3@HP

Everybody remembers the 1st day of their 1st job. I remember mine pretty clearly still. Forced myself up despite being unabe to sleep the night before due to nightmares of accidentally deleting all tables of my company's client and everyone blaming me. Hahaha... I knew little back then.

My entire family dropping me off in from of RSC as they were driving back to Cebu land trip style that day. Cross Jan who went to the office with her mom and brother. We went up the elevator and at the 10F we started our 1st day of what has been 3 years today.

How has it been like? Well, to put it simply, it has the same challenges as with any other multi national organization in the industry but has a great working environment. :) Personally, I am still learning a lot and challenged enough.

HP is a great place to work. Let's leave it at that.

Quizbox: Get to know yourself better

Got this from Jef R. :) -> (http://www.quizbox.com/personality/test82.aspx)

Get to know yourself better

Your view on yourself:

You are down-to-earth and people like you because you are so straightforward. You are an efficient problem solver because you will listen to both sides of an argument before making a decision that usually appeals to both parties.

The type of girlfriend/boyfriend you are looking for:

You like serious, smart and determined people. You don't judge a book by its cover, so good-looking people aren't necessarily your style. This makes you an attractive person in many people's eyes.

Your readiness to commit to a relationship:

You are ready to commit as soon as you meet the right person. And you believe you will pretty much know as soon as you might that person.

The seriousness of your love:

You like to flirt and behave seductively. The opposite sex finds this very attractive, and that's why you'll always have admirers hanging off your arms. But how serious are you about choosing someone to be in a relationship with?

Your views on education

Education is less important than the real world out there, away from the classroom. Deep inside you want to start working, earning money and living on your own.

The right job for you:

You're a practical person and will choose a secure job with a steady income. Knowing what you like to do is important. Find a regular job doing just that and you'll be set for life.

How do you view success:

You are afraid of failure and scared to have a go at the career you would like to have in case you don't succeed. Don't give up when you haven't yet even started! Be courageous.

What are you most afraid of:

You are afraid of having no one to rely on in times of trouble. You don't ever want to be unable to take care of yourself. Independence is important to you.

Who is your true self:

You are full of energy and confidence. You are unpredictable, with moods changing as quickly as an ocean. You might occasionally be calm and still, but never for long.

Blogthings: What Mike Sepulveda Means

Got this from EJ. :) Do you think its true? hahaha... I don't think its totally true.. :)

What Mike Sepulveda Means

You are confident, self assured, and capable. You are not easily intimidated. You master any and all skills easily. You don't have to work hard for what you want. You make your life out to be exactly how you want it. And you'll knock down anyone who gets in your way! You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing. You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long. You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start. You are a seeker of knowledge, and you have learned many things in your life. You are also a keeper of knowledge - meaning you don't spill secrets or spread gossip. People sometimes think you're snobby or aloof, but you're just too deep in thought to pay attention to them. You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone. You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together. At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together. You are the total package - suave, sexy, smart, and strong. You have the whole world under your spell, and you can influence almost everyone you know. You don't always resist your urges to crush the weak. Just remember, they don't have as much going for them as you do. You are influential and persuasive. You tend to have a lot of power over people. Generally, you use your powers for good. You excel at solving other people's problems. Occasionally, you do get a little selfish and persuade people to do things that are only in your interest. You are a very lucky person. Things just always seem to go your way. And because you're so lucky, you don't really have a lot of worries. You just hope for the best in life. You're sometimes a little guilty of being greedy. Spread your luck around a little to people who need it. You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow. You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily. Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is. You are very hyper. You never slow down, even when it's killing you. You're the type of person who can be a workaholic during the day... and still have the energy to party all night. Your energy is definitely a magnet for those around you. People are addicted to your vibe. You are balanced, orderly, and organized. You like your ducks in a row. You are powerful and competent, especially in the workplace. People can see you as stubborn and headstrong. You definitely have a dominant personality. You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

Net Survey: How evil am I?

Hmm.... :p

How evil are you?Got this from K, btw... :)

The arrogance of UP

Taken from an email sent to a Yahoo!Group. Made me think, have we been waiting too long to finally make a difference...

--------

UP at 100 by Filomeno S. Sta. Ana III Monday, 21 January 2008

Sta. Ana coordinates Action for Economic Reforms. This article was published in the Opinion Section, Yellow Pad Column of BusinessWorld, January 21,2008 edition, pages S1/4 and S1/5.

The day after the University of the Philippines or UP kicked off its celebration of its 100th year, we organized a get-together for a balikbayan pair—my cousin Lynn and her husband Greg. The guest list was made up mostly of UP alumni, young activists of more than a generation ago. And so, I kind of expected that a conversation piece for the dinner would be about the UP of today and yesterday.

