Saturday, December 6, 2008

Midnight Sun

Okay. Add me up in Edward Cullen's list of hungry-for-his-bite fans. Desperate even. But how could you not when your not so average vampire looks this hot in wayfarers? Movie was not that great. The story was too compressed that if you didn't read the book, more so, if you've never heard of the Twilight series, it would appear too pilit and think that they were not actually in love but infatuated with each other. But all those details are waived as Edward does his signature stare at Bella. I wouldn't mind being stalked by someone hot as hell, yet literally cool as ice. One stare lang, lag-lag panty na.

I was browsing the net for more pictures of Rob Pattinson when I came across the Twilight official site and discovered a 5th book in the best selling saga. It is Edward's version of the first story. According to the author, the book's draft was leaked out on the internet. She decided to temporarily stop writing since she "is not in her right state of mind." Although, she was nice enough to release Chapters 1-12 of her illegally distributed draft so that her "readers don't have to feel they have to make a sacrifice to stay honest."

Can't give out any more details to the draft since I'm currently reading it too.. aaand, i have to wipe off this pool of drool from too much Edward/Rob obsession. Besides, I know that you'll be on the prowl for a copy of Midnight Sun. I just wanted to return the favor to all Twilight fans who encouraged me to give in to my own temptation and buy and read the book 2 days before the movie was released.

---------
You are my life now.. ---Edward Cullen to Bella..

OMFG.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Davaoeña in Manila: Week 1

First few differences I've noticed between Davao and Manila.

1. You can't drink water from the faucet.
2. The jeepneys here do not travel long distances. (meaning you have to get on at least 2-3-4 different jeeps to get to where you wanna be)
3. The tricycles here are "lowered" and a 2 kilometer ride costs around P44.00 (according to Pow)
4. Pests here are Mutants. Cockroaches aren't their usual squishable size and the Rats are as big as cats.
5. When it rains, it POURS, and floods.
6. The air, of course, isn't as fresh as Davao's. If you're used to clean air and you're riding in a non-air vehicle downtown, you might get caught between choosing to hold your breath till you turn purple or inhale the Manila pollution.
7. Drivers and salespeople are maangas and don't dance the way all the salespeople do in Davao malls.
8. Jeepney barkers pronounce "SM" as "esemm," unlike in Davao where they pronounce it as "is-im."
hehe
9. With the exception of high end establishments, everywhere you look seems dirty.
10. Puppies have their own restaurants.

Okay, so i sound kinda negative. I'll post Manila's positive side on my next entry. Pictures will come some other time, when I get my gadgets rolling. Til later then!

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Isadora: The Villain to Love

What can i say? I'm hooked to Iisa Pa Lamang. Isadora is the kind of villain you want to see more of and imitate. haha Here are some of my favorite lines. Enjoy.


Isadora: Aalis ka? Ah ganun! So, pera pera na lang. Matapos kitang kunin sa bundok, bihisan, at pakainin ng imported na corned beef! Ito ang gagawin mo sakin?

Katulong: Eh Ma'am, wala na nga po kaming makain dito eh.

Isadora: Eh kayo-kayo kaya ang umubos ng mga pagkain na pina-grocery ko...Walang hiya ka! Lumayas ka!


Estelle: Pagnanakaw sa taong bayan. Aba, nabigla ako sa salita ni Rafael. Akalain mo, parang inakusahan na rin nya ng magnanakaw ang mga magulang nya.

Isadora: Naku! Alam mo, sigurado ako. Influence yan ni Katherine. Naku, kaya nagiging pro-poor yang mashado si Rafael eh papaano nga eh itong si Katherine..poor na poor!

Isadora: Oh, aren't you excited to see me?

Scarlet: Excited? Alam mo ba na mas excited pa akong magpunta ng dentista at mag pa-root canal kesa ang makaharap ka?

Isadora: Naku, ikaw naman. Nagpapaka-funny. Kung ang lahat ng bulok na ngipin ay kasing ganda ko, oh di wala ng bibili ng toothpaste....ahihihihi I'm so witty.

Isadora to Miguel: O, tingnan mo yang pasa mo ha. Nakaganti ka man lang ba? Naku, ikaw sa susunod nga ha. Galing-galingan mo yung pag ilag mo, yung parang si Pacquiao. O kaya, wag ka namang huminto hangga't hindi ka nakaka ganti! Laki-laki ng katawan mo, nagpasapak ka sa Rafael na yun.

Miguel: Ma, pwede ba. Ayokong pag usapan to...

Isadora: Ay hindi! Pag uusapan natin to hangga't sa gusto ko. Tatalak ako hangga't gusto ko.

Sophia: Ma, kuya might lose his job because of this!

Isadora: Hmmm...kung sa bagay. Tama ka dun. Pasensya na...na-carried away lang ako. Eh gusto ko lang ma-realize nitong si Miguel na sana pinakita nya sa mga Toralba na hindi sa lahat ng pagkakataon panalo sila. Kaka-stress!!! Hay....o sige, mabuti pa bumalik ka sa opisina mo ngayon, ha? Tapos, yun, lumapit ka kay Rafael. Humingi ka ng sorry.

Miguel: What? You're unbelievable!

