Don't Let The Wife Buy The Undies

Why does she love buying me boxers like these?


I know that nobody else besides Garandee will actually see me wearing it, but what about my dignity? I had no choice but to ask her to stop buying me boxers that fall under any of these design classifications:

1) Floral
2) Pink
3) Polka Dots
4) Sanrio Characters

Fortunately, she agreed without further argument. So over the weekend she bought me this abomination instead.


front

back
Not much of an improvement, but at least the fabric was soft and light.

I wonder if she's being sarcastic about the carrot...


Garando mode:
Haju kashii.... Read More......

Filipino Cooking, The Garandee Way

Ok, looks like she's gotten more serious now.

Garandee decided to put more focus on Filipino dishes in her blog. So what's great about that?

1) She hopes to increase awareness of Filipino dishes for the Japanese community both local and abroad.
2) That tells me I'll have more variety of Filipino dishes to eat at home to satisfy my cravings.

And it looks like she's off to a good start because the first couple of dishes she whipped up and featured were her favorite ones.


Pinakbet
This dish contains an assortment of healthy vegetables: pumpkin, onions, string beans, tomatoes, eggplant and okra, all chopped, boiled then sautéed in traditional fermented shrimp paste.

The usual chopped pork belly that goes with it was a definite "NYO! Japanese are healthy!" But after much begging she agreed to top it with some crushed pork rinds. It turned out to be even better.

Shriveled veggies were also a definite "NYO! Japanese loves texture!" so she took extra care not to overcook 'em. The vegetables maintained a firm texture, giving it that nice feeling of freshness.



Kalabasa at Sitaw sa Gata
A rather "simpler" cousin to the Pinakbet, this dish only contains pumpkin (kalabasa) and string beans (sitaw). Both chopped then boiled before reaching the wok for some sauté action. Instead of shrimp paste, coconut milk (gata) was addded.

This time around she added meat when I wasn't expecting it! She secretly sautéed some minced chicken, onion, ginger and garlic before adding the vegetables in. The coconut milk concealed the meat perfectly. Sneaky!

I can say that both are still "Japanized" renditions of these traditional Filipino recipes, but the new ingredients worked like a charm to enhance the flavors and bring the dishes to new heights.

Now I can forgive her for putting condensed milk on our Adobo.


Garandee mode:
It's Garandeelicious!

Read More......

Home-based IT Support with a Twist

Garandee: "Do, Can you please sit next to me?"

Garando: "Sure dear. You miss me already?"

Garandee: "Nyo. There's something wrong with my Photoshop... Everytime I open a file it opens as black & white."

Garando: "Hmmm... that's odd. Hand me the mouse, I'll take a look at the settings..."

Garandee: "I didn't change anything, it just happened all of a sudden!"

Garando: "Hmmmm... Nothing seems to be out of place. All the settings are... BURP! excuse me! ....all the settings are at default so..."

Garandee: " !!! "

Garando: "What?"

Garandee: "KUSSSAAAAAIIIII!!! (it stinks)" Pinching her nose

Garando: " ??? "

Garandee: "I shouldn't have cooked longganiza for you today!!"

Garando: "Eeehh? It's not thaaaat baaaad. Seeeee? Haaaaaaahhhhh."

Garandee: "Oh my goodness talaga!"

Garando: "Wait, where are you going? I'm still fixing your..."

Garandee: "To the bedroom! Sooo kusai! (it stinks)"

Bedroom door: "SLAM!"

Garando: "...at least it still smells the same way when I ate it... unlike natto."


Garando mode:
Had to wake up so early to drive for Garandee today... Read More......

Meme: "Garando likes to..."

A few weeks ago, I found this meme over at Alice's blog, I thought it was really FUN to do so I gave it a shot. Very simple instructions:

1) Go to Google
2) Type YOUR FIRST NAME and the words "LIKES TO" all in quotation marks... "Alice likes to"
3) Report back on the first ten things that come up for your name

I used "Garando" and ended up with zero results. DUH. So I tried using my real first name. I was surprised when Google came back with the most outrageous results! Now why does this happen to me all the time??

Results (All copied from Google as is):
1) ** likes to Beep
2) ** likes to chew the fat with Bob during coffee break
3) ** likes to enact bondage scenarios
4) ** likes to bet that's all
5) ** likes to keep fit by running, cycling, swimming, gym and martial arts (though not all at the same time)
6) ** likes to write about community, technology and changing the world
7) ** likes to study algae
8) ** likes to work in all areas of his craft, particularly illustrating children's books
9) ** likes to use repetition to highlight important ideas
10) ** likes to watch dvd's and play with the buttons on the machine

To summarize:
Garando is a sporty, healthy, and fit *beep* who loves to re-enact bondage with Bob where he chews fat and play with various buttons on a machine.