In that gathering was Soliman Santos, Jr., or Sol, someone who perhaps represents the UP ideal.

A text message that has been circulating among UP alumni says that UP makes the best students. On the contrary, the truth is that the students who enter UP are already the best and the brightest. Take Sol who entered UP in 1970. He comes from a family of geniuses, although his sister Rayla thinks that the middle child Ricky is the most brilliant among the three siblings who all went to UP.

Sol graduated from the academically elite Philippine Science School—but as an aside, this school likewise educated awful people like Sol's classmate, Hermogenes Esperon. Upon entering UP, Sol obtained the prestigious National Science Development Board (NSDB) scholarship and took up a tough course, electrical engineering. Later, he deliberately dropped his NSDB scholarship not because his well-to-do parents could easily afford his UP education but because maintaining the much-coveted scholarship stood in the way of his desire to give more time and energy to student activism. He would thus shift to a "lightweight course" (Sol's term, which could infuriate the history professors and majors). Despite activism—propaganda work, in particular—being his priority, Sol still excelled in his academics. He was a college or university scholar and he graduated cum laude.

But Sol's life in UP was not limited to being an activist and scholar. He was a romantic, falling in love with a bohemian, Doods, who would later become his wife. And he was a non-barbarian, also known as a frat-man—being a dedicated member of the "great and glorious" Alpha Sigma.

I must confess that I'm paying tribute to Sol because I'd rather praise him now than follow his black-humor request that I give him a eulogy when that moment comes.

But really, without Sol inspiring me, I couldn't have started writing this piece about UP. So here is Sol who personifies the best of UP—a bright and all-round person, not simply a scholar but truly a scholar of the people. And this guy loves UP; he cares for UP.

This long intro about Sol sets the stage for what he was to say on that occasion we had a get-together, the night after the formal opening of the UP centennial. When Sol together with Doods arrived for the dinner—and their entrance caught my attention because they came
late, I sensed that Sol was prepared for a surprise statement. At first, I thought it was a fashion statement. Sol wore a green De La Salle University T-shirt.

This is strange, we thought. Sol is the type who buys souvenir items from the University of the Philippines. So why not wear the UP shirt? After all, 2008 is UP's centennial.

Sol said he precisely wore the La Salle shirt as a statement of his protest against UP's arrogance. He, like many of us, was revolted with UP's slogan for its 100th anniversary: "UP, ang galing mo!"

Sol and Doods opined that the UP authorities had apparently forgotten to use the symbol of the UP Oblation for the centenary. The Oblation represents an offering, the University's offering to the Filipino people. Reaffirming the Oblation's message is arguably the most fitting message for the UP centennial.

The slogan "UP, ang galing mo!" sounds arrogant. But there's a bigger problem than that: proclaiming "UP, ang galing mo!" betrays the brittle confidence that we have about UP.

It remains indisputable that UP is the best university in the Philippines. But this has always been the case for many decades and generations. Should UP compare itself to mediocre schools (relative to the rest of the world)? Is UP content being the big fish in a small
pond? Or if UP were playing in a basketball or football tournament, would it prefer playing in the midget league, not in the first league, just so it would be ranked the best in that league?

Arrogance is acceptable if we were a Muhammad Ali or a Michael Jordan or a Bobby Fischer. In the same manner, the UP's arrogance is tolerable if it could at least approximate the standards of the best in the world.

Which brings us to the THES-QS World university rankings 2007 (see www.topuniversities .com). The THES-QS ranking is measured in terms of five indicators with corresponding weights, namely peer review (40 percent), citations per faculty (20 percent), employer or recruiter review (20 percent), staff/student ratio (10 percent), international staff (5 percent), and international students (5 percent).

In 2007, UP was ranked number 398. As expected, the top 10 universities came from the United States and the United Kingdom—Harvard, Yale, Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College, Princeton, Chicago, California Institute of Technology, University College, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Among the top 50 in 2007 were Asian universities: University of Tokyo (17) University of Hong Kong (18), Kyoto University (25), National University of Singapore (33)
Peking University (36), The Chinese University of Hong Kong (38), and Tsinghua University (40). Seoul National University missed the top 50 by a whisker.

The consolation is that UP is the only Philippine university ranked in the world's top 400 universities. The ranking for the next 401-500 universities is also available, with Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) ranked number 451.

To be nearly at the bottom of the heap is bad enough. It is more embarrassing that universities in India, Thailand, Malaysia and even Indonesia have outclassed UP, which was once upon a time one of the best universities in Asia. Allow me to enumerate the universities in Asian developing countries that were ahead of UP in the 2007 THES-QS rankings: Chulalongkorn (223), Universiti Malaya (246), University of Delhi (254), Mahidol University (284), Universiti Sains Malaysia (307), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (307), Universitas Gadjah Mada (360), Universiti Putra Malaysia (364), Bandung Institute of Technology (369), and University of Indonesia (395). This does not even include the higher ranking of the universities in Singapore, China, Taiwan (province of China), and South Korea.

