Where do I even begin? Let's start from the beginning, I suppose...

Blogging was and it still is, a way for me to let kind hearted people out there know that they are never alone.

What I have gone through, going through and what lies ahead is a journey. I am, with a tad of trepidation at times because of the unkonwn, willing to forge ahead and see what LIFE is all about.

I am all about living. No matter how dark some days are, it is always best to think positive. No aspect of one's life is truly sad and no one incident is truly very happy. It is a balance that we must accept and for our own good, embrace. We set our mind with that and nothing out there can scare or stop us. Again, doing the good thing bring more good things. 

First my apologies, to the anonymous reader I had that sent a very nice note regarding my Keratosis Pilaris. I still have them. Now, they appear less often and less severe than before. I watch what I eat very closely. I have given up on eggs (even if it is organic), raw tomatoes, soy sauce and of course all forms of meat ( being vegetarian, and all). I have noticed that salty foods (some cheese included) can trigger rashes that I immediately apply AMLACTIN lotion after a nice cold shower. I keep reapply throughout the day. I apply them as thick as I can and I know it itches, just think of something else or do something else, but don't scratch! Please. It is possible to live a very normal life with Keratosis Pilaris, some sacrifices have to be made though. I will let you in on a little secret, I have noticed that my Keratosis comes back during summer time and most especially when I am stressed. Oh, drink lots of water and avoid anything with yeast. By the way, did you know that the only spot on my body that get no rashes nor itch are on my tattoo? I think something in the ink of tattooing have some role to play in this. I don't know but, I thought I should mention it. Let me say this, after my Keratosis goes away and with all the lotions I put on my body during or after I have them, it feels so smooth and shiny. Now, anyone loves smooth, soft skin, right (wink!)? I wish you good luck. Write back if you have any more questions. Again, my apolgies for not answering your question right away.

Second, I have changed my password in here several times because this simple blog of mine have been attempted to be hacked. I mean, for what? I have nothing written in here that is even worth hacking. Some people have just way too much time in their hands! And all the change in passwords, you guessed it, I cannot remember them. Argh! So I sat down these last few days and just tried every single password related to this blog... et viola! 

Third, so many trips have been taken and I plan to play catch up very soon. Photos are awaiting to be shared here. I have some food reviews, hotel reviews, restaurant recommendations and loads of stories to tell...

Fourth, most importantly Life Lessons that are very exciting will probably take up most of my next series of blog topics.

Thank you everyone for all your visits to this site. I truly appreciate it. 

If you have any questions, please send me a message and I will try to answer them. 

For all those that wondering about "R", he is now my hubby. Life is what we make it.

Mistakes don't define us, it never will. It is what we do after a mistake is done to us that should define us. 

See you next time, tomorrow will be another day.

Summer of 2015

And here I am, again.

It has taken me months to "retrieve" passwords to get back in here. Funny how I keep these passwords in safe places and write them encypted and then spend loads of time trying to decipher them. I try to protect my blog so very well, I even "forget" what they are sometimes. Anyhoo..

After my trip to Argentina (Buenos Aires, as usual), I stayed in Southern California most of the time.

With an occassional trip an hour or two to either direction for the weekends and spend some wonderful summer days with "R", enjoying our time together, taking pictures, looking for familiar and not so familiar restaurants to dine in. 

Summer of 2015 is unusually HOT this year. Shorts and plain tees were mostly what was comfortable to wear this time around. Pants can be quite warm even for an evening wear. So shorts, it is. I also decided to keep my pixie cut hair. I love it when I get to spike them. 

My vegetarian diet is still going strong, I have never craved anything so badly that I even thought of eating meat again. The idea or thought does not entice me anymore. I am happy with my veggies and fruits, thank you very much.

Yoga, is still a discipline I follow. Not as religiously as I did before. I incorporated a resistance band into the routine. I do lots of core workout, though. Some basic 10 minute workout three times a week works very well with me.

But, let me tell you about the best part about my Summer of 2015. I found, the ever so lovable "Poirot" portrayed by the ever so lovely David Suchet in Netflix. I watched every episode, at least twice, so far. From Season 1 until Season 11. Season 12 will be available in Netflix September 30, 2015. I can hardly wait.

I will not go into the details of the merits of this wonderful series. Everything that "little Belgian gent" by Agatha Christie, except to say, it really made my Summer of 2015 so exciting and complete.

