Middleclasspunk

Go do something substantial this weekend, alright?

2009-02-19T11:16:00.000+08:00

Feb 14: While our kids watched this cutesy puppet show on T.V. ,

Franklin and I watched a dirty version onstage.
The next run is this Saturday.Watch it too. AND DON"T BRING LITTLE CHILDREN, PLEASE!!!

Dramafest at Letran-Calamba

2009-02-13T08:11:00.000+08:00

Dramafest at Letran-Calamba
(Mula sa PDI Website)

The 3rd National University Theater Festival Tanghal! will be hosted by Colegio de San Juan de Letran-Calamba and will feature university-based theater groups from Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and NCR in cooperation with Lusong Luzon Arts and Culture Network. It takes place Feb. 10-14 on Letran’s spacious pastoral campus in Calamba, Laguna.

Schedule (courtesy of ma'am Sharon Alon)

Feb 10

-1PM : Korido Theater Ensemble, Venue: UPLB
-3:30PM : Sulyap at Silip (luzon, visayas, mindanao group) Venue: Phil HS for the Arts

Feb. 11

6AM -Grand Opening, Venue: Letran
9AM- COnference and Workshops
4PM- Sulyap at Silip, Venue: Letran
6PM - Tanghal: Ang Huling Tanod/ Sanggot sa Bulawan

Feb 12

9am - conference & workshops
1PM - Tanghal: Kahulugan/ Dula Ta
4PM: Sulyap at Silip: Quezon and Cavite groups
7PM-Tanghal: Matakho Takho Nan Umili/ Baliktaran, Venue: UPLB

Feb 13

10Am - Tanghal: Kahulugan/ Dulata, Venue: Letran

kita-kits. Bring your own pamasahe/pang-inom. haha

------------------------------------------------------------------
Kung kakaririn, heto ang maitutulong ko:
(source: San Juan de Letran Calamba Homepage)

Direction:

Colegio de San Juan de Letran-Calamba is located at the bustling city of Calamba in the province of Laguna, Philippines. To get there from Manila, go through the South Luzon Expressway and take the Calamba exit. Go straight the Real National Road until you reach Crossing, center of town. From here, take a right turn to the National Highway going to Los Baños. Letran-Calamba is situated in Barangay Bucal fronting Jose Rizal Hospital, the city government’s hospital. If you are coming from the East of Laguna, take the National Highway. Letran-Calamba should be on your left when you reach Bucal, City of Calamba.

For the location map, click HERE.

Helping a friend in need (of finding people with fetish for puppets)

2009-02-05T10:35:00.004+08:00

Kay tagal na nang huling masuportahan ko ang kaibigan kong si Stephen Manalo. Ang huli ay noong college pa ako (di naman katagalan yon) at pinanood ko ang Jesus Christ Superstar production nila. At dahil binigyan niya ako ng children's storybook ni Madonna, ang maisusukli ko lang ay ang tulungan siyang mag promote nito:

Be Kind to Animals

2009-02-05T09:29:00.002+08:00

Di mo man matandaan, kailangan mong malaman na minsan sa buhay mo naging kasing pangit mo sila. :p

BAGUIO SCANDAL

2009-01-29T07:25:00.003+08:00

HYPER KO NGAYON!!!

2009-01-14T06:26:00.002+08:00

I started the day with a mug of newly ground ethiopian coffee beans and since my mama did not pick me up today, I had to commute so on my way to work I spilled half of my coffee already (I left my darn mug on my desk yesterday) so after my class at 7 am I finished my then warm brew and hell I'm such a coffeeadddddict so I went down to the lobby and bought myself another 6 oz of local organic coffee so now it's almost lunchtime and I've been here in the office for 4 nonsensical hours but I still haven't started on my developmental projects projects because I've been fidgeting, running up and down, my thoughts racing and I can't freeeeeekin get them on paper so I'd rather have my fingers tapdance on the keyboard and let you know that if I'm not myself today please don't take it personally, it's just the darn coffee.

F*ck Us!!!

2009-01-07T07:37:00.004+08:00

(dated 8/15/08- a post I intentionally delayed publishing because I thought my subject would be one of my trainees hak hak)

I was tasked to interview applicants for our company last Wednesday, which was a source of excitement for me because aside from the fact that it was my very first time conducting a real interview, I also had the chance the meet the people I eventually would have to train. What I find amazing about interviews is that people gift wrap themselves (including interviewers) within a really short time, so it's impossible to see what's inside the gift box (well that was for me, I'm no expert here). We put what we think is "our best" foot forward, which are often not necessarily good-looking, as long as we wear the nicest shoes.

Anyway, just when there were only a few applicants left on the surgical table, a pretty lady stepped in, wearing trendy clothes, an extremely nice smile and a contagious bubbly attitude. She came from a prestigious college for girls, works for a men's magazine, and we were very much satisfied with her answers so I decided to probe a little more and since we are in the Education field I asked her how she would handle students who are not motivated. She answered with confidence: I will let my stoodent fuck us.
...

I was aware that my eyes grew large that very moment and I noticed my colleague held his breath and so we asked her to repeat what she said, again she blurted out with confidence: fuck us? fuck us!

Oh you mean FOCUS? My colleague responded.

Then three of us let out a small laugh, apologized and moved on to the next question. And what was the next question? I couldn't remember since I started giggling uncontrollably, and it was so embarrassing because I couldn't stop I couldn't say a word so I went out of the conference room and stayed in the toilet until my face had its normal color back.

And that was the end of my poised, composed and professional character.

Ha Ha Ha....

2008-09-25T12:08:00.003+08:00

May the Pun be with you!

Tamang tama para sa mga nadidilim na ang paningin dahil sa gutom...

RIP, Zorayda Sanchez, 57

2008-08-29T04:25:00.001+08:00

Kinalakhan ko ang mga halakhak na ibinigay mo...

How's My Attention Span?

2008-08-21T05:37:00.001+08:00

Hmp.. Sabi ko na nga ba eh,

Your Attention Span is Short

What attention span? It's difficult for anything to keep your interest.

You are so easily distracted, it's a wonder you could finish this quiz!

You find focusing a challenge. Your mind tends to wander to the strangest places.

While it may be hard for you to complete tasks, you're very creative.

You are easily inspired, and you are often thinking of something interesting.

The world would be a boring place without people like you.

How's Your Attention Span?

2008-08-16T21:15:00.002+08:00

Underwater Fireflies by ~kss on deviant ART

you keep asking for city lights
but in this skyline
i can only show you fireflies

A new favorite line from a new favorite movie

2008-08-16T14:48:00.001+08:00

From the English Patient:

Here are betrayals in war that are childlike compared with our betrayals during peace.
New lovers are nervous and tender, but smash everything. For the heart is an organ of fire.
-Almasy

Other quotes:

Almásy: I once heard of a captain who wore a patch over a good eye. The men fought harder for him.
----------------
Katharine Clifton: You speak so many bloody languages, and you never want to talk.
----------------
Hana: I'm not in love with him. I'm in love with ghosts... And so is he, he's in love with ghosts.
---------------
Katharine Clifton: My darling. I'm waiting for you. How long is the day in the dark? Or a week? The fire is gone, and I'm horribly cold. I really should drag myself outside but then there'd be the sun. I'm afraid I waste the light on the paintings, not writing these words. We die. We die rich with lovers and tribes, tastes we have swallowed, bodies we've entered and swum up like rivers. Fears we've hidden in - like this wretched cave. I want all this marked on my body. Where the real countries are. Not boundaries drawn on mapswith the names of powerful men. I know you'll come carry me out to the Palace of Winds. That's what I've wanted: to walk in such a place with you. With friends, on an earth without maps. The lamp has gone out and I'm writing in the darkness.

Any man who watches this movie and does not feel moved afterward should be castrated, and have his... pickled.

Today is DVD Marathon Day!!!

2008-08-15T08:00:00.002+08:00

Kleng and I went to Alabang South Station and bought party favors for our son, Luigi who is planning to have a his birthday party in his school on Monday, August 18 (paging all ninong's and ninang's!).

On our way back, we spotted a store that was pretty packed with customers who were browsing for fake DVD titles and since our trusty suki in Alabang Terminal moved out already, we tried looking around hoping to see copies of Top Chef 4 and Pushing Daisies. Unfortunately they were none but you see, when you go to bangketas you gotta get your hands dirty and dig for gold because otherwise, you can just go to 6750 and have pirated laced and scented CDs served to you on a silver platter while you wait in leather couches. Fair enough, we found a good set of solo titles that were kinda hard to find in most video stores:

-Les Triplettes de Belleville
Official Selection for Cannes Festival 2003. I've watched this before on Cable, three old and weird ladies fighting off gangsters with the help of their dog.

- Cinema Paradiso (Script by Giuseppe Tornatore)

- The English Patient (Ralph Fiennes, Juliet Binoche)

- PIXAR Short Films Collection
PIXAR makes very cute short films which are usually played before major PIXAR movies.

-The Journal of Short Film Vol. 1 Fall 2005
Contains 9 short films about a sigh, a hut, gravel, post-partum, a package, galactic space and whatever it is that I'm prepared to be amused (or shocked!) with.

- There Will Be Blood (Daniel Day Lewis)

- Casanova (Heath Ledger, Sienna Miller)

-I'm Not There ( Cate Blanchett*, Christian Bale*, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger+, Ben Whishaw, and Marcus Franklin are all BOB DYLAN). Three of my favorite actors are here.

-Juno (Ellen Page) the cheap(er) copy we bought did not work so we bought solo title.

-Trainspotting (Ewan McGregor) everyone's been talking about this movie but I haven't seen a copy till now, but better late than never.

- Golden Girls complete first season

I originally planned to buy just 2 CDs but ended up with ten (plus one free courtesy of bangketa promotions so we grabbed Golden Girls) which I think is a good bargain even if each DVD costs 60 pesos because now we all know that buying 18-in-1 copies are disposable, cinema copies that either has intelligible audio or has shots of people's heads especially when they stand up and walk across the aisle when they have to go pee. PLus, each title has a super sleek resealable plastic jacket, very nice DVD box and they all have free posters inside!

Hindi ako fashionista pero....

2008-08-05T04:08:00.003+08:00

I get fashion tips from my supernatural friends. In fact, a not-so-little birdie ( with a mint chakra and razor claws) told me about this year's trend. She sees me go to work every now and then in tee shirt and jeans and sneakers. Sabi niya kakahiya daw. Fridays lang ang dress down. If I wear those on a Monday, what would my Friday outfit look like?.. taong grasa, I teased. Anyway, I guess I could sacrifice style for comfort and still be able to avoid warping into the wrong fashion era.

This year :
Wide leg pants and flares - move over skinny... (you can't hurt my silhouette anymore!!! )
Torn and ripped denims - I can do this to my skinnies :p
Bushy eyebrows - watch TV, notice Betty la Fea
Gladiator shoes, boots - so Xerxes was fashionable after all...
Big and bold jewellry - right, Xerxes?
Volumed Skirts and Belts - uhm..
Jumpsuits - ack!
Citrus colors- not so flattering
Maxi Dresses - Uli's
the 90's - the Philippines believes the 90's is back
notice: colored jeans, G-Force fashion, grunge style

OH GOD NO!!!

What's With the Makeup?

