blogger's new dynamic look

this is so far, the best innovation blogger has done so far.  i love its dynamic templates.

so depending on your mood (or even just for sheer fun or boredom), you can switch the looks of your blog.  i just hope they include more options to tweak the designs and all, similar to those if you choose the classic and traditional templates. oh, and where do all the tags and other stuff and gadgets go, by the way?

anyway, i chose the magazine because i think it's the most visually friendly template (especially for those who have are not image- nor text-heavy).  i would have gone for the mosaic, but the snapshots and entry snippets are just all over the place.  or maybe that's just me and my blog :) 

Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus stuff

25 Truths About Men That Women Already Know But Many Men Still Don’t

1. ALL MEN are babies.

2. To men, all women are (or should be) mommies.

3. Men hate asking for directions, even if they’ve driven 50 kilometers into the mountains, the wrong way. They think they have a GPS somewhere in their lower intestines. Otherwise, the GPS is the wife, who does the asking.

4. Men hate admitting they’re wrong, even if it’s clear as daylight that they are. Something else didn’t work in the universe—Jupiter was misaligned with Mars, the bus was late, the equipment malfunctioned. Men don't have excuses. They have explanations, which should be good enough to excuse anything.

5. Men love ratty old shirts and will fight tooth and nail to keep them, even if their armpit fuzz and love handles start poking through the holes.

6. Men donate sperm, which women somehow convert into screaming babies and unruly children, leaving the donors to wonder how they can be held responsible for the outgrowth of a few drops of fluid, and for a lifetime at that.

7. Like all babies, men enjoy being (and expect to be) pampered—bathed, powdered, cradled, and so on—but like all small children, they will resist some things to the death: being fed food they don’t like, being deprived of their toys, being reminded of bedtime, and being spanked for something they did.

8. Men will never admit to staring desirously at other women in the company of their mates. They were just gazing at the scenery. To provide deniability, they can practice and will perfect that “gazing at the scenery” gaze, with the distant mountains at 12 o’clock and the luscious babe at 3 o’clock.

9. To men, the difference between having sex and making love is purely semantic, but all men will swear under oath that love and sex are two completely different things (as in "It was only sex, I wasn't in love with her!")

10. Men can appreciate fine art, spirituality, cute puppies, and romantic comedies—whatever it takes for a woman to say "OK, let’s go to bed!"

11. Between food and sex (particularly with the wife), many men will choose the NBA finals.

12. To men, the most demonic people in the world are a woman’s previous, other, and future boyfriends. They will be objects of eternal jealousy and suspicion, reeking with malicious intent and ulterior motive.

13. Men expect their exes to say: “You messed up my life in the worst way, but I not only forgive you. I will love you forever and be always available to you—even if you can’t and won’t love me back the same way, which of course I understand.”

14. Try as they might, men can fit only x number of things into a suitcase. Women will boast—with justification—that they can pack twice as many things into the same space, which, by some mathematical logic, therefore gives them the right to bring two suitcases instead of just one.

15. Men know that the best way to sneak a new gadget into the house is to give their wives the old one.

16. Men know that the second best way to sneak a new gadget into the house is to give their wives, uh, the new gadget. (“Happy birthday, honey! Look what I got for you—a Microtech Kestrel tactical knife with a razor-sharp 154cm black-coated, partially serrated, hawkbill liner locking blade with dual-ridged thumb studs for smooth, crisp, easy, one-hand operation! I just know you’re gonna love this… right?”) Maybe the tactical knife isn’t such a good idea.

17. Men love machines almost as much if not more than they love women. Sometimes they mistake women for machines, but strangely enough don’t treat them as well as their cars and computers. Men will buy expensive lotions and potions for their cars, and fancy dresses for their laptops.

18. Men will never understand why women have to buy a dress, a new bag, and a new pair of shoes for every wedding they attend. The usual explanation (“My friends will see that I already wore this dress at XXX’s wedding last month!”) just doesn't cut it, because men can't even remember what their wives wore yesterday.

19. Speaking of which, men will sooner spot a percentile uptick in the stock market or a faint burp in the car’s exhaust than a new hairdo, a new dress, or a facelift. They will take notice if and when they have to pay the bill.

