Lavender & Coffee Stains

How sad naman! Funny comedienne, Ai-Ai delas Alas will be leaving Sing-Galing in ABC 5. Her exclusive contract with ABS-CBN does not allow her anymore to host other shows in other channels. I felt sad when Allan K left the show, ngayon si Ai-Ai naman.

Hay. Love ko yung show na yun eh. Aside from nakikipag-agawan ako sa mga kapatid ko sa paghawak ng remote control, nakikikanta at nakikisayaw ako sa 2 yun. Sila talaga ang paborito kong tao sa showbiz. Kahit yung show nila, walang kaplastikan. Very natural at sobrang nakakahawa ang kasiyahan nila.

Mami-miss ko tuloy ang todo birit ko ng Buttercup at Dancing Queen!

Hay. Nabawasan na naman ang reason ko para umuwi nang maaga. Gets mo?

After a hard day’s work, I always look forward to dropping by at Glorietta just to hear this song.

I don't remember what day it was
I didn't notice what time it was
All I know is that I fell in love with you
And if all my dreams come true
I'll be spending time with you
Every day's a new day in love with you
With each day comes a new way of loving you
Every time I kiss your lips my mind starts to wonder
And if all my dreams come true
I'll be spending time with you

Oh I love you more today than yesterday
But not as much as tomorrow
Oh I love you more today than yesterday
But darling not as much as tomorrow

Tomorrow makes each springtime just a day away
Cupid we don't need you now be on your way
I thank the Lord for love like ours that grows ever stronger
And I always will be true
I'll be spending time with you

Oh I love you more today than yesterday
But not as much as tomorrow
Oh I love you more today than yesterday
But darling not as much as tomorrow

Every day's a new day, every time I love ya
Every way's a new way, every time I love ya...
Every day's a new day, every time I love ya
Every way's a new way, every time I love ya...
Every time i love ya...

Feeling sentimental tonight.

(David Glasper/Marcus Lillington)

As I watch you move
Across the moonlit room
There's so much tenderness in your loving
Tomorrow I must leave
The dawn knows no reprieve
God give me strength, when I am leaving

REFRAIN:
So raise your hands to heaven and pray
That we'll be back together someday

CHORUS:
(And) Tonight I need your sweet caress
Hold me in the darkness
Tonight you calm my restlessness
You relieve my sadness
As we move to embrace
Tears run down your face
I whisper words of love so softly
I can't believe this pain
It's drivin' me insane
Without your touch, life will be lonely

REFRAIN:
So raise your hands to heaven and pray
That we'll be back together someday

CHORUS:
(And) Tonight I need your sweet caress
Hold me in the darkness
Tonight you calm my restlessness
You relieve my sadness
Morning has come another day
I must pack my bags and say goodbye
Goodbye...

CHORUS:
Tonight I need your sweet caress
Hold me in the darkness
Tonight you calm my restlessness
You relieve my sadness
Tonight I need your sweet caress
Hold me in the darkness
Tonight you calm my restlessness
You relieve my sadness

Did I ever mention that a good friend of mine from PinoyExchange is back in town from Cana-duh? Yeah, he is back.

It was dear Jary who informed me. They were together in Robinson's Galleria when I got the texted message. Unfortunately, I could not join them since I was pretty loaded with work that day. The following day being a Thursday, I requested them to attend the church services at a nearby Makati locale instead of somewhere (I forgot where it was supposed to be). We decided to meet up at McDo in Jupiter Street and grabbed a bite before heading to church. It was really fun chatting and catching up with the old times.

The church service was, as usual, solemn. Due to my waning faith combined with the fervent hope of nourishing it again, I took my prayers more seriously than ever. The positive and the negative side of me were competing for my mental attention. The negative side was telling me that God would not listen to me much more made His presence to me. I longed to feel His presence within me, to know that He still welcomes me despite my truant ways. Honestly, for a time I thought He deserted me. I hope my prayers will be answered.

