This week's Friday Five:

1. What was your biggest accomplishment this year?
Accomplishment isn't really the right word. I'd consider this the biggest joy for this year. Mushy as it may sound, it's finding him.

2. What was your biggest disappointment?
Getting fat. :D

3. What do you hope the new year brings?
A lot of things! I hope that the plans for the big day will go smoothly. I hope that I won't get too bored and that I'll be able to find meaningful things to do. I hope that the Ateneo project I'm involved in will be successful. I hope for health for my loved ones, and love for my close friends who are still searching. I also hope that I can go back to old size.

4. Will you be making any New Year's resolutions? If yes, what will they be?
I don't think so. I know what I should do so I'll just try to do them. It's really frustrating to have a list that never gets followed.

5. What are your plans for New Year's Eve?
New Year's eve meal with family. Not yet sure but I might go out afterwards. We'll see...

So how did you spend Christmas day? :)

My parents and I went home to Binan for the yearly clan lunch in our school's gym. There were so many kids! They used to be just babies but now they're all big enough to play and run around! Lunch wasn't spectacular, which is probably good 'cause it meant less food to eat. After lunch was the much-awaited gift-giving and lining up for money. Lucky for us we didn't have to line up. I just find it sad that we're not complete anymore. A lot of my cousins are married and had other lunches to attend, some are abroad, and most of the lolas have passed away.

Well, I hope you had a great Christmas!

Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (WARNING: With Spoilers!!!)

A fabulous movie, yes. But I can't help but like The Two Towers better. I haven't read the book, but I was told that the movie tried to be faithful to it. And so the ending was a bit dragging, and the battle scenes were TOO tiring. I think that the battle scenes of the second movie were just right. However, I'm not saying that the movie isn't good. It was GREAT! It was long, but I didn't get bored at any point in the movie, and I didn't realize how long it was until after I checked the time. Also, even if it was long, I ended up wanting more.


The Return of the King

Oh and one more thing... Peter Jackson IS THE MAN!!!


You're the man!!!

Photos from Lordoftherings.net

PAGING JUNNIE, HELP!

Hi Junnie (and to the others who may be able to help)! I'm torn between the Canon Ixus 400 and the Sony P-92! It seems that almost every single Sony spec is better than Canon's (4.1 megapixel vs. 5 megapixel, etc). I read reviews and Canon has problems with red-eye reduction, while Sony has battery issues. One major thing is that Sony uses a memory stick (mahal!) while Canon uses Compact Flash (more affordable).

I don't know which one I should get. Please help! I'm ready to buy!

They cost the same - Ixus 400 at P27,950, and P-92 at P27,999.


Canon Digital Ixus 400


Sony DSC-P92

Spent the day doing errands and cleaning up my room. It was so tiring! I started with the dressing room - I finally fixed my dressing table! I also fixed my bags which were all over the place. Then I separated the blouses from the dresses and the pants, which were together already. Then I cleaned my bathroom. Then I started on my desk and bookshelf - finally, all my books are together! I hated seeing them in boxes.

I don't think I've covered 1/4 of my room yet so I'm guessing that I'll need another 2 or 3 days to clean up. I'm still trying to figure out where to put my cutesy stuff (candle's, mugs, glasses) and the action figures I have. Oh dear. I need shelves, shelves, and MORE SHELVES!!!

Santa, please give me shelves.


Expedit bookcase from Ikea

This week's Friday Five!

1. List your five favorite beverages.
mango juice, Nestea Iced Tea, Big Chill Strawberry Daiquiri, Tequila Rose, Yakult

2. List your five favorite websites.
PinoyExchange
Friendster
Yahoo (for email and the games!)
Blogger
Click The City

3. List your five favorite snack foods.
Ruffles Sour Cream and Onion
Legend Sour Cream and Onion
Shakey's Mojos
Shakey's thin crust Garlic and Cheese
Buy the Bucket Potato Crisps with everything on it

4. List your five favorite board and/or card games.
Pusoy Dos, Scrabble, Harry Potter Trading Card Game, Harry Potter Diagon Alley Game, Harry Potter Hall of Hogwarts

5. List your five favorite computer and/or game system games.
Lemonade Tycoon, Dope Wars, Free Cell, The Sims, Warcraft

Blessed are those who do not seem to have a life, and especially those who do not have a choice—those who are physically debilitated, paralyzed or in a coma and cannot move, for they bring us a message that is lost in this age of frenzy—that to be worthy of God's love, we need not strive to do or achieve anything, but simply be.

Got this from Rowie, who got it from Jim Paredes.

Attended a Christmas party at Teak Bar & Bistro at Rockwell last night. Nothing unique or special about the place, so I don't know how it's going to last. Anyway, dranks lots of Tequila Rose. Everything was okay until the boss insisted that we drink something else. So Mira and I had a Cosmopolitan each. And the night was ruined. Got drunk right there. I still don't feel well until now.


The culprit

I have great news! Something happened last friday that's really life-changing! To those who genuinely care, please please please do email me at carambs@hotmail.com and I will be more than happy to email you the details! I'm hoping that Jax, Bea, Junnie et al will be the first ones to contact me. :)

Or do what Mike did, text me. :)

Or do what Junnie did, add me in your MSN list (carambs@hotmail.com)

Wow, haven't done this for the longest time!

This week's Friday Five:

1. Do you enjoy the cold weather and snow for the holidays?
Well no snow here. As for the cold weather, I enjoy it very much because this is the only time of the year when it's not hot!

2. What is your ideal holiday celebration? How, where, with whom would you celebrate to make things perfect?
Anywhere is fine, as long as I'm with loved ones. A simple meal would be perfect.

3. Do you do have any holiday traditions?
We go home to our hometown, Binan Laguna, every December 25 for a clan party. All the lolos, lolas, titos, titos, and of course the ninongs and ninangs are there. Kids really line up for their gifts.

4. Do you do anything to help the needy?
I used to be a regular volunteer before but since I've been busy, I haven't had the chance to. I plan to be active again next year. I love volunteer work!

This year, I do not plan to give gifts to my friends and relatives. I will donate my christmas budget to Jesus Loves Little Children instead. :)

5. What one gift would you like for yourself?
I know that this sounds so weird but I hope the situation in the Philippines will improve. I also pray for good health for me and my loved ones.

As for tangible gifts, I'd love a Pocket PC or Tablet PC. Asa pa!

Costume for Christmas Party

Still can't decide on my costume for our Christmas Party on wednesday. The marketing group wanted to have a theme for the costumes, but it might too hard to coordinate. The girls feel it's gonna be easier for the guys. Imagine just going in a suit with shades with a plastic gun - that's Men in Black for you! Oh well, I'm sure I'll come up with something over the weekend. Any suggestions?

Smart Eload and Prepaid Cards

I'm pretty happy with the sales of our Smart Eload, so far. We actually get to sell P1000 worth of load in 2 or 3 days. Not bad! Hope this continues. :) As for the prepaid cards, steady daily sales so not bad too.

Okay, time to look for an additional racket... Any suggestions?

Christmas Party

The theme of our christmas party this year is 'characters' - whether movie characters, cartoon characters, or superheroes. I distributed the nomination forms for the awards, called the ABSi Oscar 2003 (as in Oscar the Grouch!). Awards include "Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang... dumating?" for those who are always late, "Patikim ng Pinya" for those who always ask for food (matakaw), "Clueless" for those who are always windang or tuliro, and "Pinakamagandang Hayop sa Balat ng Lupa" for the pretty ones. Gonna be a good one!

Back

He's back from Iloilo and Bacolod! *smiles*

Nice, simple night

I had dinner with Jovan and Lawrence last night at Cafe Bola in Greenbelt 3. Even if he's here for a very sad reason, it was really nice seeing Lawrence again. The food was good, and the company better. Then there's Intolerable Cruelty.

It wasn't a great movie. For a comedy, there were only a few scenes that elicited loud laughs from the audience. But I enjoyed it anyway. It was amusing to see George Clooney being wacky. And of course Catherine Zeta-Jones was so lovely, no surprise there.

Athena


?? Which Of The Greek Gods Are You ??
brought to you by Quizilla

Saw this quiz in Gen's blog.

Blogging

Blogging is a form of self-expression. You get to write about your thoughts, your opinions, your dreams. You get vent out and release your anger. I find it sad that there are times, a lot of times, when you can't post your real thoughts because you know that certain people read your blog. That's the problem with the world wide web, it's too public.

It's too ideal to just say "to hell with everyone, I will write what I want to write". That's not how the world operates. You have to protect yourself and your friends from vicious and stupid and incompetent and evil people.

There are so many things that I want to write about, but I can't. AND IT SUCKS! Thank God for old-fashioned journals. I can write about ANYTHING, and ANYONE. No need to censor yourself.

