Loryces Online

I ♥ Gadgets

2006-07-26T13:59:00.000-05:00

Had an exciting week, gadget-wise. Finally traded my worn out Treo 600 for a Palm TX. Very happy with my decision (although my wallet is saying otherwise). Currently trying out the Wi-fi connection. Had to buy a Netgear router in order to access the web--I'm actually blogging via my TX). Very, very happy. Giddy, in fact. Also bought myself a Garmin GPS navigator. Haven't had the opportunity to really test it out though. Still, I'm very satisfied with it. Next on my wishlist are Creative Zen Vision and Sony Ericsson W710i. Wheeeeeee!

Mumblings Here and There

2006-07-07T21:32:00.000-05:00

I think a blog break is in order. I haven't updated my layout for God knows how long. I haven't posted for 2 weeks, not even a measly hi-bye post. I haven't even thought of this blog for days. I miss blogging but I just can't find the time to really sit down and type out my thoughts. Either I'm too tired to log in or someone is hogging the PC *coughlizacough*. Haay. Anyway my sibs and I had plans today which of course did not push through because my car suddenly went kaput on me. It was a pity because we were planning on going to the annual Taste of Chicago in Grant Park. It's been months since we last went somewhere and I have no idea when our next trip is going to be. I plan to go to a handful of events in Chicago this year but who knows if we can go. Our lives have been busy enough without me feeling the need to go somewhere. Haay. It's just that I want to go to places I haven't seen and I want to do things I haven't done yet especially now that I have my sibs to do all these things with me. The past four years have been a blur and for the life of me, I can't associate them with any happy thoughts. Anyway enough drama. My sister suddenly had this bright idea... maybe I could call in sick on Sunday and then we could go to Grant Park. Oooh evil idea!

Ironic

2006-06-20T21:52:00.000-05:00

Been thinking about getting a second (part-time) job for quite some time now. Fortunately for me, being an RN in this day and age is very lucrative. I can afford to contemplate for a long time and choose among the myriad of job opportunities currently being offerred in the market. As of now, I'd like my second job to be somewhere that's not as intense as my primary occupation but still, challenging enough to make me want to continue doing it.

Well anyway, after much consideration and research, I think I found my second niche. Guess where I ended up? In a home health setting no less. Yeah I remember what I said 6 months ago about home health. I haven't forgotten it, mind you. I accepted the job offer because I think it's a good money-making opportunity that will still allow me to practice what I've learned from school and from the hospital. I know it's different but at this point, I'm welcome to changes. I'm all for it. :) How about driving, you say? Well that's another story and another blog post. Hehe.

I'm It!

2006-06-13T09:19:00.000-05:00

Tagged by Karen:

Instructions: Remove the blog in the top spot from the following list and bump everyone up one place. Then add your blog to the bottom slot, like so.

1. Superblessed
2. In My Pocket
3. Surreptitious Travels to the Moon and Back
4. :: scribbles ::
5. Loryces Online

Next, select five people to tag:
err whoever wants to answer

And now the questions...
What were you doing 10 years ago?
Probably getting ready for school - fourth year of high school. Wheeee!

What were you doing 1 year ago?
Summer classes for LPN. Yup didn't have a life then, don't have a life now. Can't complain though.

Five snacks you enjoy:
Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut, Village Creamery turtle fudge ice cream, McDonald's chicken nuggets, KitKat, apples (shut up)

Five songs to which you know all the lyrics:
the alphabet song
Happy Birthday
Twinkle, twinkle little star
uhm that's it

Five things you would do if you were a millionaire:
invest in businesses
buy vacation homes in Europe and New Zealand
take some classes, or probably get a degree, in Europe
go home and spend time with my friends
splurge!

Five bad habits:
being worried all the time, being lazy (which my family can attest to), procrastination, being impatient, being an impulsive shopper

Five things you like doing:
hanging out with my siblings, daydreaming, reading books, surfing the net, checking out and oggling over the latest gadgets

Five things you would never wear again:
blouses with shoulder pads from the 80s (same here, Ka!), white socks with Birkenstock, stockings with open-toed sandals, the preggy dress that was quite the "in" thing during the early 90s

Five favorite toys:
Treo 600, GPS navigation, our PC, my sister's ipod (hehe!), my brother's phone (hehehe!)

#######

Instructions:
The tagged victim has to come up with 8 different descriptions of their perfect lover.
He/she needs to mention the sex/gender of their perfect lover.
He/she must tag 8 more people to join this game and leave a comment on their respective sites anouncing that they've been tagged.
If tagged a second time, there's no need to post again.

Gender: Male

Must make me laugh.

Must be smart.

Must love Lord of the Rings.

Must have common sense because God knows, I forget mine sometimes.

Must be passionate.

Must love and respect me for who and what I am, not what he wants me to be.

Must have enough patience to deal with my moods.

Must have a good heart. :)

Err I tag anyone who wants to answer. :)

Postsecret in Chicago!

2006-05-29T20:39:00.000-05:00

From the Intuit Art Gallery:

An Evening with Found Magazine and PostSecret

Intuit hosts Found Magazine and PostSecret on Friday, June 2, 2006 at 7:00 pm with repeat presentations at 9:00 pm. Each presentation will feature both Found Magazine and PostSecret. There will be a suggested donation of two to five dollars at the door.

In early 2005, Intuit held the exhibition Found: The Magazine, The Stuff showcasing some of Found Magazine’s discoveries of lost or discarded notes, photos, lists and letters. The Found crew returns to Intuit on June 2nd as part of Found Magazine's Cavalcade of Thrills Tour "2006!", which they are doing in support of their second book collection, FOUND II. David Sedaris has called it, "A fascinating collection. It will break your heart." Co-creator and editor Davy Rothbart will present recently submitted finds, and singer-songwriter Peter Rothbart will perform songs based on found material.

PostSecret’s Frank Warren will present examples from his collection of anonymous secrets and also screen a video. PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a homemade postcard. Anyone is invited to anonymously contribute secrets to PostSecret. Each secret can be a regret, hope, funny experience, unseen kindness, fantasy, belief, fear, betrayal, erotic desire, feeling, confession, or childhood humiliation. Please visit www.postsecret.com to view examples of the tragic and wonderful secrets submitted.

Hurrah! Postsecret is here in Chicago!!

A Trip to the Garden

2006-05-24T20:19:00.000-05:00

Went to Chicago Botanic Garden last May 19. My sibs and I had a blast. Saya talaga! I wish my parents could have gone with us. Maybe someday when I'm brave enough to drive to the garden. You know me. Driving to any new place is enough to scare me. Anyway some pictures we took:

The English Walled Garden

The Heritage Garden

Enabling Garden

Click click for more garden pictures.

Days Off

2006-05-17T19:53:00.000-05:00

The good thing about my schedule is having 3 (and sometimes) 4 days off at a time. This week, I had 3 of them in a row and actually put them to good use.

Monday: I met my new dentist and surprisingly, I like him. He's very amicable and gentle (to an extent). His assistants were very helpful and cordial. Only grudge I have is the future dental work(s) I'm going to need: 2 root canals, 3 crowns, quite a few fillings, and a tooth extraction. Where the heck am I going to find the money to fund all these???

Tuesday: Went to see an opthalmologist. Good thing nothing's wrong with my eyes. I just needed prescription glasses which I bought yesterday. Didn't realize those things cost a fortune.

Wednesday: With all the expenses sprouting from nowhere, I decided it's time to find a part-time job. I visited a nearby nursing home, filled out an application form, and was interviewed on the spot. A second interview was scheduled for next week. Still thinking if it's all worth it.

Gosh, back to work tomorrow. Haaay.

Too Lazy (or too emotional?)

2006-05-11T18:53:00.000-05:00

Still here, don't worry. It's just that sometimes I'm too lazy to blog especially since lately, I usually talk about work. I'm not too keen on blogging about that aspect of my life. Don't get me wrong. I'm thankful I have a job, for apparent and not-so-apparent reasons. But right now though, I'm still very emotional about my work. Ever since I got off orientation and started working on my own (just last week, mind you), I could already count all my fingers in my hands how many times I cried over some stupid order or comment made by a doctor or some higher-up pain in the ass. I know I couldn't keep getting all emotional over this so I vowed not to blog about my job, not until I develop some sort of resilient armor and/or devil-may-care attitude. Gosh, can you tell I'm dreading going to work?

Anyway, in other news, my sibs and I are planning on spending a day in the Chicago Botanic Garden. I never went to the place and I wonder why it took me this long to think about visiting the garden. From what I read in their webpage and from what I saw in Flickr, it looks like we're going to have a grand time. We're thinking about going next week. Yey!

Catching up

2006-04-30T00:30:00.000-05:00

Yikes. After almost 2 months of no updates, here I am trying to catch up with the rest of my blogging pals. I'm just hoping they still remember me hehe. Of course I'm not wondering why readership is way down. Oh well what can I do? Methinks my being busy at work, my being tired after twelve hours and being unable to coherently blog may have meant a few of my "fanatic" readers haven't checked in as frequently (haha kapal). Anyway some quick updates:

my three-month orientation is up

I'm officially starting my career ON MY OWN WITHOUT A PRECEPTOR on May 1st (gulp)

haven't started reading for leisure

just became a fan of House, Lost, and Battlestar Galactica (the time that I should've spent on reading or blogging has been devoted entirely to watching DVDs of said shows)

currently planning on going to a select Chicago sightseeing tours with my siblings

also currently planning on applying for a second job

Yeah I don't have a life. What else is new?

THAT kind of day

2006-03-09T23:01:00.000-06:00

Dear Lord:
I pray for the Wisdom to understand my challenging patients; Love to forgive them and Patience for their moods. Because, Lord, if I were to ask for Strength I would beat them to death.

It's been THAT kind of day. This prayer goes out to my co-workers too.

Quick Update Before I Throw Myself on the Bed

2006-03-07T22:23:00.000-06:00

Sorry for the lack of updates. You would think, with school and boards out of the way, I would have all the time in the world to update my blog. Unfortunately for me, it's not time I'm having troubles with. It's lack of energy or rather, the exhaustion of energy after a week's worth of work. Anyway some quickies before I turn in for the night:

3rd week of driving along the highway - Nerve-wracking as hell. Just thinking about how I'm going to do that for a year or so is still enough to make my eyes water. Of course, that didn't stop me from speeding along the highway. I even found myself, an instance or two, racing with trucks and wanting to beat them in changing lanes.
Still can't believe I passed the boards. Even told a friend that I'm still doubting if I made it. Good thing for the distance or, I'm sure, she would bop me on the head.
I received my certification/application for licensure! That means I really passed! Wheee! Of course, additional fee is needed. Why am I not surprised?
I couldn't believe it! I'm not as prepared as I thought I would be regarding patient care. Nursing school has not prepared me for the real world. How frustrating! More on that on my next post.
Steve and Barry's is having a sale! All items for $8! Nyahaha! Ooops... Must... stop... myself... from... buying... too... much!!!
My feet are killing me. I think I'll be needing 3 pairs of shoes before the year is over.

Ahem

2006-03-01T15:20:00.000-06:00

Ahem, ahem. Please click here.

You know you make me wanna... shout!
Kick my heels up and... shout!
Throw my hands up and... shout!
Throw my head back and... shout!
Come on now! Come on now!
Don't forget to say you will!
Yeah yeah yeah!

A Weekend of Surprises

2006-02-13T05:54:00.000-06:00

(blogged through MMS)
This past week has been one exhilirating blur especially the last three days. Never thought I'll get through it alive. It's a week I'm happy to immortalize in my blog but doing so via MMS is, I think, belittling all I had to go through, when in fact it should be applauded upon (hehe yabang). Kidding aside, I'd just like to announce that I finally did it--I drove on the most dreaded highway. And that's just the appetizer. Will edit this post as soon as I'm able. In the meantime, you may now congratulate me hehe.

4-some

2006-02-09T21:11:00.000-06:00

Tagged by Karen:

4 jobs I had in my life
library student employee
lab assistant
RN(wheee!)
err that's it

4 movies I could watch over and over again
any of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Xena series
Phantom of the Opera

4 places I've lived
Marikina
Manila
Chicago
(hopefully) Arizona

4 TV Shows/Channels I love to watch
CSI
Oprah
Scrubs
Lost

4 places I've been on vacation
Iloilo
New York
California
Las Vegas

4 of my favorite foods
chicken
banana
chocolate
dumplings

4 places I'd rather be by now
Philippines, hanging out with friends
touring New Zealand
in the arms of Jason Statham
dining in Europe

4 bloggers I'm tagging
whoever wants to answer

Change of Plans 2

2006-02-09T21:06:00.000-06:00

Turned out I didn't have to choose after all. HR called a few days back and informed me that there's a position available for the day shift (7am-7pm) in the Telemetry department. Needless to say, I took it. Will start tomorrow and I'm scared shitless. Not because I'm a new orientee but because I have to drive. I know that sooner or later I will be driving to and from work but I was kind of hoping though that it would be later rather than sooner. Sigh. Gulp.

