Made with Real Cheddar Cheese

While watching The Great Food Truck Race finale on On Demand last night,

BB: Babe, can we change it? We watched this before...

I gave him the (pinky) finger and the following respond

Pregnant Wife: Do you want me to eat this?

It was Club & Cheddar sandwich crackers from Keebler. The crackers were merely gross to his standard because almost half of the calories per serving is coming from fat, and as you all know, I've been complaining about weight gain incessantly. I can't help it, it's so yummy! And it is made with Real Cheddar Cheese (really? LOL)!

BB: Is this what our relationship turn into? Bribing yourself to not to eat
something in order for me to not do something. Put down the remote or I'll eat
this. LOL.

PW: Whatever it takes.

Masterbaker

There are reasons why couple ends up with other. In most cases, opposite attracts, in Hubbostrich and I case, it is the opposite. We are just so alike, except maybe temperature wise. If one is cold water, the other is a bit warmer. One significant example of being alike is that we are both enablers specifically in the field of gastronomy. The following examples are just covering today. But the readers should get the idea on how it goes most of the time in the N****n household.

Case 1, at the house

BB, I gained like 10 lbs now.

Oh, good.

Good,10 lbs? I still have 18 weeks or so to go.

Oh...Babe, you get to cut the sugar. Savory...I mean, I know you can't stop baking, it'll make you go crazy. So make something savory, a quiche! Yes, that should be your next project. There's a lot of fat but at least there are a lot of proteins too. You know you just need to eat a little portion of it.

Case 2, at the grocery store, walking down the dairy aisle

I need sweets.

Sweets? No!

My palate needs sweets after all those pizza you baked. Do you want ice cream? They're on sale!

Hmm...what about malted milk shake? Do we have chocolate syrup?

[Kiss him on the cheek]



Masterbaker, with his pizzas today. There were 1 supreme, 1 Hawaiian, and 2 pepperoni mushroom pizzas.



He made yummy meat pies yesterday.







One thing for sure, no cooking next week!

That NY

Seperti yang Anda sekalian ketahui, susasana sebuah tempat itu kurang ceria tanpa kehadiran NY (Ndoro Yada). Saya pasti akan kangen sekali sama dia kalo dia memang harus balik ke tanah air bulan Mei ini.

Akhir-akhir ini dia tambah gokil, mungkin ditambah dampak samping persiapan interviunya untuk sebuah lapangan pekerjaan di Dallas. Ini merupakan peluang si Princy yang terakhir untuk bekerja di negeri Paman Sam ini.

"Ma..."

"Ya.."

Sang mama berantisipasi jikalau anak gadisnya yang ini punya ide baru untuk mengolah sesuatu di dapur. Yang didengar ibunda selanjutnya malah sebagai berikut.

"Susah, ya, nyari pacar?"

Setelah pulih dari kaget akan pertanyaan tersebut, sang mama pun bersabda,

"Makanya, badan itu lebih dikuruskan lagi..."

Setelah itu suasana kembali menjadi sunyi senyap, karena si Princy kembali berkutat dengan bahan interviunya. Dinginnya angin malam tidak berhasil menembus dinding dan pintu apartemen mungil kami, dan yang paling penting, cemilan-cemilan dengan aman tetap bertenger di kulkas dan di pantry.

"Kak..."

Si Princy tiba-tiba memecahkan keheningan.

"Ya..."

Saya berantisipasi kalo dia mempunyai ide tempat yang patut dikunjungi akhir minggu ini. Yang saya dengar malah pertanyaan serupa di atas.

"Susah, ya, nyari pacar?"

Pertanyaan retorik kah, Saudara-saudara? Saya menghimbau Anda untuk menjawabnya.

Tetapi untuk lebih membantu NY, adik saya tercinta, Anda dapat mengirimkan profil jomblo-jomblo berkualitas kepada saya (eh, ke dia langsung juga bisa, sih, hi hi hi). Syarat utama adalah berpenampilan menarik dan berke"pribadi"an--anda tahu kan yang NY maksud? Rumah pribadi, mobil pribadi, dll. J/k. NY anaknya tidak sedangkal itu, kok.



Cantik, kan, adik saya?

Kurang apa coba? Cantik, pinter masak, pinter dandan, punya gelar master dari sekolah terkemuka, lumayan anak Tuhan, dan sangat-sangat people person.

