Grounded for Life...

Half-Blood Prince Banners Now Online!

2009-03-28T10:53:00.000-07:00

Did I already told you I just can't wait for the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince?

On my previous post? Two of my previous post? Haha... I know, all of my posts regarding Harry Potter 6. :D

Well, why not?! The movie was already delayed eight months after its original release date which was November 20, 2008.

I'm sure loads of people are very much itching to see this! The movie seems very promising based on its trailer and the posters are really good.

Half-Blood Prince News

2009-03-11T07:31:00.000-07:00

Looks like we can finally set as to when we're going to watch Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, thanks to this list of release dates posted by Warner Brothers on its official website. :D

It is scheduled to be released here in the Philippines on July 16, 2009. I'm pretty excited! Hehehe...

Anyway, check out this new trailer. :D

Eraserheads Live! The Final Set Reunion Concert

2009-03-08T08:17:00.000-07:00

Uhmm... I won’t claim to be a big fan of Eraserheads. I don’t own any albums. I don’t know all their songs, just those that were released or played on the radio. That's why, a day before the concert, I was still undecided if I would go that I let my father to decide for me. To my surprise, he agreed. :D

So came the concert day. We were late! We came running when we heard that the show was about to start. Fortunately, it was only the MTV VJs that were onstage. So while waiting for the Eheads, we kept ourselves busy by taking pictures, watching their old videos and interviews that were actually some sort of a trip down the memory lane. :)

After a few minutes, letters started flashing on the big screen that turned out to be a different kind of countdown, which of course, ended with the letter E. And then, Magasin was played. Neither Red nor Diane got the first song right. Hahaha... :P

Huwag Mo Nang Itanong is one of the songs I was looking forward to hear and it was sung in Reggae style by Marcus, who has a Hello Kitty guitar. Cute! :D

And who would forget when Ely said, "On vocals… Raimund Marasigan!" or when Raimund came to Ely and the two posed for a photograph. Sweet! :D

On the second set or should I say, the acoustic set, they were all seated while playing Julie Tearjerky, Tikman, Pare Ko, Kailan, Spolarium and Overdrive. When the band left, it felt like the concert was already over but no one was leaving. Everyone was asking for more including actor Jericho Rosales who was very enthusiastic about it!

On the next set, Ely sang Super Proxy and Kaleidoscope World as a tribute to Francis M. Too bad he didn't make it. He was supposed to jam with them. :(

Also on this set was when they performed a slower version of Alapaap that I loved so much and Minsan that was very touching because of Ely's voice and facial expression. I even thought it could be their theme song. :)

Then of course, the Huling El Bimbo which I expected to be the last song. Well, fireworks started to light up the sky and confetti was pouring down when it was about to end. :)

Onstage, the Eheads standed side by side and bowed together. Oh before that, Ely set a piano on fire and threw his sneakers to the crowd as he left. He even thought of throwing his socks. Hahaha...

As the people were heading for the exit, we decided to hang out at the giant Coke for a while which was a good thing, because a few minutes later we heard Ely said "3 for the road". :D

They played Ligaya, Sembreak and Toyang. At that point in time, the VIP got to sing the last song because Ely went down the stage and passed the microphone to them. Then, end of the concert.

Since we were already tired, thirsty and hungry we decided to look for a place to eat and we ended up at Fish & Co. This is me with my Eheads concert ticket. Hehehe...

Overall? The best concert ever of course! Good thing, I came for this or I'll probably regret it. :D

e-Cake

2009-03-03T07:18:00.000-08:00

My e-Cake!

Sent to me by Ayi via MSN. Now you know why i called it e-cake! Hahaha...

Thanks Ayi! I love it. Yeah, I'm easy to please! Hehehe...

Anyway, don't you just love this Wall-E cake? Found it in here while googling!

If I have a cake like that, I'll just stare at it and never eat it. It's so cute! :D

Happy Birthday To Me!

2009-03-02T07:16:00.000-08:00

First things first! Thanks to all those who took time to wish me a happy birthday. You all made me really happy. Thanks so much again for remembering. :)

It's too bad time passes so fast, my day is almost over. :(

I must admit, turning 22 made me feel like I'm an adult. It's because I have completely embraced my breadwinner status which is kinda hard to come to terms with because I'm used to being so childish. Then again, I think I have grown to become a little more responsible and mature person. I wonder if someone will agree with me on this... Hehehe...

Don't matter, I just hope I'm better at being 23. :D

Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince Behind The Scenes

2009-03-01T05:42:00.000-08:00

Wow! Can't wait for HP6 to come out. :(

Comeeko!

2009-02-15T08:24:00.000-08:00

I was looking for a site that can help me turn my pictures into a comic strip, then Google gave me this - Comeeko!

Comeeko lets you create your own comic strip without the need of any drawing skills. Simply upload your own photos, choose a custom layout, add effects and text bubbles and that's it. You can now share it with your friends.

