C'mon, Bite Me...

"Mam, mu-hagbong ka?"

2007-05-30T18:02:00.001+08:00

The first time I was asked this question by a student, I was like, "Wha--, should this question need even be asked to a teacher?!"

My usual answer to this question is, and I often say this in my classes: "Yes. I do fail deserving [to fail] students".

This leads me to wonder what brings students to ask this question. Pragmatically speaking of course, I should be reading between the lines... but geez, are there really teachers who, disregarding those students who never show up, don't give failing marks???

Which also leads me to wonder if Student Ratings on Teachers will forever be the main basis of school administrators worldwide in retaining, maintaining, and/or increasing salaries of their faculty.

I believe this is quite unfair to teachers who sincerely put out their best to make their students learn. And while I agree that grades shouldn't be used by mercenary teachers to punish students (Teaching's primarily goal ideally should be learning), grades nevertheless should closely approximate students' performance, aptitude and attitude towards the subject.

So yes, I HATE being asked this question. Argh.

Things happen...

2007-05-24T01:05:00.000+08:00

I've always meant to use the emergency staircase instead of the elevator to have a quick exercise but I always end up taking the latter out of laziness.

Not until tonight. I used the staircase to go from the 9th until the ground floor. I need a place to catch my breath from the blow I just received.

I was just handed my termination letter. It simply said that my contract ended on that exact day. It was like, whoa! It wasn't like a big meteor knocking my head though, because in effect, I was basically in a consultancy contract and they could end my contract anytime they want to. The thing is, I just felt it was just too sudden for my young fragile heart.

All this time, here I was worried how I'd be explaining myself to my Chair when the time comes that I'd be asked to choose between two good careers.

Here I was thinking that I'd still be having additional income for at least another month so that I could pay my bills.

I don't want to think about it anymore. I'm certain that I did my best in there. Overanalysis will just be my paralysis... Hmm, that should be my new mantra.

Mambo very sick, call the [vet]doctor very quick!

2007-05-23T21:17:00.000+08:00

It's Mambo's second night confined at the vet hospital...Sigh! I hope he's okay, especially since it is quite rainy tonight and he normally loves snuggling beneath the wooden seat of the sala at home.

I wish I could just bring him home so that he could be nursed there. The confinement area at CVD looks dreary and hot, plus the huge German Shepherds in between his cage look ruthless and bark so much. Doc Stacy said we couldn't bring him home yet, much too risky. His condition is 50-50.

See, Mambo has parvo virus. Darn, why didn't we ever listen to friends and vets who had reminded us constantly to vaccinate our dog already. Now we suffer the consequence--- the aggravation, stress and money that it is causing us.

And because I'm a confessed geek, I've googled this disease and reposting the info for all those with dogs out there who should also take heed of these info:
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Parvovirus

Parvovirus is a viral disease of dogs. It affects puppies much more frequently than it affects adult dogs. The virus likes to grow in rapidly dividing cells. The intestinal lining has the biggest concentration of rapidly dividing cells in a puppy's body. The virus attacks and kills these cells, causing diarrhea (often bloody), depression and suppression of white blood cells -- which come from another group of rapidly dividing cells. In very young puppies it can infect the heart muscle and lead to "sudden" death. Parvovirus is probably the most common viral illness of dogs at the present time. It is much more common in puppies than it is in adult dogs. It can be very hard to successfully vaccinate a puppy for this disease because the antibody protection the puppy acquires from its mother can interfere with vaccination. Many vets recommend vaccinating puppies every three to four weeks for this virus starting at 6 weeks of age and continuing until they are at least 16 weeks of age and preferably 20 weeks of age.

What are the symptoms of Parvo?

"Parvo" is a virus that attacks the lining of the digestive system. It causes dogs and puppies to not be able to absorb nutrients or liquids. Puppies are especially prone to it because they have an immature immune system. When dogs and puppies contract parvo, they often have diarrhea, vomiting and lethargy. Usually they stop eating and develop a bloody, foul-smelling, liquid stool.

Symptoms usually begin with a high fever, lethargy, depression, and loss of appetite. Secondary symptoms appear as severe gastrointestinal distress, such as vomiting and bloody diarrhea. In many cases, dehydration, shock, and death follow.

Parvovirus is characterized by severe, bloody diarrhea and vomiting, high fever and lethargy. The diarrhea is particularly foul smelling and is sometimes yellow in color. Parvo can also attack a dog's heart causing congestive heart failure. This complication can occur months or years after an apparent recovery from the intestinal form of the disease. Puppies who survive parvo infection usually remain somewhat un-healthy and weak for life.

How is Parvo treated?

Without intense treatment, the victims of parvo die of dehydration. Treatment generally consists of IV or sub-cutaneous fluids and antibiotics. There is no cure. Veterinarians can only treat the symptoms palliatively, and try to keep the dog alive by preventing dehydration and loss of proteins. As there is no cure for any virus, treatment for parvo is mostly that of supporting the different systems in the body during the course of the disease. This includes giving fluids, regulating electrolyte levels, controlling body temperature and giving blood transfusions when necessary.

Dogs who have survived parvo can get it again. In the case of some puppies, a puppy testing negative for Parvo one day could succumb to the virus within a matter of days. It strikes fast and without mercy. Dr. Cathy Priddle has warned that sulfa drugs have been known to cause dehydration in dogs, suggesting that animals infected with parvovirus should not be given sulfa drugs.

Will my dog die if he gets Parvo?

This is a very serious disease. Some puppies infected with parvovirus will die despite prompt and adequate treatment. While no extremely accurate statistics are available, a good guess is probably that 80% of puppies treated for parvovirus will live. Without treatment, probably 80% or more of the infected puppies would die.

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So true, Doris!

2007-05-20T09:48:00.000+08:00

"If it's true that men are such beasts, this must account for the fact that most women are animal lovers."

---Doris Day

hmm...should I?

2007-05-13T09:11:00.000+08:00

Colorflash Holga Starter Kit --- 4,300php

Color Splash X Pro LOMO --- 6,800php

quite a quote!

2007-05-13T03:12:00.000+08:00

By all means marry. If you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.

----Socrates

trying to stay in shape...[now let's define 'shape'..hehehe]

2007-05-08T21:34:00.000+08:00

Cge vicki, one more step on that treadmill... huff and puff and blow them away! ;)

Do not despair, my friends; I will give you more updates soon (that is, when there are more worthwhile 'developments worth announcing...)

Moral support pud mo beh!

I'm getting viruses instead of sunburns, ugh.

2007-04-23T01:08:00.000+08:00

Last summer, I had to refrag my PC inorder to fix a major virus dilemna. This summer, the "TAGA LIPA ARE!" virus (allegedly created by the Filipino geek) is the 5th virus I had to fix. Geez, talk about how enjoyable summer could be for some hacker-whackers out there.

**********************************************************

How to Remove “FS6519.dll.vbs” or If you Have “TAGA LIPA ARE!” in your IE
http://raxso.wordpress.com/2007/03/18/how-to-remove-fs6519dllvbs-or-if-you-have-taga-lipa-are-in-your-ie/

Symptoms: C: drive has an [autoplay] function when right-clicked. Internet Explorer has “TAGA LIPA ARE!” in it’s title bar.

Mode of Transfer: USB, Fixed/Portable HDD

Target: Internet Explorer, Registry, MSConfig, Autorun.inf

Effects: Every Mass Storage Device linked to the infected PC will be inserted with an autorun file which will trigger the Windows Scripting Service to run its main file “FS6519.dll.vbs”, which is marked as a system file and is in the root directory of the Drive.

Open My Computer -> Tools Menu -> Folder Options -> View Tab:

Select: Show hidden Files and Folders

Uncheck: Hide Extensions for known file type and Hide Protected operating system

Click Yes Then OK.

You will see an autorun.inf and FS6519.dll.vbs in all your harddrives. Delete ALL of them.

If it says that something is using the program. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del and go to processes, end ALL wscript.exe

Open MSConfig and under startup, uncheck the trojan’s startup entry, [FS6519].

Click Start > Run and then type regedit

delete [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\FS6519] key, and modify [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Window Title”,”TAGA LIPA ARE!”] key to remove the nuisance in IExplorer.

OR go to Edit -> Find and type FS6519.dll.vbs.

Edit the found registry by selecting the name, ryt click and modify, remove the last two strings which is wscript.exe and FS6519.dll.vbs and click OK.

If finished, press F3 and it will search again for another, just do the same thing until nothing is found in your registry.

If you are done with the FS6519.dll.vbs, its time for the TAGA LIPA ARE! be edited in your IE, type the string on the search again then it will show up the IE title … modify then type anything you like or better delete it.

Have a Nice FREE Virus Trojan Day!!!

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Albert Vasquez

2007-04-18T12:05:00.000+08:00

Well, I don't often write about my students, all the more write their names in the post's title, but I think this lad deserves it. :)

Just met him and he's just returned from yet another quiz-bowl-competition-seminar-and-all-that-stuff kinda trip (I think it was Manila ?) He's just been awarded as the most outstanding JPIAn of the year!!! Wow, good for him. And for those of you who are not familiar with that JPIA is, this is the organization of Accounting students all over the Phils. They meet annually to have quiz bowls, etc.

Surely, his name will be posted again in huge tarpolines in CIT's main entrance again a few days from now.

Have had the pleasure of meeting him during the CESAFI and PRISAA meets. He really didn't need much practice or coaching from me because he is really quite adept. To make the long story short though, together, he had won 2nd place in CESAFI extempo and 3rd place in PRISAA extempo. We cruised around Tagbilaran for three days and I must say, he is a highly keen and talkative kid. hahaha. He is one of those people who could really spark an interesting conversation because you could really see that he is sincerely interested in what you have to say and then learn from it. Naa gyud dayon siya'y follow-up question, nya naa pud sad gyud siya'y iyang mga personal reflections sa imong gisulti. He could give Boy Abunda a run for his money in terms of talk. :)

Cheers, Albert. You'll surely go more places... God bless.

[And if I could add, CIT TOPS AGAIN!--- bcuz of u!]

Unfinished Story

2007-04-04T17:08:00.000+08:00

Hello Stranger.
Come sail in my endless seas
Catch the rhythm of my tides
Be lost riding in the waves of my ocean and
let me engulf you with my strong passionate currents

Do you not hear me calling out your name
as the seawinds howl?
Can you not taste me as the salt touches
your moistened lips and cheeks?

Stay with me
Let us journey through rough and steady waters
The stars will guide us...
My sailor

Changes, possibilities...

2007-01-25T23:54:00.000+08:00

I hate mediocrity, that's a given. I dislike predictability so much that sometimes I even seek for change even if "the car ain't broke". I have always loved starting something anew... I love the rush that a new challenge gives me... And that's why it's so hard for me to say no to almost anything, any opportunity, any possibility, any privilege that is given to me. Even if I have prior commitments, even if I know, within myself that I could not possibly do them what with so many things I have in my own hands. Who am I say to say "No" and refuse? Everytime an opportunity comes right knocking at the door of my messy room, it fills me with an overwhelming and yet humbling sensation. I have always love how that felt. These chances often reminds me of how lucky I am to be given such blessings. And I've always wanted to make the people important to me to be proud of me... Always been afraid of disappointing them... Always been scared that if I turn it down, it may never come to me again and I might regret it at the end. My mother has always told me, "strike while the iron is hot"...

Right now I feel very skeptic. I have just been offered something which most people have always dreamed of getting. And yet here I am... so unsure. Why shouldn't I? This opportunity somehow goes against what I have envisioned for my life.

