Talenggay's Tales

Life is Like a Box of Chocolates

noreply@blogger.com (Chari San Pablo) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 08:33:00 +0000

“Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.”

You've probably heard this quote a MILLION times over. Alright! But then again, who hasn’t yet?

Like a box of chocolates, life can be full of surprises.

Realizing that in a battle, neither side wins nor loses.
That sometimes, conflicts can never be solved but only outgrown.

It’s true. Not all chocolates which come from the box are sweet. There are dark, bitter, unsweetened, bittersweet, white, alcohol-infused, etc. From the myriads of choices, the selection could be endless!

Errr… am I talking nonsense suddenly?

I guess our task is very simple - to find and pick the best chocolate piece. But remember, a chocolate which seems to be good may not be the best.

Simply put, our choices may not always be right. True. But there’s always a second chance, right? After all, life is not perfect and it is these personal choices we make which define and shape our lives, of who we become eventually. Sa lahat naman ng pagkakataon at anumang bagay, pinipili lang naman natin kung alin ang sa tingin natin ang nararapat at higit sa lahat, kung alin ang makakapagpasaya sa atin.

So, which chocolate piece is yours?

When "C" Becomes "X"

noreply@blogger.com (Chari San Pablo) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 16:35:00 +0000

I had a quite comic conversation with a Chinese-Malaysian officemate in Yahoo Messenger which left me laughing so hard all day.

(Name withheld for security reasons)

Officemate: Charina
Chari: Yes?
Officemate: Can you help me check this sentence for grammar error?
Officemate: Please refer to attach updated baseline document, according to baseline date.
Chari: *tumbling* Ok. Just give me a sex
Officemate: Huh? U serious? For tat very simple request?
Chari: No lah. Wrong typing mah! I mean, just give me a sec. Not sex!

Potek! Kung bakit kasi nagkatabi ang X at C sa keyboard. Hahaha!

Moral of the story:
Read and confirm that you have typed the correct characters before pressing Enter key. Sometimes, with a stroke of bad luck, even a single letter could easily spell disaster such in the case when "c" becomes "x" in my story. Know your spelling.

Just Can't Get Enough

noreply@blogger.com (Chari San Pablo) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:03:00 +0000

I’m feeling so TERRIBLE. I must’ve gorged down around 20 different types of food today. A case of unbearable hunger? Eehhh! :-O

Below is the list, well only those which I can remember.

zhong (dumpling) for breakfast (given by Lee Fun)
fish head curry
steamed herbal chicken
buttered prawns
veggies
steamed tilapia
rice!
banana
watermelon
pineapple
blueberry cheese tarts (small)
Portuguese egg tarts
pecan pie (1 small slice)
Tiramisu cake (it was my boss’ birthday; shared with Charmy hehe)
Chippy (galing ng Pinas)
Chocnut (galing din ng Pinas)
mints
Coffee, coffee, coffee (kahit bawal sakin)

Oh my Lord! I better start kicking my butt to do some cardio exercises and run a marathon! That is, if I want to have that much needed energy for our adventure trip this coming Saturday.

Stories of our adventure trip with my “wild” friends (Ben, pa-borrow ng adjective hehe) when I get back next week. Stay tuned.

My New Baby

noreply@blogger.com (Chari San Pablo) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:50:00 +0000

Four months ago, I have posted a blog about my baby’s sudden demise.

My world just came crumbling down. I was crestfallen. Down in the dumps. I couldn’t go out to capture life’s “it” moments. I had no choice then. I was left with nothing but pieces of memories.

In my pursuit of happiness, I borrowed from my sister Muninggay her eldest baby, which was flown in to KL just for me. Good thing she’s not fond of him anymore. Baby Budoy is a small wonder, albeit the old age.

Then came Saturday. I was pretty worried he would soon feel real lonely. So I decided to give him a new baby brother. A very smart and cute one! The new baby didn’t come from my tummy though. He was delivered from a Canon box. No labor pains! I am naming him Fafi.

Fafi is quite shy and a bit self-conscious. He doesn’t want me to take pictures of him and likes to be inside the box all the time. But yesterday, he started throwing tantrums! I think he wants a new baby sister ;-P Ahem!

