PapaFresh

Rocky Mountain Oysters

I did an experiment some time ago to eat my favorite foods on consecutive days and see how long it takes before I got tired of it. Here are the results:

Prime rib of beef cooked medium rare w/ au jus - 5 days

Sashimi variety (salmon, tuna, yellowtail) - 3 days

Grilled colossal shrimp - 5 days

Pork sinigang - 2 days

I found out that no matter how much I liked the food, I could never eat it for more than a week. By the time I was on day 5 of prime rib, I was ready to swear never to eat it again. The ONLY food that stayed constant that I couldn't go more than a week without is rice. I suppose rice really is my favorite food as underwhelming it may be.

Introspective

I would never deny or despise being a Filipino but it's getting harder and harder these days to find something to be proud of my "Filipino-ness". If you're in Manila right now, just turn on the TV and watch the news, all you'll hear about are Filipinos being bad. I'm working overseas and sometimes I'm a bit embarrassed that many of my countrymen are hoodlums of society.

"I am a woman and I reserve the right to be inconsistent." - Leliana in Dragon Age Origins.

While playing Dragon Age, Leliana uttered this:

"I am a woman and I reserve the right to be inconsistent."

All of a sudden all of the misunderstanding I've had with the opposite sex made sense! My life will never be the same...

I love pineapple juice and the ladies love me for it

Prime rib cooked medium rare, some au jus, mashed potatoes, butter glazed carrots, a glass of decent quality cabernet.

duplicate. please delete.

I've been going to Manila at least once a year ever since I graduated from College and started working in the US. Each time I go home,, I am welcomed by a huge celebration by friends and far relatives who by most standards are struggling financially and are living difficult lives. Naturally I would always bring them pasalubongs and cash handouts regularly to help them out and show my gratitude. Eventually, I started to feel that they're only happy to see me because of the money and the goods I bring them, like they're seeing me, a balikbayan as a money tree. I could not have been more wrong.

Sadly, I haven't escaped the recent financial downturn and have lost large amounts of money due to failed investments. I still decided to go back to Manila for a badly needed vacation. This time though, I brought back no pasalubongs and just enough cash for my needs. I told everyone in advance of my situation and that I can't bring them back anything. To my surprise, I still got the same huge welcome celebration I've been accustomed to. Afraid that people didn't understand what I had said earlier and that I had brought nothing for them, I eventually started apologizing. The response I got was something I would have never expected and was truly heartwarming.

Someone sensed my unease and proceeded to lecture me on why they've been welcoming me to the Philippines every time I go home. It wasn't because of the money and goods that I brought back. They were happy because through me, through my accomplishments, and through my relative success in life, they saw hope - that someone from their family, someone who they grew up with can achieve so much in life. It's true what they say that when you put others before yourself, then their well being is your well being, and their happiness is yours. I never really understood what that meant until that time.

I think it all boils down to insecurities. People who don't like certain aspects of themselves are prone to be sensitive when you point out those attributes they feel shameful of. For example, I think that most people will consider me as someone being fat and not only that it doesn't bother me, I kinda like it! I always say that I'm not fat by accident - it's by choice . I also know some folks who have perfectly proportionate bodies yet are very sensitive to their sizes thinking that they're too fat when in fact they're not. Go figure.

this guy is a f#&king genius!

 

cheers!

Ditto.

Console game, cguro Contra. PC game naman, Dune 2 FTW!

I think this type of behavior has more to do with one's humility rather than one's perception of their wealth. I often see poor people flaunt their brand new cell phones. I also know many wealthy Filipinos who don't even say a word that they've bought something noteworthy or accomplished something great. I'm a firm believer in acting your wage and living within our means. I don't think it's particularly mayabang if I happen to see a celebrity drive by in their top of the line BMW. On the other hand, I'm dumbfounded and almost offended when I see people buy a brand new iPhone when just a week ago, they were begging me for money to buy food for their family. That I think is mayabang.

When you don't care too much about anyone or anything in the world, very few words can hurt you.

