Goodbye 2008, Hello 2009

Only a single day left before we 2008 finally ends. Another year of failure and success is bound to take its exit in our lives. A great deal of events had happened during the last 364 days of this year. I graduated, left home, had a small business, stayed unmotivated to work, annoyed with monotony As I looked back, waves of mixed emotions swept through me, happiness, melancholy, emptiness, distrust and the list goes on. It’s all but natural to feel these things. We are humans after all, sensitive to every stimulus inevitable for us to stumble upon.

This year has not been that good enough for me. Or is it just me who made it that way? I felt reprehensible of everything that happened. Life could have offered me more if I have not been complacent of what I am. Nevertheless, I am still thankful for all the blessings I have received. Maybe I was just expecting too much that I fail to recognize life’s little pleasures.

With a deep sense of gratification, I am finally pining for another year of chances. The gaffes I have committed in the past should not impede me from moving forward, instead, it should have serve as a motivation for me to do better, to be more responsible with my career.

I have no regrets after all the blunders I came across. It made me immerge as a better person. I have lessons learned and plans laid out. However, I should not live with either the past or the future. I should live with the present, should live with "now".

Life goes on. Let us not be stocked with the past and welcome another year of prosperity.

My christmas, my vote

My Christmas

Christmas was over. How well did you spend it? Mine was just as simple as eating together with my family as we wait for midnight. We ate, talked, and laughed collectively as we shared different tales of our own. It was most likely a simple reunion given that we lived separately since mom died. It was a perfect time to be reunited. More than the gifts, perfect crisp bills and foods, nothing beats family togetherness this festive season. The warmth cheers and sense of belongingness everyone felt during the once-a-year Noche Buena is incomparable with any material thing the malls can offer. Still, at the end of the day, it is not the quantity in your pocket that counts as the spirit of Christmas, it is the quality of time with your loved ones that is.

My vote

Before the holidays, I had a conversation with Ate Lainy regarding a contest of Kuya Jessie. I did not join it instead, I decided to be voter. The contest winners will be determined by popularity. Of course, This is so me votes for Lainy (woohoo).

I almost forgot that today was the deadline of the said contest. Thanks to my calendar hehe. I know my promise of voting you was long overdue Ate Lainy. I hope my vote helps. And to all the contestants, good luck!

Shot on the Spot

It was early morning. I just woke up and was blog hopping when I saw that Lainy tagged me. My cam was just an arm reach so itched to take a shot. Here it was.

I haven’t washed my face yet but I managed to comb my hair brush my teeth before facing my computer. I was still sleepy then and even on my pajamas haha literally fresh from the bed. I blinked as the cam flashed. I expected that my eyes were still half-closed hahaha.. The photo was better than I thought except for the eye bugs hehe. If it not had been for the rules, I might have edited my pic to get rid of those eye bugs haha. I remained honest to comply with the rules. =)

Now I am tagging:
Kcat of Iam kcat
Atenean101 of Atenean101
Girlforallstatus of Tales of Pinay single mommy
Liza of Mommy's little corner
Abie of The Sweet Life
Wendy of Nurturing Nigel
Ask Ms recipe of Ask Ms recipe
Dorothy of Women's self esteem blog
Pio Jun Babia of Pio Jun Babia
Jemade of Only ones and zeros are allowed

Here are the rules:
1. DON'T change your clothes.
2. DON'T fix your hair.
3. Just take a picture.
4. Post that picture with NO editing.
5. Tag 10 people to do this.

I hope you guys will have fun as much as I did. =)

Get going with Dneero

A bum's life

April, May, June, July, August, September and October passed quickly. November has passed too and yet, I am still a bum. I am not really that shiftless loafer since I have a small business to be occupied of. Though small, just enough to support some of my needs and wants and somehow help my relatives.

The most rewarding part of it is having control of my time. There are no superiors to be reported to and there is no compelling rush to beat off the time card compare to the usual rushing employees I can picture out in MRT stations. I have a complete liberty of time. However, I am obliged to stay at home that makes my life gets boring each day. I am not a home buddy. Way back college, staying at home is only an option when I felt like doing necessary household chores, schoolwork, or felt an urge to finish a good book. But life is far different now than it was when I was a student. I have already graduated that made my excuse for leaving and going to school for a project turned to be an ineffective lie.

Thanks for the company of my computer that temporarily eases me every time dull moments strike me just like this time. Blogging has been a productive hobby to deflect my monotony that gives me an opportunity for self-improvement and discovery. Blogging has proven me there is an illimitable, borderless world of learning with just several taps on the keyboard and clicks on the mouse. I have more yet to learn and achieve which is, I know beyond the four walls of this room.

We have a plan to work and study in Australia next year. It seems that February, the start of the school year, is still so distant for me to wait this early on until I realized I haven’t had a passport yet haha. Time ticked twice more than I anticipated. I have several requirements left to consider including my IELTS application, its result, certainly, a passport and more than ever, the say-so of my family. I also would like to be a flight attendant which is another tale to tell. I have my options on hand. None of them weighed much on my decision yet. One thing is certain, I do not want to live another year as a bum. This would be the first and the last. Next year would be my time to do extremely well. I will make things happen with this impetus I am exerting a great deal of effort to gather. The most important thing I need to do by now is learn to get out of my shell, to prepare my exodus from my comfort zone.

photo from Flickr

My little miss Paulinian shirt

I bought my own little miss Paulinian shirt. It was cute. I miss everything about St. Paul, the stern policies, the checkered black and white skirts, the Hymns and Prayers, the SPC sisters, St. Paul’s week. Everything. I was a true-blooded Paulinian from kindergarten to college. I was even given Loyalty Award haha. my next step? to be one of the SPC sisters someday hahahaha ~_^.