2008-08-01T14:35:00.004+08:00

Now they're both gone.... :*(

Thursday...

2008-07-31T04:06:00.001+08:00

Three things that make me happy :
1) I might watch A Very Special Love this afternoon.
Yup I watch movies from foreign/art films to slapstick to cheesy movies, I'm a big fan of John Lloyd Cruz and direk Cathy Garcia Molina.... no matter how baduy for some. It's nice to be jologs after all, less pressure to keep up with the society. :D

oh, and make that reason number two.
3) My mom the kunsintidora :p

She never approved of my having a band in high school, having a bf, and most things that I did during my teens but since dropping out of medical school she has shown her support and love and understanding and... I am just too glad to have her as my mother. She knows how I love coffee so much and has been sending me the best varities since she found out about my addiction :). From Italian and Brazilian Brews, Japanese, American instant cofee. Never mind having hypertension and diabetes in the family, a fresh brew (or more) is a daily requirement. It was only yesterday when I mentioned to Mama that our staple Benguet beans and Verona have run out , and today she gave me a pack of Japanese Drip coffee that I truly love since college, and a jar of muscovado sugar to go with it. Sweet no?

Hello Sunshine!

2008-07-30T05:54:00.002+08:00

I would like to thank Charles Darwin for his theory (which was actually from Herbert Spencer) about Natural selection. When the environmentally detached earthlings finally trigger the apocalypse due to global warming, right punk, I'm talking about abnormal weather, melting polar caps, neo-ice age. I am well aware that I would be the first few to leave this planet due my incapacity to adapt in extreme ecological conditions, which is very much likely since most people are still hooked on pop culture instead of garbage segregation.

------

Rainy days are over, which means no more lethargia for me, no more "kabag" no more negative ions to kill my mood. I took my second cup of coffee this morning in front of the building, bathed in the sunshine for a while, and headed back to my station , changed into comfy slippers to embrace the paperwork which I haven't started because I'm still blogging.

------

My boss asked me to write an essay today. The last essay I've written was two years ago. *ubo *ubo (allergy attack)
------

I know I'm gonna hate the view at the mall on my way home. It's nice that some clothing stores have actually chosen to cater to heavy women as customers, while about 90 % still display stick-skinny jeans in their windows. Just where does that leave medium built women like me? This is why I'd rather shop for books.

-----

oh and lastly: mid week spells boredom. I wonder how I could be busy and bored at the same time.

Can't wait for my favorite teleserye tonight...

The Cutest Kids In PDA

2008-07-22T10:46:00.003+08:00

nakakagigil :D

Philip Nadela, 9, General Santos City

Nikki Samonte, 8, Nueva Ecija

The Dark Knight

2008-07-18T08:45:00.004+08:00

For whatever it is on my mind that has anything to do with this Batman movie (and Heath Ledger), I'm sure the critics and Batman aficionados would have a better way of putting it into words.

My piece though: since Heath Ledger's death in January this year, his thought has not cheered my up until this movie. He has made himself an iconic villain and a beloved actor whom I've closely patronized since his big break from 10 Things I Hate About You.

The Dark Knight is the best Batman film I have ever watched (and I've watched them all, even the Batman series...), provided that Christian Bale, whom I thought was an underrated actor before Batman, and one of my favorite Hollywood actors too, is the new (and improved) Bruce Wayne.

(clap clap clap)

Hearts for Heath Ledger :D

Ang Maestro

2008-07-16T11:28:00.004+08:00

During the 80's Philippines used to be one of the countries that produced the most number of films in a year, but due to the Asian Crisis in the 90's (among other haunting factors) the production.

Anyway,I doubt there's anything I can do about that on that but there are so many reasons we all need to go back and revisit the golden age of Philippine cinema.

I'll be posting reviews in installments because I'm busy (meaning posting will be irregular, if not sparse, if not this is the first and last entry about the Golden Age of Phil Cin).

First one to be featured:

Ang Maestro

I swear this is close to being the ultimate Pinoy action flick in my personal database.

Legendary Action Star: Check
Pinoy Version of a Hollywood Hit: Check
Hot Female Lead: Check
Goons, bearded Bad Guys: Check
A plot revolving on revenge: Check
Contrast in Social Status: Check
Swordfight and (western) shootout: Check
Classic Filipino Language: Check
Horseback Riding: Check
Love Scene: SORRY!!!

CAST:

FPJ
Chat Silayan
Romy Diaz
Paquito Diaz

Plot:
Google it. Too Lazy to explain.

Super Cute!!!

2008-07-07T08:33:00.003+08:00

Van Pojas
(Pinoy Dream Academy)

beautiful people from the food industry

2008-06-23T08:50:00.006+08:00

They're what I consider beautiful people, regardless of age, gender, and sexual orientation . haha

I could've put hotter pictures of each but with my boss sitting beside me, chances are as thin as grease on a baking pan.

anyway, double the drool , you guys. :)

Ilan Hall
Ilan D. Hall (born April 6, 1982) is an American chef, best known as the winner of the second season of the Bravo television network's reality series Top Chef

Ted Allen

Ted Allen (born Edward R. Allen on May 20, 1965 in Columbus, Ohio) is the food and wine connoisseur on the American Bravo network's Emmy-winning television program Queer Eye.

Cat Cora

Cat Cora is the first female American Iron Chef, Author of two cookbooks, Founder and president of Chefs for Humanity.

Gail Simmons

Gail Simmons is a Canadian food critic and Special Projects Manager with Food & Wine Magazine.

Giada de Laurentiis

Giada Pamela De Laurentiis born August 22, 1970) is an Italian American chef, writer, television personality, and the current host of the Food Network programs Everyday Italian, Behind the Bash, Giada's Weekend Getaways, and Giada in Paradise.

Howard Dieterle

Harold Dieterle III (born 1977), of West Babylon, New York, U.S., was the winner of the first season of the Bravo cable television network reality television program Top Chef.

Jamie Oliver

James Trevor Oliver, MBE (27 May 1975) better known as Jamie Oliver and nicknamed The Naked Chef, is an English celebrity chef.

Nigella Lawson

Nigella Lucy Lawson (born 6 January 1960) is an English journalist, food writer, broadcaster and television presenter.

Padma Lakshmi

Padma Parvati Lakshmi, Lady Rushdie [1] (born September 1, 1970) is an Indian American cookbook author, actress, and former model who has described herself as the first well-known model from India.

Rachael Ray

Rachael Domenica Ray (born August 25, 1968 in Glens Falls, New York[1][2]) is a Daytime Emmy Award winning television personality and author.

Rocco Dispirito

Rocco DiSpirito (born November 19, 1966 in Jamaica, Queens, New York City, New York) is an American chef based in New York City.

Sam Talbot

Sam Talbot (born December 27, 1977) is a Sicilian-American chef from Charlotte, North Carolina, best known as a semi-finalist on Season 2 of Bravo's Top Chef

Sara Nguyen

Sara Nguyen is a 25-year old executive sous chef originally from Santa Monica, California.

Casey Thompson

This self-taught chef came to cooking via a very different route. A business major who attended the University of North Texas, Casey at one point marketed jet fuel to NASA, while running a catering business in Houston.

"Yo Momma" Lines

2008-05-28T10:46:00.003+08:00

It doesn't mean that I've used them, I just find them really funny.

These are few of my Favorites:

Yo Momma's so fat....

-she was born on the fourth, fifth, and sixth of March.
-she had to go to Sea World to get baptized.
-she’s got smaller fat women orbiting around her.
-when she gets on a weighing scale, it says “To be continued.”
-her graduation picture was an aerial photograph.
-she has to put her belt on with a boomerang.
-she measures 36-24-36, and the other arm is just as big.
-she’s got her own area code.
-when she talks to herself, it’s a long distance call.
-when she was walking down the street and I swerved to miss her, I ran out of gas.
-she can’t even fit in the chat room.

Are We Officially on the World Map?

2008-05-27T11:23:00.004+08:00

Yes of course.

But you can do something to make that spot shining and shimmering as ever. hehe

We have 4 locations in the Philippines that made it to the top 20 in the online poll for the new 7 wonder of nature. So far, we're doing so great that it worries me sick to think that we could screw it up by being confident enough to discontinue voting so that sand dunes and palm tree fanatics from other countries can beat our asses. Believe in redemption people! Pinch yourself and see that beyond the image of poverty in our country we actually have these little paradise in our pockets. Plus after the potentially apocalyptic affects of global warming, the survivors of mother earth will remember the Philippines rivalled the beauty of Eden or something like that. (and don't say I didn't warn you about global warming).

So, If you ignored my inviation to participate in earth hour, I hope you find it in your heart to make up for it and join this campaign. At least you don't have to switch your electricity off for this one. Or think it's only 5 minutes off your youtube addiction. Or think the name Philippines will no longer remind people about trash and prostitution.

Thank you so much. Please don't let me down. (sound of desperation)

VOTE HERE >>>> new7wonders.com

Tubbataha Reef (now 4th in Rank)

Tubbataha Reef is an atoll coral reef in the Sulu Sea that belongs to the Philippines. It is a marine sanctuary protected as Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park. The reef is composed of two atolls, North and South Reefs. Each reef has a single small islet that protrudes from the water. The atolls are separated by a deep channel 8 kilometers wide. Over one thousand species, including many that are endangered, can be found at on the reef. These include manta rays, lionfish, tortoises, clownfish and sharks.

Chocolate Hills (now 7th in Rank)

The Chocolate Hills is an unusual geological formation in Bohol, Philippines. It is composed of around 1,268 perfectly cone-shaped hills, all about the same size, spread over an area of more than 50 sq km The hills are covered in green grass that turns brown during the dry season, giving them the name ''Chocolate Hills.''

Palawan River National Park Puerto Princesa
Subterranean River National Park (now 10th in Rank )

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is located about 50 km north of the city of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines. It features a limestone karst mountain landscape with an 8.2 km. navigable underground river. A distinguishing feature of the river is that it winds through a cave before flowing directly into the South China Sea. It includes major formations of stalactites and stalagmites, and several large chambers. The lower portion of the river is subject to tidal influences. The underground river is reputed to be the world's longest. At the mouth of the cave, a clear lagoon is framed by ancient trees growing right to the water's edge. Monkeys, large monitor lizards, and squirrels find their niche on the beach near the cave.

Mayon Volcano (now 11th in Rank )

Mayon Volcano is an active volcano on the Filipino island of Luzo, 15 km northwest of Legazpi City.It is classified by volcanologists as a stratovolcano (composite volcano). Its symmetric cone was formed through alternate pyroclastic and lava flows. Mayon is the most active volcano in the country, having erupted over 47 times in the past 400 years, and is a part of what is called the Pacific Ring of Fire.

Pinoy Transformers!!!

2008-05-20T11:18:00.007+08:00

I got this from Aeon through email.
I know it's a little late to be bringing these pictures from the strongbox but I really thought they would be best posted after the Transformers hype. :p

The hateful world of typecasts

2008-05-09T08:21:00.006+08:00

VERSUS

Robbie (AdMU) vs JOSEF (DLSU)

Pinoy Big Brother is now officially creating mascots of the nation's strongest rivalling schools. Why the jock from De la Salle? Why the nerd from Ateneo? Let me simplify what the show is doing so evilly. TYPECASTING. It all started when Say Alonzo from PBB season one showed the Philippines that a conotic cheerleader can bag a big amount of voters coming from viewers specifically fellow la sallians. Come the first teen edition and Mikey (the draft version of Robbi) was sent in a sa crash test dummy to see how much votary they can get from the Ateneo. That despite the Mikey's slumping popularity the school who bears the mascot will always try to save face. ( Do you even remember Mikey? Even Remenber that he got third place? Even watch his shows?)

