Mr. Macchiato's 2008 Review

After watching Year-end specials last night, I was inspired to create my own version of it. Haha. This post would mostly talk about some interesting events that happened to myself, my family, and people around me, in the year 2008.

1. Ate's Wedding - My eldest sister got married last March 29, 2008. It was kinda sad to watch my sister move out and live her new life with her husband but it wasn't really that hard because they live right across the street. Haha. Update: My sister is 6 months pregnant. Finally!

2. My College Graduation - Well after 5 years and 5 months, I graduated from College, again! First BSCS-ST then ADCS-MM and finally BSIM.

3. My Career - I actually expected that I would end up being an educator because both my parents and my eldest sister are teachers. Haha. I love teaching students but I wasn't prepared to handle Elementary, High School and College all at the same time. Lol

4. Being Loveless - If you read some of my previous posts here in my blog, you probably know what I'm taking about being loveless. Haha

5. New Friends - I made a lot of new friends and most of them are from work. :)

6. Higher Self Confidence and Self Esteem - I was basically a very shy person before but as soon as I got into College, all of that changed. But that transformation happened gradually and carefully. I tried my best not to be "mahangin" and "feeling" when I was still in school. LOL. Now, I'm happy because I'm sure that I won't pass out infront of my students. Haha.

7. New Gadgets - This year, I bought two major toys that I really love: The iPhone and my MacBook Pro.

8. My Starbucks Cup Collection - I actually started collecting Starbucks cup last January. As of now, I'm not quite sure about the total number of the cups on my cabinet. Haha

9. My Weight Loss - I still proud that I managed to eliminate almost 25 pounds of fat from my body without going to the gym. But sad to report, I gained back 10 pounds right now. Blame the holidays! Haha. I promised myself that when the new year comes, I'll star my daily run on the elliptical trainer. Target weight: 120 pounds. :D

10. My Tumors - Two large tumors were removed from my left arm last August. Haha. I really hate how the scars look like now. Hmp.

PS - I might add some more when I remember other events that took place this year. Haha.

Merry Christmas!

It's the time of the year again. 

I together with my whole family would like to greet you a very 

Merry Christmas!

We just finished eating our Noche Buena (Christmas Eve Feast). Thanks to my sister for preparing our scrumptious food. 

As you can see in the picture, we are now six in the family because my eldest sister got married last March. And in four months time, a new addition in the family will arrive - a baby boy! Yay! 

Here's a picture of the pasta before it got devoured by me. Haha

Wishing everyone Joy, Peace, and Hope!

(^_^)

What Stresses Me About the Holidays?

Food is What Stresses You Out About the Holidays

During the holidays, you tend to forget that there can be too much of a good thing. Plus, there are so many good things to go around! You tend to over indulge... and then indulge some more. Self control is not really an option for you. And while you eat well, you don't like buying new jeans after the holidays are over!

What Stresses You Out About the Holidays?

True especially that last sentence. Haha

I weighed myself earlier and I reached my limit of 130 pounds. I gained about 10 pounds for the past two months and that's not acceptable. Haha.

I can feel that my tummy's getting bigger and my pants are tighter. Hmm. Have to watch what and how I eat. Lol. I promise that I will start exercising next month.

(^_^)

Twitter in Real Life

Yesterday, I received a twit with a link to this picture:

The guys from HubSpot made that funny and cute cartoon. It's very true isn't it? Haha. There are a lot of spammers in twitter that keeps on following you and expecting that you'd follow them back. Haha. 

(^_^)

Favorite Food

DISCLAIMER: I won't be responsible if this post might cause you embarrassment especially when somebody catches you with drool all over your mouth. LOL

Hmm favorite food? Err.. well maybe junk food. Haha.

This post would list my favorite food, both nutritious but mostly not. Lol. I usually eat the same thing during snack and there's a specific food depending on what my activities are and my mood is. Haha.

1. Coffee - Need I say more? My day won't start without a cup of coffee. I don't care if it's pressed, brewed, espresso, or 3 in one! LOL

2. Pizza - This is my all-time favorite food. I eat all kinds of pizza but the funny thing is that I eat a particular pizza for example at Yellow Cab but not at Pizza Hut (though both flavors are the same. LOL) I also eat bell peppers depending on the pizza flavor. It's really complicated and I think I'm the only one who can understand the likes of my taste buds. Haha.