Actually I do not have an inkling that this shirt was out for sale until Adrian told me once. Shortly after, I have seen some shirts for sale in Multiply accounts. Other versions were available for Ateneans, Knollers, Scholasticans, Povedans, Gorling Tigers and the like. Good thing we had spotted the booth itself at Trinoma that saved me from the bother of buying online. =)

Does it look good on me?

Rob Pattinson ... Bite Me ... Please!

I haven't watched the movie yet. As a Twilight fan, I participated in this survey. =)

Twilight Move Premiere

I’m down to the fourth and last sequel of Twilight which is Breaking Dawn. But, I cannot suppress the thrill that tomorrow is the most awaited day of the Twilight fanatics. Count me in. =) SM Cinemas will be holding Twilight: Sneak Preview tomorrow in selected SM Cinema branches. Bella with the Cullen vampire coven will soon officially rip out the theaters here in the tomorrow during the premiere night. Reportedly, the film gained $35 million on the opening day and 70.6 million during the opening weekend. Isn’t that bloody?

Twilight trivia invade the local radio with premiere tickets up for grabs. I would really want to have two. But, theaters will surely be jam packed by tomorrow and the next so I would prefer another day for Edward Cullen hahaha. I’ll save my excitement from now.

Hooked as I was with the saga, I even dreamed of being a vampire lol. I just wonder will I also be that beautiful like Rosalie or acquire a special skill like Alice? Haha It was not clear if I played Bella in my trance. All I remembered was at the meadow with Edward and we were running high-speed toward a river hehe.

Women nowadays still dream of a fairytale ending. But what they want is not a knight on a white, horse but a vampire with a shiny silver Volvo.

That was sooo Twilight hahaha. A friend sent me that message and I was like, “Yeah right, Edward is the most romantic vampire!”.

Friendster still unstable

Friendster has been down lately. Since the other day until yesterday, the website loads at a snail's pace and for quite some time, temporary maintenance has been announced at their page. What was the commotion about?
This morning I received a text message from two of my friends containing this note:

"Please be advised that Friendster has suffered a great damage on their site as a computer named h4xor-nightmare had infiltrated their database. Please do not log in your accounts or add friends for the time being for the team is currently recovering the losses that were inflicted. Please spread."

This was really disconcerting though it was not mentioned whom this message originally came from, whether or he/she is trustworthy. I am not exactly the best judge of what is and isn't reliable. I am just apprehensive of what was going on so I send the same message to some of my friends.

I started using Friendster four years ago. I created my account when I was still in my senior years in highschool. From then, I have accumulated 1000+ friends. I have met new and old friends including strangers from the online community. hehe Friendster seem to be an online assurance that even though people do not personally met, still, we have this kind of connection that allows us all to be updated of each others' lives. Our connection cannot be broken by absence or distance, we are just a click away from a friend or relative. That was a some days ago when Friendster had not been plagued yet.

Snapping back to reality, regrettably, as I logged in my account, the number of my friends was trimmed off from 1000+ to 55. Imagine that? That was not even a fourth or a tenth of my friendlist. I have been whining about this since yesterday. I know I am not only the sole person who felt this loss. I am not blaming those people behind Friendster. I know setbacks are encountered by everyone. I hope that will problem will be resolved, if not that soon, at least, be resolved successfully with losses recovered.

Eclipse ebook

I have read New Moon through an ebook. I have settled for another e book again, Eclipse, the third installment of the Twilight Saga. It was not by choice since, again, for the nth time, Twilight books were out of stock. The demand for the romance novel was high and copies are being sold so quickly. I always wear that long face every time I step out of bookstores finding nothing. How I wish I would have the complete set available in hard bound copies. At least, I would not be fussing this much in looking for it.

My only solace lies on the ebooks available here in the Internet. They are absolutely free. You just have to sign up and join the forum. They are even available in other dialects.

I am totally a Twilight fan. I can not even suppress my enthusiasm when I start reading. I even cried when Edward bade goodbye to Bella in New Moon hahaha I can relate with it hehe For me nothing is more surprising than this, Kcat of Iamkcat even read Twilight thrice and New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn twice! Can you imagine that? I guess she was really into Edward like me hahaha. Yeah she's right, what's not to love about Edward? By the way, thanks Kcat for the ebook. =)

photo from Flickr

8 Random Facts About Me

I've been tagged by Ate Lainy. This was my second tag so far. Thanks Ate Lainy!

Rules:

1. Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 8 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 8 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blog.
4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Here are eight facts about me:

1. I love blueberry cheesecake. But I do not eat the fruit itself, just the syrup hehe.
2. I always sleep early but still ending up waking late in the morning.
3. Apart from blogging, either I read books or edit pictures through Adobe during my spare time.
4. My social life has been on hiatus. It has been a stretched time since I got the chance to go out with my girlfriends.
5. Before I started blogging, I was hooked up playing online games then I realized I should use my time wisely so I opted to blog.
6. I once dreamed to be an accountant but I am not closing my doors to study again and be one someday.
7. I am afraid to drive the reason why until now I haven’t learned to do it. I was caught up with trauma when we nearly hit a tree as I was being taught on how to drive several years ago. Thank God, handbrakes were invented.
8. When I do not feel sleepy yet, I lie on bed, wag my feet together left and right and eventually, after some minutes, I would be in deep slumber then hehe.

