Be Careful What You Wish For

Yesterday, I posted as my Facebook status: 'will nicht aus seinem Traum aufwachen', which simply translates to 'don't wanna wake up from his dream'. I was being figurative, of course.

But somehow the universe took what I said literally.

So this morning I was having one of my pre-waking up parasomnia episodes. I'm used to having them by now and what I normally do to snap out of it is to just willfully wake myself up, start doing physical activities, and empty my head of thoughts as best I can.

So that's what I did. . . Or what I thought I did.

I woke up, went to the PC to check my mail, saw my sister, talked to her for a bit, and joked about having another one of my 'weird' episodes.

And then I woke up. Again.

And now I'm here, hopeful that I am REALLY checking my mail, REALLY blogging about that silly experience, REALLY hearing the sounds coming from a Facebook game.

You know how they say, 'be careful what you wish for'? I think it's true! Well, you'll never ever know when the universe's gonna take on what you wish for very literally.

Sometimes, I just wanna believe that the Matrix is real...


Photo from gamespot.com

Must Keep Inner Fire Burning

I've had it with doing things for the money. If I've always held the belief that money should be nothing more than a means to an end, how did I end up working for money for the sake of making more money?

I've had it with being a neurotic and having the victim syndrome, blaming all that's going wrong in my life on the rest of society. It's time to take more control of my life and direct my path to something more worthwhile.

A sudden spiritual jolt. An emotional awakening. And now I've finally realized what it is that I should be doing and what I should be. There's no going back now, this inner fire must be kept burning.

A Short Contemplation Regarding 'Batch Unity'

Tonight while I was wrapping up my thoughts for the day while playing a video game, my often dysfunctional memory data bank decided to plant itself on the old subject of 'batch unity' (which by the way I would still insist on calling 'class unity' *ahem*).

It has been often been said by most, including even by those from my own high school class, that this was our 'curse', this lack of batch unity, and it truly sucked way back then. I could still vividly remember how it was that while all the other classes are pretty much closely tightly knit together, you could always tell that my class was pretty much the odd bunch. Of course, like everyone else, we had our own set of cliques but we just don't have that one giant clique known as - the BATCH.

It's not as if we didn't try. We really did. But it really took effort to do so. Although I would like to think (and I really do think) that by our fourth year, we eventually nailed this 'batch unity' thing down and our graduation ceremony turned out to be quite a memorable event despite lingering issues and disputes between some people.

Ten years later and looking back on those days, I asked myself: Were we really that bad? Were most people from my class really just that self-centered? Was it really just a 'curse' we had to learn to accept?

While I wouldn't deny that our social mindset was indeed very much different from the rest of the school, I'd have to say that this 'lack' is not really a curse, no matter what the naysayers might say. Looking at things another way, one could perhaps attribute my class' unique group personality to us just basically having more people who have PRAGMATIC points of view as compared to the ROMANTIC way of thinking of other people in the school.

And so it was that I came to realize that perhaps things weren't so bad after all. The year my class graduated wasn't just the turn of the century, it was the end of a millennium. And maybe, just maybe, my classmates and I just have a mindset that belongs to a new age, a PRAGMATIC age, as opposed to the romantic minds of old.

And looking at how our lives have turned out so far, it is quite impressive seeing how most, if not all of us, managed to adapt ourselves to the ever-changing times. Is our pragmatism to be given credit? Most likely. If we were born romantics, would our lives turn out to be different? It would probably be similar, but it definitely wouldn't be the same.

Being a romantic myself, I've come to a closer understanding of how these guys (with whom I've shared no less than four wonderful years of my life with) really think and tick. It is good to finally get to know them even if it took me ten long years to do so. Yes, I think I have grown to love them more.

Photo by Leslee Natividad

The INFP

So according to this test based (supposedly) on the theories of Carl Jung found in mypersonality.info, I am an INFP, a 'Dreamer'. Whatever the hell that means, it's good to know that people of my type only make up for 2% of the world's population. Even better to know that I share the same personality as:

AA Milne
Amy Tan
Helen Keller
JRR Tolkien (cheers!)
John F Kennedy Jr (eh?)
Peter Jackson
Princess Diana
William Shakespeare (more cheers!)