3. Oreo - Okay this one won't be complete without milk because I like my Oreo cookie soft. I would like it to just melt inside my mouth. I'm not the "twist, lick, and dunk" type of eater... I'm the "dunk for 1o seconds and devour" cookie eater. LOL. I'm a sucker for Oero!

4. Mrs. Fields Cookies - Well I eat every flavor but make sure that it doesn't have nuts. You may have noticed by now that I like my cookies chewy. Haha. There's a special taste with the cookies in Mrs. Fields that makes me crave for more!

5. Munchies - This is the all-in-one junk food. Haha. If you love Frito-Lay products, I recommend that you get Their Munchies Snack Mix specifically the Cheese Fix. Haha. It's an assortment of Cheetos, Doritos, Rold Gold and Sun Chips. I have a pattern too when eating this. Haha. I start eating the Pretzels first, then Cheetos, Doritos and Sun Chips for the finale. I dunno how I came up with that order. I just find it more enjoyable that way. Hahaha. Yes weird.

6. Milk Chocolate - Any brand but I prefer Cadbury's Dairy Milk. Haha. I see to it that I always have a bar in the fridge. You will never know when my sweet tooth would attack.

7. Popcorn - Movie Theatre Butter please! Haha. Perfect food when it's movie time at home. Just microwave it for 5 minutes and you're good to go. And the smell of that butter.. Mmmm. Haha

8. Sandwich - Club and BLT sandwiches with honey mustard are my favorites. Yumm. I love to eat these in Oliver's Super Sandwiches and Subway.

9. Pancit Canton - Lucky Me original flavor to be exact. Haha. This is my emergency food most of the time especially if there's no food in the fridge and bread is not available. I love eating this together with crackers. Haha

10. Ice Cream - Sometimes I crave for Vanilla ice cream and I don't care if it's a plain sundae at McDonald's or Häagen-Dazs. (But I prefer the latter) Hahaha. Vanilla ice cream is like heaven.

11. Tamago Sushi - Ohh how I love this Japanese treat.

Okay now I'm hungry!!! Haha

(^_^)

Are You Seriously Serious?

Okay, my hands are still shaking as I type this post.

Here's what happened.

Someone sent me a private message in another site. That person said that I've been posting a lot of negative stuff in my OWN page. It's like there's always something wrong, he said. 

I was shocked and my blood literally raised after reading that message, and I can prove it because my ears are still red. I really don't know what to do. This was the first time someone told me that. I cannot believe that he used that word to describe my posts. I am very far from being negative. He seriously doesn't know me at all. 

So I sent him a message and asked him if he is sure that ALL my posts are negative. He replied and said that he was mistaken. That not all of my posts but only 99.9% of the time. LOL. Then I laughed. It's a fact. He seriously doesn't know ME.

I don't understand why some people have the guts to tell something like that to someone he/she doesn't personally know; a total stranger. My reaction was "Dude, are you for real?".

Haha. I'm not sure what his purpose was for sending me that message; but I'm confident that he was not showing concern. So please think before you write. 

After his second message, I stopped and thought  for a while if I should still reply. Then I've decided to just ignore him and continue posting. In the first place, nobody told him to visit my site.

Telling another person something on text messages, e-mails, etc. is very different from saying it to him/her personally. You know, that smileys, "Haha", and "LOL" doesn't really talk for you. It's hard to tell if someone is joking or not just by reading an sms, especially when you don't know the sender. Likewise, your reader might not react in the way you originally planned it to be. Someone's reaction will not be everybody else's response. So be careful in choosing words, smileys, and other special characters that conveys a certain "emotion" to the reader.

Tsk tsk.

(-_~)

Christmassy Desktop - Part 2

I really can't get enough of those cheerful Christmas decorations. Haha.  Even my laptop get spruced up for the holidays. Haha. 

It started last year when I came across a couple of websites that offers Christmas applications for the mac desktop. I tried them out and they really spruced up my computer. Haha.

Here's a screenshot of my desktop last year:

For this year, I discovered a new app that completes the whole effect. Haha.
Here's a screenshot of my current desktop:

I used three applications and two of them are free! 

