SUMMER 2009 PROJECTS

I've been neglecting the blog as well as many other things over the summer due to several projects. We've missed out on lots of quality time with friends and family over the last few months and haven't even gone anywhere for any type of summer vacation...no camping, beaching, fishing and any of that fun stuff we usually do over the summer.

We had good intentions of finishing the projects in time to kick back and relax while the season was still in its peak, but the weather was not cooperative and neither were work commitments. Halo Pinoy accepted a new position at work and even though he was told before he accepted the position that there would be some travelling involved, he has been away on work-related activities usually at remote locations for about 1 of the 2 months that he has worked in that department. The other month, the weather has been incredibly wet. The weather wouldn't really have been a roadblock in progress, but the major summertime projects were outside. When the weather was nice and we were actually both around to continue working, there was either a wedding, baby shower, birthday or christening we had to attend.

Backyard projects planned for the summer were to build our deck and successfully grow some veggies in a small garden. I wanted to keep it small in case I wasn't gifted with the ability to nurture the plants.

So, without further ado, here are photos of the fruits of our labour...

Photos of our deck:

I think that the deck looks great! However, Halo Pinoy mentioned at the start of the project that it would take 3 days from start to finish. The lights on the posts were put on LAST NIGHT! We started working on this on July 1st!

Note the BBQ placed on it...finally assembled the darn thing and was already stoked to fire it up last night to discover that the friggen propane tank is EMPTY! Wah, Wah, Wah.

We still have a gazebo, patio table and chairs, and a BBQ prep cart with sink that needs to go on, but we'll drag them out as we need them. Hopefully we can squeeze in one backyard BBQ before autumn sets in. There should be railing for the perimeter of the deck, but we're so tired of working on the deck that we figure the railing can wait till next year. We also like the openness, so depending on whether or not anyone falls off our deck and seriously hurts themselves-we may or may not put them on :)

Photos of my 'Garden':

Sweet Cherry Tomatoes:

Talong (Tagalog)/Tarong (Ilokano)/Egg Plant (English):


Sweet Red Peppers (Not sure why the big one is green because it was the first one to grow, but whatever.):

Hopefully next year we'll be able to grow a bigger garden and get to enjoy our backyard all season next summer.

Let Them Eat Bread!

Last week we had our 'After-the-Fact' Wedding Shower/Reception. We went through the motions of setting up gift registries mainly because we've been living together for over 6 years (3 in our own apartment, 3 in our own house). In this time, we have accumulated many things.

One item I put on the gift registry was a breadmaker. It was an item I've always wanted, but would never buy for myself (unless it was a totally GREAT deal that I couldn't pass up). Up till recently, I found deals on breadmakers, but was always able to walk away from it. In placing the item on the registry, I never would have thought we would actually get one. Imagine my surprise when my cousin-in-law walked in carrying the breadmaker in her hands when she arrived at the community centre. I think I played it cool the whole time though. Suppressing my excitement as I immediately had images of beautiful loaves of bread going through my mind and the idea of the smell of fresh, homemade bread baking filling the house.

I marvelled at the machine when we got home and was determined to make a loaf, but deck construction took me away from the baking. This weekend, I was determined to bake some bread, so last night I made my first loaf (with the help of my favorite cousin-in-law - who was not the breadmaker presenter, but was just as stoked as I was to watch this piece of machinery in action).

Introducing our 1st-born breadmaker baby: Cinnamon Swirl Loaf!

By the way, the bread tasted SO GOOD!

Cultural Rant #1

Okay, so in my Google research in trying to find an appropriate explanation in english for something that I only know and understand in Tagalog, I came across this website: http://www.western-asian.com/

It is an informative site that discusses Pilipino customs, culture, language, etc. I agree with a lot of the things that are posted on the site, but I did come across the following blog entry entitled "The Awful Truth About Filipinos". The title grabbed my attention, so it became the shiny penny that distracted me from my original goal. I had to read on.

The post mentions the misuse of the monikers that young Pilipinos use to describe themselves in chatrooms and the like as: Azn, Asian, etc. and how by using these labels as part of their chatroom identities, these young folks are trying to associate themselves with the Japanese & Chinese forms of Asians. I do agree that some people who attach the 'asian' or some form of the word to their chat ID are probably not Asian at all. Sure, many of them might not be Chinese or Japanese. However, there are some people who actually are. I don't think that people attach the Asian association to their email address or chatroom ID with the intention of trying to portray themselves as Chinese or Japanese. To say that something is 'An Asian Thing/Thang'...I mean, a Russian, East Indian or Arab could say that and wouldn't be misusing the term.

