail in comparison.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Who would have thought that I can also travel across Persia and its cities in just an hour? Such was the wonderful experience I've had upon watching Jake Gyllenhaal's movie, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.

The protagonist, Jake Gyllenhaal looks nearly like Prince Destan in the video game and it is evident how he is so adept when he does his acrobatics which makes him look like he's a gymnastic genius in his own right. A movie is not complete without a sidekick and that's where Gemma Artenton's role as Princess Tamina enters the scene with a beauty enough to captivate the audience in a trance.

It was a cool story combined with love, action and suspense which leaves in the audience craving for more. Personally, I like the part when Destan told his brother that he didn't kill their father because that's when we see the love of brothers take part. Also, whenever Destan's take out his extraordinary dagger, he sees things and people... all through the sands of time.

I may sound bias by saying this but this is not like the other movies that made me really sleepy. Some say that the roles they've had may be of mediocre quality but it was given justice by the actors who played their part really well. To be fair with the movie itself, I wouldn't discuss the other scenes because my words seem inadequate to describe in detail how magnificent the scenes are, it would be all left to your imagination.

Honestly, I do expect more action sequences from the movie so I'm looking forward to Part 2. A marvelous story is not truly complete without more battles and stunts to look forward to. On the other hand, everything about the movie is fantastic. It would be more fantastic though, only if I was the prince or so I thought.

At the end of the movie, I've read these words that left me thinking: It is said that some lives are linked across time. Is this also the reason why I am now having a great time blogging about this movie while using SM's Wi-fi facilities? The mall's wi-fi connection is definitely superb, I did not encounter any single problem while using it. In fact, I was able to finish my blog and eat at the same time.

Need I say more for all of these? I could not ask for more so you better see this for yourself or you regret having an awesome time! :)

* blog for SM Baliwag's Movie & Wi-fi Experience

Talk About Healthy Ice Cream

My ice cream obssession already faded or so I thought. Hahaha! Am I a cheater to give in to this cold health craze? After all, it is still considered ice cream.

I'm a self-confessed ice creamoholic but I like to eat ice cream in its healthiest form because eating ice cream alone won't give me so much calcium. So, I switched to eating yogurt until I found frozen yogurt which has lead me to discover and search the froyo outlets in town. This is great news for all the lactose-intolerant peeps!

For a healthy dessert, try froyo (frozen yogurt). Its texture is just like our very own ice cream. The only difference is that this is the healthier alternative, not to mention that the froyo contains lactobacillus in it. Eat your froyo with or without toppings. You can even bring your own toppings to make your froyo experienced personalized.

I listed the stores according to my sequential visits. What are you waiting for? Give in and INDULGE. =)

As Red Mango's tagline boasts, treat yourself well. After all, we deserve this kind of treat after a hard day's work.

1 Red Mango - Eastwood Mall, Megamall, Trinoma

2 California Berry - Megamall, Silver City Mall

3 Yogurbud - Megamall, Podium

4 White Hat - Rustans Makati, Robinsons Place Manila, Shangri-la, SM North EDSA Annex

5 YoSwirls - Shangri-La

6 Yoh-gurt Froz - Bonifacio High Street, Greenbelt 5, Promenade, Robinsons Place Manila

7 FYI - Il Terrazzo, Tomas Morato

8 Lulubelle - Power Plant Mall

9 I Love Berries - SM Mall of Asia

10 Stick House - SM Megamall

11 Tutti Frutti - SM Megamall

12 Gurts - Pancake House

13 Frugurt - Fruit Magic