32: Don't grow up...just yet!

El Pollo Loco

Megamall, Mandaluyong PH

May 28, 2012

Project: Food & Thoughts 32

I have always wanted to meet Candice, the cute daughter of my friends, Rafa and Camil. Our work schedules have been crazy lately so being able to meet with them on this trip is a rare opportunity.

We had our early dinner at El Pollo Loco. I swear I have already dined in El Pollo Loco but couldn’t remember where and when exactly. I thought this could still be a good reason for this to qualify to this blog segment. 

We ordered the same meal for everyone - 

2 pc.-chicken meal  @P165-
With a choice of Spanish rice or tortilla.
Iced Tea @ p40-

After dinner, we went to CrePes and Cream for dessert.

Glenn Atienza not on photo.

It was a fun get-together. What made it more fun was the presence of Candice - our cute little guest who was a little bit shy but adjusted pretty well after a few minutes. She is a real stunner just like her parents.

In the middle of our  sweets-capade, we asked Rafa the question which is probably every young father's fear. When Candice hits the right age to accept suitors, how will you handle it? 

He initially tried to answer by mentioning a word or two which sounded gibberish to me. At first, I was trying to make sense out of what he was saying thinking I didn't hear it. Then I realized, he was not really making sense because he couldn't organize his thoughts well and couldn't articulate exactly how he plans to handle it. It suddenly made SENSE. 

It was a difficult thought and I actually felt bad bringing the topic to the table.

I don't have a kid and I probably will not fully understand a parent until I become one. However, I have a good sense of good parenting because I grew up in one.

It's amazing how parents want their kids to be the best person they can be in the future. They invest money, time and effort to prepare for their dreams. They dream their dreams when they are too young to dream their own. They worry about all these things but are just not ready for their babies to grow up. 

There are qualities of  kids that parents would die for to keep forever - their dependency on their parents, expression of feelings without hiding anything, their lack of experience which leads to believing everything their parents say. Parents are just too afraid for that time to come when their kids have to decide on their own.  

Love can be tough. Loving the right way and for the right reasons can be tougher. A parent's love is tough. You give it your all and hope that when they grow up that's all they will ever remember. This is why parenting is impossible without God. 

If anyone of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him. - James 1:5

Train up a child in the way he should go so when he is old he will not depart from it.

-Proverbs 22:6 

CANDICE

For now, Rafa and Camil will enjoy every minute of it. They will protect, train, celebrate and love Candice's childhood so when she gets old she will not depart from it. 

Candice, I hope you get to read this when you hit the right age. This is how your parents love you. We, you parents' friends, join them as we all wish that you grow up to be God-fearing, smart and just as beautiful as you are inside out. But for now, please don't grow up...just yet! 

bcc:

 image not mine.

About three weeks ago, I received an email from a stranger selling cars. It was sent to my work mail. I have no idea who this person is and I am 100% I did not sign up for it.  I also don’t have plans of buying a car. I immediately, deleted the email and hoped it never happens again.

The email looked legit to me. However, emails from strangers to strangers should have proper introduction (which is a different story) unless, your email address was copied from another email of a person you know who is not responsible enough to hide your email address to strangers.

I know that an email address is not exactly private information. However, as a courtesy to the owner, it should be treated as such.

In as much as I love receiving those forwarded inspiring messages and/or regular words of encouragement, I will also appreciate it if the sender utilizes the BCC (blind carbon copy) email option. There is no logical reason for one to expose everyone’s email addresses to everyone else on the email when they don’t even know each other and have nothing to do with each other's opinion of the content of the mail. This also brings me to another point where one should not use the reply to all button when it’s not necessary. 

If you are forwarding an email, delete all the other email addresses you see from its original email.

Our intention in sending the email may be good but there are some who take advantage of this wrong move to get email addresses for their own marketing (and who knows what else) strategies.

In today’s age where private information can just be one click away, every single precaution is counted. More importantly, a doze of email etiquette is necessary.

