food scare: campbell soup

another form of food scare that directly hit me is brought by this piece of news below:

"The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will conduct laboratory tests on samples of Campbell's Soup after hundreds of thousands of cans of soup were recalled following complaints of a bad smell.
The Centre for Food Safety advised people not to consume two types of the canned soup in question.
A spokesman of Campbell Soup Asia Limited said it has worked out a refund deal with supermarkets.
Those who have purchased the 405g condensed cream of mushroom soup and the 410g condensed cream of creamy chicken mushroom soup can get full refunds at ParknShop, Wellcome and Vanguard even with no receipt.
The company has set up a consumer hotline 3128 8022 for enquries."

i remembered purchasing 2 cans of Campbell's cream of mushroom soup. (that's me, trying to be domesticated, keeping my own stock of comfort food hehehe) then i happened to read the paper... and so i immediately returned them. and of course, refund! even for a measly $20. hehe i treated myself with mcdonald's. the default alternative. hahaha

cindyrel-lea in hongkong

i first saw this poster in the MTR, traversing taikoo station. i was ecstatic and proud, of course, knowing that a Filipino will grace the theater here in hongkong. so much so, i stared at the poster for a while, feeling a little cultured that instead of a movie poster, i got myself interested in the 'arts' hahaha in fairness to me, i AM interested. it's just that i never got to rationalize spending a $$$ for a musical over a more affordable movie, which i can even get for free (ooppsss) the only plays i recalled watching are those required in school (novels by Rizal), widows orphans wildebeasts (music museum) and miss saigon (yey).

i contemplated watching cinderella in pinas. fortunately, i have another chance here. tickets are reasonably priced @ $180, $290, $490, $690. i would like to watch in the earlier part of their showing (5-16 november 2008). how do i make sure it's lea and not an understudy??? hope ate ai will join me. simple plot, simple story. magic. love. that's my recipe for one great artsy evening.

hmm, i wonder when the next musical will hype me up.. i'd love "wicked" to come to hongkong.

always keep a change

i listed down my paranoia -- things that would just get me panicky inside. and out eventually. i would just lose my guard and feel all the more helpless.

1. leaving the flat without my keys... AND phone


2. leaving the flat without my keys


3. boarding the bus without money


4. traveling without my passport/ticket


5. having my credit card declined or won't get any reply from VISA or the issuer (with no money on hand to spare)

items 2 and 3 already happened to me... item 3, not so long ago... and i felt so embarrassed!



i boarded the bus on the way to work, tapped my Octopus card to the reader. *one long beep* with red light. meaning, i have negative balance in my card. i searched for my wallet, tried to find some loose change (you have to give exact fare as the drivers don't give you change). bus fare is 5.7hkd. i found 4.7hkd total. i was hurriedly looking for 1 more dollar. just one more. please.

unluckily, i found none. i tried to talk to the driver if he can let that 1hkd go... but not surprisingly, he ignored me... or he didnt understand? i thought of asking 1hkd from the other passengers, but didn't push through with it. then the bus stopped and the doors opened. i didnt see any bus stop nearby. i warily talked to the driver, "you want me to go down from the bus now?". with eyes like that of a feeble child, i silently hoped he would say no. (but then again, maybe he didn't understand what i said.) rather than be forced out of the bus in broad daylight in front of many people, i volunteered to alight and find another means to go to work.

i was SO embarrassed! one of my paranoia came true again. hopefully, i'd be more in control, more organized next time.

when dengue strikes

we got quite a scare after bro is diagnosed with dengue. it all started with fever, loss of appetite and pananamlay for 2 days. of course, we thought it's just the usual fever, flu that can be cured with a dose of tempra. his fever went on-off for 2 days and mama, the paranoid that she is (well, good for all of us na rin) urged him to see the doc. the first time, it was holiday so we just went to the ER ang got some stronger meds. the attending physician wanted to admit him but mama wanted him to be checked by our doctor personally. so off we went home. the next day, ayun... after series of tests, it was confirmed. DENGUE. normal platelet count should be above 150k but his is 104K. blood transfusion will be administered when it reaches 20K. that's the SOP, as i know. i don't know much about dengue and anything that keeps a person hospitalized is enough for me to be worried. who wouldn't la?! i read related stuff in the internet, even suggested this one drink to help increase platelet count... all because i read it in a forum. i guess i was on the right track coz mama already made one for bro. a few days, his platelet count went up-down.

with prayers, he was discharged after a few days. he was told to monitor his platelet count though. (yeah, here goes the drama) i feel helpless not being there in those times. i know they can handle everything, but i just can't help but feel frustrated for being away. what keeps me going though is the thought that i have to be strong. not only for myself but also for my family. i realized that in times when things are down, the more i should step up -- knowing that my strength is not my own.

