12.22.2003

When I See You Smile

Sometimes I wonder how I'd ever make it through
Through this world without having you, I just wouldn't have a clue
'Cos sometimes it seems like this world's closing in on me
And there's no way of breaking free, and then I see you reach for me

Sometimes I wanna give up, I wanna give in, I wanna quit the fight
And then I see you baby, and everything's alright, everything's alright

When I see you smile, I can face the world, oh oh, you know I can do anything
When I see you smile, I see a ray of light, oh oh
I see it shining right thru the rain
When I see you smile, baby when I see you smile at me

Baby there's nothing in this world that could ever do
What a touch of your hand can do, it's like nothing that I ever knew

And when the rain is falling, I don't feel it, 'cos you're here with me now
And one look at you baby, is all I'll ever need, it's all I'll ever need

When I see you smile, I can face the world, oh oh, you know I can do anything
When I see you smile, I see a ray of light, oh oh
I see it shining right thru the rain
When I see you smile, baby, baby when I see you smile at me

Sometimes I wanna give up, I wanna give in, I wanna quit the fight
Then one look at you baby, and everything's alright, everything's alright
So right

When I see you smile, I can face the world, oh oh, you know I can do anything
When I see you smile, I see a ray of light, oh oh
I see it shining right thru the rain, yeah
When I see you smile, I can face the world, oh oh, you know I can do anything
When I see you smile, oh yeah, baby when I see you smile, smile at me

~ Bad English


***

Happy 29th Monthsarry, Pi. I love you.

12.16.2003

Photoblog - Tali Beach

Last November 29, I was fortunate enough to visit Tali Beach in Nasugbu, Batangas for the first time. Amazing place, perfect for some major R&R. But don't take my word for it, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

I-Solutions...we deserved the break.This be my teammates. You can tell we were very delighted to be on this trip.
We arrived at Nasugbu at around 10 AM. My officemate's resthouse was located inside a private subdivision and was relatively near the beach. Had a hearty lunch of liempo and adobo (which, ironically, isn't really good for the heart) then played tourist afterwards. It was pictures galore from then on.

Nasugbu is such a beautiful place. I obviously couldn't stop taking pictures of the landscape. I have also, honestly, never seen seawater this clear before.
One thing I noticed in Tali is that plenty of the people who come here have their own boats. Wish I had one of those.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder. This didn't really apply to us since the absence of work made this trip a lot more enjoyable. I wish Pi could've joined us though.
The youngest members of our team (L-R): Me, Len, Rostum, Paula, and Jesse.
Spent most of the afternoon swimming. I also went snorkelling for the first time. Too bad I couldn't take pictures under the water. The things I saw would've have been really nice on photo.

Me: Happy and wet.
Snorkelling buddies Rostum and Jesse.
The highlight of the trip would probably be getting to watch the Sunset before finally going back to Manila. Sentimental bastard that I am, I enjoyed every second of it. Would've have been a lot more special if Pi was there with me.

Kodak moment. A grandfather takes his little granddaughter for a walk in the water.
So there it is, our day trip to Tali Beach. I don't know when or if I'll ever get to visit Nasugbu again. I'm just happy I got the chance to tag along.

That's all for now. Check back again later. See you around.

12.12.2003

I'm Still Here

My only regret in the two weeks that have passed is that I didn't get to update my blog. I did, however, manage to document the major highlights of those two weeks (special thanks to Gerwin for lending me his trusty "weapon"). Expect a whole bunch of photoblogs in the coming days.

Feels good to be blogging again. I missed this.

12.03.2003

Clueless

ACTOR Fernando Poe Jr. seems to have quickly found out that politics can be bad for one's health. Just a few days after he declared that he would run for president in next year's elections, Poe got an invitation to lay bare his program of government before a gathering of top business executives. He accepted the invitation, but at the last minute he either got cold feet or developed a fever. He failed to show up at the forum for presidential aspirants organized by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Poe sent Senator Vicente Sotto III, who had worked hard to convince Poe to stand for election, as his stand-in. The businessmen were not interested in what the former comedian had to say. Not even Sotto's assurance that Poe himself had put the speech together could perk up their curiosity. By the time Sotto started to speak, half of the audience had left.

Everyone should have stayed and listened. Poe's five-page statement may be the longest spiel they will hear from the most laconic presidential wannabe the country has ever seen. And it speaks volumes of how little thought and preparation he will be bringing to the most difficult job this side of the world, if ever he gets elected.

Poe said he had one simple goal and plan: to help uplift the nation and run the government in consultation with all sectors of society. "I believe that a nation cannot be run by just one man but can be led by one," he said. But before that, he added, he had to know what he could do for the various sectors of Philippine society:

"I need you to tell me, the Filipino, whom I'm here to serve, what I can do for you. I need the business sector to tell me how we can improve and strengthen the business climate. I need the political sector to tell me how we can make the rules of governance work for the people. I need labor to tell me what needs they have. I need the Armed Forces and the police to tell me what our country needs to preserve peace and order in our ranks and in our streets. I need our foreign friends to tell me how we, as a Filipino nation, can be worthy allies of world peace and prosperity."

Earlier when he was asked what qualifications he would be bringing to the highest office, Poe replied that he was beholden to no one, that he was not corrupt and that he was sincere. Now we can add candor to his short list of recommendations. His very first speech was an honest admission that he was clueless about the many big problems facing the nation and had therefore no solutions to propose.

Poe can ask the first man he meets on the street what he needs and he will be presented with a very long list: a job, food on the table, a roof over his head, education for his children, security in his home and safety in the streets, health care, and so on and so forth. If he has not heard about them, businessmen have come up with many suggestions on how to improve the business climate, ranging from improved peace and order, more honest and effective governance to consistency in policy, less red tape, better infrastructure, and so on and so forth. If he wants to know what labor needs, he should go to any rally organized by labor groups.

Indeed, anyone who wants to know what needs fixing in this country doesn't have to go through any consultations. A week of reading the newspapers would give him a fairly good idea of the many, varied, urgent and almost insurmountable problems facing the nation and the Filipino people. To ask what people need is to invite being asked in turn: Where have you been?

Everyone, except Poe, would have an idea of what needs to be done. What anyone who aspires for the presidency must tell the people is how he is going to solve those problems or achieve those goals. Poe is asking the Filipino people to give him the chance to lead them. But he has not given even a hint as to where he plans to take them.

~ Inquirer Editorial, 3 December 2003

11.30.2003

I Put On My Robe And Wizard Hat

A friend sent me the following excerpts. Read on, that is if you don't mind a little toilet humor.

bloodninja: Baby, I been havin a tough night so treat me nice aight?
BritneySpears14: Aight.
bloodninja: Slip out of those pants baby, yeah.
BritneySpears14: I slip out of my pants, just for you, bloodninja.
bloodninja: Oh yeah, aight. Aight, I put on my robe and wizard hat.
BritneySpears14: Oh, I like to play dress up.
bloodninja: Me too baby.
BritneySpears14: I kiss you softly on your chest.
bloodninja: I cast Lvl. 3 Eroticism. You turn into a real beautiful woman.
BritneySpears14: Hey...
bloodninja: I meditate to regain my mana, before casting Lvl. 8 C*ck of the Infinite.
BritneySpears14: Funny I still don't see it.
bloodninja: I spend my mana reserves to cast Mighty F*ck of the Beyondness.
BritneySpears14: You are the worst cyber partner ever. This is ridiculous.
bloodninja: Don't f*ck with me bitch, I'm the mightiest sorcerer of the lands.
bloodninja: I steal yo soul and cast Lightning Lvl. 1,000,000 Your body explodes into a fine bloody mist, because you are only a Lvl. 2 Druid.
BritneySpears14: Don't ever message me again you piece of shit.
bloodninja: Robots are trying to drill my brain but my lightning shield inflicts DOA attack, leaving the robots as flaming piles of metal.
bloodninja: King Arthur congratulates me for destroying Dr. Robotnik's evil army of Robot Socialist Republics. The cold war ends. Reagan steals my accomplishments and makes like it was cause of him.
bloodninja: You still there baby? I think it's getting hard now.
bloodninja: Baby?

***

BritneySpears14: Ok, are you ready?
eminemBNJA: Aight, yeah I'm ready.
BritneySpears14: I like your music Em... Tee hee.
eminemBNJA: huh huh, yeah, I make it for the ladies.
BritneySpears14: Mmm, we like it a lot. Let me show you.
BritneySpears14: I take off your pants, slowly, and massage your muscular physique.
eminemBNJA: Oh I like that Baby. I put on my robe and wizard hat.
BritneySpears14: What the f*ck, I told you not to message me again.
eminemBNJA: Oh shit
BritneySpears14: I swear if you do it one more time I'm gonna report your ISP and say you were sending me kiddie porn you f*ck up.
eminemBNJA: Oh shit
eminemBNJA: damn I gotta write down your names or something

***

bloodninja: Ok baby, we got to hurry, I don't know how long I can keep it ready for you.
j_gurli3: thats ok. ok i'm a japanese schoolgirl, what r u.
bloodninja: A Rhinocerus. Well, hung like one, thats for sure.
j_gurli3: haha, ok lets go.
j_gurli3: i put my hand through ur hair, and kiss u on the neck.
bloodninja: I stomp the ground, and snort, to alert you that you are in my breeding territory.
j_gurli3: haha, ok, u know that turns me on.
j_gurli3: i start unbuttoning ur shirt.
bloodninja: Rhinoceruses don't wear shirts.
j_gurli3: No, ur not really a Rhinocerus silly, it's just part of the game.
bloodninja: Rhinoceruses don't play games. They f*cking charge your ass.
j_gurli3: stop, cmon be serious.
bloodninja: It doesn't get any more serious than a Rhinocerus about to charge your ass.
bloodninja: I stomp my feet, the dust stirs around my tough skinned feet.
j_gurli3: thats it.
bloodninja: Nostrils flaring, I lower my head. My horn, like some phallic symbol of my potent virility, is the last thing you see as skulls collide and mine remains the victor. You are now a bloody red ragdoll suspended in the air on my mighty horn.
bloodninja: Goddam am I hard now.

