My Restless Purple Ink

500 Feeding Project: The beginning

2011-02-23T10:54:00.000-08:00

This year, my mom and I vowed to help the children in our own little ways through a feeding project. We were starting at our very own town of Malvar in Batangas City, Philippines. There are several districts in our town and based on the census, each district has records of malnourished and underweight children.

One weekend, we filled about 25 containers with Chicken Arroz Caldo, a Filipino version of porridge or Chinese Congee. We also bought 2 boxes of juice in tetra packs and prepared sandwiches before we set out to visit Luta Norte, Malvar Batangas.

This marked the beginning of my 500 Feeding Project where I challenged myself to feed 500 children within a year. I'll be posting the photos of the children who were given a single meal.

For our first district, with the smallest population, we were able to feed 17 children and it only means that I still have a very long way to go.

Hope you'd join in my advocacy.

Learning Photography: Placing the Horizon Line

2011-02-15T06:54:00.000-08:00

A Canon 500D model is surely a wonderful birthday gift from a special someone. How to operate it is a one big struggle even though it's an entry level DSLR. However, it paved way to an exciting world of photography. My husband and I got excited on the beautiful things that we can capture around us.

As usual, I am a no-rule-bite-me person when it comes to arts. So I managed to take a few shots based on what seems to look good at the eyes of the beholder. Later on, concepts started to fill me in and first thing that I learned is placing the horizon line.

From word of mouth, I learned that the horizon must be a straight horizontal line since in reality, a horizon is a straight line. Browsing through the net I also realized that placing the horizon at the top, middle or bottom has a powerful impact to the composition of the photo.

Dasol Pangasinan: my first decent shot

For an instance, when you set the horizon at the top area of your frame, the distance is enhanced and the foreground details is accentuated.

Clouds are nice subject so place the horizon at the lower part

If you place the horizon at the lower part of the frame, it gives the impression of loneliness because it gives you the vast emptiness of the sky. Usually, this is effective if the clouds give a dramatic effect to your composition.

sample of an unusual horizon

Lastly, cutting the composition into two by placing the horizon at the middle, as they say is a big no-no, but hey! It is also true that rules are made to be broken. If it works and you can pull it through then why not? Usually it is effective in photos with reflections.

Oh well, I still got tons to learn...

Body Painting for a Bride

2011-02-08T06:08:00.000-08:00

Body painting is a kind of body art that is pretty much similar to tattoos but it only lasts for a few hours. Last year, I got a chance to have my back painted with flowers for a very special occasion—my wedding.

The wedding theme is Hawaiian. Entourage is wearing floral dresses, Hawaiian shirts, khaki shorts and grass skirts except me. The bride is wearing a classic gown and to add a touch of the Hawaiian theme, I had a body paint at my back.

Early morning, a few hours before the wedding, I went to the house of the artist. I also brought some colorful stud stickers to make the look fancier at my back.

The artist even finished it with silver glitters to add glamor at my back. He took about an hour to finish the body paint and charged me for Php 500.00.

This is how it looked when I put on my gown. A lot were amazed and the paint lasted until the next day when I hit the beach!

Maria Aragon - "Born This Way"

2011-02-01T07:51:00.000-08:00

From Charisse Pempengco, another Filipino child wonder was recently discovered at YouTube by no other than Lady Gaga.

Lady Gaga found Maria Aragon at YouTube, a ten year old half-Filipina who resides in Canada as she uploaded a recorded video of herself singing “Born This Way”. Gaga commented on her Tweet account about what she felt when she watched the video and exclaimed that Maria Aragon is the future. Since then, the video received million viewers all over the world.

Here's the famous YouTube video that the whole world has been talking about:

How to Make Mushroom Burger

2011-01-19T09:39:00.000-08:00

Tagaytay is always an instant getaway for those people who want to drive away from the city for awhile, hangout, eat and enjoy nature. Most people would not miss a chance visiting one of Tagaytay icons, the Mushroom Burger.

A perfect alternative for the usual fast food burgers, Mushroom Burger can be a good source of minerals and it can tone down your cholesterol level.

The store also sells four types of mushrooms which they grow themselves in Tagaytay. They have Shiitake Mushroom, Abalone Mushroom, Wooden Ear and Oyster Mushroom.

According to the store's history, they initially started growing mushrooms using Taiwan technology. Then, a Swiss Executive Chef helped them making the best mushroom burger recipe which made them well known until now. Recently, they have opened a new branch at West Ave, Quezon City.

But what if you wake up one morning and you feel like eating or preparing healthy mushroom burger for your family? Do you need to travel down south to visit the store? Why not prepare your own burger right at your kitchen?

I found a few recipes on how to make a healthy mushroom burger. Let me share it to you so that we can plan together cooking a healthy burger for our love ones in the next few days.

Things you need:

•    olive oil
•    1 diced onion
•    1 minced clove garlic
•    3 diced green onions
•    1/2 teasepoon of cumin
•    3/4 cup of diced fresh mushrooms
•    1 15 ounce can of pinto beans
•    1 teasepoon of parsley
•    salt and pepper

Things to Do:

1. Saute garlic and onions using olive oil over a medium heat for 5 minutes.

2. Add mushrooms, cumin and green onions, stir fry for 5 minutes. Set aside.

3. Mash the pinto beans. Add the parseley, mushroom mix, salt and pepper. Mix well.

4. Mold the mixture to form patties. Cook each patty over medium heat with 2 tablespoon of olive oil. Flip to other side after 3 minutes.

5. Prepare you burger with the desired bun, fresh lettuce, tomatoes, white onions, mayonaisse and ketchup. Add the patty and you’re done!

Enjoy your healthy burger!

Acrylic Painting: Sweet Pea

2011-01-12T08:14:00.000-08:00

After a few months of saving up for acrylics paints, I managed to buy a few sets. I also decided to buy some illustration boards and a few yards of canvass cloth so that I can customize the shape and size of my canvass. A primer is also essential that is why I’ve spent up to the last penny that I’ve got in my pocket to complete all the materials that I need.

Here's how I prepared my canvass.

1. Cut out the illustration boards into your desired size or shape.

2. Neatly wrap the board with a canvass cloth.

3. Seal the cloth using a bond paper. Fill the paper with glue then paste it at the back portion to cover the other side of the canvass.

4. Grab a brush and scrub in the primer!

I was dreaming of creating a 4 panel painting so I cut out the board into 4 pieces. After preparing the canvass with 3 layers of primer, I started coating it with the background that I have in mind.

Since I am not a professional painter, I don't have the basics of painting. As they usually say, use a pencil and sketch your piece first before hitting the canvass with a brush. I didn't. I just imagined and it seems like I imagined too big that it exploded inside my head. Thus, I ended up using a single board leaving the three behind.

Sweet pea, my first acrylic painting on a customized canvass.

DIAMOND KISSES: Episode #2 - Dracula Laugh

2011-01-05T06:02:00.000-08:00

See also: DIAMOND KISSES: Episode #1 - Surprise! Surprise!

“Hey Casey, wake up!”

I opened my eyes and found Mae staring down at me. Mae Duce, pronounced as doo-cheh with feelings, is my best friend since grade school. She had this Latina features which she always matched with auburn hair color. Mae and I literally shared a lot of things together: our dreams, our fantasies, our troubles, our secrets, our mission impossibles, our inclination to spooks and mysteries, art and fashion and of course, our fascination with boys!