Isadora: Of course! I'm unbelievably good! Hoy, Miguel. Kapakanan mo lang ang iniisip ko. hindi ka pwede mawalan ngayon ng trabaho. At isa pa, kelangan mong alagaan yang career mo ngayon.

(Isadora walks by the window and looks outside)

Isadora: Naku, hindi ko kasi maintindihan kung bakit hanggang ngayon nagpapaka tanga ka sa pag ibig! Hindi na matapos-tapos yang kabaliwan mo kay Katherine (Miguel walks out). Naku, napapagod nako Miguel! Napapagod naku sa kakaturo sayo......................................O, Sophia, nasan ang kuya mo? ...........................HOY! humingi ka ng tawad ha.....Yung sincere na sincere! Hay naku!

(Isadora takes a look at her almost empty living room)

Isadora to Sophia: O, ang ganda naman pala eh diba? Minimalist. Bagay naman pala, o. Luwang pa. Noh, anak?

(Sophia gives a dumb look)



Isadora: Ganito pala ang buhay hampaslupa... kaloka!



Katherine: Pagod ako. Huwag kang loloko-loko. Baka gusto mo ihampas ko tong bag kong mas mahal pa sa'yo!

Isadora: Sabagay, ako rin eh, pagod makipaghampasan. Next time, ok? In fairness ah, ang ganda ng damit mo. Pahiram minsan ha.



Aura: Kung ako sa iyo, magbalot-balot ka na, at malapit ka nang mapatalsik sa Amadesto
Isadora: Kahit kelan di mo ako mapapaalis sa Amadesto. Aking ang lupang iyon…
Aura: Lupa lang ba ang gusto mo? Ilang paso ang gusto mo?
Isadora: Haciendera ako Aura, hindi hardinera…
Isadora: Isa ka lang dumi sa paningin ko.
Aura: Tandaan mo, balang araw, itong dumi na ito ang pupuwing sa iyo
Isadora: Eh di magsi-shades ako.



Isadora talking to a bloodied AND PRESUMABLY DEAD Aura who just fell from a flight of stairs from their house: Aura... Aura!!!! Hoy! Wag mo nga akong artehan... Di naman ganon kataas ang hagdan mo!



I just love her. Watch the last two weeks of the serye for more of Isadora's witty remarks.
Weeknights, at around 9PM :)

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Get 'em while they're HOT!


Cebu Pacific is at it again!

Pay only P1,050.00 for Roundtrip tickets on all(?) domestic flights from January to March 15, 2009!!!!! Just add P200 if travelling with check-in baggage.

Deadline for advanced booking promo is until tomorrow only, October 27, 2008..

Click on to Cebu Pacific's webpage for more details!

i ♥ Rain

It makes everyone extra sweet, don't you think so too?

Laughter in the Rain
Strolling along country roads with my baby
It starts to rain, it begins to pour
Without an umbrella we're soaked to the skin
I feel a shiver run up my spine
I feel the warmth of his hand in mine

Oh, I hear laughter in the rain
Walking hand in hand with the one I love
Oh, how I love the rainy days
And the happy way I feel inside

After a while we run under a tree
I turn to his and he kisses me
There with the beat of the rain on the leaves
Softly he breathes and I close my eyes
Sharing our love under stormy skies

Oh, I hear laughter in the rain
Walking hand in hand with the one I love
Oh, how I love the rainy days
And the happy way I feel inside

[break]

I feel the warmth of his hand in mine

Oh, I hear laughter in the rain
Walking hand in hand with the one I love
Oh, how I love the rainy days
And the happy way I feel inside

Oh, I hear laughter in the rain
Walking hand in hand with the one I love
Oh, how I love the rainy days
And the happy way I feel inside

Oh, I hear laughter in the rain
Walking hand in hand with the one I love
Oh, how I love the rainy days
And the happy way I feel inside
Laughter In The Rain - Aiza Seguerra

Friday, October 24, 2008

The Georgina Diaries

Yesterday, after jogging - err rather walking, we stopped by our neighbor's house because a litter of pups were doing what they do best, looking cute. Our neighbor asked us if we wanted one. She said that she couldn't handle taking care of all of them, and we were more than happy to adopt one (or two?) of 'em. We got a cute girl pup, and I named her George.

Why George?

When I was a little kid, I used to watch looney tunes all the time. One of my favorite episodes included an abominable snowman who wanted to have his very own bunny rabbit.

(the amazing youtube truly has a wide array of videos!)


Ever since this episode, I, too, wanted to have a pet named "George" to hug and squeeze and pet. And without a doubt, I would be doing a much, much, MUCH better job than that snowman. :)

On Georgie's first day with me, I had a lotta fun playing with her. I went to the mall to buy stuff for her. I turned a cart into something I thought she would be comfortable in.
I went out for a while and asked our Ate Nene to look after my baby. When I came back, my momma told me that George had been crying the whole time. I took her inside my room so that she wouldn't feel lonely. I put her to sleep and when she finally did at 1AM, I rested. In what I thought had been a few hours, I was awaken by George's howls. When I looked at my clock, it was only 2AM! I tried to quiet her down, and she did. But after a few minutes or seconds, she went howling again - which seemed a few decibels higher than the ones before. Georgie was really testing my patience. I was thinking that at this rate, I'm never going to get any sleep. I did what any reasonable, sleepy, cranky person would do. I took her to the kitchen where she could move around freely and scream all night.

