We also have other characteristics that define us as a nation: the achievements of our inventors and artists. Through their creativity, originality, inventiveness, ingenuity, and innovativeness, they contributed in giving the country a sense of pride. Mr. Ramon del Rosario is the man we thank for the “karaoke”. Lea Salonga defined the title role of Miss Saigon on the West End and Broadway. Rafe Totengco conquered the hearts of fashionistas all over the world with his accessories, while Brillante Mendoza triumphed in Cannes for “Kinatay.”

And when it comes to putting our country in the record books, imagination and resourcefulness is what we’ll see our culinary geniuses through this particular task: crafting 5,000 (yes, FIVE THOUSAND) dishes out of cheese to best the previous Guinness world record of 4,668 set by India.

Despite the devastation wrought by “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” we have demonstrated our gifts for networking and coordinating rescue and relief efforts through various media, giving hope to the many that lost their homes during the storm. In a similar spirit we are enjoined to come together as a nation and mobilize our gifts for creating, inventing and innovating –to showcase our Filipino food culture in 5,000 dishes as a unique, wonderful and utterly tasty experience. On December 14, we will gather cooking enthusiasts, culinary students, kusineros, chefs and foodies for one battle royale featuring cheese, with Kraft Eden products demonstrating their versatility in various dishes, from the savory to the sweet.

Enhanced with creamy and nutritious buttermilk taste fortified with Lusog-Sigla nutrients, Kraft Eden cheese is the choice for any woman who aspires to show off her flair, creativity and confidence in the kitchen. From simple snacks to sophisticated main courses, Kraft Eden cheese products can be relied upon to deliver great-tasting meals by making simple recipes extra special. Lending itself to a variety of dishes, the use of Kraft Eden cheese products is as limitless as the imagination of its user. And in the hands of some pretty creative people from various culinary backgrounds, December 14, 2009 is going to be one red-letter day as all these people work with each other in landing the Philippines in the record books with the most number of cheese dishes.

In a country that loves a fiesta, with various culinary traditions from many regions and 7,107 islands, where almost any snack worth enjoying can be improved with the addition of cheese: ensaymada, puto, bibingka, pichi-pichi –coming up with 5,000 dishes should be a piece of, well, cheese.

To help parents along, early learning expert Dr. George Morrison and literacy specialist Laura Benson will speak on Nov. 5 & 6, 2009, at the 1st Philippine Summit on Early Childhood Education sponsored by Wyeth Progress Pre-School Gold. Held in Fort Bonifacio Global City, the two-day seminar aimed to promote the importance of early childhood education in the Philippines. Some 750 educators, program administrators, school supervisors, university students, researchers, social workers, psychologists, counselors, developmental pediatricians, and parents will attend to learn about the latest information on early childhood learning.

Dr. Morrison, professor and director of the Success for Life Programs at the University of North Texas, will be sharing his knowledge on the current Trends and Best Practices in Early Childhood Education on Thursday, November 5. The author of several books on early childhood development, he is constantly sought to speak and present on the future of early childhood education, changing roles of early childhood teachers, the influence of contemporary educational reforms, as well as research and legislation on teaching and learning.

“Early childhood professionals have acknowledged that they must educate the whole child—his or her physical, social, emotional and cognitive aspects. However, the spiritual aspect has not received much attention. A recent trend is a greater emphasis on supporting children’s spiritual development through moral and character education,” he said.

He will also talk about developments in the areas of readiness for learning school, increased use of technology, early literacy learning, and the politicization of early childhood education.

Benson will discuss about Launching Readers: Developmentally Responsive Reading Instruction and Assessment for Children 2-6, providing tips in facilitating reading activities as well as practical assessment tools. She brings over two decades of experience teaching reading to children. A literacy consultant and education writer, she is a professional development associate in the Leadership and Learning Center in Colorado; and a senior consultant and coordinator of Coaching Programs at The National Urban Alliance for Effective Education. She is also a professor at Regis University, the University of Colorado, and other schools.

“In preparing children for literacy, it is important to nurture curiosity. When children are curious, learning is more compelling and more fulfilling… Questions are also powerful in energizing children’s writing. When a child writes about something he or she is curious about, the writing work is compelling. It also encourages them to read more to inform their own writing,” she explained.

She also shared her recommended list of children’s literature for reading proficiency.

By the end of the two-day event, participants—parents and educators alike—discovered new and more effective ways to set achievable but challenging learning goals for kids, provide the proper support, and monitor children’s optimal development.

