In Too Deep

Phil Collins with Genesis - In Too Deep, 1986

It's probably the full moon, or the two cups of cafe mocca that I consumed after 11 pm last night, or the conversation I had with a friend at dinner. Anyway, whatever it is...it's probably this song---it brings out the mushy-ness in me! I hope you'd join me in this sentimental journey and feel free to sing along (you can even make up your own MTV).:D

All that time I was searching

nowhere to run to

it started me thinking

Wondering what I could make of my life

and who would be waiting

Asking all kinds of questions, to myself,

but never finding the answers

Crying at the top of my voice

and no one listening

All this time, I still remember everything you said

There's so much you promised, how could I ever forget?

Listen, you know I love you, but I just cant take this,

You know I love you, but Im playing for keeps,

Although I need you, Im not gonna make this,

You know I want to, but Im in too deep.

So listen, listen to me

You must believe me

I can feel your eyes go thru me

But I dont know why.

I know youre going, but I cant believe

Its the way that youre leaving

Its like we never knew each other at all

it may be my fault, I gave you too many reasons,

being alone, when I didnt want to

I thought you'd always be there

I almost believed you...

All this time, I still remember everything you said

There's so much you promised

how could I ever forget?

Listen, you know I love you, but I just cant take this

You know I love you, but Im playing for keeps

Although I need you, Im not gonna make this

You know I want to, but Im in too deep.

So listen, listen to me, I can feel your eyes go thru me

It seems Ive spent too long

Only thinking about myself

Now I want to spend my life

Just caring bout somebody else.

You know I love you, but I just cant take this

You know I love you, but Im playing for keeps

Although I need you, Im not gonna make this

You know I want to, but Im in too deep...

Sky Watch Friday: bed weather

At least 20 typhoons hit the Philippines every year, triggering floods, landslides, sea disasters and mass evacuations. The rainy season starts in June through October, this is also the time when most tropical storms hit the archipelago. Three weeks ago, the deadly tropical storm "Frank" left more than a thousand dead and properties worth millions destroyed. This week, we were ravaged by another tropical storm, "Helen". The skies have been gloomy all week, and flooding in some areas of the metro. It's so difficult to get out of bed in this weather---all I want to do it sleep, eat, sleep. Finally, around 2 a.m. this morning, "Helen" went on its merry way to Taiwan and had even slightly intensified. Helen's tail will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon and bring rain over Luzon. The surge of southwest monsoon is also expected to affect the seaboards of Luzon, Western and Central Visayas. I hope the Coastguard is reading this!:D

And I used to think weather is a boring subject!:D

Photos were taken at the Manila American Cemetery last Saturday afternoon.

bed weather

For more sky photos, please visit Sky Watch Friday.

Litratong Pinoy: Luntian (Berde)

luntian sa bundok ng Tanay (green foliage in the mountains)

Manila American Cemetery and Memorial grounds

Ang salitang “berde” ay nanggaling sa makalumang salita na “growan” o pag-usbong, o pag-tubo. Kadalasan, ginagamit ang salitang ito sa paglalarawan ng mga halaman at karagatan, at bilang simbolo ng mga lupon ukol sa kapaligiran. Ang berde ay sinasabing maaliwalas na kulay at iniuugnay sa kalikasan. Upang ipamalas ang "berdeng" tema sa linggong ito, inilalahok ko ang mga litratong kuha sa kabundukan ng Tanay at sa American Cemetery sa Global City.

Green is closely related to the Old English verb growan, “to grow”. It is often used to describe plants and the sea, and has become a symbol of environmentalism. It is frequently described as a “cool” color and is associated with nature. To depict the “green” theme this week, I am posting photos taken on the mountains of Tanay and from the American Cemetery in Global City.

dito masarap magmuni-muni (a place for contemplation)

Cravings

garlic-flavored crab at Claw Daddy

Much of my day is spent managing my food cravings. Holding them at bay, really. The things I desire right now are inevitably fats (bacon, sisig, and crab with aligue), sweets (chocolates, cheesecake) or carbs (pasta)---or a combination of all three (baked potato with cheese and bacon bits). It takes up a lot of brain space, thinking about what I should and shouldn’t eat, and it’s not so rewarding, since in the end I usually give in to my urges.

When I looked up the meaning of craving, I came upon words I’d expect to find in a romance novel: consuming desire, longing, urgent need. Food cravings embody all those overheated descriptions, notoriously defying good sense. I respect my mysterious cravings for cheese, chocolate, fried and creamy foods and indulge them as often as possible without compromising my well-being.

my favorite Mexican salsa

Thank goodness that there are now new ways to cook that figure out how to indulge cravings without guilt. I gravitate toward tomato-based pasta not only because it safely satisfies my longings for carbs, but also because tomatoes contain large amounts of vitamins C, A, potassium and iron. It’s also an antioxidant that lowers the risks of certain cancers. I’m also addicted to salsa…no, not the lively, ballroom Latin American dance. It’s also of Latin American origin, made from fresh tomatoes, onions, peppers and cilantro (plus olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper). It’s a standard accompaniment to tortillas and tacos, even with fried fish and steak.

