I’m trying to lose weight by watching what I eat and doing cardiovascular activities.
This site is pretty cool. Swole.me is an automatic diet planner.
The meal plan looks pretty easy.
So this is my grocery list for a 7-day meal plan I generated. I’ll start on Wednesday. Fridays will still be cheat day, and looks like, cook something from now on, as well.
Prep and Cook time: about 20 mins
Serving size: 1-3 people
Ingredients:
1 kg of fish, Sherry (or halibut, sea bass)
Ginger (you can make ginger flakes or buy minced ginger)
Salt
2 tablespoon soy sauce (less sodium)
2 tablespoon vinegar or sherry
2 tablespoon of Sesame oil
About four spring onions (half chopped)
Banana leaves/foil to cook the fish with
“The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own. No apologies or excuses. No one to lean on, rely on, or blame. The gift is yours – it is an amazing journey – and you alone are responsible for the quality of it. This is the day your life really begins. ”
— Bob Moawad
Posted by Kenna in Quotes
Prep and Cook time: 15 mins
Serving size: 1-2 salad plates
Ingredients:
Minced Garlic
Brown sugar
Chili Garlic Sauce
Salt and pepper
Fresh lettuce
Basil leaves
Beef steak (sirloin or breakfast, lean beef steak and must be without fat)
Tomatoes
Cucumber
Limes
Olive oil (or Vegetable oil)
Low sodium soy sauce
Fish sauce
Optional: minced ginger
Posted by Kenna in Kindle
So last week I sold Chuck, my Kindle Keyboard to a lovely lady, Didi. I really loved Chuck and it was hard to let go but it just doesn’t make sense to keep two e-book readers, so I’ve decided to sell it but had to know the person who’s getting it. The Kindle keyboard’s battery life and e-ink is just awesome. It’s also thin, fits right in the bag.
Anyway, for my 26th birthday, my friends sent me a Kindle Fire.
And today, I received the cover I bought for it. Look at the packaging of the case, really cool!
I was a bit hesitant of buying it since it cost almost 45$, without the shipping cost and sales tax, but since I’ll be traveling with it soon, thought it will be a good buy. I’m glad I did, it’s true that I only use Fire for reading and not watching, but the case can be used as a stand for watching videos as well. But my favorite thing about the case, and it’s not because it’s pink, is that it has a built-in hand strap.
Yehey!
Posted by Kenna in Books
The following are the books I plan to read this year. The goal is to read 25.
I want to read a whole lot more. Finally work on the To-Read shelf on my Goodreads, so hopefully I can read more than the goal of 25.
I just realized something this morning. Though I really like my job, I don’t or should I say, I won’t keep on doing it until I’m 50, even better if I don’t need to keep it until 35 or 40, I’m working on that.
I just realized that the system will never work for me. It will keep me fed, dressed and sheltered, but that’s it. Until I’ve save enough money, or until such time I can no longer stomach bureacracy, politcs and pesonal bullshit, until VPs and CEOs stop getting paid as much as they’re now getting, and until the time I can still keep my mouth shut and brush my shoulder off on things such as people who kiss butt to get ahead, I’m staying. I have no problem if CEOs and all top management gets paid high, I do have a problem when those who really work hard, don’t.
It’s not a pretty sight, and you can only take it for a period of time.
I look forward to living a life in an island or a farm and just getting busy, living.
Now if only all corporate powermen will care more about others than themselves, maybe there’s still hope for the world. I’d like to think all people are born good and meant to do good.
Seriously, I’d rather live a life away from the conveniences of the city, and I’d exchange everything I have to be able to live a life where people care more about caring for someone else than themselves, because such a thing is beautiful.
When you walk by a group of quote-unquote normal people you chuckle to yourself, patting yourself on the back as you scoff. It’s the same superority complex shared by the high school jocks who made your life a living hell, makes you a slave to the competitive capitalist dogma you spend every moment of your waking life BITCHING about!
