Dr. Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center, Christmas of 1995. The best pa rin ang Group 5! Most of the interns wanted to be in our group kasi daw super cool! Calling all members of Group 5 please email me.

Ito yung gusto ko sana i-post. Sige nga find nemo!

FINDING NEMO part deux!

Ok ladies and gentlemen! Final na po! I am experiencing a series of unfortunate events. Guess what happened at work? I was waiting for our patients to come but nobody came. Nada!! Because nobody is scheduled today. I overlooked the schedule board, tomorrow pala yun! So I went home at around 8:30am. Ok lang. Got loads of things to do. But before I enter the car there was another surprise inside my bag. I got 3 set of keys inside, car key's, Lany's house key's and my set of house key's (that I thought I forgot)! This just means that I locked my wife in the bedroom. And if I stayed at work, I would have came home to a starved, ragging mad pregnant woman at home. ;P

Could I just be experiencing an early stage of Alzheimers?

FINDING NEMO

I was trying to upload a new photo last night about finding nemo but I couln't get signed in. I thought that there was something wrong with the website or something... Today, when I got to my locker I found out that I brought with me a different set of house keys (kay honey ko pala yun). Good thing I have a pair of green scrubs lying on top of my locker. Coincidence? I'm still waiting for the next unfortunate event to unfold. So what do you think will happen next? The theme is about "Locks". (cue Jeopardy theme song)

OOPSS I DID IT AGAIN!

Kagabi habang nakatambay sa bahay ng tropa, may nadiskubre ako ng pagkakamali ko sa blogsite na ito. Medyo nakakatawa ng nakakahiya na madyo nakakatakot. Bakit? E kasi nadiskubre ko na hindi lang ang mga malapit kong kaibigan ang nagbabasa nito, pati mga ibang lahi sa hospital ay nagbabasa rin! Minsan pa naman ay may mga patama ako sa namumuno sa amin sa wikang Ingles! (nyehh!) Di lang yun! Nakadisplay pa ang mga mukha namin. (nyehhhhh!!!!) Kung ano man yung mga sinabi ko, yun ay pawing totoo at hindi ko na mababawi. Ang problema lang ay kung may gagamit nun para isuplong ako sa mga kafuckyarihan.

So kung nababasa nila ang mga entry ko, malamang babasahin din nila ang mga blog na nakalink sa blog ko! Hayup! Kaya heto ako nagsusulat sa salitang Tagalog para hindi maintindihan ng mga kups.

Yuki! Nagduty ka ba kagabi? Natulog na kami pagkauwi. Pagod na rin kami. Sama kayo mamaya kung puede, magagala kami.

PUFF THE MAGIC DRAGON

This is one of my favorite song when I was a child. Being raised by two uncles who were in a folk rock band, I can't help but be influenced by their music. Puff is my favorite dragon next to Bruce Lee and Mushu (little dragon from Mulan).

Yesterday as I watched the news, they said that America is threatened by the booming Chinese economy. Each year a big percentage of Americans lose their jobs over the issue of "outsourcing". One of the problems could be that Americans tend to pick white collar jobs, and leave the blue collar jobs to immigrants, illegal aliens, aliens from outer space (Tulad ng sa palabas na Roswell), and to third world countries such as China, India and the Philippines.

If this is the case, our country could do more damage to the US if the political bullshit can be avoided. China has benefited a lot from multi-national companies, and local entrepreneurs as well. Could this factor be influenced by the Chinese diet of noodles? If this is true, then the Philippines could be the next emerging dragon of Asia! Because instant noodles is the only food that the common-tao can afford with their extremely low wages. (optimism ba to?)

But what is really installed for us in the coming years, if TV has pre-occupied us with telenovela's? if our fallen heroes "the Japayuki's" are now unemployed? if the political scene continues pull the economy down? if the nurse's leave our sick behind for greener pastures? if we keep electing substandard politicians? Our Asian neighbors had left us by a thousand miles towards progess. And in 10 years if the situation is still the same, the only kind of people that will be left behind is the poorest of the poor, some would migrate to another country. And those who can afford to pay for a change of citizenship will only have memories of the old Pinas.