Err, so what did I really see my future to be like, again? Actually, I don't know. There hasn't been, and still is, no concrete plan. I have created Plans A, B, or C for that... never knowing that Plan D could crop up one day (like today).

After a very long time, (or is this the first time?), I am afraid of a new big possible change.

How is it going to affect me, my loved ones, my current relationships with them, and my career?

What did I do to deserve this possibly big break?

Looking back at what I have had had, I can't help but think that maybe I'm a bit too lucky. So many have almost been figuratively shoved right at my face and I didn't even get to work for it enough to deserve it.

What if my luck will start going away after this?
What would I need to eventuall y give up in taking it in?
What sorrows, challenges, problems would I need to face in exchange for these good times?

So I now take a deep breath and stop worrying... Sigh! God help. (seriously...)

jennifer lopez again???

2006-11-30T00:02:00.000+08:00

http://www.myheritage.com

can't get enough!

2006-11-29T23:53:00.001+08:00

http://www.myheritage.com

Now this was fun!

2006-11-29T23:34:00.000+08:00

Manila trip

2006-10-29T21:33:00.000+08:00

Booking number: N2BCD
Reference: ITD00294468CEB
Name: Ms Luz Victoria Saguin
FlightDetails
Operator: Cebu Pacific Air 5J580
From: Cebu
Depart: Thu, 19 Oct, 1155
Number of stops: 0
To: Manila
Arrive: Thu, 19 Oct, 1305
Class: Economy
Smoking: No
Equipment: Airbus A320
Passengers: Ms Luz Victoria Saguin (Adult)
Price: PHP 1627.36
Total to be charged to credit card: PHP 1627.36
Booking fulfilment: Electronic ticket
Ticket Number: 2451485220

Booking number: NYKY7
Reference: ITD00302978CEB
Name: Ms Luz Victoria Saguin
FlightDetails
Operator: Cebu Pacific Air 5J573
From: Manila
Depart: Sun, 22 Oct, 1935
Number of stops: 0
To: Cebu
Arrive: Sun, 22 Oct, 2045
Class:
Smoking: No
Equipment: Airbus A319
Passengers: Ms Luz Victoria Saguin (Adult)
Price: PHP 1610.56
Total to be charged to credit card: PHP 1610.56
Booking fulfilment: Electronic ticket
Ticket Number: 2451520849

It's been a week since I've returned from my trip to Manila but I haven't blogged about it yet. Not that it's surprising because I barely blog these days. Also, I guess another reason would have to be that going to Manila is not something most people even bother blogging or talking about. It's not like you're going to Palawan, Boracay or even Davao.

For my Ma, going to Manila is watching Willie and Wowowie. For sis, it's Divisoria and shopping. For the kids at home, well, it's Enchanted Kingdom. But for me, that recent trip of mine is about people that I love.

I can't say that I love Manila. I could even say now, more than ever, that Cebu has got to be the best place to live in anywhere here in the Philippines.

I can't stand the pollution and heavy traffic there. Although I'd have to admit that I enjoyed Malate, and going through the maze of people in crossing the streets and in the MRT. I didn't like forcing myself to speak Tagalog. hehehe.

Well, here are some pictures...

You're So Vain

2006-10-16T21:44:00.000+08:00

Dedicating this to nobody in particular. I just think this one's a great just-broke-up-with-him-and-i-want-him-dead stage. There's an interesting trivia behind this song, too.

YOU'RE SO VAIN (by CARLY SIMON, 1973)
You walked into the party like you were walking onto a yacht

Your hat strategically dipped below one eye
Your scarf it was apricot
You had one eye in the mirror as you watched yourself gavotte
And all the girls dreamed that they'd be your partner
They'd be your partner, and....

You're so vain, you probably think this song is about you
You're so vain, I'll bet you think this song is about you
Don't you? Don't you?

You had me several years ago when I was still quite naive
Well you said that we made such a pretty pair
and that you would never leave
But you gave away the things you loved and one of them was me
I had some dreams they were clouds in my coffee, clouds in my coffee and....

You're so vain, you probably think this song is about you.....

Well I hear you went up to Saratoga and your horse naturally won
Then you flew your Lear jet up to Nova Scotia to see the total eclipse of the sun
Well, you're where you should be all of the time
And when you're not you're with
Some underworld spy or the wife of a close friend
Wife of a close friend, and...
You're so vain, you probably think this song is about you.....

And as for the trivia I was telling you about? Well, the singer and composer of this song, Carly, never did tell anybody who the vain guy really is. She's been with many popular artists of her time so for 3 decades now people are still speculating on who this song is dedicated to. Only one other soul knows, an NBC executive, and this was because Carly sold this piece of info in an auction back in 2003.

Visit this site: http://www.carlysimon.com/vain/vain.html (linked checked good last 10-16-2006)

Two funny articles by Matthew Sutherland

2006-08-17T06:03:00.000+08:00

A Rhose, by Any Other Name
by Matthew Sutherland
(first published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer Sunday Magazine)

"A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches" --(Proverbs 22:1)

When I arrived in the Philippines from the UK six years ago, one of the first cultural differences to strike me was names. The subject has provided a continuing source of amazement and amusement ever since. The first unusual thing, from an English perspective, is that everyone here has a nickname. In the staid and boring United Kingdom, we have nicknames in kindergarten, but when we move into adulthood we tend, I am glad to say, to lose them.

The second thing that struck me is that Philippine names for both girls and boys tend to be what we in the UK would regard asoverbearingly cutesy for anyone over about five. "Fifty-five-year-olds colleague put it. Where I come from, a boy with a nickname like Boy Blue or Honey Boy would be beaten to death at school by pre-adolescent bullies, and never make it to adulthood. So, probably, would girls with names like Babes, Lovely, Precious, Peachy or Apples. Yuk, ech ech. Here, however, no one bats an eyelid.

Then I noticed how many people have what I have come to call "door-bell names".

These are nicknames that sound like - well, door-bells.

There are millions of them.

Bing, Bong, Ding, and Dong are some of the more common. They can be, and frequently are, used in even more door-bell-like combinations such as Bing-Bong, Ding-Dong, Ting-Ting, and so on. Even our newly-appointed chief of police has a doorbell name Ping.

None of these door-bell names exist where I come from, and hence sound unusually amusing to my untutored foreign ear. Someone once told me that one of the Bings, when asked why he was called Bing, replied "because my brother is called Bong". Faultless logic.

Dong, of course, is a particularly funny one for me, as where I come from "dong" is a slang word for... well, perhaps "talong" is the best Tagalog equivalent.

Repeating names was another novelty to me, having never before encountered people with names like Len-Len, Let-Let, Mai-Mai, or Ning-Ning. The secretary I inherited on my arrival had an unusual one: Leck-Leck. Such names are then frequently further refined by using the "squared" symbol, as in Len2 or Mai2. This had me very confused for a while.

Then there is the trend for parents to stick to a theme when naming their children. This can be as simple as making them all begin with the same letter, as in Jun, Jimmy, Janice, and Joy. More imaginative parents shoot for more sophisticated forms of assonance or rhyme, as in Biboy, Boboy, Buboy, Baboy (notice the names get worse the more kids there are-best to be born early or you could end up being a Baboy). Even better, parents can create whole families of, say, desserts (Apple Pie, Cherry Pie, Honey Pie) or flowers (Rose, Daffodil, Tulip).

The main advantage of such combinations is that they look great painted across your trunk if you're a cab driver. That's another thing I'd never seen before coming to Manila - taxis with the driver's kids' names on the trunk.

Another whole eye-opening field for the foreign visitor is the phenomenon of the "composite" name. This includes names like Jejomar (for Jesus, Joseph and Mary), and the remarkable Luzviminda (for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, believe it or not). That's a bit like me being called something like "Engscowani" (for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland).

Between you and me, I'm glad I'm not. And how could I forget to mention the fabulous concept of the randomly inserted letter 'h'. Quite what this device is supposed to achieve, I have not yet figured out, but I think it is designed to give a touch of class to an otherwise only averagely weird name. It results in creations like Jhun, Lhenn, Ghemma, and Jhimmy. Or how about Jhun-Jhun (Jhun2)?

There is also a whole separate field of name games-those where the parents have exhibited a creative sense of humor on purpose. I once had my house in London painted by a Czechoslovakian decorator by the name of Peter Peter. I could never figure out if his parents had a fantastic sense of humor or no imagination at all-it had to be one or the other.

But here in the Philippines, wonderful imagination and humor is often applied to the naming process, particularly, it seems, in the Chinese community. My favourites include Bach Johann Sebastian; Edgar Allan Pe; Jonathan Livingston Sy; Magic Chiongson, Chica Go, and my girlfriend's very own sister, Van Go. I am assured these are real people, although I've only met two of them. I hope they don't mind being mentioned here.

How boring to come from a country like the UK full of people with names like John Smith. How wonderful to come from a country where imagination and exoticism rule the world of names.

Even the towns here have weird names; my favorite is the unbelieveably-named town of Sexmoan (ironically close to Olongapo and Angeles). Where else in the world could that really be true? Where else in the world could the head of the Church really be called Cardinal Sin? Where else but the Philippines!

Note: Philippines has a senator named Joker, and it is his legal name.

A Matter of Taste
by Matthew Sutherland

I have now been in this country for over six years, and consider myself in most respects well assimilated. However, there is one key step on the road to full assimilation, which I have yet to take, and that's to eat BALUT. The day any of you sees me eating balut, please call immigration and ask them to issue me a Filipino passport. Because at that point there will be no turning back.

BALUT, for those still blissfully ignorant non-Pinoys out there, is a fertilized duck egg. It is commonly sold with salt in a piece of newspaper, much like English fish and chips, by street vendors usually after dark, presumably so you can't see how gross it is. It's meant to be an aphrodisiac, although I can't imagine anything more likely to dispel sexual desire than crunching on a partially formed baby duck swimming in noxious fluid. The embryo in the egg comes in varying stages of development, but basically it is not considered macho to eat one without fully discernable feathers, beak, and claws. Some say these crunchy bits are the best. Others prefer just to drink the so-called 'soup', the vile, pungent liquid that surrounds the aforementioned feathery fetus...excuse me.

I have to go and throw up now. I'll be back in a minute.

Food dominates the life of the Filipino. People here just love to eat. They eat at least eight times a day. These eight official meals are called, in order: breakfast, snacks, lunch, merienda, merienda ceyna, dinner, bedtime snacks and no-one-saw-me-take-that-cookie-from-the-fridge-so-it-doesn't-count.

The short gaps in between these mealtimes are spent eating Sky Flakes from the open packet that sits on every desktop. You're never far from food in the Philippines. If you doubt this, next time you're driving home from work, try this game. See how long you can drive without seeing food and I don't mean a distant restaurant, or a picture of food. I mean a man on the sidewalk frying fish balls, or a man walking through the traffic selling nuts or candy. I bet it's less than one minute.

Here are some other things I've noticed about food in the Philippines:

Firstly, a meal is not a meal without rice - even breakfast. In the UK, I could go a whole year without eating rice. Second, it's impossible to drink without eating. A bottle of San Miguel just isn't the same without gambas or beef tapa. Third, no one ventures more than two paces from their house without baon (food in small container) and a container of something cold to drink. You might as well ask a Filipino to leave home without his pants on. And lastly, where I come from, you eat with a knife and fork. Here, you eat with a spoon and fork. You try eating rice swimming in fish sauce with a knife.

