Writing Knacks

Let's Ring In 2012!!!

2012-01-01T03:08:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!

As another year goes by, I am thankful for 2011 as it's the year that I found myself learning again on how to get back up. We welcome 2012 with much anticipation and excitement for the continued blessings that God has in store for us. Looking forward to the many, wonderful memories to build that we can cherish in many years to come.

May this new year be a blessed one for you, family and loved ones as we continue to grow as a person. Have a Healthy, Happy, and Prosperous New Year!

Season to be Merry!

2011-12-23T06:50:00.000-08:00

It's the season when Jesus is the reason. Happy birthday sweet Jesus! A blessed Christmas to everyone!

Here's a pic of one of the holiday greetings at the city: "Maligayang Pasko at Masaganang Bagong Taon!" A Very Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Year!

One of my favorite lines in a Christmas song: "No greater gift is there than love."

Color My World

2011-10-02T22:18:00.000-07:00

So Beautiful!
As I was heading out the door, this wonderful creation splashed its colors around 5 p.m. on September 23, 2011, loves it!

Walking In Making A Difference

2011-08-21T08:03:00.000-07:00

After last year's first ever national marathon, this was my first ever walk-a-thon. I was glad that there's an event like this made for walking since from my most recent Ortho consultation, no jogging or running for me yet but got to stick with walking. My friend and I were one of the many participants, among which included children who gamely walked the 5 kilometers. The kids were upbeat in saying, after seeing the 1 km mark: "1 down, 4 to go!" Now that's positivity right there! As each kilometer is reached, all the more everybody felt energized in coming nearer and nearer the finish line. We clocked in at one hour and ten minutes.

This Global Walk 2011 is a project in supporting and funding children's education. Its theme is: "I walked for a scholar, I made a difference!"

Since last year with my medical conditions, being able to walk again normally is something I treasure now more than ever. I love my feet and I love my back among many other things. I love being able to give back.

As my friend said, the hard part was waking up really early. But being there at the venue and making it just in time is a feat itself and upon reaching the finish line gives a big accomplishment feeling. Knowing that in our own little ways, we are contributing in making a difference to somebody's dreams gives us a great feeling. That was one of the main reasons why I joined. We are a nation building community.

POINTS OF VIEW: Reproduction

2011-05-18T21:10:00.000-07:00

REPRODUCTION: THE PARTS OF A FLOWER

I am not siding with the Church nor the State. I am just going to point out my own views on the subject with regards to reproduction, not necessarily the Reproductive Health Bill itself. I think that to come up with a law that would serve its purpose well for the common good of all, there should be a compromise. You can either agree or disagree but here are my thoughts on it:

(1) Let’s be realistic. Here in the Philippines, the population is booming. Our society is divided into different classes. Mostly, those who have many children are the ones in the poverty level. As a state, it is the government’s responsibility to educate the people when it comes to reproduction, yes, sex education. Contraceptives have a way of controlling this. Used responsibly, this could be of help. Without proper guidance that includes family planning, people tend to just have sex without thinking about the repercussions and that is when it also becomes the couples’ responsibility to begin with. As for the teenagers, making the contraceptives readily available should be regulated. If they have easy access to it, improper timing of teenage pregnancy becomes an issue. Why not make it prescribed? That way, you educate and at the same time, regulate.

(2) Moral issues. If the birth rate is not controlled, it leads to abortion. This is a sin and a crime committed on the unborn child. The worst case is intentionally done. This is more of the moral issue and not just the use of contraceptives. Whereas in the first place, the couple involved should have known what sex could lead to. The aborted baby cannot even fight back for its own life. Some may say it is pro-choice on woman’s body. But question is: What about the baby? Does the baby not have its own right too? Who else can speak for the child? Even on circumstances beyond a woman’s control – yes it is hard but God must have laid out a plan for the baby even if it is unwanted. Somewhere out there, a couple longs for in taking care of a child to the best of their abilities. Again, this leads to responsibility. There are ways to prevent something that people would not desire to happen. What is wrong is if there is already a fetus, something has been conceived. But precautionary measures are okay before anything leads to fruition.

(3) Decision. Who decides in the end are the persons involved in the act of reproduction. The law should not compel nor insist, making it a requirement. Why? Because we are a country of free will and the responsibility mainly lies in the first place on the individuals themselves.

(4) Discussion. At this stage, it is still a bill that is open to discussion and deliberation on what the ground rules should be. Once it becomes a law, that is the time for implementation. The law is there to be followed. Bottom choice on what the bill should be: For the common good of all. It is like laying out the bone structure of the system and that system is the government.

Growth And Development

2011-04-29T21:11:00.000-07:00

A while back, I saw a tweet about a dream the person has for our Mother Country, the beautiful islands of the Philippines. The vision is to see that someday, our smogged cities would be free of pollution. That dream of being able to breathe clean air is a dream shared by many. Those who don't? Well, what can we say to that except you don't have the right purpose. When we share in this common goal of what is good for our environment, we strive to take things into action of what is rightly deserved by Mother Nature --- a big dream of a bright future for us all, not a selfish act. The mission is to find the root cause of what has been ailing God's beautiful creation. The answer lies in each and everyone of us...that is, when we barricade our hands together around the world, this dream can be achieved successfully. One day, we can wake up breathing to new air, new beginnings for us all.

This program has already been set. It has started by planting seedlings. Continuously, we can meet this goal of clean act for the environment. Everybody loves Mother Earth. Are you one of them? If not, then what are you here for? Together we stand, let's live long to prosper! Love what God has blessed us with. Be thankful that we have this chance for a better change. Who else will take good care of it but us. Right on!

Hope During Troubled Times

2011-03-22T07:45:00.000-07:00

To all that's been happening in the NEWS (North, East, West, South) around the world, we could use hand-in-hand prayer brigades for our fellow humanity. Being HUMAN is not an easy thing to do; being HUMAN takes a man with a Heart of Understanding.

Here's a poem I wrote a long time ago back in my student days that I'd like to share on here. During troubled times in people's lives, a reaffirmation of our faith is what we need to be able to get through the trials.

THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

©mdladiño

Like a candle that sparks

On a room that is dark;

Jesus' shining light ---

Shines on everyone in His sight.

The candle lights the vast, dark, empty room;

And time after time

It slowly melts ---

Melts until it dies away.

Observe the candle while it is lit;

You see it cry.

And it doesn't care

If it dies

As long as there is light

To spark the night.

Jesus' light

Which is filled with love,

Glows on everyone

Around the world.

Christ's love

Is a never-ending one

It fills and comforts

And knocks on man's heart.

Jesus is...

The light of the world.

He was sent

By our ever-loving Father

To be our inspiration and salvation ---

To save us from damnation.

UST 400 Years!

2011-02-04T21:02:00.000-08:00

A big congratulations to all Thomasians as the University of Santo Tomas (UST) celebrates its 400th Jubilee Year!

I'm a proud and happy huge Thomasian fan <3 :-)

This is where you make the sign of the Cross hahaa just kidding!

UST Main Building :-)

Riding the air balloon! j/k! I'm free to walk without cane!

Arms wide, really wide! ;-p

First Oceanarium In Manila

2011-01-25T19:48:00.000-08:00

The Philippines now proudly offers its very first state-of-the-art Oceanarium, the Manila Ocean Park. Located at the Boardwalk behind the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta, Manila, it also has restaurants in its complex. It now has function facilities for different events. The Ocean Park has been open to the public since March 2008.

It can get really overcrowded, especially during weekends. The management has a way of controlling the flow of the crowd, to avoid any cause of physical injuries. It would be better to go there on a weekday, where there is much, much less crowd. This way, you get to appreciate the Oceanarium better at your own pace. During its opening, people literally flocked to the Ocean Park to view this much anticipated big aquarium in Manila. You can come and enjoy the Oceanarium daily, check their schedule.

You can find a variety of sea creatures in the Manila Ocean Park. Most of its species are still on the young stage. If you are a regular Aquarium visitor from different places, you would notice that there are some fishes that you would only find in the Manila Ocean Park. Raising awareness in saving Philippine marine life is a conscious effort that the Oceanarium would like to further embark on. You could get in touch with their management for this purpose as well.

Make sure to stop by at their souvenir shop for a simple remembrance of your wonderful visit at the first ever Oceanarium in Manila.

For more information, check out their website at http://www.manilaoceanpark.com/

Kuya's Healing Prayer

2011-01-18T21:35:00.000-08:00

PRAYER FOR HEALING

FROM THE LOSS
OF OUR LOVED ONE, ERIC

Heavenly Father, we praise and thank You for the gift of Our Angel ERIC,

For all the blessings and beautiful memories shared with him during his life here on Earth.

We wholeheartedly surrender and entrust to You our dearest ERIC

Whom You have called to Eternal life.

We believe he now rests in Heaven welcomed by Your loving embrace.

Almighty GOD, heal our woundedness and brokenness.

Grant us the grace and the wisdom to accept the death of ERIC,

To see death as a means to a deeper union with God, our loving Father.

For Philippians 1:21 says

“For to Me life is Christ and death is gain.”

May death create in us an awareness that our mortal life is uncertain

And that the purpose of our earthly life is to serve one another,

To give love everyday, and glorify God in every way!

Help us realize that with the sorrow and emptiness we now feel,

There is hope in Christ’s glorious resurrection.

Lift our spirits from the loss of ERIC

And fill our hearts with Your peace, love, joy, and healing.

For you, ERIC ---

“May the road rise up to meet you,

May the wind be always at your back,

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

May the rain fall soft upon your fields

And until we meet again,

May GOD hold you in the Palm of His Hand.”

All these we pray in Jesus’ name,

In union with the Holy Spirit,

Through the intercession of
our Blessed Mother and all the Saints,

AMEN.

P.S. "We share with you our Family's Healing Prayer from losing Kuya as this strengthens us in our moments of weakness and comforts us in our grief. We got this prayer from one of the Mass cards and edited as seem fit by our Father, just as for those who have lost their dearly departed loved ones, may this be a tool in keeping your Faith Alive. Thank you for all the prayers, love and support. Heaven has gained a Very Dear Angel in You, Kuya. You are now one of God's Prayer Warriors enveloped in His Loving Care."

Watch Your Clock, What's The Time?

2011-01-17T01:48:00.000-08:00

IT'S SHOWTIME!

New Seasons of Harvesting to New Beginnings!

