Last Saturday, I learned how to make cream puffs using a turbo broiler. Knowing that it will be easier to file the recipe online, here goes:
Pastry:
2 cups water
1 bar butter (Anchor)
2 cups flour
4 eggs
1/2 cup to 1 cup milk
1/2 tablespoon vanilla
Heat water and butter until butter is melted. Remove from fire. Let mixture cool. Add flour.Mix. Add eggs. Then the milk and vanilla.
20 minutes in turbo broiler (pre-heat for 5 minutes) at 200 degrees.
Cream Filling:
2 cups cream
1/4 cup sugar
Salted Caramel:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose cream
1/2 cup water
1/2 tablespoon salt
Pastry:
2 cups water
1 bar butter (Anchor)
2 cups flour
4 eggs
1/2 cup to 1 cup milk
1/2 tablespoon vanilla
Heat water and butter until butter is melted. Remove from fire. Let mixture cool. Add flour.Mix. Add eggs. Then the milk and vanilla.
20 minutes in turbo broiler (pre-heat for 5 minutes) at 200 degrees.
Cream Filling:
2 cups cream
1/4 cup sugar
Salted Caramel:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose cream
1/2 cup water
1/2 tablespoon salt
Travel Advisory 1:
"Why are you going to Paris? Why are you meeting him?"
I have never been around Paris. What's wrong about it
"Did he invite you?"
Yes.
"Did he pay for your ticket?"
No! Why would he pay for my ticket?
"Maybe he is in love you."
(Laughs) How will I know that.
"Are you also going to Madagascar?"
Not on this trip, no.
"Are you in love?"
No? How can I say?
"Good luck in Paris. Don't fall in love."
Travel Advisory 2:
"Have a safe trip. Don't marry the Frenchman."
What?
"I have warned you."
(Laughs)
Travel Advisory 3:
Boss, please refrain from mentioning I am in Paris. It's a personal matter. Thank you
"Okay. Have a safe flight. You still at the airport?"
Yes. Boarding area now.
"Okay have a great time in Paris! Make sure to visit Musee D' Orsay, Louvre, National Musee, Arc De Triumph. You must understand French culture first before understanding this French."
"Why are you going to Paris? Why are you meeting him?"
I have never been around Paris. What's wrong about it
"Did he invite you?"
Yes.
"Did he pay for your ticket?"
No! Why would he pay for my ticket?
"Maybe he is in love you."
(Laughs) How will I know that.
"Are you also going to Madagascar?"
Not on this trip, no.
"Are you in love?"
No? How can I say?
"Good luck in Paris. Don't fall in love."
Travel Advisory 2:
"Have a safe trip. Don't marry the Frenchman."
What?
"I have warned you."
(Laughs)
Travel Advisory 3:
Boss, please refrain from mentioning I am in Paris. It's a personal matter. Thank you
"Okay. Have a safe flight. You still at the airport?"
Yes. Boarding area now.
"Okay have a great time in Paris! Make sure to visit Musee D' Orsay, Louvre, National Musee, Arc De Triumph. You must understand French culture first before understanding this French."
"Somebody loves you if they don't mind the quiet. They don't
mind running errands with you or cleaning your apartment while blasting some
annoying music. There's no pressure, no need to fill the silences. You know how
with some of your friends there needs to be some sort of activity for you to
hang out? You don't feel comfortable just shooting the shit and watching bad
reality TV with them. You need something that will keep the both of you busy to
ensure there won't be a void. That's not love…It's a damn dream when you find someone you can do nothing
with. Whether you're skydiving together or sitting at home and doing different
things, it's always comfortable. That is fucking love."
It's Thursday. So of course, I miss you. I want to read this to you. But you probably won't care.
It's been two months. And for some reason, I just felt I needed to finish watching Before Midnight today. I started watching it a few days back but didn't get past the scene where Jesse was watching the kids swim in the lake.
“If you want true love, then this is it,” Jesse says. “And if you can’t see it, then you’re blind.”
This was the first movie in the trilogy that I actually felt I was the guy. In Before Sunrise and Before Sunset, most of Celine's lines felt they were mine, as well as her sense of pride, feminism, and her struggles. But in Before Midnight, I could see myself in Jesse's shoes: his commitment to what they have, his 'boring' routine, and and his attempts in making Celine laugh.
I was that (I still am able to make my Celine laugh). But my Celine is blind. (Now that I think about it, he can be defined as such, literally).
