SAVING THE LA MESA WATERSHED / MAY 17,2009 =D

They paved paradise and put up a parkin' lot,

With a pink hotel, a boutique, and a swingin' hot spot,

Don't it always seem to go,

That you don't know what you got till it's gone,

They paved paradise and put up a parkin' lot.

They took all the trees, and put 'em in a tree museum,

And they charged the people a dollar and a half to see them,

No, no, don't it always seem to go,

That you don't know what you've got till it's gone,

They paved paradise and put up a parkin' lot.

- BIG YELLOW TAXI

Joni Mitchell / Counting Crows

(Depending on which generation you belong to =))

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Did you know that this forest paradise exists no more than a block away from the busy Commonwealth thoroughfare? That it even exists behind all the big malls that have taken over our lives?

Welcome to the La Mesa Ecopark.

I've heard about it before, but only vaguely associate it with Gina Lopez talking about saving the watershed that lies inside it for future generations. Every single time, her message would go wooshing over my head. And so I did what I suspect most of us did. NOTHING. =(

Then early this month (or was it late last month?), I had a panic attack borne by the literally burning summer heat that only let up to give way to inexplicable summer storms. Ngyah. I started thinking about Patita, Ray*-B, Siob-siob, GB, Kirstie, Alonso, Noah, Big Boy MG...and the kind of world they would grow up in, unless I did something today.

So I wrote about it. Sister Pusjing (as she is wont to do =)) started researching about tree-planting and recycling fairs, then forwarded all the links to me. Patay! Haha. (I was--*insert sheepish grin here, haha =D*--secretly hoping that I could write about it, then she will enthusiastically take over from there. Hahahahaha!!! 'D).

Anyway! O, sya. I started talking so I (as Sister Pusjing put it) must now walk my talk. Naku! =D I got in touch with Darryn who was listed as the contact person for ABS-CBN's Sagip Kalikasan. "We'd like to adopt 20 trees," I said, "how do we go about it?" In as quick as one phone call, we were able to set a date. May 17, Sunday, 10:00 a.m. WOOOOOOHOOOOO!!!!! =D

Convincing Cousins_Plus (the official code for all cousins plus titos, titas, moms, dads, children and pets, hahaha) to join the activity was easy. In fact, most enthusiastically volunteered! We spend our Sundays eating and talking @ Eduardo's anyway, it was easy to convince everyone to change venue. =) Tree planting, then potluck picnic after. Sounded like a plan. =)

Darryn advised me in advance that they don't do tree-planting activities in summer to increase the trees' chance for survival. In its place, we can have the nursery activity instead where we will help prepare the seedlings for the next cycle of planting. Good enough. Yey! =D

The activities kicked off with a video presentation and an orientation that provided an overview of the importance of the La Mesa Watershed to the sustainability of life in Metro Manila.

As defined in the official website, the La Mesa watershed is a government property titled under the MWSS and commissioned in 1929. It straddles the boundaries of Quezon City, Caloocan City, and Municipality of Montalban and the provinces of Bulacan, and Rizal. It houses the filtration plant that distributes water to 5 cities and 32 municipalities or about 12 million residents in Metro Manila. It is also the last forest of its size in the metropolis.

Imagine that. 12 million people in Metro Manila and its neighboring municipalities depend on it for the water that they drink, the water that they use for bathing, the water that they use for washing their cars, the water that they use for cooking, etc., etc. It was originally set-up by the Americans, but neglect during the Martial Law years led to deforestation--as squatters moved in, cut down and burned the trees, consequently leading to the erosion of the soil around the watershed. In the late 1990's, a plan to put up a residential subdivision in the area served as the wake-up call for "environmental activists". If the plan had pushed through, not only would it have severely compromise the quality of the water, it would have most likely resulted in the complete denudation of the forest area around the watershed, which would have then compromised the fresh water supply of Metro Manila.

