recently read - february 2012

Because reading is always fun. <3

• Always the Baker, Never the Bride - Sandra Bricker
• Always the Wedding Planner, Never the Bride - Sandra Bricker
• Under the Radar - Fern Michaels
• Payback - Fern Michaels
• Take Me - Bella Andre
• Love Me - Bella Andre
• Heaven Texas - Susan Elizabeth Phillips
• Lethal Remedy - Richard Mabry
• Nine Uses for An Ex-Boyfriend - Sarra Manning
• I've Got Your Number - Sophie Kinsella
• Desirable Residence - Madeleine Wickham
• What's Your Number? - Karyn Bosnak
• Lucky Charm - Carly Phillips
• Lucky Streak - Carly Phillips
• Lucky Break - Carly Phillips
• Seduce Me - Carly Phillips
• Before She Dies - Mary Burton

i gotta blog more often

I've been neglecting my blog yet again for the nth time, but at least this time I'm not losing interest in it. Before, I just delete my blog, and when I feel like it, I start all over again. It's like a disease.

Anyway, I don't have much going on lately, so I don't have anything to blab about. Just normal stuff: I go to school, we bake goodies (one day I'll post more pics), it's pretty much routine stuff. I do my laundry, clean my little place, hang out with friends.

Bf came to visit last February 24, just for the weekend. But it was more than enough. We hang out together, watched a movie. Simple stuff, but it was all fun. I missed him.

I went home last Friday. Mom left for Dumaguete, and Dad was supposed to go to Bohol (but he cancelled at the last minute, don't know why) so I was supposed to watch over our store. Saw two of my BFFs Jo and Janz; sadly Jin has work. Bonded with my Dad, anf played with Reina's puppies. They're all soooo cute! Too bad we can't keep them.

Anyway, weekend's over so it's back to the real world. Went to class today, and, lo and behold, Aunt Flo arrived. I was getting a bit antsy because my cycle got all messed up, and I've been PMSing to hell so I was actually glad about it. But then I got cramps. Not the usual cramps-that-can-be-cured-with-chocolate, but the oh-my-God-this-feels-like-labor-pains kind.

By 3 PM I was pale, and the pain was reaching 8 on a scale of 1-10. I took a pain reliever, but it didn't work as quickly as I'd like. By 4 Pm, I was having chills, and I was getting dizzy and feeling a bit nauseous. I can't even concentrate on my Focaccia by then. Everyone kept looking at me and asking me if I'm OK every minute or so.

Chef Nick told me to just sit down, and stop working on my bread. I decided to go home instead.. I left class early. When I got down, I asked the guard to get me a taxi while I sat down and waited. I told the taxi driver my address, and asked if we could just stop by a pharmacy. I bought some more pain meds, just in case.

When I arrived home, I boiled some water and changed into more comfy clothes. I used the hot water for a hot compress. I was asleep in minutes.

I woke up to the ringing of my phone. I ignored it at first but the caller was persistent. Turns out, it was my boyfriend calling to check up on me. It was so funny coz he was panicking because he couldn't reach me. I didn''t reply to any of his messages and I never answered his calls, and he went crazy. He started imagining morbid things. He thought I that I fainted from the pain and was lying unconscious somewhere. It was sweet. And touching. Told him nothing dramatic happened, I was just trying to sleep off the pain. LOL

I feel much better now, though. Still in pain, but better.

Mom's dropping by Cebu tomorrow, from Dumaguete. She's staying for a short visit before she heads home. I can't wait to see her. =)

recently read - january 2012

January has been a productive month. =)

Some Like It Hot - Louisa Edwards

Wild Thing - Robin Kaye

The Book of (Even More) Awesome - Neil Pasricha

When Harry Met Molly - Kieran Kramer

Dukes to the Left of Me, Princes to the Right - Kieran Kramer

Cloudy With a Chance of Marriage - Kieran Kramer

If You Give a Girl a Viscount - Kieran Kramer

A Home By the Sea - Christina Skye

Simply Irresistible - Jill Shalvis

It's All Greek To Me - Katie McAllister

Confessions of a Karaoke Queen - Ella Kingsley

The Accidental Courtesan - Cheryl Ann Smith

Destiny - Carly Phillips

Wild Heat - Bella Andre

Hot As Sin - Bella Andre

Swimming Naked - Stacy Sims

Whispers in the Dark - Maya Banks

Sweet Possession - Maya Banks

Summer Loving - Carly Phillips

this day has been a bitch to everyone

I woke up today with my ankle swollen and way worse than yesterday. The pain started the other day, but it was so bearable so I didn't pay it much attention. But today, damn, it was really bad. I can't even put weight on it so walking is a bitch. It was so bad that I had to take pain-relievers, and I hate taking medications of any kind.

While I was on my way to a nearby Watson's (I took the taxi because I really couldn't walk) to buy some Ibuprofen, the car began to shake. Earthquake. God, people from buildings and establishments were running out to the streets. Turns out a quake hit the Negros and Cebu area with a magnitude of 6.9.