20. After 20 years of marriage, men acquire telepathic powers, which they apply to their wives. Long, deep silences across the dinner table, punctuated by the occasional grunt, are supposed to say, “Yes, dear, I love you today like I loved you yesterday, and pass the ketchup, will you?”

21. Men grunt, women talk. The male equivalent of “You know, we’d all be better off if your Tita Sonia decided to sell her property to us instead of leasing it to that cousin of hers who’s just being used as an ATM by her durogista boyfriend, whom you met at the Cruzes’ party, do you remember the guy with the earring and the smoker’s breath?” is “Ungh.”

22. Men can remember the most complicated things, especially when it comes to their toys. They can mumble things in their sleep, like “The Panerai Logo Luminor has a Calibre Unitas 6497 movement which came out in 1993, with a power reserve of 45 hours” or “I think I should hold off on getting a new MacBook Air until the Sandy Bridge version comes out, so I can get a lot more power without the corresponding hit in battery performance…”

23. But men can forget the simplest things, especially when their wives send them out to the grocery to pick up a few domestic necessities, as in “What was that again that she wanted? Donnee, Tawny, Downy? That was a shampoo, right—or maybe a detergent?”

24. To men, buying a new or another gadget—even one that looks suspiciously a lot like the previous one (say, the iPhone 3GS, after the iPhone 3G)—is called “upgrading.” When women do it, of course, the men call it “accumulation” (as in, “What, another blue bag? Didn’t you buy one almost exactly like this just last month?”).

25. Ten percent of logical male reasoning is devoted to a careful weighing of the pros and cons of a decision. The other ninety percent is devoted to finding creative justifications for things they already did, but didn't think about.

-- from Butch Dalisay's column/blog

Why does it have to be so hard???

It's even harder when you are sleepy.... or you want to do something else... or you pretend that you know what you're doing...

Oh well...







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Mr. Bean's Watermelon Soya

Two of my favorite things: pakwan and taho.

Well, just the bean curd taste actually. Because of the soya? Am not sure. I don't know how they do it actually, but it's really tasty. The watermelon doesn't overpower the taho taste, and the taho taste doesn't overpower the pakwan.

The pearls make it even more interesting to drink. Mr. Bean's pearls are like Koi's pearls. The size and softness are just right.

Oh yeah, this is a new favorite.


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ebooks are love

I miss selling books. I miss reading books. I miss buying books and collecting them. I miss booksale! I miss rummaging through their disorganized shelves and tables looking for good finds. By good finds I mean books worthy of reading, may or may not be a rare, in good condition, and come in surprisingly cheap cheap prices.

I hardly enter a bookstore here in Singapore. Even Kinokuniya, which every person loves because of the variety of books that it carries. Simply because the books here are freakingly expensive. Yes they have stores that offer books for rent or sale, and i tried it out for a few times, but they're still expensive. $14 at least! Plus, every time I try going through bookstores here I always remember booksale or national or even the costly powerbooks and fully booked. It's like I always feel that I can get the book that I want for a cheaper price in pinas. Oh well...

So, since books here are so expensive, it's time for me to go digital. I appreciate my iPhone now even more because it serves as my ebook reader. I still want a Kindle though. Soon, maybe.

I've been collecting ebooks, and it's just amazing that I'm able to get copies of books that I can't find in bookstores anymore.















I still have a lot more saved in my laptop, and i figured this is the most space-saving, and even economical, way to read and collect books. I mean, all I need is an internet connection and my researching skills...I can have a digital copy of whatever book I want.

The copies that I get are in epub format because I like their book-like, turn-the-page function. Plus, pdfs are really difficult to read.

It would have been better to read ebooks in iPad, but I don't like an iPad because it's too big. Kindle! Kindle! Kindle!




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Anote part2

This is what my anote app looks like...