I'll sometimes get the services or an MPA, or GRO, or sometimes an escort but I won't build and maintain a secret relationship outside of marriage. It just complicates things and the truth will usually come out. At least when I pay girls for their services, almost all the time, I;ll forget their names in a week or two and most of the details on what happened.

From Shangrila, cross EDSA by the Shaw Blvd. It's the tall building to the left slightly passed Worldwide Corporate Center (former Manuela). You won't miss it.

I've played oldies like the Leisure Suite Larry series, Knights of Xentar, and Srip Poker. I've also played those Virtual Sex types of games. The latest one I have is Playboy Mansion. These games seem to be loosing it's appeal i think.

Any true meat lovers should go to a Brazilian Churrascaria at least once in your lifetime. Traditional churrascaria serves meat all sorts of meats eat all you can. Try the picanha in particular and you'll realize what you've been missing. It's simply the best tasting, most flavorful, exquisite texture beef I've ever had. A great slice of prime rib comes to a distant second and a great fillet mignon grilled to medium rare comes third in my opinion. Are you a fan of delicious flavors ?!

Traditional Earl Gray

The most repulsive actual food taste-wise I've actually eaten is the Japanese Natto. It's fermented soybeans typically eaten over rice or as sushi. It tastes like spoiled beans because that's what it is (fermented). See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natto for details. I've actually thought of putting durian here but that just smells bad but tastes fine.

ayus na sana eh...kaya lang pambibili mo lang pala ng SUV ang kikitain mo at iipunin mo...well bro isa ka rin sa mga pinaparatangan mong "mayabang" no offense pero since sinabi mong mayabang ang iba, ganun ka na rin...

 

tignan lang natin kung hindi mo rin ibenta yang SUV mo after six months kung mag sstay ka lang sa Pinas.. Dude FYI hindi investment ang sasakyan...Mas maigi pa yung mga bumibili ng alahas kasi pwedeng maibenta nila ng mahal ang alahas nila, pero ang SUV mo, hinding hindi mo mabebenta ng mas mahal pa kesa sa original price mo na pinagbilhan mo,...

 

Tsaka bro i would suggest dagdagan mo ang savings mo, in 3 years 1M lang pala target mo? kasi after 3 years malang yung SUV na dream mo eh 1.25M na..

 

Peace out men.

I think everyone is entitled to their own dreams. If that new SUV is what allows him to work hard and remain away from his home and loved one, that I'd say it's good enough motivation. Now having said that, I'm a big proponent of living within one's means. Act your wage sabi nga daw. I too wouldn't spend most of my current savings on any singular purchase, except maybe to buy a pacemaker or drug, whatever to save a loved one's life.

I've been living in the US since high school and I very much like the life I'm able to build here. I'd say that if you're a skilled worker, have good work ethics, and are great with people, you should be able to build a good career and save quite a bunch of money. Now, if you're one of the few who are truly gifted and intelligent and can out-compete local professionals in whatever field you're in, then sky's the limit. Despite all these, I still plan on going back to the Philippines and actually live life the way I want, hopefully by the time I'm 45. All my money in the US has not been able to replace the true feeling of home that is the Philippines.

I too would like to know the 24hr rates for Eurotel Cubao.

How much ung 24 hours na rate?

I stayed the the Malayan Plaza when they just opened around early 2006 if I remember correctly. The rooms were nice and clean, furnishings were contemporary, nice and professional front desk people, and a very decent breakfast buffet. The only thing I didn't like during my 1 week stay was that some of the rooms were still under construction and I would wake up to the banging of hammers at around 7am, not much chance to sleep in. I also didn't want to use their inhouse broadband network, which costs an extra $10 per day at the time so when I decided to go dial-up, I had to make a special request to allow dial-up connections on their PBX. I wasn't able to establish dial-up connections otherwise. On the plus side, their service was truly excellent. I called the front desk for service late night when one of the lamp shades went out. I had a service man on my doorstep in 10 mins to replace the bulb, no issues at all. Overall, I had a very pleasant stay. I would love to stay again except their rates have gone up so much in the past year or so.