I just wish that this Before Midnight's Celine chooses to see for the rest of her life.
“If you want true love, then this is it,” Jesse says. “And if you can’t see it, then you’re blind.”
This was the first movie in the trilogy that I actually felt I was the guy. In Before Sunrise and Before Sunset, most of Celine's lines felt they were mine, as well as her sense of pride, feminism, and her struggles. But in Before Midnight, I could see myself in Jesse's shoes: his commitment to what they have, his 'boring' routine, and and his attempts in making Celine laugh.
I was that (I still am able to make my Celine laugh). But my Celine is blind. (Now that I think about it, he can be defined as such, literally).
I just wish that this Before Midnight's Celine chooses to see for the rest of her life.
"I would like to communicate with you about Difficult Things.
We have connected.
I would like to love you if that is how it is. I would like to honor our connection with mutual openness. Or, I would like to lose you if that is how it is. I would not like to dishonor our connection with a lack of communication about the confusing things.
I would not like to lose said connection: connection is a spark, it is rare, a cause for joy. I would not like to lose said spark because of my or your inability to communicate about my or your fear. I do not mind fear: I fear, you fear. I would like to honor our fear by tending to it, by giving it light and letting it relax. I have learned this: when I am gripped by confusion I do not shut down: rather, I talk it out. It is a clumsy, simple tactic that works every time: by giving voice to that which I do not understand or feel comfortable about, my confusion gains sanity instead of calcifying into fear of fear.
If you are afraid, come here and I will hold you into me. Or go away, go for a walk and hold yourself sweetly.
I would like to assure you: I will never resent your fear. Rather: I would like to admire you for acknowledging your hesitation and I trust there are good reasons for it that I can not yet know. And I would like to care if you will let me look beneath your folded wings.
If I truly care for you I must care more about you than about my feelings for you."
"And if you do not tell me, I will fold my wings closed against your heart and I would not like to be friends. For such cowardliness is for children, though children have an excuse: they are children.
...I have made friends with myself, so I do not fear loneliness. I am even fine with disrespect, for my capacity to cease to care is contextualized by my good friend’s repeated advice over the years: “If she does not communicate, she is a child: forget her, you deserve better.”
And so, I say, I would like to forget you."
(Excerpts from Things I would like to do with you when we are confused.)
I am having a difficult time.
We have connected.
I would like to love you if that is how it is. I would like to honor our connection with mutual openness. Or, I would like to lose you if that is how it is. I would not like to dishonor our connection with a lack of communication about the confusing things.
I would not like to lose said connection: connection is a spark, it is rare, a cause for joy. I would not like to lose said spark because of my or your inability to communicate about my or your fear. I do not mind fear: I fear, you fear. I would like to honor our fear by tending to it, by giving it light and letting it relax. I have learned this: when I am gripped by confusion I do not shut down: rather, I talk it out. It is a clumsy, simple tactic that works every time: by giving voice to that which I do not understand or feel comfortable about, my confusion gains sanity instead of calcifying into fear of fear.
If you are afraid, come here and I will hold you into me. Or go away, go for a walk and hold yourself sweetly.
I would like to assure you: I will never resent your fear. Rather: I would like to admire you for acknowledging your hesitation and I trust there are good reasons for it that I can not yet know. And I would like to care if you will let me look beneath your folded wings.
If I truly care for you I must care more about you than about my feelings for you."
"And if you do not tell me, I will fold my wings closed against your heart and I would not like to be friends. For such cowardliness is for children, though children have an excuse: they are children.
...I have made friends with myself, so I do not fear loneliness. I am even fine with disrespect, for my capacity to cease to care is contextualized by my good friend’s repeated advice over the years: “If she does not communicate, she is a child: forget her, you deserve better.”
And so, I say, I would like to forget you."
(Excerpts from Things I would like to do with you when we are confused.)
I am having a difficult time.
I wanted to make a cake. Yes, make. Since I do not have an oven and I'm not willing to use the turbo broiler. And as if by divine intervention, I found this link on Big Momma's Li'l Kitchen on 21 Things You can Make using your rice cooker. I found two things I needed remembering so decided to post them here.
