It's this time of the year again!

Presents Galore!

Because I've been a nice li'l girl this year, I received so many presents, and it's not even christmas yet!

Yaye! Yipee! Yahoo! Hehehe!

Putting an End to All "Pasi" Cab Drivers

My friend Rene hails a taxi on the other side of the street. The driver signals him to cross, meaning he will take passengers. So Rene gets into the cab. “Sa Fort po,” he tells the driver. The driver scratches his head to signify that much as he’d like to oblige, he has to decline. “Ay, pupunta kasi ako sa LTFRB para magpa-seal ng metro.”

“Ganoon ho ba?” Rene says in a pleasant tone of voice. “Eh di sasakay na ako papuntang LTFRB para i-report kayo.”

“Bakit naman?” the driver says.

“Hindi niyo ba napanood sa news kagabi?” Rene says. “7pm at 11pm. Sabi ho nila, pag may taxi na ayaw tumanggap ng pasahero, i-text sa LTFRB hotline.”

The driver scratches his head again, to signify that he would rather not oblige, but has no choice. Or maybe his dandruff is eating his brain. He mutters darkly to himself—something about passengers who make his life difficult.
Rene never stops smiling. “Pagpunta ho ninyo sa LTFRB, itanong ninyo kung ano ang hotline para sa mga pasaherong makulit na ayaw bumaba.”

The taxi brought him to The Fort without further incident.

*Source: Jessica Rules the Universe

Wanted: Contravida

I don't know what came over me when I asked Herbert what's his first impression of me. He said I was "mataray". He answered much too quickly if you ask me.

My mom who was within hearing distance, joined in "maldita."

NO!!!

Really?

I used to think I come across as timid, gullible, naive...I couldn't for the life of me believe the adjectives they associate me with.

I tried to rephrase the question, hoping I'll be able to generate a different answer because they are honestly sounding greek to me, "Eh, sa mga artista, kaninong personality mo ko pwede i-compare?"

"Yung babae sa Ana Luna." Herbert struggled to answer, laboring on remembering the name of the actress.

"Sino si Janice? Eh di ba kawawa nga sya don, eh bakit magiging mukhang mataray?" This is it. I'm almost winning the battle.

But Herbert just wouldn't let me, "Hindi. Yung si Gladys, 'yun kahawig mo."

Ouch! That guy knows no bounderies, below the belt! "Ha! Ang sama naman nun! Di nga? Parang mas cute naman ako don."

Herbert faltered for a moment before correcting himself, "Hindi, parang yung personality lang, di ko naman sinabi itsura." That's amore. Herbert was able to look the other way and made me feel like a million dollar baby, almost.

The conversation didn't end there but it still got me questioning myself till now. Do I really have the makings of a "contravida"? or at least my face? (You'll be doing me a big favor if you keep that thought to yourself. No replies please for this entry. Thank you.)

Is there a lesson to be learned here, honestly? hehe!

Newest Survivor!

Yipee!

I just saw the good news in the paper,

Yul won Survivor Cook Islands!

Strangely Common

Shortly after I told my friend about an event that happened last week, she said to me, "fan ka na nya."

Hahaha! Funny she should think that because I'm not. Groupies are for celebrities, boy bands and professional athletes. Joe McIntyre is enough for my lifetime. I'm not her fan but suffice it to say I like her.

I'm neither competing nor threatened by the past. But past is good, no matter what they say. I believe in Freud when he said what you are as an adult is a reflection of the kind of childhood you had. I am a happy adult because I had a happy childhood.

Burying the hatchet is one of my many advocacies in life as well. Seeing that they have moved on & have done well for themselves, it just goes to show there is still justice in this world. On my part, I'm all out for peace and quiet.

I hope having presented my arguments will earn me a clean bill of (mental) health.

