The Breakfast Theory

Getting Checked for Breast Cancer: What It Really Costs in the Philippines

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 07:50:00 +0000

Many cancer awareness campaigns focus on symptoms and early detection, but what we don’t talk about enough is how fear of the cost can stop people from even getting checked.

When I first felt a small lump on my breast in early 2023, my biggest worry wasn’t what it might be, it was how much it would cost to find out. Like many Filipinos, I assumed that everything about cancer care in the Philippines was expensive, from consultations to hospital tests. That belief made me delay getting checked for months.

I wish I had found something then that explained the real costs of breast cancer diagnostics, not to scare me, but to prepare me. To show that while treatment can be costly, getting checked and diagnosed doesn’t have to be out of reach.

For over a year, I tried to ignore the lump, convincing myself it was probably just a cyst. I didn’t have pain or any other symptoms, so I waited, until one day, I noticed nipple bleeding. That was when I finally saw a doctor and learned that I had a rare type of breast cancer called Encapsulated Papillary Carcinoma (EPC), Stage 3.

The prognosis for this type is actually good, which makes me think about how different things could have been if I hadn’t waited so long. If I had gone to the doctor sooner, I might have been able to keep my breast, and maybe even avoided chemotherapy. It’s a hard truth to face, but one that reminds me why it’s so important to get checked early, no matter how afraid or uncertain we feel.

Looking back, I wish I had gone sooner. The process can feel overwhelming, but once you know what tests you’ll need and what they cost, it becomes more manageable.

That’s why I created a free PDF guide for anyone who might be hesitating to get checked because of financial worries. It’s based on my own experience navigating the breast cancer diagnosis and treatment process in the Philippines, and includes:

What to expect during your first hospital visits and diagnostic procedures
The typical cost range of biopsies, imaging, and lab tests
How to use PhilHealth Z Benefits and other government programs to reduce costs
Steps for updating your PhilHealth and PWD ID after diagnosis
What happens next if you’re advised to proceed with treatment

You can download the free breast cancer guide for patients in the Philippines or view it on Canva:

👉 The Patients Playbook - A Budget Guide to Cancer in the Philippine

I wrote this to help remove the doubt that often stops people from seeking help, the fear of “baka mahal” or “baka wala akong pambayad.”

Because the first step to healing is not just courage, it’s knowing that you can take that first step.

The Can Of Worms

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 10:58:00 +0000

With all the things that have been happening lately, it's not unusual to feel anxious and/or depressed. Self-care reminders abound on social media for a reason- more people have become self-aware and are being honest about the state of their mental and emotional health.

When I was younger this was something people don't talk about much, I still tiptoe on the topic when discussing with family and friends. You weren't depressed, you were just sad. Truly, our generation and those before us were left to sink or swim, and sadly I've had friends who've sunk and I almost did too. To be honest, there are still times I feel like sinking but I've come up with things to get me out of that mindset whenever it creeps on me. I've listed things that work for me but these are like band aid solutions and not real solutions to treat depression. If you think you need help, please visit the link for a list of helplines to call for free: https://www.therapyroute.com/article/suicide-hotlines-and-crisis-lines-in-the-philippines

Unlike those who get strength from the support of others, for a loner like me who don't and can't easily share their emotions and problems with others, when we go through a rough patch we prefer to get over it alone. Here's what I do when I sense depression or burn out creeping in.

🛌I sleep. A lot.

💭I take a break from work. I just watch videos or sleep all day and night, and try not to think of my responsibilities. I usually bounce back back after 2-3 days of this. Being a couch potato can be tiring too.

💻Or work some more. Yes, it works in my line of work. To create something with my hands and mind and feel accomplished, no matter how trivial. I find it's important to have that feeling especially at times when the problem is something beyond my control.

🧺Clean and organize things in the house. The physical labor will tire your body out and also helps to clear your head.

📽I watch sad movies. Sometimes all you need is a good cry to release all the tension you've been bottling up. For those who do self-harm, I hope you realize this sooner.

📚Read a book. Take a break from your life and live someone else's through books.

😁Smile and laugh a lot. It tricks me into thinking I'm actually happy and pushes the sadness away. I read this line from a book as a depressed teenager, I forgot what book it was, and practiced it and it worked for me. It went something like: Smile/laugh often and you'll start believing it yourself, that you're actually happy.

😼Keep a cat. Why not dog, you ask? Because dogs require more care than cats do. But it really depends on you, if you're confident you can take care of their needs. I personally have had both cats and dogs, and although dogs are a joy to be with, you need energy to walk them and play with them. You can't just let them be, they need the attention.

🛒Retail therapy. I don't waste money to just buy things I want, instead I buy things we need or is useful around the house.

📓Write down your thoughts and emotions. I found this to be useful when I was a teenager and didn't have anyone to talk to about what I was going through. I felt lighter after writing everything down. I still do this today, sometimes I keep the notes, other times I tear and throw it away.

💅Waste time. But waste it wisely. I paint my nails, style my hair, reshape my brows, repurpose or redesign my clothes.

🎶Listen to music. Not only can you dance or sing your frustrations away, the music can actually help hype you up. So listen to upbeat music if you need some uplifting, and sad ones if you need to cry it out.

🔎Learn something new. Nothing like a new challenge to keep you distracted. Almost everything is available online, there's really so much to learn! It doesn't have to be a rigid academic-like learning. A new hobby or even reading up on things you're interested in, like history or certain topics, also counts as learning in my book! 😉

📵Stay off social media. It's become so toxic, really. Reading the news and opinions just add to my anxiety so no thanks!

🙏Pray for guidance. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I recently had an episode and couldn't get myself out of it. So I asked guidance from the universe and that seemed to work. Also, during times when I'm so emotionally unstable I pray (I'm catholic).

