Bag of Beans Blueberry Pancakes = Love!

It's 9AM. I woke up so early today. 6 AM to be exact. I know, for some, that's not early. Everyone else must have already ticked off a dozen in their to-do list, while I was still battling with my other self if I should already get up from bed or not. haha!

Since I'm up early, I'm hungry early, too. [weird sentence there, but I know you get my point :)] Anyway, I've been craving pancakes since last night. The photos at Spot.ph's list of top 10 pancakes in town didn't help. I was practically salivating at the layers upon layers of pancakes that were featured.

Upon reaching the end of the list, I was sad to find that my favorite pancake of all time didn't make it: Blueberry pancakes from Bag of Beans Tagaytay. The first time I tried it, it was love at first bite!

Imagine sinking your teeth into three humongous layers of blueberry-filled pancakes, smothered with blueberry jam and topped with whole berries and butter. Two slices of citrus adorn your plate of blueberry goodness. Pour syrup, and you're on your way to heaven! For just PHP195, the pancakes can serve up to four hungry tummies. Reasonable, right?

And here it is. Tada! 

Blueberry pancakes!

Haay. What would I give to have these right now?

The Twelve DaysPounds of Christmas

It's the day after Christmas. Whew. The holiday rush has gotten to me real bad, I almost thought I'd end up as replacement to The Christmas Grouch. A long list of must-buys, almost-daily parties, and the slow crawl of traffic everywhere can make one's energy just fly right out of the window.

Fortunately, the tiring holiday season is almost over. Just a few more get-togethers to go to, and I can welcome long hours of sleep again. Yey!

So, out of habit, I hop on my trusty weighing scale. I haven't gotten to check on my weight in quite a while.

The scale tipped at X pounds. Gasp! That's 12 pounds more than how I weighed prior to Christmas season.

As with any other life crisis, what followed was the feeling of DENIAL. I took the old weighing scale, stirred it, and shook it a few times. Finally, I tried to tweak the small knob here and there. The repetitious weight checking from way back must have taken its toll on the poor scale. I'm pretty sure it had gotten defective. Plus 12 pounds?? Nah.

I rummaged through my closet to get my digital weighing scale instead. Battery's still intact. Great! I hop on it, hoping to get the truth. "Huh? Plus 12 pounds?" The second emotional stage came in: ANGER. What the heck is going on? Why am I surrounded by such defective scales? I am returning this fairly new digital scale and getting myself a refund!

The next minute, I was BARGAINING. "Lord, how could this happen to me? Please make me 12 pounds lighter and back to my previous weight. I promise not to down another Conti's brownie again. I won't even touch leche flan, fruit salad, and pasta this New Year. I won't even stare at food, I promise!"

There was no response from the heavens. I then felt DEPRESSED. "Why can't I just be like them skinny model-type girls who can gorge on a plateful and still look like they haven't eaten in days? I hate it!" *insert uber sad face here*

But with all things that come in life, there is a need for ACCEPTANCE. I finally understood the whole weight-watching drama.

As I look back at how the 12 pounds had been added to my already-well-insulated physique, I began to thank God. I gained the extra weight, because I enjoyed feasting with friends and family this holiday season. I never held myself at every Christmas gathering. I ate, drank, and celebrated as my friends did. I temporarily held off my diet to be able to party without reservations. That's where the 12 pounds came from: quality time, bonding, fun.

I put back the digital scale inside the closet. I took the other one from the trash bin and placed where it used to be. There was nothing wrong with both. They told me the truth: I gained 12 pounds, but I had fun too.

Weight management is important, but for me, time spent with friends and family celebrating with good food this Christmas season is far more valuable. I can always go back to my diet and to the gym after the holidays anyway. Corny kaya mag-diet pag Pasko!

So, for now, I'm ditching the scales, and I'm off to my next post-Christmas party! Wohoo!



Photo credits: http://www.medicalscale1.com/tag/weight-scale/

Just School Stuff

She opened the candy-colored paper bag and brought out the fillings one by one. Out went a box of crayons, a sheet of stickers, and a notebook, to which she immediately said "Ah, I'll use this as scratch paper instead." Then, there were a mini notepad, a bookmark, a few colored pencils, a pencil case, and a small stuff toy.

After littering the bed with everything the tiny paper bag used to hold, she turned to me, "Ate Osy, you should give me more of these. Just school stuff. Like the dozen of pens, crayons, and colored markers you gave me last Christmas. Don't give me toys. I've grown tired of them anyway."

