The Abernathy School of Thought

[Share-worthy] Surprise Wedding: Bride Had No Idea

2011-08-18T23:20:00.002+08:00

I'm not a fan of love stories. What I like though are rom-coms. For me, this story is like a rom-com -- crazy and surreal with a dash of humor, but in the end -- it IS a sappy love story! <3

Kudos to Shawn for pulling this off! But man, aren't you lucky to have a beautiful woman like Colleen, who obviously loves the simple joys of life and seems to value the special people in her life more than anything else.

And Colleen, you're undoubtedly just as lucky to have a man like Shawn, who would risk looking like a big ass in front of all your family and friends just to give the 'Princess Bride' wedding that you deserve.

Best wishes to you both! :)

[Poetry Night] Pandora's Box

2011-06-21T22:29:00.000+08:00

Thoughts expressed,
and the world is not the same.
How can I take you back?
Pandora's box.

AI Judges, Puh-leassssseee!

2011-04-09T23:42:00.001+08:00

My goodness... The American Idol judges should shut up during results show and should be more subtle about their 'favorites'. I mean, your time's up in doing the picking and cutting, it's the public's turn. Stop insulting your audience on how wrong they are. At the end of the day, your show is just a launch pad -- the public will buy the music of whoever they want -- win or lose. 'Nuff said.

Excited for November

2011-02-27T20:04:00.003+08:00

I'm so excited to plan our November holiday! It will be our first time to go on a "romantic" getaway. Our idea is to stay at a nice resort and lounge at the beach pretty much our entire stay. Unfortunately, the resort I have my eyes on has only released their summer specials, which would run until the 31st of March. I guess I will really have to wait until June or so to finalize our plans. Oh my gawd! I seriously can't wait! Oh by the way, have I mentioned that our November destination is Bohol? 'Nuff said! :)

Subic 2010

2011-01-14T23:43:00.004+08:00

My life partner and I spent our Christmas holiday 2010 in Subic and it was totally memorable for a lot of different reasons. First of all, it was to celebrate our 10th anniversary. And believe it or not, it was our first out-of-town trip that it was just the two of us – without friends and family. What even made our holiday exciting was the fact that we experienced Olongapo like a local. Usually, when we hear ‘Subic,’ posh resorts, fun water activities and popular animal sites come to mind. In our case, we stayed in a family member’s staff house, travelled around Olongapo in public transport, and went to a local beach by the roadside with an entrance fee of only Ph20! We even got a chance to visit a nearby spa for a two-hour massage, after which we were served the most delicious cup of green tea. Christmas 2010, for us, was proof that it’s not where you go and how much you spend on a holiday to make it fun and memorable. As long as you have an open mind, a spirit of adventure and of course, your loved one to exeperience everything with, you’re all set. ♥

***This photo was taken using a Canon PowerShot D10 with half the lens in the water and half above-water. We're using this as our entry for World Traveller's Post-Christmas promo on Facebook. The contest will close in a couple of minutes. Wish us luck!***

[Must-watch] Pinoy Pride: Lil Demon

2011-01-04T21:45:00.006+08:00

Saw this kid on TV this evening and at a glance, I knew he's Pinoy... a damn talented one!

Anjelo Baligad, better known as 'Lil Demon' has been dominating the B-boying or breakdancing world since he was -- SIX! Yup, you read that right... SIX.

Now 9, he's a member of the Waipahu, Hawaii-based HyperSquad Dance Company. And get this, apart from winning B-boying battles against grown-ups, he's also been busy guesting in such popular shows as 'So You Think You Can Dance' and 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' (where I saw him), and appearing on a movie called Step Up 3D!

Watch these vids and you'll understand why. Seriously, I can't seem to wrap my head around how he's able to these moves! The kid can dance his ass off! Kudos to you, Lil Demon!

PLEASE VOTE FOR US!!!

2010-11-24T22:04:00.000+08:00

Thanks to everyone who already voted for our entries. Here's a quick summary of what you need to do if you want to help. You may also copy this off if you wish to help us promote. =)

VOTE FOR US! 1) LIKE the SMSupermallsEcoBag page at http://www.facebook.com/SMSupermallsEcoBag; 2) LIKE our photos!:
http://tinyurl.com/savethetreeswithSM
http://tinyurl.com/treehuggerabernathy
http://tinyurl.com/tinypinkr0b0t
http://tinyurl.com/thegewdstuff

PLEASE VOTE FOR US ON FACEBOOK!!!

2010-11-22T23:26:00.009+08:00

Our little family joined the SM Supermalls Eco Bag Promo on Facebook and we need you to LIKE us!

Please help us by voting and promoting for ALL FOUR of our entries.

To vote for SAVE THE TREES!, go here - http://tinyurl.com/savethetreeswithSM

To vote for TREE HUGGER, go here - http://tinyurl.com/treehuggerabernathy

To vote for ANYTHING & EVERYTHING FITS!, go here - http://tinyurl.com/tinypinkr0b0t

To vote for STUFFIN' ON THE GOOD STUFF, go here - http://tinyurl.com/thegewdstuff

Thanks in advance to everyone who has helped us and who will be helping us. Voting is only until December 5, so please 'LIKE' us today! =)

The Script - The Man Who Can't Be Moved

2010-11-17T19:51:00.000+08:00

Today's irony is brought to you by The Script with 'The Man Who Can't Be Moved.' I looooovvvveee this song... Loved it since the first time I heard it on RX. But today, it totally pulled me out of a rut. Ironically, I can't believe how moved I am by The Man who can't be moved. Listened to the song over and over and over on my iPod and now, I kept on watching the video until I'm crying like a baby! This is such a romantic song... If I were the girl The Man is waiting for, Oh. My. Freakin'. Gawd. I'm so on that corner!!!

101 Funniest Halloween Costumes

2010-11-04T21:08:00.000+08:00

They're not really funny hilarious, but more funny interesting. I already saw at least three used on TV - the hot dog sandwich on an old episode of 'How I Met Your Mother,' while the chick magnet and he Hugh Hefner costumes were on last week's episode of 'Outsourced.' Nonetheless, they're fun and creative! Perfect for Halloween! =)

Who is Jane Lynch when she's not Sue Sylvester?

2010-10-29T07:03:00.023+08:00

I've always loved Sue Sylvester, but after watching the Power of Madonna episode of 'Glee' last April in which she did a Vogue number, it's official... I'm in love with JANE LYNCH! She used to annoy me in 'The L Word,' with her über-butch persona as Joyce Wischnia, but she totally won me over after seeing how versatile she is an actress on the big screen, playing Meryl Streep's sister, Dorothy in 'Julie & Julia' and pop star has-been-slash-evil guardian, Dominique Blatt to Selena Gomez in 'Another Cinderella Story,' just to name a couple. I figured, there's so much more to this actress than her roles allow us to see. So I started digging up videos of Jane Lynch as herself to find out more about her as an actress and not just as a character she plays. True enough, I fell in love with Jane Lynch just as fast as I fell in love with Sue Sylvester on Glee's pilot episode. What's not to love?! She's funny, witty, surprisingly charming and when smiles, ah, I forget how such a bitch and ball-buster she is on TV! And come on, this is me, let's not forget the fact that she's an out and proud lesbian. That makes her extra hot in my book. *wink*

So here are some videos I found of Jane Lynch when she is not busy being Sue Sylvester. Of course, I can't help including a Glee promo and a couple of her movie clips. Enjoy!

INTERVIEWS AND TALK SHOW GUESTINGS

CHELSEA LATELY - 08SEP09

LOPEZ TONIGHT - 08DEC09

REGIS & KELLY - 12APR10

TV GUIDE - KATE FLANNERY AND JANE LYNCH DUET - 06JUN08

ASSOCIATED PRESS - JANE LYNCH: HOLLYWOOD'S DARLING

SMOKING COCKTAIL - 08SEP09

AUSTRALIAN INTERVIEW CHANNEL 10 - SEP 2010

AWARDS SHOWS

GOLDEN GLOBE 2010 - RED CARPET INTERVIEW

GOLDEN GLOBE 2010 - EXIT INTERVIEW

EMMYS 2010 - 29AUG10 - ACCEPTANCE SPEECH

GLEE PROMO FROM FOX

9 THINGS YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT JANE LYNCH - 19JAN10

ADVERT: HEALTHY CHOICE

MOVIE CLIPS

ROLE MODELS - EATING COCAINE FOR BREAKFAST (2008)

BABY GOT BACNE FROM ANOTHER CINDERELLA STORY (2008)

[Foodie thoughts] MoMo Cafe - Eastwood

2010-10-27T22:37:00.013+08:00

MoMo Eastwood has become our favorite restaurant since we started dining there in December 2009. It's great for group lunches and dinners as their jumbo plates are really for sharing. Some even come with onion rings and corn-on-the-cob, which make good starters. You'll be crazy to order one dish for each person!

The menu is great as there's definitely something for everybody, including 'single serve' items if you're eating alone, or if sharing is not an option (e.g. you're meeting someone for the first time, you have entirely different taste preferences, someone has food allergies). Their food tastes as good as how they look (they make great subjects if you're into food photography) and the quality doesn't change -- always yummy and nicely cooked.

The staff are consistently friendly and the management team is willing to step up during busy times. During one of our visits, we were on the waiting list and they offered us an option to wait somewhere else (i.e. walk around the mall first) and they'll just send us an SMS message when our table is ready. We later on found out that they just used one of the manager's personal numbers for this purpose.

In spite of being in a mall, they have their own nicely decorated and well-maintained toilet, which makes it very convenient. Since they're located in the Eastwood Mall Veranda, tables are available outside the restaurant for smokers, without polluting the air of the non-smokers inside.

To date, we visit MoMo at least once a month (sometimes even twice a week!) and have probably tried most items on their menu. We've also brought our families and a lot of our friends on different occasions, and so far, all of them had a wonderful experience. A couple of friends are now MoMo regulars as well, and have even brought their own friends there. Considering the menu, food quality, service, location and over-all ambiance, MoMo Cafe definitely covers our 'value for money' criterion for choosing a restaurant.

*Review was originally posted on ClickTheCity*
MoMo Cafe
Eastwood Veranda
E. Rodriguez Ave. (C-5), Bagumbayan
Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines
Phone Number: (632) 900-1006 / (632) 900-1007
MoMo Cafe Website

**Abernathy&PiNkR0b0T's personal faves (must try!): Homemade Soup: Herb Pumpkin Cream & Bacon Bits / Jumbo plates: Sweet & Smoky "Hickory BBQ" Rib-LETS and Slow Roasted Herb U.S. Roast Beef fingers / Big Breakfast (Served all day): Good Morning Pilipinas! / Refreshers: MoMo's wide variety of Frozen Iced Tea and Banana Chocolate Caramel Smoothie**

Cee Lo Green - FUCK YOU (Official Video)

2010-10-26T22:14:00.000+08:00

Been hearing the cleaner version of this song on RX. 'Forget You' is already catchy as it is, but when I listened to this version (as recommended by the great, Chico Garcia), I FELL IN LOVE! I could listen to this over and over and over and over and over...

Thanks, Cee Lo Green, for making my sucky Tuesday better! <3

E3 2009: Project Natal Xbox 360 Announcement

2010-10-18T22:04:00.000+08:00

I want one! Gotta show this to my Dad! =)

I Wish I Can Tell YOU

2010-10-17T19:08:00.003+08:00

Dear YOU,

I love you like a sibling. You've been kind to me and I intend to be the same with you. I wish I can always protect you from harm. But in doing so, I would be betraying the trust that others have given me and I might even hurt you in the process. I hope you'll learn the truth before it's too late, and I wish you'll find them out yourself. Once you do, I hope you understand that I can only do so much to lead you to the truth. Do know that I always watch over you, that I always watch your back, and that I don't just stand here waiting for you to get hurt. I promise to step in whenever appropriate to protect you and I swear to stand by your side when worse comes to worst.

Thank you for trusting me. Let's get through this together.

Love,
Someone from the outside looking in

I AM NUMBER FOUR - Official Teaser Trailer

2010-10-15T06:52:00.002+08:00

Saw this from a Rusher friend's Facebook wall. Well, actually, I saw Dianna Agron's name. Hehehe! Looks interesting. And yes, since Dianna Agron is in it (my hunnybunny's Gleek crush), this is definitely Ultra 7 Cinema material. =)

Run, Jump, Die?

2010-10-12T19:49:00.002+08:00

Once, I ran at top speed and jumped off the cliff when I got there -- no stopping whatsoever. I wonder now if I have the guts to do the same if I gingerly walk towards the edge and take a peek on what's waiting down below.

The first time I ran and jumped, I lived. I survived. Frankly speaking, I never felt more alive. But really, can I be that lucky twice? If I jump again, will I survive a second time? I guess it's not the jump itself, nor the dangers down below that I'm afraid of. It's the regret I might have afterwards.

I hate it when this happens. I often psyche myself about taking risks, taking the wheel and stop 'waiting' and being the passenger in my own proverbial car. AAAARGGGGHHHH!!! I hate it when I'm like this! HELP PLEASE!

Miley Cyrus - Who Owns My Heart - Official Music Video [HQ]

2010-10-11T17:53:00.000+08:00

Just heard about this video this morning and how people, particularly parents, are reacting to it rather sexual theme.

Well, I liked Miley Cyrus. Please note, I LIKED her, especially during her Hannah Montana days. When she started growing up though, she started being irresponsible with her words and actions. I figured she can't wait to grow up! I'm not saying that I was only after her young, innocent girl image -- I mean, I know she'll have to grow up eventually. Not to mention, she's not even THAT cute as a young girl... I just didn't like the kind of person she became. I guess at the end of the day, no one likes a slutty bitch! LOL

Australia's Next Top Model - Final Fail

2010-09-30T18:58:00.002+08:00

OMG! I've had this video saved on drafts for like a week now and totally forgot about it! Anyhoo, this is a must-watch. A friend of mine said it looks a tad bit too scripted... Well, I don't know about that... I mean, not that I care... I just figure, it has AWKWARD written all over it! =D

Poor girls... The runner-up had her hopes up -- then it was crushed LIVE on national TV; The winner's 'thunder' totally went kaput; And the host -- my gawd! The host, had to be the bearer of bad news! Whatta finale! Yikes!

My new-found love for baking

2010-09-27T00:03:00.003+08:00

It was only a couple of months ago when I started learning how to bake. If I have more time and money, I would bake every weekend, prolly even on weekdays. And I'm not just talking about baking cakes and pastries. I love baking just about any food!

