TROOH 5 - Yes Virginia, less expensive houses do exist!

If you haven't read our previous posts, TROOH really means "The Roof Over Our Heads". I started this because I'm worried that when the time comes, Malou and I won't be able to move into our own house because of high prices. If you want to to check out my previous posts, just check the archives.

I am in the unfortunate (if you look at it that way) position of currently living and working in the East Coast. If we choose to live here after the wedding, we will have to look for houses somewhere outside the city limits. That usually means the 'burbs. Anyway, to find a house that would fit our budget, we would probably have to travel almost two hours to and from the city where we work. In this article (check out this site for a free login) though, if you look at the housing market outside New York, Washington, Miami and along the coast of California, you would find decently priced homes. This has made me rethink where we could possibly start our family. I do hope that when the time comes for us to purchase a home, we won't be turning down house after house just because our pockets are not that deep.

Don't like the gift, swap it!

I've always wondered what to do with my aunt's gift. It's a small cooler to keep your lunch warm but it's pretty bulky. I eventually saw my gift being reused as a bill refuse (bills are kept in it). I read an article about "regift" gifts and thought the idea of going to a party and swapping "unusable" gifts was pretty good. So, if you want to have a post holiday party and need an idea for an activity, use that one. Bring all your "unusable" gifts, wrapped properly of course, and swap them with another person. You could keep swapping until someone announces that you have to open the gift you currently have. Hey, the worst that could happen is you get your regift back

About those pesky logins...

I know some of you have been prevented from reading an article because you have to sign up for something. Well, I saw this website a couple of months ago but didn't come across it again until today. You may be able to find other logins for pix sites as some of those sites require an account on their service just to see those shared pictures.

http://bugmenot.com/

stress relief

If you need to release some stress after a long day of planning/preparation/running everywhere, go to this site. Have fun!

Hey Pare (Buddy)/Boss!

My sister and I were talking yesterday about what would happen if we both worked for the same company. We both just looked at each other and laughed as we both knew, it wouldn't work out. I would probably disagree a lot with my sister over technical details. Now I wonder what if I was the boss of a good friend of mine or I was the underling of my friend? It'll probably test our friendship when something big comes up. Read this article if you want to know more.

That ugly side ...

During the month of October, alienated youths, from the French suburb La Courneuve, burned cars, broke shop windows and attacked police in anti-riot gear. This was triggered by the death of two youths who were accidentally electrocuted while hiding from chasing police. Just today in Sydney, Australia young people smashed cars and destroyed shops in response to drunken white youths attacking people they believed were of Arab descent. It's hate, hate and more hate.

Those articles (which might require a login) have pictures that show how much resentment has built up all these years from people who will inherit this earth. It is frightening to see how far these young people would go to beat people to a pulp, just because they are different from them. In the article about La Courneuve, you could feel Looping's hopelessness in a system that was supposed to be color, race and sex -blind. His mother Djamila sends him to school but they are not expected to succeed. With an Arab name, he cannot find a job that will accept him. In Sydney hate begot hate as drunk white youths started beating Arab-looking people. It said in the article that the instigators where members of white supremacist groups but why were there so many? Why did others join in?

What is it with skin or hair color, the size or shape of one's eyes, height or accent?

Day of days...

Today is the feast of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I just realized that this is also the official name of the Manila Cathedral (Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception Manila Metropolitan Cathedral). Malou and I are also "celebrating" our thirty-third month together, leaving us 90 days before our wedding. A lot has already happened since our last monthsary and there is still a lot more to do. Malou is doing such a great job preparing everything that I am glad I am just in the sidelines letting her do what she does best. Occasionally I get to help but mostly it's all her.

I love you Malou and I'll be seeing you soon!

Garlic with a side of botulism

About a year ago I removed the dry skin of a garlic bulb and separated all the pieces. Then I dropped it into a small bottle and filled it with extra virgin olive oil. I just left this in the spice rack we have in the kitchen. Over time, I finished using the garlic infused olive oil on salads, eggs, sandwiches and whatever else I fancied the flavor of garlic infused oil. I also ate the pieces of garlic. I was just reading another blog when I came across an entry about placing infused olive oil in the refrigerator and removing the garlic least I get foodbourne botulism! Apparently garlic can be a breeding ground for the bacteria that causes botulism. That just sucks! I'll be a lot more careful next time I try this.

Fat in a can/bottle...

Go to any school and you know what you'll find? A cafeteria that serves terrible food and a vending machine filled with chips and soda (softdrinks in some countries). Now just imagine all those thirsty kids who just came from gym class and looking for a drink. Where do they go? If a soda vending machine is nearby you'll see them line up. These lawyers from Massachusetts filed a lawsuit against the top soda makers and their local bottler so that "sugary beverages" are banned from school. When I was in school I never used those vending machines as I already had food with me and at the same time I'm cheap. Why spend extra money on soda when there's a water fountain? Hey, sometimes I even bring my own water bottle or fruit juice from home. Why bother? Sure parents have varying schedules but to encourage their kids to buy soda by just handing them money for lunch borders on irresponsibility. Can't you at least give them a water bottle so that they have an option? Fill it up with calamansi or mango juice! Don't give up on your kid's health by just giving in to easy solutions.

Mommy, why does that car smell like french fries?

These are the days of rising prices, what with the price of a barrel of crude oil hovering at $60. Since your food is being trucked from one location to another, gas has to be processed to get to your house, water has to flow to your pipes, all of these things add up. I was comparing what I paid for gas this month with the same month last year and there is a significant increase. So I've resumed what I always did when I was a kid and I would turn off the lights in any room when nobody is there. Every little bit counts.