He may be curt, but he's really sharp. It may be hard to get hold of him, but he knows what he's doing and he's really good at it. He knows his stuff. A lot of people may not like her, but I think she's good at what she does. And he is intelligent. But you? I think you're out of place. Waaaaaaaaaaay out of place.

My boss signed my resignation letter. No turning back now. Bigla akong nalungkot.

To distract myself so that I can stop worrying about the future of our country...

Last Car Ride: This morning, on my way to the office.
Last Kiss: This morning. I kissed my mom before I left for the office.
Last Good Cry: Around 2-3 weeks ago. Cried here at my workstation, alone, to release stress. I didn't feel "good" afterwards but at least I felt better.
Last Library Book Checked Out: I have no idea.
Last Movie Seen: Scary Movie 3
Last Book Read: Trading Up by Candace Bushnell
Last Beverage Drank: Starbucks Cafe Latte with Raspberry Swirl
Last Food Consumed: Spam and rice
Last Crush: Michael Vartan!
Last Phone Call: Someone from engineering.
Last TV Show Watched: Charmed
Last Time Showered: This morning.
Last Shoes Worn: Right now I'm wearing white sneakers.
Last CD Played: Playlist by Paolo Santos
Last Item Bought: A lot! I went on a shopping spree yesterday.
Last Downloaded: Nakalimutan ko na.
Last Disappointment: Yesterday, when I heard that FPJ will run for president.
Last Key Used: Key to my drawer here at my workstation.
Last Word Spoken: Hello? (On-going phone call).
Last Sleep: Last night.
Last IM: From Jules.
Last Ice cream Eaten: Dip and dots, 2 weeks ago.
Last Time Amused: When Amaya, the daughter of an officemate, dropped by.
Last Time Wanted To Die: 2 years ago?
Last Time In Love: Still am.
Last Time Hugged: Tuesday.
Last Time Scolded: I dont remember. Last week?
Last Underwear Worn: Marks and Spencer
Last Webpage Visited: Jax Place

Philippine Circus... este, Politics

The political scene is really a joke. Well, it has been a joke for years. But I kept hoping that it would be better, that things would change. I kept saying that Gloria was a bitter pill to swallow to cure what we had - Erap. But the pill turned out to be poison! Our country is still in the dumps! If the situation we're in isn't worse than before, then it's at least as bad.

I have come to hate Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Her smiles on TV really annoy me. She's so smug when THERE'S NOTHING TO BE PROUD OF. She hasn't done anything for this country. If she has, then I guess it has been overshadowed by all the negative things. Chaotic is the perfect word to describe Philippine politics today.

And yesterday, another joke. FPJ is running for President. People keep saying "he's a good man!" or "he's not a politician" or whatever. We don't just need a "good man". We need a good leader. To be the leader of the Philippines means you also have to understand the basics of Economics, Finance, the Military... Being good just isn't enough. What does FPJ know about those things? Will he be able to understand when it's explained to him? Plus, FPJ being president means Angara and Sotto will be the
'little' presidents. So it's gonna be the same old thing. The business sector also has no confidence in FPJ. So much proof! The peso fell to an all-time low today. And a downgrade is being eyed on our long-term borrowings. It's so awful!

Some people say that "it can be much worse". True, but that doesn't make the scenario now acceptable. A lot of people are seriously thinking about migrating. And these are the educated ones, the talented ones. There will a surge in the regular country "brain drain" when FPJ becomes president. We regularly lose doctors, nurses, teachers who go abroad to search for a better life. When FPJ becomes president, the numbers will surely spike. Bet?

I'm so worried for the country.

FPJ has announced that he is running for president.
God help us all.

Macau

Last night, we had dinner at the Macau Restaurant in Eastwood, Libis. We wanted to try a restaurant that we haven't tried before. So we ended up there. Food wasn't good. I ordered the Grilled Rib-eye steak and Jovan ordered the Grilled T-bone steak. Also, the place didn't look good plus the utensils looked "cheap".

Crossing Over with John Edward

I'm a scaredy cat, and I get scared over the smallest things. Heck, some parts of Scary Movie 3 scared me, and it's supposed to be a comedy! But watching Crossing Over with John Edward doesn't elicit fear from me, it elicits awe. The guy is amazing! His accuracy is borderline freaky. The cynical me insists that he has researchers who dig up facts about the audience before the show. But the show always starts with a disclaimer that John Edward doesn't know anything about the people in the audience.

What I like most about him is that he ends the show with a reminder to everyone. He always says that we should validate and appreciate the people around us now, so that we wouldn't have to go to mediums like him in the future.

I watched the first 6 episodes of Alias Season 3 last night. And I still love it. It's still as exciting and full of twists as the first two seasons. Michael Vartan is still gorgeous. The stories per episode and the main story are still very interesting. (The writers are gooooooood.) Nice developments related to Dixon and Vaugh's new wife.

I cannot wait to get hold of the next episodes.

Binan Badminton Club formally opened today. It's located at #1 National Highway, Barrio Platero, Binan Laguna. I was pleasantly surprised that a lot of people dropped by to inquire about the rates. There were many walk-ins, and some of them had to wait in line for the courts.

For those who live in the South, especially Binan, Sta. Rosa, and San Pedro, do drop by! The place is right in front of Segunda Village (St. Michael's College and Binan Doctors' Hospital), and is a couple of minutes away from the Pavillion Mall.

I feel that this is really a blessing for me, because of several reasons. First, this gives me a reason to go home to Binan more often. I only go home during family gatherings so I've lost touch with old friends and I feel like an outsider already whenever I'm there. Second, I've cut a deal with my friends. I'm going to take care of the snacks and drinks. Pretty good deal since the players really look for Gatorade and mineral water after they play. Third, I get to play lotsa badminton, which means I get to exercise! Woohoo!

Had a blast watching Scary Movie 3 at Greenbelt 3 Cinema 1 last night. You really just have to take it as it is - a spoof of several movies. Everyone in the theater was laughing! However, I was really disturbed because of one scene, the scene where they blew up a wall with Mother Teresa's face. What's up with that? That wasn't funny at all.

Yes, it's a stupid movie. But consider this movie as a stress-buster. Watching this movie is a nice way to unwind after working xx hours in the office!

Bili, bili na kayo dyan!

Tindera na ako ngayon. I'm selling Ragnarok prepaid cards, Blast prepaid cards, and Smart eLoad. It's actually fun! Returns are small but it's still better than just placing your money in the bank. Next stop is the Badminton place that my friends just opened in Binan, Laguna. It's called Binan Badminton Club and I'll be supplying the drinks.

Any suggestions on what else I can check out?

:)

A New Beginning


I've been very busy for the past few months, especially the last two. I guess it's obvious, based on the number of blog entries I have. I just couldn't find the time, and when I did have time, I was just too tired to come up with a decent entry. I noticed that I was slowly turning into a very cynical person, and that really freaked me out. I thought that something had to be done. I remembered "Lundagin mo Beybeh!" from Ateneo. I remembered the saying "No guts, no glory!". I thought that I can complain all I want, but nothing was gonna happen if I don't do anything. And so I made a very big decision last week. Guess who's smiling now.

I hope everything works out for me. This is going to be something new. I'm going to be in a very unfamiliar place. Very exciting, but scary at the same time.

I would like to share with you the email that I received which helped me in my decision. Please, do print it out. It's worth keeping. Read it when you get carried away with your work. Read it when you forget WHY you're doing what you're doing. It's long, but I promise you, you will be moved. I highlighted the phrases/sentences that struck me.

"REAL LIFE IS ALL I KNOW"

It's a great honor for me to be the third member of my family to receive an honorary doctorate from this great university. It's an honor to follow my great Uncle Jim, who was a gifted physician, and my Uncle Jack, who is a remarkable businessman. Both of them could have told you something important about their professions, about medicine or commerce.

I have no specialized field of interest or expertise, which puts me at a disadvantage talking to you today. I'm a novelist. My work is human nature. REAL LIFE IS ALL I KNOW. Don't ever confuse the two, your life and your work.The second is only part of the first.

Don't ever forget what a friend once wrote Senator Paul Tsongas when the senator decided not to run for re-election because he had been diagnosed with cancer: "No man ever said on his deathbed I wish I had spent more time at the office."

Don't ever forget the words my father sent me on a postcard last year: "If you win the rat race, you're still a rat."

Or what John Lennon wrote before he was gunned down in the driveway of the Dakota: "Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans."

You will walk out of here this afternoon with only one thing that no one else has. There will be hundreds of people out there with your same degree; there will be thousands of people doing what you want to do for a living. But you will be the only person alive who has custody of your life. Your particular life...Not just the life of your mind, but the life of your heart. Not just your bank accounts but also your soul.

People don't talk about the soul very much anymore. It's so much easier to write a resume than to craft a spirit. But a resume is a cold comfort on a winter night, or when you're sad, or broke, or lonely, or when you've gotten back the test results and they're not so good.

