rub-a-dub-dub, abumelt in a tub

Lust and Gas

2011-11-02T16:12:00.000-07:00

For one reason or another, I've been suffering from a bad case of GAS lately (..no, I don't have the farts). G.A.S, or gear acquisition syndrome is an unfortunate malady that affects geeks of all ages, shapes and sizes wherein the afflicted geek has an inclination to spend his monthly rent on a gadget or two of choice.

For the past couple of days, I have been lusting over several gadgets that would render my credit card useless for a good few months. Because of GAS, they're now more of a need rather than a want. I feel like I'd explode like Harry's Aunt Marge if I don't get at least one of these gadgets soon.

NEED/WANT #1- Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 3G + WiFi

Ain't it purdy?

This is absolutely a thing of beauty, isn't it? I've been lusting over this for the longest time. In fact, as soon as it was anounced early this year, I knew would get it. I love iOS for it's simplicity and class but Android has claimed my heart for its customizability and flexibility. Add the fact that this is the slimmest tablet to date and I'm good as sold.

NEED/WANT #2- Canon EOS 1100D Red

I let go of my SLR when I found out I was going to be assigned out of the country for several months because I didn't want to lug a chunky camera abroad. Although it was a sensible choice, I've been itching to take ~~pretentious~~ photos with a larger sensor. I was a Nikon user, and although I have no complaints, I want to jump ship to Canon for a while to learn their quirks. This one caught my eye admittedly because of its looks.

The red finish is just gorgeous.

NEED/WANT #3- Nescafe Dolce Gusto Circolo

Found out about this genius invention from BuhayKuneho's review. Wouldn't you want a perfect cup of coffee as soon as you wake up in the morning? With this neat little gadget, you can have better-than-coffee-shop-coffee coffee anytime you want it in the comfort of your own home. The coffee refills are in nice little convenient packets. They're affordable enough too, I've half a mind to get one for here and just bring it home next year.

I think I'm in love.

I started writing this post in the hopes of tempering this unhealthy lust over these gadgets. It didn't work. Lock up my credit cards for me, will you?

Connecting the Dots

2011-10-24T07:23:00.000-07:00

It has come to my attention that I have enough moles to make it interesting enough for a 3-year old to play a game of connect the dots on my face. My facial moles have never bothered me before until lately, when I started noticing that they seem to be getting bigger as I age. I didn't even think it was possible, I thought moles stayed the same all throughout your life.

Do moles really grow bigger? The boyfriend's theory is that they do. He says- "You don't see young people with wart-like moles, do you?" Fair point.

My mom suggests to have it surgically removed now, while they're still small, so there's less chances of scarring. The prospect of being remembered as the girl with the mole isn't too appealing to me but the prospect of going under the knife is even less appealing.

"Here lies Mel, she had a mole."

More than just for vanity, I also wanted to know if moles pose health risks in the future. It's an abnormality after all. Like any self-proclaimed Internet junkie would, I did a little Googling to get more information about them. Here's what I found-

Moles are overgrowths of the skin's pigment cells (melanocytes).
Most moles are not dangerous but if you notice changes in a mole's color, height, size, or shape, you should have a dermatologist evaluate it.
It is normal to have between 10-40 moles by adulthood.
Individuals with large numbers of moles (more than 100) are at greater risk of developing melanoma.

Looks like I'll steer clear of the knife for now. Besides aesthetics, it should seem that my moles are mostly harmless. It's just the caricatures that I'm worried about.

Sources: 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Words Mean Nothing and Everything

2011-06-23T22:28:00.000-07:00

The "new" technology called eInk has gotten old pretty fast. For those of you who don't know what it is, Google can help. The simplest (and most likely the most inaccurate) way to explain it to someone who hasn't heard of it before would be to compare it to an old calculator. eInk technology basically displays black text on a screen, not ulike your old Game & Watch, but better.

One might say that that's not new at all, and neither is it interesting. But displaying black text isn't all there is to it. The beauty of the eInk technology lies in the fact that it displays text without the glare from the usual LCDs. Reading off a backlit screen is strenuous to the eyes if done for long periods of time, I can't sit through ebooks hundreds of pages long for more than an hour.

Liek magick! (photo from here)

This is where the E Ink technology comes in to play. Without the glare from an LCD, the digital text displayed on an E Ink screen looks almost like it's printed on paper that can change in an instant, almost like magic!

A year ago, somebody gifted me with Kindle from Amazon, one of the first few companies to successfully distribute the technology to the mass market. The first generation Kindle came out in 2007 and it cost an arm and a leg; the third generation, the one I gots, features improved screen contrast, WiFi, a browser, longer battery life, and a significant price drop.

Look at that beautiful screen

The first time I turned the device on, my eyes fell in love in an instant. I knew right there and then that it would be a lasting love affair. I've read extensively about the technology and the Kindle before actually holding it in my hands, seeing it for myself (it's not easily available in the country) and feeling the difference. And boy, it was magical.

When looking at digital screens, my eyes usually feel a slight strain within a few minutes and I'd have to look away every so often to relax them. On the Kindle, my eyes don't feel any strain at all. The screen is gorgeous. I can read on it for hours on end, just like a regular book but better. It's digital paper (or magic)!

Reading is good *nods* (photo from here)

The best thing about the Kindle is the ultra-fabulous screen, but that's not all it has. Another great thing about it is that I can store hundreds of books in one little device that I can carry around with me all the time. I can have my entire library in my pocket, ready for reading at any time. The battery life is also fantastic, it lasts me a good few weeks of heavy use before I need to recharge it again. Isn't that awesome?

Although many Filipinos are voracious readers, I can understand why the Kindle will never make it into Philippine mainstream. In the city, we are attracted to all things shiny. With the iPads and other glossy tablets around, with their shockingly bright LCDs and multifunction, eInk seems like old news, the Kindle doesn't stand a chance. But for those of you who think that words mean everything and nothing, you're gonna have a lot of fun with this one.

Overwhelmed: A 'Me' Post

2011-05-08T13:43:00.000-07:00

Once again, I'm engulfed by a huge wave of sadness. These waves come and go, like it does for everyone, but in the meantime, the big waves crash into me like I'm the shore and everyday's a full moon. I honestly didn't think it'd be this difficult to be away from home.

Overwhelmed is the best word to describe what I'm feeling. On top of the list of why I'm feeling like this is the language barrier. French, while a beautiful language, is terribly difficult to learn or even be familiar with. Being completely and utterly lost in a sea of indiscernable talk makes me feel isolated from everything and everyone. The introvert in me is inclined to curl up in the darkest corner of the shell, if only to find a little bit of comfort within myself.

Also, the signs all over the country have no English translations (even grocery shopping can be a challenge) and it's not easy to find someone who can give you directions in English if you get lost. Having to deal with that for a few days on vacation is doable, knowing you'd be dealing with it for at least a year is disconcerting.

Besides the language, there's also being away from the family and everything familiar. I already feel alone because I can't understand what everyone's talking about, having the family several thousand miles away makes it doubly difficult. Realizing that the people you count on to be there are nearly half a world away and you have no one to run to is unnerving.

If you haven't been in the same position, then you can't really say that you know how it feels. You don't really understand until you've gone through it yourself. I always thought it was a bit dramatic when someone sobs uncontrollably when saying goodbye to be away for awhile. I figure that at this time and date, where technology makes it easier to be connected all over the world, living continents apart for a while is a piece of cake. It isn't. I get it now.

~
Having said all that I said, I want to thank my family. They've been really great. Thank you for going the extra mile so I don't feel as overwhelmed as I am.

I know they don't usually sleep late, but they Skype with me at ungodly hours of the day (in the Philippines). They take the effort to make me feel less lonely with little things- reminders, stories, worrying about me, reassurance, reaching out to me without me having to ask, trying if they don't get through the first, the second, or the third time. Things like these make me really grateful. Love you guys. You're awesome.

Stupid Things That Men Do, Part 2: The Ex Files

2011-04-13T18:31:00.000-07:00

Hi! It's been more than a year since our first post on this series, but that doesn't necessarily mean that men have straightened themselves out. They're all still out there, doing stupid things.

Exes can be a sore topic in a relationship. It's a tricky thing, talking about exes. Men aren't the most sensitive people on earth, in fact, they can be stupid about things like this. Today, this will be more for the men, we'll talk about exes and what NOT to say about them.

No-no Number 1: Never, in any given situation, tell your girlfriend that your ex is better, in any way.

Girlfriend: What was your ex like? Be honest.
Boyfriend: She was pretty, probably the prettiest girlfriend I've had.
Girlfriend: Oh. (pause)
Boyfriend: I mean, until you came along! That's what I meant! No, really! I promise!

Guys, when a girl asks about your ex and tells you to be honest with it. Be honest with your answer. But please don't put everything in superlatives, try to downplay the good points, and slightly highlight the bad.

Don't water the plants in this garden.

You see, no current girlfriend wants to hear that there was someone better than her, never mind if it's true. Saying things like this plants seeds of jealousy, and they will flourish with every minute detail you mention about this particular ex.

No-no Number 2: Don't go spewing the words 'lifetime' and 'forever' when talking about your ex.

Boyfriend: No one can hold a candle to her. If given the chance to be with her again in my lifetime, I'd definitely take it.
Girlfriend: -__-
Boyfriend: Until I met you!
Girlfriend: -__-

With a statement like this, you should be alone forever. Keep this statement to yourself if you want to get laid during the course of your lifetime. No self-respecting girl would take you, unless she's trying to get back at the last stupid guy who hurt her.

Annoyed cat is annoyed. Like your girlfriend would be. (photo from here)

This conversation is unsaveable. Again, we go back to No-no Number 1. Saying things like this would just make her feel that she's second best. Not a good feeling. If she's nice, she'll let you off the hook for the meantime, but remember what I said about planting the seeds. You'll harvest it's fruit sooner or later.

No-no Number 3: Don't get caught.

You'd be surprised as to how many men are stupid enough to get caught. As a follow up to the boyfriend-girlfriend conversation in No-no Number 2, in case you still actually harbor feelings for your ex, just don't get caught saying things you shouldn't be saying.

Only puppies can get away with this look (photo from here)

You can't come back from it with a puppy dog look on your face and just be forgiven. If you have feelings for your ex AND you're with someone new, that's messed up. Be single (and ready to mingle), and then you can exclaim your adoration for your ex.

That is all folks. Remember to tread carefully when talking about exes, there are just some things that you can't un-say. Until next time, there will be a lot more stupid things that men will do.

Why I Still Blog

2011-04-13T00:33:00.000-07:00

Because of my other (happier) blog, I've been visiting this personal journal less and less frequently.

Until today, I didn't realize that it's been over a month since I last put my thoughts into writing. Perhaps it's partly the reason why I've been feeling antsy lately and have had a few weird ideas (I wanted to try pottery making, for Pete's sake).

I suddenly don't want to learn pottery. (photo from here)

Introspection isn't necessarily a bad thing but doing too much of it without a form of release is a vicious self-punishment. You think too much about things, you think about it later, you think about it again tomorrow, and before you know it, it's eaten you up and you're starting to pull your hair out one by one.

And this is why I still keep this blog (I still like my hair). Here, I can spew out the contents of my brain and pick at it from the outside looking in, instead of wallowing in my own thoughts by myself. This exercise keeps me grounded and (almost) sane. Which leads me to the topic that pressed me to want to spill out my guts once again.
~
I'm like a goldfish. I got distracted after writing that block of text (in between work) and my earlier string of thoughts is good as gone. So instead of continuing that subject in this post, I'll end this emo post right here and have a whole new post for that other subject.

This Valentine's Day

2011-02-27T08:52:00.000-08:00

I received the best bouquet ever.

A santan bouquet. Have you heard of such a thing?

The date got me this multi-colored bunch of the common garden flower, santan. If you're unfamiliar with this flower, the santan is a local flower that can be found in most people's gardens, mostly because they're colorful, inexpensive and low maintenance.

Now you're probably wondering why a girl would be so elated to receive such a common flower as gift on the holiday that was made for girls to feel extra special while all the other girls swoon for a dozen roses? I have my reasons.

This bunch now sits on my bedside table

Although I'm not one to turn down flowers (it's a girl thing), I don't really like that thousands and thousands of roses get plucked for Valentine's day to be tied together and sold, only to wilt and be thrown away in a few days. So this time last year, as a joke, I requested a dozen santan flowers in all possible colors instead of the typical red roses. And I got it.

Putting together a santan bouquet takes preparation. Santan wilts quite quickly, so timing is a key ingredient. And although common, not all colors and varieties are present in one garden. He got pots of santan in different colors weeks in advance and waited for them to bloom before arranging them in a bouquet and presenting them to me. I've never been more smitten. Like always, more than anything else, it's the effort that makes this girl's heart flutter.

Whoddathought this guy would have a knack for flower arranging?

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. (I know it's a few weeks late but it's still February anyway. It's my excuse for the sap.)

In My Bedroom

2011-02-26T11:35:00.000-08:00

Things to take note of for anyone who plan to sleep over:

1. I sleep on the right side of the bed, next to the sidetable where the phone, the router, the glass of water, and the scissors are (in case of a night invasion of zombies and/or aliens and/or robbers)

2. The window blinds always have to be angled upward instead of downard because I like waking up seeing the rays of sunlight on the ceiling (where my glow in the dark stars are).

3. When you feel the need to use the loo in the middle of the night when all the lights are turned off and the room is pitch black, you have to tread carefully because you never know what you might step on (like shoes or, um, deodorant).

4. You have to learn to sleep on one side of the bed because the other side is filled with gadgets, clothes, bags, eyeglasses, remote controls, and other random whathaveyous (they keep me company, I get ~~scared~~ lonely sleeping alone in a big bed).

and lastly,
5. While inside the premises, you are not allowed to say anything derogatory about Fall Out Boy, Bugsy the shih tzu, my cooking ability, and my boobs (my room, my world).

That is all, thank you!

The King and I

2011-01-05T02:47:00.000-08:00

Now that we're on to the fifth day of the new year, the holiday cheer has almost dissipated. There might still be some tinsel hanging around the house, scraps of Christmas ham to dispose of and a ton of holiday pictures to sort but in general, we've all gone back to the daily grind.

And although I've been back to work for a couple of days, I still find myself slipping into a holiday mood once in a while. When this happens, I fire up the browser and start clicking away, looking for fun reads I can find in random alleyways of the Intarwebz. I almost always just end up spending hours on end numbing my brain and chuckling at lolcats on sites like I Can Has Cheezburger?.

..and I find funnehs liek this. ~_~

Today though, I stumbled on something that has piqued my interest. Perhaps it's because it's a topic that I've had many discussions about in the past. I find that my belief becomes stronger with each discussion I have. In fact, the more debates I participate in, the more research I do, and the more experiences I encounter, I'm more convinced that there is no such thing they call "god".

Believers of a deity, are you ready to charge at me with fire and the condoms that you so detest? Before you do so, let me finish my story.

What prompted me to write today is this guy named Bruce who recently started a project he calls The King and I. While others do a yearly project chronicling one personal picture a day, his project 365 is to read a section of the bible everyday. It's a common project for most but the good thing about this one is that the blog also encourages people to actually understand the content they read and facilitate a healthy discussion among readers, both believers and non-believers are welcome to join in.

*sighs*

In an attempt to understand faith a little bit more, I've decided to follow in his footsteps. Although I'm a few days late, I've downloaded the Logos Bible on the iPod and will start from there.

Devotees that I encounter (who also swear by the bible) explain everything from grand gestures to the minutest details in their life to be caused by the supreme being they believe in. That's just silly. See, I'm not a science buff, nor do the intricacies of technology particularly interest me but what I do know and believe in is that everything has an explanation (and no, it's not God).

An earthquake happens in Chile! Nope, it isn't because the Lord Almighty is angry and wants to punish his people for whatever sin it is that they committed. It happened because the rocks under the earth moved. Science explains things for you. You slipped and broke your hip! Nah, God doesn't want you to rethink your faith, it's because you're clumsy.

A few ~~nutsos~~ believers of the Bible say that judgment day is on May 21, 2011 and the end of the world will be on October 21, 2011 (amazing how they have exact dates, eh?). It's a little difficult to take them seriously becuase they're also saying that if they're still here after the said dates, it doesn't mean their belief is wrong, it just means that they were not "saved". I mean, come on.

It's things like this that make me skeptical of religion and faith to the point of being almost an agnostic. Despite the absurdity of some beliefs, I try to keep an open mind and take in as much information as I can. And this is why starting today until the end of the year (or the world, whichever comes first), I'll start reading the King James Bible one section at a time.

You can-
o download the iPod/iPhone version of the Logos Bible here
o read more about the 2011 end of the world here
o join discussions and prove your faith at The King and I here

Without Words

2010-11-19T02:51:00.000-08:00

Dear Brandy,

It's been more than two months since you've gone on and I can't say I've moved on already. We have a new dog in the house and his name is Bugsy, he's quite the rascal but I bet you'd have liked his company. You'd have enjoyed having someone to play with that's just as hyperactive as you were. It would have been a riot.

I miss you, puppy dearest. Today I was just thinking of your last days on earth. That night, when I arrived at the clinic where you were confined, you mustered up enough energy to stand up when you saw me, wagging your little tail weakly, surprising the vet because you had not stood up willingly for them during the day.

You liked fishies!

The people at the clinic said you stayed curled up in the corner of the cage, not paying them any mind even when they were trying to comfort you, completely ignoring the food that you used to gobble up in minutes not two days before. You were weak, the dextrose was your only lifeline. But you stood up and wagged your tail for me, silently telling me that you didn't want to be there.

I scooped you in my arms, carefully working around the needle on your small leg. We stayed in that position for a long while and I was stroking your head, your back, your little paws, whispering that you'll be better.

And then I needed to leave because they were closing, to my surprise, you pushed your weak body as hard as you could to that nook of my arm you loved burying your nose into whenever you were on my lap. Without words, you told me not to leave you in that dark cold room for the night, alone and in pain. But I did. I went home and thought leaving you there would be for the best. There were people who could monitor how you were doing in the middle of the night and call for the vet in case anything drastic happened.

You had such a cheeful face :)

You had your first seizure right before I left, in the cage. I panicked and frantically asked the vet what should be done. He calmly said that seizures would really happen because of the malfunction in your kidney. I was ignorant and didn't press on for further action because you seem to have calmed down after a while and the vet seemed sure that it was a normal reaction and we should just let it pass.

I left you there in the hopes that you would get better and that they can take care of you better than I could. I tossed and turned that night, worrying about what might happen during the dark of the night. Warning bells were clanging in my head, telling me that there was something amiss.

Always curious

The next morning, I called the clinic right when they opened so I can ask about how you were. I was horrified when they told me you've been having seizures since before dawn, the intervals getting shorter with each one and the vet got in just five minutes before my call. You didn't recognize me anymore though I called out your name and looked into your glazed eyes. I had no choice but to agree to put you down because you were in much pain.

There are so many "should haves" that night. I should have rushed you to a better pet hospital with better equipment and compassionate veterinarians who might have taken a more aggressive approach to your situation the night before. Rather than you having to endure your pain in a dark room by yourself, your designated watchers just letting you have seizure after seizure without notifying anybody, it might even have been better if I just took you home and kept watch over you and hugged you tight when the pain was unbearable. I know I should have. I feel guilty and helpless every time I remember.

Missed forever

Brandy, I'm still heartbroken that you're gone forever. I miss your happy face, inquisitive eyes and perennially wagging tail. All your life, you brought me nothing but joy; I'm sorry that because of me, you had to go painfully. You couldn't say what was hurting you then, you couldn't say what you wanted. But without words, you tried to. And in many words, although it won't bring you back, here I am telling you that I'm sorry.