Yes, folks, we came THIS CLOSE to a water crisis, and we didn't even know. =(

In 1999, the environmentalists found an ally in the ABS-CBN Foundation. Gina Lopez took on the Saving of the La Mesa Watershed as her personal project, and things have thankfully not been the same since. (Click here to see before and after pics.) I personally admire Gina. More than being a rich kid who does good, she is a rich kid who is committed to doing good. The saving of the La Mesa Watershed did not come easy. Lives were lost as the squatters fought back. Forest rangers were raped as those who had a lot to lose if the illegal logging were stopped pulled out all stops to intimidate those who were determined to turn things around. I think of all those who gave up their lives, and I start to hope that our family's first batch of 20 adopted trees would mean that they did not give it up for naught.

Darryn welcomed us warmly. She thanked us for doing our bit, adding a bit of trivia. They sometimes solicit from corporations. On occasion, they are approached by companies who have pegged the La Mesa Watershed as their Corporate Social Responsibility project for the year. That day was the FIRST TIME EVER that they are doing this activity for a FAMILY. She was actually surprised, she said, when we told her that we are a family who decided to go tree-planting. Turning her gaze at Genius Patita and Adorable Ray*-B (GB, unfortunately, had fever on the day of the activity), she said that it was good that we brought the two pretty kids because what we're doing that day is really going to be for them. The two kids giggled themselves silly, obviously tickled pink at being referred to as pretty (haha =)). I think most of the adults choked, teary-eyed. Haha! =)

Pics follow....

Genius Patita, trying her hand at planting seedlings, armed with a really big barbecue stick. =D

Father watering the seedlings that were planted....

Adorable Ray*-B needing a little assistance from mom & dad, Bro I-gue and MomSan...=D

The seedlings (disclaimer: O, sya, sya....di lahat ito kami ang nagtanim. 20 trees nga lang eh! Haha! =D)

When you adopt 20 trees, they will also take you around the Ecopark on a guided tour. We first visited the Vermicompost facility--where they prepare the soil. They took us through the process of decaying biodegradable garbage before putting the earthworms in. 1Kg of earthworms for every 1Kg of biodegradable garbage (old veggies, dried leaves, etc.). Mother looked thoroughly interested and is probably thinking of going back another day to get herself some earthworms so she can start a backyard composting facility in House Better. See, gardening is one of Mother's major passion. You should see the garden in House Better. It is a mini-ecopark. Haha! =D

We eventually found ourselves walking through the actual park (entrance is free if you adopt a tree =)). Our guide pointed to the different varieties that have been planted since, explaining the primary and secondary benefit of each tree (for paper, bark used as medicine, etc., etc.). Everyone had a jolly, good time walking (kahit na medyo hinihingal na after a while because we are all physically pfffftttt....haha!). It was hard to imagine that the ecopark is just a stone throw away from Commonwealth Ave. The air inside was different. It was cooler. Breezier. I found myself wishing it was the same for the rest of Metro Manila.

Walking through the park is an experience. We all stopped at this tree. A Kupang. The seedlings that we planted earlier, our guide said, would grow up to be trees this sturdy and tall. And this one is not yet even a full-grown tree yet. Wow. =)

Not only did we go around the ecopark, we even climbed the 117 steps to see the actual La Mesa Dam. Unfortunately, picture taking is not allowed by the dam (although I don't know why). (The first picture in this blog post though was taken a few steps down from the top step. =))

We were too tired to walk all the way out (we left the food in the car) so we all ended up riding the electronic jeeps that takes visitors with heavy baggage (read mga kaldero at kung ano-ano pa, haha!) in and out of the park. I think the kids thought it was a theme park ride. Haha! =D

Thinking about the long trek back and the, by then, already full picnic tables, we decided to hold our picnic in another venue instead. Off to U.P.! WOOHOOOOOOO!!! =D The menu? Chicken/Pork Adobo or Tapa Binalot that Panet lovingly prepared, Sr. Pedro Lechon Manok and Mangga't Bagoong, all washed down with soda. Sarap! ^_^ For dessert/merienda (we couldn't decide, haha), we all had Dolor's Sapin-Sapin, Mary Grace Cheeseroll and Iced Saba that Lolo Fred and Tatin prepared. Good all around. Wish we had more. More, as in more space in our stomachs for the quantity of food that we still wanted to eat. HAHA! =D

