My Journal 2: Dirty Ice Cream

MYE DOMAIN:

October 23, 2014

Why “dirty ice cream”? Is it because this favorite frozen delight a dirty food? Actually, even I don’t know why it’s called such. So, I made some research about its origin and the reason behind its name.

Here in the Philippines, eating "dirty ice cream" is not only a thing of the past but still a habit of the present. When we were kids, we used to wait for "Mamang Sorbetero" or the ice cream vendor to pass by our street and buy a cone of this cold treat. Dirty ice cream peddlers use colorful-painted carts that can accommodate three flavors.

"Ice cream was introduced in the Philippines during the American Occupation when refrigerators and other cooling devices were introduced. While the American ice cream was made with cow's milk, using the milk of the carabao, a kind of water buffalo, resulting in a cheaper product which became known as "sorbetes." 

Both kinds of milk are widely used today. Coconut milk and cassava flour are two other ingredients used that make sorbetes unique from ice cream made in other countries. Flavors also varied from the usual natural fruits such as mango, avocado, melon, jackfruit, coconut, and strawberry to flavors imitating commercial ice cream such as chocolate, cookies and cream, cheese, mocha, ube, etc.

The sorbetes industry competes with commercially available ice cream from giant companies operating in the Philippines such as Arce Dairy, Magnolia, Nestlé, and Selecta, which also started peddling their product in the streets in more sanitized carts." -Source

In my kid's generation, the ice cream can be placed in plastic cups like what these two schoolmates are holding, wafer or sugar cones or bread buns. They always enjoy eating dirty ice cream together after class.

The term is dirty ice cream because it's being sold in the streets peddled by hawkers who don’t wear any gloves to avoid germs getting into the food. Buyers are not sure if the vendors’ hands are clean and how these ice creams are being prepared. There is a health risk in buying this cold treat but children can hardly avoid the temptation.

My Journal: Cuteness Overload

The icing on his face

MYE DOMAIN: 

December 4, 2014

Do you think this photo is cute? Well, you're absolutely right. This is what I call, "cuteness overload".

If you are a parent with young kids around, I'm sure you have done some naughty things that made them chuckle and giggle like showing them your wackiest face, playing peekaboo, imitating animals' sounds, or any other silly demonstration that may tickle their little minds. 

There’s no better stress-buster than a baby laugh. It's music to our ears and the sound it makes drives us crazy. They are just adorable.

That's my youngest son in the picture when he's one year old. His Papa smeared some chocolate "icing on his face". The smile is so naive and innocent. He didn't even know that his Papa's making fun of him. 

This was taken during our summer outing in Laguna and happened to be his older brother's birthday.

Everything is open to serve you

This second photo is epic... That's Kiko again with his shirt on his head like wearing a bonnet. He looks like a scavenger kid in Smokey Mountain.

Obviously, "everything is open to serve you"... his eyes, nose, and mouth are in perfect coordination.

I love to take photos of my children. They are the most beautiful kids on earth. I love to see their smiles especially during infant and toddler years like these two pictures of my youngest, very candid and gullible.

Covid-19 Pandemic: Effects on Children

Image from the web

The Covid-19 pandemic immensely affects millions of people from around the globe. Its impact is massive especially on children who are the most vulnerable. 

During this time, schools are closed and children are out of the classroom. Any public activity is being discouraged to prevent the spread of the infection.  As a result, the education system dramatically changed with the rise of online classes. 

Distance learning means no physical interactions between students and teachers. This may contribute to the inability of the students to focus on the lessons.  They may lose motivation to attend their online classes because of the repetitive and seemingly dull virtual academic environment. There's also a greater possibility for students to be easily distracted by social media and other internet sites. This cycle may lead to more serious circumstances like failing grades and dropping out.

Children are confined to their homes. They have limited access to the outside world like they used to. They cannot even play or hang-out with their friends. The feeling of social isolation is stressful and may increase the risks of mental health issues. Parents should know how to deal with this problem and manage to control or set limitations in order to avoid conflicts. I know, it's a struggle to establish a constant and close connection with our children nowadays but we need to be cautious in guiding them every step of the way.

Most children are scared and worried so they should feel safe inside the house. The psychological, mental, social, and emotional effects of long-term confinement may generate discomfort on both old and young adults but having a loving family will definitely give them the strong support system they need.