“When children go through preschool, they experience skills or concepts in meaningful contexts as learning is easier and more likely to transfer in new situations. Thus, children with solid early childhood education experiences become flexible and consistent learners and truly develop a love for learning,” Dr. Morrison added.

“Different people who work with children can make use of what we shared to plan learning experiences and teaching strategies appropriate for young children as well as create learning environments suitable for these young minds,” Benson concluded.

The 1st Philippine Summit on Early Childhood Education was also sponsored by Maximus Inventus.

The principles shared relates to all relationships. The fact is, whenever two people relate together closely, in a close intimate way, the issue that often has to be addressed first is, “How do we deal with our differences?”

First, I would just like to tell you something about our marriage. This coming December 8, Jennie and I will be celebrating our 8th year of marriage.   I’d be lying if I said we’re living a happily ever after kind of marriage. We’ve had to work very hard at our marriage and God has worked miracles in our marriage. There was a stage we thought we wouldn’t make it. But God has worked miracles. We’ve loved each other dearly and we’ve disliked each other immensely. We’ve been through sickness and health. We’ve been through richer and poorer. And we’ve been through better and worse. And we give God glory today that He’s brought our relationship where we are comfortable but with God’s grace, are still working on our marriage to become better.

Incompatibility is a Given

One of the things I have seen in relationships is that incompatibility is a given, particularly in the marriage relationship. I believe that marriage is the union of two imperfect people in an impossible relationship. Humanly speaking it’s not supposed to work. Humanly speaking, the differences are so great that it is almost impossible to make it work. But the miracle is that God does make it work. Marriage is a life-long process of building a union of two people who are so different, so far apart that without God’s work it isn’t going to work.

Since incompatibility is a given, it is very important to have the right model of marriage. If couples had the wrong model of marriage in mind, then obviously they’re not going to come to terms with this issue of the differences between the two of them.

Most people have as their model of marriage something that goes like this: Marriage is like buying a new car. It’s good to begin with, but in the process of time it turns bad. So in this model, you buy a new car. You drive it off the lot. It starts easily, it runs smoothly, it smells good. But after a little while, even though you park on the line, straddling two parking places, sooner or later your car will get some scratches. As the carburetor gums up, it starts to not run so smoothly, gets difficult to start. Dirt and dust sets inside and the smell becomes bad.

In this model of marriage, it’s good to begin with, but after a period of time — 8 years, 10 years, 15, 20 years — it starts to go bad. With this model, what many couples try to do is try to get back to where they were in the beginning. Other couples think about getting a trade in. Others think about getting a new one. This model is clearly a wrong model for marriage.

What couples need to realize is that marriage is not good and perfect to begin with. At the start of marriage what they’re given is a box of broken parts. Marriage is broken to begin with. It is the union of two fallen beings – sinners (Romans 5:12; 3:10, 23). It doesn’t feel that way because there is this thing called romantic love which is a temporary form of insanity and it sort of muddles the picture. But in reality what couples have is a box of broken parts. What couples are called upon to do is to begin to assemble and make something beautiful out of that box of parts. As they begin to put things together you discover that the wheels are all different sizes, the front’s a Honda, the back’s a Toyota. The challenge becomes how to fit everything together.

We call it incompatibility but I would like to think of it as the differences couples bring into the relationship and how each couple has to begin to put it together and build something beautiful out of it. The wonderful thing about this model is that it means that even though things are not working right now you are in the process of building something beautiful out of it – a life-long process.

Many Sources of Incompatibility

There are many significant sources of incompatibility or differences. The more couples understand them, the better. The more couples accept them, and celebrate them, the better.

*Different sexes. The big, big difference between a man and a woman is already a major source of incompatibility.

*Different family backgrounds. Each party in a relationship is has a different way of understanding how a family operates. And for many, many years in the early stages of trying to put those broken parts together, a lot of the conflict that exists, is conflict over bringing in different backgrounds and trying to see how they fit together in this new thing being built.

*Different styles of communicating.

*Different personalities.  My wife and I have exactly opposite personalities.  She’s a type A personality and I’m a Type B.  A Type A personality is someone always in a hurry. Always early for things. Type A personality has a low tolerance for frustration, does not like standing in line. Type A personalities finish your sentences for you. Type A personalities have a deep sense of justice. The opposite of the Type A person is the person who is very slow to anger, has a tremendous amount of patience, doesn’t feel like it’s his or her responsibility to keep the world in line, it’s everything that’s opposite from the Type A.