However, I can't excuse myself for my curiosity, or fascination thereof. I find that we have so much in common that it amazes me. If it hasn't crossed her mind, (girl) open yourself to the possibilities! Hahaha! Apart from that one obvious common denominator, I noticed there's a lot of parallelism between us --- we share the same interests, birthdays (almost), hobbies (well, not entirely), school, city of residence, etc. (I think I'm sounding nutter than intended hehe!). I never met anyone who is so like me, yet so different.

Given a different history and opportunity, I wonder if a friendship could have worked out between us.

Cooking 101

Sundays in Antipolo have become an unofficial going-to-market-slash-cooking-lessons for Herbert and me. It's usually Herbert who wakes up early and drags me (forcibly) out of bed so we can go to church, proceed to market after.

Whenever we wake up late, which usually is the case, we go straight to the market and buy ingredients for our staple Sunday lunch offerings --- fish, clamshells (alternated with mussels), seaweeds, chicken (alternated with pork) --- going to mass will come at a later time.

When it gets really late, almost-lunchtime late, we don't bother tidying ourselves. Off we go, wearing the same clothes we slept-in. (It has its merits actually) We need not worry about snatchers and we can fix all our concentration on huggling, hence, getting the best out of the palengke experience.

Sunday lunches in my abode are synonymous to smörgåsbord . With only 4 of us at home (me, Bec and the 2 oldies), the feast is more than enough, so usually we partake a portion to the neighbors (much to their delight and dismay, depending on the state of the dish we offer).

Oh, if the world doesn't know yet, Herbert is an excellent cook. I can continue living life in peace, knowing I will never go hungry if he decides to take full dominance over the kitchen.

Yesterday, I cooked pininyahang manok, only without pineapple (huh?!) under the supervision of my head chef. At first it was going smoothly, I was waiting for the chicken to be tender when my head chef instructed that I should be putting the milk on the pan, so I did. But while he was busy waging war with the fish on the pan next to mine, I decided to not ask for his guidance and poured the whole can of milk onto the dish.

But when he caught me doing this, he quipped in a highly-pitched voice, "inilagay mo lahat?!" I was like "uhm, oo. lahat," with much bravado I could muster. Truth is I didn't know what I was doing, not the slightest. It was like I was programmed to think the creamier the better. the better. the better. the better?

My head chef, poured water and other magical stuff to repair the damage I have caused. In the end, it wasn't anymore pininyahang manok without pineapple but carbonara without pasta.

But lunch wasn't totally ruined, in fact, it was a very tummy-satisfying meal. Even the neighbors said so. All's well that ends well.

Lesson: Don't trust me with cooking duties. hehe!

Ho ho hoy there!

Bringing cheer to the christmas season by making do with just about anything we can grab at the office, as it turned out christmas decors & gift wrapping materials worked very well as props for these three wise men.

Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

I say to all the people who are trying to dissuade me into marriage with your stories of ghouls and monsters, your energies are wasted on me. Better talk to Herbert (hehe!), he's the one who's going to suffer the crunch and carry the yoke of married life. So go to him. He knows I'm born impossible, no chance of reformation at present nor in the future. But he thinks my neo-nazi charm is cute so he lets me off pretty easily, ergo, curtailing the proverbial lovers' quarrel.

But you see, there's still hope for us. Marital bliss is not so elusive that we can't achieve it. Herbert just has to work double time. Hahaha!

(Let me digress) Shout out to all our family members, friends, colleagues and basically everyone who knows about the upcoming you-know-what:




Your inputs and monetary aids are very much appreciated. We hope more will come in the future, especially the moola. Gob bless you all!

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Amazing, isn't it? To view more, please double click on the blog title. You will be redirected to De javu's site.

Iraq War: Grave & Deteriorating

The Iraq Study Group releases its final report, describing the situation in the Iraq War as "grave and deteriorating" and making seventy-nine policy recommendations, including *U.S. troops to end combat operations in Iraq and train Iraqi troops.

