UPD Photo Walk

Yesterday, Kat and I met up in UP Diliman for a photo walk where I saw her new toy, the Canon EOS Kiss. It felt great to be out of the house after many weeks and taking photos again. I'm beginning to get a hang of using my Nikon D3000 and I'm excited to organize a few shoots with friends sometime next year.

Post NaNo

I've been putting off writing on this blog post-NaNoWriMo. I admit I've been too lazy to post anything after slugging it out for an entire month of 2k daily word quotas. Although I'm glad to say that I've reached my self-imposed 60k word count goal, but the story is far from over. Looking back at what I've written so far, I've made a few realizations:

• My characters aren't as lovable as I originally perceived them to be.
• Conflict has lost its steam and I have no idea how to write the ending.
• The romance subplot seems forced.

Well, look at that. It looks like my inner editor has managed to get out of the cage without my knowledge and now she's looking over the crap I've written. B-e-a-utiful.

I'm going to give this thing a month before I actually get around to fix it. I might contemplate in joining NaNoFiMo or NaNoEdMo. Or perhaps both. 

In other news, I have the most awesome post-birthday/Christmas gift ever. I have a Kindle Fire! I've been downloading ebooks like crazy and reading until the wee hours. Though I still love flipping books, I can finally relate how great it feels not to lug around a ginormous paperback. I am forever grateful for this awesome gift. :D

Funny how the holidays made me think of a lot of things I want to get for myself. I try not to think so much about it, but the compulsion to buy stuff is just so overwhelming. Although being cooped up at home works wonders in saving money, but when I do go out, I almost always spend stuff in one go. I guess I have to be more strict in my expenses.

I've also been browsing the Adopt a Plot thread in NaNoWriMo and I've been besieged by plot bunnies ever since. I'm thinking of taking up the challenge to submit a manuscript next year, so I need all the practice I can get. This year's novel showed I still need to polish my grammar and refine my plot. I need all the encouragement from myself because admittedly, I am my worst critic.

I still can't help but feel excited on yet another writing project. Let's do this!

On hiatus for NaNoWriMo

Well, I haven't been posting much anyway. But for those who visit this space, I will be off to NaNoLand for the month of November and will be marooned there for 30 days, until at least I finish what I've set out to write.

See you at the end of the tunnel!

My 30th Name Day

So yeah, this is a late birthday entry. I was sort of hoping it would be different from the previous years considering I've hit that point in my life where I'm in the "middle age" bracket. No use denying it, I mean, we're all going there and it just so happened I've already reached the first checkpoint.

Wake me up when November's over

Plotting away

I look up the NaNo website and it says it's 14 days 'til November 1.

Wait...WHAT?!

I'm not yet finished with my chapter outlines. Please don't let it be November just yet.

Going through the book list

So...I've been at my book backlog list and I've ticked two off the list. It feels a bit rewarding knowing that I've been getting back in the reading habit and I just want to share my thoughts on some of them.

Game of Thrones

I made a good decision of reading the book while tuning in to the series because my mind can't get a grip on the boatloads of characters mentioned. I'm glad that HBO stayed true to the story and whatever diversions made complemented the book in so many ways. I've already bought book 2 and I can't wait to finish it before season 2 starts.

Twenties Girl

I've always liked Sophie Kinsella's light, tongue-in-cheek humor to her stories, but I guess if you've read one Kinsella book, you've read them all. Seriously. I keep getting glimpses of Rebecca Bloomwood even if her main character has a different name and a different profession. The fact that the story has a meddling, pushover ghost for a supporting character threw the believable factor out the window. I read the entire thing in just one day, and thank God it was a fast read otherwise, it would've been like getting a tooth extraction just to get over reading the damn thing.

My Name is Memory

I haven't finished this one and it already feels like I've been reading this book for months. Honestly, I'm not even interested to find out if the girl will ever remember the guy. The story is too dragging and I find myself gagging every time the male character goes off in his monologues of self pity. It's like reading Twilight in slow mo.

I just hope the other books in my list have something better to offer, otherwise it will just be one long list after the other.

Or maybe I just need a Kindle. Hehehe.

Book images from respective sites in link

Goodbye, Amaya

I've already stopped watching Amaya since two weeks ago. I couldn't bear to stomach the dragging episodes every night (I don't really watch it on TV so I didn't lose much sleep). I thought I'd be able to bear the horrible Marian Rivera acting and the seemingly Mara Clara-ish snail's pace scenes, but I finally said to hell with it. For all its hype and pomp, the so-called epicserye dragged forever before Marian could ever don that warrior's costume & chop the balls off the other cast members.

