Bonding with my sister ....

It is always fun to have a bonding time with my sister Tin especially on a special occasion like Christmas. I am happy she came and spend some time with us her siblings on Christmas day.  That was one of the highlights of our celebration of Christmas this year.  She had the chance to meet up with old friends - her playmates when she was a kid.  It is fun watching them catching up, reconnecting and reminisce the past.  They miss each other for sure.  I hope ate Tin would visit us more often because we miss her! 

Ate Tin with her childhood friends Ate Kat and Izza

3 days to go to Christmas!

Three more days to go and it is Christmas!  Everyone at home is already busy preparing.  I am particularly in-charge with the food on the table for noche buena, just like the previous years.  I don't really mind as I enjoy preparing food for my family and friends who are all welcome to come join us on that day.  We always prepare simple filipino dishes but we always end up with so much food on the table as neighbors would always share what they got and vice versa.  Isn't that the true essence of christmas?  Sharing love, that is!  But, we don't have to wait for Christmas to share love.  We can do it everyday, anytime, and anywhere! 

Busy marketing ....

My sister Patty and I have been busy helping in the marketing of the play Alamat which will be shown hopefully next month.  We are doing it for the love of the theater.  I am expecting busy days ahead of us so I am calling my friends to watch this great show.  Those who missed it last  month should make sure you watch it this time.  We never know when it's gonna be shown again.  I promise you a great show guys.  You will not regret watching it.  Bring the whole family with you! 

Me and my dad!

  My dad is the only man in my life right now.  He is the best! He is not perfect just like anybody else but he is trying to be perfect for us kids.  I love him to death and will do anything for him.  I am lucky to have a dad like him.  For those who still have parents, a mother or father or both, shower them with your love.  Give them attention as much as you could because you could not take back the time that is already lost.  Saying "i love you" to your loved ones is meaningful is you mean it.  To you dad, I love You! And i truly mean it!

Merry christmas!

 

Our christmas tree was up as early as October but we continue to decorate it like a work in progress.  We decided to put it up that early because we want to enjoy the Christmas season for a longer time.  Let's admit it, having christmas ornaments give us the feel of the holiday season - the christmas spirit is something everyone would like to feel.  Since it is the first day of the December, let me be the first to greet everyone a merry, merry Christmas.  I hope everyone will have a wonderful Christmas as you spend it with your loved ones!

Thanks for those who watched Alamat!

Sorry if this late but i want to thank everyone who watched the play Alamat especially to my family and friends.  Thank you for the support.  I thank my sister, my ate Tin who came to watch it too.  For those who missed it, it will be shown early next year so don't miss it.  It is a great show - very entertaining and educational.  

Puppies vs. Babies Online Contest: Enter Your Votes Now!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Puppies vs. Babies. All opinions are 100% mine.

 

I always hear people say that babies bring joy and happiness to every home.  I believe that is true but in our case, our puppy Princess has bonded us closely together.  I have never seen my family so happy when our puppy Princess came into our life.  She entertains us with her cute giggles and she knows how to return the love.  She is just adorable.

 

 

 

 

Speaking of puppies and babies, there is a cute Puppies vs. Babies online contest that welcomes everyone to vote.  You can enter your votes on who are cuter, puppies or babies until the 23rd of this month.  There are a lot of entries where you can check and pick your choices from.  The baby or puppy with the highest votes will get $5.000 cash prize.  Honestly, I had a hard time deciding on who to vote for because they are all cute in their own ways.  

 

After entering your votes, feel free to leave a comment in the comment box about your choices on  Puppies vs. Babies.  Obviously, I voted team puppies.  I think most of the puppies in the contest are so smart and adorable.  In fairness, the babies are also cute but I guess I am bias to the puppies.  But that's just me.  Check out the entries and enter your votes as soon as possible before it is too late!  

 

A million thanks ......

I want to thank everyone who greeted me on my birthday yesterday.  I really appreciate all the nice thoughts.  prayers and wishes.  It a quiet day and no biggie but my family and friends made me feel so special and loved.  Much as i wanted to write a long note to show how much i appreciate the thoughts, my poor vision is keeping me from doing so.  Forgive me if i just make this quick but let me show you guys how thankful I am for all the greetings especially to the following:  

-  patty, dario, jhen :for the cake, ice cream, etc.

-  tito boy, te kat, ninong barry, my long lost ninong from idk where and kuya allan

-  to my parents (dont need to elaborate everything)

-  to all the people who greeted me thru text, fb, etc.

-  most of all to GOD for making this possible.  

From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much! 

Spending the night in a hospital bed...

As much as i wanted to wait for an available cheaper room or even in a ward, i had to no choice but to get a private room because there was no assurance i could find one.  I hate spending P2,500 per day for a roon just for a supposed to be 3-hour session only.  Since I would be paying for a private room anyway, i decided to just stay all night in the hospital with Patty.  

I had to take my eye medication through IV (dextrose) and i got it all done and was ready to check out this morning.  Well, my doctor was not around to order my discharge so the hospital staff won't allow me to leave.  What?  I sensed trouble!  I was not ready to pay for another day, no way! But do i have a choice?  Apparently not!  So i left the hospital P14K poorer, sigh! But, i am happy i got it done before my birthday. 

Happy Birthday Patty!

