tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34280397711998029402024-03-13T09:23:21.417-07:00so many books, so little timedowntime for me & a budding engineer, the occasional smallcap, and a good readUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3428039771199802940.post-54646778727732580822022-11-01T19:03:00.001-07:002022-11-01T19:03:32.755-07:00Past/recent work<p>Transit Dialog: </p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TransitDialogOnline/photos/516514686856142">The Pink Bicycle</a>; </p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TransitDialogOnline/photos/435796681594610">More Sh*t Sleepless People Do, Pt 2</a>; </p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TransitDialogOnline/photos/357351826105763 ">Zoomed Out, Pt 2: Stop Peddling Faux-sitivity</a>; </p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TransitDialogOnline/photos/273802494460697">Sh*t Sleepless People Do</a>; </p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TransitDialogOnline/photos/253020526538894">Ship Happens: Why the Ever Given is Now Our 2021 Pandemic Metaphor</a>; </p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TransitDialogOnline/photos/219783846529229" target="_blank">Sandwich Generation: Reflections From a Pandemic</a>; </p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TransitDialogOnline/photos/175375807636700" target="_blank">ECQ Treats, Pt 1: Eating Our Anxiety</a> </p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TransitDialogOnline/photos/157815559392725" target="_blank">Feng Shui for a Tiny Room</a></p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TransitDialogOnline/photos/136607284846886" target="_blank">ECQ Upskills, Gen-X Edition</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Rappler: </p><p><a href="https://www.rappler.com/voices/imho/242182-opinion-he-walked-his-way-carlos-celdran/" target="_blank">He walked his way: Carlos Celdran</a>; </p><p><a href="https://www.rappler.com/moveph/235251-thanks-inedible-fish-recto-bank/" target="_blank">Thanks for all the (inedible) fish</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3428039771199802940.post-361370169777283092021-06-27T08:14:00.007-07:002021-06-29T15:54:42.677-07:00The mid-year "light almost at the end of the tunnel" report<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xtd0uiuhKwA/YNhwNb7xquI/AAAAAAAAD20/hagZSwjbKB0FxzgIzAIzmcwxuohTcw_bQCLcBGAsYHQ/s960/208243633_969496273826860_3596368317531900173_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="528" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xtd0uiuhKwA/YNhwNb7xquI/AAAAAAAAD20/hagZSwjbKB0FxzgIzAIzmcwxuohTcw_bQCLcBGAsYHQ/w176-h320/208243633_969496273826860_3596368317531900173_n.jpg" width="176" /></a><div>"It's the story of my life, really: trying to figure out how to get where I want to go when just getting out the door seems impossible." --Chris Hadfield<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ryeSy3vLxds/YNhzQfLksMI/AAAAAAAAD3U/oheTyQ7uM-85rR-VFTeDFSH781ZhmOo_gCLcBGAsYHQ/s559/Screenshot%2B2021-06-27%2B204632.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="559" height="285" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ryeSy3vLxds/YNhzQfLksMI/AAAAAAAAD3U/oheTyQ7uM-85rR-VFTeDFSH781ZhmOo_gCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h285/Screenshot%2B2021-06-27%2B204632.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JJ5_d8Z-kDE/YNhwLPqDMbI/AAAAAAAAD2Y/Sg6m3gG-ibMvYxKBXoo5TwttMEtwP5d1wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1440/120391090_3307394689295597_5726937618198106094_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JJ5_d8Z-kDE/YNhwLPqDMbI/AAAAAAAAD2Y/Sg6m3gG-ibMvYxKBXoo5TwttMEtwP5d1wCLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h320/120391090_3307394689295597_5726937618198106094_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cMspZ933ww4/YNhwTIOvIZI/AAAAAAAAD24/692S6XVFfFA8Gp6Vtv1fIMWFP2aM1FgDQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/82343488_2652785694756503_3150476490072653824_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cMspZ933ww4/YNhwTIOvIZI/AAAAAAAAD24/692S6XVFfFA8Gp6Vtv1fIMWFP2aM1FgDQCLcBGAsYHQ/w181-h320/82343488_2652785694756503_3150476490072653824_n.jpg" width="181" /></a><p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ubnVcNzl_SU/YNhwL2MX64I/AAAAAAAAD2g/t6t_NA8GpyoHFI1vGY0ftD34iGh9t0dlwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1440/151328552_3685915311443531_2817104990233342181_n.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1432" data-original-width="1440" height="199" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ubnVcNzl_SU/YNhwL2MX64I/AAAAAAAAD2g/t6t_NA8GpyoHFI1vGY0ftD34iGh9t0dlwCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h199/151328552_3685915311443531_2817104990233342181_n.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ih3ICmgCNpE/YNhwM17CEqI/AAAAAAAAD2o/k33zv8C6tmERh-hgx-9nYg9tstDePE34gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1440/173775831_3853518228016571_7524665997833072576_n.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1432" data-original-width="1440" height="199" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ih3ICmgCNpE/YNhwM17CEqI/AAAAAAAAD2o/k33zv8C6tmERh-hgx-9nYg9tstDePE34gCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h199/173775831_3853518228016571_7524665997833072576_n.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BIOQStLSUKQ/YNhwLA4adMI/AAAAAAAAD2c/BE5HqNumCeE2TOWSMr9nntYclHXZTR2NACLcBGAsYHQ/s206/146951234_3648648561836873_8073879992777283254_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="206" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BIOQStLSUKQ/YNhwLA4adMI/AAAAAAAAD2c/BE5HqNumCeE2TOWSMr9nntYclHXZTR2NACLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h200/146951234_3648648561836873_8073879992777283254_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p><br /></p>2021 was marked by the anniversary of the pandemic lockdown, and just when I thought<a href="https://www.facebook.com/TransitDialogOnline/posts/269645031543110" target="_blank"> I had hit the peak of being stressed and sleepless from 2020, </a>this year served up a fresh alphabet soup lockdown buffet. If my sleep had been fragmented last year due to anxiety, this year it was in pieces that barely helped my mental state, creating a loop guaranteed to make me and anyone around me miserable. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ELTKZlkD9PE/YNhwLN99IcI/AAAAAAAAD2U/HT9I439EbRg1mdyd1iD3PpmrIcF8ZxdygCLcBGAsYHQ/s417/119096159_3253792277989172_7890675413758606067_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="313" data-original-width="417" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ELTKZlkD9PE/YNhwLN99IcI/AAAAAAAAD2U/HT9I439EbRg1mdyd1iD3PpmrIcF8ZxdygCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/119096159_3253792277989172_7890675413758606067_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>In the first quarter of the year, I got by on two or four hours' worth of sleep, feeling like it would be a matter of time before COVID-19 would infect me. Despite being able to work from home, there would be times when I would need to go to my office --a prospect that terrified me, despite the health precautions I would take. It didn't help discovering that two colleagues had become sick, acquiring the coronavirus from an in-office encounter with a third party.</div><div><br /></div><div>As it turned out, I was infected in another way: with fear, the insidious kind that threatens to cripple you. The kind that prevents you from going out for a simple walk (which was a source of joy), as if the coronavirus was lurking out there, waiting to snatch whatever peace of mind I had left. And it didn't help that<a href="https://www.facebook.com/TransitDialogOnline/photos/219783846529229" target="_blank"> I felt the weight of certain responsibilities weighing heavily on me.</a></div><div><br /></div><div>My non-working sleepless hours were spent trying to tire myself out, or doing what I thought would be productive projects --like dabbling in baking a cake using a rice cooker. Or making cold brew coffee.</div><div>While the products weren't spectacularly awesome, I could at least eat/drink something in the dead of night or early dawn.</div><div><br /></div><div>But of course these were just<a href="https://www.facebook.com/TransitDialogOnline/photos/253020526538894" target="_blank"> tiny plaster bandages for the gaping trauma of pandemic stres</a>s. And a turning point was reached when my regular online session with my counselor, while temporarily comforting, still didn't address the sleeplessness/anxiety. It was time to ask for help from another quarter.