~live~love~laugh~

Ddeokbokki (Spicy Rice Cakes)

2011-10-30T18:40:00.002+08:00

It had been a while since I cooked Korean dishes so when I checked on the chili paste I bought before, the expiration date is coming near. I'm going to waste another ingredient because I'm too lazy to cook. =S So I thought I'll give it a go, thank God for long weekends! ^^

When I looked at the dishes I posted here, I didn't find any entry for ddeokbokki but I'm pretty sure I had cooked that before. So I cooked it again today to get a picture and be able to post it here, keke. =P

Ddeokbokki is one if the most popular street foods in Korea. It's very spicy which is why it's not a favorite in our house. My family don't like spicy foods. =( I think Koreans like it because it's cold in their country and the spiciness can help keep them warm. I remember when we went on a vacation to Korea before, my brother got all sweaty in the middle if winter while eating ddeokbokki, LOL! =P

Carrot Cupcakes ^^

2011-08-07T22:57:00.004+08:00

It has been a loooooooong time since I last baked. Even this time, it's not planned but I just thought I need to use the stuff I bought a long time ago before it rot, lol! XD

Months ago, I came across the muffin pan that I've been wanting to buy for a long time. It just so happen that I'm filling in on the minimum purchase of my card to get my membership fee waived to I finally bought it! =)

I also bought cinnamon powder a couple of months back because I was supposed to bake coffee buns as requested by my brother. But then I saw a coffee bun shop while walking around the mall and I just bought some home. =P Then my mom saw a nice container that comes with the flour, so I said she better buy it, I can use the flour when I bake some cookies. Then my aunt gave my mom a pack of walnuts that she haven't eaten for a long time. We also bought carrots and apple for vegetable juice.

So there, I got everything I need without actually intending to, keke. ^^ So I thought, this is a message for me to bake carrot cupcakes and it's my first time. =) I got the recipe from here >> Carrot Muffin Recipe.

Kimchi Jjigae (Kimchi Stew)

2011-02-19T21:21:00.003+08:00

Haven't cook Korean dishes for a long time so I tried it again. This time it's Kimchi Jjigae, one of our favorite food when me and my friends go to Korea. It's not perfect because the kimchi I bought is the bottled one from the supermarket, not the best one there is. =S But my mom and dad ate it and the only complaint is it's too hot so I guess it's ok, keke... ^^

Doenjang Jjigae (Soybean Paste Stew)

2010-09-23T21:20:00.003+08:00

Yes, another jjigae and this time it's not as spicy as Kimchi Jjigae or Boodae Jjigae because it's stew made from soybean paste. It's still a bit spicy since Korean taste is always spicy but it's better for my parents since they don't eat a lot of spicy food.

What to cook next? =)

Boodae Jjigae (Army Base Stew)

2010-08-29T14:34:00.003+08:00

Boodae Jjigae or Army base stew is similar to Kimchi jjigae but with ham and hotdog. I heard that it became popular during the time when American army were staying in Korea and are not used to Korean food so they added ham and sausages in their jjigae.

I personally love this dish! It's so Korean but still have the taste we are very familiar with. =)

Yangnyeom Dak (Fried Chicken w/ Sauce)

2010-07-17T13:29:00.003+08:00

I woke up just in time to cook lunch today and I cooked Yangnyeom Dak. It's Korean style fried chicken with sweet and sour sauce. Chinese style sweet and sour dish usually uses pork or fish fillet but this time, it's chicken. Fried chicken from fast foods in our country usually have gravy for sauce, but the korean fried chicken uses a sweet and sour sauce to coat their chicken.

It's yummy and it's easy so go ahead and try it! ^^

Time Flies ~

2010-07-02T23:49:00.001+08:00

I didn't realize that it's the middle of 2010 already and I haven't written anything about my thoughts this year in my blog. It's been a very busy year for me, at work and outside work. I felt busier because I feel that I don't have enough time to do everything I want to do.

What are the things I've done this year so far? I've been to Singapore to visit a very good friend. I was able to go on a weekend vacation with my family to Baguio, after a loooong time. I'm happiest when I travel, specially with family and friends. I wish to do this more, and more... I've learned to cook Korean food! Which is what my blog has most of this year, pictures of my trials and errors. XD I love Korean food and I sure I can survive eating Korean food everyday. =)

I've grown older but age doesn't seem to bother me any more. It's just a number I've learned to ignore, lol! XD But what I noticed more lately is I've been feeling more alone. I'm still surrounded with friends and family but I seem to miss them a lot lately. I look forward to spending more and more time with them. Is this a sign of old age? =P I think I've come at a stage in my life that I value people that I love so much more than I ever had. I want them all to know that I love them very much.

Lord, thank you for my family and friends. Thank you for making me feel Your great love through them. Protect them and always keep them healthy. May the rest of my 2010 be more than I can ever expect. Surprise me Lord, You always do! =) Praise to you Lord and to you be all the glory.

Kimchi Pajeon (Kimchi Pancake)

2010-07-02T23:33:00.003+08:00

Kimchi Pajeon or Kimchi Pancake is a nice side dish with all the spicy Korean food we eat in a meal. It's not so spicy that it helps ease the hotness in our tongue while eating. =)

I followed it from a recipe I got online but I find it a bit bland for my taste. I should've added more kimchi to make it tastier. I'll try doing the seafood pancake next time with squid, shrimps and green onions. ^^

Kimbap - Korean Sushi

2010-05-23T20:00:00.003+08:00

I've been making Kimbap since I bought a sushi mat from the supermarket last year but this time, I think I've finally made the tastiest batch. =)

I made two kinds of Kimbap, tuna kimbap and ham kimbap. I think the one with ham is the common one in Korea but I didn't use Korean ham though, I used spam which made my kimbap tastier. ^^

My take on Japchae

2010-05-15T20:48:00.002+08:00

I again tried my hand on Korean cooking, this time it's Japchae. It's cellophane noodles with vegetables. Here in the Philippines, we call it sotanghon, lol! XD The difference is we cook everything together while the Korean way is to cook the ingredients separately and mix them all together by hand.

It's not as good as the original because I made mine too sweet. At least I know now to lessen the sugar because Korean cooking is just way too sweet for my family. ^^

Korean Cooking ^^

2010-05-08T17:10:00.006+08:00

I've been trying to do some Korean cooking and these are some that I tried... =)
Cheese Ramyun - just the ordinary Korean ramyun from the package then added cheese on top... lessens the spiciness and double the yumminess. ^_^

Ddeokggochi (spicy rice cakes in skewers) - I made this less spicy since the Korean taste is a bit too much for my family. Yummy! =)

Fried Fish Cakes in Soy Sauce - this one is not spicy at all. A nice side dish for every meal. ^^

I've also tried Ddeokbokki and Dak Galbi but wasn't able to get pictures of them. They were too spicy for us that my mom tried fixing it resulting to a totally different dish all together, LOL! XD

I'm not really a very good cook, I just followed the recipe from youtube. ^^

[Movie] The Blind Side

2010-04-02T08:58:00.003+08:00

Definitely one of the best movies I've watched recently. The acting is great and the story is just superb! Something that I've always liked, a feel good movie that has a heart.

The movie made me cry even in scenes that the actors are not crying. It's just so heart warming to think that there are such kind people in this world. So kind that color or appearance was not an issue for them. Not even society had any hold on the kindness they showed which changed one person's life totally.

A very inspiring story that is truly worth watching! =)

[Book] Eclipse

2009-11-06T08:34:00.001+08:00

So glad this one's better than the previous book, New Moon. That book made me lose faith in Stephenie Meyer all together. But because my friends are big fans of the Twilight Saga, I thought I'd finish the whole series just because I don't want to leave things unfinished. =S

This book is more exciting and more love involved. But Meyer just have to ruin it for me with the last part of the book by making Bella a two-timing vampire-wannabe. Yes, I'm not a big fan of Bella after this. I don't think she deserves to have the love of two good men that loves her oh so much.

But she's the heroine so let it be. I just wish Jacob will finally find the person he will stamp to be his partner for life, I feel so sorry for him, he's miserable! =S

[Movie] The Proposal

2009-11-05T08:23:00.005+08:00

I was on a dvd movie spree a few weeks ago. I watched about 5 movies straight and this one win it for me! ^_^ Just when I thought I'm so over all the romantic comedies, "The Proposal" does it again to me.

I used to really love romantic comedies for the simple reason that I'm a romantic and I like to laugh. But being single and having no love life makes one somewhat cynical in this world full of love birds flying all around you. For a time there, I forgot what romantic is and all that sweet lovey dovey couples started to annoy me. LOL! XD

But whatever, I still love to laugh which is why I watched this movie and I'm not sorry, I love it!!! I just wish the romance will come to my life before the weak fire that kept me hoping for a love story of my own got completely snuffed off. ^^

[Book] New Moon

2009-07-21T09:59:00.003+08:00

Where is Edward?! This book focused more on Jacob and I don't know if he has many fans but it sure is his time to shine. I think the last few chapters are the high light, it's where the action is and that would be what I'll be looking forward to in the movie (and the same with most Edward Cullen fans I'm sure!).

I just hope they would get a taller Jacob for the movie because the Jacob in the 1st Twilight movie is too short to be a werewolf. He has to at least be a few inches taller than Edward to look more scary.

Anyways, I'm looking forward to the movie and hope I'll get more than what I got from this book. =S

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

2009-07-19T20:28:00.004+08:00

I'm not one to watch movies in the movie house. I usually watch my movies at the comfort of my room with my dependable dvd player. ^^ So I surprised even myself that I managed to watch Transformers a couple of weeks back and now Harry Potter. Thanks to my good friends for inviting me to watch with them. =) Not having a boyfriend do have it's down sometimes, no movie companion for me since my friends watch with their other halves. Oh well, that's life haha!

Now for the movie, we watched it in Imax with only 15 minutes of 3D. I was looking for more around the end part when Harry and Dumbledore started fighting in the cave but none. =< It's more of story telling to reveal the secrets that had been left unanswered from book 1 and in preparation for the final book. And I hope Harry will grow a few inches taller, Ginny looks tougher than him. Hermione had grown to be a really beautiful lady! She's so beautiful! I love Ron, and like Hermione, I had always found him interesting. ^^

Looking forward to watching the final chapter! Still not ready to say goodbye to Harry though. ~

Transformers - Revenge of the Fallen

2009-07-19T09:17:00.002+08:00

I love the first and still love the 2nd! It's action packed movie that kids and adults will surely enjoy!

And it's my first time to watch with a La-Z-Boy recliner and i love it! You wouldn't want to watch with a regular movie house chair again! ^^

[Food] Tokyo Cafe

2009-05-25T14:28:00.002+08:00

I met up with my friends from my previous job and as always, we had dinner and a good chat. ^^ We usually meet up in Mall of Asia or Glorietta. But recently, I prefer MOA because of the traffic in Makati. Anyways, while in MOA, I suggested we try Tokyo Cafe because of it's really delicious looking food display. They're all so yummy looking! ^^

And I have to say, I was not disappointed at all! The service is fast and the food is good. But maybe because of the rush of guests, the presentation is not as nice as in the picture anymore but the taste is still good so it's forgivable.