…
Cause I’m proud of my life and the things that I have done, proud of myself and the loner I’ve become. You’re free to whine. It will not get you far. I do just fine, my car and my guitar, proud of my life and the things that I have done, proud of myself and the loner I’ve become. You’re free to whine. It will not get you far. I do just fine, my car and my guitar.
Admit it! by Say Anything
Maybe I should work on my fishing skills more, it will help me get food. Eat what you catch.
Posted by Kenna in Shopping
Dubai has two shopping festivals, Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) and Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS). This DSF I bought nothing but shoes!
This will be perfect for all the walking and traveling this year.
Steve Madden shoes. Both are at least 50% off!
I’m not going to malls for now.
Posted by Kenna in Personal
So I’m going to Thailand this March, Bangkok, Phuket, Koh Samui and Krabi. Still convinving my friend to go to Koh Phi Phi… I’m really excited, work has been pretty exhausting and it will be really nice to rest in a resort or a beach. Almost every accommodation we got was booked through Groupon or Cobone. Awesome.
My friend asked if I’d like to go on a diet with him. And 1) I say “Yes” to everything and 2) I need it more than him actually, so this is today’s lunch.
Not eating rice and will not drink beer (had lots last night, and I’m nursing a hangover which is a difficult thing when you’re at work) for now. The goal is to lose 22lbs (10kgs) by the first week of March. Is that too much? Do you think I can do it?
I’ve been trying to organize my files last night and found out that I’ve lost all my pictures taken before November last year. FML.
Something is really wrong with me because I feel apathetic about it and usually I would have bawl my eyes out because of it and will be mourning until today but no I didn’t. Partly because somehow I feel that there’s really no point in doing so, they’re gone, what can I do. It sucks.
I have a lot of things that I need to do. Send out Brian Krans’ books to the people who joined this. Why is Emirates Post not as convenient as other country’s post offices? I need to figure out a way to go to the post office to send them during work hours.
Posted by Kenna in Lists
This year I’m trying to be more realistic with my goals and wishes.
Books / Reading
I plan to read as many books as I can this year, but unlike last year when I challenged myself to read what 50 or more books and lost, this year I’m challenging myself to read 25 only and I’ve already read one which is a good start. So if I read more than 25, it’s going to be even more awesome.
I have a very long Books Wishlist (here) but here are some of the books I wish to have.
Visual Editions Books
The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman
more books
Camera lenses
Audio Technica ATLP120
Travel
I’m excited about my travel plans for this year, I have two lined up, one this March, eighteen (18) days in Thailand and another one in July, twenty-four (24) days in Europe.
I’m also planning to visit my best friend in the U.S. although I need to save money for that.
Work
There are a lot of areas in my career I want to work on and I think it’s the best time to really work hard on something for my career. I plan to study (seriously) a new language.
I also plan to be serious with designing and coding and will find time to finish all the projects I’ve been holding off for the past year. Now if only my work hours will come back to normal I’ll have enough time for them.
Gadgets
Kodak Play Sport
a new phone, white iPhone 4s or Galaxy Nexus, still cannot decide
and other things
a gold heart locket necklace
Hmmm Teenage Engineering’s OP-1
Posted by Kenna in Rants
I’ve accepted the fact that not everyone you meet in your life is meant to stay.
I am really looking forward to this year, I’m still being positive about it.
If things that are happening right now are meant to remind me that I shouldn’t commit the same mistakes again, please, I need not be reminded of them. My memory sucks, but I won’t forget 2011, although I wish I could.
Haven’t had a dream in a long time
See, the life I’ve had
Can make a good man badSo for once in my life
Let me get what I want
Lord knows, it would be the first time
Lord knows, it would be the first timeThe Smiths
I am very patient when it comes to people and I’m forgiving, but that doesn’t mean I’m inviting people to take advantage of me. I believe in karma. And I believe that people are aware of their actions, or at least they should be. I need to learn love myself more, seriously.
Somehow, when the year began, people who have hurt me in the past thought it’s a good time to reconcile with me, and maybe it is, well it’s beyond my control. Or is it?
It hurts me A LOT when people who are given a second chance choose to waste it.
I really miss my friends and writing.