I sat and enjoyed every little bit of Poirot's little grey cells at work and play.

David Suchet is great. I love the man and his portrayal of Poirot. I cannot remember the last time I was so glued to the telly watching and rewatching each episode. I made my schedule for the day around watching at least 2 episodes, until I've watched them all. Thank you BBC.

I have peppered my language with Poirot's choice words and phrases. That is how he has affected me so much. "R" is amused by my taking a keen liking to this ever so kind human being. He is as real to me as the table I have before me. He is a true entertainer, David Suchet. He makes me think, memorize and be in awe of what is happening around me. His influence is profound. I hope to see more of Mr. Suchet's work in the future.

I have always been fascinated by the French language and now thanks to Poirot, I have a substantial repertoire of French phrases that I love saying...accents ala Poirot, mind you. 

Of course, I have to also mention my admiration to the ever affable Capt Hastings, so efficient and devoted Miss Lemon and Chief Inspector Japp, and in the latter part, his butler George. I am so giddly with delight of the whole ensemble. Such perfect casting. What is there not to love, huh?

All I can say is, go to Netflix binge watch Poirot, you will never feel guilty about ever watching quality TV ever again. I mean intellectual shows on TV are so hard and far in between if ever at all that we find them today, but Poirot...is Poirot!

Summer of 2015 is memorable for me, in so many levels. Personally, a lot of things have happen but Poirot was pure delight and joy. Sometimes, I even think it kept me sane. Watch and learn lots of things. Never a dull moment watching Poirot, I tell ya.

Well, get to Netflix and enjoy David Suchet's brilliant portayal of Poirot. 

You can thank me later. Have a good Tuesday, and see y'all back here tomorrow, ok?

My trip to Argentina 2015

I love Argentina.

I like the food, I like the places, I get a kick out of the "colectivos", the train, Chinatown in Arribenos, I am in love with their helados, I adore the people. Family and friends are there, and the wine with very good conversation over an asado can be quite an experience.

I have been there several times. I even lived there for awhile. I love everything Argentinian!

My last visit was last month. I enjoyed every moment of it. Let me say upfront that R and I did not stay at any hotel. We met up with dear friends and our few days went by so fast. But since we are very good with time management, we did so much in a very short period of time. We did what mattered the most, family and friend visits were delightful and sweet.

Let us talk food...

 Quince pastry....

 Home cooked empanada.....

 Ricotta filled ....

 Bock..Dark Beer..Quilmes...

 You'll scream for this ice cream...

 Sandwiches...

 Fried rice in CHINATOWN...

 Saladitos...my all time favorite..

 Oh, pizza! It was very good, as always.

Miga....Veggies inside...


I am sharing photos because I wanted to share them with you. The smell of food in Argentina Buenos Aires, is almost like a warm hug, it felt good and tasted very good. I wanted to share them with you all out there. 

Somethings in life are meant to be shared...food is definitely one of them.
Enjoy!

Photos of places to follow...

Keratosis Pilaris... REVISITED

Would you believe, I have had no KP occurence for over a year now?

Yes. The fact is when I changed, more like revolutionized, my eating habits, KP was just a thing of the past. It is very difficult to imagine that when I had them at that time, I was preparing myself for a lifetime of constant care and itching and let's face it, covering up body parts that would otherwise be exposed but had to be covered because KP rashes are..whem, embarassing!

The itch was one thing. But finding some sort of relief from it was a nightmare. I would read about it on the internet and just head to the nearest pharmacy to "try this product out, maybe it will be the magic cure!" Phew! I am so over it now.

I tried just about everything. All the products that was out there, trust me, I tried them all. Lotions, I tried those that helped before the exfoliating and after a shower. It was tiresome and exhausting. My days with KP was a constant struggle. The itching was the worst, I am picker. If I had an itch I would scratch it until it bled!! I even tried spraying KP areas with medication with anesthesia, to numb the itch. It was that bad.

But then, since food is the main source of KP recurrence, I thought why feed myself with protein that feeds the flare ups. So I've eaten nothing but veggies since that moment of realization. I revolutionized my diet. And it works for me. It was not easy, but if I can do it, YOU can do it.