We ordered three different kinds of pasta:

1. Shrimp Aglio Olio - which really smells so yummy! Upon arrival of the food, I immediately wanted to taste it! And I was not disappointed at all, it's very tasty and I love the touch of spiciness in it.

2. Chicken Cream Pasta - is like carbonara with chicken. It's creamy and quite light on the palate. A good choice for white sauce lovers.

3. Creamy Ebiko Pasta - I love shrimp and this shrimp pasta dish is a must try. The creamy sauce complements the shrimps so well. Love it!

Then we also ordered one All Meat Pizza and one order of Chicken & Cheese Roll. Their pizza is really thin and very light on the tummy. The Chicken Roll I think is a guest favorite. I see lot's of customers ordering it. I love the mozarella in it, makes the dry chicken breast meat juicier.

And with their really nice choice of dessert, who can resist not trying one when they all look so yummy! I ordered Adzuiki Parfait and I looooove the adzuki beans! Their big monggo beans that tastes sweet and really good with the green tea ice cream!!!

The food is a little bit pricey but most restaurants are anyways so might as well go to one with good food right? ^_^

You can check out the whole menu in click the city.com >> Tokyo Cafe

Rating: definitely yummy! 9/10

[Book] Twilight

2009-05-24T14:04:00.000+08:00

Twilight, the latest book I've read that got me all interested and wanting to finish the book in spite of tons of other things that I have to do, I multitasked and I'm done! ^^

I actually watched the movie first because of all the hype it caused, before I read the book. And that's definitely the wrong thing to do! I totally regret watching the movie first. I really liked the movie when I watched it, it's good and not boring. But after reading the book, I can say that the movie didn't really do enough justice to the novel.

It's a really good read. A very sweet love story of a vampire and a human girl that fell in love with each other. There are lot's of emotions not portrayed in the movie. The movie became a chop-chop of the real thing. And the reason I regretted watching the movie first is because I already have faces for the characters that would have been better if I used my imagination.

No offense to the cast, but there's definitely something lacking in the movie that were all there in the book. I'm so looking forward to reading the next book, New Moon. But everyone says it's so not good that even my friends who are really big Twilight series fans don't want to talk about it. I'll read it anyways... ^^

Rating: 10/10

Slumdog Millionaire

2009-05-15T12:33:00.000+08:00

I'm one who often gets disappointed when it comes to hype. I usually expect too much because of the big fuss that I often end up disappointed with whatever it is, be it a movie, a drama, series, music, artist, etc.

So with the big hype of "Slumdog Millionaire", I was prepared to be critical of it. I watched it looking for something that I could say, "This one deserved it's Oscar" and to my surprise, I'm happy with the movie! Okay, so I'm a fan of happy endings and feel good movies so this one's a give away actually. ^^

I loved the movie because it started out really sad by showing how hard life is for these two kids and their way of life. Then how they survived living in the train on their own until they grew up without parents and all that. They managed to get through even though not everything they did is right but at least they were able to go through another day alive.

It's a movie that gives everyone hope that no matter how deep you're under now, there will always be hope as long as you keep your head up and lead your life with love. Well yes, he's one lucky guy too. But it doesn't hurt to believe in a little luck once in a while right? ^^

Rating: 9/10

Cross-Stitch Anyone?

2009-05-14T09:07:00.000+08:00

I just finished my latest project, a cherub cross-stitch! I'm so happy that I finally get to do this after a loooooong time. I got the pattern almost 10 years ago, and it's just now that I got the chance to do it (thanks to the not-so-interesting seasons 1-4 DVD of NCIS I bought but find it a waste not to watch. so i got the chance to stitch while the dvd is on. =S). I'm glad I did because it's so cute! ^^

Is there even anybody still doing cross-stitch in our country these days? It used to be a big fad back in the 90's but it all died down. It's so difficult to find the pattern I've been looking for anywhere. Anybody know where I can find the pattern of "Nine Koi Fish"? Please let me know if you do... not online please, I'm so paranoid with all the credit card scams happening lately that I don't want to purchase anything online anymore. T_T

Thanks in advance! ^_^

[JDorama] Code Blue

2009-05-03T17:18:00.000+08:00

Title: Code Blue
Genre: Medical Drama
Episodes: 11
Air date: July - September 2008
Casts:

Yamashita Tomohisa - as Aizawa Kosaku, one of the best interns of Doctor Heli. His parents died when he was young and was raised by his grandmother. He wanted to become the best doctor and the most famous one. For him, he had nothing to lose so he should do his best.

Yamapi is so good looking as always and he just made me fall for him all over again in this charismatic role. I don't know if I can say that the acting was great but I can say that it's a Yamapi style. Cute and charismatic rolled into one. ^^

Aragaki Yui - as Shiraishi Megumi, one of the most studious interns. She came from a medical family and just has to be a doctor too because his father is one. She's always nice to everyone and always tries hard to please them.

Toda Erika - as Hiyama Mihoko, a very out spoken intern but also proved to be a good one. She's not afraid to say what she feels as long as she know that it's right. She come from an ordinary family and became a doctor on her own hard work.

Asari Yosuke - as Fujikawa Kazuo, one of the interns that the head doctor finds lacking. He's clumsy and gets nervous easily. But his edge is he treats the patients well and they also like him in return. His mother is very proud of him and always there to support him. He didn't realize her importance until he felt how much it help him go through a hard day.

Higa Manami - as Saejima Haruka, a flight nurse that is very keen on her work. She works hard and is not afraid to voice out her opinion to the doctor interns. She's a nurse who takes care of patients but turned her back on the person that she used to love because of his sick condition.

Summary:

Doctor Heli is a project to get to the location faster to save more lives sooner. Whenever a doctor is needed, a call is placed to Doctor Heli and everyone is on the way in minutes. They ask for details about the patient on the helicopter and are already ready upon arrival to the location.

Four interns came to Doctor Heli to experience getting on the helicopter and save lives on location. Each of them has their story to tell and the story goes...

I really liked this drama! I love that they stick to the medical sense of the drama, they do surgeries, they save lives, they cure people, everything you do in a hospital. It's a medical drama to the core.

But at the same time, they were able to fit in the story of each of the characters in the story. Through this, we get to understand why and where the doctors are coming from. We get to see why they are acting the way they do and how they make the decision they make.

Doctor is a difficult job to the end. People's lives are on their hands and they still get blamed if anything goes wrong. We get to understand them in this drama and see how hard they work to save lives at hand.

Rating: 9/10

Watch online >> Code Blue w/ English subtitles

Case Closed

2009-03-11T14:27:00.000+08:00

this one made me smile so I thought I'd share the smile... :)

Case Closed
============

Several women appeared in court, each accusing the others of
causing the trouble they were having in the apartment building
where they lived.

The women were arguing noisily even in the court.

The judge, banging his gavel to quiet them, said,

"We are going to do this in an orderly manner.
I can't listen to all of you at once.
I'll hear the oldest first."

The case was dismissed for lack of testimony.

credits: mountainwings.com

Gary V. Live at 25 - The Repeat

2009-02-27T19:59:00.000+08:00

Now, this is what a concert is all about! After 25 years, Mr. Pure Energy, Gary Valenciano still hasn't lost his performing skills. If you want to be entertained, his concerts are a definite must watch. I heard he's going on a hiatus after this repeat concert, he probably need that rest. I got tired just watching him dance and sing and perform with all his heart on stage!

I went to this concert after a concert in Seoul (just a few weeks back) of a very popular Korean boyband, Big Bang. And the fans there were all so loud and the show was good. But sadly, we were seated quite far back that I can hear the fans screaming together with the super loud audio from the stage. Needless to say, my ears were ringing after the concert. So I came to Gary's concert not expecting anything that would exceed that because I know Pinoy fans are not as loud.

And I'm not disappointed! I enjoyed the concert entirely because I was able to listen to the songs. The numbers were balanced from dance to mellow to spiritual (it's not a Gary V. concert without the spiritual songs). And I loved it!

There were guests one after another, from bands (Itchyworms, Sugar Free, Gary's son's rock band), female singers (Rachel Ann Go, Yeng Constantino, Karylle), Gary's kids (never absent from his concerts), and Martin Nievera! They hinted that they could be having a concert in September together! I wouldn't want to miss that one!!!

Wish Come True!

2009-02-16T18:48:00.000+08:00

Like my previous post about Europe, I posted a picture of Eiffel tower at the start of the year, wishing I'll be able to see it in person in 2008. With God's grace, I did!

For year 2009, I posted another picture I got from the net, a picture of a ski resort in South Korea. I really wanted to experience winter and be able to ski at least once in my life. And to experience it in Korea, a country that I really wanted to visit would be wonderful!

And again with God's goodness, I did! I went to South Korea for a tour and the picture I'm posting now is one I captured myself with my cam when we went on a ski trip last January 27, 2009. I cannot thank the Lord enough for granting me my wishes. I can only serve Him the best way I could, and continually pray that every effort I exert will be for His glory.

To God be all the Glory! A Wonderful 2009 to everyone! ^^

[JDorama] Gokusen 3

2008-12-27T19:09:00.000+08:00

Title: Gokusen 3
Genre: School
Episodes: 11
Air date: April to June 2008
Cast:

Nakama Yukie - as Yamaguchi Kumiko or Yankumi, the tough high school teacher of class 3D.

Summary:

Just like the previous Gokusen drama, this one still revolves around 3D, the worst class in a not so good high school. The drama tells of their stories and how they changed to better individuals.

I watch so many school dramas that I don't think I would still like this one. But I guess old habits are hard to change. I do love happy endings and this time is no different. The story is very common and probably not for the choosy ones. If you're a drama fan that had been watching dramas for years, and looking for interesting new dramas to watch, this is probably not for you. This is for thost who just want to sit back and not think at all. It's simple and straight to the point.

Watch online >> Gokusen 3 w/ English subtitles

Rating: 7/10

[JDorama] Sapuri

2008-12-26T18:28:00.000+08:00

Title: Sapuri / Suppli
Genre: Romance
Episodes: 11
Air date: July to September 2006
Cast:

Ito Misaki - as Fuji Minami, the 28 year old successful office executive in an advertising company.

Kamenashi Kazuya - as Ishida Yuya, the part time worker in the same advertising company.

Summary:

Ito Misaki is a career woman. She is very devoted to her work at the expense of her love life. Then came Yuya in her life. He's young, irresponsible and happy go lucky, definitely not for Misaki. But they just seem to be entwined together that their lives cannot be separated inspite of other people interested in them.

I liked this series basically because of it's work place setting. I guess I can say that I can relate. My life had always revolved around the work place after I graduated from college. It also gives hope to career women who devoted their lives to work, that no love seem to come to their lives anymore.

I should be giving better review but I watched this series a few months ago and lots of other series came after it that my memory of this drama is blurry already. I was too busy that I didn't get the time to write a review sooner. But I do specifically remember that I was surprised to have actually enjoyed watching the drama. It was good and entertaining.

