Ramblings of a Perpetually Tanned Filipina

Dr. Dante R. Santiago Sr. (12/06/1934-12/30/2019) For 2 years in a row, a few days after Christmas is a sad day for our family. A year ago, I lost an Uncle on the 29th of December, and this year, on the 30th of December, I lost my closest grandpa, my Daddy Dante. I have a very special bond with him because he gave me my first name, Indirah. When I asked him why, he told me that as soon as he saw me when I was born, he knew that I will grow up as a strong woman, so he named me after Indira Gandhi. My childhood was memorable because of Daddy. He would always take us for bike rides in the afternoon around CMU and he would read to me bible stories until I sleep at night. I never heard Daddy complain about anything. The only time I realized that he was tired of reading my thick Bible comic book every night, was when I found the book hidden somewhere! He always had a way of saying no without hurting our feelings. I was also a very curious child and he patiently ans...

I love seafood and of course, shrimps will always be included in the list. Crabs is my ultimate favorite, but I still have to figure out how my mom cooks her yummy crabs in coconut milk. Since we moved to a new place 3 years ago, we have been constantly looking for a seafood place. Even if we live in a State that's surrounded by the ocean, it's somehow hard to find a good place that sells seafood. We finally found one around 30 minutes from our location and it's called Lakeland seafood. I was ecstatic when I found out that they sell shrimps with the head in tact, because a lot of grocery stores that sell frozen seafood never sell shrimps with the head still attached. I know, it's weird, but growing up in the Philippines, I was used to eating shrimps with the head, because I felt like it tasted better that way. I forgot where I first got this recipe, but here's an easy dish to prepare, if you like ginataang shrimps just like me! Ingredients: 1 lbs shrimps (p...

I don't really know what it is with the holiday season, but my "craftiness" usually kicks in whenever Christmas is fast approaching. It all started about a year ago when I decided to make personalized cards and gifts for my friends, family members, and colleagues. My Mom is really crafty, but I wasn't really interested in making projects when I was a lot younger, 'coz I'm just too lazy to even think about a concept. Our house in the Philippines will always be festive by October 'coz my Mom will decorate the entire place with so much attention to every detail, so that her holiday theme will flow all throughout our house. Meanwhile, I will just sit on the couch and watch TV and lounge like there's no tomorrow. I showed no interest at all, as everything was just too much for my brain cells to handle. Mom's pink-themed Christmas tree (2013) One of the decorated areas in our house Then, I discovered Pinterest. Ohhh... Pinterest. For some ...

Yesterday, I found out that CVS is having their clearance sale on makeup - 50%-75% off. I rushed to the nearest CVS in my area and I felt like I was in makeup heaven! I wanted to buy everything that was 75% off, but I am no Paris Hilton, so I just settled for something I can afford. Here are the stuff that are on sale at the CVS that I visited today- prices may vary in every store.  Physician's Formula Prices:  Happy booster blush pink- $3.12 (saved $9.37) Happy booster blush warm -  $ 3.12 Cashmere bronzer - $3.62 (saved $10.87) Organic mascara (not in photo) - $2.49 (saved $7.50) Revlon  Colorburst lip butter pink -  $ 1.99 (saved  $ 6.00) Colorburst lipsticks -  $ 2.49 each (saved  $ 7.50/pc) Just bitten lipstains -  $ 2.32 (saved  $ 6.97) Super lustrous lip glosses-  $ 2.19 (saved  $ 6.60) Revlon nail polish-  $ 1.45 each (saved  $ 4.34) Revlon Colorstay Whipped Foundation - 3.49 (sa...

I'm on a standstill. I feel so lost - I have lost myself into oblivion and I don't know if I can find myself again. All I see is darkness - I feel weak and hopeless. When will this agony end?  I want to be thankful for the blessings I have received, but the pain and challenges over shadows all the good things that are happening to me.  I feel like there's a dark cloud above me that just won't go away. It just sits there and I think it waits for me to feel really down and rain will just pour and wash way everything that I have left - my strength, hope, determination... everything. This feeling is killing me. When will the sun shine again? I want to quit. I can't quit. I wish I was a kid again, so I won't have to worry about grown up stuff. Growing up is hard, no one told me it is going to be easy in the first place. Who was I kidding?  I have to get out of this rut and be my strong, sure self again. This feeling is tiring.  I need that little glimmer o...

