let's talk about kitchen gadgets ;-)

when cooking there is so much mundane tasks one need to do. from chopping, mincing, mixing, peeling, blending, marinating and so on, cleaning up after adds to the list. modern innovation has come our way though and, kitchen gadgets have been sprouting like mushrooms. there were already so much of it from fortune cookie maker to a bowl which could hold an iphone on the side of it - called the "anti-loneliness ramen bowl". not all gadgets though are very efficient in speeding up a task. mostly, i noticed, are just a huge waste of space in the cupboard. also a huge waste of money. during one of my breaks from work i wander around in my favourite dollarama store to check out what is new on their shelves. and i found these:

the egg cracker gadget: they look cool huh? but not for me. if i count the seconds from the moment i touched the gadget to setting the egg to the cracker and pushing the handle to crack the egg, i save more seconds when i crack the egg the conventional way and,  i don't have a gadget to wash.


next that i found was a plastic container for making hard boiled eggs. it is for boiling eggs without the shell. the gadget eliminates the peeling process when the eggs are boiled. a bit skeptical about the product because of these questions. would the texture and taste of the egg white the same as when it is boiled with shell? is it safe to boil the egg in the container? how many boilings can a container take before it gets worn out? the other factor, as always,  is the additional thing to wash after the use.

when i saw the bag cap, it made me smile because this is something that is very useful. the cap serves as a lid for any plastic bag you have to store left over treats and goodies. an opened potato chips bag could be closed by this cap by just inserting the top of the bag through the cap. this is very ideal to have especially when travelling with little children.

lastly, the robostir which according to the packaging has been featured in As Seen On TV. well, i didn't feel so much elated about it. sort of, ummmm, 50/50 i guess. as i look at it, could be very useful for your time. let robostir do the stirring while your hands get busy for some other kitchen tasks. i gather though that this might only be useful for soup dishes, not stews with chunks of meat in it. i wonder if the robostir could do the job.

here is more! i would like to have a one-step corn kerneler because me and my youngest daughter loves eating corn off the cob. we drizzle the kernels with butter and that is heaven to both of us!! ;-)

this cake decorating pen is a perfect christmas gift for my youngest daughter who loves baking! 

the functionality and usefulness of these gadgets remain though on your own experiences and discoveries. what can be ingenious to a person can be ridiculous to someone.

beadyful centrepiece. . .

repost from january 24, 2012: freezin' out and ditched swim class. thought of something creative to do in between chores. thought of sprucing up the centre-table piece i made years ago. 6 hands did the job. cailean named it "beadyful centre-table piece".

magazine rack made out of plastic planters

reposting from january 28, 2012:i found a use for my 2 brown planters which have been lying around for sometime in my balcony. i knew i would have some use for it so i kept them aside until today when i attached them together, spray painted and decorated for use as a magazine rack. it's just feels awesome each time my hands and brain do something creative!! ;-)

wire the bottom of the planters to attach them








spray painted with yellow and orange to add colours












added a plastic pine leaves and cone 

run a ribbon around the attached bottoms of the planters

here you go!! a magazine rack made out of plastic planters.

migraine and the backrub i have this afternoon ;-)

"my head is on fire!" says migraine chick in one of her blog entries. i could relate to her painful experiences as with other migraine sufferers in the world. the kind of headache i have is the kind that is hard to shake off. literally speaking, i live, everyday, with head pain. i was prescribed to take amerge as soon as i have the aura. the supposedly magic bullet though is a hit and miss. it is suppose to dull the pain after one pill, but mostly, two 0.5 mg pills a day for ever 4 hours would do the trick.

