"THIS IS IT" Showed Me The Michael Jackson I Never Knew

Of course, I did not let yesterday pass without me and my boy watching "This Is It", the film that showed the behind-the-scenes footage of what could've been Michael Jackson's comeback concert. Yesterday was my youngest brother's birthday so he and my sister also watched the movie with us. We watched it at SM Taytay and we were surprised to get mini posters. The mini posters were supposed to be given to early ticket buyers but I guess they still had more to spare.

"This Is It" showed me the Michael Jackson I never knew. After his death, I read so many things about how good this man is but it is really different when you see him actually showing the goodness in his heart.

Here are some things that I recently discovered about the King of Pop:

• He's one God-fearing man. With everything he said to his concert crew, he ended it with a meaningful "God bless you." And I felt that he meant it every single time.


• He loved his family so much. He was supposed to perform "I'll Be There" during the concert and, during the rehearsals, he told his musical director to stop for a moment before the song ends. Then he enumerated all his brothers' names and his parents' names as well and said "I love you."
  


• He's a hands-on artist. From the choosing of the dancers to the production of the computer graphics for his backdrops, he was always checking that everything was perfect.


• He's a musical genius. While rehearsing the jazzy version of "The Way You Make Me Feel", he instructed the musical director to play it like "dragging yourself out of bed" and it took so many repeats before his musical director got it right. Then, the musical director told him that he should do the sound check every time because he can't always know the kind of sound MJ liked. Honestly, I didn't even notice the difference between what the musical director was playing and what MJ wanted. But he heard it, even when the difference in the tempo was so minute. He's a perfectionist because, as he told the musical director, they had to give the fans the music that they heard in his records. That's how dedicated he is to his craft and his fans.


• He didn't want to have the limelight all to himself. He made sure that the dancers were given time to show off what they got. He gave his pretty lead guitarist her "time to shine". He's also generous in giving praises to everyone.
  

Suddenly, I felt sorry that he has passed away before the concert even happened. It would have been a huge one. The concert would have shown a new twist to the music videos of "Thriller" and "Smooth Criminal". Truly, one for the books.

I still can't believe that he's gone. He was as healthy as a bull during the rehearsals! He was even slamming his body on the floor during one dance routine. What could have gone wrong? To think that the rehearsals were done during the spring, three months before his death.

I resisted the urge to give an applause every time Michael Jackson ended a song or a dance routine. I almost forgot that I was in a movie house! Still, I was discreetly grooving to the music and tapping my feet. Don't expect the movie to be something like a concert, though. It just shows bits and pieces of what could've been his grandest comeback. I also resisted the urge to cry especially when he sang "Man in The Mirror" and when he spoke about taking care of the Earth and that we're losing time to save it. The world really lost a good man.

Ok, I hope I didn't give too much away. Head on to the theaters because "This Is It" will be on for only two weeks. Enjoy and let MJ relive his music and his magic.

SIDENOTE: I found it a little annoying that a memorial plan company was giving out leaflets yesterday outside the theater. Duh, we all know MJ's dead and they are only adding to the morbid feeling of that fact! Not to mention that it's just a few days before Halloween. My sister found it funny, I didn't. If they have given life insurance quote leaflets I would have probably gotten one for myself. Oh well, I guess they're just doing their jobs and the cinema administrators allowed them to be there in the first place.

Litratong Pinoy: Amoy (Smell)

Sinong Pinoy ang hindi paborito ang bagoong? Bihira lang siguro. Di ba kahit na sa totoo lang ay hindi kanais-nais ang kanyang amoy ay nakakatakam pa rin? Kaya nga kahit na bawal ay marami pa ring nakakalimot sa sarili at kumakain ng bagoong o binagoongang karne o gulay.

Unang beses ko lang makatikim ng bagoong na walang amoy, hindi masyadong maalat, at medyo maasim. Iyon ay ang balaw (bagoong) ng Balaw-Balaw Restaurant sa Angono, Rizal. Simpleng gisadong balaw lang yan na may kasamang talong. Masarap isabay sa inihaw na baboy o isda. Pero nung araw na yan, ang naging ka-partner niya ay ang Sinagang na Malaputo at Lechong Kawali. Dati'y talagang dinadayo pa namin ang Bala-Balaw para makakain ng kanilang kilalang balaw. Ngayon, nakakabili na ako ng naka-botelyang balaw na produkto rin ng restawran at itinitinda sa grocery.

