Saturday, December 31, 2005

see you next year!

which is a few hours away.

Goodbye 2005!

For me, it was a great year, some of my goals were achieved and I'm so grateful with that. Thank God for a blessed year and I hope next year will be equally good or hopefully better.
***
My mother insisted for me to wear red because its good luck according to some Feng shui expert she heard on radio. Because I'm obedient I did not only wear a red shirt but I matched it up with red pants. Remember the Chinese Dance our class performed last semester? I'm wearing the "better half" of our costume. I look ridiculus I guess but its only for a day and no one will see me aside from my family so its okay.
***
Every New Year's eve I dont really join the noise and fireworks extravaganza outside. Why? Well first I have asthma so I dont like being surrounded with smoke. Plus, I am occupied with an activity inside my house. I have this tradition already to listen and jot down the different yearend countdowns of FM stations. I have been doing this since 1998 and I keep my notes in a notebook but unfortunately my "records" from 1998-2001 got lost. Anyways, my siblings find this tradition of mine weird...hehehe....but I love doing this since I always have this feeling of excitement as the djs unravel the hits of the year. I'm proud to say most of my guesses what songs will hit the top post is correct. Even though most radio stations conduct their yearend charts at the same time, I'm still able to track them all, years of experience I guess. Anyways I've already recorded some results of the yearend countdown and I posted it at an Internet forum. If you want to see it here is the link:
http://www.pinoyexchange.com/forums/showthread.php?p=12374711#post12374711

Happy New Year Everyone!

Thursday, December 29, 2005

If I were a Game KNB contestant

Whenever I have the chance to watch the noontime game show GAME KNB, I can't help but notice how its host Kris Aquino "cross examines" the contestants. Sometimes I feel embarass for the contestants (and Kris as well). She often ask questions on their romantic lives and she could be very nosy. She is shocked when some of the players haven't had a girlfriend ofr 8 years, the reasons of their break up and sometimes she sorts of meddles with their relationships. If ever I became a contestant I guess Kris will have an interesting "cross examination" with me.
Kris: So how do you pronounce your name
Me: JE-KUP po
Kris: bakit Jecoup ang name mo, ang weird/unique naman
Me: Kasi po, I was born in the time of coup d etat,(I'm sure your mom remembers that well.) so my father thought na to name me after that, nilagyan lang ng J since lahat ng kapatid ko starts with letter J.
Kris: so dapat JE-KUH kasi french ang origin ng name mo
Me: yung iba po yun ang tawag, pero yun na po yung kinalakihan kong pronounciation
Kris: oh well, so do you have a girlfriend?
Me: wala po
Kris: kaka break?
Me: di po wala po talaga
Kris: as in since birth wala talaga?
Me: opo
Kris: really? *gasp* magpapari ka ba?
Me: hindi po, talaga lang wala..
Kris: di ka pa na inlove?
Me: opo
Kris: Baka naman hindi girls type mo
Me: lalo pong hindi
Kris: ay naloloka ako sayo, mag start na nga tayo...

^^ That conversation will most likely to come up if I ever became a GAME KNB contestant. So I guess I 'll just settle being a homepartner instead

Wednesday, December 28, 2005

Reconnected

My Internet connection was busted for five days. It was really a frustrating experience. I had so many things that I want to do that got aborted because I was "disconnected" My ISP had some problems and I actually called the customer service everyday asking them (politely) when it will come back. Thank God, today it returned.
***
After a long time, I finally decided to register at Friendster. My friends were wondering why I did not have an account. My answers to them varies, "I want to be unique", "I have no use for it", " I could not open that since I have no Internet back home" "ERS (our library's computer section which I greatly rely on for Internet) blocks it so I can't access it anyway" etc. etc.. But since now, I have an Internet access, why not? When I registered, I got so lazy to "polish" it so I decided to do it next time. But I forgot to do it becuase I was absorbed with my academics (prelims is nearing and tons of assignments) and extra curricular stuff (deadlines for articles!). Then when I'm already free, I forgot my password! So I have to retrieve it, when I'm about to open my email to get the password, --ahhh!-- I got disconnected since my Internet card is already consumed. So the next day, with my new card I tried to connect again but I had no internet access (see story above). So today, I got reconnected but instead of filling up profiles or inviting people, I was engrossed with browsing the accounts of my highschool classmates. It was fun seeing what they are up to. I lost contact with almost all of my highschool classmates. I felt "reconnected" in some way reading their sites. I even sent messags to them, hope they have read it.

