Two Double Zero Nine

Happy New Year! It 's 2009 a year of the Ox in chinese calendar.
Today marks another beginning of 365 days of exciting days , hopes and "I have to" lists or better known as new year's resolution.

Before I bid goodbye to 2008 , last night I reflected and so thankful for all the wonderful surprises God has given me in all aspect of my life.

Hoping my prayers will be granted this year for my family and friends.


Happy New Year Everyone!
Cheers!

Quotes on Happiness and Being Happy

Until now FS is down and I came across one motivating website which is http://www.successconsciousness.com/index_000042.htm. I just want to share some quotes on happiness and being one happy person. This is just an initial blog for my next posting about a book review.


Quotes on Happiness and Being Happy

Remez Sasson

1. Inspiring quotes and phrases are like vitamins to the soul.
2. Happiness is within you. When you stop the chatter of the mind and expel your worries and fears you find out that happiness surfaces from within you.
3. Happiness is not something far away and unattainable, and its manifestation does not depend on circumstances.
4. Happiness is one of the most important treasures. It is within your soul. All you have to do, is dig it out and enjoy it.
5. There is no need to search for happiness or to create it. There is no need to undergo all kinds of external experiences in order to enjoy it. It is always here, deep within your soul.
6. Happiness is always here, but covered by thoughts, desires and fears.
7. Happiness comes from within.
8. Your attitude decides whether you are happy or not. You can change your attitude.
9. Happiness is a state of mind. More correctly put, it is the state beyond the mind.
10. It is our attitude that makes us feel happy or unhappy.
11. Your thoughts and worries hide away your happiness.
12. If you smile while you talk, you make people happy.
13. A calm and detached mind is the gate to true happiness.
14. Happiness is experienced after a problem has been solved, a fear has disappeared or after realizing a desire. At this moment the mind is released from it fears, worries and desires and becomes quiet, letting the happiness emerge.
15. Look at the happy side of life, and you will develop the happiness habit.
16. Learn to laugh. This will make you feel better.
17. Focusing your mind on everything that you do, increases your control over your mind, which makes it easier for the inner joy to manifest.
18. Your inner nature is bliss and joy. Clean your mind of thoughts and worries and you will find this treasure within you.
19. When you wake up from deep sleep you feel happy. This is because the mind was quiet. If you are able to make your mind quiet during your waking hours, you will experience happiness.
20. Each day do something to make you feel happy, until this becomes a habit.
21. Cheerfulness is contagious. Choose cheerful people for your friends and you become cheerful too.
22. Sharing and accepting other people's happiness increases our own happiness.
23. Choose happiness, concentrate on happiness and you will find it everywhere.
24. Let the joy in your heart overflow and water everyone you meet.
25. Pleasure comes from the outside, happiness from the inside.
26. A good word to a friend or stranger can bring light into their day.
27. When you have a positive frame of mind, you broadcast positive thoughts and feelings to the world around you.

Recipe: Bicol eXpress Crab

Once there was a poet that quote“Good painting is like good cooking: it can be tasted, but not explained” . I would like to share my own "art work" from an abstract experiment -the Crab bicol express style. Crab bicol express because it is a mixture of chili spice and coconut milk or gata for Pinoy language.

Ingredients consist of 1 Kg-crab ,250 grams squash , 125 grams -string beans , 200-ml coconut milk , 100-ml water , fish sauce or patis to taste , 5 pcs-siling labuyo or chili , minced onions & garlic and cooking oil -enough to saute the garlic and onion.

Directions:

1. Simmer the crab until it is fully cook . Crabs are well done cook when it turn to an orange-like shell.
   
2. In a separate pan, saute minced onions and garlic with cooking oil.
3. Add on the well done crab with the squash and string beans.
4. Add on fish sauce to taste.
5. Add on the coconut milk with water.
6. Let it simmer until squash and string beans are cook.
7. Add on siling labuyo or chili for a spicy taste.

Ready to serve. Happy eating!

Little India - Deepavali Festival

Little India is one of the most colorful place here in Singapore. As they celebrate their Deepavali or Diwali Festival the place is more vibrant with colors and lights. Deepavali or Diwali is also
known as festival of lights. As we strolled around the streets many photographer and hobbyist alike take time to grabbed and cliked some photos.

Busy streets where visitors and tourist can shop at the bustling deepavali festival market or admire the street lights up.

During the festival of lights colorful souvenier items are all over the market place . Including the wooden carvings which have been common items on India's shop.

colorful Indian bangles


beads with flower ornaments




hanging "lantern" lights









replica of taj mahal




my personal favorite souvenier item

Recipe : Irish Puto

Irish puto because I got this cake recipe from my close friend Irish.

Ingredients:
Cheese
Fresh Milk
Hot Cake Mix -Sweetened

1-2-3 Procedures

1. Mix well the Hot Cake Mix with fresh milk .

2. Put the mixture into the "mini mold" then put the diced cheese.

3. Steam for 15 minutes.

Ready to Serve.
Note: There can be different variety of this simple puto recipe like pandan flavor , tuna , chicken flavors,etc.