HERE IS MY RESUME:

I am a good mother to three children. I have tried never to let my profession stand in the way of being a good parent. I no longer consider myself the center of the universe. I am a good friend to my husband. I have tried to make marriage vows mean what they say.

I am a good friend to my friends, and they to me...I call them on the phone, and I meet them for lunch. I would be rotten, or at best mediocre at my job, if those other things were not true. You cannot be really first rate at your work if your work is all you are.


SO HERE'S WHAT I WOULD WANT TO TELL YOU TODAY:

GET A LIFE. A real life, not a manic pursuit of the next promotion, the bigger paycheck, the larger house. Do you think you'd care so very much about those things if you blew an aneurysm one afternoon, or found a lump in your breast?

GET A LIFE in which you notice the smell of salt water pushing itself on a breeze over seaside Heights, a life in which you stop and watch how a red tailed hawk circles over the water, or the way a baby scowls with concentration when she tries to pick up a Cheerio with her thumb and first finger.

GET A LIFE in which you are not alone. Find people you love, and who love you. And remember that love is not leisure, it is work. Pick up the phone. Send an e-mail. Write a letter.

GET A LIFE in which you are generous. And realize that life is the best thing ever, and that you have no business taking it for granted. Care so deeply about its goodness that you want to spread it around.Take money you would have spent on beers and give it to charity. Work in a soup kitchen. Be a big brother or sister. All of you want to do well. But if you do not do good too, then doing well will never be enough. It is so easy to waste our lives, our days, our hours, and our minutes. It is so easy to take for granted the color of our kids' eyes, the way the melody in a symphony rises and falls and disappears and rises again. It is so easy to exist instead of to live.

I LEARNED TO LIVE many years ago. Something really, really bad happened to me, something that changed my life in ways...And what I learned from it is what, today, seems to be the hardest lesson of all. I learned to love the journey, not the destination. I learned that it is not a dress rehearsal, and that today is the only guarantee you get. I learned to look at all the good in the world and try to give some of it back because I believed in it, completely and utterly. And I tried to do that, in part, by telling others what I had learned. By telling them this:

Consider the lilies of the field. Look at the fuzz on a baby's ear. Read in the backyard with the sun on your face. Learn to be happy. And think of life as a terminal illness, because if you do, you will live it with joy and passion, as it ought to be lived.

This is a commencement speech made by Anna Quindlen at Villanova.

Punyeta naman o.

2003 BAZAAR SCHEDULE

It's bazaar season and I was being my OC self when I put this together. I'm sure that some girls out there are interested in this. :)

(I'll fix this some other time, tab doesn't work here pala.)

Oct.3-31 Menchie Mabanta Bazaars MC Home Depot, The Fort
Oct.11-12 Zonta Bazaar Edsa Shangri-La
Oct.11-12 Shop @ The Fort NBC Tent
Oct.12 Shoppers’ Day by US Embassy World Trade Center
Oct.13 Monthly Bazaar World Trade Center
Oct.13-17 Bazaar LKG Tower, Ayala Ave.
Oct.15-17 Bazaar Pearl Plaza, Pearl Drive
Oct.18 ADB Spouses Association Bazaar Makati Shangri-La
Oct.18-19 Bazaar La Vista Clubhouse
Oct.18-19 Shop @ The Fort NBC Tent
Oct.19 Bazaar World Trade Center
Oct.19 Catholic Women’s Club Casa Y Jardin
Oct.25-26 Noel “The Discovery Bazaar” Manila Polo Club
Oct.26 Zonta Bazaar Intercon
Oct.27-31 Bazaar LKG Tower, Ayala Ave.
Oct.29-30 Menchie Mabanta Bazaars Tektite
Nov.3-30 Menchie Mabanta Bazaars MC Home Depot, The Fort
Nov.8-9 Shop @ The Fort NBC Tent
Nov.12-14 Bazaar Pearl Plaza, Pearl Drive
Nov.12-13,15 Bazaar UCPB, Makati Ave.
Nov.13 Monthly Bazaar World Trade Center
Nov.14-16 Shop @ The Fort NBC Tent
Nov.15-16 Angel Sent Edsa Shangri-La
Nov.15-16 AAVA-EMPC Cuenca, Ayala Alabang
Nov.15-16 Heaven Sent: The Lifestyle Bazaar Manila Polo Club
Nov.15-16 Bazaar La Vista Clubhouse
Nov.21-23 Christmas@2003 Shop Expo World Trade Center
Nov.22-23 Menchie Mabanta Bazaars Makati Sports Club
Nov.22-23 Heaven Sent: The Lifestyle Bazaar Manila Polo Club
Nov. 24-28 Negros Megatrade Hall
Nov.26-28 Bazaar UCPB, Makati Ave.
Nov.26-28 Bazaar Pacific Star Bldg, Buendia
Nov.27-28 Menchie Mabanta Bazaars Tektite
Nov.15-16 Almost Christmas Bazaar Cuenca, Ayala Alabang
Nov.29-30 Noel “The Discovery Bazaar” Manila Polo Club
Nov.29-30 Shop @ The Fort NBC Tent
Nov.29-30 Menchie Mabanta Bazaars Makati Sports Club
Nov.29-30 Super Bazaar Sanctuario de San Antonio
Nov.29-30 Bargain Hunt White Plains Basketball Court
Dec.1 Monthly Bazaar World Trade Center
Dec.2-31 Menchie Mabanta Bazaars MC Home Depot, The Fort
Dec.4-14 World Bazaar for Bantay Bata World Trade Center
Dec.6-7 Bazaar La Vista Clubhouse
Dec.6-7 Shop @ The Fort NBC Tent
Dec.6-7 Menchie Mabanta Bazaars Makati Sports Club
Dec.6-7 St. James Bazaar St. James, Ayala Alabang
Dec.13-14 Christmas Bazaar Cuenca, Ayala Alabang
Dec.13-14 Bazaar La Vista Clubhouse
Dec.13-14 Shop @ The Fort NBC Tent
Dec.13-14 Menchie Mabanta Bazaars Makati Sports Club
Dec.15-19 Bazaar LKG Tower, Ayala Ave.
Dec.15-19 Bazaar Pacific Star Bldg, Buendia
Dec.15-16 Bazaar UCPB, Makati Ave.
Dec.17-19 Bazaar Pearl Plaza, Pearl Drive
Dec.17-19 Menchie Mabanta Bazaars Tektite
Dec.20-21 Angel Sent Edsa Shangri-La
Dec.20-21 Year End Bazaar Cuenca, Ayala Alabang
Dec.20-21 Bargain Hunt White Plains Basketball Court
Dec.20-23 Shop @ The Fort NBC Tent

Ateneo lost against La Salle. I don't even know the score. All I know is that the game went into overtime, there was a brawl before the end of the regular period, and that Ateneo didn't play well. And there's a chance that Tenorio will be suspended during the second game. Even before the game started, I kept thinking that if we lost today, it's most probably bye-bye Finals for Ateneo. I do believe in the team, but in the semi's, it's not about who's better. It's about who wants it more. I just hope we want it more than La Salle.

Tinanong ng maayos kaya sana naman sabihin ng maayos. Maiinitindihan naman ng lahat ng hindi pa final eh. No one will take it against you because you did what you have to do and it's now pending with someone else. I understand that you're harrassed and all but we also have a deliverable based on your deliverable. That's all. It was just a simple question. I'd understand if tinanong ka ng pasigaw or sinabihan ka nang "ang tagal naman niyan" or "bakit wala pa?" Pero hindi naman eh, ang ayos naman ng tanong. :(

---

Final Four game tomorrow between Ateneo and La Salle. I really hope Ateneo wins. I hope that the players are not overconfident. La Salle usually steps up during do-or-die games. Tomorrow, heart will be the key. Whoever wants to win more, will win the game.

---

Download the SMS logos and MMS colored pics of UAAP's Final Four teams!

Available keywords:
LOGO ADMU
LOGO DLSU
LOGO UE
LOGO FEU
MMS

Send the keywords to 2366.

UE filed a formal complaint on the call of the referees yesterday. The UAAP Board met today and decided that UE should be the winner. (Based on instant replay. The 3 pt. shot was released after the buzzer sounded.)

So, no more playoff for Ateneo. We will go against La Salle in the Final Four. Playoff game on Sunday will be between UE and FEU. They will fight for the #2 slot.

Final Four schedule (Tentative): September 25 and 28

Finals schedule: October 2, 5, 11.

If you have time, please watch UAAP Central on Studio 23 tonight, 11:30PM. Guests include courtside reporters, Randy Sacdalan, and ex-UAAP players (Enrico Villanueva, Gec Chia, Mike Bravo and Xavey Nunag). We will also explain what happened yesterday and the Board's decision.

My friend Kookie had invited me several times to join Friendster. I finally checked it out last week and it's a really cool website! It connects people to their friends and the friends of their friends. Now, I've found high school and college batchmates and long-lost friends. Check it out! And if you do join, do let me know so I can add you!