1. MacLampsX (free) - This adds christmas lights around your desktop. It's fully customizable and you can choose from different bulbs, snowflakes and holly.

2. X-Mas Tree (free) - I love this app! It's like having your own Christmas tree on your screen! Haha. The tree color can be changed, different lights and ornaments to choose from, and it shows how many days are left before Christmas. 

3. Snow (trial) - Let snow fall on your desktop! Haha. The snow collects on top of your open windows and at the bottom of your screen. You can also see a polar bear walking and santa flying on his reindeer! It costs 10$. 

(^_^)

NOEL and A Winter Symphony.

It's the first of December!! Yippeee!! 24 days to go till Christmas! Yay! (Yea, I'm really excited. lol)

Time to pick the album for this month but I cannot really decide between my two favorite singers in the world. So I've opted to choose two albums for this very special month. Haha

Album Number One:

NOEL by Josh Groban

This album was released October last year just in time for the Holidays. Almost all of my favorite Christmas songs were included in this album. It is hard to choose my top 3 songs... I swear. Haha. I'm a certified Grobanite! :D

Tracklist:
1 Silent Night
2 Little Drummer Boy - (with Andy McKee)
3 I'll Be Home For Christmas
4 Ave Maria
5 Angels We Have Heard On High - (with Brian McKnight)
6 Thankful
7 Christmas Song, The
8 What Child Is This?
9 First Noel, The - (with Faith Hill)
10 Petit Papa Noel
11 It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
12 Panis Angelicus
13 O Come A Ye Faithfull - (with Mormon Tabernacle Choir)


Album Number Two:

A Winter Symphony by Sarah Brightman

Finally! Sarah Brightman released her long awaited Christmas album! Haha. 

For this one, I can choose my favorite songs because I do not know some of the tracks that were included. Lol.

My favorites are: Jesu Joy, Ave Maria (Gounod), Happy Christmas, When A Child is Born 

Tracklist:

1 Arrival
2 Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
3 Ave Maria (feat. Ferdando Lima)
4 I've Been This Way Before
5 Child In a Manger
6 Colder Than Winter
7 In the Black Midwinter
8 You Are Not Alone
9 Ave Maria (Gounod)
10 Silent Night
11 Amazing Grace
12 I Believe In Father Christmas
13. When a Child Is Born ("Deluxe" CD+DVD Edition only)
14. Carpe Diem (Duet with Mario Frangoulis)
15. Happy Christmas (War Is Over)
16. First Of May
17. He Moved Through The Fair

If you really want to feel the holiday spirit, I suggest that you go purchase and listen to these two amazing albums this December.

(^_^)

It's Getting Christmassy.

Wow. I just realized that there are only 30 days left until Christmas! Haha. And we haven't even decorated yet... even a single lantern. Tsk tsk. Lol

Earlier today, mom and I went to the mall to relax and look for some Christmas decorations. Mommy decided not to buy new ones after seeing their prices, but of course, I highly doubted her decision. We ended up with a bag of Christmas lights. Haha.

The mall was filled with glittering lights, large trees were on display, and the music playing were all Christmas songs. Then on our way home, streetlights have lanterns hanging, Christmas lights were placed on the trees, gates, and walls of some houses. Awww, I can really feel the Yuletide season.

I'm really excited about putting up our tree, redecorating and reorganizing our house to achieve that "holiday" ambience. This will be my first Christmas without thinking of the school work that must be completed before the holiday break. Haha.

It was announced that the first day of December will be a non-working holiday so mom and I agreed to decorate on that day.

Now where did we keep all of those Christmas decorations?

Time to raid our "bodega". LOL

(^_^)

Text Lingo

LOL.

What made me write this post? Well go on reading.

My high school friend texted me yesterday. She wanted for our barkada to meet and have coffee tomorrow. I said yes then she asked me to text our other friends. So I got all excited and texted them all about the plan. Now here we go. Haha

I got a text message from my friend like an hour ago. He said "Ei sori, d aq pede kc bc kme ng ti2 ko ngyon..."