We were pretty lucky because soon after we finished our meal, it started to drizzle. With that, we ended our nature-tripping-Sunday. =)

Back at Eduardo's (this time for coffee and more cheese rolls), we gave out the tree adoption papers to the rest of the fam. The adoption papers that Hubby Sweet and I got had Buster J and Barrioca's full names printed on them. Hahaha! Ngyah. =D

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Doing your bit to save the La Mesa Watershed--and consequently your bit in helping secure the future water supply of Metro Manila--is easy. Call Darryn Castillo at (632) 415-2227/924-4101 loc 4551 or email her at darryn_castillo@abs-cbn.com. With one convenient phone call, you can set everything! =D

Click on the link to see just how much it would cost to adopt a tree or protect a hectare. Get a group to do it with you, and it wouldn't even be that much.

Someone walking around the ecopark was wearing a printed shirt that can be deemed as an absolute truth:

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors. We borrow it from our children.

If you think about it that way, heck, P250 per tree really isn't much so GO! =)

BOHOL / MARCH 3-6,2009 =D

Over the past two years, I've been spending Hubby Sweet's birthday away from home. WAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! Because of changes in Board Meeting schedules, the National Sales Conference--historically held on the last week of February--is now done on the 1st week of March. Naku! =( I would usually ask the Hubby to go with me na lang so we can treat it as an out-of-town adventure. But, tama din naman siya when he says "Tweet, ano naman ang gagawin ko dun habang nagta-trabaho ka?" Correct. Oo nga naman. *Sheepish grin...=D*

In any case, I suppose all these trips just gives me an opportunity to scout new places to visit for the family's annual summer trip. For the Nascon this year, we found ourselves @ the Bohol Beach Club. =)

I've been to Bohol once before, but only stayed overnight. (Come to think of it, that was also after a Nascon that was held in Cebu.) I digress. =)

This time, we got to stay a full 3-days so there was time enough to explore and experience the sand and the sea. I've heard praises about Panglao, but this is the first time I can convincingly say that the praises are well worth it. (The last time we went to Bohol, some of us got stung by sea urchins kase ang dami-dami.) Not this time. Then again, maybe it's because Bohol Beach Club is on the "good side" of the long stretch of sand. Haha. =)

Powdery white (though still not quite as white and fine as Boracay sand). Soft and cool to the feet--even under the extreme noonday heat. The water was clear and cool and still moss-free (an advantage it has over the Bora waters, especially these days). =) The way the sand slopes in water is also family-friendly. It slopes gradually; no table tops. When we were there, we got to quite a distance before the waters reached my shoulders (and I'm not even that tall, haha!). Then again, we went @ the peak of summer. The waves can get a bit rowdy late in the afternoon (but still manageable), but the waters are perfect for early morning swims. Rolling, gentle waves worthy of lazy, vacation mornings.

Part of the Nascon itinerary were the tours. All participants had a choice between going to the Chocolate Hills or taking the Loboc River Tour with a side-trip to see the Tarsiers. Even before I got to Bohol, I've decided to skip this part of the Nascon. I figured, if ever, I'd want to see these places for the first time with Hubby Sweet and the family. =D Buti na lang din, The MLT decided to use this "common time" to do the annual performance evaluations na lang for the entire Marketing group. Our hectic lives prevented us from finding a common meeting sched in Manila. Hay....=D

We decided to hold the meeting @ Bohol Bee Farm. We had to rent a van to take us there and back. Now, I've heard praises (loads!) about the place, so I was pretty excited about getting the chance to actually take a side trip.

