It is one of my favorite shows unfortunately since we moved here in Arcadia, I have developed a whole new world that I became detached to the outside world so I missed the episode....sigh!
Sigh no more for these I found. Come, taste and experience the food of my country, the Philippines:
Here is a simple, natural formula that I have tried on myself to alleviate skin dryness that is my perennial problem especially on cold weathers. If you're not allergic to any of the ingredients below, this concoction has been very effective and I recommend it to anyone with same problem as mine.
Beat skin dryness with this simple hydrating mask that is available right in the kitchen.
4 tbsp powdered milk
2 tbsp warm water
2 tbsp honey
Washcloth
Combine all ingredients and stir until smooth. Spread mixture on face avoiding eyes and mouth. Wet washcloth with warm water and rest it over the mask for 10 minutes, rinse off mask using the washcloth and pat dry. Voila! A softer, younger looking skin.
I love to travel. Since I came to the US, we've travelled quite a lot and in our quest for adventures we've stumbled upon many misadventures as well. Misadventures, simply because of lack of planning on my end. While I love to travel, I detest the fact that I have to start scouring the internet all over again. It is my role to plan our book a flight, find accommodation, find nice restaurants and places to see. The process takes too much of my time. I wish there is one place that will tell me all information I need related to the trip. I know, I know. I may be too lazy to browse, but I think I haven't found the right place to look. Now, I know. On our next trip, I will be wiser.
Travel Today offers top rated accommodations in most popular cities and top destinations in the US. They also included information on the proximity of the hotels to restaurants, places of interests, schools and the description of the room available to suit your needs.
If you are planning a trip to Ohio, Travel Today will guide you with choices in Columbus Ohio hotels. Reading from the information listed, Crowne Plaza Hotel in downtown Columbus is one of the most convenient places to stay, considering the proximity to the City Center, shopping and restaurants.
I wish I've known this site earlier. Planning will be easy if one site does all.
Here is a story that will surely crush your heart to pieces. A story so familiar that even with no names, people from my hometown could easily guess the characters in this story.
I could still recall the very first time I saw mother and son in the early 80s. They were squatting in a nipa hut that had been erected to be a hang out by the owners and neighbors in times where weather is unbearable. She happily recalled her days and shares stories about her life in London and her memories were collaborated by a photo album that she carried around. And his boy right beside her all the time, tagging along where ever she goes.
She now resides in the "kampanaryo" of the Virac Cathedral where she claims her own.
Read on and be sure to have tissue paper handy. This will surely break your heart:
A Son's Story
By Pablo Tariman
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 10:03:00 01/16/2009
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/features/features/view/20090116-183729/A-Sons-Story
THE story of Tarik Hamayon Khan, 32, can put the plot of most telenovelas to shame.
The only son of an OFW from Bato, Catanduanes, who worked in London for many years, Tarik was born on December 4, 1976 in England and was baptized at the St. Thomas More Church in Swiss Cottage.
Before leaving for London, Tarik's mother worked as a cook, household help, and later as hospital attendant. Among the big families in Manila she had worked for were the Velascos and Rochases of Forbes Park, and the Roceses who owned a publishing house.,
It was in London that Tarik's mother met his father, Tarik Hamayon Khan, a British national of Iranian descent. All those years she was in London, she sent money to her brothers and sisters in Catanduanes, with instructions to build a house for her and her son.
After many years in England, Tarik and his mother returned to Bicol, hoping to find a new house where they could retire. It didn't happen. Instead of building the Khans' dream house, their relatives diverted the money, which had been sent them regularly, also dividing the household items sent by ship among themselves.
Tarik's mother had a hard time coping with this betrayal in the family. Mother and son had to move from one lodging house to another, and ended up in the town plaza and church patio when they ran out of money.
One time his mother gathered religious images and hurled them at the waves, while sobbing bitterly at her fate, Tarik recalled. Then 4, he embraced his mother and pleaded with her, "Don't take it so badly, Mommy. You still have me!" At about this time, the young boy realized that his mother had descended into madness.
Tarik was later adopted by a couturier, who took care of his early schooling. He was in good hands until he was run over by a Manila-bound bus while on his way home from school. The boy ended up in the Orthopedic Hospital where he stayed for several months until his guardian could no longer foot the hospital bills. He couldn't even take the boy back as he had no legal adoption papers.
Tarik ended up in foster homes and found a German foster dad who sent him to a good school. But the past haunted the boy, turned him rebellious and restless, until the foster families tired of him and he wound up in a shelter for migrant children managed by Fr. Ben Villote.