One really nice thing about Filipino food culture is that people always ask you to SHARE their food. In my office, if you catch anyone attacking their baon, they will always go, "Sir! KAIN TAYO!" ("Let's eat!"). This confused me, until I realized that they didn't actually expect me to sit down and start munching on their boneless bangus. In fact, the polite response is something like, "No thanks, I just ate." But the principle is sound - if you have food on your plate, you are expected to share it, however hungry you are, with those who may be even hungrier. I think that's great!

In fact, this is frequently even taken one step further.

Many Filipinos use "Have you eaten yet?" ("KUMAIN KA NA?") as a general greeting, irrespective of time of day or location. Some foreigners think Filipino food is fairly dull compared to other Asian cuisines. Actually lots of it is very good: Spicy dishes like Bicol Express (strange, a dish named after a train); anything cooked with coconut milk; anything KINILAW; and anything ADOBO. And it's hard to beat the sheer wanton, cholesterolic frenzy of a good old-fashioned LECHON de leche (roast pig) feast. Dig a pit, light a fire, add 50 pounds of animal fat on a stick, and cook until crisp. Mmm, mmm... you can actually feel your arteries constricting with each successive mouthful.

I also share one key Pinoy trait ---a sweet tooth.

I am thus the only foreigner I know who does not complain about sweet bread, sweet burgers, sweet spaghetti, sweet banana ketchup, and so on. I am a man who likes to put jam on his pizza. Try it!

It's the weird food you want to avoid. In addition to duck fetus in the half-shell, items to avoid in the Philippines include pig's blood soup (DINUGUAN); bull's testicle soup, the strangely-named "SOUP NUMBER FIVE" (I dread to think what numbers one through four are); and the ubiquitous, stinky shrimp paste, BAGOONG, and it's equally stinky sister, PATIS. Filipinos are so addicted to these latter items that they will even risk arrest or deportation trying to smuggle them into countries like Australia and the USA, which wisely ban the importation of items you can smell from more than 100 paces.

Then there's the small matter of the purple ice cream. I have never been able to get my brain around eating purple food; the ubiquitous UBE leaves me cold.

And lastly on the subject of weird food, beware: that KALDERETANG KAMBING (goat) could well be KALDERETANG ASO (dog)...

The Filipino, of course, has a well-developed sense of food. Here's a typical Pinoy food joke: "I'm on a seafood diet. "What's a seafood diet?" "When I see food, I eat it!"

Filipinos also eat strange bits of animals --- the feet, the head, the guts, etc., usually barbecued on a stick. These have been given witty names, like "ADIDAS" (chicken's feet); "KURBATA" (either just chicken's neck, or "neck and thigh" as in "neck-tie"); "WALKMAN" (pigs ears); "PAL" (chicken wings); "HELMET" (chicken head); "IUD" (chicken intestines), and BETAMAX" (video-cassette-like blocks of animal blood).Yum, yum.

Bon appetit.

Bummer!

2006-08-16T22:01:00.000+08:00

Please go to "roseonlinegame.ph" to load up on more game time

Oh! Grille

2006-08-11T20:44:00.000+08:00

Eddie, me, Hyacinth (my eternal shopping-and-everything-else buddy) and Eddie's friend Bobong standing behind us.

Jasper took the pic.

Si John? Sigh... in Croatia. Right, Hy?

And oh, Wowo is in Dubai.

Friends

2006-08-05T22:56:00.000+08:00

I just enjoyed a wonderful meal peppered with great conversation with my friends and classmates from grad. school at USC. Ah, but we were quite an interesting mix of ladies (and one "lady", at heart), all single, that our clique is almost like the Sex and the City girls plus a lost Jack, from another show, Will and Grace. It was a great way to cap off a gruelling statistics exam night--- Casa Verde, baby back ribs, talks, giggles, occassional flirtings at the cute waiter (mostly Huge's, ugh, lucky guy/gal!), and yummy sweet deserts. After a total of 9 hours of straight masteral class discussions, who wouldn't? Even the trip going to the restaurant was an adventure in itself! The jeepney was full but still we squeezed ourselves in, not realizing that we did have two biggies. Result was, I had to sit on Caissa' lap, Gemma had to sit on Huge's, and Rica's butt had to content itself sitting only a quarter of what it really paid for. hehehe. We couldn't stop laughing because Huge/Eugene kept teasing every other passenger that we barely remembered that we were too crammed. Luckily the trip was short, and the meals satisfyingly served on time. Hmm, I think I'm going back to that place sometime soon... such great food!

faux pas

2006-08-02T23:12:00.000+08:00

Why, oh, why... why do my students have to approach me at that the most inappropriate time? That same exact time when you are just relieving yourself of some bad gas?

That's right. I farted and it smelled... ugh, the hell the smell was nasty, alright! I admit it! Happy now????

I had been having some bad gas the whole afternoon due probably to a stinky (?) meat roll I ate during lunch. I was busy at my table that I didn't notice three of my students going up the platform and approaching to ask for clarification on our lesson. That was when the "magical" (dizzying) moment happened. I had no way to stop it because it had just let out. And all I could do is pretend that nothing happened, that I wasn't feeling even a slight bit of nausea.

My only consolation is that it did not sound.

Eek! Na-uwaw jud ko... hu hu hu

Sad, alone and lonely (but busy)!

2006-07-22T00:57:00.000+08:00

Funny how I could feel so lonely amidst the chaos in my life right now. There are so many possible preoccupations I can opt to focus on right at any given time... and yet, I still feel empty. The driving force that insists on making me move right now is the mere fact that these things are my responsibilities...for whatever bigger purpose they serve in my life and my future, that it lacks.

I wish I can be rebel, I wish I can be bad and naughty so that I can let out all of these pent-up frustrations... but alas, I don't have the luxury of time and money to do even that.

Sigh! This blog is supposed to be for my public and I have promised myself never to show too much emotion here...But still here I am, wearing my aching heart out like a badge, proud. Ah, I guess everybody gets the opportunity the bend the rules sometimes. Even the rules that they themselves made in the first place. So there goes my justification.

In my player, Coldplay, Kanye West and Lisa Loeb to the rescue!!!

In my inbox, Kelly to the rescue. A short excerpt from her most recent email:

i think you've loved him enough. if he thinks it is not enough, thats a loss for him. he wasnt able to appreciate a diamond he had.

as for u, don't say ull never be able to love again. as the song goes, love moves in mysterious ways and time heals all wounds. maybe not now.. not next month... but in the future. just let it be.

Love is a wondrous feeling. never ever deprive urself of that. i believe, we live to love. u just have to wait/find/grab the right man when u see one. i always believe we have a choice on who to love. its not something that happens in a snap. it grows slowly

In my mind, trying to remember what Hya once said:
"What a hurt girl to do but pick up her brains?"

Ah, but to write...

2006-07-03T23:16:00.000+08:00

I just recently came across a blog of an old writer-friend of mine and couldn't help but be envious of how he's able to maintain his oh-so-laid-back lifestyle and (amazingly) survive. I, in comparison, had to struggle with a hard and mediocre job to keep up with the usual working adult expenses. As much as I fancy myself a corporate hippie at some big-bucks company's communications department or, say, this sassy writer at a top-edge advertising firm, reality is that these two cool jobs are merely what they are--- cool--- but they don't amount to much. You may well look quite sophisticated with tailored suits and power pumps, but inside, your pockets are dying to jingle, wishing for more than just a few coins. Right now, my current job allows me to keep up with my bills, and also help the family. As for the sophistication ideal part, all I could do is to attempt to make my work 'sophisticated', or think (read: imagine) that it is. After all, most would say that it's all mindset, this.

But I guess I'm whining more than this un-coolness concept, I'm whining about how I very little choices I truly do make these days. 'Cuz most of the time, there exists only pseudo-options. Ideals are postponed (read: mindset) for the 'better' plan, one that makes my loved ones happy and proud of me.

Am I happy?

Yes, I am. (Read: mindset)

It's back to school once again!

2006-06-24T10:23:00.000+08:00

It's time for schooling again for me. Both as a student and a teacher. Sometimes, just like today for example, I can't help but feel exhausted, bored and apprehensive about the thought of books and school. It seems that I never got out of it, never stopped at all. While most are enjoying the freedom from studying after graduation, here I am constantly looking for ways to dull myself by getting into the teaching field and enrolling for my masters right away. It just makes me want to scream sometimes, "ARGHH! Enough already!"

Or maybe it's just that I feel so uninspired... what's the point of doing all of this? What's the point of burning your ass and eyes all night to study Chomsky and prepare the next day's lessons? I can't help but think that I'll only be wasting my money on shopping again once payday comes. That's the only thing that entertains me right now, and plainly.. I'm just pathetic.

Myspace mixdown lyrics (milkshake parody)

2006-05-29T03:14:00.000+08:00

Just heard the song from a friend's profile in Friendster. This parody is funny as hell 'cuz it is so true (to most, anyway). Friendster is more popular with Filipinos, though (I think!). Here it is:

Yeah, bitch. Myspaccce.
my myspace brings all the boys to the page
and they're like mine's better than yours
and I'm like you wish it was
please comment or I'll have a fit

my myspace brings all the boys to the page
and they're like mine's better than yours
and I'm like you wish it was
please comment or I'll have a fit

I'll let you comment and be your friend
you can depend on me (me, me, me)
for less than threes
there is no need
to delete

la la la la la
300 friends
la la la la la
my pics need comments
la la la la la
friends requests are pending
oh my fucking gosh
I can't sign in

my myspace brings all the boys to the page
and they're like mine's better than yours
and I'm like you wish it was
please comment or I'll have a fit

my myspace brings all the boys to the page
and they're like mine's better than yours
and I'm like you wish it was
please comment or I'll have a fit

I left a bulletin
to see who wants to hang
send me a message on aim (aim, aim, aim)
I'll pick you up
for a quick fuck
you like it rough

la la la la la
view more pics
la la la la la
and leave some comments
la la la la la
check my friends
la la la la la
delete some uglys

my myspace brings all the boys to the page
and they're like mine's better than yours
and I'm like you wish it was
please comment or I'll have a fit

my myspace brings all the boys to the page
and they're like mine's better than yours
and I'm like you wish it was
please comment or I'll have a fit

and when you get hit on
by an 80 year old
please don't break out and cry
and go and tell your momma
just make a bulletin
and tell all your friends
this guy is a prick
and watch your young clit

la la la la la
add more friends
la la la la la
leave more comments
la la la la la
go read my blogs
la la la la la
then you can sign off

my myspace brings all the boys to the page
and they're like mine's better than yours
and I'm like you wish it was
please comment or I'll have a fit

my myspace brings all the boys to the page
and they're like mine's better than yours
and I'm like you wish it was
please comment or I'll have a fit

He wants to be seen, too!

2006-05-15T23:50:00.000+08:00

Ah, smoking THE pipe: 'Sheesha'

2006-05-08T01:47:00.000+08:00

I've first came across this thing around 3 years ago in an short article in Newsweek talking about how this smoking implement is gaining popularity with the younger generation of Middle Easterners. It said that if traditionally it is only used by men during private gatherings, now there are even establishments that offer these are their main attraction, and are also patronized by women!

A year or two ago, I saw a water pipe being offered at Cafe Havana, but Hya and I never got to get ourselves to inquire what it is, much less to try it.

So naturally, I was surprised to see 'sheesha's (a.k.a. ghalyan a.k.a hookah a.k.a. water pipe) in wide circulation at Mango Square last night. In fact, I didn't realize that Mango had already become such a popular hangout with the younger nightowls in the first place. Of course, this had always been a popular party area during Sinulog but not like this. I think this place boomed due to the closing of The Village and the eventual monotony of the other nightspots around the Lahug and Ayala area. Hmm, are people still raving about Yellow Cab, Formo or say, Kokay's? Not quite.

