Wonderful Wednesday

It's a wonderful Wednesday indeed! Aside from the fact that I have less sleep, I'm really happy with whatever had happened today. One thing I wanna share to you is my invention dish. I named it, Chicken in Pineapple Juice!

Let me share a quick background of this dish. My friend cooked this when he was staying at my apartment. He never told me how it was cooked, so I kinda "experimented" on how I'm gonna end up with that dish.

Before anything else, I wanna tell you that I won't be able to upload photos of the dish. My cam would ruin the awesomeness of the dish, so I decided not to take any photo. If I'll have a better cam next time, I promise to publish it here.

Moreover, I wanna warn you that I'm not really good at cooking. I might give you inaccurate measurements of the ingredients. I suggest you follow your intuition if you're going to try this dish. Hehe!

Lastly, I'm not promoting any company for this dish. You can use any product that you wanted and you preferred. I guess you knew more than I do when it comes to cooking, so again, trust your instinct. :)



So.. let's get this started!

The ingredients I used were:

1 small onion
5 cloves of garlic
1/2 kl of chicken (drumsticks)
powdered juice (pineapple flavor)
3 to 4 tablespoons of soy sauce
salt and pepper for seasoning

Procedure:

1. Prepare your pineapple juice. Dissolve two tablespoons of pineapple powder in a glass of water. Make sure that you'll use enough water to soften and cook the chicken. You can add more pineapple juice powder if you want more sweetness.

TIP: You can also use those ready-made pineapple juices in cans. (Like Del Monte Pineapple or whatever) Just don't put too much water that might remove it's taste in the dish. 

2. Mix your chopped garlic, onion, and chicken in a frying pan. You can also use pots if you don't have any pan that's deep enough to hold much water.

3. Add four tablespoons of soy sauce.

4. Add your pineapple juice.

5. Cook until the chicken is soften. It could take about 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the class of meat you've bought.

6. Season with salt and pepper. If needed, you can add more soy sauce. Again guys, it depends on your preference.

NOTE: It's faster to cook younger chicken meat than those from adult ones. According to the Internet. Hehe! 

AND YOU'RE DONE!

I admit, it will look like a simple chicken adobo. However, the taste of the pineapple juice should overpower the taste of the soy sauce. That's actually the twist in that dish. :)



So.. here's another Filipino dish with a sweet twist. If you're gonna try this, hope you'll tell me what happened.



Thanks for reading! :D



 PS: This is dish #1 for my bucket list! ♥



Love,
Ayin

The Art of LDR

Everyone hates that phrase. Long distance relationships. It's usually associated with unlimited fights, awful arguments, betrayal, and treachery. Come to think of it, not all LDR's ends with breakups. It depends on you, two people, who could make it last.


What makes LDR's fail? Let me give you a hint on some of the things I was frightened years ago.

Love at Proximity 

I've read an article before and it says relationships start 'cause of each other's presence. If you had much time with that person, you could start to care and to love and to treasure them.

It happens all the time. I myself is a witness to that. There were some who only love a person while they're near you. Others think they'll stop loving him/her when you're having geographical problems. Others think that their partner would find someone more attractive wherever they are. The truth is, if love is true, distance won't make you feel abandoned.

Insecurities 

Our partners will meet someone new once they've been working away from us. Let's deal with that. Yes, he/she might tell you who's adorable, who's the sweetest, who's the sexiest. There were times that we might feel insecure, and might start to doubt about the things our partner have been doing there.

Lack of trust


I could've listed lots of reasons here, but it all ends up with that phrase. Lack of trust makes LDR impossible! As long as you've been doubting about your partner's love and loyalty, you don't have to expect a happy and stronger relationship amidst the distance.




I know and I understand that being away from your partner is so darn hard. However, you can make this work! Believe me!

NEVER cut your communication.

It's OK if he/she's been telling you how great his/her new work was. Or how nice her seatmate/office-mate was. Or if he/she told you he/she had a great time with office-mates. He/She should still have a social life. I'm sure you'll have tons of stories to share too, right?

Keep the communication open. Don't hesitate to tell him/her that you've had a bad day, that you need to hear his/her voice to be comfortable again. Speak of sweet things whenever possible. Call to say 'Good morning', or just to ask him/her if he/she has eaten already. Simple text messages mean a lot, guys! Send emails. If possible, send snail mails. Social media gave you lots of chances to send your thoughts to you partner wherever you are and whatever you do.