According to this page, I should take on one of the following jobs (with the bolded ones as those I am seriously considering):

Activist
Architect
Artist
Actor
Counselor
Church Worker
Employee Development Specialist
Educational Consultant
Editor
Filmmaker
Fashion Designer
Graphic/Web Designer
Holistic Health Practitioner
Human Resources
Journalist
Librarian
Legal Mediator
Massage Therapist
Missionary
Musician
Minister
Psychologist/Counselor
Photographer
Physical Therapist
Researcher
Social Scientist
Speech Pathologist
Social Worker
Translator/Interpreter
Teacher/Professor
Video Editor
Writer

Tut, tut. What to do? What to do? Teehee...

Eating... the Filipino Way

I have come to the conclusion that fine dining as well as pretty much any rule of etiquette that has to do with eating are nothing more than just western concepts. Before the Chinese came, we didn't need dishes, we used banana leaves. Before the Spaniards came, we had no use for spoons, forks, and knives, we used our bare hands.

It is along this line of thought that I came to the realization that for a Filipino to truly enjoy his meal, he needs to stop eating with 'class'. Who needs class when you're eating anyway? Will the food taste different? Does looking like a westernized weirdo make you more important? Our cuisine wasn't made with the idea of which fork or knife to use when eating that or this. The rest of the world can turn their noses up on us and think us as barbarians. Honestly, why should we care?

Here's a list of local food (mostly from the Tagalog region) which I deem to be best eaten Pinoy style, i.e. no spoons, knives, forks; with bare hands; and with a total disregard for western etiquette.

Pakwan (Watermelon)


Cutting it into tiny little cubes and then using forks to eat the little pieces one by one is just wrong. Even more wrong if you buy the seedless types. Best way to eat them: cut them into triangular pieces without taking the green layer off, chill them for about an hour, then start eating. As for the seeds, be a man and learn to pick them off in your mouth. Stand next to the window then spit them out. See, you won't just have a watermelon garden soon, you don't even have to buy them next time.

Uraro (Arrowroot Biscuits)


This is one of those biscuits that just won't stay intact. As soon as you take one in your hand, it starts to break apart and eating them can get really messy. So what to do then? Ground them into powder while still in their wrappings then pour them into your mouth. Make sure you have a glass of water nearby and try not to choke.

Espasol (Laguna Rice Cakes)


I love having these but I can't help but wonder why the bakers are way too overzealous in coating them in white powder. I mean, do you really need all that to keep them from sticking to their paper wrappings? Don't serve them by taking off the wrappings, putting them in a plate, then cutting them into bite sizes with your fork. Eat them like you're eating a choco bar. Tear off one end, pour the excess powder out, then start eating. Make sure you're not wearing black or else the police might mistake some of the powder that got into your shirt for an illegal substance.

Sorbetes (Dirty Ice Cream)


Put several scoops on top of a cone and start licking like a starved dog. Don't even contemplate putting them in a glass and using a spoon. Lick dammit, lick!

Turron (Banana Fritters)


Similar to the espasol, it is wrong to serve them in a plate along with a fork. Pick it up and start biting. Sure it gets annoying if some of the brittle wrappings fall off but that's part of the challenge. The less mess you make, the more awesome you are.

Barbecue, Fishballs, and other Street Noms


Okay, these delights on sticks are no-brainers. It's even better that the vendor has skewered them, making it easier for you. Ignore those haute dining restaurants where they serve these babies on plates. Go to the nearest street vendor, pay for one, grab your stick, eat all the meat up, then poke your friend who's standing next to you.

Mani (Roasted Peanuts)


Or Roasted Highland Legumes as the ever-corny Manny Pacquiao calls them. Again, a no-brainer here. Just grab a handful and toss them all in your mouth. Best served with cold beer.