</div><div><br /></div><div>Trying to call the helpline indicated on my HMO card proved futile, as it seemed that it was perpetually swamped with other callers. Fortunately, a good friend concerned about my mental health offered to sponsor a session with a reputable psychiatrist, and I figured by this time I had nothing to lose except my sanity. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8IVlnykK1iM/YNhwNHGmQwI/AAAAAAAAD2s/mTTWqMcy8FkWQiVOSeGnLD3tj9YbRobvACLcBGAsYHQ/s1440/190057679_3981658808535845_2007005000044035018_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1438" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8IVlnykK1iM/YNhwNHGmQwI/AAAAAAAAD2s/mTTWqMcy8FkWQiVOSeGnLD3tj9YbRobvACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h640/190057679_3981658808535845_2007005000044035018_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The doctor who heard my case was compassionate, humorous, and matter-of-fact, prescribing medication that would address the anxiety. And in the days that followed, adjusting to the meds, I decided to take some half-days off. It was like I had acquired insulation for the raw and exposed electricity of emotions triggered by stress and anxiety that had previously gone haywire. Best of all, I was able to sleep --a minimum of six hours, a maximum of eight. After three weeks, my dosage has been scaled down upon the advice of my doctor, and I'm able to do without them on weekends. In the end, I might even be able to do without them altogether.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was lucky to get the help I needed, and probably just in time. </div></div><div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NsTyzXPcU4Q/YNiRs5TskwI/AAAAAAAAD3c/qylaeUxGp8Q80QYZRN7EsLZb02E3BRT1wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1880/202803765_10158338541812333_2302543902681570624_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1880" data-original-width="1248" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NsTyzXPcU4Q/YNiRs5TskwI/AAAAAAAAD3c/qylaeUxGp8Q80QYZRN7EsLZb02E3BRT1wCLcBGAsYHQ/w212-h320/202803765_10158338541812333_2302543902681570624_n.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of my inspirations for finally getting the help I needed was a friend named Karen, who passed away earlier this year due to COVID-19. During one of the online get-togethers/memorials held in her honor, people reminded each other to be as brave and gusty as she was, to live her life/truth as she did. She was no stranger to struggle, and fought tooth and nail to be able to enjoy life, bravely seeking qualified help when she needed it. A friend designated by Karen to give away her books in the event of her passing posted the collection, stipulating that each person was entitled to one book. </div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At this point in time, I'm vaccinated (yes, I was able to conquer my fear of getting out of the house to get shot #1, and am due for the next in mid-July), and while it will take some time for me to get over my pandemic fears, I'm just going to take things a day at a time --or even a half-day at a time if I have to. The light at the end of the tunnel might be closer than I think it is, but in the meantime I'm going to do something I haven't been able to do in some time: dream (literally and figuratively).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And hope.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HHpbNqtuBDs/YNhwNZ4dolI/AAAAAAAAD2w/4mKDhlhCv7AnmWd1R0Lli8Y7nfSt-I8KgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1440/206079319_4048582021843523_2170525751753643341_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1432" data-original-width="1440" height="398" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HHpbNqtuBDs/YNhwNZ4dolI/AAAAAAAAD2w/4mKDhlhCv7AnmWd1R0Lli8Y7nfSt-I8KgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h398/206079319_4048582021843523_2170525751753643341_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">-.-.-.-.-</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><i>This story is an entry to ComCo Southeast Asia’s “Write to Ignite Blogging Project Season 2: Dear Survivor”. The initiative continues to respond to the need of our times, as every story comes a long way during this period of crisis. The initiative aims to pull and collate powerful stories from the Philippine blogging communities to inspire the nation to rise and move forward amidst the difficult situation. The “Write to Ignite Blogging Project” Season 2 is made possible by ComCo Southeast Asia, with Eastern Communications and Jobstreet as co-presenters, with AirAsia and Xiaomi as major sponsors, and with Teleperformance as sponsor.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Qm29rDVkl4/YNiXT0FhpfI/AAAAAAAAD3k/YKG_qHD_5Ps3tHvfunatb3EnTyF1428RgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Comco-Write-to-ignite_Dear-survivor_KV_6-scaled.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Qm29rDVkl4/YNiXT0FhpfI/AAAAAAAAD3k/YKG_qHD_5Ps3tHvfunatb3EnTyF1428RgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Comco-Write-to-ignite_Dear-survivor_KV_6-scaled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3428039771199802940.post-26585216375843627742021-06-27T05:31:00.001-07:002021-06-27T05:31:31.500-07:002020 in pictures<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6Md3QnTkbVs/YNhvb5JWNLI/AAAAAAAAD1o/fOP9aXnRJIQoO8X51nCSf8zYeaFgwe0TACLcBGAsYHQ/s1440/82935821_2675998595768546_1875578661583716352_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6Md3QnTkbVs/YNhvb5JWNLI/AAAAAAAAD1o/fOP9aXnRJIQoO8X51nCSf8zYeaFgwe0TACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/82935821_2675998595768546_1875578661583716352_n.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YGp5fOT5tU8/YNhvcuREcoI/AAAAAAAAD10/VigO4CiUZtoREDIC0pGfuJuOgVfNQ9eRACLcBGAsYHQ/s1440/91406781_2819244171443987_2491172304030007296_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1432" data-original-width="1440" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YGp5fOT5tU8/YNhvcuREcoI/AAAAAAAAD10/VigO4CiUZtoREDIC0pGfuJuOgVfNQ9eRACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/91406781_2819244171443987_2491172304030007296_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BSb1U9HiSjE/YNhvdG4IBOI/AAAAAAAAD14/gvHQcE9rmFQERk2yQ2cLrOspI-lyxt18QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1440/92843853_2844842752217462_6193385382483066880_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BSb1U9HiSjE/YNhvdG4IBOI/AAAAAAAAD14/gvHQcE9rmFQERk2yQ2cLrOspI-lyxt18QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/92843853_2844842752217462_6193385382483066880_n.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RyRx2WlsngU/YNhvdAuGUHI/AAAAAAAAD18/jqOhDJawMiseEKA9uXAXkCr96yHSeJakACLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/99142037_2940410309327372_90969949949919232_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RyRx2WlsngU/YNhvdAuGUHI/AAAAAAAAD18/jqOhDJawMiseEKA9uXAXkCr96yHSeJakACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/99142037_2940410309327372_90969949949919232_n.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5A9YhkiI27E/YNhvbyXHKVI/AAAAAAAAD1s/xkW3wNxWUnINY4WMuQe4CHz7gmUqzpK7gCLcBGAsYHQ/s960/207941375_792978447986304_5974138958432870627_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="528" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5A9YhkiI27E/YNhvbyXHKVI/AAAAAAAAD1s/xkW3wNxWUnINY4WMuQe4CHz7gmUqzpK7gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/207941375_792978447986304_5974138958432870627_n.jpg" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3428039771199802940.post-9759639011831061902021-06-24T07:37:00.003-07:002021-06-24T07:37:44.223-07:00Interim reading 2013-2019 (no particular order)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pkutevUHFCs/YNSYeTbEL4I/AAAAAAAADz8/6XTAKL4xniMi27-ifHsCZf4K3rVC4ppHwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/1546321_770790902956001_5810458710445549387_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pkutevUHFCs/YNSYeTbEL4I/AAAAAAAADz8/6XTAKL4xniMi27-ifHsCZf4K3rVC4ppHwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/1546321_770790902956001_5810458710445549387_n.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PMT73R9toXM/YNSYbqiUp_I/AAAAAAAADzY/zo9vWYto42Yw4ZzXhVhFe2g5R4KC1lOygCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/10888710_774884949213263_211066525920019834_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PMT73R9toXM/YNSYbqiUp_I/AAAAAAAADzY/zo9vWYto42Yw4ZzXhVhFe2g5R4KC1lOygCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/10888710_774884949213263_211066525920019834_n.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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Such a treasure. Am proud of what my friend the author achieved. Blood, sweat, tears--and soul.<br />
<img alt="Portrait: Dessert Comes First: The Book.
