Because I’m feeling extra today

Marinated baby back ribs. Photo by CallMeCreation.com

I just suddenly felt like doing something extra today. That weekend trip back home to see friends lifted my mood that carried over to this week. So far, so good. I will be interviewing a candidate tomorrow and I have three CVs on my file now, all are promising.

I first grilled marinated baby back ribs until they looked cooked on the outside. Then I cooked it on the Instant Pot on High Pressure for 16 mins with a combination of beef broth, ketchup, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce as liquid marinade under the ribs that were placed on a trivet so they won’t be swimming in the marinade.

Photo by CallMeCreation.com

Et voila! It was tender and yet perfectly glazed on the outside.

This was a bit spicy. Photo by CallMeCreation.com

My customers (i.e. the girls and Ate C) consumed it all. With pinakbet as vegetable side dish, this was *chef’s kiss* The thing here is that I didn’t have this for lunch and instead I ate leftover meatballs with home-made gravy. I am limiting red meat intake, if I can help it. My brother is now diabetic, like my two sisters. And my mom. So aside from sugar, I should be watching out for my red meat intake and processed carbohydrates.

I’m also restarting my exercise regimen. I got stalled in October when I got the flu.


Art and photo by CallMeCreation.com

This is a light sketch of a scene in my head that keeps playing over and over whenever I hear the song Beauty and Madness by Fra Lippo Lippi. I had been trying to draw this for over 25 years but I couldn’t because I lacked the proper technique. I will try to make this again and again until I get it right.

In my head, the sky is dark with slight illumination from the moon that is sometimes obscured by clouds. A woman is on a cliff overlooking an angry sea. Or an unquiet sea.

I don’t know why I’m stuck with that imagery and it’s forever attached to that song. Maybe I read too many Gothic novels when I was younger.

I had been playing that song by oido for years as well. The chord transcripts I had and the music sheet I have of the song are somehow incomplete.

This transcript, which I got from a tutorial on Youtube, is close to the original piano version.

I wrote the chord transcript by hand. Photo by CallMeCreation.com

I should review my major and minor sevens. I keep on forgetting them, unlike other chords, which are now like instinct when I play them on the piano.

This song reflects the struggles of people, in varying degrees. It resonates with me, even way back in high school, as I am drawn to the darkness of the image it painted. But the melody is not dark; it is quite emotional–it’s haunting, like there is this emptiness that you haven’t quite figured out just yet.

Who will see the madness in your life

And who will be there to catch you if you fall?

Still a work in progress. I will let it dry until tomorrow. Art and photo by CallMeCreation.com

Rusty, wrong materials

I’m missing the sea. Now that it’s getting hotter, the call of the sea has been growing stronger than ever. K told me he’s going to be in Boracay next week for a week’s stay. I bet he would be having a sexy Valentine’s date/s on Monday. He should just spare me the details.

The pencil sketch looked promising…

Art and Photo by CallMeCreation.com

But I can’t translate it into watercolor. Even though this is a Moleskine drawing notebook, it is NOT a watercolor paper drawing notebook. The colors bleed and the paper keeps piling. My Sakura Pigma Micron drawing pens are missing. I could only use my Pilot Dr. Grip pen to make outlines.

I think I should stick to pencils and charcoal in the meantime until I get myself proper watercolor papers and more practice. It has been 25 years since I did my last watercolor.

I’ll try to salvage this one tomorrow. I’m just a bit tired. I spent 4 hours gardening today, re-potting plants and removing old soil that has been infected by nematodes and root rot.

Aside from that I cooked brunch and dinner.

Omelette rice for brunch. Photo by CallMeCreation.com

I only got 1 hr of nap today. I again was woken up at 4 am and had a hard time falling back to sleep. However, I did get better quality sleep last night after taking melatonin. I should try to make it 6 mg tonight so I can have a bit of deep sleep.

It’s better to be tired at least there’s less time thinking about the things I shouldn’t be thinking about so I hurt less. I wish it’s that easy. Thinking about dating again makes my stomach churn. I don’t think I’m made for this. I think I’ll be better solo.

My friend from my old TV network asked me if I want to have a date on Monday, because he knows someone interested and he can play match-maker. I said NO. The thought made my skin crawl. After my vehement no, my friend said he was only joking.


The Marcoses are really out of touch. Imee Marcos mocks people who work 18 hrs a day.

Ka Leody blasts Imee Marcos video mocking people who work 18 hours a day

Sen. Imee Marcos. and Labor leader and presidential aspirant Leody De Guzman. ABS-CBN News/file

Out of anger, I made a caricature of her. She is called mangga (mango) because of her long chin.

Mangga Imee. Art and Photo by CallMeCreation.com