Sunday Stealing#31 The Pretentious Blogging Meme

Today we ripped this meme off a blogger known as

Little Bark from the blog The Tree Unleashed She explains that she found it over at The Tree of Life. It appears it originated on that blog. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!

Cheers to all of us thieves!

Sunday Stealing: The Pretentious Blogging Meme

1. How long have you been blogging?
I have been blogging for almost three years now.

2. What made you start?
A friend encouraged me to start.

3. Who inspired you?
The same friend who encouraged me to do it.

4. About how many hours a week would you estimate you spend on your blog?
Not less than 5 hours a week.

5. What kind of experience or background do you have with writing?
I was a contributor to our high school paper and I had one of my articles published in one of our local newspaper long ago.

6. Talk about how you come up with blog topics. Where do you get your ideas?
I usually get my topics from the news, from people I interact or talk with or from my day to day observations.

7. What or who inspires you and your blog?
I don't know. I just like to write. I had a journal since I was in grade school and somehow, it metamorphosed from there.

8. Where and/or how do your brainstorming for your blog?
I don't brainstorm:)

9. Do you have any blogging rules or guidelines you follow?
Nah, I just do it by the fly of my seat hehehe!

10. Is there anything you will not blog about?
I don't blog about porn, gambling and etc.

11. Do you have any sort of a publishing schedule in terms of day of week or topic?
Except for the meme on the assigned day, I don't have any publishing schedule that I follow.

PhotoHunt#75 Spotted

Yellow-spotted wooden strawberry keychain souvenirs at the stores near the strawberry farms of La Trinidad, Benguet. La Trinidad is known for its strawberry farms where you can pick your own strawberries. If you don't want to do that, you can check out the stores surrounding the area. Aside from these keychains, there are bags, tshirts, scarves, strawberry jams and wines and a whole lot more.

This is my entry for:

For more photohunters, go here.

Catcher In The Rye's J.D. Salinger Is Dead

J.D. Salinger, the author of Catcher in the Rye, is dead. I have yet to finish J.D. Salinger's Catcher In the Rye. I was halfway reading it but I misplaced it somewhere and then, other books took my attention.

The book actually took me by surprise. It was bold in such a way that I expected its characters to be subdued but they came out otherwise. Its main character, Holden Caulfield, was full of teen-age angst and rebellion, likes to swear and smoke, despises the adults and all in all, just seemed unhappy. Looking back now, I might have not finished reading the book because it has a lot of negative vibes coming from the book's characters. Well, anyway, I'll try to finish it once I get hold of it again.

Litratong Pinoy#82 Balak (Plan)

Caramoan, Camarines Sur

I plan to continue traveling and discovering my own country, Philippines, even if I have plans in traveling abroad. For me, it is necessary to know more about my own country to learn how to love it more and to learn things that could help in its development.

Yes, it is said that plane fares are now cheaper due to discount promos but would it be more helpful if we know first our own country before we know more about Hongkong or Singapore or other places?

Pilipino:
Balak kong hindi tumigil sa paglalakbay at pagdidiskubre sa sarili kong bayan kahit pa man na may balak akong mamasyal sa mga dayuhang bansa. Para sa akin kasi, kailangan kong mas lubos na makilala ang sarili kong bansa para matuto akong mas mahalin ito at mas matuto akong magmalasakit para sa ikabubuti nito.

Oo nga, mas mura daw ngayon ang pamasahe sa eroplano dahil sa mga promong diskwento pero hindi ba mas nakakatulong tayo kung uunahin nating kilalanin ang sarili nating bayan bago natin kilalanin ang Hongkong o Singapore o kung saan-saan pa?

Hundred Islands, Alaminos, Pangasinan

Movies For This Week

There are just too many movies to see this week for me and I am getting confused which should I see first. Here's my list:

1. Cirque de Freak: The Vampire's Assistant - a film adaptation of the book series, The Saga of Darren Shan.

2. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus - quite a star-studded movie headlined by Johnny Depp, Christopher Plummer, Jude Law, Colin Farrell and the late Heath Ledger.

3. Paano Na Kaya - both Gerald Anderson and Kim Chiu has undergone a lot of changes after their PBB stint and am curious how they will fare in this movie as they mature right before our eyes.

4. Amelia - with Hilary Swank as the famous aviator Amelia Earhart. Richard Gere and Ewan McGregor are also in this movie.

5. The Tooth Fairy - a comedy-fantasy film with Dwayne Johnson "The Rock" as the tooth fairy and Julie Andrews as the head fairy.

It's a good thing that I was able to see the Sandra Bullock starrer, The Blind Side, earlier last week. I will have to choose two or three movies to see this week and for the rest, I will have to wait for the rentals.

