Tuesday, June 30
Taylor Swift: Crazier
This song made my day.
Indeed, love is in the air (even if the air is filled with sand). (^_^)
Monday, June 29
Michael Jackson Tribute: His Life, His Words
Love the typography. From here.
I've always liked the music made by the King of Pop. It just makes you wanna groove all the time.
I hope no one claims his throne in my lifetime or else people would dethrone whoever that is. MJ is an undisputed legend in the music world even though he's crazy.
I like crazy. There's a feeling of comfort in being crazy, I tell you.
Sunday, June 28
Why I Should Persevere More
I read this quote whenever I feel that my shortcomings are getting the best of me.
Do not let what you cannot do, interfere with what you can do.
~ John Wooden (legendary UCLA basketball coach)
Do not let what you cannot do, interfere with what you can do.
~ John Wooden (legendary UCLA basketball coach)
Wednesday, June 24
Dance, policemen, dance!
Wonder Girls' Nobody as hilariously interpreted by a uniformed Korean police office. Made me laugh so hard that the coffee I was drinking almost escaped my nostrils.
Tuesday, June 23
Post-it Love
I was feeling a bit down today in the office so I decided to cheer myself up by watching this short about a couple of employees wooing one another with the use of sticky notes.
Monday, June 22
Sunday, June 21
A Father's Message
My loving father once wrote
A thing that I must take note.
This passage with a few morphemes
That summarizes heroes’ themes.
He wrote it in a piece of paper
And gave it when I was bitter.
I reflected on it with wonder
How he knows what I should ponder.
Then suddenly I did remember
That a parent knows better.
I know live life with this
By remembering what it is:
"If it is to be
It is up to me."
That is what was written
In his letter well kept hidden.
I've written this piece for a creative writing class. I think I'm going to give this as a present to my father today.
Oh, by the way, Happy Father's Day to all the daddys in our lives.
A thing that I must take note.
This passage with a few morphemes
That summarizes heroes’ themes.
He wrote it in a piece of paper
And gave it when I was bitter.
I reflected on it with wonder
How he knows what I should ponder.
Then suddenly I did remember
That a parent knows better.
I know live life with this
By remembering what it is:
"If it is to be
It is up to me."
That is what was written
In his letter well kept hidden.
I've written this piece for a creative writing class. I think I'm going to give this as a present to my father today.
Oh, by the way, Happy Father's Day to all the daddys in our lives.
Saturday, June 20
How to turn a square cloth to a simple bag
I fell in love with the Furoshiki when it was featured in one of the episodes of Japan Video Topic shown over IBC13, which I believe is a state-run television network back in the Philippines. Well, furoshiki is this square wrapping cloth that is traditionally used for transporting numerous types of objects.
According to enthusiasts, you can see sizes of furoshiki that range from a hanky-sized one to something as big as a bed sheet. The type of fiber used can also range from the inexpensive cotton to the more luxurious silk. Nowadays, I've seen furoshikis sporting modern prints (btw, it'll be a great business venture) but I guess more people lean on the traditional ones when they give it as a gift.
What got me more interested is that you can reuse the furoshiki when it's given to you. Not only is it great for re-gifting, but it's also environment-friendly. Yey! =D
There are tons of instructional videos out there on how to use furoshiki with transporting (or gifting) ordinary objects. The video above is one of my favorite uses for furoshiki. It demonstrates how you can turn the ordinary furoshiki (or any other square-ish cloth you have lying around) into a simple bag you can use to carry your stuff around.
I'd say it's a neat thing to know when you don't have a bag but you need one asap.
According to enthusiasts, you can see sizes of furoshiki that range from a hanky-sized one to something as big as a bed sheet. The type of fiber used can also range from the inexpensive cotton to the more luxurious silk. Nowadays, I've seen furoshikis sporting modern prints (btw, it'll be a great business venture) but I guess more people lean on the traditional ones when they give it as a gift.
What got me more interested is that you can reuse the furoshiki when it's given to you. Not only is it great for re-gifting, but it's also environment-friendly. Yey! =D
There are tons of instructional videos out there on how to use furoshiki with transporting (or gifting) ordinary objects. The video above is one of my favorite uses for furoshiki. It demonstrates how you can turn the ordinary furoshiki (or any other square-ish cloth you have lying around) into a simple bag you can use to carry your stuff around.