The people from UP or the UP alumni make fun of the other universities in the Philippines. DLSU (De La Salle University), so goes a UP joke, stands for "Di Lumusot sa UPCAT." I do hope we UP alumni don't get offended when a student from Yogjakarta's Universitas Gadjah Mada—say, a dark-skinned Muslim whose English is unintelligible— makes a joke
that UP stands for "Underachieving People."

That can be jolting. But we do need a jolt. And UP's centenary is the auspicious moment not only to celebrate UP's offering to the country and the people but to sound the wake up call for UP to reclaim its reputation as one of Asia's leading universities.

The UP is fully aware of what has to be done. It is, for example, necessary to legislate a new UP Charter that will make UP the national university. The Charter should reinforce UP's fiscal autonomy and augment its resources, insulate UP from political arbitrariness and patronage, safeguard academic freedom, strengthen academic excellence, and facilitate UP's role in serving the people and fostering national development.

The UP constituency cannot afford to be divided on key reforms. The reforms have long been delayed, partly because of the lack of consensus within the UP community. The administration must put in place an inclusive process that draws in the most vociferous voices in the University. And the UP activists must recognize, given the existence of a failed state and the severe national budget constraint, that it is to the UP's and nation's interests to make UP less financially dependent on the national government.

UP's internal reforms may not be enough though. The problem of meeting excellent academic standards is not endemic to UP. ADMU, DLSU, and the University of Sto. Tomas did not rank among the top 400 universities. So there lies a deeper problem for Philippine universities in general.

A cursory examination of the THES-QS World university rankings shows that the ranking is highly correlated with a country's level of development and prosperity.

So what should we do? We can learn from Sol, the epitome of what a UP alumnus should be. As a UP alumnus, he goes out of his way to support UP in whatever form. He can even appeal to his fraternity brods in Malacañang or the Senate to secure the passage of the new UP Charter. At the same time, as a true scholar of the people, he has consistently
participated in the struggle to rebuild severely damaged Philippine institutions. Only when we make the institutions work can we see the country prosper, which in turn will enable the UP as well as the other schools to become world class and indisputably excellent.

Sweeney Todd addiction

I'm not sure why but I seem to have an addiction to the songs from the movie Sweeney Todd. I liked the movie but I guess when Mich uploaded to Multiply some songs from the movie. I can't seem to help but get hooked as if I had a last song syndrome to it even if I think I don't.

Anyway, I got some videos I got from YouTube. :p hehehe... Makes it easier for me to find them again.

Chinese Astrology: Annual Forecast for the Rat

Got this from EJ -> http://www.dragon-gate.com/resources/fengshuitools/chineseAstrology/horoscope.asp?id=1

Not really much of a believer in astrology and fortune telling but it is always interesting to note. Unfortunately though, the stars tell me to concentrate on work and stay away from anything related to the matters of the heart and health.

Grab travel opportunities... hmmm... might be a sign. =D

----------------------

18 February 1912 - 5 February 1913 (Water Rat) 5 February 1924 - 23 January 1925 (Wood Rat) 24 January 1936 - 10 February 1937 (Fire Rat) 10 February 1948 - 28 January 1949 (Earth Rat) 28 January 1960 - 14 February 1961 (Metal Rat) 15 February 1972 - 2 February 1973 (Water Rat) 2 February 1984 - 19 February 1985 (Wood Rat) 19 February 1996 - 6 February 1997 (Fire Rat)

Career This year sees the Rat being governed by the General Star, also known as the Sui Jia star. You will see enhancements to your work efforts as well as fantastic support from your superiors and workmates! This is the time for you to show off your skills and shine, Rat - in fact, the stars show that being more extroverted than usual will only serve to strengthen your luck potential. Be vocal, too, and you will see others actually listening to you for guidance. Though your career luck is wonderful, do keep in mind that any major life changes are not advisable for you this 2008. Do not make any big decisions, either, but instead keep busy with your work. One exception to this rule is if you are offered a project abroad by your existing employer, taking up the challenge will prove advantageous! Wealth The Rat will enjoy very good Wealth luck this year. Inspirations and opportunities abound, and you will indeed prosper. Concentration on your work is the key ingredient though, Rat - work hard, play hard, and success is yours. If you're interested in dabbling with investments this year, you should depend on conservative investments and steady revenue rather than speculative ones. Relationship The Rat's relationship prospects are a little uncertain this year. For the single Rat, it is actually very advisable for you to put your love life at a halt this year and focus on work - but, if you're keen on starting a relationship, chances are they will be short-term and casual in nature. The attached Rat should also do likewise - maintain your love life, but keep your career at the fore. Health Because the Rat will be nose-deep in work effort, health may be jeopardized. Organize your time well and remember that you do need a good rest every night. Aside from this, the Rat should also be careful of accidents involving vehicles or even heavy machinery. There is also a potential of you getting robbed and seriously hurt in the process, therefore reduce this risk by staying entirely away from remote places and don't take any chances with your personal safety. You may also counter these possible occurrences by donating your blood in 2008.