Ateneo won against La Salle last saturday. 98-89. It felt good to be there, cheering with everyone else. One big fight!

Honk!!!



I watched Honk! at the Meralco Theater today. It was very entertaining! You'd think that it's only for children at first, and this is supported by the fact that more than 50% of the audience were kids, but it's not. Honk! has lessons for everyone, young and old alike.

Agot Isidro was surprisingly good. I used to always see her in her noontime shows. Yes she sang well, but I never thought of her as having a great voice. But the Agot in the play sang very well, and the change is the result of a very good voice coach, I assume. I felt though that she held back in her dancing. I was also surprised with Franco Laurel, who played Ugly. I know that he has joined several musicals in the past, including Rama at Sita, but the Franco in my mind had a very weak voice. But the person who stole the show was Tonipet Gaba, as Cat. He's really a natural. I'm sure that most of you know Tonipet because of his commercials - the guy with the funny faces in the Bonamine and Chowking commercial, and the anchor/host of the old Surf commercial.

It could have been better if the microphones were not visible to the audience. There were also several glitches with the microphones. The set was simple, but it was very pleasing to the eyes. The costumes were also very amusing.

It was very pleasant to be with so many children, hearing them ask questions and hearing them laugh. Normally this would be annoying, but this afternoon was an exception. This may sound far off, but I was happy they watched because of the many lessons that they surely picked up.

Honk! was definitely worth every centavo.

I wish I had enough money to buy this poster:



Graham Watson sells a lot of good Tour de France posters. Check them out.

It's now Gen's turn to revive her blog. To Gen, welcome to the blog world!

Been a long time since I've seen anyone post in the "tv ads" thread in PinoyExchange. I really love that thread. It's a thread where people can discuss TV ads, billboards, print ads, and radio ads. The members post what they like or don't like about an ad. No bashing, just constructive criticisms. It's very helpful to agency people because they can get feedback on their work.

There are ads that emerge as favorites, and the latest one is the Close Up Breaking Barriers TVC. I love that ad because it communicates its message well. People remember it because of the message and the catchy tune. As always, ads that tug the heart are almost always the good ads.

I don't have time to blog anymore. :(

Had a meeting in Starbucks at 9AM. I ordered coffee and a brownie. Well, the coffee was useless because I'm still sleepy.

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

Hay. Bungs talaga.

The Annual Book Fair

I only found out about the book fair last saturday, so I made sure I went there yesterday. I said this last year, but I'll say it again. The key to the bookfair is to be able to go there during the first few days, and the last few days. If you go there on the last day, yes, some books will be given at an extra discount, but all the goodies would be gone. So key is to go there at least twice.

Venue is still the same - Megatrade Hall of SM Megamall.

I was able to buy Book 1 and 2 of Artemis Fowl, Trading Up, back issues of magazines, and lots of children's books for my inaanak, Mika. The books are so cheap! Especially if you compare them to the regular prices.



(Wow, what a postive entry!)

This has been a busy week. I am SO HAPPY that it's friday already. Imagine having millions of priority projects going on at the same time. (Of course that's an exaggeration. :p) And imagine having to move deadlines every 10 minutes. No kidding! The plans change every 10 minutes. TGIF talaga!!!

The Kapamilya Homecoming event will happen tomorrow here at ABS. Wasn't supposed to go, but since there's free food (ehehehe cheapo!) then we'll probably drop by.

Happy weekend, everyone!

Ang hirap siguro kung isip-bata ang boss mo noh? Sus ibang klase talaga.

Been sleeping really late the past few days. I'm really like this. Once I start, I can't stop. Which is bad because there's work tomorrow.

Went to an officemate's wedding yesterday. It was beautiful. Everything was perfect except for one thing, which is okay since everyone says that it's almost impossible that nothing goes wrong during a wedding. The emcee was just too funny, funny in a really bad way. Won't go into details. It's enough to say that she's one emcee everyone should avoid. But if that's the only negative thing about the wedding, then that's saying a lot. The wedding was lovely and truly memorable.

The motif of the wedding was lime green, fuschia, and freesia. Actually, the colors have more exotic names but it's easier to describe it with those simple words. The gowns of the bridesmaids were really funky, really modern. The beadwork was beautiful. Gowns were by Rajo Laurel. So yes, they're beautiful, but I'm sure the price was "beautiful" also - beautiful for Rajo. :) The ceremony was held in the Nuestra Senora Church in Guadalupe. The reception was held in the Rockwell Tennis Courts. The centerpieces for the tables for the guests were beautiful! Four sets of flowers - freesia-coloerd hydrangea (?) in one vase, white roses in one vase, 3 (really) long bamboo sticks with 1 flower each in one vase, and fuschia orchids in one vase. Food was by Via Mare. I only got the stuffed chicken and the lumpia, and IT WAS GOOD! Weddings aren't usually known for the food that's served, but the food was just yummy. I'm sure that the blue marlin and the ox tail was good too.

After the usual ceremonies a retro band played. I wasn't able to get the name but they were awesome. People actually danced! That's not common in weddings, or at least the weddings that I attend. I think that was the advantage of having the reception in a relatively open place. It was like a mini-concert.

92AD was the group that sang in the Church and during the reception. They're good, except for some mistakes in a couple of songs. Not glaring, so forgiveable. The AVP, prepared by Jenny Celdran, was LOVELY! Not the usual AVP. Really interesting!

The crowd was generally young. So the couple made sure that there were a lot of drinks. A LOT. That's even an understatement. There were just too many drinks that by the end of the reception, the couple's closest friends, most of them part of the entourage, were all drunk! Which I think is really nice since that's what a wedding is all about anyway. It's about celebrating the life that the couple will be spending together. It's about celebrating the love that the couple share with one another.

Wow, this has been such a long entry already. I guess I just can't run out of words for the wedding of my friend. I'll end this with a note for them, if ever they get to read my blog: Congratulations and best wishes to you guys. That was a lovely and memorable wedding. I'm grateful to have been a part of it. I hope that it's a preview of your future. :)

He was told to have an additional 2-week leave. I think that if he had his way he would have had an additional 1-week leave only.

Bought a Happy Meal (pancakes) this morning because I wanted to get either Bloat or Pearl, but guess what - Nemo toys are out of stock. I ended up getting a lame Ronald toy. I guess McDonald's didn't expect that their Nemo toys would be in demand.

Watched Dawson's Creek on Studio 23 last night. The episode was about Joey and Pacey being stuck in a K-Mart store overnight. It was so sweet! I really like them as a couple, and if I had my way the title of the show would be Joey and Pacey's Creek. I totally don't like Dawson. I followed each episode before, especially when Joey and Pacey were together. But after that season, I wasn't interested anymore. So it was really a treat for me seeing them together last night.

Jax, I read about the last episode na. Bitin naman. Everyone still likes each other, ehehe.

We bought two happy meals already just to get the Finding Nemo toys from McDonald's. I now have Nemo and Dory. Dory's so cute!!! The sound she makes is that of a whale. I really found those scenes hilarious.

Friday Five!

1. How much time do you spend online each day?
Almost 10 hours? From the time I arrive in the office until I leave, I'm online.

2. What is your browser homepage set to?
My blog. :D

3. Do you use any instant messaging programs? If so, which one(s)?
Yup! Before, I used ICQ and Yahoo. But everyone in the office uses MSN so I had to use it. Then I found Trillian, which combines all of the instant messengers. So now I only have to launch one program, not three.

4. Where was your first webpage located?
I didn't have a webpage before. I didn't know anything about html and making webpages, so there. :)

5. How long have you had your current website?
Since May last year, I think.

Not really looking forward to the weekend because it's gonna be a busy one. But at least it's not gonna be because of work. Happy weekend to everyone!

If you're a Sky Cable subscriber, check out UAAP Central on PinoyCentral, Channel 48. Guests for today are the UE players and coaching staff, plus commentators Boom Gonzales and Randy Sacdalan. Time to prepare for the show!

Waiting for our meeting to start...

IP details of my recent visitors:

netname: ATENEO
descr: Ateneo de Manila University
descr: Loyola Heights Quezon City

netname: GLOBET-PH
descr: Globe Telecom
descr: Pioneer cor. Madison Sts.
descr: Mandaluyong City

Teleglobe Inc. TELEGLOBE-4BLK (NET-66-198-0-0-1)
66.198.0.0 - 66.198.191.255
University of the East UE-NET-TGO (NET-66-198-147-0-1)
66.198.147.0 - 66.198.147.255

netname: INTERISLAND-NOCNET
descr: NOC Network
address: 209 Escolta St., cor. Nueva Street, Binondo, Manila, Philippines
(Is this a prepaid card?)

netname: DIGITELONE
descr: Digital Telecommunications Phils. Inc.
descr: 110 E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave.
descr: Bagumbayan, Quezon City

Plus vasia.com, rr.com, verizon.net, skyinet.net, and this com.ph.
Migs if you know details email me naman. :)

Met up with college friends last night at Gweilo's. It really felt good to see them, chat with them, and laugh with them. Of course part of the evening was dedicated to reminiscing about the past - our tambayan in college, some booboo's, projects... We promised each other that we'd have more get-togethers in the future.