salmon carpaccio at Pagliacci, a healthy option

refreshing jelly fish salad with century egg at Zong

I also have cravings for mushrooms---not the mind-altering specie that gives a trip of visual hallucinations, causes a lot of laughter, and an intense trip to never-never-land. I crave for mushrooms my grandmother used to gather at the banana grove after a stormy night. My grandmother said that mushrooms grow where lightning had hit the ground. For a long time, I believed that indeed mushrooms are food from aliens brought to earth by lightning, like manna from heaven (ha-ha). Aside from that, mushrooms are also rich in protein, fiber, vitamins B and C as well as calcium. Researchers believe that maitake, shiitake and reishi have phenomenal healing potential. These mushrooms have shown to lower the risk of cancer, ward off viruses, reduce infection, combat allergies, boost heart health, and help balance blood sugar levels. I love grilled fresh mushrooms like my grandmother’s---toss with a little oil, a pinch of salt then wrap mushrooms in banana leaf and place it over the grill. Dried and fresh mushrooms are also great ingredient in pasta dishes, sotanghon (vermicelli) guisado, mixed veggies, beef and oyster sauce, or just sautéed in butter.

magic mushroom?

“Death by Chocolate” would probably the headline in the tabloids after I was found dead from consuming too much of this dark concoction. Chocolate is one of my comfort foods. And who can blame me? Chocolate has captured the taste of people throughout the ages. The Aztecs and Maya associated chocolate with the goddess of fertility and had been drinking chocolate since 400 AD. Aside from being reputed as an aphrodisiac, dark chocolates are believed to have anticancer benefits. A study reported by the BBC indicated that melting chocolate in one’s mouth produced an increase in brain activity and heart rate that was more intense than that associated with passionate kissing, and also lasted four times as long after the activity had ended. But as we all know, too much of a good thing can do you harm. Every now and then, I still indulge in dark chocolates but with almonds---because almonds are lower in calories, high in vitamin E, protein and fiber, and they can also protect the heart. Dieticians recommend eliminating something bad in our diet and replacing it with almonds.

my favorite maki called Jurassic at Rai Rai Ken

My biggest struggle is usually in the morning, when crisp bacon and pancakes call to me. I was recently surprised to learn that some people, like my brother, Brian, actually crave healthy things, like laswa, an Ilonggo concoction of ampalaya, saluyot, alogbati, okra, malunggay, and the rest of the veggies in “Bahay-kubo”, boiled with shrimps or dried fish and shrimp paste. I absolutely hated laswa when I was a kid, the texture of vegetable leaves made me choke, and it usually resulted with my mother’s slipper hitting my behind. Eating laswa was like torture…the slimy broth reminds me of saliva, bribes, threats and lectures couldn’t convince me how nutritious laswa is. And this is one of my biggest regret…that I never learned to eat vegetables.

the defamed laswa

Of course, one way to surrender to cravings and still feel virtuous is to exercise---the “I ate French fries, therefore I will not use the elevator today” approach. Problem is I simply hate to exercise. Honestly, I am perplexed at people who make time to exercise every day. I’ve read all the benefits of exercise, and I do try…I go to the gym even when my “flesh” is weak and my “spirit” struggles and drags its feet. I have pep-talks with myself before playing badminton because visions of a couch and a good book beckon. Hayyy naku...Next time I have a food craving, I’d probably try a “Fear Factor Diet”! Ha-Ha

Photo-Hunter: Support

Hungerford Bridge

For Photo-Hunt’s “support” theme this week, I’m posting photos of a few London bridges crossing the River Thames. The weight of a bridge, and of any traffic on it, is carried directly to the ground by the “support”, often called piers. The piers take the full weight of the load, and support-piling depth is one of several factors that determine a bridge’s load-carrying capacity. These photos were taken in 2005 while I was on a cruise along River Thames from Tower Bridge to Greenwich Pier.

The top photo is Hungerford Bridge, a steel truss railway bridge, sometimes known as the Charing Cross Bridge. This bridge was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and opened in 1845.

Westminster Bridge

Westminster Bridge was built in I862 and was designed by Thomas Page. The Gothic detailing on this seven-arch wrought iron bridge was designed by Charles Barry, the architect of the Palace of Westminster. The first bridge was built between 1739 and 1750, designed by a Swiss architect, Charles Labelye. This is the oldest bridge in the central area of the River Thames.

Southwark Bridge

Southwark Bridge is an arch bridge designed by Ernest Goerge and Basil Mott, and was opened in 1921. This bridge was notable for having the longest cast iron span ever made at 73 meters.

Lambeth Bridge

Lambeth Bridge was opened in 1932 and has a five-span steel arch, designed by engineer Sir Geroge Humphreys and architect Sir Reginald Blomfield. The most conspicuous color in the bridge’s current paint scheme is red. The bridge was used for the movie "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" for the scene where the Knight Bus must pass between two Routemasters.

Waterloo Bridge

Waterloo Bridge was built during World War II by (mostly) female labor---a quirk of the War as the men were away fighting for King and Country. The name of the bridge is in memory of the British victory at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. The original bridge on the site was opened in 1817 but serious problems were found in its construction. The first bridge was demolished in the 1920’s and replaced it with a new structure designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott.

For more Photo-Hunters, please check out http://www.tnchick.com/.