Ramblings and Updates in January

Eighth day of the Chinese New Year "Another family dinner is held to celebrate the eve of the birth of the Jade Emperor. However, everybody should be back to work by the eighth day. All government agencies and business will stop celebrating by the eighth day. Store owners will host a lunch/dinner with their employees, thanking their employees for the work they have done for the whole year." (wiki) Will SM owner be treating his employees for their loyalty and hard work? *** Went to bed early tonight with three films to watch. Managed one beautiful film…Rachel Getting Married. *** "Too long concerned with marble floors/ And pillars tangent to the sun/ I quite forget beyond my doors/ The carnival of life is run." - Apology (1935) by Angela Manalang Gloria (I saw this on a site from another Pinay) *** The Pin@y way of keeping SIR...smooth interpersonal relationship. Attended a birthday celebration to where some of our "common" friends were not invited. I want to say funny, interesting that we are concerned how would we react to them if they find out that they were not invited. Why can't we not just take it lightly that it's the celebrant's decision and not ours. *** Got up from what KnP said as a record-breaking sleep. Good Morning FB World. LatteMac time. and if I haven't told it lately...a good start this Saturday morning (hearing Van Morrison, Have I Told You Lately that I love you.) *** Getting up to hear Winter Sales, Discount up to 70% reduction and earn extra 15Euro, etc, etc. Welcome to affluence and consumption terror. Good that I'm not interested...for today. *** Back to the nest after hours of liberating laughters with our "Maedels" group for our regular international Meet and Eat. Host for the ME is Germany, Ms. Mar. She could cook! Thanks also to Kani for the wonderful fresh lumpias. *** I read that our Fil-germ Pinay bet for Baku Euro Vision didn't make it to another round. Just watched the video now. Think she is too classy and jazzy for such a show. At saka baka "Kuri" ang mga Noypi Community. Who will have the energy (naks!) to pay 50 cents for every call to keep one's fav on the top? This kind of talent competition with money should stop. It makes only tv stations rich. *** Wonder Woman...is wondering where she put her notes! Zettelwirtschafterin! First, LatteMac. It's the 4th day of the Chinese New Year...well back to normal business. Good Morning FB world. Listening now to a discussion on the radio on socialnetworks and googling. Turn it off, turn it off! *** Gosh! It's 2.35am, and I'm still working. So what's today for the 3rd day in Chinese new year? *** "The third day is known as Chìkǒu (赤口), directly translated as "red mouth". Chìkǒu is also called Chìgǒurì (赤狗日). Chìgǒu means "the God of Blazing Wrath" (熛怒之神). It is generally accepted that it is not a good day to socialize or visit your relatives and friends." (Source:wiki) In other words, stay at home but don't socialize? No calls, no FB? Got to catch up some sleep. 'nite! * "The second day of the Chinese New Year, known as kāinián (开年, "beginning of the year")[15], was when married daughters visited their birth parents, relatives and close friends. (Traditionally, married daughters didn't have the opportunity to visit their birth families frequently.) *** It is also the God of Wealth's birthday. During the days of imperial China, "beggars and other unemployed people circulate[d] from family to family, carrying a picture [of the God of Wealth] shouting, "Cai Shen dao!" [The God of Wealth has come!]."[16] Householders would respond with "lucky money" to reward the messengers. Business people of the Cantonese dialect group will hold a 'Hoi Nin' prayer to start their business on the 2nd day of Chinese New Year so they will be blessed with good luck and prosperity in their business for the year. * Some believe that the second day is also the birthday of all dogs and remember them with special treats." (Source: wiki) * Hmmmm, birthday of all dogs. Remembering now dogs I have known and the happy moments spent with Tom Jones, Cutie, Lovebug, Maglie, Bush, Bella, Blondie, Ayka, Einstein, Kruegger and Secret. Oh yes, there are other kinds of Tutas, past and present, named Chuchus and Sipsips. I remember them with especial PWEH! * Watching this ARD feature about H & M and I remembered what I was telling my girlfriends during lunch that I'm thinking of buying sewing machine and learn to sew. Seeing the condition of workers in Bangladesh producing stuffs for H & M, I think now of H & M as Huwag Mamili! I think I really need to sew my own stuffs! Harinawa! * KIK shop!!! Sa tingin pa lang makatí na. *