I hope this reaches whoever needs to read them, and in some way be able to help them. Hugs! ❤

A Childhood Wish Come True

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 09:28:00 +0000

I have been feeling dispirited lately and it was starting to get in the way of my daily activities. Normally, when I sense I'm having an episode of mental or emotional upset, I have things I do to help me get over it quickly. But this time, all the things that used to work for me didn't. It was three months already and I was feeling more anxious.

One night I was scrolling through Tiktok and one of the suggested video was of an oracle card reading. After watching a couple of those videos I kept getting ads and suggested pages of tarot and oracle cards and card readers on Facebook and Instagram.

Flashback to the 90s. As a child and teenager, I wanted to be a witch, but my Tito Alex (✝), who was my only connection to that kind of life, said he didn't want to encourage me for fear of my Mom. He said to wait until I become an adult to join a wicca. But as an adult I realized the difference between what I wanted to be and what I needed to be, and was faced with the hard truth that the latter is the only option available to me. And so with Tito A not as present in our life as he used to be, the happy dream to be a witch/wiccan, even just as a hobby, fizzled.

Fast forward to 2021. I was reminded of this dream and resolved to get my own Tarot card and learn how to read them. Mostly to help me get guidance from the universe, but also to feel a bit closer to that dream that I know I will never fully realize. If Tito A were still alive today he would most probably make fun of my choice of deck, but also I'm sure he'd be so proud!😂

I was surprised that my first reading was quite accurate to where I was and how I was feeling at that time. It was something I needed to hear to find my way back to the path I needed to be.

Tara! Kape Tayo.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 09:26:00 +0000

I started drinking coffee at an early age, when Starbucks wasn't a fad yet and social coffee drinking wasn't a thing either. In our household, the smell of freshly brewed coffee meant guests, and Mama has the most diverse set of friends.

Coffee wasn't just for mornings but afternoons, nights and even after midnight when a distressed friend would come knocking. Once I smell coffee, I would come out of the bedroom and see who our guests were and I'd hover around them awhile until I get bored of the conversation and leave them be. They would laugh hysterically at first, and then in hushed tones share their problems in between quiet sobs, and then you'd hear them laughing again. Those moments ingrained in me just how comforting coffee can be. Most of what I know about relationships and life were from observing Mama and her friends, and listening to their woes. Different people, different problems but all comforted by a cup of coffee and a friend willing to listen. So when I know someone close to me is going through something, I don't drink with them to drown their sorrows, I have coffee with them instead.

P.S. I scored my first and only flower girl gig when I was around 6 when the couple came to our home to deliver the invitation but my parents weren't home. My tiny self not only welcomed them and showed them in, but also made them hot coffee!

Start Off With These Chinese & Taiwanese Dramas

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 09:15:00 +0000

Even before Kdramas, I was already so into Hong Kong movies that I remember writing all the movies I’ve seen on a notebook, which I’ve since lost. Jackie Chan & Jet Li movies were faves, but Star Movies Chinese introduced me to so many others. After watching Gen-X Cops, I fell in love with the gorgeous actors and I’d see anything with Stephen Fung, Nicolas Tse, and Daniel Wu that was on, even ones without subtitles! Oh and also Takeshi Kaneshiro!

But at some point, I couldn’t access Star Movies Chinese anymore. I don’t remember exactly if they became unavailable in our country or you had to pay extra for that channel. Whatever it was, it ended my love affair with Hong Kong Movies. Which is okay in a way, since I got too busy with life anyway.

And then Meteor Garden happened. They showed it on a local channel and was Filipino dubbed. After that blew up, local channels started showing dubbed Taiwanese dramas. But it wasn’t easy to follow the series since it was on at around 4 in the afternoon on a weekday. It was the time of CD’s and luckily I had a friend who’d burn copies and I’d borrow her CD copies of the dramas to binge-watch. Yes, illegal we know, but that was how we rolled in the 2000s.

Eventually, we got busier with life and no longer had time to watch these dramas, Taiwanese and Chinese dramas usually run for 40-60 episodes or more. Then wifi happened and the internet became more accessible for everyone and it introduced me to sites where I could watch it anytime. But by this time I was into Korean more than Chinese dramas and only recently picked up on them again.

If you’re new to Chinese and Taiwanese dramas, here’s a list I would highly recommend you start with. You might find the original Meteor Garden and It Started With A Kiss a bit outdated, so I will share with you recent ones I’ve seen and loved. Because Cdramas & TWdramas have so many episodes and a lot of them go in circles at some point, this list will be short. I got bored watching the others and felt they were not worth sharing.

Some are available on Netflix, others are on iQIYI, Viki, and YouTube. I hope you enjoy these Chinese and Taiwanese dramas as much as I did!

Love Me If You Dare (Crime, psycho thriller)
When A Snail Falls In Love (Crime)
Arsenal Military Academy (War, action, romcom)
Oh My General (Wuxia, romcom)
Rookie Agent Rouge (War, espionage, romance, drama)
My Unicorn Girl (Sports, romcom, gender bender)
You are My Hero (Military, Medical, Romcom)
My Dear Guardian (Military, Medical, Romcom)
Perfect & Casual (Romcom)
Moonlight (Romcom, Office romance)

AVAILABLE ON NETFLIX

Boss & Me/Shanshan Came To Eat (Romcom)
Love O2O (Romcom)
Go Go Squid (Romcom)
Eternal Love (Wuxia, romance)
The Perfect Match (Romcom)
Bromance (Romcom, gender bender)
Well Intended Love 1 & 2 (Romcom)
Put Your Head On My Shoulder (Coming of age)
A Love So Beautiful (Coming of age)
A Little Thing Called First Love (Coming of age)
Go Ahead (Coming of age, romcom)

What's Good On Netflix: Korean Drama Recommendations - Romcom Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 09 Aug 2020 07:44:00 +0000

A friend asked for a list of recommended Kdramas to watch, specifically romantic comedies. After years of refusing to join the Kdrama craze, she finally gave in when the pandemic hit, and the lockdown just went on forever. So she had a list of requirements: No fantasy and horror, and only those available on Netflix. She has a low tolerance for ghosts, but how can you not love Master’s Sun and Hotel Del Luna??? So I threw some that were part of her no-no’s, hoping she would muster the courage to overlook the semi-scary stuff and enjoy them as much as I did.