Anyway, here are the pictures of Budoy and Fafi!

FAFI. I told you he's shy!

BUDOY. Pre-Jurassic era.

Paddington House of Pancakes: A Review

noreply@blogger.com (Chari San Pablo) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 15:20:00 +0000

I certainly love food and my quest for hunting good food and restaurants still goes on. Recently, I’ve also found a new buddy who is adventurous as I am when it comes to food-hunting and restaurant-hopping.

Our first stop was Paddington House of Pancakes, where we took our dinner last weekend after doing some serious shopping. Hehe! It’s located at the LG floor of The Gardens Mall in Mid Valley City. I had a first glimpse of this restaurant in 1 Utama shopping mall (near the GAP store) last year. But since it’s quite far from my place, I never had the chance to try it until recently.

The restaurant can easily be noticed from the outside. The area is well-lit and looks inviting I should say, with many customers filling up the tables especially during the peak hours. It has minimalist decors with hues of brown, white and silver, which is uniquely chic.

Browsing on their colorful menu, it’s really quite extensive as they serve more than 100 pancakes from all around the world! You name it and they have it (well, most probably haha). They’ve got blinis (buckwheat pancakes), blintzes (traditional Russian pancakes), pannekoek (Dutch pancakes), gallettes (round and crusty pancakes - French origin), American and Mexican pancake burgers and so much more. What’s more, most of the items have pictures with matching descriptions. So, if you can’t pronounce something right, all you need to do is just point! =)

As the selection seems endless, it took us a while before deciding what to order. I finally settled for a pancake meal (see picture) which consists of pancake stacks (with mashed potatoes) + scrambled eggs + smoked salmon. Food presentation was ok. The amount of serving was just alright for an average person. And for the taste, the pancakes tasted like mashed potatoes! Medyo overpowering. Nakakaumay. But I liked the smoked salmon.

While my friend Kai ordered pancakes with cheesy sausages, ham and hash browns (see the pic again). Hers looked more appealing and delicious! And it was.

Maybe namali lang ako ng order. But I’ll definitely be back to try those items with fruits and ice cream!

Overall, it’s a cool place for a lazy weekend brunch. Expect to pay around RM30++ per person.

By the way, to those who want to join us on our food hunting trips, just drop me a message or email. Crunchy insects next time, can ah?

Pancakes galore.

Koryo-Won Korean Restaurant: A Review

noreply@blogger.com (Chari San Pablo) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 15:10:00 +0000

I am one of those who got infected by the Hallyu phenomenon (Korean wave) which has been sweeping the world since early 2000. Aside from getting hooked on Korean TV dramas (wow jologs hehe), I also grew fond of Korean food. Yum!

When my Mom was here in KL last month, I treated her to a sumptuous feast of traditional Korean food in Koryo-Won restaurant located at the 4th floor of Suria KLCC.

Koryo-Won serves up a veritable palate of authentic Korean traditional cuisine. Just think classy, dining experience in an intriguing blend of old meets new. Koryo-Won's menu is really one to shout about. From a fine selection of smoked barbeque (see picture) and japchae to dolsot bibimbap and plenty more, they are sure to tantalize any taste buds.

As a starter, we had those several different side dishes which come in very small quantity. Korean food is typically described as "slow food". One must take time and enjoy each dish in order to truly appreciate the meal. And so we did. After which, the BBQ was served next. It was cooked on a hot grill right in front of us! To eat it, just take a small portion of the meat and some of the side dishes (which ever you like) on a bed of lettuce. Then wrap, roll and eat! The meat was so tender and tasty. No wonder it doesn't come cheap!

My mom and I also shared a bowl of bulgogi, which is slices of marinated, barbequed beef seasoned with soy sauce and sugar; and seolleongtang, which is ox-bone soup. Both were delicious.

It’s a fine dining restaurant with skyrocket-high prices. For just the two of us, I paid around RM180++. But with a cozy ambience, mouthwatering dishes and impeccable service, Koryo-Won will surely go a long, long way.

My mom enjoying the food.

