Discover: Pinangat and Its Home Town

It has been a while since I moved here on blogspot.com and I have to admit I have not fully archived most of my posts from my previous blog. But anyhow, since things are set and ready to run. I went through some to finally come up with a Toes and Tummy Tales post. I was supposed to repost my Sili (Chili) Ice Cream post until I’ve realized perhaps it would be best to feature my hometown first. So, viola,

I grew up in Bariw, Camalig, Albay, a lush green, simple and peaceful barangay in Camalig, Albay. My playground, when I was still a kid, has the world famous Mayon Volcano for a back ground. It has a been a simple life (and sometimes I wish I can travel back in time)

Anyhow, I have been gone for about seven years and it has only been last year when I went back. But still nothing beats the things and places I have always loved in our town. So should you visit this humble town of ours, here are some things to check out.

PINANGAT 

Aside being known for SILI (chilli) our town is far more famous in the country for pinangat, laing in tagalong. This vegetable dish of gabi and fish (or pork) is boiled in coconut milk, This recipe has been cooking in most Camalignon’s kitchens for generations. 

Currently, the town is lined with a number of stores selling authentic, home-made dishes at an affordable price! It’s a must try!

 ATV

All Terrain Vehicles are a new attraction in town. It has just been introduced by the local tourism office just recently. These little monsters are best for exploring much of the town’s lush green terrains and the rough and adventurous foot of Mayon Volcano. 

So what else do I say? Hop on one!

Hoyop Hoyopan Cave

There are many places to explore in Camalig, Albay, but one of my biggest favorites really is the Hoyop Hoyopan cave. This has been a venue of many movies and TV productions; and was once, believe it or not, a dance club. 

It was only until the local government pushed for preservation measures that the cave was left as is. Trekking loving tourist would love this place!

 St. John the Baptist Church

Lastly, having been a Catholic all my life, so I take pride in making Visita Iglesias. Our town’s church has been there since 1605 and still stands proud as to reading this post. So should you like to have a glimpse of a century old church, visit the St. John the Baptist Church as well. 

So, there you go. Hope I have at least made you want to see my home town. 

See you around, eh?  

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All photos belongs to their rightful owners, the blogger claims no ownership over which.

And get the oxytocin flowing...

I have been basically feeling good lately. Living with Bechets Disease for almost two years now, I am at a state that we call remission phase. Googling that word would lead you to articles saying that the symptoms of cancer has had subsided, for a while or for good. So in a note, this is phase of good days and happy mornings. 

So why do I need OXYTOCIN? You might me asking. Thing is, its actually a brain chemical that's associated with trust and attachment. In other words, it is something that makes us feel we are being intimate with a special individual. That my friend is what I have been craving for, really craving for lately. 

Aside from the physical aspect of intimacy, which I have had been able to satisfy in lots of ways in my recent past. My need now for intimacy is more primal. I simply seek a hand to hold, a shoulder to lean on and a heart that would be willing to hear my heart out. 

I did some reading about this topic and found on Oprah.com, an article that tickled some thoughts in me. 

 Men, however, often regard intimacy as working or playing side-by-side. Sure, they might discuss a bad week at work, even troubles in their love lives. But rarely do they share their secret dreams and darkest fears. (When they do, they often use "joke speak," camouflaging their feelings with humor.) And men almost never look deeply into each other's eyes. Their approach to intimacy probably also harks back to prehistory: Picture ancestral males gathering behind a bush, quietly staring across the grass in hopes of felling a passing buffalo. They faced their enemies but sat next to their friends. 
This is why, to build intimacy with a man, I do things with him—side-by-side. That way, when I talk, he isn't threatened by my gaze. 

Read full article here: http://www.oprah.com/relationships/Building-Intimacy-Gender-Differences-in-Intimacy

Relate-able! I found myself nodding on some thoughts I have found over quite a few online journals. I simply really seek for more intimacy, for connection and feeling of being able to share a part of me to a person who's willing to accept all of which.

Although I truly agree when Helen said: 

Men get a blast of it when they kiss, women feel a rush when they hold a lover's hand, and during orgasm, both partners are flooded with the powerful substance. So last but not least, enjoy each other physically. Good sex really does build intimacy.

More than looking for a hook up, my heart really seeks for the real thing. I want coffee dates, movie dates at home, I want to watch the stars and waste Saturday nights with someone. I seek for laughter, for happy tears and all those things you get from having been truly connected.  

So yes, as I have promised in my post before this, 

this my friend is a confession of how isolated I feel lately

and how much INTIMACY, I know I need.  

*** 

Have a great weekend, folks!

i think i need INTIMACY, back

This is a post that's currently being researched on, 

debated and deliberated in my hearts conference room. 

haha

so while the process of putting words in what I have been feeling, 

strongly feeling lately, 

allow this pic to somehow give you an idea where am now

:) have a great weekend ahead, folks! 

thank you, Warm Bodies

For weeks now, I have been thinking about probably using a fictional character to describe my rare health condition. I was going for a vampire. I have been quite sure that I might actually play with lots of the premises presented by the concept of Edward Cullen, immortality, a blood disease and unquenchable thirst and so on and so forth. In my heart of hearts, I did think that am a vampire at my own right.