So Hyacinth and I just couldn't help but try it tonight at Havana's. Using it is a bit awkward at first but I got the hang of it later on. Basically, it's really just like smoking a cigarette but the plus of it is that you share it with your group so it can help everyone bond and ease out. The group was composed of the Leyte gang minus Wowo--- although John did say they saw Wawet [Wowo's sister and my friend way back CHI internship days] two days ago at Yo Latino--- which basically makes it feel like the group is complete.

But going back to the sheesha experience, I'd have to say it has yet to reach the peak of its popularity. Another thing that makes the water pipe different from normal smoking is that it tends to have a more vaporized and milder sensation in the throat in comparison to the dryness of the cigarette stick. There are flavors to choose from, too, such as: strawberry, cherry, mint, to name a few. Can you get any better than that, huh?

For those who are getting more curious about this, here's the link from good 'ol Wiki. And here's another quick good read about it: Hookah smoking. And as for me, I'm too sleepy already to discuss it further. Let me just cap off this post by saying that while I enjoyed my first experience with the sheesha, I don't think it'd pushed me to a smoking addiction, much more to a pot addiction. It's just one of those things you just gotta try at least once in your life... oh, okay, so maybe five times more after. *wink*

Leyte adventure: small town, big fun!

2006-05-03T14:24:00.000+08:00

I just got home from a great trip to Eastern (or is Western? go figure) Leyte. I was with my good friend Hyacinth and her new boyfriend John. I almost was not able to make it to the trip a few hours before the trip because of some problem but luckily, Hya backed me up and lo! I was set.

We departed at around half past 10 in the evening last Saturday. We had to settle at a sitting only accomodation because the boat was full already. After four hours of sitting, chatting and haplessly attempting to get a little sleep, we docked at the port of Hilongos, Leyte. John's 4x4 was waiting for us at the pier, so we easily got into their place. We dozed off for a few hours and then heard mass at 8.

Breakfast at 9 am, then we were all ready by 10 am. John's dad was very gracious to us and is indeed quite a traveler, certainly knew a lot places here in the Philippines. The group consisted of Hya, John, Wowo (John's neighbor and good friend), Jasper (he came with us the same time although thru a different boat), and me.

Ah, so there we were, cruising down lovely small towns in John's truck at the speed of 80kph. The scenery's just charming, all quiet and simple.

Our first destination was at Tangkaan beach resort, somewhere in Burgos (?). It has a good view of the Limasawa island, with white sands, and virgin beach. There, we ate our lunch (and they sure know how to make lunch!). The kinilaw with coco milk and bits of pork meat was just delicious. With tuba mixed with Coke to boot. Ahh...

After 3 hours, we hopped to the truck again and this time I stayed at the back. The experience was great, I got to take in the whole view of the place and the wind was just blowing my face and caressing my hair. The two other guys, Wowo and Jasper, stayed with me at the back and they entertained with interesting stories and punny jokes. Ah, just so laid-back... I think the guys were fascinated at my fascination of their simple place. And the rainbows! I think we saw at least three. Wow, I couldn't even remember the last time I ever saw a rainbow back in crowded and polluted Cebu, I thought. We couldn't catch it on camera though, because Jas' digital has low battery. Sigh. I guess to settle with the one which is on my memory.

We drove till the town of Sugod, at a place where there were floating cottages by the sea. You can reserve a whole cottage by yourself and order food! We would've have to stay there but we couldn't find a place to stay for the night. We even mistook one big house for a lodge!

So there, we had to go back to the other travelodge, Davliz, we found back in Burgos. I again stayed at the back with Jasper. The towns look a bit different during the late afternoon and early evening, sort of peaceful yet eerie kind of way. We passed through many mini Catholic processions (Jas counted 5) and two 'diskorals' (disco sa sulod sa koral).

Later that evening, tagay of one case of San Miguel grande. And boy, did the two guys 'fessed up many kinky seeekwets. hahaha. Fortunately I didn't get drunk, just a little bit hot on the cheeks perhaps. The whole group huddled and slept in just one room. That was around 2 am.

It was time to go at around 10 am on Monday. We had to stay a little bit at Maasin looking for my Pa's good friend's auto parts supply store. We went around the Poblacion asking for a Vicente Lim. One traffic enforcer even got suspicious and took a quick glace inside our truck. Tsk, tsk, no such luck... and we would've have wanted some free breakfast. Ehehehe.

We then headed home, buying some delicacies on the way. Departure was at around 1pm, aboard Oceanjet. Hya, Jasper and I. One interesting thing about the fastcraft was they didn't have a seat column "E". For example, they had 31A, 31B, 31C, 31D, 31F and so on, but skipping the letter E. I wonder how that became bad luck? Well, that's something to think about.

Altogether the trip was just fantastic, I couldn't find any loopholes in it. Everything was all taken care of, that Hya and I thought that we were almost like guest princesses. The guys were very sweet and accomodating all thoughout, carrying our bags and assisting us as much as possible. John also gave us a carton of pasalubong, filled with pineapples, galletas, kalamay, bocarillo, favoritas, chocolate budbod (I forgot the correct word for it), and turon! And hell, was I all fully charged up again now! Thanks for inviting us John!

some girl in netopia

2006-04-20T16:02:00.000+08:00

She had at least 30 pictures like these in the public drive here. Karon naglibog na hinuon ko kung kinsay mas way lingaw namong duha.

My new phone

2006-04-20T15:55:00.000+08:00

An SGH X150. Quite a complicated name for such a simple but classical, sleek but stylish phone. No- nonsense phone, walay camera, MMS incapable, can't even make your own ringtones. But i love it. I think we're going to have a long and beautiful relationship with this one(finally!).

By N.A. (dated Feb 14, 2006)

2006-04-15T11:36:00.000+08:00

I have copied this word for word...

HOW

How will you know that _____________________
When you are my _____________________________
And, how will you know that I'm in love with you
When storm comes, do I have to wait a-million-lent?

Rivers may dry but my love will last
But it rains always come, streams will be rivers
Sweetness of sampaguita flowers will lst
How will the uwak bird change his black feathers?

There'll be mornings without sunshine
But there'll be no rainbow without rains
Nor a dew without a foggy mountain's line
How will the bike run without its rusty chains?

A bird without its singing bill---
Is but a wood without its lubas
And how will you dig the deepest well
A back hoe, will you need its heavy mass?

Even the worm, it will turns
Even the world, it will sleeps
But, My Love?--- It will not turns
When will kiss your red rosy lips?

Falls will not falls without its rigid stone
A hanging water with its tempting beauty
It becomes my god when I'm all alone
How will you love me, how will, my lady?

A starry night with the fullest moon
Becomes my enemy when I alone watching
Here in my arms, when will you lay on
When my hearst lost its melodic beating?

Lonely hours is not a new word for me
It is my friend wherever I go places
I commit no absent to think you everyday
When will I wear you those lovely yellow laces?

The dust may land anywhere on the round leaves of oregano,
But I, will not be a floating soil in your heart
I will be your medicine, I will be your hero!
Don't you know that I can hit the bull's eye of the dart?

The patient crawling turtle will reach its destination
To wait the hours, to rest while on travel
To study, to be a good son, to have my profession
Remember that, clouds and seas is always parallel.

My comment: I'd have to say, the last stanza is quite strong and resolved, gave me goosebumps. Beautiful metaphors and imagery, but faulty grammar. This one's what I'd call poetry, very original, although quite raw still. *wink*

Untitled poem

2006-04-12T01:16:00.000+08:00

Bright blue skies, you
glistening mass of skin kissed by the sun
warm, soft white puffs up
there where I can't touch
yearning aching envisioning you
images burned in my mind
at this unforgiving cold dead
night alone you
piercing my eyes
even as I shut them close
a visual noise, clouding my mind
you

2006-04-07T05:12:00.000+08:00

WTF, it's 5:11 am?! Mura man ko nibalik ug call center ani. Namatay na, tuk-on ko ani sa akong inahan inig abot sa electric bill...gotch na oks, yadz!

"I wanna love you between the legs"

2006-04-07T02:48:00.000+08:00

Funny how those silly emails, quizzes or friendster bulletins seemingly tell you what you are just by you picking on certain choices based on questions or categories. The earliest of them mini quizzes must've been almost accurate, since they have more psychological basis (i.e. Which would you first give attention to? Choices: phone ringing, stranger at the door, baby crying, et. al.) Also, those supposedly from Oprah's shrink, Dr. Phil. But hell, choosing your favorite Teletubbies color?! (Well okay, that was supposed to be a gay joke) My sister just received an email which describes a person based on birth month, and you bet it told of 'qualities' entirely opposite of my sister's. As I understand it though, no person in his/her right mind would believe these junks entirely; their mere purpose is to entertain, true. But argh, c'mon! Don't put any chain letter phrases in it already! If everbody were to believe them, so many would've been doomed to hell just because they didn't pass it to their 60 friends in 60 seconds.

And as for the title of this post, it came from this one:

January: i WANNA RUB YOU
February: i WANNA TAKE YOU TO SEX HEAVEN
March: i WANNA MARRY YOU
April: i WANNA TOUCH YOU
May: i WANT YOUR BODY
June: i WANNA DANCE WiTH YOU
July: i WANNA HOLD YOUR HAND
August: i WANNA LiCK YOU
September: i WANNA MAKE YOU MINE
October: i WANNA SEX YOU
November: i WANNA LOVE YOU
December: i WANNA KISS YOU

Now take the day you were born:
x01. ON THE ROOF
x02. WENEVER WHERE EVER
x03. ON A PARK BENCH
x04. iN AN ELEVATOR
x05. ON THE STAiRS
x06. ON THE COUNTER
x07. ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL
x08. iN A ClOSET
x09. ON ViDEO CAMERA
x10. ON THE TOiLET
x11. iN THE SHEETS
x12. iN THE BASEMENT
x13. iN THE BACK OF A CAR
x14. WHiLE WATCHiNG PORN
x15. BETWEEN THE LEGS
x16. iN A CAR
x17. IN THE HOT TUB
x18. iN THE LAUNDRY ROOM
x19. iN THE SWiMMiNG POOL
x20. WiTH STRAWBERRiES
x21. iN THE DRESSiNG ROOM
x22. iN THE RAIN
x23. AT A GAS STATiON
x24. iN THE STATiON WAGON
x25. iN THE ATTiC
x26. AT WoRLdS Of fUn
x27. ALL NiGHT LONG
x28. AT MY GRANDPARENTS HOUSE
x29. WiTH KiWi
x30. AT THE POST OFFiCE
x31. iN THE BATH TUB

Repost or get bad luck with your lover for TENYEARS.

And hey, just between you and me, do you know of any guy born on the 15th of August? ;)

Johari's window

2006-04-03T02:05:00.000+08:00

Oh no, dahlings, Johari is not a friend of mine, but this is a psycho-communicative (if there ever was such a word) diagram showing four panes or 'windows'.

If you were to describe me in five to six adjectives, what would they be?

My Johari's window

(P.S. I got this from yesago's blog.)

Drats, a WORM!!!!

2006-03-29T00:33:00.000+08:00

I used to wonder why some computer geeks are so obsessed about fighting hackers or creating the perfect hack (depending on which side they're in--- the good or the evil). Ha, you never do seem to realize a thing's importance until it directly hits on you.

a WORM! A darn friggin' worm has apparently been crawling inside my 512mb flash drive for some weeks now. S#*t! Sorry folks, just allow me to vent this one time. See, it took me a while to notice this. I used to think it was just a minor glitch in the department's computer where my flash drive is plugged on. Everytime one opens a subfolder, another subfolder with the same name appears inside it. At first, I tried deleting them. But voila, when I checked the recycle bin, none of the many 'deleted folders' were there! So I tried checking the properties of a suspicious folder, and it sure is an application posing itself as a folder to trick me all this time.

