Welcoming 2010 0 comments

Saying GOODBYE to a GREAT DECADE...
hopefully waving HELLO to a GREATER ONE.
 

Happy 2010 Everyone!

Wordless Wednesdays: LSS 1 comments

Speechless

Stanza App - Hundreds of Books at the Palm of Your Hand 4 comments

Since having the iPod touch, aside from the music, videos, games and the internet (which I can only use when I'm in wifi hotspots since we don't have a wireless router at home), one function that now proves indispensable to me is being able to read novels (in ebook format) straight from my iPod.

I've been hearing tons of raves about the Touch being a great ebook reader, and even from my own experience reading the free Pride and Prejudice I've downloaded from the App store, I was determined to find a way to put my pdf files in my iPod since it is impossible to do so with iTunes.

First, I thought Files Lite was my answer but then it needs my computer and the Touch to be on the same online network which is not possible in my case. The Eureka moment came with the widely popular ebook reader app to the name of Stanza. After downloading the application, I read numerous pages on how to get my ebooks into my iPod without requiring the same network connection, although after successfully doing so, I couldn't believe it was that easy.

Here's how I did it:

(For those people relying only on free wifi connections from wifi hotspots across the Metro. Requires a Gmail email account.)

1. Download the Stanza app from iTunes. Open the application on your iPod.

2. Select Get Books -> Shared -> Add Webpage. Under the name type: Gmail, under the url: gmail.com. Tap Save.

3. On your desktop computer, gather all your pdf files. You need to convert all of them first to .epub format before being able to put them to and be read properly by Stanza. I used epub2go.com for this task. Just upload the pdf file into it and it will finish converting after a minute or so. Afterwards, you can either send it to your email address directly or download the file into your computer then attach it to an email and send the mail to yourself. I actually prefer downloading the file first because your converted file may be erased from epub2go's database after two days and would be a potential problem if you haven't downloaded it yet to your iPod. Also, from experience, I noticed that downloading from their database tend to be slower than downloading from a direct attachment I sent to myself.

4. Now, get out of the house and find yourself a nice free wifi spot and a comfy chair. Although you won't really need a chair because downloading a file takes only about 5 seconds to finish. About 20 if you're downloading from epub2go's server because you still have to be redirected to the file. I went to Sta.Lucia East Grand Mall for this one and found their connection to be surprisingly great.

5. Open Stanza -> Get Books -> Shared -> Gmail. Stanza will then open its embedded browser. Log in to Gmail.

Important There is a bug in how gmail.com interacts with the iPhone's embedded browser, which means that clicking on an attachment in a message from the mobile window won't do anything. You first need to scroll to the very bottom of the page where it says "View Gmail in:" and tap the "Desktop" link to display the non-mobile version of the site.

6. Open the mail you sent to yourself with the attachment of the .epub files or the emails your requested epub2go.com to send to your address.  Tap on the attachment or link and the Stanza browser will ask you if you want to download the file. Tap Download and you're all set.

7. You can now see all your books in Library. You can edit the name, author etc. afterwards. Though I am now researching on how to add cover arts for my downloaded novels.

I now have a significant number of novels in my Library including Dan Brown's The Last Symbol (which I am reading right now), the Twilight Series (which I dislike but compelled to read to have a legitimate opinon), The Mortal Instruments Trilogy by Cassandra Claire (a fanfiction idol) and 5 books from Nicholas Sparks. I cannot wait to read them all. And to think I got them all for free. The amount I paid for my iPod Touch will most likely be reimbursed by the amount of novels I get to read for free.

Bookworm Heaven.

A Belated Merry Christmas to ALL! 0 comments

Ipod Touch Love 0 comments

So I've recently jumped on the bandwagon and purchased my own ipod. It has been forever that I have been salivating over these music/video/games-playing, photo-browsing and internet-surfing exquisite creatures of Appledom. And now that I have the thing in my hand and that it's working incredibly well, I couldn't be happier.

I actually could not believe, being the self-proclaimed novice techie that I am, that I've never heard of even the existence of such a gadget before last month when I accidentally saw one on the Abenson Christmas Catalogue. Because it looks almost exactly like an iphone, I just assumed it was the latter that I have been seeing all around the geek section at the malls. When I finally remembered to google for it, I realized the sheer brilliance of this device and decided to purchase it after some heavy price canvassing and feature researching.

What I like best with the Touch is it's almost like an iphone without the phone feature and camera, which is fantastic because I already have a perfectly good phone with an even better camera. When I lost my old Nokia 3230 I contemplated on replacing it with an iphone but decided not to because it was (and still is) unbelievably expensive. Now, I have all the features of the iphone that I want with only a third of the price. *does happy dance*

One drawback that I can see is I have to charge it via usb port in my computer as it doesn't come with a wall charger. But other than that, this device is really a joy to have. I've installed more than 60 apps (all free) in my unit and they barely take up a gigabyte. They are mostly games but I also have some really useful ones like a non-online dictionary which is proving to be really helpful for me. I've also downloaded Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and am now reading it via my ipod touch every night. It's a really cool way to get to know the classics, I must add. :)

Despite all the greatness, one inescapable part of having one is the endless smudges and fingerprints you get on it by just literally holding the device. Moreover, the back portion of the gadget gets pretty slippery when  coated and double coated with human oil extracts and other things you don't want to think of, thus there is an increased possibility of ipod slippage. Mortal Sin #1. Therefore, a skin is compulsory. Not only does it prevent scratches, your Touch is virtually smudge proof. At least from the back. I recommend the rubber ones rather than the clear crystal cases because they feel so much better in your hands.

Speaking of which, I recently bought one that looks exactly like this one but in a different color. I found this picture at some US ipod accessory selling site. It retails for $ 4.95 ( 229 PHP ), I bought mine in Bangketa de Morayta for P80. :)

More raves soon, definitely. Pardon the excited blogger.

Wordless Wednesdays: Orange. Just Because. 0 comments

Burger Shop 2 0 comments

Getting stuck at a certain level of Cooking Dash makes one cranky and thirsty for more restaurant adventures. Hence, after raiding Big Fish's online games and looking for a free full version of it at 4shared.com, I've installed Burger Shop 2 in my computer and played it for 6 hours straight. Talk about eye sore.

The goal is set up and deliver the orders of the customers lining up at your shop by picking up items from the conveyor belt and either cooking it or just stacking them up together or both. You need to complete the customers orders before his/her patience runs out and leave.

The game is basically like Cooking Dash except for the conveyor belt factor and having to stack up buns, burgers, lettuce etc. together while filling up drinks at the same time. It's not as easy as it sounds, mind you. A power up or an additional item on the menu is given after every level, either helping or making the next one more exciting to play. The great part about this one is you can choose which item or power up to incorporate to the next level so you know which direction you want to go to.

Burger Shop also has a variety of customers ranging from the patient Normal Guy to the agitated Punk and the eccentric clown who orders weird combination of food items. This brings a pleasant twist to the potential repetitive game play.

The game is not as challenging as its other restaurant time management counterparts but it as addicting. Especially to people who have nothing else to do. Ha.

Rated: ♥♥♥♥/5

Wordless Wednesdays: Till Death Do Us Part 0 comments

Top 5 Things To Do Right After the Nursing Board Exam 9 comments

5. Come home immediately or stop by a church. Try not to walk by bridges and places of height. You might be tempted to jump off.

4. Open Facebook, or Friendster if you're ghetto, and communicate with friends and other depressed takers like you. Misery loves company.

3. Store all your reviewers in a dark corner which has never known sunlight and leave them there. Convince yourself you won't be needing them ever again.

2. Organize outings, vacations and college / high school / elementary / pre-school reunions. Of course that doesn't mean they will actually come true. Sometimes, plans are best left on paper.

...and the No.1 thing to do right after taking the Nursing Board Exam is

1. Rack your brain for something to do. The immediate feeling of freedom will only last so long that probably sooner than later, you'll be banging your head to the wall in utter boredom. And also, it will still be two months before you obsessive-compulsively check the internet for uploads on the list of passers. Good Luck!

Disclaimer: Above list is made with these criteria in mind. 65% entertainment purposes and 35% actual meaningful advice. Please follow at your own risk.

Step Up 1 comments

My first style-related post, as I usually spend my time more on fussing over the latest book released or Glee's newest episode rather than what's hot in the fashion industry. Yesterday, I spent my day attending Niner's Final Coaching for the IELTS and Sir Ervin Temporal's birthday bash. I cannot believe the owner of 21 branches nationwide of 9.0 Niner is only turning 22 this day! Now, that is beyond amazing, I must say.

So anyways, after laughing out loud with stand up comedians Michelle Obomeshell's and Ate Glo's sets, I raided Megamall's department store to look for a birthday gift to my sister and some footwear. What greeted me are square meters of shoes after shoes, from sandals to corporate-looking ones. I've forgotten how diverse and extensive Megamall's department store is.

One thing I've noticed is that Gladiator shoes are still apparently in style, much to my dismay. Rows after rows stood atrocious-looking sandals with numerous thick straps in hideous colors. It looked like they've taken the whole Julius Caesar era to the next level, internalizing and replicating Cane and Abel's fashion sense. How unflattering.

Thank Obama it looks like doll shoes are making a comeback. Gone are the lethal pointed I'm-gonna-kill-you-with-my-toes stilettos that I cant' wear anyways because their heels tend to have the circumference of a sharpened pencil. Wedges are blessings from above, however, most of them decided to fuse with evil Spartan sandals resulting in 300-with-really-high-and-solid-heels mutants. Imagine Gerard Butler in wedges. Goosebumps anyone?

After roaming around the store and after getting irritated on how slow the shoe size delivery is at SM at that time, I came home with a midnight blue and black doll shoes and and really comfy wedge I'm dying to use. Finally, my money's being put to substantial use other than food and more food. Less calories, more soles. Yes, indeed.

Wordless Wednesdays: 'Tis the Season 0 comments

Another Thursday Edition...

New Moon (2009): The Anemic, the Abs and the Emo-ness 0 comments

First of all, let me assure you that this review will be squeal and giggle free. I've barricaded all the passageways to prevent hyperactive fangirls from screaming and palpitating around me. I'm allergic to tween hero-worship hormones. That said, I surprisingly enjoyed the movie and thought it was well worth the ticket (and the hype). Sorry, my beloved Harry, but your Half-Blood Prince doze fest left me cranky and asking for more.

This impression of the movie probably has lots to do with the utter waste of perfectly happy trees (before they were murdered) to publish this literary nonsense. Okay, so I didn't get to finish the entire book. I think I lasted about half the torture before I finally gave up and just waited for its cinematic version to be released. My eyes and brain felt bad for exerting energy attempting to read the whole thing.

Let's leave it at that, as this is a I-have-nothing-to-do-so-might-as-well-do-it film review of a  movie under very popular franchise I'm still bitter about.

In a nutshell, the movie is quite appealing...to the age bracket it is supposed to appeal to. Lots of  unrequited love, tortured hearts and emo-ness. Perfect combination for teenagers who are amazed by such possible human (and vampire/werewolf) emotions. See Edward the Anemic stare with his brooding eyes, watch Jacob do a puppy dog imitation and follow Bella around. Classic.

Of course, a teenage movie is not complete without sex. At least traces of it should be included in the movie or it's not worth the screaming girls and Concerned Parents' Movement. Watch carefully as Jacob the Buff expose his buffness (in slow motion!). Gasp as glittering Edward shines his way half naked to a street full of weird people in cloaks (in slow motion!). It was also very amusing to me how Jacob and his crew apparently lost all their shirts to a tragic fire and have to walk around half the movie without any shirts on.

But quite frankly, I did enjoy the movie. There were minimal boring moments and there were lots of scenes to be enjoyed. I think, given the waste of space they have to work with (the entirety of the New Moon book) the film was smartly edited and portrayed in an artistic and interesting way. Kudos to the cast and crew.

End rant: Take the movie as it is, a semi-cheesy teenage movie about vampires and werewolves that won't even come close to the legends that are Van Helsing and Interview with a Vampire or even the cult hit Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It's angsty, it's emo and it's expected to be the way it is because it is what sells. It might not be a literary masterpiece or cinematic splendor and won't be remembered and hailed in the decades to come but it's still quite entertaining in it's own way if you can get past the irritating fan mob to truly appreciate it. It will come and go. Amusing now, irritating later. Exactly like a joke delivered over and over again.

Top 5 Best Songs in a Broadway Musical 0 comments

5. Think of Me - Phantom of the Opera



4. You Can't Stop The Beat - Hairspray



3. On My Own - Les Miserables



2. Defying Gravity - Wicked



and the No.1 Song in a Broadway Musical is...


1. Sun and Moon - Miss Saigon

November 2009 NLE Exam Room Assignment 0 comments

NursingCrib.com - November 2009 Nursing Board Exam Room Assignment MANILA - Complete List    

Late upload. But in case you've been cooped up in your room studying for the past few days and haven't heard the heart pounding news that the room assignments have been uploaded, here it is for your viewing pleasure.

Honestly, I am praying for all the examinees this coming board exams. I am praying extra hard for one in particular, my future hubby. :) I've been through the pressure and feelings of uncertainty that comes with taking the boards and I know it's not an easy thing to go through.

God bless to all takers!

Wordless Wednesdays: The Menu 0 comments

Manny Pacquiao vs. Cotto TKO 12th Round 2 comments

Guess which is Pacman and which one is Cotto. :)

For the first time in all of Pacquiao Day history (days with no traffic and 0% crime rate) here in the Philippines, we finally got to watch the fight live (and not 4 hours delayed) and without those long and nasty commercial breaks that just suck the life out of you. All thanks to the magic of the internet.

This post won't really make much sense nor use to boxing fanatics. I just want to share this experience with the rest of the Filipino cyber community. Yep, be proud. I surely am.

'Till next Pacquiao day! :D

Of birthdays and corned beef spaghetti sauce... 3 comments

 *confetti!*

I just want to greet my Papa a HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I know he's reading this blog.. :) Later, this chef wannabe will be cooking corned beef spaghetti sauce and pasta. Ha, have you ever heard of such? Tasty if done the right way.

The cake's already here and we'll have pizza delivered later on. Screw diet, I'm eating bunches!

Top 10 Things to Do Less than a Month Before the Nursing Board Exam 9 comments

10. Throw out your books if you haven't yet. Stick to summarized/bullet type reviewers and go crazy.

9. Answer as much practice test questions as humanly possible and know the rationale. Board Exam Compilations in front of the PRC are nothing but crap and should not be purchased unless you're willing to do painstaking research for the correct answer. And you won't even know where to look for the answer key for prioritization/intuition questions the BON are so fond of.

8. Attend all your review classes if you're enrolled. By this time, you'll be feeling the pressure of the looming date you've marked on your calendar since the beginning of this year. This is not the time to be too lazy to get up in the morning or skip afternoon classes because you need to check your Facebook account and serve cooking dishes that are about to spoil in Cafe World.

7. Do not panic and spend all your waking moments memorizing drug side effects, pathophysiology of sorts and that blasted developmental milestones in Pedia. They won't do you good as out of the 100 things you have to memorize, only 2 of those will appear in the exam and I'll bet anything you won't even remember the answer for those that came out. Instead, focus on those practice tests as I've mentioned because you'll remember them better, especially if you got the wrong answer. :)

6. Get some sleep. You look wasted. But sleep at night and not during the day. You're not Edward Cullen. Oh wait, Stephanie Meyer decided to ignore all the common vampire customs when it comes to bloodsuckers and sunlight, hence, Sparkly Edward. Sorry, my bad. (Yes, I hate Twilight. Though, I don't know how I managed to subway my distaste to this list which has nothing to do with the subject matter being discussed.)

5. At the same time, do everything possible to stay awake in after lunch review classes as they tend to go on forever. Every moment counts. Who knows, the one question that could have spelled the difference between pass or fail is the one you didn't hear because you fell asleep. How's that for irony?

4. If your birthday falls within the week before the board exam, take my advice for Obama's sake and celebrate early. My birthday was exactly the day before the exam and, needless to say, I spent the entire day fussing over my uniform, forms, pencils, other things and whether you can bring snacks with you. The answer is a big fat yes, btw.

3. Buy few pencils or gather the ones you have, choose one and have a meaningful and trusting relationship with it. This will help facilitate an emotional bond that will foster good working relationship at the day of the board exam. Seriously. You won't regret it.

2. Do the same with your eraser, sharpener and favorite anting-anting keychain so that on exam day, you'll feel as if you're surrounded by friends cheering for your success. And no, I'm not schizophrenic.

and the No.1 thing to do a month before the Nursing Board Exam is...

1. Start praying. Trust me, even if you're an Atheist or Agnostic you'll believe that there's a higher being capable of doing the impossible. There's got to be.

The Search for the Next Philippine President 8 comments

For the first time in my life, I will get to vote in the much anticipated 2010 Elections. And I think that now, more than ever, people are looking forward letting their voices be heard and choices counted. The hyperbolic lines on the last day of voter's registration proved that point. I do anticipate going to our designated precinct or wherever to cast our votes and the great thing is, since this is the first automated elections to be held in the country, first time voters like me won't look too ballot-virgins because everyone would be adjusting to the new system. Yay for technology, boo for the perpetual laggard that is the government.

Right now, there are 4 presidential candidates who already expressed their desire to run though no official registration has been done. Sadly, there's not much to chose from.

Manny Villar

I have this issue about certain personalities who paste their faces and/or names everywhere (see Carl Balita Syndrome). I think it's tacky and irritating. He tries (in vain) to be a kabarkads of the youth with his Akala Mo slogan which I sadly mistook as a Boto Mo Ipatrol Mo spin off.  

Word of Advice: The Pinoy Rocker Band Hype ended 2 years ago so the free concert won't probably do anything except giving tambays an opportunity to bash heads and throw stuff to the beat of the music. And they're probably not registered to vote anyways. Also, the Manny Villar mineral bottles, the Manny Villar noodles and the orange Manny Villar relief good plastics... OVERKILL, mate.

Gilbert Teodoro

The only presidential candidate (and person in Luzon) who is probably thanking and worshipping Ondoy for the havoc it brought to the metropolis. Virtually unknown compared to his other contenders before the tropical storm, the NDCC director got the chance to show off his Galing and Talino pre, during, post the typhoon. Of course expect that the rescuers are doing the best they can but then you'll probably drown before getting saved by the only 2 rubber boats in the whole archipelago. Though I do believe that he's quite brilliant. You know what they say about people with large foreheads.

Word of Advice: Pray for more typhoons and calamities for the next 6 months for more free exposures in TV Patrol and other news shows just when people are watching them the most. Or else, nobody will give a damn. Oh, and stay away from Bayani Fernando. He might rain on your parade with pink and blue paint.

Noynoy Aquino

Dubbed to be the front runner of the race to the Malacanang, I got to say Noynoy has this special quality about him that just gleams with promise and... oh wait, that's just his bald spot showing from the dreaded curse of Alopecia. No, seriously, among all the candidates, he's the most decent one in the bunch, I think. Though I am a bit concerned with a Philippine monarchy forming from thin air with the recent events that led to his bid for the presidency. Government officials tend to stem from the same family tree and it's sickening to see the same tainted blood run the country, though I'm sure that the Aquinos are anything but such. I just want to see something different I guess. And at this rate, a Prince Baby James won't be virtually impossible in the future.*scratches head*

Word of Advice: Kris is the greatest thing that happened to your political career so don't even try to shut her up. 'Nuff said.

Joseph "Erap" Estrada

Two words: HELL NO.

Wordless Wednesdays: Barkada Terms to Tagalog 3 comments

YET ANOTHER Wordless Wednesday THURSDAY EDITION. 
What's wrong with me?

Image taken from a Facebook post.

Top 5 Best Use of a Song in a Movie Soundtrack 2 comments

Independent songs used in a movie that fits perfectly with the scene or makes you think of the film instantly once heard... Not to be confused with my prior romantic movie list. I'm feeling the sappiness coming in..

5. Beautiful - Autumn in New York

I don't remember much of the scenes of this movie I've watched almost 10 years ago. All I know that this Jennifer Paige song is a great "yearning" song for something which can't be had.

4. Colorblind - Cruel Intentions

I went gaga over the original Cruel Intentions movie for a while back then, swooning over the radiating hotness of Ryan Philippe pre-marriage with Reese Witherspoon. And everytime I think of the movie I go back to the elevator scene when Ryan's character with this in the background.

3. Please Remember - Coyote Ugly

A sad song perfect for the broken-hearted. Coyote Ugly may not be considered as a movie worth remembering for the years to come but I will definitely remember this song probably because it seems like it's begging me to.

2. Leavin On A Jet Plane - Armageddon

"Coz I'm leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again. Oh babe, I hate to go..." It's just too perfect.

and my No.1 Use of a Song in a Movie Soundtrack is...


1. Unchained Melody - Ghost

Dubbed to be the most erotic scene in film history with no nudity. I don't think anyone would disagree.

Top 10 Most Romantic Movie Soundtracks 3 comments

10. So Close - Enchanted

So close to reaching that famous happy end
Almost believing this was not pretend
And now you're beside me and look how far we've come
So far we are so close



9. All I Ask of You - Phantom of the Opera

No more talk of darkness,
Forget these wide-eyed fears
I'm here, nothing can harm you
my words will warm and calm you
Let me be your freedom,
let daylight dry your tears.
I'm here with you, beside you,
to guard you and to guide you..



8. Everything You Do - Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves

Look into my eyes you will see
What you mean to me
Search your heart search your soul
And when you find me there you'll search no more
Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
You can't tell me it's not worth dyin' for
You know it's true
Everything I do I do it for you



7. Come What May - Moulin Rouge

Never knew I could feel like this
Like I've never seen the sky before
Want to vanish inside your kiss
Every day I love you more and more
Listen to my heart, can you hear it sings
Telling me to give you everything
Seasons may change, winter to spring
But I love you until the end of time



6. From The Heart - Notting Hill

From the heart
I'm giving you everything, everything
From the heart
I promise you that I'll be there
I'll be there to love you
From the soul
I'm showing you all I feel, all I feel is
From the heart, from the heart



5. When You Know - Serendipity

When you know that you know who you love, you can't deny it.
Or go back, or give up, or pretend that you don't buy it.
When it's clear this time you've found the one, you'll never let him go
Cos you know and you know that you know.




4. I Have Nothing - The Bodyguard

Share my life, take me for what I am
Cause I'll never change all my colours for you
Take my love, I'll never ask for too much
Just all that you are and everything that you do




3. My Heart Will Go On - Titanic

Love can touch us one time
And last for a lifetime
And never let go till we're one
Love was when I loved you
One true time I hold to
In my life we'll always go on



2. I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing - Armageddon

I could stay awake just to hear you breathing
Watch you smile while you are sleeping
Far away and dreaming
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender
I could stay lost in this moment forever
Well, every moment spent with you
Is a moment I treasure



and the No.1 Most Romantic Movie Soundtrack (in my opinion) is...


1. When You Say Nothing At All - Notting Hill

It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart
Without saying a word, you can light up the dark
Try as I may I could never explain
What I hear when you don't say a thing

Got Stub? 0 comments

The COMELEC Registration has officially ended (except for those people to still come back on Tuesday because of electricity supply disturbances brought about by Typhoon Santi). Now, the question remains: Did you make it?

If your answer is "yes", then good for you. If your answer is "P***** I** ang haba haba ng pila ang daming singit, ang babagal ng mga tao!!!", then here's a shot of diazepam and a month's worth of regret come May 2010 when everyone will be talking about and doing the exact same thing: Voting.

Which brings me to the amusing part of this whole process. The whole country had months, hundreds of days and hundreds of thousands of hours to register, and in true student-cramming-for-an-assignment-for-first-class-tomorrow fashion, it looked like half of the population decided to do it within the last 5 days. Save the best for last ba...

I do not blame these people. I actually admire them for persevering through the long lines ala PRC last day of filing for the NLE... times ten. It's nice to see that, this time, people do want to have a say on the future of our country and our crooked government. I also salute to the mass media's efforts to making the status of being able to vote the coolest thing in the world. Finally, being past the hormonal teenage years showed some perks.

For the record, I got my voter's stub back in July and I remember how there were only 2 of us who was in the COMELEC office who were up for registration. It was a lazy afternoon and there were literally no lines anywhere (as a line with only 2 people is hardly a line at all). After 10 minutes of filling up the form and 5 minutes of the biometric thingy, I was done. Now, compare that to the more than 24 hours of getting in line and trying to push your way through the angry crowds.

No, I'm not trying to do a "Na na nana na!" in front of your screens. What I'm trying to say is that ...Thanks Mom for suggesting that we stop by the Munisipyo and get registered or else I would have been also stuck  in the middle of the line cursing hell hath no fury to those incompetent in-growns handling the registration process.

"Line Anger" can do funny things to people. :)

Wordless Wednesdays: Tyhpoon Santi (Mirinae) 0 comments

Wordless Wednesdays THURSDAY EDITION PART II

Does the sign of the cross.

Top 10 Weirdest Phobias 3 comments

Top 10 Weirdest Phobias

10. Fear of things to the left side of the body - Levophobia

Fear of things to the right side of the body - Dextrophobia

Levophobic and Dextrophobic patients are also often mistaken to have perpetual cervical injuries.

9. Fear of Friday the 13th - Paraskavedekatriaphobia

Don't worry, it only comes once every year.

8. An unusual and abnormal fear of chins - Geniophobia

Don't watch Jay Leno.

7. Fear of looking up - Anablephobia or Anablepophobia

Pedestrian #1: Look it's a bird!

Pedestrian #2: No, it's a plane!

Pedestrian #3: *seizure*

6. Irrational fear of the youth or teenagers - Ephebiphobia

Does being afraid of Miley Cyrus count?

5. Fear that somewhere, somehow, a duck is watching you - Anatidaephobia

Beware of ducks. They might quack.

4. Fear of the color yellow - Xanthophobia

Am betting one is not a Coldplay fan.

3. Fear of Peanut Butter sticking to the roof of the mouth — Arachibutyrophobia
A persistent, abnormal, and unwarranted fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth. And I thought Homer was just afraid of Salmonella.

2. Fear of Phobias (a morbid dread or fear of developing a phobia) - Phobophobia

If one fears of developing a phobia, then one already has a phobia. Does that mean one fears oneself?

and the #1 weirdest phobia is...

1. Fear of Long Words — Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia or Sesquipedalophobia

This is just cruel.

Psychiatrist: I'm afraid you have Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia.
Patient: Gaaaaaaah!

Top 10 Entries in the Pinoy English Dictionary 0 comments

What if you have been committing English grammar and syntax errors all your life yet know nothing about it? Fear not and brace yourselves as I present this eye opening list of Filipinoisms at its best (or worst?).

Top 10 Entries in the Pinoy English Dictionary.

10. XEROX --> Proper name, much? Should be PHOTOCOPY.

9. Do you mind waiting? YES, I'll wait. -->  Say what??

8. CR (Comfort Room) --> Technically speaking, comfort room could by any room which provides comfort. So if your bedroom is one of those places, you may be sleeping in a comfort room for all you know. Universal term: TOILET.

7. No Parking on BOTH Sides --> Wow, I had no idea a car could park on BOTH sides at once. Unless somebody invents a mutating car ala Transformers, then the correct term should be: No Parking on EITHER Side.

6. For a WHILE --> For a MOMENT. (Ahem call center agents. :) )

5. TAKE your medicine --> DRINK your medicine. A patient will not get well by just taking the medicine from the nurse on duty.

and another one..

4. TAKE your seat --> Reminds me of my elementary and high school teachers. I would have bought home my chair if it wasn't so heavy because my teacher said I could TAKE it. Correct Term: HAVE a seat.

3. LONG CUT --> If there's a "short cut" then there's a long cut. Ha. Anyone bothered saying the LONG WAY?

and yet another one...

2. TUCK OUT --> UNTUCKED!!

and in honor of the upcoming 2010 Elections, I present thee the No.1 entry in the Pinoy English Dictionary...

1. Presidentiable / Senatoriable

I dare you to type the one or both words in MS Word and spell check it. Google them if you like and I bet you'll only find them in Pinoy websites. It's amazing how these words have become a normal part of our vocabulary with even reporters quoting such term in nightly news. I am also waiting for the words Governable, Congressmanable and Mayorable to enter the Pinoy English dictionary. Not to mention Barangay Captainable and Tanodable. Then they could all unite into one entity called The Corruptibles. (Ref.)

WEIGHT a Minute 0 comments

Yesterday, I came to a not so shocking conclusion that... I am getting FAT. No, not morbidly obese fat, just plain fat. The kind of fatness visible in a person, like, when you see somebody walking down the street, you can easily deduce that that somebody is fat. Fat fat fat.

I have repeated that word in the last paragraph so many times that it temporarily lost its meaning in my brain.

The truth is, I was never really the thin one in the group. I was always the tall and sometimes chubby, sometimes skinny of the bunch. And being born with a ridiculously slow metabolism made matters worse. Constant yo-yo dieting brought about highs and lows and at this moment, I want to go back and get high.

So, last night, I dragged out the key to my salvation. A year old manual treadmill resting for months in a dark corner of my mom's bedroom. The funny thing about exercise machines is there's this certain belief that one will get thin instantly by just purchasing the machine. Only after minutes of trying it out will one realize that things are not as easy as they seem on TV.

In living up to the common expression of "Here we go again" I am presenting to the whole cyber community my very own Weight Loss Program Ver.10.2. What it is exactly is yet to be known but for now it includes lots activity, internet activity, that is. And probably 10 minutes of treadmill strolling. Ha.

Wordless Wednesdays: Fibrella Umbrella 0 comments

Wordless Wednesdays.. eh, THURSDAY EDITION.
Blame previous absentminded post.

New addition to my bag. Every commuter's best friend.

Blogger's Block 0 comments

I am having a hard time writing these days. It seems that there is a huge traffic jam in my brain where words and ideas collided with each other straight to the ER. Even writing this post pains me. This really isn't a good thing since I'm training for an exam which requires me to write a total of 400 words in two essays within an hour with probably a topic I know nothing about. And those essays need to be breathtaking pieces of work, the kind of compositions I would look back on and think, "Damn, I'm good."

As far as I know, Writer's Block is not and has never been close to be considered as a medical problem. They should though, and I strongly advice medical researchers to find out the causes of such phenomena and create a revolutionary drug to treat/prevent it. Ha. For now, there are thousands of sites and blogs giving tips which you can choose from on how to overcome such dilemma. Not to say that they're helpful or anything, but at least they exist. For me, writer's block is something one have to deal with on one's own. No single tip could really get the ball rolling and make everything right with the world. If the words are stuck, then one should just try to fix the traffic lights or at least hire a non-corrupt traffic officer to sort things out.

Easier said than done, though.

2009 IELTS Test Dates 0 comments

IELTS TEST DATES
MAY TO DECEMBER 2009

2009 May-Dec Ielts Test Dates

I'm not yet sure but I'm planning to take one of the December test dates if by that time I'm comfortable and confident enough to take it. If I put my mind to it, I think a month and a half could be enough time in preparation for the exam since I somewhat consider myself as moderately capable of handling the English language. Let's see what happens. Upon starting review I think I can measure my abilities and the time needed to ace the exam. Practice, practice, practice is what counts after all.

Shopping for an IELTS Review Center 1 comments

Yesterday was a refreshingly action-packed day for me. For the first time in two weeks, I traveled past the border of our town and revisited my beloved UBelt. Me and my friend/classmate/groupmate Vanessa were supposed to meet at 10am but due to highly time-wasting circumstances that were not my fault, I arrived at St. Thomas at around 12nn. She was already processing her preliminary application for NCLEX at a center there. They also process IELTS applications for a fee of 300+ pesos. I grabbed all the IELTS review center fliers I could get my hands on for additional resource. When she was done, we visited a neighbor center ISCEC-KAPLAN and asked for rates and such.

Their rate for the IELTS review is 7,500, which is a bit on the higher end of the market as review fees commonly range from 2,500 to 10,000 pesos. I also didn't like their program which is comprised of non-flexible lecture schedules and the limited time in which you can use their facilities (maximum of 2 months). Plus, their latest review season has already started last Oct. 12, 2009 with only 13 students enrolled. Now, some people would say that a one-on-very-few approach is better. I say, depressing.

Next stop was another center I found on the internet which I dutifully labeled as interesting. So we looked for Niner's IELTS Review Center along the PRC street and found it right away. The office was small and homey packed with students coming and going as they please. On the front desk was a handwritten sign which said "Lunch Break" and there was no one there to talk to. I looked at the time and it was quarter to 1pm so we decided to wait until the break was over so we could inquire about the review program. I grabbed a paper from a box marked "Schedule" and written there was the schedule of all the lectures of all the branches of Niners for the next two weeks.

Each lecture runs for 2-3 hours and there are 3-4 lectures per day. 9-12AM, 1-4, 4-6 and 6-9PM. When the information lady arrived, I inquired about the program and lazily pushed a laminated piece of bond paper sitting on her desk. A long list of subject was there as well as the fees. P2,500 for the Crash Course which consist of only 8 lectures and P5,000 for the Unlimited Course with Final Coaching at SM Megamall or P4,500 without the final coaching.

I asked about the schedule, whether there will be a fixed schedule that a reviewee should attend and she said no. So that means, if I take the unlimited course, I can attend any scheduled lecture when I want, wherever I want. Also, even if I enroll in the branch in Morayta, I can still go and attend classes in other branches. Sounds great to me. Complete freedom!

I asked how many students per class and she said that the lecture hall could accommodate 50-100 students per session, which I thought was fantastic even though some would be appalled by the number (considering that other centers boast having a maximum of 10 or 15 students per class).

Here's the weird thing about me. I am not comfortable with a class with only a few number of students. I hate it when the teacher/reviewer is right in your face. It makes me uncomfortable and pressured. I've never been tutored and the one-on-one review style for me is just ridiculous. Hence, I would be perfectly comfortable blending in with a large crowd than sharing a class with only 9 other people.

I looked up the other centers on the brochures I got (Speakwell, Allgen and Rachel Allen) and found them not that suitable for me. Speakwell is more affiliated with IDP Australia and I'm quite concerned about that as I need to file in British Council and that they also have very limited slots per class which I hate. Allgen and Rachel Allen, I have the impression, is more concerned with NCLEX rather than IELTS and I want a center with IELTS as their forte.

So in the end, I am not completely decided yet but I'm veering on the direction of Niner's. Any suggestions for a review center?

Enough about this ramble fest on reviews and tests. Going back to my (yester)day, after inquiring, Vanessa and I decided to go to SM Megamall because of the 3-day Sale. After the long fx ride, we arrived at the mall famished so we decided first to eat at Shakey's before taking a look around. There were so many people but also so much stuff on sale. We had so much fun window shopping but in the end I bought a lip gloss from The Face Shop and 2 beautiful Fibrella Umbrellas, 1 for me and 1 for my future mother-in-law (haha) because it's her birthday. I was about to go home really happy with my purchases, until I saw the long line at the FX terminal. Long story short, it took me more than 1 hour before I got a ride. The fatigue and the hassle of commuting home did not dampen greatness of my day. I was still a happy camper when I arrived at home, my bed greeting me with soft and cuddly pillows.

I missed the outside world. Yes, I really did.