The Dunkin Donut Ad is Bad Influence!

You know how kids these days try and copy what they see on TV? Well, Trisha is like that. She tries and copies almost all of the advertisements she sees on TV which brings me to this one ad that I think has a bad influence on children.

Surprisingly, it's an ad about donuts. Specifically, the Dunkin Donuts ad. The one where the little girl was yelling non-stop because she was trying to figure out who ate her donut (I think it was a boston creme) only to find out that it was her mom who was eating it.

I believe this sends a wrong message to children. They might find such behavior amusing and may think that it's ok to imitate. And without parental guidance, they may get the idea that shouting is ok and can be a way for them to get attention or to get what they want.

Going back to Trisha, she did copy what she saw on the donut ad. So we had to tell her that it was not right to shout.

Media has to be responsible with what they show on TV especially the impact it has to the children watching.

my fear

Last night, Trisha and I had a heart to heart talk. With a serious face, I told her that she should promise me that she will not marry early. She's 2 years old. I know, I know! She's too young for the talk and she would probably not remember it. I couldn't recall what her answer was. She was too busy trying to go back to playing. I know I sound silly, maybe even weird. But the thought of her getting married at an early age just scares me! I know any dad with a daughter feels the same way at a certain point in their lives. Mine was just early, a little bit too early. Hehe..

So Trisha, when you're old enough to read this. Be warned! =p

Urbanathlon or Powerrace?

Bought my October copy of Men's Health Philippines today and found out that the annual MH Urbanathlon coincides with the New Balance Powerrace. The 2 runs are among my favorite road races so I am torn between which event to join. Of the many weekends, why did both events choose to be on the same day? Well, I'm sure they didn't plan this. And I don't think either will change their dates. Oh well, guess I'll just have to flip (a coin that is) for it.

iamninoy

iamninoy. areyouninoy? doyouknowninoy? Saw this ad on TV today and immediately checked out the website. Following are excerpts from the "iamninoy campaign background" which i got from the site:

"The year 2008 marks the 25th death anniversary of the martyred national hero Benigno S. Aquino, Jr. In tribute, the Benigno S. Aquino Jr., Foundation (BSAF), together with friends and supporters, will hold a year-long celebration of his life and legacy through a campaign entitled: iamninoy

The core message of the Campaign is the selfless giving of the best of ourselves for our countrymen and women and the advancement of the country as a whole. Hence, the campaign is designed to create innovative mechanisms and systems for the participation of corporate brands and their customers in schemes that contribute to causes and projects that enhance the welfare of the poor and marginalized Filipinos."

If you want to know more, you can check out their site, iamninoy. It contains a lot of stuff like information about ninoy for those who don't know him and since this is a year long campaign, they have several events lined up. And one the events is the Ninoy Aquino Photo Exhibit that features the Willy Vicoy Collection organized by the Ayala Foundation in partnership with Hewlett-Packard. :p

There are lots of other events being planned but what got me excited was the word "marathon". I hope this pushes through because I'm sure a lot of runners will be excited to join it.

My Miracle Run

This is my 100th post and I will write about my recent run, the Men's Health Miracle Run. It's a miracle that I was able to finish the 10K run. I normally wouldn't have a problem finishing a 10K run but not this time. It took me over 15 mins more to cross the finish line than my average finish time. Good thing this run was all about just being able to finish in order for MH to donate P200/runner to the GMA foundation.


But the real question here is "Why did it take me that long to finish the 10K run"? There's only one answer. Blame it on my injured knee. Yes, it's the same left knee that I injured during the rush to infinity run last June 29. After getting that injury, I stopped running to let it heal. Problem is I didn't go to the doctor like I said I would to have it checked. I was hoping it would heal itself and that I would be back to normal by the time I run again which is why I skipped running for more than a month. And a day before the run, I even bought a Phiten UPS Titan Tape roll hoping that it would help prevent any pain.

I was psychologically ready for the run. I woke up early and was at the venue an hour before the run would start. I made sure that I did the proper stretching and was able to do a few laps around the parking lot for my warm up. But even during the warm up run, I started to feel a little pain on that stubborn knee. I would later learn that the pain was only the preview of more pain to come.

I was relaxed and was chatting with Wa when the run started. Since we were positioned at the back of the crowd, we had to walk for a while but eventually started to run when the crowd started to disperse and there was more room to run. I thought that if the pain would reoccur then it would probably be around the 5K mark. But no, my knee has its own mind. I started to feel the pain even before I reached 2K. I had to slow down but that would not stop me from running. I almost reached 5K without walking or stopping. I tried as hard as I can to forget about the pain until I could no longer take it which eventually forced me to walk a few hundred meters before reaching 5K. And it was downhill from there. While the others were running, I had to walk and walk I did for more than half of the remaining 5K. It was frustrating! Nevertheless, I am still thankful that I was able to finish.

A big lesson learned here. An injury cannot heal itself. I have to go see a doctor. I have to run regularly. I have to! I have to!

A big thanks to Wa as well for accompanying me during my walks. Hehe..

Latent TB and Why I Care...

Even before Trisha turned one, her pediatrician had advised the possibility of doing a test to rule out "Primary Complex" due to the slow increase of her weight. We initially thought that Trisha didn't need the test because aside from the slow weight gain, she had no other symptoms that would suggest she had primary complex. She rarely gets sick and her milk intake was normal. Our only problem was she prefers chips, chocolates and candies to real food. Her doctor even accepted the fact that maybe she was just petite.

And then just 2 weeks ago when we went for her monthly check-up, her pediatrician advised us that it was better to have Trisha undergo the test just to be sure because she was concerned that at her age, she was still at less than 10kgs. And so last week, we had her tested (procedure was to inject a TB-like substance under the surface of the skin). We had to wait for 2 days before we would know the results. We were hoping that it was nothing but her test results came out positive. However, her doctor said that she has no primary complex but what she has instead was referred to as "latent TB". She said that Trisha might have been exposed to someone who has TB. Anyway, she ordered an X-ray to be done just to be sure that it was really not a primary complex. I'm glad it was not.

But since Trisha has latent TB, it still needs to be treated. Her doctor prescribed a medicine that she needs to take for 9 months. Poor Trisha! Looking at the bright side, at least there is a way to prevent her from developing active TB. Cases like these may be normal but it still affects us as parents to think that our daughter has it. =(

But what is Latent TB?

According to Wikipedia... "Latent tuberculosis is where a patient is infected with Myobacterium tuberculosis, but does not have active tuberculosis disease. Patients with latent tuberculosis are not infectious, and it is not possible to get TB from someone with latent tuberculosis. The main risk is that approximately 10% of these patients will go on to develop active tuberculosis at a later stage of their life. The identification and treatment of people with latent TB is an important part of controlling this disease."