Now, it has infected the files in our computer here at home. And we're talking about an entirely new expensive computer set that's barely a week old!!!!! Plus, this is on installment!

And who wouldn't worry when you'd read something like this in one of them virus detection sites:

WHAT IS A WORM?
A worm is a malicious self-replicating computer program designed to infect multiple remote computers in attempt to deliver a destructive payload. A typical worm spreads by e-mail, in file sharing networks or through unprotected network shares. Widely spread complex parasites usually propagate themselves by exploiting certain security vulnerabilities in the targeted remote system. Most worms can infect and corrupt files, degrade overall system performance and security, steal user sensitive information or install other dangerous parasites such as backdoors or trojans. Worms are very similar to regular computer viruses and therefore can have different malicious functionality.
WAYS OF INFECTION
Worms replicate themselves and infect a computer without user knowledge and consent. There are three major ways these unsolicited parasites can get into the system.1. Some parasites called mass-mailing worms propagate through e-mail. They arrive in files attached to e-mail messages or come embedded into letters. Once the user opens such a letter or file the worm silently installs itself to the system. The user cannot notice anything suspicious, as a parasite does not display any setup wizards, dialogs or warnings.2. Widely spread worms infect vulnerable computer on the Internet by exploiting known operating system and installed software security vulnerabilities. Such parasite spread on their own and therefore do not require any user interference.3. Many worms distribute themselves in infected files that arrive attached to instant messages or can be downloaded from file sharing networks or unprotected network shares. Such worms spread the infection in files with meaningful names in order to trick the user into executing them. Once the user opens a file, the worm silently infects a computer.Worms affect mostly computers running Microsoft Windows operating system.
WHAT A WORM DOES?
Uses a compromised system to spread through e-mail, file sharing networks, instant messenger, online chats or unprotected network shares.- Infects files, corrupts installed applications and damages the entire system.- Steals or discloses sensitive personal information, valuable documents, passwords, login names, identity details and user contacts.- Installs a backdoor or drops other dangerous parasite.- Modifies essential system settings in order to decrease overall system security and make it more vulnerable.- Severely degrades Internet connection speed and overall system performance, causes software instability. Some parasites are badly programmed, they waste too much computer resources and conflict with installed applications.- Provides no uninstall feature, hides processes, files and other objects in order to complicate its removal as much as possible.
CONSEQUENCES OF A WORM INFECTION
Most Internet worms spread through e-mail, file sharing networks or unprotected network shares. This distribution method noticeably decreases overall computer performance and degrades Internet connection speed. The user, which computer is infected with a worm, usually have multiple web surfing problems, system instability and software unreliability issues. Moreover, his computer becomes the source of infection and poses serious threat to other hosts over the Internet or in a local network.Many worms attempt to decrease system security by modifying security-related application settings, turning off antivirus or anti-spyware protection. Some parasites drop even more dangerous security and privacy threats such as various backdoors or trojans. The remote attacker can use these pests to gain full unauthorized access to a compromised computer, steal user sensitive information or totally destroy the entire system and all user data.A worm by itself is a great privacy risk. Lots of these parasites are designed specially to collect valuable user information like passwords, bank account details, credit card numbers or identity data and silently transfer it to the attacker. Some worms are made for criminal purposes. They are created to infect computers of corporate users and steal or disclose to public secret documents and other confidential information.
HOW TO REMOVE A WORM?
Worms work in the same manner as the regular computer viruses and therefore can be found and removed with the help of effective antivirus products like Symantec Norton AntiVirus, Kaspersky Anti-Virus, McAfee VirusScan, eTrust EZ Antivirus, Panda Titanium Antivirus, AVG Anti-Virus (That's what I have but it failed to detect and repair it. Even if I have just updated it over the internet!) vanced spyware removers, which are able to scan the system in a similar way antivirus software does and have extensive parasite signature databases can also detect and remove certain worms and related malicious components.

After reading this, I really can't help but be angry and frustrated about it. I normally don't allow other people to borrow my flash drive for the simple reason that, duh, they are my very personal and important files, that's why I carry it with me all the time! And that's why I shelled out some hard-earned cash for it, for the convenience and the flexibility.

Out of my goodness and out of my desire to help, however, I allowed this PERSON to borrow mine since he says he really needs to. He knew of my reluctance, and he even promised me that he wouldn't look at my files. Couldn't he just be contented in scanning my files? I mean, I naturally assumed that curiousity would get the better of him and he might do a bit of going into my files, although he promised he wouldn't. I allowed this so, because I knew I wasn't currently making exam papers nor are my class records in it updated. It didn't even contain any of my 'scandalous' pictures (yet).

But to plant there a possible destructible worm?!

[I freakin' didn't even know that there's such a thing as worms aside from bugs. Talk about insects inside computers. And yeah, yeah, I know about that trivia: the first discovered bug is a real live bug.]

These type of individuals infuriate me. They make people jaded and untrusting. They just crawl into your nerves.

errr...

2006-03-25T00:57:00.000+08:00

almost pretty
Originally uploaded by lil aNNa.

Just had to blog this. A beautiful flower about to bloom.

Cyber

2006-03-22T11:12:00.000+08:00

With mom, I bought a whole computer set yesterday. It's for a whole year installment, as I don't have that much to shell right now. Ma has given the downpayment, and they did promise to help out with the monthly. All this just so we can use the broadband connection which I couldn't get away from now. One more lesson why one should always read the fine print before signing.

The old computer really had to go already, although my darn cousin did hasten its demise. And her very willing boyfriend didn't come last Sunday to even fix it, when he had committed this task for himself, partly because he knew the innate klutzness of his luv, another part para magpa-lakas sa among family, and the third part to, again, prove his "superiority" in computers (he gives free unsolicited computer lectures).

That's why I'm excited to go home already. Now I have a new gadget-baby to play with. My poor Zire need not cry out due to overuse.

Finally!

2006-03-08T22:10:00.000+08:00

Ha, finally, the last of all ed. tours. I'd been skeptic at first to organize it knowing that I'd be handling around more than fifty "kids" all on my own, far from the safety gates of CIT. I'll be sole responsible should there be, say, a bus hijack. :)

The tours went pretty well, although I think I must've been pretty uptight with them. Guess they can't blame their twenty-two year old instructor for being anxious about it. Ay sus noh, second sem pa baya ni nako sa pagteach and then gipahandle dayon nila, all on her own, an entirely new subject. With no books from the library to boot, mind you.

Making the tour itinerary had been especially hard, too, since most of the centers had their own hectic schedules as well. A little confusion here and there, but nothing major.

The Convergys place is impressive, what with all the security and card-swiping at every door. At the same time, however, all that sophistication had rubbed on to their employees, who seem too smug and haughty for me. Michelle's language sometimes even borders to condescension. PeopleSupport's atmosphere, as expected, is a bit snobby but relaxed. Happy, who used to be my day care classmate, is perky and in control. I say, they should totally trash their no-cellphones policy altogether, it's really a mere hassle. We had to put all of my students' cellphones in one bag and leave it at the guard house outside. The guards (oh yes, those same friggin' guards again), would even let us leave it at their own entrance, like as if we were terrorists from some weird place. The Xlibris experience, minus the sight of gigantic computer cables all over the place, is something too. Mio, their operations manager, has been very accomodating, even doing the three tours himself. Too bad I had forgotten some photo ops session with them. I think most of my students now have a better understanding of BPOs and its diversity.

Now all they need to worry about is the final oral exam. ("Be scared, be very scared." hehehe)

Valentines

2006-02-12T19:43:00.000+08:00

It's Valentines again, and hmmm... what did I exactly do last year? Oh yeah, I had a date then, back when I was still working as a call girl, and I remember him giving me chocolates...Sigh! Those were the days.

For this year, I'll be the one giving chocolates. To my nieces and nephews. But really, don't commend me for this act. I'm doing it for the sake of being able to do at least something this year, for the fact that I have no, ahem, luv as of the moment, and for the reason that it's better to do anything than do nothing. (I can only wish that at least one student of mine can think of giving me, his/her pathetic loser teacher, a five-peso withered rose.) Don't even ask me what I did when everybody was at the Lovapalooza. Do I make sense? hehehe. Who cares.

The past few weeks had been very hectic, and this week won't be an exception. So it would be easy for me to sleep Tuesday off.

Ha! So much for an operations manager who sounded oh-so-sexy in his voicemail. (I recently heard he was already married! Ay sus!)

And again, I hate Microsoft's stringent license checking.

'Till my next post, dahlings. Ta ta!

Sinulog --- last year.

2006-01-15T23:03:00.000+08:00

Last year, last year was good. Instead of me sitting in a hospital bed, last year I was watching the fireworks display in ACC.

Although it was not meant to last, I still treasure to this day the few times (was that just 4-5 dates?) we shared together. How I would laugh at his absurd ways! How we sound well singing "Always" at the karaoke. I sure wish he's well and fine today.

Yun lang po. hehehe

Mother

2006-01-12T16:21:00.000+08:00

My mom. We're worried about her. She's been having this fever for almost a week now. It just subsides for a while with the help of the medicines the doctor prescribed to her but it eventually resurfaces again. Pa said she's had chills last night. Right now, they're supposed to be at the hospital, Ma wants to be admitted already. I'm really anxious to know any news from my father. Now I'm totally regretting the loss of my cell phone. If only I can go home and call his mobile from the landline phone there.

But I can't. I still have a class. And still after, I need to coach the debate team, the orator, the extemporaneous speaker, and even the editorial cartoonist. Oh good God, please don't make our essayist ask me to do the composition for her too! The debate's on Friday, the other contests on Saturday morning.

Mother: the whiner, the nagger, the drama queen, the landlady (she says my sister and I are like boarders in our own house now), the self-appointed interior designer, the resident doctor, the cook, the psychologist, etc.

She was once the unavoidable pest of my pubescent life; then she morphed to become this really amazing strong woman who knows everything when I was eighteen; now, she is like any other woman, with her own unique set of flaws and strengths.

But despite that realization, I am totally indebted to her. She gave me my life, and I wouldn't be this person now if it hadn't been for her.

SO LET IT BE NOTED IN THE RECORDS:
I LOVE MY MOM

Requiem in pace

2005-12-12T00:32:00.000+08:00

We just received news from Cagayan de Oro a few hours ago that my Lola Justa just passed away. May God bless her dear soul.

Lola has always been a fighter indeed; she has braved diabetes for approximately twenty years now. Anyone who closely knows a diabetic would know that this is not an easy feat. This requires shots of insulin at exact times everyday and strict discipline of the food diet. I could even still remember her munching ampalaya sticks as easily as if it were chocolate pretzels. (to be continued)

I lost my phone

2005-11-29T12:30:00.000+08:00

Damn, I lost my Sony Ericsson T230. It slipped out of my pocket while I was riding a multicab going to Minglanilla (but that's another story altogether).

Not that it was much monetary value, anyway. It wasn't even mine in the first place. But the fact that it orginally belonged to someone else is the main reason why it is making me sad. It had too much sentimal value. The SIM card in it had 29 two-year-old text messages I had painstakinly kept for a long time now. Not to mention all my contacts from three years back is stored there. My old friends can't inform me of any reunions or parties now, boo-hoo... My ex'es, should they ever become available again, can't call me too, boo-hoo... (ATTENTION to recent gf's of my ex-bf's: I was kidding, okay? Duh!)