Love,

Your human

I Need A Job / How To Write A Good Article

2010-10-08T03:33:00.000-07:00

Kids, having a job isn't as fun as you think it is. Yes, you would have cash to call your own and you can spend it the way you want to. While your pupils have morphed themselves into dollar signs and all you can hear now is kaching-kaching-kaching, I'm sorry to have to break your ~~greedy~~ happy little bubble.

There's one thing your fantasy forgot to show your cute little brain. Honey, it won't be all about parties, booze, and all the ice cream you want. In the real world, besides the fun stuff, you would also need to spend on the boring but essential "adult" things in life like rent (boo!), electricity (boo!), and water (boo!), among many other things (bigger boo!). Sorry, guys.

In line with this, I'm looking to get Job #2. Why? I'm old and I have bills that need paying. Because Job #1 ensures that most of my day is filled up, what I'm really looking for is a sideline. One of the jobs I applied for required an entry with an article based on their given topic.

I know I'm not the best writer in town (my grammar's shitty) but I spent a good few hours putting my thoughts in writing. So for posterity's sake, here's what I spat out-

How To Write a Good Article
By me

Most people think that writing is a piece of cake. Some don’t even take it to be a proper job. Many assume they can do it but when they attempt to, they just end up with word spaghetti. Good writing takes some skill to execute effectively. To be able to write a good article, you must first have a clear understanding of the subject at hand. If you’re unfamiliar with the topic, the first thing that you should do is to take the time to do proper research. Research doesn’t just mean going to a search engine, typing in the subject, and then taking the first few results as law. Unfortunately, not everything in the Internet can be believed these days and proper research requires finding the gold from the garbage. You need to figure out what are good sources and what are not. Once you’ve familiarized yourself with the topic, you’re ready to start writing.

A useful trick to get started is to list the important points that you want to discuss. Four or five is the ideal number- too many points might distract the reader from your main one, too few might leave the reader rather unconvinced. From there, start expounding on your subtopics, adding supporting statements and providing strong follow up information based on your research. It is also helpful to write with your target audience in mind; you’re writing the article for them, after all. It is imperative that they get the point that you want to drive at. To help achieve that, refrain from using big and flowery words that would leave your readers reaching for their dictionaries. You’re writing prose, not poetry. Simple words would do the job just fine. You don’t want your readers to stop reading before you even get to your point. Keep them wanting to read until the end of the article. As much as you can, keep your sentences short, well constructed and direct to the point. Avoid confusing your readers with convoluted and jumbled sentences. An article that is easy to read is an article that readers would want to read. End it conclusively; a story with no conclusion is just pointless. Leave your readers informed, enlightened and most especially entertained.

However, don’t just confine yourself inside the box. At this day and age, good writers are a dime a dozen and you’d want to differentiate yourself from the rest of them. While correct grammar is necessary, sentence construction is important, and content is king; a good way to keep ahead of the pack is to give your article a bit of a spin. Share an insight, personal or otherwise, that would give your readers something to think about and go- “Oh, that’s right!” and your article will be better for it. It might be easier said than done but with an ounce of creativity and a pinch of hard work, you’ll end up being a cut above the rest. What is important is to be clear, concise, believable, relevant, and different. That is how to write an article- not just a good one, but a great one.

Paalala

2010-10-04T00:45:00.000-07:00

Ito ay naisulat para sa mga taong higit pa kay Willie Revillame kung umasta. Sa mga taong kinauukulan, sana'y magsilbi itong paalala. Maari po lamang na itatak ninyo sa inyong mga lumobong ulo ang mga sumusunod na pahayag.

Una, ang pagiging bihasa sa wikang banyaga ay hindi sapat na dahilan upang inyong isipin na kayo ay nakalalamang sa iba.

Ang paggamit ng ibang lenguahe ay karagdagang kasanayan lamang na maaaring makatulong sa iyong hanapbuhay o pang araw araw na gawain. Hindi ito sapat na basehan ng kagalingan o katalinuhan.

Pangalawa, ang ganitong pagiisip ay nagpapakita ng kamangmangan.

Kung sa iyong palagay ay dapat isamba ang marunong ng salitang banyaga at liitin ang mga hindi bihasa, ikaw ay nagkakamali sa pagpili ng idolo. Kagaya ng nasabi ko sa aking unang pahayag, kailanman ay hindi ito basehan ng kagalingan.

Pangatlo, ang pangmamaliit sa kapwa sa kadahilanang hindi sya bihasa sa salitang banyaga ay ugaling dapat kasuklaman.

Sabihin natin na ikaw ay mahilig manood ng mga palabas na banyaga kung saan ginagamit ang ibang lenguahe at sa iyong palagay ay bihasa ka na sa paggaya sa kanilang pananalita. Hindi ito sapat na dahilan upang isiping ikaw ay mas nakahihigit sa iba.

~o~

Marahil ay hindi tuwid ang aking pagiisip at maikli ang aking pisi sa araw na ito. Gayon pa man, ito ang aking mensahe sa lahat ng maarte, mayabang, at mapangliit sa kapwa: Nawa'y alalahanin ninyo ang tinuro ng inyong mga magulang nung kayo ay musmos pa. O kung hindi naman, sana ay isaisip na ang karunungan sa salitang banyaga ay hindi dahilan upang magmalaki. Kung hindi pa rin, sana'y kunin nalang kayo ni Lord.

The Early Worm Gets Eaten By The Bird

2010-09-30T08:41:00.000-07:00

As expected, having a new puppy in the house has made me change my daily routine. My day now starts 2-3 hours earlier than it used to.

My schedule before Bugsy went like this:
08:00am - Wake up and lounge around
08:30am - Eat breakfast
09:00am - Get sucked into the vortex that is the Internet
10:30am - Get ready for work
11:00am-8:00pm - Work
09:00pm - Eat dinner
10:00pm - Get sucked into the vortex that is the Internet

These days, because Bugsy the pup wakes up at about five in the morning, he needs to be let out to do his poopie puppy business by 6am. Yes, 6 frickin' am. (Dear Reader, I haven't been up that early since that one semester in college when I had a 7am class. And that was seven years ago.)

My schedule now:
06:00am - Wake up and bring Bugsy out to do his morning business
06:30am - Give Bugsy breakfast/Eat breakfast
07:30am - Play with Bugsy/Bugsy's towel bath
08:30am - Get ready for work
09:30am-07:00pm - Work
08:00pm - Give Bugsy dinner/Eat dinner
09:00pm - Bring Bugsy out to do his evening business
09:30pm - Play with Bugsy/Bugsy's towel bath
10:00pm - Get sucked into the vortex that is the Internet

The first couple of times, I tried to sleep in for another hour to see if he could hold it in just a tiny bit longer. Having a bladder that is possibly smaller than my pinky finger, the little pup couldn't. Bugsy had a 'nice' little accident on the floor right by the entrance to my room.

Since then, I've forced myself to get up and bring him out right when I wake up. Surprisingly, the earlier schedule isn't as bad as I initially thought it was. I've gotten used to the earlier schedule and I'm starting to like getting things done earlier than usual. Although this lively little ball of fur wakes me up at ungodly hours of the morning and keeps me up late at night, I still think he's nothing short of adorable. <3

Bugsy at 11 weeks

Puppy Love

2010-09-24T02:26:00.000-07:00

Just last week, a nine-week old baby Shih Tzu doggie became the cutest member of my household. On his first day in his new home, the puppy was timid, shy, and overly scared of loud noises- he cried out and hid in shadowy corners when he heard a louder-than-your-normal-speaking-voice noise.

Shy little puppy

By nighttime, he was less scared and started to sniff around and play with Moo, his stuffed cow. The little bugger kept me up all night by trying to jump on the bed, whining for attention, and having little puppy accidents all over the place.

"I win this round, Mr. Moo!" -baby Bugsy

I wanted to call him Teddy the first night because he looked like a cute little teddy bear when he was sitting down. But on his second day, he overcame his shyness and became the little rascal that he truly is. By morning he was running around his play area, gobbling up his food down to the last kibble, enjoying getting his tummy rubbed (I found his ticklish spot!), and playfully nipping toes (I'm still trying to make him learn that this particular game isn't cute).

Bugsy likes his new name

Since then, the little bugger has been christened with the (fitting) name Bugsy- a name he seems to like as well. The second night was much better for little Bugsy and me. Although he had a couple of weewee accidents, they were understandable because he's only nine weeks old (puppies of that age can only hold their pee in for about 2 hours or so) and had just spent two days in his new home. What's amazing was that he slept through the night and pooped outside the following morning.

Bugsy is a curious little doggie

Now, he's like an energetic two-year-old human baby. He's teething (he has only eight teeth) and likes chewing on toy bones and his teether toys (although his favorite "toy" to massage his gums with are my favorite pink slippers -_-). He's also currently practicing to pounce, leaping as high as he can to land on top of his chosen toy (usually Moo, the stuffed cow).

No more weewee accidonts by the third night!

Three days in, he has learned to pee on his doggie pad (which is actually an adult diaper pad) and has almost learned that pooping should be done outside and outside only. He just had one poopy-related accident since the first night (this is a feat because the pup poops six times a day)!

Bugsy, I wish you had met Brandy

We're going to see the vet this weekend for Bugsy's third round of vaccines and I hope things go well. I get worried because I've been researching pet care online and have read too many horror stories of little puppies getting very sick and not making it (the Internet is evil for things like this). In the meantime, Bugsy is a bouncing ball of furry fluff that has taken possession of my heart (and my favorite pink slippers -_-). <3

Shared Laughter

2010-09-22T03:50:00.000-07:00

About five minutes ago, I found out I've been assigned to a new task at work. The document says my investigation should have started last week, lulz. What does that have to do with this entry? Nada! Nothing at all. Ain't that nice? Here's today's garbage, care of yours truly:

Shared Laughter

"Knock, knock.", I say
"Who's there?", you ask me
"There once was a man and a woman", I start
You laugh, I laugh, we laugh!

"What's so funny?", they ask us
I look at you, you look at me
We burst out laughing until we can't breathe
We don't know why either

"What happened to the otter who jumped in the pool", you ask me
I furrow my brow and go, "What?"
Eyes twinkling, you say, "I don't know, that's why I was asking!"
I giggle, you chuckle, we can't stop laughing!

"That's not funny at all!", they scoff at us
You shrug, I shrug, we shrug
"It's funny to us.", you say and I nod
They shake their heads and we just keep laughing.

On Quirino Grandstand Hostage - We're Friendly, I Promise.

2010-08-23T09:12:00.000-07:00

In light of recent events, I would like to offer my sincerest condolences to the families of the casualties of the Quirino Grandstand Hostage that happened today. It is a tragedy of such huge proportions.

I bow my head in shame for the local police, for not having enough training to know what to do in situations like this. There should have been no civilian bloodshed. The state of the Philippine police is saddening, I hope to live to see the day when we would all feel safe having them around to protect us.
I apologize for the recklessness of the media. In an attempt to get the best coverage, they pushed their way in to get as close as they could, forgetting all modicum of responsibility. The police had to request them to stand back, lower their lights and not reveal every move to the audience that included the hostage-taker who was watching inside the bus.
I am sorry for the lack of discipline of civilians. Instead of respecting the barricade around the area, a flock of people hurried to the scene and mobbed the bus once they got wind that the hostage-taker was taken down, to see the hostages being carried out of the bus.

No amount of apologies or would lessen the plight of the families of the hostages. Their lives were already compromised and their families orphaned. It was a tragedy, a horrible one at that. What it isn't, is an attack against Hongkong and neither it is a common occurence in this country. I hope with all my heart that it doesn't sever friendly relations between the Philippines and Hongkong or any other country.

The news reported that the tourists' flight back to Hongkong should have been at 7pm today. All of them didn't make the flight back; some would fly back to their loved ones tonight or tomorrow, but some wouldn't get to. This candle is an offering to those who didn't get the chance to see home. May they find their peace.

Peter Pan Had It Wrong, Growing Up Ain't So Bad

2010-08-16T01:02:00.000-07:00

"If growing up means it would be beneath my dignity to climb a tree, I won't grow up, never grow up, never grow up, not me." -Peter Pan

A few years ago, I got a gift from a distant relative when I came to visit. While that doesn't seem all that unusual, it has to be said that of about a dozen of us who visited, I was the only one given a present. I bashfully thanked them, and asked what it was for. (It wasn't my birthday.)

Their answer had me stunned. The couple said it was because to them, I had always maintained a child-like aura. They said it seemed as if I never lost my child's spirit. Their gift was so I know that it's a good thing to remain child-like. "Um, what?" was the phrase in my head when I heard it. I wasn't expecting that answer at all, them telling me I was their child who they gave away at birth would have been more believable.

The boy who refused to grow up.

For Peter Pan, the idea of growing up is ludicrous. It's unthinkable to want to grow up, or even to think about it. Sometimes we don't necessarily want to, but we have to. There are bills that need to be paid, responsibilities that need to be taken care of and the future to think of and worry about.

Today, I feel the oldest I've felt since.. ever. I've made a decision that will be part of my life until the next decade or so. All at once, it's a commitment, a risk, and a choice. It's a big step towards adulthood. I feel like a proper grown-up today, lulz. And while it is scary, it is also gratifying (and exciting!).

But Peter Pan had it wrong I think, being a grownup doesn't mean you won't climb trees anymore. You still would and could, but by then you may also choose to climb mountains. I'm hoping to still get a gift from that couple again this year. ~_~

Cats the Musical in Manila!

2010-06-21T00:32:00.002-07:00

Y'all probably heard all about it already but because I'm so excited I'm gonna have to say it again: CATS THE MUSICAL IS COMING TO MANILA!!! *squeeeee*

To get the best seats, we reserved our tickets as early as January (for a July showdate). And here, ladies and gentlemen, is the ticket. ^_~

The ticket.

A sneak preview of the magic that will happen on stage is this video of Lea Salonga singing the Cats classic, Memory, at the press launch last year.

I got goosebumps. Can't wait to watch her take on Grizabella!

And look at that, the Facebook page says Lea will be performing in ALL the shows. Wow. Hurry and get your tickets before they get all sold out. I'll be watching on gala night. See you there!

Universal Studios Singapore's Shrek 4D Adventure - Best 4D Experience in All of Asia!

2010-06-11T04:52:00.000-07:00

So, everyone's been making a fuss about the fourth Shrek movie. While I haven't seen it myself, I've been told it wasn't the best. The movie came out here while I was on a trip to Singapore where I experienced a different, and a whole lot better, kind of Shrek.

I'm talking about the Shrek 4D Adventure, one of the main attractions at the newly-opened Universal Studios in Singapore.

Behind the entrance to the attraction is Castle Far, Far Away

How it went -

It didn't require too much waiting time, which was great. They had two waiting areas, the first one was the actual queue, and after a quick few minutes in that line, they let you in this big indoors waiting room with screens, a few knick knacks from the movie (Hello, Pinocchio trapped in a box!) and for those of you who've been living under a rock and don't know who Shrek is, there's no need to worry as there is a storyteller who'd tell you a brief story of what already happened.

An adorable effigy of daddy Donkey and his baby Dronkeys

And as soon as that (kind of corny) intro is done, the doors to a large 4D theater open and you get settled in for a fun ride.

It starts out slowly with Shrek, Fiona and Donkey in an onion carriage (I don't know why either) ride heading back to Far, Far Away land. And then Donkey sneezes in your face! Anything that starts out with a sniffly Donkey spraying your face with snot is bound to be a hoot, I thought. And indeed, it was. From then on it was a wild and hilarious 10-minute chase with the ragtag crew that we all love made up of ogres, a donkey, fire-breathing dragons, a gingerbread man, Pinocchio and a not-so-typical prince charming. All in believable and fantastic 4D!

Someone's Dad

2010-04-30T09:42:00.000-07:00

I came across this story tonight and I believe that it needs to be put out there.

Many times, I've been witness to hospital staff snapping at patients from the lower rungs of the social hierarchy (and being extra nice to foreign-looking patients in better clothing). It's a sad world when we think we can look down on people who we believe are beneath us.

I normally tell my friends who are about to start a career in the medical field that they should be doubly patient and never, ever be cross or highfalutin. It is when one is sick that he feels most vulnerable and miserable and a little empathy from the hospital staff would be highly appreciated.

Please read through and pass around if you wish.

This is a simple letter anonymously sent to a public clinic's office, and it goes:

To Each Staff Member of this Facility:

As you pick u that chart today and scan that green Medicaid card, I hope you will remember what I am about to say.

I spent yesterday with you. I was there with my mother and father. We didn't know where we were supposed to go or what we were supposed to do, for we had never needed your services before. We have never before been labeled 'charity'.

I watched yesterday as my dad became a diagnosis, a chart, a case number, a charity case labeled "no sponsor" because he has no health insurance.

I saw a weak man stand in line, waiting for five hours to be shuffled through a system of impatient office workers, a burned-out nursing staff and a budget-scarce facility, being robbed of any dignity and pride he may have had left. I was amazed at how impersonal your staff was, huffing and blowing when the patient did not present the correct form, seaking carelessly of other patients' cases in front of passersby, of lunch breaks that would be spent away from this "poor man's hell."

My dad is only a green card, a file number to clutter your desk on appointment day, a patient who will ask for directions twice after they've been mechanically given the first time. But, no, that's not really my dad. That's only what you see.

What you don't see is a cabinetmaker since the age of 14, a self-employed man who has a wonderful wife, four grown kids (who visit too much), and five grandchildren (with two more on the way)---all of whom think their "pop" is the greatest. This man is everything a daddy should be--strong and firm, yet tender; rough around the edges, a country boy, yet respected by prominent business owners.

He's my dad, the man who raised me through thick and thin, gave me away as a bride, held my children at their births, stuffed a $20 bill into my hand when times were tough and comforted me when I cried. Now we are told that before long cancer will take this man away from us.

You may say these are the words of a grieving daughter lashing out in helplessness at the prospect of losing a loved one. I would not disagree. Yet I would urge you not to discount what I say. Never lose sight of the people behind your charts. Each chart represents a person--with feelings, a history, a life--whome you have the power to touch for one day by your words and actions. Tomorrow it may be you loved one--your relative or neighbor--who turns into a case number, a green card, a name to be marked off with a yellow marker as done for the day.

I pray that you will reward the next person you greet at your station with a kind word or smile because that person is someone's dad, husband, wife, mother, son, or daughter--or simply because he or she is a human being, created and loved by God, just as you are.

Author Unknown

Shopping is the key to world peace

2010-04-11T20:08:00.000-07:00

"When I shop the world gets better, the world is better; and then it's not anymore and I have to do it again." -Rebecca Bloomwood, Confessions of a Shopaholic

At this, I am supposed to go: "Awww, shush now honey, it happens to the best of us. I'll help you." But no. Becky isn't exactly a person I can relate to or even sympathize with. She shops with such reckless abandon that to me, it fails to come off as endearing. What I want to say to her is: "You fucked up. Man up, lady."

Sorry, but I just can't imagine ever condoning someone, no matter how cute (she is pretty darn), who's always buried neck deep in debt for shopping too much. That is just crazy (yes, I'm a square).

But by golly, it works.

Last weekend, I was in the mood for some retail therapy so I set out bright and early to get things started. After a few hours, a lot of fitting and credit card abuse, I ended up with 2 lovely leather bags, a good pair of linen pants, a nice pair of jean leggings, light blue shorts, black shorts, a couple of cute shirts, and a bright pink yoga mat. (Please don't judge me.) Oh and an extra battery and a soft case for my camera.