EDIT:
Update from WGN's Weather news

Nyahahaha saved by the snow!!! I guess I won't be driving this week.

Change of Plans

2006-02-02T14:04:00.000-06:00

The HR department of the hospital where I'll be working at called today and told me that I won't be working at the Medsurg/Telemetry floor as they said initially. The said hospital is reorganizing the floors and the staff. Most of the nurses working at the Substance Abuse floor will be transferred to Medsurg/Telemetry, hence all positions have been filled, leaving me uhm "floor-less." They gave me options but I can't decide which I'm going to take. Each has its own merits and drawbacks. I don't want to rush my decision because I'll be working at the floor for a year, maybe more. As a new grad, I'd like to maximize my resources and learning opportunities without sacrificing my social life (what social life?!) and my health.

OPTION 1
Floor: Telemetry
Hours: 7p-7a
Merits: It's what I like.
Drawbacks: The schedule is going to kill me! Plus, being a new grad and all, I don't think a 12-hour shift is a good choice for maximum learning and retention. Before you can remember all the names of the staff, you're between the real world and sleepyland.

OPTION 2
Floor: Medsurg/Orthopedic
Hours: 3-11p
Merits: I'd like to practice my first degree in a few months so this is a good area to start in. Also, no problem with the sched.
Drawbacks: Not all that interested in this area. Besides, I'd like to see my clients get better in a few days, not months.

OPTION 3
Floor: Diabetes/Oncology
Hours: 3-11p
Merits: The hours are fine.
Drawbacks: I don't think I'll enjoy working in this floor. Being a new grad, I'm squeamish about handling clients with cancer. Not to mention handling diabetic clients can be a drag. I'd like to take care of people who will get better not worse.

OPTION 4
Floor: Medsurg/Telemetry/Substance Abuse
Hours: 3-11p/11p-7a
Merits: Well there's Telemetry and Medsurg--a good combination for a new grad. Also, the sched is fine with me even though I have to work some nights.
Drawbacks: Substance abuse?? Honestly, I don't know what to feel about this area.

Sigh... so many choices but none that really fits what I want. Any thoughts?

Don't Eat Too Much Rice

2006-01-31T14:44:00.000-06:00

Forwarded email (via)

The human body was never meant to consume rice! You see, our genes have hardly changed in more than 30,000 years. However, our food choices and lifestyle have changed dramatically. The caveman would hardly recognize our food or way of life.

Caveman food was never cooked as fire was not yet tamed. Thus, he ate only those foods that you can eat without treatment with or by fire. He ate fruits, vegetables, fish (sushi anyone?), eggs, nuts and meat. Yes, even meat. You can even eat meat raw if you were starving in the forest. You have the necessary enzymes to digest meat.

However, rice, like wheat and corn, cannot be eaten raw. It must be cooked. Even if you were starving i n the desert, you cannot eat rice in the raw form. This is because we do not have the system of enzymes to break rice down. You were never meant to eat rice. To make matters worse, you not only eat rice, but also make it the bulk of your food.

In some parts of Asia, rice forms up to 85% of the plate. Even if you take rice, keep it to a minimum. Remember, it is only for your tongue - not your body. Actually, rice and other grains like wheat and corn are actually worse than sugar. There are many reasons:

1. Rice becomes sugar - lots of it
This is a fact that no nutritionist can deny: rice is chemically no different from sugar. One bowl of cooked rice is the caloric equal of 10 teaspoons of sugar. This does not matter whether it is white, brown or herbal rice. Brown rice is richer in fibre, some B vitamins and minerals but it is still the caloric equal of 10 teaspoons of sugar. To get the same 10 teaspoons of sugar, you need to consume lots of kangkong - 10 bowls of it.

2. Rice is digested to become sugar.
Rice cannot be digested before it is thoroughly cooked. However, when thoroughly cooked, it becomes sugar and spikes circulating blood sugar within half an hour - almost as quickly as it would if you took a sugar candy. Rice is very low in the "rainbow of anti-oxidants"

This complete anti-oxidant rainbow is necessary for the effective and safe utilisation of sugar. Fruits come with a sugar called fructose. However, they are not empty calories as the fruit is packed with a whole host of other nutrients that help its proper assimilation and digestion.

3. Rice has no fibre. The fibre of the kangkong fills you up long before your blood sugar spikes. This is because the fibre bulks and fills up your stomach. Since white rice has no fibre, you end up eating lots of "calorie dense" food before you get filled up. Brown rice has more fibre but still the same amount of sugar.

4. Rice is tasteless - Sugar is sweet. There is only so much that you can eat at one sitting. How many teaspoons of sugar can you eat before you feel like throwing up? Could you imagine eating 10 teaspoons of sugar in one seating?

Rice is always the main part of the meal - While sugar may fill your dessert or sweeten your coffee, it will never be the main part of any meal. You could eat maybe two to three teaspoons of sugar at one meal. However, you could easily eat the equal value of two to three bowls (20 - 30 teaspoons) of sugar in one meal. I am always amused when I see someone eat sometimes five bowls of rice (equals 50 teas poons of sugar) and then asks for tea tarik kurang manis!

There is no real "built in" mechanism for us to prevent overeating of rice
How much kangkong can you eat? How much fried chicken can you eat? How much steamed fish can you eat? Think about that! In one seating, you cannot take lots of chicken, fish or cucumber, but you can take lots of rice. Eating rice causes you to eat more salt.

As rice is tasteless, you tend to consume more salt - another villain when it comes to high blood pressure. You tend to take more curry that has salt to help flavor rice. We also tend to consume more ketchup and soy sauce which are also rich in salt.

Eating rice causes you to drink less water. The more rice you eat, the less water you will drink as there is no mechanism to prevent the overeating of rice. Rice, wheat and corn come hidden in our daily food. As rice is tasteless, it tends to end up in other foods that substitute rice like rice flour, noodles and bread. We tend to eat the hidden forms which still get digested into sugar. Rice, even when cooked, is difficult to digest.

Can't eat raw rice? Try eating rice half cooked. Contrary to popular belief, rice is very difficult to digest. It is "heavy stuff". If you have problems with digestion, try skipping rice for a few days. You will be amazed at how the problem will just go away.

Rice prevents the absorption of several vitamins and minerals. Rice when taken in bulk will reduce the absorption of vital nutrients like zinc, iron and the B vitamins.
Are you a rice addict? Going rice-less may not be easy but you can go rice-less. Eating less rice could be lot easier than you think. Here are some strategies that you can pursue in your quest to eat less rice:

Eat less rice - Cut your rice by half. Barry Sears, author of the Zone Diet, advises "eating rice like spice".

Instead, increase your fruits and vegetables.

Take more lean meats and fish.
You can even take more eggs and nuts.
Have "riceless" meals. Take no rice or wheat at say, breakfast. Go for eggs instead.

Go on "riceless" days - Go "western" once a week.
Take no rice and breads for one day every week. That can't be too difficult. Appreciate the richness of your food. Go for taste, colors and smells . Make eating a culinary delight. Enjoy your food in the original flavors.

Avoid the salt shaker or ketchup. You will automatically eat less rice.

Eat your fruit dessert before your meals.
The fibre rich fruits will "bulk up" in your stomach. Thus, you will eat less rice and more fruits.

Makes sense. Can it be done though? Hrrrmmm.

Scared to Drive

2006-01-27T13:06:00.000-06:00

I'm still too scared to drive. Every time someone asks me to pick them up or drop them off at a certain destination, I swear my hands go cold and I feel myself shaking. Sometimes I miss the days when I didn't have any choice but to walk to the bus station. It was tiring, mind you, but I didn't have to suffer any pre-driving anxiety. All I had to do was endure the 1-mile walk, wait until the bus comes along, pay for my fare, and sit contentedly. It was limiting, yes, but at least I felt safe. At least I had my comfort zone, my security blanket so to speak. But that's all changed. Now that I'm driving, I feel vulnerable and helpless. It's more than being outside my comfort zone. It's a totally different territory. It's my war zone. I'm so terrified of driving that, at this point, I simply refuse to drive if no one will accompany me. I know that it's my own fear that's limiting my abilities but I can't help it. I'm really terrified.

Prayer for Loryces the Driver

Please Lord, watch over me this day.
Please help me remember to watch all
three mirrors, six windows,
five faces, three lanes of
traffic and to keep a third eye
open for wobbling bicycles and
day-dreaming pedestrians, especially
teenagers wearing headsets who are
in another world.

Please Lord, help me hear all train
whistles, truck and car horns,
police sirens and my brother,
who bless his heart, have been
my constant driving guide.

Please Lord, give me a hand for the
signal turner, the steering wheel, the
route book, the windshield lever and
the stickshift.

Please Lord, protect me against my own follies,
foibles, faults, stupidities and mistakes,
as well as against those of others.
Protect my car against mechanical failures
and situations I can not control
especially the cold weather.

And Lord, please grant me the self-control
a steady hand and watchful eye, that
none shall be hurt as I pass by.

And finally Lord, please watch over
me so I can do it again.

modified from A Bus Driver's Prayer and Timid Driver's Prayer

Craving for Dumplings

2006-01-25T09:30:00.000-06:00

Do you ever wonder where our cravings come from? I'd like to know because I've had this intense cravings for dumplings for weeks. Almost every minute of every day, I wasn't able think of anything but dumplings: the soft wonton skin, the succulent meat stuffing, and the spicy/sour dipping sauce. Yesterday, my craving was so intense I decided to take the matter in my own hands: I bought two packages of pork and vegetable dumplings hehe! (And you thought I'd cook!) Well I thought about cooking a bunch of those darn dumplings (which means I'm definitely hooked on this particular Chinese dish) but I know I have to wait. I don't have the time to scour the markets for ingredients, let alone make them. Although I already picked a few recipes from the World Wide Web that would definitely appease my craving part of the brain (whatever that is) so the battle's halfway done. All I need is a couple of hours of free time and I'll be set. Too bad I can't even spare a few minutes to buy the ingredients. Oh well there'd be plenty of time for that. I can't wait!

Manny Pacquiao Won!

2006-01-21T23:46:00.000-06:00

I'm not really a fan of boxing or any other contact sports for that matter. I can't stomach the sight of punches landing on the boxers' face and head. Not only because I think it's barbaric but also because of the associated brain and facial damages it can cause. That's why I didn't watch the fight between Eric Morrales and Manny Pacquiao earlier today. I don't have the guts to watch the event unfold in front of my eyes. Of course, with my whole family (mom and grandma excluded) being boxing enthusiasts and big Manny fans, I can't help but be caught up in the aftermath of the fight. I ended up cheering for Manny Pacquiao, who won after 10 rounds. I can't really say how good he was because, for one, I wasn't watching the show the whole time (just parts of it), and second, I don't know the terminology. Oh well I guess it was a good fight because it kept my relatives off the couch cheering for Manny hehe.

Hurrah for Manny!

I'm Hired!

2006-01-19T16:27:00.000-06:00

Excellent news today--I'm hired! Aint it great!? I’ll be starting in the Medsurg/Telemetry floor in one of the hospitals in the Chicago area. It's a little bit far from my place but they have what I needed the most so I don't mind the distance. It's a big hospital so I'm hoping I could learn a lot in a short span of time.

I already signed the papers and I will start next month (Feb 6 I think). There will be 2 months of orientation--learning about the healthcare system, the hospital policies, methods of documentation, and whatnots about the ins and outs of the facility.

Yay! Two years of hard work and waiting have finally paid off. Now here's to more waiting and more hard work!

Leaving the Zone

2006-01-13T13:19:00.000-06:00

Gosh I miss blogging. It's been a while since I really sat down and ~~wrote~~ typed something. There were moments during the past week that I was itching to type but somehow my "freaking out" side kept on reminding me that the time spent on blogging should be used wisely, thus, my recent lame posts. Ah well, sometimes sacrifices are called for and I must answer. There really is such a word as priority(ies). Anyway, hopefully when I'm back online, I wouldn't find it hard to type about whatnots. Leaving the blogging zone can sometimes be tough. Once you break your stride, it's difficult to get back in.

And this goes to leisure reading too. I haven't read a book since November last year. I'm halfway through Jonathan Strange, on my first page of V for Vendetta and Watchmen, and almost done with 1984 when I decided to stop and be serious about studying. Of course, with all the information that has recently entered my brain, I might have to re-read all the books I started reading last November. Gulp, re-read Jonathan Strange?! Insane, that's the word. Well, here's to wishing I wouldn't have to do that. Of course, with my luck and forgetfulness, who am I kidding?