On her second day, George was less fussy. It turned out that she was just hungry yesterday. We were feeding her milk since she's only about 3 weeks old. But when my mom fed her rice with soup, she became more active than the Energizer bunny. It didn't take her five minutes to finish her meal. Boy was she hungry! Patay gutom talaga. She was recharged! She became more playful, malambing and bouncier. I didn't get to spend much time on the internet because she would cry every now and then and I had to pull her out of a hole or help her out when she gets too scared to jump back down the steps she climbed.

I may just have had a sneak peak of mommy-hood. My baby is most of the time annoying, shrill and needy. But when she puts her paws on my feet, and tries to snuggle beside me to sleep, she proves to be one of the most effective stress relievers during this time in my life.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Labor of Love: How to Make a Personalized Guestbook/Scrapbook

I just want to share to everybody how I made my inaanak Isshi's guestbook. That way, the mommies or party planners who get to read this entry can make one themselves. :)

What you will need:
  • 2 illustration boards (i used 1/3 sized ones so that it'll be almost as big as the celebrant) P11.50 each @ NCCC Mall
  • Cartolina -- P6.50 each @ National Bookstore
  • Construction paper @ P20-30.00 (around 20 colored sheets) @ NCCC Mall
  • sequins (the flat ones) -- Mine (you can get them at around P10 @ NCCC Linens Section or P20/pack at the bead shop inside Golden Bell.
  • Glass beads - mine (available at this beads shop in san pedro street for P6.00 per pack)
  • 3-toned yarn @ P15.00 @ NCCC Mall
  • Fabric/Craft Paint -- Mine (P33.75 each @ National Bookstore. If on a budget, you may use colored glue which is sold at around P15-20.00)
  • Shells -- Mine (you may find some lying around your house)
  • Fuzzy Wires - P20.00 @ National Bookstore
  • Scissors and glue
  • Clear Tape
First, you have to talk to the mommy or the host about the details of the party. That way whatever idea you come up with will match with the party's theme. In my case, my friend wanted an "Under the Sea" theme. Since she gave me full control of the guestbook, I decided to surprise her with my ideas as well. I went for a "Mermaid" design.

Before you start buying materials, you have to envision the final product. That way, you avoid overspending or overbuying unnecessary stuff. After figuring out the details to your project, you may start browsing different shops to compare where you can get the best value for your money. I advise starting to shop for materials weeks before your deadline so that you avoid "okay nalang or ito nalang" shopping. Make buying the materials a leisurely activity. Don't pressure yourself to buy the items all at once. Although, if you're a weeks behind schedule, then you'd better start rushing. haha

Project Proper
  • Use the illustration board to provide a hard cover for your guestbook. I used the black portion of the board to make the colors more distinct. Using the white part would not only make your artwork look flat, it also makes your front cover prone to unnecessary smudges.
  • The next step is to outline the mermaid on the illustration board using a lead pencil. Draw the details (e.g. scales, tail lines, shell bra top..). Don't forget to allot a little space for your page fasteners.
  • Start decorating the more intricate parts of the project. I started with the tail.
  • To make the tail shining, shimmering and splendid, I used flat aqua colored sequins. I traced the outline of the tail using glue, then stuck sequins one by one. Tedious job? Need not worry. There's a short cut. Slightly dip the tip of your pencil in a little blob of glue. Use the glued tip to pick up the sequins, then stick 'em to the outline. If you have enough patience to do this for the whole tail, then go for it. Otherwise, do what I did. I used glossy craft paint to scribble different styles of swirls in the blank spaces of the tail, thereby giving it a more solid look. Let the paint dry.
  • Do the body next. I used flesh/orange toned glass beads to outline the mermaid's body. Unlike the tail, I didn't fill up the spaces with craft paint. Too many patterns generate headaches.
  • To make the Bra top, i used two shells. Clean them first with soap and water before decorating. Wipe 'em dry. Stick the shells on the illustration board by placing glue on the shells' edges. If the shells are in place, place blobs of clear glue around the edges of each shell to give better support. Fill up the remaining spaces with glass beads and clear glue to give the shells a more 'glam' look. I glazed them with 3 different colors of paint to make them stand out even more.
Personalize it!

This is the second most important ingredient in making anything customized. For Isshi's guestbook, to make her or her mommy feel that it's truly theirs, I used Isshi's face as the mermaid's own by printing her photo on a 6x4 sized photo paper. (Photo paper is P10.00 at CD R-King, or have it printed at Fujifilm for P8.00 only)

  • Estimate the photo's size before printing so that it doesn't look too big or too small for the mermaid's body. After putting the photo in its place, you may now start with the hair.
  • I used the 3-colors-in-one yarn to make the hair. Making this takes a lot of patience. Cut and Glue the yarn one by one to make it look like hair strands.
Guestbook Pages
  • Draw theme-related items on the construction paper to act as the guest's writing area. Make them small enough to fit at least 6 of them into the pages, and big enough for short messages.
  • To make the colors more alive, I pasted the cut-outs to a cartolina of contrasting colors. After pasting, cut around 1 cm from the construction paper's outline, still following the original shape.
  • To make the pages of the guestbook, trace the front cover's shape into the cartolina. Cut through the shape, although leave around 1 inch from the outline so that the pages turn out to be smaller than the guestbook covers.
  • Paste at least 6 cut-outs on the pages, and arrange them in such a way that no two similar shapes or colors are together. This avoids monotony.
  • Using craft paint, draw different shapes or swirls along the empty spaces of the pages just to jazz 'em up a little bit more.
Putting them all together
  • Place clear tape behind the "page fastener" space of each page. This avoids the pages from getting ripped from the guestbook.
  • Punch two holes on the space provided for the fasteners. Then place a fuzzy wire on one hole and twirl it around the other end to lock it. Do the same for the other hole. :)
Voila! Your very own guestbook.

