Happy birthday Mama Mely

My mother taught me...

TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.

"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."

RELIGION.

"You better pray that it will come out of the carpet."

TIME TRAVEL.

"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week."

LOGIC.

"Because I said so, that's why."

MORE LOGIC.

"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

FORESIGHT.

"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in accident."

IRONY.

"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."

OSMOSIS.

"Shut your mouth and eat your supper!"

TO BECOME A CONTORTIONIST.

"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"

STAMINA.

"You'll sit there until all that veggies on your plate is gone."

WEATHER.

"This room of yours looks as if a tornado wenth throught it."

HYPOCRISY.

"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate."

CIRCLE OF LIFE.

"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.

"Stop acting like your father!"

ENVY.

"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."

ANTICIPATION.

"Just wait until we get home."

RECEIVING.

"You are going to get it when you get home."

MEDICAL SCIENCE.

"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to stuck that way."

ESP.

"Put your jacket on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

HUMOR.

"When that lawn mower cuts your toes, don't come running to me."

HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.

"If you don't eat your vegetables, you will never grow up."

GENETICS.

"You're just like your father."

ROOTS.

"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

WISDOM.

"When you get to be my age, you will understand."

JUSTICE.

"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you."

Sanglitanan sa Kalipay ug Kasakit

1
Ang garbosong kahoy
Lumsan sa hoyohoy.

2
Sa bintana sa gibanlas nga panganod
Nagdungaw ang adlaw sa kahimangod.

3
Duda sa mga aninong nanayaw libot sa daob:
Dakong tinonto ang hagawhaw sa taob.

4
Daplin sa misanap nga pantalan sa katugnaw
Inanayng mibukhad ang layag sa kamingaw.

5
Gimantala sa bilyakong balod
Ang gihasol nga tanlag sa lumod.

6
Gisamkon sa gwantes sa doktor
Ang baskog nga binhi sa tumor.

7
Dili matugkad sa unos
Ang panluod sa timos.

8
Agiwng itom ilawon sa gantangan
Maoy kabilin sa nahanawng pinulongan.

9
Dugo nga midagayday sa kabatoan
Mituhop sa tunob sa talawan.

10
Ang nabuntagan
Sa kasagbotan
Hayan natumog
Sa bugnawng yamog.

11
Libot sa ubanong kilay sa kasakit
Gitahi sa apostol ang gihay sa panagdait.

12
Sagbot sa lubnganan
Habol sa biniyaan.


(Balak ni Vicente Vivencio Bandillo, gikan sa iyang libro nga Sanglitanan sa Kalipay ug Kasakit)

Another spicy experience

No matter how bad is the service at Spice Fusion at SM City Cebu, we always go back there. The food is not the best but sure it is good.

But then again, it is always the service that counts. Like tonight.

When we went in, I suggested we stay at the table near the cashier and the kitchen for obvious reasons- so that we can be readily seen. Indeed, my suggestion bore fruits. We were served just in time when a customer fumingly walked out because she was seating in a corner for almost an hour and no one took notice of her. I even heard from the waiters saying that even if she ordered, she would not be served even for an hour because everyone forgot about her. What a shame!

Another group, a family I guess, wanted to seat inside. The waiters insisted they should take the tables outside, even if there were vacant tables beside us. Just an additional chair and I am sure they would stay there. But no, the waiter would not gave in. Like they do not want customers to come there.

You can even observe that the waiters would stay closely in one place- the counter near the cashier. Why? Did the owner specifically advise them to focus their attention at the cashier?

What is happening Spice Fusion?

The nasi goreng is exactly what I want: not oily, no pork and just as spicy.

Before that, we already were having a confusion at Spice Fusion:
• Spice (con)Fusion
• Bigby's: A pleasant surprise

RIP: Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse joins Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison who died of drug overdoses when they were 27. Kurt Cobain was 27 when he committed suicide, soon after his release from rehab.

Let it be

"You won't destroy us. You won't destroy our democracy. We are a small but proud nation. No one can bomb us to silence. No one can scare us from being Norway. This evening and tonight, we'll take care of each other. That's what we do best when attacked."

~Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg

I was listening to the song Let It Be by Carol Woods and Timothy Mitchum (Across the Universe soundtrack) when news about a bomb going off in Oslo, Norway flashed in my newsfeed, killing some people.

It saddened me to watch gory but real life scenes like this. And yet the song told me- Let it be.

Minutes later news of a man shooting at innocent kids having a youth camp in the same area in Oslo was also flashed. And still- Let it be.

Would we let these things be?