Over the summer, the company I work for wanted me to work at our sister site. It would have cut my commute time in half but I had to drive to get there! It was a good thing I refused as oil prices went up after a couple of months. I would prefer to walk rather than spend $50 a week to fill up a gas tank.

I wonder what would happen if I switched to biofuels. This article (this may require a free login) reports a merchant who uses the byproduct of his company as fuel for his converted car. Though using this type of fuel may render void the warranty on his car and he has to make the fuel for himself, he still keeps doing it. Hopefully as more and more alternative sources of fuel are made available for vehicles, car companies would make more cars that can use them.

Pipa is a "Good Time"...

Since Malou is doing our food tasting today, I thought I should share with you the wonderful dinner I had last Friday. Hopefully sometime this week Malou can also share how good the food is for our wedding.

I've always been interested in eating at a tapas bar for a while now. How many little plates will it take to fill me up? I've eaten at restaurants where they serve multiple courses and after about five courses I can't eat another bite. Will it take more with saucer sized portions?

Pipa is a taperia near Union Square. My sister recommended this place when we were deciding what restaurant to go to for our "monthly" (or whenever we feel like treating our other siblings) siblings night-out. I was glad we got reservations as the place was pretty packed by the time we got there. The restaurant was in a large room with chandeliers hanging everywhere. I was wondering why there were tags on them and then I realized that the restaurant was connected with the furniture store next door. Hey if you found something you like, you could easily head over to the store to buy it.



One of the first things I checked was the wine list they had. I was particularly interested what riojas they had. They had Spanish (of course) and French wines. I couldn't particularly see the rest because they were priced per bottle. It was a good thing I saw one rioja that they served per glass. When our waiter came around I asked about that particular red but he was not that enthusiastic about it. When I mentioned that I wanted a rioja but was uncertain what to pick, he suggested one that I was interested in. That and it was in the right price range. You can click on the image to see the bottle we had.

It was a good thing we ordered quickly as it took them a while to deliver the little plates. By the time they arrived, we were famished. I started with the Pulpo Gallego (sauteed octopus, calamata olives, roasted potatoes, and smoked paprika). The octopus was cut in bite sized portions and really mixed well with the rest of the ingredients. It was very tender and quite tasty. The olives gave it a salty kick but it was not overpowering. Hmm maybe it was the wine?

We then proceeded to eat seared scallops with caramelized onions, melted manchego cheese and crispy serrano ham (Scallops a la Mancha). I tell you those were pretty good scallops! The sweet onions and the mild cheese helped it along.

I asked for a piece of mushroom coca (or Catalan flatbreads) as it looked pretty tasty. It had wild mushrooms, figs, thinly sliced serrano ham, toasted almonds and white truffle oil. The sweetness of the figs with the slightly salty ham accented the mushrooms. I didn't notice the truffle oil that much. You could think of it as some sort of "Spanish pizza".

I then had more mushrooms by reaching for a mushroom croquette. Have I said how much I like mushrooms? I really, really like mushrooms. It was breaded and wasn't oily at all! The mustard dressing was a little mild. I expected a sharp zing but all I got was a small pop.

By this time my other sibling calls and tells me to order Gambas Al Ajillo. I do so because I was sure it would arrive just as she came in. It came a little later but it had a lot of garlic! I also really, really like garlic and I am glad Malou doesn't mind. It was good enough for us to get more toasted bread to scoop up the olive oil and bits of garlic.

I also had a Pipa coca which had Spanish chorizo, roasted peppers and tomatoes, artichokes, manchego cheese and paprika. Mmmmm....

Speaking of peppers, a small clay plate no bigger than a coaster contained a stuffed sweet pepper, filled with lump crab meat and shrimp. It was COVERED in a smoky type of cheese. I don't recall what it was called but it was lip smackin' good!

Oh and I saved the best for last. We had dates stuffed with almonds and cabrales and then wrapped in bacon. It was placed on an endive leaf. Out of all the tapas we had, this was the one I liked best. I could have ordered more but I reached my limit. Hmm, so it looks like I had about four small plates of food considering we shared all everything. That includes the sherry I had for dessert.

Ahh, that was some dinner.

Counting down...

Looking at our counter, I just did a doubletake when I saw the number. Today is day 100 people! 100 days before the wedding! And there is still so much to do!

If I could take time off right now and find a cheap flight back to Manila, I would do so. I am really sorry Malou if I'm not there helping you out. At the very least, I could be your driver who does know how to drive a stick shift (even if it's been almost eight years since I drove with one). Bawi na lang ako pagdating ko.

Hopefully by the time you read this everything went well with the paperwork. Considering we have the Family Code on our side, I think the civil registrar has no choice but to push our paperwork along. That and any future b2b from San Pedro, who has a h2b abroad, will have an easier time getting a marriage license.

Mahal na mahal kita Schatz and see you in a heartbeat...

LSH 1 - Lip Smacking Hopefully It's time to give thanks...

If you think about it, everyday is a great day to give thanks. Hey, you are breathing right? You have a roof over your head? You have a computer so that means you have electricity. If you are using a net cafe machine, that means you are wearing clothes and have money to pay for it. So, every day is a GREAT day to give thanks.

We've just finished our Thanksgiving lunch. Usually people in the US celebrate Thanksgiving dinner. We prefer lunch. That gives everybody time to ride home safely. Also, that gives a lot of people time to come by our place and partake of the Thanksgiving buffet.

