Help Haiti

Last Tuesday, January 12 2010, Haiti was struck by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake late afternoon, the center - only 10 miles from Port-au-Prince. The disaster toppled structures including government-owned buildings, schools, hospitals and even penitentiary. The number of death has been estimated to be over 500,000.

One of the poorest nation in the world, Haiti need all the aid it could get. Pledges have been made from various countries but aid is slowly coming in as infrastructure are in ruins. So various organizations are asking everyone to donate cash to help the relief efforts in Haiti.

Donating through your cell phone:
Text 'HAITI' to 90999 and $10 will be donated to the Red Cross for the relief efforts.
Text 'YELE' to 501501 and $5 will be donated to the Yele Haiti Earthquake Fund.

Donation will be charged to your cell phone bill

Donating online:
American Red Cross
AmeriCares
Doctors Without Borders
Habitat for Humanity
Haitian Health Foundation
Network For Good - they also have a list of other organizations working on Haiti Earthquake Relief
Oxfam
Salvation Army
UNICEF
World Vision

I am sure there are more organization that would need your help. Help whatever you can.

Creature of Habits

Animals are not the only ones that are creature of habits. We do as well and that's a fact!

From the time you wake up until the time you go to sleep, we go about our business doing things the way we want it to be done. What we eat for breakfast, how we take your coffee, even we you greet people etc.

We don't usually realize that we do the same thing in order to achieve something or finish a task because we have been doing it over and over again. But just stop, sit down, and just recount the things we did and what we did to accomplish those task, we will come into a realization that indeed, we do it the same all the time.

Even those that aren't daily activities are affected. Think of something you don't do often.

I myself do certain things similarly everyday like I turn my alarm clock to face me when I go to bed and turn it away from me when I wake up. How I lock my door the certain way. How I start my work day by turning my computer on, opening my desk and then standing up and going to the break room to get a cup of tea. Or even how I brush my teeth.

But what happens when our habits get skewed?

Yes, it does happen. There are certain days when you wake up late and have to skip that run to the coffee shop. Or suddenly you have to make a detour. Or someone move things around and it throws you off.

Some can get back on track easily figuring ways to compensate to get back into the habit of things. While some just looses track and ruins the rest of their day or night. So it depends on the individual.

So before you go to bed tonight, rewind your day and she what you did. Then think of another day when you had to do the same thing and you will realize that you did the same steps / habits to do it.

Do you believe in Ghost?

I posted this on my old blog.. I know halloween is still 10 months ago but why not..

Before you continue reading, make sure you are not easily scared...I know its not Halloween yet...

Here I am, watching Hauntings and Ghost stories on the Travel Channel..hmm, do u believe in Ghost? as for me, I don't know whether to believe it or not. I always told everyone that I would only believe when I see one but I have been into a couple of places that gave me goosebumps and sense that someone is watching you. Or sometimes I can hear voices calling me even though there isnt anyone there. Anyways, when I was back in grade school, we use to tell ghost stories during the week of Halloween. That's the main topic of the day, each would tell their experiences and see who could tell the best ghost stories.

My mom has always told us that she could see ghost and apparitions. When she got married, she usually had to stay home and wait alone for my dad to come home from work. Sometimes, she would feel someone watching over her or sometimes a sudden gush of cool wind will hit her. But the thing that made them move out of their house was when she saw a man dress in all black sitting on the couch on the living room while she was in the kitchen. At first, she thought it was someone she knew but upon walking nearer, she noticed that the man didn't have a head nor feet. That scared her so much that she had to call my dad and he had to come home immediately.

Another story that i remember is about a friend of mine. He lives in a kinda big land with all trees around. One night, he and his cousins decided to play hide and seek. So they started and he decided to hide under some trees. Because he knew the place, it was easy for him to hide and be not found. but the problem was he needed to use the bathroom  so he decided to do it there by the tree. While he was doing it, he suddenly heard a someone calling him, he thought someone saw him but when he look around, there wasn't anyone there. Then he heard it again and suddenly smelled a stench. He heard it again and he decided to look up and saw a big dark guy with red eyes starring at him. He run away without even bothering zipping up. (Well, that didn't really sound like a scary story...)


Anyway, I'm sure everyone has some ghost stories to tell, don't be shy to share them.

Recipe of the Day: Pancit Bihon

My first recipe post of the year. Its one of the best dish in Asia and its called 'Pancit Bihon.' Its usually make during special occasions. Chinese people make this when someone is celebrating their birthdays while Filipinos serve it during fiestas. I made the recipe as light as possible and here it is.
Preparation time is about an hour.

