Miss Chic Queen

As you may all know, I am a die hard UST fan (well, since I graduated from the said school). I am a Thomasian who’s really passionate and has a high school spirit.

And as you may all know, too, that the UST Tigresses (UST Women’s Volleyball Team) got into the finals of the Shakey’s V-League 2012. They’re up against the Ateneo Lady Eagles. The Tigresses got the 1st game in four sets. Yesterday could have been “the day” if only the girls got the win and took home the crown. But Ateneo had other plans in mind and finished off Game 2 in four sets.

What should the Lady Tigers do to win Game 3?

In Game 2, they committed a lot of errors, and the blocking and floor defense weren’t there. Also, the Lady Eagles had a run when the Tigresses were out of focus (i.e the 7-0 run of Ateneo in the 2nd set, and the big run of the ladies in Blue in the 3rd set—both runs via the serves of Valdez). I remember Ms. Mozzy Ravena said yesterday that the Tigresses kept on putting Valdez’ service on their minds, that’s why whoever from UST received those serves committed errors. I also took notice of Ateneo using Balse’s weakness (of her not being 100%). Whenever the Lady Eagles attacked, they used the hands of Balse, knowing that she couldn’t jump too high because of that knee injury she had before the championship. Also the Lady Eagles kept on attacking down the line or kept on targeting the back when Balse’s there, again knowing that she couldn’t move as fast as she used to be. So for the ladies of Espanya to win, they should:

1) Minimize their errors

2) Do well in the service line

3) Mix their attacks so they won’t be predictable, to confuse the blockers of Ateneo

4) Receive well (It all starts there. To have a good attack, a good reception is needed first.)

5) Improve their blockings and floor defense

6) I admire Balse coz she’s doing everything she could despite her not being a hundred percent, but the rest of the team should assist her so she won’t feel the pain coming from that injury much.

7) Don’t lose their FOCUS

8) And most importantly, HAVE FAITH

What I love with the Lady Tigers, they never give up! (i.e the 4th set of Game 2, 28-26 score) That’s why I have been a fan of the UST Tigresses since I was in high school. They give us entertainment no other team can.  They’re exciting and lovable to watch. I know Dusaran (the team’s libero) will bounce back from her not so A-game performance in Game 2. And I know all of them will be as fierce as a Tigress should be and they will fight real hard on Sunday.

As what Winston Churchill said “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” You may have failed to get Game 2, but as long you put your heart on Game 3, no one can stop you.

And to keep the ladies motivated, Henry Ford also said “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” I know the ladies will give their very best on Sunday.

On Sunday, there would be a sea of yellow for sure. And I also want to be there to watch the game. Go Tigresses! I know you can do it. Bring the crown back to where it truly belongs.

And for my final thought, Oprah Winfrey said “Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another steppingstone to greatness.” You are all queens Tigresses, not only on court, but you are queens in our hearts as well. God bless and fight, fight, fight!

So as promised, here’s my second blog post on Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2012. And now, it’s about the show by Chris Jasler, Melchor Guinto, Philipp Tampus, and Veejay Floresca.

So first up, Chris Jasler—and his metallic studs and jeans!

In this part, boyfriend enjoyed watching coz he could finally relate. He’s amazed with those jeans! Oh I tell you. After seeing those models walked the runway wearing different versions & styles of jeans with metallic studs, you’d say “I want to wear one!”

And those male models were like HOT, too. Haha! Anyway, Chris Jasler’s creation gave a new twist to that same old jeans. And to tell you frankly, he did a really good job!

Very edgy, rockish, yet sexy!

Did I mention about metallic studs and chains? Yeah, that’s like that.

And those guy models were wearing heeled or heel-less shoes. Boyfriend and I were like “WOAH!” That’s fierce fashion!

And the man behind these? Chris Jasler—the picture on top. You really did a great job. Kudos!

So the next? Melchor Guinto.

Melchor Gunto’s works were not that “playful” or not that experimental, but what made them stood out was every work of his was refreshing to the eyes and looked comfortable to wear. He did not use metallic studs, chains, or whatever patterns. He just used basic colors, mixed and matched them up, and came up with such an admirable creation. And uh, may I add, his works can be worn every day, on a normal day. Isn’t it lovely to be fasyon on a normal day?

That guy on the middle (the picture on top, yeah) is Mr. Melchor Guinto. *clap clap*

Next would be Philipp Tampus and his bright, flowy gowns.

