Orchestroscopy, M.D. 2 comments

I have a confession to make. And it is the reason why I haven't even visited the admin page of this blog for the past five months, not to mention write and post anything online past two coherent sentences. This endeavor has pointed a sanity-draining rifle at my head and robbed me of all my remaining extra time and energy.

For reasons I will try later to expound on, long story short (and because you've probably read the title of this post already), I have insanely decided to enter the grueling and chaotic world of medicine. From being a part of healthcare in general, I am now striving rock hard to climb the oh so steep ladder of this generation's deadly Medical Hierarchy. 

I am now a "Medical Student".

And yes, as you all may have deduced by now, I am a Nurse studying to be a Doctor. 

I am a cliche.

Not that I have anything against nurses entering medical school (obviously, because I am one), it's just that recently, it has been the trend and it pains me to be considered as a part of an ongoing fad when it is a decision I have carefully and meticulously considered for months, with intensive neuron and body timeline consultations, not to mention implorations to the heavens to "Please, give me a sign!". 

So, the question is, what convinced an almost mid-20-something R.N. who is four years away from the last time she wore a toga, a funny-looking hat and accepted a blank piece of rolled paper onstage plunge back to 5-inches thick books, uniforms and head aching exams? 

Most reasons are too personal to be understood without background information so let's just put it this way. 

I have experienced the hospital. I have lived in it (mostly behind a surgical mask quietly taking it all in). I have observed countless successes and inevitable failures of various physicians. I have heard stories, the miraculous and the disastrous and everything in between. I have talked with patients and witnessed their apprehension, relief, frustrations and gratitude. 

I have been yelled upon, praised, blamed for something, and blatantly disregarded (sometimes all on the same day). And even with the chaos, the drama, the uncertainty, the culture of seniority, the never ending studying and looking stupid for things you did not study for, the inhumane workload and all the others that I have yet to discover, it is still the world I dream to be a part of.

And when you know that it is something you will regret in the future if you fail to take the chance today, you ******' take it.

%&$#@*&!!

But make no mistake, being a med student does not make me any less of an R.N. I'll be honest, I feel slightly guilty because most of the readers of this blog have commended me for being relatable as a struggling nurse here in the country and now all my posts (as rare as they will be) would be about studying and exams and more studying. Nevertheless, I hope my past posts would still be of help to R.N. colleagues and, well, for the future entries, who knows what they hold. :)

Inside the Kikay Kit: Etude House's Dear My Blooming Lips BE101 Lipstick 0 comments

I am not a beauty blogger. The only thing I know about beauty is that it is believed to be in the eye of the beholder. What I know about make-up? Less so. Daily regimen consist of face powder, little blush and lip tint/balm. Sometimes with a special cameo of mascara. It was just recently that I got interested (okay, a bit obsessed, maybe) about lipsticks. More specifically nude lipsticks that doesn't make me look like a trying-hard, single mid-50 who goes ballroom dancing at night.

Because of my fair skin, bright, vivid hues makes me look over-painted and weird. I've been searching everywhere for that perfect nude lipstick that will complement my skin tone and will look natural on my lips. Gratefully, with the help of various PH beauty blogs, I've found the perfect nude lipstick late last year:

Etude House: Wanna Be #3 So Chic Beige

To be honest, I didn't like the Korean beauty bar before because I find their items childishly designed / packaged, ridiculously named and waaay too expensive for the product you get. But this sole item made me change my mind. 

The box is gorgeous, the black tube is a darling inside my pouch (but gets scratched easily for some reason), but most importantly, the shade is just spot on perfect for me. I'm not good with colors, but it's a mix of peach and pink which makes lips look naturally plump and healthy. Also, the consistency is amazingly creamy and non-drying, add to that a mild yummy scent that makes you think you're eating something when applying it.

Major CON? It was a limited edition product, part of 2011 Winter Collection, with stocks being phased out of Etude House branches weekly.

So what's a girl to do? I bought a second tube (last stock of Cubao branch) even before my first was just halfway done. As expected, as lipstick tubes do not last forever especially if they are being used daily, I was about to ran out earlier this year and was frantically Googling for the exact shade replica of this seemingly irreplaceable shade. 'Lo and behold, I found it, thanks again to the beauty blogger community here in the country:

Etude House: Dear My Blooming Lips BE101

Yes, the name is cringe-worthy, it doesn't even make sense at all. But what's important is the product, and surprisingly enough, it's the exact same lipstick just packaged differently. 

Okay, maybe not exactly the same, since the pigmentation was toned down a few notches and the finish became more glossy than the matte finish I was used to from So Chic Beige, but nonetheless, it was the same thing more or less. After weeks of Googling and beauty bar searching, imagine how happy I was.