Watch online >> Sapuri w/ English subtitles

Rating: 8/10

Mandela's 8 Lessons of Leadership

2008-12-16T20:08:00.000+08:00

1. Courage is not the absence of fear - it's inspiring others to move beyond it

2. Lead from the front - but don't leave your base behind

3. Lead from the back - and let others believe they are in front

4. Know your enemy - and learn about his favorite sport

5. Keep your friends close - and your rivals even closer

6. Appearances matter - and remember to smile

7. Nothing is black or white

8. Quitting is leading too

credits: time magazine

My Wish List

2008-11-30T07:01:00.000+08:00

Because Christmas is coming very soon, what comes to mind is GIVING! Of course, it's still important to give love and wish for good health and world peace, they will always be top priority in our prayers.

But when it comes to physical manifestations of love, material things are always welcome. lol! XD I'm posting my very own "earthly" wish list not just for the holiday season but it can extend to my birthday and other holidays too!^^ They're under my "wish" list because I've been wanting to get these items for the longest time but just can't get myself to buy them for myself. =S

1. Samsung Omnia i900

I've been a Samsung user for a number of years now and wanting a pocket pc for myself recently, I can't help but get my eyes drawn towards a Samsung Omnia! I love the white one, it's going to be harder to take care of but it's so posh!

2. Dell Inspiron 1525
The first time I saw the laptops of the top rank officers from RHO of my previous job, I fell in love with Dell! I wanted one since then but it had always be just a dream. Would there be a kind heart out there to give me this baby for Christmas? ^^

3. South Korea Ski Tour

It had been my life goal to visit South Korea. With my obsession to Korean Entertainment, that's not a surprise. XD But one thing I really wanted to experience when I go to Korea is the snow and ski! I wish... I wish...

That's it for now... I have a whole bunch of places I wanted to go to but I didn't include them here yet... maybe next time... ^_^

Hairspray - The Musical

2008-11-27T18:41:00.000+08:00

I reserved a ticket at once when my friend called me up not knowing about the cast, where it will be or when it will be. I loved the movie and I would love to watch it live on stage.^^ Well, I was not disappointed, it's not the best but it's good. I liked it mainly because of some of the cast that are clearly talented and carried the show.

First is Michael de Mesa. I loved how he played Edna Turnblad, so lovely! I can't particularly pinpoint why because he's role is not extravagant or loud but he just have that something about him that lights up the stage.

Nyoy is a surprise! When I heard that he's part of the musical, I thought he probably got in because he's one good singer. But he's role here is a dancer! I'm glad that with the few dance steps that he obviously practiced so hard for, he did with flying colors. He's one of the reason I'm so glad they got a real singer in this musical.

Dulce is also one character that i liked. I'm not sure if she did other musicals before but I see her role here as a total 360 turn for her. I've known her to sing tagalog ballads that can leave you out of breath just watching her sing, but here, she's fun, loud, energetic and more!

Another character that I loved is Penny! (sorry I forgot the name of the actress =S) I love her! She's so funny and upfront. No holding back and all out acting is what I saw, and I just love her!

Other actors are okay, there are some that are less than impressive but I'd rather not talk about them. There's definitely one cast that is so out of the leads league that I had the urge to cover my ears everytime he sings. =X

The show is quite long, more than two hours I think so you can't help but have some scenes that are a bit boring. The costumes are cute. One thing I noticed though is that they didn't change much in the first half and started to change one after the other in the 2nd half. I remember asking my friend through the 1st half of the show why they're not changing their costumes.

Over all, it's a good musical worthy of the money I paid for. ^_^

Beginning Today

2008-11-19T12:28:00.000+08:00

Beginning Today
Author Unknown

Beginning today I will no longer worry about yesterday. It is in the past
and the past will never change. Only I can change by choosing to do so.

Beginning today I will no longer worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will always
be there, waiting for me to make the most of it. But I cannot make the most
of tomorrow without first making the most of today.

Beginning today I will look in the mirror and I will see a person worthy of
my respect and admiration. This capable person looking back at me is someone
I enjoy spending time with and someone I would like to get to know better.

Beginning today I will cherish each moment of my life. I value the gift
bestowed upon me in this world and I will unselfishly share this gift with
others.

Beginning today I will take a moment to step off the beaten path and to
revel in the mysteries I encounter. I will face challenges with courage and
determination. I will overcome what barriers there may be which hinder my
quest for growth and self- improvement.

Beginning today I will take life one day at a time, one step at a time.
Discouragement will not be allowed to taint my positive self-image, my
desire to succeed or my capacity to love.

Beginning today I walk with renewed faith in human kindness. Regardless of
what has gone before. I believe there is hope for a brighter and better
future.

Beginning today I will open my mind and my heart. I will welcome new
experiences. I will meet new people. I will not expect perfection from
myself nor anyone else: perfection does not exist in an imperfect world. But
I will applaud the attempt to overcome human foibles.

Beginning today I am responsible for my own happiness and I will do things
that make me happy... admire the beautiful wonders of nature, listen to my
favorite music, pet a kitten or a puppy, soak in a bubble bath... Pleasure
can be found in the most simple of gestures.

Beginning today I will learn something new; I will try something different;
I will savor all the various flavors life has to offer. I will change what I
can and the rest I will let go. I will strive to become the best me I can
possibly be.

Beginning Today, And Everyday.

credits: funnyfunpages.com

Make A Difference

2008-11-18T09:37:00.000+08:00

A man was walking down the beach at sunset. As, he walked along, he saw another man in the distance. He noticed this man kept leaning down, picking up something and throwing it out into the water, again and again. As, he approached even closer, he noticed that the man was picking up starfish that had been washed up on the beach. He was throwing them back into the water, one by one.

Puzzled, he approached the man and said,
"Good Evening. I was wondering what you are doing."

"I'm throwing these starfish back into the ocean. You see, it's low tide and all these starfish have been washed up onto the shore. If, I don't throw them back into the ocean, they'll die up here from lack of oxygen."

"But, there must be thousands of starfish on this beach. You can't possible get to all of them. And, don't you realize this is probably happening on hundreds of beaches all up and down this coast. Can't you see that you can't possibly make a difference?"

The man bent down and picked up yet another starfish, and threw it back into the ocean. With a smile he replied, "Made a difference to that one !!!"

Just remember, no matter how small the deed
it really does makes a difference.
Make a difference today.
Do something nice for someone else,
even if it's just sending this card to a friend and
letting them know somebody cares about them.

credits: funnies.com

7 Reasons Not To Mess With Children

2008-11-13T09:36:00.000+08:00

got this from a forwarded email from a dear friend... too cute not to share! ^^

*****
A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales.

The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to
swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal
its throat was very small.

The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale.

Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow
a human; it was physically impossible.

The little girl said, "When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah".

The teacher asked, "What if Jonah went to hell?"

The little girl replied, "Then you ask him ".

-------

A Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children
while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to
see each child's work.

As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she
asked what the drawing was.

The girl replied, "I'm drawing God."

The teacher paused and said, "But no one knows what God looks
like."

Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl
replied, "They will in a minute."

-------

A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with
her five and six year olds.

After explaining the commandment to "honor" thy Father and thy
Mother, she asked, "Is there a commandment that teaches us how
to treat our brothers and sisters?"

Without missing a beat one little boy (the oldest of a family)
answered, "Thou shall not kill."

-------

One day a little girl was sitting and watching her mother do the
dishes at the kitchen sink. She suddenly noticed that her
mother had several strands of white hair sticking out in
contrast on her brunette head.

She looked at her mother and inquisitively asked, "Why are some
of your hairs white, Mom?"

Her mother replied, "Well, every time that you do something
wrong and make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white."

The little girl thought about this revelation for a while and
then said, "Momma, how come ALL of grandma's hairs are white?"

-------

The children had all been photographed, and the teacher was
trying to persuade them each to buy a copy of the group picture.

"Just think how nice it will be to look at it when you are all
grown up and say, 'There's Jennifer, she's a lawyer,' or 'That's
Michael, He's a doctor.'

A small voice at the back of the room rang out, "And there's the
teacher, she's dead."

-------

A teacher was giving a lesson on the circulation of the blood.
Trying to make the matter clearer, she said, "Now, class, if I
stood on my head, the blood, as you know, would run into it, and
I would turn red in the face."

"Yes," the class said.

"Then why is it that while I am standing upright in the ordinary
position the blood doesn't run into my feet?"

A little fellow shouted,
"Cause your feet ain't empty."

-------

The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic
elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table was a
large pile of apples. The nun made a note, and posted on the
apple tray:

"Take only ONE. God is watching."

Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the
table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies.

A child had written a note, "Take all you want. God is watching
the apples.

credits: MountainWings.com

God's Coffee

2008-10-28T08:51:00.000+08:00

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some
expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the coffee.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said:

"If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress.

Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink.

What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups... And then you began eyeing each other's cups.

Now consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of Life we live.

Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us."

God brews the coffee, not the cups.......... Enjoy your coffee!

"The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything."

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.

Author unknown

I Believe

2008-10-27T08:40:00.000+08:00

another email from a dear friend... sorry i can't go there to see you... T_T

I believe-
That we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

I believe-
That no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a
while and, you must forgive them for that.

I believe-
That true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance.
Same goes for true love.

I believe-
That you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

I believe-
That it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I believe-
That you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them

I believe-
That you can keep going long after you can't.

I believe-
That we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I believe-
That either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I believe-
That regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades and there
had better be something else to take its place.

I believe-
That heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done,
regardless of the consequences.

I believe-
That money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I believe-
That my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time!

I believe-
That sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down, will be the ones to help you get back up.

I believe-
That sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I believe-
That just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

I believe-
That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've
learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I believe-
That it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I believe-
That no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I believe-
That our background and circumstances may have influenced
who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I believe-
That just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other, And just
because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.

I believe-
That you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.

I believe-
That two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I believe-
That your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.

I believe-
That even when you think you have no more to give, when a
friend cries out to you - you will find the strength to help.

I believe-
That credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I believe-
That the people you care about most in life are the essence of life.
Tell them today how much you love them and what they mean to you.

Star Olympics - Unipak Team!

2008-10-23T08:25:00.000+08:00

Our company sponsored a team in this year's Star Olympics "One Last Shot for Daboy". Our team - Unipak! I wasn't in there to watch the games though so the pictures I'll be posting are from my officemate. To thank him, I'm promoting his shop, Image Creator, a digital photo shop. ^^

Before this blog entry turns into a shameless promotion post, here's the pics! XD

Btw, there's one more reason I didn't watch the games. I fear the wrath of some of my friends, LOL! XD They might cast me out when they saw that somebody is part of our team. Just to make things clear, we don't have a say as to who will be in our team so don't blame me okay?! If I can decide, I would never ever want that "chicken" there!

Some of the guests that aren't players:

The Battle Inside

2008-10-08T09:18:00.000+08:00

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between 2 wolves.

"One is Evil. It is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego.