Apple Cake
(Original Recipe from here)
Peel two apples, cut each apple into 8 wedges. In a non-stick pan, heat gently 2 tbsp butter, add the apples, toss them around a little and let cook at medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add 3 tbsp cane sugar, mix delicately and let cook until caramelised. Grease the ricecooker’s bowl with a drop of oil and pour the apples and all the remaining caramel into the bowl. Arrange the apples to cover the bottom of the bowl. Then put together 70g (1/2 cup) all-purpose flour with 50g (1/4) cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, a pinch of salt, 3 tbsp melted butter and two eggs, mix well and pour this batter over the apples, covering them completely. Put everything back into the ricecooker and push the on-button. That’s it! :-) ps. after cooking the cake, allow it to cool in the mold for 20 minutes, and unmold delicately on a serving plate. Serve with crème anglaise or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Apple Cake
(Original Recipe from here)
Peel two apples, cut each apple into 8 wedges. In a non-stick pan, heat gently 2 tbsp butter, add the apples, toss them around a little and let cook at medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add 3 tbsp cane sugar, mix delicately and let cook until caramelised. Grease the ricecooker’s bowl with a drop of oil and pour the apples and all the remaining caramel into the bowl. Arrange the apples to cover the bottom of the bowl. Then put together 70g (1/2 cup) all-purpose flour with 50g (1/4) cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, a pinch of salt, 3 tbsp melted butter and two eggs, mix well and pour this batter over the apples, covering them completely. Put everything back into the ricecooker and push the on-button. That’s it! :-) ps. after cooking the cake, allow it to cool in the mold for 20 minutes, and unmold delicately on a serving plate. Serve with crème anglaise or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Chocolate Lava Cake
(Original Recipe from here)
Ingredients
- 1 box of Dunkenhein's Devil's Food Chocolate Cake mix (mix all necessary ingredients together following the box instructions)
- 1 can of Betty Crocker milk chocolate frosting, divided
- (optional) cooking spray
Directions
- In a rice cooker bowl, spray with cooking spray if your rice cooker bowl is not non-stick. Place all cake mix ingredients together in the rice cooker bowl. Spoon half of the chocolate frosting in the middle of the cake batter.
- Place the bowl in the rice cooker and push the cook button. (My rice cooker has a slow cooker option, so I pushed that button and it took about 2 hours or maybe even longer. The cooking time may vary according to different rice cookers - so when your rice cooker beeps saying it's done, and you open the rice cooker and it's still liquidy, no worries, just push the cook button again and wait. You may have to repeat this process a couple of times. But remember, the cake will be very moist and worth the wait. Just plan ahead!)
- When the cake is fully cooked, flip the bowl upside down onto a flat plate. Heat the rest of the frosting in microwave for about 20-30 seconds. Pour the frosting over the warm cake. Serve warm.
"When you love someone, you do not love them all
the time, in exactly the same way, from moment to moment. It is an
impossibility. It is even a lie to pretend to. And yet this is exactly
what most of us demand. We have so little faith in the ebb and flow of
life, of love, of relationships. We leap at the flow of the tide and
resist in terror of its ebb. We are afraid it will never return. We insist
on permanency, on duration, on continuity; when the only continuity
possible, in life as in love, is in growth, in fluidity - in freedom, in
the sense that the dancers are free, barely touching as they pass, but
partners in the same pattern.
The only real security is not in owning or possessing, not in demanding or expecting, not in hoping, even. Security in a relationship lies neither in looking back to what was in nostalgia, nor forward to what it might be in dread or anticipation, but living in the present relationship and accepting it as it is now. Relationships must be like islands, one must accept them for what they are here and now, within their limits - islands, surrounded and interrupted by the sea, and continually visited and abandoned by the tides.”
The only real security is not in owning or possessing, not in demanding or expecting, not in hoping, even. Security in a relationship lies neither in looking back to what was in nostalgia, nor forward to what it might be in dread or anticipation, but living in the present relationship and accepting it as it is now. Relationships must be like islands, one must accept them for what they are here and now, within their limits - islands, surrounded and interrupted by the sea, and continually visited and abandoned by the tides.”
― Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Gift from the Sea
I was writing an article for a magazine and I needed to check if kandinga, had coconut milk or not. From what I could remember, it didn't. But what was served in a famous local joint, it had. So I had to call my mom. And by golly, it felt nice to speak my third (but really my first) language.
In any case, below is the recipe in verbatim. Pardon the incorrectly abbreviated words because this, my dear, is text/SMS speak.