Staying power is still a downside as it sticks to every straw and spoon it has come in contact with and reapplication is definitely needed after eating and/or drinking. Still, it remains to be the best shade for me, so I'm no doubt keeping it.

If Etude House keep this line for all eternity, I shall be forever happy. Lipstick-wise at least. 

The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan 7 comments

I think it's safe to say that I've never read a novel or any book like this before in the hundreds (if not thousands) of books I managed to get my paws on in the almost two decades that I've been reading. 

A nameless character tells the story of a relationship entirely in dictionary entries. There is no chronological order of events, no cohesive plot, no palpable characterization, only flawless narration of events, dialogues and feelings that delivers a story that is vague and nondescript but featuring settings and feelings that are all too familiar to most people who is and has been, at least once in their lives, in love.

Since the novel defies the usual paths of plot line developments, what makes this literary gem sparkle is its ability to lure the reader in solely by just the brilliance of its writing and the ideas and insights that comes with such situations universally common in almost all relationships.

The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan, an author who was introduced to me by John Green via their collaboration in Will Grayson, Will Grayson, is an easy, wonderful read. It will make you smile, laugh and tear up in different occasions in the less than 3 hours you will spend finishing it. It's a quick read, without overwhelming the senses, without pretending to be what its not. 

 It will make you think about your own life, its past and the future that lies ahead. It will make you love the concept of love, including the struggles and the bliss that comes with the territory. Because, what else is life for?

2013 Opening Remarks and the 19 Books of 2012 0 comments

So. The world refused to end last December 2012. I'd like to congratulate everyone for surviving yet another Armageddon. We are getting good at this, people!

First, I'd like to take this opportunity to beg for forgiveness to the 6 1/3 people who read this blog. I am sorry for being so busy these past few weeks months. Yes, this is me importantly bragging the existence of my hectic non-cyber life, please pretend to be in awe. Ha! 

But seriously, hospital work contracts come and go but this piece in the world wide web has been with me for years now and no matter how toxic my schedule becomes, mark my words: Orchestroscopy. Will. Live. On.

That said, let us welcome this new year with a scandalous and titillating post about the list of books I've read the past year. Year end reviews / lessons learned / new year resolutions that never survive past January will have to wait. This list is easier to write.

From the 34 books I've read in 2010 to the 18 books finished last 2011, here is my brand new spanking list for the year that was. It's not any better from the previous year and I have to admit, without some of the easily-read local titles, this is a worse year for literary achievements. 

(In chronological order of completion)

1. Before Ever After by Samantha Sotto
2. When She Woke by Hillary Jordan
3. Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James
4. Fifty Shades Darker by E.L. James
5. Percy Jackson #1: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
6. Percy Jackson #2: The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
7. Percy Jackson #3: The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan
8. Percy Jackson #4: The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan
9. Percy Jackson #5: The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
10. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
11. Looking for Alaska by John Green
12. The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
13. An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
14. City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

Local titles:

   15. Ligo na U, Lapit na Me by Eros S. Atalia

   16. Naermyth by Karen Francisco

   17. 100: The Hundreds Project by UP Writer's Club

   18. Bakit Hindi Ka Crush Ng Crush Mo by Ramon Bautista

   19. Table for Two by Marla Miniano

I regret not being able to write reviews for most of these titles. I'm pretty sure I have more than enough thoughts to accomplish an easy write-up if only time (and laziness) permitted me. Now, however, I feel sort of challenged to devour as much novels (and write as much articles) as possible before June, where there is a 99% of me not being able to crack open a book that is not technically written and full of important sounding jargon. (More of that in the posts to come.)

You see, there is a difference of reading any other book and reading a novel. With novels, you see the beauty and brilliance of artistically written language. There is passion in those pages where written facts, diagrams and figures could never hope to achieve nor even come close to. I think this is what I'll miss the most with the path I am determined to take. But whatever the future may hold, at least I'll know, I'll always have words.

100: The Hundreds Project by UP Writers Club 2 comments

It takes 43 muscles to frown. 17 muscles to smile. 14, 17, or 35 muscles to kiss. It takes much more muscles to make love. It takes a wink to be noticed. A note to make the moment memorable. Or, a drink and a bed to make the night less lonesome. It takes six words to a story. 14 lines and a meter to a sonnet, but you know that’s hard to find. It takes 3 words to express what you feel. 3 words and a slap to know you expected too much. It takes 100 words to express why we all need love and should bother reading this book.

And it takes a trip to the 33rd Manila International Book Fair to take home this one of a kind collection of stunning literary works "expressing kilig to kirot and all points in between."