Tonight, I spent another Sunday afternoon 'working from home' -- well, from a nearby coffee shop. We got home late and I love the fact that an hour after getting home, I'm done switching bags (from laptop bag to a smaller bag for going to work) and taking a shower, while tomorrow's brunch of Herbed Fish Fillets are silently baking in the oven. Apart from the efficiency, it's nice that the whole house doesn't smell fishy, and I just used simple ingredients (just salt, pepper, dried basil, dried rosemary and very little EVOO), which makes the dish even healthier. Now that's what you call, maximum satisfaction from minimum effort! =)

Funny Cats

2010-09-26T23:58:00.000+08:00

This video made us laugh so hard! I wish someday I can find the time to make my own collection. My feline family members give us a wealth of great material. =)

World's coolest flight attendant Video

2010-09-14T22:59:00.004+08:00

Yeah, I know... I haven't been able to blog again. And trust me, I have loads of material in this little 'idea machine' of mine, I just don't have the time to blog. Anyhoo, this is an absolutely share-worthy vid that makes for a nice nightcap after a tiring day.

This, my friend, is customer service for you! =)

Crystal Shawanda - You Can Let Go Official Music Video

2010-08-20T11:49:00.001+08:00

I finally found the official video of this poignant song. The first time I heard it, I cried buckets. I'm a Daddy's Girl... His only girl... When "that" time comes, I would probably die of a broken heart and I would probably be the one who will have a hard time letting go. My father is not perfect as no man is... but to me, he's the greatest man in my life.... The only one I'd ever love.

****************************************************************************

YOU CAN LET GO
Crystal Shawanda
Album: Dawn of a New Day

Wind blowin’ on my face
Sidewalk flyin’ beneath my bike
A five year-old’s first taste
Of what freedom’s really like
He was runnin’ right beside me
His hand holdin’ on the seat
I took a deep breath and hollered
As I headed for the street

You can let go now, Daddy
You can let go
Oh, I think I’m ready
To do this on my own
It’s still a little bit scary
But I want you to know
I’ll be ok now, Daddy
You can let go

I was standin’ at the altar
Between the two loves of my life
To one I’ve been a daughter
To one I soon would be a wife
When the preacher asked,
‘Who gives this woman?’
Daddy’s eyes filled up with tears
He kept holdin’ tightly to my arm
‘Till I whispered in his ear

You can let go now, Daddy
You can let go
Oh, I think I’m ready
To do this on my own
It still feels a little bit scary
But I want you to know
I’ll be ok now, Daddy
You can let go

It was killin’ me to see
The strongest man I ever knew
Wastin’ away to nothin’
In that hospital room
‘You know he’s only hangin’ on for you’
That’s what the night nurse said
My voice and heart were breakin’
As I crawled up in his bed, and said

You can let go now, Daddy
You can let go
Your little girl is ready
To do this on my own
It’s gonna be a little bit scary
But I want you to know
I’ll be ok now, Daddy
You can let go
You can let go

Justin Bieber - Never Say Never ft. Jaden Smith

2010-08-20T11:23:00.000+08:00

I ♥ this song because of Jaden Smith and the movie, 'Karate Kid.' He's so adorable! =)

Fireball Eyes

2010-08-08T02:00:00.003+08:00

Since I'm having a difficult time keeping my eyes open, I have to keep this short.

I'm deeply concerned about my conjunctivitis. It seems to be overly resilient to the eye drops that I have been using! To date, I've only experienced a marked improvement once and that was when I used the new eye drop for the first time. The morning after, which was this morning, I'm back to square one -- both eyelids swollen, eyeballs on fire, eyes turned into slits. I would've posted photos, but I reckon it's a little too 'painful.'

Apart from the physical pain, another thing I hate about the whole experience is that in spite of all the time I get to spend at home, I've been useless! I can't cook, I can barely prepare my own meal, and most of all, I can't do anything that requires reading. I'm quite impressed that I'm able to use the laptop now... I've been feeling a bit of relief since my last eye drop application at 11PM. Nonetheless, make no mistake that I'm feeling better. I'm still wearing sunglasses to protect my eyes from photosensitivity and I still have to stop once in a while to dab tissue on my teary eyes. As for the typing, I've been hitting the backspace key to correct my typographical errors! If you see any more, I apologize.

The worst part of this hell is that I miss my wife. The whole isolation drama is seriously getting annoying. I can't even hug her! She has started to get better (except for some spots on her cornea that is also being treated) and we're being careful not to infect her again.

Ugh! I can't believe this is how I'm spending the last couple of weeks of my 29th year on earth, and how I'm opening my 30th! I hope we get well soon!!!

It's Official: 'Sore eyes-free since birth' no more

2010-08-03T13:28:00.007+08:00

It's official. My reputation of being sore eyes-free since birth is totally ruined.

On Saturday, we thought it was a false alarm when it cleared up in the afternoon. But no, by Sunday, my right eye was so red and just half-opened -- as if someone punched me in the eye!

Yesterday, PiNkR0b0T and I went to see a doctor. She had to go with me because her condition doesn't seem to get better even though she's been under medication for the past five days. We were given the same eye drops, which is stronger than the first one, so we're hoping for a faster recovery this time.

When I woke up this morning, my goodness! It's in full swing! Both my eyes hurt (as if bruised), the right one almost closed, my vision impaired and even my left eye is now red as well. Ugh! This is so difficult!

Oh well, it's just my second day of being under medication and I'm still hoping for positive results to come soon. The wife and I have some stuff waiting for us. We have to stay positive! ü

Watta Week!

2010-07-31T21:53:00.006+08:00

Started the week with a bit of bad news -- PiNkR0b0T has conjunctivitis! That's sore eyes to us regular people. LOL Nonetheless, we were finally able to do some grocery-shopping, which means more movie tickets for us, thanks to Citibank! Well, not sure though when we can watch 'Inception' and 'Salt', no thanks to her sore eyes! Ugh!

Tuesday got way better because my parents' early birthday gift has arrived! It's a Sanyo 32" LCD TV, which I've been dreaming of for a while now. I named my new toy, Trent. ü

Wednesday got even better because I bought a bad ass VGA cable -- 20m in length -- so I can connect Trent to Taffy. With that setup, it'll be easy for us to watch downloads, especially when the new season of our favorite US TV shows begin in September! Woot! Although later that evening, we just watched TV. 'CSI Trilogy', baby! Anyhoo, I also cooked a couple of experimental recipes -- grilled zucchini and baked tofu and oyster mushrooms. It was surprisingly yummy AND filling! My boss-slash-friend-slash-food buddy is teasing me though if I plan to bake everything now (in light of my new-found fascinationfor baking)! Well, yeah... I might be headed towards that direction. Aside from baking cakes and muffins, I plan to learn more baked recipes so we can use less oil and eat healthier. Sounds like a plan, right? A damn good one! ü

Thursday, it was all about relaxing and having fun! I went home early to find my hunnybunny playing Plants vs Zombies on the big screen! I was so jealous! But that's ok, after all, she spent her day doing a gazillion loads of laundry while I was in the office. Unbelievable! She gets to stay at home for a whole week and she spends it doing chores! Isn't that annoyingly attractive??? LOL Anyhoo, we spent the evening watching 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.' We started watching 'The Ugly Truth' but I fell asleep. Heehee!

Friday, I went to our favorite restaurant, MoMo for lunch with my girlfriends at work. Perfect timing, I can't stop thinking about their effin' meatloaf!!! It's wrapped in bacon, comes with mashed potato with a bad ass gravy! Yum-o! I feel bad that I ate there without PiNkR0b0T, but then again, that's just another excuse to eat there again when she's well. LOL

Today, I woke up with a sore eyes scare! I got all the symptoms, which fortunately got better this afternoon. I'm still hoping it's a false alarm. Otherwise, it will totally ruin my reputation of being sore eyes-free since birth! LOL Oh, and I tried baking Vanilla Cake!!! I even made some Vanilla Butter Frosting!!! My goodness, It's only my second time baking and my first trying Vanilla Cake (the first time, I baked Banana Cake). I was a bit nervous, especially since I'm just making do of the equipment I currently have. The cake is generally delicious, although I think I really need to buy an 8" round cake pan because it's a little burnt along sides and I really think it's because I'm using a loaf pan. I did a few research and they do match in terms of volume, but I guess the height is causing the unevenness of how the cake is baked or something. Oh well, baby steps, I guess. Need to practice more and buy baking stuff at least one at a time. I just acquired a hand mixer a couple of weeks ago and a baking sheet and rectangular pan this week, I'll prolly get the round pan and muffin pan next. ü And although I took a couple of photos of today's treat, I don't think it's worth posting here. Yes, I'm not proud of how it looks. It doesn't look yummy, although it does. Well, could be better... ü

So there, that's my week in a nutshell. The wife is starting to ask what I'm doing. She's watching a rugby game, but we're planning to watching another movie before calling it a day. I hope my Sunday caps off the week nice and sweet tomorrow. Goodnight, World! You've been wonderful the whole week. ü

Jelaineism #27

2010-07-26T22:59:00.003+08:00

Jelaineism #27: Playing with the devil's advocate keeps you from playing stupid games.

It's been a while since I came up with a Jelaineism. I don't know what that means... I've prolly grown too dumb to have my own thoughts, or it's possible that I've been letting life get into me so much, that I no longer take time to listen to myself. Oh well, whatever that's about, I'm just glad I'm over it. ü

Anyhoo, playing the devil's advocate is prolly one of my talents. I don't know if being an only child has anything to do with it because until I got 'married,' I didn't really have anyone to talk to, especially when it comes to making important, life-changing decisions. Nonetheless, it's one skill that I'm truly grateful that I have, because seriously, it does keep me (and some friends who've fallen into the trap) from doing stupid things. Oftentimes, we only hear what we want to hear -- I guess that's human nature. But when we start hearing opposing views, of course, there'll be resistance... at least for starters... and then, there'll be doubt. That split-second doubt that gets you thinking, 'Hmmm... Am I sure? Is that really what I want?' And boom! We realize that some decisions are simply more important than others and might need more time to be thought about, you know... percolate a bit.

So to anyone who's going through some decision-making nightmares, breathe... Find someone else to talk to (perhaps a couple of friends, preferably someone who is annoyingly objective or someone a bit in the dark from the entire situation). If you don't have anyone, grab a pen and paper and do a quick pro's and cons list. I know it's a bit of a freaking cliché, but hey, you've got to see the other side somehow. The key is to realize that in every decision, there is another side.

At the end of the day, regardless of the arguments and the brainstorming we've put into it, we just have to accept the decisions we make -- no matter how they turn out. We might regret them, go the other way, eat our own words, but whatever! The important thing is, YOU have made the decision for yourself... no one else. ü

Yes, it's been five months

2010-07-23T02:16:00.002+08:00

Oh my goodness! This is probably the longest time I disappeared from my -- imagine, my own blog. To be honest, I have been going back and forth with the idea of closing this blog down. But when I think about having it since 2004, I realize that can't!

So, since I'm about to hit the big 3-0 in a a couple of weeks, I reckon I should change some things around here. I swear to post more regularly on my blog -- no matter how short or how trivial my thoughts are. Maybe then, I can develop the habit again until I don't have to really do it oh-so consciously. And besides, it's been a busy five months. Perhaps my posts could be more interesting that I expect them to be.

Oh well, let's see! =)

FarmVille Tip: Promoting your Barn Raising

2010-02-27T19:06:00.003+08:00

Hello neighbors and fellow farmers!

Just a little disclaimer... we are not Farmville experts whatsoever. If we are, oh my, we would have gotten way higher in the agricultural ladder! LOL

Anyhoo, we just want to share a little tip that we've discovered to work for us (and our friends) in promoting, helping and completing barn raisings in a more efficient way.

Feel free to let us know if you're finding the instructions confusing or difficult to follow so we can revise them.

Happy farming! Ü

***Click here if you want a PDF version of this note complete with screenshots***

jeLaine&miLLie
(Abernathy&PiNkR0b0T)

************************

1. From your new Farmville-generated post, (e.g. Barn-raising) find the 'Click to help' link.
2. Hover your cursor over the link and right-click from your mouse.
3. Select ‘Properties' and a dialog box will pop up.
4. Copy the address from the 'Address (URL)' field. Note: This will typically be very long. To ensure you copy the whole address, right-click and choose 'Select All' then copy.
5. Click ‘OK’ to close the Properties dialog box.
6. Open another session/tab of your browser and go to the website: http://tinyurl.com
7. Paste the long web address/URL to the field 'Enter a long URL to make tiny' and hit the 'Make TinyURL!' button.
8. Copy the TinyURL that was created.
9. Paste it onto 'Notepad' or any other text editor you can keep for future reference.
10. You may now include this shortened link on your posts when adding comments to your friends. e.g (As a comment after helping in a barn raising) I'm done helping with your barn raising. I hope you can help me too. Thanks, neighbor! Just click here to help - http://tinyurl.com/XXXXXXX / (As your status) Please help! I still need 2 more hits for my barn to be completed! Just click here to help – http://tinyurl.com/XXXXXXX

The question is, "How aware are you?"

2010-01-30T20:26:00.003+08:00

Reposting from Chico's blog, 'Strange Fruit,' these interesting videos display how it's so easy to miss something you're not looking for. The moral of the story: Awaken your senses, heighten your awareness... You never know what you're missing. ENJOY! Ü

First post 2010

2010-01-13T14:22:00.003+08:00

I am probably the worst blogger ever.

You see, I've had this blog since June 3rd, 2004 yet I've only had a total of 310 posts. 311, including this one. Over five years of blogging and my numbers don't even represent a single post per day for an entire year. Is this an admittance of how my life is boring and irrelevant? With the popularity of new technologies like Facebook and Twitter, all the more has my blog taken a back seat. I don't seem to have thoughts longer than 140 characters anymore. My emotions can now be summarized in several words and if I'm lucky, a couple of punctuations.

When people stumble on my blog, I always seem to get a varied mix of reactions. Some find it interesting and amusing, some find that I'm too angry at the world, while others say I talk too much, like I never run out of things to say. At the end of the day, I figure, I blog for myself. Since I have to quit writing alltogether, this is the only place I have left to write. As such, I'm not writing for anyone. Since it's a personal blog (i.e. one that doesn't aim to rake in cash), I'm not here to sell anyone any story. If I'm having a rough day, then I'd prolly throw in a cuss word or two. If I'm stoked, then I'll talk about whatever it is that's getting me excited and I don't care if it gets too long for anyone to read. This is my humble cyberabode.

