Hard Decisions

Every day in our life we make decisions. From the moment we wake up until the time we sleep, there are several options to choose from. It could be as simple as what to eat for breakfast or where to go to after work. There are times though that we are brought to situations where we have to make hard decisions. It entails weighing the options not only once, but twice,... We always wanted to arrive at win-win solutions. It happened to me just recently. I was torn between two important commitments. I was even questioned about my decisions. It was truly hard and stressful but God made a way so I can have both with some compromises. Hard decisions... Life is full of it.

Babsy Meets Tibo

What do you expect when a dog and cat meet face to face? You guessed it right! It's usually quarrel time and that's what happened between Babsy and Tibo. You've met Babsy before. Let me introduce Tibo. 

Since it's summer break, Amyel brought home their pet cat in Los Banos. She was worried that the cat would die because no one is around during the break to feed and take care of him. By the way, Tibo is short for Tiburcio. I think Tibo looks more like a female cat while Babsy appears to be a male dog. What a mix! When Babsy met Tibo for the first time, it was the usual cat-and-dog thing. Babsy growled like a tiger and grabbed Tibo's tail. Poor Tibo had to run for his dear life after that "warm" welcome from his new friend. Perhaps Babsy was just jealous because there's a new pet in the house. She has been used to having all our attention and TLC (tender love and care) ever since she came. Since then Amyel has tried to condition Babsy by bringing Tibo close to her every day. She thinks that in due time Babsy will get used to Tibo and they will be the best of friends. Maybe, someday...

Because He Lives

"Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!"

Because He lives,
... life has meaning and purpose,
... there's victory over death,
... hope springs eternal,
... our faith is not in vain...

Lenten Season's Reflections

Times have changed. People have changed. I have witnessed the observance of Holy Week more than 40 times. Definitely, it has changed. Gone are the days when there was no TV program to watch but the Ten Commandments and the Jesus film. It was usually quiet, particularly during Holy Thursdays and Good Fridays. Of course, there are still those people who do penitence and adhere to their "panata". There's still "visita iglesia" but there's also "visita Boracay" and visits to famous summer destinations during the week. There's the "pabasa" or "pasyon" but in some places, it's done in more upbeat tunes. For some entrepreneurs, it's still business as usual. Easter has become highly commercialized. Mall sales, Easter bunnies, and egg hunting have highlighted the as-important occasion as Christmas. Whatever has kept us busy during the Lenten season, may we never forget the life and sacrifices of Jesus more than two thousand years ago. Born to die so that man may live.

Craving for Filipino Food

I have just finished reading my second book for the year (too slow eh?). A Taste of Home: Pinoy Expats and Food Memories is a "collection of Filipino expats’ reminiscences – especially during the writers’ growing-up-into-adulthood years – primarily of home and hometown, but having Filipino cooking as the unifying thread: favorite dishes and native delicacies, family recipes and food rituals, favorite watering holes and memorable eating places anywhere in the Philippines." The book, which was edited by Edgar B. Maranan and Len S. Maranan-Goldstein, is Lina's gift to me on my 44th birthday. Maybe because I'm fond of cooking and she's just proud that the article written by her ex-pat sister is included in the book. I was able to relate to the anecdotes shared by the contributors. 

While in Thailand for my master's study, I craved Filipino dishes even as I learned to appreciate Thai food such as khao pad, tom yum, phad thai, etc. Good thing we're in the same region hence, sourcing of ingredients had never been a problem. I also joined a group that availed of the services of a Thai cook so we were able to demand dishes cooked the Filipino way. In the US particularly in New York, New Jersey, and California, I was pleased to find Asian stores offering tropical (and even Filipino) delicacies, canned goods, and other food items at thrice the local price. In some cases, we had to make do with substitutes to complete the desired dish like spinach as a substitute for kangkong for the all-time favorite sinigang. We just had to make sure that there's plenty of sinigang powder or cubes stocked in the pantry. Now we know why our folks abroad would always ask for local food items whenever we send them pasalubong. During my first trip to the US, my sister who was pregnant then asked me to hand-carry fried Purefoods hotdogs. I was really scared as I went through the tight security because foot and mouth disease was a problem then. My sister was too glad to devour the "successful" hotdogs. We are fond of the imported corned beef but my sister would always request us to send her the meatier, chunkier, local corned beef. And who does not want adobo, kare kare, sinigang, arroz caldo, sinangag, and the like? Chow!