"Graduation" Special Treat

We're making it a point to celebrate milestones. We decided to dine at Lore again after the "ceremony". We had the restaurant practically to ourselves since we arrived after the lunch hour rush. It was such a treat to dine there again since I wanted to try their other dishes. Miggy ordered his favorite five spice chicken. I got the liempo and Sweetie got the chorizo hamonado. We also got molo soup and adobo rice to complete our meal.

Everything was cooked perfectly. The hawflakes sauce complements the five spice chicken superbly. I tried the sauce on the liempo and it was excellent. The vinegar that came with the chorizo hamonda was sumptuous. I really like adding vinegar to what I eat. I learned that from my Dad. The serving was good for 3 and the food extended to dinner (leftovers). 

As we were finishing our late lunch, Chef Tatung arrived. Sweetie "heard" him first, so he looked behind and told me that Chef Tatung just entered the restaurant. He passed by our table several times. I eventually had the courage to say hello and ask if we could have a photo. He gamely said yes and we had a short chat with him. 

That was a special treat for us. We've been watching his cooking videos since we were in Singapore. I have all his cookbooks and have tried making a few of his dishes. Aside from Lore, we also celebrated my birthday in his home in Antipolo. The food was really good, the location is just so far (haha), so Lore has been a good alternative to go to. Maybe in time we'll brave the traffic and try his other restos. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

The Future I Wanted for My Son

I couldn't sleep last night again. I was thinking about Miggy and his future. He had finished his schooling and was about to start a new phase when the pandemic happened. I gave him the independence he wanted so he could learn the ropes. I did that after I graduated and I was adamant about making my own career decisions. 

I had a lot of challenges growing up. Our generation missed a lot of school because of protests, the EDSA revolution, coup d'etats and typhoons. We oftentimes didn't have electricity at night so I had to do my homework by candlelight. It was a small sacrifice compared to what my parents went through, war and martial law. 

I told myself I'll work hard to make it easier for my son. I was hopeful he could have better opportunities in his future. I wanted him to be able to do whatever he wanted. I realized that after you graduate from school there's really a lot you can do. I plotted my path carefully and thought that was what I would do forever. I later on realized that it is a huge, huge world and there are a lot of things you can do. 

And since I had the opportunity to help pave a different future for my son, I worked really hard to contribute programs that would benefit a lot of people. I developed communities, introduced new technologies and also got to work on crisis response. The work paid off and I saw how it helped others and how it benefited a lot of aspects. I was happy because I felt it would provide a nice baseline for Miggy to work on. 

The landscape has certainly changed especially in the last two years. A lot of people would ask me how come I allowed Miggy to go back home after finishing his schooling in Singapore. He wanted to do his thing back home. I did not have it in my heart to keep him from growing. I cannot help but be worried though. What would his future look like now that things are stalled because of the pandemic? What will happen to the younger generation who are cooped up at home? 

We can certainly work on things that we can control (the micro-level). It would be immensely helpful also if the macro-level would be in order too. I can just hope and pray that my prayers for a better future for us and our country will be answered. 

CB////*Yr2/183 #StuckAtHomeDay/Yr2/204 #NewG264 #Home23 #Xmas75 #StayHome #BeKind

A Crazy Day `Twas

What happens when you play badminton after a one-year hiatus? Have dinner twice in one night? Do a podcast at 2 in the morning at Marc's ehem, er place? And then get home just about the time when the roosters tiktilaok? And then after just an hour you get up for one of the milestones in your son's life? Of course, the lack of sleep would definitely warp everything up. A crazy day `twas.


6:00 a.m.

Scratching one's eyes to clear out the morning dew isn't enough. You still won't see the road clearly.

6:45 a.m.

You get a great parking spot which you'll definitely lose coz you have to rush off for a meeting in the middle of graduation rites.

7:00 a.m.

You fall asleep on your laptop at the school canteen while waiting for the ceremony to start.

8:15 a.m.

Emo as you see your son in their graduation processional. My baby!!!

8:25 a.m.

The fab parking slot is taken even before you exit the area. Urg!

8:35 a.m.

You find yourself in Station 168, an internet cafe in BF Homes and think you must've fallen in a portal coz everyone in the cafe is Korean! I want my mommy!!!

10:30 a.m.

You speed through a red light. Sorry Mr. Policeman!

12:00 p.m.

Just as you munch on some yummy fried chicken, your boss looks for you. Oh noh he's here!

1:00 p.m.

You find yourself strutting in a posh hotel and trying not nod off to sleep as you wait for your meeting.

1:30 to 3:00 p.m.

Nose-bleeding from speaking English too much. LOL.

3:00 to 4:00 p.m.

You end up de-stressing by window shopping at Glorietta. You text a friend to get you out of the place!

5:00 p.m.

Finally home, you just conk out and forget about everything!

9:30 p.m.

Couldn't stop crying over Brian's death (Celine's husband in MSKM hihihi)

11:29 p.m.

Oh no! Where did that new pair of shoes come from?