Guitar Duet - Hawak Kamay (by Yeng Constantino)

noreply@blogger.com (Chari San Pablo) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:48:00 +0000

A guitar duet with Kai.

Guitar Solo - Big Girls Don't Cry (by Fergie)

noreply@blogger.com (Chari San Pablo) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:03:00 +0000

A few months back, I was thinking of some cool party ideas to do for my birthday party. I actually wanted to do something that has not been seen or done before in any Pinoy parties here in KL.

And while watching some music videos in Youtube, an idea came up! Why not have a mini-concert right at your own party?! Three of my officemates (Emman, JohnB and Kai) know how to play the guitar and I can play a bit.

Here's the video of my very first public guitar solo performance. It was a total mess! Ahahayy! =) I forgot some of the lyrics and my voice was paos. Hindi pang performance level! Hahaha.

WARNING:
Just watch and hear it at your own risk! =P

It's The Season of Love

noreply@blogger.com (Chari San Pablo) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 09:38:00 +0000

Alright, so tomorrow is Valentine’s Day - a “forced celebration” of love, passion and romance.

I ever wonder what do you really think or feel about Valentine’s Day?

It may be a romantic or just another day for some. But no matter how you feel about this day, I guess you will agree with me that love (so wildly misunderstood) is wonderful and necessary. Right? =)

Share your thoughts.

My love to all!

How to Make Friendship Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Chari San Pablo) — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 08:47:00 +0000

Here's an easy-to-follow recipe on how to make friendship cookies, disaster flavor.

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups of insult, mashed
1/3 cup of insensitivity, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons of egotism, whipped
2 teaspoons of arrogance
a dash of negativity
a sprinkle of pride, if desired

Directions:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit/Gas 4).

Combine all the ingredients in a stone-cold bowl of reality. Mix well. The dough will be very stiff.

Shape into balls and drop very wide apart on a baking shit ehrr... baking sheet. Bake in VERY HIGH heat at 1000 Degrees Celsius for about 1 hour until dry and burned.

Let cool (you wish) on a wire rack.

Drizzle melted trust over cooled cookies. Serve with a dollop of coldness and pride.

Tip:
Best served warm with spoiled milk!

Enjoy!

Brain Dead

noreply@blogger.com (Chari San Pablo) — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 05:26:00 +0000

I can’t concentrate at work right now. My mind is flying to nowhere.

I’ve been sitting here and staring at my computer screen for hours already. I just can’t concentrate on ANYTHING at all!

It seems my brain cells have stopped transmitting electrical impulses all over my body. In other words, I’m in a state of complete brain function loss. Yayy!!!

Surviving the inevitable post-holiday doldrums is really difficult (fyi, the Chinese New Year public holidays have just ended). It sucks! Long vacations surely make your nerve cells (or neurons) to become non-responsive.

This is bad. Really bad.

God help me.

And The Countdown Begins ...

noreply@blogger.com (Chari San Pablo) — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 17:43:00 +0000

It is exactly 31 days, 22 hours, 12 minutes and 35 seconds

until the BIG day.

With one silent wish, one breath away,

love, greetings and sweet daffodils ...

I can’t wait.

When Going Through Rough Times …

noreply@blogger.com (Chari San Pablo) — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:18:00 +0000

When the most unexpected situations arise and life seems to throw you a curve, you can always count on three things.

1. Friends
· They always go out of their way to make you feel better.
· They listen to what you say.
· They understand and respect you, even when you’re not talking.
· They provide pieces of good advice for free.
· They provide support and encouragement during times of struggle.
· They look at your heart, not just the “packaging”.
· They help you see the truth, even if it hurts.
· They stick with you through the happy or sad.
· They provide a shoulder to cry on (and a used handkerchief too when needed).

2. Beer
· A beer ALWAYS makes a good company.
· It won’t talk back and disagree with you.
· Beer = Bestfriend. Beer is the new man’s best friend. Dogs are a close second.
· Salvation in a can!

3. Prayers
· There is power in prayer.
· They open your eyes and extend your horizons.
· They shed light into the darkness of our fears.
· Prayers heal all wounds.

Well, I’m blessed and I’m thankful to have friends who are always ready to share a drink when going through some rough times …

Parang ang saya-saya namin dito!