***

bloodninja: Wanna cyber?
Katie_007: Sure, you into vegetables?
bloodninja: What like gardening an shit?
Katie_007: Yeah, something like that.
bloodninja: Nothing turns me on more, check this out:
bloodninja: You bend over to harvest your radishes. (pause)
Katie_007: is that it?
bloodninja: You water your tomato patch.
bloodninja: Are you ready for my fresh produce?
Katie_007: I was thinking of like, sexual acts INVOLVING vegetables...Can you make it a little more sexy for me? (pause)
bloodninja: I touch you on your lettuce, you massage my spinach...sexily.
bloodninja: I ride your buttocks like they were amber waves of grains.
Katie_007: Grain doesn't really turn me on...I was thinking more along the lines of carrots and zucchinis.
bloodninja: my zucchinis carresses your carrots.
bloodninja: Damn baby you're right, this shit is HOT.
Katie_007: ...
bloodninja: My turnips listen for the soft cry of your love. My insides turn to celery as I unleash my warm and sticky cauliflower of love.
Katie_007: What the f*ck is this madlibs? I'm outta here.
bloodninja: Yeah, well I already unleashed my cauliflower, all over your olives, and up in your eyes. Now you can't see. Bitch.
Katie_007: whatever.
It doesn't really matter if it's geniune or not, it's still so damn hilarious.

11.25.2003

Who You Gonna Call?

What kind of childhood would I have had if the Ghostbusters weren't part of it? I loved the movie, the cartoon even more (my favorite episode being the one where there was this huge battle between Vampires and Werewolves...probably why I found Underworld so endearing). My favorite GB-related memories, though, would have to be those involving the toys, made popular by Kenner. I remember always looking forward to the ads in between Uncle Bob's Lucky 7 Club every Sunday, just to have a glimpse of the latest "merchandise". I kind of miss those days.

Slimer: SlimyPiiiiiing!!! Remember me???

Newsarama recently published news of a comicbook continuation of the 80's cult classic, whose story takes place six months after the first movie. It's scheduled for release on February of next year. As much as I would like to rekindle my desire for everything Ghostbusters, I think I'd have to pass on this one. Maybe my memories are just too great to have a GB comic ruin them...let's just say I've learned my lesson with Transformers Armada. But I'll never really be sure until it comes out, will I? Well, If the reviews are good, I can always consider investing on the TPB anyway.

11.23.2003

It is Confirmed!!!

The worst political nightmare has become a reality. Fernando Poe Jr, affectionately known as FPJ, is running for president of the Republic of the Philippines in the May 2004 elections. May the good Lord have mercy on this country.

11.22.2003

Maybe it's the Heat

I just couldn't think of something interesting enough to write about lately, which explains the lack of recent updates. Lame excuse, I know, but it's the truth. The creative juices seem to have dried out eversince Monday's fire. Plus, the temperature here in the office has been a bit off from the norm (it's a little too warm for my taste, being the mountain man and all). Oh well, hopefully tomorrow (yup, I'm coming to work tomorrow) the inspiration kicks in and my brain'll be a bit more...wet. *smirk*

11.18.2003

Look at that Guy!

The title is to be said in a thick Baguio Accent for the full effect. Taking after Ger's Blast from the Past post, I've also decided to feature my La Salle ID pic.

Yep, that's me! DLSU ID# 09810951

Behold, 140 pounds of fresh high-land meat! I had just arrived from Baguio that morning. Quickly changed into my long sleeves, put my most decent tie on, and smiled for the camera. I know, it's a sorry excuse for a smile. If memory serves me right, I had been keeping in mind a tip given to me by one of the best "smilers" in my circle of friends: "Just breathe out when you're about to start smiling! You'll look better." The result? A pair of really flared nostrils on top of a pathetic grin to complement my stupid hairdo. Ah, the good old days.

Anyway, if you're a DLSU alumnus, click here to access your freshman photo. Note that the link initially points to an invalid page. Just replace the X's in the URL with your student ID, then refresh.

Why I have hope for the Philippines

By Franco Varona
INQ7.net Commentary

Editor's note: The following essay was a letter written by Franco Varona for his mother, Candy Varona. It is in reaction to a Korean student's essay about the Philippines which has been making the rounds on the Internet.

I LIVED in the Philippines for a grand total of two-and-a-half years after growing up in Vancouver for a majority of my life. I finished off high school in Manila, then went on to college there for one semester.

I left Manila in the beginning of 1999 for Syracuse, but something happened to me during my short stint in Manila -- I began referring to it as "home." My brief stay in the Philippines had affected me so deeply that I have subsequently geared the rest of my life toward helping the country out.

I took up International Relations, with a concentration in Foreign Policy, War and Conflict Resolution -- because I believed that a deep knowledge of all three of those aforementioned subjects can and will help the Philippines eventually. Before living in the Philippines, my motives were selfish and self-serving. I wanted to be a lawyer to make money, or be a journalist so I could, in my own way, shape the world through my words. But living there and getting to know the country intimately helped me develop a love for the country that can only be compared to the love I have for my family. Now, I have every intention of using that degree to its fullest potential in any way I can for the country.

Even though my birthplace is Canada and I spent my formative years in the US, the Philippines has somehow found its way to my mind and my heart. And I say "my mind" because I see the Philippines as a challenge, not as a sinking ship. And I believe there is a whole generation of young Pinoys that feel the same way as me.

The Korean essay was right in some ways -- sometimes I meet up with second-generation Filipino-Americans and they simply do not care. They don't identify with the Philippines and perceive it to be a dirty, corrupt society. Although initially annoyed when I speak to these types of people, I eventually realize that it's not their fault -- they have lived in a developed nation all their lives and know no better. I myself used to be like that before moving back.

But you know what the Korean essay didn't mention? It happens with all second- and third-generation immigrant kids living in developed countries. Although I have met many Fil-Ams who don't wish to go back home, I also have met many Korean-Americans, Japanese-Americans, even Irish-Americans who don't have any connection to home. There is love for the Philippines -- the Korean essay was just looking in the wrong places.

Do you want to know where national pride is? It's in every Pinoy's face on the streets of Manila, Cebu, Davao, or any other place in the Philippines. Life is hard for Filipinos -- I see that everytime I'm home. But there is a mutual love shared between Pinoys. They enjoy the simplest of the simple things of everyday life -- from the fishball vendor dancing outside a nightclub in the wee hours of the morning to the late night security guard that wakes up just to give you a nod and a smile. Although generally the country has come under hard times, the Pinoy has somehow found a way to survive, and do it with a smile.

When I go back to the Philippines, I don't see the jaded looks of misery I see in the streets of North America. I see in every Pinoy's face a glint of hope -- that everything can only get better from here on out. National pride is also in today's college student -- today's young working Filipino. I have been lucky enough to have run into a rather large, very motivated group of young Filipinos outside of the Philippines that harbor an immense love for the country. I've seen these people in college, I've hung out with them in different cities and among these young Filipinos, there is one prevailing theme. They have goals, they have passion, and they are driven to succeed.

Sure, they may spend a few years out of the Philippines after schooling, but they will go back. And when they do, Mom, I promise you a Renaissance. These are the people that will lead our country into better times -- these are the people that will bring back with them the knowledge and the drive to motivate others. These are the people that will bridge the gap between the "masa" and the rich. These are the people that will take that glint of hope in every Pinoy's eye and create a wildfire of productivity and efficiency.

The Philippines is still, by definition, a young country. There have been mistakes made in the past, but we will learn, won't we? It's just human nature. I don't look at the Philippines as a country that "was" one of the richest in South East Asia and now is one of the poorest -- I look at the Philippines as the country that has the largest upside.

Just be patient, and watch as the younger generation moves into place. You will see a more educated, less selfish government take the seat of power. You will see plans put into effect that were formulated and perfected which were fueled by years of anger against the poverty we now see. A new Philippines will emerge soon, and soon we won't have to bear the pity of a Korean student. I can promise you that much mom, because I know I'm one of the many that will be working toward that.

11.17.2003

What A Way to Start the Week

I had quite the interesting morning. A general evacuation of our office building was conducted around a little past 9 AM today. Apparently, a building room (outside our company's jurisdiction, if I may point out) caught fire because of a few sacks of combustible material contained therein. What material, I do not know, but the thick smoke had seeped through the building's exhaust system, spreading into and clouding the lower floors (including ours). Hence, the general evac. For safety reasons, power has been disabled on the east wings of each floor (by this I mean each floor occupied by Globe) until Thursday. Normal operations are obviously crippled, but it's still business as usual down here. Some of us (those whose function aren't too critical as of the moment) have to go on forced leave though, to give way to more important tasks. As I write this, however, I'm still uncertain if I am to be included in the this roster. Updates on the situation later, if and when they become available.