REMAIN Loyal

You won't start doubting your partner's relationships if you're not doing something wrong, too. Yes, there's no harm in making friends, but please set your limits. Don't forget you're in a relationship. Let friends be friends. Not friends with benefits or other than that.

Don't PROVOKE any conflict.

He didn't text you on time? Might be he was rendering overtime at work. She didn't call when she told you she'll do? Maybe she fell asleep as soon as she come home. It's never hard to understand your situations, people. Ne matured enough to strengthen your relationship. Don't act like high school students who were falling in love for the first time.

NURTURE the Love 

How would you do that? Keep on doing the three things mentioned above. That's how you'll nurture the love. If possible, set a date when you could see each other. Use that time wisely, and don't waste a chance to tell him/her how much you missed him/her. Don't forget to assure your partner that your love won't fade amidst the distance. Let those assurance be your guide in the days that you're not together.




LDR's aren't that bad. It depends on your commitment. Let's make this work people! We'll avoid broken hearts and drunken nights in the end! :D




Love,
Huntress

The Daily Post: Now? Later!

My coffee-free week starts tomorrow.

I've been quite successful in reducing my coffee intake for the past two weeks after my consultation with the gastroenterologist. I believe my so-called condition was getting better, and I decided to TOTALLY remove caffeine in my system. I planned to start that cleansing today. But, never mind. XD

I am so, so sleepy. Two hours of sleep for the whole day shuts my minds and made me feel so weak. My only remedy? A cup of coffee. *sigh*

Forgive me for procrastinating today. I just needed to be awake for the next 9 hours. Back to work, yah know. ^_^


 Oh by the way, my blogs are mainly my favorite procrastination destination.




Love,
Huntress

Goodness Campaign

Who wouldn't be tired of all the negativity that are spread out through different media? It is, indeed, time to focus on the brighter side of life. I assure you, you won't hurt your eyes in doing so. *wink

Kate's post for her Wacky Wednesday made me realize that we're a bit lucky. Well, I guess we're lucky.

Yes, there were LOTS of negative things broadcasted in our media. People were killed. Rape cases. Politicians abusing their positions. Overseas Filipino workers that were deported or killed. Well, if I'm gonna state all of those negative news here, you'll definitely close my post as early as this point.

What I love about the Philippine media is their constant pursuit of finding good news to the people. I've heard a recent story of a man from Sultan Kudarat who invented an injection against cocolisap, the pest that destroys coconut trees. As stated on the news, the plant vaccine was composed of decaying plants, insects, and molasses.

I also remembered the news about how Catholics have been expecting Pope Francis' visit at the victims of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan, international name). Since Philippines is considered a Catholic country, the much-awaited visit of the pope would help a lot in their recovery after the typhoon.

If you could notice, I've stated more bad news than good ones. My main reason is that I could remember more of the bad news than the other. Just like Kate's plea, I also hope that the broadcasting networks would focus on the most important news. Moreover, they should add stories about doing good and being good. :D

Bottomline is, we should believe in goodness. It still exists in our cruel world.



Love,
Huntress

Special As It Is

"Time is gold."


I've heard that motto for a million times, especially when I was in high school. Our EMIS (classroom identities, something like that) won't be complete without a student saying that his/her motto is the one above. The question is, "How do we really value our time?" 


My weekend gave me some important lessons on how I am wasting my time. Continue reading, fellas. You might relate yourself in some of these thoughts.


1. I'm stuck in a job that's prohibiting me to become productive.

Yes, auditing tasks are very routinary. No challenge at all. Well, the fun really begins when I have to replace the void comments. That time, I'll feel like I'm just an ordinary OWL member. I'll be searching for new blogs, think about the comments that I'll write, and then post it at after editing.

I've been looking for other opportunities for the past year, but I was missing great opportunities 'cause I can't prioritize what I really desire. Sleepless shifts makes me lazy, thus I waste interviews and exams that were scheduled for me.

It's such a waste of time, I know that. And now, I learned my lesson.

 
2. I'm far from my family, missing all the love in the world.

When you're down and lonely, you'll be thinking of how your parents would've comforted yu if they're near. Before, I thought it was craziness, since we don't talk about sad things. But now, I realized how I miss my parent's messages during my down times.

