Amelia's Nest

I got so busy last week for my in-laws, (father and two brother) were here to pay us a visit and also to have a tour of Singapore. They came all the way to Davao and spent three-days with us. As part of Filipino tradition they have "pasalubong", a keepsake or present for us.

Some of which were food from the Philippines like "suha" or pomelo; cinnamon roll and "ensaymada" or Majorcan ensaïmada of Red Ribbon; toys for the kids; books such as Sweet Smell of Success by Ernest Lehman, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Happily Ever After by Jack Canfield & Mark Victor Hansen and Low Fat Kids' Snack Recipe Book; and Philippine magazines such as Good Housekeeping and Enrich. We had a lot of reading materials to read on. We were so grateful for these "pasalubong" that came all the way from the Philippines and for also visiting us here.

Last night I decided to make a fondant cake...wow! sounds professional but not. But prior to the actual fondat cake making I have prepared the fondant a day before since ingredients needs to bind. Without any formal lessons on fondant making luckily I was able to come-up with a so-so simple fondant chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. Of course what can you expect from a first time and hasn't even undergo to a formal training. But am proud at least I was able to come-up with a so-so one.

I just follow the recipe and the instructions available on the internet and viola...a simple pink-heart fondant cake off for bite. I had fun doing it and it was also a learning experience for me. My hubby and my mother tasted it and they said it's fine and good for a first timer. At least it was edible and presentable for that matter. This will be something that I will focus on for the next few weeks or months. Let's see then.

Practice Fondant Cake

Who said life needs to be complete just to be happy and fulfilled. I found this lady truly amazing her name is Jessica Cox a 25 year old Filipina-American who was able to have a licence in flying an aircraft last October 2008. She is now a certified pilot, had a two black-belt in taekwondo in American Taekwondo Association, degree in Psychology and a career as international motivational speaker. She also drives a car, plays piano and put in a contact lense to name a few of the things she can do without two-arms. Yes, you read it right she doesn't have two arms, she has a bilateral congenital limb deficiency. This woman proves that nothing is impossible in life.

"Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles,
discouragements, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all
things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak."
---Thomas Carlyle

Last Saturday, we didn't play badminton but the group decided to have a night out. Since Chocolate and Ate Glo (these are two famous stand-up comedians in the Philippines) had their two-day show in Singapore for the first time so we decided to have a grab. We went to DXO Esplanade 30-minutes earlier because we anticipate that a lot of "kababayan" will flock in the place. And the anticipation was true, the place was full and most of them are standing and us of course had a good spot. We were seated near the stage.



I was amazed with the two comedians. They are superbly excellent in what they do, a true performer. We also enjoy the band, dance and the over-flowing ladies drink. Jheng and I had few rounds of vodka and rum with different mixers like soda, tonic, lime and ginger ale. While boys had their beer.


Our Saturday night was full of fun and laughter.

This is one of my favourite Church songs and thought of sharing this to all. The lyrics and music was done by by Fr. Manoling Francisco,SJ and the song was performed by BukasPalad choir featuring the Ballet and Folk Dance Majors of the Philippine High School for the Arts and Ms. Katherine Sanchez. Produced by the Jesuit Music Ministry.

Hope you'll like the song and the message.

We had a very busy and tiring but funny and stirring weekend. We started our Saturday morning with a home-cooked Traditional Kaya Toast and coffee then head ourselves to the market to buy food for the week. While I’m in the market hubby and son were busy biking around the community. We went back home after an hour and I started to prepare and cook chopsuey (mixed carrots, beans, cabbage and cauliflower cooked with shrimp) and fried tilapia(a local fish) for our lunch. We just had a light meal since we’ll be playing badminton with friends at Arnold’s place from 1:00pm to 5:00pm.

We had fun playing badminton. After the game, the wives (Jheng, LA & me) cooked something for dinner. We cooked and prepared lugaw (chicken porridge), tokwa’t baboy (fried tofu and boiled pork), adobong paa at atay ng manok (chicken feet and liver cooked in soy sauce and vinegar), fried fish balls and some chips. While Rommel ordered for a KFC, his treat and Allen brought his Vodka. We have a lot of food that night. It was a very filling and sumptuous dinner. Nothing beats Filipino food! Then afterwards, the guys had their shots of Vodka and we do all have fun singing our hearts out with the Magic sing of Arnold and Jheng. Karaoke all night! It was a merry night. We end the day at 2am. It was the first time that I went home late at night or should I say early morning.