I believe Philippa Gregory

“I believe in me, in my view of the world. I believe in my responsibility for my own destiny, guilt for my own sins, merit for my own good deeds, determination of my own life. I don’t believe in miracles, I believe in hard work.

I am proud

I am proud that my works are all over Tagbilaran City for the Sandugo Festival happening this week. My promo designs were chosen for the Sandugo Trade Expo which will open this Wednesday, July 20 at 4pm at the Island City Mall.

I deserve a brag. ;)

Walking the talk: blogging without the experience

I don't if it is for money or fame, but some people are calling themselves bloggers nowadays even if they were just copying other people's work. The so-called bloggers just copy-paste a paragraph and put a line of their thought, and they call them their blog. Pathetic!

It is pathetic that a blogger also blog about the state of the animals at the Manila Zoo and posted pictures of the animals in their dismal state BUT was taken years ago. Pathetic because the blogger did not even visit the Manila Zoo BEFORE blogging about it. It was only when her blog goes viral when she make the effort of visiting the place and found out that the condition of the animals were not as she posted them.

What kind of blogger are you?

Pic grabbed from here

Bohol has a problem

There will always be pros and cons to everything. Especially if your home province is used to rebelling against authorities. Historically, Boholanos waged almost a century of rebellion against Spain and isolated itself from the benefits of the outside world. Nowadays, Boholanos still think that the world revolves around them. Discovering what's outside is a slow painful process most Boholanos could not accept.

And I see a problem here. One of the hindrance to development in whatever form, is Bohol's incessant claims to tradition even if  that tradition is obsolete and no longer conforms to international standards.

This is evidently clear in the production of calamay.

Boholanos, especially those from Jagna, the originators of calamay, claim that their calamay were invented more than 100 years ago. This "invention" of putting the calamay in its original packaging- the coconut shell- involves a lot of problems that would result a domino-effect.

One problem is, these coco shells, aside from the fact that they were ''imported" from Mindanao, are not hygienically prepared. I remember years ago when I went to Jagna to observe and take pictures of the calamay-making industry. I was shocked when the shells they used were just put outside of the producer's house after it was sanded down to get that "clean-shell" look. Worst, those shells, after a hot calamay was poured into them were put in rusty milk tins to cool down. Even that red tape is not hygienic.

After several tourists buying calamay found some already moldy, they spread the word like wild fire affecting the sales of calamay in Bohol. Some were patient enough to send letters of protests to concerned entities. These bad calamays and furious customers paved way to a legislation from the Bohol provincial board to make the calamay better.

Has it?

These calamay producers are still using coco shells nowadays despite health issues. Because Boholanos  insist that this is THE tradition.

Some five years or so, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) assisted the food sector in the province of Bohol so they could cope up with the demands of the international market. A company from Tagbilaran introduced a vacuum-sealed calamay during the International Food Expo in Manila as a tickler on what's going to happen in the food sector of the province. That technology extended the shelf-life of calamay to months because of the packaging. However, the new packaging has never seen the light of day in Bohol. If it indeed was introduced, it lived shortly.

As I was taking a shoot at a calamay last week for the annual Sandugo product expo, I was literally trying to break the shell and pulling the calamay out to make a shot. Like the calamay itself, shooting it nicely is a problem.

For a hundred years, calamay producers are still stuck to their coco shells and air the same problem of shelf life and quality. The same problem they have experienced since a hundred years ago.

Despite the claims that Boholanos are the well-traveled of all Filipinos (there is even an unverified claim that a Boholano already owned a prime lot on the moon), still people in that small island act as if they were unreachable from the outside world. They want to dictate what should be in the market rather than what is the demand of the market.

If Boholanos, especially calamay producers, would not get out of their shell (pun intended), nothing good will come out of their production. They will just remain small time entrepreneurs.


(The author is 100% Boholano, by affinity and by sanguinity.)

The CBCP now asks its flock to be slow in judgment (from All Apologies)

The Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines is again in the limelight because of its involvement in government fund misuse. In an effort to gain confidence from its flock, the powerful Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines/CBCP (not minding that the ones involved in the controversy were bishops) issued a pastoral statement to be read during masses.

I am expecting another re-assignment to be done soon by the Church. This is what they do with erring priests, as always the case.

The following is a full quote from The Professional Heckler, my favorite humor blogger. He rightly read what's behind the apology issued by CBCP. Thank you Sir Loy.