i suffer from headaches for as long as i could remember. i was already headachy when i was young but my aura migraine started when i was pregnant with my second child in 2003. i didn't know what it was until i consulted my family doctor about the bright flashing lights i see. after the lights wear off comes the throbbing headache. i remain to suffer from aura migraine and i just didn't have a straightforward answer as to what really triggers my blood vessels in the visual part of my brain to go spasmic; hence the bloodfloow changes in that area which cause visual abnormalities (flashes of light, zigzzagging pattern, blind spots). there is throbbing on either one or two sides of my head and sometimes pain in my eye sockets. it comes along with nausea and sensitivity to light. it could also come with numbness, or tingling sensations and speech difficulties. the cause could be anything so i was told by my doctor. it could be hormonal, the food i eat, barometric pressure, stress, lifestyle etc.

one episode i had was triggered by a light that bounced to my eyes from a shiny metal turnstile in the subway. i was in shape that morning; i must say in perfect health. but what was mind-boggling was how that harmless light brought me to such a debilitating migraine. after a few seconds lights started to flash in the corner of my eyes and moved around the surface. when this occur, i got to take my pill at once to avoid the migraine headache. the aura was very disorienting which makes it dangerous for me to move around because my vision is impaired so i tend to lose my balance. i sometimes have a long episode and normally climaxes in unendurable pain.

i get aura migraine attacks sporadically but there were moments, especially if my period is near, when it comes 1 to 2 and sometimes 3 times a week. but no matter how rotten and crappy i feel it's a must to be on my feet to do what i need to do for the day especially tending the needs of my children. i'm a single mother and i single-handedly do the chores aside work and my volunteer job. i give credit to my steadfast determination to battle this debilitating illness. i would sometimes miss work though during a really bad migraine attack or if i failed to take my medication at once. all i need to do is to get a good rest in a quiet, preferably dark room until the aura is gone and the throbbing becomes manageable. in my case, after taking amerge, i feel hungry and parched so a good meal is a source of comfort.

photo from the great american backrub website

migraine dawned on me since sunday night and continued on this week until lunch time when i decided to visit the Great American Backrub. i wanted to feel good over the weekend so i thought of finding myself a fix. the clinic was full and a 15-minute back rub was all they could spare. i took the bait and i was glad i did! i requested for the therapist to dig deep into my skin to loosen the knotted muscles. the strokes she applied at the back of my head offered relief and by the time my 15-minute rub ended, my headache subsided. here i am now blogging away this entry, something which i wouldn't have the luxury to do had the pain in my head remains. i hope for a migraine-free weekend! and for those of you who don't have migraines, consider yourself as fortunate, be thankful and love life!

allergies and mineral based cosmetics

i did not have any issues with make up until a couple of years ago when my lips started getting dry on the sides and when both my eyelids started getting itchy and peeling. the allergic reactions started very slow and has progressed through continuous use of the products which contribute to my skin irritation. i tried some hypoallergenic cosmetics but even that did not solve my problem.

this dilemma led me to use mineral based cosmetics which seem to be a growing trend these days because it uses less ingredients like mica, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide and bismuth oxychloride, another kind of mineral. the news about mineral based cosmetics is that it has less irritants. hence, with my now sensitive skin, i could say that this is a good option for me.

for this reason i tried using a product by pur minerals which i hope will not irritate my skin. currently, the brand offers a 4-piece collection of lipstick, blusher, eye liner and a contour/highlight duo. this set is a smart way to try the products. i still need to buy though a mineral pressed powder and mascarra to complete my cosmetic trial kit. other famous brands of mineral-based makeup are bare escentuals, and mineral hygienics.

i have been using the product for three days now and, so far so good. no irritation on my under eyelids from the pur mineral eyeliner. i will try pur mineral eye colours once the puffyness and redness on my upper eyelids subsided.

foreign aid transparency hub

Folks, I would like to encourage you to regularly visit FAiTH (Foreign Aid Transparency Hub) to check the inflow of pledges and gifts for the typhoon haiyan project. the site also describes the designation of the fund and to whose accountab...ility. the site also gives the public a chance to comment and discuss about the fund. i already posted my first comment. this is a government site. let us make use of this site to voice out our concerns.