The other is God. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

credits: positivethoughts.com

*****
a very good piece to think about... and so true too! it's what we entertain that shows... it's what we sow that grows... looking at the positive side of things will give us positive out come too... ^^

[JDorama] Taiyo No Kisetsu

2008-10-04T09:11:00.000+08:00

Title: Taiyo No Kisetsu a.k.a. Season of the Sun
Genre: Drama/Romance
Episodes: 11
Aired: July - September 2002
Cast:

Takizawa Hideaki - as Tsugawa Tatsuya, a troubled college student who lives a double life. He grew up with revenge as his goal for his father's death. Driven by the wrong goal, he walked the darker path in life and end up being more miserable.

I'll have to get this out first, Takki is hot in this drama! And I mean HOT!!! He's only 20 when the drama was made but his body is so defined and not of a boy anymore. Okay, enough fangirling, LOL! XD I think he did really well in this drama. The emotions were conveyed quite well and the role of a sad and lonely young man fits him well because I think he's one of those that look really good not smiling. The serious look on his face made him more handsome. (He reminds me so much of Jaejoong of Tohoshinki, who is also going to do a Korea-Japan collab drama "Postman from Heaven")

Ikewaki Chizuru - as Izumi Eiko, a talented pianist that got into an accident when she was young which caused her to have a limp. She was overly protected by her pianist mother that she only felt life when Tatsuya came into her life.

I have to admit, I expected somebody prettier to be the leading lady but she's not so bad. I guess they went for the fragile girl type for the role instead of the pretty face.

Okada Yoshinori - as Kawano Kohei, Tatsuya's childhood friend. He considers Tatsuya as his own brother which made him come to Tokyo to be able to fulfill his dream of running with him. He's a good man that truly cares for Tatsuya.

Matsumoto Rio - as Komiyama Yuki, the daughter of a rich family and the finace of Shinji. She fell in love with Tatsuya not knowing that he had a hidden agenda.

Takaoka Sousuke - as Sahara Shinji, the son of a rich banker that Tatsuya wanted to have his revenge on. He likes Tatsuya and did his best to be his friend. A very sincere young man that loves his fiance fully until the end.

Summary:

Tatsuya lost his father to suicide when he was young. Because of this, he vowed to find revenge and worked hard to get to that position. He befriended the rich son of the bank owner that caused his father's death and aimed to take everything from him, even the most precious person to him, his girlfriend. In the midst of his plans, he met Eiko and unwillingly fell in love with her. He feel at peace when he's with Eiko which together with his childhood bestfriend Kohei, brought him back to the light.

The story is well written and it has this very deep meaning that will make you think. It's not your ordinary teen idol movie but a real drama with depth. It shows you how nasty life can be but still gave us hope.

The things that a person can do to reach a goal even if the goal is not good, and the forces that drives you to do things to get what you want. It's a dark world that some of us are victims of, but only if we let it. For the victims, it's probably more difficult but it's always our choice to stay in the dark or turn around and face the light.

I'm happy that they've shown hope in the drama. As long as there's people willing to show us love, we will always be able to face a new day. The love Tatsuya received from his mother, Kohei and Eiko is enough to fight to live again.

I just hate hate hate the ending! I don't know why we can't have a totally happy ending? Are there no happy endings in real life? I don't think so... I think it's very much possible to have a happy ending. I think the writers just feel it's too rare and have to make it more realistic since despair and unhappiness is more common. Well, not for me... I still believe that life is always worth living, because there's always light at the end of the tunnel...^^

Rating: 8/10

How To Succeed

2008-09-30T09:18:00.000+08:00

How To Succeed

Life is a strange mix of success and failures.
Those who succeed more than others have a
habit of ignoring the failures and
remembering the success. It is like you select
good fruit from a basket. Do you remember
the bad ones that you throw away?

But strangely most of us keep our failures in
our memory and forget our success!

Just reverse it and see the miracle!

credits: newfunpages.com

The Incredible Hulk

2008-09-26T19:09:00.001+08:00

I watched The Incredible Hulk right after I watched The Dark Knight so I can't help but compare the two. They're both comics characters after all.

I'd have to say, there's not much comparison there. The Dark Knight is a bigger production and definitely better. With Hulk, I got a headache watching the computer graphic fight scenes and I don't understand much of what's happening in the climax battle between Hulk and Abomination. I think it's too violent for my taste.

But I like the story about Bruce Banner fighting to cure himself so that what he had in him will not be used by the military as weapon, which is really dangerous since the power is uncontrollable.

Another good thing is that Edward Norton has a nice body, now that's some good eye candy.^^

Rating: 7/10

The Dark Knight

2008-09-24T08:26:00.000+08:00

I've finally got to watch this movie in DVD after all the chaos and talk about this film, I still didn't get the chance to watch it on big screen, and I'm regretting that now. But anyways, it's still good that I did get the chance to watch it and I like it just fine.^^

It's sad that Heath Ledger is gone now, he did a great job for this movie! Awesome performance and even if he's the villain, no offense to Christian Bale who played Batman and did quite well too, but Joker is the main man in this film. It's all him and it's amazing how Heath Ledger with his good looks can become the scary joker and made it so believable!

I love that they put more depth in this movie not just the ordinary super hero movie that we usually get. It's a twist of a sort because this time, batman becomes the bad guy in the eyes of the people while doing something good. He's the dark knight because of his sacrificial nature and working behind the lime light. The last scene is what I loved most, when Gordon called Batman the silent guardian, the Dark Knight.

Rating: 10/10

I Wish You Enough

2008-09-20T11:55:00.000+08:00

I found this really nice... I wish all the people I love to always have enough...

credits: IWishYouEnough@youtube

The poem taken from the original story written by Bob Perks first published in 2001 then in "Chicken Soup for the Greiving Soul." It includes the "Seven Wishes."

Portrait of a Friend

2008-09-15T08:31:00.000+08:00

I can't give solutions to all of life's problems, doubts,
or fears. But I can listen to you, and together we will
search for answers.

I can't change your past with all it's heartache and pain,
nor the future with its untold stories.
But I can be there now when you need me to care.

I can't keep your feet from stumbling.
I can only offer my hand that you may grasp it and not fall.

Your joys, triumphs, successes, and happiness are not mine;
Yet I can share in your laughter.

Your decisions in life are not mine to make, nor to judge;
I can only support you, encourage you,
and help you when you ask.

I can't prevent you from falling away from friendship,
from your values, from me.
I can only pray for you, talk to you and wait for you.

I can't give you boundaries which I have determined for you,
But I can give you the room to change, room to grow,
room to be yourself.

I can't keep your heart from breaking and hurting,
But I can cry with you and help you pick up the pieces
and put them back in place.

I can't tell you who you are.
I can only love you and be your friend.

I promise to try to do all of these things
and be the best friend I can be from now on!

credits: positivethoughts.com

When You Thought I Wasn't Looking

2008-09-09T10:11:00.000+08:00

A message every adult should read, because children are watching you and doing as you do, not as you say.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you feed a stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make my favorite cake for me and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I heard you say a prayer, and I knew there is a God I could always talk to and I learned to trust in God.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you give of your time and money to help people who had nothing and I learned that those who have something should give to those who don't.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't feel good and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw tears come from your eyes and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you cared and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I looked at you and wanted to say, "Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking."

- author unknown

LITTLE EYES SEE A LOT.

Each of us (parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle,
teacher or friend) influence the life of a child.
How will you touch the life of someone today?

credits: funnyfunpages.com

Psalm for the employee...

2008-09-08T09:49:00.000+08:00

**got this from my email... have a great week ahead everyone! ^_^

Psalm 23
(For the Work Place)

The Lord is my real boss, and I shall not want.
He gives me peace, when chaos is all around me.
He gently reminds me to pray and do all things without
murmuring and complaining.

He reminds me that He is my source and not my job.
He restores my sanity everyday and guides my decisions
that I might honor Him in all that I do

Even though I face absurd amounts of e-mails, system
crashes, unrealistic deadlines, budget cutbacks, gossiping
co-workers, discriminating supervisors and an aging body
that doesn't cooperate every morning, I still will not stop---
for He is with me! His presence, His peace, and His power
will see me through.

He raises me up, even when they fail to promote me.
He claims me as His own, even when the company threatens
to let me go. His Faithfulness and love is better than any bonus cheque

His retirement plan beats any 401k there is!
When it's all said and done, I'll be working for Him a whole lot longer and for that I BLESS HIS NAME!!!!!!

How To Stay Young

2008-09-04T08:41:00.000+08:00

1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay them.

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.
(keep this In mind if you are one of those grouches;)

3. Keep learning:

Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening,
whatever. Never let the brain get idle.

"An idle mind is the devil's workshop."
And the devil's name is Alzheimer's!

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
And if you have a friend who makes you laugh, spend lots and Lots of time with HIM/HER.

6. The tears happen: Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourself. LIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love: Whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health:
If it is good, preserve it.
If it is unstable, improve it.
If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips.
Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county,
to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

credits: funnyfunpages.com

[JDorama] Unfair

2008-09-02T22:32:00.000+08:00

Title: Unfair
Genre: Mystery
Episodes: 11
Aired: Jan - Mar 2006
Cast:

Shinohara Ryoko - Yukihira Natsumi has the best record in the police. She's a cop that only cares about taking out the bad people off the streets. She doesn't care about the police's reputation as long as she does her job the way she thinks right, even killing the criminal on the spot. She became as tough as she is because of the death of her father who was also a police detective. Aside from dealing with criminals, she also had to deal with her divorce and daughter who suffered a trauma from people calling her mother a killer. Shinohara Ryoko did a really great job in this drama. She totally owned the series from start to finish.

Eita - Ando Kazuyuki is the newbie cop that became Yukihira's partner. He's a good cop that fell in love with Natsumi unexpectedly. I loved Ando from the moment he appeared in the drama. I felt so bad with what they did to his character. Eita is a good actor. He's usually funny in his other dramas but he still did well here in a serious but still funny role.

Kagawa Teruyuki - Sato Kazuo is the chief editor of a newspaper company and the ex-husband of Natsumi. He divorced Natsumi due to her too much dedication to work that she neglected her family already.

Summary:

Yukihira Natsumi is so dedicated to her job as a cop that she doesn't care for her reputation and just do things her way. She shot a 17 year old boy that killed some hotel staffs 5 years ago that caused people to complain. Then a series of murder happened that is interconnected making the master mind a serial killer. Different suspects were caught and died one by one but the murders continues. Who could the master mind be?

I first thought that this drama will be a one story per episode type of drama. But it turned out to be one whole story intertwined together. This drama is so good that it keeps you at the edge of your seat from episode 1 to end. I still can't take the ending though... by episode 9, I started having a really bad feeling about the ending and I expected it already. But watching the last episode still made me feel really bad. SPOILER ALERT!!! I love Ando, and I can't, can't accept that it's him! He is a good man and no trace of evil in him can be seen in the whole drama. He truly loved Yukihira and her daughter. I can't imagine him doing all those terrible killings. I understand that they wanted to make a the ultimate twist in the drama but it's just too much for me.

