Taking the Road not Taken

Probably the only poem that has left an impression in a person like me with a short attention

span is this one. Though sometimes I am capable of making 'unpopular' decisions, however with regard to essential decisions in life, I 'chicken out' at times.

What is an unpopular decision after all? How much courage do you need? How big can you risk? How do you stick to it through thick and thin? I dont know the answers.

Isnt it always easy to 'join the bandwagon'. Bandwagon is an interesting term. Companionship counts. When you fail on on your own, you will get scared easily and eventually you'll start scaring yourself. However when you fail in groups, there's a hand to push everyone a little further when the road seems tough.

How much of a non-conformist are you? Oh well, as the saying goes, only time can tell. :)

The Road Not Taken
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

WWW (Words of Wisdom at Work)

Email blues:
I am an OC (daw). Cant help it to tinker with screenshots in my mail, as much as
possible I do make sure everything is understood, (as my work requires quality). It's not so pleasant when someone comes back with a freaking panic mode asking all sorts of nonsense or common-sense questions.

I dont know why there are people who have so many unread email in their inbox. It's not too
hard to clean up. Read through the subject line or at least the first 2 sentences. If you dont
have anything to do with it, come on just press Shift-Delete. It is annoying when people
give you the 'huh i still havent read that' look on a mail released several days ago.

Another annoying thing is that when someone commits to do something, and constantly forgets
whether intentionally or unintentionally, or perhaps what they call the memory gap. No presence of mind.

Quotable Quotes:
Whether it's good stuff or b*lls**t, the good thing is that it is enlightening and entertaining
at times :), depends on how you want to interpret it. Just would like to recall a few nice ones
to share:
Create something out of nothing
This is by far, one of the best. Too deep. Example: when someone does not give you a nice
project or role, create one.

Do not dwell too much in proving your point or vindicating yourself on a not-so-important argument just to prove that somebody else is wrong (especially to someone higher).
Chances are you might win the argument if you're good and if you insist, but in the process you might ruin your own worth by causing ill feelings towards another. In reality, not all are willing to listen, that simple.

Emotionless.
Dont let your emotions flow at work, it's just going to make you lose in the end.

Not all promoted are deserving, not all deserving are promoted
Luck, as well as timing, comes to play, not merely your credentials. Do not underestimate these
2 external forces.

Personal Difference
Each person is a unique being. You should not expect that what you think is always right or that it is the best option for all. Understand that personal difference exists, acceptance is the key.

Dealing with difficult people
Tell them only what they need to know and what they love to hear. Keep all interaction to a minimun and that will save your day.

Goofing with Celebrities

I saw a lot of this before in other's homepage, thought of cooking one or two tonight.

My reaction: seems like I look more like a Korean with all the Korean stars! (I was expecting to see Chinese) Well well, look what we've got - Boa, Son Ye Jin, Jang Nara, Kim Hee Sun, Ayumi Hamasaki, Zhang Zi Yi and gosh, Mrs Pitt -Angelina Jolie --- hmm it made my day. (hehe everyone has the right to be silly for a while okay)

Anime? Manga? - huh?

Anime sounded so 'alien' to me. My exposure to it is very minimal, probably because I dont belong to Generation-Y :)

The first one I've heard about is Initial D - well reason behind is because it stars Jay Chow. Though I like his music, I wasnt really attracted to finish the whole movie when it was shown in cable. I knew it was about drifting. After watching Tokyo Drift with a trashy theme, (sorry for those I might have offended), probably it will take some time for me to watch another movie about drifting again.

Recently I discovered this new series in CTS - Hanazakari no Kimitachi (HanaKimi for short). The storyline is a typical, girl likes a guy athlete so much that she crossdresses as a guy in disguise and studied in a guy-exclusive school to get closer to the guy athlete - a light romance and feel-good series. To find out more, just go to: http://niko-niko.net/hanakimi/

Next time I will be asked about anime/manga, ayan may alam na ako (makes me feel younger haha). I only watch 'real' people portraying the roles though, not really the cartoonic type.