Today is a special day for our family.  It is my lolo's (grandpa's) 9th death anniversary and my sister Patty's 19th birthday.  We did not plan for anything special but my sister's boyfriend was so nice to bring a lot of food for everyone to feast on so Patty's birthday turned out really well!  There was a large pizza, buffalo wings, cake, pancit malabon, and a lot more!  

pancit malabon

the cake

pizza

Again to my sister Patty, happy birthday!

Getting ready for an angiogram ...

My eye doctor told me both my eyes are swollen.  Now, i know why i could hardly see.  I was in a very stressful incident recently and i guess that triggered this whole thing.  I was asked to have an angiogram so he will see the extent of the illness.  I am still looking for a place where i could get my angiogram at a lower cost but i'm sure it would be very hard to find one.  Well, i just keep on looking or else just pay more than P3K and get it done.  

Welcome to the world of the unemployed!

I have been out of work for sometime now and i guess my little sissy got jealous so now she is officially a bum too.  We will be having fun staying at home most of the time because we can't go anywhere because we are both broke, lol!  It's good that friends have been coming to the house and hang with us just chillin' and have fun!  Thanks for the company guys!  

Leave my FB status alone!

What's up with these people who keep posting nasty comments to my status at FB?  This is my page and i can post what i want and if you got nothing nice to say, then just leave, ok?  My mom has been telling me to use the "delete or block" button and that was exactly what i did.  I am a good girl, you know so i listen to my mom, lol!  Mother knows best, haha! 

Hibernation ....

I might be hibernating for awhile to give attention to my worsening eye problems. My eye doctor has been telling me to give my eyes a rest and to avoid stress, if possible. I don't wanna lose my vision. I cannot imagine losing my eyesight; I am too young. I expect to visit my eye doctor more often in the next days so i would be asking my mom to take care of my blog while i can't. I will keep you posted and see you soon!

Android On Straight Talk: Pre-Order Now!

This post brought to you by Straight Talk. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have finally quit my job and I decided to make some adjustments in my lifestyle.  I would be listing down priorities when it comes to expenses.  Having a cell phone may not be important to some but it is to me.  I cannot live without it.  Through it, I could keep in touch with my loved ones and I could Call a friend anywhere and anytime.  I just need to pick the right service and I am seriously thinking about Straight Talk.  A lot of my friends use it and they only have wonderful things to say about it.  

Since it is a prepaid service, I don't have to worry about contracts, monthly bills and charges especially that I don't have a job now.  With Straight Talk, I could pick the plan that I can afford to pay.  I tell you; even the unlimited monthly service is still very affordable for me.  For only $45 a month, I would enjoy unlimited texts, calls, picture messaging and web use.  

What really excites me right now is the coming of Android on Straight Talk soon.  It has not come out yet but anybody interested could order it now.  Adding Android to Straight Talk's trusted brands of phones is such an amazing idea!  Straight Talk saves you a lot of money, money that you could use for the coming holidays.  

Everything you need in a phone is what Straight Talk tries to provide its customers such as nationwide coverage, excellent reception connectivity, convenience in making transactions, flexible plans, trusted brand phones, low international calling rate, and most of all, no contract.  You will enjoy all these at a very affordable cost.  Hook, line and sinker is what most of its customers say about it.  If you haven't already, watch some of the videos so you will understand how it works.  Here is one video for a start.

Jobless and searching.......

The stressful job of a call center agent has finally took a toll on my health.  I have been sickly these days.  My resignation came sooner than I expected because I got sick so i decided not to go back to work anymore.  I hope i would get back on my feet and feel better soon.  I know I need a job right now especially with the coming holidays but I would prefer a job with normal hours even if the pay would be lesser than my pay in my last job.  Wish me luck!

Straight Talk: Everything You Need In A Phone

This post brought to you by Straight Talk. All opinions are 100% mine.

The first time my mom told me to get a prepaid phone service, I was not happy about it.  I thought I would not be able to do what I usually do with my phone such as texting, calling my friends, picture messaging, and web use, among other things.  This may be true for most prepaid services but not with Straight Talk, according to mom.  She said that with Straight Talk I can even enjoy unlimited services that includes unlimited texts, calls, picture messaging and the web but the big difference is:  there is no contract, no bills, no credit checks, with greater coverage nationwide and excellent connectivity.  and most of all, it is a lot cheaper.  That means, I could still call a friend anytime.

Hook, line and sinker is how most of its users describe it.  You can still pick the cell phone that you want and the features and apps, whatever meets your needs.  Straight talk recognizes the needs of their customers and they want to meet those needs.  It was not difficult for mom to convince me to try Straight Talk as I have always trusted her in any way.  I always believed that mom knows best  I like to think that Straight Talk would save me a lot of money.  Where can you find unlimited monthly services for only $45 a month for everything you need?  Only at Straight Talk!  Know what Straight Talk users are saying about it!

Drained out ...

I'm just feeling so drained out right now.  I guess i need a break from this stressful job.  I am always tired that i don't even have time to think whether what i am doing is all worth it.  I guess not!  Do i really need this job?  Could i afford to be jobless?  Am i that desperate to be needing one right now?  These are some questions that are playing in my head right now and i am not sure of the answer.  I don't want to make decisions that I might just regret later but no one is sure if something's gonna turn out right or wrong, anyway.  That is why there is no right or wrong decision.  If someday, something does not work right, i guess there is no choice but to face the circumstances and make it right.

