Weirdest Blog Post Ever: Saying Goodbye to my Jug

Just want to share with you an old post from my private blog.
I'm getting all sentimental again.. and weird..

There are certain relationships that last longer than anybody else's and there are some which are fleeting. 

There are those which end in tragedy while some, melodramatically.
I have come to know someone who have had a very user friendly relationship with a jug. A few years back, a dentist picked Juggy from a stack full of gifts and gave it to a girl who nonchalantly accepted. Back then the jug had only one responsibility, to fill itself with ice cold cola. This went on for a few years until they moved in elsewhere. Juggy went MIA and spent its time collecting dust and occasionally cuddling insects in the darkness of a carton. When the girl moved in to her own flat she brought Juggy with her and introduced it to her partner. Juggy couldn't be more thrilled. He proved to be as useful as an electric cooler and went on to serve ice cold water for the poor couple. The man would spend everyday filling Juggy with ice and Juggy obliged without hesitation.
Now as the couple decided to finally get themselves an electric cooler, poor old Juggy was left with no choice.
As I looked back, staring at the poor thing, I remembered briefly how simple it was for us when we were just using it and nothing else. Now, we had to adjust for additional electric bills cause we wanted an upgrade, a major upgrade at that.
Now, its sitting on top of the plastic containers waiting to be packed yet again and spend the rest of its remaining life collecting dust and retire with some random insects.
It has served its purpose and its with great honour and respect that we pay homage to you dear old Jughead.
Perhaps we'll meet again when we'll have a tiny one who would carry you with him to school on a big yellow bus.

Image: Roseybarn

One of my Favorite Books: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupéry

I have read The Little Prince in high school and back then I just thought the story was kind of cute, because of the alien prince and the author whose last name I can't even pronounce. Having read the book again as I got older, made me realize the story gave a whole new meaning for me. It's like seeing the Monalisa or The Last Supper before reading The Da Vinci Code. It may seem like a book for kids but it really is point-blank meant to be read by adults, owing to the fact that it's got meaningful life lessons for all of us.
Whenever my hubby and I would argue, as a peace offering, before we sleep, he would read to me my favorite chapters in the book. For those of you who haven't read the book, have it in your list of 100 books to read before you die (if you have one).

I'll share with you my favorite Chapters (20-21) from The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupéry
(AN-twahn Duh-Saw(ng) (nasalized if you're French) or De-Seynt Ex-yooh-pe-ree)
Thank God for Google.

Chapter 20

But it happened that after walking for a long time through sand, and rocks, and snow, the little prince at last came upon a road. And all roads lead to the abodes of men.

"Good morning," he said.

He was standing before a garden, all a-bloom with roses.



"Good morning," said the roses.

The little prince gazed at them. They all looked like his flower.

"Who are you?" he demanded, thunderstruck.

"We are roses," the roses said.

And he was overcome with sadness. His flower had told him that she was the only one of her kind in all the universe. And here were five thousand of them, all alike, in one single garden!

"She would be very much annoyed," he said to himself, "if she should see that . . . She would cough most dreadfully, and she would pretend that she was dying, to avoid being laughed at. And I should be obliged to pretend that I was nursing her back to life--for if I did not do that, to humble myself also, she would really allow herself to die. . ."

Then he went on with his reflections: "I thought that I was rich, with a flower that was unique in all the world; and all I had was a common rose. A common rose, and three volcanoes that come up to my knees--and one of them perhaps extinct forever . . . That doesn't make me a very great prince . . ."

And he lay down in the grass and cried.


Chapter 21


It was then that the fox appeared.

"Good morning," said the fox.

"Good morning," the little prince responded politely, although when he turned around he saw nothing.

"I am right here," the voice said, "under the apple tree."



"Who are you?" asked the little prince, and added, "You are very pretty to look at."

"I am a fox," the fox said.

"Come and play with me," proposed the little prince. "I am so unhappy."

"I cannot play with you," the fox said. "I am not tamed."

"Ah! Please excuse me," said the little prince.

