buena mano! hihi

yey! my first completed artwork using the bamboo pen and touch! >XD a 2 years overdue supposed to be wedding gift for one of our college's prof. >:P

orayt, gotta exercise! >XD

a year of gratitude!

thank you so much Lord for all the blessings you've given me and my family this entiiiiire year. we couldn't have established this much without you! i've slashed so much off my wishlist! yeheyyy!! >XD

thank you for these new babies!


1. Samsung 32" LED TV for the family

i feel fulfilled that i was able to provide something relatively big for the family. we're not really in dire need of a new TV but all the TVs in the house are CRTs and are consuming so much electricity too. haha I initially wanted to buy LG for the same specs and also because  it's 5k cheaper but when mommy saw this she instantly liked it. add to the fact that the person in charge really knows how to sales talk and even explained the differences between TV types. oh i learned so much that day hahaha LG was a close contender but the girl in charge was like wala sa sarili. sabog pa yata. anyhow. haha

2. Western Digital 1TB External Hard Drive for myself... uhm, again

oh forgive me, this is my 2nd 1TB EHD. so now i'm selling the other one for only 3,500! haha >XD i bought this mainly because... uhm... it has warranty? and even though i'm not really experiencing any problems with my other hard disk...eerrr.. WD is WD and, and... IT'S RED huhu i just can't leave that ultra tempting red hard disk alone.

3. Lenovo A60+ for my sister

i'll probably review this when i get the time but you see, i'm being drawn to lenovo more and more kasi hahaha! >XD this is like something i've wanted to give my sister for so long. a new phone! at laaaast! now she has no excuses to ignore my calls and messages. grr grr goodbye to her good ol' nokia 1280. yeheyy!! >XD

4. and of course, none of these will be possible if you didn't put me in Smart. The company has done a lot of things for me and even though majority of that lot is stress, employee benefits and incentives are way awesome! this year, we were entitled to until 18th month bonus! that's like 5 months more than the government mandated 13th month, but the company guaranteed 15 months so that's 3 months additional bonus HUHU thank you so much. haha 

i just don't understand why there are still a lot of employees complaining about the 18 months kasi dati rati umaabot ng 22 and blah. but seriously, maybe i'm just new but for me it's already a great blessing to be in a company that promises more than what you expect. it's probably just wrong to expect the bonuses, kaya nga sya tinawag na bonus. LOL

// Lord, thank you so much for all these blessings. for giving me the means to buy stuff for my family and still be able to save and tithe regularly. you really love us. >XD

// next project... Dear Lord, this is what i've been saving my money at mutual funds po. HYUNDAI TUCSON!!! >XD in Jesus' name! in Jesus' name! kinikilig ako grrrr >XD .... and also a Lenovo Ultrabook... whichever comes first... ay pero super first pala yung Lenovo P700i na white HAHAHAHA 

// sige lang Yan, dream big. dream big. >XD AMEN!

Drawn to a still world

I've never really thought much about it, but there are times when I want to own a kick ass camera and shoot landscapes, hold shoots and capture every perfect moment in my life! Every time I see some of my friends updating their facebook timelines with photoshoot albums, I always wonder if it's really that hard to take nice pictures. I know a lot of people are underestimating photographers, saying their services are only overpriced because of their overpriced camera, and that photography is as easy as point and shoot, but really... you know a photo is skillfully taken when it captures not just the moment or scene, but also a fragment of your heart, leaping into that frame, wanting to be part of that still world. 

I've come across of a lot of photography and art showcase sites just for appreciation and just recently I found ArtStar, an online gallery full of artworks for sale at very affordable prices; illustrations, photos and everything else. It's nice to look around a lot of photos and see where it takes you. It's also cool to discover other artists too, like this one I saw: Guenter Knop who enjoys experimenting in nude, black and white photography and has a penchant for shooting Parisian scenes. Paris is beautiful and it's amazing how, even in black and white, his photos exude the same vibrance as with colored ones.

It's a really good way to unwind, looking at beautiful photos and letting yourself drown in the scenery. Life is full of wonderful things!

Start your own business for just 200 pesos!

hey goys! here's a really good opportunity for you to earn on the sides and turn your cellphone into a source of income! for more details, you may comment on this entry or whatever. i'll be in touch :D

i'm an authorized LoadCentral sub-dealer under 1BRO by the way :)

DIY Masquerade Mask (with template!)

finished product!

oh, i could hardly call myself crafty but this tutorial made me! our department christmas party is coming up soon with the good 'ol masquerade theme, and i didn't like the masks i saw out on the stores so i searched google for possible tutorials on how to make your own, and voila! said DIY tutorial came up! it's so simple that i didn't have to shell loads of creative juice for it, seriously! why? because the instructions are so easy, the materials very accessible, and well... the only physical requirement you need for this is to have STEADY HANDS.

this is basically just a reiteration of the abovementioned tutorial... so let's start!

What you'll need:
1. a print out of the mask template to be found here
Print it as is, no scaling needed as the image is set to the actual mask size. >:D
2. scissors/cutter and tape
3. tulle or sheer fabric
i used white tulle fabric. half a yard cost around 45 pesos at local fabric shops. i bought mine at Carolina's Glorietta. the size is too big but that's the smallest they offer so yeah. hehe
4. textile/fabric paint in tube (see pic below)
i had a hard time looking for tube paints so i settled with Pebeo Touch Deco Glitter (noir black). it costs 99.75 pesos at National Bookstore. they have a variant for fabric called Touch Textile but it wasn't available at the time so i thought this could work naman. haha
5. cling wrap
from the tutorial it says saran wrap, i didn't know what saran wrap is so judging from the pictures i thought it's just plastic cover haha. it's cling wrap pala. but we didn't have one so i just used the regular plastic cover.

ORAYT!

1. tape the template down on the table

2. put plastic cover/cling wrap over it

3. then put the tulle fabric on top, make sure it covers the entire mask.

4. using your fabric paint, in my case glitter paint...