After the evening service, Jon decided to have a dinner in Jollibee. Hehehe. He really missed the Pinoy thing that's why we settled there. It was a treat, actually. While "devouring" our food, the 3 of us talked about a lot of stuff and honest, we had a good laugh as usual.

Tell you what? We may not know nor see each other a lot but I know I can depend on them like they are my real brother and sister.

As much as I was excited to watch this movie, Catwoman, I was downright disappointed how shallow its predictability was. I was not actually impressed in her sexy suit as well as her acquired feline grace. Bumalik na lang siya sa pagiging Storm ng X-Men. Her performance is more justified in that movie. Promise.

***

I never really like this lazy cat since I laid my eyes on him during my younger years. Aside from his eyes that really makes me sleepy and my day boring, I found his values too disconcerting.

When I saw the movie trailer, I told myself that I am going to watch it and I did via dvd. His antics were really amusing despite the boo-boo values it denoted.

Garfield’s “nobody mistreats Odie but me”-line reminded me of someone (from my elementary schooldays) who made it a point to have me at his mercy everytime we crossed paths.

I loved the way this fat, lazy cat smiled when he was caught in the act. Does anyone remember that scene? Even the way he bullied Odie in the last scenes of the movie was really hilarious.

Posted: 11:22 PM (Manila Time) | Jul. 26, 2004
Inquirer News Service

AS MENTIONED before, even the brain needs proper nourishment. There are certain foods you can eat to maintain your brain's health.

Brain foods

Eggs, fish, soy grains citrus fruits, shellfish, garlic, green leafy vegetables, spinach, broccoli, beef liver, tomatoes, fruits (especially raspberry, blueberry, cranberry, black berry, prunes, raisins), legumes (beans), olive oil, Brazil nut, garlic, meat, seafood.

10 ways to boost your brain power:

1. Take vitamins.
2. Take antioxidants (substances that can neutralize the so-called oxygen free radicals, highly active and damaging atoms and chemicals from disease processes, smoking, pollution, radiation, etc.).
3. Eat foods high in antioxidants.
4. Drink tea (using whole green or black tea leaves only).
5. Avoid bad fats (animal fat is toxic to the body).
6. Get omega 3/fish oils.
7. Take brain boosters/supplements.
8. Watch your blood sugar. Minimize sweets.
9. Lose weight. Being overweight can cause strokes, insulin resistance.
10. Take very good care of yourself (adopt a healthy lifestyle-eat right and exercise, minimize alcohol intake).

(Consult your physician first before doing some of these suggestions.)

Mood lifters

Want to lift your spirit? Have these:

Chocolate-A mood raiser which contains antioxidants (the darker, the better). Take two pieces for good measure.

Red wine-Have a daily glass of red wine, which is considered the brain's protector, acting as an anti-inflammatory and boosting good cholesterol or HDL.

A good-mood ritual

Find your most comfortable corner in the house. (People usually have a favorite spot.) With a glass of red wine, face west. If you have a window facing west, better still. Watch the sun set. Sip your wine slowly but not before you drink a toast to the setting sun.

Affirm and say: "I toast to the sun. May it set taking my cares away." Sit back, enjoy the goodness of your drink and mood.

Love and light!

Source: "The Miracle Brain" by: Jean Carper

Ang kulet ni Ron. Sinabi na ngang hindi ako puede. Pinipilit niya akong mag-apply sa E-Telecare. Alam niya kasi na may balak ako nai-try ang mag-work sa call center. Eh yung finorward niya na email sa akin, kailangan ng Japanese CSR. Loko yun eh. Basic Nihongo nga lang alam ko eh. Kulit.

In case anyone is interested, here is the info:

eTelecare international is currently looking for Japanese Multi-lingual CSRs.
If you are interested in the said position, or know someone who might, please call/text me thru 0917-6245439.

Thank you!
mike dijamco

So today is Friday the 13th. And if you're thinking, "big deal," you're right. It is a big deal. Such a big deal that nearly $1 billion worth of commerce won't happen, because people are afraid to fly, travel, and shop.

But you're not one of those people, right?