So let me ask this again. Why the not-so-smart and diligent conos for La Salle? Why pick braniacs for Ateneo? Why the "sabong" inside the house that keep these poor boys in the ring? Why always prove one better that the other? Bury me if these schools have started producing clones instead of graduates. La Sallians are not always brainless conos and the Ateneans are not always elitist-geniuses. (I'll give you a hint, the Lopez clan who owns the station are from AdMU). And I am not hiding my bitterness because I don't want to walk around and start being branded.

HELLO PLEASE VISIT THE REAL WORLD AND APPRECIATE THE DIVERSITY!

Karma Chameleon

2008-04-21T07:16:00.005+08:00

Ayan...sa kakapanuod ko ng Kung Fu Kids....

TrueLifeKarma.com - Online Karma Test Click Here!

Colleen, Your Karmic Alignment is: Optimistic!

Score: 9 In general, you tend to create poitive actions. You have a caring personality which gives you positive Karma. Every now and then you slip up and harvest negative Karma. But, all in all, you follow lines similar to the Monks on their way to enlightenment.

Pwede!!!

2008-04-04T07:47:00.006+08:00

Nasa Amerika na ang kaibigan kong si Nic. Kapwa lagarista ko yan pero ngayong nasa US of A na siya eh baka pde na siyang pumetiks ng konti. Nakaka-touch dahil kahit na milya- milya na ang layo niya dito ay naalla pa rin niya ako't nagpadala pa ng "suggestive" na picture (lol)....

Suggestive nga!

Beauty parlor? Why not diba... hehe

TMTH

2008-03-31T08:20:00.003+08:00

TMTH. You've heard that before. You watch American Idol, you know that word. Danny Noriega cannot say it without rolling his eyes. I can say it with my tongue stuck out. (Too much to handle)

My weekend was TMTH.

After my son's asthma shots on Friday , we packed the stuff we needed for survival, which is half closet content, and stayed at my parent's house for two days. Here's the fun part: Their house is only ten minutes away from ours...and we're barging in without prior notice. I was to give my mom a briefing on Earth Hour as son as we got there.

If you're married with kids, I hope you try spending some nights at your parent's house. It's like teenage parenting post-pregnancy confession.

***
You're gonna hate me for posting Earth hour if I didn't actually turn off the electricity last Saturday . Good news! I did! Pictures soon.
***

Movie marathon.

This is where the bulk of TMTH is credited. Movie Salad
Sweeney Todd, Being John Malkovitch, and Fight Club. I've had the highest dose of violence, and philosophy I could get in a week. The Helena Bonham Carter weirdness packed in two flicks, Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, Ed Norton and John Cusack in all...I am blown away.
Except maybe for Tim Burton's film I find my self surprised every minute , clueless of the next scene, instead of typically waiting for the plot to develop and amuse me.

I might have been a little too late in watching these but I am catching up and that's the good thing. I like the weirdness, the dry humor and the scary truth behind some fantastical scenes. It's how I'd like my everyday movie to be.

-----------------
Sweeney Todd

If you like musicals, here's fresh juice without the twinkly toe musicals you're used too. Don't bring the kids, unless they're 22 yrs old and above. There's too much gore. You won't eat streetside burger as soon as you smell the meat patty. (shiver). If you loved Sacha Baron Cohen wear spandex in Borat, you'll love him wear tights here and get killed in it. My money goes to all the English actors in this cast. Man, does every graduate from the Abbey theater take masters in singing? Johnny Depp is a badass in character acting. I can now forgive the stupid pirate acting.

Being John Malkovich

I don't have a to give a review on this one. Your psychotherapist probably recommended it when you asked for a sex change. But it's a weird movie. Very existentialist. Bonus: Cameron Diaz is not trying to be sexy in this movie.

Fight Club

Right, it's my first time to watch it. Don't worry I understand it as much as you did 9 years ago. Hunks galore, the painful humor, the painful twisting of the plot. I won't be shopping for a year. I hate brand names now. I wish I can punch someone and get away with it. Nail color is no as important now.

Horton and Whoville

A movie I can rely on keeping my kids safe and warm while I take a nap. Thanks Whoville !!!

Shiny Happy People and the People who Cause Scenes

2008-03-27T12:53:00.002+08:00

The wackiest social experiments groups that started out in New York have invaded Youtube faster than the speed of gastric air. It's not necessarily pleasant or comfortable but it is hilarious. I give it to them... ImproveEverywhere is my new Youtube favorite celebrity. LOL

Food Court Musical

Frozen Grand Central

Suicide Jumper

We Love You Manny!

2008-03-27T08:40:00.012+08:00

We lav you Mane! Ol da pipol in dap Pilipins, you know, we watch your payts. We like to see you beat Mexican asses and we are beri hapi! I also wats ol your payts.

Going to Baguio dey stopd showing your payt in round 11 because wer in da station olready but I also payt with manong drayber I said " Manong don't stop da payt you are not da reperi!".
Manong only said, "Iha, sa susunod na lang. Di bale si Mane ay lagi naman nasa puso natin".

But you know he is correck so I hug manong and I left da bus with Mane in my heart.

I'm so thankful to your cots, Fridi Rots becos he make your right hand very powerful and also your english! Eberytime we hear your name Mane Pacqiao you are our hero and when you payt the crime rate is beri beri low. Da rits pipol and de poor pipol are nahting because rits or poor, we ol look up to you as our hero! Mane tenk you por bringing da pipol togeder. I hope youre life is for beri long until da Pilipins is no longer payting its oder.

You are beri paymous now and because op you da Pilipins is paymous also! I will continue to wats your payts and olways even there is bet or no bet. You are my hero my brother and my best prend por ever. I told you dot I was so confident but,eto... wait, in the triangle there are 3 sayds. Mane, da Pilipins, and da world!

We Lab Yu Mane!!!

I'm just one person, what can I do about global warming?

2008-03-26T06:54:00.004+08:00

On Nat Geo, it was stated that if the earth would get 6 degrees warmer we could be living like our dino ancenstors during the cretacious period. Let's do what we can for the environment.

>Here's Aeon who has started her own movement about global warming, check her out.
>Here's Dennis and his essay on earth hour.
>Here's a link of Earth hour.

And lastly, here's a picture of how the early creatures became extinct during cretacious period. Please don't take it lightly. We are not as thick skinned as they were. (literally)

MARCH 29 is Earth Hour.

Created to take a stand against the greatest threat our planet has ever faced, Earth Hour uses the simple action of turning off the lights for one hour to deliver a powerful message about the need for action on global warming.

About Earth Hour On March 31 2007, for one hour, Sydney made a powerful statement about the greatest contributor to global warming – coal-fired electricity – by turning off its lights. Over 2.2 million Sydney residents and over 2,100 businesses switched off, leading to a 10.2% energy reduction across the city. What began as one city taking a stand against global warming caught the attention of the world.

In 2008, 24 global cities will participate in Earth Hour at 8pm on March 29. Earth Hour is the highlight of a major campaign to encourage businesses, communities and individuals to take the simple steps needed to cut their emissions on an ongoing basis. It is about simple changes that will collectively make a difference – from businesses turning off their lights when their offices are empty, to households turning off appliances rather than leaving them on standby.

-earthhour.org

If that wasn't enough, please see this video. (I was hoping it wouldn't be that hard to convince you.)

I hope we all become advocates.

Thanks!

What my boss asked me to do today

2008-03-25T07:26:00.003+08:00

Fan Fic: Kung Fu Kids

2008-03-08T15:47:00.005+08:00

Mga bata silang tinuruan ng espesyal na kapangyarihan ng Kung Fu. Ngayon makalipas ang ilang taon (at talaga ilang taon!!!) mula nang malupig nila ang kasamaan, haharap silang muli sa isang panibagong pagsubok.

Ngayon, samahan sila sa kanilang bagong misyon:

Ang paghahanap ng bukal ng kabataan...

Fan Fic: Lobo

2008-03-06T09:03:00.006+08:00

Dumidilim na ang gabi. Tanging ang bilog na buwan na lamang ang nagsisilbing ilaw sa mapanganib na kapalaran. Sa di kalaunan, ang misteryo ng isang babae ay sa wakas matutuklasan.

Tunghayan ang pagbabagong anyo ng babaeng....

Bobo...

MAGTATRANSFORM na ngayong MARSO!!!

Repost from Curiosity Shop

2008-03-05T08:36:00.003+08:00

I've moved out of my friendster blog. Here's to explain everything:

Kinidnap ng mga dwende

Seems like i've written these posts just yesterday, time sneaks up on us like darn thieves. Whew grabe, what post-partum can do to a person. When I read these posts (tulo pawis) I am blown away by all the angst and the yuckiness of being fervent, and the haughty word salad I've indulged in. I'm peeking between my fingers halfway through articles. Such mess...kids who read this would say it's an emo blog. (I'm red in the face now).

Anyway, keeping this blog was a wild ride. But for now I'm putting a lid on this emo blog, and would be pushing it farther behind my cerebral pantry. I could've just erased the damn thing but I have to admit the sentimal value of this blog is more than I can afford to lose. I deleted the corniest entries, though... and there are still corny ones, believe me.

meanwhile,I hope I can still get people to visit the only two blogs I ever want to maintain:

Satellite- my poetry site,I've linked my favorite blogs there as well... I've made it as juicy as possible...

In the Middle - writing as a middle class member of the soc...emo-free.. promise...

I update both sites regularly and they are cross linked to my multiply account. I hope to see you all there...

Who else was born on my birthday?

2008-03-04T09:50:00.003+08:00

Walang Matigas na Tinapay sa Mainit na Kape!

2008-03-03T20:16:00.011+08:00

Who doesn't like bread? It's a staple food in the Philippines and most countries, from the cheapest way to snack (pan de sal at ice-tubig) to the purse-busting binges (cinnamon rolls and coffee). Bread in the Philippines are commonly sweet and soft, maalsa, if you would like to put it that way. Almost each variety is fondly dipped in instant coffee to make the perfect breakfast or snack. Just what exactly are the types of bread that are well-loved by Filipinos?

Ensaymada
Soft-rolled bread with margarine and sugar. More expensive ones are topped with sweet cream and cheese and has some flavored fillings.

Spanish Bread
Cigar-shaped roll with sweet filling, whose composition I do not exactly know , has a heavier texture, and is covered in soft bread crumbs.

Kalihim
Sometimes known as regla bread (sounds disgusting) but I guess this is the first one to get sold out....because bakeries often produce this in less quantity. The red filling is supposed to be sweet and grainy from partially dissolved sugar, but some bakers who think consumers are stupid just color the dough red and rely on they artistry to get it sold.

Kababayan
Local cupcakes, and why is it called kababayan? Someone told me before that it resembled the Filipino farmers' hats. Sounds plausible...