Pritong Manok (Fried Chicken)


While not really a Filipino-exclusive food, we do know that the best fried chicken in the world are those cooked up by that fast food chain whose mascot is a creepy, smiling, dancing giant bee. Again, don't eat them in a platter with the usual utensils. Grab a leg, and start tearing and gnashing at the limb with your teeth. Don't forget the gravy.

Alimango (Mud Crab)


Okay, although crab is a usual fare in restaurants, we do know that no matter how much of a 'classy' diner you are, if the crab still has its shell, then you know it's really going to get dirty. Using utensils to break them open can be quite frustrating. The best thing to do: use your hands to pull the shell apart. As for the juicy meat inside the pincers, here's the best time to actually put one of your spoons to use. Put the crab pincer on the table, then whack it as hard as you can with your spoon to break it open. Don't mind the other diners staring at you.

Bulalo (Beef Marrow Stew)


Another restaurant fare, this time especially popular in and around Batangas. Eating them with class is a no-no and indeed laughable. To be able to extract the marrow, don't hesitate to ask the waiter to hand you over a wooden stick or any other long sharp thing to be able to poke and take the marrow out. As for the soup, don't bother sipping them quietly with a spoon. Sip it direct from the bowl and make as much slurping noise as you can with gusto.

Pancit Habhab (Lukban Noodles)


If you try to eat them from a plate with a fork, then you must be, without a doubt, losing your mind. The proper way to serve and eat this is by putting some on top of a small banana leaf cutting, then with just your hands put them next to your mouth and literally gobble them up. Literally. I suppose that's how it got its name with the sounds you make when eating it. Definitely not classy by western standards but it more than makes up for it by being oh so mouth-wateringly delicious.

Balut


Last but not least, the now world-famous (or maybe infamous) balut. Whack the egg's air-pocket end onto something hard, sip out the juice, then peel off the skin, eating the contents as you go. Don't forget to show the embryo to your non-Filipino friend. (P.S. that photo is the most glamorous balut picture in the internet I could find.)

- - - - -

I always believed that to truly enjoy your food, you need to become one with the food. Being too formal too often with eating or dining only dampens the experience, making the food less tasty and enjoyable as it should be.

Now I am not saying that you should start eating like a caveman when eating Filipino cuisine. If you're uncomfortable eating with just your hands, then by all means grab a pair of chopsticks, a spoon, a knife, a fork, whatever. All I'm truly trying to say here is: Filipinos are a simple folk and enjoy preparing meals in a simple manner. Westernizing Pinoy eating may be an interesting idea, true. But to enjoy the local flavor, such experimentations are really unnecessary.

Photos from auxiliary.com, boyboypalaboy.wordpress.com, everythingsherbed.blogspot.com, erasmusa.blogspot.com, tumblr.com, bisayajudkaayo.blogspot.com, greenbulk.com, asianfoodfanatic.com, bisayabulletin.com, ekusinero.com, foodgy.blogspot.com, jacobimages.com

A Subtle WTF Moment

Today, I think I just had a 'subtle' WTF moment.

We are all familiar with the non-subtle kind, you know, the one where you immediately see what's off.

The subtle kind, however, takes a while for you to realize it.

So this morning, I was chatting with a friend who just got back from Thailand. She went and saw some of the local sights including this show with elephants doing neat tricks. Nothing weird there, I would've loved to see that too.

Then she said, "I want to adopt one. I wish I could've took one home."

Laughs and shiggles.

Yep, if it were me, I would probably secretly smuggled one out of the country. I find elephants adorable.

Later that afternoon, I remembered something random she told me about how she dislikes cats.

Being a cat person, I find it weird that someone could actually find cats creepy. But hey, it's a free world. Each to his own, no problem.

And then that's when it hit me -

She's willing to have an elephant in her house. But she's not okay with having a cat.


All I managed to think of was: WTF...


I'll be trying to keep a tab on other subtle WTF moments starting today. We'll see how many I will encounter by the end of this year.

