(or 24-105mm or 
or... haha. still a confused kitty) lens and a flash. promise, once i have these new toys, i'll be quiet... for sometime. :D
It's been 3 years.
9 years ago
Sunday, December 26, 2010
boat trip, hammam, eating a lot or ice cream didn't worked. :( i am more depressed now than what i have been a few weeks back. been looking forward for a happy christmas, but it just didn't happen.
for the meantime, i will try burying myself into solitary. deactivated my FB account and hided myself from the online community. will gradually change all account names and passwords until i am finally left all alone... unreachable... what else is new? i have been all alone for a long time. :(
p.s.
after 5 years of going on- and off-line.. i am finally saying goodbye to blogging my personal sentiments. nobody cares on how i feel, anyway. haha. it took me awhile to realize that!
goodbye.
p.s.
after 5 years of going on- and off-line.. i am finally saying goodbye to blogging my personal sentiments. nobody cares on how i feel, anyway. haha. it took me awhile to realize that!
goodbye.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
i am having some stressful days since last week. when i was asked why, i came out with 5 reasons:
point #1...im just depress..
i had a lot of expectations that weren't met. yeah, i'm trying my best not to expect but i couldn't help it. sina-psycho ko na lang sarili ko which could be the reason why i am in such depression. ang lungkot-lungkot ko. hays, siguro dala na rin na magpa-Pasko and i don't have what i really, really want... yes, i have lance pero ewan ko ba, kulang pa rin... =(
point #2...maybe, just maybe.. kulang ako sa pahinga, masakit leeg ko... wala akong gana...
since i came back from Turkey, i suffered from a terrible stiffed neck, headache, body ache.. all at the same time. sobra sa gala? hehe. i really need another vacation... a longer one.. sana sa Europe. ;)
point #3... naiinis ako kasi hindi ko ma-prove yung sarili ko and my promises...
nakakainis lang, bakit ako pa ang kailangang mag-prove?? anyway, no point in discussing this anymore. i can prove it naman at the right time, it's just that i want to be 100% sure, without hesitations that i will have something worth fighting for. with the ways things are turning out.. parang nde naman. i know what i want now and that is, peace of mind. therefore, he needs to prove himself as well. nde pa nga siya bayad sa past actions nya tapos ako sisingilin nya ngayon. unfair naman. =(
point #4... im stressed at home, at work, at everything...
i am way below my self-expectation in my work, in my goals, in my life. i wanted to act and make up for it but being a mother is getting in the way. ang hirap. i know that i am way below standards as well when motherhood is concern. =( i suck in time management... =(
point #5.. just trying to return back the way i am treated...
kulang ako pansin and i admit it. if i am not missed, i try also not to miss the person/s concern. ganun lang yun. it's just draining the wits out of me since i am missing these people. hehe. pero okay lang... things do pass... i need to do something about this before i go out of my mind and lose myself.
hopefully, i could gain the same energy i once had. i am trying really hard.... i mingled with new folks last weekend, returned to my kitchen, did not speak to some people that much... it helped a little but not quite. i have a hammam scheduled on wednesday and some boat trip over the weekend (?). i hope these will help in the healing process... ang tanong, kaya ko ba? hehe.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
am taking a trip by myself... that is, without lance. in a way, i am excited about it because it will give me a chance to take my mind off things. however, i am that too happy when the people i am supposed to be with weren't complete. kat and berna were not able to make it. =( berna encountered a visa problem while kat is in amidst of a family problem. only me, eys and jerrold was able to board our 11AM flight that turned out to be 12:30 AM.
we boarded via the Saga Airlines, a chartered plane. it wasn't too bad. the food was edible. they served us pasta with white sauce. the plane was a bit warm but the temperature improved when it got settled on air. it took us 4 1/2 hours to reach Istanbul. we were fetched by the Fly Express representatives who was friendly and helpful as she can be.