2011-01-06T19:59:00.000-08:00

New Season, HOPPY Rabbiting year 2011 and cheers to new decade, many many more decades into another new millennium, lots of millenniums! I got my lucky rabbit's foot on my cellphone :-)

I picked out from our own garden in front of our house in the middle of the street --- 18 kalamansi! They're from the citrus family, it's like their debut 18 ripe kalamansis (like baby lemons) for dining ingredients.

This year, I'm starting it off right. Good news for good health. Specialist Neuro-Surgeon told me that even if other opinion might say for me to get operation, to say: NO! YEY! NO operation for my back that's been loaded heavily in 2010. I am going to start therapy sessions. It might hurt first, but I gotta gritt it out to strengthen it more. In the long run, it's good for my back. I do need to shed off unwanted pounds so my back can bear my weight easier. I'm doing walks, gradually until I can progress to my former activeness. I miss doing many things. Docs have been positive and I'm on track to getting on my feet again. It was rocky, but fixing my life's paths, roads to being a happy and stronger me again.

One of the fruits I hope to reap after hard sowing: Writing. I have been composing letter queries and submitting manuscripts. If you want to read more of me, then pray to God I do get published! I began my online writing class in early 2009 and I'm learning. It is a never-ending process. We continually learn, not only in books, but in day-to-day living. Life is school. To stay cool, you got to keep on learning. Life is education. Living a good life is one's solid foundation. What does the world revolve in? Love. Loving your family and friends is what it takes to keep your feet grounded. They are there for you through the good times and the bad times and when they do, you know they are true to you. If some peeps are only seasonal for you, then they were there only for a reason. Be thankful for that. Times were shared but look forward to new peeps you will encounter. I've been meeting more new peeps. Attending regular book talks is building up my writing confidence more. Interacting with different peeps help you grow into a better you.

Another fruit-bearing goal: Business woman. We got approval for authorized dealership end of last year, start of good news! I aim to be a responsible entrepreneur being socially aware and environmentally friendly. It is tough because there are different issues to deal with. It took us a long time to process application but what's good is that it's finally moving. Currently on location hunting and hopefully soon, we can have store opening! YEY to that! You'll be invited, as long as you buy our goods. Hahhaaaa Having good human resources is what's important, that's one of the main keys, aside from good location, location, location. But then again, a very wise brother of mine would say: "You need good navigation."

With all this, and many more in store, yup being very positive about everything, having good, way better better vibes: I share this with Kuya. In loving memory of Kuya, we know you're hard at work there in heaven making our family's dreams come true. How I wish we could share all this with you. But I know you're up there smiling and very happy for us. Our success is yours! You inspired me and encouraged me to freelance write for Didache back in 1998 to 2000. Guess what? I met our country's inspiring writer and speaker, no other than Mr. Bo Sanchez :-) I am pursuing my writing more in big hopes of sharing more of my thoughts (is it worthy sharing? hhehheeee) and feelings (am I that readable? is that even a word? ;-P ) with readers and be an inspiration for them too, in my own little ways.

Okay, that's all folks! Thank you blogsphere, thank you world's atmosphere...I breathe and walk again!

My Personal Diary On 2010: The Year That Was

2010-12-28T22:18:00.000-08:00

It’s true what they say when it hits home, especially a direct hit, it hits you bad...this was the most difficult, not only for me but for my family. Start of the year, January 18^th when we lost our most beloved Kuya. He did us proud by even to his last intake of breaths, he was still fighting. Kuya was the strongest person I’ve ever known and I admire him for that. He’s been through many things that not all knew about, yet he came out with a ready smile to cheer others up. He was the biggest shoulder I could lean on. Kuya was there for everybody. He mastered the skill of multi-tasking that no matter what he’s doing, he can easily drop everything and be there right away for everyone he loves...that’s how great Kuya was and still is, for we know that he’s now our dearest guardian angel watching over us along with our departed loved ones.

I guess I tried my best to not give in to the sorrows of losing Kuya. I wanted to be strong for my family. Everybody else was breaking down, especially our parents, I had to hold everyone else up. For a while, I went on attending to daily tasks and errands that needed to be done especially death matters. I cried but I told myself, “Get going. Your Kuya is supporting you and wouldn’t want to see you losing control of yourself.” I held it together...for some time.

But God is the Master Mind and knows His purpose for everything. We may not understand it, how trivial it may seem, but all we have to do is Trust in Him. He had his own plans in setting me at His pace. I broke my back, literally. I’ve had other physical injuries over the years but this was the absolute worst. I never cried so hard due to physical pain. I could barely walk from where my back cracked, literally there was this “wapack!” sound! Yeah, I bet just your reading from this entry makes you writhe in agony huh?! ;-p Long story short, I’m wearing this corset back brace for six months assisted by a cane. Coincidentally, it’s until Kuya’s 1^st death anniversary.

When my back cracked, that’s when I finally gave in and broken down open to my grief. Our father commented that yes I was strong but when I was finally grieving, “nasobrahan naman,” overdosing to all the hurts and pains of losing Kuya. Through all that, I now have a deeper understanding of the grieving process. Actually it should not be called a process because there’s no chronological order to things when one is dealing with death --- a death blow. I had and do have anger management to deal with. I learned to not just take things in stride that when I am not convinced of something, to say “No.” If others can go about their own ways, why shouldn’t I? When something is wrong, I say it’s wrong. I won’t allow myself to be pushed over, no more, not anymore. Before, I used to just let things be, but now it’s all about change. A lot of changes have happened for this year and transforming myself to a better me is how it should be. Now I am more aware of what is right from wrong.

On a brighter side, a lot of good events happened too. I’m taking those baby steps towards being a published writer someday. I’m holding on to that dream of mine. We got the good news that our application for a start-up small business is on the move. It’s a long process but it’s starting to roll. This year was the most number of concerts I’ve attended, from international to local artists. I even won Gold tickets to Adam Lambert’s concert, thanks to @magic899 which was the first time ever I won such precious seats! I’ve also met and taken some snapshots with famous people from a professional basketball player, to ABS CBN stars, beauty queens, distinguished writers, broadcasting media, to well-renowned musicians, but guess who I got starstruck with? I ended up getting tongue-tied? None other than Kuya Germs! Yeah! First time I ever saw him in person was during my birthday treat for my folks at Gary V’s concert. We were like within a foot proximity, I ended up telling my father: “Si..si...” (It’s..it’s...) with a geeky smile that I couldn’t even spit out his name, for crying out loud! HAHA I did say “Good evening.” Another Kuya Germs encounter was at Nasugbu, Batangas this December. He was in the waiting area and I so wanted to have a picture taken with him. But I was shy (oh’s? ;-p) aside from seeing him preoccupied, my brother and mother were also prohibiting me. I guess I’ve just been astounded because I’ve watched him since my childhood days from “That’s Entertainment” and I have high respect for him in discovering and managing talents who are now doing real good. Who else to thank for but the ones who helped you make it to where you are, right?

I’m starting this year, 2011, with new hi-tech gadgets. I have a lot of learning to do! I still can’t even figure out the MMS or internet settings for my now 2-year-old cellphone, it’s gonna be interesting how much I’ll be able to tinker around with my new toys J Big thanks to my parents (netbook for my birthday) and brother (iped for Christmas gift) and guess what? Yes, i won again @magic899 a very cool FLIP mino HD. Inspite of the dark days, I come out with the lucky clover!

From all this, I look forward to becoming stronger and better. Physically I am now more limited but it doesn’t mean that would hinder me. I may have all these medical conditions that sprouted at the same time this year, hospital tours, but I won’t let that dampen me. It means our Heavenly Father knows what is best and is shaping me into something better. Why? Because as the saying goes, “when you’re down to nothing, God is up to something.” Yes, the Lord is the Chef, He cooks in making the best dish for you, for us, our family, with all the right ingredients. Maraming salamat to dear relatives, friends, and good peeps who have been supportive all the way, luv ya po!

Holiday Greetings!

2010-12-22T21:38:00.000-08:00

As everybody rushes forth to all places for the holidays, I'd like to extend my greetings, from our home to yours whatever part of the globe you are in this world wide web:

Happy Christmas and Blessed New Years! May the season give you the reasons of gratitude inspite of life's turbulence knowing that we are saved by God's unconditional love, Amen.

Christmas Bazaars All Over

2010-12-08T19:15:00.000-08:00

With bazaars everywhere, shopping for Christmas gifts is the statement for this season! Here's another one, a fund-raising by ABS-CBN at the World Trade Center, Metro Manila. Shop while you can from December 3 to 16, 2010. This is their 10th year.

Just be careful though and watch your belongings especially in big events such as these. Overly crowded people sneaking up on you and then before you know it, they snatched away with your prized possessions. We had a nasty encounter with one of 'em. You'd think they work alone, but they're gangs. Very sneaky and so wrong. They'd use people you'd think were all innocent, from children to young women. Who else? Just beware. Not only concessionaires were victimized but buyers themselves who patronize gift shopping for benefits raising. They were able to catch some of them.

My recommendation? Instead of just having participants buying tickets, why not try registration? It may be quite a bit more tedious and longer lines, but at least organizers would have a record of people who have been inside. Like in our instance, when the stealing happened, it was around 3 to 4 pm. They can easily set boundaries, for those who registered before that time, check out the listing. Study who may be suspects from the profiles. And then have people man stations on different exit ways right away. It's tough especially when crimes during the holidays are at a higher rate. People work hard for their money to be able to serve food on the table for loving families. But what happens? Criminals ruin it. This was part of my ranting over at another social networking site. I mean, I cannot just stand by smiling all happily when crimes are at a high!

Thing is, moral lesson: When the need arises to speak up, do so! I am normally the quiet type (really? LOL) but when there's something wrong, either file a complaint, let your voice be heard, so necessary actions can be taken. You cannot just stand by on the sidelines forever watching the scenes go by. I admit it got out of hand with all the foul words I've been spitting out. My apologies about that. I guess it was one way of expression for me. I'll try to control myself to not let it go out of hand. Those are just words. What about those who commit them, causing harm upon innocent, good people? That's a lot worse! I also leave a lesson, an example that I still see can be looked up on --- Speak volumes for your rights! Fight for what is good! That is still being a role model, right? I didn't know I have to keep myself in check everytime. Well now that I'm aware (didn't even realize peeps actually read me? LOL) Man, this is hard. Do I really have a reputation to protect? Okay, I'll be on guard then. HAHA

Okay, enough said. Enjoy the holidays! Keep safe. Watch your back. Bring joy and love to your family and friends, colleagues, people in your daily life from garbage collectors, to mail services, to homeowners' services, security, everyone you're thankful for who have been there for you. This is the season for Love and Giving. God Bless po! Peace out!

