Our life is full of memories.  And looking back at those good times in the past has always been my favorite pastime.  Remembering how it was like growing in a big family of 7 and we have to share whatever is on the table; going to school in a parada; and bringing pride and joy to the family.  It definitely gives me a wonderful feeling that reconnects me to my youth and to my family.

But how would you feel if you gradually lose your memory?  How is it like to no longer remember those precious moments?  It is like taking half if not most of your life away.  People with Alzheimer’s Disease or AD must’ve faced a lot of emotional stress especially on the very moment when they are diagnosed to have the devastating and progressive organic brain disorder.  AD has become our nation’s sixth leading cause of death. This disease may run in the family but anyone who had previous head injuries could also be a possible candidate.

So, what can we do to help?  Let’s leave the researches and studies to the professionals.  We can help by becoming a part of any support grouop for AD.  Let’s start by taking part of the Alzheimer’s Memory Walk.  The Memory Walk is the Alzheimer’s Association’s signature event for awareness and fundraising for Alzheimer’s care, support and research.  You can volunteer, invite your friends or exercise buddies and form a team to join the 2-3 mile walk which will be held on a weekend morning in the fall.  You can visit this link to sign-up or to find the Memory Walk closest to you: Alzheimer’s Memory Walk.

So let’s get involved and get physically fit for a good cause!  Now is the time to reach out…

Beijing has finally welcomed the world to the Games of the 29th Olympiad with an Opening Ceremony which took place at the Beijing National Stadium which is affectionately known as the Bird’s Nest.  To the eyes of the Chinese, the omens were good.   The ceremony started at 8pm on the 8th of the 8th month of the year 2008 – auspicious in a country where eight is the luckiest number.

A splendid fireworks display burst forth from the Bird’s Nest and lit up the night sky with brilliant colors.  It was witnessed by the maximum capacity of 91,000 people in the stadium with another 4 billion potential spectators worldwide.  It was thought to be as the largest, costliest extravaganza in Olympic history, bookended by barrages of some 30,000 fireworks.

To the beat of sparkling explosions, the crowd counted down the final seconds before the show began.  A sea of drummers—2,008 in all—pounded out rhythms with their hands, then acrobats on wires gently wafted down into the stadium as rockets shot up into the night sky from its rim.

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Chinese people believe that the number 8 is the luckiest number.  This could be enough luck for a family in Fergus Falls who is welcoming a baby girl born on the 8th day of the 8th month of the year 2008 at exactly 8:08 am at Lake Region Hospital.

And it just gets interesting when they weighed Hailey Jo Hauer.  And you’re not going to believe what she weighed.  Yes!  She weighs 8 pounds and 8 ounces!

It is indeed a one in a million chance.  Many think it was just mere coincidence or sheer luck and several hospital staff resolved to buy lottery tickets later that day.  Would you?

It is one of those things that I look forward to in every fiesta in every places.  Apart from the fun of seeing a big crowd gathering in one place, screaming while taking a deep breath upon riding the ferris wheel, or even the excitement of winning your bet on huldam, it is these boiled peanuts that I’m after for.

When I arrive here in the US, I didn’t expect to see boiled peanuts.  Afterall, we have different cuisine and different style of prep.  But when we lived in the south – North Carolina, Florida and Georgia, it came to my awareness that the same style of preparing peanuts is not just a favorite snack down there but is also infact the official snack food in South Carolina.

In the south, boiling peanuts is a folk cultural practice.  When peanut crops would come in, unsold peanuts are then boiled.  Extended family, friends and neighbors would gather around the peanut boil for a celebration of the harvest.  When I was in Tallahassee, every Friday is a treat that is because it is on this day that vendors would put up their large barrel filled with boiling hot water and peanuts.  I was so excited when Travis first brought me some when he came home from work.

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I have always been a Harry Potter book and movie fan.  I have been following Harry’s adventure in every flip of the books’ pages.  It was fun and I can’t wait to see this next sequel.

The teaser trailer for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has debuted online, and offers a glimpse at what’s in store for everyone’s favourite boy wizard.