Ruby Tuesday#35 Red Rickshaws in Macau

I saw this bicycle rickshaws lined up outside the Macau-Hongkong Ferry terminal in Macau. I wondered how much was the fare for a bicycle rickshaw ride because we used the free coach rides offered by the Macau hotels. The buses were also lining up just outside the ferry terminal.

Go here for more.

Music Monday#39 Falling Slowly

I first heard of this song from a South Korean reality show last year, We Got Married. Kim Hyun Joong serenaded HwangBo with this song as part of his birthday present for her. The song stuck with me and I learned later on that it was also sang by Kris Allen, American Idol winner Season 8 last year. Anyway, here it is as sung by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova.


credit:youtube by Zoecster1994

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.





PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Sunday Stealing#30 The Negativity Meme

Today we ripped this meme off blogger named Flea from the blog Flea's World. She states that she stole it at Warty Mammal. But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!

Cheers to all of us thieves!

Sunday Stealing: The Negativity Meme

Foods which disgust the crap out of me: Foods that were not done properly and/or cleanly.

TV show I loathe: Political shows, too many promises waiting to be broken and too many airheads talking around.

Movie I loathe: Movies that degrade humans and animals. Right now, I loathe the Maguindanao massacre DVD that's being sold in the black market and at the same time, being shared by people in the internet.

Music genres I loathe: Heavy metal

Magazine which annoys me: Magazines that have too much pictures and/or advertisements I could not almost read a paragraph decently.

Makes me cranky at restaurant: People talking loudly on the cellphone, orders that take a long time in coming

Makes me cranky in public: Those who smoke in public places, walk so slowly (doing something like texting or talking) on a busy foot traffic.

Makes me cranky in general: Arrogance, greed and selfishness

Pisses me off at home: When things were taken and not returned to their proper places

Pisses me off at work: People who likes others to do their work for them.

Pisses me off in general: Carelessness, insensitivity

Makes me impatient at home: Dirty places

Makes me impatient at work: Sudden deadlines

Makes me impatient in public: Long lines

Celebrity I hate: Hate is too strong a word, I just don't like Paris Hilton.

Music artist I hate: None I can think of right now.

I could care less about: Politicians especially those who can't show any concrete achievements

Annoys the crap out of me weekdays: Not doing my work-out schedule

Annoys the crap out of me weekends: Doing work when I have other things to do

Blogger's habit that annoys you: Asking for exchange links but doesn't reciprocate

Feature on your blog you hate: Right now, the banner ad and am thinking of changing my blog template again.

Movie star you despise: Can't think of anybody right now.

Politician that you hate: Too many of them

Hallelujah! It sure can be tiring talking about a lot of negativity.

PhotoHunt#74 Balanced

I saw these two plates with pasta displayed in a restaurant inside Peak Tower, Hongkong. What caught my attention was the forks were hanging balanced in the air without any support from anything. I wanted to investigate more but we were in a hurry to catch the ride down the Peak Tower.

This is my entry for:

For more photohunters, go here.

Legion Or Tooth Fairy

There are three movies that I'd like to see this weekend. Tooth Fairy, Old Dogs and Legion. Since I can almost guess the story plot of Tooth Fairy, I decided to watch the movie, Legion, first. I ended up wondering if I made a wrong decision.

Legion tells a story of apocalypse times when a child is born coincidentally during Christmas time to supposedly save the world again. Michael, the guardian angel, was tasked to kill this child to just let the world get ruined but he won't do it. Instead, he tried to protect the child and his mother and that's how the story unravels.

I came in expecting an action movie but the action scenes are just not too many to get me interested. Except for a few thrilling scenes, the movie bored me.

Now, I am looking forward to watching the Tooth Fairy and see if it will entertain me more.

Litratong Pinoy#81 Magugustuhan (To Like)

I was not sure if my mother would like the Bigby's, a well-known restaurant here in our city. So, I took her there and we ordered Fisherman's Catch. The Fisherman's Catch has two different dips (vinegar and cream), grilled shrimps, breaded squids, deep-fried fish, fried rice, corn and a bit of veggies.

My mother liked the food. Her only complaint was that the Fisherman's Catch was too expensive for P500 plus price. It didn't matter much for me because we ate delicious food.

Pilipino:
Hindi ako sigurado kung magugustuhan ng nanay ko sa Bigby's, isang kilalang kainan dito sa aming siyudad. Kaya isinama ko siya roon at umorder kami ng Fisherman's Catch. Ang Fisherman's catch ay may dalawang sawsawan (suka at cream), inihaw na hipon, kalamares, piniritong isda, piniritong kanin, mais at konting gulay.

