Quiet Tinkles

Review: Dadaanin

2012-02-14T08:00:00.001+08:00

Dadaanin by Alwin C. Aguirre

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sa kakaunting salita lamang, andaming misteryong magbabalandra sa harap mo.

Sa ‘sangdaang kwento, marami kang madadaanang klase ng panunulat. May kwento ng pag-ibig, paghahanap, pagpapasákit, pananaginip. May kwento ng lungkot, ligaya, takot, pantasya.

Sa ‘sandaang salita, buo na ang diwa – at mayroon ka pang mananamnam na aral habang pinapagpag ang natirang mahika sa mga salita.

PS: Dapat lang yatang basahin ang mga paunang salita mula sa mga pamamatnugot. Doon nila ipinapaliwanag ang kanilang *mga* layunin sa paggawa ng ganitong klaseng libro.

PPS: Natuwa rin ako sa maiikling biograpiya ng mga manunulat. (Mahahanap ito sa mga huling pahina.)

{100 na salita}

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Review: Lumayo Ka Nga Sa Akin

2012-01-26T20:43:00.002+08:00

Lumayo Ka Nga Sa Akin by Bob Ong

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Bago ang lahat: Hindi ako mahilig mag-saliksik ukol sa isang libro bago ko ito basahin, kaya nagulat na lamang ako nang malaman ko na hindi pala nobela ang librong ito, kung hindi ay koleksyon ng tatlong dula / screenplay. (Aksyon / horror /drama -- o yun nga lang ba?)

Babala: Sa aking palagay, nangangailangan ng mambabasa ng konting pag-iisip, at konting pagkakaintindi sa larangan ng industriyang panlibangan, para tunay na maunawaan at mabigyang-halaga ang mga dulang ito. Patnubay ng magulang ay maaaring kailanganin. Huwag din lamang kalimutang isuot ang 3D Glasses.

[Dahil sa patuloy na pag-aaral at pag-hahasa ng kaalaman ko sa araling panlipunan, ako'y lubos na natuwa (at lubos ding nadismaya) sa mga eksenang ipinalabas sa librong ito.]

Nakakatawa (para sa akin) ang simpleng pag-lalahad ng mga bida(?) at kontrabida(?) ng kanya-kanyang kwento ang totoong kalagayan ng sitwasyon ng kasalukuyang (2012!) estado ng pamPilipinong sine at panitikan (at iba pang porma ng sining). Kalunus-lunos man ang katotohanan, ako'y humalakhak pa rin sa pag-ganap at pag-arte (ng walang ka-workshop-workshop!) ng mga tauhang ito nang ayon sa kanilang parte: cliche', madaling mahulaan, gamit na gamit na personalidad. [Magsama kayo ng palitaw mo sa impyerno!]

Ngunit hindi lamang ang mapapanood natin sa telebisyon o makikita sa sine ang tila binabatikos sa mga dulang ito. Narito rin ang paglalarawan ng pang-araw-araw na (kung tutuusin nga naman) buhay ng karaniwang Pinoy - ang pag-pila para makasali sa sikat na variety show, ang pagiging call center agent, ang Facebook / Twitter / Angry Birds, ang nakakalat na basura sa tabi-tabi, ang pinakapangit na paliparan sa buong mundo. Sa isang libro, natalakay ang lahat ng ito (at marami pang ibang paksa!), at (para sa akin) sa isang kakatwang paraan pa!

Para sa akin, ang sarap talaga nitong basahin. Ito'y hindi lamang dahil sa paraan ng panunulat, kung hindi ay para rin sa maraming palaisipan na ansarap (at o kay pait) na namnamin.

Goojab!

PS: Ang ikalawang screenplay rito ay hindi ko lubos na nagustuhan, bagaman kawiliwili rin naman nitong basahin. Totoo, may mga malalim na paksa rin dito, pero tila hindi masyadong nagningning (para sa akin) ang mga tauhan dito, at mas nagmukha siyang diskurso kaysa sa isang pag-kukwento.

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My EON / Paypal Experience [Enrollment]

2012-01-17T13:19:00.002+08:00

It's honestly been a while since I've posted anything here (and I haven't even updated my wishlist yet! Hahaha!), but I just have to blog about my experience getting a Paypal account whilst here in the Philippines.

I read up online on possible ways to maneuver this "buying things online" gig I wanted to try out, and ended up with noticing how netizens keep on mentioning how Unionbank's EON card works pretty well, with little to no charges. It's also a debit card, which I like in particular, seeing as how I am trying to remain credit card-free until the day I would deem it utterly necessary to get one.

DAY 0.5:

First of all, I applied for a Paypal account. As suggested by several blogs out there, I got a Personal account, especially since I was only aiming to buy stuff... For now, anyway. Just one thing I'll comment on this: use the name you have/want to have on your card for your Paypal account. (E.g. name: April Binondo C. Domingo-- you can choose to have your name on Paypal as "April Domingo" and not "April Binondo Domingo", but make sure that's the name you have/want to have on your card as well.) You can't change your name on Paypal without having to go through a seemingly tedious process, you see. (I learned this only after the entire process >_> Go figure.)

I have no EON card at that time, so I researched that as well. After a few articles (all thanks to the wonders of the Internet!), I readied the materials necessary, which was essentially cash (I got out some 1k+, though probably just some 500php is necessary, to cover the EON card activation charge + initial Paypal charge), and at least 2 valid government IDs. (Not really student IDs / office IDs; more on government IDs, such as driver's license, SSS card and the like. You can find a list on the Unionbank website.)

I then enrolled first using the EON Online Application on the Unionbank website, and got via text (in a few minutes after my registration) my referral number. I was also told which branch I should go to for my official enrollment (yeah, gotta appear there personally), so I looked over my schedule, saw some free time on a Friday, and decided to get it fixed as soon as I can muster.

DAY 1:

The branch I was to go to is a typical Mon-Fri, 9am-3pm branch, so I had little time to spare on a weekday, but I was happily enough able to find some time then. So I went to the bank, asked about, and was directed to the New Accounts section. I had to wait a bit... It seemed like there was another person before me who was getting a new EON account too. When it was my turn, they asked me for my referral number, then handed me a couple of forms. I didn't think I had to accomplish any, since I already accomplished them online, but I guess the signature bit was pretty important xD I did as they said, handed them my IDs (driver's license, SSS form, company ID) which they had photocopied, paid the card activation charge (350php), and happily got the card soon enough. As soon as I got it, I changed the pin in the ATM, then lined up to deposit the aforementioned money. I got this all done in about 1.5 hours.