"A dragon lives forever,
but not so little boys
painted wings and giant's rings
make way for other toys.

One grey night it happened
Jackie Paper came no more
and Puff that Mighty Dragon,
he ceased his fearless roar.

His head was bent in sorrow,
green scales fell like rain,
Puff no longer went to play
along the cherry lane.

Without his life-long friend,
Puff could not be brave
so Puff that Mighty Dragon
sadly slipped into his cave."

posted by Dennis "por all op our kabayan prends"

REAL GENIUS

If there is one movie that made me what I am today, it would be "Real Genius". It stars Val Kilmer as the handsome, cocky, smart ass genius, who discovered that being an academic is not everything. He can be found transforming the school dorm into a skating rink, and doing unthinkable things like using liquid nitrogen sliced into pennies to be used to outsmarting vending machines. During the betamax era, kids like me would kill to be Val Kilmer! The 80's has transformed nerds into glorified geeks.

But who doesn't want to be smart? Our parents raised us with a piece of bamboo stick on their hand that bruised out butts to force us to become Einsteines. But if being a genius means being like Val Kilmer then by all means! Give me that lab coat, slick my hair with gel and give me a pair of ray ban shades. Because the future's so bright, I got to wear shades!

So here I am 20 years from now, wearing a lab coat, semi-kalbo head and still wearing my Killer Loop shades. I'm living my fantasy turned reality...atleast the shades part worked, except I'm not a genius. Just a guy in a lab coat wearing shades.

Watch the long awaited movie of the decade! Once Upon A Time In Japang! A story you will never forget, or shouldnt forget...or else.

SOUTH BITCH DIET ver. 1.2

Yesterday we headed to the biggest mall in Bahrain to window shop. One of the shops that we eagerly wanted to visit is the Al Hilal Bookshop. This is probably the most up to date bookshop on this island. At the self help section my wife handed me a book and told me "this is for you". To my surprise she gave me a Dr. Phil diet book followed by The South Beach Diet. And then an idea came in. ting! Why not blog about the "Navotas Beach Diet!"

When I was a young lad of about 3 years, I can remember my father and my grandparents bringing me to the beach every morning near their house for a shower of vitamin D. They would always take me to the jetty (pantalan) because it is the cleanest part of the beach. The entire strip sand is covered with garbage. Tons of it! But thats another story. Here is my diet when I'm at home.

NAVOTAS BEACH DIET

1. Patis

Patis is synonymous with our small town. It is a part of every meal. In fact, some of us cannot eat without it. An average Navoteno household may consume a bottle of patis in a month or more. No meal is ever complete without it.






2. Bagoong Alamang


Another staple food of a Navoteno. No one cooks the best shrimp paste in the world but my parents! They somehow make it not too salty and a little bit sweet. You can eat it with rice because they put a lot of pork in it. Everytime I go back abroad my dad prepares 3 cans of this good stuff. Most of the time I end up with just one, because I give some of it away to my anxious friends.

3. Tinapa, Tuyo at Daing

The simplest of food can turn the rice cooker upside down. Especially when my mama prepares her special garlic rice! It never fails to boil my gastric juice to a heaping lava! Mama uses used oil to cook her rice, it puts a lot of flavor in it. Kasi used oil nga e! Don't use car oil. Vegetable oil will do.




4. Squid

My visit to my parents house is not complete without my fathers pusit recipe. He will cook it any way he wants and it will always taste good because it is fresh! I like it adobo(the darker the sauce the fresher and tastier it gets) , relleno (stuffed) or just plain grilled. I don't know why but it always taste good with overnight rice (bahaw/kanin lamig). One time I tried it with with pandesal (dinner rolls) and it still taste good.