Check out this one I have created. :)

Daisy

2009-01-24T23:46:00.000-08:00

Daisy is a Korean love story about a young woman who works as a sidewalk artist in Amsterdam and mistakenly fell in love with an Interpol detective whom she thought was the one sending her daisies everyday. The truth is, the one sending her daisies is a professional hitman who couldn't reveal himself to her because of his profession.

This is another touching act from Jeon Ji-hyun – one of my favorite actresses. If you loved her other movies, I’m sure you’ll loved this one.

Check out the trailer below.

30 Second Reenactment Of Twilight

2009-01-21T07:07:00.001-08:00

Check out these bunnies that re-enacted Twilight in 30 seconds.

Hilarious isn't it? Hehehe...

Twilight Dolls!

2009-01-12T06:19:00.001-08:00

I find the dolls cute and to my surprise accurate so I thought I post them here. Hehehe...

Check them out at Dollz Mania.

Twilight DVD Release Date

2009-01-10T21:52:00.000-08:00

According to Stephenie Meyer's official website, Twilight DVD will be release on March 21st with the following special features:

*** Five extended scenes with director introductions
*** Audio commentary by Catherine Hardwicke, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart
*** Music videos of Muse, Paramore and Linkin Park
*** Five deleted scenes with director introductions
*** Seven-part documentary: "The Adventure Begins: The Journey from Page to Screen"
*** Comic-Con Phenomenon featurette
*** And more!

I can't wait to grab a copy of it in 10 weeks. It's definitely the perfect birthday gift! Hehehe...

Highlights Of My 2008

2009-01-10T05:17:00.000-08:00

Well, it's official! 2008 is long gone and 2009 is here to stay.

I've been taking the time to think of what had happen to me this past whole year but I can't quite find the perfect words to describe the highlights of my 2008. Well, I'm not really good at this but I'll try anyway.

Early in 2008, I managed to have one of the best birthdays of my life. I had the opportunity to celebrate my day with the wonderful people of DA. They may no longer remember it, but I really appreciated how they involved themselves to make it great for me.

It was also during my birth month that my friends and I went to Anawangin, Zambales - the best place I have been so far. I got a chance to open up with my friends and also learn about each others secrets. It was super fun! And cool too that my father didn't spoil it at all. My best summer ever! Hehehe...

2008 brought me and my family closer. They finally moved here with me at Manila after staying at Bicol for almost all their lives. It was such a big change for us. It's great that we are finally living together.

2008 also brought a change to my relationship status. Twice! I fell in and out of love last year alone. Getting your heart broken is never enjoyable but I learned a lot from both my time with him as well as without. I'm thankful for every minute of that relationship but it's time to move on.

And speaking of moving on, I resigned at DA to rest for a while. My Scoliosis was giving me a hard time then. Later, I grabbed the opportunity to work as a Consultant for SM the moment it was presented to me. I find it stressful sometimes but then again, I love it. Hehehe...

So now, I want to say thank you to all the people that were a part of my 2008, friends, family, co-workers and even Edward Cullen! Definitely, my addiction to Twilight is one of the highlights! Hahaha...

Cheers to a better 2009!

My 2008 Playlist

2008-12-31T07:29:00.000-08:00

I don't really like firecrackers on New Year's eve. I'm a bit scared of them. Hehehe...

For the past five years, I would actually spend my New Year's Eve listening to the Year End Countdown of my favorite radio station - the Campus Radio, which is now dead. So sad! *Sigh*

So this year, I resolved to make my own list of the songs that I loved listening to throughout the year. I find it hard to sort them according to how much I love them so I thought I just list them down alphabetically. Hehehe...

A Fine Frenzy - Almost Lover
Amber - Way Back Into You
Augustana - Sweet And Low
Blake Lewis - Break Anotha
Boys Like Girls - Hero/Heroine
Boys Like Girls - The Great Escape
Boys Like Girls - Thunder
Cassie - Is It You?
Chicosci - Last Look
Colbie Caillat - Realize
Collective Soul - Tremble For My Beloved
David Cook - Always Be My Baby
Fall Out Boy - Beat It
Flyleaf - All Around Me
Gwen Stefani - Four In The Morning
Incubus - Love Hurts
Jason Mraz - I'm Yours
Jesse McCartney - Leavin'
John Mayer - Say
Jordin Sparks Featuring Chris Brown - No Air
Leona Lewis - Better In Time
Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love
Lifehouse - Broken
Little Bit - Forget About Me
Marie Digby - Say It Again
Maroon 5 - Won't Go Home Without You
Maroon 5 Featuring Rihanna - If I Never See Your Face Again
Matt Nathanson - Come On Get Higher
Muse - Supermassive Black Hole
Ne Yo - Go On Girl
Ne Yo Featuring Rihanna - Hate That I Love You
Panic At The Disco - Nine In The Afternoon
Panic At The Disco - That Green Gentleman
Paramore - Decode
Paramore - I Caught Myself
Rihanna - Take A Bow
Rob Pattinson - Never Think
Sophie - Very First Time
Sopiz - Wish I Never
Taylor Swift - I'd Lie
Taylor Swift - Teardrops On My Guitar
The Click Five - Jenny
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - Cat And Mouse
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - Your Guardian Angel
The Script - The Man Who Can't Be Moved
Urban Dub - Guillotine
Urban Dub - The Fight Is Over
Vanessa Hudgens - Walk Away
We The Kings - Check Yes Juliet
Yellowcard - Light Up The Sky

It may just seem like a list to some, but to me, these songs remind me so much of the past year, either good or bad. Hehehe...

