Milo's Corner

How do you feel losing loved ones? I'm referring to our fur kids.  I've been a cat rescuer for over five years now. It started when I rescued the first kitten I saw along Boni Avenue. He was sitting beside the homeless man scavenging garbage bag for some things he could find to eat or to sell at the junk shop. He was minding his business and unaware of the kitten beside him. I could tell the kitten was waiting for the man to give him some scraps he could spare. I passed by them and I was thinking I will get him after I went back from the supermarket. Luckily he was still there when I passed by so I took him. The rest is good story I can tell. I got a companion for Negra. I named him Balat. He died a couple of years ago. I still fondly remember him. He was docile and love to sleep for the whole day except when time he needs to go out and about. He was grumpy to other male cats. He chose to stay and live outside when I started rescuing more cats.  He only goes home when it is ti...

Filipinos are notable beauty pageant connoisseurs. We are the only country can consider beauty contest as our national sport. 😂 I think everyone I know - gay or straight watches the Ms. Universe live telecast. It is one of the most anticipated event every year that viewership would equal or sometimes exceed Manny Paquiao's boxing title fights. It is quite ironic because basketball is considered our national sports. Nationwide participation is more present in the Ms. Universe than professional basketball. We have our own local version of Ms. Universe contest during our barangay fiestas. Which becomes more of a comedy show because participants are gay and transwoman members of the community. Contestants are parading their versions of Ms. Universe and even celebrities look alike. Entertainment like this is quite simply original Filipino.  Filipinos solidarity for their candidate is a force to reckon with. We are always a top candidate in online voting. I can see people reposting post...

I miss the times when I travel with friends and online acquaintances. I used to travel to a different local destinations. Some were daytrips and some were overnight and some took a few days away from the city. I'm a part of a get together group at Meetup.com since 2013.  I started to join their events and activities so I can be out of the apartment once in a while. I resigned from my office based job and found a gig to work from home in 2013. So to fight my boredom and be able to socialize a bit I joined MTAG, short for Manila Trips and Get Together. The group is one of the biggest in Meetup PH. It grown to 2,800 membership in about 2-3 years it was organized.  I'm super active starting 2013 to 2017 then I kind of rested a while. The group is still at Meetup.com and being maintained by Chris. He is the original organizer and along with other event organizers. As everything slowed down during the COVID-19 pandemic so did the meetup group. Now that everything is picking u...

Not healthy for those on a diet, they say…  Rice, particularly white rice, is considered unhealthy on our diet. It is not totally right. Rice has many benefits to our health, all things considered. White rice and brown rice have similar origins. White rice is processed, removed of its hull (the hard protecting coating), bran (outer layer), and germ (nutrient rich core). Leaving only the endosperm that is rich in carbohydrates. On the other hand, the hull is only removed from the brown rice. Making it more nutrient dense and fiber rich than white rice. Both rice are good source of nutrients -  Per 100 grams: Nutrients White Rice Brown Rice Calories 123 111 Protein 2.9 grams 2.6 grams Carbs 30 grams 23 grams Fat 0.4 grams 0.9 grams Fiber 0.9 grams 1.8 grams Folate 1% 1% Manganese 18% 45% Thiamine 5% 6% Selenium 13% 14% Niacin 12% 8% Iron 1% 2% Vitamin B6 8% 7% Phosphorus 6% 8% Copper 4% 5% Magnesium 2% 11% Zinc 2% 4% Brown rice is more nutritious than white rice and has fewer ca...

  This is the poem I wrote after I saw the movie "WALL-E" in 2008. "If I Would Be WALL-E" I will live for hundred years I will put away other people’s garbage and make skyscrapers out of it I will know the true meaning of self sufficiency I will be happy singularly living I will have a lowly cockroach as my pet I will take each day break an opportunity to be my best I will pick up sundries that would make my collection complete I will have time to stop for a moment and look up and wonder who’s out there I will watch my favorite romantic film until it would come true to me I will be a hopeless romantic and holding someone else’s hand is such a beauty I will cross the galaxy to save my true love And lastly, I will see that there’s always a happy ending

I know everyone is familiar with the experience of losing a loved one. It is the saddest and loneliest experience ever.  I remember when I was on training on my first job in a call center in 2004. I received a text message from my sister that my mother died of heart failure from her recent operation due to diabetes. One of her legs was amputated due to lack of circulation and gangrene already festered her foot. My relationship with my mother was neither the happiest nor the best stuff of a relationship that I would love to tell people about. In fact, she was not there in my growing up years because she chose to leave home after a few years my father died. As a young boy I didn't understand everything. Why she left and when she was coming back.  Back then I was always sad and longing that she would come home. No one is taking care of us around that time. I remember I am always hungry and there's no food to eat most of the time because there was no adult person around at home. M...