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body shop essentials

i've been a convert ever since i came here to singapore.

i never bought a single body shop product for myself when i was still in pinas simply because it was too expensive.  i bought body shop products as a gift, like when i really couldn't think of anything else to give...it's sort of like a default gift especially for women.

anyway, i started using body shop products a few months after i started working here.  i had a break-out then, and i wanted something to dab on my face to dry up my pimples.  fast.  i remembered their tea tree line, and that i read somewhere that the body shop tea tree oil is a miracle for pimple- and acne-prone skin.  and it really works.  actually, not just for pimples.  i also bought the clearing lotion and the blemish fade night lotion.

Tea Tree Blemis Fade Night Lotion

Tea Tree Skin Clearing Lotion

i love these two.  they help dry my pimples fast, and they also remove the discoloration my pimples cause on my skin.  over time, of course.  but still, there's a big difference in my skin now with the help of body shop's tea tree line.

i also tried the other tea tree products, like the toner and facial wash.  but i think they work just the same as the other cheaper toners and facial washes.  nothing special about them.

another body shop product that i really like is their peppermint foot lotion.

Peppermint Cooling Foot Lotion

this one is a treat.  i use this almost every night before i go to sleep, especially when i've been walking the whole day or my feet just feels really tired and sore.  i love the peppermint smell and cool feeling it gives to my feet.  but what i adore about this product is its effect the morning after.  my feet feels super soft, like i've-just-finished-taking-a-shower soft.  actually, softer than that :)  the only thing about this is it has a somewhat sticky feel when you apply it to your feet, but i don't mind that because i just love how soft my feet feels afterwards.

a couple of months ago, i bought almond-oil hand rescue treatment.  and it's really good.  ever since i used this lotion, my fingers and nails do not dry up anymore.  and it's not greasy, so no worries about being too sticky.

Almond Oil Hand Rescue Treatment

i can say that this one really works.  i always have dry skin near my nail beds and cuticles.  and i always have this urge to slowly peel them off or remove them immediately.  that's probably why i always have...i don't know what to call them...wounds? on my nails?  anyway, ever since i used this lotion, i never had that problem anymore.

now, my new find.

Cocoa Butter Lip Care Stick

i just bought this yesterday because i ran out of my vitamin e lip balm.  and i cannot not have a lip balm because, again, my lips are always dry.  yup, the weather here in singapore is worse than manila.  anyway, i love it's milk chocolate smell and flavor.  i also love that it doesn't feel as greasy as the vitamin e lip balm.  but, i've yet to see how effective this is.

Rebecca Bloomwood overload

i never thought i'd get to read the shopaholic series. but since there wasn't much work to do in the office (actually, there was nothing to work on at that time), and i found a pdf copy of confessions of a shopaholic...i decided what the hell, might as well pass the time reading it.

then i somehow got hooked.

after i finished with the first one, i looked up the others. i have to admit they are funny. i sometimes see myself like becky, although most of the time i'm annoyed by her. lying just comes naturally to her, and her sense of reason is waaay too screwed up and selfish.

now, after what...after 5 books, i can finally say am done. bloomwood is too much of a character. can't take anymore of her shopping mania and screwed up and illogical excuses. haha seryosohin daw...



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Why are we shallow?

This is why I love F. Sionil Jose...

Why are we shallow?

I was visited by an old Asian friend who lived here 10 years ago. I was floored by his observation that though we have lots of talented people, as a whole, we continue to be shallow.

Recently, I was seated beside former Senator Letty Shahani, PhD in Comparative Literature from the Sorbonne, watching a medley of Asian dances. The stately and classical Japanese number with stylized movements which perhaps took years to master elicited what seemed to me grudging applause. Then, the Filipino tinikling which any one can learn in 10 minutes; after all that energetic jumping, an almost standing ovation. Letty turned to me and asked, “Why are we so shallow?”

Yes, indeed, and for how long?

This is a question which I have asked myself, which I hope all of us should ask ourselves every so often. Once we have answered it, then we will move on to a more elevated sensibility. And with this sensibility, we will then be able to deny the highest positions in government to those nincompoops who have nothing going for them except popularity, what an irresponsible and equally shallow media had created. As my foreign friend said, there is nothing to read in our major papers.

Again, why are we shallow?