Pan de coco
Sweet, light bread filled with coconut and sugar paste. You might hear some nasty stories about what the filling is actually made out of. But from where I'm from pan de coco is surely made under hygienic circumstances, therefore bugs (and any other objects) found inside are purely accidental and is not part of the original kopong-kopong recipe (hala, hehe).

Monay
Milk and egg bread, which I actually find bland and heavily textured, that's why it is usually dipped in coffee, or hot chocolate. Unfortunately, this famous bread did not escape the green side of the Filipino humor, as obnoxious men would usually order from the tindera with a nasty grin. "miss magkano monay mo?".

Putok
At this point, the only difference I see between monay and putok is that putok (sometimes called starbread) has a star-shaped cut and sugar-sprinkled top. Coincidentally, both names of these breads have a negative connotation.. or maybe it's just me and my weird neighborhood?

Pandesal
The bread with a long history. Before I even try to explain what makes it special, you can simply google it, or make Wikipedia useful: click Pandesal. After you've read what makes it special and what makes it expensive nowadays, you can tell everyone why our favorite breakfast is now reduced to bite-sized pan de sal pops from its original fist size form.

Tasty bread
Loaf bread that is about 3/4 the size of imported commercial loaf breads. It has the characteristic sweet taste that we all like to pair with local sandwich spread.

Growing up in a street near a locally known bakery, we're used to running for a bag of bread for a snack, or for pulutan during drinking sessions to counter the alcohol effect. I'm partially irked with the fact that the effect of the high price of flour and sugar cascades to our breakfast tables, leaving us with substandard food and and unsatisfied palates. Unfortunately, we do not have the right type of land to grow wheat, and is forcing our beloved panaderos to sacrifice the quality of bread to make it affordable for the consumers. I guess for now, when we find our tables served with bread that is inferior to what we have really been used to, a cup of good coffee would be more than great to go with our daily bun.

The Code of Kalantiaw Hoax, and the Ancient Filipino Civilization that is yet to be written in our History Books

2008-02-29T02:47:00.003+08:00

An link from good old three-headed Unyokulisap , that shows us that we are not the indios the Spaniards thought(and we thought ourselves are), and that Filipinos have an ancient civilization thath might have existed among other great ancient civilizations in Asia.

Sulat sa Tanso click here.

The five people you meet in Baguio:

2008-02-13T19:13:00.004+08:00

Interesting manongs:

A) Manong taxi driver.

I regret having erased his picture . He was a taxi driver, one of the friendliest I've ever met actually, who asked me where I came from. I politely told him I'm from Muntinlupa. Then he said "sa Bilibid? galing ako dun eh", and smirked. I had to smile back. It was a common joke people say to whoever is from MUntinlupa. And true enough, we lived near the Bilibid prison, about one barangay away. But then, turns out he wasn't joking after all, right after he started telling how he was convicted of frustrated homicide, and stayed there for two years. He said he didn't do it, and that he was just wrongly accused of the crime. From there I understood how he felt.

B) A cordilleran manong:

A man from the Ibaloi tribe whose culture we are proud of.

The friendly ghost:

This picture is that of the famous haunted house in Baguio. If you click on the picture you might be surprised to see a figure of a person in the window at the left side.

And if you look more closely, you'll realize it is nothing but a shadow...So what? This IS a haunted house. Who wouldn't like to believe that the picture is actually a ghost? It's more interesting that way. ^^

An old friend:

A high school best friend and I have lost communication for several years now, she's strayed somewhere in Baguio now busy with her family as I am with mine. And although I have been to Baguio several times within four months now, I still had no luck in finding her.

However, another good friend of mine showed up, smiling warmly in the middle of the cool Benguet air, reminding me friends can never be too far away.

ako at Happy

A weird manang:

An eight-hour bus right can be seriously butt-painful, but heck, this middle-aged manang's comfort mechanism is one really unusual thing, and damn she pulled it off. Bilib ako manang...

alin ang naiba?

Hmmm, Interesting

2008-02-13T13:01:00.001+08:00

*** This test is not an official clinical diagnosis whatsoever...***

Disorder	Your Score
Major Depression:	Slight
Dysthymia:	Slight
Bipolar Disorder:	Slight-Moderate
Cyclothymia:	High-Moderate
Seasonal Affective Disorder:	High
Postpartum Depression:	N/A
Take the Depression Test

Jeepney: The Pinoy's Communal Cadillac Iloilo

2008-01-29T07:13:00.002+08:00

En's comments reminded me of how fascinating it was to live in Ilo-ilo with the beach just meters behind the house, and the highway just in front. We would wake up to the noise coming from the highway, jeepneys with roaring engines and amusing horn tunes. Oh, and I remember that song "Dayang-dayang" practically hypnotized all citizens in our barrio. Picture this: Hoarder jeepneys honking "la cucoracha" tunes to wake up the neigborhood, followed by Pakiring-kiring song booming from a spectacular-sound-stereo in the afternoon.

So, as I sort out amusing childhood experiences from my strongbox of memories,here's what I'm flaunting so far: Proudly Ilonggo, proudly Pinoy:

Pirated Jeepney
It's a Pajero!
It's a Starex!
No, it's a . . . jeepney?

Yes it is :)

Oh, and by the way, here's a video of Dayang-dayang/Pakiring-kiring. But I must warn you: It's really catchy...

Kapamilya Shows I'm Excited About:

2008-01-29T06:55:00.001+08:00

After waiting for weeks for the the latest kapamilya shows, I ended up too tired from the day's work and crying again for Heath Ledger so there, finally,I missed all three pilot episodes of Kung Fu Kids, Lobo, and Palos. But for the rest of the week, I'm willing to stay up late to watch them (good luck). I had an entry about these shows before but I remember not having included Palos there since at that time there were no teasers yet. Well hopefully tonight I'd still have enough energy to keep me up until Lobo at least. Kamown... It's Piolo, I can stay up night watching that hunk if I could...

Jeepney: The Pinoy's Communal Cadillac

2008-01-26T08:21:00.001+08:00

Etymology: A morpheme of the words jeep and knee, or from the word "jitney" meaning shared cab.
Origin: Refurbished US military jeeps turned into over accessorized kings of the road c/o Filipino ingenuity.
Known for: Its cultural design and vibrant colors, chrome animal ornaments, and monstrous engine roar.

The jeepney is a cultural symbol in the Philippines but the hustle and bustle of the urban life leaves little time to appreciate this roving Filipino artistry. For commuters like me, these vehicles are notable for reasons other than camaraderie between passengers and the values of bayanihan and honesty when passing the fare.

Classifications:

1. Kupad: Every working Filipino's worst nightmare. A significant percentage of tardiness excuses pertains to "slow manongs". Either the driver is sleepy or he waits for additional passengers for too long. There's also what we call the "pagong phenomenon" they are much slower when there's a transport strike. Don't fuss. The more you complain, the slower they drive. It's their way of passive participation. Remember, there's supposed to be no "transpo" during a transportation strike.

Taglines: "I didn't wish for a cruise early in the morning!" -Jomi Soriano.
Tip: Choose vehicles that are almost full or half full. Don't hand in your fare right away. That, way, you can always get off and look for a faster ride.

2. Kumag: The only other time you see elders do the sign of the cross when not in front of the church is when they are riding jeepneys with and utterly insatiable need for speed. They also hit the brakes pretty swift.

Taglines: "Manong ha , ayoko pa mamatay". "Manong di tayo nagmamadali."

3. Hoarders: The more, the merrier. A lot of these can be found in the provinces.

4. Fiesta jeepneys. Should make luxury car owners pee in their pants. They have the panache, a capable sound system, running lights, and a catchy tune for a honk. P7.50 is an understatement for these pimped-up rides.

5. Dehydratons: No one can tell them apart from the others. Unsuspecting passengers are left with no choice as these dehydrated vehicles make a quick turn to a nearby gas station.

6. E jeep. The jeep of the future. It's noiseless, no pollution, sleek, and best of all, it's good for mother earth. Unfortunately for now, only the rich cities can afford to have these earth-friendly prototypes.

Top Jeepney quotes:

- GOD KNOWS HUDAS NOT PAY
- BARYA LANG PO SA UMAGA
- BASTA DRAYBER SWIT LABER
- KATAS ng SAUDI

Sleep Well Now....

2008-01-24T12:46:00.003+08:00

Inabangan Ko: Spiderwick Chronicles

2008-01-24T12:15:00.000+08:00

It all started from reading a cute faery book with a gripping plot and fantastic sketches. Soon, I found myself wishing for an adaptation of the 5-book series of Spiderwick Chronicles. Well finally, it's going to be shown in February.

I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO REASON TO SMILE TODAY

2008-01-23T09:31:00.002+08:00

Heath Ledger's dead. He's one of the actors I truly admire. Hearing about the news turned my day upside down. I'm giving myself a few minutes to cry...

Eternal Family Kompyuter.

2008-01-14T12:11:00.000+08:00

This is what I grew up with. We used to spend our weekends playing our favorite games. Unfortunately, the continuous schemes on money making killed the beloved genre of plaything I ever truly appreciated. Joke. I'm a games freak, even brickgames would do....so, the Jurassic era of video games was dominated by this maroon-and-white boxy apparatus that made the Mario brothers famous and the canned mushroom market survive. FNowadays, cheap fake DVD players come with a pair of joysticks and a 500-in-one CD of these games.

Top family computer games:

Popeye

Joust

Pacman

SuperMario

Street Fighter

Lode Runner

Galaga

1942

Super Contra:
Although I wasn't good at this,but my mother and my brother proved a formidable team.

Twin Bee

Ice Climber

Bomber Man

Battle City

Bee Movie: I give it a "Bee" minus

2008-01-14T07:51:00.000+08:00

Warning: This is a movie review
Warning: Spoilers ahead!
Warning: People who hate spoilers should not read movie reviews!

This movie got me laughing hard inside the theater (never mind about how many people I annoyed while laughing). The script's loaded with satire it so much of a "who-doesn't-want-to-see-lawyers-screwed movie". But then, more than the laughing part, the movie failed to pierce hearts, and threw a lousy attempt at a solid advocacy on saving planet earth. Well, it's not really clear where the story revolves, except that it revolves on comedy. It started out with a bee trying to make a point about having his own choice, wanting to see more than the life in a bee hive, then finds himself attracted to a human girl, then leading a trial about humans stealing honey and so on.. I mean, there were so many things going on that in towards the end there were just poor resolutions for each conflict. And why does he have to like the girl anyway? I really don't see the point...

Be movie is +++ entertainment and + on content and ++++++ for the popcorn.

Welcome to our family library

2008-01-12T09:59:00.001+08:00

I had this urge to make an inventory of our books at home and started writing titles on my noteboook. Luckily, a friend referred Shelfari.com for such nerdy compulsions. It's a good thing to keep a list of books we own, because we've already lost quite a number from lending people (who are not fond of returning books).

I got up at 5 am today to create an account and start listing so I'm done adding down books from the shelf in our room. Sadly, some local titles couldn't be found anywhere in Shelfari.

I intentionally excluded less favorite/out of my interest novels from the 80's or 90's, encyclopedia, medical books, textbooks, Time Machine and Choose your Own Adventure books, reader's digest books, cookbooks, mouse-gnawed and silverfish-infested books. However, I promise to include them in my inventory as my next project, whether I like it or not.

Meanwhile, you can visit my shelf at Shelfari.com to see what titles I've included already.