Kandinga Mama's recipe: wash thoroughly whole lungs - est 1 kilo tadtad into small pcs. Place in a deep glass bowl. Make a mixture of 1 to 2 tsps brown sugar 1 tsp rock salt, 1/2 to 1 cup coco vinegar, 1/4tsp ground black pepper, put chili slices if desired. Pour dis mixture into d tinadtad n lungs. Marinate for 30 mins 2 an hour. Saute minced garlic till golden brown, half cook thinly sliced red onions, if desired add ginger strips den placed marinated lungs. Allow 2 gently cook until almost dry. Place 1 to 2 tbsps oil cook 2 to 3 more mins til meat is slightly darker. U can add chopped kangkong stalks.
In any case, below is the recipe in verbatim. Pardon the incorrectly abbreviated words because this, my dear, is text/SMS speak.
Kandinga Mama's recipe: wash thoroughly whole lungs - est 1 kilo tadtad into small pcs. Place in a deep glass bowl. Make a mixture of 1 to 2 tsps brown sugar 1 tsp rock salt, 1/2 to 1 cup coco vinegar, 1/4tsp ground black pepper, put chili slices if desired. Pour dis mixture into d tinadtad n lungs. Marinate for 30 mins 2 an hour. Saute minced garlic till golden brown, half cook thinly sliced red onions, if desired add ginger strips den placed marinated lungs. Allow 2 gently cook until almost dry. Place 1 to 2 tbsps oil cook 2 to 3 more mins til meat is slightly darker. U can add chopped kangkong stalks.
LEMON CHICKEN STIR FRY
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. gin
1/2 kg boneless chicken, cut into strips
1/8 cup white vinegar
2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
4 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
3 sliced green onions
1 sliced carrot
1 cup sliced green pepper
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 tbsp. oil
Mix soy sauce, cornstarch and gin. Add chicken strips to marinate. Stir the vinegars and sugar together and set aside. Heat a tablespoon of oil in large skillet. Stir in green onions, carrot, green pepper and garlic. Remove. Add 2 tablespoons oil and heat. Add chicken and marinade. Stir fry just until cooked through. Stir in lemon mixture. Reduce heat and simmer covered 2 minutes. Stir in vegetables. Serve hot with rice.
BO LO GAI
1/2 kg. chicken breast, cut in strips
4 tsp. gin
4 tbsp. soy sauce
4 tbsp. ketchup
4 tsp. cornstarch
3 1/4 c. water
2 cups pineapple, cut in strips
Combine gin and soy sauce and marinate chicken in it for 30 minutes. Combine ketchup, cornstarch, and 1/4 cup water and set aside. In a wok or pan, bring 3 cups water to a boil and add the chicken and pineapple. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Add the ketchup sauce to the wok or pan and stir and cook until the sauce thickens and the ingredients are well greased. Serve over rice. Makes 4 servings.
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. gin
1/2 kg boneless chicken, cut into strips
1/8 cup white vinegar
2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
4 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
3 sliced green onions
1 sliced carrot
1 cup sliced green pepper
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 tbsp. oil
Mix soy sauce, cornstarch and gin. Add chicken strips to marinate. Stir the vinegars and sugar together and set aside. Heat a tablespoon of oil in large skillet. Stir in green onions, carrot, green pepper and garlic. Remove. Add 2 tablespoons oil and heat. Add chicken and marinade. Stir fry just until cooked through. Stir in lemon mixture. Reduce heat and simmer covered 2 minutes. Stir in vegetables. Serve hot with rice.
BO LO GAI
1/2 kg. chicken breast, cut in strips
4 tsp. gin
4 tbsp. soy sauce
4 tbsp. ketchup
4 tsp. cornstarch
3 1/4 c. water
2 cups pineapple, cut in strips
Combine gin and soy sauce and marinate chicken in it for 30 minutes. Combine ketchup, cornstarch, and 1/4 cup water and set aside. In a wok or pan, bring 3 cups water to a boil and add the chicken and pineapple. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Add the ketchup sauce to the wok or pan and stir and cook until the sauce thickens and the ingredients are well greased. Serve over rice. Makes 4 servings.
This is my version of TGI Friday's Oriental Chicken Salad (or something like that). Found a copycat recipe and tweaked it a bit.
Basically, I used mixed greens and chicken (if you can grill chicken breast, great. In my case, I substituted it with roasted chicken meat without the skin) and then 1 can (11 oz) of Mandarin Oranges (mine is First Street), drained. I kept 1/4 cup syrup from canned mandarin oranges for the dressing which is made with:
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or chopped garlic
1/4 cup vinegar, mine's Bragg's
2/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
mixed greens
grilled chicken breast
In a bowl, place the mixed greens first. Then some orange slices, chicken and then 2 tablespoons of the dressing. Chill. Toss and eat.
