fast food..

As a kid, I was fortunate to have a stay at home mom who had a knack for cooking so there were home cooked meals nearly everyday. Back then, trips to fast food restaurants were a very rare indulgence for my family and was usually initiated by my dad. He would have us all load into the car, make a stop at an In-N-Out Burger to pick up three meals, one for he and my mom to share, one for my older brother, and another for me and my little sister, just before making our way to the local beach for a day of relaxation and sun bathing. If it was hot enough, he'd get us kids a couple of strawberry milkshakes to share. In-N-Out was always where we went because it was my mom's favorite spot. who even knows why, they didn't even have fun toys. This happened maybe once or twice a month but usually only in the summer. It was always something my siblings and I looked forward to because it  gave my family a chance to hang out together, something that was pretty difficult for my dad to manage due to the demands of his career. When I was in junior high school, my mom decided to get a job and although she still cooked on a regular basis I found that fast food was more prevalent in my diet but only because that's what all my friends were familiar to. During, and a few years after high school, the majority of the food I was eating was fast food. I was highly involved in extracurricular activities so there were always  food runs at random hours of the day and we were more concerned about how much food we could get with the least amount of money. The amount of  fat and empty calories we were ingesting at one sitting never crossed our minds.

After a few years of reckless eating, I've come to my senses. I was lucky enough to have my  mom pass down her ability to cook to me and I now cook not only for myself, but for my friends and family also. Despite them being healthier, home cooked meals are waaay cheaper than fast food and you have complete control of the level of sanitation during the cooking process (ever checked out the movie Waiting?! .. yuck!). I like trying to recreate dishes I see on restaurant menus or putting a healthier twist on traditional Filipino food, which can be artery clogging bad if you let it. Nowadays, I very rarely eat fast food, but who can resist a sixty cent cone every once in a while :)

past, present, future..

       Prior to moving here to Califorina at the age of 5, I was living on Naval Base Subic Bay in Zambales, Philippines. Living on an American military base in my native country gave me the unique opportunity to be exposed to two completely different cultures simulatneously. At 5, it was my family's turn to go; my dad was stationed to Camp Pendleton in San Diego then to Naval Base Port Hueneme where he stayed through to retirement. I went through grade school  in Port Hueneme then went to Channel Islands High School. High School was the most fun yet most awkward time of my life. Trying to figure yourself out while trying to figure out where you fit in with everyone else turned out to be quite an adventurous learning experience.


      Although my life isn't as simple now, I still manage to enjoy and appreciate it all. I currently work in the military base in the Travels Department. It isn't my dream job but I like what I do and very much enjoy the people I work with. Weekends and holidays off aren't bad either. I'm slowly but surely going back to school with the goal of becoming a birthing nurse. I still live my family but it feels more like a house full of friends. The youngest child in my family is my 17 year old brother who is more like my son. It wasn't always the best houshold to be in, but it's awesome now.


      Once I've accomplished my career goal of becoming a nurse, I'll be making my way back to San Diego where I want to establish myself. Although I intend on doing more traveling, San Diego is where I want to be rooted. A family of my own is a welcomed idea but it isn't that important to me right now. Whatever happens, I want to healthy, happy, and always laughing.