Some books that were not included:
Else it Was Purely Girls- Angelo Suarez
Feast of Origins- Prof. Dinah Roma
Mysteries of the Bible
Unsolved Mysteries of the Past

I Travelled the World Today!!!

2008-01-11T12:32:00.001+08:00

I found a bottle of fairy dust while I was on my way to work, now I feel less tied up with my job. :D. So all I have to do is forget about my paperwork... and think of happy thoughts (I think of a destination too, for fear of ending up in a dumpsite).

Here's where I've landed

Pyramids of Giza, Egypt

The Sphinx, Egypt

St Mark's Square, Italy

Taj Mahal, India

Great Wall of China. Where else? China of course!

Eiffel Tower, France

Statue Of Liberty, New York

Mesoamerican Pyramids, Mexico

Tower of Pisa, Italy

Mt. Doom, Middle Earth (hehe)

And finally, after being getting an extremely bad sunburn (you know that the ozone layer has a bigger hole than the our third world country, right?), I decided to head home. But wait, look what I saw on my way back:

DLSU Animo!!!

Malacanang Palace

Then, I'm home!!!

There, you see now that Muntinlupa is NOT in the middle of the forest. :)

Note:

(I personally looked for pictures of known sites in Manila however,* pictures of famous sites are from googlesightseeing.com)

(Mt doom pic from physics. unc. edu)

What to do with your when you're a one-day Millionaire.

2008-01-11T07:59:00.000+08:00

1. Buy books.

I went to Powerbooks and took about an hour to choose between The Idiot, The Red Carpet, and Bluebeard. Since I already have one Dostoevsky book at home, I decided to bring home a new author to our collection. I went for Vonnegut, and will buy Pahmuk next month.
----

This is probably the only time I felt good about buying something from Booksale. (*this is Muntinlupa, we don't have a lot of good bargain bookstores around!). Actually found books I am interested to read.

Song of Solomon - Toni Morrison
Fates Worse than Death-Kurt Vonnegut
The Secret Garden- Frances Hodgson Burnett
An unsuitable job for a woman -P.D. James

-all priced P110.

I've read the complete and unabridged version of The Secret Garden before, But my copy got lost somewhere in our (jungle) house.

2. Pay bills.

Globe Telecom is now .00003% percent richer because of my continued patronage.

3. Buy Grocery. 1/3 of my salary goes here.

Diapers, check, Milk for Kid 1, Kid 2, and Kid 3, Check. check check check---Why can't a cart full of goods be not lower than 5K anymore? pffft.

4. Pa- sweldo.

Sorry, ladies, can't give you a raise yet...

5. Food trip.

I deserve to indulge in a salty, oily, sloppy plate of Palabok and a glass of chilled gulaman with mothball-sized choke-y sago because I worked hard all year (last year). Ngasab.

Patayin sa Sindak Si Barbie-ra

2008-01-10T08:15:00.003+08:00

" Nakikita ko siya, pag bumubukas ang kabinet ko sa harap ng kama.Nakakatakot. Di ako makahinga."

Ilang araw na ang nakalipas mula ng nagpakamatay si Tooth. Pero damang-dama pa rin ng mga taong nakapaligid sa kanya ang kanyang presence. Bago siya naglaslas, matatandaang puspos ang kabigatan ng loob ni Tooth. Hindi siya pinahiram ng banko ng pera para ipang-down sa bahay na nais niyang bilhin. Wala raw kai siyang sapat na asset at baka hindi rin niya mabayaran ang halagang hihiramin niya. Ibig sabihin nun, hindi makakabili ng bahay si Tooth. Sa madaling salita, walang siyang maitatawag na sarili niyang bahay. Kung di mo pa rin maintindihan: homeless.

Natagpuan na lang siya sa kalsada, dahil wala naman siyang bahay, na wala nang buhay. Pero bago pa man nawalan ng bahay at buhay si Tooth ay nakita daw ng star witness na Jessica na binulungan siya ng isang babaeng palaboy (na nagngangalang Karen Po) ng: "Ale, wag mo kong iiwan," sabay iwan ng isang barbi sa tabi ng naghihingalong si Tooth.

Dun na nagsimula ang mga kakaibang pangyayari. May mga kuro-kuro tungkol sa pagtira daw ng kaluluwa ni Tooth sa barbi doll. Kahit man lang daw sa manyikang ito ay matupad ang pangarap niyang magkaroon ng tirahan. Ngunit tila hindi nasiyahan si Tooth sa bago niyang tahanan kaya't nag hahasik siya ngayong ng lagim...

itutuloy...

Resiklo

2008-01-06T15:40:00.001+08:00

It was supposed to be a Christmas present from my father last year, but was given to me early last year around October. It spared me from the temptation of buying an MP3 player, which was far more than I could afford. My phone already has an MP3 feature, plus it's equipped with a built-in speaker that proved useful for my classroom presentations, beer sessions, work-out music, and simply sound trips at home. I also don't have a digital camera so it's a really handy thing since I have this compulsion to document events in my life.

Unfortunately, after a year of service, some parts of my phone's case got loose and finally got lost somewhere in Alabang market one day on my way to work. most of the case parts, including the keypad on the lower part of my phone were gone.

Instead of buying a new phone, I browsed for available cases with the help of trusted friends Aeon and Leck in a mall somewhere. Man, those vendors really know when to hit hard, especially after seeing how desperate-looking my phone (and myself) was. They were selling the case about twice more than the price of the original ones, which are no longer available, and they sold the keypad separately for P300. They also charge P500 for installing the case. I turned that one down and told the manongs I could install it myself. Incredible... they couldn't even give me any other cases but the PINK one. But then, I'm more thankful more than complaining, after all, I was able to save my phone.

plus equals

After trying on the case, my phone got this entirely new look to it, a white interface and pink keyboard, steel black sides and green music pad at the back. We called it "Resiklo". Well, I used to be really funky with my phone and a feathered dream catcher accessory I bought in Baguio, now I have to get used to sporting this oddly color-paired phone. But at least I can now use the Hello Kitty accessory my Korean student gave me.

funky then, and pa-cute now

Still, it's better than no phone at all. I thought I wouldn't be caught dead in it but, it's actually cute. So, back to sound tripping and cam-phoning!!!

Kapamilya Shows to Watch out this year

2008-01-06T06:40:00.000+08:00

I miss being a couch potato :(. I've seen the trailers of these new shows and well, aren't they catchy. It just makes me more thankful for my job because it means that because of my current shift schedule and sleep requirement, I get to miss these shows again.

Patayin sa Sindak si Barbara. A TV adaptation of the movie starred by Susan Roces in 1974. Some scenes seem borrowed from hit horror flicks but I'm more interested with how Kris's acting is like here, and how gorgeous Albert Martinez looks like in his, what, 40's?

Kung Fu Kids. Gone are the days of hideous Kokey and the victimized Princess Sarah. I'm so happy this new show for kids are focused on standing up for oneself, for the right reasons.

Lobo. It's seems a pretty good concept for a TV series, (original script by Ricky Lee). Plus, a lot of people have high expectations from the new fantaserye, with Piolo and Angel as the lead characters. Besides, who wouldn't want to see Angel vindicated from all the fuss her former TV station made about her leaving them?

Volta. It's supposed to be funny. I'm supposed to laugh hard when I get to watch this.

--------------------------------------------

Kapamilya shows I'm currently [available to watch and ] enjoying.

1 vs 100. Not only Edu's a relative of my mother in law, it's a real fun gameshow too.
Going Bulilit. It's still funny, at least for me.
Ka 'Pete Na. A show made for one of the best comedy script writers, Isko Salvador. He's even funnier than the videos featured int he show.
Prinsesa ng Banyera. Great cast, good twist in the story.
Kabuhayang Swak na Swak. Money-making ideas that are actually feasible.

^^...

I've always wanted this superpower:

2008-01-03T07:15:00.001+08:00

Your Superpower Should Be Invisibility

You are stealth, complex, and creative.
You never face problems head on. Instead, you rely on your craftiness to get your way.
A mystery to others, you thrive on being a little misunderstood.
You happily work behind the scenes... because there's nothing better than a sneak attack!

Why you would be a good superhero: You're so sly, no one would notice... not even your best friends

Your biggest problem as a superhero: Missing out on all of the glory that visible superheroes get

What Should Your Superpower Be?

The Old Spaghetti House

2007-12-31T07:38:00.000+08:00

Everyone knows I can't cook, even if everyone else in my family does. But I make a handy kitchen assistant, and I love to eat,so I know a bit about food.

Check this place out:

Restaurant:The Old Spaghetti House
Serving: Italian Food
Location: Festival Mall

The first thing that draws me to this place is the ambiance. It's really homey and cozy, plus the place is in a quiet corner of the mall. I recommend going to this place when you've done your shopping and there's nothing else to do, because the whole sit-down experience in this restaurant do not deserve to be rushed.

Here's what we've tried:

Starter: Fried Mozzarella Sticks with Tomato Salsa
Main Course: Penne with Gorgonzola Cheese, Spaghetti with Pesto and Grilled chicken
Dessert: Creme Brulee served in three flavors: cirtrus, chocolate, and regular.

Mozzarella sticks are my favorite. But I found the crust a bit bland, and the salsa tasting like spaghetti sauce. However, it wasn't bad at all. The pastas are great. I would recommend penne gorgonzola for cheese lovers, and for those on a diet, the tasy grilled chicken pesto all good carbo, white meat, and good oil ( I believe they use olive oil for their pasta). Our dessert was lovely. I saw on TV that creme brulee is a bit dificult to make so I forgive the chocolate flavored one being all too pudding-thick. I even forgot to take a picture until we were halfway done eating our dessert.

The price is okay. Assuming that you're ordering for two: If you want something simple that includes an appetizer and a dessert, a good, P600-P800 would be fine. But if you decide to go for a really heavy meal, P1200-P1500 would already be "sulit". If you're on a tight budget and decide to get just pasta and drinks, P500 would already get you somewhere.

My top kiddie photos of 2007

2007-12-31T07:12:00.000+08:00

5. Goofy Time: They all have a good sense of humor.

4. Tattoo kid. Javi is the “angas” one.This picture makes me wonder if he’d get a tattoo when he grows up.

3. party. They looked so cute last Halloween dressed up as a ninja, gothic vampire and as a changeling.

2. Pirates. Luigi needed to dress up as a book character so I made him a Captain Hook costume. I made one for his little brother too.

1. Star Wars. My kids have very good imagination. They love Star Wars as much as I do, so one day, my boys shocked us when they came out of the room dressed as [Huggies] Jedi costumes and err, an empty plastic milk bottle for a laser sword. It was so entertaining!

Cafe Brasilia!

2007-12-31T06:11:00.000+08:00

Sigh.They are beautiful.

Mothers know best, and indeed my mother knows about my coffee addiction. This weekend, after having my old car fixed, car wash and filled up, she sent me a jar of authentic Brazilian arabica. They're instant of course, since I don't have a coffee maker in the house. Still, these aroma freeze dried beans are amazing. They taste chocolate-y even served plain. Compared to the year-round coffee trees we harvest all over the Philippines, trees in some parts of Brazil are harvested only during the winter season. So since it's the holidays, I fondly call my new favorite "winter beans".