Basically, I used mixed greens and chicken (if you can grill chicken breast, great. In my case, I substituted it with roasted chicken meat without the skin) and then 1 can (11 oz) of Mandarin Oranges (mine is First Street), drained. I kept 1/4 cup syrup from canned mandarin oranges for the dressing which is made with:
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or chopped garlic
1/4 cup vinegar, mine's Bragg's
2/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
mixed greens
grilled chicken breast
In a bowl, place the mixed greens first. Then some orange slices, chicken and then 2 tablespoons of the dressing. Chill. Toss and eat.
While browsing through feeds Facebook, I found this link to 50 Life Hacks to Simplify Your World and I just had to keep a copy of the brownie in a mug hack.Photo credit is stated in the site.
Happy Sunday!
Happy Sunday!
"I think the most unfair thing about life is the way it ends. I
mean, life is tough. It takes up a lot of your time. What do you get at
the end of it? A death! What's that, a bonus? I think the life cycle is
all backwards. You should die first, get it out of the way. Then you
live in an old age home. You get kicked out when you're too young, you
get a gold watch, you go to work. You work for forty years until you're
young enough to enjoy your retirement! You go to college, you do drugs,
alcohol, you party, you have sex, you get ready for high school. You go
to grade school, you become a kid, you play, you have no
responsibilities, you become a little baby, you go back into the womb,
you spend your last nine months floating.... You finish off as a gleam
in somebody's eye."- Sean Morey, American Comedian
This would have been awesome. I just thought that the person who thought about it must be some kind of genius.
This would have been awesome. I just thought that the person who thought about it must be some kind of genius.
This year went amazingly fast. I wasn't even able to write anything else besides the first one in January.
I'm glad to say that there were a lot of firsts this year. My first time to Japan, Indonesia, and Tawi-Tawi. First time to 'fall' because of too much alcohol (wearing a tube dress and heels, at that). First to go clubbing to celebrate a club's anniversary. First time to make fresh pesto from malunggay and tacos (yeah, trivial). And many more. This year's been good, overall. I look forward to 2013 and wish myself (and you) for enough.
"I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright. I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more. I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive. I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger. I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting. I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess. I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye." (Author Unknown)
DAY-SIGN: 7-Grass
(Maya: 7-Eb)
YEAR: South-7 (Tikal System)
13-DAY PERIOD: 1-Death
(Maya: 1-Cimi)
NIGHT LORD: 3
VENUS PHASE: Evening Star
Introduction - The Astrology of Time
The ancient Maya and Aztec astrologers studied the mysterious influence of the rhythms of the sky on earthly life. Everyone knows the Sun rises and sets every day -- this is the basic rhythm of life around which we set our clocks and calendars. What the ancient astrologers discovered was that other time cycles existed that were multiples of this basic day cycle. This fact was discovered about 100 years ago in Europe and these cycles (there are many of them) are now called biorhythms.
The most important time cycles in ancient Mayan and Aztec astrology are those of the day, 9-days, 13-days, and 20-days. Additionally, years are counted also, in groups of 4 and 13. Each day is then part of several other cycles, so no two days are exactly the same. Your Maya/Aztec horoscope below shows exactly where in each of the cycles you were born. Each category below examines a specific cycle and a specific aspect of your personality. Keep in mind that our personalities are complex and contain many contradictions. All of us present a different "face" depending on who we meet. The delineations below will reflect this, but they will also give you a clear picture of who you really are. The true value of astrology lies in self-knowledge, the first step to wisdom.
Your Most Personal Traits -- The Day-Sign of Your Birth
Here are your strongest and most obvious personality traits. The delineation below describes who you are and how you appear to others, at least on the surface. In Aztec astrology this part of is your horoscope is your Tonalli, or Day-Sign, the form bestowed upon you by the Sun.
Grass: Like most born on this day-sign, you are a very sensitive person. You may be emotionally fragile, psychic, or simply very aware of the emotional and psychic dynamics that go on around you. It is this awareness that is at the core of your politeness and personal refinement. You can be easily hurt through rejection or by criticism, though you usually do not let on to others that something has upset you. You are soft on the surface but hard underneath.