My 2009 was not easy. It might have been the worst year of my adult life, if I may say so myself. I don't have any resolutions for 2010, I'm just hoping to survive another year. Hopefully, I'm able to document whatever brain fart or word vomit I'll have as I survive every adventure -- in 140 characters more or less... Ü

[Project 365] Day 6 - Freshening Up

2010-01-06T21:47:00.002+08:00

P006 - Freshening Up, originally uploaded by Abernathy365.

Baby Boy getting special treatment from our Mommy Baby Girl. I love taking photos of these two... but it's very hard to do because they love playing with me! Ü

[Project 365] Day 5 - Sign of Life

2010-01-06T21:46:00.001+08:00

P005 - Sign of life, originally uploaded by Abernathy365.

There's not so much to see in our 'garden,' but a few 'it's-amazing-they're-still-alive' plants including this one. I was honestly surprised to see this green leaf growing from this stem of thorns. It's a sign of life! Ü

[Project 365] Day 4 - More Please

2010-01-06T21:45:00.001+08:00

P004 - More Please, originally uploaded by Abernathy365.

So. Hard. To. Stop. If we can have things our way, we could probably eat the whole thing in one seating! Ü

[Project 365] Day 3 - Hanging

2010-01-06T21:43:00.001+08:00

P003 - Hanging, originally uploaded by Abernathy365.

Bought this as a toy for my feline siblings, but they keep on ignoring it. Anyhoo, we just keep it hanging by the stairs... just in case anyone wants to play... Ü

[Project 365] Day 2 - Four Towers

2010-01-06T21:41:00.002+08:00

P002 - Four Towers, originally uploaded by Abernathy365.

One fine Saturday afternoon, my Papu and I stroll around Eastwood Mall. I've been there so many times, but that was the first time I actually took notice of the 'high-rise' atop the actual mall. It was actually nice! Ü

[Project 365] Day 1 - Brotherly Love

2010-01-06T21:36:00.004+08:00

P001 - Brotherly Love, originally uploaded by Abernathy365.

My Baby P and one of our other baby boys kissed as soon as the door opened and they saw each other -- as if they've missed each other so much! So cute! Ü

[Share-worthy] Plants vs Zombies media

2009-12-20T00:53:00.005+08:00

If you wish to have the audio file (mp3 format) and music video (mp4 format) of the Plants vs Zombies theme, 'Zombies on your Lawn,' you may grab it here: http://www.mediafire.com/?zmmdnyjl2jt

Enjoy! Ü

Avatar

2009-12-15T22:54:00.003+08:00

A miracle happened today. I missed all of my chances to win Avatar premiere invites from RX, but this afternoon, one of my bestest friends, the_netski, sent me an SMS that made my entire week. She'll be sending me a pair of tickets to the Avatar block screening for this Thursday (same day as the RX Monster Movie Premiere) at SM North Edsa. I nearly fainted.

I was in total disbelief when she first told me she has a pair of tickets. I then asked her how much they are. My jaw dropped when she said 'Advanced Christmas gift for me and PiNkR0b0T' and that she's been seeing my tweets about the movie so she figured to give me the tickets.

You see, I'm a very simple girl. Nothing huge ever happens to me. I'm unlucky with raffles, although I have to admit I've been quite lucky with radio promos recently. When Avatar had a 20-minute preview in August, I was ecstatic when I got invites. I cannot believe that I can ever be part of something so big. I vowed that I have to watch the full-length movie in a 3D theater when it comes out in December. Now that RX is doing a premiere, I feel very disappointed that I can't even catch the Avatar promos. So one can just understand how I was in total amazement when I received the_netski's message. Something like this almost never happens to me.

So to the_netski, thank you so much for the wonderful surprise. I wish I can do something as fantastic for you someday. You're a really great friend.

Share-worthy: 100 Things I’ve Learned About Photography

2009-12-11T13:14:00.003+08:00

I found this today from the Digital Photography School website and thought it's a good read. It's very inspiring and very true. I'm sure all shutterbugs -- both newbies and pros -- will learn a thing or two from this list.

This article was originally written by Martin Gommel and was posted on DPS by Darren Rowse. Martin Gommel is a photographer on Flickr who has a blog called KWERFELDEIN (German) and has generously offered to translate one of his photography articles for DPS. Darren Rowse, the editor and founder of DPS also made a few edits and translations to this list. Rowse lives in Melbourne Australia and is also the editor of the ProBlogger Blog Tips and TwiTip Twitter Tips blogs.

1. Never do photography to become a rock-star.
2. Enjoy what you are shooting.
3. Prepare well for your shooting, realizing that your battery isn’t charge when you’re setting up for that sunrise shoot is too late!
4. Always take one warm garment more than you actually need with you
5. Pay attention to your thoughts and emotions while you are shooting
6. Set goals you can achieve
7. Write tips about photography, because writing is also learning
8. Never go shooting without a tripod
9. Be pleased with the little prosperities
10. Build relationships with potential photo buddies
11. Watch the place you want to shoot first with your heart then with the camera
12. Always stay calm
13. Know that you tend to overestimate yourself
14. Perspective is the killer
15. Dedicate yourself to photography, but never browbeat yourself too much
16. Take part in a photography community
17. Keep your camera clean
18. Never compare yourself to others in a better or worse context
19. Find your own style of photography
20. Try to compose more and to hit the shutter less
21. Seek out and learn to accept critique on your images
22. Do something different to recover creativity
23. Get inspiration from the work of other photographers
24. Criticize honestly but respectfully
25. Get feedback from your lady
26. Don’t copy other photographer’s style
27. Be bold
28. Take care of the golden ratio
29. 10mm rocks!
30. Take selfportraits
31. Read books about photography
32. To give a landscapephotograph the extra boost, integrate a person (maybe yourself)
33. Every shooting situation is different than you expect
34. Pay attention to s-curves and lines
35. Always shoot in RAW
36. Keep your sensor clean, so you can save some work cleaning your image in post production
37. Discover the things you think are beautiful
38. It takes time to become a good photographer
39. The best equipment is that what you have now
40. You can’t take photographs of everything
41. Break the rules of photography knowingly, but not your camera ;)
42. Pay attention to the different way that light falls on different parts of your scene
43. The eye moves to the point of contrast
44. Clouds increase the atmosphere of a landscape
45. Start a photoblog
46. Accept praise and say “thank you”
47. ‘Nice Shot’ is not a very useful comment to write
48. ‘Amazing!’ isn’t useful either. Try to describe specifically what you like or don’t like about an image.
49. You are not your camera
50. Ask a question at the end of your comment on a photo to get a ping-pong conversation with the photographer
51. Do a review of your archives on a regular basis, the longer you photograph – the more diamonds are hidden there
52. Always clarify what the eyecatcher (focal point) will be in your image
53. No image is better than a bad one
54. Everyone has to start little
55. Your opinion about photography is important!
56. Leave a funny but thoughtful comment
57. Speak about your experiences with your photo buddies
58. Limit your photograph to the substance
59. Participate in Photocontests
60. Post processing = Optimizing your image to the best result
61. Shoot exposure latitudes as often as possible
62. Use photomatix as seldom as possible, HDR’s always have a synthetic flavor
63. Always remember what brought you to photography
64. Never shoot a person who doensn’t want to be photographed
65. Always turn arround, sometimes the better image is behind you
66. It’s who’s behind the camera, not the camera
67. Mistakes are allowed! The more mistakes you make, the more you learn!
68. If you have an idea and immediately you think : No, this is not going to work – Do it anyway. When in doubt – always shoot.
69. Understand and look to your histogramm while shooting. It delivers very important information about your image
70. Know your camera, because searching the menu button in the night is time you don’t want to waste
71. Shoot as often as possible
72. Believe in yourself
73. Don’t be afraid of getting dirty
74. Pay attention to qualitiy in your image
75. Your photographs are a personal map of your psyche
76. Re-check your ISO-Settings. It’s aweful to detect the wrong settings on your screen.
77. Be thankful for long and thoughtful comments on your images
78. Never trust your LCD. Normally it is brighter and sharper as the original image.
79. Provide for enough disc space, because it’s cheap and you will need it.
80. Learn to enjoy beautful moments when you don’t have a camera with you.
81. Always arrive at least half an hour earlier before sunrise / sundown, composing in a hurry is a bad thing.
82. Try to amplify your mental and physical limits. Takes some extra shots when you think “it’s enough”
83. Pay attention to structures in the sky and wait until they fit into structures in the foreground
84. Visit the same place as often as possible. Light never shows the same mountain.
85. Print your images in big size. You will love it.
86. Calibrate your monitor. Working with a monitor that is not accurate is like being together with someone you can’t trust. It always ends badly.
87. Don’t think about what others may say about your image. If you like it, it’s worth publishing.
88. Never address reproaches to yourself. Learn from your mistakes and look forward, not backward.
89. Fight your laziness ! Creativitiy comes after discipline.
90. Ask yourself : What do you want to express in your images ?
91. Always try to think outside the box, collect new ideas about photographs you could do and ask yourself : Why not?
92. Search for a mentor.
93. Photography is never a waste of time.
94. Every community has it’s downsides. Don’t leave it out of an emotional response.
95. There will always be people who will not like what you are doing.
96. Henri Cartier-Bresson was right when he said that “Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.”
97. A better camera doesn’t guarantee better images.
98. Always have printing in mind when you postprocess your images.
99. Photography is fair : You gain publicity with the quality of your images. Unless the images are stolen, there is no way of cheating yourself higher.
100. Write a 100 things list

Vote for URBANATION as Best Urban Band on Wave 89.1

2009-12-10T10:16:00.005+08:00

I know this is a little overdue, but I would like to thank everyone who retweeted and reposted messages about voting Urbanation on MTV Emerge.

Guess what, with our undying support and their pure, unadulterated talent, Urbanation was among the seven winners in the competition, performing their song, 'Tick Tock' live on the MTV Emerge stage at the SM Mall of Asia on 27Nov09 and taking home the much-coveted prize of a one-year contract with Jeepney Music with no less than Apl.de.Ap as their mentor.

Once again, I would like to call on everyone to support Urbanation in becoming the Best Urban Band on Wave 89.1's first ever Urban Music Awards. To vote, just text:

WAVE 891 UMA URBANATION

and send to 2968.

To show more Urbanation lovin', join the band's Facebook fanpage or visit their official website, www.urbanationbaby.com.

Test Shots

2009-12-10T00:15:00.003+08:00

A couple of weeks ago, I was finally able to purchase the much-awaited Canon Powershot D10. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to really read through the manual, though I've been able to play with the familiar settings, which I remember from my first Canon Powershot A430. Here are a few test shots that I've done last week.

Lego Matrix Trinity Help

2009-12-09T23:58:00.002+08:00

I saw this video yesterday on 'Attack of the Show' and figured it's worth sharing. Personally, I'm not a Matrix fan, but I'm definitely part of the Lego generation. Go figure what that means... LOL Anyhoo, enjoy the vid! ü

The "First" Day

2009-12-06T21:04:00.010+08:00

The weekend has come to an end once again. Yeah, I'm sad that it means going back to work, but with the kind of weekend we had, I'm all good.

Last Saturday, PiNkR0b0T had to do some overtime and asked me to come with her. I figured, I can use some day-long R&R in a public place. For some reason, there's something relaxing about hanging out in a mall. ( I know, right?! Of all places?!)

In recent years, I've associated 'going out' to doing errands. Yes, the wife and I would do some shopping here and there, or go out for lunch or dinner, but we haven't really done either one without having to buy something for the house or coming from/going to somewhere else. Well, I guess it's all part of being a grown-up -- multi-tasking, time management, priority management... Ulch! =S

As it turns out, Saturday became a day full of 'first-times' for PiNkR0b0T and myself. And hell, was it loads of fun! I can't help but remember that nice TV advert of Emirates, which has the tag line, "When was the last time you did something for the first time?" True enough, there's something magical about being in the same place, doing the same things and being with someone familiar, yet looking at everything in a whole new light. Anyhoo, here's our list of "first times" this Saturday:

* It was Taffy's first day out (Taffy=laptop) - I've always wanted to take her somewhere, but I never had the opportunity to do so until now. Ironically, I ended up tweeting from my mobile phone since there was no free Wi-fi where I stayed, which didn't matter because I ended up writing a bit then playing Plants vs Zombies almost half the time I waited.

* It was our first time to dine in Momo Cafe - We always see it, but we never checked out their menu. We figured it's just a cafe with no 'real food.' You know, some heavy grub for volume eaters like us. LOL Guess what, we were so wrong! They have real food and large servings too! We're so going back there -- and hopefully soon! I saw their list of desserts and I'm looking forward to trying their cupcakes!

* It was my first time to hang out in Starbucks Eastwood Mall - We've only been there once or twice and it was just for a quick coffee-and-donut-to-go. I used to hang out in the Citiwalk branch a lot. I find the new location very quiet and cozy, which I liked a lot. I was fortunate enough to sit in one of the comfy couches, which was perfect for waiting.

* It was my first time to have my nails done in Dashing Diva - Another place I always see but never really checked out. I've always assumed that their prices are ridiculous. Well, I was wrong. Their prices aren't cheap, but they're definitely reasonable. I've always been a Gloss girl, but I think that's about to change. (Sorry!) It was so cute when I first dropped by to grab a flyer. There were six little girls (prolly in the ages of 8 to 10) having a Little Diva party! I felt so old! LOL

* It was our first time to watch a movie in the Eastwood Mall's Ultra 7 Cinema (with the recliner and unlimited popcorn and drinks) - Finally! PiNkR0b0T and I saw 'New Moon'! It was extra fun watching in the fancy movie house. I thought we got the lousiest seats in the corner, but as it turns out, they were prolly the best seats in the house! It felt as if we were the only ones there! That was really helpful, especially when I had my embarrassing 'cougar moment.' Yeah... when Taylor Lautner removed his shirt for the first time, I blurted out, 'Ayun o!' (There you go!) Hahahahaaa!!!

Light Painting

2009-12-04T23:23:00.008+08:00

I know, i know... I haven't been posting on my blog again. Oh well, it's been very busy at work and yeah, Plants vs Zombies has been keeping me busy at home. So to make up for lost time, here are some cool videos on light painting, which is starting to be my new fascination. Enjoy! ü

The Weeks That Were

2009-11-22T03:13:00.004+08:00

The past couple of weeks have been C-R-A-Z-Y. Work has been hectic, but nonetheless, I was able to squeeze in some of the good stuff here and there.