It took me around a week to buy the materials and another one to make this guestbook. To make something as captivating (haha self praising) as this, you need to enjoy, and most especially love what you're doing.

I think that in anything you do, may it be artwork, cooking or photography, when you do it with passion & love, you give your work that factor which causes the recepients' eyes grow with excitement upon receiving, tasting or seeing your work. The most important element in making anything personalized is the heart. When you do anything with your heart, you share a part of you, making it extra extra special.

If you love what you're doing, your finished product will certainly exude sincerity - thereby making your project even more adorable. Truly a labor of love. And believe me, nothing beats the feeling of seeing people's faces light up with gratitude, happiness and appreciation while receiving your work. Cheaper in cost, priceless by nature.

Happy Birthday Isshi!

Love always,
Ninang :)

Monday, October 20, 2008

It's Legit!

Finally, it has arrived.The much awaited license cards of the nurses who passed the December 2007 board exam have finally come! We registered last April of this year and the cards were released just this month. Yep, you counted right. Six excruciating months of waiting. That's PRC for you. I know that we were already certified nurses long before they were released, but the card sort of validates our title. Not to mention, adds plus points to our yabang factor.
**Grinning from ear to ear**

Sunday, October 19, 2008

The Sale-Itch. Don't scratch it.

Why do pinoys feel the need to spend and shop like crazy during mall sales, and complain about being or feeling poor at the same time?

I just came from SM's crazy 3-day sale. I didn't get anything for myself, though. Not that there wasn't anything good to buy. All Flip-flops had a 40% off sale on selected items/sizes. Although, Havie-holics had to endure at least an hour in line before they can get into the store. The department store had up to 70% off and Buy1 Take1 promos on selected items. Lines averaged on eight shoppers per counter. From the second floor, the people below looked like busy black ants ready to trample on anyone who blocks their way. Raffle boxes were on almost every mall entrance. (For every P500 = 1 raffle ticket) Big prizes such as refrigerators, washing machines, and 50 Next Base speakers/pods await the winners. People were crowding over the "ticket-claiming" booth. If I were to do the math, each family/group spent at least P500 that afternoon. As I filled up our raffle ticket, (yes, 1 lang), I noticed that three other average looking shoppers were filling up around 5-10 tickets each!

Never underestimate the powers of a mall. More so, the powers of a mall and a big sale. I mean, most of the people were buying stuff not because they needed 'em. Most of them were buying just because it was the last day of the sale and didn't want to get left behind. They might have also been caught up with the discount+raffle ticket frenzy that some of them were adding more unnecessary items to their cart just to reach P500 and avail of the P50 off discount (for SM Advantage Card holders only) or get one measly raffle ticket (e.g. Momma).

Don't get me wrong. I'm a shop-a-holic myself. I'm not trying to be KJ, it's just that with news about stockmarkets plummeting, this ironic situation amazes me.

Grabe. Shopping and malling, our national pastime? Partly the reason why shopping malls are sprouting everywhere, perhaps. And they tell us we're a third world country. hehe

Saturday, October 18, 2008

My Silver Lining, Widgets!


I super dooper love 'em! :)

I originally wanted to customize my blogger template, but since it's starting to become a source of major stress, I temporarily gave up the search for the perfect xml template generator and concentrated on widgetifying my bloggie.

For all frustrated xml-template-customizers like me, visit this site, and find & install widgets to re-invent your blog to give it a more you look.

P.S.
To all XML Dorks: Maybe you can help me tweak my lil hideaway. :)

*Blog-date*
I just found out that customizing the new blogger doesn't really need special skills. You just need to find a great XML template to work with. Create ur own banner, upload it to photobucket. Then from the orig template, replace the banner's url with your own banner. Simple as that. Sheesh.

Food for the Soul


Today was a far more productive day compared to my usual daily activities. I did the finishing touches on my inaanak's guestbook for her first birthday, swerved across Uyanguren traffic to help momma with her errands, and finally, gave in to pow's persistent request and attended their CLP (Christian Life Program) facilitated by Singles/Couples for Christ.

It's not like i have anything against religious or spiritual gatherings, it's just that i've had the impression that such assemblies require all participants to share personal experiences to the whole group and/or a facilitator or a member from the group would force unsolicited pieces of advice to the "sharer."

Anyway, God truly made a way to make this experience more appealing and memorable for me. This evening's topic was about love. We didn't limit its definition to romantic love alone, but the meaning of love on a broader aspect. After the speaker's talk, we were divided into smaller clusters for the sharing session.

I didn't have any difficulty pouring my thoughts out to these strangers. Sharing came naturally. Seeing the other members intently listening to my story, nodding along as i went on, made me want to share a little bit more about me. (with the exception of our facilitator who seemed to be staring blankly at me the whole time...)

