Chicken Sopas for the Reader's Bowl

Dahil mukhang nilalamig ang sopas.

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 12:41:00 +0000

I can honestly say that I've milked out every single opportunity I could get from this blog. It's been a great, fulfilling 4 years and so. But, I decided to just publish on Facebook - I mean, most of my readers come from my friends, anyways. :))

I'll be back in the blogosphere maybe every now and then. 'Til then, you know where to find to me.

"What's the best John Mayer song out there?"

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 14:37:00 +0000

Someone just asked me that. Tough question.

Manong Pulis

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 14:35:00 +0000

First day of the term, I was on my way to school when I saw the security of Tagaytay. It looked like any other car I've seen - just with the words 'Barangay Patrol' on one of its sides as it made a right.

Completing its turn, I seriously just stared. I mean, you know how stickers on cars peel off slow by slow? Well, the other side of the car had 'Barangay Patrol' on the doors as well.

Though, I swear that the first six letters were gone.

Ang nakita ko tuloy na nakalagay sa kotse - in all bold, glorious, colored letters,

gay Patrol.

Pseudotweets from a Pseudopointless Sembreak

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 13:31:00 +0000

I used to have a Twitter page 'til I deleted it after a hundred posts, but if it were still around, I'd have these to tweet about the past week.

Monday

Current Music | You Look Better When I'm Drunk - The White Tie Affair

Tuesday

Srsly, if I'd write a couple of love songs for a girl, one of them would go like this: http://tinyurl.com/267vnfq

Wednesday

Slacking off is the best kind of sembreak. I could use a good read or two, though...

Thursday

...And I did. Went through the first few pages of the cunningly written The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Good Omens, a supremely humorous take on the Apocalypse.

Friday

Ryan Seacrest + Larry King + "Pokerface" = http://tinyurl.com/35j35xj :))

Saturday

Some shots from an E.K. trip with the other side of my family: http://tinyurl.com/386zrzu

Sunday

And if there's one thing that I learned from the past weeks, it's that moment of silence and calmness, that nice and needed moment to keep still and let the Lord alone do the talking.

And that a completely pointless sembreak is very fulfilling.

So, yeah, I'm ready to go back to school tomorrow.

''T'is the TV to be Jolly...''

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 14:53:00 +0000

September is always a good month for TV as new episodes roll out like pre-Christmas gifts. This month, premieres from Family Guy, How I Met Your Mother, Ellen, and The Amazing Race with KevJumba!

The Emmys already kicked off this TV season, and a mention to its opening performance featuring a Glee-ful set of stars, from a dancing Tina Fey to Dancing's Kate Gosselin.

The sketch levels up to last year's opening from Neil Patrick "Legen - wait for it - He's gay" Harris. I never have successfully pulled off the channel-dropping he does at the end. Has anyone have?

"Life is Taft daw."

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 12:10:00 +0000

I remember this one conversation last night with friends about TV, which now frustrates me for that one decent Filipino sitcom. I have yet to see a local show that banks on, pokes, and even bashes the nation's pop culture. I mean, we are creative enough for more appropriate acronym meanings for our S.W.A.T. or the many ways to FB stat the phrase 'major, major' - yet our unending idea of a hard-hitting comedy is one that ends with a resounding nye.

Maybe I just had to say this, 'cause I need a decent laugh from the things that seem to be an unfunny joke, both off and on screen.

And on some related note, yes, life is Taft, kahit sa Canlubang.

Thank God it's sembreak.

Days 6941, 6942, and 6943

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 12:19:00 +0000

I probably have information overload with the all the dealings as an editor (finally, finally got our first issue out) and as an Information Systems student (since Final exams always come days after), but I'm thankful that it's been a good birthday weekend - for the 19th time.

"Can someone tell me what happened to Max FM?"

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 15:31:00 +0000

One day, they're Manila's Leading Dance Source, playing remixes from the likes of Taio Cruz and even Lady Antebellum. Then, the next, they go nameless, having all this "Wow, wow, wow. Abangan." - and now just as much dance as Home Radio.

Is this the fate of the country's good frequencies? Like 97.1, which used to be the coolest campus station, 'til it became, I don't know, the lamest?

What's next, 89.9 DJ's hosting noontime variety shows that exchange s's for z's?

Oh... Exactly my point.

"Teachers Never Die."

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 12:53:00 +0000

I've never been moved by anything 20 minutes 'til I saw this particular The Wonder Years episode. Maybe it's the fact that I've seen everything from the show's Mr. Collins arc, or I know all too well how to be a guy named Kevin struggling with math - It's probably the second, really.

If you got a third of an hour to spare, then I do recommend you give this wonder episode a shot.

