Acoustic and Bossa Girls

Recently I’ve been bitten by the music bug. I’ve gotten into pop songs revived by young girls who added on their own vocal stylistics. Or maybe it was just LSS… Whenever we go to events for our photo coverage or photo booth rental, these songs are a staple fare. They are actually current pop hits like Just the Way You Are and Fireworks sang ala-bossa or acoustic. While the crew is just setting up we are treated to the girls’ gentle crooning… we just fell in love with the genre! I guess we are actually late getting into this since in fact acoustic and bossa songs are enjoying a new surge of appreciation for some time, this accounts for the reason for the records sprouting left and right from virtual unknowns hoping for a shot at the big time. Oh well, the more the merrier I always say =)

My current faves are Sabrina and Yasmin de Pereira. Another popular singer is Suy , but I don’t have her album yet so I can really pass judgement on her songs. In my book, Sitti has always been the Filipina Queen of Bossa and she is yet to be toppled from the throne.

Now excuse me as I do my Saturday load of laundry with Sabrina in the background singing Snow Patrol’s Chasing Cars.

Super Sale at Rockwell Tent 2011

Ready for the best summer sale? With various stores carrying brands we all crave for?
It's almost here, at the Rockwell Tent on May 20-22 2011.

CLICK HERE AND REGISTER

To get your FREE Entrance tickets to the

SuperSale Bazaar happening on May 20 - 22, 2011

A Treat for Ayala Cinema's M-Pass holders

Ayala Malls Cinemas’ M-Pass cardholders are in for a treat as they get to watch an exclusive screening of Disney’s “Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides” on May 20, 2011 at Glorietta4 Cinemas. Being invited to special movie screenings is part of the wonderful perks of being an M-Pass cardholder!

Other privileges of M-Pass are exclusive movie promos, birthday treats, access to online food order and a lot more!

M-Pass is a prepaid service that allows one to pay for his movie tickets ahead of time. With the M-Pass, the cardholder gets past the long lines in ticket booths and conveniently goes straight to the cinema of choice to his preferred seats. One can even take his own sweet time in getting to the movies as with the M-Pass, your seats are definitely guaranteed.

Ayala Malls Cinemas also offers other exciting promos to its moviegoers. Watch Disney’s “Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides,” at any Ayala Malls Cinemas and enjoy any of the the following treats.

Buy tickets in advance and get a collectible magnet and get a chance to win other cool premium items for every advance purchase of two tickets, promo runs until May 22. Metro Manila ticket holders will also get a chance to meet and take a photo with the characters inspired by Disney’s “Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides.”

“Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides” opens May 20, 2011 in all Ayala Malls Cinemas. Also in Disney Digital 3D™.

Visit www.sureseats.com for more details on the movie and how to get your M-Pass card.

Weight-loss Insanity

I read somewhere that a symptom of insanity is doing something over and over the same way but sincerely hoping to get a different result. Yes,
it's the story of my life.

I often refer to my college days as the good 'ole days. Sure, I had the most fun with my friends at that time plus I did so well in school. But
these are not the reasons why I loved that era. I loved it for the simple reason that when I graduated from college, I weighed exactly the
same way as I weighed on my first year there. I was thin! My cheekbones were visible even with my face at rest, (no sucking in the cheeks just
to check if I still HAVE cheekbones) My collar bones were ever present! I was a medium and I can buy clothes in free size.

After I graduated, I took on an office job that I didn't really like, but many approved of. Being the "good girl" that I am, I stayed on,
thinking I'd eventually like it...This must've had an effect on my psyche. Depression set in and pounds started to pile on. Slowly but surely, 20 pounds crept in. After I got
married, my excess pounds welcomed their friends who invited other friends and soon they have a party on my thighs and midsection. I nearly
had a panic attack when I realized one day that I tipped the scales at almost 200 pounds!

To say that I've had trouble keeping the pounds off is an understatement. I have tried various ways of losing weight, from going
vegetarian, going to the gym, trying fad diets, drinking protein shakes etc. If I weren't budget-constrained, I'd probably gone off already for
a liposuction.

I'd binge, I'd gain weight, I'd be remorseful, I'd try to lose weight. I'd lose SOME weight, I'd binge, I'd gain MORE weight than I initially
lost, then I'd feel remorseful and the vicious, frustrating cycle begins again! What's pathetic is I start my latest diet/exercise regimen with
the pure intentions and strong determination... until I fall again into the temptation that comes in the forms of pizza/chocolates/chips etc.

Hopefully someday I find the determination to permanently choose to be healthy... then probably the insanity will end... probably.

Stork Studios and the Inspiring Woman Behind It

Yesterday, I met a woman who, along with a partner, set up a very

lucrative business, the Stork Studio. Her specialization: new born

photography. This niche is pretty popular in the States but here in the

Philippines, she is the pioneer. Although Sofia Genato took on a

partner, she basically she runs the whole photography business, from the

marketing to the accounting to the actual taking of pictures. Her

background in advertising sure helps her a lot.

One thing that is quite obvious when one speaks with her it is her

passion for photography! And she's got it all figured out, she wants to

specialize in baby photography. She even invested in further training in

the states, and according to her, it is well worth the expensive

trainings!

I wish I can also have her passion for her craft. I love how she is so

definite about her goals and dreams. She has concrete dreams from their

business and is actually taking steps to achieve those aspirations.

I also hope for the laser-like focus that she has.

Now I understand why financial gurus promote staying within successful

people's radius. Her joy and enthusiasm for success is simply

infectious.