Becky is quite right. The world gets better, the world IS better, after a day of shopping. :P

The Story of Bo

2010-04-07T07:49:00.000-07:00

Hi, my name is Bo and I'm a stray.

To make it through the day, I beg for scraps from strangers and some of them take pity on me. I get a lot of hard stares and angry shouts for doing this, people usually shoo me away when they see me coming, the mean ones kick me or throw small objects at me so I get scared and scramble out of the way. Sometimes I have to sleep without eating for an entire day, but that's okay. Someone would eventually throw food at me or I can always rummage for leftovers in the trash bins.

I don't have place to stay. Every night, I find a safe and warm spot for me to sleep in. I have to find a spot hidden enough so I wouldn't be seen by those mean kids, not again. Not after the last time when they put me inside a sack, tied it and threw it in a dumpster. Good thing I was able to chew my way out, I ran away as fast as my little paws would carry me. It turned out okay because I was led to a much nicer neighborhood after it.

I don't have a human to call my own. Sometimes, I meet nice people who give me some food and water and play with me for a little while. I wag my tail at them, hoping that maybe one of them would like me enough to bring me home and I can stop being wary of the things around me, it gets scary sometimes.

Oh, I'd be so happy when that happens! I'd play with my human all day and I'll walk beside him everywhere he goes! I'd lick his face joyfully and wag my tail as hard as I can every time he comes home. It sounds fun! He would scratch my ears, rub my belly, and laugh whenever I get wriggly and excited! And at night, I'd cuddle up to him, I bet it'd be all warm and cozy.

No, it hasn't happened yet, but maybe one day, someday it will.

On a happier note

2010-02-03T23:33:00.000-08:00

Most of what I wrote about in the past few months can be summarized in one line that goes: whine, whine, whine, whine, whine. Been complaining too much, usually about little things like the internet not working properly, or bad service at a restaurant, or the rate my body is ballooning or life not being peachy keen.

Yes, there are a bajillion things not going right in this world, in my life and yours, but there are also a bajillion other things going just the way they're supposed to.

The internet may be running at a snail's pace, but hey, at least I get some idle time to write about it.

The service may be a bit slow at North Park, but they still gots the BEST jellyfish and century egg dish in town, no contest.

And while I may be fat (and growing exponentially so), I'm still kinda cute.

So why complain? There are more than enough reds and oranges and yellows and peaches to chase away the blues. ~_~

Have you met Igor?

2010-01-11T06:36:00.000-08:00

Once, I had a dream. I dreamed of having a big-ass camera.

And I mean that literally, I actually dreamed of lugging a dSLR from one dream sequence to the next. The dream had me taking pictures of anything and everything around me, with the storyline focusing on the camera and how to use and utilize its features according to the different scenes.

I like saying that I took this dream as a sign of sorts to get a dSLR (anything to justify unnecessary spending).

And so the week after the dream, I did some Googling and consulted friends in the know. The conclusion? Except for one, everyone else voted to get a Nikon entry-level dSLR. My choices were D40, D40x, and the D3000, all entry-level Nikon cameras, all with stellar ratings. The next issue was the budget, how much should I shell out for a new hobby that I may or may not like, once tried? The solution to which was to get a slightly used one from TipidPC.

Cutting the story short, I got one last weekend.

Meet Igor, my new-old Nikon D40x. Bought from a lovely lady from TipidPC who got it as a gift from her daddy last September and was going to upgrade to the mid-level Nikon D90 (she got her new camera the same day she sold the D40x to me).

Here be baby Igor*

Ain't that sweet?

In all honesty, I was partial to the D40x from the beginning. It's an upgraded version of the D40, it's cheaper than the D3000 and my favorite gadget reviews site gave it a 10 out of 10 rating. Perfect for a dSLR noob like me. ^_~

*name from the animated movie of the same title, christened by Bim. See the resemblance?

Realization

2009-12-08T19:41:00.001-08:00

Last night, I woke up in the middle of sleep wheezing heavily. Each breath that I took in was laborious and required every ounce of effort I had left in me. Sleep abandoned me as I lay there huffing and puffing the night away.

In the quiet of the night, I listened to my lungs clunk like an old engine being forced to start and sputter. The lack of oxygen in my brain made it even more muddled than usual. Silly thoughts were running (tumbling, more like) in my head and I was wondering what would happen in the morning if my lungs decided to collapse right then.

There wouldn't be any chance to say goodbye to everyone I want to say goodbye to. I guess I can do that in the afterlife, if there's such a thing. I thought about my stuff, what would happen to them. And then I thought about my life and what I've done with it; and I realize that there's not much to miss.

My breathing slowly returned to near normal after I took medicine, tiredness eventually took over and I drifted to a restless slumber.

Back in The Day

2009-12-04T19:35:00.000-08:00

Strange. It feels like I've forgotten to write from the heart. These days, I write with an audience in mind. I write thinking what their reaction would be, thinking about what they'd think about me and about what I wrote.

Because of this, I tend to avoid topics from the deep recesses of my being. Now, I steer clear of issues too emotional, ideas too controversial, and matters too personal. Why? For fear of rejection, for fear of confrontation, for fear of the truth.

It was only a few years ago when blogging only meant putting into words the things you find difficult to voice out in real life without trying to be funny, without trying to increase site traffic, without trying to gain any profit. Blogging was merely a pastime, not a profession. The internet community was much simpler then, with less walls, less barriers.

Back then, everyone wrote from the heart. People blogged about what they really thought, what they felt. Most everyone blogged about the things that mattered most to them, instead of what they think would matter to their readers.

I want those days back.

Channeling Mr. Scrooge (A Christmas Wish List)

2009-11-25T07:58:00.002-08:00

It's just a few days away until the 25th but I'm still not feeling the holiday cheer. At home, the tree and lights are already up, the city malls are bustling with holiday festivities, and reunions are being scheduled here and there. This particular holiday has been fantastically hyped up, like always, but it all feels flat somehow. There's none of that it's-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year vibe that I usually pair up with this time of the year.

Oh pshaw, don't listen to the Scrooge, I'm one year older but still none the wiser. Hey, it might not feel like Christmas yet, but so what? There will still be gifts come Christmas day.

This post is dedicated to the fantastic, fabulous, gorgeous, generous AND overall awesome people who actually are thinking of getting me gifts this year. You are wonderful. And awesome. Oh, I already said that.

This Christmas would be jollier if I had these.

1. An external keyboard for my Nokia 5800

Touch screens are fine and dandy, but after a while, it gets tedious to type in sentences. I want to be able to use my SmartPhone for more than just calling and listening to music. With a keyboard, I can take down notes, write email, and ~~Plurk at work~~ surf the web efficiently.

2. A mini watering can/spritzer.

My recently acquired office plant, known as Bonggang Bonggang Bongbong (don't ask why), Bong for short, has been unhealthy as of late. I've had me my first dead stem this week. *sniff* Quite honestly, I have no idea how to take care of a plant (or any other living creature for that matter) and I've been using my tumbler to water it. It would be nice to have a mini-watering can/plant spritzer for it. So it doesn't die.

3. The entire Archie Americana Series

I would be eternally grateful to anyone who finds me this set. I've only managed to salvage Best of the Forties, the others have unfortunately perished along with other childhood books when the roof leaked. The bookstores don't seem to carry this line anymore and that's just sad.

4. USB Powered Heated Gloves (Yes, they exist)

Anyone who's worked with me, or has been with me in an air-conditioned room for extended periods of time, would know that my hands get insanely cold. My body can be perfectly warm but my hands would be stiff and deathly cold. These USB powered heated gloves would really, really be nifty to have around.

5. Fingerless Gloves

Normal gloves make it very difficult to type, and they won't pay me around here unless I type. If USB powered heated gloves seem too frivolous, these fingerless cuties would be the next best thing.

6. A Wii nunchuck

Wii Sports Boxing is a hoot. I've been playing against a bot because I have two Wiimotes but only one Wii nunchuck. Second hand ones would work just as well, and those are fairly priced over at TipidPC. And then we get ready to rumble.

7. Boy Bawang

Vats of it. Adobo flavored Boy Bawang is my current favorite but I also like the garlic flavored ones. My new officemates munch on Boy Bawang (to them Boyboy) on a daily basis and the cornick love has infected me badly.

and lastly,

8. Candy Canes

I. LOVE. THESE. I once bought a can of mini mint candy canes and decorated my cube with them. And as soon as cubicle judging was done, I ate each and every one of those minty hardened sugar. And had a smile on my face for the rest of the day.

And that's that. The things I want this Christmas. Aside from world peace, of course.

I'm infinitely cheerier about the holidays now.

Short and Sweet

2009-11-21T20:10:00.001-08:00

Everyone has so much to say these days. On one hand, it's a good thing because people have an alternative outlet for whatever's on their minds. On the the other, there are a ton of reading material that just drone on and on with barely any point. My short attention span makes me drift off midway through the first paragraph. It's getting harder to filter out what are good reads and what's garbage.

Who am I to complain, really? I myself am guilty of oversharing. I've cluttered the Internet enough on this blog, there's also LiveJournal, I have microblogging accounts over at Plurk and Twitter, there's Facebook , and a dash of random forums. All garbage.

Drama Is Not Exclusive To LJ

2009-11-02T09:59:00.000-08:00

Tainting the new blog with drops of emo wasn't in the plan. I was trying my darndest to stay as far away from that topic as possible. But tonight, because I wanted a no-qualms audience while I fumble for words, I have decided to use this channel the way it was meant to be used, as a personal emotional toilet, without the convenience of a flush.

Like the song goes, it's my party and I'll cry if I want to. Be warned though, this may be the most gag-inducing entry in this blog as of present. That is, here in Blogspot. LJ posts still top the list of things that can make Elmo want to slash his wrist.

After all that intro, I'd hate to disappoint. Let's get on with the crying, shall we?

Before the boohoos, I apologize for the LJ putdown. I do not hate LiveJournal nor do I dislike it. I have an account, actually. But for tonight, it is precisely the reason for my wanting to take an emotional dump.

There are things in life that tear you apart, and once damaged, you will never be the same again.

As for me, what caused irreparable damage was getting a close look at my current flame's brighter flames. (wipe your frowns away please) In less dramatic words, I've read several years worth of very public LJ entries of two people madly and passionately in love, and wrote about it daily for the world to see. Their flames burned so bright that it was awe-inspiring in its grandeur. And because I had an insider's point of view, watching from the sidelines as they professed their burning love for each other, as if I was with them while the fire was very much alive, I was burned.

It's as if watching a chick flick of your partner paired up with perfection. Say for example, the sappy The Notebook. If you've seen it, you'd know that the movie revolves around the story of the characters, Noah and Allie. They fell in love when they were young, and although certain events drove them apart, their love for each other never went away. They eventually ended up together despite all the obstacles. And when they were older, Noah patiently stayed by Allie's side reading her their love story day by day, as she whiles away with Alzheimer's disease, not remembering herself, more so the people around her. It is a beautiful story of fiery love, enduring love, unending love.

It is unbearably sweet, but in line with the analogy; your man is Noah, you're not Allie and you have front row tickets to watch them be mesmerized by each other.

That is how knowing past intimate details feels like. That knowledge has created for me my own personal monster; it eats me, gnaws at my strength, nibbles away my confidence, creeps up on me, shows up its ugly head in the most inopportune moments, and I hate it. I'm beginning to hate myself for it too.

The funny thing about all this is that I have been accused often enough, by a number of people, of being distant, aloof, and even uncaring at times. I AM distant, aloof, and uncaring at times. In all honesty, this being greatly affected by the past, it's a very new and scary thing for me. It is extremely frustrating, because for once in my life, I cannot keep these unruly emotions in check.

You're scared of.. what now?

2009-10-26T08:54:00.001-07:00

Everyone seems to be on a listing spree for the Halloween, so I thought to jump on the bandwagon.

October. It is the month that is usually linked to ghouls, dead people, the dark, and generally all things creepy. But those mentioned are fears common to most, there are truckloads of articles written about them already. I wanted a topic that's not as overused as the others, so after weighing my topic ideas, I settled on writing about people's weird fears (who am I kidding, this topic has already been used and abused). It was a toss up between the top five things we are all afraid of and this. And as always, I went with weird.

So here I present to you, the TOP 5 WEIRDEST FEARS, according to me.

First up, at number five, we have:
5. BOGYPHOBIA

This one's pretty easy to figure out. As you probably already guessed, Bogyphobia is the fear of bogeys. While I too, am not very fond of the bogeyman, the term for this fear just gives me the LOLs. Couldn't anyone have thought of a better, less snicker-inducing name? Something more ominous sounding perhaps?

Next up on the list, at 4th place is:
4. CACOPHOBIA.

Cacophobia's a bit harder to guess, by the name alone. It is, by definition, the fear of ugliness. You read it correctly. Ugliness is scary. How something like this can be an actual condition, I do not know.

Taking the 3rd spot, we've got:
3. CONSECOTALEOPHOBIA

This is the fear of.. -wait for it- ..chopsticks. I kid you not. There are actually people who balk at seeing those tiny little sticks. Imagine this person going to China. And dying.

Now on to the runner up, at number two is:
2. HIPPOPOTOMONSTROSESQUIPEDIALIOPHOBIA

I salute you if you can read that out loud without fumbling the first time. Can you guess what this is a fear of? Ironically, hippopotomonstrosesquipedialiophobia is the fear of long words. Come on now, people-who-make-these-names-up, this was the only name you could think of? REALLY?!

Psychologist: "So.. what phobias do you have?"
Person with this phobia: "I have Hippopotomo-" *faints*
You just can't give them a break, can you?

And we are now down to last item on the list. This, ladies and gentlemen, has got to take the cake as the weirdest phobia of all time, bar none.

Taking the number one spot on this list is:
1. ARACHIBUTYROPHOBIA
You will not see this coming. This phobia is the fear of.. peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth. For SRZ. Peanut butter. sticking. to. the. roof. of. the. mouth. PEANUT BUTTER! *pauses and sighs* What more can I say?

Homer has it?
Well, that's that. The top five weirdest phobias I could find on the intarwebz. If you have any of these fears, I am very sorry, but you are weird. And slightly disturbing.

Runners up include: POGONOPHOBIA, the fear of beards; SYPHILOPHOBIA, the fear of.. you guessed it.. syphilis (I would like to think that we all suffer from this fear); and, PELADOPHOBIA, the fear of bald people (Mr. Clean looks like he can pummel you with a meat cleaver).

I'm not exactly one to criticize, because I am deathly afraid of stairs, specially winding ones in very close quarters. It's a weird combination of climacophobia and claustrophobia (someone, come up with a funny name for it already).

What about you, what are you weirdly afraid of?

Mii and my Wii

2009-10-21T08:55:00.000-07:00

Every time I get a new toy, I tend to obsess about it until all possible research channels (and resources) have been exhausted. Such is the case with the 2nd hand Wii I recently acquired, a steal at the price I got it for (TipidPC, thank you). Originally bought in February of this year, it is an unmodified US unit, barely used, and it came packaged with an extra Wiimote, the Wii Fit board, four original game discs, all the original packaging and a bunch of other accessories. In other words, I'm very happy with the deal.

The Miis

The first thing you do is to create a profile, to specify where to log all your activities, called the Mii. It serves as your Wii self, basically you in 3D likeness. And while making them can take a while, the end result is usually a hoot. Here are a some of the Miis I made, you tell me if they give justice to their real-life counterparts.

The MEL Mii -hair's a little off, but otherwise a good resemblance.

The PAPA Mii -not bad, could be better, but it's close enough.

The MAMA Mii -SPOT ON! It looks so much like her, it's scary.

The BIM Mii -I'd say this is pretty darn close.

The JANINE Mii -I didn't make this one, her sister Jamie did, but it's too cute to not share.

The Games

Of course, what would a gaming console be for if not for the games? Although mine came with a few games when I got it, I've collected four additional games for it within a week, namely:

Super Mario Galaxy -a gift from the awesome Bim
Resident Evil -because of glowing reviews from everywhere in the interwebs and IRL
Super Smash Bros Brawl -ranked 4th in the Wii All-time Best game rankings, and
Wii Play -bought at a great bargain, a better Wii Sports with decent ranking

Anyway, after getting all those games in a span of four days, I am done. No more new ones until next year. Absolutely no more! I promise. That is.. after I get Dance Dance Revolution: Hottest Party disc and a dance pad. But those will be the absolute final purchases for the Wii for this year. Promise. No, really.

So far, of all my games, the Wii Fit has been the most fun. It extends the Wii to something more than just a hand game by making you get up on your feet and move. It's also a good way to keep a less sedentary lifestyle, and it provides the entire family with a lot of laughs too (chunky dad attempting to do a yoga pose is a precious sight to see).

This is my tita, Tita Ging and her mini-me, Jamie,
enjoying the Wii with the rest of the family just this weekend.

In too many words, what I was just saying is that the Wii is a boatload of fun!

Selfish Acts

2009-10-05T23:30:00.000-07:00

09/30/09. This was the day that Kate and I set aside to help out the typhoon victims in our own little way.

We had already decided on a place to offer our services to: Whitespace over at Pasong Tamo Extension in Makati. Armed with a meager budget, Kate and I met up early in the afternoon to grocery shop. It's good to note that noodle and canned good racks were most nearly empty; it hopefully means that what was in the racks were already donated. With our car filled with loot a couple hours and some bargains later, we happily made our way to Makati.

Finding the relief center was easy enough, as it was next to landmarks that were impossible to miss. Right as I was about to enter the gates of Whitespace, a red motorcycle came hurtling towards us from the other direction. And because we were going at a snail's pace, I was able to stop the car so as not to hit the biker. He hit us instead.

*spot the unintentional ad and you get a prize

That's the biker in the red helmet, Joel, who incidentally had been driving for less than 6 months, and was on an errand to buy a pack of gum for his boss. Those people standing around him were my witnesses, all of them saying the biker was going too fast. That's Cherry, my secondhand car; plate bent, bumper dented.

On a cheerier note, the MAPSA enforcer who helped us with this case was Renato (i-forgot-his-last-name); local celebrity copper, that guy on the news who returned the million pesos he found on the streets (he proudly told us this bit of information after everything was settled). The first thing he asked was if the bike toppled over with the impact. It didn't.

He assured me by saying that if a bike stays upright after impact, it usually means that the bike rammed into the car rather than the other way around. Otherwise, the biker would've been flung to the ground and injured. Bim arrived on the scene a few minutes later, he slipped away from work to come to my rescue... by laughing like there's no tomorrow with Mang Renato. And more importantly, he came armed with a hug reserved for me.

It took a good hour and a half to settle things before we went inside to unload the goods. Kate and I shortly found things to busy ourselves with and once we did, we were happy campers working like little ants part of the ant colony, part of the bigger picture. We were joined later by respective office mates and friends, who all headed straight over after work to help out as well.

The goods had to be collected, distributed in family packs, moved to the collecting area to be counted and then finally loaded in the truck for distribution. It was tiring, manual labor, but it was also fulfilling and well worth it. Although what we had to offer was little, we were still welcomed. Everyone of different classes, of different ages were working together for a singular cause. Seeing everyone contribute whatever they can to help our countrymen who were hit badly by the storm gives one a sense of pride; that we know and we've proven that we can come together at a time like this, there's hope for us yet.