There are so many reasons. One lies in our educational system which has diminished not just scholarship but excellence. There is less emphasis now on the humanities, in the study of the classics which enables us to have a broader grasp of our past and the philosophies of this past. I envy those Hindus and Buddhists who have in their religion philosophy and ancestor worship which build in the believer a continuity with the past, and that most important ingredient in the building of a nation — memory.
Sure, our Christian faith, too, has a philosophical tradition, particularly if we connect it to the ancient Greeks and Romans. Remember, the first Bible was in Greek. But Greek, Latin and the classics in these languages are no longer taught in our schools the way these are still studied in many universities in Europe.

We are shallow because we are mayabang, ego driven, and do not have the humility to understand that we are only human, much too human to mistake knowledge for wisdom. We can see this yabang in some of our public commentators, particularly on TV — the know-it-alls who think that because they have so much knowledge — available now on the Web at the click of a button — they can answer every question posed to them. What they do not realize is that knowledge is not wisdom. Until they recognize that important if sometimes awful difference, they will continue to bluster their way to the top at our expense because we, the people, will then have to suffer their arrogance and ignorance.

We are shallow because with this arrogance, we accept positions far beyond our competence. Because there is no critical tradition in this country — a tradition which will easily separate the chaff from the grain, we cannot recognize fakery from the real goods. That outstanding scholar, Wilfredo Villacorta, is a rare bird indeed; when offered a high position in government, he refused it because he knew he was not qualified for the job. Any other mayabang academic would have grabbed it although he knows he can’t handle it. And so it happens always — the nitwits who hold such high positions stubbornly hold on to their posts, bamboozling their subordinates who may be brighter than them for that is the only way those who are inferior feel they can have respect.

On the other hand, the intelligent person will be aware of his shortcomings. He does not hesitate to ask the opinion of those who know more than him on particular subjects. If he is a government hierarch, he will surround himself with advisers who he knows can supply him with guidance and background possessing as they do more knowledge, experience and wisdom than him. Such an official is bound to commit fewer mistakes because he knows himself.

We are shallow because we lack this most important knowledge — who we are and the limits to what we can do.

We also lack the perception, and the courage, for instance, to deny these religious quacks and the thousands who listen and believe in them. Sure, religion is the opium of the masses as Marx said. So then, how can we prevent the masa from taking this poison without recognizing their right to make fools of themselves? Again, shallowness because the good people are silent. Ubi boni tacent, malum prosperat. Where good men are silent, evil prospers.

This shallowness is the impediment to prosperity, to justice, and men of goodwill should emphasize this, take risks even in doing so. As the late Salvador P. Lopez said, “It is better to be silenced than to be silent.”

We are shallow because our media are so horribly shallow. Every morning, I peruse the papers and there is so little to read in them. It is the same with radio — all that noise, that artifice.

I turn on the TV on prime time and what do I get? Five juvenile commentators gushing over the amors of movie stars, who is shacking up with whom. One of the blabbering panelists I distinctly remember was caught cheating some years back at some movie award. How could she still be on TV after that moral destruct? And the telenovelas, how utterly asinine, bizarre, foolish, insipid moronic and mephitic they are! And there are so many talented writers in our vernaculars and in English as the Palanca Awards show every year — why aren’t they harnessed for TV? Those TV moguls have a stock answer — the ratings of these shows are very high. Popularity not quality is their final arbiter. They give our people garbage and they are now giving it back to all of us in kind! So I must not be blamed if, most of the time, I turn on BBC. Aljazeera, rather than the local TV channels. It is such a pleasure to read The New York Times, the San Jose Mercury News, the Washington Post, to listen to “Fresh Air” on US public radio and public TV where my ever-continuing thirst for knowledge (and good entertainment) is quenched.

We are shallow because we don’t read. I go to the hospital on occasion — the long corridor is filled with people staring into the cosmos. It is only I who have brought a book or a magazine. In Japanese cities, in Korea — in the buses and trains, young and old are reading, or if they are not holding books and magazines, they are glued to their iPhones where so much information is now available.

In these countries and in Western cities, the bookshops are still full, but not so much anymore because the new communications technologies are now available to their masa. How I wish my tiny bookshop or any Filipino bookshop for that matter would be filled with people. I’ll make an exception here: BookSale branches are always full because their books are very cheap. But I would still ask: what kind of books do Filipinos buy?