Thursday, December 22, 2005

2005 Favorites of an ordinary music listener

These are the list of the songs that I love during this year. I’m no music expert, I don’t exactly know how to analyze a songs’ content and its other attributes. I will not say these songs are the best. I’m no rocker, hip hopper or whatever. Yes, I’m more of a mainstream listener (at some point mushy, baduy, bubblegum pop-ish). I consider a song good when it is pleasant to my ear. And the following songs were the standouts for me this year.

10. Pinoy ako- Orange and Lemons
Okay, I admit this song is overplayed and I know for a fact that it is a rip off and I really don’t buy Orange and Lemons’ alibi that the song is just inspired, but I don’t want to be hypocrite to say that I hate this song because before all these things happened I really like the song. I find it catchy and the message of the song is good but sad to say the aforementioned events happened, much to my disappointment. Still, I wont leave this song out of my list.
9. Gemini-Spongecola
From this song I learned a new word “vacuous”. Hehe. Seriously, I like how this song turned Romeo and Juliet into a whole new level.
8. Wake me up when September ends- Greenday
I like the message of this song. The title itself speaks a lot.
7.We belong together- Mariah Carey
The song that revive Mariah Carey’s dwindling career. I love this song and I consider one of Carey’s best. This song is hard to sing because when I saw this song performed in the local variety shows, the performers’ version was bad. (read: screaming)
6. I’m feeling you- Santana feat. Michelle Branch
I’m bias with this song. I missed Michelle Branch sooooo much and when this song came out it became an instant favorite. Santana + Branch= good music.
5. Especially for you-MYMP
I love MYMP’s rendition. The first time I heard this song was last summer at ERS (the Internet/Computer section of our library). The people in the counter played the MYMP CD repeatedly that this song grew on me.
4. My humps- Black Eyed Peas
My favorite dance track of the year. This is the type of song that makes me wish that I knew how to dance. Plus the music video rocks and Fergie is now included in my list of crushes.
3. Crazy for you- Michael Cruz
I know that more loves the rendition of Spongecola but I like Michael Cruz’s version better. I find his voice more effective than Yael. I like how this Madonna song became a rock ballad. And the Star in a million finalist gave delivered it well. Too bad few people appreciate it.
2. Weak-Jojo
Jojo is really one of the best young singers at the moment. Her rendition of this song is fantastic. I could consider her as a young Mariah Carey. I just hope when she grows up she wont be a “Britney’ or “Christina”.
1. You and Me/ Blind- Lifehouse
I could not choose which song is better so I decided to put them both together on top. I really like Lifehouse, I even had their two albums (in cassette tapes by the way) and I thought their hiatus would be permanent. I’m so glad that around summer they returned with a bang, both songs are good then again “Hanging by a moment” will still remain as my favorite. I’m worried however since after “Blind” Lifehouse did not release another single. Will they be dormant again? I hope not.

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Connected

I'm so glad that I finally have an Internet connection at home. I have been dreaming for so long for this to come true (hmmm....it sounded so dramatic). It happened just recently when my parents purchase a new computer set. The old computer I use before is a "hand me down" from my father's company.It was actually good that we had a free computer and for 3 years it was really useful to me. However, since the computer is obsolete it is prone to virus and it software(not sure what it is really called) is not applicable to a modem and for the printer we bought. Plus, even the Microsoft office is so slow that sometimes it "hangs". Anyways, my parents told me that come Christmas upon the release of the "bonus" they will buy me a new a computer set and it happened! I'm so grateful to my parents. One setback is the Internet connection is really slow but still its better than nothing.

Monday, December 19, 2005

I feel Christmas now

Previously, I rant over how I dont feel that its the Christmas season already, that everything feels so ordinary but this week I'm proud to say I feel Christmas now! What made me feel Christmas-y? I guess I have discovered the true essence of this season. Yeah, that sounds so cliche but I could not find any phrase that will capture the essence of my experience of seeing Christmas in a whole new level. Well, it started when I found out that my co-staffer at Heraldo Filipino will give me a gift for Christmas. I was so flattered that I decided to buy her a gift too. When I was in a store deciding what to buy for her, I also felt buying gifts to my other co-staffers who became my close friends and also my editors from whom I learn. Then I thought of buying gifts too my other friends who were really became a special part of my life. My presents for them was not that expensive but it felt good giving them. And from that on I was in the Christmas mood once again something that I never felt for years.I guess this was the reason that made me relinkish my love and excitement for Christmas. If before I only like the receiving part of the gift giving tradition and see the other end as a financial burden, now I understand that the cliche (yes, another one) "Its better to give than to receive" is really true.