Home Sweet Home

After browsing BHG.com I'm quite inspired to show our family house in Pangasinan Philippines. Honestly, I really miss home . It 's a raining sunday morning here in Singapore , I just miss spending my weekend at home .

The Heights of South - Mt . Maculot

Several mountains on the southern part of Luzon are destinations for hikers . Some of these famous hikers destination are Mt. Maculot , Mt Famy ,Mt. Malipunyo , Talamitam and Pico de loro .

Mt. Maculot

Jump-off point- board a van/bus going to Lemery Batangas and get off at Cuenca town proper. There is a market nearby that can supply your needs for an overnight’ stay at the summit. The trail begins near the Mountaineer’s Store. There is another trail but less frequently used going directly to the summit passing by the grotto. The main trail goes to the shoulder of the mountain. A portion of the trail is well cemented leading to the more rugged terrain. The trail gradually becomes steep as you progress on your climb. Two thirds of the climb is on covered forest. The steep terrain needs both hands to hold on to the roots and branches of trees. The trail is quite slippery if you climb during the wet season. The last third portion of the mountain approaching the final destination, which is the campsite on the shoulder of the mountain, is a cogonal area. Assaulting the Rockies is the highlight of the climb, where you get a spectacular view of the lake.

Mt. Maculot is a famous destination for hikers. The climb is actually not that easy but the climb is worth the effort due to the majestic views of the famous Taal Lake. The lake itself has a soothing effect on one’s nerves due to its calmness. The serene surroundings make it a complete getaway from the stressful environment of the city and work. Try to make it to the summit before nightfall to get a glimpse of the spectacular sunset. This mountain is visible from Tagaytay and as far as Mindoro. The mountain’s shape resembles an igloo, with a rounded summit and a shoulder resembling the entrance of the igloo.

Climbing hours up to the campsite is from 2 -3 hours and it depends on how many stop over or rest time by climbers. Campsite is above sea level and it is so cool. Since you're on top of mountain at night the sound of the wind can break inside the tent .

The main destination or feature of this mountain is its shoulder campsite overlooking Taal Lake, Makiling and the Batangas towns. Near the shoulder is a place called "rockies" since it is a rocky hill/peak separated from the shoulder by a deep gorge. It’s a popular vantage-point for viewing the lake as well as a good place to have your picture taken. The trails are steep but Maculot is one mountain where you can appreciate the visual rewards of nature .

Low Tide or High Tide

The Hundred Islands National Park is located in Alaminos City Pangasinan. As the name implies "hundred islands" actually its more than hundreds and naturally it depends
if its high tide or low tide.


Only three islands have been developed for tourists namely: Governor, Quezon, and Children's Island.

There are several different activities that can be enjoy : snorkeling , swimming , boat rides , island hopping , night camping , taking pictures and my favorite kayaking.

I enjoyed this summer trip last April 6th even I got tan and sacrifice my gluta consumption -it's really worth it. Having to enjoy your time with friends and after super hectic schedule at work and school for masteral projects and exam. After exhausted months of February to March at least I did enjoy our summer outing with my few close friends.
We stayed in Quezon Island where we have all the fun filled activities.

I was race in Pangasinan and I can say that it is the one of the best place to visit in my province , furthermore there are nearby places like Bolinao with white sand beaches which is also great .The islands have already been rehabilitated and improved for tourist and I was able to see many changes for better. Go and visit Hundred Islands.

26 Things

May 2nd -marks my 26th birthday and it so happened that I had business trip where I stayed in a hotel - Carlton Hotel in Hsinchu Taiwan. I had busy day in the office plus I'm so tired for days not sleeping well for many reasons. One reason was my decision to finally resign on my current company to venture into the new career opportunity.

With all these thoughts in mind , I have note down my 26 thoughts that night.

1. Cheesecake is the best cake in the world .(Thank you Carlton Hotel).
2. You cant have everything .
3. Life is full of irony .
4. Celebrating birthday alone -so sad .

5. Writing a resignation letter is far difficult than making a resume.
6. Appreciation comes when its gone.
7. Crying is a form of healing.
8. Patience is a virtue , its so hard.
9. Letting go of love and habits -- the cross roads you wouldn't want to take/decide.
10 .Thank you is kindest word of appreciation.
11. Shawn T is cooler than Billy Blanks.
12. Don't chase when its gone - tennis is different from badminton.
13. I never hit a tennis ball . Never learn it .
14. Know the difference between green and red light . Go and Stop. Never forget the yellow -- in betweens but near to stop .
15. Driving is not easy.
16. Friends are blessings -just true friends.
17. You can't be friends when you still have feelings for each other.
18. It hurts the most when you least expected it.
19. It feels a million of happiness to be in real love than to be rich .
20. Love is not just feeling . Love is respect.
21. Ito galing sa mga veterans kina kuya Jon , Kuya Deck , Kuya Sonny and Kuya Rolly.. fyi girls.. "pag nahuli wag aamin .. unahan mo sya ng galit"...lines na.. "sinabi na hindi ko alam " ..
22. Before I thought I can be a nun and be old maid.. Now I realize --no I cant . Dont want to be alone again. . At least I realized.
23. It's good to be back in grade six mode. Think ..think
24. Fireworks dont normally last that long.
25.What we think , what we feel ...what will always manifest.
26. Prayers can move mountains.