11.14.2003

Sequels Always Suck

© 2003 Andrew Bell

Creature art courtesy of Creatures in My Head.

Value

To realize the value of a sister: Ask someone who doesn't have one.

To realize the value of ten years: Ask a newly divorced couple.

To realize the value of four years: Ask a graduate.

To realize the value of one year: Ask a student who has failed a final exam.

To realize the value of nine months: Ask a mother who gave birth to a still born.

To realize the value of one month: Ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby.

To realize the value of one week: Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize the value of one hour: Ask the lovers who are waiting to Meet.

To realize the value of one minute: Ask a person who has missed the train, bus or plane.

To realize the value of one-second: Ask a person who has survived an accident.

To realize the value of one millisecond: Ask the person who has won a silver medal in the Olympics.

Time waits for no one. Treasure every moment you have. You will treasure it even more when you can share it with someone special.

To realize the value of a friend: Lose one.

~ Author Unknown

'Nuff Said

Pikachu!Salary and OT pay.

Christmas bonus a month ahead of schedule.

200 peso reward for complete attendance.

Free buffet this afternoon.

I love this day.

11.13.2003

Hellboy

Nice...very nice...Though I haven't really had the time to sit down and read any of the Hellboy books, I hear they're really good, and Mike Mignola's art is kick-ass (well, it always is). News of the silverscreen adaptation of the Dark Horse classic is pretty old, there is now, however, a definite date for its theatrical release: 04/02/04. This gives me exactly 143 days from today to brush up on my Hellboy knowledge. This will give me more or less an idea of what to expect. Besides, I don't like being in the dark when it comes to comic-based movies...helps me to appreciate them more. My problem is, I don't know anyone who can lend me some material, so a little help in this regard would be very much appreciated (paging Jon, Ger, and Richard).

I came across this movie poster through CBR. The "semi-silhouette-with-metallic-logo-and-dark-clouds-in-the-background" look seems to be a growing trend. Anyway, you can hardly recognize Ron Perlman (TV's Beauty and the Beast) with the red skin and cut-off horns (well, you actually can't recognize him), but I read he did a pretty good job of playing "the paranormal investigator from hell". He seems to be adept at that, playing characters that don't require him to use his own face I mean. We'll just have to wait and see then. 143 days and counting.

11.12.2003

Tweaker

Spent the better part of my free time "tweaking" stuff here and there, from my blog and its comments section to my phone's headset. I don't know...my OC-ness seems to be at an all time high since yesterday. Well, I guess I'm just really fond of tinkering with all kinds of things, which is probably why I got a computer-related degree. Speaking of computer-related, I've bookmarked a number of references for HTML coding, which will come in handy while I'm still in the tweaking mood. Also, I just recently discovered how to work with stylesheets and it's been really exciting so far (sheesh, I sound like a geek). It makes designing my pages a lot easier. Hopefully, I'll also get to incorporate some Flash effects in the future. But that's a little too far ahead to plan right now. One step at a time.

11.11.2003

Reunion

Richard couldn't have said it any better, "Seeing Mon and Bryan go at it like the giddy little boys that they were and still are, makes the night more interesting."

Last night turned out to be a lot better than what Pi and I had initially planned. It felt really good to see the TLS people again, especially the priceless expressions on their faces when they saw Pats (Yep, she's back...we picked her up last Tuesday at NAIA, just in time for their Grandmother's birthday celebration on the same night).

TLS peeps, old and new...mostly old(Clockwise from bottom-left): Joan, Pats, Gerwin, Bernie, Pi, Me, Mon, Richard, Kendrick, Sarge, Peejay, Maan, Zane, and Meg.

TLS peeps, old and new...mostly new(Clockwise from left): Chester, Toffer, Mitch, Pao, Sarge (again), Ivan, Ping, Djong, Ayeen, Gerwin (again), and Ben.

Add a couple more people and we could've occupied the entire second floor. Probably in the next reunion, but somebody else has to plan it this time. Anyway, not in the pictures are Erman (uber-photographer and favorite kapre, he's also the one taking the pictures), and couples Nao and Onins, Bryan and Amy (they left early). By the way, I just noticed that Gerwin seems to be fond of eating ice while having our pics taken. Hwe he he he. Visit his blog for more photos.

11.10.2003

Pressure

Well, I guess having a Comments section AND a TagBoard at the same time is a wee bit redundant. Besides, since Jon and Gerwin have suspended the boards in their respective blogs, I might as well do the same here. Gaya-gaya ako eh (I'm such a copycat).

The Weekend News

Watched a total of three movies (four if I include Spider-Man on DVD) over the weekend. Some thoughts:

  • Uptown Girls: Nice, cute, feel-good movie. All I can say about this film is, Dakota Fanning, at her age, is such a terrific actress. She caught my attention in I Am Sam trailer. Though I didn't get to watch said movie, I found find her amusing in this one. Brittany Murphy, too.


  • Identity: If you're into suspense and gore, this one's for you. It isn't full of just that, however. I give this a 9/10 for a good story and fantastic screenplay. And I love the twist. This is guaranteed to keep you squirming in your seats.


  • The Matrix Revolutions: What can I say? "Woohoooooo" probably sums it all up. Amazing, amazing film, though I was left with a couple of unanswered questions from Reloaded. But what the hell, it was still great. Definitely going to watch it again. Just one last thing: The Wachowskis' wild imagination + Dragonball Z = Probably the most amazing fight sequences in the history of live-action movies.

Other upcoming movies I'm looking forward to next year: Return of the King, Punisher, and of course, Spider-Man 2. Oh yeah!

11.07.2003

I'm Baaaaaa-ack...

Feels good to be back in front of my terminal again. Been out for training the last four days. Was a bit tiring, but I had fun. Learned a lot. And besides, breakfast, lunch, and snacks were free. Now, for some updates:

  1. My car has been fixed. Yes, fixed, which means it was really broken last Friday. Some small pieces inside the key slot were apparently damaged because the key was taken out while still in ACCESSORIES, conveniently labeled ACC in said key slot (for the benefit of those who do not drive, you are supposed to take the key out while on LOCK, not on ACC).
    Simple proof: Frank and the guards from next door were able to push my car back into the garage WITHOUT a key, which simply reinforces the fact that the key slot wasn't really on LOCK, because if it were, the steering wheel would be locked (duh).
    Well, I'm sure as hell I didn't have anything to do with the problem. The car was already out of the garage when I couldn't start it. Anyway, thanks to Pi's dad, a kind mechanic was able to do a temporary fix the same night. With the use of a screwdriver from my trusty macho tool, I could already use my car (actually, anybody with a screwdriver would've been able to use my car). Damn key slot was fixed by the following morning. Nef-mobile was back to normal by lunch time. Cost me Php 850.00 for everything.


  2. Watched Equilibrium recently (bought the DVD at UM). I was suprised at how good a film it turned out to be. Makes me wonder why it didn't get that much attention when it was being played here. I particularly liked the concept of the "Gun Katas" (not katas which means juice in Filipino...Katas -- japanese -- referring to a prearranged series of movements). It's not in every action movie that you get to see the hero shoot the crap out of the bad guys while staying on the exact same spot. Makes you wanna go "Whoah!" ala Keanu Reeves. And, I must say, Christian Bale makes for a cool action character. He's an excellent choice to don the Year One Cape and Cowl.


  3. In keeping with my promise to myself of refraining from using the elevator when going up, I consistently climbed eight floors (from the 20th up to the 28th) everyday during my training this past week. My Thursday climb was the highlight of my stair-conquering career. I went up all 28 floors to our training facility that day. Crazy isn't it? But it felt real good afterwards. Haven't weighed myself yet though like I originally planned. I was supposed to do so on the first of this month, remember? I guess I'm a bit afraid to know that I haven't lost what I intended to lose. Well, better late than never, like whoever coined this cliche always says. This afternoon, most probably.

  4. Added a comments feature powered by Haloscan just today. Figured it wouldn't hurt. Besides, it's free, and it'll give people the chance to comment on individual posts. My next add-on? Probably a photo gallery, if and when I find good code. And until I have my own digicam, I have no real reason to hurry anyway. I think Jon's and Ger's blogs would benefit more from this though.
More later. My brain seems to be extremely low on resources.

10.31.2003

At Least...

...this brought the first smile to my face today.

Thwip!

Graaaaaaaaah!!!

7:20 AM. Just finished putting my jeans on.

"Eje...tapos ka na magbihis?", went Manang Eden. "Ang kotsee mo hindi mapaandar ni Franco. Nilabas n'ya kasi mamalengke sila ngayon e. Nung ipasok na sana n'ya, hindi na mag-andar."

I immediately grabbed the first decent T-shirt I could find in my closet, and slipped on a pair of Sketchers boots I haven't worn in quite a while. Been meaning to be in casual clothes since yesterday afternoon. I was supposed to go with some officemates to a department-wide paintball war game in Taguig. Emphasis on the word "supposed".