The Choo Choo Ride!

2010-11-27T13:51:00.000-08:00

Metro Rail Transit Segregates Passengers

I recently attended a seminar, the 1st Print Media Congress. The main focus is on: Print is Powerful! Maraming salamat po, I'm learning more.

This brought me back to my first freelance contributor gig that saw the publication pages on news. I haven't been able to follow up on it though. Anyway, I just want to share how it looked like on print. There's also an online version but it's true what they say, having it on print has more impact. This was circulated among the Filipino-Australian Community, Philippine Sentinel, back in April 2009. Happy Viewing!

The Giant of All Malls: Asia's Conqueror!

2010-11-20T16:10:00.000-08:00

MOA --- no, it’s not a Memorandum of Agreement, but these days, in the Philippines, when in the middle of a conversation you hear someone say ”MOA,” (pronounced as mo-wah) it refers to the newest thing in town: Mall of Asia.

From afar, you can already view this majestic presence of a mall existing with a finely-structured globe fronting it that changes to different colors during nighttime. It is along the reclamation area of Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City, southern end of EDSA. Its opening date was last May 21, 2006.

This mall is so huge that there is a North and South wing, with the Main Mall and Entertainment Centre. It is rumored you'll need 3 days to cover all of its bases. You can even travel via its free tram services shuttling between the buildings. If you’re up to it, you can leisurely walk at your own shopping pleasure pace. You will find a variety of stores galore, with many restaurants and fast food places to choose from. It wouldn’t be SM without its well-known department store and supermarket (for MOA, it is Hypermarket). It also boasts of the country’s first ice skating rink that is Olympic-sized. You will also find its Cinema Complex amazing, plus its IMAX theater. For Science enthusiasts, be sure to hit its Science Discovery Center. You can also enjoy a lovely stroll or fine dining at the Esplanade, with a scenic view of the Manila Bay and beautiful sunset right behind the mall.

If you are visiting Manila anytime soon, the Mall of Asia should be one of your definite must-stop!

Barangay - At The Heart Of Your Own Community

2010-11-11T00:42:00.000-08:00

The Philippines may be slowly developing, but we are getting there, step by step. Take for an example the smallest political unit, the barangay. There are several community projects already underway. Some of which worth mentioning are its health centers. Underprivileged people line up first thing in the morning with their young children to avail of free vaccination. It helps our less fortunate citizens be provided with basic healthcare needs. A good number of barangays have now also been offering classes for livelihood purposes. This notable project is TESDA, Technological Education and Skills Development Authority (Pangasiwaan sa Edukasyong Teknikal at Pagpapaunlad ng Kasanayan). You can also find a library in some barangay centers.

Look up your nearest barangay and see the improvements in our community. Encourage our fellow kababayans to get to know more about their own barangays and engage in the many worthwhile projects. Baby steps would come a long way.

My Eulogy for Kuya

2010-11-04T16:51:00.000-07:00

I think this is one of the therapeutic ways for healing from losing our Kuya early this year. In fact, I've been having tremendous anger management issues that I consider part of my grieving process. After this week's All Saints/Souls, may we find it in our hearts the peace that we seek, and comfort from the hurts. May God continue to bless us --- that after all the storms we've been through, there is the beautiful rainbow in keeping our faith alive. All these we ask in Jesus' Name, Amen. God Bless po!

Thank you for taking time out to read this. I don't even know if I get any readership on here at all, but sharing this with blogsphere helps. It's quite long so please bear with me, thanks.

KUYA – a very big word that has a very strong meaning especially coming from your only sister. When my friends ask me whenever I mention KUYA, I say “yung KUYA ko,” yung pinaka-Kuya ko, si Kuya na Kuya” because having 5 brothers confuse them to whom I’m referring to, ‘cuz with my other same deep-loving bros I call as Manoy or KuyaDan with his name but when I simply say si Kuya na Kuya, there’s nobody, nobody but you, only you Kuya.

I remember when I first developed my liking for music. I admired you for having a very good collection of cassette tapes. Tinuruan mo pa nga ako nun, Kuya, on how to record songs, yung pagtanggal ng tabs so that it will not be accidentally erased and yung pag-rewind or fast forward ‘til the end to last its shelf life longer --- those were the beginnings of my music lessons from you that up ‘til now, you’re not only the most supportive one but also the consultant in my freelance writing gig as a concert and album reviewer by listening also to the cds and giving me background info on different artists and sharing your well-profound knowledge and expertise in music. Kuya, your being a mentor will continue to live on for the lessons you gave are forever instilled in me.

When good friends ask me on how I describe my brothers, it’s you Kuya and ManoyMing whom I tell them as “Aahh, yan yung mga tipong bodyguards ko” which had them wondering “Bakit bodyguards?” Sagot ko naman, una kase, very intimidating ang dating nila, yung tipong nakakatakot ang dating but super bait na kagaya nga ng bodyguards. When translated in a baby sister’s lingo, it means you’re very protective because I know, Kuya, that you’ll be there always ready to defend me if you knew that somebody caused me harm.

Alam mo, Kuya, yung mga very close friends ko also looked up to you as being their Kuya, lalo na during my College days and working years, you were always around. Sinasamahan mo ako lagi sa mga lakad ko, pati mga kaibigan ko, kasabay sa hatid-sundo mo sa akin because of your concern for their travel safety as well. Sabi nga nila, Kuyang-Kuya ka talaga. When people saw how you lovingly took care of me, they say I’m very lucky to have you as my Kuya and they wished that they also had a big brother just like you. For me, it was not just about being lucky, but it’s having you as a blessing, heaven sent in my life and now, Kuya, you’re our dearest guardian angel. God very well laid-out His Divine plans for us, for our family, in blessing me with a Kuya like you, maybe because He knew the kind of troubles I’d get into and thus, I needed a strong rock. You’re one of the solid foundations I have.

It was in 1993, birthday mo pa nga yun Kuya, exactly February 11. I’m very sorry Kuya kase nasabon ka ng husto ni Papa nun, bday na bday mo pa, because that was my very first major episode and you were the last one who saw me at that time.

January 18, 2010 was the most painful day, Kuya, and it’s only now I’m able to have a deeper understanding of it all. Just as you were the last one to see me back then before I got lost, in a way I’m thankful Kuya, you gave me the chance to return the favour to you, Kuya, na sa ating magkakapatid, I was the last one to see and feel you breathing.

Ngayon ko lang nare-realize ang significance nun kase naisip-isip ko, the Lord made me go through those many years of struggles in my life to make me stronger and prepare me for the worst, the inevitable, because losing you, Kuya, is too much of a pain to bear.

Nung nasa ICU na tayo, sabi mo sa akin, “Lorelie, hwag mo akong iiwan ha.” Sabi ko, “Kuya, hwag kang mag-alala, nandito ako.” Sa ating magkakapatid, we may have fought the hardest, but we loved the best.

Kuya, maraming maraming salamat sa iyong lubus-lubusang pagmamahal and until we meet again in our grand family reunion in heaven. Take care always. We love you very much.

The Lizard's Inspirational Story

2010-10-13T16:35:00.000-07:00

Here's a lovely story about the lizard.
My Aunt posted this via FB and I'm resharing it on here.
I love this :-)

Heart Beats

2010-08-26T18:16:00.000-07:00

HI y'all. I've been on hibernate mode, now taking each step by step.
Here's a post by other peeps that I'd also like to share with your readership highness, check it out when you can.

The Rythm of Music, The Universal Language of Love

Bella, make up your mind! Team Edward vs. Team Jacob: Who's it gonna be?

2010-07-13T06:09:00.000-07:00

Bella must be one real lucky girl! Imagine having to make a choice between two guys. For ordinary girls like me, it's difficult enough to get at least one boy to look my way. There's no choice for me. haha ;-P Heck, Bella gets two! She has a choice, lucky, I tell ya. But then again, do you really want to have that kind of dilemma? And this is where: "The battle begins...for your heart, for your mind, for your soul. The Twilight Saga: ECLIPSE. It all begins...with a choice."

I got to be honest. I started really late on the Twilight series. Peeps have been telling me to join the bandwagon when it initially came out and to read up on the books. Nope, I still haven't gotten around to reading its books, can't afford. I've heard of some of its storylines and what's happening next. At first, I didn't get it what the craziness was all about. Besides, I'm a scaredy cat, vampires, wolves, blood --- that's what held me at bay of scaring the daylights outta me. I finally saw its first movie a year after it was released, on television, yup, the good ol' reliable cable channels. Besides, it's cheaper that way and no crowd, hah! Right after I saw this, by the time it was showing on t.v., New Moon was also being simultaneously released in theaters. I was curious and liking it enough to see New Moon.

What I found ooohhhlala were the lines Edward had on Twilight. I was thinking, hhmmmm, maybe that was it? Yup, it's overly romantic. With those kind of lines, they're to die for --- who wouldn't want to hear sweet, endearing words of love and promises, right?

Come New Moon, aaaahhhh now what obviously took my fancy was Jacob himself *wink*wink* Simply irresistible. Enough said.

Eclipse, the Twilight Saga. New Victoria --- although it was not explicitly shown, she was convincing as a temptress to have lured Riley in leading the newborn vampire army, but as a villain? I'm a bit doubtful because she has an angelic face. It's interesting to know about the inner profoundness of the other characters' history. I was fascinated with the ala-Flash Gordon scene in the forest. I so want to pretend I'm like the Cullens if ever I get to join another marathon. Yeah, wishful thinking! HAHA Reality check: (1) that only happens in the movies (2) from running or should i say even walking, i end up panting running out of breath so yeeeaahhhh, just keep on pretending, girl, until making it to the finish line. But come on, that was just so cool! It's actually one of my favorite scenes, running speed. I would also love to pet my own werewolf :-) My favorite vampire: Carlisle Cullen.

Here's where I totally cracked up, gotta luv this!

Edward: "Doesn't he own a shirt?"
Jacob: "Let's face it. I am HOTTER than you."

Bella was out with Jacob. Something happened there. I'm not going to give a full spoiler, at least not on this blog. You just have to see for yourself. Besides, I bet almost everyone in the entire world must have seen it by now. I got delayed reaction, what can I say ;-P When they got home, all 3 --- Bella with Edward and Jacob; her Dad was asking what happened --- Jacob explaining it, amusing! I did find it more amusing while he was explaining, not while it was happening, go figure! It was like: Explain yourself!