This experience changed how i felt towards religious groups/gatherings. Although, I still think that forced-sharing and unsolicited advice may still transpire during such sessions, but the amount of personal information you share and what advice you listen to will only be up to you. The listening experience during the featured speaker's talk and group sessions definitely outweighs whatever negative impression I have of 'em.

Pow's definition of the CLP experience perfectly describes the reason why one should attend it. "Gina-re-affirm nya yung mga tingin mo alam mo na, and binibigyan ka pa ng meaning ng mga ito the Christian way, making your ideas more concrete."

Not only have i made Powski very happy, but most importantly, my soul has been reconnected with my heart and mind. :)

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Amateur Photographer

Taken with a camera phone this morning.. who knew it would make it in the papers. haha interesting photo, really.

P.S.
**Ahem! Me naka encircle in red..**



*** click on picture for a bigger version. **

--Mindanao Daily Mirror; August 4, 2008

FYI: No, they did not pay me for this. They inserted this pic for "fun" lang. para walang blank spaces sa paper.. :D

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Prepare for Awesomeness!

That’s right. I just watched the very adorable, monochromatic colored jiggly-puff in cool orange patched-up shorts: Kung Fu Panda!

Jack Black stars in another animated goodie which shows that he (or his voice) can be über adorable. (FYI: He also played Lenny the vegetarian shark in Shark Tale.)

The movie is about a panda named Po, whose father (a goose) pushes him to run the family business – the noodle restaurant. Po, being the kung fu enthusiast, thinks otherwise. But since he can’t afford to break his father’s heart, he keeps his dreams to himself. Until one day, Master Oogway (the weird Confucius-ish turtle) predicts that Tai Lung (the bad leopard) will escape the rhino-guarded prison and return to their village to claim the dragon scroll, which is supposed to be for the Dragon Warrior’s eyes only. And so the search for the Dragon Warrior began, for Master Oogway also predicted that he is destined to defeat the ferocious Tai Lung.

Lem’me just leave you hanging at that before I blab some more and turn this entry into a spoiler.

Aside from Jack Black, big stars such as Dustin Hoffman (Master Shifu), Angelina Jolie (Master Tigress), Lucy Liu (Master Viper) and Jackie Chan (Master Monkey) dubbed some of the other “kung fu masters” in the movie.

So, just how fantastic is this movie? Let’s just say that I have been swamped with Po’s pudginess that Pow’s arms were constantly pinched and grabbed because of overflowing gigil. I also didn’t catch a few lines in the movie ‘coz most of the time the audience were roaring in laughter. Tai Lung even had me hiding behind Pow’s hand!

Packed with vibrant kung fu action scenes, most of which were motivated by food, on-cue comedy, and the “awesomeness” factor which all characters possessed, it will surely have you craving for siopao and running to the nearest McDonald’s branch to complete Po and the Furious Five action figures! That’s where I’m headed now… Bye! **Hayaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!**

Monday, June 9, 2008

Gas Wasting 101

With the fuel prices sky-rocketing at a speed faster than Superman, every driver (most especially the kuripot ones) these days have been trying all ways possible to save gas. Although, most of us (yes, you too, Mr. Speedhungry) seem unaware of gas-wasting moves which rob us blind.

Here are a few fuel-sipping moves I picked up from Yahoo! articles, which I'm sure that you, too, are guilty of.

1. Racing away from green lights

When the light turns green, you don't have to take off as quickly as possible. That pedal under your right foot is called the "gas pedal" for a good reason. The more you press down on it, the more gas you're pumping into the engine.

Press lightly on the gas pedal, and you'll still accelerate, and you'll still get where you're going. You might be surprised at how little pressure it takes to get your car up to speed in a reasonable time.

2. Racing up to red lights

When you're driving down the street, and you see a light red light or stop sign up ahead, you should lay off the gas sooner rather than later.

There's no point in keeping your foot on the gas until just before you reach the intersection. Let off the pedal sooner and give your engine a rest as you coast to the stop while braking gently. As an added benefit, your brake pads will last longer, too.

By themselves, these first two tips can improve your fuel economy around town by as much as 35 percent, according to tests conducted by automotive information Web site Edmunds.com.

3. Confusing the highway with a speedway

Even if it doesn't involve hard acceleration, speeding wastes gas. The faster you go, the more air your vehicle has to push out of the way. It's like moving your hand through water. The faster you try to move your hand, the harder the water pushes back.

In tests by Consumer Reports, driving at 75 miles per hour instead of 65 miles per hour reduced fuel economy by between 3 and 5 miles per gallon, depending on the vehicle.

4. Bumper-buzzing

Tailgating is a bad move for many reasons. First of all, it's unsafe. You reduce your ability to react if the car in front of you slows or stops. It also means you have to pay ultra-close attention to that car which reduces your ability to scan for other hazards ahead of you and to the sides.

And tailgating wastes gas. Every time the driver ahead taps his brakes, you have to slow down even more than he did. (That's because you can't react immediately so you have to slow even more because you're slowing down later.) Then you accelerate again to get back up to speed and resume your bumper-buzzing routine.

Hang back and you'll be safer - plus you'll be able to drive more smoothly and use less fuel. A good rule of thumb is to allow two seconds of space between your car and the one ahead. You can figure that out by counting off two seconds after the car in front of you passes an obvious landmark like an overpass.