Review: Lions for Lambs

Here is a review on movie I watched a few months back that got me questioning and thinking and rethinking a lot. The review says much of how the story goes although it does not say much of how good the movie was - well, I found the dialogue very compelling that I did not notice other aspects of the movie. Anyway, here is a review from Canadian Cinephile’s Reviews. I tried creating a personal review but didn't get to finish it.

Lions for Lambs is a film destined to polarize audiences. Directed by Robert Redford, Lions for Lambs is an indictment more than a film and contains a slew of political discussion that will either enthrall or bore viewers. Seeing this film is really a question of whether or not one is prepared for the material and not a question of whether one wants a fun evening at the cinema. Lions for Lambs is a film that is intended to provoke thought, opinion, debate, and action. Redford’s film is not a film that is designed to divert attention from global affairs, but rather is a film that is designed to shine a light on the reactions and lack of actions on the part of the general public. It is a scathing critique, overall, but its uneven delivery undercuts its overall effectiveness.

Lions for Lambs takes the form of three interrelated stories and follows the characters through very basic scenes. Most of the scenes in the film, save the war scenes, are single-room dialogue-driven scenes that work through the ideologies that bring the war scenes about. Contrary to what a lot of the reviews say, Lions for Lambs does indeed have a structure. It is purposeful in its pacing and in its discussion of the ideologies, without question. The scenes cut back and forth frequently, highlighting various points and factors by providing a running commentary on the actions currently displayed by the United States on a global scale.

The first story involves two university students that follow the inspiration of their idealistic teacher, Dr. Stephen Malley (Redford). Arian (Derek Luke) and Ernest (Michael Pena) enlist in the military, much to the chagrin of Malley, and become involved in the war in Afghanistan. The sequences involving Arian and Ernest are the weakest in the film, as they are shot in an “action movie” sort of way and are often rather intrusive in terms of the overall scope of the film. The dialogue scenes between the other characters are much more intense, exciting, and enthralling in terms of pacing and action in the context of the overall film.

The second story involves Dr. Malley and a disaffected student, Todd Hayes (Andrew Garfield). This story takes place in Malley’s office as he meets with Hayes over coffee to discuss Todd’s attendance and dedication to his classes. Todd reveals that he has become disillusioned with political science and simply wants to be an “average Joe” to enjoy his personal happiness. Malley sets out to scold/inspire Todd in a set of scenes that reflect the overall intentions of Redford with Lions for Lambs. The idea here is to help Todd (the audience) overcome their cultural and political apathy by inspiring and coercing action in any and all terms. The “action” in terms of the characters of Arian and Ernest was to join the war - an “action” which Malley deplores and admires. The action in terms of Todd and the audience of Lions for Lambs is up for grabs as the credits roll.

The third story in Lions for Lambs is the strongest. A Republican presidential hopeful, Senator Jasper Irving (Tom Cruise) invites a reporter, Janine Roth (Meryl Streep), into his office for a one hour meeting. In the meeting, Irving announces a new war strategy in Afghanistan that proposes small troop units (like the ones Ernest and Arian wind up in) occupying small mountain regions before the Taliban can do so. As Irving reveals his strategy, a discussion erupts between he and Roth that highlights the role of media, the passive nature of mass media, and the role of government policies in shaping lives. It is an intriguing discussion that is well acted by both Cruise and Streep, as the script pulls no punches in creating an affective character in Cruise’s Irving and a sympathetic character in Streep’s Roth.

Lions for Lambs takes risks in its execution and, for that reason, is worth watching. It is a bold film that produces bold ideas and challenges key policies. Redford aims to provoke and challenge the viewer here, using a fictional narrative to innervate and energize his audience into potential action. The goal of Lions for Lambs is admirable and moving. The execution is, however, uneven at times. The strongest scenes are really strong and the weakest scenes are, sadly, really weak. This produces a feeling of misplaced apathy towards certain characters. I found myself losing interest during the scenes involving Ernest and Arian and found myself getting excited to see the next scene to feature Roth and Irving. As a whole, Lions for Lambs is heavily flawed.

