morning rush: chico and delamar's top 10

i found another way to distract myself... listening to chico and delamar's top 10.  back in pinas, i've been an avid listener, not to the extent though of sending in entries to their top 10.  on the way to work, i used to tune in to RX93.1 until 9am.  that's the time their show ends.  i remember i was listening to the car radio, then papa would change it to another station coz he says it's all talk, no music. right!  just in time when my fave segment signs in!  yeah, it's all talk coz they discuss the entries... and they're not nonsense at all!  well, it depends on their topic.  hahaha their topics range from the mundane to the deep, as chosen from among their callers.  bespren and i are what they call silent listeners, because we plainly listen to them without sending entries or joining "rushers" events.  

my very own morning rush

i couldn't forget though... one weekday morn, as usual im tuned in to RX.  they have this segment where they call people requested by their listeners and just say hi and good morning.  suddenly... my mobile rang... on the other line is... chico and delamar! huwattttt?!?!?!  all my senses were awaken!  first, im a very lazy person in the morning.  second, i was sooo worried about what to say.. in english - knowing im LIVE on the air!  hahaha and so, they said their cheerful "good morning" while i grasp for words.  i meekly said, hi and mawnin.  they said "your bestfriend asked us to call you to greet you.  she says you're not a morning person.." blah blah.  waaa i feel so starstruck too! hahaha i couldnt believe it!  i was on for a few minutes and said that they made my morning more eventful.  when i got to work, my officemates were like "is that you on air?" hahaha now, im a celebrity - for a moment.  (no) thanks to bespren! hahaha that was just amazing and a picker upper.  in one of their live shows, i even went to burger king in greenbelt and had a book signed by them.  and so now, im trying to rekindle those moments even by listening to their podcast. 

(photo from rxmorningrush.com)

are you a mother or a wife first?

"im a wife first...because only by having a good relationship with my partner can we together create a better environment for our child. "  simply... wise.   the cliche is being a parent first and having your life revolve around your kid.  what we overlooked is that the relationship between a husband and wife is the basic foundation of love to nurture one's child.  this is just a different angle of seeing a woman's role in the family.  

thanks to chico and delamar for such words of wisdom.  hehehe

hana yori dango final

i looooove hana yori dango series. i completed all the season episodes. not surprisingly i had to watch the movie... the story goes with the domyoji tsukasa manning their great empire and announcing to the world his engagement to makino tsukushi. poor makino and family - now the center of the news all over japan - had to adapt to the lavish lifestyle of the domyojis. as pre-wedding gift, makino was given a bejeweled tiara, a prized possession of the domyoji clan. unknowingly, the couple didnt know that this tiara is the way to test their love for each other. traveling to the US in las vegas, to hongkong, to a southern island, the young lovers journeyed together to find the stolen jewel only to discover the real treasure they are looking for is right before them. simple, right. but sometimes, blessings are just too close for the eyes to see, too easy to get to value it's worth. in the end, they realized how much more they love each other because of the ordeals they dealt with. i looooove matsu jun (domyoji tsukasa) with his black wavy hair, kinda pouty lips and strong yet fragile character. i like hanazawa rui's mystery; the support from soujiro and akira also help to complete the formidable F4. damn, these japs are hot! hahaha anyways, in the end, makino and tsukasa bore a child... and that's a wrap!

reminds me of judith mcnaught novels - a more subtle one though - where the guy is very dominant, the girl is meek... at first. and in the middle, their strong characters clash yet beneath what they exude is that sense of vulnerability to the one they love.

awww love.. it feels good to fall in love all over. you never get tired of it, even if you know it just leads you to heartbreak. nyahahaha well, you just don't give up on that coz someday, somehow it will be your turn (to break other's hearts hahaha)

*make love not war*

mamuy: 40 days

miss you mamuy!  we know you're in a much better place and we'll all be seeing each other someday. in the meantime, si mavic na muna ang "bahala sa bahay mo."  =p

natasha richardson's gone too soon

and so another casualty in this film called LIFE... i've only seen her in one movie, Parent Trap, where she played mom to lindsay lohan. pretty, elegant lady, no doubt. more to that, she's wife to liam neeson. i like the guy - i like TAKEN, i like qui-gon jinn in STAR WARS. scouring through imdb, i found that he's also in Love Actually (yeah, i remember), Michael Collins (haven't seen this), Schindler's List, to name a few.