But still, I just have to admit that this is a drama that's truly worth watching!

Watch Online >> Unfair w/ English subtitles

Rating: 9/10

[JDorama] Honey and Clover

2008-09-01T21:40:00.000+08:00

Title: Honey and Clover (a.k.a. Hachimitsu to Clover)
Genre: Romance
Episodes: 11
Aired: Jan - Mar 2008
Cast:

Narumi Riko - Hanamoto Hagumi is a gifted artist that possesses pure innocence. She's portraying the talented people that was once unknown but became popular all of a sudden. The hardship she faces because of not being used to the attention given to her. I think the role is quite challenging and I guess Riko came a bit short acting out the role. She came out boring and too ignorant that borders on being kinda dumb.

Ikuta Toma - Takemoto Yuta is the lost soul in the story. I bet most of us were in his shoes at least once in our lives. He went to art school without real interest in art. He went to escape a life he doesn't like. This made his life more difficult because he made a decision based on wrong purpose. I think his character is the most I can relate to. Lost and frustrated. Wanting to do something but always ends up with nothing. He's story is the one I like best. If not for Toma, I wouldn't have watched this series to the end.

Narimiya Hikori - Morita Shinobu is the most talented and popular artist of the school. He's naturally gifted that he was offered to go to New York for his art. But as what the most people see artists are, he's 4th dimensional and has his own way of living life. He does what he wants and doesn't care much what others think. I didn't like his character but I'd have to say that Hikori did a good job playing his role.

Harada Natsuki - Yamada Ayumi is another art student that has talent and was recognized for it. Her specialty is pottery. Hopelessly in love with Mayama Takumi, like every girl who's in love, she's unselfish to the point of looking foolish. Sadly, she doesn't recognize other people who cares for her because she's too focused on the one that doesn't notice her. One of the prettiest faces I've seen in doramas, I think it's pretty cliche that they have to have a pretty girl play a part that's get unnoticed.

Mukai Osamu - Mayama Takumi is the guy that is in love with an older woman. Not just any ordinary older woman but one that was widowed and still can't get over her dead husband. It's one thing to compete with another man, but it's more difficult to compete with a dead man. He shows the stubborn person in us that even knowing that we have good things in our reach, we still want something we can't have.

Summary:

Honey and Clover directly shows us the life of 5 college friends and how they face the life ahead of them. But on the hind side, we know that each of the characters represents us one way or another. I like the thought the writer is trying to show us, it's broad and reaches out to the viewers. Sadly, the drama while watching the drama, I was bored to death and the pacing is kinda slow. I'm not sure if it's the directors fault that it turned out badly but the drama had so much promise that it's sad to see it turn out really bad. The story picked up pace near the end but not much room to save the whole drama any more.

Rating: 6/10

If I Knew...

2008-08-30T15:48:00.000+08:00

If I knew it would be the last time
I'd see you fall asleep,
I'd tuck you in more tightly,
And pray your soul to keep.

If I knew it would be the last time
I'd see you walk out the door,
I'd hug you and kiss you--and call you
Back for just one more.

If I knew it would be the last time
We'd spare a minute or two,
I'd stop and say "I love you,"
Instead of assuming you know I do.

If I knew it would be the last time
I'd be there to share your day,
I wouldn't wait until tomorrow,
Letting time with you slip away.

For surely there is a tomorrow
To make up for an oversight,
And we'll always get a second chance
To make everything all right.

There will always be another chance
To say our "I love yous,"
And certainly there's another chance
To say our "What I can dos."

But just in case I might be wrong,
And today is all I get,
I'd like to say I love you,
And hope you never forget.

Tomorrow is not promised to anyone,
Young or old alike,
And today might be your last chance
To hold your loved one tight.

So if you're waiting for tomorrow,
Why not do it all today?
For if tomorrow never comes,
You will surely regret the day

You didn't take the extra time
For a smile or hug or kiss.
And you surely aren't too busy to grant
What may be their last wish.

So hold your loved ones close today,
And whisper in their ear;
Tell them how much you love them,
And that you'll always hold them dear.

Take the time to say "I'm sorry,"
"Forgive me," or "It's okay,"
And if tomorrow never comes,
You'll have no regrets about today.

credits: newfunpages.com

John Gokongwei's Speech at the 20th Philippine Advertising Congress

2008-08-29T21:22:00.000+08:00

this is pretty long but it's so worth the read... a very very inspiring speech which made me admire this man anew...

*****
Before I begin, I want to say please bear with me, an 81-year-old man who just flew in from San Francisco 36 hours ago and is still suffering from jet lag. However, I hope I will be able to say what
you want to hear…

Ladies and gentlemen, good evening. Thank you very much for having me here tonight to open the Ad Congress. I know how important this event is for our marketing and advertising colleagues. My people get very excited and go into a panic, every other year, at this time.

I would like to talk about my life, entrepreneurship, and globalization. I would like to talk about how we can become a great nation.

You may wonder how one is connected to the other, but I promise that, as there is truth in advertising, the connection will come.

Let me begin with a story I have told many times. My own.

I was born to a rich Chinese-Filipino family. I spent my childhood in Cebu where my father owned a chain of movie houses, including the first air-conditioned one outside Manila. I was the eldest of six children and lived in a big house in Cebu's Forbes Park.

A chauffeur drove me to school everyday as I went to San Carlos University, then and still one of the country's top schools. I topped my classes and had many friends. I would bring them to watch movies for free at my father's movie houses.

When I was 13, my father died suddenly of complications due to typhoid. Everything I enjoyed vanished instantly. My father's empire was built on credit. When he died, we lost everything—our big house, our cars, our business—to the banks.

I felt angry at the world for taking away my father, and for taking away all that I enjoyed before. When the free movies disappeared, I also lost half my friends. On the day I had to walk two miles to school for the very first time, I cried to my mother, a widow at 32. But she said: "You should feel lucky. Some people have no shoes to walk to school.. What can you do? Your father died with 10 centavos in his pocket."

So, what can I do? I worked.

My mother sent my siblings to China where living standards were lower. She and I stayed in Cebu to work, and we sent them money regularly.. My mother sold her jewelry. When that ran out, we sold roasted peanuts in the backyard of our much-smaller home. When that wasn't enough, I opened a small stall in a palengke (wet market).

I chose one among several palengkes a few miles outside the city because there were fewer goods available for the people there. I woke up at five o'clock every morning for the long bicycle ride to the palengke with my basket of goods.

There, I set up a table about three feet by two feet in size. I laid out my goods—soap, candles, and thread—and kept selling until everything was bought. Why these goods? Because these were hard times and this was a poor village, so people wanted and needed the basics—soap to keep them clean, candles to light the night, and thread to sew their clothes.

I was surrounded by other vendors, all of them much older. Many of them could be my grandparents. And they knew the ways of the palengke far more than a boy of 15, especially one who had never worked before.

But being young had its advantages. I did not tire as easily, and I moved more quickly. I was also more aggressive. After each day, I would make about 20 pesos in profit! There was enough to feed my siblings and still enough to pour back into the business. The pesos I made in the palengke were the pesos that went into building the business I have today.

After this experience, I told myself, " If I can compete with people so much older than me, if I can support my whole family at 15, I can do anything! "

Looking back, I wonder, what would have happened if my father had not left my family with nothing? Would I have become the man I am? Who knows?

The important thing to know is that life will always deal us a few bad cards. But we have to play those cards the best we can. And WE can play to win!

This was one lesson I picked up when I was a teenager. It has been my guiding principle ever since. And I have had 66 years to practice self-determination. When I wanted something, the best person to depend on was myself.

And so I continued to work. In 1943, I expanded and began trading goods between Cebu and Manila. From Cebu, I would transport tires on a small boat called a batel. After traveling for five days to Lucena, I would load them into a truck for the six-hour trip to Manila. I would end up sitting on top of my goods so they would not be stolen! In Manila, I would then purchase other goods from the earnings I made from the tires, to sell in Cebu.

Then, when WWII ended, I saw the opportunity for trading goods in post-war Philippines. I was 20 years old. With my brother Henry, I put up Amasia Trading which imported onions, flour, used clothing, old newspapers and magazines, and fruits from the United States. In 1948, my mother and I got my siblings back from China. I also converted a two-story building in Cebu to serve as our home, office, and warehouse all at the same time. The whole family began helping out with the business .

In 1957, at age 31, I spotted an opportunity in corn-starch manufacturing. But I was going to compete with Ludo and Luym, the richest group in Cebu and the biggest cornstarch manufacturers. I borrowed money to finance the project. The first bank I approached made me wait for two hours, only to refuse my loan. The second one, China Bank, approved a P500,000-peso clean loan for me. Years later, the banker who extended that loan, Dr. Albino Sycip said that he saw something special in me. Today, I still wonder what that was, but I still thank Dr. Sycip to this day.

Upon launching our first product, Panda corn starch, a price war ensued. After the smoke cleared, Universal Corn Products was still left standing. It is the foundation upon which JG Summit Holdings now stands.

Interestingly, the price war also forced the closure of a third cornstarch company, and one of their chemists was Lucio Tan, who always kids me that I caused him to lose his job. I always reply that if it were not for me, he will not be one of the richest men in the Philippines today.

When my business grew, and it was time for me to bring in more people—my family, the professionals, the consultants, more employees—I knew that I had to be there to teach them what I knew. When dad died at age 34, he did not leave a succession plan. From that, I learned that one must teach people to take over a business at any time. The values of hard work that I learned from my father, I taught to my children. They started doing jobs here and there even when they were still in high school. Six years ago, I announced my retirement and handed the reins to my youngest brother James and only son Lance. But my children tease me because I still go to the office every day and make myself useful. I just hired my first Executive Assistant and moved into a bigger and nicer office.

Building a business to the size of JG Summit was not easy. Many challenges were thrown my way. I could have walked away from them, keeping the business small, but safe. Instead, I chose to fight. But this did not mean I won each time.

By 1976, at age 50, we had built significant businesses in food products anchored by a branded coffee called Blend 45, and agro-industrial products under the Robina Farms brand. That year, I faced one of my biggest challenges, and lost. And my loss was highly publicized, too. But I still believe that this was one of my defining moments.

In that decade, not many business opportunities were available due to the political and economic environment. Many Filipinos were already sending their money out of the country. As a Filipino, I felt that our money must be invested here. I decided to purchase shares in San Miguel, then one of the Philippines' biggest corporations. By 1976, I had acquired enough shares to sit on its board.

The media called me an upstart. "Who is Gokongwei and why is he doing all those terrible things to San Miguel?" ran one headline of the day. In another article, I was described as a pygmy going up against the powers-that-be. The San Miguel board of directors itself even aid for an ad in all the country's top newspapers telling the public why I should not be on the board.

On the day of reckoning, shareholders quickly filled up the auditorium to witness the battle. My brother James and I had prepared for many hours for this debate. We were nervous and excited at the same time.