Our class starts at one, and with the ongoing traffic at the Capitol area, I arrived at school with only minutes to spare. I changed quickly (well, as quickly as my foot allows) and went to the bakeshop. We were about to start when Chef Nick got a call from downstairs that classes are suspended because there's a level two tsunami alert advisory.

We wanted to continue on with the class since the alert was only for the west coast area, and we are far, but they won't ignore the warning so we had no choice but to go.

My batchmates, Bogs, Ienne, Cheng, Adz, Joy and I ended up in McDo, though. We were chilling, talking, and trying to hide the fact that the earthquake scared us. Then in the middle of our conversation, two firetrucks went by. At first we were wondering where the fire was, looking up the sky for some indication of smoke. When we couldn't find one, we asked a lady where the fire was. She told us there's no fire, but water's coming our way.

People were panicking, so what do you expect? Fear is contagious, and we also panicked. We ran back to our school, which is just a few meters away, figuring that if the water hits, we'd be safe on higher ground. Plus, if we got stranded there, we won't be worrying about food coz the kitchen's stocked. It wasn't easy running with a sprained ankle, but adrenaline worked it's magic.

It turned out to be a false alarm, but the damaged was done. The mass panic caused traffic jams, people were running in the streets, stores were closed down. We didn't get to see it firsthand, but we heard that the flyover at Robinson's was crammed with people. People gathered around Fuente Osmeña circle for safety. And IT Park was full of people, too.

Apparently some fucking idiot called the fire station and reported that he/she saw a wave coming it. Bad news do travel fast. You can just imagine that mayhem it caused. Damn. So whoever you are, what you did wasn't even remotely funny. I hope karma comes and bite you in the ass.

Prayers for everyone affected by the quakes. God help us. I know He won't forsake us, so let's have faith. ♥

soft dough bread and chocolate cookies

In one of my previous posts, I mentioned that my dog Reina gave birth to five puppies.. But right after I wrote that post, she pushed out three more, which brings the total to eight. Sadly the youngest puppy didn't survive for more than a couple of hours. I'm hoping the seven will, though.

So.. Today marks the first day of our bakeshop duty. We made soft dough bread, and while we were waiting for the dough to rise, we baked two batches of chocolate chip cookies.

Maybe I'm a little bit biased, but our bread was yummy. And.. Our cookies were amazing!

We gave my Culinary batchmates who were working in the hot kitchen a piece each, and they kept begging for more. Yup, that's how tasty our cookies were. Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside. And it was overflowing with chocolate chips, unlike those you buys at stores where you can only see several pieces.

I forgot to bring my camera today, and my phone's camera sucks, so I had to wait till I got home to take pictures. I wanted it fresh from the oven, but sadly, no camera.

The best part bout baking class is that I don't have to worry about breakfast anymore.

Chocolate chip cookies.

See those choco chips? =)

Mini burger and hotdog buns.

recently read - october to december 2011

Hungry for You - Lynsay Sands

The Reluctant Vampire - Lynsay Sands

Before I Go To Sleep - SJ Watson

Lord Langley's Back In Town - Elizabeth Boyle

Mad About the Duke - Elizabeth Boyle

Slow Ride - Erin McCarthy

Handle With Care - Jodi Picoult

The Best of Me - Nicholas Sparks

All I Ever Wanted - Kristan Higgins

Catch of The Day - Kristan Higgins

Too Good To Be True - Kristan Higgins

Until There Was You - Kristan Higgins

Fools Rush In - Kristan Higgins

Maybe This Time - Jennifer Crusie

My Sister's Voice - Mary Carter

The Book of Awesome - Neil Pasricha

Code Blue - Richard Mabry, MD

Medical Error - Richard Mabry, MD

Diagnosis Death - Richard Mabry, MD

Sarah's Key - Tatiana de Rosnay

A Secret Kept - Tatiana de Rosnay

Along For The Ride - Sarah Dessen

Keeping The Moon - Sarah Dessen

School For Brides - Cheryl Ann Smith

Wouldn't Miss It For The World - Tara McCarthy

Hide and Seek - Fern Michaels

Sweet Revenge - Fern Michaels

Hokus Pokus - Fern Michaels

The Hiding Place - Karen Harper

The Falls - Karen Harper

Avenging Angel - Justine Dare

Take Me Home - Jerri Corgiat

puppy litter

I haven't been updating my blog lately.. Mainly because of three reasons: I'm busy, I'm lazy, and I have crappy net. But this is just too "important" to pass up.

First, it's Chinese New Year, so I'm gonna give a shoutout to everyone, especially to my fellow Chinese and Fil-Chinese brothers and sisters. Kiong Hee Huat Tsai! Translated it means I wish you prosperity and good fortune. I came home for the holiday since I have a long weekend. Plus, I wanted some tikoy.