In elementary or even in high school, writing a 100-word essay may feel like a painful chore of physically extracting words from your brain but when writing becomes a hobby, a hundred words may feel like jotting down a measly phrase. That is why I admire the format and the works from this literary goldmine I almost didn't purchase because the few remaining copies were hiding behind boring looking books.

And what better theme to give such a format than the still undefinable four-letter-word everyone could relate to. Add to that a sprinkle of unrequited yearnings, passion and the gory details of a broken heart combined with a candid dash of sex, lust, and all the things the CBCP warned teenagers not to do, this compilation is a perfect mix of sweet and complicated which addictingly delivers what makes up young love today.

Here are (hopefully) non-copyright infringement, cyber-crime-law-fearful copies of my favorite pieces:

Full of poetic quotes and relatable lines readers would be dying to post on Facebook, Twitter and upload a lomofied snapshot of in Instagram (I am guilty of this), it's a shame that the book is not available in most of the leading bookstores nationwide. However die hard fans may check out this site for more information on how to get a copy:

http://www.panitikan.com.ph/event/writers-club-publishes-100-hundreds-project-now-available

"Be a period, a stop. Be the end of my every sentence. Cut me into sentences, paragraphs: the better for me to understand myself. Because unlike a comma, you will not let me run on. You will be my brake; you will make me make sense. Give me meaning and open me up to the world. You will ground me, and I will love you for it."

- No. 87 by Isobel Yap

33rd Manila International Book Fair 2012 2 comments

For someone who has consumed books like daily vitamins for the past 13 years, how ironic it is that this is the first time I've attended the MIBF when they've been doing this for 33 years. Stalls and rows after rows of shelves filled with countless books of all shapes, colors and genres. I felt like (and the cliche goes) a kid in a candy store.

I had 3 goals in coming to the book fair. Not all of them were met but I did have a great time browsing through expensive-looking glossy covers and gawking at rare local published works I wouldn't be able to find in any local friendly red and white logo-ed bookstore.

First goal was to meet and greet and have the typical fangirl book-signing-and-picture with the resident internet Pogi Guy and my current brain crush Mr. Ramon Bautista (search the hilarious Tales From The Friend Zone videos on youtube and you will be hooked!) who I knew will be there at the PSICOM booth promoting his new book "Bakit Hindi Ka Crush ng Crush Mo" together with Stanley Chi and Tado. Of course, me and book buddy Epi (who blogs at  http://soksay.blogspot.com/ ) arrived too late with already a bunch of other fans in line for autographs and picture taking and no more book copies available. I did get to take a picture of them having pictures with other people. I guess that's the closest thing I'll get to being a fangirl. Must photoshop these pics soon.

Looong line to Tado, Stanley Chi and Ramon Bautista's book signing table.

Second goal was to find some unique designs for bookmarks. Since I'm not fond of reading physical paper and ink books because I have to hold them with both hands and get up and switch off the lights before going to sleep as compared to just turning off the iPad (how lazy is that?) I was interested in getting my hands on some unique bookmarks design like those magnetic ones I found in National Bookstore a few years ago (yes, that’s how long I’ve been reading paperless). Disappointingly, for a huge international book fair, in grand SMX of all places, we only saw one stall selling them and I didn’t even like the designs available.

Third was to find and purchase unique contemporary Filipino works because, honestly, I can't find them anywhere online. ;) But, seriously, I've developed this interest in literature written in English but based on Philippine society etc. and, no doubt, the UP Publishing booth won this category, hands down.

It's not much and I know people who have bought a lot more but in my defense, there wasn't a lot to choose from based on my detailed specifications and with the amount of religion/gospel books taking up half of the space inside the convention center, well, let's just say those stalls were automatically out of my to-browse list. Anyway, here are the 3 books I managed to buy from my first ever book fair attendance.

MIBF Book Haul 2012:

100 by UP Writer's Club - 100 literary works by UP college students (I'm guessing), all within 100 words "expressing kilig to kirot and all points in between". What a word goldmine. Glad we went back to the UP stall or else I wouldn't be able to buy this precious thing.

Beautiful Accidents by Ian Rosales Casocot - Short stories about Filipino modern life written in free-flowing English. Exactly what I was looking for. And isn't that cover just plain gorgeous?

A Hundred and One Reasons by Bianca Salindog - A 20-something Registered Nurse who has managed to published her own novel. Sounds exactly my dream. :)

All in all, it was a thrilling and refreshing afternoon to be surrounded by printed words, glossy covers, star-striking authors but, most of all, by fellow book lovers roving the store like drug addicts  in need of their latest pharmacological fix. Why this is the very first time I went to an event like this is still a mystery to me.