But things changed, thanks to Warm Bodies.

I personally don’t find the movie’s plot too compelling. It even seemed too no brainer. But the way R (played by my ex, Nicholas Hoult, lols) was quite compelling. It was only his character, and I’d say, the actor’s great portrayal, that took the entire movie to a level that’s enjoyable.

R was so relatable! His emptiness was so lifelike. It took me about six months after I miss it on the silver screens (have only rented the movie days ago) to finally confirm that the compelling tumblr posts about the movie were true. Bottom line, I did see myself in lots of the issues that R portrayed of having. And since am a sucker for romance, it was amazing how real and simple were his intentions to connect, to be able to find a soul to share his ‘life’ with. I also like the thought that he became ‘human’ at the end. 
He became vulnerable to pain and found it such a bliss.

I am a Zombie, sort of. That emptiness had me captured. The opening lines of R were like echoes of my own. It was really funny hearing him fuss about things that extends to my reality. 

Who does not seek connection, huh?

In the end, it would be hard to relate my health condition to being a zombie. Being a vampire still tops the list, but with many things, like I have said, am also a Zombie. Much of my social issues are R’s issues too. And I like how he was able to solve them when he found his girl. I just hope to soon meet mine, too.

As for now, I’d roam around this airport and collect good records.  

GET THE LOOK / #hipster

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GET THE LOOK / #hipster

visit foldedpants.blogspot.com now 

Are You A #Hipster?

I have borderline love affair with being a hipster and a skater boy. I sort of love the idea of being young wild and free (for long), and these genres are pretty much catering to that perversion of mine. But now let’s see if am really worthy the name #HIPSTER. And, say, are you too?

Let me quote form two sources, Urban Dictionary and WikiHow...

Hipsters are a subculture of men and women typically in their 20's and 30's that value independent thinking, counter-culture, progressive politics, an appreciation of art and indie-rock, creativity, intelligence, and witty banter.

 Hipsters reject the culturally-ignorant attitudes of mainstream consumers, and are often be seen wearing vintage and thrift store inspired fashions, tight-fitting jeans, old-school sneakers, and sometimes thick rimmed glasses. Both hipster men and women sport similar androgynous hair styles that include combinations of messy shag cuts and asymmetric side-swept bangs. Such styles are often associated with the work of creative stylists at urban salons, and are usually too "edgy" for the culturally-sheltered mainstream consumer.

The "effortless cool" urban bohemian look of a hipster is exemplified in Urban Outfitters and American Apparel ads which cater towards the hipster demographic. Despite misconceptions based on their aesthetic tastes, hipsters tend to be well educated and often have liberal arts degrees, or degrees in maths and sciences, which also require certain creative analytical thinking abilities. Consequently many hipsters tend to have jobs in the music, art, and fashion industries. It is a myth that most hipsters are unemployed and live off of their parent's trust funds.

Hipsters shun mainstream societal conventions that apply to dating preferences and traditional "rules" of physical attraction. It is part of the hipster central dogma not to be influenced by mainstream advertising and media, which tends to only promote ethnocentric ideals of beauty. The concepts of androgyny and feminism have influenced hipster culture, where hipster men are often as thin as the women they date. The muscular and athletic all-American male ideal is not seen as attractive by confident and culturally-empowered hipster women who instead view them as symbols of male oppression, sexism, and misogyny. Likewise, culturally-vapid sorority-type girls with fake blond hair, overly tanned skin, and "Britney Spears tube-tops" are not seen as attractive by cultured hipster males who instead see them as symbols of female insecurity, low self-esteem, and lack of cultural intelligence and independent thinking.

Although hipsters are technically conformists within their own subculture, in comparison to the much larger mainstream mass, they are pioneers and leaders of the latest cultural trends and ideals. For example, the surge of jeans made to look old and worn (i.e. "distressed"), that have become prevalent at stores such as The Gap, American Eagle, Abercrombie and Fitch, and Hollister, were originally paraded by hipsters who shopped in thrift stores years before such clothing items were mass produced and sold to the mainstream consumer. The true irony here is that many of the detractors of hipster culture are in fact unknowingly following a path that hipsters have carved out years before them.

Hipsterism is often dismissed as just an image thing by some, but the culture as a whole is effecting changes in society, leading to feelings of insecurity and resentment in people who are no longer a part of the cultural ruling class. For example, a lot of anti-hipster sentiment evidently comes from culturally-clueless suburban frat boy types who feel that the more sensitive, intelligent, and culturally aware hipster ideal threatens their insecure sense of masculinity. Anti-hipster sentiment often comes from people who simply can't keep up with social change and are envious of those who can.

I am a #hipster. Are you?

Learn to INSPIRE Yourself

 * BUT *

#Inspire

a puppy tail's tale

Once there was a curious little puppy that stays in a cozy little doghouse with his mom. Being an only pup, he learns almost every essential thing there is to learn from her.

One sunny day his mom told him to go and play on the grass. He obeyed in delight.

