Hot Christmas

This year's Christmas feels different. Everybody was complaining of the unusual heat. Previous years saw me sporting jackets whenever we attend the misa de gallo but this year, I wore sleeveless tops most of the time because of the unbearable heat. Cold winds rose only a few days after Christmas, leaving me too weak to get up from bed. Turned out I was on the verge of suffering a viral attack. Good thing I still found the strength to make my own hot calamansi juice. And quickly consumed a number of ponkan and kiat kiat for added Vitamin C. Getting sick during the holidays suck coz one won't be able to eat as much. (Though on second thought maybe I should welcome that to make sure I don't gain weight... LOL)

Compared to Christmases the previous years, this year's Christmas seems to pass by without much ceremony so in a way I was happier. I just hate the commercialization of the holidays. I hate Christmas dinners (except at home of course) and not to mention silly exchange gifts, most especially since there are still those who buy stuffs which are pretty useless and just eat up space. I'd rather have food anytime rather than receive something I can't use. Better yet, I love Christmas cards and long letters. Group messages through Facebook and SMS are the norm now, which is sad. I've seen 18th-19th century letters and these are always full wise words, not to mention beautiful prose. We in this digital age have lost the art of writing beautifully. Sigh!

I remember way back in highschool when I tried to revive this old-fashioned custom, being quite the old-fashioned girl that I am who seem stuck in the Romantic Age. Not a week passes by without me sending letters to my close friends. And when December creeps in, I kept myself busy composing letters for my friends, each personalized, with real messages from me to them. But of course, the main point is wishing them happy holidays and to ask them to forget me not. Some would return the favor so I have accumulated quite a stack of letters. (Most are just about crushes with code names so reading them now transported me back to the time when I was a giddy highschool girl, always falling in and out of love, getting rejected and rejecting in turn. So I am reminded again of Honey and Clover, one of the two shoujo animé that I really liked for its realistic portrayals of characters in search of love and their own selves...)

劍雨 (Reign of Assassins) (2010)

Fans of the wuxia (武俠) genre will love "Reign of Assassins" which does not lack those superb fight scenes and sword play.

When a revered monk died, his remains were sought for its mystical powers. It is said that whoever possesses the halved body will gain extraordinary power and shall rule the martial arts world. Drizzle (細雨, played by Michelle Yeoh) and her companions in Dark Stone (黑石) assassin group were sent out to murder Prime Minister Zhang and steal the body.

After the incident, Drizzle meets Wisdom, an enlightened monk who tried to persuade her to change for the better. The two fight and the monk dies but not without making Drizzle see his visions for her. Drizzle decides to have a face surgery and live the life of a common woman.

Drizzle, now known as Ah Jing meets Ah Sheng, a messenger, who tries to court her. Confused and still guilty of her dark past, Drizzle seeks the help of another Buddhist monk. An enigmatic conversation ensues but Drizzle leaves enlightened and marries Ah Sheng.

阿靜: 人生可以重新來過嗎?

師父: 去! 死者乃為生者開眼. 過去心不得, 現在心不可得, 未來心不可得.
   
         未來已成現在, 現在已成過去,隨心而去吧! 看 能得否?

Just when Drizzle's life seems so ordinary, the Dark Stone gang moves again and finds out what became of Drizzle. She is recruited once again but in the end, the Dark Stone members fight one another. The plot is not that simple though as who would have thought that Drizzle's husband Ah Sheng who seemingly does not know anything about fighting, is actually Zhang Renfeng, son of Prime Minister Zhang and thought to be dead. In a painful confrontation, Drizzle asks Ah Sheng if he ever loved her and he said it was impossible. With tears in her eyes, Drizzle accepts and decides to pursue vengeance for Ah Sheng's murdered family. She fights her last battle with the Eunuch, also head of the Dark Stone gang, and wins but was injured. When Ah Sheng recovers from fake paralysis, he carries her in his arms and they seem to live happily ever after.

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I think this could very well be the perfect movie to watch since lately the past has been haunting me and telling me what a jerk I was, always shrugging off people and disregarding feelings. Looking back, I had a reputation for being brutally cruel to those who would try to court me. I think I'm now paying for my past crimes as heartbreaker. (LOL!) Not that I'm worried. In fact, it gave me lots of personal space, something I would definitely find hard to give up once I find the one I have been looking for.

Anyway, just where does " 劍雨" come in? Well the movie presents optimism for a troubled person in need of redemption through reformation. It's hard to swallow one's pride and accept one's mistakes but one's gotta do what one must to achieve peace and attain enlightenment.

Fujian Winter Trip 2012

Last year I participated in a week-long winter youth camp in Xiamen and its immediate neighboring city Quanzhou. Since it was an organized tour and everything happened so fast, I wasn't able to take down notes. Besides, we had a bus which took us to the places we visited and most of the time we were asleep. That's what I don't like about tours, everything is well-planned and you don't get to choose your destinations. However, it saves one from stress in commuting and struggling in an unfamiliar territory. I may speak their language but I am not at all confident in navigating through the area because I don't know about their transport system and I'm a bit afraid of the people. I've been to Xiamen and Beijing, my first time in China, in 2008, but like my 2012 trip, it was an organized tour. So I really wasn't motivated to learn about how things work there, a big mistake I learned later on. (I did redeem myself when I went to Shanghai early this year with my highschool friends.)

This post will not be helpful at all to anyone who is searching for a travel itinerary to Xiamen but I hope that whoever drops by this blog post will at least consider visiting the places I've been to. This post shall contain very few texts and will consist mostly of photos.

Departure from Manila

Arrival at Xiamen Airport in December

view from the top of a school in Xiamen

treats offered to guest: tea and mandarin oranges

carved wall depicting the history of Xiamen

sculptures in the park

九日山

Diamond Hotel's exotic seaworm in jelly and cucumber
(surprisingly, it tastes clean!)