But as I hear it, Rajah Mangubat was FINALLY killed (took him forever to drop dead, I swear), and the stupid tagna was fulfilled. But not until after all the yakking and tear-jerking whatevers from gag-inducing Marian.

Sorry, I thought this show had promise with Ms. Suzette Doctolero at the writing helm. I was wrong. The show dragged longer than the epic Hinilawod and I was already choking with the sappiness of it all. I've had enough.

I'm just gonna bide my time and wait for Merlin Season 4 or Game of Thrones Season 2. That or I can just finish off my book backlog. Time well spent.

The 32nd Manila International Book Fair

Wala lang. Magandang kuha.

This is my second time to attend the Manila Book Fair event and like the first experience, there wasn't that much, except only for the 20% sale on the National Bookstore booth. As an afterthought, I felt somewhat frustrated as it should have been labeled as "Manila International Academic Book Fair". Seriously. Most of the books were for students and academicians that I lost interest at the first 10 minutes of roaming around.

Subspace Coffee: Still beyond my galaxy

I first heard about Subspace Coffee from a blog entry and I was immediately intrigued. Being a coffee and food junkie, I had to check out the place, so I hauled the only two people I can count on for spur-of-the-moment rendezvouz for a Friday evening gimik. 

The things about language that piss me off online

I'm almost always online everyday, and there are times when I encounter annoying people who bastardize both the English and Filipino languages. It's bad enough some people think they're "bilingual" when they can't even spell or punctuate the words even if they died trying, but all these variations to save on character space is just abhorrent. I would always grit my teeth and control the urge to punch someone who types/posts in these lines:

• Nanaman / nalang. It's na naman / na lang. Get it right.
• Super *insert adjective here* (e.g.: super thankful, super sorry, super galing)
• Using the word "epic" to denote something awesome, great, amazing

• Spelling "ako" as "aq" (or any form of jejespeak for that matter)
• Wait lang (pwede namang sabihing "sandali lang")

What even drives me to commit homicide is the fact that some people have the gall to abbreviate words when they've got a perfectly functioning keyboard at their disposal. Sadly, I encounter a lot of this at work. 

Disclaimer: I do not proclaim myself as ultimately without flaw in grammar and syntax. It doesn't mean that even if the other person can understand the bastardized language you're posting online, doesn't mean you should go ahead and mangle the damned thing.

Fangasm on Visprint's WIT

I think it's bad that there are less and less people who read, but it's even worse knowing that our local authors and publishers do not get the support they need from the very few reading public. Personally, I like reading Philippine fiction, particularly subjects that interest me such as folklore, history and the paranormal. Although I'm not exactly well-read when it comes to the works of the more prolific Filipino authors, I'm a big fan of some of Visprint Inc.'s titles, some of which were just surprise discoveries in my countless forages in bookshops.

Something random

I have a strong feeling I'm one of those people who'll just get stuck at home during the four-day weekend. Pathetic, I know.

So...I have a couple of things that I hope will tide me over until at least the boredom settles in. 

• We finally have internet at home. Sun Broadband. Nasty stuff. The damned thing takes two minutes to load a single page. I can't even decently buffer a single YouTube video. I can't believe I'm going to get stuck with this crappy connection for two years.

• Currently watching Game of Thrones and I'm loving it. Reading the book wasn't as painful as I thought it would be, and the series is helping me get a clear picture of who's who in the story. I saw a couple of familiar actors from 300, Harry Potter and Troy. 

• I have a new phone, though I still have to jailbreak the damn thing. Does anyone know where I can get a my|phone fixed for open line?

• Another new manuscript to build, and I'm already writhing from procrastination.

• Sleep. This weather is just perfect for it.

In other news, I still haven't received a damned Pottermore email. Dang it.