Istanbul was around 17 deg C at that time. we got stuck on a traffic on our way to our hotel in Taksim area. grabe, i lost track of time sa sobrang tagal! sobrang gutom, sobrang pagod. it was drizzling at the same time. Istanbul as a city is a bit crowded. parang Manila lang with all those penthouses with chimneys. =)
we reached the hotel after 10 years, i guess. hahaha. anyway, we were not disappointed as opposed to the online reviews on Golden Age Hotel. it was not that golden but it was not that bad, as well. okay lang, we get what we paid for. clean enough. the beds were done nicely but there was no coffee or tea-making utensils inside the room and no welcome fruits or wine (hihi. ambisyosa!), too. the good plus were hot water, a hair dryer and a TV are all available. hmm.. it wasn't 4-stars in my standards but it wasn't 2-stars either. i will give it 3-stars. oh, there was no A/C nga pala, but a heater for the room is available. good thing, it's winter so we just open the windows to let the cool air in.
we rested for around 30 minutes, did some unpacking and of we go and explored the nearby establishments. we had our first taste of Turkish cuisine in a small restaurant.
----- to be continued ----
Thursday, October 07, 2010
i was able to attend the 5th day of the Misyong Pilipino last night. it was... hmm... i dunno how to describe it. whatever the word is...it made me feel good to unload my heavy heart. good thing, they purposely turned off all the lights. the whole area was just lit up by the candles on the altar. fr. arlo asked the whole congregation to talk to Jesus. to ask him for forgiveness, to seek healing (physical, spiritual, emotional) and to give thanks.
i cried a river. i suddenly missed home and as usual, i missed my tatay. after the mass, i feel the urge to go home to the philippines. ewan ko ba. i need to breathe fresh air yata. =(
i asked for forgiveness for doing things against His will and yet, He still treats me as a friend. forgiveness for hurting the ones that i love and for not doing the things that I am supposed to do. i asked for healing.. physical, spiritual and emotional... i really needed it now. i feel battered, tired and hopeless. most of all, i utter words of thanks for the countless blessings that i am continuously been receiving. marami-rami rin pala.
last night, i promised myself that i would try to be a better person. ang hirap. hahaha. i tried to withhold myself from doing things that i want versus what is right. i didn't succeeded. however, i ended up being hurt doubly than before. ang tigas kasi ng ulo. pinagpipilitan pa kasi.
today, i realized how foolish i am.
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
i had a colorful month. overjoyed. overwhelmed. over-stressed. over-booked.
my schedule has been fully-booked... weekdays or weekends, nighttime or daytime. it is tiring. physically and emotionally draining. almost run into a public bus one morning coz of a blank mind. yeah, with all the things i had to think of, i chose to think of nothing. and with all the things i need to do (help friends with their party preparation, make personal errands, go to the doctor , be a good mother, etc.), i ended up finishing nothing. i am burdened, i am uninspired, i am miserable.
decided to pause for awhile.
i have been attending a week-long retreat in St. Joseph Church, entitled Misyong Pilipino. each night, parishioners were asked to take one bible verse to bring home to. last night, i got this:
i am so thankful i got this... i needed it today and i think, for the coming days.Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10
with each realization on this retreat...i found myself crying. sigh... it is sooo difficult. i wanted to take some choices but i can't. i wanted to follow my heart but it leads nowhere. i wanted to disappear but i can't leave someone behind.
my mission:
i'm back online. it only means one thing.... i'm alone again... naturally.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Moment #1
Isang umaga, nagising si lance. Tapos naamoy nya yung niluluto ng nanny nya sa kusina..
Lance to mommy: “hmm, smells good”.
Moment #2
Dami na syang alam na words at nakakapag-construct na ng sentence in english. Hihi. Tulad ng…”the alien is outside the window”..”the cat is sleeping”.. “the bird is flying”…etc. basta, alam na nyang lagyan ng –ING yung verb.
Yun nga lang pagdating sa “lying down”, sabi ni lance : “the dog is lay downing”… :D
Moment #3
Background: Lance interchanges I to YOU..
Kapag hihingi ng milk..instead of saying “I like milk”… he’ll say “you like milk?”…
He got tired of me telling bedtime stories kaya ngayon siya na ang narrator..(bedtime stories namin laging about animals..hehe.)
Lance: You tell a bedtime story..
Mommy: Okay, tell mommy a bedtime story..hmm…about the lion.
Lance: Once upon a time, the lion bites mommy and daddy!
Mommy: *reacts*
Lance: You tell a bedtime story..