I'd say it's a neat thing to know when you don't have a bag but you need one asap.
Tuesday, June 16
Hawthorne Baby No More
My college raised me to believe that the Hawthorne Effect, or the result of this some old behavioural study which solidifies the controversy that being watched upon affects productivity and output, is one of the infallible topics of my degree program. I've subscribed to this reactivity so much basing from the study and some real life experiences that you can say I am a living, breathing Hawthorne baby.
All things changed until this article by The Economist came along.
Maybe it's a good thing that they refuted the study and saying that there is no Hawthorne Effect existing. I tried not to be annoyed when someone is hovering over my shoulder while I'm working on something, either work or personal, during office hours, and what do you know, it works!
It's a total 360-degree turn at home, with your parents looking at you all the time and you know that they're running some thoughts in their brains about how you do this and that, Hawthorne Effect takes full speed in your behavioral system, that's for sure.
All things changed until this article by The Economist came along.
Maybe it's a good thing that they refuted the study and saying that there is no Hawthorne Effect existing. I tried not to be annoyed when someone is hovering over my shoulder while I'm working on something, either work or personal, during office hours, and what do you know, it works!
It's a total 360-degree turn at home, with your parents looking at you all the time and you know that they're running some thoughts in their brains about how you do this and that, Hawthorne Effect takes full speed in your behavioral system, that's for sure.
Monday, June 15
Deadline Post-It
A stop-motion film made by an Arts & Design student which perfectly depicts my work life starting this week onwards.
The making of this video can be a bit boring, but it's worth the look too if you are interested with how this was done.
Sunday, June 14
Creep by Daniel Henney
In the spirit of what my college friends do at work when they're supposed to be working. *wink, wink*
Friday, June 12
Wednesday, June 10
Veins Are The New Fishnets
Cute, no? And so kinky if you're in the medical field.
Tuesday, June 9
Busted Up Pokemon
A series of pokemon portraits by Justin White: "The idea was to capture each character after a long battle recuperating inside their pokeball. Or maybe I just wanted to imagine pokemon in a lot of pain."
Here's Pikachu:
Don't you just wanna hug him until he's okay?
If you're wondering where the rest of the Pokemons are, they can be found here.
Here's Pikachu:
Don't you just wanna hug him until he's okay?
If you're wondering where the rest of the Pokemons are, they can be found here.
Why I Shouldn't Rely Much on Computers
Computers can figure out all kinds of problems, except the things in this world that just don't add up.
~ James Magary
~ James Magary
Monday, June 8
The Sands of Time
Since I share the same birth date as the broodingly handsome lead, can this Prince of Persia movie shown on our birthday instead of its summer next year release, please?
[via]
The Simpsons - A Cappella
I love this a cappella version of The Simpson's opening song. It would be a good vocal practice for our choir, for sure! I'm fervently wishing for its score to materialize in my inbox right now.
Sunday, June 7
So Rusty My English
Working abroad means I am always surrounded with people from various races -- from Jordanians, Egyptians, Saudis, to Indians, Chinese, Indonesians, and Pakistanis -- you name it, I've already met one (or more) from each nation here in the Desert Kingdom. Having little knowledge with the native languages commonly used by the people I communicate with everyday, I have to rely on the English language in order to engage with them in locution, whether for business or personal use.
There are days wherein I feel being proficient in the English language proves to be very beneficial on my part especially with my work, but there are also times wherein it proves otherwise which I find unusual. One concrete example is with semantics. Some just don't get what I say at all or they particularly sift through what I say and grab whatever words that they'd understand.
I was frustrated when the misunderstandings repeats all over. I have thought of a temporary solution which is to bring my level at par with theirs. It did help me with conversing with others; however, the anxiety of not having to practice speaking English for a long-ish period of time takes toll particularly with my tongue. I sometimes forget how to enunciate simple words correctly. Even my basic syntax skills needs some brushing up or else I'd go back to elementary school.
To circumvent these "side effects", I read aloud this Pronunciation Poem (found below) aside from various speech exercises as part of my early morning rituals at work.
Pronunciation Poem
from http://www.infiltec.com/j-prono.htm
I take it you already know
of tough and bough and cough and dough?