First off, let me just gloat and say that I was able to finish Plants vs Zombies in 4 days, playing a maximum of only 2hrs per night since I started playing last Sunday. If that isn't brilliance, I don't know what is! LOL What's even more surprising was the fact that I didn't purchase a lot of upgrades. In fact, I didn't use the ones that I bought like the upgraded sunflower. It was pure strategy in choosing the right combination of plants, plus where to put what during the actual gameplay. So there, I guess I just professed my geekiness once again. How can I always expose myself like this?! LOL

My hun, PiNkR0b0T has a new look. I can't wait to get Cherry out from the Canon hospital so I can take lots and lots of photos of her and her new hairdo. It's really frustrating because a lot has been happening and we don't have a decent camera to document these things! Ugh! I'm planning to get a Canon D10 and I'm starting to get nervous that I might not be able to afford it because of previous shopping sprees I've done earlier this year. Heehee! Oh well, need loads of positive vibes to make sure I get my much-awaited (and coveted) D10!!! After all, Christmas is coming up and as we all know, that means lots of par-tehs! Then of course, summer is coming in a few months, which means hitting the beach! After my Bohol and Anilao experiences this year, I'm so getting ready for summer next year. Who would've thought, right? =)

PiNkR0b0T and I have a new project!!! It's pretty huge so we're keeping mum about it for now so we don't jinx it or anything. LOL Nonetheless, I'm really hoping we can make it happen 'cause it's really important to me I make it happpen for her. Yup, this is me being mum about it! I guess I better shut up before I reveal anything else!!! LOL

So there you have it. That's pretty much what's going in with me (and the missus) for the past couple of weeks. 'Till next time. TTFN! =)

Plants vs Zombies

2009-11-15T20:39:00.002+08:00

Reposting this video from Blue Ritz.

Plants vs Zombies appears to be our new addiction... and to think I just started playing today, while PiNkR0b0T does a lot of coaching. When I say coaching, I mean telling me what plants to bring, where to plant them and what stuff to buy first.

So to everyone, who's been kept busy all day and up all night by this exciting game, here's nice music video that I'm sure you'll enjoy.

A Wonderful Weekend

2009-11-08T17:43:00.009+08:00

I've always thought that if I have more money, my weekends would've been more special. Weekend trips to the beach or maybe to Tagaytay, shopping sprees with PiNkR0b0T, fancy dinners with friends -- I've always imagined that these are the things that an exciting weekend is made of. Yeah, we've done some of these splurgings at some point, but this weekend, I discovered that with a little planning and well, a little determination, you can have a fun-filled weekend without leaving the comforts of your own home and without spending a lot of money. Now don't get me wrong, we have done something like this before, but I don't think we've done all of these in one weekend.

Last Friday, we ended up coming home late from work. Yeah, we've been both very busy and haven't really reaped the benefits of the 5AM-2PM schedule. So anyway, we were so beat when we got home that we hit the sack by 12MN. If you know us well enough, you would've figured that this is a tad bit early for a Friday evening. We normally stay up until the wee hours of the morning during the weekends, watching TV or surfing the net like there's no tomorrow.

We then woke up at around 1PM Saturday afternoon. Not bad... when we really want to catch up on our shut-eye, we can stay in bed until 3-4PM or until our heads hurt like crazy. Since I planned to do some work at home (online courses), I managed to drag myself out of bed, while PiNkR0b0T decided to catch up on some mathwork for the house. Unfortunately (or fortunately?), the online courses won't load (in fact, I'm still trying it as I write this) anywhere (i.e. on both the desktop and the laptop) so we decided to start early on our TV shows marathon. By dinnertime, we were done watching the latest episodes of Heroes, CSI:NY and Grey's Anatomy! While doing a little net-surfing, I also burned 'Paranormal Activity', which we planned to watch with my Mom. However, by the time it was done, she's got other plans so we decided to watch it by ourselves.

Again, as if by clockwork, we crashed by 12MN. Surprisingly, we were up by 9AM this morning! Amazing, right? So we started the day with a yummy serving of my Papu's spicy spaghetti and as if that wasn't enough, PiNkR0b0T and I had some taho shortly after. You see, we don't often catch the Manong Magtataho so we grabbed the chance today even if we just ate. LOL Anyhoo, by midday, we finally pushed ourselves to do some workout and I'm so glad we did! Today's yoga practice was fulfilling. Trust me, when you're this fat, shifting from plank pose to down dog and back isn't easy. But today, I think I'm finally getting it! Woot! A few more weeks and I'm sure, my knees are in tip-top shape again and I can do some serious, bad-ass cardio. Until then, I'm happy practicing yoga.

After working out, we just grabbed a light lunch, after which I took a long, relaxing, warm shower. By 2PM, our regular massage therapist arrived for a 2hr massage and tada! I was in heaven! So now, as I write this, PiNkR0b0T's having her turn (almost done, I think). Afterwards, we'll just have dinner and cap off our weekend with a couple more feel-good movies.

This weekend has truly been amazing. We were able to do a lot of stuff we like and realy took care of ourselves at the same time. Most importantly, PiNkR0b0T and I were able to spend some quality time with each other, which is ironically difficult even if we're living and working together, especially now that we've been both very busy in the office. Thank heavens our weekend turned out the way it did. Now we're both ready to battle another hectic work week ahead!

Paranormal Activity

2009-11-08T17:10:00.004+08:00

Ok,so I'm NOT a fan of scary movies. I used to enjoy watching Stephen King movies and yeah, even the Poltergeist series of films as a kid, but I don't know what happened. One day, I just found myself being a scaredy cat grown-up! It may have started with the popularity of such movies as 'The Ring' or whatever, all I know is that scary movies with those unforgettable characters and images haunt me! As in they linger in my thoughts until I have trouble sleeping. So you can just imagine how uninterested I was to watch 'Paranormal Activity.' But hey, a promise is a promise and I told PiNkR0b0T that we will watch it this weekend when it's all dark and spooky.

To my dismay, the movie didn't deliver. Amidst all the hype and all the talk that it's like the scariest movie since 'The Exorcist,' it was a disappointment. To start off, the pacing was too slow. All the good parts were in the last half hour of the movie. Prior to that, I nearly dozed off. The other thing is that the brand of horror was more of the 'gulat' kind. However, it doesn't have any haunting images or sounds that would linger in your imagination when you're all alone in the dark. Lastly, we ended up waiting and waiting for something to happen, and then it'll fade to black and it's daytime again and we figure, 'That's it? Oh, ok...'

Now some might say that's the whole point of the movie -- it leaves you with your playful imagination so you would be afraid of what you cannot see. Yeah, maybe. That's lame though. If that's the concept, then I would've just stayed alone in a dark room and imagine 'Sadako' and that Japanese girl from 'Shutter' crawling towards me. That would've killed me instantly.

So, no offense to the fans, but it did look like a $15,000 indie film, reminiscent of our college film productions. The sound effects were cheap and even the fire effects when the Ouija board burned was just blah. Let's just say, it didn't incite much of a reaction.

So there you have it. Another hyped-up movie tried and found to be overrated.

My Holiday LSS

2009-10-27T20:43:00.002+08:00

So I haven't been able to post around here, no thanks to Facebook and Twitter! LOL

Anyway, I've been thinking about what I can share here so I figured, I might as well share the latest object of my Last Song Syndrome.

Just in time for the holiday season, I present to you, Phoebe Buffay's Christmas Song for her Friends... Enjoy!

(Sing along if you want to. Since I'm sure you've already heard it before, I reckon it's fine by her! LOL)

I went to the store sat on Santa’s lap.
I asked him to bring my friends all kinds of crap.
He said all you need is to write them a song,
Now you haven’t heard it yet, so don’t try to sing along.
So don’t sing along...

Monica, Monica, have a happy Hanukkah,
I saw Santa Claus, he said “Hello” to Ross.
And please tell Joey, Christmas will be snoweeeyyyyyy!!!
And Rachel and Chandler…(mumbles)…handler!!!

ABOUT ME

2009-08-23T20:17:00.000+08:00

I’m a lesbian and a Filipina
I’m my parents’ unica hija
I’m a Renthead and a Rusher
I’m a certified geek and once a chatter

I can be sweet and really bad
But you might not like me when I’m mad
I’m funny and loyal and oftentimes, humble
I’m short and fat, but hey, I’m flexible

I love cats and food and video games
I love spending time with my bestest friends
I write and sing and sometimes dance
And watch lots of TV when I have the chance

I am all these and so much more
Like little parts that make me whole
I am all these, but not just that
The good, the ugly, and the bad

My Birthday Wishlist

2009-07-26T01:28:00.005+08:00

It's that time once again, when I'll be queen for a month. LOL Yup, that's me being bitchier than usual. Here are some of the stuff I'm hoping to acquire within the next 12 months:

* Lady Gaga Concert Tickets
* Original DVD of The Simpsons Movie, 23, Rent: The Final Performance, Face/Off, Finding Nemo, and so much more. I just can't remember them all now!
* That hardbound book about FRIENDS that I saw in Power Books several years ago
* ~~1T external hard drive~~
* iPod Classic
* PSP
* Big flat screen TV
* Olympus Underwater Camera
* Complete set of Harry Potter books
* Interesting books -- I just want to bring back my passion for reading BOOKS
* 1 yr subscription to Reader's Digest
* ~~A new Sony Ericsson mobile phone -- preferably a walkman phone or the one with a large screen and QWERTY keyboard~~
* Big LCD monitor for the computer
* ~~Comfy pair of jeans~~
* More girly top
* ~~Have my hair done!~~

That's all for now! Will add more if I can! =)

Versions: Mad World

2009-06-20T17:36:00.011+08:00

I'm not a big fan of revivals, but sometimes, you do find some that actually work. Here's a good example -- I have three versions of 'Mad World.'

'Mad World' was originally sung by the British band, Tears for Fears in 1982 and was included in their debut LP, 'The Hurting,' which was released the following year. The song turned out to be their first international success, making it to the Top 40 between 1982-1983.

In 2001, a slower, ballad-like cover by Michael Andrews and Gary Jules was used in the movie, "Donnie Darko." The song was such a big hit that aside from being released in 2002 as part of the movie's soundtrack, the two had to release it as a single in 2003. This too became a big hit, being the Number One single over the Christmas Holiday in the UK. It's music video also became very popular in the word wide web, garnering over 13 million views in YouTube as of 2009.

Fast forward to 2009, 'Mad World' once again gained worldwide popularity when American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert sang the slow Gary Jules version on the Top 8 performance night featuring 'Songs From the Year They Were Born.' He again chose this as his encore for the May 19th season finale. As of this week's Billboard Hot 100, Adam Lambert is at last place, dropping from previous week's postion of 44.

On a personal note, I love this song for a variety of reasons and I'm very glad that because of these artists, I am able to enjoy it in different ways. I love the Tears for Fears version because being an 80's kid myself, hearing it really takes me back to my time. However, the lyrics of the song had more meaning to me when the slower Gary Jules version was featured in CSI's Season 6, Episode 2 "Room Service." Lastly, though I'm not a big Adam Lambert fan, I enjoyed his American Idol performance as I find it very haunting. To experience that from a reality show where hopefuls sing their hearts out for a shot in the mainstream, that was magical and it obviously worked for him.

*If you don't want to watch the videos, you may just listen to all three versions either below or through my Multiply Playlist.

Tears for Fears (1982)

Michael Andrews featuring Gary Jules (2003)

Adam Lambert (2009)

Top 10 Fictitious Celebrity Email Addresses

2009-06-19T20:09:00.017+08:00

I'm so stoked! I had a long day at work. I got home a bit later than usual, turned the laptop on and guess what I saw -- my beloved Rusher friends raving on Twitter about my entries for this week's Nokia/Ovi Mail promo for The Morning Rush Top 10! Can you believe that? My own peeers, sending me all these wonderful comments about my entries being "nice" and "great" and how "they rocked today's TMR." They're even hoping that I win the prize! Awwwww, it was really touching. And trust me, I'm talking about the popular-and-notorious-topic-and-entry-senders of the Top 10! I'm talking about boknoi, PurpleRose and sashapurse! Oh my gawd, right? Oh well, I guess in spite of my best efforts to reinvent myself from BadGirl`JeL to Abernathy™, at the end of day, I'm still one hell of a smart-ass bitch! LOL

Anyway, here are all the entries that I've sent for this week's topic, Top 10 Fictitious Celebrity Email Addresses. I'm not sure if I marked everything that was read on-air today. Also, take note of the 'email sets' as they are related with one another. Too bad though, Chico didn't read the other parts of the sets that did make it to the Top 10. Anyway, I'm hoping to get hold of today's recordings and of course, keeping my fingers crossed that I win the much coveted price, the very sleek Nokia2330 Classic. In the meantime, I hope you all enjoy the bitchy fruits of my creative juices.

************************

Jennifer Aniston: *Top 10 Material*
ihatemrssmith@bitterexwives.com

Angelina Jolie:
harharhar@whogetstheguy.com

************************

Britney Spears:
oopsididitagain@againandagain.com

************************

Billy Ray Cyrus: *Top 10 Material*
mydaughtersarockstar@daddyhasbeens.com

Miley Cyrus:
daddysgirl@morepopularthandad.com

Trace Cyrus:
hitchinaride@imacyrustoo.com

************************

Paris Hilton: But of course, she deserves to have her own list! LOL

thatshot@couldvebeendiana.com
prettybutskanky@pornprincess.net *Top 10 Material*
icanbeanything@cozimahilton.org
mostoverratedcelebrity@guinnessworldrecords.com

* The last one is actually true! She made it to the world record as Most Overrated Person/Celebrity in 2007. Check out this TMZ article (among others) for more details.

************************

Manny Pacquiao:
nothingpersonalan@mannypacquiao.com.ph
youknow@pacman.net
afterKO@politiko.org

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EMAIL ADDRESSES FOR THE GUTIERREZ FAMILY:

For Ruffa Gutierrez:
miss-kumukutikutitap-world@gutierrezfamily.com
* In spite of the Ms. World title, she became popular with her 'Kumukutikutitap' advert first

For Richard Gutierrez:
salamatsamulawin@gutierrezfamily.com
* Probably his breakthrough role... as a bird LOL

For Raymond Gutierrez:
transparentcloset@gutierrezfamily.com
* In light of the 'gay' rumors

For Annabel Rama:
mamamahadera@gutierrezfamily.com
* 'Nuff said!