Now Playing: I'm So Sick

I will break into your thoughts

With what’s written on my heart

I will break, break

I’m so sick, infected with

Where I live

Let me live without this

Empty bliss, selfishness

I’m so sick

I’m so sick

If you want more of this

We can push out, sell out, die out

So you’ll shut up

And stay sleeping

With my screaming in your itching ears

I’m so sick, infected with

Where I live

Let me live without this

Empty bliss, selfishness

I’m so sick

I’m so sick

Hear it, I’m screaming it

You’re heeding to it now

Hear it, I’m screaming it

You tremble at this sound

You sink into my clothes

This invasion makes me feel

Worthless, hopeless, sick

I'm So Sick is from one of my favorite bands, Flyleaf. Lacey is one of the best female vocalists I have ever heard. She can scream with perfection, if such exists.

The  Story

This song was released during a stage in my life that I wanted to end. I was sick of all the negative things happening around me. I was sick of neglecting my family. I was sick of forgetting who I was and what I really want. I was sick of pretending to be another person.  I was screaming inside but no voice was coming out. My voice falls on deaf ears. I was infected and I couldn't get out of it. It scared the hell out of me and I knew that if I don't move out, I'd sell out. 

You may listen to the song thru this link.

WARNING: It's loud. ;)

Agree to Disagree, YES! to NO!

Saying “NO” or “I disagree with you” can be very difficult. It becomes more difficult when you want to say it to a good friend or a relative whom you don’t want to offend. This is very obvious in the Filipino culture where outright expression of disagreement can be seen as disrespectful.

I love being Filipino but this is one part of our culture that I don’t applaud. But that's not what I want to talk about on this entry. I will talk about the OTHER side of the table.

 As difficult as it is to express disagreement or decline, I still believe that the receiver is the one who has the most control. Let me elaborate.

If I am the type of person who holds a grudge just because you can’t come with me when I invited you to an event, maybe you’d say YES for now and then come up with an excuse the exact day I should be expecting you. If I am the type of friend, who takes all your disagreement in a very personal level, then maybe for your own convenience, you will just nod and fake your agreement to everything I say. If I am the type of person who will not talk to you because you did not agree to my decisions, then maybe it will be easier for you to just agree (even if you don’t) and just wait for me to stumble and secretly say the I-told-you-so-but-oh-I-just-realized-I-did-not line.

I know that true friends should tell the truth even if it hurts and that true love rebukes. However, I also believe that how people express the truth is, for the most part, dictated by how we react to it.

I strive to tell the truth to my friends all the time even if  I'm not sure how they will react to it. Some of my friends can probably attest to this. I have engaged myself in a number of heated arguments for the good. However, I also want to be good at the other side of the table. I want to be the kind of friend whom you can say NO to if you need to. I want to be the kind of person you can disagree with if you don’t agree. I want to promote that sense of truth and openness in my relationship with people.

If ever I invite you to my birthday and you can’t come, I will get hurt, yes. But please know that I will not hold a grudge in my heart. You can disagree with me and I will appreciate your honesty.  You may agree to disagree. No need to ever fake your agreement or YES. It may be a struggle and I don't think it will ever be easy; it may not work for me all the time, but please know that I will always try. 

In the end of a heated argument or an unacceptable decline, the truth always sets us free. If we are mature enough to accept our differences, no NO or I disagree can ever break a relationship, no matter what kind.

Now Playing: Home

Home

(Phillip Phillips’ Coronation Song in American Idol S11)

Hold on, to me as we go

As we roll down this unfamiliar road

And although this wave is stringing us along

Just know you’re not alone

Cause I’m going to make this place your home

Settle down, it’ll be clear

Don’t pay no mind to the demons

They fill you with fear

The trouble it might drag you down

If you get lost, you can always be found

Just know you’re not alone

Cause I’m going to make this place your home

Settle down, it’ll all be clear

Don’t pay no mind to the demons

They fill you with fear

The trouble it might drag you down

If you get lost, you can always be found

Just know you’re not alone

Cause I’m going to make this place your home

Home was co-written by Drew Pearson and Greg Holden. Pearson cited Mumford and Sons and Arcade Fire as the song’s influences. (Wikipedia)

Listen to the song from this link.

foxllante.com?

Not mine.

Today, I made a big move in my blogging journey. I changed the layout and template of my blog. And yeah, it was a big move for me.