Photos from seawayblog.blogspot.com and flickr.com

The Chipettes

One video you wanna see over and over again due to excessive cuteness and giggle factors.



Best for getting rid of those songs you can't get out of your head. Side effects include getting this song stuck in your head instead. =P

Some Tips To Lower Stress Levels

I just saw this article in Yahoo and I think it's a pretty good list on how to make life less stressful each day.

Some of the things in the list that I do include:

- Don’t wear tight clothes or uncomfortable shoes. (Don't go to formal parties.)
- Make a list. (That's what I'm doing.)
- Listen to a favorite song. (Hey Jude! by the Beatles.)
- Have a good book to read. (A book by Bob Ong.)
- Exercise. (Post work out high is the best.)

I'll be posting the link to the complete list here so I can easily check back on it in future. d^^

Passion for Pancit Canton

If there is one comfort food that just screams 'Awesome!', it would have to be this. There's just no way you can be wrong with it. It's cheap, not so healthy (whoo!), and very easy to prepare. No wonder it has unofficially become the Filipino poor man's fare, replacing the old mackerel scad.

What's mackerel scad, you say? Scientists call them Decapterus macarellus. But locally it's known as the ever enjoyable galunggong. While it is truly a shame that a worthy specie of fish has been replaced by noodles in a pack, is there truly a reason to blame the poor man trying to eke out a living? With inflation and rising costs, he has to make do with what's cheap and readily available.

But out with the economic drama and in with the gastronomic yum! Like every other food, there's a right way of preparing it and a wrong way. Nothing irks me more than having to put up with pancit canton prepared the wrong way, and here's how I want it done:


Not one, but two
Seriously, one pack just isn't enough. I'm not a bird nor am I Kate Moss. Two packs would be the least that could satisfy me. But since I'm still trying to lose some extra poundage, I would have to do with two even though I could probably eat more.

Make it spicy
Sometimes I wonder if I have Mexican or South Asian blood in my veins. The plain-flavored or the calamansi flavored ones are just too boring. It's spicy or get the hell out! And don't fool me by trying to mix the regular-flavored pack with the spicy one. I'll know. Oh hell yes, I'll know.

Don't wait for the water to boil
I know it says in the instructions to dump the noodles only when the water starts to boil. But that would just simply take forever. To make it simple, as soon as you put the pot over the fire, put the noodles in. By the time the water's boiling, the noodles will be almost ready.

Have a pair of scissors handy
I hate it if when you're trying to open up those little seasonings sachets, some would spill out if you just tore them open or used a knife. I recommend using a pair of scissors. It's clean, easy, and no amount of flavoring gets wasted.

Pre-mix the flavoring
Yes, it also says in the instructions to put the rest of the ingredients on top of the noodles once you've drained the water and put them in a bowl. The problem with this method is the powder clumping up and the flavor not being spread out evenly. Instead, put them all in the bowl before you put the noodles in. Then mix them until they are of the consistency of thick paste. It'll be easier to mix them in with the noodles this way.

Don't make it al dente
Some like their noodles firm. I like mine to be a little on the soggy side. So make sure that you add an extra minute when boiling the noodles to make it extra soft.

Use a plastic strainer
When I used to use metal strainers, I get the feeling that some of the metal flavor gets into my noodles. Maybe it's just me or perhaps the strainer is really just of a bad quality. To avoid this or any potential metal poisoning, use a plastic one. Also, once you've transferred the noodles from the strainer to the bowl, make sure that not one strand of noodles would be left in the strainer. Scrape them all off. Don't let anything go to waste.

Garnishing or no?
Depends on how hungry you are by this point. I used to fry up squid balls to add to my noodles. But if you're really really hungry, or really really depressed, just skip this part and get to eating.

Bon appetit!
Yes, the part we've all been waiting for. Don't be shy by eating the noodles strand by strand. There's really no point in trying to savor and appreciate your work here. Just gobble them all up like there's no tomorrow. Make sure that not a single noodle strand would be left in the bowl. Shame on you if there is.