Date A Girl Who Rides Jeepneys 9 comments

Date a girl who rides the jeepney. Date a girl who leaves the house armored in comfortable clothes that won't draw attention from innocent bystanders. Heaven knows commuting in the metro may sometimes challenge not only a person's patience but also her flexibility and agility. Date a girl who has a dependable purse filled with coins to use at her disposal, may it be for filthy street children with dubious white envelopes or for early morning "Barya lang po sa umaga." fees.

Find a girl who rides the jeepney. You'll know who she is because she's always the one who strategically places herself in front of other commuters in order to hail a passing PUV and get on one before she loses her seat to another rushing student or employee. The one who will "accidentally" elbow another out of her way if the situation calls for it. You see that unassuming girl with fierceness and determination in her eyes? That's a bona fide commuter who will use her wits and everything in her arsenal to get to her destination on time.

She's the girl who can appear to be comfortable while sitting inside a bursting jeepney with only half or quarter of her butt in contact with the seat. In short, she is squatting, but she will make you believe that she is pleasantly sitting on a leather bench, even though her legs are slowly giving up on her.

Lean forward and let her squeeze in.

Look at her earphones. You can always tell an authentic jeepney rider by the way her earphones are loyally stuck to her ears even though there are eardrum shattering bass beats loud enough to wake up Andres Bonifacio from the grave emitting from the vehicle's speakers. You will wonder if she could hear what she's trying to listen to at all with the acoustic pandemonium drowning everyone within the 5 meter radius. Don't judge her. She only knows the inevitable chance and has experienced the horror of riding a jeepney and getting stuck listening to some wannabe street pop star murder her favorite song and convert it to a Tagalog Rap->Melodic Popular Song Chorus->Tagalog Rap ensemble. 

It's easy to date a girl who is used to riding a jeepney. Hand over her bayad to the driver and pass back her change and she will be forever grateful. Get to know her by making small talk about the matinding pangangailangan of the driver because he seems convinced that his vehicle could hold 50 passengers. When you two go out on a date, you will not be pressured to bring a car or hail a cab. Just get in line at the FX terminal and she will look upon you with thankful eyes. 

Don't hesitate to ride a jeepney with her and accompany her home especially in the late hours of the evening. Defend her against perverts and pickpockets that wander around the town at this time of the day. Drape your arm protectively over her legs or torso and show the world that she is yours and yours to protect. Keep her close because you don't want her sliding to the other end of the bench when the driver suddenly breaks. And he will. 

Disappoint her. Because a girl who rides jeepneys knows that some things are not given back. Like the two pesos change for her 10 peso coin. She will just look at you expectantly but will not say a thing. It will be up to you to decide to notice her and give back what is due.

Treat her well. Because a girl who rides jeepneys understands that someone like you will only come once in a long while. But like waiting for a ride and boarding one that she deems worthy, if at any point she decides to leave, there will always be a next one to come along. She may not know when the next vehicle will come or how long she may wait alone on that street curb, but she is certain that there will be someone to pick her up and take her home.

If you find a girl who rides these patched-up automobiles, never let her go. Because she will stay with you even though you yourself have stitches that have yet to heal and mismatched parts from breakdowns from long ago. She will not complain about your imperfections and will accept it wholeheartedly the way she has accepted the noisy engine and the teeth rattling shakes from the utility vehicle she's used to riding.

Date a girl who rides jeepneys because you deserve it. You deserve a girl who can take the heat, the humidity, the specks of rain and the claustrophobia of a relationship. She will accept these challenges if that's what it takes to get to the destination that you and her have agreed upon. And in times when you least expect it, she will take you on a ride. And believe me when I say that it will be the best ride of your life. No pun intended.

---

This is supposed to be a parody of all the "Date A Girl Who Reads/Writes/Talks/Walks" that seems to be floating all over the internet recently, or not so recently, I am apparently behind the times with these literary fads. I guess it turned out to be more serious than I intended but you get the drift. It's not to be taken seriously as with these other works of art but, hopefully, readers will get some sort of substance from me making fun of usual scenarios while commuting, specifically riding a Jeepney here in Metro Manila. If you are looking for more serious versions of this prose, by all means, visit the lovely works by these brilliant writers. I am but an imitator.

Date a Girl Who Reads by Rosemarie Urquico

http://loveyourcrookedneighbor.tumblr.com/post/15459983083

Date a Girl Who Writes by Aura

http://definitelyfilipino.com/blog/2011/12/25/date-a-girl-who-writes/

You Should Date an Illiterate Girl by Charles Warnke

http://thoughtcatalog.com/2011/dont-date-a-girl-who-reads/

P.S. Reposts are encouraged but please include a link back to this original post, preferably with the author's name. Comments are greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Photos: 

Jeepney Chronicles by iraisavampire

Jeepney in the Big City by Gaisano 

State of the Blog Address 4 comments

I am disappointed with this blog. I feel like it has lost the free-spirited feel and purpose it was created for. I look at recent posts, and though they are still infested with acerbic humor and my trademark phrased adjectives that-look-like-this, I feel like I've lost my voice. 