I don't know what Franco did. He wasn't really there to explain to me what had happened when he took my car out of the garage. For some weird reason, I couldn't get my key into the ignition, like it just didn't fit anymore. I managed to get the key in eventually with a little work, but by this time I couldn't turn it. It wouldn't turn. So I gave up and left the car outside the house.

That was at around 7:30.

If I'd have stayed longer I would've been late for work.

I took a cab.

So here I am, in the office, ranting about how fate started making a mockery of my Friday, by rendering my vehicle useless (until I find a mechanic who can fix it) and crippling any plans that come close to me having a good time.

Fehk.

10.30.2003

What's in My Name?

Recent studies by name societies disclosed that names influence character and do have a definite bearing upon one's life path. Letters carry their own energy patterns relating to personality traits and needs. Name analysis using letter qualities is called ACROPHONOLOGY. This analysis is a brief summary of the hidden meanings found within the letters of my own name.

EDWARD JAY:
You have a need to communicate and express yourself. You are inclined to over intellectualize, and hate to be misquoted. You have a discriminating nature coupled with perseverance and family pride. You have high aspirations and a cheery disposition. You have much enthusiasm with a driving attitude toward achievement in life. You enjoy a challenge. You can take thought-directed actions. There is a need to learn to evaluate family ties properly. You conduct yourself in a fair and just manner. You enjoy watching or participating in sports. You have a need to be up front. Your independence and freedom are important to you.
PAULINO:
You don't fair well under inharmonious conditions. You are very peace loving. You can get very upset when you are frustrated. You have a need to be up front. You are soft-hearted with a charitable nature. You have a diplomatic flair to your nature. Equality and fairness are important to you. You are relatively demonstrative in your affections. You enjoy being stroked verbally and physically. You can handle details well. You have a methodical mind. You have a great deal of loyalty to those you love. You have much inner strength.
PAZ:
You have a talent for working with people on a one to one basis. You have a need to be up front. You are compassionate, highly imaginative and creative.
Click here to analyze your name.

10.29.2003

Different Kind of Survey Thingie

LAYER 0NE:

  • Name: Edward Jay Paulino Paz

  • Birth date: February 10, 1981

  • Birthplace: Al Hasa, Saudi Arabia

  • Current Location: Manila

  • Eye Color: Dark Brown

  • Hair Color: Black

  • Height: 5'9"

  • Righty or Lefty: Righty

  • Zodiac Sign: Aquarius
LAYER TWO:
  • The shoes you wore today: My Rusty Lopez black leather shoes...for work.

  • Your weakness: Comics, Toys, PCs, and food.

  • Your fears: earthquakes, death of my loved ones.

  • Your perfect pizza: seafood with vegies and cheese, or just cheese...a lot of cheese; Yellow Cab's shrimp and garlic pizza, too.

  • Goal you'd like to achieve: Short-term: get promoted, Long-term: Run my own business or become part owner of one; Teach.
LAYER THREE:
  • Your most overused phrase(s) on YM/ICQ: "ayos." or "OK."

  • Your thoughts first waking up: "Tsk! 5 more minutes..."

  • Your best physical feature: eyes, shoulders, BUTT!

  • Your bedtime: 1030 - 1100 pm (on good days).

  • Your most missed memory: The LaSallian.
Layer FOUR:
  • In love?: Yes.
LAYER FIVE:
  • Smoke: Nope.

  • Cuss: All the time.

  • Sing: Always.

  • Take a shower everyday: Of course.

  • Have a crush: I'd be abnormal not to have a few.

  • Do you think you've been in love: Duh!

  • Want to go to college: Done with college...further studying is an option...someday.

  • Liked high school: Definitely.

  • Want to get married: Yes.

  • Believe in yourself: Most of the time.

  • Get motion sickness: Nope.

  • Think you're attractive: Sometimes.

  • Think youre a health freak?: Lately, yes.

  • Get along with your parent(s): Of course!

  • Like thunderstorms: Depends.

  • Play an instrument: Guitar...haven't picked it up in a while though.
LAYER SIX:

In the past month...
  • drank alcohol: Yes.

  • Smoked: Nope.

  • Done a drug: Nope.

  • Had Sex: Nope.

  • Made Out: Uh-huh.

  • Gone on a date: Yes.

  • Gone to the mall?: You betcha!

  • Eaten an entire box of Oreos: Nope...I couldn't in the first place.

  • Eaten sushi: No.

  • Been on stage: Nope.

  • Been dumped: Nope.

  • Gone skating: Nope. The last time I put on a pair of skates was in high school.
LAYER SEVEN:

Ever...
  • Played a game that required removal of clothing: Never.

  • Been trashed or extremely intoxicated: Hell yeah!

  • Been called a tease: Yeah.

  • Gotten beaten up: Nope.

  • Shoplifted: Nope.

  • Changed who you were to fit in: Once...in my freshman year in college.
LAYER EIGHT:
  • Age you hope to be married: 27-29...hopefully.

  • Numbers and Names of Children: One boy and one girl my ideal...I'm having a hard time coming up with names that sound nice with my last name though.

  • Describe your Dream Wedding: In a beach or a nice church.

  • How do you want to die: Like I was just going to sleep.

  • Where do you want to go to college: Nothing beats a Lasallian education. An MBA in AIM or a Masters in Singapore would be nice.

  • What do you want to be when you grow up: I think I grew up to fast. Trying to slow down a bit.
LAYER NINE:
  • Drugs taken illegally: None.

  • People I could trust with my life: My family, Pi, Jon, Gerwin, Pao.

  • CDs that I own: A few original music CDs, a couple of burned software and data CDs, some pirated games.

  • Tattoos: None...I'd like one though.

  • Scars on my body: Mostly on my legs, but there's one nasty scar on my left index finger.

  • Things in my past that I regret: I'd like to think there are none...but there are a couple of things.
Whew! That was long.

Six More Days...

Oh Yeah...

I can't wait.

10.28.2003

Tickle Your Mind

  1. Key in the first 3 digits of your phone number into the calculator (Note: not the 917 or 919 but the 3 digits after).

  2. Multiply by 80.

  3. Add 1.

  4. Multiply by 250.

  5. Add the last 4 digits of your phone number.

  6. Add the last 4 digits of your phone number again.

  7. Subtract 250.

  8. Divide by 2.

The final answer that appears is your handyphone number. Neat, eh?

10.27.2003

Some News...

...now that the politically bothered side of me has decided to take some time off.

  1. Watched Freaky Friday and The Rundown Saturday afternoon. Good movies. Worth the hundred bucks. Go watch if you have the time.


  2. Went to Pi's old high school classmate Bianca's belated-happy-birthday dinner Saturday evening at their home in Ayala Heights. I've met Bianca once or twice prior to the dinner so I was actually quite surprised (and flattered at the same time) to be invited. Pi's other high school friends were also there so you could tell it was quite the reunion. The house was really, really, reeeally nice, food was great, and stories of old teachers' antics and annoying mannerisms were very entertaining.


  3. Got to play a short game of billiards in the game room (oooh...game room) after dinner, which was obviously the highlight of Pi's night. Being the 9-ball aficionados, we naturally kicked some serious asses. Called it a night at around 11, brought Pi back to her place, then went on home shortly after that. Was in the dorm by about 12. I fell asleep so fast that I was already making Zs even before the first sheep could jump over the fence. It was a good feeling.


  4. Woke up at 6 am on Sunday. Had to attend a wake with the folks. My Grandfather's cousin had died of lung cancer a few days ago. The mass was held in Nacional Memorial in the Araneta area. Met some relatives for the first time, which was nice. Even the priest who celebrated the mass, Father Abe, was a relative. He was also, incidentally, the same Priest who presided over my Mom and Dad's wedding 25 years ago, and my Dad's classmate in his elementary days. The atmosphere was rather glum, so I had to save my amusement with the discovery for after the ceremonies.


  5. Went to fetch Pi after the burial. We were invited, this time, to Joey's, her godchild's, first birthday party...the kid looked real cute in her Tigger costume. Too bad I didn't have a camera. Pi's high school classmates were present again so it was definitely Part II of the previous night. I'm not complaining...I got to listen to some interesting conversations anyway. And I ate like a king. The food was fantastic. Watching the emcee/magician make a complete fool out of himself was also an amusing sight. Like I said, too bad I didn't have a camera.


  6. Watched My Boss' Daughter in G4 after leaving the party. Big mistake. But like an old friend used to say, "touch-move, pare!" Well, it wasn't that bad...but it wasn't that great either (save for Tara Reed's yummy "strip tease" scene). Out of my extreme guilt, I didn't ask Pi to pay for her ticket anymore. So there.
It was a tiring weekend, obviously. How I managed to get to work early today is nothing short of a miracle. My brain, however, really feels like crap. So until it graduates from this crappiness, you'll have to pardon my sorry excuse for a post. More substantial stuff later...I hope.

10.24.2003

'Bayan Muna'

BARELY three years since the Filipino people got rid of the international embarrassment and the national disaster that was the Joseph Estrada administration, some unrepentant backers of the former actor and sorry supporters of the 2001 People Power II uprising are pushing another action star to the presidency. Senator Edgardo Angara and former senator Ponce Enrile together with business magnate Eduardo Cojuangco -- all key players in Estrada's election campaign and later his administration -- are urging movie king Fernando Poe Jr. to throw his hat into the presidential ring. And the Left, which supported the ouster of the grossly inefficient and highly corrupt Estrada, seems inclined to back Poe's candidacy.