But, after some thought, he added:

"What does that mean--'tame'?"

"You do not live here," said the fox. "What is it that you are looking for?"

"I am looking for men," said the little prince. "What does that mean--'tame'?"

"Men," said the fox. "They have guns, and they hunt. It is very disturbing. They also raise chickens. These are their only interests. Are you looking for chickens?"

"No," said the little prince. "I am looking for friends. What does that mean--'tame'?"

"It is an act too often neglected," said the fox. It means to establish ties."

"'To establish ties'?"

"Just that," said the fox. "To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you, I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world . . ."

"I am beginning to understand," said the little prince. "There is a flower . . . I think that she has tamed me . . ."

"It is possible," said the fox. "On the Earth one sees all sorts of things."

"Oh, but this is not on the Earth!" said the little prince.

The fox seemed perplexed, and very curious.

"On another planet?"

"Yes."

"Are there hunters on that planet?"

"No."

"Ah, that is interesting! Are there chickens?"

"No."

"Nothing is perfect," sighed the fox.

But he came back to his idea.

"My life is very monotonous," the fox said. "I hunt chickens; men hunt me. All the chickens are just alike, and all the men are just alike. And, in consequence, I am a little bored. But if you tame me, it will be as if the sun came to shine on my life. I shall know the sound of a step that will be different from all the others. Other steps send me hurrying back underneath the ground. Yours will call me, like music, out of my burrow. And then look: you see the grain-fields down yonder? I do not eat bread. Wheat is of no use to me. The wheat fields have nothing to say to me. And that is sad. But you have hair that is the color of gold. Think how wonderful that will be when you have tamed me! The grain, which is also golden, will bring me back the thought of you. And I shall love to listen to the wind in the wheat . . ."

The fox gazed at the little prince, for a long time.


"Please--tame me!" he said.

"I want to, very much," the little prince replied. "But I have not much time. I have friends to discover, and a great many things to understand."

"One only understands the things that one tames," said the fox. "Men have no more time to understand anything. They buy things all ready made at the shops. But there is no shop anywhere where one can buy friendship, and so men have no friends any more. If you want a friend, tame me . . ."

"What must I do, to tame you?" asked the little prince.

"You must be very patient," replied the fox. "First you will sit down at a little distance from me--like that--in the grass. I shall look at you out of the corner of my eye, and you will say nothing. Words are the source of misunderstandings. But you will sit a little closer to me, every day . . ."

The next day the little prince came back.

"It would have been better to come back at the same hour," said the fox. "If, for example, you come at four o'clock in the afternoon, then at three o'clock I shall begin to be happy. I shall feel happier and happier as the hour advances. At four o'clock, I shall already be worrying and jumping about. I shall show you how happy I am! But if you come at just any time, I shall never know at what hour my heart is to be ready to greet you . . . One must observe the proper rites . . ."

"What is a rite?" asked the little prince.

"Those also are actions too often neglected," said the fox. "They are what make one day different from other days, one hour from other hours. There is a rite, for example, among my hunters. Every Thursday they dance with the village girls. So Thursday is a wonderful day for me! I can take a walk as far as the vineyards. But if the hunters danced at just any time, every day would be like every other day, and I should never have any vacation at all."


So the little prince tamed the fox. And when the hour of his departure drew near--

"Ah," said the fox, "I shall cry."

"It is your own fault," said the little prince. "I never wished you any sort of harm; but you wanted me to tame you . . ."

"Yes, that is so," said the fox.

"But now you are going to cry!" said the little prince.

"Yes, that is so," said the fox.

"Then it has done you no good at all!"

"It has done me good," said the fox, "because of the color of the wheat fields." And then he added:

"Go and look again at the roses. You will understand now that yours is unique in all the world. Then come back to say goodbye to me, and I will make you a present of a secret."


The little prince went away, to look again at the roses.

"You are not at all like my rose," he said. "As yet you are nothing. No one has tamed you, and you have tamed no one. You are like my fox when I first knew him. He was only a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But I have made him my friend, and now he is unique in all the world."

