Playing hooky in Caliraya

slip...

slide...

...and roll in the mud

I've been receiving emails from several loyal readers wondering (am I sick, dead? LOL) why I haven't been posting here. Sorry about that. I should have told you guys I'd be "going dark" for a few days because my cousin Chenit is in town for a short visit and my ate Bhe planned this elaborate travel/entertainment thingy so we could rediscover our cousinly bond and yuck it up.

Sliding and rolling in the mud...that's just one of our bond-rebuilding activities. I'm sharing these pictures as "proof" that--although my butt is still sore and my feet are killing me--I'm still very much alive and kicking. I'll try to write a more detailed post on my weekend in Caliraya but I think I need to take a pain reliever first and have a massage.

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Come on, rain already!

yay, rain!

When I looked out my window this morning, I wanted to dance with happiness at the promise of rain that usually follow the appearance of clouds like that (dark, creepy etc.) I was pretty excited because I'd truly like an end to the infernal heat I and countless other Pinoys have been subjected to this summer... and honestly, I'm not too crazy about my Meralco bill either which is now 3x what I usually pay.

So like a little kid, I waited and waited for the rain to fall. I even seriously thought about standing on the porch to shower in the rain... I was that giddy, but alas, it was not to be. An hour later this was how it looked like outside.

nooooooo...

Good thing I held out on the dancing, I would have felt more disappointed (and foolish) if I did my rain dance and this happened. Oh well, I have to turn the aircon on now.

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Poor Fergie...

life is not a fairytale

Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson, Duchess of York apologizes for her "serious lapse in judgment" after being caught on film accepting money in exchange for access to her ex-husband Prince Andrew. This latest Fergie scandal is so far removed from the promise of the spectacular "fairytale wedding" I goggled at as a little kid, it's mind-boggling.

Watching this video of the sting taken by the tabloid News of the World just filled me with incredible sadness for her. I know her fairytale didn't work out, but to be so desperate (and drunk!) to do something like this...

She looked so defeated, it's quite tragic. I've long ago outgrown my fascination with royalty, but I can't help but wish that Fergie, one of the princesses of my childhood, could still salvage a future from the wreckage of her not-so-fairytale past.

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Sunday Scripture Verse: Colossians 3:23-24

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. ~ Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)

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Pathetic...

poor doggie

You must be seriously messed up if you've been reduced to stealing a disabled man's wheelchair and dog. I mean, really how pathetic is this thief? Couldn't he find something else to steal? I hope the police gets him and as punishment, he should be made to use a wheelchair in jail. That might activate some compassion in him.

 Philadelphia Police are searching for the heartless thief who stole a wheelchair and a dog from a man who suffers from cerebral palsy.

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Oh, zit!

I don't know why I'm having acne breakouts lately. I don't even have the late nights at work to blame--since I've sprained my foot--I've had the lightest of schedules. Was it the heat? Hormones? I've never had zits galore like this on my face ever and it's driving me crazy!

I had to look at my zit-laden mug for 2 week now. How I wish there's a rule that when one hits 30, acne will be but a distant memory. I don't want to go to my dermatologist friend Kate's clinic just yet... I know she'd have to give me cortisone injections and I'd like to avoid that by treating my inflamed zits first to dry it up (I abhor needles!).

Using a mild facial cleanser like Cetaphil and applying 5% benzoyl peroxide all over my face 2x a day has always worked for me. I tried Clinelle's blemish care with isodecyl salicylate but it didn't work... my skin had always responded terribly to creams with salicylic acid and it's no different this time. So I'm back to the Cetaphil/Benzac combo (plus a mild moisturizer) and fervently hopes it works its magic again. Zits suck!

Update: This regimen still works for me, thank goodness! To those asking about where they can get Benzac and Cetaphil--if you're in the Philippines--they are available at Watsons in every SM mall. I bet they can also be found at any major drug store near you, wherever you are.