"Ikaw, ano ang HUGOT mo?"

Kumusta naman ang puso mo? Ok ba ang mga kaganapan sa buhay-buhay? Sana, wala ka namang pinagdadaanan ngayon. Kung meron man.. "daanan mo lang at wag mong tambayan."

Image from the web

"It's easier said than done." Dahil para sa iba, hindi lang isang iyak ang problema. Balde-baldeng luha ang dadaloy sa mga mata bago maka-move on. Kahit nga tunggain pa ang lahat ng red horse sa mundo. Malalasing lang at makakalimot nang konti pero paggising... TULALEY pa rin ang peg ng lola mo (o lolo kung lalake. Hehehe!) 

Maraming nangyayari sa mundo na mahirap ipaliwanag at maintindihan pero wala naman tayong ibang pwedeng gawin kundi, ang tanggapin ang mga ito at ilagay sa isip na... "pagkatapos ng ulan ay sisikat muli ang Haring Araw para magbigay ng bagong pag-asa."

Meron naman akong kakilala, akala mo kung sinong makapanghusga ng kapwa nya.. Biruin mo ba naman, ang sabi sa kapit-bahay nya...

    "Hoy, bakit ka ba nakatalikod. Humarap ka! Kung anong pangit ng mukha mo, sya ring pangit ng ugali mo!"

Si ate girl naman.. kung makapanglait. Eh lahat naman tayo ngayon, mata na lng ang nakikita dahil sa naka-face mask na, naka-face shield pa. "Bawal ang judgemental noh..."

Image not mine

Ang hirap ma-please ang mga tao ngayon, lalo na ang mga millenials. Masyado silang mabilis mag-isip... padalus-dalos pero mainipin. Dahil na rin siguro sa technology. Eh biruin mo ba naman.. ang ligawan, virtual na ang approach. Iba pa rin yung may physical touch pero hindi yung iniisip nyo ha. Ang ibig kong sabihin.. yun bang nag-uusap ang mga mata hindi ang mga daliri sa kakatipak.

"Bakit ba masarap ang magmahal?" Eh kasi, sweet ang cupcake ko 👫

"Bakit masakit naman din ang magmahal?" ACHE kasi, he broke my heart 💔

Sa aking palagay, hindi malalim ang nagiging pundasyon ng mga relasyon ngayon dahil na rin sa digital world.

Image not mine

Napapansin ko ngayon, malaki ang epekto ng social media  sa mga tao lalo na emotionaly. Kung ano ang nararamdaman mo, negative man o positive.. naka-post agad sa Facebook. Hindi ko naman nilalahat pero karamihan. Yung iba sa Twitter dinadaan ang rants.. pwede pa nga mga bad words 👎 Kung sabagay, kanya-kanya tayo ng paniniwala. "Walang basagan ng trip."

Oh pano, hanggang dito na lang muna. Abangan nyo ang next post ko. Part 2 ng hugot lines.

"Pati si Jollibee, Na-pandemic"

 Grabe!!! Ay grabe talaga!!!

Sino ba ang  mag-aakala na ang pinaka-BEE-dang fastfood chain sa Pilipinas ay mana-KNOCKDOWN ng COVID-19? Sino rin ang mag-aakala na ang paboritong pulang mascot na bubuyog ay naka-quarantine din? At sino rin ang mag-aakala na wala munang magaganap na birthday celebrations at special occassions na ang handa ay ang LANGHAP-SARAP na chickenjoy?

Ganito sya noong bago mag-pandemya. Isang damakmak na tao.. Bagets man o senior citizens, SUKI niya. Hindi nawawalan ng mahabang pila.

At ang saya-saya, noh? Papicture dito.. Selfie doon. Napakarami mong nabusog na madlang pipol hindi lang nationwide, worldwide pa. Hindi mabilang na mga memories na naging parte na ng buhay ng bawat PILIPINO saan man sa mundo. Kahit nga ibang lahi, napa-bilib mo JOLLIBEE...

Pero nasaan ka na? Miss ka na namin. Nakaka-order pa rin naman dahil sa online delivery pero iba pa rin yung nakikita ka namin na nagungulit sa store lalo pag may parties. Ang galing-galing mo sumayaw. Mabuti na lang at may nag-compile ng mga HATAW mo sa dance floor. SALAMAT sa video na to at kahit papano, nakita ka namin sa TIKTOK.