The dialogue here is often strong, but often mediocre. The scenes with Malley and Todd are great examples of script failure. Redford is really good, while Garfield is wooden and uninteresting overall. Redford’s lines in the scenes are strong and poignant, packed with punchy resolve and a will for the future. Meanwhile, Garfield’s lines, while intentionally riddled with apathy, are so cookie-cutter and normative that one feels apathy about Garfield’s character’s apathy. Instead of willing Garfield’s character over the hump and on to something greater, the dialogue and performance by Garfield simply bores while Redford works his ass off to carry the scenes. Only during the sequences involving Cruise and Streep is true acting equality shown.

Lions for Lambs is a dialogue heavy indictment of American policy and a strong film in terms of its risk-taking and its effective viewpoints. The execution of the film overall lacks key components, however. With a stronger script and better performances, Lions for Lambs would be a significant film in the annals of cinema history. As it is, however, Lions for Lambs is an above-average polemic and simply an average film. It’s still good enough to recommend it, though, as I feel its importance trumps its overall execution.

Trailer:

Remembering me

I realized just this moment how important my blog really is. It's not just an outlet for the freedom of frustration expressed but also a "permanent" (unless you edit or delete previous blogs) record of the past you.

I have once again reviewed some of my past entries, partly due to a challenge posed my the boss of my boss and I came across the entry I was looking for. It was a post 6 months after graduating from college and starting work. It was about the mission and vision I had for myself as well as the Top 10 dreams I needed to fulfill my mission.

Mission-Vision Statement

To guide, inspire and empower myself and my circle of infuence in order to create a relationship of growth, understanding, excitement & fun.

I created this during team building session / leadership seminar we organized for the student council back in January of 2005 and comparing that declaration with my "Who I am?" in the last eLT meeting seems to be as far off as I thought I already was.

Who I am?

I am Fun-loving & Excellence. Around me, people achieve excellence while having fun. This is who I am and that is what you can count on.

I guess the difference with the me before with the me now is that I know that I have to start creating my dreams myself today rather than wait for other people with similar dreams to create it with. Besides, the chances of finding someone almost the same as me are close to impossible, considering the individuality of humanity. :) Also, they are my dreams not theirs.

Realizing that you are growing up does not really change the you in you. Your core will always be the same whether you are 13 or 53. That's my opinion anyway.

Below is my Top 10 Dreams again and I hope that those who get to read it would hold me accountable to each for the year 2008.

1. Fix my biological time clock.
2. Graduate on time. [check]
3. Build a house for my family in a nice village.
4. Thank people that have influenced & helped me in my life. [in the process]
5. Be a smiling face & a listening ear. [umm... is this a check? :) ]
6. Solidify CS department and students. [i'm losing on this one... :( ]
7. Pursue higher studies on something that would have impact on Philippine society.
8. Build a forest; be part of an environment advocacy
9. Become a teacher or professor.
10. Build that scholarship program.

I'm back at 1 out of 10 from 2 last 2005. More work needs to be done!

----------

I browsed through the rest of my entries and found one that I also found interesting. Makes you think, am I being one? Well, it is a continuous learning process. You do great things and you learn from the messed up ones.

Anyway, anyway... I'm living on a new theme for this year. Live life! Have a great 2008! :)

Live Life!

Just a simple New Year entry for 2008:

Live Life! Have a great 2008 everyone! :)

Continuing Saga of Tita Beth's Tribute

Back when I was younger, whenever it was Christmas, I don't usually think of Santa Claus or Noche Buena. What gets me excited is the number of presents Tita Beth will be giving me that year. It was usually 3 gifts and we usually get to open them close to New Year since the package arrives late. Seriously though, Tita Beth is like a 2nd mother to me, although she tops my mom when it comes to nagging me to wake up early or move faster or eat breakfast. That is why, I was glad that when I began to work, I did not have to wake up to eat breakfast early. That was when the early morning "Get up Get up!" calls ended.

Tita Beth taught me a lot of firsts too. She gave me my first "serious" books. Those were the 2 Hardy Boys. I remember her message in one of the books saying that she was proud that I started getting into reading and I should continue to do so. Of course, that was after the 4 Disney story books she sent which were really more of pictures rather than for reading. She taught me how to ride a jeep in Manila as well as taught me how to take the MRT when it first opened. She drove 5 hours++ from Los Banos to Mandaluyong for me when I moved to UPD from UPLB for a overrun bedding and a plastic pail that looked like it was at the end of its life. I really appreciated the help.

There are a lot of things I will definitely miss about Tita Beth. Her generosity and eagerness to help. Her kindness and helpfulness. Her discipline and being very hardworking. I mean, I realize that she did not get to where she is now in here life from just natural smarts and intelligence. She worked hard every day and was very disciplined. She taught me a lot of that when I stayed over her place during my internship in high school and during my first months of work.
Truth be told, Tita Beth has affected us all in more ways than one. I could have written a 12 page essay on each and every little thing that Tita Beth taught and inspired me but I guess an email that long would probably be hard to read.