And I was like.. "WHAT?! Busy ang ano?!" lol 

Hahaha. What he wanted to say was "Hi, sorry hindi ako pwede kasi busy kami ng tito ko ngayon." Lol. I laughed so hard and almost died. Haha. He is working at his uncle's office and papers were piled on top of his desk. LOL. 

Oh man. Lol. 

I must admit that I also use this text lingo. But I only use "2" to repeat syllables or words. For example:

Kakain - Ka2in

Maya-maya - Mya2

Pupunta - Pu2nta

Now, here are some examples of text lingo that we or some of us usually use:

Letter "q"

"Andito na aq" 

- Andito na akyu?

"Akala q aalis k n?"

-Akala kyu aalis ka na?

Letter "x"

"Xenxa na hindi aq makkapunta"

- Sensa na hindi akyu makakapunta?

"Maxado ka nman"

-Maksado ka naman?

"Xited n aq"

- Sited na akyu?

Letter "u"

"Sau nalang yan."

- Sayu/Saw/Sa-u nalang yan?

"Sb nu ppnta xa?"

"Kau nlang ang smama"

Letter "z"

"Mzta n?"

"Zup?"

Letter "i"

"Hai naq"

-Ha-i nakyu?

Letters "ur"

"U left ur pen."

- You left you are pen?

The omission of vowels:

"Bk hnd p aq mkkpsok"

"Alis n b tyo?"

"Ayw m dw pmnta dn? Bkt?"

"Sb m andun xa?"

The use of numbers:

- Sum1, Evry1, D2, Gs2, W8,  2, 22o, 4d, etc.

No wonder why students today are having a hard time spelling words correctly.

Is there a special dictionary for these words? Lol. Sometimes I find it difficult to read and understand these kind of text messages. Haha.  

Guilty or not guilty?

(^_^)

Name for the Cup Please.

Imagine yourself at Starbucks with a cup of your favorite coffee. While sitting, reading a good book or chatting with your friends, you suddenly noticed that there's something wrong with the cup. After a minute of examining it, you finally saw that your name was misspelled, or worse it doesn't even sound like your name. Lol

After more than 5 years of having coffee at Starbucks, I think they've baptized me with 10 or more names already! Haha. I really don't remember them all but some were: Andrew, Alvin, Adrian, Allan, Toni, Ian, Mark and um.. Haha. I remember! This was the worst - William. Lol.

I dunno where they got those names. Haha. It is funny to see your "new" name but sometimes it is embarrassing too especially when you're around people you know. Haha.

Here are some of my friends' experiences:

Ciara/Chris - Sarah, Shara, Sharra, Cris, Kris, Marianne.

Geric - Gerry

Royce - Rice

Joan - Jone

Annie - Anna, Anne

Niña - Nina, Nine, Ninny

(^_^)

A Collection

I bought a copy of Josh's new CD today. It's a collection of his hits from all previous albums and other live performances.

The songs aren't new but it's definitely a must have for a die hard grobie like me. Haha.


I love all the pictures included in the CD jacket. Josh's image looks more sophisticated and matured.

It is a two disc album with 22 songs. Here's a list of the songs included.

CD1
1. Oceano
2. February Song
3. You Are Loved [Don't Give Up]
4. You Raise Me Up
5. In Her Eyes
6. Awake
7. Alla Luce Del Sole
8. To Where You Are
9. Anthem [Live- From the "Chess in Concert"]
10. Per Te
11. Remember When It Rained
12. Weeping [Live - With Vusi Mahlasela and Soweto Gospel Choir]
13. Alejate
14. Hymne A L'Amour
15. Cinema Paradiso (Se)
16. Smile

CD2
1. Silent Night
2. Little Drummer Boy [featuring guitarist Andy McKee]
3. Ave Maria
4. Panis Angelicus
5. Petit Papa Noel
6. Noche de Paz [Silent Night]

The Gadget List

Oh and I'm here making lists again. Haha.

Now, I want to share with you my top 3 gadgets. 

3. iPods (Shuffle & 5th Gen iPod Video)

This mp3 device has been my constant companion since 2005. The shuffle was technically my first Apple product and It was nice to see those cute Apple stickers in the box. Haha. After that, the rest was history. 

At first, my songs would not go more than 120 because of the 515MB storage of the shuffle. But now, my iTunes library has more than 4000 mp3's and they all fit in my iPod video, Including some movies and series. Yay.