Jumper

I have watched the movie Jumper last week.I can't say it 's a super great sci-fi movie because I have some no-no and big questions on some part of the movie. But the movie visuals are awesome and having to roam the world in less than two hours is superb, I would say I appreciate shots taken from different parts of the world.I think we all dream to travel the world . Jumper is a movie about having the power to teleport to one place to another.

Awesome visual and interesting places were presented on the movie Jumper. So I came to write something about our Window on China adventures in Taiwan last year in the month of November. I was with my friends Gracie, Rroy and Ria. Window on China is a theme amusement park in Lungtan near Shihmen Dam. The park has miniature structures of different great places
in the world.

Window on China had two distinct parts- Mini Taiwan and Mini China. The Mini Taiwan section was purported to represent the entire span of Taiwan’s history- from the colonial days to the present. The replicas included those of Fort San Domingo, Lung Shan Temple, the Chiang Kai-shek and Sun Yat-sen memorial halls, and Chiang Kai-shek International Airport.
Mini China had replicas of the Great Walls, some parts of the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven and the Lungmen Caves.

Window on China soon included famous landmarks around the world and it has miniature of famous structures across Asia, Europe, Africa and America.
Apart from opening the window to China’s landscape, Window on China also provides wonderful view of its culture. There are traditional folk dances, Chinese music performance, aboriginal dance and other Chinese folk arts that are shown in the park.

I don't have much to say except that Window on China is recommended for kids and kids at heart.

Inside Bangalore INDIA

Inside Bangalore INDIA

Inside India - truly rare and exotic . Living there for 4 months, I had seen significant uniqueness and I can say that they have preserved their cultures and religions through time even they were colonized by British .My place in India is Bangalore - the capital of Indian state of Karnataka . Bangalore is the third most populous city and the fifth largest metropolitan area . As an engineer I would say Bangalore is the silicon valley of India where all semiconductor companies are there including AMD , Philips , Cypress to name some .It is where Bill Gates used to visit every month for different possible reasons like businesses and of course India has great programmers.


I stayed in apartment located in Benson town with my officemate near cinema house called Naga theather.We used to ride an 'auto' going to office. We preferred 'auto' since it cost us three times cheaper than taking a taxi of Mr. Morthy. I had several road experiences in Bangalore like books are being pirated in MG( Mahatma Gandhi) Road India .

In the Philippines we have pirated DVDs but in India I got several pirated books completing my collections of Harry Potter, Sidney Sheldon collections , Dan Brown books and Archies .There have unusual piece and my personal favorites like Body Language by Allan Pease, different culinary books and the famous Chicken Soup for the Soul. I almost forgot the famous book from India -Kamasutra. Another 'road experience' was driving without using side mirrors , vehicles side mirrors are all folded . Imagine that how they turn left and right. In India 'cows' are sacred , they are priority over a vehicle crossing streets.

Religion plays an important role in the daily life of Indians, Hinduism , in particular is extremely complex and continously evolving. Hindu is the largest major religion in India. Approximately 80% of the population practices various forms of Hinduism but there are also Catholics in India . We meet several Filipinos and Filipino nuns at St. Patrick Church.


I had rare meaning raw and unique experiences in terms of food , music ,holiday season's and movies. When we talked about food , I gained 20lbs in India because of carb , Basmati rice which really taste good and of course sea foods that I used to cooked. My taste began to savored several spices like oregano which is good with pizza and curry and other tomato based dishes. My favorite Indian foods are only handful which include lamb burger, lamb steak and gobi machurian made of cauliflower but taste like meat. Most of Indians are vegetarian so there are many veggie foods that taste like meat. One Indian dish I can cook that is gobi manchurian.

Speaking of holidays we spent Christmas 2005 and New Year 2006 in India , it was so sad and I really missed my family . Two things because they don't Christmas and second no new year blast - it was so ordinary day.

What more I got?I remember we've been to Banerghatta mini safari where I got to see huge sizes of animals. I saw hippopotamus as huge as elephant , siberian tiger and bengal tigers.Another thrilling experience was elephant ride.

As our officemates in India would say Bangalore is 'westernize city' of India where malls are also everywhere like in any other city .


Clothes like Nike , Benetton and Adidas were extremely cheap in Bangalore because other than semicon company they also have several clothing factories.

To wrap it all I can say India is definitely unique and interesting and I'm looking forward to see it again and next time I'll check Taj Mahal .