Someone told me that people volunteer to feel good about themselves, that it is a selfish act more than anything else. If that is the case, what the hell, then so be it. We feel better about ourselves AND we are able to help those who need helping. It's a win-win situation from all angles.

A couple of weeks after Ondoy wrecked a good part of the country, things seem calm. The hype has died down. Classes have resumed. Adults have gone back to work. Donations come in fewer and further in between. Now, more than ever, relief operation centers need more volunteers and donations. The disaster isn't over yet, there still are thousands of families in evacuation centers with no food to eat, and no houses to live in.

Let us still try to help in whatever way we can. Here is the list of places to donate and volunteer. Every little bit counts.

Monsters in the Closet

2009-09-13T10:04:00.000-07:00

If for example, you are inside your bedroom, relaxing and reading a book before bedtime and an alien, slimy and huge, smashes its way through your door. You notice that it's badly wounded, and it seems to be on a rampage, with purpose to kill and destroy everything along its path, and you're next up. In front of you, he stops, lowers his eyes, and growls reverberatingly with its hand ready to strike, what would you do?

Option 1: Assume a fighting stance, snarl, lock eyes and meet it head on?

Option 2: Bait it, say you can help it?

Option 3: Run for your life, screaming and flailing in the other direction?

What would you do? Which option would you pick?

We are all afraid of something. The dark, a rabid dog, rejection, needles, attention, enclosed spaces, death, childbirth, among many others. We each have our own personal scares to deal with. But what do we do when we're faced with them?

As with everything, we have the power to choose our own ending to the story. If we choose the first option, we face the alien monster head on. We face it, knowing full well that the chance of winning a fight with a more powerful extraterrestrial is slim to nil. If we choose the second, we talk our way through the compromising situation. If the wounded alien believes us, and then we can't, what then? And with the third option, we flee in an attempt to escape it. And hope against all hope that it never comes back. But these scaries, they do, eventually they do.

What really, is the best way to go about that monster in your closet?

*Stairs. I am not-so-secretly afraid of stairs.

09/09/09 - Time to Smell the Roses

2009-09-09T08:52:00.001-07:00

09/09/09 - Time to Smell the Roses
Originally uploaded by meltesorero

Waking up to a good morning message softens the cynic in me for some unfathomable reason. I like it.

That Green-Eyed Bitch

2009-09-04T17:12:00.000-07:00

Last night, I had an up close and personal with the lover's ex. I was so close that I could see the clear and unblemished pores of her fair skin, so close that I could have touched the impressive double mounds of frontal flesh, so close that I felt the strong will radiating from her intelligent doe eyes.

And how can I forget to mention the legs, which are long, smooth, and perfectly shaped.

She makes her way to the restroom, giving us a good view of her lower half.
Me to him: Wow, fantastic legs.
Him to me: *looks appreciatively* Meh, they're nice.
Him to himself: *mentally bites fist* Bobdamn, what sexy stems.

After a few minutes in a conversation with them feeling like the third wheel, I excused myself to get some fresh air and found myself spending the night forgotten and alone.

To clear things up, she isn't green-eyed. And it was all a dream.

That green-eyed bitch getting under my skin is no one but myself and my jealousy.

Now, in a fair view of things, there really shouldn't be anything wrong with befriending an ex. Why? One, this person was once an important factor in your life. Two, there should be enough things in common to be friends even without the romance. And three, good friends are hard to come by.

So, a sensible person would look past the awkwardness and let the ex in their lives. Is it a case of keeping your friends close and your enemies closer? Come to think of it, with the ex in the same circle, you'd have an insider's view of things (by "things" I actually mean "motives"). That makes sense, kind of. But for us who are weak of heart and strong of feelings of selfishness, it's not an idea that's easy to swallow.

Props to those of you who are smart enough to befriend their current's past flames. I let my own monsters eat me up once in a while. Try keeping yours at bay.

String around my finger.

2009-08-24T08:28:00.000-07:00

Come to think of it, why do we tie a string around our finger to help us remember things? There's probably no scientific basis for that belief, but we believe it anyway.

EDIT: And because things like this bug me unless answered, I researched a bit and this was the only thing I could find attempting to explain it.

I am easily distracted and I tend to forget things easily, so I thought to post an online note to remind me of the things I need done ASAP.

Oh look, a squirrel!

I mean, here's my to-do list for this week.

08/16/09 - Butterfly Kisses

2009-08-16T08:54:00.000-07:00

08/16/09 - Butterfly Kisses
Originally uploaded by meltesorero

Summer is over and the weather is bleak, but the flowers in bloom
are still kissed by perennially pretty butterflies at Sonya's Garden in
Tagaytay.

*the title is borrowed from the lovely Bob Carlisle song.

08/13/09 - Bats

2009-08-13T09:01:00.000-07:00

08/13/09 - Bats
Originally uploaded by meltesorero

Thinking we were going the wrong direction on an out of town trip, we pulled over to figure out if we were still on the right path. On that quick stop we noticed a long line of trees thickly covered with weirdly shaped "fruits". Fruits that upon closer inspection, turned out to be bats. Goosebumps.

That Kind of Love

2009-07-31T07:50:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had a love that sends chills down your spine?

That while talking about mundane things, you find yourself staring at his or her lips and have to fight the urge to lean over and kiss them with no care for the rest of the world.

That you feel a current whenever your skin touches theirs.

That you get a rush of adrenaline each and every time you see that someone.

And you have that pride in your heart that this person cares for you as much.

That somehow, smiles come easier. There's a certain kind of light in your eyes, a skip in your step, a song in your voice. You get a heady feeling that the world is yours to conquer.

A love so powerful that a simple hug feels like it's all you need in the world, a sweet kiss leaves you breathless and hungry for more.

That the flowers are in bloom, the sun seems to shine brighter, the sky magnificently bluer, and the world is simply a better place.

Have you had that kind of love?

Yes, it's a practical world and people expect you to team up with the most logical choice, the nice guy next door who sent you flowers on your birthday, the sweet friend who brings you soup when you're sick or gives up his or her night to have a conversation with you over the phone and drives you home when you're too drunk, the girl whose dad is friends with your dad and you've known since you guys were kids. This is the choice that we are expected to make, that society dictates us to make.

But once in a while, you get feelings so strong, you feel like you were doused with a bucket of ice cold water. You don't get those often enough in a lifetime, some never get them at all.

So if you're one of the lucky ones to find that, you grab that chance, you take it.

For no matter how unsure you are of the future, no matter how uncertain you are of the outcome, that kind of love, it isn't something you just let pass you by.

07/26/09 - Is That You?

2009-07-26T09:02:00.000-07:00

07/26/09 - Is That You?
Originally uploaded by meltesorero

He's never this somber-looking, TheBim. He has a multitude of faces, usually silly, sometimes gross, other times angry. A face this neutral on him, is a rarity. And because I didn't have a camera on me this weekend, the only things I remember are: 1. I spent it with this boy, and 2. I had a grand time. <3

07/23/2009 - I See You

2009-07-23T09:03:00.000-07:00

07/23/2009 - I See You
Originally uploaded by meltesorero

Snowy is what they call this twelve month old kitty cub, for she has fur fairer than most. This one, together with a few dozen big cats, calls Zoobic Safari her home.

Notice the white spots on either ear? These spots that tigers have on the back of their ears are called “eye spots” or “predator spots” which function as false eyes for any predator approaching from behind. Pretty cool, huh?

Chronicling the goodness of chicken.

2009-07-14T06:14:00.000-07:00

For no good or interesting reason, I have decided to chronicle my unwavering fascination for chicken and its meat (favoring the deep fried variety). Picture this: a slab of steaming white meat lathered in a nice thick coat of flour and seasoning, deep fried to delicous golden crispy goodness.

Who can resist that?

.. a lot of you, apparently. But come on now, we all love chicken, don't we? Okay, quick poll, who here doesn't like chicken?

What? No hands raised? I thought so. We ALL love chicken.

Based on our conclusive poll results, from this point forward, you shall find reviews of chicken dishes, recipes and random whathaveyous in this blog.

Why chicken? Well, good golly gumdrop, why not? Chicken is everyone's staple meat. What about other meat sources, you say? Like beef and pork? Meh is what I say. Both meats can be tough as rubber if not cooked properly. Fish then, maybe? Meh again. Fish can taste a bit too much like the sea for some people's palates (mine included). Same goes for all seafood. But chicken? Ahhhhh, chicken. Cook it whichever way you want to, and it will still be glorious in every bite.

First up is the very affordable but nonetheless scrumptious and artery-clogging Mcdonald's Crispy Chicken Fillet.

Priced at a dirt cheap 50 pesos, the deep fried filleted chicken comes with a serving of rice and a regular drink, making it a good meal option for kids on a budget who don't have the time or the patience to cook themselves a packed lunch.

..assuming that said office kids don't have such huge appetites.

...and that they can handle spicy food.

It is a bit spicy, that makes its target audience significantly smaller. (a little spice is good for the soul ^_~) And speaking of small, the meat isn't exactly big enough to be filling. So if you're feeling ravenous, this isn't the meal for you. But if you're slightly hungry and you want a full meal, this meal is a pretty swell deal.

Taste: 4		It's crunchy, spicy and tasty all at the same time.
Serving: 2		Too small, won't satisfy a heavy eater.
Price: 5		50 pesos. Nuff said.
Healthiness: 1		Deep fried and swimming in oil.

Overall:		3 of 5 chicksies
**

Final verdict, Mcdonald's Crispy Chicken Fillet is perfect for office drones with a tight budget who like their chicken with a bit of a zing.

*photo taken using a Nokia 5800 Xpressphone
**credit goes to riffology

07/09/09 - Nuts

2009-07-09T09:05:00.000-07:00

07/09/09 - Nuts
Originally uploaded by meltesorero

Bought this Scrat figure at McDonalds’ today, as a Happy Meal toy and promptly played with it as soon as I got home, doing the squirrel voice and making up a lame storyline about it and my puppy. (she actually enjoyed playing with it as much I did, and almost swallowed the nut accessory that came with it)

Nuts? Maybe so, but every once in a while, all we really need is to go back to being a kid.

07/08/09 - Teddy Day

2009-07-08T09:06:00.000-07:00

07/08/09 - Teddy Day
Originally uploaded by meltesorero

I drew this teddy by hand about a year ago, but I haven’t saved it online until today. Why upload it today then, you ask? Well today you see, is a pretty darn special day as it marks the birth day of the VIP I drew this bear for.

This VIP is none other than my boytoy, home skillet, stud muffin, lover and hugger extraordinaire who goes by the alias, TheBim.

Drawn in his likeness, the bear dons a black muscle shirt (the kind that he ~~insists on~~ likes wearing), has cute chinky eyes (just like his ~~sexy~~ adorable ones) and is ~~soft, cushy, and cuddly~~ strong, strapping, and manly, just like TheBim!

Happy Teddy Day!

07/07/09 - Road to Home

2009-07-07T09:07:00.000-07:00

07/07/09 - Road to Home
Originally uploaded by meltesorero

Through a raindrop-splattered windshield, I watched the sun as it set. Today, it bid us goodbye leaving the sky in a pretty mix of orangey pink and purplish blue. The day’s gloom was instantly erased after seeing the afternoon sky and instead replaced by the happies.

06/30/09 - Hi, I'm Puppy

2009-06-30T09:08:00.000-07:00

06/30/09 - Hi, I'm Puppy
Originally uploaded by meltesorero

Nope, “Puppy” isn’t her actual name, but she seems to think it is. She scrambles to your side when you say the word.

This two year old pup is actually named Brandy, after the character from the Disney tv show, Brandy and Mr. Whiskers. She used to be an energetic clump of fur until a few days ago when I had a pair of scissors and some free time. Now she’s just energetic.

..and kind of patchy. In my defense, it was my first foray at dogfurcutting. She doesn’t seem to mind the lack of fur so much, she looks happy as a four-year-old playing with bubbles.

06/29/09 - Ang Bituin at Araw mo’y Kailan pa ma’y di Magdidilim

2009-06-29T09:11:00.000-07:00

06/29/09 - Ang Bituin at Araw mo’y Kailan pa ma’y di Magdidilim
Originally uploaded by meltesorero

A couple of weeks too late to be nationalistic, but this picture is just something I’ve been wanting to post for a while now.

Rizal Park is a commercialized landmark in Manila, usually congested with people that it has lost it’s old-time charm. But that one day, as I happpened to pass by the National Hero’s shrine, I stopped, stared, and felt quite proud to be Filipino.

06/28/09 - Poor Man’s Mighty Mugg

2009-06-28T09:08:00.000-07:00

06/28/09 - Poor Man’s Mighty Mugg
Originally uploaded by meltesorero

Back to art class! Making this Southpark-ish version of Captain America felt to me like a gradeschool project. Cardboard paper, scissors, a cutter, elmer’s glue, a paintbrush, and old newspapers were the few materials scattered all over my desk and I absolutely loved it!

The pattern can be downloaded at PaperInside for free. There are other, more complicated projects from the website but I opted to start with a simple one and progress to the difficult ones later on.

06/27/09 - Would You Like to Have a Cardiac Arrest on a Platter, Sir?

2009-06-27T09:09:00.000-07:00

06/27/09 - Would You Like to Have a Cardiac Arrest on a Platter, Sir?
Originally uploaded by meltesorero

Because we missed last Tuesday’s 10th year anniversary when they sold the burgers at 1999 prices (nearly half the current prices), Bim and I purposefully headed to the nearest branch to satiate our burger craving.

This in picture, is Brothers Burger’s Double Brothers Burger. And because the promo was no longer in effect, we paid in full, 2009 prices. No matter, each bite of the meaty burger was worth every last centavo.

It’s been hours, but can still taste the meat whenever I burp.

06/25/09 - Bye, Sweet Baby

2009-06-25T09:11:00.000-07:00

06/25/09 - Bye, Sweet Baby
Originally uploaded by meltesorero

I’m selling my Ice Silver PSP-2000 IS, 3.71 firmware, w/ 4GB memory stick, screen protector, handstrap and softcase.

Saying goodbye to my PSP feels like saying goodbye to a friend from highschool. We had tons of fun, but we now have grown apart.

Wolverine's Behind.

2009-06-21T21:25:00.001-07:00

In my previous post, I rambled on about getting a new camera. As soon as the sale was made, I opened the package and started taking shots. And because I was with the ~~camwhore~~ camera-friendly Bim, I had the perfect subject on ready.

He gamely posed next to a Wolverine standee at Toy Kingdom, Megamall, and I was happy to click, click, click away.

Here is our short story of how he got the better of one of the more popular X-men superheroes, Wolverine.

Let me start by saying that our subject has the hots for Wolverine. And here he is checking out Wolvie's ass.

Wolvie doesn't look too happy. But riffology

is persistent and tries to steal a kiss from the angry Wolverine.

Logan starts seeing red. He doesn't want the Mr. Shoo Li-looking dude anywhere near him.

In an instant, is down on the ground. Knocked out without so much as a sweatdrop on him.

And that ends our little story of how riffology got the better of Wolverine. How? He got to touch Wolvie's backside, did he not?

06/21/09 - Hot Pink Chick

2009-06-21T09:12:00.000-07:00

06/21/09 - Hot Pink Chick
Originally uploaded by meltesorero

My family recently had a mini-reunion to celebrate Father’s Day. One hyperactive cousin, Jamie, brought her new pet, a chick she got from a visit to the province. It now tweets to the very native name “Abayo”.

GLAM-ming up a bit too late.

2009-06-15T05:23:00.000-07:00

It's a been about a month since AI8 wrapped up, but I just finished downloading a fantastic album compilation of the entire season; complete with live performances, studio recordings, group medleys, guest performances, and the finale show. All tracks are grouped into folders, categorized per week, the filenames are neat, the details filled in correctly and completely. It's so organized, it excited my inner OC self.

Anyway, I've been listening to the album for the past couple of days and based on the weekly live performances, I can definitely say that this season's contestants suck. Yea, they do. Okay, not all of the songs are bad, but most of them aren't worth a second listen. This bunch seems to have the least talent compared to all the past seasons' contestants.

There is, however, a handful from this pool that are just awesome. And one such contestant is the fabulous, fabulous Adam Lambert, also known to rickey.org readers as Glambert.

Runner up to boy-next-door Kris Allen, this season's openly gay glamrocker initially caught my attention with his version of the winner's current single, No Boundaries.

For those of you who chose to watch the news instead of American Idol and haven't heard the performances, here are the links to both live versions.

Adam's version:

and Kris' version:

You have two different artists singing the same song on national TV one after the other, there's bound to be comparison. Even though you know you shouldn't, you still do it. You can't help but compare them, just like parents can't help but have a favorite kid, even though they reassure the others and say they love them all equally.

Comparing Adam's version to Kris', I'd have to say that Adam rocked it harder. The song just suited him better, his style a good fit for the song. Not taking anything away from this year's champion, Kris' version isn't bad at all, in fact it's quite pleasant to the ears. It's just not very wow-worthy because Kris' voice has a certain niche, and this song definitely isn't part of it.

I know it's too late to throw a bitchfit, but if it were a month or so earlier,

I'd be rooting for the Glambert..

..and would probaby be holding up one of these.

I want j00.

2009-05-11T21:25:00.000-07:00

Others would normally call this a wish list, but I'm choosing to call it a list of the things that I don't have yet.

1. Nintendo DS.

Isn't this just a beaut?

It's too cute a gadget to pass up. Also, I've been saying that I want one of these for the longest time. Anyone wanna buy my (one year and four month old) PSP for a reasonable price before Norbelle sells her DS to someone else?

2. Angels & Demons: Special Illustrated Edition.

Eet haz piktchers!

I chanced upon a nice review of this illustrated edition recently and I was sold. I don't care what they say, I love the book to bits and having an illustrated version would be fantastic.

3. Bath Gloves.

Scrub-a-dub-dub, abumelt.

Bath gloves are great to use in the shower, makes me feel extremely clean and scrubbed. The ones I currently use are very worn and the ones I bought recently seems to be missing in that dump I call a bedroom.

4. Safety pins.

The answer to peek-a-boobies.

Please don't think I'm kidding? These are very useful things for preventing accidental cleavage views and I always seem to run out of them. Srsly.

5. Tazo Tea, English Breakfast flavor.

Tea is good, tea is healthy, tea is love.
Um, what?

Favorite tea in the world! Well, not the one in the picture, but I couldn't find a good picture of the English Breakfast one. I've been meaning to get me a box, so I can drink tea instead of coffee to wake me up.

6. Pastillas de Leche.

*drools*

The combination of milk and sugar is just too irresistible for my sweet tooth. Also, chewy, home-baked ones are the best kind (and should be the only kind there is).

7. Mouse wrist support.

The picture doesn't look very wholesome, from an angle. But it is, I swear, it is!

I work in front of the PC for more than 8 hours per day, therefore, I use a mouse more than 8 hours in one day, and Carpal Tunnel doesn't sound like fun. So, preventive. Besides, they have a lot of cute, and relatively cheap ones over at the malls. I just always forget to get me some.

8. Mini brush with dustpan.

If someone can find me something this cute,
I'd pay you five times its actual price.

These little dust brushes are very useful for small amounts of dust and dirt. I used to have one, but my baby cousins (who like playing house in my room) seem to have misplaced mine.

~

So there it is. There goes my list. Don't take me too seriously, pzl, I just needed something to write about.

*all pictures were Googled, none of them are mine, credits go to the kind strangers who actually took them.

Nope, I'm not what you think I am.