Running to and fro, he took delight in chasing little bugs and butterflies. When he grew tired, he was treated with a refreshing drink of water by his mom on the patio.

For the entire summer he enjoyed chasing things. He even learned that little kids enjoy throwing balls and sticks which he would then fetch and return. He gets little treats for doing so, like a cookie or a crunchy chip. Chasing things is rewarding, he learned.

And so to say, he enjoyed and mastered the art of chasing.

One night he asked his mom where happiness is. He got curious when he saw a poster that says "I am in pursuit of happiness". The little pup is determined to chase it too, if only he could know where it is.

His mom said; it is in your tail.

 

When morning came, he went running into the grass and started chasing happiness, his tail.

But to no avail, he took the entire morning trying to chase and catch his happiness but he ended up tired and exhausted. At lunch, he asked his mom why he can’t catch his tail, his happiness.

His mom said simply; there is only one way to catch your happiness; stop chasing and move on, then your happiness would surely follow.

Tolerance Is Different With Acceptance / #LGBTRespect

Thanks to Charice’s coming out, am again writing something about the LGBT community. But this post would not talk about such issue, to bash or to support, but rather, I would like to point out a thing…

Tolerance is different with acceptance.

Although the Philippines, and the world as a whole, has started to seem to have finally, slowly accepted gays (and lesbians, bisexuals, etc) it saddens me to realize (and feel, yes it hurts) that many are actually simply tolerating.

Acceptance is a genuine embrace. It is unconditional and is born of, and borne of love. It does not question, it asks and clarifies, but it does not question. A person accepted, is a person loved – for all he/she is. It is an act of communion with all his facets; his good foot and all his flaws. Acceptance inspires growth and development, but it never encourages imposition of which or what you may deem is proper. As you know not all proper is right, nor all right is proper. Acceptance builds relationships, deeper and firmer. It does not cause pain nor inflict unuttered pain. As I would say it again, acceptance is a full embrace – like that of a mother to her child.  

Acceptance is one thing that not everybody is able to give, especially to guys like us of the third sex; or to those of different color, religion or to persons of different belief as opposed to the majority. It is one thing that we pray for – and parade for.

What is given, most of the time is simply tolerance, but not really acceptance. Tolerance my friend, is when you say it is okay to be gay but wrong to cross dress. That, lesbians are far more dirty, filthy and unacceptable than your gay guy friends. It is when one accepts – conditionally. To tolerate, is to think and believe that one is doing wrong and that he would soon be choosing to be good. It is loving a person’s other side and secretly loathing the other. It is saying Charice did a stupid choice cutting her hair short and looking like a male. (dude, so what? It is her preference.) Tolerance is thinking like, Aiza is better off than Charice because (put the reason here). It is a kind of love that does not see beyond ones personal biases, thus to speak, it is a tainted kind of love. Tolerance is but a faked smile given to a person you do not genuinely intend to smile at. It is like a foster mom's embrace to a newly orphaned kid, the intentions and the love might be there, but nothing compares to the real thing.

If it would be too much to ask; but unless it is acceptance you are ready to give to those different from you, better not. A forced hug would always feel less warm, if not cold.

Like I have always said, never undermine a gay guy’s persona, for just like you, he/she has gone so much, maybe even so much more than you, just to be able to come at peace with himself and the fact that he is different. Different, but never less, thus is worth of acceptance, and not mere tolerance.

oxXxo

Share this post guys, or let me know your thoughts. 

xOx

me wanna steal books, again

I really find it hard to call myself bookish, because I am not. In comparison to most people I know, who are, by name and distinction, book lovers slash chronic readers, I would dwarf in comparison. But I do read; a lot, but not enough to be a book worm. A dork, perhaps, but not really a book worm; okay?

‘nuff said. Yesterday I was, the usual me, being a mall rat. And for a change, after sometime, after having been ‘cool-off’ with National Bookstore and, every reader’s haven, Booksale, I took the courage to flip through pages of books again.

I stopped reading in the recent past, for the lack of inspiration mainly. And yes, for the fact that I did have lots in my mind. Books were, sort of, a distraction.

But now am back on track (still trying to) and I guess my mind and the young, gorgeous, sexy, oh scratch that, the kid in me seeks adventures again. And the grown up in me seeks inspiration. I thirst of talking, yup talking, to my dear life coach, Paulo Coelho. I kinda miss Narnia, too. I haven’t read Prince Caspian and the very first of the series!

So, there, the reason as to why am posting this, is to remind me that am yet again wanting to read. And since am no longer the brat Brent that I used to be, I have to remind myself that I can’t steal books from the Ateneo library anymore. LOLS. Kidding aside, that I have to be a bit frugal in the next few months to be able to finally collect all, yes ALL of Paulo’s books, which would probably take me till next year :D But the thing is, I would try my best saving up. I don’t really like reading on Kindle, it sucks. I like the smell of paper, and I like being able to doodle with my books. Besides, they won’t break if I fall asleep on them. More so, it won’t hurt if I drool :D

Oh well, so there you go, the dork in me is way too excited. Let me know if you know where to score (or steal >:D) these books!

Have a great week ahead!