Why I Like Pasta

Pasta is one of my favorite dish. But when asked why, I couldn’t really give a satisfying answer, so I usually go with the rationalization–who doesn’t?

Last night though, I found my answer.

Redh and I dropped by Greenwich, Fuente to feed ourselves after a grueling Christmas shopping. You could just imagine how famished we were that we took home a good-for-four meal. (Yes, we are fat. No, that’s not good. Let’s save that for another blog entry.)

Redh, checking if everything has been served.

You know the saying “Christmas is a time when you feel homesick even though you’re home?” PASTA! I mean–PRESTO! I think I get it now. As Redh was about to put some pasta into my mouth, memories of Mama and how she used to feed me with pasta flashed through my mind. It was a magical moment that I wouldn’t trade for the world. If you ever watched the movie Ratatouille, there was a scene there where food critic Anton Ego tasted Remy’s recipe, and at that moment, he was transported back to the time when he was sitting by their kitchen table and eating his mother’s homemade dish. The savoriness of Remy’s delectable concoction magically appealed to Anton’s palate, making him remember his favorite dish and why it was so. You could say the same thing happened to me. Except that my trigger was the action. Anton’s was the taste.

So now, if anybody asks me why I like pasta, I’m ever ready for an answer. So ask away!

Digital Story of the Nativity

Technology has undoubtedly made everything easier for all of us. We are becoming spoiled brats (if not already) of its nurturing arms. And we are lucky to have lived to see this day. But have you ever wondered what life would have been if today’s technology thrived in the old times? What if there was Google? Or Facebook? Or Twitter? This one’s really entertaining. Merry Christmas, friends! 🙂

World AIDS Awareness Day 2010

Whoever chose December 1 as AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) Awareness Day must have thought about the cold holiday season. We know what happens in a cold and dark place, right?

Kidding aside, since it’s awareness day, I decided to do my assignment and found this list of common misconceptions about AIDS. It pays to know. So I urge you to read on.

Myth No. 1: I can get HIV by being around people who are HIV-positive.

You cannot catch HIV by:

• Breathing the same air as someone who is HIV-positive.
• Touching a toilet seat or doorknob handle after an HIV-positive person.
• Drinking from a water fountain.
• Hugging, kissing, or shaking hands with someone who is HIV-positive.
• Sharing eating utensils with an HIV-positive person.
• Using exercise equipment at a gym.

You can get it from infected blood, semen, vaginal fluid, or mother’s milk.

Myth No. 2: I don’t need to worry about becoming HIV positive — new drugs will keep me well.

Yes, antiretroviral drugs are improving and extending the lives of many people who are HIV-positive. However, many of these drugs are expensive and produce serious side effects. None yet provides a cure. Also, drug-resistant strains of HIV make treatment an increasing challenge.

Myth No. 3: I can get HIV from mosquitoes.

When insects bite, they do not inject the blood of the person or animal they have last bitten. Also, HIV lives for only a short time inside an insect.

Myth No. 4: I’m HIV-positive — my life is over.

In the early years of the disease epidemic, the death rate from AIDS was extremely high. But today, antiretroviral drugs allow HIV-positive people — and even those with AIDS — to live much longer.

Myth No. 5: AIDS is genocide.

In one study, as many as 30% of African-Americans and Latinos expressed the view that HIV was a government conspiracy to kill minorities. Instead, higher rates of infection in these populations may be due, in part, to a lower level of health care.

Myth No. 6: I’m straight and don’t use IV drugs — I won’t become HIV-positive.

Most men do become HIV-positive through sexual contact with other men or through injection drug use. However, about 16% of men and 78% of women become HIV-positive through heterosexual contact.

Myth No. 7: If I’m receiving treatment, I can’t spread the HIV virus.

When HIV treatments work well, they can reduce the amount of virus in your blood to a level so low that it doesn’t show up in blood tests. Research shows, however, that the virus is still “hiding” in other areas of the body. It is still essential to practice safe sex so you won’t make someone else become HIV-positive.

Myth No. 8: My partner and I are both HIV positive — there’s no reason for us to practice safer sex.

Practicing safer sex — wearing condoms or using dental dams — can protect you both from becoming exposed to other (potentially drug resistant) strains of HIV.

Myth No. 9: I could tell if my partner was HIV-positive.

You can be HIV-positive and not have any symptoms for years. The only way for you or your partner to know if you’re HIV-positive is to get tested.

Myth No. 10: You can’t get HIV from oral sex.

It’s true that oral sex is less risky than some other types of sex. But you can get HIV by having oral sex with either a man or a woman who is HIV-positive. Always use a latex barrier during oral sex.

(Source: http://www.webmd.com/hiv-aids/top-10-myths-misconceptions-about-hiv-aids)

Or, if you’re too lazy to read, at least watch this video. Get educated. Stay safe. And have a happy and worry-free holiday.