I also found an article comparing Latent vs Active TB here. Basically, a latent TB can be compared to a dormant volcano. Once it comes out of hibernation and explodes, it becomes active. This is the same case with latent TB, once it turns active, then it's referred to as active TB. Makes sense huh? =) Anyway, the great news is latent TB can be prevented from becoming active by taking medication which would kill the TB bacteria. Here's a useful link on how to treat latent TB.

Bottomline here is, there's really nothing to worry about but of course as parents, we can't help but worry especially if it's our child who has it. That's human nature!

Trisha's Apology

Trisha is just turning 2 in a few months and we (Tet and I, and some of our friends as well) are amazed how well she is able to converse with people.

Anyway, I want to share an incident today when I was scolding her for not being careful when she spilled water on the couch from her water bottle.

This is how she responded.

Trisha: Galit na Daddy.
Me: Oo, galit na talaga daddy kasi hindi ka careful.
Trisha: Sorry. Sorry na Daddy. Sorry na.

This was the first time that she voluntarily apologized because usually when she does something wrong, we would tell her to say sorry and she would say it but doesn't seem to mean it. But today, she actually meant it.

How could I continue to be mad after hearing that? My heart just melted with those words. Yun lang!

23.. 32.. Who cares?

I just turned 23 yesterday. At least that's what I want to believe my age is. Hahaha.. Anyway, at my age, I don't really expect to receive gifts from anyone except from myself, my wife and my co-workers. Haha.. Lo and behold, I received gifts from each one. I am truly blessed! =)

Let's start with what I got myself for my birthday.. I am somewhat on a budget so as a gift for my birthday, I got myself and Tet tickets to the Cinderella musical. I picked the Aug 8 show because it's the one closest to my birthday. Another gift I got for myself is the Amphipod RunLite Hydration Belt which Deedee was gracious enough to buy for me in the US.

Tet, on the other hand, got me an Oakley. It's a half jacket model (jet black frame and fire iridium lens). She got me this so that I have eye protection when I run. How thoughtful!

And lastly, my Finsys teammates got me a New Balance singlet. See me model the singlet below (while holding a chocolate cake and a bottle of caramel sauce).

Thanks to me (Haha..), Tet and my Finsys teammates for the gift/s and for all those who remembered to greet me on my special day. God bless you guys!

That's it. If I had free-flowing cash, a perfect gift to myself would probably be a trip to Beijing with Tet and Trisha to watch the Olympics. I could only wish...

Another Busy Weekend..

Last weekend was a busy weekend for us. We had activities lined up from Friday to Sunday.

August 1 - Friday

We had dinner at the Kabisera restaurant in Bonifacio High Street. By "we" I meant the FinSys oldies.. hehe.. namely Wa, Jon, Joaqs, Roy, Lancer, Suraj, Barbs, Thea, Vicky + me, Tet, Trisha and Kat. The dinner was a get together for Vicky who had already resigned from HP and had recently come back from Canada.

picture to follow..

August 2 - Saturday

Joaqs' birthday party @ Linden Suites, room 1114. Tet, Trish and I were the first to arrive at around 7:30pm. Peter then arrived shortly after which was followed by Kabby, Cris and Roy. And then the others started to arrive. The food (by Verleo except for the Pancit which was bought from Orchid motel) and drinks were overflowing. Trisha had a fun time but we had to leave early (around 10pm) because it was already past her bedtime.

picture to follow..

August 3 - Sunday

Attended Smile's Christian wedding at "The Greenery" in Bulacan on a rainy day. The place was quite far and there were very few signs along the way. Wa and Kat carpooled with us and we got lost several times trying to find the venue. The wedding had already started when we got there but we were still able to witness most parts of the wedding ceremony. The place was nice especially where the actual wedding ceremony took place and the train. The food was also good. On our way back, we convoyed with Ralph's vehicle to make sure we don't get lost again.

picture to follow..

So that was our weekend. Didn't really have much time to rest but it was a fun weekend.

北京欢迎你

August is just around the corner and it's going to be an exciting month! Aside from it being my birth month, it's the Beijing Olympics month!!



8 days from now on 08.08.08 at exactly 08:08:08 pm, the 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony will begin. I'm 100% sure it's going to be one spectacular event!! On that day and at that time, I will be here in Manila watching Cinderella at the CCP. I'll just ask one of my friends to record the opening ceremonies so I could watch it after.

I've stopped hoping for a miracle that I will be in Beijing for the Olympics and besides, I wouldn't want my Cinderella tickets to go to waste. =P

Anyway, my sister called me today and told me to listen to the Beijing Olympics theme song in youtube. She said that it was a beautiful song and that I would like it. I did like it! It's a Chinese song (obviously!) entitled "Beijing Welcomes You" (北京欢迎你) featuring various Chinese artists, most of which I don't recognize. The song is quite long (over 6 mins) but it carries a beautiful melody and a nice message. The song was also performed during the 100 days countdown event in China.

These are exciting times for Beijing. Wouldn't you want to be there during the Olympics?

Alternative Fuels, anyone?

With the price of fuel consistently rising, more and more people are looking for ways to either cut fuel consumption or go for alternative fuels.

To cut fuel consumption, we would have to stop using our vehicles or at least minimize using them which for some of us is not really acceptable. Carpooling is also one option in cutting fuel consumption but how many of us have colleagues that live in the same place as us? Another way of cutting fuel consumption is to live close to where we work so that instead of driving to work, we'll just walk. However, this would only work if we're renting because it's not easy to just sell our house and find a new one close to our workplace. And what if we find a new job in a different location? There's also the option of changing your gas or diesel powered vehicle to a hybrid one but we all know that hybrid vehicles are expensive and I don't know if they are already available here in the Philippines (probably not).

So, finding alternative fuels that are cheaper is probably the most sensible way to combat the rising fuel prices. But what are the available alternative fuels in the Philippines?
One available option is to convert our vehicles to run on LPG since it is cheaper than gasoline or diesel and according to reports is environmentally friendly. The conversion cost is around P70,000 for gas-powered vehicles. I'm not sure if diesel-powered vehicles can be converted. One UK site says it can but that it is more costly. Of course, there are pros and cons in using LPG. But from what I've been reading, there are more advantages than disadvantages. Developed countries like the UK, US and Japan are adapting LPG-powered vehicles. I remember when I was in Japan in 2000, the cabs there were already running on LPG. Anyway, one major concern here in the Philippines about using LPG is the supposedly adverse effect on health. If that is untrue, then converting to LPG is a good option (after shelling out the P70,000 conversion cost and giving up your trunk space).