Saya harus berhenti mendeskripsikan dia, karena nanti dia keburu jadi tidak misterius dimata anda-anda sekalian. Ya yang jelas, NY itu dijamin nggak ngebosenin, deh.

Ditunggu kirimannya!

First Post 2010

Hey, ho! How did that happen? Entire month of December was barren of posting and January is almost gone.

In retrospect, December was crazy, indeed. I had an itinerary that involves traveling to the many cities in Texas, helping people move, graduations, Christmas celebrations, wedding preparation, in short, spending time with loved ones. Sure, that was the second part of the month, the first part was less hectic but still... Suffice it to say that real life socializing barely left me with time and space to breath much less to sit in front of the interweb. Although, I didn't view the absent of interweb activity as deprivation of luxury, but in fact, a luxury.

Now that the new beginning of the new decade in here, I am glad that stuff is returning to its normal routine. It is actually a bit less normal routine that the usual normal, because, now, pretty much all of my free time is devoted to the wedding preparation. It is three months and several days until the big day which will be right on May Day. Gasp. I am lucky that I will have my complete living in troupe to prepare for the wedding since my mother is here to stay until the middle of May and NY is soon to arrive following her fruitless job seeking in Texas.

Life is going to be more interesting with this dynamic duo around. For instance, two co-queens reigning the kitchendom is inevitable--it might or might not be resulting in an immediate threat to the state of my gown. Also, bargain hunting shopping trips with NY are almost always bringing in the good stuff.

I am just cherishing these moments but of course I couldn't wait to share my life with that guy. So, Guy, if you read this, I love you.

Happy Thanksgiving

I said before and I said again. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Partly, because it is celebrating life, friends, and family and also because everybody celebrates it. The celebration transpires beyond age, religion, gender, race, ethnicity, and [insert other other socio-economic, socio-politics attributes we use to classify ourselves].

This Thanksgiving I am celebrating it away from family, and sadly, Fiance. But I got a nice wake up phone call from the dude. It is like cuddling but on the phone--sorry, can't help to give out a TMI. Anyway, he woke me up to assist me on making a cornbread oyster dressing.

Bibi made this dressing for his church group dinner last Sunday. I just had an idea to bring it over to a potluck dinner tonight. Baking and cooking are perfect channeling of inner domestic goddess in me and of course I have a hidden agenda to show him off thru his recipe to the folks at dinner.

"Oyster? On cornbread as dressing?"

"It is a southern thing. Paula Deen makes it," he said on the phone.

I just couldn't believe myself for not knowing the existence of such dressing despite of electing my as an honorary Southerner. Also why are we calling it dressing instead of stuffing again? A little bit of education here. Compendium of people in the internet say that what the northern people call dressing, the southerner stuffing. However, the correct answer is that stuffing is when the bread mixture is stuffed inside the turkey, while dressing is when it is baked separately like casserole .

Two batches of dressing are done now and ready for the dinner tonight. Suffice it to say that it is rank up there on the list of meals I can eat everyday. I also made a pecan pie (with store bought pie shell) and green beans casserole (this one is totally from scratch) for the dinner. Both are using recipes from Cook's Illustrated that are spread illegally over the internet. I am thinking to subscribe for the magazine. Their recipes never fail to amaze me and it is such a joy to read it with all the illustrations.

I am going to have a mini work out in preparation of all the food before me tonight. And then I am going my way to drop off all the food at the host's before fleeting away to San Francisco for a 1 hour A&M-T-sip football game watching with fellow Aggies. It is gonna be a busy Thanksgiving but I am hoping I am experiencing a memorable one, my first one in California.

I am thankful for this year that are just filled with abundant blessings. For Fiance, family, friends, job, state of mind, health, adventure and chance to develop into a better human being.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Random

On the phone the other day...

X: Bibi, I have just learned a new word, miscogeny, ah, miscegeny, ah..how do you say it? *getting frustrated with my pronunciation, as usual*

Bibi: Is that what you are going to do to me?

X: Hi hi hi...yeah! I am going to be a proud miscegenator.

Bibi: Hi hi hi...

All Sales Are Final

It's been two days since your 30-day no question ask return policy expired...I guess I pass my probation period? LoL.

yeah you pass lol

Happy belated engagement lunaversary, Fiance.