I've always wanted to go back where I belong. But I'm afraid of going back to my comfort zone. It fears me that I'm not a part of their everyday living. And it scares me to be a burden to them once I return without anything beneficial.


3. I've wasted some years of my life thinking about myself.

It's now time to reach out. It's now time to help. Life isn't as long as we wanted. It's like a smoke that easily disappears.



Let this post be a reminder of how I'll be doing things differently this time. New lifestyle. New hobby. New workout. Definitely, a new time to reach out.



Love,
Huntress

Poetry Play

I can’t find a way to come near to you

‘Cause you look so far away.

I can’t find the courage to talk to you

‘Cause I’m speechless when you stay..

I can’t even look into your eyes,

‘Cause you might see the pain I hide.

I can’t tell you how much you mean to me,

‘Cause I’m afraid to see you walk away from me.

It’s been years, for your information

Years of loving from afar without hesitation.

I’ve been here all this time, waiting,

Just a glance my dear, and I’m falling again.


-- a poem that could be found on my new story, Hunting the Blitz.



Love,
Huntress

B.A.D. | Forgetful Friday

Forgiving is easy. Forgetting is another story.

 

That's one of my mantras in life. It's hard to forget those things that caused you pain, happiness, and various feelings. However, there are times that you have to try so hard to forget in order to survive.


My blog followers knew how devastated I was last year. Those people who hurt me are still, honestly, lingering in my mind from time to time. I don't know why. Even if I try to forget them, I just can't.


Let's talk about the guy first. Spending my life with him for the past one and a half year gave me lots of memories to ponder on. All those smiles, those travels, and those happy moments. I admit, it's not easy to delete them in my heart.


I always felt his lack of trust throughout the months that we're together. He doesn't believe me if I tell him I'm not having extra affairs with anyone else. Then, I actually gave up. I honestly waited for the day when he'll just tell me that he doesn't love me anymore. I guess, the separation would be easier if it ended that proper.


It was that September morning when we had a fight. It was about a text message from the girl he was "flirting" with. At first, he doesn't want to admit it. But when I started packing my bags and left, he told me he wanted to talk to me.


It was all bullshit talking. He doesn't want to get straight to the point. And I gues my heart had been expecting that. I cried, for a few minutes, then I was ready to face the world again.


Lastly, the girl. She knew the guy was taken. But she still pursued. I guess, that's what bitches are for. Snatching other's partner in life.


It's been six months, and I can honestly say I have forgiven them both. I am wishing them complete happiness together, and that's really sincere. What I wanted to forget is the happiness that we've shared together, so that I don't have anything left to reminisce.


I wanna forget the day that I met him on the streets.


I wanna forget those nights that I slept with him.


I wanna forget those days that I woke up in his arms.


There were lots of things to forget.


And most importantly, lots of lessons learned.




Love,
Huntress

B.A.D | Throwback Thursday

It's driving me insane when I look at my childhood pictures. Unfortunately, we have lost all our childhood photos due to Typhoon Remind (Typhoon Durian) last November 2006.

It was until my cousin posted this photo on her Facebook account. The baby was her, and that cute little girl was me.

Photo courtesy of Mhien. :)

Years have passed now, and I changed a lot. I wish I could go back in time and be as cute and charming as I was when I was 4 years old. ^_^


What about your TBT story? :))



Love,
Huntress

Bucket List?!?! O_O

Finding it hard to finish your bucket list? I know how it feels!

Your interest may change through the years. Your bucket list may change as you change your preference and interests. Your list might grow longer each day as you realize you wanted to achieve more.

Here's a glimpse of my bucket list. I would like to remind you (and myself) that the list isn't final yet. I'll definitely add more goals in the future, and try to accomplish each and every one of them!