Add ons:

Confession to make: One of the reasons I'm watching it is because the lead actor is sooo gorgeous. :) Look at the picture. Arrgh, this pose was taken in front of Pearl TV Tower last December (sabi sa forum where I got the pic) --- I missed it!

I like one statement he has in his blog: 'Life is like a taxi. The meter just keeps ticking whether you are getting somewhere or just standing still! So… remember to do something useful and beneficial everyday' --- awwwh bulls-eye, galing. And oh, if I have all the time in the world, I think I should write a book about parallelisms. hehe where would I find people who appreciate this?! :)

Asymptotes... So Profound

I got a forwarded message recently which really caught my attention.

Math tells us three of the saddest love stories: Tangent lines who had one chance to meet and then parted forever.

Parallel lines who were never meant to meet.

And Asymptotes who can get closer and closer but will never be together.

Those who met just once and parted forever - this sounds fairy tale to me. The first encounter is beautiful - if it's the only one time then it's the most precious. Probably people just tend to feel that what you don't get is the most valuable isnt it, 'parted foerver' is such a heavy term. And they would feel challenged and will keep on searching and insisting till their last breath. It will soon be such a biggie that you'll give up anything for a second time. If you're not greedy, then probably once is enough for you to treasure till the end. But then, it can't be blamed. Who can tolerate the harsh reality.

I used to think that the 2nd 'those who were never meant to meet' is the most pathetic. Which reminds me of the sun and the moon. Yes they were never meant to meet, absence makes the heart grows fonder. But eventually, people will get use to the distance, the space. You dont see it, you dont feel it. Probably there will come a time that you get used to not seeing, not feeling, and everything just becomes a habit, a cycle, a part of life. So what now if it's not there, probably there is some pain, but that pain will diminish over time. In the end, the flames are going to die down, to fumes, to ashes. Everything might just end up landing a minute but special spot in your heart, nothing more nothing less.

The last one struck me - those who get closer and closer but will never be together. Whoever thought of this is a genius! I never thought of using asymptotes to describe the most tragic and melancholic of all sorrow. The most annoying fact probably is that something you see and feel everyday, something that you get to like over time with a force that seems to bind you together intangibly, well that something is just lovely to behold but will never be yours. 'Closer and closer' means most of the elements are working to your advantage, but probably there is a single unknown element left out, and that sole stigma is just there to stop you, haunt you for the rest of your earthly existence. What a nightmare, and it's crazy. Unless if you're a martyr, you can handle this and say something like 'I'm satisfied'. But then again, most of us are just normal human beings who are capable of love and hatred, who wants nothing less but more and more.

Such a profound fallacy. :)

The Murano Joke

I like shopping in Greenhills for accesories - swarowski crystals, murano, beads, fancy stones,
etc. You know those small tranparent crystals with colored crystals carved inside it - i like them the
first time I saw them, but I actually dont know how is it called. I only remembered somebody mentioned a sound like 'nano'. I passed by a stall and asked a sales lady, blurted out 'miss ano nga ulit tawag dito, almurano ba'

The lady said, 'maam, murano po ang tawag'.. and then she turned her back and suddenly she kept on giggling on her own. She was turning red in laughter. That was the time I realized I made a boo-boo. I said to myself, parang may sounds-like na term ang 'almurano' na disease pero hndi ko sure. I just walked away very fast hehe.

That night, I ym-ed my close friend whom I'm comfortable to ask all the most sane and insane
questions in this world.

'uy tama ba may sakit na tawag ay almoranas',

'anong sakit yun', (no replies)..

'bilis, asan ka ba'
(buzzed)

Finally after a minute, i saw this message popped in my screen.

'Sorry po, wala si kuya, kapatid nya to, hinatid nya kasi si mama''

'Sabihan ko na lng cya pag balik nya, gamit ko kasi PC nya ngyon :)'

HOLY COW!