Get Your Kids A TracFone

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of TracFone. All opinions are 100% mine.

I always hear people say that kids are not supposed to own cell phones.  I believe that kids could use cell phones as long as they know how to use it and what it is for.  Parents need to monitor their kids and giving them cell phones would be a great idea.  It does not have to be expensive.  TracFone is actually the perfect solution to parents' problems in monitoring their kids.  It is a very easy, convenient and cheap way that helps families bond together anytime especially during summer.  No contracts, no unnecessary charges, no credit checks, no cancellation fees and more features that are not available if you are under a contract.  Listen to real TracFone customers who happily share their wonderful experiences with TracFone.  

TracFone is concerned about the kids, the students who cannot afford an expensive phone and people who don't want contracts.  It has so many features at a low cost.  Once you have tried it, I'm sure you will never look for other services as you join those real TracFone customers in sharing your own TracFone experience.  For less than $10, you will have a phone that provides you with basic texting and calling needs.  For those that prefer more features and apps on their phone, they can easily get it for $29.99.  

TracFone is very convenient as you can pay online or buy cards available in most stores nationwide.  A 1-year service card, for instance, gives you more services than you need for.  You will even get double minutes for the life of your phone and 800 minutes for $119.  There are a lot of options that you can choose from, depending on your needs and preferences.  TracFone is for you and me; it is for everyone!  Join the rising number of real TracFone customers.  It is absolutely a family-friendly phone.

Not feeling well...

My mom has been nagging me to update this blog.  I have been meaning to do it but i was just too busy at work and by the time i get home, all i want to do is take at least few hours of sleep.  Today, i feel like crap! I think it has something to do with the food i ate; i'm afraid it is food poisoning but i really hope i am wrong.  The stomach pain is killing me, argh!  I hope i would feel better soon so i don't have to miss work.  Anyway, have a wonderful Friday everyone! TGIF!

NET10 Is The Best Deal Ever!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Net10 for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

 

Like most of us, I cannot live without my phone.  For me, it is more of a necessity rather than a luxury.  What exactly are you looking for in a phone?  I would choose a phone service that provides flexibility, convenience and affordability.  This is exactly what NET10 is offering for everyone.  It is here to cater to all your needs, whether you are a heavy phone user or one who uses his phone only when he needs to.  NET10 offers flexible plans where you have the option to pick what suits you.  There is no contract so you can switch from one plan to another anytime with no hassles. Here is one real NET10 customer who can only say great things about it.

 

Using NET10 is very convenient because you can do your transactions online - from the purchase of phone, activation, adding airtime and a lot more.  Of course, you can make your transaction in the store or whichever is more convenient for you.  Most of all, the unlimited plan - unlimited calls, texts and use of the web - only costs $50 per month.  This is perfect for heavy phone users.  This is almost 50% lower that what we usually pay for the same kind of service, not to mention those unknown charges added to our monthly phone bills.  

 

For those who are not heavy phone users, you may check the Easy Minutes Plus plan which is an automatic minutes plan that starts at $15.00 for 200 minutes or the Pay-As-You-Go Plan where your minutes carry over with active service.  With a lot of options in the choice of plans, you can also pick the kind of phone that you want among the top brand phones like LG, Motorola, Kyocera, Nokia and Samsung, in various designs and features.  

 

More and more customers are switching to NET10 because of its quality service, greater nationwide coverage and connectivity.  I heard that its long distance service that is available to some 75 countries, is a lot cheaper than most international long distance calling services around.  To lean more about NET10, check it out in Facebook or Twitter and listen to what some of their customers say about it so you will see the Light.  With NET10, you don't have an excuse not having the phone service that you need.  It is the best deal ever!

From Good to Great

It's been a while since I last updated my blog. I was stuck with work that I almost have  zero percent social life. Being a call center agent is not an easy job, believe me. I have lots of things to work on. For example, my QoS which made me cry a little bit. Talk about arrogant customers. No matter  how much I wanted to punch them in the face, all that I can do is to bounce back from those mid box surveys that pulled down my issue resolution percentage. Well, as I look into my statistics, I have lots of top box survey from those satisfied customers but  I need to exert more effort into it. I know that in the coming days, I will get the hang of it and it will be easier. I just hope there are no big updates that will make my brain burst! As much as the pressure is getting into my bones, I'm enjoying every bit of it. I am learning a lot; I'm sure I've earned a life experience degree that none of the accredited online colleges could ever give me!  I just hope that August will be a good month for me.

Straight Talk Is The Perfect Deal

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Straight Talk for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

When I was still a student, I was under a family plan for my cell phone.  I had limited amount of call minutes and texts a month.  In short, I was always at their mercy but I did not have a choice as I could not afford to pay on my own.  Right after I graduated from school and found a job, my mother asked me to find my own service provider so I could have everything I want.  I was hesitant at first but I knew I would be better off with something that allows me to have everything I need at a much lower cost.  My mother urged me to check Straight Talk and I’m glad I did. The best thing about Straight Talk is:  there is no contract, which means no bills, no surprise charges, and no credit checks and yet I would be able to enjoy a lot more than what I used to have under my parents’ plan.  Truly, mom knows best, doesn’t she?