Mommy: Okay, tell mommy a bedtime story..hmm…about the giraffe.
Lance: Once upon a time, the giraffe bites mommy and daddy!
Basta, kahit anong animal, laging bites mommy and daddy ang main story. ;)
Thursday, July 29, 2010
don't get me wrong. i love the essence of wedding celebrations be it grandiose or a simple one. watching two people exchange vows or simply smiling on each other during the ceremony or the celebration gives me goosebumps and gets me teary-eyed.
i used to research a lot about this occasion because once in my lifetime, i have dreamed of being a happy bride myself... i have dreamed of being escorted by my father and mother down the aisle with all the beaming faces who came to witness such a joyful celebration. i have dreamed of cutting the cake, toasting a wine.. yes, i had that dream.
that was long ago. i am now way past that delusion. i will never be a happy bride. i won't be escorted by my father and mother anymore. i will forever be carrying my maiden name. i will never ever cut a cake or toast a wine with a groom.
i have stopped browsing through wedding magazines or websites. i shun away from seeing wedding pictures. i don't like attending wedding ceremonies or wedding celebrations. yes, i am now a wedding Scrooge.
wedding still gives me goosebumps and it still makes me teary-eyed. that's why i don't like witnessing such. i am not jealous of the bride or groom. apparently, i am happy for them. i am absolutely happy for the bride that she was presented to the public and that her groom is so proud of her. the groom, on the other hand, earned my deepest respect and admiration for taking all his efforts and all his love to show the bride how he values her happiness. for giving her the one dream all girls aspires. they deserve to be happy. they are lucky to have found each other. such lucky people.
still, i hate weddings. it makes my heart quench... i am silently being stabbed... i wanted to cry. wedding celebrations just reminds me how unlucky i am as a girl. it reminds me that i am not someone special enough to be presented, be made up and be photographed. it also reminds me that my father is not here and that there's no one to escort me anymore. it just reminds me that not all of my dreams will become a reality. maybe, i will only be made up and photographed inside the church during my wake. how sad... yes, weddings make me lonely and sad big time. =(
okay, so i still have maximum of four years of stay here in the UAE. as much as possible, i want to shorten it to maximum of 2 years only (2011). however, i still have some things that i want to do (and buy!) before finally setting down under. lemme pressure myself. hahaha.
enrol in OTEN TAFE for the Occupational Health and Safety course. it's a year-long distance learning course which could later on help me in shifting from laboratory work to safety management. since i also have background on quality management, auditing is not new to me and these two will complement. hopefully, i can finalize this plan when the nanny matter gets settled.
go to my wish places (haha, again!) : italy, egypt, spain. yeah, yeah. this list is quite long but okay, i can have at least two?! :)
buy myself a diamond. *grins* since this is the fourth one, it won't hurt me that much if i won't be able to have this. but it'll be an added bonus if i'll be able to buy this one. of course, a free gift wouldn't hurt that much, too.
three (or four) items to do. i have two years to make it happen. goodluck to me.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
it'll be almost 6 years since i have been employed here in the UAE. i wouldn't call it glorious though. my personal life has been a good example of giddiness. my professional life has been....... stagnant. yep, the first year was great. new things to learn, willing professors to guide. however, after that first year... things just went so slooooowwww and so booooring. each day, i feel like i am detriorating and losing each and every plus points in my CV. anyhow, i have been researching about signing up for an online course. i have found some good ones yet costly, too. hahaha.
in the midst of the search, i find enrolling in TAFE OTEN more appealing. i am thinking of getting the Occupational Health and Safety Course which will run for a year or so. hopefully, when things are settled with marvin's employment and lance's nanny, i can get things going.
i am more inclined to get this as it involves both safety and management skills. most of the quality management job posts that i find often combine these two together. secondly, the course is also recognized throughout Australia thus it is equivalent to studying in Australia as well. thirdly, since we'll be moving to Perth where mining and oil and gas industry is predominant, anything concerning safety is in demand.
sigh. i hope things get settled soon.