Others may stumble, but not you,
on hiccough, thorough, laugh and through.
Well done! And now you wish, perhaps,
to learn of less familiar traps?
Beware of heard, a dreadful word,
that looks like beard and sounds like bird.
And dead -- it's said like bed not bead --
and for goodness' sake don't call it deed!
Watch out for meat and great and threat
(They rhyme with suite and straight and debt)
A moth is not the moth in mother,
nor both in bother, broth in brother.
And here is not a match for there,
nor dear and fear for bear and pear.
And then there's dose and rose and lose --
just look them up -- and goose and choose,
and cork and work and card and ward,
and font and front and word and sword,
and do and go and thwart and cart --
come, come I've hardly made a start.
A dreadful language? Man alive.
I'd mastered it when I was five.
During moments when I can cyberloaf (or the use of computers by employees for purposes unrelated to work), I read a lot from my feeds and try to define unfamiliar words in order to increase vocabulary. I also find it helpful if I can chat with someone over the instant messenger, prompting me to muster up all of my working knowledge with regard to the English language.
Or maybe I could just simply blog, twit, or plurk my way to English proficiency if all else fails.
There are days wherein I feel being proficient in the English language proves to be very beneficial on my part especially with my work, but there are also times wherein it proves otherwise which I find unusual. One concrete example is with semantics. Some just don't get what I say at all or they particularly sift through what I say and grab whatever words that they'd understand.
I was frustrated when the misunderstandings repeats all over. I have thought of a temporary solution which is to bring my level at par with theirs. It did help me with conversing with others; however, the anxiety of not having to practice speaking English for a long-ish period of time takes toll particularly with my tongue. I sometimes forget how to enunciate simple words correctly. Even my basic syntax skills needs some brushing up or else I'd go back to elementary school.
To circumvent these "side effects", I read aloud this Pronunciation Poem (found below) aside from various speech exercises as part of my early morning rituals at work.
Pronunciation Poem
from http://www.infiltec.com/j-prono.htm
I take it you already know
of tough and bough and cough and dough?
Others may stumble, but not you,
on hiccough, thorough, laugh and through.
Well done! And now you wish, perhaps,
to learn of less familiar traps?
Beware of heard, a dreadful word,
that looks like beard and sounds like bird.
And dead -- it's said like bed not bead --
and for goodness' sake don't call it deed!
Watch out for meat and great and threat
(They rhyme with suite and straight and debt)
A moth is not the moth in mother,
nor both in bother, broth in brother.
And here is not a match for there,
nor dear and fear for bear and pear.
And then there's dose and rose and lose --
just look them up -- and goose and choose,
and cork and work and card and ward,
and font and front and word and sword,
and do and go and thwart and cart --
come, come I've hardly made a start.
A dreadful language? Man alive.
I'd mastered it when I was five.
During moments when I can cyberloaf (or the use of computers by employees for purposes unrelated to work), I read a lot from my feeds and try to define unfamiliar words in order to increase vocabulary. I also find it helpful if I can chat with someone over the instant messenger, prompting me to muster up all of my working knowledge with regard to the English language.
Or maybe I could just simply blog, twit, or plurk my way to English proficiency if all else fails.
Saturday, June 6
Taming The Beasts
These are the labels which help me in compartmentalizing my posts. More or less, it's complete, but I feel I'd be adding a lot soon.
Dear Diary
Things you would normally write in a good 'ol fashioned diary. Not for the mushy hearted.
Nyaho
I surf the net a lot and tend to find interesting things. These are the stuff that I have a spur-of-the-moment crush on. Or "I heart" moments on things that makes me skip and feel giddy.
Scrapbook
My scrapbook contains literary pieces written some time ago, quick snapshots and videos caught with my camera phone, and recordings of various people I had conversations with or performances heard of.
Field Trip
Multimedia posts on places I've been, events I've crashed into, and night outs with my bestest friends in the universe.
Thoughts to Ponder
Quotable quotes found on books, radio, web, and even on text messages that you just have to share and make all readers cream their brains.
Music Ministry and Me
My good (and otherwise) experiences as a choir manager of a community choir and other things related to being a chorister.