The benefits of sacrificing any meat sourced protein being put into my body has outweighed my suffering KP. I made the change because I had KP, KP did not have me! Attribute that to my always wanting to be in control of what was trying to control me. I mean, imagine yourself scratching all day long. And itching comes in the most inopportune moments. I love my sleeveless tees and since KP shows on my legs, thighs, arms, back, neck, every-freakin'-where in my body...I said STOP! There has to be a better way.

 And my all veggy diet (was a process and moral decision) helped tremendously in keeping myself KP free.

In no way, shape or form am I giving any definite medical advise, but nutrition as a contributing factor to KP flaring up in my case, I had to re-think my options and game plan. I was not going to let KP curtail my love for wearing what I wanted to wear and comfort when around people.

If you are desperate as I was everytime KP showed up on my body, veggy diet is worth a thought and if you are brave enough to go on it, try it. You would be surprised what a non-meat diet can do for you and your skin.

I love fish (sushi and I had a love affair!) but when I went veggy, I went all the way!

Sometimes, desperate times call for desperate measures. So for awhile now, I have been staying far away from meat (beef, pork, chicken, etc) and fish (all forms). Not in soups even.

YOU can do it. There is hope for KP sufferers out there. Comment below if you have questions.
I would love to hear from you. Good luck!

BTW, I took the veggy diet on my own. Internet was not much help in encouraging one to do this without medication, ointment, sprays or lotions.

I hope this helps. And please, don't scratch KP, it can leave nasty scars!

Happiness

Hi, Everyone.

Let me be positive and send out tons of happy vibes your way. Happiness is a personal choice. And you can achieve it by deciding that no matter what others throw your way if you choose to be happy, you will be. Guranteed! It is all about choosing and not wavering in your owning that choice to be positive and that will bring you happiness.

 I want to be happy in a daily basis. Not just contentment, but happiness.

I am happy and let me count the ways:

a) I have done what I love (farming) and helping people in the process

b) I have met up with high school friends and loving every moment of it.

c) I am a vegetarian and have never looked back

d) I choose to make others laugh, often times at my expense, and I am OK with that.

e) I live my truth. For life is too short to worry about the lies in this world.

f) I travel.

g) Taking pictures, is a good stress relief. And it makes me smile.

h) Loving back those that love you, and finding new ways to love more.

i) Letting go of the past and keeping it there. I found that accepting that there is nothing in God's       good earth, I can do to change the past, I am better because of it.

j) I have my daily moments of gratitude. Be thankful for the things and people in your life but be mostly grateful for the strength that those not-so-good times have given me.

k) I have been flexible. Going with the flow have eased the knot that I had constantly had at the base of my neck. Life has a way of reminding you of what IS, when you start making plans.

l) I do what I can for the right reasons. And when in doubt, I don't.

m) You have the sole control of how miserable you want to be, do not ever give that power to someone else.

n) When you do something out and for love, you can never be wrong.

o) I make it a point to make my "R" laugh each day.

p) It is always good to take a deep breath, exhale and smile.

q) I am happy because I am me. I am perfect just the way I am. In my imperfections, I am perfect. And you are too. Acceptance of one's self, is the key to not being judgemental to others. The world will be a better place because of you and what you do and how you treat your self, to make it better.

It is good to be back. Take care, everyone.

Uncertain times

The phrase "uncertain times" is neither truly uncertain nor is it for an indefinite period of time.

There are alot of moments in one's life wherein one finds oneself indecisive. Be it of what path to take, decisions to make or as simple as knowing what to do next. We all have felt this way, in one or another, or in one time or another. Your quandry is not unique. I believe it is human nature to be "lost" from time to time. It forces you to take a moment to pause and find your bearing. Sometimes, we are all functioning in automode that we forget to occasionally reset our self compass and take stock of what we really what to do. Denial, is after all a self preservation defense mechanism. Somewhere along the way, we have lost focus of where we are actually headed. We are anxious creatures afterall. Even the most confident person have their moments of "what's next" or "now, what?".

We see the conundrum the world is facing. We see and hear about it everywhere. These are indeed uncertain times. So we try to find our way through the rat race of everyday life, darkness can be daunting. Exisiting is hard as it is but surviving is even tougher. Those that have found something to do with their life and find meaning in it, are rare and far in between. The long and short of it is that, not every one can see their set path on the get go. We all have to struggle to find that purpose in life. And just when we think we have found it, and ready to trek it, we don't! We do have to make adjustments as we go along in this game called Life. 