Nagustuhan naman ng nanay ko ang pagkain. Ang reklamo lang niya ay sobrang mahal sa mahigit P500 ang Fisherman's Catch. Hindi na bale dahil para sa akin masarap naman ang kinain namin.

A Mother’s Love

A mother’s love has no boundaries. Come hell or high water a mother’s love for her child remains. My mother used to say that a parent’s love especially a mother’s love has no equal because she gives all she can to her child from conception to birth, from womb to grave.

As I watch Marlene Aguilar-Pollard’s hysterics, first while the NBI forces were trying to arrest her son and road rage suspect, Jason Aguilar Ivler and second, while declaring her love for her son after she posted bail for being accused of obstruction of justice, I could not help but be amazed of her love to her son. However, I could not agree with what she did in the name of love for her son.

Jason Aguilar Ivler is the main suspect for the 2004 death of Nestor Ponce, Jr. and 2009 death of Renato Victor Ebarle, Jr.. He went into hiding after the last incident. His mother, Marlene Aguilar-Pollard, announced that he could have gone to Hawaii but through the intensive surveillance of the combined forces of NBI and police, Ivler turned out to be just hiding in the basement of the house of her mother.

It is no surprise for a mother to defend her child from harm, but Marlene had it all wrong and what she did was really selfish. She knew that Ivler was the main suspect. Those two men whom Ivler gunned down left behind untimely their families and loved ones who are still praying and waiting for justice. To just think only of her own child’s well-being when others are suffering because of that child of hers is just way too selfish. Should Ivler be proven guilty of the said both crimes by the courts, I hope that he be punished to the full extent of the law. Let it also be a lesson to Marlene Aguilar-Pollard that a mother’s love does not mean supporting the wrongdoings of her offspring but instead should make him responsible for all his deeds, right and most especially, the wrong.

Ruby Tuesday#34 Doggie Chuck Taylors

I bought a new pair of high-cut Chuck Taylor Converse shoes last month. I have been planning to buy a pair for a longest time but it was too expensive for me. Fortunately, a department store sold them on sale last December. I wanted both the high cut and the low cut shoes but just decided to buy the former first.

Imagine my joy when I got a Christmas gift from my best friend, a pair of colorful doggie Chuck Taylors! There are yellow, green, orange, red, purple and blue dogs all over the Converse shoes. Aren't they cute?

Go here for more.

Music Monday#38 Turn Off the Lights by Teddy Pendergrass

I found this song entitled Turn Off The Lights by Teddy Pendergrass while surfing the youtube. I find this song really sexy.


youtube credit: misshawkins08

Teddy Pendergrass recently died of colon cancer. He was the lead singer of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes before going into a successful solo career.

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.





PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Sunday Stealing#29 The Trivia About Me

Today we ripped this meme off a blogger and blog named

Astrid Paramita. She states that she stole it at BubbleBoo. But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!

Sunday Stealing: The Trivia About Me Meme

Opening…

Do you get regular massages?
Not really.

Do you have an answering machine?
No, I find it irritating especially the ones who just stay on the phone silent and listening for a few seconds.

What cuss word do you use the most?
Unprintable :D

Are you underweight or overweight?
Slightly overweight and I wish I have the discipline to lose it.

Can you see your veins?
What veins? The ones that look like tree roots on my leg? Nah, I can't see them.

Favorite…

Soap? Nowadays, Olay.

Fruit? Durian, mango, lansones.

Kind of red meat? pork.

Fish? Any.

Candy bar? None, not much of a candy eater.

Have You Ever…

Eaten a whole bag of potato chips? Yes, and I had flatulence afterwards.

Eaten lobster? Yes, it was done quite good but I think, it's just too expensive.

Climbed a mountain? Yes, our country's tallest mountain, Mt. Apo and the bonsai mountain, Mt. Hamiguitan in San Isidro, Davao Oriental.

Been skydiving? I wish and I hope I can do it before I get too old and too scared.

Been water skiing? No but I did water surfing in CAMSUR Sports Complex last year.

Do You…

Wish you could change something about your life? Our house, it really needs some major repair but there are things that keep preventing me from doing it fullblast.

Like your nose? As long as it knows how to breathe, I'm fine with it.

Like salt and vinegar chips? Yeah, sometimes.

Eat salsa? huh...don't know that.

Own a boat? No.

What Is…

A small thing that people let slide but that actually has dire consequences?
Smoking and texting/calling on the cellphone while driving.

Your most macho trait?
I can kick ass if need be.

The longest relationship you’ve ever had?
Still going on now...

Your most embarrassing thoughts?
Too many to tell here and I don't want myself to get embarrassed.

