The Benefits of Oregano

Oregano (Scientific name: Origanum vulgare) is also known as Wild Marjoram, Mountain Mint, Origanum, Wintersweet and Winter Marjoram.

Hand of Hope: Samuel Alexander Armas

A picture began circulating in November. It should be "The Picture of the Year," or perhaps, "Picture of the Decade." It won't be. In fact, unless you obtained a copy of the paper, you probably will never see it.

Tracey Connelley, Baby P's Evil Mom, Shows NO Remorse

I have never been affected by any story as much as Baby P's story has affected me. Yesterday evening, I found myself sobbing twice! I just can't get over the sheer horror of the story.

Baby P's Murderers -- Why Are They Being Protected?

In my country, it has never happened before that the media and the people have been forbidden to actually reveal the names and faces of TC and SB, the murderers of Baby P.

That Winter The Wind Blows Finale: Did Oh Soo Die?

Over the holy week break, I spent the entire four days just watching the 15 episodes of this Korean show. Yes, I am a self-confessed Korean drama addict. I already have my favorite actors and actresses; albeit, I don’t know their names.

Oct 29, 2010

If A Picture Paint a Thousand Words



Oct 28, 2010

Paige and Riley Vids





Stinkhole

For months now, mamu has been complaining about my cousins' room - or the state of it. We have three cousins staying with us - all of them college students. Anyway, Mamu has called it a pig sty. I was not completely convinced (because Mommy tends to exaggerate - she likes doing so because she likes spicing up her stories) until I saw the room for myself.

I do not really enter other people's room, so I have not seen the state of this room despite Mamu's complaints. Until the other day.

Paige wore her favorite gown that day. She knows that I'd get mad, so she tried to hide from me. She entered my cousins' room and hid under the bed. I had no choice but to look for her there - in effect, I was able to enter the controversial lair.

And I realized my mother was not exaggerating at all. Take a look for yourself -









Oct 14, 2010

My Life in 5 Photos


Malunggay and Sabaw - the Perfect Food for breastfeeding mother. Well, I try. I cannot call myself a breastfeeding mother, however. I am failing miserably, but damn it. I am trying. I am not giving up. I will not. I will not!!!


I massacred these ants. I do not apologize. There is no death penalty or reclusion perpetua for mass murder of ants. They deserve it. Those blasted brainless creatures.




Yep, this is a disgusting photo. It's Riley's poop on my thigh. I hope you haven't eaten your breakfast, lunch or dinner yet. I've gotten used to it though. I have been pooped, peed on and vomited on for the last three weeks. It's a pretty good life indeed.


This photograph is for my sister. This is the parent's initial harvest. There is more to harvest. They've turned the front yard into a rice field. What's amazing though is that they've left it there for the last three days and nobody has stolen them yet! I swear! I cannot imagine where all the thieves and robbers have gone.


See this? This is my accomplishment. I'm proud of this - it's pathetic, but I am proud of this. Fairly soon enough, I'd be a "dried-up" mother who once dreamt of breasts that produce milk for cheese production. I actually thought I'd give that breast milk lady in eBay a run for her money. Stupid.

Eat Your Vegetables!

Once a mother always a mother... You'll always worry about your children - yes, even when your child is 30 years old and has two kids of her own. You will never fail to hand over whatever it is you're eating (and still wanting to eat) if you're child asks for it. And you will always nag your child about eating right - and eating vegetables.

I generally don't like eating vegetables. No, scratch that. I like vegetables except okra. I generally deplore Okra. I think it's a sick vegetable. It has mucus for god's sake! Who would like to eat a vegetable with mucus in it. And it has hairs. It's generally an icky veggie. I will not force it on anyone especially my children. If one day, Paige tells me she hates it, I'd nod my head and say, "Yes, I understand my child it's an icky vegetable with hair and mucus. Who would want to eat that?"

And then there's this other vegetable. They call it the parapagulong. I probably don't have the name right, but it's name ends with gulong - so, that's that.

Anyway, while eating our lunch earlier, I was feeding Paige while talking to Mamu who was sitting across the table from me eating her lunch as well. We had tinola for lunch. And I was making Paige eat her papaya. The tinola had the papaya and parapagulong mixed in it.

I was convincing Paige to eat the papaya, telling her she'd be prettier if she eats it. All the while, Mamu was nagging me to eat the parapagulong, "Ay ta magkakan ka baya nene kaini... Mamaray ang udo mo." (I think she has given up on me growing prettier if I eat my veggies, so it's basically about my bowels from here on. )

Anyway while I was force-feeding Paige with Papaya, Mamu was dropping every piece of parapagulong on my plate. While Paige was complaining about the papaya, my face was all scrunched up, irritated with all the parapagulong on my plate, "Tama na ini Mama ha? Ini na lang.. ini na lang! Dai mo na po dagdagan!"

It was only then that I realized what was happening. Two generations of Mothers. It never changes. It's always about making your child eat her vegetables. I pointed it out to Mamu and we had a good laugh over it.

Oct 12, 2010

White Lab Coats and Scrubs - It's All About Chic and Comfort

I’m a huge fan of Grey’s Anatomy. Over the years, I have developed a certain fascination for white lab coats. Of course, I am not going to start wearing one anytime soon – lest, I’d end up in a place where a lot of people wear these coats. You know how it’s like when you go to a hospital for an emergency check up or enema, you get to see people wearing these coats and you can’t help but stare at them? You don’t? Okay, maybe that’s just me. But I swear I find myself watching them. (I am the same way with nuns and their habits.)