And the roses were very much embarassed.

"You are beautiful, but you are empty," he went on. "One could not die for you. To be sure, an ordinary passerby would think that my rose looked just like you--the rose that belongs to me. But in herself alone she is more important than all the hundreds of you other roses: because it is she that I have watered; because it is she that I have put under the glass globe; because it is she that I have sheltered behind the screen; because it is for her that I have killed the caterpillars (except the two or three that we saved to become butterflies); because it is she that I have listened to, when she grumbled, or boasted, or ever sometimes when she said nothing. Because she is my rose.


And he went back to meet the fox.

"Goodbye," he said.

"Goodbye," said the fox. "And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."

"What is essential is invisible to the eye," the little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember.

"It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important."

"It is the time I have wasted for my rose--" said the little prince, so that he would be sure to remember.

"Men have forgotten this truth," said the fox. "But you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed. You are responsible for your rose . . ."

"I am responsible for my rose," the little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember.


(Source: The Little Prince, Favim )

One of my Favorite Movies: Office Space

Office Space is a tribute to the Milton in all of us. Moving from one smaller cube to another then finally getting booted off to the basement where he was asked to handle the cockroach issue.



Milton doesn't get his piece of the cake (because the ratio of people to cake is too big) didn't receive his paycheck, Lumbergh deliberately takes Milton's Swingline Stapler and turns off the lights in the basement. There sure is hell to pay.

The coveted Swingline Stapler

 

Bill Lumbergh and his Initech Mug

Don't forget to turn in your TPS reports!

Using the new cover sheets of course! Did you get the Memo?

Umm...yeaaahhh we’re gonna need you to come in on Sunday..mmk?

Best bare-fisted beat down part scene I ever saw. One of them actually run back while everyone is walking away and start punching at the printer. They had to hold back Michael Bolton from smashing it more.

Memorable Lines from Office Space:

Bob Slydell: You see, what we're actually trying to do here is, we're trying to get a feel for how people spend their day at work... so, if you would, would you walk us through a typical day, for you?
Peter Gibbons: Yeah.
Bob Slydell: Great.
Peter Gibbons: Well, I generally come in at least fifteen minutes late, ah, I use the side door - that way Lumbergh can't see me, heh heh - and, uh, after that I just sorta space out for about an hour.
Bob Porter: Da-uh? Space out?
Peter Gibbons: Yeah, I just stare at my desk; but it looks like I'm working. I do that for probably another hour after lunch, too. I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work.

Peter Gibbons: The thing is, Bob, it's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't care.
Bob Porter: Don't... don't care?
Peter Gibbons: It's a problem of motivation, all right? Now if I work my ass off and Initech ships a few extra units, I don't see another dime, so where's the motivation? And here's something else, Bob: I have eight different bosses right now.
Bob Slydell: I beg your pardon?
Peter Gibbons: Eight bosses.
Bob Slydell: Eight?
Peter Gibbons: Eight, Bob. So that means that when I make a mistake, I have eight different people coming by to tell me about it. That's my only real motivation is not to be hassled, that and the fear of losing my job. But you know, Bob, that will only make someone work just hard enough not to get fired.

Bob Slydell: Milton Waddams.
Dom Portwood: Who's he?
Bob Porter: You know, squirrely looking guy, mumbles a lot.
Dom Portwood: Oh, yeah.
Bob Slydell: Yeah, we can't actually find a record of him being a current employee here.
Bob Porter: I looked into it more deeply and I found that apparently what happened is that he was laid off five years ago and no one ever told him about it; but through some kind of glitch in the payroll department, he still gets a paycheck.
Bob Slydell: So we just went ahead and fixed the glitch.
Bill Lumbergh: Great.
Dom Portwood: So, uh, Milton has been let go?
Bob Slydell: Well, just a second there, professor. We, uh, we fixed the *glitch*. So he won't be receiving a paycheck anymore, so it'll just work itself out naturally.
Bob Porter: We always like to avoid confrontation, whenever possible. Problem is solved from your end.