Somehow, after being on hiatus for a long time, I feel that I lost my will to divulge.
I am TIRED.
Posted by Kenna in Books
“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”
— Dr. Seuss
Posted by Kenna in Personal
2011 was a very crazy year for me…
So last year, I lost my blog. It’s a good thing I have my old blog’s feed in my Google Reader… let’s take a trip down memory lane shall we?
Posted by Kenna in Uncategorized
This year has been crazy. So crazy I’ve thought of given up about thrice or more. I’m really looking forward to having a better 2012. Bring it on!
Off to one of my favorite places here in Dubai to celebrate New Year’s Eve, on the beach with awesome music from Goldfish. YAY!
Posted by Kenna in Books
Look what arrived in the mail just in time before the new year starts!
Awesome!
Tricia was the winner of the same for Mensis Liber and she also got hers already. Thanks to Andy for being so nice!
Posted by Kenna in Music
Posted by Kenna in Uncategorized
So I’ve finally given up on my old site which stopped working about 2 or 3 weeks ago. I never had a problem with my host, well until the time it suddenly wouldn’t allow me to login and everything’s gone, so when they didn’t reply to me when I was asking for help (and they still haven’t) I knew there’s something wrong, something not really worth waiting for. My other blogs that are still hosted by them are still working though.
If I wasn’t busy with work I would have been panicking more about the old site and all the memories that are now gone. Ok, they’re not all gone but a portion of it is. For months I’ve been thinking of quitting blogging and I wasn’t expecting that to help me decide, such a thing will happen.
Moving on.
I am now 26 years old.
Work has been taking A LOT of my time, been losing A LOT OF SLEEP. It has only been like this for just 3 weeks and I feel like I can’t do it for a very long time. I will be doing this for one or two, three years maximum. What I’m certain about, I cannot lose this job right now, but it cannot continue like this either. I haven’t talked to my friends and even to my family, just the occasional tweeting and IMs.
I sometimes want to throw my mobile into a wall really hard, it just won’t stop beeping and ringing.
I can’t wait for this year to be over.
This one is a easy to do, not quick but won’t take you a lot of time either.
Original recipe is from Jane Hornby‘s What to Cook and How to Cook it, since I don’t have an oven in my new flat, I cooked this in a microwave oven (which has a grill feature). This meal should serve 2 to 3 people and better to be serve with greens or rice.
Ingredients:
100g Soft cheese (I used Philadelphia’s Cream cheese, because I can’t go wrong with it, feel free to try other soft cheeses)
A clove of garlic
Fresh rosemary
4 medium skinless, boneless chicken breasts
8 dry-cured smoked streaky bacon (2 strips per breasts)
Sunflower or vegetable oil
4 large or 6 smaller ripe tomatoes
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 lemon
salt and pepper
Directions:
1. If you will bake this in an oven preaheat it to 200C Gas Mark 6 (according to book). If you’re using a microwave with grill, preheat the grill of the oven according to the appliance’s manual. Mine requires 4 minute preheating.
2. Chop the rosemary.
3. Put the chicken on the board and using a sharp knife, cut a slit into the thickest part then poke to make a pocket. Spoon the cheese into each pocket and seal it as well as you can.
4. Season the chicken with salt and pepper (I added chili), then scatter the rosemary. Wrap each breast with 2 bacon strips tightly.
5. Put a shallow, ovenproof casserole over a high heat then add oil. Or like I did, mirowave it for at least 2 minutes. After, add the chicken. Cook the chicken on each side, until the bacon is golden. The duration depends on your cooking method. When I used the grill + microwave feature of my oven, it requires 7mins to cook each side.
6. Thickly slice the tomatoes. Thinly slice the garlic.
7. Add the tomatoes and garlic to the casserole. Season with salt and pepper and add the olive oil. Place the pan for another 25 mins.
8. Remove the pan form the oven, using mits and let the chicken rest. You will notice the juices of the chicken and the tomatoes!
9. Drizzle with lemon, only if you want. Serve it with salad or bread or steamed rice.
“We’re fickle, stupid beings with poor memories and a great gift for self-destruction.”