High Anxiety

2006-01-06T22:37:00.000-06:00

Main Entry: anx·i·ety
Pronunciation: a[ng]-'zI-&-tE
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -eties
Etymology: Latin anxietas, from anxius
1 a : painful or apprehensive uneasiness of mind usually over an impending or anticipated ill b : fearful concern or interest c : a cause of anxiety
2 : an abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear often marked by physiological signs (as sweating, tension, and increased pulse), by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat, and by self-doubt about one's capacity to cope with it
From m-w.com

What a way to start 2006. I'm currently in a very stressful situation right now -- looking for a job, meeting and interviewing with recruitment coordinators, and of course, preparing for the big exam. On top of it all, we are having some financial difficulties. Who said living here is a piece of cake I'd like to know. Sigh. I hope it won't get worse than this. I'm trying hard not to whine (too much) because I have a theory that whining really attracts the bad vibes and makes it all worse. This is probably the first time I'm actually looking forward to February.

Birthday Toast to Prof. Tolkien

2006-01-03T21:46:00.000-06:00

Every year, the Tolkien Society celebrates the birthday of Professor JRR Tolkien by raising a toast in his honor. Today, I bought a pack of Smirnoff and forced my siblings to join me in my toast to the Professor.

Maligayang Kaarawan* Professor Tolkien!

----- --
*Happy birthday in Tagalog

Happy New Year!

2006-01-01T22:34:00.000-06:00

May we have the courage to make things right, the strength not to quit, and the good sense to know that we deserve the blessings that come our way. Happy new year my friends!

------
Picture taken from this album

Summing Up 2005

2005-12-31T11:29:00.000-06:00

1. What did you do in 2005 that you'd never done before?
* Had a make-over, had a checking account, spent all my hard-earned money in knick-knacks and what-nots... oh wait, I've done that before hehe... uhm drove for the first time, got my license, had an accident for the first time, and called 911... hmmm, I also went to a concert and traveled to Indiana by myself. :)

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
* No New Year's resolutions for me, just goals

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
* No

4. Did anyone close to you die?
* Thankfully no

5. What countries did you visit?
* I did not visit any countries this year although I did visit Indiana. I'm hoping I could go to some places next year like California, New York, and Washington. :)

6. What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005?
* A real job and a place of my own. Oh I'd also like to have good sense (very important) when it comes to finances and incredible depth perception (for my driving skills).

7. What date from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
* December 15 (my graduation) & the month of July (when my family came here)

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
* Finishing 2nd in our class and getting a driver's license

9. What was your biggest failure?
* Too much buying from eBay thus not saving enough :'(

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
* Post-traumatic stress disorder from 2 road accidents hehe

11. What was the best thing you bought?
* My collection of Xena DVDs

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
* Err none that I can think of

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
* Mine. Ebay kasi ng ebay eh. :'(

14. Where did most of your money go?
* erm Ebay finds

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
* When my family came here

16. What song will always remind you of 2004?
* I can't think of anything

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? I don't know. Some moments were sad, some were so-so, and some were happy.
ii. thinner or fatter? Definitely fatter (ugh)
iii. richer or poorer? Err richer by 20 bucks

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
* Save, save, save!

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
* Splurge, splurge, splurge!

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
* With my immediate and extended family

22. Did you fall in love in 2005?
* No

23. How many one-night stands?
* None

24. What was your favorite TV program?
* My Name is Earl

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
* No

26. What was(were) the best book(s) you read?
* Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
* Didn't listen to any new artists; I'm not really a music buff

28. What did you want and got?
* erm, nothing

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
* Memoirs of a Geisha (I think it was a very honest and magnificent adaptation of the book)

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
* Spent it with my immediate and extended family; I turned 25 (insert flabbergasted look)

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
* If I had enough money in my savings account

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005?
* Daring... well, sort of. I'm still conservative but I'm s l o w l y letting it all out. :D

34. What kept you sane?
* spending time with my family (although it created some insane moments too)

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
* Scott Speedman

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
* Not interested in politics

37. Who did you miss?
* My friends, dito na family ko eh :D

38. Who was the best new person you met?
* My bosses from my part-time job. They were the best and I'm going to miss them!

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005:
* If you don't need it, don't buy it! (yep still an eBay reference)

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I turned left - but you turned right
only one way roads on this stretch of life
we can't back up or turn back time
you're out of sight - not out of mind
but you made a choice
so wave goodbye
I'm not turning back

Happy Rizal Day!

2005-12-30T12:38:00.000-06:00

José Rizal
The national hero of the Philippines

Merry Christmas!

2005-12-25T14:38:00.000-06:00

May the warmth and glow of the holiday seasons remain with you throughout the coming year.

And oh here's something I found from Cathy's website. So apt in today's world hehe.

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, our best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all . . .

. . . and a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2000, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great (not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country or is the only "America" in the western hemisphere), and without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith, choice of computer platform, or sexual preference of the wishee.

(By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.)

As she said in her latest post's title, Happy holidays/Season's Greetings/Merry Christmas/Happy Hanukkah/Merry Solstice/greeting of your choice! Har har!

Winter Has Come

2005-12-22T12:19:00.000-06:00

And so has the flu bug.

My throat hurts. I have a clogged nose. My body aches all over.

Gah. I hate winter.

No to Rape! (Reposted from Rej)

2005-12-18T01:06:00.000-06:00

A lot has been said about how to prevent rape.

Women should learn self-defense. Women should lock themselves in their houses after dark. Women shouldn't have long hair and women shouldn't wear short skirts. Women shouldn't leave drinks unattended. Fuck, they shouldn't dare to get drunk at all.

Instead of that bullshit, how about:

If a woman is drunk, don't rape her.
If a woman is walking alone at night, don't rape her.
If a women is drugged and unconscious, don't rape her.
If a woman is wearing a short skirt, don't rape her.
If a woman is jogging in a park at 5 am, don't rape her.
If a woman looks like your ex-girlfriend you're still hung up on, don't rape her.
If a woman is asleep in her bed, don't rape her.
If a woman is asleep in your bed, don't rape her.
If a woman is doing her laundry, don't rape her.
If a woman is in a coma, don't rape her.
If a woman changes her mind in the middle of or about a particular activity, don't rape her.
If a woman has repeatedly refused a certain activity, don't rape her.

If a woman is not yet a woman, but a child, don't rape her.
If your girlfriend or wife is not in the mood, don't rape her.
If your step-daughter is watching tv, don't rape her.
If you break into a house and find a woman there, don't rape her.
If your friend thinks it's okay to rape someone, tell him it's not, and that he's not your friend.

If your "friend" tells you he raped someone, report him to the police.
If your frat-brother or another guy at the party tells you there's an unconscious woman upstairs and It's your turn, don't rape her, call the police and tell the guy he's a rapist.

Tell your sons, god-sons, nephews, grandsons, sons of friends it's not okay to rape someone.

Don't tell your women friends how to be safe and avoid rape.
Don't imply that she could have avoided it if she'd only done/not done x.
Don't imply that it's in any way her fault.
Don't let silence imply agreement when someone tells you he "got some" with the drunk girl.
Don't perpetuate a culture that tells you that you have no control over or responsibility for your actions. You can, too, help yourself.

If you agree, repost it. Email it to your friends and family. It's that important.

End of the Road

2005-12-16T17:41:00.000-06:00

At last!

*****
(edit)

Sorry for the uhm quick post. I was too exhausted to write a complete entry about the ceremony hence just two words. Anyway last Thursday (Dec 15) was a blast! We had a simple gathering--30 graduates, their families, the instructors, and some volunteers. The ceremony lasted for ~30 minutes, including the speeches, the pinning itself, and the giving of awards. It was completely opposite from when I graduated several years ago from UP (which I think lasted from 8a to 12n, jeez). It really was short and simple, much to my amazement. Sigh I'm going to miss our group. I enjoyed studying in my school and meeting a lot of interesting people. I just hope we'll keep in touch.

Oh I finished second in class. Kind of surprising since I didn't aim for anything (except to finish the damn program hehe). Yay me!

Another accident

2005-12-09T09:56:00.000-06:00

I had another accident. Shitshitshit.

---

I really didn't want to talk about the accident. It was traumatic enough to go through one; it was another thing to have it happen again even if you're not in the driver's seat. It was yesterday morning when it happened. My dad was going to drop us off to school. As we made a right turn to Greenwood Avenue, our car skidded and made a 90⁰ turn, crashing into the car behind us. That's the other car in the picture--the driver's door was totally destroyed. He also had a flat tire. Our only damage is a broken front light. Why did we skid, you ask? Well, it snowed heavily the night before. It would have been fine because the streets were cleaned. But the sun chose to appear, melting some of the snow, thereby making it more slippery. Ayoko na grabe. My dad, of course, got the ticket. What's surprising is he wasn't given any options. The police officer told him to go to traffic court next year. What a great way to end the year and start a new one. Shit. I'm never going to drive again. Merry Christmas huh? Oh before I forget, are you familiar with the adage "It comes in threes?" Yeah scares me too.

Nakaka

2005-11-27T15:26:00.000-06:00

Nakakabagot. Nakakatamad. Nakaka ang buwan na 'to.

I found myself wanting to post but it seems I can't even be bothered by accessing my website let alone post in my Blogger account. It's not that I'm busy. It's just that I'm in my lazy mode and I'm having a hard time organizing my thoughts and posting them. Too much work at this point hehe. Well I guess I'll just leave a shout-out to my friends: HALLO! Hope you had a blessed Thanksgiving (even if we don't celebrate it in the Philippines! :)

I'm going...

2005-11-06T00:40:00.000-06:00

... to the Learning Annex Chicago Real Estate Expo!!! What a treat!

Must-see Videos

2005-11-05T19:47:00.000-06:00

If life has not been good to you these past few days, I suggest you take a look at some or all of these videos.

Video 1 Video 2
(via) (via)

Video 3
(via TV)

Enjoy!

EDIT:
Here's another BSB parody video ("As Long As You Love Me") of the two Chinese students. Mga walang magawa siguro ang mga ito.

ANOTHER EDIT:
And yet another BSB video ("Get Down") from our favorite infamous Chinese group.

Happy Halloween!

2005-10-31T17:27:00.000-06:00

Today's going to be my siblings' first Halloween. They're pretty excited because of the hoopla surrounding this occasion. Right now, they're at some celebration thingie I went to a couple years back. I didn't want to go because I needed to study (yeah right). Anyway I'm sure my photo-maniac of a sister will capture tonight's celebration for mementos. I'll upload them as soon as she gets here.

EDIT: Here are some Halloween pics my sister took.

TIME Magazine's All-Time 100 Novels

2005-10-28T09:12:00.000-05:00

Here's the link for TIME Magazine's All-Time 100 Novels.

Ngek. I've only read 3 out of 100 and my to-read list contains only 9, not including those I've read. The rest, I've never even heard of.

I guess I've been reading mostly crap the past 25 years of my life. Heh.

S/P Vehicular Accident

2005-10-27T20:20:00.000-05:00

Thank you for those who showed concern. I'm ok. I'm alive. I have use of my four limbs and the rest of my physiologic structure. I didn't injure anyone. The cars have not been totaled, thus, are drivable. All in all, it was a "good" accident. Of course, like all bad things in life, this accident has caused a tremendous amount of unfavorable consequences. First and foremost in the list is my drive to... uhmm... drive. It's like I lost something. Then again, if you look at it a certain way, maybe not. Maybe I gained something. I'm more prudent than ever -- about speed limits, stops, and especially left turns -- and I think I'm a bit more patient than when I was before the accident. Hmmm. Anyway aside from the emotional turmoil this event has caused, one other consequence that I have to live with is the paperwork -- for the insurance company, the police report, and my penalty. I mailed them today but I know for sure, it doesn't stop there. Sigh. I hate unfinished business. I hope this'll be over soon. Sino nga ba ang nagsabi na pagkatapos ng isang problema, maya-maya meron na naman? Nakakainis.

___________
* S/P means status post (following or after)

Shit

2005-10-25T08:57:00.000-05:00

I had an accident. Shit. Details later.

...

Well the worst thing (so far) that could ever happen to me happened today.

When I woke up, everything seemed fine. I don't remember feeling that something bad's going to happen today. In fact, I was kind of happy because I'm going to the facility I talked about in my previous post. I didn't have to go all the way to Zion and Waukegan. I didn't have to drive 120 miles today. I didn't have to panic 99% of the time. I remember reassuring myself that today is just going to be dandy. Little did I know that at the end of the day, I'm going to regret my decision. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

It was at the intersection of Elk Grove and Arlington Heights Rd when the accident happened. Both sides of the traffic were red signal. I slowly drove to the white stop line. When I was about 2-3 feet away from the stop line, my signal turned green. I stepped on the gas (but not too much) and proceeded to make a left turn. Before I knew it, I had rammed into the driver's side of a Pathfinder SUV who was on the other side of the traffic. He wasn't making any turns, just driving straight through.