Anyway, there is something fascinating about doctors and their coats. I like the idea that they can wear just about anything underneath those coats and they can still look good.

For instance, check out this coat at Blue Sky Scrubs. It’s advertised as wrinkle free or resistant and it's 100% cotton. That just screams “COMFORT!” If I were in need of a coat, I’d likely grab this one as well. It’s also advertised as “slimming". You would also look chic in it. I would definitely want to look slim and chic while I save someone’s life. This one also has plenty of pockets, so you can practically bring everything you need while you go on rounds. If I were to enroll in Medical school anytime soon, I'd get this one.

The same goes for nurses I think, they can wear anything inside their uniforms and scrubs and they‘d still also look good. They also look incredibly comfortable. I guess comfort is a huge thing for doctors and nurses. After all, they put in hours and hours of grueling work and they cannot very well be wearing anything less than comfortable. I guess this is particularly true with nurses who – well, in my opinion – put in more hours than doctors.

If you are studying to become a nurse or a doctor, being able to wear scrubs or coats may just be one of the perks. Well, maybe wearing them can get tiresome in the long run, but as long as you buy white lab coat and scrub from a good retailer, I think you will be able to enjoy your coats and scrubs for a long time.

Disclaimer: This is a Paid Entry

Oct 8, 2010

A Weird Thought on Vampires

Can menstrual blood drive vampires into a feeding frenzy? For instance, if you throw a bloody napkin at them, will that drive them to think, "Ah, food!"

It's blood, isn't it? Granted it's from the uterus, but still... it's blood! I wonder if Edward Cullen likes menstrual blood. Oh yeah, I forgot.. he's vegetarian. That friggin' glittering vampire doesn't eat people.

If you'd squeeze 100 bloody napkins and offer the extracted blood to a vampire, will he drink it?

Okay, this is not just a weird thought - it's a disgusting one. I'll end this now.

Oct 7, 2010

I'm the Sun! Hah!

Early this morning, I opened up my Google Reader and checked out interesting blog posts from bloggers I follow. I giggled at Mot's entries. He is a blogger I recently followed by the way. If he is single, I would have tried to match him up with Ms. Francisco. But she's probably tired of matchmaking by now and she'd likely kill me if I dare make the suggestion. After all, she has been quite vocal about her depression. Why are you depressed by the way?

Anyway, I came across Luna's latest entry entitled "What Time of the Day Are You?" I'd usually roll my eyes at this kind of erm.. crap test (sorry Luns) but Luna's test result was -- well, poetic.
You’re the time of day right around sunrise, when the sky is still a pale bluish gray. The streets are empty, and the grass and leaves are a little bit sparkly with dew. You are the sound of a few chirpy birds outside the window. You are quiet, peaceful, and contemplative. If you move slowly, it’s not because you’re lazy — it’s because you know there’s no reason to rush. You move like a relaxed cat, pausing for deep stretches that make your muscles feel alive. You are long sips of tea or coffee (out of a mug that’s held with both hands) that slowly warm your insides just as the sun is brightening the sky.
pale bluish gray... sparkly with dew... mug held with both hands ... see? poetic. (By the way, luns, this perfectly describes you.)

She's 6:49 a.m. I like that. She's 6:49 in the morning - and I wondered what time of the day am I? Am I 7:33? 5:42? 9:15? I wanted to know what time of the day am I as well. So, anyway, I did some Google search to look for the test and I got it. I don't know if it's the right one though. I was not given a specific hour/minute. Instead, I got this result -
You Are Sunrise
You enjoy living a slow, fulfilling life. You enjoy living every moment, no matter how ordinary. You are a person of reflection and meditation. You start and end every day by looking inward.
Caring and giving, you enjoy making people happy. You're often cooking for friends or buying them gifts.

All in all, you know how to love life for what it is - not for how it should be.
I like this one too. :)
It reminded me of a card I received from a friend. I think I talked about this before. I have received a lot of compliments - I'd likely kill myself if I hadn't... I'm freaking 30 years old. I should be entitled to a few compliments thrown my way, but anyway I digress.

As I was saying, the best compliment I have ever received was given by a girl friend, Cheryl. Back in 2003 (I remember this distinctly because I was with my ass-ex when I got it. I was dating an ass - and you can't forget an ass especially if it bit you in the butt - figuratively speaking, of course). She gave me a Christmas card and it said, "You are like the Sun . Everything gravitates towards you."

I think it's as good as one can get. I'm the freaking sun. Hah. Beat that. This test just confirms it. The cooking and buying gifts part though is not true. I'm too stingy for that.

Oct 1, 2010

Dear Digitel

You suck.
Just when I think you couldn't suck more, you prove me wrong. You suck big time.
Your service sucks.
Your technical team sucks.
The customer service operators I've talked to suck even more.
They are a bunch of mindless morons who know nothing but to spout out the same relentless idiotic drivel that you seem to have taught them.
"Oh, I'm sorry for the inconvenience, ma'am."
"I am going to forward this to the technical team."

blah.blah.blah.blah.
I am going to transfer to another ISP and I'd likely sock the lights off anyone who come near here with a stupid bill from your company.
You don't mess with a woman with a ripped uterus!