What I Think About When I Think About the Midyear

When I started blogging here I swore to myself to keep from being too emotional, whenever possible.

The goals were pretty much like these:

Google, You Are on the Running as “The Corporate World’s Next Top Emotional Manipulator”.

These companies are out to get us and manipulate our heartstrings! Run! And run very quickly! Take your spouse and children and flee from this capitalist wasteland, and thou must never look back lest ye turneth into a pillar of XRoads™ Philippine Natural Sea Salt!

The Soy Boy’s 2012 New Year’s Resolutions

I’m lame when it comes to fulfilling new year’s resolutions. Last year, I swore to finish one of my novels-in-the-making, but so far, all I’ve accomplished that’s close to anything worth reading is the juicy list of the misdeeds I’ve committed this year. Okay, that was a lie–you’d be interested to know I’ve written superb stuff about inspiring artists and great places all over the world during my magazine stint, plus I’ve done some amazing press releases when I was volunteering for the MyShelter Foundation project, Isang Litrong Liwanag. (I know you’re still not over the list so let me repeat: the list does not exist and I did not video myself doing something scandalous…like, say, stuffing my mouth with food at midnight like a fat boy relapsing on his diet.)

Soy to the World!

Because Christmas is just around the corner, let me greet you a warm and merry Io Saturnalia! Let there be peas on earth and a good vegetarian meal to all men! (Remember early this year when I mentioned about achievable goals?)

Confused with the true meaning of the Holidays? Here’s something for you to enjoy:

Have a Merry Christmas one and all! Just remember before you stuff yourself silly with all the Christmas dishes: there’s happiness beyond being morbidly obese. 

Despite the Tsunami Scare, I Went Ahead to Do Some Grocery Shopping

This gallery contains 1 photo.

It’s depressing to think about all those people who’ve been hit hard by this calamity. Times like these make us realize that we are but minuscule beings in the grand scheme of things. No matter how we try to convince ourselves that we’re bigger than life, circumstances have a way to shake us up and bring us back to our proper place.

Don’t Answer in Anger

I think that deep inside me is a monster waiting to unleash itself on unsuspecting people; however, I believe I’ve learned to control this demon that just aches to snap the next person’s neck like a twig at the slightest provocation.

Funny thing, considering that I’ve always indulged my violent streak as a kid: my mom recalls how I’d pick fights with neighborhood bullies, while I vividly remember destroying every toy I have which didn’t let me win. (My 10-year old self smashed the screen of a handheld video game because I couldn’t get past this certain stage.) I was a very angry boy. Thankfully, with electroshock therapy proper state-approved conditioning techniques, I’ve learned to manage my anger by being passive-aggressive instead.

Despite this, I refuse to attribute my lessened aggression to my change of diet, regardless of the assertion by this scientist that the brain “would tend to rewire itself for compassion or empathy to fellow beings when subjected to a vegetarian diet”. I think he has mistaken cause for effect: people become vegetarians/vegans because the slaughter of animals conflicts with their belief systems. People who became aware that something was wrong then acted upon that awareness, and thus turned vegetarian/vegan.

However, Mr. Scientist seems to be right in saying that people who are vegetarian/vegan are empathetic. (In fact, herbivorous people may even be smarter than others.)

While one should not mistake correlation for causation, still, it makes me hopeful that I am on the right track towards totally ridding myself of unnecessary hate. While hate makes people possibly stronger, it can also cloud judgment, and thus may not be the perfect fuel for tasks that need clarity of the mind.

According to one study I’ve read, the best way to control your emotions is by not indulging it. And I am taking yoga classes recently so I will be calmer and saner when confronting problems in the future.

(As well as amaze my friends with the cool poses I can do. )

Om.

Manila Vegetarian Scene Supreme

I got inspired to write this entry because of a comment on my previous post. The guy said that he is discouraged from becoming vegetarian because he heard people say it was expensive, and while I was tempted to retort that being obese and cancer-stricken was a higher price to pay for one’s meat-eating ways, I thought that it was better to instead dispel notions that being vegetarian equals spending a lot.

It is an incontrovertible truth (I love using big words haha) that vegetables and fruits, generally speaking, are cheaper than meat. Of course, there are rare ones (like blueberries) which definitely cost more here in our country — but then again, there are also specialty meats like Wagyu beef which don’t exactly come cheap as well.

Talking about value for money, think about it: don’t you actually get more bang for your buck when you buy greens, which are packed with natural vitamins and minerals that help keep our body healthy? To drive home the point: moringa (commonly known as malunggay), an affordable plant found almost everywhere, isn’t only filled with essential micronutrients and dietary fiber but (hold your breath!) also muscle-building protein.