It's nice to know that I'm going to meet friends in Makati. I need it.

Update on Mommy Pacing

First of all, I would like to thank everyone for the prayers.

My Lola is in St. Luke's right now, but she will be transferred to Manila Doctors within the day. She needs an operation on her hip bone for her to walk again. My mom had surgery on the spine years ago so we contacted the same doctor, and he's affiliated with Manila Doctors. The surgery will be on thursday. It will just be a minor surgery that will last for 2 1/2 - 3 hours. However, my Lola's really old (87 years old) so they'll need to monitor her heart and brain during the surgery.

Would like to request for your prayers for my lola. She fell on her left side and she needs an operation in the hip so that she can walk again. Although she's relatively healthy, she's already 87 so she's weak. We're still getting a second opinion so we're not yet sure about surgery. Right now she's in St. Luke's. Wow, visited two hospitals in the span on one week...

Magbabayad ka ng ***** sa isang taong walang ginagawa? Ang daming nakakalusot sa iyo? Tapos may isang taong magsasabi sa iyo na may sakit siya, tapos hindi ka maniniwala? Eh yung taong yun kahit paano may nagagawa naman? Eh dahil nga ayaw iwanan ang trabaho kaya nagka-sakit eh. Ayaw lang naman ipagkalat na may sakit. Yun lang naman kasi. Oo mali niya hindi niya sinabi sa iyo at na-confuse pa kung magli-leave o hindi. Yun lang. Pero yung hindi ka maniwala? Kelan ka lang maniniwala? Pag na-confine na at kailangan mong dalawin? Dun ka lang maniniwala?

Happy to announce that my good friend Mike has joined the Blog world. Check out his blog - Rush Hour Hell.

Moving on to lighter, happier things. I don't have Sky Cable, but I heard the last part of our new talk show over the phone. For a first show, the production people did well. Congratulations to you guys! Can't wait to help out next week.

If you're a Sky Cable subscriber, and you're a UAAP fan, watch "UAAP Central" every Thursday, 9 PM, on PinoyCentral TV. PinoyCentral TV is Channel 48 in Sky Cable Manila. This is the only talk show on UAAP, and is hosted by UAAP commentator Jude Turcuato (Kaboom! in PinoyExchange). Watch your favorite UAAP personalities, ask them your questions, chat with other fans, and vote in the polls!

Lessons learned.

Believe the doctor. If he says take it easy, then take it easy. Of course work is important, but you have to think of yourself too. Sometimes you just have to let go. Not because you want to, not because you're irresponsible, but because you have to. Don't wait for something to happen before you listen to the doctor.

Yes, people do not have to know everything that's going on, but it's important that your boss knows so that he or she will understand you, because of what you're going through.

You didn't need a trip to the Cardinal Santos Emergency Room to know these things.

And my lesson is - so what if people talk about you? Actually, they're silly because they talk about things that they don't know about. Kung ano-ano sinasabi, hindi naman alam kung ano talaga nangyayari.

----------

Emergency rooms of hospitals look so dreary. Almost always, there's someone crying. A while ago, it was a kid who had an eye problem. It broke our hearts hearing him cry, but you know that in the Emergency room, they're trying to do everything so you just accept what's happening.

Geez. People.
------------------------

Anyone interested in a studio-type condo?

Details:
Prince Plaza 2
Legaspi St. corner De La Rosa St.
Studio-type, 28 sq. m.

The building is nice, has a pool at the penthouse, and function rooms that can be used by unit owners. The best thing about the condo is the location. It's very near Ayala Avenue, and very near the mall, Greenbelt. Right smack in the middle of the CBD and the malls. It's near the PLDT Building, and right in front of the old Italianni's. We got it because I used to work in Makati, but now that I'm based in QC, I don't get to use it that much.

If you're interested, please leave your email address so I can send you the details.

If you know anyone who's interested, let me know. If the sale pushes through, I can give you a commission. :)

Thought that this will help, but it doesn't seem like it. More realizations, crossroads, big decisions to be made.

My horoscope from Yahoo

What a perfect day to go to a spa, get a massage, or enjoy a sauna, Charo. You have accumulated a lot of tension and stress lately, and you may have had a hard time trying to calm yourself down. You need some peace and quiet. Don't even pick up a newspaper - try not to even think! Just tune out and take care of yourself.

Numerology

The vibrations today are really very beautiful, Charo! They are announcing a phase of stability and when you will be making your projects concrete. You have everything you need to see your professional and sentimental initiatives come to fruition. You will soon have some new responsibilities offered up to you as well. Think about it before taking them on because the may change your life and involve some commitments in the future. In terms of your friendships, you are coming into a phase of conviviality and sharing...

Interesting!

Does anyone know the new celphone number of CD (Christina Dy)? Need to get in touch with her. I think I have her old number since she hasn't replied.

Thanks!

Report report.

WHATTA WEEKEND!

The Tour
Lance Armstrong becomes the 5th man to win the Tour de France 5 times! And he's only the second guy to do it consecutively! We knew this since the time trial last saturday but I didn't want to celebrate because a lot of things happened in the tour, and there was still a stage to go. Lance Armstrong - what an incredible guy.

Badminton
I played badminton with Mads (finally, after a million invites from her) in Arena. I went for the exercise, but after the 1 hour game, I loved it! I'm now planning to buy a racket and play the game regularly. :D

Thanks also to Mads, I took out my camera from my bag. I'm planning to take pictures again.

Coup?
And then the coup attempt. Or the situation in Oakwood. Whatever it was called, it was a very serious situation. Everyone was following it on TV, and the TV stations adjusted their programming schedules. The UAAP was cancelled for the day. I sympathize with the soldiers because I believed in their complaints. Thing is, the end didn't justify the means. I didn't understand what they wanted to achieve with what they did. I think if it's just about making noise, there are a million other ways to do that. In any case, I'm glad it ended the way it did, with no bloodshed.

Current Book
I read Lance Armstrong's book, It's Not About The Bike, last night. I finished it in one night! I told myself that I'd only read a chapter, but I couldn't put down the book. I ended up sleeping at 4AM.

It wasn't written excellently, but that actually adds to its charm. You know that it's him talking, about his story, his struggles, and triumphs. It's a very inspiring book, and it tugs your heart. Think Tuesdays With Morrie, only more exciting.

It's really sad that some people have a hard time being happy for their close friends. They make excuses or they explain the happiness of their friends in some weird way. Is it envy? Could be. Or maybe they're just too cynical that they can't accept that true love still exists, and that happiness can be real.

Din posted about the Starbucks Tazo Zen tea so I checked it out. It's good! I'm not a tea drinker but I really liked it so I bought a box.

Had dinner in Seiji, a new japanese restaurant in Katipunan. A bit high-end, based on the prices. I really don't mind paying extra if the food is good and unique (I eat often in Cibo, ouch prices but hecka good food), but their food there SUCKED. Big time. The beef tepanyaki, which costs P200, had tough beef. As for the yakisoba, mas masarap pa yung mga instant. Tempura was good, but it costs P170.

So back to the ever reliable Kamirori for me! Not so expensive, but reallyyyyyyyyyyy good food.

Testing. Using wapblogger. Problem: no pics.

Check out my Phlog. It's a mobile blog. So I can send pictures from my celphone, anytime and anywhere. I'm still looking for moblogs that can work with Blogger, hope to have that soon... If you're familiar with this hope you can inform me what I can use. Most of them need Movable Type (and I don't know anything about that) and the one that worked, Wapblogger, only supports text (I think). I'd like to post pictures, if possible.

:)

A lot of people tease me that 'I moved in the nick of time'. I just smile and shrug. I don't want to explain the whole story again and again. Not a lot of people know that I've actually talked to my old boss about this move during my 6th month appraisal, last April 2. But I couldn't formally move because there were talks about a re-org at that time. So the move happened 2 1/2 months after it was first mentioned to me. Also, people don't know that it was HR who initiated the move, not me. :)

Slow day today. Rest day for the Tour so nothing to watch out for on TV. Exciting UAAP game between DLSU and UE, tomorrow pa.

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

Question. I really need to lose weight. What's a good diet to follow? One that really works, but something that's not so drastic. Losing a lot of pounds over a month is okay with me. Doesn't have to happen in 1 or 2 weeks. Please please let me know. :)

Stage 15 of Tour de France

I was following the action through the Eurosport News Channel. There was no video, it was just text that was updated every 5 minutes. The last 20 kilometers was so exciting! I didn't notice that I was just reading text. It was as if I was watching the action live.

