52/365: I’m Writing This In Real Time But…

21st of February

I just got back today after a two-day "work-related whatever" and I am  now facing my lappy overwhelmed with the tasks that I need to do in the coming days ahead.

The first thing that I did is to check my emails specifically the ones originating from my blogs’ contact pages, (important) messages from my social media accounts and all the important messages that were sent to me through this crazy e-world.

I’m trying to finish reading the ones from the social media as quickly as I can that I don’t even have the time to “Like” or “Favorite” the statuses that made me feel good .  Does that mean that I’m “anti-social media” now? LOL!

Well the reason for my rushing is because I need to finalize the drafts that needs to be published on specific dates for this blog.  However, the list of the drafts on my writing tool made me frown.  I tried to pick one to finish but nothing seem to fit my mood.  This is bad!


Why does the topics that you were so inspired writing some days ago does not seem the same when you go back writing about it?  Is it the same with you or is it just me?  I’m a moody writer most of the time.  I usually type away what’s on my mind or what fits my mood.  And this usually gives me problem.

The reason of this ranting is of course has something to do with  my daily post or what I call my 365/blogging challenge. I’m running five days (six including today) behind by now.  Although I have all the topics drafted per day but they are not finalized yet.

As for this one, I’m writing this real time – see that date on the upper right corner?  That is the exact date that I am writing this post.  The problem is I will not be posting this as long as I haven’t posted the five days prior to today.  (I’m nuts!)

So what’s the topic on this post again?  Nothing!  I am just posting this just to let you know that I’m still on with the challenge (except that I’m not just in the mood *frown*)!

51/365: My Soul Learned A Little About Surfing Through “Soul Surfer”

20th of February

Unlike most bloggers (and other people) I don’t have a bucket list or a “50 before 50”  thingy on my profile.  Although I have a mental list of things that I want to do before I die one of which is to run a full marathon (42K baby!) – but the thing is , I don’t document them.  Probably because I’m really an spontaneous person.

Lately I’m starting to add some more adventures (and dreams) to the things that I still wan to do before I die.  There’s another one that I added today and let me share this one to you.

I want to experience…

Surfing!

This thought is kinda disappointing right now because just some weeks back I could have experienced surfing in Baler (Aurora, Philippines – which is starting to be popular  right now).  But because I’m too hooked up with work I missed an email invite from a friend for a Baler adventure – of course this is another story. 

So why suddenly surfing?

I came home one day from work and saw this movie playing on our family’s 24-hour movie screening (LOL).  As I slumped on the couch just to catch my breath and take my shoes off I saw this ocean/surfing scene that looks so refreshing plus the story seemed familiar to me.  Staying a little bit more in front of the screen I realized that I really know the story because I was following that story before from magazines and other reading materials.  Well of course it was back in the days that I wasn’t too hooked up yet in the e-world.

The movie is titled “Soul Surfer” .  It is about the story of Bethany Hamilton, a lady surfer that lost her arm from a horrific shark attack.  I got hooked watching the movie till the end while I am still wearing my  outfit from work.  It is not only the inspirational aspect of the movie that interests me, but it is actually more about surfing. There are scenes and dialogues in the movie that made me understand a bit about the sports of surfing and it perks my interest and fascination. 

Prior to watching this film, I never really got interested about surfing.  I consider surfing as a thing for people who lives nearby the sea with surfing waves.  Or.. people from Hawaii (LOL).

But let me clarify that I’m not planning to be a surfer (Goodness gracious!).  I just want to experience surfing.  I just want to experience how it feels like to be on the surfing board and with the wave.  I bet that would feel awesome.

You might also want to watch the movie.  It was cinematicaly good for a biopic plus it is very inspirational.

“I don’t need easy.  I just need possible.” ~ Bethany Hamilton / Soul Surfer~

50/365: Do I Wanna Build A Snowman?

19th of February

Sorry to disappoint you but this has nothing to do with the latest movie craze “Frozen” and to everyone’s LSS for a couple of weeks now.