I'm really contented with my current iPod. For me, iPods were made for music.

2. iPhone 3G

Well what can I say? This phone is probably the best phone I ever had. A phone, mp3/movie player, camera, internet browser, e-mail client, gaming console, organizer, etc. all in a single touch-screen device! Yay.

It was difficult to use during the first few days because of the absence of physical keys, but I got used to it in no time. I can now send text messages with no typos. haha.

Games and internet browsing are great. You will forget that you are holding a telephone until someone calls or sms you. 

Great device.

1. MacBook & Macbook Pro

OMG. These two was like the best computers ever (IMO of course). I would not go back to using windows as my primary computer. I currently use the MacBook Pro because I gave the MacBook to my dad. haha.

My whole life can be found inside my computer. I cannot live without it. I can stand months without cable television but please spare me the sorrow of not having any computer. lol

I've accomplished a lot of things using my laptops like making/editing videos, songs, invitations, pictures, tarpaulins, presentations, documents, and many more. The iLife suite really made my life easier.

Oh and I won't forget that cute Apple logo that glows at the top lid. Haha.

Am I an Apple fanboy?



(^_^)

Red In, White Out

Haha.

Yay! Now I can really feel the Holidays!

Yesterday, Starbucks changed their regular menu to make way for the holiday drinks!! Yay! Time for my favorite toffee nut latte! Haha

Here's their holiday drink line-up:

- Dark Cherry Mocha
- Toffee Nut Latte
- Praline Mocha

Aside from the very festive decorations, the prices of the drinks also increased by five bucks! Haha

Now for the fun part... Collecting the stickers! Haha.

They've reduced the number of stickers to collect: 8 Holidays Drinks and 8 Regular Drinks. Haha. I really did not like the look of the new planner because It seems to be very plain... but in my opinion, the 2009 design is better than this year's. Haha.

But I won't really be needing a planner anymore because of my iPhone and living a very digital life. Haha. Though it would make a very nice present. Lol

A while ago, I got my very first red cup and sticker for this holidays. Haha. I'm lovin' the color red all around.

(^_^)

Year of The Gentleman

Album for the month of November is:

Year of The Gentleman

by Ne-Yo

I got a copy of the album a week after its release. To be honest, I really thought that this album wouldn't be as good as the previous two (In My Own Words and Because of You). But after listening to it for a day, I immediately came up with my top 3 favorites... err okay, make that 6. Lol

I was surprised that almost all of the included songs were very catchy... well at least for my ear. The lyrics were very nice too - so heartfelt. It just proves that Ne-Yo is a very great singer and songwriter. Saying that, it made me eat my words. haha. My expectations were surpassed by this album. 

Let's go on with the list. haha

Top 6

6. Single

5. Why Does She Stay

4. So You Can Cry

3. Lie to Me

2. Mad

1. Part of The List

Here's the lyrics of my top 1 favorite. Haha. I think it's very fitting for me right now. lol

Part of The List

Style of your hair

Shape of your eyes and your nose

The way you stare..

As if you see, right through to my soul

Its your left hand and the way

That its not quite as big as your right

The way you stand in the mirror..

Before we go out at night

A quiet time...your beautiful mind

They're a part of the list

Things that I miss

Things like your, funny little laugh

The way you smile or the way we kiss

What I noticed is this

I come up with

Something new, every single time

That I sit an reminisce

The way you sweet smell

Lingers when you leave a room 

Stories you tell as we lay

In bed all afternoon 

I dreamed you now every night

In my mind is where we meet

And when I'm awake

Staring at pictures of you asleep

Touching your face, invading you space

They're a part of the list

Things that I miss...

Things like your, funny little laugh

The way you smile or the way we kiss

What I noticed is this

I come up with

Something new, every single time

That I sit an reminisce

And you'll live in my

Memories, forever more I swear

And you'll live in my

Memories, forever more I swear

They're a part of the list

Things that I miss...

Things like your, funny little laugh

The way you smile or the way we kiss

What I noticed is this

I come up with

Something new, every single time

That I sit an reminisce

"They're a part of the list. Things that I miss..."

Awww.

LOL

(^_^)

Trick or Treat!