He started first with mini dresses.

Then followed by his long, flowy gowns. I love his gowns! Gosh, I wanna wear one of those!

Of all those gowns, this one on top was the one that I really liked! I’m hoping to wear it someday. Hi, Philipp Tampus! :)

Last but not the least is my favorite, Veejay Floresca.

What we liked with Veejay Floresca’s works? It’s traditional and modern at the same time.

I would die just to wear this white gown (picture on top). Please, Veejay Floresca!

I promised myself that it’s Veejay Floresca who’s going to design my wedding gown in the future. So Veejay Floresca, ready yourself okay?

I enjoyed the whole show and I can’t wait to go to the next Philippine Fashion Week event.

May 29, 2012. A historic day for our country.

If you’re watching the television, or listening to the radio since two o’clock this afternoon, you now know that the Chief Justice of the Republic of the Philippines is convicted. The first public official to be convicted by the impeachment court. The first in history of the Philippines.

20 out of the 23 Senator-Judges voted for the conviction of the Chief Justice on the 2nd Article of Impeachment which was Culpable Violation of the Constitution.

Out of those 20 who voted, most of them just repeatedly praised themselves, or spoke like bitter potatoes, or did not even explain the legal points on how did they come up with such decision.

Those who voted in favor of conviction were Sen. Angara, Sen. Allan Cayetano, Sen. Pia Cayetano, Sen. Drilon, Sen. Escudero, Sen. Estrada, Sen. Guingona, Sen. Honasan, Sen. Lacson, Sen. Lapid, Sen. Legarda, Sen. Osmena, Sen. Pangilinan, Sen. Pimintel, Sen. Recto, Sen. Revilla, Sen. Sotto, Sen. Trillanes, Sen. Villar, and Senate President Enrile.

Those who voted for acquittal were Sen. Joker Arroyo, Sen. Defensor-Santiago, and Sen. Marcos.

It’s in the rule that the defendant needs to have 5 “not guilty” votes to be acquitted, and 16 “guilty” votes to convict him. The rules of procedure on impeachment trial is better explained in an article by GMA News (See: The Corona Impeachment Verdict: How it’s all going down). It is said in the article that written in Senate Resolution No. 39, “To convict Corona, two-thirds of the members of the Senate must vote him to be guilty of a single impeachable offense. That is, the votes of 16 out of 23 senator-judges are needed to convict. A guilty verdict on any one of the articles results in a conviction. Anything less than 16 votes in all three articles of impeachment, and Corona must be acquitted.”

If you’d been watching this trial, you know that the Prosecution submitted eight (8) articles of impeachment to the impeachment court, but dropped five (5) articles in the middle of the trial saying the retained three (3) articles were sufficient or enough to convict Mr. Corona.

For facts sake, I will enumerate the articles that the prosecution team dropped, and those that they retained.

The Prosecution team dropped five articles. These articles are:

• Article I (partiality to Mrs. Arroyo in SC decisions)
• Article IV (irregularities in the issuance of the status quo ante order on the impeachment proceedings of former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez)
• Article V (gerrymandering in the creation of 16 new cities and the declaration of Dinagat Island as a province)
• Article VI (allegedly improper investigation of Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo’s plagiarism case)
• and Article VIII (failure and refusal to account for the Judiciary Development Fund and Special Allowance for the Judiciary)

And they (Prosecution team) retained only these three articles after lead prosecutor Rep. Neil Tupas explained that these articles were sufficient to have a strong case:

• Article II (non-disclosure of properties in Corona’s statements of assets, liabilities and net worth or SALN)
• Article III (lack of probity, integrity and independence)
• and Article VI (irregularities in the issuance of a temporary restraining order for former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last November).

If you witnessed awhile ago, the Senator-Judges only voted for one article, which was Article II. Many are asking, how about the other two articles (the Article III and Article VI)?

Sen. Sotto once explained in a press conference before the verdict day that once the Senator-Judges decided for Mr. Corona’s conviction in Article II, there would be no more voting for Articles III and VI.

So anyway, the impeachment trial has been like an afternoon drama of sorts for five months, and in those five months, I learned a lot—not only about legal points, or legal facts, but most importantly how our politicians and us, ordinary Filipinos, see and eventually learn from this issue.

So after this, how would we respond? How would we try to learn from everything that happened?