... trace. this is where you'll need your steady hands for. whew

5. when done, let it sit and dry overnight

6. when dry, cut it out including the eye holes. if you used cling wrap, i think it would be easier to peel off the tulle from the wrap. but since i used plastic cover, i had a hard time peeling them apart so i just cut the thing with the plastic cover hehe

aaaand done. :)

my next problem is probably how to make it stick to my face (not a ribbon fan). for the purpose of that shot i  used tape. haha

5-day Drawing Workshop este Java SE6 training

the best thing about wide post containers is that it's so fun to post pictures! but i won't for now hehe

anyway, this entire week i was at a 5-day Java SE6 training by Oracle University. my expectations were high for this, but they kinda got crushed when i first came in the room and saw that the free notebook and pen they had for us is not from oracle. grrr. i already let it pass that we're not taking the class at Pacific Star Bldg., where oracle u's at, cos you know it sounds cooler when you're at the real place, with real freebies and legit oracle peeps all around. yeah that's my habol (sortof), the oracle feeling, and the red notebook! just because it looks cool hihi. the pen isn't even working! >:P

so what happened? honestly, come day 3 and i'm all sabog. i thought i could use this week to escape from work (which i did! haha) but haay i still had to come back after office hours to practice for the christmas presentation. in the end, i was home late the entire week and never felt completely rested as i had to wake up early to catch the 9am class. to hell with fixed schedules huhu.

well i still thank God cos the food was good, it wasn't 5 star good but it's free! and because i was not expecting any food to be served, ya get 5 stars from me! yeheyy! >XD

the lesson was jam packed, i lost it at Class Design. whatever you are, you got me lost grrrr. but hey i learned something new! MAHJONG TITANS ohaaaa andali lang pala mag mahjong hihi and no, it's wasn't a class exercise... it was my personal exercise hahaha.

Wacom Bamboo Pen & Touch FINALLY!

wacom bamboo pen & touch (small) 

my dear friends and readers, allow me to savor this moment where i momentarily feel like a real multimedia artist. Lord, thank you for giving me the means to purchase that which i've long dreamed of owning.

now for my next request, please give me the power to get used to this piece of technology. as of now, it's eating every precious strand of my patience HAHA. i've always had this assumption that using a tablet would create better looking art. LOL i just hope so! >XD we'll see... for now... tutorials pleeeeaase >:'(

It's free movie day today! >:D

this day was quite eventful, i accompanied terai to the gym to try out the group exercise she regularly attends. it's called Lose It! a 1 hour fitness module composed of intense circuit workouts. that time, we were quite in a rush to catch the 12nn-1pm sched so i just skipped brunch. when the workout started, not 30 mins has passed and i almost passed out, so i just walked out the studio to rest. i had no energy left to finish the entire session. my vision got clouded and my knees got wobbly after that short exercise. it was a stupid idea to skip eating before heading to the gym. i also didn't expect that module to be that exhausting hahahaha

after gym, i was so hungry i downed an overloaded meal at KFC HAHAHA sayang exercise. then we headed straight to SM North EDSA for the FREE MOVIE DAY!!!

Movie 1: Stolen

the 1 kidnapped daughter. instant crush!

Good movie! that chick alison was an eyecandy hahaha. i just have a few concerns at the end part of the movie where nicholas cage was trying to free her daughter from the trunk of a flaming cab (the antagonist poured gas and ignited the dang thing). what he did was, he started the engine and drove the car all the way to the lake. so the fire was extinguished and they drowned and blah. eventually he found a metal stick to open the dang trunk and release her daughter.

so what's bothering me is... isn't it dangerous to start the engine when the car is already on fire? ain't that riskier for his daughter? also, he was able to start the cab, and based on what i saw he used the car key. isn't that already the same key you need to open the trunk? or not? oh well.

i'm no movie critic so i can't tell if it's that good. but i enjoyed it nonetheless, after all it's free! haha




Movie 2: Step Up Revolution (Step up 4: Miami Heat)

Super cool and entertaining movie.. as usual! Who cares about the plot, i bet most of us were in it for the amazing dance prods anyway. And the best part, Moose was there (oops, spoiler haha)! great choreography! i enjoyed every performance except the first first one with lots of wheels and where the dancers where scattered in most places. i appreciate it best when they perform as a mob on one floor. anyway, for the entertainment value it gives... this one's a must watch. :D

for the love of art

i just pulled up another all nighter to finish the 2nd and final proof of the yearbook. hopefully it'll come out as beautifully as we all imagine it to be! and by God, i have no doubts about it.

no choice? that's your choice.

some things have changed over the past few days. and i bet it has something do this with this one issue. petty if you ask me, but i have an inkling suspicion it was mouth twisted into a prejudice. i'm affected because i'm an incredibly sensitive, in short -paranoid-, and also a ridiculously jealous person. i take hints on every odd behavior. specially with my friends. whatever happened to, for a lack of a better term, chicks before dicks? oh i miss my friend.

on a different note, i'm just wondering. to what extent should you not care about what other people think of you? some people say that as long as you're sure you're not doing anything wrong in the eyes of God or whoever/whatever your preferred deity is, you are not accountable to other peoples' impression of you. but in reality, whose eyes really matter? that one big eye, or that vast multitude of smaller, sinister pairs?

i think is alright to consider both. after all, where we are today is also a fruit of other people's judgment. you see, just now i realized that i hate it when people say they don't care about what other people think of them. freaking hypocrites. i gathered that they only say that whenever they are being judged negatively. yun lang naman. haha

on yet another note, i believe there is no such thing as 'no choice'. perhaps some people only use it to better explain the situation they're in where the best choice is sadly, an unbearable one. but to use it as a reason to blame, as if the purpose of every option is to oppress and that you were cornered to decide against your will, i think that's unfair. for every unbearable option you choose, remember that at the end of the day, it's still you who decides for yourself. it you think the choice you made was intended to pull you down then that's your choice, not theirs. if you will let that unbearable choice pull you down, then that's your choice, not theirs. it's all a matter of perspective.

similar to choosing the lesser between two evils, having 'no choice' is simply an excuse. you always have a choice. you're blessed enough to have one. so be man enough to put that blessing to good use.

Meralco: Maliwanag ang Pasko Promo!

Hey goys! here's another promo plug...

Meralco is raffling away 5,000 daily to lucky participants of their Meralco: Maliwanag ang pasko promo!
There are 2 ways to join the raffle promo:

1. by uploading a christmas decorated photo of your home (whether indoor or outdoor) at the Meralco app, you are entitled 5 entries.
2. by uploading a photo from the Liwanag Park with the Maliwanag ang Pasko parol visible in the shot, you get 1 entry.