Natakam ka ba? Bisitahin mo rin ang ibang larawang kalahok, may amoy man o wala, ngayong Hwebes sa Litratong Pinoy.

Most Filipinos find bagoong (fermented shrimp) irresistible even if the smell is not that delightful. They still eat bagoong or any other food mixed with bagoong even if it is not allowed in their diet.

The first time that I was able to eat bagoong that is not too salty or smelly was when we ate out in Balaw-Balaw Specialty Restaurant in Angono, Rizal. We had balaw (Angono's version of bagoong)sauteed with eggplants. It is actually yummy to eat as a compliment to roasted pork or fish. However, that day, we had balaw with Sinigang na Malaputo and Lechong Kawali. In the past, we drive to this place to taste their balaw. Nowadays, I just buy Balaw-Balaw's bottled balaw from the grocery.

Are you getting hungry already? I hope you can also take time to visit the other photo entries, whether they smell good or not, in this week's Litratong Pinoy.

Looking For A Wise Investment

I recently hooked a writing deal with a local client that gives me guaranteed monthly writing projects. It's like I'll be receiving a regular monthly pay except that I'm just a contributing writer. I really am so happy because, with that extra income, I can now start saving for myself. I'm still helping my parents send my youngest brother to college and the bulk of my freelance writing payments goes to his college fund. What's left with me is just enough to pay my credit card bills.

So, I was thinking, what could be a wise investment for that extra income. I'm not really a fan of savings accounts in banks since I know from experience that you really don't get to earn a lot from that. I am thinking of upgrading my gadgets since I heavily rely on them for work. I may buy myself the 3-in-1 printer I was eyeing since last year. I may also get a term life insurance for myself. Insurances are never a bad investment, don't you think?

My list is not yet final as I am still on the lookout for wise investments for my hard earned money. Any suggestions?

Doctor's Clinic Boo Boo

Before you go on reading, promise you won't laugh or think that I am stupid. As in promise!

Last week, I went to my OB-Gyne to ask for help since I didn't have my monthly period since July. The home pregnancy test kit showed a negative result and that's when I knew that my bleeding had to be induced... again. It is never healthy for ladies to forego three months without the monthly menses. Especially so if your ovaries have cysts, like how my ovaries are.

So, anyway, my doctor instructed me to take Duphaston, one tablet a day for five days which was something new for me. My former doctor had prescribed it once for ten days and I always bleed anytime within those ten days. This time around, five days have gone and not a single drop of blood. I had my morning urine tested and the pregnancy test kit still showed a negative result. I was worried and I decided to go back this morning to my doctor.

She was surprised to see me back so soon! OMG, I was really embarrassed. She reminded me that I had to expect my menses within ten days after I finished taking 5 Duphaston pills. I'm glad that my doctor was a funny and approachable one. And I am glad too that my visit this morning was free care of my health insurance provider. I could have wasted 400 pesos for this doctor's visit that was 9 days too early. Take it from me, if you don't have a health card, now' the time to ask around for an insurance quote.

Lesson learned: I am getting forgetful by the minute so, I guess, I need to bring someone with me when I visit my doctors. Just in case I forget the instructions, there would be someone to remind me. Today, I was with my husband. And just in case I forget again and he's not around, do remind me that I need to visit my doctor on November 3.

Litratong Pinoy: Masinop (Neat)

Sa totoo lang, masinop naman ako sa gamit lalung-lalo na kung ako ang nagpundar nito. Kaya naman mahal na mahal ko ang bahay na tinitirhan namin ngayon. Parang beybi din na kailangang alagaan. Heto nga, at pagkatapos ng dalawang taon ay nagkaroon kami ng pagkakataon na makapagpalit ng pintura ng mga pader sa loob ng bahay. Nagdagdag din kami ng mga istante sa loob ng banyo sa kwarto para maiayos ang ilang gamit at ang aking koleksyon ng pabango.



Hehehe... kikay po talaga ako at walang nagawa ang asawa ko nang mag-desisyon akong PINK ang tema ng kwarto namin. Maganda naman ang kombinasyon hindi ba?