September 5, 2013
http://dessertcomesfirst.com/archives/11710/" class="scaledImageFitWidth img" height="451" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/p480x480/1236579_710292345664420_52633171_n.jpg" style="top: 0px;" width="403" /><br />
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http://dessertcomesfirst.com/archives/11710/Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3428039771199802940.post-29946104060894502312011-02-25T00:35:00.000-08:002011-02-25T00:35:50.850-08:00Jess Abrera's illustrations<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fQELRrlJvxs/TWdm7zCaM3I/AAAAAAAAAfY/i4U1FVyfnjQ/s1600/IMGP2118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fQELRrlJvxs/TWdm7zCaM3I/AAAAAAAAAfY/i4U1FVyfnjQ/s320/IMGP2118.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
The fruit doesn't fall far from the tree. In this case, punk musician and Kikomachine Komix artist Manix Abrera is the son of editorial cartoonist and sometime book illustrator Jess Abrera who came up with the iconic Guyito (carabao mascot) of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. And these visuals for the Nick Joaquin story "Sarimanok vs.Ibong Adarna" (apparently posting the photos of "Lilit Bulilit" hit a chord with some who remember it as a gruesome and scary story :D)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Q4ApaBSCpw/TWdnAfl0D_I/AAAAAAAAAfc/knJdUi1pJ5o/s1600/IMGP2111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Q4ApaBSCpw/TWdnAfl0D_I/AAAAAAAAAfc/knJdUi1pJ5o/s320/IMGP2111.JPG" width="240" /></a></div> (pardon the black and white photocopy look...this actually was supposed to be material for a final thesis I was supposed to do...but most of my index cards were thrown out my my mom back then. was in a major funk after that.)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6NiABvshEdw/TWdnFt5EgOI/AAAAAAAAAfg/TDeyg1N0wE8/s1600/IMGP2112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6NiABvshEdw/TWdnFt5EgOI/AAAAAAAAAfg/TDeyg1N0wE8/s320/IMGP2112.JPG" width="240" /></a></div> the whimsical story is about how a bunch of kids in one neighborhood started a crazy game of one-upmanship with fantastic pets (live bears, snakes...) which had some kids making up their own super-cool "pets" like the Sarimanok that could disintegrate people with death rays shooting out of its eyes, and the Ibong Adarna whose singing could put the listener into a deep sleep (and if you were unlucky enough to get pooped on by the mythical bird, you'd be turned to stone).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kY3fxMbMrxk/TWdnL9QqxFI/AAAAAAAAAfk/q5T1wr9mDUY/s1600/IMGP2113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kY3fxMbMrxk/TWdnL9QqxFI/AAAAAAAAAfk/q5T1wr9mDUY/s320/IMGP2113.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> Things get out of hand and the pets escape and wreak havoc (siblings disintegrating or being turned to stone...something that would get you into trouble with the parents if they found out).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uBF94Li63h8/TWdnQJllXII/AAAAAAAAAfo/eBF33AxPDh8/s1600/IMGP2114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uBF94Li63h8/TWdnQJllXII/AAAAAAAAAfo/eBF33AxPDh8/s320/IMGP2114.JPG" width="240" /></a></div> So the owners team up (against their will) and capture the beasties and set things right again.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pGupsGkyqEY/TWdnT1fCW8I/AAAAAAAAAfs/eg7MXqJaG7s/s1600/IMGP2115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pGupsGkyqEY/TWdnT1fCW8I/AAAAAAAAAfs/eg7MXqJaG7s/s320/IMGP2115.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Sorta. :D <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G6HQ9vEeW54/TWdnYm_SRGI/AAAAAAAAAfw/SqYwnDN7HFU/s1600/IMGP2116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G6HQ9vEeW54/TWdnYm_SRGI/AAAAAAAAAfw/SqYwnDN7HFU/s1600/IMGP2116.JPG" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3428039771199802940.post-21506697286050879142011-02-22T21:43:00.000-08:002011-02-22T21:43:24.850-08:00Bookworm:1, Chickenzilla:0One of the lovely things about having a chef for a neighbor and friend is being treated to interesting and delicious food. It also leads to almost-hilarious situations such as an encounter with a jumbo chicken.<br />
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The week before Chinese New Year, Chef E decided to gift my family one evening with Birdzilla, a hefty specimen initially mistaken for a small turkey. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AsQekVDXp6c/TWSUMoMSWpI/AAAAAAAAAfI/7Qqvark4kx0/s1600/IMGP2101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AsQekVDXp6c/TWSUMoMSWpI/AAAAAAAAAfI/7Qqvark4kx0/s320/IMGP2101.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Having opted to get an early start on a good night's rest, I half-awoke to frantic knocking on my door and heard the words "there's a big chicken outside! Kitchen area!" Hence the thought that Metro Manila was being ravaged by a supersized version of Gallus domesticus. Confronted with the still-frozen beast, I did the first thing that came naturally: put it in a bag and into the freezer. Before I was allowed to go back to sleep however, I was told to decide what to do with the poultry.<br />
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The debate: cut it into smaller pieces and fry it (my thought: what a waste!), adobo (sure, but still...how often do you encounter poultry this size?), grill (risk burning it?! no!!!!) and the last: roast it (while consulting my favorite cookbook found in a second-hand shop in Bangkal, Makati). And seconds after the recipe was approved, a comment from the Asian Food Channel viewer: "what. no lemons? Jamie Oliver puts lemons in his roast chicken."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lFCT2YotcVg/TWSWFc-bBDI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/3w4fJw2ijlI/s1600/Image0252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lFCT2YotcVg/TWSWFc-bBDI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/3w4fJw2ijlI/s320/Image0252.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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After consulting with Lori (who recommended that I stuff TWO lemons in the bird's cavity & grate the zest on the bird prior to roasting), I marinated the bird with salt and pepper, reviewed a few other recipes online (and watched the Alton Brown roast chicken episode), gathered/borrowed the equipment, got my ingredients together, and...(after many hours roasting at temperatures hovering around 400 degrees). My Home Ec teacher would definitely wonder what got into me (I was definitely a middling student who wanted to be in the school paper more than the high school home economics club). <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gvIiby6lvfU/TWSWIrivlSI/AAAAAAAAAfU/P92ZR4oHlPU/s1600/Image0241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gvIiby6lvfU/TWSWIrivlSI/AAAAAAAAAfU/P92ZR4oHlPU/s320/Image0241.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We ate chicken for next few days. I swear, just carving off one thigh, drumstick and one breast was already equivalent to one of those "little" rotisserie chickens. Chef E was pretty generous in praising the result (he liked the tarragon, which was part of the Union Square recipe for herbed roasted chicken). If I ever get to tackle jumbo chicken again, I'm going to try "butterfly-style."<br />
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The verdict: it really takes a village to roast Birdzilla.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3428039771199802940.post-38375596973517893312011-02-22T20:47:00.000-08:002011-02-22T20:47:19.730-08:00Pop Stories for Groovy Kids :)A book from what I consider the best-illustrated and subversively written (in a good way!) stories for kids back when Love Buses plied the roads and EDSA1 was just a dream.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FNpctIHtGXk/TWSPzWh15AI/AAAAAAAAAe8/kgukvbY69Ts/s1600/Lilit+Bulilit+front+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FNpctIHtGXk/TWSPzWh15AI/AAAAAAAAAe8/kgukvbY69Ts/s320/Lilit+Bulilit+front+cover.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-InOonbuLb6Y/TWSQVwNLEHI/AAAAAAAAAfA/1GYz6xFc9I4/s1600/Lilit+Bulilit+back+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-InOonbuLb6Y/TWSQVwNLEHI/AAAAAAAAAfA/1GYz6xFc9I4/s320/Lilit+Bulilit+back+cover.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pA-aPVHZxdo/TWSQiz1Gj0I/AAAAAAAAAfE/35aBHY9k--0/s1600/Image0251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pA-aPVHZxdo/TWSQiz1Gj0I/AAAAAAAAAfE/35aBHY9k--0/s400/Image0251.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Bought this for Php5 (five pesos, which can't even pay for jeepney fare these days) at Alemar's Cubao (they already were in their death throes back in the early Nineties).Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3428039771199802940.post-28667049747258929252011-01-30T17:51:00.000-08:002011-01-30T17:57:40.617-08:00patalastas muna...from RockEd Philippines (follow them on Twitter @RockEdVolunteer click <a href="http://www.rocked.ph/2011/01/30/help-us-sort-book-donations-in-up-diliman/">here</a> for contact details):<br /><br />The books that people donate to Book Bigayan are stored at UP Diliman. Before sending them out to public libraries and schools, we sort through all the donations and box them up nicely — separating preschool, grade school, high school and college books. <p>Our first book sorting soiree for the year :</p> <ul><li><strong>FEB 6, Sunday. 9AM – 4PM, in Quezon City.</strong></li><li><strong></strong>Why sunday? so we don’t bother offices and students as sorting is done in the corridors.</li><li>You don’t have to be there the whole day. Volunteers can come in shifts.<br /></li><li>Bring your own water and baon <img src="http://www.rocked.ph/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt=":-)" class="wp-smiley" /> If you have extra boxes and packing tape lying around at home, do bring them along.</li><li>Will send exact details to volunteers.<br /></li></ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3428039771199802940.post-21890389611353456962011-01-27T16:39:00.000-08:002011-01-27T16:55:35.346-08:00bookworm & momso what does my mom read, apart from the Chinese (or English) newspaper, owner's manuals (for assorted appliances/gadgets), the occasional serial novel (if you see the books "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" was based on --you really have a feeling that not everything was put into the movie. it would possibly be like making Harry Potter books 1-7 into a 2.5 hour film) and travel magazines?<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TUIS3OdTYkI/AAAAAAAAAeo/vAWlcEJzKoc/s1600/Image0161.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TUIS3OdTYkI/AAAAAAAAAeo/vAWlcEJzKoc/s400/Image0161.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567032829366460994" border="0" /></a><br />anything about orchids, BUT it has to have practical applications. She bought this book at Fully Booked when it was on sale (after considering another book on orchids at NBS, which was more expensive and didn't have anything practical for her, what i understood from her was that "other orchid book" was geared more for the types who have greenhouses and gardeners who do the dirty work for the reader).<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TUIS3SEsoaI/AAAAAAAAAew/19Iamp5DVdE/s1600/Image0163.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TUIS3SEsoaI/AAAAAAAAAew/19Iamp5DVdE/s400/Image0163.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567032830336999842" border="0" /></a><br />i ended up buying Kikomachine Komix at NBS :)<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TUISUj3eVgI/AAAAAAAAAeg/mlW0s2sDabs/s1600/Image0162.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TUISUj3eVgI/AAAAAAAAAeg/mlW0s2sDabs/s400/Image0162.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567032233817953794" border="0" /></a><br />and this at FB (yay for discounts!)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3428039771199802940.post-68075547787461692882010-12-06T15:47:00.001-08:002010-12-06T16:26:14.571-08:00stalking a star(fish), part 2<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TP16PchUL5I/AAAAAAAAAdI/lgCsC6LeQtg/s1600/Image0150.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TP16PchUL5I/AAAAAAAAAdI/lgCsC6LeQtg/s400/Image0150.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547724721762873234" border="0" /></a><br />yup, beached starfish patrol again. not complaining one bit at all, hehe. met some interesting characters...<br /> ...leonardo? donatello? mikey? raf? where's the pizza?<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TP18Wp3TUCI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/WSZfXtJyJeE/s1600/IMGP1895.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TP18Wp3TUCI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/WSZfXtJyJeE/s400/IMGP1895.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547727044627091490" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TP18WVpVK0I/AAAAAAAAAeI/1MqeeIYt5PM/s1600/IMGP1896.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TP18WVpVK0I/AAAAAAAAAeI/1MqeeIYt5PM/s400/IMGP1896.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547727039199783746" border="0" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TP18C4_kvXI/AAAAAAAAAd4/fVSckfQr8XY/s1600/IMGP1893.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TP18C4_kvXI/AAAAAAAAAd4/fVSckfQr8XY/s400/IMGP1893.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547726705090936178" border="0" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TP18CfRed5I/AAAAAAAAAdw/5BuzsWH_oso/s1600/Image0143.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TP18CfRed5I/AAAAAAAAAdw/5BuzsWH_oso/s400/Image0143.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547726698186700690" border="0" /></a><br />when Cartoon Network had their "ordinary turtle vs. Ninja Turtle promo" the sprout asked me which I'd prefer. Answer: the ordinary turtle (para walang kaagaw sa pizza, hehehe)<br /><br />while there's tons of beautiful beaches, people have got to learn to take better care of them...<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TP18CJeGdXI/AAAAAAAAAdo/-wowJPO2n0M/s1600/Image0149.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TP18CJeGdXI/AAAAAAAAAdo/-wowJPO2n0M/s400/Image0149.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547726692334073202" border="0" /></a><br />(kind of evokes D-Day in Normandy...no? Or the Leyte landing gone wrong in an alternative history...Totally found it this way on the shore, not staged)<br /><br />lest you think i've strayed far from the reading-themed nature of the blog...these are what i've been reading --just not at the beach :)<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TP16QScFo_I/AAAAAAAAAdY/RQBj5E4fg9g/s1600/IMGP1861.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TP16QScFo_I/AAAAAAAAAdY/RQBj5E4fg9g/s400/IMGP1861.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547724736236463090" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TP16P05jhMI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/K8ljnUCYFqU/s1600/IMGP1863.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TP16P05jhMI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/K8ljnUCYFqU/s400/IMGP1863.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547724728306992322" border="0" /></a><br />think of them as guides, one through the city, and the other through the ups and downs of life :D<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TP16QtFGjFI/AAAAAAAAAdg/Y264DM2aJpQ/s1600/IMGP1821.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 283px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TP16QtFGjFI/AAAAAAAAAdg/Y264DM2aJpQ/s400/IMGP1821.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547724743387810898" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3428039771199802940.post-45316820184961773592010-10-14T07:41:00.000-07:002010-10-14T07:51:00.324-07:00stalking a star(fish)tsk. what do you expect from something without brains...they never know when too much sunbathing will kill them...<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TLcXlftgfnI/AAAAAAAAAb4/sMtoXUpwwbY/s1600/Image0061.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TLcXlftgfnI/AAAAAAAAAb4/sMtoXUpwwbY/s400/Image0061.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527913000555544178" border="0" /></a><br /><br />patreeck istarfeesh...isdatchu?!<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TLcXmPiopUI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/0eS0eQf2RYY/s1600/Image0104.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TLcXmPiopUI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/0eS0eQf2RYY/s400/Image0104.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527913013394842946" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />ay! eets aliiive!<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TLcYdboDcgI/AAAAAAAAAcY/QOUd9f5cHpM/s1600/Image0101.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TLcYdboDcgI/AAAAAAAAAcY/QOUd9f5cHpM/s400/Image0101.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527913961531601410" border="0" /></a><br /><br />back you go...go on, get away from the shore if you know what's good for you!<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TLcXlvTOYJI/AAAAAAAAAcI/vzdQs-FwiW4/s1600/Image0103.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TLcXlvTOYJI/AAAAAAAAAcI/vzdQs-FwiW4/s400/Image0103.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527913004740272274" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TLcXliDCVCI/AAAAAAAAAcA/TKSVx47lis8/s1600/Image0102.