“Eff! Intruder Alert!” I joked but totally disoriented.

“A gorgeous intruder!” she rolled her eyes, taking a seat on the foot of my bed. “So sorry to wake you up princess, but its almost nine.”

I stretched on my bed and blinked at the sliding glass door near the window. Sunlight was pouring into the room already. “Damn, it's Sunday girlfriend.”

Mae raised her eyebrows as she scooped the latest issue of my Cosmopolitan magazine collection. I suddenly felt a pang of guilt for not calling her last night. It might have been so precious to her that she went straight here first thing in the morning.

“What's up?” I asked in a groggy voice.

“How about hitting the beach at Nasugbu. I feel like my ghost skin is coming back.” She said half-minded while scanning the magazine.

I had to laugh. Knowing Mae so perfectly white who turns pink instead of tan under the sun, “of course, you getting well done and me getting toasted.”

“Oh you're sixteen already. Don't you know how to put sun block?” She threw a pillow at me.

“Never worked for me.” The last part was lost in yawn.

“Giddy yup, girl!” She hissed.

“Ayt! Why don't you tell mom so that she can pack some sandwiches for us.” I finally hopped off the bed.

Mae strolled out of the hallway. “Just give me five minutes... No make it ten!” I shouted lying back again.

“Hurry up you – ” I heard her voice faded as Mae's footsteps headed downstairs.

I turned over onto my back and stared at the ceiling trying to recall my dream. I suddenly thought of Mitos. A one month fling should have ended the right way. “But No! My dream is about Ferroa.” I insisted to myself. I remembered it was dark and we were staring at each other but who was I staring with? Mitos or Kelvin? I could not figure out the image of the guy. Restlessly, I got out of bed and hit the shower.

“He's my fantasy guy for years. Never thought of having our paths crossed.” I grinned as I scampered to my dresser and packed all the things I need for the beach.

We walked swiftly heading down the hot summer sand. A beautiful sunny Sunday and the Nasugbu Beach Club was packed with South Meadows' elites. The ocean breeze tossed strayed hair into my face. I held my sunglass and squinted at the heat of the sun. Lying down at a nice spot, I hurriedly grabbed the food basket for a sandwich. My tummy is aching for anything edible.

“I heard that Mitos and Sidney were... You know. Are you okay?” Mae started cautiously. She pulled up her dress revealing her red, two-pieced bathing suit. She has a great swimmer's body. Showcasing her glamor, some guys from the back whistled with the satisfying view. “I mean, why is it so sudden, I didn't even notice that she's hitting on him already.”

I almost choked myself with pickles. “So far, I don't give a damn.”

“Oh come on, baby. You have to let it out.” Her dark brown eyes looked so concerned, throwing the tanning lotion at me.

“I'm okay. Promise!” I laughed out half-heartedly sending her the signal to change the topic.

“Dear me, I hope she'll never chase my Taz when she realized that I like him.” She mumbled munching an apple.

“Keep an eye on him.” I said sharply as I ran my fingers through the warm sand.

“Wasn't Troy so... Ah I can't even think of a word for him. God-like?” She giggled. “He sent love quotes last Friday via SMS and I-miss-you quotes yesterday morning. Too bad I don't have a phone load.” She was floating.

“Well, he left a message last night in the messenger and I think he's got a thing for you.” I winked.

“Oh really?” Mae's face broke into a dreamy smile. “Stay tuned... He'll be mine soon. Sidney's not the only one who's got the charisma.” She toyed with her apple left-over contentedly.

The basket filled with sandwiches, chips and drinks made my appetite grew weary. I fished for a fresh orange juice instead. My mind started to spin and I am set to do some clear-headed thinking. “Do I need to talk to Mitos? Will Kelvin be mine also?” I wondered as I sipped the juice and scanned the place.

“Hey! Do you mind spilling it?” Mae interrupted my silence.

“What?” I almost choked from the straw that I've been toying with my tongue.

“Come on, you have something I need to know.”

“Uhm, It's Ferroa.” I started.

“Again? After breaking up with Mitos you're back fantasizing Kelvin again?” She asked excitedly.

I continued to gulp down my orange juice trying not to argue with what she had just said. Before I could even start to pour out my thoughts I was interrupted by a beach volleyball slamming at my water tumbler. I stood up flushed and figured out who it belonged to. The summer heat just splashed me with a surprise when I saw Kelvin at the volleyball court with Ursula all over him.

Dani approached me and gave me an I-told-you-so gesture. I gasped in disbelief but again I calmed myself pretending I was not affected. I held the ball on my hand thinking if I'm going to throw it to Dani or wait for Kelvin to get it from me.

“Hey buddy, over here!” Dani called him and Kelvin left Dimples.

“Casey and Mae's here.” He said trying to introduce us.

“Yeah.” Kelvin nodded avoiding my eyes and glaring at Mae. “We're from the same class right?”

I mustered a polite smile. I noticed Dimples followed and as soon as she came over, she rolled her eyes.

“Of course, same Homeroom and Creative Writing Class for like how many months? You just don't seem to notice!” Mae butted-in still seating gracefully on the sand.

Dimples grabbed the ball off my hands, ran back to the volleyball court pulling Kelvin after her.

“I hope we did not bother you.” Kelvin waived goodbye.

“No sweat.” I replied. There goes my opportunity. I sighed to myself.

“Six?” Dani reminded as he turned and followed the two. I nodded mutely.

“Hmm... Fishy, fishy, fishy!” Mae teased.

I regained my composure. Getting jealous of Dimples would only contribute to my defeat. I sat beside Mae silently ignoring her and fixed my tumbler. What do I get in return? Will I win his heart also? I might get hurt in the end. Is it worth to gamble? My mind was oozing with questions and anxiety. The more I think of it, the more I feel uneasy.

“Casey...” I heard at the back of my head whispered. Even if the sun is directly consuming my skin cells I felt goosebumps all over me. I looked around and checked everyone I know at the beach. Football players with their girls in hot bikinis were at the bar chilling out while waiting for the grilled pork chops. At the far left end of the beach were two couples from my History class having their moments. A group of lower batch students were playing Frisbee near the volleyball court. Some baseball players were having their wake boarding session and at the far right end was Misty... I mean Raven Lopez – the loner guy we used to call Misty. Since grade school he acted so weird and mysterious. The last time we saw him he was talking and hugging an Acacia tree at the school field. Mae always get annoyed on my theory that he had a huge crush on her and that he'd been stalking her since the fourth grade.

“enough of the silent treatment!” Mae yelled at me kicking some sand at my back. “You and Dani are having an affair behind Gilleane's back?” she fired at me angrily. “Shameful!”

“Calm down. For chrissake! You've got the wrong girl.” I looked at her trying not to laugh.

“Are you going to tell me or Am I going to bite your head off?” Mae is getting serious and pinkish mad. “Six? Is that some secret code or what?”

“Ayt! Dani asked me to help him to get Kelvin off from Dimples' clutches.” I confessed.

“Oh! And why you?” she asked impatiently.