DAY 2-4:

I was pretty excited about the whole prospect, since 1) it was my first time to enroll something at the bank on my own (LOL), and 2) I just couldn't wait to get my Flickr pro account (woo!). The day after I enrolled, I tried to log in at the Unionbank website, and I keep getting rejected. It kinda annoyed me, so I looked over the options a bit, then found on the Login menu a "enroll your card here" text. So I did that, entered my card info, then was told that I had to wait some 2 days to access my account. (I actually didn't mind this at first, but after a few more rejected attempts and some article-reading, I finally calmed down and decided to wait.)

After those 2 days (essentially Day 4), I was finally able to access my account, and danced a little jig as I headed on over to the Paypal website to enroll my card.

DAY 4.5:

I went on over to Paypal and excitedly added my new EON card. I had some trouble, however, as it kept on telling me that I had to verify my account with the bank or something. I also read in a blog somewhere that as soon as you enroll your card, Paypal will immediately charge you a little something, which they will return as soon as you verify your account. I haven't seen an indication of this charge, and was getting jittery. I decided that maybe it really takes a while for the process to occur, so I took in a deep breath, exited Paypal, then went on about trying to not think about the Paypal account.

DAY 5-6:

Incessant, tiring, fearful waiting. I kept on logging into my accounts to make sure that everything was ok, but I still wasn't getting any emails from Paypal, nor any notices from Unionbank. Sleep was intermittent, anxiety was nerve-wracking. Gah.

DAY 6.5:

I broke down and went on to review all the information I submitted to both websites. I soon figured out that my details on the EON / Unionbank website did NOT match the information I placed on the Paypal website. As a matter of fact, only details regarding my name and country were on the EON webbie profile. (I suppose I've been expecting that the data I submitted to Unionbank would be automatically updated.)

I finished inputting the data for the EON card soon enough, and went on to the Paypal website to see if it would finally work. Lo and behold - it did! I got an email from Paypal, who told me about the 4-digit number they sent over, just like all those blogs on the Internet said! I was so happy, haha!

I went over once more to the EON website, then took some minutes in looking for my "Transaction History". (At the Home page, click on "Accounts", look for the option of "Last 10 Transactions" in the drop-down menu, and hit "Go".) My own code looked like this: VISA-PP*####CODE SG(###).

I was incredibly excited (as you might have been too, should you have finally gotten to this stage after all those days of waiting!) when I got back on the Paypal website. I clicked on "Get Verified", entered the 4-digit code, and voila! Happiness! Paypal officially recognizes me!

Fin.

Once I did this, I actually went on Flickr, and got my Pro account soon enough :) (I deposited more than necessary in the first place, so I can start using my card as soon as possible.) After that time, I would be leaving my EON account to gather in the dust for some 3-4 months... And it wouldn't recognize me! I tried using my Paypal, and lo and behold - it didn't work! That would make for another story, though.

First drafted: 27 Sept. 2011.

Random Text Message at the Height of the Corona Impeachment

2012-01-10T18:31:00.004+08:00

Today, I get a random text message from the number 0906-906-3384. I didn't reply, half-knowing I won't get an answer. The message reads (as is, and without edits):

"Alam nyo ba na may offer na 400M pesos ang Malcanang sa bawat Opposition Senator na bbliktad para tuluyang maimpeach c CJ Corona?Sa CCT ng DSWD galing ang pera"

Loads of social commentary rush through my head, but I won't bother spilling it here. Rest assured that, whatever happens in this political scene or another, I sincerely wish politicians would stop letting politics get in the way of actually serving their fellowmen. Wishful thinking, all right.

Review: Ina, Maybahay, Anak At Iba Pa

2011-07-16T19:33:00.002+08:00

Ina, Maybahay, Anak At Iba Pa by Liwayway A. Arceo

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Gaya nang makatotohanang kwento sa Ang Mag-Anak na Cruz: Katha na Pumapaksa sa Pagpapahalagang Pilipino (na tipon ng katha mula sa parehong manunulat), and Ina, Maybahay, Anak at Iba Pa ay koleksyon ng maiikling kwento ukol sa ilang magkakaibang katauhan (na siya tilang laging may umiibig), at nagpapakita ng iba't ibang klase ng sitwasyon at paggalaw ng iba't ibang kababaihan (sa partikular) na kabilang sa iba't ibang antas ng buhay.

Hango sa daigdig ng reyalidad, ang mga kwento rito ay hindi laging masaya (bagaman may ilan din na ganoon nga ang tema). Mayroon ditong simple at nakakatuwa, mayroon ding malalim at kahindik-hindik. Mayroon ditong babaeng nagmamay-ari ng yate, mayroon din namang babaeng nag-himagik bilang rebelde. Iba't ibang buhay, ngunit pawang nag-tatampok sa iba't ibang kaugalian ng tao, lalo ng kababaihan-- mula sa pisikal (pagiging empleyado, pagiging maganda, etc) hanggang sa emosyonal (lungkot, saya, pag-ibig, hinanakit).

Simple at makatotohanan. Makabuluhang pagbabasa para sa'kin.

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Review: Making Your Money Work; Pera Mo, Palaguin Mo! 2

2011-06-27T23:06:00.002+08:00

Making Your Money Work; Pera Mo, Palaguin Mo! 2 by Francisco J. Colayco

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is a simple and easy-to-understand guide on how you can make your money, no matter how little you think it is, grow. This book tackles topics such as mutual funds, the stock market, entrepreneurship, bonds, and almost anything you can invest your money into. These concepts may sound daunting to the layman who knows nothing about investments, but Colayco was able to make them engaging, bite-size and almost too easy to act upon (which they probably are, if you're up for the task).

I believe this book was really written with the Filipino wage-earner in mind. It has anecdotes, showing the different scenarios that unwise vs knowledgeable small-time Filipino investors have gone through. It has graphs and pictures. It sometimes has repetitive phrases, but they only seemed to emphasize rather than annoy.