I saw on Facebook yesterday (right after the trial ended) this quote by Alvin Toffler (which I think applies to us Filipinos after what happened): “The illiterate of the 21st century are not those who can’t read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”

After those five months, and with this epic conclusion today, what’s next? Will the Philippines move forward? Will it finally stop corruption? Or this is just a big mistake?

All I can say is as long as there are corrupt officials in the government, Philippines will never move forward. We will still face the horror of corruption, of unemployment, of poverty. And as long us Filipinos won’t do something to change what needs to be changed, history will just repeat itself.

I am no pro-Corona. I consider this trial a step leading to the right path. But after hearing the statements of some politicos on how they decided the case, oh Filipinos, how will we ever learn?

It only boils down to one thing. Election is one right that a citizen should not take for granted and should take seriously. This might be a cliche, but we should vote wisely. Vote not just for the heck of it but vote for the future of this country. 2013 is near. Hoping Filipinos will decide based on serious thinking and be not blind of what’s really happening.

So the next BIG question: “Where do we go from here, dear Philippines?” Hoping our way’s up, and not down.

I still believe in this government, in this country, and its people. Let’s not waste every opportunity to make our country better. If we want change, the change must come first within ourselves, and everything will follow. Let us be better Filipinos, and eventually it will make our country better.

I am sick of this corrupt, power-greedy kind of politicos and government we have now. I know you are, too. I am not bringing this country down, or bringing the ego of our President down. I am in support of him (the President, I mean) as long as what he’s attending to are the real and pressing issues of this country. If we want change, we need to start it NOW.

I am a proud Filipino, and forever will be. I just want a better Philippines for my future sons, daughters, and even grandchildren.

And thus ends the drama called impeachment trial. At the end of the day, it’s still history who’s going to be the judge. And with that, may God bless my beloved Philippines.

~Kathleen

Hi, readers! As you may all know (if you have been browsing this blog of mine) that I got two invites for two fashion shows of the much-talked Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2012. Both shows were on May 26 (which was last Saturday) and held at SMX Convention Center. The Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2012 opened on May 22 and got a successful closing on May 27.

(Top) View outside SMX Convention Center; (Below) The famous Ferris wheel in MOA By the Bay

So this was my first experience to watch a fashion show. Well, I had been wanting to go ever since but since I was a busy student before, I didn’t get to have time. So this time, I was given the opportunity to watch (Insert “kapal fezz” here) after I e-mailed two designers to give me e-invites to their shows. (Thank you Tina Daniac and Veejay Floresca.)

(Top) Credits to my boyfriend (who also watched PFW with me) for this photo

So because this is one of my hey-it’s-my-first-time-i-feel-like-i-am-totally-human-after-this experience, I’ll be blogging each show that I watched separately. Ready? So here we go. The Luxewear Collection show first. The designers: Anthony Ramirez, Roel Rosal, Julius Tarog, Aztec Barba, Dax Bayani, Joyce Pilarsky, Lyle Ibanez,Mark Tamayo, Melvin Lachica, Nolie Vineza, Pablo Cabahug, Popoy Barba, Richard Papa, Vania Romoff, and Tina Daniac.

It was my first time to attend a fashion show so I won’t be very critical with my observation of their designs. So bear with me, please.

The pictures below are random shots of my favorite designs presented during the Luxewear Collection show:

The designer that made a mark, for me, was Vania Romoff. Her collection was what I really liked. Well, she went last and she did not disappoint. Her collection reminded me of Paris. Her designs each had a Parisian touch—sweet and sophisticated, and uh, a classic. Other designers also have their own theme. What made me say “Yay” was when one designer (not sure which designer it was) used a local fabric for his/her designs. You know, it’s a way of promoting our local fabric since there are foreign fashionistas who also attended the show.

I really enjoyed the show. Our designers really have the talent that can be showcased worldwide. Way to go, Philippine fashion!

It has been the talk of the town (and even the world) the finale of the most-watched singing competition in the US, the American Idol. And just like many others, I kinda expected that it’s Phillip Phillips who’s going to win. Don’t get me wrong. If you are a constant follower or reader of my blog, you know that I am a Jessica Sanchez fan. But if I am her fan, why did I say that it’s Phillip Phillips who I expected to win?

It’s because American Idol has been kinda predictable for the last five or six years. Well, I am not an all-out American Idol fan. I just watched American Idol for the first time in 2004 when a Pinay made it to the top three (Hello, Jasmine Trias.) Then the next time I got to watch Idol was in 2008, during its 7th season. Since then, I had been watching it every year (except for American Idol Season 9) coz uh, I got hooked.