It took me a moment to realize that I had an accident. I checked myself and yes, I was alive but surely nonplussed. I checked the other party. He was alive, thank God. Next were the cars. Mine survived, just missing a left turn signal. The other party's driver's door had a dent. Other than those damages, everything was ok.

I then called 911 and reported what happened. It probably took less than 5 minutes before a police responded but really, I felt it was more than that. He investigated what happened and we waited for about an hour before he let us go. To make a really stressful story brief, the police told me I got the short end of the stick. When you come down to it, it was basically my fault because I failed to yield to the other party. It was his right-of-way, not mine.

Sigh. Oh well... so much for a dandy day.

Anyway, the drive home was uneventful. Aside from a broken left turn signal and an irregular heartbeat, nothing much happened. I was glad I had one of my classmates with me. Talking to her made me calm. Yes, I did go to my clinicals. Insane I know, but I thought if I don't attend, I'm going to think about the accident the whole day. Might as well do something productive.

Well that was my day. I hope you had a better day than I did.

Chronicles of Narnia Trailer

2005-10-23T10:49:00.000-05:00

Wheeeee! A high resolution CoN trailer is now available! It's a Quicktime download and the file is 52 MB.

EDIT: (After watching the trailer)

Oh. My. What. A. Trailer.

It's nice to see some LOTR-esque aspects of the movie. :D

Click here for screencaps from the trailer.

So Long Condell

2005-10-19T16:57:00.000-05:00

I think this may be my last week in the facility I was assigned to for Home Health. One of my classmates, who was assigned to a parish nurse, complained that she's not getting enough clinical exposure. During the whole time she was with the parish nurse, she didn't do anything, not even vital signs. She asked our lead instructor if it's possible to trade places with someone who's interested in working with a parish nurse. Well, I volunteered to exchange assignments with my classmate. Not because I'm keen on working with a parish nurse but because the facility is located just 30 mins from where I'm staying. I'll take that any day over the one in Libertyville, even if I won't get to do much. Mahal ng gas eh.

Getting Better

2005-10-13T00:22:00.000-05:00

This week was a little better than last week. I think I was bit calmer and more excited about the prospect of driving than I ever want to admit. Sure it was scary. Everything's scary anyway when you're doing it for the first time. But after that, it gets easy (somewhat) and more bearable. And when you think about it, when you forget your fear for a second, you find that you're enjoying every minute of it. And I think I did... although the ride's still too long for my butt.

Speak Friend and Enter the Indiana State Museum

2005-10-06T12:48:00.000-05:00

After much preparation and anticipation, the Indiana Museum has finally opened for the Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy - The Exhibition, now on its final leg of its North American tour. This exhibit will run from October 6, 2005 - January 3, 2006. As far as I know, it's my last chance in experiencing the magic of Middle-earth before it's gone (or until such a time when the wonder is relived again). Hmm kelan kaya pwede? With so many school and work stuff to worry (and spend) about, the idea of going to Indiana for the LOTR exhibit is far from my mind (although not too far that I'm willing to ditch it). I just hope it's not too late when I order tickets.

I ♥ Home Health... NOT!!!

2005-10-04T15:04:00.000-05:00

"You gain strength, courage & confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do. The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly & without fear for newer & richer experience."
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt

I hate Home Health. This is by far the worst clinical setting I've ever had. Not that there's anything wrong with the nurses or the caseload but the mere fact that we are expected to drive to some God-forsaken place is enough for me to pronounce Home Health as my most hated course of all. What really riles me up is how inconsiderate our lead instructor is about our predicament. Is it too much to ask her to consider where the students are coming from when assigning locations and assignments? A peek at our addresses is not that hard. You would think it's a big factor she takes into account but I'm guessing it's not or I wouldn't be blogging about how I hate Home Health in the first place. Sigh...

You know, I really can't do this anymore. Driving to Libertyville, a 20-mile ride was a piece of cake (although I didn't think so yesterday) but driving from Libertyville to Waukegan and Zion is insane. We weren't allowed to ride with our nurses so having a car is mandatory. I had no choice but to follow her through expressways and busy roads and 60 mph-speed ways (and all those were first times for me). God it scared the shit out of me. I was crying part of the way (really) because it was just too much. I thought the drive to Libertyville was scary. Nobody told me it was the easy part and that there was more (hell) to come. When we were done with the last patient, my nurse told me that she's not coming back to the main office but will be going home. I swear I had tears in my eyes and through them, I asked her how I can get out of Zion back to civilization. Thank God her directions were not that hard to follow. I arrived at our home, safe and sound but emotionally and mentally scathed.

To think we have 6 more clinicals...

Oh God help me. *sniff*

______
*Picture taken using Treo 600

Newbie Driver

2005-10-03T20:49:00.000-05:00

I'm scared to death.

Tomorrow is our very first Home Health clinical. Tomorrow I'm expected to drive to some place I've never been to before. Tomorrow, I'm looking at a 30-mile drive (I'm used to a 5-mile driving distance from our house hehe). Tomorrow I will be driving by myself... and I'm scared to death.

Yes I passed my road test. Yes I've been driving for a while now (well, whenever I get the chance). Yes I'm working on my turning skills. Yes I can now drive for 30 minutes without the feeling of needing to stop and puke. Yes I know I should be confident enough but really, I'm not.

I'm scared shitless. *sniff*

A Fun Rotation

2005-09-30T19:32:00.000-05:00

Finally done with Critical Care rotation. Celebrated it with half of the class and a couple of our clinical instructors. I thought it'll be awkward for students and instructors to mingle socially (because it's unheard of in the Philippines) but it turned out ok. I've always enjoyed my instructors' company during clinicals because they were a hoot but listening to them while we were having dinner was really a blast.
I wish Critical Care could have gone on for 4 more weeks. Of all our clinicals, I enjoyed this the most. Probably because I'm more confident of my skills and of my understanding as to the whys and hows of the different disease processes. Or it could be because I had two of the wackiest instructors in the nursing department. Could ICU/CCU be my niche? I hope so. I need to find that out before I graduate.

Anyway, starting next week, we'll be tackling Home Health. Each of us is assigned to one nurse. No groups. No instructor hovering behind our backs. No staff nurse to orient us to what's happening to the patients assigned to us. And apparently, our instructors expect us to follow the home health nurse to every appointment she has for the day. Problem is some of the places are unknown to me. I don't know Chicago as well as I would like. I can drive to and from school and the mall (syempre) but that's it. I'm afraid of going into the City because traffic is as bad (or probably worse) as Manila. I could probably ask the nurse if I can ride with her. I just hope she won't mind. ;)

_________
* Pictures taken using Treo 600

Glamorous Life Indeed

2005-09-23T11:26:00.000-05:00

Didn't get to go to the Anansi Boys signing last Sept 22. Made me really sad. Of course Neil blogging about it didn't helpt one bit. He signed for about 600 people until 12.20am. Sigh. If only I saw my friend's email in time, if only we had internet at home, if only things went as planned, I would be blogging about how Neil kissed me (ehek). But of course, I can't get everything. At least I have Anansi Boys (which I borrowed from the public library) and Mirrormask (which opens on Sept 30) to occupy my Neil-deprived mind.

Effing Ridiculous

2005-09-19T17:29:00.000-05:00

I've said it before, I will say it again: THIS IS BEYOND RIDICULOUS!!! Neil Gaiman is coming to Chicago on Sept 22 to do a signing on his new book Anansi Boys. And once again, by a wicked twist of fate (or someone's cruel sense of humor), I'm unable to go. I don't understand it. At first, it seems the universe is conspiring in my favor:

Even though I have classes during Thursdays, we usually finish around 7 pm (was 9pm a semester ago). Signing starts at 7:30p. I might not be the first in line but I will have enough time to meet Neil.

I finally know how to drive.

We have a car, complete with that blasted insurance policy.

My brother or sister can accompany me; she can take my picture while I oggle Neil.

Anderson's Bookshop is merely 30 minutes from my place.

But of course, all these are rendered insignificant by my parents. "You can't drive yet." "You have to practice first." "" Ano ba? Nakakainis ha. How can I practice driving if you won't even let me near the car? Grrr.

You know, I think I would have been happier if the reason of me being unable to go to Neil's signing is something other than what my parents told me. It would have been less irritating... and less disappointing.

Trailers

2005-09-18T19:30:00.000-05:00

The trailers for Memoirs of a Geisha...

...and Harry Potter: Goblet of Fire are now available!

Skydiving

2005-09-15T17:54:00.000-05:00

I got an email from a classmate yesterday about her plans of going skydiving next month. If not for our financial need, I would jump (pun intended) at the chance. It’s one of the things I’d like to experience and cross off my to-do-before-I-die list but I don't think I'll do it. It's a pity really because everything seems to be falling into place.

Someone I know will be with me. I don't have to do it alone. Wouldn't you agree that it'll be nice to have someone other than the instructor to push my ass off?

It's a once-in-a-lifetime event!

I can sort of afford it (but I don't think it's a wise decision to take out half of my savings just for a moment of exhiliration).

I think the date is scheduled right after an exam, which is indeed a good opportunity to purge my frustrations.

Skydive Chicago offers tandem skydiving which allows the flyer to make the initial skydive with an instructor harnessed to the back. (I guess I can handle that.) Also, from what I read in their FAQs, Skydive Chicago is using all methods possible to ensure the safety of their customers such as computerized automatic activation devices (when you forget to open the parachute) and ram air canopies (which makes landing as smooth as possible).

Sigh. Enough reasons to try it right? Not. I can't do it, not with my family's financial status at the moment. I guess there's always next time. Wish I could do it with my friends when the time comes.

And so it begins...

2005-09-01T18:07:00.000-05:00

Last semester... yaiks the end (or the beginning - whichever way you want to look at it) is so near. I can almost feel my airway constrict, my bile rise up, and my heart develop PVCs¹. In a few months, my fate will be decided. I can't bear to look ahead and dream. Right now, I'm just focusing on passing this dreaded Critical Care subject and maybe after that, I can look forward to what's coming around the bend. I have yet to familiarize myself with the different ECG rhythms and differentiate which is which. It's pretty interesting really, as long as you don't muck it up in the exams. There's the V-tach (QRS complexes only, pt has no pulse), A-fib (atria's not contracting so formation of clots is high), A-flutter (sawtooth waves, I'm guessing mechanism is same thing as A-fib), and V-fib (no ventricular contraction, no cardiac output so perfusion to all parts of the body ceases). There are tons more; I would blog it but seeing as how confusing and boring it is, I might as well lose the few readers who still has the patience to drop by. *grin* Anyway, the other day, one of my classmates got a chance to rotate in the operating room and observe an open heart surgery. She was raving about it when she joined us for post-conference. It's a pity I wouldn't be assigned to the OR. O sya la na ko makwento. My thoughts are jumbled and I think this blog is all over the place. Let's see tomorrow if I can fix it. Too much info over a few days² ... sigh.

_____________
¹ PVCs or premature ventricular contractions - heart's ventricles contract too quickly, sometimes called a skipped beat; usually common when individuals are under a lot of stress
² Exam namin tom

Disconnected

2005-08-26T13:14:00.000-05:00

Been disconnected from the virtual world for more than a week... well, sort of. I get to go online only when there's school because we have no home PC yet. My sibs and I are reluctant to use our tita's PC because are cousins are using it. During work, I grab every chance I get to surf although there's not enough time to gather my thoughts and blog. I have so many things to type and yet too few precious moments to blog 'em. Anyway I just wanted to sneak in since today's a special day. *grin* I don't know when will my next post be. *sniff* I miss my blog.

Mobile blogging

2005-08-16T22:55:00.000-05:00

Testing mobile blogging via blogger. Hmm looks ok. Pwede na to if i want to post while on the go.

Tagged (again)!

2005-08-14T12:35:00.000-05:00

*sigh Tagged again! (Hey we share most of these seven things, Ka!)

Seven things that scare me...
1. Death of a loved one
2. Dying before I can do something really worthwhile (ie dying a virgin nyahahaha!)
3. Losing my eyesight or hearing
4. Frogs
5. Driving -- even a license won't take the scare away from me
6. Speaking in public
7. Staying in one place I hate (literally and metaphorically)

Seven things I like most...
1. Surfing the net
2. Dining out
3. Trying out new things
4. Books
5. DSL
6. Ebay
7. Chocolates
(8. Sunsets
9. Beaches
10. Caricatures
11. Movies)

Seven important things in my room...
1. my LOTR stuff
2. the alarm clock
3. my books
4.the lamp
5. my software CDs
6. the airconditioner
7. my bed!

Seven random facts about me...
1. I'm an ebay addict.
2. I hate orange-flavored chocolates.
3. I love Neil Gaiman.
4. I'm geographically and spatially challenged.
5. I'm a sucker for freebies.
6. I'm an ailurophile.
7. Sports and politics don't interest me.