Stage 15 was the most important (or one of the most important) for all of the race leaders. It was certainly one of the toughest. And it was so full of drama and excitement! Everyone held their breaths when Armstrong crashed. Lots of sportsmanship shown - Ullrich and Hamilton motioning the peloton to wait for Armstrong to get back, Armstrong patting Chavenel as he overtook him... It was a great day for the Tour, one that will surely be remembered for a long time.


From Eurosport.com
Armstrong's crash

Although it's good for the sport to have the spectators as close to the racers as possible, I strongly believe that safety measures should be followed. There should be some distance between the fans and the riders.

Now that Armstrong's lead is more than 1 minute, he'll be more comfortable going into the Time Trial. However, I cannot ignore the fact that Ullrich beat him by a minute and a half during the first time trial. The Tour is far from over.

Ateneo won against UST. It's about time. I hope this will continue.

Thursday's game will be exciting. DLSU vs. UE.

Stupid SkyCable is down so I can't watch the ESPN coverage of Stage 15. GRRRRRRRRRRRR!

The last 2 stages were really exciting!!! Ullrich is so strong! Everyone thought that Armstrong would attack and dominate in the mountains but that's not the case. And during the last stage, people even thought that Vinokourov (?) will emerge as the leader overall... Even if that didn't happen, he's 18 seconds away from Armstrong! And Ullrich is still 15 seconds away from him. And there's gonna be another individual time trial yata. Oh noooo!!!

UAAP REPLAYS

To those who want to watch the replays of the UAAP games, you can do so by tuning in to UAAP Rewind Plus, PinoyCentral TV (Channel 48, SkyCable Manila) every Thursday and Friday starting 7PM.

Schedule of replays:

July 18, 2003 (Friday)
7:00 PM FEU vs AdU
9:00 PM ADMU vs UE
11:00 PM ADMU vs FEU

July 24, 2003 (Thursday)
7:00 PM UE vs AdU
9:00 PM DLSU vs UP

July 25, 2003 (Friday)
7:00 PM FEU vs NU
9:00 PM ADMU vs UST
11:00 PM DLSU vs UE

I'm selling my Nokia 6100 because I'm planning to buy a new phone.

Second hand, good condition
Light blue
P13,800 only!

Complete with box, manual, charger and handsfree set.

Has many tones already!

Tri-band
WAP-enabled
MMS
Java
Colored screen, good resolution
Very small and light

If you buy it with my Nintendo 64 I'll give both for P15,000.

Also selling a brand new Nokia 3650 for P17,000.

Details:
Locked to Smart
Blue

If interested, please reply with your email address and I'll contact you.

Well, Ateneo lost its second game to FEU. Score: 73-62.

this is a beautiful song...

KANLUNGAN

pana-panahon ang pagkakataon
maibabalik ba ang kahapon?

natatandaan mo pa ba,
nang tayong dalwa ang unang nagkita?
panahon ng kamusmusan
sa piling ng mga bulaklak at halaman
doon tayong nagsimulang
mangarap at tumula

natatandaan mo pa ba,
inukit kong puso sa punong mangga
at ang inalay kong gumamela
magkahawak-kamay sa dalampasigan
malayang tulad ng mga ibon
ang gunita ng ating kahapon

ang mga puno't halaman
ay kabiyak ng ating gunita
sa paglipas ng panahon bakit kailangan ding lumisan?

pana-panahon ang pagkakatao
maibabalik ba ang kahapon?

ngayon ikaw ay nagbalik
at tulad ko rin ang iyong pananabik
makita ang dating kanlungan
tahanan ng ating tula at pangarap
ngayon ay naglaho na
saan hahanapin pa?

lumilipas ang panahon
kabiyak ng ating gunita
ang mga puno't halaman
bakit kailangan lumisan?

pana-panahon ang pagkakataon
maibabalik ba ang kahapon?

lumilipas ang panahon
kabiyak ng ating gunita
ang mga puno't halaman
bakit kailangan lumisa?

pana-panahon ang pagkakataon
maibabalik ba ang kahapon?

Jude or PEx's Kaboom! will be a guest at Breakfast on Friday. Breakfast is from 6:30-8:00AM. Topic will be... the UAAP! What else? :D

To the Ateneans who are Globe users, you can download MMS wallpapers from the MyGlobe wapsite. The wallpapers are really nice. :)

You know what I'm following now?

Tour de France

Go Lance and US Postal!!!


From Letour.com

Ateneo lost its first game against the UE Red Warriors. That team is just so good. And James Yap plays on a different level. He plays like a pro. You really can't say anything bad against him 'cause he seems like a nice guy. Score was 69-68.

From Time

One of my favorite sections within Time Magazine is "Numbers".

Did you know that there are 10,000 new words included in the 11th edition of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary? Included are the words "brewski", "agita" and "barista"

Did you know that the U.S. suspended aid to 35 countries for refusing to promise immunity to Americans appearing before the International Criminal Court?

I'm sure you know I'm bored. :D

No one can stop anyone from calling you even if you're in a meeting. But I think it's understood that you should either 1) go out of the room to receive your call or 2) tell the person who called you that you're in a meeting so you'll have to call back. If you opt for two, I think it's also a given that you should lower your voice. It's really bad if you receive your calling in the middle of the meeting, a personal call at that, and you don't even lower your voice.

Finally watched Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle! It didn't have a story, but it's still worth watching. It's a fun movie! I really love Lucy Liu and Cameron Diaz. And DEMI MOORE KICKS ASS! Sheesh, she still has a great body and she looks absolutely gorgeous!


From www.yahoo.com

Hectic week! Last monday I couldn't imagine how I was going to survive the week. But it's friday already! Yipee!!! Work isn't done - I can't wait til around 7PM so that I can truly say the work week is over. That is, if I don't have to do anything beyond 7PM. Had one really good news this week and it was enough to lift up my spirits for the whole week.

UAAP Season 66 is going to start tomorrow! You guys can follow it through your celphones. Just text UAAP to 2366 for the list of services. :) Plugging.

If you're so much better then good for you. I didn't take this away from you so don't let it out on me. I'm just starting and as with any start, there are growing pains. And if it's painful, anyone has the right to say that it is. What's important is what's being DONE, not SAID. I'm doing what I can. If you can do much more you should let them know and believe you.

Rex Navarete is so damn funny! We watched him last night at Dish, at Powerplant in Rockwell. Title of the show was "Sir Rex: Adult Education 101". I was probably laughing 90% of the time. He talked about Maritess and the Superfriends v2.0, about his teacher from grade school, about Star Wars, about the SBC Packers, about not smoking in Makati, his Uncle Boy, his cousin Jhun (with an "H"), and many more things. The show started at 9PM and we didn't realize that it was already 11PM until he thanked the sponsors.

On a lighter note, Pia said in her blog that usually, when one aspect in your life is going well, there's usually another one that's not. Well, right now, everything's going well except for work. It's so hard when there's no process yet and we're catching up with the backlog. It also doesn't help when you can't count on someone who's a bit important in delivering requirements. Everything gets delayed and since no one checks on the quality, a lot of revisions are needed.

But everything else is just sunny! :)

--------------
Isn't it sad that for some good-looking people, the only thing going for them is their looks? So would you go for looks, or for sincerity? Whatchutink?

Why is that when something bad happens our first instinct is to pin the blame on someone else? However, more often than not, you only have yourself to blame?

Also, why is it hard for other people who are in the pits to be happy for other people? Not only that, they even try to bring down the happy people.

Hay.

Oh yeah, finished Harry Potter 5 over the weekend. Book isn't worth the hype that came before it. But well, I had to read it 'cause I wanted to know what happened to Harry after Voldemort came back.

Had dinner in Little Asia last saturday. I really really love the prawns wrapped in bacon.

I really don't like the new layout of Blogger. Argh.

Anyway, been getting sick often. Was absent yesterday. Hay.

Weekend wasn't that good 'cause I spent Sunday in bed. Was sick. Hay.

I want to... shop! Hay.

I can't wait for the weekend. Our plan is to just rest, hang out, watch DVD's, and eat. Haven't really "rested" for almost a month now. If I continue to be stressed my body won't be able to handle it and for sure I'm gonna be absent again for 3 straight days. Actually, my body is showing signs that it's about to give in. It's flashing a warning sign already: "REST!!!" Took a half day leave the other day because I really wasn't feeling well. I would have taken the day off but I had to finish some things. Today, I have a really bad headache, and I'm having a hard time breathing because of my colds. It was tempting not to go to the office, but deadlines just keep on hounding us here.

Argh. Rant, rant, rant.

Bear with me with these negative posts. Hay.

Now:

Reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Stressed and sick.

Would like to react with a big, fat "Whatever" to some sites.

Not a very positive entry, huh?

Cute.

GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT LIFE THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED:

1) No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats.
2) When your Mom is mad at your Dad, don't let her brush your hair.
3) If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person.
4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.
5) You can't trust dogs to watch your food.
6) Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.
7) Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time.
8) You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
9) Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.
10) The best place to be when you're sad is Grandpa's lap.