5. Fish balls

My afternoon is not complete without my favorite merienda. This is also a bahaw kanin meal. Often sold my Mr. Johnny Bola (because he barks it that way. "bolaaaa!") in the afternoon about 5pm. I don't buy it in sticks. I get a bowl and Johnny fills it up with vinegar, soy sauce and chilli combo sauce. I spent about P.10-20.oo on this and about half a kalero of cold rice. => Sarap! Happy balls talaga!


6. Jollibee
I love everything in Jollibee! Because it truly has the Filipino taste. The first time I tasted this is when I was a kid when we went to watch Superman in Cubao. We bought it in the first Jollibug in Pinas. And I got to tell you, this bug isn't that big before. Now his ass is bigger that its head! Eventhough there was a scare that the burger patties were not made from 100% beef, because it came from cultured worms, we still shoved those glorious tasting burgers in our mouths. But its sad to say that the old recipe is not the same anymore. It tastes different now. Or perhaps my taste buds aren't the same as it used to be. I love you Jollibug!

7. Galunggong
Our household, especially during the times when my father use to earn his living as a fisherman, we always have fish on our table. One of the best thing you can do to a fresh fried fish (FFF di ba parang 666 yun?) is to eat it with pandesal. A habbit that I learned from my Tito Cito (the youngest sibling of my mother, and by far the coolest tito in the family.) He said its like being in the days where Jesus fed his followers with fish and bread. Try it and tell me how it is.

8. Talangka
Sorry I can't find the pic of my favorite crab. I already found them like this, bottled and prepared. After the rainy season there used to be a guy selling Talangka in our neighborhood. Usually carried in nets balanced on a flat bamboo pole on a mans shoulders, be would call out to the neighbors to sell his crabs (ay kadiri! lets use talangka ulit. pangit ng crabs parang kuto so bulbo....reminder! PG 18 tong blog ko mg chong ha!) Mom would buy a small basin full of those creepy crawlers, wash them in fresh water, put salt in them to cook, and them after an hour voila! Dead crablets ready to eat! You open the shell first, and then you sqeeze the hell out off the crabs until you get all the orange colored things on your rice. Some put kalamansi on it, but I prefer it plain. Squished out crabs! Yummy!

9. Kapeng Barako
Translation: Kape = Coffee, Barako = Male/Macho/bull/musculine
Macho Coffee, as some may call it, is one of the most strongest coffee in pinas. If you make espresso out of it, you better be ready for a kidney transplant. Its like a horse kicked you in the head! gosh!

When I was a kid an uncle of mine called me "palos". Palos is a quick slippery fish, an alias for a slippery criminal or something like that. Now dont know why they would call me like that, but then during my adult life I remembered my Tita Daisy (my moms cousin) feeding me pandesal and kapeng barako every morning. Then I said "thats it!" This is the reason why I'm so active when I was a toddler. Now I know what I shouldn't feed baby Diego.

10. Pula, Stainless and the Saint




Pula = Emperador Brandy







Stainless = Ginebra San Miguel







The Saint = San Miguel Beer





Usually, my friends and I have a night cap, every night! Then I was rehabilitated here in Bahrain for 4 years. We have all sorts of alcoholic drinks here, but nothing compares to these 3. In my town, you should know how to drink stainless or else you will get beaten up by the mob. Thats why my father recommends gargling gin in the morning! Hehehehe! Joke!

PAHABOL:

11. Tahong


Lastly, the all time favorite pulutan tahong! This is a seasonal delicacy. Some men have been inspired to compare this shell fish to a woman. hmmm... Maybe because of the seasonal harvest, they both have red tide! hehehehe! But beside the fact that it looks like the female genetalia (uy! scientific ang dating ha!), I never heard of a Navoteno that died of red tide. Lucky sons of the beach! (kasi laki sa tabing dagat)

That ends our lecture about the special diet of the Sons of the Beach. I would like to congratulate everyone from my home town for its 100th year this coming January 2006. Thanks for the info Commander Mang Carling Bernardo, retired US navy. I hope you enjoy your vacation next year!