... in pictures

went to the restaurant for early dinner... didn't know what to order so pichuran na lang muna!
actually, this is what we came here for... the freebie!!! hahaha uhm, chicken, i think.
... and of course, pizza!!! this one's not free na. four-flavored pizza so we can have a sample of each kind. with tabasco shempre.
angel hair pasta, as recommended by sistah. i thought palabok fiesta ng jollibee. hahaha with tabasco ulet.
lastly, pichuran moment again... sino raw ang spoiled?!?!?!

happy 888

i just can't let this date pass.. according to chinese belief, 888 is a lucky day - to get married, to open the olympics ? hehehe fortunately, i was able to see it live, err, on the TV. and all i can say is.. AMAZING! though i haven't seen previous opening ceremonies to compare it with, the display of grandeur from a multitude of performers is enough for me to hang on to every presentation. what i loooove the most though is the number from the chinese military (ata) where they use ancient drums to signal the countdown of the olympics opening. just amazing!

i know! im at a loss for words. i borrowed some pictures from getty images below to describe just how in awe i am.. hahaha

(Pictures courtesty of getty images from boston.com)

greetings

to mamuy and aya...

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y!!!

mamuy is already 90 years old. wow, 9 decades! and still kicking. hahaha in spite of waning strength in going to out of town family gatherings or just plain spending sunday afternoon in the house, her determination to just be with the whole family is encouraging. she can walk a few steps, still manage to do things on her own. still is game enough to go strolling at the mall (perks: when parking is full, we can always park at the 'disabled' area, coz we bring her wheelchair hehehe)

though we don't get to talk much coz i had to yell at her (people might wonder why i shout at my lola?) her mind is still sharp. she remembers people, events. she still gives advice (read: lecture, sermon) when necessary.

aya, rio rossa in full, is turning 18. she's one of our family's debutante's along with mhack, being born on the same year. aya got her name from who else.. but mamuy, rosario. gets? i haven't seen her since they left for the US ages ago.. hmm.. how many has it been? she left as a shy, little kid - very young, small and thin. i like carrying her because i can. haha she's weighs lighter than mhack. hehehe but now.. she's already a young lady - beautiful, confident and vivacious. i don't get to talk to her as much i talk with her other siblings... coz i know my english speaking skills will be challenged. hahaha!

my wish for her is to stay humble and God-fearing. don't be affected by negative things, especially when we say, she's soooo huggable. hehehe *lotsa HUGS* mwahh

mini paris in wanchai

after strolling along hennessy road in wanchai, we decided to settle in Mini Paris, a quaint restaurant situated in the busy street ala quezon ave in pinas. i didn't know what to expect. i can eat anything at that time especially, i have acquired a taste for chinese food, i think. scanning through the menu, they actually serve... viet food. how did i know? well, i just compared it with pho hoa (i looove this place) and i just know.. hahaha here's my lame attempt to describe what we ordered: veggies with sauce that tastes like a faint bagoong, noodles with fried spring rolls and cold shrimp rolls. the last two are served with a sweet and sour sauce but with a way thinner consistency. (HA?!?!?! there you go, can you taste the food with my description?) all in all, they're good! another proud discovery.. and oh, before i forget they have english menu. yey!


masabi lang... i served this on my last birthday.. simple lang: shrimp linguine, steamed chicken (thanks maria for the recipe.. well cooked kse sya and delish, unlike the steamed chix , chinese way.. me blood pa), buttered veggies, breaded pork chop, cake (not in pic) and of course, ice cream.. i thought Dreyer's ang sponsor ko that night kse i have 4 of them. haha (un lang nag pa sosy, actually haha) it would have been ben and jerry's only, they're not available then.

nga pala.. to those who remembered... thank you =)
*hugs, hugs, hugs*

financial happiness

ano ba ito??? euphemism for "im so damn rich, more than you can ever imagine"? well, for what it's worth, i know i have financial obligations. blame it on culture and of course, out of the goodness of my heart (haha) i TRY to regularly remit money back home... yeah, yeah, thanks to the remittances of OFWs GMA is saying the economy is gaining ground. right, right. when i think of ways to achieve financial contentment, the only that comes to mind is saving. this is a LONG way to go since bank interests are less than the other charges or taxes imposed on your account.

recently, im trying to think of ways to invest. business is one option, maybe buy and sell? buy here and sell in pinas? i buy here and sis, bro can sell.. kaso seems they got no interest. so i opted to read more about ways to invest - bonds, funds, maybe? stocks - for me seems a lot of work. im not too keen on watching every move of the market and do trading once tragedy strikes. what im looking for is stability, low maintenance and of course, high return (less other charges, etc). easy management is very important, if it can be done securely online, better. i dont know yet what will come of this endeavor. i hope to talk to a mentor/consultant, discuss my goals and create a financial plan.