I did not want the list to go to waste, so I decided to share it. I've since added some that I enjoyed that are not necessarily romcoms that are now available to watch that were not there when I initially created this list.

This post will constantly be updated as more series are added to Netflix, so bookmark the page to keep posted. Prepare your snacks and drinks and enjoy binge-watching!🍿🥤

ROMANTIC COMEDY

· Our Beloved Summer

· Hometown Cha Cha Cha

· Run On

· Still 17

· Cinderella And the Four Knights

· Welcome to Waikiki 1 & 2

MATURE ROMANCE, COMEDY, TEARJERKER: LIFE, LOVE & FRIENDSHIP

· Thirty-Nine

· Our Blues

· Move to Heaven

· Something in The Rain

· It's Okay That's Love

· Another Miss Oh

· That Winter the Wind Blows

· Kill Me, Heal Me (Psychological drama)

· Happy Once Again

· Search: WWW

· Missing9

· Rain or Shine

· Reply 1994

· Reply 1988

· My Dear Friends

· Prison Playbook

· My Father is Strange

ACTION ROMCOM

· The Devil Judge

· Vincenzo (Didn't like the ending though)

· Police University

· Crash Landing on You

· Mr. Sunshine

· K2 (IMO, ML had better chemistry with the female antagonist than with the FL 😅)

· Healer (Still my fave Ji Chang Wook character)

· Two Cops

· My Secret Terrius (This was surprisingly good!)

· He Is Psychometric

· You’re All Surrounded

· Man To Man

· The Fiery Priest (Comedy, No Romance)

· Vagabond (Ending is a cliffhanger, though, crossing my fingers for a season 2)

MEDICAL ROMCOM

· Ghost Doctor

· Dr. Romantic 1 & 2

· Hospital Playlist 1 & 2

· Doctor John

· Life (Don't let the poster throw you off, this is actually a fun one, not a serious drama)

· Good Doctor

· Hospital Ship

FANTASY

· My Roommate is a Gumihimo

· Tomorrow

· Tale of The Nine Tailed

· The Uncanny Counter

· Happiness

· Zombie Detective

· Master's Sun (Ghosts, Romcom)

· A Korean Odyssey (Fantasy, Romcom)

· Oh My Ghost (Ghosts, Romcom)

· Hotel Del Luna

· Strong Girl Do Bong Soon

· Guardian: The Lonely & Great God (a.k.a. Goblin)

· Chicago Typewriter (Reincarnation, Drama, Romance)

· My Love From The Star (Extraterrestrial, Romance)

· Angel’s Last Mission: Love (Angels, Romance, Drama)

· Bring It On, Ghost (Ghosts, Romcom)

· Rooftop Prince (Timeslip)

· Arthdal Chronicles

SAGEUK

· Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung

· The King's Affection

· The Tale of Nokdu

· 100 Days My Prince

LEGAL

· Touch Your Heart

· While You Were Sleeping

· Suspicious Partner

· Ms. Hammurabi

· Judge Vs. Judge

WORK ROMANCE

· Start-Up

· Forecasting Love & Weather

· Business Proposal

· Into the Ring

· What's Wrong with Secretary Kim

· Secret Life of My Secretary

· My Shy Boss

· The Beauty Inside

· Radio Romance

· Pinocchio

· Clean with Passion for Now

· Strongest Delivery Man

· Pasta

SCHOOL/UNIVERSITY ROMANCE

· Do You Like Brahms?

· Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo

· Cheese in The Trap

· Sassy, Go Go

Korean Drama and Movie To Binge On - Fantasy

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 04 Aug 2020 16:00:00 +0000

I'm not sure when Filipinos began embracing Hallyu, I just realized one day that it was no longer taboo to openly declare your love for Kdramas and Kpop. In my 20's, the few times I let slip that I was into Kdramas and Kpop, I was met with smirks and was mocked by close friends. In my 30's I just didn't care anymore. I was still ridiculed for listening to music "you don't even understand" and watching dramas and movies that have "plastic surgery beauties." But by this time, I knew what I wanted and what made me happy and no longer craved acceptance from my peers.

From time to time, friends would ask what I am currently watching or for recommendations. During ECQ, finding she had more time on her hands and less workload because of quarantine, a colleague asked for a list of recommendations. She didn't have any particular genre in mind, so I made a quick list of dramas and movies I enjoyed. I didn't want to overwhelm her, so I just listed about 50 and didn't include the more popular and older ones. I had it saved on my phone, and I thought it'd be a waste to just delete it. And so I decided to post it instead, to both share and document my favorites. I also added new ones that weren't out yet or were ongoing at the time I made the list. There is still a lot I haven't seen, so I'll be updating this post from time to time.

A while back, another friend who used to discourage me from watching too much Kdramas got hooked after watching Crash Landing On You and Descendants Of The Sun. She also asked for a list, but she only wanted ones from Netflix and only wants romcoms, no fantasy, and strictly no horror. I'll share that list in another post for those who are like her, so you don't waste your time going through this list only to find that they're not on Netflix.

UPDATE: the list is getting too long, so I decided to post for each genre instead.

Enjoy binge-watching!