Monday, June 28, 2010
nowadays, networking websites (like facebook, friendster, etc.) turned out to be venting out websites also. yes, everybody needs to build network of friends and in turn, they vent out to these people about their success, downfalls or just about anything in their minds.
i am one of these people. i check my facebook account more than 3 times in most days just to see what my friends are doing. i in turn, vents out once in awhile in a rather subtle hideous way.
since my mother became "single", i have lost the emotional connection with her. thus, most of my frustrations in life are bottled up inside me. i turn into these venting out websites (this blog included) to pour out a little when i really, really need to unload. i pour some to a handful of friends (to my BFF tina, most especially) when i feel like am about to explode. however, as much as possible i keep my burdens to myself (or type it in here) and spare my friends of unhappy stories. i don't like telling unhappy stories. i don't like to be seen sad. in times like these, i just sing my song....
Sunday, June 27, 2010
a few days back, a friend has forwarded a powerpoint presentation to me about happiness. it says there that one's happiness shouldn't depend on other people or things as both of these change. it stresses that happiness depends on the person's decision to be happy by himself.
i have read the presentation three times since i last received it and i told her that i really couldn't digest the message. my realization was that..i am not truly happy. i am happy with some things but i don't sleep with contentment as i used to have despite having less of what i have right now. though as what the presentation suggests, i just decide to make myself happy. but personally, i think this is happiness half-baked.
after telling her this, she forwarded another message to me about the rotten apple. a person heard that God is giving away apples. after a long queue, she was able to get hold of one but God made it slipped her hands because He realizes later on that it is rotten anyway. it suggested to queue again and wait for the next apple which would take longer to arrive but will be the sweetest apple available.
it was a nice read. however, i do hope that i get to see another version. yung version ng mga pasaway like i am. someone who has no patience to wait and settled for the rotten apple. because right now, i am lost as what to do with my apple that i have spent my time trying to polish and convincing myself that someday it'll taste yummy like the rest that i have missed.
(i never really liked apples. why did i queued, anyway? )
oh my.. oh my.. this blog hasn't been updated or visited for quite sometime. it only shows how uneventful my life is. hehe. anyhow, to recap how the months have been:
- ate bel's not with us anymore. she has gone back to the Philippines last end of March after a stressful visa problem. it is stressful enough for me thus am not willing to talk about it one more time, so pardon the confidentiality. but to summarize it all, i bought my peace of mind and had to let ate bel go despite this decision that truly broke our hearts.
- our Philippines-Australia vacation pushed through. the Australian peep was great, although some personal glitches were experienced. it was difficult to travel with two boys in tow, really.
- after our vacation, lance stayed behind in the Philippines for two more months while i came back to UAE alone. lance was able to celebrate his 3rd birthday in Jollibee with his cousins while i, on the other hand was able to practice my photography hobby when i came back to UAE.
- my home alone experience was not bad at all. some how, being busy paid off. i was able to focus in practicing photography and has been out and about in Abu Dhabi driving around. yep, i am more confident now to drive. of course, parking is another story. ngahaha.
- lance was back in the UAE since June 18 and is now enrolled in a 2x/week playschool. he has been his teacher's headache but hopefully, he'll adjust. i wish, soon enough though. haha.
- i am still the same. lost some friends but gained new ones. a few patient ones are still with me. life is not perfect but living it just the same.
(hmm.. how come i couldn't cut and paste from notepad to blogger, anymore??! *sad face*)
Sunday, March 07, 2010
i believe these are worth posting... =)
incident no. 1:
it was ate bel's day-off so me and lance stayed at home. i was busy reading something when lance popped a question.
lance: where's tita?
mommy: i don't know.
lance: me, neither.
i was so shocked! hahaha. i don't even use the phrase myself! anyhow, days after that, i discovered that he learned that from watching mickey mouse clubhouse. =)
incident no. 2:
lance took the internet card from me which contains the username and password. i couldn't get it from him because i know it would throw him in fits if i do so. anyway, i thought of getting it from him secretly when he is not looking. however, before i could even act on my plan the card's not with him anymore!
mommy: lance, where's the card? where did you put it?
lance: no reaction. as if he didn't hear me.
mommy: lance, where's the card? mommy needs it.
lance: again, no reaction and continued playing.