Seven things I plan to do before I die...
1. Lose (a lot of) weight.
2. Be financially independent.
3. Meet Peter Jackson.
4. Learn a foreign language.
5. Go to Egypt (and New Zealand and France and Italy and Bahamas and...)
6. Road trip!
7. Go back home.
(8. Learn any kind of martial arts.
9. Learn bellydancing.
10. Learn real estate.
11. Learn archery and/or target shooting.
12. Experience extreme sports.)

Seven things that I CAN do...
1. I can bake from scratch.
2. I can create a web template in less than an hour.
3. I can perform blood glucose testing without being (too) squeamish.
4. I can now restrain myself from bidding on ebay thank you very much.
5. I can travel by myself.
6. I can spend my salary (plus savings) in one shopping trip.
7. I can dance :D

Seven things that I CAN'T do...
1. I can't sing to save my life.
2. I can't (sometimes) tell my right from my left.
3. I can't seem to NOT like chocolates.
4. I can't seem to lose weight.
5. I can't lie still when I'm sleeping (and it's driving my sister nuts hehe).
6. I can't drive (for now) because I don't have a car huhu.
7. I can't draw.

Seven things that attract me to the opposite sex...
1. Wit / Intelligence
2. Making me laugh
3. Tantalizing eyes
4. Good dancer
5. Kissable lips
6. Confidence (not arrogance)
7. Good manners

Seven things that I say the most...
1. WTF! / WTH!
2. Asar.
3. Sigh. / Haay.
4. Yeah right.
5. Talaga? / Really?
6. OMG!
7. Kainis.

Seven celebrity crushes...
1. Jonathan Bennett
2. Channing Tatum
3. George Eads
4. Gary Dourdan
5. Kevin Tod Smith
6. Christian Bale
7. John Corbett

Seven people I want to tag...
1. Janice
2. Rej
3. Data
4. Doc Emer
5. Pia
6. Angel
7. and Neil (hehe as if)!!!

If Only I Have Money to Spare...

2005-08-10T22:23:00.000-05:00

... I'd gladly bid for any of these auctions.

Imagine your name on any of these authors' books. What a treat!

Neil's offer:

My next novel will be called THE GRAVEYARD BOOK. It's a children's novel, and will be published, er, when it's published. Maybe in 2007 or failing that, 2008. It will have lots of gravestones in it. Your name, or the name of someone you love (who won't mind) can be on a gravestone.

Lemony Snicket's:

An utterance by Sunny Baudelaire in Book the Thirteenth. Pronunciation and/or spelling may be slightly 'mutilated.' An example of this is in The Grim Grotto when Sunny utters 'Bushcheney.' Target publication date is Fall 2006.

Amy Tan's:

Your name or the name of your choosing will appear at least once in my next novel (to be published in 2007-2008, but subject to date change).

For more info and list of other participating authors, visit Neil's blog entry and the First Amendment Project site.

Lookit! A license!

2005-08-10T15:56:00.000-05:00

Got my driver's license today. I never thought I would pass my first road test especially since I took it in one of the driving facilities that's known to fail most of its applicants. Most of my friends' friends took their exam in the Niles driving faclity. They reported to having taken the road test at least twice before they passed. I guess I got an examiner who's willing to pardon most of my mistakes. No I'm not being humble. I know I made a lot of mistakes--minor, yes but mistakes nonetheless. Besides, one of the things they look for in a driving student is a calm, stoic look. I *know* I didn't have that kind of look when I was in front of the steering wheel. I believe I was barely breathing the whole time the examiner tested me. Gosh, I was in a state of pure panic and anxiety, I tell you! Anyway I'm just glad it's over. Can't wait to drive by myself!

_________________
*Picture was "polaroid-ized" using this site.
*For more info on driving lessons and tips, go to Cyberdrive Illinois.

Tagged!

2005-08-06T18:13:00.000-05:00

Oh drat! She tagged me! I guess I should be thankful it's not more than 3 questions. :D

1. What are the things you enjoy doing even when there's no one around you?
I read. I dance (oh yes I do; I've always enjoyed dancing... as long as no one is around). I go to the malls and movies. I go to the public library. I walk. :)

2. What lowers your stress/blood pressure/anxiety level?
Sleeping! Nothing beats this all-time stress/anxiety buster. Oh, and exercise too. Hopefully, when I'm fit enough, my heart rate will lower down to that of an athlete's (I wish) although I'm not sure if that will take care of the stress or anxiety. :) Window shopping used to do that for me too but not these days. :( Prices alone are enough for my heart rate to skyrocket to the hundreds.

3. Tag five friends and ask them to post it in theirs.

Angel, Ina, Janice, Vei, Meann

Mga Simulain

2005-08-03T09:07:00.000-05:00

"Para akong bagong kasal," sabi ng Tatay ko pagkatapos naming lumipat sa aming bahay.

"Yoko na ate," reklamo ng kapatid kong lalaki, matapos ang isang buwang pari't parito sa school para sa mga requirements.

"Gusto ko na umuwi!" himutok ng kapatid kong babae, 3-4x/day, 7 days/week.

*buntong hininga* Ang hirap talaga ng buhay ng isang nagsisimulang pamilya. Lalo na kung dumedepende ka sa iba. Minsan naiisip ko sana wala na lang kaming dinedependehan. Di ka maghihintay para ihatid ka sa isang lugar na kailangan mong puntahan. Di ka mahihiyang bumili ng mga kailangan na gamit dahil alam mong ikaw ang gagastos. Di ka pabigat. Di ka palamunin. Di ka tatanaw ng utang na loob. Di ka masusumbatan. Wag sanang masamain ang sinasabi ko. Malaki ang pasasalamat namin sa tita pero minsan naiisip ko sana di na lang kami umaasa sa kanya. Maayos sana ang pakikitungo nya sa amin at kami sa kanya. Sa mga nakakaraang araw kasi, parang may friction sa pagitan namin. Siguro dahil na rin sa stress -- malapit na kasi ang pasukan nga mga pinsan ko tapos may plano pa silang mag-cruise papuntang Bahamas. Idagdag pa kami, aba eh kahit sinong tao mag-iinit ang ulo dahil sa isang maliit na bagay lang. *buntong hinga ulit*

Yun nga lang mas mahirap yata kung mag-isa ka lang dito kasi wala kang mapupuntahan o mahihingan ng tulong. Di mo alam ang pasikot-sikot sa lugar nyo. Di mo alam kung ano ang gagawin kung mag-a-apply para sa social security #, sa driver's license, o state ID. Di mo alam kung paano ang maghanap ng trabaho. Di mo alam kung sino ang pwedeng makapagkatiwalaan. Masisiraan ka ng bait kakaisip kung paano mabuhay. Wala ka pang makausap o mahingahan ng sama ng loob. Sabagay, kahit anong anggulo mo naman tingnan, mahirap talaga ang magsimula, may kakilala ka man o wala... lalo pa kung sa isang banyagang bansa ka maninirahan.

Maganda ang may pagbabago sa buhay dahil mas nakikilala mo ang sarili mo pero minsan, ang mga pagbabagong ito, they get to you. Sana lang makayanan namin to. Nakakasira na ng bait eh.

Forced Hiatus

2005-08-01T10:56:00.000-05:00

Don't ask me about what happened to my site during its 5-day hiatus. I could care less because it allowed me not to blog for almost a week. I'm perfectly fine with what happened--I'm finally done with school and the thought of going online to blog made me groan (yup that's a first). Although what happened this past week made me curious and, thankfully, Pia blogged about it.

Now I believe I have some unfinished business to post so hopefully, I'll be able to do that later on.

Crazy

2005-07-19T11:31:00.000-05:00

Crazy sched. Crazy week. Crazy family. Crazy all around.

Didn't have time to finish my previous post re: Gaiman signing (can you believe I'm still compiling???) because of the craze that surrounded me the past weekend. There's the usual school and work stuff--papers, care plans, exams, yada, yada, yada. But most of all, my family has been driving me crazy. Yes the whole family's here, my sister included, and I could never be happier... or crazier. Well it's not that bad really. In fact, at some masochistic level, I'm enjoying being nuts because of them, my mom included. We had fun arranging our new home, albeit their complaints of me having too much stuff (actually I'm complaining too--how could I possibly buy all those stuff???). I treated my brother to a Chinese buffet last Friday, and God-(and purse)willing, we'll be doing that again this week. I miss my sibs and it's high time I treated them right. Unfortunately, the fun stops at the buffet. I'm surmising we won't be able to travel much (well, me) because we don't want to miss deadlines re: school. Anyway there'll be lots of time for play.

Hmmm... I'm happy.

Balance*

2005-07-11T14:31:00.000-05:00

Once upon a time in the kingdom of Heaven, God was missing for six days. Eventually, Michael the Archangel found him, resting on the seventh day.

He inquired of God, "Where have you been?"

God sighed a deep sigh of satisfaction and proudly pointed downwards through the clouds, "Look, Michael. Look what I've made."

Archangel Michael looked puzzled and said, "What is it?"

"It's a planet," replied God, "and I've put Life on it. I'm going to call it Earth and it's going to be a great place of balance."

"Balance?" inquired Michael, still confused.

God explained, pointing to different parts of earth.

"For example, northern Europe will be a place of great opportunity and wealth, but cold and harsh while southern Europe is going to be poor but sunny and pleasant. I have made some lands abundant in water and other lands parched deserts. This one will be extremely hot, while this one will be very cold and covered in ice."

The Archangel, impressed by God's work, then pointed to a group of islands and said, "What are those?"

"Ah," said God. "That's the Philippines, the most glorious place on earth. There are beautiful beaches, rivers, mountains and forests. The people from the Philippines are going to be handsome, modest, intelligent and humorous and they are going to be found traveling the world. They will be extremely sociable, hardworking and high achieving, and they will be known throughout the world as carriers of peace and love."

Michael gasped in wonder and admiration but then proclaimed, "What about balance, God? You said there would be balance."

God replied wisely, "Wait until you see the idiots I put in the government."

_______________
* From http://rinapots.blogspot.com/

Inspired to Take Action

2005-07-07T19:56:00.000-05:00

Inspired by Julia Cameron's quote ("I have learned, as a rule of thumb, never to ask whether you can do something. Say, instead, that you are doing it. Then fasten your seat belt. The most remarkable things follow."), I decided to push through and act on some of the things I've always wanted to do. First on my list is learning how to speak Spanish. I enrolled myself in the first available class in Spanish 101 for the Fall semester. I know it's going to take a lot of my time away from my studies but I really want to do this. I may not have the time to do it after graduation so I guess, the best time to do this is now.

Besides the Spanish class, I also registered for the Real Estate seminar this coming November. Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki are two of the keynote speakers, and for them, I'm willing to shell out my savings hehe. I'm not really sure how I'm going to start in the real estate business. I have no mentor. I have not taken any courses regarding real estate. I know real estate as much as I know cars (which is nada). What better way to start than to hear it from the experts right? My only regret is I have no friends that are as interested as I am and who will be willing to come with me.

Next up, I think I'll work on getting myself enrolled in any computer class. Maybe next year when time and money permits.

Tardiness

2005-07-06T10:18:00.000-05:00

Tardiness can be a pain in the ass especially if you're at the wrong end of the spectrum aka the waiting part. Although sometimes, karma can intervene and the one being tardy ends up getting clobbered.

I had that happened today. I was supposed to meet my classmate at 6am near the Target store. Unfortunately, I was late by 10 minutes. When I got to the store, her particular red van was not in sight. I waited for 20 minutes before I started panicking. By then, I knew she left me and went ahead to the facility. I called my instructor and explained what happened. She was really nice about the whole thing and understood my predicament. However I still felt bad when I hang up. I was a wee bit disappointed in my classmate but very mad at myself. Sigh.

I'm sure there's a lesson there somewhere.

A Happy Month

2005-07-02T23:14:00.000-05:00

Things are finally starting to look up.

We finally have a definite date. My family's coming over this weekend! I'm looking forward to a very happy (and a long overdue) reunion. My sister might also be joining us in a month or so, hopefully sooner than expected.

Two more weeks 'til the release of Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince! I've already reserved my copy from Waldenbooks in Golf Mill Mall, although I'm seriously thinking of getting it from Ebay since it's way cheaper than the one being sold in stores. Hehe.

One week 'til Neil Gaiman's visit to Manila! Here's the final sched of events:

July 9, 3pm-8pm (Rockwell Tent)
20-minute book reading
Discussion / Q&A
Showing of 13-minute clip from "Mirrormask"
Book Signing

July 10 (Fully Booked, The Promenade, Greenhills)
20-minute book reading
Book Signing

July 11 (Fully Booked, Gateway Mall)
20-minute book reading
Book signing

The way I'm posting this news, you'd think I'm part of the Manila fanbase. *grumble* Ah never mind.

