When I was growing up I never really appreciated Barney (the fat purple dinosaur), except for this one time I learned the 'Color Song' but that's about it. So that was long time ago and probably those kids who were singing, dancing and gyrating with him ought to be around 18 - 20 something already. Imagine that one of them, Erica Rhodes, now actually turned out for the Dallas auditions for American Idol. Good for her, you know, carrying on the tradition of singing and spreading love and joy all around.
And did I mention she dressed up as a dominatrix? She grew up, uh-huh. haha
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Food and "The Rebound" post-midterms
What I loved about last Friday was the fact that it was the last day of our midterm examinations and it opened the gates to what would be an almost stress-free weekend. Well, at least I managed to do a lot of things, like reincarnate bloggy and grill fatty pork (bwahaha).
Anyway, back to Friday. After my last exam, the four of us (Riez, Jam, MJ and I) thought it would be a good idea to celebrate 'freedom' by eating out. And we didn't head to a fastfood joint this time. Instead, we went all the way to Pasonanca to dine at the Country Chicken, where the food was almost always great. Like come on, who doesn't love their grilled spareribs?? We spent the first half of the afternoon there (like from 11:30 - 2:30) just talking about random stuff.
Afterwards, on a whim, we decided to watch a movie. Now, there weren't many good choices at the local cinema and it was clearly "The Rebound" that stuck out like a sore thumb. (Interesting though, that we didn't even consider "Zombieland" since we thought it was another stupid slasher movie but it turned out it got mostly positive reviews, and it was actually a comedy).
Anyway, the movie was light, refreshing and entertaining. I like how it kind of explored something about "Cougar relationships" that aren't really in place right now..like the fact that love can actually exist between the two. The pace was fast and it obviously had flaws, but I'm not sure if I could blame myself for not caring so much, or the movie just had a lot of great funny and likeable moments that every flaw seemed forgivable. Likewise, the characters shined in their own right, especially Catherine Zeta-Jones. Though I really don't think Justin Bartha was the first choice as the younger guy because, well, he doesn't really look young and fresh. But all in all, I give it a 8.5/10 for its relaxed, quirky quality. And it definitely made my Friday afternoon!
Anyway, back to Friday. After my last exam, the four of us (Riez, Jam, MJ and I) thought it would be a good idea to celebrate 'freedom' by eating out. And we didn't head to a fastfood joint this time. Instead, we went all the way to Pasonanca to dine at the Country Chicken, where the food was almost always great. Like come on, who doesn't love their grilled spareribs?? We spent the first half of the afternoon there (like from 11:30 - 2:30) just talking about random stuff.
Afterwards, on a whim, we decided to watch a movie. Now, there weren't many good choices at the local cinema and it was clearly "The Rebound" that stuck out like a sore thumb. (Interesting though, that we didn't even consider "Zombieland" since we thought it was another stupid slasher movie but it turned out it got mostly positive reviews, and it was actually a comedy).
Anyway, the movie was light, refreshing and entertaining. I like how it kind of explored something about "Cougar relationships" that aren't really in place right now..like the fact that love can actually exist between the two. The pace was fast and it obviously had flaws, but I'm not sure if I could blame myself for not caring so much, or the movie just had a lot of great funny and likeable moments that every flaw seemed forgivable. Likewise, the characters shined in their own right, especially Catherine Zeta-Jones. Though I really don't think Justin Bartha was the first choice as the younger guy because, well, he doesn't really look young and fresh. But all in all, I give it a 8.5/10 for its relaxed, quirky quality. And it definitely made my Friday afternoon!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
The Birth of Blog
I've been scrambling for two days now - looking for new blog templates, thinking of a new title, and making sense of XML altogether.
OK, I must have lived under a rock for some reason, because the idea of XML (and its difference with HTML), confounds me. Well, needless to say I like how it works since it kinda makes my blogging experience easier and less complicated. Thanks Dee for the tip!!!! (BTW, how do you get your own domain name? i mean, a name without the .blogspot part??)
So the impetus that made me think of overhauling the blog is well, stuff that happened to me in the past few days.
Basically to put it in perspective, the emotional baggage that I've been carrying around for the past few months has been finally laid to rest..
Long story short, I've finally let go of the NewsMag.
And it made a world of difference.
All the negativity, all the pessimism, all the drama (personal drama that is)...is finally gone. And for better or for worse, I am looking forward to doing really good in school for the remaining months. Because two more semesters and I am finally graduating and I want to make every day count.
Obviously I can't think of a tangible way to translate this newfound 'freedom' into school work (not yet anyway), so I've been giving this a lot of thought and I finally decided to give my blog a facelift...and a new identity. It may be shallow but right now, the shallowness works!
I've been juggling a few ideas and writing down whatever brilliant word (self-indulgent i know) comes to mind. I wanted the blog to reflect a mood, feeling or emotion that speaks of not just this feeling I have but of an identity that I want to assume.