Not only are the past articles just composed of book/movie/cellphone reviews and vacation recaps which nobody really cares about, the thoughts are dry and painfully robotic. Yes, there are still advocacy themed articles but they are less than before and far in between.

Where is the spontaneity? Where are the personal insights that I once wanted to share to the world? Where are the amusing observations about the roller coaster ride that is everyday life? The good, the bad, and the downright humiliatingly hilarious? 

I started this blog as a personal haven for all those little quirky impulses my neurons keep on emitting several times a day in the most inappropriate of times.  I guess my mistake these days is holding everything I write at arms length and watching it take form while devoid of actual passion and conviction, the kind of writing that comes out which reeks the impression of doing chores and things-that-you-just-had-to-do.

This personal blog has become less and less personal for a long time now, and I hope you're with me when I say that I think it's time to go back to the basics. And yes, that phrase just reminded me of underwear billboard ads.

So with that, I will shun the inner procrastinator in me that has long been reclining in the La-Z-Boy of my left cerebral hemisphere like she own the place. I don't blame her, she has been there forever and I oftentimes give her treats like when I spend hours on Facebook and Twitter just reading (and liking) random crap my friends and total strangers post on their walls and feeds, half of the time thinking "I wish I have her life" or "Waaay too much information. I'll just pretend I didn't see that.". 

And of course, there's always the lethal viral pet videos that's just Satan's way of telling you to waste your life for him, one adorable YouTube clip at a time.

But I'll be honest. My track record regarding resolutions doesn't exactly paint a picture of absolute adherence to said self-promises. But we'll see. I might be able to banish thy inner procrastinator permanently to the depths of Mordor or Tartarus, or wherever the heck it can stay and not bother me again.

Meanwhile, let me leave you with a photo of an adorable puppy sleeping on a cellphone straight from the 90's "I-have-a-flip-phone-I'm-so-cool" era. 

Just because.

The Hunger Games (2012) Review: A Reader's Dream 2 comments

It's quite fitting that I haven't eaten for more than 24 hours when I found the time and waking neurons to catch the latest YA-Novel-to-bigscreen-superstardom flick of 2012. The Hunger Games is definitely one of the most anticipated movie of the year, and let me just say that all the hype and excitement surrounding the next-big-franchise was not a waste of time. Cower in your sparkly boots, Twilight, teenage angst will only get you so far, but a gripping story and strong independent characters will always prevail in the hearts of the thinking masses.

The movie opens with a sorrowful portrayal of District 12, showing scenes of poverty and destitution in shaky, head-aching angles that could only come from a camera man with a neurological disorder. But aside from the near-migraine I got from the style they decided on showing Suzanne Collin's world, I appreciated how the production made it a point to differentiate the way of life of poorer districts and the lavish colorful existence of those from the Capitol.

Enter the Capitol and the Hunger Games mission control center. From a film with a limited budget and a complicated world it has to portray, I think they succeeded in luring in the readers and giving their imagination the visual candy it deserves. Save for the disappointing silent screen Cornucopia scene (which I found terribly disappointing) and the bloody and violent killing moments which the production decided to soften by again putting their cameraman with uncontrolled spasms behind the lense, the movie portrayal was a success even for the whiniest and eyebrow-raising book fan that I am.

Strongest points of the film? The actors, without a doubt. Jennifer Lawrence played Katniss Everdeen perfectly. She carried the role with such power and social awkwardness that fits the character that I did not have to convince myself that she is the heroine in my mind while I was reading the book. The other actors also carried their own weight, although I do wish that Gale and his jawline managed to get more screen time. In the next movie, perhaps.

Weakest? They could have wrapped up the film more tightly, in my opinion. There are numerous scenes of morose lamentations and soul-searching stares that the 2 1/2 hours of the film could do without. I'm all for character development, really, but in a movie that boasts a televised arena where teenagers kill each other in order to survive, more action, less talk please.

End Note:

With the end of the wonderful and magical Harry Potter era and the closing of the sparkly slightly-homosexual vampire saga of Twilight later this year, this fan is happy to say that in a time of never-ending book adaptations, there is one that stayed surprisingly loyal to the prose. It didn't need to cut scenes nor add ones to make the film more interesting. Both the written and shot versions were superb and if that doesn't say the odds are definitely in our favor, then I don't know what does.