how about you, done any investing already?

just tired

of what? can't say. all i know is that pag natatahimik na lang ako or when i get idle even for a while. i find myself exhausted. guess, you may say may halong OA na lang din.. hahaha that's why i want to keep myself busy, distracted so i don't have to entertain any other thoughts. it's been 3 years since i've left home to try my luck abroad. now, i don't what i have achieved or IF i achieved anything. i gained a lot of experiences, realizations living on my own. i learned things about myself that i didn't know before. of course, i get bouts of loneliness, being alone. but when i think that there are lots of people who are in a sadder disposition, i would quickly tilt my head back and do something else. feeling ko wala akong right to complain about my life. i should be thankful. some fwends say they admired me - coz im able to live on my own.. and im still here. sane. those words are pats on my back. it's as if, im doing something right. feeling ko i'm strong. coz i'm able to endure the loneliness and being homesick. if they only knew! there are times, i think of packing my bags and heading off some place. it's tiring to always put on a strong facade, when inside you know you also need some assurance that things will get better. hmm, but why put up? because it's a logical and practical way to survive and be on top of everything else.

i'm tired, but it's ok. =)

backkkk

i missed blogging.. even though i dont have that much stories or (mis)adventures to tell. my 2nd hand NEC versa notebook broke down and i was nearly contemplating on buying a new one... until i realized it's out of my budget coz of some unexpected expenses. so, that new macbook pro will have to wait until christmas (?) yeah right!

i basically rely on the internet to keep me updated on the latest happenings and events back home and even with fwends. i barely watch tv, not even open the news to see local channels. i thought, damn! now, i have more time on my hands. and so, i'd rather stay in the office to do my surfing. (talgang hindi work eh noh?) most of my idle time at home i spend playing my DS - ouendan! and finally... i finished it! wuhooo (well the average category) now, im trying my hand at the difficult range.

when you're left idle, you tend to attract different kinds of thoughts, and im not the type to fully plan what will (or should) happen in the coming years. but i know, i should. NOW. this should be in a different entry....

*sigh* well, im just glad to be back.

rochness in hongkong

i met roch, my F1 neighbor, HS buddy and long-time friend. she and family are in hongkong for some RnR. it was fun catching up with her... we had a LOT to talk about. no holds barred, diba roch?! haha

enjoying after dinner coffee and chitchat in starbucks, LKF

as usual, kwela... kahit ang banana leaf decor ng starbucks di pinatawad. hahaha
the birthday girl! happy and pleased amidst the LKF crowd
shempre, photo op ulet!
receiving birthday calls in hongkong.. (ouch, roaming yan! haha)
bye roch! till next time... in singapore or in manila or bangkok or bali? hahaha

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

mhack, the debutante

i'm looking forward to this day... it's my cousin mhack's debut. she's turning 18 with a bang! wow, time flies fast, and i'm missing it coz my family is throwing her a party, in the same place where i celebrated mine. i wonder how it went. no one went online tonight so i guess they were all tired (but happy) preparing and entertaining their guests. these are times i miss pinas most. i envy them having fun. without me. hahaha

enough about that.. for the birthday girl...

HAPPY 18th BIRTHDAY!!!

be a good girl, sister to your siblings.. continue to be a blessing to your family and to other people as well. study hard!

oh yeah, i feel SO old already.

welcoming the weekend

*sigh*

it's a friday. free day to bum! i'm so thankful!

after some glitches with our project launch, finally it has been rolled out to all our ATMs. i feel like a zombie at the end of the week so this friday, instead of going out, i just stayed at home. i was suppose to meet with roch friday or saturday.. but i guess, saturday it is. hope we can get in touch and finally catch up. can't wait!

this is gonna be a busy week at work. i have several meetings and 1 project launch which requires overnight job. for the meetings, i would meet up with users in our head office in world trade center in causeway bay. i seldom go here unless needed coz this is a crowded area and it makes a little dizzy just watching all those people moreover, squeezing myself in. i like going there also because after the meeting, i can get in touch with the city and go window shopping! haha

the overnight project launch is so because the application needs to be deployed in the ATMs. in this case, we need to port at an off-peak hour. say, around 1am onwards to minimize impact to our customers. just looking at how my schedule will be this week, is enough to tire me. hope i'm always in the proper mindset to make decisions and sound judgment. yaiks! gotta pack my energy drink - MILO! hahaha