8,300 miles afar

Published in Rappler.com on

November 15, 2013 TORONTO, Canada – It has been almost a week and Filipinos continue to reel from the effects of Super Typhoon Haiyan. The food and medical aid situation remains grim as thousands cry for food. Many nations have given generous financial, medical, logistics and in-kind support, and Filipinos in the country continue to unite while the government is doing its best to supervise calamity operations. Filipinos abroad have stepped up as well and have mobilized themselves – from soliciting monetary support, food supplies, in-kind items to cargo services that could help speed up shipment of relief items for the survivors.

But there are children too who felt saddened and touched by the plight of the people in the Visayas, especially when they knew that thousands have died. This prompted them to think of the ways of how they could help too – from selling lemonade to baking cupcakes for their school bake sale, to selling cookies. These were just some of the ways for them to show they care. Two days ago, after a friend posted a message that his group plans to ship food and clothing items to the Philippines, my 12- and 10-year-old daughters Cerniel and Cailean busied themselves gathering items in our household which we do not use anymore and packed them in a box to make it ready for pick up. They said “we are far away and still it is possible to help.” My daughters love to write poems and so on Thursday night, they shared their minds together to come up with a poem dedicated to the victims and survivors of Typhoon Yolanda. Cerniel and Cailean want to share their poem “Sending Love 8,300 Miles Afar.” 8,300 miles away we see you in our thoughts

So far far away we share you our support 
8,300 miles away we hear your lonely cries
So far far away we sense your worried sighs 

8,300 miles away we send our love so strong 
Our wish that all your sufferings won’t really last for long 
8,300 miles away we pray for God’s true mercy 
His everlasting kindness and endless generosity 

8,300 miles away we reach our arms for comfort
We want to show we care and keep you from all hurt 
8,300 miles away, we offer you a home 
To make you feel so safe from further hurt and harm 

We hope to see big smiles by these little things we share 
And hope these words can make your days so truly fair 
All things are made possible so here we send our prayers 
From Toronto with love 8,300 miles afar 

on philippines' emergency relief operations

base on what I have read, it seems that the relief operations are moving in a very slow pace. If I’m not mistaken, there are more foreign military presence in the rescue operations than that from our own government. I may be wrong and I’m not writing this to add to the bashing to the president’s governance, the government itself, senators and other officials but to share what I think are the weak points in the rescue operations and the infrastructure plans especially to natural disaster inflicted regions that should have been done eons ago. On the aftermath of the storm it was already determined that the roads are unpassable therefore what could have been decided at once for alternative measures are by air and sea. Helicopters could drop food supplies and if there is not enough air transport, the government could have requested use of private helicopters from private organizations. Survivors in Ormoc, Tacloban, Leyte, Samar have already lost their houses so at the moment they have nothing to look forward to there which means these survivors must be relocated to a region where all the operations and logistics could be very well performed. It is a huge struggle to disperse medical teams, distribute relief aids, and much more to strategize channels of communication if the survivors are randomly scattered in various areas. These isolated clusters of survivors must be all gathered in or relocated to perhaps in Cebu or Davao. Before the calamity, Yolanda’s coming was already announced so it has been expected that the local government and jurisdictions, to name Department of Health and Department of Social Work, started planning on emergency preparedness, preservation, relief and recovery plans, have assessed susceptibility and determine risks involved and alternative plans. As well, the same plans should be also implemented by local communities of various regions. I trust that all these have been done before the onslaught, but looking at how these are being done, I am starting to doubt that the disaster planning and strategy measures had infact ensued. according to typhoon statistics, Philippines gets 20 cyclones in a year. I was only 5 years old when Yuling and Sening made a landfall and caused havoc to our country. Forty three years passed since my first experience of Yuling and still our country remains groping in the dark on evacuation centre management. Have there been funds allocated for capital projects like building evacuation shelters not only for flood but also for other disasters like earthquake, equipped with necessities like toilets and water tanks? The answer, I believe, is explicit by the way the past and current calamities are handled and from the stories, photos and dissatisfied comments of Filipinos nationwide. There must be a huge and significant overhaul to be done in order to strengthen the capacity of our government’s response for the sake of its countrymen especially in times of natural disasters. It is certainly is high time for Philippines to experience a momentous change.