5. Driving standing still

You've probably heard that it takes more gas to restart a car than to let it run. Maybe that used to be true, but it isn't anymore. With modern fuel-injection engines, it takes very little extra gas to restart a car once it's warmed up.

Idling, meanwhile, burns about a half-mile worth of gas every minute, according to the California Energy Commission. That's why hybrid cars shut down their gasoline engines whenever they stop, even for a moment.

Now you don't want to shut your engine down for every little stop in your regular, non-hybrid car - it's not designed for that - but if you're waiting for someone to run in and out of a convenience store, turn off the engine.

And don't go through the drive-through at fast food restaurants. You're already paying enough for the oil in those chicken nuggets.

Bonus tip: Don't idle your engine to let it warm up before driving. It does your engine no good and it wastes gas. Instead, start driving right away, but drive gently until the engine is warm.

6. Short hops

For really short trips, take advantage of the opportunity to get some exercise. Try walking to the store instead of driving. You can save gas and burn a few calories instead.

If you can't hoof it, save up your errands. A lot of short hops that let the engine cool down at home between trips can use twice as much gas as starting the car once and making a big sweep to all your stops, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Go to your farthest destination first so your engine has a chance to reach its optimal operating temperature. Then make your other stops on the way back. With the engine warmed up, the car will restart easily and run efficiently all the way home.

Source: NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com)

Friday, April 25, 2008

Laughter is the Best Medicine

I've been down with the flu for almost three days already. We've run out of tissue and my back and tummy are aching from all the dry coughing. Life was pretty much boring, and miserable.. until today.

Listen to the joke, it's really funny. hehehe (Sorry nalang sa hindi maka intindi..hehe go find a translator or else you'll spoil the joke.) This made me do stutter-laughs.haha (Stutter-laughs are laugh sounds in this format = laugh-cough-laugh-cough-laugh-cough-wheeze)

3 ka kawatan, gi sultihan sa hari...
Hari: Dalhi ko ug 10 ka prutas sa matag 1 kaninyo.
Si Juan, nagdala ug 10 ka apple..

Hari: Hala! Ipasok na tanan sa imong lubot! Kung maguba imong nawong o kung mukatawa ka, patyon t'ka!

Si Juan, gipasok ang primerong apple, Naguba ang nawong.. PATAY.

Si Pedro, nagdala ug 10 ka lumboy (mansanitas)... gipasok sa lubot.. Sa ika tapusang lumboy...nikatawa! Patay.

Nagkita sa langit ang duha..

Juan: Last nalang unta to nga lumboy, ngano nikatawa paman ka?!
Pedro: Nakakita man ko ni Berto gud... nagdala ug DURIAN!

hahahahaha :D

Call me mababaw or whatever, i don't care.
Wait,
it doesn't stop there...

To all you Idol or music enthusiasts out there... Here's what i'd like to call a real Mariah fan.
Check out Miss Bulgaria's own version of Mariah's "Without You" --- or according to her, "Ken Lee..." (with regular english translation)



Did you fall off of your seat yet? She's even better than William Hung's bloopie. haha Take note that an international recording company is about to sign her up as one of their "talents." The entertainment industry has, once again, taken advantage of another poor person's blunder. Oh well, she's enjoying every bit of the limelight anyway...

Here she is again with an "improved" version of Mariah's "Ken Lee." Ah wait... sorry. I mean, "Without You.." (watch how the audience sing along with her original version of Without You) :) In the video, she explains how this came to be..

Presenting, the infamous Ms. Valentina Hasan... **Applause**



These two definitely lifted up my spirits. hehe Decolgen, Ascof and Benadryl??Ah Phooey! After hearing these performances/joke, I feel much better already..

P.S.
Thanks robush for sharing these with me. haha Super funny.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

What's in a Name?

Another blog goodie i discovered through my bro's page.. How accurate/inaccurate, you be the judge. :)





What Karla Kristina H. Gomez Means



You are a seeker of knowledge, and you have learned many things in your life.

You are also a keeper of knowledge - meaning you don't spill secrets or spread gossip.

People sometimes think you're snobby or aloof, but you're just too deep in thought to pay attention to them.



You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection.

You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive.

You have the classic "Type A" personality.



You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something.

You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense.

You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun.



You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow.

You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily.

Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is.















You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing.

You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long.

You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start.



You are the total package - suave, sexy, smart, and strong.

You have the whole world under your spell, and you can influence almost everyone you know.

You don't always resist your urges to crush the weak. Just remember, they don't have as much going for them as you do.



You are a seeker. You often find yourself restless - and you have a lot of questions about life.

You tend to travel often, to fairly random locations. You're most comfortable when you're far away from home.

You are quite passionate and easily tempted. Your impulses sometimes get you into trouble.







You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people.

You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts.

You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals.







You are truly an original person. You have amazing ideas, and the power to carry them out.

Success comes rather easily for you... especially in business and academia.

Some people find you to be selfish and a bit overbearing. You're a strong person.







You are deeply philosophical and thoughtful. You tend to analyze every aspect of your life.

You are intuitive, brilliant, and quite introverted. You value your time alone.

Often times, you are grumpy with other people. You don't appreciate them trying to interfere in your affairs.