I guess choosing Straight Talk would be the smartest idea.  For only $45 a month, users would enjoy unlimited calls, texts, picture messaging and use of the web.  It is absolutely a hook, line and sinker kind of a deal. Unlike my parents, I am a heavy phone user and with Straight Talk, I could call a friend anytime without worrying about the bill. Why would you want to be tied into a contract when you can have everything you need at a much lower cost in the absence of a contract?  You could save a lot of money that you could use for something else and in my case; I could save some for a new laptop.

With Straight Talk, customers can pick any of the top brands phone like LG, Samsung, Motorola, Nokia and the like.  You can choose from a cheap phone to the most expensive smart phone, depending on your needs.  So, what are you waiting for?  Check it out because it is absolutely the perfect hook, line and sinker deal!

I'm so ready for LOVE.

I feel so inspired after watching this video. How will you say no to a proposal like this ? If I were on the shoes of Ginny, I would do the same. It's really shocking ( in a good way) to see that there's still a man like Matt in this wicked planet. Knowing that there are a lot of douche bag that we have to deal with on a daily basis, it's like a breathe of fresh air to witness a scenario like this once in a while. To be honest, this video changed some of my perceptions with marriage/ engagement. I used to be bitter with love. After watching this, I feel like I'm ready to give love another try.

For those who haven't watch the video, I attached the video in this post for your entertainment. Enjoy watching :)

Fliptop Battle

It's been a while since I watch a Fliptop Battle. For those who are wondering what Fliptop is, I would love to spill some details about it. Fliptop is a rap battle league in the Philippines which was founded by Anygma early last year. It has been dominating the internet and even the television for almost a year now and it has become a source of entertainment for people from any age. What made this rap battle league unique above the rest is the fact that Fliptop produced talented battle warriors that entertain people with their punch lines. It also raise the popularity of Filipino hiphop industry which is good thing since Filipino hiphop lost it's spark when Francis M. died.

While browsing on facebook, a post from Fliptop fan page caught my attention. It is a video of a battle between Shehyee and BLKD. I decided to give it a try and good thing I did. I was so amazed on how the two battled. The two came up with sick lines with sense which is not common on fliptop battles.The two young battlers raised the standards of fliptop to the next level. I am so looking forward to see more battles from these two. I just hope fliptop battlers would learn styles and techniques like these. If this will become a trend, I know more parents would have approve of Fliptop. After watching this battle, I relaized that Fliptop is still on. I'm still an avid fan and just like the others, I'm so excited to see their next upload.

Blue Palm Resort

After a long wait and extensive planning, our much awaited family outing happened and it was fun! I can still picture how beautiful the place is.. It is located at the heart of Pansol, just a few blocks away from Sun City Resort. As you enter the resort, you can see the lobby which is decorated with native home decors that adds up to the cozy feel of the place. The cabanas are located near the pool area. What make this place exceptional among those private resort is that they have a built in jacuzzi in each cabana which is available 24/7. Another good thing that I love about Blue Palm is that they have a really huge pool. The presence of the pool is so inviting because it's really clean and it's not that deep. We stayed there for a day and It felt as if I'm glued to this place already. Blue Palm didn't fail my expectation. For those people who are looking for a nice place to have an outing or even a party, I would surely recommend Blue Palm. I can't wait to visit this place again next year.

Swimming Galore!

After a week of planning, the swimming/ reunion with my friends happened last night. Yesterday sure was tiring because I prepared our dinner. Good thing it only took me 3 hours in preparing the food. Aside from that, I have to deal with the stress of computing the entrance fee, cottage fee and even the transportation fee for each of us. As we arrived at the resort, I was surprised to see very few people bathing at the pool. It was a good thing since we aimed to have a quiet place as a venue of our reunion. Every minute of the outing was a blast. I had so much fun catching up with my friends whom I missed so much. We had so much fun playing at the pool. Another thing that put a smile on my face was when they complemented the food that I prepared. We went home at around 3am and I was so tired. The stress exhaustion was all worth it. I can't wait to do this again with my friends. Hopefully next time, the venue will be bigger and more extravagant. Talk about Bora or Palawan. I'm so looking forward to next year.

A Crazy Little Thing Called Love (review)

For unemployed newly grads like me, Sundays are usually spent inside the house, watching television or just surfing the internet. Last Sunday for me was extra special. Aside from the fact that I had so much fun on our way home from Laguna, I also had the chance to watch a Thai film that brought me back to my high school years.

A Crazy Little Thing Called Love is about a not-so pretty high school girl who had a big crush over her oh-so handsome senior. If you will rely purely on this, you will assume that this movie is just a typical romantic comedy movie that we usually watch on mainstream cinema. Good thing the film's story telling was exceptional among the rest. While watching the movie, I feel as if I were on the girl's shoes. It brought back memories from high school that is similar to the scenes in the film. Majority of the audience can relate to the film which made it realistic.

Another plus factor for the film are the artists who portrayed their characters really well. Aside from the leads, the supporting characters are superb in their acting. I give props for the casting people who did a really good job. Also, the cinematography was above average. The scenes are executed really well with the help of the right camera shots. The lighting of the scenes is also a big helped in making every scenes so real. Every minute of the film was worth watching.

I never knew that I would enjoy films such as these. Hands down to Thailand because they produced quality films that people from other countries would enjoy. I'm looking forward to more Thai films on my list. Because of this film, I became a Mario Maurer fan in an instant.