Because of this coronavirus pandemic, Jollibee Foods Corporation temporarily closed half of its stores worldwide leading to a P10.2 billion net loss in the second quarter of 2020. According to JFC CEO Ernesto Tanmantiong...

"The business results were very bad but in line with our forecasts. We are now focusing on rebuilding our business moving forward along with implementing major cost improvements under our Business Transformation program."

While JFC chief financial officer Ysmael Baysa said...

"The business transformation plan includes closure of 255 company-owned stores, change in ownership of 95 stores, pre-termination penalties in US and China and closure of supply chain facilities, among others."

Here's how Jollibee stores deal with the current situation. No more crowds... No more long queue lines... No more happy faces because the SMILES are covered by masks and face shields.

Ooooops... Wag naman masyadong malungkot. Ika nga,.."There's always a rainbow after the rain." Kailangan nating buhayin ang pag-asa sa ating puso na malalampasan natin ang krisis na ito. Pasasaan ba't masisilayan din natin ang muling pag-ngiti ng ating pambansang BFF... si Jollibee.

"Panalangin Para Sa Pamilya"

Ang pamilyang sama-samang manalangin ay kapit-bisig din sa mga pagsubok na haharapin. Walang mabigat na problema sa pamilyang nagkakaisa.

Panginoon, maraming salamat po sa biyaya ng isang pamilya. Dalangin po naming maghari ang pag-ibig, kapayapaan at kabutihan sa aming tahanan. Gabayan mo po ang bawat isa sa amin at patnubayan ang aming mga gawain.

Hipuin Nyo po kami ng Iyong mapagpalang kamay. Pagkalooban ng mabuting kalusugan upang malabanan namin ang kahit ano mang karamdaman. Ilayo Nyo po kami sa ano mang kapahamakan. Manatili po kaming matatag lalo na sa panahon ng kahinaan at pagsubok. Maging matibay ang aming pananampalataya sa Inyo. Ituro Nyo po sa amin ang tamang landas upang kami ay maging karapat-dapat sa Iyong pagpapala. Patuloy nyo pong basbasan ang bawat pamilyang nakakaranas ng kahirapan, nawawalan ng pag-asa at naliligaw ng landas.

Sana po’y mangibabaw ang kababaan ng loob ng bawat isa sa mga pagkakataong di kami nagkakaunawaan. Kayo po ang manahan sa aming puso at isip upang malabanan naming ang pangamba at takot lalo na sa kasalukuyang krisis na aming kinakaharap. Nawa’y malampasan namin ito at unti-unti kaming makabangon sa Iyong habag at tulong.

Kayo po ang nakakaalam ng pinakamabuti para sa amin. Batid Mo po ang aming pangangailangan sa araw-araw na pamumuhay. Ipagkaloob Mo po na matupad ang aming mga pangarap ng magandang kinabukasan.

Panginoon, Kayo po ang aming lakas at aming tagapagligtas. Yakapin mo po ang bawat pamilyang Pilipino ng Iyong walang hanggang pagmamahal. Hinihiling namin ito sa pamamagitan ng Iyong banal na pangalan. AMEN

Mas mararamdaman nyo ang bawat salita kung papanoorin nyo ang video na ito...

"Simula, Katha ng Isang Makata"

GRABE SYA!!! 

Ang lalim ng mga salitang namutawi sa kanyang mga labi. Ngunit, subalit, datapwat, napakahusay nyang gumawa ng tula. Kapatid, ikaw na ang tunay na makata 👏👏👏

SIMULA

Malamig. Hanging labas masok sa aking dibdib
Dumilat. Nasilaw sa ilaw na sa bintana’y nakasilip
Nag-inat. Ginising ang katawang nais pang umidlip
Buhay ako. Salamat

Walang tutumbas sa gandang dulot ng umaga
Ang bukang liwaway na laging nanghahalina
Ibinabalik tayo sa ating pagkabata
Sabik na sabik sa pasalubong nitong dala
Puno ng mga pangako ng bagong simula