For Eddie Gutierrez:
mukhangtakuza@gutierrezfamily.com
* Due to the email address above

************************

Nora Aunor:
walanghimala@nunal.com

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Shia LaBeouf:
ShiaLaBeouf@oedipuscomplex.com

************************

Adam Lambert:
ImGaySoWhat@idol-runner-up.com

Clay Aiken:
TerritorialDiva@idol-runner-up.com

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Megan Fox:
HeyTalkAboutMe@publicity-hungry.net *Top 10 Material*
MayGoEitherWay@AJolieWannabe.com
GayagayaSiMegan@KSP.com.ph

* Just browsed through some of her photos and I think she's trying oh-so-hard to 'emulate' A Jolie's aura. She even has some sort of text tatooed on her back just like Angelina. Bitch! LOL

************************

Anne Heche:
crazyanne@wasbian.com

* wasbian = was lesbian

************************

Chris Pine and Audrina Patridge:
ChrisAndAudrina_ParangTubig@LangisKayaDiNagtagal.com

************************

Tom Cruise: *Top 10 Material*
WentCrazy@OprahsCouch.com

My Favorite Beach Photos - Anilao, Batangas

2009-06-02T20:32:00.015+08:00

More beach photos!

I'm very thankful that even though I've only been to two beaches (I mean, now that I'm a grown-up), I was fortunate enough to see probably two of the most beautiful beaches in the Philippines. As far as I've heard, both Bohol and Anilao are popular destinations for snorkeling and diving. I hope to see more in the future, especially the ones in Palawan and of course, my Mom's province, La Union. Maybe then, I'd be more daring to try new and exciting things like spelunking (that is, if I don't die on-the-spot becaue of claustrophobia) and we never know, perhaps even surfing! Yeah, right! LMFAO

Part 2: Anilao, Batangas

"Salubong"

"David and Goliath"

"The Perfect Rays"

"My View from the Deck"

"Looking Up"

"My Memory of Anilao"

My Favorite Beach Photos - Panglao Island, Bohol

2009-06-02T19:47:00.013+08:00

I really didn't like going to the beach. That was until January this year when my partner, Millie, my best friends and I went on a five-day holiday in Bohol. Since then, I'm officially a convert.

Last month, four of us headed out to Anilao, Batangas this time, for a rather short, over-the-weekend double-date R&R.

If only Millie and I have more time and well, much more money, I can just imagine us going to the beach every chance we get and just swim and snorkel and sunbathe, and of course, take beautiful photos.

Here are some of my favorite beach photos that automatically takes me back to those wonderful places and moments every time I look at them...

Part 1: Panglao Island, Bohol

"Panglao Hangout"

"Floating Lamyaan"

"Japan! Japan! Underwater"

"My Memory of Panglao"

A Question, A Pet Peeve and Another Question

2009-05-23T21:33:00.003+08:00

The question:
How come it's ok to say "Are you lesbian?" or "Are you a lesbian?" or "I am lesbian." or "I am a lesbian." but it's not grammatically correct to say "Are you a gay?" or "I am a gay."?

The pet peeve:
Hearing people say "I'll just get a coffee."

The other question:
How do you remind a close friend about the rules of past tense verbs? Did you got what I mean?

My Thoughts About Adam Lambert

2009-05-22T22:57:00.026+08:00

I'm not an Adam Lambert fan.

I've been very vocal about this since the beginning of American Idol's 8th season. I admit to even mocking his shrieking banshee perfomances not once, nor twice throughout the competition. Though I am a Danny Gokey fan, I don't mind about other contestants. For me, it's all a matter of preference and Adam's style simply doesn't appeal to my taste. Nonetheless, I'm not blind, nor deaf. The man can undoubtedly sing his face off. He's a true performer and let's face it, his level of showmanship may well compete with that of mainstream artists, perhaps, he may even do better. His background in theatre obviously worked to his advantage, allowing him to make the most out of hair, make-up, costumes, lighting, sometimes even effects, and of course, the way he sets the mood of his performance through his larger-than-life gestures and poignant facial expressions.

American Idol is more than a singing competition. Through the years, the talent/reality show has evolved from a nationwide popularity contest to a worldwide phenomenon. Season after season, people all over the world have become more and more passionate about their Idols -- forming fan clubs, putting up fan sites, coining catchphrases to identify themselves or their Idol, probably even designing merchandise showing off who they proudly support. It's amazing, really, how even a country halfway across the globe can be so passionate about the show. With Season 8 probably having the most talented batch of contestants, fans were fiercer like never before, promoting their American Idol every chance they get, putting everything on hold to catch the earliest possible broadcast.

This evening, out of curiosity, I started looking up photos and videos of Adam Lambert and I was just appalled. I cannot believe how people will go out of their way to pull someone down. Yes, one's sexual orientation may affect one's decision to support someone or not, but nooooo, these people are not content by simply "not liking" him or supporting everyone else except him. They've decided to convince others to the same by launching a smear campaign against him. I was surprised at the effort these people put into faking photos and uploading them to popular sites just to defame someone, as if they don't have anything better to do. Define "faking photos"? Well, let's just say that they label practically anyone with eyeliner and Adam's trademark hairstyle as Adam Lambert. There was one photo with the title "ADAM LAMBERT WAS GAY EVEN AS A YOUNG BOY! PROOF!" showing two black-haired youngsters dressed like him kissing. As it turns out, Adam's hair was blonde until High School. They've also referred to certain drag queens who are way too covered with make-up and elaborate costumes to be recognized as Adam Lambert. Apparently, anyone gay, wearing a costume, a wig and all covered with over the top make-up or at least an eyeliner is Adam Lambert. How pathetic is that?

First off, Adam Lambert being gay or not is irrelevant. American Idol is, after all, a SINGING competition. Second, Adam Lambert has a life prior to American Idol. Do these people honestly think his family and friends do not know how he looked like when he was in High School? Third, American Idol is a TV show! It's meant for entertainment. I wonder how much better the world is if all these energy being put into destroying another person is being put into good use. Lastly, does he look like he cares? He doesn't.

As for him losing the title of American Idol, no comment. Honestly, it doesn't matter! With lots of people rooting for him and yes, even taking the time to diss him, he obviously has a bright career ahead of him.

A Couple of Funny Vids from Cracked.Com

2009-05-22T21:53:00.004+08:00

Thanks to my friend, Chris for introducing me to Cracked.Com! Crazy website! Anyway, enjoy watching these funny videos. =)

The Easy Way to Make Your Cat Fun Again

The Easy Way to Make Your Cat Fun Again -- powered by Cracked.com

Why Having Wolverine's Claws Would Suck

Why Having Wolverine's Claws Would Suck -- powered by Cracked.com

Random Blah of the Day: Rejection

2009-05-20T21:41:00.019+08:00

Topic courtesy of Oscar dela Hopia

*************

Several years ago, I wrote one of my most bitter 'Jelaineisms' that says:

"The problem with choices is when you're one of the options and you didn't get picked."

It's human nature. We like having options. We feel as if it's our God-given right to be able to have our say on things, or at least have something to choose from. We feel violated when we're "forced" into embracing something like it's being shoved down our throats. Well, that's fine. As I've said -- it's human nature. However, try being on the other side of the buffet table and it's an entirely different story.

Oh yeah... I'm talking about rejection. When it comes to being "one of the choices," different people react differently. Some get into combat mode -- all out and fierce, it has to be ME. Some, on the other hand, allow their insecurities to eat them alive and just throw in the towel before the fight even starts. Either way, one may assume that both reaction is because of fear of rejection. When we talk about rejection, we often think about how we handle it. However, I think our feelings towards rejection in general affects the way we handle various situations so we wouldn't have to bother actually facing it.

Looking back at my own experiences, my fear of rejection may have kept me from a lot of things. How can you blame me? I'm probably a poster child for "Most likely to be rejected." I'm a minority in a minority. I'm Filipino, I'm a woman, I'm lesbian, and I'm fat. Though I'm not that insecure to say that I'm ugly, let's face it, I'm no head-turner either. This might explain why, aside from Millie a.k.a. PiNkR0b0T, I have a rather short list of exes with a population of 1 and why I never did any sort of dating, flirting, courting, more so have any flings. In school, I chose not to audition for the theatre or the glee club because I was too shy. I felt that there are ten other students who are better than me. Even in my professional life now, I hate applying for promotions. I prefer waiting for "opportunities" to open up, like a transfer or a special assignment. If I ever apply, I need to be certain that my chances of getting it are high and that I'm as prepared as prepared can be. Otherwise, nah, I'm happy where I'm at. Though some people may disagree, I don't do well in interviews. I have issues about selling myself and all that stuff. But yeah, whatever I say, I think it's all because I'm scared of being rejected at the end of the day. LOL

Hmmm... Sometimes I wonder how my life would've been different if I didn't care about being rejected. Nonetheless, I have no regrets. I am what I am because of all the experiences I had and missed. In that respect, rejection probably even helped me to be more cautious, content and probably even encouraged me to learn to make up for what I lack. So I guess rejection isn't such a bad thing after all! LOL

It ended before it even started

2009-05-07T21:39:00.014+08:00

I can't say I hate the beach. The only time I went to the beach as a kid was when I was nine and my Mom took me to her hometown in La Union. That was a brief stay and I didn't really have time to enjoy it. The beach was practically in our backyard, it was probably just a 3-5min walk away. I can barely remember this, but my Mom does. Apparently, I was kinda scared every time the waves crash onto shore, washing away the sand. Looking back, I reckon that's the typical reaction of a city kid who grew up in an commercial aparment along a national highway.

Early this year, my partner and I went to Bohol with our best friends. After 28 years of harboring a lot of fears and inhibitions, I finally travelled by sea on a ferry, a "medium-sized" boat and by my standard (and size), a really tiny one. One of the highlights of our holiday was of course, the snorkeling. It was an amazing sight! It was obviously my first time, but I was a bit surprised at how comfortable I felt throughout the whole experience. Everyone was teasing me when I said I want to go to the beach again some time. My partner, who knew I was reluctant about the whole "sea thing" can't believe her ears. She was so stoked because she loves the beach and except for the Bohol holiday, we've never gone anywhere near any beach for the entire eight years we've been together.

This weekend, we're all set to go to Batangas, again with our best friends. It's a much-needed break for all of us. I've been looking forward to this trip particularly because it's my first beach trip after developing a new-found love for the entire concept of beach bumming and all that. I can just imagine myself lying in the sand, my skin burning under the hot summer sun, the sea crashing onto shore, washing away the sand beneath my feet, but I wouldn't care and I wouldn't be afraid anymore. *Sigh* Now that's a holiday! Unfortunately, it remains to be a dream sequence in my mind because of typhoon, Emong. Currently, both Manila and Batangas are under storm signal number 1 and this news has made me really pissed and bitchy.

Considering how the Earth's seasons have gone out of whack (Duh? Three weeks of summer and it's typhoon season already???), I ain't expecting another beach holiday for summer next year (or prolly even the year after). Oh well, what a real shame, my love affair with the beach has ended before it even started. For now, I'm still hoping that Emong goes someplace else and for Manila and Batangas to see some summer sun this weekend. I mean, come on! Please?

Fireworks 2008

2009-05-07T17:37:00.005+08:00

I just saw these photos in one of my backup discs and figured they're worth sharing. These were taken in SM Marikina last December with my Canon PowerShot A430. I was really surprised with the results as this was the first time that I used the 'Fireworks' scene function.

Fireworks make such amazing subjects as each shot is definitely different and they make great desktop wallpapers too! I'm so looking forward to this year's Christmas/New Year season so I can create another set of fireworks photos. =)

Lightbulb Moment: I have a new dream -- host TMR with C&D

2009-05-05T21:56:00.003+08:00

Someday, I hope I’m good enough to join Chico and Delle in The Morning Rush. I’d looooove to exchange witty, oftentimes, green comments with them. I'm sure I'll have a blast!

Aaaahhhh... I wonder how that'll feel... One day, you're just listening to them over the radio then another day, you're sitting with them in the booth doing boardwork, laughing, reading requests, greeting the Rushers, tweeting, doing the Top 10, promoting chicogarcia.wordpress.com, delamar.wordpress.com and well, badgirljel.blogspot.com... Haaaayyyy...

Times like these, I certainly regret not trying out for Radio One when I was in college. I remember being jealous of my friend, Bailey for having the confidence and obviously what it takes to be with Radio One. Oh well, in Tagalog, "Laging nasa huli ang pagsisisi," and true enough, I have lots of regrets when it comes to stuff I was too-shy-to-try. But then again, a girl can dream! Who knows, rrrriiiggghhhtt??? =p

I haven't Tweeted The Whole F*cking Day

2009-05-04T19:35:00.008+08:00

Breakthrough! I haven't done any sort of tweeting whatsoever even until now. I don't know what happened, I mean, it did cross my mind a couple, well, several times today but I sort of just took it upon myself to resist the temptation. Next thing I know, I'm already here at home and I haven't even peeked at any version whatsoever of Twitter and here I am, blogging about it! I haven't even opened my TweetDeck, nor the Twitter site on my browser! This is indeed a miracle!

Well, I did have a lot on my plate today with reports and all, but I have to admit, I've been thinking about my cyberlifestyle lately and I think I need to pull back a little. I haven't been as productive as I normally am and I've noticed how much I constantly think about jumping online to do all sort of stuff (and I never seem to run out of things to do online!). Seriously, I think I need help.

The one sign, which I finally cannot ignore was last Friday, when the topic for Chico and Delle's Top Ten was 'Signs you're addicted to the internet.' It was funny at first, how they seemed to be talking about me and my life, but for some reason, it got me thinking, 'Hell! I think I am addicted!.' So, here I am, trying to get back that balance between having a normal and productive life both in cyberspace and in real life. Having said that, I'm trying to do a bit of cyber-rehab and detox and I'm glad I've reduced my Twitter-dependence today! Just reduced, ok? I'm still going to tweet at some point... well, right after I post this. LOL

I believe in signs and how the universe sometimes talk to me that way, but with the cosmos talking to me through Chico and Delle (who I both love dearly, by the way), I know I just have to listen! LOL *Wink*

Justice for Tengteng, the hapless victim of the U.P. Cat Killer

2009-05-03T22:56:00.003+08:00

You may have heard of the U.P. Cat Killer, Joseph Carlo Candare. I'm thinking that a lot of things may have already been said about him in the blogosphere. Now, it's time to talk about his victim, Tengteng.

An online petition is currently waiting to complete 1,000. As of writing this entry, this cause now has over 940 signatures. If you wish to support this, please sign here. Below is a copy of the entire petition letter for your review.

This goes beyond what happened to Tengteng. This is for every stray animal that was hurt by any so-called human, who should have known better considering the so-called higher intelligence that he or she was given.

JUSTICE FOR TENGTENG
Target: Faculty of the University of the Philippines, Diliman.
Sponsored by: Ted Teodoro.