Siyempre pa, may second round kinabukasan. Hehe.

Naubos na ang mga inumin...

Follow-Up: Poof!

noreply@blogger.com (Chari San Pablo) — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 03:58:00 +0000

"It's the friends you can call up at 4 AM that matter."
Marlene Dietrich

Poof!

noreply@blogger.com (Chari San Pablo) — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 03:45:00 +0000

It’s simply gone. Vanished into thin air…

Beware of the word “friend.” It can be used by anyone to excuse the most unfriendly behaviour.

Tsk. Tsk.

Oh My Tummy!

noreply@blogger.com (Chari San Pablo) — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 14:57:00 +0000

I’ve been a frequent visitor of medical clinics lately. It’s not that I’m suffering from a serious disease. I just decided to get doctors’ advice on an illness which I’ve been suffering from for years.

I’ve undergone blood test to check for the presence of a particular bacterium called Helicobacter Pylori and was strictly advised by the doctor not to drink milk nor take any fruits and dairy products for a period of 1 week. At that time, I felt like an object of some scientific experiment as I would be assessed based on outcomes.

After two weeks, the doctor told me that I’m suffering from a certain gastrointestinal disorder. That explains why I have a hypersensitive stomach all these years.

Bloody hell.

ITSC Annual Dinner 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Chari San Pablo) — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:26:00 +0000

The ITSC Annual Dinner, held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center last Saturday, was truly a night of glitz and glamour.

It was wonderful to see my Pinoy officemates all glammed up for the party. The guys, donning a coat and tie, were a sight to behold. They were all so gwapo.

The ladies, looking totally different, were equally glamourous in their sexy outfits.

The DHL Titans also had a special performance. Although we only had two practices prior to the event, thank God we were able to pull it off. Whew!

Here are some pics.

Bessies. My closest chums in the office.

Halo-halo. Some pictures with the gang.

My Boylets. Need I say more? Hahaha! LOL.

DHL TITANS. Performing for the nth time!

Sky Juice

noreply@blogger.com (Chari San Pablo) — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 01:02:00 +0000

I learned a new word during the Sundowner in DHL yesterday.

Sky Juice.

Apparently, sky juice is the Malaysian slang term for water. Just go figure.

So the next time you go to a restaurant, you can tell the waiter “Can I have a glass of ice-cold sky juice, please?”

Fed Express Fever

noreply@blogger.com (Chari San Pablo) — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 11:06:00 +0000

The Australian Open Tennis Championships 2008 has officially begun.

Of course, I’ll be watching and rooting again for Swiss ace Roger Federer to win the Men’s Singles crown.

He has already surpassed Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver on the career list for most majors won and stands just 2 Grand Slam titles shy from equaling record-holder Pete Sampras (with 14).

As early as now (on its 3rd day), I can already smell his sweet victory. Hmm…

Go Fed Express! Go idol!!

Over and Done

noreply@blogger.com (Chari San Pablo) — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 17:09:00 +0000

Love is a Battlefield

noreply@blogger.com (Chari San Pablo) — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 23:00:00 +0000

Quote Of The Day

"We are young, heartache to heartache we stand.
No promises, no demands.
Love is a battlefield."

Torned

noreply@blogger.com (Chari San Pablo) — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 03:20:00 +0000

Looking back right from the start
this friendship was never meant to last.
The dagger you have stabbed in my back
caused leaves to wither and the glass to crack.

The pitch-black mask you wear,
made of dishonesty which I'm unaware.
Now my feelings have gone forlorn,
just go away now that you're torned.

Talenggay/01.2008

Shit happens.

When Stress Strikes Double-Time

noreply@blogger.com (Chari San Pablo) — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 18:24:00 +0000

The past 2 weeks proved to be extremely challenging for me. With a project deadline to beat during Christmas Eve and a U.A.T., which has been ongoing since 26th Dec, everything got really tough at work and stress seems to have taken its toll on me.

I’m super stressed and flipped out!

I also feel that I’ve grown 15 years older – with more noticeable facial lines; prominent eye bags and dark circles; and a haggard and tuyot look to boot. But thankfully, I didn’t grow any white hair. Eeeww!