鳳山寺 one of the highlights of the trip, for me

KFC-like restaurants are ubiquitous in Xiamen

bear in a park

artifacts in a musuem in Xiamen

Shrine of Koxinga (鄭成功廟)
Koxinga is widely venerated in Southern China as well as in Taiwan for  his military skills and his anti-invasion stance.

sculpture we saw while walking in the streets of Xiamen one fine night. It reads "war and peace"

cultural performance at a school

in 鼓浪嶼, one of Xiamen's top tourist destination

window shopping at night in Xiamen

 We went to many other places but most of these are schools where we interacted with some students. Missing Xiamen.
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composed this while listening to Baek Ah Yeon's "Introduction to Love", the theme song in the Korean drama series "When a Man Falls in Love". I don't watch the series though.

Reconnecting 2

It's been almost 8 years since I hang out with my high school friends. We used to wander in the mall near our school on weekends during highschool after we finish school projects. We used to have group photos taken afterwards. But now just about everybody owns a camera phone and still we failed to have photos taken. it could have been one ultra memorable night, a night when I fulfilled my promise to reconnect with those who matter to me. After many years of little or almost no interaction even on Facebook, I  realize last night just how much those people mean to me and how much I love them.

We didn't talk about our highschool past, save for some bitter memories of a friend E who had to repeat freshman level in highschool. I, too, still cannot get over that. I thought I would lose him forever, but I was still lucky to have been recruited into the soccer team so I still was able to hang out with my three male friends E, R, and J. Those three are some of the nicest boys I knew in my life. It's interesting to see that now we each have taken our separate paths, two engineers, two in the medical field, one (P who was absent last night) is in sales, and me, a drifter. It just feels so different being with these people now since I have known them for years, and at the same time, there's this warm feeling that envelops me, like what I feel when I go home after a long travel.

It all started with a dream. One day I dreamed of E. And a day after that, he "poked" me on Facebook, which really surprised me because our last online conversation was me congratulating him for passing the board exam. So I chatted him up and asked if he would be interested to have a mini reunion with our other friends. We were 7 initially but two didn't make it (P and Ro). 

At first everything was awkward. I was a bit nervous because what if they find me very different now from what I used to be? Apparently, they think Eu and I are still the same--- baby faces and all, LOL! It helps that J, who's always ready with his quick and witty retorts and funny jokes was around to break the ice. From their stories, I'm happy to know that at least those three boys are close as ever. I see in them what they say about how deep the bonds are in male friendship. I guess I'm a bit envious and I wish I were boy so I could partake of that innocent and carefree bliss. Eu, P, and I just dated earlier this year, but I still miss those two girl friends of mine. P and I are even planning a trip abroad next year and we already bought our plane tickets. (Needless to say, I am EXCITED!!!)

So last night I treated them to some Japanese food. And we hang out at Mezza Norte afterwards, eating isaw, barbeque, nachos, and takoyaki. While being with them, I thought of how cruel fate is. The first blow was in first year when we all leveled up to the next leaving E behind. The second was in our last year, when we all were separated from each other. At least, J, R, and D (he wasn't with us last night) were together in one class. I was with C but at that time he started to hang out with other people. Eu was in another section but she also had friends there. P was, well, you can put P anywhere and she easily gain friends. In retrospect, I did meet the boys' other friend "I" who sat beside me and who for a time, they suspected of being my crush. (Intrigues coming from boys are rather weird!) I did like the guy but only as a person. :P

Last night felt surreal. I hope we get to hang out more. After last night, I think I have found something I lost all these years since I began my studies in UP. And I am glad they stayed wholesome, they neither drink nor smoke. And I discovered they could be just the people to temper the wild child in me. And right now I'm missing them...

Read my initial post on Reconnecting and also this personal favorite of mine on how I acknowledged my faults

December Plans and Christmas Wishlist

We're now in December and only a few days to go before 2013 ends. Sound scary since I just turned 25. Suddenly feeling like a lost kid again. People tell me I've been getting addicted to Math. It's not that. Id like to think that Math is that thing that keeps me struggling in this mundane world. Most friends warn me that too much nerdiness will keep the guys away more. To which I retort, let them! I care not for insecure people and I do not subscribe to the idea of dumbing myself down just to get a boyfriend. @.@

Because I've been very busy these past few days, I'd like to somehow create plans for the last few days of 2013.
1. read at least 2 books
2. do more math exercises and read up on difficult topics
3. find more applications of calculus (relate to archaeology, business, life???)
4. clean our bedroom
5. watch some episodes of One Piece
6. start learning Vietnamese phrases and commonly used sentences
7. another out-of-town trip would be VERY NICE

And I just realized I haven't made any wishlist yet so here goes:
1. more kind people, more warmth (no to global warming though!!!)
2. free hotel accommodations
3. more time to learn something new and to do the things I want to do
4. travel buddies who can match my zeal and energy
5. books on history and science (I would love to have books by Richard Feynman...)
6. love, courage, and hope... and strength
7. salary increase

November

November is a rather gloomy month mainly because of Supertyphoon Yolanda leaving most of Visayas devastated. The deadly typhoon has now been confirmed to have taken more than 5000 lives and many are yet to be found. What's heartbreaking is that relief operations are chaotic and donations were not efficiently delivered to those in need. Many, including me, suspect that those in office are taking advantage of this tragedy to pocket money for themselves since donations by corporations and nations were not transparently announced. Nor will the public ever know if the funds will completely be used to deliver relief and aid in rebuilding houses and lives.

It just happened so soon, and barely a month after a major earthquake that destroyed most of Visayas' heritage structures in October. I could still remember the disgust I felt upon hearing someone (certainly not a friend of mine) say "This is it! It's our time to shine!" It felt so wrong, to take advantage of the situation to uplift one's self. At that moment, I was repulsed by the hypocrisy and by the shallowness of that person. How different is she from those politicians who added to the delay in relief delivery by demanding that donations go through their office first? Or how about those who, despite much criticism from the media, still resort to packing goods with their names on the bags? Printing those plastic bags means more resources spent, not just money but also time.