I've also been thinking about signing up for a Tumblr account. I wish Blogger had an active community and a reblogging function for those who are too lazy to post their own content. /heh

And the list just keeps getting longer

I have this bad habit of buying new books while I still have boatloads of other publications to read. In this list:

• George R.R. Martin - A Game of Thrones
• Elizabeth Gilbert - Eat, Pray, Love
• Sophie Kinsella - Twenties Girl
• Ann Brashares - My Name is Memory
• Philippa Gregory - The Virgin's Lover & The Other Queen
• Jeanne Kalogridis - The Borgia Bride
• George R.R. Martin - A Clash of Kings

Somehow, it feels like this is a good problem, don't you think? :)

A day with the Lourd

The thing about living in the city is that you can never get around anywhere without shelling out some money. This is the reason why I rarely go out on weekends (as in rarely). This week, however, was an exception; it's not everyday you get to meet one of your idols in the flesh. 

A quick Pottermore survey

Pottermore name:

ShieldHeart84

What Hogwarts House do you think it SOUNDS like:

Sounds all Hufflepuff-y to me.

What Hogwarts House do you WANT to be in:

Ravenclaw.

Does the username relate to you at all (why/why not):

The fact that it sounds fruity & gay, I don't think so. (I don't even know what possessed me to choose this username. What was I thinking?!)

What kind of wand would you wish to get:

Any kind of wood is fine, but do they happen to have angel feather as a wand core?

Pure Blood/Half Blood/Muggle Born:

Half-blood. Just because.

Which day 1-7 did you get into Pottermore:

I think  it was on the 3rd day.

Cat, Rat, Owl, or Toad:

Owl for mail, cat for a pet!

Expecto Patronum! What is your patronus shape and why:

A tarsier. So there'd be no denying who's a Pinoy wizard.

Oh no! You’ve found a boggart! What does it look like:

A ghost.

Riddikulus! Now what does it look like:

Robert Pattinson. LMAO.

Would you rather be an Animagus or a Metamorphmagus and why:

Metamorphmagus because it's something innate. Animagi are boring as they can only change into animals.

If you taught yourself to be an Animagus, what animal would best suit you and why:

An eagle or a hawk. I've always wanted to know what it feels like to fly.

I had a near-anxiety attack...

Credits to Kat for the screenshot

...when I couldn't find the blasted magic quill to get myself registered for Pottermore. Kat & I have been waiting the entire day for the clue, refreshing the page every 30 minutes or so since this morning (adik talaga, LOL). I was so anxious because the site would probably close in the next hour and a half and I was nowhere to finding the damn quill.

So, thank you, Kat, for saving my sanity.

And now I've registered as ShieldHeart84. Hell to the YES!

Can't wait to get sorted. :D

HP7 part 2: The end is nigh

Finally, after a year of waiting, I was able to watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. Waiting for the hours to pass on a work day tested my emotional quotient to the limit. I was able to reserve a seat online, but I didn't take my chances and bolted out the door when my shift ended.

I arrived at the cinema two hours before the screen time. Surprisingly, the lines weren't that long. I had to check if I was at the right place. I was expecting mayhem similar to last year's screening, but I was incredulously grinning like an idiot when I finally bought my ticket in less than two minutes.

Happy Birthday, Postcrossing!

Ever since joining Postcrossing last year, I've been surprised countless times when I get something in my mail. Oftentimes, these little surprises arrive at the perfect time, i.e., after a peevish day at work or during an uneventful, lackluster day. Regardless if it was only just a postcard or several pages of letters from my pen friends, I'm always delighted at the prospect of receiving interesting images, stamps and packages from all over the world.

Envelope art

Postcrossing has opened a whole slew of collections for me. Aside from the usual postcards and stamps, I've enjoyed getting back to the art of snail mailing and writing to penpals. It feels just like high school all over again. The idea of receiving a long letter or even just a simple, but warm greeting on a postcard drives the pains of stress away. 

Weekend at Lucban and Liliw

You know what they say about plans not materializing if you think about it too much. But since it was the long weekend, a couple of my co-workers and I boarded the next bus to Lucena in Quezon province for an overnight shindig. The trip felt like it went on forever. I guess if it were not for the company of friends (and the Pawn of Prophecy audio book in my iPod), I'd have probably died of boredom. We stayed at my co-worker's family residence in Lucban, arriving past 1am. It was raining when we got there and for the first time since the unbearable Manila heat, I felt the biting cold reminiscent of Christmas. I fell asleep the minute my head touched the pillow.

Amaya First Impressions

After Encantadia, I found no other reason to rush back home at the end of the day and watch some sensible show on TV. But after six years, it looks like there's something worthwhile to watch in primetime, and that's GMA's topbilled epicserye, Amaya.

Happy birthday, little brother!

