Apologies

Talk about bad luck: our laptop and desktop both decided to break down on the same week! I have been using my brother's iPod to check my e-mail and keep up with blog tasks and clients. I still am taking pictures for my Project365 though I am not able to post the pictures. My last entry was last week. I want the entries to look consistent, and the template I use for the Polaroid frame's on my laptop.

Brought the laptop back to the guys who worked on its repairs a month ago. I was actually disappointed because I thought my machine would perform better after the repair. But NO. After a month, it started acting up again like the first time it was broken.

I also feel sad that this happened on the same week my younger brother need to work on the last chapters and revisions of his thesis. I also am working on a research on cheap auto insurance that was due on the same week.

I am trying my best to learn how I can do my daily blog tasks using my brother's iPod. It's really tough to type using a touch screen gadget. But this is all I got so I better make the most of it.

Day 050 of 365: Elbi

6am – en route to Los Banos, Laguna. Mind you, I didn't even need a sleep aid to be able to rest and wake up this early, hehe.

8am – arrived in Pook Ni Maria Makiling.

9am to 5:45pm – one of the best weekends of the year :D

Road trips are always fun. We started this tradition some three years ago. And every year, it gets better.
Sausages and hotdogs are the main menu for this trip. We also had wine and a couple of beers.

Day 049 of 365: Mila

Strawberry cream pie made by Olive’s mom, Ma’am Mila. Too delicious, I bet I’ll be dreaming about this for a while.

Day 048 of 365: Gates

I was walking along SM Makati going to the MRT Station when I noticed this earlier tonight. My camera phone’s is really crappy at taking pictures, but was thankful that it did capture how the sky looked like.
It was something surreal, like one would only picture while reading a Gaiman book.

The moon was shining brightly but was covered with black clouds (or maybe smog or the safest fat burners...LOL what?!) thus the effect.

Nature have been painting beautiful pictures lately. I love it.

Weekend Movies

Weekends have been a regular movie marathon for me. Half of the day (usually mornings) will be my time to write tasks from clients. The topics ranges from pre workout supplement reviews to the latest gadget on the market. The length varies, but I have developed a system that helps me to finish everything in less than a day. How I do it deserves another entry, haha.

Now movies to watch this weekend; here's what comes to mind:

•  Pirate Radio
• Howl
• re-watch Black Swan
• Autumn In New York

Day 047 of 365: Polvoron

Bunso gave me these yummy polvoron this morning. He seldom gives treats like these so I thought I document it. He’s never the sweet one among us three siblings. But he is the smartest and the most patient.

I love you, Bunso.

Who Is Arcade Fire?

The online community had been buzzing about this unknown band who beat Lady Gaga and Lady Antebellum at this years Grammy Awards. While I was researching for roadside assistance plan, messages are popping here and there from the Twitter and Facebook feed asking the same question: Who is Arcade Fire?

With the music industry dominated by pop and hip-hop music, it really was a surprise for a lot of people for this underground band from Montreal to beat the more popular nominees. The 8-piece band won Album of the Year at the 2011 Grammy Awards and Best International Album at the 2011 Brit Awards.

I’ve heard a couple of their songs before but only had the curiosity to listen to their whole The Suburbs album after their Grammy win. I like their sound. I guess I’ll have to listen more to their LP before I could give a full verdict.

Maria Aragon is Little Gaga

I was busy writing a draft for my article on accutane reviews when someone tweeted about a video that's has been gaining buzz on YouTube. The message read:

10-year old Filipina-Canadian sings Lady Gaga’s new single, Born This Way

The word ‘10-year-old’ and ‘Filipina’ was the reason why I clicked the link. And I am glad I did because it was the first time I fully understood the lyrics of Gaga’s latest single. It sounded like a ripp-off of Madonna’s Express Yourself, but it has it’s beautiful points.

Here’s the video of Maria Lourdes Aragon’s cover of Lady Gaga’s Born This Way. Prepare to be blown away:

Day 046 of 365: Coils

Thank God for scented mosquito coils!

Whether we like it or not, mosquitoes are part of our ecosystem. These little vampires, if you still remember your basic Biology, breeds in stagnant water and some trees and plants.

We literally live up a hill and surrounded by trees so mosquitoes here are like mutants. They’re twice as big as the ones you could find in a normal household. So imagine how their bite feels. Eeeek.

I am not kidding.

I only know one cheap but effective brand of mosquito repellant coils. We used to light the generic green ones and place them away from chair slipcovers. I hated those because it always gives me and my mom nasal allergies because of its strong smell. Now they have a violet, lavender-scented variant. The smell is still strong but not as worst as the green one.