Like every year, or more like every time I get the cooking itch, I get to cook something special. The night before, my mom bought a box of large frozen shrimp, a nice salmon and two bags of clams. I told her that I would take care of the shrimp and salmon if she makes clam soup. When I woke up today, I just went looking for some shrimp recipes that I could whip up in a jiffy. Here are the recipes I used.


Herb Salmon
1 large salmon
mixed herbs (oregano, thyme, dill, rosemary, whatever you want to use)
olive oil
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Prepare the baking dish by pouring some olive oil on the bottom and spreading it around. Place the salmon on the baking dish skin side down and "wash" it with some more olive oil. You could also use melted butter if you like.
3. Season the salmon with the herbs, salt and pepper.
4. Place salmon in the oven for 15 to 25 minutes. If you start seeing the salmon fat dripping and bubbling, give it 2 more minutes before you cut into it and check to see if it is done. Don't overcook it as dry salmon is not tasty.

The Lemon-Butter-Garlic Prawns are on the left and the Salt and Pepper Shrimp are on the right. As you can see, they didn't last long and my sister had to save the last couple of pieces for me before they were all gone.

Lemon-Butter-Garlic Prawns
(I got this recipe from the Pinoy Cook's blog and slightly modified it. Here is the original recipe if you would like to take a look.)
17 Large Shrimp
Butter
Lemon juice (try calamansi if you want)
Garlic
Salt and Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
2. De-vein all the shrimp. Save the shrimp shells in a bag and place in a freezer. It should be ok just as long as you don't thaw and refreeze the shells. The shells could be used for soup or seafood stocks.
3. Chop the garlic into small pieces.
4. Spread some butter on the bottom of a baking pan. Place the shrimp on the baking pan.
5. Pour the juice on top of the shrimp.
6. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and spoon the garlic on top of the shrimp. Place some pats of butter on top of the shrimp also.
7. Place the baking pan in the oven for about 10 minutes. When the garlic smells heavenly and shrimp have pink to red stripes they should be ready. Serve immediately!


Salt and Pepper Shrimp
(I got this recipe from Tyler Florence on Food Network. I modified it because I did not have chilies nor club soda. Here is the original recipe if you like.)
17 Large Shrimp
Cooking oil (peanut, vegetable, or whatever you have on hand)
2 large eggs
3 cups cornstarch
1/2 cup COLD, COLD, COLD water
ginger cut into slivers
salt and pepper

1. De-vein shrimp. Save those shells!
2. Pour cooking oil into a wok or frying pan. It should cover about an inch of the bottom of the pan. Place the wok on the stove and let it heat up. To check if the oil is hot enough, place a SMALL amount of water (A couple of drops at most! Please ensure no kids are around and that you protect yourself from the hot oil.) on a long wooden spoon and let it drip into the wok. You should hear the familiar crackling sound of hot oil. If you don't hear anything, wait. Let me say that again, unless you hear that crackling sound, don't fry anything!
3. Mix the oil and water in a large bowl. Whisk in the 2 cups of cornstarch and get rid of any lumps. It should have the consistency of heavy cream. Season with lots of salt and pepper. As Chef Florence said, "... remember it is called Salt and Pepper Shrimp!"
4. Fry the slivers of ginger and remove them once they turn slightly brown.
5. Mix the last cup of cornstarch, fried ginger and salt and pepper in a separate bowl.
6. Dredge a shrimp in the cornstarch and shake off any extra seasoned cornstarch. If any ginger pieces come with it, let it be. Dip the dredged shrimp in the batter and let the excess drip off.
7. Slide the shrimp into the hot oil. It should only take a couple of minutes to cook one side. Once it's done, turn over ONLY once. Remove after a couple of minutes and let it drain on paper towels. Season the shrimp again with salt and pepper. Serve with sweet and spicy sauce immediately.

All they can see is a forest of knees...

This is something TNgal and I have agreed on from the beginning, no children are invited to the wedding unless they are the flower girl, ring bearer, etc. We just thought that kids may not have fun in an adult event especially one that goes on for hours on end. I've attended a couple of weddings and I remember that all those kids were hyper in the beginning and then they start getting fussy during the reception. The parents then have to bring them outside to calm them down. I have seen kids who are quite well behaved but those are rare. So just in case you are wondering what one should do when inviting couples who have kids, read this article (may ask for a free user name and password).

Looking overseas...

Has your pride ever gotten in the way of getting to your destination a lot faster? How about if you were working on something and you've hit a brick wall but you still refuse to ask for help from the person in the next cubicle even though you know he's gotten past that particular wall? In my neck of the woods, I've been humbled many times when a complex task is easily accomplished by a few simple commands. Especially for something that requires a quick response, one should not hesitate to ask for help.

I've always believed that we have a very solid educational system. I compare some of the things that my cousins are studying in the US with what I learned in college. Sometimes I find that what's basic for us is already advanced for them. That's why I've been thinking of sending TNgal's and I (future) kids to their grandparents in the Philippines at least until they get to the collegiate level. When that time comes they could choose whichever college they want to go to just as long as they get to come home every summer.

Reading this article (may require a free username and password) has really gotten me thinking about what kind of education our kids would get here in the US. If the educational system is being adjusted just to boost grades temporarily, that wouldn't help our kids in the future. It's like setting them up for failure as they learn nothing just to make the school system look good.

Finally we've moved (the rest of the blog)...

Other than the countdown script (which for some unknown reason is also a problem on other W@Wie blogs), we have now completely moved here. I'm currently stuck at work waiting for some things to finish so I thought I might as well finish this. If any of you find a countdown script (that doesn't require a registration to use) that works with blogger, please write the URL down in comments. Thanks!

