HOW'S EVERYONE?

If you are able to read this entry, you are one of the few who still have access to the internet. As we write, two severed subterranean cables on the seabed near Taiwan Strait are being reconnected. For the meantime, we have to make do with slower internet connections.

Yahoo isn't doing well in this netcafe but is okay in the office. I think we are using a European link as almost anything that is US-based is just slow at the moment. What a global village we have truly become.

Things are very, very hectic at work lately. Suffice to say that our US offices have passed on to us work they wouldn't do over the holidays and we have sacrificed family time for a pathetic piece of ham and SM gift cheques. Wait, I should be thankful for all these. Not everyone gets the same priviledge. No, I ain't being sarcastic when I said that.

How was your Christmas? Please do tell me about it.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Merry Christmas to all my readers in the Philippines and from around the world!

BETTER THAN SLEEPING ON THE JOB

A study of the skeleton by Andreas Vesalius (1514-1564)

I’ve been doing the graveyard shift these past three weeks and in between downtime, I’ve had the greatest pleasure of reviewing my anatomy. Yep, you read that right - my human anatomy. Thanks to the website of the University of Minnesota, I’ve been able to refresh my already shrinking memory of my medical school days, most especially that of my knowledge of basic anatomy and physiology.

Funny enough, for the very first time, I was able to appreciate the physiology behind the renin-angiotensin system (I hated Nephrology back then because it was too darn confusing). Thanks to the site, it doesn’t spoon-feed the student but rather, it helps you analyze how things work inside the nephrons. I wish my professor did just that – simplify, simplify. He should have read Thoreau in his free time.

If you are into medical stuff and you miss it so, you can review your anatomy here. I can’t wait to review Histology and Neurology next as I was really bad in these subjects. My favorite basic medical subject was, hmm, Biochemistry. I think.

CURRENTLY PLAYING

I was only a fan of Groban because of the 1st album although he does have notable tracks in his second. I only listened to this album once so far (and while I was trying to catch some shut-eye) so I am not the best person to say whether it is good or not. Let's just say that when I woke up, the shuffle was already playing the next CD.

American band Scissor Sisters was established in 2001 whose style, as Wickipedia would have it, "draws from disco, glam-rock/pop, and the gay club scene of New York." I'd spare you the details regarding how they got their name. This album marks their return to the scene and the track Everybody Wants to Same Thing was first peformed during Live 8. Elton John is also featured here as pianist and co-writers of I Don't Feel like Dancin', said to be the group's dream collaboration-come-true.

This is the one that's getting full attention in my player for the past 2 months (Thanks, J!). His version of Matt Monro's Walk Away was just the thing that made me fall for it. Of course I've forgotten all about this song and Matt Monro until I heard 18-years-old Peter Grant's version. I did play the original version on You Tube and it is just as haunting (click on the link I provided to play it). Grant's version is more powerful though because he has such a full voice (maybe the You Tube copy of Matt Monro's video was on mono or something. I do not have Monro albums unfortunately but I guess Mom does). Other notables in this album are Windmills of your Mind and Joanna, the opening track. This album is among the Top Ten in UK recently and will probably continue to mesmerize many as long as there are vintage fans and young people with old souls out there who seek 21st-century renditions of the standards. Honestly though, I hope the revival of standards by young singers stops with Grant. One more revival album and everyone would be up in arms already.

After bursting your eardrums with Mariah Carey's ubiquitous Merry Christmas album (thanks, BC!), here's the best thing to happen this Christmas - Chris Botti's DECEMBER. Botti, as always is full, demonstrative, almost sexy. I think he lends his vocals to some tracks but allow his horn to do the rest of talking as that's what he does best. Blowing his horn, I mean.

SAN SEBASTIAN CATHEDRAL, BACOLOD CITY

SOME MORE RANDOM BACOLOD PHOTOS

DAGHANG SALAMAT!

I owe Jerome of Bridget Jones is a man and and I am her fame for my being able to get into my own blog. I accidentally delisted my own name and email from my members list. Whew! I owe you big time, gurl!

A W.T.F. MOMENT

I am irate.
I am foaming at the mouth.
I'm homicidal.
I'm suicidal.
I'm humiliated, debased, degraded.

And not only that,
I feel like throwing up
to be living my middle years in a country of this nature.

I am nauseated.

I spit in the face of
Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban
and his cohorts in the Supreme Court."

- Maid Miriam upon finding out that she wasn't part of the list JBC submitted to the President

A SUNDAY LIKE NO OTHER

My day started at 7AM yesterday. Went to the office to meet the rest of the storytellers group and we left for Don Bosco Makati by 11.30. We were met by a deluge of children and adults. It was only in DBM did we find out that it was the Archdiocese of Manila, through CARITAS, who was sponsoring the Persons with Disabilities (PWD) Day.