2009-05-03T04:37:00.000-07:00

Time for a new entry. Why? It's the last day of the (not-so) long weekend and I'm not quite ready to think of the workweek up ahead. I thought of finding people to talk to/with, but I decided against it eventually. Instead of chatting with strangers, I figure this is a better way to spend the hour. Yes, spilling my guts out to the vast world of the intarwebz.

Some people seem to think that I'm rolling in money. It annoys me because I know that I'm definitely not rich, I make the same amount of money as anyone from the same age bracket does. It frustrates me, when anyone insists that I am rich, because all factors considered, I probably earn less than your average Joe, because I shifted careers very recently. In other words, I had to start from scratch again and had to take a pay cut (and I still wonder, from time to time, if I did the right thing). So anyway, I asked a few people why they think what they think about me, and here's what I came up with.

Here are the Top 3 Reasons Why People Think I Don't Have Money Problems.

1. Having studied at DLSU.

The school seems to have a reputation of breeding no-good, dumb-ass, and bratty rich kids whose parents can afford to burn money as if it grew on trees. This stereotype isn't quite fair, in my opinon. I have met many sensible, polite, and smart kids who came from this school. They had the best Information Technology curriculum (or at least, one of the better ones) in my time. Also, tuition was high, but my parents bought one of those college assurance plans and all they had to pay for while I was college was my allowance, my school books, and other minor miscellaneous expenses.

2. Using a car to work.

Sure, I use a car, but only because commuting from my house to work is a hassle and is pretty expensive too. I drive a second hand, 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer bought from a family friend at a very good price. It's a pretty nice car, and I have no complaints with it, but it's not mine because I didn't pay for it, my mom did (with money that she worked for), because I don't have that kind of dough on me. I pay for gasoline, toll and parking fees though, which amounts to around p250 per day, or at least p5000 per month, and that's assuming I don't go out on weekends. The maintenance and running expenses eats up a big chunk of my salary too.

3. Travelling to different countries.

Okay, I like experiencing different cultures, eating their food, seeing their traditions, buying their stuff, also getting a break from the monotony of daily life. Travelling is one of those things I'd shell out good, hard-earned money for. I don't necessarily spend beyond my means on these trips, they come few and far in between, and are considered as treats to myself.

Also, I was a bum for half of last year, I dipped so far into my savings that I don't have one anymore. Now I'm trying to pay up my debts little by little and at the same time spend for my daily living expenses, all on a salary just a bit above minimum wage. Just like you and the rest of the world (who isn't Paris Hilton), I have bills that need to be paid and debts that catch up on me.

Oi, it's May.

2009-04-30T19:19:00.000-07:00

Today's the first day of May and it being a holiday, I've stayed in my bed far longer than what's usual, it (my bed) hasn't had this much sleep action since I stopped being a bum sometime last year. I actually woke up early because of a phone call (it was a wrong number), got up to prepare my breakfast (by "prepare" I meant, getting the food and arranging them on a plate) and brought it back to bed and ate it there.. here, I mean. Yep, I'm still horizontal while writing this post.

I wanted to sleep some more but apparently, there's only so much sleep time one's body can take, and I've reached the limit. So, here I am, cluttering up my journal for lack of better things to do in bed. I don't have anything important to say, really, but I'm in bed and my brain is refusing to tell its bodily functions to.. um.. function.

Yea, I get easily distracted, YM is keeping me distracted for the meantime. So let me end this bleh post with a general wish that this holiday will turn out to be a good one for all of us. *salutes*

Characters you meet while waiting in a queue.

2009-04-16T18:12:00.000-07:00

Recently, I spent my lunch hour (and more) waiting in line to file my income tax return. In a diverse set of people where the tension was rising because of the heat, the long wait, the money to be given up, and just the general inconvenience, characters are sure to be present. They make things interesting, and they give people something to think and talk about. With this particular set, I met some highly amusing ones and I'd like to share them with you.

Interesting character #1: Mrs. Middle-aged Mommy
Wide hips, maroon lipstick, big handbag, strong vocal chords.

The first one who caught my attention, she sat 3 heads before me. When someone complained, "Bakit ang bagal naman gumalaw ng pilang 'to." ("Why is this line moving so slowly?"), she said, to the crowd, in her booming, musical voice: "Nasa Pilipinas kasi tayo! Lahat dito mabagal! Ang Pilipinas talaga mabagal!" ("We're in the Philippines! Everything is slow in this country!"), illiciting uneasy laughter from the entire room.

Interesting character #2: Ms. I Am Loud And Proud
Big woman, sans makeup, street-smart attitude, rude, and crass.

She had a loud, tinny voice, you can't help but notice her making complaints and comments about everything. When someone cut in line, she shouted brashly: "Ano ba naman yan. Hindi naman pumila 'tong babaeng 'to. Kahiya-hiya, bigla nalang sumingit, ang kapal ng mukha. Kami lahat dito, pumila ng maayos, tapos siya, sisingit lang? Bakit naman ganon, guard? Ang kapal." ("What the hell! This woman right here wasn't in line earlier?! She just cut in! She should be ashamed of herself! All of us here waited for our turn and she thinks she can just cut in line? Guard, do something about it!"). Everyone just shifted nervously.

Interesting character #3: Mr. I Am Awesome
Douchebag-y type, confident pose, in polo and slacks, smart-looking folder in hand.

Asked this dude to hold my place in line because I needed to clarify something from the other room. He obliged, nicely, in fact. He was nice enough until he tried to start a conversation. He asked me what company I worked for, what I did for a living, where my office was exactly. I kept giving him vague answers because I am wary of strangers and I had just watched Taken. He kept trying to be helpful and make casual conversation until I started talking to the mommy-types.

Interesting character #4: Mr. I Love My Momma
Slouching, In a baseball cap, tshirt, jeans and rubbershoes.

His mother saved his place in line, right before me. When we got settled in inside, his mother went, "O sige ha, iwan ko na anak ko sa inyo." ("Okay, I'm going to leave him here with you now."). He was quiet and reserved, kept to himself, broke into small smiles when something was funny. Only talked when directly talked to, also, moved in line precisely, quickly, fluidly, his papers arranged in a neat, orderly stack (prepared by mommy).

Interesting character #5: Mr. Friendly Guard
Strongly built, thick brows, easy and open smile, fatherly type.

He was passing by and I was casually telling the mother next to me that I've been waiting for a few hours now and was thirsty from the heat. With an open smile, he offered to get me a bottle of water from the nearby stall (so I wouldn't have to leave my place in line). I gave him my thanks and he was friendly all througout my stay, said goodbye and some other niceties like, "Natapos din, ano?" ("Good, you're finally done with it.") as I was leaving.

Interesting character #6: Mr. Tired But Still Working Guard
Strongly built, thick brows, tired but smart eyes, fatherly type.

He was guarding the line outside (where it was extremely warm). He had a wry smile on his face because people kept trying to cut their way in. He answered the questions as best he could, tried to be helpful but he was firm. He moved languidly, through the motions, and was indifferent to the complaining taxpayers. He was nice, friendly, steady and solid. From the look of it, he was just tired from the daily grind, because he smiled and waved me goodbye as I left.

All of them were very interesting, but I am particularly thankful to Mr. Friendly Guard, who kindly, willingly and cheerfully bought me a cold bottle of water but whose name I didn't get to ask. Without him, I would've been a lot crabbier and a little less amused.

There's pork in the barrel.

2009-04-16T09:18:00.000-07:00

It's tax season once again and in all my years as a taxpaying citizen of this country (meaning, 3 long years), I've never had to compute for my own tax. I always just let the company accountants do their jobs. I mean, that's what they're there for, right? These accountants, they slaved away their college years as students learning to do that shiz. Their parents spent their hard-earned money for these kids to know how to add up the numbers. Companies pay these people good money so they do their maths right. So I figure, I might as well let them do their thing.

Besides, I do math like Peter does it.

I wish I was kidding.

This year, because I had two employers for 2008, I had to file my own Income Tax Return (ITR) to consolidate the taxes withheld from both companies.
Because both these companies computed for my taxes separately, and deducted exemptions for the year separately, there was a discrepancy in the total amount that I had to pay the government. And because yesterday was the last day for filing ITRs, I had to pay the remaining amount in full on that day, leaving me a whole lot poorer and a whole lot unhappier. Burned a whole in my already burnt pocket, that one did. So yea, it'll be water for dinner for the next half a year or so. On the upside, I'll probably lose the extra pounds I've been wanting to lose.

Anyway, I prepared all the forms in the morning, and decided to give up my lunch break to file the papers and expected to be back a couple of hours in. But crawling through Makati lunch hour traffic and looking for parking near the BIR building took me about an hour and a half already. Waiting in line with all the last minute filers took longer and it was extremely agitating for everyone. It was a sweltering day, and strangers were in close quarters, all sweaty and antsy, having been required by the law to pay their hard earned money to the country. Tension was understandable and expected. While waiting in line, I met quite a few interesting people. The stereotypes amused me, so that's what my next blog entry will be about.

The trip took a good four hours of my day, longer than planned. I was tired and sweaty (and late for work) after it, but it was a pretty good experience, all in all. Now I don't have to depend solely on the accountants to do my taxes for me next year. I now know to compute how much pork to put in the barrel.

Spooning doesn't always have to be green.

2009-04-01T04:07:00.000-07:00

Holy smokes, I haven't posted in days, damn it. I was doing well too, I had more than one entry in a month. And for someone who posted just fifteen entries for an entire year, that's saying something. But yea, last week, deadlines zoomed by, my bedroom got taken over by cousins on a vacation, and things have been mighty busy and chaotic.

At times like this, when your world is topsy-turvy and you feel like you've stepped out of your comfort zone, outside that security blanket; there's nothing cozier than to be on the receiving end of a warm bear hug. Skin-on-skin interaction has that calming, therapeutic effect on me, it seems.
There's something about someone touching me (n-no, not in that way) that makes me feel reassured, wanted, and cared for. And, that's how it works for most people, imo.

In fact, even science claims it to be true, by stating that touching triggers the release of brain endorphins. And endorphins, as we all know, is that substance that the brain releases to produce a general feeling of peace and contentment, albeit temporary. In geekier terms, "Endorphins are small neuropeptides that are produced by the body and act to reduce pain—hence, the name endorphin (shortened version of endogenous morphine)." -Chemistry Encyclopedia

Different kinds of touching, cuddling, snuggling produces that substance in our brain and creates for us a happy little bubble. And on today's Google search for "hugs", a Wikipedia result turned up, defining spooning as a "cuddling position, a kind of hugging when both the hugger and the hugged face the same direction." So no, spooning doesn't always have to be taken in that other context.

A pup and her fish

2009-03-26T06:47:00.000-07:00

I'd hate to break the streak, but I really don't have an interesting story to tell. So, in order to have an entry today, I decided to do a picture post.

~o

This right here is my adorable puppy, who goes by the name Brandy.

Brandy

She's actually not a puppy anymore, she's already 2 something years old, but I still like calling her Puppy. She's not too smart, so she probably thinks that's her name, because I call her that more than her actual name. Earlier this year, two of my older dogs passed away, and being the only pet in the house, she's been the spoiled little baby brat since. She gets whatever she wants now, she can poop and piss on the carpet and we'd love her all the same. (and she does abuse this benefit)

What's curious about this adult pup, is that she likes watching the fish swim. Yup, she comes out of the cage all excited, tail wagging furiously, tongue hanging out cheerfully, eyes bright and perky. Shortly after, she makes her way towards the fish. She trots happily, looking all over for her fish.

And when she finds them, she greets the goldfish with a happy chirp, and her world stops in front of the aquarium.

She stays put, her head moving from side to side, following the fish crossing the length of the aquarium. Other times, she jumps up and leans on the aquarium wall to get a closer look at the fishies. The fish seem to be enjoying the attention as well, they put on a show for her, swim from end to end repeatedly, but maybe that's because they're nervous the giant face with sharp teeth might eat them. And because I'm afraid she might be secretly plotting to kill them, I constantly remind her the fish are her brothers and sisters, and she should never attempt to eat them or even poke them (like she does cockroaches). I think she understands me well enough, she hasn't attempted anything. Yet.

After a while, she loses interest, swings her head to my direction and then seeing that I do not swim, nor am I orange, and I have a better memory, she places her attention back to the fish until comes the time that she tires of it. Which takes a pretty long while.

And that is the curious case of my puppy and her fish.

Keeping the ball rolling.

2009-03-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

I wonder how long I can keep this up, I've never been this active in a blog since.. well, since ever.

Random thoughts of today.

Stranger.
What brings two strangers together? It's not easy to strike up a conversation with a random, you'd be hard pressed to find at least one common ground to be memorable. And we use a fallback when we can't find any, we ask about the weather. I wonder why it's used as a generic conversation starter when it's not all that interesting.

Weather.
Weird weather we're having. It's late March, I was all set to gripe about the heat and the humidity all month long. My brain has been programmed since birth, to think that this month is supposed to be all about the sun and the sand. Today though, started like your typical March summer day, the sun was high, the air was thick, and things were normal. That is, until late afternoon when the heavy rains started and kept on going until long past bedtime.

Peculiar.
I rarely hear the word peculiar these days. Actually, I don't think I've heard it being used often, ever. It's one of those words that you neglect to use, just because there are other words that mean the same thing, but are easier to the ears. It has such a nice ring to it though, that word.

Tagged.
I've set out to add tags on all my old posts, because I haven't used those before, and if I'm going to blog more than once a month, I have to try to keep things a bit more organized. I didn't realize that it would be such a chore. I've added this now to that long list of things that I do not enjoy doing. Like staring at fish eyes when they're cooked and served on a platter.

Fish.
After the freak downpour, the world suddenly smelled like fish. I'm not even kidding, it does, it really does! I used to like the way the earth smelled after the rain, now I'm seriously considerinig taking that statement back.

Plurk isn't working.

2009-03-24T23:51:00.000-07:00

Because Plurk won't load for me in the office, I am settling on congesting the office bandwidth with YouTube, Imeem, Twitter, and LiveJournal. Also torrents.

Note: Dear reader, if you are my boss, please know that I am just kidding and I would NEVER think of hogging the bandwidth with unnecessary traffic. I have creative license, for this is my personal blog, and I regularly try (and fail) to make my stories more interesting.

On a totally unrelated topic, it smells like dilis around these parts. Yum.

~

DO YOU EVER FEEL LIKE YOU'RE IN A RUT?
Or that you're stuck in a place where you can't budge, no matter how hard you try, for lack of abilities and/or resources? That's how I feel now.

I want a new toy (no, not that kind, you freak),
..so I can find enhancements and widgets for it.

I want a new hobby,
..so I can focus on something other than myself and my life.

I want proper internet again,
..so I can do more online than email and chat.

I want a change of scenery,
..so I can distract myself from gloom and gray of daily life.

~

I used to get annoyed at my mother for snapping at me and telling me to get off my ass every time I get lazy in the morning. Now I realize I was that affected because I know she's right.

I do have to get a move on.

This is part of my resolve to be a more active LJ user.

2009-03-24T07:27:00.000-07:00

Some sap changed the radio station in my car to 96.3, the station that plays "the music of yesterday and today, light classics" when I wasn't looking, and I just never bothered to change it. Cruising (okay, crawling) on the wide roads of SSH on the way home, the intro to Michael Johnson's classic 80's ballad, Doors, started playing, and a lump formed unconsciously and unwillingly in my throat. It's sickeningly emo, but this is just one of those songs that make my eyes heavy enough to actually produce almost-tears and cause my lower lip to jut out to an unforced pout.

Yep, there's something about slow and sincere songs played on the piano that makes me wistful and longing. For nothing, really, the music just carries me to movie-like, cheesy sweet scenes.

DISCLAIMER: The lyrics don't mean anything at all to me. I am not pining away for anyone, nor am I this emo all the time. I swear on Snoopy's mother's grave.

Yes, I'm here.

2009-03-22T03:02:00.000-07:00

Hooboy, it's been a while since the last time I directly poured out my own emotions on this blog. I'm not sure if I ever have, really. I mean, sure I've put up some gag-inducing emo posts, but they're usually objective, cryptic, or said in general. I'm not all that sure if I've used this blog the way it was meant to be used. You know? As a direct outlet for your innermost thoughts, a place for writing/talking to yourself or to an audience that's always willing to listen (okay, maybe not a "willing" audience exactly, but an audience who has no choice but to take in your thoughts). You know, like a.. "Dear Diary" kind of an outlet.

Let that be a warning of what the rest of this entry would be like.

A friend once told me that blogs were created so that less people will jump off from windows. That makes sense, in a way. Because here, on the internet, in your own personal blog, no one's allowed to criticize your words (well maybe random jerks might, but generally, it's your haven, it's your little world, no one's allowed to burst your bubble) and you get to be as open and as honest as you want. You can ramble on as long as you wish, about wanting to jump off from windows or whatever. Anyway, reading friends' blog posts prodded me to write one of my own tonight. It's been a while, LJ.

Because I seem to be suffering from a bad case of PMS, and have been an emotional mess lately, it's not all that surprising that I woke up crying this morning. I had a dream that felt all too real, that my tears cruised past dreamland. The dream, to me, felt like it could happen, maybe sometime soon, maybe never, who knows. Do dreams actually mean something? Or maybe they just showcase your fears and/or desires? I've never been a believer of something that cannot be explained, I don't know what to make of dreams.

I realize I'm getting vaguer and vaguer. Oh today, Norbelle said I'm a bit of a masochist (I vehemently disagree); she says this because according to her, I already know what'll hurt me, but I stubbornly do it still (what can I do, im a Taurean?). Having her as my sounding board for things that I need someone's opinion on is good for me though, she keeps me grounded, real, and less crazy than I would have been otherwise. Yea, I've been reading off people's blog archives again. And boy, it was fun and not-fun at the same time. I stopped though, after a while. Norbelle made me.

Oh, I went to Hongkong last weekend with sundaecone. It was a lot of fun exploring the city, it was my first time abroad without relatives. I didn't bring a jacket with me because I thought it would be as hot and humid as it is in Manila. It's spring there, apparently, and it was hella cold. Lesson learned: Check online weather forecast before traveling. I really should be writing more about the trip, but I'm too lazy to sort and upload the pictures, I will one of these days. This be one of my favorite shots of the trip.

sandwiched between blown-up clowns in stilts
sadly, looking like a touristy OFW

Okay, I shall end this post with a thought that is in absolutely no corelation to any of the the words written above. I have a bruise on my leg the size of an old one peso coin. Not the ones in circulation now though, a bruise of that size is teeny and not very blognoteworthy.

And I have to close this post now, as it's been open for more than an hour. Writing like this, without purpose, without a certain topic, actually feels good. Like getting a free taste of alcohol, it's a good kind of surprise, one that makes you feel warm inside. Yep, I'm still here. And I still blog, from time to time.

WARNING: This post was made to deliberately confuse the reader.

Clouds and cheese

2009-03-16T05:36:00.000-07:00

My clock currently reads 2:42am. I had a full day, work starts early tomorrow, deadlines are right around the corner, but I can't, for the life of me, fall asleep. There's even none of that light-headed feeling that usually come at this time of the day. For someone who should have slept 3 hours ago, I'm still pretty lucid. Someone told me that this hour is the best time to try and practice opening the third eye, awakening the sixth sense. But yea, I don't want to do that, and because I'm a sissy, I want to stay as far away from that idea as possible so I look for other things to busy myself with. While looking for an old email, I chanced upon an outline of a chick-lit story that I thought of a couple of years back. I wanted to word it tonight, but it seems that my brain is too muddled for that. It feels cloudy enough, now I can show more of my cheesy side.