The report begins by laying out the difficulties surrounding the Iraq war and the current U.S. position. It warns that its policy recommendations are not failsafe, but that the deteriorating situation in Iraq could lead to political and humanitarian consequences if not dealt with immediately.

Five pages of the report addressed U.S. troop levels. Increasing those levels was not considered in depth as it was not considered a viable option. Rather, the report recommended that the removal of all U.S. troops from Iraq by 2008 could be envisaged.

The report mentions the little-known fact that U.S. funding for the Iraqi Army is at a level less than 4 percent of the funding for the U.S. occupation forces; that it lacks adequate equipment, maintenance services, logistical support, communications and transport capabilities; and that it is weak in leadership and unit cohesion.

The report also found that the U.S. government had intentionally misled the world by systematically distorting information about the violence in Iraq. Associated Press Military Writer Robert Burns reported:

The panel pointed to one day last July when U.S. officials reported 93 attacks or significant acts of violence. Yet a careful review of the reports for that single day brought to light 1,100 acts of violence. The standard for recording attacks acts as a filter to keep events out of reports and databases ... Good policy is difficult to make when information is systematically collected in a way that minimizes its discrepancy with policy goals.

Source: Wikipedia

Executive Order 12.12

A text from my fiance woke me up this morning. He's saying that he is decreeing this day, December 12, 2006 as:

* Woot! Woot!* By authority vested in me by heaven-knows-who, I'm declaring this day as an official private holiday, only to be enjoyed by the two of us. Sorry.

Congratulations Mau!

People will attest to a lot of monumental things, of things they've done and witnessed. They can say they were in the same tarmac where Ninoy was killed, or they were inside Malacañang when Erap was being dragged out of the palace, or they were billeted at Oakwood during the Magdalo mutiny, or wherever their imagination can take them.

Well, as for me, I can say my big contribution in the history of the country is that I was there when Mau triumphed during the Final Performance Night of the Philippine Idol. Hahaha! It's ground-breaking, I know, but she makes me so proud!

Mau is a prombi in so many ways, but when she sings, she becomes a different persona all together. I was there when she belted out "Try It On My Own". Grabe, I had goosebumps even on places I didn't know possible (hahaha!). She deserved the standing ovation and the applause that won't die down on its own.

Mau, you deserve to be the First Philippine Idol!

Kudos to the two finalists, Gian & Jan, as well! You gave Mau quite a scare, twas a close fight.

To Die For Diamonds

Blood Diamond is a film by Edward Zwick, the Academy Award-winning director of Glory and The Last Samurai. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly and Djimon Hounsou. The title refers to blood diamonds, which are usually mined in war zones and are sold to finance the conflicts.

Controversies:

De Beers Group, which controls the vast majority of the diamond trade, has expressed reservations the film will reduce public demand for diamonds. De Beers maintains the trade in conflict diamonds has been reduced from 4% to 1% by the Kimberley Process and it has been suggested the company pushed for the film to contain a disclaimer saying the events are fictional and in the past. De Beers has denied this.

More recently, the New York Post has reported Warner Bros. Pictures promised twenty-seven child and teenage amputee extras for the film prosthetics upon completion of filming. Several month after the completion of filming, the prosthetics had not been supplied, and it was reported the studio told amputees they would wait until the December release of the film to maximize the publicity boost. In the meantime a private charity had to step-in and assist in supplying prosthetics to the amputees.

The film comes in the midst of an upsurge in public awareness of the conflict diamond trade, also highlighted in the media by rapper Kanye West in his song "Diamonds from Sierra Leone", a VH1 documentary about current conditions in Sierra Leone called "Bling", and a nonfiction expose called "The Heartless Stone".

A Good Mixture of Spa & Phobia

I'm dabbling with some research cum lead generation on the spa sector and it just dawned to me, apart from bungee jumping and free falling, there's another thing I haven't done in my 27 years of so-called existence, that is to get into the spa experience. Pitiful, right?