I cannot concretely say yet that I am hooked on it, that I am fully a fan. I can say that I like it and it's awesome :-)

p.s. "It was not scary at all. Yeah, there were instances when I yelped and jumped out of my chair. But moments of ogling over Jacob made up for it. Yeah, yeah, I know, he's a young pup. No pun intended."

Hong Kong 2009 Endearing Memories

2010-07-08T07:13:00.000-07:00

This is in loving remembrance of our everdearest Kuya. Our Hong Kong vacation back in 2009, end of April to May 1, was the first, only, and apparently last trip that my folks and I took with Kuya and his family. Now, we're looking back on it with fond, lasting memories.

For Kuya and his wife's kids, this was their very first airplane ride.
Thanks to Cebu Pacific, the apos had a wonderful first flight experience: "We're flying!" Our main goal: Mickey and Minnie Mouse! Yup, you got it right --- Hong Kong Disneyland!

Currently, this is the best hub for Asians that Disney has to offer in the Southeast Asian region. It may not be as big as the other Disneyland or Disneyworld parks globally, but it comes complete. There's the enchanting Disney Castle. We also got to see "The Golden Mickeys" which was a live performance of all the Disney characters at a very cool, nice, and accommodating theater. Singing, dancing, and lively interaction, plus Tarzan doing acrobatics --- what a show! Everybody loved it :-)

We were VIP guests in Mickey's house. As you can see from the picture here on the right ----->
that's Pluto's dog house. Rest assured, he is well-taken cared of, just look at the big bone he has!

Everything in Mickey's house was literally, larger than life. To start off, his shoes are big! His refrigerator, bed, kitchen, mailbox, even smiling sunflowers in his lawn are gigantic.

Of course, with all in enormous sizes, his serving of cup cake
that he eats is also big.

We all enjoyed our stay at the Hollywood Hotel.
It surely is all about Mickey and Minnie Mouse!
Even in the bedrooms, they had amazing designs,
their logos right at the bedposts --- sweet dreams
of Mickey and Minnie :-)

Mickey also has his own bus line. Yup, that's our
bus ride, that red and blue one.

Even the rail transit from Disneyland to the first stop in
getting to the city is Mickey's.

Here's a funny snapshot ---> see that black spider on the
bus' front shield? Close to the down, green arrow. No worries, it wasn't real! HAHA It's cute to have an itsy bitsy spider, had me fooled in the beginning thinking it was real. I almost screamed out: "Spiderman!"

Top photo above shows a section of the wide Hong Kong airport before our departure of the island. To boot, we were even escorted by a courteous, very kind security lady who directed us to where our terminal was. Nope, we weren't distinguished foreign delegates. Yeah, in other words, we got lost and simply needed directions. HEHE But it felt so cool and perky that we were accompanied by an airport patrol. Who gets to experience that, right? It's a once in a blue moon happening for us.

A quick, tiring, but adventurous and much cherished 3days/2nights Hong Kong 2009 journey with Kuya and his family will always be embedded in our hearts. The kids actually would want to relive another HK voyage as a way of lasting connecting airborne ties with their Papa. *flips coin on a wishing well* :-)

Arrival back home @ the new spankin' NAIA 3 :-)

2010 Movie: Prince of Persia (The Sands of Time)

2010-06-06T22:41:00.000-07:00

Contrary to some critics' rants, I'll be raving about Prince of Persia, Sands of Time, video game turned into movie, an awesome one at that!

My father has been wanting to see it ever since we saw its trailer and posters all over the cinemas. When I saw that it's a Jerry Bruckheimer production, I'm up for it too, I'm a fan. Hearing my sister-in-law's good reviews about watching it, we couldn't deny it any longer and went ahead to see for ourselves. I got to see it with my folks, thanks a bunch!

Though having heard some down points from some movie critics on how the scenes are all over the place and how it could have been improved, I was ready to not expect much. But guess what? Awesome teamwork with Disney. This movie rocks, totally! It's another Jerry Bruckheimer blockbuster at its best! The action shots catapults you to the very fluid movement of the storyline. Jake Gyllenhaal may have looked like too nice of a guy to play the role of Prince Dastan but don't be thwarted off by his boy-next-door charmness, because he was certainly able to pull it off with his buffiness and great acting skills.

Real gamers can put in more cents into it, the difference between the video game and the movie itself. I'll back away from that since I have to honestly say that I'm not really familiar with the video game of same name. They have more validating points on whatever they'll raise on that subject.

But for now, all I can say is: appreciate the movie for what it is on its entertainment value and awesome story. Inspite of its not so overwhelming performance in the movie ratings, I am including Prince of Persia as one of my favorite movies for 2010. So far, for this year, nothing has impressed me that much yet except for this one that also stars: Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley, Alfred Molina, Steve Toussaint, Toby Kebbell, Richard Coyle, Ronald Pickup. Big Kudos!

On a side note, while watching the movie, in my seat: I had a gut feeling about what's going to happen with the cloak gift, I knew it! HAHA Yeah, I know, that's a spoiler alert for myself.

Take note of the beautiful quotes in the beginning and end of the movie. Here's one: "It is said some lives are linked across time. There are certain people connected by an ancient calling that echoes through the ages...Destiny."

On an end note, for personal and family reasons, I just wish I also had the dagger to turn the sands of time...

Change for the Philippines, VOTE wisely!

2010-05-07T04:01:00.000-07:00

Where: Philippines (nationwide)

Who: Calling all Filipinos! Hear ye! Hear ye!

When: May 10, 2010 (Monday)

What: National Elections, Vote!

Why: Exercise your social responsibility for the common good of the Filipino people.

How: Even though it may be unrealistic especially for our country, based on history ---

Action and prayers for clean, honest elections.

Hope for change for the better - for our nation's growth and development.

For me, this says it all who my choice is. This is my voice.

Tribute to Kuya

2010-02-14T02:05:00.000-08:00

I believe when I was writing this poem down, Kuya was speaking through me. These are the words that he would have wanted to comfort our family with.

We miss you and love you very much, Kuya. Rest assured, we'll always be a family looking after one another and being strong for each other. We'll take care of your capable wife (as you lovingly called her) and two darling little angels, 7-yr-old eldest son and 3-yr-old youngest daughter.

In Loving Memory of

KUYA, ERIC, HONS, PAPA

41 years, 11 months and 7 days

The family thanks you sincerely for

your prayers, presence, and sympathy

DEAR LOVED ONES

There may be times when you feel crumbling down

When you'll find it hard to wake up in the morning

The sense of loss, of how do you go on

The feeling of emptiness, knowing that a big piece is missing

There may be times when you hear yourself asking why

Why I had to leave, there's still so much in store for me

When you'd wish it shouldn't have been me, that it was not my time yet

Endless questions of how did it happen, could it have been prevented

My loved ones, I know it really is hard to bear now

And I'm sorry for causing you so much pain

For leaving tasks undone

For losing tomorrows together we should have seen

My loved ones, have no fear, I will always be here

Everywhere you go, you bring a part of me

What we had from yesterdays will always be cherished memories

Be happy for me because God, our Heavenly Father embraced me

And now I am in the Palm of His Hand.

Best Season with the town LIT UP!

2010-01-01T20:07:00.000-08:00

Living in the Philippines has given me such awe and love for our own Filipino traditions throughout my life. I have been accustomed to what I've grown up with especially during the holidays. It is my favorite since I was a kid, the Christmas and New Year's season. It is the time for giving, for thanks to what we've been blessed with, and for renewed hope in looking forward to what's ahead of us.

Like what overseas Pinoys miss and are longing for about our holidays at home, there's nothing like the Filipino way of celebrating Christmas and New Year's. There's the craziness, mad holiday rush, traffic that gets you nowhere, but the overfeeling of warmth, hospitality and family togetherness brings out the best of the occasion. I guess it's only natural to feel this way. I'm pretty sure everyone in their own country also loves their ways of celebrating this holiday. People can call it differently, depending on their beliefs. There is no need to argue about that. All it really comes up to --- is The Faith we have and Keep On Believing.

Here's a beautiful photo of a home we passed by that shines out in "Lighting Up The Season."

Let's ring in the new decade, the new year 2010, with loud cheers for many more great, better, and brighter moments to come that fill our hearts with love, growth, gratitude and much happiness :-)

AVATAR 2009

2009-12-20T06:06:00.000-08:00

This has got to be my favorite movie for this year! James Cameron surely outdid himself this time again! Along with his great cast topbilled by Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, and Sigourney Weaver, among many others --- Jim brings us to a magical world in Pandora.

Here's a link on a candid interview from its two main casts:
http://www.moviefone.com/unscripted/avatar/358/avatar-unscripted-complete-interview/57740642001

Integrated with CGI effects (Computer Graphics Interface), I was amazed at how far technology has gone today, especially in the arts of film making.

I love how it has many themes involved in the story. It's fun-filled action, an adventure, there's heart amongst people and family, and of course, it wouldn't be complete without the romance. The film clearly speaks of environmental matters that we must address.

It's not enough to narrate the story, you simply just got to see it for yourself!

On a final note, "I See You."

Puerto Princesa Underground River

2009-10-29T18:05:00.000-07:00

For Finalists: http://www.vote7.com/n7w/nature/finalists/puerto-princesa-underground-river

Updated 2010, for New7Wonders:
http://www.new7wonders.com/community/en/new7wonders/new7wonders_of_nature/voting

The Subterranean River in Puerto Princesa is so amazing! It's awesome that I got to feel this beauty of nature and seen it with my very own eyes.

Vote for it! Let's put more of the Philippines @ map in such a very good spotlight.

This Wonder of Nature destination is at Puerto Princesa, Palawan Philippines. It is on the northern coast of the island by the St. Paul Mountain Range. This does not compare to other tunnels or cave tours where one easily walks through it. This is extraordinary because it is an Underground River National Park, creative beauty of Mother Nature, once reputed as the world's longest underground river. You'll definitely enjoy a boat ride through this Natural Wonder. Pride-worthy :-)

You'll be amazed at the different formations of stalactites and stalagmites. One of which is "The Melting Candle." There's also the big mushroom, Mama Mary, among many other formations that would hold you in awe: "That's right! Wow! It does look like that!"

Extend A Helping Hand

2009-10-01T05:49:00.000-07:00

With the heaviest rainfall on record, typhoon Ondoy (international code name: Ketsana) that hit Metro Manila and nearby regions brought about loss of lives and many damages. In that just one day, Saturday 2009 September 26, many places were submerged in deep waters brought about by a month's worth of rainfall by the raging Ondoy. It's the worst tropical depression that hit us, even up to now, after 5 days, many areas are still flooded. What's worse, is that, after one, there's another super typhoon that has entered the Philippines' area of responsibility called Pepeng (international name Parma). We have not yet recovered from Ondoy, and here's Pepeng coming in to give us another bashing --- let's hope and pray that it will be kinder this time around.