So now, I'm torn between buying a laser printer or a new phone with my 13th month bonus coming. Or not buying anything at all so that I can pay all my credit card bills in full. Grr...

But YOU, dear reader, can do something about it this Christmas. And you can start by taking THE hint...

2005-11-26T17:06:00.000+08:00

sus meh, this guy beside me is picking his freakin' nose! ugh!

CS 424

2005-11-24T12:12:00.000+08:00

Call center links for me (and possibly my students who somehow stumbled here):

CRM
http://www.connectionsmagazine.com/articles/cat/48.html
http://callcenterph.squarespace.com/visitcallcenter/
http://www.crm2day.com
http://www.contact-center-today.com/
http://www.outsourceking.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Call_center
http://thesupervisorofhell.blogspot.com/ this one's entertaining!

Prev posts of my own:
http://victoriavodka.blogspot.com/2005/03/issue-all-graduating-students-who-want.html
http://victoriavodka.blogspot.com/2004/09/are-we-always-going-to-think-like-this.html

All's fair in love and in war (with the internet cafe attendant)

2005-11-18T12:56:00.000+08:00

I guess I can blame it all on Microsoft. Or perhaps Ben's "night mode" and that talk of pillows. But one thing's for sure. All was decidedly fair in the end in the war between me and that internet place near our home.

The Microsoft license police sure is inconveniencing a lot of people these days. One of them would be me, who, was not able to save any work that she had added on a .doc file that was originally saved in licensed Word in Netopia. I was using a template for a manual from Word, whose features were unfortunately not present in the other word processor. It had taken me a long time to decide whether I should save it as it is or convert it to an openoffice format. Darn me for opting to do the first, because the system then did not respond and just hanged totally. Later (as I was still continually forcing it to continue, hope against hope), my whole computer would crash down. Out of my frustration at my lost work, and the dumb attendant who annoyingly has that constant blank and dazed look, I went my way home not realizing that I haven't paid yet!

When I realized this, I hurried walking farther instead of going back to pay. With an evil grin on my face, I absolved myself from sin thinking that it was just fair since I was not able to do what I had intended to in going there. Never mind that I had fun surfing the net for three hours while waiting for the word processor that eternally hanged. Never mind that I did enjoy chatting with Desife, an old chum, and Ben--- the pillow talk. I was musing all of these things while quickening my steps (and occassionally glancing back should that attendant run after me!) when I couldn't find my floppy disk. Out of my horror that I might have left it at the cafe and I might do need to go back, the disk (which I had inserted in a few notes I was carrying) fell out and decided to swim in the canal.

Ugh!

Recovering after a few milliseconds, I couldn't help but smile and just shrug it all off. Patas na jud mi sa internet cafe. After cursing a few swearings, I trudged the rest of my way home, this time not scared that someone should call me from behind and ask me to pay for my dues.

Amen.

2005-11-12T15:25:00.000+08:00

Hon, I'm still waiting for your call. When?

2005-11-12T15:23:00.000+08:00

Hon, I hope I can stop loving you so that I can stop crying.

Lit. 214 Tentative Reading List

2005-11-11T14:36:00.000+08:00

Arranged in no particular order...

1. My Last Farewell (Jose Rizal)
2. Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa (Andres Bonifacio)
3. Dead Stars (Paz Marquez Benitez)
4. Footnote to Youth (Jose Garcia Villa)
5. Wanderlust (Fausto Dugenio)
6. Magnificence (Estrella D. Alfon)
7. The Summer Solstice (Nick Joaquin)
8. The Mats (Francisco Arcellana)
9. I, It, Was, That, Saw (Jose Garcia Villa)
10. House Mouse (Fidel de Castro)
11. If you Want to Know What We aAre (Carlos Bulosan)
12. Dog Eaters (Randy David)
13. Bracing for Balikbayans (Conrado de Quiros)
14. Ang Paglilitis kay Many Serapio (Paul Arvisu Dumol)
15. Mini {Counterfeit} (Buenaventura Rodriguez and Dionisio Jakosalem)

Other works may also be added as the semester progresses depending upon the need. If you have further questions, email me at vicki.saguin@gmail.com

Lit. 212 Tentative Reading List

2005-11-11T13:29:00.000+08:00

1. Butterflies (Patricia Grace)
2. You Fit into Me (Margaret Atwood)
3. Let Me not into the Marriage of True Minds (William Shakespeare)
4. To Me He Seems like a God (Sappho)
5. A Rose for Emily (William Faulkner)
6. The Mats (Francisco Arcellana)
7. The Prince (Antoine de Saint- Exupery)
8. Jonathan Livingston Seagull (Richard Bach)
9. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
10. The Vagina Monologues (Eve Ensler)

This is for my Intro. to Literature 5-6 pm students who may have problems finding these works in the library. I've made them open in a new window so that one wouldn't have press the back button time and again. I realize, too, that by doing this, I've made plagiarizing other people's reviews on these works easier for my students. Reading other people's comments on these masterpieces is good in a way that it also helps you shape your own ipinion. Just don't copy and paste the whole thing, ok? (Links were last checked as working well last Nov 12, 2005.)

Screwed.

2005-10-06T18:03:00.000+08:00

"You got yourself screwed..."

Those were the exact words my professor gave me during our most recent conversation regarding my status in the class. And yup, I admit, I am about to fail in one of my subjects. Wow, and it is pretty quite ironic: people are trying to console with the idea that I can always still ask for an "NC" instead and not a "5.0".

What's to feel good about getting an NC? Should I be thrilled with that idea?

Other issues aside, I must admit that that is the reason why I currently feel like my whole world is totally crumbling. (It started to crumble December 2003 when somebody special went away)

Another said that this is just "a temporary setback". Is it really? I don't have any strong faith on that thought but I guess I don't really have any choice either. From the pieces of sage advice I am getting, it seems that they don't see it likely for me to get through either.

Fat chance, Vix. You've regarded yourself too highly for too long already. Thinking that you can juggle it all, huh? You're no superwoman, dear, so stop trying to do everything all at the same time. Welcome to the real world, where things can fall real hard down to the bottom.

It sounds too cliché, but I sure do hope things will turn better soon... Sooner than asap, if possible.

But right now, I just don't want to think about the people that I have failed. They, who have believed so much in me and thus expected more from me, are now about to get the sad news. I can't bear telling it to them. God help me.

a poem for all "virgins"

2005-08-31T14:44:00.000+08:00

To the Virgins, To Make Much of Time
by Robert Herrick

GATHER ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old time is still a-flying :
And this same flower that smiles to-day
To-morrow will be dying.

The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun,
The higher he's a-getting,
The sooner will his race be run,
And nearer he's to setting.

That age is best which is the first,
When youth and blood are warmer ;
But being spent, the worse, and worst
Times still succeed the former.

Then be not coy, but use your time,
And while ye may go marry :
For having lost but once your prime
You may for ever tarry.

I have a new job!

2005-08-24T19:33:00.000+08:00

Hear ye, hear ye...

Vicki is now a full-time college professor teaching English 1 & 2, and Tech Writing in CIT.

I have resigned from my call center work and so far I am having a great time at this new field. Teaching can be tough most of the time but I'm getting the hang of it. The first few weeks were quite hectic but now I'm better adjusted. Hopefully by next semester I won't have much problems as I had at the start of this semester.

At first, I was afraid to admit that I'm just 21. But what the heck, I'm saying it the truth to everybody now. I think I've gained my student's respect already for me to safely divulge my youth.

I have to admit though that I still have so much to learn. From books, from the morsels of advice my experienced co-teachers are giving me, and even from my students. I've made a few minor errors but thank God, no major ones as of yet. I toe the line now and watch that I don't make mistakes.

I look at my students and I sincerely hope silently that I can make a little difference in their lives. I really pray that I can inspire them to do good in life.

And oh, Jasmine Ferolino won Miss Intramurals 2005! The shy and very pretty freshman outshone them all. Too bad I forgot to take a picture with her. Or di ba kaha autograph... harharhar.

I know, I know... I'm quite stingy with the information I'm giving about my life right now. But that's because most of them are currently in progress. Like my MA degree in Applied Linguistics at USC. Like the midterm exams I'm preparing for my classes next week. And... err... my love life.

*wink*

Sesame Street

2005-06-16T09:36:00.000+08:00

ARTIST: Joe Raposo
TITLE: Sesame Street
Lyrics and Chords

[Television Theme Song]

Sunny day
Sweeping the clouds away
On my way

To where the air is sweet
Can you tell me how to get
How to get to Sesame Street
How to get to Sesame Street

/ D - G7 - / D7 - G7 - / / A G A GA /
/ G7 - A CG / D G D7 G / /

Come and play
Everything's A-OK
Friendly neighbors there
That's where we meet
Can you tell me how to get
How to get to Sesame Street
How to get to Sesame Street

It's a magic carpet ride
And your door will open wide
To happy people like you
Happy people like
What a beautiful

/ Bb - Cm7 - / / Bb Cm7 / / Bb - /

{First verse}

HOT!!!

2005-06-15T07:19:00.000+08:00

"Man, that guy is sooo hot, he burns!!! Yeah, baby... take me now. "

That was me thinking a few minutes ago. He's just passed by and chatted for a few seconds with a friend a couple of cubicles from me. Geez, he's got such a beautiful eyes, too. I hope I can have a chance to just say a few lines to him sometime. Oh dear, wouldn't that be grand? You know, maybe a nice smart quip which can start a little conversation. I'd love to hear his mind out and see if it is sexier than his overall physical appeal.

That'll be a welcome diversion, hmmm....

2005-05-28T08:26:00.000+08:00

post lang nya ko inig human nako ug libang.

How-To-Get-Your-BLOGS-listed link

2005-05-05T08:15:00.000+08:00

Just did this with My MSN and My Yahoo for my two blogs. :)

http://www.site-reference.com/Marketing/5945/index.html

melancholy

2005-04-29T06:27:00.000+08:00

I went to Ayala two days ago and watched a movie alone. Bought a huge meal combo from Tater's although with a full stomach from dinner I just ate before I went out... Propped myself on a aisle seat of an empty side... And cried at scenes which are not supposed to be tearjerkers.

pics from work

2005-04-27T00:16:00.000+08:00

Batch 1 email team Cebu. Yay, that's me in the center in a blue shirt!

batch 2 Email chicks.

No more tonsilitis due to strain in taking calls, at the expense of not getting fat commission every month! (Sigh) Can't have your cake and eat it too. Howell, pretty lang bitaw gihapon!

just having a little dinner at The Village

parteh with balloons and cake!

Let me elaborate...

2005-04-20T07:54:00.000+08:00

My last entry is about me successfully acting like a dumb dazed individual who's responding to her officemates and her work incoherently. Ugh, I so hate myself when I go through these "phases" again. Haha. Now I'm really scaring you, huh?

Bear with me while I reason myself out of this supposed stupidity. Even I couldn't believe my own actions, geez, and so I will begin with my endless palusot (alibi) ...

Well, first on the list of lies would be that many things are going on in my life lately. Thinking and worrying about them occupies me too much that I forget that they are realities and that I would need to act upon them so that I can stop thinking and worrying about them and then finally, do something else.

I wish I can stop indulging myself on sentimentality, that way I could do more things. Romanticizing and dwelling on useless thoughts always gets me ulcers and nothing else, yet I continue on with this unproductive habit.

And even taking precious time to write this post when I could do the chores I'm supposed to do right now is indulgence! Ha! Now there's really a serious need now to straighten and have more focus on what I should be doing.

