Thursday, July 30, 2009

I'm with Stupidly

Driving home from work today, I tuned in to my usual radio station and people were calling in an uproar about Joe Biden using Jesus Christ's name as an expletive in his on-the- record interview with the Wall Street Journal. Last week, people were calling in, outraged at Barack for making a hasty comment saying the white Cambridge police officer "acted stupidly" for arresting his black friend. That hasty comment was low-class, I agree. But I'm not wasting any energy on him either.

And today, callers were asking why Christians are not protesting about Bidens' comment. I am a Christian and I is not protesting. I'm not being passive, I'm being realistic or I will find myself stressed and violated for the next 4 years. Don used to say, " You can teach ignorant people, but you can't educate stupid." And one time, when I came home from work crying because a co-worker offended me, he said, "Ritchie, don't get bugged down by that, consider the source."

Yeah, consider the source. If we spend our time getting angry and offended by this retard and that other muttonhead in the white house, we will be expending unnecessary energy for the next 4 years. (Energy that's better used for praying for me -for baptizing them with such sweet names.) Don't forget, they're simply a reflection of the millions of people who put them there. Besides, the bible says that people are only responsible for the light that they have been given, so why expect someone to respect Jesus' name when he doesn't believe in HIM anyway? That would be like, getting mad at a blind man for stepping on your toe.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

I'm Trying, Ok?

Ok, I have to tell the truth. I read Trail of Crumbs last week, reason why I have been using my kitchen tonite and the night before...to learn to cook? Not sure about that, but at least learn how to document my effort through pictures. By the way, read Trail of Crumbs, it will be the best advice you'll ever receive from me. At least watch this. Make sure to click on her documentary #4 in search of her mother in Korea.
Last night and tonight I feel like cooking, if you call this cooking.
How do you eat your meatloaf? Americans like them in a sandwich. I simply like mine with rice.

Monday, July 27, 2009

What's for Dinner

I was hungry for grilled chicken today, it was all I could think of at work. So I stopped by the grocery store picked up some thighs with skin.

There's no science to it, I just rub it with some cajun seasoning(Sylvia's or Mike's)pop it in the broiler for 30 minutes.

And here it is. Now bake it for 30 more minutes or so.

And time to eat. This goes very well with rice of course but today I just wanted to eat with cold rice vermicille. Everyone knows I don't like veggies unless it's kimchi or pickled. I Pickled cucumber and carrots the other day because my friend Flora gave me some cucumber. I like to eat rice vermicille with nuoc mam - more like the Filipino version of dipping sauce except that for the cold vermicille I like it with a little sweetness.
Now time to hit the sack, I mean, after I brush my teeth.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Another Worry

Last month, after I was discharged from the hospital, my attending doctor ordered another blood test to be done by my personal physician to make sure my blood count remained normal. I like my personal physician because he's very thorough and detailed, but he's very rigid about me keeping a healthy lifestyle because of my family history of cancer and stroke. Part of his understanding of a healthy lifestyle is that I get a regular invasion into my body. So here's a list of what I am supposed to do "this year, not next year" he said.

1. Colonoscopy - where they insert a flexible tube (twice taller than me) to my colon to check for berries.
2. Pap Smear - where they use a mini-car jack to go into my cave to check for cobwebs.
3. Dexa or bone density test - to make sure I am not getting shorter than 5 feet 3 inches -( the minimum height requirement to get a job in the Philippines.)
4. Mammogram - where they press your breast in between two bookends made of concrete Buddha.

I told him in a sweet way that if he wants to keep me as a patient, he should not be scaring me with all these tests. He also added that if I eat a balance diet and exercise regularly, I would live longer. "And why would I want to live longer?" I asked him. "Dr. Cohen is right, you are funny." That was his answer. He also did not have an answer when I asked him why men only has 2 screenings to worry about ; prostate and colonoscopy, while we women has to have 4.
Actually, we women not only have these 4 to worry about, we also have another worry: when our man starts wanting to buy a fast car. A fast, red car. After they turn 40.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Gulab Jamun

I guess if you ask me what my favorite food is, I would have to say Asian and then narrow it down to Malay/Indian foods. Today, I am craving so bad for Gulab Jamun so I stopped by Pasand an Indian restaurant on my way home from work and ordered it to go. When Chat and I go out to eat Indian foods, they serve this dessert but I can not eat a whole one because it is so sweet and sweets make me dizzy, but today, I ate all 4 of them. I have the ready mix in my pantry but I didn't want to take the time to do it.




Sunday, July 19, 2009

Back When I could....

I am sad, I am frustrated because as much as I like to joke about menopausal women, I don't like the fact that I retain water more than I can with information. And because of that, I am on the verge of giving up the only pleasure I have in life, which is reading and writing. To some people, writing is an art, to me it's a craft, meaning I have to work hard at stringing words together. If stringing the words is hard work, imagine me having to find the words to string.
I used to sit on this chair until my legs get numb from not moving because of a riveting story I am reading. Now, I sit here and lay like brocolli just staring out to my patio bemoaning the demise of a relationship; that of a book and it's reader. (By the way, I don't care for stuffed whatever, but I use this animals to put on top of my stomach to help prop up a book)

At work the other day, Chelsea, my co-worker stopped me from my hypnotized state-"Ritchie, look here," she said I'm staring out the window too long and too much and snapped this on her phone camera. (Yeah, I know, even though I am paid like I'm 12, I still have obligations to fulfill.) I don't really know, what I'm thinking all the time, because I hardly have no memories anymore beyond 3 minutes.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Boredom, Bored and Boring

Where you come from is gone, where you thought you were going to never was there, and where you are is no good unless you can get away from it. In yourself right now is all the place you've got. - Flannery O'Connor


I don't ever know how to be at peace with the present, I don't ever get sentimentally attached to the past and I don't ever obsess about anything. And when I did finally find an obsession -the Journey/Arnel Pineda - it only lasted less than a year. Why can't I even sustain an obsession?