Our difference in personalities is a source of conflict for us.  But, understanding our personalities  and the other differences we have and how God has put us together has helped us work through the conflicts in our life.

How to Overcome Incompatibility

God cannot bless a marriage that does not have an intentional commitment to working out one’s differences. God blesses those who take this matter seriously.

1. Understand the differences you and your partner have.

Philippians 2: 3-4“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility, consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others.”

After understanding the sources of incompatibility of your partner, you will need to…

2. Release your partner to be himself or herself. There are many reasons why we are different. We bring into the marriage relationship a lot of unfinished business – a lot of baggage. Marriage is a therapeutic process. It’s not only a relationship of deep spiritual significance, it has a therapeutic significance as well. God has designed marriage as a way of bringing healing to both partners in a marriage relationship.

Pretty soon, like I and my wife are slowly seeing, you will realize that God has truly put you together for a purpose. You will begin to see that your partner was given to you to perfect you and vice-versa. This is the acceptance part of the relationship.

3. Learn to forgive differences. Because of humanness and differences as well, couples develop certain attitudes toward each other. Sometimes because of too much familiarity, couples lose respect for each other. Familiarity breeds contempt. Scripture tells us to have mutual respect for each other.

Ephesians 4:29, 31-32 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Verses 29-31 can serve as a guide for couples in their relationship during conflict. The last verse, verse 32, is a command for us to forgive.

The fact is any person in a relationship will get hurt and hurt others as well. We will all see imperfections in each other. One of the main ingredients of a happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers. If couples can learn to forgive every day, you’re going to be set free.

Forgiveness is this, “Giving up my right to hurt you back.” We always want to hurt each other and say something back. But when we forgive, the one who is set free is the one who forgives.

4. Learn to give “love gifts”. A love gift is something you give to someone else when you don’t want to do it. Jennie is not much of an athlete but I love sports so much. The time when Jennie allowed me to play football and even watched me was a love gift from her to me. If you give a love gift — that’s something you do for your partner out of love even though you don’t want to do it yourself. It’s like a sacrificial favor.

Let me share some points about love gifts. First, you may not ask for a love gift. If you ask for a love gift you disqualify yourself from getting it.

Second, you may not complain when you’re doing it. You forfeit the right to complain about it.

Third, the one who gives the love gift is the one who gets the blessing. The joy is multiplied when we learn to give.

5. Develop common interests. Some of the things my wife and I did to create a bond between us was that some years ago we played badminton together. We would play a few games of badminton with another couple and this brought us closer.

Couples need to experiment and discover things together. We all need to be intentional and put effort into our marriage.

Marriage is hard work. But God works miracles. That’s why it is important for married couples to not only include God in their marriage, but to make Him a priority.

Psalm 127:1 “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. “

6. Make Christ number one in your life. On your own, you do not have the power to do and choose the right thing. Most of the time, we will end up corrupted, making bad decisions. But if you open your heart to God and A) admit that you can not make life work on your own and ask forgiveness for your sinfulness – your great capability to make mistakes – and B) believe in your heart that Christ is the only acceptable payment and sacrifice for your sins because all others are unacceptable (religion, good works) and finally C) commit yourself to God by making Him the Boss and Manager of your life, God promises to make you a new person (2 Corinthians 5:17) and empower you to do the right thing, not only in your marriage, but in your whole life as well (Philippians 2:13).  He will empower you to do the steps suggested herein.

First off, what is degustation? Prior to last night, I had no clue what that was. We arrived pretty early at the venue, went to check the night’s schedule and got rather clueless when I saw that the night’s event is called degustation.  Okay, what does a blogger do during such times? Google it up. That’s what I did. Who can better define the word than Wikipedia.

Degustation is a culinary term meaning “a careful, appreciative tasting of various foods” and focusing on the gustatory system, the senses, high culinary art and good company. 

The French term dégustation is still commonly used in English-language contexts, even though a standard Anglicized spelling and pronunciation exist.

Modern dégustation probably comes from the French kitchens of the early 20th century and is different from earlier meals with many courses because these meals were served as full-sized meals at each course. Dégustation is more likely to involve sampling small portions of all of a chef’s signature dishes in one sitting. Usually consisting of eight or more courses, it may be accompanied by a matching wine degustation which complements each dish.