Sorry folks, forget about the alibis I was planning to talk and entertain you with. I need to get this butt off this chair now and fix my life.

Ta ta.

public apology

2005-04-19T06:38:00.000+08:00

Vicki is in a daze right now. Shyyyyeeeeeeet. I wanna die. ugh!

Mao ra na akong post karon.

help!

2005-04-02T09:33:00.000+08:00

I am still having trouble understanding what to do with my blogrolling account. Any blog-savvy reading this post please holler me a comment and help!

Using company resources...

2005-03-24T06:47:00.000+08:00

Yesterday in the office I had to wait for at least 20 minutes for this lady to finish her call. She was hoarding the phone and preventing me from making an important call! She just looked at me for a quick second while I was waiting there patiently and then she turned her back again without as much as a shrug!

Apparently, she was applying in another call center and was calling the HR department of that company so that she can get interviewed. They did do the interview right there and then, thus the long talk time, with the lady even admitting to the her interviewer that she is calling from another call center company's phone because she is presently working there. Notably the HR agent didn't care as well, as long as she can finish and evaluate as many applicants as her quota restricts.

Of course there's the issue of call centers pirating each other's agents so as to save on training costs, etc. (But that's another sensitive issue altogether that I'd rather not discuss right now)

Not that I am not slightly guilty of using company's resources for non business-related purposes (Heler! I'm blogging from work... but ey! after shift noh!!!). You won't find me casting the first stones on that issue. (And oh, I do try to minimize surfing... and I'm NOT chatting or Friendster-ing... defensive?!? lol)

The main fact here is that she's using the resources of the company she is working for right now to look for another job at another company, who is the direct competitor at that, is just very unethical of her. I think it ought not be necessary to be taught these things.

It's like flirting with another guy while your date is away getting you your drink.

Just as one uncommitted person could delay flirting with another after he/she is done dating the present, she could always wait until she gets home and call from there. Their line being Teletipid (like ours, ugh!) is not even an excuse. What's 5 pesos in a telephone booth in consideration to the 5-digit pay* she is getting from her present company and to which she owes even a little bit of loyalty to?

*update: changed "6-digit pay" to "5-digit pay". Thankies, Solofflite!!

2005-03-21T09:47:00.000+08:00

Ever since good 'ol Norman Casillano has resigned from PS, I don't have anybody anymore to share my geekiness and affection for my PDA. (The guy had once worked in tech support in a local call center who serves PalmOne). I'm sooo aloooone, wala ju'y maka-relate sa akong mga gipangyawyaw nga mga aligutgut.

So here I am, doing self- study on my own (as if ba naman naay self-study in groups?! hehehe), reading discussion boards and tutorials. I guess I really am deeply inlove with my toy. For your annoyance, and for me not to forget the link, I'm posting it here:

************************************
How to play video on your Palm
************************************

2005-03-20T04:25:00.000+08:00

An issue all graduating students who want to work in a call center need to be aware about

Hmm, interesting read. It sure is important to know any possible scams lurking out there especially if this could mean that you might be a possible victim later on. The boom(?!--- that's another whole topic altogether) of call centers can be an easy way for these fictitious companies to lure vulnerable fresh graduates to do their dirty job. Basically the article states that it is quite convenient for 'boiler rooms' to pose as call centers since their basic operation would also require telephone lines and people who will do telemarketing non-existing products for them. At least this should be something agents would have to be wary about. I've heard some gossips...

a few pics from work ('ala lang!)

2005-03-13T03:41:00.000+08:00

me and grace, donning tired and puffy eyes

That's Ivy, me and Nel

On after-call mode just to pose for this picture: me, Grace, Dimples and Mel

UPDATED, finally!!!

2005-03-08T09:56:00.000+08:00

After a long hiatus, I am finally blogging again. So much has happened and I have been pretty and pretty busy as well (hehehe). And since this is my public site, understandably I will make myself appear good at any rate. (hehehe again)

*My friend Zed is now a "semi"-friend. Only time can truly define our status. (sigh!)

*Somebody is coming back this April for a two-week vacation. Uh-hoh. In time for the above's board exam. Just as my blog mate Island girl says, "Absence is to love, what wind is to fire, it extinguishes the small, yet rekindles the great..."

*My friend, Ivy, triggered by her sister's own blog, is constantly bugging me to help her find design templates for her own. She couldn't make up her own mind as to which one she likes best though, so if you try checking her blog around 10pm- 8am (CEB time) currently, you'll find the page changing ever so frequently.

*Eng-eng is following suit. She is also making her own blog just so she can chat in the tagboard with her siblings abroad. Also asking for my assistance. Have I answered all of your concerns as of this time, ladies?

*There goes June (aka Aubrey), Nel (aka Chrizzy) and I seated in a row blogging and surfing to our heart's content against company policy of using resources for non-business related purposes. Harharhar. Puh-lease, if you are somebody from HR or IT reading this post right now, can you just indulge us this one time? I mean, we worked hard the whole night trying to help the queue and it's our rest day today....

*I haven't done my assignment. ssshi--- shakespeare!

*Villagephotos took out my pictures. Huhuhu. I just transferred my pics to Photobucket. Thank shoo!

In reaction to...

2004-12-11T09:41:00.000+08:00

I bumped into a post by solo flite which went:

Sat Oct 2 2004 1:39 AM

What is it with this blog about the Supermaid Chona? Yeah, the concept is funny, kudos to the writer, but looking at the number of hits... I'm seriously disturbed at the humor that tends to click in our society.

Am I the only one who finds it demeaning to our less fortunate countrymen? Especially since the pinoy netizens aren't exactly masa material.

Then again, Im no expert in morality...

And then found the answer of the author (?):

To all Visayans and others whom this blog may have offended:

Every now and then, I make jokes about the Visayans’ (and other Filipinos’) way with the spoken Tagalog and English. I’ve always viewed the cultural quirk as a murder of language, if not a conscious disregard of another language, which I think is rooted in a reasonable pride in one’s ethnicity. But my jokes about wrongful pronunciations are never an attack against one’s ethnicity. I am ‘half’-Pangasinense, ‘half’-Ilocano myself and I rate the Pangasinan language as the worst offender in the mis-enunciation of words. I happen to see this quaint linguistic quirk in funny terms as do so many other Filipinos. Pronouncing /e/ as /i/ is, for me, very funny, not in a demeaning or derogatory way, but something that’s purely that - funny. That’s how I find Chona in the City extremely funny. Surely, Maritess and the Superfriends before the advent of Chona is just as funny but I was offended at the time I viewed it because it made fun of Maritess’ religion and it made an egregiously unnecessary moral statement when it was being decidedly very naughty.

I hate to explain myself but I’m doing it just in case readers of this blog might be sensitive to stuff like this. Let this serve as assurance: I do not mean to put down Visayans or anybody nor do I mean to laugh at anyone in life stations lower than mine in my quest to feel superior. It’s just that I find something genuinely hilarious in it -- in the atrocious violation of Tagalog and English speech and grammar rules, in particular.

I hope I am absolved and forgiven now.

And here goes me again when occassionally finding herself fired up to write and comment over some issue. Here is what I have written in restyo's blog's comment box:

True, you ARE being defensive. And that's not a haha. I say, amen to soloflite. You say that these people are murdering the language when they do not mean to make such mistakes in pronunciation. Artists like Nelly ("Hot in Herre") or Chingy ("Right Thurr") do, but not maids who are just trying to earn a bit more money by going to some place else. Now, let me ask you this, can Tagalogs speak Bisaya as fluently as Visayans? Mind you, it's rather annoying for us who live here in the "province" when people from Luzon do not exert any effort trying to learn our language and even expect us to adjust to their deficiency whenever they come here.

Had Haloscan allowed me to put something further, I would have written this:

The reason our national language Filipino is composed mainly of Tagalog words is because Metro Manila is the center of business and everything else and not because it has the most number of users. Go to Visayas or Mindanao (the biggest island) and your sole knowledge of Bisaya would come in very handy. You may call me regionalistic but hey, that's the truth. You may have not purposefully wanted to attack ethnicity but that is what those jokes are getting into, hence your reader's reactions. I think it's reasonable to have a rooted and reasonable pride in one's region as long as you don't trample others in the process.

You know where I got to all of this? Through reading one of the testimonials in the Bloggers account of Friendster. The wonders of surfing. And shyeeet, my eyes are hurting me like hell!

2004-12-08T13:41:00.000+08:00

This evening I will be meeting my old chum Desife. I hope my workmates are also in area where I'll be with Des because I'm also supposed to be with them tonight as despidida for Joaquin who is resigning.

Talk about being busy with a lot of engagements this Christmas huh? I'm a bit disappointed though, because the two other Lasses couldn't come. I don't know what's up with them, they don't seem to answer our messages or calls. It's not that I'm not trying to understand, they might be busy as well too... but c'mon, too busy to even reply? It is upsetting because I had been very excited of this plan to meet up. A year of not hearing from anything from them is quite long and I miss them terribly. I had shopped for gifts for them the moment they hinted of a get-together and I had planned to give it together with the long overdue Christmas cards I was supposed to hand last year. I guess they're not as excited as I am to meet them again. Sigh, at least there's good 'ol Des...

With regard to the G-girls, it's really too bad that Joaqs is resigning. The poor guy is continuing his medication in Cagayan. Jerome did it first and now he's second to leave. Tsk, tsk, tsk. No more boys. But of course the Camiguin trip this January is still on. That's something to look forward to.

And Jun is actually reading my blog? I didn't know he was! Gosh, and considering that I have written a bit of him on a previous post. That leads to me to wonder just how many others are actually visiting this site. Sitemeter is not helping me much with the statistics, and my visitors don't sign my guestbook or leave their comments...

That's about it for now. My back is aching and the server here is soooooo slow. ta ta!

Un-lonely this Christmas?!?

2004-12-05T06:12:00.000+08:00

I have a new "friend", and his name is Zed. hehehe. geez, i hope he doesn't find out about this post about him later. But what the heck, I'll write about him just a bit anyway. I was a bit concerned at first as to who gave him my number... because you know... basta... but fortunately, he learned it from my dear dear best friend Kelly, so that's okay. *wink* But that's not just the reason why I am seeing a little bit of hope on achieving happiness this season (despite...sigh!). Second would have to be that the store will finally be giving me a new Palm after I complained about the paint chipping off at its sides and returned it to them. Not that I am too pleased with the long response but a response is a response nonetheless, so its better than nothing. I guess I whine too much already and I should think of the brighter side of things.The bonus is coming soon so that should also be something to be happy about. Not that the company is giving it promptly but a bonus is a bonus, I should say. It's better than nothing, isn't it? Most of my friends are not yet even regularized so they won't even be getting one, so I should be grateful about it, right? And the whole family is feeling well and okay... so that the fourth on my list of reasons.The two lasses, Rica and Dona, do not seem to be too excited about meeting up but I SHOULD NOT MAKE THAT UPSET ME. At least I have a bit more money this year to buy gifts for the people I love. (Although NOT to the one I love most... ) Sigh! Think happy, Vicki, HAPPY!

updates, updates...

2004-11-26T05:34:00.000+08:00

* Christmas dinner with my 'ol friends LASS on December 4. Yay! Can't wait! It's been like, almost a year and half since we all met. Just like old times, each will be giving each a gift, so like everyone gets 3 gifts. I just hope they don't bring their boy-toys ('cuz I don't have any, waaaahhhh!!!), because it would really be a nice grand time to just chill and talk about everything that's happening in our lives.