As an environmentalist, I cringe at how relief goods are packed using plastic bags. It's good if people reuse plastic bags or dispose of these properly. But in my observations, Filipinos are not very good at taking care of their surroundings and random disposal seems to be the norm. In soup kitchens, I wonder how many disposables are used and end up as trash afterwards? Sometimes I don't wanna think about these but they haunt my mind.

So instead of giving money as donation, I chose to give old clothes and volunteer at UP National Institute of Physics. The department initiated PROJECT LIGHTLINE, which aims to create portable cellphone chargers from old and broken ones. The concept behind this is joule thief. (I'm no scientist and I only got to work on circuits when I volunteered for this project so I'm in no position to talk about how to make a joule thief.) What I understood from my own research though is that a joule thief gets energy from seemingly drained batteries and then give energy to power something. (Just how vague was that???) Anyhow, I was glad to learn parts of a circuit--- diodes, transformers, transistors, capacitors, resistors, etc. I also learned how to solder and desolder. For a while I thought how cool it would be to take up some TESDA courses to be able to hone my skills. (But I already have my hands full with calculus alone... Poor brain of mine.)

Photo taken here
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ProjectLightline

a circuit I assembled (a masters student coached me on what to put together)

Another highlight of my November is that I got to finally donate blood!!! I was once rejected because I was "anemic". Maybe I just lacked sleep at that time. It makes me happy to be able to pay it forward. I may not be able to pay back the person whose blood was transferred to me when I got dengue many many years back but I hope someone will benefit from my blood.

And just when I thought that Ilocos would be last of my trips this year, I found myself happily joining my two office friends and their friends to Baler. The end of the month saw me suddenly buying makeup and having the desire to learn how to properly put on makeup.

The last day of November, the 30th, and also Bonifacio Day, was spent with a very dear friend. We had a quick lunch at Sci Fi Cafe. (I was disappointed with the Aligue pasta but I LOVE their nachos!) We watched The Addams Family Musical at the Meralco Theater. Having watched the cartoon show in my childhood days, I am reminded of how both strange and adorable this eccentric family is. This time, my favorite character is Uncle Fester. I can't stop laughing at his solo number about his love for the moon! (Fellow lunatics unite!)

Hoping that in December I get to at least finish studying Calculus. Though of course it doesn't mean that learning will stop altogether since I haven't fully mastered everything. Integration and antiderivatives are driving me crazy... I wonder what I'll be studying next.

Holler Baler 1116172013

Just when I thought my post-rainy season would be boring and without any trips, I was invited by an office friend to join her and her friends to Baler, Aurora. I said yes without a second thought. Okay I did think twice because of the typhoons at that time. It was October then and consecutive typhoons have been visiting the eastern part of Luzon.

On November 15, Friday, we left the office at 8PM, my first time to do so since I am always trying to go home early to avoid the rush hour. But since we were bound to depart Manila at midnight, it was okay.

The Genesis bus was very strict with reservations so we opted to take ES Transport bus to Cabanatuan first (fare is P185) then take another bus to Baler. We got off at Cabanatuan terminal and the full was very full, very beautiful but I failed to take a photo because I was still sleepy and only wanted to resume sleeping. The second bus was non-airconditioned under D Liner (fare was P176) and it was a very uncomfortable ride. It felt like being on a ship during a storm. In the end, for terrible want of sleep, I ignored the bumpy ride and let myself lose consciousness.

On the morning of the 16th at around 6AM, we arrived at Baler Centro and were welcomed by tricycles contracted by Secret Spot Baler where we would be staying. Secret Spot Baler lives up to its name. It's located in a party secluded area in front of Sabang beach, perfect for those who seek peace and quiet.

We had buffet breakfast (P170) at Bay's Inn, a posh resort-like inn. Bay's Inn is where the surfing schools are. We had our fill of breakfast fare there and couldn't believe how cheap the buffet cost there in comparison to those in Manila.

After breakfast, we napped for a while at Secret Spot Baler and then proceeded to Balete tree. It's said to be 400 years old (but some would say 500 or 600) and is one of the oldest in Asia. I stumbled upon this interesting post about Baler's famous Balete tree. After that, we had lunch at a roadside eatery. Since all dishes were pork, I had no choice but to eat pinakbet and half an order of rice (P35).

We headed to the famous Ditumabo falls. I was more than excited because it's been a long time since I did some nature-tripping. Also, having experienced Ille's 14 waterfalls, I thoroughly thirsted for more waterfall adventures and am craving for ts cool, crystal clear waters. The trek to Ditumabo (aka Mother falls) was a difficult one though. The rocks were slippery and the currents were strong. I had a hard time moving in the rope part of the trek because of the strong current.

We spent a long time in the falls, enjoying the cool waters and marvelling at the beauty of Ditumabo falls. One must never skip this when visiting Baler!

It was already around 5PM when we got back to Sabang beach and we were offered an extra half hour if we avail of surfing lesson services at that time. We had second thoughts but proceeded anyway. It was a bad decision because I couldn't see a thing without my glasses and it was already getting dark. We were taught the basics of surfing. I was able to get up and experience some 5 seconds of surfing glory but I guess that was my limit. I had to remember to balance my feet once I get up the board. But after that glorious 5 seconds, the waves would always push me off my board. It happened thrice and the last had me washed ashore by consecutive waves and I was suddenly afraid I was going to die...

It was already dark when we quit and the waves were becoming more and more furious. We all washed up and prepared for buffet dinner at Gerry Shan's Place (P185). There were a lot of food to choose from and they even have leche flan!

After dinner, we hang out at the plaza near the church where they were having a public showing of This Guy's in Love with U Mare!. And then it was time to sleep.

The next day, Sunday, I failed to wake up at 5AM to catch the Sunday mass in Baler Church. So I just took photos of the dawn at the beach. We had free coffee (courtesy of Secret Spot Baler) and bread toast bought by one of our companions. So no hungry moment. We had early lunch at Carlito's, buffet style again. At P120, it was I think our most favorite. Most memorable was their fried chicken which I couldn't get enough of.