I am tagging:

Kcat of I am kcat, Tessa of Daily whispers, Jemade of Only ones and zeros are allowed, Pink of Pink Hues,Kiko of Unappreciat-ED, Marly of Kuting's Place, Repah of D English version of Repah, Atenean 101 of Atenean 101

Silent Saturday

This was a picture taken from TGI Friday's Tomas Morato. It was a block away from ABS-CBN. Kapamilya stars visiting Friday's has been a common scene during my practicum days in the restaurant.

I have downloaded a New Moon ebook

I am done reading Twilight just yesterday and I am still hungry for Bella and Edward's love story. I am getting crazy over the novel and I love Edward! hahaha I can't wait to see the movie.
The next installment of the story is New Moon. I have looked for it yesterday at the bookstores but, just like what I have experienced in Twilight, its out of stock. Now, after reading Twilight, I wonder no more why these books ran out easily. I have been witness as I read the novel and its really worth the time and effort consumed with it. Once you start reading it, it would be hard for you to put it down even just for a while. Hmmm Curious? Why not read the book yourselves =).
Though I haven't found a copy of New Moon yet, luckily, I have downloaded an ebook just a while ago. Good thing I can read it while waiting for New Moon stocks over the bookstores. And hurray! It's for free! I am excited to read it. But before anything else, I will eat my breakfast first. =) I'll surely have a good day.

photo from Flckr

My new home

Haven’t you notice yet? I have my new address. =) I have purchased my own domain already. Lainy was really an angel sent. If it not had been for her, I might not be rejoicing now for my new domain. It was not difficult at all. Lainy guided me through the process. It went swimmingly except for few server errors I have encountered while going through my registration. I nearly was giving up then thinking that there’s going to be another day to do it. But, as I was ready for my retreat, when I got back to the tab, I saw it was already a success. I felt a wave of relief and satisfaction. Whew!

My blog was in transition for the past three days. I have been busy now updating my links. I do not now what's in store for my new domain. I am just wishing for the best. Can I ask you guys a favor? Please do update my link to www.rielity.com if it isn’t too much to ask though. =) Have a nice day everyone!

Pre-Christmas Treat

I accompanied my niece, Jane, who was only a year youngerthan me, to buy stuffs for her upcoming OJT and at the same time, to get away even a day from my daily routines at the shop. Yesterday was such a perfect day. Our first mall stop was at Trinoma.

Twilight hunt again

We wasted no time and hurried through National Bookstore. My heart thumped faster, no, not of excitement but because of our rush to the store that made us almost run haha. Load of books were displayed outside the store. Without a blink, my eyes surveyed the books for a tinge of hope I might be able to see Twilight. I was about to lose the possibility when Jane told me “there it is.” I was delighted! I really was! Hearing those words seem music to my ears haha. I approached the cashier inside the store and asked for a stock. She pointed us at the Bestsellers Section. There I found several Twilight books. I grabbed a copy. The cashier even told us that it was just freshly delivered. Batches of the Twilight saga ran out easily according her. I was lucky! Oh boy! I was so happy as left the store and I can’t wait to go home to blog about that very good news. My hunt was finally over. =) It feels so great that I have something to read during the weekend especially on Saturday as we spend our time at the cemetery.

Flip flop fad

Never in our visit to Trinoma that we failed to drop by at All Flip Flops. It has been always been predictable since I was with Jane, a self-confessed Havaianatic haha. There were no new designs. But, when we came to visit another branch at Glorietta, another array of collection rendered us speechless. The design was fairly plain but the metallic and golden print of the brand made it beyond compare. At one moment, I thought it was so excessive to buy another pair. I have been a liar convincing myself that it’s not haha. But on another sprung, I remembered it has been ages ever since I bought something for myself, reasonable yet enough =). I bought it as a gift for myself.

I won at Lainy’s Contest

I went home still feeling the pain on my feet. It was so tiring walking all day at the mall. I felt sleepy then but I needed to open the computer to load up someone. I checked my blog, as I always did every chance I got. I read some messages at the chatbox. My eyes were feeling heavy then. I was so surprised when I read Joy’s message saying congratulations for winning Lainy’s Contest. I winked, read the message again, and then another wink as I opened Lainy’s blog for the winners. I can’t believe my eyes. And blimey! There was the name of my blog! It was so unexpected. Ranking second all among the participants never crossed my mind. I was so lucky. Ate Lainy even told me that I was the only one here in Luzon who bagged the prize. It was so timely. The prize I will be receiving will be utilized to regain my ranks and traffic as I was planning to move. Thanks a lot Ate Lainy! Especially to your kind hearted sponsors and congratulations to all the winners. I’ll be looking forward to another contest next year hahaha

Indeed, yesterday was really my day. =) I may never have expected it all but they really made my day! =)

I want to move

Blogger is my second home. This has been my address for about several months now. Apart from its friendly features, web site service is offered for free which makes my blogging hobby easy and convenient. But, just like other bloggers would prefer to have, having my own domain exerts a powerful pull in my imagination. I am still hesitant to have my own for two major reasons. First, having my own domain would definitely mean a fall of my Alexa and Technorati rankings which I find distressing. But, given that there are traffic sites, especially superb Entrecard, this problem can be persistently be solved it would just take time over. I am optimistic that I can build them back once more for my new domain. If I have done it before, I can do it again. =) The second bigger reason is the fact that I do not know how to have my own domain. Sounds silly? Hehe Forgive me. I have no one to ask about this stuff. There are many sites offering web hosting services but I am clueless on which is the best to use. Questions like “What does it require to have one?” and “Do I need to fix some sort of configuration?” continue to perplex my mind the very thought of me having a new address. I want to move. If not now, when can I?