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

The bottle I always see

Probably the most popular beverage here in DLSU-D will be C2! For those who are not familiar with it, C2 is bottled tea. But of course it tastes better from the regular tea (because if it isnt,it wont sell). C2 means Cool and Clean and it has flavors (the regular green tea, apple, lemon,peach and black tea).
Image hosted by Photobucket.com

Accordiing to its manufacturers' website [http://www.universalrobina.com] "C2 Cool & Clean Green Tea is an invigorating, convenient, and contemporary adaptation of this thousand-year old, healthy drink.Delicately brewed from fresh green tea leaves, Camellia sinensis, C2 captures the Yin and Yang of nature with its soothing and relaxing component, coupled with a mild rejuvenating element that restores vitality."

Meaning to say this is a healthy drink.Maybe this is the reason why it became so popular, people are starting to get health conscious. Goodbye to softdrinks? Well not really but still in our campus you could practically see C2 bottles everywhere, when I say everywhere I mean everywhere. All canteens and concessionaires sells it, every table in those canteens there is 95% chance that you will see someone drinking it. Even if you just walk around you will see someone,whether student, faculty or employee, holding a C2 bottle. Of course trash bins welcomes tons of C2 bottles everyday, I once saw a bin overflowing of C2 bottles. Classrooms are not spared. Seeing a C2 bottle left in a chair is nothing new, I once overheard a professor in his senior years saying as he entered the classroom and saw a C2 bottle in the table "Bakit ba lagi ko na lang nakikita to?" (Why do I always see this). It also left me wondering, bakit nga kaya (why is it)? I drink C2 sometimes and I like the lemon one (and most people too since yellow C2 bottles are the ones I always see followed by the apple flavor). But my loyalty remains with tetra pack juices (zesto, funchum), its cheaper and its not that heavy in the stomach. Will C2 remain the king of beverages or is it just a fad? Lets wait and see.....
C2 photo taken from http://www.universalrobina.com

Saturday, December 10, 2005

Water Worries

For three days,we were "thirsty" for water...

The water district had a malfunctioning motor or some vital instrument to circulate water to our village so our water service was interrupted. Having no steady water connection was hell! And the whole village also felt grumpy as I have notice irritated faces of people clutching pails,drums and anything that holds water passing in our house. When it rained, we were so desperate that our pails and basins were placed outside to scoop the rain drops. Last Thursday, when I saw the first few drops of water in our faucets I gave out a sigh of relief. Its really true that you will only appreciate something when its gone so I'm glad that our water service is back and I hope it wont disappear...................forever.

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

one thousand seven hundred fifty pesos

For the first time in my life I shell out 1,750 pesos to buy something "I really want". No its not clothes, shoes or even books. Previously the most expensive I bought was a paperback edition of Harry Potter which cost around 500 pesos but last Saturday my record was broken. So what did I buy? Its the DVD of first season of Gilmore Girls!

So what made me buy that thing even if it is expensive? Because its a rare find especially here in Cavite [I bought it at SM Dasmarinas]. When I was browsing at a video store,I was really shocked to see a Gilmore Girls DVD, so I did not hesitate,I grabbed the copy and went off to the cashier and paid for it. Good thing I had 2,000 pesos in my wallet that time because normally I dont bring that amount of money in my wallet, well I guess I was "destined" to have it.
Yeah,you might say I should have bought the pirated one, but naahhh, I prefer the original even it cost me, anyways this is my favorite show so It's worth every penny. I've finished watching 5 out of the 21 episodes so far and I'm so looking forward this weekend where I 'll continue my Gilmore Girls season 1 rush....

P.S.

I hope next time I will also see a Survivor or Amazing Race DVD too, because I'll definitely buy it given that I still have money. :)

Friday, December 02, 2005

What happened to my Christmas?

It's December already.....
Honestly, I really feel that everything is coming so fast. When you come to think of it, I should feel Chrismas-y. But no... I don't feel it. It really depresses me why I don't feel as excited as before. It is just things are not the same as before. And what really bothers that there is really nothing bad happening to my life for me to feel this way. Have you ever felt that something is wrong but you yourself could not determine what it is? It is the way I feel with Christmas.