*****

i woke up sunday morning feeling so light. it feels like i've fallen in love for the first time. hahaha i know! but i just had to share it. it's such a welcoming disposition. not that im not grateful or happy with what i have right now. i dont know where it came from coz there's no specific person or event that happened recently that evoked such emotion. maybe nakulitan na si God saken, sa prayers ko. haha

siguro it's HIS way of telling me na im not alone. that i will always have HIM. i know i do. =)

*****

i find solace in being alone. in doing my daily routine, over and over. i find rest in boredom. why? maybe coz the robotic approach to life shields me from any feeling i wouldnt wanna entertain under a normal state. i have a lot of ME time but i usually keep myself distracted by surfing the net, watching tv, trying to cook. these are part of my routine already. there's comfort, somehow.

money matters

i feel agitated everytime i end my conversation with my mom. maybe coz our topic always centers on money. recently mama is borrowing money for my aunts and uncles and mamuy to help them rebuild the home in manila. i'd like to help but with the amount mama is asking from me, i dont think i can. the amount is kinda wayyyy over my budget, my savings even. even if i have that kind of money, it means il be starting from zero. i would have wanted to settle back home in the next months, years but if i'll be lending it, guess i'll have to stay here and save up. i asked mama, "ma, ayaw nyo yata ako pauwiin eh". musings of someone feeling anxious to go home.

i told her that i would like to go back already and i hoped to be self-reliant - not depending on them for anything. but with that, im going to be broke. every little cent il be spending, i would be asking from her. mama said "ampunin kita, pahiramin mo lang kami ng pera". eh? "di ba anak mo naman talaga ako?" hahaha

i havent said yes yet. still thinking about it. or if how much i can contribute. i feel guilty because somehow i feel that i dont have a reasonable excuse not to. buti sana if i have my own family to take care of, or a wedding to plan, an MBA education to support or any responsibility that requires financial stability.

you see, the house is already old and is basically made of wood that's already infested with termites. after consultation, they feared that a strong wind or some other force of nature might just bring it down. i want to help. but what about me? yeah, selfish me. i never forgot what my HS teacher used to say when she would ask us to donate for charity... "give until it hurts, until it hurts no more". it will damn hurt .. my pocket mostly.

till now, im still pondering how i can help. i just hope they will respect my decision and that all of us are happy whatever that may be.

modern toilet in mongkok

we scoured the streets of mongkok to look for this toilet-themed restaurant. this concept originated from taiwan (as i have read) and now in hongkong. and what do you know...

there were many people waiting in line (or maybe it's in the adjacent resto nearby?) but we took the chance of lining up in queue just to go for the experience.
we waited for a few minutes - thanks to their organized method of handing out wait cards. they have different cards for different # of dinner groups - for 2s, for 4s and for big groups. empty toilet seats, este table waiting for us.
hanging on the wall, instead of a painting, are toilet seat covers to choose from!
enjoying our strawberry-blended ice. this is good enough for 4 of us.. more even, as we didnt get to finish it. all that ice makes us wanna just open up our toilet seats and do your thing. hahaha

we didnt really ate there as we have some other agenda that night. we merely tried their snacks and this dessert. the food is served in toilet bowl-like or soap dish-like plates. experience-wise, it's a unique and refreshing one.

Modern Toilet
3F mpm building
portland street
mongkok, hk

of hk meds and docs

i've been under the weather the past days. i quarantined myself within the confines of my room. too weak to wander around and too lazy to go for a check up. that was saturday. my official bumming day. sunday, i HAVE to drag myself out of bed coz i dont wanna sneeze and blow my nose all day at work the next day. i went to the doctor in Kornhill plaza in taikoo. i waited for 1 hr. my body feeling a little feverish already. hay, this is one of those times i wish i have someone with me. first, to accompany me when im feeling weak or scared in going to the doctor. second, to do my every bidding, coz im 'sick'. hehe

anyways, so after a little more than an hour, i went inside the doc's office. he asked a few questions, told me to breathe in/out. then, im done - out the door in less than 5mins! i just wonder how much they charge for that kind of consultation. good thing it is covered under our company's medical scheme. at the doc's aid desk i was prescribed 2 meds. i was a bit surprised because usually i get a minimum of 4. hahaha

monday, i went to see another doctor, coz i felt that the meds i was given the previous day was not enough. (talk about getting "addicted" - to the thought of taking many medicines, not necessarily drinking them) off to the doc in siu sai wan. i waited less but still after a few minutes, im out the doc's office. now, i was given 5 medicines for what he said, 'common colds, fever' .. this is what im familiar. lolz.

im not really a doc/med kind of person so when i get down with anything, i feel paranoid that i wont get well. maybe it's coz i dont drink my meds?!! right.

(in the picture: clockwise, for runny nose, for sore throat(orange), for stomach acid, for fever, for runny nose)