mommy: searched the whole living room... under the sofa, under the tv, etc.. all the places where he could have inserted it (he likes inserting things and pretends he is mailing letters). no luck and decided to just ask ate bel to look for it some other time.
after 10 minutes with lance playing around me...
lance: (holding up the card) here's the card! i found it! hahahaha. he even used the right tense!
incident no. 3:
i decided to test the portable dvd player that i bought with lance's favorite music karaoke cd. me and lance were on our tummies and waiting for the cd to start.
cd started playing....
lance: looked at me with his big smile. "i'm so happy!!" then he hugged me.
hu-wow... i bought the unpopular portable dvd brand but it has a priceless return! :)
...lance turned out to be a naughty but sweet boy. he has so many funny antics at the moment. too bad, i don't have my videocam with me to document it. anyhow, will try to just post once i find a way. :)
incident no. 1:
it was ate bel's day-off so me and lance stayed at home. i was busy reading something when lance popped a question.
lance: where's tita?
mommy: i don't know.
lance: me, neither.
i was so shocked! hahaha. i don't even use the phrase myself! anyhow, days after that, i discovered that he learned that from watching mickey mouse clubhouse. =)
incident no. 2:
lance took the internet card from me which contains the username and password. i couldn't get it from him because i know it would throw him in fits if i do so. anyway, i thought of getting it from him secretly when he is not looking. however, before i could even act on my plan the card's not with him anymore!
mommy: lance, where's the card? where did you put it?
lance: no reaction. as if he didn't hear me.
mommy: lance, where's the card? mommy needs it.
lance: again, no reaction and continued playing.
mommy: searched the whole living room... under the sofa, under the tv, etc.. all the places where he could have inserted it (he likes inserting things and pretends he is mailing letters). no luck and decided to just ask ate bel to look for it some other time.
after 10 minutes with lance playing around me...
lance: (holding up the card) here's the card! i found it! hahahaha. he even used the right tense!
incident no. 3:
i decided to test the portable dvd player that i bought with lance's favorite music karaoke cd. me and lance were on our tummies and waiting for the cd to start.
cd started playing....
lance: looked at me with his big smile. "i'm so happy!!" then he hugged me.
hu-wow... i bought the unpopular portable dvd brand but it has a priceless return! :)
...lance turned out to be a naughty but sweet boy. he has so many funny antics at the moment. too bad, i don't have my videocam with me to document it. anyhow, will try to just post once i find a way. :)
Friday, February 05, 2010
i tried the chocolate cake recipe of my friend last night. you can find her recipe here: http://beingparisienne.wordpress.com/2010/01/30/vians-chocolate-cake-recipe/.
verdict: i seconded her claim... perfect! so chocolatey, so fluffy and the sweetness is just right. what i like most also is the ease of prepation. only involves manual mixing and i used only 1 mixing bowl. hihi. halata bang tamad mag-wash ng dishes?! =)
verdict: i seconded her claim... perfect! so chocolatey, so fluffy and the sweetness is just right. what i like most also is the ease of prepation. only involves manual mixing and i used only 1 mixing bowl. hihi. halata bang tamad mag-wash ng dishes?! =)
by coincidence, the TV program entitled Secrets of the Masters baked a cake also in their episode the other night. with that, i incorporated the tips that was mentioned while i make this cake. as per the chef's advice: (1) once the dried ingredients was mixed with the wet ingredients, you have to work fast and make it a point to put it inside the oven as soon as you are done mixing. this helps the gluten to rise up inside the oven and not while it is still outside. so??? the end product would be a risen cake that will retain its shape and will not sog after it cooled down. (2) do not put the batter near the flame nor at the highest level of the oven. place it at the middle part where the temperature is more constant.
finally, here are some photos of the Super Chocolate Cake. hihi.
i sprinkled some icing sugar just for presentation since i didn't bother to make icing anymore. but i'm looking forward in making the same cake with icing next time when there's an occassion. definitely, the the cake would be just right for a sweety icing, too.