Your most shameful moment?
I've had my share and I'll need a lot of pages so I'd better not tell now.


This/That…

Bath/Shower? Shower

Markers/Crayons? Both

Pens/Pencils? Both

Jelly/Cream Cheese? Cream Cheese

Bagel/Toast? Toast because I find eating bagel like eating a stone.

Finish…

My greatest weakness is…books, traveling.

I wish I was…younger and bolder with my experiences now.

Three things I wouldn’t do for a million dollars are…kill, steal, maim

The oddest thing I’ve ever put in my mouth is…eating a grilled locust because I was dared to do it.

Firsts…

Credit card you had? BPI Mastercard

Loan you got was for? Travel

Paycheck was for how much? P1,000.00+, my first official salary

Time you had stitches? None and God forbid, I don't want to have any in the future.

Time you went to the hospital for something? I had an allergy reaction from something I ate.

Lasts…

List everything you ate in the last 24 hours? Jollibee's fried chicken, rice, carrots with some veggies for dinner, grilled shrimp, breaded fish and rice at Bigby's, bread for breakfast.

Last thing you used a credit card for? Lunch with my mother at Bigby's

What was your job previous to the one you have now? OIC Head of a division

Last thing you celebrated? New Year's

Last time you were at a sports bar? Ages ago..I can't remember even.

PhotoHunt#73 Jiggly

It's jiggly, it's creamy and it's sinfully yummy. It's the blueberry cheesecake I did the other year. I wanted to do it at New Year last year but cream cheese ran out of stock. Too bad. Anyway, I'm planning to do the blueberry cheesecake this coming Chinese New Year next month. Hopefully, the cream cheese won't ran out of stock.

Here's the recipe I used that was given to me by my friend:

Crust:
1/4 cups crushed Graham crackers
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar (optional)

Cream:
1 box cream cheese (beat)
1 pack whipping cream (beat)
1 can 170-gram Nestle cream (beat)
1 can (big) condensed milk
2 packs Knox gelatin and 1/4 cup water - dissolve and simmer. Fold to cream misture and chill

Top with the blueberries (I use Comstock brand) and chill

This is my entry for:

For more photohunters, go here.

Haiti Earthquake Relief

We had an earthquake this morning. It was an intensity 5 earthquake and I was on my way down the stairs when it happened. It freaked me out so much I was among the first ones to get out of the building. I have seen some horrifying pictures and videos of the recent Haiti earthquake that a slight jolt of the earth nowadays really scares me to wits.

Anyway, I find Pat Robertson's comment on the Haiti earthquake intriguing but considering a lot of people are now suffering there's no use in dwelling upon it. Instead, let us all help pray for the victims of Haiti earthquake. They need our prayers and all the help we can give.

For those who are looking for ways to help in the Haiti earthquake relief, here's the link to a lot of charitable organizations you might like to get in touch with.

Done with 21-K Challenge

Yes, I’ve done it. I am done with the 21-kilometer challenge today. I did it in four days after office hours and I am quite proud of myself.

The 21-k challenge came from our gym. Finish it in one week from January 11-16, 2010 and you’ll have free gym access for a week. Tuesday was off for me because I played badminton as well as Saturday because I have other plans.

The 21-k challenge is equal to about 105 laps on our gym’s running track. I promised myself that I would run at least half of the 21-kilometer challenge to gauge my stamina and endurance. I do run but not as regularly as I can because I prefer doing the group exercise more. So, here is what I did:

Monday – 16 laps
Wednesday – 40 laps
Thursday – 35 laps
Friday – 14 laps

And yes, I am happy to report that I run on more than half of the laps. If I didn’t, I won’t probably be able to finish it earlier today.

Doing the challenge gave me renewed admiration to those who do run regularly. My admiration to Joy Rojas, the first Filipina ultramarathoner who ran across America last year, multiplied a hundredfold.

Litratong Pinoy#80 Manipis (Thin)

I thought before that the grass on Chocolate hills are really thick. It was not. It was actually thin because of its rich in limestone soil. That is why, during summer when rain comes so seldom, the grass color turns chocolate. Almost like Hershey's Chocolate Kisses. This is how the Chocolate Hills got its name.

Pilipino:
Akala ko noon, ang mga damo sa Chocolate Hills ay makapal. Hindi pala. Ito pala ay manipis dahil mayaman sa apog ang lupa nito. Kaya naman, tuwing panahon ng tag-araw na paminsan lang ang dating ng ulan, nagiging kulay tsokolate ang mga burol. Parang Hershey's Chocolate Kisses. Dito nakuha ng Chocolate Hills ang kanyang pangalan.