Poe himself, to all indications and to his credit, appears reluctant to take on the rigors of the campaign and loath to take up the burdens of the presidency. His wife, actress Susan Roces, shrinks at the thought of wading into politics, which she has called "dirty." Other members of his family are also said to frown on the idea.

A sane and sensible attitude to take, all things considered. If Poe were to enter the race, he would be the least prepared and the least worthy among all the serious contenders for the presidency in our history. So bereft is Poe of any real credentials for high office that one lawmaker who is inclined to endorse his candidacy, Bayan Muna Party-List Representative Crispin Beltran, had to look back to his movies to find something positive to say about him. Beltran said he appreciated the "nationalistic themes" of Poe's movies. He cited in particular the movie "Asedillo," in which Poe played the role of a schoolteacher who rebelled against American colonial rule.

But if that is all it takes to make Poe fit to be president, what position will Beltran give to actor Cesar Montano, who played the role of the national hero in the movie "Jose Rizal"? Does Beltran propose to elevate him to a god? Some officials who claim to serve the people are not above taking the people for fools.

At least Estrada, before seeking the presidency, had logged many years of public service, even if they were marked by mediocrity. But look what a mess he made when he assumed the highest office. Poe has never held public office all his life -- not even that of village watchman. If elected, he would bring absolutely nothing to Malacañang by way of knowledge, experience or expertise in governance. And his sponsors would make the Filipino people believe he can do a better job than Estrada? To paraphrase comedian Dolphy, Poe's problem may not be winning, it's what to do when the office is won.

To Poe's sponsors, governing well is the least of their worries. Which is hardly surprising, knowing how hard they campaigned for Estrada and how fiercely they defended him despite all the evidence of corruption and misrule when he was in power. To them, now as then, winning is not everything, it is the only thing.

If all he has going for him is his celebrity and popularity, this doesn't matter at all to opposition politicians. Senate Majority Floor Leader Loren Legarda, who says she hasn't made up her mind as to what position she will seek but is obviously tickled pink by the possibility of running with Poe, describes such a pairing as a "box-office hit."

Right now, Poe looks like the best bet for the opposition to wrest control of Malacañang. Senator Noli de Castro, who has been leading the surveys on presidential preferences, seems secure in the administration camp and is being talked about as President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's running mate. Former senator Raul Roco, another strong performer in the presidential surveys, appears to be unacceptable to many opposition leaders. So Poe has to be persuaded to be the opposition standard-bearer.

But Poe had better be wary of his sponsors. If they are rooting for him, it's not because they like him or they believe he can do a good job of leading the nation. Each of them probably thinks he can do a better job, but then he can't win. They want to wield power, and given Poe's inadequacies they probably aim to serve as his puppet masters.

Senator Vicente Sotto, whose self-appointed mission is to talk Poe into running, has said the actor needs a few more days to make his decision. He wants first to hold consultations with the groups that are urging him to run.

But Poe ought to spend more of that time on serious reflection. And the one basic consideration that should guide him in making his final decision is what Beltran and those other calculating politicians seem to have forgotten: "Bayan muna." The nation first.

~ Inquirer Editorial, 24 October 2003

10.23.2003

Suspense

Keeping the people at the edge of their seats seems to be the trend with the Presidentiables nowadays. Everybody knows about GMA's dramatic U-turn a couple of days back...today, I read the article on the deferral of Fernando Poe Jr.'s controversial "announcement" to All Souls Day (click here for the full story).

The suspense is just to much for me to take. I am anxious to know what his decision will be, but for reasons that don't even come close to being pro-FPJ. My discomfort stems from the fact that a part of me just knows that he will run...but in the name of everything that is holy, I hope and pray that this part of me is wrong. One would be foolish to think that there's just no chance in hell that he'll become President if ever he decides to campaign. If there's anything Erap's victory in '98 proved, it's that he who charms the masses and promotes himself as "one of them" in spite of the vast and obvious riches he has managed to amass, has the greatest advantage (and I can't emphasize this enough) in the political arena, especially in a country where a great steel wall divides the rich and the poor, and empty promises blind the majority of voters from the truth.

I hate it. I hate the Circus of Philippine polictics. I just wish that for a change, a truly deserving candidate wins the Presidency. "Deserving", of course, is such a relative term.

10.22.2003

Zoolander Digest #1

Courtesy of friendly friend Koryn.

This is taken from a questionnaire answered by model Marjay Ramirez:

Q: How would you respond to critics who think that modeling is not a worthy career requiring intelligence and hard work?

A: I will tell them to join the modeling and see how they can cope and deal with it!!! If they say that the modeling is not a worthful career that requires intelligence and hard working, I think they are ignorant!!! They should shut their mouths when they know nothing! Because the modelling is not just all about glamour, it definitely requires brains, physical attributes, talent, and hard work!!! Now, can you say that its easy and worthless?!!
Good God...

Love in its truest form...

...has no language or words, it just has a thousand and one actions we all wish we could describe.

~ Kenneth B. Emery
27 months and I'm still counting. Happy, Happy Monthsary.

10.20.2003

Night's Bringer of War

I'm gay by the way.

"Let me make this situation clear for you. I know what special abilities you have. I can see the enhancements. I can detect the increased electrical activity in your brain. I know what moves you're preparing to make. I've fought our fight already, in my head, in a million different ways. I can hit you without you even seeing me. I'm what soldiers dream of growing into. I'm what children see when they first imagine what death is like. I'm the Midnighter."

Image by Bruce Timm. Courtesy of Comic Art Community.

The Weekend News

Watched Matchstick Men with Pi on Saturday morning. It wasn't quite what I expected, but it was a pretty good movie nevertheless. Good story, with just the right mix of comedy and drama. And the acting was superb. Nicholas Cage's performance was the best (which isn't really much of a surprise). Sam Rockwell and Alison Lohman also displayed great acting prowess in this one. That should make for a good and interesting watch. I give it a 4 out of 5, but don't take my word for it...go and see it for yourself.

We made the rounds in Megamall after a hearty lunch in El Pollo Loco. Pi occasionally got to check out some clothes that were on sale, but didn't find anything worth buying. I, on one hand, was able to find an arnis set at the good price of Php280. Went to Greenhills to get Pi's positioners checked shortly after that.

Met my Dad and my brother for dinner at Rockwell. Ate great food in Mongkok, talked about family stuff, then went and delivered the old PC to my sister. Watched part of The Two Towers in Pao's and Gerwin's room before finally tapping out and retiring at 1:30 AM.

It was obviously a long day.

***

Sunday morning was spent with the folks. Heard mass in La Salle, then brought my Dad and my brother to the Victory Liner station after having brunch in Jollibee. It's my bro's semestral break, so he gets to enjoy a 2 week vacation back home. I, on the other hand, forever swearing off any term break-related privileges upon graduation, am stuck here to try and fulfill my function as an analyst and programmer. Not that I mind, it's just that since November 1st and 2nd fall on a Saturday and Sunday, respectively, my chances of getting a little "R&R" will have to wait 'til Christmas (or if I'm unlucky enough, 'til next year even).

Most of my afternoon was spent in PC Express. Pi found a good venue to draw her little monsters while I looked around for stuff. Had to buy a brand new monitor, a UPS, and a power strip after officially retiring and handing over the old PC set to my sister the previous night. As a result, my wallet is dead...again...with 10 days still to go before the next pay out. It's a good thing that Ger and I got our sideline money today. That should last me 'til the end of the month. Fahk.

Bruce Timm Art

As promised, here are some of Bruce Timm's best works:

Mmmmmmmmmmm...

Ok, I guess I didn't really qualify what I meant by "best". I obviously have an obsession with his women...I mean the way he draws his women. I particularly like the Vampirella and Girl with Pistol pieces. They're very...nice.

10.17.2003

Bruce Timm

Spent most of my day going through the archives in CAC (I swear, it is my new favorite site...next to this one, of course). The major highlight of my surfing would probably be coming across Bruce Timm's works. This name ring a bell? Well, it should. Not until that time did I realize that this man, whose name I have been seeing countless times in all those Justice League episode credits, was another one of those artists whose drawing style I really admire. Funny how I never even bothered to look his name up before. He's practically made his mark as the best animated style artist there is. Anyway, I've always loved Batman Animated, ever since it came out, also the other shows that followed shortly after that (Superman, Batman Beyond, and JL). It was a natural reaction for me to download all of Timm's best works. You can look forward to a showcase of these in future posts.

***

Fanboy Trivia: Remember those colored mini-comics that came with the He-Man toys? Bruce Timm started his early career as the artist of said mini-comics. Now how cool is that?

10.16.2003

The Promise


"I made a promise on the grave of my parents to rid this city of the evil that took their lives. By day, I am Bruce Wayne, billionaire philanthropist. At night, criminals, a cowardly and superstitous lot, call me...Batman!"


Image by Jim Lee. Courtesy of Comic Art Community.

10.15.2003

Comic Art Community

Added a new link to Comic Art Community in the side bar. I came across this very interesting site yesterday, which features hundreds of works by the Comics' most notable names: Jim Lee, Mike Deodato, Ed McGuinness, Mike Mignola, Travis Charest, and Adam Warren just to mention a few. The yummy piece of art you see here was done by no other than Wonder Woman cover artist Adam Hughes, another one of my favorite artists.