What is family?

I come from a very large family. I don't know what it was in the 50's or 60's but it seems a lot more people conceive a lot of children during that time. Of course I have no statistics to back it up but probably if I search the net something will come up. Anyway, I am glad to come from such a large group of cousins, aunts and uncles, grandparents, granduncles and grandaunts, etc. When I was a kid, and up til now, I was amazed, and a little confused, whenever someone would introduce me to a new aunt or fourth cousin. I am very happy to know that TNgal also feels the same way as we hope to have at least four kids in our long and mostly happy marriage (well ok in the near future marriage).

We all come from different backgrounds, and beliefs at times, but we all know we are linked somehow. If not by blood, it's by some sliver of relations of long time friendships. Even if we have not met each other, just by knowing that you are the cousin of an aunt of my father is enough for me to shake your hand and give you a hug.

So in this world today of adopted children and artificial insemination, what is family for them? I found this article (this may require a free account) about how children conceived by an anonymous donor are trying to find and connect with their siblings. One of the kids even introduces his brothers and sisters as "This is my sister from another mother, and this is my brother from another mother, this is my other sister from another mother' " and so on."

Flashback!

I'm trying to move all the posts from our old blog to this one. Bear with us if you've read these posts before. We'll try to intersperse new posts with the old one every once in a while. Also, if you see the title of a post starting with FB, then that means it's a flashback post. Ok?

Let the great migration begin!

We've just moved from a different blog host as they were going to shut down by the end of the month. Now I need to move all our old posts from that blog to this one. I am also wondering how I could move all those nifty java applets and code I've "lifted". Ahh just like old times!

FB Chatterbox is gone!?!

I am really glad people still come by and read our blog even if it turns out to be a long read. Thanks again and we hope you can come by again.

What's really annoying is that our chatterbox seems to have deserted us. Your thoughts are still there but I don't know for how long. Oh well, now I'm wondering if we should just really move on to a different blog provider. What do you think?

For now I will remove the "Your Thoughts?" section until I can find a different chatterbox. Thanks for sharing!

FB Burn your Underwear! Wait, We Need Those...

Ahh the 70's. Not only is it the decade I was born into, it was also the decade of booming economies (that came crashing down when the oil crisis started) and enviromentalism. I distinctly remember seeing an old newspaper article with a picture of a woman throwing her brassiere into a trash can. I remember that there was this air of change around everything even as we ran to our gates just in time for curfew.
Women were demanding equality with men. They wanted to break through the glass ceiling at work, pay for their own meals during dates and have the husband take care of the kids just as often as they do. I wonder what those women would say to the current generation of women. This article (requires a login ID and password) could shed some light on that.
To be honest, Schatz and I have never dated when I was still courting her. I wonder what would have happened if I had told her that all our dates were going Dutch.

FB Where do you want to go, live, earn a livelihood, etc...

I am pretty sure most of you know about brain drain. When I was in high school I looked forward to the time I would be working in the Philippines and helping "stimulate" the economy and society. Now I am living in the US and I have yet to take part in helping. Hmm, the only help I've given so far is the intermittent remittances I send. I hope one day I could help out in another way. Here is an article (This link may ask you to create a username and password) about how developing countries are affected by migrating college-educated workers.

FB Still squished...

Here I was thinking after a couple of weeks, or at the very least after we part ways temporarily again, that this blog would be back to it's normal unsquished self. Alas, everytime I look at this blog I feel like I'm slowly getting squeezed between an immovable wall and a unstoppable force. Anyway I sent support@myblogsite.com an email on Sept 27, 2005 and then again on Oct 5, 2005 about this problem. I'm still waiting for a response or a change on this blog.

Schatz also just informed me that everytime she tries to open our blog, her browser eventually times out. Dial-up really 5uck5! After using broadband for so long, using dial-up throws me back to the stone age. I do hope she gets a better connection somehow or else any posts she wants to put up will have to go through me.

FB Ever Ready!

Considering that a disaster can befall you or your family at any time, have you thought about what you need to have on hand if you have to leave your home in a hurry? I've always kept any important docs that I have in a couple of places in my room. While I was reading this article (you will be asked for your DNA) I suddenly realized if a tornado hit my area I would probably miss a couple of key documents. Since scanners are cheap nowadays, I should get one and start transforming my paper information into its electronic equivalent. Hey its a lot easier to grab a USB drive wrapped in plastic and tape than it is to grab bags of paper that will most likely get wet or damaged or worse blown away by a sudden gust of wind.

FB TROOH 4 - Out of our league...

I believe most people who want to buy a home are priced out of the market. If they place a high enough bid on a home, their mortgage will be a continuous source of stress every month! Finally developers and the government are getting around to help. Click on this link (this will require a login) for more.

FB TDGOT 3 - Never a better time...

It's been a while since we've posted here. Hey I'm just glad people still come by every once in a while to read our squished column. In the next couple of weeks things should start picking up as we finally begin our wedding preps in earnest. See you soon Schatz!

My college days were spent taking care of computer labs. Well, mostly we would just hang around, take a student ID, and assign them a computer. If there ever was any problems, it would be some weird virus a student would bring or the occasional jammed up dot matrix printer! Mostly, I would just wait for the end of the month so I could get my paycheck. Fortunately that helped me out with commuting and a little for fun. Most of it would go to paying for books I would need for the new trimester. Ahh to be somewhat self reliant!
Here's another article on helping college kids with their budget for the new year.

FB Those four letter words...