After getting his degree on algae research he now writes children's books about changing the world via altering the community, taking advantage of technology, and doing a lot of gambling. All the pages of his books are identical with the first page.


Garandee mode:
What shall I cook for dinner? Read More......

New Header

I finally found the time to make a decent header for my blog. I wanted something that can showcase what my blog is all about with just one look.


Made four designs this morning and constantly asked Garandee for feedback. This is the only one that made her smile... devilishly.


Garando mode:
I ATTACK you, Garanduu!! Read More......

Our Backpack Chronicles: New Delhi (part 1)

Series Two: Do & Dee & Delhi

“HOTEL RAK”, that sign you see at the background was our second hotel. This hotel is probably one of the best ones at Main Bazaar because it had knobs on its airconditioner.


Yes, knobs to control the fan speed and the temperature. The first hotel didn’t have any so I had to cover the airconditioner with pillows and blankets to control the temperature. Garandee’s teeth were chattering so hard I was worried I’ll need to thaw her out the following morning.


Garandee and her huge backpack. I worry that if she fell backwards she can never get back up... you know, like a beetle or a turtle.



One of the best things about walking around Delhi was the opportunity to take photographs of people as they go about their business. Here are a few of my favorite ones…




You just gotta love the fabulous Sari’s the ladies wear in India. They're sooo colorful! Garandee even had a couple of Sari’s when she was working as a part time waitress in an Indian restaurant in Tokyo.


One of my biggest regrets was not having enough time to visit the Hindu temples around Delhi…


Rickshaws! You will not believe how many of these I dodged while I was walking around Delhi, it was absolute “Rickshaw Rampage”!

I remember riding one on our first day…

Garandee: “Do, are you ok? You’ve been hitting the roof of the rickshaw a lot.”

Garando: “Yeah, as long as I use my hands like a helmet, I’ll probably survive. OW!!”

Garandee: “Kawawa… try to duck lower.”

Garando: “If I did that my face will hit the handle bars. YOUCH!”

Garandee: “Oh, right… how about… DO!! LOOK!!”

Garando: “Huh?? What? Where? ARAYKUPO!! (Ouch!!)”

Garandee: “There’s McDonald’s here!”

Garando: “Big deal, there’s McDonald’s everywhere. UFFF!”

Garandee: “But how can you have a burger restaurant in a country where cows are sacred??”

Garando: “Hmmm good point.“

Garandee: “di ba? (isn’t it?)”

Garando: “Driver, can you drop us off at McDonalds? I wanna get me some Big McGuru and Masala Fries!”

Rickshaw: “SCREEEEEEECH!!!”


Next stop: Delhi Belly!


Garando mode:
This is me inside the rickshaw.
Read More......

The Blue Day

Sorry, I thought I was done with my shirt posts, but last Tuesday...

Garandee: "Eh? I thought you were planning to wear this shirt today?"

Garando: "No, today I'm wearing this blue one."

Garandee: "Why?"

Garando: "I received an email that today's a BLUE day."

Garandee: "BLUE day?"

Garando: "Yes, the entire organization must come to work wearing Blue."

Garandee: "I see... Interesting."

Garando: "There's probably another photo session... I dunno."

Garandee: "Is there a flat-stomach day?"

Garando: " ... "

Garandee: "...then you'll be in trouble."

Garando: "It's not so bad when I tuck my shirt in. See?"


Garandee mode:
Talk to da hand!! Read More......

Garando And His Fancy Shirt

Last week, just after breakfast...

Garandee: "WOW! You're finally wearing the shirt I gave you!"

Garando: "Huh? uh... yeah."

Garandee: "I can't remember... when was the last time you wore that?"

Garando: "Hmmm... almost two years ago?"

Garandee: "IKAW! You should wear it more often! It's really nice you know. Besides, that was my present!"

Garando: "Yep, that's the idea."

Garandee: "Good!" (fixes the creases and pulls on my sleeves)

Garando: "Uhh... the collar's kinda BIG."

Garandee: "Nyo. That's normal."

Garando: "Really? Don't you think the fabric's a little too glossy?"

Garandee: "Nyo! It makes it look classy."

Garando: "uh... It's a bit too PINK."

Garandee: "Pink looks good on you! That's a nice shade of pink."

Garando: "uh... um... hmmmmm..."

Garandee: "Go now! Hayaku! Hayaku! (Hurry!) Here's your bag and your wallet... Go! You'll be late for your meeting!"

Garando: "but wait... uh... I look like a gigolo... maybe I should..."

Garandee: "BYE BYE!!! See you tonight!"

Front door: "SLAM! click!"

Garando: "uh.... bye..."


Garando mode:
Getting ready for another busy week! Read More......