Cucumber (Pepino) in the Philippines is normally eaten as a salad with a sweet and tangy dressing made from combining vinegar and sugar. And I was never a vegetable eater - except maybe for the sweet Sayote - growing up. So when I was in Japan, I was surprised to see the Japanese eat fresh cucumber served only with Miso paste! I was hesitant to try it at first but the moment I took a bite I fell in love with it. It was sweet, crunchy, and very refreshing! I missed it so much that when I saw japanese cucumbers in the local supermarket, I bought a pack and made my own healthy snack.
I forgot to buy miso paste, so instead, I just added A1 Steak sauce! hahaha (^o^)/ The steak sauce can be a little overpowering so I wouldn't suggest putting too much on it. Another good sauce that might go well with it is Hunt's Hickory BBQ sauce.
My craving had been somewhat satisfied but now I'm left with 3 to 4 more sticks of japanese cucumbers! What should I do with them? Hmmm .... maybe I'll try adding them to this soup I've learned how to make from Julia Child's cookbook. (^o-)v
The last time I talked about close encounters, I wrote about my diving trip in Bohol more than a couple of years back. This time I wanna write about close encounters with death. Have you ever had any? It was with these encounters that I realized that somebody must definitely be looking out for me. Read on to know more about my close encounters with the Grim Reaper. *cue thunderbolt and lightning followed by evil laugh*
The first encounter probably happened when I was around 10 years old. It was a cool afternoon and I was just learning how to ride a bike. I remember my bike having 2 small side wheels attached to the rear wheel. These are what they called "balancers." They prevent the bike from tipping over to either side and thus help the rider achieve balance all the time. I was playing alone in front of our store right along the commercial district of the china town in our city. (I wonder where my cousins, who were my usual playmates, were at this time.) Right at the side of the stretch of stores beside ours was a driveway leading back to where we lived and also to where our Minica yard was. (Minicas are "mini cars" that were used as public utility vehicles in the city of Davao before Taxis were introduced.) Connecting the driveway to the pavement in front of the stores was a small ramp. I believe this was placed there so that transporting products with the use of a wheelbarrow-like tool would be easier. It so happened that this ramp was also perfect to ride through with my bike! The ramp wasn't even a foot high but, at that age, the thrill of additional speed that the ramp brought was more than enough for me.
You probably have a guess as to what my first encounter was already. I'm pretty sure you guessed it right. It was exactly just that. After riding through the ramp for several times, I totally forgot that it was a driveway and just went on sliding away in the ramp with my bike. When suddenly, from my left, I heard the screeching sound of rubber violently rubbing against concrete. When I looked to my side, a red Minica was just an inch away from hitting my arm. I even remember seeing the driver sporting a distressed look with both arms raised and then waved up and down signifying a close call. As for me, I remember being shocked but just for a moment. I quickly turned around and got my bike up the ramp again joyfully riding my bike as if nothing happened. *whew!*
The next encounters weren't as close a call compared to that first one but these may have just been as equally shocking and frightening for my young soul. All next 3 encounters actually involved drainage systems or canals to be exact! In two of them, I fell into one! One was around waist deep while the other one was only toe deep so I wasn't really that worried. What I really didn't like though was how it made me smell afterwards! hahaha (^o^)/ The third one involved a little bit of stunt. I must have been a frustrated stunt man back then (high school) when i tried to jump off a jeep that was making an accelerating start. All common sense and wit went out the window when I decided to jump out of the semi-moving vehicle without asking the driver to stop first. All this simply for a bag that I left behind in one of the canteens near the school. I fell flat on my belly with both hands propped in front to support my fall. Surprisingly, the chocolate shake I was gripping on my left remained intact! I even remember taking a sip before I shyly threw it away into the canal (PG: Kids don't do this!) after hearing some bystanders comment about me still drinking a possibly soiled milkshake. I didn't realize it back then but I am definitely thankful now that I didn't fall flat into the canal when I jumped! It was just a step away from where I fell. And most importantly, I am thankful that I came out these incidents with not even a scratch in my body that I can remember of.