After counting the 10 things I like in Pinas, I might say that I am a bit relieved of my headache. Like Julie Andrews said in her song "my favorite things": I simply remember my favorite things and then I won't feel so sad. Its true pala. Because we had an accident last night. Tita Cory slammed on a concrete fence, denting the rear bumper. Hayyyyy!!! Im just glad that my family is ok.

What to do yani?!

posted by the "KING OF BEER" Dennis na taga-Navotas

CORY

This is the new member of the family "Tita Cory". We just had her last week. Cute s'ya kahit na kulay jebs! Ito na kasi ang kinuha namin kasi ang philosphy ng kaibigan ko ay : "if you want to ride, don't ride the white horse!"

WELCOME TO MY WORLD part 2

This shot was taken during a radiation leak at work. I came out of the room looking like the Incredible Hulk. Not the end result that I was looking for. Akala ko kasi the Hunk ang kalalabasan!

WELCOME TO MY WORLD part 1

There are a lot of questions coming from my friends asking me about my job. They all know that I work in a hospital, but what do I do there? Here is my answer to satisfy your curiosity.

Top: This was taken during the time I was weighing coke for drug addicts. Joke! => I prepare media that is essential for human embryo culture.

NEW BLOGSITE

Hi guys! I have recently visited Anne and Edmon’s blog, and I found it quite interesting. I don’t know who writes their entries, but either way the topics are very light hearted in nature. I like reading things like this to ease up the pressures of daily life. Anyways, I linked the site up to our bee hive so that you guys can visit them.

Their last topic is about Christmas. Christmas in Pinas really does start early. As in! When the months end with a suffix ”–ber”, everybody will start hanging their x-mas lanterns outside their house with matching x-mas lights yun! But sad to say that it isn’t my favorite holiday, not ever. I like Christmas eve and especially New Years eve! The best yun! But lets cut this topic for now. For the meantime while I’m still at work, I have to pretend to be busy or I might get in trouble with the new boss.

Dennis 1 – Boss 0!

BLOGGING 101

I never imagined that someone would actually ask me about blogging advice. I feel inadequate pa naman.  Blogging had been a way of life for me for the past year. There were good times and there were bad times. There were difficult times when I couldn’t write a single topic. But I found inspiration from veteran bloggers, and my daily life.

I’m glad that I chose this as a hobby. It opened up new doors for me. I met bloggers and new friends thru this site. What a great way to wave my flag of friendship.

Thanks to our avid readers who comeback to our colony and read our post. You are one of the good reasons to blog. And as long as you are there, we will be here!

PS: If possible, can you guys write something on our tagboard?

Thanks a million!

THE HONEYSPOT (No sugar added)

CITIZEN ED

Our bee colony would like to congratulate fafa Ed for his US citizenship! Hoorah!!! Although, he promised to keep his dual citizenship status, we are proud of his accomplishment. How many Pinoy,s would die to be in his shoes (figuratively speaking…I hate the smell of old shoes. =>). You are living the American Dream big boy! From now on you will be known as “Citizen Ed”.

Posted by: Citizen Dennis from the Impeachment Capital

LIFE: EXPLAINED BY A PATHETIC BLOGGER

Whenever I see a freshly made blogsite I noticed that the first thing that they will blog is how they see life. Its not bad. In fact we all agree in one thing, life sucks! It is full of hardships and mishaps. One can never tell how things will end. But I also agree that life is a journey. The best things in life are the experiences that you have. At times I find myself telling my adventures to people younger than me, like an old man... I love life! sige countdown uli tayo ha.