Came Sunday, we’ve prepared the kids for the children’s party. The daughter of Meheson (hubby’s officemate) celebrates her 2nd birthday again at Arnold’s place, at the condo’s function room. It was a Dora inspired party. By 12:00 noon we are already there. Had some chats, ate a well prepared food and busied ourselves posing for pictures. Ralph and Ria enjoyed the party; give-away and ice-cream cake.


We went home by 4pm and then hubby and I went to Suntec City to buy a printer. Since there’s an IT show at Suntec we did grab the opportunity to buy. We bought a 4-1 printer at the cost of S$100, not bad. Then had dinner at a favourite fast-food, Subway.

The weekend was a bit exhausting yet exhilarating.

I was surprised with the e-mail I received from Topmomma.com. The message was informing me that I'm on the front page of their site. Topmomma.com is a community of mothers who in their spare time is writing for their blogs and spreading the love through it. I was excited to check and when I click the link, yes I'm there. Click here to check on my photo.

It was funny just last week I found what a big help hand glove can do for a mother like me who most of the time doing the house chores. Two months ago I got skin allergies in my hand and it's all because of the strong liquid detergent and cleaning soap am using. During this time my husband and my mother was helping me washed the dishes. And though am not literally doing the laundry, thanks for the automatic washer we have who does the magic but it's inevitable not to soak my hands in the washer when placing the clothes. And of course when cleaning the house and washing the dishes. I never use any hand gloves not until I got the allergies. Honestly I was amazed, my hand didn't get wet and the soap didn't get into my hands. I didn't even know that I have allergies on detergent soap not until we moved here. Because back in Manila am not doing chores I have two maids/helper doing it for me.

It was silly that it's only now that I know the importance of a hand glove. And now am using it every time I need to wash something.

It is just annoying to know that there are people who will do everything they can just to get what they want. Just learn the Bernard Madoff plead guilty on the charges pressed against him and could face 150 years of imprisonment.

People like Charles Ponzi(1920), Bernard Madoff(2008) and Nicholas Cosmo(2009) are big time "theft" prowling and looting sums of money to their investors. They operated on the basis of trust and confidence. They go to individuals, companies, charities and what-not and discuss all how the investment works and make the deals. People will invest whatever they have, just as what happened to René-Thierry Magon de la Villehuchet, businessman and founder of Access International Advisors (AIA), big investor in Madoff’s so called “asset management arm” of his firm which has a lost of US$1.4 billion, committed suicide last December 23, 2008 thirteen (13) days after Madoff confessed that what he operates is all “One Big Lie”. And just last February 10, 2009 another client of Madoff committed suicide, William Foxton a former British army major who invested all of his life savings to Madoff's US Herald Fund and Luxemburg Herald Fund.


I felt terribly sorry for those who have exposure on Madoff’s so called “hedge funds” and Cosmo’s “340 million ponzi scheme”. Nasty things happened to the extent of losing lives and breaking of families and dreams. To name a few companies who has exposures with Madoff according to The Wall Street Journal (December 16, 2008) the investors with the largest potential losses, including feeder funds, are: Fairfield Greenwich Group, $7.50 billion; Tremont Capital Management, $3.30 billion; Banco Santander, $2.87 billion; Bank Medici, $2.10 billion; Ascot Partners, $1.80 billion; Access International Advisors, $1.40 billion; Fortis, $1.35 billion; HSBC, $1.00 billion. The potential losses of these eight investors total $21.32 billion. And there were eleven(11) investors had potential losses between $100 million and $1 billion, they are : Natixis SA;Carl J. Shapiro (a 95-year-old Boston philanthropist); Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC; BNP Paribas; BBVA; Man Group PLC; Reichmuth & Co.; Nomura Holdings; Maxam Capital Management; EIM SA; and Union Bancaire Privée. These are big companies; investment management company and private banks who confidently invested to Madoff.

And most probably this has something to do with the “economic crisis” happening around the world. Don’t you think?

How could these people have all these guts to have this “make-believe” story just to get whatever they want? How could they sleep well at night knowing these kinds of acts and jeopardizing the lives of many? These are naturally sick people who want to make money at the expense of others.