Peter Gibbons: You're gonna lay off Samir and Michael?
Bob Slydell: Oh yeah, we're gonna bring in some entry-level graduates, farm some work out to Singapore, that's the usual deal.
Bob Porter: Standard operating procedure.
Peter Gibbons: Do they know this yet?
Bob Slydell: No. No, of course not. We find it's always better to fire people on a Friday. Studies have statistically shown that there's less chance of an incident if you do it at the end of the week.

Sounds like someone has a case of the Mundays!

(Source: MiltonID, Stapler, Printer, OfficeSpaceQuotes)

All About Cold Porcelain

For an updated version of this DIY, please follow my new post.

4 Easy Steps to Make Cold Porcelain

There are loads of benefits in having DIY projects. First you get to "Do It Yourself" and experience it first hand, you save a lot of money and the thrill of seeing your work of art, that's priceless. In a couple of tries you get better at it and if you're lucky you might even see a career of it at the end of the horizon.
One of the projects I have worked on this month is making my own Cold Porcelain Clay.
Cold Porcelain dries naturally and there's no need to bake it. Plus, the ingredients can be found right in your own home.


What you need:
3/4 cup white glue (Elmers, or even Stikwell wood glue will do)
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon cold cream (such as Pond's - you can also use 1 sachet of any Ponds cream)
1 teaspoon glycerin - If you have trouble finding glycerin, try a drugstore's skin care aisle, or a cake-decorating store.
(Since I don't have this handy, I skipped it because I checked the Ponds sachet and it already has glycerin)
1 cup cornstarch, plus additional for dusting your hands

Assemble everything before you begin.
These are non-toxic though but I would highly suggest you use your old pan and wooden spoon for this. Don't use your best kitchen utensils as cold porcelain can be sticky.

Steps:

 Mix the white glue, water, cold cream, and glycerin in a saucepan over medium heat until it's smooth.

When it is nice and smooth add the cup of cornstarch and begin stirring continuously, you will see the mixture rapidly become stiff.

When you mix in the cornstarch it will look like cottage cheese

Then it will quickly stiffen into something that resembles mashed potatoes.

When it forms one clump and pulled away from the sides of the pan, it's done. 

Since the clay is still very hot at this point.

Get a clean, wet dish towel over a plate and put the clay on it.

While this cools off a bit, gather the utensils used and run it with hot, soapy water.

Wash them later on. You can now knead through the clay over the wet towel.

Pause every once in a while, pulling the towel from the clay.

Dust a bit of cornstarch as you knead to avoid sticking.

When the clay is cool enough to handle, continue kneading with your hands.

Dusting with cornstarch every now and then so it doesn't stick in your hands.

You may also dust your work surface with cornstarch as needed.

After a few minutes of kneading, your clay will no longer be sticky but instead will become elastic, just like a Play-Doh clay.

If you want to add color to your clay, knead in a little acrylic or oil paint at this point. If you add the acrylic into your clay before sculpting it, it will give a more vibrant color. You can also opt for painting it all later, depending on how creative you want to be.

Place your cold porcelain clay in an airtight container (I use Reynolds ziplock plastic bags) while you proceed to wash your utensils.

One of the many projects you can do with Cold Porcelain Clay.

These wonderfully crafted pieces are hand sculpted by Ibenia C.

These may take up to several days to dry depending on the thickness of your sculpture.

Others also encountered problems with getting cracks in their clay, some have tried excluding water in their ingredient. While some people just filled the cracks with clay (if you just want to get it done and your not after an über perfect porcelain).

(Source: Coldporcelaindesigns, Craftstylish)

Recipe: Yummy Bistek

I am absolutely craving for a beef steak right now (Bistek, as we call it here).
It is one of my comfort foods like Sinigang, Adobong Manok, Tinola and Lugaw. All yummy.
Well I am not going to tease you any further, let me show you how it's done.