ROMANTIC COMEDY

· Ghost Doctor (2022)

· Doom at your Service (2021)

· My Roommate is a Gumihimo (2021)

· The Witch's Diner (2021)

· Hello, Me! (2021)

· Sell Your Haunted House (2021)

· Tale of The Nine Tailed (2020)

· Mystic Pop-Up bar (2020)

· Hotel Del Luna (2019)

· Angel’s Last Mission: Love (2019)

· The Beauty Inside (2018)

· Witch's Love (2018)

· About Time (2018)

· Live Up To Your Name (2017)

· Strong Girl Do Bong Soon (2017)

· A Korean Odyssey (2017)

· Come Back Mister (2016)

· Bring It On, Ghost (2016)

· Guardian: The Lonely & Great God (a.k.a. Goblin) (2016)

· Oh My Ghost (2015)

· Master's Sun (2013)

· My Love From The Star (2013)

· Rooftop Prince (2012)

· Queen and I (Queen In-Hyun's Man) (2012)

· Secret Garden (2010)

LIGHT MYSTERY, ACTION

· Tomorrow (2022)

· Happiness (2021)

· Missing: The Other Side (2020)

· Zombie Detective (2020)

· The Uncanny Counter (2020)

· 365: Repeat The Year (2020)

· Life on Mars (2018)

· Chicago Typewriter (2017)

· Two Cops (2017)

SAGEUK

· Mr. Queen (2020)

· Moon Lovers - Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016)

· Scholar Who Walks The Night (2015)

· Gu Family Book (2013)

· Arang and the Magistrate (2012)

MYSTERY, THRILLER

· Monstrous (2022)

· Hellbound (2021)

· Dark Hole (2021)

· Bulgasal: Immortal Souls (2021)

· Kingdom Series (2019)

· Arthdal Chronicles (2019)

EMERALD - Symbol of Truth and Love

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 01 Aug 2020 11:00:00 +0000

BIRTHMONTH: May

Said to be the gemstone of the goddess Venus, purveyor of love and hope. While ruby is known as the stone of passionate love, the emerald is known to be a stone of faithful, deep and mature love. The birthstone for those born in spring, emerald is believed to bring vitality, success in new ventures and good health.

MYTHS & LEGENDS

Legends endowed the wearer with the ability to foresee the future when emerald was placed under the tongue, as well as to reveal truth and be protected against evil spells. Emerald was once also believed to cure diseases like cholera and malaria. Wearing an emerald was believed to reveal the truth or falseness of a lover’s oath as well as make one an eloquent speaker.

ABOUT THE STONE

From the beryl mineral family, the Emerald has a rich, green color. Stones with weaker saturation or lighter tones are called "green beryl". Mistakenly calling a 'green beryl' an 'emerald' can greatly impact its price and marketability. However, in some countries, any beryl with green color - no matter how faint - is called an emerald. So be careful in buying 'emerald' from websites as photos may not show the actual color.

By definition, emeralds are gem-quality specimens and along with diamond, ruby and sapphire, make up the 'big four' of precious stones— the most valuable and sought after gemstones.

Source: https://geology.com/, https://www.withclarity.com/, https://www.gia.edu/

Photo by USGS on Unsplash

The Search For Metal Stamping Blanks

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Jul 2020 13:15:00 +0000

2017, I've been wanting to try metal stamping but found that it was too expensive and I didn't have the budget for everything I needed. Christmas time came and I thought to put them on my wishlist, and my siblings chipped in to complete my list. So lucky to be the youngest ❤

So I finally bought everything though I found that my choice of font was too whimsical. The stamping set I really wanted was too expensive, almost double the price of the one I got. There was one set that was inexpensive, but was out of stock, so I thought okay, I'll get the hang of this first, make money off of it then buy another set.

What I didn't consider though was the stamping blanks. The ones from the seller were too pricey since she orders from abroad, so when I was computing the selling price became too expensive that I just had to look for another supplier for the stamping blanks if I wanted to sell them at a reasonable price.

I found one on Shopee and my first transaction went smoothly. The blanks were nice and easy to work with. I was soon running low and orders were coming in so I purchased again. This time though it didn't go as smoothly. I used to pay upon checkout for my online purchases but after this incident I've opted for COD instead.

You see, it took them more than 2 months to deliver and because they lost the delivery form, none of us could follow up with the courier service. They became unresponsive and wouldn't even answer my calls. At first I was understanding and very tolerant because this is now a loss on their part, since the 1st package was lost they needed to replace that, but it got to a point where I just had enough of the excuses and indifference. Not only was I constrained to cancel all the orders on my side, I didn't get to fully enjoy our family vacation because I was worried the courier might deliver while we were out of town, only to find out that contrary to what they earlier said, the (2nd) package hasn't been picked up by courier yet. The seller did have a disclaimer on their page that say this is just something they do on the side because they have regular jobs. But c'mon, you take people's money, you take responsibility.

After I received the blanks I thought we were good, because we even messaged each other to say our thank you's. But a few months later I had inquiries on one of their blanks and messaged them and I never got a response. I thought maybe they weren't operating but I would see new reviews and it was apparent they've dropped me as a client. So off I went to search for a new supplier.

To date, I'd say theirs is still the best since they have cuff blanks. Last December 2019, I was able to order from one of my go-to stores in Quiapo. Quality though is not as nice and options are limited, they only have rectangular (image below) and round pendant. There's another seller on Shopee but the ones I need are always out of stock. If you know of any inexpensive, reliable supplier, let me know, comment or message me.

Side note: I was able to buy a regular stamping set for cheap because I asked the seller if she had any on hand, she said she did but they were rusting. I asked if she was willing to sell, and she was. I received it and found the rusting wasn't really problematic, I thought the rust might be eating away at the metal but it wasn't, rust comes off easily when wiped. I realized sometimes all you need to do is ask 😉

Stamping Materials:
diycrafts.ph

Metal Blanks:
Chain Beads and Components

The Buttercupstreet Project

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 28 Jul 2020 05:00:00 +0000

2019 was the year I received a lot of upcycle projects for old jewelry pieces. My sister also had a bagful of accessories that she was about to throw away and this made me wonder just how much accessories were being thrown out everyday.