Pancit Bihon

Ingredients:
5 bundles of vermicilli noodles (1 package has 8 bundles)
half of savory cabbage, shredded
4 medium sized carrots, shredded
1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, shred into small pieces.
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 cup light chicken broth

Preparation:
1. Soak vermicilli (rice) noodles in cold water for 7-8 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a large wok.
3. Saute garlic and onion for 3 minutes.
4. Add shredded chicken and soy sauce and stir fry for 5 minutes.
5. Add cabbage, carrot and 1 cup of chicken broth.
6. Stir fry for additional 2 minutes.
7. Reduce heat to low and add rice noodles, bundle after bundle, tossing gently until cooked through and well blended.
8. Serve while warm.

If the mixture is too dry, add some more broth. Serve with soy sauce or lime juice

Hope you can try this recipe eventhough it takes time to prepare everything. Of course, love to hear if you try the recipe.

Movie Review: Avatar

Avatar, a film by Oscar-winning director James Cameron (Titanic, Terminator) was conceived 15 years ago and took 4 years to produce, introduce us to a new way of movie experience combining live action with 3D technology invented to make the film.

The movie stars Sam Worthington as Jake Sulley, a paraplegic former Marine who was given a chance to be part of the Avatar program after his twin brother got killed.

It was the year 2154. Jake Sulley and other new recruits lands on Pandora, a planet light years away from Earth, where a corporation, headed by Parker Selfridge (Giovanni Ribisi), is engaged in mining her precious mineral, unobtanium, a key to saving planet Earth. Pandora is earth-like but the atmosphere is toxic to humans so Dr. Grace Augustine, portrayed by Sigourney Weaver, invented the Avatar program. The program allowed humans to roamed Pandora in genetically engineered bodies similar to the natives of Pandora. The humans are linked to their avatar bodies through their consciousness. Since Sulley was a replacement, Augustine didn't believe in his capabilities and he was designated as a bodyguard. Before heading out, he was asked to see Col. Miles Quaritch (portrayed by Stephan Lang), the head of the security forces for RDA. Quaritch asked Sulley to gather intelligence about the natives and find a way to make them leave Hometree, which lies on top a large deposit of the unobtanium. In exchange for the intelligence, Col. Quaritch promise Sulley that he will get new legs so that he could walk again.

On a research mission, Sulley wanders off and gets attacked first by a Hammerhead Titanothere, a massive creature where the skin and bone structure is impenetrable. Then he was attacked by a Thanator, the most fearsome of all land predators. Sully survives but gets lost in the forest only to be surrounded by Nantangs or viperwolves, a six-legged wolf-like creature capable of traveling long distance.

As he tried to ward the Nantangs, Neytiri (portrayed by Zoe Saldana) a female Na'vi watches from above. She was about to shoot an arrow through him but stops when she got a sign from the Eywa, goddess of nature. She then rescues Sulley and brings him back to Hometree, inhabited by Neytiri's clan, Omaticaya. But not before Tsu'Tey (portrayed by Lez Alonso), the clan's finiest warrior surprise them. Sulley was then brought in front of Eytukan (portrayed by Wes Studi), the clans patriarch, and Mo'at (portrayed CCH Pounder), Eytukan's wife and the clan's Spiritual Leader. At first, they were hesitant in welcoming Sulley but after some convincing, they allowed him to stay. Mo'at orderd Neytiri to teach Sulley the ways of the clan.

Jake learned the ways of the Omaticaya and grew closer to Neytiri. He started to feel that this was his real life and his human life is just his imagination. He was finally initiated into the Omaticaya after a series of test and his falls in love with Neytiri. His loyalty to RDA was questioned when he destroys the camera of the bulldozers that destroyed Omaticaya's sacred Tree of Voices. This sets off a trail of destruction as RDA and Col. Quaritch were convinced the negotiations with Omaticaya has failed and destroys Hometree. They decided to strike the Tree of Souls but the Na'vis fought back with the help of Sulley. Slowly, the casualties for the Na'vi were piling up since they are fighting guns and missiles with bow and arrows. Finally the Pandoran wildlife came to the aid of the Na'vis and help them reclaim their land. The humans were sent back home except for a few, Norm Spellman (portrayed by Joel David Moore) and Dr. Max Patel (portrayed by Dileep Rao).

James Cameron turned his imagination into an excellent movie and had just revolutionize the way movies will be make after this film. . The whole cast did an excellent job in portraying their roles. Sam Worthington played his part really well and I must say, he is going to be big this year. Zoe Saldana did an excellent job as well as Sigourney Weaver, who look like she never aged. What really stands out in this film is the stunning scenery and visual effects. They created a whole planet out of CGI with lush topography and alien-like creature that would surely blow your mind of. The movie just glues you on your seat especially if you catch it in 3D making you feel like you are IN the movie. Overall, you have to definitely see this movie and make sure you see it in 3D. Will there be a sequel???


Avatar's Website
Avatar Wiki
Pandorapedia