So in the meantime, I'm posting the first scene as it is, cluttered thoughts. This is romance, my way.
~

Character Introductions:

PAUL - charming, easygoing, magnetic. mid-20s.
- works part time at his uncle's shop. a freelance artist.
- sparkling chocolate eyes.

AMY     - familiar, sweet but strong. has kind but smart eyes. fair, tall, lean,
            simple and regal. mid-20s.
            - junior associate to a famous lawyer in town. is a young lawyer
              trying to make her way to the business.

RITA    - shopkeeper in the massage shop with retail beauty products.
            mid-40s lady.
            - adores Paul as her sort-of son but makes it appear she doesn't.

SCENE 1:

      SHOP. Morning. Around 9am. Paul visits the shop.

      Three times a week, Paul checks on the shop to see how it's doing.
      Paul checks the files and makes sure that everything is in proper order.

      Shop door bell chimes, signalling someone coming in.
      Rita looks up sees it's Paul. Sighs, appears bored, continues to wipe
      the counter.

      PAUL : (starts gaily) Goodmorning Rita. It's a beautiful day, ain't it?
      RITA : (moodily) Urngh.
      PAUL : Ritaaaa, you know, smiling isn't a sin. It wouldn't kill you to
      smile once in a while. You'll look even prettier than you already are
      if you smile.

      Paul starts leafing through the shop files.
      Rita rolls her eyes but is really flattered at being called pretty.

      Shop door bell chimes again, in comes Amy.
      Paul smiles at Amy. Paul is attracted to Amy and has been looking
      for a good opportunity to ask her out.

      AMY : Goodmorning.
      PAUL : Hi Amy. What brings you here? (surprised but glad)
      AMY : Boss needs some more of your eye cream. She says it works
                  wonders on her eyes, even better than the designer brands.
                  (eyes twinkle with mirth)
      PAUL : But of course. (laughs) Your boss needs more than eye cream
                  though. Does she ever sleep at all?

      Paul recalls the bags under Amy's boss's sharp face

      AMY : Four hours a night at most. (shrugs)
      PAUL : Damn. (Hands Amy a box of eye cream) Here you go, ma'am.
      AMY : (raises one eybrow, reaching for the box) Thanks.
      PAUL : (touches Amy's hand) You look beautiful, Amy.
      AMY : (smiles, retrieves the box) Kidder.
      PAUL : (seriously, shakes head slightly) I'm not kidding.
      AMY : Um hey, I have to go.
      PAUL : Oh. Ok. See ya.

      Amy leaves the shop.

      ..

      RITA : Still haven't had the courage to ask her out?
      PAUL : (sadly) Nope. Can't find the right moment. You heard her, I was
                  gonna ask her for dinner tonight. But she has to go to work.
      RITA : Moment, schmoment.
      PAUL : (theatrically) You gotta wait for that perfect moment
                  when her eyes meet yours and you just know she's
                  gonna say yes. (wistful) Isn't she beautiful?
      RITA : All girls are beautiful to you, boy.
      PAUL : (solemnly) Not all, Rita, not all. Just you and Amy.
      RITA : Yea, yea.

      Rita turns her back to Paul and smiles.

      -End of scene-

~

Okay now I'm sleepy and feel light-headed. Not sure how many grammatical or typographical errors I've made, but they're there somewhere, no nitpicking as of the moment. Bedtime now. :)

Will you be my glue, and help me hold my pieces together?

2009-02-25T05:40:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, silence is comforting. We slip into silence, and instead of being unsure, I am content.

I went to church today, to celebrate Ash Wednesday. I look around, and there are old people, hunched and frail, helped by their adult children or helpers as they make their way to the minister to get blessed with ash; I wonder what I'd be like when I'm old and grey, what would the world look like, what would become of my life. I also see babies playing, crying, chuckling, drooling; and I wonder what it would be like to have one of those; a person whose life is absolutely dependent on you. I find that the thought is very, very daunting.

Little hearts can go a long way.

Winning the radio lottery. Seeing a gap-toothed old man break out in a wide grin. Someone making the effort to cheer you up even when you're being unreasonable. Your puppy wriggling excitedly upon hearing your car in the driveway. A friendly crew behind the counter. Your favorite song, playing when you get in the bus. Small joys, bits of happiness, they pile up and bring in the sunshine.

I'm glad I'm yours. There's no one else I'd want to dream of at night.

You asked me if I think you're a hopeless romantic. And I said, knowing what I know about you, that you aren't, because for the most part, you know who you are, you know what you want, and you know how you're gonna get it. Mulling the topic over, I've come to the conclusion that I'm the hopeless romantic. In the end, I still believe that life will conquer all, and love will save the day. Stupid, idealistic, naive, yes, but that's the hopeless romantic in me talking. It is there, guarded by a thick enough wall of confusion and sadness.

Please give me something to care about. Anything.

I saw a motorcycle accident on my way to work today. The two bikes were left sprawled in the middle of the road, their owners missing from the scene. Perhaps in the hospital, getting their stitches; perhaps in the police station, screaming that it was the other's fault; perhaps in a bar, having a bottle of beer over small talk. Perhaps.

When you get in a funk, and you just don't know what to do to get out of it, what else is there to do but wallow?

There's a flavor I'm currently craving for. It's been nagging at me since early this morning, and I can imagine what it smells like, but I can't seem to pinpoint what and where this smell comes from. Now that I'm purposely trying to figure out what that imaginary smell is, I think what I'm looking for is the sweet, crunchy bits from Red Ribbon's Coffee Crumble, or that snowy cake from Becky's Kitchen. Yea, just the crunchy bits. I'm weird.

Memories haunt us, thrill us, taunt us. But they will always stay there, boxed forever in time.

I remember speaking at my grandmother's wake, telling everyone the story of how I dreamt of her the night before she died, on the eve of my birthday. I remember breaking down in front of the crowd, her ashes in a jar beside me. Also, I remember my grandfather. In his study, I learned the words that I still live by, to this day. He told me that it didn't matter if you weren't so rich, so long as you don't have enemies, so long as you don't step on others, so long as you are loved by people, so long as you live your dreams. I'll remember forever.

When I need comforting, should I still be the one to comfort you?

I often have trouble getting my point across. I'm a jumble of thoughts. A mess of ideas. My words, they don't make sense as a whole most of the time, just like this post, but when you take them bit by bit, some of them might actually mean something.

Will you be my glue, and help me hold my pieces together?

Stupid Things That Men Do, Part 1: "My Boyfriend Broke Up With Me Because I Had a Unibrow."

2009-01-29T19:57:00.000-08:00

We all know how men can be jackasses. Each one of us probably has at least one heartbreak story, where the guy involved was just being himself. A dirtbag. In lieu of this "Men can be stupid" theme, I now present story number one, a story relayed to me in full confidence, and so as not to break that trust, I will try to be as objective and as vague as I possibly can.

Story #1: "My Boyfriend Broke Up With Me Because I Had a Unibrow."

Before the world discovered the wonders of eyebrow plucking, we all had to stick with the eyebrows we were born with. No matter the shape, the size, or the volume of the eyebrow, we had to make do with what we had. But lo and behold, just as the Neanderthals figured out how to make fire, humankind found out how to make the eyebrows more appealing to the eye.

And this wonderful process of eyebrow shaping has evolved through time. These days, you can form your eyebrows to any which expression you want to put on. And I am not kidding here, my mother changes facial expressions regularly, from happy to sad to annoyed in a span of three minutes and a pencil stroke.

Okay, so I'm going off topic. I'm not here to discuss the art of eyebrow plucking, shaving, threading, or even waxing. I'm actually writing this, to retell the unfortunate story of a lady who was unceremoniously dumped because she used to have a unibrow. Yep, this particular lady, who from this point on I shall refer to as Bertha, used to have a unibrow back when hair was considered cool.

Our Bertha is a sweet young lady, pretty and smart, owner of a pair of perfectly shaped brows, and she is generally considered to be a good catch by majority of the male populace. Her story begins one fine Sunday afternoon, and our lovebirds were spending a lazy day in Bertha's bedroom when the boyfriend chanced upon her old high school yearbook and saw our dear Bertha's highschool bushy unibrow. And this was when the problems began.

The usually sweet, thoughtful and sensitive boyfriend, whom we shall call Ernie, turned a full 180 and became distant and cold. He would ignore Bertha's phone calls, make up lame excuses to not meet up with her, yadda, yadda. Frustrated at Ernie's behavior, Bertha rightfully asked him what was up one day, but he carefully and gracefully skirted the topic. Bertha was uneasy, but she let it go hoping that things will somehow go back to the Ernie and Bertha that it used to be.

Happier days

The final straw came when Bertha was ditched on their anniversary date. She waited in a swanky restaurant alone, all dolled up for her anniversary, with Ernie arriving a full 4 hours after their agreed meetup time, and Bertha came to her senses, did the whole, "You are an ugly son of a *bleepbleep*. I deserve so much more, you *bleepbleep*, you. I curse the day you were born, *bleepbleep*!" scene. And, rightfully so, I think. A slap would've sealed the deal. Or, a good, solid kick in the nuts.

Stupid, right? Breaking up with a pretty girl over a thing as shallow as having a unibrow back in the 80's?! I mean, who does that? Men do.

True friends are a rare breed.

2008-12-31T06:26:00.000-08:00

A friend is someone who knows when to lie to you..
Scene: You in your bedroom, crying over a guy who just dumped you, your makeup smeared all over your face.
You: Do I look horrible? *weeps*
Friend: No, of course not, you're gorgeous, sweetie!

..and when to be completely honest.
Scene: You getting ready for a big date with your crush, wearing deep purple stilettos with a candy apple red dress, to be funky.
You: This outfit should catch his attention, no?
Friend: Yea, it'd catch his attention to the fact that you do not have any fashion sense. Go upstairs and change to something more normal!

A friend is someone who knows when to talk nonstop..
Scene: You had just seen your ex with a better-looking girl on his arm.
You: *confused*
Friend: Pssh, she's fugly. And he doesn't deserve you, never did, never will, you can do better. You know what I could use right now? A drink. A good old, intoxicating, head spinning, mouth drying drink. Let's go get some! Same place?

..and when to shut up.
Scene: Your boss just dumped a shitload of work on you and then asked you to give your two weeks notice as they are letting some people go. Your friend bursts in your office to tell you she's pregnant.
You: *frustrated* Goddamned boss. Goddamned company. Goddamned life.
Friend: *holds back* Fuck them.

A friend knows when to cover for you..
Scene: Your mom comes over to visit, sees a box of condoms in the bathroom drawer.
You: Oh, those... *stammers*
Friend: Yea, those are mine, Mrs. ! For research for work, you know, safe sex and all that. *smiles brightly, grabs box*

..and when to rat you out.
Scene: Your friend brings you back to your boyfriend's apartment from a party and sniffed some cocaine against your friend's better judgement.
You: *woozy*
Friend: Yea, Stupid here had some coke.
You: *glares at friend*

A friend knows when to clown around..
Scene: You are exhilarated after passing the board exam.
You: *cheers* Yay! No more sleepless nights! No more all-nighters!
Friend: No more beer!
You: No more.. -___- Boo.

..and when to be dead serious.
Scene: Your grandmother passed away a week ago.
You: *sobs on friend's shoulder*
Friend: She was a great woman. *hugs you tight*

A friend knows when to agree with you..
Scene: A cute guy you had a crush on tried to corner you in a bar, you are telling the story to someone who doesn't seem to believe you.
Person: Really? He doesn't seem the type to do that.
You: *indignant* He was an asshole, he tried to touch my boobies in public!
Friend: Yea, he was an absolute jerk!

..and when not to.
Scene: In a bar, you see your ex's new slutty girlfriend flirting with a table full of unknown guys. You head over to slip a sleeping pill in her drink.
You: *raring to go* Come on, she deserves this. Just this once, for payback, let me do this.
Friend: *glares at you hard* She'll get her karma soon enough. I can't let you.

~

and according to ,
A friend is someone who'd willingly share the last cookie with you.

Parang sa Fita, kalahati lang yung binigay.

Home is where the heart is.

2008-12-26T17:25:00.000-08:00

Last night, we went to Lola Sitang's house over at Sucat for the usual Christmas get-together. Although she passed away a couple of years ago, we still visit her house and her family from time to time. Lola Sitang is my biological maternal grandmother's best friend. Got that? Basta best friend ng mama ng mama ko na pinsan ng kapatid ng lola ng asawa ng tatay ng bilas ni Tita Rose. Clearer now? Lola Sitang and my maternal grandmother, Lola Ning were inseparable, as close as sisters. They shared a special bond that followed through to the next generation, and our families still keep in touch even though both matriarchs have gone on.

What's awesome about visits to Lola Sitang's house is the assortment of free flowing food and drinks. At any time of the year. Yep, come to their house in mid July and there'd be palabok, ice cream, beer and all kinds of chips, candies and lollies that you can imagine. Last night was no different, the kids were drinking, the food was glorious as usual, and we were in great company. One of the many dishes prepared was the good ole spaghetti carbonara; your typical spaghetti noodles, cream sauce, and bacon bits pasta dish. I'm generally not a fan of white sauce on pasta, because it's too rich and heavy but I was pleasantly surprised to find myself going back for a second serving of the homey dish. Much like the ratatouille and the visit to Lola's house, taking a bite of the pasta conjured sweet childhood memories, it felt so much like home, that I kept and will keep coming back for more.

“If you carry your childhood with you, you never become older.” -Tom Stoppard

2008-11-26T21:14:00.000-08:00

Books have always played an integral part in my life. From when I was little, today, and probably until I'm old and pruned, books will always, always be by my side as companions, friends, playmates. I've recently unearthed my copy of The Swiss Family Robinson and I've started rereading it, this gave me the idea and a reason to go back in time a bit and revisit my childhood buddies.

My Favorite Books, back when I still wet my bed.
(Yes, i am shamelessly admitting that I had occasional accidents back then.)

1. Twelve Dancing Princesses
      An imaginative fairy tale about twelve princesses whose slippers were always worn out each morning, even though they appear to never have left the castle. A contest was sent out by the king to try and solve the mystery of the princesses' worn out dancing slippers, promising whoever finds out, his kingdom and a daughter as winnings. I had a pretty good imagination when I was a kid, and I pictured myself as the soldier who followed the princesses on their adventure, picking out silver and golden leaves, discovering a new, hidden world of fantasy.

This exact same image was in the copy I had.

2. Heidi
     I actually don't remember the story all too well now but Heidi was the first semi-long book that I read, and it had smaller letters than the previous books that I used to read. This was my first "I can finally read long sentences in small block letters!" book. Mom was so proud, I was about to start college.

3. Journey to the Center of the Earth
      They made a movie of this earlier this year which I watched (and also secretly enjoyed). I distinctly recall my old book being square instead of the usual rectangle, and it was very thick but it had drawings on some pages which made it a lot of fun. Traveling to the earth core, that as a basic storyline is exciting.

4. Indian in the Cupboard (and sequels)
      Imagine your little plastic figures coming to life at a turn of a special key. Toy Story ripoff? Nah, this came before that. Toy Story should be called Indian in the Cupboard ripoff, in 3D. Aimeeren says they made an Indian in the Cupboard movie, but I've yet to watch it.

5. The Children's Book of Questions and Answers
Okay, this isn't your typical novel, well, it's not a novel at all. It's a thick, hardbound book of, literally questions and answers. It's a very interesting read, and I still have my copy to this date and still browse through it once in awhile. (okay, regularly) I learned a lot of things from this book and it will remain one of my favorites until they come up with a sequel.

Reliving your childhood for a while feels warmer than a cup of hot chocolate on a snow filled day. *grins like a little kid*

Kopi Bun Fix

2008-10-13T04:43:00.000-07:00

Oh, the dee-lee-shoos (and terribly addicting) Kopi Bun from Kopiroti.

White flour baked to chewy perfection, with a dollop of butter as filling, enveloped in a mildly sweet, mocha flavored crust. Served slightly warmed and with a steaming mug of Kopiroti's famous coffee or a tall glass of cold (melamine free) milk, it's the perfect treat for a gloomy and grey Monday afternoon.

I've had one Kopi Bun a day for three days straight now. Needless to say, I ~~obsess over~~ like the Kopi Bun. I liked it the first time I tasted it and my (semi-healthy) obsession over it has been growing as of late. Recently, I always seem to be in need of a Kopi Bun Fix. (bukas nga ulit ^_^).

When there's more time, I'll edit this to write about the food craze phases I regularly have. Just like the monthly period. Only better.

drOwing

2008-08-27T23:02:00.000-07:00

Okay, so this afternoon I was bugging people at work as usual and thinking of something to do to practice my nonexistent Photoshop skills, because it has been a while since I last did something more than erase people's moles off. So, someone kindly suggested that I draw something. Thinking that was a good idea, I decided to draw a cartoon shark, but that didn't pan out very well, mahirap pala i-drowing yon.

And then Mae said to draw a bird, so i did.

I didn't like the way the bird looked like, and I found out that Mae likes cats. So as a thank you for giving me the idea to draw, I drew her one

Then I found out that Senama is leaving me *bawls*, so I made this for her.

And because I wasn't in the mood to make the J2SE compiler work on my lappytop, I made another one..

I know, i know, the proportions are off, the line art is unclean, and the colors are plain and solid. (I do not know how to do shadows) This was my first and probably will be the only attempt at this. Because, art and i, we do not mix very well. Di kami talo ni Art. But I enjoyed having a pencil in my hand, guiding lead on paper and creating something. Drawing has a certain calming and relaxing effect that you can't get anywhere else.

Ima miss j00 *hugs*

I wouldn't have guessed that I'd like Amy Winehouse.

2008-07-24T05:57:00.000-07:00

Sure, she's got issues, she probably lives on heroin alone, and most likely cat hair too (she has fourteen of them. 14!). Amy Winehouse is a character, that's for sure, a loopy one at times. But you cant deny that she's got something to show. True, I absolutely detest her Rehab song, because.. i just do. But, browsing through YouTube, I found her covers of old classics, and they are just.. brilliant. Yea, surprisingly she's got a good, old school voice and a distinct singing style.

Looky,
Amy Winehouse's cover of Teach Me Tonight.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Wl4Ufsx2eVs

Gorgeous vocals.

And also other notable covers..
Someone to watch over me.
Moody's Mood for Love

So she might have emphysema from smoking too much, and she injects heroin on her toes, has a beehive hair. But undeniable is the talent despite all that dirt from celebrity politics.

OoT: WTF, she's my age and she already has a Madame Tussaud wax figure?!
Bruce Willis doesn't even have one! (yes, i checked.)

-

's find.
Elliot Yamin's amazing a capella version of Moody's Mood for Love.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=KnIpPaPkekk

Mad skillz, baby.

-

I've been Youtube-ing lots, as you can see.

What's wrong with this picture?

2008-06-16T09:57:00.000-07:00

Stare at the picture for a while, and you'll see it. Your face should be about ten inches from your screen. It will take your eyes about a minute to adjust and see what's wrong. If you concentrate hard enough, you would see it. And be sure to turn up the volume on your speakers.

Do you see it? In this seemingly normal, everyday photograph of a garden, in this picture that looks like something that you'd just snap up one morning with your digital camera, is an anomaly. This hasn't happened anytime before, folks. You'll see it right here. Right now.

Stare closer, you should be able to spot it by now.

Still no?