A Bucketlist and Other Quoted Subtitles

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 12:45:00 +0000

Aside from ComicCon, I'd like to...

We were asked the things we wanted to do before we're 40, and I had this to say:

* Win The Amazing Race
* Scatter all photos of the future us together and propose (HAHA.)
* Ask Pope his favorite sin
* Be the reason why a former boyband revive themselves
* Invent a new crayon
* Have a street named after me
* Be a judge on American Idol or a guest on Wipeout
* Hear a break-up song dedicated to me
* Get at least 10 disciples

---

They're more than just some band from some owl movie trailer.

Got my hands on the latest Thirty Seconds to Mars album, This is War. What an ambitious effort. The whole record is a way of deep struggle, constantly delving into powerful, spiritual tones.

There's always going to be albums that could pass for piracy and not for experiencing one of life's hardest feats - taking out the plastic of an album CD. But, going through this War of the self, the good, and the evil was figuratively worth every freakin' centavo.

---

But seriously, yup, fun day.

Volunteered with friends and Taiwanese students to lend a hand at a local public school. Like I commented, it was both a pleasure and honor to be alongside people like the ones from Takming and Rotaract who, as young as they are, already have a fiery passion to serve and... help out the ones in need. Congrats once again, guys!

Credits: Wikipedia.org (for album cover) and Dianne (for Takming pics)

Life in DLSC

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 04:34:00 +0000

A video project for sociology class

_blogged from the berry

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 12:51:00 +0000

current music | Cooler than Me - Mike Posner

A friend of mine told me that I've been preoccupied these days, and after checking the recent pages of my planner,

I had no idea what he was talking about. /thegoodtypeofsarcasm

And yesterday's brownout did not help me get anything done at all.

Thanks, Ekai, for the pic.

The Half-Asked from the Half-Past Year

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 13:49:00 +0000

Half-asked because there are things that you probably've the answer to

Tina Fey, why won't you love me?

or that you can never answer.

How is Agua Bendita our equivalent to NCIS: LA?

There're things that you cannot understand

How do 1337 speakers feel now that they're confused for jejemons?

and are just unimaginable.

Why do I have a feeling Adam Lambert's going to end up with Lagy Gaga?

Among all that's in our heads like goals to be set, or questions that you can't believe

Sid was a garbageman in Toy Story 3?

or can't admit...

Don't you just hate it when you got multiple tabs open in FB, then someone suddenly chats?

To think that we're just midway in the year.

Gleemarcation Lines

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 15:35:00 +0000

It's amazing on how this marks my 4th year in blogging. That's like, what, a whole high school's length? And when you're at your senior year, you can't help but realize things when you were still new. I mean, the way you realized just how bad your writing was before is the same feeling you got when you watched New Directions redo Don't Stop Believing last week.

You realize the distance from where we were once Matts just trying to find that limit in Calculus awake.

Weren't we all Tinas trying to fake a stutter or the fact that you did know that Assumption was an all-girls' school? Or be clueless of a Mercedes, so much that you didn't know much about iPods and the word profanity?

How once, you were afraid to dance outside of your room, or to solo Bituin Walang Ningning, or to sing some little song.

How you ranted 1, 2, 3 times.

How you weren't Kurt honest about how weird (I don't smell big toe nails, mind you) or how lost you were.

Maybe I tossed a few kids into dumpsters, and had a change of heart once in a while.

Maybe I, too, got tossed into the dumpsters or the game of love. (They feel the same sometimes. Haha.)

From the moment you stepped in with frosh feet 'til the day you finally feel complete for the smallest reasons ala Finn... They've all changed us.

It's been 4 years of posting in a place people mistake for a food blog. 4 years of thinking out the perfect pop culture references to blend in events in my life as if the world actually cared.

And if you finished this post or even checked out the links, maybe you do care. So, thank you, dear reader. I've always been making chicken sopas for your bowl.

How the Presidentiables are 'Idol' Contestants

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Sun, 30 May 2010 15:35:00 +0000

An Ellen DeGeneres perspective on things

9th and 8th placers
In the Presidential Race: Nick Perlas and JC de los Reyes
In the 'Idol' Race: Andrew Garcia and Katie Stevens

During Hollywood Week, Kara DioGuardi called Katie the potential winner and Andrew a straight-up genius. But from there on, Katie became less than something fresh like Nick, and the only thing consistently charming about Andrew was his JC-like glasses.

7th placer
In the Presidential Race: Jamby Madrigal
In the 'Idol' Race: Tim Urban

"I don't think it makes any difference whatsoever what we say," Simon Cowell once commented. "You're going to smile, the audience is going to vote for you, nobody cares, and you'll be here next week. So, well done."

It's hard to tell if he was referring to either 'Teflon Tim' or Ja-ja-ja-jamby.