The great thing about CAC is you can register for free. You are then given the right to add the images you prefer to your own personal album. At the click of button you can compress the images into a ZIP file, which is automatically downloaded into your PC. Registered users are also given uploading privileges, to be able to contribute other or their own art to the existing database. I guess it would be nice to add an archive for some of our local artists like Leinil Yu and Gerry Alanguilan. Or for the great Francisco Coching even. Hmmm.

Anyway, go ahead and check it out. I guarantee it's worth it.

10.13.2003

The Brain Is A Wonderful Organ

Although the following image seems to be moving, it is actually static. Your brain is doing the moving for you.


Amusing, eh? A noted genius in the field of optical illusions named Akiyoshi Kitaoka, an associate professor of Ritsumeikan University's Department of Psychology in Kyoto, has been creating tons of these images for quite some time now. His books, "Trick Eyes" and "Trick Eyes 2" contain all of his works but are, unfortunately, only available in Japan. You can, however, find tons of his illusions, dating as far as May 2002 (ok, maybe not too far), in his website. If you're into this type of mental masturbation, go check it out at Akiyoshi's Illusion Pages.

Now, back to work.

10.10.2003

It's Amazing...

...how life has the funniest ways of making you real proud of what you know.

10.08.2003

Marc Silvestri

I wouldn't be worth calling a comic fan if Marc Silvestri wasn't on my list of favorite artists. Though I didn't really collect his works (Wolverine, Cyber Force, Darkness), I've always liked his art style. His and Jim Lee's art have had a huge influence on my style and on everyone else's (well, at least on those who have read or browsed through the aforementioned titles) during my early drawing days. They were practically the gods of comics back then. It was unfortunate though, that they had to retire and move to "greener pastures" (like heading their own respective production companies). They have been sorely missed ever since.

However, as every comic reader knows, Jim made a heck of a comeback last year with his run on DC Comics' Batman: Hush. It felt really good (and unreal) to see his art still as fantastic as before...in a Batman comic at that to top it all off. With the Hush story arc coming to an end recently, you'd think that would be the last we'll ever see of the well-loved Mr. Lee, but numerous sources have confirmed that he will be working on a Superman run very soon. The mere thought of how great this project is going to be is giving me goose bumps. I can't wait.

Inspired by Jim's dramatic return, Marc has decided to do a "Michael Jordan" and get back in the game. Fifteen years after his last stint with X-Men, Silvestri will officially come out of retirement to pencil for New X-Men in Grant Morrison's farewell run entitled Here Comes Tomorrow. "Set nearly two centuries in the future, the story reveals an entirely new team of X-Men (with some familiar faces) facing a global conflict. It’s not post-apocalyptic, as Silvestri explains, it’s set at the brink of the apocalypse. And it’s Morrison’s last word on the Phoenix."

According to recent news, it's supposed to be a story independent of regular X-continuity. I've never really been a fan of futuristic takes on my fave comics characters, possibly due to my traumatizing experience with Marvel's (horrible) 2099 series. I am, however, willing to gamble on this upcoming story arc. Besides, Grant Morrison's works are always a good buy. Just ask Jon or Ger.

Check out Newsarama for the full story and more of Marc's awesome sample pages.

My Past Life

Went to a site referred by my friend Kris that gives a diagnosis of who and what you were in your past life. I'm not much into this kind of stuff but it seemed interesting enough. All you have to do is enter your birthdate and wait for the results. Here's what I got:

Your past life diagnosis:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't know how you feel about it, but you were female in your last earthly incarnation.
You were born somewhere in the territory of modern Yukon around the year 1675.
Your profession was that of a leader, major or captain.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your brief psychological profile in your past life:
Timid, constrained, quiet person. You had creative talents, which waited until this life to be liberated. Sometimes your environment considered you strange.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation:
It always seemed to you that your perceptions of the world are somewhat different. Your lesson is to trust your intuition as your best guide in your present life.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Do you remember now?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At least they got the "creative talents" part right. Check out yours at thebigview.com.

10.07.2003

Addiction

I am officially hooked on Friendster. For the past few days, I have been growing my network of friends, which just started with Pi and my sister, Joyce. That is why there have been no recent updates on this blog. Don't get me wrong, I have not lost all interest in blogging. I'm still, in fact, very much addicted to it. It's been a great venue for my thoughts and random rants. It keeps my mind well-exercised, and best of all, it's free (and it is my strong hope that it will stay that way). With the advent of the Friendster Fever, I have just added to the list of things that amuse me (especially after a long and tiring day here at the office). It's been real fun so far. Got the chance to keep in touch with old friends and see how I'm connected to their friends and how they're connected to mine and well, you get the idea. Funny how the "Six Degrees of Separtion" theory applies here. Go ahead and check it out.

***

Last Saturday, the kumander and I were able to watch Underworld. It's a good movie, considering it was made on top of a small $20M budget (yup, SMALL...that's just Julia Roberts' talent fee). The background story isn't really new, but it's still quite nice with an interesting twist, and the action scenes are fantastic. Though it clearly tried to go the Blade/Matrix way, much to the disappointment of die hard fans of said films, I still liked it. Plus, I got to see Kate Beckinsale (who I don't actually find pretty) look reeeally good in black skin tight leather (mmmmmm).

Unfortunately for those who failed to watch it, a suspension order has been issued for the film, for reasons that have yet to be revealed. Who else would pull a stupid stunt like that but the all-knowing and all-powerful MTRCB. Too bad. Could probably be the high-level violence...but what the heck do you expect from a frickin' VAMPIRE VS. WEREWOLF MOVIE anyway? Damn fools, it's high time you re-evaluate your out-of-this-world rating standards! Stupid board.

10.02.2003

Dish

The kumander and I, along with some officemates and friends, went to Dish at Rockwell last night to catch all-acoustic, all-OPM performances by Hourglass, Paolo Santos, Nyoy Volante and Mannos, and True Faith. It was my first time to watch Santos and Volante and I must say, they really know how to put on a show. I would definitely recommend watching their future gigs. A night of fantastic guitar playing and good songs and being with the Supreme Overlord would have been a great way to end my day...if True Faith hadn't gotten on stage and ruined everything. Yep, of all the frickin' bands to destroy the frickin' night, it had to be True Faith. It was such a pathetic performance, people started leaving as soon as the first song was done. Apparently, True Faith front-man and DLSU alumnus Medwin (that handsome, handsome man) had one too many beers to drink. He was so drunk, he kept on messing up the words...he didn't even memorize the damn songs!!! I guess the people were just being nice when they cheered everytime Medwin filled in with "Yeah, lemme see yer haaaynds!" or "C'mon, sing wit' meh now!" to make up for fcuking up the lyrics. His bandmates were obviously so embarassed they just tried to keep their cool and played right on. *Sigh* It was such a depressing sight. But overall, we got our money's worth. It would have been a whole lot better though, but there's really nothing I can do about it now. Just needed to vent it out, I guess.

10.01.2003

From Creepy Thin Man To Incredible Bulk

Browsed through some old pics in the TLS yahoogroup. Being the sentimental bastard that I am, I couldn't help but smile and remember the good times (aaaw), when Weekends at Jon Z's were frequent, Summer Workshops were way "cooler", and when my weight was still at a desirable reading. Aaah, those were the days...just take a look at the picture that follows. This was taken over two years ago by one of the TLS Photo greats, Jerome "Photo! Photo!" Tambaoan during my stint as Art & Graphics Editor. Naturally, the person in the "spotlight" would be yours truly. With me are mentors and former A&G Editors Peejay Canlas and Bryan Ocampo. We will refer to this as Exhibit A.


I decided to weigh myself again just 2 months ago, giving in to the subtle pressure of family and friends. Imagine my shock when I registered an unbelievable 190 pounds. The following picture, which we shall refer to as Exhibit B, was taken a few months back during our immersion/vacation in Cebu. The overweight and hairless monstrosity in focus would be the result of a twisted genetic experiment involving the use of highly sophisticated computers and programming languages coupled with continuous saturated fat intake and an extreme lack of physical activities.


After further analysis of the differences in exhibits A and B (which are so damn obvious), I have arrived at the following conclusion: PROGRAMMING IS THE DEVIL...IT WILL PROMOTE THE GROWTH OF BOOBIES AND MAKE YOU LOOK STUPID IN YOUR BEACH SHORTS!!!

This oh-so-depressing revelation has led me to adopt a personal weight loss program. Since the start of September, I have painstakingly refined my eating habits, veering away from my favorite traditional dishes of meat and chicken whenever I could (which sucked at times), and concentrating on see...err...SEA food and a whole lot of vegetables. I have also been using the stairs lately, in place of the elevator in going up to the office (I figured I might as well since the only frickin' exercise I get around here is for my frickin' fingers). So far, the results have been rewarding. My next appointment with the scale is on November 1st. I am hoping to have shed a considerable amount of pounds (say 5 to 10?) by then. I'm really hoping I pull this off. Wish me luck.

