Life, Day by Day

What greeting do you say for the Chinese New Year?  I first knew that there was a Chinese New Year when I went to Hongkong in the late 90's.  Feeling sick the first day I was there, I stayed in our hotel room and watched TV. One program was teaching viewers how to say Chinese phrases. And so, that's how I learned (and never forgot) the greeting of Kung Hei Fat Choi.  I did not know then that this was in the Cantonese dialect, the one mainly used in Hongkong, Guangdong and Macao among the many dialects in China. Back then, I thought it was the only new year greeting in Chinese. Hey, don't blame me...the only Chinese left in me is my lineage. It was only recently that I learned that in the Philippines and Bacolod in particular, most of the Filipino-Chinese come from Fujian province where the dialect is Fookien (Hokkien).  And so, we should actually say, Kiong Hee Huat Tsai when we greet them for the New Year.  As for China's official language Mandarin, it is Gong Xi Fa

My first food post for 2012.  The biggest cheese burger I ever saw in Bacolod City is found at Buglas Cafe.  When I was told about it, I thought...how huge could it be?  It did not look that big in the picture posted in our FB group page. photo courtesy of Marchel Espina And so when we had a meeting there in late October last year with the Negros Bloggers core group that was the first thing we ordered.  The name: Burger El Grande.  And mamma mia, yes, it was huge!  It took four of us to finish it.  Was it good? Well, I am not a burger person but yes, it tasted good and was complete with cheese, lettuce and tomatoes garnished with ketchup and mustard. Next question: Is it worth the money?  If you go there alone and are a big eater (like my son), then it probably is...otherwise share it with at least 2 or 3 other persons, like we did.  And it's a little difficult to eat for us girls but the boys didn't have the same problem, they just opened their mouths and gobbled. Bugl

What is it about a new year that makes people so optimistic?  After all, it's just the next day after the 31st of December, it is just another day.  January 1 does not really change anything, but the fact that it is the start of a new year gives people a change in perspective, at least for a while and the cycle goes on and on since every new year is like having second chances. It's a fool's belief. Having said this, I realized that unlike most people, I celebrate the new year because it's a tradition and not because it is important to me. I have no expectations because basically my life just goes on, nothing really changes.  I am talking here about my life in general, the day to day kind of living and interacting with people.  But the many oppressions, sadness, disasters and life challenges of 2011 gave this New Year a new meaning for me.  It gave me HOPE. And indeed these first 10 days of 2012 have already shown me that indeed life would be better this year. Praise G