My very good friend and blog buddy, Bryce Kiguchi gave me a very nice gift – my own domain. Who gets a friend like that? Not everyone. 

I felt like it is also the perfect time to redesign it. I love my original layout and template. It speaks so much of who I am. The colors you saw there are exactly the same ones you will see on my personal belongings and in my house - red and black. 

If you have read the story of my blog from About, you will probably understand why a change is due. Uninvited Thoughts was an influence of my teenage life. Now that I am obviously older and I already have readers that are outside my circle of friends (Yey!), I just thought that maybe it's time to raise the bar a little higher. What does that have to do with the layout? It is the first step. 

By raising the bar, I meant putting more sense of responsibility to my blogging than I already am. My original target was just to influence one person. If it will, in any way, influence more than what I aimed for, then moving a step higher is definitely worth it!

Aside from this layout change, I have also recently made another new move - to write about a current event. I was once a part of a Journalism Club in school. I quit because I can't seem to find a liking to write about a current topic. I always feel the need to want to write before I can. I wanted to go for Feature writing but even that called for one's nosiness over what's trending. My entries about Jessica and Phillip of AI are my attempts to try to respond to hot topics. Maybe soon, I'd write about politics too. Or maybe not.

This change was not easy. Some readers may not like it and the possibility of my 5 readers to  double may become more elusive this time. Ha! I may, one day, realize it was a bad move. But whatever the odds, it was a risk I am willing to take. Going out of one's comfort zone can be downright scary and knowing that some things can't be undone once done makes it worse. These are the risks we take in new beginnings.

I plan to do a lot of moving in the next 12 months. I'd blab about them as I move. I am fervently seeking God's will for each of those moves. 

As I embrace this blogging risk and everything that goes along with it, I want you to know I am at peace with it. Give me some time to make all links/fonts/colors work. The design and layout doesn't work in some PCs for now, I heard. Please be patient. 

As I welcome you to my new domain and layout, I want to sincerely thank my good friend, Bryce who I will tag along in one food trip soon and feature here. 

I also want to say goodbye to my old blog layout.

Gloria al Dios!

Why P2 Deserves the AI Title?

Now that the voting is done, I feel that voicing out my opinion about AI's Grand Finale would be rather safe. 

Jessica Sanchez and Phillip Phillips face-off in the Finals of American Idol’s season 11 is exactly the battle I have in mind (see a previous entry from here). If you are like me, whose vote is torn into two, maybe these points might help you. This may be too late to help you in voting but it may, somehow, help you in accepting why the other won the title over the other. 

Both are deserving to be in the Finale. Both have amazing talents and vocal prowess suited to their musical genre. 

If I were to vote for Jessica, it will not be because she's of Filipino descent but because of her awesome talent. On the other hand, I will not not vote for her because of the same reason (see same link). 

It may be an assumption to say that WGWG (white guy with a guitar) had been a pattern in the last few seasons of AI. To me, there's a lot of truth in it. However, the tolerance to this pattern has reached its limit and unfortunately P2 has to suffer. P2, with his amazing originality and his adherence to it is something that can only be seen by someone whose inclination is the same as his musical genre or by someone who has a wide array of musicality.  Just because one does not scream or growl doesn't mean his vocals are not powerful. The voice should match the genre and P2 is exactly in a genre where he should be just like Jessica is. I understand why Jennifer Lopez reacted that way to Jessica's performance on Round 3 of the Finale. She was advising Jessica that with the kind of vocals she has, she has every right to say NO to the songs given to her; that she can change it and make it her own. Jessica's 16 and although she has a soulful interpretation of her songs, it will take time before she develops her decision-making skills - which advice to get and which to put aside.

This is exactly what P-squared does in every song. He makes it his own. He takes the advice of the vocal coach but decides on his own. He didn't change his fashion style, he didn't stick to the tune of Madcon's Beggin' as Steven wanted him to but it turned out exceptional. To add to this, try listening to his versions of Volcano and those Usher songs. A-mazing! 