Naalala niyo ba yung isinali kong larawan noong Mayo para sa temang "Simula Pa Lang"? Hindi na ako nakasali noong sumunod na Huwebes kaya't hindi ko naipakita ang kinalabasan nito. Heto na siya ngayon.


Bachelor's loft ang tawag ng anak ko dyan sa itaas ng kanyang study area. Nakakatuwa naman talaga para sa isang bata ang may ganyang tulugan. Parang sariling bahay-bahayan.


Hay,sana'y laging ganyan kaayos ang bahay namin. Kapag abala kasi ako sa trabaho ay ang kasambahay lang ang nakakapag-ayos ng aming mga gamit at kadalasan ay hindi nakukuha ang kaartehang hanap ko.

Masinop ka rin ba? Ipakita mo ito at sumali sa amin sa Litratong Pinoy.

I am really a neat and careful person especially when it comes to things that I myself bought. This is why we love our home so much. We treat it as our baby. After two years, we were given a chance to have the walls repainted. We also had shelves made and installed in our master's bathroom to house some knick knacks and my collection of sprays and perfume. My husband wasn't able to say no when I decided that PINK will be our bedroom's motif. The color combination turned out pretty well, don't you think?

Remember way back in May when we had our "In The Beginning" theme? I wasn't able to join the following week so I did not have the chance to show how it turned out. Here's my son's study area now. He calls the upper part his bachelor's loft. He loves his sleeping area because it's like he has his own pad.

How I wish that our home is always this neat. I fail to clean our place regularly because of my busy schedule. It's the househelp that does this for me but it's still different from how I clean and arrange things.

Are you neat? Show this with photos and join us at Litratong Pinoy.

I Can't Live Without Veggies!

This past week has been a torture! Because of the havoc wreaked by Typhoon Pepeng, vegetables coming from Northern Luzon provinces have not been delivered to Manila. If ever there were some crates delivered, the prices were way too high. Imagine a kilo of carrots for 200 pesos! I gave in and bought my staple vegetables even if they cost me so much. I had no choice, I can't live without my leafy greens.

Vegetables are my source of fiber. I need fiber to keep my blood glucose levels normal. Eating vegetables, especially the leafy green ones, help keep me feel full and eat less of the other calorie rich foods. It also gives me my much needed colon cleanse and keeps my digestive system healthy.

While the prices of vegetables from Northern Luzon are still sky high, I will make do with daily servings of kangkong (water cabbage) and camote tops. I wish all prices return to normal soon.

My Fatty Liver and My New Battle Plan in Reversing It

Last week, I had an ultrasound scan of my liver, pancreas, and gallbladder. My internist wanted to see why I am having pain on my upper right abdomen. It turned out that the culprit was my liver. I now have Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. My liver is already fatty and the pain I am feeling is because of the stretching of my liver as it gets fat. I am trying so hard to lose weight and to stay away from fatty foods so it was quite unexpected.

My internist explained to me that it is positive that my liver is now surrounded with fat but that she doesn't blame everything on what I eat. She was actually expecting it to happen as it is one of the many complications of Type II Diabetes as it is related to insulin resistance. She has requested some blood work done on me to see the cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine, and liver enzyme levels in my system before we make a battle plan in reversing the condition of my liver. At least it is reversible and that's what gives me hope today. I got the results today and it confirmed that the bad cholesterol in my blood stream is high.

I did my research on Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease today and I discovered that I can easily do some steps to reverse. First, I need to lose weight and exercise. I am doing my walks every morning and my no carb diet at night. I guess I need to work overtime on that without using a weight loss pill. I need to lose at least 9% of my present body weight according to what I read.

Second, I need to watch what I eat. Although I am not eating high-glycemic carbohydrates, I think that I should totally turn my back away from fried foods. I eat fried foods occasionally and this can be a test of will. I have no choice, I have to do it.

Third, I should drink a glass of wine a day. A research was made by the University of California-San Diego School of Medicine that showed a decrease in the risk of non alcoholic fatty liver disease among participants who drank a glass of wine a day. The resveratrol found in grapes and red wine help prevents the build up of fat in the liver. Since my liver is already fatty, it can help the build up of additional fat while I am on my quest to lose the existing fats that surround it. I am not much of a wine drinker but I love grape juice. I bought 2 quarts of pure grape juice today. I'm gonna buy myself a bottle of red wine tomorrow.