I was most interested in its discussion about ages- about how I should be risking & investing more while I'm young, while placing my money into safer financial instruments as I get older (all the while reaping the benefits of my prolonged savings/investments during my younger years).

A very good read that got me motivated to take a second look at my expenditures xD a must-read not just for wannabe businessmen and stock brokers, but also to anyone who'd want to get extra cash on the side, but not wanting to take another job, nor work too hard for it. ;)

[This is the first DIY investing book I've ever read. This was actually required reading for a course of mine in college. I'm more than glad to have gotten a copy of this for my own perusal, and I'm infinitely thankful to the professor who asked us to buy a copy of this :)]

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Review: The Mythology Class: A Graphic Novel

2011-06-27T13:11:00.002+08:00

The Mythology Class: A Graphic Novel by Arnold Arre

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As usual, Arnold Arre does not disappoint.

I will always, always remember with a smile the quirky name of this book, "Mythology Class", mostly because it's true. Even though there are interestingly awe-inspiring, incredibly dramatic, definitely heart-pounding events in this book, at the heart of it all we find a band of "students" who learn more about the mythological world of the Philippines.

Read this book, if only to reorient yourself in the Filipino tales of old. Read this book, if only to behold the awesomeness of Filipino lore and ancient history. Read this book, if only to be carried by a love that... that... Oh, it just brings tears in my eyes to remember that love.

The art is great, as usual. The book is a very informative guide to Filipino legendary mythological creatures. The story is really quite gripping, with its action, humor, drama and suspense. (I think I did quite shed a tear in the end.) There's an array of characters, from the smart and simple to the extremely haughty. The storytelling- simply superb.

This book is just truly a gem, and an overall wonderful read.

[I gave my copy to a friend, so this review is made from memory. It's one of the best books I've ever read, so I'd like to think that I've reviewed this right :)]

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Review: The Filipino Heroes League: Book One: Sticks and Stones

2011-06-26T20:18:00.002+08:00

The Filipino Heroes League: Book One: Sticks and Stones by Paolo Fabregas

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"The Filipino Heroes League". Just try chewing on that concept for a sec. Just think about a gang of supers running amidst not some skyscrapered American city, but among the road of EDSA, the community of Payatas, the incredibly politicized government of the Philippines. Yeah, I just realized how that looked like in my eyes.

Ok, I honestly can't say that I'm knowledgeable in the field of comics, but man, was I taken aback by this band of heroes. Okay, you may have heard of the detective Trese of Murder On Balete Drive, maybe even Zsazsa Zaturnnah of Ang Kagilagilalas na Pakikipagsapalaran ni Zsazsa Zaturnnah, or perhaps Andong Agimat of Ang Mundo ni Andong Agimat, and these personalities may have (if you're familiar with their stories) already given you beforehand of an idea of just how hard it sometimes gets when you wanna protect not just your family and friends, but the entire Filipino nation.

While I wasn't surprised to hear of politics weaving its way into these heroes lives, I suppose I wasn't prepared to see traces of recent history written in them too. The heroes themselves were very real and very human, while possessing their superpowers. [I wish I could make commentary on about how this volume is very much like or not at all like American comics, but sadly, as previously mentioned, I'm not very informed on the subject.] Their characters and habits are quite Filipino-like, really... Not to mention the setting and overall environment. <spoiler>Would you believe in the concept "Overseas Filipino Heroes"?</spoiler>

The art was pretty well-executed. The dialogues are quite readable and understandable, and I have not seen a typo here or there, heh. (Yes, it's in English.) There's a lot of action, surprising revelations, the sexy girl and the dashing dude. There's even talk about costumes, of financial difficulties, of the unknown boss. There are definitely villains-- even supervillains! The thread that maintains what is good and evil is somewhat thin, and it's almost difficult to know who you should believe in. The storyline is interesting in itself, and I'm definitely looking forward to Book 2.

[Holy. I like reading comics made by Filipinos (Gerry Alanguilan, Arnold Arre, Budjette Tan, etc), and by God am I surprised to find this last book among a seemingly untouched Filipiniana shelf in some school supplies store. Suh-weet, I tell you ;) I was also rather surprised to find out that this volume was copyrighted in 2009. Two years ago! Interesting. Budjette Tan's foreword was dated Dec. 2010, though... Budjette Tan! Woo! Just... you know, mind blown n.nb]

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Review: Elmer

2011-06-13T21:03:00.002+08:00

Elmer by Gerry Alanguilan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Note: It's recommended for mature readers only due to depictions of violence, sex (hmm?), and complicated adult ideas about the world.

"It's the Great Filipino Novel, with chickens." - Adam David, Philippine Free Press

This is exactly what I thought of this comicbook when I had finished it. When I first started and read the first page, I honestly didn't quite know what to make of it... Reading, however, past page one, I was surprised, shocked, spell-bound by the premise of... well, chickens.

The story is interesting in its depth, humanity, depravity, poverty and warmth. It's so close to the heart, I could feel the emotions pour from every page. I enjoyed the details of the art, of how it was able to portray so well the wrath, joy, sadness of the characters moving in, out, between the story. The story may be called "simple", and probably even "not original"... But it was still quite refreshing to read it from a different perspective.

A thought-provoking read, something I could definitely chew on for quite some time. Bravo.

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Photo Blog: Flying Past Bicutan-Tagaytay-Las Piñas

2011-06-07T21:52:00.003+08:00

Note: Pics are clickable. I've got some additional captions on flickr, if you're interested in something like that.

I started my morning with opening the closed envelope left on my desk at work. It said "Happy Birthday!" from the boss (as in the CEO).

I then went off to meet my officemates at Army Navy Bicutan, which opens at 9am. We were to meet at 8:30. Good thing there was a 7'Eleven across it. Oh, and I almost got lost. LOL.

I had to take lots of notes during the trip to Tagaytay; I suppose I was designated secretary today.

We ate at a known pasalubong place, Rowena's Tagaytay-Sta. Rosa Road. I didn't know they had a cafe type set-up in there.

I ordered a salad, and it was big enough to share. (P220)

I also got a tart, but was quite disappointed. (P25)

We then went to Solenad Nuvali for another meeting. It was extremely cozy, and I found Starbucks syrups there.