We are shallow because we have become enslaved by gross materialism, the glitter of gold and its equivalents, for which reason we think that only the material goods of this earth can satisfy us and we must therefore grab as much as can while we are able. Enjoy all these baubles that we have accumulated; sure, it is pleasurable to possess such artifacts that make living trouble free. And that old anodyne: “Man does not live by bread alone,” who are the thinking and stubborn few who believe in it?

I hope that those who read this piece still do.

Awesome Note

this is one of those days when i'm pretending to be an organized person.  as in organizer and calendar and post-its and all that.  but who can resist this cuteness?

all photos from bridworks.com

diba, diba?  ang cute lang :)

initially, i only wanted an app that has a post-it function so i can keep track of the things i need to do.  organizers are not really my thing because sometimes i even forget to write down the things that i need to do.  i usually just "keep them in my head."  it works though.  i remember them.  but the minor details, i tend to forget and mix them up with other details.  plus, notes like phone numbers or addresses or directions or gorcery lists or other things that i only need for a certain time...i need post-its for that.

but when i saw the anote app.  waw!!!  ang cute nya e.  i tried the lite version first (free), but then i could only keep a certain number of details.  so the low EQ that is me downloaded the full version ($3.99, about more or less 4 or 5SGD, i think).  and it's so cute.  i love the interface.  i love the background themes.  the fonts (although this one is quite limited).  i love all of its functions.  and i love that i can customize each note and post.  oh, and that i can attach images and map images.  it also allows me to sync it with google docs.  now, i just need to figure out how i can sync it with my blog.

who's the real pervert in Hard Candy?

I was looking for horror/suspense/thriller films to watch the other day and listed them down for downloading.   I came upon Hard Candy and included it in the list simply because of Ellen Page.

image from Wiki

OMG.  This is a very disturbing, yet interesting, movie.  Even more disturbing than Orphan.  Not recommended for those who have a fairy tale view of things.  Actually, not for men.  Ross felt weak while watching it.

A cat-and-mouse psychotic thriller as incisive as it is stylish, Hard Candy delivers a provocative take on the revenge drama while jangling nerves at every turn. The film plunges us into an unstable universe where we cannot readily identify the "good guy" in the tense confrontation between a 14-year-old girl and the 32-year-old man she suspects of pedophilia and murder.

-- metacritic.com

Up to now, I don't really know who the real bad guy/pervert is.  I think it's both of them though.  Jeff, who would have had several chances of leaving, did not leave probably because he's a sado-masochist.  And Hayley, although really disturbing, seems to find pleasure in torturing and manipulating Jeff. 

I like the movie.  The dialogues are well-made, and the actors are great.  Especially Ellen Page.  She is so believable and, honestly, horrifying.  Imagine, meeting a 14-year old girl like that.  She's smart and determined and well, scary.  She's a psychopath to the next level.  I cannot imagine another actress being able to deliver like she did.

The only thing I don't get in the movie is...how is she able to haul Jeff up to the chair, to the table and to the ceiling with a noose? 

i'm not emo, but i so love pon and zi!

i first saw jeff thomas' pon & zi drawings in some blog a couple of years back.  i printed them out (yeah, using our office printer then) and made a collage for ross.

even for a non-emo entity like me, these are just too cute to ignore.  i especially like the morbid ones :)

[EDITED] bribing has become a way of life in pinas...so sad :(

bumili ako ng tv kasi para ma-entertain ang nanay ko sa pinas.  pero pagdala palang ng tv sa pinas ay hassle na.

ipapauwi ko dapat kay patrick para magamit na sana, kahit na magbayad nalang ng excess baggage.  pero nung tumawag kami sa jetstar, di daw sila responsible sa possible na damages, if ever ma-damage nga.  so wag na lang.  saka naisip ko mata-tax-an lang yun pagdating ni patrick kasi buwaya ang mga tao sa customs sa pinas.  and ganun nga pala ang mangyayare.  nag-research ako at sabi sa mga forum, yung mga less than six months nag-stay sa ibang bansa at bumili ng electronics/gadgets ay mata-tax-an.  so wag na lang.