I scheduled my second driving lesson on the fourth of July. It's not really good news but since my stomach is not in knots at the mere mention of "driving," I would say this is not bad news either.

The Process of Learning

2005-06-28T23:07:00.000-05:00

Today, I study. I read my notes. I open my book. I analyze scenarios. I use critical thinking. And sometimes, I cram.

Tomorrow, I take the exam. I pray. I (try to) relax. I mentally go over my notes. I hope for the best.

The day after that, I forget everything. So much for learning.

Road Kill

2005-06-17T15:43:00.000-05:00

Had my first driving lesson today. 'Twas my first time to sit in the driver's seat, turn on the ignition, operate the clutch, and grasp a steering wheel. For a brief moment, I felt euphoric, which of course, turned to pure panic when my instructor told me to drive. He was sort of amused when I gave him a grief-stricken look. I guess he gets that from other newbie drivers as well. Anyway linakasan ko na lang ang loob ko, and boy, was I hilarious/scared/edgy or what! The first time I saw a vehicle approaching me from the other direction, I stopped in the middle of the road, thinking stupidly "Paunahin ko muna sya." The first time I maneuvered a turn, I almost hit a tree. And the first time I backed up, I think I almost killed a squirrel. Sheesh. And who said driving was easy?! Well I guess it is, once you've practiced enough. Haaay can't wait to feel confident enough to try driving in public roads and highways.

Fare Thee Well, Xena

2005-06-16T23:34:00.000-05:00

“Where you go-- I’m at your side.”

And so it ends.

I have finally seen the last season of one of the most ambitious and amazing shows in television, Xena: Warrior Princess. It may not be a popular show among Filipinos and some may disagree that it's good, much less amazing. Nevertheless this show has been close to my heart ever since its first stint in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. I can still remember watching the first episode of Xena. I knew I was going to like it. XWP has appealed to me because of two things: 1) Greek mythology and 2) a female action hero in television. These were enough to get me hooked for the next 2 years. Well two, not six years (the entire time it was supposed to go on air), because ABC 5 decided to axe the show. But that didn't stop me from being a fan. I constantly read episode guides from Whoosh and spoiled myself until I can't take it. I scoured the web for pictures about the show. I even joined five mailing lists just to keep me updated. When I migrated here in the US, I finally got my chance to own and complete my Xena DVD collection. And last night, as I've said, I finally saw the last episode. It's gut-wrenching, tear-jerking, and heart-breaking. Sigh.

It has been quite a journey for me. It may have been bittersweet to see them part in the end but I am still happy that I was along for the ride. Hopefully, in the next two or three years, the powers that be will grant us Xenites a Xena movie. Battle on!

CNN ba 'Kamo?

2005-06-14T22:55:00.000-05:00

When I opened my YM yesterday, an instant message window popped up. A friend forwarded a portion of a chat she had with one of her friends.

BenC: oo nga pala. cnn held a forum on blogging. very prominently, nadisplay yung isang blog sa global voices. kay lau pala yun (says data).
Yani: OWS? i didn't know that!!!!
BenC: over the weekend lang natelevise.
Yani: i wonder if lau knows. she hasn't mentioned it
BenC: i think they'll replay it. u should try to catch it. very interesting discussions on blogging vs. journalism
BenC: baka nga hindi. tell her na lang.

Gak! Can you believe that?!? Me! This site! CNN! Ano kaya naisip nila at na-feature pa site ko? It's not that attention-grabbing or attention-worthy. Aside from my Neil-related links, there's not much you can find in here... unless of course, they're featuring sites that should be avoided at all costs. But still, it's CNN *insert Yahoo's soon-to-be-included-in-version-7 longing smiley*. Very surreal, to say the least.

Yan ang Pinay!

2005-06-13T11:22:00.000-05:00

Yan ang Pinay! (or YaP!) is a movement of noble bloggers who hopes to improve the deplorable situation of Filipinas in the Internet. According to the website, when you type "Filipina" on a search engine, more often than not, you'll get a list of websites that have something to do with mail-to-order brides and adult entertainment sites. From Google and Yahoo to MSN and Lycos, even Yehey and Pugad, the listings yielded results that have something to do with dating services. Tsk, tsk. This is so not good especially if you're a Filipina. Yes, there are some who work in said fields but, as a whole, we are so much more than that.

So how can we help? How can you, as a Filipina, help in fighting for this cause? Quite simple really: just blog it! The idea is to blog/post entries about the many attributes of a Filipina. Sooner or later, search engines are bound to pick up these articles, therefore educating the world that we're not all desperate brides. Of course, links to dating services and adult entertainment sites will still be up but at least, we've redirected some of the attention to the other facets of Filipinas.

For more information, click here and visit Fabulous Filipinas and New Filipina.

EDIT: My sidebar has gotten longer (hehe) because I added a few Filipina-related links (links c/o missyosigirl). Please visit them!

I forgive you, Filipino *

2005-06-12T09:02:00.000-05:00

In my desire to clinically understand my own people, I'm afraid I sometimes have ended up doing some wrong diagnoses. It's a damaged culture, some say, and I find myself making a tentative concurrence (nodding in agreement like a jerk). We have a heritage of smallness, some say, and I give in to providing even more evidence. One of the things I somewhat regret having written in the past is this, where I argued that a large part of being Filipino is a kind of fatalism that can be either good or bad, depending on who's looking. I am not sure whether that point was clear, but the editor seemed to like what I said.

I've been arguing for and against the Filipino since then, like it's my own preternatural right. I'm no sociologist, but, armed with relative youth, I've been brash enough to lay claim to the armchair variety. There was a time I explained the Filipino to be a paradox, a kind of euphemistic way of saying how weird we are as a people.

There was also a time when I noted that Filipinos are neither damaged nor demented, neither damned nor disgraced, but are, in fact, proud and secure; they will ape whoever/whatever they want to ape and reject whoever/whatever they want to reject. Instead of being guilty of colonial mentality, Filipinos are in fact just being cosmopolitan and non-xenophobic; Filipinos are just being open-minded. Look at other people and compare the glaring difference. In the sin of ethnocentrism, we're certainly not the worst.

Today, in our people's __th anniversary, I hereby make this, uh, momentous speech of forgiveness because I'm afraid I have misunderstood my people. I forgot that my people are a young nation comprised of different warring tribes. I forgot that they have been (mis)treated as subjects by colonialists and supremacists, all seemingly ambitious and supercilious and presumptuous and greedy for power and mammon, although that was the name of game in all of parts of the world at the time.

I forgot that my people have been historically victimized and oppressed. I forgot that they have been wronged, and too unjustly so. It has occurred to me lately that they still haven't recovered from all that trauma. I forgot that they are still facing a lot of stupid injustices until now, even until now when constitutionalism is supposed to have been reinstalled, but democratic principles remain at best theoretical, even until now when corrupt politicians continue to betray our trust when we have given our due by doing what we are supposed to do in our own little respective capacities in the honest and best way we can.

Filipino, for all your perceived faults and failures, I forgive you. I am still proud that you've never been so ambitious to the point of being blind to your own arrogance. I am still proud that you've never been imperialistic to the point of being so inhumanely murderous. I am still proud that you've never been so envious as to gas an entire people to extinction. I am still proud that you are secure enough not to care about being tagged a copycat. I am still proud of you of so many things I can easily lose count.

I love you and I am proud of you, my little, humble, and gentle, but brave and gallant people. No one deserves to inherit the earth and its bounty better than you do.

------------------
*Reposted with permission from Resty
*Happy Independence Day, Filipinos!

Gotta love it

2005-06-11T16:06:00.000-05:00

Things I must accomplish today:
1. Compose and post my assignment in my English online class
2. Complete two study guides for renal failure and seizures
3. Create a study plan for my NUR 151
4. Study for a quiz on Medsurg
5. Prepare for NCLEX

What I've actually accomplished today:
1. Post this entry
2. Surf the web and check email
3. Post in different forums
4. Search and bid in Ebay
5. Watch behind the scenes footages in CSI

Procrastination... Gotta love it...

Schedule for the Neil Gaiman Event in Manila

2005-06-09T23:41:00.000-05:00

The Fullybooked mailing list finally released the schedule for the Neil Gaiman event:

JULY 9, Saturday:
- Doors to "The Gathering" at the Rockwell Tent will open at 3:00pm

JULY 10, Sunday:
- A Reading and Book Signing at Fully Booked Promenade Greenhills
(opening July 8, 2005) will start at 2:00pm

JULY 11, Monday:
- A Press Conference (by invitation) and the British Council Writers
Forum at the Music Musuem will be from 1:30-3:00pm
- A Reading and Book Signing at Fully Booked Gateway Mall will start
at 4:30pm
- Winners Dinner (Raffle and Art Competition winners) at 7:00pm

Other details to follow.

EDIT: I emailed this news to Neil and he posted it in his website. Stupid me, I forgot to include my name. I've been sending him lots of emails over the past years, with my name included of course. But when it mattered, when he finally noticed my email, I forgot to include my name! Anyway, it doesn't matter. I just tend to get hang up on things that don't matter. I'm such a dork. (Yeah right, who am I trying to kid? That's Neil for pity's sake!)

The Need to Get Away

2005-06-08T10:49:00.000-05:00

"To dream of killing someone, for whatever reason, means you are in for an emotionally stressful period..." - from a horoscope site

I need to get away from this house. I can't stand my cousin any longer. I fear that, if I'm not out of here by the end of this month, I'll hit her. (Actually I was both hoping and fearing for that day.) And I'm this close to my endpoint. Masasapak ko na talaga sya sobra!

I need to get away from this house. I'm bored out of my mind. There are still a lot of things and places I haven't seen here, I know, but somehow, I need a change of scenery. Or I guess just a change of people I interact with everyday (ie my cousin).

I need to get away from this house lest I kill someone (you know who).

The Gaiman Event in Manila

2005-06-07T14:54:00.000-05:00

The unsweetened, bitter truth: I'm envious of my friends in the Philippines. Especially now when preparations are in full swing for the long-awaited Neil Gaiman in Manila event. (This is probably the fourth time I badly wanted to be home.) The official mailing list for the event has posted mechanics about the planned drawing contest, the book signings, reading and Q&A portions, and a raffle *gasp*. I'm so jealous. If I were there, I'm sure I have a 1% chance of meeting Mr. Neil Gaiman since the population of pure Pinoy Gaiman-iacs is relatively smaller than the US-based fans. But with US signings, my chance is nil. I've never heard of a US signing complete with a raffle, a drawing contest, and a Q&A portion *sob*. More often than not, it's just the reading and/or Q&A and/or signing. No chance at all for poor ol' me to get to know my favorite living author. *sob*

Gosh it hurts not to be part of this. Pathetic as it may sounds but I'm a self-confessed Gaiman-iac and to miss out on all these is beyond punishment. This is pure torture. I think I might have to turn off my subscription on the ML *sob* seriously.

Procrastinating Packrat

2005-06-05T18:23:00.000-05:00

What's worse than a packrat and a procrastinator? I say, it's a procrastinating packrat. And I've just come to realize I'm one prime example. A disaster, I tell you!

I've never realized how much stuff I have collected for just over two years. Not only my toys and collectibles, but my notes from my classes as well. As of this writing, I have four binders and ten folders of hand-outs for the different courses I have taken these past two years (and that's after I purged some of my notes yesterday). I also have three (very thick) envelopes laden with 'important' documents, from my admission papers to immigration papers to whatever stuff I'm now unable to recall. And under my bed, I know I've hidden at least three plastic bags containing my physical therapy books. Not to mention the piles of letters and bills that I know should be thrown away ('cept for personal letters of course) because most of them were dated two/three years ago. Sheesh. What's worse (and funny in a way) is finding a pile of scantrons among my notes. Honestly, I have no idea what I was thinking when I saved them from my previous Child Psych course (that my brother would use it? jeez I guess I can be pretty stupid sometimes).

My email accounts are also not spared of this annoying habit. My main email account has probably hundreds of emails I saved from God-knows-when-and-who. Finished ebay transactions, mailing lists subscriptions, monthly newsletters, and group digests are the main ones I tend to save over the years. I just don't understand why--I've finished reading them and yet there's a little voice inside of me that would hold back and not click on the 'delete' button. Years later, I still haven't found any use for them.

All this packrat business is made worse because of my other annoying habit: procrastination. I've had the itch (to clean and purge and delete) but since I'm the procrastinator extraordinaire, nothing is done by the end of the day (or the year, shall I say).

Fortunately my boss (sort of) taught me that purging once in a while is a very good thing especially for someone who thinks everything should be saved just in case they're needed (who the hell needs used scantrons???). She also told me that if I don't know the use/purpose of a certain object, throw it. That way, you won't have to think about what's it for. I'm kind of practicing this attitude because my room badly needs it.