Trapped RP Peacekeepers in Haiti Earthquake

Let us pray for the victims including the trapped Filipino peacekeepers inside the buildings damaged by a strong Haiti earthquake yesterday.

The intensity 7.5 strong earthquake has affected 3 million people according to Red Cross.

American Idol 2010 Season 9

American Idol 2010 Season 9 is starting this week but I am not inclined to watch its opening day. Why? Somehow, it’s not just the same without Paula Abdul and with rumors flying around that Simon Cowell is planning to get out of the popular show, the interest for me is just not there anymore.

Yeah, the first guest judge is the glamorous Victoria Beckham but I have yet to get my interest to watch the new season. Maybe, in a few weeks. Let’s wait and see.

Ruby Tuesday#33 A Dozen Pairs of Shoes

At my age, I am still fond of reading children's books especially by Philippine authors. I am not sure why but it's probably because the only children's books I had when I was a kid was the set of children's bible story books my mother bought for me and my brother. I have only encountered Cinderella, Snow White and the others through my cousins' books and through stories from schoolbooks.

Anyway, I have observed that there are more Philippine children's books nowadays as compared during my childhood days. I find Philippine children's books quite engaging because a lot of them are just short stories with beautiful, colorful illustrations, easy to read and understand, helpful in developing moral values without losing sight of our Filipino heritage.

A favorite children's book of mine is entitled "A Dozen Pairs of Shoes (Sandosenang Sapatos) by Dr. Luis P. Gatmaitan, who won a Don Carlos Palanca memorial award for literature for this book. The book was beautifully and creatively illustrated by Beth Parrocha-Doctolero.

The books tells of a story of a father's love to his child that even with limited means of livelihood, he was able to show his love to his family especially to his own child in his own special ways. The story actually made me teary-eyed (come to think of it, I never had this experience with other children's books).

There are more books I have read by the same author but this one is my favorite. In fact, I always give this book as a gift whenever I get invited to any children's parties.

Note: The book has an English translation right on the same page of its Tagalog version.




Go here for more.

Music Monday#37 I Gotta Feeling by Black Eyed Peas

youtube credit: tsg2551

This video was taken last September 2009 during The Oprah Show. What I find amazing with this video was how did they do the mob dance with so much number of people participating. It's just amazing. As to the song, trust Black Eyed Peas to come up with a song that's quite infectious and danceable (but I have seen its music video and I don't care much for it).

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.





PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Finding A Suitable Marriage Partner

I was buying a newspaper at the newspaper stand this morning when I overheard two ladies talking about a mail order bride. I cannot help but eavesdrop as they were busy talking about a lady they both know while I was left standing there trying to call their attention as one of them manages the stand.

Apparently, the lady that they were talking about was about to get divorced for the second time from her second foreigner husband and is about to get married to a third husband, another foreigner. She met both first and second husbands as well as the incoming third one through the internet. The two ladies were saying that she should not get married first after her second divorce and should take her time to be more careful in finding a suitable marriage partner on her third try.

It is already a common sight nowadays to see a foreigner husband taking a Philippine bride. It used to be that they met through the exchange of mails but thanks to the information superhighway, it is easier to meet a prospective spouse through the internet.

I do not have anything against mail order bride or internet bride as long as both parties know what they are getting into. I have read some bad stories about it but I have also read some more positive stories about it. I know some people personally who used them and they are now married happily to their chosen partners.

Finding a marriage partner through the internet or through introductions by friends or family members both have the same risk, I think. But if someone is interested to find a marriage partner through the mail order bride system, he/she must at least do it with somebody that has a good reputation like a christian mail order bride service. Somebody that would help them make things work because after all, this is a decision that could change one’s life.

Sunday Stealing#28 The Current Obssessions Meme

Today we ripped this meme off a blogger and blog named Minnestota Mom. We stole one of our first memes from her after we started this blog. That was back on September 7, 2008. The big difference is the Minnesota Mom actually wrote this meme! She tells us about herself: "My passions are reading, art in its many forms, and health. And I love cookies. Lots of cookies. Does that go with health? Probably not. But I loves ‘em anyway…" (We did add some questions to fit our format length.) Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!

Instructions: Answer the Current Obession category and then explain WHY you chose that response. Easy enough? Thanks as always for playing!

Sunday Stealing: The Current Obsessions Meme

Book: Twilight Book Series. I like the story of Bella and Edward and their struggles for their love. Some dialogues can get corny but all in all, the book is a good read.

Snack: Paypay or deep fried banana dipped in batter. I like this snack since I was a kid and it's always filling. Inexpensive too.

Restaurant: I find Rai-rai Ken Japanese Restaurant fascinating but not to the point of obsession. It's a bit expensive there.