Ended up in SM Southmall. I was able to get a drink at the Starbucks there. (I had barista training there for 2 weeks.)

Got home and gave great-tasting tarts to the family as pasalubong. :)

Blog: I was Unprepared for Awesomeness

2011-06-05T22:00:00.008+08:00

I really want to start off my renewed writing habit with posts on my trip to America recently, but since that may take a while, I think I'll write about today's events instead.

I woke up quite early today-- 7am. I suppose it's my body telling me that I should get used to Philippine time again... and to get ready for office hours once more xD

The first thing that popped into my head this morning was that I haven't yet completed the chocolate cake my sisters & I spent some 3(?) hours or so the night before to prepare. So I ran down the stairs and went about the duties I left unfinished: torting the cake, whipping the cream, and re-mixing the (terribly decadent) chocolate icing.

Sure, it's a long process (beating the cream until passable in my standards takes around 45 minutes, and we made 2 batches!), but the overall impression was gratifying for a cake-baking beginner like me: a cake with soft melt-in-your-mouth layers, and dripping with some great-tasting frosting pooled over on top. Yeah, my mouth waters just remembering it :D

Yeah baby, I'm just oozing with temptation.
BTW, click the pic to see the full glory.

The next memorable event would be in relation to spending some time on the Xbox Kinect, which my dad bought over at the States for some $300. I must say: the whole family just enjoys playing the games there-- my sisters and I find great fun in friendly competition, while my parents enthusiastically note the exercise portion of the potential activities on the Xbox. I'm hoping I can get more games somehow, but it's just too expensive to get them at the local Data Blitz. Hopefully I'll find some other source :)

Let me clarify something before this next portion: for my family, weekends are more or less family days. In particular, Sundays. It's on this day that my family (composed of my mom, my dad, myself, and my 3 sisters) typically goes to some kind of commercial complex just to window-shop, eat a meal or two, and maybe either watch a movie / browse at a bookstore / visit the arcade. We've gone through a couple of malls in the past, and I can safely say that we have more or less visited some of the biggest malls in Metro Manila.

(The family's recent favorites would include The Powerplant Mall and malls at the Ayala Center-- Glorietta & Greenbelt.)

At any rate, as today was a Sunday, we went off to Greenbelt 3 to look at some electronics (my dad bought my sister a portable media player and a printer, my mom looked at appliances, I looked at games and consoles, my sisters looked at... well, I dunno... stuff o.ob).

(Highlights: my bag kept on beeping because of the paperback I have on hand nowadays ><;, I saw a shelf full of Spongebob appliances, we were able to compare the prices of the techie gadgets here and over at California/Wisconsin)

We then went off to watch Kung Fu Panda 2, which is awesome. It's like... SUPER awesome (I have an accent when I say that, btw. Say it with me: /sooop'ur/!), what with its suave kung fu choreography, interesting plot development, shiny 3D effects, quirky & memorable characters, great attention to detail & background, and humorous lines here & there. (Note: I ADORE puns! Hahahaha!)

The rest of the day was devoted to shopping for grocery items, and looking for a book for my sister, who's a freshie in college.

Oh, and let's not forget about the panic attack I got before getting home: I made myself believe that I lost my most precious wallet! Gah! I had rather important stuff in there, such as money, a paycard, and my driver's license (plus this cute little toothpick-holder, which I bought over at Japan!), so I was pretty scared about losing it. I found out that I actually didn't lose it; rather, I left it at home. I really should've left it attached to the chain Mike gave me a while back, but the zipper's broken, and I just plain forget >_> Well, I sure learned my lesson in keeping my things in order today o.o

Random contents in my ever-precious wallet = LOL or ZOMG?

That about wraps up my day, and this more or less sums up my Sundays. I guess the baking bit is rather new, but I sure would like to keep that up. Oh, and blogging on Sunday nights-- not a bad idea either n.nb

DC attempts to revive a habit

2011-06-05T20:52:00.003+08:00

After a long while, I'm posting here again.

For a spell, I attempted to revive my blogging habit by posting over on Mike's blog, but not even that could keep me going o_o;

Now though, I believe that I have a good reason to revive this forgotten habit: to update Mike with my goings about in the world, while he's many many miles away from me n.nb

Let's hope I actually stick through this time ._.;

My Wishlist

2011-06-05T20:31:00.003+08:00

First posted: 24 March 2011
Last updated: 12 October 2011

My wishlist (in no particular order):

Book-related.
- Books.
I read almost anything, but I DO adore the Filipiniana section. Preferably actual books, although audiobooks are just fine. (Can't read ebooks much nowadays, so please not that.) I have a specific wishlist here, but it isn't exactly complete. You can check out my latest list of read books here.
Totally TOTALLY working on this! :D

- Bookmarks. Anything-- from the ones we're forced to make in school, to the ones available in only the top-notch bookstores.

- A nice portable booklight.

- Bookshelves (never can have enough)

- Hunter X Hunter manga (so totally wanna collect everything T_T)

Game-related.
- ~~A PSP. This is in tandem with my littlest sister, who'd love to have one herself.~~
Above changed to:

- Original PSP games. (Read: UMDs!)
Because I'm tired of piracy, and would like to give back to the awesome community and developers who made such great games.

- Original XBox (w/ Kinect) games.
My dad recently decided that we should have a console in the house, and it turns out to be an XBox. Oh yeah, baybeh!

- Video games (I'm almost a complete non-know-it-all when it comes to this; gotta fix that someday)

- Board games!
Anything and everything, really :D There ARE some I'm looking at right now: Mismo, Scrabble (always gotta lose 'em letters, huh?), ~~The Game of Life~~, ~~Monopoly~~, ~~Upwords!~~.

Baking-related.
- Baking materials & ingredients
Baking tools: ~~oven thermometer~~, big metal spoon, piping tips, parchment triangles, ~~mixing bowls~~, wax paper, cling wrap, ~~stand mixer (ZOMG ZOMG YESSSS)~~, turntable, etc.
Others: flour, bittersweet choco, white sugar, brown sugar, etc
Totally working on this! :D

-Books that are related to baking.
Recipe books for pastries; to-do books related to cakes, cake decor, etc; and the like.

Clothes/Vanity?-related.

- Clothes & shoes (in particular office/work clothes)
Totally working on this! :D

-Accessoriessssssss.