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Little girls and "Single Ladies"

The girls in this video are exceptionally talented dancers but I don't think 8 and 9-year-olds should bump and grind like this; furthermore, something's really wrong if your little girl is dressed more sexily than Beyonce.

I don't understand how the parents didn't see the inappropriateness of this and would excuse it as being "taken out of context". I mean your kid is gyrating like a stripper for all the world to see and you think it's "very normal"? Nuts!

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Sunday Scripture Verse: Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;  in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. ~ Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

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About Kris Aquino's despedida

effective ang bru...

 You have to hand it to Kris Aquino, everything she says get blown out of  proportion. Kris had said in an interview a few weeks ago that she was willing to move abroad if she would just be a cause of stress for her brother if he's elected... and since Noynoy is expected to be proclaimed president any day now, some people are having online despedida parties to hurry her along.

Having fun at Kris' expense has become a national past time... I think many will have withdrawal symptoms if there's no more Kris Aquino to laugh at or cry with. She's a guilty pleasure, one blogger even said his traffic will surely suffer if there's no Kris controversy to write about every few weeks... her life is pure entertainment.

So to all those who want Kris Aquino to leave the country, you're in the minority. Mas maraming malulungkot kung umiskyerda nga si Kris 'no? Love her or hate her, she's undeniably a very effective campaigner and endorser, ma-appeal talaga sa masa ang lola. She certainly knows how to get and keep our attention... and now that her brother's on his way to Malacañang, expect more fireworks!

Update: "Bakit ako papatol sa mga talunan na bitter ngayon?" LOL.
               Noynoy Aquino reacts. 

Update 2: Kris to leave "The Buzz" and "SNN". Permanently?
Update 3: Nice Inquirer interview with Kris post-election. 

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Post-election musings

The election is over and for the first time in our history, we pretty much knew who won the election after just one day... even with the long queues and PCOS machine snafus, I think it went better than expected. The heads of the usual suspects--aka election cheaters and loser crybabies--must be spinning.

Cheating in this automated elections proved difficult, so some politicians' lackeys resorted to desperate measures like identifying supporters of their candidates' opponents and paying them NOT to vote and using indelible ink to make sure they really can't vote... now that's creative vote buying, if pathetic.

I've always watched other countries' elections with envy--results within hours of the polls closing, losers conceding graciously--and though they were glitches, I'm gratified that we've finally (finally!) caught up with the 21st century.

Kudos to Sen. Manny Villar for quickly conceding when it had become clear that he could not overcome Sen. Noynoy Aquino's lead... same with Gibo Teodoro, Richard Gordon, Bro. Eddie Villanueva and JC de los Reyes. I think classy concession speeches should be the norm in our elections from now on. None of that "dinaya kasi ako" cr*p that every loser candidate used to whine about.

Joseph "Erap" Estrada is still not conceding though and his lawyer even threatened to file an election fraud case against Noynoy (as if Noynoy is in a position to perpetrate fraud)... get real Erap, you're trailing by 5 million with about 90% of the votes counted. Just be thankful that people still voted for you even after you've been convicted and jailed for "plunder". I bet President Macapagal-Arroyo now wishes she didn't pardon Erap the delusional. Sheesh.

Update: Madrigal, Perlas and de los Reyes whine about ‘election irregularities’. Not conceding either .

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Philippine elections...

thank God cameras are allowed

So election day is finally here. I woke up at 5 am so I could vote early... well at least that was the original plan. Problem was I didn't know how to get to my polling place at the Bel-Air basketball court. Good thing my friend Wacks, who lives nearby, took pity on me and drove me there after lunch.

voters ready to vote

It took me more than 5 hours just to register last October so not voting is out of the question, even if I line up for another 5 hours to vote, I'd do it. Disenfranchisement is not for me. My friend Yumi waited more than 2 hours to vote in her Quezon City precinct, so I was ready with bottled water, sandwiches, candies just in case.

no lines at our cluster

When I got there at 1:30 pm though, there were still a lot of people queuing up, but in clustered group no. 51 where I was listed, they were much more efficient in checking the voters' identification, fingerprinting and feeding the ballot to the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machine. It just took us 5-15 minutes to do the whole thing.

great job, guys!