This has something to do with me gaining  a lot of weight since the Manila weather went back to its “tropical mightiness” after a short period of allowing us to display our jackets. Ang init! (It’s so hot!).

Apart from eating a lot (due to stress maybe or whatever alibi I have for eating a lot.) I found the other major culprit that is continuously causing my instant chubbiness.  I realized that while I’m enjoying slurping one of them from a Belgian Cone that I bought from a nearby grocery.

My son’s version of Banana Split! (LOL)

Hubby jokingly blurted “Did you know that there’s no ice-based food with a salty taste?  They are all made from sweet foods.  Well apart from those specialty ice cream that we don’t eat regularly”.  Then it was followed by “And did you notice how often do you eat these sweet ice craze foods lately?” (while grinning) 

Oh wham! So true!

Every time that I’m out of the confine of an air conditioned room I’m looking for something that is refreshing to eat. Be it frap, praf, smoothie, ice cream, ice craze, zagu, sago, halo-halo or whatever brand term they call it I am having them all.

What I’m wondering about is that I’m not fond of these ice-based sweet foods before.  In fact back in the days that I was working with a Chinese-owned company, I adapted their habit of drinking hot tea even during the hot weather/temperature.  I don’t know how I started this habit lately.

Summer is not even at full blast and yet I’m having an overload of these sweet ice-based food.  Any tip how can I avoid these foods?

Diet?
Naaah! Let it go! Let us just build a snowmann - in my tummy!

Oh by the way, if I frustrate you because I did not talk about the movie “Frozen” on this post in spite of my title, I suggest that you check out a well-written post about the movie from my good friend Jay.

49/365: Wok With Balut: Pizza Talong (Pizza Eggplant)

18th of February

This post is for my friend and colleague Jae-Arh.  She’s the friend I was talking about on the Prelude of my "Wok With Balut" series who had been requesting for a copy of this recipe.

Every time I invite close friends to dine at home Jae-Arh would automatically ask “may pizza talong ba?”  And this is the reason why I am posting this recipe a little detailed compared to the other recipes that I posted.

So here’s my personal recipe of PIZZA TALONG.   It is actually similar to “Tortang Talong”.  I just named it “Pizza Talong” because it looks like pizza when cooked.  It also sounded more yummy. 

There are two versions of this recipe.  One is for VEGIE LOVERS and the other one is for MEAT LOVERS (just like pizza).

My Pizza Talong for Meat Lovers.  Fresh from the Pan!

My Pizza Talong for Vegie Lovers.
The Pizza Talong in this photo is already sliced because I made it as a side dish for the “Steamed Tilapia”

INGREDIENTS:
Large Eggplant - grilled, peeled and mashed
Eggs – beaten
Tomatoes sliced horizontally
Green Pepper sliced horizontally
Bell Pepper sliced horizontally
Red Onion chopped
White onion sliced as onion ring (optional)
Butter

Optional:
Giniling
Hot dog or Sausage

Procedure:
1. Sauté all garlic, onion, tomatoes, green and bell pepper in butter.  Don’t over cooked the spices.
    (If with meat, sauté first the meat ingredients before the spices)
2.  Then add the mashed egg plant.
3. Add salt and seasoning.
4.  Pour the beaten egg and wait until it formed a circle.  The thicker the better.
5. Served topped with onion rings and fresh green bell pepper.

If you noticed I don’t give an exact measurement on the ingredients for my recipe.  Because that’s how I cook.  I match the measurement of my ingredients according to the number of people to whom the dish will be served. And I just estimate the quantity of each ingredient to the quantity of the major ingredient which for this one is the egg plant.

Why don’t you try cooking your first pizza talong?

48/365: Wok With Balut: A Sequel To The Tilapia for Lunch

17th of February

I’m supposed to be writing about love songs for this love month but this food series is more important.  I need to serve the sequel while it’s fresh and hot (LOL).