photo courtesy of newsinfo.inquirer.net

On Devina DeDiva’s Racial Slur: Let Us All Calm Down

You all must have already heard. The derogatory and disparaging comments of Devina DeDiva against Megan Young and the Filipino race caused rage and annoyance to many. Her thoughts and words were hateful beyond imagination. I am not a huge fan of beauty pageants but knowing that another Filipina garnered the crown makes me truly proud of my native roots. I was on the bus on my way to work when I read about Ms. Devida’s ill and racist thoughts. I felt what I need to feel. Unpleasant emotions started to brew up inside me. And like everyone else I was shocked, disgusted and most of all offended. I wanted to rant at that very minute but I couldn’t. I was on a public transit. Ms. DeDiva’s photos, at a glance, can be inferred to as a seriously disturbed person. We can perhaps swiftly conclude as well that her childhood life might have been inflicted by a host of negative events which haunt her to this day. But we cannot instantaneously assess a person’s character through photos and through words posted on Facebook. I believe that we, as well, do not want to be judged or assessed the same way, right? The thought I have about her is that, one, she is what she is, she believes what she believes and she wants to say what she wants to say. Second, Ms. DeDiva has her own interpretation of freedom of speech and she’s acting out on her own context. At this point, nothing and no one can change her views and perspectives at a flick of a finger. Perhaps the flurry of attention she gets at this point pleases her. She may be one of the people who crave for social attention and that was her way of getting one. I write this with a very composed and objective mind and I write this neither to attack Ms. DeDiva nor take her side nor to express my rage, but because most of the comments I read were, in a way, disconcerting too. I very well understand the theory of cause and effect. Hostile words are hurtful hence anger. As human beings, we were normally taken to that effect and because anger tends to cloud the reasonable processes of the mind, people become disposed to express views without thinking about it judiciously. The kind of dialogue and comments that are currently being thrown to Ms. DeDiva, in my opinion and with such certainty can cause more hate and divide and can result into more mouths foaming, cursing. It also encourages more to build an environment conducive to the spread of ill and racist views.

 We have to learn how to calm down. While Ms. DeDiva currently basks with the attention she wanted, everyone else suffer from physiological distress caused by her racial slur. We subject ourselves more to become her victim instead of freeing our minds of it. Love begets love. Hate begets hate. We are under her abusive behaviour and we are accepting the abuse by being abusive as well by way of exchanging views in a hateful manner. Kill the spite with kindness. If we want light, let us spread light. If we want goodness, let us encourage goodness. This seems to be a tough thing to do especially amidst hurt. I always believe though, that no matter how displeasing a person is in her words and actions, still that person should be helped and offered some healing and rehabilitation. Let us not punish and instead do our best to instil love with the kind of love that our one true God has taught us. Here is something from Adele Horin’s word of Sydney Morning Herald which we can ponder upon. “One person challenging a racist comment in a calm and measured way in a train, bus, at a party, at work can have a profound influence on all those who witness it.

walk to work

back to my summer regimen! after dropping girls to camp i start my 2 km trek to work by foot with my sensible shoes of course! i do it for many reasons, one of which is to get to see what's in those short and long renaissance stretches of roads in toronto which i couldn't see when i'm on a bus or subway. there is so much to see out there like the unusual facade of buildings, eateries and shops which munchkins and i haven't visited yet, gardens which have bloomed or yet to bloom and the best perk is to see the walk about of cute dogs with their owners. the first random observation is enough to keep my thoughts awake which works perfectly hand in hand with a brisk morning. the second wave is for ideas to come in and to sense whether or not those can alter my perspectives. third wave is to simply make most of the walk and feel the cool morning air. Keeps me fit…. mind and body! peace and giggles everyone!

realuyo's "umbrella city"

bino realuyo is a fil-am novelist, poet, community organizer & adult educator. just one of the people i admire for his works and ideologies. i read his "umbrella city" in a breeze. bino narrated the teeming world of 1970s Manila brilliantly to life without being overly dramatic and sentimental.
a light but a great read!

