abspeak

S.O.S. for Southern Luzon

2006-12-06T11:44:00.000+08:00

we interrupt this blog's sabbatical for an important announcement...

Typhoon Reming has left death and destruction in its wake. Many
families have lost their homes and property after a series of
mudslides and flash floods struck their villages. Schools and other
makeshift centers are now crammed with thousands of evacuees with no
other place to stay. They are in dire need of your help. You may send
you donations to the Philippine National Red Cross through: Metrobank
Port Area Branch

1) Peso Account
Account name: The Philippine National Red Cross
Account number: 151 – 3 – 041 – 63122 – 8 – MBTC

2) Dollar Account
Account name: The Philippine National Red Cross
Account number: 151 – 2 – 151 – 00218 – 2
Swift Code: MBTC PH MM

B. Globe G-Cash
Just text: DONATE <4-digit MPIN>
RED CROSS then send to 2882

C. Globe Donate-A-Load
Just text RED then send to 2899

Try option C--it's very convenient. manila was spared but now it's time to share especially since christmas is just around the corner.

boobtube boycott?

2006-08-11T10:30:00.000+08:00

i've noticed that i've been watching less tv these days. i'd rather read or do the crossword (am not into sudoku--hate numbers anyway) the only times i turn on the boob tube are to watch the following:

+nip/tuck it had its 3rd season finale last sunday and i'm glad it wasn't much of a cliffhanger. finally they revealed who the gruesome "carver" is. i had an inkling before who but there was an added twist i didn't see coming. i love this show--it's very provocative, intelligent and disturbing--not a relaxing sunday night show but quite addicting. bernz got hooked na starting this season and if you want to start making this show a habit, season 1 starts on axn on monday, august 14 at 11p.m.

+philippine idol we've been religiously watching the show(auditions pa lang at this point) and i don't find it a copycat at all. it's quite entertaining. the real strength of american idol aside from the singing is the stories of the contestants behind it and the pinoys certainly don't lack in this department (even in talent, of course) the judges (francis m, pilita and ryan cayabyab) though kinder than their american counterparts have the credentials to be on the panel. ryan (agoncillo, not seacrest) is an effective host, too. we were shocked not only by the talent but how wacky the contestants get just to be chosen. this weekend, it's the davao audition. do give it a try...

so while waiting for the next season of nip/tuck, (bernz is waiting for the next project runway) our sunday nights will be solely devoted to philippine idol, i guess. we're also looking forward to season 2 of prison break (which technically is already set out of prison)--i hope the story doesn't suffer. there's a sophomore curse like what we're seeing with desperate housewives. i've stopped watching lost because the plot is dizzying (and going nowhere? jj abrams, will this be an alias part2?) we might start on grey's anatomy and kitchen confidential soon. the shows i'm rewatching are sitcoms:seinfeld (never get sick of the gang), coupling (labeled the british sex and the city--it's a riot) plus the favorite in our office, arrested development (tv's most dysfunctional family--i can't believe this show got canceled!)

hmm...i guess i'm watching a lot of tvrin pala...except some are on my computer screen. ahh, you gotta love technology...

onli in da pilipins...

2006-07-27T10:09:00.000+08:00

on the news last night, typhoon glenda's aftermath was shown in the low lying and perenially flood prone area of malabon. a couple was interviewed while rowing on a boat:

reporter: "sawa na ba kayo sa baha dito sa lugar inyo?"

couple: "SAWANG-SAWA NA!"

and here's the kicker....they both break out into a smile!

are you still wondering why we're still high on the happiness index?

5 down, 5 to go...

2006-07-13T11:58:00.000+08:00

I found travel+leisure magazine's annual lists on someone else's blog today...

2006 World's Best Cities:
1 Florence, Italy 87.09
2 Rome, Italy 86.15
3 Bangkok, Thailand 86.11
4 Sydney, Australia 85.94
5 Chiang Mai, Thailand 85.62
6 Cape Town, South Africa 85.39
7 Buenos Aires, Argentina 85.03
8 New York, USA 84.75
9 Beirut, Lebanon 84.38
10 San Francisco, USA 84.29

so far i'm lucky to have been to 5 cities on the list: new york and san francisco when i was ten (g.i.joe and thundercats pa lang mundo ko nun so i didn't care much for anything else), rome last year on a pilgrimage with my folks and sister plus sydney and bangkok for my honeymoonie early this year.

i haven't been to florence but since it's in italy i'm sure it's beautiful. if italy were personified, she would be a classic beauty like monica belucci (plus twenty years pa). i totally agree with rome being there, it's really the eternal city...your mouth will be eternally gaping with such history. sydney has its great harbor, natural beauty, great food plus the ozzies' "no worries" laidback attitude. bangkok is a great sensory overload plus it's affordable--your peso really goes far.

tomorrow (weather permitting, fingers crossing) bernz and i will be spending her birthday (on sunday) in a new city--puerto princesa in palawan. abangan nyo na lang blog ko about the country's last frontier.

i leave you with another list (i haven't been to any of them but maybe i'll insist they add palawan to the list when i get back)...

World's Best Island:
1 Bali, Indonesia 88.48
2 Kauai 86.47
3 Maui 86.21
4 Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia 85.97
5 Mount Desert Island, Maine 84.90
6 Tasmania 84.88
7 Hawaii 84.72
8 Galapagos Islands 84.69
9 Santorini, Greece 84.17
10 Phuket, Thailand 84.06

a pine city

2006-05-18T15:27:00.000+08:00

there's still no place like baguio! everyone waxes sentimental when they think of baguio (which in my book is still THE summer capital of this country) and when you come back you can make new memories. the flowers...the fresh fruits and veggies...the pine trees...the cool air...cafe by the ruins, john hay, even the ambience at sm city baguio is different. despite the pollution and overdevelopment, her charm still remains.

we hied off to the summer capital during the long labor day weekend with my folks who were celebrating their 45th anniversary plus my mom's birthday. bernz and i enjoyed having a much deserved respite from work. it's great to just admire nature, hugging a tree, jogging with the fresh air in john hay, savoring fresh salads and enjoying hot tea with the nippy weather. thanks mom and dad for inviting us. we really needed it plus it was great bonding with you guys. salamat gid!

oh yeah we finally got a digicam just before holy week. a canon ixus 60. yahoo! we're in the digital age finally! we wish we could redo our honeymoon coz our pix on our analog camera weren't too nice. oh well, towel...

discovery weekend

2006-05-15T11:22:00.000+08:00

the sun may have evaded us this weekend with my tukayo caloy bringing summer to a halt. however it was a great weekend for me and bernz as we made some great discoveries...

+SHANG CINEMA. i reconsidered my earlier plan to boycott tom cruise's M:I:3 over his annoying tomkat antics and boy was i glad i did. the movie was a great two hours of escapist heaven. the storyline was simple yet the execution and the action scenes were great. michelle monaghan and maggie q were more than just eye candy and in general, the whole cast was great--even tom. kudos to jj abrams who made it feel like "alias" during its heyday. what made the experience even more enjoyable was we were watching it at shangri-la plaza's cinema. it was my first time to watch in since they majorly renovated it. the screen was clear and big, (makes me wonder how big the imax in mall of asia would be) it wasn't too crowded, the seats were comfy especially for the neck and the legroom was very spacious. just choose your movie well as it can set you back 170 bucks. i only wish that holy kettle corn was available coz it would've been perfect with the movie.