Anyway, I don't listen to some of them now. My current playlist includes, well, Twilight OST. Sorry, been bitten by Edward Cullen. Hahaha...

Happy 2009 to all!

Local Version of Twilight - A Hoax After All.

2008-12-29T05:47:00.000-08:00

Below is the official statement from ABS-CBN:

Oh well, I always doubt ABS-CBN's credibility anyway. Hehehe...

No need to waste more space for it. It's a hoax! That's what matters! Let's just enjoy this widget below. Hehehe...

My Not-So-Good Christmas Gift

2008-12-24T09:45:00.000-08:00

I was reading Breaking Dawn when I received an email from Prue with a subject:

"Jen, specially for you. Read this. :) Ahaha."

It made me smile. I thought it was a thank you email for the greeting card I sent him and more. Well, it's Christmas! I thought he really got something specially for me.

So I excitedly open his email that points me to this link where I saw a Twilight movie poster but with Rayver and Shaina as Edward and Bella. I was laughing. I thought Prue was being funny. I can tell he sent this to me as a reaction to the signature on the email I sent him. My signature says "Jenne Cullen". Hehehe...

Then I read the text on the link he gave me. My reaction?

"No way!!! You're kidding! Ewwsss..."

I was disturbed so I did a little research and I found this on ABS-CBN website.

What were they thinking?! Takipsilim?! Ewwsss!!! Rayver Cruz and Shaina Magdayao?! Definitely a NO-NO!!! They will just ruin the saga, my Edward, everything!!! Huhuhu...

Anyway, there's already an online petition asking to stop this non-sense. So everyone, please do sign up! Please! Please! Please! *Sigh*

There goes my very happy Christmas! Thanks so much ABS-CBN! Grrr...

To All...

2008-12-24T03:36:00.000-08:00

Why Edward Cullen?

2008-12-16T06:25:00.000-08:00

Just posting this cool text message I received from Yeyn. :)

Few reasons why a
lot of girls love
Edward Anthony Masen Cullen...

A normal guy would say:
"I love you!"

Edward would say:
"You are my life now."

As you leave the house,
a normal guy would say:
"Bye, see you!"

Edward would say:
"Hurry back to me."

While you've gone far away,
a normal guy would say:
"I miss you."

Edward would say:
"It's like you've taken half myself with you."

If you died,
a normal guy would find another...

Edward would kill himself
because life without you isn't worth living.

Can't Help Falling For Edward Cullen!!!

2008-11-30T08:57:00.000-08:00

I have been reading Twilight for a couple of days now and I have to say that the more pages I flipped, the more I couldn't help myself falling for Edward Cullen!

He actually makes my life at the moment.

Edward is just the perfect guy, well in his case, the perfect vampire, that any girls could want. He is very romantic, protective and not to mention charming! Sure, he does have his imperfections like he can be very moody and has a tendency to overreact and also seems to despise himself, but these imperfections make him even more perfect!

He makes me wanna wish to jump through the book and spend eternity with him! :D

Yeah, I'm crazy or maybe head over heels in love with him! :)

On Twilight...

2008-11-27T07:29:00.000-08:00

Alright, I forgive Warner Brothers for moving the release date of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince to give way for Twilight.

I like it! (Opps!!! Sorry Harry...)

Twilight is a modern-day love story between a teenage girl and a vampire based on Stephenie Meyer's best selling novel of the same title.

It has been receiving mixed reviews. Most of those who have read the book were kind of disappointed because the movie failed to live up to their expectations. Well, the usual problem for movie adaptations. :)

And since I haven't read the book, it surprisingly blew me away! I found myself laughing and falling in love with Edward/Cedric/Robert. :D

According to reviews, the book is way better than the movie. So I decided I'm going to get one too. It's been a long time since I have read a book obsessively. :)

Right after work, I went to Fully Book. I can no longer control my thirst for blood, I mean Twilight. :)

Guess what? Almost every people who went in to the bookstore got themselves a copy of the Twilight saga. Wow! I didn't got any though. Softbound copy of Twilight is out of stock. The manager of the store said it will be back on their shelves by December!

So calling those people who want to give me something for Christmas, Twilight book will do. :D

New Half-Blood Prince Trailer!

2008-11-14T18:21:00.000-08:00

The best trailer yet! Watch it now! Right now! :D

Enjoy! :D

Can't Get Enough of Lifehouse!