Anyway, here are some tips my husband shared with me about tasting coffee:

1. Savor the aroma FIRST. Coffee isn't coffee without the aroma.
2. Sip it. And you better make a sound with that first sip, or else you burn your lip or you aren't really a fan of coffee.
3. Place the flavor. Is is nutty? Fruity? Bitter or acid?
4. Enjoy the rest of the cup!

Meli Klismas!

2007-12-27T11:06:00.001+08:00

We had our company party last Saturday with the MTV night theme. It's really nice to see my friends and team members out of their working clothes and into their shiniest outfit looking dolled-up (Ken-ed for the gentlemen?) and not actually wearing headsets.

- 2nd place in team decoration (I have the best members in the whole world!)

- 1st place in group presentation (spearheaded by Carla Salalac and Dennis Chan, amazing people..)

- The place was packed
- free booze
- great view from the veranda

Not bad, huh?
...jamppong
Diaper boys , 1st place
Mr park and TLs
packed!
why me?
with bryan, ging and ana
2nd place, team decor

Merry Christmas

2007-12-24T11:27:00.001+08:00

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1742101296

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

From our family

A wonderful getaway, just when I needed it the most!

2007-12-21T06:31:00.000+08:00

(A wedding "Dawak" cake in the renowned 'kalasag' vibrant colors available at Goldilocks Baguio ^^)

Last Thursday, my husband got a call from their office secretary and said that the lecturer who was scheduled to teach in Baguio for the weekend got into an accident. That only meant one thing: we're going to Baguio. First, the lectures can't be cancelled because it's almost Christmas and the modules had to be finished as soon as possible. Second, he would never go to Baguio without me, because he had only been there twice during his whole life, and knows nothing much about the place. Besides someone has got to do the shopping while he's working.

Okay. I was here in the office and when I heard about it, I panicked. If he would bring me along with him to Baguio, that meant disaster for my own schedule. I don't exactly have the luxury of time. First, we already planned a team building activity on Friday, visit a friend who just gave birth on Saturday morning, and meet with some friends on Saturday afternoon, which was already set two weeks prior. Sunday was supposed to be much-needed rest day. So going to Baguio meant I had to leave in the middle of our team building activity, cancel all my Saturday appointments, forget the rest day, and travel a painstaking 8 hour bus ride to and another 8 hours from Baguio. Also, given that he'd be there for work, I'd be roaming Baguio alone. But then, Baguio IS one of my favorite places in the country, and I a little bend in our weekly habits wouldn’t hurt so I packed my bags as soon as I got home, and got a little perky with anticipation.

Bringing a little surprise

So I did scrap my schedule for the weekend, but I at the same time, I decided that this trip would be worthwhile. So to keep me from being bored while my husband worked, I asked him to bring along our son Luigi, which was a little bit of a challenge because, well, let's say my son had always been fussy, that's tried and tested. But then, he has a good sense of humor that any adult could appreciate. So we packed our bags and prepared for the trip.

FRIDAY: December 14, 2007

We left for Baguio at around 6 pm, and arrived at around 1 am. Baguio was froze our bottoms off but since we were too tired to even complain, we just slept heavily under the flannel sheets in our comfy room, and waited for the sun to blaze its rays into our window.

SATURDAY: December 15, 2007

I must admit, what I really love about Baguio is having meals. Especially breakfast, with my favorite Benguet coffee, which has a really distinct scent of jackfruit, on top of the already addictive coffee aroma. In the morning, my son and I went to Burnham Park, well, it's the only place I know I can go to by public transport. It was a lovely morning, and I was breathing the cool air so consciously, since I know I'd never have this dose of fresh air back in Manila ( okay, I’m overacting. Baguio also has pollution but hey, It's better than Manila Smog).

City of Angels

We met a boy named Jolito at Burnham Children’s park who dared to play with Luigi, who is a bit of a bossy playmate. Well, Jolito was about 8 years old, goes to school on weekdays and begs (as he claimed) for change during his free time. I have this habit of making friends with kids whenever I go to Baguio. It's always nice to be able to remember someone when you're back home. That day, I took Luigi and Jolito to the bike park and we had a snack together. I must admit I was always dependent on my kids’ nannies when it came to babysitting. But that day was an entirely different day for me. Gone was the workaholic that I was, well at least temporarily. That day, I was just plain mommy to my kid and a great nanny to Jolito.

Passing by the lagoon on our way home, I suddenly remembered an angel, a long lost friend who got married, settled in Baguio, and never showed up again. I heard a bit about her, although I must admit that what I heard wasn’t really what I wanted or expected. One of the reasons I love Baguio so much is because I know a beloved friend is there somewhere, I’m sure in between the times and tides of our lives we constantly are in a painful longing to spend time together, as old friends do. And when we do, a good cup of coffee would do great while catching up with things. As I sped through faces with my son’s hand in mine, I had high hopes of a chance to see her there in the city. I guess it wasn’t the right time yet. But I’m sure we’ll see each other soon.

In all that Jazz

Between a bar with rock music , a disco with crazy dancing, or an open space spiced with Jazz sound, all of which I am inclined to indulge in, I’d choose the latter. To make it even better, make it a swan boat ride at night in the lagoon with a lovely fountain at the center, with Christmas lights all over the place, and really great Christmas jazz songs sweeping through the cold air. Which of course, should be followed with an authentic Italian dinner while overlooking the city skyline. Is it all too perfectly romantic? I guess so. And I’m glad that’s how we spent our second night in the city.

SUNDAY: December 16, 2007

Misa de Gallo ti Ilocano

It’s the first day of the Misa de Gallo, and my husband was determined to complete the morning masses. We woke up at 4:00 am and headed for Baguio Cathedral minutes before the mass started. We weren’t able pay much attention to the liturgy because it was in Ilocano, and since the cathedral was already full we stayed outside, with three layers of clothing and we were still freezing. But then seeing the sunrise there was really heartwarming. I’ve attached a picture of the horizon at 6:00 am while still in disbelief that a change of location (or a change of perspective perhaps) gave a different appearance of the sunset. (I mean, is it the place or is it just me?!!!) A skewed rainbow of baby colors crowning the mountain ridge. It was one of the most beautiful scenes I’ve ever laid my eyes on.

(rose-colored Baguio Cathedral in the background)

We’re big fans of bibingka and puto bungbong during the holiday season, but the locals said these rice delicacies were not as popular there compared to Central and Southern Luzon. Well, we did see two bibingka vendors near the church entrance and we helped ourselves with a cake each on our jeepney ride back to the inn. Haaay . No matter where you are in the Philippines, nothing beats the traditional Pinoy Christmas. Nostalgia.

Pasalubong

We were supposed to have lunch with a good friend of my dad on Sunday but given the tight schedule my husband had, we decided to stay at the inn. My own itinerary was to go to the market and buy pasalubong for my family and for my teammates. I was surprised when my son asked to be left in the inn alone, so he could watch cartoons. That worried me, and yet made me very excited at the same time. My son is already showing signs of independence at 5 years old. So I hurried into the market, grabbed whatever I remembered to bring for team and my family, which were mostly sweets and vegetables. When I came back home, he was properly seated in front of the TV, had already taken his snack, and greeted me with a wonderful smile. I took him to the resurrection church in front of the inn and taught him stuff about mother earth, mountains, living things, and flags. We made the most out of our last few hours by spending it on a nice, sensible talk. Anyway, we had no time to go around the city anymore.

( Luigi's toy telescope, in an alley behind the Resurrection church)

Also, just hours before we left the inn, I received a message from my long lost best friend, saying she plans to meet with us! Even if we didn't get to see each other in Baguio, I'm sure we would meet real soon. Thank God...

I guess the only horrid part of the trip was the journey home. It was so cold that our bus window got blurred, which in turn made me paranoid since looking outside, all I could see was black. There were little lights that seemed to be coming from the bottom off the cliff, which made me even more anxious. They indicated how steep the cliff was. One wrong turn and we could slip off and fall. But then again, maybe it’s the addictive benguet coffee that made me so jumpy. Plus, the long journey home made my back so painful, plus the fact that Luigi won’t get off my lap required me to support him so he wouldn’t fall off while we slept. Well, while HE slept. I had small naps but never felt refreshed. We got home at 2 am. I slept for an hour, woke up at 4:00 and hit the road for my 5 am work.

Back to the real world...

Coffee.Love

2007-12-19T11:56:00.001+08:00

The Philippines produces four types of commercial coffee beans: Columbian mild Arabica, Brazilian, mild Arabica and Robusta. Our coffee beans make up one percent of the total production in the whole world, and of about 50 percent of our production are exported to South Korea. So I guess that we are the lucky 0.05% of the coffee crazy population that is able to indulge in our local brews. I myself am a fan of the Arabica variety, and I can say that it’s really amazing that the same variety has different characteristics, depending on the location where they were harvested. So far, the distinct ones that I have appreciated so far are from Mindanao and Benguet.

I was able to taste the ones from Mindanao through the coffee shop in our building lobby. Who serves brews for as early as 7 in the morning. If I’m not mistaken, their beans are roasted to a dark brown and have this nutty flavor, and a bit of a strong aroma. When the coffee shop first opened, I consumed about two to three cups daily, and they weren’t even gourmet coffee. I really like good brews to be served with just sugar and cream, so I could relish its natural aroma, flavor, and texture.

Another notable Arabica beans are from Benguet highlands. I’d kill for a cup of these, especially on a cold and foggy morning in a Baguio country café. When I first tasted Benguet coffee, I thought the china weren’t properly washed because my coffee had this trace of jackfruit scent, which by the way also has similar chemical aromatic rings, if I remember it correctly. But the fruity aroma of these medium-roasted beans are amazing, and its texture is a little bit smoother, and I think the temperature in the highlands prevent the coffee from turning bitter while brewing.

For the meantime, longing for a good cup can be painful when you’re stuck at home with three-in-one packs of coffee. So try to keep a vanilla extract or a bar of dark chocolate to add to your boring cup. But then again, I think only the bad tasting coffee beans deserve to be served as gourmet.

Love and dependency are entirely different things. I believe that to truly appreciate coffee doesn’t mean you have to hoard cups of them and get yourself addicted to caffeine. In addition to that, the benefits of coffee can be acquired when you drink them in moderation.

Meri Krismas mga 'lul.

2007-12-13T06:58:00.003+08:00

Our bosses want us to sing this. I hope they don't make us dance that way, too.

I've been tagged!!! I've been tagged!!!

2007-11-20T06:56:00.002+08:00

Yes, and that was without me knowing it. Huhu, Nov-Dec period is brain tumor for desk potatoes, and as we all say here in the office, we're already growing molds in our ears for fervent monitoring of classes, which makes me feel God, I should be squeezing good money out of each minute here!!! So for that reason, I would like to apologize to my online buddies Frankie and AJ (thanks for reminding me, dude) for neglecting my bloglife and my bloglife duties.

As for the screen shot of my desktop, as much as I'd like to keep the embarrassing blue hue of the awful blank space to myself... I guess I have to share what my (reaaally boring) desktop looks like. Our IT people removed the options for our desktop setting and that also explains why my window is in classic mode. I also don't like keeping too much panes open, so I neatly browse restricted sites in tabs, and keep our company website open in another window. OC-ness? Anyway, here it is... but you know what, sometimes, if you stare at it too long, little blue ducks appear to be chasing each other...