But if you don't have P70,000 or do not want to have an LPG tank in your vehicle or is convinced that installing LPG in your vehicle will have a bad effect on your health, the option is to use ethanol-blended gasoline on your vehicle. Currently, some oil companies already offer what they call E10 gasolines (90% gas & 10% bioethanol). They are normally P2/liter cheaper than the regular gasolines. According to reports, there should be no need for any conversion and should have no difference from regular gasolines in terms of vehicle performance and is also good for the environment. But I've heard different opinions about E10. Some say that it's only for newer vehicles and some say that as long as a vehicle has an EFI engine then it's safe to use E10. I personally am not sure what to believe but I found an AU site that can help determine which vehicles can use E10. I think this is the easiest option for most car owners since there's no tweaking needed and can be done at once. Unfortunately, this is not for all and gas stations offering E10 are not widely available yet. Most importantly, the P2/liter price difference may not be enough as compared to the huge difference one can save when using LPG or other cheaper alternative fuels.

And then there's taking Bioethanol to the next level. It's the same fuel used in E10 but instead of only 10% bioethanol & 90% gas, this time it's 85% bioethanol & 15% gas.They call it E85. Saw this in the news today. This is already available in Manila. However, there's a device that needs to be put in the engine first before E85 can be used by a vehicle as a fuel. And the device costs around P25,000. It's relatively cheaper than converting to an LPG and the fuel price is almost the same. You don't have to sacrifice trunk space and it's also environmentally friendly.

At the end of the day, it's up to us to decide which of the options available will work for us. As for me, I think I'm leaning more into the E85 for now.

The Dark Knight @ IMAX Incident!!

Tet and I watched "The Dark Knight" last Sunday at the IMAX theater in SM MOA. I know it's already late to be talking about this movie as a lot of people have already watched this and all of them are raving about this movie. Read somewhere that this movie might be the one to break the Titanic record of being the highest grossing movie of all time!

Anyway, what I want to share is what we witnessed inside the IMAX theater that really pissed us off. No, there was no technical problem. Everything was perfect! It's just that there was one couple who didn't even bother to stand up while the Philippine National Anthem was being played. How disrespectful!! They remain seated during the entire duration of the song while everyone (including some foreigners) was on their feet. I wanted to take pictures of them so that I could post it here but it was dark inside.

So to the two of you (whoever you are), SHAME ON YOU!

Pain, pain, go away!

I hurt my left knee from the last Mizuno run and I haven't had the time to go see a doctor yet. My work has been keeping me from going to the doctor but I hope to go to one before I run again. It's been over 3 weeks since the Mizuno run and I sometimes still feel pain on my knee.

I'm disappointed that I'll be passing up the TNF 100 (10K) and Robinson's Supermarket 5K buddy run. I am crossing my fingers that I will be able to participate in the Milo Marathon (10K) on Aug 3 but I'm more likely to sit this one out as well. =( But what I'm really excited about is the MH Miracle run (10K) on Aug 17. That one I will not miss! I'll make sure that I will be ready for that run.

By the way, does anyone know of a good Ortho/Rehab doctor? Please recommend!

Government Projects.. Did you know?

All government projects are plagued with controversies. But that doesn't mean they have to stop those projects. I hope they don't. But I also hope that they don't waste too much money because of corruption. Corruption is a fact of life, especially here in the Philippines. I don't think they'll change overnight but I hope they do in the near future. I've mentioned the word "hope" several times because in reality, the only thing we can do is to HOPE.. and PRAY! (hope and pray that they don't get too greedy and that they'll eventually change)

Anyway, this blog is about some of our government's infrastructure projects and others. I've been curious about them ever since I heard them on the news and read them on the internet.

Did you know? (you probably do)

..that the NAIA Terminal 3 is finally open after 6 years of being put on hold..
..that the Clark-Tarlac part of SCTEx is going to open on July 25, 2008..
..that the LRTA has a lot of projects going on..
..that the Northrail project might still push through despite the controversies..
..that there are other projects that I do not know of.. hehe..

Well, I hope all of these projects finish and hopefully be beneficial for the Filipino people in the long run.

Rush to Infinity run - the Aftermath

This is Mizuno run Part 2! Like the first Mizuno run, this was another memorable run. Let me tell you why..

1. This was my first 15K run and the weather that day was perfect for running.
2. I woke up late (because I couldn't sleep the night before) but managed to arrive several minutes before the 15K was to start. Good thing they did not start on time, otherwise I would've been late... again!
3. I was flagged down by the Bonifacio Security for beating the red light. In my defense, I was in a hurry because I thought I was already late for the 15K. I apologized to the Security and told him that I was late for the run. He then asked for my license and gave me a lecture about how dangerous it was to do what I did. I wasn't really paying attention to what he was saying because I was busy hoping that the run hasn't started. =) Good for me, He let me go with a warning.
4. Water and Rush Fitness water were overflowing this time. There was no shortage at all! Good job! I heard some say that there were few water stations but I think it was just right.
5. I started with a good pace but upon reaching the first 5KM, I started to feel pain on my left knee and left foot. It was the same pain I felt during the MH ATR. I still tried to run but eventually slowed down to a jog. And when the pain became unbearable, I was forced to walk. But even when walking, each step was still painful. I would psyche myself that it was all in the mind and there was really no pain. I kept repeating "no pain, no pain" in my mind. I tried to run again several times and was able to do so for a few minutes but only to end up walking even more. I was so frustrated! I was not tired and I wanted to run but my feet/legs won't let me. =( Add to that the frustration of seeing other runners running passed me.
6. When I crossed the finish line, I tried to look for my finish time and from what I can remember, it was around 1:42:36. But when the official results came out, my time was 2:11:08. Quite a number of runners had that same official time which was odd. If you haven't heard, there's this "technical error" encountered by the race organizers so the finish times were not accurate. Anyway, I'm just happy and thankful that I was able to finish.

Overall, I would say that it was a good run. There are lots of things that could still be improved by the organizers but they still did a good job. It could only get better. The next Mizuno run will be better. =)

I'm still disappointed with myself for taking more walks than running. My feet/legs still hurt but I hope it's nothing serious. A colleague who also ran had a bad knee injury. If I'm not mistaken, I think the doctor told him that he tore his ligament and that he could no longer run until he has surgery. Ouch! I will have my knee checked as well before I participate in another race. I really really hope it's nothing serious. I do not want to give up running.

Men's Health ATR Results are out!

The 2008 Men's Health ATR results are out!

My official time is 1:20:15 for the approximately 12K trail run. I placed 38 in my age group (31-40) and 94 in the Men's ranking. I was the 108th to finish in the overall rankings. Not bad at all considering that I was in pain more than half of the race! Haha..