+CHOC.NUT. at sm makati there's this tsokolate batirol cafe that i've been curious to try out and i finally did yesterday. for 55 bucks you can have great tasting pinoy tsokolate made the old style. had a brownie with walnuts to go with it and for 20 bucks it's a steal! they also serve other pinoy food to go with that cup of heartwarming hot choco. next time, i plan to try the suman and mangga and chorizo hubad (like how they do it at home in bacolod) with rice. if you're sick of coffee, this is worth a try especially with the rainy days. it's a great place to relax after scouring the neighboring surplus shop's great bargains.

+LOTUS SPA. thank god bernz had to go to a video editing studio on perea street in makati this weekend. we stumbled on this little piece of eden called lotus with their tagline "my massage place." its main pull is that almost all their massages cost 350. wow bacolod spa prices in the heart of makati! for the price, the ambience was really nice and relaxing. the thai decor, the dimly lit setting, soothing music and the great foot massage on a comfy chair had me dozing off in no time. i had originally wanted to try their thai massage (they have 3 kinds--traditional, royal and a combination of the two called wat po--hmmm interesting) but the masseuses who specialized in this type of massage were all busy so we got an aromatherapy massage instead. this one costs 450 but we were very happy with the strokes and the oil. as i mentioned earlier, we had a 30 minute thai foot massage for 175 only (it's cheaper when paired with a body massage) we'll certainly be back for more in this well kept secret spa in makati.

+PIZZA HUT. i was never a fan of pizza hut or their pizzas--except in college when they had that eat all you can for 79 bucks promo. i'm really a thin crust shakey's sorta guy. however me and the missus discovered that you can have a great meal in pizza hut WITHOUT pizza. if you haven't eaten there in a long time, you'll be happy to know that their menu is more diverse now.

the service isn't fastfood too as they've become more of a casual dining place. the service is very attentive. while waiting for our meal, they served us breadsticks with sour cream plus they gave us a tic-tac-toe toy to play with. the bread sticks weren't great but it was the thought behind it that we appreciated. we had a tomato and cream penne and barbeque ribs with rice and it was satisfying for the price.

the mind of a married man

2006-04-20T19:21:00.000+08:00

WEDDING POSTSCRIPT
like any other groom, i'm glad that the wedding's over. phew! in contrast, bernz misses planning the details, the OC creature that she is. in hindsight it was really one of the happiest days anyone can have. you are just beaming the whole time plus you feed off everyone's genuine happiness as well. what struck me was how the ceremony went by so quickly. the reception was great but the sad thing is you don't have time to mingle with all the guests or enjoy the food for that matter. oh well, such is life. at least i conquered my chandler (bing of "friends") smile curse at least for that night. i could actually smile...amazing!

everything just went as planned and even the things that didn't (like our first dance/dunce) you can laugh about and have good memories. thanks to everyone who came and were a part of our special day. we're happy to hear people had a great time with the food (buti kayo naka-kain!:-) and the tropical ambience that we originally planned. glad that it wasn't one of those formal and stodgy weddings but an intimate, fun and kalog one that showed the real us. anywayz here are some wedding pix on the flickr badge on the right to whet your appetite. i only uploaded a few pix on flickr but don't worry friends, i'll e-mail you much, much more photos to be hosted on yahoo soon.

THE NEWLYWEDS (no apologies to jessica and nick)
time does flies. it's been three months already since that fateful day in january. everything's just great with me and my wifey bernz. we are relishing the fact that we're no longer 40 kilometers apart from each other. we love planning our weekends now coz basically we can go anywhere and do anything we please! plus we get to pester each other everyday...haha. we enjoy being each other's sabads (Ilonggo for pest) thankfully though, it's been a very easy adjustment period--the effect of being a decade-old couple no doubt.

once in a while it still strikes us na "i can't believe we're married already!" coz i guess we're still at the proverbial honeymoon stage. even if we don't wear our wedding rings everyday (being the unconventional couple that we are) we don't need to be reminded that we're hitched. i also don't yell "GONZALEZ!" to bernz as much to remind her of her new last name. we've also gotten used to calling each other's in-laws "mom" and "dad" which weirded us out at the start. as of now not much bills to pay yet plus no kids to feed yet (just our naturally takaw selves muna) but soon when we move to our own place we'll meet the likes of meralco, pldt and others. real life na kumbaga at least we can decorate our own home and finally use the wedding gifts we've received (thanks everyone!) am sure our moving out will be very blog worthy. abangan...

I'D RATHER BE IN... (why mind travel is cheaper)

2006-04-19T15:22:00.000+08:00

help! i just wanna travel and not work!!!

blame it on the great honeymoon we had in sydney and bangkok.

blame it on bernz, my wife and the best travel companion (except when she just dozes off inside a moving vehicle--the "koala bernz" syndrome) we love discovering new flavors together, checking out what's in the supermarkets abroad and just plain enjoy every moment.

blame it on bee-yoo-tiful sydney--i'm in love with her and remain enamored (sorry bernz it's nothing personal--it's ok she understands and shares my love of that city too)

damn! what is it with vacations--they're always too short!

since i'm stuck on my desk at work and astral projections aren't my thing, i'll just have to resort to letting my imagination go on vacation...

I'D RATHER BE IN...

SEOUL...having some bulgogi with pajeon (korean pancake with leeks) in itaewon

PARIS...enjoying a romantic Seine River cruise with Bernz seeing Paris at night...spending the whole day in the Louvre (didn't get to do this kasi)

CEBU...relaxing on the beach of shang mactan and sip buko juice in the infinity pool...have a great massage in meddah spa in crossroads and have some cheap yet yummy dim sum at Harbor City

BANGKOK...having a thai massage...munching on some cheap yet really good phad thai in MBK food court...oh yeah and the tom yum soup too!

BAGUIO...truly enjoying a hot barako at Figaro in SM City Baguio amidst the cool weather...having a healthy lunch at Cafe by the Ruins...hiking in John Hay...munching on some alfajor and peanut brittle from Good Shepherd

BACOLOD...savoring home cooked meals like kadios and laswa at home plus eating anything at Imelda's :-)...having dulce gatas, panara, empanada and guapple pie in Silay...bathing in one of Mambucal's seven falls

ROME...trying different flavors of gelato while enjoying the eternal city's equally diverse sights--Colloseum, Vatican City churches and Monument to Victor Emmanuel--totally jawdropping

TAGAYTAY...having some hearty pumpkin soup in Bag of Beans with their house bread, enjoying the many wonders of Tagaytay Highlands and just enjoying the view from the ridge

BORACAY...just having my feet feel the powdery soft white sand is enough...(ok plus enjoying the blue skies and blue waters and the seafood at the talipapa)

SYDNEY...having some lamb chops, barramundi and baby octopus salad...enjoying a ferry ride to Manly Beach with views of Harbor Bridge and Sydney Opera House...and munching on some TimTams too...just enjoying modern Darling Harbor and the quaint Rocks

ahhh...that was good for the soul. now back to earning some dough for some real vacation someday...

my last blog entry!

