Due to a number of violent reactions I received regarding an angst-ridden article I wrote, I am now updating this blog. Just a short note to the reader (s) who anonymously left messages on my tagboard (I sanitized it since my daughter and nieces read my blog regularly).

Please note that I have installed a site meter (small colored square on the lower left-hand portion) on this blog of mine. It identifies every page view, including information on which date, which computer, and which IP address, wherever you are in the world.

Namaste,I will no longer be updating this blog. Please visit  the new rashidsmom online journal.

Thanks everyone for dropping by and see you at the new site!

Click on the link! NOW NA!

www.nanaynirashid.blogspot.com

In my 30 something years of existence as an Islam woman I have never done fasting on Ramadhan. Never worn the traditional Maguindananoan garb, never did sambayang (obligatory prayer) and not even once showed interest in the native arts. Classmates would ask me why I never donned a tendong (head scarf) unlike my other cousins who never left home without it. I would occasionally wear scarves but it usually ended up on my shoulders or my neck and used as a fashion accessory or to shield me from the cold. So very Sex and the City. The only time I would be caught in a malong and bangala (blouse) was on special occasions like weddings and the jesuit school prerequisite United Nations Day Parade in Ateneo. That was about it. I was a farce. An embarrasment to the religion I called my own.

I reached the point when I thought of converting to Christianity just to fit in. In my heart I was Islam but my entire body and my education told me I was a Catholic. I knew there was something missing. I felt it but never did anything about it. Until a few months ago.

I called it a journey. A journey back to my roots.

Stocking up on books and voraciously surfing the net of everything from Surahs and the Pope's much publicized Islam-bashing. With the help of my cousins and good friend Girard I managed to fast 18 days out of the 30-day fasting period of Ramadhan. Not a small feat for a big eater.

Slowly but surely I am getting there. Treading the path to discovery. Gaining the knowledge and pride of my neglected heritage.

A long overdue Belated Eid Mubarak to everyone. Just in case you didn't get a copy of Tuesday's (October 24) Philippine Daily Inquirer here is the link to my cousin Teng's FRONT PAGE feature. Front page people! Hoot hoot!

the filmmaker

A BlogCon event is scheduled today Monday, September 25, 2006.  Get more info from Yugatech's site.

What: Philippine BlogCon (Meet the Bloggers)
When: September 25, 2006 7PM to 10PM
Where: National Sports Grill, Greenbelt 3, Makati
Who: Bloggers from all over!

Teng got wind of this thing last week and signed G and I up for it. Only 65 bloggers can be accomodated and we barely made the invites. Gameplan is we break our fast at 5:50pm and rush to the event.  A couple of muslim bloggers would be a first for events like this.

I just hope this dastardly rain lets up or we'll end up swimming to Greenbelt.

today is tugiol. all souls day in Maguindanaon. the day of the dead. at night, candles are lit by the windows to guide the souls along their journey to eternal light.

being catholic school educated all my life i have, in a way, lost track of my Islam heritage. my parents took me home to Maguindanao every so often but the quick trips never fed my hunger for knowledge of the religion i ought to call my own. i have always been comfortable in the fact that i felt more at home in Catholic churches and chapels. i memorize the Hail Mary's and Our Father's by heart and seek Ecclesiastes when  troubled. recently, i have decided to go on a journey to discover my roots once again. a journey that has been put on a hold so many times over.

2 days before Ramadhan i feel its time to walk the path..

photos by Bobby Timonera of mindanews.com

note: click on the pink links

I found several well-designed yoga accessories for newbies and seasoned yogis alike. These goods combine quality, innovation, and aesthetics.

Yogitoes. Skidless mat towels solve severe common    problems: Slippery mats when you sweat; covering up skanky mats at the gym or yoga studio; covering up those ugly purple mats; and saving space when traveling. A terry cloth yoga mat cover with plastic nubs keeps you, and the mat, secure during your practice. They're available in seven colors that correspond to the crown, third eye, throat, heart, solar plexus, sacral and root chakras.  Yogitoes will also be launching several new products: Straps, a modern play on the common block, hairbands, environmentally-friendly blankets, bolsters, yoga mats and accessories, as well as a children's line and a yoga clothing line.

Plank has a "More Hipster, Less Hippie" approach to yoga gear that—with mats like the gold and bronze Bling mat from their text series of mats (right)—add a little levity to your practice.

Nike Yoga Mescolisi Shoes
Practicing outside? Nike's Yoga Mescolisi shoes are lined with a flexible material that feels like being barefoot. Made from recycled synthetics and cotton, the sole features rubber pods designed for "full foot articulation," making yoga safe for outdoors (or those who are barefoot shy).

Jo-Sha Wipes
Created by a certified yoga instructor after an unsuccessful attempt to find a natural, convenient, and great-smelling way to clean yoga mats, Jo-Sha Wipes contain no alcohol or harsh chemicals, dry quickly and evaporate completely. The lavender, peppermint, tangerine, and eucalyptus scents are all made from essential oils and are naturally anti-bacterial, antiseptic, and astringent. Available at Amazon.com 

practical suggestion: your friendly neighborhood baby wipes will do. or make basa a clean flannel cloth and clean away.