Well it's All Hallows Eve! And since it's not a tradition here in the Philippines to decorate their houses with pumpkins and spider webs, I figured out that I'll just go Trick or Treating here in my blog! Hahaha.

Sooo

Trick or Treat!!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO EVERYONE!

The Aftermath

I just had to write this.

I thought everything was okay. I said to myself that I'm gonna be fine. But a part of me still hurts. 

Remember my very volatile mood? Well two nights after the talk, my mood changed in a snap. All the laughter in my face was mysteriously taken away. I dunno what happened to me. My mind wasn't functioning properly and my emotions became very sensitive. 

Now I know.

My heart and my thoughts are still on a battle. I'm struggling to fight.

It will take more time than I expected. But I'll be fine... soon.

How am I holding on?

- good music

- a cup of coffee

- chocolates

- and good friends around me

Next: Moving On.

(Enough with the drama! lol)

(^_^)

Could Have Been.

This is my final post about he-who-must-not-be-named. lol

I never imagined that the two of us would meet.

That day was just special.

It was magical.

You were a dream come true.

From that moment, I knew that "we" would really last for a long time.

Every day that we were together.

All the words that were spoken.

All text messages sent.

Really gave me a feeling that I cannot truly explain.

Of course we had our bad times.

We talked.

We cried.

Then compromised.

We were happy.

And the time came.

When you had to leave.

I trusted you.

You trusted me.

We were apart.

But we reserved time for each other.

It was difficult.

But for five years we survived.

Then the last time I saw you.

I didn't have a hint.

That something very bad would happen.

You broke a promise.

A promise that you know would mean the end.

For us.

I tried to think.

Tried to listen.

But I didn't understand.

I have made myself clear to you.

"Loyalty is very important."

That little thing you did.

Put an end to "us".

And now you're coming back.

I know you're sorry.

A lot of tears were shed.

You explained yourself.

But I said No.

It's hard for me to accept.

Because.

I keep on thinking that...

...It could have been us.

(;_;)

You To Me Are Everything

Oookay. Here we go again. I don't want to talk about it anymore. It's still as painful as the first time. :(

I finally talked to him. Here's what he said.

"I'll just summarize what I feel using this amazing song."

Hmmm, I would take the stars out of the sky for you

Stop the rain from falling if you ask me to

I'd do anything for you, your wish is my command

I could move a mountain when your hand is in my hand

Hmmm, Words could not express how much you mean to me

There must be some other way to make you see

If it takes my heart and soul you know I'd pay the price

Everything that I possess I'd gladly sacrifice

Oh, you to me are everything

The sweetest song that I can sing, oh baby, oh baby

To you I guess I'm just a clown who picks you up

Each time you're down, oh baby, oh baby

You give me just a taste of love to build my hopes up on

You know you got the power girl to keep me holding on

So now you've got the best of me

Come on and take the rest of me, oh baby

Though you're close to me, we seem so far apart

Maybe given time you'll have a change of heart

If it takes forever girl, then I'm prepared to wait

The day you give your love to me won't be a day too late

Yes, he sang that to me over the phone. What now?! I'm so confused. Sigh. 

I know it's still my decision. 

I need more time.

Maybe?

Not?

(;_;)

Tumbler.

Haha. It was Geric's birthday yesterday. Me and Chris were thinking of a gift for our adopted son since last week. lol

We were thinking of something that he would really use and not just something that would disappear after a day. We thought of a lot of things: a pen, book, polo, shirt, cap, journal, eyeglasses, tumbler, mirror, gift certificate, DVD, and even a pet rabbit! haha. I really dunno where that last item came from. lol

After spending a day in two malls, we still can't decide on a single gift. So we went to starbucks to get my caffeine fix, start making exams and think about the gift. haha. Upon entering the store, we saw an array of tumblers on display. We approached the cabinet and looked at different kinds of tumblers. Then Chris picked up a tumbler called "TumbleArt" in which you can customize its design. I looked at it and immediately got an idea. :D

We've decided to buy that tumbler and then fill it with Geric's pictures and of course, me and Chris'. hahaha. I liked the idea because it will not be just an ordinary gift, but a very special gift. lol.