2005-12-14T11:48:00.000+08:00

...for the year lang. hopefully i get back in better writing shape next year.

i thought it best to end this year with a yearended since it's high time to bury my blogger's block and to give in to my loyal fan's requests (kapal ba?) here goes...

2005...a year of new adventures and experiences...

+ i revisited cebu, the queeen city of the south one of my favorite cities in this country and had a great time snorkelling in shang mactan (i found nemo!) and went parasailing--for twelve minutes i was up in the sky with biyahilo and praying i wouldn't throw up or else the wind would blow the puke in my face (haha. sorry for the gross mental picture)

+ i discovered bohol, the newest tourism gem in this underrated country of ours. twas great to see a province that was clean, green and eco-friendly (man-made forests, chocolate hills, the cute big-eyed tarsiers and lunch and cruise on the clean loboc river) i didn't get to see any beaches in panglao but with the day trip itself, i could say bohol was worth all the hype.

+ i returned to hong kong, my first time since i was nine. it was great to marvel at its first world efficiency and commercialism. every block is a mall! exag. it's still the best place to get good dimsum though. tried this leek dimsum and banana fritters. made a sidetrip to macau to see something cultural but let's just say i enjoyed my bohol daytrip more.

+ in a typical photofinish manner, i was able to go to europe on a pilgrimage for 21 days. europe is really something else! words are not enough to describe its old world feel. i savored the sights, food fresh air though and turned a blind eye to the first world prices. we traveled to italy, spain, france, andorra (a mini-switzerland), monaco and portugal. we saw a lot but rome is definitely on the top of my list with its never ending supply of jaw dropping sights. the churches are something else too--galit sa detalye! we were always craning our necks. i've never seen so many tourists and graffitti in one place plus the best gelato. one wonders why the italians aren't fat despite the high carb pizza-pasta diet they have. well the stray cats in rome were the fattest i've seen (think garfield feasting on lasagna everyday) paris is a close second for its romantic feel and well planned cityscapes. we took the freezing (3 degrees) seine river cruise and went under bridges and saw for ourselves why it's called the city of lights. eiffel in love with paris. hehe. pardon the pun. strangely, the french were on their best behavior--they were nice! the italians are noisy (like the pinoys) and some are brusco (hong kong during the british colony years) but the spaniards were the warmest. As for the food, you really miss pinoy food but thankfully we had a lot of rice encounters during the trip. i missed century tuna and corned beef. twas definitely an experience of a lifetime!

+ and of course the biggest adventure of the year was me kneeling down in a karaoke bar and proposing to my dear and discovered why wedding planning is definitely for the girls. haha. but in fairness it's nice to plan your own wedding and get involved. it's an experience that should definitely happen only once in your life so try to enjoy it kahit wala kang maintindihan sa sinasabi ng gown designer at fiance' mo. exactly one month to go before the big day and a whole new adventure awaits us...

so i gez despite all the garci-ate glue brouhaha and the spiraling oil prices, evat, i gez i have a lot to be thankful for. including you guys, my friends and family who've cajoled me to continue blogging.

till 2006! happy holidays everyone!

blinded by the sun

2005-03-30T17:24:00.000+08:00

no, no this isn't about some summer escapade.

this year's easter sunday witnessed a different kind of resurrection. my semi-old siemens phone was injected with new life (or a new sim card, to be exact) as bernz and i finally set out what what we have been planning for weeks. after she got a new plan and phone from globe, we bought sun cellular sim cards to avail of their call and text to sawa buffet service. a sense of de ja vu overcame me as i reverted back to my old prepaid life of scratching cards, loading numbers and checking balances. before buying the 250 peso (soon to be 350) which lasts for a month, we decided to try out the 100 peso card first which is good for a week (actually ten days) to test the waters, err-- sun pala. we also got a free cd of rapper/sun endorser jay-r. the songs are actually very catchy and we didn't mind being subjected to that brainwashing. twas a great marketing gimmick, we both concurred.

so what's it like being on the network of the country's mobile upstart? on the first night, i felt like throwing my phone out of the window. instead of unlimited calling and texting, it was more of an endless slew of "network busy" and "connection failed" messages. this was already at 10pm, mind you. i felt duped (thus the title of this entry.)

as they say, things look better in the morning. when the sun was up (yes, pun intended) calling and texting was a great improvement. it turns out that the congestion usually happens at night. today i'm well adjusted to the network (including the mandatory dropped call upon reaching 15 minutes of talk) i also expected their signal would be weak but it's actually good. my mind also gets to be sharpened with the constant juggling between my nokia and siemens phones. all in all, it's just great to have a quality conversation in the morning without wondering about call duration and cost.

now i'm blinded by the benefits of being on sun cellular. if they need testimonials, i'm ready, willing and able :-)

random sunday thoughts

2005-03-21T12:01:00.000+08:00

i join the nation in grieving the loss of manny "pacman"/ "manila ice" pacquiao at the hands of the el terible erik morales. the mexicans may have won the bout pero i think natalbog natin sila with lani misalucha's rendition of the national anthem at the mgm grand in las vegas. a lot of people felt proud to be pinoy at that moment and even the host said that was a great national anthem (kahit wala siyang naintindihan)

******************

it was another " i feel old" moment sunday when i attended the post graduation slash 18th bday party of my eldest nephew jake. i remember being a first time tito to this really cute and tisoy kid who would call me "tito caca." we used to watch ghostbusters and ninja turtles together back in the late80s. now he's taller than me, smokes, has earrings and he's off to college. such is the cycle of life. congrats and good luck, jake! do us proud over there in taft. ingat sa mrt/lrt at sa mga colegiala hehe. :-)

tv scribbles

2005-01-20T13:10:00.000+08:00

here's a list of some shows i enjoy watching right now--not only on the boob tube but also on my pc screen since my officemate just downloads the latest shows from the states. ahh the beauty of technology...

alias-season 4 of the most incredulous spy series ever with jennifer garner resumes and you can see the effort jj abrams is making to bring back this series back to its first season golden age.

desperate housewives- america's second highest ranking show next to csi (of which i dunno i didn't get hooked) comebacking actresses terry hatcher of lois and clark, marcia cross of melrose place and nicolette sheridan of knott's landing (sooo 80s!) team up for this mystery/comedy dwelling on the lives of suburban housewives. this is a big hit in the office and it won best comedy in the recent golden globes. worth watching too is ooh-la-lah-latina eva longoria. insert whistle here (i don't know how eh)

nip/tuck - this engaging drama series on the twisted lives of two plastic surgeons with a bit of dark comedy is great sunday night tv fare (10pm on etc) and has rightfully bagged the golden globes for best drama series. i consider it a less morbid six feet under.

lost- another jj abrams creation which focuses on the lives of people stranded on an island in the pacific (no this isn't survivor!) after a plane crash. how does jj abrams think of all of these storylines!?!