I would love to grow our business. Leaving the concrete rat-race has

always been my dream almost from the time I started running in it. Now I

finally have a chance to actually do it. Running a business is

definitely frightening, but hanging on to a job you're miserable in just

because of the fear on the unknown (unemployment) is no way to live.

On Mother's Day:Pacquiao Dominates Over Mosley

Today, mother’s day, mothers all over are treated to a wonderful gift on top of what their families gave them, the gift of Manny Pacqiao’s victory over opponent Shane Mosely. With this win, Pacquiao retained World Boxing Organization welterweight title.

Too bad MP wasn’t able to score a knockdown, Mosely is so stable! But the scores from the three judges favored our national sports hero: 120-107, 120-108, and 119-107. Sure, we all held our breaths when Pacquiao fell on his fanny on the 10th round but Mosely just stepped on his foot, so officially it was just a trip, not a knockdown!
Our family had a lot of fun watching it since it is our first time to watch a Pacquiao real time, and we didn’t even pay a single cent for it. For their office summer outing, my sister took our whole family with her to Hotel H2O. It so happens that the hotel was showing the fight live, for 995 per head including lunch. Luckily, we had a view of the big screen from the hotel lobby. As early as 10am, our father already secured a seat, and stayed there through all the prefights and until the end of the Pacquiao vs Mosley fight… for free!

When we got home at around 3pm, we turned on the TV and the fight is still on… shows just how the local channels drags on showing the fight to make sure more sponsors are accommodated.

Mother’s day this year is pretty special for me, a free stay at a posh hotel with the whole family and a free Pacquiao-Mosley show! Lucky me!

Writing, Venting and Me

I had put my blogs on hold for some time. Not intentionally, mind you. I
just felt I had nothing to say. I was really trying to stick to the idea
of The Secret. I veered away from writing anything but positive
things... until I slowly realized that I didn't have any drive or
interest to write at all. Writing has always been my way of venting.
Some drink, some punch walls, I write.

Lacking in verbal skills to effectively communicate my thoughts and
feelings, I write my best when I'm mad or sad. Even extreme happiness is
sometimes not enough motivation for me to write a blog post.

So now I have to decide... write only positive stuff... and wait for the
writing mojo to strike (which sometimes never comes) or write whatever I
feel.

I guess right now, I have to compromise. In order to practice my
writing, I will write whatever I feel. I will try to edit as much as
possible, keep it less negative... hahaha... but I give no guarantees.
=)

Courier New, Simply Fontastic!

I have always known certain quirky facts about me. For instance, when I have to eat alone, I HAVE to read. When I do eat, I NEED to have matching utensils. I can’t drink a glassful of cold water, I need to mix in some lukewarm water. Recently though I realized another quirk, apparently when I am writing a blog entry, I can’t write using any other font other than Courier New. Why, I don’t exactly know… but I have a theory that it has something to do with it looking like a typewriter font. I guess it makes me feel old school in my writing, somehow more authentic. I know… I know… weird. But hey, that’s me! =)

TV5 Gets a Bitter Taste that is Willie Revillame

Some blogger friends are sounding off about the controversial episode of
the notorious TV personality, Willie Revillame. I didn't catch the
original telecast but I was able to watch it last night in youtube. I
have to be honest. Initially, I also found the 6-year-old JanJan's stunt
funny. It was funny in the way that he was like a wind-up doll, who
dances immediately at the sound of a certain song. It was amusing since
he is so young and yet so trained. It was like his body has a life of
its own, moving on its own accord, once the music starts.

Had it been any other kind of dance (breakdance, salsa, ballet, the
Macarena), the stint would have been a huge hit. Funny, cute kid you
dances at the drop of a hat. What was revolting was little Janjan was
gyrating sensually to the beat of the music... like a macho dancer! As
if this wasn't enough, we also have Willie Revillame laughing devilishly
egging the little boy to dance. Janjan's own aunt was laughing along
with everybody... I think I would've forgiven Willie and the show if the
dancing happened only once or twice... it happened several times! The
ultimate shameful performance was when Janjan was placed on the show's
hydraulic stage, slowly raised up as he gyrates. Willie then directs his
female dancers to act like crazed matronas screaming Janjan's name while
raising their hands as if trying to grab some piece of meat.

Yes. It was such a disgraceful sight.

It caused an outrage around the country! People cried abuse! DSWD cried
exploitation! TV5 was pressured into giving an apology... Serves them
right. This is what they get for picking up the trash that ABS CBN threw
out. This is only the beginning. You now have a savage under your
roof...and please be forewarned, he has a penchant for biting off the
hand that feeds him!

Rest in Peace

Last Tuesday, I arrived to an office buzzing with rumors: Angelo Reyes committed suicide. I thought it was one of those bad humored jokes. When I heard it on the radio, I waited for them to contact Angie Reyes himself to refute the rumors, but after a while, it was confirmed, he did take his own life, in front of the tombs of his parents.

I did not know Angelo Reyes personally, but the fact that his current circumstances became too much that it pushed him to a corner and left him with no other choice but to take a leave from the cruel world, saddened me. Maybe it’s because suicide is a sensitive topic for me, since I lost a family member because of it.

I can’t help but feel sad, sad that he’s gone even before he was able to clear his name, if he was innocent; sad that he wasn’t able to implicate the true villains in this scenario (higher ups I presume); sad that people are left with the impression that he had to take his life because of guilt; sad for his tainted legacy and sad for his family and his sons because of the shocking surprise and unanswered questions.

Many people judge this act as a sign of cowardice and guilt… while some hail it as an ultimate act of courage. Right now, I’m not sure just how I feel about it, one thing is certain, I feel sad for his family, since I can sincerely feel that he is loved by them.

Rest in peace, Angelo Reyes.