So there, another "milestone" in my diabetic existence. Life is still sweet and it's not the end of the world for me.

Online Course for Fire Fighters

In this tech savvy world, almost anything can be done online - even getting a degree. Getting an online degree is very convenient and has little difference compared to getting a degree in traditional classroom. I should know, I have enrolled myself in an online graduate degree a few years back.

I do believe that we can always make ourselves better with continuous learning. This is why I find it amazing that even fire fighters can enroll in a Bachelor of arts in fire service administration online. Contrary to most people think, fire fighting is not just aiming the fire hose against the fire and fighting it with water. Fire fighting is a profession and management skills also need to be learned. This online course can enrich a fire fighter's career and open up more doors for career growth.

Are We Safe in Our Own Homes Nowadays?

I received news that thieves went inside a blogger friend's home during the wee hours of this morning. I was worried about her safety and her family members as well. I can just imagine the horrible feeling she must have had with the thieves inside her home. Somehow, its a consolation to know that she and her family members are safe.

Every day, I watch similar news on TV and some of the incidents did not end up well. After the calamity, more stealing incidents surfaced and, as bad as this may sound, I am sure that more will happen as the Christmas season comes near. Do I feel safe in our own home? Yes and no.

I feel kinda safe because I have two big dogs and one is an American Pitbull Terrier. A street lamp is situated in front of our house and it helps us illuminate our area especially the cars parked outside. We live in a village and our village guards do not allow guests to go inside the village without permission from homeowners. But then...

I don't feel that safe because there has already been an incident of robbers going inside a neighbor's home last June. Last year, the rear view mirror of another neighbor's car got stolen. Although the village guards guard the gate and do their rounds nightly, some thieves still get in and out through the perimeter fence. What makes me more scared is that our town has been badly hit by the storm and that means more people needing money badly.

While I do not think that we already need to install a video surveillance equipment in our home, I still think that we need to reinforce our security measures here at home. That would include letting the dogs out of their cages at night. Never mind that my Bronson may pull the wild roses out from the soil. :( At least, we can sleep well knowing that thieves will think thrice about getting inside our property.

Blog Action Day '09 Climate Change

Three days before Typhoon Ketsana (Ondoy) hit the country and devastated our beloved town of Cainta, my son spoke about protecting the environment in their school's Young Environmentalists program. I am glad that, for two successive years now, the school has been teaching environmental protection to the boys through this program. Let me share to you what he wrote and spoke about that day.

Protecting the Environment, Protecting Our Health
by: Ralph Alexander Flores, 3-Kindness

Protecting the environment does not only make our Earth healthy, it makes our bodies healthy as well.

As we know, everything we take in is provided by nature. We get our food from the various plants and animals that nature gives us. We get water from the reservoirs that are connected to the lakes and seas. We breathe precious oxygen from the air in our atmosphere. Everything we need, we get from the environment.

If our environment is unhealthy, everything we get from it becomes toxic and unhealthy, too. When farmers use pesticides and other harmful chemicals on plants, there may be a possibility that we will get sick from eating them. The abundance of processed foods has made our tummies weak.

When rivers and seas are polluted with garbage, the fishes tend to eat the garbage and we may end up eating them, too. Our drinking water also becomes polluted with all these garbage.

The air that we breathe becomes polluted with the smoke coming from factories and automobiles. This polluted air has made most of us asthmatic and less resistant to diseases.

Don't you notice how children living in city are more prone to sickness than children living in the provinces? Children living in healthier environments are luckier that they get to enjoy cleaner air and water and more organic food.

If you think that protecting the environment only means saving our Earth, think again. The truth is, by doing so, we are also saving ourselves.

Every word in this 1-minute speech is true, don't you think? It's unfortunate that, although young children are becoming aware of our current environmental situation, some adults don't give much thought about it.

And as if Mother Earth wanted so much to remind us how pressing the matter is, she sends in Typhoon Ketsana to the Philippines three days after and Typhoon Parma that almost didn't want to leave. Not to mention that a week before that, I received news from friends in Australia about a dust storm. (Hail rained down from the sky a week after, by the way.) Then, simultaneous to our typhoons, Indonesia was hit by a strong earthquake and Samoa with a tsunami. "Is the world coming to an end?" I was thinking about this while listening to my transistor radio and lying down on my bed in our candle-lit bedroom during the post typhoon blackout.

