AN ARTICLE

My article about health published in our company newsletter in 2009.

SAYING NO FOR YOUR SAKE

In my journey to health, sometimes saying no to given offers from friends to have foods or join in a food trip is difficult to refuse.  It is difficult not because of I am craving for foods and controlling but it is the guilt of disregarding the spirit of cooperation and friendship and ignoring the effort they made.

But I have to stand my affirmation.  I may look killjoy but I have to assume that people will understand me.  Sometimes I feel ashamed for it seems I’m becoming overacting and finicky.  But I have to say no, otherwise I know that I infringed my own self.

The very reason why I am saying no to their calls is because of the kinds of food itself.  I am trying to get rid-off fats, salt and sweet if I can avoid them as much as possible.  I see their foods every morning, in birthday celebrations, luncheon, restaurants, hotel, send-off, thanksgiving and during payday.   Seeing them one after another in every couple of the week is not what it called occasionally.  I am not wondering to hear when one cries when he feels sorry about his health, it is you are what you eat.

Not lifting own chair and blowing own horn but I do not see myself in the clinic as often as what others do the fact that they are much younger than me.  I am medically fit that I enjoy more than those who are not taking extra careful about their health.  I am not taking vitamins and food supplement and I am not maintaining medicines to watch my blood pressure, sugar and weight, though I need to be humble for I do not know if soon there will be illness that is not cause from my carefulness.   Who know, no one ever knows.

I am known cautious when it comes to food and lifestyle.  In encouraging others and as an artist by heart, I am posting in my blog some write-ups, videos and pictures that I believe can help.  I am doing cuisine and in fairness, the foods that I post are not unhealthy.  Often, they are veggies and if meat I choose lean meat as chicken breast that sautéed in coconut or olive oil.  Very seldom I use red meat.

The nice thing about following honest diet is that when you missed it one time or two, you will not feel guilty for you know you can easily get back on your feet.  A day or two has no dramatic effect for those who are doing sincere diet.  That is why once in a while (rarely) I pumper myself to treat in a cozy restaurant to say that I am not boring and killjoy.  Healthy foods is not boring anyway, you just have to be creative.

In your journey to heath, accompanied is the sacrifice that may test your social life.  If your group is not doing the same caution you do, your friendship will really get affected.  Then it is your choice.  For the sake of yourself, you have to make firm decision, determination and discipline.  If you don’t have the willpower, you are weak then and you’ll easily be caught in the flow of the currents and end up failed in your journey to health.

By Alex V. Villamayor

December 19, 2014

SIMBANG GABI

Isa sa memorableng ala-ala ng aking kabataan ay ang simbang gabi na sa kalungkutan ay hindi ko nabubuo ang siyam na araw.  Ang ate ko ang siyang pursigido na mabuo ang siyam na araw, may mga taon pa nga na nabubuo niya iyon.  Alas-tres pa lang ng madaling araw ay may umiikot ng banda ng musiko sa bawat pangunahing kalsada sa amin.  Nililibot nila ang buong bayan upang mangising, sino ba naman ang hindi magigising sa mga oras na iyon na sa katahimikan ng madaling araw ay napakalakas sa tenga ang tunog ng banda ng musiko.  Kaya kahit pupungas-pungas pa, kailangan ng bumangon, magmumog, maghilamos, magkape at mag-bihis upang magsimba.  Paglabas pa lamang ng aming bahay ay ramdam na agad ang malamig na simoy ng hanging pang-Disyembre.  Kailangan na may soot kang pranela o pang-ginaw kung tawagin sa amin.  Naaala-ala ko pa ang nag-iisa kong panginaw na isusuot ko taon-taon.  Sa simbang gabi ay nakikita ang tatlong malalaking parol na mas kilala sa tinatawag na Naglalakad na Parol na nagsisilbing isang tatak-Angono.  Ang mga parol na ito na nakatakdang maglakad sa gabi ng bisperas ng Pasko na naging palaisipan sa akin kung paano nga ba sila naglalakad.   Sa panahon na ito, ito ang mga bagay na masarap balikan at hinahanaphanap na diwa ng totoong Pasko.

Totoo naman na habang nakaupo sa loob ng simbahan habang naghihintay sa pagsisimula ng misa ay talagang nakakaantok.  Panay ang hikab ko nuon pero kailangang labanan ko ang antok dahil kapag nagsimula na ang misa at ang namuno ng banal na misa ay ang pari na kilala sa amin na istrikto.  Baka makita niya ako na natutulog ay letra por letra na magsesermon talaga siya sa mga natutulog.  Ngunit kapag umawit na ng mga awiting pamasko sa bahagi na nag-aalay at nangungumunyon na ay gising na gising na ako dahil sa masayang kumpas ng mga pamaskong kanta, bukod pa sa alam ko ang mga letra ng mga kanta.  Hanggang matapos ang banal na misa, sa labas ng simbahan ay may mga paninda na pinakatinatangkilik sa lahat ang puto-bumbong.  Tuwing simbang-gabi lang yata kami nuon nakakakain nito dahil nung mga araw na iyun ay sa ganung okasyon lamang may nagtitinda ng puto-bumbong.  At kaparehas ng puto-bumbong ay ang mainit na tsaa na mula sa pinatuyong dahon.  Masarap ang tsaa mula sa pinatuyong dahon kaysa sa naiinom natin ngayon na nakabalot sa maliit na tela.