2008-11-14T18:06:00.000-08:00

I was so mad at myself for not seeing Lifehouse in flesh when they were here at the Philippines last July 26. So mad not being able to go to their concert and also for having those second thoughts on coming to their autograph signing at the SM Mall of Asia. Probably one of the most regrettable days of my life. :(

Anyway, the guys posted their experiences here in our country on their MySpace blogs as promised. So sweet! And funny! :D

The guys are hilarious, aren't they? :D

I totally loved it when Jason was singing My Humps and Low. That was awesome! It's always so much better when Jason sings other people's songs. OK, maybe I was just carried away! Sorry! :D

Cool! They were actually digging our tricycles and got themselves a royal treatment. :D

That DJ when Jason wanted to answer the phone, I think that was Jimmy Jam. I heard that part in Campus Radio. Wow! :D

Most likely they'll be back again and when that time comes, I'll never think twice! :D

Tags!

2008-11-06T06:44:00.000-08:00

Just listing down what I'm thinking at the moment. Let me call it Tags! ;)

Deadline!
Google! To look for sample codes.
Ex-DAs! People that I can bother and count on when comes to anything, more importantly - programming. :)
Starbucks Coffee to keep me awake. Starbucks Coffee for Jho and Ayi.
Installers - SQL Server 2000, VB6, Adobe Photoshop 7.0
VB6 or VB.Net, Excel
SAP, POS, Windows Service
Henry Sy
Myx Mo 2008 happening at SM MOA that I missed.
CS Kulets Christmas Party Organizer. I can't do it. I don't have all the time in the world lately.
Lui's funny status in Yahoo! :D
Bed, Pillows, Sleep
What will happen next? What to do now?
That I have to list down another one because 13 is unlucky! Hahaha... Just kidding!

Goodbyes Are Never Easy!

2008-11-03T07:59:00.000-08:00

When my good friends and officemates told me that they were going to leave DA and move on with their lives, I was upset. I didn't want them to go. But when it was my turn to move on and say goodbye, I found out that it wasn't easy for them either. :)

My journey with DA which I love to call Dumbledore's Army (Harry Potter thing! Hahaha...) has been incredibly wonderful. I learned so much and had lots of fun. And more importantly, I gained tons of friends who touched my heart more than they know. :)

And since goodbyes are never easy and it pains me, I won't say them. Instead, I'll say thank you and that I'll miss you. :)

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T23:58:00.000-07:00

Halloween Signature courtesy of Irish Dianne. Thanks! :D

What's My Name's Hidden Meaning?

2008-10-10T19:18:00.000-07:00

Hmmm...

* * * * *

You are fair, honest, and logical. You are a natural leader, and people respect you. You never give up, and you will succeed... even if it takes you a hundred tries. You are rational enough to see every part of a problem. You are great at giving other people advice.

You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone. You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together. At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together.

You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people. You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts. You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals.

You are loving, compassionate, and ruled by your feelings. You are able to be a foundation for other people... but you still know how to have fun. Sometimes your emotions weigh you down, but you generally feel free from them.

You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something. You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense. You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun.

I Black!

2008-10-07T02:37:00.001-07:00

I got this again from my friend Sheila who just turned 23 yesterday. Belated Happy Birthday! :D

According to her email, this poem was nominated by UN as the best poem of 2008 and was written by an African Kid. Cool! :D

When I born, I black
When I grow up, I black
When I go in sun, I black
When I scared, I black
When I sick, I black
And when I die, I still black

And you white fellow
When you born, you pink
When you grow up, you white
When you go in sun, you red
When you cold, you blue
When you scared, you yellow
When you sick, you green
And when you die, you gray

And you calling me colored?

Just Wishing...

2008-10-04T07:16:00.001-07:00

Who wouldn't like that? You're definitely the luckiest girl ever if you're treated like that.

But just like what I said, I'm just wishing.

Because sometimes or most of the time, you can't teach a guy to love you the way you want to be loved. You just have to wait for him to find a way to your heart...

It's Morphing Time!

2008-10-01T00:03:00.000-07:00

Boring Wednesday! Good thing I came across with this site. :D

MorphThing allows you to morph either your own or celebrity photos into one.

The site gives detailed instructions on how to upload and morph your photos so it's so easy to use. You can also integrate this to your website, blog, MySpace or Facebook for free. Isn't that fun?

I have no luck morphing myself into anyone so I have Kristen Kreuk and Vanessa Hudgens here instead.

Pretty isn't it? :)

Please Hear What I'm Not Saying...

2008-09-25T20:29:00.000-07:00

I read this poem when I was in high school and fell in love with it immediately. I am definitely touched by its message. Hope you'll like it too. :)

Don't be fooled by me.
Don't be fooled by the face I wear
For I wear a mask, a thousand masks,
Masks that I'm afraid to take off
And none of them is me.