In my geography courses, I was taught that the Philippines were part of Asia. In studying maps, I concur. Geographically, Pilipinos are Southeast Asians.

I've quoted the final section from this post as I found it to be the most harsh:

"PART 3: The Conclusion: Recogonizing your Roots ( A Message to Filipinos)
To all filipino people:

Please recognize yoour ROOTS! You come from the the Third World! Your country is a disgusting and filthy place. Most people there live in poverty! Your culture has MUCH MORE SPANISH influence than chinese, and absolutely no JAPANESE influence whatsoever. People in Japan and China, do not act like you. They do not constantly talk about sex and they have a MUCH HIGHER level of RESPECT for each other. There is NO WAY that you can connect yourself to Asia other than location. Your culture and technological advancement does not even come CLOSE to what Chinese, people have done in the past and what Japanese and Korean people are doing now! Everything you do is distinctly filipino. You cannot take credit for Japanese cars, video games, or Hentai! It’s not an “asian thing” it’s, an “american thing”. You have no concept of culture..no concept of asian ideas or asian philosophy! Can you demonstrate how you use Confucianism or Taoism in you everyday, life?? You can’t. And you will NEVER be able to.I understand that you are trying to create an identity for yourselves as young people…but it is NOT related to Asia. Your Identity is Filipino. That’s all you are. Just Filipino. Think about what that means…."

The last statements are difficult to interpret. I'm not sure if it was supposed to be a positive message. "That's all you are. Just Filipino"? I don't think those statements sold me. I mean it's not going to make me change my chatroom ID from 'Azn Gurl' to 'Pinay Chic'. The tone of those 2 statements alone send a negative vibe. I don't know, maybe I'm misreading the post altogether, but not all young people are idiots and identify themselves as both Pilipinos and Asians just to be cool or to try to be Chinese or Japanese. They actually know and are proud to be part of both cultures.


I'm proud to be a Pilipina-Asian-Canadian-North American. I know I'm not wrong in telling the world that I'm one, the other or any combo of the 4.

The most interesting part about this particular post is the fact that the website title is "Filipino-Western Relationships - 'In an Asian's perspective...'" Is she using the 'Asian' term to be cool? Did she think about what it means for her identity to be Filipino?

IT'S A SPECIAL DAY!

Maligayang Bati, Happy Birthday, Bonne Fete, Feliz Cumpleanos to my Ate, my Sister, ma Soeur, mi Hermina!

Hope the year brings forth good times, good fortune and all other things good! Great way to start with the celebration of your birth!

Your nephews also would like to wish you a Meowy Birthday as well! (Imagine some face-rubs, kneading and joyful purrs!)

Luvs & Hugs!

Halo Pinay, Halo Pinoy, & Halo Mga Kuting!

Some children's parents...

I'm not one for keeping tabs on news, current events and such, but I'm one of those people who get drawn in by a really good headline. The headlines that usually catch my attention enough to make me read the entire article are what real news enthusiasts would probably call, "Tabloid News". Today's headline, 'Eleven-month-old boy accidentally dials 9-1-1 and gets dad arrested', which popped up on the sympatico msn page that appeared after I logged out of my email account was a classic headline that lured me right in.

The story in a nutshell (click on the post title to read the full news story):

• Baby plays with phone
• Baby pranks 9-1-1
• Police follow up on prank call (assuming it was a serious emergency)
• Police discover grow-op
• Baby's Papa - BUSTED!

Talk about bad karma. How embarrassing is that? Dimed out on an unintentional tip to the authorities by your own child whose vocabulary likely consisted only of 'Dada' and 'Goo-Goo'?

This story was just as good as the one I read a few weeks ago about the NL woman who didn't know she was pregnant until she went to the hospital on New Year's Eve with what she thought was gall stones and came home with a baby. The best was listening to her speak on Canada AM about the whole experience. Apparently the same woman gave birth to a baby in the shower a few years back.

Things that make you go "Hmmm..."