back to the real story... natasha richardson got in skiing accident in the candian resort of mont tremblant. what seemed like a 'tumble' turned into a critical condition.  her sudden death is such a devastating news to her family, friends and to those who look up to her.  you can't control these events and just learn to accept it. more than ever, every little in life is more precious, every time spent with loved ones is more valuable.  all our actions are more driven to make each day lived to the fullest.

gloomy day @ work

and so it's done.  3 people from our division were let go by the company.  it's sudden because they were only told this afternoon that it's their last day.  so, off they went and left with their own stuff.  one of them is a pinoy colleague.  i didnt know what to say to him or how to approach him.  after he was told about the news, he fixed up his things and  there was our boss by his side to get his IDs and keys.  guess i was shaken by the turn of events.  i felt guilty in a way because i've known this will happen.  everyone in our dept knew except him.  i didnt breathe a word to him.  firstly, because i'm not so close to him, plus the fact that my boss told me not to.  so, scout's honor la.  he has his family here - his wife, his son.  i didnt even see his face when he came back to his desk.  no goodbyes, etc.  i can just see him from my peripheral view and didn't offer any support.  argh, how good is that?  i didnt want to show pity as i wouldn't want the same if im in his position.  i believe he'll be fine... eventually, recover from the drastic events.  

honestly, i felt sad yet relieved that it was not me.. yet.  i don't wanna leave the company in that way.  i will go in my own time, my own terms.  i told my brother that if that happened to me, he should come and pick me up here. hahaha  for whatever it's worth, i know that this crisis is hitting closer to home.  gotta pick up the pace even more.

gossip girl is back

"sometimes fate throws two lovers together only to rip them apart"

why oh why do you have to do that?!?!?!  it's just too much to play around with people's emotions.  too much drama eh?  finally, gossip girl is back.  after X weeks, i got to stream the latest episode of season 2.  in spite of the series, trying to have a high school-ish setting, the story is still real - for more adult people hehe it's like melrose place with a vengeance. hahaha

i learned to like blair coz even if she's a biatch, when she cares, she's all heart.  i can't wait for the next episode, especially now that chuck FINALLY realizes who he should give his heart.  it took a wrong girl for him to know that! i know it won't be an easy road for him to win blair back.  he's just gotta put up with the challenge.  go fight and win, chuck bass!

keypad cover for maxxie

i strolled around wanchai window shopping.  went inside 298 to check out some stuff for maxxie.  i have been planning to get him some protection, if you know what i mean.  he's been bare ever since the day i bought him.  so, i got him 1) keypad cover  2) notebook bag  and  3) card reader.   i was excited for him so i let him try them on.  hehehe so for any defects, then i can exchange. 

keypad cover

-->  i first saw this on my friend's ASUS laptop.  it seems easy to use and most importantly covers your keypad from crumbs of food when you eat.  you don't have to worry about those remnants going inside.  

notebook bag

-->  until now, i still use the free bag that came along my MACbook purchase.  now, maxxie should be easier to transport - more protected with pads inside the bag and a strap to carry around.

card reader

-->  to retrieve my files from those different memory card sizes... digicam memory card, DS micro SD, phone mem card, even a sim card! (ohhh no, i didnt buy that one) --- damn, too many kinds! hahaha

adobe photoshop for maxxie

i installed photoshop for maxxie.  i got excited with the idea of playing around with photos, and decided to explore my creative side (if there's any).  bro mentioned some tutorial sites BUT, i have yet to complete my masterpiece.. yeah right!  after browsing thru the site, looking for simple, quick and easy designs, i realized that those pieces of artwork which we think are just so-so, take a LOT of time to create.  the video tutorials last for almost 1 hr!  and of course, i was looking for a touch and go type... sumthin like magic and wallah!  hahaha much to my frustration also, i should know FIRST my tools before actually using them hahaha so much for wanting to impress you guys immediately.  i know it's a loooooong way to go before i can show you anything... know this, im currently in step 4 of 30!  beat that! LOLZ.  