I'll be going back to Cebu later, but I had plans to come back when my dog Reina gives birth. We expected her to deliver her pups at the end of this month. We didn't expect her to do it today, though! Since my bed is currently out of order (don't ask), I bunked in with my parents last night. Something was obviously bother Reina last night, as she kept on moving from one area of the room to another; she kept scratching the floor and cannot seem to settle down. We all thought it was because she's nearing the end of her pregnancy. How right we are!

Around 4AM this morning, my Mom woke up and attended to Reina, before she start prepping herself for Mass. I woke up because she turned on the light, but I ignored them and pulled my blanket over my head. I was drifting back to sleep when I heard my Dad told my Mom that Reina already pushed out one puppy. That woke me up faster than any alarm clock did.

As of 4:43AM, Puppy 1 was born. After that, four more puppies came out. So Reina is the proud momma of five.

So there. Two events, one fine day. I just have to blog this, no matter how sucky and slow my connection is. Oh, and to make today's occasion three, lemme just greet my dearest crazy friend Jenny. Happy birthday Luka, best wishes from Sisa. I love you.

Pics of the smug bitch (Reina) and her litter of love.

"Think chidbirth is exhausting? Try giving birth to five."

Smug bitch.

"You can't even handle one, yet I have five!"

They take after their Momma.

the last day of the year ♥

Another year is upon us. Thank you, Lord, for blessing us another year of life. I'll be the first to say that 2011 could have been better, but it could have been worse, also. All in all, I just wanna extend my thanks to the people who've always been there for me - my parents, my friends, my bf. I'd be lost without you guys.

It's been fun, and we're gonna rock 2012 together.

What my cousin got me.

And cheers to Janz for this shirt!

gingerbread starr ♥

This morning, I felt the urge to bake. And being one who never turn down these urges, I did a quick inventory of what's in our pantry, and got to work.

In honor of the holidays, I made Gingerbread Men and Stars. I call this Gingerbread Starr. I would have make other designs, but I don't have a lot of cookie cutters, and hearts, flowers, and animals don't deem appropriate. Except for the one my friend Janz kept asking for, a rabbit with antlers. Some sort of freaky hybrid, but then, she's weird that way. LOL

I spent the whole afternoon baking. Jojo dropped by, and we kept talking, I almost forgot I had a batch in the oven. Good thing I remembered on time, else I'll have charred Gingerbread Men.

Oh, and here's one for the Idiot's Guide to Baking: Stop the chatter and pay attention to what you're doing when getting something from the oven. It leads to first degree burn, which I now have on my thumb.

I thought of leaving it to cool overnight, then decorating it tomorrow, but decided to just finish the job. So, I've made 84 cookies, most of which I'll give away. I'm gonna give them to our two salesladies' children, and maybe to some of the vendors outside our store. There' this one kid I'm fond of, coz she loves to eat. So cute.

Anyway, I'll end this post with a hearty Merry Christmas to each and everyone who might pass by my blog and happen to read this. May your Christmas be filled with fun, laughter, and love. ♥

The smiley is just from the leftover dough. It wasn't enough for either a gingerbread man or a star. =)

Sneaking a peek inside the oven.

With the cookie cutters.

Stacks of cookies.

Wish upon a Starr.

The Nightmare Before Christmas: Gingerbread Men Version

late christmas party post

We had our Christmas party last December 16. It was the first time I attended a school party where the students did the table arrangement and skirting (our batch did this), cooked the food and made the desserts (done by the higher batches).

I got there early, around 5PM, and four of my batchmates were already there. Since we were early, we decided to go to the convenience store across the street to get a few drinks. The girls got T. Ice, while the boys went for Red Horse.

Ienne consumed three bottles, and Cheng and I finished two. But among the three of us, I was the only one who kept eating the chips, so the alcohol didn't have any effect on me. Wish I could say the same for both of them, though. It was funny, coz they got tipsy, and by the time we got to school, we were laughing so hard and they were starting to get noisy.

The party itself was fun. We got games, programs, food, booze, raffles, and gifts. Our batch bonded with the other batches, and we made new friends along the way.

Then there's the "tradition" that was saved for last. I don't know how that started, but it's always done to the new batches every acquaintance party. We were blindfolded and made to go around the school in a line, then we were led to one of the classrooms where we were told to squat or sit on the floor. Oh, the anticipation. After a short, or long (depends on how you perceive it, blindfolded and all), wait, we were drenched in a mixture of oil, water, flour, and eggs.

It's all good fun, but you can imagine the shock we got. The water was cold, and the oil made the floor (which was covered in garbage bags, by the way) slippery that some of us had a hard time getting up without help.

We were told to bring extra clothes for that, but nobody said anything about underwear. We expected getting wet, but we weren't expecting to be soaked. So yes. We went home with wet undies. Not to mention with chunks of flour on our hair, as a quick shower didn't do anything much.

Still, despite getting wet, having stinking hair and being unable to remove the flour chunks, we did have fun. Even though I still wasn't able to get rid of the flour-egg-oil-water-mixture smell from my shirt no matter how many times I washed it.

I cant wait to see my batchmates next year, when we return from our Christmas break.

I wish I had the complete list for the foods, but I don't know where our copy of the menu went.