“God knows why me. I have this freaky feeling that Gilleane is behind all this.” I remembered that Dani's girlfriend knows my hidden feelings for Kelvin. “Would you like me to send you instead?”

“Hell No! He's all yours! Ah! This is going to be exciting!” Mae shrieked. “No wonder, you're not that bothered with Mitos-Sidney issue at all. You'll be out chasing the man of your dreams.”

“Oh, bite me!” I answered dryly.

I grimaced looking at Kelvin while he's playing volleyball. He seems quite strong and perfect for every sports he'd been playing. He wallop the ball and hit Dani on the face. Dani's loud scream was not a simple pain but a distressful agony. Such a strong hand, I thought. Mae noticed Dani too as she stood up and tried to look what was happening. I cared less on Dani and studied Kelvin instead as he pushed his thighs to approach Dani. His sweat on his face were sparkling under the sun. Can he communicate through minds also? I wondered, feeling the sandwiches doing jumping jacks inside my stomach. The God of the hunks was trying to communicate with me?

“Ooh! I offered myself to thee.” I spoke out loud and laughed my head off.

Guessing that she knew what I was talking about, Mae laughed with me hard enough to catch Raven's attention.

* * *

5:45 PM

I was browsing through my Facebook account and searched for Dimples Marquez. I found pictures of her with Kelvin. She wears her big smile on all of their pictures while poor Kelvin never exerted any muscles around his lips at all. I copied a picture to my computer and edited it with Photoshop replacing Dimples' body with Ursula's. I was laughing hard when Dani popped out of my messenger.

Dani_Boy is on line

Dani_Boy: So what's the game plan?

Cyber_Kick: Guess none for me.

Dani_Boy: So this means you're signing on my contract. LOL!

Cyber_Kick: Looks like I've got no other choice.

Dani_Boy: Sweet dreams, Mendez.

Cyber_Kick: Ayt!

Dani_Boy is offline

Sidney_Sassy: Casey...

Sidney_Sassy: BUZZ!

I logged out of the electronic messenger like a shot. I could feel the heat inside me. Sidney and I had same classes in my previous years and she was good to me. As much as possible, I want to get over with that issue so that I could concentrate on my new mission. Its just that, I couldn't find the right words to say as of the moment. “Shameful.” I recalled Mae yelling at me.

I just chucked it and instead smiled at the Ursula masterpiece. I touched the contours of Kelvin's face at the monitor. “You'll be mine soon, my knight in distress!” (Dracula laugh) I saved my files and disconnected from the Internet. Still having the joker face, I tossed myself on bed.

Two weeks to go and we're all set for vacation.

No-bake Blueberry Cheesecake for Christmas

2010-12-24T06:04:00.000-08:00

Christmas!
The very word brings joy to our hearts. No matter how we may dread the
rush, the long Christmas lists for gifts and cards to be bought and
given - when Christmas Day comes there is still the same warm feeling
we had as children, the same warmth that enfolds our hearts and our
...homes.
~Joan Winmill Brown

Christmas in the Philippines is one of the most observed holidays in the country. Filipinos from all walks of life give out their very best and even their very last pennies just to celebrate this day. Every Christmas, my family gather together to spend time with our grandmother. She's now 96 years old! We also prepare different foods and share the spirit of this season. This year, I have planned to prepare a No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake. I browsed through the net and looked for the perfect recipe. Five hours before Christmas, I rushed to the nearest supermarket to play hide-and-seek with the ingredients. Here are the contents of my grocery list and it took me almost one and a half hours to get them all.

Crust:

A pack of Graham Cracker (Crushed into crumbs)
100 grams of melted butter
3 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Filling:
2 envelops of unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup of pineapple juice
2 bars of cream cheese
500 milliliters of chilled all purpose cream
3/4 cup of white sugar

Topping:
A can of blueberries

Graham Crackers were out of stock so I had to rush to another supermarket, which is like a few kilometers away. I'm just so excited to go home and prepare this recipe. I'll update this entry to let you know if I have given justice to this No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

December 25 - 1:07 am

I started reviewing the step-by-step instructions before I plunged into this challenge. I have listed the guidelines and made a few comments based on my helluva experience. So, here it goes:

Directions:

1. Mix the Graham Cracker Crumbs, vanilla, brown sugar and melted butter in a medium bowl.

Make sure you do this quickly as the mixture hardens easily. This is to avoid the hassle of crashing the hardened mixture from time-to-time.

2. To create the base, press the mixture on a pan preferably, a spring form pan. Then, cover it and place it in a chiller until the mixture is firm. (minimum 30 minutes)

I bought 5 pieces of Aluminum Disposable Baking Pans about 8 inches in diameter and 1.25 deep. Each has a transparent plastic dome lid. I got them from the supermarket. By the way, I doubled all the measurements of the ingredients and was able to fill all these 5 containers.

3. Pour 1/4 cup of pineapple juice in a saucepan over a very low heat. Sprinkle the unflavored gelatin over. Stir for 10 minutes or until the gelatin dissolves. Then, set aside the mixture.

I suggest you do step 3 after step 4 if the really intention was to mix a liquid gelatin. Because if you set it aside and do the next, by the time you come back, the gelatin is solid already.

4. Use a whisker to blend the all purpose cream, cream cheese and sugar. Blend until smooth. Add the gelatin mix then, blend it well. Pour the cream filling over the crust. Cover it and let it chill for 4 to 6 hours.

If you are a good whisker and can manually blend the filling, well I salute you! I honestly had a hard time mixing the creams especially when it started to thicken. Then, I found out that my mom bought an electric mixer years ago. Geez, I wanted to collapse.

5. Add the blueberries and let it chill for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Some of us may tend to pour in too much blueberries. I did it on the last pan because I did not want to waste the remaining blueberries. The taste became too strong so better place ample amount to achieve the best result.

I finished around 3:00 am--that is because I manually mixed the cream. The No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake is ready to serve by lunch time. The kids and teens love it and the oldies find it too sweet. So, I made a mental note that next time, I better adjust on the sugar content to satisfy all taste buds.

5 Blueberry Cheesecake pans made my family happy this Christmas.

Mission Accomplished!

Acrylic Painting: Third Attempt on Roses

2010-12-10T08:01:00.000-08:00

Months ago, we decided to spend a few hours at the condo of one of our friends after work. Usually, we cuddle at the front of her TV, fill our stomachs with pasta and salad, and watch some feel-good movies. This time brushes and paints were scattered at the floor and all of us were busy trying to make our own masterpiece. This was my first time to use acrylic paints.

Since, I've been practicing on water colors, I was pretty sure of what I was going to paint... ROSES. For the third time, I tried to replicate the same thing because that is the only way to know if somehow I have improved. My friend was generous enough to share the acrylic tubes. I was a bit nervous because I did not want to waste her tubes.

So, again I performed my break-the-rules-painting. No concepts, no barriers...Just me, my imagination and the brush. I just hoped that the outcome is decent enough so that my friend's acrylic paints will not be put into waste.

Roses on acrylic paper

Here is the outcome and actually, this is the only copy that I have. I gave my first acrylic rose painting to my friend as a token of gratitude for giving me my first acrylic experience.