P2's voice and rendition of songs have brought me back to that 90's alternative music era that I dearly miss. What's even better is he adds a modern twist into it that you won't forget he's 21. Also, have you seen what he does after every performance? He acknowledges all the members of his band - that's maturity! I think it is unfair to generalize P2 fans as screaming female teenagers. Although I understand why we could assume they are. There's probably more female voters than there are males. And because of the WGWG pattern, it is the most convenient explanation. However, I believe he deserves the title as much as Jessica does.

Although I would love for Jessica to win too and that for selfish reasons I don't want P2 to win (see this link and look for entry no. 5), I guess it's time to accept my other claim that he does deserve it! 

If I go back to that time when I needed to decide who to vote for, it will go down to whoever I will listen to on my music player, the songs I will download and play on my road trips. The voting will go down to one's own choice of music genre and not what the rest says.

As I write this line, P2 was announced as the new AI Idol. My confusion and anxiety about it are finally over, America has decided and P2 (just like Jessica) has every right to be called an American Idol. With the talent Jessica has, there is no shade of doubt that she will sell records for herself. She has been booted out early on but thanks to the judges who saw her talent and rescued her and to America for giving her a second chance and sending her this far. In the end, we all know they both deserve to win and the votes will be the one to decide who gets the title. 

Cheers to P2 who won the title and America, and to Jessica who made a lot of Filipinos and Mexicans proud.

Attraversiamo 2012: 4th Leg - Destination U-TURN

May 18, 2012 Friday

Photo from Jem

If you have read my past travel entries, it is my hope that you enjoyed each journey and the vibrant photos you have seen there…because you will not find them on this entry. 

 

This is an account of a road trip. This isn’t our first time together on one and we wish to be good at this in time. Did we plan for this? Sort of. We knew we were heading to Tagaytay and that we needed to bring food. If you can call that planning then, yes we did! 

START

First Stop:  Pioneer Center Supermarket

Food, drinks and last-minute needs.

Second Stop: Paseo
A load of branded clothes and shoes. 

Third Stop: Picnic Grove, Tagaytay City PH

The last time I was here was ages ago. I was probably in Grade school then. I've been to Tagaytay once or twice the last 12 months but have not visited Picnic Grove. 

We wasted no time and ate our packed meals for the day. After that sumptuous lunch, we discussed where we will be headed next. We don't know where to go until Jem blurted (subconsciously, maybe) 'Cuenca'. In a jiffy, we were cleaning and packing. With no further discussion, we headed to Cuenca and relied our directions to whoever we will meet along the way.

Fourth Stop: Panaderia Pantoja

On our way to Cuenca, we have asked strangers and vendors for directions. There are times when we would get different answers and would rely on jack and poy (rock-paper-scissors game) for answers and our 90's music playing endlessly.

Since we have no idea how long the travel will be or what's ahead of us, we decided to load with food. We bought the most tender pandesal I have ever tasted. 

Check their website for other branches. Here's the link. 

Fifth Stop: Talisay
Who would know that Mara Sarah will get to pay a visit to a sister whom she hasn't seen for a long time? This trip gave us more than a road trip.

Sixth Stop: Cuenca 

We finally got to Cuenca. On our way, people would always ask us what we plan to do there. There's nothing happening in Cuenca. We still went and... Lo and behold! They were right. We're too late for Mt. Makulot.

Photo from Jem.

The place was silent, almost everyone asleep at 7:30PM and the only light was coming from a small perya. We drove slowly, checked what else to find while babysitting our "D",  (for disappointment; we were hoping to look for a good place to eat there). After a few minutes, we took the U-TURN and headed home.

Seventh Stop: Food Trip at Lomi King

Read about this food trip from this link. 

Eighth Stop: Pasalubong Center
We are unstoppable! A little shopping to take home.

Ninth Stop: HOME.

FINISH

I believe we all need a road trip once in a while. A road trip with no concrete plans, a little of jack and poy and a few hints from strangers. I like this trip even if we didn't get to visit scenic spots. Sometimes the road trip itself is more important than the destination - the getting there vs. the being there. 

I love road trips because it resembles life. You travel life without really knowing what's ahead. You rely on God, on hope and blind curves, take a leap of faith in taking that road instead of another, get advice from people, and be ready to be surprised every minute. 

As Jem puts it, it's like rolling the dice and taking chances. 