In fact, now that we face massive global hunger (it has been reported that more than a billion people claim to be hungry worldwide), moringa, among many other trees, is even being considered as a cheap alternative to food crops, to address this distressing crisis. (Hmm. If that doesn’t convince you how inexpensive going vegetarian is, then hit me with a sock filled with potatoes — wait, before you actually do that, read this.)

Being vegetarian doesn’t mean being antisocial. No, you don’t have to leave the company of your non-herbivorous friends. Here in Manila, there are lots of ways to keep the vegetarian lifestyle without locking yourself in your house and shunning the outside world. Asian-themed restaurants usually have veg food fares like tofu; some fast food chains have salads which you can request to have the meat removed. And your favorite coffee shop likely has soy milk to substitute for the milk in your cafe latte.

I have a few favorite vegetarian restaurants which I frequent here in the metro. Greens, located in Scout Castor, Tomas Morato, serves the best veg-friendly sisig. A friend of mine, who is not of the vegetarian persuasion (he enjoys his meat very much), even enjoyed their faux barbecue. They have the most delicious eggless chocolate cake I’ve tasted too! And mind you, the prices are affordable — so it’s truly worth a try.

If you want to try organic vegetarian fares without spending too much, head to Cubao Expo (formerly Marikina Shoe Expo), located just a stone’s throw away from Gateway Mall in Araneta, and check out Green Halo. I recommend the vegetarian burger steak and the vegan cupcakes (although I think you have to order ahead.)

There’s also the purely vegan resto Pipino, along Malingap Street, Teacher’s Village, QC. Their vegan chocolate cake’s sweetness is deliciously balanced by their special coconut-based ice cream. I’d love to try the tofu tempura next time when I visit — plus the vegan lasagna, and the kare-kare which my friends raved about. There are combo meals too if you want to taste more dishes at lesser the price, so I suggest you pay them a visit one of these days.

Pipino's Chocolate Cake with Coconut Ice Cream (Photo by Adele Raya, from http://catsevileye.multiply.com)

While in Makati, don’t miss out on Wabi-Sabi Noodle House and Vegetarian Grocery‘s mouth-watering ramen, gyoza, and vegetarian cracklings. (Hands down, they have the best vegetarian ramen ever!) They’re inside the Collective along Malugay Street, a former warehouse which now houses clothing and accessories shops, an organic store, a gallery, and a tattoo studio — among many others.

Here is a list of vegetarian restos compiled by the people from Spot.ph. Meanwhile, if you plan to travel out of the city, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has assembled their own handy guide of veg dining places, both in and out of the metro.  And should you decide to practice your cooking skills, here’s a cool website of Filipino vegetarian recipes.

No more excuses: go vegetarian!

Love me, don't eat me, silly human. (Photo from Wikipedia, taken by Daniel Schwen)

The Soy Boy’s Tips For Every Veg Wannabe

My friends will attest that my interest with vegetarianism is comparable to how rabid pedophiles are interested in little boys and girls. (Ok, scratch that analogy.)

Fact is, I’ve never been a big health freak until I was in college. And that was only during 2004. My grandma from my dad’s side suffered a major stroke which left her paralyzed for two years. Because I am deathly afraid of becoming a quadriplegic, I swore to myself that I’d try to make the right food choices.

But just to be clear, my being vegetarian wasn’t motivated by health reasons, but I’d like to believe that this lifestyle has helped my well-being tremendously. Ever since I picked up the bad habit of smoking, I’ve been paranoid with getting cancer and other smoker’s illnesses, and thus I’ve relied on my regular consumption of broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, as well as soy and green tea, to save me from these diseases.

Having been vegetarian for five years (and counting) has taught me a lot of invaluable lessons. And for vegetarian wannabes out there, I’d like to share with you these “secrets” that have made my life easier:

#1: Always ask. As the adage goes, “When in doubt, use your mouth.” (Caveat: Use advice on a case-to-case basis. Not always applicable to suspicious-looking mushrooms, that disgusting thing inside the Tupperware in your freezer, and that beautiful girl your boyfriend was talking to minutes ago when you weren’t looking.)

Being an educated consumer, it helps that you know what dining places and food manufacturers put inside your food. Truth be told, you’d be surprised that quite a number of entrées on restaurants’ menus are vegetarian-friendly — even if North Park‘s Three Kinds of Mushroom noodles isn’t (that soup is made of beef broth, stay away.)

A lot of Asian-themed restaurants (Chinese, Japanese, Thai, etc.) actually have delicious vegetarian dishes. Even some pizza houses such as Sbarro and Pizza Hut have veg-friendly pizzas and pastas (for vegans, just ask the cheese out of your food.)

