Will Facebook Age Me Out?

Facebook is addicting and if you're reading this, you're probably addicted as I am. But nevertheless, facebook is like a life book. Life unfolds itself through your friend's walls and that it's like your morning newspaper which you kind of need a daily dose of to start your day.

We greet friends, share links and occassionaly be naughty, comical, informative or newsy (nosey ?) as we see fit. Sometimes we try to be subtle with quotes and messages hoping that friends can read between the lines.

Every event in one's life as posted in facebook, is part and parcel of one's growth . Like a ballgame, a step, an episode, a battle, Life is a series of success and failures. It is not the answered prayer, but in the waiting or expecting of an answer. It is not in the winning a sport, but how it is played. Every event becomes meaningful especially if shared in a venue called FACEBOOK.

As I read messages/news posted on my wall, I smile at the happy ones, and feel for the not so pleasant ones, Then I recalled an exercise I had when taking a nursing class in Ohio. And it went something like this.

The exercise was to write on 5 separate sheets , the 5 most important things in your life (exclude God in the equation) starting with 5 as the least important building up to number 1 as the ultimate most important one .. So I listed down my answers in 5 separate sheets and placed them right in front of me.

Then she told us to take the number 5 sheet, and I looked at the word 'CAREER', “Crample the paper,” she said “then throw it away. Now close your eyes. If you lost that , HOW WOULD YOU FEEL?!”
Career to me was important because it lifted my self-esteem; it was a source of income and it was a venue for creating friends. But loosing it was no big deal. I still had several fall back positions.

Then our teacher said, take number 4, I looked at the word 'MONEY' , “Crample it,” she said, “ then throw it away. Now close your eyes. If you lost that, HOW WOULD YOU FEEL?!”
Even if you didn't have a job but had savings, then it was all right. Though, money is relative, when you have lots of it, you have lots of relatives, well sort of. Money can be liberating and make you feel self sufficient from this materialistic world, so I thought. But even if I lost all of it, I still had 3 more buffer to go.

Then she again said, take your number 3 paper, I looked at the word “HEALTH'. By then she told us to look carefully at what we wrote, “ crample the paper,” she said “ think again for a few minutes. If you lost this, HOW WOULD YOU FEEL?!”
Health is wealth, so even if I didn't have money, for as long as I am able bodied to do what needs to be done and not be a burden to anyone, then I am okay. For as long as I am still useful then everything is fine. Or so I thought.

Then our teacher looked intently at each and everyone of us, as if allowing us to prepare ourselves for something. Then she told us take the fourth piece of paper which supposedly contained the second most important thing in our lives. I looked at the word FAMILY and FRIENDS. Then she said, “crush that piece and throw it away. What if the most treasured family, or the most treasured friend is taken away from you , HOW WOULD YOU FEEL?”

There is nothing more fulfilling than being accepted by your own family even without money to share nor achievements to boast. And often, friends can even be considered family because of the emotional affinity. With no job, money or afflicted of failing health, family will always be there by your side . But what if your very own family starts to shun you and even despises your presence? The thought of such a scenario brought tears to my eyes. My chest tightened and I started to heave sighs of sadness at the thought of a life without family, without the love of children, without the cares of relatives or even the concerns of friends. I tried wiping the snot that was flowing through my nostrils, and even with my eyes closed, the tears incessantly flowed. At this point, the stillness of the room was overcome with heavy sighs, nose blowings and faint signs of sobbing.

Finally the teacher said, “take that last piece of paper which you considered the MOST IMPORTANT ITEM in you life. Look at it well,” Then through misty eyes, I looked at my scribbly writing of the word, 'SENSES'. My teacher then said, “This is the hardest to let go and accept, but think very well for a few minutes, slowly crush that piece of paper. If that is taken away from you, HOW WOULD YOU FEEL?”

Without a job, money or health and no family member or friend who even cared, I am all alone. And worst of all, without the proper functions of my five senses , I would not be able to see the beauty of creation, taste the richness of food, hear the calmness of the ocean, feel the warmth of the weather nor even smell the freshness of the surroundings. Life would have no meaning then. It will even be harder to accept the thought of losing ones mind to Alzheimers or Dementia. I was sobbing like a baby as the thought of myself feeling hopeless, helpless and useless dawned on me. Am I categorically allowed to say, “Can I please die NOW?”

The fate of aging is inevitable. It cannot be postponed or cancelled. It will come. How it will present to us, we'll never know until it knocks itself at our doorstep. It is up to us how we shall accept the unwanted. I don't know myself. I will probably treat it like a blind date, from now on, I will accept it as fate.....fatebook anyone?



at the MOMA, when you think you are...

Being Tambokingking is OK

One day my hubby and I were browsing over the pictures we took in one of our 'laag' episodes. There were lots of silly poses, memorable places and people craziness . Then it went to a picture of me in full frame complete with boots and coat get up.

I smiled at myself thinking how chunky I had become from being someone so lanky and malnourished looking into a gorgeous solid piece of gummy scultpure. With a smile, I looked at my hubby. His lips twitched and pouted which gave me the impression of thoughtless abandon as if to say, “Is this the woman I married? Boy, she's changed—well, I mean, sideways that is.” My grin turned into a quizzical, brows meeting look.