You have strong, almost driving, ambitions and you work very hard to achieve your goals. You don't over-stress yourself, however, it is your persistence that counts most. You are competitive, but prefer to avoid direct competition. Working alone is often a good solution to your primary dilemma of self-interest vs. self-sacrifice. Ultimately, you want peace, almost at all costs, and will work very hard to avoid a fight or even bad feelings.
The underlying drives described above are more important in understanding yourself than you may realize. You are a person who is striving to heal and transform negative personality traits. There are parts of you that are completely private, because they are unacceptable socially. You struggle with your urges and compulsions alone, but you also gain control over them.
There is a very practical bent in your thinking. Many Grass personalities are problem solvers, designers or engineers. You can handle details well and, after an appropriate amount of deliberation, can be decisive and executive. You also have a strong investigative streak and are attracted to careers or activities that search, dig or uncover things.
In general, you are conservative and practical and present to others a point-of-view that does not upset or challenge the status quo -- and this makes you popular with others. If you are a performer, and most Grass types love music, you play the hits that the crowd loves. Your sense of what is going to be well-received makes you well qualified to be an advertiser, promoter or spokesperson.
Your Deeper Self -- The 13-Day Week of Your Birth
Each of us reacts to the world around us in different ways. Our reactions are mostly unconscious; they represent what our deeper self needs. Our reactions both attract and repel us from things, people, and situations. What we like, what we like to do, and who we really are is shown by the 13-day week called the Trecena that we were born under. Each of these periods begins with the number 1 and the name of the day-sign that starts it. A number is attached to your position within the 13-day period that may be an important number for you.
This is the seventh day of the 13-day period beginning with 1-Death. Beneath your surface personality you have a strong committment to your community. You will sacrifice time for others, though you are often not sure just why it is that you do this. You have an extremely strong sense of tradition and are attracted to history and antiquities. You are, ultimately, a very down-to-earth person, conservative, with strong feelings (which you supress) about community and political matters. You may find success in activities involving homes and real estate matters.
Interesting reading courtesy of Astrology.com.
(Maya: 7-Eb)
YEAR: South-7 (Tikal System)
13-DAY PERIOD: 1-Death
(Maya: 1-Cimi)
NIGHT LORD: 3
VENUS PHASE: Evening Star
Introduction - The Astrology of Time
The ancient Maya and Aztec astrologers studied the mysterious influence of the rhythms of the sky on earthly life. Everyone knows the Sun rises and sets every day -- this is the basic rhythm of life around which we set our clocks and calendars. What the ancient astrologers discovered was that other time cycles existed that were multiples of this basic day cycle. This fact was discovered about 100 years ago in Europe and these cycles (there are many of them) are now called biorhythms.
The most important time cycles in ancient Mayan and Aztec astrology are those of the day, 9-days, 13-days, and 20-days. Additionally, years are counted also, in groups of 4 and 13. Each day is then part of several other cycles, so no two days are exactly the same. Your Maya/Aztec horoscope below shows exactly where in each of the cycles you were born. Each category below examines a specific cycle and a specific aspect of your personality. Keep in mind that our personalities are complex and contain many contradictions. All of us present a different "face" depending on who we meet. The delineations below will reflect this, but they will also give you a clear picture of who you really are. The true value of astrology lies in self-knowledge, the first step to wisdom.
Your Most Personal Traits -- The Day-Sign of Your Birth
Here are your strongest and most obvious personality traits. The delineation below describes who you are and how you appear to others, at least on the surface. In Aztec astrology this part of is your horoscope is your Tonalli, or Day-Sign, the form bestowed upon you by the Sun.
Grass: Like most born on this day-sign, you are a very sensitive person. You may be emotionally fragile, psychic, or simply very aware of the emotional and psychic dynamics that go on around you. It is this awareness that is at the core of your politeness and personal refinement. You can be easily hurt through rejection or by criticism, though you usually do not let on to others that something has upset you. You are soft on the surface but hard underneath.
You have strong, almost driving, ambitions and you work very hard to achieve your goals. You don't over-stress yourself, however, it is your persistence that counts most. You are competitive, but prefer to avoid direct competition. Working alone is often a good solution to your primary dilemma of self-interest vs. self-sacrifice. Ultimately, you want peace, almost at all costs, and will work very hard to avoid a fight or even bad feelings.
The underlying drives described above are more important in understanding yourself than you may realize. You are a person who is striving to heal and transform negative personality traits. There are parts of you that are completely private, because they are unacceptable socially. You struggle with your urges and compulsions alone, but you also gain control over them.