Sampling a selection of cheeses, at home or in a restaurant, may also be called a dégustation. Three to four varieties are normally chosen, generally including a semi-soft cheese, a goat’s cheese, and a blue cheese. The stronger varieties are normally tasted last. See the article “A Cheese Lover’s Tour of France” from The New York Times.

A dégustation is always held during the Japanese television show Iron Chef.

Last week was A.I.C.A.’s  22nd and 23rd batches turn to undergo hell week.  They call it such because after 10 months of classroom experience, they actually get to run a restaurant just like a professional chef would.  From the interior to the marketing to the way they serve their dishes, it’s all them.  And I saw for myself how they can really pass for real professionals.   

the fine and intricate details of their table setting

I just love turning its pages during the degustation — to anticipate the next high. Every single course spoke for itself.  The silence in between bites was affirmation enough that it did its purpose of satisfying our palates. Several hours after this meal and I can still taste from my recollection the yumminess of each course.

Chicken liver mousse. Served to open our palates. Yes! There’s a science behind why courses are served at different portions of the meal.  Nothing like I’ve ever tasted before, to say the least. For someone who isn’t exactly partial towards liver stuff, this is a hit! I loved it!  Chef Jerome taught us through.  We didn’t have an idea how to eat it.  It was served fromthis delicate spoon and we were told to eat it right from the spoon. Needless to say, it excited our taste buds and paved the way to the 8 equally delectable courses to come.  

Deep fried shishamo, petit salad in citrus dressing and ceviche of scallops.  If you like deep fried “Tawilis from Tagaytay,” you are going to fall head over heals in love with Shishamu.  But here’s the bad news, this ain’t available locally. Shishamu thrives only in the cold waters of Canada.  This particular dish is sponsored by one of the students in the batch,  Catherine Ingles, the grand daughter of Nora Daza.  The very same lovely chef who will do her on the job training at the world’s lone 7 star hotel in Dubai, Jumeirah.  She also is the lone distributor of Shishamo in the Philippines.   What makes this special is this…

… it is laden with eggs!!!Which makes it extra tasty and healthy. Packed with all those omega goodness for your heart. 

Prawn Bisque.

salmon confit in infused almond oil with mashed potatoes.

Braised cabbage rolls in tomato basil sauce.

Green tea basil sorbet.

Shiraz braised pork knuckles with watercress walnut relish in mashed potatoes and port wine sauce.

 Chocolate Truffles.

We got to sit with the owner of A.I.C.A. himself.  Michael M. Tiaoqui shared the vision he has for the culinary school and how the Academy for International Culinary Arts believes in the creative Filipino culinary talent. This culinary school is manned by a distinguised staff of qualified teachers and trainers possessing excellent international credentials.  They have state-of-the art facilities that augment the practical hands-on methodology.  A.I.C.A. also sticks to the proven and tested 14 member-per-class ratio, with nothing less than 90% hands-on training application. Students are exposed to perform and devlop the mastery in the course subjects.  They also provide a comprehensive post evaluation and program opportunities for both the local and international markets.  

photo op with the culinary legend, Chef Nora Daza

A.I.C.A. 
The Academy for International Culinary Arts
2/F Skyway Twin Towers
Capt. Henry P. Javier Street
Pasig City, Philippines
672.2119; 672.2271
http://www.aicaculinary.com

Okay. So I have not exactly been doing the Fast Interval Training (F.I.T.) workout on a regular basis. Yes, it’s just four minutes, but you have to give it to me that I tried. The plank exercises just about killed my arms, even if it’s just 30 seconds each. I need a yoga mat! Seriously. The four minutes does not sound very long but the fragile me will get bruised from hitting the hard and cold floor every time.

I’m not giving up. Not resorting to weight loss pills just yet.  But will go grab myself that yoga mat very soon.

the hubby in one of his games. Forgive the blurry shots, DSLR wasn’t yet available then.

teaching our lil 4yo guy to juggle.

Although I’m not exactly a couch potato, it does take huge effort to get me to my toes and actually workout. Plus, I have a long list of reasons up my sleeves why I cannot work out and they are all valid, mind you. I homeschool, work from home, cover events and keep house. How do I get all these things packed in a day? Go figure. But that was before The Dare to be Fit ‘N Right Bloggers Event held in MOA last October 23. Del Monte Fit ‘N Right couldn’t have chosen a better speaker than Master Coach Jim Saret. A sports scientist who obtained an MS Sports Science degree in Brigham Young University in the United States, introduced the Fast Intense Training (FIT) workout that will only take 4 minutes of my precious time per day. Now, however busy one can be, there is just no reason not to stay in shape anymore.