moyes' me before you

BONETTE'S PILLOW BOOK:
the story brings to life two people who couldn’t have less in common—a heartbreakingly romantic novel that asks, what do you do when making the person you love happy also means breaking your own heart? they had nothing in common until love gave them everything to lose. the story is deceptively simple at heart. have a read!

the pitter patter of freezing rain. . .

the pitter patter of freezing rain nudged me off my bed this gloomy wednesday morning. i listened to it and, for a minute, i found the sound pleasing, the next it spells grief. but that unpleasant feeling was drowned by the many younger days i’ve enjoyed being outside in the rain, although today, it’s a different kind of rain. the continuous patter was a cue to animate myself as usual. and though sloppy, cold and damp, i gather that the day will stay blessed with today so close to the weekend. i thought of my last weekend which could’ve wrapped up nicely had there been no migraine and when all my bodily functions worked as it should! munchkins were totally bummed out to see me in pjs during the hours i should be taking them out for a swim as promised. fed them though with comfort food, watched some funny flicks and snuggled lots! i anticipated tasks fulfilled this week but my monday ended up, the second time, in the cardiac care. i was out though in time to be with my mom and girls for dinner. is there anything i need to change for the rest of the week in terms of the way i see life’s significance or approach? i guess i just need to see how it goes and where it flows. no musts for complicated strategies. i will just embrace, accept, create and believe. to my fellow torontonians out there. . . stay dry, don’t slip and enjoy 

unconquerable. . .

other people's words could also teach you resilience. and i, for one, love INVICTUS by wiliam ernest henley 

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul. 

on bragging. . .

i'm commenting on the link that a friend of mine posted on her fb wall. although the word "bragging" poses a negative connotation, which is synonymous to "showing off" or "being proud", in my opinion, what makes it sound unpleasant depends on how the listener feels on the success or happy story being told. do you feel a form of envy and jealousy and make you feel less of yourself? if you do, that negative vibes will be passed on the person you're talking with by labelling him or her as a "braggart". here is what i think. . .

bragging is not actually an awful thing to do. the sharing of joy and pride could only be twitched as bragging if the person being shared to a happy news of success wouldn't take it welcomly or happily. sharing stories of successes and achievements to friends and families could also mean well, only if we regard it as an inspiration or a guide to make our lives better! remember that these people who have accomplished their goals have worked hard and perhaps took some monumental steps to be successful. for most of us, we do our best to live well in our own places and if we did so, who wouldn't be so happy and proud about it? i guess for people who has the urge to share what they have achieved could speak openly but carefully. share it with a grateful heart and exude a sense of inspiration towards others. we do our best to carry on with God in our lives. but don't forget as well that we live with a community of people. hope this helps at some point! have a nice life everyone!

sssshhhh....

when i'm bored i think i am tired of my surroundings but i am really tired of my thoughts. it is trite, repetitious, unobserved thinking that is producing the discontent. adopting a quiet awareness, a kind of listening attitude, usually freshens my mind and brings the situation i am in to life.   

boredom

when i'm bored i think i am tired of my surroundings but i am really tired of my thoughts. it is trite, repetitious, unobserved thinking that is producing the discontent. adopting a quiet awareness, a kind of listening attitude, usually freshens my mind and brings the situation i am in to life.   