You are well rounded, with a complete perspective on life.

You are solid and dependable. You are loyal, and people can count on you.

At times, you can be a bit too serious. You tend to put too much pressure on yourself.



You are confident, self assured, and capable. You are not easily intimidated.

You master any and all skills easily. You don't have to work hard for what you want.

You make your life out to be exactly how you want it. And you'll knock down anyone who gets in your way!



You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone.

You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together.

At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together.



You are incredibly wise and perceptive. You have a lot of life experience.

You are a natural peacemaker, and you are especially good at helping others get along.

But keeping the peace in your own life is not easy. You see things very differently, and it's hard to get you to budge.



want your own interpretation? click on. hehe

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Not at all. *wink*

Here's something i picked up somewhere..

Instructions people!! (in case you wanted to re-post)

"Stupidity at It's Best" (a re-post from another pinoy's blog)

1. Start at ’start copy here’.
2. Put an X on the things you’ve done.
3. Tag how-many-[X]s people.
4. Post with title "I’ve done ___*how-many-[X]* of 35 stupid things".

*start copy here*
[x] Gum has fallen out of your mouth when you were talking.
[x] Gum has fallen out of your mouth when you were NOT talking.
**wha? how did that hap..??"
[x] You have ran into a glass/screen door.
**what brand of glass cleaner do you use?!!
[x] You have fell out/off of a moving vehicle.
**hey.the bike was going really fast!
[x] You have thought of something funny and laughed, then people gave you weird looks.
**haha this happens ever so often.
[ ] You have ran into a tree.
[x] You have tried to lick your elbow.
**no one was looking. why not? i could do it if i tried really hard, you know..
[ ] You just tried to lick your elbow.
**i'm smarter now. (BEAMS) hehe
[ ] You never knew that the Alphabet and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star have the same rhythm.
[x]You just tried to sing them.
**haha just making sure..

[x] You have tripped on your shoelace and fallen.
[x] You have choked on your own spit.
**haha my lola told me that this meant someone was thinking of me.. my friends told me, "choking on your own spit means 'may naga-libak sayo..' "
[ ] Your hair is/was blond.
[ ] You’ve put metal in the microwave.
[x] You have accidentally caught something on fire.
**my hair was really long and i wasn't wearing a scrunchie.
[x] You tried to drink out of a straw, but it went into your nose/eyes.
**don't ask me how. i have NO idea.
[x] You have caught yourself drooling when you wake up.
[x] You’ve fallen asleep in class.
[x] You have tripped over your own feet.
**what can i say? they have minds of their own.

[x] Sometimes you just stop thinking.
[x] You are telling a story and forget what you were talking about.
[x] You have forgotten to breathe.
**ironic. i was too conscious of breathing that i forgot to breathe.
[ ]You are often told to use your "inside voice".
[] You use your fingers to do simple math
[ ] You have eaten a bug
[ ] You are taking this test when you should be doing something else

[x] You have put your clothes on backwards or inside out. **so many times.
[] You’ve looked all over for something and realized it was in your hand.
[x] You sometimes post bulletins because you are scared that what they say will happen to you if you dont.
**although i hate reposting such bulletins, sometimes, the "threats" really get to me.
[] You break a lot of things.
[] Your friends know not to use big words around you.
[x] You sometimes tilt your head when you’re confused.
[x] You have fallen out of your chair before.
**not my fault. i didnt know that my chair was rickety.
[x] When you’re lying in bed, you try to find pictures or words in the texture of the ceiling.
**I thought I was the only one doing this! haha
[] The word "uh" is used many times a day.

*end copy here*
-----------------------------------------

Blabbing Powers Time.

Hi. 'Stupid' is such a strong word to describe the bloopers mentioned above (sorry "previous blogger"). Silly is more appropriate.

I'm turning a year older this week and I'm delighted that as i recall these embarrassing fac
ts about me, the kid in me still giggles along. I'm not tigulz at all!

Saturday, April 12, 2008

My Newfound Obsession

Eyes roll. Heads shake. They heave & sigh. Am I getting that irritating? Too much obsessing na ba?hehe Pow sneers at me every time I bring up HanaKimi and how Wu Chun/Zun is super kaduper cute. Kaya instead of bottling up all my emotions, I’ll blog it out. No sneering. No sighs. No interruptions.

I haven’t been so pumped up since the Meteor Garden era. Let me just warn you that as I am writing this entry, my emotions are at its peak so I may sound too OA…

So what is it with Hana Kimi (Taiwanese version) which drove me nuts?

Before you read further on, here’s a quick link to get a grip of what I’m talking about: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hua_Yang_Shao_Nian_Shao_Nu

My first impression of Hana Kimi wasn’t what we could describe as love at first site. The leading lady definitely looked like a boy and all her expressions were truly exaggerated. I even criticized ABS-CBN for adding in such a show. It didn’t depict a romantic vibe. Not my type of series. Or so I thought.

One morning, while I was taking out the contents of my bag, I turned on the television to break the silence. Hana Kimi was on, and it was the part wherein Rui Xi/Joey’s brother gave her an ultimatum that if Quan/Bryan couldn’t perform the high jump, he would be taking her back to America. This was what really drove Quan to finally get back into high jumping, because he unconsciously didn’t want Rui Xi to leave… Okay, okay. I know that I made that sound too melodramatic but this was what pushed me to go to Mantex that afternoon and buy the entire season. (By the way, I don’t regularly purchase Taiwanese/Korean…etc. series. I only buy series which, for me, are really worth watching.)