There are over half a million stray animals in the Philippines, and this is the story of just one of them. Tengteng was a month-old stray kitten who lived precariously on the grounds of the University of the Philippines at Diliman. Those who knew her spoke of a kitten who benefited from random acts of kindness including handouts of food, water, even a new collar to make herself look pretty. She enjoyed fleeting but happy moments with students who gave her a scratch or two, a tummy rub, and pats on her head. The only known photographs of Tengten are the ones you see on this site. One can say that Tengteng was not as hard up as other strays in the Philippines, but she was without a regular source of food, a home and a family to protect her.

Tengteng, like all animals, was God's child. But her life came to an abrupt end when on April 13th a second year physics student named Joseph Carlo Candare took her life and bragged about it on the web. On his blog entry for that day, Mr. Candare mockingly called Tengteng's death " an accidental Crime." However, by other accounts, Tengteng's killing was a deliberate and blood-thirsty attack fueled by Mr. Candare's visceral and sadistic hatred of cats.

How much hate, you might ask?

Mr. Candare was described as taking a running start, leaping into the air, and then landing on Tengteng with the full force of his weight and momentum. Tengteng, who could not have weighed more than two pounds, was crushed under the grown man's weight. This was a conscious act, and Mr. Candare had ample opportunities to change his mind. Whatever life was left in Tengteng's body, the last few ounces of strength she had, enabled her to seek shelter in a hovel where she ultimately died moments later, alone. The imagery is horrifying, but we have been spared the deathly sounds that must have been blood-curdling. The agonizing scream of a kitten, the crushing of her bones, the taunting of the victor over the vanquished, it was a triumphant moment for one but unnecessarily tragic for another.

Why should we care?

Some have argued that we care too much about a kitten who did not belong to anyone. Some said tha there are many strays; why care about this one? All animals deserve respect. When we disrespect an animal, that says more about us than the animal. It is not how many animals are abused, but it is the knowledge that a most heinous crime was committed on a defenseless and sentient being that behooves us to act. Such acts, however singular, offends our sense of decency and righteousness. If there is one abused animal, then that is one too many. When we are confronted by cruelty, we must address it. Acts of abject cruelty towards animals, like Tengteng's killing, are simply unacceptable. It is up to the enlightened and the compassionate to stand up and speak in behalf of those on the receiving end of humankind's brute force.

Why take my word for it?

You do not have to. I am reproducing Mr. Candare's blog entry for your perusal. Here, you can read his own words, his self-confession as a serial killer of cats, his disingenuous pang of conscience, and his not-so-veiled threat to kill more in a month ( English translation in brackets) :

"An Accidental Crime. First day sa supercon. Lunch time came. On our way out of old NIP I saw the cat I almost killed last Tuesday. Now everyone knows I hate cats. It's an unexplainable feeling towards them. Like some internal hatred. Hindi ko talaga alam kung bakit pero anumang pagpipigil sa sarili ay hindi sapat upang mapangibabawan ang panggigil ko sa mga pusa. [ I don't really know why my self-control is not enough to overcome my hatred of cats ] I pulled it on its tail and threw it. Then like some pro wrestler I jumped on it and my feet landed on it's torso. Slam! Felt good! But the cat didn't die, well not yet. It ran for its life and just as I was about to catch up on it somebody yelled: " Pwede bang pabayaan mo yung pusa?!" [ Can you leave the cat alone? ]. It was instant and involuntary. I stopped on my tracks. Nobody ever stopped me when assaulting cats. Well I guess there's always a first time for everything. The cat got away. Or at least that's what i thought. So we went to lunch Mel, Jayson, Tracy and me. After lunch, balik na sa kung anumang naiwang gawain [ we went back to whatever unfinished work we had ]. Then Tracy and Mel told me " Hui Jc napatay mo yung pusa" [ Hey, JC, you killed that cat ]. Hours later, habang abala sa XRD [ while busy at XRD ], a guy came in. Tanong niya: " Sinong pumatay dun sa pusa?" [ He asked, who killed that cat? ] Bang! Dat was me boi. Guilty as charged. I didn't see it die pero sabi ni Myles [ but Myles said ] it coughed up blood or at least something like that daw. Didn't realize I gave it a fatal hit. This isn't the first time I've killed a cat but this time it's different. It didn't occur to me back then that the cat had a leash. So I think somebody owns it. Well it's very well loved in NIP from what I heard and I just ended it's life. So there you go I'm sorry. And I wont be striking another one for maybe about a month. It feels good when your beating it(a cat) up but you suddenly feel something strange when it turns off permanently. That's how I feel right now. And maybe for the next days. Dang, am I a cat serial killer? "

To Whom Should We Appeal?

We are appealing to the high officials of the University of the Philippines at Diliman (U.P.) namely Dr. Sergio Cao, Chancellor of UP, Dr. Arnel Salvador, Director of the National Institute of Physics at UP, and to Dr. Caesar Saloma, Dean of the College of Science UP.

These gentlemen, in their respective capacities, have the authority to set things right at the university. They can condemn, reject, and punish those who practice animal cruelty within the ranks of the university. They are gatekeepers to the long and illustrious history of the university. The conduct and safety of the student body are under their purview. We, therefore, are calling upon these gentlemen to apply the only just and appropriate punishment for Mr. Candare which is immediate expulsion from the university and to assist in seeking proper medical attention for Mr. Candare.

I am asking for one thousand signatures. If you agree with the spirit of this petition, please sign it and offer your opinion for the benefit of these learned gentlemen. I will post updates when new developments occur. I thank you for helping engender a more compassionate Filipino society.

Addenda: There were questions about criminal charges. The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) is in the process of gathering affidavits from eye-witnesses. Yes, Mr. Candare violated the provisions of the Philippine Animal Welfare Act, Republic Act 8485. PAWS' volunteer lawyer will be mapping our their legal case against Mr. Candare.
05/02/09 I had Mr. Candare's name as John C. Candare in the initial post because he presented himself as such on another blog, but someone corrected me. His real name is Joseph Carlo Candare.

05/02/09 You may express your outrage but please no personal threats against Mr. Candare. I have to submit this petition to UP officials, and I want it fair and clean. Substantive comments will greatly help the impact of this petition. Thanks.

The Poker Face Video with Baby Gaga

2009-04-26T02:42:00.003+08:00

Yup! You read it right! It's Baby Gaga and not Lady Gaga. Watch this little boy as he rocks it out while listening to Lady Gaga's popular song, Poker Face. I just can't help myself! just needed to share this to the world. I really won't be surprised if it becomes one of those viral vids because it's really funny. =D

I'm just worried though... a little boy enjoying Lady Gaga's music at such a young age? Hmmmm... promising... LOL

The Rushers EB at the RX Booth - 25Apr09

2009-04-26T02:40:00.000+08:00

Abernathy and PiNkR0b0T finally meet their online family and friends and spent some good quality time with the great Chico and Delle! Super duper fun! More photos to come when we start grabbing them from other Rushers! =)

Please Don't Leave Me by Pink

2009-04-22T23:16:00.002+08:00

I LOVE THIS VIDEO.

Reminiscent of Stephen King's novel turned into movie, "Misery." This is both funny and well, morbid. :p

I'm addicted to Twitter

2009-04-22T22:34:00.004+08:00

It's official. I'm addicted to Twitter!

I can't stop tweeting! I've already installed Tweetdeck on both my desktop and my mom's laptop and installed Jitter on my mobile phone. I tweet practically all day and seriously, I'm kind of disappointed that my friends are not into it. How crazy is that???

I wonder how long this addiction will go on. In the meantime, I'm enjoying it a whole lot! :)

Onli in da Pilipins: The Filipino Ingenuity

2009-04-18T00:51:00.003+08:00

Over the years, I've been collecting photos of signs and billboards that are well, funny -- mostly because of spelling or grammtical errors. Over the years, I was also lucky enough to catch a couple of photos, which feature how good we Filipinos are in the art of improvising. Enjoy...

* I apologize for the quality. Both were taken using a camera phone, and the car I was on was even moving when I took the first photo, so please bear with me. :)

Car chair?
Taken along Barangka in Marikina using my old Nokia 6600, 24 June 2006

Side pocket mirror
Taken along Julia Vargas using my Sony Ericsson K610i, 03 March 2009

Snapshots

2009-04-15T19:57:00.003+08:00

I love taking pictures... but it doesn't mean I'm good at it. LOL I'm only using a humble digital camera with very basic specs. Nothing fancy, just aim and shoot.

Hairy Balls

Out of place

I was feeling wicked that day

My Daddy's Girl Chucks

Bohol Trip 2009 - Day 5

2009-04-12T16:39:00.001+08:00

13Jan09, Day 5 - It's back to Manila, baby!

Once again, an amazing view of the skies. The downside, this marks the end of our holiday, which means it's back to reality. LOL

Bohol Trip 2009 - Day 4

2009-04-12T16:23:00.002+08:00

12Jan09, Day 4 of our Bohol Holiday: Punta Cruz Bay and Watch Tower for some nature-tripping, plus a quick peek at the Loon Church.

By this time, it's just me, Millie and Amor since Des, Tang and Gem flew back to Manila by noon.

Bohol Trip 2009 - Day 3

2009-04-12T16:15:00.002+08:00

11Jan09, Day 3 of our Bohol holiday: Ferry to Cebu to visit Fort San Pedro, Magellan's Cross, Basilica del Sto. Niño and the highlight -- get on the Edge Coaster at Crown Regency Hotel and Towers! And by the way, we also had a bit of drinking in the evening.

Now this was a big day for me... I had to overcome my fear of heights because everyone decided to ride on the Edge Coaster! LOL Too bad, we're the only couple without any photos while on the automatic 30-degree tilt... Ok, so I clucked! I can't help it! Getting on the ride itself was like, hello? Already a biggie for me! Can we have the tilt some other time??? LOL

Bohol Trip 2009 - Day 2

2009-04-12T15:27:00.002+08:00

10Jan09, Day 2 of our Bohol Holiday: Dolphin-watching and snorkeling at Balicasag Island in the morning and petiks time at Panglao Island Nature Resort and Spa for the remaining part of the day...

Love the underwater photos! They're to die for... thanks to Amor's underwater cam! =)

Bohol Trip 2009 - Day 1

2009-04-12T00:12:00.011+08:00

I've been meaning to share these photos here on my blog but never got around to fixing things. Anyway, here we are! These were from our Bohol trip just this January 2009, when our friends Des and Amor came home from Dubai for a three-week holiday. It was our barkada's first time going on a major trip and it would've been more fun if our other best friend, Danet was able to join us. Well, maybe next time. :)

Highlights of Day 1 include our outbound flight from MNL to TAG, lunch at Loboc River, a quick visit to the Tarsier Farm, an ATV adventure to the Chocolate Hills, and dinner at Sagbayan Peak

Check out the cool shots from our ATV adventure. It was a blessing in disguise that it rained! Otherwise, it wouldn't have been as crazy, dirty and scary! LOL

I'd be uploading the photos for Days 2 to 5 tomorrow. :)

Day 1, Part 1 (From our camera)

Day 1, Part 2 (From Amor)

Improv Everywhere: Suicide Jumper

2009-04-09T21:30:00.001+08:00

After several months, I finally found some time to browse on Improv Everywhere's videos. Here's one that gave me mixed emotions... It was a bit funny and super silly!

The Climb - Miley Cyrus (from The Hannah Montana The Movie)

2009-04-08T19:53:00.001+08:00

Ok, I admit... I'm the one who keeps on requesting for this song on the Morning Rush. Funny how my wife, Millie is the real Hannah Montana fan and I was even teasing her about it. The darn kid sorta grew into me so here I am. Well, I'm still not a super Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus fan but I really like this song and yeah, yeah... I'm looking forward to seeing the movie. LOL Shet! Whatever happened to me???

Miley Cyrus - The Climb - Official Music Video (HQ)

Finally won something today

2009-04-06T16:51:00.002+08:00

When I first joined the TMR Forum, one of the first threads I read was "what i won from RX thru TMR is... " Grabeng dyahe! The last thing I won was a pair of concert tickets... to the Eraserheads album launch of Natin99! Jusme! 1. Ilang taon na ba silang nagdededmahan? 2. Kamusta naman at nakadalawang reunion concert na nga! I was green with envy as I read the entries of my fellow Rushers... concert tickets, movie premier tickets, gift packs... and seriously, it's not even the prize, I'm just jealous of the thought that they won something. You see, I'm not very lucky with contests, especially with promos or raffles, while a lot of them even won several times already! Grabe! Kakainggit talaga.

Today, it was a holiday. The streets were empty, commuting was a breeze but it didn't matter 'cause truth was, I didn't want to go to work. All I wanted to do was stay in bed, cuddle up with my little pillow, Stwipy, and curl up under my warm blankie. But no, I only have four days of work this week, I can't miss another one. I need to guarantee the 4-day weekend that's waiting for me. So I dragged my ass off the bed, my eyes half-closed.

As I was getting off the cab, I can hear Del saying that caller number 3 gets to join the Tekki Shomen promo. I dialled in. Busy tone. Bad timing... After all, there's no signal in the elevator and I have to go up and login. Nah... maybe next time. I was so surprised though that by the time I reached my desk and logged in, Del said that she doesn't have anyone yet for the promo! I hurriedly picked up my mobile phone and redialled. It rang! Oh my gawd! It rang again... I checked on the number just in case -- it was right. Then she picked up! I asked if she still needed someone for the promo and the rest, as they say, was history.

So much fun! So reminiscent of my high school days... calling RX, going on-air... nostalgic! Finally winning something... priceless! Dahil d'yan, I'm glad I went to work today! LOL

_________________________________________________________

*To win the promo, I just had to cite an instance when I forgot something important. The instance I gave was from a couple of years back when I was still an agent and I had my shift moved to an hour later. After our team meeting, which ended on my usual logout time, I went down the building with my teammates and waited for my ride. After waiting for a few minutes, wondering what happened to him, I called and asked where he was. That's when I realized (actually, he told me) that I don't get off work until an hour later. Then of course, I had to say the tag line, "Tekki Shomen cup noodles... Sa sarap, makakalimutan mo ang lahat!" Winner!

The Alcantara Family's Home Elevator

2009-04-02T23:35:00.004+08:00

A home elevator... seriously??? Seriously! The Alcantara family does have one and my partner, Millie just can't help herself. Oh well, it's a definite must-try and try the lift, she absolutely did!

Stupid Urban Lingo

2009-04-02T17:33:00.000+08:00

Ok, so I'm a big fan of the urban dictionary. I loooovvvve made up words and stuff, especially exotic names from another language.

The other night, I spent an hour or so researching on the word "red" in other languages, so we can finally give a name to our laptop... Our top choices were Merah (Indonesian), Kokkino (Greek) and Punane (Estonian). Runner up was Sanura, which is Egyptian for kitten or Swahili for kitten-like. So, Punane won... finally, our laptop has a name. Punane.