I am happy with my time. It can only get better next time.. hehe.. Looking forward to the next Men's Health event.. Urbanathlon!!

Rush to Infinity - My 1st 15K Run

I am ready for my first 15-kilometer run. No, I did not prepare for it (typical of me). I'm not being arrogant. I know I need to prepare but I have no excuse. So I hope I can finish the run tomorrow on my target of less than 90 minutes and will not have any injuries or aching muscles afterwards (unlike the back to back runs I had just a few weeks ago wherein my whole body ached and I had to go on a 2-day SL). Bad.. bad..

I just saw the 15K race route and it's the same route as the last Mizuno run. I was hoping it would be a different route since Bayani road is a mess. There are piles of sand & gravel and since it rained today, I'm pretty sure there'll be mud tomorrow.

Anyway, I'm still excited for the run tomorrow. Good news, there's no threat of rain tomorrow even if it rained today according to the GMA flash report. The report said that the rain was caused by the hot weather.

I'm all good.. I have all my stuff ready for tomorrow; singlet, shorts, socks, shoes, ipod, race number. I'm ready to rush to Mizuno infinity run!

The 1st Finsys Payment Run

The run is over, it's now time to collect!

I would say that the Finsys Payment Run was a success! Even if there were only 9 of us who ran, I think we were able to raise a good amount to give to Kythe.

The unofficial sum that we were able to raise is over 20K++!! I will post an update once we get the final amount. Everyone who ran was really surprised and happy with the amount.

Most of us initially targeted to finish only 1-2 laps but I guess the level of energy that day was really high. Everyone ended up going beyond their initial targets with Wa walking (or should I say running) away with the most number of laps (7 laps). Jon was the fastest to finish 1 lap while Roy was the earliest to arrive (although this is being contested by Jon). Haha.. Both Roy and Donn got the most number of pledges (in terms of amount and people that pledged).


That day was really fun, we got to exercise and help those in need at the same time. A big thanks to Tiano for coming up with this idea of having a Finsys fun run. And to Kim, Evadne and Ria SP for helping out.


On behalf of the organizers (naks!), we'd like to thank the Finsys runners (Wa, Jon, Roy, Jack, Alvin T., Nilo, Donn) who woke up early to run. I know it's difficult to get up in the morning so we really appreciate your effort. Thanks to Kabby for assisting during the run and to Ommar for taking those great pictures. You can view the pictures here.

Lastly, we'd like to thank all those who pledged. Your generous contribution will surely help those kids at Kythe.

Till the next Finsys run...

Avenue Q (The Farewell Run) - Don't Miss It!

Tet and I watched the farewell run of Avenue Q at the Carlos P. Romulo auditorium at the RCBC Plaza last Friday and it was a fantastic show! I've always loved watching musicals and I still do. It has been quite some time since the last musical that I watched and I'm glad we watched Avenue Q.

I learned about Avenue Q way before when Anton of Our Awesome Planet blogged about their first run which had Rachel Alejandro as Kate Monster. During that time, I shrugged it off and wasn't really interested to watch a musical that featured puppets. Boy, was i wrong! If I could go back in time, I wished I was able to watch the first run and then watch the farewell run so that I could compare the performances of Rachel Alejandro and Carla Guevara (as Kate Monster on the farewell run). But since I can't, I'd have to say that Carla did a great job and the rest of the cast as well! They were all so good!! There was never a dull moment and all the songs were really good and funny especially the "internet is for porn" number. Haha.. I hope they would sell soundtracks of the Manila show. I would love to hear the songs again.

Thanks to Anton for blogging about this and for selling the tickets. It was really worth it. If you haven't watched this, I would suggest you buy your tickets now. It's really that good! They're only till June 22 before they go to Singapore.

Back to Back Runs this Weekend

I have not posted anything for weeks now. Been really really busy with work lately. =( I'm going to blog about my back to back runs this weekend.

We're organizing our 1st ever (hopefully the start of many more to come) team fun run. It's called the Finsys Payment Run. Finsys is our team in HP and Payment Run is something the Treasury folks do in SAP. Haha..

Anyway, it's a pledged run and all proceeds will be going to kythe. The run will be tomorrow (June 14). The runner turnout is not that many but I hope we would be able to generate a good amount of money to give to kythe.

I'm really happy about this run because it is for a good cause. Thanks to Tiano for coming up with this idea.

Then there's the Men's Health All-terrain race on Sunday. This is one of the runs I really look forward to every year because it is a different challenge on the usual road races. It's still going to be held at Timberland Heights and in time for Father's day.

I already have my race kit and I hope I won't be too tired to run.

Funny youtube clips

A colleague showed me the below clips from youtube:

Charlie bit my finger - again!

and

He's gonna kick my ASS?

Watch it! It's really funny! Hahaha!

Pringles Run Results

When I participate in road races, I usually don't know my finish time since I don't have a gadget like Garmin (hint: tet) to track it . So I really depend on the results published by the race organizer which I find on the net.

I have so far participated in four races this year and I only know my finish time for the PSE Bull run and Mizuno Run. So far, no results yet for the On your Mark run. Good thing, the Pringles run already have their unofficial results published.

My time for the Pringles run was 26:38 for 4.83K. Not bad at all. I'm hoping my time improves on the next races I join.

I'm really looking forward to the 3 runs I am participating in June. Our very own Finsys Payment Run (a fun run we're trying to organize within our team), the Men's Health All-terrain race and the Mizuno Infinity run part 2. Happy running and see you all on the road.

Pringles run - rain or shine

I just finished the Pringles run. All 3 miles or 4.83 km of it.

I set my alarm at 5am and when it went off, I was so sleepy (I only had less than 3 hours of sleep because of that stupid ipod) that I was telling myself to skip the run and just go back to sleep. And I did for the next 15 minutes. I eventually forced myself to get up. I really didn't want to miss the run.

It was a gloomy day because of the typhoon. The roads were wet and it was drizzling. I reached the venue 15 minutes before it started. I was looking for the other HP runners but didn't see any of them. There were a couple of us who registered but I think I was the only one who actually showed up.

took these shots on my way to the venue

The run started on time at 6am. It was still drizzling when we started and the wind was strong. I started slow and eventually picked up my pace. I would run slower on the uphills and faster on the downhills. I don't know my time but I think I did pretty ok.

On my way home, I saw other runners from another run. By the time I reached home which was just 5 minutes away from the venue, the rain was already pouring. I'm sure those runners got wet. I hope none of them gets sick.

Today was a good run for me. The distance was just ok especially since it was raining. The rainy season seems to start early this year. I guess there will be fewer runs in the coming months becaus of the rainy season. But most runners would run in any condition, rain or shine.