see the fluffiness??!! so loooove it! =)
Sunday, January 31, 2010
i came across making bento this week and i am hooked! maybe because it combined two of my favorite things... that is, art and food. :) an added plus is it's japanese-inspired! yep, i love japanese food! dunno how to make them, but i definitely know how to eat it. hehe. i am however, up to the challenge. ;)
i was off to Daiso this Saturday and just went gaga with all the bento gadgets available. too bad, they don't have the collapsible sandwich box mentioned in other bento sites. here are the stuff that i was able to get. i actually have to restrict myself to the basics. siguro, bili na lang ulet kapag successful bento'nian na 'ko. haha.
i was off to Daiso this Saturday and just went gaga with all the bento gadgets available. too bad, they don't have the collapsible sandwich box mentioned in other bento sites. here are the stuff that i was able to get. i actually have to restrict myself to the basics. siguro, bili na lang ulet kapag successful bento'nian na 'ko. haha.
the bento boxes
cutters and punchers
the rice molds
shaped-sauce containers
another set of sauce containers
the silicon dividers and plastic picks
for the finale, here's my first bento lunchbox. theme is about family. i have 3 odd-shaped rice molds to represent daddy, mommy and baby. a big heart-shaped rice mold to represent big love. ;) all of these are resting on a bed of lettuce with mayo on the side . the second layer contains the viand and the desserts. chopped chicken nuggets and chicken adobo strips as viands and kiwi and strawberry for fruits. verdict: kulang!!! hahahaha. next week, i'll prepare more. lol.
bento'inks no. 1
Thursday, January 28, 2010
we were supposed to go with the Photobumbong folks tomorrow for the Al Ain Airshow but i suddenly changed my mind. ang lamig kasi sa city ngayon. for sure, mas malamig dun eh kakagaling lang ni lance sa sipon at ubo. he would enjoy watching the planes and all but if he'll catch colds again after that, baka ma-guilty lang ako. saka sobrang aga...goodluck na lang kung magising si lance ng ganun kaaga. hehe.
anyway... browse-browse ako ngayon sa net at may bago akong gustong gawin!!! hahaha. bento-making??!!! from what i understand, it's the art of making art at your lunchbox (redundant ba? lol)... ang galing grabe. aside from fan ako ng japanese food, just looking at it kung baon mo siya sa office, parang makaka-tanggal ng stress. =) seeing those smiling goodies at you. truly uplifting!
backtrack --- ewan ko nga kanina sa office, the whole day... hindi naman ako in-asar-talo ng amo ko, pero ang tamad-tamad ko at antok na antok talaga ako the whole day. the day just got better pag-uwi ko when i took a nap and woke up an hour after kasi kiss ng kiss si lance. hehe. pero kung bento box siguro ang baon ko, baka tanggal bad day ko in a flash. hahaha.
heto nga pala ilang sites ng bento:
http://www.kitchencow.com/category/bento/
http://lunchinabox.net/
yun lang.. sharing lang. i suddenly missed my hello kitty chopsticks. sana hindi pa na-arbor nina IA at Raizza. i'm gonna take them with me pag-uwi namin. makapunta nga ng Daiso this weekend. ngahaha. hopefully, when lance starts schooling, i'll be a certified-bento maker. hihi.
anyway... browse-browse ako ngayon sa net at may bago akong gustong gawin!!! hahaha. bento-making??!!! from what i understand, it's the art of making art at your lunchbox (redundant ba? lol)... ang galing grabe. aside from fan ako ng japanese food, just looking at it kung baon mo siya sa office, parang makaka-tanggal ng stress. =) seeing those smiling goodies at you. truly uplifting!
backtrack --- ewan ko nga kanina sa office, the whole day... hindi naman ako in-asar-talo ng amo ko, pero ang tamad-tamad ko at antok na antok talaga ako the whole day. the day just got better pag-uwi ko when i took a nap and woke up an hour after kasi kiss ng kiss si lance. hehe. pero kung bento box siguro ang baon ko, baka tanggal bad day ko in a flash. hahaha.
heto nga pala ilang sites ng bento:
http://www.kitchencow.com/
http://lunchinabox.net/
yun lang.. sharing lang. i suddenly missed my hello kitty chopsticks. sana hindi pa na-arbor nina IA at Raizza. i'm gonna take them with me pag-uwi namin. makapunta nga ng Daiso this weekend. ngahaha. hopefully, when lance starts schooling, i'll be a certified-bento maker. hihi.