The Immigration Process

2005-06-04T22:19:00.000-05:00

Sad. The way our future depends on unsympathetic immigration laws, with the unfeeling bureaucracy behind it.

Sad. That the light we saw at the end of the tunnel turned out to be a heavy-weight freight train.

Sad. That no matter how much I love and miss my family, we must remain miles and seasons apart.

Just because we have to have the proper documents, go through the proper channels, wait for the proper authorities. Just because the dependents must be under 21. Just because the immigrants must prove they have an outstanding health record and financial support.

Stupid immigration process.

Time's up!

2005-06-01T12:09:00.000-05:00

My three-week-vacation is almost up (gak!) and I haven't done anything. My lecture notes and clinical stuff are strewn all over my room. I need to collate, categorize, and compile my notes in time for the boards. I also need to scan and read my books because, truthfully, I forgot most of what I learned last year, even last semester. My books (for summer reading) remain untouched by the nightstand. I want to at least finish 10 books before classes start next week (I'm up to my fourth one). Plus I haven't even changed my template, or my friends' for that matter. Sigh. I need more time.

Anyway I tried revamping my site yesterday and I almost cried in despair because none of the CSS codes are familiar to me. Huhu. I need a refresher but who's got the time? I promised my friend I'll make her another template and I haven't delivered yet. Sigh.

Aw shucks. I just remembered! I have to contact driving schools within the week and study for that blasted constitution exam the school is requiring us (non-US citizens) to take! Argh. It's the little things that make us crazy, I tell ya!

New Worlds, Neil Gaiman, and Other Geeky Stuff

2005-05-25T02:04:00.000-05:00

So another New Worlds convention has passed... without me. Sigh. Never mind that. I'm just happy TPTS pulled off another major event without as much trouble as the previous ones had (wala nga ba?). Anyway, if interested, here are some links (mostly albums) related to New Worlds 3.

An article by a TPTS member
New Worlds 3 pictures (lots of them!)

When will NW 4 be, I wonder. Here's hoping I'll be part of it.

Neil Gaiman news: My friend said Fully Booked will be sponsoring Neil's signings and readings during his stay here from July 9-11. Each fan will be allowed to bring 3 books for him to sign. Coincidentally, the Smoke and Mirrors paperback (Neil's compilation of short stores) has been released in the Philippines. If your pocketbook/purse permits, buy it when Neil comes to guarantee your place in one of the readings.

Chicago: Neil will be coming to Chicago for his Anansi Boys tour!!! Oh please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please let me meet him!

More news: Gaiman-iacs in the Philippines are invited to subscribe to the Fullybooked mailing list for the Neil Gaiman signing.

From Neil Gaiman's blog: A collection of postcards containing secrets from people all over the world. Very interesting. Most of these postcards, or rather the secrets within, are very strange, and very... I dunno... human, I guess. It's like a showcase of the very best and the very worst in all of us.

A Night with Keane

2005-05-21T00:48:00.000-05:00

One of my friends asked me to accompany her to a Keane concert in Chicago. I'm not much of a music fiend but I totally trust this friend of mine to have great tastes when it comes to music. My summer schedule wasn't at all interesting so I figured a concert would be enough to spice up an otherwise uneventful and boring summer. I've never heard of the band, and even though I'm wary of trying out and listening to unknowns, I decided to go. It's funny though, because when we went to the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago for the concert, I was unprepared, like a student finding out there's a pop quiz for that day. I never had the chance to listen to their new album. I didn't even know their names and who plays what, much less the lyrics to their songs. That's how unprepared I was. It was kind of embarrassing, to say the least.

Anyway we were one of the first people to arrive, hence, we got the best spots -- right in front of the stage. It was exciting -- my first concert ever and I'm right where the action is. We also found out that they were going to record the whole show for the band's upcoming DVD/new album. Since we're in front, we get first dibs. There was one moment when I panicked because I know the cameraman would like someone who can sing along with the band, dance to the music, or both. Of course, I had to do the dancing since I didn't even know the titles of their songs, much less the lyrics! Had to divert the cameraman's attention right? Picture me, mouthing words I'm not sure are correct, while undulating to Keane's majestic tracks. Lord have mercy.

Hilarious antics aside, I truly enjoyed seeing them onstage and joining the throngs of fans in screaming Tom's name and rocking along with them. I would surely attend another concert, if the opportunity arises once more. I even downloaded their album off of Limewire (and if the budget permits, I'm sure I'm going to grab their albums off of ebay *snicker*).

New Worlds 3

2005-05-18T14:29:00.000-05:00

Lucasfilm, Ltd., 20th Century Fox, Mellow Touch 94.7FM, Hard Rock Cafe, and the New Worlds Alliance, in cooperation with Neutral Grounds, Level Up!, Jollibee, LG, Fully Booked/Simon and Schuster, IBM, and GlobeQUEST bring you "NEW WORLDS EPISODE III: THE 3RD PHILIPPINE SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY CONVENTION". This event, hosted by Star Wars Philippines in celebration of the release of "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith", to be held on May 23-24, 2005 at the Glorietta Activity Center in Ayala Center, Makati, promises to be an exciting one for science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages.

Day One, May 23, is Star Wars Day! Attendees will get to witness and participate in many Star Wars-themed activities, and feel the Force of one of the greatest science fantasy sagas to date. Hard core Star Wars fact-philes may want to blast away the competition and bid for galactic supremacy in the "Grand Moff Trivia Game". Witness the heart-stopping live lightsaber fight demonstrations by trained members of Star Wars Philippines. Sit back and relax as you watch fan-made short films in the Star Wars Fanfilm Festival, featuring the works of talented local amateur filmmakers, plus the premiere of the fanfilm, "Twilight Jedi." Enrich your Star Wars knowledge by attending various lectures and discussion forums with topics ranging from costuming, collecting, visual effects in film, mythology, and literature. Feast your eyes on the works of local comic book artists, sculptors, painters, and diorama makers in the Star Wars exhibit; join the on-the-spot Star Wars Art Contest; and watch as a huge Star Wars mural to be created by Alfred Galvez and other mural artists, unfolds before your very eyes! Star Wars is also known for its elaborate costumes and the Convention is the perfect opportunity to wear one yourself! Come to the Convention in
costume and join the Star Wars Costume Play contest. If you are feeling competitive enough to win a podrace, you can also participate in demonstrations and tournaments for Star Wars trading card games, role-playing games, and various video games. Exercise your Jedi reflexes and watch out for more contests and activities to be featured throughout the day!

Day Two, May 24, is Science Fiction and Fantasy Day! This time, other members and guest groups of the New Worlds Alliance: Via Astris - The Star Trek Club of the Philippines; Pinoy Harry Potter; The Philippine Tolkien Society; The Pinoy Slayers - The "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" and "Angel: The Series" Fan Club; The Pinoy X-Philes; The Alliance of Eclectic Gamers and Interactive Storytellers (AEGIS); The Matrix Philippines; Arkham Philippines; The Philippine Highlander Society; Mechapinoy; Science Fiction Philippines; The Philippine Order of Narnians; CharmedPinoy; Wheel of Time Philippines; and Artists' Den; take centerstage. These groups have prepared
many fun activities and performances for followers of their respective fandoms. Attendees are in for a treat as more groups showcase their creations in the New Worlds Fanfilm Festival. If you are up for various challenges and if you think you can outrun the competition, then sign-up for the New Worlds Amazing Race! Catch your breath, then check out the Murder Mystery Role-playing Game, swordfight demonstrations, filk singing session, the Sci-fi and Fantasy Character On-the-Spot Art Contest, the Harry Potter Trivia Game, another batch of enlightening lectures and forums, and showcase your best live-action sci-fi and fantasy costumes by joining the New Worlds Costume Play Contest!

Level Up!, one of our event partners, will launch its upcoming games during Day Two: "Rising Force" and "ROSE Online". Level Up! will also be hosting an On-the-Spot Art Contest and the Ragnarok Online Cosplay Contest. Visit www.levelupgames.ph for more details on these and other upcoming Level Up! activities.

Hopefully, the Force is still strong in you on May 27, so you can join us for a rockin' good time at the Hard Rock Café for "The Revenge of Mos Eisley Night". Drink some blue milk while listening to the performances of Twisted Halo, Narda, Silent Sanctuary, Musings of a Cigarette-Smoking Man, and The Purplechickens. Make sure to keep your energy level on a high for the New Worlds Dating Game, and a Charity Mural Auction. Free entrance for those who come in Star Wars or any New Worlds costume.

In an effort to bring joy to less-fortunate Filipino children, the New Worlds Alliance is encouraging Convention Attendees to donate toys for the first ever New Worlds Toy Drive. We will be accepting new and used toy donations at prominently-located drop boxes at the Activity Center for the duration of the convention. These toys will be donated to Jollibee's children's charities.

For details of activities, contest guidelines, and more information on New Worlds Episode III, log on to: www.newworlds.ph

May the Force be with you all.

Done for the Spring

2005-05-17T08:15:00.000-05:00

I'm done... well, for Spring '05 anyway. *looks at previous posts* Wow it's been a while since I've updated this blog. It just goes to say this has been the busiest time I've ever had ever since I started the program. Glad it's over... for the next three weeks at least. After that, it's back to school again. I'll be attending two classes this summer so good-bye to beach resorts, theme parks, and even movies (although I guess I can squeeze one or two movies in between classes hehe). *sigh* I miss having a real summer vacation. Next year, I'm hoping I can spend it in the Philippines. *wink*

Good news, btw. My family is finally coming over! Their papers are now being processed and if things continue to look up in the way they are doing at the moment, I'll be with them next month. However, it's not all good news. My sister, who celebratd her 21st birthday last January, will be left behind. There are a lot of options we're thinking of but none of them appeals to her. Well, we'll see. We always get past this sort of problems. I just wish we can do it this time.

Ungrateful Brat

2005-05-16T23:26:00.000-05:00

Scene 1: Mom (my aunt) and daughter* (my cousin) arguing over household chores

Mom: You know, all I want is for you to obey me... to follow me.
Daughter: We don't want to follow you. Look where you ended up.
Me: *stunned* *thinking* What the hell...?

Scene 2: Dad (my uncle) and daughter* (my cousin); Dad scolding daughter for saying what she said (Scene 1) to Mom

Dad: We give you everything you want! Even the vacation trips!
Daughter: We don't want that anyway! It's you and mom who wants to go on those stupid f*cking trips! If you don't want us, then don't have s*x, don't have us!

Straight from the horse's mouth. God, what an ungrateful brat! I pity this kid. She doesn't know the sacrifices her parents made for them just so they can have the things they need and want. I don't know if she doesn't care or she's just mad when she said that. Then again, I've been hearing these stuff from her ever since I came to live here. Pity, that.

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* In case you didn't know, this cousin has been known to throw tantrums, insult people, and belittle FOBs (fresh off the boat -- a label she uses to call Filipinos na bagong salta).

Indiana here I come!

2005-04-21T23:09:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow evening will mark my first out of the state gimik... to Indiana!!! Almost a year ago, I posted about wanting to go. Good thing it's not our finals week or else I can just kiss the Indiana trip goodbye. However it's a pity not being able to meet Rej and Meann, both rabid SW fans who I know would really appreciate the convention... unlike me who's not really a fan of the saga. *big grin* I just wanted to meet some fellow geeks, not to mention to get out of the house hehe. Naiirita na kasi ako eh. I'm trying my best to cater to whatever they want me to do pero namaaaan, reklamo pa rin ng reklamo eh. A girl can only do so much, you know. Anyway before this post turns into a full-blown rant, I just want you to know that I'm really excited about this. I'm going to Indiana via the Greyhound bus and I bet, it'll be as exciting as the convention itself. Wish me luck to NOT commit any booboo. Hopefully there'll be free internet in the hotel where Oneal is staying so I can upload photos of our trip. Yep I bought the cam from eBay, which arrived yesterday (buti humabol pa). I'm not sure if I'm going to attend the Sunday festivities though. Maybe not... I wanted to see more of Indianapolis before I leave (God knows when's the next time I'll be able to do this so take advantage right?) so I guess Saturday's enough for C3. O sya, next post will feature photos and stories straight from Indiana.

Whatever

2005-04-17T01:16:00.000-05:00

It amazes me when the only person who knows me ever since birth doesn't really "know" me. *sigh*

To be continued... (I'm too sleepy to expound on my post)

Ebayers Anonymous

2005-04-16T13:03:00.000-05:00

So you want to know my status on ebay? Well since my last tally was ages ago with 30 bids on my name, I'll have you know it's now up to 90. Purchases not bids. Now you know any Ebayers Anonymous local groups? Please send them my way. Oh and some news as well (good or bad, it's up to you to decide)... I have a credit card now.

Angry Thoughts on my First Day Back

2005-04-16T12:09:00.000-05:00

Nothing like a bad day to make you post again huh?