As expected, the next time we got to talk in ym, my friend kept on teasing me. I had already made 'research' and knew that almoranas means hemorrhoids.

He typed, 'Ano ba yan, may almoranas ka ba, kawawa ka naman'

I retorted back 'hindi noh, kapal mo wala ako nun.. and started telling the story about the saleslady.

Okay, the incident was already worthy of being the silliest thing, gatungan pa nung ym message - grand slam shocker. :p

The 'Notting Hill' Bench

First time I went to this place was few years ago. I remembered it was night time. After having my dinner, i went out the dining area and walked to this sort of veranda. When I gazed up, I was mesmerized by the star-filled sky. I like the small wooden bench, scenery overlooking the lake, the green grass, the cool winds.

I was back last December, this time on a daytime. I didnt notice a volcano was there the first time. Christmas decors everywhere. It gave a different feeling, it wasn't as heavenly as I felt the first time, but still I appreciate the calming charms.

And oh, by the way, the bench reminds me of Notting Hill, the last scene, with music playing 'you say it best, when you say nothing at all'.. (talk about being mushy!, well yeah I like this song - the lyrics, match it with Ronan's voice, not bad)

Part-time GRO in Binondo :) -- Mission Waiying

I've been a free 'GRO' for Waiying in my countless visits to accompany friends to this humble teahouse in Binondo-->Waiying. I think they should start paying me for doing free ads hehe. There main branch is located in Benavidez street (quite near Ongpin). It's not really a big resto but the food is great, good value for money too.

I have here the list of must-try in Waiying:
For Noodles:
Beef Wanton or Asado Wanton mami (I usually prefer this combination thingy, will cost 20php more). The noodles are firm and thin - Waiying is probably the reason why I like noodles so much eversince the store opened in my HS days.

For Rice Toppings: Roast duck rice.

For Dimsum: (the best-sellers I think, each order costs around P45-50)
Siomai
Hakaw
Chong Fan (Shrimp or Asado)
Ham Soi Kok - fried sticky buns with adobo/asado filling
Lo Mai Kai - imagine suman with chicken adobo filling wrapped in banana leaves and steamed
Chicken Feet
Radish Cake

For Drinks:
Mixed Cold (combination of Milk + Tea + Coffee), tastes like Naicha with coffee twist

Also for other nearby establishments in Binondo:
Eng Bee Tin - ube and mongo hopia, also tikoy.
Florida Roasters - try their Roast Chicken, i think only Php200 for whole chicken.
WanChai - Steamed Lumpia (or is it steamed lumpia in tofu roll/wrapper - I forgot how is it called), this one is highly recommended, I like it a lot).
Xin Yi Long - dainty small cakes, try their Mong-Ku-Pao. (like a chiffon cake with pork floss)
*there's also a stall that sells Bicho-bicho beside Waiying, only Php10.
*there's also another stall that sells Fried Siopao (or what we call Chien-Pao), only Php12
Mr Ube - newly opened noodle store, the Thai Tom Yum is good if you're a fan of spicy food.
Tasty - pork-chop rice and dumplings are good.
Big Bowl - famous for their fried noodles: sliced beef fried noodles and seafood fried noodles.
Golden Fortune - I have high standards for pancit canton hehe, theirs is the best in Ongpin so far for me.
Mazuki - try their specialty - something named like special original noodles, served with chicken strips and asado meat. Also try their siopao, the jumbo one is delicious, real big and loaded with lots of meat strips, priced at P55.
Suzhou - there are 2 branches of Suzhou in Binondo. Try their famous shiao long pao (dumpling with soup inside)
David's Teahouse - dimsum and short-orders
Ha Yuan - they sell the best tofu in town.
Ang Tunay Beefhouse - I like their Hot and Sour soup.
Shin Ton Yong - buy pork floss and pork tapa by the kilo (smallest denomination is 1/4 kilo I think), their pata tim, asado and yen-chang taste good too.
Other Chinese delicasies - if you're looking for kiamoy and other Chinese goodies - try Bee Tin Grocery and Shopper's Mart.
Coffee Shop -Starbucks and Gloria Jeans Binondo.
Jewelry -there are several stores selling white gold revolving pendants which look nice.. I bought mine for like, hmm below Php1200 but that was a year ago. (below 1.5grams)
Pirated DVDs: Korean/Taiwan/China soap operas, audio, - name it they have it. The DVD-9s are so cheap - but mind you 50% of the time, a few episodes in the disc are corrupted. DVD-9 will cost you P50/disc, a series usually will have 2 discs.

