Sentimental Over the Laundry

If there's one thing Nelson and I have in common, it's that we both have the tendency to be attached to certain things that connote pleasant and irreplaceable memories. So when the very first washing machine we ever bought as husband and wife began showing signs of ageing a few weeks ago and almost stopped working, Nelson got creative beyond imagination and did all he could to revive it.

Alas, on a  Sunday, Ms. Sharp, who spent 6 lovely years with us, finally conked out and is now in machinery heaven.

Rest in peace, Ms. Sharp...

Well, all good things come to an end. It's a fact of life. And because we direly needed a new one, we spent the rest of the afternoon scouting for a reliable laundry helper and ended up choosing a sturdy 6.0 kg capacity washer in powder blue.

Welcome to the family, Mr. Pana!

We look forward to an even longer and prolific fabric washing affair with this one.

The First Lost Tooth

Zakei was initially in denial. As a good 5-year-old kid who regularly brushes her teeth twice a day, the loose tooth came as a big shock to her. She cried when she realized it was just one of those things she couldn't mend with a glue (although she did attempt to do it with Elmer's). 

Then came the acceptance phase. Mama convinced her that it's actually a pleasant thing. Her pretty baby pearly whites will soon be replaced by a stronger and even more gorgeous set. 

I remember when I was six, every time this happened, I'd refuse to go to the dentist and have fun twisting my tooth around the whole day, then by bedtime I'd be holding it in my hand, admiring the milky incisor or molar that's been with me for a very short time. Oh, childhood. Things change every now and then in such a jiffy. But I'm glad I have teeth that never needed any serious type of dental treatment. I hope the same goes for Zakei.

Congratulations on losing your first tooth, sweetheart! Mama loves you :-)

Stargazer Holds Free Mini-Concert

The wrath of Typhoon Ondoy that sank hundreds of houses and killed countless Filipinos, the devastating earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, the recent floodings in countries all over the world that seem to indicate a dramatic change in Mother Nature's course, somehow, these occurrences tell us one definite thing -- it's payback time.

Yes, we all had something to do with the current series of disasters, whether we admit it or not. And we ought to make an effort to heal our sole humble abode sooner that we think.

Stargazer is a well-known psychic who hosts a radio show on DZMM called Pinoy Vibes which airs Sundays at 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. When I say 'Psychic,' I don't mean your typical manghuhula or fortune-teller, because she simply is not. She's a life reader who uses the aura and vibrations, and a very good one at that. Her clairvoyance has helped a lot of people lead better lives, solve crimes, and tackle the mysterious and unexplained.

Famous for predictions that actually took place and got her featured in newspapers and on television, Stargazer makes it a point to remind her followers about the importance of having faith in God. She also believes (and so do I) that we can reverse the negative effects of man's way of living on our beloved nature through positivity and meditation.

If you happen to be in Manila on March 12, 2011, Saturday, check out the free mini-concert that she's holding at the Ever-Gotesco Cinema, Cainta, Rizal at 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. There will be song and dance numbers from surprise guests and freebies!

Here is Stargazer's letter of invitation to the public (click to enlarge):

Everybody's welcome. If you're an avid believer and supporter, or just plain curious, come and join us in this selfless endeavor to heal the earth! E-mail LLC_events@yahoo.com for free tickets.

The Best Kare-Kare So Far

Sunday is 'Get Physical Day.' We're really into exercising together as a family. We either jog or walk around wherever our feet would take us. Sometimes even my mom comes along. The Marikina Sports Plaza is one of our favorite destinations where we sweat all of the previous week's stress off. You can find lots denizens trying to lose the extra pounds on the large oval track on weekends. It feels so darn good to live in a healthy city.

In 2009, after a very satisfying and relaxing workout, we decided to have dinner at Nid's Balot sa Dahon. It's located almost right across the plaza, hence, it's hard to miss.

The resto's interiors give off a native, homey ambiance.

We ordered Pork Sisig and Sinigang na Baboy. Since then we never craved for anything else on Sunday evenings.

Saturday is either 'Date Night' or 'Malling Day,' or both. After strolling at the Blue Wave Mall in the afternoon of the 5th, we had one of our Nid's Balot sa Dahon top picks, the scrumptious Kare-kare! A day earlier than the usual, but what the heck? We eat what we want, when we want it.

Oooops, my second cup of rice (grins). Yes, you get to eat on banana leaf laid on a rattan plate. Downright Pinoy.

Simot sarap!