6th placer
In the Presidential Race: Dick Gordon
In the 'Idol' Race: Siobhan Magnus

I don't agree with the 'Ayoko iboto, kasi di mananalo' mindset. I mean, if all had the same thinking, the most popular would always win. But, really, no matter how high Siobhan's notes were or how strong of a Transformer Dick was, there's this feeling that they would never win.

5th placer
In the Presidential Race: Eddie Villanueva
In the 'Idol' Race: Aaron Kelly

Both the Goody Two-shoes of the season. This is their second chance at the spotlight: Aaron did America's Most Talented Kid once, and Eddie ran for president an election ago. Maybe the third time would be the charm?

4th placer
In the Presidential Race: Manny Villar
In the 'Idol' Race: Mike Lynche

What they probably share is the buzz they got and created. One became a father in the competition's course, the other is a modern equivalent of rags to riches. But the judges' save or the millions of pesos paid for campaign can only go so far when the mass is voting.

3rd placer
In the Presidential Race: Joseph Estrada
In the 'Idol' Race: Casey James

The most simple way to put it is by the most debatable question. How did he get that much votes?

2nd placer
In the Presidential Race: Gilbert Teodoro
In the 'Idol' Race: Crystal Bowersox

Both have a lot under their belts: Plane licenses, the smarts, the wit, or the single mom story, the uniqueness, Simon's last critique... But it's always hard to win when you go up against people like...

1st placer
In the Presidential Race: Noynoy Aquino
In the 'Idol' Race: Lee DeWyze

How do we coin them? The people that drew the biggest crowds, or the people you least thought to audition? Whether it was because of emotional investment or just your father, mother, or talkative sister - the roughest seasons seem to dust the brightest gems.

But they all have got a lot to prove especially the winners. They do have to replace people like Simon and PGMA, which their leaving could be a good or bad thing. That's another post, though.

"What to Do in the Last Week of Summer?"

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Sun, 16 May 2010 13:28:00 +0000

Photodump!

A Summer's Tease

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 16:39:00 +0000

Inspired by ptrciafae's "Rain by SID (TV size)"

I wonder how the world would be like if the rain only knew how to stop.

Long for Too Fast

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 15:01:00 +0000

You have got to hand it to the people where I come from. They can put up with the fact that summer takes too long to come and goes away too fast.

Oh, trimester programs.

Tolerance

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 06:46:00 +0000

I was at Omegle.com portraying all sorts of characters - Because one, don't give away your info to random strangers, and two, it's much more fun that way - when in one particular chat...

You:

God rocks, doesn't He? :D

Stranger:

no
god doesnt exist

You:

Why did you say?

Stranger:

i'm the devil and i say he doesn't exist

You:

hey
don't be like that
anyways, how are you? :D

Stranger:

you are very religious aren't you haha
and youre tolerant too

You:

all religious people should be tolerant haha

He, or she, disconnects me after a more few seconds of chatting. Then,
some minutes later, I find a new random stranger to talk and decide to portray that same character.

You:

God rocks, doesn't He? :D

Stranger:

f*** it
not you again
out of the 3455 people, it's you
maybe there is a god out there
i will be religious now

Then disconnects.

Through Looking Glasses and Green Pipes

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:15:00 +0000

Off with my head for actually liking something from a local talent show,

but whoever thought this performance out is Mad.

WHAT THE EF?: The Decompostion of a Year's Hero

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:49:00 +0000

Note: This was something Lasallian I made exactly 1 month ago for somewhere Lasallian. Critiques are much welcomed. And about the photo, it's more on a personal and informal level than for the composition.

Google the word “nationalism” or “hero” with the word “Efren” and either way, you get Efren Peñaflorida Jr. as a top result. You probably know by now how a simple 28-year-old became an overnight sensation after being crowned CNN Hero of the Year in 2009. There’s seemingly a demarcation line in Efren’s life before and after the night Anderson Cooper handed the award to him. One day, a social worker. The next day, catching the eye of certain politicians and maybe certain celebrities named Angel Locsin.

Is the possession of such a title the very basis to say he has done something for the nation? Is to be called a hero of the year by such a prestigious body equivalent to the definition of being nationalistic?

First, let us define the term “hero”, which we all do differently. For Ms. Lissa Magpantay, College Dean of a La Salle school, has a similar definition to a Webster dictionary. A hero, in its simplest sense, is someone who has done great things for fellowmen. For Cristina Garcia and Apolinar Cecile Fojas, student leaders of the Lasallian Youth Commission, a hero receives so much praise, his stature is almost equivalent to a god. Plus, I quote Pol, “kahit madaming bumibigay, lumalaban pa rin siya sa cause niya.” For Lasallian professor Mrs. Miriam Tan-Fabian, a hero doesn’t necessarily have to be mystical. According to her, he is nothing different from the rest of us but exemplifies extraordinary courage. He has a vision and sees what others do not see; When he sees a problem, he wants to solve it in the quickest time possible.