I totally forgot that Harry Potter Book 5 will come out today! I heard that National Bookstore actually opened at 7AM just for those who reserved books. I guess I'm not a "fan" anymore. But I'll still drop by National Bookstore later to see if they still have copies.


I wonder what this will be about...

Really tiring day. But somehow, I'm okay. :)

Homemade Rocky Roca Road

Because I loved the one from Tequila Joe's so much, I decided to prepare it at home. I bought Sara Lee chocolate cake, FIC (Fruits in Ice Cream) vanilla ice cream. FIC rocky road ice cream, marshmallows, Hershey's Brown Cow and Almond Roca. I prepared it in a mug, by layer. First layer - slice of cake. Second layer - ice cream. Third layer - marshmallows, Almond Roca, Hershey's Brown Cow. And so on and so forth. It was yummy!!! And so much cheaper! Try it at home!

I have a new crush! I'm going nuts over Michael Vartan! He's Michael Vaughn, the CIA handler of Sydney Bristow in Alias. Cool show.


Picture from www.vartanetc.com

The Hormone Hostage!

This is really funny! Forwarded by a friend.

The Hormone Hostage knows that there are days in the month when all a man has to do is open his mouth and he takes his life in his own hands!

DANGEROUS: What's for dinner?
SAFER: Can I help you with dinner?
SAFEST: Where would you like to go for dinner?
ULTRASAFE: Have some chocolate

DANGEROUS: Are you wearing that?
SAFER: Gee, you look good in brown.
SAFEST: WOW! Look at you!
ULTRASAFE: Have some chocolate

DANGEROUS: What are you so worked up about?
SAFER: Could we be overreacting?
SAFEST: Here's fifty dollars.
ULTRASAFE: Have some chocolate

DANGEROUS: Should you be eating that?
SAFER: You know, there are a lot of apples left.
SAFEST: Can I get you a glass of wine with that?
ULTRASAFE: Have some chocolate

DANGEROUS: What did you do all day?
SAFER: I hope you didn't over-do it today.
SAFEST: I've always loved you in that robe!
ULTRASAFE: Would you like somemore chocolate?

Are you into inspiration books such as Tuesdays with Morrie? If you are, then I suggest you check out Lance Armstrong's It's Not About The Bike. It's the story of how Lance Armstrong recovered from testicular cancer, which had already spread throughout his body, including his brain! Before he discovered that he had cancer, he was one of the top cyclists in the world. After his recovery, he went on to win the world's greatest cycling event - the Tour de France. His story is truly inspiring.

You can bid for the book at Avalon.ph They have good second hand books in that site.

Had lunch in Tequila Joe's and it's the first time for me to order the Rocky Roca Road. Sinful! Yummy!!! Moist layers of deviled food cake, chocolate fudge, vanilla ice cream, and Tequila Joes homemade roca, topped with fresh whipped cream. It's really expensive though, P265 for an order.

I was asked "What do you want for your birthday?"

It's a tough question. I'm surprised that I couldn't give an answer right away, such as a bag, a CD, clothes, a gadget, or whatever... Is this part of "maturity"? My wants are not trivial anymore. If you ask me, happiness in love, a happy family in the future, a comfortable life... Career is even secondary. Wow, somehow, I've grown up. Well, it's about time. I'm turning 26.

Ang mahal ng membership fee for credit cards!!! Aaaarrrggghhhh!!!

From Rottentomatoes.com

Watched Bruce Almighty last night at Powerplant. It was hilarious! The viewers were laughing most of the time. Morgan Freeman as god was a really great choice. Yes it was predictable, yes it's a bit shallow, yes it doesn't require much thinking, but it delivers the one thing that it promises: it makes you laugh. Hard.

As Bruce says, it's GEWD!

Any suggestions on good HMO's? Is it advisable to spend on an HMO?

We had our general assembly yesterday and it was different from the GA's of the past. So many things are going on in the office right now, so naturally, the boss tried to address the most important issues. I'd say it was a pretty heavy GA, because of all the stuff that were mentioned - most of which are negative.
I'm happy that he brought up the issue of lack of communication, at least we agree on that. But it seems that no matter how much communication is encouraged, it's still the same as before...

Speaking of the boss, we had a 'chat' (well, sorta) and I'm really happy with what we 'talked' about. Ang galing! I just wish he sees all the details, every single thing that's going on in the office. I'm sure he'll be shocked and disappointed with some things. But I think it's impossible for him to see everything because his focus should really be the bigger picture. Oh well.

Bwahahahahaha!


You are Neo !
You are The One, probably. You have supernatural
strength and speed, and as agile as hell.


Which The Matrix : Reloaded character are you ??
brought to you by Quizilla

Clara offers a lollipop to Maria. Maria declines and says "maybe next time". Now Ana is looking for chocolate. Clara sees that Ana is looking for chocolate and offers the lollipop to her. Ana knows it's not the same but she takes the lollipop anyway. Maria later on finds out about this. And although she doesn't say anything, she blames Ana for taking the lollipop because she says it was supposed to be hers. Does it make sense for Maria to blame Ana? Ana did not know that the lollipop was first offered to Maria.

We can go home at 3PM. Weeeee!

We have an officemate who went home at 9:30PM last night, and she got home at 5:30AM. She lives in Bulacan. That's how bad it is.

New words I learned in this company. (Lagyan ko daw ng definition.)

Anda - Money
Chaka - Lait ("Chinachaka" means "nilalait".)
Koryo - Choreographed (I think it's similar to "lait" also.)
Keri - Ok lang or ok (I think.)

Sheesh, ang hirap pala i-explain nito...

I do not secretly enjoy being teased.

I actually hate it.

Beautiful email from a friend...

- I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.

- I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.

- I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as making a "life." I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.

- I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back.

- I've learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you. But if you focus on your family, your friends, the needs of others, your work and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you.

- I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.

- I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.

- I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love that human touch - holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

- I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.

People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel......

Friday Five on a Monday.

1. What brand of toothpaste do you use?
Colgate!

2. What brand of toilet paper do you prefer?
Kleenex

3. What brand(s) of shoes do you wear?
Some of them are from Celine, I even have some from Rusty Lopez, the others are unbranded, rubbers shoes from Nike...

4. What brand of soda do you drink?
Right now I drink Sprite or Pepsi Twist.

5. What brand of gum do you chew?
I like the gums from Candy Corner.

My current ringtone is "Chihuahua". I always end up laughing or smiling whenever someone calls me through my cel. :D

Tan tan tan tan-tan. Chihuahua! Tan tan tan tan-tan. Chihuahua!

Is it impossible to have a good working relationship with your boss? My previous boss, I don't even consider him a 'boss' because he's a good friend. He's just so cool. I think that's a very ideal set-up, having a boss who's also a friend. With some bosses, it's a long shot, but I think it's always worth a try. Also, it's a two way thing. However, most employees complain that "my boss is so and so" but if you look at it, they're also not doing anything to improve the relationship.

I don't understand why it always has to be "one of us" or "one of them" (management versus employees). I don't understand why there has to be a very clear line between 'boss' and 'employee', which you cannot cross at all. When someone moves towards that line, and attempts to cross it, he's accused of sucking up and kissing ass. I also don't understand why having good communication with your boss, or being open with him, is something that's frowned upon.

But of course I know you can't have a perfect relationship with your boss. Or with anyone. :D It's really a love-hate relationship. You just have to make sure and try to always be on the 'love' side. :D

Friday Five on a Thursday.

1. What drinking water do you prefer -- tap, bottle, purifier, etc.?
Bottled water.

2. What are your favorite flavor of chips?
Sour cream and onion.

3. Of all the things you can cook, what dish do you like the most?
Eggplant lasagna.

4. How do you have your eggs?
Scrambled.

5. Who was the last person who cooked you a meal? How did it turn out?
My mom! Sukiyaki. It was okay, medyo salty pero masarap pa rin.

Define "healthy office environment".

Tribute to 5 Tops

Your options if you're not happy with your job...

1) Just go on with it, ganyan talaga ang buhay
2) Pretend to be happy and convince yourself that you're happy
3) Ask if you can be transferred to another department, if that works out then take it from there.
4) Ask if you can be transferred to another department, if that doesn't work out then resign.
5) Derecho resign.

What would you go for?

Bought the latest Gadgets and Reviewer magazines. Reviewer now comes with separate magazine called m ph or mobile philippines. Contains info about phones, PDA's, notebook and tablet PC's, and 'everything mobile'. People who are always on the lookout for the latest gadgets will surely appreciate this magazine. I am now drooling- thanks to the Sony Clie NX70V and Sony Clie PEG-NZ90. But there's one thing I don't like about the magazine -- the SRP's(standard retail price) it lists are based on expensive stores. How about Greenhills prices? Shouldn't those prices be included also?