There is a very practical bent in your thinking. Many Grass personalities are problem solvers, designers or engineers. You can handle details well and, after an appropriate amount of deliberation, can be decisive and executive. You also have a strong investigative streak and are attracted to careers or activities that search, dig or uncover things.
In general, you are conservative and practical and present to others a point-of-view that does not upset or challenge the status quo -- and this makes you popular with others. If you are a performer, and most Grass types love music, you play the hits that the crowd loves. Your sense of what is going to be well-received makes you well qualified to be an advertiser, promoter or spokesperson.
Your Deeper Self -- The 13-Day Week of Your Birth
Each of us reacts to the world around us in different ways. Our reactions are mostly unconscious; they represent what our deeper self needs. Our reactions both attract and repel us from things, people, and situations. What we like, what we like to do, and who we really are is shown by the 13-day week called the Trecena that we were born under. Each of these periods begins with the number 1 and the name of the day-sign that starts it. A number is attached to your position within the 13-day period that may be an important number for you.
This is the seventh day of the 13-day period beginning with 1-Death. Beneath your surface personality you have a strong committment to your community. You will sacrifice time for others, though you are often not sure just why it is that you do this. You have an extremely strong sense of tradition and are attracted to history and antiquities. You are, ultimately, a very down-to-earth person, conservative, with strong feelings (which you supress) about community and political matters. You may find success in activities involving homes and real estate matters.
Interesting reading courtesy of Astrology.com.
'May today there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly
where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite
possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you
use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has
been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you
are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul
the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and
every one of us.'
where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite
possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you
use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has
been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you
are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul
the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and
every one of us.'
1. You can only duplicate what you know.
2. Some say yes, some say no.
3. You can learn through association.
4. Belief and confidence comes from what you learn.
5. If you are trying, you must be moving ahead.
6. Read instructions first!
7. Learn to leverage.
2. Some say yes, some say no.
3. You can learn through association.
4. Belief and confidence comes from what you learn.
5. If you are trying, you must be moving ahead.
6. Read instructions first!
7. Learn to leverage.
The first ever local movie premiere I went to was in 1999, at the UP Film Center for the movie "Warat" starring Joyce Jimenez and Jomari Yllana. Joyce was praised for her Scorpion Nights 2 (which I haven't seen) so I thought, hey, why not go and see it? It's within the campus and it was for free if I remember it correctly. After the first few minutes, I left the theater. So that was my first time.
Last night, a good friend invited me to watch the premiere of Forever and A Day. He was a huge fan of KC Concepcion and he was my friend so I agreed to see it with them.
The plot is simple. It's a boy-meets-girl, girl is sick, and so on like that of "A Walk to Remember." Don't get me wrong about calling it simple. There is nothing wrong about simple stories. But a movie's success depends on the lines, actors, the cinematography, the music, etc. And I think this movie did quite well. The lines were not too mushy, casting was good (when you look at it, Bembol Roco and Vivian Velez can really have KC as their daughter), and the acting was good. My friend who is a fan of KC and has seen her movies was amazed! He said she really improved in this movie. Also, the filming did justice to the beauty of Cagayan de Oro, Bukidnon and Iligan. One of the movies I watched in support of Philippine Cinema that involved showing off Boracay, didn't actually capture its beauty. This one did that I actually decided I should go to Iligan for the waterfalls!

I was there. 14 June 2011. Megamall Cinema 10.
Last night, a good friend invited me to watch the premiere of Forever and A Day. He was a huge fan of KC Concepcion and he was my friend so I agreed to see it with them.
The plot is simple. It's a boy-meets-girl, girl is sick, and so on like that of "A Walk to Remember." Don't get me wrong about calling it simple. There is nothing wrong about simple stories. But a movie's success depends on the lines, actors, the cinematography, the music, etc. And I think this movie did quite well. The lines were not too mushy, casting was good (when you look at it, Bembol Roco and Vivian Velez can really have KC as their daughter), and the acting was good. My friend who is a fan of KC and has seen her movies was amazed! He said she really improved in this movie. Also, the filming did justice to the beauty of Cagayan de Oro, Bukidnon and Iligan. One of the movies I watched in support of Philippine Cinema that involved showing off Boracay, didn't actually capture its beauty. This one did that I actually decided I should go to Iligan for the waterfalls!

I was there. 14 June 2011. Megamall Cinema 10.