We did a quick city tour, visiting Museo Baler, Baler Church, and Doña Aurora´s house. I was rather surprised to find underwater archaeology as part of the exhibit in Museo Baler. Maybe there's a scuba training school there? I'd like to find out and see if I can enroll. (Note to self: learn how to swim properly first.)

We went back to Secret Spot Baler afterwards and just chilled there. We chatted with Auntie Rose, the owner of Secret Spot Baler, and were impressed by her knowledge of the history of Baler. Such a pity that I wasn't able to watch the film Baler. I could've asked around about the film's shooting places, etc.

Before boarding the bus to Cabanatuan, this time, with Aurora Lines (fare was P247), we shopped under pressure in just 15 minutes. I was able to buy only a small bottle of their famous Nanay Pacing's peanut butter (P140). When I got home and had a taste, I understood why it was expensive. Very creamy and smooth texture. So that settles it and I told myself, there are very very good reasons to go back to Baler:
1. learn to surf properly
2. go back to Carlito's and try out other food establishments.
3. see Dikasalarin beach and Tunayan falls
4. buy more of Nanay Pacing's peanut butter
5. Trek to Ditumabo falls again!
6. visit Artist Village
7. see Pag-asa tower
8. go island hopping
9. ride a boat to Ermita Hill
10. if with a companion that has the same level of audacity as me, take a boat to Pollilo Island then to Quezon Province...

one of the views in Castaneda on the way to Cabanatuan terminal. The water looks inviting and perfect for kayaking.

25

I just celebrated my Chinese birthday. There's this ugly feeling I am trying to shrug off as I am nearing my 25th birthday. (Damn it, I have no plans yet and less than a week to go!!!)

Now reaching a quarter of a century, I can't believe I made it this far. In some points in my life, thoughts of leaving the world would consume me. This world--- unregenerate, cold, dark, urban jungle, filled with heartless monsters and pathetic creatures, an abysmal hell swallowing innocents bathing in pure light. Happily there still are kindly souls whose littlest display of kindness affects me in such a way that hope springs once again.

Now, I am not much different from what I used to be, almost 5 years ago. I still am the same cynical person who abhors the present world for its materialism and disregard for nature. On the brighter side, I am happier now (relatively happier than before).

For once, I realized the many blessings that came my way. I’m happy to have stayed for more than one year in the same company. That is already a big achievement for me. Despite the difficulties in navigating through ugly office politics, I stayed true to myself and kept my principles intact. I have seen how people can stoop so low to get what they want and I constantly remind myself never to be like them. It gets crazy sometimes to be working with some of them but I’d like to think that I am more professional than I look.

I also learned many important lessons in the workplace. One is that being good doesn’t mean you will be justly rewarded. Sometimes when you’re good, others will seek your flaws and focus on these just to bring you down. I learned to work without being appreciated for what I do. I learned the hard way that one tiny slip up is all it takes to erase all the good things you have done from people’s memory. Despite this, I continue to work as professionally as I can, trying to ignore the negative vibes in the office. I learned to be more patient with people, to be civil to them despite knowing that they talk shit behind your back. I learned to control my emotions, to be objective and not to be sensitive to criticisms (since most criticisms thrown my way are a result of misunderstanding anyway).

The very gist, is that sometimes it’s one’s attitude and outlook that must be changed. I don’t have any control over what people should feel or do. I can’t change the world with a snap of my fingers. But I can show them what an honorable person is. I have my pains, my sorrows, my fears… I am human after all. But it will be my attitude to the pressures of life that will separate me from other people. Let’s make this world a better place one small step at a time by simply being nice, by simply being less of a burden to the world.

Moon Prism Power Make Up!

Last Thursday, my officemates asked me if I wanted to join them at Watsons and I said yes because I might find something I can buy. (I'm always on the lookout for items on sale...)

The timing was perfect because Maybelline was having a sale. I bought a hypersharp eyeliner, a tube of BB cream, and mineral blush in pink (01). That, with my office friends' big help since I don't know anything about cosmetics and neither am I an expert in putting on makeup. The following day, I bought In2it makeup remover and Pink Alarm lipstick.

Just that today I will be attending a wedding and I want to look good for a change. And I'm tired of getting into a petty fight with my sisters because I always borrow their stuff when going to formal parties. Add to that that being a willing guinea pig to make up experimenters in the office also inspired me to study the art of putting on makeup. They were awesome! I think they are artists in their own right.

And yes, I think I look better with make up on...

Since I'm just a newbie in the cosmetics world, I think I'll be documenting my experiences here in my blog as well. On second thought, maybe not, since that requires posting my pics. Will deliberate on this.

For now, I'm off to experiment... Just hours to go.

変態仮面 (Hentai Kamen) (2013)

I've been hearing a lot about Hentai Kamen lately from my officemates so when I finally got a copy, I was more than excited to watch it. I was expecting something really funny and well, perverted in a comical way.

And the movie does not disappoint.

Shikijo Kyosuke was just a normal student, the son of a masochist man known for his sense of justice and of a dominatrix sadist mother. One day he passed by a building where three men took as hostage his crush and classmate Himeno Aiko and accidentally put on a panty instead of a mask, thereby realizing his potential as a superhero known as HENTAI KAMEN, with amazingly funny yet deadly moves that will leave you asking for more.

Watch trailer here:

or let these images pique your curiosity

and because it's Japan, expect some mecha albeit in short appearance

Kyosuke asks Aiko to give him her panty because wearing the panty of the girl he loves will give him unfathomable  POWAA~

 Hentai Kamen plays parody to Spiderman movies. In some scenes, he is seen as happily swinging by means of his secret rope. Also, his mask under the panty, although in yellow, shows strong semblance to Spiderman's mask, but with significantly arched brows. How can one not love something as perverted as this?

LOL.

Or so one thinks. In the end, this may just be the frustrated fantasies of a typical teenage boy.

 ____________________

Just the very movie I needed to unwind after a stressful week following days of volunteer work and helping out a friend with her research.

October

October passed by quite uneventfully with the sole exception of my first solo trip. (I cannot stress that enough, that THAT is I think the highlight of my 2013.)