I have cursed. Boy have I cursed a mouthful specially in my teenage years. I distinctly remember during my freshman year when cursing was a favorite pastime. We would try to grab the attention of another student by saying "Hoy g@g0!" At the end of a long exam you could overhear us saying "T@ng1n* eksamen iyon ah!" I know of one classmate who would exclusively use "put@ng1n@m0" wherever he went. There was this one time he would say it one after the other and it was quite hilarious. Oh and of course, we wouldn't be caught dead saying these things in front of a faculty or staff member unless they were cool with it

Apparently, there are people out there who have been studying the use of swear words (you may have to sign up for an account to read this article). One of the things I would agree with in the study was that mouthing profanities is a way of reducing stress. Also, most curses involve something about the genitalia or bodily function. Nowadays though I've pretty much minimized my cursing and even replaced some of them to some nonsense words. One thing I found funny was that some words that are benign today were apparently vulgarities in the previous centuries! Considering that profanities reflect what current society deems taboo, that does make sense.

FB Don't think your kids are watching you? Think again!

Do you remember those old commercials where you see adults throwing garbage out in the streets or jaywalking and then you see their kids looking at them? Here's an article about how kids are imitating what they observe from their parents when it comes to alcohol and smoking. Hmm, it looks like I won't be having that wine bar at home then until all the kids are in college.
My dad was a chain smoker when I was growing up. Fortunately, he's stopped cold turkey when we were older. I do remember though that my dad would avoid smoking when we were around but even if he used perfume, the stink of tobacco smoke still clung to him. When my siblings and I grew up we NEVER wanted to try tobacco. We just knew it was bad news and didn't need it in our lives. So I think, it really depends on how you were raised and the company you keep. Then again, you have the final say if you want to smoke (or drink or whatever else) or not.

FB TDGOT 2 - More Tips...

Last week I posted an article on teaching kids the value of money. Here is another follow-up article from the Newsweek. I can never understand why ANY adult would give his or her kid a credit card when they are not even old enough to go to the mall on their own. I mean, when I got my first credit card I tried as much as possible not to use it. Hey that only meant piggy gets fatter a lot faster. When I got a couple of months worth of my salary in the bank, I got on ebay and bought my first ever computer!

FB Gender Segregation for Schools?

In the Philippines, we have a lot of privately-owned schools that cater to only one gender. In HS, I moved to one of those schools when, just the year before, I was attending a coed gradeschool. One of my first impressions upon entering my classroom was that it was going to be an interesting year. I wasn't disappointed as the first activity we had as a freshman batch was to be hazed by the upperclass men. I didn't even consider during those four years if there was any difference between the way we, coed or all women schools, were taught. Apparently, some schools do cater to this way of thinking. Read this article if you are interested.

FB TDGOT 1 -They don't grow on trees...

In this article, they discuss some tips on how to guide your kids through something even adults have problems with -- money. When I was growing up, I was never given an allowance by my parents. The only time I would receive money was during my birthday or Christmas. Other than that, I learned about how to handle money from observing how my mom took care of our household expenses. When I started saving my aguinaldo's and monetary presents, I would usually hold off on buying candy or something frivolous for something a lot more substantial. When I lost my first wallet, I pretty much made sure all my cash was in the bank and I just brought my ATM card with me wherever I go (of course my Dad helped me out with that one). Of course I made sure I had enough money to pay for my fare. I still get a gentle ribbing from my good friends whenever we go out and I'm the only one paying with a credit card for a $10 lunch.
What about you? How did you learn about managing your finances?

FB It's just you and me -- right?

Ahh the challenges a young couple faces after marriage. There is the constant threat of missing dinners because of work, forgetting special dates (ok that's mostly on the men's side), pressure on having kids and a whole lot more. Of course, there is the matter of fidelity. This article is saying that people think, at times, that their fling(s) don't count. That since more and more people are having unattached relationships, monogamy is an afterthought, something to work towards to. Even if most people say that married couples should have a monogamous relationship, they also believe that if one strays, the other won't leave him or her immediately. Between my fiancee and I, I think we'll be sticking to one another like a piece of peanut butter sandwich to the roof of one's mouth.

FB Stuck From The Hips Down

When I was in college the most serious relationship I ever encountered was the regular student couples. Once in a while I would hear about some teachers getting to know each other a lot better. Even then, it would take a while before I would hear any of those same teachers getting married. As for students, I do remember one batchmate of mine who dropped out of school and got married to her college sweetheart. Eventually, I would hear of others who do get married but that was after college. As more and more people delay marriages to have a career or are just not looking for that kind of relationship, I am heartened to read about college students who are interested. Hopefully, this will turn a couple of heads from those who remain forever single by choice.

FB What table scraps?

I've always pictured our home with a backyard. In that backyard though aren't just rose bushes, lilies-of-the-valley, carnations or sampaguita vines but also rows of bell peppers, jalapenos, siling labuyo, ginger, carrots, green beans, bitter melon, celery, basil, sage, thyme, lovage, onions, garlic, cucumbers, and other vegetable plants. Somewhere in the back is a nice compost pit where every night one of my kids would join me to add today's "garbage" in the pit. Malou, at the same time, would place into sealable plastic bags the leftover chicken bones, shrimp shells or wine. Those bags would then join the other bags of discarded carrot tops, parmesan rinds, leftover wine in a separate freezer. Of course the entire house is working off the day's solar charge while sending some up to the local power utility. While in bed, my wife and I would be thinking of the soups and stocks we would be making tomorrow night. Read this article to know what you could do with the food that's left behind.