But one family who never gave up on him was the family of Mrs. Carmencita Protacio Herman and Dr. Tony Protacio of the Protacio Hospital in Paranaque, who became his parent-figures.
Explained Tarik: "The Protacios, particularly Tita Baby, have been the most patient of all people in dealing with me. They just never gave up on me. I've been the worst a person could be, and yet they continued to shower me with love, always understanding, and always hoping that someday I would change for good. They somehow knew that the rage in me was caused by a wound that simply needed to heal. It was their love that saved me."
One year before finishing his college studies, Tarik quit his part-time job, left Manila and went back to Albay. He found his first foster father—couturier William Urbano, known in the city as Willi de Legazpi—who gave him his birth documents. Tarik decided he would start all over again.
He intimated: "In the past, I was always in search of my life's meaning. I had so many questions and found very few answers. Suddenly, it dawned on me that one way to fix my life is to be at peace with my past. So with only P500 in my pocket and nothing else, I took a bus bound for Bicol, which I consider my home. I discovered that my hatred for my past was not justified, and that my past was not to blame for everything that happened to me. In Bicol, I fell in love with the place, with the people, and with a girl. I soon got married."
These days, Tarik has his hands full with several jobs that keep him busy. He spends three days in Manila and four days in Bicol, where he chairs an organization that provides research services to call centers, as well as human resource, training and consultancy services related to online and other e-business services. "We provide jobs for fellow Filipinos, allowing them to earn substantially without the need for them to go abroad," he added.
What did he learn from his past that radically changed his life for the better?
Shared Tarik: "I learned that life is not perfect, nor is it fair. I realized that I could not go on forever hating my past and blaming it for the monster I've become. Instead, I could start embracing my wounds and learn to play the cards that I was dealt with. Life now has more meaning for me. I am now able to understand fully why 'bad' things in the past had to happen."
(Author's note: For personal reasons, I cannot divulge the name of Tarik's mother, who makes it a point to watch classical concerts on the island. The first time I saw her, she was watching a voice recital in a civic hall in Catanduanes. She entered at the exact time soprano Luz Morete was singing "Awit Ng Gabi ni Sisa" by Felipe Padilla de Leon which was inspired by the madwoman in Rizal's "Noli Me Tangere."
She entered with flowers and vines in her hair and wearing clothes made of handkerchiefs she had found in the church after every mass. Tenor Gary del Rosario once paused in his rehearsal when he realized that Tarik's mother—gawking at the concert hall windows—knew the melody of the German lieder he was singing. For all the sadness she went through—a missing son and a lost love—I now know why Tarik's mother savors every poetic line of Schubert's Serenade. But that's another story.)
With only six weeks more to go and winter will be over. It was such a cruel winter and thinking that spring is just lurking around the corner what better things to do to shake off those winter blues away? After hibernating for so long, get a life, after all that is what spring is for – the beginning of new life.
If you are looking to experience a great spring breakaway, check out these Spring break vacation deals that offers the lowest price ever. One of their promises is that if you ever find a final price that is lower than their price, they will beat the price. That is a good deal.
One thing about this travel company, XtremeTrip is that they mostly cater to college students and therefore the packages are best suited to give the young travelers the experience of a life time. They have chosen the most student friendly vacation destinations on Spring break like the Bahamas, Acapulco, Mexico and Florida among other places with prices affordable to students. Enjoy your Spring.
Here are some interesting facts about asparagus a friend emailed me this morning. I blogged here before about how I love asparagus even if I still don't know the benefits I get from eating this vegetable, I am already a fan. If this article is indeed true, I am happy that I have developed a liking already.
Here is the content of the email and I am copy pasting for your perusal. disappeared and that his kidneys were normal. skin records. I improvement in from substantial from using it and it may do
`Asparagus for cancer' printed in Cancer News Journal,December
1979.
I will share it here, just as it was shared with me: 'I am a
biochemist,and have specialized in the relation of diet to
health for over 50 years. Several years ago, I learned of the
discovery of Richard R. Vensal, D.D.S. that asparagus might cure cancer.
Since then, I have worked with him on his project. We have
accumulated a number of favourable case histories.
Here are a few examples:
Case No. 1,
A man with an almost hopeless case of Hodgkin's disease
(cancer of the lymph glands) who was completely incapacitated.
