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I have been intending to write about this for a long time. Not only because I am a fan of adobo, but thinking that it would help in a way those who are in the same situation.

Adobong Puti

(1) Adobong Puti (Stewed Pork and Chicken in White Vinegar) got its name from the white vinegar that it uses. However, the appearance of the dish is brown because of the frying. It is claimed that this is the classic version since it highlights the basic adobo flavors such as vinegar, garlic and peppercorns, and excludes soy sauce which outweighs the rest of the flavors.

If you will be living outside the country, would be living on your own, will be mandated to know by heart to prepare one dish, or at least because you are a Filipino, I think that it is necessary that you know how to cook adobo. While it is not officially declared as our national dish, it is often associated with Filipinos. I am particularly speaking for those based overseas, it would be very embarrassing when non-Filipino colleagues or whenever the situation would call for it that you must prepare an adobo, and you can not. Of course, simple googling  and an overseas call probably to a family member (because each family has its very own adobo) would help, but believe me, if you still have the time, do not think twice to perfect it.

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blah blah blah

(Photo taken at Welbart Exhibit in the Philippines, 2008). These men are like the politicians during the campaign period, trying to market themselves to the public.

I’ve registered for the absentee voting last August and now that the election is near, I still don’t have my final list. Although it’s only one vote that’s coming from me, I reserve my right to be choosy about the candidates. The possibility of cheating in the canvassing of votes is beyond my control. I think that one of the better things that came up now is the availability of several means to get oriented with the salesmen (aka political candidates).

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Twilight books

Our basic Arabic course is over. Now, it is time to find and practise the ways to improve it. I am thinking of:

(a) Watching the Arab Channels, at least the news and not the teleseryes.
(b) Reading the broadsheets (which I have already started). Nosebleed!
(c) Talking (more) to Arabic speaking friends and colleagues.
(d) Reading Arabic comics, if available. I remember one of the better means that improved my reading before I enrolled to gradeschool was the comics, particularly the ones in Filipino. How can I forget the hahaha (ecstatic, laughing), hehehe (plainly happy and sometimes on a mischievous tone), hihihi (female, sometimes in flirtatious tone), hohoho (for Santa Claus), huhuhu (crying), hik-hik-hik (drunk), etc. Even the foreigners who want to improve their Filipino read comics.
(e) Buying a CD and book-guide for intermediate Arabic. I already did (the same day with a set for French).
(f) Reading the Twilight Saga (at least the first book, with the apple on the cover just like in the photo) which is written in Arabic. I am doubtful though that it will be effective because maybe I have memorized the English version.

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milktoof book 1

(My copy of the limited edition “Ickle and Lardee’s Grand Adventure”, debuting in this blog together with my newly set up 5-foot Christmas tree. I almost gave up finding a fine tree for this season in the Gulf).

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life-of-pi
Reading this book was like watching certain episodes from Tom Hanks’ Cast Away. Except that there’s a clever twist of representation from each character, especially of Piscine Molitor Patel (who’s nicknamed “Pi”; that of 3.14159 value in our Physics class) who is the sole human survivor in a cargo ship that sunk in the blue Pacific (Manila was mentioned on page 131*). It’s an uplifting and amusing story of how a 16-year old survived on the same boat with a hyena, zebra, orangutan and 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger.

Given that the story is really inventive, hence bagging the 2002 Man Booker Prize for Fiction, one of my favorite chapters was pre-ship tragedy when he was exploring and experiencing test of faith. Although it’s not the actual case, but I felt the particular chapter was talking to me. As you probably know, I’m based in UAE wherein several religions are observed by different people (it’s a fact everywhere).  But in this part of the world, most of the people are Christians/Catholics, Muslims and Hindu.   I was nodding and non-maliciously smiling as I read this part:

Note: Without his parents and religious leaders knowledge, Pi embraces three religions and on that fateful day they coincidentally met in Salai seaside esplanade. That his secret exploded like a bomb.

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