Ingredients:
1/2 kilo Beef (round, sirloin or tenderloin), sliced 1/4-inch thick
4 tbsp of kalamansi (native lemon) juice
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
Ground Pepper
1 tsp Minced Garlic
2 large Onions, cut into rings
2 tbsp Cooking oil

Directions:
Marinate Beef:
In a bowl, mix kalamansi (or lemon juice) and soy sauce.
Add beef, garlic and ground pepper.
Mix well. Let sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Cooking:
Heat oil in a skillet. Lightly fry the onion rings.
Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels. Keep warm.
Reheat oil until pan is very hot.
Pan-fry the beef slices in batches, removing them as they brown.
When all the beef has been cooked, pour the marinade into the skillet and boil for 1 minute.
Arrange beef slices on a plate and place the slightly fried onion rings on top.
Pour the sauce over the onions and beef. Serve at once.

You will instantly become a fan of this easy to cook and undoubtedly delicious recipe!

Source: 1

5 Cutest Dog Breeds Ever!

Hungarian Puli

The Hungarian Puli Dogs identifiable feature is that it resembles a Mop!
These are high maintenance doggies. With furs that are wiry like these requires constant grooming and would take a day to completely dry after washing.
It's ideal to be cared for in cooler climates and must be protected from heat.
(This mostly applies to all thick haired doggies!)
Caring for these fun-loving Puli's can be very much rewarding as they are smart, animated, affectionate and loyal to their masters.
They are also excellent Sheepdogs that are wary of strangers, watchful and courageous. Puli's stand about 16-17" and mostly weigh up to 25-35 lbs.
They live to about 13 years at most.

 

 

 

Bichon Frise

A Bichon Frise (pronounced Bee-shon Free-zay)
(Which in French means curly lap dog) is larger than the Maltese, non-shedding and like many furry dogs requires daily grooming.
They weigh around 10-18 lbs and stands 9-15".
These bright little dogs are suitable for people with allergies, as they are bred to be hypoallergenic.
The only thing you need to work on would be the frequent trimming, brushing, and bathing (once a month).
Bichon Frise are definite companion dogs, obedient, gentle mannered and affectionate. They get along well with little kids and are fine in the company of other animals.

 

 

ChowChow

The Chow Chows are most commonly kept as a companion dog.
They are extremely loyal to its own family and will bond tightly to its master. The Chow typically shows affection only with those it has bonds to, so new visitors to the home should not press their physical attention upon the resident Chow as it will not immediately accept strangers in the same manner as it does members of its own pack.
The two most distinctive features of the Chow Chow are its blue-black tongue and its almost straight hind legs, which makes it walk rather stilted.  The ears are small and rounded and there is a huge ruff behind the head, which gives it a lion like appearance

Most Chow Chows like to dominate other dogs, but in contrast, they are quite good with children. They must be extensively socialized when very young to combat potential over-protectiveness as an adult. They need firm training right from the start. Their personality is mainly due to their past treatment.

History: In China the Chow Chow was used for guarding things and for pulling carts. Its flesh was eaten and there was a market for its fur. This sad history, plus the lack of a single master (due to being a working dog) has dampened the personality of this extremely beautiful dog. It thus sometimes appears introverted, detached, and indifferent. Breeders have been working very hard to breed a Chow with a "family" temperament and with some success too. A well-bred and well-socialized Chow Chow can be just that - an excellent family dog.

Regular brushing of the long coat is important to maintain the lifted, standing-out look. Chow chows stand to about 18-22" and can weigh around 45-70 lbs
They can live up to 15 years like the Japanese Spitz.

 

Old English Sheepdog

The Old English Sheepdog is a large dog, often used as a herding dog in farms.
They are recognizable with their shaggy coats and fur covering their faces.

The Old English Sheepdog is an athletic animal, filled with clownish energy, and therefore requires regular exercise or a job to do. Although affectionate with his family, he may try to herd people or other objects by gently bumping them.
Their height are about 24" and can weigh around 101 lbs for larger ones.