Within 1 year of starting the asparagus therapy, his doctors
were unable to detect any signs of cancer, and he was back on
a schedule ofstrenuous exercise.
Case No. 2,
A successful businessman 68 years old who suffered from cancer
of the bladder for 16 years. After years of medical treatments,
including radiation without improvement, he went on asparagus.
Within 3 months, examinations revealed that his bladder tumor
had
Case No. 3,
A man who had lung cancer. On March 5th 1971, he was put on
the operating table where they found lung cancer so widely
spread that it was inoperable. The surgeon sewed him up and
declared his case hopeless. On April 5th he heard about the
asparagus therapy and immediately started taking it. By August,
x-ray pictures revealed that all signs of the cancer had
disappeared. He is back at his regular business routine.
Case No. 4,
A woman who was troubled for a number of years with skin
cancer. She finally developed different skin cancers which were
diagnosed by asking specialist as advanced. Within 3 months
after starting on asparagus, her skin specialist said that her
looked fine and nomore skin lesions. This woman reported
that the asparagus therapy also cured her kidney disease,
which started in 1949. She had over 10 operations for kidney
stones, and was receiving government disability payments for
an inoperable, terminal, kidney condition. She attributes the
cure of this kidney trouble entirely to the asparagus.
I was not surprised at this result, as `The elements of Materia
Medica', edited in 1854 by a Professor at the University of
Pennsylvania , stated that asparagus was used as a popular
remedy for kidney stones. He even referred to experiments, in
1739, on the power of asparagus in dissolving stones. We would
have other case histories but the medical establishment has
interfered with our obtaining some of the
am
therefore appealing to readers to spread this good news and
help us to gather a large number of case histories that will
overwhelm the medical skeptics about this unbelievably simple
and natural remedy. For the treatment, asparagus should be
cooked before using, and therefore canned asparagus is just as
good as fresh.
I have corresponded with the two leading canners of asparagus,
Giant Giant and Stokely, and I am satisfied that these
brands contain no pesticides or preservatives.
PROCEDURE:
1) Place the cooked asparagus in a blender and liquefy to make
a puree, and store in the refrigerator.
2) Give the patient 4 full tablespoons twice daily, morning and
evening.
Patients usually show some
2-4 weeks. It
can be diluted with water and used as a cold or hot drink. This
suggested dosage is based on present experience, but certainly
larger amounts can do no harm and may be needed in some cases.
As a biochemist I am convinced of the old saying that `what
cures can prevent'. Based on this theory, my wife and I have
been using asparagus puree as a beverage with our meals.
We take 2 tablespoons diluted in water to suit our taste with
breakfast and with dinner. I take mine hot and my wife prefers
hers cold.
For years we have made it a practice to have blood surveys
taken as part of our regular checkups.
The last blood survey, taken by a medical doctor who
specializes in the nutritional approach to health, showed
improvements in all categories over the last one,
and we can attribute these improvements to nothing but the
asparagus drink... As a biochemist, I have made an extensive
study of all aspects of cancer, and all of the proposed cures.
As a result, I am convinced that asparagus fits in better with
the latest theories about cancer. Asparagus contains a good
supply of protein called histones, which are believed to be
active in controlling cell growth. For that reason, I believe
asparagus can be said to contain a substance that I call cell
growth normalizer. That accounts for its action on cancer and
inacting as a general body tonic. In any event, regardless of
theory,asparagus used as we suggest, is a harmless substance.
The FDA cannot prevent you
you much
good.. It has been reported by the US National Cancer
Institute, that asparagus is the highest tested food containing
glutathione, which is considered one of the body's most potent
anticarcinogens and antioxidants.
When I learned that Aunt Peggy's newest hobby is making clothes for dolls, my initial reaction was more of a surprise but when she invited me to have a cursory inspection of her collection, I became impressed. Aunt Peggy is the Block Captain on 6th St. South here in Craig's and my friend Nikki's aunt. She's passed retirement age that's why I can not help myself but be surprised. She also has a collection of dolls that she adorns with the clothes.
Collecting dolls, clothes, miniature cars, airplanes and dollhouses have become a passion not only for the kids but for adults specially. Last night, I have been surfing on the net for a doll to give Aunt Peggy for her birthday this Saturday when I found the dollhouse miniatures website that has the collection every miniature hobbyist will love. As I browse, the kid in me is definitely alive because I was tickled by the contemporary ranch dollhouse kit. It is exactly what I have envisioned for a retirement home. I also found the 4 piece blue/white bathroom set, miniature oak double bed and brown leather living room set to complete my house, I mean my dollhouse. I want to get them for myself and have completely forgotten that I was there for Aunt Peggy's gift. I think I found a new hobby. check it out for yourself and see what brings out the kid in you.