Orchestr-o-meter: A

HTC ChaCha: Qwerty Messaging Goodness 0 comments

Just in case you didn't notice the solitary "F" logo flashing proudly in its place, yes, it's the Facebook phone. And no, I didn't purchase it because of Facebook.

I've been wanting to change my phone for quite some time now. Although I've grown fond of my Samsung UltraTouch, times have changed and my elderly mobile just can't keep up with the aspects of technology that has now proved to be a necessity rather than a cool function a few years back.

Enter Mr. Chacha. The name may be lacking a few punches and reminds me of red lipsticked middle aged women and the Dance Instructor era, I've chosen this Gadget Baby as my new everyday electronic companion. Most people are underwhelmed with his capabilities and poke fun at his calculator inspired aesthetics but I love him anyways. Here's why:

1. HTC Sense Interface. I've been drooling over the HTC UI for quite some time now since I've already grown sick of Samsung's dark and dreary screens. Aside from Apple's iPhone which is still unbelievably expensive and a bit redundant for me since I already have an iPod Touch, there are only a few brands which came to mind. 

• Samsung? Pass, I'll try something new. 
• Forget Nokia, Symbian is for cave people. 
• Blackberry? Yes please, if they weren't so darn expensive. The touchscreen-qwerty combo is still on the 20k+ bracket if I'm not mistaken.

2. Responsive Touchscreen. For a phone boasting its comfortable qwerty keypad, it has a surprisingly sensitive touchscreen with great feedback. This is particularly a deal maker since I've cancelled a lot of HTC phones off my list (HTC Explorer / HTC Wildfire S) because of less than brilliant screens and lagging processors.

3. Great Full QWERTY Keyboard. I've never had a phone with a full qwerty keyboard before. I've always typed novel-length texts with a physical/virtual alphanumeric one and to be honest, my right thumb really needs an ally in his duty. And I won't lie, this Blackberry nation has brainwashed me into thinking qwerty phones look more professional and sophisticated.

4. Affordable. For 8,900 php plus a complimentary dedicated silicone casing, you can't get any other Android touchscreen plus a physical QWERTY keypad with just the amount of one month minimum wage salary.

5. Threaded Messaging Heaven. To say that HTC's messaging interface is 90% of the decision making mental pie chart that made me buy this phone isn't that far off. Since I've been texting a lot recently, the threaded blue and white send and received texts sorted chronologically has been life changing.

I won't sugarcoat the first phone that I bought with my own money, it isn't perfect. The internal memory is only 150mb as compared with its advertised 512mb and I've read it fills up easily with apps and cached information from Facebook and other programs. The battery also makes me paranoid because without the proper settings, it has the potential to drain quickly.

But since I will be mainly using this for the normal call and text routine (more of texts really), its limitations doesn't really bother me. Find another gadget for your games and graphic heavy apps because the screen will leave more to be desired.

But if you're like me who just needs a fairly cheap mobile with a comfortable keyboard, a messaging interface to salivate over and the yummy Blackberry-ish LED light indicator for notifications and such, then look no further, you would definitely love dancing to the beat of this phone.

Top 10 Ways to Spend Valentine's Day if you're SINGLE 0 comments

10. Lose yourself in your work. Keep yourself busy and before you know it, the 24 hours of glittery hearts and pictures of a fat toddler posing with an arrow is over.

9. Watch horror/massacre/gore movies (but stay away from movie theaters!). Preferably films with scenes of lovers making out in a parked car while being stalked by a serial killer.

8. For the day, change your Twitter / Facebook profile picture to that of a scantily clad vixen from Google Images and watch as Friend Requests and Mentions come in.

7. Hug the one creature that has loved you for who you are and enjoyed every single minute he's with you. Your dog.

6. Mentally raise an eyebrow every doe-eyed girl parading in front of you while cradling a bouquet of roses and think: Feeling ko binigay lang niya yan sa sarili niya!

5. Beautify. Exude appeal and poise that can make all committed men wonder why they are in a relationship in the first place. 

4. Find a good-looking gay friend and HHWW with him at the mall while you both search for cute single guys.

3. Be constantly surrounded with people, at least just for this day. There is nothing that can make you feel like a Forever Alone meme than being... well, alone.

2. Stay away from re-watching films with these words in the title: One, Chance, More, Notebook, The

1. Spend Valentine's Day with your True Love. May it be shoes, badminton, books, or Tetris Battle. In my case, it's:

**Photos taken from Google Images and Tumblr

18 Books I've Read this 2011 0 comments

Pathetic. 

Yes, I know. 

Compared to the 34 Books I've Read in 2010, this year is just heartbreaking for my digital library. I can still hear the echoes of their cries for attention reverberating in my head. I'm sorry I've failed you, beloved books. I promise to love you better in the coming year. This time I'll be sweeter, our love will run deeper. Have faith, in me...

(In Obsessive-Compulsive Chronological Order of Completion)

1. Pretties - Scot Westerfeld
2. The Girl & the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson
3. Something Borrowed - Emily Griffin
4. Something Blue - Emily Griffin
5. City of Bones - Cassandra Clare
6. City of Ashes - Cassandra Clare
7. City of Glass - Cassandra Clare
8. Clockwork Angel - Cassandra Clare
9. City of Fallen Angels - Cassandra Clare
10. If I Stay - Gayle Forman
11. Where She Went - Gayle Forman
12. Before I Go To Sleep - S.J. Watson
13. Specials - Scott Westerfeld
14. Can You Keep A Secret - Sophie Kinsella
15. Crescendo - Becca Fitzpatrick
16. Veronika Decides to Die - Paulo Coelho
17. Anna and the French Kiss - Stephanie Perkins
18. Room - Emma Donoghue

And because of such a short list, I don't think I can do my "annual" book awards with this kind of line-up. I mean, half the books mentioned is written by the same author, not to mention that 90% of the novels are under the YA category. This has been a terrible year for literary variety. What have I done with my life?? *bangs head to the wall* I blame mobile Internet!

Anyway, there is always next year. With my new iBooks app and its dazzling interface, hopefully, I can work my way to a respectable number before the world ends. ;)

2011 Philippine Blog Awards - List of Winners 0 comments

LUZON

• Beauty and Fashion - Simply Rins http://www.rina-alcantara.com/
• Culture and Arts - Pop Reviews Now http://www.popreviewsnow.blogspot.com
• Food and Beverage - Our Daily Blog http://regandmitzi.wordpress.com/
• Lifestyle - Bongga Ba http://www.bonggaba.com
• Personal/Diary - The Culture Shack http://www.cultureshacked.blogspot.com/
• PhotoBlog - Lakad Pilipinas http://lakad-pilipinas.blogspot.com/
• Technology - GameOPS http://www.gameops.net/
• Travel - Lakad Pilipinas http://lakad-pilipinas.blogspot.com/

NATIONALS

• Advocacy - Environment Philippines http://www.environmentphilippines.com
• Beauty and Fashion - Jenne Chrisville http://www.jennechrisville.wordpress.com/
• Business - Ready to be Rich http://www.fitzvillafuerte.com
• Culture and Arts - Sining Factory http://www.siningfactory.weebly.com
• Entertainment - Without Wang 2 http://andronico.wordpress.com/
• Food & Beverage - Ralph Guzman // Foodie http://www.ratedralph.com
• Gaming - The Otaku Fridge http://www.otakufridge.com
• Hobbies and Recreation - kuhol.net – cars, culture, competition, community http://kuhol.net/
• Home and Parenting - Dainty Mom http://www.daintymom.com
• Humor - The Professional Heckler http://professionalheckler.wordpress.com
• Lifestyle - Geek Girl Manila http://geekgirlmanila.com/
• Literature - Pointless Paranoia http://www.pointlessparanoia.wordpress.com/
• Personal/Diary - I Am Fickle Cattle http://www.ficklecattle.blogspot.com/
• Photoblog - RosariOko http://www.rosarioko.com
• Society, Politics and History - It's True! It's True! http://www.mistervader.blogspot.com/
• Sports - CebuRunning http://www.ceburunning.com
• Technology - LS Geekster Online http://www.lsgeekster.blogspot.com/
• Travel - We are Sole Sisters http://www.wearesolesisters.com/
• Videocasts and Podcasts - Brink Notes Podcast Network http://www.bncast.com

SPECIAL CATEGORIES

• Filipiniana - Live in the Philippines http://www.liveinthephilippines.com
• Top Video/Podcast - Krimmy Couple: A Korean-Filipino Love Story http://www.mykoreanboyfriend.com/2011/02/krimmy-couple-a-korean-filipino-love-story/ from My Korean Boyfriend http://mykoreanboyfriend.wordpress.com
• Top PhotoPost - 2011: its 1/1/11, a new year and a fresh start http://www.lantaw.blogspot.com/2011/01/2011-its-1111-new-year-and-fresh-start.html from Lantaw http://www.lantaw.blogspot.com
• Top Post - Blood Stains, the Smell of Disinfectant and the RH Bill http://www.orchestroscopy.blogspot.com/2011/05/blood-stains-smell-of-disinfectant-and.html from ORCHESTROSCOPY http://www.orchestroscopy.blogspot.com/
• Best Blog Design - Markable http://www.markable.me/
• Readers' Choice - Culture Shack http://www.cultureshacked.blogspot.com/
• Bloggers Choice - Libre Lang Mangarap http://otep.wordpress.com/

The Speech I Never Got To Deliver - Philippine Blog Awards 2011: Best Single Post Winner 11 comments

Well, not really. But please, allow me just this once to be perfectly incoherent.