You and Your Spotlight

2010-12-08T08:49:00.000-08:00

Everyone wants to be on top of their league. Who would want to be on the sidelines of their game when there are ways to be on the limelight?

Technology has given a new virtual community for millions of people worldwide. Users have their own purposes when they start to engage on their own powerful boxes. These users have their own set of preferences and they definitely know what they are looking for online. They would use search engines as a big magnifying glass to help them locate the things that they want to find.

Businesses have embraced modern technology as they see these wandering users in the virtual world as their prospective clients. As they showcase their goods and services, their goal, even on the net is to be on top of their league.

We want to be known. We want to be the number one. We want to be on the first page of Google search engine and that cannot be possible in just one click. Many offer guaranteed google rankings that can assist you in making your dream come true in just few days. That only means they can guarantee you the popularity that you need in no time. Whether you are a normal blogger, celebrity, company or anyone who wants or needs to be noticed by millions of people worldwide, trust the experts and they will give you your spotlight.

Top 5 Fragrances for Women

2010-11-10T09:38:00.000-08:00

Top 5 fragrances for women -- Last night, I visited my stone aged cabinet to get a new bottle of perfume. I'm very fond of collecting fragrances and stocking it in my dresser just like wine. Though it is not advisable to collect perfumes because the scent will eventually wear off, I cared less since I use all of them one at a time, and then keep the empty bottles as part of the collection. Whenever there is mall sale, I spend some of my savings buying gift sets. I keep some of them and then sell the rest. Now that Christmas is coming, the scent of warehouse inventory sale is also in the air. So I've listed down top 5 fragrances for women this year so that when the D-day arrives, I'll know which bottle I'm going to grab.

Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker

“Loveliness is everywhere ... A touch, a face, a memory, pink pearls, a song, a sexy shoe, a kiss candlelight, a white orchid, a girl, a woman, a dream, a scent...You only have to look.” – Jessica Parker

Lovely is one of the top 5 fragrances not only because of its reasonable price, but also of its scent that is full of inspirations and evidently because of its lasting popularity. It is perfect for all women out there especially when it is used during daytime. Its scent can also be paired to your office attires or party dresses.

The unique aroma of Lovely by Jessica Parker is a combination of lavender, mandarin, orchid, bergamot, rosewood and martini. This will surely make you feel all sassy, sensual and sexy. The bottle is also stylish so it's a good candidate for my bottle collection.

Light Blue by Dolce & Gabbana

“The freshness of bamboo nestles amid a gloriously feminine bouquet of decadent jasmine and delicate white rose.”

Ever since it was released back in 2001, Light Blue by Dolce & Gabbana has been on the top of women's fragrance list due to its very light scent. Its sweet aroma stirs the senses of those who smell it and invites them to smile. This perfume is perfect during summer and it is also suitable for office get-ups.

Most women fell in love with Light Blue once they wear it. Others even say that they receive lots of compliments whenever they make it as part of their outfit.

Euphoria by Calvin Klein

Another best selling fragrance is Calvin Klein's Euphoria. It was first released in 2005 and since then, it has become women's favorite classic perfumes. Just like the model for the perfume, Euphoria by Calvin Klein promotes the scent of a mysterious, sophisticated and sexy woman. It has a mixture of black orchid, mahogany, pomegranate and amber.

Despite its sophisticated scent, Euphoria is wearable during daytime. The strong aroma mellows down a minute after spraying it and the sweet scents last a long time.

This is an ideal gift for classy ladies out there. The bottle is so elegant too just perfect for my dresser.

Hypnose by Lancome

Hypnose by Lancome is definitely as good as its market value. The scent makes you feel like you are a princess in your castle waiting for your prince charming who is hunting you through his sense of smell. The expensive mixture is made up of passion flower, vanilla, vetiver, sunshine and jasmine.

Hypnose is perfect for springtime. It has this light, sweet and spicy aroma that lasts all day. Wear it every day or on a special occasion and its romantic fragrance will surely be admired. The elegant twisted bottle filled with sparkling blue liquid makes it to your grandeur dresser.

Safari by Ralph Lauren

Safari by Ralph Lauren is one of women's favorites since 1990. It has a sheer flavor of citrus, fresh green scents, jasmine, black currant, rose, orange blossom, lily and other floral. It is best to wear during daytime, but it is also excellent for special occasions. The elegant scent is well-known every fall and winter. It has a light aroma and it lasts a long time. The bottle is designed to look delicate. Though many say that this fragrance has been discontinued, its popularity level is still high. Many online shops still have plenty of stocks for sale even at the Ralph Lauren web site.

IONA's DIARY - Meet My Family

2010-11-08T10:16:00.000-08:00

Dear Diary,

Before I move on with my life and start to have childhood amnesia, I would like to keep a memory of my family. Here, I'll keep some photos of my mother and my siblings. Where are they now? I have no idea. I remember the first time light struck my pair of eyes. I’ve been blinded for a moment before I realize that I am now a living thing. Then I saw my mom...And my dad? Well, dad was left at the stud service so I never got the chance to know him. Hehe... Then, something hit me at my butt and when I looked back I saw my brother, and another brother, and another. Damn it! We were four!

So we snuggled up to my mom's tummy and get the best view of all, FOOD! The taste of warm milk really makes my day. Those glorious days when there's nothing to do but sleep and get nourished. Oh and yes, as you can see, I'm the only cream chow chow in the family.

Days gone by and we start to gain weight. We learned to walk and play around the pen. We no longer fit in the cage so mom needs to stay outside and watch over us.

We learned to munch dog foods. We were provided with food containers where we can eat and drink. Here, my eldest brother, is a glutton of water. He would dive in to the container whenever water is served.

Me, I like the container that is made of clay especially when its empty. To me, its like a cold couch where I can sit and relax as I enjoy the night breeze.

And after star gazing, I would close my eyes and doze off until somebody would poke me and throw me out of it. Haha... I miss my clay couch...

As we sleep, my mom is left outside watching for the bed bugs. She's a one scary mother barking at every thing that moves in the darkness. She guarded us with prowess, you can never snatch us out of the pen... Ever!

So the day has come when we have to leave our nest and be good dogs, guard dogs, or lazy dogs. In a span of months we are ready to take off... We are parting our ways to be man's best friend.

A Huge Fan of Chef Iskander Latiff

2010-11-07T02:28:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, I had a marathon on Channel News Asia’s “The Perfect Meal Asia” – Season 2. Six known chefs battled their wits and grace as they compete for one crown. It is a reality show that challenges the chefs to cook the perfect meal under time pressure. They were judged by the famous Tan Su—lyn, the Managing Direct of Wine & Dine Magazine which is famous food publication in Singapore. Peter Knipp, the founder of Peter Knipp Holdings Pte Ltd (PKH) and Christopher Tan, a renowned food writer. I watched episode after episode until the finale and was really fascinated about the contenders not to mention the salivating dishes that they have prepared. I really wished I was there during that time to have a free taste on what they call “Perfection”.

I’ve followed Chef Chintan Pandya, the executive chef of Yantra and Chef Iskander Latiff, the head chef of Tiffin Club as they had a cooking showdown for the meal that is “Fit for a King”. The three judges had the best meals of their life. Peter Knipp had turned his head several times telling the chefs something like “No, this is not fit for a king”. Finally, the winner is announced and the crown was awarded to Chef Iskander Latiff.