EcoYoga makes mats from jute that  look great, wear well, and are as friendly to the earth as you are to your body.

Stella McCarney for adidas Yoga Mat and Mesh Bag
Adding a little high fashion to your practice, Stella McCartney's line for adidas includes this lavender cushioned mat that comes with a draw cord mesh bag. Featuring a non-slip surface and a ribbon strap to keep it rolled tight, it's a stylish option that's also streamlined enough to tote from work to class. adidas

so there. tara lets! yoga na!

politics make me sick in the stomach. now that the May 2007 elections is just around the corner i can already feel the excitement ensuing in my hometown. Maguindanao. the place where dirty politics was invented i guess. guns, goons and gold is the name of the game. where dynasties rule and only a few are chosen.

i can smell the wolves walking around, ready to pounce at any given time. i can see the vultures flying above, waiting. money is being laundered from various accounts to offshore banks for "safe keeping". more innocent "opponents" are being ambushed. relatives are pitted against each other. killings left and right. its like a trainwreck. one repulsive incident after another.

the money that goes around here during election time is enough to pay the country's debt several times over. and this is an understatement.

so what does a loyal voter do at these trying times? i get front row seats watching the dirtiest, most polluted, filthy, corrupt, fraudulent game of the decade. now that i'm too tired of laying my ass on the line all the time and actually doing something to change the system?

i sit and watch.

let the pretense begin.

pass the popcorn please.

honolulu.

one year ago today my feet took me to the East West Center Hawaii for a much needed intellectual pursuit of sorts. being with stimulating academics does wonders to slackers like me. they made me realize that i COULD make a difference and that everyone IS a vehicle for change. i came back to the Philippines with a dead on perseverance to do development work for the underprivileged and marginalized. i always knew what i liked to do career-wise but it was not till last year that i was determined to be perfect at my line of work.

i have been doing a swell job up until last week.....

a few days ago i got into a disturbing argument with my senior officer about my adamant voicing out of the sheer stupidity of bureaucracy at the institution i work with. and i thought red tape was a thing of the past. apparently, my workplace is filled to the brim with shitload of bureaucratic redtape. regardless of one's efficiency and good work ethics one should learn to (always) suck up and kiss the ass of the boss' executive assistant or else she badmouths you to the queen mother herself. i am not one to kiss someone else's behind just so that i can advance myself up the corporate ladder.  nope. not my style. this lesson i learned too late in this thing i call my career.

allow me to call this executive assistant... THE Biatch.

THE Biatch is a sweet, smiling, pleasant looking verminth who has the face of an angel but has the makings of the anti-Christ himself. she will twist your words so that it comes out that you are a worthless employee who sits on your ass doing nothing 8 hours a day.

there is no love lost between THE Biatch and I. she hates me for my beauty and intellect (yeah riiiggghhht) and i abhor her for her deviousness. little did i know that she was strategically feeding my boss, the queen mother with subliminal negative comments about me. the worst part of it is that the queen mother believed her and confronted me with it. in turn, I defended myself and rebutted every single accusation thrown my way... to no avail. in one hour the queen mother managed to destroy my self-esteem and 15 years of work experience. all because of false lies and redtape.

is it worth fighting it out and proving the queen mother wrong? is it worth scratchingTHE Biatch's eyes out? is it even worth the effort at all?

work should be fun. work should be waking up in the morning looking forward to a fulfilling albeit tired day. work should be what drives one to be a better person.

it shouldn't be filled with negativity and threats and mistrust. and it sure as hell shouldn't be this stressful.

i can never forget my friends at the university say, "he hale kou."you are always welcome here.

i left my heart in honolulu and i'm regretting coming back home to this shithole.

since residing in manila, i've had a propensity for eating at of beaten track restaurants, shops and stalls. a little extra cash in your pocket can indeed go a long way. today i have compiled a list of quaint places worth visiting when in luzon and mindanao.. i've put a 100% money's worth guarantee on these jaunts so go visit them when you're in town. may mura may mahal just take your pick. aahhh tom jones  na koh (gay lingo for gu-tom)!!

• Cibo's tiramisu - Margarita Fores owned Cibo restaurant has branches in Powerplant Mall, Shangrila Plaza Mall, Alabang Town Center, Glorietta, Greenhills Promenade and Quezon City. My favorite branch is the one at Gateway though.
  
  
• sisig at Trellis - 40 Matalino St . cor . Kalayaan Ave . Diliman Quezon City. Unbeatable sisig for years. hands down.
  
  
• Bellini's pizza and pasta - a cozy, enthusiastically run family establishment, is unusual in that it is located in Cubao, a Manila neighborhood best described as "downmarket". located at the Marikina Shoe Expo, the owner, Roberto (from Pisa), will overwhelm patrons with hospitality and recommendations, many of them not on the menu. 
  