Agua de Mayo

Summer is getting into my nerves and I find it difficult to enjoy the heat. For people like me who don't have the privilege of having an air conditioner at home, the only way to beat the heat is a simple cry from heaven or in short, just a short rain. Yesterday, God answered my prayer. At around 1PM, rain came pouring so hard. I did not think twice in joining my relatives outside our house as they enjoyed bathing under the rain. Aside from the fact that it is really fun, old people believe that the first rainfall during the summer is a blessed water from heaven that can cure skin diseases. I was so amazed how a simple rainfall during May can bring the family together. I am looking forward to more Agua de Mayo in the coming years.

happy birthday luigi!

My youngest brother Lui has always been dear to me. He's a friend, confidant, or even an enemy all in one. I can still remember the times when I used to fetch him from school during his kindergarten days. Those times when I helped him out on his lessons when examinations are fast approaching. I just missed spending quality time with him. Last week, me and Patty decided to give him a little treat for his birthday. We decided to throw him a little party enough for the whole family and his close friends. I was assigned to do the cooking while dad put extra efforts in decorating the third floor which was his party venue. Patty, on the other hand helped me out in preparing the dishes. The 16th of April was the busiest day of the month for me. Imagine doing all the cooking from morning till early in the evening... Believe me, it was really tiring!
I was so happy that we were able to pull things off that day. Seeing how happy my brother was made me super happy as well. Knowing that he appreciated all of our efforts made everything worthwhile. I hope that next year, we will be able to surpass this party and throw him a party much bigger than this one.

Visita Iglesia

In the last four years, It has always been a tradition of our group to participate at the station of the cross at Antipolo. It is a long walk from our house to the Antipolo Church. It will usually take you six long hours of walk to finish the whole thing. It's my form of sacrifice for the Lord during the Lent. This year, I decided to break my tradition. This year, I decided to participate at the Visita Iglesia with my ATC  family. Visita Iglesia is similar to the thing you do at Antipolo but the twist here is that you have to go to 13- 14 churches to finish the whole thing. This means that one church is equivalent to one station.

Yesterday, we started our sacrifice at the first church which is located at Pateros. We walked from one church to another. We can't eat, nor take a jeep or any means of transportation until you finish half of it.When we arrived at the 9th station, we decided to grab something for our hungry tummy. After that quick lunch, we decided to continue our long journey. It was a tiring afternoon and it felt like my body is about to give up but keeping the thought in my head that I'm doing this for God makes me want to finish this process. As we arrived at the Last church which is the Sacred Heart church, I feel so happy knowing that I was able to finish everything. I offered a prayer and thank him for all the blessings the whole year. This was indeed a memorable experience for me. It was a tiring walk but it was all worth it. I can't wait to do this again next year.

Palm Sunday

Today is the official start of the holy week. What better way to start this week than to attend the Sunday mass, right? Just like most of the people here in our Barangay, we decided to attend the mass on the church here at our place. As we walked through the crowded streets, we see people going to the same direction as ours. You can also see a lot of palm vendors preparing their palms which will be blessed after the mass. I am so happy knowing that a lot of people still lives on the tradition of the Catholic church. It's good knowing that a lot of people still know how to thank God for every good thing he did for us.
As the mass started, I focused all of my attention the the mass proper alone. It's nice to communicate with God once in a while. I felt so blessed hearing his words. It felt like I'm talking to him up close. Finishing the mass today was a big accomplishment for me. It was satisfying in a way because I know deep down that I started holy week just right. Looks like I will have an interesting week ahead of me. I know that by the end of the week, I will be a better person for I will dedicate every minute of the week thanking the Lord for everything.

cheers to good friendship!

Having good friends sticking with you on a daily basis is like in icing on the top of a cake. I'm so happy to have good friends who are always there to back me up whenever I'm feeling blue or even when I just want to have someone by my side. I know four years is not considered a lifetime but the memories we've shared and the experiences we had makes the bond of our friendship tighter and closer. People may see us as a group with different personalities but I think that's what make this friendship unique above all. I know that the relationship established between me and my pals will last until my last breath. Going through college became easier knowing I have them around. I can't thank God enough for giving me wonderful people like them. I know it sounds cliche but I can't imagine going through college without them.

I know Graduation is fast approaching but that doesn't mean that it is the end of our journey. We may be going through different paths of career but one thing is for sure: I will always be here for all of you and I will never leave you. Thanks for sharing your life with me. I am looking forward to more parties and drinking sessions with you guys. :)

"Lucky" by Patty, Andrew and Me

I was browsing through facebook until a post on my uncle's wall got my attention. It was a video of me, my sister Patty and my friend Andrew singing "Lucky" by Britney Spears. I was so shocked to see the video since it's been a year since we uploaded it.  Actually, we did it just for fun, not for anything else. I was laughing while browsing on the comments. I never knew that people would actually like it. I never had a voice as good as my sister so please, no negative comments on that part. Attached to this post is the video that I'm bragging about. Enjoy watching  :)

Trip to Quiapo

After all the sleepless nights due to pressure on schoolworks, I can confidently say that I'm going to graduate by the end of this school year. This is a big blessing not just for me but for my whole family. What made this such a big thing for us is the fact that me and my sister succeeded in beating all the deadlines and luckily for us, we both passed and will attend the graduation.I knew all along that all of these are possible because God is by our side. Good thing I always talk with him through my prayers and just this semester, some of my classmates decided to visit Quiapo habitually to ask for guidance to the Lord. After all that we've been through, Me and my friends decided to give Quiapo another visit.