Pretending is an art that's second nature with me,
but don't be fooled,
for God's sake don't be fooled.
I give you the impression that I'm secure,
that all is sunny and unruffled with me,
within as well as without,
that confidence is my name and coolness my game,
that the water's calm and I'm in command
and that I need no one,
but don't believe me.

My surface may be smooth but
my surface is my mask,
ever-varying and ever-concealing.
Beneath lies no complacence.
Beneath lies confusion, and fear, and aloneness.
But I hide this. I don't want anybody to know it.
I panic at the thought of my weakness exposed.
That's why I frantically create a mask to hide behind,
a nonchalant sophisticated facade,
to help me pretend,
to shield me from the glance that knows.

But such a glance is precisely my salvation,
my only hope, and I know it.
That is, if it is followed by acceptance,
If it is followed by love.
It's the only thing that can liberate me from myself
from my own self-built prison walls
from the barriers that I so painstakingly erect.
It's the only thing that will assure me
of what I can't assure myself,
that I'm really worth something.
But I don't tell you this. I don't dare to. I'm afraid to.

I'm afraid you'll think less of me,
that you'll laugh, and your laugh would kill me.
I'm afraid that deep-down I'm nothing
and that you will see this and reject me.

So I play my game, my desperate, pretending game
With a façade of assurance without
And a trembling child within.
So begins the glittering but empty parade of Masks,
And my life becomes a front.
I tell you everything that's really nothing,
and nothing of what's everything,
of what's crying within me.
So when I'm going through my routine
do not be fooled by what I'm saying.
Please listen carefully and try to hear what I'm not saying,
what I'd like to be able to say,
what for survival I need to say,
but what I can't say.

I don't like hiding.
I don't like playing superficial phony games.
I want to stop playing them.
I want to be genuine and spontaneous and me
but you've got to help me.
You've got to hold out your hand
even when that's the last thing I seem to want.
Only you can wipe away from my eyes
the blank stare of the breathing dead.
Only you can call me into aliveness.
Each time you're kind, and gentle, and encouraging,
each time you try to understand because you really care,
my heart begins to grow wings --
very small wings,
but wings!

With your power to touch me into feeling
you can breathe life into me.
I want you to know that.
I want you to know how important you are to me,
how you can be a creator--an honest-to-God creator --
of the person that is me
if you choose to.
You alone can break down the wall behind which I tremble,
you alone can remove my mask,
you alone can release me from the shadow-world of panic,
from my lonely prison,
if you choose to.
Please choose to.

Do not pass me by.
It will not be easy for you.
A long conviction of worthlessness builds strong walls.
The nearer you approach me
the blinder I may strike back.
It's irrational, but despite what the books may say about man
often I am irrational.
I fight against the very thing I cry out for.
But I am told that love is stronger than strong walls
and in this lies my hope.
Please try to beat down those walls
with firm hands but with gentle hands
for a child is very sensitive.

Who am I, you may wonder?
I am someone you know very well.
For I am every man you meet
and I am every woman you meet.

By the way, the author of this poem is Charles C. Finn and you can check on him here. :)

To All The Kids Who Were Born In The 1950's, 60's, 70's and early 80's!

2008-09-22T23:07:00.000-07:00

Reposting this cool email I got from my friend Sheila.

I have to say I am so proud and happy to be part of this generation - the early 80's. Actually, late 80's. :P

* * * * *

First, some of us survived being born to mothers who did not have an OB-Gyne and drank San Miguel Beer while they carried us.

While pregnant, they took cold or cough medicine, ate isaw, and didn't worry about diabetes.

Then after all that trauma, our baby cribs were made of hard wood covered with lead-based paints, pati na yung walker natin, matigas na kahoy din at wala pang gulong.

We had no soft cushy cribs that play music, no disposable diapers (lampin lang). And when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, no kneepads, sometimes wala pang preno yung bisikleta.

As children, we would ride in hot un-airconditioned buses with wooden seats (yung JD bus na pula) or cars with no airconditioning and no seat belts. (ngayon lahat may aircon na)

Riding on the back of a carabao on a breezy summer day was considered a treat. (ngayon hindi na nakakakita ng kalabaw ang mga bata)

We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle purchased from 711. ( minsan straight from the faucet or poso)

We shared one soft drink bottle with four of our friends and NO ONE actually died from this. Or contacted hepatitis.

We ate rice with star margarine, ate raw eggs straight from the shell and drank softdrinks with real sugar in it (hindi coke zero), but we weren't sick or overweight kasi nga...

WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, and get back when the streetlights came on. Sarap magpatintero, tumbang preso, habulan at taguan.

No one was able to reach us all day. ( di uso ang cellphone at walang beepers ) And yes, we were OK.

We would spend hours building our wooden trolleys (yung bearing ang gulong) or plywood slides out of scraps and then ride down the street, only to find out we forgot the brakes! After hitting the sidewalk or falling into a canal (sewerage channel) a few times, we learned to solve the problem ourselves with our bare and dirty hands .