Breathe a sigh of relief
Yes, it sadly took you only less than one minute to eat what it took you ten minutes to prepare. But who cares? That was fun and satisfying, wasn't it?

Mmmm...

You know, it's pretty amazing how the rest of the world often asks how a Filipino, whether he's living in a farm or beside the railway tracks, manages to be happy despite being poor. It's really pretty simple. In a world way too consumed by consumerism, the Filipino poor man knows how to enjoy his simple joys.

Photo from bigboldbeautifulfood.blogspot.com

Which Game To Play in 2011?

Less than two months to go and I'll be cancelling my subscription from WoW! *cheer* While the good ol' online comrades are gonna be missed, it'll also be good to be free at last from the endless nerdraging and the brainless e-thug e-peen stroking.

I'm gonna be taking a break from gaming for about a year to make way for some personal changes. But I'm pretty sure that once I'm emotionally and mentally settled, I'll be needing my usual gaming fix again. 2011's gonna be coming out with some pretty exciting titles but I've decided to only play one, mostly for mental and financial sanity. I've narrowed down my list to two, but which one though? Decisions, decisions...


Bioware's Star Wars: The Old Republic (SW:TOR) is a breath of fresh air from the usual sword and spell genre. Jedi vs Sith, airships, planets, hyperspace travel... But like WoW, it's also played online, so does that mean that I have to subject myself to the torture of mingling with online elitists again?


Blizzard's Diablo III on the other can be played as single-player so at least I would be able to have a good time without the pain of playing with mentally subnormal people. It's gonna be back to the old sword and spell style of fighting though.

...

...

Yes, I'm a nerd. You can't change me. t(-.-t)

Photos from platformnation.com and diablo3.com

spot.PH's Top 10 Most Irritating Songs of 2009

I only chanced upon this article while waiting for my e-mails and other internet stuff to pop out this morning. And I must say that I agree 100% on this list - a good representation of what made last year's music industry truly craptastic. Almost made me lose faith in humanity with every note played.

But can we actually blame the music execs for putting out with these crap? After all, with all the on- and offline piracy going on, finances have really hit rock bottom.

Don't expect me to explain the lack of talent though.

Want to subject your senses to extreme punishment? Click here.

Cool Antarctica

A few days ago, Ophelia mentioned that she wants to go to Antarctica. While I haven't got the slightest bloody idea if she were serious or not, I am very much interested in finding out more about this strange, southern land. Google led me to coolantarctica.com, a site managed by photographer Paul Ward, wherein you can find lots of interesting pictures he took of the frozen continent.











Now I think I want to go on a trip to Antarctica too.

All photos by Paul Ward from coolantarctica.com

Love, Relationships, and Being Crazy

We don't need a genius to tell us that relationships are never fairy tales. Yet somehow, some people still delude themselves into thinking that they are and could be so. A man and a woman in love does not always equal a relationship, and there are also way too many factors and dynamics to consider. Even if you put every effort to make a relationship work, there will never ever be perfect. Relationships, I came to accept, are meant to be imperfect.

So while the whole world scrambles to provide aid to the earthquake-devasted nation of Haiti, here we are in the Philippines being bombarded by the local media with some unnecessary news regarding an entertainment couple's rocky relationship. It is disappointing that such news are being given more air time over more important matters, but what can we do? We are a nation obsessed with stars and scandals.

So I took some time to sit down and watch the live interview. Had a few laughs with some of the details. I wouldn't bother talking about it as I'm sure that by tomorrow all the nasty tidbits will be out in the newspapers anyway. What I don't get though is why the wife has to be the one on the hot seat. I may be mostly indifferent towards her but I have to defend her on this one because she didn't do anything. Why on earth is she the one doing all the explaining? Where are the people who are supposed to be the one doing so - the husband, the alleged other woman?

A friend, who incidentally lives in the same neighborhood as this couple, told me a couple of very interesting ideas she has regarding what people in crumbling relationships like this one should do. No, they do not include switching religions to facilitate multiple marriages. And I'm pretty sure the Catholic Church wouldn't like them either. Not very popular and moral ideas, but they do make sense to me nevertheless.