Thursday, January 07, 2010
we are due to make our inital entry sometime on 3rd quarter of this year. just the thought of it is exciting and frightening at the same time. i'm excited because i'll be finally setting foot on the land that i have always dreamed of. frightening because i do not know what's at stake.
it is good that i am going there with my son and husband. however, planning that entry is quite difficult actually. this is because me and lance are continents apart from his dad. hehe. ang hirap mag-plano! airfare palang, pamatay na sa budget. =(
anyway, we have 3 options to choose from. the decision hasn't been reached yet. there are more things to do and plan for prior to that. so far, here's what we have in mind arranged in an order from cheapest to the most dreadfully expensive: lol.
it is good that i am going there with my son and husband. however, planning that entry is quite difficult actually. this is because me and lance are continents apart from his dad. hehe. ang hirap mag-plano! airfare palang, pamatay na sa budget. =(
anyway, we have 3 options to choose from. the decision hasn't been reached yet. there are more things to do and plan for prior to that. so far, here's what we have in mind arranged in an order from cheapest to the most dreadfully expensive: lol.
Plan A
(Will go to Oz for 1 week) March 24 to March 31 ?
March because as per airline websites' April is a peak season. no idea why.. hehe. where in Australia? could be in Perth so we'll be familiar about the situation there. could also be in Brisbane. because as per my aussie officemate's story, this is where the theme parks are. i'm sure, lance will love it here in lieue of the HK trip that i think we need to remove from the plan.
Marvin - takes local flight to Oz (via Qantas Airways) = 30,000 pesos = 3,000 aed
- takes Oz to UAE with Mai & Lance (via Sg airlines) = 3,000-3,500 aed
Mai & Lance - takes roundtrip ticket UAE-Brisbane-UAE (via Sg airlines) = 8,500-9,000 aed
- me and lance should arrive early in Oz than Marvin
Max total airfare involve = 15,000aed
Disadvantage -- napakatagal ng stop-over sa Sg!!!! halos 10 to 12 hours!!!
Plan B
the family will meet in HK, then go to Oz, then to UAE.
March 24-March 30 in HK
March 30-April 7 in Oz
Mai & Lance - flies via Cathay UAE-HK-Oz-UAE = 8,000-10,000 aed
Marvin - flies local flight to HK = 1,000 aed?
- flies HK to Oz to UAE with Mai & Lance via Cathay... = 16,000 aed
BUT kung Mla-Hk-Oz-UAE = 11,000aed (ang weird noh? mas mura pa, hehe)
Max. total airfare involve = 21,000aed
Advantage = Magkakasama kami sa Hk to Oz and Oz to DXB flight. that is, if i will be able to book and arrange everything on time.
Plan C
the family will meet in HK, then off to Oz after. after a week, then Mai and Lance go back to UAE and Marvin stays in Oz.
March 24-March 30 in HK
March 30-April 7 in Oz
Mai & Lance - flies via Cathay UAE-HK-Oz-UAE = 8,000-10,000 aed
Marvin - flies ia Cathay Mla-Hk-Oz = 11,000aed
Max. total airfare involve = 21,000aed
Another advantage: Marvin can stay behind and look for work in Oz. hopefully, i will be able to arrange an accommodation to his trip. thanks to my forum friend, Anavy who's also due to make their big move same as us.
Sunday, January 03, 2010
i have forgotten from whom i owe this recipe from. probably from one of my GT sisters? i dunno. anyway, thank you so much. you are very generous to share this recipe eventhough this is your business recipe. mwah!
ingredients:
1 1/2 stick butter
2 tablespoon lard/oil
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2-3 tablespoons semi-bitter chocolate chips
1-2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 cup flour
2-3 tablespoons white chocolate chips or flakes
directions:
- heat the butter and oil in a saucepan until melted.
- add the sifted cocoa powder and place in the butter-oil mixture. heat until melted but make sure to mix continuously so as not to burn it. remove from the heat source.
- add in the chocolate chip and stir in until melted.
- add the vanilla and sugar.
- add the eggs one at a time. make sure to add an egg only after the mixture is fully incorporated.
- add in the flour and the chocolate chip. do not over-mix to avoid making it aerated (not unless you want it to turn into a cake, hehe).