As regards my self-study, thoughts of giving up crossed my mind. Topics are becoming more difficult and I realized that I haven't fully mastered the previous topics and I was already dangerously flirting with new ones. Bad bad BAD move. How am I to ensure that I can do calculus all on my own without going back to my notes everytime something difficult passes my way? I hate it when I'm like this. On the upside, nothing beats the happiness that comes from solving a complex problem. Euphoria to the highest level when I arrive at the same answer but by means of a different solution.

To counter these negative thoughts, I always go back to my reasons for studying calculus. I'd like to think that I can carve out a theory with my knowledge of it. Plus, I still haven't given up on chaos theory. I still want to understand what the formulae mean in the science books I read about chaos theory and turbulence. For some reason, I believe that I can discover at least one secret of the universe if I were to understand and employ calculus in my philosophical thinking. (Okay that seems far-fetched already...)

Been reading very few books lately because studying Calculus has been eating up most of my time. That and the frequent movie breaks which I badly need to restore sanity and to provide a bit of relaxation.

The end of the month saw me dressing up as Psycho Kiddo (just some weird character I made up so don't bother searching in the net) for our office's mini Halloween trick or treat. So happy to finally know what it feels like to go trick-or-treating. I got lots of candies from friends in the office. (Some I had to coax coz they couldn't understand what I really wanted LOL. Just give this kid what she wants!!!)

Finally feeling stressful with work. Suddenly thinking of shifting jobs. I don't know where but I want the office to be near my place so I can allot more time for studying and reading and writing. Travel time everyday consumes almost 3 hours of my super limited 24 hours a day. I can already see myself resigning soon and going job-hunting again. But I'd rather not risk it. The economy is bad (despite what the newspapers say) and there's still a high unemployment rate and I'm not willing to go back to being a poor helpless kid who has to rely on her parents. I'd like to think that I am independent, more so financially.

Excel!

Yesterday while solving for a problem involving linear approximation and having so many decimal numbers with only an ordinary calculator (the one that is packaged in a laptop machine), I was already feeling so slow and so helpless since I am used to thinking and acting fast. I thought, if only I were a programmer, or if only I knew a programming language, things could be easier. And then I thought that maybe Excel can do the job.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm not good at Excel. I owe it to the fact that I was traumatized by it when I was in grade school. At that time, it was my second to the last year in elementary when we were taught basic Excel lessons. I had a hard time catching up because I couldn't see then how I could use it in a practical way. I almost flunked my Computer subject. Almost but not quite because thank Heavens on the day of our final exams, I had an epiphany JUST IN TIME. I suddenly became aware of how Excel works. Probably one of the mysteries of the mind when under a panic attack. It saved me from being kicked out of the honor roll.

In highschool, I was praised for being one of the few who can do basic programming. That was my first time to have a taste of what it's like to work with programs. We started with HTML, then C++, and then 2 years of Visual Basic. On my senior year, I was made president of our school's Computer Club. (I actually joined the arts club but was pulled out by my Computer teacher.) It was a good thing he did so because while in the club, I was made aware of how computer hardware works and came to know many cool programs. My Computer teacher, who was also our club advisor, advised me to take up Computer Science. He's one of the few teachers who must have seen something in me though at that time, I really did not know that much about computers. In fact, I was embarrassed to be the head of a club when in fact other members, most of them younger than me, were more skilled. My only claim to fame is that I am a logical thinker so constructing formulae and using the language was fairly easy. But because computer language is not appealing to me in that one can never be poetic or express beautiful prose with it, I was not much interested.

So when I was about to take the UP Entrance Exam and choose a course, my two choices were based in the College of Arts and Letters. I really had a hard time choosing because many courses appealed to me, like Anthropology, Computer Science, Geology, Geodetic Engineering, Computer Engineering, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Mathematics, etc. etc. At that time though I was studying Japanese all on my own and I was thinking how cool it would be if I were to be a polyglot so I could read in many many languages. Before I submitted my application forms, I was able to state European Languages as my first choice and Creative Writing as my second choice. (Up until today, I still don't know whatever possessed me to select CW as my second choice...)

So pursuing my chosen course, I was limited to a maximum of two Math classes. I took Math 1, said to be the more difficult of the two. I was lucky to have a very very cool instructor who introduced me to Umberto Eco (now one of my favorite authors). His class was my most favorite class during my freshman year. We discussed the history of math, logic, systems, a bit of basic cryptography, sets, and other more abstract math concepts. Taking this was one of my best decisions since Math 2, though easy to get an A, is just about problem-solving and I don't think I need a repeat of it since I excelled in it in highschool. Math 1 was also the right course because it opened new doors for me and it was then that I realized how COOL Math really is.

So right after I finish European Languages, I took Math17, said to be the deciding factor for many engineering students if they should continue with their course or not. I knew many people who took that and who failed. I just had to see for myself how difficult it really is. I aced exams but flunked the final one because I never memorized the formulas and drawing circles and deriving formulas left me with very little time to solve the problems. It broke my heart, simply because I understood the lessons well, it's just that I couldn't memorize the formulae.

So anyway, studying Calculus now really shoved me down memory lane...

So going back to yesterday...

Yesterday while doing a problem in Calculus, I saw how foolish I was at my stubbornness in refusing to enlist the help of Excel, just the tool that can help me speed up calculations so I can devote more time in learning other things (or finishing that book I've been reading since last month).

I opened Excel, had a leap of faith that DAMN I COULD DO THIS!!! And just typed in the formulae for Newton's method of finding roots. Imagine my delight at my newfound powers! I overcame the trauma (I think)!!!!

one input, one look, and one conclusion

I'm just so happy with what I was able to do yesterday. Felt so productive. And I felt new powers flowing in my veins. The power of Math, the power to Excel! (Yes, pun intended.)

One Piece X Toriko X Dragonball Z Movie

A movie combining major well-loved animé series is always interesting as fans are allowed to glimpse cross-series matches which usually exist in fan fiction only. One Piece X Toriko X Dragonball Z Movie is a short movie combining three animé series whose lead characters are famous for their big appetite.