Times are tough, that's why I was convinced by my friend to start couponing. I just started a week ago and bought a Lysol automatic kitchen soap dispenser for $1. I was like a kid who got a candy for free from the store when I went outside Publix. After that, it is my goal to save as much money as I can when shopping. I don't think I'd end up as a hoarder too, 'coz I am also giving most of the stuff I am getting with my coupons, to my family in the Philippines. Filling up a care (balikbayan) box is expensive if you pay full price for all the stuff you buy, and I don't have the budget for that. Thank goodness coupons exist!  Original price - $9.99 On sale for $8 Manufacturer's coupon for $3 Store coupon $4 This second trip I made, I made on my own without my friend's help, so I didn't save as much, but I'm still glad that I didn't have to pay $60 something for everything! SRP: $64.36 Paid after coupons: $24.82 Today, my friend helped me ou...

I'm sorry if I haven't been writing for a long time. My work schedule is just out of whack and when it's my day off from work, I want to do nothing but relax.  It's already the holiday season and I haven't done any holiday shopping yet - but I'm already broke. lol! I only got stuff for my family in the Philippines which I will send through the balikbayan (care) box. I have learned that I should start shopping for stuff to put inside the box starting January. Getting stuff all at once is what caused a huge dent to my savings. It's fun shopping for my folks back home, especially when I know opening the box and seeing the simple stuff I gave them will make them happy. I'm hoping to send it before the end of December so it will get to the Philippines before April.  Happy holidays everyone! :)

Whoah! I have a blog! My last post was from when??? July??? LOL! I'm just really busy and things just get too overwhelming sometimes that putting it into words and posting pictures to make you actually visualize those words are most likely impossible. I'm just being a lazy blogger, that's all. I went to the Bahamas in September, but I'll post another blog for that, 'coz today would be about my naughty car. So I got a used car back in March - well, I only paid 1/3 and the rest was taken care of by my husband. So, technically, my husband got me this car. I didn't really need a sleek car 'coz I just need one to get me to work. Hello going home at 1am! Public transportation here in Orlando is unreliable especially if you have a job that doesn't have the 8am 'til 5pm schedule. I don't want to inconvenience my husband either, so I had to get a car. We got the 2001 Ford Focus station wagon and I named it Smurf 'coz it's blue. I had a Smurfet...

Dear blog, I had a lobster dinner treat from my husband tonight and it was awesome! Mr. Crabs is moving down to #2 on my list. Lobster is my favorite now- especially the tail! All you can eat Seafood and Lobster feast! 2nd helping I think this car is a lobster lover too! I had a great time, but I don't think I can afford to go there every week. LOL! 'Til next year's lobster feast! Love, Dee

This is what I need right now. A Trip to the beach, a getaway, just a day or a week of relaxation. It's been one hell of a week and "hell" is an understatement at work. The hailstorm in Denver on Wednesday damaged 18 of our planes in our hub which resulted to a lot of cancellations - of course that includes our station. I went to work unaware until I saw my co-workers work on a list. I was like, was there a cancellation during the morning flight? Then bam! I was told that our flight for the afternoon is the one that's cancelled and they were told 15 minutes before I clocked in. I knew it will be really messy that afternoon and all I wanted was go home and just curl up into a ball. It was my first time to deal with a cancellation and I am very aware how messy it can be. Our line was so long, it was like the day is not going to end for us. We normally deal with lines from 2-4pm, but yesterday's line? Until 7pm oh yeah! I was a bit lucky 'coz I only had one ...

I didn't realize that it's been two months since I blogged. Work interferes with my social life and even makes me stop writing in this blog. I just want to let you guys know though, that I have met Rob Schneider last night. He looks great in person even if he is a little short. :)  We watched his show at the Improv and I was surprised at how good he is in making people laugh. He is funny in movies, but delivering witty, funny lines on stage is totally different. I didn't expect much last night 'coz I thought his jokes will be cheesy. But he did a great job for an hour and a half - non-stop laughter for me and the rest of the people who watched his show. He also is a very nice guy and he even told me "Go Pinoy!" when I told him I'm also Filipino before this picture was taken. He is half Pinoy and half Jewish, and he made Filipino jokes about his mom and it cracked me up. I would like to thank my husband for getting me tickets to his show and for h...

I suffer from acne since I was 12 years old. My classmates back in gradeschool would call me crater 'coz I had pimples all over my forehead and cheeks. I was forced to use astringents at the early age of 13 even if I know I'm not supposed to use it 'coz I was just so insecure with my skin. Both of my parents suffer from acne when they were young, that's why I have the bumps too. I tried everything and anything just to have clear skin. It cleared up in 2005 when I used Kojic Acid soap, but my skin was getting used to it that I started breaking out again. It cleared up a little again when we went to Vegas in 2010 'coz the air there is dry and it was cold in October, so my skin's pores took a vacation too from getting inflamed. Then as soon as we got back to the humid weather, I started breaking out again. I have been trying anything and everything - from Stridex pads, to salicylic acid, etc. I tried Acne Free Severe too, but it was just too strong that I started g...