Intelligent Spas has conducted the inaugural survey of spa facilities in the Philippines and found the industry has grown 74% since 2003, with 87 spas currently open and operating. The research achieved an excellent response rate of 54% of all spas in the Philippines, enabling very reliable industry benchmarks to be calculated. The report, entitled Spa Industry Profile Philippines 2003-2007, features over 500 quantitative statistics on the Philippines spa market as well as supporting qualitative trends and observations from spa owners and managers. It is a valuable tool for businesses competing in, or supporting the Philippines’ spa industry, to more accurately develop and plan spa-related products, services, campaigns and initiatives.

Some key industry totals and averages extracted from the report include:
- Intelligent Spas identified 87 spa facilities located in the Philippines.
- 76% of spas are stand-alone day spas and 20% are spas located in hotels and resorts.
- The average indoor area of spa facilities was 609 square metres.
- 52% of the total spa space was allocated to treatment rooms.
- Spas contained 10.9 treatment rooms on average, making them the largest across the Asia Pacific region.
- 70% of spas provided a relaxation room. - Aromatherapy was practised by 97% of spas.
- Baths with water and/or air jets were offered by 54% of respondents.
- One hour body wraps were priced from PHP 1418, on average.
- Herbal tea was the most common complimentary food or beverage item provided by spas, with 62% offering it to visitors.
- 35% of spas surveyed noticed there are more spas opening in hotels and resorts.

*Source: Intelligent Spas, Spa Industry Profile Philippines 2003-2007

With all the mambo jambo statistician talk, I will raise just one salient point, the spa biz is a ubiquitous enterprise. They are in manifolds, increasing in numbers by the minute like er, mushrooms (hihi); tantamount to a growing demand for beauty and wellnes. It's lucrative and a guaranteed money-maker.

If you are thinking of jumping on the bandwagon, the ripe timing is now because Everyone is into the spa business and lifestyle --- except me. Hahaha! (I account to 0.000001% of the marketshare. A figure the industry can easily dismiss without remorse).

I know why and I'm telling (reason why I'm putting my rep on on the line with this blog, like I have one to protect in the first place) Hahaha! It's because I'm a member of the secret society of highly ticklish people of the Philippines. I am soon to be elected VP, come May 2007.

I don't indulge in foot spa, paraffin, half/full body scrubs, half/full body massage...and I am wary of facials. I know I'm missing a lot but till I learn to turn my back on my sworn fealty, I will remain a spa virgin.

My W-Vision Mission

A big white envelope came in the mail today, bringing good tidings to my December morn. I thought it was from my English friend, Kathryn, who never fails to cheer my holidays with her cards. But when I saw the logo of World Vision at the back of the envelope, I assumed differently. I opened it, expecting a solicitation for the Albay mud slide victims or something christmas related. To my surprise, it was from Aicel, the kid I'm sponsoring! You can't imagine my happiness when I saw her picture, she's so cute! I've been waiting and wanting to hear a word from her ever since I signed up for the program. It's been a long wait on my part, 2 years! Now, it makes little difference if it was 1 year, 2 years or 10 years! I am so excited! I can finally communicate with her and establish a friendship. Yaye! I can't wait to send her a card in reply. (Too bad, I can't send her a present for christmas as it is discouraged by World Vision.)

My folks agree that she's a pretty little thing. She seems nice too. She tells me she helps out with the farming, planting crops and all. She babysits her siblings as well. She's on her fourth grade, almost the same age as my nephew, Carl. She has a list of the stuffs she has received from the sponsorship. I can't believe I have actually sent someone to school with my meager monthly donation, and she calls me Tita Patty! Hehe! What can I say, nakakataba talaga ng puso.

For all you guys out there who haven't signed up on World Vision, you ought to. A minuscule cut from your allowance can come a long way. Do away with your inessential shopping or cut back on your regular trips to Starbucks, dedicate a parcel of your money to these kids who need your assistance most.