- Earrings (which I hardly wear nowadays, but still adore nevertheless)

- A new jacket (waterproof preferably, but almost anything is fine)

- A shelf / place for my bags.

Pet-related.
- Pet-related stuff (aquarium / hamster / lovebirds / dogs)

- ~~Rabbits.~~
Sadly, my mom's allergic to them, so I can't have them right now.

Random.
- PAPER SHREDDER (for my wastepaper-recycling-related needs! :D)

- A new PC, preferably a laptop.
If not, a new CPU would do. I'm not too particular about the specific model, as I'm not actively looking right now.

- Headphones (the nice, original and sadly expensive type)

- ~~Earphones (my old ones are nearly broken)~~

- Original DVDs / VCDs of any movie / series I haven't watched yet (which is A LOT).
I'd like to watch more Pinoy oldies (e.g. Lino Brocka), and those old black-and-white ones, too. I watch anime, though not so much TV series-- something I'd like to change if I had the time.
Totally working on this! :D

- FOOD (auto-favorites: pizza, Mexican, pasta, desserts, sweets)
Totally TOTALLY working on this! :D

- Some place to sort out all the accumulating recyclables I have at home

- Original music CDs.
I like almost anything; I need someone to help grow & develop my musical taste, lol.

Review: Piling Nobela: Lakandula, Halimuyak, Ang Bungo

2011-05-27T09:42:00.002+08:00

Piling Nobela: Lakandula, Halimuyak, Ang Bungo by Alberto Segismundo Cruz

Pardon the Grammar nazi in me, but I was pretty much put off by the story-telling for this book. Points:

1) It almost seems as if grandeur Filipino phrases were placed just for effect and not for necessity.

2) There was a lot of redundancy and re-usage of the aforementioned phrases, as well as some other words. (It kinda improved my vocabulary ;D)

3) There are attempts to translate grand, cliche English phrases into Filipino, and the effects were not always to be desired.

4) I liked Bungo the best of the three.h

On Lakandula:

An intriguing love story, set in a time before / during / after the siege of the Japanese on Philippine shores in 1945. The first chapter explains the history of the Rajah Lakandula, as well as the events that happened in his kingdom ever after. It was an odd precursor to the entire novel, in my opinion, but it was pretty interesting to relive that part of Philippine history.

The story itself was interesting, but the ending seemed too idealistic and romantic for me. Its focal point would have been to show the degradation (as well as, I believe, the probable cause) of society with the entry of certain vices, which it does illustrate simply and sufficiently.

On Halimuyak:

An interesting story about how progress <spoiler>(note: industrial)</spoiler> affected a small provincial community. There are also elements of love, betrayal, a clash of new & old ideals, madness and bitter-sweetness. <spoiler>OMG taking advantage of lovers ZOMG EEEEEP</spoiler>

The story played out like the first one, and I was quite appalled by the hint of discrimination against women (something about being under the supervision of a man). The story-telling is still err, "meh", but the underlying motives are simple and easy to understand.

On Bungo:

In my opinion, this is the best story of the three. The storytelling is a bit better here-- it actually kept me guessing until the very end! It's not as political as the other two though, but it's still a love story. There was quite widespread use of the idea of the "American friends" the Philippines has. (Note, however, the circumstances of that era in Philippine history: 1945, post-WWII, Douglas McArthur.)

All in all, this one's cute<spoiler>, with a happy ending to match</spoiler>.

View all my reviews

Review: Tribute: An Anthology of Contemporary Philippine Fiction

2011-05-27T05:16:00.006+08:00

Tribute: An Anthology of Contemporary Philippine Fiction by Timothy Montes

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Points:

1) All stories are more or less realistic-- as in true-to-life, non-fantastical.

2) This book will definitely make you take a good second look at Philippine literature, since the stories here are made by a couple of the great Filipino writers. (Therefore, awesome stories!)

((After all, there's really a lot of great stuff out there- and I'm not just talking about F. Sionil José or Liwayway A. Arceo :D))

3) The book brings to light the appreciation of these storytellers to the Tiempos (Edilberto K. Tiempo & Edith L. Tiempo), who are among the greats of Philippine literature, and who have had taught in their workshops many a well-known Filipino writer.

Good, informative, comforting read :D

View all my reviews

2011-05-14T15:25:00.001+08:00

Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang by Severino Reyes

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

1. Maganda ang mga litrato sa librong ito. (Kung may oras ako, magdadagdag ako ng mga piktyur ng mga nilalaman.)

2. Isa o dalawang kwento lamang dito ang pamilyar sa akin.

3. Nakakatuwa at simple lamang ang estilo ng pagkukwento rito.

4. Laging may aral sa dulo ng bawat kwento. Ang mga aral ay mula sa pagiging mabait at matiyaga, hanggang sa pagiging isang mabuting kaibigan at sa pag-kilala sa kalakasan ng kababaihan.

Nalungkot lang ako sapagkat naubusan agad ako ng mga pahinang babasahin pa, pero ang sarap balikan ng mga kwento ni Lola Basyang :)

View all my reviews

2011-05-04T17:35:00.000+08:00

My Lakbayan grade is C-!

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!

Created by Eugene Villar.

Year-ender?

2008-12-31T11:26:00.005+09:00

I smell: gunpowder from fireworks
I hear: my sisters playing an RPG I have given them (MWAHAHAHA!)
I taste: supposedly lemon-flavored cake made from cake mix
I feel: rushed, yet unstressed
I want: my tachi-sama to come back to me (he left for the US for Christmas break)

As I have mentioned once, not too long ago, I had hoped that having a blog wouldn't be one of those spur-of-the-moment things, one of those soon-to-be-abandoned projects. I have already seen that I lack the diligence to study HTML and other such coding in fixing up my blog. I have also noticed that my interest in posting every so often is decreasing ^^; Oh well.

At any rate, it's the last day of the year 2008 here in the Philippines. Forecasts on Chinese zodiac abound, fireworks are being sold everywhere, and last minute shopping is rushed for Media Noche, a midnight meal in honor of celebrating the new year. Although I have always respected and enjoyed tradition, especially Filipino traditions, I have noticed that most of the fanfare is not actually necessary. The bells and whistles are just that... bells and whistles.