During these times of crisis, our Filipino spirit of "Kabayanihan" in helping each other out arises. The few lucky ones who were spared from the disaster, are all coming out with their donated items, in cash or in kind, and also volunteering at different relief centers. Even the flood victims themselves can also be found in relief centers, lending their helping hand. We're all survivors, crawling our way out from the dark tunnel to see the light in the end.

On Sunday, the day right after the typhoon hit, we gathered items to donate --- from old clothes, to blankets and towels, to new combs for basic toiletries, and even new clothing (that were supposed to be sold at bazaars that were already nonsaleable which can now be somebody else's treasure during these hard times). We quickly donated them as the need for it is immediate. Everybody acted right away, especially the private sector, from celebrities to regular citizens. It makes me wonder if what I have done is enough --- it can never be enough as the urgency for help keeps more than doubling up. Just yesterday, my friend and I were at our College Alma Mater's relief operations. In our own little way, we helped in packing of the relief goods. Stories of how hungry the people were getting and becoming irrational is unthinkable. It has really hit our fellowmen that badly. Understandably, people are in dire straits. What makes it sadder is that there are some people out there who are taking advantage of the situation, like the jacked-up prices for taxis, the looting chaos, among other scrupulous acts. What makes you smile is seeing in some of the videos that even the kids, inspite of the floods, can still find enjoyment from it by making home-made shifts of springboards for diving. That is the spirit of Pinoys --- we find the rainbow at the end of the storm.

There are many more heroic stories of people who have come to help --- in reaching out to our fellow countrymen. Who else can we rely on, but You and Me = there's US!

http://www.redcross.org.ph/

The Philippines is still under a state of calamity. Any form of help is highly appreciated, let's do our share and extending a helping hand. Our hearts go out as well to other countries who have experienced the different calamities that had hit us globally. Peace!

Bus Angst

2009-09-04T07:17:00.000-07:00

I'm not a regular commuter but whenever I happen to travel by either a tricycle, jeepney, taxi, bus, or light/metro rail transit, I normally have a good ride experience from it. It's an adventure, what can I say :-)

Last week, my dear friend and I were out and about to do some field work. What started out as a typical day became a tedious one.

Bus complaint: PVP Liner with plate number NYS 296 with route along Ayala Ave Makati to Buendia (Sen. Gil Puyat Ave) around 12:20 to 12:45 noon time on Friday, August 28, 2009, Bus#3907. Annoying as he was, unfortunately, I was not able to take note of the said bus driver's name at that time.

We boarded the bus near the Phil. Stock Exchange fronting Allied Bank. At first, it was okay for us to wait around for a little bit as it's a public transportation trying to earn some bucks, by having more passengers, the better for them, right? I started to notice though, while my friend and I were chatting away, that it seemed like we got stuck to one spot for a lot longer than we usually should have. I looked at the road, it was so wide, no heavy traffic. The road was wide open. That was a relief to see that the cars were not piled up during that time, but it was to our dismay cuz the bus was not moving. The driver stopped for prolonged periods at each spot. There were many instances when we'd get noticed already by traffic enforcers, to which the driver would slowly, as in very slowly move and then stop altogether again once the traffic enforcer was no longer looking.

Mind you, I was not the only one who was noticing this. By the time we reached Buendia, many of the passengers were getting really annoyed. Everybody had a place to go to and this driver was holding us off from where we're supposed to go. What makes it worse was that the driver even had the gall to say "Go look for another bus!" How dare he!!

Trust me, we were all practising patience as much as we could. You couldn't say that we were impatient cuz the bus was moving way slower than a snail's pace. Some passengers started to go to the conductor of the bus to ask back for their fare. I'd like to give enough credit to the conductor as he was apologetic enough and even prodded the driver to start moving. But the driver had a big ass attitude! Yep, you got that right, I spelled it out, he got a big a-s-s-h-o-l-e attitude!

Passengers were starting to get down already and find another ride. My friend and I tried to stick it out again and wait for a few minutes more, but no, the driver lived up to his dirty thick-faced side! This is wrong, very wrong! Along with other co-passengers, we were demanding for our fare back. But they did not, saying it'd be very hard for them to do that. I told them quite frankly that what they were doing was wrong! They had many disgruntled passengers cuz of their selfish actions. A cop even boarded the bus, for a free ride, but ended up going down simply because the bus was not moving and he, being an enforcer, of course had places and duties to go to. Everybody's precious time was being wasted because of what the driver was doing.

Enough said, we, as passengers, have rights too. Stand for it. Don't let situations like this happen again, that's all.

Wedding Dance

2009-08-23T03:19:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my friend for posting the link on her wall @ FB, I'm reposting this to share with y'all as well :-) Enjoy it!! Lots of millions and millions of viewers are enjoying this too! And seeing as how it's a Chris Brown song, with what happened between Rihanna and him, this vid is in support of violence prevention, visit their website at http://www.jkweddingdance.com

Simply click on this post title "Wedding Dance" to see the vid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0

I love this! Wish I can have the same great, special event going for me, someday *grins* from the making of the vid for this Wedding, it's filled with so much love, joy, fun and happiness and that's a good start in walking down the aisle, should I say dance the aisle! like this --- a wonderful road to a happy, blissful Marriage and family life :-)

Flush Away!

2009-06-19T06:47:00.000-07:00

My very first encounter with a toilet that had this unique looking flush mechanism was last year, early 2008, in Sydney Australia. It was at my dear friend Jeng's lovely home. I asked her, "What's the button (push flush) design for? How come it's like cut in half?" She explained to me that it was for half flush and the other one for full flush. Like, if you only pee or there's not much debris, you use the half flush. And for the heavy stuff, poop and all that crap, it requires a full flush. It is earth friendly as it saves water, good for the environment. Good water consumption. You only use what is necessary. I was amazed with that. How I wished it was like that everywhere else! That can be really be helpful.

I'm not exactly sure if this kind of toilet system is available in other countries as well because from my recent journeys, I did not see it in U.S.A. or Japan. Maybe it's out there, only I happened not to stumble upon it.

Now here comes the good part. What WOWed me all the more, in the past few weeks, is that I have seen it, guess where? Right here in my homeland, the Philippines! YES! I was like, that is so awesome!! I saw this kind of toilet at a new condominium built along Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong. The other day, I also had a toilet encounter with it at a Car place somewhere near The Fort, Global City. What's better is it is available for sale for every Juan's household --- yup, you got it right! I saw it at ACE Hardware among their items being sold.

That's GREAT, don't you think? Yes, it is!

When is one a grownup?

2009-05-11T03:08:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've been pondering on this thought: I am a grownup. After all these years, make that 34 great years! It finally dawns on me that yes, I do believe I am a grownup now. It surely took a long time --- you're probably thinking, "Heck! You're 34! Obviously you're an oldie adult!" Would you believe that it's been my anthem song, both Britney's "Overprotected" and "I'm not a girl, not yet a woman" and nope, it being joked as a drag song does not apply ;-P

The world is scary. There's a lot out there. When you venture out of your comfort zone, even for a little while, it opens you up to all the vulnerabilities. I don't know exactly where I am headed with this ...

When I find people talking to me, instead of my parents, sometimes it makes me feel either of these: "They recognize me. They consider what I have to say." It makes me feel my age, that of an adult. Ironically it also makes me feel not so good because it sends out this message that people would rather not deal with conversing with seniors. My parents are my parents. No matter what age they reach, I'll always give them the honor and respect they deserve. Not just because I'm their daughter, but to give full due credit for the milestones they've reached in life as seniors.

I realize I've attained the worthy title of being adult when:
- young kids start to look up to me for questions they need answers to
- I start to give out advice, yeah, annoyingly enough even when not asked for
- I myself look out for my parents and siblings, my family and friends
- help calls, I'm there
- it's not about finances or being out on your own, but about being strong

Continue to try to be a better person

2009-02-23T11:09:00.000-08:00

Nick Carter @ Ellen Degeneres Show 2009 February 19
"...continue to try to be a better person"
a quote from him. Nick is an amazing, great guy. Nick is a good man.

Tourist Destination: Tagaytay

2008-12-17T17:40:00.001-08:00

One of the must-stops in the Philippines for any nature-loving tourist or local is the beautiful Tagaytay. You can have a perfect view amongst the lined-up restaurants you can choose from. Enjoy your sumptuous meal and the cool climate. The mystifying sight --- the Taal Lake and Volcano. Yes, you can actually see the top crater of the volcano. It is submerged in a lake. There are legends behind it.

Hope you like seeing this beautiful photo I took back in August 2008. Whenever you happen to visit the Philippines, the Tagaytay in south of Metro Manila should be included in your destination.

Shopping Galore!

2008-12-04T12:17:00.001-08:00

To start off, I did not go on a shopping extravaganza. I still made sure that I was within my affordable means. Shopping on what I can afford is a good practice in having a balanced financial management. I know my limits :-)

Being currently here in good ol' USA, experiencing Thanksgiving and Black Friday sales is one of the fun things I like. When they have sales, it is really a sale, as in cool bargains! Prices are totally slashed down! It is so tempting to keep on grabbing items and putting them in your cart. Very tempting, but got to watch out that it doesn't break my bank or end up with a wailing wallet! HAHA

I bought some early Christmas presents and gifts for folks back home. Electronics are amazingly priced lower here compared to my native country. Quality items at good prices make nice gifts. Of course, I could not forget to give myself a treat too. After all, I think this is where retail therapy comes in. It is one of those guilty pleasures.

After all my shopping hoopla, I have stashed away my credit card under lock and key for my own financial sanity. HAHA I cannot afford to do this on a regular basis unless lady luck smiles down on me to win the lotto!

Garden Harvest

2008-08-08T21:57:00.000-07:00

Green thumb!!

Someday, I would love to have my own garden, in my dream house, growing a variety of plants. My father has a great love for gardening and I sort of got this interest from him.

Today, I did some harvesting right from our own simple garden. I picked out a few chilis (sili in Tagalog) and calamansi (from the lemon family).