Beverage: Coke. I am trying to tone down my softdrink intake but I am always a coke drinker.

Decor: None.

Actor: Too many but one of my fave is Brad Pitt. He's good, handsome and socially-involved.

Actress: Again, too many but Angelina Jolie and Julia Roberts stand out. Both are beautiful, very good actresses and again, socially-involved.

Movie: Avatar. It's fascinating with all its visual treats and its story.

TV show: The past TV show that really got me watching until dawn was the We Got Married, another South Korean show. I like the segment of the Joongbo/Ssangcho couple, HwangBo Hye Jung and Kim Hyun Joong.

Hobby: Blogging, reading. What can I say, I have an affinity with words.

Band: Journey. I loved Journey's songs before but I like it more because Arnel Pineda's in it. Another band, Black Eyed Peas. They know the trend and their songs are just infectious.

Song: A lot of songs come to mind: Open Arms, Just Once, Where Is the Love?

Meme: Litratong Pinoy, Sunday Stealing, PhotoHunt, etc. I like memes because I find them such a challenge.

Blog: My blogs: pinaylighterside.com, marites1034.bravejournal.com, maritestravels.blogspot.com, jobsrealestatemoney.blogspot.com. Not only my blogs keep me occupied but they keep me learning new things.

Lover: Secret.

Friend: Lots of them. They make my life interesting and fun.

Quote: The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page. - St. Augustine
Don't mind the people who talk behind your back because it means you're ahead of them.

For the first quote, I could not help but agree. Traveling is a learning experience and I like learning new things. It is always amazing and fascinating to see other worlds other than mine. The second quote is always a reminder to me that I cannot stop people (friend or foe) from talking behind my back and I should not get upset about it but instead I should do better.

Peeve: smokers, reckless drivers, irresponsible and selfish people.

Sport: Badminton, boxing, tennis and aerobics. I do these sports alternately in one week. They keep me fit and active.

Singer: Nowadays, Charice Pempengco. The girl can hit high notes and she got unbelievable range. I always find myself sitting on the edge of my seat just listening to hear perform live. I'm always afraid that she'd break her voice but always, she didn't.

PhotoHunt#72 Bulky

He was not the only one with the big, bulky body during that day but he was the only one who dared to bring down those bulky and heavy water containers down the hill and he even brought down two at a time.

He was our mild-mannered gym instructor, Dindo. We were doing our Gawad Kalinga activity for that day and going down the hill was a lot more difficult because of the loose soil but he did his task with a smile. Way to go, Dindo!

This is my entry for:

For more photohunters, go here.

Windows 7 Driver For Smart Bro Plug-It

Finally, I can now use my Smart Bro plug-it with my Asus Eee Pc 1005HA netbook. The said netbook has Windows 7 for its operating system. The other night, I called Smart Bro’s hotline and talked to a helpful lady on how to find the Windows 7 driver from their website. Unfortunately, nothing worked after installing and uninstalling the driver in my netbook.

The next day, I tried calling Smart Bro’s helpline and was lucky enough to be answered by Kiko. To say the least, the guy did his job. He walked me through the procedure in troubleshooting for the Windows 7 driver for Smart Bro prepaid kit. We did the troubleshooting in almost an hour but never did Kiko lost his patience.

Here’s how we did it:

First, uninstall the Smart Bro program from your computer if you previously installed it.

Start
Control Panel
Uninstall/Remove Program
Then, insert Smart Bro plug-it
If Autoplay.exe command appears, cancel

To install the driver:
My computer
Right click and click on Installer
Set up application
Click Troubleshoot applications – Detecting Issues
Troubleshoot program- Next
Select – Program
Program Worked in earlier versions of windows but won’t install/run now
Next
Select – Windows XP Service Pack 3 (or whatever Windows version you’re computer has on)
Next
Start Program
Next
Yes-Save Settings
If not, just double click Autoplay.exe

If this doesn’t work, call Smart Bro’s hotline at 1800106727277 and hope that Kiko or some staff who had the same patience as he got will help you. Good luck!

Litratong Pinoy#79 Makapal(Thick)

This was how thick the number of people who climbed up to the Shrine Hill last holy week. It was still dawn and yet there were already a lot of people and the number thickened as the day went on. Most of them made this a vow during Holy Friday.

Pilipino:
Ganito kakapal ang taong umakyat ng Shrine Hill noong nakaraang semana santa. Madaling araw pa lang, marami na ang naglakad at lalong kumapal ang dami nang tao habang lumalaon ang araw. Karamihan ay ginawa na itong panata tuwing Biernes Santo.