(Just to say, this pic is of me and my family at New Year's, 2 or so years ago ^-^)

One of the things I have been most keen in thinking about would be New Year's Resolutions. When I was a kid, my mom asked me to make a few of these "resolutions", and she, with my aunt, sent them to this magazine, which displayed my baby pic along with my "resolutions". I don't remember what they were, but they were roughly about being good, as typical in such lists.

But what ARE New Year's Resolutions?

According to a certain very well-known online encyclopedia, a New Year's Resolution "is a commitment that an individual makes to a project or the reforming of a habit, often a lifestyle change that is generally interpreted as advantageous. The name comes from the fact that these commitments normally go into effect on New Year's Day and remain until fulfilled or abandoned. (emphasis supplied)" Right now, I'm beginning to think that the fact that such lists exist is just, well, bogus. For at least one time in the year, a person will actually announce to everyone his or her weaknesses. It is chance for them to be humble that way, I guess, although we do all know that New Year's Resolutions are almost made to be broken or, at least, forgotten as soon as the year has actually started.

I found a list of the Top 10 New Year's Resolutions for Pittsburgh, which I shall enumerate here:

1. Spend More Time with Family & Friends
2. Fit in Fitness
3. Tame the Bulge (= to DIET :O:O)
4. Quit Smoking
5. Enjoy Life More
6. Quit Drinking
7. Get Out of Debt
8. Learn Something New
9. Help Others
10. Get Organized

I believe that all of us had at least one thing on this list as our own "resolution", and I also believe that, if ever we were to make one now, at least one of these would fall on our list.

Now that I think about it, this is the first year after a long time that I have stopped making New Year's Resolutions. It most probably won't be the last, either. I've decided that if I want something done, I shouldn't wait for the New Year. Maybe as soon as I get organized ;)

Of games and vexation

2008-11-16T21:37:00.006+09:00

I hear: the victory song of winning a virtual battle
I see: a VERY blurry computer screen
I feel: hungry for level up! 6<
I want: a new RPG soon... soon.

I've been playing this game, Aveyond 2: Ean's Quest (yes, I shall announce the name, even though it's free advertising for such-I don't get paid for it!, since it will be easier on my part to do so), for quite some time now. I think I started playing it around 2 or so weeks ago, although I've had a copy of this game on my PC ever since I could remember... I downloaded it via torrent a long time ago, but have forgotten to install as soon as it was finished downloading. So, there I was, looking for a game to play, when I saw this little install file waiting in one of my folders. Cool.

Anyway, I'm here to rant on my vexations concerning getting past a certain level here, and ALL because of my silliness ^^;;;;;

It has something to do with THIS spot:

(If you are aware of the game... As you can see here, Iya is a Chaos Mistress, and I placed her as the leader. This is primarily because my littlest sister asked me to do so, and I didn't have anything against it. Why not?)

Okay. So here I was, looking for a way to get to that place encircled in the map (called "Eredar" in the game). At first, I couldn't find the way to get there... all I know is that it had something to do with the entrance of a cave. So I went to EVERYWHERE I could go to (which means visiting virtually every place I could go to with my dragon, which you can see on the left) just to get to that cave, and I COULD NOT FIND IT. It took me around 15-20 level ups to figure out that I could go RIGHT in that little space where Iya (that girl in the red dress in the above pic) is about to step into. Seriously. o.o;

It was terribly funny for me, considering it took me THAT long to find this out...which, funnily enough, my younger sisters found out too easily. I think I need more RPGs (role-playing games) to cure this ;)

I won't bother reviewing the game, as there are already a number of reviews for it; search the Net if you want to find out more about the gameplay. You could always check out the Amaranth Games website for more info on this game ^.^

Of candy and capitalism

2008-10-30T18:39:00.004+09:00

I hear: the quiet tinkles of a nonexistent chime
I see: more than six games I've finished within two weeks (need more u.u)
I taste: Halloween candy! Yippee!
I smell: the clean smell of someone who just took a bath at 4:30 in the afternoon
I want: something soft, chewy and sweet (maybe tachi-sama would do :P)

I went trick-or-treating four days ago, just around the subdivision where I live in at current. As with my poetry-reading sessions, I was determined to have just as much fun dressing up as my sisters were, who I accompanied (if not the other way around) pushing and shoving just to get candy from the innocent and flushed candy-givers. (Seriously. It's sad how everyone just wanted to get their candy first. You would've thought that there was some kind of grand competition on getting the most candy ^^; ...And one of my sisters is absolutely guilty of such behavior! Ha!)

If I'm lucky, I might just be able to go trick-or-treating again tomorrow :) I wanted to be a vampire last Sunday (tachi-sama was quick to point out the popularity of a certain book that features vampires with glittery skin in the mornings), but I couldn't be, as I couldn't find vampire teeth anywhere. I therefore had to settle with just being a witch. Maybe tomorrow I'll go as a cheerleader, or a goth girl. Hehe.

I just watched this video about a guy who wished he had more time. He wanted this simply because he wasn't a good father to his son. He was on his way to his son's concert, when, all of a sudden, he gets hit by this truck. He then brings up all the regrets he had concerning his behavior as a not-so-great dad, and the video ends with the appearance of the logo of a certain life insurance company.

To be completely honest, the commercial is that moving. It made me sympathetic to the situations of such parent-child relationships - which is, of course, the stress of the company who came up with such a concept for their commercial. They banked on the sympathy of everyone in order to sell their name. Of course, this doesn't mean that all those who thought the video was great would immediately buy plans from them, but it does place them in the line of thought of those who wished they had insurance the moment their car crashes into a fast-moving truck (which, for all we know, was actually working for such company all the while).

Capitalism (basically the thought of investing and reinvesting money in order to gain profits) has sunk deeply within the core of the most things, from the candy I get from trick-or-treating to life insurance. I don't exactly know if this is a good or a bad thing.

All I know that the best things in life are usually free. Like candy at Halloween :)

On marrying...?