I am aware that if not all, almost all bloggers have risked to encounter and conquer this dilemma successfully. Would you mind helping me with my momentous move? Hehe I can be reached through marielle_abe (at) yahoo (dot) com. Thanks in advance!

Still unlucky

I have been eyeing for Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight book every time I come across the bookstores. As of my first hunt, I haven’t found any traces of it. The sequels are available but the initial installment is by and large, out of sight. Sigh. I got even disappointed this afternoon when I went at the bookstore. I was so eager to approach the shelf where it was located the last time I saw it, only to find out it was gone. Twilight has been out of stock again. Arrgh! Last week, I have seen it being displayed at that similar shelf with several copies. I even grabbed one to take a look. I was in high spirits way back then that I promised myself to buy it as soon as possible. I did not expect it will run off this soon. Stupid me! If only I knew, I should have not let the chance pass and bought it the last time. This was the very first time I have been crazy rummaging around for a book. The next time I had an eye on it, I would not have second thoughts on buying it.

Silent Sunday

Unrequited

You love #1, you're for falling for #2
You can't leave #1, but you can't bear losing #2
#1 can't be happy without you, #2 is your happiness
#1 gives you the world, #2 means the world to you

Who would you choose?

photo: Oh so emo

Lainy's Birthday Bash Contest

Guess what?! Time really flies, Lainy’s birthday is approaching! In celebration of her birthday, she’ll be having a contest and will be giving away lots of cool prizes. =) Sounds very interesting right? Visit Lainy's blogs for information and complete details of the mechanics.

Our Journey To Forever Lainy's Musings Kuerdas The Certified Fashionable Chic
Here are the sponsors of Lainy's contest.

The Designer Chic | AZ Blogging | My Blog Says | Mapiles.com| Your Partner Online | Twerlermz BLog | Happy Family | My Kawaii Life | Reveiling Oneself... Expressing the Real Me | Twinkletoe Writing Space | Everyday Life | My So Called Life | In The Eyes of the Beholder | A Woman Under God's Grace | Random Ramblings | Briggs Time for Escapades

The contest officially started last October 5 until October 28, 12 midnight.

To Ate Lainy, Happy Birthday! Wishing you all the best there is in life. May you inspire more bloggers. =) Godbless!

It was a loss

Again, I am talking of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, JK Rowling’s sixth installment of the Harry Potter. I was done reading it. I had my eyes glued to it for more than a week. Imagine from the time I wake up, I would get a hold of the book to read it. And finally, I have settled my eyes off it. Yehey! What a relief. =) (I will be back again with my dropping chores that I failed to fulfill the last few days.)

It was a sad, tragic ending nevertheless; I still enjoyed reading the book. I won’t contest why the author made that twist in the story. I know she has inevitable plans for the “Boy Who Lived”. I can not wait to read the seventh book which was the last one! I am so excited. I miss Harry already hehe. Hopefully the soft bounded version will be out in the market very soon. Maybe tomorrow? Hahahaha

Save lives now

During these times of our modern living, new technologies are being developed along with the discoveries of different complex diseases. Let us admit it, just as our technology continuously progresses, so as the inescapable health complications we are bound to encounter in the future. Numerous health supplements are rampant not only on commercial ads but on the Internet as well. Everybody has been keenly conscious with their health and wellness.
The good news is, C'elle have made an amazing discovery, an exclusive and revolutionary stem cell technology that empowers women to safely and easily collect non-controversial, potentially life-saving stem cells found in menstrual blood. These menstrual stem cells have demonstrated the ability to differentiate into other cell types such as heart muscle, cartilage, nerve and bone stem cells which is great and useful for future therapeutic developments to possibly treat major diseases like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, MS, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
To know more about the science of this impressive discovery, visit C'elle today. You might also be curious about how this procedure changed the lives of many, visit C'elle Client Testimonial. Why do it tomorrow if you can do it today? Save lives now.

What made me busy during the past few days?

Charan! Yes I have been reading J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince which was the book six. I failed to write some posts which were noticeable. I can not let my eyes off the book. If it had not been for this blog and for Entrecard, I would surely miss being in front of the computer.

I have been crazy over Harry since I was in high school. I was then borrowing HP books from my classmate who was also a fanatic and influenced me to be =). And now that I barely see her nor talk to her, I was compelled to have my own book haha. Good thing soft bounds are already available and affordable compare to those heavy and hard bounded ones. Actually it was not my own moola. I convinced Adrian to buy me one =). It was an eye-popping surprise. He even did wrapped it in a sweet tamarind box. I was about to give my aunt the box of tamarind (since I do not eat those) only to find out it contained the HP book! haha

I am already done reading almost three-fourths of the book. And since I have not had the seventh book, Harry Potter and the Deadly Hallows, which was the last one, I have no plan of finishing the whole book yet. =) Have a magical day everyone!