Then earlier today, after the exams, we gave Geric our gift. :D

Geric,

This tumbler is our gift, both for your birthday and for being on top of the class. haha

We hoped that you liked it. Printed on that tumbler are the happy memories of the three of us. Awwww. 

And ditch the pocari bottle already! haha.

From, 

Your "Parents"

(^_^)

Proud "Parents"

It was nice to see our "children" receive their awards. We really felt proud for them because of two great reasons:

1. It was our first time to teach.

2. It was their first term in College. 

How nice? hahaha.

Their barkada collected all of the awards - from third honors to first! How selfish of them. haha.

Once again, Congratulations to the six of you. All the hard work payed off. Time to prove yourselves once again this term. Don't disappoint us! hahaha.

(^_^)

New MacBooks!

Just when I thought that I have the latest MacBook Pro model, here comes the new, redesigned, more powerful MacBooks. haha. Damn.

I remember getting my MBP last July 29, 2008. So after less than 3 months, Apple unveiled their new lineup of notebooks. Great. haha. At first, I kinda didn't like the design of the new laptops, but after a day, it all changed. haha. I'm now drooling, lusting, and dreaming of the new MacBooks.

The looks of the new notebooks are really different from the older ones. The new MacBooks looks like a smaller MacBook Pro. There's no more exclusivity between the two. I'm now thinking what to get. hmmm..

But I want to wait till January next year. I'm sure there are still a lot of flaws in this new notebooks. I don't want to rush because they might release newer models and revisions next year.

Oh Apple. Why are you doing this to me?

haha.

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iTunes Top 25

I would just like to share what's on my iTunes Top 25 Most Played songs. haha.

My top 3 most played songs are:

1. Come In Out Of The Rain by Wendy Moten

- I loved this song since I was in 1st year high school. I dunno what's with the song. lol. Maybe because of the melody? Or because I love to sing this in karaoke. hahaha

2. Luv by Janet Jackson 

- Hmm. I immediately fell in luv with this song the first time I heard it. The beats are insane.. I just love the arrangement. yay. lol

3. You & Me by Lifehouse 

- This song is "awwwww". The lyrics, melody, and the voice of Jason Wade makes me cry. haha.

Now the other songs have their own different stories. I listen to those songs based on my mood and emotions - Happy, Emo or In Love. lol

So what do you think my mood is most of the time? 

haha.

(^_^)

Grown-Up

After more or less 5 months of teaching, I observed my students' attitudes and behaviors.  Most of them are in between the ages of 7-18 years old. That's basically teaching three different levels: Elementary (Grades 4-6), High School (3rd and 4th year), and College (1st year).

The most interesting age group are those students in 3rd year high school to 1st year college. In my opinion, during this years, one is getting ready to become mature or grown-up. 

A lot of changes are happening to them: mentally, physically and emotionally. In this stage, you may begin to feel affections toward the opposite sex (or for others, the same sex. lol). Others handle their growing up years properly but others are too excited to be "grown ups". 

Peer pressure is a very big factor in teens nowadays. For example, in order to get accepted in a barkada, you need to have a boyfriend or girlfriend first. If not, you will be pushed to find a lover even if it's against your will. 

Based from my observations, high school students are most interested in the topic of sex. Yes, you heard me right. There are so many discussions regarding this matter. No wonder why a lot of teenagers are getting pregnant. Mostly they want physical love not emotional.

College students on the other hand are very different. They're beginning to know their priorities. Some like to finish school first, but others like to study and be in love. Being in love is okay just as long as it doesn't affect their studies. Loving someone is the same as having a supply of inspiration, not obsession and distraction. haha.

Students fall apart or stop school mainly because of two things: money and heartbreaks. 

The money part I can understand because it is inevitable. Others want to pursue studying but because they can't afford to pay their school fees, they drop out. It is sad and it is the reality. 

On the other hand, some students refuse to continue with their schooling just because they are devastated. By what? But by love of course. See how this thing called love can affect oneself? It's frightening that some people would rather die than face the pain of letting go. Oh believe me when I say this. haha.

Now, how does one become a grown-up?

Acting like a grown-up is very different from acting and thinking like one.

Behaving based on your intuitions and impulses does not always apply in every occasion. A mature person should first think of what this certain action might result to in the future. You must be sure that your decision would not affect other persons, including yourself,  negatively. 