Before proceeding to the restaurant area, we all decided to go to The Buzz Shop. Everyone else figured we can do advance reservations for the squash muffins that the Bohol Bee Farm is known for, and just pick it up on the way out--after our meeting and late lunch @ the restaurant. I tried the samples that they were giving out. They're good, but.....well, I did not think they were that good that I would find myself compelled to lug several boxes back to Manila. Parang kababayan lang--haha! =D

That said, for the record, I really fell in love with the store. It was quaint, stocked with interesting bottles and packets of home-made stuff. All were neatly laid out on simple wooden shelves with a trial pack available next to all the products that were being sold. I loved the idea of being given the chance to try before I buy. It doesn't happen very often these days. =)

On one side laid the shelf of different homemade spreads. Mango Spread. Honey Spread (of course! =)). Pesto Spread. Cilantro Spread. Malunggay Spread! I tried and tried and tried....and then I bought and bought and bought. Ngyah! =D

Right across the Spreads shelves, different local delicacies were displayed. Several permutations of peanut recipes, plus chips made of....uh....I-forget-now-what. Taro, I think, but I can't be sure now. I picked up a few more of the peanut-based delicacies, then proceeded to what I refer to as the "inner sanctum". =) When you enter, you would see the aparador loaded with the different types of muffins that they sell. I had to smile because I remember my lolas (from both sides) using old aparadors to hold what-have-you's in their kitchens. Throwback to my childhood. I loved the store even more. =)

Having decided that I was not going to bring back muffins back to Manila, I surveyed the rest of the room. To the right, I found several coffee pots. Kape Mais. What the heck is Kape Mais?! I tried. Smooth. Slightly bitter. Slightly sweetish. It had a distinct toasted note. I liked. I bought. Ngyah! =D Two packs. One for Father. One for me. =)


Fearing that the rest of the MLT were ready to proceed to the restaurant, I decided to head back to the main room, but saw the Honey Display by the door. Honey made from Mahogany Flowers. Honey made from Coconut Flowers. (I'm assuming they meant that they supplied the bees who made the honey with nectar from either mahogany or coconut. =) I personally liked the Mahogany variety better (it had a slightly citrus note), but got peer-pressured into buying the Coconut variety instead. Everyone else liked the Coconut better and I thought since I was buying the Honey for Mother, maybe I should just let majority win that time. =) And so it goes that the Honey made from Coconut Flowers also made its way into my basket.

It's a good thing that The Buzz Shop accepts credit cards because by the time they finished ringing all my purchases up, the total came up to almost a thousand worth of pasalubong! Ngweh. =D

As I walked away from the counter, taking note of the steady stream of tourists coming into the store, sampling the goods, then buying after milling about--also taking note that they all bought soooooo much more than I did--I remember thinking that the owner was darn lucky to be living a Bohol laid-back-kind-of-life while earning a more-than-decent-living that could probably afford her a comfortable lifestyle even in Manila. DANG! I found myself wishing to someday have that kind of luck. Haha! =D

After paying for our purchases, we proceeded to the restaurant. I won't do a full review anymore. Suffice it to say that it would be an extreme understatement if I say that I was disappointed with the food. How could anything that looked this good taste so...uh...sooooo....uh.....BLAH (translation: wala lang. =( ). I suppose because the food looked sooooooooooo good, I expected it to taste just as good. Apparently, it does not follow.

Come to think of it, when I got back to Manila, I excitedly laid out my purchases for Sister Pusjing and rest of the fam to sample. Quite curiously, none of them tasted as great as I remember them tasting when I first sampled them @ The Buzz Shop. Weird.

Maybe the entire Bohol Bee Farm is comparable to those stories in a child's fairytale book. The magic disappears once you wake up or step out the door. Wah. =(

SULIT! =D

I've said goodbye to Andok's and Baliwag forever.

I've met Sr. Pedro. =D No. 1 in Visayas & Mindanao. Once tasted, always wanted! Naks! Haha! =D

I've passed by the roadside stall on our way home to House Better countless times, and have always ignored it. In House Better, when Mother is too tired to cook (or when we visit House Better unannounced), she'd always ask us to go buy BBQ or lechon manok. Andok's has always been the default.