The plot is about a tournament wherein the winner will win an overly expensive meat prized for its juices. As gluttons, the three main characters are more than motivated to win in a friendly tournament. But they are also joined by lucky champion Mr. Satan who Dragonball fans know to be extremely lucky in winning matches even without fighting.

And as expected, Mr. Satan would win.

But to celebrate his win, he decides to share his prize with everyone.

 

But a strange fish appears. The akami absorbs a person's energy for its own to make itself stronger. Goku, Luffy, and Toriko must join forces to beat the akami who absorbed their companions' energies.

The movie is fun to watch, showing the distinct personality traits of its many characters. One feels nostalgic seeing the characters of Dragonball Z. Trunks and Goten are cute as ever in their attempt to bring down an opponent by their fusion technique where they merge into one person known as Gotenks. It's nice to see old Master Button and Brook, both perverts whose noses bleed at the sight of beautiful girls Nami and Rin. The silent and brainy characters Piccolo, Robin, and Coco band together as they confront the organizer why such a tournament was held. Meanwhile, absent from the ultimate feast are the extremely competitive Vegeta, Zoro, and Zebra as they seem to have not concluded their battle.

Thor 2: The Dark World (2013)

Last year during our archaeological excavation in Batangas, a fellow archaeologist and I went out one Sunday to go out of our way just to see The Avengers. Earlier, I had seen Thor and I was very curious to see how the superheroes would be united. And one of the BIG plus of The Avengers was that the big names in the movie industry who have endeared themselves to countless Marvel fans would be put in one single movie. The two movies were such big hits mainly due to the action-packed scenes combined with very witty dialogue [that's just to be expected when you have Loki and Ironman]. So this year, when Thor: The Dark World was to be shown in theaters, I made plans to watch in the moviehouse. That opportunity materialized when a close friend announced she just finished her exams and so was already free to go gallivanting again. She contacted me and asked if we could have a movie date. I said YES without a second thought. That very day we watched Thor: The Dark World at Trinoma.

Never mind that I waited more than an hour for my date. I was not really expecting much with the new Thor movie because I've learned my lesson well, that first movies are always nice but the succeeding ones suck. But then there was Loki who kept me wondering what new tricks he would unleash. And I wanted to know very badly how he will be portrayed in the movie.

When in the first movie I was more into Sif, this time, my eyes were fully on Loki, that naughty trickster who steals the limelight away from his too serious and too good brother Thor. Tom Hiddleston does a very brilliant job of playing the role of Loki and making that cunning character more than adorable. Despite being imprisoned for his many crimes, Loki never relinquished his desire to be the ruler of Asgard. But when his adoptive mother Frigga (Thor's mother) dies at the hands of Malekith, one could very well see Loki's thirst for revenge. This time, the god of thunder was able to use his head and craft a brilliant plan on how to save his lady love Jane Foster who was infected by the Aether, a substance of tremendous power. He does this by banking on his brother's rage. 

If there's one thing I hated about the movie, it's that WHY IS IT THAT EVERYTIME JANE FOSTER AND THOR MEET THEY ALWAYS TRY TO KISS RIGHT AWAY??? That's just so UGH! Can't we have a decent superhero who can be all heroic even without a lady love??? And it is for this reason I wish Jane Foster wouldn't be in the next movie hehehe!

AND... it's certain that there will be a sequel to this because SPOILER ALERT: (don't read below if you don't like spoilers)

Because in the end, the Odin sitting on the Asgardian throne turns out to be Loki, who apparently, didn't die during the brothers' plan to get the aether out of Jane Foster using Malekith's powers. Now, what happened to Odin???

Also, who is the collector to whom Thor gives the sealed aether? I can sense something evil in that collector. And Sif doesn't seem to trust him either. 

And speaking of Sif, when in the previous movie I was rooting for the Sif-Thor pairing, now I'm thinking that maybe Sif would be better of with exciting Loki...

铠甲勇士之帝皇侠 (Emperor Armor Hero) 2010

What happens when China creates its own hero patterned after the famous Kamen Rider (Masked Rider) franchise? The result would be Emperor Armor Hero, a transformation into an armored hero when the summoner wears the belt and shouts out 合體 (assemble).

But it's not as easy as just putting on the rider belt and shouting "henshin". When the armor hero belt was damaged, the summoner would have difficulty in transforming into the emperor hero. One must have the will to summon the hero inside. The main character in the movie, Ziyang, didn't know what to do when he suddenly couldn't become a hero. But his friends helped him to remember the words of the Professor, that one must "forget about the past and face the future bravely".

And so Ziyang was able to reactivate the belt...

 ...and transform into the Emperor Armor Hero, just in time to save the day from the evil plans of a power-hungry brainiac who was bent to spread chemical pollution all over the world by using satellites (this plan of spreading toxins via satellites remind me a lot of Bloody Monday, a manga I read years back when having a break from my college thesis).

 And I'm happy to see a golden dragon appear. This reminds me of the divine dragon summoned by vampire slayer Ma Xiaoling in the HK drama series My Date with a Vampire. (Okay, I'll watch season 2 soon and write a quick review of it.)

So Emperor Armor Hero battles it out with the final boss--- actually 5 devils sealed but freed by the brainiac Ba Dou's drop of blood. The final boss was a gigantic but of course he had to lose, otherwise the ending would be tragic! (I call him the final boss because the fight scene reminds me a lot of those RPG fight scenes.)

And Emperor Armor Hero triumphs and saves the day. I LOVE dragons.

So the movie follows the plot of other well-known sentai and/or Rider series but here we see the incorporation of very Chinese elements we rarely see in Japanese sentai--- the dragon.

Feeling Fat

Greasy burgers, bacon shining with oil, fried chicken skin, fried fish, fried anything, chicharon, taco-flavored Doritos, nachos... SIGH!

I think I may have been overeating since lately I've been visiting too many restaurants and most of these offer my favorite junk foods. I even spent the last day of October in a restaurant somewhere in Cubao to temporarily escape the horrendous traffic because there were just too many people on the road with their big bags and boxes of doughnuts, mamon, and pizza. Probably off to the cenetery and most would have to return to their province.