After finishing one project, I thought, since I was going to upcycle the pieces from my sister, I might as well document it and create tutorials on how to upcycle or redesign old jewelry pieces. But like I said in my previous post, this blogsite was too disorganized and I didn't have the time to fix it that I decided to just create a new one to separate the tutorials from my random posts.

So if you're looking for upcycle jewelry projects and ideas, visit The Buttercupstreet Project. All my socials are there too, so tag me in your versions, I'd really love to see them!

Six Years After

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 25 Jul 2020 08:34:00 +0000

I've been wanting to update this blog site for some time now but never really got around to doing it. The other day, much like cleaning out a locker, I cleaned out my virtual locker of social media accounts and deleted ones I haven't really utilized in the past decade or so. Since I had time, I decided to update this blog site too. I was surprised when I realized my last post was in 2014. Has it really been 6 years??!!

I started reading my past posts because I remember having content that was from the sites I've deactivated. It was interesting to realize some things about my younger self and see the difference now. I'm so glad that even though I initially put up this blog to post about accessories that I make, because I was so all over the place, I also posted some things that were not related to crafting. Because then, I was able to read and see where I was at, mentally and emotionally, in that phase of my life.

Going through my site and reading the posts, I realized I really was so random that I gave myself a headache. As I was checking each widget and deleting those I won't be needing, I was reminded of when I would google for tutorials. Of learning how to edit the codes so I could insert the widgets and personalized buttons to create the look I wanted. It's really not a big deal for most, the design wasn't even all that great, but for me, it was one of those successes that only I could appreciate and celebrate.

It was bittersweet. The hours I put into creating the site went in less than 10 minutes. But as the saying goes, an ending is the beginning of something new. Now the page has gone from cluttered and quirky to minimalistic and collected, much like how I am now... or so I'd like to believe!

Random Encounters: The Monk

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 25 Sep 2018 11:37:00 +0000

This happened sometime in 2002 - 2003.

One morning I woke up to happy chatter. I wasn’t even surprised anymore to have such early morning visitors. We grew up with friends and strangers going in and out of the house at all hours of the day. And by all hours, I mean even at 3 - 4 a.m.

But as I entered the dining room, I realized this one was for the books! Here in our dining room, happily conversing with my mother as if they were long-time friends, was an actual monk. A bald-headed, clad in orange cloth monk.

This may be normal for other Asian countries, but the Philippines is a predominantly catholic country so seeing monks is not as common here.

I cautiously sat down and glanced at my sibling and Tita to see their reaction. After he left, we asked Mama how that happened. She said she was walking home from the market when she saw the monk and wondered what he was doing in the neighborhood. So she struck up a conversation and invited him for breakfast. And because of Mama’s curiosity, we found out that there was a monastery just across the street. We’ve been living there so long, and we only found out that day.

Also, we told Mama that one of these days she might end up inviting a serial killer in. She just laughed it off.

Hamoments

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 05:53:00 +0000

Recent conversations with my nephew made me realize how fast he is growing up that soon he won't be needing us anymore. This made me remember some of my favorite funny moments with him and got me laughing by myself I just had to compile them while they're still fresh in my memory. I guess an alternative title for this post is How To Traumatize Kids! Hahahaha

#1

Hammie: Tita Boom, naglalaro ka ba ng tecs (tex?text?teks?) nung bata ka?

Beam:(nandiri ang mukha) No! Larong kalye kaya yun.

Hammie tingin sakin sabay balik ang tingin kay Beam

Hammie:(nagaalangan) Si Tita Tin naglalaro daw ng tecs noon eh

Beam:(hindi makapaniwalang tumingin sakin at nandidiri parin ang mukha) O?! Naglalaro ka nun???

Tin:(biglang nagalangan narin pero hindi nagpahalata kaya tumawa nakang) Oo! Oo naman!

Beam:(balik sa ginagawa nya) talaga?! Yuck!

#2

Hammie: Tita Tin, may field trip na kami!

Tin: Kelan? Para masabi na natin kay Mommy

Hammie: Sa nov.xx pero wala pang letter nag orientation pa lang kanina..(3 second pause, iniisip kung sasabihin o hinde).. Pero sana hindi na kasama si Mommy..

Tin, napatigil sa ginagawa at tumawa ng malakas

Hammie: Nakakahiya kasi eh pag may kasamang mommy.. So I can sit with my friends!

#3

Hammie pasikretong gumawa ng 'potion' at tinago sa freezer. Pagtapos maghapunan naisipang tignan ang 'potion' nya kung ready na daw. Lightbulb moment for evil Tita Tin...

Tin: anong potion yan? Bakit gumagawa ka nyan??

Hammie:(iniiwasang sumagot) wala lang gusto ko eh

Tin: saan mo nakuha yung recipe? Sa Creepy Pasta? Anong laman nyan?

Hammie:(binuksan ang bote ng 'potion') hinde, wala lang, tinuro sakin ni --.. Ay hindi pa ready (yung 'potion') (sinara ang bote sabay balik sa freezer)

Tin: naku Hammie, baka naman kung ano ang ma-summon ng spell na yan ah..

Nakisama ang panahon. Lumalakas ang hangin at medyo kumikidlat.

Hammie: hinde wala lang yun

Tin: anong wala?! Eh nung binuksan mo yung bottle biglang lumakas yung hangin tas kumikidlat pa eh kanina hindi naman. Anong chant ang sinabi mo jan?

Hammie:(medyo nagfi-freak out na pero ayaw pahalata) but it's really nothing! It's just soap and water!

Mas lumakas na ang hangin

Tin: don't you know the most important ingredient sa mga potions? It's the intent! Yung intention mo ang important recipe nyan! Kaya kahit soap and water lang yan..Nakuuu Hammie! Baka kung ano na ang lumabas ah baka meron ng nakadungaw sa bintana!