ADDITIONAL: (I forgot to put those more pricey ones)
If you want to order an enormous amount of food, by that I mean family-sharing style, bring a lot of companions with you because it's gonna cost you a few thousands. Try the following:
President's - I guess it's the most famous, though for me it doesnt make much difference as compared with the others. GMA used to eat there when she visited Ongpin a few times before.
President's Teahouse - it's walking distance from President's. They have several set menu for a panto (group of 12 ppl) complete with starters (cold cuts), seafood (prawns, crabs, lapu-lapu, abalone, sea cucumber), pigeon, taro duck, bird's nest soup, desserts (mango sago, buchi). Priced roughly between 9-13K i think, that's for the whole group. (bundat ka na)
Golden Fortune Seafood Restaurant - they have a wide selection of fresh live seafood to choose from. They also serve hot-pot style too.
Wah Yuen Seafood Restaurant - this is by far the cheapest seafood restaurant in Binondo. Their suahe is good, the price is relatively cheaper as compared with the others.

**Above is my complete itinerary for touring and foodtripping in Binondo/Ongpin. Next time I'll be posting a service charge, tour available upon request, 3 days advanced notice. haha of course I'm joking. :p

Good Food

Start the year right with a nice topic --> Food (Shanghai) :)

Let's begin with the dessert image then go clockwise direction.

Image 1: Charmant (near Huangpi Station)

The best thing I ate here is their desserts: Mango smoothie and iced pudding. I havent tasted a similar one yet in Manila, the crushed ice is incredibly thin and creamy. The iced pudding looks more like leche flan to me. If you're a dessert person, this one is a good choice.

Image 2: Cloud 9 Bar in Grant Hyatt Hotel, Jin Mao Tower (near Pearl TV Tower)

Instead of going to the top of Pearl TV Tower with 100RMB entrance fee, it is a better choice to go to this bar at 87th floor of Jin Mao Tower and eat in Cloud 9 Bar (advised by a friend). This bar is sort of a 4 or 5-star bar. The prices are quite high, actually one of my most expensive meals. I had the following for dinner: one small portion of lamb spring rolls, barbeque satay, peking duck chunks and fried tofu. Also ordered 2 scoops ice cream for dessert: amaretto and chocolate flavors. I think total costs me around P1400K. The ambiance's also good - it's dark in there :).

Image 3: Chamate in Super Brand Mall

I saw a lot of this resto in China (in Chinese, the name of the store is called I-Cha-I-Chwo). I had hot pot. Also tried goose and lamb meat. It was also my first time to eat fermented tofu too. (It's the popular food of the natives - smelly and rotten tofu fried in oil).

Image 4: Simply Thai in Xintiandi

It took me a long time to find this resto in Xintiandi. This Thai resto is voted as the Number1 Thai Resto in Shanghai so I decided to try it out. I ordered chicken pandan and pad thai with shrimps. Serving is huge and price is reasonably fair. Taste is also good.

*** If you happen to know of any good food, feel free to contact me anytime. Let's eat and be merry. :)

Welcome 2007!

Repost: I didnt notice this is in EST time. :)

It's the first day of the year! Wish everyone good health and happiness. :)