1. When was the last time that you did something for the first time? I cant wait 'till that first time comes again. I have tried a lot of things. Somehow I feel like I'm running out of things to try out.
2. I like telling my wartime stories to my friends. The more stupid and abnoxious the better!
3. Just in case I die, I will miss my favorite food. Because I heard that when you get to heaven you won't feel any hunger. No liquor. How do you guys like this place as your after death hideaway? In my own little way I guess I can relate to Eric Clapton when he said "cause I know I don't belong here in heaven."
4. It's not that I support satan. I don't want to go to hell! I will miss the cold weather if I get stuck there.
5. But enough about the material things, there are more important treasures than that. Having friends is one of the reasons why we survive. No matter how big they are, age, gender, religion, even if they have extra toes, we would not have evolved into the people that we are if not for them.
6. Family. I am lucky to be in two families now that I am married. I got an extra mom and dad, a couple of sisters and a brother now. Buy one take five! My wife gave me a good deal for all of them. But they are not cheap! Her parents sends us a lot of goodies every now and then.
7. Biological Family. There are 3 members in my family, and I love all of them. I have a sweet sister, a loving mother who cares so much for my salvation more than anything, and a caring father who tries to make me feel special and loved through the years. I owe my life to them. Truly irreplaceble!
8. My wife. She is a living witness to my triumphs, failures, joys and pains. I found love and happiness in my honey, that I decided to live the rest of my life with her. If I die tomorrow and have the chance to live again, I would chose to be with her again.
9. Diego Luis dela Cruz. My reason to live has doubled with the coming of our baby boy (coming soon). He will be born in December, the same month as his mother and aunt Diane's birthday. Now I have a christmas present to look forward to. In a way, I think me and my wife has found the secret to immortality. This little boy will spread our genes someday, and all his offsprings will know us. Atleast our names will be remembered every All Souls Day.
10. Because life is a journey.

When you get to be 30, you start to look back from your childhood and asses your achievements one by one, and measure your success. At 40, you enter the era of midlife crisis and convice yourself that you have done well in life.

Well, for me life is a journey. I remember almost all the faces that I have met, and cherish the experiences that I have enjoyed so much. And everytime I go back to those memories, it inspires me to live my life in a different way...better, fuller and richer.

Thank God I'm alive! Now all I have to worry about is getting Alzheimers disease. I hope not. Because I want to remember each one of you, and treasure you for the rest of my abnoxious and pathetic life. =>

CHANGE

I have recently been listening to my mp3 of Blind Melon, Wolfgang and 2pac. All of them wrote a song about change, so I decided to write mine too.

Back when I was in college and grunge music dominated the airwaves, I came across a writting on the walls. Sometimes it was written with a permanent marker, and some days it was written in chalk (naubusan na siguro ng pentel pen). The message goes like this:"News Blackout!!! The dry cell battery's polarity is not what it seems. Positive is really negative and vise versa! by Engr Salenga." I saw this message from Isetan Recto to Mendiola. The guy who wrote this must be seriously nuts I told myself.

After graduation, I worked at a hospital in E.Rodriguez QC and I explored the best way to get there from Navotas (layo no?). That day I chose to get down at Tayuman and ride a jeep to Espana corner Trabaho market. I am always fond of ridding near the jeepneys estribo because it is easier to get off from there. One afternoon a normal looking guy rode the jeep where I was on. He was wearing a sky blue sport shirt with matching clutchbag in his arms and stayed near the estribo (sabit lang). He was gazing at the passengers inside and he spoke. "Mga kababayan! News black out lang po! Ako po si Engr. Salenga at nadiskubre ko po na niloloko tayo ng gobyerno. Pinalalabas po ng ating gobyerno na ang polarity ng battery ay baligtad! (his eyes widened as he spat on the floor) ang positive ay negative. At ang negative ay positive! Matagal ko na po itong ipinaglalaban ngunit muntik na po akong ipakulong. Sa katunayan para mapagtakpan ang nadiskubre ko pinapunta nila si Lea Salonga sa America para matakpan ng kasikatan niya ang pangalan ko! Salenga po ako. Si Lea ay Salonga! Katunayan hindi lang po iyan ang ikinakalat nilang kasinungalingan sa atin. Ang sabi nila, ang kalangitan daw ay kulay blue.Pero sa katunayan ito ay Pink!" (nyee!!!)