ipod shuffle: 3rd generation

have you seen the latest ipod shuffle already??? i mean, the actual one? i havent yet.  it's soooo small la! smaller than your average USB, i guess.  even smaller than the AA battery!  all right, enough about size.  this tiny player is still a powerhouse with 4GB, 1GB capacity.  added bonus is a voice over - available in 14 languages- to know what song is being played.  beat that! hahaha  the controls are now located in the earphone, except for the power button.  uhm.. ergo, i cant have the option to change my earpiece unless it has the compatible controls?  then again.. another biz strategy for apple to market their own earphones for such purpose?  possible, but we'll see... in the future.  heard apple still has a lot of in store the coming weeks.. new software releases, new gadgets... the turnover is fast.  i must say though, that im still pret-ty tied to my own shuffle.  i like the color (in red), small enough for me, and does its purpose of playing music.  any upgrade, i'll pass... for now.

must.not.be.late

9:02am.... and obviously, im soooo late! sadly, it's my 2nd time in our 30-day work period.  9:04am was my other login time.  it's more strict now with our company, as there will be a warning letter if you have 3 lates.  arghhh i CANT, SHOULDNT, MUSTNT be late!!! i dont wanna be lax in dealing with this attendance thing coz i dont want it to be used against me in any form.  im not pretending to have a squeaky clean timecard .. but hey, strike-3-you're-out is not a nice idea.  so now, i will remember to heed my alarm and wake up.. no more SNOOZING, ayt?!?! 

how to clean a fish

sinigang is my comfort food.  i wanted to do away with pork muna so i thought of fish sinigang - simple, easy to cook. i usually buy it from the market nearby. just point to the fish and they will clean it for you, pay for it and go. no more talkie talk as we won't understand each other anyways. so i went home to prepare ... and to my dismay.. the insides of the fish are still there! so much for service. so i was forced to remove everything that i feel should NOT be there. i wanted to google "how to clean a fish" and check some videos but my hands are too stinky for maxxie. hahaha i removed this yellow mass, uhm is that the waste??? and this inflated plastic balloon-size part. (pardon my ignorance) and washed it VERY well in running water. after i was satisfied, i cut in two and off it goes into the boiling mix. *sigh of relief*

broken strings by james morrison

Broken Strings (feat. Nelly Furtado) - James Morrison


Oh, it tears me up
I tried to hold on but it hurts too much
I tried to forgive but it's not enough
To make it all okay

You can't play our broken strings
You can't feel anything
That your heart don't want to feel
I can't tell you something that ain't real

Oh, the truth hurts and lies worse
How can I give anymore
When I love you a little less than before?

shopaholic morning

it's saturday.  woke up early to catch the first screening of "confessions of a shopaholic" in UA cityplaza, at 9:40am.  AM shows are cheaper at 35hkd and as the day progresses, it becomes not-so-cheap, pricing as high as 65hkd in the evening.  i liked isla fisher in "wedding crashers".  there's something natural in her brand of comedy.  i think she fits to a T as rebecca bloomwood.  her personality as isla seems apt to what her character requires.  however, there's still something off which i can't pinpoint now.  i love to shop.  can't say im a shopaholic coz money is always my issue. hahaha we each have our own sense of fulfillment, sense of high.  whatever that maybe, let's not lose ourselves and take for granted the things that really matter.

cheque this out

i applied for a new account in hsbc (mainly because i'm qualified naman).  i collected my card and along with it is my own checkbook (didn't know it's included)! huwaw!  MY VERY FIRST EVER!  hahaha!  didnt feel the need to have one since coz i think it's for those with lotsa money who are afraid to transact in cash.  hmm.. i can't wait to sign my own cheque! 

heroes... and the like

in this time of crisis, we welcome (rich)people's help whenever they extend one. in forbes 48 heroes of philantrophy, we're honored that a few are pinoys.  huwaw! 