WARNING: Very angry thoughts about certain people. Go away now if you don't want to be pissed off by what I wrote. Or if you don't want my goody-two shoes image to be tainted (yeah right - just trying to flatter myself, pagbigyan ako hehe).

Naiinis ako.

How do people expect me to go out and have fun when their idea of having fun is spending the day partying with people I really could care less about??? I'm not really close to these people and I'm not on the same page as they are, not to mention I've been constantly insulted by some of them. And to think, they're my relatives. Yes, you read it right. I don't want to spend the day with my so-called relatives because I think some of them are stuck-up, grade A jerks whose idea of a good time is making fun of the fact that I'm a FOB (fresh off the boat meaning bagong salta or from the Philippines). Jeez. Labeling Filipinos is one thing [that pisses me off], insulting me is another. Please people, grow up!

I'm really annoyed with my cousin right now. No day goes by without her insulting other people. "God, she's so ugly. Why would they pick her for that role?" "She's so fat just like you Ate." Jeez thanks. Sometimes I wonder if she does that to me in secret... insulting me, I mean. I wish... I fervently wish life will break her. Yes I am not ashamed I wished that for her so sue me.

Gagawin ko yan, wag kang mag-alala. Quit your whining at tumahimik ka na pwede?

Kung pwede ko lang masabi sa mukha nya. Grrr.

Hacked!

2005-03-16T01:35:00.000-06:00

Over the past few days, I have received tons of spoofed emails, pretending to be 'official' newsletters from eBay. I have successfully ignored all of them until one particular email caught my attention. It looked very ebay-ish (not to mention, threatening) that I decided to click the link included in the email. According to the email, ebay will suspend my account (I went over the limit) unless I sign up for this 'verification' thing. Of course, naive as I was, I clicked the link and stupidly typed in my username and password. When they started asking about my credit card, I got suspicious becuase I don't have one registered to my ebay account. Ebay should know that, I mused. Needless to say, I immediately closed the browser. Not 'til hours later did I find out how one spoofed email (and stupidity) can hack into your account. When eBay sent me a notice stating the change of my email address registered in my account, warning signs started flashing in my head. Uh-oh. I immediately contacted ebay and, bless them, they responded and changed my password and reset it back to my previous address. Whew that was scary. Serves me right, I guess.

One of Those Days

2005-03-15T08:56:00.000-06:00

Why do I continue to do these selfish acts? Why do I continue hurting, not only myself, but the people I care about? Why do I have to involve the people around me in my quest for self-destruction? Am I doing this to get attention? Am I testing the limits of the powers that be? Or am I just a self-abosrbed, masochistic bitch who has nothing better to do than go on a series of unrelentless, seemingly harmless yet notably dangerous acts of felo de se? I have no effing idea. Some days, I really hate myself... and today is one of those days.

Ang Dayaaa!!!

2005-03-11T23:41:00.000-06:00

This is not fair. It's so unfair it's bordering on ridiculous. Well, not really but the thing is, Neil Gaiman is coming over HERE in CHICAGO for the effing third time and I'm not entirely sure I can make it for his latest Chicago visit. His first visit was in Skokie (katabing barrio lang namin huhu) last 2002, when I was but a newbie Chicagoan. Of course, I didn't know about his American Gods tour because we didn't have internet connection back then. It's a real pity because it happened in Barnes and Noble in Old Orchard, a mere bus ride away from me. Harumph. His second visit (as far as I know anyway) was last 2004 when he attended the Chicago Humanities Festival. Being a clinical day and all, I was, AGAIN, unable to attend his seminar. I really hated my schedule and was in a bad mood that day because Neil Gaiman had escaped my grasp again. That's when I promised myself that next time he comes here, nothing is going to stop me from seeing him, blizzard or not. All's well, I thought, when I saw the schedule on the University of Chicago Art and Culture webpage. It's on a Tuesday -- my class ends supposedly at 6pm. However, after 2 seconds, I suddenly remembered that I have work that night... until 9:30! Tang'na, this is so effing unfair!

HP6 Book Cover's Out!

2005-03-08T20:19:00.000-06:00

The just-released cover of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

I've always liked the covers of the Harry Potter series (which is more than I can say for the story itself). Mary Grandpre's works have always fascinated me. Her use of pastels and "soft geometry" appeals to me. She gives depth to JK's characters, more than what I think JK credits them... I used to think that I'll be a Potter-maniac till I die. I was a loyal fan of the books (not much of the movies). I loved the story and the humor and (I think) the wit... until Book 5. JK stretched out the story too thinly, I thought. I was plainly disgusted with the series after that. But somehow, I feel a wee bit excited for Book 6. I just wish, when I read it, JK Rowling would draw me again to the magic of Hogwarts... before I truly turn my back on it and realize it's all a sham. I miss it... truly. Wag sanang masayang ang pera ko sa Book 6.

Interesting note: Mary Grandpre's email username is 'sabriel' which is really cool because I'm a fan of the Abhorsen trilogy and most likely, she is one too. Has she ever done any artworks, I wonder?

Oh Shoot

2005-03-07T19:04:00.000-06:00

I think I blew all my savings in eBay. Oh Lord.

I can't help it! Seeing all those items I'd never thought I'd find again or those cheap but fine jewelry made me go gaga. On the first day I signed up, I think I bid on 5 items. Second day, 15. On the third, I won 12 items and had 30 pending bids. Yes, 30. I can hardly believe it myself. I think I need to get myself a psychiatric consult for "eBay abuse."

Good thing my latest credit application got denied. As my friend said, me having a credit card takes "armed and dangerous" to a whole new level.

eBay's addicting!

2005-03-01T01:54:00.000-06:00

I can feel the surge of another incoming addiction -- eBay. I have no idea why it took me this long to try it out. Probably because I thought that credit cards and Paypal were the only methods of payment. Guess I was wrong -- personal checks, money orders, and certified checks can be used with some merchants. Uh oh. With my brand-new spanking checking account, I won't be surprised if my banker inquires about the "hyperactivity" of my account. Hehe.

Anyway when my uncle purchased a satellite dish for less than half the original price last month, I admit I was intrigued. I've been hearing a lot of the good deals made in eBay but I never imagined that buying something as expensive as a satellite dish is possible. I gave it a try -- there's no harm in signing up, I mused. Little did I know that five minutes later, I was bidding like crazy. Some of the gadgets I wanted but were unavailable in malls were up for grabs -- at insane prices! Jonathan Strange for less than a dollar?! An Apple iPod mini for $5?!? A PalmOne Treo 600 for $100?!? A Canon PowerShot SD10 for $170?! These are just too good to pass up. Then again, they might be too good to be true... well, I hope not.

EDIT: What I hate about this is the fact that other people can outbid you. (DUH!) Thanks to eSnipe, I can rest easily, knowing that it can place bids for the stuff in my eBay page during the last few seconds of the auction. Mwahaha, tingnan lang natin.

Saving Up for a Rainy Day

2005-02-26T00:36:00.000-06:00

I'm beginning to think my aunt was right about me -- that I was just some eggs-not-hatched-but-I'm-counting-them-anyway kind of person, never saving up for the rainy day but spending impulsively on things I don't need. I can't let this be. I have to SAVE, SAVE, SAVE! I can change. I can turn this around and never look back. If these things could only stop tempting me, I'll be ok.

Adding Favicons

2005-02-18T00:17:00.000-06:00

I've always wanted to create a favicon for my site. I just didn't have a favorite picture so I kept putting it off. Yesterday, I realized my picture in my Blogger profile would do well as an icon... and so I did just that. If you're using Mozilla Firefox, you can see my icon right before the URL at the address bar or at the side of the tab, if tabbed browsing is allowed. For IE, I think you have to bookmark my site first before you can view my favicon. Isn't it neat?

I got so amused with favicons that I decided to make more.

The fleur-de-lis (meaning "lily flower") is a controversial symbol that is particularly associated with the French monarchy. It's one of the symbols I find very intriguing... plus it's cute.

Ah, the ever ubiquitous yin yang... a well-known Chinese symbol that explains the interdependency between things.

A sunny icon... perfect for one of my friends.

For the Star Wars fan... Can't decide between Darth Vader, Yoda, or the lightsaber. I decided the stormtrooper helmet is a lot better 'cause I think it will be far more recognizable since it's an itty-bitty 32 x 32 pic.

For the Harry Potter fan... that's the best I can come up with. Suggestions for a Harry Potter favicon are more than welcome.

Of course, the One Ring... One of the first favicons I made today. I wanted to use this one but I figured my caricature would be cuter as an icon (hehe).

Another LOTR-related favicon, the eye of Sauron is another favorite of mine. There's something about this pic that would make a perfect favicon (I SEE YOUUU!). Hehe.

A coffee cup, perfect for another friend of mine.

Well I'm a Xenite so I had to include a Xena trinket in my list of favicons. Not bad, I think.

Borrowed this from a blogmate. If it wasn't for the fact that this pic is taken, I would have used this instead of my caricature. Cute eh.

To use these favicons:
Save the desired picture on your server/directory. You can also save them using free picture hosting sites. Be forewarned: Mozilla accepts file formats other than .ico but the other web browsers only accepts .ico files. Add the following code to the <head> tag of your template:

<link rel="SHORTCUT ICON" href="http://www.yoursite.com/favicon.ico">

Make sure you change the http://www.yoursite.com/favicon.ico with the picture's filename. Ta-daaa!

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* Pictures are taken via Google and "iconized" using Irfanview. Instructions in creating favicons, I'm afraid, will have to wait (if anyone's interested). Got homework to do so 'til my next post.

Inconsolable Melancholy

2005-02-13T22:21:00.000-06:00

I hate being sad without knowing the reason why. I can't fix it and I'm left wondering what it means and why I have those days. Yeah, yeah... I'm familiar with all that cliché about appreciating happiness more. It's what everybody keeps telling me and what I always tell myself. But I keep answering back -- is that it? Maybe there's more to it than people are letting on. Hah.

Don't mind me. I haven't had a decent conversation in a long time.

Greaaaat. A Sore Throat

2005-02-10T13:46:00.000-06:00

This is just great. After the hives and the flu, I'd done it and contracted a sore throat. Now this is perfect timing. My debate is tomorrow and I have a sore throat. With all these illnesses, I'd better lose some weight.

Sick with the Flu

2005-02-07T13:39:00.000-06:00

I'm sick. It's the time of the year when influenza viruses run rampant. Ugh. What perfect timing. This is one of those weeks when I badly need all my energy to study but of course, I'll need that energy to recuperate. *cough* *sneeze* *blows nose* Perfect.

Random Thoughts for the Week

2005-02-04T23:13:00.000-06:00

I really WANT to procrastinate. Just lie in my bed, with a non-academic book in one hand and a hot cup of chocolate in the other. Or spend some time in front of the computer, check my emails and mailing lists, browse the net for whatever, and chat with my best buds. Oh wait. That's what I'm doing right now. Hehe. Pero seryoso, ang sarap magprocrastinate but unfortunately I can't afford to. A paper due on Monday, an exam sometime next week, a clinical preparation sheet on Wednesday, a care plan on Thursday, and a (stupid) debate on Friday -- I don't think so.

My sister is currently experiencing what I had experienced when I was still under my parents' care. I hate my parents for doing that to her. It's enough that I had to go through life having been subjected to whatever it is, but please not her or my brother. I feel helpless, not being able to offer anything other than the factory-assembled, sorry excuse for comforting words but that's all I can tell her right now. So much for being an older sister.

I hate debates. I hate preparing for them. I hate speaking in front of a class. I just don't see the point of having one. Absolutely pointless and senseless. I hate debates!

Unang Sweldo

2005-02-01T22:18:00.000-06:00

Unang sweldo today nyahaha. I was delighted when I went to the bank earlier to cash the check I got from my boss. Took a lot of will and "Gollum-Smeagol" dialogues in my part to set aside 30%* of my salary to put in my savings account. Got even more excited when I counted the remaining amount. Of course, I know I have to exercise my critical thinking skills (ahem, ahem) when it comes to splurging "for the basic necessities." Hurrah for me!

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* I'm using the technique 70-30 -- I'm setting aside 30% of my salary for my savings account and the rest for spending. Let's see if I can stick to this plan. Gosh sometimes I wish I could just forget about saving and just spend all my salary shopping for whatnots. Sigh.

Itching Like Crazy

2005-01-28T19:01:00.000-06:00

I got the hives. It's usually a sign of an allergic reaction but as far as I know, I don't have any allergies. That's why I'm confused as to how and where I got it. I didn't eat anything that I haven't already eaten before so food as the causative agent is ruled out. I tolerate the weather well enough so that's crossed out too. I'm not taking any medications and we don't have pets. I wonder what's causing this?

Anyway even if it's freaking cold here, I'm going to take a nasty cold shower. I read somewhere that cold can help with the itching and I really, badly need all the help I can get.