You have to be ready where the journey takes you. If in the end, it becomes a disappointment, am so glad we can always get ourselves together, take the U-turn and take another road. 

31: Just the same:

Lomi King

Batangas, PH

May 19, 2012

Project: Food & Thoughts No. 31

After a very long road trip to nowhere *winks* , we opted to sit down and stuff ourselves with food before heading back to Manila. We tried Lomi King because of its inviting cozy ambience and the convenient location.

We ordered the following:

Special Lomi @ P60 (good for 2)

Rice Topping

Toffee Coffee @ P98-

Banana Nut Mocha @ P68- 

Almond Coffee Freeze @ P98- 

Prior to getting our ordered food, I sat beside a family's table as I wait for my friends. There's Mom and her 4 kids - eldest is a girl who is, probably, 15 years old, next is a boy who might be 13 and then the two adorable young boys who are, probably, 5 and 7. The Mom said, "We are having a dinner out because we should have a meeting. We need to talk about our roles here. Kuya needs to look after ... " 

I am not comfortable eavesdropping so I moved to another table after a few minutes. What I heard was enough to know this is worth sharing. 

This brought me back to childhood. My father used to do this all the time. He doesn't really bring us to expensive restos because we don't have money to do that then. But the effect it gave us is just the same. Every night before we sleep, he will gather us all and talk to us about what happened during the day. Then we will pray together. We take turns in praying. There are times when, like those two kids in the restaurant, I don't pay attention or I don't take it seriously or my brothers would start pinching each other while praying. But it wasn't the habit or the rule that mattered, it was the conversation, my father's leadership and us praying together that made it worth remembering. 

" Train up a child in the way he should go,so when he is old he will not depart from it."        - Proverbs 22:6

_E N D_

Lomi King

Lipa City, Batangas PH

HOOP: 930AM - 930PM

See other entries to the segment Food and Thoughts from this link.

Of Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga has arrived in the Philippines and the controversy about her just became louder.

It’s already a given fact that her lyrics are not really of sweet nature. We already know that because we hear it everywhere. Her words are direct, candid, and maybe, a little careless. They may not be exactly the words you want your 10-year old kid to sing. If you ask me if I will allow my kid to see her concert, I’d probably say No. I will say no and explain my reasons as a parent. If my child is of her right age, I would hope she doesn't go but I would let her decide on her own.

See, I have a good understanding of why kids may not receive a song the way adults can because I was once a kid. As an adult, I look at songs as pieces of art. They tell stories. Stories of joy, life, pain, anger, death, suffering or peace; they are merely stories. The songs that I get to listen to don’t necessarily convey my beliefs or feelings; it’s like watching a movie and seeing that part where the protagonist loses his way and eventually finds the right path. You look at it objectively.  Of course there are songs to which I get attached deeply and that is where decision-making comes in. Which songs do I let in?

That’s where my fear comes in. If I had probably trained my child to think of songs this way, it’ll probably be easier for both my child and I to resolve the issue. Kids can be vulnerable. They, most of the time, learn like a sponge – absorb everything. This is the only reason why, if I had a kid, I’d probably not allow him to go to the said concert.  It is NOT because I think that Lady Gaga is a devil.

This is what I don’t like about these critics. They crucify Lady Gaga as if she is the cause of our youth's rebellion and twisted values while nobody complains about Whitney Houston’s Saving All My Love for You. Critics get attracted to visual explosives. Lady Gaga is loud in the way she dresses up so obviously she gets noticed. Just because a song sounds sweet doesn't mean it talks about good things. 

I am not a fan of Gaga. I will not attend her concert. I don’t listen to her songs either. But I will treat her just the same. If her songs speak of anger, betrayal and pain, then I will never invalidate these feelings which can also be the felt by a lot I personally know. I will not condemn her just because her standards are different from mine. She is, for crying out loud, a human being like me and you who has a family and a name. If her choices in life doesn't jive with ours, it doesn't make her less human. 

I'm not trying to be the devil's advocate here and I think I am very clear that I am not a fan. But my point here is - 

As you all condemn, accuse and judge Lady Gaga as a devil and a sinner, please bear in mind that self-righteousness is a also a sin of equal nature.