And yesterday was the day AFTER SO MANY MONTHS, that I went shopping with my sisters again at Landmark because the store was having a sale though it didn't feel like a sale coz prices are not slashed to 50% and the Shubizz shoes I saw months earlier retained their original price so this poorita had no choice but to keep her money in her pocket.

There were skinny jeggings with very nice designs which remind me of the Etruscans. I wanted a pair so I tried to fit one but they were not for me. Looking at my reflection in the mirror inside the fitting room, I was flabbergasted to see a flabby stomach! Ewww! I was reminded of the many chicharon and chicken skin I consumed. Ah my addiction to grease. Even then the thought of bacon, that sinful strip of heavenly grease, made me drool. I need to exercise soon.

In fact, I think my daily walkathon of 2 kilometers everyday when I go to work should be increased to 3km. I ought to sleep really early now and wake up really early so I can sneak my additional brisk walking exercise in my unfortunately quite limited 18 hours per day (coz the 6 hours are for spending in Dreamland).

2013 Ilocos Trip Itinerary

THIS IS A VERY LENGTHY POST...
... so I highlighted important things for my readers.

This is the continuation to my previous post on my first solo travel.

Days before our trip, my friend unexpectedly got sick. For days I was debating within myself if I should forego the trip altogether or pursue it all on my own. It would be my first time to do a solo trip (not counting Palawan since I joined the archaeologists). Also, I thought that it would be a very cool way to welcome my silver year which I will be celebrating soon.

Because I was suddenly thrust into a solo trip with all my romanticism intact as I threw myself to the winds (lol! I love that phrase from Paul Auster's Moon Palace so please forgive me if I tend to use it many times), OUR plans changed at the last minute to MY plans. On the day of my departure, I did one last quick research on how to get the most of my solo trip, with plans to forfeit my return plane ticket and take the southbound bus instead. I even planned to stop by Pangasinan and La Union, but that didn't actually happen because suddenly I found myself buying a lot of pasalubong and moving around became difficult.

So below is my actual itinerary:

Day 1: ETA Laoag airport at 9:20PM (was supposed to arrive at 8PM but there was a typhoon in Manila and zero visibility caused the delay)
Now as what I have learned from my Hong Kong trip early this year, as advised by my uncle when he fetched us at the airport, never leave the airport without getting brochures and maps. I asked for maps at the information desk and registered for the free shuttle ride to Laoag. Cool huh?

I was second to the last passenger to be dropped off at my chosen place--- Texicano Hotel. It was already close to 10PM when I got there and rested for a while. I thought of sleeping on an empty stomach but after some thought I realized this wouldn't work. Texicano Restaurant was already closed at this hour so I had to do a quick exploration of the area within a 100 meter radius. Good thing I found Papa Pau's Diner where I had an order of fish and chips (P100). Couldn't get enough of fried cream dory. The chips were like Shakey's mojos. The umay factor was to be expected but I did finish everything. Of course I also requested a cup of hot water.

While eating alone, I felt lonely. If I did so in Manila, it wouldn't matter since I'm used to solo dates. But somehow a trip wouldn't be that fun without a companion...Went back to the hotel afterwards. Stores were already closed so I didn't get to buy a gallon of water. Washed my clothes and went to sleep before 11 PM.

Day 2: Woke up at 5:50 AM. Couldn't sleep well because my room faces a major road and vehicles passing by caused lots of noise. That, or I'm just not used to sleeping alone. Left my room at 6:30 AM and was befriended by a stranger. I forgot the basic rule: don't talk to strangers. I guess it was my first major blunder. But after our conversation and realizing my mistake, I did the next best thing: inquire about him. I was very much tempted to request for a change of rooms, but I totally forgot about it.

The first thing I did upon leaving the hotel is to look for a store to buy water and breakfast. Since it was still early, I bought 5 pieces of Durong's malunggay pan de sal (P2 apiece so P10). These also were my lunch since I kept on moving around yet didn't have the appetite to enjoy lunch at a restaurant.

Note: I only knew about Roque Ablan during this trip. He was considered a hero of WW2 for forming the Ablan-Madamba guerilla group of Northern Luzon.

With only half a bottle of water left, I explored Laoag city... well half of it anyway. While exploring I was also noting the jeepney routes. So when I was finally able to but a liter of water, I took the jeep to Sarrat to visit Sta. Monica Church and Convent. Fare was P15. Nobody inside the church. Felt creepy but was grateful for the chirping of birds which broke the cold silence. The museum was not yet open.

After touring Sarrat, I was ready to go to Piddig but encountered a problem: there was no jeep to Piddig at that time and I was already waiting for half an hour. I was told I had to go back to Laoag. It dawned on me that I broke another rule: farthest place first and nearest place last. I should have gone first to Piddig since the jeep passing from Piddig to Laoag also passes by Sarrat. DAMN!

Had a quick lunch at a carinderia near the jeepney terminal. I was attracted by the P10 pancit. It's too salty and I thought of our Ilocana secretary immediately because she also cooks pancit like that, too salty but with lots of crushed peppercorns. I had to add spiced vinegar to somehow counter the saltiness.

Walked around again. At this time I was already thinking, how far can I go without turning back? So seeing a  jeepney to Paoay which also passes by Batac and San Nicolas, I boarded it. Learning from my foolishness earlier, I asked which is farther, Paoay or Batac. The driver says Paoay so I asked to be dropped off at Paoay Church where, despite the rain, I marveled at the big buttresses and meditated for a time in the garden where they also kept well known quotes from St. Augustine. I asked around to go to Paoay Lake but a one way tricycle ride costs P200 so I left it for another Ilocos episode since I was more than sure I'd go back there for a complete Ilocos experience.

Off to Batac afterwards where I visited the Marcos Museum and Mausoleum, World Peace Center, Batac Church, and Aglipay Shrine. Jeepnety fare from Paoay was P10. I didn't get to eat their famous empanada because I wasn't in the mood to eat anything at that time.

From Batac I took a bus bound for Laoag and got off at San Nicolas , fare was P20.

San Nicolas Church, a pottery monument at the road junction, and the town hall

The jeep I took from San Nicolas to Laoag was from Banna, a town I didn't go to. Hopefully next time I will. After a rainy day of much walking I was delighted to find that the jeep stops very near Texicano Hotel. Yay! Time for bed. I washed my clothes again and slept a while before dinner at Texicano Restaurant. Had chopsuey with shrimp with no rice (P150) and a glass of pineapple juice (P35).

Message from my KJV Bible which I found to be comforting in my solitude:
2 Chronicles 15:2 "(...) The Lord is with you while you seek Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you."

How apt that this solo trip has turned into a Visita Iglesia of some sort with me trying to find spiritual rejuvenation.

Day 3: Got up before 6AM and cancelled by Pagudpud/ Burgos tour because of the weather. I went to Pasuquin instead since I was told the beach there is more serene and waves are calmer. I had my apprehensions but ultimately, I chose the path less traveled. Who knows what stories I will bring when I go back with my unusual Ilocos trip?

I took out a cheeseburger (P80) fron Texicano Restaurant. Tricycle from Texicano to the jeepney terminal was P15. Jeep to Pasuquin was P25. At Pasuquin, I prayed a while at the church there and hired a tricycle to take me to Nalvo where I bought salt worth P20. Stopped by Villa Florentina Resort where I enjoyed the company of nobody but sea, breeze, sunlight, and a cute dog who seemed very friendly.

date with nature and furry friends, and just a cheeseburger

Before leaving Pasuquin, I bought a pack of their famous biscocho (P75). On the way back to Laoag, I dropped by a Chinese temple and offered some incense.

Chinese temple near the border of Laoag and Pasuquin

And finally, to Museo Ilocos Norte, my final stop before I leave Laoag for Vigan. I spent a considerable time in the museum as there are a lot of things to see and learn inside. For instance I noticed that Ilocanos have many different uses for basketry and so they also have various names for these based on functions. The whole museum was modeled as half market, half bahay na bato. The second floor provides a glimpse of usual things to be found inside an elite's house. I took pictures of almost everything so as to familiarize myself on the artifacts one may expect to find if ever I get to join an excavation in Ilocos.

upper right: preserved open trench. lower right: glass floaters (Bulintik)!

Back to the hotel and packed my bags for Vigan. I am so warmed by people's concern for my safety. People I've talked to wished me good luck and repeatedly told me to be very careful. I said goodbye to Laoag with a happy heart and with a vow to come back again. It's a good thing Texicano Hotel was just a few minutes' walk to a bus terminal leaving for Badoc and Vigan. I was having second thoughts about stopping by Badoc for Juan Luna's house since I was already carrying 3 bags but on the other hand, I cannot miss the opportunity to see the Luna Shrine because... because... Antonio Luna is a favorite hero and I think if I were born during his time I could have pursued him... In the end, my curiosity won and I found myself telling the bus conductor to drop me near Juan Luna's house. Non-AC bus fare from Laoag was P50.

Then off to Vigan. Waiting for a bus to Vigan along the major road took long. Bus fare was another P50. When the bus finally entered the famed city of heritage houses, my senses were instantly overwhelmed by the sight of colonial structures. WOW! Better than Intramuros many times over! I took a tricycle to Vigan Hotel (P10). No available single fan room so I took the double room which costs P495.

After cooling down for some 20 minutes, I went out and did my initial exploration. Visited Syquia Mansion since it was still open. And was pleasantly surprised to find Crisologo Museum open, too, so I went inside and had a look. Bought dinner at an eatery near Quezon Ave. cor. Libertad. Grilled bangus with half serving of rice was P155. I ate inside my room because it was already late and I promised my sisters I would be at the hotel before dark. Bad move coz the sauce from the grilled bangus soaked my canvas bag and I had to wash and clean my stuffs. At least I had a fairly decent dinner that night. At that point I was already wondering if my loneliness was the cause of my lack of appetite.

Quick bath, then plans for the morrow and the biggest decision on whether to leave for Manila the following day.

Day 4: Got up early to catch the Sunday mass but I missed the first so I roamed around the plaza and enjoyed the twilight hours. After that I attended Sunday mass. It was conducted in Ilocano so I didn't really understand anything but I did get to see how well-disciplined Ilocanos are compared to the barbarians of Metro Manila.

Vigan at dawn. Gloomy yet beautiful.

After mass, I headed back to my hotel for a quick breakfast of Nesvita. Then hired a tricycle for one hour (P150) to bring me to Bantay Church, Sta. Catalina Church, and St. Vincent Ferrer Church. Had the most fun at Bantay Church since one can climb up to the top of the belfry and have a breathtaking view. Also tried kalamay (P5 apiece). It's made from sticky rice with buko.

I asked to be dropped off at Burgos Museum after my church pilgrimage. I was lucky because October was museum month so all branches of the National Museum have free entrance. Yay!!! There I met Sir Efren Vister who showed me around and even told me jokes.

Back to the plaza and near my hotel, I spied Hap Chan in Vigan Plaza Hotel and realized how much I miss Chinese food. So in I went and ordered salt and pepper spare ribs with rice (P120) and took out Crispy beef with rice (P99) as my packed lunch.

By 11:30AM I had checked out of my hotel and was already outside waiting for a tricycle to take me to Partas bus station. Yes, I decided to go back home. Lo and behold! Kuya Boy, who drove me to the churches earlier in the day, was very timely in passing by the street where I waited for a tricycle. So we met again and he happily sent me to the bus station (fare was P10). I asked a bus scheduler to look after my things while I go to the market to do last-minute shopping because my mom asked me to buy tagalog garlic and my dad requested for a gallon of ilocano vinegar. My fate was secured, no more stopover and I could only go straight home because I definitely couldn't move around with so much things with me.

I got home before 10PM.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my sisters and my parents as well as my officemate Mel for being my textmates the whole time I was in Ilocos. They somehow made me feel less lonely.
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This took me two days to write....