Do we really need to be reminded this way? Do you want to suffer as much as we did? While there's no more time to point fingers on who's to blame, I think there's still time to reverse climate change. It can be as simple as waste management and supporting eco-friendly materials to as bold as lobbying for strong climate change legislation. Bloggers like me, on the other hand, take action by participating in today's Blog Action Day.

Learn more about how you can get involved. Visit www.blogactionday.org today.

Schizophrenic Kids, Kinda Impossible But True

Yesterday, I was able to read the story of Jani Schofield, the 7-year old schizophrenic kid featured recently on Oprah. I was moved with emotions both for Jani and her family because it is hard to be dealing with this mental condition at an early age. Her family also had to adjust their lives for her because she has become violent. She and her brother lives in two separate apartments because there have been incidences of her hurting her brother. Her parents take turns in sleeping over their separate apartments.

Jani talks about Calalini, the world that her schizophrenic mind has created for her to believe. She talks about the creatures in this world too and how they tell her to do bad things. You know, sometimes, we parents think that having imaginary friends are normal for children her age. Her parents thought the same way too until Jani became violent.

I have taught special kids with autism, Down's Syndrome, and ADHD and I felt sad for them for having these conditions. Now, after reading Jani's story, I feel that they are luckier in some ways. With therapy and special education, they can be taught to be functional individuals in this society. Not even a free concerta coupon can treat Jani because doctors said that hers is a lifelong condition that needs to be monitored closely because of her violent tendencies. I can only pray for Jani and her family. She's still an angel, no matter what her mental condition makes her do.

I Vote For Let's Go Sago!

I choose Let's Go Sago for the Blogger's Choice Award in this year's Philippine Blog Awards!

I have been a silent follower of Jonel Uy and his blogs. I admire the charity surfing event he set up as celebration of Let's Go Sago's anniversary. Not only did our fellow bloggers have fun surfing the waves of La Union but they have also raised funds for the World Wildlife Fund.

I am glad that I still have an hour and a half to post this before the voting period ends. I believe that Jonel is a role model not only to bloggers but to other individuals as well. Let's Go Sago is a blog that does not only share his travel and food adventures but his advocacy as well.

Why Choose An Eco Green Mattress

When I did my groceries last weekend, I noticed that there were a lot of people buying mattresses. They have probably thrown out their wet mattresses and replaced them with new ones. Most of them have bought cheap foam mattresses. I understand that the cheapest one will be the best choice at the moment. If I have extra money to spare, I would have bought an eco green mattress.

An eco green mattress is one that is made of organic and eco-friendly material. It is not only good for our health but it is also beneficial to the environment as well.

Here are some of the reasons why I wish to buy an eco green mattress:

• It is hypoallergenic. Best to use if you are highly sensitive to chemicals. The materials used in this mattress is free from pesticides and other chemicals.
• It is environmental friendly. No pesticides mean healthier soil and healthier resources for people living near the area where organic cotton farming is done.
• It is stronger than non-organic mattresses. Chemical residues alter the quality of the materials used in mattresses.
• It generates jobs for cotton farmers. Organic cotton farming mostly requires manual labor rather than using machines to do the job.

Eco green mattresses may be a more expensive choice but the benefits outweigh the monetary value here. I am saving up for an eco green mattress. I hope you consider saving up for one, too.

Short Term Health Insurance, Is This For You?

We all know that having a health insurance is a big help especially during times of sickness. Buying a health insurance nowadays does not only require one to have the money to purchase one. A health insurance buyer should also understand the different types of health insurance. For instance, a short term health insurance is different from a long term health insurance.

Both types of health insurances offer medical coverage should the plan holder gets sick. The only difference between these two is the period of coverage. Long term health insurance plans usually cost more but can cover a plan holder up to the time of death. Short term health insurance plans cover a plan holder from 6 to 12 months and costs less.

Most insurance buyers nowadays prefer to avail a short term health insurance because it gives them more flexibility. For example, a person who is in between jobs can avail of a short term life insurance so he can be covered while there is no company yet to give him full medical benefits.

Ask your insurance agent about short term life insurance plans for more information. Meanwhile, North Carolina residents can inquire about NC short term health insurance plans from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina.