It’s Been A Year Ivan…
It has been a year Ivan. I suppose you’re pretty happy now wherever you are. I know that you and Rambo are together and I know that you’ll most probably be smiling down on us and sometimes are with us from time to time.
Last year, I remember, I was here at the office and we were having a seminar of some sort. I have been receiving text messages from our co-CYFers and they were asking me to pray for your family whom you’ve left behind. Of course, I did not believe those messages. I even called up Leonel and we were joking that you were yet up to another round of your crazy antics.
But we all guessed wrong. I only confirmed your passing away when I texted Ian who even had used Kiko’s celphone just to inform me that what they all were saying were true. I just could not believe it.
Pagsasalin kay George Orwell
Insired by Jego, who has begun translating CS Lewis into Filipino, I begin my translation of George Orwell’s Animal Farm. He was probably spurred by the discussion at Manolo’s blog over the lack of good translations of English works into the vernacular. I took the liberty of changing the setting from England to the Philippines. Inihaw, pagdamutan po ninyo ang aking pagsasalin.
Dried Emotion can be Tragic
Walking home the other day with an earphone stuck on one ear listening to one of my old fave songs, emoting at every word, taking a ride on my own emotional rollercoaster I almost saw what could have been the nicest tragedy I could ever imagine happening on me.
*warning, suicidal emo shit below*
So yeah, ever since the bloom of the Kami nAPO Muna album, I’ve been asking where this song was and who revived it for the tribute. Yes, ladies and gentlemen through the influence of my own mother I’m a die hard fan of Apo Hiking’s songs even when I was just a little girl, while everyone else were dancing through the tune of 100% pure love plus more of the Universal Motion Dancer’s Butterfly and I saw the sign, and some other danceable songs which I think I better keep to myself now before you start throwing tomatoes at me saying “booohoooo….”
The melody of the song really struck me at a young age, just the melody coz I never really knew or remember the lyrics, not until I heard it again being played on the radio just recently. The melody was so strong (the same feeling I get after watching a powerful play) that after learning how to play ‘London Bridge is Falling Down’ on the piano, I was able to widow the first few lines of this song (which is really quite simple anyway).
With the power of technology (thank you Google!), finally, I’m able to savor the song more.
Ten things I want to say
Most of us need to say something to someone, but for one reason or another, we just couldn’t find the strength to do it. Perhaps we just aren’t that expressive or even if we are, we are not quite sure how the person we’re saying it to will react. I, too, have quite a lot to say to the most important people in my life and although I see them everyday, I don’t really tell them what’s in my heart. Well, there isn’t really any reason not to, but I just don’t. Maybe, someday, but not today…
(read the rest of this entry by clicking here)
Being in Malu’s Squatty, Well-manicured Toes
I promised myself that I would never write a post about Malu Fernandez and her witty and funny article in Manila Standard. I thought that I could content myself in responding to other blogs and ditching her there. I didn’t think it important to waste a post or a space to such an elitist swine but the temptation to roast her alive in my page is a really sweet idea for me.
Honestly I couldn’t blame her. I pity her for having bruises on her legs, for having been ’sardined’ and pestered in the economy class with the Pinoy OFWs. You couldn’t blame a fat git for not being able to sit comfortably in a chair specifically made for Homo sapiens. Being witty and all, did she think she could fit herself in that puny place? Of course not. That’s why I think she has only been in the first class section all her life.
I need to apologize to Malu as well. I need to say sorry for being poor and underprivileged. Because unlike some members of the elite class in this 3rd world country, we spend half our lives studying and doing honest labor and service to society. Unlike her lot, we need to study so freaking hard and think that by doing great in school, we are guaranteed of jobs to help us and our families in the future. Unlike her, we know the true value of work and being smart. I am sorry that her ideas of being ‘witty and smart‘ mean to deride other people or worse, ridicule them of their socio-economic background. But again, being witty and smart, she should have known better than to insult her countrymen.
What? No Asian Idol?
According to a moderator over at the Indonesian Idol forums, the prospect of an Asian Idol competition is now slim to none.
Apparently, the participating countries (namely India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam) did not agree with the proposed voting system by host country Indonesia. The tallying of votes would not be in a Eurovision-styled ranking-based system that we saw in World Idol, but rather only Indonesian residents are allowed to cast their votes for Asian Idol.
That would have been downright silly, devah? I mean, it’s like giving Indonesia a free hand in making their Indonesian Idol (who would have been represented by their latest winner Rini Wulandari) the eventual winner. Are the organizers afraid that their bet would eventually lose to our very own Mau Marcelo had the voting been participated by all 7 countries? Are they afraid that the eventual winner would not “look like” an Asian stereotype (Mau being half African-Puerto Rican)?
I still hope that Asian Idol would still be held, even if it would be just some “get together” concert with no competition involved.
How Throwing a Tantrum got me out of a Ticket
The MMDA Officer waved at me to pull over just as I was about to turn left on the intersection of Ayala and EDSA.
What now I asked myself as the grossly overweight, so-called enforcer of the law lumbered up to my window.
“What’s the problem officer?” I asked.
“Sir, you committed a traffic violation,” said the officer helpfully. He towered over the mini-SUV I was driving, and he spoke with a raspy gutteral voice which he uses to mumble his words. Trying to understand what he says is not unlike divining meaning from the growling of the neighbor’s ill-tempered dog.
“What?!” I said as I made an effort to sit as closer as to hear him better.
“Sir, you committed a traffic violation,” he said in his mumble-speek. “You were driving in the yellow lane and then you swerved out of the yellow lane when you saw me.”
Fractal Art as Wallpaper
Tired of the usual wallpaper on your pc? Mountains, beaches, cars, movie stars or posters, sexy photos or just the default wallpapers of your OS! Here is something that would make your monitors a bit artistic and eyecatching.
More of these stuff here. + the download link too! 
Hosted vs. Stand Alone Blog Platforms: Pros and Cons
This post is a part of PinoyBlogero’s “Starting out a New Blog” Series. The said series contains step by step tips and guides in helping bloggers create a new blog.
Yesterday, I have given a brief overview of the two types of blog platforms and their differences from one another. Today, I will be laying out the advantages and disadvantages of both blog platforms in order for you to have a better understanding of what to choose when thinking of building a new blog.
In the red corner, Hosted Blog Platform!
*applause*
Pros
- Easy on the pocket – Hosted blog platforms are known to be easy on a blogger’s budget because they offer their services for a small fee or at no cost at all.
- Easy setup – Hosted blogs are relatively easy to set up. All you have to do is to sign up, fill out a few details, after a few minutes, you are ready to blog!
- Worry free – The great thing about hosted blog platforms is that they really do justice to the term “easy blogging”. Everything is already taken care of, no need to worry about hosting issues or other stuffs.
- Easy to pick up – No use for help manuals here, managing a blog is made easy because of the user-friendly features that most hosted blog platforms have.
- Customer Service – If ever you get into trouble or in need of assistance, hosted blog platforms often have a help desk or a forum to help you with your problem.
- Automatic updates – Whenever a minor or a major update is released by a hosted blogging platform, all the blogs under it are updated automatically. No need to manually install anything.
Pinoy Dies in the Outback
A Filipino OFW recently died under suspicious circumstances somewhere up in the Northern Territory. Three months into his work term, Pedro Balading’s remains were found on the road as he was reportedly thrown off a speeding vehicle. His body was flown home in June. Balading, along with 2 other Filipinos were reportedly targets of racial discrimination, abuse and were made to do tasks in violation of their 457 skilled worker visa. Read here.