So anyway before I get off my point, what do I mean when I said American Idol has been kinda predictable for the past years?

WGWG TREND

For the past five years, American Idol was reigned by cuties—cuties with guitars, to be specific. Well I was not really aware of this WGWG thingy since yesterday when I finally consulted Google after being bombarded by the word “WGWG” in my timeline and news feed. So WGWG means “White Guy With Guitar.”And this perfectly suits fit what has been happening to Idol from years 2008 up to now, 2012. I kept on asking myself, why did guys like them win over ladies with “birit” capabilities, or men with stronger and much powerful voices? Well to tell you, for the past 4 years that I had been actively watching Idol, only 1 out of my 4 bets won the Idol title.

ROLL CALL:

SEASON 7: David Archuleta —but was swept by David Cook

SEASON 8: Adam Lambert —this one I still can’t get over with, Kris Allen won the title

SEASON 9: Didn’t watch it, was so busy with school at that time

SEASON 10: Scotty McCreery —Yeah, WGWG. But he’s the only WGWG that I really like because of his deep, bass voice. And he didn’t rely on using the guitar for the whole season, most of the times he used his voice. (Insert: “She Believes In Me” cover of Scotty McCreery) Basta, I know i’m being defensive of him. Haha! Please let me be, he’s the only AI bet that I had who won.

SEASON 11: Jessica Sanchez —and yeah, was overtaken by Mr. Phillip Phillips

So what’s with these guys? ONE ANSWER: APPEAL. But hey, I’m not saying they didn’t deserve the title, they did. They have that unique style and unique voice that made people like them; it’s just that (in most seasons) someone deserved it better. (Hello, Adam Lambert and Jessica Sanchez)

But please don’t hate me, okay? I don’t hate them (the WGWG winners, I mean). I am definitely happy with the successes they gained out of Idol. But I still do love Adam Lambert and Jessica Sanchez. *smiles*

HER LAST AND WINNING SONG

Can anyone please do the commenting on Jessica’s winning song for me? *shrugs* Okay, to keep it short, Phillip had a better winning song than Jessica. And, what happened? Winning songs of the past seasons are better-er compared to the uh, winning songs of Seasons 10 and 11.(Insert My Favorite Winning Songs Here: “I Believe” of Season 3 and “No Boundaries” of Season 8)

THE DUET THAT SHOOK THE WHOLE NOKIA THEATER

Was I the only one or that duet really was the “performance of the night”?

That duet by Jessica Sanchez and Jennifer Holiday gave me chills! It surely brought the house down. That proved how damn good Jessica is. I know, I know, you may say I just praise her because she’s a Filipina like me. But to tell you the truth, NO. There are other Filipinas who made it to American Idol Top 12 like Ramiele Malubay and Thia Megia, but I never supported them the way I supported Jessica. Out of all those four Filipinas who made it to Top 12, Jessica by far, for me, was the one who stood out. So suffice it to say, I supported her not just because she’s a Pinay like me, but because her talent is undeniably out-of-this-world. So amen to that.

P and J

Anyway, with Jessica and Phillip, aren’t they cute? I mean, they look good together! Hmmm.

Look at how Jessica hugged Phillip, and look at that smile of Phillip. Priceless photo. To the photographer, way to go!

This is so cute! *kilig*

This one’s cute, too! Ayiiieeeee.

Haha! Candid but too cute.

So what I do want to point out? Hmmm wala lang. They just look good together. *smiles* Do you agree? Yes or no? *smiles*

WAY TO GO, BEBE CHEZ!

I know I am not the only one who believes that there’s more way to go for our Idol, Jessica Sanchez. With that voice and talent, I know recording companies are trying to win her over and are persuading her to sign up with them. And with her young age, I know in the coming years, she will improve more and more, and will have a lot of number one records and songs.

She’s one of those who when singing, brings me to the other world—the world of Jessica. I choose one contestant every year not just because of his or her talent and voice, but more of the connection I feel with him or her. And that is what I felt with Jessica—the MAGICAL CONNECTION, the RAINBOW CONNECTION.

So with that, good luck Bebe Chez and I wish you more success.

P.S.: And also to you Phillip Phillips, good luck and wish you more success.

I am really inspired by this new blog post of Miss Karla Aguas. We both see God as our best friend. God is my best friend, my brother, my protector.