Which of course, I hope you didn't really believe :D

And the five people I'm tagging are:
1. Aeon
2. Yllor
3. Yobic
4. Jorvy
5. Inoue

Like a chain mail of some sort, here's how it works:

TAG STARTS HERE:

My Desktop Free View
Instruction:

A. Upon receiving this tag, immediately perform a screen capture of your desktop. It is best that no icons be deleted before the screen capture so as to add to the element of fun.

You can do a screen capture
by: [1] Going to your desktop and pressing the Print Scrn key (located on the right side of the F12 key). [2] Open a graphics program (like Picture Manager, Paint, or Photoshop) and do a Paste (CTRL + V). [3] If you wish, you can “edit” the image, before saving it.

B. Post the picture in your blog. You can also give a short explanation on the look of your desktop just below it if you want. You can explain why you preferred such look or why is it full of icons. Things like that.

C. Tag five of your friends and ask them to give you a Free View of their desktop as well.

D. Add your name to this list of Free Viewers with a link pointing directly to your Desktop Free View post to promote it to succeeding participants.

Every Office clerk's/ Call Center Agent's Theme Song.

2007-11-09T07:28:00.002+08:00

Actually, it's for everyone who works in front of the computer and has a cubicle.

I laughed so hard when I heard this parody. It was passed around one day, spread by officemates faster than you could say --. The video is reflective of their "petics" mode, and mine as well, when I was still a tutor and had less than 10 students.

I'm also reminded of my friends in Penster who are regularly online, despite office hours. (think SB, Aoi-Yeux, Coshiel and soon, webmaster) :p

"My Cubicle"

Lyrics by: Morning Sidekick
Performed by: Jym Britton
Parody on “You’re Beautiful” by James Blunt

My job is stupid my day’s a bore,
Inside this office from eight to four
Nothin’ ever happens my life is pretty bland,
Pretending that I’m working, pray I don’t get canned.

My Cubicle, My cubicle
It’s One of Sixty two
It’s my small space in a crowded place
Just a six-by-six foot booth
And I hate it that’s the truth

Well, I give a sigh as the boss walks by,
no one ever talks to me or looks me in the eye.
And I really should work but instead I just sit here and surf the Internet.

In My Cubicle, My cubicle
It doesn’t have a view.
It’s my small space in a crowded place
I sit in solitude.
And sometimes I sit here nude.

Best Things About Being Pinoy

2007-11-08T09:30:00.002+08:00

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Merienda. Where else is it normal to eat five times a day?

Sawsawan. Assorted sauces that guarantee freedom of choice, enough room for experimentation and maximum tolerance for diverse tastes. Favorites: toyo't calamansi, suka at sili, patis.

Kuwan, ano. At a loss for words? Try these and marvel at how Pinoys understand exactly what you want.

Pinoy humor and irreverence. If you're api and you know it, crack a joke. Nothing personal, really.

Tingi. Thank goodness for small entrepreneurs. Where else can we buy cigarettes, soap, condiments and life's essentials in small affordable amounts?

Po, opo, mano po. Speech suffixes that define courtesy, deference, filial respect--a balm to the spirit in these aggressive times.

Pasalubong. Our way of sharing the vicarious thrills and delights of a trip, and a wonderful excuse to shop without the customary guilt.

Beaches! With 7,000 plus islands, we have miles and miles of shoreline piled high with fine white sand, lapped by warm waters, and nibbled by exotic tropical fish. From the stormy seas of Batanes to the emerald isles of Palawan--over here, life is truly a beach.

Bagoong. Darkly mysterious, this smelly fish or shrimp paste typifies the underlying theme of most ethnic foods: disgustingly unhygienic, unbearably stinky and simply irresistible.

Bayanihan. Yes, the internationally-renowned dance company, but also this habit of pitching in still common in small communities. Just have that cold beer and some pulutan ready for the troops.

The Balikbayan box. Another way of sharing life's bounty, no matter if it seems like we're fleeing Pol Pot everytime we head home from anywhere in the globe. The most wonderful part is that, more often than not, the contents are carted home to be distributed.

Pilipino komiks. Not to mention "Hiwaga," "Aliwan," "Tagalog Classics," "Liwayway" and"Bulaklak" magazines. Pulpy publications that gave us Darna, Facifica Falayfay, Lagalag, Kulafu, Kenkoy, Dyesebel, characters of a time both innocent and worldly.

Folk songs. They come unbidden and spring, full blown, like a second language, at the slightest nudge from the too-loud stereo of a passing jeepney or tricycle.

Fiesta. Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow is just another day, shrugs the poor man who, once a year, honors a patron saint with this sumptuous, no-holds-barred spread. It's a Pinoy celebration at its pious and riotous best.

Aswang, manananggal, kapre. The whole underworld of Filipino lower mythology recalls our uniquely bizarre childhood, that is, before political correctness kicked in. Still, their rich adventures pepper our storytelling.

Jeepneys. Colorful, fast, reckless, a vehicle of postwar Pinoy ingenuity, this Everyman's communal cadillac makes for a cheap, interesting ride. If the driver's a daredevil (as they usually are), hang on to your seat.

Dinuguan. Blood stew, a bloodcurdling idea, until you try it with puto. Best when mined with jalape?o peppers. Messy but delicious.

Santacruzan. More than just a beauty contest, this one has religious overtones, a tableau of St. Helena's and Constantine's search for the Cross that seamlessly blends piety, pageantry and ritual. Plus, it's the perfect excuse to show off the prettiest ladies--and the most beautiful gowns.

Balut. Unhatched duck's embryo, another unspeakable ethnic food to outsiders, but oh, to indulge in guilty pleasures! Sprinkle some salt and suck out that soup, with gusto.

Adobo, kare-kare, sinigang and other lutong bahay stuff. Home-cooked meals that have the stamp of approval from several generations, who swear by closely-guarded cooking secrets and family recipes.

Tricycle and trisikad, the poor Pinoy's taxicab that delivers you at your doorstep for as little as PHPesos3.00, with a complimentary dusting of polluted air.

Dirty ice cream. Very Pinoy flavors that make up for the risk: munggo, langka, ube, mais, keso, macapuno. Plus there's the colorful cart that recalls jeepney art.

Yayas. The trusted Filipino nanny who, ironically, has become a major Philippine export as overseas contract workers. A good one is almost like a surrogate parent--if you don't mind the accent and the predilection for afternoon soap and movie stars.

World class Pinoys who put us on the global map: Lea Salonga, Paeng Nepomuceno, Eugene Torre, Luisito Espinosa, Lydia de Vega-Mercado, Jocelyn Enriquez, Elma Muros, Onyok Velasco, Efren "Bata" Reyes, Lilia Calderon-Clemente, Loida Nicolas-Lewis, Josie Natori.

Pinoy tastes. A dietitian's nightmare: too sweet, too salty, too fatty, as in burong talangka, itlog na maalat, crab fat (aligue), bokayo, kutchinta, sapin-sapin, halo-halo, pastilyas, palitaw, pulburon, longganisa, tuyo, ensaymada, ube haleya, sweetened macapuno and garbanzos. Remember, we're the guys who put sugar (horrors) in our spaghetti sauce. Yum!

The sights. Banaue Rice Terraces, Boracay, Bohol's Chocolate Hills, Corregidor Island, Fort Santiago, the Hundred Islands, the Las Pi񡳊 Bamboo Organ, Rizal Park, Mt. Banahaw, Mayon Volcano, Taal Volcano. A land of contrasts and ever-changing landscapes.

Gayuma, agimat and anting-anting. Love potions and amulets. How the socially-disadvantaged Pinoy copes.

People Power at EDSA. When everyone became a hero and changed Philippine history overnight.

San Miguel Beer and pulutan. "Isa pa nga!" and the Philippines' most popular, world-renowned beer goes well with peanuts, corniks, tapa, chicharon, usa, barbecue, sisig, and all manner of spicy, crunchy and cholesterol-rich chasers.

Resiliency. We've survived 400 years of Spanish rule, the US bases, Marcos, the 1990 earthquake, lahar, lambada, Robin Padilla, and Tamagochi. We'll survive Erap.

Pinoy games: Pabitin, palosebo, basagan ng palayok. A few basic rules make individual cunning and persistence a premium, and guarantee a good time for all.

Balagtasan. The verbal joust that brings out rhyme, reason and passion on a public stage.

Tabo. All-powerful, ever-useful, hygienically-triumphant device to scoop water out of a bucket _ and help the true Pinoy answer nature's call. Helps maintain our famously stringent toilet habits.

Pandesal. Despite its shrinking size, still a good buy. Goes well with any filling, best when hot.

Jollibee. Truly Pinoy in taste and sensibility, and a corporate icon that we can be quite proud of. Do you know that it's invaded the Middle East, as well?

The butanding, the dolphins and other creatures in our blessed waters. They're Pinoys, too, and they're here to stay. Now if some folks would just stop turning them into daing.

Sing-a-long. Filipinos love to sing, and thank God a lot of us do it well!

Kayumanggi. Neither pale nor dark, our skin tone is beautifully healthy, the color of a rich earth or a mahogany tree growing towards the sun.

Handwoven cloth and native weaves. Colorful, environment-friendly alternatives to polyester that feature skillful workmanship and a rich indigenous culture behind every thread. From the pinukpok of the north to the malong of the south, it's the fiber of who we are.

Movies. Still the cheapest form of entertainment, especially if you watch the same movie several times.

Bahala na. We cope with uncertainty by embracing it, and are thus enabled to play life by ear.

Papaitan. An offal stew flavored with bile, admittedly an acquired taste, but pointing to our national ability to acquire a taste for almost anything.

English. Whether carabao or Arr-neoww-accented, it doubles our chances in the global marketplace.

The Press. Irresponsible, sensational, often inaccurate, but still the liveliest in Asia. Otherwise, we'd all be glued to TV.

Divisoria. Smelly, crowded, a pickpocket's paradise, but you can get anything here, often at rock-bottom prices. The sensory overload is a bonus.

Barong Tagalog. Enables men to look formal and dignified without having to strangle themselves with a necktie. Worn well, it makes any ordinary Juan look marvelously makisig.

Filipinas. They make the best friends, lovers, wives. Too bad they can't say the same for Filipinos.

Filipinos. So maybe they're bolero and macho with an occasional streak of generic infidelity; they do know how to make a woman feel like one.

Catholicism. What fun would sin be without guilt? Jesus Christ is firmly planted on Philippine soil.

Style. Something we often prefer over substance. But every Filipino claims it as a birthright.

Bad taste. Clear plastic covers on the vinyl-upholstered sofa, posters of poker-playing dogs masquerading as art, over accessorized jeepneys and altars--the list is endless, and wealth only seems to magnify it.

Mangoes. Crisp and tart, or lusciously ripe, they evoke memories of family outings and endless sunshine in a heart-shaped package.

Unbridled optimism. Why we rank so low on the suicide scale.

Street food: Barbecue, lugaw, banana-cue, fishballs, IUD (chicken entrails), adidas (chicken feet), warm taho. Forget hepatitis; here's cheap, tasty food with gritty ambience.

The siesta. Snoozing in the middle of the day is smart, not lazy.

Honorifics and courteous titles: Kuya, ate, diko, ditse, ineng, totoy, Ingkong, Aling, Mang, etc. No exact English translation, but these words connote respect, deference and the value placed on kinship.