Smart Bro Prepaid Kit Not Compatible with Windows 7

I had my Smart Bro Prepaid Kit for months now. The plug-it broadband internet connection served me in good stead for the past months each time I travel or each time my PLDT DSL connection had its downtimes.

So, I was quite confident that I would not be having any problem once I use it with my ASUS Eee PC 1005HA netbook. That was my thought but I thought wrong.

The other day, my PLDT DSL connection went down again for the nth time this week. I installed Smart Bro's plug-it modem and waited to get connected...and waited..and waited..then, I gave up thinking that probably, both PLDT DSL and Smart Bro's servers were having an extended New Year celebration.

Today, I found out through a computer technician-friend that Smart Bro prepaid kit is not compatible with operating system Windows 7. Huh! I could not believe it. But yes, when I rechecked my kit box for the OS requirement, Windows 7 was excluded; probably, because the said OS was released after the Smart Bro prepaid kit's release.

Tonight, I called up Smart Broadband's helpline at 1800106727277 and was given the download link from their website for the driver for Windows 7. I've already downloaded it but am too tired to try if it is working. I shall try tomorrow and I'll keep you posted of the developments....

Ruby Tuesday#32 Red Dragon Dancer

Dragon dance is said to ward off bad spirits and to attract good luck. This is why dragon dancers during New Year's Day are in demand. This dragon dancer and his group passed by our house without stopping. We had to call his group back to dance for us. Of course, it's our way of calling back the good luck for this coming year 2010 too. Good luck for 2010, everyone!!

Go here for more.

Music Monday#36 Times Of Your Life by Paul Anka

It has been a long time since I've heard this song. But when I heard it being played again during our grand alumni homecoming reunion last week, old memories flashed back getting me into nostalgic mode.


youtube credit: beautiv

Times of Your Life
Good morning, yesterday
You wake up and time has slipped away
And suddenly it's hard to find
The memories you left behind
Remember, do you remember?

The laughter and the tears
The shadows of misty yesteryears
The good times and the bad you've seen
And all the others in between
Remember, do you remember
The times of your life? (do you remember?)

Reach out for the joy and the sorrow
Put them away in your mind
The mem'ries are time that you borrow
To spend when you get to tomorrow

Here comes the saddest part (comes the saddest part)
The seasons are passing one by one
So gather moments while you may
Collect the dreams you dream today
Remember, will you remember
The times of your life?

Gather moments while you may
Collect the dreams you dream today
Remember, will you remember
The times of your life?

Of your life
Of your life
Do you remember, baby
Do you remember the times of your life?

FADE

Do you remember, baby
Do you remember the times of your life?

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.





PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

New Blog Template

Dear readers, I am currently scouting around for a new blog template. So, please bear with me if my blog looks undone. I'll be putting back my widgets and such after I have finally decided which template I want to use. Thanks..

Sunday Stealing#27 The "What If" Meme

Today we ripped this meme off a blogger named Nikhil George Punnoose at the blog The Ego Chronicles. Nikhil states that he's a sensitive, intelligent guy with his own set of values and principles that he tries to hold on to under any circumstances. We don't know about that, but he does have a rather dark profile pic, no? He does not say where he found the meme. But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!

Sunday Stealing: The "What If" Meme

1. You can press a button that will make any one person explode. Who would you blow up?
Can I have more than one persons...the terrorists who like to sow fear and terror among the innocent citizens of the world.

2. You can flip a switch that will wipe any band or musical artist out of existence. Which one will it be?
Nah..they deserve their place under the sun.

3. Who would you really like to just punch in the face?
Seems like this week's theme is to be violent to others...but, I've been wanting to punch somebody in the office for years now. Thank goodness, he's out.

4. What is your favorite cheese?
Any cheese, am a cheese lover.

5. You can only have one kind of sandwich. Every sandwich ingredient known to humankind is at your immediate disposal. What kind will you make?
Grilled hamburger with cheese sandwich.

6. You have the opportunity to sleep with the movie celebrity of your choice. We are talking no-strings-attached sex and it can only happen once. Who is the lucky celebrity of your choice?
Why do I only have one? Brad Pitt and...Hugh Jackman. woot!

7. You have the opportunity to sleep with the music-celebrity of your choice. Who do you pick?
He may be old now but I still like him, Rick Springfield.

8. Now that you’ve slept with two different people in a row, you seem to be having an excellent day because you just came across a hundred-dollar bill on the sidewalk. Holy shit, a hundred bucks! How are you gonna spend it?
Eat hahahaha! I think, I'd be hungry with all those activities I did.

9. You just got a free plane ticket to anywhere. You have to depart right now. Where are you gonna go?
Europe!!

10. Upon arrival to the aforementioned location, you get off the plane and discover another hundred-dollar bill. Shit! Now that you are in the new location, what are you gonna do?
Eat again? Nah, go on some tour around the place.