- spread in a greased and lined baking sheet and bake for 18 to 22 minutes at 350 deg F (warning: do not overbake!).
- cool and cut into squares.
notes (why i love this recipe):
- sobrang gooey nung outcome! this is what i like in brownies.. yung makunat-kunat. hehe.
- i mix this manually. wooden spoon nga lang gamit ko eh! hehe. kasi kapag electrical mixer andun yung tendency na maging aerated siya.
Saturday, January 02, 2010
fresh lumpia has been the family's favorite dish which my mother and my auntie baby make superbly. here in the UAE, i have more or less lived up to the family's standards when making this dish. i made this for the new year (hooray 2010!) and the preparation time was around 3 hours. the sauteed veggies were prepared ordinarily. however, the sauce - which is hit or miss factor which i usually hit. :) my recipe is listed below. take note that i do not measure the vegetable part because i cook with tantiyahan. hehe. but normally, i make sure that i have ample quantity of carrots because it gives color to the mixture. also, it is important to have as much sweet potato because it gives the sweet contrast to the salty sauce.
as for the sauce, i listed the measurement that i use. this is a no-fail proportion. so, be sure to use those measuring cups and spoons! =)
ingredients:
for the lumpia:
cooking oil
finely minced garlic
finely chopped onion
ground pork
shelled and chopped shrimps
chicken/vegetable stock
string beans, julienned
carrots, julienned
cabbage, julienned
singkamas (turnip), julienned
sweet potato, boiled and cubed
celery (optional)
dash of salt and pepper for seasoning
for the sauce:
1 cup sugar
4 cups water
6 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 6 tablespoons of water
finely minced garlic
toasted peanuts, pounded
a dash of pepper for seasoning
extra ingredients needed:
lumpia wrapper (nope, i do not make one! hello, ayoko nang pahirapan sarili ko noh!)
lettuce
directions:
to make the lumpia:
as for the sauce, i listed the measurement that i use. this is a no-fail proportion. so, be sure to use those measuring cups and spoons! =)
ingredients:
for the lumpia:
cooking oil
finely minced garlic
finely chopped onion
ground pork
shelled and chopped shrimps
chicken/vegetable stock
string beans, julienned
carrots, julienned
cabbage, julienned
singkamas (turnip), julienned
sweet potato, boiled and cubed
celery (optional)
dash of salt and pepper for seasoning
for the sauce:
1 cup sugar
4 cups water
6 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 6 tablespoons of water
finely minced garlic
toasted peanuts, pounded
a dash of pepper for seasoning
extra ingredients needed:
lumpia wrapper (nope, i do not make one! hello, ayoko nang pahirapan sarili ko noh!)
lettuce
directions:
to make the lumpia:
- brown the ground pork in adequate amount of cooking oil over medium fire.
- set aside the browned meat in one side of the pan and sautee the garlic and onion, then combine with the pork.
- add the shrimps until it turned into orangy-white color.
- add chicken/vegetable stock. the amount needed to steam the vegetables later on.
- add the string beans, carrots, turnip, cabbage and the sweet potatoes in this order. make sure to cook in low to medium fire at this stage. allow only a minute or two of interval between these ingredients. cover the pan but ensure that the vegetables are cooked still crispy altogether. please lang, do not over cook! not only does you lose the vitamins in the veggies, you also lose the pleasure of biting into a crunchy delight. hindi masarap ang lumpiang hindi na fresh. hehe.
- season with salt and pepper to taste.
- place the sugar in a sauce pan and dissolve in the water. heat until the sugar is dissolved.
- add the soysauce and salt. heat and stir.
- add the mixed cornstarch (with water). heat until the mixture becomes thick.
- add in the garlic and ground peanut.
- season with a dash of pepper.
- let the sauce simmer while stirring constantly. remove from heat once the garlic and peanut flavor are mixed with the thickened sauce.
- lay the lumpia wrapper in a plate.
- place the lettuce on one end with a portion outside the wrapper.
- spoon some cooked and drained lumpia over the lettuce-wrapper portion.
- seal in by turning the ingredients wrapped with the lumpia wrapper.
- put the prepared roll on aplate and spread the sauce over.
;;
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