Actually, I'd bet you are. Maybe you're not a paraskevidekatriaphobe. That's the fancy Greek term for people who fear Friday the 13th. Paraskevi is the Greek word for Friday, and dekatria is how Greeks say 13. Phobe, as you might have guessed, relates to phobia. But I'll bet you do things every single day because--know it or not--you're a little bit superstitious.

When you yawned this morning (after getting up on the right side of the bed and starting your day off on the right foot), did you carefully cover your mouth? Probably so. It's what we do to be polite. But there's more to it than this--people used to think that your soul would rush out of your body if you issued an unprotected yawn.

And the same goes for sneezing. You may say "Gesundheit!" or "Bless you!" to be a nice person.

But what you're actually doing is carrying on a tradition apparently started by the Roman emperor Tiberius. According to one legend, Tiberius would ride in his chariot blessing anyone who sneezed, because a deadly disease at the time, in its early phases, caused sneezing. The more blessings were passed around, the less likely people were to die--or so the thinking went. This same thinking continued in Europe in the Middle Ages, when people were dying of bubonic plague.

Saying "Bless you!" isn't so silly, of course. Combine it with the cover-the-mouth-and-protect-your-soul rule, and you are much less likely to spread nasty germs.

Want to Learn More?

Fear motivates a lot of superstitions. But this is a far cry from phobia--a persistent fear that can alter a person's life, even if he or she knows that it's irrational. There are many different kinds of phobias, including aerophobia (fear of flying), homilophobia (fear of sermons), and pogonophobia. (What's pogonophobia? It's not fear of pogo sticks, it's a fear of beards.) Want to see a list of even more phobias?

But Friday the 13th is special. It combines Friday--considered an unlucky day by some--with the number 13, which has long been considered bad news.

Maybe you never thought of Friday as unlucky. Friday's often payday for us working stiffs. It's the start of the weekend. There's even that "TGIF" restaurant that serves a pretty tasty fried-cheese appetizer (if you want to tempt fate and clog your arteries). Friday is also the Muslim Sabbath and is the day for religious gatherings.

But Friday also carries negative connotations. For starters, Eve is rumored to have given Adam the apple on a Friday, according to Donald Dossey, founder-director of the Phobia Center in Asheville, North Carolina. Talk about a snack that's spelled eternal heartburn, even in Disney films. What fruit knocked out Snow White? Right. The apple. (The really amusing thing is that the old adage, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away," has actually been shown to be true.)

And the number 13 has been feared for a long time, too--except in Italy, where "Fare tredici!" or "To make thirteen!" is the slogan of the national lottery. There, if you get a thirteen, you win.

Want to Learn More?

Some societies have done seemingly extreme things in the name of luck and superstition. Take the Aztecs, who would toss a still-beating human heart into a sacred fire to appease the gods. Also, get an answer to the question: Does morning sickness indicate whether you're having a boy or girl?

About 90 percent of Otis elevators don't have a button for the 13th floor. The U.S. Navy won't launch a ship on Friday the 13th. And, as a former flight attendant once told me, many people just won't fly on the 13th, unless they're headed to Las Vegas. Apparently, the unluckiest day has an opposite effect when you're gambling.

And the fear is historic: A Norse myth has it that a great dinner party with 12 guests was ruined when a 13th crashed the event and killed the god of joy and gladness. There were also 13 guests at the Last Supper of Jesus Christ, who was crucified on a Friday. Finally, a correctly tied hangman's noose has 13 knots, and executions used to happen on Fridays.
So, it's no wonder that we sometimes make a big deal out of Friday the 13th, even today, when we're steeped in science and technology, and know a great deal about how the world works.

For most people, Friday the 13th probably means taking minor precautions. Like avoiding black cats. Since I have a black cat, I can say that's probably a good idea on most days of the year. (Sorry, Spot. But you're a bad kitty.)

If you want to get into the fun of it, though, Dossey has some wacky precautions you can take to stay lucky this Friday the 13th.