Because I get bored easily my mind is on the constant state of departure. The other day, being bored at work, I tried to write down my bucket list. Here's what I came up with:

1. Find a perfect travel companion
2. Live or wander around Europe for at least 3 months with my perfect travel companion
3. Not get bored with Europe after 3 days
4. Not get bored with my perfect travel companion after 3 hours
5. Carry through #1 and #2 before I get bored just reading my list

When a person is bored, that person also becomes boring so I am trying to prevent that because the only thing worse than boring is being old and boring. If only I could obsess on not getting bored, it would be a start.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Road Rage

Men have road rage...we women have menopause.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Judgement versus Mercy

For judgment will be merciless to the one who has shown no mercy but mercy triumphs over judgment - James 2:13

When I hear people say that Michael Jackson (or anyone for that matter) is going to hell, my eggs start cracking and my blood pressure registers in 3 digits, like 500/200.
Only God knows the person's heart and if that person has accepted the work of Christ on the cross and trusted Christ as his/her Savior to make him or her righteous before the judgement seat of God, then he/she will be saved and will spend eternity with God. Of course we can judge, or how else can we be discerning of what is evil and what is good? But judgement about salvation is strictly of the Lord God.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Ephesus Restaurant

Chat took me to a late lunch today to this Turkish restaurant called Ephesus. Chat doesn't eat fish except sushi but she wanted me to try this salt encrusted fish flambe'. We walked in the door and the owner/chef said to Chat "Your fish is now in the oven." I said, "What if we didn't show up?" "He knows I was on our way here,because I called him," she said. We had for appetizer this baked feta with sun dried tomatoes(which I really love) for dipping and a plate of hummus.

Then 10 minutes later, out came the fish.

Dvrim, the owner/chef chiseling the salt from the fish. I made sure to focus on him and not on the fish.

Under the sea salt that was about 10 lbs (seems like it), is the red snapper.
We topped off lunch with Turkish coffee cream brulee' for Chat and a Turkish coffee for me. I was raving over the Turkish coffee so much that Dvrim brought out the pot and the coffee can (Mehmet Efendi) and showed me where I can buy them and make them myself at home. Can you believe that? He is just so cute with that accent and gentle demeanor I wanted to take him home. When Chat paid the bill, I said "that fish was so expensive," Chat said, "Mom, I didn't buy you the fish, I was buying you experience." Good enough for me.
In case you want to learn how to make Turkish coffee at home, (I know I am)watch this.

Thursday, July 09, 2009

Evian babies

It's funky, it's weird, but I love it. I must be bored.

Video Courtesy-Evianbabies

Sunday, July 05, 2009

Cast the First Stone

I did not grow up knowing or listening to famous singers because we did not have a tv, we had one radio but it hardly worked. The only reason we were in possession of that square noise-making box was because someone borrowed money from my dad and could not repay, so he gave us his old radio. And when that box worked, we were afraid to use it because my mom would get mad -"you're running the battery down and we don't have money to buy another one."

Until I hitched my cart to Journey with Arnel Pineda last year, I could not relate to people obsessing about musicians. Like, cry and scream and pass out or lay on the ground convulsing, frothing in the mouth then get up and do the moonwalk....Michael!!!Michael (sob,sob)

The other day, a friend of mine started throwing Michael Jackson under the bus -"What's all these hysteria and tribute for a pedophile, and Bernie Madoff gets 150 years in jail?"
I had to take a long swallow, inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth, (so I don't whack her.) It took all of me to simply say : "Ok, if you're without sin, cast the first stone." She didn't hear what I said because she's hard of hearing, a result from her abusing prescription drugs for so many years. She opened her mouth again and said, "and he grabbed his crotch too much."

I refused to go into battle with her, but really, I've seen ball players do that all the time; grab their crotch and spit and we reward them with millions too, and they can't even do what Michael does best - sing and dance. Or change color.

Shout to The Lord

On days when you're paralyzed by sadness and guilt, when the tormenting question of "what if" visits you more often than not...just shout to the Lord.


Video Courtesy -APM7786

Saturday, July 04, 2009

Happy 4th

I don't work out but I like to take long walks especially in the spring or fall but even with the heat today, I needed to walk off the cobwebs in my brain. (if that's possible) I made sure and brought my camera today. The back gate leading to the walking trail.

Start of the trail.
Then it leads to here, my favorite part because it will lead to the railroad track next to my refuge creek.
And voila---I love trains and railroad tracks. I skip-walk on the tracks paying attention that I don't get too consumed on my thoughts and not hear the oncoming train.

My refuge creek. In the spring and fall, it has more water. I don't care for lakes or ocean, but I love streams and creeks because I grew up and spent most of my childhood in the creek. I sit here after my walk and I always feel exhilarated.
Then back to my apartment- entrance gate with little flags - Happy 4th!!!

Friday, July 03, 2009

This Is It!

The Wooden Bowl

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year-old grandson.
The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered

The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and
failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor.
When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth.

The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess.
'We must do something about father,' said the son.
'I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor.'

So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner.
There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner.
Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl.

When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometimes he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone.
Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food.

The four-year-old watched it all in silence.

One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor.
He asked the child sweetly, 'What are you making?' Just as sweetly, the boy responded,
'Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up.
' The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.

The words so struck the parents so that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done.

That evening the husband took Grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table.
For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason,
neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

How far you go in life depends on your
being tender with the young
being compassionate with the aged
being sympathetic with the striving
being tolerant of those weaker than you

Because one day, you will be all of these.