After that brief encounter things were never the same for me. Whenever I look at the sky I ask myself if its really blue. Or is it really pink? Who knows. But when I left that jeep I knew something for a fact...he was wearing pink.

the truth is out there...

X filed,

Dennis a.k.a. Bamboo (roll?)

"The Queen Bee" posing onher first day wearing a fraternity dress...ehem!..Maternity Dress pala!

Ganito ang pose ng mga may stiff neck, at yung isa sa kanan bandang ibaba ang pose ng avid fan ng "Kampanerang Kuba". (Baskin Robbins, Adliya)

HIGH SCHOOL REUNION

Wazzup??!!!! I came to work too early today. I should have known that the procedure will start at 9:30 am. And knowing my doctor, she will probably start at 10am. Good thing that the internet is working or else I would have been hiding in my secret corner sleeping!

So whats new? I saw a message on my friendster bulletine board that Ellen Nario (married na ba?), old high school friend and CAT batallion commander created a yahoo group for our HS batch. After reading the short message I knew that she wanted us to have a reunion! (am I right? sabi ko na nga ba I'm a psycho!) Then I remembered our batch's misfortunes... Isn't it nice to go back to the old HS? "I want to run to the halls of my high school. I want to scream at the top of my lungs. I just found out theres no such thing as a real world. Just a lie, you have to rise above. I just can't wait for my ten year reunion. I'm gonna bust down the double doors. And when I stand on these tables before you, you will know what all this time was for."

What do I miss in HS? The food! I love the fried rice and barbecue drowning in ketchup at the canteen. There are times that I dream of it. After scrutinizing the fried rice's ingredients I found out what makes it really tasty...bits and pieces of left over barbecue probably from last week! Thats why it has that smokey taste. The other thing is the spaghetti at the old Vicencio Cafeteria. I never tasted spaghetti like that in my life. Through the years I have been researching for that recipe but I wasn't successful enough. Tough luck!

Back then there were a lot of misfortunes that faced us. During our junior year, we didn't have a JS Prom. The school had a different parish priest that neglected the repair of the school grounds. Thus, the school ground is a huge swamp filled with water from the flood (Navotas kasi e.) coming from the estero con river/manila bay, and debris intended for the grounds renovation. It was there until we were seniors. So for two years we didn't have that elusive prom. (mahirap kasi sumayaw at magparty sa mga foot-bridges na naka-helera. Pesteng baha yan oh!) Good thing that none of us had Dengue fever or Malaria. Feeling Vietnam con Badjao kami nun!

Now, if I push a little harder and find the old farts, our dream prom could be a realilty. I might even ask someone from ABS-CBN to make it a TV-reality series. Hahahaha! If it comes true they better prepare their old school uniforms. It will be a blast seeing a bunch of 30 year old something, fat and balding professionals having a party! Par-teeee!!! There are a few things that I would like to do in that party:

1. Wear my old uniform (duh?! di na kasya! amoy baul na yun!)
2. Spike the punch with gin and vodka (some of my friends are alcoholic. for them baka pure unleaded gas na lang ipainom ko!)
3. Have sex in one of the classrooms (siempre with my wife! hehehee!)
4. Bug one of my classmate experiencing early midlife crisis to the point of suicide. (para may climax ang tv-reality series. not like that pinoy version of big brother. you guys suck!!!)
5. Jamming with my music teacher Ms. Diana Gabriana to the tune of "jumbo hotdog" by the infamous Masculados.

I have to stop here. Lets wait until I met with Charo Santos. Baka manakaw ang idea ko ni Oprah! Hehehe! For now lets find the rest of the pack.

"Calling all San Jose Academy de Navotas batch '92 please stand up!!!" email me at sinneddc@yahoo.com or find me at friendster. At the moment we have like...ah...5 members! Join naman kayo so that we can reserve the videoke bar near the church! hehehe!