Pancakes & more @ Flapjacks

If you listen to magic 89.9 FM radio station then you'd know about Flapjacks. It's the new restaurant in Greenbelt 2 which I would say their concept is similar to Heaven & eggs. They serve different pancakes all day and a lot more.

The DJs at magic have been actively promoting Flapjacks for some time now and we were able to try it out last Thursday. We went there around dinner time and I was expecting that the place will be packed but surprisingly it was not.

We had the 3 layer of classic fluffy pancakes and Beef Salpicao. Their serving was similar to Heaven & eggs so our order was just enough for Tet and I. My verdict on the food - it was just ok. Not really something to rave about. I was hoping that the Beef Salpicao would be as good as the Salpicao of El Cuento resto but it didn't even come close to the Salpicao of Dulcinea. The El Cuento Salpicao is the best Salpicao ever! Too bad the resto had long been closed. If any of you knows of an existing El Cuento resto (sister resto of Pazzo), please please let me know. =)

Back to Flapjacks, I would still want to go back and try their baby back ribs. I hope it would be good. mmm... bikinis.. hahaha.. (go to youtube.com and search for Nestea beach VJ hunt to know what I'm talking about). Funny funny!

Speedracer, iPod and Pringles run

There's this new movie that I am not familiar with, Speedracer. I only learned that before this became a movie, it was an anime cartoon TV show. Anyway, I didn't watch the movie but I heard it was good. I'm still not convinced though. I only made a post of this because I saw the speedracer car on display at the Powerplant mall. My initial intention was to post this blog using my mobile phone but it didn't work.

It's already past 2am and I need to go to bed. I still need to wake up at 5am tomorrow for the Pringles run. I hope it doesn't rain.

But before I end this post, I just want to vent out my frustration over my ipod shuffle. For some reason, I'm having problems syncing it with my laptop and desktop. argh!! It's actually the reason why I am still awake! But I have given up hope of syncing my ipod. I'll just have to bear running tomorrow without it.

If you guys know of any MP3 players that's more reliable than an ipod, please let me know.

Busy Busy

Happy Labor Day to everyone, especially to laborers like me. Hehe.. Enjoy it because it's back to work again tomorrow.

I haven't had the chance to blog for sometime since I have been busy with both my work and non-work stuff. Everyday has been hectic for the past few weeks. My weekdays are jam packed and so are my weekends. But I am not going to talk about work here. No Way!

Last Sunday was my shobe's wedding. All of our families' closest friends came to celebrate with them. It was a joyous occasion. Trisha was one of the flower girls. I have no pictures to show yet so that would have to be in a different post once I get hold of pictures from the wedding.

And this coming weekend will also be a busy (but fun) weekend since Tet's mom and her siblings are here for a vacation. We're going to Enchanted Kingdom on Saturday and Ocean Park on Sunday. Looking forward to that.

We haven't been to the beach yet this summer but hopefully we'll be able to go to Batangas in one of the May weekends just before the rainy season starts. I am so looking forward to all of the weekends from now till July.

Oil Prices: Then and Now..

The continuous rise in oil prices in the Philippines is alarming. If I'm not mistaken, this is the 7th time this year that oil prices have increased and we're just starting the 2nd quarter. Fuel prices have now almost reached P50/liter or $1.20/liter with the current dollar-peso exchange rate. Comparing that to U.S. fuel prices which is now almost $4/gallon, with 1 gallon = 3.79 liters, our fuel price is at $4.55/gallon. Wow! That means fuel prices in the Philippines (a third world country) is more expensive than in the U.S. (world's largest economy).

That made me want to find out what the oil prices were 5 to 10 years ago. And this is what I found:

U.S. oil prices:

• 10 years ago - approx. $1/gallon
• 5 years ago - approx. $1.6/gallon

Philippine oil prices:

• Before deregulation (1972-1995) - approx. P5.99/liter (gas) and P3.98/liter (diesel)
• Start of deregulation (April 1996) - approx. P9.50/liter (gas) and P7.03/liter (diesel)
• Start of GMA's term (January 2001) - approx. P16.56/liter (gas) and P13.82/liter (diesel)
• Start of last year (January 2007) - approx. P37.33/liter (gas) and P32.62/liter (diesel)

Imagine that, 13 years ago the average fuel prices were just P6/liter. Now it's almost P50/liter. That's an 833% increase. Wow! Eversince the oil was deregulated, oil prices have gone up dramatically. No wonder the poor gets poorer and the rich probably get richer while the middle class is struggling!

Now, don't you wish that the weather in Manila is colder so that we could just ride bicycles instead of drive cars and waste more precious gasolines? Anyway, If you want to know, I got those figures from here and here.

My New Gadget!

Tet and I were at Market Market last night supposedly to buy blank DVDs at CD-R King but we ended up or I ended up buying a Philips portable DVD player. Yey!

It was not planned really. We just happened to pass by the activity center and there were different household appliances on display. I was left to roam around while Tet went to Plains & Prints to shop.

While looking around, I happened to pass by the Philips display area and that was when the 10.2" portable DVD player caught my attention. I came closer to it to simply check it out but the attendant approached me and started to demonstrate it.

I always wanted to buy a portable DVD player but haven't really found the need for it. But lately, since Trisha started to learn how to watch Barney on Video, I wanted to buy her a portable one that we could bring when we travel.

I liked the Philips portable DVD player as soon as I saw it but even moreso when the attendant told me that it comes with a car mount. That means I don't need to buy a multimedia system for the car anymore. Talk about hitting two birds with one stone. Hehe..

But of course, before I could decide to buy anything, I needed to consult my wife first. So I hurriedly went to Plains & Prints where Tet was and excitedly informed her of what I saw. After she bought her dress, we went back to the Philips area so that I could show her what I wanted to buy. Being the supportive wife that she is, she gave me the nod of approval. And so, I am now the proud owner of a Philips portable DVD player (PET1031/98).

You can click on the link above to check out the Specs. As for me, I'm picking up my DVD player tomorrow. Yahoo!

Dude, where's my car?

I took this photo of the parking lot behind Robinson's Summit last Friday morning. I was at the 20th floor.

Don't they look like little matchboxes? It would have probably looked better if the carpark was full. Anyway, can you spot my car in the picture? I'll give you a clue.. it's white!

Summer Olympics is just around the corner

I saw this billboard along EDSA yesterday while on my way to work. It was a gloomy Monday morning and seeing this cheered me up a bit.

I know what you guys are thinking. No, it's not the girl with the bikini on that cheered me up but the 08.08.08 sign above. That's the start of the much awaited and controversial Beijing Olympics. It's only a few months from now and I hope it will be a peaceful Olympics.