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TLcXliDCVCI/AAAAAAAAAcA/TKSVx47lis8/s400/Image0102.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527913001182712866" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3428039771199802940.post-28431103609883578422010-07-23T16:07:00.000-07:002010-07-23T16:13:18.375-07:00Maikling PatalastasPara sa mga na-Ondoy sa nakaraang taon, may mga nagbebenta ng libro na "on sale." Kasama dito ang iba't ibang Powerbooks branches, at ang bodega ng Books for Less sa (loob-loob ng) Pasig. Kung kaya niyong mag-dyip o fx (kahit galing Shaw) upang makamit ang iba't-ibang mga diskwentong inaalok dito, saludo ako sa iyo. :D<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TEohwQXERaI/AAAAAAAAAbo/BlphBl-RsQM/s1600/image002.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TEohwQXERaI/AAAAAAAAAbo/BlphBl-RsQM/s400/image002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497243408068265378" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TEohvxxh3QI/AAAAAAAAAbg/5iKDpdtzjLY/s1600/image001.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TEohvxxh3QI/AAAAAAAAAbg/5iKDpdtzjLY/s400/image001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497243399857757442" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3428039771199802940.post-50603729950072107352010-07-14T03:49:00.000-07:002010-07-14T04:00:35.047-07:00how to kvetch...this horrible storm (Basyang) reminds me of Milenyo, a howler of a storm that knocked over plenty of power lines. if going without electricity for 16-24 hours is agony for you, imagine going without it for almost two weeks.<br /><br />despite reporting the situation several times to customer reps at Meralco, it really grated on our nerves to see neighbors have electricity and we didn't (eventually the servicemen discovered that part of our line had been stolen)...and it got so bad i didn't want to see another candle, not even on my birthday cake...so i emailed every Meralco branch in the area with this letter (result: we had servicemen by the end of the day) :<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Imagine if you will being without electricity for more than a week</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">since the onset of Milenyo. Imagine the utterly ridiculous situation</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">of your neighbors having electricity -left, right, front (even the</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">squatters nearby have electricity) and YOU DON'T. Imagine the surreal</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">and frustrating experience of following up this situation with</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">apathetic customer service reps who don't log in your complaint. Then</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">again, why don't you try coming over to (street address deleted) in QC and SEE FOR YOURSELF? I and my family do not have the</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> luxury of checking into a hotel when we don't have electricity. And it</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> is obviously useless talking to a customer service rep when they don't</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">bother to log in a complaint from paying customers.<br /><br />What kind of amends</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> can </span><span style="font-style: italic;" class="il">Meralco</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> make other than a lame "we'll schedule someone to check</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">out your situation but right now we don't know when we can service</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">you..." Wow. How about making up for our discomfort by waiving our</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">electric bill for this month? No? It seems your company is quite</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">content to allow us to go without electricity for another week, maybe</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">a month if your people seem inclined to do so. We have an invalid</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">96-year old grandmother we can't even check into the hospital so she</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">won't have to suffer from the heat and mosquitoes.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"> If your people cannot even inform us when someone will actually</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">restore power to our home (preferably this century, thank you), please</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">do us the courtesy of informing us if we should bother paying your</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">company for not doing a thing or if we can switch to alternative power</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">sources like solar energy, wind power, maybe hook up 100 hamsters to</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">exercise wheels to power an electric fan? 10 days without electricity</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">in a very populated and almost-commercial area is a pretty long time</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">to do without this urban necessity.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> <br />But then, I doubt your company CARES. Your neglect speaks volumes.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Sincerely,</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">(name deleted)</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">(etc deleted :D)</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3428039771199802940.post-4151618750305144532010-07-01T17:48:00.000-07:002010-07-01T18:01:41.306-07:00They did it again, and again, and AGAIN...Pardon me as I lose my temper.<br /><br />Years ago, my car was broken into, after making the common mistake of parking it in what I thought was the safest possible place: a guarded parking lot in a busy business district. Turns out you don't pay for "secure parking" --you just pay for that bit of land your vehicle sits on, and the succeeding hours fund those fancy attendant uniforms, computers that keep track of how many minutes you went over your alloted time, and that mechanized arm that swings up and down to set you free from the damned place after you pay through the nose.<br /><br />As much as possible, I avoid any parking lots managed by that company, thanks to their shoddy handling of the situation. And now I learn that someone else recently had his car broken into IN BROAD DAYLIGHT. Where are the rent-a-cops when you need them? It's as if thieves view these places as their personal candy jars, to raid whenever they please.<br /><br />One <a href="http://fudgemagazine.multiply.com/journal/item/8/beware_of_SECURE_PARKING_in_Ortigas_Center">blog post pretty much summed the experience for many who were victimized</a>. While there were those who had plenty to say about leaving one's personal belongings or parking in unlit areas, <a href="http://fudgemagazine.multiply.com/journal/item/9/ENGOT_KASI..._Still_about_the_damn_parking_incident">this reply</a> did the job. (Thanks Annie)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3428039771199802940.post-71840290674863812172010-06-25T04:22:00.000-07:002010-06-25T04:31:53.386-07:00books, glorious books...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TCSTa40JnxI/AAAAAAAAAbY/DgKpZmNVQGc/s1600/penguin.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TCSTa40JnxI/AAAAAAAAAbY/DgKpZmNVQGc/s400/penguin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486672336181108498" border="0" /></a><br /><img src="file:///C:/Users/Asus/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot-5.png" alt="" /><img src="file:///C:/Users/Asus/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot-6.png" alt="" />go follow @PenguinBooks on Twitter, get a chance to get a bunch of cool reads (if you're too lazy to join the Fully Booked book grab this year :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3428039771199802940.post-91073339664970519952010-05-31T02:49:00.001-07:002010-05-31T03:07:48.162-07:00say cheese<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TAOG4wdezjI/AAAAAAAAAbQ/7Ov3SyyFYeY/s1600/IMGP1199.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TAOG4wdezjI/AAAAAAAAAbQ/7Ov3SyyFYeY/s400/IMGP1199.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477369881452006962" border="0" /></a><br />interesting specimens eh?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TAOG393SXJI/AAAAAAAAAa4/lyjAdUAK57w/s1600/IMGP1196.