Mochi on Chinese new year. Kitchen Goddess should be pleased with the offering of sweets...not to mention the chockies in the pantry. * First day of Chinese New Year. "On this day, it is considered bad luck to clean." (wiki) OK! Kung Hei Fat Choi! * Red light blinking on the dishwasher, and dishwasher stopped working. Kaputt! Oh Mist, and it's Sunday. Getting panicky, KnP, too. Shall we call the nice neighbor on Sunday? KnP said, "call technician tomorrow." I said, "no. Let's read the manual." I read the manual on problems arising when dishwasher is on, and the owner is facebooking (hehehe). Found the problem and remedy. Oh goodness, a button, a metal button from my jeans blocks the mini water ventillator or something inside the dishwasher. Ay naman, where did it come from and how? Next time, will move the laptop to the kitchen. * It's the Dragon Year...Puff, the Magic Dragon * Instead of defining your success by what you have achieved or acquired, why not begin defining your success by how much you are growing each day? Barbara DeAngelis, PhD. (From Women of Character) * Happy Chinese New Year! * Imagine there will be many more European-Pin@ys competing for Euro Vision. Wow! * Brunch with my favorite Swedish 'Pandisal'. Ordered then once as pasalubong via friends visiting Sweden but they told me it's unheard of in that country. You know this bread * Good timing for my Sunday brunch. (Reading a photo where it says Pag hindi umalsa ang masa, walang tinapay sa lamesa. From Gabriela) * Early dinner of sashimi of fillet of salmon with sushi rice and nori. I marinated first the salmon pieces in soya sauce, sake, ginger and loads and loads of garlic, so not really eating raw fish. We first had warm sake. KnP praised me saying I created 'unintentionally' the best Japanese dinner. I asked back and why 'unintentionally'? He is still thinking why he said that. Lost in Translation. * Recalling where, from which film I've heard this beautiful song. Thought not from Bagdad Cafe or? (Posting Calling You song) * Looking forward to brunching outside the nest despite of the windy weather. Would love to have fresh salmon to make Friday sushi...emphasis on would love to have. Good Morning! * This is an answer to that woman passenger who was claiming that the crew didn't do anything at all. (Posting a video clip how Pin@y seafarers helped passengers of the Costa Concordia) * Just thinking, if there would be heavy winds and rains for days and can't go out to buy food, what do I have in my nest? Firstly, I have one piece of Camote, now cooking and will have it as a late lunch: wine, checked; nuts, checked; frozen shrimps, checked; English sausages, indeed; frozen fruit salad, yes; instant soups, 5 packs; chocolates, 5 bars; cheese, vacuum-packed, and most importantly, one Nice Neighbor and wifi connection! * On days like today...ikaw lamang posting UST video singing Eres Tu * Your greed, we don't need! (On SM cutting trees in Baguio City) * Ayaiyai! Woke up to another grey, windy and showery morning. Domestic Goddess Day, this will be. More old papers to sort out or stack in the cellar or photograph them for documentation of rough drafts. Why is it so difficult to throw old papers away? But first, LatteMac with Swedish bread topped with my fav almond paste. * Sharing this. Baka may gustong tumulong. (Reposting a call for help for a rollator) * So paano na pag walang Wiki? (On SOPA/Blackoutpage) * I get my bad moods from outside influence. what to do? * Have to keep up with the terms circulating now in some FB walls. Found a link explaining SALN. FYI * "To implement this 1955 law, Congress passed the SALN law, Republic Act 3019, popularly known as the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and Net worth law on August 17, 1960 requiring "every public officer, within thirty days after assuming office and, thereafter, on or before the fifteenth day of April following the close of every calendar year (to submit) a statement of the amounts and sources of his income, the amounts of his personal and family expenses and the amount of income taxes paid for the next preceding calendar year." * Let's do run run. Or walk, fast walk at least three times a week. Hmmm, promise sa summer. * Bought a kilo of frozen Black Tiger shrimps in Asian shop today. I told the Vietnamese owner that I want to cook them and if he could give me a good sauce for the shrimps. What do you think he gave me? A