Initially, my thought is only to give a daily allowance so a kid can go to school, but the program does more than that, they help the host family by teaching the parents how to make a living by fishing, farming, or other industry available to them. Livelihood programs extend as far as building schools, houses, etc.

It's easy and it's rewarding. Make a difference in someone else's life by joining World Vision. Think about it.

Boo! I'm Scayrd

There's a hightened alert on our office floor. Everyone's advised to be vigilant. Any activity that deviates from the normal day-to-day operations should be reported to the authorities immediately. Tenants are ill advised to go out of their units unless they need to. Buddy-buddy system is being implemented. The ladies' washroom should be avoided at all times (by me particularly).

The authorities recognize that we are currently experiencing a moomoo scare (awoooh!), but they are yet to release a formal statement. The tenants are hopeful that the alert status will be lifted any time soon (so we can get back to our poltergeist-free lives, thank you very much). Hihihi!

Bah Humbag!

And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more. ~ Dr. Seuss

Christmas is just around the corner and for some reason, the excitement is lost in me. This year, I simply don't have it. I don't feel it. I'm not Scrougee nor Grinchy. I'm just out of it.

At home, we've been too busy with our own businesses, we don't have time to pump up the christmas spirit. My parents, they are much too concerned with the bitches and their pups, with vaccines and certificates to care (you have to understand that our babies just gave birth, we are doing our best to welcome each to our family, and there's more to come); and then, there's that void that only 3 heavy-set people can fill hehe! (My brother and his family are out of the country.) So really, christmas is incomplete in my family .

My home away from home in Pateros is no different. Up to now, they don't have a single christmas decor in place. Blame it on Herbert. We've been pestering him for weeks to act on it but he has so many excuses. It's exasperating already. I guess, he's not feeling christmasy too.

At the office, I don't know what happened. The 13th month came a bit late, the decors were only prepped up last week (a bit later than usual as well), and nobody took notice that there's not much plans (much less talks) of any christmas party or exchange gifts (only till last week). So more or less, in the hurry blurry of activities, the office failed to notice that it's already the season of bonuses, parties and gifts only till last week.

If I'll be speaking for the whole country, the idea of christmas is far off, farfetch & far, far, far away. Between the half-full and the half-empty outlooks, the country's taking the half-empty mindset. Drudgingly, christmas will come. No thanks to Milenyo & Reming (I hope we see the last of em calamities), it's like all our energies (and resources) are spent from fretting and repairing that we can't be bothered by christmas. Only SM is keeping up the faith, where christmas carols are played on loop, I guess, in dire effort to enforce the spirit of spending. Too bad, it has little or no effect at all.

This maybe the case, I do hope christmas will be different for the kids. I hope it will be a Merry Christmas for them, in the true sense of the word, just like what we had in the long forgotten christmas past. (My best christmases include making big profits by merely being cute and nice.)

So let's not shoo away kids who are caroling on our doorsteps or hide from our godchildren when they come to visit! Please! It's only once a year when the little people get to extort money out of us obliging adults. Give em a break shall we :) Bah Humbag!

6 Degrees of Patty

Six Degrees of Separation is the theory that states anyone can be connected to any other person on the planet through a chain of acquaintances with no more than five intermediaries.

Let's see what I can dig, if I link myself to:

Princess Diana

1. Princess Diana was a friend of Mother Teresa

2. Mother Teresa and Cardinal Sin were supporters of the 5th Marian Dogma

3. Cardinal Sin's assistant for some time was Bishop Soc

4. Bishop Soc presided the marriage of Anna

5. Anna is my friend from DB

Monica Lewinsky

1. Monica was involved in a scandal with Bill Clinton

2. Bill Clinton's chummy chummy with PGMA

3. PGMA knows my boss, Ms. Bing from her PCCI stint

4. I am an employee of Ms. Bing

Brad Pitt

1. Brad Pitt was one of the volunteers Jimmy Carter recruited to build houses in India

2. I was with Jimmy Carter during the Habitat Program in Maragondon, circa 1999

Akalain mo nali-link ako kay Brad Pitt?!