FB Being On My Own

I could not recall a day in college when my parents would pick up the phone if I didn't like the dingy laboratory in St. Jo's Hall! If the comp labs' printers are tied up with hundreds of jobs, I go to the senior's cubicles and ask someone to print my doc. When my prof isn't available, I find someone else! Most likely when it's my turn to send my kids to college I expect them to improvise and adjust to whatever gets thrown at them. What's next, parents doing their homework?!? Give this article a read.

FB When School Starts...

Ahh I could remember those days during May when you could feel the start of a new school year just coming around the corner. You would probably start seeing advertising for back to school sales. I could still remember going back to school just to line up and purchase all the school approved books and materials we needed for the rest of the year. The smell of plastic covers for the books, the feel of the #2 mongol pencil, the bright colors of the new uniform all just come rushing back to me right now. To be honest, I've always looked forward to school every year because I knew I would find something new to look forward to.
One of the hardest things for a child is the morning ritual that happens during the start of new school year. Read this article if you want some helpful tips in preparing your kids for the coming school year.

FB TROOH 3 - Everything's up...

Here I was, all ready to start renting for the first time in my life and now, even rents are increasing! As mortgage rates are staying where they are but average home prices have dropped a bit, landlords have now started to increase rents and/or take away perks (free two months rent, very low security deposits or down payments). Though it shouldn't surprise me that as oil prices go up, everything else starts going up too. All you can do is just wait for the market to settle down and hopefully it won't be too late before you can "buy" your own home.

FB Assisted Marriages

I've met an Indian couple a long time ago whose marriage was arranged by their parents. At first, the wife was hesitant with her husband as the only time she met him was just before the wedding! The husband, on the other hand, fell in love with her immediately and really tried hard to show her how much she meant to him. Eventually, they had two wonderful kids and are happily living in suburbia somewhere in Illinois.
Apparently, nowadays, single South Asians have more say in choosing their partners. In this article, parents are still choosing the prospective suitors or who they want their sons to court but the children now have veto power. I now wonder what would have happened to those friends of ours if they could choose whom to marry.
Hmm I wonder if we're considered an assisted marriage.

FB I miss having a pet

It was a good two decades ago since I've had a pet. It's a good thing Malou loves dogs too. Hopefully, when we do get a house to call our own, we can get a faithful pooch. I was thinking of getting a chow chow. It looks so huggable!

Well, that's probably going to be a while. Hey I can dream right?

FB Ranting, Raving and What Could They Be Thinking!?!?

This article really makes me mad. And they say their doing it to move "... readers to a higher level of maturity." Cr@p. That is plain BS. Yes it does seem that children nowadays seem mature for their age but does that include s**ual maturity? Am I a prude for saying so? If it means protecting kids, specially our kids one of these days, from this garbage then YES, I am a PRUDE and proud of it! I would prefer that parents tell their kids about the birds and the bees rather than reading it from some book or hearing it from their friends. The more you clarify what s** is the better prepared your kids are from peer pressure. Also, why promote this kind of behavior in kids? Just because some kids consider oral s** not s** doesn't mean all of them are looking to give someone oral s** or receive from another oral s**. What do you think?

FB 60th Anniversary Kiss

I was reading the paper earlier and came across this article (You will need an account to sign in but don't worry it's free! ) about that famous photographs of a sailor kissing a nurse full on the lips in the middle of Times Square on V-J day. Life magazine was able to track down the nurse in the picture (capture by Alfred Eisenstadt, btw) but the sailor was a little harder. Hopefully someday, I can give Malou this same kiss.
Ich liebe dich meine Schatz!
Oh if you want to see the original picture, click here!

Mario Tama/Getty Images

FB Just wanted to share...

What do you usually do with the forwarded emails you get from your friends, co-workers, or relatives? Do you immediately route them to your trash bin, forward it along to a list of other people you regularly forward emails to or, , read it then forward it to people you know who should get it? To be honest, I usually get rid of the emails after perusing them if at all. Today though I got an email from a friend and I though I should share it with all those in the same situation as Malou and I, who are in a loving and supportive relationship and are getting married.

HOW TO DISAGREE AUGUST 11, 2005

“They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company.
Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus” – Acts 15:39

Since 1949, Cliff Barrows has been the Music and Program
Director for the Billy Graham Crusades. From 1950 to the
present, he has served as the Program Director for "Hour of
Decision" radio program. During Billy Graham Crusades, he is
known for singing songs like, “His Eye is on the Sparrow,” and
often, lead the congregation in “Just As I Am.”

He has said that early on in the Billy Graham Ministry, the four
men who would be instrumental in its success decided on four
core values. They were “integrity, accountability, purity, and
humility.” These values are central in all the ministry does and the
team prays over all issues all of the time. It has been instrumental
in keeping them together for more than 50 years.

Cliff said one time, “There are twelve words that hold a family
together....” In fact, we could say, these twelve words will hold a
marriage together, a family together, a church together and most
other relationships together.

These twelve words are: “I WAS WRONG. I AM SORRY.
PLEASE FORGIVE ME. I LOVE YOU.”

Disagreements will come, how you handle them will either bring
glory or dishonor to the Lord. Today in prayer, thank Christ that
in every disagreement, there is a way that can bring glory to
Christ.

“Ask the Lord to help you resolve conflicts in ways that bring the
greatest glory to the Lord. Demonstrate the highest wisdom in
respect to each person’s gifts, callings and spiritual maturity.”
– Paul Fritz

God’s Word: “But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies
and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are
unprofitable and useless.” – Titus 3:9

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2005

FB TROOH 2 - So near yet so far...