• Stand on your head and swallow a chunk of beef gristle.
• Take a holey sock to the top of a skyscraper or a mountain.
• Walk around the block with a mouthful of water--and be careful not to swallow it.
• Tie a sack of peony seeds around your neck (not too tight, though).

If you don't want to get in on the fun of it, well, I'd say you're missing out. You might even be kidding yourself about how rational you really are.

Just For Fun

How superstitious are you? Take our quiz and find out!

We usually think superstitious people just don't know any better, but that's pretty snobby of us. Superstitions are so common that sometimes we don't even recognize them for what they are.

Is it really bad luck, for example, for the groom to see the bride before the wedding? Why do brides wear something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue? Superstitions, all of them.

But I walked down the aisle myself with blue-painted toenails. So far, it's been a great marriage. Knock on wood.

Go placidly amidst the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater
and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career,
however humble, it's a real possession
in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe no less than the trees
and the stars; you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

This one came from Franz' forwarded email.

Forwarded through email by my boss:

Asked not so long ago what she had to say about "sex and violence" in the movies, a popular actress said, "Piano nga hindi ako marunong tumugtog, violins pa kaya?"

Hmmmmm. Witty? Yes - if she intended that "quotable" to be so.

No, the actress "spokening" wasn't Melanie Marquez who, like that one, is a self-confessed Madame Malaprop. (Note: Malapropism, meaning "a ludicrous misuse of a word," is derived from Mrs. Malaprop, a character in the play The Rivals by Richard B. Sheridan, 1751-1816)

I love my long-legged friend Melanie for, among other reasons (besides her fractured English), her way of unwittingly amusing and regaling us with her, that's it, malapropisms on national television. During the passionate word war between her half-brother Joey Marquez and Kris Aquino, Melanie provided the "comic relief" by mouthing quotables, thus firming up her reputation as the (uncrowned) Quotable Queen.

The good thing about it is that Melanie herself is amused/regaled by those little jewels tumbling out of her mouth, profusely especially when she's angry. She told me that she would have her TV guestings recorded and once she got home, she'd have a fun time watching the tapes and, yes, laughing at herself.

That's the spirit, 'no?

"Bakit," Melanie said during an interview. "'Yung magagaling mag-English diyan, may Miss International title ba sila?"

Oo nga naman. Mayroon ba kayo?

Don't look now but Melanie is seriously thinking of compiling her "Melanisms" into a neat little book like the pocket-size Mao little red book (of quotations, or Maoisms). Nice idea, isn't it? It should be a best-seller (like President Joseph Estrada's Eraptions).

When Melanie told me about it, I suggested that she jazz up the book with cartoons and call it Quote Me. But wait. Don't judge Melanie just yet because, as we all know, she's not a book.

Here and now, my friend Jonathan Chua (who's a STAR contributor) has compiled some Melanisms for inclusion in that much-awaited book, to wit:

. My brother is not a girl; he's a gentleman.

. That's why I'm a success, it's because I don't middle in other people's lives.

. Don't judge my brother; he's not a book.

. I won't stoop down to my level.

. Hello? Bulag ka ba? Bingi ka ba? Are you dep?

. 'Yung STD, baka sa maruming toilet lang niya nakuha yan.

. Eh, ikaw ba naman, durugin ang ari mo... Pag di ka naman manutok ng baril.

. We are lovers, not fighters.

. Kapatid ko pa rin siya. We are one and the same.

. I don't eat meat. I'm not a carnival.

. Eto na po ang pinakamaligayang pasko at manigong taon sa inyong lahat. (During her acceptance speech at a Metro Filmfest awards night where her bioflick, directed by her late father Temyong Marquez, won an award.)

. Sumasakit ang migraine ko.

. Ang tatay ko ang only living legend na buhay!

. Period na talaga; wala nang exclamation point. (When asked on S-Files if
her present husband, Adam Lawyer, is her Mr. Right.)

. At a talk show after her break-up with Derek Dee, Melanie was asked if she had some words for Derek's mother (whom she partly blamed for the separation). "Oo nga," said Melanie, "pero i-English-in ko para maintindihan niya." She looked into the camera and, with the peremptoriness of royalty, said, "And to you, Mrs. Dee, I have two words for you. Ang labo mo!"