As usual, our trip to Quiapo is a long, bumpy ride from Makati to Manila. What made this ride fun are the conversations we had to keep ourselves entertained while we are experiencing the traffic jam on our way to our destination. As we reached Quiapo, our eyes feast on the sidewalk stalls full of different products with of course, different purpose. You can find almost everything in Quiapo: Pirated DVD's, pets, home decors, bags, shirts and yes, even sex toys! First timers will surely be surprised with what this place has to offer.

     Let's cut the chase and proceed to what we went there for. We attended the mass and good thing we finished it before rush hour. After the mass, we decided to talk a walk to enjoy th vicinity. 

Aside from the products that this place offers, we also noticed interesting people outside the church. A guy who dressed like Jesus was there encouraging people to join him in his "New Jerusalem". It was weird but he kept firm with his belief. To be honest, I found it entertaining rather than believable. We didn't stayed long since I needed to go to the hospital because my dad was rushed there due to high blood sugar. Good thing we finished the mass before that incident happened.

Even though our Quiapo experience was just a quick afternoon on a busy Friday, I was so contented and happy because I spent my time there with my friends. I know this is not my last visit to this place. Quiapo has been one of my favorite places in Manila for it offers different things in life. It's a place where you can strengthen your faith with God. A must visit for people who love to try new things. 

A "Kantina" Experience

Friday nights are considered bonding nights for me and my siblings. Every Friday, we make it a point to hunt for places that offers different varieties of food on a low price. Good thing my sister's boyfriend (Dario) introduced "Kantina" to us. At first, I was hesitant to try the place because it was the first time that I've heard of it. It is located at the parking lot of Market2x and they are open from 7PM-8AM during Fridays only. Anyway, we arrived there at 11PM. I was surprised to see mouth watering dishes and desserts. I knew at that very moment that I wont leave "Kantina" with an empty stomach.

I had a taste of the baked macaroni first. It's really affordable and it has a huge serving. I know i'll give it a second try when I visit the place next time.

The cheesecake didn't fail to deliver. We actually had two slices of it. They also offer blueberry cheesecake, oreo cheesecake, chocolate cakes, etc. I know this doesn't sound so healthy but it wouldn't hurt if  you try these just once a week, right ?

I can say that "Kantina" can be called the mini version of Banchetto or the Midnight Mercato. If you're in for a food trip that can make your tummy burst, give Kantina a try. This place is a haven for foodies on a low budget. Try visiting the place and believe me, your first visit wont be your last.

Emotions: An Album Review

I grew up knowing that Mariah was one of the so called “Diva” of the Music Industry. I became a Mariah Carey fan as soon as I saw her first video on MTV. I was awe struck by her vocal range and ability. She was loved by many and it seems that her music evolve as time goes by. She’s a great influence in terms of loving and appreciating music. Mariah is truly one of a kind. I have always been highly impressed with Mariah Carey for quite a few of her songs like Vision of Love, Hero and Heartbreaker.  Mariah could take on just about any song and make it so original, it was if you were listening to that song for the very first time. Mariah Carey has since proved that she is a legendary vocal pop diva, that is gifted and has truly grown, as someone who should be respected in the music industry. She has achieved great praise in the music industry for being talented. I think she is very much deserving of that praise, as she has brought something so unique and diverse to the industry, that many girls today, who attempt her style of singing are often known as "unoriginal". Mariah Carey is the ultimate female pop star that has projection down so naturally, she continues to show prove that with every performance. Every time we see Mariah Carey perform, we look forward to what she will do the next time.

Another thing that I love about her is that she tends to be flexible in terms of her look, but is also naturally beautiful . I think in terms of her look, she is spontaneous and she isn't afraid to try anything new.Mariah is one of the most advanced female artists that can project a song and make it believable, hence why every time we hear her sing, she makes us believe what she is singing. She proves she is elemental and universal in her own right. Although Mariah is more elemental, than commercial and Mariah is effortlessly good. I can say that Mariah is a legend in the music industry. With her accomplishments and timeless songs, there is no doubt that she will still be loved in the coming years.

Album Review: Emotions

Emotion was a strong follow up to Mariah Carey's self-titled debut album.  Every song here is worth hearing and some, like "Emotions" and the gospel-inflected "If It's Over" stand with Mariah  Carey’s  best. The title song is one of Mariah's catchiest songs complete with upper range vocal that can give a listener chills. This album is a showcase for her vocal talent.  Mariah also shows herself to be a good composer here as she writes and sings the songs  "Can't Let Go" and  "If It's Over". The ballads "And You Don't Remember" and "So Blessed" features  Mariah not only making great use of gospel organs but of equally strong gospel/soul passion from Mariah herself. "The Wind," is a full blown jazz track with strong lyrics and an elegant, understated vocal performance from Mariah. "Make it Happen", on the other hand, follows mixing gospel-style vocals and lyrics with a heavy dance beat. This track makes we want to dance along with it.


 With these said, I can also see some cons in this album. I would rate it a couple notches higher than her debut album, but for some reason find her debut definitely more interesting than this one. The lead single, "Emotions" was a No. 1 single for Mariah but it was also the only single from the  album that made No. 1. The problem with this CD is that despite containing ten songs, at least half of the album is forgettable, which is not a good thing. In my opinion, some songs just outshined some of the tracks from this album.