(echoing hugh prather)

humility. . .

when gabby concepcion returned to manila years ago he was asked of his life experiences during his stay in the US. he said it's been very humbling to live and work in america. i seconded him on that because i felt the same way when i migrated in canada to build my life, family and career. i met the first face of humility in victoria university during my very crucial first day at work through welcoming handshakes and gestures from my colleagues who, until now, remains humble and grounded. it's a breath of fresh air to be around people who are not enamored of their position, power and ideas. the humble experiences i go through is the thing i would like to pass on to my children and to the people i meet everyday. i won't elaborate the virtue of humility here as i continue to be cognizant about it. in the real sense though, humility is the way to achieve wisdom, perseverance, blessing and successful relationships. we all reek with pride, and so "humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God." (1 Peter 5:6).

agree, disagree

whenever i find myself arguing for something with great passion, i can be certain i'm not convinced. i find it almost impossible to make a strong declarative statement in conversation without feeling little nagging doubts and reservations. "i agree" and "i disagree" are impossible states of mind. no two people can think exactly alike or anthithetically. sometimes i say "i agree", because i want to avoid an encounter; sometimes i just want to get the other person to shut up. i usually say "i disagree," when i want to exhibit myself. there is an important difference between telling a person how i experience him and adding arguments to support the correctness of my view. my feelings about another do not require a case. i don't notice them deductively. 
(echoing h. prather) 

celebrating women. . .

again we’re in celebration of the day when crucial steps towards gender equality were made. this year international women's day marks 100 years since it’s first March 19, 1911 in austria, denmark, germany and switzerland. the decision t...o observe this day happened in 1910 at the second international conference of working women held in copenhagen where it was proposed that every year in every country to celebrate and to press for various demands made by women. being a feminist, i’d would always mark the day by sharing titles from my archives which might give you answers to some perinnial questions about gender equality. happy reading and happy women’s day!



ain't i a woman- the book is about intersectionality and the manner racism and sexism correlates and interacts. the book was written from a more scholarly and historical perspective.

singled out - talks about the lives of women during world war 2 and n deals with the generation of unmarried women that followed world war 1.

singled out - talks about the lives of women during world war 2 and n deals with the generation of unmarried women that followed world war 1.

one of the most beautiful sunrises we've ever seen. . .

one of the most beautiful sunrises we've ever seen. . .

cai's sun! she noticed the glowing orange disc this morning, january 19, 2012 at 7:53 am, while dressing up for school from my bedroom window. she blurted out "mommy sunset!" i said "sunrise!" to correct her. the sun's glorious display in the east was so beautiful that we couldn't let it disappear without taking a photo. neil took a photo of it from her DSi and i did mine too. a mixture of yellow and orange was so beautiful when the sun peeked over the horizon. with the light of the sun coloring the clouds the sky had turned in pinkish hue. as the sun slowly ascended, the sky in the west became a deep neon blue as the light reached further out. God surely showed himself to us this morning. :-))

new year 2012 reflection

only 5 minutes and the coming of 2012 holds deep reflection for me. it’s a yearly task of whipping up thoughts and reviews of what had gone by in 2011. my life had been a real stretch traveling through straight lines, winding paths and sharp turns. and as I think of it, i went through to those paths before perhaps only in a different speed and intensity. it hasn’t been easy. yet life, without any ...complications, seems not right to me.

i'm taking this special moment for my thoughts to run back to time to assess what had gone by in my life, search for common threads and recognize areas of growth. i'm again reviving a landscape of colourful memories which every year slowly change into sepia as time ticks away. but i must say that some past events remain steadfast in bright colours and could never die in my heart.

year 2011 had been very trying and busy, and, undoubtedly, happy. i experienced many longings and low-times but as usual i did my best to creep up to the surface to see the light and to assess the meaning of what struck me down. i remain coping to hurting and adjusting to variety of changes. however, despite the stress and uncertainties, i remain very thankful of the blessings and good-times which never cease to lift my spirits up. i have loved ones who constantly admire me and remind me of my value as a person.

my life has been in the offing for clarity and results. much so, i'm anxious to see where my life is heading. waiting can be a very tough game but i know that waiting has a reason all on its own.

i hope that 2012 will open me to more vigilance, strength, happiness, togetherness and full of awareness to people, events, time and place. definitely, and as always, it is going to be a happy new year for me and my munchkins. my sights are now gazing far enough, just enough to see what the future has in store for us. dreams are piling up. I’m slowly gearing myself up to accomplish the tasks.

may 2012 give you a happy note and may we all grow gracefully!