Flash flood

Tropical storm "Helen" (international code name "Kalmeagi") passed through the Philippines this week. It skipped Metro Manila but since she enhanced our regular southwest monsoon, our rains yesterday were stronger than usual. The result: flash floods all over the metropolis because the drains couldn't handle the water volume fast enough. On our short, five-kilometer route to work, we had to go through four spots of this deep, muddy water. But this was still nothing compared to other areas. The cities of Navotas and Malabon, which are on the coast, had to call off classes because the floods were too deep.

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Eki Qushay Akhwan of Bandung Daily Photo has honored me with the Arte y Pico blog award. Thank you, Eki!

Here are the guidelines for the award:

1. Recipients choose five blogs which they consider to be deserving of this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and which contribute to the blogging community, no matter what language they are in.
2. After selecting your honorees, list the name of the blog author and a link to his/her blog so they may be visited by everyone.
3. Each award winner has to show the award, identify the person who conferred the award, and link to his/her blog.
4. All award winners will link to the Arte y Pico blog so that everyone will know the origin of the award.
5. Provide a copy of these guidelines.

One can always decline the award, but I gladly accepted it, mainly for the chance to pass it on to some of my favorite blogs. Fun! It was difficult to choose just five blogs, though. But after agonizing over it the whole day, here are my choices (as eclectic as my interests):

1. Joel of Switchblog. Joel is an artist, designer, and computer and tech geek. He gives me credit for his switching to a Mac, but even back then, his proficiency with anything technology-related was way beyond mine. Switchblog is his minimalist gadget news and tips blog. Love how it looks and if you're a gadget freak, extremely useful.
2. David of Tamarindo, Costa Rica Daily Photo. I'll just put it this way: if my husband and I ever decide to immigrate, I know what country I'm going to push for.
3. Elisa of Confetti Cakes. Elisa doesn't blog often, but her cakes are gorgeous works of art. Look for the cake she made for her dad—an edible sculpture of his labrador-poodle pet. It's awesome.
4. Andy Ristaino and company of P.I.P. The Post-It Project. Miniature works of art.
5. M. Patrizio. When I'm feeling blue, I just go to her site and I'm sure to leave with a smile on my face. She not only creates cute and whimsical illustrations, clothes and crocheted dolls—almost everything in her own house is designed to give one a warm and fuzzy feeling.