What I love about HanaKimi is that it’s not your typical romantic-pang-jologz-series. It was presented in such a way, that although most of the facial expressions were too cartoon-y, their reactions to the different plots were how real people would actually face such circumstances in real life. Teleseryes today are filled with much atik that most of us (including me) still enjoy. It’s just nice to find something which you can actually benefit from in the real world. I’m not talking about the show’s main storyline about a girl disguising herself as a boy to be with the one she loves, but the deeper realizations you take in as you go further with the show. That you don’t have to make everyone understand your situation, no matter how complicated it may seem. As long as you and the other person involved are honest and share a mutual understanding, it would make your situation simpler and less stressful to take. Thus, making you enjoy life even more.


My favorite eyes-glued-to-the-screen-scenes were parts wherein Quan subtly protects Rui Xi from circumstances which could reveal her real identity. Scenes with Rui Xi pestering Doctor Mei Tian with her petty problems and Xiu Yi doubting his sexuality were also very comical.


I watched all fifteen, 90minute episodes within 24 hours and if I had more time, I’d probably watch it a hundred times more. I just can't get enough of it.

Tilapia, topless sandals, anyone?

Where would you go if you were searching for buyers for a pair of bikinis, or selling one, starting up your own business, or looking for dog training tips, while meeting new people at the same time? In Davao City, the answer comes in five syllables: DavaoSale.com.

Davao Sale is a website made not only for the internet junkies, but most especially for the city’s entrepreneurs to help them buy, sell, and advertise just about anything under the sun.

At a time wherein everything happens in a flash, online shopping is the best way to find things without leaving the comforts of your home. What sets Davao Sale apart from similar websites is that it was created especially for the Davaoweño. Members are more confident to transact business because they can personally meet with their sellers or buyers without fear of being duped.

Founders Hermes Dionela Jr., Val Apostol, and Mark dela Cruz recount the website’s humble beginnings. “We were talking about putting up an online store to promote our products, which were laptops from Japan. We thought that people could just browse freely into our online shop,” Mark says. The trio discovered that the strategy was not only cheaper but practical and effective. The good response from its visitors inspired them to expand their site into something like ebay.com, the popular buy and sell site open to the global public. Why, they could help other people look for a bunch of stuff all in one place and they could earn for themselves.

Take Gel Marcial. Starting out with a few pieces of clothes in 2004, she began clicking in orders through Davao Sale. Recalling it now, she says the website appealed to her as an unorthodox way of peddling goods. And she immediately discovered how effective it was the minute she logged on. “I first got started when I saw a friend surfing the website to look for a cellular phone. Later that night I registered, grabbed the opportunity of selling online and spent the whole night posting my items,” she says.

Today, three years worth of earnings later, Gel maintains her own shop called Pacomani’s Clothes Bar. And business has never been better.

“Some of my first customers from Davao Sale still shop from me today,” she beams.

In 2004, Davao Sale only had about 100 members. Today, Mark says membership has reached 11,000, making it in the top 100 Filipino-made websites in the list of PinoyTopsites.com. Davao Sale items range from one peso toy cars to pieces of real estate costing around P100 million. Other items include topless sandals, gas tanks, old coins and bills, and even Tilapia which, take note, has free deliveries every Wednesday!

Davao Sale is not limited to buying and selling. There are pages dedicated to animal lovers and digital enthusiasts. Some members post pictures to show off their well groomed pitbulls and pugs, and even certificates of the awards their pets have been earning. Favorite items include laptops, cellphones, mp3 or mp4 units. The site has also served for some as a how-to and a where-to column. Members dispense advice such as teaching puppies new tricks, what to feed flower horns to get that humpy head and red look, or finding the best place to get a Brazilian Wax.

To set up a site such as this, one needs to know basic programming language, which is easy to acquire if you take time to study it, according to Hermes, a mechanical engineer. The reason why they seem to have gotten off on a good start is because early on, in college, they were quite interested in computers, Mark says.

The company earns by charging a minimum fee of P1,500 per month for lower banner ads and P2,500 per month for upper banner ads. “Actually, this is one of the cheapest, among all forms of media advertisement. Your ads can be seen around the world since the ads are online. That’s our advantage among TV and radio ads,” Mark says. When asked if they consider this a profitable business, Hermes answered, “No, not yet, since what Davao Sale earns is just enough for maintenance fees. The remaining balance is spent for gimiks or coffee nights.”

From a personal project to sell laptops, it has now developed into one of the most functional websites in the country, sharing popular slots with the likes of inq7.net, mannypacquiao.ph, and wowphilippines.com.ph. The enterprising owners have now opened an office to make the site more service-oriented.

So, whatever you may be—trader, housewife, professional, or student—the next time you’re looking for that elusive polka dot bikini, or looking for ways to teach a dog to play dead, or desperate to sell your beat-up car, you’ll know exactly where to log on.

At Davao Sale, 11,000 users swear that it’s worth the visit.

blog-a-boo

Featured Video: Emotion by Moymoy Palaboy & Roadfill

Fan List ? haha