Go to the Naga City market. On the level (is it second or third) where the chapel is, something smells fishy. It reeks, it stinks.

But in a weird kind of way, you’ll like it. It’s called “badi” in Bicol or “tuyo” in Tagalog.

Dried fish.

Some of them can really get slaty, though there are unsalted variants. When you do get the more salty ones, I would advise you to wash them (that’s what we do) to lessen the salt strength. I’m willing ot bet soaking them in vinegar would also do the trick, specially with the dried squid. I suppose frying them and adding sugar would give you a sticky, pungent but tasty provincial fare.

Does that make you salivate and want to reach out for sinangag and suka or kamatis?

The smell is not as bad as it seems. Just imagine yourself eating breakfast on a drizzling cold morning. Goes well with black native coffee.

Many friends and acquaintances frequently ask me for advise when they think of buying a computer. I have basically two questions: How much is your budget and What would you use it for. The rest are just details.

With ultra-mobile portable computers (UMPC) getting popular, the questions still remain the same.

At the Philippine launch of the Asus Eee PC 900 at the Makati Shangrila (May 12, 2008), we got a first glimpse of the big brother of the highly-popular Asus Eee PC 701.

Some interesting notes: 4 GB plus 12 (Windows) or 16 (Xandros) GB SSD, multi-touch trackpad, 1.3M pixel camera, weighing around 0.99 kg, at PHP 24,990.00. As confirmed by Ethan Hung, Asus Regional Marketing Manager, (who graciously sat with us and answered our questions while we were having lunch and he wasn’t) units will be available in stores this week. Just in time for the new school year, if I might add.

There will be accessories, riding on the popularity of the line ala iPod. I think they won’t be pricey, though.
The Asus Eee PC 900 is being marketed as a “girl or student gadget” but men and geeks will also be enticed to give it a second look. It also helps that Asus have opened up a Philippine office. I think I also heard that they also have a service center, too.

Going back to the questions: If you have 25k and would do internet surfing, research and use productivity software on the go, the Asus Eee PC 900 is a good buy.

Thanks to First Tier Brands for the invite.

Shout out to Leah and Aldrin, Abe, Arnold, Eugene, Reggie, Jhay and Racquel (of PDI?).

Pan - entire; Gaea - also spelled as gaia - meaning earth. Pangea Day, literally Entire Earth Day.

This is not about the Earth Day celebrated some weeks back (though I’m all for that too) where we turned off our lights for one hour. This is about a dream come true about a dream. A dream shared by everyone on earth.

Her dream: World Peace, like you, me and the beauty pageant contestant. It is really our desire, right. But we ask ourselves “But what can one person do?” I think she asked the same question and she came up with a first step: To meet together. I agree.

From Pangeaday.org

In 2006, filmmaker Jehane Noujaim won the TED Prize, an annual award granted at the TED Conference. She was granted $100,000, and more important, a wish to change the world. Her wish was to create a day in which the world came together through film. Pangea Day grew out of that wish. Watch Jehane Noujaim’s 2006 acceptance speech now.

Pangea Day, the day the world comes together through film.

Pangea Day is over and many Asian countries, including the Philippines, as Technogra.ph blogged, missed the four-hour event because of the time difference. Though we didn’t get to participate actively, it was just the beginning. There is still a lot to do.

Am just wondering if any Filipino film maker submitted, or any Filipino was part of any film or organizing the event, or if there was a Philippine representative in any of the seven cities where the event was. It would be great to hear (or read) first hand info with a Pinoy perspective.

If it’s any consolation, we could trace Pangea Day to a Filipina who had an influence on Jehane. In her 2006 TED talk, she mentions a certain exchange student named Donna from the Philippines.

From the TED talk video:

“A long time ago, about forty years ago, my mom had an exchange student named Donna.”

(Note the Rosary, Missal and “Belo”)

(Donna eating ice cream.)

“And this is Donna teaching my Aunt a Filipino dance.”Unmistakably Filipina, either an Igorot or Muslim dance.
Anybody who knows her? Where is she now, the Filipina behind Pangea Day? Might be a great story for FilipinaImages.com.

Images captured from the TED.com talk.

In the weekly email I send as a supplement to MabutingBalita.net, I mentioned that Pentecost, (the day the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles and Mary) and Mother’s Day fell on the same day this year.  It must be because mothers receive a special grace from God to do what they do, and to love unconditionally and without limit.

A woman becomes a mother once life is conceived in her womb. For men, it is impossible to understand how it is to carry a child inside your body for nine months. The changes, anxieties, pain and discomfort are quite difficult to fully explain. Yet, mommies bear this burden. It does not end there.

When we were born, there is the feeding, bathing, waking up in the middle of the night, worrying when you are sick, teaching how to walk, talk and get toilet-trained, etc. This lasts for around 10 years (sometimes more).

When the teenage years come, the mothers work continues. There is still the feeding, guiding, relentless worrying, waiting up, advising and a whole gamut of ings.

Even when the baby becomes an adult and has a family of his or her own, mothers continue to be mothers. Even if they are now called lola or granny or mamita (as my officemate’s children call their grandmother), they still are mothers. Caring, giving, guiding, praying for us.

A mother is forever. Because she loves.

Mama, Mommy, Nanay, Naynay, Nana, Inang, Ina, Mom, Mamu, Momsie, however you are called - you are loved.

Thank you for everything.

Happy Mother’s Day to my mama, to Gina the mother of my children and to all mothers.

5 AM. Along the road towards the highway. We are heading home, back to Manila after a week of vacation.

The farmers are already up and about. A few jeepneys and trucks have begun their route. The day has begun, we have a long trip ahead of us.

Five hundred meters from the railroad crossing is a stretch of several fields. On ther right, a majestic sight greeted us.

What a beautiful going away gift God gave.

A new dawn. I feel it empowering me with renewed energy and vigor. It was as if my whole being basks in the glory of a new day.

Life is awesome.