In all honesty, things would be a whole lot easier — not just with being vegetarian, but with life in general — if people empowered themselves with more knowledge. But bah, I hate being all preachy, so whatever.

#2: Groceries are your friends. In a previous entry, I’ve mentioned how I absolutely find groceries wonderful. And here’s another reason why: groceries are a vegetarian’s paradise. Aside from the fresh fruits and vegetables readily available, the grocery is brimming with surprises that will make any vegetarian squeal with delight. There are nuts, seeds, grains, and tofu to give one’s fill of necessary protein; there are comfort foods like chocolate and sweets to satisfy one’s cravings without breaking the vegetarian lifestyle; plus, some groceries sell veg meat, which omnivores transitioning into vegetarians will appreciate.

#3: Vegetarianism is not a religion. A lot of vegetarians will kill me for saying this, but what the heck. Just because you’re vegetarian doesn’t mean you should whip yourself and claw your eyes out for eating meat accidentally. You don’t have to be a card-carrying PETA member, and neither should you exclusively hang out with vegetarian friends who do yoga and pelt people with rocks for wearing fur. Vegetarianism is not a religion.

Whatever your reasons are for turning vegetarian (or for subscribing to whatever belief system), it should be grounded on sound logic and not on some PR hype or to join the bandwagon.

And being a zealot only turns people off — so put down that placard and just let your mom and dad and your friends eat their meat in peace. True, we all know those slabs of dead animals’ parts on their plates are downright gross, but forcing one’s beliefs down people’s throats induces gag reflexes as well. So find a cooler way to teach people around you about vegetarianism.

#4: Plan your diet well. This is one advice you should heed. One of my friends who turned vegetarian didn’t quite understand the fundamentals of nutrition, and ended up losing her hair. Yes, protein anemia is a likelihood if you only eat salads and fruits. Yes, vitamin B12 deficiency is very, very possible. And yes, you will need supplements to avoid deficiencies.

I’m a big fan of tofu because soy is one of the few non-animal derived complete proteins out there. You might hear a lot of rumors circulating over the internet that soy can make boys more girly, but these remain as rumors. Don’t be alarmed. I continue to update myself with the current research but so far, none has convinced me enough to drop soy off my diet.

I should point out that no food is perfect, by the way. There is no magical superfood out there that doesn’t have a flaw of some sort. Meat, for example, might be rich in protein and vitamin B12, but it is also high in saturated fats and cholesterol. Vegetables are beneficial but the fiber can make people gassy and bloated. Everything should be consumed in moderation.

#5: Enjoy it. If you’re not enjoying it, you might as well be dead. It’s good for you, that’s true, so the next step is enjoying the fact that it is good for you. The most depressing thing in the world is doing something that you’re not happy about.

Happiness has its limits definitely — that’s why I’m once more stressing the fact that you need to enjoy being vegetarian and you need to find reasons to stick to it. Like James from the next corner who once dreamt of sleeping with little kids but has successfully learned to redirect his passions to his legal-aged spouse instead,  you either should be happy with being vegetarian or convince yourself that you are happy — or else you’ll end up relapsing.

Being vegetarian can make you hot. Along with exercising of course. True story. (Photo of lacto-vegetarian Hollywood star Milo Ventimiglia with Hayden Panettiere from www.igossip.com)

¡Yo Soy!

Lest I turn into stale soy milk, allow me to update everyone on what’s going on in the life of the Soy Boy.

(wait for it)

 

(wait for it…)

 

(wait.)

 

(ok, here it goes — )

 

Not much.

Ok. Goodbye now. Nothing much to see here.

***

Well actually, a lot of life-changing, earth-shattering, galaxy-shaking things are happening in my life right now that sometimes I feel like I’m part of a movie and it’s slo-mo and I’m at the middle of the crowd walking alone with the camera focused on my existence like I was the only one that existed and I’m thinking about the vastness of everything and how minuscule I am and how I really should stop making long sentences at every opportunity like this one oooooh a bird just flew by how interesting have you lost your breath yet reading this sentence ok now breathe.

It’s just that I can’t divulge anything. I know, it sucks. It sucks like a weasel (purportedly) sucking eggs. Ok, well weasels don’t have mandibles to allow them to suck eggs but regardless, not being able to divulge certain top secret stuff sucks still.

Although now that I think about it, there is something interesting that I encountered recently. SM Supermarket now sells vegetarian meat! The one in Makati at least. I passed by there recently and they have a freezer filled with faux meat made of soy protein. I asked one of the shopboys (is that what you call them?) if they sold it in other branches, and he mentioned that SM Megamall also has them.