Chef Iskander Latiff

A few weeks after, I can’t seem to get over Chef Iskander. So I browsed through the internet and noticed that he has quite a few links. Well, he may not be that popular worldwide even after he won the contest but he definitely is at the first place here in my heart. So I gathered some photos from the net and finally, I came across the Tiffin Club, his home where he exhibits his talents as a cook and damn I longed for his cooking more after seeing the menus.

Tapas - Laksa Croquettes

Appetizer - Tiffin Satay


Main - Chilli Crab Linguine

We're planning to visit Singapore this coming December, so I made a mental note to visit Tiffin Club. Who knows, I might get a chance to see Chef Iskander in person. I really like his bubbly attitude in front of the camera. In one of his interviews, he said that he does not have any formal training in the field of culinary compared to other contestants. He started very young assisting his mother in cooking. He dedicated his triumph to his dad who is very supportive to him. Well, what more can I say? I'm a huge fan of Chef Iskander Latiff!!!

Last Few Drops of Watercolor - CONFUSED SUNFLOWERS

2010-11-05T23:38:00.000-07:00

So I continued my journey in the world of water colors. The next flower that I’ve been meaning to paint is a sunflower. There are tons of sunflower paintings out there, each have their own perspective, style and techniques. I stared at my empty water color pad for a couple of minutes and took a very deep breathe. “My sunflower...” I told myself. How could I ever make my own sunflower?

I started with the background as the easiest layer to paint. I learned that big brushes can cover large area instantly so I scrubbed my paper with red shade and got satisfied in my 1 tone background.

Then, I took a flat brush to manage the grass and leaves. I wanted it to look 2 toned weeds and leaves that is why I used dark green and yellow green to do the trick. Believe me, up to now, I find a hard time doing a nice stem that’s why the stems are all messed up.

So I looked at my work as the wet color dries and I began to get nervous. “This is it!” I whispered to myself. I’m about to create the sunflowers. I made the center of flower first which as they said is the signature of the sunflowers. I used brown and dark golden rod to make a 2 tone effect. For the first layers of the petals, I used dark orange and gold. I pulled the brushes up several times as I go around the center.

Then, to my disappointment, I ran out of yellow tubes! I still need to do the second layer for the 3 flowers! I don’t know what hit me that moment when I grabbed a white tube of water color. I finished the piece feeling half-fulfilled because my sunflower attempt turned out to be “A confused Sunflower”.

“Is it a Daisy?” My husband asked me when I showed it to him. “No! They are sunflowers and they thought that they are daisies.” We both end up laughing while staring at another disaster in my painting experience.

Finding and Installing Wordpress Plugins

2010-11-03T09:16:00.000-07:00

I had a horrible client who asked me to write about wordpress plugins. I had a small mistake of using eHow.com as additional source materials. I used WordPress.org as my primary source. He was ballistic and even told me about copyright issues. Hello? I did not write it as if I lifted everything. I used my own words and writing style to do this. So here is MY ARTICLE submitted to him. Just in case he submitted and used it somewhere else. Writers can write about anything under the sun. You cannot just tell me that I am not capable of writing something I do not know. I can do a research anytime. I can do a hands on anytime. Thanks for the worst feedback anyway.

So you want to express more of your creativity in your Wordpress blog? After you have created your blog site, you are definitely aching to add new things in your page to make it more appealing. Then, a Wordpress plug-ins is what you need. For non-tech savvy individuals, a plug-in is another way of enhancing your blog page without having the headache of alternating the codes behind it. Since a plug-in has pre-defined codes already, all you need to do is PLUG IT IN your site.

Wordpress plug-ins brings your blog pages to another level by transforming their look and feel and providing various functionalities. There are thousands of powerful plug-in out there that you can find and some of them are clocks, calendars, polls, games, SEO, Facebook links, Twitter links and more. You may choose the kind of Wordpress plug-ins that best suit your taste, perfect for you blog theme and fit with your style.

There are many ways to find the best Wordpress plug-ins. All you have to do is log in and go to your Wordpress Administration Panel. At the dashboard, Select the “Plugin” tab then click on the “Add New” option to continue. Select from the wide variety of available plug-ins per category. You may view the newest, most popular, featured and recently updated Wordpress plug-ins. You may click on the links that are seated right at the top of you page. It is recommended to browse through the most popular plug-ins in Wordpress. These types of plug-ins are most downloaded with positive reviews and five-star ratings. You may also find the popular plug-ins at the bottom of the page under the “Popular Tags”. At this section, the lists of most popular plug-ins are grouped based on tags or categories.

If you wish to locate a specific plug-in, you may specify the keyword at the search box and click on the “Search Plugins” button. You may also specify the “Search Type” by selecting from the list: Terms (plug-in names and descriptions), Author (plug-ins creator) and Tag (plug-ins category). A list that matched your keyword will automatically be provided to you and it will be opened in a new page, the “Search Result” page.

Once you have decided for the Wordpress plug-ins that you want to add in your blog, click on the “Install” action at the right portion of the plug-in. A new window will show you detailed information about the plug-in that you have selected. Click on the “Install Now” button to initiate the installation of the plug-in to your blog. Wait for a few seconds to install the Wordpress plug-in. Messages will be displayed informing you that the installation is successful.

After the installation is complete, two options are provided for you to select. You may click on the “Activate Plugin” button to make your plug-in visible to your blog. You may also go back to list of Plugins Installed Subpanel page. To do this, click on the “Return to the Plugins page” option.

There is also an “Upload” tab located at the top section of the Install Plugins page which you can utilize to transfer a plug-in from your local computer. It must be compressed to a zip file. When you click on the Upload tab, you will be prompted to browse for the location of your file to upload and to specify the file name. Click on the “Install Now” button to perform the same operation as that of installing plug-ins from Wordpress plug-ins list.

You may repeat the process as many times as you like to find and install the Wordpress plug-in that you desire. In case you encounter errors during installation of the plug-in, you may visit the Wordpress forum sites. There are many Wordpress experts out there who are more than willing to assist you. Also, do not forget to perform backup regularly so that when you encounter problems, you can just reload the latest backup that you have.

How To Cook Katsudon

2010-10-26T10:55:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I finally had a chance to cook for my family. After long months of waiting, I was able to face again the kitchen and try out something new. Months ago my colleagues taught me how to cook Katsudon – a Japanese recipe made of rice with breaded toppings. So, I went to my in-laws, all geared up with the ingredients that I need. It took me 2 hours to complete 9 bowls of Katsudon for dinner. Not bad for a first-timer in this recipe. The challenge for me is how to blend the sweet and salty taste of the sauce by mixing sugar and soy sauce. It’s the kind of taste that lingers in your taste buds making you crave for more rice.

I’m sharing the recipe in case you also want to try it out:

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups of steamed Japanese rice (I used any available rice at home)
4 pieces of tonkatsu (breaded pork chop which you can prepare or buy a ready-to-cook from the supermarket)
1 piece of onion bulb
1 ¼ cups of dashi soup stock
5 tablespoon of soy sauce
2 tablespoon of mirin (A Japanese wine)
1 tablespoon of sugar
4 pieces of eggs (That makes 1 egg per bowl)

How to Cook:

Deep fry the tonkatsu until golden brown. Set aside.