********************

it goes without saying (but i'm going to anyway) that my favorite reality show is the amazing race now on its sixth season. i guess what makes this show great is that it allows you to see places that you never dream of going to (or it's not the usual touristy places) take for example, ethiopia whose image, i think, has improved thanks to its exposure on the show. from what i've seen it looks like a new zealand in africa with its greenery and really warm and friendly people. even the international airport in addis ababa makes naia 1 look fourth-world! i hope ate glo can really open naia 3 by june. pero maybe our country's exposure in the last season had that similar effect on other people abroad.

mano po (the wedding)

2004-12-14T19:06:00.000+08:00

the other night i attended my second chinese wedding ever. it's always a delight to go because it's a cross-cultural experience in itself. You learn some new traditions...not to mention partaking a great lauriat at century seafoods! the thing with chinese weddings is that the mass is at 2pm while the reception is at 7pm so you'll notice that the crowd swells at dinner time. the weird and long interval in between is supposed to be a tea ceremony with the in-laws but nowadays the couple just rests at the hotel prior to the reception. what i love about this event is that you don't have to dress up. the first time i attended i wore a barong and i felt so overdressed. my chinese friends weren't kidding when they told me to dress simply lang.

the reception started with a very talented chinese host who had a pang-broadcaster quality voice of ted failon and the singing prowess of basil valdez. he sang both english and chinese songs. free entertainment is provided by the equally talented friends of the bride and groom who belt out the usual wedding songs like "minsan lang kitang iibigin", "ikaw" ,etc. as you wolf down your peking duck (syempre removed the skin) and hot prawn salad.

i guess what made this wedding unforgettable for me was the fact that unfortunately i was the guy caught holding the garter when the music ended for all the bachelors. i had to play a game blindfolded wherein i had to choose a girl based on their answers. parang it's a date na show back in the '90s. well it was a fun experience naman and it wasn't too embarassing coz i only knew of less than five people in the crowd. as good karma, i got the ubiquitous red envelope (aka ampaw) with 800 bucks inside for my embarassment! i learned that inside the ampaw the amount should be an even number. hey, i like this tradition! haha. pambayad rin yan sa doctor for my follow up appointment with my cardio the next day.

(postscript: my bp is back to normal now thanks to my anti-hypertension drug although it makes me feel dizzy sometimes. i'm also working out in a brand new gym that opened in the condo last week so here's to a healthier holidays and year ahead. )

furcoat in cubao anybody?

2004-12-14T13:19:00.000+08:00

yes! for all you people looking for the above mentioned product it can be found in a store in cubao--not in some ukay-ukay store but in gateway mall, the metro's newest mall (at this rate we should change the capital city's name to Mall-ila!) bernz and i scoured the araneta center's attempt at an upscale shopping mall and we were pleasantly surprised. it had a podium meets greenbelt feel. the interiors were very stark plus the center had this giant palm trees and zen garden in the center. you couldn't believe that you were in cubao (except when you glance outside the windows) with all the high end stores selling of all things-- a fur coat! imelda marcos, this is your place.

i guess the top reason for going there is to try taco bell and while i loved the chicken quesadillas, the tacos and burritos were so-so. (mexicali pa rin. their veggie burrito rocks!) the cinema lobby had a very colorful and stateside feel. some cinemas would have la-z boy chairs so it's worth trying out. may bagong hang out na ang mga tambay ng cubao para magpalamig! http://www.gatewaymall.com.ph

salt bitch diet

2004-11-26T21:03:00.000+08:00

it's official. i'm hypertensive.

my very good doctor told me that there are two types of hypertension: essential (cause unknown) and secondary (due to heart, kidneys or thyroid glands.) after checking the above mentioned organs it was discovered that they were functioning well (except for one of my kidneys which had a stone na pala but up to this day i haven't felt any symptom.) which meant that i had essential hypertension where it's anyone's guess as to why i have that condition. oh well, at least my heart and kidneys are healthy, as my sunshine bernz has told me.

the usual comment from people when i tell them this bit of information was that "Ang bata mo pa..." my state of mind is different. at this rate i'm lucky to get an early warning to straighten out my life coz health is really wealth. so this week i've been exercising more and making more healthy choices (less salt and more salads) what's making my food choices even harder is that my uric acid levels have gone up and makes choosing food even harder. i really hate the bawal food list for uric acid: legumes, some veggies, seafood, etc. i'd take the cholesterol bawal list
anyday! oh well such is life...

instead of feeling sorry for myself, i actually feel motivated to live a better and healthier life. it's also good to be certain why you feel this nagging presence (not really pain) on my nape. it's better to know.

oh and i guess my blog writing mojo is back so i'm definitely on the road to wellness :-)

bloggers' block!

2004-11-16T14:16:00.000+08:00

this is a term i coined for those times when you want to write on your blog but your creative juices just aren't flowing.

also, this is my alibi as to why i haven't written anything new in the last two weeks.

to my adoring fans (guffaw! :-D)... pray that my mojo comes back soon!

i still owe you a report from my four day whirlwind vacation in bacolod with bernz.

till then, enjoy the new season of amazing race starting tomorrow. in the office, we're actually betting on teams based on their write-up before seeing them on the show. now that's what i call a gamble.

heat me baby one more time!

2004-10-28T11:15:00.000+08:00

ahhhh....

i finally tried what bernz has been raving about since last month. last night i had avolcanic rock massage at body tune in market! market! ahhh....

ok got to snap out of it and be coherent here. you've always seen it on tv and magazines where those black stones are lined on your back but to experience it for yourself is totally different.

the rocks are really hot that you end up pitying your therapist coz she's huffing and puffing and whispering "grabe ang init" and sometimes you will get to feel the heat of the rocks while they are a bit too hot pa. the massage starts with your therapist putting the rocks on a towel that covers your body. then she transfers the heat of the rocks to your body which has been slathered with oil. later, she places the rocks directly on top of your skin and it's guaranteed to melt almost all of your knots/lamig-lamig/nodules. i felt like i was being barbequed on coal with oil but i have no complaints.

the only downside to this massage is that you'll end up sweaty and oily and you can't take a shower until the next day but what the hey! a minor inconvenience for a good night's sleep afterwards.

this massage gets a two thumbs up. i was lucky to get a special promo price. the regular price is at 750 bucks but it's 20% off mondays to thursdays so i ended up paying 600 only. quite a bargain for that hot stuff of a massage. look for cecille and give her a little extra more for her poor pink fingers.