Cereal prawns

Mother's seafood pasta

Face to face with "The Rock"

Thanks to a voucher discount, I was able to go to Corregidor with a couple of friends a few weeks ago. Needless to say, in all my wishlist of places to go to, this little island was probably not in the top list. I was just expecting the usual artifacts as seen in pictures, but I was totally not prepared with what I saw and experienced.

Compassion for the cat killer...wut?

By now, some of you have gotten wind of the latest news to hit us all in the face. I may probably be a little bit over-emotional on this, but I'd just like to say that the guy's punishment is way too nice for words. 

I've read a blog entry saying that people should be more compassionate towards the guy who insanely beat the living crap out of a defenseless animal. While we all agree that this dude is crazy and needs professional help, I think we're way beyond compassion. Shoot me now for saying that he should've served jail time, not to mention that he should be expelled from UP. 

Yeah, yeah, I've had enough crap about people saying "let he who has no sin be the one to cast the first stone" drama. Thing is, we are never going to move forward if we're all babying law offenders. Sure, all of us are sinners, but do we all go around killing random things that come our way? Do we suddenly just shoot the people that piss us off just because we feel like it? 

We are never going to move forward as a nation if we cannot even execute the law to its maximum force. It's the only way we can stop delusional people from breaking the law. We need an iron fist to ram the law down our throats. 

I just find the discussions on vegetarianism hilarious. 

P.S.: This is just my opinion. If you have any problems, create your own blog and let loose there.

P.P.S.: This rant is not just about the cat killer, but to law breakers in general.

Omnom Singapore

Singaporean hawker center

If there was one thing I did mostly while I was in Singapore last Holy Week, it was about stuffing my face senseless with food. I probably committed a grave offense to the Catholic faith by not fasting on a holy  occasion, but that trip may as well be my last opportunity to go there, so I hope the dude upstairs will let this pass.

A word of advice for the adventurous gourmand: You should pack garterized shorts or pants because you're most likely to gain several pounds. It's so easy to look for a particular food or cuisine in SG, unlike in good 'ol Pinas where you have to traverse seven mountains and swim the deepest ocean to satisfy your craving. When you've got great food within reach, it's very likely that you're going to be gaining calories instead of burning them.

The Singapore overview from a first time noob

Hello, Changi.

Singapore is awesome.

That just about sums up my very first impression when I landed in Changi Airport last week. This was my second trip abroad and needless to say, it was probably the best experience I ever had.

T Minus 2 Days

Dizz izz iiiit!

My first travel shindig this year! It's been so long since I last packed my bags and slept in someplace different. I think the last time was when I went to Zambales to Kat's place with Fris and Lorna and it's been like forever. As in. 

I've been reading some stuff online as well as asking friends for good places to visit there and it's been an overload of information. I'd like to try everything and go everywhere, but I don't want to overplan. I like being surprised by the places I visit, and hopefully, I make the most out of the number of days over there with the sister. I freaking deserve this holiday. Damn straight.

Thai noodles & mom's cooking

 

St. Francis Square in Ortigas has always been our favorite go-to place every Friday for lunch. Not only does the place offer a lot of great buys, they also have a food joint that offers a wide variety of stuff to choose from.

BTT: Visual

It's been a while since I did a Booking Through Thursday meme.

My shelf...circa 2007.

So … the books that you own (however many there may be) … do you display them proudly right there in plain sight for all the world to see? (At least the world that comes into your living room.) Or do you keep them tucked away in your office or bedroom or library or closet or someplace less “public?”

As much as I'd like to display my books in plain sight, we don't have any of those nifty bookshelves. Nonetheless, I prefer my books neatly stashed away in the bookshelf in my room, preferably padlocked. My brothers have this nasty habit of going through my stuff without permission. They sometimes they tend to pluck my books out of order, or worse, dump them in their own dirty shelves to be forgotten. The nastiest thing one of my brothers did was to grab a David Eddings book from my shelf (all my Eddings series are arranged chronologically, btw) and denied that he even took it. When I went snooping around his stuff, I found the missing book underneath a pile of dirt in their cabinet. I was on the verge of severing our sibling ties right then and there.

I may not be a neat freak in most of my things, but when it comes to my books, I'm a real freak. I should say that my book collection is probably the first thing I'll save if our house is on fire. 

