Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

By the way, I have Sam Smith to sing for you...

Enjoy!

Let me panic for a moment. 

I am an obsessive planner. I want things to be in place from the mundane day to day activities to special events in life. My friends and loved ones could attest how I would get frustrated if my plans don't go by the clockwork. Well, let's just say I like to be in control. 

However, It was a revelation for me to realize after reading Cody's own bucket list in Thrilling Heroics that I haven't really thought of having one myself. I tried to list down things I wanted to do before but they're mainly wish lists and really sporadic. I really liked his idea of listing them into three relevant categories: Enabling Goals, Adventures to Have and Do and Places to Travel and Landmarks to see. It follows the basic rubrics of planning and execution and therefore a more grounded and realistic in terms of setting goals.

So, here is my own bucket list that I like to call my AWESOME LIST. This list would grow from time to time as I go along my journey and discover something new.

ENABLING GOALS

1. Secure a full time job within the year.  February 15
2. Generate monthly sales of P10,000 on online business.
3. Streamline online sites to generate a passive income of P10,000 per quarter.
4. Have one listing sold within 2016.
5. Self-publish an Ebook.
6. Eliminate all debt in 2016.
7. Follow a 20-30-50 scheme on Savings, Investment and Expenses on income.
8. Invest an initial of P5,000 in stocks May 20 and grow the portfolio to P30,000 in 2016.
9. Secure a part-time teaching load in 2016 for additional income and network.
10. Start investing for mutual funds and life insurance in the first half of 2016. April 30
11. Set-up a physical store.  
12. Win the lottery
13. Own one business franchise
14. Million peso savings/checking account balance (crossing fingers) in five years.

 ADVENTURES TO HAVE AND DO

1. Participate in a run/marathon.
2. Climb a volcano.
3. Get in shape.
4. Top the board examinations.
5. Drive a car.
6. Spontaneous trip somewhere during the weekend.
7. Learn professional digital photography.
8. Learn to cook at least 30 new dishes.
9. Be a regular blood donor for Red Cross.
10. Learn to ride a bike.
11. Raise a Shiba-Inu or Japanese Spitz dog.
12. Watch Les Miserables on stage. March 18
    
13. Start an herb garden.
14. Watch the Giant Lantern Festival.
15. Write and publish 100 Movie reviews. 
16. Solo backpack adventure over the weekend.
17. 100 photos of sunsets from around the world. 
18. Send one boy to school.
19. Asian Cruise. 
20. Independence by having own place.

PLACES TO TRAVEL AND LANDMARKS TO SEE

1. Santorini, Greece
2. Bali, Indonesia
3. Corregidor Island Fortress
4. Bohol
5. Camiguin
6. Paris, France 
7. Madrid and  Barcelona Spain
8. Banaue Rice Terraces
9. Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
10. Mt. Pinatubo trek
11. Angkor Wat Temples in Cambodia
12. Batanes
13. Sagada, Mountain Province.
14. Ghibli Museum in Japan.
15. Magellan's Cross, Cebu. 
16. Cherry Blossoms in  Japan
17. Maldives Getaway
18. Monasterio De Tarlac in Tarlac.
 

 

When Skyfall was released, Spectre was bound to struggle.

Stories have the power to transform our perceptions of the world. (TEDTalk)

Knock Knock? Don't answer...

Visiting Hong Kong will not be complete unless you drop by (one of) the happiest place on Earth - Hong Kong Disneyland

The year is almost over and although I am in still searching for a new break in my career since the second half of June, I am still doing fine (well, minus the occasional episodes). 

Mistresses and their interesting lives.

The movie 'Unfriended' makes me grateful we have slow internet in the Philippines. The ghost killer would just give up because of frustration.

My father often lectures me about the sin of omission because I would often keep things to myself even if the situation dictates to share it. Although I agree with my father, I also believe in the. virtue of omission. Not everything deserves to be out there for the world to know. This is often forgotten by people especially now that we have the internet to facilitate our connection with people not only in our proximity but the whole world. 

"Love should be treated like a business deal, but every business deal has its own terms and its own currency. And in love, the currency is virtue. You love people not for what you do for them or what they do for you. You love them for the values, the virtues, which they have achieved in their own character.” 

- Ayn Rand

Hotel Transylvania 2 is an easy going film packed with pockets of hearty moments of fun and cuteness. 

Our 4 day stay in the former British Colony was awe-inspiring with the marvels of skyscrapers nestled in a deep green natural harbor. Hong Kong is a city teeming with people in the backdrop of awe-inspiring marvels of steel and glass towers.

Heneral Luna can be considered a seminal cinematic piece with its thought-provoking and emotional stirring screenplay and cinematography. This was clear with the resounding applause of people in the cinema when we watched it last night at Glorietta.

I think I made it clear that I love Ramen and I could write pages about it on this blog. However, I would like to start out with my first Ramen post (yes it took this long to muster strength and write something about my favourite food) by introducing the basics of this dish. I would like to say that this is not a comprehensive guide for Ramen because that is difficult to pull off but I will try my best to share what I know with everyone.

With the many variations out there, it can be confusing to choose what type of Ramen one should try.

First things first, Ramen (ˈrɑmən) ([sometimes with sing. v.]) is a Japanese noodles of wheat flour, usually served in broth with pieces of vegetables and meat (American English Dictionary). Ramen is a noodle in soup dish which originally made its way from China into Japan when the country reopened its borders during the Meiji Restoration. (Types of Ramen, Styles of Ramen , 2013)

I discovered Ramen a few years back when I was on a diet (thinking it was the answer since it was just soup). Since then it has become a staple whenever we are in a Japanese Restaurant along with Kani Salads and Gyosa. 

Ramen has a lot of characteristics I love about food but here are the top three things that make it my favorite dish:

1.    It is a complete meal

By complete I mean it has a lot of elements in it from various food groups – carbohydrates in the noodles, protein from the broth and meat slices (I like the thin shoulder cuts of pork in my Ramen) and vegetables.  

2.    It has many variations

Every restaurant I’ve been to whether it be Karate Kid fastfood Ramen or the more fancy Ramen Nagi chain, offer their own version of Ramen. This makes it an exciting endeavour of trying out Ramen dishes in restaurants. 

3.    Hell, It is amazing

From its roots as a Chinese dish, it has evolved into almost national dish identified with Japan, they even have a Ramen Museum there. It is made from alkaline noodles which is why it is yellowish in a way and has been adapted into many cultures making it a very universal dish (case in point, Korea has a version of Ramen called Ramyeon, which is quite spicy for my palate but nonetheless very tasty).

There are also some eccentricities with eating this dish. According to some friends who have been to Japan, people line up in cramped up restaurants to eat this dish. Traditionally you have to slurp it with sounds and it is rude to the chef if you add more seasonings and cut the noodles when you eat.

Ramen has four basic ingredients: Noodles, Broth, Meat and Toppings. From its beginnings as a knock-off Chinese dish, Ramen has become a very popular and distinct dish.