Hmm, apparently things are not looking well for low to moderate income families trying to buy their dream home. For someone who is working a honest 9 to 5 day, you would think that the person and his, or her family, should be entitled to buy an affordable home. Come on, for all the hard work people are putting in, they should be able to put something away every pay check to purchase their home. Why should they stay in a cramped apartment? Especially for a growing family! I just think it's evil that people can only dream of owning a home because they can never earn enough (or be buried under a mountain of debt that they may eventually have to give it all up anyway).

FB My Answer to two questions...

1. What are the things you enjoy doing even when there's no one around you?

I enjoy reading. I have always been a book worm and I don't think that will change. Most likely its because of the silence when I'm reading specially if it's a good book. The world sort of melts away as I picture in my mind what is happening in the book.

Cooking. Most of the time if I cook I take care of all the prep, the actual cooking and the cleanup afterwards.

2. What lowers your stress/ blood pressure/ anxiety level?

Prayers and reading a good book.

3. Tag five friends and ask them to post it in theirs.

Wait a minute I thought I was only supposed to answer two questions? Why is there directions for this activity?

Anyway, if I had to choose from amongst my friends to answer the same two questions, I would choose the following (assuming they see this blog and they know it's me )

Kenny
Angie
Charm
Chie
Allen

FB Interesting flowers, wonder if they'll...

... be good for the wedding. Take a look at these flowers. They have a nice, bright yellow color. I could just imagine the petals falling all over the guests. It's called rape blossoms.

Eckehard Schulz / AP

Apparently, this is the Chiba prefecture flower symbol. The oils from this plant could be used as biodiesel! That is so cool! Notice the large energy generating wind wheel in the background. This picture was taken somewhere in Eastern Germany. Oh I also lifted this picture from an article in Newsweek International Edition.

FB Such a lot of updates!

I was updating this blog earlier and I just realized, there are so many changes we've done in the past two weeks. There is the tagboard, the clocks and the ad. Not to mention all the people that will help make our wedding possible! I was thinking when we started setting up this blog that we would have a couple of entries a month and no changes to the layout would happen. Now we have done so many things that this makes me glad we started this blog in the first place. It's a work in progress by two loving people. Thanks Schatz!

I'm pretty sure the pace will quicken once fall comes around. So hopefully you readers will bear with us for now as we post sweet nothings to one another

Oh I saw this article once about cake toppers. There was this website that offered bride and groom figurines with different skin tones. Also I couldn't believe how much they would cost. I wonder if we could skip the cake topper altogether.

Just kidding Schatz!

FB My Eleven Things

See this is what happens when someone posts something like this! If this was in an email I probably would not fill this up. I feel though that since Malou has made this more of an open blog I might as well open myself up a bit too.

Eleven things on my wishlist
11. Malou finishes on time
10. Get everything in order so I can get Malou here
9. Get to buy an affordable house, at most an hour away from work, in a neighborhood that has great schools, good social center, friendly people and highly wired
8. My mom and dad can finally retire with want of nothing
7. My siblings get their dream jobs
6. We have time together before we start having kids
5. A good retirement fund to look forward to
4. Good health for all the people I know and love
3. Prosperity in the Philippines and finally getting rid of the shackles of crab-grabbing and finger pointing
2. Convince Malou that she can go camping, hang gliding, bungee jumping, forest canopy walking without worrying about imminent death waiting for us just around the corner
1. Peace in the world

Ten random things about me
10. I cook the "gourmet" food in the house and it's good too!
9. I read a lot of books covering a lot of topics
8. I like spending time just being at home
7. I haven't met a dish I haven't eaten
6. I am a chocoholic
5. I miss having a dog around
4. I am a proud techie!
3. I have two left feet when it comes to dancing
2. I can easily switch from being a follower to being a leader and vice-versa
1. I can be stubborn

Nine places I've visited
9. Philippines (Baguio, Boracay, Cebu, Davao, General Santos City, Tagaytay, Bulacan, Antipolo)
8. United States (California, New York, Illinois, New Jersey, Maine, Rhode Island, Delaware, New Hampshire, Virginia, Michigan, Colorado)
7. Germany (Hamburg, Berlin, Gernsbach, Köln, Bremen, Lübeck)
6. Canada (Ontario)
5. France (Paris)
4. Italy (Milan, Venice, Rome, Bologna, San Marino, Florence, Padua)
3. Japan (Osaka, Nagoya)
2. Switzerland
1. Netherlands and the U.K. (just short stop-overs)

Eight things I want to do before I die
8. Sky diving, bungee jumping, white water rafting, hang gliding, forest canopy walking
7. Teach
6. Start a business
5. See Africa and the Middle East as a tourist
4. Drive a hydrogen-fueled/earth friendly car
3. Own a house in a different country
2. Go on a cruise
1. Make Malou feel loved and needed every single day of our lives

Seven ways to win my heart
7. Have a healthy sense of humor
6. Be genuinely concerned for the people around her
5. Good cook (and I can be a food critic!!!)
4. Has good manners
3. Can talk about the most mundane and, at the same time, the most serious topics of our day
2. Respect for elders and family
1. Has very good friends from her high school days who still keep in touch up to this day

Six things I believe in
6. Good things come to people who act and strive for it
5. Family will always be there for you
4. Honesty is the best policy
3. To whom much is given, much is expected
2. That we should be living examples for everybody else
1. God is the center of my life and Jesus Christ is my Lord, my Master and my Savior

Five things I'm afraid of
5. Being late for appointments
4. Having not kept up in the industry
3. Forgetting my roots
2. Being angry and losing control
1. Be a bad husband, friend, father, lover, comforter, listener, advice giver

Four of my favorite things in my bedroom
4. Books
3. Laptop
2. Glasses
1. Pictures of Malou (in my laptop but it's still in my bedroom!)