Doing the FIT workout is easy, it is basically just body weight lifting composed of crunches, push ups, squats and lunges.  It is so convenient that you can do it whenever, wherever.

the four celebrity assistants doing the four minute, higher intensity workout

Apparently, the treadmill isn’t good enough. I think it can be a little overrated, even. Aside from the hassle of having to squeeze it in my already loaded schedule, I don’t exactly fancy going to the gym. Our old treadmill rotted without being maximized, to begin with.  So the FIT, might just be the one workout that will make me stick to a regimen.

The FIT workout is composed of  fast bursts of intensive exercise that enables one to burn at least 400 calories in a span of only four minutes and this is where Fit ‘N Right comes right in. It helps the body burn fat and calories faster. The L-Carnitine ingredient transports the fatty acids into the mitochondria, the cell’s powerhouse where they are burned into energy needed for a healthy heart and other important body functions.  If L-Carnitine levels are increased, the body’s ability to oxidize fat is optimized. With supplementary L-Carnitine, proper diet and regular exercise, one can achieve ideal body weight and ensure a healthy life.

Del Monte Fit ‘N Right also contains Vitamin B1, B6 and B12 that helps speed up metabolism, resulting in faster weight loss. Vitamins B1, B6 and B12 are energy boosters and increases endurance by facilitating the conversion of carbohydrates, protein and fat into energy that is needed by the body in performing physical functions. It also contains natural fruit juice that provides the body with 100 percent of its RDA. We were told as well that the perfect time to drink Fit ‘N Right is 2 hours before the workout.

Coach Jim’s talk on The Science of Getting Fit and Losing Weight was a real eye opener. Although I never had weight issues, it does not exactly follow that I am already fit.  The fact that I have to catch my breath doing just one  flight of stairs should already give me away.  Aside from my getting tired easily, love handles are not exactly the nicest thing on my tiny 101 lb. frame.

This is the perfect follow through for my quest to becoming healthier.  We’re in the midst of this year’s last quarter and no hospitalization –that is quite something. I used to be confined at least once a year since 2005, not counting the random ones I had before that. Judging from my health history, I was never really in my tip top shape and I declare that at my age of 33, it is not yet too late. I’m going to do this primarily because I want to be a better steward of my health.  Seeing my family suffer as I do isn’t easy.  So even though I might have the sweetest family in the world but if the queen has a wavering health, our quality of life suffers. This is why I so appreciate the encouragement I received from the organizers of this Dare to be Fit ‘N Right event to get back to working out.

Incidentally, there is an upcoming Fun Run event sponsored by Del Monte Fit ‘N Right.  It is a follow through to their commitment of promoting a healthy lifestyle with the Dare to be Fit ‘n Right culmination fun run on November 22 in SM Mall of Asia. Official race call time is at 4 am in front of SM MOA Music Hall.

The 3K/5K/10K Men and Women Open will benefit the victims of typhoon Ondoy and Pepeng, among others, through the SM Foundation.
For a registration fee of P300, runners can get their race packet with the Dare to Fit ‘n Right Fun Run singlet, race bib, Fit ‘N Right products, etc. Interested participants can register at the following areas:

• CEMG Office – Unit 3A Vernida I Bldg., Amorsolo St., Legaspi Village, Makati City/ Look for Marianne Tapales (892.5842/09155498282)
• Dare to be Fit ‘n Right booths in Bonifacio High Street, Taguig and in selected SM Hypermarkets: Mall of Asia, Sucat, Pasig, and North EDSA
• Fitness First branches on November 16, 2009.

1st, 2nd and 3rd place runners from each division will win P10, 000, P5, 000 and P3, 000, respectively. All registered runners will also automatically qualify for the raffle, where they can win a Lenovo laptop.

As I mentioned in a review I have done of the most wonderful book, Fascinating Womanhood by Helen B. Andelin, I have read the softbound copy nearly thirty times. After acquiring an e-book copy several months back, I finally got myself to reading the Secrets of the Fascinating Womanhood and I am really thrilled how much more this is packed with very practical applications – as its primary focus, while the softbound book’s is more on the principles.