Go bingo

Playing bingo has always been a common scene in our community. I remember playing bingo with my peers and family during siestas. It was exciting especially when only few numbers are left uncalled. The urge to say “Bingo” seems to get close as the numbers are being drawn. We really had tons of fun way back those times. It has brought happiness and attachment even from the youngest up to the eldest member of our family.
Though those bonding moments were gone, still, our bingo memories will always be with us. Different games mushroomed as technology develops. Bingo, as time passed has also evolved. Now, bingo has been made more innovative and interesting through a great educational DVD and a game in one, the Disney Bingo. It was a bingo made more fun and creative with those colorful pictures and numbers on screen that would surely amaze children. Playing bingo has never been as enjoyable as this since you can see your favorite Disney characters on the screen! It is yet another chance of creating joyful bonding moments and memories with the family. Grab one now! You don’t need to look far. Get a copy of Disney DVD Bingo made available at Amazon.com and Drugstore.

My new layout

Ooops! Have you noticed anything? Yes, I have changed my layout into a more organized one. Not that my old layout made a mess on my blog but it’s not as clean as this one. It has been ages since I wanted to change it but got no time and guts to do so. I was afraid that it might turn out as a disaster thinking my widgets would be altered and worse, deleted hehe. And now that I have changed it, I'm ever so happy! I’m proud I was able to do the header by myself through photoshop and successfully modified the original header of the layout. It was an achievement for me though others may have done this easily. It took me few hours to find and edit the tags. I am no pro when comes to web design but managed even with limitations hehe.
Everything looked perfectly well, I think. But, I guess you also noticed, upon reading this post, the font size is bigger than the normal haha. I tried to edit the html and adjust the font sizes but, nothing happened. =( Can anybody help me with that?

Love, let go and learn

There are things in life that we can’t hold on forever, no matter how we fight for it. Things change, people and feelings also do. Memories are the only things that never change when everything else does. It’s an agony to accept that despite the feelings we have, it’s all not enough. Despite our willingness to leave everything for the person, it’s all not enough. It leads to a painful ending to what should have been a long and happy relationship. It’s just that some things are so close to be beyond our reach.

Loving is always a learning process. With love, we learn how to care and sacrifice. We learn to be unselfish and give more than we can even to the point that we lost ourselves. And when everything does not end well, we learn and how it feels to fall and get hurt, to sacrifice yet taken for granted. But learning does not have to end there. After the fall, even though it is difficult, we strive to get back to our own feet and move on. Letting go is one of life’s greatest challenges we continue to face. However, this is what we should learn, that life does not end when heartaches begin. It’s true that there is life in love but there can still be life even after losing love. True enough that if we are torn into million pieces, it would normally take time over to repair back ourselves again. Still, life goes on.

As Oprah did say, "you always do a little growing up every time you do a little letting go." Growth may sometimes hurt us but though the pain made us bitter, our experiences will surely make us better.

image by heather in wonderland

On pimple treatment

It is every woman’s dream and fulfillment to look good physically. Women tend to be vain especially with their faces. It may seem to be narcissistic but there is no one blameworthy of it. We, women, would like to look presentable enough in front of people we know or may not. Our confidence relies deeply on it, on our beauty. Not all are gifted with blemish free, radiant skin.

Not all are gifted with perfect glowing skin that makes head turns. Zits turn red when popped.Scars are left when every pimple erupts tirelessly for ages. I am one of those unfortunate individuals. My face is prone to pimples. Small pimples tend to mushroom daily. The dermatologist says it’s oily. That’s why I visit the facial salon whenever I have the money and time to spend.

I rue the last time I visited the facial salon for another pimple treatment. It has been more than three months since my last consultation. The result, the most painful pricking I have ever had.Pimples and soon-to-be-pimples were pricked. It felt like my face is being cut by that tiny sharp instrument used in eliminating the black and whiteheads my face has accumulated for months. Tears fell through my aching cheeks as I duel with the process. If only I could just turn back the time then, I would have visited the salon earlier. I should have visit the facial salon every month to keep my face from experiencing the same pain again.

After the session, red marks filled my face. I just kept in my mind, “no pain, no gain, don't complain."

UAAP Cheerdance 2008

Everybody’s most anticipated cheering competition was held last Sunday, September 7, 2008 at the Araneta Coliseum. Surprisingly, there were more than 23,000 crowds who attended to witness the event. Most of which were students from the UAAP participating schools to support their own pep squad.

Cheers and screams of the audience roared over the coliseum as each pep squad strut off their breathtaking stunts they have toiled to perfect months before.

It was yet another victory for the University of the Philippines Pep Squad. They bagged the UAAP Cheerdance title this year. The Salinggawi Dance Troupe of the University of Sto. Thomas failed to reclaim their spot, got the 2^nd place. Running third in place were Far Eastern University Pep Squad.

photo up rocks

Candy colored jeans anyone?

Tired and bored of your usual denim jeans? Stay fashionable and jazz up your closet with yet another trend of bright colorful skinny pants. I can relate its colors to candies, yummy and sweet. I am not actually a maniac when it comes to fashion. But whenever there is something latest and auspiciously matches my simple taste, I would most likely give it a try.

I bought green colored jeans. My cousin commented that it was overly bright for the eyes. I reckon it was not so bright. Perhaps it was just few and far between our commonly used regular pair of jeans that is why she gave that opinion. Instead, I find it hip and simple as I harmonize it with a plain white blouse, green flip flops and a headband.