This campaign by One Meralco Foundation is held in cooperation with the Department of Tourism, to help light up remote schools from the following provinces: Quezon, Palawan, Bohol, Dinagat and also extend help to various charitable institutions in the Philippines.

For more details, head on to THIS LINK or just simply click on the image above.

SM Cinema e-Plus offers FREE MOVIE DAY on December 8, 2012

Free Movie Day voucher

By liking their facebook page and accessing their Free Movie Day app, facebook users may avail of free cinema tickets for 2 for the following movies, at their selected SM Cinema branch:

movie line up!

Movie Line-up:
Anac ti Pating
Ang mga Aswang
Asin: Wala kang Kawala sa Sumpa
Deadfall
Duwaya: Polygamy
Genghis Khan
Himala
House at the End of the Street
Huling Biyahe
Limang Dipang Tao
Mga Kidnapper ni Ronnie Lazaro
Qwerty
Step Up Revolution
Stolen
Supremo
Tambara


I was lucky enough to have heard of the promo quite early so i was still able to get slots for Step Up Revolution and Stolen! but it didn't come easy you know, their app was frequently down due to heavy traffic but nonetheless it was fixed so... yeheyy!

free tickets yehey!

and well, you couldn't imagine the hassle of trying to get those tix. We had to endure this painstakingly long line of claimers at SM North EDSA yesterday.

the frakking long line

It was partly my fault for claiming at the last days of redemption, but well, i have work and i'll be hailing from makati pa, and time is gold for these people so i was already expecting this. haha but then, i'm still lucky cos i was able to avail 2 movies! 3 if you count the voucher above... in fact, i only realized that i have another voucher just now when i uploaded the picture and noticed a different movie title in it. haha see, i was looking for ways to get extra vouchers with the same name kasi cos their app kinda disallows that kind of thing so i used daddy's account and just changed the names. blah.

then you know, SM's lack of system during the redemption period is so annoying. just look at the line. they should've added more people at the booth (apparently there only 3 people manning during the peak hours), or made the registration computerized and the customer code barcoded. apparently, they spend around 5 minutes for an entire transaction which includes: verifiying if the ID matches the name on the voucher, writing down details ON PAPER including that alphanumeric customer code with 11 characters, having the customer sign their redemption sheet, and selecting and stamping the right tickets before finally calling on to the next person in line.

that paperful transaction could be so error prone that i noticed how easy it is to get tickets without using the app. i just have to copy the freaking voucher (which is abundant in google images now if you'll just search), put my name and invent my own customer code. they couldn't validate it on the spot anyway, right when they just wrote everything down on paper. and by the time they realized they lacked so much in this department, the cinema is already full of standing people (ETA: which thankfully didn't happen).

nevertheless, thank you Lord for this opportunity! back to back movie date with terai tomorrow! yahoooo! >XD

Anchor Maple Butter Christmas Sampling (gift packs, up for grabs!)

Here's a short plug:
Anchor is raffling away Anchor Maple Butter gift packs to lucky winners of their raffle promo! Just tell them which dish you would want to make better with Anchor Maple Butter by answering in the commend feeder on their page!

Head on to their facebook page for more details by clicking on THIS LINK or on the image above. :)

amused + wish list

someone called me earlier, recruiting me to be part of their team as an i-don't-know-yet. she says, compensation is big and i can do it part time. the project has something to do with GENETIC TECHNOLOGY, the parent company is based in the US but the project is philippine outsourced. then you know, the call dropped. network bluff grrr. i'm only interested about the nature of their job though, not exactly the offer. sounds really kewl. like superhero cool. are they brewing something that will contribute to the advancement of genetic studies? she wasn't clear about the company name, so it could be like top secret. is it something evil? like a virus that turns people into zombies when they die (like this series i forgot)? are they orchestrating a biological warfare to end the world on the 21st? and will offer immunity only to those involved in the development of the project? LIKE ME (possibly)! hahaha

oh well, nevermind >:)

ETA: just so you know, i added a wish list at the side bar! >XD for your *ehem* reference LOL

thank you Lord!

i haven't thanked God enough for all the blessings i've received since... i don't know when. haha all i know is that i've been thoroughly blessed, that God never failed to provide me even with my pettiest needs, even though i know i haven't been exactly in touch with him lately. see, i've been slacking off... failing to make time for my devotions because every time i reach home i'm already too physically drained. sometimes i feel distant already, and i feel guilty and ashamed. it's not even an excuse that i was tired, when did exhaustion ever stop Paul from praising God?

but really, one of the best learnings i've just recently, errr, internalized is that we should be thankful for EVERYTHING that we are receiving. whether it be pain or suffering, it's nothing God gives for no reason. everything we encounter adds up to a life learning God wants us to realize each day. which is why it's important to take a break every once in a while, breathe in, relax, pause and assess our lives. what have we been up to lately? have we learned something? lest we learn that message God wants to impart to us, he's never gonna stop giving the same trials. if we think history is repeating itself, then we haven't learned our lessons yet.

and really Lord, i'm on the verge of tears cos i'm overwhelming with thanks. my head (or neck, i'm not really sure), still hurts but grarrr. dsfhaksdhaskhkchkferuyvih. thank you for putting me where i am today. work is tough, and there are plenty of times i wanted to give up but looking back at your promise that you'll never give me anything i can't handle, my hope revives HAHA. and you know me well, i'm someone who (most of the time) doesn't believe in herself but HAHA i'll try. i'll really try. if it's too big to handle, then i'll be big enough for it. grarrr, i'm babbling aren't i. huhu. nakakaiyak kasi huhuhu

i thank you for giving me such awesome, considerate and wonderful teammates, it makes the daily stress bearable. and seriously, i haven't had this much side income... but thank you for making my loading business prosperous, because of it i'm never out of cash. thank you for fuego's fansign <3 <3. also, thank you for my last payslip, because of it i was able to finally buy new gym socks and foot socks for me and terai (pending dream finally slashed off the list!). i also was able to fund an outing for the family. and mommy was super happy about the rice allowance too, that means more rice for lugaw! hahahaha aaaall that while still managing to set aside money for savings, tithes, gym and the phone bill. thank you Lord! my OT finally paid off, like literally... yeheyyy! thank youuu!!!

i still have a loooot of pending stuff to buy but that could wait! and reallyyyyy now, thank you for giving me one of your servants as my boyfriend. he's totally into you, much more than he's into me pa nga eh, and that's perfect! you answered not just my prayers but also my parents'. he's the one responsible for bringing me closer to you and i couldn't cry more. i've never felt this complete.


from my reading of 2 Chronicles 19, i saw the importance of having a spiritual leader to guide us along our life journey. no matter how much we think we can just meditate on our own and find the Lord in our midst, it's different having someone physical to share your spiritual concerns with, like a fellowship. this wasn't exactly emphasized in the reading but Jehoshapat appointing judges to administer the law of the Lord and make sure his people doesn't go spiritually astray is like telling us that leaders are important to constantly remind us of what's right and wrong in the eyes of the Lord.