A few more:

- When asked for a message to her daughter who was allegedly abused by their houseboy: "Don't worry little angel, big angel is here."

- On what they should do to the houseboy who molested her kid: "He should be put behind bar."

- "You can fool me once, you can even fool me twice, you can even fool me thrice. But you can never fool me four."

- While waiting backstage during a noontime show, after watching Nikki Valdez do her dance number. "Nikki, you're so galing. You should go to the States. You will sell hotcakes."

My top 3 favorite Melanisms are:
1 - Don't judge my brother; he's not a book.
2 - "Don't worry little angel, big angel is here."
3 - "You can fool me once, you can even fool me twice, you can even fool me thrice. But you can never fool me four."

I was browsing through the broadsheets and my eyes came to roost in this column in the business section. This was not actually business material but it involved the biggest shopping chain of the country.


* * *

THIS one is for the books, and it happened at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City, the most popular mall of retailing magnate Henry "Tatang" Sy, who is building malls all over the country.

It seems that, one day, a certain Ruby Javier went to Megamall at 12 noon to pay for her utilities at the SM customer service counter.

Aling Ruby always had to tow with her a 17-year-old special child, her son Francis, who has autism, diagnosed by doctors to have the mental capacity of a six-year-old.

Francis, like most autistic children, had difficulty in expressing himself. He could hardly talk. But he is never violent.

That day at the mall, while Aling Ruby was doing her business at the SM Supermarket, she somehow lost sight of Francis. He drifted away somewhere in the mall unknown to the mother.

And it was the most harrowing 12 hours for Aling Ruby, trying to look for her son, without much help from the Megamall management, thank you.


* * *

AS soon as she became aware that Francis was missing, Aling Ruby informed the Megamall security office.

Hours passed and still no action from the Megamall security office, Aling Ruby was told to go to the police instead. The police asked her for photographs of the missing Francis.

But then the poor Aling Ruby was on her own to look for her son. After hours of searching and asking around the mall, she found out that Francis actually drifted to the area of the cinemas.

There, as it turned out, Francis tried to go into one of the theaters showing a Harry Potter film. The security guard roughhoused Francis for trying to go in without paying.

As if it was not enough, the cinema security turned Francis over to the mall security. Without much ado, the mall security kicked Francis out of the mall. There -- problem solved!

The poor special child drifted outside in the streets for more than 15 hours. Call it mother's instinct, but Aling Ruby found her son, sitting outside another mall, several kilometers away from Megamall, at way past 12 midnight.

I can only say this to the Megamall management: Heaven help me in what I might do, should something like that happen to my godson Gabriel, a nephew of mine who has the same condition as Francis!

You guys there at Megamall have a problem!


Do those people know what 'karma' is? Let us say that they are not actually aware of the condition of the 17-year old guy, but the mere treatment they had extended to this autistic kid is inhumane enough.

Being big and great enough is no excuse for the SM management not to screen their employees when it comes to character. I am not after their abilities to do their job but character is one thing that sets a person or an employee apart and what actually makes an enterprise worth lauding for, not their profits or even their acquired fame.

Bihira ko na i-access ang account ko sa Friendster. Lately, masyado ako naging busy. Maliban doon, marami akong iniisip at wala na rin ako halos panahon na mag-update ng blog ko.

Ilang minuto pa lang nakakalipas ngayon, binuksan ko ang account ko. Hinagip ng mga mata ko ang Bulletin Board. Tiningnan ko kung anong mga posts doon na may kwentang basahin. Pinalagpas ko ang mga posts na puro survey. Halos pare-pareho din naman kasi ang laman eh. Pag may oras ako, nagbubukas ako ng ilan-ilan.

ATTN: Ibyang! Holy Kangkong! Ayaw ko buksan ang post na yun pero may duda ako na para sa akin ang mensaheng iyon. Ang kutob ko ay pinalakas pa ng kumpirmasyon na para sa akin nga iyon. Galing kay Dredski. Bruha yun! I-post ba dun. Yun pa ang ginamit na pangalan. Hahaha. Talagang pinangatawanan na niya ang pagtawag sa akin ng ganun.