The picture above is the new playground of the iconic Harana Restaurant in Davao. Way back when I was young, it used to have a playground probably thrice as big as the one standing now. Unfortunately, with rising real estate prices, the old playground had to be removed and relocated to its present location. Everything looks new and they all look sturdier. (Except for that turning thing on the left! I believe it's the same one.) I went back to check whether the metal swing I used to play with was still there but I couldn't find it. Not even a similar looking swing was present. To give you an idea on what it looked like see the swing photo on the left. Then imagine rusty metal linings around the wood and on some of the bars. (Made out of the same material with that turning thing on the left!) It was in this type of swing that I had the most bizarre experience. Every time I remember the incident I still am in disbelief as to how it turned out to be. Here's what happened.
My cousins and I were playing by this swing and enjoying every moment of it. Since there were a lot of us, not everyone could take the ride at the same moment. So some were left to wait for their turn and were encouraged to push the swing to make it go higher. When it was my turn to push, a bigger and older cousin was pushing it with me. Bad idea. He was more powerful and his arms were longer. When the swing swung back and it was time to push, I was still holding on to the swing when suddenly my bigger cousin already pushed the swing with all his might! This brought me forward together with the swing. I remember taking baby steps trying to regain my balance but I was too slow. As the swing came back, my footing slipped in the loose soil and before I knew it, my lower body was thrown under the swing. The swing came to a halt just at it came in contact with my upper thigh. With the weight of all my cousins and the momentum from the push, I still can't fathom up to now how one tiny child's thigh was able to stop that amount of momentum. And to think that I was still able to stand afterwards and was only left with a tiny bruise in my right thigh, I cannot help but think that there was divine intervention. My angel must have come to my rescue.
Talking about Angels, have I ever told you that I totally felt its presence during my Confirmation? Just as when it was my turn in the queue to face the officiating priest and as he tapped his "staff" (or whatever he was holding at that time - or was it just his hand?) on my head, I felt a soothing heat descend from my head down to my body. Unlike getting a "high blood" where blood rushes to your head making you feel warm in the head, this one was from the tip of my head going down! Believe me, I can totally differentiate the experience as I get "high blood" all the time. hahaha
Well, it's good to know that probably somebody else out there is looking out for me. I haven't felt its presence though for a long time now. If ever I've lost it, I'm determined to get it back. (o^^o)
-0-
What a long read. Sorry for that. When I conceptualized it in my head, it didn't sound so long. hehehe.
Do you know what you're looking at? I hope I've stirred your curiosity enough for you to continue reading this entry. Click on the link below to read the rest of this entry. Just to give you a clue, if you ask Simba from The Lion King, I think he would break out in song and sing "it's the circle of life ..." (^o-)/
What you're actually looking at are two millipedes going at it! Ever since it started raining really hard a week ago, they started coming out. Some even were resourceful enough to get pass our main door and enter the house. Nowadays, I see more than a couple everyday. And it must be that time of the year because they've been going at it everywhere! Concrete stairs seem to be their place of preference though. hihihi (^o^)/
Birds do it ....
Bees do it .... Let's do it?
Will this pick up line ever work? Will it work on you? hahaha ^^ I can't help it but be green "at times" - (read as "most of the time!")
What does it feel like to live a Teenage Dream? But before you answer that, I guess you'll have to know what your teenage dream is/was. Is the dream still the same? And if somebody would make you feel like your living your teenage dream, what would you do? Would you hold on to that person or just let it be? After all, not all dreams are meant to come true.
Ahhhhhh ...... This blog is suppose to be just positives all through out! Let me just write that again. All dreams do come true! Just Don't Stop Believing! Wait .... that's another song altogether. Anyways, I just wanted to tell you that you should fill your life with MUSIC as well. I'm still amaze how music can stir up emotions in anyone.
Here's the sanitized version of Katy Perry's Teenage Dream as covered by Boyce Avenue. Enjoy!