No secret is safe (LOL)

entry for some contest in the company. didn't win though hehe :D

Legacy (Yearbook 2012 cover)

This book will make me proud. <3

Lenovo P770: soon in the Philippines?

i came to check GSM Arena earlier and found a relatively new addition to the lineup of lenovo mobile phones they have there, guys... check this out: Lenovo P770 

Quick specs:
Sim: Dual-sim (dual stand-by)
Screen: 540 x 960 pixels, 4.5 inches (~245 ppi pixel density)
Expandable memory: microSD up to 32g
Internal memory: 4g, 1g RAM
WLAN: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot
Camera: 5 MP, 2592х1944 pixels, autofocus, LED flash
OS: Android OS, v4.1 (Jelly Bean)
CPU: Dual-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A9
Battery: Standard battery, Li-Ion 3500 mAh

Dear Lord. If this comes out in the Philippines, I'll definitely buy it! It has everything I want for an upgrade: camera with flash, jelly bean, dual core and i do hope it's real though, 3500 mAH battery! that's some kind of a beefy battery. but of course, unless it has a dedicated camera key like my good 'ol P700, it's gonna be a waste (for me at least haha). and also, with my small hands i already concluded i can only handle phones up to 4 inches... but uhm, we'll see we'll see. 4.5 inches might that be too big of a difference hehe >XD and what looks like a plastic finish for the back cover is kinda unappealing. i hope they just retained the grip-friendly rubberized blah blah from the P700. i'm not sure how this is gonna fare with other manufacturers but the effort and technology lenovo is putting into their phones is pretty remarkable seeing that the brand is only starting in the mobile industry. i'm looking forward to see this for real! >:D

goodbye ahab

in this reading, perhaps one special thing to take note of is that God also allows bad things to happen in our lives. keyword here is ALLOW. there are evil spirits every where, all wanting to cause us harm and blah but no such thing will befall us unless God allows it. much like how He allowed a deceiving spirit to fall onto the 400 prophets' tongues and entice king Ahab to go into battle, saying the Lord will deliver Ramoth Gilead into his hands, when the truth it will cost him his life.

here we see how powerful our God is, that even evil spirits have to seek his permission to pester a person. hahaha so technically that means it's okay to blame God for our misfortunes since he allowed them. hahahaha

reading: 2 Chorinicles 18

@churp2ph (ChurpChurpPH) My first cash out! :D

those ads familiar? >:)

see, i'm not lying when i told you guys this thing is legit. i just got my first cash out, so what are you waiting for? join in the fun, use your social networking skills to your edge and earn just by advertising promos on your pages! :)

click on THIS LINK to register and find out more!

hurray for my first cashout!

my online statement of account reflecting my earnings

haha i was only hitting for the minimum cashout amount which is 2,000 cos i thought i won't be doing this anymore as soon as i've met the target. so as soon as i hit it, i immediately cashed out my earnings. after quite a month of waiting... my net earnings was transferred to my account! >:D

mail from google: try adwords

was surprised to find this yesterday when i got home. got a mail from google encouraging me to try adwords, and even promising to turn my 500 worth of expenses to 2500 if blah conditions are met. i really don't know how it works but basically i'm going to pay google an amount in exchange for my website to appear in their top searches for certain keywords. 

well, i don't really do business so i hardly care about traffic. imma stick to adsense and nuffnang instead. :D

but you see, my heart leapt when i saw their envelope lying on my table. the first time i received a mail from google was when they sent me my adsense pin. and i was expecting it cos they told me to. but this one was kinda surprising... i almost thought it's a recruitment letter and an invitiation for interview! hahaha lol

a simple message

i think for the entire book of Chronicles, one particular message God wants to impart to us is this: we shall never withdraw our trust in him, specially in times of difficulties. for in those times when we feel weakest, only God can support us and help bring us back to our feet. <3

reading: 2 Chronicles 17

#amalayer trends on twitter: YOU BE THE JUDGE(mental)

watch THIS VIDEO to see why or simply search "amalayer" or "paula jamie salvosa" at youtube, if you're interested. i don't want to look like i'm gathering more haters for her but i'm pretty sure it can't be helped! after all, nakiki-trending lang din ako. :)

so according to the video, ms. paula was was throwing OA fits at the lady guard at LRT santolan. reason? here's a quote from a statement by the LRTA: "Based on investigation LG Casinas (lady guard Sharon Mae Casinas) requested the female passenger to put her bag at the conveyor of the x-ray machine for scanning but the latter somehow missed the procedure and hurriedly entered the station."

how the lady guard approached her must be the reason why she burst out like that.
anyway, i know this too shall pass and her fate will be just like all the others who entered stardom by unimpressive acts.

hay good luck to this issue! >:D

HUWOW

this is like the best thing that happened today:

in response to THIS BLOG POST which was fed to my twitter account, fuego himself replied and retweeted with this:

i'm so looking forward to it. epic way to cheer me up after getting beaten up with consecutive OTs at work haha. and look, i may have to spend the night AGAIN at the office! what a pleasant way to welcome my birthday! hahaha

Lord, let this be for reaaaal! >XD i may sound desperate but gaaaahh what is a fan to do for a fansign?! hahaha >XD

yeheyy!!! <3 <3 <3

okay, back to work. i have tons to think about. grarrrr <3 <3 <3

Writing that pays: SponsoredReviews.com

wow, i never realized i'd be earning this much for a single article! well it may not be that big for but for a 300 word article, 20 bucks exceeded by expectations. compared to my previous writing project at odesk which pays 30 bucks for 3 articles with 500 words each + 3 rewrites for each of that article with 300 words each... this is definitely a big step up! whew.

this is crazy cool haha now i regret declining the previous writing offers from SR, hay. anyhow this is just in time... why do i have a feeling i'm reaping so much blessings this month because it's my month (if you know what i mean hihi). yeheyy! thank you so much Lord! >XD

for bloggers out there who are willing to post sponsored content on their sites, feel free to check out Sponsored Reviews.