The news that my entry "Blood Stains, the Smell of Disinfectant and the RH Bill" has won the 2011 Philippine Blog Awards for Best Single Post has left me stunned for hours now and has rendered me with the vocabulary of a 6-year-old, mostly comprised of the words "wow" and "thank you". 

I was not even aware that it was a finalist. Imagine my shock when I woke up in the middle of the day and read tweets congratulating me for the said achievement while still half-asleep. After 2 seconds of staring disbelievingly at the screen, I checked my email and, 'lo and behold, there it was, an invitation for the awards ceremony at the Carlos P. Romulo Theater, RCBC Plaza on December 3, 2011 6PM, read 2 days late. 

The sad thing about it is that, this year, I vowed that I would attend the event if ever I make it again to the finals. Last year, when an entry of mine was nominated for Top 3 Posts for 2010, I camped in my room and watched the ceremony live via Ustream. The article lost but the event looked so much fun I promised that the following year, I would drag anyone who's willing and attend the ceremony just for experience sake. 

But then, life happened. A crazy graveyard shift schedule, coupled by lack of sleep, absolute confusion on what day it is and my inability to check my email accounts regularly even if my life depended on it made me miss what could have been one of the most memorable nights of my Writer Life. *enter melodramatic sigh here*

Lamentations aside, I'd like to offer my sincerest gratitude to the organizers and judges of the 2011 Philippine Blog Awards. I know none of the members of the committee personally and have extremely limited blogger friends so it was really a huge surprise to find out that the post won, especially against finalists of such high caliber, including those who have won multiple times in the past.

I still cannot believe that a prestigious award giving body has noticed my humble little brain child. It is such a privilege to be a part of your honor roll. A small part of me is even relieved that I wasn't able to accept the award personally and deliver my 2 minute speech because this blogger is still at a loss for words.

Again, THANK YOU Philippine Blog Awards for this awesome day that has yet to start. Please do continue spreading inspiration and distinction to an art form and advocacy many have yet to acknowledge. Blogging has really come a long way, but the road continues on and is filled with infinite possibilities. I hope to meet you guys along the way. 

Winners of the 2011 Philippine Blog Awards (Photo taken from here.)

Now, if only I could manage to watch a full recording of the awards ceremony, get my wooden carabao trophy and Photoshop myself to this picture, my blogging existence will be complete. ;)

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LINKS:

Finalists, Best Single Post Category

• http://www.philippineblogawards.com.ph/2011/12/01/finalists-for-best-single-post-category/

Winners of the PHILIPPINE BLOG AWARDS 2011

• http://asiancorrespondent.com/71202/winners-of-the-philippine-blog-awards-2011/
• http://www.philippineblogawards.com.ph/2011/12/05/congratulations-to-the-winners-of-the-2011-philippine-blog-awards-nationals/

My iBooks Library 0 comments

I have been salivating over this app since it first came out with the launch of iOS4 last year. Having a 3rd generation 8gb iPod Touch, I cannot upgrade to the latest OS because so many people have been complaining of having their devices laggy and unresponsive because the hardware could not take the load. So for more than a year, I've been goggling over colored home screens and beautiful iBooks libraries while being stuck with my non-updated Stanza. 

But alas, here we are, with my new bigger and better device, now powerful enough to handle this most coveted virtual library. 

The first thing that I can say is that the interface is simply stunning. The virtual bookshelf with large cover images neatly displayed in rows makes me want to gobble them up one after the other. I was also able to separate my Read list in another library, sorted chronologically of course and divided into which year I finished them. Yes, I'm a computer files Neat Freak and it translates into iPod files. Unfortunately, this characteristic did not cross over to my bedroom.

As for the reading experience, I like how the everything is neater with this app. The chapters don't get messed up and you can clearly see how many pages you have left to read, a feat Stanza failed on tremendously. In Stanza's defense, I did not update my app for more than a year so I cannot speak for the latest versions, but you get the drift. The paragraphs and spacing are cleaner too, with less irritating formatting errors. For a 3.5 inch screen, these minor improvements are a blessing. 

I still prefer the slide-down-to-dim-screen and slide-up-to-brighten format of Stanza though. The screen adjustments on iBooks are too sensitive for my liking. And it's irritating how the brightness reverts back to its original settings every time the screen is locked and unlocked. This is the OC in me talking, please ignore her.

Overall, I do not regret my upgrade. Hopefully, this striking virtual library will help add some more read novels to my pathetic 2011 list. 

Cheers to the worlds that can only come from words!