Nothing beats filling up on Philippine cuisine.

Phone Talk!

As frivolous as it may seem, most Filipinos are crazy for mobile phones. And I'd be a hypocrite if I say I'm not one of them. I love checking out shops to see the latest models and saving up for whatever catches my fancy. It's not an obsession, I just happen to marvel at technology and it's fast-paced evolution.

These days, I'm currently hooked on my Nokia X6 8gb (Symbian 60 5th Edition).

It got me enslaved to searching for and downloading apps which have turned into daily necessities like:

1.) Free-iSMS - Cool message threader. We all know Nokia's still stuck with the same ol' boring SMS system. This one does the magic.

2.) Resco Photo Viewer - A systematic photo album that organizes photographs and keeps them where they should be. It offers file options that make photo viewing a pleasurable experience.

3.) Scalado PhotoRama - Allows you to take panorama pictures sans the hassle.

4.) Nimbuzz & Socially - The social networking applications you can't live without.

5.) Pixelpipe - Enables you to upload photos, videos, audio & text files to over a hundred destinations, including Facebook.

But what got me really spellbound with my unit is this...

I got SPB Mobile Shell 3.7.2 installed on my X6!

SPB Mobile Shell is a highly customizable (and laudable) user interface. It has two types of home screens, Lifesytle & Professional, that provide up to 5 pages each -- which means 10 glorious home screens that you can navigate through just by flicking up, down, left and right.

 The widgets, the layouts. You can personalize every bit of it.

I can reach my favorite contacts at a touch.

If you want to revamp your ordinary Symbian touchscreen phone, this is the best software there is at the moment (check your phone's compatibility first, though). It's got all you need and more...

The program runs smoothly and acts as if it's inherent to the main operating system. A word of caution to phone-freaks: It's quite addictive to the point that it made the hubby jealous. To the geniuses at SPB Software -- Bravo!

He Must Be So Overwhelmed!

The best surprises are the ones that come from God.

Just a week ago, Ted Williams was a 53-year-old homeless soul in Colombus, Ohio, whose life was immensely disheveled by drugs and alcohol. Before the nasty vices got the better of him, he had a good job, a family, and a home. Consequently he lost everything he had.

In hopes of a second chance and two years into clean living, Ted frequented the highway holding a cardboard that claimed he's an ex-radio announcer with a "God-given gift of voice" who has fallen on hard times. It also said, "Any help will be greatfully appreciated."

Then one fateful January day, Columbus Dispatch reporter Doral Chenoweth III saw him at a street ramp and asked him to illustrate his talent on video...

I bet what happened after came as a shock to Ted. The video garnered over 11 million hits on YouTube, he got countless job offers from huge TV and radio networks, invitations to appear on various shows, and is now reunited with his mom.

Guest announcing on NBC's Today Show

Ted shares, "I always used to pray to God, 'Lord let my mom live to see another year; maybe this will be the year that somebody will say, 'Hey man, do you want a job?'"

This is exactly the sort of thing that happens when you give in to the Lord. What an inspiration this man has become!

Mr. Cancio's High School Reunion

Nelson reunited with his high school gang at the zany Quezon City High School (Q.C.H.S.) Batch '96 Christmas Party held at Ten 02 Bar. The well-trodden venue is owned and operated by none other than popular '90's ska icon Myra "Skarlet" Ruaro of Put3ska.

Reunions are fun because almost everyone doesn't end up the way you expected 10 years ago. The former class nerd shows up as an über successful lawyer, the ex-school heartthrob as a jobless freeloader, and the quondam wall flower as a thriving disco diva by night and CEO by day.

As for Mr. Nelson Cancio, his tagline that evening was 'erstwhile silent geek-turned-hunky graphic designer.' Naturally, I was his date.

Perfect with beer!

They played Pinoy Henyo, Quazo style.

And took some more pictures...

Their batch had a month-long on-line logo making contest in search of their official emblem to be used for various merchandise and upcoming events. The votes were tallied and a winner was announced towards the end of the night...

Congratulations, hon! I'm so proud of you!

Tuesday Photo Flashback

My mom, Arlette, and her older brother, Tito Richard, sometime before the 1960's.

Mama is such a little darling in this photograph! I was browsing through hundreds of old pictures, came across this one, and thought it's too adorable to get stuck on drive (D:). I just had to make up an excuse to post it. So, I guess this would be the first official Tuesday Photo Flashback entry.

Ma, you look like a slightly taller and long-haired version of Onei! :-)