This is how it works;
- first you create an account and register your blog and wait for it to get approved
- there are two ways to get a writing project:

1. BY BIDDING: head on to the "Find Advertisers" page for a list of active projects

if you'd like to take a certain writing assignment, you have to place a bid (by clicking on the BID link) on it and indicate the amount you want to get paid for the article. the advertiser will review your bid and decide whether he'll get you or not.

when i started at SR, i bid on a lot of assignments but none of them got approved... or at least none yet. but considering the length of time i've waited, it's safe to say my bids have already been ignored. haha

2. WHEN AN ADVERTISER PURCHASES A POST ON YOUR BLOG: sometimes you'll get an email like this...

just respond to it, do the assignment, and submit the URL of the finished article to the link provided in the email. after the deadline, they'll process your payment and tada! moolaaahh $$$

that's how i got my first earning at sponsored reviews. yeheyy! >XD

from now on i won't ignore a writing opportunity online (when the price is right haha).

Dear Fuego <3

I'm not sure if you're into this kind of lunacy but for my coming birthday, can you please grant @yanbirog a fansign? it would be an honor and a turbo boost for my withering ego. i've been a big big fan of yours ever since your fateful battle with Batas. i wish i could watch more of you on youtube. you rock! and for the record, my blog post about you is still ranking number 1 in google, just do a vanity search. it's one of the keywords i always check. it's also one of the rankings i'd hate to lose or even rank second for. hahaha

so please please, i'll be celebrating my boring 22nd year this 16th and a gift from you will totally rock this year for me.

thanks!

from your arguably #1 fan,

Yan :D

on full blast with @BeroccaPH

won these items over at a twitter raffle by @BeroccaPH! 

got them yesterday at mediacom office (their media advertiser) at da fort. haha adventure! 

thanks to this, i actually considered taking multivitamins instead of just vitamin c everyday. i took one effervescent tablet this morning and what can i say, i didn't have to take coffee the entire day! and was it just me, or my mind was literally on full blast? i mean, i was actively coding the entire afternoon, even after lunch when i usually feel sleepy hehe

oh well, i wouldn't jump into conclusions with the effects of berocca yet, after all it's the first time i tried it since about a decade ago i guess, and maybe the apparent mental activity could only be brought by the stress i'm feeling right now. i'm meeting a deadline haha.

so far so good. i'd say it's best to take in the morning. for the most part, i was up the entire day.

but right now i feel really sleepy. hahaha

i should go home like now naaaaa. whew. >XD

oryt! gotta go!

thanks again berocca! >:D

Starbucks 2013 Planners OUT!

it's that time of the year again where people flock over to Starbucks to lust over these planners and shell bucks upon bucks of hard earned money for... for what, exactly? 

source: google images

look. look at these gooooorgeous planners, so sleek and elegant and so damn worth your every chug of coffee. YEAH RIGHT. 

source: my friend's photo of his first sticker 

same old, same old. your ticket to coolness, with a complimentary free step up the social ladder. starbucks holiday featured beverages, 9 stickers. starbucks core beverage of your choice, 8 stickers. for a total of the usual 17 precious stickers you'd shell a fraction of your payslip for! hooray!

source: starbucks ph facebook

and of course their christmas beverages, peppermint mocha, toffee nut latte and dark cherry mocha. same old.

what can i say? who's joining in the hype? will you? will I? well, despite all the sarcasm, I MOST PROBABLY WILL succumb, yet again, to this mysterious force calling me to be part of the bandwagon of people wanting to fit in the fad, be one with the crowd, and yeah... upgrade my social ranking. LOL whut.

well personally, i am a fan of starbucks. not of their coffee, but of the brand itself. i don't frequent the shop but i do have a favorite: hot cafe mocha, one of the cheapest drinks you'd earn a sticker for hehe. plus, my mother likes it that i occasionally take home a bag of coffee grounds (which are FREE btw); if they're still good she uses them as a body scrub, otherwise they go straight to the flower pots hehe. anyhow. i love starbucks, the coffee, the products, the store, the people, the brand! and for the comfort and that sosyal aura it gives, who cares about the price. hahaha

i'm not even a planner person but i'll try to get the black one. the first time i successfully earned a planner was last year and i just sold it because yeah, as i mentioned i'm not a planner person, and i didn't like how the pages were laid out. i mean, every planner person would consider how the dates and pages are arranged. and with starbucks previous roll outs, i've proven that their planners are more on the form than function.

and well you know it all boils down to being a luho. everything about starbucks is hardly a necessity, yet for the awesome feeling it gives... money is just money, baby.

PS: i'm quite broke but i'm still game for this. see? see that? that's branding and marketing, folks. at its best. 

Health is wealth, but did i ever really care?

I'm nearing my 6 month as an employee of a relatively stressful company, and in that span of time, I've watched how my health decline exponentially, and it's pretty alarming. This quarter is probably the most sickly I've gotten in my entire lifetime, seriously. I'm medicating almost every week. Fevers and allergy kicks are common to me now every weekend. And even though I'm taking Vitamin C every day, I don't seem to be getting the full blast I need to work my mind and body in sync.

Then I realized, I may not be taking care of my self very well as I ought to. A lifestyle check would confirm that no amount of Vitamin C would cover the amount of abuse my body gets daily...

1. No proper sleep - on OT nights, I get off work at around 10pm and arrive at home at 12mn. Then the next day, because I had to really stretch my timeline, I can't afford to offset a few hours to catch up on sleep. At this rate, I get only around 5 hours of sleep before I jump off my bed and head on to another 2-hour journey to makati.

2. Wrong food intake - you're in the office sitting for the most part, then you get hungry. what are you to eat? you're in a district where the most accessible types of food is junk you see at the corner. of course you eat that, junk food tastes as good... as good as much as it kills.