Day 2 of iBlog 7: Chillaxin' & Learning

I was hoping for a bigger crowd the following day, but it turned out that it was more or less the same number of people as the previous. I was also hoping to see some blogger friends, but it looked like everyone else had earlier plans, so only my friend Chad was there, along with my officemates for round 2 of the iBlog Summit.

Day 1 of iBlog7: Missed Expectations

This is my second year to attend the iBlog Summit and this year's a lot more awesome because I'm with some colleagues from work. Wanna know what's even more kickass? There was nary a sign of the resident douchebag, which was somewhat eerie to the point that the emcee had to ask why he was missing in action.

Churp Churp: Not exactly a Twitter clone

I love social media. It's a great way to get in touch with old and new friends, know about a lot of  interesting information and even bag great deals while you're at it. I'm even going to say the most passe catch phrase: it's revolutionizing the way we communicate. Even the person most adverse to technology will either get curious about it or will probably create their own social media account (case in point: parents in Facebook).

Spayed

Yeah, our black pussy went under the knife yesterday. It's been a long time coming actually, but thankfully we were able to have the funds to get her spayed. She was in her "season" that week, and her cries seemed like she was in pain or something. I just couldn't bear to see her in that state.

WIP: The Descendants

When Jake realized where they were headed, he started panicking. Big time. "Oh no no no," he muttered under his breath, clutched the dashboard and held on for dear life.

Caleb shook his head. "Stop being such a wuss. You're the one who wanted to join me on this mission, so you're going to have to suck it up, princess." His eyes roamed around the vicinity, looking for anything unusual. He parked the car right underneath the street sign that said "Balete Drive".

"Yeah, I did. But you never told me what the mission's about. Hell, for all I know, you'd want me to gank some manananggal or beat the living daylights out of some dwende or something."

Caleb snorted. "Manananggals? Please. You know as well as I do those creatures do not exist at all. Well, at least not in this day and age. You're lucky they aren't, otherwise, I might have to ask you to do it."

"Can't we just do this some other day? You know I don't like ghosts. Why does it always have to be about ghosts?"

Caleb eyed his friend dangerously. He knew how exasperating Jake could be when the mission involved the walking dead, but he wasn't just about to abandon the assignment. Sinag already told them it was either now or never. They were at a race against time and he'd be damned if he let Jake sabotage this one shot opportunity.

Sinag, their trusty seer-slash-prophet, told him he would find his companions in the occurence of a supernatural event. Of course, he would have to kill whatever eerie creature stood in his way before a companion would be revealed. It pissed Caleb knowing that he cannot fulfill the prophecy on his own. He hated working with a team. And although he had Jake tagging along since forever, he still didn't like putting up with the idea of a Fellowship of the Ring bullcrap.

"Even if you do insist on this I-can-do-this-on-my-own-I-don't-need-a-team idea, you're never going to be successful. The gods have foretold this already and it's useless going against something that's already preordained."

God, even Sinag's irritating sermons were beginning to seep into his consciousness. He much preferred her voice when the diwata Sariya speaks through her. Albeit it was a lot creepy knowing the deity's human manifestation was that of an age-old woman who was almost always at Sinag's side.

Jake whined some more on the perils of dealing with a cranky spirit at the height of their powers that night. Caleb was just about to throttle him when a silver Honda CR-V sped past the block. He blinked and then saw the flash of a white dress up the road. "She's here. Shut up and just let me do my job."

Caleb turned on the ignition and followed the SUV, ignorant of the sudden chill brought about by the night air.

I wrote this in a burst of sudden inspiration. It's been marinating in my head for a couple of months now and this is the first time I've actually committed this project on something tangible. It's still a work in progress and there's still a lot of research and plotting to be done, but I'm hoping for the best. I hope I can see through the end of this ambitious project.

Obsessed on the Supernatural

 

I can't believe I've been putting off writing about Supernatural in this space. I mean, I've been living, dreaming and eating SPN for a couple of weeks already. I blame the entire show for this ginormous writing and reading backlog, which I have no plans of getting started on until at least I've reached the latest episode in Season 6 (I've already started on a couple of episodes in Season 5).

Death in the family

It feels really weird to be writing about something as morbid as death. Yet we all know that like it or not, we're all going to face the final curtain at one point in time. It still feels alien to me, though. Luckily, we don't have many deaths in the family and I feel blessed ten times over knowing that my family is safe and in good spirits. I guess I haven't entertained the thought of getting into that "point in time", more so for my folks. I've gotten used to a close-knit family that the idea of any one of us kicking the bucket seems unacceptable, even preposterous.