Heat the sauce pan with medium flame and place the dashi soup. Add the mirin, sugar, onion and soy sauce. Bring to boil and let it simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Soak the tonkatsu in the dashi mixture and let it simmer. Shift to low flame. Bring to boil. While waiting, beat the eggs in a bowl. Pour the egg over the mixture. Cover the pan for 2 minutes.

Serve the tonkatsu mix over a bowl of rice. This can make 4 servings.
The next day, I went home as I also promised to my mom that I’ll cook katsudon for them. So all in all I was able to server 12 bowls last weekend. I better start a katsudon business. LOL!

Marc Jacobs Spring 2011 Collection

2010-10-25T18:59:00.000-07:00

I’ve been browsing for a couple of days searching for hand bags and purses since I’m planning to buy one for my birthday. Look what I’ve found! Marc Jacobs Spring Collection for 2011. I rustled over a few photos of the hand bags and I drooled not only on the authentic designs but also on the prices. But hey, we’re talking about Marc Jacobs here – the Chief Designer of Louis Vuitton.

Jacobs showcased his 2011 Collection last September 13, 2010 and it depicted the bright shades of autumn with dark yellow, burnt orange, brown and plum. I know that after the preview from New York Fashion Week, Marc Jacobs’ collection is one of the most desired by the Fashionistas all over the world.

So here are some of the hand bags in his collection that I managed to download, print and clip at my dresser.

49XEARBJ96XG

Last Few Drops of Water Color - AUTUMN ROSES

2010-07-19T10:21:00.000-07:00

With my desperate will to paint, I bought a water color pad and 2 boxes of water colors. I pleaded to my gutts to spill out more and challenge myself to fill in each pages of the empty paper with colors. Not just mere ink blots but flowers...I really wanted to paint flowers, not the best ones but just decent enough to be called...well... flowers.

I started again with leaves and roses. I tried to empty out my used tubes to produce shaded leaves and blue/yellow roses. I'm glad I was able to produce a rose this time with the petals I've wanted in the first place. But the petals still seems not right. Aside from its transparency ('coz I haven't seen a transparent petal in my life!), the angles of each petal are going nowhere. Rosebuds behaved well but I find a hard time doing the calyx as well as the stems.

The last part that I did, (which was 1 week later) were those small flowers to fill in the empty spaces. It sucks I know, the petals, strokes and color combination.

Overall, my second attempt on cabbage rose is another milestone in my painting saga. I must admit, this is definitely better than my very first one. The shades of the leaves gave the autumn sensation. The roses, this time, somehow looks like a rose but really needs more improvement. The flower fillers doesn't look like flowers for me at all. Haha! Well, these are just my opinions but I know it still sucks.

So what do you think? I would really appreciate for some pointers.

IONA'S DIARY - Que Sera Sera

2010-06-22T09:50:00.000-07:00

Dear Diary,

I am IONA BEAR, as my new owner calls me (I know, I hate it too!). I am a cream chow chow and welcome to my journal! As of to-date, I am 2 months and 18 days old. I really wonder why I have this double coated fur and live in this tropical country. Damn, it’s so freaking hot!

Anyway, we’re four puppies born last April 4, 2010. I got 2 brothers and 1 sister, all of them are cinnamon colored. That makes me special! Hehehe... They say that cream chows like me often transforms color when we grow up. Our thick furs can transform into a butterscotch like shade or super light red (solid mahogany or light gold). Most cream puppy chows like me also starts with black nose then change into brown when we grow up. This is so exciting, it's just like from an ugly duckling to a lovely swan. But hey, I'm a cute chow and I'll surely going to be a lovely chow someday. Teehee!

This brings me to a question: How will I look like when I grow up?

With my big eyes, will I look like her? Oh and the brown nose!

How about her? Our eyes are almost the same. And oh, look at her tail, so bushy!

Sigh... I could go on and on looking for my possible future me, but as the song goes: the future's not ours to see. Que Sera Sera. What will be, will be!

My Top 5 Ridiculous Burgers

2010-06-16T11:30:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, we came across Burger Avenue, a local fast-food chain in the Philippines that offers a burger that has a 1-pound triple grilled patties, lettuce, tomatoes and three cheese slices. Pretty normal eh? Well, for a normal 94 pounds earthling like me, this would occupy much space in my stomach and it would definitely take days before I could completely digest it.

Behold the Ridiculous Burger! It costs a whooping P270.00 but if you are up for their 5-minute-finish-it-don't-throw-it-up challenge, it's yours for free. Sounds cool huh! I haven't taken the challenge yet but just in case you'll bet, I'll starve myself for a day before signing up.

Isn't it Yummy? So now I crave for burgers. Is there any other ridiculous burgers out there that I can swallow whole for free? Come on, try me!

My Top 5 Ridiculuos Burger (in no particular order)

#1. Big Bob's Texas Belt Buster

Whoa! This one's a month supply of burger for me - that is, if I can still take even a slight smell of burger after a day eating a slice of it. Big Bob's Texas Belt Buster holds the title of the World's Biggest Burger. It weighs a deadly 78.5 pounds! Nah! I'll pass on this one but if they give this to me as a freebie, I'll bring this to a charitable institution and hold a burger party.

#2. The Fleurburger

Alright, eating a yummy burger like this at Vegas? What's so ridiculous about it? They would serve you this at Mandalay Bay with foie grass, special truffle sauce in a special brioche truffle bun. Plus! Black truffles are well seated on the side. Wow, that's a lot of truffles! Not only that, this burger is served with a bottle of Chateau Petrus 1990. Then, ask the waiter for bill out and they would charge you with a whooping $5000! Haha! Challenge me to finish it in 5 minutes and I'll munch even the plate!

#3. West Michigan Whitecaps Burger

Five burger patties, cheese, chilli salsa, corn chips and eight sesame seed buns all in one 4-pound burger. This is deadly! A normal human being should consume a maximum of 2000 calories per day but this one contains 4800 calories! This only means that if I try to finish it I better contact the rescue team beforehand.

#4. The Record Breaker

Bigger than Big Bob's? A burger from Pennsylvania claimed to be the new record holder with 123 pounds of hamburger! Packed with 160 slices of cheese, 80-pound beef patty, 12 tomatoes, 30-pound bun, mayo, mustard, lettuce, onions and ketchup, this monstrous burger costs $379. What more can I say? Totally ridiculous!

#5. Florida Burger

Another restaurant that offers a god-like burger! Old Homestead Stake House boasts a $100 worth of burger. This one's definitely cheaper than the Vegas burger but still it costs a fortune. Luxury burgers are starting to take off nowadays, isn't it? Everything just boils down to one thing, no matter how much it costs or how monstrous it is, when the tummy says enough, its enough.

Artsy Fartsy: Second Attempt

2010-06-14T09:10:00.000-07:00

Please do tell me that I failed again,

I would gladly accept it with all my heart.
For I don't want to study nor practice right from the start.
But knowledge is a continuous learning process, as well as art.
I'd say, this one is definitely better than the previous one, I could tell them apart.

Diamond Kisses: Episode #1 - Surprise! Surprise!