2008-10-14T09:54:00.011+08:00

I found this on the blog of my blockmate, who got it from another blockmate's blog. For the sheer fun of it, I'm going to answer this myself. :)

Accordingly, this test is supposed to tell you what age you're getting married. Let's see when I'm going to tie the knot. :O

[ ] I know how to make a cup of coffee. (don't drink, don't WANNA drink, hehe)
[x] I keep track of dates using a calendar. (actually, planner xD)
[ ] I own more than one credit card. (I don't even want to own ONE u.u)
[ ] I know how to change the oil in my car/bike.
[ ] I do my own laundry. (not ALL articles of clothing anyway, but I guess it doesn't count :P)
[ ] I vote every election. (I'm still too young! Hahaha :P)

[x] I can cook for myself. (bake too! ^-^)
[x] I think politics is exciting. (definitely)
[x] I balance my checkbook. (one of my favorite things to do, really ^^;;;;;)
[x] My parents have better things to say than my friends. (although I acknowledge that each person has something worthwhile to say, really :D)

total: 5

[x] I show up for school/college/work everyday early.
[x] I always carry a pen in my pocket/purse.
[x] I've never gotten a detention.
[x] I have never smoked a cigarette.
[x] I have never gotten completely trashed.
[ ] I have forgotten my own birthday at least once.
[x] I like to take walks by myself. (especially in the rain :D)
[x] I've watched talk shows.
[x] I know what 'credibility' means without looking it up.
[ ] I drink coffee at least once a week. (I DON'T DRINK COFFEE! Adik)

total: 8

[x] I know how to do the dishes
[x] I can count 1 to 10 in another language (french, tagalog, japanese, english! Yey! ^0^)
[x] When I say I'm going to do something I do it.
[x] My parents trust me.
[ ] I can mow the lawn.
[ ] I can make adults laugh without being stupid. (I'm not exactly sure how this works o.o;)
[ ] I remember to water the plants. (not even in Plant Tycoon! Hahahaha!)
[x] I study when I have to.
[x] I pay attention at school/college.
[ ] I remember to feed my pets. (haha... poor pets ^^;;;;)

total: 6

[x] I can spell 'experience' without looking it up
[ ] I work out on a regular basis.
[x] I clean up my own mess. (when I want to!...which isn't very often xD)
[ ] The people at Gloria Jeans know me by name.
[ ] My favorite kind of food is takeout.
[ ] I have gained weight since middle/high school. (uhh... maintained? LOL)
[ ] The first thing I do when I wake up is get caffeine. (adik... I already said I DON'T DRINK COFFEE!...or tea, or soft drinks-in the morning. Just milk ^-^ Hehehe)
[ ] I can't go out of the store without getting something I don't need.
[x] I understand political jokes the first time they are said.
[x] I can type quickly.

total: 4

[x] I have realized (not to trust the weather forecast) /that the weather forecast changes every hour.
[ ] My only friends are from my place of employment.
[ ] I have been to a Tupperware party.
[ ] I have realized that no one will take you seriously unless you are over the age of 25 and have a job.
[ ] I have more bills that I can pay.
[ ] Most of my friends are older than I am.
[x] I can say no to staying out all night.
[x] I use the internet every day. (well... at least I want to, and it's available for my purpose :P)
[x] My wardrobe hasn't changed for a while.
[x] I can read a book and actually finish it. (one of my favorite hobbies, to be sure ^-^)
total: 5

So... If I were to add this up, that would make 28. LOL! When I first took the test, I added up 23... Maybe I skipped a few questions in my hurry. xD

At any rate, 28 is, for me, the latest age of getting married. I actually hope to get married by 25 or 26, and start with kids by 28. It just gets harder to get kids at a later age... and I have a prior commitment that keeps me in this mindset. *ehem ehem ehem* Now, if only I can do all the things I wish to do in 5 or so years...

But then again, I'm not dead yet, and I've got all the time in the world. ^__^

Naugahyde and Seek*

2008-10-03T05:56:00.009+08:00

I hear: the ticking of the clock reminding me it's morning already
I see: half-baked thesis proposal o.o;
I feel: hangrie, hangrie, HANGRIE! (didn't eat dinner D:)
I want: breeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeakfast *sniff*

I have just about finished the footnotes on my thesis proposal. I believe that I have NOT given my best for this, but I've got a lot more to worry about (like my Neopets account, LOL). Besides, I can always make up for it; this paper I'm about to turn in 5 hours from now would only be a draft anyway. *wink wink*

At any rate, I'm here to talk about the Naugas. Weirdly enough, naugahyde is known to be that material that is typically seen on office furniture. I have come across this word while reading a certain book (fiction), and I promptly researched what it was, just for fun.

According to Snopes.com, naugahyde is actually just vinyl-coated fabric that was seen as cheap imitation leather. The existence of Naugas was "invented solely as a marketing device" to sell naugahyde. Interestingly, the company that developed this leather was located in Naugatuck, Connecticut.

The whole thing caused quite an uproar to society - from jokes about Belgian Velcros and Esters (allegedly the animals whose fur was used for velcro and polyester) to enraging activists into the protection of these "endangered species".

SILLY SILLY SILLY.

And yet here you could actually see just what marketing could do. In this case, it made make-believe animals come to life, AND just to sell furniture. Little do we know how much more other forms of marketing do to us, maybe a spectrum from social awareness to social control. I'm not an expert in this field, but I daresay that all these ads are soon becoming are measure for beauty, health, intelligence, and who knows what else. I guess it's just best for everyone to be on our guard, and to remember that each of us has an opinion on anything. Honestly, some people act as if they really, really need the opinion of others before they develop an opinion of their own. (...But that's not what I'm talking about today. Maybe next time ;P)

Still... Don't forget to SAVE THE NAUGAS!

Peace, y'all ^-^

*This is actually the title of a certain article on the Naugas I found on Snopes.com :)

Of longing

2008-09-28T17:29:00.001+08:00

I hear: Reason Out by The Ambassadors ("I want you to be back; I want you to come back and tell me what you're up to now")
I see: my Wocky (who could blame me? :P)
I taste: ice cream and cake; bitterness and cold
I want: to receive news from tachi-sama

It's my cousin's birthday today; he just turned 8 years old! I could feel my age getting to me, especially when my youngest sister found this photo album kept in the farthest corners of our house. Looking at myself four (and more) years ago was oddly nostalgic and completely alienating. I saw myself with rebonded hair; I saw myself almost never smiling; I saw myself as the unrecognizable recognizable. I'm sure you've had that feeling before.