• manny pangilinan - PLDT chairman
  
• ramon aboitiz - aboitiz foundation chairman
  
• henry sy - SM malls magnate
  
• alfonso yuchengco - yuchengco group chairman
  

on the right is li ka-shing, hongkong's richest person, who is also included in the list for giving over $1 billion to charity during his lifetime. his works include donating to the university of hongkong and sichuan quake victims.  

it's endearing to know that they share their blessings in more ways... so i say, carry on!  

mga kababayan ko... 

francis m's untimely demise is still a shock to everyone.  though we know that he's already afflicted with the big C, one can never be prepared for the death of a loved one.  life is really short.  you can never tell when it's your time.  things happen to the healthiest people, what more to those who are sick.  let's just live life as well as we could.  carpe diem!

(photo courtesy of forbes.com)

"no plastic bag day"... everyday

hongkong has launched its "everyday is no plastic bag day" campaign.  it all started with one day a week up to fully implementing the scheme.  i have my own green bag bought from wellcome (grocery) and as much as possible i use it everytime.  first, i'd like to minimize my plastic bag accumulation, thus helping reduce usage altogether.  i fully support and welcome this since i observed that shopping bags are freely used anywhere. even clinics are joining this campaign not to handout plastic medicine bags to patients.  it's a mixed feedback from people saying that there are a lot of more important environmental issues to tackle.  still, big or small, whatever we can do to help, let's just do it.  

ohhh, i remembered, im a member in "no plastic bag" in facebook. 

pichurs

i've been trying to locate my pics.. but got too lazy to locate my digicam cable to download the pics.. im still short of peripherals for maxxie. was able to scour for a few though...

halloween 2008 in lan kwai fong.. of course, we took photo ops with those in costume. kahit sino lang makita namen interesting, pose lang. haha there was this one guy, ala phantom of the opera. he was was about to wear his mask but we all shouted "no mask, no mask!" lolz. too bad, i can't find his picture. eto na lang with the mad hatter. 

jack's birthday, unico hijo of ate ai and kuya j.  supposedly children's party... so here they are.. the kids at play.. 

hmm.. what to do in macau tower..

might as well, just sit down and let the others do it... hahaha 

inside "the venetian"

macau at night

ruins of st. paul

... and the colorful night lights

101... and counting..

well, sana... hehe 

i've been on hiatus for toooo long.. well, i realized this is my 101st post! yay for me hahaha

gotta get back on my feet now.. just wanna give updates .. and see how i've been the past months.  hmm.. i wondered what happened with my life? or me nangyari nga ba? 

October 2008

i forgot what transpired or if anything interesting happened last october.  nothing really, i guess. forgettable, ba.. ohhh, waitttt, i went to singapore! how can i miss that??!?!!? baka magtampo un mga host ko. shout out to anshe, jeff and mon for accommodating me. :)  i went there on short notice lang.. i've been wanting to visit singapore.. see how things are there.  so finally, i just did. i emailed anshe less than a week.. and i told her to make some 'plans' .. and sooo, i arrived at the airport, met with mon.   waited for anshe and jeff at the ferry terminal to bintan, indonesia.  stayed overnight at bintan lagoon and resorts where we did kayaking and go kart.  it was sooo fun! the next day, anshe and mon took ML to accompany me to sentosa.  went to palawan beach .. but i missed the siloso beach.. we also rode the luge twice! no thanks to mon who coerced us kase me promo ata. buti na lang we only had to ride the ala ski lift once. hahaha it helps to ride at night if you're afraid of heights.  i went to bugis street which is like mongkok in hongkong.  saw the esplanade, singapore flyer, and of course the classic merlion.  ate the famous chicken rice in lau pa sat and roamed around clark quay.  all in all, i felt so at home in singapore.  i can go around on my own, not that anshe need to worry.  i would love to visit them again.  they have no choice. haha  super duper thanks to you guys :)

November 2008

i was bent on watching "cinderella" with lea salonga at the helm.  i bought my ticket at the last minute hoping someone can watch it with me.  but then again, not even this circumstance can stop me. i went by myself. yeah yeah, pathetic na!  but i had a good time. wala lang akong mapagsabihan na katabi how proud i am, seeing a fellow pinoy being applauded, recognized, appreciated by foreigners.  lea's proud moment, is mine too (nakisawsaw ba?!) 

December 2008

bought maxxie.  finally, my new macbook! after intense research, comparison between available notebooks in the market.. i decided to switch to a MAC.  what gives?  primarily coz i've been reading not-so-good reviews about vista.  plus, i wanted to try the look and feel of owning a macbook - coz of the OS X, and the prestige that goes along with carrying an apple studded laptop. hahaha i just purchased the lower end unibody 13" macbook 2.0ghz.  