Too bad we don't have Solar Sports on SkyCable. =(

April 13: On Your Mark

Tet woke me up at 5AM and I immediately got up. I didn't want to be late again like what happened during the Mizuno run. I took a quick shower, changed and left by 5:35AM. I called Wa and Alvin to inform them that I was on my way to the Fort. I was at the venue by 5:40AM. I went to the registration booth to have our race numbers modified to reflect that we were running the 10K (we initially registered for 5K since the race organizers informed us that the 10K registration was already closed).

The race started on time and we were off by 6AM. I started slow and picked up speed only after the 3K mark. This is probably the first time that I jog/ran the entire 10K, not even stopping or slowing down at the water stations. I brought my own water. After the Mizuno run thing, I wanted to make sure I have my own water. I probably need to buy a hydration belt next time instead of carrying a bottle.

The race course was also different from the normal fort route but it's almost similar to the course during the MH Urbanathlon last year. Anyway, running towards the 4K mark, I saw the baldrunner who was already on his way back. Shortly after, I saw the bullrunner but without her race bib.

When I crossed the finish line, the race clock time was 32:36. It was definitely a wrong time. I couldn't have ran that fast. I'm waiting for the results to come out so that I could check if I improved from my last run. But I am still happy that I didn't need to walk at any point during the run. That's already an improvement for me.

Here are my running buddies Alvin and Wa. This is our second consecutive run. They are participating in the Global run next week but I'll be in Baguio during that time. Too bad! Have a fun run guys!

April 12: Trisha leaves for Baguio

This is a sequel or continuation to my earlier post. We woke up early today because Tet's mom came to fetch her sister Len and Trisha. Len was going to spend a part of her vacation in Baguio and Trisha will be going with them for a week without us.

But before they left for Baguio, we went duty free shopping first (we almost won a brand new Toyota Vios) and ate at Dampa Paranaque (yummy lemon butter shrimp at Alban's). It was Trisha's first time to go anywhere without us. Surprisingly, according to Tet's mom and sister, Trisha did not cry. They said that there were times when she would call/find us but that was it. It's probably because she's already familiar with her Lola, Tito and Titas.

Anyway, when they left, we went for a fitting at Eric Pineda's shop in QC for my sister's wedding. Then bought some fruits at the Suki Market. After that, Tet had a haircut at Fix Salon in Serendra. We then had dinner at Mezzaluna (their US prime rib eye steak is delicious!) before we met up with our friends Tony and Hazel.

Our initial plan was to have coffee but we ended up eating Halo-Halo at Razon's and Pares at Goodah! It's ironic that with the number of coffee shops in Manila, it's so difficult to decide which coffee shop to go to. Hehe.. We went home past 12MN and I slept past 1AM. I still needed to wake up early the next morning for my run.

April 11: Len's Arrival

Len (Tet's sister) is here for a month-long vacation. We were excited to see her because she was gone for quite a long time. She left for Dubai when Tet was just 2 months pregnant. And Trisha is now 17 months old. So it has been 24 months or 2 years since we last saw her.

We left early to fetch her from the NAIA Terminal 1 airport (her ETA was 9:55PM) but her flight was delayed so we had to wait for a few hours. We waited at an area near the airport and since there was nothing else to do, we decided to have a late night snacks at Shakey's. When we finally got her text message that she had arrived, we proceeded to the Arrivals section but got stuck in traffic. It was already past 11PM but there were still so many cars. Arrgh!

When we finally reached the Arrivals, we quickly loaded all her luggages and left the airport. I think we arrived home around 12MN already. We got our 'pasalubongs' (Thanks Len!) and then we slept. The following day was still going to be a busy day...

Chon and Lucy

I was surprised (in a good way) to receive an email today from my closest friends who are now residing in the US. I haven't heard from them for a long time and it was nice to get an email from them.

Thanks Chon and Lucy for the mail! I hope to see you guys soon! God bless!

April Summer!

There are a lot of non-work stuff lined up for us this April namely:

• 11 - Len's coming home for a month-long vacation after 2 years in Dubai.
• 12 - Going to duty free and a fitting appointment with Eric Pineda for my sister's wedding.
• 12 to 17 - Trisha will be staying in Baguio for a week away from us. This is a first. I'll surely miss her.
• 13 - On your mark run at the FORT. Hopefully I'll be able to register.
• 18 to 20 - We will be in Baguio for Cai's graduation and to fetch Trisha.
• 20 - Tet is flying to Singapore for a training. (ok.. so this is work stuff)
• 21 to 24 - Tet will be in Singapore which leaves Trisha and I alone.
• 25 - Martin's Birthday blowout.
• 27 - My sister's wedding.

This is one of the busiest summers for us. All our weekends are almost already booked. I hope we still have time to go to the beach before summer ends.

About SCTEX and other Government Infrastructure Projects

Ever since I learned about the construction of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway or SCTEX, I've been curious about it. Last Holy Week, I discovered that they soft opened it to ease the traffic since a lot of people were going north for the long holiday.

At that time, on our way to Baguio, I didn't know that SCT stood for Subic-Clark-Tarlac so I didn't dare use the highway fearing that we might end up going in the wrong direction. After I came back from Baguio, I googled it and found several information about SCTEX.

Now this is what I know about SCTEX:

• It's a 93.77 kilometer highway which is divided into two sections.
• The Subic-Clark section stretches 50.5 kilometers.
• The Clark-Tarlac section stretches 43.27 kilometers.
• It costs over Php27 billion to construct.
• It's to officially open by mid-April this year.

More information can be found here. But I wasn't able to find the information that I wanted. Since we travel mostly to Baguio, I was trying to find out if I could take the SCTEX so that I could skip the traffic in the Tarlac area. I basically wanted to know where in Tarlac the SCTEX ends.

Anyway, I also heard that SCTEX will be extended up to La Union. I'm not aware of the timing though but if that happens, travel time to Baguio will definitely be faster. 3 hours maybe? Now that's something to look forward to. I hope it pushes through and that no controversies will come out of it.

While searching the net regarding SCTEX, I discovered that there are actually a lot of similar types of projects that the government is undertaking. The ones I found were:

• C-5 expressway project(NLEX-SLEX link)
• SLEX extension project (we all know this)
• Manila-Cavite toll expressway project(R-1 expressway extension)
• Northrail project

I hope all of these government projects finishes because all these infrastructures would really benefit our economy. I'm not a fan of President GMA but kudos to her for these projects. I just hope there won't be corruption involved. I wish!

MH All-Terrain Race 2008

I just got my April copy of Men's Health Philippines and they already have an ad for the 3rd MH All-Terrain Race. It will be on June 15, same venue as last year at Timberland Heights, San Mateo Rizal.