Hello, Fiance...

I feel happy every time I see this picture. I placed the original color print on my cubicle right by the laptop. It feels as if Bibi greets me every time I return to the cube and I find my self saying hi to him.



It was taken by a film SLR of Bibi's colleague, a certain Dr. K. He and his wife were one of the first ones who witness our early going out back in December 2007. We were attending some kind of St. Mary's pipe organ Christmas recital.

Utterly Happy

Remember Pollo Desperado?

I made Bibi that for dinner just after he landed. Bibi carved the chicken fresh out of the oven. He had salad for a side dish while I had soup. I also made some baked potato with rosemary from my pot garden. We opened a bottle of wine I had handy for a sitdown dinner like this.



We had elaborate plan for Saturday to visit the Santa Cruz mountain, drive the 17-Mile Drive at Monterey, and then hike somewhere in Point Lobos. As for me, I had always wanted to cross two things of my Bibi list: taking a long walk at the beach and watching sunset, and it was not just any beach, it has to be at Carmel by the Beach.

Due to some mismanagement of time and also on getting a bit lost, it was already 5 PM when we drove the 17-Mile Drive. The cloudy sky put a stop on our hiking plan as we cruised thru the next 12 points of interests and off to Carmel.

That long walk on the beach was a God sent. I pointed to an older couple who were walking a few feet in front and to the side of us who were pausing for a kiss. "It's like one of those De Beers diamond commercial," I told Bibi. And then he dragged me to the very spot and did the same to me.

I took out the beach towel when we decided to take a rest. We had a mini health-conscious picnic with some baked multigrain chips, trailmix bars and plain water. Bibi regretted the lack of wine. I should've picked up clues by this time, but I didn't. I asked him for his camera and started taking pictures of us.



Before long when I was still playing with the camera, he took out a dark blue paper box out of his backpack without me knowing and proceeded to say, "you have crossed things off your list today, now you will be able to cross one more thing." He put the box on his lap.

I still didn't catch that it was a proposal. "Opened it, " he said. I opened the paper box and inside there was an oval box to what looks like something that houses a ring. Inside was the most beautiful diamond ring a girl like me has ever seen.

Bibi made a speech of proposal, which honestly I forgot the details of except for few bits about how I made him feel special and then..."H****** N*********, will you marry me?" I shouted a big yes and planted him a big kiss. I put the ring on my left ring finger. Maybe in that order.

I still can't believe that I am engaged to a beautiful, caring, intelligent person!


We stayed at the beach for another hour or two just talking and talking. I totally forgot all about the sunset. We then had a celebration dinner at maybe the best gourmet type of restaurant I've ever been in. It serves Asian-European fused food, properly symbolizing our future venture together. We were hesitant at first to dine at such place donning only our very casual beach get ups. But, ah, what the heck.





It was a really nice ring. I know what I felt about diamond before. But it does make a girl feel a tad more special.


Thank you God. Thank you, Baby. I love you and I can't wait to start a life with you.

Pollo Desperado

I had heard about a recipe that somehow results in many boyfriends' proposals to their respective girlfriends. So after taking the idea into the pensive, I decided to give it a try, just to see how it tastes like.

The recipe calls for a 3-lb chicken, two lemons, salt and pepper. I, of course, modified it with more seasonings for the outside part of the chicken and some onion. I added significant baking time as the bird was a almost a 5-lb one. It tasted so good, I probably will marry myself, I told Bibi on the phone.

One day, he asked if I am ever going to make him the Engagement Chicken. "Are we going to be part of statistic?" I texted him back. "It could be fun," he replied. So yeah, I decided to cook him that--with some other side dishes yet to be determined--for his upcoming visit.

I made another tryout two days ago. This time with a smaller bird since I found a mere 3-lb stew hen on a local Asian grocery store. It tasted even better this second time around. Although, I regretted my foolish decision to cook a stew hen for baking. The meat is rubber-like. Also the feathers weren't plucked properly. Ah, well, you couldn't expect much from an Asian grocery store. You do get what you paid for.

So will this result in a proposal? We will see. Bibi did ask for my ring size last week.

