Chicken

After yesterday's sinigang, I suddenly had a burst of this strange I-want-to-cook energy. Despite the sniffles and the sore throat, I decided to make myself some chicken soup with lots of fresh vegetables.

I bought a whole chicken from the chiller at the nearby grocery and lots of veggies: carrots, leafy greens, celery, white onions, ginger. I could already taste the soothing broth. It would be fairly easy: just boil the chicken with the onions and ginger, and once it's cooked, just dump in the vegetables for a few minutes.

Except of course before I could boil the chicken, I had to spend some time cleaning it... and removing the head and feet that were tucked inside its cavity! Eeeww. I got a bit of a shock - I was expecting a fully dressed chicken. It was my first time to cut up a chicken's head and feet, and it's not exactly my most favorite thing to do. The chicken was also a bit fatty so I removed a lot of the skin and the fat underneath. I didn't want all that guck floating in my soup and blocking my arteries. After cutting it up into the main parts, I had the water boiling and the soup simmering in no time.

The hard work paid off: as a bonus, I even had leftover boiled chicken breast which I made into chicken mayo for breakfast!

Calamansi

I made pork sinigang using freshly-squeezed calamansi. I must have squeezed more than 50 of them. It's my all-time favorite dish ever since I was a kid and it's wonderful comfort food especially now that I'm down with a bad blah bug. Yummmm...

Ironic

I didn't get to sing this at our karaoke gig tonight, but this was the song running through my head. Sigh. Why oh why? Must have been something in that pepper crab I had tonight.

An old man turned ninety-eight 
He won the lottery and died the next day 
It's a black fly in your Chardonnay 
It's a death row pardon two minutes too late 
Isn't it ironic ... don't you think 

It's like rain on your wedding day 
It's a free ride when you've already paid 
It's the good advice that you just didn't take 
Who would've thought ... it figures 

Mr. Play It Safe was afraid to fly 
He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids good-bye 
He waited his whole damn life to take that flight 
And as the plane crashed down he thought 
'Well isn't this nice...' 
And isn't it ironic ... don't you think 

Well life has a funny way of sneaking up on you 
When you think everything's okay and everything's going right 
And life has a funny way of helping you out when 
You think everything's gone wrong and everything blows up 
In your face 

It's a traffic jam when you're already late 
It's a no-smoking sign on your cigarette break 
It's like ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife 
It's meeting the man of my dreams 
And then meeting his beautiful wife 
And isn't it ironic... don't you think 
A little too ironic... and yeah I really do think... 

Life has a funny way of sneaking up on you 
Life has a funny, funny way of helping you out 
Helping you out 

One

Today marks ten years since Batch 2001 marched down from The Hill and went out into the real world.

"One is First. One is Unique. One is Independent. One is All. One is Last." We have been all that and more. A decade later, where are we now?

Ps. On an interesting parallel note: Today, five months to my tenth year at work, I was struggling to write about my favorite line from U2: "We're one but we're not the same."

Spring

Today marks the official start of Spring. The few days I spent in springtime in recent years (in Pittsburgh or in California) were good for the soul - and not to mention my skin and hair too! Hee-hee.

I wish I get to have the opportunity one day to live in a country with four seasons. (Be careful what you wish for as you know it usually comes true.)

Motto

Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase
Hakuna Matata! Ain't no passing craze
It means no worries for the rest of your days
It's our problem-free philosophy
Hakuna Matata!
Hakuna Matata?
Yeah. It's our motto!
What's a motto?
Nothing. What's a-motto with you?

I watched The Lion King at the Sands Theater of the Marina Bay Sands tonight, and I have to say that Rafiki, Timon and Pumbaa stole the show from the lions. C and I couldn't help but quote our favorite lines ("Pumbaa, with you, everything is gas.") in between giggles before the start of show.

The production design was awesome and it was a visual feast! I'm glad we got good seats... or so I thought. Soon after the show started, a little girl behind us started her commentary (in Singlish too!) for every single scene. She was about 6 or 7 years old and it was endearing at first, but then it got really distracting ("Mummy, is he really dead? Is he?"), then annoying especially since her parents weren't telling her to stop though many were looking at them and shushing. Sigh. Tsk, tsk, tsk. What's a-motto with you??? I couldn't help it: I had to speak to the usher during the intermission and he was good to ask them to move seats. I definitely enjoyed the second half a lot more!

I've always loved The Lion King and it speaks so much on the search for one's identity and purpose. I love hakuna matata but I think I'm a worrywart at heart and can't have that as my life's motto. Reading through the long list of memorable lines from the movie, I'd choose something Rafiki said to the adult Simba as my motto: Oh yes, the past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it, or... learn from it. 

Infinity

My dear friends and fellow nerdies B and C got married today in Tagaytay. I was happy they invited me to read at the Mass in addition to hosting the reception. We did a trivia game with multiple choice options: B, C or the infinity symbol.

In spite of everything, I still have faith in the sacrament of marriage. As an active participant with a good vantage point at the side of the altar, I couldn't help but daydream of what my own wedding day will one day be like. A solemn ceremony at Church still marks the start of a marriage: a true union of body, soul and spirit. Call me old fashioned and conservative, but I am still holding off for my one true love who will wait for me at the end of that aisle, who will love me to infinity and beyond (as I will too), and who will spend eternity with me, until death do us part. One day. Some day. All in God's perfect timing.

Congratulations, B and C! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be part of your wedding day in a special way. I look forward to the next time we get to hang out. Here's to your happily-ever-infinity!

Journey

Today marks the start of the Lenten season, a journey of change and a journey to Love.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

What can I do (or not do) to bring me closer to Love?

Backlog

My last word was exactly a month ago on the 8th of February. I counted and now I have to play catch-up on my backlog of 27 words. Argh. I've scribbled some random words-of-the-day on my iPhone's Notes, on scraps of paper and in my head. For some days, I will have to go back and try to relive them: What happened today? What was the day's highlight? How did I feel?

I feel bad that I have to backdate; here in the blogosphere, it sort of feels like cheating. My friend D was shocked when I told her that I go back in time and post something meant for days or weeks or months ago. I choose the date so I can remember the day. And it's my blog anyway so I can do what I want. Hee-hee.

Backlog on my blog = backblog. Why did I let the month go by without blogging? No more excuses, Nikki. Writers write and if you want to  call yourself a writer, you better get back into the program.

Tomahawk

My girlfriends had been getting serious cravings for steak so tonight we went to Bedrock Grill and ordered a tomahawk steak to share between the five of us. Together with the macaroni-and-blue-cheese and the truffle mashed potatoes, the slabs of medium-well meat went so well as is or with a dab of mustard... yummmmmm. It was definitely one of my life-changing meals.

I once had a crush on a vegetarian. I'm so glad he turned out to be a jerk. Hee-hee.