2010-06-14T08:43:00.000-07:00

YOU'VE GOT FIVE NEW VOICE MESSAGES

11:23 AM: “Hey, Casey! Mae here. Quick message girlfriend. I need to talk to you about Taz (giggle). Call me, for Pete's sake, your mobile phone is out of reach!”

NEXT MESSAGE

03:07 PM: “Hello, Casey. It's me, Troy. I wanted to ask you something about Mae. PM me when you receive this.”

NEXT MESSAGE

03:08 PM: “Casey... It's Mitos. Can we talk?”

NEXT MESSAGE

05:24 PM: “Uhm... This is Dani Cruz. I'm Kelvin's best friend... Kelvin Ferroa. Can you call me? It's something important.”

NEXT MESSAGE

06:01 PM: “Casey... Sidney here. There's something I need to confess about Mitos. Buzz me please.“

END OF VOICE MESSAGES.

“Mitos and Sidney?” I barked at the whirring voice messenger auto-reader in my computer as it halted. I got myself on-line as soon as I get back to my room.

“Not again, Sidney!” I clicked off the messenger and started folding clean laundry but I couldn't get away from what I just heard. As well as the memorable moments from a double-date three weeks ago and even the senior's prom last year – all of which I'd like to forget flashed before my eyes like the splashes of the full moon between the trees. Three weeks ago, it had been Sidney and Paulo; and at the prom, Sidney and Miguel; and at the Christmas party Sidney and Luke. Oh well, it was always the same story just with a different guy. Fill in the blank: whomever Mae dated, soon dated Sidney. Now... She got my boyfriend?... Err I mean ex-boyfriend!

How could we blame them? Sidney, with her perfect model face and her shining black hair cascading down her shoulders, we know how she plays her game. Her outfits are always the in-thing exposing her beautiful neck and long legs. With her silvery laugh and flirtatious lashes nobody could resist. Somehow our chirpy tomboy and bashful little grade school classmate has become a lovely swan.

I finished folding, opened various folders and tossed my clothes in. Grabbing the clothes hanger, I went to another pile of my ironed jeans and dresses. I could feel my head burning as I mopped out the image of Sidney and Mitos together. I tried to calm myself and think rationally. The good part was that they both have the heart to tell me. Even better part was, I was not at home the whole day to confront both of them.

“Casey... This is Kelvin. I know this is kind of last minute but I was wondering, would you go out with me tonight?”

Unfortunately, the auto-reader is already shut off.

“Ah life is just so unfair!” I muttered as I slammed all my drawers close. I marched heavily across the cool vinyl tile of my room and leaned forward on the open window. It was eight o' clock in the evening. Mom and I just came from the charity bazaar. I had to admit, as the only child, my parents spoiled me from Barbie's to gizmo's. My dad, who worked as an Overseas Filipino Worker, always send more than enough for us. Mother, spent it wisely though by putting up a restaurant. But my mom never taught me to be selfish and nostalgic. That's why we regularly gave away stuffs that were no longer necessary to those who were less fortunate. Boyfriends, however, was not part of those stuffs that I normally give away. Like as if, I can do something about it. Oh well.

“Maybe, the only thing that hurts is my ego.” I realized trying to ditch the pain. Somehow, I felt that I'd been cheating on myself all this time since I've been fantasizing about Kelvin while I'm dating other guys. How can I blame myself if he never noticed me at all?

I looked down at the oval-shaped pool beside the landscaped garden at our backyard. The light blue tile detailing of the pool reflected on the glittering water. The night was silent and calm. Fresh yellow and pink carnations blossom at my mom's garden. Butterflies fluttered their wings merrily over them. Tomorrow will surely be harvest time and mom will transport them to her restaurant. Beyond the backyard were trees and darkness. I stared at the dusk for a while and took a deep breathe of the fresh air of summer. The cool air here at Tagaytay has its own distinct flavor – the flavor of peace and tranquility. Of leaving problems million miles away.

“Nah... Problems will have to stay here.” I blurted thinking aloud. I turned on my mobile phone and checked new messages or missed calls. Since Internet and wireless connections had become a craze lately, I found my mobile phone less and less useful. I always turned it off so I can save the battery and make it useful in times of emergency. Oh Goody, no signal.

Just then the door slowly creaked open and the figure of my mom silhouetted at the doorway.

“Dear, still up?” She asked.

“Mom, your carnations are good to go.” I informed her happily.

“Yeah, I'll be up early tomorrow to make it ready for shipment.” Mom answered brushing her black curly hair. I am a perfect carbon copy of my mom except for the hair. I got mine from dad's.

“uhm... I need to call Mae first before I go to bed.” I replied yawning away from the window.

“Okay, goodnight Casey” Mom said as she closed the door and went out to the hallway.

I took two silent steps across the floor to my bed and leaped the phone, but instead of dialing Mae's number I got 826-1786. The phone rang.

I waited...

“Hello.” A deep sleepy voice answered.

I hesitated first as I fidgeted the cord of the phone. “uhm... Hi, it's Casey. I was wonderi –”

“Oh, great you called!” Dani was so ecstatic I almost moved the ear piece an inch away from my ear.

“So what is that important thing Mr. Cruz?” I never felt close to this guy at all even if he was dating one of my best friends.

“You know Dimples? She's been chasing Kelvin for a month and if my guy falls for her its Sodom and Gomorrah.” He started.

“What? Dimples... Marquez?” I paused for a while not to sound affected. “Really? Guess you cared for your best friend huh?”

“A lot.” His firm voice sounds disappointed.

“And why are you telling me these things?” I headed for the lampshade and turned off the dim light.

“Actually, Gilleane told me that you're the perfect person for the job.”

“Job? Err... Excuse me? Let me get this straight. You two are planning to free your man using me?” I asked slowly blinking rapidly every after pause. “You think you've come to a Mafia boss eh?”

“Do we still need a contract signing or some effort for persuasion?” Dani tried to sound sexy but I never felt any bolts of electricity at all.

“uhm... Do you have plans already?” Believe me, I never planned to say no in the first place.

Dani explained Kelvin's schedule this coming summer vacation. He'll be holding a basketball clinic for special children.

“Wow, charity.” I smiled timidly feeling the blood rushing up to my cheeks. “I mean... Nice of him to do such a thing... So you're expecting me to be part of his advocacy?”

“Well, basically yeah.” He answered shortly. I felt the presence of impatience - the normal guys' impatience.

“uhm... Dani, the thing is I never played basketball. It's not my thing.”

“Oh come on... For the special children?” He said in a pleading voice.

I have to admit, I am convinced already but – “I have to think it over, okay. I might be able to think of a better plan so let say, I'll catch you on-line tomorrow at 6:00 pm?” I had to let him feel it's not going to be an easy job for me.

“Okay. Casey... There is no damn way that Dimples deserves Kelvin.” He sounded so convincing for the last time.

“Ayt!... Good night Mr. Cruz.” I hang up the phone before he could say another word.