...Impromtu. Deconstructed. Easy-going. Casual. Happy. Glee. Informal. Simple. Straightforward. Catharsis. Release. Easy Reading. Farting from the keyboard (major LOL). Gio actually blogs. Typing easy. Off-the-record. Writing impromptu. Easy Writing.
*lightbulb!*
"Typing off-the-record"
Sounds nice.
"spontaneous, impromptu, deconstructed and all the things in between".
Even better.
OK, I must have lived under a rock for some reason, because the idea of XML (and its difference with HTML), confounds me. Well, needless to say I like how it works since it kinda makes my blogging experience easier and less complicated. Thanks Dee for the tip!!!! (BTW, how do you get your own domain name? i mean, a name without the .blogspot part??)
So the impetus that made me think of overhauling the blog is well, stuff that happened to me in the past few days.
Basically to put it in perspective, the emotional baggage that I've been carrying around for the past few months has been finally laid to rest..
Long story short, I've finally let go of the NewsMag.
And it made a world of difference.
All the negativity, all the pessimism, all the drama (personal drama that is)...is finally gone. And for better or for worse, I am looking forward to doing really good in school for the remaining months. Because two more semesters and I am finally graduating and I want to make every day count.
Obviously I can't think of a tangible way to translate this newfound 'freedom' into school work (not yet anyway), so I've been giving this a lot of thought and I finally decided to give my blog a facelift...and a new identity. It may be shallow but right now, the shallowness works!
I've been juggling a few ideas and writing down whatever brilliant word (self-indulgent i know) comes to mind. I wanted the blog to reflect a mood, feeling or emotion that speaks of not just this feeling I have but of an identity that I want to assume.
...Impromtu. Deconstructed. Easy-going. Casual. Happy. Glee. Informal. Simple. Straightforward. Catharsis. Release. Easy Reading. Farting from the keyboard (major LOL). Gio actually blogs. Typing easy. Off-the-record. Writing impromptu. Easy Writing.
*lightbulb!*
"Typing off-the-record"
Sounds nice.
"spontaneous, impromptu, deconstructed and all the things in between".
Even better.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
light bulb!
I'm glad i have friends to back me up when things go sour. i had a rough night, to say the least, and this is the nugget of wisdom i managed to get after all the brouhaha:
there are two kinds of people in my life: the people whose opinions matter and whose opinions don't.
suffice to say i know who I should listen to
doing!
i have a plan!
there are two kinds of people in my life: the people whose opinions matter and whose opinions don't.
suffice to say i know who I should listen to
doing!
i have a plan!
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
really nice Idol videos
I was really pissed at the fact that my guilty pleasure, Glee will be preempted with months of American Idol. Now, my love for AI (whatever it is) isn't as strong as it used to be..but...
videos like these made me fall in love with AI all over again. Call me a sap, but what the hell. AI! AI! AI!
videos like these made me fall in love with AI all over again. Call me a sap, but what the hell. AI! AI! AI!
Friday, January 01, 2010
a deciding step/leap of faith
Because I have only a few days left to study and do whatever it is that students do, I decided to give my Philosophy handout a try. I never really liked Philo and the handout, entitled "Existentialism and Man's search for Meaning" by Manuel Dy, didn't really help since I barely understood it.
Well, the first part anyway. I mean, like, who cares if pre-Socratic thinkers believed that something was cosmocentric. Notice how I used something. It means things have been lost in translation and I couldn't really remember much. :). Anywaaaaay....
I'm actually writing precisely because of the article I thought I couldn't understand. It turns out I managed to dig at a few nuggets of wisdom from the sea of putrid, jumbled phrases. It turns out existentialism basically involves questioning, searching inward for the things that you value or give your life meaning. I'm not going to lecture anymore than I have already endured..so here are my points of emphasis:
Value is that for which a person lives and dies for
Value is subjective....value is always value-for-me
Value is then that around which, all my human activities revolve
So what am I driving at? Well, it's really nothing that concerns the universe, rather it's something inward and it involves myself, and the thing I value (or apparently do not).
this is gonna be kinda long so brace yourself....
It was the summer of 2009 when I got a call from my then-EIC (from our campus publication), that the panel (there was an interview for all those who wished to apply for the editorial board) wanted me to be the next EIC. I was taken aback, but eventually I said to myself that I was stupid for letting this opportunity pass so I said yes.
How I wish I could've said 'no'
I never really thought about the immense responsibility being an EIC had. Yeah, I was extremely naive. I said 'yes' also because I knew it would help boost my chances of getting a Vale or Salu award for graduation. It was actually my goal when I entered college. Yeah, I realized that I had the wrong motive/motivation afterall. I've lost sight of what I want and what I value. In a sense, the work and the pressure I put on myself (mostly that), is taking it's toll and for the past few months or so....I haven't really been happy about my job.