* * *

in other hot news, my favorite reality show amazing race starts airing november 16 in the states. i'm sure studio 23 and axn will not be far off in the telecast here. check out the teams (www.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race6/) whoah! there's a team of married pro-wrestlers. interesting. wonder which part of the globe the race takes them to...

for culture vultures

2004-10-20T10:47:00.000+08:00

bored na ba kayo sa enyong ofesena? bored na kayo sa kakaikot aimlessly sa mga megamalls of manila pag weekend? you might want to try these tours for a different weekend experience. i got this from my e-mail and i wanna share it with you guys who want to see a different side of manila. i went on the intramuros tour before and it was quite refreshing and the tour is funny thanks to the guide carlos celdran.

TOUR OF THE MONTH! CEMETERY CLUB!
Historical Tour of the La Loma, North Cemetery and Chinese Cemetery
Its time to spook yourself silly! Come join me on an afternoon walking tourof the cemeteries of Manila and let's pay homage to several of thePhilippines' most prominent historical figures right where they lay. We'llvisit the final resting places of Katipunan muse Gregoria de Jesus, ManilaMayor Arsenio Lacson, Presidents Manuel Roxas and Sergio Osmena as well asWorld Flyweight Champion Pancho Villa, the Thomasites, Noodle King Ma MonLuk, and National Artist for Architecture Juan Nakpil among many manyothers. It's a Halloween event to simply die for!Meeting time is at 1:00 PM at the Figaro Coffee Shop at the Cultural Centerof the Philippines Parking Lot.Attention. Reservations a MUST! Only 22 slots available on the bus.For those wishing to take your own car - sorry but the tour price will bethe same and I recommend having a chauffer.Parking is a demon around the cemeteries this year.

Dates:October 24 - SundayPhp675.00 (Includes air-conditioned transport to and from the CCP). This iswhy the cost is higher.

WALKABOUT!ALL THE WAY DOWN TO CHINATOWN!
Historical Tour of Binondo and San NicolasRediscover Chinatown!
Let's take a Saturday afternoon stroll and togetherwe'll rediscover the charms of San Nicolas and Binondo. We'll ride a horsedrawn coach and check out Plaza Calderon, Binondo Church, Jaboneros Street,Madrid Street, Zaragoza Street, Sevilla Street, Lavezares Street, OngpinStreet, and the Seng Guan Buddhist Shrine among others as we wander in andout of the buildings and alleyways of one of Manila's oldest districts.Trip ends with a snack on Ongpin Street. Meet at the portico in front ofBinondo Church at 2:30PM. Prepare Php200.00 each for the coach driver.Pay-what-you-wantDates:November 21 - SundayDecember 5 - Sunday

THE REGULAR TOURS:THE NORTH BANKA Shopping Tour of Downtown Manila
Rizal Avenue and the Escolta was Manila's premier shopping district untilthe 1970's when the rise of Makati Commercial Center and the construction ofthe LRT somewhat diminished this distinction. Now part of Manila MayorAtienza's Urban Renewal Program, the area has been cleaned up andrehabilitated as a pedestrian promenade. Most of its mid-20th centuryhistoric charm remains and its still the cheapest place in Manila to buyshoes, hardware, appliances, clothes, sex gadgets, jewelery, pearls, beautyqueen tiaras, voodoo potions, flowers, handicrafts, videos, and electronics. This tour of Manila's more fascinating shops will also be coupled with aside tour of Quiapo Church, the Bahay Nakpil Bautista, the Handicraft Centerunder the Quezon Bridge, and the Quiapo Mosque. Its a walking tour heavy onthe walking part. Dress lightly and wear practical shoes. Meet in front ofthe Calvo Building (Wah Yuen Restaurant) on Escolta at 2:30PMDates:November 20 - SaturdayDecember 4 - Saturday

IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK! Walking Tour of Historic Intramuros
Almost four years running now, its the most popular tour in the selectionand a definite must for beginners in Philippine History. Take a leisurelyafternoon walk along the 400 year old walls and take in a humorous analysisof Philippine art, culture, and society from the Pre-Hispanic and Hispanicperiods. Ironically irreverent yet informative. Meet in front of ManilaCathedral.Please prepare entrance fees to the Casa Manila Museum.Php 40.00 for adultsPhp 15.00 for students.Dates:October 23 - Saturday - This is a morning tour - Meet at 9:00 AM!December 12 - Sunday - This is an afternoon tour - Meet at 2:30 PM!

IT'S NOW CONSIDERED AS ART:If these Walls could Talk is now part of the Cultural Center of thePhilippines Theatre Festival!Call the CCP at 832-1125 to make reservations to attend these tour dates.Tour rate: Php350.00 (Thank the CCP for the discount). Tour time: 2:30PM.Meeting Point: Manila CathedralPlease prepare entrance fees to the Casa Manila Museum.Php 40.00 for adultsPhp 15.00 for students.Dates:November 12 -FridayNovember 13 - SaturdayNovember 14 - Sunday

MARTIAL ARTS! Walking Tour of the Historic Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex
Its a tour all about the Philippines in the 1970’s and the tumultous era ofMartial Law, 18 inch bell-bottoms, and Miss Universe. Its a little bitdisco, a little bit New Society, and completely Imeldific. So come take atrippy trip through National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsins finestbuildings as we analyze one of the most exciting periods in Philippinehistory.Meet at the at the Figaro Coffee Shop beside the CCP at 1:00PM.Please prepare entrance fee to the PICC and Coconut Palace.Php30.00 - PICCPhp100.00 - Coconut PalaceDates:November 6 - SaturdayDecember 11 - SaturdayREGULAR TOUR RATE:So sorry. But I have to raise prices. The cost of gas has gone through theroof.I really do if I have to make it worth being the only job I have.Student rates are the same though.Tour fees:Php400.00 for adultsPhp100.00 for studentsPublic school students and government employees go free.Please call to reserve. The free slots are limited per tour.PRIVATE TOUR RATES:For a group of 5 pax or less (Php600.00 each person) - full fare ofPhp3000.00 for less than 5.6 to 10 pax (Php550.00 each person)11 - 15 pax (Php500.00 each person)16 - 20 pax (Php450.00 each person)21 - 25 pax (Php400.00 each person)26 - above (Php350.00 each person)Student Rate:Php150.00 (Minimum group of 25 pax)

For all reservations, directions, or inquiries:Email: celdrantours@hotmail.comText: 0 926 2597506 to reservePhone: 671-7726

chinks in my armor

2004-10-16T13:36:00.000+08:00

it seems all the kinks in my body are coming out this year. earlier this year my cholesterol and uric acid levels were on the high side thus i had to resort to eating healthier and exercising more. i'm eating more salads while fastfood burgers have become a once-a-month treat.

and speaking of exercising, i strained my lower back while doing some last week. the pain didn't go away so i went to a chiropractor today. it was my first time ever. boy, did he "crack me up" --sarap! the thing is he might suspect that i may have some sort of scoliosis because my fat line on the left isn't aligned to the fat line on the right. (layman's interpretation: my love handles aren't aligned.) so off i went to the hospital for an x-ray after a massage and an electric shock treatment which did help ease the pain.

i was on the way to cardinal santos when i saw the presidential convoy with the mercedes benz with the '1" license plate. ate glo must've visited cardinal sin at the hospital. anywayz there was no parking available so i decided to go to the new medical city instead para may kasamang sightseeing na din. it's quite an impressive edifice. it's like asian hospital in alabang except there are more people. may fountains, greenery and starbucks pa, sheesh.

anywayz i'll get my results next week. man, do i feel like an oldie-moldie dealing with cholesterol and back pain at such a young age...or maybe (gasp)...could it be...that i'm getting old? lol.

christmas is in the air

2004-10-11T18:56:00.000+08:00

a sure sign of christmas is when they play that annoying jose mari chan christmas song in sm to pressure buyers to start their xmas shopping early.