The first secret to the world of Fascinating Womanhood is ACCEPT HIM AS HE IS. This is something that I admit to having a hard time right from the moment my husband and I became a couple. Two individuals coming together from two different sets of family origin, with different values and upbringing, what should we expect, really. This is why a marriage really changes a person. You are taught to drop selfishness from the core of your being or suffer the consequences of holding on to it.

What does accepting really mean, anyway? Accepting your husband means NOT TRY TO CHANGE HIM. Accepting all his habits, weakness, dreams, or even lack of them, even his beliefs.

We have this valid excuse of wanting to change our man – for his own sake, right? But it never works. This is the primary reason why we have to choose right to begin with. If you got into a marriage with an alcoholic in tow, nobody is to be blamed but you. Men’s vices are the usual issues, alcohol, even smoking Dutch Master cigars one after the other. With persistence, our men might even appear to have changed, but only on the outside. The only exception to this rule is if what you have to accept will put you and your children in danger — battery, physical abuse, etc. Otherwise, you have got to accept him at face value and it has got to manifest in your actions. Let him know that you do accept him. The moment he knows for sure that you accept him for who he is, he is more apt to change for the better, for you.  But having this as an ulterior motive won’t work as well.

I love that there are actually things we could do to follow through this principle of accepting our husbands. You could begin by making a list of your husband’s masculine virtues. Read them every morning and night. This exercise actually made me realize how great my husband is. As he is, I actually shouldn’t have anything more to look for. No vices, we have different personalities, true. Which is the very root why I try to change him. Writing all the virtues down made me appreciate and admire Jeff all the more. Of course there are still more about this secret, but having the husband as a co-author of this blog, isn’t really gonna work for me this time.   I wouldn’t wanna give myself away just like that. I still want him surprised and all, y’know.  We’re going 8 years in our marriage and I really couldn’t ask for anything more.  I will gladly send my dear friends a copy, I’m just an email away.  All  the world needs a better marriage and a better family.  

We had our family sunday celebration at church today (SBC-Makati) and this is our family’s shot.

Pledge to the Christian Flag

I pledge allegiance to the Christian Flag and to the Savior for Whose Kingdom in stands;

one Savior, crucified, risen and coming again

with life and liberty for all who believe.

Pledge to the Bible

I pledge allegiance to the Bible, God’s Holy Word.

I will make it a lamp unto my feet 

and a light unti my ath.

I will hide its words in my heart

that I might not sin against God.

Registration fee is P300 inclusive of singlet, race bib and Del Monte products. Participants can register at the (1) CEMG Office – Unit 3A Vernida I Bldg., Amorsolo St., Legaspi Village, Makati City (look for Marianne Tapales (892.5842/09155498282), (2) Dare to be Fit ‘n Right booths in Bonifacio High Street, Taguig plus SM Hypermart in Mall of Asia, Sucat, Pasig, and North EDSA, (3) Fitness First branches on November 16.

I cannot emphasize enough how the hubby has been wonderful through and through, especially during and after the storm that was. It meant a great deal that he spared me the sight of the storm’s aftermath. He had me come home a couple of days after. Although stench was still there, what I can only see from how it left the house was from the pictures. And I can only imagine how gruesome it would have been to see it in person.   You have to cut me some slack because I did have to go through weeks and weeks of cleaning up too, together with my trusty weekend girl who made herself available every single day since day one after the storm.

Thanks to digital technology, although we lost a whole lot of pictures in the flood, we still have access to more recent photos from the previous several “digital” years. We were in Tagaytay during our 7th anniversary last year when these pictures were taken.  The hubby rode the horse as our son and I rode on a trike. The horse he was on was out of sorts (maybe out of horse supplements) or something.  But the little guy did have a splendid time driving his trike.

Here’s wondering how we’ll get to spend our 8th anniversary this coming December.

Three weeks and some since typhoon Ondoy and we’re still picking up the pieces, so to speak. My son and I are back homeschooling. Some important documents, birth and marriage certificates, policies like that of the online life insurance that we recently availed, are all dry now but I wonder how we could ever get rid of the stench.

As we get our lives back to normal, we thank God for every single day and for Him staying true to His word of not having us want. We recently attended SM Mega Atrium’s launch and we so enjoyed the play of colors in its lovely ceiling. Although life has its ability to drag us down by its circumstance, we choose to remain grateful and appreciative of things around us.