The first look at author J.K. Rowling’s sixth installment in the Potter saga arrives ahead of the film’s November release. Read the rest of this entry »

I have been making this recipe for about a year now.  This turned out to be one of my specialties.  Although each batch of pork chops is different every time I cook it, it has never failed me and it always turns out to be perfect!  The breading doesn’t fall off the meat and the meat cuts almost like butter that you don’t need a steak knife to slice it.  What’s more important is that, these pork chops are baked so it is healthier than those that are fried or grilled.  I have shared this reciipe to my sisters and it turned out well for them too.  My sister- Rorie in Florida has prepared this last week with an attempt to use the available chicken breasts in her fridge, she substituted the pork chops with chicken breasts.  Adding extra 5 minutes, it turned out perfect! The images above are my sisters’ version of this recipe. Click on the image to zoom in.

Thanks to Emeril Lagasse of Food Network for giving me this scrumptious recipe that has delighted every single person who has tasted it.

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He has always been different.  Even before when he was still a baby, he has manifested the qualities of being smart.  It makes me smile to recall that at an early age of two, he already know who invented the telescope, the monetary unit of japan and 20 more trivias like that.  Not only that he possesses sheer intelligence; he too is very talented.  He can sing, dance and yes act.  He has the looks to back it all up.

He finished his elementary at Holy Rosary School of Pardo and studied in Pope John XXIII Seminary in Mabolo for his secondary education.  He has developed his confidence without being braggart.  In the surface, he’s shy but cool.  But he knows what he is capable of and he knows what he can achieve.

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Man existed to pursue his own happiness.  We are motivated to do something because it will make us happy.  We tend to make decisions with happiness at the back of our heads.  Just like in Marriage, we marry the person who we think will give us the feeling of happiness.  We marry someone who makes us feel good about ourselves. Our daily actions are directed to our ultimate goal of being happy.

I have always been a selfless person.  Tatay and Nanay (my father and mother) taught me that.  I put everyone else especially my significant others ahead of me.  My happiness rely on them.  If they are happy, then I am happy.  It was a big mistake.

For the past days, as different encounters start to unravel, I have realized that my happiness does not  depend on other people’s happiness.  It should come from within and let it shine to others.  I have the capacity to pursue my happiness and I will do just that.

I will be happy because I can.

After I made an entry about Acquiring a Schengen Visa, google search has brought enough traffic to my site.  Many people came to my site to find answers to their questions.  Because of this, I am setting up a Schengen Visa FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) based on the searches they made on google that lead them to my site.  Hope this will be a good help.

Can I travel by road, boat or plane to other countries with a Schengen Visa?

Yes.  You can use whatever means of travel you prefer as long as the country you are visiting is a member of the Schengen organization.  According to the so-called Schengen agreement, tourist and business visas issued by a mission of one of the following countries are valid for travel to Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.  As of 21 December 2007, 24 states and Monaco (treated as part of France) had abolished border controls on persons among themselves, an increase from 15 on 20 December 2007. The nine new countries which entered the Schengen travel area in 2007 were: the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. Switzerland has finally joined the Schengen Agreement last December 12, 2008.

Can I change my main destination after I get my Schengen Visa?

Yes.  You can change your main destination or even your port of entry even after your got stamped for Schengen Visa.  When I applied for Schengen Visa, I presented a plane ticket reservation to enter and exit Amsterdam.  When I got my visa, I found a better airfare deal and I can fly sooner if I enter Brussels, Belgium and exit Amsterdam, The Netherlands.  So, I took that flight and had no problems whatsoever with the Immigration Officer.

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Yesterday I posted about the first dish that I prepared for Travis with the mention of the Kip Saté a La Mina recipe. When Travis arrived home from work, he had with him all the ingredients I needed to cook the Kip Saté.  So, I decided to prepare it for dinner and Travis loved it! He is not very good in words but his plate speaks more than words.  It was totally clean and spotless! So, I am sharing you this recipe courtesy of my sister-Rema Beckers.  It is a chicken dish with peanut butter sauce.  The recipe is a home-made invention so measurements are based on your own judgement.  I played it by eye and tasted it every now and then.  It turned out perfect.  It’s a delicious, simple and easy meal for everyone to enjoy.

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