May paninda din na bibingka ngunit mas naging popular para sa amin ang puto-bumbong.  Isang tradisyional na kakanin ang puto-bumbong dahil sa nakaugalian itong kainin tuwing sa panahon ng kapaskuhan.  Sa napakaganda nitong kulay na ubi, minsan ay rosas ay napakasarap kainin ang umuusok na puto na nilagyan ng mantikilya at binudburan ng kinudkod na niyog.  Ito ay isang kakanin na gawa sa giniling na malagkit na bigas,  Tinawag itong puto-bumbong dahil ito ay puto na niluto sa loob ng maliit na bumbong ng kawayan.  Kahit matagal ang paghihintay sa pagbili dahil sa dami ng mga mamimili ay nakakalibang naman panorin ang pagluluto nito.  Mula sa pagsisilid ng giniling na bigay sa bumbon na ang dulo ay sandaling pinapainitan pa sa mainit na singaw ng tubig mula sa lutuan at isasaksak sa nakahulmang lutuan nito hanggang sa itinataktak sa dahon ng saging.  Pagkatapos ay papahiran ng mantikilya at saka bubudburan ng niyog na may kahalong asukal, at saka babalutin sa dahon ng saging – totoong nakakagutom panoorin.

Mula sa pag-gising ng maaga sa loob ng siyam na araw at ang pakikipaglaban sa antok sa madaling araw ay sakripisyo talaga ang buuin ang simbang gabi.  Mabuti na lamang at mayroong puto-bumbong na siyang nagpapawi ng mga ito at magsisimula ng isang magandang umaga.

Alex V. Villamayor

December 16, 2014

MY AMERICAN DREAM

Back when I was child until mid-twenty, I always wanted to go, work and live in America.  Like any other kids in neighborhood and school trying to be eloquent in English language to pursue the dream of going to America, I tried it but found difficult.  But what drove further my interest to go to land of opportunities was my ever fascination in those long-pointed nose, tall, blonde white men and women, the ample apple trees, and the desire to see and touch the snow that only in books, pictures, posters and Christmas cards I see.I want to experience white Christmas, even do an apple-picking job, or feel the cold of winter and the scent of falling leaves during autumn season, the summer and spring, befriend Americans and bring them home for a visit to show how Philippines is.  Seems everything is just childish and trivial things.

It’s the land of milk and honey, for so many opportunities to make a lot of money in the land. Believing that going there will give me all contentment I need –like raising a family of my own, blooming career, receiving hefty salary, sending money to sustain and build the dream house back home in the Philippines that I will soon home on my retiring plan.  That is mean to say, it will make me the best that I could be if I will be in the place that I am calling my greatest American dream.And it was not just childhood’s innocence anymore when I was already at the age of building career in our small town yet still I am envisioning myself of going to America to migrate as my ultimate and greatest dream.  I was even getting a bit envied from distant cousins, childhood friends and acquaintances who were able petitioned by their parents, aunties, uncles and grannies.

Not until I reached my age of 30’s, my earnest desire to migrate to the home of the Yankees had gradually subsided until dream no more for this land of opportunities.  Who doesn't want to go to every Tom, Dick, and Harry’s dream place?  Indeed I still want anyway but this time it’s not for a career but instead just as sojourn.  I’d realized that I can’t stay there for a long period of time.  I’d just realized that there are things that I don’t feel in western life.  The reality is that when you grow older and get matured, you’ll realize so many childhood things in your life that you will not really need later.  While growing up, you will learn what you really want for yourself.  I don’t want to settle in a fast-phase state of the art place, modernized behavior and points of view.  The biggest influence is my simplicity in life, I just woke up that I cannot barter the satisfaction of having life to be simple and live it.

As an enthusiast of experiencing going to different scenic places, I want to check the land of green pasture for a visit or tour only to experience how is to be in the other side of the earth.  There are no slightest bits and pieces of bitterness over the heard someone, colleagues and neighbours who made it to pass and grant their visa to United States of America.  There is nothing to do with difficulty to get there, neither its mounting cost of living, nor merely sour-grapping if this so called my greatest American dream did not flourish.  The fact that I did not even apply to obtain the visa and eventually denied, I don’t feel sour-grapping.  It is purely part of knowing and setting your priorities while you are getting old.  Though I may not able to see America all my life, it will be fine with me and I am still be pleased to whatever places I may have seen.  Maybe I can make it there but if how and when that is I am uncertain now but not bothered.

By Alex V. Villamayor

November 25, 2014