Also, is The Healthy Kitchen closed already? I passed by the restaurant two weeks ago and there were manila papers all over the place. I’m not really sure if they’re only renovating but hopefully that’s the case. It’s always a bad day when a vegetarian-friendly restaurant closes. Think about the animals! Think about the environment! Think about global hunger!

I’m planning to transfer to another gym as well. Nothing’s conclusive though. It’s just that there are times when I feel like my present gym is becoming too much of a mutual admiration society — and nothing spells awkward than people who take off their shirts to admire themselves in front of the mirror. Sure — you have well-sculpted abs and pecs to die for, but for goodness’ sake, do it in the washroom! Then again, lest I be accused of hypocrisy, I can be quite vain as well — except not to that extent.

I’ve been eyeing this gym near our old office (it’s along Rufino corner Salcedo in Makati) and the only thing discouraging me from enrolling is the price. But if I had the money I’d most definitely try it out. From what I know, they’re the only gym in Makati that uses kettlebells and suspension trainers, what with their focus on functional training and all. Anyway, 4fitness-studio trainers (or anyone who knows any of the 4fitness-studio owners who can relay this message to them), I hope you give me a huge, huge discount because I truly, sincerely, honestly, deeply want/desire/wish/hope/pray/need to try the work-outs you teach. And to show you how desperate I am, I will promote your studio in my blog — guys, check out 4fitness-studio’s facebook page now. And e-mail them at inquire@4fitness-studio.com to ask about their rates. Functional training is the best! They don’t teach you that in conventional, run-of-the-mill gyms. (How’s that for promotion?)

By the way, just turned 25 last month. So happy birthday to me.

(4fitness-studio people if you’re reading this the best birthday gift would be a huge discount and in return I promise to promote your studio in every way I can — haha)

Grocery is My Therapy

There are a few places that make me happy and grocery stores are one of them. Apart from bookstores, libraries, parks, quirky indie places (like Cubao X — although I’m not sure what it looks like right now with the influx of hipster kids with their funny fashion sense and irony), and beaches, a grocery store is my default place to go whenever I’m depressed and in need of the comfort of edible, perishable consumer goods.

Not the same with department stores. I think department stores are like jungles you don’t go in unless you have a map and a well-thought plan. Whenever I venture into department stores I usually have an item I need to buy, and I rarely go for the sake of window shopping (I say rarely because sometimes, when I feel guilty for not scrutinizing all the merchandise available which means I’m not basing my choices on a carefully-considered study of options, I observe and look at each stock meticulously.)

I don’t enjoy that I feel like I’m fresh meat and all the department store salesladies and salesmen are flies that sense my presence and hover around me. Being a decent member of human society I try to be nice and reply curtly to their offers of help that I am perfectly OK and I will call their attention should I require assistance. However there are moments when I have a nagging urge to swat them and hurl invectives but I stop myself from acting like a crazy cat lady just at the right time.

Going back to grocery stores. I don’t know when my love for grocery stores began but I guess it started when I was a kid and my mom forced me to come with her and be her little slave boy — fetching items on her command as she wheeled through lanes looking for interesting stuff to buy. This eventually became counter-productive for her because I started to pester her to buy me stuff which caught my fancy, like the latest junk food or that new breakfast cereal that comes with a free toy. It didn’t do good for her dignity as well when I started to quiz her, in my irritating high-pitched kid voice, what’s a feminine wash for — in front of all the other shoppers.  (My parents probably noted from then that I mustn’t be around when they purchased condoms.)

As a kid, I was Charlie and a grocery store was my Chocolate Factory. There were a myriad of things to do inside: read product labels, taste food samples, pity the catfishes swimming sadly inside tanks, poke and prod the fresh fruits without getting caught by the grocery attendants, juggle the fresh vegetables and run like crazy when the attendant starts to notice, smell the soaps and watch in awe as the cashier magically scans the products with her laser detector gun fairly reminiscent of those sentai action shows every afternoon.

Before our company transferred to Salcedo Village, our old office used to be quite near Rustan’s Supermarket in Greenbelt 1. Whenever I was stuck in a rut I would walk all the way there to buy soy milk or nuts or an apple — really random stuff. Now if I was feeling a bit daring, I would walk even further to have vegetarian shawarma at Kashmir, which was inside Rustan’s Supermarket in Glorietta 4. Sometimes, if I had enough willpower I’d head to SM where the grocery is bigger and cheaper and there are more choices.

These days, I’d often pass by SM to buy taho after work, at this food store that was sort of an extension of the grocery. Just the other week I went inside SM grocery to buy broccoli, and I was debating inside my head that the cruciferous vegetable was unfairly priced. There were some broccoli that had fairly long stalks and not much of the head. I think they should cut the stalk shorter than they do right now. I think I’m talking to the customer service people the next time I’m there to see if they can do something about it.