Food, food, food at the 10th Phil. Food Expo

Going to expos is one of the things I miss about being in the media. I remember back in the days when I was attending all these events, and it brings a lot of good memories. Back then, all I had to do was flash my media badge and I'd get free entrance not to mention a bag of goodies too.

Well yeah, getting free stuff was awesome, but I guess going to an expo as a nobody does have its perks too, that is, I don't have to go around the place, interviewing people and committing the entire set-up to memory just so I can write a decent article. When I went yesterday to the 10th Philippine Food Expo, I was in no pressure at all. I was free to roam around, try out some free samples and just enjoy the event to my heart's content.

A close encounter with Tony Hidalgo

Ok, I was apparently the last to hear the news about the passing of Antonio Hidalgo. For those who may not know him, Sir Tony was a prolific writer and head honcho of Milflores Publishing. Among many other things, he was the husband of a well-known professor in UP Diliman, Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo. 

I was reading today's newspaper when I saw a tributary article for him. It came as a shock to me, although I got wind of the news a few weeks ago that he was hospitalized. I don't know Sir Tony that well; in fact, I don't even know if he remembered we even met 8 years ago. So what's the fuss?

Card for today: The Lovers

Haha. How lucky can I get? I pulled out The Lovers card today, and it couldn't be more than appropriate after the talk I attended on sex and singlehood with Lorna, Fris and Kat. The meaning that resounded most of all was about tough choices / burning questions / personal beliefs. The discussion raised a few reactions on my end (i.e., on how people were so quick to jump the gun on the media, statistics about x percentage of people with failed relationships and those engaged in premarital sex, etc., etc...), some of which were stuff that I really didn't agree personally. Still, it was a worthwhile event to attend...food was great, people were awesome & I got to spend time away from my otherwise boring routine. 

Ah well, I still have a long way to go on this new thing I've picked up. I'm still boggled how I picked a card that sort of summarized the event that happened today. Awesome.

Yes, finally, I got myself a deck. Although it's not the Rider-Waite I've been obsessing about for weeks, the Royal Tarot ain't that bad, though it will be a challenge to decipher the meaning of the minor arcana with only images of objects. I'm still a WIP, so let's see where this will take me.

Image from hawkscry.org

Project 365: Places, food & more randomity

Can't believe I've been so lazy to post any Project 365 photos lately. It's such a chore to download, clean & upload photos (I do this weekly & I'm still such a lazy ass). I wonder if I can survive this thing without procrastination getting the better of me.

Okay, okay. On with the photos! I got 2 week's worth, btw. :)

The deplorable state of the English language in the Philippines (and other weaboo insanities)

If you've seen the storm brewing in one of the pages I commented on Facebook, then I don't need any superfluous introductions. If you haven't, you're missing half your life. I just find it funny that it's already been 3 days since that post and people haven't moved on. Is the event really that groundbreaking? Will it solve the country's multi-billion dollar financial debt? Will it feed the entire lot of Filipinos? 

I dunno if I'm to be amused or if I need to feel pity towards kids these days who can't write simple English to save their sorry behinds. Frankly speaking, I'm not insulted because I was called a bitch and a whole slew of other names. What's insulting was that these kids couldn't even hurl a single decent and coherent ignominy without making the grammar Nazis writhe in agony. I was cringing half the time I was reading their futile attempts to make me feel peeved. 

I really don't give a flying batshit about their stupid event, nor do I feel a single iota of remorse for calling their event stupid. What bothers me is that these kids waste their time & energy organizing questionable events that aren't even well thought of. Seriously...minors cosplaying in a bar? Paid freebies? 350 bucks worth of tickets? Holy apeshit, Batman!

What's even worse is that they don't even give a crap about grammar & punctuation. I don't even know if I'm going to laugh my ass off or offer a prayer for their lost souls. At this rate, the Philippines is going to the dogs. Believe it.

You want to speak Nihonggo? BE A KATANA!

Thank the gods I've weaned myself of anything remotely weaboo-ish. 

Project 365: Stuff & other randomity

I don't think if you've noticed how boring my life is just by looking at the pictures I've taken for Project 365. If it's not stuff taken within an arm's reach from my desk in the office, it's probably something random at home. But you know what's fun about this project?

Who the eff cares? As long as I take pictures everyday, I'm happy. It's like a step away from procrastination. Trust me, it's not easy fighting it, not when you have so many distractions vying to get your attention. 