Leave. If you can't or don't know how to commit, why enter into a relationship? Or if you're already in one, why not just leave? There's no point staying in a relationship if you are not willing to be loyal and devote some of yourself to the other person. In fact, just do whatever the hell you want, have as many men/women you want, but for the love of all that is holy, don't commit yourself into one if you can't. If say there's the issue of kids, then by all means still leave. It's not as if you can't support your child by not being in the relationship. Spare each and everyone the psychological and mental trauma of being in a failed partnership if you can't keep your raging libido to yourself and your partner.

Let the other person 'cheat'. This didn't actually made sense to me at first but I eventually understood what my friend was trying to say. Some couples may, for one reason or another, want to keep up appearances of still being in a happy relationship. All too true. And if I understood what my friend meant, all she was saying is that things should be fair in a relationship, whether it's real or not. If one party is cheating, then that person should also allow his/her partner to have the freedom to do the same thing. The idea may be unconvetional but hey, if you're happy with your other man/woman, why can't I too?

*Sigh*

Despite the pain, the craziness, and the tears, people will still find themselves being drawn into the endless pursuit for that one relationship. Perhaps, it's what makes the idea of relationships beautiful - that even though you know it's never gonna be perfect, you still want to experience it? But there's just one thing I learned from all the craziness in my life and from others - if something is not meant to be, just stop, give up, and move on.

Photo from hey-toxic.blogspot.com

Serial Photobomber

Captain Obvious states:

There is someone mentally ill in this picture.

Photo from thisisphotobomb.com

A World Obsessed With Winning

This world is obsessed with the idea of winning. Anything and everything has to be about the advancement of self-interest, more often than not in a competition against others of the same goal. It may be for survival, for a job, for a relationship. It's all about winning. If in any way you give the chance to the opponent an opening to win, then you've already lost. And the heavy indoctrination we've all grown up with with the obsession of winning, a loss will forever be a scar that will mark you as a loser, a quitter, an object of shame and for ridicule.

This morning when I woke up and as per the usual found myself musing about the different things in life, from something as mundane as a candy wrapper to something as profound as the meaning of life itself, it was then that it hit me - is it really all about winning?

I have been through so many challenges in life. And while I could proudly(?) say that for the most part I've won, there were also a few instances when I knew I just have to quit and accept a loss.

For years, these losses have bugged me to the point of psychologically and emotionally paralyzing myself that there's just no way I could get out of the rut these losses have put me into. It's always that annoying poem - Don't Quit - that keeps nagging me in my head whenever I think about the things that I had to give up. In a world so obsessed with winning and success, if one can still push himself past his limit, then by all means keep pushing. If you don't, then you've quit and lost.

And then I realized, is quitting really that bad? Is winning really everything, that a person could never ever advance himself once he decided to quit? It was then when my nonconformist mind answered a resounding: Hell, no!

No, it isn't always about winning. The idea of winning or losing is nothing more than just a vague idea created by mankind to measure things that he shouldn't even measure. Who will reach his destination the fastest - Does it matter if the purpose really is to just reach the destination? Who will have the most expensive badass car - Will it matter if all you really need is a convenient way to travel? Who will have the most gorgeous trophy wife - Will it matter if all one truly needs is someone to love and to be loved in return?

And so I thought: to quit, to accept a loss, is never always a bad thing. Even the best generals have to tell his soldiers to retreat. Even the best minds have to give up on an academic pursuit if the end result wouldn't be beneficial to the world. Life is full of challenges. And while we are all doing our best to win the most of them, there will always be some, if not a few, which we cannot and will never win.

I will never say that one has to quit and give up at every presented opportunity. But if one quits because he has to, because he has reached his limit, then there should be no shame in quitting. The bigger shame is in not even trying, by thinking that by avoiding a loss, one has already won.

~C McP

Photo from yamabushi.us