I thought she won't appreciate the birthday gift I had for her. But as I see her leave the room, paper bag in an embrace, I knew I was wrong. She loved the gift, however simple it was, and she knew she wanted it.

My 8-year-old cousin Maraj knew what she wanted: Just school stuff, Ate Osy. Whereas, there I was, not knowing what I wanted for myself.

For the past weeks, I've been haunted by a thought that has grown consistently since that day I met the Idol. Did I make a wrong decision? Did I just let go of my biggest dream? Did I really ditch the job I've always wanted?

I was offered an editorial job in the magazine I so wanted to be a part of since I joined the community. But I refused. Why? Because of proximity, the possible financial decline, and the lifestyle change. I could think of a million other reasons to justify my weird decision, but lately, it has just boiled down to one: comfort zone, and how I don't want to get out of it.

I wanted the job, but I feared my lack of expertise. I wanted the working environment, but I feared the unfamiliarity. I wanted the fulfillment of the dream, but I feared the changes it will bring.

Fear got in the way. Fear overcame the dream.

God, is there any other way to remedy this? Did I really make a wrong choice?

Zzz...

I didn't want to get out of bed today, but I had no choice. I had to lest I lose my job.

My cellphone-turned-alarm-clock sounded off at 8am. I winked as I search for the nuisance under my pillow. Argh, 8am. Do I get up? Nah.

By some unknown force, I never want to leave my bed this morning. I am dead tired, I could trade places with Sleeping Beauty anytime.

Recently, my month has just turned into one long week. Every single day requires me to get up, prepare for the ton of things to do, leave the house, and arrive home late. Every darn single day.

I don't have weekends. Heck, the weekends are ironically my busiest days.

Lord, please grant me a few days off. I desperately need rest. That, or I think I'll go crazy.

Exhausted

I'm exhausted.

I'm exhausted because of everything that I do: work, ministry work, freelance work, work-at-home editing.

I want to rest. I want to take a vacation. I want to set off to some beach to relax. I want lazy weekends, when I can just sleep all day.

If only all those are possible.

Kris Allen in Manila!

I wanna see this!!!

Filthy bug

Ouch! Sapol!

I have been in the doldrums for the past few days. Low self-esteem is slowly and menacingly creeping up to me like some virus that is eating me alive (OA but true! lol). For some friends I am constantly interacting with, this may be hard to believe. I appear to always be confident in my own skin and, as one friend had said yesterday, bubbly and cheerful. Yeah, I may send that kind of impression, especially to those close to me, but there are just some days when I don't feel like existing at all (weird huh? lol). It's those times when I don't want to get up from bed because I think nothing that spectacular is going to happen and I'll just be going about the same darn things the whole day. It's those times when I don't feel sure of myself, of what I'm doing, and of where I'm at. Sounds weird right? Well, I'm weird. Lol.

I have gotten around losing this weird perception a few months back, but I guess, when one's losing grip of what is true, the wrong ideas and the weird stuff come right back in, trying to instill negativity. Okay, nothing of this may make sense. What I just want to say is that my GodWhispers email is so true. I just have to see the goodness in the life that was given to me. I just have to look beyond what is lacking and realize that I am waaayyy blessed. I just have to learn to be grateful for everything. If I re-learn to do these, it's not me but that filthy low-self-esteem bug that will go down in the dumps!

P.S. If you what to receive encouraging words straight into your inbox for free, check out GodWhispersClub.

It's all Cotton Candy

January 1st. I was disposing ten year's worth of Candy and Seventeen Philippines magazines. (I started collecting them in March 1999!) I was scanning through some of them in the process and then found this:

Some crushes are like cotton candy--they look yummy and totally tempting. But when you actually get a taste, there's not much there. Suddenly, you're left with disappointment and no crush. Sometimes a crush should stay a crush and live as a delicious daydream. That way, you'll always have someone sweet to think about as you drift off to sleep.

I can't remember for which month, but this is from an issue of Seventeen Philippines. So what do you think? So true?

Happy People

(Photo courtesy of http://www.yetanotherforum.net)

I was checking on Liunize's blog and found this comment that I posted a few days back:

"The happiest people are those who do what they love doing and get paid doing it. We can be one of those people.

It may not be now, but we can work on it. It won't be easy, but it's not impossible. Never give up on the dream. AJA!"

Reposting it here because I want to tell myself the same thing now. Believe!

Got Heart?

(Photo source: verabear.net)

Sometimes I wish I had all the money in the world so I could buy the best gifts for family and friends.