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TAOG393SXJI/AAAAAAAAAa4/lyjAdUAK57w/s400/IMGP1196.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477369867870035090" border="0" /></a><br />not a museum.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TAOG4c__zqI/AAAAAAAAAbA/fiznGj-feEg/s1600/IMGP1197.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TAOG4c__zqI/AAAAAAAAAbA/fiznGj-feEg/s400/IMGP1197.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477369876228066978" border="0" /></a><br />it's an orthodontist's office.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TAOG4g_9XfI/AAAAAAAAAbI/dD4GJVagkC4/s1600/IMGP1198.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/TAOG4g_9XfI/AAAAAAAAAbI/dD4GJVagkC4/s400/IMGP1198.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477369877301648882" border="0" /></a><br />wall of fame/shame? you decide.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3428039771199802940.post-6747559619373072532010-04-29T15:46:00.001-07:002010-04-29T15:52:07.633-07:00signs of the times<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/S9oMtnEI6EI/AAAAAAAAAaw/-ygPxau5bpU/s1600/IMGP0770.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/S9oMtnEI6EI/AAAAAAAAAaw/-ygPxau5bpU/s400/IMGP0770.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465695075487508546" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/S9oMtCi9G_I/AAAAAAAAAao/CRtan73DpcM/s1600/IMGP0769.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/S9oMtCi9G_I/AAAAAAAAAao/CRtan73DpcM/s400/IMGP0769.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465695065684646898" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/S9oMs5HJRwI/AAAAAAAAAag/nF4c96G8eKc/s1600/IMGP0768.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/S9oMs5HJRwI/AAAAAAAAAag/nF4c96G8eKc/s400/IMGP0768.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465695063152084738" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3428039771199802940.post-70466173099366703172010-03-28T18:48:00.000-07:002010-03-28T19:28:10.302-07:00we interrupt the long silence with this news bulletin...in between deadlines and odd jobs, I've been hunting for a reliable postpaid broadband provider.<br /><br />Brand S has been my default prepaid provider, but there's a point when you get a bit tired of scratching those cards or getting load...plus, when service gets iffy, it's not even worth a 15-minute call to get a refund...<br /><br />Brand G had been my first choice, since we were using their landline service. After being assured that there was an (oh-so-precious) available slot, I applied for account modification, was told to expect their crew in 7-10 days.<br /><br />...and didn't hear a peep from them. And to make a long story short, after three weeks and four frustrating phone calls to their customer service reps (and the unbelievable excuses they came up with), I told them to cancel my application for modification. If they were already giving me such a tough time BEFORE I got their service, I could easily imagine the hell I'd be going through after signing a contract with a lock-in period. Gah.<br /><br />so I inquire about a trial run with Brand B...and lo and behold, I get scheduled for a demo within the week, their staff was very professional (and even confirmed with me the day before about the appointment) ...plus they delivered the goods, in a simple and efficient manner.<br /><br />Ironically, Brand G's tech support called up a couple of times after I sent in my cancellation request (kulit!) saying they had an available spot, and would I like to push through? My eyebrows were already doing loop-the-loops. Sure, I said, if they could manage to guarantee installation within that very same week, I'd consider. (and with their spotty service, I seriously doubted they'd make good)<br /><br />Thought that was the last I'd hear from them, but apparently they bamboozled someone else into saying yes --and the last I heard from Brand G's reps was that they'd be sending a crew over (the same day Brand B was scheduled for a demo). Well, Brand B's rep did the demo, signed me up and I've got broadband, easy peasy. It's not uber-fast, but it gets the job done.<br /><br />I think Brand G's people rang the doorbell some hours after that. Tsk. If they had delivered on what they had promised all those weeks ago, I may have been a happy subscriber. Instead, they pretty much demonstrated what kind of service their subscribers get. Imagine paying three weeks for broadband you can't use?<br /><br />Brand G has been getting a lot of flak in the past year for spotty service, and their people should focus on the actual products' performance, instead of trying to push the products. Offer the world all you want, but if your customer can't even get decent service, you'll lose your battles on the home front.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3428039771199802940.post-40636620653458142312010-01-06T03:45:00.000-08:002010-01-06T03:56:46.249-08:00meet my little (electronic) friend<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/S0R5iNyZCVI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/R3bEknbpBig/s1600-h/IMGP0101.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/S0R5iNyZCVI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/R3bEknbpBig/s200/IMGP0101.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423593479984449874" border="0" /></a><br />still in the getting to know you phase with this gadget (because someone forgot that i don't read Chinese, which was the only language the owner's manual came in. pfft.)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/S0R5iwxNaiI/AAAAAAAAAaI/aP7mebz0_pA/s1600-h/IMGP0082.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/S0R5iwxNaiI/AAAAAAAAAaI/aP7mebz0_pA/s200/IMGP0082.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423593489374734882" border="0" /></a><br />takes decent shots, but i have to configure it properly, apparently images still come out grainy (so says the layout artist at one of the mags i write for) --which i have to agree with (but hey, you rush me, i send you photos, you don't like it, find your own then, right?) (seriously, i'm not being paid extra to take photos for this piece, so just a little credit to the right people would be nice)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/S0R5ib6g8WI/AAAAAAAAAaA/hytmfKolk00/s1600-h/IMGP0020.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/S0R5ib6g8WI/AAAAAAAAAaA/hytmfKolk00/s200/IMGP0020.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423593483776618850" border="0" /></a><br /><br />so far it's performed decently (as long as i remembered to tweak the settings) and i can't complain really.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/S0R5jbkVeuI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/ExGoPYGw2WM/s1600-h/IMGP0084.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/S0R5jbkVeuI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/ExGoPYGw2WM/s200/IMGP0084.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423593500863462114" border="0" /></a><br /><br />now if only i had the guts to submerge it! it is supposed to take to snorkeling depths...Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3428039771199802940.post-5984850541414087892009-11-16T22:11:00.000-08:002009-11-16T22:26:10.479-08:00Tres Bien<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/SwI-6LdA4wI/AAAAAAAAAZk/flkHIBL9DxM/s1600/Image100.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/SwI-6LdA4wI/AAAAAAAAAZk/flkHIBL9DxM/s320/Image100.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404951672025834242" border="0" /></a><br />things come in threes, they say...and it seems for some publishers, compiling three books into one is a splendid idea, especially if it's a trilogy, like Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials." (this series was so darn sad i wanted to cry, but kept holding it off because i wanted to see how it ended)<br /><br />other times, it doesn't make sense, unless you want a crash course in popular lit, like the Sookie Stackhouse novels.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/SwI-6SYykWI/AAAAAAAAAZs/h5XtpfeuF9w/s1600/Image101.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/SwI-6SYykWI/AAAAAAAAAZs/h5XtpfeuF9w/s320/Image101.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404951673887166818" border="0" /></a><br /><br />both paperbacks are as thick as phonebooks (and just as heavy too) but i seem to have zipped through the latter quicker than the former.<br /><br />thankfully, Harris is more fun to read than Stephanie Meyers (I read Twilight and wanted to cringe, ew, hehehe) --and reading her short story in the vampire/birthday themed anthology (Many Bloody Returns) was a good look into her storytelling style.<br /><br />definitely saving up for the next three-in-one in the Sookie Stackhouse series (mentally plays corny Selecta 3-in-1 plus 1 jingle).Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3428039771199802940.post-6763662919749521172009-11-06T22:02:00.001-08:002009-11-06T22:16:19.371-08:00two magic words<span style="font-weight: bold;">books.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">sale.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/SvUQTivWuFI/AAAAAAAAAZc/0o7uhXL-Ynw/s1600-h/Nutty-Irony.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/SvUQTivWuFI/AAAAAAAAAZc/0o7uhXL-Ynw/s400/Nutty-Irony.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401241256029763666" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(153, 51, 0); font-family: 'Futura Bk BT';">Christmas Showroom Sale</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(0, 51, 0); font-family: 'Futura Bk BT';">Our books will be going on sale from November 16 to December 29 at the <span class="il">Adarna</span> House Showroom — up to 70% off on selected items!<span> </span>Storybooks will go for Php 50.00 each.<span> </span>Come visit us at 2/F FSS Building, 20 Scout Tuason corner Scout Castor Streets, Barangay Laging Handa, Quezon City.<span> </span>We are open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Mondays through Saturdays.<span> </span>Call Dang at 372-3548 local 102.<span> </span>Maligayang Pasko! </span></p> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(0, 51, 0); font-family: 'Futura Bk BT';"><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/SvUONRVvuqI/AAAAAAAAAZU/yddFK5cMEQM/s1600-h/New+Picture.bmp"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 304px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/SvUONRVvuqI/AAAAAAAAAZU/yddFK5cMEQM/s400/New+Picture.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401238949256477346" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3428039771199802940.post-19746927179718581682009-10-14T17:31:00.000-07:002009-10-15T00:04:32.821-07:00after...it's been nothing but catch up work, figuring how the laptop works (having it fixed when the USB ports & flash card reader couldn't read anything for some reason).<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StZzvoKjx0I/AAAAAAAAAX0/XS3zSQRuryg/s1600-h/Image221.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StZzvoKjx0I/AAAAAAAAAX0/XS3zSQRuryg/s320/Image221.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392624865895499586" border="0" /></a><br />we finally took time to go to the Manila International Book Fair, which was pretty crowded on a Saturday. because of the impending rain and distance (at the cavernous SMX next the humongous Mall of Asia), i decided not to chance possibly submerging a certain small silver car in floodwaters and we commuted via MRT/jeep instead, a pretty pleasant trip despite the crowds (hoping to get early bargains at weekend sales? most of them disembarked at the Cubao and Ayala stations).<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StZzvCTpLgI/AAAAAAAAAXs/D9hEzX6qUSM/s1600-h/Image220.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StZzvCTpLgI/AAAAAAAAAXs/D9hEzX6qUSM/s320/Image220.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392624855733054978" border="0" /></a><br />after checking out the FB MoA sale and scoring paperbacks of Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy (which the sprout finished about two-three weeks ago) and "Howl's Moving Castle" we moseyed on to SMX and wandered the aisles, getting halfway through the exhibits (and purchasing another "Trese" volume signed by the affable Budgette Tan & Kajo Baldisimo) before we got a text that our friend Aina had just arrived.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StZzu3q693I/AAAAAAAAAXk/rkWlATmtLJA/s1600-h/Image219.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StZzu3q693I/AAAAAAAAAXk/rkWlATmtLJA/s320/Image219.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392624852877899634" border="0" /></a><br />while waiting in the lobby, we noticed that the crowd had suddenly shifted and gravitated towards a man with thinning hair and eyeglasses, looking very much like Noynoy Aquino (on his way to laud some educators at a conference above the bookfair). the sprout wanted to get an autograph, i told him to just do a handshake and if he's lucky i could snap a picture with the camphone. we debated for a minute, and *poof* the moment was gone as the tide of well-wishers carried Mr. Aquino away. (Aina & the sprout spent a little time later trying to stalk the senator for another autograph/photo op --no success).<br /><br />ever the expert shopper, Aina ended up buying autographed copies of Pugad Baboy from the Anvil booth and a Moleskine edition of Sense & Sensibility (she plans to get a Moleskine P&P soon) from NBS. I'd been hoping to score P&P and Zombies, or S&S and Seamonsters, but no luck. (besides, I still have a backlog of books to read, and a few others to review)<br /><br />some weeks later, the sprout agreed (w/ an uncle) it was high time the fishpond was cleaned (plenty of inbred tilapia died, they couldn't take the clean and chlorinated water, hehe) and it was a good time to see how Turtlee (originally my sis-in-law's pet) has been doing.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StZybzQk1nI/AAAAAAAAAXE/aMKTs4zNidA/s1600-h/Image232.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StZybzQk1nI/AAAAAAAAAXE/aMKTs4zNidA/s320/Image232.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392623425764513394" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StZycWYV9ZI/AAAAAAAAAXM/i6LfEHjjjns/s1600-h/Image233.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StZycWYV9ZI/AAAAAAAAAXM/i6LfEHjjjns/s320/Image233.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392623435192333714" border="0" /></a><br />that's the sprout's size six foot next to the very much grown up Turtlee (whose was about the size of a cupcake sometime in 2001 or 2002 when sis in law got her with a male turtle of the same size who died about a few months later. the sprout was just starting preschool then)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StZzwZHv58I/AAAAAAAAAX8/VyKsg6dobcc/s1600-h/Image240.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 120px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StZzwZHv58I/AAAAAAAAAX8/VyKsg6dobcc/s320/Image240.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392624879037048770" border="0" /></a> now he's catching up to me too (haha) --those are my Crocs he's wearing (in-arbor na nya). and that's about 2-3 inches of floodwater in the front garden during Ondoy last September. our neighborhood is pretty elevated but we had floodwaters turn our street into a river, and the drains couldn't take the volume of water raining down, so we had a couple of inches of water creeping into<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StZycga26wI/AAAAAAAAAXU/sUvm_ji9HKQ/s1600-h/Image236.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StZycga26wI/AAAAAAAAAXU/sUvm_ji9HKQ/s320/Image236.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392623437887236866" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StZydCWqrcI/AAAAAAAAAXc/olgR_J1pyvg/s1600-h/Image237.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StZydCWqrcI/AAAAAAAAAXc/olgR_J1pyvg/s320/Image237.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392623446996463042" border="0" /></a><br />(and out of the house)<br /><br />compared to the others who spent the night above floodwaters in no electricity, we were pretty damn lucky, but we found out later that the sprout's school was inundated in a flash flood when the wall blocking the nearby creek gave way.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StbFZoNxsXI/AAAAAAAAAYE/KvTRHvIWL9Y/s1600-h/Image244.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StbFZoNxsXI/AAAAAAAAAYE/KvTRHvIWL9Y/s320/Image244.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392714647905350002" border="0" /></a><br />*swoosh* whatever cement/asphalt job was on the driveway, it was gone. the classrooms were in AT LEAST 4ft of floodwater (bless those volunteers who cleared the water with a bucket brigade). kids who left their schoolbags/books over the weekend found them a sodden unusable mess when the school reopened a week and a half later.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StbHA8KEeTI/AAAAAAAAAYs/MaeXIWfJrqc/s1600-h/Image279.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StbHA8KEeTI/AAAAAAAAAYs/MaeXIWfJrqc/s320/Image279.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392716422785038642" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StbHCgnnMMI/AAAAAAAAAZE/JFmafvPtaTY/s1600-h/Image255.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StbHCgnnMMI/AAAAAAAAAZE/JFmafvPtaTY/s320/Image255.