  
• chicken barbecue at JT's BBQ - this hole-in-the-wall place serves THE very best barbecue i have ever tasted in the Philippines. that's the bare and honest truth coming from a barbecue lover. located in San Juan. just go straight up  from La Salle to Greenhills to the San Juan intersection. it can be found after those stalls selling capiz christmas lanterns all year round. by the way, Joel Tore owns the place and he's there serving and makes chika with the customers in the evenings.
  
  
• California Pizza Kitchen's Original Chicken Chopped Salad. they have branches at Alabang Town Center, Glorietta, Greenhills Promenade, Tomas Morato.
  
  
• bulalo sa Mang Tura - Madrazo fruitstand along Ponciano Reyes st. , Davao City. tambayan ng mga sobrang lasing na gusto magpahuwas :)
  
  
• tapsilog at Rodick's. UP Diliman Shopping Mall. sarap. affordable. bilis pa i-serve. may libre pang baso na may ice hehe.
  
  
• Dampa in Paranaque. there's also one in Libis but not as "outdoorsy" if you know what i mean. basta they have the "wet market" ambience.
  
  
• Brooklyn Pizza in BF Parañaque. friendly neighborhood pizza place with an an authentic Italian taste.
  
  
• Melange's mango crepe - they used to have a branch near abs-cbn in QC but am not sure if it's still open. there's also one at Eastwood in Libis.
  
  
• Reyes barbecue - Shangrila Plaza Mall foodcourt at their mezzanine floor. second lang ito sa JT's.
  
  
• tuna sisig at Caje Jacinto -  jacinto extension behind Central Bank in Davao City. you can smoke there till you die of lung cancer (for those who don't know bawal kasi yumosi sa DVO utos ni Rody). plus the music is so very G-A-Y. love it!
  
  
• Teriyaki Boy's chicken teriyaki - they're all over.
  
  
• various breads at Bread Talk - kinda pricier than your average Julie's bakeshop but worth every peso. everything in that store tastes good. they are at Glorietta, Gateway at kung saan saan pa.
  
  
• Roast Beef of Chicago Sandwich Company at The Podium in Ortigas Center. sandwich na ulam pa.
  
  
• Razon's Halohalo in Pampanga (Guagua, I think). I tried it once on our way to Subic, and I liked it so much we had to stop over again on the way back. they also have stalls at Robinson's Galleria and Robinson's Place in Malate.
  
  
• donuts at Cello's along Katipunan just opposite Ateneo de Manila. donuts in Oreo, M&M and Chocnut flavors. Cheese flavor is surprisingly good, too!
  
  
• mashed potatoes w/ white gravy at Chili's and please also note that they serve bottomless frozen margaritas *big smile* a feast for the pala-inom in you. yes you! am talking to you!
  
  
• balbacua at the Agdao Market. they serve it really hot hot. super anghang and masarap. ingat lang sa hepatitis. palengke siya what do you expect! the more "upscale" best one i had was at Mommy's, Don Carlos, Bukidnon
  
  
• Via Mare's baked oysters.  SUBLIME! branches at Greenbelt 1 & 3, Alabang, Greenhills Promenade, Rockwell, Landmark, Edsa Shangrila and Total gas station at South Super Highway.
  
  
• Baguio Country Club bakeshop's banana loaf and raisin bread.
  
  
• Sanctuario in Tagaytay. great food and very affordable. try the mouth-watering Pasta Bulalo, Bangus Caldereta, Seared Tuna in Wasabi and the bread rolls with bangus pate.
  
  
• fresh kinilaw at Luz Kinilaw in Magsaysay Park Davao City. ingat lang sa utensils. basta i warned you.
  
  
• Pastel de yema. Cagayan de Oro City. my son Rashid loves them.
  
  
• Gayuma along Esteban Abada, near Xavierville area. interesting concept for a restaurant. they have chocolate cake called "better than sex." *clears throat* sa mga nag-iibigan it's quite a romantic place.
  
  
• House of Silvanas. calorific treat thats really worth it. stuff yourself with this and i guarantee a few centimeters around your waistline in a few weeks. Shell Magallanes and 5th floor stall at Shangrila Mall.
  
  
• has anyone tried the Salcedo and Legaspi weekend markets in Makati? There are so many food stalls --- La Cocina de Tita Moning, Chef Ed's, Weekend Gourmet,Tommy's coffee, Ineng's barbecue, Tita Cely's (Filipino food). Cakes and pastries made by the Vargas family and Baba Ibazeta are readily available. Lechon from Cebu, fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, bread and milk products, plants and flowers, and so much more...
  
  
• fresh lumpia at Jimmy's along Sinsuat Avenue in Cotabato City. there's also banana cue cooked with mascuvado sugar  sold beside South Seas Mall. i can eat it everyday and not grow tired of it. sobra lang ngang tamis.
  
  
• Al Bashir's pastil. its a muslim native delicacy made of glutinous rice. also in Cotabato City.

this list can go on till tomorrow but the essence of my food tripping entry is that the Philippines has a cornucopia of food choices we can pick from. depends on individual taste and personal preferences.  so, ditch the mcdonalds and jollibee mentality and taste what is out there. life's too short to miss out on the good things in life.

happy eating everyone!