— Suzanne Collins
“”
Posted by Kenna in Personal
Fate controls who walks into your life. You decide who you let walk out, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let go.
Because whining is easier than actually analyzing what you might be doing wrong.
Professional vs Personal
Separating professional from personal relationships is difficult. I won’t even try to explain. I actually think it’s a cultural thing that Filipinos have a difficulty separating both but I may be wrong. And over the years, I’ve realized how important it is to set boundaries for both.
Things that may help
1. Never discuss work at home. Or anywhere if you’re outside the office, unless it’s an out-of-office meeting I guess.
2. Roommate is not always equal to friend. But it helps if you’re really good friends with your roommate.
3. Maturity and Understanding. I don’t really like living with someone else. I tried living with my best friends before, we had our fights but we were able to move past it because we were really good friends, but now I try not to live with anyone. My best friend told me that living with someone takes maturity and understanding from both sides and I can be the one to start it. I think I’m too stubborn to care and I’m actually the one who should be blamed why I feel this way.
You have to be open to her and allow her to be open to you. You can’t expect her to change if you’re not telling her what it is that bothers you. And if you don’t tell her, you can’t get mad at her. Get mad at yourself for not being mature enough to communicate. It doesn’t mean fight about it, I mean– communicate. It helps if you can keep emotions at bay. So it’s less personal. More professional.
Plus, they didn’t actually ask for my help. I offered it.
4. Don’t analyze too much. “You give and expect too much.” I didn’t realize this until he told me about it. And actually he is right. It’s not that I expect to get rewarded or something in return. I expect people to be how I am and that cannot be the case for everything. I expect people to understand and know things without me telling them. And I have a big problem in communicating, that everything that’s going on around me just eats me up.
5. Man up. I must stay strong and quit being an annoying whiner. Nobody likes it.
“He was a major part of your life; of course you’ll miss him; it’s perfectly normal. It’s like getting a tooth pulled out; after the dentist pulls it, you’re relieved. But how many times do you run your tongue over the spot where it once was ? Probably a hundred times a day.just because it was hurting you, doesn’t mean you don’t notice it. It leaves a gap, and sometimes you see yourself missing it terribly. It’s going to take a while, but it always takes some time. Should you have kept the tooth? No, because it was causing you pain. Pulling the tooth was the right decision, but it’s still going to hurt.”
— http://www.goodmorningandgoodnight.com/
Posted by Kenna in Quotes
I’m really excited about the new TV show, New Girl (pilot episode is scheduled to air on the 20th but it’s currently available as free download on iTunes and available for streaming on Hulu and Fox.com).
Spoilers alert!
So Jess, being played by Zooey Deschanel, wanted to surprise his boyfriend (who isn’t good-looking!!!) and ended up finding the guy with another girl.
Cece (Jess’ model bestfriend) : Your stripper name is Rebecca Johnson?
Jess: Boobies Johnson. Two Boobs Johnson.
That’s how Jess met the guys who was looking for a new roomate on Craiglist. L-R Damon Wayans Jr. as Coach, Jake Johnson (II) as Nick and Max Greenfield as Schmidt
Max Greenfield “The Douchebag” Schmidt. He puts a dollar in the jar whenever he’s being a douch *best idea*
Jess sulks and cries over the movie Dirty Dancing until Schmidt though it’s time for her to get a “rebound” guy. Isn’t she adorable when she cries?
Schmidt: I’ll be like your guide.
Jessica: Like Gandalf through Middle Earth?
Schmidt: Probably notlike.. ok, first of all lets just, lets take the Lord of the Rings references, lets put them in a deep dark cave.OK? Where no one’s gonna find them. Ever.
Jessica: Except Smeagol. (whispering) He lives in a cave.
She agrees and went out with the guys. She saw a cute guy and Schmidt told her to go up to the guy and smile. She does the following faces, and of course Schmidt told her not to do them.
She ends up doing this!!!