Biglang nag fluctuate at black-out ng 3 seconds.. HAMMIE-MENTAL BREAKDOWN!

#4

Si Hammie umakyat para maligo, mahigit 30 minutes na hindi pa bumababa.

Tin:(Habang naglalakad paakyat ng hagdan) 🎶Hammie🎶! Buhay ka pa ba o kinuha ka na ni maligno??

Hammie: AAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH TITA TIIIN STOP SCARING ME!!!!

Mysterious Clump of Pearls

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 01 Aug 2014 05:36:00 +0000

A couple of months back a client said she'd be sending over a string of pearls in silver thread for redesigning. She tried to explain that they were tangled but that was an understatement. What I received was a clump of pearls in silver string. I couldn't even tell if there was a clasp or not, where it began and ended, and what kind of necklace it was.. *sigh* my client friend never ceases to amaze me!

So I tried playing Dr.Quackquack and tried to untangle them but it seemed when one knot was free another one formed. And as if that's not hard enough, I found out the pearls were glued to the string! It was taking too much time and I was losing patience I had to set it aside to work on my other projects. Although from time to time I'd work on it, it still looked the same as when I first got it. I was feeling hopeless.

Finally done with everything else and now having some free time, I decided to take this on and not accept orders until it's done. Two headaches after and nowhere near finished I decided the best course to take was to just cut the string and pull out the pearl. Which I did and found out how strong the glue was that even after yanking out the thread, which was no easy feat, for most of the pearls the silver foil covering the thread and some thread didn't come off completely, so it blocked the hole. I had to poke it out with a sharp needle and then pull out the thread fiber by fiber until I could see through the hole.

I broke off 3 needles doing this and although I could see through it there were still some silver foil in there so the next challenge was finding something that's thin to slide through the hole but hard enough to push through the foil remnants. Nylon thread was too soft. A thread would need a needle but the needle was too thick. Which means a pearl strand look was out of the question. The silver colored copper wire I normally use was also too thick. So I went with .04 copper wire. I tried some chainmaille with the copper chains, came out with something nice but have no idea what it's called.

And so finally after three months it's done! And I'm so proud of how beautiful they turned out to be.

My Mourning Rant

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 12:42:00 +0000

I keep remembering your last day, our last trip. You looked so happy and excited. Surprised when I put you in the car that you were actually going with us. Looking out the window, insisting on sitting on my lap instead of going to the other side to watch everything go by. And then looking forward to check where we are then going back to the window. You wanted to lie down, but also want to see outside so you just stand up, spraying your saliva everywhere as your breathing turn into pants. And we laugh at you, because you make evrything you do look so adorably cute.

We stop over for food, and as Beam goes down you scratch at the door wanting to go with her. We tell you to stay and we play instead. When food arrived I offered you a piece of bread, but you turn it down and I laughed because you never turn down bread! I offered you fries and you didn't want any of it either, so I saved you some in case you changed your mind once we reach the cemetery.

We got there and after you peed on the tires of all 3 cars, we headed to the grass and you laid down. You'd get up walk a little and then lie down, not wanting to go too far from us. The most obedient and behaved little baby, we didn't even have to hold your leash. The humans socialized but also watched as you waddled through the grass. You were so cute that we didn't realize how much you were suffering. We thought the grass, fresh air and water would help cool you down. We were wrong. We finally had to leave because you didn't look too well anymore. We headed home, you were in so much pain. I can't get that out of my head. The way your eyes bulged as you gasped for air, moving you paws like you were swimming. I should've said something, should've told them to stop at whatever vet we see, but I didn't. I fooled myself into thinking that you were young and you can make it until we get home. I was struggling to keep you from biting your tongue that I was relieved when ou started to relax. And I thought 'there, see, you rode it out'. And then we reached home. As I moved you to get out of the car, your head went limp, and though you were breathing, there was no more reaction from you. We decided to rush you to your vet and I could feel your breathing getting weaker. If I wasn't holding you on my lap I would've thought you dead but for the faint breathing and occasional twitch. When we finally reached, they tried to lower down your temperature, saying you were in critical condition, you were too hot that even the temp reader couldn't read it anymore. I could tell, somehow, although the vet tried to resuscitate you, that we've lost you. The way you didn't respond or move at all. The way the vet hesitated with the treatment, all the while saying you were critical. Explaining how faint your heartbeat was. And then you left us while they were still trying to treat you. Papa calling out your name, the doctor doing CPR. Your body gave out.

I have so many regrets that day. So many things I wish I could have done different. I never wished for rewind quite as hard as I did for you. I love you Choppy! You brightened up our every day and night. Always ready to play and always obedient. You were our most cheerful and most talented and my most cherished.

Today I find it hard to go downstairs, to where you always are, because everywhere I look I expect you to be there. You were such a big part of my life that it's hard to move around without thinking of you. Today I shed tears while cooking tofu because you loved it so much. Today I shed tears while toasting bread, because you always magically turn up beside me begging for some when I open the bread container. Today I shed tears looking at the christmas tree because you were no longer under it, hiding. Today I shed tears when I looked around and realized I had noone to tease. Today I shed tears when I saw your chair and you weren't on it. Today I shed tears when I saw bola. I shed so many tears for you and I find it hard to breathe when I remember you. I prayed so hard on our way home yesterday for you to be okay, and maybe that was why you relaxed and fell into coma, because it was better that way than to keep breathing and suffer.

Thank you Choppy for your unconditional love. I love you and will try to stop choking with tears when I'm reminded of you. In time I will learn to smile at all our happy memories. Now I know your ultimate revenge for making you cry when I'm bored, is making me cry too. I love you and I miss you.

Chopan "Choppy" D. Consumido

March 12,2010- Dec 01,2013

The Little Princess

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 19 Nov 2013 10:30:00 +0000

For the little ladies, these dainty pieces will make them feel every bit as special as a Disney Princess!