Paint the town red, green, blue, pink, yellow or any color you want. Try one now and get that preppy look. =)

photo colored jeans

Corrupted memory

Aargh! Not even a single photo or a song was left in my gallery and track list. All pictures vanished instantly. Later I discovered my memory card was corrupted. I have no I idea on how it exactly happened. However, the memory card details still remained occupied with files. And yet I can not open them anymore. Sigh. There were about 400 photos stored in my memory card in addition to my favorite songs I keep. Too bad I have no back up copies. Is there in any way can I retrieve them? =(

Relive your moments with Roxio

I have always wanted to take pictures, snapshot mementos of rich experiences I have been through. Though I can not encase them all in frames, they deserved to be kept in my head. Just when I thought of having them in a photoshow with special effects such as captions, background music and splendid styles, I came across Roxio online. I gave it a try and the result it awesome! I used our pictures last summer. We had swimming with my cousins. It was so fun having us together on that night so I settled on to give it a makeover. My pictures might not be in photo albums but, I can view them instantly, hassle free with special effects that would relive the memories those times. I might as well share this photoshow with my cousins.Thanks to Roxio! May this inspire you to make your own. Be your own director of your photoshow.

I am underweight

Slim and sexy, two adjectives they frequently use to describe my body built. Two words that confuse me if those were criticism or plain compliment. With a height of 5’3” and a weight of 99 lbs., I admit I am underweight. I never gained enough weight ideal for my age and height. Some says I’m sexy having no bulging stomach but some curves to flaunt. Some even says I’m skinny because of my slender arms and legs.

I love to eat. I make sure that I eat more than enough amount of food I usually consume everyday. I even tried to eat rice four times a day apart from heavy snacks. However, though these habits were considered adequate, I still had no chance to even hit a hundred pounds on the weighing scale. Was it my metabolism that I should point my finger at?

Recently, I came across a commercial ad, Appeton Weight Gain. It is a high protein milk product fortified with vitamins and minerals that helps in gaining the required weight. Albeit its price costs pretty much, I settled on to give it a try. I am required to drink it three times a day, an hour after every meal. Actually, today is my day three. =) I am pining for the next two months to come. Let’s see how it would work.

Flip Flops Fanatic

I am an avid aficionado of flip flops, cute, comfortable and posh they are. I was never used to wear shoes except when some occasions require for it. I am thankful that gone are those days that I have to wear two inches shoes as I stride off to school. Gone are those days that I have to hold back the pain as I exert all my effort walking through the lofty stairs to hurry for our classes. Gone are those times that I caught my head up at the ceiling of the jeepney as I get on and off it. Those were the times I was really reluctant to wear high-heeled shoes. Feminine and classy they may seem, but it terribly hurts my feet. Good thing, goodbye to those sorrowful days. What a relief.

When going out, I prefer to wear flip flops. I love it when I can wiggle my toes after a long exhausting walk. The most sought-after flip flops today are the famous Havaianas. Almost everybody loves it regardless of age and gender. It creates a buzz among the fanatics every time new designs are available. Who would have thought these hip pairs would perfectly make a fashion statement? I own a few pairs, but as I recall how much does each cost, I swear not to buy ever again. Despite this in mind, just last week, as I visited the boutique, I can’t help but be tempted with the array of latest designs. The mania started again. Adrian fished out money from his wallet and bought the new pair. It was yet another addition to my fascination.

I can still hark back to what my friend told me before. He said my pairs would be forever jealous with the newer ones I bought haha. Who says its a sin to have more than one pair? I think there is nothing wrong with buying those slippers. It’s just that the reality is that less fortunate people walk bare foot on the streets, having no money to spare with common slippers. And yet I spend this much for my flip flops. I felt a tinge of guilt and regret. Lucky enough, I, like you, do not share the same fate with them. I realized I should limit myself from lavishness and learn to value every cent I spend. In the first place, I am still unemployed. What I have today may not be what I have in the future. Good things never last.

He has it

I was about to pay for an item yesterday and asked Adrian for money. He fished out money from his pocket, a 100 peso bill. Instead of handing it to me, he kept it back in his pocket. I wondered why. Then later, he showed it to me. It was indeed the 100 peso bill collector’s item from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. Along with the commemoration of UP’s 100^th year, BSP issued 100-peso banknotes with the overprint of the UP Centennial 2008 logo.

Though it was just an accident when Adrian acquired it, he felt proud of it. Imagine, most of the collectors would spend money to have it and here he is, got one of the limited bills effortlessly for free. In fact, it was his idea to let me blog and brag about it haha. Maybe he’s going to let it framed (kidding aside).

Game Face (winner)

And the winner is . . .



Bonoriau of The Spirit of Blogging. Congratulations! I will send you your 3000ECs. Please email me your email address and we're done.

Thank you to everyone who participated. I hope you enjoyed the game. Better luck next time!

Finally...

Sorry for the late response. I’ve been busy during the last few days. Game Face is over. The game is actually a though one. It’s just too late to change when I realized it. Thank you for those who patiently participated in my mini game. Here are the answers.

Here are the official entries which corresponded to the number of correct answers. I'll be posting the lucky winner after this post.