3. Stress - beating a deadline could only feel good when you have things planned out perfectly. but here i am, cramming my way through everything, feeling the stress pump up as the seconds go by. every time i feel stressed i feel sick and depressed and like crap.

Well I can probably adjust my lifestyle, after all it's what brought me to this state of unhealthy living. I'm not saying i'll quit my job or something, I'll just probably work on avoiding junk foods, try to get enough sleep, plan things properly and take multivitamins.

Oh and you know what, I've only considered taking multivitamins now, as I've found out that it's one of the cheapest and easiest ways to ensure that I'm properly nourished with the essential vitamins and nutrients my body needs. From an article, I learned that it combats daily stress, provides needed energy, prevents vitamin deficiency, provides mental clarity, and prevents cardiovascular diseases and cancer... that among others. I'm scouting on a few brands, looking closely on the completeness of the vitamin components and also the price.

While looking around I came across SmartyPants Vitamins, a rather odd sounding brand for a multivit. But what's interesting about it, aside from the addition of omega3 fish oil and vitamin D in its pack of multivitamins, is that it's in GUMMY CANDY FORM. It may sound like a thing for children but no, there are also gummy adult vitamins from SmartyPants that we'll come to enjoy as much as the kid's version.

Anyway, enough off the odd finds. So there, I'll probably take multivits from now on, and see where it takes me with my work problems. :)

I'll keep you posted. :)

the Lord will give me rest

ang galing! God answered my prayers! REST! i will be sleeping for 8 hours today, oh joyyyy! >X3

taking King Asa's reign at Judah as an example, he purged his kingdom with everything pagan and offensive to the Lord. he destroyed foreign worship objects and commanded his people to seek God. and look what God did, he was victorious in battle and gave him rest on every side.

19: There was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa's reign.

everybody wants peace. and only God can give that!

yeyy! uwi na koooooo >XD

reading: 2 Chronicles 14 -15

nothing just happens

i slept really late last night because of the yearbook.

my day started with a headache.

i arrived late for work.

and now, a very stressful job faces me like a monster, dark eyes gleaming, saying "you can't do this! you won't finish on time! you don't have what it takes for this task!"

my heart just died. my resolve just left me. i wanted to go home and bury my head in my stuffed toys and eat cadburry for lunch. i wanted to resign! 

then i opened my email and was happy to see that my daily dose of paulo coelho and bo sanchez is waiting for my weak mind to extract courage from.

paulo's message link was blocked, so i just read bo's.

his message is so timely that i just want to cry and seek him and ask him to be my ninong for life! haha

from now on, every time i'm facing difficulties, i'd do my best to think that NOTHING JUST HAPPENS. God is doing something extraordinary behind the curtains, and he's working for my favor. while i'm out the stage making a mess of myself, the Lord is fixing the background, such that when the next scene unfolds, everything falls right in to place. 

quite honestly, i'm still unsure if i can pull this task off. 

i may not have enough self-confidence to deliver this monster of a task, but i have all my faith in God! 

please take time to read this message. whatever situation you are in right now, i'm sure you'll be blessed!

http://bosanchez.ph/nothing-just-happens/

hey this is kindof flattering

solenn retweeted my ad of one of her events! this kinds of works for me, this means more people are gonna see my ad on her page. and the more people open that link... well you know what that means! haha i'm grateful and flattered at the same time! mababaw lang naman to no but that's a celebrity! HAHAHA thank you solenn! LOL

so in case you're interested, here's a short plug:

Sollen Heussaff is looking for a stylist for the White's Hot Fashion Face-off. Submission of entries ends today though. for more details, peek into THIS PAGE

thanks!

talking to your enemies

figures to ponder:

Abijah's army - 400,00 able men

Jeroboam's army - 800,000 able men

and who won? Abijah's troops won, slaying 500,000 men from Jeroboam's army. The power of the Lord, oyeah. that's 400 vs 800. who would've thought they could kill 100,000 more than their number. grabe. actually, di ko talaga maimagine yang ganyang kadaming tao eh. hundred thousand? and to think Abijah even made a speech blah to his enemies... may nakarinig kaya sa kanya? >XS

point is, if our God is for us, who could ever stop us? my favorite line from one of my favorite worship songs.  totoo naman. God will deliver your enemies before you. You just have to call on his name. <3

my head is starting to hurt again. i think i should sleep.

hell werk ahead (that's a pun for hell week! in case you didn't notice lol). 3 days remaining on a project that i'm still miles away from accomplishing. nakakaiyak na. i wasn't able to work on it during this weekend cos i also have to make time for the yearbook. gaaahh the yearbook. you better come out good! >XD

reading: 2 Chronicles 13

argh

this week was every bit stressful. usually when i'm stressed, i lose my appetite but lately... i've been eating like hell and have gained 5 kilos already since the day i started working at smart. hay. not good. and because i was feeling depressed the entire week, i stuffed myself with cadbury EVERY DAY for 3 days (the limit of my wallet, apparently). i dunno if it's placebo or what but it did make me feel better.

also, since thursday i've been working overtime until 10pm... and for sure it'll extend until next week. i feel so dumb and useless. i frakking don't know what to frakking do with my job.

then there's the yearbook. my job is pretty much just to layout and oversee stuff but i didn't expect i still had to do a lot of post editing. this is what my groupmates hate about me during college. i edit edited stuff because i still see errors. i don't want to sound obnoxious but crap i can't tolerate that. >:|

and theeen i have a huge backlog for my devotion. i read 3 chapters last night but fell asleep immediately afterwards so i wasn't able to take notes. so now, i'm taking them down...

oh Lord please forgive me for always putting our relationship on compromise. sorry. >:''(

i was wondering why chapter 9 sounded super familiar... then jec told me it was already written somewhere in kings. haha. so parang matthew mark luke john din pala ang peg nitong kings and chronicles haha. anyhow, here's the message: you must always listen to your elders. not simply your elders, but people who are wiser and more mature. even if you're above them, you must seek their advice on important matters like ruling a kingdom LOL.

during my crazy leadership stints at college, even though i'm tempted to be one with the students with their militant thinking and anti-government predisposition, i can't just bend in to their complaints and be one of them. i was put in a position where i can communicate directly to the administration (our so called elders) and propose change... diplomatically! so i can't waste that stance. blah. nawala ako bigla.