Okay, this could take awhile, so I'm gonna spill the beans. Go back to the picture, look at it starting from the left hand side. You see a plant, yea? A potted plant, right? Yup. Move your eyes to the thing after it. Another potted plant. Yes? See it? So, from the left you see: a plant, another plant.. AND yet another plant, plant, plant, plant, plant, plant, plant, dog (?), plant, plant.... Dog?! Yes, that is a dog (not a rat), masquerading as a potted plant.

There you have it, ladies and gentlemen, first time in the history of all dogkind. A dog (not a mop), who has secret dreams to be a plant in a pot. Turn down the volume of your speakers now, there's nothing there, thank you. And yes, I have completely wasted your time.

Sweet young love.

2008-06-05T06:10:00.000-07:00

Where is the instamatic where you need it most? Nowhere near reach. But anyway, my mind has taken a still of the sweetest image I've seen in a long while.

Imagine a pretty street block, and down the lower left corner of this imagery is a pretty street lamp on the corner of the sidewalk. The sun has already set and the sky is a pretty shade of dim blue. Right by the unlit street lamp, is a young couple that couldn't have been older than twelve. They were holding hands, possibly talking about sweet nothings. And while I was rudely watching at them from the safety of the bus, they face each other, clasp both hands together, look into each other's eyes and slowly lean closer and kiss sweetly. It wasn't the tongue-inside-your-mouth torrid kiss, nope, it was a kiss made for the movies, the i'm-so-mesmerized-by-you kind of kiss, both of them breaking apart with adoring looks at each other. They kiss again, the second one just as sweet as the first, and break apart with the same adoring look. And then the boy reaches for the girl's hand, and they cross the street together, as if skipping.

It's a scene right out of a movie. I wanted to videotape the entire thing but I guess that would've been a violation of their lovers' rights. Or something. I would've taken a picture of it and would've blurred out the faces, but yea, the camera was in the bag, in it's protective case and by the time I it opened up, the young couple had skipped all the way down to the next, less pretty block. Oh, to be twelve and inlove. ^_^

Okay, i've searched long and hard for a picture that sort of, somehow resembles what I'm trying to describe here, but, no dice. So here's a sweet kiss picture instead.

Brilliant points on single women.

2008-05-28T05:23:00.000-07:00

I am ripping this off 's journal. But unlike her, I am not putting it under a cut, because everyone, male or female, single or taken, human or not, literate or not, should be forced to read this. Yes, forced. ^_^

Blog Patrol
By Ruby de Vera
Inquirer
Last updated 06:20pm (Mla time) 08/24/2007

MANILA, Philippines—An Open Letter to the Concerned Family and Friends of Thirty-something Single Women*

Dear CFF,

This letter aims to address several areas that have been brought to our attention repeatedly, i.e. every occasion that requires people to bring their significant others and we turn up alone and dateless. While we appreciate your well-meant comments about the state of our ovaries, please take a moment to hear our side.

1 We are not unhappy. Where you got the idea that single women mope around whining about the fact that they don’t have someone, we will never know. We try to live our lives as best as we can, and I think we’re doing good. Most of us are professionals successful in our respective fields, independent, smart, well-traveled, and knowledgeable about a lot of things. While it might appear that we are obsessed (and sometimes we are) about our Jo Malones, Lampe Bergers, Havaianas, gadgets and such [abumeLt adds fangirl items, example, Bruce Wilis' hard to find DVDs], we are not compensating the lack of a man’s presence in our lives by being materialistic. We can afford what we obsess about anyway, with our own hard-earned money.

2 We don’t envy married people, and we have reason to believe that some of them envy us and our lifestyles. Judging from statistics, couples are more caught up in the wedding than the marriage itself. True, there are many couples who are the best fit for each other (hurray for you guys), but how many marriages dissolve before they reach their tenth anniversary? I have lost count of newlywed girl friends advising her single friends not to rush it, and coming from someone who’s married for only two months, that’s a little scary. Take somebody who’s been married for more than 10 years and ask him/her straight if they’re truly and deeply happy inside out with their lives. Chances are they will say, “Yes, because we have kids.” Which is the biggest bullshit. Marriage is about two people who rock each other’s world, and working at it until one partner’s breathing stops. Children are just a bonus. A good marriage should be able to work even without producing offspring.

abumeLt: and it's not only the newlywed girl friends that advice us singletons to not rush things, in my case, it's mostly the divorced/annulled friends/relatives that tell me to take my time.

3 That brings us to another thing, children. Yes, we are aware that women have biological clocks, that past the age of 35 it would be rather difficult to conceive, blah blah blah. Contrary to the winning answer to a beauty pageant question, having children is not the end-all be-all of a woman. [abumeLt adds, i actually don't have anything to add, I just want to agree to this, with conviction] What about those who cannot bear a child because of nature’s bad joke? Will she lose her life’s meaning just because she can’t bring another life into this overpopulated world? While we acknowledge the fact that children do bring meaning to their parent’s lives (see Doodle, Abbey), we can be mothers to children not our own. It can be our own nieces and nephews, or kids we haven’t even met yet (see World Vision).

4 We don’t subscribe to the crap that we have to have children so someone will take care of us in our old age. It’s unfair to the child, that he’s brought here for a purpose. I once saw on a TV documentary a couple who has 21 children, and when asked why do they have so many, the father answered “Isa dyan ang mag-aahon sa amin.” To pass that burden to your children is not right, and to have kids for that sole purpose is just plain sick.

5 We don’t hate men. We like them very much, as a matter of fact (see Trillo, Dennis; Ventimiglia, Milo; Pitt, Brad; Underwood, Blair; et al [abumeLt adds, LaBeouf, Shia to this list ^_^]). However, we are old enough and know enough not to settle for just anybody. Most of us have had strings of failed relationships under our belts, and we have learned from them. We have done our share of compromises and sacrifices, yet we know that if one day we wake up and we don’t recognize ourselves anymore, it’s time to run as far away as we can from the man. We’re not stupid. We’d rather be alone than to be with somebody who needs our constant assurance and coddling, then we turn our backs and they go off chasing lampposts with skirts.

6 In line with that, don’t set us up with your loser friends, or the loser sons of your friends. We can manage to find our own dates, thank you very much. We can go to dinner with our friends instead if we don’t have dates, and we can pay for it. We don’t need dates to take us to fancy places, because most probably we’ve been there already.

Kate: Oh how I love this item. Noticed the extra emphasis there? *smug*
abumeLt: i swear, i'll make a shirt that goes "I am single, but nope, I won't date your single friend."

7 Don’t harp about our age. Don’t keep on saying that we’re of the marrying age, that at our age you already have three children. It’s different now. We have so many options we’re actually overwhelmed which one to take first. French or Spanish? Capoeira or Muay Thai? Bangkok or Singapore? MBA or some other degree? US, Canada, or Australia? Visa or Mastercard? Wedge or stilettos?

Kate: My cousins and aunts and uncles should read this part. Or maybe I should print this in a cardboard then wear it the next time we see each other. Brilliant!
abumeLt: my relatives should read this entire article so they'll find something more interesting to say to me each time we see each other than, "O may boyfriend ka na ba?"

8 We’re not bitter. We’re not cynical. We’re just grounded, sensible people who believe that if there are fairy tales and happy endings, there are also villains. We know that beauty, riches and fame are not enough to bring you happiness (see Aniston, Jennifer [abumeLt reacts to this, I like the woman and I think she's single and happy]; Aquino, Kris; Gutierrez, Ruffa; Barretto, Gretchen; Quiambao, Miriam; et al). We believe that we should first be happy with who we are before we can be happy with someone else. We know that men will not complete us, rather they should complement us. We have to make peace with ourselves and our flaws first lest we bring that baggage into a promising relationship.

We hope that the above points are clear enough, and the next time you see us these kinds of conversation will not happen anymore:

“Ay, kanino ka ngang anak?” (Kay [parent’s name] po.)
“Ang laki mo na iha! Nung huli kitang makita ganito ka pa lang kalaki. Ilang taon ka na ba?” ([Age] po.)
“May asawa ka na?” (Wala pa ho.)
“Ay bakit?”

“O, ikaw lang? Asan ang boyfriend mo?” (Wala akong boyfriend ngayon.)
“Bakit? Naku napag-iiwanan ka na. [Laughter]”

Kate: I will be convicted of Homicide if someone dares to say THAT to me. Single or not. SRSLY.
abumeLt: You're lucky no one has said that to you yet. I even get lines like. "O, nakita kita the other day sa mall with a guy ha, sino yung kasama mo? (totally baseless because here they're just trying to get me to 'fess up to something that isn't there)"

This is our cue to get out our AK-47s and start shooting people at random. So please, read the memo.

*Straight single women. The girls who like girls can say their own piece, and no, we don’t have anything against them.

It's not my birthday.

2008-05-13T10:18:00.000-07:00

I swear this wasn't my idea, putting them together like this. But aren't they adorable-looking?

much thanks to for this. ^_^

Last Day at ITXG. 03.05.08

2008-03-22T07:20:00.000-07:00

Well, since trouble seems to be resurfacing anew over at the windy city, I am reminded that I've been wanting to write a blog entry (but have put it off for some reason) about my last day at work for the sake of posterity.

~
10am

When I came in that morning, Kate was already there and I started packing my things while we caught up with two weeks worth of lifestuff after my vacation. I'm sure we chattered a little bit too loudly for Miss Chiaki, but hey, it was the last day. *makes the peace sign*

~
12nn

Karen, aka buenka, took us out for a lunch date.

tesome, senama, buenka =D

Sorry girls for picking this shot, wala yung sign ng Joey's. My hair looked like a rightful mess in the other shots. Weird that I'm the only one with food left on the table. Thank you Ate Karen for lunch! *grin*

~
2pm

Then came the closed door meeting Sir Matt. The "talk" hardly had any impact on me, and before that day I was so scared that I was going to end up being my sissy self and cry buckets after it. But yea, since I had about a week to prepare myself, the talk just came and went by without much fuss.

~
4pm

A posterity shot with the entire group.

Mike, Charles, meL, Miss Chiaki, Chai, Karen, Fe, Jin and Kate.

See the happily colored drapes of the office? Pepper ~~booger~~ gray. Never fails to brighten up our moods.

~
5pm

Being the model employees that we were, we, the kids/the jobless headed over to Pier1, a Last Supper of sorts.

senama, tesome, gawach, and gojinb; collectively called "Kids"

So yea, the Scrooge in me is taking a quick break and I'm now admitting that I'm missing these guys. I will remember the late lunches, the laughter, the naps, the jokes, the stories, and most specially, the lugaw moments.

~

On a happier note, David Archuleta from American Idol cleaned up his mess from last week. This week, he sang "The Long and Winding Road" for Beatles Night the sequel and was fantastic. Never going home! And anyway, It doesn't really matter if he messes up his song or not, i still want to adopt the adorably precocious man-boy-kid.

Subic '07

2007-12-30T01:49:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since we had a family outing where we went farther than pampanga or tagaytay so it was nice to have spent part of the christmas holidays with a whole bunch of them in Subic yesterday. And I haven't been there in so long, that i hardly recognize the places.

We went to the beach, the riding stalls, the gokart track, the outlet shops (this is extremely fun for the adults), etc etc. The younger kids had loads of fun, actually this 'field trip' is mostly for them of course. :o)

my usually well-behaved aunts and uncles..

top row: Tito Rino, Tito Eric, Tito Rene
bottom row: Mama, Tita Ging, Ng Chu

us kids denied that we were in any way related to the ones in the above picture..

top row: Pam, Me, Miguel, Regina, Janine, Katrina, Chamie
bottom row: Raffy, Jamie, Luigi

The one thing that was super new to me was Extreme Adventure Park. We tried what they call Tension Traversing, which is basically you in a harness, sliding down from tree to tree, hanging on to a thing (dunno what it's called) on cables and also for dear life. This was me on the first slide down.

That was my mother taking the video. And snickering as I screamed my way down. Loveyou Ma! So now that you've lost all the respect you had for me, I will attempt to make you forget that image of me screaming my lungs out. In my next entry.

In all honesty, I had it all typed up, my Subic story circa 90's but then LJ decided to screw up and mess it up because of the embeded video, which, apparently is a new thing for this journal. So now, I have to abruptly cut this short with an advanced greeting of a joyful new year! May we all find a way to heal old wounds and dry the tears of 2007. May everyone have a lucky 2008! :D

2008

2007-12-27T03:29:00.000-08:00

I have decided to make this year's resolutions a bit more specific. So this time next year, I will be able to assess what I've accomplished and what I have again postponed to do. Here we go.

Resolution # 1. Study for the GMAT, take and pass the exam.
    - I have been postponing this for so long. This year, i resolve to stop procrastinating and start studying. Sabi nga ng shirt ni Jin, "Procrastinators of the world... Unite! ... tomorrow."

Resolution # 2. Stop being sarcastic.
    - This has always been a bad point of mine. Being sarcastic to the point of offending people. I will be more conscious of this and try offending less people this year. Example: When gawach says he will quit smoking after his baby is born, I will not roll my eyes and retort, "How long after?"

Resolution # 3. Believe in life and love.
    - I am a pessimist. The cup is so half empty. And someone will probably spill whatever is left. The dog maybe. Whose poop I just stepped on. With my new high-heeled shoes. On my way to the big meeting. Which I'm already late for. Because I did not wake up on time. The damn alarm clock was set to 5pm instead of 5am. Who set it? Me. So where was I? Oh so for 2008, I will be less of a pessimist and try to believe that life can blossom and love will save the day. Someone hand me a barf bag.

Resolution # 4. Invest.
    - The stock market scares me. Basically because I don't know/get anything about it. I promise to ask people about this and start investing money. Also this will make me stop splurging on food. Which will result to me eating less. Which will result to me not getting fatter. So, in all, this is a win-win situation. When my stocks increase, I will celebrate and eat in my favorite restaurant. For 8 weeks.

Resolution # 5. Sleep more.
    - Target is to sleep at an average of 6 hours per day. Kahit 4 hours pag weekdays, tas 11 hours on Fridays and Saturdays. Basta the weekly snooze time should be 42 hours. Why? Because, life is short. And I shouldn't make it shorter.

IOU

2007-09-12T07:06:00.000-07:00

I've unearthed an old poem made for someone a long time ago, and thought i'd post it, so here it is..

IOU

I am stubborn,
You gently persuade me;
I babble constantly,
You read between the lines;
I am guarded,
And you hold my hand patiently;
You are my teacher, and I your student.

I have forgotten how to trust;
You constantly teach me.
I say something cynical.
You turn it to playful banter.
I am forever doubtful;
And you give me no reason to doubt.

..and more stuff from the baul in the coming days *grins*

stealing the sparkle.

2007-08-01T05:28:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am blogging again.

I'm not really a true blue writer. I don't have dreams of writing professionally or commercially. But I do enjoy writing from time to time. I get moments when the thoughts inside my head simply have to be translated into words, into phrases or stanzas, into sentences, paragraphs, chapters. Sometimes it seems that my brain wants to spit out something, and it knows that I am not a good talker (*cough* terrible actually *cough). So it finds another output channel, which is writing (really it's typing cause It's been a while since I last held a pen to write long paragraphs)

And even though I write occasionally, I can't say I'm an exceptionally good writer. It's just, my mind translates its ideas into words. Sometimes the words don't even make sense. Like, there's no glue to hold the ideas together. But what the hey, it wasn't meant to be understood by those who can't. So for those who read, and understand what I mean, congratulations, and thanks for taking the time to read my words, for those who cant, it's perfectly all right, even I don't understand what I'm writing from time to time.

All that shit i just typed? It was all meant to lead to the fact that I haven't written in such a long time. Bleh, okay fine, I update this journal sometimes about stuff that goes on in my life. What I meant was that I haven't had an interesting idea for a storyline or even an article in sooo long. The last interesting one I can remember was a short story about the Undead, where i was able to write an outline of the story, and several paragraphs but never got to polish the story. My heart just wasn't in it anymore, even though when I first got that idea; the sagging skin, glassy eyes, unbearable stench, and slow slur of the Undead was as clear as day in my head. But now, it's just all feels like some foggy illusions of the distant past. My passion for writing has died.

Which can't be good, can it? I may be the first non-writer to have non-writer's block. What the hell happened to creativity? Whatever happened to inspiration? Years ago, inspiration came from even the most simple things, like a stain on the carpet that is sort-of shaped like a witch with a wart on her nose if you squint your eyes just a teensy bit and tilt your head at a certain angle. Lately, when I see a stain, my eyes just fade into dull gray and I just think, "Oh, that needs to be washed." Eeeeyuck, how boring is that? Have I become too jaded? Where is that little girl who used to dream of one-eyed dragons and rainbow-maned unicorns and fluffy little balls of koosh in electric pink and candy yellow? Where is that girl who used to grin in amazement at the sunset when the sky turned into a shade of cotton candy pink or when it turned into that specatular mix of midnight blue and happy orange. Where is she that waited for the full moon to come to simply stare at the clear and perfectly rounded white against a backdrop of night grey sprinkled with stars that winked merrily? Where is she that tirelessly mixed oil crayons to get the perfect shade of lavander just to color the unicorn's horn?

Where is she? Is she being pushed back by the exceptionally strong tandem of sarcasm and cynicism? Is she still fighting for survival? Or has she died completely, forgotten and decaying? ><

sometimes you just have to read between the lines..

2007-03-18T08:08:00.001-07:00

I've never been good at getting to the point.

And people have told me quite a few times. Sometimes jokingly, other times seriously, sometimes politely and other times rudely. And I do sort of agree, time comes when I've opened my mouth to speak and then in the middle of it all; i stop, pause, and think: "What the hell did that thing-I-just-said have to do with what I'm really trying to say??"

I'm not sure, perhaps because growing up, I never had to explain myself completely to others. People around me always seemed to understand what I was trying to get at, so I didn't have to try very hard at making them understand.

You know those people that nod in agreement in the middle of a 'kwento' session and even before you can finish it off, they offer their conclusion to your intro? and if you say "it's not that.." they offer another possible conclusion.. and that goes on until you agree at some point? Well, i think i had a lot of those people growing up, up to now even. Hence, i seldom got to finish my own stories. Except in my mind. Sometimes it's all formed coherently and quite nicely inside my head but when i open my mouth, all coherence comes crashing down. Open mouth, insert foot situations are normal occurrences.

Add to that, the hesitance i have about sharing true emotions. That personal space bubble? Mine's a whole lot bigger than Bubbleboy's. Made bigger by certain circumstances that involved trusting too much and getting a kick in the arse, a blow to the head, a pitchfork on the back. But I am learning to be a tad bit more open though, little by little. Baby steps. Baby steps and i'll get there.

Coz i'm slowly realizing that while some people are dirtbags, others are okay. Nice even. But i'll never be the person who spills her guts out to the person she just met a week ago, i can't be the person who can be close buddies with a person she'd just met that day, i'm not the type who'd gush about feelings too openly. Even if we've known each other for a bit of time, I won't necessarily bare my heart and mind and soul to you.

So you know.. the things I'm not saying? Get it.
:P

a good hard slap in the face..

2007-03-10T22:41:00.000-08:00

and i'm not saying that in a bad way, i ripped-off this article from

catcastro

today, and it has some sensible things to say.

for women who fall..

The Hard Lessons on Love and Men.

1. A man won't let go if he really loves you.
Do not hold on to someone who has let go of you. He does not love you and does not value having you. Believe me, he will not let go if he really loves you. There is another reason he is not willing to tell.

2. Do not look for reasons why he ended the relationship.
There is only one reason why he ended your relationship. He just does not love you. Do not waste your time thinking of reasons or what you should have done. Move on and be open to a man who will truly love you.