Jane - 6
Pkay – 2
Kirhat – 2
Bonoriau – 4
Renee – 0
Marviepons – 6
Levy – 3
Jess – 4

Game Face, Get a Chance to Win 3000 ECs

Since its going to be my birthday next week, on the 12th, let’s play some guessing game. I have some pictures here divided into two groups. The first group, Group A, consists of youngsters and the other group, Group B, their equivalents when they have grown up. Let’s see if you can match their faces based on their physical attributes.

All you have to do is to leave a comment on this post with your answers. For example, A6 is a match, though they are not really a match. =) Each blogger only has 3 chances to guess. The prize? I’m giving away 3000 ECs. The number of correct answers corresponds to the number of entries. The winner be randomly chosen through random .org. This game will run for five days starting now, August 9, 6:00 pm Manila time.

Bear with me guys for I have scanned the old pictures the reason why they seem to be blurry. Goodluck!

GROUP A

Group B

Adrian's Birthday!

Its my bf's birthday today. He's a teen no more. He just turned 20 hehe. We are of same age now. I am a year older. But, it would only last for about 10 days. Its going to be my birthday on 12 that would make me 21.
I am excited later. We'll be eating out. =) Pig out time again. Still do not know where yet. I made something for him. Here it is.

Pimp my phone

Yesterday I was at Trinoma with my boyfriend. We bought clothes for we need for her niece’s 18^th birthday party tonight. And the part I like most, we got my cellphone pimped. Yehey! At last, my cellphone looks new again. It had been worn out due to some scratches it had accumulated for about 2 years now. Yes, my cellphone is 2 years old already and I have still no plan of replacing it. I have never had a cellphone this old that still looks perfect for me.

I’ll be posting its old pictures soon. Here is how it looked like now. I picked a dark color to camouflage the scratches since the mask seems to be a transparent plastic. Thanks to Skim Jam for the perfect makeover.

Pissed off yet again

Sorry guys, I have been inactive here in the blogosphere since Monday. Why? Our connection was disrupted. For the nth time, Smartbro made my teeth gnash for its unending, consecutive problems. System down, the antenna was dislocated, and their innumerable list of reasons goes on. My sister’s computer shop was closed which means a dormant income. Good thing, I was able to sneak some time here in my brother’s café to do make this post. Sigh. It is really complicated when the internet breaks off. I just can not live well without.

Bear with me dear bloggers and droppers I failed to reciprocate your drops. Our internet disturbance influenced all of my drops and visits on your pages. I hope my problem be resolved the soonest possible time.

Merci Entrecard

It has been my daily routine to check my blog to maintain its shape. I read left messages in the chatbox, read over the comments and observe the number of visitors my blog gets. To my surprise, my traffic rank landed from a million and some thousands to 603,198. I know for a fact that you have a better traffic rank than mine. But its the best recorded rank of my blog. It’s just that a month ago, my blog ranked 5million++. It has no frequent visitors. Thanks to Entrecard. Ever since I have started dropping, my rank went up. I am closely watching my Alexa rank since then. Everyday, I see to it that I religiously drop 300 cards and make some comments to have a visit back. I may not see then results that soon but, I know every drop count and comment is an investment in my blog rank. I won't stick to my rank right now. Of course, everybody wants to be better. My goal is to belong to the top 90,000 rankers. I hope I can do it. May be I can, by making the most out of Entrecard. With the millions of aspirants here in the blogosphere finding their way to the top,I bet getting there won’t be a piece of cake. There could be no better attitude but to be persistent and consistent. Who knows, you might only have one final step left to be on top.

Happy Birthday Sis!

It was a pig-out day this Sunday. It’s my dearest sister’s special day. It was her birthday. During noontime, the five of us, (me, my sister, tatay, my brother and his girlfriend) went out to eat a sumptuous lunch. Yummy! I really like it when a family member gets to celebrate birthday. We have ample time for bonding and to eat together of course (hehe). We used to live separately. I stay with my sister while my brother stays with my dad. Ate’s birthday is more than enough reason to get together. Then we went home here in our aunt’s house where we reside. And again, during dinner, more foods awaited us! I, together with my cousins, enjoyed the meal. I felt like I was glutton. I set aside for a day my avoid-meat-policy I have promised myself. I love crispy pata especially its skin (just forget the grams fats you get to eat). Maybe by next week, I’ll be back with my more- veggie-a-day routine. I love to eat but, I still do not gain enough wait. I do not know if I will be happy with my body’s fast metabolism.
Anyways, happy birthday ate! Situations might be rough and heavy these past few days, but, just always remember, you just got me right here, in good and in bad times. I love you and I’ll always will. Mmwah!

Eyewitness...

I was with my sister then other day at the hospital. Her left inner thigh was infected with abscess("pigsa" in Tagalog) . I can see the excruciating pain she is experiencing every time she moves especially when she walks. After a few days of thinking, she finally made up her mind to consult a doctor. The bitter verdict? To cut off the swollen part. There is no other way to get rid of the pain but to let free of the caught pressure inside. Its only possible way out will be a cut skin. With the minor operation in mind, my sister almost cried. It would surely be painful but after the agony, the infected area will swell no more. Real sacrifice right? With a spark of hope and fear, she agreed the doctor to finally end the pain.
I witnessed it all. I saw how the doctor cleansed the swollen skin, how he popped the pus out using surgical scissors, how my sister cried in pain, how the blood and pus oozed out from the wound. Oh boy! It was very uneasy watching that scenario. I can’t help but stare somewhere else. It was like a torture.
Abscess according to the doctor, is caused by friction within the skin that unables the pores to excrete the necessary sweat. As a result, the sweat is trapped inside unable to exit. From there, a pus is formed leaving the skin swollen.

