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.