11. An angel appears out of Heaven and offers you a lifetime supply of the alcoholic beverage of your choice. It is…?
I don't drink and I don't think an angel from Heaven would offer such :)

12. Rufus appears out of nowhere with a time-traveling phone booth. You can go anytime in the PAST. What time are you traveling to and what are you going to do when you get there?
College. I could've done better in school but I chose to be happy-go-lucky.

13. You discover a beautiful island upon which you may build your own society. You make the rules. What is the first rule you put into place?
Work hard and be kind to others.

14. You have been given the opportunity to create the half-hour TV show of your own design. What is it called and what’s the premise?
The Marites Show, talk show cum talent show :D

15.What is your favorite curse word?
S**t, but i don't say it often. Just when I'm too irritated.

16.One night you wake up because you heard a noise. You turn on the light to find that you are surrounded by MUMMIES. The mummies aren’t really doing anything, they’re just standing around your bed. What do you do?
Scream my lungs out. Why would they stand around my bed, it's creepy-freaky!

17. Your house is on fire, holy shit! You have just enough time to run in there and grab ONE inanimate object. Don’t worry, your loved ones and pets have already made it out safely. So what’s the item?
My bag. There's a lot of items in there.

18. The Angel of Death has descended upon you. Fortunately, the Angel of Death is pretty cool and in a good mood, and it offers you a half-hour to do whatever you want before you bite it. Whatcha gonna do in that half-hour?
Say goodbye to my loved ones.

19. You accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what’s even cooler is that they endow you with the super-power of your choice! What’s it gonna be?
To be able to fly and be super-strong.

20. You can re-live any point of time in your life. The time-span can only be a half-hour, though. What half-hour of your past would you like to experience again?
Being with somebody I miss right now.

21.You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be?
The bombing of San Pedro Church during Easter Sunday, me and my mother was attending the mass there at that time.

22. You got kicked out of the country for being a time-traveling heathen who sleeps with celebrities and has super-powers. But check out this cool shit… you can move to anywhere else in the world! Bitchin’! What country are you going to live in now?
If I'm going to live there, somebody would pay my expenses? If there is, Switzerland it should be.

23. This question still counts, even for those of you who are under age. Check it out. You have been eternally banned from every single bar in the world except for ONE. Which one is it gonna be?
I can live without single bar nowadays:D

24. Hopefully you didn’t mention this in the super-powers question…. If you did, then we’ll just expand on that. Check it out… Suddenly, you have gained the ability to FLOAT!!! Whose house are you going to float to first, and be like “Dude, check it out…I can FLOAT!”?
The nearest house that I can float :D

25. The constant absorption of magical moonbeams mixed with the radioactive vegetables you consumed earlier has given you the ability to resurrect the dead famous-person of your choice. So which celebrity will you bring back to life?
Elvis Presley.

26. The Celestial Gates of Beyond have opened, much to your surprise because you didn’t think such a thing existed. Death appears. As it turns out, Death is actually a pretty cool entity, and happens to be in a fantastic mood. Death offers to return the friend/family-member/person, etc. of your choice to the living world. Who will you bring back?
Oswald, a friend who just died from cancer last year. He could've done more in his life. He had a lot of plans and he didn't have time.

27. What’s your theme song?
There's a lot of theme..can't choose right now.

Photo Hunt#71 Lick

I don't eat cake as much as other people. When I do, I prefer the icing more. I have this habit of touching the icing on the cake siding and licking them off my finger when nobody's looking:)

This cake's name is Rainbow cake and it was bought from Bistro Rosario Bakeshoppe at Torres Ave., Davao City, one of the more well-known bakeries in the city. Their cakes are really quite good and this one has about 3 to 4 layers of batter with different colors underneath the icing. Thus, it's name and it's a favorite of mine.

This is my entry for:

For more photohunters, go here.

Happy New Year!

glitter-graphics.com

Here’s to the outgoing year, 2009:
May the good times live on in our memories,
and may we learn lessons from the troubling times
that will make us stronger and better than ever.

Here’s to 2010:
For each and every one of you,
may it be filled with significant steps
toward the fulfillment of your fondest wishes.

In this coming new year,
let us focus on our goals and work toward our dreams,
and yet
let’s all try to go with the flow a little more
and stress a little less.

And most important,
here’s to all of you.
Appreciate yourselves and each other in the new year
as I appreciate all of you now.
Let’s focus on each other’s good points
and choose to overlook minor annoyances
to create mutual happiness and contentment in 2010.

Here’s to 2010: Enjoy the journey!

By Joanna Fuchs