packet of Mama Sita's Sinigang with Tamarind, what else? Shrimps now in freezer. I opened a can of turkey in curry sauce and warmed it. Served it with mango chutney, one banana and dinner was ready. * Cantuccini ng Pilipinas. Wheew, like biting small pieces of stones. * Hallo! I found this email in my box. This German guy is looking for contacts with Chinese women. He said that he didn't want to ask the service of dating pages as he feels he would be ordering a ware. He is a cook and I don't know why he is looking for Chinese women. I 'm wondering how these men looking for brides found my email as I often get such emails asking for help. I'm not a matchmaker, Mr. Lonely Heart. Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, bitte entschuldigen Sie, wenn ich mich an Sie wende, doch ich habe eine Frage die Sie mir vielleicht beantworten, oder vielleicht auch weiterhelfen können. Ich bin seit längerem auf der such, auf gutem legalen Weg eine Liebevolle Frau aus China kennen zu lernen. Ich habe mich bislang immer von diesen ganzen Datingseiten ferngehalten, da es mir auf diesen Seiten vorkommt als würde ich eine Ware bestellen. Ich kann mich mit dieser Art einen Menschen kennen zu lernen nicht indendifizieren. Deshalb versuche ich es auf dem normalen Weg eine Liebvolle treue Frau kennen zu lernen. Einen Menschen zu finden, kennen zu lernen um dann festzustellen, ob man eine Gemeinsame Zukunft gestalten und aufbauen kann. Ich will auch etwas zu mir sagen, ich bin von Beruf Küchenmeister und Kaufmann, stehe mit beiden Beinen im Leben bin gerade 50 geworden 180 cm groß. schlank. Bin ein Liebvoller immer gut gelaunter mann, mit Anstand Selbstachtung und guter Erziehung, ein mann der weis was die Worte gegenseitige Achtung und Respekt bedeuten. Können Sie mir helfen, oder eine möglichkeit aufzeigen, wie ich mich verhalten muss, oder wohin ich mich wenden kann um Kontakt zu in Deutschland lebenden Chinesischen Frauen zu bekommen. So dass ich mich dort mit meinem Profil vorstellen kann um zu sehen ob es einen Menschen gibt, der interesse hat m,ich kennen zu lernen. Ich würde mich freuen wenn sie mir weiter helfen können. Mit freundlichen Grüßen (I removed his name as you could very well imagine.) * Family-oriented Captain. Patatawarin 'yan. * Population in Germany increases without babyboom through migration from Poland and Hungary. * This is not only for journalists but even for our day-to-day encounter. Dare to be factual. * Philippines: No. 8th (World’s Friendliest Countries-Forbes) * "Princess Isabelle: The king desires peace. William Wallace: Longshanks desires peace? Princess Isabelle: He declares it to me, I swear it. He proposes that you withdraw your attack. In return he grants you title, estates, and this chest of gold which I am to pay to you personally. William Wallace: A lordship and titles. Gold. That I should become Judas? Princess Isabelle: Peace is made in such ways. William Wallace: Slaves are made in such ways. The last time Longshanks spoke of peace I was a boy. And many Scottish nobles, who would not be slaves, were lured by him under a flag of truce to a barn, where he had them hanged. I was very young, but I remember Longshanks' notion of peace. " Memorable lines from the film Braveheart Source: imdb.com * Hmmmm, due to miscommunication, I'm having a dinner of pork and beans with two toasts. Red wine comes with the nuts while watching late movies. A simple reward for the hard week. TV or CD-DvD. Pin@y o Aleman/Alemon kaya. Enjoy your Saturday! * Was looking for my fav Primitivo or Tempranillo in this wine outlet. AySauce, I saw again this couple tasting wine and eating bread regularly in this wine outlet. Hmmm, I think it's their weekly excursion to this wine cellar. Mukhang Lashing na lashing na yun mama pero cool and maputla pa naman yun woman companion niya but they still couldn't decide on which wine to take. Cheers to spirit! * A beautiful shawl from Laos from Anke T. * Back to the grey weather of the German nest. Will we have snow soon? * "PALAMBING NAMAN AKO SA YO KAPATID...Puede akong magsolicit s yo 4 additional fund? May field trip kmi s PALAWAN w/ my SR. CTZENS KLSMATE on Jan 30. KULANG P FUNDS KO, NGSOLOCIT N AKO S MGA CHIGREN NAMIN." Ahahay, first text this morning when I woke up. * Waiting for dinner and I found out I have wifi access. Great! * http://opinion.inquirer.net/20953/the-sacred-and-the-profane "But the deed is soon controverted and rendered meaningless by the profane and wanton littering that follows in the wake of the holy procession. It