Psalm 100

1Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

2Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

3Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

5For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

We’re pretty much back to normal again after the storm. Aside from getting back to our homeschooling routine, I also got back to attending a few events and reviewing beauty products.

One beauty product that I recently did a review on is Photocyane, it is now live via my beauty blog and the review is not positive. What it is supposed to do is thicken hair locks, but it did just the opposite and worse.

I always make sure to give my readers genuine reviews and as much as I was very hopeful about it when I started with it, a couple of weeks after, I began to have falling hair and pimples all over my head. It’s crazy and my friend, Frances, who happened to have used the same product, also developed pimples all over her head too. But her locks did feel thicker, mine did not. To think that I did not even have falling hair to begin with, I just really hoped to have thicker locks, because although my hair isn’t exactly fine, I could sure make use of thicker locks.

Now, I am off to my quest to find a better brand to recommend to my readers over at Kikay Corner. My sister is currently using another product and I should receive feedback soon. Meanwhile for those who would rather not take chances in some products, they could actually look into hair transplant. Interestingly, Nu/Hart, a well renowned international hair transplant company, has a local satellite here in Manila. Nope, I’m not looking into getting into hair transplant in the near future, just yet. But readers who might be looking into a more permanent solution than that of what you get from regular hair products can actually get a free online consultation from the prominent plastic surgeon, Dr. Romeo Bato.

We’re thankful that despite the devastation of the recent typhoon, we’re able to bounce back to our feet. It’s just nice to be doing regular things again. Back to our routine and some…

BEARHUGS FOR BAGUIO-The children in many of Baguio’s evacuation centers have been severely traumatized by the typhoon. Reports say that many of them stare blankly at walls, and have no appetite. A stuffed toy is a small thing, but for a child who has been through a nightmare such as the recent floods and typhoon, it can mean everything and help him or her, break out of that shell. Together with PINE, a Baguio NGO, a group of friends are trying to raise at least 500 bears or stuffed toys to send to Baguio’s children. If you would like to donate your old teddy bears or stuffedtoys, please email 10000bears@gmail.com or send a text message to 0917-529-1964 so you will be advised of drop-off point. Thank you very much!

Around this time of year in the years past, we were already prepping our home for the upcoming Christmas season, designing our photo holiday cards, Christmas potpourri jars and baking Christmas cookies.  But after typhoon Ondoy, we might just choose to do it another way this year. Sure we will still be celebrating Jesus’ birth that paved the way to Him being the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. It’s something that we should be doing anyway, every single day of the year.

After the “flood,” (terming it as “the flood” makes it sound a lot like the Old Testament, Noah and the Ark event), the hubby and I are pretty much surprised about the things in the house that survived. We have expected things to be practically useless. One item that I am pleased that has survived that flood was my 5 year old Goodsphere. It is a revolutionary air purifier/ionizer system. We bought it when we were prego with our son. We were still renting this basement apartment in Makati that has bad ventilation (read:basement). We left a few months after and transferred to another apartment. This air revitalizing system helps clean the air and you actually see for yourself how the water gets darker as it does its job. Before the flood, I replace the water and clean the basin once a week, but during the cleaning up from the flood, it has to be cleaned once a day!

I wasn’t expecting it to still work after I have cleaned the mud off of it. But lo and behold it did and I couldn’t be more grateful. The stench that the mud water has left was unbearable. The Goodsphere ionizer helped the house smelled clean again. Of course, it also entailed some rigorous scrubbing with chlorine and lysol here and there. This is the one time that I so appreciated this air purifier/ionizer. The conversion of positive ions in the air into negative ions and the fact that its aromatherapy clears away the funky smell the flood has left without marking my walls is just neat (I love scented candles!).

I know I can be pretty much an OC when it comes to cleanliness sometimes. But you can’t blame me, I’m a mother and I have to lower that risk of illness spreading across my household (as if the flood isn’t enough to do just that).  I wouldn’t be considering the resurrection of the air purifier if it wasn’t for the stinky smell the flood has left.  As petty as it might be, it has helped our moving towards getting our life back to normal. And yes, I’m back multitasking between freelancing, that often requires me to research on topics from acne to colon cleanse and various other issues, while doing homeschooling and the house chores. Life is good, although we’re still in the look out for a yet another possible super typhoon (Ramil/Lupit).  It has the ability to bring us anxiety, true, but we choose to put our total dependence on God alone.

“As a globally successful Filipino artist, Apl is the perfect icon to represent our country and its fascinating destinations. His music infused with Pinoy pride certainly makes this campaign fresh and exciting,” said Durano.