Save It For Later

So you're thinkin' 'bout tomorrow
And all those simple things you think you might like
Well youve been slippin' in the daylight you see
While I've been tryin' to keep things light

So youre looking for approval
To do those stupid things you think your father might like
Well you might kill yourself to get it you see
But it might never make things right
It just might leave you more uptight

And all the things within the world
And all the boys and all the girls
That never seam to get enough
They save it for later you see
All the saints and all the freaks
And all the strange philosophies
The novelities the memories
They save it for later you see
They save it for later you see

So now youre lookin' for some revelation
But your still lyin' to me
Still in your bed
Well I've been stealing with the motions
but have you heard a word I've said

So youre thinkin' 'bout tomorrow
About reliving every minute of your past
Well i'm just living for the moment you see
'Cause I'm just tryin' to make it last
'Cause I've just seen it come to fast

And all the things within the world
And all the boys and all the girls
That never seam to get enough
They save it for later you see
All the saints and all the freaks
And all the strange philosophies
The novelities the memories
They save it for later you see
Save it for later you see

And the best part of my life
Is the worst part of your day
And the best part of my song
Is the last part you ever played

And all the things within the world
And all the boys and all the girls
That never seam to get enough
They save it for later you see
All the saints and all the freaks
And all the strange philosophies
And everyone that never speaks
They save it for later you see

And all the things within the world
And every boy and every girl
That never seams to get enough
They save it for later you see

And every time you build it up
And put it in your paper cup
It never seams to be enough
You save it for later you see
You save it for later you see
Don't save it for later you see
You're not looking greater you see

~ Splender

9.30.2003

Final Four

De La Salle bowed down to arch-rival Ateneo, 74-68 in a game that not only saw flying fists and bodies, but also a post-game brawl between former Blue Eagle Andrew Cruz and a dozen or so Archer fans. This is probably the first time in my more than 5 years of being an Archers fan that I'm thankful I was not in Araneta for this game. Unlike my die hard friends, I watched the very heated match in the comfort of Kimchi, a restaurant in the upper ground floor of our office building (well, it wasn't really comfortable since I was standing up, but what the hey).

It wasn't a bad game at all and I'm sure those who were able to witness the two teams duke it out will agree with me. Joseph Yeo, after a magnificent 30-point output in game one, exploded early in the game but was unable to call upon his late-game super powers and save the archers. Jerwin Gaco and Mark Benitez provided some much needed muscle in the paint but failed to dominate the post-game battle against Paolo Buguia and Rich Alvarez. Overall, La Salle played surprisingly well, despite missing the services of Mac "Give Me The Ball" Cardona. They would have had a good shot at the title this year. Unfortunately though for the rookie-laden archers, redemption will have to wait until next year.

Animo La Salle.

Overjoyed

Over time, I've been building my castle of love
Just for two, though you never knew you were my reason
I've gone much too far for you now to say
That I've got to throw my castle away

Over dreams, I have picked out a perfect come true
Though you never knew it was of you I've been dreaming
The sandman has come from too far away
For you to say come back some other day

And though you don't believe that they do
They do come true
For did my dreams
Come true when I looked at you
And maybe too, if you would believe
You too might be
Overjoyed, over love, over me

Over hearts, I have painfully turned every stone
Just to find, I had found what I've searched to discover
I've come much too far for me now to find
The love that I've sought can never be mine

And though you don't believe that they do
They do come true
For did my dreams
Come true when I looked at you
And maybe too, if you would believe
You too might be
Overjoyed, over love, over me

And though the odds say improbable
What do they know
For in romance
All true love needs is a chance
And maybe with a chance you will find
You too like I
Overjoyed, over love, over you, over you

~ Stevie Wonder

Breaking the Silence

Sorry, folks. There have been no recent updates because the Nef-computer has been eating most of my supposed blogging time. Contrary to what you may be thinking, I have not been losing sleep over playing my PC games. I am, in fact, having problems with the new video card. The CE homeez (Toff and Alfred) and I have not been able to resolve this so far. I have since been consulting with other people on-line (through Experts-Exchange) regarding the issues I've encountered and none have been able to propose a working solution. It's barely been two weeks since I bought the damn thing! *Sigh* All that power and the one task it's good for as of the moment is word processing. How depressing.

***

This link incidentally reveals a picture that documents Kris Aquino's close encounter with Joey Marquez's gun (no pun intended). This is a major, major development in the what local critics call the Breakup of the Century.

9.26.2003

You Gotta Love The Philippines!

I got this from inq7.net. It's old news, but what the hell...

Internet kidnap plea takes a twist
Posted: 11:06 PM (Manila Time) | Sept. 19, 2003
Inquirer News Service

FOR ABOUT two weeks now, the picture of 19-year-old Maureen Elizabeth Pizzaro and the story of her alleged abduction have been circulating on the Internet.

As a consequence, the e-mail purportedly sent by her brother Kenneth generated much sympathy from people as far as the United States and Europe.

But as concern for Maureen grew, here comes a twist: the mother of her alleged kidnapper is saying that she had actually eloped.

Kenneth's appeal began with a warning: "May this e-mail open your eyes to the new modus operandi of abducting a person, that even in crowded places you may be abducted silently."

According to the e-mail, Maureen "was abducted last September 7 around 7:30 p.m. at the Hidalgo Exit of Quiapo Underpass."

The woman, her sister Janice and her mother had just come from hearing mass at the Quiapo Church and were on their way home to 738 San Diego St., Sampaloc, Manila.

According to the e-mail, Maureen just disappeared from the crowd.

On Firday, the woman was "released" by her "abductor."

Now it is the family of the alleged abductor, Rovic Aromin, 27, who is crying foul over the kidnap story.

Vilma, mother of Rovic and proprietor of Aromin Silvershop in Baguio City, said her son and Maureen had actually eloped.

She decried reports that tagged her son as Maureen's kidnapper.

According to Vilma, Rovic and Maureen met almost a month ago through the Internet.

On Sept. 7, Rovic went to Manila with two of Maureen's younger sisters, as one of them was to be interviewed for a job as a stewardess.

On Sept. 8, Rovic and Maureen were together all day, Aromin said. The two later apparently eloped and stayed in their ancestral house in Naguilian town, La Union province.

On Sept. 14, the two came up to Baguio and Maureen was introduced to Vilma. It was only then that they learned of Maureen's "kidnapping."

The next day, Maureen filed an affidavit that she "voluntarily joined Rovic... and I was not forced, coerced, threatened nor intimidated whatsoever."

Aromin said they were supposed to even go to Manila for a "pamanhikan" (a tradition where the groom and his parents formally ask the bride's parents for permission to marry their daughter) last Sept. 17.

Now, Vilma is saying she might just sue those who have been spreading stories that they abducted Maureen. Frank Cimatu
Funny thing about this is I may even know Aromin's brother: a grade school classmate named Johnny. Talk about your small world.

9.25.2003

Disturbingly Amusing

That's how I'd describe CreaturesInMyHead.com. It's a simple but nicely designed site that features Andrew Bell's drawings of, well...creatures in his head...among other stuff. Mr. Bell describes himself and his brainchild as:

"i'm an artist living, working and doing my thing in New York City. 'creatures' is a daily illustration project that i felt the need to undertake for reasons that are now entirely beyond me... i don't go out much any more or see sunlight very often... i'm so very hungry and pale. enjoy."
Here's a sample of his stuff. It's entitled "I will destroy you!".


Cute, eh? So are his other works. It's no wonder the kumander loves this site. Added a link in the side bar. Go ahead and check it out.

More posts later. Must eat breakfast.

9.24.2003

Street Fighter

Came across an article on the new Street Fighter Comic developed by UDON Entertainment and published by Image. Issue 1 of this adaptation of the 90's arcade smash hit sold out two weeks before its official shelf release last September 3rd. Searched through Mile High Comics for a preview and look at what I found:

The awesome cover you see on the left was drawn by none other than Joe "MAD!" Madureira himself. Yes, everybody's favorite super-delayed-but-still-draws-great-stuff artist has decided to come out of hiding and go back to the drawing board to produce a back-up story (of which no preview pages are available) on Ryu's first encounter with Sagat. No doubt, Madureira's art is still fantastic, it's just a shame he's too damn lazy!

From the looks of things, Image is counting on the huge fanbase of the Street Fighter franchise to boost the title's sales, riding on a storyline that's not really new but still something people would love read--a tried and tested formula used by Dreamwave Studios with their Transformers run. So far, it's been pretty effective for Image's latest goldmine.

Want your own copy? Fat chance. Street Fighter was slated for release in English worldwide, excluding Asia. I'm not sure though if CAT's managed to bring some in (like they managed to do with Transformers). Besides, even if it were available locally, it's bound to be of wallet death caliber anyway (probably in the 1500 to 2000 peso range, for about 36 pages). I may be a fan, but I'm no die hard to shell out that much cash.

Issue 2 features a back-up story by Amerimanga artist Adam Warren of Dirty Pair, Gen13: Bootleg, and Magical Drama Queen Roxy fame. Check out Newsarama for the full article.

9.22.2003

Happy Monthsary...

...to the woman of my dreams and of my reality.

I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,
or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that never blooms
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,
risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
so I love you because I know no other way
than this, in which there is no I nor you
so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand
so intimate that when you fall asleep it is my eyes that close.

~ Sonnet 17 by Pablo Neruda


Bowling Date. Taken at our spontaneous Coronado Lanes night out last 9/20. Photo courtesy of Jon. See related story.