Much Ado About Nothing

One day on a meeting with the many groups and commissions at church back in CS, a favorite priest commented on my name, "it's Latin for the one who is nominated," he said. I smiled, mildly disagree. I have nothing in me that spells out L-E-A-D-E-R-S-H-I-P. I am good working with myself and from time to time can bring into reality some degree of successful fashion things that interest me. Working with others while assuming a leadership role need a whole other level of vigority, spontaneity, planning, and genuine believe in human beings, all that are incompatible with the silent side, anti-social me.

Despite the self assurance that I posses no leadership skills whatsoever, the namesake might, once again, be put in line what with the current politics at a certain non-profit, non-political, religious organization I am involved with. In an abridge version, a simple power overthrowing is on its way towards producing tragic consequence to the state of the organization. I am thinking in term of the ridiculousness of the situation, it is similar to the statue of Saddam Husein fatally befallen the masses around it.

In order to avoid the kind of doomsday everyone afraid of, some of the officers voicing their support for yours truly to man one of the key positions, that is as an interim President or a Vice President. I want to add a sexist point of view here, since none of the men is man enough to assume such positions (they are the ones that created the drama in the first place), why not make it an all women roles (although this can be dangerous also, we do not want to foster "feline belligerence" down the line). Anyway, back to being nominated, my take on the matter is that in addition to the lack of leadership ability, I simply don't have the virtue for such a heavy responsibility, not to mention this anxiety --that is well on its way to become a disorder-- I am suffering over the comeuppance of a certain proposal (BF, beware! Although, I doubt you read far down to this line. LoL!).

Let me work with myself to support the group. Let the drama dry out and all will be well again.

Black Hole/Mothership

13:33 -- Hi! (the usual start of text message ritual, no reply from moi)

17:54 -- The Governor want to see you...(referring to his post on the workout blog, still no reply from moi)

20:58 -- Are you ok? (Sorry, Babe, I misplaced my cellphone at home and didn't see your text messages until midnight.)

I am thinking there is some sort of a black hole at the apartment. I was sure that the cellphone is still at the house because unlike these past two days I woke up precisely when the Wake Up Alarm on my cellphone went off. Before leaving for work, I searched all around to no avail. I even sent a text message through the computer but apparently it arrived thirty minutes after I sent it. Throughout the workday, I actively checked my account on the provider. First to see if the phone didn't land on somebody else's and got abused. Second, to see if I missed any important phonecalls and how many text messages got in. All is well. When I got home at midnight, I heard the phone beeping somewhere in the living room. It turned out it sucessfully fell to my newest mothership by the "sofa" possibly when I hit the silence button. Bibi must get a kick out of this mothership/black hole subject. LoL.

Back Log: June 18-24

Let's see, too many things to recount. Caveat for the readers, the following rambles are mainly for self-notes. I should have been more persistent on picture taking. It just escaped me.

Texas Trip
What follows is my account on what happened on this trip after the hilarity that was on the last post. But before we began, I wanted to state that I forgot how 100 degrees weather feels like. Tank tops, shorts, skirts, and summer dresses, SPF 50, minimal to no make-up are fashion staples I anticipated for this trip. I am glad NY has a lot of cute things to borrow to maximize my inner fashionista wannabe. As for the trip, I did what I came for: Bibi's prelim, a friend's wedding, and visiting the siblings.

Bibi practiced the slides for his presentation a couple of times that Thursday night and then once in the morning. "There's a lot of shit going on in this slide," we were hoping he can preface the last of his four topics.

The day of the prelim, Bibi refused to dress up in a suit/jacket, and instead don on his nice dress pants and shirt. He still looked smart nevertheless, LOL. We walked to school around noon. I played a good caterer and media tech while Bibi preparing his paperwork and whatnot.

When he was fighting at the frontline, I spent some time to exchange news and weather with my friends in the department. I excused myself two hours later to think that he must be finished by then. The waiting can be described as parallel to husbands waiting outside for wives delivering their first baby. Bibi finally came out of the room looking a bit worried and relieved at the same time. A minute later, his advisor when out to call him in. He passed!

I am so proud of him having to deal with such a tough and respectable research subject. Biology used to be my forte, I am glad I have somebody who possesses a better understanding on living objects--and most importantly, has good ideas on how to manipulate them.

We celebrated the prelim at O'Bannon's and a dinner at nearby Mexican place. Speaking of viva la comida, I also made panada and pastel from scratch for everybody's snacks on two different days. They got NY's seal of approval. I didn't realize that using rolling pin to make something is a good abs exercise.