This is proving to be more fun than I thought.

You ought to give it a shot.
You'll never know how well you are connected till you try :)

Reming Changes Course, Won't Hit Metro Manila

By Joel Guinto INQ7.net Last updated 03:57pm (Mla time) 11/30/2006

(9TH UPDATE) SUPER typhoon "Reming" (international codename: Durian) has changed course and will no longer hit Metro Manila directly, the chief state weather forecaster said Friday.

Instead, the storm, with winds of 190 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 225 kilometers per hour, will hit provinces south of the capital, according to Nathaniel Cruz in a phone interview.

"There was a big change in direction. Metro Manila will no longer be a direct hit," Cruz said.

I'm Inviting You All to UA&P

The School of Management of The University of Asia and the Pacific is inviting you to their first ever in-campus Franchise Fair. Potential franchisees and franchisors, the Ortigas workforce and students alike are welcome to join this affair.

Event: A Mind for Business: Targeting Investments
Date: December 7; 8-5pm
Venue: CAS Garden


* Interested exhibitors may contact me or MSCM office for reservations.

Burn Baby Burn

A friend in the office was talking about burn out in passing.
I didn't consider it much before, but now that she has mentioned it,
I feel like I might be a candidate. If that's the case,
hmmm...what's a girl to do...

I see 2 options for me, leave work and find a greener pasture;
or take a leave from work (momentarily) and be crazy merry.
hmmm...what's a girl to do...


I take door no.2, it's more attractive (yaye!).

PostSecret: Everyone has (at least) One

An invitation to liberate yourself from the skeleton inside your closet.

* A gallery of postcard-sized images posted anonymously to unveil a secret. Shared confessions in art form.

Anglophiles Unite! A Crown Jewel of a Movie You Shan't Miss

"The Queen" is described as a revealing glimpse into the lives of the British royal family following the untimely death of Princess Diana. Mirren stars as Queen Elizabeth II, Cromwell plays Prince Philip and Sheen co-stars as British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Petition: Temporary Insanity

Once in a while, you discover something about yourself you never thought existed...

That's exactly what happened to me yesterday. I stumbled into a goldmine which I wish to share with you...

(Kahiya! I was a fanatic to the highest level!)

Waiver: I wasn't aware that I was part of any promotions team (international or local). All I knew was that I kept on getting J.M. freebies every month. Now I know why. Hahaha! I hope DB won't take any legal action for this. Hahaha!

Stakeout for Smiling People

I like catching people smile.

I take the public transportation everyday, and as Herbert would often point out, I'm fond of looking out of the window. It's true, I never mind the stiff neck and rush of smog on my face, I only care of getting a better view of the outside.

(Kasi) I like catching people on their unguarded moments and see them smile. Pedestrians, commuters, brown boys, b.f. boys, people in cars, trucks, delivery vans, school bus --- they, all, become subjects of my scrutiny.

I love seeing smiles for obvious reasons: aesthetic & well-being. Smiles make a person beautiful, inside-out. It's a transformation like no other. Even Bakekang is capable of beauty when she smiles.

There's also a feel-good vibe that comes with smiling. They say it's because the brain produces endorphins that gives a pervasive sense of happiness.

Smiles are inexpensive & contagious. One smile can go a long way. It can take sadness away, erase pain and heal wounds.

If only we just smile a lot, the world will be filled with attractive and happy people.

Embarrassment, Thickness & Humor (Each Sold Separately)

I think I have developed a talent of Embarrassing myself.
Overexposure to Laurel & Hardy, The 3 Stoogies & Mr. Bean has led me to this, otherwise, less than mundane existence.

Constant screw-ups has also brought forth Thickness of (my) epidermis.

Over time, Thickness has evolved into Humor. Humor that has become a partner in crime of Embarrassment.
Life has never been the same ever since. Fini.