Travel stories are tough to write because you are bound to say facts (so obviously, they have been said before) in the very same fashion, specially if the story is not a first person narrative (I don't like I's in my writing).
I received an email today that made me feel horrible. Being the "i-am-a-positive-person" wannabe, I asked a few questions from my friend who is a writer/editor and began searching for travel writing pointers on the net.
Of course, I came across one of my favorite pieces on the subject again,"How to Write a Bad Travel Story" and also found "Roads Not Taken". I have taken it upon myself to write down these points after reading the latter.
- Don’t ignore what is too obvious, even it it's not "that pleasant"
- Talk about the present
- Have imagination – show instead of tell
- Have insight
- Inject humor
- Conversations/People
I received an email today that made me feel horrible. Being the "i-am-a-positive-person" wannabe, I asked a few questions from my friend who is a writer/editor and began searching for travel writing pointers on the net.
Of course, I came across one of my favorite pieces on the subject again,"How to Write a Bad Travel Story" and also found "Roads Not Taken". I have taken it upon myself to write down these points after reading the latter.
- Don’t ignore what is too obvious, even it it's not "that pleasant"
- Talk about the present
- Have imagination – show instead of tell
- Have insight
- Inject humor
- Conversations/People
I am Karla and am addicted to Charlie Chan.
On weekends, it's easy to have it delivered and we have been doing so for weeks now. But Yellow Cab is not that cheap. So I decided to cook on this oh-it's-a-Thursday-not-a-Friday afternoon. It's not the first time I have tried making this, though. But by far, this recipe which I am sharing (as a note to myself, too) is the closest I have gotten so far. As I don't have Java sauce (which most of the recipes I have seen recommend), I used peanut butter and oyster sauce.
My Charlie Chan
spaghetti cooked according to package directions (for this much sauce, I'd say about 300-400 grams)
2 pcs deboned and skinless chicken breast cut into strips, marinated in oyster sauce
6 tablespoons olive oil
8 cloves of garlic (artichoke)
A can of mushrooms (drained)
1 cup of peanuts (roasted and unflavored, if possible)
a mix of: 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1/4 cup oyster sauce and 2 pcs of dried siling labuyo (chillies), chopped
A tablespoon of butter (optional, I would say but this adds flavor and a very nice aroma)
Chopped spring onion, about 4-5 tablespoons
Heat the oil in a non-stick pan. Saute the garlic until golden. Add the chicken. Cover for about 2 minutes (check until the meat turns white). Add the mushrooms and simmer in low heat for 2 minutes covered. Add the peanuts and cover for another 2 minutes.
Add the mix of peanut butter, soy sauce, oyster sauce and sili. You can also use a leftover chilli flakes packet from your Yellow Cab delivery to increase its intensity. Simmer for a minute, Add in the butter until it melts and it's ready to serve over your cooked spaghetti. Garnish with the chopped spring onion.
So there.
On weekends, it's easy to have it delivered and we have been doing so for weeks now. But Yellow Cab is not that cheap. So I decided to cook on this oh-it's-a-Thursday-not-a-Friday afternoon. It's not the first time I have tried making this, though. But by far, this recipe which I am sharing (as a note to myself, too) is the closest I have gotten so far. As I don't have Java sauce (which most of the recipes I have seen recommend), I used peanut butter and oyster sauce.
My Charlie Chan
spaghetti cooked according to package directions (for this much sauce, I'd say about 300-400 grams)
2 pcs deboned and skinless chicken breast cut into strips, marinated in oyster sauce
6 tablespoons olive oil
8 cloves of garlic (artichoke)
A can of mushrooms (drained)
1 cup of peanuts (roasted and unflavored, if possible)
a mix of: 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1/4 cup oyster sauce and 2 pcs of dried siling labuyo (chillies), chopped
A tablespoon of butter (optional, I would say but this adds flavor and a very nice aroma)
Chopped spring onion, about 4-5 tablespoons
Heat the oil in a non-stick pan. Saute the garlic until golden. Add the chicken. Cover for about 2 minutes (check until the meat turns white). Add the mushrooms and simmer in low heat for 2 minutes covered. Add the peanuts and cover for another 2 minutes.
Add the mix of peanut butter, soy sauce, oyster sauce and sili. You can also use a leftover chilli flakes packet from your Yellow Cab delivery to increase its intensity. Simmer for a minute, Add in the butter until it melts and it's ready to serve over your cooked spaghetti. Garnish with the chopped spring onion.
So there.