I just finished reading The Choice by Nicholas Sparks, the same man behind The Notebook, Nights in Rodanthe, Message in a bottle, A walk to remember and many more. Although I have seen some of the movie adaptations from his books, this is my first of his books. I grabbed it at Craig's library and once I started reading I can't stop.
The story centers on Travis and Gabby. Travis is an easy going bachelor who seems to have everything in life except a stable relationship and Gabby, a redhead that becomes his new neighbor. To make a long story short, despite their constant squabbles they found love in each other. They got married and started a family. It is a feel good story, a perfect love, a perfect marriage until one day something totally unforeseen came along.
I was in this part of the book when my husband surprisingly came in from work and found me in one corner of our very humble trailer wiping surreptitiously the tears in my eyes with the hem of my shirt. I saw panic in his face thinking something was wrong in me. "For goodness sake, what happened to you?" "Nothing, I was just reading this book". "What's cooking for dinner?" OMG, I was engrossed with the story that I didn't even realized it was time to report to domestic job once again.
Anyway, to continue with my story, Travis and Gabby were involved in a serious accident. Miraculously, Travis only suffered a broken bone but unfortunately, Gabby went an extended coma. 12 weeks in coma and Gabby had showed no signs improvement so Travis had to make a choice - a very difficult decision that involves life and a love so hard to let go of. Will he consent to discontinue her life support system or spend all his money paying a nursing home with a very slim chance of hope of recovery? What if she wakes up one day? Then it is too late.
It is a very heartbreaking story. What if it happens to you? What will you do? Even with the living will, it is very painful to let go of the person you love so dearly. God gave us breath and let God take it away.
How far will you go in the name of love? I will go as far as it takes to prove that miracle still happens
I'm sure everyone is aware what chatting is and most everyone have used chatting as a tool of communicating to loved ones, friends, colleagues and business relations. It is free, with the internet of course, convenient and in real time. Chat enables you to connect with people via chat room, video or even teleconferencing, if available. I confess I have spent a great amount of time in the chat rooms to see what is happening on the other end of the world where I left my friends and family. That is why I am really a big fan of the internet.
The Latter Day Saints (LDS) had launched a free chat called LDS chat City for its millions of members all over the world to chat with one another. Join other members who'd signed in already and if you are looking for someone to connect with of your own faith, this is the perfect site to check. Register for your free account and start making friends from all around the world and broadcast your video cam for them to see. You'll find different interesting people in this site to share your thoughts, discuss the scriptures, a support group or anything that are of interest to you.
Check it out and start making friends in the four corners of the world.
We got an invitation from Nelson Construction, one of the contractors in my husband's project, in the "Gasparilla" party last Saturday in Tampa. They sponsored a tent where Nelson's employees and guests could watch the parade in front row seats with sumptuous food and endless supply of alcohol and beverages.
Gasparilla started in 1904 when the mystical legend of Jose Gaspar came to life. Gaspar and his scar-faced, eye patch-wearing band of pirates soon became well known to Tampa residents as Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla. Donned in the garb of high seas pirates they stormed downtown Tampa and demanded that the mayor surrender the city.
Each year the siege is repeated. The pirate ship 'Jose Gaspar' sails into downtown Tampa with a flotilla of hundreds of boats. The pirates blast away with pistols and cannons as they prepare to start the invasion. The captain and his Krewe capture the city (with little resistance) and share their wealth of trinkets, dabloons and necklaces with the enthusiastic crowd along the parade route. Give me beads! Give me beads!
That was the chant coming form the crowd as thousands or perhaps millions of beads keep flying by for the crowd to catch. Southwest Airlines distributed loot bags and I was able to fill 2 bags of beads. I could have more but I gave every other catch to my little friend Luke, who is only as tall as the fence separating us from the parade. Poor Luke, the pirates are too busy looking for boobsies to throw their trinkets to. So I decided I should share my loot to him. One for me, one for Luke and he went home a very happy kid with 2 loot bags full of trinkets. My husband said to me while we were driving home: "I didn't know you get crazy over beads". OH darling, you don't know me still, I am a beady girl. You'll be surprised what I will make of those beads.
Thanks for the good fun, Nelson Construction.
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