I remember back in elementary, we had a Work Education class about practical hands-on in different subjects. One of which included gardening. I loved it! I watered our group's plants and it blossomed beautifully. I enjoyed it and I find myself looking forward to having it as a hobby, too, just like my dad. When I was a kid, I also tended to our home's garden, pitching in my own share on it bit by bit. Our father is the caretaker and gardener in the family. He looks after our garden religiously. I'm following in his footsteps with gardening.

We have Atis tree in front of our house. Also known as sugar apple, it is a sweet fruit. Even though over the years, our space for planting has become more limited, we've maximized the space and can still find enough for a little plot for some beautiful plants.

The Number 4 survey

2008-08-08T19:34:00.000-07:00

Tagged by Stephanie and Karen, here goes:
Okay, the theme is four, four, four, FOUR

A. Four places that I go to over and over:
1. SM (Mall of Asia and Southmall)
2. Glorietta/Landmark
3. Alabang
4. Church

B. Four People who email me regularly:
1. Tinay
2. KuyaDan
3. Gerald
4. Tita Yoly

C. Four favorite places to eat:
1. North Park
2. Tokyo Tokyo
3. McDo/Jollibee
4. Shakey’s

D. Four places I would rather be right now
1. cinema
2. beach
3. swimming pool
4. mall

E. Four TV shows I like to watch:
1. CSI
2. Lost
3. Supernatural
4. entertainment shows (Daily 10/Insider/ET)

F. Four favorite sports to watch/play
1. Basketball
2. Pingpong (table tennis)
3. American football
4. Badminton

G. Four websites you regularly go to
1. Yahoo
2. Hotmail
3. myLot
4. myspace

Make a Difference by Clicking

2008-07-14T06:53:00.000-07:00

If you can spare a little bit of your time in clicking sites, this is for charity purposes.

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com

There are many venues there where you can extend your help simply by clicking away. Every click you make counts. The site sponsors will match the clicks you do. You can help in either or all of the following: animal rescue, protecting the rainforest, attaining literacy, providing for health care of children in need, funding mammograms for breast cancer program, helping eradicate hunger. You can also make purchases there, if you like, and this will further help along with the said organizations. When you shop their store, you give more :-)

Go ahead and click away!! Thank you :-)

D' Hot Yellow Star

2008-07-11T23:51:00.000-07:00

myLot User Profile

HOT weather --- what kind of hotness do you like, the one when you're all sweaty or the one with no drop of sweat but nevertheless, with a burning sensation like being baked under the hot, hot sun?

Being in a tropical country, we contend with the humidity here. My recent "adventure" with the hot weather here was walking under the blazing sun at lunch time, yep, in the streets. It was smoking hot! As in, literally! After such agonizing walk, it seemed like I took a shower with my own perspiration. Yes, my t-shirt was soaking wet. I actually had to resort in stopping by at a near mall to buy a new shirt just to change. It felt like having worked out in a gym for hours with the way I got the "wet look." We were able to track the temperature and noted that it was actually 42 degrees Centrigade at that time. Normally, it's within the 32 to 37 range, but the peak times are during lunch hour and during that hot ordeal, it was hot to the max.

Another kind of hotness I was able to experience was in a state in USA, Georgia. I now know why it is dubbed as "HOTlanta." lol It's different there. Not perspiring kind. It felt like being in a toaster, the burning kind. It was like the skin was being scorched.

Anyways, whatever part of the world you are at, and the sun is shining down on you --- especially during this season, enjoy your summertime!! *grins*

simply lil ol' me http://mylot.com/MariaD

Sydney Harbour: QE2 docks for the last time

2008-06-21T22:28:00.000-07:00

Visiting Sydney, Australia? The Harbour is a breath-taking sight and a must-see stop. On the 24th of February 2008, the Queen Elizabeth 2 docked until the next day in Sydney Harbour for the last time before its retirement from active service later this year. The QE2 will be turned into a floating hotel to be situated at Palm Jumeirah Dubai. Its maiden voyage was on May 2, 1969 and has sailed between the vast oceans. It was a historical event on its last docking in Sydney Harbour, regarded as the remaining ultimate one among great transatlantic ocean liners before the structure of Queen Mary 2.

Circular Quay is the center point in seeing Sydney Harbour. From there, you can take sight-seeing bus tours that will take you around the city. You can enjoy the many scenic, beautiful tourist spots that Sydney has to offer, including the famous Sydney Opera House.

The Harbour Bridge is in the Guinness World Records for being the widest long-span bridge in the world, having the highest steel arch bridge with its top standing at 134 metres (429.6 feet) above the harbor. It is also considered as the 4th longest spanning arch bridge in the world. It transports various traffic from carrying rail, vehicular and pedestrian across the Central Business District (CBD) and North Shore.

The Sydney Harbour is an amazing place that you should definitely not miss! Enjoy your adventures in OZ.

By Jay Leno: Reminder to the Unhappy People

2008-06-03T18:25:00.000-07:00

This is an e-fwd being passed along, which I thought of posting on here. As it says, it is by Jay Leno. I cannot attest to its source, but read on. It is a good awakening, not just for American people but for those who abound with prosperity in their land but seem to overlook it.

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

This is an awesome reminder of what a wonderful country America is, and how easily we can become ungrateful and negative. No matter what your political convictions are this is an eye opener.

Jay Leno wrote this; it's the Jay Leno we don't often see....

As most of you know I am not a President Bush fan, but this is not about Bush, it is about us, as Americans, and it seems to hit the mark The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some Poll data I found rather hard to believe.

It must be true given the source, right? The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the President.

In essence 2/3 of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a change.So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, What are we sounhappy about?Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 Days a week?Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter?

Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job?Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?Maybe it is the ability to drive our cars and trucks from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state?Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter?

I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough either.Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home.You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames, thus saving you, your family, and your belongings.Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes, an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss.This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pi llaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90% of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world?Maybe that is what has 67% of you folks unhappy.Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S., yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have, and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31 percent approval rating?

Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11?
The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession?
Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks?
The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me?Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn't take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad?Think about it......are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the 'Media' told you he was failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful behind every day.

Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go. They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an 'other than honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable'' discharge after a few days in the brig.So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans?Say what you want, but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads, and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner?The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells, and when criticized, try to defend their actions by 'justifying' them in one way or another.Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book about how he didn't kill his wife, but if he did he would have done it this way......Insane!Turn off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country.

There is exponentially more good than bad. We are among the most blessed people on Earth and should thank God several times a day, or at least be thankful and appreciative.
With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks,

'Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?'

Jay Leno

My Blog

2008-06-03T06:14:00.000-07:00

I sit here in front of my laptop, pondering on what I can blog about. Nothing comes up. I admit, I have been mentally blocked for a while now and been neglecting my blog. A lot of things to take care of need to be done and I even feel like I am doing a juggling act. Really, I am learning more on how to prioritize stuff. I tend to be scattered in different directions that even in a middle of a convo, I'd say "oh no, not that one, the other one...and then, oh you're talking about this? or that? or another one?" Yeah, confusing, I know! LOL

It may seem like I have a lot of free time on my hands but from my point of view and those who truly know me would know and understand that I've got different stuff going on. It keeps me going and going and going :-) Although I exactly have no idea where I am headed to with all this HAHA.

So I'm listening to some new music and it is keeping me in an upbeat mood. Actually, I am not much in a typing mood because my left arm hurts like hell! As in! For real! That's because I just had a shot earlier today. Yeah, I got an injection for a typhoid vaccine. One of my Mama's dearly motherly concerns :-) I used to give fits about it, like what's the need for it and I even set time frames for it, but now as I know I'm growing more, I am able to comprehend more --- which is a good direction I am taking, right :-) Anyway, back to my left arm HEHE when I had shots before, it did not hurt as much as like this one --- this, this pain my left arm is feeling now is that numb feeling, feeling of like a punching bag. I can hardly move my left arm, to tell you quite frankly, but my fingers are working overtime, I guess, and so I decided to blog anyway.

From this point on, this is my decision regarding my blog: I started it writing about things of interest to me (mainly music and movies) and some of which are observations, or about life. You would notice that I don't discuss private and real, personal matters, only things in general. For a bit, I tried venturing into making this as a money-making-blog but now, my interest in that aspect is waning, as obviously it is not working for me. Maybe later on, I might go back into it, if I find something lucrative that will pull me back into it, but for now --- after looking over my blog and with my postings all jumbled up, even I myself find it blah. HAHA Yeah, there, I said it myself. It's no wonder I don't get any traffic around here. Anyways, moving on, I am now more inclined to blog about subject matters that I started on --- about random ramblings, or any particular topic I can pick up on. I don't know if I'd get any readership at all, in this big world wide web, but I don't give a shrug about it, I'll continue on as I usually do. This is my blog after all. *winks*

What is my Japanese name?

2008-05-20T19:13:00.000-07:00

Thanks KC for this fun tag :-)

For the instructions, add your name on the list and simply spell out your name using the given Japanese letter- translations below. Have fun!

TRANSLATION:
A - ka -----G - ji -----M - rin -----S - ari----- Y - fu
B - tu -----H - ri -----N - to ------T - chi -----Z - zi
C - mi----- I - ki -----O - mo -----U - do
D - te----- J - zu -----P - no ------V - ru
E - ku-----K - me ----Q - ke ------W - mei
F - lu-----L - ta ------R - shi ------X - na

1. OSWALD - moarimeikatate (sounds like american and states har....har...har...)
2. JUNELLE - zudotokutataku (Thank God I’m a Filipino! sounds like sadako. nyay! hehehe)
3. JACQUELINE - zukamikedokutakitoku (Ayay!! Unsaman ni perti mang taasa..wa ko kasabot nyahahaha)
4. LIRA LUZ - takishika taduzi ( sounds like a title of an anime show) it's cute!
5. JESIE VIOL - zukuarikiku rukimota ( hmmm...I like my real name even better, lol!, pastilan og nahapon ko, kalooy gid nako!)
6. LERMA - takushirinka ( I’ll use this name if I’m in Japan!)
7. ELLAINE- Kutatakakitoku (Hala! Nagkalisod ko ug litok ani! Naunsa!)
8. MARICHU- Rinkashikimirido (Na unswa nah! Doremifasolatido!)
9. RAINE - Shikakitoku ( Mine is simpler and easier to pronounce.. cute! ^-^ )
10. KAREN CLAIRE - mekashikuto mitakakishiku (No thanks! It's like me-kuto! I think I'm better off with my my English name! Not until they revise this translation. LOL)
11. mine is Rinkashikika Temotamoshikuari Tamoshikutakiku - oh man! tamo, kitam, kita mo na, see i told ya! LOL i sound like sex organ parts with all the keekee syllables and ari! hahahhaaaaa Filipino joke *grins*

Kingdom Adventure

2008-04-23T01:02:00.000-07:00

The Forbidden Kingdom stars in a once-in-a-lifetime movie together, Jackie Chan and Jet Li. This is for the martial arts and adventure fans. If you haven't seen it yet, don't read on any further as I'll be disclosing my fave parts from the movie. *winks* And, you'd better go watch it too :-) It's kinda weird-funny-duh moment for me on how I end up calling the movie as Kingdom of Heaven instead of Forbidden Kingdom, I get the titles mixed up, especially at the start of knowing about it, maybe because of the obvious reason of the word "kingdom" on it, eh :-P

I like how Jackie Chan integrates fun humor in his movies. This one does not fail in it. And to see Jet Li actually laughing, that's a sight to see! LOL He's usually serious in his movie roles. Here, I find it amusing that he was really laughing! Well, at least, he had a part wherein he was laughing his head off!