10 Things Filipino Drivers Should Know

I got this from Ms. Sarah Meier-Albano’s post on Tumblr. I thought it's important to spread this kind of information as much as one can for the benefit of those who own cars and drives a PUV. Might read this one to my father and my uncle who frequents EDSA and other roads in Metro Manila before writing a few laptop reviews:

10 Things That Drivers Should Know

1. MMDA Enforcers are not allowed to group together while apprehending a motorist. They are not even allowed to stand together in groups of two (2) or more, except in actual times of special operations (e.g. apprehending groups of smoke-belching/colorum buses).
2. Swerving is not a traffic violation. It is defined as a movement wherein vehicles shift from a lane to another. However, it can constitute the offense of reckless driving if it is done without precautions (e.g. swerving in an abrupt and careless manner, swerving without the use of signals).
3. A driver’s license cannot be confiscated by a Traffic Enforcer during traffic apprehensions except on the following situations:

      a. The driver was involved in a traffic accident

      b. The driver has accumulated three (3) or more unsettled violations

      c. The driver has been apprehended for the following violations:

• Allowing another person to use driver’s license
• Broken sealing wire
• Broken taximeter seal
• Colorum operation (cargo/passenger vehicle)
• Driving against traffic
• Fake driver’s license
• Fake/altered taximeter seal
• Fake/altered sealing wire
• Fast/defective/non-operational/tampered taxi meter
• Flagged up meter
• Illegal or unauthorized counter-flow
• Illegal transfer of plates/tags/stickers
• Joined/reconnected sealing wire
• No driver’s ID
• Ignoring Organized Bus Route (OBR) interval timers (for 2nd offense)
• Skipping or bypassing designated OBR terminals or loading bays (for 2nd offense)
• Operating on contractual basis
• Out of line operation
• Overcharging (with or without conductor) (for the 2nd offense)
• Refusal to convey passengers to destination/trip-cutting (Taxis and Public Utility Vehicles)
• Refusal to render service to public (Taxis and Public Utility Vehicles)
• Tampered sealing wire
• Tampered taximeter seal
• Tampering of OR/CR/CPC & other documents (spurious documents)
• Undue preference/unjust discrimination
• Using motor vehicle in commission of crime

The above-mentioned administrative violations also require a minimum of 2 hours seminar (for the drivers) at the Traffic Academy.
However, any driver who has committed three (3) or more unpaid violations, whether administrative or moving, shall also be subject to attending seminars, whose length shall be based on the results of the diagnostic exam (exam that will determine the contents of the seminar progress), which will be administered by the Agency.
*Note: If the license is to be confiscated, the Traffic Enforcer should inform the driver of the reason/s for the confiscation and the ticket validity.
If the driver refuses to surrender his driver’s license, his plate may be detached pursuant to Section 74 & 75, MC 89-105.

4. Private Vehicles are not allowed to use the yellow lane except when they are about to turn - provided that they start shifting lanes upon seeing the transition lane (broken white lines painted diagonally), that you can see around 50 meters away from an intersection. However, selective apprehension of private vehicles using the yellow lane is highly prohibited.
   The yellow lanes (1st and 2nd lanes in EDSA) are only for City Buses. City Buses are not allowed to go beyond the yellow lanes. If they do so, they will be apprehended for violating the yellow lane policy.
   Provincial buses are also not allowed to use the yellow lane. Instead, they are encouraged to use the third lane.
5. Each Traffic Enforcer has his/her own written mission order issued by the MMDA Central Admin. Apprehended drivers are free to ask for the apprehending officer’s mission order, which includes his area of responsibility, time of duty, official function. It also indicates whether or not the enforcer is authorized to issue tickets.
6. Traffic Enforcers should issue TVR in complete uniform, with visible nameplates. Traffic Enforcers are instructed to accomplish the TVR (Traffic Violation Receipt) without any delay or argument on the road, so as to avoid traffic congestion.
7. The Apprehending Enforcer is allowed to issue another TVR for Towing Fee. If the owner of the impounded vehicle fails to release his vehicle after payment of fine in the stipulated date, the impounding officer shall issue a separate TVR indicating no. of days it has remained at the impounding area.
8. Before apprehending, the Traffic Enforcer should flag down the vehicle and lead it to the roadside where it will not obstruct the flow of traffic. Traffic Enforcers should courteously inform the driver of his violation.
9. Traffic Enforcers are not allowed to ask drivers to alight from their vehicles while the apprehension is taking place. Most importantly, Traffic Enforcers are not allowed to ask or receive bribe money.
10. During traffic apprehensions, the following can be considered as a valid driver’s license:

• ID Plastic Card
• DLR / Temporary Driver’s License
• TOP (Temporary Operator’s Permit)
• International Driver’s License
• Foreign License

The Traffic Enforcer should exercise extra diligence in verifying the veracity of the data or documents presented.