i think what i want to say has already been said. HAHA

ansakit sakit na ng ulo ko. hayy

reading: 2 Chronicles 9-12

epic movie suggestion

king david's reign could well be an epic movie. see, he fought so many wars and was victorious. he led thousands of men to battle and with God's favor became undefeated! it sounds pretty cool to imagine it as a movie yaknow, ala 300. or Troy. or something else. HAHA astig kaya. pogi pa siguro si David hahahaha. and of course, included in his movie would be segments of his girlies. e madami ata yon. LOL

 i wouldn't say reading the Bible is fun. i admit there were a couple of uninteresting parts... like those chapters  containing nothing but an account of people whose names will probably never go down in history inspite of it being written in the world's best seller (duh Bible! *pun intended*)... literally cos they're so hard to read and pronounce. hayy so sorry Lord.

but of course! there were engaging stuff too like when david names the "three great warriors" ala three musketeers, and divides his people according to function. there's "the gatekeepers", "the musicians", "the priests", "the treasurers", "the army divisions", "the overseers", "the tribe leaders", etc!!! in my mind, an entire kingdom slowly unfolds as i read each and every function of the people under his authority.

then there's the temple built by solomon. the center of the kingdom! a place dedicated to God where his eyes and heart shall dwell for as long the people does not forsake him. freaking awesome temple, i can't quite imagine it really. all the precious metals and stones, molded and carved under strict specifications. purrrfect! i wonder how it looked like during their time! >8D

but still, i feel blessed that in this age, we don't need to slay goats and sheep as burnt offerings for God to hear our prayers. Jesus has broken that barrier already when he died on the cross for our sins. ang saya diba? parang mas naging approachable si God dahil kay Jesus. ang laking bagay non diba?
para kang nilakad ng kuya ng nililigawan mong chicks! okaya naman
naging backer mo yung anak ng may-ari ng kumpanyang gusto mong pasukan! jackpot diba? hehe

reading: 2 Chronicles 7-8

solomon's prayer of dedication

grabe. i was sleepy the whole day i don't understand why. i think i got around 7 hours of sleep naman but i still can't figure out why i was so drowsy the entire day. maybe it has something to do with the meds mom asked me to take for my persistent colds. hay. anyhow.

today's reading was pretty inspiring and guilt tripping. specially chapter 6 hehe. all i could say is, solomon's prayer is a prayer of a true leader. and i feel deeply ashamed as i read it. never in the course of my being president did i pray for God to actually guide my fellow students, my (as some would call it) "people". well, i do pray for them but for the most part i think i was complaining why i had to handle those kind of people. of all people. whenever i feel stressed about my acads and extra curriculars getting mixed up in my timeline, i always asked for guidance, wisdom, patience and supernatural powers too ... but i never considered that perhaps i should also pray for the students who are under my so-called "authority", to be uhm smart enough (to know when and where to behave)?. what kind of leader am i. >:'( LOL this is heartbreaking. all along i was being selfish! grabe nga naman no, how could i pray just for myself, right when i'm not the only one in the organization who needs the same amount of guidance? ang selfish ko pala LOL. huhu 

okay, thank you solomon. i shall sleep nao. good night

reading: 2 Chronicles 5-6

here we go again. and again.

everyday is just so freaking frustrating. it feels like UPLB is happening all over again. the whole 'i don't belong here' crap is taking its toll on me. well at least i can explain why LB didn't work out, i wasn't meant for it in the first place. i just squeezed myself into it, in the process losing myself and my supposed purpose for entering the university. it was my efforts and pathetic-ness that brought me in, not really my UPG and my imaginary iska aura. haha but Smart? i don't even want to think it's THAT big, but in my sense it's almost UP-big. you know, the regard i have with UP, i feel with Smart. and now it's eating me whole. JUST LIKE 6 YEARS AGO. and if history really does repeat itself, them i'm gonna be out in 3 years and BE HAPPIER WITH MY NEXT CHOICE. 

is that how it must really work out? for one, i didn't beg my way into Smart. i got in by their usual regular process. no re-considerations, just in. isn't that something to be proud of? i think so, but NO. it's still a mystery how i passed their technical test. it's not that i'm being pa-humble or maybe underestimating myself, but who in their right minds would let my exam slip by? if you only knew. i'm not trying to question their application process but i really really feel like i never really passed the test. unless they have a 90-10 grading criteria for interview and exam respectively then maybe uhm. crap. haha. haha.

this is downright annoying right? me complaining about a job that i probably really deserved but thinks otherwise? 

i feel misplaced, AGAIN. 

there are times when i'm searching google for java tutorials and end up searching for cheap MMA schools instead. oyeah. 

hungry post

easy come easy go! i kinda overestimated the overtime pay i was so looking forward to this (pay)day. haha i thought it was gonna be big enough to cover part of my pamasahe allowance or even enough to slash off a few items on my to-buy list, but guess what happened? TAX!

work work work. i'm not really the workaholic type but i'm kinda being stressed out already because of the gravity of the task at hand. it's probably my fault for not studying diligently the past few weeks. i'm not sure. i already told you, self-studying is not my style, nor is disturbing equally busy people with my uhm, lack of programming fundamentals. LOL. if i could just, you know, understand the very foundation of this all then maybe i'd be in lesser crap? who knows?

nanaginip ako! at naalala ko!!

one of the rare ocassions that i actually remember my dreams when i woke up! these are just fragments though...

// i was in some sort of exhibit and there were 2 cockroaches at sight. i was with a friend but i can't remember who basta when the cockroaches were ready to attack, i screamed his name for help and i grabbed one of the styro baords for defense and just continuously smacked it aimlessly on the air. i remember smacking a cockroach face down. i felt triumphant LOL but then, the other cockroach sortof took revenge and flew straight to me! eeew, my styro shield was no help as i fell to the ground and screamed AAAAAHH. then i woke up... screaming parin. nakakaloka.

// in this certain fragment, may special guest tayo... Angelica Panganiban! hahaha i dunno where i was but in that particular scene, angelica was wearing an ostentatious red dress, bright red lipstick and an equally kitschy fascinator! she looks like she came straight out from her taping of Here Come's the Bride hahaha. in that scene, the driver dropped her off in the middle of the street and she was grumbling about it. the sky was gloomy and a tornado was brewing and i was behind the bushes ata, watching the clouds. then suddenly, the clouds turned into a shape of a dragon which slithered down the pasture, destroying the crops and blahhh... it was freaking scaryyy so i ran for my life. tapos while running down the hill i saw a dog also running for his life, then it tripped and i heard it crying so i caught it up in my arms and pacified the poor thing. and kyot kyot kyot nung aso parang maliit ng golden retriever slash cocker spaniel tas naglalaway na sa takot. ganun. ang kyot. ang scary. then gising na ko.