We did not have Playstations, PSP's Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 100 channels on cable, no DVD movies, no surround stereo, no IPOD's, no cell phones, no computers, no Internet, no chat rooms, no Friendster, no YouTube, no Multiply... WE HAD REAL FRIENDS and we went outside to actually talk and play with them!

We fell out of trees, got cut, broken bones and teeth and there were no stupid lawsuits from these accidents. The only rubbing we get is from our friends with the words... "masakit ba?" pero pag galit yung kalaro mo, ang sasabihin sa iyo... "beh buti nga!"

We played marbles (jolens) in the dirt, washed our hands just a little and ate dirty ice cream and fish balls. We were not afraid of getting germs in our stomachs.

We had to live with homemade guns gawa sa kahoy, tinali ng rubberband, sumpit, tirador at kung ano ano pa na puedeng makasakitan. Pero masaya pa rin ang lahat.

We made up games with sticks (syatong), and cans (tumbang preso) and although we were told they were dangerous, wala naman tayong binulag o napatay. Paminsan minsan may nabubukulan lang.

We walked, rode bikes, or took tricycles to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just yelled for them to jump out the window!

Mini basketball teams had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't pass had to learn to deal with the disappointment. Wala yang mga childhood depression at damaged self esteem ek-ek na yan. Ang pikon, talo.

Ang magulang ay nandoon lang para tignan kung ayos lang ang mga bata, hindi para makialam at makipag-away sa ibang parents.

That generation of ours has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers, creative thinkers and successful professionals ever! They are the CEO's, Engineers, Doctors and Military Generals of today.

The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.

We had failure, success, and responsibility. We learned from our mistakes the hard way. We were lucky to grow up as real kids. We were very lucky indeed. :)

It kind of makes you wanna go out and climb a tree, doesn't it?!

How To Test A Pen By Debasis Pradhan.

2008-09-20T09:09:00.000-07:00

As I was just browsing trying to find something about Software Testing, I found this very interesting blog entry of Debasis Pradhan called "How To Test A Pen?".

Such a simple thing and yet she's got about 25 test ideas for it:

1. See if the different components (the barrel, cap, unscrewable head, refill, spring if any etc) of the pen are fitting perfectly. [Installability Testing!]

2. Test the dimension of the pen. Its shape and size should be ergonomically designed so as to result in a comfortable writing experience.

3. Test by writing on a piece of paper. See if you can write smoothly. It should not be writing and stopping with breaks! [Usability Testing!]

4. Test the width of the line drawn by the pen to test the specified millimeter range [FYI: Ballpoint Pens come with different millimeter specifications like - a "point five millimeter" (0.5 mm) pen has a ball that will produce a line that is 0.5-mm wide, and a "point seven millimeter" pen (0.7 mm) has a ball that will produce a 0.7-mm line. Ballpoints even come as tiny as "point one millimeter" wide ("ultra fine")] [Validation Testing!]

5. Test the writing capacity (the amount of writing that is possible from a single refill) of the pen. [Capability/Reliability Testing!]

6. Test if you can carry the pen in your shirt pocket using its cap. The cap extension should be firm enough to grip your pocket! [Robustness Testing!]

7. Test by writing on different types of surfaces like: coarse paper, hard board wrapper, packaging material, glass, leather, cotton, wood, plastic, metals like aluminium or iron, polythene sheet etc. [Compatibility Testing!]

8. Write something on a paper and keep the paper for a reasonable duration of time. The written letters should not fade away over time. Also test by applying water on the writing/drawing made by the pen. See if the ink is water-proof!

9. Test if the ink leaks from the refill under normal circumstances.

10. Test if the ball of the refill head fits into the socket with just enough space to move freely.

Read the rest here. :)

I can't believe Testing can be so mind-boggling. :D

Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word...

2008-09-20T08:56:00.000-07:00

A good apology has 3 parts:

1. I'm sorry.
2. It was my fault.
3. How do I make it right?

But a lot of people usually miss the third part.

Shopping Is The Answer!

2008-09-20T08:48:00.000-07:00

What's the thing that makes you feel better whenever you're disappointed or depressed?

For me, that would be SHOPPING! :D

Blind by Lifehouse.

2008-09-14T07:40:00.000-07:00

Blind by Lifehouse is definitely my all time favorite! This song hits me so hard! :(

It's way too heavy! Jason Wade's vocal is exceptional. And the song's message sends shivers especially the line "That I loved you more than you'll ever know"! :(

By the way, I believe that this song is actually written by Jason Wade for his father. The music video and his background suggest so. His parents divorced when he was 12. That's why it's so full of emotion. He was experiencing the pain anyone feels when their parents get divorced then. :(

OK, back to what I think about the song. :)

The first time I heard it, I thought that if someone sing it to me as intense as Jason Wade's, I would definitely fall for that someone. Who wouldn't? :)

But of course, he has to mean it! :D

Why am I blogging this all of the sudden? It's so dramatic! :D

I Can See You!

2008-09-06T07:45:00.000-07:00

Online? Offline? Or invisible?