Three things I do everyday
3. Check my e-mail
2. Read the gospel
1. Talk to Malou

Two things I'm trying not to do right now
2. Call Malou and talk to her for so long that she loses her pace
1. Get on a plane and talk to her for so long that she loses her pace

One person I want to see right now
1. Malou (I want to give her a hug, lots of kisses and a back rub)

FB Manila Cathedral #4

I located this photo on the web. From what I could understand on the web site I found this photo in, this was a painting of the cathedral during the 1580s. I wonder what it would be like to walk the streets of Manila during those days much the like the gentlemen in this picture.

FB Manila Cathedral #3

I could just imagine the artillery flying overhead as bombs kept hitting the Manila shoreline and people would try to seek shelter within the walls of the cathedral. During the second world war, the cathedral was destroyed as the Americans were trying to drive out the Japanese by basically blowing everything up in their path. At the very least, the basic form and features of the cathedral was kept intact as it was rebuilt.

FB Manila Cathedral #2

When I was visiting the major churches of Europe and here in America, there was always this presence of awe as my eyes would adjust to its majestic size. Every time I would enter one I knew there would something different about it. If not for the architecture, the different chapels housed in it. Or the murals or the stained glass.

FB Manila Cathedral #1

One of Manila's oldest and grandest cathedrals, the Manila Cathedral's full name is the Minor Basilica Of The Immaculate Conception Manila Metropolitan Cathedral. I was actually surprised by the full name as I've always known it just as the Manila Cathedral. I do remember attending mass at least once in this church.
It took us a very long time to decide which church to wed in. We were thinking about the Nuestra Senora de Gracia Church, Paco Church, and St. James the Great. We initially wanted a small church for the intimacy. We realized soon after that we may have a problem with the number of guests trying to fit in a small church. In the end, TNgal and I decided we should go with the Manila Cathedral.

FB Evolution or Eve?

I was reading this article today and I recalled my own days as a student. I remember then that in the curriculum we had, our science and religion classes would teach us how man got to where he is now. I don't know if it was just plain misunderstanding or I just couldn't grasp why there was two different ways that man came about. Right now I am of the belief that there is a place for both. My religious convictions does tell me that God created man while my human side does also believe that we did evolve from a single cell. Somebody must have started that chain reaction sometime long, long ago. Personally, I agree with the conclusion of the article that it's important for children today to understand that science does not have an answer to every question and that someone must be out there to try to find those answers.

FB Am I too concerned or what?

TN gal was a little miffed at me the other day. I was going somewhere late at night, after a long day at work, a couple of hours away. I never liked it when we didn't hash out our problems, especially if we won't be able to talk to one another til the following day. Anyway by the time I get to the place a couple of hours away, I give her a call to tell her I've arrived safely. She was a little sleepy so I quickly said "I love you, let's talk later on" so she could get back to sleep.

The following day I tried calling her a couple of times but she wouldn't answer her phone. I got worried. I'll never forgive myself if I lose her because of my foolishness. It was really hanging at the back of my mind the entire time I was away. I just said to myself the Lord will guide us and we will talk when He says we can. Then I just lifted up my concerns to Him. That made my day just a bit more manageable.

I finally got to talk to her about the time I was going back. She was at a seminar and had dinner out with friends. She did not bring her cell phone as plans changed during the day and she had to hurry. That was very nice to hear! I was finally able to breathe. I was dreading this phone call that I was thinking of not calling her. After apologizing to her and finally hearing her "love you" really made feel a whole lot better. Hmm, come to think of it that always happen anyway when I talk to her.

Am I too concerned? I don't know. I feel normal and I felt that what I did and what I thought at the time was normal. To be in love!

FB TROOH 1 -The Roof Over Our Heads...

TNgal knows my concerns about the housing market. I'm freaking out every time I think about how much a house and lot will cost when we start looking for one a couple of years from now. With this "housing bubble", we may be stuck renting for a while til we can afford one!
I've never liked renting. For me renting means you temporarily live in a square box (all right, a rectangular box with a couple of rooms in it) and can be displaced anytime your lease isn't renewed. I don't like condos because all my life I've grown up with a backyard.
For now I am resigned to renting for a while since TNgal won't be with me for the time being. Any chance I get to place a down payment on a new home I'm taking it!

FB Being Grown Up

I just came from a prayer meeting tonight. It was one of those meetings where you get more than you bargained for. I felt great being in the same room with all my fellow brothers and sisters, enjoying each other's company and praising the Lord.

I am glad to be such in wonderful community of believers, who unashamedly proclaims their faith. I am also glad that I am given the opportunity to grow with them, as I am growing with TNgal.

I am immensely blessed by the love you have for me Schatz. I hope and pray that as much as I praise the Lord through my words and my works, I may do the same to you.

Ich liebe dich meine Schatz.

FB By the Luxembourg Gardens

We are True North Guy and True North Gal. It was truly a blessing to be in Paris in springtime. I wish we didn't have to leave.

FB Reminiscing about Italy

I can still remember the great dinners my uncle would give us whenever he had the time. He also gave me a chance to feast upon slice upon slice of pizza! My only regret was that I did not get to hang around for another week or two to check out the other wonderful regions of Italy.
I just saw this article today and I was thinking of surprising TNgal with this. Not today of course but sometime in the future. What, you didn't think that I'll give everything away did you?