In the end, I did not get the board seat because of the Supreme Court Ruling. But I was able to prove to others—and to myself—that I was willing to put up a fight. I succeeded because I overcame my fear, and tried. I believe this battle helped define who I am today. In a twist to this story, I was invited to sit on the board of Anscor and San Miguel Hong Kong 5 years later. Lose some, win some.

Since then, I've become known as a serious player in the business world, but the challenges haven't stopped coming.

Let me tell you about the three most recent challenges. In all three, conventional wisdom bet against us. See, we set up businesses against market Goliaths in very high-capital industries: airline, telecoms, and beverage.

Challenge No. 1 : In 1996, we decided to start an airline. At the time, the dominant airline in the country was PAL, and if you wanted to travel cheaply, you did not fly. You went by sea or by land.

However, my son Lance and I had a vision for Cebu Pacific: We wanted every Filipino to fly.

Inspired by the low-cost carrier models in the United States, we believed that an airline based on the no-frills concept would work here. No hot meals. No newspaper. Mono-class seating. Operating with a single aircraft type. Faster turn around time. It all worked, thus enabling Cebu Pacific to pass on savings to the consumer.

How did we do this? By sticking to our philosophy of "low cost, great value."

And we stick to that philosophy to this day. Cebu Pacific offers incentives. Customers can avail themselves of a tiered pricing scheme, with promotional seats for as low a P1. The earlier you book, the cheaper your ticket.

Cebu Pacific also made it convenient for passengers by making online booking available. This year, 1.25 million flights will be booked through our website. This reduced our distribution costs dramatically.

Low cost. Great value.

When we started 11 years ago, Cebu Pacific flew only 360,000 passengers, with 24 daily flights to 3 destinations. This year, we expect to fly more than five million passengers, with over 120 daily flights to 20 local destinations and 12 Asian cities. Today, we are the largest in terms of domestic flights, routes and destinations.

We also have the youngest fleet in the region after acquiring new Airbus 319s and 320s. In January, new ATR planes will arrive. These are smaller planes that can land on smaller air strips like those in Palawan and Caticlan. Now you don't have to take a two-hour ride by mini-bus to get to the beach.

Largely because of Cebu Pacific, the average Filipino can now afford to fly. In 2005, 1 out of 12 Filipinos flew within a year. In 2012, by continuing to offer low fares, we hope to reduce that ratio to 1 out of 6. We want to see more and more Filipinos see their country and the world!

Challenge No. 2: In 2003, we established Digitel Mobile Philippines, Inc. and developed a brand for the mobile phone business called Sun Cellular. Prior to the launch of the brand, we were actually involved in a transaction to purchase PLDT shares of the majority shareholder.

The question in everyone's mind was how we could measure up to the two telecom giants. They were entrenched and we were late by eight years! PLDT held the landline monopoly for quite a while, and was first in the mobile phone industry. Globe was a younger company, but it launched digital mobile technology here.

But being a late player had its advantages. We could now build our platform from a broader perspective. We worked with more advanced technologies and intelligent systems not available ten years ago. We chose our suppliers based on the most cost-efficient hardware and software. Being a Johnny-come-lately allowed us to create and launch more innovative products, more quickly.

All these provided us with the opportunity to give the consumers a choice that would rock their world. The concept was simple. We would offer Filipinos to call and text as much as they want for a fixed monthly fee. For P250 a month, they could get in touch with anyone within the Sun network at any time. This means great savings of as much as 2/3 of their regular phone bill! Suddenly, we gained traction. Within one year of its introduction, Sun hit one million customers.

Once again, the paradigm shifts - this time in the telecom industry. Sun's 24/7 Call and Text unlimited changed the landscape of mobile-phone usage.

Today, we have over 4 million subscribers and 2000 cell sites around the archipelago. In a country where 97% of the market is pre-paid, we believe we have hit on the right strategy.

Sun Cellular is a Johnny-come-lately, but it's doing all right. It is a third player, but a significant one, in an industry where Cassandras believed a third player would perish. And as we have done in the realm of air travel, so have we done in the telecom world: We have changed the marketplace.

In the end, it is all about making life better for the consumer by giving them choices.

Challenge No. 3: In 2004, we launched C2, the green tea drink that would change the face of the local beverage industry -- then, a playground of cola companies. Iced tea was just a sugary brown drink served bottomless in restaurants. For many years, hardly was there any significant product innovation in the beverage business.

Admittedly, we had little experience in this area. Universal Robina Corporation is the leader in snack foods but our only background in beverage was instant coffee. Moreover, we would be entering the playground of huge multinationals. We decided to play anyway.

It all began when I was in China in 2003 and noticed the immense popularity of bottled iced tea. I thought that this product would have huge potential here. We knew that the Philippines was not a traditional tea-drinking country since more familiar to consumers were colas in returnable glass bottles. But precisely, this made the market ready for a different kind of beverage. One that refreshes yet gives the health benefits of green tea. We positioned it as a "spa" in a bottle. A drink that cools and cleans…thus, C2 was born.

C2 immediately caught on with consumers. When we launched C2 in 2004, we sold 100,000 bottles in the first month. Three years later, Filipinos drink around 30 million bottles of C2 per month. Indeed, C2 is in a good place.

With Cebu Pacific, Sun Cellular, and C2, the JG Summit team took control of its destiny. And we did so in industries where old giants had set the rules of the game. It's not that we did not fear the giants. We knew we could have been crushed at the word go. So we just made sure we came prepared with great products and great strategies. We ended up changing the rules of the game instead.

There goes the principle of self-determination, again. I tell you, it works for individuals as it does for companies. And as I firmly believe, it works for nations.

I have always wondered, like many of us, why we Filipinos have not lived up to our potential. We have proven we can. Manny Pacquiao and Efren Bata Reyes in sports. Lea Salonga and the UP Madrigal Singers in performing arts. Monique Lhuillier and Rafe Totenco in fashion. And these are just the names made famous by the media. There are many more who may not be celebrities but who have gained respect on the world stage.

But to be a truly great nation, we must also excel as entrepreneurs before the world. We must create Filipino brands for the global market place.

If we want to be philosophical, we can say that, with a world-class brand, we create pride for our nation. If we want to be practical, we can say that, with brands that succeed in the world, we create more jobs for our people, right here.

Then, we are able to take part in what's really important—giving our people a big opportunity to raise their standards of living, giving them a real chance to improve their lives.

We can do it. Our neighbors have done it. So can we.

In the last 54 years, Korea worked hard to rebuild itself after a world war and a civil war destroyed it. From an agricultural economy in 1945, it shifted to light industry, consumer products, and heavy industry in the '80s. At the turn of the 21 st century, the Korean government focused on making Korea the world's leading IT nation. It did this by grabbing market share in key sectors like semiconductors, robotics, and biotechnology.

Today, one remarkable Korean brand has made it to the list of Top 100 Global Brands: Samsung. Less then a decade ago, Samsung meant nothing to consumers. By focusing on quality, design, and innovation, Samsung improved its products and its image. Today, it has surpassed the Japanese brand Sony. Now another Korean brand, LG Collins, is following in the footsteps of Samsung. It has also broken into the Top 100 Global Brands list.

What about China? Who would have thought that only 30 years after opening itself up to a market economy, China would become the world's fourth largest economy? Goods made in China are still thought of as cheap. Yet many brands around the world outsource their manufacturing to this country.

China's own brands—like Lenovo, Haier, Chery QQ, and Huawei—are fast gaining ground as well. I have no doubt they will be the next big electronics, technology and car brands in the world.

Lee Kwan Yu's book "From Third World to First" captures Singapore's aspiration to join the First World. According to the book, Singapore was a trading post that the British developed as a nodal point in its maritime empire. The racial riots there made its officials determined to build a "multiracial society that would give equality to all citizens, regardless of race, language or religion."

When Singapore was asked to leave the Malaysian Federation of States in 1965, Lee Kwan Yew developed strategies that he executed with single-mindedness despite their being unpopular. He and his cabinet started to build a nation by establishing the basics: building infrastructure, establishing an army, weeding out corruption, providing mass housing, building a financial center. Forty short years after, Singapore has been transformed into the richest South East Asian country today, with a per capita income of US$32,000.

These days, Singapore is transforming itself once more. This time it wants to be the creative hub in Asia, maybe even the world. More and more, it is attracting the best minds from all over the world in filmmaking, biotechnology, media, and finance. Meantime, Singaporeans have also created world-class brands: Banyan Tree in the hospitality industry, Singapore Airlines in the Airline industry and Singapore Telecoms in the telco industry.

I often wonder: Why can't the Philippines, or a Filipino, do this?

Fifty years after independence, we have yet to create a truly global brand. We cannot say the Philippines is too small because it has 86 million people. Switzerland, with 9 million people, created Nestle. Sweden, also with 9 million people, created Ericsson. Finland, even smaller with five million people, created Nokia. All three are major global brands, among others.

Yes, our country is well-known for its labor, as we continue to export people around the world. And after India, we are grabbing a bigger chunk of the pie in the call-center and business-process-outsourcing industries. But by and large, the Philippines has no big industrial base, and Filipinos do not create world-class products.

We should not be afraid to try—even if we are laughed at. Japan, laughed at for its cars, produced Toyota. Korea, for its electronics, produced Samsung. Meanwhile, the Philippines' biggest companies 50 years ago—majority of which are multinational corporations such as Coca-Cola, Procter and Gamble, and Unilever Philippines, for example—are still the biggest companies today. There are very few big, local challengers.

But already, hats off to Filipino entrepreneurs making strides to globalize their brands.

Goldilocks has had much success in the Unites States and Canada, where half of its customers are non-Filipinos. Coffee-chain Figaro may be a small player in the coffee world today, but it is making the leap to the big time. Two Filipinas, Bea Valdez and Tina Ocampo, are now selling their Philippine-made jewelry and bags all over the world.

Their labels are now at Barney's and Bergdorf's in the U.S. and in many other high-end shops in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

When we started our own foray outside the Philippines 30 years ago, it wasn't a walk in the park. We set up a small factory in Hong Kong to manufacture Jack and Jill potato chips there. Today, we are all over Asia. We have the number-one-potato-chips brand in Malaysia and Singapore. We are the leading biscuit manufacturer in Thailand, and a significant player in the candy market in Indonesia. Our Aces cereal brand is a market leader in many parts of China. C2 is now doing very well in Vietnam, selling over 3 million bottles a month there, after only 6 months in the market. Soon, we will launch C2 in other South East Asian markets.

I am 81 today. But I do not forget the little boy that I was in the palengke in Cebu. I still believe in family. I still want to make good. I still don't mind going up against those older and better than me. I still believe hard work will not fail me. And I still believe in people willing to think the same way.

Through the years, the market place has expanded: between cities, between countries, between continents. I want to urge you all here to think bigger. Why serve 86 million when you can sell to four billion Asians? And that's just to start you off. Because there is still the world beyond Asia. When you go back to your offices, think of ways to sell and market your products and services to the world. Create world-class brands.

You can if you really tried. I did. As a boy, I sold peanuts from my backyard. Today, I sell snacks to the world.

I want to see other Filipinos do the same.

Thank you and good evening once again.