Yup! I can see all of you! With the help of :

Invisible-scanner allows you to see who among your friends from your Yahoo Messenger list stay invisible.

Now, I'm not saying you go and spy on your friends. It's not really nice. If they are in invisible mode, they probably have a good reason. I myself have done that whenever I am busy and don't want to talk.

So it's your decision to check on their status. Please don't use this to invade their privacy! Alright? :)

Pitong Katotohanan Sa Mundo!

2008-09-01T23:50:00.000-07:00

I'm kinda feeling down today but this message from Steve made me laugh so hard! :D

1. Lahat ng nakikita mo ay hindi iyo.
2. Hindi mo kayang bilangin ang buhok mo.
3. Hindi lahat ng ngipin ay abot ng dila mo.
4. Susubukan ng mga tanga ang pangatlo.
5. Ang pangatlo ay mali.
6. Mapapangiti ka kasi nagmukha kang tanga.
7. Ipapasa mo sa iba para makaganti ka!

Dami palang tanga dito sa office! Gotcha! :P

Just kidding guys! Peace! :D

Keyboard Not Found Error Message.

2008-08-24T01:52:00.000-07:00

This is funny. The keyboard is not detected and it says "Press F2 to continue". :D

Software Development Cycle According to WorkJoke.com

2008-08-16T08:47:00.000-07:00

1. Programmer produces code he believes is bug-free.
2. Product is tested. 20 bugs are found.
3. Programmer fixes 10 of the bugs and explains to the testing department that the other 10 aren't really bugs.
4. Testing department finds that five of the fixes didn't work and discovers 15 new bugs.
5. Repeat three times steps 3 and 4.
6. Due to marketing pressure and an extremely premature product announcement based on overly-optimistic programming schedule, the product is released.
7. Users find 137 new bugs.
8. Original programmer, having cashed his royalty check, is nowhere to be found.
9. Newly-assembled programming team fixes almost all of the 137 bugs, but introduce 456 new ones.
10. Original programmer sends underpaid testing department a postcard from Fiji. Entire testing department quits.
11. Company is bought in a hostile takeover by competitor using profits from their latest release, which had 783 bugs.
12. New CEO is brought in by board of directors. He hires a programmer to redo program from scratch.
13. Programmer produces code he believes is bug-free...

Mikogo!

2008-07-01T04:28:00.000-07:00

Mikogo is a free screen sharing software which lets you share desktop with up to 10 participants simultaneously.

Definitely looks good and quite useful for online meetings. Plus, it's too simple to use. :)

To start a meeting, download the software, register, create a meeting, then invite all your participants. You'll be notified when the participants join your meeting. And when they do, they immediately see your desktop. You can also switch presenters in the meeting, remotely work on each other’s computers and transfer files.

All without the need to configure anything. :)

International Release Dates for HP6.

2008-06-28T23:26:00.000-07:00

As usual, I got this from Mugglenet. :)

The thirty international release dates for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince!

Nov. 19
Belgium, Egypt

Nov. 20
Germany, Greece, Holland, Israel, Portugal, Russia, Switz (German), Ukraine, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico

Nov. 21
Austria, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Turkey, UK, India, Indonesia, Japan, Brazil, Colombia, Panama

Nov. 26
France, Switz (French)

Nov. 27
Croatia, Czech Rep, Lebanon, Middle East-other, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Bolivia

Nov. 28
Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Spain, Uruguay, Venezuela

Dec. 5
South Africa

Dec. 11
Australia, New Zealand

Dec. 18
Hong Kong, Korea

Pimp My Search!

2008-06-24T20:39:00.000-07:00

Check out my own search engine!

I'm not competing with Google or anything. It's just PimpMySearch! :D

It's a Google look-alike site that allows you to create your own search engine. :D

Thanks again to Irish Dianne for this. :)

Free Rice!

2008-06-24T00:51:00.000-07:00

Found this on my friend Irish Diane's Multiply account. It's fun! It's cool! :D

It's a vocabulary game where for every word you get right, sponsors donate 20 grains of rice. You can actually see the rice piling up right next to the quiz. :D

You're not only strengthening your mind, but you also get the chance to help the poor.

The more answers you get right, the more rice you can donate to the United Nation's World Food Program. So check it out and help feed the hungry. :)

Harry Potter Prequel.

2008-06-21T06:30:00.000-07:00

When the Harry Potter series ended, the whole wizarding community mourned.

It was like, "what are we supposed to read obsessively now?!!!" :(

Almost everyone craved for J.K. Rowling's stories. Good thing she wrote again. :)

There's this "The Tales of Beedle the Bard", a handwritten children stories, that was mentioned in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. For more information about this book, see Wikipedia. :D

Another is the Harry Potter Prequel. A story that was set three years before Harry's birth and featured James and Sirius being confronted by two policemen.

It is available online. Click here, then click "Read our authors' stories". If you are having a hard time reading Jo's handwriting, see Mugglenet. Enjoy! :)

My Sassy Girl Remake.