Thank you, Karla Aguas for this inspiring blog post. :)

Much Love,

Kath

karlskaleidoscope:

I haven’t blogged or written here in the longest time- like I said in the previous entry (where I asked for suggestions) I guess I just didn’t have drive or the kick to write anything I felt was worth writing about.

Until now, of course.

First let me start of by saying thank you to everyone who gave me suggestions. From your answers here on Tumblr, to your emails, tweets and messages, I really appreciate that you all took time from your lives to help me sort of get over this “writer’s block” stage I was in. I hope that by the time you finish reading this entry, you’ll be satisfied with what I’ve come up with. As you can see from the title alone, this entry is going to be about a Friend. But not just any kind of Friend, a bestFriend. The BEST kind of Friend.

Do you see what I did there?

If you did then yes, this entry is about the one and only true and best Friend I have had the pleasure of meeting in my life, the only friend I know who will stay with me through it all and love me for me…

God.

Okay. If this is too cheesy for you, if you do not share the same sentiments as me, if you think this is cliche and totally “fake” of me to be writing about, then please, feel free to stop reading. Close this window and go back to your Twitter, Facebook or whatever it is you were doing. But for those who share the same feelings as me, or want to, then please, read on. :)

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And this is it, after a year of testing my capabilities and determination, I am now officially a part of the NHK family! Yey! :)

Maam Charmaine (my co-workmate & co-reporter) made me this (the one on top). Isn’t she sweet? :) <3

We also had this mini “voting party” for Jessica Sanchez here at the office since today’s the Final Perfomance Night. Good lucK, Jessica! :) We wish you all the best.

And the best part? Boss bought me a Belgian Chocolate Cake from Theobroma to congratulate and to welcome me. Saya diba? Well, I shared it with my workmates and we were like so happy. Haha!

Anyway, thank you Lord. Coz if not without you, I won’t be here. I’m super blessed.

So friends, just keep on believeing and one day, you’ll reach your dreams! Dream on. :)

Hi everyone! How was your weekend? How did you celebrate Mother’s Day?

Well if you’d ask me, my mother and I celebrated that day in a spa. Yes, you read that right. It’s my Mother’s Day treat for her. I was really planning to have a spa date with mama ever since but since we’re both busy with our work, Mother’s Day became the sufficient date for us to bond. What’s good was both of us were so tired for the past weeks that the massage became such a good idea.

So we availed the 1 and a half hours of full body massage for 425 pesos. To tell you, i’m not really a fan of “massage”. But since I thought my mom needed it, I chose to avail that service.

And so did I realize that I chose the right service! Oceanic Spa has the kindest employees! They will assist you in every way—from massaging you to preparing you a hot cup of tea. My favorites in their full-body massage are the back massage, foot massage, and facial massage. Most especially the facial massage, it really relaxed me. It was like I was in heaven. All those stress and bad moods for the past few weeks all went gone. It really removed all my stress away!

I was also amused that Oceanic Spa doesn’t only focus on spa services only. It also has a salon & gym to serve their clients and customers more. Also there’s promo for the clients and customers to enjoy.

If you want to know the services, rates, and promo & events of Oceanic Spa, you may visit their website: http://oceanic-spa.com/.

I will surely go back to Oceanic Spa for another massage session or a sauna. Oh, I almost forgot. Yes I will be back on Friday for my RF (Slimming & Firming)- Tummy session. Oceanic Spa, i love you na! :)

So if you’re stressed, all you need is a massage! :)

Jessica Sanchez sang “And I Am Telling You” (the infamous song used in the movie Dreamgirls) in the 2nd round of American Idol 2012 (Top 4).

Raped the replay button 15th time now. This is just over-the-top. Jessica nailed, killed, slayed, murdered, and even “Claudined” (according to Professional Heckler) the song “And I Am Telling You.” She didn’t need backups, or props, or even background images. Just her, standing and singing, in the middle of the stage is enough to earn a (long overdue) standing ovation. Goosies.

“You can say what you want; i’m not walking now.” Yeah, Jessica said it, she’s not going.

Jessica all the way!

All of us have our wildest dreams, right? Below are some of my wildest dreams that I want to come true before I die. Some are too far-fetched, some are quite reachable, and some are super mababaw. You, friends, can also make your list and check if we do have the same dreams.

1) Watch an NBA game live! (Most esp a Lakers game!)