Kanya-kanya tayong dahilan ng pagsisimula
May nagsisimula dahil may natapos
May nagsisimula dahil may naubos
May nagsisimula dahil sawa na sa poot
May nagsisimula dahil nais makalimot
May nagsisimula dahil ayaw na sa luma
May nagsisimula dahil may bagong nakasalamuha
May nagsisimula dahil may gustong patunayan
May nagsisimula dahil ayaw na sa nakasanayan
May nagsisimula sapagkat, wala lang, maiba lang

Anu’t ano pa man ang dahilan ng ating pagsisimula
Mainam na bitbit pa rin nating ang mga alaala ng nakaraan
‘Di upang hilahin tayo nito pabalik, kundi upang magsilbi itong gabay
Sa bagong landas na pinili nating lakaran
Landas na hindi sigurado ang patutunguhan
Landas na puno ng mga hamong kailangang lampasan
Ngunit hindi alintana ang kawalang katiyakan
Dahil umaasa tayo na sa dulo, naroon ang tunay na kaligayahan

PANOORIN NYO ANG VIDEO para maramdaman nyo ang tunay na kahulugan ng bawat salita. 

"Paano Nga Ba Maka-Move on"

Love is being with someone who'll always choose to stay and never leave... Someone who'll never give up no matter what. Pero, biglang nagbiro ang tadhana. Sa kabila ng malalim na pinagsamahan at maraming pinagdaanan, ay bumitiw ang inyong mga kamay at tuluyang nagkahiwalay. 

Ano ang naging dahilan at biglang nagbago? Isa sa inyo ang lumisan at isa ang naiwang luhaan. Ang malaking katanungan ngayon ay, kung paano makalimot at muling mag-umpisa... 

Moving on can never happen overnight and for some, it may take a while.

Sino ba ang hindi nakaranas ng breakup? Walang nagsabi na madali lang ang proseso. Maraming tanong pero ang sagot din ay bakit. Mahirap talagang tanggapin ang katotohanan na hindi kayo para sa isa't-isa.

Paano nga ba mag-move on?

FIRST STEP: Game ka na ba?

Kailangan handa ka at desididong bumangon. Believe that you can survive this battle.

STEP 2: It's OK not to be OK

Namnamin mo ang sakit. Umiyak ka hanggat gusto mo. Kailangan mong pagdaanan ang stage na 'to para mas maging matibay ka. Strength is within yourself. You just have to pull it out of your core.

STEP 3: Acceptance

May mga bagay talaga na kahit ipagpilitan mo, hindi talaga pwede. Acceptance will liberate your mind to face reality.  Ang relasyon, pwedeng matapos pero ang buhay, dapat tuloy pa rin.

STEP 4: Self-affirmation

You have to believe in yourself and acknowledge your value. Focus on your well-being and make yourself busy by doing things that boost your creativity. Smile can make a difference.

STEP 5: Prayer is powerful

Your faith will strengthen your inner self. Let God be the healer of your broken heart. Ang mga pagsubok ang magpapatibay at magpapatatag sa iyong pagkatao.

STEP 6: Stay Disconnected

Sa totoo lang, mahirap gawin ang step na ito unless kaya mong pangatawanan. Unfollow mo sya.. unfriend mo na rin. Sa tingin mo ba, magiging effective? Ikaw na lang kaya ang magpahinga sa social media. Divert your attention. Take a break. What you don't know, won't hurt you. It's time to let go of the things that remind you of the pain.

STEP 7: Be with your support system

Your family will always be the wind beneath your wings. They will support you, every step of the way. Be with friends who never judge you but always got your back.

STEP 8: Forgive and forget

It's better to let go of the bad feelings in order for good things to come in. Mas gagaan ang pakiramdam mo kapag nagpatawad ka. It doesn't matter now who made that damn mistake. What's important is, the lesson you've learned from that experience.

STEP 9: Keep in mind, tomorrow is another day

Your wounds will heal in time. It may not happen now but it will. Rebuilding trust may be difficult but you'll eventually overcome the trauma. Kailangang bigyan mo ang puso mo ng pagkakataong tumibok muli. Wag mong hanapin ang pag-ibig dahil kusa itong darating sa takdang panahon.

These steps will guide you in the process of moving on and letting go. But remember, your life is not dependent on what others will say. 

"The woman you are is not the woman you used to be. and the woman you will be is the woman, you should be. THE BEST VERSION OF YOURSELF." 

Watch this video now...