2008-06-13T20:12:00.000-07:00

The trailer of Hollywood remake of Korean hit movie "My Sassy Girl" is out.

What can I say?

Well, I know I shouldn't be comparing them since I haven't seen it, but judging from the trailer, I don't think it's as good as the original. Then again, I think it will be appealing to many romantics. :)

I love the original. I love the fact that the girl was beating up her boyfriend and the boy didn't mind. It was charming and touching. The lead actor and actress did a great job.

Oh, I'm gonna go and rewatch the original. :D

For the meantime, catch the trailer here.

AI Finale: A Clash of Two Davids

2008-05-24T07:01:00.000-07:00

American Idol fever seemed to have hit our office yesterday. Almost everyone was talking about it. Some kept on playing David Cook's version of "Always Be My Baby".

I never actually got the chance to watch American Idol in TV. I just read about them on the internet. My brother and sister never handed the remote control to me. They are into anime and cartoons. To be honest, me too. :D

I was stunned when I heard in the radio that David Cook won by 12 million votes. Wow! I expected to see David Archuleta win the title after Simon Cowell proclaimed that he gave a "knockout" performance.

Anyway, Yehey!!! :D

Yup, I'm into David Cook and I can't get enough of his altered version of "Always Be My Baby." You can download the studio version of it here. Enjoy! :)

Robi - PBB's True Blue Atenista.

2008-05-16T23:09:00.000-07:00

Weird!

Whenever I see Robi in TV, the first thing that comes to my mind is Anime. Does he really look like an Anime for me to think of this? :D

Alright, I really think he's such a cutie. He seems smart and nice too. ;)

Ok. Ok. I'm getting carried away! :D

What I'm trying to say is that even though he's a rich kid, he seems to be reasonable and responsible in all his actions. He's not mayabang at all. He's the best housemate! :D

I really hope he'll be chosen to be the BIG WINNER.

School Punishment.

2008-05-15T08:02:00.000-07:00

Got this on email before but found it again on Steve's Multiply. :)

This never fails to make me smile. Cool kid! :D

A Singing Draco Malfoy?

2008-05-13T22:39:00.000-07:00

Cool news on Harry Potter's nemesis, Draco Malfoy. Tom Felton I mean. :)

He's actually busy working on his music career and an upcoming album. And like Marie, he also posted videos of himself performing his own acoustic songs in YouTube. Check them here. :D

It's cool seeing the other side of him. He's very talented. Great singer, guitar player! He sounds brilliant! *Take note of the accent.* :D

He definitely looks at lot nicer on his YouTube videos than in the Harry Potter movies. ;)

Meet YouTube Phenomenon Marie Digby!

2008-05-10T01:45:00.000-07:00

I have to admit Marie Digby is now my favorite female artist - the pretty girl who shot to stardom, thanks to her homemade videos that were posted on YouTube. :)

Yup, she's well known on YouTube for belting out beautiful covers of popular songs, one of which is Umbrella by Rihanna.

She's very talented. She can play piano and guitar and can write songs as well. She can sing any type of music. My personal favorite is her cover of Incubus' Love Hurts. Her melodic version is really great. She gave justice to the song. She also has this version of Britney's Gimme More. Now, what could be better than that? :D

Anyway, for more videos, music covers and news about her, visit Marie Digby's YouTube and MySpace accounts.

Harry Potter 7 Part 1 Release Date.

2008-04-25T02:31:00.000-07:00

Haha! Found something to blog about. :D

According to Mugglenet, one of my fave sites, Part one of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be released on November 19, 2010. :)

No word yet on the exact date for Part two. :(

That's gonna be a long wait. Hopefully, the movies will remain faithful to the book to make our wait worthwhile. :)

Well, at least we have one coming out later this year. :D

Earth Day.

2008-04-21T00:55:00.000-07:00

As I was reading a magazine last night, I found out that tomorrow, April 22 is Earth Day. Reminds me of the movie "The Day After Tomorrow". :)

I love that movie. Ever since I saw it, I became interested in science, global warming and climate change. It caught me that we could possible go into another ice age in the future unless we do something about it now.

So, what can we do? Well, I have just come across this list Martha Stewart’s Going Green Checklist (with 101 ways to get started) while browsing. It's cool. Why don’t you download it and try to accomplish everything too? :D

I am definitely going to be protective of the planet, thanks to this list. :D

Oh, by the way, I was part of the Earth Hour 2008. :)

Long Live Bloggers!

2008-04-20T20:43:00.000-07:00

At last, I found the urge to blog again. :)

Well, it's kinda "in" here in the office so I thought, "Ok, count me in!". :D

So, what to expect on my blog? Uhmm, nothing special. I usually write about, well, my life. Not so personal though. Just the things that I feel comfortable sharing like jumbled thoughts, my favorite stuffs, etc. :D

Anyway, you can check on my Friendster and Multiply blogs for my past posts. :)

Gotta go back to work! :)