It's awesome how they did their kick-ass scenes together, with just Jet Li and Jackie Chan on it. I wonder how many takes it took for them to get it?

Also, their dual roles is cool.

My fave humor parts of the movie were: When Jet Li and Jackie Chan were "teaching" the kid how to defend himself, teaching him moves. He actually ended up getting beaten up! LOL I remember as a kid, me with my siblings. Our older sibs took karate lessons but my youngest brother and I were still young for it then, so we just ended up watching them. We also got around to doing practice sessions with our older sibs, it was fun! We enjoyed it. It was like play time for us! LOL Also, the best laughing scene, had me actually guffawing so bad at it!! LOL It was when Jackie Chan, they were in the desert, and he was doing this ritual in asking for rain, and then there were drops, he looked up, smiling for the "grace" of it, guess what??!! Okies, I'll leaving it hanging at that, you gotta see it! No pun intended HAHA It's just so darn funny!

I predicted, it's a dead give away, that the girl, Sparrow, from the forbidden kingdom, would end up being in Boston too, nice happy ending :-)

I love this line from the movie --- "Music is a bridge between earth and heaven." :-)

Birth Month Tags

2008-04-23T00:17:00.000-07:00

This tag was from KCee, thanks girl!

Rules:

1. Mention the person who tagged you and create a link back to them.
2. Copy-paste the traits for all the twelve months (see below).
3. Pick your month of birth.
4. Highlight the traits that apply to you.
5. Tag 12 people and let them know by visiting their blogs and leaving a comment for them ---> sorry, I'm yet unable to do this as my page still does not actually have a good blog traffic flow urgh in time, maybe, hopefully! LOL
6. Let the person who tagged you know when you've done it!

The Twelve Months

JANUARY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people’s flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Very stubborn and money cautious.

FEBRUARY: Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizes dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.

MARCH: Attractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate. Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.

APRIL: Active and dynamic. Decisive and hasty but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people’s problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving. Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lover can see.

MAY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Easily consoled. Systematic. Loves to dream. Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children. Hardworking. High spirited. Spendthrift.

JUNE: Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.

JULY: Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people’s feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets. Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Likes to be quiet. Homely person. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Prone to having stomach and dieting problems. Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.

AUGUST: Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.

SEPTEMBER: Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to point out people’s mistakes. Likes to criticize. --- nah, not really, but my perfectionism side does kick in, the virgoness in me, i'm more about pointing out the good stuff in things and only needing to say things that have to be corrected, like room for improvement. Stubborn. --- HA! I can be, especially when I feel strongly about something. LOL Quiet but able to talk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed. Loyal but not always honest. --- aaawwwwww, i can be so darn frank, brutally honest about things that I'd get in trouble for it hahahhahaaa Does work well. Very confident. --- oh wow! I hope so! Sensitive. Good memory. --- dang! I wish it was that really good! I got to admit, that there are times I have selective memory, eyikes! Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding. Fun to be around. --- I'd like to believe so, yeah! Maybe you ought to ask my close friends and family *winks* Secretive. --- oh yeah, sometimes I even scare myself from the things I know. Loves leisure and traveling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. --- I am trying to "healthy" myself out from this. Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic.

OCTOBER: Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn’t pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.

NOVEMBER: Has a lot of ideas. Difficult to fathom. Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive. Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others. Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited. Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.

DECEMBER: Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves to be loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egotistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logical.

2008-03-19T22:18:00.000-07:00

Lovey Dovey songs that have recently hit the airwaves, which I find endearing and me likey likey :-)

From Pussycat Dolls, Nicole Scherzinger's Baby Love.

From Chris Brown and Ne-Yo, I'm not such a big fan of their other songs, but these ones I really love :-)

Chris Brown's With You --- this is a live performance posted on youtube, luv the thrill!!

Ne-Yo's Because of You, I so so love this :-)

Take Survey and Earn!

2008-03-19T21:18:00.000-07:00

Click Here for Survey Answers

Step It Up!

2008-03-17T00:03:00.000-07:00

Step Up 2 is the new movie craze to hit town, especially for music and dance lovers out there!

I don't have the moves that they've got, but I like dancing, just simple grooves of my own and I love music --- so put 2 and 2 together, I just had to hit the theaters for this one! You'd be amazed and wowed out with the so slick hip dance they've got on the movie, it'd make you wish that you could do it too! I know, cuz I did! LOL Plus, the actors are easy on the eyes *winks* I heard lots of good reviews from the first one, Step Up, so now I got to check out that one, too. I know, I've got delayed reaction. HA! When Step Up 2 The Streets heats it up on DVD, I'm going to grab myself a copy too :-)

writing updates :-)

2007-11-05T09:18:00.000-08:00

Hello to whoever's stumbling upon this lil blog of mine over here, thanks for dropping by :-)

Here's an update on my other writings:

I recently started on helium, happy reading!

http://www.helium.com/user/show/286175

My first book --- Bella Maria

I have been submitting it before to a few local publishers then I just decided to why not do it online. This way, it can reach you more, pretty cool! Now, it's here, finished! I wrote it in Tagalog, my native language, to capture the essence of "Filipinoness" with a raw emotion. It is a fictional romantic story. Check it out, get yourself a copy and let me know what you think of it. Go ahead, tell others about it! I'd truly appreciate it! Many thanks :-)

http://www.lulu.com/content/763849

The Movies --- All By Myself

2007-08-05T13:33:00.000-07:00

*singing* ala-Celine Dion *All By Myself* Yep! For the first time in my life, I recently saw the movies by myself. I watched The Simpsons The Movie. Usually, I go to the cinema theater either with my family or friends. For a good laugh, go see The Simpsons. It also tackles different issues with a sense of humor on it. Good way to spend some relaxing time, especially if you've been watching the cartoon show, you wouldn't want to miss this one. My fave part was between Lisa and the boy when they first met, especially with Lisa's reaction when the boy told her "nice name" that had me laughing! Also the husband-wife moment when Homer was asking Marge that once-in-a-lifetime thing that a lifetime partner would do for the beloved, along those lines, that was like an aaawwwww moment.

In the Philippines, the movie theaters have different tix counters for each show. While in USA, there's one main ticket counter. Also, there's a price difference in the ticket when you catch the show at an earlier time, like before 5 or 6 p.m., it's cheaper. In the Philippines, it's standard rate whatever time you come on. There are price differences when you see the movie like in THX or depending if it's like a current, hit show, it's slightly higher. Other than that, it's regular tix price. The lines could get really long, actually it depends on the movie if it's a big hit, people anywhere around the world would line up for it.

The movie snack prices cost higher in America but the serving is bigger. There's more variety in the Philippines, you can have hotdogs or burgers, even pizza, aside from popcorn and chips. Sometimes, there's customer service from the snack bar that goes to the theater to sell it there.

When it comes to rest rooms, each cinema has its own rest room in the Philippines. In USA, from the one that I went to, there's one main rest room before you enter the theater.

In USA, the cinemas are not that big compared to the Philippines'. It's more compact, like a more personal viewing. The cinema theaters in the Philippines are normally big and you can also watch the movie as many times as you like, as long as the show is not the reserved seating one. They also clean up after each show, from what the moviegoers snacked on, trash are picked up by janitors.

More on to the road to adventures :-)

Choices --- The Grocery Aisles

2007-07-21T08:21:00.000-07:00

In life, there are many choices laid out before us on which path to travel on. An analogy dawned on me about life just by walking through the grocery aisles. *light bulb* :-p

In the Philippines, where I live since birth, we have different items to choose from. In ice cream, there are brands available such as Magnolia, Selecta, Arce Dairy, among many others. Typically, it is just a small aisle of freezer for ice cream. In visiting USA, I was amazed at the many, not just many but many, many, many choices abounding. Just walking through the many aisles for ice cream, it's like Disney World! It'd take me forever to go through every brand and pick out a selection! Yeah, that sounds like an exaggeration, but there are definitely more options.

That is how it is with life, too. There are many crossroads we encounter and we decide on which direction to take. Don't take for granted the choices presented to us in our life's journey. We may be bounded by certain limitations on some situations, but we can always make the most out of it.

Spidey, too webby indeed!

2007-05-20T09:19:00.000-07:00

Too long! That's what went on in my mind while sitting through the whole movie of Spider-Man 3. I don't know, maybe I was also in an unappreciative mood cuz I had a bad cold while watching it and had been keeping my eyes closed for most parts. Why did Harry have to die?! I'll just cut this short and not have a runaround like Spidey did. LOL

Finding One's Way Back Into Love with Music and Lyrics

2007-03-29T08:51:00.000-07:00

When I saw the movie poster of Music and Lyrics at the cinema theater, I just knew that I had to watch it! I love music and am also into writing, lyrics wise, so the title itself is a good enough reason for me, add more to that with Drew Barrymore and Hugh Grant being on it, they're one of my faves. Good thing that my family also voted into seeing it :-)

It's a cute romantic comedy. Gives giddy feelings especially for hopeful, not hopeless, romantics like me ;-) I like Pop! Goes My Heart song and the hairstyle of Hugh, wow! LOL My favorite song from Music and Lyrics is Way Back Into Love.

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A Heroic Night at the Museum with Happy Feet

2007-02-01T07:43:00.000-08:00

We saw Happy Feet last December and Night at the Museum this January.

Happy Feet is very entertaining and has a valuable environmental message. I liked the music and had good laughs, too. There was an admirable audience at the movie theater who applauded when it ended, showing appreciation for its concerns for the environment. :-)

Night at the Museum had me roaring with so much laughter. I enjoyed it! The movie also moved me with its touching message about a father.