Water Runs Dry...

...so does your wallet when you're not paying attention. Went with the master and commander (of the far side of my world) to the PC Express Warehouse yesterday, supposedly just to canvas for good parts. In a wicked twist of fate, I ended up charging a new monster of a PC through the small shiny object in my wallet known as a credit card extension. Not that I'm complaining or anything, I actually got a pretty good deal, considering all the stuff I stuck into the merchandise. I am now, however, officially in debt for the next 12 months (Wallet Death at its finest...*sigh* so much for that Smallville DVD I was planning to give myself). Pictures of the Nef-computer shall follow...that is if mah homeez wouldn't mind lending their "weapons" for a few shots.

9.18.2003

Overtime

Surprising how I'm not at all pissed at the fact that I'm staying 'til 10 pm here in the office. It's funny how you don't really feel tired when you get a lot of things done right. Been programming and listening to the best of my MP3s since this morning. It's the first time in days that I actually feel powerful again. Hope it lasts me 'til the weekend. Still have those application notes to finish (right, Gerwin?).

9.17.2003

Of Digicams and Busted Phones

Now that Jon and Gerwin have cried "Olympus!" and declared DIGITAL WAR on each other, the urge to acquire the weapon of choice (Camedia c150 or any decent digital camera) grows stronger and stronger. I am not, however, about to give in to the temptation (well, not yet at least). The urge shall be controlled...until the resources are ready (that is, until after the Smallville Season 1 DVD Wallet Death Recovery or SS1DWDR). In the meantime, I have decided to rely on the instamatic-plus-scanner technique to compensate for Burning Lead's extreme lack of more personal pictures. There's a whole bunch of fun pics to post, I promise. Expect them in the coming days.

***

My phone is dying. After more than three years of loyal service...the old 3210 is finally showing signs of slowing down. A replacement unit is out of the question, obviously for reasons I already mentioned above. Besides, until it finally conks out on me, I think I'm better off sticking with it for now.

***

Can't seem to squeeze anything decent from my crispy sponge of a brain today. Oh well, hopefully tomorrow will be better. *Sigh* And Wednesdays are supposed to be the good days.

Later.

9.16.2003

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII

Faaahk...I sure wish I had this for a Nefmobile.

9.15.2003

The Weekend News

I had just gotten my ride fixed last Saturday morning...my clutch lining was perfectly fine. The problem, apparently, was with my spark plugs. Spent about 900 bucks for the replacement parts (I just decided to have the air filter changed as well). Actually, I was supposed to spend about 3K if I had included the High Tension Wires the mechanic asked me to buy. Good thing I decided to leave those out first and see if changing the spark plugs alone would rid my car of the problem. And guess what, it did! Darn thing was back to normal by lunch time.

Spent the afternoon with my Supreme Overlord (my apologies to The Dyonzee for borrowing the term he coined). Watched 2 Fast 2 Furious at G4...kick ass movie. Although I did catch an "advance screening" last month, I very much enjoyed watching it again. Digital surround sound does wonders to your viewing experience. Plus, the much bigger view of all the cars (and Devon Aoki in her skimpy red bikini) made the movie all the more fun to watch. Made me feel a little sad for the Nefmobile though...just a little.

Sunday was family day at RP Manila. Had a hearty lunch at Tang City with the folks, shopped for a pair of Nike Prestos for the Mother, and drooled over the Mitsubishi Evo VIII on display there (pics to follow if I get my hands on any). It is such a delicious ride: 2 liter, 273 horsepower engine; 6-speed manual transmission; MOMO steering wheel with airbag; customized Recarro racing seats; keyless entry; 17" rims; and tons of other goodies I don't wanna mention anymore to prevent further damage to my brain. The price? A WHOPPING 3.2 MILLION PESOS! Fahk, you can buy a nice house and lot in the Tagaytay highlands with that kind of money! Oh well, you really just can't have it all. But I am hoping that I win that Porsche Boxster Axe is giving away though...no harm in dreaming...free country and all that.

***

Jackie Chan's The Medallion is a bad movie. It's the ugliest way to end your day just in case you're interested. My apologies to Pao and JC for inviting them to such a waste of expenses.

Stripping with Frank Cho

No, I did not come across some pictures of idol Frank in a thong. I did happen to read through some of his comic strips last Friday though, and meyng, are they funny! Just a brief backgrounder on Liberty Meadows. There are (1...2...4...7!) seven main characters in the story. There's Frank (obviously the real Frank's characterization of himself), Liberty Meadows' resident veterinarian and all-around good guy. There's Brandy, the sexy, black-haired girl who happens to be Frank's assistant and love interest. Jen is the other hot girl, very liberated, displays exhibitionist tendencies, and is Brandy's uber-naughty roommate. Ralph is the really angry, and apparently very smart midget bear who keeps on inventing all sorts of high-tech stuff. Leslie is the bullfrog with hypochondria (a hypochondriac indicates someone who thinks he is ill or merely imagines that he has symptoms). Dean is the pig (in every sense of the word), extremely vain and horny, he consistenly throws out these really dumb pick-up lines, which of course result in him getting his fat ass kicked all time. Monkey Boy is Frank Cho the artist, in the comic...'nuff said. Ok, now that we more or less know who the characters are, on with the show!

Dean has got to be the most hilarious character in the series. He's my favorite so far. It's always fun to see him getting into all these kinds of bloopers...





Ralph and Leslie are like the 90's WWF Legion of Doom of Liberty Meadows. They're the best tag team in this series. They're funny on their own but I like them best when they're together...





Brandy and Jen are given favorites, but I particularly like the way Jen is "used" in the strips. Knocks you right off of your feet...



9.12.2003

Frank Cho

This guy's art is just plain fantastic. If I'm going to start drawing again...I'm gonna learn to draw like him. Just look at the way he pencils! Not that I want to be a rip-off of the guy, it's just that I believe that his realistic-cartoony style is something I'm very much willing to explore, and a style I can probably be comfortable with and good at, too.

You know, using solid blacks in my drawings was something I never really learned how to do. It's probably just because it wasn't really my style. The closest I ever came to using blacks was in the Spawn pieces I did back in highschool (which I don't have a single clue where to find now). Those drawings were just copied from my old comics, of course. Actually, most of my highschool drawings were just copies. My own style didn't come until I joined The LaSallian in college, but that's another story for another day. Bottom line is, I'm going to learn to use solid blacks.

Women? I don't know squat about drawing women. Always has been my "Achilles' heel". Ask me to draw one and I'll beg you to let me use a reference. But this Cho guy? *whew* He is the man when it comes to drawing women. I am definitely going to learn to draw like that. Well, his other human characters are also nicely drawn and his animal characters are cute. But meyng, his women really take home the prize. Check out Frank's Official Website to see his other amazing works.

The Not-So-Young-Not-So-Old Bones Hurt...

Last night I could hardly drive. My body started aching a little after 5 in the afternoon, and the pain got worse around dinner time. Good thing my folks are in town...the Nefcave (Pasig house) is a lot cozier now and my Mom's soup is just the best! Seems to increase the potency of the pain killers I take.

I'm not the only one that's sick though...my car's performance has been a little weird lately. It jerks every so often when I reach 2000+ rpm. The jerking isn't that violent, but you really feel it when driving...like it has a mild asthma, always trying to catch its breath. I've asked a bunch of my friends about the it and it turns out it could be a "couple of problems". My Dad believes the clutch lining (whatever that is) is almost worn out. As a consequence, I plan to bring the ever-reliable Nefmobile to a service bay this weekend. Hopefully my work sked will be cooperative.

***

Pay day today! WOOHOOOOOO!

9.11.2003

Mister Swabeh

The much awaited, two-part, 3rd season premiere of SMALLVILLE (entitled Exile) is just a couple of weeks away. Being the eternal fanboy, I'm a regular visitor of Kryptonsite.com. It's a kick-ass website, and I swear it's waaay better than the one you'll find on theWB. You'll even find an article on Jeff East, who played the young Clark Kent in the first Superman movie. The site has tons of pics and related articles, and if you're the type who can't wait until the next episode (like me, for example), you can always visit the spoilers section! Sorry, I just have no patience sometimes.

This picture on the left makes you want to go "hmmm...", doesn't it?

More on www.kryptonsite.com.

***


FYI, I don't have anything to do with the gay-looking Tom Welling pic you see here. Gerwin asked me to "try" and post it, s'all. Damn, even Superman's trying to look like F4! I won't be surprised though, if they make a Hollywood adaptation of METEOR GARDEN starring Tom Welling, Mark McGrath, Alex Band, and some other guy who isn't famous. I wonder how I'll look in this hairstyle? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA... really, really stupid I'm sure.

***


Behold the Nefut's WALLET DEATH PROJECT...this is going to hurt the funds a lot.

9.10.2003

Whew!

Finally, I get to have some decent work done on this crazy page! This HTML crap is the best. (Thank God for on-line references.) Shame I didn't learn to do this sooner. (Yep, contrary to popular belief, not all, and I repeat, NOT ALL Computer Science graduates know HTML by default! Now that we got that out of the way, can we move on now? Thanks.)

I think I'm going to be blogging for a while. Beats playing Spider Solitaire in your idle time. *Sigh* Wednesday is always a good day.

See you around.

9.09.2003

The First Post

This is going to be interesting...