Then, one time, the Hubby and I decided to make a side-trip to House Better (we were coming home from Lago, I think), and struggling with a craving to try something new, I asked him to drive past the usual so we can try the Manok ni San Pedro. Haha. Yes, I remember actually saying that. Throw-back to the Lito-Pimentel era back in the 80's. Susko! Haha. =D

To be honest, it's not the first time I've come across Sr. Pedro. It has been oft-mentioned as a driver for the sudden sales growth of an all-natural product (for proprietary purposes, I will not reveal it here =)) in VisMin in past business reviews. The Food Service group would always talk about this lechon manok upstart that grew into the "Andok's of Visayas and Mindanao" kaya drum-drum sila kung bumili.

Anyway! Did I digress? =D

From the outside, it looks just like any other lechon manok stall.

Rotating chicken and liempo.

Two guys manning the stall. One to check on the cooking chicken; the other to chop.

The difference ends there.

First, when you buy from Sr.Pedro, don't feel shortchanged if you DON'T get your liver-based lechon sauce. The Bisaya have never been fond of it. Instead, you will get a mixed concoction of what I suspect to be soy sauce, sinamak and calamansi.

The lechon sauce is not necessary anyway. Once you bite into it, you will taste the difference. See, years of handling the biggest and most popular cooking club in the country (;p) has taught me that the said all-natural product can do wonders for meat. Not only does it make it more tasty (nanunuot, I believe, is the term our lolas would use), said all-natural product actually has enzymes that act as meat tenderizers when used as part of the marinade. Ang Lechon Manok ni Sr. Pedro is, therefore, more than just delicious, it's malinamnam. =D

In these recession-ridden times, the only thing that's even better than its taste is its price! While Andok now retails for P220+ per chicken, Sr. Pedro retails for only P175 per! WOOHOOOOOO!!! It wouldn't have ended up being #1 in VisMin if it weren't this sulit. =D


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Ang Lechon Manok ni Sr. Pedro is now all over the metro. Unfortunately, they're usually located in places with high pedestrian traffic, but very limited parking space. =( The Better LIving stall is actually one of the few that I've come across with parking space. For those who live near the area, it's near the intersection of Dona Soledad and France. =)

KALOKOHAN! =(

With Hubby Sweet on the health bandwagon lately (as I desperately try to tag along), I suggested that we eat at the new Kenny's Roast & Grill. I had passed by Kenny's often enough everytime we go to Rockwell (our fave mall), but have admittedly never eaten there because I usually reserve it for when we go to the more, uh, mass-based malls. In Rockwell, there are better restaurants to eat in.

All those gigantic billboards on Edsa must have done a superb job (it's either that or the end-of-the-month-set-allowance-dwindling-kind-of-thing that did me in). "Sweet, let's eat na lang at Kenny's." The Hubby agreed.

Now, for the record, I thought they just renovated. New look. Same old Kenny's. The fact that the server directed us to a table was the first sign that something was up. At Kenny's, you line up for your quarter chicken and watch as two sidings of your choice get slopped onto your plate. Hmmmnnnn.....lightbulb moment. Oh! So Kenny's Roast & Grill is going to be like the Pizza Hut Cafes all over HK. Kenny's, but slightly more sosy. O, sya. =)

We moved to a table. The server advised us that if we order plates from a certain section, we can also enjoy the soup and salad buffet. OK. The Hubby and I ordered two different chicken dishes.

The salad buffet layout itself was impressive.

Fresh greens.

An assortment of other veggie toppings on a bed of ice.

Potato salad, pasta, chicken strips, crumbled egg.

Ham, nuts, cheese.


An assortment of dressings.

This is how my salad ended up. Because I thought, "Sya, lubusin na ang health ek," I decided to go for the Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette instead of the Ceasar Salad dressing.