Combining all those descriptions to form an imagery of that perfect hero, the translation of a modern-day hero will be a great fellow-loving, non-mystical visionary warrior with ADHD or whatever you call being very active.

How does Efren fare to this concocted character?

As a real, relatable warrior. According to Asian Journal and WikiPilinas, life before he became the famous Kuya Ef was full of struggles. Efren could even pass as an even more “tunay na mahirap” than Manny Villar. Besides also first-hand what it is like to swin in polluted waters, growing up in an urban slum near an open dump site in Cavite allowed encounters for kids who would provoke him to join gangs, beat him up and even allow Efren to be the target of rock-throwing. He did not give in. “Hindi naging sagabal ang aking lumang uniporme o sirang sapatos para makamit ang pangarap kong makatapos ng pag-aaral,” he confidently admits. When the sufferings made him lose interest in discontinuing his studies, he always did his best in school. And when the world threw rocks at him, he answered back by giving it education.

As a fellow-loving visionary. Ever since he met his mentor and joined volunteer work and jail outreach programs, he was humbled. “Our eyes were opened to reality”, he shares, “how kids who aren’t properly guided grow up to be criminals rotting in jail cells or ending up at the cemetery.”

The situation’s severity ignited his affection even more. He founded and led Dynamic Teen Company in 1999 to reach out to slum kids through outreach classes. And after the tragic burning down of the offices of his support group, the idea of Kariton Klasrum came to life. The simple concept of moving a pushcart, replicating a school setting, taught wide-ranged kids counting, reading and writing.

Having a preference for the poor children and using education a means of change? St. John Baptist de La Salle would be very proud.

As a representation of what a modern Filipino is. I am not talking about politicians. When Efren himself asked the presidentiables what was their own definition of a hero in a GMA 7 forum, some of them probably easily answered not what a Filipino hero is, but what their personal traits are. What I am trying to denote when I said representation is that Efren does not credit himself entirely for his win. Every vote cast and every person present to cheer him on, I quote his humbled words. “[They are] a support not just for Kuya Ef, but a support for these determined children to learn and a support for the dedicated volunteers who are behind this work. They are the real hero.”

Yes, there are people who claim that the nature of Efren’s win was rigged. Yes, IP addresses and cookies can be tweaked to have duplicates. Yes, anyone can reconnect modems and clear caches, or do other manners of cheating in online voting. But the title CNN Hero of the Year was never the real basis of what makes Efren, or Kuya Ef as they call him, an embodiment of nationalism in the first place. He is a hero because he fits the definition of a real modern-day hero of many Filipinos. From a Lasallian perspective, Efren was already defined as one, nominated or not.

References:
Webster’s Compact Dictionary
AsianJournal.com
Wikipilipinas.org
AntiPinoy.com
BANDILA: Efren Penaflorida & DTC in CNN HEROES [Video file]
EFREN PENAFLORIDA: Power of the People TVC [Video file]

I Don't Call Myself a Cool Cat, I Think

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 12:42:00 +0000

After a year (and six days), I commemorate that very day my belt broke. Thank goodness for friends or I would have seen my...

2009's Best Moments

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 06:36:00 +0000

Whether it was going to happenings planned for months like debuts of long-known people and the usual family summer getaways, or sudden events like relief efforts to help in small ways and trips at your own city with friends,

it was a year of things made happen and let to happen.

T'was the Night(mare Week) before Christmas (Break)

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 02:06:00 +0000

Never been as sleep-deprived and requirement-filled as the term's last days. Sure, there were academic times like these before. But at least, at those, I was always in bed before 1AM and the tasks didn't come as quickly after the other. And there was no point where I was on two YM conferences for different subjects with a phone on my shoulder, unlike this time. Talk about multitasking.

Then again, that is what t'was. What t'is is the season of those revelrous get-togethers and trips going elsewhere,

to somewhere special for the holiday season.

And I probably use my cousin Josh a few many times in my blog, so here he is again to bring out the year. ~~of the Sponge~~

Thanks to Miguel for the photo.

7 Nostalgically Formed Minutes of Sunscreened Advice

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 08:18:00 +0000

The first half of the term was light, so all those big tasks got piled up on its other half. There's still time for hanging out and eating out, though.

And for listening to songs to live by.

Here's a old, narrative one - the song's not narrative because it's old - from a guy who sounds like Louie D from Countdown Top 7, with the same wit.

Everybody's Free (to Wear Sunscreen) - Baz Luhrmann