"let's sing merry christmas and a happy holidays/this season may we never forget the love we have for jesus"...

i hope it won't be christmas-like chaos this friday when both megamall and galleria have their late night madness sales.

postcript to amazing race 5

2004-10-07T13:57:00.000+08:00

the latest installment of the amazing race has ended and i think it did put our country in a good light especially the el nido part. basing it also on the comments of people who've been here and shared their experiences in the cbs website http://www.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race5/extras/been_there/index.shtml

also here's an interview of the amazing race winners chip and kim from the inquirer. they were the team i was rooting for but i have to give it to the second placers colin and christie. they were the most competitive team in the race ever. but enjoy your humble pie, guys hehe...

At Large : Chip and Kim: Real winners
By Rina Jimenez-David
Inquirer News Service

ANY day now, Season 6 of "The Amazing Race," which bested older and better-rating "reality" shows in the last Emmy Awards, will open with a whole new set of contestants, a whole new itinerary and new challenges.

Producers, though, are keeping mum about any possible innovations they might introduce, like the infamous "Yield" that made the final episodes of "AR5" so exciting. There still isn't any word, either about the destinations the teams might be visiting. If you will recall, Filipinos followed Season 5 with feverish devotion because the Philippines was included in the itinerary, and as it turned out, the episodes shot in Manila, Cavite, Laguna and Lagen Island in El Nido, Palawan were some of the most intense and tension-filled during the entire season.

As everyone who followed the last season--as well as those who merely followed the reviews--must know by now, the winners were Chip and Kim, a married couple who live in California with their three children. Jovial and helpful, and ever-appreciative of the sights and the people they encountered in their race around the world, these "married parents" topped the on-line popularity polls among viewers with 88 percent of the votes. That they ended up beating the super-competitive team of Colin and Christie must surely have gladdened the hearts of many viewers!

Yesterday, courtesy of ABS-CBN Studio 23 (thank you, Amy Mosura!) and Buenavista Television in the US, I got a chance to briefly interview Chip and Kim by phone. Though the connection was spotty at times, the couple's high spirits and positive vibes came through strongly.
* * *
"WE MUST definitely return to the Philippines!" Chip boomed when I asked him his impressions of the country. "The people are so friendly, and El Nido is the most beautiful island we have ever seen." He added that he and Kim had been to many beach destinations, even before they joined Amazing Race, but none was as enjoyable and "extremely beautiful" as Lagen Island.

Chip also expressed his "appreciation" of the drivers in Manila, noting that while "I had never been scared of dying" during the entire race, "the taxi and jeep drivers of Manila were certainly energetic," and whizzing through the city's chaotic streets was itself an experience.

While Kim knew that the petite young woman who welcomed them at the Coconut Palace was Luli Macapagal Arroyo, the President's daughter, Chip confessed that "I never found out who she was until we were already back home. I'm upset that I wasn't told who she was."

"You see," Chip explained, "we agreed that I would do all the physical challenges so that Kim could do the thinking, the strategizing and relating to the other teams and production staff. I must confess that I wasn't even aware of what was happening half the time."

Only now, Chip and Kim admit, are they aware that, outside the US, "Amazing Race" rates highest in Canada, New Zealand/Australia and the Philippines. They expressed appreciation to their Filipino fans.
* * *
DURING the penultimate episode, at the Malaguena jeepney factory in Cavite, Chip and Kim brought the level of competition up a notch when they used the "Yield" on Colin and Christie, who up till then had dominated the race and arrived first at practically every pit stop. The two Texans, who had been dating for a year when they joined the race, were certainly vocal about feeling "betrayed" by Chip and Kim.

"There's still a certain level of animosity" between them and the Texans, admits Kim. "They were just so intense about the whole thing. From the beginning, Chip and I agreed that we were just going to enjoy ourselves and embark on this adventure, and winning was just going to be the gravy. But Colin and Christie were so focused on the prize money that when they lost, they felt they had ended up with nothing."

Asked who their favorite competitive team was, Kim replied, "Oh, no doubt about it, Marshall and Lance. We always got along very well and tried to help each other as much as we could." The brothers, who got eliminated midway, own a pizza shop in Dallas.

Chip, 46, and Kim, 44, are the oldest participants to win the Amazing Race. "We don't feel old at all," protests Chip, "in fact we feel very young." Though they concede the other teams used their youth and fitness to put themselves ahead in the game, Chip says, "We didn't feel handicapped by our age at all. We decided to play a mental game, to outwit the others and plan better." Not once did they ever feel like losing, they say, "although there were times early in the race when we made pretty stupid mistakes."
* * *
AS THEY promised soon after reaching the finish line, Chip and Kim have "tithed" part of their prize money to their church, the Jubilee South Port. But aside from "Chip having to have his toys for the big boys, like an iPod and a laptop," says Kim, they have decided to set aside the larger part of their $1-million prize money.

Married for over 25 years now, Chip, who owns an Internet company, and Kim, who owns her own information technology recruitment firm, have three children: Elon, 23, Phillip III, 19 and Kristen, 17. Told they're soon to be "empty nesters," Chip joked that he didn't mind this at all. "Don't get me wrong, they're great kids, but we won't stop them if they want to strike off on their own and get on with their own lives."

Doubtless, as they showed throughout the race, Chip and Kim will weather this stage in their life with humor, grace and optimism, proving that they're real winners, not just in a race around the world, competing against 10 other teams, but also in the race of life.

channel surfing on a monday night

2004-10-05T10:51:00.000+08:00

monday nights haven't been the same since they removed frasier, one of my all time favorite sitcoms on star world (and one of the most successful spin-off shows ever.) abc also moved the misadventures of ariel and maverick to saturday so i don't get to watch it na. enjoy pa naman ako sa kababawan ng show na yon. anywayz, here's what was on the boob tube last night....

on diretsahan (the pinoy rip off of jerry springer...gaya-gaya talaga) amy perez interviews one guy who lives with three women (wife and his two kabits) in the same house. monday and tuesday with the misis, wednesday and thursday with number 2, friday and saturday with number 3 and he gets to rest on the sabbath. ok this is such a loser show...next channel....
sex and the city (two seasons behind yata) on rpn where the word "vagina" is censored. hello! it's a part of the body. parang ang senseless ng pag-censor ng mtrcb because people have to be really stupid not to know what they're saying. also a lot of samantha's scenes get cut (hehe wonder why...)
a lot of the newscasts devoted a lot of attention to the death of rio diaz-cojuangco in the states and actually she deserves it. i envy her courage in facing death, never giving up and never questioning God's motives.
on ANC business nightly, the stock exchange is at its best performance in the last four years. boom na ba 'to? asa pa... everyone's penny pinching nowadays. gma's trying her best to solve the budget deficit by getting good people in government like ramon "agimat" revilla. for a supposedly bright economist i think she's much better at politics. still glad i didn't vote for her.
and last on my viewing plate last night i caught bbc's techie show, click online where they featured this interesting site (www.vazu.com) that lets you easily send contact info from your pc to your phone for free (am sure may bayad sa globe) i'll check it out in a while. also they enumerated the following seven deadly e-mail sins...

