The TV Verdict

I am not a TV person. Never was, and never will be. I detest this medium. This box that silently sneaks up on people's subconscious and shape their minds and beliefs. This medium that quietly makes you "want" something you don't really need. This stupid box that feeds you all these kinds of information and never pausing to give you time to think for yourself. I hate channel surfing and wasting time unfocused. Oh yes, I am not a TV person in that way. I prefer to be a conscious TV viewer. I figured, even without a cable subscription, I can still watch my favorite shows, thanks to the internet.

Now, back to this box called the TV. Some 10 years ago, we bought a flat-screen Sony TV. The thing with Sony is that even after all those years and moving houses, it's still working. The thing with Sony is that the hardware is so perfectly built that even if the TV technology from when it was famous of has become obsolete, it's still continued to show good picture. And by gosh, aren't we tired of this big ass (literally) TV sitting atop our console? I've sworn never to buy another TV until this other one renders itself damaged and unrepairable. My husband though, has other ideas. Like the boob-tube that he so loved, he's been ingraining in me how wonderful it would be to have a new LED TV with its HDMI features and whatnot. I usually just smile and pat him in the back "Not until the Sony dies." Very patiently and slowly, he has planted an idea in my mind that a LED TV is what we need, what with Xofi and our shows downloaded from the net, it would be so easy to just plug in our 1 terrabyte HDD and go on a movie/tv series marathon. I smiled and patted him in the back "When you have extra money to spare."

I broke. It wasn't easy, but I did. I gave in. That was the opportunity he's been patiently waiting, it was the opening.

One weekend, when S&R was on a sale, I forced my husband to come with me. Me being a sucker for bargains and 50% off sales, appealed to threat and used my preggy card. So we went there, and S&R TVs were all displayed by the entrance isle where the hubby gawked and lusted after. I walked straight, didn't pause to even look at the TVs and got the stuff we needed for at least half a year. When it was time for us at the cashier, he excused himself to gawk and lust over the TVs some more. I let him, never thinking he'd actually get one. But I had doubts. When he got back where I was, he said we're going to SM to check and compare prices.

"My, he's really serious!" I thought. After the obligatory comparison of prices, we went back to S&R and bought the 32-inch that came with a free home theater system. I think it was the home theater that got him. I still don't believe that I'd get a better viewing experience with this flat-screened LED TV. I still believe in our big-ass, antique Sony TV afterall.

He's in-charge of setting up the hardware, I was in-charge of getting the wirings and connections done. After this, we settled on the couch and tried the TV. He plugged in the 1 TB HDD, and true enough, it was way, way better than the big ass Sony. The pictures are crisp and clearer, you can actually see the actors' pores and if not well made-up, their blemishes! The colors are more defined and the sounds are crystal clear. Above all, we don't have to move a muscle to press anything to play the next episode on a folder, it simply does for us! I'm sorry big-ass Sony TV, I'm a convert. Samsung LED convinced me. I'm shipping you out to Borbon with Mommylola.

However, that enlightening experience was short-lived for that day because Xofi didn't like the movies we're watching. She wants Hi-5, and she wants it now! She still reigns, afterall. Mommy and Daddy exited, albeit with a satisfied grin.

CAS results: Everything looks OK

After the not-at-all-pleasant experience with All About Women in SM, my hopes of getting a Congenital Anomaly Scanning done is still there. Peace of mind can't be bought. During my daughter's Intramurals opening in their Talamban campus, we stopped by Dra. Canoy's clinic to get a nod on the CAS.

She agreed that because Xofia had ASD, my pregnancy is high-risk. Though there's very little we can do if ever we find something on the CAS, at least it would make us all prepared for whatever's to come. She's confident that I can take it having experienced Xofia's ASD. All I wanted is to be informed and be ready.

Right after getting the CAS script from her, we went straight to Cebu Doctors' University Hospital to get the CAS. When the sonologist learned that my first child had ASD, she was so focused on the baby's heart. After she got all the measurements and confirming Dumpling's gender, she was just looking at his heart. What got me worried was when she asked for another doctor to look at the reading for another opinion. She said that other doctor is the resident heart "expert". In my mind and heart, I was crying out loud: Please be OK. C'mon God, Dumpling's heart should be OK!

When the other doctor came in, the sonologist asked her to confirm her reading. She thought everything's OK but just wanted confirmation. Half of the scanning time, they were looking at the heart and that got me all the more worried. After a while, they both said that everything looks OK. I heaved a great sigh of relief.

Tomato-Based Pinoy Beef Stew

I used to shun beef in my cooking. Mainly because I don't have the patience to wait for an hour or so just to cook the meat to a tender. Also because I can't find a good beef meat provider, until after Rustan's opened in Ayala and S&R.  The price of beef cuts is also a minor drawback. During this pregnancy, I don't know why but I've been craving beef mostly so the price concern flew off the door to pamper my preggy self. So, to overcome the first obstacle which is impatience on my part, I'll have the help cook the beef to a tender in a simple linagang baka style. When I get home at night, I'd whip up a 15-minute beef stew in varying bases. This one's Tomato-Based Pinoy Beef Stew.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 5 cloves garlic, pressed and peeled
• 1 med-sized onion, chopped
• 3 med-sized tomatoes chopped
• 2 med-sized potatoes, peeled and sliced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
• 1 small can whole peeled tomatoes
• half a small can of liver pate
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 lb pre-cooked to a tender beef cubes
• salt

1. In a big saucepan, heat the oil and saute garlic and onion until translucent.
2. Add the tomatoes.
3. When tomato peel start to peel off, add the potatoes.
4. Cover and cook potatoes for about 3 minutes.
5. Add the whole peeled tomatoes, mash while mixing well.
6. Add beef broth, liver pate and carrots. I always add the carrots towards the end of my cooking because I like them a bit crunchy. Let simmer.
7. Add beef cubes and let simmer for another 10 minutes.
8. Add salt to taste.

Pretty easy, eh? As long as you have an already tender meat to work with. Consume in moderate amounts and be mindful of those arthritic joints.



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