*Camiguin plan postponed and rescheduled for January. Bummer. Just when I was so psyched into it already.

*I don't know what to do with my bonus. Hmm... I don't want to regret again, see. It should be something that's really important. Something that I can look back and then say, "Hey, here's the fruit of my damned labor."

*So... Jun's got himself a girlfriend, huh? I would have to admit I felt a bit dampered reading that girl's testimonial but hey, I guess I should be happy for the poor guy. I did break his heart before, and it's not like as if I could make him happy myself today. It's nice to see him back in school. *reminisces* Ahh, those were the days!

*SOMEBODY's in Kulaman, Sultan Kudarat. ?!? Like, where the hell is that, anyway? Desife says it's near their place. He'll be spending Christmas at that boring unfamiliar place. Uh-hoh, look who's having crazy plans again...

*My Palm's not yet returned! #%&^! I really really miss it. If they don't give any substantial development when I check back on in again, I swear I'm really gonna blow it.

*I have to read and study more books for school...

*Looking for a new job...

so me!

2004-10-18T04:36:00.000+08:00

You are naturally born with a gift, whether it be
poetry, writing or song. You love beauty and
creativity, and usually are highly intelligent.
Others view you as mysterious and dreamy, yet
also bold since you hold firm in your beliefs.

What Type of Soul Do You Have ?
brought to you by Quizilla

a bit of musings

2004-10-18T03:07:00.000+08:00

Friendster's access denied, so is neopet and any other games sites.. what's a call girl during a no-queue night to do but blog? yep, it's been an hour already and i just had a total of one call. A few hours ago, out of boredom, the whole team thought of playing charades and last-word-first-word-in-a-song. This must be one of the hazards of my job... it can get so boring sometimes... sitting for 8 freakin' hours staring at the computer and doing your verbiage at the start of every call that you'd start to feel like your four years studying in college was all wasted... so monotonous hearing all these americans complain about the tiniest of things...

Sigh! But anyway, I got my Zire already. *big grin* My piggy banks all empty but it's worth it. I don't care if my phone's still 51, anyway I got my super cool handheld which has everything most new phones have. It has bluetooth, a 1.2 megapixel camera, a handy-dandy notepad, a free silver hardcase ('cuz i got it before oct 31)! What's the most basic purpose of a mobile anyway? It's to call and be called, and my ol' trusty sturdy nokia can do that just as fine still.

I'm a bit broke already though, and the team is still going to Bohol come this 26th and 27th. I'll be trying to scrimp what's left of my pay until then... but i'm optimistic i can do it. I have already filed leave for Tuesday so I sure should make myself save and go to that trip. It's going to be fun, the last shindig of the G-girls team before schedule rotation starts. Hopefully this time nobody gets drunk and start throwing shot glasses...

2004-10-09T21:56:00.000+08:00

Hmmm... been a long time since I last blogged. Not that there's much that happened since anyway. Sigh! I was sick for 3 days, coughing and sneezing the whole time. I guess it was mainly stress from work. I had to miss the big party at work last Wednesday. Where Juliet fulfilled her dream of embarassing herself, and shaming the whole team as well, by performing on stage strumming the guitars and actuallly (!) singing. The team also habal-habaled their way to Tops at 1 am! Sus, grabe jud ning G-girls. Howell, maayo ra sad siguro wa ko mukuyog. They went home early morning na sad, mga six na in the morning, after some hot noodles sa Chowking Colon. Had I joined them, ma-guilty na sad ko kay mag-worry kaayo sila mumsy nako.

Boring karon, wala calls. Layo pa jud kaayo ko nila Eng... waaaahhh!!!

2004-09-22T04:14:00.000+08:00

Too bad this latest top site in Blogger's "blogs of note"site closed down. This is of course the site www.ifoundsomeofyourlife.blogspot.com (already disabled by the author so don't bother clicking the link there). This is a blog made by someone who found a camera's memory card left in a taxi. The card contained 227 pictures spanning one year of a stranger's life so the author had the brilliant (and somewhat hmm... should I say devilish as well?) idea of posting one picture a day. He posted as if he was the owner of the memory card and made up stories and even names of each person in the photo as if they were his own friends or acquaintances.

Tsk, tsk, tsk. Not that I don't understand. But not that I don't agree that it should be closed down as well.

I guess it's just that I understood what the author's primary intent was, and that is to create some story out of another person's photo album. Don't we all do a little bit of that when we sometimes get to take hold of some unknown person's belonging? Like probably a handkerchief left in a jeepney seat... If it's crisp and clean-looking with fine lines, we'd probably associate a straight suit-wearing guy to it. If it's flowery and dainty, a colegiala might have left it. Or if it's huge and bright colored, someone might have planned to wear it as a bandana later.

Well, the author perhaps really didn't think it would get too much attention at such a short time. Here was one opportunity to perhaps enhance his imagination to higher levels (imagine, he even made the names of the people that kept appearing in the photos consistent and named himself Jordan because that was the name in the birthday cake!). I blame it mostly to Blogger. I myself found my way to the site out from clicking on to the sites noted in the dashboard.

I must admit, when you really think about it, it sure is cruel. I mean, accessing someone's file and making comments or stories about it with a few friends is entirely a whole different thing from posting it online for the whole wide world to see and add their own comments to it as well. Another reason why you should never, ever leave your personal belongings...

(I also found a blog that says it is reminiscent of another case (Sophie Calle's project) wherein someone found a black book and interviewed everybody who is in it about the owner of the book. She wrote up her interview every Sunday in a newspaper. She got sued. Howell, click that one there and you'll see a bit of a curious discussion...

Na hala, bahala na si Lord nilang tanan. Good luck te...

A virus as a bedtime toy to hug by?

2004-09-16T22:55:00.000+08:00

While surfing the web, i found this funny site that sells stuffed animals that look like tiny microbes.

Now, ain't that original?

Hmmm...which gets me to thinking of assigning the virus of ______ to :
The Common Cold ---myself, of course.
Kissing Disease --- hehehe, I'd RATHER not tell...
Dust Mite--- to my mumsy, who keeps the house in good shape
Ulcer--- our sup Calai to chill it out sometimes
Sleeping Sickness --- to Hya, whose real life starts at 9 pm
Martian Life --- to Kelly, my very opposite best friend of mine
H.I.V. --- to my teammate, Lovelie. (hope she doesn't read this... aihihihi)

My inspiration...

2004-09-13T05:12:00.000+08:00

Take pictures. Capture video. Share life.
Capture life's moments with a 1.2 megapixel camera built right in to the Zire™ 72 handheld. Shoot photos and video clips1, then download them to your computer to share with family and friends. Create photo albums on your handheld, attach photos to contact information, display a favourite photo in the background and more.

Play MP3s.1
Carry your tunes with you and listen to them using the built-in speakers or a pair of stereo headphones1. Play MP3s while you're scheduling appointments, adding contacts, or just enjoying a spare moment.

Be as organised as you want to be.
Manage photos and videos just as easily as schedules or contacts. Stay ahead of your day with the Agenda View and track your schedule easily by colour-coding your events.

Use Word, Excel and Acrobat.
Keep your business tools close at hand. Create and edit Word and Excel compatible documents and read Adobe Acrobat files right on your handheld.

Keep Outlook up-to-date.
Synchronise with Outlook2 email, calendar, contacts, tasks and notes right out of the box.

Feel the freedom of wireless networking.
Get connected with built-in Bluetooth® technology. Use a compatible Bluetooth-enabled phone as your modem to send and receive email and connect to the web3 Or share files, photos and more with nearby Bluetooth devices like computers, printers and other handhelds.

Record voice memos.
Record your thoughts with the Voice Memo application and microphone. Then synchronise them to your desktop computer—even email3 them to colleagues and friends.

That was fun!

2004-09-13T03:34:00.000+08:00

I actually found myself enjoying something that I did after a very long time. Those engineering boys were just so sweet and so easy to please, that I just can't help but have fun and forget about those things that usually make me fuss about. I was at my most cheerful and spontaineous self, and you what? It felt so good!

I thought it would be difficult and that I would make a lot of boo-boo's but hey, I was just great! The crowd did look like they were enjoying the show. And with so many boys around, with like barely 5 women I could count from the audience, it was just overwhelming and so flattering to have them all looking at me!!! It felt so good to loosen up a bit and be able to crack up a crowd once again. Kelly did actually do me the favor when she asked me to host that quiz bowl. It was a wonderful diversion to my otherwise stressed up environment at work, where there's just so much pressure to keep up with. BUT I was late though, hehehe, and so at first I didn't quite know what to do. Howell, I shouldn't be dwelling about that now, anyway, everybody enjoyed. I might even be the only one thinking about those little minor flaws 'til now!

It was an opportunity as well for me and Kelly to bond. Sigh! She's just super! I don't know how she does it, but she can really easily pick up what I am about to say and she lets me do all the talking. The guys there are probably thinking what the heck do we and Kelly have in common to be "best friends". I mean, she's this really tough brainy woman and I'm this mushy demure lady who can't rule over her emotions. The president of the IIEE (basta, kanang org sa mga electrical eng. studs!) cebu chapter
and a snobbish former editor of a student publication of a highly conservative school. weird.

Plus the fact that a guy who was a friend of Kelly's is texting me now...Too bad he's not attractive. aihihihi.

Are we always going to think like this...

2004-09-05T08:47:00.000+08:00

I think I would to consider that my most challenging call, a very unnerving one at that.

Ms *&#%$%@ was calling to verify the charges on her credit card. While I was putting her in a silent hold, this woman gossiped about me, saying to her friend she is conferencing with how she just knew that I was Filipina. But her friend's answer, or the language she used to answer anyway, just got me dumbfounded.

Her friend, speaking in Tagalog, acknowledged it with a tone that dripped of sarcasm or disgust perhaps. While I was listening to them in mute mode, they continued ranting and chatting away in Tagalog. And get this: they were telling each other how these Filipinos screwed their accounts and how they wish that their calls wouldn't get routed to the Philippines... Like as if they didn't come from the same race that they are so criticizing!!! Like as if they didn't come from that certain country they're talking about!!!

Geez, and that just really threw me off the wall. I mean, more than anybody else, I would have expected that they are the first ones to boost their own kababayans back home. More than anybody else, I would have thought that they are the first to know that these "mere" Pinoy agents are actually more educated than their American counterparts whose educational attainment might just consist of a single high school diploma.

I doubt it if it was just the company that I was representing they were mad at. Oh noooo, I felt it in the way that they just mouthed the word "Pinoy" with such... condescension!

Do they really think themselves higher than those stuck in a rut of a country called Philippines? Do they think themselves superior already, that they should not be classified among those "brown people" just because they're out of it already? Is having the means, intelligence or cunningness to escape out and be anywhere except "here" be the gauge of success?

Ugh.

(to be continued...)

My recent fascination

2004-08-26T09:58:00.000+08:00

I think I should blame Pex for this blog addiction of mine. I was cruising through forums and here I go reading post of members advertising their online journals and emails so that others can include them in their Friendsters. Mind you, this was like August last year and during that time these types of dating sites were almost unheard of and blogs were like "Are they new phone models?!".

Ha, and interestingly enough, less than a year later, everyone has at least one account in friendster, myspace, tribester, etc.

This is actually my third blog. The first one I started last January, due to the need of place to vent out my frustration. The second one was food for my pride. And this third one? Hmm... I have yet to really figure out why! I guess it's just that I miss the joy of expressing myself through writing so much that I have to find other means. You know, this current job of mine truly does not help my left brain exercise. But the discussion of my job would be another topic (or blog) altogether...