I dread going to the office because i'm afraid of facing my senior editors (senior because I'm currently a junior. lucky me! haha), because at the back of my head, I feel that they'll stop at nothing to make me feel inferior. It's irrational but I can't defeat those fears right now.
And what am I currently doing? i'm avoiding responsibility. I haven't done my articles yet. And I let my other editors take charge of the next two issues because I kinda told them another version of this story which involved me investing too much on the first issue and at the end, having nothing left for the next issue.
And it really doesn't help that there's no rapport within the group. I really have no "solid friend" in the office (though there are people I like) and I really can't relate as much. Blame it on the fact that prior to my appointment, I was a writer who barely visited the office.
I always thought that I might as well give it another shot next school year since i'm still around. But after a few days of asking myself basic questions like "Am I happy?" and "Do I value my job?"
No and No.
So my plan of action is still brewing but I'm almost 100% sure that I'm leaving the publication, after three years of membership.
You might say it's sayang, but looking back, I could never really unearth a happy memory in the office. Being in the office has become a burden that I don't think I can stomach any longer. In a way I feel as if I'm being choked. So I'm going to tough it out for the next few months, until the school year ends (since I still have to do my job), and I think it's going to be full speed ahead from there.
Maybe He gave me this chance to help me know myself better, to make me realize the meaning of responsibility, and probably to give me a chance at fixing whatever it is within myself that I need to fix.
But really, I'm holding on to the idea that there are battles I really can't win.
And you know what's funny? Thinking about leaving makes me smile right now.
Out with the old, in with the new! happy 2010 everybody!
Well, the first part anyway. I mean, like, who cares if pre-Socratic thinkers believed that something was cosmocentric. Notice how I used something. It means things have been lost in translation and I couldn't really remember much. :). Anywaaaaay....
I'm actually writing precisely because of the article I thought I couldn't understand. It turns out I managed to dig at a few nuggets of wisdom from the sea of putrid, jumbled phrases. It turns out existentialism basically involves questioning, searching inward for the things that you value or give your life meaning. I'm not going to lecture anymore than I have already endured..so here are my points of emphasis:
Value is that for which a person lives and dies for
Value is subjective....value is always value-for-me
Value is then that around which, all my human activities revolve
So what am I driving at? Well, it's really nothing that concerns the universe, rather it's something inward and it involves myself, and the thing I value (or apparently do not).
this is gonna be kinda long so brace yourself....
It was the summer of 2009 when I got a call from my then-EIC (from our campus publication), that the panel (there was an interview for all those who wished to apply for the editorial board) wanted me to be the next EIC. I was taken aback, but eventually I said to myself that I was stupid for letting this opportunity pass so I said yes.
How I wish I could've said 'no'
I never really thought about the immense responsibility being an EIC had. Yeah, I was extremely naive. I said 'yes' also because I knew it would help boost my chances of getting a Vale or Salu award for graduation. It was actually my goal when I entered college. Yeah, I realized that I had the wrong motive/motivation afterall. I've lost sight of what I want and what I value. In a sense, the work and the pressure I put on myself (mostly that), is taking it's toll and for the past few months or so....I haven't really been happy about my job.
I dread going to the office because i'm afraid of facing my senior editors (senior because I'm currently a junior. lucky me! haha), because at the back of my head, I feel that they'll stop at nothing to make me feel inferior. It's irrational but I can't defeat those fears right now.
And what am I currently doing? i'm avoiding responsibility. I haven't done my articles yet. And I let my other editors take charge of the next two issues because I kinda told them another version of this story which involved me investing too much on the first issue and at the end, having nothing left for the next issue.
And it really doesn't help that there's no rapport within the group. I really have no "solid friend" in the office (though there are people I like) and I really can't relate as much. Blame it on the fact that prior to my appointment, I was a writer who barely visited the office.
I always thought that I might as well give it another shot next school year since i'm still around. But after a few days of asking myself basic questions like "Am I happy?" and "Do I value my job?"
No and No.
So my plan of action is still brewing but I'm almost 100% sure that I'm leaving the publication, after three years of membership.
You might say it's sayang, but looking back, I could never really unearth a happy memory in the office. Being in the office has become a burden that I don't think I can stomach any longer. In a way I feel as if I'm being choked. So I'm going to tough it out for the next few months, until the school year ends (since I still have to do my job), and I think it's going to be full speed ahead from there.
Maybe He gave me this chance to help me know myself better, to make me realize the meaning of responsibility, and probably to give me a chance at fixing whatever it is within myself that I need to fix.
But really, I'm holding on to the idea that there are battles I really can't win.
And you know what's funny? Thinking about leaving makes me smile right now.
Out with the old, in with the new! happy 2010 everybody!
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