Tita, I know that it’s hard not to feel resentful at times when being pushed a lot but know that we understand and realize that it’s not just that you are naturally bossy (hehehe…) but rather that you do see the whole picture; that you think of other people more than your self. That makes you special and that’s what would make me miss you most of all. A lot of my personal decisions in life was inspired and somehow affected by you and I believe that being able to do what I do now has been because of the way you live your life.

Tita, thank you for just being who you are. In so many ways, it makes all of us want to be more like you. I’ll miss you and I’ll see you when I see you. J God bless!

SOJA - Surf video

Amber Pacific - Gone So Young

Wala lng... Nagustuhan ko eh...

Amber Pacific - Gone So Young

meet Inday...

Dahil sa tindi ng kahirapan sa probinsya, namasukan si Inday bilang katulong sa Maynila. Habang ini-interview ng amo…

Amo: Kelangan namin ng katulong para mag ayos ng bahay, magluto, maglaba, magplantsa, mamalengke, at magbantay ng mga bata. Kaya mo ba ang lahat ng ito?

Inday: I believe that my trained skills and expertise in management with the use of standard tools, and my discipline and experience will contribute significantly to the value of the work that you want, my creativity, productivity and work-efficiency and the high quality of outcomes I can offer will boost the work progress.

Amo: [nosebleed]

Nakaraan ang dalawang araw, umuwi ang amo, nakitang me bukol si junior.

Amo: Bakit me bukol si junior?

Inday: Compromising safety with useless aesthetics, the not-so-well engineered architectural design of our kitchen lavatory affected the boy's cranium with a slight boil at the left temple near the auditory organ.

Amo: [nosebleed ulit] Kinagabihan, habang naghahapunan.

Amo: Bakit maalat ang ulam?

Inday: The consistency was fine. But you see, it seems that the increased amount of sodium chloride (NaCl) affected the taste drastically and those actions are irreversible. I do apologize.

Amo: [nosebleed na naman]

Donya: Bakit tuwing paguwi ko, nadadatnan kitang nanunuod ng tv?!

Inday: Because I don't want you to see me doing absolutely nothing.

Donya: [hinimatay]

Kinabukasan, sinamahan ni Inday si junior sa principal's office dahil di makapunta ang amo at donya.

Principal: Sinuntok ni junior ang kanyang kaklase.

Inday: It's absurd! It was never a fact that he will inflict a fight. I can only imagine how you handle schizophrenic kids on this educational institution. Revise your policies because they suck!

Principal: [nag resign]

Pag dating sa bahay, nandun na ang amo, galit na galit.

Amo: Inday, bakit nagkalat ang basura sa likod ng bahay?!

Inday: A change in the weather patterns might have occurred wrecking havoc to the surroundings. The way the debris are scattered indicates that the gust of wind was going northeast causing damage to the path it was heading for.

Amo: [napatumbling!!]

Amo: Inday, bakit binenta mo ung sira na silya?!

Inday: I have computed the chair's fair value less cost to sell, and the value in use using the projections for 5 years and a pretax discount rate. Accordingly, the value in use is lower, so I decided to sell the chair. This is in accordance with PAS18 on Revenue, PAS16 on PPE, and PA36 on Impairment of Assets.

Amo: [nagsummersaultg!!! Accountant din pala si inday…]

Habang nagluluto si Inday ng hapunan, malikot si junior.

Inday: Stop your raucous behavior. It is bound to result in property damages and if that happens there will be corresponding punishment to be inflicted upon you!

Junior: [takbo sa CR, pinunasan ang nagdudugong ilong!!]

Pagkatapos magluto, nanood na ng TV si Inday. Nabalitaan nya umalis si Angel Locsin sa GMA 7.

Junior: Bakit kaya sya umalis?

Inday: Sometimes, people choose to leave not because of selfish reasons but because they just know that things will get worse if they'll stay. Leaving can be a tough act, and it's harder when people can't understand you for doing so.

Junior: [tuloy ang pagdugo ng ilong]

Nung gabing yon, me nag text ke Inday. Si Dodong, ang driver ng kapitbahay, gusto maki pag text-mate.

Inday: To forestall further hopes of acquaintance, my unfathomable statement to the denial of your request - Petition denied.

Di nagla-on, dahil sa tyaga ni Dodong, nagging syota nya rin si Inday. Pero di tumagal ang kanilang relasyon, at nakipag-break si Inday ke Dodong.

Inday: The statute restricts me to love you but you have the provocations. The way you smile is the proximate cause why I love you. We have some rules to think of. We have no vested rights to love each other because the upper household dismissed my petition!