3. Do not get hung up on your past.
Do not nag or distrust your current boyfriend just because your ex hurt you. Do not treat him or the relationship the same way. Do not compare. He will not react the same way as your ex. Do not be worried that your simple mistakes will cause him to look for another girl. What happened with your ex was not your fault. It was not because you didn't guard him enough or you didn't make him happy enough.

4. Do not look into images.
How many times have you met a girl who didn't have the best image in school or at the office, but you get to know the girl and found out she was actually extremely nice? Do not rely on images. Oftentimes, it is far from reality. Do not fear men just because your "supposedly" perfect ex-boyfriend mistreated you.

5. Always have your own set of rules.
Set your limits on how far you'd go for a guy. It's perfectly ok to give and do everything as long as it's worth it. And it's worth it if the guy is treating you right.

6. Do not be scared to lose him.
Don't be scared that he'll break up with you. Once you are afraid of losing him, you easily can be taken advantage. Be strong and if something is unacceptable, do not accept it and speak up.

7. Avoid calling your guy.
It's a guy thing. The relationship will definitely be better if it's the guy who's calling, not the girl. He will get tired of you if you keep on calling. He will lose interest and challenge. More
so, he will get annoyed. But it's a girl thing also that your fingers get too itchy until you dial his number. But avoid as much as possible. Call only if really needed (like checking if your suspicions are reasonable).

8. There is a guy who will value you.
There is a guy out there who can make you feel valued, appreciated, and loved. And I mean, not just during your first few weeks together. So don't lose hope. Don't settle for a lesbian if you are not attracted to women. There is a man out there who can love you like a girl can.
Also, do not believe him when he says it's just the way he really is. He's not the sweet or expressive-type. Remember during your first few weeks together? Where has that sweet guy gone? He simply is not that into you anymore.

9. Always be the only one, no matter what.
Do not ever fall for a guy who has another girl, be it his wife, girlfriend, or any girl that he says he just can't get rid of for whatever reason. If you truly believe that he loves you and for some reason, he can't leave or let go of another girl, then you are no different from any ordinary mistress.

10. He must respect you.
No matter how long the relationship has been, he should always show respect towards you.

11. If he fooled you, end it.
Philandering once is enough. You can never trust nor respect the person again.

12. Never start a relationship the wrong way.
Do not steal another girl's man, for whatever reason. Nor should you enter a relationship for the wrong reasons (loneliness, on the rebound, getting back at your ex, man-dependency, etc.) it is bound not to last. You will only end up wasting more years of your life.

13. Do not force yourself into a relationship.
Do not get into a relationship just because your friends are getting impatient with your dating escapades and the one hasn't come yet. Do not choose who to say yes to based on superficial things like money, looks, cars, etc.. If you are even thinking of these things, you have not fallen in love yet.

14. Do not settle.
If you are not happy anymore with your relationship, break up instantly. He will not stay with you forever no matter how upright he might seem to be. Eventually, he will also want love and happiness in his life.

15. A relationship has to have love.
Love is the only thing that will push you to give your efforts into making the relationship work. And believe me, keeping a relationship requires genuine efforts of both parties.

16. Don't be afraid to be single.
It's fun to be single, try it. You can go out whenever and wherever you want. You are free. You can date whomever you want and you get to go out for free! Do not get a boyfriend just for the sake of having one. Do not settle.

17. Be a good girl.
Be a good girl to attract a good guy. Enter the relationship with sincere intentions. Take the guy and the relationship seriously with the plan of spending the rest of your life with that person. If you compare your flings from your real relationships, you will know that the latter makes you happier and more fulfilled.

18. Love without limits.
Whether you loved and gave everything or loved but held out for some things, if the relationship ends, you still get hurt. But if you gave your everything, you were happy and you could say that it was worth it. If you didn't give your all, you get hurt for nothing.

19. You will get over him.
Love is over-stated. Love eventually ends and you are free to love another.

20. Be the one.
Act like you are the one. Don't be a nagger. Don't hinder his gimmicks. Don't give in to him too easily. Make him treat you as important. Don't be easy. Don't be like every other girl he had in his life.

He's just not that into you.

2007-02-09T08:46:00.000-08:00

I bought Sex and the City dvds last weekend and started watching it almost every night before going to bed. Im already on Season 5 :P

Remember Berger? Carrie's boyfriend who broke up with her on a post it, the one with all the verbal chemistry, the guy that they all wanted to work but didn't? Well, before the drama of their breakup, he was actually an excellent boyfriend. At a dinner with the girls + Berger, Miranda was telling them about her date with this new guy. The date apparently went well, they had fun, they kissed, but when he brought her home, he wouldn't come up because he had to get up early the next day. Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda, and even Samantha were all trying to analyze what happened and came up with several ideas as to why the guy wouldn't come up, all ideas pointing to the positive that he's gonna call, etc, etc. (you know how girls can overanalyze every detail in any quasi-relationship, it's an art we perfect through time) So then Miranda then asks Berger for his "guy opinion" and he says that for guys, it only means one thing, he goes on to say, "He's just not that into you."

Hmm..

Clear. Black and White. Right there. No frills. No hidden emotions behind it. That's just it. According to Miranda, it's cool that she finally knows how it works for men, it supposedly softens the blow, presupposing that he doesn't like you enough, so you won't ever expect anything back. Sort of like a warning before you get hit in the face. Maybe so, but whatever, a blow is a blow is a blow, no matter how many warning bells you get.

Ouch.
He's just not that into you.

the bumps of life.

2006-09-17T05:58:00.000-07:00

They say that all relationships are meant to end. Those who are still going strong, well, they just haven't hit the bump that would send that helmet-less biker hurtling to the ground head first.

Of course you get into a relationship wishing, hoping that this time would be it. That this would last. That this would be the love that you read in romance novels, the kind you watch in movies. The "I'm so in love I'm willing to compromise on your behalf and you on mine." kind of love. But that doesn't happen too often. And breakups are inevitable in some cases.

Breakups aren't much fun. But what sucks the most about breakups isn't the time when you cried yourself to sleep after yet another pointless row; nope, not the time when you found out your partner slept with your best buddy; hell, it's not even the time you were fuming mad that you drank beyond your alcohol tolerance and woozily tried to break his windshield with your heels.

It's the "Getting Over You" phase that's the worst part of breakups. It's the week at the ICU after the crash. The week when you're at your most vulnerable, the time when you're most susceptible to do foolish things. And no matter whether you're the dumper or the dumpee, there's still that phase where you think about your moments together. The great times, the not so great times, and even the horrible times. And during weaker nights, you find the urge to just find him and say you've made the wrong decision. There are also moments of longing and hoping that you could still work things out. Letting go of someone who was dear to your heart at one point or another is not as easy as, say, throwing away a used square of tissue.

But even though you go through hell and back after a breakup, the mere thrill of riding without a helmet, feeling the wind against your face blowing your hair in all directions, revving the engine, hearing it roar to life, all that, it just makes you want to get on that Harley again, riding with reckless abandon. Until the next bump.

Mama's Golden Year

2006-09-17T04:33:00.000-07:00

After weeks and weeks of planning behind her back, several all nighters just to finish the presentation of 50 years worth of pictures and videos, gazillion phone calls and text messages to all people involved in one way or another and endless nights of worrying whether our cover would be blown.. Finally, last Sunday, September 10 2006, Mama's surprise birthday party pushed through.

Surprise!

Shempre nagpapicture kagad yung may pakana ng party :P

The other birthday girl, NINANG CHU! Look who's doing what to the birthday cake.. haha

ay happy kayo ha..

dami dami dami

Despite some technical difficulties and few mishaps and some histrionics here and there, i must say, it was quite successful!

So to all who were part of it, you guys know who you are, THANKS A WHOLE BUNCH! Much love and kisses all around! And.. sa uulitin.. hahah joke

2006: Live it Up

2006-01-06T18:24:00.000-08:00

I’ve been racking up my brain for interesting ways to entitle a resolution list but can’t come up with a decent one. So I went for simple. These are my Rules to Live By For 2006.

1. Be energetic. You live only once, live it to the fullest. Go bungee jumping, go sky diving, go rapelling, or something to that effect. Take risks, and relish each moment.

2. Be cheerful. Lighten up, nothing good can come from being cranky or cynical. Smile at adversities, laugh away your troubles, chuckle away all animosity. Always remember, other people have worse problems than you do.

3. Open up. Share yourself to others. Life can be so much simpler and more fun if you share bits of yourself. Tell your stories, listen to other people’s stories, and connect with others.

4. Learn. Learn from past mistakes. Everyone is bound to make mistakes in his lifetime, it’s normal. But don’t repeat the same mistakes over and over again. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.

5. Forget. New Year = Clean Slate. Start anew, forget bad memories, keep the good ones, and cherish the great ones.

I love this line; read it somewhere I just can’t remember where. Life is about the journey, not the destination. Too true. So, along with my 2006 Rules to Live By, my motto for this year is to: Live it Up.

Here’s to an awesome 2006! Cheers.

* sidenote1: I’ve been meaning to blog about my holidays, but can’t seem find the right mood, so I’ll just be posting some pix of those I were with at the near-end of 2005.

-at Victoria Peak, sooo cold

-at Tomorrowland, getting ready to ride the Space Mountain

* sidenote2: I love the Megamelt ensaymadas and leche flan, yummy. Too fattening, and yet I indulge myself once in a while (like now).

* sidenote3: Thank heavens for JackTV, we finally have David Letterman! Scrap Conan O’ Brien and Jay Leno, I’ve had too much of them this year

My Korean Fling

2005-10-09T09:03:00.000-07:00

Let me start by saying that I rarely watch Korean-novelas or Korean films. I can honestly say that I don’t enjoy them all that much, but people around me seem to be in a Korean-entertainment-frenzy. With all this hoopla around Korean flicks, one night, I find myself in a dream having an affair with a Korean guy. Definitely one of the weirdest dreams I’ve had in a long while, and that’s why I’m writing about it.

I don’t exactly remember all the details but it was a cute dream, with a sort of chick-flick-type storyline. If only I can remember all my dreams, I'd start my own film company which will produce comedies, romantic-comedies, sci-fi (yea, sci-fi, seriously), and action, or any combination of the aforesaid types (but no epics or drama please).

Ok, so the dream starts with me attending an outdoor wedding (a sort of beach setting) of a distant cousin. So there I am, dressed in itchy formal and around me are all of my relatives from all sides of the family, and we’re listening to a very dull priest rambling on longer than we had expected. We start to fidget and start to chitchat with each other, and then at one point, I get introduced to this guy standing close by. He’s the husband of another one of my cousins, and he is Korean.

Go ahead, reread the title again.

So our little group (including the Korean who speaks perfect English and a spattering of Filipino) continued to chat while the homily was going on, then at one point the Korean quips and I quip quickly back and this exchange went on through the entire ceremony. You know that feeling that you get with some people that you just know that you’re going to get along pretty well with that person? That’s what we had, me and the Korean, I felt we could be good friends, if not more. The wedding is over, and after all the niceties saying our “Congratulations!” to the newlyweds and hellos and kisses to all the other distant relatives, the Korean invited me to explore the place (the place was sort of Boracay-ish, so lotsa places to go to). And I agreed, I had no reason not to.

So we went to all the places (I won’t write about each and every place but think of a part of a chick-flick where there's a montage of scenes where the two leads get to know each other and there’s background music that’s supposed to make you smile) and one of places was sort of a Korean temple, but with monks and incense and the Korean was showing me their rituals and stuff.

Weird stuff, I told ya. Ok, so here’s the part where we’ve established that me and Korean clicked. When one said something, the other had a quick reply of assent or additional information on the topic. And at each revelation, we looked at each other with questioning and yet amused eyes thinking, “This feels right, this IS right.” In addition, I was thinking “Of course nothing could happen, he’s married, and to a relative of mine nonetheless”.

So after about a week of spending each day with each other and him bringing me home (the temporary beach house with my parents) each night, it was time for me to leave and go back to the real world. I knew that he knew that I was leaving soon. And in my heart, I was waiting for him to come by. As I was packing, the constant ringing of the doorbell kept me looking to the window to see who it was, my heart sinking with each ring that wasn’t him. The whole family is ready to go, there's no Korean in sight and I’ve resigned myself to going away without even saying goodbye. As I was about to board the plane, there’s a call from behind and I look on hopefully. It is the Korean, running towards me, and then finally wrapping his arms around my waist. No words, just two people, looking in each others eyes. The eyes doing the talking, his and mine, full of emotion, brimming with tenderness.

And… cut. The End.

It’s open-ended I know, but it’s better that way. I can form my own conclusion, or I can just wait for tonight’s dream, My Korean Fling, Part II. Stay tuned.

Do We Overpamper Ourselves?

2005-10-03T23:55:00.000-07:00

I took a sort of personality test a few months back in a seminar where you get to measure the importance you give to different aspects of your life. The highest percentage I got was for the ‘self-pampering’ bit. Apparently, I give more importance to me and my happiness more than I give importance to family, religion, love, friends, career et al. What’s even more surprising was that there were a whole lot more of us who had this result and there were just a handful of those who gave the highest importance to career or family or religion. So now the question that has popped in my head quite a few times already is: Are we overindulging ourselves?

We buy clothes/shoes/accessories we don’t need, eat food we don’t need, drink drinks we don’t need, watch movies we don’t need, get massages we don’t really need. Quite regularly we spend too much for stuff we don’t need. You get what I mean? No? Well, all I’m trying to say is that I’ve just recently taken myself out of the box, and looking at my life from the outside, I see myself one day eating bread and drinking coffee that I bought for three times its actual cost. And I wasn’t even that hungry, I just wanted bread and coffee. And boy, I can name other instances like this.

This day and age, every damn thing is overpriced. And three most blatant examples of overpricing in my opinion are bread, movies, and coffee.

Bread: Why are there sosy bakeries everywhere nowadays? I say sosy because I believe try to create that impression. They advertise fluffy, freshly-baked bread in a delightful array of flavors.

Cost: P50/piece give or take.
Frequency: Once in a while. I admit I love them, and I used to hate bread.

Movies: They’ve added everything to give you the whopping movie experience you can ever have. THX, Dolby, a little ambiance, good food, good seats, uh-huh the works, baby. It doesn’t hurt that there are new films once a week, great for business. And add to the cost, the popcorn, tacos, nachos, burgers, hotdogs, sodas, juices and other junk food.

Cost: P200.00 give or take.
Frequency: Roughly once a week. Even movies like Catwoman don’t stop me.

Coffee: They have cappuccinos, frappuccinos, mochaccinos, and all those other ‘ccinos’. Whatever happened to good old black coffee? Underneath all those layers of sugar, cream, milk, mocha, cinnamon, chili (ok, maybe not chili), is that wondrous flavor from that little black coffee bean.

Cost: P100.00 give or take.
Frequency: Daily. Yes, caffeine is addicting, and don’t argue.

Why are they overpricing? Well, there is business where there are dividends. They go on with their business profiting as much as they do because we buy from them. We get sucked into the vortex of shameless overpricing. And for what? For ourselves? For our happiness? Bull.

We put much emphasis on our indulgences, we nonchalantly pay for stuff like these because we want to, we enjoy it, and we can. But another question is, should we? While there are others who can barely make ends meet, and others still whose ends can never meet at all, do we deserve to indulge ourselves regularly? (and that’s another story altogether) Looking at the whole nine yards, I feel guilty sometimes. One, because I pamper myself too much; and two, because there are others out there who cannot and I’m not doing anything about it. But the good of it all, things can change. I’m not sure I’ll be buying any of those crappyccinos anytime soon.

Is infidelity inevitable? Part 2

2005-09-08T21:48:00.000-07:00

i finally finished the book, after the two weeks it has been sitting on my bedside table.. :P

the thing about this book is that it has "God's" perspective (God the Creator of all things that are, is, and will be); in between chapters, there's a page where 'God' is explaining what's happening and why it's happening.

on the story: So Sara found out about the affair and dumped Tom and gets kicked out of the house, Tom is heartbroken and runs to George who comforts him for a while. Then George dumped Tom and when Tom asked if she ever loved him, she says "No. I think i just loved the idea of you." BIG OUCH. Then Tom becomes miserable and tries to crawl back to Sara and ask for her forgiveness (with a huge public apology,limousine,fudge,musicians, and tickets to Venice), to no avail. Then, the book skips AFTER TWO YEARS (i always thought this only happened to movies and tv). They've all moved on, Tom meets Sara at a party and gives her a ride home, gives this whole speech about how sorry he was and about unfaithfulness and its repercussions. Sara appears to be quite moved, says NO for the nth time, pushes Tom out the door.

and then 'God' butts in and says in the 2nd to the last page. "I made it involve all your senses: now I'm giving you that extra sense, the one that can hopefully take the edge off it all... a sense of perspective."

and on the last page, Sara opens the door and finds Tom STILL there.
TOM: "They always come back, don't they? In the movies you like? The men always try one more time after it seems it's too late."

SARA: "Aye.. and can I point out that your success rate from copying what works in the movies has been - historically - fvcking tragic?"

T: "Abysmal."

S: "And that 'winningly persistent suitor' or 'creepy bleeding stalker' is not a call that you get to make?"

T: "No - you get to make that call."

S: "Aye, that's right.. That's right: I get to make that call."

T: "So?"

* personally i think Tom killed the whole speech by starting with, "Here's the thing about being unfaithful, Sara .. it's absolutely FANTASTIC." Although he tried recover from this point on and made good arguments, if this was said to me, i would always look back to him saying 'Being unfaithful is Fantastic' with a capital F

Is infidelity inevitable?

2005-09-07T06:12:00.000-07:00

I'm curently reading a book called A Certain Chemistry by Mil Millington. I'm only 3/4 of the way through, but i cannot help but write about what I've partly read.

So the premise is that there's this guy named Tom Cartwright who's a ghostwriter (meaning he writes and other people take credit). He gets a job to ghost-write an autobiography for a famous TV soap actress called Georgina Nye. So, him and Georgina meet up for stuff for the book and after a few meetings, they realize they have this certain chemistry, both asexual and sexual, and then one thing led to another and so they had an affair. Problem is, Tom has a live-in girlfriend by the name of Sara. And Tom loves Georgina and Sara both. Or so he claims.

I wouldn't have been surprised to read on to the next few pages seeing Tom deliriously happy because he has both 'comforting' Sara and 'gorgeous' George to, excuse the word but it is appropriate, fvck. But then come these lines from Tom the man himself.

"What you have to remember is that I was the victim here. .. I was suffering horribly. ... As for Sara, well, yes, I was being unfaithful to her. But she didn't know that. I was the one who had to endure life under the weight of that knowledge: I was the one who felt guilty. .. Here I am suffering silently to maintain the happiness of others, and all you can do is despise me for ensuring that my girlfriend has wave after face-crushing wave of orgasms: you ought to be bloody ashamed of yourself." -Tom Cartwright

My, what an interesting justification. He feels he's the victim. By golly. It gets even more interesting. Finally Sara and George meet up at yet another post-booklaunch-party and a certain Fiona (Tom's colleague who knows about the Tom/George affair) keeps trying to make Tom uncomfortable in front of Sara. Sara then lashes at Fiona and says "Fiona, you appear to be hinting that Tom is fvcking Georgina Nye." (pause, pause, Tom's eyes wide and very much horrified) "I'm sorry if it spoils your surprise, but I'm already perfectly well aware of that fact - that's very old news." Gasp. Right when Tom thinks he's actually pulled it off. I have yet to find out what happens next.

The tagline of the book reads: Is infidelity inevitable? The question remains unanswered.