I was frankly shocked. Here I was, gearing up for a long wait and I was done in 15 minutes (I could have finished in 5 minutes but I just had to take pictures of the ballot, lol). Excuse me, is this the Philippines? Wow, kudos to the board of elections inspectors (BEI) of cluster 51--Supervisor Dean Co, Miss Grace, Janice and Peng--you rocked!

Bel-Air Basketball Court
Solar St. cor. Hydra St., Bel-Air Village Makati City
(take Paseo de Roxas, past Gil Puyat go straight, go inside Bel-Air Village down 2 streets and you're there)

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Sunday Scripture Verse: Proverbs 31:30

Happy Mother's Day, Ma!

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. ~ Proverbs 31:30

***pic by my big sis Anne

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Hmm...who to vote for?

waited 5 hours to register... make it count! 

It's three days before the election and I still don't have a "who to vote for" list. This is the first automated elections in the Philippines so confusion is somewhat expected, but I don't want to be caught flat-footed in the voting booth so I should at least make a list.

My family's never been interested in politics, but come election time, my late grandpa Itay had always encouraged family members to vote for any national candidate from the Bicol region... hoping that if they win, our province would reap the benefits. So if any Bicolanos are on the ballot and they are not crooks, expect me and my family to vote for them... it's tradition.

I haven't voted since I was a teenager, having moved to the big city for school... I just didn't know any local candidates and I didn't think my vote would matter anyway. It took me more than a decade to wise up and register to vote again so here I am, strangely excited to exercise my right to vote and still no list, grrrr!

So let's do this:

President: Benigno "Noynoy" S. Aquino III - He promises not to increase taxes, wants to fight corruption and this is kinda a vote for his parents too... I hope he's worthy of the name he carries (super fingers crossed).

Vice-President:  Bayani Fernando Mar Roxas - I promised years ago to vote for Bayani Fernando if he ever ran for President for unsnarling traffic at EDSA (heavy traffic drove me nuts when I was a student) but Mar Roxas is a good guy and Binay is catching up in the latest surveys so...

Senate:
1. Sonia Roco - educator, civic leader and Bicolana, enough said.
2. Ruffy Biazon - accomplished legislator... I just like the guy

There, who else? Hontiveros? Cayetano?  I don't even know who to vote for at the local Makati elections... Erwin Genuino maybe? He's cute and a Facebook friend, but that's just silly... dang, this is hard.

I don't know anything about these people. I have to read their platforms etc. and I need to call my Mama to ask about other non-crook Bicolanos running, she knows for sure. :)

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Willie Revillame = whiny baby

big bully

Willie Revillame is at it again... this time threatening to resign from his noontime show "Wowowee" if the management of ABS-CBN don't fire showbiz reporter Jobert Sucaldito who he thinks is out to get him. I understand that criticism is always tough to swallow, but I don't think it's wise for Willie to throw his weight around like this, it just makes him look like a bully.

I don't get how someone who's been in showbiz for decades could still be so sensitive about what others say about him or his show... you're being paid millions Willie, and in this economy it's probably not prudent to act like your bosses--who picked you up from has-beendom--owe you anything.

Yeah sure, "Wowowee" is making a lot of money for ABS-CBN but I think its success owes more to its prize-giving, girls-jiggling format than its thin-skinned arrogant host. So Willie Revillame, resign already or shut your pie-hole!

hat tip @myfingerstyping


the whole rant:


Update: Willie goes on "indefinite leave".



Update 2: Willie asks ABS-CBN's management to release him from his contract.
Update 3: Better "Wowowee" ratings with Robin Padilla at the helm.
Update 4: "Indefinite break" for Willie.
Update 5: Wowowee canceled. Replaced by Kris Aquino and Robin Padilla's "Pilipinas for the Win".

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Sunday Scripture Verse: Hebrews 11:6

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. ~ Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)

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