We managed to find our group and the gang did their thing despite the noise coming from the main stage (there were satellite sites for other events like storytelling, free hair cuts, coloring, etc). Anyway, the children were mostly deaf or with Down Syndrome. There were caregivers and guides and interpreters to help the team translate the stories to the kids.

I must admit it was a shock to see so many kids with disabilities, some of which were obviously very preventable. Neural tube defects can be prevented with folic acid during pregnancy yet we still see so many cases of cleft palates, harelips, hydrocephalus, etc. A case of miseducation. Or a lack of it.

Children with disabilities require twice the attention (and the patience) given normal children so I wonder how parents, already saddled with work, keep their sanity intact.

I left for Intramuros to catch the 27th Annual Grand Marian Procession of the Confradia de la Immaculada Concepcion. It was a grand sight but a bit misplaced. The objectives, I mean. It wasn't a procession for the faithful. It was a parade of beauties! What the hermano and hermana lacked were score cards and the picture would have been completed.

The hierarchy should look into refocusing the objectives of this exercise. Besides, I wonder if the Virgin - poor and humble from birth to death - would have enjoyed being fitted with such gems and brocade.

Soaked from the heat and the thick throng of onlookers, I left Intramuros for Malate to have dinner with the Borjas and attend the 8PM Mass. Then went to work.

This morning, there was this wonderful sunrise (see topmost photo) that I couldn't resist taking a photo of. I hope this is a sign that the week will turn out smoothly. I wish the same for you, readers.

Cheers!

Photos of the Grand Marian Processions will be posted in SUPERPASYAL soon.

WHY DO I DO IT?

One venue. Two women. 72 hours of keeping awake thinking and planning for their weddings. That was my life these past two weeks. This plus my regular job. Why am I killing myself for this? Because I would be sorry I didn't do enough when I know I can.

This is a reminder to people out there: Do not let your hobby take over your life. Just do it for fun. Be good at it. Earn from it, if need be, but don't let it kill you. For the meantime, I have a sleep session to catch.

More photos to be posted soon at Dylan's Vatel Manila.

COMING SOON

Coming soon to terrorize you.

COMFORT ZONE

Some photos of home in Las Piñas.

SLEEP IS ALL I NEED

A Banana Yoshimoto provides the perfect resting place for my paper weight.

NOT IF I COULD HELP IT

I have added Yellow Cab pizza to my Not-in-another-year Food List. Terribly oily and salty. It joins Cinnabon and all kinds of doughnuts. Oh, wait. Krispy Kreme opens on November 30. I am not excited but congratulations is in order to the Max's Chicken chain for winning the rights to open shop in the Philippines.

I WANT TO FLY AWAY, FLY AWAY

I've been having the longest non-sleeping days lately, the first time since medical school. Heavy workloads plus events I have to take care of. There's been evil talk going around that I've started to look like a panda bear because of the dark rings around my eyes. Maybe I should start nibbling on bamboo to complete the picture. I wonder if Jher met some during his recent sojourn to Mongolia and China.

All my week days are full now. Work schedule has shifted back to graveyard for the next three weeks. As I write this, I am trying to imagine how the wedding I am designing for tomorrow is going to look like. After that, another one on December 8 and 19 ( I think).

Last night, I saw Casino Royale with BC. C.R., Ian Fleming's first novel on 007 written in 1953, comes alive once more in the person of Daniel Craig (Mom thinks he isn't Bond material because he looks German) and boy, oh boy! This film was breathtaking - the chases and stunts were truly awesome! It helps, of course, that camera work was just as good. I have trouble dealing with the banter between Craig and the beautiful Eva Green, however. It sounds very, how does one say it? Tortured. It was like a mere mouthing of lines and sadly, they can be funny if delivered well. Bond here, of course, hasn't yet acquired the savvy and finesse his subsequent characters will personify. I miss the Eva Green of The Dreamers (2003; she played the role of Isabelle).

For those who haven't read the book (like me), now I know the reason behind his mistrust for women. Craig's Bond is very human - he is able to make mistakes (and admit to them!), get hurt, sport scratches on his face, get dirtied and bloodied. I can't wait for the next film, if there will be one.

BULAD = TUYO

Bulad is Visayan for dried fish. It comes from the word, uhm, "bulad" or "ibulad" which means to dry in the sun. In Tagalog, it is called tuyo from the the word, uhm, "tuyo" which simply means dry. See the difference in context? :-)

BOB'S, BACOLOD

Napoleones. Delightful flaky pastry. Perfect with tea.

Pavlova. To kill or to die for?





I went all the day to Bacolod to eat a burger? Bob's Giant Cheeseburger (Php 80)





Ropa vieja. Shredded beef on moist rice (Php 120)