Today, I told my friend, Z of our new laptop's name. Guess what he told me... "Hey, doesn't that mean vagina? I saw it in a movie... blah, blah, blah..." I thought he was just pulling my leg, but no! I looked it up just now and true enough, it IS another term for the vagina according to the Urban Dictionary!

Aaarrrgggghhhhh!!! Back to the drawing board! The search continues for the great laptop name!

Something new, something old

2009-04-01T17:21:00.000+08:00

WARNING: Mushy content ahead.

I've always been aware of how my life is going... well, probably for most part of my 28-year existence. I like it when things change, but I'm just as glad when I see how things seem to remain the same.

I still have the same set of best friends (Tropang H Forever!) and I'm still in contact with many of my oldest friends (Tessa, Maia, Joanne, Donna, Ayn, a few of our online buddies from our IRC days). Nonetheless, I have a lot of new friends (My VB family and my Telecom team). I'm so blessed to have all these people around me, especially during the most trying times when my father got sick.
I've been a big fan of Monster Radio RX 93.1's morning show, The Morning Rush with Chico and Delamar since I was in High School. Unfortunately, my crazy work schedule for the past hundred years kept me from listening to the show. Now, since I'm comfortably on a 7AM-4PM shift, I'm back to being a Rusher! Fun part is, I'm beyond a silent Rusher. I'm now sending entries to the Top 10 and I'm an activee member of the TMR Forum, where I've met (at least online) some of the funniest, nicest, smartest people. Someday, I'm hoping to meet them in person.
I've been my parent's little girl since forever. Being an only child, I refuse to grow up as much as they sometimes deny that I'm almost 30 now! Between my Dad having a stroke and having SJS, I've absolutely stepped up. I've become the responsible daughter that they've raised me up to be. But hey, I wasn't the only one wwho stepped up. My Dad has become less of a control freak, entrusting other people with the responsibilities he would normally handle by himself. My Mom, a meek, submissive wife for most her life, learned to speak up and be decisive. My Dad is still recovering and we all know that things would never bee the same, but with the new-found closeness we have as a family, I know we're just stronger as ever. I know we can survive anything.
I've been with my life partner for 8 years and 3 months. In May, we'll be celebrating our 100th month together. It's amazing how long we've been together... how much hell we've gone through together and how much good stuff we've shared. Funny thing is, it doesn't feel like we've been together THAT long! We still talk like we'll never run out of things to say and we miss each other like teenagers when we're apart for even a while. I seriously can't imagine life without her. Funny thing is, we've been together for so long that a life without each other is like an impossibility. Translation: Breaking up is no longer an option. We're stuck. LOL
As for me, I'm still bitchy and mean and geeky and lazy and weird and bubbly and hyper and talkative and creative and moody and so much more! I'm just putting them all now in the right perspective and let's just say in the right levels. I've had a lot of shit happening in my life for the past year and as much as my best friends are probably having a hard time believing it, I'm a changed person. I feel different, I think differently now, I've changed! For the worse or for the better, I'm not sure... but I'm certainly happy where I am now...

Eight Years

2009-03-31T18:37:00.001+08:00

Eight years ago, we graduated from college. Prior to that, Miriam College was our second home for four years. It was a long four years for students, but definitely short for kids.

Eight years ago, we embarked on a new journey called the real world. It is where reall people deal with real problems in real life.

Eight years ago, we dreamt. We aspired of becoming professionals, to be the best names in our field, to be a force to be reckoned with.

Eight years ago, we made our promises. We vowed of never-ending friendships and swore to stay connected no matter what.

Today, I have not stepped foot in the old school in years. I'd probably get lost there if I visit now.

Today, time has made me old, hopefully even mature, as I face life's challenges on a daily basis. Every once in a while, I struggle, but I continue to survive in the real world.

Today, I can't say I'm a huge hit in my chosen career, but I'm happy where I am and in my own little way, I am a force to be reckoned with.

Today, I continue to enjoy the gift of four wonderful friendships. Four people who stayed true to their vows of never-ending friendships and kept their promise of being constantly present in my life. They are the four sisters I never had.

Today, I reminisce how life has been for the past eight years... how much different I am now from before, yet how things seem to stay the same. I remember this day fondly... year after year after year.

Congratulations to us for graduating college eight years ago.

The Controversial Boyet Fajardo

2009-03-28T01:43:00.004+08:00

When people write about you -- especially in blogs -- it's more or less a good thing. It means you have followers who are raving about your talent, your works, your looks, or well, you and everything that you are. This time, it's different. A practically unknown and irrelevant fashion designer by the name of Boyet Fajardo has finally earned himself a new-found popularity cum notoriety among bloggers and TV viewers alike. Unfortunately, it wasn't because of his latest summer collection, but because of the big, scandalous scene he created in Duty Free Philippines. To make matters worse, everything was captured on tape.

Fajardo apparently humiliated the cashier, Marvin Fernandez in more ways than one, when the latter requested for an identification card upon seeing that the former's credit card has not been signed. To make matters worse, the MTRCB ID and passport that Fajardo presented do not have signatures either. He then started spewing out profanity, even mocking the cashier and his superiors. The worst thing he did though was that he asked Fernandez to choose between being slapped on the face or kneeling before him. As per the interview, the poor cashier chose the second option just to get the whole thing over and done with.

Knowing his kind, I bet Fajardo left the store with a smug look on his face. After all, he's Boyet Fajardo. Wrong! The big scene he created has landed in cyberspace and instantly became a viral video. As expected, it attracted thousands of negative comments directed at Fajardo, especially regarding his supposed apology.

Trust me, he's in even bigger trouble. The stupid scum obviously didn't mean a word he said on his TV interviews. Proof: he can't even get the cashier's name right! In TV Patrol, he called him Marvin HERNANDEZ. In 24 Oras, it was Marvin GONSALEZ. Guess what, you idiot, the correct name is Marvin FERNANDEZ. Now don't be surprised if you find yourself in financial ruins. Apart from the lawsuits you'll be facing, be ready for a massive boycott.

You made one hell of a mistake, you useless piece of shit. Next time, remember that respect begets respect. It's never about who you are, but how you treat people. Well, you're popular, alright -- at least for now and even if it's for all the wrong reasons. I guess morons like yourself do need to learn about basic courtesy the hard way, eh? Well, serves you right, asshole!

Long overdue post... Snorkeling at Balicasag Island

2009-03-24T20:45:00.001+08:00

It's Millie and Jel's first major holiday and we certainly did it with a bang, It's a 5-day holiday with our bestest friends in Bohol. Day 2 is all about the sand, sea, and surf and yes, some underwater fun and adventure.

Plans in the Pipeline

2009-03-24T17:11:00.000+08:00

I'll be renovating my blogspot in the near future. I got so inspired by the dedication and commitment of my fellow Rushers to their blogs that's why I've decided to start "blogging" again. For the past year, I've just been depending on the auto-posts between my Multiply and Blogger account so it got boring without photos and videos. Hopefully, I'm able to finish... well, even start this project that I have in mind! LOL

My Digital Heart is Broken

2009-03-20T20:15:00.000+08:00

I just found out that my collection of 42 movies just disappeared from my external drive... without a trace. It may have happened on 20Jan09, Tuesday at 7:43PM but I can't understand how it could've happened. I'm crying now as I write this entry, as several movie titles comes to mind... Death Proof, Scaner Darkly, Planet Terror, Flashdance... some are not as popular and are therefore hard to find...

How can this happen??? What??? What sort of digital karma is this??? What have I done to deserve to this??? I was never selfish of digital blessings... I always share what I have, no questions asked. Why??? Whhhhhaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy???

I am... Abernathy

2009-03-19T18:13:00.000+08:00

I think it was 2007 or 2008 when I discovered the Tarantino film, "Death Proof." It's the second movie in the Grindhouse movies, the first one of which is "Planet Terror." I was drawn to "Death Proof." How can I not be??? Rosario Dawson and Tracie Thoms are there. We became oh-so fascinated with them after the movie, "Rent." Anyway, Rosario Dawson's character is named, Abernathy. Nice name, I reckon. Unique, kinda fancy, sorta funny to say... Abernathy.

Since then, I practically named everything Abernathy -- my phone, my external drive, my SD cards. Lately, I've been able to resurrect as a Rusher... a fanatic of the RX morning show, The Morning Rush with Chico and Delamar. You see, I've been a Rusher since I was in high school. I remember how I would stay up late until TMR starts so I can call for Good Morning, Manila and greet my Dad and Mom and my feline siblings. My codename then was Catwoman. Unfortunately, work got in the way. So with the busy, alway-changing schedule, I haven't been able to listen to TMR for the past several years. Now, I'm even joining the Top Ten! Funny funny segment The Top Ten is... As cheesy as it may sound, they truly helped me get through the most difficult times, especially last week when my Dad has the Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (which reminds me, I haven't done my entry about that yet). Those were precious mornings... I was laughing as if everything was ok. :)

Anyway, I had an interesting day today. They had a bit of confusion about my gender, especially since my entries would have "my gf this... my gf that..." Plus, I didn't know that Abernathy is also a guy's name! So tonight, my wife and I decided to do a bit of research about Abernathy and so far, I found that it's a place in Texas, and that it's more of a surname rather than a first name. Here are some other stuff that I found:

From Baby Name Guesser

Based on popular usage, it is 1.099 times more common for Abernathy to be a girl's name.

The popularity of Abernathy is: 4.195
(where 0 = extremely rare, 6 = super popular)

From Kabalarians (where it IS under boy names)

The name of Abernathy creates a quiet, systematic, and technical nature and a clever, inventive mind, attentive to detail.

You are attracted to working outdoors in nature, where you would experience the peace and serenity you so much desire.

You would find electricity, electronics, and similar technical fields of interest, as well as computer, mathematical, and scientific studies.

You are inclined to be quiet, reserved, patient, and conservative, preferring to test and prove everything to your own satisfaction before committing yourself.

You like to finish what you start without interruptions, and also to have everything in its place and properly organized.

Although the name Abernathy creates an interest in the deeper aspects of life, we emphasize that it limits your versatility and scope, tuning you to technical details.

This name, when combined with the last name, can frustrate happiness, contentment, and success, as well as cause health weaknesses in the heart, lungs, bronchial area, and elimination system.

Q

2009-03-19T15:44:00.000+08:00

All the cabs have come and gone,
Both old and brand new
The line has gotten long, then short, until there's none
Here I still stand
People passing me by
While this poetry, in my phone,
I write

Numbers I Like

2009-03-17T19:06:00.001+08:00

I suck at Math... Seriously. Which, by the way, is weird seeing that my Mom and Dad are pretty good at it. Oh well, I guess dominant and dominant sometimes result to recessive. Or this is where nature versus nurture comes in. Unfortunately, my Math skills weren't nurtured. Nonetheless, there are some "numbers" that I like... numbers that make my life a lot more fun and maybe even complete. LOL

24/7 - Especially if used to described food places and delivery services
6-pack - Whether it's beer or chocolates, I LOVE IT!
93.1 - As in RX 93.1... Because I'm addicted to Chico and Delle's The Morning Rush, especially The Top Ten. Certified Rusher forever!
24 - Of course, it's miLLie&jeL's special number. Yihiiiiiiii!!!
1 - Because I'm the only one. I am my parent's only daughter and I am Millie's one and only baby.... Aaaaawwwww!
24 ulit - Because it's the channel where AXN is on... at least on my cable company
37 - Star World din syempre! LOL
100% - Because this is what I am and what I give 100% of the time... 100% real, 100% effort, 100% love, 100% bitchiness... yun na!
160 - The number of gigabytes my Maxtor external drive has
13 - 'Cause that's my birth date!!!
7 - My baby's birth date! That's the day in May when the love of my life was born... Aaaaaaawwww... Sweet kunyari! LOL
6hrs - Daily sleeping requirement
Speaking of sleeping... eto na, nagyayaya na si misis... matulog! LOL

Thank You

2009-02-18T16:41:00.001+08:00

Almost two weeks ago, my Papu had a stroke. In retrospect, it felt weird, almost surreal. I find it strange how one day, everything is so normal, so ordinary, then you wake up another day and boom! Things are not the way they were.

I keep on repeating it to myself... what happened to my Dad. I guess I'm still trying to make sense of it... Two weeks ago, the left parietal/occipital part of my father's brain hemorrhaged and swelled. He could've been paralyzed, he could've been dead -- but he isn't. He's still here... moving around the house as if nothing happened. He lost part of his memory, but it's getting better now. His right extremities are now a bit uncoordinated and slow, but even that is getting better. Most importantly, he's here. He's here.

It was strange, when the doctor was explaining what happened to him, she touched my arm and told me twice or thrice that this is serious, like I didn't know how serious it was -- as if she's waiting for me to break down and cry. True enough, a lot of people thought that I was a mess at the time, that I'd be crying my heart out, knowing how such a Daddy's Girl I am. However, neither one happened and for two reasons. First, I didn't have time to break down and cry. All I did was take care of everything, as if I didn't have a choice but do it. Second, I didn't feel that it's a bad day. I mean, it was, but I knew in my heart that in the end, it's going to be ok.

It's crazy how, amidst a family emergency, a scene from Grey's Anatomy came into my mind. It was when Cristina followed George outside the hospital after his father died. Cristina told him, "There's a club. The Dead Dads Club. And you can't be in it until you're in it. You can try to understand, you can sympathize. But until you feel that loss... My dad died when I was nine. George, I'm really sorry you had to join the club." In the middle of all the chaos and the bad news, I have decided, "This is not the day that I'll be joining the club." And throughout that time when my Dad was in the hospital, even up until now, this "decision" has strangely given me a lot of strength. Just thinking about it me gives me hope, that things are just going to get better and better. True enough, they did. Everyday.

Having said that, I am very, very, very thankful. As I've said previously, I know it's probably selfish of me to want my Papu back -- all of him. I won't lie, it's hard to watch your father not know when he was born or where he lives or ask you the same thing over and over, but seriously, I can't complain. I still have my Dad. A lot of people would've given anything to have that. I'm also thankful to know that as much as my immediate family is very small, I have a bigger family out there -- a network of friends who supports and cares for our family, who visited, who prayed or just checked on us. I'm thankful for my life partner, Millie, who stood by me while I try my best to hold things together and for being my strength and my place of refuge when I'm just tired and all I want to do is hide from the rest of the world.