The following Saturday, we had a wedding to attend. We arrived at the ceremony thirty minute late due to a planning mishap, i.e., no map. Who doesn't know the way to Waco? Only Bibi and yours truly apparently. Good thing my friend wasn't pronounced a Mrs yet. I am sure Bibi realize the ulterior motive of dragging him to the wedding, that is an exposure to Catholic wedding mass. The reception following the ceremony was in the mixed style of Mexican fiesta (the Mariachi and the food, groom was of Mexican decent) and the usual wedding party activity (the open floor with DJ, the bouquet throwing). Everybody had fun.



On Sunday, Bibi, the siblings and I went to Texas Road House to satisfy everyone's crave for a good steak and for a little bonding time. Then I went to St. Mary's 7 PM mass. Later that night, Bibi and I went to Northgate for his Sunday night poker league.

All in all, it was a good and compact visiting week. I did manage, though, to throw a breakdown tantrum on Bibi two days before leaving CS. That morning, Bibi and I went to the Rec Center together. I went to St. Mary's afterward with mi amiga G to get some ideas of things I need to prepare for a Catholic nuptial. It was an overwhelming experience to realize that my timeline (for a December wedding *gasps* Bibi needs to propose first, no?) is ambitious and has already passed its expiration. I am putting my--I mean, our--plan all on God's hand. Maybe sometime next year is best for everyone. I can spend some time with Mom, we all can have a better planning, and not to mention, it will be more feasible on the financial side. I am hoping NY get a job here, I can't do this without my dearest sister.

I flew back to SCLA on Wednesday ready for the last three days of working that week. The next week was another shutdown week.

--to be continued

Back to work

I just want to take a deep breath into an imaginary online paper bag. I have been reciting this too many times, "My timeline is not God's timeline". Although, I have bought a magazine last weekend--something I have been avoiding so as to minimizing the creation of yet another monster.

I also have been looking at possible dates for EE--a weekend in Houston, right on August shutdown, cheaper than CA ones.

What a girl to do. And to think all of these are hard on him too? Sigh.

PS:
BF, if you ever get around to read this blog, I still need my bling stat. Something like this will be really appreciated by me, who loves you so much. LOL!



A vintage (looking) sapphire ring in white gold.

Recent Update

Being laptop deprived since Friday has resulted in nights and weekend sans internet. The situation can easily be relieved if yours truly got her ass sitting in front of the desktop unit. She has been just too lazy to do that. Instead she's been focusing her mind on watching endless TV. She would be really happy to catch reruns of any of Star Trek series, but sadly, none of them were on during her waking hour. Instead, she settles on reruns of 3rd Rock from the Sun. Apart from being one heck of a funny series, the celestial body animation in between its scenes kinda reminded her of said series.

In other news, Aunt Flo decided to drop by last night. At four in the morning yours truly woke up with such a pain. Chocolate (and aspirin) has been proven to be a perfect remedy for time like this. She heated up the non-stick pan and made a grilled meisjes sandwich. Apart from the hint of chily oil taste, it worked wonder. Note to herself: get a sandwich toastmaker or dedicate a pan to make dessert like items.

In yet another news, "The One Who Got Away" is getting married. She feels nothing but pure happiness for him and the bride. Congratulations.

"Serious" Conversation

While he was driving me to Austin to catch a flight back to the Valley last night...

X: I am so past a waiting for a wedding. Other than the ceremony, the reception is sort of like, "Here people, eat our wedding cake with us now that we legally and morally can have sex with each other." You know, an announcement where you feed people.

BF: *rolling his eyes, shocked*

X: So, the objective has been moved forward. When are we going to buy a house?

BF: Ah, if the wedding is for everyone, a house is just for us.

X: Exactly.

BF: You and I really think alike. I want to have a house too.

X: Yup. So I have been calculating. You and I have to save at least [insert lot of money] if we to afford a CA house. Bonuses, stock options.

BF: Yes, a good job and we have to live in austerity then. Maybe we get a fixer upper and fix it ourselves, wouldn't it be fun?

X: Ooh, I love fixing stuff ourselves. I love buying tools. I watched enough of This Old House. LOL.