 Even if some cons are sighted in this album, I can say that Mariah still did a pretty good job with this one. Her songs make sense and have great emotions. The songs have heart to them and Mariah sings about love, heartache and loneliness once again. I know that Mariah Carey has so many amazing and awesome songs in her albums over the years, but this one has a distinct specialness on it's own.

A not so perfect love story.

Usually, when I'm feeling down and out, I turn to movies and television shows to cheer me up. For me, it feels good to encounter a fairytale like story from a show or a video once in a while. It seems like the world is full of hate and negative vibes and seeing a cute love story will definitely lighten up your mood. Just this morning, I was feeling so depressed until I saw Lee Hyun's video music video of the song "You are the best of my life". Even though the song is in Korean and was not supported by subtitles, I still enjoy watching the video's message was heartfelt. To be honest, I can really relate with the story because I was hoping for the same fairytale ending for myself. Believe me when I say that this video can change your perception when it comes to love. This 4minuter video made my day.


Anyway, for everyone's viewing pleasure, I've attach Lee Hyun's video in this entry. Enjoy the video and get ready to fall in love.

All American Rejects: An Album Review (2003)

 I am generally not a fan of bands like this, including ones like Good Charlotte and Simple Plan, but after I had heard their songs thru youtube , I gave them a try. I fell in love. The instrumentals are nothing to die for, in fact, generally, they're quite easy, so if you're looking for a band where the guitar solos take up the whole song, and the drumming is to die for, I don't suggest this band.

Aside from that, the voice of the vocalist is sweet sounding, and unlike many artists, he really sings, and it comes much more from the heart. Their songs are catchy.. and cheerful. They have a different sound than any other band I have heard of, even though they are classified in that punk rock/emo/pop section of music.

The most attractive thing about The All-American rejects is their straightforward sound. Teens and twenty-something's can relate to their music because it is simple and because the people making it are the same age. They have the presence and pop nature of Blink 182 and combine it with the heartfelt lyrics of Chris Carrabba of Dashboard Confessional. What it all adds up to is an unbelievable record that should stand the test of time. The All-American Rejects use a lot of falsetto in their music, which also contributes to its edgy, raw emotional nature. The Rejects offer everything. Such power pop ballads as "My Paper Heart", "Swing, Swing" and "Don't Leave Me" will leave you humming all day with whatever you doing. Any band who can mix feeling and emotion in their lyrics with catchy, rocking beats deserves to be listened to. I really enjoyed the lyrics; they sing about things that most of us can relate to in the days of our youth. All American Rejects is a band to watch out for.

                  

Album Review : ALL AMERICAN REJECTS

A few months ago, I heard "My Paper Heart" for the first time and knew I had to download the album of this band. Though I had never heard little of  All-American Rejects before, the adept songwriting and melodic punk-pop sound of My Paper Heart" somehow had me knowing, after only one listen, that this would be a great album. My instincts were right. The All-American Rejects' debut simply cannot be rejected. Ever since I downloaded the songs a couple of months ago, it has been a regular listen on my mp3 player. The band deals lyrically in love songs: love dying, love unrequited, even starting over. The music tends to have somewhat of a same sound to it although not as much as others I've heard. This album consists entirely of songs with memorable hooks, up-tempo rhythms, melodic punk- pop choruses, and infectious  lyrics. The album has been well-produced, enhancing the overall packaging of each song. The hits "Swing, Swing", "Time Stands Still", and "The Last Song" proved that the band was creating interesting music. The All-American Rejects mixed pop, rock,  and synthesized sounds with just a hint of a grunge feel and the product was very unique. Their fusion even landed the band a spot in the soundtrack to the pilot episode to the television series The OC with the song "Swing, Swing". My personal favorites from this record include: "My Paper Heart", "Don't Leave Me" "Too Far Gone", and "Drive Away".

With this debut album, the All-American Rejects have demonstrated they have sharp musical senses. Their music compares favorably with any emo-type artist you hear on today's radio. Between the band's natural musical talent and its alignment with today's hottest commercial sound, it wouldn't surprise me to hear more from the All-American Rejects. 

Midnight Mercato Madness

I'm feeling stressed out and pressured with all the deadlines and stuffs. Not to mention our thesis defense which was scheduled a week from now. Just to break the ice, my sister and I decided to give Midnight Mercato a try. We were really curious about the place since it always get positive feedbacks from visitors and foodies. To find out if all of the feedbacks are true, we decided to go there just last night. As I walk through the crowded food bazaar, I was happy to see plenty of food stalls that offers different kinds of food. From Mexican, to Italian, to Chinese, etc.: name it, the Midnight Mercato has it. What made Mercato exceptional from other food bazaar is that they have a big food serving on a low price. To spice things up, they provided a band set up that didn't fail to entertain the foodies all night long. Mercato was a perfect mix of entertainment and food. I am looking forward to more Mercato trippings in the coming weeks. I can say that the food bazaar didn't fail to meet my expectations.

My Journey has come to an end.