The project includes a music video entitled “Take U to the Philippines,” which Apl offered as a complimentary to the DOT compaign. The DOT held a soft launch of the campaign in Singapore recently, where the Black Eyed Peas also performed in the F1 Rocks concert.

“The sheer magnitude of fans who watched the Black Eyed Peas in Singapore is just a tip of the global market we are reaching through our campaign with MTV,” said Durano.

The video, “Take U to the Philipines,” was launched last October 1, to a worldwide MTV market.

When asked about his inspiration in making the video, Apl remarked, “I wanted to showcase all the beautiful spots in the Philippines. I wanted to help out tourism, to inspire others to visit the Philippines; to create jobs for people and help out the country and the community.”

Directed by Andrew Lo, creative director of MTV Asia, the video utilized mixed motion graphics stylized by The Source, a renowned studio in Hollywood.

Apl himself wrote the lyrics, with suggestions from Durano, to highlight local texture of tourist destinations—warm blue waters, parties in Manila, unique Pinoy culture, heart-stopping adventure rides and an infinite number of activities found only in the Philippines.

Undersecretary Eduardo Jarque, Jr., Tourism Planning and Promotions, said, “Although it may seem geared towards the young MTV generations, we are tapping the global traveler and culture connoisseur of all markets. We want the campaign to brand our country as one with infinite number of exciting activities to do for the adventure and culture lovers.”

“We have so much in common,” states Bill Roedy, Chairman and CEO of MTVN International, when he remarked on the partnership between the Philippine Department of Tourism and MTV. Secretary Ace Durano of the DOT agrees, “Music is as part of the Philippines as our cultural heritage, there is just a perfect fit between MTV and the Philippines.”

This collaboration marks the first time that the media giant has joined forces with a country to promote its tourism industry and it exemplifies the innovative direction that the DOT has taken to reach out to younger generations of world travelers. The resulting campaign anchored on the global DOT website, AwesomePhilippines.com which represents a perfect synergy of the youthfulness of MTV and the unique charms of the Philippines. As Roedy puts it, “Our audience is young and vibrant and that’s exactly what the Philippines is.”

Undersecretary Eduardo Jarque, Jr. also shares, “The partnership has been a massive hit, specially with online marketing that is now a key platform for the travel industry.” The campaign taps at least 55 million people in eleven markets through the MTV global network, propelling the Awesome Philippines website through the digital stratosphere with 1 billion impressions and 1 million page views as well as giving rise to groundbreaking promotions like the Awesome Experience search vignettes, Awesome Remixer, Maverick sites, MTV Revelations island on Second Life, and the recent music video sensation, Take U to the Philippines by Apl.de.ap.

DOT and MTV’s partnership only sdeems to grow stronger as it plays out, bringing more exciting ways to promote the Philippines at every turn. It certainly sounds like a perfect fit.

On Watchpad, there’s something for everyone. With Cignal HD as content provider, PLDT myDSL subscribers can now watch the hottest TV shows from their favorite channels – right on their computers. They also get to play the coolest online games and hang out with their favorite celebrities, all in one exclusive entertainment portal. While surfing, subscribers can even update their Facebook, Multiply and Twitter accounts, without having to leave the Watchpad page. Best of all, Watchpad is available nationwide and it’s absolutely free.

Available to all myDSL subscribers, Watchpad is also bringing the silver screen, straight to your PC screens. Starting on October, Watchpad will be featuring the most buzzed-about and award-winning indie films exclusively on myFlicks, Watchpad’s one-stop movie central. For its grand premiere, myFlicks is showcasing no less than the lustrous list of award-winning films from the country’s hottest filmmaker today, Brillante Mendoza.

Bagging the 2009 Cannes International Film Festival Best Director plum for his controversial film Kinatay, Mendoza won the award over distinguished filmmakers such as Quentin Tarantino and Ang Lee. He also became the first Filipino to get the prestigious recognition. For four years he has directed a total of 8 films and many of which have drawn critical acclaim. Some of his films that will also be shown on Watchpad are Serbis, Twilight Dancers, Masahista, Manoro and Foster Child.

Best experienced starting with Plan 1299, Watchpad will also soon be featuring other highly-acclaimed films from more of the country’s premier and celebrated directors. To avail of the service, it simply requires logging on to www.pldtwatchpad.com for a unique username and password.