is astounding to see how the devotees mortified their bodies and purified their hearts but could not care less that they were dumping all their trash along the procession route and in front of the church that serves as the Nazarene’s home." * Good Morning FB World. Thanks to Ka-Babaylanes Weni G. who shared this video info. (Sharing Isabel Allende’s Tales of Passion) * It says " Ihre DNS Konfiguration ist korrekt." Hay, Salamat! * "Let's work passionately in a creating a perfect world." I. Allende * Consumers goods against God's creation. * Vital Statistics not to be given away! * Additional F to the Filipino cultural Fs of Faith, Family, Face, Fiestas and now Fun! * And for the richies, it is washing machine and tumble-drier Christianity. * Dioskomio naman, bakit pa tayong mga banyaga masyadong maingay sa loob ng tren...sobrang lakas magCP. Apat na incidences at apat na iba't ibang lahi sa sandaling oras. Parang mga bingi. Nagtitinginan ng yun mga Aleman pero siyempre walang magsabi ng puede bang hinaan mo lang kasi baka masabing racial slur. For instance, salita nang salita kanina yun isang mama..."nambarderlam na, nambarderlam na"...taga-saan kaya siya? Gusto ko talaga malaman kung saan tong salitang to. Hmmmp, kung NayPi yun, baka di ako makatitiis, susutsutan ko siya. (Pero siyempre, will look first kung mas malaki sa akin, hehehe.) * FB is MORE FUN IF YOU WORK FIRST. SIGE! * The Three Wise Men (Sternsinger), all boys knocking today at our door singing: "Wir kommen daher aus dem Morgenland, wir kommen geführt von Gottes Hand. Wir wünschen euch ein fröhliches Jahr: Kaspar, Melchior und Balthasar." I prefer girls doing this collecting of donation for the poor children of developing countries. They have more colorful costumes, sing and smile longer, and have prepared chalk to write 20 *C+M+B *12 meaning Christus mansionem benedicat or Christ bless this mansion (our flat). The boys, well, they're boys, as you know. BTW, the theme for this year is "Knock on the Door, Insist on Your Right." * Aua!Aray!Ouch! Wanted to have Pin@y brunch with adobong chicken and sunny-side up egg. Natalsikan ng mantika sa left eye, forehead at fingers. Ano ba yan! Next time won't forget the sunglasses and gloves when frying eggs...gosh, only eggs and so much drama for brunch. * my own version for just for fun * Two nights keeping one of the resolutions...no nuts in the evening. It is working. Little things mean a lot. * After Skyping with one BFF, I have a late dinner of siomai and chicken soup: enjoying now a bar of Swiss choc and drinking Cava. Sabi ni KnP it is a traditional drink in the Southseas made out of mulberry tree! No, it's sparkling wine Cava from Espana. Cheers! Happy Three Wise Women Day! * Just chatted with one BFF who returned from her holiday in the States. She said in the States, Immigration officers are friendly, smiling and even joking with you and wishing you to enjoy your stay. She added that why our own Immigration officers are so dead serious, won't even be greeting back and looking angry at your travelling companion. It's more Fun in the Philippines? * Credit Wulff...feeling as a victim? Pwe! (Sabi ni KnP...aba parang si GMA na siya kaya lang mas makapal si GMA.) * Swirl for lunch and then Crémant de Loire...my world is swirling! * Whooooooo, waking up to an "orkanic" morning, trees swaying to the strong winds. Tja, no sightseeing but windwatching for today. Of course, reading mode and mood. * There's someone who must have found his arsenal of firecrackers unfired during the first hour of 2012. He/she is/they're using them now to our delight. * Watching them this morning, (the two birds in the cage) Good resolution for the second day of the new year. I choose…to live by choice, not by chance;To make changes, not excuses;To be motivated, not manipulated;To be useful, not used;To excel, not compete. I choose self-esteem, not self pity; I choose to listen to my inner voice Not the random opinion of others. * This is it! KnP is preparing brunch. I'm just directing. * Ready to brunch. Will look for "tiramisu" oliebollen and palitaw. Day of working on some papers. Screaming to KnP, "Hoy Gising." * Watched the video of the musical film Emir. Would be a good project to show it here in Europe. * Eating Palitaw (sticky rice sweet dumplings with coconut and sesame seeds) and Oliebollen and drinking Champagne on the first hour of 2012. It should be a good start of the new year. Cheers! * Welcome 2012! Wishing my FB friends a prosperous, healthy and love-filled 2012. Cheers! Mabuhay!