Two months have passed and my journey as an assistant pre-school teacher is about to end. I will surely miss waking up in the morning, getting ready for the traffic that I will encounter in the busy streets of Makati and of course, thinking of ways to get the students engaged with the school activities. After this training, my Tuesday and Thursday morning will never be the same again. I will always cherish the moments when I reward the kids with chocolates whenever they perfect the exams or even when I just feel like giving them goodies. Those kids have been really nice to me and I've seen how they improve their potentials on the activities in school. Because of these students, I became more patient on certain situations and I started to love kids. If I will be given a chance to undergo this process again, I will never doubt to give it another try. I will forever cherish the moments I had in Maximo Estrella Elem. School. I hope that someday, those students will grow into a responsible human being that can contribute to the benefit of our country.

A visit to Vogue

It's been a while since I had a night out with friends. Last night, me and my girl friends decided to unwind just for a bit to lessen the stress that we've been encountering for months. We've been really excited because it was the first time for us to go out without a male companion. 10AM arrived and we decided to give Bargos a try. When we arrived at Home Depot Ortigas, we were surprised to find out that they changed the name of the place. From Bargos, they changed it to Vouge. The place is still the the same, even the waiters looked familiar. After observing around the vicinity, we decided to place our orders. We settled for Tanduay Ice since we never planned to get drunk. We had a bucket of the goodies and that's it. As we exchanged conversations, some guys were hitting on my friends. I found it so funny since those guys are just like my dad. It was actually a bad night for boys hunting. When we finished our drinks, we decided to go home. We surely had a blast.


 I never knew a company of three would be so much fun. I am looking forward to more parties with them. I know that is not my last time at Vogue. After last night, I put Vogue on my list of my favorite resto bar.

The guy in the purple shirt :)

If you have been following my blog from multiply, you will definitely know how this post would go. I can still remember how I got so hooked in blogging due to a certain encounter with a guy who was so cute and charming. Oh well, I never had a chance to ask his name because I was too shy to approach him that time. Anyway, I decided to blog about him and find out if  I can get details about this guy through my posts. Luckily, I found him, I got his name and even more. Too bad, I never had a chance to see him again. Time passed and my hots for this guy faded. Oh well, that's life.


I was with my friends last Friday and we were on a jeep going to Guadalupe until a guy in a purple shirt entered the jeep. I stared at him for five long seconds and I was so amused with his looks. I don't know what kind of spirit entered my body when I bravely told the guy "Hi kuya, ang cute mo naman.". I was surprised with what I said but I decided to go with the flow since it seemed as if he's okay with it. So I started to utter things and my friends were so shocked to see me behave that way. Too bad, he rode the jeep for 15 short minutes. What made the situation more disappointing is that I didn't even got his name. How bad could my day be? 


 I can still remember how that guy in the purple shirt looked. Wherever you are, I hope that one day, I get to see you again and hopefully, we can ride the jeepney together. I just hope this wont be like the guy in the yellow shirt scenario.

Vanessa Carlton: An Album Review (2002)

What’s not to like with Vanessa Carlton? Her amazing voice, stunning lyrics, and awesome piano playing make her seem much older than her 20 something years. Her songs  promises to make Vanessa a household name, but more than that, it plainly shows that she is more than just a young female singer-songwriter. She is a talented musician and that is evidenced by every note of her every song.

I am just so proud of Vanessa for begging to be different from everyone else. She does what the pop industry is terrified of… she's herself. No elaborate vocals or gyrating to an infectious beat. Beautiful, smooth, sultry and expressive melodies laced with a unique and elegant-sounding voice. For your information, she came out of her shelf when she debuted her song. She was a ballerina for years but instead of pursuing a career on ballet, she chose to be a musician. If you will look around the music scene today, you’ll see no signs of this singer. Vanessa Carlton disappeared way too quickly, and when you think of some of the more successful people she was competing with at the time, this is a sad fact. If you want a fresh, unspoiled talent to listen to, I strongly suggest that you listen to Vanessa. Too bad she is nowhere to be found in the present. As far as I can remember, her debut song still haunts my playlist in my friendster profile. She provide  us with high quality of music that people of any age can relate to.

Album review: Be Not Nobody

 Vanessa Carlton's album, Be Not Nobody, is nothing short of incredible. From the opening chords of "Ordinary Day" to the last trailing notes of "Twilight", Be Not Nobody is an album you won't be able to turn off.

The album started of with “Ordinary Day”. It has an ethereal and interesting message of spontaneity and chasing down dreams. It's upbeat and somewhat classical sounding. She expresses her feelings of inferiority in the relationship in the song “Unsung”. The vocals and strong backbeat make it an interesting contrast with the rest of the album. The keys employed and the melody combination of the song “A thousand miles”  are signs of sheer brilliance. The lyrics aren't spectacular, but the piano more than compensates. “Paradise” is sheer brilliance. The girl described in the song is fighting an internal conflict with herself even though she's in "paradise." The lyrics are vague and could be perceived differently by different people, the smoothness of the melody and emotion of Vanessa's voice make it impossible to deny this song.  “Paint in Black” is best cover songs I've heard in years. Her voice is bursting with emotion and power as she pounds through the song with passion and varying tempos. Twilight is absolutely beautiful . With its evasively smooth and substantial lyrics , you cant get enough of it.


On the other hand, I found two songs that are actually not my thing. “Pretty baby” has a catchy bridge but compared to the other song by Vanessa, this is totally skippable. “Sway” is a total turn  off. It lacks power and the lyrics have nothing special to it.
 Be Not Nobody is a breath of fresh air in a world that is bogged down by teeny-bopper and dance anthem. The music is so real. A must listen to people who goes for sensible music.