This is one of the races I look forward to every year simply because it's different from other runs which is normally done on road pavements. This one is more challenging because it's on different terrains.

I hope this year men's health gives out singlets instead of T-shirts. Or if they decide to give T-shirts, I hope it's dri-fit type of material similar to the ones given by Mizuno during the Mizuno Run.

Men's Health folks.. I hope you get to read this. hehe..

Meanwhile, there are runs to look forward to in April and May.

PSE Bull Run results

I know this is late but I just came upon the results of the Jan 27 PSE Bull Run from pinoyrunner.com and my official time is 28:22 for 5K. Not bad at all.

I had tried searching the internet for the results days after the run but was not able to find it so I'm really glad to have known my time, not that it matters now. This was my first run for the year so I'm really happy that my time was under 30 minutes. =)

My Never Going Away Back Pain Part 2..

I wrote about my never going away back pain a few weeks ago and after I wrote it I went to see a doctor because I couldn't tolerate the pain anymore. The doctor diagnosed the pain I was feeling as a "Myofascial Pain Syndrome or MPS". WebMD.com described MPS as below:

"Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a fancy way to describe muscle pain. It refers to pain and inflammation in the body's soft tissues.
Myofascial pain is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles). Myofascial pain syndrome may involve either a single muscle or a muscle group. In some cases, the area where a person experiences the pain may not be where the myofascial pain generator is located. Experts believe that the actual site of the injury or the strain prompts the development of a trigger point that, in turn, causes pain in other areas. This situation is known as referred pain." More of this here.

So it's basically a muscle pain that can be triggered by anything from an improper sleep position to improper posture while in front of a computer. Several days after my visit to the doctor, my wife discovered that the culprit for my pain was the latter. My wife experienced the same pain when she worked from home one time which I also later experienced when I worked from home. I've been working from home once a week for months now and I didn't realize that it was what was causing my back pain. The table and chair we're using to put our laptops is not ergonomic at all.

Anyway, the doctor prescribed medications to help ease the pain which I'd say was very effective. She also advised that I undergo several PT (physical therapy) sessions. I'm down to my last PT session before I go see my doctor again. The pain is almost gone now but it'll come back again, as my doctor says, if I don't do something about correcting the incorrect posture.

It's really difficult to do that especially if it has already become a habit. As the saying goes, "you can't teach an old dog new tricks." hehe.... I'm admitting that I'm old but hey, I can still change.

Trisha's Sick!

Trisha has flu and I'm to blame. She got it from me. I feel bad and guilty that I infected her with my cough and colds. It's so difficult seeing her having a hard time because of her cough and colds. And she doesn't like the taste of her medicine so it's difficult for us to make her take her medications because she vomits everytime she takes them. =(

Her immune system is normally strong so this must be one hell of a virus. I hope and pray that she gets well soon because we can't bear to see her crying because she can't tell us if she feels any pain.

She's been sick since late Tuesday afternoon so we'll bring her to see her doctor tomorrow just to make sure that it's just a flu and nothing more serious.

Mizuno Run - Most Memorable Run!

This was one of the races I was looking forward to this year and I'm glad that I could say that "I survived the Mizuno Run!". This was not my first 10K run but this was definitely the most memorable. And for a number of reasons:

1. I almost didn't make it to the race. I was down with cough and colds days before the race and was not really feeling well. Worse was, a day before race day, LBM struck! But God was on my side, my tummy was better by nightfall.


2. We were late for the 10K run. Everyone was already gone by the time we arrived. When we left the starting line, it was already being announced that some of the 10K runners were on their way back. According to Alvin and Wa, we left the starting line 32 minutes after.


3. My ipod shuffle died on me. I had just passed the 3K mark when my ipod lost its power. Drained! I panicked for awhile because I use the ipod to keep my mind from counting how many kilometers more I have left before reaching the finish line. So I had to improvise, instead of listening to music, I just had to admire the view and focus on my running.


4. No water in the water stations! I've read alot of complaints about this in other blogs and I would have to agree with them. Running without water is really difficult especially with the summer heat. Good thing, I decided to bring a bottle of Gatorade with me. I don't normally bring any liquids but this time I had to because I knew I was still kinda sick. I don't think I'd finished the race without my Gatorade.


5. The unusual number of cars on the road. I don't mind having cars on the road as long as they (organizers) ensure that the runners are still safe.


6. Saw some famous runners namely the BullRunner, BaldRunner and Sen. Pia Cayetano. Wa and I was able to have our pictures taken with Sen. Pia Cayetano. Thanks Senator Pia!

7. Cheating! I personally witnessed this. I saw one of the guys handing out ropes give a guy and a girl their ropes even before they reach the 10K turnaround point. Honesty please.


8. When I crossed the finish line, I made sure to check my time. My unofficial time was 1:40:25. This is not my normal time. Please see #2.


9. The BullRunner had a link of the results in her blog. My official time was 1:28:57. I have no idea how they came up with this time. But.. good for me. hehe..

10. The Mizuno shirt was really good but it was a little big for me. They only had one size and it was large.


11. Got even more sick after the run and had to take a 2-day sick leave from work. Bad.. bad.. bad..

I'm still happy that I was able to participate in the first Mizuno run. I hope they do better next time. Run 100%

Our 100th month Anniversary

It's 100 for us!

Tet and I are celebrating our 100th month anniversary today, from the time she said 'yes' and we became a couple. We were supposed to celebrate with dinner and spa but because I am sick for days now, we had to cancel. Too bad! =(

Hon, here's a short message for you:

Happy 100th month anniversary to us! We've really come a long way. I'm so happy we're still together and that our love is stronger than ever. Looking forward to hundreds of months more with you. Let's go out and celebrate when I'm better.

I Love You! *mwah*

Photo Answers

Got this from EJ's blog who got it from Deng!

- answer the questions below

- do a google image search with your answer

- take a picture from the first page of results

- don't copy the answers of the person who posted this before you

1. the age you'll be on your next birthday

2. a place you'd like to travel

3. your favorite place

4. your favorite food

5. your favorite animal

6. your favorite color

7. first name of your crush

8. the town in which you live in

9. your screen name/nickname

10. your first job
11. a bad habit you have

12. your worst fear

60:Earth Hour

Have you signed up for Earth Hour? I have. Don't know what I'm talking about? Visit the Earth Hour site and find out. And while you're there, sign up. It's not too late. It's happening on March 29, 2008 at 8PM.

Let's be involved and make a difference because we can.