Do you think US government was reluctant and lax on governing this kind of investment or what-ever you may call it? These and non-of-these should had happened if only these people were thwarted early on.

Comfort zone is something that you do, behave and speak in the environment that is familiar to you and that you are more comfortable with. For most of us, we have found our comfort zones and some are still searching for it. But for those who have found their comfort zone they are more likely to stay and enjoy every bit of it. The fact that you are more likely to enjoy in the environment that you are more familiar with, makes you think more than once before going on the act of stepping out of that comfort zone. Some may feel anxious and are hesitant to give up the things that they have and just want to stay in the comforts of their zones.

We move here because my husband has a better job offer, a promising one and we see it as something advantageous for the kids and for the family as well. Moving in unfamiliar place is so hard. This means you have to learn the culture, governance, child care, education and what-not. There are a lot of adjustments to make but many more things to learn and discover in which I whole-heartedly embrace.

As for me, the career that I have back then; networks that I have established; and the friends that I build over the years all of these I left behind. It’s not an easy thing to live in a place that everything is so unfamiliar. A simple illustration was back in the Philippines I know and understand fully the labour laws and all it’s guidelines since it’s my work and it’s my country. Modesty aside, I have established my name in every company that I have worked with. My last job in Manila was indeed a comfort zone for me. The people that I worked with that I’m so comfortable working and exchanging of ideas; deliberately throw jokes and funny stories with my co-workers and the party that I planned for the group, I missed them all. And here everything is so different.

And I may say that I have stepped out of my comfort zone. Again, it’s never been easy but it gives me more room to know more about the things that is unknown to me. And to establish another network and friends in an unfamiliar place. This makes me a little more confident about myself and the learning that I have. A more competent and diverse individual I may say.

And I quote,

“In bullfighting there is a term called querencia. The querencia is the spot in the ring to which the bull returns. Each bull has a different querencia, but as the bullfight continues, and the animal becomes more threatened, it returns more and more often to his spot. As he returns to his querencia, he becomes more predictable. And so, in the end, the matador is able to kill the bull because instead of trying something new, the bull returns to what is familiar. His comfort zone.” - (Carly Fiorina, former Chief Executive Officer of Hewlett-Packard Co. from 1999 to 2005)

It will do no harm if you get out of your comfort zone and try something new. And so you won’t remain predictable.

I received this award last week from a very sweet friend Jacqueline and thought of posting it here. Thank you Jac!


In gratitude for the friendship I have, am giving it to Ionne, Charmaine and Martin who are silently reading my blog. Thanks for always been a reader and supporter.

Last weekend, we all went to the playground where my kids usually spent an hour to play with some other kids. First time we went here Ralph was so hesitant to go near this wall-climbing area. But last weekend it's different he finally and willing tried to touch and climb the wall with the help of his dad. I was so eagerly held my hand phone and catch a photo of him. He had so much fun and same with us.

Let us take part once again in this movement...Earth Hour 2009. Mark your calendar, on March 28, 2009 at exactly 8:30PM. Do something great for humanity, turn off your lights for just one (1) hour.

"Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up,
snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather,
only different kinds of good weather."
John Ruskin

It’s been raining here for couple of days now. And I just don’t like it when it rains; it means I can’t go out without an umbrella. I also don't like it when thunder and lightning strikes. I'm too terrified of it. Kids can’t go outside and play. My kids and I used to go to the market but now we can’t. We are stuck inside the house. We can’t go outside. I hate it when my clothes get wet and feet are so slippery.

But on the contrary I love the fact that when it rains the weather gets breezy and cold. The sound it makes is like music in my ears. Leaving a refreshing atmosphere. And it’s the perfect time to wear a jacket, so loved wearing jacket. Also a perfect time to drink a hot cup of coffee while reading a book.

You, do you like it when it rains?

Surrender.

Most of the time this is the hardest thing to do, to surrender. To admit that one can’t do what is expected of him. Or to acknowledge that you can’t do what you wanted to achieved. No matter how you try still the outcome is nothing.

To surrender is to submit yourself to the idea that you can’t do it. That you most of the time fail and time and again people mistakenly thought that you are a loser. Do you believe that people who surrender are losers?

Come to think of it, why do you need to insist on doing the things that you can’t do. And maybe it will take sometime before you can actually have it but what is clear for now is that you can't simply have it. Probably it is not yet time or the luck is not on your side.

Have you thought of surrendering?