Techie
Back in my college days, I've read a short story of a person who is like the ultimate techie slash itinerant knowledge worker of the future. For posts that makes me look like a technology-oriented dork, I'll try to post her name before the title.
Beauty Buzz
Vanity. People say that I am but looking at me makes you think otherwise. I just follow whatever I read that actually works. We can also call it Manity for men, hehe. Beauty buzz will be on everything about beauty: helpful regimens, new must-try products, sought-out services, and many more.
Style File
I try to be fashionable at times. Since I can't all the time, this will help me make mental notes on what to wear. Contains raves on fashion, bargains, good finds, and icons.
Very Clever
Posts on productivity, tips & tricks, some DIY projects, and other tips on how to improve life.
Disenyo
I'm a frustrated design consultant. To cope up with that, I do writings on design ideas & inspirations, trends, and tutorials from other sites.
Urban Living
I just movedin the city last two years abroad and I find it lovely and fun-tastic. I hope to share some hand-me-down wisdom and relevant enlightenment of living as an urbanista.
Pilipinas
Articles, good or bad, concerning my beloved country, the Philippines.
As of 17 August 2009
06 June 2009
Dear Diary
Things you would normally write in a good 'ol fashioned diary. Not for the mushy hearted.
Nyaho
I surf the net a lot and tend to find interesting things. These are the stuff that I have a spur-of-the-moment crush on. Or "I heart" moments on things that makes me skip and feel giddy.
Scrapbook
My scrapbook contains literary pieces written some time ago, quick snapshots and videos caught with my camera phone, and recordings of various people I had conversations with or performances heard of.
Field Trip
Multimedia posts on places I've been, events I've crashed into, and night outs with my bestest friends in the universe.
Thoughts to Ponder
Quotable quotes found on books, radio, web, and even on text messages that you just have to share and make all readers cream their brains.
Music Ministry and Me
My good (and otherwise) experiences as a choir manager of a community choir and other things related to being a chorister.
Techie
Back in my college days, I've read a short story of a person who is like the ultimate techie slash itinerant knowledge worker of the future. For posts that makes me look like a technology-oriented dork, I'll try to post her name before the title.
Beauty Buzz
Vanity. People say that I am but looking at me makes you think otherwise. I just follow whatever I read that actually works. We can also call it Manity for men, hehe. Beauty buzz will be on everything about beauty: helpful regimens, new must-try products, sought-out services, and many more.
Style File
I try to be fashionable at times. Since I can't all the time, this will help me make mental notes on what to wear. Contains raves on fashion, bargains, good finds, and icons.
Very Clever
Posts on productivity, tips & tricks, some DIY projects, and other tips on how to improve life.
Disenyo
I'm a frustrated design consultant. To cope up with that, I do writings on design ideas & inspirations, trends, and tutorials from other sites.
Urban Living
I just moved
Pilipinas
Articles, good or bad, concerning my beloved country, the Philippines.
As of 17 August 2009
Monday, June 1
Half Past Due
It is almost half a year since I left Pilipinas to work again as an expatriate. I have been missing and pining for my extended family, my overly gregarious friends, my faithful choir and choirmates, my freelance writing/designing career (the free hours!), and my so-called "colorful" love life.
To keep my self sane, and to keep my eye on the dream of having the life that I wanted, I'm restarting my blog which is now hosted (again, for like the nth time) here in Blogspot. It's just so much easier to set it up here.
I love blogging, but the hardest part is everything else. My second attempt in logging my life online can be found here, and I'm taking the tags along with this new one. (Warning: it does have a lot of syntax and typo errors, so sue me.) My first attempts with web designing and blogging was in 2001 in Geocities.
Here's to chronicling my almost day-to-day misadventures in the real and virtual realm which *hopefully* will make sense to me in the future.
To keep my self sane, and to keep my eye on the dream of having the life that I wanted, I'm restarting my blog which is now hosted (again, for like the nth time) here in Blogspot. It's just so much easier to set it up here.
I love blogging, but the hardest part is everything else. My second attempt in logging my life online can be found here, and I'm taking the tags along with this new one. (Warning: it does have a lot of syntax and typo errors, so sue me.) My first attempts with web designing and blogging was in 2001 in Geocities.
Here's to chronicling my almost day-to-day misadventures in the real and virtual realm which *hopefully* will make sense to me in the future.