The Bridal Shower

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 10:15:00 +0000

For a unique bridal shower, these statement earrings were worn by the bride's friends and given to the bride as gifts after the party. I heard they had some pieces auctioned off :)

Statement earrings can also be given by the bride as her thank you tokens to her female entourage.

1940'S-1950'S

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 03 Nov 2013 10:04:00 +0000

For this vintage inspired souvenirs, glass beads, wood, crystals and corals were used to create big, colorful and also dainty pieces that were the trend back in the 40's and 50's.

See more on: Custom-made: 1940's-1950's

True Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 08 Jul 2013 03:57:00 +0000

One of my favorite shows' mission this week is Finding True Friends. The 6 guys were given a folder that they had to fill with their friends' kissmark as confirmation of their being true friends. They first discuss what makes a true friend so they'd know who to approach. One guy said the first person that pops in your head is a true friend. Others say the ones that are there when you're at your lowest while some say the ones with you through good and tough times. And ofcourse, childhood friends or friends you've known for years. When asked for the estimate number of true friends they believe they have, the average answer was 2-3. And then I did a quick count and came up with the same. Throughout the show, as they one by one tell their stories about their friends or why they lost contact, I can't help but think of my own.

One guy had a falling out with his bestfriend 7 years ago, but still considers him his best. When he was given the mission, the first person that came to mind was that friend. I could totally relate. Whenever I'm asked who my bestfriend is, there's only one person that comes to mind. We drifted apart because of miscommunication and although we're friends again, the feeling now is more cordial than comfortable. But still I consider her my best. And just like that guy, losing that friend was one thing I regret the most. She is, in my opinion, a true friend no matter how far we've grown apart.

One guy chose his childhood friends. There were 5 of them, although 1 left for abroad. He called one friend first to meet up. You could tell by their easy conversation that they're close. But his friend couldn't meet him, he was in China. He was surprised but asked where their other friend was and his friend chuckled and informed him that that friend was currently with him. He was shocked at not even knowing this and his friend asked if this was for the show. So he explained the mission and with this the friend laughed. Because the last remaining friend is with them IN CHINA! Although the guy was laughing you can tell by the look on his face that he was hurt. In a separate interview he said that as a celebrity his friends could see him on T.V. and root for him, but he didn't even think to call them to ask how they were because he was busy. And only if he had, he would have known that they were all abroad. He felt as if someone had purposely sent his friends to China so he could see how much he's neglected them and taken them for granted. This happens to all of us. Sometimes I find myself missing friends so much but still I don't call or text because I don't have the time to chat. And then I'd feel a bit sad when I find out things on SNS along with their other friends instead if hearing the story straight from that friend. There's the feeling of being left out but then it was only because I didn't make time for them. Sometimes we think only of ourselves we fail to realize that wherever our relationship is with someone, we actually made it or contributed for it to end that way.

The show runs for over an hour and in that span of time I had deeply reflected on my friendships that I felt compelled to share the show, to see if it would affect you as it did me. Obviously the definition of a true friend differs with every person. We sometimes wonder which of our friends would come through for us, which ones are our real friends. But have we ever asked ourselves whether WE are being a true friend?

Watch The Human Condition on KBS (channel 75 on Skycable) every Saturdays, 12 midnight. Or catch your missed episodes on KBSWorld T.V.

What's New

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 29 Jun 2013 07:35:00 +0000

Check out the latest pieces on buttercupstreet

Lost and found and lost again

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 11:13:00 +0000

My 2013 started with me losing my phone. Actually I left it in the cab. Good thing I made it a habit to text my Mom, sister and the friends I was just with with all the details of the taxi I took so if anything should happen, well at least I'd still have the last laugh! So when I realised I had left my phone I asked my sister to call my number first and when that didn't work out I called the cab company. I was able to get it back the next day after a lengthy conversation with the dispatcher and the driver. I was part lucky, part resourceful.

Today, June 4, I had left it again but this time not in a cab but in a trike. And although I'm resigned to the reality I might not get it back, there's a part of me that still hopes.

You see, the tricycle drivers in our village are mostly good people and are old, retired men (and women) who chose to drive a trike than be bored at home all day. There is a certain kind of security in the fact that they are from the neighborhood and have a personal interest in keeping it safe. And to top it all off, they haven't lost their provincial charm yet. Yes, this is that kind of village, where everybody knows everybody. You can stand outside your home and come back with news about anything and anybody. It's not strange to have people pass you by, people you don't know, and tell you that a house is on fire or there was an accident outside the village gate without being asked. And this news delivered with such familiarity. And that's what's most endearing. No matter that it's far from the city, the air is fresh and the people are neighborly, that was enough. And now for the happy ending.

I had just ended the sentence about the provincial charm when my sister got a text message. My phone is found yet again! The trike driver found it but had to wait for his daughter because he didn't know how to operate the phone. Now it's with me again, my phone found its way back to me again! The odds of it happening again was so great that my Tita said I should name it 'I SHALL RETURN'! (I dunno, maybe sometimes it just wants some space from me so it squeezes its way out of my pocket). My hope was not ill-placed afterall!

I know there's a lesson here somewhere and although I'm not sure what it is I know two things for sure: that my assessment of the driver was right (he had a kind face ergo he must be a kind man), and I should never put my phone in my pocket again.

Spanish Style Tomato Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 29 May 2013 14:06:00 +0000

So here's the thing about local food. They're reeaaalllyyy good but hard to make. At least that's how I feel when I read the recipes. They are intimidating. One of Mama's cookbook is so old the pages are brown, brittle and tattered and the author unknown because the cover has been replaced with black cardboard. I was flipping through it because I needed to cook something new and I couldn't google because of my slow connection, low patience and time constraints. I found about 2 that I'd like to try when I saw this recipe for a Spanish style tomato sauce. I was thinking more like the kind they have with the sardines. This is totally embarrassing because you are about to discover just how mentally slow I can be at times.