2) Go to Coachella Festival! (Yes, and dress well, and meet models, artists there)

3) Travel the world (Uhuh! Like Santorini, Greece; Paris, France; Amsterdam, Netherlands)

4) Visit University of Oxford where Harry Potter movies were filmed

5) Watch David Beckham play or just see him in person (so malas of me I wasn’t able to watch LA Galaxy’s game against the Azkals here in Manila last December 2011) and also meet Victoria Beckham

6) Write a book (Yeah, a novel)

7) Inspire people to find God and welcome Him to their hearts

8) Help unfortunate children with their education

9) Drive a Chrysler! (Yeah!)

10) Wear one designer clothing (like Alexander McQueen! Hihi)

11) Be able to stay for a night at Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai (the only, am I right, seven-star hotel in the world)

12) Meet J.K. Rowling, Dan Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson in person!

13) Meet Nicholas Sparks in person (Another boo-boo for me. Well he vistied Manila to promote “The Best of Me” but I wasn’t able to attend his book signing. I know, shoot me.)

14) Meet Kate Middleton in person (Aha!)

15) Be featured in ELLE Magazine (I know, this is too far-fetched! Haha.)

16) My wedding gown be made by Rajo Laurel, Veejay Floresca, or Ino Sotto (Hihi!)

17) Watch Australian Open live (watch Djokovic and Nadal play)

18) Have my own library at home! (Naku, eto ang dream na kahit ano mangyari, tutuparin ko!)

19) Have my own rest house

20) Watch FIFA Worlc Cup once

21) Watch the Olympics!

 So these are some of my wildest dreams. What about yours? Share!

Every morning I keep on dragging myself to do exercise. I always feel so “tamad” to do such, and as if I want to stay in bed and lie there all day. The result? A fatter & bigger me. Oh don’t ask how much weight did I gain in the last few months, but I assure you when I say I’m now fatter than the usual,I am.

So I have been motivating myself to workout, to become a sexier and healthier me. At first few tries (like for about 3-4 days), I’m good at exercising. I have the energy, I have the joy. But after a week or so, I’m back to my old self again—the usual “tamad” that I am. Not only am I “tamad” to do exercise, but I laso love eating. Oh well, food is love.

What made me so concern with my weight now was when I wore one floral dress of mine for yesterday’s event, and saw how horrible I looked. The dress won’t fit me good. Seriously! I could still wear it but it fitted my body too much that I started to look like a longganisa. :( So when I got home, I started to examine my body. I have belly fats, my arms and face are now bigger (or fatter) than usual, and even my legs can’t escape the fact that I really am fat! So after I saw how disgusting I looked, I told myself that I’ll now execise.

I started reading artciles about losing weight and how it helps you to become a better person. Well, ever since I’ve gain weight, it has been my goal to lose weight. But because of stress in work, I find eating as my consolation or my stress-reliever. And since I always go home late from work, I usually sleep late, too. I always feel sleepy and my body’s tired that I don’t have enough energy to workout every morning. But now, I want to make this goal a success. I want to lose weight not only for me to look or feel good, but it will also help me become healthier.

So I read something about motivating yourself to exercise (Read 31 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Exercise: http://zenhabits.net/31-ways-to-motivate-yourself-to-exercise/)and I took notes of what could be helpful tips for me to motivate myself to workout.

1)I should have an inspiration. I should have someone in my mind who has a sexy body that I would target to have. My seatmate in college before advised me to have the picture of that woman (actress/model/etc) printed and post it in my bedroom. Seeing her everytime I wake up will make me motivated to workout.

2) Drink More Tea. I should invest on healthier drinks that would help my inner and outer boddy feel and look good. Now I will try to drink more tea, fruit juices, and water to flush the toxins out of my body.

3) Stay away from Fast Foods and Junk Foods. Eating junk foods, burger, fries, and drinking softdrinks would add more surgar and calories.

4) Exercise. I should always make sure to exercise or do workout in the morning. It will not only make me thinner, but it will also jumpstart my day!

And if I’ll succeed…say hello to sexier and healthier me!

Thinking that I can now fit perfectly in all my clothes, I can’t wait but to start all of these. If I will succeed, losing weight will also make me look younger. It will also boost my self-confidence and will make my thoughts turn from negative to positive. Othe rthan that, losing weight will also make everything in life look lighter for me (I think).

Also, I read another advice saying that it will also help if I do workout activities with my family. Doing somehting fun and helpful with your loved ones is a great motivation. It will also help in strengthening the relationship by having a time out to bond with each other. Oh great!