But what got to me was just how fast time really flies by. It's been bugging me a lot nowadays, especially when I *must/should/hope to* graduate from college soon. I can't believe that I actually hold an application for a job right now, and that I'm going to do my thesis soon (ANOTHER hopefully :P).

(I'm about to introduce a someone-important-in-my-life. Hehehe. Don't say I didn't warn you!)

Actually, what's REALLY bugging me more than ever right now is the fact that tachi-sama has lost his cell phone and blew up his PC, with no chance of getting a replacement for either in the near (and maybe not so near) future. Truthfully, I don't feel TOO worried 100% of the time, but whenever I see him suddenly send me a message on a certain program that features instant messaging, or when he suddenly calls me up on the landline, I just feel like I'm going to burst into tears. Twice I already hung up on him because I didn't want him to hear me cry and further depress himself (which is completely selfish of me, I know).

... Yes, he IS already depressed. VERY much so.

I just hope that everything will be all right...

Please let it.

Neopets (love)

2008-09-17T09:53:00.017+08:00

I hear: Bground of The Search for Princess Lunara ^___^
I see: RSing on Neopets (LOVE)
I feel: Sleepy, but I have Neo on, for the love of Wockies!
I taste: Uhh... chokato? xD (Boohoo to those who don't know what a chokato is :P)
I want: More NP!!! *cries*

Before anything, I'd like to point out that we went off to the Wall of Remebrance in QC today for one of our subjects. (Yes, I'm going to mention it because the lady said we should announce it to others, hehe.) Getting to the place was quite a problem, as no one in our group knew exactly where it was, never mind how to get there. In the end, though, we were able to see the serene beauty of the place - alive, somewhat. (The walk was DEHYDRATING. TOO HOT!) It was a great experience - reliving the Martial Law and People Power I.

I'd love to comment here on my thoughts about the activism I saw in that place and of the activism as I see it now, but that's up for discussion in another post because I am playing Neopets at the moment...!

NEOPETS. Supposed to be a game for kids waay below my age, but it soon catered to the growing market of older players. (Commercialistic, in the sense that they now have stuff you can pay for, such as "premium membership" and these cards that may be used to buy at the "Mall". This reminds me of a certain card game's increasingly commercialistic nature as well.) They have virtual pets, games, worlds to explore, shops, boards, faeries (yes, this is their spelling there!), items, a stock market, actual merchandise, a very own card game, and so much more! And I'm quite addicted to the whole thing! Waaah!

I first played Neopets many years ago, but I wasn't really that active. I was there for the games, and the cute graphics. Actually, here's a pic of my very first Neopet, a Wocky:

Finally, I decided to get on back to Neo, especially since I have the Net connection to do just that. What was once a one-time thing turned into a fixation. I collected - and still collecting - a lot more avatars (which is what I <3 most about the site). I updated - and updating - my gallery (which is full of blue stuff I find on the said site). I tried to finish - and still trying to finish - NeoQuest I (which is a cool RPG game on still the same site). The site also revolutionized itself, and neopets could now get to wear clothes. Want to see my pets? Check my pets now (they look different now, too -- NOTE: clicking on the pic will take you to my page on Neopets ^-^):

But hey. I actually progressed a bit more in my Net social life because of Neopets. I was able to get over my fear of meeting people online as I got to join a guild (a group of people usually addicted to a certain thing on Neo) and made lots of friends, and I even learned HTML in order to keep up a web page for my guild.

All in all, as much as I'd like to say that it's very childish of me to believe that a few pixels could make me happy, I wouldn't be able to deny its truth. I mean, I'm sure you yourself indulge in small delights, such sticks of tobacco you'd call "cigarettes", or framed pictures with a bit of text I'd call "comics". Personally, I don't think it's affecting me in a negative way (unless you count loss of hours of sleep negative ;D), and I do know my responsibilities and priorities. In a way, I'm learning to budget my time as well, since I've got a lot to do, and stress management is a very important part of life. Having an outlet like Neopets may actually help me perform better, for all I know.

I don't have any plans on letting go of my neopets, but I'm thinking of furnishing my NeoHome and training for the Battledome. I've been nominated for a post at my latest guild, and I'm off to help people on the Quests board. Haha, if you're so curious with what I'm doing, why don't you come along and join me on Neopets? ^-^

Just to be safe, I'm placing a small banner for Neopets here. It'll take you into a world you never knew existed (until, perhaps, you just read my post :P). Hope to see you there! :)

Final Word: Clicking on any of the links on this page will open a new window. AND Note on all graphics in this post: Copyright 2000-2008 Neopets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Used With Permission. :)

The Test Post

2008-09-15T22:40:00.000+08:00

As typical in the realm of blogging, one must always start with a test post.

Nobody knows for sure how this trend was started, although I myself am pretty sure what its underlying purpose is: TO DEMAND ATTENTION.

Some people never realize that when they first upload that first blog post, they are already screaming out their identity for all the people on the Net to hear - and ignore, if they choose to (which is often the case). Also, they do not realize that what they place in that post that would be the first of many, many, MANY rants and rambles would be their first ever real time in the Internet spotlight... of whoever's reading it at the moment, of course. The "test post" may, after all, be the most effective way to get - and keep - people interested. But then again, don't discount those who actually use the test post as a "test post". Creativity in words, hmm? (Just kidding.)

And so I start my own cyber-adventure with this little piece of text.

I think that many people are wondering why I decided to go ahead and create my own, when I have long been aware of this "blogging" and of these "blogs" (oh, really?). Truthfully, I have tried to create my own little blog on a certain social networking site, which I promptly withdrew due to time constraints, and my allergy to such type of cyber-relations.

(Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm not against it at all. I think it's a cool way to connect with friends. It's just NOT MY THING.)

Blogging, though... I don't know yet. I just hope I won't add to the "trash" that one of my professors calls pieces of info on the Net that are not exactly fit for academic consumption. I'm a bit worried too that this may soon be another project I may discard in the end, as in my previous projects. Call it "ningas kugon".

It seems I have brought up just enough attention for you to reach the end of this post. Cool.

Oh, and just to be clear: I'm going to TRY to limit my side comments and smileys as much as possible. Sometimes, however, I just can't help myself (blame my psychology). ;)