An escape from this deliberate influx of negative energies is what I need right now.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about a whole bunch of activities to do - those that can be categorized as having therapeutic effects – to help improve my mood and reduce the level of stress, substantially.

And here’s the list:

SPA TREATMENTS. I couldn’t recall the last time I was treated like a queen. It has been ages since I visited a spa. Actually, I have this 1-year membership in a spa somewhere in Bukit Bintang triangle, which I rarely use. Since I’m entitled to a 20% discount in all of their spa packages, I might as well take that advantage.

RETAIL THERAPY. Before, when I’m having those less than stellar days, I usually go into a retail therapy for that instant perk-me-up. But I soon realized that binge buying has done more stressful than comforting effects on me. Anyway, I’ve promised myself that I would save more and spend my hard-earned money wisely this year. So, I’m crossing out this option.

BAKING. Maybe it’s about time to try and become a domestic goddess like Nigella! And why not? I have a passion for food and I actually love to cook. Baking is also something I haven’t done before. Hmm…I’m beginning to love this sweet idea! Best of luck to my baking adventure!

YOGA. Siguro nga I need to learn meditation techniques and do some yoga workouts to achieve mind, soul and body wellness (sounds like I’m promoting hehe). One of my Pinoy office buddies is practicing yoga and he seems to be enjoying it. He can even do those super-cool balance poses without exerting much effort. But has he achieved inner peace from doing so? I don’t know. I have yet to ask him. =)

PAINTING. I can appreciate works of art (well, that’s what I think) but Arts, per se, doesn’t seem to have a liking on me. I’m basically one of those with 0% artistic skills. I can’t even draw a cat! ‘Nuff said, I’m crossing this one out.

ENROL IN A GYM. I enrolled in Fitness First (Menara Axis branch) before but I only lasted a mere two months to be exact. If I can find some gym buddies to go with me, I’d probably enrol once more.

LEARN PHOTOGRAPHY. Again, this is something meant for the artistic. It’s also an expensive hobby. Slim chance, it is.

LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE. I’ve always been fascinated by Japanese culture (and anything Japanese!) ever since I was a kid. And I would love to learn Nihongo! Ogenki desu ka? Aishiteru! Hehe. How’s that for a newbie? ;-)

TAKE VOICE LESSONS. Wala, naisip ko lang. Asa pa kong gaganda ang boses ko noh?! Hahaha! Okay, crossed out.

TRAVEL. I have done adventure travels alone in foreign lands and I don’t mind doing this again. Nandun kasi yung thrill eh, yun bang unplanned and hahayaan mo lang yung mga paa mo na dalhin ka saan man. =) You might think I'm planning another case of SS (soul searching)? Hahaha, of course not!

DO HOUSEHOLD CHORES. Who ever said doing household chores could be therapeutic and fun? Answer: my Mom.

I’m still thinking.

No More Complaints

noreply@blogger.com (Chari San Pablo) — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 15:52:00 +0000

I thought my new year was going to be another dreadful day. As you might have already read in my previous blog, my Christmas was filled with vapours of bleakness.

Just to give you a little background, I was supposed to go on a vacation holiday in the Philippines from 28th of December to 9th January. In fact, I’ve already bought my plane tickets as early as September. Even my daily schedule for this trip has also been planned out.

Then all hell broke loose when I received the sad news from my boss that my leave application for the period of January 2 to 9 has not been approved. Holy crap!!

With that in mind, I’ve already accepted the fact that the New Year was going to be just another ordinary day for me unless some miracles would happen.

And thank God I was wrong! The New Year greeted me with a bang. Well, literally, under the cascading streams of brightly colored fireworks exploding across the moonlit sky!

With the company of some Pinoy officemates and friends, it turned out to be pleasant and fun!

I couldn’t complain any more.

Here’s a video I've created which wraps up all those wonderful moments during New Year’s Eve. Hope you like it. Feel free to comment!

Hello 2008!

noreply@blogger.com (Chari San Pablo) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:37:00 +0000

Wishing all of you a Happy New Year!

My message may be a day late, short and simple

but it comes straight from the heart.