IN A PASTORAL STATEMENT read by outgoing CBCP president Nereo Odchimar Monday, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines apologized to the members of the Catholic Church after several bishops got embroiled in the PCSO fund controversy. Here’s a portion of that letter [and what the CBCP wanted to say but couldn’t in parentheses.]

Our Dear People of God,

[Mga Tagasunod,]

Our Mother Church has been deeply wounded by the controversies in the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office that have erupted in the past two weeks.

[Nitong mga nakaraang linggo, sumusobra na kayo. Pikon na ang Simbahan. As in!]

Some members of the Church believe in the innocence of the bishops involved in the issue, while others do not.

[Kung ayaw n’yong maniwala, ‘wag!]

There is no doubt that everywhere in the Church there is great sorrow.

[Kung saan-saan na kami nagdasal, ayaw pa ring tumigil!]

We your pastors are one with you.

[Higit kailanman, kailangan namin kayo ngayon.]

… we are sorry for the pain and sadness that these events have brought upon you.

[‘Sensya na, tao lang.]

We are saddened that many of you… have been confused because of the apparent inconsistency of our actions…

[Hindi lang kayo ang 'confused!' Marami ring pari at obispo ang confused!']

As we express our sadness, we also ask you to be slow in judgment…

[‘Wag kayong mapanghusga. Bakit?! Talaga namang kadiri ang same-sex marriage ah. Judgmental ba ‘yon?]

Let us seek the truth always in charity.

[Lalabas din ang katotohanan. Basta ang donasyon, ituloy n’yo lang.]

We assure you that the bishops concerned are ready to accept responsibility for their action…

[Kinastigo na namin at binantaang ititiwalag. Kapag ‘di pa naman nagtanda ‘yong mga ‘yon, ewan na lang.]

We assure you that their action was done without malice.

[Maliban na lang do'n sa isa. Nakadalawang sulat pala ang damuho! Ang kapal talaga ng mukha!]

Out of their sincere desire to help their people, they failed to consider the pitfalls to which these grants could possibly lead them.

[Kita n’yo na? Fault n’yo ‘to eh! Kayo ang dahilan kung bakit nagawa ng mga obispo 'yon!]

They have also expressed their readiness to do everything that is necessary to heal this wound so that we can all move forward in hope.

[Ibabalik na nga namin ang mga sasakyan eh. Ba’t ba ang kulit n’yo? Anong akala n’yo sa ‘min? Patay-gutom? Mas mayaman ang Simbahan kesa sa PCSO ‘no?]

We shall examine our values in the light of our vocation to be disciples of Jesus Christ.

[Masakit pero kakayanin.]

We plead with you to walk with us in this path of constant renewal.

[Akala ng Noynoy na ‘yan, siya lang ang may matuwid na daan!? Kami rin!]

We express again our deep sorrow for the pain that the recent events have brought to you our beloved people.

[Paulit-ulit na kaming nagso-sorry. Akala n’yo ba madaling gawin ‘to? Hindi!]

The good Lord knows our love for you.

[Kaya nga kami nag-request ng 4 x 4, para mabisita namin kayo ‘di ba? Hindi pa ba sapat na pruweba ‘yan ng aming pagmamahal?]

The words of the Psalmist come to our mind: “My sacrifice, a contrite spirit. A humbled, contrite heart you will not spurn.”

[Patawad na kasi, ano ba?!]

As the same Psalmist addresses the Lord, we take his words as our own to encourage and challenge us: “Indeed you love truth in the heart; then in the secret of my heart teach me wisdom.”

[Natuto na kami. Promise, ‘di na mauulit.]

For the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines,

['Tapos na ang termino ko! Isang malaking good luck sa kapalit ko!]

+NEREO P. ODCHIMAR, D.D.

Bishop of Tandag

President, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines

A reaction from Mon Tulfo,  an Inquirer columnist:

Some quarters are asking if it’s a big deal that bishops received sport utility vehicles (SUVs) from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes (PCSO).

It is not only a big deal, it’s also scandalous.

The money that was used in buying the SUVs could have been spent on many ailing poor who needed medicines.

The bishops who were recipients of the largesse should have thought about the PCSO’s poor beneficiaries who were deprived of medicines because the money went to them.

Besides, why would those bishops, who are supposed to lead simple lives following the example of Jesus of Nazareth, want luxury vehicles when they can ride bicycles or motorcycles?

The answer is simple: They are pasikat or showoffs.

They want to feel important, as important as legislators who display the number 8 license plates on their vehicles.

Doesn’t the Catholic Church teach its followers that pride is one of the deadly sins?

Photo from http://www.flickr.com/photos/aningal/