Mow I can’t wait to start all of these things that I’ve noted. I am now dedicated and motivated to lose weight. Another thing, to help me more, I will have a weekly update her on my blog about my losing of weight so I can keep myself in track and will also add more motivation.

So good luck to me! Aja!

Jessica Sanchez sang Joe Cocker’s “You Are So Beautiful” and Tina Turner’s “Proud Mary” in today’s American Idol Performance Night. And just the same as the previous ones, she nailed both performances again!

I can’t say anything much. Her flawless and sweet rendition of “You Are So Beautiful” is beyond perfect. I felt the same thing when Scotty McCreery (last year’s American Idol winner) sang “She Believes in Me”. It seemed like I was transported into another world. Fantastic. Wonderful.

And with her version of “Proud Mary”, I know Tina Turner’s proud of this lady. I, like those who were watching in the studio, was dancing & singing along with her. Jessica just gave us a teaser on how would her concert be like. That powerful voice & pitch of hers, gosh, so amazing!

So America, please do vote for her. Vote for the best. Jessica’s such a great talent. Vote. Vote. Vote.

Now I can’t wait for the results night to come. Hope she will make it to the Top 4. The fate of this little lady is in your hands, America.

Yesterday, during Labor day holiday,I got a chance to see on TV one of the movies which honed whatever image I had about college—FIRST DAY HIGH. Since it was holiday, I had the plesure to watch regular TV shows & not the usual hardcore news programs that we watch in the office everyday. I was about to turn off the boobtube after watching Kris TV but when I saw that “First Day High” would be shown next, I went back to the sofa, comfortably rested my body on those soft pillows, and reminisced every memory that flushed out from watching that movie again.

If many of you could still remember, “First Day High” was shown in 2006, it is after Kim Chiu & Gerald Anderson got out of that Big Brother House—when Kim was so young-looking, and Gerald still had that thick American accent of his. I’m not sure if the movie was released in May or June of that year, but if my memory serves me right, it is during my last year in high school. When I was in my 4th year high school, my nerves were all too excited! My teenage hormones wanted me to just enter college immediately. Being independent and all, living the colege dream was such an ideal life for me at that time. I kept on thinking what clothes to wear in college, who to meet, what to do, how to deal with it, etc. Also, that was the time I fell in love with collegiate sports & started to feel that school spirit running through my veins.

As I have told you before, Ateneo was my dream school at that time. The Season 69 of UAAP was held on that year—2006. The basketball competition, being the famous sport in the league, was the one to watch out for. Since I was rooting for the blue & white (and Chris Tiu…Hihi), I cheered for them the whole way. And then the Championship came, it was between Ateneo and UST. To cut the story short, the school spirit I thought I had at that time for Ateneo made me hate UST for beating Chris Tiu and the boys. Haha! So I then thought, that’s how school spirit felt like huh? And then my first day in college came, it’s not in Ateneo…it’s in UST.

So “First Day High” gave me a glimpse on how college would be, what to expect, and who to meet. True enough, the movie proved it right that in college you will meet different types of people, people from all walks of life. There are those who are the brainy ones, the athletic ones, the “sosy” ones, the rebel ones, and the friendly ones. There are also those who will be true to you, there are those will treat you badly. There are times when you will find it hard to fit in, but there are times when you can feel comfortable about yourself and can make friends immediately. All in all, college is such a great expericence. And to tell you frankly, i’m missing it bigtime.

“Winning means fame and fortune. Losing means certain death. The Hunger Games have begun…” - The Hunger Games

“Life is a game. So fight for survival and find out if you’re worth it.” - Battle Royale

I don’t know if after this post I’ll get a lot of hates or whatever, but for me, both have similarities, but both also have differences.

I’ll be honest with you. I was never really aware of Battle Royale, and the same goes with Hunger Games. If my cousin didn’t introduce Hunger Games to me, and if it wasn’t for the movie’s trailer, I won’t have that sense of awareness to read the Trilogy. And if not for Hunger Games, I would never know anything about Battle Royale—if I didn’t google Hunger Games for additional information, I would never know that there are those who believe it’s a rip off of Battle Royale.

It was because of Hunger Games’ trailer that made me want to read the books. Yes, I love reading books, but during the 90’s and 2000’s, the only books I read were by J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter), by Nicholas Sparks, and by Stephenie Meyer. And to tell you, the trailer and the good things I’ve heard about Hunger Games were the reasons that made me decide to give the Trilogy a shot. After reading the 3 books, I became a fan.