I remember when I was a kid, I dreamed to be a doctor, however, with that simple operation I cannot withstand, undeniably, I don’t have the guts to be one someday.

SmartBro down again?

At times I get pissed off with our internet connection. It seems to slow down everyday. During the past few days of heavy rain, our connection was cut off from time to time. Their base station was said to be down according to the customer representative we have talked to. We were advised to wait for roughly 24 hours. That was quite a long time to wait. My sister needs their connection to keep her computer rental business running. If only we could have another option of Internet provider, we would surely be relieved. It was not really by choice that we came to select SmartBro. It was the only internet provider available here in our place. With the advent of heavy rain and strong winds this season, we are on tenterhooks for more and more internet interruptions. I just hope Smartbro will be able to upgrade their system to adjust with bad weather during the season.

photo by pebblechen at flickr

Silent Saturday

This is a picture of our backyard, silent and serene, away from the busy streets of Manila. Here is where that I have grown up, from the small town of Bulacan. I stay here for now that I am still jobless. In the morning, chirping of birds can be heard. Fresh, cool air can be inhaled. No noise, no pollution and traffic. It has been a hideaway for me to relax a bit from the hassles in the city. This is a perfect place to unload stress; it’s just you and the environment.

Missing my Mom

I can still recall that very scene we are almost breathless, eyes filled tears, crying as we stare at mom. That was our last look at her face. Never will we see her again, never will we have the chance to embrace her and tell her how much we love her. It pains a lot losing some you really love.
My mom was inflicted with cancer. But, her sickness was not a hindrance for her to show how much she loves us, how much she wanted us to be happy. At stage 4, she still managed to go to work to earn a living, a typical employee does. (She has been the breadwinner of the family ever since my dad resigned from his job.) Though we advised her to stay at home, she still insisted to be at the office. She has been very passionate to work. Fortunately, her colleagues who were also her friends, were considerate enough not to let her work. My mom spends her day at work without doing anything but sorting papers. On weekends and some of the weekdays, we usually stay at the hospital for her chemotherapy and radiation sessions. We were all hoping for her recovery and even the slightest sign that she is going to survive cancer. Then we stroll off to a nearby mall. We spend time bonding, cherishing the moments because tomorrow might be the end.
Two years had passed, two years of longing and adjustments. Every nook of the house holds a memory of her. I can still remember her radiant smile that perfectly conceals her sickness. She had been very strong to face her test of faith. She never blamed God. What made me admire her most was when she had already accepted that sooner she will be leaving us. She accepted her fate that she is going to die though it is hard indeed.
I miss her so much. I know she is at peace, happy and painless. She bonded our family together. She accepted us for who and what we are, loved and cared for us despite our mistakes. She never did fail to do everything she can for us. She is simply the best. (Thank you mommy!) She is a picture of a selfless ever loving mother and wife, a woman of strength and faith, my mom, my idol.

photo by bokchoyboy at flickr

School Sentiments

During my school days, I am so happy to hear “NO CLASSES” declarations may it be from the media or from our school. Classes are usually suspended on rainy season when a typhoon gets to hit the country. On those times, I and my classmates are so much eager to go home, forget all those pile of books to read, free from long quizzes and excused from the looming graded recitations. We go home with the relief from stresses of the academic world. On Mondays, we are too lazy as we dragged along our feet to school. On Fridays, we jump for fun for another week was over. We rejoice as weekend approaches except when we had to sacrifice our Saturday to make up for classes at times the teacher fails to conduct his class during the weekdays. Sigh. Sometimes I regret being a student but I know all of us have to go along with the process, school-home, home-school routine five busy days a week. Do I sound like a problem student? Hehe I’m definitely not one. Though kind of schedule that comes along with schooling may be tiring, the learning inculcated in every discussion and activity is beyond measure.
Now that I have graduated, I am terribly missing my school days. It was only on college that I came to appreciate the magnitude of learning. I have wasted time on my high school and to some extent, my college days. If there would be a chance that I can go to school, I would surely never let it pass. I miss school, my friends, fellow students and mentors especially the fun of learning. No more intramurals amd Paulinian week to look forward to. Its totally different now, I am free from the nerve wracking academic obligations and from the rules and regulations that exist only on the bounds of the campus. I sleep late, wake up late and on the next day, it troubles me when I do nothing but stare at plain space. I live with this stuff everyday. Even before, it was not my habit to stay daily at home. I occasionally spend time away from the four corners of my room, piddling time away with my friends. Unfortunately, my dear friends and I have detached situations now. We have been busy living each others’ lives and pursuing our own endeavors. I can’t hang out with them anymore. The school which was once our bonding place turned out to be a past we can never get back.
This is our kind of life, another chapter has ended, another road to be traveled. I am no longer a student, instead, a professional on progress. Thanks to the congregation of sisters of our school who wanted nothing but to mold us into leaders of transformation, thanks to my mentors who motivated us to give out the best among us, to my friends and classmates who I was with sharing school laughters and tears. If not because of you, I may not be who I am today though I am nobody yet, I have not gained my laurels yet but hopefully someday, I will be someone you can be proud of.
There is really no place in this world like my alma mater, St. Paul.