Did my hubby want me to be six again—well size six that is? Or did he want me to be like my daughter's size when I was her age and which was a '1'. But it took me thirty years to be the size I am today! Did he want me to shrink back in 30 days? You must be joking!!!! At this point in my life, I wish I was counting accomplishments rather than pounds.

Then again, I think to myself. Why make myself look like everyone else? I am not opting to appear in any film , nor am I going to be in the cover of “Vogue” or “Penthouse” for that matter. Besides all those women in magazines have magical formulas which they call 'Adobe Photoshop”.

Why will I expose myself to a lot of suffering just to look good? And for who's benefit? I'm healthy, I'm happy and I'm having fun. I don't need any testosteronic jugglers who look out for that willowy, curvaceous figure so they can fantasize on them. I'm contented with what I have, an apple body with an Adam who thinks there's no other apple but me.

In Rhonda Byrne's book “the Power”, ( the author also of 'The Secret'), she mentions that ' the positive force of love can create anything good, increase the good things and change anything good in your life.” Which to my translation is “love what you do, and do what you love.” So for this matter, for as long as I have love (love for my chunky body, hehehe!) everything else is secondary. Shouldn't you do the same?



spring/fall look..secret of a chunky body...wear loose clothing..hehehe!

Iron Chef America: Behind the Scenes and Alton Brown

It is that time of the season when the food and wine festival comes to New York. Anyone in the food industry, from celebrities, suppliers, kitchen appliance manufacturers, dealers etc..come to converge in this 4 day affair. There are culinary demonstrations, parties where celebrities come and join, tour packages, wine tastings ,organic events etc...anything to do with “food and wine”--thats just it!

I am not one to join the food parties because, first, they are costly considering I have a limited budget. Besides, with the amount saved, being in New York just seems simpler to just go to a celebrity chefs restaurant. Second, if you plan to rub shoulders with chefs at these parties, think again! Many have similar thoughts and you'd be lucky to even just have a look.

In events like these, I often look for those that educate rather than entertain. Tickets for the event are put out 5 months in advance for people to plan their trips. And I normally book the events that I fancy prior to being sold out. This year I signed up for 2 events, which were talks at the Times Center. One was “Iron Chef America: Behind the scenes” and the other was “Mixing it up: Alton Brown”.

Upon purchasing my tickets to the “Iron Chef”, my expectations were minimal in that I expected a producer, at least one chef and a moderator to talk about the makings of the show. However, to my great surprise, the event featured three chefs – Bobby Flay, Masaharu Morimoto and Jose Garces as the main speakers and twice nominated pulitzer prize journalist Kim Severson as the moderator.

It was indeed a fun one-hour show where the three chefs were jabbing away at each other and Morimoto clowning around like anything. Just so you know, the Iron Chef does filming only once a year and in the summer. It takes around 3 weeks to finish 23 episodes normally filming 2 episodes a day. So you can imagine the gruesome tensions these chefs have.

The chefs know beforehand who their competitors are since they are provided a list of schedules for the shoots. However, since it is a competition, none of the chefs have any clue what the magic ingredient is, and none of them know who the judges will be. As Bobby Flay would say, “we don't know who to send flowers before the show”. They are given 4 choices where one is a possible ingredient. With this, the chef discusses with his staff their strategies in what to prepare.

The producers of the show would ask each chef for any special ingredient they would like aside from what's provided in the pantry or if they prefer any special tool brought in. The Iron Chefs, though, have a home court advantage over the competitors, since they would have prior knowledge of where most ingredients are usually placed or where a certain utensil or tool is strategically situated over what appliance.

If there is anything that these celebrity iron chefs want is the need to WIN! Bobby Flay has an average of 68% wins, Morimoto has a similar batting average, but Jose Garces has the most number of wins. Probably because he is new and has had less appearances than the former two.

Oh and by the way, when asked who would first present the choices to the judges, they normally just flip a coin. After the one hour preparation and the 5 dishes are presented, they have at least 45 minutes to finish up and present all their dishes to the judges. And it takes about 2 hours for the judges to decide who the winner will be.

After the talk, there was a Q&A portion, and of course I had to ask and this was the gist of it:

“Since most of you have restaurants in key cities all across the U.S and have people come to them, is there a possibility of you making your own food truck and going to the rural areas so these people can also try your food?” the moderator said, “good question.” and faced the speakers. And the only one who initiated such an endeavor was Jose Garces, who informed us that he is in the finishing stages of decorating his food truck.

In between the first talk and the next was a 3 hour interval so I immediately walked out the building to grab a bite. A few blocks away was a hole in the wall kind of Korean take out which offered Bon bon chicken which I gulped down with a can of coke. After my meal, I rushed back to find my spot in the line of growing Alton Brown fans.

Being early always catches the better seat, and I did get front row center aisle as well. Right smack the speakers, Mr. Alton Brown and author/moderator Julia Moskin. Alton is who he is on stage as well as on t.v. All his food shows are composed of three points: Entertain, Inform and Teach. He was primarily a commercial director before he joined the food industry. He did go to culinary school but not to become a chef, but to have a knowledge of food and present it as information rather than experience. In totality, that is just what he has done. Alton Brown is who he is, entertainer comedienne par excellence, food historian, teacher and a great guy-- Should I need to say more?!