With wide open spaces being the ideal setting for an Old English Sheepdog, the breed is a natural fit in a rural setting, such as working on a farm; although they are perfectly comfortable with a suburban or urban lifestyle (with proper exercise). Their remarkable, inherent herding instincts, sense of duty, and sense of property boundaries may be nurtured and encouraged accordingly, or subdued by their owners. Old English Sheepdogs should not be deprived of the company and the warmth of people. They are an adaptable, intelligent dog of even disposition, with no sign of aggression, shyness or nervousness.

 

 

Japanese Spitz

The Japanese Spitz is a bold, loyal, active, playful, affectionate and happy companion. He seems to be smiling all the time! He thrives on being with his owner, and wants to go with you wherever you go. He can sit and warm himself in your lap, but he is not the kind of dog who sleeps all day--he's lively and full of fun.
(with the exception of Eve, she sleeps all day and only energetic around eating time)
I think she picks up on whatever the family does. Since we are very laid back she's laid back as well. She doesn't bark a lot only when she senses strangers in front of the house. Spitz are also very easy to housebreak.

The Japanese Spitz are generally good with other dogs and pets, especially if they're raised with them as a puppy. They are good with children, and has the patience and playfulness to be a companion to young ones. Around strangers they are slightly suspicious, and will bark loudly at visitors until they get to know them (very true).
Approach them very gently rather than rushed toward.
They are a good watchdog because they are very protective of their family, and has keen senses along with a loud and forceful bark.
The Japanese Spitz can sometimes bark too much and must be taught to quiet down on command. They're is easy to train and learns quickly. Eager to please, but can occasionally be independent and demonstrate a strong will of their own.
You must be fair and consistent to train a Japanese Spitz.

Despite the appearance of the Japanese Spitz’ pure white coat they are in fact a low maintenance breed. They are a very clean dog and do not have a doggy odor, due to the texture of their coat mud and dirt fall off or can be brushed out very easily. Provided they are kept well groomed, they should only require a bath every couple of months (common sense prevailing). They have a major coat shed once a year, but like most dogs shed minimum all year round

The Japanese Spitz is 12 to 15 inches tall (to shoulders) and weighs 11 to 22 pounds. He has a medium-length, double coat consisting of a straight outer coat and a short, soft, thick undercoat. His coat color is white.

I don't know if this applies to other dogs as well but the Spitz can be very sensitive at times and will demonstrate rebellion by not eating or hiding away in corners.
Take Blanca (or Eve) for example, when we scold her or cut/shave her hair (which she does not approve) she hides away as if ashamed to go out. They can be weird at times because Eve gets nightmares all the time.

All of these dogs live to about 12-15 years enough to add so many memorable events in a humans life!

(Source: Dogsindepth, Oldstersview, Englishpeople, Pedigreedatabase, Kelly&Kia, Bachi, Dogpage, Gopetsamerica, Breederretriever, Bestofbreeds, Wikipedia, Akc, Allsmalldogbreeds, Spitz)

Ninjai: The Little Ninja

I honestly have graduated from liking Anime cartoon, but this one brought me right back in.

Like many others I have been waiting for the next installment from the 12 part series of flash animation which can be seen here.

It is a story of a very deadly ninja, battling different types of bad people crossing his path. He sorta lost his memory which explains why he kept asking who he really was. Oh and by the way did I mention that the deadly ninja is a just little boy? Yup, he battles and defeats rouges and characters he often refers to as demons.

Ninjai goes on a quest to discover his true identity together with his cute and reliable friend "Little Bird". If you love Kill Bill action with all the sword fighting and the cartoon stuff added in you will easily become a fan of this. No wonder Quentin Tarantino admitted being a fan of Ninjai as well.

This cartoon however isn't suitable for very young kids as it can get very graphic and violent. Anime addicts and cartoon lovers alike will definitely get hooked to this animated sensation.

 

 

Plus, there's wonderful news from the Ninjai Gang.

They announced in 2008 of releasing a feature length movie

that will be high quality and will soon appear in theaters.

I can't wait!

Images: 1