In Baguio for the Holy Week

We were in Baguio for the holy week and just came back yesterday. The traffic was terrible! It took us 8 hours to drive from Manila-Baguio and 7 hours from Baguio-Manila. The normal trip time is 5-6 hours. This long journey was caused by several road accidents and the huge volume of vehicles going North. Good thing Trisha was behaved during the trip (that was because she was sleeping most of the time, hehe).

Baguio, being the summer capital, was also packed with people who were also there because of the long vacation. I wouldn't recommend going to Baguio during long holidays as the traffic around the city gets really bad and if you don't know the shortcuts/alternate routes, you'll end up spending so much time stuck in traffic. All the tourist spots are also crowded and that includes SM Baguio.

The next time we go to Baguio for a long holiday, we'll make sure to leave Manila at least a day earlier and come back a day after. No more joining the throngs of cars on the road. Waste of time and precious gasoline.

Oh! On your way to Baguio and vice versa, try to take the alternate routes if you can, I think the route is longer but there will be no traffic and really few cars. And some good restaurants to dine along the way that we have tried are:

• Fortune Restaurant - serves chinese food located in Tarlac, Tarlac (in front of a medical center I think). Very near Metrotown mall. It's on the right if you're coming from Baguio and before the mall.
• Matutina's Restaurant - serves filipino food located in Urdaneta, Pangasinan. It's along the highway. On the left if you're coming from Baguio.

My Never Going Away Back Pain..

My back has been in pain for weeks now and I thought it would go away if I get a massage. I've had 3 massages in the last 5 weeks but it still hurts until now as I am writing this. I don't remember how this back pain started. This might be due to stress, incorrect sleeping position, bed/pillow not soft enough, lack of exercise and a lot of other unknown reasons.

I don't want to take a pain reliever because I do not think it will solve the problem and I don't want to be dependent on pain relievers. I think I need to see a doctor but I don't know which particular doctor. Rehab doctor maybe?

I hope this pain will be gone before the week ends as I want to join the Mizuno Run this coming Sunday.

What is it about Barney?

What is it about Barney that kids love? Is it his color? His songs? His voice?
Before we had Trisha, we swore that if we had a child, we won't introduce Barney to him/her. And now that we have Trisha, we tried not to have any Barney stuff at home. But eversince she got a big Barney stuffed toy for her 1st birthday, she instantly liked it. And now at 16 months, she likes watching Barney shows on T.V. So I guess there's really no escaping Barney!

Am I destined to be fat?

I'm destined to be fat! As I am writing this, I am eating a Hizon's mocha cake. I'm not yet overweight but I probably will soon be if I don't start doing something about it. I was never like this before. Well, nearly never. I never went on a diet in my entire life because I didn't need it. I was skinny during my teens and I ate whatever I wanted and at any time of the day and I wouldn't get fat. I was also very active, exercised regularly and was into sports, so I guess my metabolism was fast which kept me from getting fat. But as I grew older, and eversince Trisha came about, I noticed that I exercised less and less, became less active and almost quit sports entirely. Bad thing is, I still ate the same way, probably even more now which explains my growing belly. I'm not saying that having Trisha is the cause of my bulging belly because it's really not. She's the best thing that ever happened to us and I wouldn't mind being fat as long as we have her.

Anyway, I know I can still do something about this. I just need the right motivation. So far, I haven't found it. Remember the 5 steps? I already have step 1 in place, which is to be fit, but can't seem to go past step 2, that is to start today, because I don't have step 4, something to motivate me.

One of these days...

Trisha and Silver

We bought Trisha a new toy dog last Saturday at Animal Land at the BHS. It's her fourth toy dog and this particular one is named Silver, we got the name from Tita Tek's real dog (a Labrador) which has the same name.

Since she loves dogs, we have been trying to find a stuffed toy dog made from either a soft cloth or a smooth silk/satin like material that would not be irritating for Trisha. We wanted the toy dog to be something that she can keep and continue to use even till she grows up (thanks Kat for this idea). At last, we found it and it was not that expensive.

We even bought the toy dog a T-shirt which says "Best Friends Fur-ever" so it wouldn't look dull as the dog was all white with hints of gray.

History of my mobile phones

No, not all of these are my phones. It's our combined phones, Tet and I. Most of it we still use and some are kept. I'm blogging about these phones because it's the first time that we have owned five different brands of mobile phones. I'm saying first time because eversince we started using mobile phones, we've mainly been Nokia users. But times have changed and we have learned to appreciate other phone brands as well.


1. Motorola RAZR V3 - This was my first non-Nokia mobile phone. I loved this phone when I first got it and I still love it now although I don't use it anymore. I don't think I'll sell this phone. It has a sentimental value.
2. O2 XDA II Mini - I got this mobile phone for FREE from Globe. This phone was very useful for me when I was in China because I could install alot of different applications on it. Downside is, you can't use it to send SMS while driving.
3. Nokia 6500 - Which is why I shifted back to these types of mobile phones. This phone was originally used by Tet but she let me use it because I wanted a phone that I can use while driving. A lot of people liked this phone because it was really slim and looked really nice.
4. SonyEricsson K610i - But when I got this phone FREE from Globe (because of a new number), I decided to give the Nokia back to Tet. I'm starting to really like SonyEriccson phones and if ever I upgrade my phone again, I would most probably get another SonyEriccson phone.
5. Blackberry Pearl - This is Tet's business phone. It was the phone that I wanted to own for a long time because of the push-email capability but when I got to test the phone, I find it difficult to use.

So what's your brand of mobile phone?

Five Steps to Being Happy

Tet and I watched a movie last Sunday which stars Sam Milby as Macky, a fat pastry chef and Toni Gonzaga as Aira, a fitness instructor. You guessed it right, the movie is entitled "My Big Love". It is a fun movie.

Anyway, the reason I'm writing about this movie is because I wanted to share the five steps that Aira, name of Toni in the movie, kept on emphasizing all throughout the movie which I think we can apply in our everyday lives.

1st Step: Goal Setting - It is important to first establish what you want to achieve.
2nd Step: Start Today - When you know what you want, start it right away.
3rd Step: No Shortcuts - Once you do something, you have to do it right.
4th Step: Motivate Yourself - In the course of doing the thing you want, there will be times when you'd want to give up. So there should be something to get you back on track.
5th Step: Be Happy - In the end, once you've achieved the thing that you want, hopefully you'll be happy.

Good tips right? Try it out today!

Trisha @ the BHS Parking Lot

We were in Bonifacio High Street yesterday and I took this photo of Trisha with my SEK610i camera phone while she was playing in one of the empty parking lots. I asked her to look up several times but this was the only one I was able to capture.

She was busy picking up the stones so it was really difficult for me to get her to look up again.

I tried to trick her by telling her that there was an airplane but she was too fast for me. hehe..