-- Shared by Armando B. Aspiras

This Moment

2008-08-28T20:40:00.000+08:00

I may never see tomorrow;
There's no written guarantee.
And things that happened yesterday
Belong to history.

I cannot predict the future,
I cannot change the past.
I have just the present moment,
I must treat it as my last.

I must use this moment wisely,
For it soon will pass away.
And be lost forever
As a part of yesterday.

I must exercise compassion,
Help the fallen to their feet.
Be a friend unto the friendless,
Make an empty life complete.

The unkind things I do today
May never be undone.
And friendships that I fail to win
May nevermore be won.

I may not have another chance
On bended knees to pray.
And thank God with a humble heart
For giving me this day.

credits: positivethoughts.com

Lawyer Laughs ^_^

2008-08-27T19:10:00.000+08:00

no offense to all lawyers out there... i once wanted to become one of you too, but it didn't push through... finding these jokes in my email, i can't stop laughing! they're so funny that i just have to share them! XD

*****
These were lifted from a book called Disorder in the American Courts, and are things people actually said in court, word for word , taken down and now published by court reporters who had the torment of staying calm while these exchanges were actually taking place.

____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ __
ATTORNEY: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?
WITNESS: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.
____________ _________ _________
________
ATTORNEY: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: And in what ways does it affect your memory?
WITNESS: I forget.
ATTORNEY: You forget? Can you give us an example of something you forgot?
____________
_________ _________ _______
ATTORNEY: What was the first thing your husband said to you that morning?
WITNESS: He said, "Where am I, Cathy?"
ATTORNEY: And why did that upset you?
WITNESS: My name is Susan!
____________ _________ _ ____________ ____
ATTORNEY: Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved in voodoo?
WITNESS: We both do.
ATTORNEY: Voodoo?
WITNESS: We do.
ATTORNEY: You do?
WITNESS: Yes, voodoo.
____________ _________ _________ ________
ATTORNEY: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning?
WITNESS: Did you actually pass the bar exam?
____________ _________ _________ ______
ATTORNEY: The youngest son, the twenty-year- old, how old is he?
WITNESS: Uh, he's twenty-one.
____________ _________ _________ _________ _
ATTORNEY: Were you present when your picture was taken?
WITNESS: Are you shittin' me?
____________ _________ _________ ________
ATTORNEY: So the date of conception (of the baby) was August 8th?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: And what were you doing at that time?
WITNESS: Uh.... I was gettin' laid!
____________ _________ _________ ________
ATTORNEY: She had three children, right?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: How many were boys?
WITNESS: None.
ATTORNEY: Were there any girls?
WITNESS : Are you shittin' me? Your Honor, I think I need a different attorney. Can I get a new attorney?
____________ _________ _________ ________
ATTORNEY: How was your first marriage terminated?
WITNESS: By death.
ATTORNEY: And by whose death was it terminated?
WITNESS: Now whose death do you suppose terminated it?
____________ _________ _________ ________
ATTORNEY: Can you describe the individual?
WITNESS: He was about medium height and had a beard.
ATTORNEY: Was this a male or a female?
WITNESS: Guess.
____________ _________ _________ _______
ATTORNEY: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice which I sent to your attorney?
WITNESS: No, this is how I dress when I go to work.
____________ _________ _________ ________
ATTORNEY: Doctor, how many of your autopsies have you performed on dead people?
WITNESS: All my autopsies are performed on dead people. Would you like to rephrase that?
____________ _________ _________ ________
ATTORNEY: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK? What school did you go to?
WITNESS: Oral.
____________ _________ _________ ________
ATTORNEY: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
WITNESS: The autopsy started around 8:30 P.M.
ATTORNEY: And Mr. Denton was dead at the time?
WITNESS: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy on him!
____________ _________ _________ _________ _____
ATTORNEY: Are you qualified to give a urine sample?
WITNESS: Huh....are you qualified to ask that question?
____________ _________ _________ ________
And the best for last:
____________ _________ _________ ________
ATTORNEY: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for blood pressure?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for breathing?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: How can you be so sure, Doctor?
WITNESS: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.
ATTORNEY: I see, but could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?
WITNESS: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law

LOL! ;-P

Today

2008-08-26T19:24:00.000+08:00

Today I can complain because the weather is rainy or I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free.

Today I can feel sad that I don't have more money or I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste.

Today I can grumble about my health or I can rejoice that I am alive.

Today I can cry because roses have thorns or I can celebrate that thorns have roses.

Today I can mourn my lack of friends or can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships.

Today I can whine because I have to go to work or I can shout for joy because I have a job to do.

Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped. And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping. What today will be like, is up to me.

I get to choose what kind of day I will have!

credits: positivethoughts.com

A Prayer For Wisdom

2008-08-25T18:52:00.000+08:00

prayer for women with partners... ^^

Dear Lord,

I pray for Wisdom to understand my man;

Love to forgive him;

And Patience for his moods.

Because, Lord, if I pray for Strength,

I'll beat him to death.

AMEN

credits: funnyfunpages.com

Good Intentions...

2008-08-24T20:46:00.000+08:00

i believe that each person will always have good intentions at heart. in everything we do, we will always, always believe it in our hearts that the results of what we're doing will be good. it's just that sometimes, the results are not what we expected. things that we didn't intend to happen, happens. we hurt people with our innocent actions. we unintentionally cause pain to other people, and more often it's people we love that we cause the most pain to.

we do things for goodwill. we wanted to reach out to others, to create bonding, to bridge gaps. but sometimes in doing so, we receive responses that we didn't expect. we break instead of bridge, we cut instead of create, people run away instead of reaching out. why does this happen? why is it at the purest intentions, bad things still happens? we can't control how others will react, we can't control things around us, we can only control ourselves. it will all boil down to how we accept things that suddenly happen.

but when it's not us that needs help, what can we do? how can we tell people we love to react a certain way? how can we help them when they don't want to be helped? when we see people we love got hurt, we get hurt too. when we see people we love react negatively, we want to help and it's frustrating when we can't. we feel helpless, we wonder how can they feel that way when we only want to give joy and love to them. i can only hope and pray that God will be with me to help me spread His love. to give me the courage to go on and never stop trying even if doing so seem useless. even if it leaves me frustrated and in pain, let God be my refuge to revive my hope, strengthen my faith, and to always believe that good things will eventually come, in His time...

[JDorama] Absolute Boyfriend

2008-08-23T21:17:00.000+08:00

photo credits: dramawiki

Title: Absolute Boyfriend (a.k.a. Zettai Kareshi)
Genre: Romance-Comedy
Episodes: 11
Aired: April - June 2008
Casts:

Hayami Mokomichi - 01 or Night Tenjo is a robot made to be the ideal boyfriend of it's owner. Who would've thought that a robot will develop real human feelings towards it's human girlfriend?!

I'd say Mokomichi really did a great job in this drama. He acted so much like a robot that I can't imagine him to be the partner of the lead girl. His tall frame and nice built definitely makes him physically perfect to be an ideal boyfriend!

Aibu Saki - Izawa Riiko is a girl from the province that came to Tokyo to fulfill her dream of becoming a pastry chef. I remember her from the drama "Attention Please" on a supporting role. I'm happy for her that she finally made it to a lead role this time.

Mizushima Hiro - Asamoto Soshi is the grandson of the founder of Asamoto Confectioneries, the leading pastry company in Tokyo. He's not your ideal successor and found to be a bit of a rebel because he always has his own way and is very stubborn.

Hiro is such a good looking man! I found him very attractive the first time I saw him in Hana Kimi, and this time is no different. I had been rooting for him from the very start of the drama.^^ He's bad boy rugged looks just adds more to his manly appeal!

Summary:

01 is the robot created by Kronos Heaven to fulfill every girl's dream of an ideal boyfriend. It's supposed to be whatever you wanted him to be. Izawa Riiko was chosen by the company to test the robot before it's mass production for market selling. Riiko called her robot, Night Tenjo and treated him like a household appliance at first. But unexpectedly, the robot started to have real human feelings towards Riiko that even the maker can't explain.

I like the first part of drama because it brings out the giggly little girl in me. But as the story progresses, it just became more and more ridiculous. Specially near the end when Riiko decided to choose Night over Soshi! Who in their right mind would choose a robot over a real human being who is equally in love with you right? Well, I must have forgotten that the title of the drama is Absolute Boyfriend and the lead is the robot, so understandably, they will have to build more conflict over him to make him shine better. Good thing the ending is not so bad, it's short of what I would've wanted but I'll take it over the other possible ending.

I specially like the theme song, it's so nice!

Watch Online >> Absolute Boyfriend w/ English subtitles

Rating: 7/10

Luk Foo in QI

2008-08-22T20:37:00.000+08:00

It's my mama's birthday last August 18th, Happy Birthday to my mom! We went on a family lunch in of course, a Chinese restaurant (my mom loves Chinese food) and our family's favorite whenever we can't think of any other place to eat, Luk Foo! ^^ It's near our place and the food is good so we usually go there.

What we ordered:

*Birthday noodles - it's my mama's birthday of course there's noodles! They cooked it a bit salty though but not so bad that you can still eat it freely.

*Spinach Seafood Soup - our favorite of the cream soups they have to offer. It's not too tasty which is just fine as an appetizer.

*Patatim - served in big platter with lettuce, carrots and mushroom! Very nice presentation and the taste is not bad at all. The meat is not as tender as I prefer but as long as you have teeth, it would be just fine. ^^

*Ginger Garlic Shrimps w/ Sotanghon - i love the giant shrimps! So yummy! The sotanghon is not the original ones we used to have when I was young. Sotanghon nowadays are like bihon, too soft and breaks too easily.

and the regulars (we always, always order these every time we eat there!)
*Fried Fish Fillet in Crab Sauce - my sioti's favorite! He insists on ordering this dish each and every time we eat in Luk Foo. The fish is tender and I have to admit, it's really good!

*Yang Chow Fried Rice - i love their Yang Chow because it's not bland. It has shrimps, roast pork, egg, green peas, etc. in it that made it taste good. You can eat it alone and you'll be satisfied.

The service is good, waiters are very accommodating and quick to serve. Food presentation is very nice as well that you'll definitely want to taste the food once served on your table. The only thing I didn't like is their beef dishes, they're always rubbery, so we see to it not to order any beef. But all in all, it's good and we love to eat there! ^_^

Rating: 9/10

Today Is A Beautiful Day! =)

2008-08-22T08:24:00.001+08:00

Another beautiful email I received from a dear friend...

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: 'I am blind, please help.' There were only a few coins in the hat.

A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.

Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, 'Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?'

The man said, 'I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way.'
What he had written was: 'Today is a beautiful day and I cannot see it.'

Do you think the first sign and the second sign were saying the same thing?

Of course both signs told people the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?

Moral of the Story: Be thankful for what you have.. Be creative. Be innovative. Think differently and positively.

Invite others towards good with wisdom.
Live life with no excuse and love with no regrets.
When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1,000 reasons to smile.
Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear. Keep the faith and drop the fear.