It's been unbelievably crazy the past couple of weeks. This has probably been the most difficult time for our family, but here we all are... surviving, taking each day slowly but surely, re-learning together. I'm especially glad that we are happy, resilient people who can laugh things off when my Dad is getting confused and doesn't know his right from his left hand. The last thing that I want to happen is for my Dad to feel frustrated or to wallow in self-pity. I'm glad that my Dad is one hell of a survivor... he has always been.

I love you, Papu. Thanks for being my Dad.

Hospital Thoughts

2009-02-14T17:34:00.000+08:00

This posting is way overdue. On my 2nd day in the ICU waiting area, I got really bored and decided to jot down my thoughts and then some.

All you need is half an hour or so in the ICU waiting area and you'd know pretty much everyone's medical history, family tree, and if you're lucky, even family disputes.
The hospital is a neat freak's nightmare. Imagine this: My Dad, who just had a hypertensive bleed on the left parietal/occipital part of his brain, can barely remember his DOB, address and contact numbers, requested for a toothbrush AND mouthwash.
Update on the above: As soon as my Dad was transferred to a regular room, he asked the nurses if he can have a couple of services done -- as in, manicure and pedicure services. LOL
A neat freak in a hospital eventually becomes desperate and learns to use the common toilet -- as long as she's armed with alcohol, soft tissue, wet tissue, and the bitchiness to tell the information staff that someone threw up in their ground floor toilet, while the 2nd floor toilet has plumbing issues.
If your father who's in the construction business suffers from a stroke affecting his memory, you, who's only work experience is in the BPO field can amazingly learn construction in several days.
Filipinos do not need shrinks because we're very resilient people. I have to admit, the emotional support I got from the other families in the ICU waiting area helped me get through those three extremely long days. My heart goes out to the Palomares, Layos and Senio families.

Confessions of Daddy's Little Girl

2009-02-07T20:28:00.000+08:00

To say I want my whole Dad back is selfish because at least I still have him. Nonetheless, I can't help but want my whole dad back... I miss my Papu..

Confessions of a Packrat

2009-01-26T17:34:00.000+08:00

The hardest thing for someone like me to do is to organize her stuff. The reason being is that organizing one's stuff entails having to let go of some items in the end. Being a packrat, I collect practically everything -- as if I have a collection of collections. Name it, I probably have it somewhere. I have a collection of POG caps, cat stuff, sea shells, books, magazines, comic books, Pocahontas items, pencils, perfume bottles, stamps, coins, bottles of wine, beer and other kinds of spirits, newspaper articles, gift wrappers, stickers, stationeries, notes from friends, old clothes, old gadgets, and so on and so forth. If you read this list back, you might find that a lot of them are totally useless.

I know I have to change. My dad and most especially my wife have been telling me about this over and over again. They tell me that at the rate that I'm going, I would have to get a bigger house each time since I only fill whatever new space I seem to acquire.

Cluttered... my house has been cluttered for most part of my life, regardless of where my house is. I've had three houses and quite frankly, nothing seems to have changed with my ways, but I want to. I know it's affecting other aspects of my life. I can't even buy new stuff anymore because there's seriously no more room in the house! The one reason that I keep on giving (as an excuse) when someone asks me to let go of some of my things is that 'they have sentimental value.' One good example is that I still have my best friend, Gem's old padlock from her locker when we were in college, which reminds me of all the fun times we had in the locker room.

Nonetheless, everything has its intrisic value for what it is. Having said that, I think it has just become an excuse for me to justify why a keep on hanging on to all my things.

I do want to grow and change and be free. Before, it was funny to talk about, but the more I look at myself and all the stuff I've had forever, it does make me feel kind of sad.

I hope someone out there can help me. More than organizing my stuff, I'm hoping that someone can help me understand why I do what I do... I think I have to organize my life. Please. I sincerely need help.

Jelaine's Christmas Eve Adventure

2008-12-25T20:28:00.000+08:00

December 24 -- anniversary ko. Eight years na kami ng mahal kong jowawis na si Millie. Hassle lang at sa sobrang magkabaligtaran ang schedule namin, gumising ako paguwi niya ng alas dos ng madaling araw para "mag-celebrate." Translation, nanuod kami ng paborito naming Jeopardy at natulog ulit ako.

Pagpasok sa opisina ng alas siete, pumped na pumped akong magtrabaho. At the same time, gusto ko na agad umuwi. Holiday mode na kasi ang lahat ng tao. Kahit antok na antok na ako, pinilit kong tapusin lahat ng trabaho for the week. Minsan lang naman mag-4-day holiday. At dahil tsinismisan pa ang ako ng friend kong si W tungkol sa kanyang masalimuot na lovelife, past 7pm na ako nakaalis ng opisina. At dahil sira ang ulo ko, I decided on the last minute na gusto ko palang maghanda ng dessert at i-oven instead na i-grill ang salmon na katerno ng couscous. So dumaan pa ako ng supermarket. Kahit medyo maraming tao, sandali lang ako doon at nakaalis agad. Naloka lang ako dahil ang haba ng pila sa taxi. I figured, 'Adventure 'to... Bus na lang ulit.'

I've never taken the bus that late. Hindi ko alam kung standing room na ba o kung ma-trapik, lalo na ngayong bisperas. Keblar. I need to go home now. Swerte naman, may upuan sa unahan. Weird lang dahil talagang deadma sa akin ang konduktor. 'Ayos 'to. Ma-try ngang mag-123.' Bumaba na't lahat ang mamang katabi ko, deadma pa rin sa akin ang konduktor. 'Aba, mukhang makakalusot a.' Kahit halos wala nang sasakyan sa daan, syempre, hindi kasali duon ang EDSA. At dahil wala akong suot na contact lens, nagmistulang Christmas lights ang mga tail lights ng mga nakapilang sasakyan sa na nagsisiksikan sa EDSA, nag-uunahang makauwi para sa Noche Buena. Maya-maya, sumakay ang isang babae. Malapit na akong bumaba. Hmmm... deadma rin s'ya. Ayaw pang magbayad. By this time, medyo nagui-guilty na ako. 'Ano ba 'yan, Php11 na nga lang, mag-123 pa ba?' Pagdating ng Shangri-la, kinalabit ng babaeng ang konduktor pagbalik n'ya sa harap. 'Hmph! Sige na nga, magbabayad na ako.' Mantakin no 'yun, malapit na akong bumaba, makonsensya pa ako?! Naisip ko, ipa-laminate ko kaya ang lekat na tiket ng bus? Tanda na hindi nga 'ata talaga ako pwedeng maging hustler. Oh well, I'll try again next time. Ma-try lang kahit minsan. Hehehe!

Pagbaba ng Megamall, sarado na. Hindi na nagpapalusot palabas sa kabilang side. actually, 7pm pa sila sarado. So umikot pa ang beauty ko hanggang makarating sa terminal ng shuttle. Pagdating ko doon, wala na halos mga sasakyan. Walang shuttle, pero maraming pila. Uh-oh. 'May babalik pa kaya???' Panic mode on. 'Magluluto pa ako!!!' I'm stuck. Nowhere to go. Naghihingalo pa ang baterya ng cell phone. Syempre, para mas maganda daw ang effect, umaambon! Hassle. Nag-text ako sa asawa ko para magreklamo, sa nanay ko para magbilin at sa tatay ko para sana sunduin ako. Nilibang ko na lang ang sarili sa kakabilang ng kung ilang oras na lang ako meron para mag-set ang gelatin at sa pagpaplano ng kung ano'ng uunahing gain paguwi ko. Pagkaraan ng ilang balik ng mga shuttles, nakasakay na rin ako sa wakas.

Tuloy pa rin ako pagtetext sa van. Feeling executive chef akong nagbibilin sa nanay ko ng mga pwede na n'yang gawin habang wala pa ako. Sinagot ko ang tawag ng erpats ko at parang teenager na nag-report kung nasaan na ako. Sabay balita rin sa asawa ko ng mga kakatwang pangyayari ng gabi para naman matawa sa halip na ma-bad trip. Muntik pang madisgrasya ang lekat na shuttle -- twice. Ci-nut ng sira ulong taxi, at siningitan ng suicidal na nakamotor. Sabay tingin ko naman sa bintana sa kaliwa to find a car... and it's bumper several meters away. 'Ayos... Merry Christmas sa inyo.'

Makaraan ng prosisyon (meaning, traffic) sa may Sta. Lucia at isang sakay ng tricycle, nakauwi rin ako sa wakas. Hapit sa luto ang beauty ko! Fortunately, things ended well at successful naman ang aming hamak na Christmas dinner.

Sulit naman ang adventure. Naisip ko, baka naging boring pa ang pasko ko kung hindi dahil doon... kaya check na rin! :)

I will never cram for Christmas dinner ever again

2008-12-23T17:32:00.000+08:00

This year, I wanted to try something new. Steamed/buttered (haven't decided yet) veggies with portobello mushrooms and salmon over couscous (left). Thing is, I've never tried cooking couscous before! I've been planning to do a dry run prior to Christmas dinner but I always have something to go to or something to do that I just realized yesterday that I only have a couple of days to decide if I'm really going to do it or change the entire menu. You see, if there's only four of you, preparing a big, fancy Xmas feast isn't really necessary. All you really need is a starter, a really 'different' and filling entrée, a good bottle of wine and you can even do without dessert! Trust me, it'll only frustrate you if you cook more than that for four people. A lot of it will be left uneaten, only to be placed in microwaveable containers or kept in saran wraps for tomorrow's lunch. Yes, there was a bit of bitterness there.

For the past holidays (i.e. Xmas, New year, birthdays), we have been eating steak as per my wife and mom's request. This year, fish trumps beef. Yes, I made the decision to have salmon this year. I know, I know, there's nothing really 'wow' about salmon, we even eat salmon for Sunday lunch... but hey, I'm tired of scrubbing the stove-top grill after dinner! I'm thinking, we'd have less dishwashing time if we have fish instead. Hehehe! After all, it's our anniversary, if you know what I mean. *Wink*

Three or four years ago, my wife and I ended up doing kitchen duty pretty much the whole day. We had pumpkin soup, my famous jumping mushrooms and probably pasta, I'm not sure. It was a nightmare! Pretty much everything needed a lot of prep time and actual cooking time. To make things worse, my parents came over at least an hour earlier than our agreed time. Then of course, there's the dishwashing problem. Ugh! Worse anniversary ever. Never want that to happen again!

This year, I made another mistake... Well, hopefully it doesn't go all the way until tomorrow evening. I just made a little mistake with the scheduling, you know, with no dry run whatsoever. So today, I had to rush to Rustan's to buy some feta cheese and apparently, they've stopped selling the brand we normally buy. To make things worse, I wasn't sure if the brand I saw was feta. I then had to go to Shopwise. Saw the same brand, did a bit of research (thank god, my GPRS was working!) and confirmed that it IS feta. I also got a kilo of salmon, some veggies (my father's request), portobello mushrooms and, as per my wife's request, good ol' Xmas ham (We can't even remember what we had last year! How pathetic is that???) Oh, and stupid me even had to research on how green onions look like! I swear, I'd shop earlier next year, even do a dry run if I'm trying a new recipe, just to make sure everything goes well.

In fairness, my friend at work said the recipe looks easy enough. Yeah, I agree. I just don't want to serve crap, you know... especially to my family! LOL Wish me luck tomorrow evening! Hopefully, everything goes well. Watch out for pictures! =)

P.S.
As if my day wasn't crazy enough, I'm still thinking of adding a last minute dessert on the menu. Hehehehe! Now seriously, do you think I can pull this dinner off???

My Christmas Literary Wishlist

2008-12-10T18:14:00.000+08:00

I went to National Bookstore today to check on a kris-kringle gift for the office and it just hit me... I miss reading Philippine literature! Well, I just realized now that I don't read any other kind of literature except for our very own. I guess, when it comes to literature, I like the local flavor more -- kind of weird because I hate Pinoy movies and TV shows, which is pretty much literature on screen.

Anyway, as in -- the feeling was overwhelming. I was like a kid in a candy store! I can't believe how much I've been missing a lot of Zafra and Remoto's works. I want to buy them all and catch up on my reading, especially with gay lit! LOL I was thrilled because I also saw that they've reprinted Eraserhead's FRUITCAKE! Ugh! Then I saw Ricky Lee's first novel, "Para Kay B." Now at that point, I can no longer help myself... I've already walked walked out of the store but decided to go back and grab a copy! LOL I love that guy! I also have his scriptwriting manual, "Trip to Quiapo."

So here's my Christmas Literary Wishlist, solely based on today's trip to National Bookstore. Hopefully, I can start getting them one by one next year... I think I can do that, as long as I cut down on my coffee and bagel!!! LOL

Ladlad 1-3 by Danton Remoto (Used to have the first book, but I don't know where it is now. Even called Des in Dubai to ask if she has it! Crazy bitch!)
Gaydar by Danton Remoto
Fruitcake by The Eraserheads (edited by Jessica Zafra -- it was that time when she was managing them)
Twisted 7 (written as Tw7sted) and 8 (Night of the Living Twisted) by Jessica Zafra
500 People You Meet in Hell by Jessica Zafra

I'm in love with a gay guy!

2008-12-07T15:53:00.000+08:00

Yeah, I know that title sounded a lot like a tabloid headline. LOL Sorry about that! Can't help it! See that hot guy? That's Brian Kinney from Queer As Folk -- a gay show that ran for five seasons from 2000-2005 -- at least its US version. However, the show was originally from the UK where it ran until 2000. Millie and I have been addicted to QAF and have been doing DVD marathons every chance we get. We're such fag hags!

Brian Kinney was played by Gale Harold, who is now known as Susan Myers' love interest in another hit TV show, Desperate Housewives. Today, I surfed the net for some Brian Kinney stuff and inevitably stumbled upon Gale Harold news. I was so shocked to know that he recently had a motorcycle accident on 14Oct08 for which he was briefly in Intensive Care due to some swelling in the brain and a fractured shoulder. Fortunately, I also found several follow-up news that he's on his way to full recovery. Whew! That'll be a major heartbreak if anything happens to my Brian! I pretty much had a similar experience when I had a crush on reality TV star, Rachel Brown from the second season of Hell's Kitchen. I later on read on the web of her sudden death.

Anyway, I am yet to develop a crush on straight man, Gale Harold. He's really adorable though, stuttering and being lost for words during interviews. I like his outspoken, unapologetic gay persona more. He's so f*cking hot that way. LOL

A surprise for some select people

2008-12-03T16:11:00.000+08:00

I sent a surprise to several important people in my life... Considering that no one has tried to contact me yet, I think it's safe to say that no one has seen it yet.

Tick tock, tick tock...

Let's see who'll be the first to crack... And the waiting begins...