lbc nalang.  kahit mahal.  o kaya ako nalang pag-uwi ko sa october.  excess baggage nalang.

pero praning kasi ako so research pa uli.  nakaka-bother yung mga nabasa ko sa pinoysg forum.  bakit maraming nagbabayad at naglalagay?  bakit nire-recommend ng maraming tao na mag-ipit ng $50 o P1000 sa passport para wala na daw tanong-tanong?  at kung sabihin nila ay parang...wala lang...  normal na gawain lang. at ine-encourage pa talaga yung mga nagtatanong na ganun nalang ang gawin.

potah.  nakakainis magbasa.  nare-realize ko lalo kung bakit maraming may ayaw sa pinas.  kaya ka nga nagtrabaho sa ibang bansa para gumaan ang buhay mo e, kasi ayaw mo ng patakbo ng gobyerno sa pinas, dahil puro tax nang wala namang nangyayare.  tapos pag umuwi or nagbakasyon ka e maglalagay ka lang din?  ano yun?  nakakasura.  para daw wala nang hassle at tanong at kung ano man.  oo malaki ang tax, pero may ibang options pa naman.  para san ang couriers at delivery services?  malaki ang fee, pero wala nang hassle.  may risk nga, pero kaya nga dun ka sa mga alam mong may reliable na service e.  hindi yung parang nagbabayad ka lang ng pamasahe sa jeep na ibibigay mo ng patago yung lagay mo sa mga buwayang customs officer na yun.  marami namang paraan siguro para hindi maglagay. 

putek.  nakarating at nakapagtrabaho ka sa ibang bansa kasi kahit pano may pinag-aralan ka.  pero kung ganun lang ang gagawin, nagpaka-tanga ka din at kinonsinte yung maling gawain nung mga buwayang yun.  putek.  nakakainis talaga.  kaya hindi sila tumitigil mang-buwaya at manlamang ng ibang tao kasi pumapayag tayo. hay nako.  nakakainis talaga.

i just can't get over this issue.  alam ko luma na pero lintek, bat di nawawala?

http://zeromd.wordpress.com/2010/03/12/200-customs-tax-only-in-the-philippines/

http://opinion.inquirer.net/4190/worsening-problem

http://www.business-anti-corruption.com/country-profiles/east-asia-the-pacific/philippines/corruption-levels/customs-administration/

i don't have a frakking dream wedding!

ok.  this is just weird.  i just realized i don't have a dream wedding!

a month after ross has proposed, i signed up as a member of Weddings@Work.  it's an online resource center of all...as in ALL...things about weddings.  from the venues to the gowns to the caterers, even to the littlest things such as the cord, cards, etc.  anyway, its yahoogroups is way too active, but very helpful.  i get ideas and useful links from all of the posts.  it's a huge support group too because aside from all the tips and links, a lot of its members also post their rants and problems and basically anything that gets them stressed out, especially when it comes to preparing for their weddings.  being the support group that it is, members comfort and talk sense to each other.  and they mention this term a lot:  dream wedding. 

i was on my usual reading habit of the messages, when it suddenly occurred to me...frak!  i don't have a dream wedding!  as in!  aside from the motif and theme that we have, i don't really have an idea of what kind of wedding i want.  i find this really weird.  i told ross about it, and he said it's okay that i don't have a dream wedding.  he said something about some girls being groomed, even from childhood, to start "planning" of their dream weddings.  then i thought, how come i wasn't like that when i was a kid?  the only thing i remember thinking about when i was a kid was my dress.  there were instances wherein i would dream what i would look like in a wedding dress, but more than that, what the wedding dress would look on me.  but aside from that, nothing.  zilch.  nada.  nil.  omg, am i normal?

even the gown, until now i don't have an idea of what kind of gown i would like to have and wear.  yes, i've already gathered pictures of wedding gowns that look pretty to me, but there's not one that made me say "this is what i would like to wear!"  omg, again, am i normal?

i know the wedding is still more than a year away, but we need to plan.  even this early.  because a lot of couples are getting married on the same year, month and even date as us, and they've already booked practically half of their suppliers.  again, i know this through W@W.

shit.  i'm not normal, am i?