Dodong: Perhaps you are mistaken, what you seem to contrive as any affections for you are somewhat half-hearted. I was merely attempting to expand my network of interests by involving you in my daily recreation. Heretofor, you can expect an end to any verbal articulation from myself

Me dumaan na mamang basurero, at narinig ang usapan ni Inday at Dodong.

Basurero (sabi ke Inday): Be careful in letting go of the things you thought are just nothing because maybe someday you'll realize that the one you gave away is the very thing you've been wishing for to stay.

Narinig ang lahat ng eto ng amo ni inday.

Amo: { hinimatay sa sobrang nosebleed! Hanggang ngayon hindi pa nagkakamalay}

Si inday, sumulat sa kanyang inay ng mga hinaing sa buhay…

Inday: Dear mom, Had it been for the smelling salt, I must have collapsed moment ago. Junior has become a little monster me, Remember the head accident he had? As if it wasn't enough, he was summoned by the principal of his shabbily run academe. Oh, such an erudite bunch of baboons! I never thought being a governess can be such strenuous employ. Your daughter, Inday

The HK Trip

Got back from a trip to Hong Kong. Left at around 7pm August 9 and came back on August 12 at 4pm. I came back with the realization that HK was a wet and windy place to be... Must be raining every day... hehehe... Kidding aside, I did learned a lot from my experience.

1. From a practical sense, make sure that you check the forecasts before planning your travel; even if you plan it for more than 6 months ahead of your trip. :) Make sure also you spend your time well. When you book a flight, it's not just the PhP 1.00 that you should be looking at, you should also sometimes consider the time. It would have been better if you leave for HK in the morning and fly back to Manila at the evening, that way, the evening when you arrive and the morning before you return are spent on other things aside from packing and rushing to the airport.

2. When being a visitor in another country, we should learn to give some respect and appreciation of their culture. It is one thing to go and see the sites, and another to actually feel and be involved with everything else. One does not need to rush through every moment all the time. Sometimes, stopping to marvel at the difference is also an awesome experience.

3. You don't have to push yourself to much to get ahead. All you need is a little time and patience. You'll get there. Not as fast or as quick as you'd like but you'll arrive. What's most important is you get to help a couple of people along the way and never stepped on other people's toes to get ahead.

4. HK has an excellent emergency response system. When typhoon signal number 8 was hoisted, every store closed and every employee headed for home. Their MTR increased the frequency of trains to accomodate everyone, and their trains were at a 15 second interval. It was not a perfect system though, there were still long lines, but the point is that every body still got home much faster than what you'd expect some place else. :)

5. Filipinos are more tolerant and more hospitable with visitors than HKers. Important points for the Pinoys. Just my observation, in case some people might contest. :)

6. I liked Oceanpark a lot. Not because of The Abyss, which I was not able to ride even if that was the one thing I was really really really looking forward to, nor of any of the other rides which were all closed due to the typhoon, but rather it had much heart for really taking care of our oceans and seas, and everything else that lives in them. It felt great spending almost HKD 200 for something you know is worth it.

7. Disneyland, even if it is just the one in HK, is still A Whole New World! :p Brought out the kid in me...

Pictures and videos may be found on my Multiply. :)

The Middleman

When caught in between technical expertise and business drivers, it is frustrating getting caught in the middle of the chaos.

56 % Nerd, 21% Geek, 17% Dork

This is why I am sure that Toffee is not a normal Joe. :)

Your Score: Pure Nerd

56 % Nerd, 21% Geek, 17% Dork

For The Record:

A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia.
A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one.
A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions.
You scored better than half in Nerd, earning you the title of: Pure Nerd.

The times, they are a-changing. It used to be that being exceptionally smart led to being unpopular, which would ultimately lead to picking up all of the traits and tendences associated with the "dork." No-longer. Being smart isn't as socially crippling as it once was, and even more so as you get older: eventually being a Pure Nerd will likely be replaced with the following label: Purely Successful.

Congratulations!

Thanks Again! -- THE NERD? GEEK? OR DORK? TEST

Link: The Nerd? Geek? or Dork? Test written by donathos on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

each player of this game starts with 6 weird thing...

each player of this game starts with 6 weird things about himself/herself. People who got tagged need to write a blog entry of their own 6 weird things. They should as well state the rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave a comment that says "you are tagged" in their comments and tell them to read your blog.

1. When people ask me where I come from or what my hometown is, my usual is "NPA ako." No, I am not part of the New People's Army. NPA means, no permanent address. I have lived in Cotabato City, General Santos City, Davao City, Cebu City, Los Banos, Quezon City, and Makati. Let's not count the number of times we transferred from houses per city.