If you encounter any Traffic Enforcer violating any of these, get the name of the Traffic Enforcer indicated on his/her name plate, and submit a letter of complaint addressed to the Traffic Adjudication Board (TAB), MMDA Bldg. EDSA cor. Orense St. Guadalupe Nuevo, Makati City, within 5 days after the apprehension.

In case you are involved in an argument with a Traffic Enforcer, call the MMDA Hotline 136, or the Metrobase at 0917-561-8711. Ask the Metrobase to send inspectors to go to the place where the argument is taking place for proper investigation.

You may also e-mail complaints against erring Traffic Enforcers to the MMDA thru email@mmda.gov.ph. Include full details of the incident (attach photos or videos if possible), so that they will be able to act promptly on the matter.

Day 045 of 365: Generic

I guess this is the closest I am going to get. Nothing more.

Photos From Deftones

It has been 24 hours but I still am on a Deftones high. I have their Diamond Eyes album in the background while researching for car insurance quotes. I need to be awake to be able to finish this assignment and Deftones’ latest album was the perfect soundtrack. It’s insanely loud, listening to it is like swallowing a bar of dark chocolate with almonds. Here are a couple of photos from the concert. Apologies for the crappy shots as I only used my phone to take them:

Day 044 of 365: Hellcats

Dan’s back!

Spent most of my Sunday reading and catching up on TV episodes. I have a couple that I faithfully watch every week. One of them is Hellcats.

It’s about the Lancer Hellcats, a competitive cheering squad and in-between character plots. Marti Perkins and her frustration with her best friend Dan Patch is my favorite. I blame Dawson’s Creek. LOL.

Matt Barr, the guy who plays Dan, was gone for a couple of episodes. And I kinda missed his blue eyes, hehe. And now he’s back! Well, sort of.

Day 043 of 365: Impromptu

Me at the Deftones concert was totally unexpected. It was all because of my best friend, Marife. She needed a companion for the band’s concert at the World Trade Center the last minute. Actually, she already asked me if I wanted to go two weeks ago. I said I’d love to but do not have the extra cash for it.

Her plan with her friends got really complicated so she texted me this morning. She said it’ll be her treat, well not entirely because I’ll pay her back with half of the ticket’s price. But still it was a rock concert and with the biggest Deftones fan I know. Plus the last time I’ve seen Marife was December at our post-Christmas vodka party. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.

I posted pictures and videos from the concert on my Facebook page and my Tumblr blog.

Day 042 of 365: Orchestra

It’s Valentine weekend. Hearts and cupids and all other cheesy things everywhere. I am not really a fan of this celebration because traffic and heart-themed shaped donuts are a part of it.

But the one thing I love about Valentine’s Day are the free concerts malls hosts for the lovey-doveys bearing promise rings. Like this concert rehearsal I saw earlier today. It’s an orchestra and people get to watch it for free tomorrow. And was I glad to see them rehearse. Amidst the rush of all the people headed to the MRT Station, I couldn’t help but stop and listen.

It was beautiful.

My Blog in Extrakanin.tk’s Rice Rolls

Yipee! My blog is featured in http://extrakanin.tk Rice Rolls!

Thank you to Evan Quinay and the rest of the site’s team for including my blog on your blog roll. HUG.

Day 041 of 365: Apollo

I could eat this all day.

Day 040 of 365: Poet

I still am working on organizing my books on my new shelf when I found this book in one of my old boxes.

50 copies of this mini-book was printed and was given out to some teachers and classmates back in college. I cannot remember if I said thank you enough to Ma’am (now Dean) Pantaleon for sponsoring it.

This mini-book had eleven of my poems.

I couldn’t help but laugh while reading these poems after such a long time.

A part of me is saying how stupid I have been. That I dedicated and wasted these words and rhymes for the wrong person. But then I would’ve been able to write them in the first place if it wasn’t for him.

