Crunches aren't effective???

I just had to post this video because I would like to think of this as a sign - today, I watched two fitness trainers say the exact same thing about Core workout vs. "Abs" workout. The first one was on E!News this morning, when a celebrity fitness trainer talked about a star's secrets to having a toned bod. And this is the second one:





I was even thinking of buying my nth exercise equipment from a friend (as advertised on the Home Shopping Network), but I thought maybe I could give this 30 day "routine" a try. Hmmmm...i just hope I won't get bored/uninspired easily. Just looking at my big gut in the mirror makes me want to jump onto that road and jog like there's no tomorrow. But I don't know, somewhere along the way, I get distracted and eventually wean from my "habit". Geez, I need somebody to whack me on the butt.

The end (of AI)

I'm not really as excited as I hoped to be when the AI finale rolled in - maybe because I'm not really excited with the top 2. Actually, the last time I intensely championed for my bet was around two years ago...when it was David Cook (my bet) vs David Archuleta. And I kind of get it now. During AI 5, I expected Chris Daughtry to take the prize, and well, America voted him off. So when it was Cook's time I was happy that finally a rocker won American Idol. Flash forward to two years later...another commercial guitar playing dude won - Lee Dewyze. This season could have seen the second coming of Alanis Morissette in Crystal Bowersox. But it was obviously the third coming of the rocker.

Speaking of which, it was way freaky when they had a duet! They sounded so alike! Hmmm..maybe the comparison to Alanis isn't exactly a good thing. Anyway, America has its reasons for liking Lee Dewyze more. Reasons which I'm trying to, and probably understand now.

It was pretty obvious that Crystal was the early front runner during the semi-finals and the first few weeks of the finals. She cranked up great versions of "You can't always get what you want", "Me and Bobby McGee", "People get ready" and "Long as I see the light". Essentially these were the songs I really remember. These are great songs, and I actually had her pinned on the Folk genre simply because she just gives off more of the Indie spirit than teenage wasteland. In the same way that America chose Kris Allen over Adam Lambert, they chose yet another safe, semi-conservative choice with Lee.

But I have my own reasons for wanting Lee to win. Lee obviously has its own merits - both in performing and being relatable. I really didn't think much of him during those times when I waited for another Bowersox performance. But when he overcame his shyness, I finally looked at him as THE one to beat. "Treat her like a lady" was my all-time favorite song of his. But what made him endearing is obviously his whole "transformation story" from being a paint salesman (which the producers just LOVE to remind us of) to being on American Idol. The judges said it themselves when they told Lee that he's the kind of person the show was designed for - somebody who needed a break. I'll be honest though, I think Crystal didn't relate as much to America when she sang her finale song, the title of which I can't remember right now...Lee, although kind of generic, probably won commercial America more with his upbeat tune.



Now it can be said that American Idol the Icon is gone - with Simon and Paula taking it with them. Paula was obviously right when she said the show will go on...but I'm not sure if it's still the show I grew to love for seven years now.

Oh well, for Lee, "it's a beautiful day" indeed, and don't worry, I'll probably download his album off isohunt, and probably Crystal's too. I just wish next year will be about another genre of music - like RnB or Folk. I hope America has had it up to here (pointing to my head 5 feet and 9 1/2 inches off the ground) with pop rock.

sweat and sausages

I'm getting into the habit of jogging really well. My dad and I have been circling Pasonance a couple times this summer, and today marks the first time that my lower body strength helped me endure jogging non-stop around the "oval" - from the gates of the butterfly garden, around the water district and the pools and ending at the same gates.

Anyway.....it was raining so I couldn't take pictures. When we got home though, there was still some brown rice left over from yesterday, and my aunt cooked Vigan sausages that my mom brought home. It. was. amazing. I got my Panasonic lumix GF1 and took some pictures.





I have to work on my macro shots though. I'm not sure if the camera can't take good macro, or I'm just good enough. I hope it's the former. haha

I still haven't read the whole manual so I'm not sure what else this baby could do, but so far, I'm amazed at the results and it photographs like a dream...and a dslr.

gearing up for the AI finale

Ok so screw my pent-up feelings of sadness and self-pity and make way for the American Idol finale! wohooo! Brownouts made it hard for me to catch a decent episode of last week's performance night, and I only got to watch Lee and Crystal's performances on youtube just now.

Here's my take on this: Even if i'm rooting for Crystal, Lee's performance of "Hallelujah" was amazing, and if last week was the finale, this song would've been his acceptance speech



But I'm really not counting Crystal out of the game as of the moment. Since a lot can happen tomorrow, I'm expecting her to bring out the big guns and sever America's jugular tomorrow.
So the bottomline is...itwon't be an Archuleta - Cook, or even an Allen - Lambert competition, since Lee and Crystal are cut from the same indie - guitar singer cloth. Either way, excitement isn't really bubbling. But it's still THERE!

I'll definitely be waiting for Lee and Crystal to make the moment count and impress, ahem, me. I hope the electric company would cooperate!

Hurt

i was hurt today...

i never thought of myself as tactless right now. i admit that growing up i had my fair share of people getting angry at me for something i said. i told myself that i never wanted them to hate me so from now on i would watch what i say, and say only the right things so people would like me.

i was hurt today because i knew i said the right thing and it still wasn't enough.

I was hurt because it just dawned on me that people treat each other differently. And i'm just unfortunate enough to be on the losing end of whatever gradient people use to understand each other. I'm hurt because it's not fair.

Today, I voted

Today I voted and for the first time in my life, my choice was legally accepted and accounted for.

Today, I tasted first hand how we're decades behind in terms of the system we employ.

Today, I chose somebody who I swore I would never vote for. But ironically, my previous "favorite" made it easy to walk out of the polling center without regrets.

Today, I felt how much the people around me wanted to change the way the Philippines is heading.

Today, I wish, will be day 1 of a long battle against corrupt officials, oppressive dynasties and the audacity of political impunity.

Tomorrow, partial results will let us know who's in the running, and I still hope that the surveys are wrong

Tomorrow, won't mean anything grand for the country, because there is still no rainbow, or even a silver lining. All that is left is a long, winding road full of struggle.

But today, I voted. And this has made all the difference

***
this isn't really poetic and i don't think this makes a lot of sense but it's better than nothing. I've been busy on Facebook and it wasn't fair if I left bloggy to gather cobwebs. haha

Panasonic Lumix GF1

the fact that this piece of heaven has been getting rave reviews makes me more adamant at getting this over a Canon! I can't wait!!!



This essentially bridges the gap between an intimidating dslr and the tame point and shoot. I'm pretty sure I'm not ready for a dslr AND i think i've had my fair share of point and shoots so I'm setting my sights on the next level of my amateur photography skills.

Quesodillas and cake

New find - quesodillas from Mi Abuela. A great snack to cap my summer duty! this tastes great with salsa.
this is probably worth posting. I ate this a week ago at Myrna's. I forgot the name but I think they called it a mocha cake. Cakes at Myrna's are definitely cheaper than Red Ribbon, and Myrna's cakes can be bought by slice! Red Ribbon can be picky

Jewman

What was funny here wasn't Justin Bieber's response but how thick NZ accent is. And I didn't know it was called 'Kiwi'!