Eragon, The Rider and The Dragon

2007-01-20T08:33:00.000-08:00

If you like watching movies that are into legends like Lord of the Rings and Narnia, you wouldn't want to miss seeing Eragon based on a novel by Christopher Paolini with its screenplay written by Peter Buchman.

An interplay of words, RidER and DrAGON.

My siblings and I used to play a traditional board game of Dungeons and Dragons when we were kids. My brother was more into it but we were all captured by its mystifying adventure. I vaguely remember how it was played but I do know it had something to do with dragons :-) but of course! LOL

From the start of the movie itself, the main character, Eragon played by Ed Speleers, does give the impression that one would have expected more from a Rider, which was the message that they exactly wanted to deliver and did. A relationship between the Rider Eragon and the Dragon Saphira is built on loyalty and trust, with strength and courage. Following one's instinct would have to take guts to be able to follow it through and through.

Avril Lavigne's inspiring song, Keep Holding On, ends the motion picture.

Here it goes again! OK GO

2006-11-12T09:20:00.000-08:00

This song and video by OK GO never fails to put me in a good mood. Everytime I hear it on the radio, it gives me this upbeat feeling, although it takes some figuring out for me when it comes to its lyrics. The video, so much fun! Well-choreographed and amazingly done *kudos*. If you haven't heard or seen it yet, check it out! If you have, it's worth repeating over and over...here it goes again!

The Milenyo

2006-10-07T11:16:00.000-07:00

Year 2006 on a Wednesday night, September 28, my father arrives home with candles and batteries declaring "a big storm will hit us." We always have in stock candles and batteries for emergencies but he bought some extra ones when he overheard it on the radio that a heavy typhoon will directly hit Metro Manila after 11 years and we wondered and didn't realize until the next day...

I woke up with gushes of wind breezing through my entire bedroom and hearing doors slamming all over the house. Noticing that my electric fan was not rotating, "gggaahhhhh brownout!" Brownout is the term used in the Philippines for blackout, no electrical power. As I got up and say my usual daily prayer, things will turn out to be unusual after all for the next days.

"It is a big one and it will get stronger by noon!" as my father went on to light some candles, even though it was daytime, the darkness of the clouds have loomed over. "Radio! We need to put on the news," I said as I went to put on batteries on the radio. "Dang! It's not working! These are new batteries, right?" I said and my father replies "Yes, those are the ones I bought yesterday." "It must be busted," I thought as I fumble with the batteries, looking at the negatives and positives of its input as my dad beams it with a flashlight. "Maybe it's the other way around," my dad suggested. So I did. Yep, it was inverted alright, I mistook the top from the bottom direction. Flipping through the stations, "Bingo! We've got the news on!" I placed the radio dead center in the living room so everybody could hear the updates.

There was some difficulty in cooking our lunch because the strong winds kept blowing the flame off on the stove. Yet somehow, we had a delicious meal and savored it more because of the rough times ahead. In the next days to come, we had candlelit meals together on the dining table with no television as one of our companions.

Heavy rains and very strong winds! We had a respite for several minutes...to which we were hoping that that was the last of it but had a nagging thought that we were just in the eye of the storm...

I stand outside in our garage together with my father, mother, third and youngest brothers. We could clearly see the clouds moving swiftly. Next thing we see, a large flock of birds are flying away, no --- make that being carried away crazily in haywire directions by the strongest winds ever that the birds have encountered in Metro Manila after more than a decade. An idea my third brother gave --- have you seen the movie The Day After Tomorrow where there's a scene when they get off a taxi and a flock of birds are seen flying over? That would give you an idea although in reality, with what happened, the birds could not even take hold of their own wings because the winds were just that strong! Then as we watched the clouds hover by, we started yelling "Here it comes again! The storm's coming!"

Many trees in our area blocked the roads. I admire the trees because they sacrificed themselves and caught the fury of the storm. My parents and youngest brother tried to go out earlier to buy some medicines but it scared the poo-poo out of them when a big tree slammed down over a car right in front of them!

Having no electrical power makes one imaginative on how to spend the passing time. I gave it a shot in singing in the eerie darkness but my brothers were shushing me because I sing like a strangled cat! hahhaaaa There's also some bonding time like story telling, communication works since there's no distraction like t.v. or computer, etc. As my Papa mentioned, it was like going back to the Stone Age. We had no electricity for a few days and we're one of the fortunate ones to have it back on since many areas still have no power.

Aftermath of the storm --- damages...most nuisance of all are the big billboards that have toppled over and caused accidents. Even without a storm, they're actually a nuisance to drivers on the road. Most devastatingly hit was Sorsogon, our hometown province. The family house there needs to be rebuilt since it was wrecked. There had been plans already of rebuilding it even before the storm hit but this time, it's like God was saying "yep! It's really about time to have it fixed."

The never-ending excitement, life in the Philippines, continues :-)

Adventure with Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man's Chest

2006-08-28T00:38:00.000-07:00

A special feast treat for all Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom fans is the series of Pirates movies. If you're also up for an adventure, then Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man's Chest is the movie for you.

The part that had me laughing so hard was when Captain Jack Sparrow was escaping, him being tied up in a big stick with the natives throwing fruits at him and ending up catching all those fruits, the whole escape routine, along with Will Turner and Black Pearl comrades on those big cage balls.

Great artistic job from makeup to costumes, the entire set. Fantastic acting and directing for the entire cast.

It makes you want to hop on board the ship, anchors away! With an interesting hanging ending, a craving for At Worlds End is definitely there!

Don't Click Your Life Away

2006-08-21T00:55:00.000-07:00

Life is too short to live it too fast. Savoring every moment in one's life makes it more meaningful and adds depthness to it. We can't be taking things, in fact -- people, our loved ones, for granted. Otherwise, we'd lose it all before we even know it.

That's what I like about Adam Sandler's movies. He has a good taste in sense of humor and imparts wisdom, life's lessons with his comedy style.

Although at first, I wasn't actually so keen in seeing the movie because I thought it seemed corny, just about a remote control. I mean, like, what was so great about that? Still, we went on to see the movie and I've heard good reviews about it. It's an Adam Sandler movie and I've seen most of his works and always ended up liking them so why not just give it a chance and go see it. So at the cinemas that's what we picked. I'm glad that my parents, my youngest brother, and I watched it. It's a really good movie and has a lot of heart in it. I even ended up having tears flowing down.

In this cool Click movie, having a universal remote control gives you the "power" over things --- but does it really? Or is it the one that actually "controls" you?

Adding spice to the movie is a wonderful cast with their insights on it. Naturally, it wouldn't be complete without a cameo role from Rob Schneider. My youngest brother had a good eye in easily recognizing him. Great make-up job from Rob's Prince Habeeboo (uncredited), to gaining heavy weight, and to gracefully aging for all the cast.

Check out the nearest theater near you. Be ready to be touched and awakened by its heart-warming message.

Superman Returns and I've been waiting

2006-08-02T02:57:00.000-07:00

"Will I see you around? I'm always around." Aaaaahhhhhhhh THUD

Brandon Routh uncannily resembles the original Superman, the great Mr. Christopher Reeves. I can safely say that Brandon cannot ever replace Mr. Reeves but nevertheless, amazingly did an awesome job in following his footsteps. He, indeed, was the right and perfect choice for Superman Returns. For Lex Luthor, Kevin Spacey superbly played the character, a homerun, having his own Spacey-Luthor touch to it. He has that eerie feeling got down so well, a villain at heart!

I sentimentally loved that part wherein Superman and Lois Lane (beautifully played by Kate Bosworth) were flying over the city and in the background, an orchestra rendition of the original Superman theme is being played...lovely! Utterly gushed over it *heavenly*

I feel sad over the predicament of Richard White (cute James Marsden) in having the love of his life, Lois Lane, in love with somebody else, and in this instance, it just had to be Superman. In reality, what does one do in that situation? Do you let go of your love knowing he/she will be happy with someone else? Or do you fight for your love till the end, give yourself a fighting chance? If you were Lois Lane, who do you choose? Someone who loves you and has been there for you in everything or somebody who just takes your breath away and sweeps you off your feet but with some complications?

In terms of movie concept, it would be injustice if I compare the original to the new one since I can hardly remember how it was back then. Hey, I was a kid, and I've got pea-sized memory!
lol :-p

Allow me to say it again --- Will I see you around?
I'm always around *resuscitate* ;-)

Holding on to the Lake House

2006-07-25T06:14:00.000-07:00

How do you hold on to someone you've never met? This is the tagline from the movie The Lake House starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock.

I am a fan of both Keanu and Sandra from way back in Speed. Having them come back in the big movie screen together was the initial reason that made me want to see the movie. A friend had mentioned the movie to me and I also returned the favor by telling my friends about the movie ;-) . Personally though, the tagline itself stirred my heart strings. To quote lines from the trailer such as:

It’s the one place I’ve felt most like my true self.
It’s beautiful, seductive even.
Ridiculous!
For argument’s sake, what day is it there?
This is insane!
Can this be happening?
This house is about connection.
Even though this is clearly impossible, it’s amazing.
How’s your sunset? It’s perfect. I only wish you were here to share it with me.
Here’s a little something for you.
It’s kind of a long distance relationship.
Oh, you’re gonna think I’m crazy.
More real to me than anything I’ve ever known.
Pick a place, I’ll be there. I promise. How?
One man I can never meet. Him, I would like to give my whole heart to.

These lines have had me on wishful thinking mode. Upon seeing the movie itself, all the more I fell in love with its story. Although a bit confusing at first for someone who does not have an idea of what the movie is about, you may be turned off by the time changes. But if you're so into it, like I was, one can easily grasp the movement of the story. You can even predict it from the start :o)

Funny moments that had me really laughing were when both Keanu and Sandra were writing at the same time and waiting for each other's letters, with the mailbox handle moving. Also the instance when Keanu was making reservations at the restaurant, totally cracked me up!

When Sandra called Keanu a coward because he did not have the nerve to tell Kate it was him, same thing went thru my mind, "coward." lol

Heart-wrenching time was when Alex (Keanu) was grieving from the loss of his father. Kate (Sandra) , physically couldn't be there by his side, but nevertheless reaching out to him in a way she could comfort him. Feeling what the characters were going through, it had me teary-eyed. The desire in being there for someone when you can't be makes the longing even greater.

And the ending...I'm not going to tell about it, you'll know when you see it.

Now the question, how do you hold on to someone you've never met? My answer, I just do. ;-)