I lied on my back staring at the ceiling. “Dani's right. Dimples got a chase 'em - love 'em - leave 'em reputation. Kelvin deserves better than that and that is me.” I laughed to myself like Dracula. Closing my eyes, I pictured Dimples in a black dress looking like Ursula kissing Kelvin with her black tentacles wrapped all around him. Kelvin resisting at first but since guys are born to have weak spots in the field of love, he returned her kisses with passionate ones. Then comes Casey in the picture (uhm, yeah me!) in a sultry Xena outfit carrying a big three-pound metal shield and a three feet sword as shiny as Shaider's Laser Blade. Vavaboom!

I kept on laughing to myself as I imagined Xena, the warrior princess, having an underwater fight with Ursula. I blocked the image of Dimples instead and focused on Kelvin Ferroa – the man of my dreams, the closest thing South Meadows High had to a Greek God. The boy whom I've been entering in the F-L-A-M-E-S game countless times when I was in elementary. His face with those hazel eyes, was flawless. Now he has grown with Olympic shoulders, titanium abs and sexy butt. Well, just looking at him is salivating. His hair, which is like months overdue for haircut has never called the attention of the Deans' office. Ever.

Rumor was that Kelvin was trying-out for the varsity team in one of the top-three college schools in Manila or maybe for the Philippine team. All I know is that basketball court is always packed with girls every time he has a game and whenever his biceps extended for a two-point or three-point shot girls do somersaults. However, he never dated anyone which gave Mae and I the thought that he's gay. Bah! He was just so dedicated to his game, he didn't seem to notice all the chicas gawking at him. Now, Marquez who had gone out with the captains of at least one sport from each season was doing the best she can to get him.

Come to think of it, Sidney and Dimples had things in common. They both consider guys as their trophy collection. They both chase those guys that I like and definitely win them which, by analogy, means that they are prettier than I am. The only difference was that, Sidney was subtle while Dimples was aggressive. Dimples never gave up as long as she get what she wanted and leave them after she succeeded.

“Casey Super Slash!!!” I motioned the Shaider stunt as I slashed Dimples out of the picture. I don't know how long I imagined about my own Disney-anime-fairytale-whatchamacallit because a few minutes later I was sound asleep.

Deep in the woods, the creature of the night looked at her as he silently licked his paws. The smell of her after bath scent lulled him from his seat. From afar, he was able to hear her thoughts and griefs. He longed for her. The blood flowing in her veins throbbed like bells in his ears. Tonight she stared at him from afar. The night's fog kept him imperceptible. He did not use any concealing spell to cloak himself at all. He hoped somehow that she was able to see him or sense his presence in the dark and recognized him.

The sudden gush of wind rattled the leaves and twigs. He crept down silently to the stream and looked at his reflection on the water. An image of an old man holding a long mahogany stick appeared behind him. His long gray hair and beard almost reached his waist. His face remained unseen in the dark yet his eyes were glowing like fire.

“Soon...” He read the man's thought. He looked up to him fiercely as the man vanished leaving the bright full moon at his sight.

A long savage howl echoed in the silence of the night. Not a normal wolf's howl. It was deeper, longer and stronger wail of agony coming from an unknown creature.

Artsy Fartsy: My First attempt on Canvass

2010-06-08T10:51:00.000-07:00

My Crazy hands just asked me to grab a little brush

I screamed saying "No!" but she told me to hush

The canvass awaits to give her a blush

So I seat back, relaxed, 'coz there's no time to rush

Once I had this dream, that one day, I'm going to do painting

I'll try my luck with no books nor formal training

Just me, my hand and my brain imagining

That I can fulfill my goal, oh I'm still praying and hoping

Alas! After hours of scrubbing and pushing

I finally finished my very first painting

It's so hard yet I find it enjoying

And the outcome? Oh well, I realized, I'm going back to my programming

Avian Amore: Blue-Naped Parrots – “Pikoy”, Tanygnathus lucionensis

2010-06-07T10:08:00.000-07:00

Philippine Green Parrot, Luzon Parrot, Blue-crowned Green Parrot, Blue-Naped Parrot, Palawan/Mindoro Parrot ...

...Or simply “Pikoy”.

Found in small groups, these lovely parrots are confined mostly at Palawan and Mindoro islands in the Philippines. A small colony alse reside and breed on Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia and Sabah, Borneo. Usually they are in the secondary forests and forests edges.

Physical Appearance

Pikoys are medium-sized parrots with approximately 31 cm tall. Generally, they have green plumage with a touch of light blue on the head and at the lower back of the neck. Their wings have a mixture of black, orange-yellow and yellow-green. They also have dark or greyish eyes and red beaks. Baby Blue-napes have duller green colors and their beaks are black. Full grown blue-crowned parrots exhibits their beauty after 10 to 12 months.

Behavior

Hand-reared Pikoys are interactive and outgoing. Like most parrots, they require attention, toys and enough space as their playground. They eat berries, seeds, nuts and grains as part of their diet. Male and female blue napes are hard to be distinguished as they look so much alike. However, most male pikoys are more active and willing to talk than female ones. They are not aggressive nor territorial when it comes to relationship with other pikoys so it would be easy for you to mix them in one cage.

Training

Like most parrots, pikoys, can be tamed and trained well. I remembered one of the Pikoys that I tamed, “Mayumi”, she loves to walk up to my shoulder and chew buttons, earrings, eyeglass, necklace or even preen my hair. Pikoys are sweet and eager to learn new words. Training parrots with a positive reinforcement is better than negative ones. Aside from the Stepping up trick, another basic thing that you do is to move your hands slowly as you approach your pets. Through this, your parrots will not be scared and will learn to trust you.

Three baby Pikoys: Athos, Porthos and Aramis. The best time to hand-rear and tame them.

Avian Amore: Sun Conure, Aratinga Solstitialis

2010-06-01T09:22:00.000-07:00

Are you ready for another parrot?

Another variety of pretty birds in the Parrot species, Sun Conures, also known as, Sun Parakeets are popular due to their bright green and yellow plumage. They are so adorable and sweet just perfect for beginners who would like to have parrots as pets.

Physical Appearance

Striking colors of yellow, green, orange and red makes a Sun Conure so charming. They are approximately 12 inches tall about twice the size of a normal love bird. Their body builts have the resemblance of Macaws. The contours of their eyes are white bordered and they have black beaks.

Baby conures have naturally pure olive green feathers. This feature is said to be a defense mechanism as they wander in the wild. As they grow up, they develop the bright colors. Their head starts to show a mix of yellow and orange feathers. Yellow streaks extend to the wings and tails. Yellow and reddish-orange eventually becomes their main feature, the color of the Sun.

Behavior

Sun Conures when properly tamed and trained are very sociable. They are playful and affectionate. They also love to swing and chew. However, they possess a screeching voice. Normally, they do this if they feel bored and lonely or there are intruders in their area.

Training

They are intelligent parrots but not as vocal as amazon parrots. Nonetheless, they can be trained a few tricks and they can learn to talk too. Since conures are screamers, you would not be able to prevent this behavior if you scream back at them. They would think that you are playing with them as you answer back. Hitting and punishing them is a big No. You should treat them well if you want them to love you.

This is Yoda, our very tamed Sun Conure!

A basic trick that you can teach your sun conure is to step up on your hand and walk up to you shoulders. You do this by gently placing your hand near their stomach enough for them to climb up. Do this repetitively and don't forget to give them treats!

Yoda, just like most parrots love bananas!