Great men say, 'Life has to be an incessant process of repair and reconstruction, of discarding evil and developing goodness….
In the journey of life, if you want to travel without fear, you must have the ticket of a good conscience..'

The most beautiful thing is to see a person smiling...
And even more beautiful is, knowing that you are the reason behind it.

*****
Keep the faith Nats! My prayers are with you... I'll see you soon! ^_^

Just A Quarter

2008-08-13T08:39:00.000+08:00

Several years ago a preacher moved to Houston, Texas. Some weeks after he arrived, he rode the bus from his home to the downtown area. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change. As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, " You'd better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it."

Then he thought, "Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter.
Who would worry about this little of an amount? Anyway, the bus company already gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a gift from God and keep quiet."

"When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, "Here, you gave me too much change."

The driver, with a smile, replied, "Aren't you the new preacher in town? I have been thinking lately about going to worship somewhere. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change."

When my friend stepped off the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, and held on, and said, "Oh, God," I almost sold your Son for a quarter."

Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read.

Be Encouraged.

Source: positivethoughts.com

Pancakes!

2008-08-12T08:17:00.001+08:00

Six year old Brandon decided one Saturday
morning to fix his parents pancakes.
He found a big bowl and spoon,
pulled a chair to the counter, opened
the cupboard and pulled out the heavy flour canister,
spilling it on the floor.

He scooped some of the flour into the bowl with his hands,
mixed in most of a cup of milk and added some sugar, leaving a
floury trail on the floor which by now had a few tracks
left by his kitten.

Brandon was covered with flour and getting frustrated.
He wanted this to be something very good for
Mom and Dad, but it was getting very bad.

He didn't know what to do next, whether to put it all
into the oven or on the stove
(and he didn't know how the stove worked!).

Suddenly he saw his kitten licking from the bowl of mix and
reached to push her away, knocking the egg carton to the floor.

Frantically he tried to clean up this monumental mess
but slipped on the eggs, getting his! pajamas white and sticky.

And just then he saw Dad standing at the door.
Big crocodile tears welled up in Brandon's eyes.
All he'd wanted to do was something good,
but he'd made a terrible mess.

He was sure a scolding was coming, maybe even a spanking. But
his father just watched him. Then, walking through the mess, he
picked up his crying son, hugged him and loved him,
getting his own pajamas white and sticky in the process.

That's how God deals with us. We try to do something good in
life, but it turns into a mess. Our marriage gets all sticky or we
insult a friend or we can't stand our job or our health goes sour.
Sometimes we just stand there in tears because we
can't think of anything else to do.

That's when God picks us up and loves us and forgives
us, even though some of our mess gets all over Him.

But just because we might mess up, we can't stop
trying to "make pancakes," for God or for others.
Sooner or later we'll get it right, and then
they'll be glad we tried...

Please pass some of this love on to others..........
You would be surprised what a little
inspiration can do especially at the right moment!
Have a good day and keep trying.

Source: funnyfunpages.com

Bill Gates - For The Senior Class

2008-08-09T08:20:00.000+08:00

I received this in my email almost a week ago and thought of sharing it... it's about life's simple lessons that we often forget...

Love him or hate him, he sure hits the nail on the head with this! Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.

Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2 : The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3 : You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4 : If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5 : Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

If you agree, pass it on.
If you can read this - Thank a teacher!

My Joy List

2008-08-07T09:01:00.000+08:00

A new blog entry from Bo Sanchez, "What Is Your Joy List?" inspired me to write my own Joy List so here it is:

- I want to have at least one sunday lunch out with my family each month
- I want to share more long chats over lunch or dinner with my friends
- I want to connect more often with my relatives just to know how they are doing
- I want to achieve my financial goal before I reach 50
- I want to be able to give more to the less fortunate
- I want to travel outside the Philippines at least once a year
- I want to visit the Philippine's tourist destinations outside Manila at least once a year
- I want to go to as much amusement parks in different countries as possible (yes, I'm a theme park freak! LOL! =P The picture is us taking the "Around the World" ride in Amsterdam, loved it!)
- I want to watch at least one funny show that will make me laugh out loud each week to relieve myself of stress from work

May all our dreams come true... God bless! ^_^

~Cinderella~

2008-08-04T18:52:00.001+08:00

Who's your favorite Disney princess? It had always been Cinderella for me ever since I was a little girl. The magic and enchantment, nothing compares! That's why when I heard that my favorite singer, Lea Salonga is playing my favorite princess, Cinderella, it's definitely a must watch for me!

But this time, it's not the Disney Cinderella that I fell in love with that will be appearing on stage. This one is adapted from the original musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein for television starring Julie Andrews.

I think the musical is more for mature audiences rather than small children. The humor is found in their dialogues that little kids might not appreciate much. There's no lively music that we enjoyed from the Disney version but instead we found ourselves listening to slow, melodramatic songs that's supposed to warm the heart.

As expected of Lea, the performance is beautiful and her voice is truly magical. I'm a big fan of her singing voice because it's crystal clear and always in perfect pitch! It's also nice that most of the cast were given their own time. Like the love story of the King and Queen, the evil step sisters and step mother, the fairy godmother as our story teller, even the mice and ofcourse the prince in his troubled time looking for his princess.

What I find really amazing are the costumes and production design! They're simply wonderful! The visual effects left me in awe, specially the costume change by Cinderella from her kitchen maid clothes to the princess gown in seconds! (Anybody can tell me what really happened there? ^^)

The show may not be as great as I expected it to be but the magical carriage, cute mouse puppets, colorful costumes, beautiful voices and performances are enough for me to enjoy the night! ^_^

Rating: 8/10

[JDorama] Teppan Shoujo Akane

2008-08-01T20:29:00.000+08:00

Other title: Teppan Girl
Aired: October - December 2006
Episodes: 9
Genre: Food
Cast:
Horikita Maki - Kagura Akane
Tsukamoto Takashi - Ichijo Shinta
Jinnai Takanori - Kurogane Ginzo
Katase Nana - Saigoji Erena

Story:
Horikita Maki plays Akane, the only daughter of Tetsuma, the No. 1 teppanyaki chef in Japan. But after her mother died, her father just left, and she had to live alone with a restaurant to run all by herself. She's a skilled teppanyaki chef and strives to be as good as her father. Her skills saved her restaurant from being foreclosed by Saigoji Erena to whom her father had a big debt. On her way to looking for her father, she constantly end up in cooking battles to help other peope.

Review:
As much as I like Maki, this is definitely not one of her best performances. The series is too anime-ish and doesn't work that well in live action. The story lines are very simple but made over dramatic by the director which end up being kinda ridiculous. Even my brother who is a fan of anime and enjoys Japanese dramas didn't like it and found it boring.

I do like the love angle of Akane and Shinta though, but was ruined by the betrayal (even if it's not his own will). It kinda destroy the love Akane had for Shinta all this time.

I wouldn't recommend this drama unless you really don't have anything else to watch. But I still finished it (with the help of the forward button) for the love of Maki, and Shinta kinda reminded of me Yamapi too! ^^

Rating: 3/10

Watch Teppan Soujo Akane w/ English subtitles @ crunchyroll

What Your Taste in Music Say About You?

2008-07-26T18:10:00.000+08:00

What Your Taste in Music Says About You

Your musical tastes are upbeat and conventional.

You are an easy going, optimistic person.

Family and friends are very important to you.

You enjoy caring for and helping other people.

You thrive in a tranquil environment, and you do your best to keep things peaceful.

You enjoy your life. You have your priorities straight.

What Does Your Taste in Music Say About You?

Smile! ^_^

2008-07-26T08:24:00.000+08:00

Smiling is infectious,
you catch it like the flu,
when someone smiled at me today,
I started smiling too!

I passed around the corner,
and someone saw my grin,
and when he smiled I realized,
I'd passed it on to him!

I thought about that smile,
then I realized it's worth.
A single smile, just like mine,
could travel 'round the world.

So if you feel a smile begin,
don't leave it undetected.
Let's start an epidemic quick,
and get the world infected!

** got it from a friend in my email today... God bless to you dear friend! Smile! *hugz*

The Interview With God

2008-07-24T13:09:00.000+08:00

just want to share this very nice slide... just click below...

Inspirational Quotes

Golden Fortune in Benavides

2008-07-21T12:22:00.000+08:00

After exactly a year, me and 3 of my friends met up together! =) And our favorite thing to do when we're together is to eat out!!! This time we chose to try Golden Fortune tea house in Benavides St. This shop had be closed for renovation for a long time and just recently opened for business again.

I remembered before i closed, I had lunch there with my family and my mom loved the food so I personally suggested to my friends to go there and eat. But to my disappointment, it's not as good as before anymore... =(

Their menu consists of different categories like roast, soup, noodles, seafood, chicken, pork, beef, vegetables, dimsum, drinks, etc. What I noticed is that they don't have some of the most popular dishes you usually find in Chinese Restaurants like spinach soup, hot pot dishes, etc...

I'll just talk about how the food is and not the price since I didn't pay so I didn't notice. XD

We ordered:
For appetizer:
Siomai - average
Shark's fin dimsum - not good
Radish cake - this one is good, the sauce is unnecessary

Main dish:
Yang Chow fried rice - not bad but not exceptional too
Beef with Broccoli flowers - I like it because their beef is not rubbery like the others
Fish Fillet with Tofu in Tausi Sauce - This one is not in the menu. It's good if only their fillet doesn't have fish bones in them... =S
Japanese Udon with Seafoods - common noodle dish, nothing special

Over all, the food is edible so I won't really complain. It's too ordinary for any special occasion though.

Service is good. I'll give credit to the waiters, they're all very nice and accommodating.

Ambiance is fair. The place is clean but nothing special.

Rating: 7/10

Wu Chun and Calvin Philippines Promo Tour!

2008-07-14T17:54:00.001+08:00

picture credits: abs-cbn.com

Wu Chun and Calvin Chen, members of boy group Fahrenheit from Taiwan came to Philippines for the Romantic Princess promo tour. They were welcomed by fans from the airport, to their hotel, and to all their tv appearances.

I've compiled all the videos i can find of their whole Philippine visit, so enjoy! ^^

[Fancam] Short fan meet before Entertainment Live
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
credits: gyelle@youtube

Entertainment Live Pre-Interview
credits: 4jpz@youtube

Entertainment Live
credits: darkhawkz@youtube

Presscon
credits: mountaineer017@youtube + abs-cbn

Pinoy Dream Academy
credits: darkhawkz@youtube

TV Patrol
credits: darkhawkz@youtube

ASAP '08
credits: herbiephils@youtube

The Buzz
[1] [2]
credits: darkhawkz@youtube

[Fancam] Short clip of Fan meet (low quality)
credits: rochirusan@youtube

One on one interview
[1] [2]
credits: mountaineer017@youtube + abs-cbn

New Blog! ^_^

2008-07-10T08:28:00.000+08:00

i'm, starting a new blog! yipee! hmmm... too excited?! =p i'm opening this blog with hope of good things to come... so help me God! =)

everybody's welcome! just be nice, okie? ^_^