I think you're pretty without any make up on
I think you're funny when you tell the punch line wrong
I knew you got me when you let your walls come down, down
Before you met me, I was all right but
Things were kinda heavy, you brought me to life
Now every February, you'll be my valentine, valentine
Let's just talk all through the night
There's no need, to rush
We can dance, until we die
You and I, we'll be young forever
You make me feel like I'm living a teenage dream
The way you turn me on, I can't sleep
Let's runaway and don't ever look back
Don't ever look back
My heart stops when you look at me
Just one touch, now baby I believe
This is real, so take a chance and don't ever look back
It was probably the first Christmas since I started blogging in 2006 that I forgot to blog my season's greetings. Although I had planned something for it, I lost the material amidst all the chaos. Well, I am definitely exaggerating here. It wasn't really chaotic but for some reasons, the holiday season just felt a bit tougher than usual - made even tougher by the thought of losing some friends during the year. Regardless, it's time to take it in stride and celebrate 2011! I didn't wanna make any resolutions this year because I seldom follow them anyway. Instead I've just decided to concentrate on 3 things this year: stock trading, cooking/baking, and photography.
I'm trying to revive my passion for photography! After losing the battle in the Century Tuna Superbod contest, I decided to get my own Lumix LX5! So far, I am very pleased with it. Check out the videos and photos I took this Christmas season in the video below.
Happy New Year!
Before that, here's a list of 11 FIRSTS in 2011!
1. 2010 American Music Awards
- First TV program for 2011. Saw a less impressive Katy Perry singing "Fireworks" compared to her performance in the 2010 Victoria's Secret fashion show.
1. Picture Back-up and "2011" Folder creatiion
- First computer-related activity. Backed up my 2010 pictures and created the "2011" folder for this year. Noticed that file sizes are getting bigger and bigger!
1. Banana Flambe
- First dessert creation. Just heat up bananas in butter, brandy, and brown sugar mixture. Pour some rhum and flambe the whole thing! Add a pinch of cinnamon if preferred. Instant comfort food! I can't wait to try it over Panna Cotta!
The best Banana Flambe I've tried is still the one made by Vicky Hefty during my visit to Coron, Palawan. I think she added a little cream in the end. I wish I can taste her version again. And I'm just actually showing off that I can now do a flambe! hahaha ^^
1. Hercules
- First movie. Anything with "I will beat the odds. I will go the distance," I like. Just a couple of days before this I actually watched "The Prince of Egypt" again - "There can be miracles, when you believe!" *sucker*
1. Shiroi Koibito (White Sweetheart)
- First Chocolate for 2011. Achi went to Osaka last year and bought boxes for me. This is one "langue de chat" that everyone must try. Together with Royce chocolates, these are the pride of Hokkaido, the northernmost prefecture of Japan. The next time you're in Japan, look for this wonderful treat. After eating this, I followed it with a local marvel, V-Cut potato chips! ^^
1. Achi
- First person to greet me a happy new year in person. Just like every other year ^^. And as usual, my parents were fast asleep around 10pm.
1. Manulife
- First major payment. After getting a life insurance in 2006, last year, I decided to take a pension plan - already thinking about my retirement! tsk tsk tsk.
1. Stock Trading
- First office-like activity. The stock market still looks very attractive for the next 2 years.
1. Dictionary.com
- First website opened. Had to search for the right pronunciation of the word "ante" as used in the expression "up the ante" after sister pointed out something her friend said. This site is so useful. I use it every time.
1.Real Leaf Honey-Lemon Flavored Tea Drink
- First drink. Not exactly my favorite but I got 2 liters for free thanks to Citibank's credit card promo. And no one else in the family will consume it but me. 2010 will have to be the year of credit card promotions! Most promos ended by December 31, 2010. I hope they come up with new ones for 2011. The consumption limits though are awfully getting higher and higher.
1. All I Want for Christmas
- First AVP for 2011. Taking photography another level up! You can relive experiences more with still and motion pictures combined. Expect more to come! Enjoy!