Have no fear. Fear is a damning emotion. Useless and moot. It can paralyze you, both body and mind. Never allow fear to have room in your heart where faith can reside. Love is synonymous with faith, I say. They go hand in hand always, in my book. We loose opportunities because we were engulfed in fear. We like the safety net of knowing and controlling what we can and daring to attempt those that we cannot. Grab fear by the horns and tackle it to the ground! Never make decisions based on fear. Never make excuses either.

Monkey wrenches thrown at you and your plans, calls for survival skills. We never really know what we are all made out of until we find ourselves in a position that we think we have made a mess of things and now have to pay the piper for that perceived error, be it in decisions we have made or the fact that somethings happen in the universe that we do not have any control over. This is a time where our survival skills come into play, it just kicks in. It just does. We have to do everything in our human power to stay alive and stay sane. These supposed monkey-wrenches is a clear sign that the time has come to assess a change in direction of life one is taking. A monkey-wrench can take any form or shape and can come at any time. It tests your skills, acquired or inborn. 

Try to relax, take a deep breath, go for a walk or stay still for a moment. It helps to be centered. Know what really matters and what counts and tune out the static around you. Listen to yourself and what your body is telling you. You are after all human. We have limitations and we have to honor those limitations or we ourselves are the only one responsible in driving ourselves to the brink of collapse and sadly at times, insanity.

The noise of others should remain as such, noise. When uncertain times face us squarely in the face, we tend to rationalize things, in hopes of making sense of things that are nonsense to begin with. Logical but unrealistic. Not a good start. Remember that uncertain times only mean just that a moment in life where somethings or everything are uncertain. I have found that in Life, nothing is permanent. Everything is temporary. Hey, even forever is temporary. Think about it! So, believe in these simple words...This too shall pass. Happy times, are short-lived but so is pain and suffering. 

When faced with a life changing decision, I find it helpful to say a silent prayer before going over my pros and cons. I find that no matter how sincere and loving one is or the decision that has to be made, if it is not meant to be, it will never be. And sometimes, even if we are not ready for it, if it is time, it is time. Accept. But I am open for negotiations, so to speak. I respect those who make decisions with an open mind but I have a much higher respect to those who make decisions with an open heart. Now, that is a person of value, in my book. 

Never allow our own indecisiveness cloud what you really need to do. We have to make decisions every single day of our lives. Other decisions are more difficult than others. Decisions that can change lives forever. A responsibility never to be taken lightly. But at any time when just as you think you are uncertain, you know that is not the best time to make any decision at all. Decisions made in times of doubt never really bring us peace. The ability to make decisions are what make us human and above the other species in the animal kingdom. We can reason and we can analyze. 

This post is to assure you that uncertain times, are just that, moments of tough decisions ahead. You are strong, you have it in you. Take a deep breath, have a flexible plan and forge ahead. You are now to decide whatever lies before you, because now, you are ready. Otherwise, you will not be placed in this very position. Know that the road to heaven is paved with good intentions. But only those that have chosen can move forward. Note that sometimes, no matter how we prolong making a decision, a decision has been made by not deciding. Might as well, decide and chart your course, in your own terms. Uncertain times, mean, the time is now and the person to make that decision is you. You have the answer in your heart and you know what to do. Trust in yourself and love is your guiding beacon that will lead you to the right decision. Uncertain times, have brought you to the proverbial fork in the road. Always choose life and decide with love emanating from the heart. Often times, the very road you try to avoid, takes you there anyways.

Uncertain times, like pain, if it does not kill you only makes you stronger. Believe in yourself. Know that you have gotten this far in life because you know what is best for you. You are well-equiped to get through "uncertain times".If it feels like you are going through hell, just keep going. You will pass this. 

Remember, what your mother told you the first time she sent you out on your own? She might have said something like, "Look both ways before you cross the road, ok? Or, better yet, look to the left, then the right, then the left again, and if there are no cars then, you can cross. Please."

Uncertain times are like that. She would not have sent you on your own if she did not think you were ready.

Now, go on and look to the left, then to the right, and then to the left again before crossing the road.

Uncertain times? These too shall pass. Life goes on....because unlike the game of chess, Life goes on even after a checkmate, a wise man once said.

Another day...