Mukha lang siyang masaya, pero HINDI siya masarap! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!! All the ingredients were seasoned on the bland side. Heck, even the vinaigrette was bitin. It was not sweet enough. Neither was it sour enough. I was so disappointed, I couldn't find the strength to go for seconds. Bah. =(

The soup (Chicken Vegetable supposedly), was nothing great either. Just clear soup with a few bits of veggies. Even I could have cooked this one. Susko! =(

Finally, my chicken arrived. I ordered the Classic, thinking one can never go wrong with Kenny Roger's classic chicken. Quarter chicken. Ngweh. Does this look like a quarter chicken to you? Quarter of a very small chicken. Waaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!

So maybe it was plated for portion-control purposes. Maybe I did not get the concept. I suppose there was a disconnect with my extreme satisfaction with Kenny Roger's Roasters, and this, its upper-crust sibling. It's like looking forward to having dinner with the family of a jolly, good friend, only to realize that the rest of the family is uptight and bland as a soaked carton. Ack!

We really wanted to get out already and put this sad, sorry experience behind us so we asked for the bill.

P700 almost!

Yun ang pinakamalaking kalokohan! Grrrrr.....

For that amount, kahit isama ang desserts, di pa din sulit. =(

And, yes, these, you would have to pay for separately.



Hay! =(

I SO DID NOT ANTICIPATE THIS PROBLEM...=D

Hay, naku! When Hubby Sweet and I first decided to get a pup, I had my heart set on getting a male one. I had females growing up, and while I loved all of them like they were my kids, I told myself that, this time, I did not want the hassle of having to wipe droplets of blood off everything. I also did not want to live through the hassle of having to "protect" her from every single, male dog that seems to be waiting for her right outside the door when she's in heat.

And so it goes that Buster J is Buster J because we really set out to look for a male mini-schnauzer.

When it came to buying a second pup to keep Buster J company, instead of buying a female mini-schnauzer, I convinced the Hubby to buy another male dog instead. They'll be barkadas. They'll be brothers. Hay!

The plan worked for a while. AND THEN, they turned one. Hala! From then on, I suppose the hormones kicked in and they haven't stopped raging since! Santa Barbara....=D

Anyway! I have since found out that because I purposely rid myself of the hassle of female dogs in heat, I inadvertently brought upon myself the hassle of having to live with two male dogs who are constantly trying to hump each other. HAHAHA! Santa Barbara....=)

So, anyway! I feel like I'm a mom in search of a prom date for her kid. Hahaha! In any case, I'm seriously looking for a girlfriend for each of them. Leave a note in the comments section if you think there's potential for love (I'd settle for lust ;p) between your pup and mine. =)

This is Buster J. He's a mini-schnauzer. When we first bought him, Hubby Sweet wanted to have his ear cropped, but I got awa so I put my foot down and said no. So the fact that he has ears the size of radars today is my fault. Haha. (Maybe it's also the angle from which I shot him. I couldn't take a "level" pic because everytime I sit down, he rushes to lick my face. Hay....=D)

This is how he looks like from the side. Guwapo! Naks! Haha. =D

This is Barrioca. He is a wire-fox terrier. I think I'd have an easier time finding a mate for Buster J because wire-fox terriers are still relatively rare around these parts. In any case, here's hoping some of you know someone who owns one! =D (BTW, please ignore his tail. It usually looks like a bottle brush, but when we brought him for grooming last Saturday, the groomer wasn't too familiar with wire-fox terriers, so the Hubby had to guide him through it. Kaso, the Hubby got distracted for a while and looked away. When he looked back, hala! The groomer sheared all the wire-hair off Barrioca's tail na! HALA! Haha! Di bale. We're hoping it will grow back. FAST. =D)

And this is how Barrioca looks like from the side. =D

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Leave a note in the comments section if you're interested. Thanks! =D

MELTING POINT =(

For all those who regularly follow my blog, you'd know these two. The pic was taken by Mama Mi, my cousin-in-law, two Christmases ago. Genius Patita and Adorable Ray*-B. I keep thinking and I can't shake it out of my head: if the summers are already this punishing for our generation (really, 37-39 degrees?!), how much worse would it be when they get to our age?