Ignoring emails
Denying receipt of emails you've actually received because you haven't had a chance to respond
Waffling: writing verbose emails without getting to the point
Blitzing: sending out emails to people who don't actually need to read them, like when you're copied in on company emails that are nothing to do with you
Tactlessness: using the wrong style and tone in your email can cause confrontation
Presuming that just because you've sent someone an email that they're going to read it
Sloppiness and bad use of language

confessions of a spa junkie

2004-10-03T16:24:00.000+08:00

just got myself a much deserved massage in excelsior spa in greenhills and it was great! in this day and age, a massage is no longer a luxury but a necessity. Despite the hard times, pinoys are lucky that a massage is still quite affordable. when i went to korea and i was so tired from all the walking, all these spas were calling out my name but i had to ignore them all. they would've cost me an arm and a leg so i just endured the pain and waited to get a massage back in manila. (my apologies to friends and family abroad who are in the same quandary) i think this is one of the rare third world perks.

anywayz back to excelsior, i got a combination massage for the promo price of 350 bucks (from 1pm to 6pm everyday) and it was well worth it. imagine a combination of shiatsu and swedish for the price of a massage in a bacolod spa. what i like about this place is its homey ambience. a no frills kind of place--they just use efficascent oil which is actually not that bad. also when the massage is over, you don't feel like hurrying to leave. you actually want to stay in the lounge for a while and go channel surfing and read the latest fhm and t3 magazines with a glass of eight o' clock juice in your hand. i used to get a massage at their galleria branch but this branch is bigger and has less customers. what has been consistent ever since is the quality of their massage. bernz, my co-spa junkie attests to this. no matter which therapist you get, they'll all do a good job at rejuvenating your tired body.

other spa-cial mentions....
pag feeling may pera ako (rare) the suriya spa in glorietta is the bomb. for 750 bucks, you get five star ambience. upon entering the spa, the sweet smell of citrus oil or incense welcomes and calms you instantly. even the shower is an experience in itself with those gigantic shower heads. i actually want to steal the shampoo and body gel, hehe. the private room's interiors transport you to thailand --the owner is a thai pala thus the authentic look.

i really miss zen at the fort. up to this very day they had the best chair massage ever.

the thai massage is great at tonton in bf homes (bahay na na-convert to spa) and they have a branch in makati. it's a dry massage on the floor mat and they contort you in ways you've never imagined. worth a try :-) this one's also pocket friendly...275 for one hour in bf and 300 in makati.

recently bernz tried the volcanic rock massage in body tune (also good in thai massage but pricier) in market!market! she says it was quite an experience. it really removed all the knots in the back.

strangely, a massage only feels good when you're stressed or after exercising so try to reward your body once in a while. spa junkie, over and out....

US politics muna...

2004-10-01T11:38:00.000+08:00

caught a glimpse of the first presidential debate in the states this morning. damn! i hope kerry wins. i don't particularly like the present world order under dubya. i've watched fahrenheit 9-11 and even before that i resented bush's arrogance with the unilateral decision to wage war. may nahanap ba kayong weapons of mass destruction? may connection ba si saddam kay osama? tumaas lang ang oil prices thanks to him (he must be earning a quite a fortune now.) i must give props to bush though for his performance in the debate. he was quite an astute politician defending his position on iraq. obvious na sanay na sanay sa debate kahit twisted ang logic. the whole time i watched all the questions were about iraq, the 51st state. as of now bush is still in the lead and i hope things will change...soon. sa bagay, we all thought fpj was invincible. well if all else fails there's always hillary in 2008...

talk about "obscene" phone calls!

2004-09-28T10:55:00.000+08:00

got this from gabby my officemate who got it from reuters (plagiarism ain't cool)...noel ito ba ang project mo dyan sa munich for siemes? :-D

Dial "B" for bad breath
Tue 21 September, 2004 17:34
BERLIN (Reuters) - A German telecommunications company says it is developing the first mobile phone that will alert users when their breath is bad or if they are giving off offensive smells.

The phone will use a tiny chip measuring less than one millimetre to detect unpleasant odours, a spokeswoman for Siemens Mobile said on Tuesday. A research team in the southern city of Munich is developing the device using new sensor technology.

"It examines the air in the immediate vicinity for anything from bad breath and alcohol to atmospheric gas levels," the spokeswoman said. "Some people take smelling good rather seriously."

the things they think of...sheesh!

quick bites

2004-09-22T11:03:00.000+08:00

made some good food discoveries yesterday. since my pal noel and his wife via who are in munich are "hungering for manila", this one's to further whet your appetite...

first, allen popped some bong bong's piaya (pasalubong from a friend from bacolod) in the microwave and what came out was piaya that was hot and much tastier (double superlative na 'to.) all she did was follow the instructions on the pack. i've never done that before although heating dulce gatas (bacolod or silay's version of pastillas in a foil box) in the toaster is quite a heavenly and sinful treat. oh by the way the negros trade fair is coming to greenbelt 1 on october 1. there'll be dulce gatas there for sure. am not sure how my "expat" friends can get that gooey carabao's milk dessert though...

second discovery was courtesy of 7-11 which finally has a branch in ortigas center. wow ang bilis nyo ah (cue the sarcasm here) after mini stop has close to ten branches already. they have two branches on emerald avenue alone. God bless the call center industry for the convenience store boom here. anywayz you've gotta try the spicy hotdog. with drink (dunno kung pwede slurpee) it's just a mere 30 bucks and it's filling. and it's not one of those disgusting red tender juicy hotdogs. they really infused the hotdog with spices and it's got a nice kick to it. (noel, are you "appetite" na? :-)

that's all for now from the convenience store junkie. till the next cheap thrill, eating or otherwise...

market! market! masa! masa!