This is what this week's photos are all about: random stuff. Funny how I manage to create a theme when there's really nothing thematic about it at all. 

I wrote this back in college

Last Night

tears fall to a
silent mirth
a breath of fire that
scalds your skin
a flock of crows
on your windowsill

drowning your scream

I browsed through my old notebooks and found some very old poetry written during my 2nd year in college. It was back at that time when I discovered the school paper and the English Literary section and  its eccentric, goth girl editor. I guess she's influenced me quite enough to write a lot of morbid stuff in my youth.

"Out there"

I realize that I've been spending most of my weekends at home and less "out there". There are times when I'd rather be at home than go out so I can catch up on long hours of sleep & devote my time to writing, but when you're not getting any younger, you really should be "out there" with your friends or probably just with yourself. I realize that I haven't been getting much of that (laziness is a major culprit as well). 

I've scoped out some events happening nearby and these are what I compiled:

Feb 5 - GK Enchanted Farms visit @ Angat, Bulacan

I'm really thinking of joining here. The participation fee's not so bad (P310 for those riding the transpo at the main office), plus the food's covered! I'd really like to see how Human Heart Nature manufactures its products & how they provide livelihood to the people. Note to self: reserve a slot next week!

Feb 21 - Stamp Collecting Seminar @ PhilPost office

I saw this announcement when I went to the post office yesterday. Seems promising (only P100 participation fee with kit). It might be nice if I can properly pursue this hobby (I've already got a couple of Netherlands & Indonesia stamps), but that would mean shelling out money. I might give this a go nonetheless.

Feb ?? - Binondo Plurk Fiesta

Err, Fristine, is this a go? Hehehe.

Volunteering at PAWS

Seriously considering this over Hands on Manila. I need it for a story I'm writing. Hehehe.

Yun pa lang. Hahaha. 'Kala nyo marami, noh? Ugh. Do you guys know any events that are ok to join in? I need to get myself "out there".

Project 365: Grub & a few interesting stuff

So far, so good. Taking photos on a daily basis is slowly getting in my daily routine. I should keep this up. :)

This week's Project 365 is pretty interesting. I took a lot of food photos (don't expect anything decent as I have to live with my cellphone camera) and have been to 2 different places in Manila. You know, maybe taking pics with my cellphone ain't that bad. It's inconspicuous, though the only bad side is that it takes crappy photos under bad lighting. 

Anyway, let's get on with the show!

Neighbors and karaoke at an ungodly hour

Ugh. The neighbors are at it again. Seriously, can we please have a law that prohibits caterwauling over the karaoke machine from 10PM onwards? My mom said these guys have been at it since this morning. How can anyone not run out of shit to sing for the entire bloody day? I swear to God, I'm on a killing spree right now. There should be SOME way to shut these people up! It's already late in the evening & they're just blaring away. Ugh...

Project 365: All things geeky & cute

Jan 7: Stuff to do. It just never ends, does it?

Jan 8: Featuring my nifty NaNoWriMo noveling pen & my recent read, Naermyth.

Jan 9: She's snobby when she's not in heat. That's our Minggay.

Jan 10: My entry to Roch's meme: Christmas gifts from Japan

A leap of faith + date with self

I’ve been meaning to work on this project since last year, but when you’re always procrastinating, you can never get anything done. I still don’t think that I can complete 365 photos in 365 days, but who says I can’t give it a shot?

Apart from giving myself a swift kick in the ass, what makes this challenge more difficult is the fact that I’m going to be using a lousy 2MP camera phone that takes sucky pictures. I figured having a camera phone is a lot more handy since I do bring it with me all the time (this is just a lousy excuse as I haven’t gotten my digicam fixed in ages).

Let's just hope I can get myself out of the procrastination rut and see through this challenge for an entire year. Lezz gow, sago!

*****

I spent the first Friday of 2011 out on a date...with myself.  The goal: watch either RPG: Metanoia or Rosario before they get phased out of the cinemas. I wasn't sure whether MMFF movies would still be around this weekend, so I thought to grab my last chance to watch these flicks. After all the good reviews I've been hearing about Metanoia, I finally resigned to watch it with a heavy heart (I wanted to watch Rosario initially, but as much as I love period films, I was scared that I was going to get ticked off with Jennylyn Mercado because a friend said the first part of the movie was like seeing Miaka on drugs).