I divided them into three categories, but I can see some that are interrelated to each other. Just don't  mind the categories! Take some time in checking my bucket list! :D

Personal Goals
1. Finish grad school, both masters degree and doctorate degree.
2. Finish accountancy or journalism.
3. Find a stable job.
4. Get a job at one of the biggest multimedia networks in the Philippines.
5. Earn that 6 to 8 digit income.
6. Construct a house for my parents.
7. Buy a condo unit for myself.
8. Complete the House of Night series.
9. Complete the Left Behind series.
10. Complete the Dark Angel Trilogy.
11. Get a copy of all the books written by Dan Brown.
12. Enjoy a spa day.
13. Finish 100 novels.
14. Finish 500 short stories.
15. Publish 1M blog post.
16. Volunteer for a good cause.
17. Learn to cook five new recipes.
18. Be published!
19. Design my new home.
20. Be fit and fab!
21. Enroll in a fitness center.
22. Take a Zumba class.
23. Take yoga sessions.
24. Schedule for an acupuncture appointment.
25. Get a henna tattoo.
26. Grow a garden.
27. Bake a cake.
28. Bake some brownies.
29. Compose a song.
30. Upload a video at YouTube.
31. Record covers of my favorite songs.
32. Buy a piano.
33. Buy a guitar.
34. Buy those drums and learn how to play them properly.
35. Learn to play the violin.
36. Be a manager.
37. Be a supervisor.
38. Be a part of the music team.
39. Be a member of the choir.
40. Get leadership assignments at church.
41. Be the presider.
42. Report another chapter in the morning prayer.
43. Organize a youth summer camp.
44. Sponsor a youth summer camp.
45. Reconnect with an old friend.
46. Schedule a reunion with college friends.
47. Forgive those bullies from elementary and high school.
48. Get annual dental cleaning.
49. Own a restaurant.
50. Have a picnic with my family.
51. Visit and donate to an orphanage.
52. Movie marathon alone.
53. Take photos everyday.
54. Take lots of photos.
55. Make new friends.
56. Kiss in the rain.
57. Write 50 movie reviews.
58. Write 50 book reviews.
59. Write 50 wine reviews.
60. Write 50 product reviews.
61. Write 50 restaurant reviews.
62. Read a classic book.
63. Interview a writer.
64. Interview a celeb.
65. Research a family tree.
66. Find the love of my life.
67. Marry.
68. Have children.
69. Witness and be present at significant moments of my child’s life.
70. Create a home with an inviting, comfortable, loving atmosphere.
71. Live long enough to meet my grandchildren.
72. Make a difference in at least one person’s life.
73. Read the Bible from cover to cover.
74. Write a report about all the chapters of the Bible.
75. Learn sign Language.
76. Learn new languages.
77. Pray and fast for a week.

Adventurous Endeavors
1. Ride a roller coaster.
2. Go rock climbing.
3. Go wall climbing.
4. Go ice skating.
5. Climb a mountain.
6. Go scuba diving.
7. Learn gun shooting.
8. Play paintball.
9. Learn taekwondo/MMA.
10. Win an arnis match.
11. Go skydiving.
12. Go canoeing or kayaking
13. Complete a jig-saw puzzle.
14. Ride a ferris wheel.
15. Participate in a color run.
16. Finish a fun run.
17. Go to a bar and party like there's no tomorrow.
18. Attend a gig.
19. Go zip lining.
20. Try the treetop adventure.
21. Shouting at the mountain top.
22. Visit a local museum.
23. Carve something into a tree.
24. Go rollerblading.
25. Throw a party.
26. Crash a party.
27. Finish the Candy Crush Saga
28. Get the 2048 tile.
29. Attend a random concert.
30. Go to a wine tasting bar.
31. Wear a “Free Hugs” shirt at the mall.
32. Play some tennis/badminton/volleyball.
33. Face paint.
34. Bury a friend in the sand.
35. Be buried in the sand.
36. Enter a horror house alone.
37. Have a photo shoot in the rain.
38. Learn a unicycle.
39. Learn to drive a car.
40. Learn to drive a motorcycle.
41. Drive on a race track.
42. Talk to your crush.
43. Drive faster than 140 mph.