2004-09-21T10:49:00.000+08:00

bernz and i headed to new mall territory last weekend to ayala land's market! market! in the fort. i felt that since ayala lost in the bidding for greenhills before that this would be their replacement project. oh well, greenhills has nothing to worry about.

it wasn't really a major disappointment though. i'd describe the mall as a hybrid between alabang town center (fountains, playground and fake trees), festival mall (facade and typical mall feel) and those pre-xmas bazaars. basically what was good was the market outside selling regional delicacies (of course bacolod was the first stall. kaon-kaon lang talaga sa amin) and my sister told me there was an outlet of rizal dairy farms. i should try the yoghurt (2 for 50++ said my sis) the smell of barbeque wafting through the air was very appealing. i read that they got concessionaires from dampa in parañaque and bbq from roxas blvd. bernz bought a sandwich from that famous (forgot the name) store selling calf. we didn't really go around the fruit and flower stands. maybe next time. there was also a nice looking trellis resto (of sisig fame) near the fountain (except they have a lousy signage--takes you a minute to find out what resto it was.)

inside there were corners that according to bernz were like divisoria and tutuban-like. the concessionaires weren't full packed and the anchor department store and supermarket (metro gaisano from cebu) weren't open yet. the playground was huge but the deluge of people from taguig was equally overwhelming. syempre opening weekend kami pumunta haha. there were nice shopping finds too since we were searching for xmas shopping ideas already.

before the year ends, gateway (the podium of cubao which will have a taco bell outlet daw) and robinsons pioneer (stopover for traffic-weary drivers on edsa) are opening too.

hay, manila is all about malls. hell, the amazing race should've just hunted for parking space inside megamall on a sunday afternoon! that would've been fun. i can see colin now screaming "i hate you!" to all drivers in the parking lot.

Kamsa-hamnida, seoul!

2004-09-20T15:45:00.000+08:00

i'm blogging again after close to three months of hibernation. my frend (hindi yan typo walang 'i' talaga--it's a k2 thing) berger THE great jose illenberger
http://www.arsenicmedia.com/blog/) has inspired me to relive my blogging days.

i was busy with work the past months (really crazy!) but i finally went on a much needed vacation to the land of the morning calm (that's south korea for geographically challenged people like brandon and nicole of the amazing race) with my folks and sister.

we went to seoul in early august which according to a travel site was the worst time to go coz it was summer. boy was it much hotter there. my first impression of seoul seeing the ultramodern stadium-like incheon international airport (www.airport.or.kr/Eng/home.jsp)
was that it was high tech, efficient and very first world. the streets were free of any traffic jam since during summer the big companies give their employees a week off. sarap no?

i also gathered that the koreans were very nationalistic. i only saw one japanese car over there, everything's either a hyundai, daewoo or kia (saw my first car over there--the kia pride) plus a few bimmers. no nokias over there too. everything's either an LG or a samsung. we stayed at hamilton hotel (great location, lousy aircon and an opened condom wrapper under the bed!) in the itaewon shopping district, where ultimately it was quite pricey pa rin. koreans are not too nice and at the same time not too annoying. they talk ten decibels less than the chinese (mas mabait ang mga mainland chinese though---iba talaga pag third world) and i actually dig korean pop (which is definitely not canto pop or sandara park.)

the english over there was hilarious. parang funny stationery. i bought myself a "sweet pie of screwy shape" at a bakery--basically a twist pastry and in the ultra modern incheon airport there was this sign at a self-service resto: "dishes, please return to here."

the best thing about my trip was the food. sweet, spicy and delicious. among the memorable grub i had...

beef bulgogi mixed with veggies which you can wrap around this minty leaf. interesting!
pajeon (aka korean "pizza"--it's a thin omelette actually with squid and veggies)
bibimpop (it's like korean paella with seafood and the rice was already stuck to the pan's edges)

didn't get to try chapchae (glass noodles) though. apparently low class food lang sya--binebenta lang sya sa market only and not available in the restos where we ate. also tried this local specialty of theirs--ginseng chicken pero twas overrated-- kulang sa lasa. i'd take chicken tinola any day. their biscuits and gum were great too and it was nice visiting the convenience stores.

seoul may have lacked soul but it was a nice opportunity to discover new cultures, food and grammatical errors. hmmm....i think i'm due for a trip to a korean grocery since they're sprouting all over like mini stop franchises...

the minority report (pinoy style)

2004-06-24T15:12:00.000+08:00

i went home at 2 a.m. today. mr. murphy of murphy's law office paid my pc a visit and decided to let some data disappear...grrr. memo to adobe: please translate "illegal operand" into layman's language for us mere mortals to comprehend. oh well look at the bright side--not everything disappeared. it could've been worse.

with my adrenaline pumped, i was in no mood to catch some sleep yet. i turned on the tv and was hoping to catch my current favorite reality show. thank my lucky stars, there it was. live from the batasang pambansa, the plenary session of both houses of congress was taking place to finally put to a vote the canvassing committee's report. the minority did not agree with the majority's report so they came out with their own "minority report." there was a roll call for the members to vote and take to the floor if they wanted to explain why they voted that way. for me, three speakers stood out:

* makati congressman teddy boy locsin he said that "unlike my colleagues in the opposition i know that gma won." i know this guy's allied with binay (campaign manager of fpj) but do you really think someone of his intellectual caliber voted for fpj?

* next was the distinguished congresswoman from ilocos norte who else---imee marcos who acted like a clairvoyant and predicted that the next six years would be doom and gloom for the country and that the majority's railroading of the process was a bad omen, yada-yada-yada. i think she had it confused with her dad's so-called "bagong lipunan" days. we wouldn't be in this deep sh*t if not for your great parents, imee.

* lastly, it was congressman "way kurat" zamora, the un-solon-like of all the crocs in congress. the unassuming congressman of compostella valley in mindanao (where is this? i gotta check) takes a bike to congress, checks on his vegetable garden at the back of the batasan and carried the ballot boxes out of boredom (exasperation?) at the slow pace of canvassing. of course his speech was more of comic relief. "kinakalawang na po ang mga ballot boxes. palitan na natin."

on that note, i long for the day when we vote like we're just betting on the lotto and the winners' names will be published in the papers the next day. something that would have a "minority report"-feel to it. i mean the hi-tech tom cruise movie, not the opposition's version. or should i move to india for this dream to come true? nyar...

the postman cometh (or textedth)

2004-06-23T13:05:00.000+08:00

got a weird text today. i thought it was garbled or something. then i read in the message it was from aboitiz saying that the letter i sent to bacolod was received by this guy at this time (from the date to the exact minute and second) no wonder they asked for my cellphone number when i was filling out the contact details. wala lang. cool. i love it when SMS and the net makes life easier for us. i also love using internet banking for payments and making fund transfers. i've never paid for my credit card bill in the flesh. it's so damn convenient. but it doesn't change the fact that the fathers' day card i sent was still late. hehe...

what am i doing?

2004-06-23T12:37:00.000+08:00

this is so not me. i guess spontaneity has struck! i dunno know what possessed me to start my own blog. i enjoy reading other people's blogs-- from resto and movie critiques to anecdotes but never did it dawn on me that i'd be doing the same...until now.. oh well i guess i now have my own outlet for my random thoughts. this blog's mine! i can talk about whatever i want. put my opinionated self on paper--er e-paper or cyberspace, pala. actually i think i know what prompted me to have a blog. it's a cool distraction from the daily grind. don't get me wrong work's fun and challenging ever since i moved to the other business unit but chasing deadlines has become my newest hobby of late. and speaking of distractions, i gotta go back and finish a website design pitch. see y'all (whoever you are)