BB (not Blackberry)

10:19 AM, CST (8:18 AM, PST)

Good morning Apple Fritter!*

11:30 AM, CST (9:30 AM, PST)

Sh..somebody is on a shutdown week and might sleep till noon. LOL. How is experiment going?

3:28 PM, CST (1:28 PM, PST)

I didnt know that Jim Rome is such a hottie. His wife must be a goddess of some sort. They have two sons! LOL.**

3:40 PM, CST (1:40 PM, PST)

Some people are like working.......

3:41 PM, CST (1:41 PM, PST)

LOL!

*His choice of dessert to call moi today
**Inside joke, hard to explain in here

State of Me

I am dead sleepy but I just couldn't turn off my brain...
I am still full from the vegetarian take out (it's almost two weeks since I've been abstaining from meat and poultry but I don't think I can be a vegetarian forever), but I am craving for something sweet or chocolate...
I can't wait for tomorrow so I can go to thrift stores around the area to satisfy an going desire to decorate around the apartment...
I miss Boyfriend so much, I cried...

I love that we can talk about nothing and everything
I love that you do listen to the trivial things I said, when I thought you don't
I love how we understand each other in a non-verbal way
I love that we can always find our way home when we are lost
I love that I feel safe when I am with you
I love that you brag about me to your friends and family
I love your giving me thoughtful gifts when I don't expect it
I love that you are there for my highs and lows
I love the silent moments when I can just reach you and hold your hand as long as I want
Most importantly, I have seen the best and worst of you, and I still love you for who you are

Would You?

One of the text message banters through out the days...

What's up boyfriend. I cant believe the deals at Z*les online. Crazy girl is screen shopping next to me...

What, my hand started to twitch...

And just two nights ago I had a dream I am wearing our wedding band. I woke up looking at my left ring finger. There was nothing there. LOL. I want to scream on top of my lung, "Would you just propose already????"

PF

I came home today from work and some grocery shopping. I called the BF as I put stuff away. It's his birthday today and our two best friends were throwing him a birthday dinner. In the middle of the call Mom was calling me on the other line. I promised to call the BF again later. Mom and I talked as I heat up my dinner.

We couldn't help but discussing the family's financial situation these days. Things are pretty tight since Dad passed away. And now that I am working, there is not much changing in term of my contribution to our family. See, in numbers, my income is considerably high, but after factoring in CA living cost, car payment, and that single person income tax bracket, there is really not much left to save. A little over broke, that's what they called it.

Right now, my financial objective is to acquire enough saving that will cover three months of living expense. And what I experience now is that even that small objective is already hard to attain. It definitely requires some kind of magic to be able to afford owning a place of my own in here while in the same time building some investment portfolio for the future, and don't forget a wedding, hopefully, sometime in the near future.

I continue the habit of budgeting and projecting how much I can save over a period of time with the help of a simple spreadsheet. I consulted the spreadsheet religiously. Something funny happened tonight as I was playing a little forensic
accountant to locate some essential amount of money allegedly missing from my bank accounts. Simply, I tried to balance the expenses and the income. I was in a panic attack thinking that I overspent in hindsight or that maybe somebody broke into my
accounts again. I discovered that it was a typo in one of the numbers that caused such a commotion. By the time I discovered it, my dinner was already cold again.

Money it's not everything one would say. I don't totally buy that. Who am I gonna turn into to support the family and myself once I lose my income? We are not talking lavish lifestyle, just enough to get by. I am not in need of having a fancy car and clothing or other luxury items. I just need some security that I have something liquid in possession to cover a reasonable life span.

Great, it's the weekend, I can afford some insomniac moments thinking about the economy and my personal finance. I am just hoping I am walking towards the light. I am also glad that the BF has a similar financial attitude as myself. In this case,
I'd say a team of two is better than flying solo.

Happy Birthday again, Babe. I was thinking to dedicate a piece here for you today before this money thing took over. After all, you are one of the most important people in my life these day. I hope the card and the CD arrived Monday, a little late, three days after your actual birthday.

And whenever I am missing you so much, I just have to relive the momentous occasions such as our first activity together two days after your birthday last year.

"It wasn't a date", I insisted months after.
"Hey, come on, what guy would wanna go watching a play with a girl she is not even a friend first? Totally, a date," you said.

A date or not, it is one of my favorite things to daydream about us. You do make me happy.