Just last week, I was in Cagayan de Oro for work. I've been in and out of the place over the past 14 years. I've never experienced rain that hard, it flooded parts of the city. (Heck, the area was actually handpicked in the 1920s because it had the perfect balance of sunshine and rain, needed for growing pineapples. More sunshine. Less rain. It isn't the case anymore.) Last Friday, there was heavy rain AND thunderstorm. At 3:30 p.m. In the middle of summer. The rain got so bad, I was told flights were cancelled, so other colleagues who were supposed to fly back to Manila that afternoon had to turn back.

Last year, I got hold of a copy of The Inconvenient Truth and sat through it, amazed. Sadly, it all stayed at the "mental level". I know the planet is in trouble, but it's the classic case of the chicken-or-the-egg. The planet is heating up. So I turn on the aircon to cool myself down. Which only contributes further to the heat. So I keep the aircon on longer to keep myself comfortable. Which only contributes further to the heat. The cycle goes on and goes on--at least, until I create a discontinuity that would change its course.

Hubby Sweet actually started this thing. Choosing to eat organic (rice, egg, and what else have you), he told me that he read somewhere that they create less stress on the environment. "Think of it, Sweet," he said, "Pa'no na lang sina Patita, Ray-B*, Siob-siob, GB and Kirstie if we don't do something about things now?" And so SLOWLY (even if it's a bit more expensive), we're choosing to go the organic route.

Tomorrow, I'm also buying an electric fan so we confine the use of the aircon to when it's REALLY needed. (Yes, the only fan I have in the house is an industrial fan, and sadly, in one moment of boredom, Buster J and Barrioca gnawed at the plug. Ack! Buti na lang di nakasaksak. Haha!)

Which brings me to my next course of action. I'm going to start unplugging stuff when they are not in use. I'm going to start putting off lights. It does not make sense to have the light on in the kitchen and the hallway, when really, all of us are in the living room. It's quite simple when you think about it, but it's not easy. We (meaning Hubby Sweet and I) have to start building a habit.

I'm slowly starting to recycle. Who cares if it's not sosyal to reuse PET bottles and instant noodle cups? Haha. We have to learn to segregate what is biodegradable and what is not. The biodegradable stuff, we can bring to a composting organization. The non-biodegradable stuff need to either be used twice or donated to some recycling center. Seriously, if you know any organization who accepts biodegradable garbage for composting and non-biodegradable garbage for recycling, please leave a note in the comments section.

I want to plant a tree. They say, you have to be able to plant a tree in your lifetime. I just don't know where yet. I've planted coffee in Tagaytay with BFF Marts in one of those planting tours organized by Figaro in Tagaytay during the Wander Years. But coffee beans are not trees, and I want to plant trees. I want to get a group together so we can start figuring out how to do this. Soon. Anybody else up for planting trees?

I feel the panic building inside me, not for myself, but for the little children I love who will grow up in a world much, much worse than the one I am living in now--unless I do my bit to change the course we're on. This is Siob-siob, my youngest niece. She's only 3 months old.

When you think about people who would have to live on this earth 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 years down the road, whose face do you see?

More importantly, what are you going to do for them today?

SUSAN BOYLE ON BRITAIN'S GOT TALENT =D

Just when I thought no one else on You Tube could make me cry as much as Paul Potts did, along came Susan Boyle. Ano ba! What is it with these Brits?! =)

I Dreamed a Dream is one of my all-time favorite songs from a musicale. I think more than it being a piece, she was literally singing about her life. Made it all the more touching (at least for me =)).

I'm happy (again! =)) for one more underdog who dreamed the dream, against all odds, to finally see it come true.

WOOHOOOOOO!!!! =D

P.S. - Is it just me or did Simon look like he was on the verge of a major crush? HAHAHA! =D