What I mean is that there’s still the Part 2 for the Tilapia Dish that posted.  It is because hubby is the one who bought the live tilapia fishes.  The problem when he’s buying the tilapia is that he always buys too much – more than two kilos!  Imagine we are just four in the family! Well I can’t blame him because he’s really a fish person and Tilapia is really among his top favorites.

And because I don’t want to lose the freshness of the tilapia I asked them if they want it again for dinner which they joyfully agreed in chorus.  So here’s another version of a Tilapia dish.

SARCIADONG TILAPIA

Ingredients/Simple “how to”
Garlic, onion, green pepper, bell pepper and tomatoes sautè together then add fish sauce and seasoning.  Make sure that the tomatoe’s juice is already showing before simmering the fried tilapia on it.

If you noticed it has the same spices/ingredients from the first tilapia dish except that this time the spices were cooked.  A bell pepper is also added so it will smell good.

When we want to have taste variation, we usually top it with different spices.  Try it and you’ll gonna love it!

47/365: The First Time I Let Someone Interrupt My Valentine Night Out.

16th of February

We were about to step out for a very late night out on Valentine night when one of the local channels feed a live screening of the 2014 SOCHI WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES.  This doesn’t happen normally in Philippine television that a regular programming will be suddenly cut out off the air to feed a live coverage of the Winter Olympic games.  The reason of course is our very own MICHAEL CHRISTIAN MARTINEZ is competing.

Hubby and I automatically sat back on the couch and hooked ourselves on the TV screen.  It was like an unspoken agreement that our night out will be delayed.  My whole family is such a sports fan.  You’ll find us absorbed together in front of the television enjoying various sports program.

When Michael performed my whole family was cheering as if we were watching the game live in Sochi.  When the scores was flashed after the end of the first set of competitors we were on standing ovation.



Hail to this UNIQUELY talented Filipino. A figure skater from a tropical country where one’s normal familiarity in snow-like ice is by eating them!



Of course Michael did not win gold nor silver nor bronze. But does it matter? He’s an Olympian for God’s sake competing in a sports that most Filipinos know nothing about.  The amazement was so obvious on the judges and commentators reaction.  The first not only from the Philippines but more so from South East Asia.

I would still give him my standing ovation even if he landed last on this competition.  Do I still need to state the reason why?  Let us just give him his much deserved support.  Hey government particularly the sports commission - wake up!  If this boy won’t still have your support you all deserved to be thrown with snow by Elsa!

~

You might be wondering why our V-Day night out seemed a little late.  It was because we did not plan anything on that day.  We don’t want to be an add on to the romantic chaos that is going on.  Besides our own schedule is a mess by itself.  Both me and hubby have work all day and apart from that he also has an early evening meeting.  So what I did was to come home early from work to avoid the traffic while hubby skipped the day’s work.  So just about after lunch we’re both at home and we’re having this conversation:

Hubby: So where do you want to go?
Me: “Gusto ko lang kumain ng kwek-kwek tsaka pisbol”
        (I just want to eat street foods)
Hubby: Huh? Seriously?
Me: Yep. I always passed by this alley of street food carts but I’m not buying because you always told me not to.
Hubby: Ok let’s go if that’s what you want.  But promised me you won’t make this a habit ok? 
Me: Yey!  Ahm where’s my flower?
Hubby: Hmn.  I thought we’re buying it together? Because last year you scolded me for buying too expensive flowers?
Me: LOL

So we spent the first part of our valentine here and this became one of my “happy place”

The other parts was me cooking pasta for dinner while hubby was at his meeting. He arrived home with my flowers.  We all enjoyed the pasta and the sweets at dinner.  Then we watched movies at home with the kids while enjoying my home made nachos, wine for me and hubby and soda for the kids.  When the kids retired for bed we finally decided to push through the tentative plan of going out (just the two of us) which as earlier told was interrupted by Michael Christian Martinez.

Simple joys, simple fun, lots of love, everyday is Valentine.

We were able to go out just before midnight and went home just before dawn.  As to what happened coming back from our night out… wink*