Isa si Dredski sa mga naging mabuti kong kaibigan nung naging volunteer ako sa UP Pahinungod. Isang batch ang tanda ko sa kanya kaya siguro magkasundo kami. Isa pa kwela itong si Dredski. Nakakatawa, nakakatuwa. Madaldal din katulad ko.

Marami akong fondest memories sa kanya. Hay naku! Baliw na baliw iyan kay Brian. Si Brian ay isang miembro ng kilalang fraternity sa college sa UP. Gwapo, tisoy at malaking lalake. Okay lang ang tingin ko sa kanya pero itong si Dredski, napapanganga kapag nakikita na si Brian. Napapa-ooh at napapa-ahh ang loka pag dumaan ang loko. Hahaha.

Isa lang si Brian pero siya ang pinaka para kay Dredski. Alala ko pa yung isang guy. Nakalimutan ko na ang pangalan noon pero alala ko pa mukha nung lalaki. Ano nga ba panagalan nung payatot na yon ha, Dredski? Payatot talaga siya. Eh malaki kasi itong si Dredski.

Isa pang hindi ko makakalimutan sa babaing ito eh yung nasa tmabayan kami ng Pahinungod. Pareho yata naming breaktime nun at naisip namin na tumambay muna. Sarap doon kasi - may sofa, may aircon, may pagkain, may mga kaibigan, may mga boys. Hahaha. Nagkataon na may blood donation nainorganize ang PGH. Napagkasunduan namin nina Dredski at Dewleeh na mag-donate. Sa aming tatlo, ako lang ang ayaw kunan ng dugo.

Papasok sa hallway, napapagitnaan ako ng 2 nang lumapit kami sa nurse. Pareho kasing malaking babae itong 2 kaibigan ko. In short, na-sandwiched ako. Sabi ng nurse, hindi daw ako puede kasi payat ako. Sabi ko gusto ko mag-donate at kakayanin ko. Hindi ako kako himatayin at malakas ang resistensya ko. Ang bruhang nurse na ayaw talaga pumayag ay nagsumbong sa duktor. Pinatawag kami. Habang nakatayo kami, sinipat ako ng duktor mula paa hanggang ulo at pabalik (Oo, baligtad nga). Dalawang beses niya ginawa iyon at sinabing hindi talaga puede. Ang ending ng storya, napilit ko siya na kunan ako ng dugo. Pinaupo ako pinilit kumain ng sandwich at uminom ng juice. Umupo ako pero tinanggihan ko ang kumain. Sabi ko, ayos lang talaga ako. Hindi naman ako nahilo nung tumayo ako kaya walang problema.

Pagpasok namin sa tambayan, kinuwento ng mga bruha ang nangyari. Siempre, humirit yung isang makulit. Sa susunod daw, huwag daw ako sumabay sa mga hindi ko ka-level. Hahaha. Sabay batok nung 2 babaeng kasama ko sa kanya.

Tinext ko ngayon ang bruha. Third year na pala sa Ateneo at kumukuha ng kursong Law. Nainggit na naman ako. Panagarap ko talaga mag-aral ulit. Isa nga ang abugasya sa mga pinagpipilian ko noon. Sabi ko nga sa sarili ko, subukan ko kahit hindi ko pa tapusin. Pero, marami pa rin bumabagabag sa isipan ko. Hindi na ako bata at dapat seryoso na ang mga bagay kong dapat gawin at hindi dahil isa lamang itong trip.

Gusto ng bruha na magkita kami. Wika nga, "to catch up with the good, old days." Bakit naman hindi? Maganda yun. Excited nga ako at magkikita kami ng bruha. Na-miss ko rin ito.

Siguro, pagkatapos na ng midterms niya ngayong buwan na ito. At least, may reason din kaming mag-celebrate kapag naipasa niya ang midterms niya.