I thought I'd have the pasty kind of tomato sauce that has a bit of oil from cooking it too long. I only realized I was making the kind you can use for pasta when after 45 minutes (it requires a whole hour of slow cooking) there were no trace of oil and the sauce hasn't thickened. 45 minutes! Was a bit disappointed, but the wait was worth it because I've failed twice at making home-made tomato sauce and this is the closest thing I could get to achieving that. Although the recipe called for the store bought tomato sauce, at least you only use about a cup of it instead of having the whole thing made with that preservative-laden sauce. We've been using store bought tomato sauce for years and will still be using them in the future, but having an alternative is also better since we don't know anymore what kind of chemicals they put in there to make them last longer and taste good.

Anyway, back to the sauce. I fried Bangus (milkfish) and covered it with the sauce. It's like a sweet and sour sauce but without the sweet and with a bit of spice which must be from the garlic and onions. Overall it was good. I used chicken broth. I tweaked the recipe a bit by using only enough oil to saute the garlic, onions and tomatoes (although it's EV olive oil we still make sure not to use too much because of Mama's health), I chopped the garlic instead of just crushing and we don't use vetsin, so no Aji-no-moto.

Here's the recipe:

SPANISH STYLE TOMATO SAUCE

1/4 cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic, crushed

4 large onions, chopped

1 cup tomatoes, chopped

1 cup tomato sauce

1 cup broth

Salt and pepper

Ajo-no-moto

Saute garlic, onions and tomatoes in olive oil. Cook till tender. Add tomato sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. Add broth and seasonings. Cook slowly for 1 hour in a covered container.

If you recognize the book and know the author please inform me to give proper credit to them.

The Cooking idiot

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 29 May 2013 10:01:00 +0000

I've been cooking more for the past few months since my mom's stroke, and 90% of the time I've no idea what I'm doing. 10% of the time I'm either just frying or cooking adobo (pork, my self-proclaimed specialty). But as you know, stroke patients are kept on a strict diet. So at first steamed fish, chicken and vegetables were all she ever ate. But who wouldn't tire of that after two months?! So out with the cookbooks it is.

Everyone in my family cooks because we love to eat. But in every family there's that one person who can't do anything right. In the kitchen, that person is me. When we were teenagers, my sister loved to bake and ofcourse I loved helping her. She has very long patience for my inadequacies but the last straw came when I got the table knife stuck between the electronic whisks! And they still laugh at the time my mom was coming home late and I was the only one left at home, so she asked me to prepare the food she was going to cook. She instructed me to cut the veggie (cabbage, bokchoy, I really can't remember) in half. Apparently I cut the wrong way, you get the picture. My garlic was always burned, was, because now they only happen occasionally. There're a lot of other 'minor' mishaps but I'd still

like to keep my dignity.

Although I've gotten better through the years, only after Mama's stroke did I realize how much I relied on her instructions and opinions whenever I cook (and everything else actually). So I was left clueless in the kitchen. I suddenly found myself faced with different spices and types of fish. Googling recipes didn't help much because most of them were from abroad and required ingredients not locally available. Local recipes are... Intimidating. In my desperation to make sauces to accompany Mama's steamed

dish, I tried some sort of vegetable soup with soy sauce (Kikkoman's low sodium soy sauce) and ginger. And it was awful! It went down the drain because it was so inedibly horrible! And recently I found out that kikkoman and mascuvado don't go together. It tastes really weird and down the drain it went. I tried again with regular brown sugar and it tasted way better. Good thing I was only making these for one because I'd hate to waste all those ingredients. This definitely feels like chemistry. One wrong ingredient thrown into the mix spoils the whole dish.

So after 6 months of cooking I'm finally slowly starting to try other recipes. Mama's stubborness demands that she eats regular food meaning she eats whatever we eat. So we're now not only making tasty food but also something healthy and that is what this cooking idiot is learning to do these days. And hopefully I get better because apparently some of the dishes I cook leave people confused as to what the dish actually is. And to their question "What dish is this?", my answer is always "experimental!". And to every complain, "Sorry, you have no other choice because I'm. The. Cook."

No Show

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 04:54:00 +0000

Don't you just hate it when you're passing time on the t.v. and decide to watch something for the first time and enjoying it so much you decide to start following the show. Only to realize the following week that you got the date wrong and don't really remember which day it was on. So you try again same time the next day, and the next until the week passes. So you think maybe you got the wrong time, so you watch again the next week estimating the time but still the week passes and you don't even get to get a glimpse of it.

What's worst is you see the trailer for the next episodes but the time they show is meaningless because they're not on local time and you just don't know which country has the same time as yours. It's been 4 weeks since I first watched the show. I don't see the trailers anymore so I guess I won't have to wait for it this week. *sigh*

Of Gossips And Restrooms

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 06:46:00 +0000

Once there were two mischievous friends who were so close that it takes only one look to convey a message. One fine day, such a look was given to the other that said "Meet me in the restroom! Have. Juicy. Gossip!". After quietly slipping away from the eyes of their team leads, they meet in the restroom. And since it was in the middle of work hours, they had the room to themselves. One started to talk excitedly sharing something juicy about a co-worker when the other stopped her to check under the stalls for feet, just to be sure as the story was indeed juicy. Seeing none, she let the other continue with her gossip.

About three minutes into the conversation the room started to stink and the two friends ribbed each other for passing gas that smelled to high heavens. While denying each others' accusation, the smell of alcohol suddenly filled the room and the horrifying realization stunned them both to instant silence. Checking again for feet under the stall and again seeing none, they each carefully pushed each door. Wide eyed looks were exchanged as one door refused to open. They hurriedly went out the restroom, laughing uncontrollably.

EPILOGUE
The gossip and the subject of which were never revealed as the unidentified witness would like to remain 'unidentified'.