Jess: You know what happens to people who keep it all inside? They get old and they get sad and they get weird. And then you’re the old man yelling at the kids who are running across your yard and you’re telling them ‘don’t run across my yard, my life is filled with regret. You can’t just pretend it didn’t happen.
Nick: Or I could be more like you, Jess, and pretend to live on a sparkly rainbow, drive a unicorn around, and just sing all the time.
Jess: Yeah! I think you should sing all the time.
Nick: No I was being mean. I’m not gonna do that Jess.
Jess: Why not? It’s fun!
Nick: Because I have a penis.
Jess: My name is Nick, I have a penis and I’m not gonna let any feelings out!
I love this show a lot already!
I love Zooey Deschanel she’s amazing. I love her music and Hello Giggles and her movies, 500 Days of Summer belongs to the list of Favorite Movies Of All Time, so it’s really nice to see more of her on TV.
Posted by Kenna in Music
Had the most amazing night at Ushuaia, Ibiza last August 24 with the boys, Swedish House Mafia. It was an awesome night of dancing and singing (err screaming).
The last time I had that much fun (well the closest) was when Faithless had their farewell concert here at Nasimi Beach.
Love being able to enjoy the music and entertainment without everything else!!! Probably the reason I also had so much fun at this bar where most boys are well into boys, because I can dance my ass off without anyone staring. Weeeeee, fun!
Photos from Swedish House Mafia (Facebook).
“It happens to everyone as they grow up; you find out who you are and what you want, and then you realize that the people you’ve known forever don’t see things the way you do. And so you keep the memories but find yourself moving on.”
— Unknown
Posted by Kenna in Quotes
I had a blast in Barcelona, it’s such a lovely place! Oh my, a lot has happened in Barcelona … and most of the stories actually will be staying there.
I met two lovely couple, one of which I have contact information, the other none, sad. And to the two lovely German girls I met during my last night, I’m sorry guys, I lost your e-mail addresses, I’m horrible.
Tip: Get Le Cool Barcelona before going there.
For a nice view of Barcelona go to the top of the Arenas, which used to be a bullring, now a mall.
Tip: Most of the shops in this mall offer tax refund, don’t forget to ask! Get 360 deg view, they also have information on what you can see.
Statue in the roundabout in Plaça d’Espanya
Columbus Monument
Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya
Me and my friend walking and walking and walking, not afraid of getting lost!
Barcelona is such a lovely place most tourist destinations have very long queues!
Miro Park
Montjuïc Communications Tower
Park Guell
Above Park Guell you’ll have another lovely view of the city.
Sagrada Familia
I have to go back when it’s completely done.
Something I really miss about Spain right now is…. McDonald’s and of course the tapas, paella and clara con limon.
Had these awesome food at Maximum, along La Rambla.
La Rambla sky
La Rambla is amazing, you can stay there for hours and you won’t be bored!
Head to Cheers, an Irish Pub, in one of the tine streets along La Rambla for music, dancing and drinks!
More photos on Flickr!
In my opinion, all men are islands. And what’s more, now’s the time to be one. This is an island age. I am an island. I am bloody Ibiza! – Will, About a Boy
I’m so happy with my vacation last August. I was able to scratch one off my Places to Visit List.
We only stayed there for three days and it’s not enough!
Smokers, read!
Es Cavalet It’s an official nudist beach and the main nudist area is in the middle section of the beach.
I thought it will be uncomfortable and weird but actually it’s like nothing’s different.
We went to Ushuaia for the first night to see Swedish House Mafia and it was AMAZING! The best part is, that night, all three, Axwell, Steve Angello and Sebastian Ingrosso, were there!
Sorry no photos. Only memories…
The party ended early but we had to get more drinks so we went to La Biela…
The next night, we went to Pacha for David Guetta and Goldfish played and as usual, it was AWESOME!!!
I love Goldfish. I first saw them live in Dubai when they played before Faithless at Nasimi.
Then we went to Amnesia (same night) for Laidback Luke and Paul van Dyk.
Ensalada!
The hour of departure has arrived, and we go our ways — I to die and you to live. Which is the better, only God knows. – Socrates, Apology
Read more about the Death of Socrates here.