2. I started studying computer programming (yes, studying not playing with computers) at the age of 11. I first learned to program with GWBASIC and my first program was an employee record where the user is prompted for their details and displays them after. After GWBASIC, we did DBASE 4. I finished the top of my class. My classmates were twice or thrice my aged and copied from me during our final exam. :p hehehe...

3. I still have my gradeschool notebooks and quiz papers with me. I try to clean up once in a while but reading through them brings back old memories. I still have 4 boxes of them at home in Cebu. Im thinking of bring home the one big box of College memories but it's too heavy.

4. For weird, when I graduated high school, I unpurposefully found out my ranking in my class and in the batch. Out of 30 in our class, I was 15 and out of 90 in our batch, I was 45. Hahaha... Imagine being in the middle of everything. Coincidence? You decide.

5. People say, though I seriously doubt, that I look like Jackie Chan. Now they say I own an online Kanji translation website. See www.dsfy.com and you decide.

6. I'm not sure if this classifies as weird, but I have ran out of things to add. Anyway, I have been a stamp collector since the age to 12. I currently have 5 albums. One is a small album which I bring for show and tell. I expect to inherit my grandfather's stamp collection as well as my uncle's. I don't know how many they have but I'm sure its a lot. With the rise of the internal and email, I'm sure this will soon make me rich! hahaha... kidding. :)

Whew! Finally, 6 weird things is hard to reflect on. (Naks! Reflect tlga... hehehe...) Now, I'm tagging:

1. Alvin Uy (http://hellgod.blogspot.com)
2. Benito Ting (http://infernalmind.multiply.com)
3. Mhia Diola (http://miabaybeh.multiply.com)
4. Jan San Jose (http://breakofdawn.blogspot.com)
5. Alex Acapulco (http://alexdgreat.multiply.com)
6. BJ Torres (http://randmcnally.multiply.com)

To undergo transformation, transition or substitution

Otherwise known as "change".

Yet again, I find myself in a middle of a change and to once again decide whether this is a good thing or a bad one will be my choice based on what will happen in the coming days. Frustration often plays long hours in the mind of those who experience change, and sometimes a sense of uneasiness due to known circumstances that may be forthcoming. We'll see what happens.

Three days with a fucked up system with resolution progrssing very slowly and not knowing what to do and the future at the hands of another person... Sometimes forces a feeling of hopelessness and despair. Seeing no end to a causeless case that sometimes makes one wonder what drives people to work on such worthless trash.

But then, its all a personal decision. Circle of life, I suppose.

----------

My apologies for the incoherence of this entry... every thing will clear up in the end anyway. As Loony Lovegood says, everything has its way of coming back in the end... it only happens when you least expect it.

Sprain pain

This post seems out of date but I'll post it anyway. Got back from a summer trip to Boracay a few weeks back and it was alright. People might start saying that I wasted some thousand pesos for a trip to beach with a lot rain. Just to clear things, I did not go their for the sun. I have a lot of that already here in Manila. I really just wanted to get to the beach, rain or shine. It really does not matter, for me at least.

Some highlights of the trip though:

1. It's always best to have a Piso fare ticket when you know you'll be missing your flight. I got to the Check-in counter 30 mins before the actual flight. With 3 seats left and 4 of us that needed to board, the lucky person who had to rebook and add an additional PhP 1008.00 was the late comer that had to travel all the way from Diliman at 6am and faced the daily commuter traffic.

2. Five shots of Baccardi 151 = 15 shots of what Boracay's Cocomanga's had to offer. Got a free shirt and, supposedly, my name engraved in their Hall of Fame. Didn't get to check that one out though due to highlight # 3.

3. Skimboard until around 7pm on the last day of your vacation and stop only when you get your right ankle sprained. Just be glad though that you still had to ride more times than the person who got sprained on his first ride (ei BJ! hehe...). :-) Also, be glad that it happened on the last night. You did not miss out on the pasalubong shopping and good eat-all-you-can dinner your vacation mates enjoyed while you were in your room with a cold compress.

4. Walking on a sprained ankle the next day and catching a flight in the next 2 hours is tough! At least I got to ride wheel chair when I reached the airport, great consolation prize for the work I had to do going up and down tricycle, banca and van.

All in all, it was a trip worth remembering. I still got the sprain though I was able to bowl a 121 game which is good enough for me. Reflecting on everything though, at least I now understand why some people are scared of getting hurt. It's painful. But to decide on whether you prefer to enjoy that short moment of bliss and suffer a great deal or remain unscath for the rest of your life but never really fully enjoying all blasts of emotion even for that short period, I'd rather prefer to go sprained for 3 weeks.

I will have to save up this July. August will definitely be much more heavier on the pocket plus I can't afford to be late on that flight! :-)