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392716449752494274" border="0" /></a><br />(see that brown stain on the white corkboard? that was the flood/tide line in the sprout's classroom, damp when i touched it)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StbFbMRRUYI/AAAAAAAAAYc/A0lmSKkyE0M/s1600-h/Image248.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StbFbMRRUYI/AAAAAAAAAYc/A0lmSKkyE0M/s320/Image248.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392714674763551106" border="0" /></a><br />even the makeshift wall bisecting the property gave way (those nasty real estate people should foot the repairs this time, i wish)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StbFbh-N7KI/AAAAAAAAAYk/5-qZB27DuTc/s1600-h/Image249.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StbFbh-N7KI/AAAAAAAAAYk/5-qZB27DuTc/s320/Image249.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392714680589216930" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StbFaAM47cI/AAAAAAAAAYM/8VsaCC5w5pI/s1600-h/Image245.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StbFaAM47cI/AAAAAAAAAYM/8VsaCC5w5pI/s320/Image245.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392714654344080834" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StbFaiLbtmI/AAAAAAAAAYU/T6dUv0a6G0w/s1600-h/Image246.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StbFaiLbtmI/AAAAAAAAAYU/T6dUv0a6G0w/s320/Image246.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392714663464777314" border="0" /></a><br />the library was a mess... bags of soaked and unusable books had to be thrown away before mold or mildew got 'em.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StbHB53dO0I/AAAAAAAAAY8/o_uGc_9y4Ec/s1600-h/Image264.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StbHB53dO0I/AAAAAAAAAY8/o_uGc_9y4Ec/s320/Image264.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392716439349967682" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StbHBW_jQzI/AAAAAAAAAY0/2rm4EV2HhbQ/s1600-h/Image276.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StbHBW_jQzI/AAAAAAAAAY0/2rm4EV2HhbQ/s320/Image276.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392716429988676402" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StbHC9Z3rZI/AAAAAAAAAZM/yhCQHMb5Uik/s1600-h/Image277.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/StbHC9Z3rZI/AAAAAAAAAZM/yhCQHMb5Uik/s320/Image277.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392716457479482770" border="0" /></a><br />oh, yeah...and i got a year older (i feel that way with the back problem & the cane, but hopefully exercise, phys therapy and a couple more sessions with the chiropractor should set me straight, nyahaha).Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3428039771199802940.post-46929015962656236272009-09-10T19:29:00.000-07:002009-09-10T19:32:17.826-07:00wonky techthe pc died, i'm getting used to this laptop (which can't read usb's for some reason) and finishing a backlog of stuff that was pending when the computer up & crashed on me (damn you mercury retrograde)<br />the sprout is having exams (we now have eyebags that qualify as carry-on luggage) please pray he aces all his subjects.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3428039771199802940.post-9293500155562759632009-08-12T18:18:00.001-07:002009-08-12T20:06:36.052-07:00read-aloud time ;)i'm still somewhere in the middle of the J&J audiobook and am really enjoying it (liberally peppered cuss words and all, hehehe) and wonder if agents or audio book editors (if there's such a thing) can tell if an author is able to read his/her own work and reel in an audience without putting them to sleep.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/SoNz_nCF9oI/AAAAAAAAAWM/tpwkEAoCiJY/s1600-h/Image156.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/SoNz_nCF9oI/AAAAAAAAAWM/tpwkEAoCiJY/s320/Image156.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369262717402478210" border="0" /></a><br />great examples are Neil Gaiman (who reads like he's talking to a friend or doing a bedtime story for a slumber party of 4-5 guests) and Roald Dahl (playful tone of voice when reading <span style="font-style: italic;">Charlie & the Chocolate Factory</span>) --yes, Julie Powell is included. Honorable mention for Lynn Reid Banks for doing a colorful reading of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Indian</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">in The Cupboard</span>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/SoN0AGPR6oI/AAAAAAAAAWU/wKypmi5IpH8/s1600-h/Image157.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/SoN0AGPR6oI/AAAAAAAAAWU/wKypmi5IpH8/s320/Image157.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369262725779286658" border="0" /></a><br />not so good examples are Lemony Snicket (whose reading style has been described to me as someone utterly bored with reading his own stuff --and i did fall asleep while listening to his reading of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Miserable Mill </span>from "A Series of Unfortunate Events.") and possibly any author who's penned those entrepreneurial bestsellers or self-help titles (who fail to translate their enthusiasm from print to audio)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/SoN0pjL8xmI/AAAAAAAAAWs/gssImPiAiks/s1600-h/Image164.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/SoN0pjL8xmI/AAAAAAAAAWs/gssImPiAiks/s320/Image164.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369263437924583010" border="0" /></a><br />hence, hiring actors who have (preferably) done voicework. Tim Curry tops my list (hello, Mr. Nigel Thorneberry, or is it Dr. Frank N Furter?) as the narrator of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Hostile Hospital</span> by Lemony Snicket (I actually wanted to finish the whole audiobook in one sitting, never mind if it took hours)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/SoN0qQkiwTI/AAAAAAAAAW8/AiFmKBjY0fE/s1600-h/Image159.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/SoN0qQkiwTI/AAAAAAAAAW8/AiFmKBjY0fE/s320/Image159.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369263450107330866" border="0" /></a><br />Miranda Richardson (the Missus from <span style="font-style: italic;">Chicken Run</span>! the Queen of Hearts from <span style="font-style: italic;">Alice in Wonderland</span> --and let's not forget that b*tchy terrorist in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Crying Game</span>) is nearly toe-to-toe with Tim Curry in the vocal characterization department. I love how she brings Horrid Henry (scheming and somewhat misdirected) and Perfect Peter (whiny and weak) to life.<br /><br />the sprout has his favorites too: from a spectacularly-read Anthony Horowitz's <span style="font-style: italic;">Granny;</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/SoN0p_jpcKI/AAAAAAAAAW0/fjx54kuchv0/s1600-h/Image163.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/SoN0p_jpcKI/AAAAAAAAAW0/fjx54kuchv0/s320/Image163.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369263445540171938" border="0" /></a><br /><br />to the imaginative Dick King-Smith's <span style="font-style: italic;">The Crowstarver<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/SoNz_SN0x-I/AAAAAAAAAWE/Q_cURMvkkfo/s1600-h/Image154.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/SoNz_SN0x-I/AAAAAAAAAWE/Q_cURMvkkfo/s320/Image154.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369262711814539234" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Runners-up are Anthony Horowitz's <span style="font-style: italic;">Stormbreaker</span> (Alex Rider rules for the sprout);<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/SoN0pa0SabI/AAAAAAAAAWk/9fYw-T7bjpw/s1600-h/Image165.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/SoN0pa0SabI/AAAAAAAAAWk/9fYw-T7bjpw/s320/Image165.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369263435677854130" border="0" /></a><br />and the somewhat funny <span style="font-style: italic;">Viking at School.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/SoN0AuQPEII/AAAAAAAAAWc/bLeQ9op8lBY/s1600-h/Image158.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/SoN0AuQPEII/AAAAAAAAAWc/bLeQ9op8lBY/s320/Image158.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369262736520712322" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />I've yet to give this a listen, it's still in its cellophane wrapping. But I like Sue Townsend's wry wit (<span style="font-style: italic;">The Queen & I</span> and the <span style="font-style: italic;">Adrian Mole</span> series) so what's the harm?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/SoNz-3G_Q4I/AAAAAAAAAV8/Qm7b4CiA3Bw/s1600-h/Image153.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iUVYVaxkDlI/SoNz-3G_Q4I/AAAAAAAAAV8/Qm7b4CiA3Bw/s320/Image153.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369262704538108802" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com