Day 039 of 365: Dehydrated

Drank two bottles of Gatorade today. I lost count of how many glasses of water I had today too. I feel so dehydrated. Well, I have been walking around a lot these past few days so maybe that’s what’s causing it. Might also be because of weather’s ever-changing mood. 

Thinking of buying the pink one tomorrow. :)

Thank You

This is long overdue, but I would like to say thank you to each and everyone who left their comments on this blog entry. I may not be one of the winners of the said contest, but I still feel like a winner because of your support. Big hugs goes out to:

• Ina Ocampo
• Mij Bautista
• Evan Quinay
• Rhona Galang-Stevens and her sister
• Honeyangel
• Issey Ronquilo
• Don Balan
• Jojoloco
• Larry Cayco
• Ayen Ulang
• Celest Flores
• Lourdes Espanol
• Cecil
• Walter Sy
• Carlos Tanada
• Sandy Luz
• Warren
• Micah Diumano
• My Tumblr Buddy
• Mayee Gonzales
• Jheisms
• Candy Gutierrez
• Macky Paralejas
• Ms. Sarah Meier
• Miswell Aprecio
• Helga Weber
• Marj Mosura-Dumont
• Grace
• all Anonymous commenters

Day 038 of 365: Endangered

If I ever get married, I wish it will be to someone like my father.

My mother would often describe him as ‘endangered specie’. She’d brag that it would be hard for me to find someone like my Papa.

Simple things make him laugh. In my 27 years of existence, I haven’t seen him cry. 

He is the most loving, patient, hard-working, kind person I know.

Bean Bag

I am glad I had time to rearrange things on my room last Christmas vacation. A lot of the things, old stuff that is, were finally removed so my room has more space than before. There are some modern furniture that I think will be perfect for filling out the space. A bean bag is part of my wish list but I am having second thoughts after I saw this beauty:

Day 037 of 365: Sunset

Best day of the year so far.

Not a lot of people know this, but I love watching the sun set. Normally, I’d witness it while inside a bus or the MRT station going home from work. It calms me. The unexplainable beauty would sometimes bring me to tears.

Today was the first time I witnessed the sun set with someone who actually feels the same exact appreciation towards it. Who stood with me for a couple of minutes to really appreciate it.

It felt good. I was happy. :)

Day 036 of 365: Walks

Every Saturday morning, my mother and father would take a walk around the neighborhood. My mother eagerly look forward to this walk. It’s her only chance to greet and have a chat with her new found friends.

I took this photo after their walk. I cannot remember how long my mother stood at that spot, half-eager and half-scared to walk around the yard. She fears with a wrong turn, she might hit a wall. 

We will forever be here, ‘ma. To tell you when to turn right or left. And we will make sure you will never, ever hit a wall. We love you.

Day 035 of 365: Remake

I am not really a fan of remakes. I sometimes wonder why bother making a remake especially of those great films that should be left untouched. Like Superman. Christopher Reeves will always and forever be the man of steel for me.

Well, save for Tom Welling of Smallville. Heh.

The remake of Let The Right One In was very Hollywood. Cinematic in every sense. Unlike it’s original Swedish version, the attempt to blatantly scare the audience is, I think, the failure of this movie.

If not for Chloe Moretz’s brilliant performance, I wouldn’t like this film at all.

Day 034 of 365: Shanghai

Cheese Sticks.

Cheesedog.

Lumpiang Shanghai.

I will be bringing this whole bag of junk food to the office tomorrow, as requested by Teloberks boys. The whole bag is only Php20 pesos, but my father said I can get the same thing from the downtown market for only Php12.

Sari-sari store these days…

Day 033 of 365: Dahl

The first time I read Roald Dahl’s ‘The Great Automatic Grammatizator’, the first story from The Umbrella Man and Other Stories, it was love at first sight. I do not know how many times I read that book. All I know is that of all my books, that’s the one I know by heart.

One of my life goals is to collect every single book Roald Dahl published. Children’s books, Adult books, collection of essays – EVERYTHING.

Reading Dahl’s work doesn’t feel like reading at all. It’s more of you’re listening to an old friend telling you stories, that makes you droll and crave for more.

Day 032 of 365: Breezy

Quoting my friend Ina on Twitter:

brrrr..... pasko na ba ulit? sobrang lamig! tas naalala ko balentayms na... josko, mas nanlamig ako hehehe

That is the same thing I’ve been asking myself while on my way to the bus station earlier this afternoon. The wind’s blowing like crazy, it’s like someone switched an invisible aircon to ‘High’.

It’s the first day of February.

First day of February. The second month of the year. Wow. What happened to my January?