CONCERTS

i like going to concerts. the beauty of going to casino rama or even to niagara casino is after you have made your donations to the wheel of fortune slot machine welfare fund, there is a concert to go afterwards. some of the performing artists are stars who were well known during their hayday. they are the same performers who doesn't get an invitation to the oscar anymore. some of the artists are in my generation. their music suits my ears.

two weeks ago, i was able to watch a live taped concert in las vegas by celine dion. she is not in my generation but her performance during that concert is worth buying the cd. from the first song until the end, i was in "awe". the choreography and props were just amazing.

and so the other day, halfway of my lunch hour in sheppard/brimley, i came across a cd of celine dion's concert in las vegas selling for half price. i have been watching it many times now and i don't get tired watching over and over again especially the duet she did with mr. frank sinatra and the song is called "all the way". it really brings back memories.

let me tell you something, every time the show ends, i always stand up and clap my hands as if i am in a real concert.

nice to be remembered

today is my 57th year on this planet. as a tradition, i always take one of my lieu days and chill for the rest of the day.

people from 'pinas' called as early as 5:30a.m. and people around here started pouring in calls before 8a.m.

it is really nice to be remembered on your special day. it gives you the feeling that they love and care for you.

i hope i can celebrate more b-days in my life. with God's blessing and graces, i might be able to see my son's children children in the near distant future.

cheers for good health!!!!

ps. my 57th year "look"

cell phone

hello everybody, i'm back. sorry that it took me several days to touch my blog again. thanks to the blogger police and reminded me that i'm a little bit behind updating my blog.

anyway, last november, i've been discussing with the commander-in-chief about having my own cell phone. i have been using the company's provided cell phone ever since. mind you, i don't pay any cent for having that phone. last november, there was a plan that they will try to eliminate outside call from our cell phone. also, i have this feeling that our incoming and outgoing calls are being monitored. since communication among relatives and friends are very important, i decided to get my own as soon as i arrived from my short tour of "pinas".

luckily, francis changed phone and i inherited his old phone. he activated and got the phone no. for me as a birthday gift. i'm in the "pay as you go plan". since i learned texting when i was in "pinas", i text my brother boy every now and then for little things that needs attention. less expensive and you really have to decipher what the other party is trying to convey.

as always , phone owners change their phone as to adapt to the current trend. i'll be doing that eventually. in the meantime, i'm happy on what i got even though i need a hearing aid to what the other party is saying or put it on a speaker phone or eventually send a text message. is that right frank?

the COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF is back

last night the "commander" is back from california. she left the day (dec.28) after my arrival. we haven't really had the chance to talk because her mind was more focused to her sick brother in california.

it is now official, as of last night, my bachelorhood days are now over. i'm back to the normal flow of life here at 34. sometimes you need those changes to make your relationship better. being a bachelor for a month made me ponder on what to expect when time comes that one of us has to leave this world. it will be sad but then, one must accept that it is a reality.

about her brother, as of writing, he is out of the hospital and treatments are being done at home. collective and individual prayers are so powerful that the doctors were so amazed that he is still breathing since they have given him 48 hrs. to live. lets just hope that the healing grace of God will always shine upon him.

this afternoon, i went to my hairdresser and have my hair cut short almost to the roots. i decided that i will stop coloring my hair for awhile to give it a chance to be normal again. i really don't have any idea when will this last. it was a big difference. makes you wander, is it really worth?

happy b-day to tenga-lingling

today is the 63rd b-day (jan.6) of my brother dick a.k.a tenga-lingling (middle). one tough banana, very street wise and very emotional person. mom's favorite son ( i don't know why). the guy with a good taste in clothing and food.

tears flows easily when he wants to say words in a very sincere way. he is not that well lately due shortness of breathe. oxygen has been at his side most of the time now.

hopefully he will still be around when daddy's princes goes home for a visit. also, when his siblings reunite one more time in"pinas".

happy b-day utol!!

happy b-day to ate tessie

today is the birthday of my sister-in-law-tessie. i just like to wish her the very best on her b-day and hoping that she may celebrate more b-days on her life.

kuya boy and ate tessie were instrumental for my enjoyable stay in the philippines. they looked after me during my recuperating period from the episode of lbm. i was down for almost a week. thank you for the warm reception and accomodation.

foods for the season

today, trae was so good enough to teach me how to put pictures and attachments to my blog and e-mail. since "old fart" like me is a computer illiterate, i wrote down all the necessary steps and info that "teacher trae" has to offer.

since i promised that i'll be attaching pictures taken during my stay in the philippines in my very first blog, i have compiled pictures that are foods for the season.

the first picture is called "puto bungbong". this food comes during x'mas season. it is cook on a steaming kettle with two outlets where the "bungbong"(bamboo trunk) sits on those two outlets until the purple sticky rice is cooked. it is a snack that goes well with homemade "pandan"tea.

the second picture is called "sinigang na manok sa sampalok". you could have this kind of dish here in toronto but the difference is the chicken is native . when i say native, the chicken is out in the field, sort of a wild chicken. the taste is different compared to the local chicken you buy in the grocery store. the yellow stuff are tamarind leaves that brings up the taste of the dish. truly, i don't mind having this "sinigang na manok" almost everyday as long as the chicken is native and lots of tamarind leaves as veggies.

the third picture is the "imbutido" specialty of my sister-in-law tessie. you could have this dish here too, but this imbutido is a bit different because it comes only on special occassion. just like the x'mas "ham" that a guy i know cooks.

i hope i can post more pictures in the next day or so. i don't want to get stuck in the snow that hit toronto first week of december (to my fellow blogger-you know who i mean).