Seeing the World
1. Visit Jerusalem. (A must)
2. Attend the Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro.
3. Get a job at London or Italy.
4. Ride on a cruise.
5. Go on a Europe tour.
6. Take a picture at the Great Wall of China.
7. Do a selfie at Taj Mahal.
8. Have fun at Hong Kong Disneyland.
9. Spend the weekend at Hollywood.
10. Visit a public bath at Japan.
11. Travel to an unknown place overseas.
12. Visit the Eiffel Tower.
13. Eat at the most prestigious restaurant at France.
14. Visit Museum of Modern Art.
15. Walk at the Illuminati Path.
16. Celebrate a foreign holiday.
17. Ride a double-decker bus in Europe.
18. Hire a cab in Russia.
19. Visit Vatican City.
20. Go to the Natural History Museum in London.
21. See the Hobbit Huts in New Zealand.
22. Circumnavigate the globe.
23. Walk through the Japanese Tunnel of Lights.
24. Visit Niagara Falls.
25. Learn how to use chopsticks.
26. Ride in a Gondola! (Venice, Italy)
27. Visit the Walk of Fame.
28. A glimpse of the UNESCO Heritage Sites
29. Take a picture with the kangaroos of Australia.
30. Bond with the wild animals in Safari.
31. Santorini, Greece


As I've said a while ago, this list isn't final!

Let's see what activities and goals would be added in the future.

Most importantly, what activities would be done in the next days.

So excited?

Take the quiz too! http://www.buzzfeed.com/ariannarebolini/what-should-you-cross-off-your-bucket-list-next

Let's do this! XD



Love,
Huntress

Zup?

Who would have thought that June have passed so fast? I can still remember how awesome that month was. Sadly, it’s all gone now. All that’s left are the memories of the past 30 days.

I would like to give you some recap of my blessed month. For the record, June is my birth month. I’ve received tons of gifts, tangible and intangible, all throughout the month. Wanna have a glimpse of them? Just continue reading. *wink

June 1 – Home Sweet Home!

In my previous blog, my readers knew that I traveled back to my hometown for my birthday celebration. We arrived at 6am, all tired and crap. It was a long and winding journey, you know. Twelve hours of travel is pretty much exhausting.

That afternoon, I attended the youth fellowship at our church. Their warm smiles and hugs made me long for more of their presence. I can’t wait to be with them again. I wanted to join the music team again. Please I beg you my Lord! Make a way! In God’s time! ^_^

June 2 – Happy birthday to me!

Photo posted on my FB page during my birthdate. :D Such a crazy morning...

Aside from my birthday, that’s the date when Audie and I are officially together again. Well, it was my idea. He just agreed.

It’s not a grand celebration, but I am so happy to be with my family on that special day. It’s not like the old times, when I spend most of the time at a mall and ate at a fine dining restaurant. Makes me feel how I missed those people I’ve abandoned for so long.

June 6 – The Reunion

"No hard drinks for the kids." At Graceland with the two lovely ladies. :D

They’ve been very busy with their lives, yet I am so happy to have some time with Grace and Ainie. They were my closest friends during my high school and college days. It was hours of talking, reminiscing, and laughing. It’s just refreshing to be with them. No stress. No pressure. I enjoy being the old me. :)

June 8 – Baby Love

Photo courtesy of Audie's FB profile. :D

We had a chance to bond again after a week of being apart. As usual, our days were full of fun, laughter, bluffs, and love.

A week passed already, but I’m still on a state of shock. Who would have thought the man who used to disregard me would come back and fix things between us? It was really amazing! It was one of the best birthday present that I had!

We might be facing various problems and issues today, but we know we could surpass all of them. Aja! ^_^

June 15 – New Housemate

Yes. My sister’s boyfriend is my new housemate. Well, he’s planning to move out by next week. Hmm. I’m still waiting for his final decision. ;)

June 24 – New Blog

Hello blogspot. :D

I started this blog, “Thinking about Thoughts” last 24^th of June. At first, I wanted to separate my non-sense posts with my crafts, but then I thought it’s already time to stay clear of those internet trolls who’ve been pestering me for the previous months. Hello “a-bit-of” privacy! :D

I am also planning to post my stories here, but I don’t have much time to translate the Tagalog ones to English. I badly need more time. :)

Oh wait! I won't end this post without acknowledging my new favorite telenovela, My Love From A Star. :D

So..

 

I just shared some of the highlights of the month. I guess I don’t want to talk about office stress ‘cause it might ruin the celebration of the post. Uh? I said that already, right? Hmm. Never mind.
 

I am so excited for my July adventures! I just hope all those planned quests would be pursued. Hehe! Let’s start with my Daranak adventure this weekend! Woohoo! Excited much! :D

That’s all for today. I’ll just start the translations and post a story tomorrow.

Ciao!

Love,

Huntress