Innocent Remarks At Home # 002

Aleci: Daddy, I am Top 1 in our class!
Daddy: Yeah I know, I am the one who received your report cards.
Abrelle: You’re only Top 1? I am higher than you, I am Top 3 in our class!
Aleci: Eeeeee… Grrrrrr… we’re not counting here from 1 to 10 you know!
Daddy: ^_^ (What can I say, I am proud of my girls!)

Innocent Remarks At Home # 001

Aleci: Daddy, is it not a woman with a husband called Mrs and a single woman called Miss?
Daddy: Yes baby, that is correct!
Abrelle: What about Ma’am?
Aleci: That’s what you call a pregnant woman!

The Princess And The Things

When I was a kid, I was fond of reading fairytales. I had an entire bookshelf of fairytale collection and various educational books. I am a slow reader not because I have low comprehension skills but rather because I would like to visualize what the book was describing and often imagine an entire scene for a few seconds with all its magic. I would completely immerse myself into the story that I temporarily escape from reality. Up until now, it will take me ages to finish a novel but for novels that were adapted into movies, I have better imagination on what is happening. A series of novels that I have read are The Lord of the Rings: A Hobbit’s Tale, Harry Potter Series and the Twilight Series. I recently read and watched the novel The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. However, it never occurred to me to write my own version of a fairytale. Well my eldest daughter did and man it was a blast. At the age of six (an age when I was barely able to count from one to ten and hardly read even a letter from the alphabet), she was able to create her own short fairytale and getting the most of the grammar correct. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Sweetest Sincerity

The lot of us sounds harsh when we say the truth and when we really care. In most cases, we will sound condescending and the narrow-minded will take us offensively but in all honestly, we are just trying to help. We must realize that the most important lessons in life are not served on a silver platter. We must learn how to take constructive criticisms that are often unpleasant to hear. It may sometimes be the same when saying the sweetest thing and sounding very sincere at the same time. We just literally need to read between lines or rather rephrase it on our own. There is only one thing we need to keep in mind, consider the person who is giving the message.

If you must understand, my eldest daughter gave me a simple card from school last Father’s Day. And in it wrote the darndest thing that everyone must face; Daddy sana hindi ka mamatay (Daddy, I wish you will not die). The sincerity of the phrase made everyone that read it laugh, I know you did too, but the sweetness of the message is heartfelt after the laughter settles. Aleci is only 6years old as of this writing and I already think that soon I will be encountering questions from her that even I do not know the answer. Abrelle is now 5years old and she is just learning how to read. I can only imagine what will she say when it is her turn to start uncovering the realities of life.

Random Things I Hate #001

I hate Tagalog (No offense, maasim kasi) Papaitan.

Pinapaitan is an Ilocano delicacy. It is named that way because it is supposed to taste from slightly bitter to moderately bitter, depending on one’s preference. But it is in no way, whatsoever to be sour (e di sana tinawag na lang na Inasiman). And unlike most people know, its main ingredient is not cow insides (Sinanglaw/Sinanglao iti awag mi idiay). Here’s how to cook an authentic Ilocano Pinapaitan:

Ingredients:
~ 1 kilo of Carabao Tenderloin (paper sliced)
~ 200 grams of Carabao Liver (sliced)
~ 200 grams of Carabao Tripe (sliced)
~ 150 grams of Carabao Fat/Grease (sliced)
~ 2-3 measures of Grass Juice from the Carabao Small Intestines (strained and small intestine sliced) (papait iti awag mi ditoy)
~ 5-10 pieces of Native Onions (sliced)
~ Pinch of Vetsin (MSG)
~ 1 Teaspoon of Salt
~ (Optional) Small amount of Ginger (sliced into strips)

Cooking instructions:
1. Boil 200-300 ml of water.
2. Add 2-3 measures of grass juice and bring to boil.
3. Add the Native Onions (and Ginger).
4. Add the Salt and Vetsin to complement taste and simmer for 2mins.
5. Add Tripe and Fat/Grease.
6. Bring to a boil and add Tenderloin and Liver.
7. Turn-off fire immediately.

Note: Never sauté the fat/grease (kung ayaw mong mamahay kung kinakain mo).

So if you are a real Ilocano, you should know what I mean.