// third dream! i was in a room with my crush from work HAHAHA. inaasar ko lang sya na ang gwapo gwapo nya. tas sya naman nagdedeny lang, nagtatago pa sa unan. yun lang. anlandi haha.

pangarap ka na lang ba?

dear Lord, please give me an art scholarship and i'll quit. LOL. srsly srsly srsly. iba yung excitement pag nakakakita ako ng magagandang artworks. iba yung inggit pag nakikita ko ung mga kaibigan ko na masayang nagaaral ng visual/multimedia arts tapos ako hindi masaya sa ginagawa ko. pag nagddrowing naman ako, kahit alam kong hindi ako ang pinaka-magaling okay lang eh masaya parin ako. per pag nagpprogram ako, dahil alam kong hindi ako magaling, nakakawalang gana na, nakakawala ng morale. Lord. huhu. nakaka-frustrate. nakakabaliw ung ganto diba. hayy. nakaka-emo! huhuhu

50 shades of what?

i was curious about this whole grey thing so i decided to download the trilogy as ebook. oha. that's probably my last confident download because of that bullshiz of a cybercrime law. then again, with a self-serving law like that which only protects its proponents, i believe they wouldn't care about small bloggers like me. HAHA and come on, i don't even think our country has enough technology to actually chase criminals online.

back to grey. note that i'm not finished the book yet hahaha. hmm, the first few chapters actually bored me. maybe it's because i've read tons of romance novels involving ultra rich and obnoxious hunks paired with young insecure and dead smitten girls. i didn't like how the 'love' story started... parang love at first sight lang sya ewww. it's like mr. grey instantly liked ms. steel without any clue on what's so special with her. puro given lang! the development of their feelings lack detail and progress. i didn't even like ms. steel's character, it's full of vanity and boredom and she's totally not lead girl material. as far as i have read, the only thing that probably carried this book off the shelves is the, as they put it, porn. WHICH i might say, is freaking overrated!!! seriously, i've read better lemon fanfics. come on. i'm disappointed, this book doesn't deserve the attention it's getting. or maybe it's too early to judge? k.

DSWD twitter account gets hacked by Anonymous

oh well, hackers gonna hack.
click to zoom >:)

how long has it been

i've been sick for the most part of this week, which caused me to be away from work for 2.5 days hayy sweldo. not a good sign for a probi struggling to make progress with her tasks on hand. haaay java. when will i ever understand you. such a bogart. thank God i'm feeling much much much better now, ready for tomorrow i guess? whew, but can you believe it... the dread is back. i'm feeling deadly jitters all over again since this afternoon... i have sooo much to make habol with i don't even know where to start... there's work, then there's yearbook, then there's the dark matter... you know, the unaccounted mass responsible for making me feel this worried. Loord!!! kinakabahan akooo! and i think it's because i'm afraid of work! i'm afraid of not being able to deliver, to LEARN stuff they expect me to. my head isn't even at the verge of explosion due to information overload... more like it's at the verge of shrinking for not being able to absorb ANYTHING. gawd why. my head is full of air. this is so frustrating because time is running out fast and i've still got loads to learn. learn. learn. why is it so hard to study. >XS

jitters still intact. i cry nao. >:'S

Puerto del Sol Beach Resort & Hotel RAFFLE SCAM

If you're curious you can read on, but basically the title has everything you need to know. :)

last sunday when my boyfriend and i came to Manila Ocean Park we were asked by one of the exhibitors there to fill out a raffle entry for free. the prize? free hotel and beach resort accommodation for 3days and 2nights! Since it was free and all i had to do was fill out a small form, i did it hehe

then yesterday, i was surprised to receive this text message from an unknown number:

• Sender: +639198504651 
• Msg: GOOD DAY! This is from the office PUERTO DEL SOL BEACH RESORT & HOTEL. Pls. Call today, ASAP at (02) 6362883/6361860& look for MS. APRIL NACIS. This is w/ regards to your participation at (MANILA OCEAN PARK) Your name has been selected as one of our recipient entitle to have gift certificate of 3days & 2nights free hotel and beach resort accommodation. Not only in our very owned resort PUERTO DEL SOL but you can also choose among other 6 destination either BOHOL, BORACAY, CAMSUR, CEBU, DAVAO, PALAWAN. The choice is yours & valid for 1year upon claiming, if interested to redeem, CALL us NOW ASAP.3796612 

 I was excited at first, who wouldn't be? 3days and 2nights free accommodation at awesome places in the country? i admit i was hell excited! but looking back at my scam pointers:

how to know if the service being offered is scam?

1. if it's too good to be true, it is 
2. if you had to ask if it's scam, it is. 

so before i bite the bait, i did my research and confirmed that it really is scam! based from other bloggers' experiences i gathered that... once you come to their office to claim your prize, they're gonna interrogate you and blah about your job, your salary range, your age blah blah blah and offer you a timeshare (you becoming some sort of a stockholder of their company), only then will they give you the prize in full. but if you decline, they're going to ask for a Php 5,000.00 deposit (which will be refunded after your visit) for the gift certificate they'll give you which is consumable within 30-days ONLY. sucks right? 

so there, you have been warned.

shortly after my research, someone from the bogus company called and informed me about my luck! she explained everything about the prize and started asking a few questions too, also inviting me to their office... i just nodded on the phone like "uhuh, uhuh, yup, yup, uhuh.." then i cut her in and said, "excuse me, i did quite a bit of research and found out you're scamming me. sorry but i can't push through with your offer." and she said, "aaah okay." and the call ended. not even a slightest bit of defense. she like totally acknowledged my findings that she's a scammer and just put the phone down. i pity these people. nakakainis lang. why would people want to work for a company that deceives people? where's the dignity there. hay buhay.

if you guys really want that 3days 2nights vacation, just pipe in at www.metrodeal.com hahaha so many cheap vacays! my boyfriend and i got our discounted Manila Ocean Park tickets there >:D