With Battle Royale, I just watched the movie version now (which is why i’m blogging this Battle Royale- Hunger Games thoughts of mine) and is planning to read its book version if ever I can buy one. Now to be honest, Battle Royale is a work of art. Credits to the writer of the book. To write such kind of story and release it on a very conservative time (conservative coz before, dealing with issues was not easy as compared to today’s techie generation) was really a great thing to do. And with the movie version, I must say it’s truly revolutionary—with all the bloodbaths, brutal killings, etc. But just because I liked Hunger Games first doesn’t mean I should be blind of what Battle Royale can offer.

Though Hunger Games and Battle Royale have their similarities, thay also have their differences. As many have said or noticed, the similarities of the two are the dystopian theme, the idea of a government enacting a law or treaty stating that teenagers will go into a battle, kill each other out, and only one comes out, and that these teenagers were chosen through lottery. But also at the end of the games or the battle, two survived (a boy and a girl), and that these two became the main enemies of the government. But on the other hand, I also found some differences between the two. Here are the differences that I noted:

1) THE NUMBER OF BOOKS. Battle Royale only has one book, while Hunger Games series consists of three books. While Battle Royale focused on the “battle” and how some teenagers rebel against the government by commiting suicide or by not killing each other, Hunger Games evolved from the characters rebelling while inside the Games, into a bigger rebellion outside. Since Hunger Games has 3 books, it has more opportunity to widen its plot.

2) THE MOVIE. Obviously, Battle Royale is more brutal than Hunger Games. Hunger Games was downplayed.

3) KNOWLEDGE OF THE TEENAGERS INVOLVED. In Battle Royale, the students are not fully aware of what’s ahead of them. They do not know about BR Act, they do not know that they’re plotted to kill each other. While in Hunger Games, the teenagers involved do know that once their names are called, it’s going to be “kill” or “be killed”. Unlike in Battle Royale that the teenagers were not informed ahead, in Hunger Games, the teenagers were informed and they were trained before the games started.

4) THE NATURE OF THE GAMES. In Hunger Games, the games were held not only as a reminder of rebellion or to control the people of Panem, but they are held also for the entertainment of the Capitol. It is Capitol’s way of saying to districts that “you (districts) are there to entertain us”. In Battle Royale, the battle was implemented to control the unease of the teenagers and the growing disparity between the youth and the elders caused by the problems their country’s facing. Hunger Games for me is more like formatted after the “Galadiator games” of Rome. All for entertainment, while imposing power over the people. That those people (from other distrcist) are just there to work and to entertain them (the Capitol), they are just “piece” of the Games, nothing more, nothing less. In Battle Royale, the battle is held to impose threat to unruly teenagers, to control them.

5) MEDIA. The media played a big role. Battle Royale came out during a time when internet was not that powerful yet, while Hunger Games came out during a generation where internet is now a basic need and social networks are on a rise. If in any way, internet has helped Hunger Games to promote itself.

As for my conclusion, both are good materials of literature. It’s nice to think that there are people who are willing to share their talents to us, for us to talk about, for us to discuss. It is unfair to both authors if fans are going to fight. I mean, it’s never easy to write, remember that. It takes a lot of sleepless nights and a lot of thinking to do such. So as a way of showing our love to the authors, or to Battle Royale or Hunger Games, we should learn to look deeper onto what each book can offer. Let’s look at each book’s good points, not only the bad just because you’re not a fan of it, or just because you’re fan of the other. Make love, not war.

(Can someone remind me how difficult it is to sing “Bohemian Rhapsody”? I just forgot after watching Jessica’s performance. Very effortless. Amazing. Oh, she nailed it!)

(And oh, her version of “Dance With My Ftaher” almost brought me to tears. Beautiful. I love the voice!)

So why Jessica Sanchez?

I want her to win American Idol not just because she’s half Filipina (that’s just 40%), but I bet on her because I truly believe in her talent. She’s fantastic. Her voice is amazing. Her voice is so powerful that you just wanna check her body to know where that voice is coming from because she’s small & thin. Also, whenever she’s singing, you can feel her passion, you can feel her emotions. And for me that’s what makes a singer a good (or rather the best) singer, when the audience can relate to her, can feel her.

American friends, please do vote for her. She really deserves to go on next week.Go Jessica!