A friend in the office wants to learn violin, but she still doesn't have the money to spend. I was at the mall the other day when I saw a brandnew violin on display at Yamaha worth a little less than 5000php. If only I had the money, I'd probably buy that for her.

My mom wants this certain kind of bag that she in Robinson's Department Store, but it is really expensive. If I had the money, I'd probably buy that for her.

One of my college friends totally loves organizers. Ever since college, she would not miss buying herself a new one for the new year. I'd like to buy her that Belle de Jour organizer with all the coupons and cute stuff, or that Starbucks organizer everybody (well almost!) is just mad about. But organizers are not that cheap huh? Glad verabear informed me of her contest. Hop over there and find out how you'll get a chance to win a Got Heart 2010 Planner. Hmm... I just wish I'd win so I can give it as a gift. =)

Friends and the Holidays

(Photo source: http://blogs.voices.com/)

The holiday rush has caught up with me. I am still not done with shopping for gifts. I realized that I had forgotten about certain people. Argh. Me and my ever deteriorating memory. Everyday for the past few days, I have been just going to work, and then either running errands or meeting old friends. It's tiring, but at the end of the day, I am just thankful. God continues to remind me that I have friends. Though I don't see them often, I can still get in touch with them once in a while, and it's always like we had just seen each other the day before. Thank you God for friends!

Shh...

It has been awfully quiet here huh? That's because the past days had been hectic. My whole December is practically packed! Tons of errands to run, friends to meet up with, among other things. Whew! I'm already excited for the coming Xmas vacation. I want to sleep!! Nice way to spend the few days off right? =)

The Godparent Me

(Photo courtesy of Irishblessings)

Today is Xmas shopping day! Mom and I will be shopping now for gifts to family, friends, and godchildren.

I have five official inaanaks, but I only know three of them. The first two godchildren I had were much like just shoved onto me. Haha. I was like 16 then when their parents got me as godparent for their kids. I was even so hesitant that time; I thought I was extremely young to be called ninang! Haha. Then, when marrying age crept up with me and my high school and college batchmates, I became ninang to three more kids. This time, there wasn't any hesitation or denial, only unspoken panic! I was thinking, "Oh no, everybody's getting married and having their own kids, and I'm still single!" Yeah, I know. There is just no pleasing me. Haha. Anyway, that woe-is-me-for-I-am-still-single thing calls for a different entry. There will be many times to write about that. For now, I will just go and enjoy the day finding the best (that I can afford) gifts I can find.

Not paid. Yet.

My Microworkers payment hasn't been forwarded to my Paypal account still. This is not good. Though it's just a measly amount, I still would want to be paid for the work I had done. Guess I just have to wait. If nothing comes up this week, I might need to contact the Microworkers admin if there's just a glitch or something.

Never again.

This year's entries to the Native Parol-making contest in the office.

I never want to see another parol again.

Slept for only an hour (slept?? it's more like a long nap! haha) after cramming up to finish our entry for the native parol contest being held now in the office. Ours is that one on the topmost row. Btw, sorry for the blurry image. My camphone isn't 5MP!=(

The rule was simple. Submit a 24- to 36-in-diameter Christmas lantern made of indigenous materials. It can be of any design, but the materials must be native. My officemate R, being the competitive type, wanted to join and tagged me along (which I began seriously regretting after the fifth time I got burned by that hot glue gun!). At 3a.m. this morning, I was telling her, while I was carefully attaching our makeshift tassel, made of coconut shell and walis tambo, using the last remaining ounces of my strength (OK, that seems a little too much, but I was dead tired you know!), that, next year, I won't let her drag me into this mess (which I call native parol making) again! The mere thoughts of spending three whole nights working on a parol once again will just kill me. I could care less with the 3.5K php prize. (What? It's gonna be 5K php next year? OK, where do I sign up?)

Well, just ranting. I am tired. Extremely. But it's okay. On our way to the office this morning, R and I were amazed that we were able to stand working on the parol for 8 straight hours. We hardly rested, just glimpsing on the what's on the tube every once in a while. Then, I told her that the drive of seeing the parol as it takes form was enough to keep me awake. As I mercifully attached each sheet of copra, I was actually excited for the finished product. Yes, I was tired. And yes, I already wanted to sleep, but I guess, when one is focused on the goal, one cannot just stand resting. One just works and works and works. OK, now that's deep. haha But it is true, right?

Anyway, win or lose, I am happy we got to finish our lantern. But I haven't changed my mind: I never want to see another parol again. hahahaha