Flora and fauna. The sea cow (dugong), the tarsier, calamian deer, bearcat, Philippine eagle, sampaguita, ilang-ilang, camia, pandan, the creatures that make our archipelago unique.

Sari-sari store. There's one in every corner, offering everything from bananas and floor wax to Band-Aid and bakya.

Quirks of language that can drive crazy any tourist listening in: "Bababa ba?" "Bababa!"

"Sayang!" "Naman!" "Kadiri!" "Ano ba!?" "pala." Expressions that defy translation but wring out feelings genuinely Pinoy.

Cockfighting. Filipino men love it more than their wives (sometimes).

Dr. Jose Rizal. A category in himself. Hero, medicine man, genius, athlete, sculptor, fictionist, poet, essayist, husband, lover, samaritan, martyr. Truly someone to emulate and be proud of, anytime, anywhere.

Filipino Christmas. The world's longest holiday season. A perfect excuse to mix our love for feasting, gift-giving and music and wrap it up with a touch of religion.

Festivals: Sinulog, Ati-atihan, Moriones. Sounds, colors, pagan frenzy and Christian overtones.

Folk dances. Tinikling, pandanggo sa ilaw, kari񯳡, kuratsa, itik-itik, alitaptap, rigodon. All the right moves and a distinct rhythm.

Native wear and costumes. Baro't saya, tapis, terno, saya, salakot, bakya. Lovely form and ingenious function in the way we dress.

Quality of life. Where else can an ordinary employee afford a stay-in helper, a yaya, unlimited movies, eat-all-you-can buffets, the latest fashion (Baclaran nga lang), even Viagra in the black market?

All Saints' Day. In honoring our dead, we also prove that we know how to live.

Handicrafts. Shellcraft, rattancraft, abaca novelties, woodcarvings, banig placemats and bags, bamboo windchimes, etc. Portable memories of home. Hindi lang pang-turista, pang-balikbayan pa!

OCWs. The lengths (and miles) we'd go for a better life for our family, as proven by these modern-day heroes of the economy.

Gay lingo. Our country has more than a hundred languages and yet, this one evolves faster than you can say crap.

Tagalog soap operas. From "Gulong ng Palad" and "Flor de Luna" to today's incarnations like "Mula sa Puso"--they're the story of our lives, and we feel strongly for them, MariMar notwithstanding.

Struggling to keep blogging

2007-11-07T10:03:00.001+08:00

(It's really great to receive criticisms from people you trust so much...^^ )

For the past few days (weeks, months...), I must admit I've been struggling to maintain this blog. I guess the big transition from having an utterly personal blog (Curiosity shop) to a more general is a feat I could not beat entirely, or at least not that easily.

First of all, I'm still confused about which language to use (well, isn't that obvious yet). I grew up in a Cebuano/Ilonggo household and I've always been used to hearing Cebuano spoken by my mom and our helpers. My tagalog has always been terrible, starting from a strong Bisaya accent I've had since I was young, and the conversational Tagalog I've acquired from playmates and schoolmates, which is mainly "kanto" in nature. English is what I've always been comfortable with as a medium in writing, but ever since I've started writing tagalog poems, I had this urgency to write in Filipino, a momentarily phase of braggadocio, I guess. So as a rule of thumb, (my own shaky thumb), I would write in whichever language I felt was appropriate for that certain post. I would love to write in Filipino and Cebuano someday, but perhaps that would be best once I get the hang of blogging.

Another thing is the layout. I hate the color. I visit my own blog and hate the feel of it, and realize blogs shouldn't be that way. Blog owners should be the last person to hate their own page, right?

Lastly, the content. (I didn't say time because I promise to always make time for writing). I've posted so many entries so hastily it ended up being a mess. In addition to that, despite my age, I feel like I've always been too pampered or too busy to venture on things I truly like about the society, about everything. Imagine years spent hitting the books or working graveyard or making grades. Uhm, which was not exactly how I wanted to spend time before I suffer a quarterlife crisis.

deleted post.

2007-11-07T10:01:00.001+08:00

I deleted one of my posts, for reasons that I might've offended some people (unintentionally) because of its contents, It seems that the message I wanted to convey was not very clear.

My bad. Peace :)

Mad Hatter

2007-10-31T15:18:00.001+08:00

Trip ko ang arts and crafts. Bago pa ako nagsimulang sumulat ng blog o mga tula, illustrator muna ako sa isang org nung college. kahit na hindi ako magaling sa mga painting at puro charcoal/sketch lang ako, mahilig naman ako sa crafts.

Masyadong magastos yung mga pakulo ng mga school para sa mga bata. Kaya kesa sa bumili ng paraphernalias, mas okey kung marunong ka gumawa nga sarili mong "art attack".

Project 1: Silly Hats (para sa book fair ng Junior Prep)
Materials: newspaper, scotch tape, PVA glue, purple crepe paper, purple poster paint, scraps.
Cost: mga nasa P80-P100

Yeeees, o diba. nanalo ng best silly hat itong una kong project.

------------------------------------------

Namroblema ako noong UN ng kid ko nagsisi rin ako kung bakit pinili ko yung Egypt para irepresent ni Luis dahil napaka-elaborate nga pala ng suot ng mga Paraon. Ganunpaman, imbes na sumuko sa pananakot ng tadhana, siyempre ginawan ko din yan ng paraan. Para saan pa itong blog na 'to kung walang survival tips...

Project 2: Prince of Egypt.
Materials and cost: Gold crepe paper, 1 pc (P17), cardbord (P20), black cloth, 2 yards (P70), coloured sand (P15), glue (from Project 1), styro balls (P3), newspaper, scotch tape (from Proj 1), glue gun (stock sa bahay) sum total= P 125.

Medyo matagal itong gawin, mga 2 days ko ito ginawa, after work. Yung base pala ng buong garment ay kailangang ipatahi pero dahil sa may sewing machine kami sa bahay, at si mommyla ang gumawa, wala na gastos sa labor.

Checklist:
Headdress
black gown
breast plate
back plate
Cuffs
Staff

Hindi man nanalo ng best costume si Luis, nakakuha ng Most Creative award itong costume niya (huhuhu take it, take it!).

Pinirata nyo na rin ang kabataan ko!

2007-10-30T07:02:00.001+08:00

pulis pangkalawakan din kayo?!!!

Salamat na lang sa effort ng producers, pero nasa puso ko pa rin si Shaider. (katabi nila bioman, magma/ultraman/ maskman, etc nasisiksikan na sila). Aminin na nating napamura ako sa tagline nilang mga pulis pangkalawakan ang tatlong begets na ito. Huhuhu. Nag iisa lang ang kinikilala kong pulis pangkalawakan... namatay siya sa heart attack kamakailan.. at ang pangkalawakang sidekick niyang si Annie ay naging porn star naman sa Japan (trivia: nag J-porn siya noong araw ng pagkamatay ng actor ng Shaider na si Hiroshi Tsuburaya) Haaaay

Mukhang maapreciate ng kabataan ngayon ang spin-of nitong paborito kong metal hero, kaso lang wala na yung classic na "Annie kita panty" super kicks at yung trip na trip kong boses ni Ida, na inakala kong babae until today. Sa Shaider ko rin unang nakita na hinahawi ang water fall sa pamamagitan ng Shaider Cutter (at hindi sa Enteng Kabisote).

Iba pa rin ang nostalgia kapag napapanood mo ulit ang mga idolo mo nung kabataan mo. Mas hiling kong magkaroon ng re-run ng original series at maging bata ulit sa harapan ng TV, habang kumakain ng Rin-Bee, dilis, sabay tungga ng isang boteng Coke (na Coke sakto na lang ngayon).

Para sa akin, natatangi ka pa ring Pulis Pangkalawakan Shaider..

Booksale

2007-10-11T10:53:00.000+08:00

Hindi lang Japan ang sagot sa Kahirapan.

Ang bisyo kong bumili nang bumili ng mga libro, may semi-solusyon na. Marami-rami din akong nakitang mga good finds sa trade books, kasama na dun yung Blind Assassin ni ate Atwood, at may bonus pang Alias Grace ni ate Atwood pa rin, na simula pa lang eh napapailing na ako sa pagkabilib.

Doon ko rin nakita yung Book of Ballads na kung saan ginawang graphic na short stories yung mga folk song sa Europe. At ang paborito kong premyo sa tradebooks, ay yung fantasy short story collection ni Al Sarrantonio na Flights. Kung may makita kayong trade books na maganda ang koleksiyon, kaibiganin niyo na yung mga staff dahil pwede kayong mag request ng mga libro na oorderin nila. Yung mga regular price nga mga koleksiyon nila na natiming-an ko ay ranging from P55 - about P400. Sa bookstore aabot na ng P1000 mahigi. Hangswerte diba...

Ayus diba.

Push the limit, animo spirit!

2007-10-07T18:54:00.000+08:00

Last Year, La salle was suspended from the UAAp in all sports, of that rooting from the scandal including two players from the mens' basketball team.

This year, we give the whole country the best damn comeback that anyone UAAP could give.

While everyone was expecting the powerful UE warriors to win this season, the la Salle team, hopeful, yet determined about their destiny for this finals worked they way up into the championship. I just finished watching the game and the UE warriors gave a good fight. Man. I tell you those guys were tough. They showed everyone how mean they could be by getting a 14-0 standing during the eliminations. After that, all they had to do was to wait for the lucky team who would challenge them in the finals.

Personally, i didn't think La Salle had a strong chance this season until we earned the twice to beat advantage, and then by beating (*AHERM, big evil grin) Ateneo during the semifinals.

GREEN'S the color of Christmas this year.

Today's championship game was a spectacle. Just imagine basketball hunks killing each other between the crowd divided in green and red. Within the Christmas-themed game was a bloodbath. And imagine the blood brothers Dindo and Franz Pumaren on the opposite sides of the court. It was so damn exciting I got teary eyed during the fouth quarter of the game. *sigh* UAAP season is the only time i watch basketball, and this year, my 4 hours in front of the t.v. was worth it. Singing the Alama mater song for your neigbors to hear is not embarassing at all when you sing after the championship game.

Goodbye, brave ones.

My personal favorite is TY Tang. Good guy, good player. Too bad it's their last year, along with Villanueva and Casio. Bye guys, thanks for giving us one hell of a game tonight.

Welcome, young ones!

The only La Sallian in the Junior UAAp's Mythical 5 is Josh David Webb. Yup that's from the famous Webb factory who's been producing handsome and able players in the basketball field. I'll leave you an insignificant fact: He was my student back in 2004 (yes, Josh, it's me, teacher Colleen, YOUR BIOLOGY TEACHER FOR GOD'S SAKES!!!) I hope he still remembers me. I'm know trying to recall if I gave him a good grade...Well, he was a sweet kid, and i remember him
singing in the CPA. (you got the voice, too). UAAP 2008 watch out for this kid...

It was destiny.

UAAP Juniors Champion: De La Salle Zobel School
UAAP Seniors Champion: De La Salle University

Live the dream, Animo Team!

Why another blog?

2007-08-29T11:05:00.001+08:00

(rolls eyes)

i was too ambitious to put up a blog like this in the middle of a busy career.

i could almost feel someone's slap going into the back of my head.

grrr

Right, everything in the middle.