Hmm so after contemplating for quite a while, I guess I have come up with a formula:

Critical and rational thinking + emotional and spiritual guidance = a Grown-up individual who acts and thinks like one.  

Young people should understand this. Knowing many things does not automatically qualify you as mature, but it is how you see things in life.

PS. I hope this post makes any sense at all. haha.

(^_^)

Mr.AZ

I'm currently in love with Jason Mraz. Well not Jason himself but his music. haha. It's very different compared to your normal Pop songs. I really don't know what his genre is. Maybe alternative or adult contemporary? haha. Well it doesn't really matter. I just love his songs.

I'm now hailing "I'm Yours". I just love the whole arrangement of the music and lyrics. Whenever I listen to it, I can feel all my problems fade away. It's like you're on another dimension, free from worldly troubles.. hahaha. It's weird, really. 

It's not often that an artist or a particular album makes it to my playlist but Jason Mraz is different. All songs in his latest album are in my top played songs. haha. I can listen to the entire album for one whole day. All songs were done differently - very unique from each other. 

Hmm... This gave me an idea. I'll be featuring albums every month. Let's start this October. haha. 

So the Album of the Month is: 

"We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things" by Jason Mraz

(^_^)

Violin

Some of you may or know that I play the violin. My baby's name is Banshee, a 3 year old Hofner violin. 

I started my formal lessons in 2005. My teacher comes to our house once or twice a week and taught me the Suzuki method. I felt really nervous during my first sessions. My hands would start to shake and my breathing would unconsciously stop. haha. But my teacher was really nice and patient, so after one month, my hands, fingers, neck and shoulders started to relax. Oh and my breathing was fixed to. lol

After 2 years and 3 books, I suddenly stopped my lessons. School suddenly became too hectic and my practice time vanished. My teacher would text me and ask when will we continue with the lessons. I said that after graduating, I'll start playing again. But that wasn't the case because I am now working. lol.

So I said to myself, it's time to play again. Two weeks ago, I got Banshee out of the cabinet and started playing; from book 1 - 3 and other pieces that I like. 

I picked one piece that I would like to perfect once more. It's "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring" by Bach. The last time I played this was Christmas 2005. haha. I need to refresh my memory. 

I'll post a video here of me playing soon. 

(^_^)

50-50?

Okay, I took another quiz from Blogthings.  This one's hella funny. lol. (You can find the link under "Webbies")

Your Surfing Habits are 50% Male, 50% Female

There's no way we can tell whether you're a man or woman. Of all the internet users, you are the most broad based in your habits. You use the internet for research and your career. But you also use the internet to keep in close touch with your loved ones.

Do You Use the Internet Like a Man or a Woman?

Very fitting? 50% Male and 50% Female eh? That first line made me laugh. Hahaha.

(^_^)

iRemote

I just found the coolest and handiest Free Application for my iPhone! It's called Remote. A free app developed by Apple. 

So what does it do? Well basically it controls your iTunes by using an iPhone or iTouch. Just as long as you are connected in a Wi-Fi network, you can be an instant DJ even when you're not in front of your computer. How cool is that? haha

I tried to use this remote on my dad's mac and he got surprised when his songs started to play automatically. He thought that there's something wrong with the computer so he called me. I went down to his office laughing my pants off and explained about the remote. haha. 

Now I can change my songs, browse through my iTunes library and create playlists while lying down on my bed.

You can get this at the app store.

(^_^)

Tangrams!

Haha. This post is long overdue. Here is it Geric! lol

Okay. Geric and I got addicted with this Brain Twister game called Tangrams. You have to complete 40 patterns using four uniquely cut puzzle pieces.

We started playing this last September 11 and completed the game after four days. Yay! We couldn't sleep or think straight while playing this game. The puzzle was really addicting. You won't stop until you get all the patterns right.

Geric and I used a lot of brain cells in accomplishing this mission. haha. And we took it pretty seriously. lol

Here are all the answers.

SET 1

^^^ This was the most difficult to do. Dang! ^^^

SET 2

Please do not copy or repost these pictures. Dumugo ang utak namin dito! Just credit us if you wish to use them. Thanks!

(^_^)