January 2009

went to macau to explore.  havent been here before even if it just takes 1 hr ferry ride.  i wasnt really keen on going coz my fwends say it's just "ok".  not so many places to go to.  still, i wanted to make the most out of it.  went to macau tower first to try to do the skywalk where you will traverse the outside of the tower X storeys high on a harness. but damn! i cant!  i got scared. hahaha plus it's expensive!  i can't even look down the glass floors of the indoor observatory! we just roamed around the deck.. and lo and behold!  2 people had the guts to do bungee jumping! hurrah for them!  went to the venetian macau where we ate late lunch and played few rounds in the slot machine.  dropped by the fisherman's wharf, rode the bus to senado square to see the ruins of st paul.  walked to the area of the casino hotels to take pictures.  they're sooo colorful at night with grand lisboa, hotel lisboa, wynn hotel, MGM as backdrop.  we went inside those hotels just to take a peak, and played slots again.  that's the only thing we can afford.  or if we get thirsty, free drinks in the casino. hahaha lastly, we chanced upon the dancing fountain show of the wynn hotel.  just amazing.  now, i wondered why they say they didnt enjoy macau?

February 2009

was in manila for a couple of days to pay my last respects to my dear mamuy.  wasn't really expecting her death this soon coz she's always been a survivor.  i know she's becoming weak coz of age.  doctors could not find anything wrong with her in the numerous times she went for a checkup.  i guess she just didnt want to become a burden coz she just stayed in the hospital for a few days... and never left.  sabi nga ng uncle ko... "sulit na".. but it still hurts.  i will not be able to tease her about selective hearing anymore.. na pag pera ang pinag uusapan, naririnig nya.. otherwise.. it falls on deaf ears.  hehehe wala ng magbibigay saken ng pocket money everytime i would go back to hk.  wala na ang paborito kong lola. (ako raw kase paboritong apo. hehehe)  hers is a life well-lived.  moreso because a lot of people love her.. and always will.  i will miss you mamuy.  *hugsss*

pics on my next post.. hopefully soon.. 

food scare: campbell soup

another form of food scare that directly hit me is brought by this piece of news below:

"The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will conduct laboratory tests on samples of Campbell's Soup after hundreds of thousands of cans of soup were recalled following complaints of a bad smell.
The Centre for Food Safety advised people not to consume two types of the canned soup in question.
A spokesman of Campbell Soup Asia Limited said it has worked out a refund deal with supermarkets.
Those who have purchased the 405g condensed cream of mushroom soup and the 410g condensed cream of creamy chicken mushroom soup can get full refunds at ParknShop, Wellcome and Vanguard even with no receipt.
The company has set up a consumer hotline 3128 8022 for enquries."

i remembered purchasing 2 cans of Campbell's cream of mushroom soup. (that's me, trying to be domesticated, keeping my own stock of comfort food hehehe) then i happened to read the paper... and so i immediately returned them. and of course, refund! even for a measly $20. hehe i treated myself with mcdonald's. the default alternative. hahaha

cindyrel-lea in hongkong

i first saw this poster in the MTR, traversing taikoo station. i was ecstatic and proud, of course, knowing that a Filipino will grace the theater here in hongkong. so much so, i stared at the poster for a while, feeling a little cultured that instead of a movie poster, i got myself interested in the 'arts' hahaha in fairness to me, i AM interested. it's just that i never got to rationalize spending a $$$ for a musical over a more affordable movie, which i can even get for free (ooppsss) the only plays i recalled watching are those required in school (novels by Rizal), widows orphans wildebeasts (music museum) and miss saigon (yey).

i contemplated watching cinderella in pinas. fortunately, i have another chance here. tickets are reasonably priced @ $180, $290, $490, $690. i would like to watch in the earlier part of their showing (5-16 november 2008). how do i make sure it's lea and not an understudy??? hope ate ai will join me. simple plot, simple story. magic. love. that's my recipe for one great artsy evening.

hmm, i wonder when the next musical will hype me up.. i'd love "wicked" to come to hongkong.