Sony Clie NX70V - Isn't it a beauty?


Sony Clie PEG-NZ90 - "For those with deep pockets, for both the device, and the cost."

Anyway, if you're a tech-junkie, I suggest that you get a copy of the Reviewer, even just for m ph.

Back in the office.

*cough*

:D

And because I'm so miserable...

Did you know that...

Butterflies taste with their feet.
A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why.
In 10 minutes, a hurricane releases more energy than all of the world's nuclear weapons combined.
On average, 100 people choke to death on ball-point pens every year.
On average people fear spiders more than they do death.
Ninety percent of New York City cabbies are recently arrived immigrants.
Thirty-five percent of the people who use personal ads for dating are already married.
Elephants are the only animals that can't jump.
Only one person in two billion will live to be 116 or older.
It's possible to lead a cow upstairs ... but not downstairs.
Women blink nearly twice as much as men.
It's physically impossible for you to lick your elbow.
The Main Library at Indiana University sinks over an inch every year because when it was built, engineers failed to take into account the weight of all the books that would occupy the building.
A snail can sleep for three years..
No word in the English language rhymes with "MONTH."
Average life span of a major league baseball: 7 pitches.
Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing.
The electric chair was invented by a dentist.
All polar bears are left-handed.
In ancient Egypt, priests plucked EVERY hair from their bodies, including their eyebrows and eyelashes.
An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.
TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard.
"Go," is the shortest complete sentence in the English language.
If Barbie were life-size, her measurements would be 39-23-33. She would stand seven feet, two inches tall.
A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out.
The cigarette lighter was invented before the match.
Americans on average eat 18 acres of pizza every day.

Almost everyone who reads this email will try to lick their elbow.
You tried to lick your elbow, didn't you? ; )

Emailed by a friend.

I'm so miserable. :(

Sa... sandaling... kailangan... mo... ako...

Have you seen the new Bear Brand commercial? Parang hindi makahinga yung kumakanta.

I should get well soon! Listening to the TV is driving me nuts! I can't even watch 'cause my eyes are reddish and a bit painful. Potek. CD's? Sick of them too. Sick of my room and house for now. I've been stuck here for the past 7 days!

Friday Five on a Tuesday

1. Would you consider yourself an organized person? Why or why not?
Yes! My friends all say I'm OC (obsessive-compulsive). I want everything to be neat.

2. Do you keep some type of planner, organizer, calendar, etc. with you, and do you use it regularly?
Yes, right now I have two notebooks. One is an organizer. I place appointments, special occasions, etc, there. The other one is a "To Do List" notebook. I really have to write down every thing that I have to do at work the next day. I need the list to guide me through the day, even if I know something new will always come up.

3. Would you say that your desk is organized right now?
Yes!

4. Do you alphabetize CDs, books, and DVDs, or does it not matter?
Not by alphabet. By categories. For CD's, I put the women's CD's together, bands, OPM, men, instrumental, etc. For DVD's, the categories are action, drama, classics, romantic, comedy.. For books, business books, inspirational, children's books, comics (calvin and hobbes, far side, etc).

5. What's the hardest thing you've ever had to organize?
Events!

Studio 23 commercial for Baywatch.

You will never have these abs.
You will never have these curves.
So watch ka na lang!

I think that Studio 23 may be trying a wee bit too hard with their commercials.

But I like the commercials for the UAAP sportscasters. :)

I really hate the new Dawson's Creek commercial.

Saddam Hussein has fallen.
SARS is a global problem.
Michael Jordan is retired.
But the biggest question is: Will Joey finally end up with Dawson?

HELLO???????????

Adenoviral Conjunctivitis

Sheeeeet.

Okay, here's the background. I was sick from Wednesday until Friday so I had to take a sick leave. It all started with a sore throat, then I wasn't feeling well, then after a while I was coughing because the phlegm was acting up, then I had really bad colds. Imagine, SARS scare to the max!

Then, yesterday afternoon, my left eye became reddish. It wasn't really red, more of pink. It was just red under the eyelids - the hidden parts. I couldn't sleep well last night 'cause my right eye had so much discharge. When I woke up, my right eye was reddish as well. So I thought that I should consult the doctor about this. I went to American Eye Center in Shangri La because it was nearer than Asian Eye Institute (which is in Rockwell). Price is the same because employees of our company are entitled to a discount at Asian Eye Institute (regular consultation fee is P770).

Diagnosis: I have Adenoviral Conjunctivitis, OU. Or sore eyes. But not the usual one. The doctor said it's related to the sore throat that I have (yup, meron pa rin). I ruled out sore eyes last night because the eye wasn't really red and it wasn't itchy. I had to put Maxitrol drops but I shouldn't overdo it because that thing has steroids. Scary.

From http://www.cecats.com/pinkeye.html

Conjunctivitis is an infection or allergy of the conjunctivae. The conjunctiva is the outer lining of the white part of the eye. When infected, it becomes swollen, red, and has a watery discharge. For infections, conjunctivitis is usually cause by a virus, bacteria, and very rarely a fungus.

Conjunctivitis due to viral infection is the leading cause of a red eye. Usually one eye is affected first and then the other a few days later. The lids may be swollen. Conjunctivitis may develop during or after an upper respiratory tract infection or after exposure to a person with such an infection. A watery discharge may cause intermittent blurring, but vision is otherwise unaffected. Eye pain due to light is uncommon. Viral Conjunctivitis is usually self-limited and is gone within 1-2 weeks.

From http://www.postgradmed.com/issues/2000/10_00/shields2.htm

Adenoviral conjunctivitis (figure 2e: not shown) is the most common cause of an acute, painful red eye. The disease is highly contagious. In general, eye medications should not be prescribed, because they are usually ineffective and can cause further contamination. Instead, patients should be instructed to avoid touching their eyes and to wash their hands frequently, drying them with disposable towels. If needed, the watery discharge can be wiped away with a moistened, disposable tissue or towelette; afterward, the hands should be washed meticulously. Communal activities, such as work, school, and day care, should be avoided as long as discharge is present (typically, 7 to 10 days). Patients in whom these conservative measures fail should be referred to an ophthalmologist.

Sheeeeet.

Was supposed to go to the office this afternoon, even if everyone has been telling me not to. But it rained, so I didn't want to push my luck further.

Nuninuninu.

Any suggestions for a car that's below P1M?

The aircon in my room has been on for the past two days. Straight. That's because I've been sick, so I'm just home. However, I think it's about to give up on me. Hehe.

Results of boredom:


You have an entrancing kiss~ the kind that leaves
your partner bedazzled and maybe even feeling
he/she is dreaming. Quite effective; the kiss
that never lessens and always blows your
partner away like the first time.


What kind of kiss are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

You are an elf. Now, if you want Legolas, that's
ok with me. He's actually prettier than me with
make-up on! He might even be prettier than you!


Which Lord of Rings Character are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Flowers for Mom

My friend Ginia has special rates for flower arrangements for Mother's Day.

Spring Bouquet - P500
Tropical Bouquet - P700
Spring Basket - P1,000

Free delivery! Contact 0917-8170527.

Just visited the CBS website, and there's a page on The Amazing Race 4 already! Woohoo! Check it out!

Absent again today. I really couldn't get up this morning. It's good that I was able to go online right away, at least I can work a little.

I thought about it the whole day, and I've come to the conclusion that it's really stress. My maximum temperature is 37.5 C, but I really don't feel well, and my colds are really bad. I guess I got tired because of that one very, very stressful month (it started two weeks before Holy Week).

I have no choice but to rest again today.

(I'm watching Wild Thornberries right now, and the setting is the Philippines.)

Last night I watched "Nuts Entertainment" on Channel 7. It really sucked. It wasn't funny at all. If you ask me, I'd go for their old "Beh Bote Nga" if I really had to choose. Good thing CSI was on AXN.

(I'm watching Wild Thornberries right now, and the setting is the Philippines.)

Thanks to Din, Junnie, and Mark for dropping by.

This is the second time for me to get sick within the past two weeks. Not good. I'm wondering why. I've been taking vitamins. Is it the stress at work? I thought I was handling it well. But the last month has been hell. So many things going on at the same time! It doesn't help that I'm involved with almost all of the stuff here at work. It also doesn't help that my direct boss isn't here, and the boss assigned to our group now doesn't seem to see everything I'm doing. There's this one aspect of my job that I should improve on, I admit. And for me, it seems that this boss only sees that. Oh well. Tough luck for me.

It was pointed out to me that I should 'let go' today, because I'm sick. What happened was that my morning was all about text messages and calls. A LOT of calls. I just can't leave the projects hanging so I end up "working" on them somehow (working with quotation marks). The last time I was absent, I ended up being online from the house for 6 hours. I was still working, but from home. Thing is, I think I really need to rest, especially today. My head is aching so much right now, as I type.

I hope everyone's having a better time than me.