Midori-X

Something Stupid

2008-03-02T16:27:00.001+08:00

You may be wondering why I haven't been writing here much lately. You see, a funny thing happened ...

I forgot. My username. Yup! Again. Sheesh!

Ah Christmas!

2007-12-02T15:54:00.000+08:00

There's a slight chill in the evening air. And I know that it'll be Christmas soon...

It's been hours since that annoyingly upbeat version (yup, there really is!) of Jingle Bells is blasting away at the mall yet it has managed to seep into every cell of my body, and I swear it is now lurking in my sinuses. Damn LSS! (last song syndrome) Now I have to find an even freakier song to get this one out of my brain.

Chestnuts are roasting ... at a mall nearby, in the supermarket section.

Our doorbell's been ringing almost every afternoon with solicitations for caroling.

My Christmas desktop wallpaper is up, replacing the violin desktop wallpaper I had before. Also by Vladstudio.

Our neighbor's Christmas lights are up, and as usual I still haven't begun decorating yet. Still have to test each and every light before I start stringing them up around the house and balcony. The big tree fell during the last typhoon so that saves me from decorating it. ;p

Which reminds me, I'll have to bring out the Christmas tree from the guest room, where it's been hiding since last Christmas. Totally forgot about it. Now all I have to do is to go at it with a hand-held vacuum and it's all done!

Merry Christmas!

The Escape

2007-11-26T20:25:00.000+08:00

On days, like today, when I'm swamped with things to do, I want to escape. To just leave everything and go. Near or far, it doesn't matter. Anywhere but here.

But then I'd miss you. Even for a day.
So I stay.

My Birth Month Says ...

2007-11-24T02:14:00.000+08:00

This is a tag from iRonnie.

Rules:
- Pick your birth month.
- Bold the 5-10 that best apply to you.
- Copy to your own journal, with all twelve months.
- Tag 12 people from your friends list.

OCTOBER: Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn’t pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.

I don't think I'll tag anybody. Whoever wants to do this tag, feel free to do so.

JANUARY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people’s flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Very stubborn and money cautious.

FEBRUARY: Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizes dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.

MARCH: Attractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate. Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.

APRIL: Active and dynamic. Decisive and hasty but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people’s problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving. Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lover can see.

MAY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children. Hardworking. High spirited. Spendthrift.

JUNE: Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.

JULY: Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people’s feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets. Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Likes to be quiet. Homely person. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Prone to having stomach and dieting problems. Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.

AUGUST: Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.

SEPTEMBER: Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to point out people’s mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn. Quiet but able to talk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed. Loyal but not always honest. Does work well. Very confident. Sensitive. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding. Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves leisure and traveling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic.

OCTOBER: Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn’t pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.

NOVEMBER: Has a lot of ideas. Difficult to fathom. Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive. Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others. Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited. Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.

DECEMBER: Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves to be loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egotistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logical.

The Egel Has Landed

2007-11-16T01:22:00.000+08:00

Yup, my blog's been hatched and I am eggstatic!

Ivan of Dear Me has given me the Egel Nest Blog Award for Blogging Eggcellence.

This was started by Bradley Egel in his desire to show his thankful recognition of other people's generosity and love.

Thank you, Bradley for making this wonderful award

and thank you,Ivan for sharing it with me. It's nice having you as a friend.

I've Got A Friend In You

2007-11-13T00:21:00.000+08:00

Lex of parisukat.com gave me this wonderful Friendship Badge.

Thank you, Lex.

It's nice having you as a friend.

You've given me so much already. :)

Nice Matters

2007-11-04T23:58:00.000+08:00

Lizeth of My Perfect Escape gave me the Nice Matters award.

Thank you, Lizeth. I've gotten to know you just recently
but it seems as if we've been friends for so long. :)

It's nice having you as a friend.

Two Three's In One

2007-10-30T22:46:00.000+08:00

I've been up to my bloody eyeballs in memes lately. And today's your lucky day, you get 2 memes in one. :)
#1. Three Things I Won't Let Go and
#2. Three Things I'm Addicted To
Ain't life sweet? ;p

..........................................................................

I'm never letting go
of life's simple pleasures. The smell of fresh rain; the feel of white sand; that time of day when the skies turn a thousand shades of pink and mauve just before it turns dark. The stress of everyday living are made more bearable with them. And they soothe my tired soul.

I won't let go
of the dreams I dream. Of things I want to do someday. And of who I want to become. Of giving my best in something I am good at. And making something beautiful. Someday.

And last, but not least,
is not something of a 'won't'. But more of a 'can't'. Because, after all is said and done, I can't let go of You. Still.

Thanks to Roland and Hawk for this meme. and in turn, I want to ask Knoizki, Parisukat, Ms.Vessa, iRonnie and Wena. "What are the three things you won't let go."

..........................................................................

Will you still love me after this?

How easy it is for me to hide behind images of purple butterflies and printed text. But this time, I cannot. Another meme. A handwritten meme. To post, in my own handwriting, "3 things I'm addicted to". So I open my journal for everyone to see. Please do not judge a book by it's cover ... or the shitty-ass writing that's inside them.

And if you still can't get enough of my handwriting, here's another page. The handwritten "Indulge Me" entry. Before you go on a clicking spree though, be forewarned. It does get ugly.

The handwritten meme was passed on to me by ms.Vessa. And in the spirit of meme fairplay, I'm sending this to Roland, Jon, and Knoizki.

Update: I made a legible form of the Handwritten Meme so you all could read. It's found in one of the comments below.

More Than You'll Ever Know

2007-10-26T23:45:00.000+08:00

Jon of Chimeric Day Dreams tagged me to write something about seven people, without mentioning who they are, who greatly inspires me. I know I have taken too much time writing this. Rolando of rplayground has also tagged me, And now Knoizki of K.net did, too. But I wanted this to be special, and most of all, I wanted this to be, to avoid the usual cliche, from the very essence of my heart.

You inspire me, more than you'll ever know

1. You have shown me strength and honesty. You have shown me bravery. I am in awe of you. It takes a lot of courage to put it all out there, to bare your soul as you have done. and I admire you for it. To me, you are a diamond that has been refined many times over, and emerged more brilliant than ever.

2. From you, I have learned how to be a kid again. Your easy-going nature and ready smile welcomes. Your quick wit is something to be admired. Thank you for teaching me to laugh from the heart.

3. I learned what loyalty is from you. You hold your friends in such high regard and that is what I like about you. In a place where one can easily be reduced to a blur of bloghopping and empty link exchanging, you stand out as someone true.

4. It's the warmth and kindness you've shown that has impressed me and made you unforgettable to me. You make it oh so easy to be friends with you.

5. cherry blossoms and a wealth of insight. As you describe your journeys, you make me feel as if I was there traveling with you. You come from a place I used to know so little about. But you've opened my eyes to its natural beauty. Whether journeys to different lands or journeys of the more soul-searching kind, it's always a pleasure to walk along with you.

6. You, yes, all of you who have shared your thoughts with me, who took the time to comment on my entries, no matter how silly I may sound at times. (and a lot of times, I do). You all write such lovely words, I am touched. I am humbled. I am inspired by all of you. Without you, my words wouldn't mean anything -- mere empty ramblings. I treasure each and every compliment; I learn from your criticisms. And even those of you who choose to be silent for now, it's your presence here at one time or another, that comforts me and tells me that I am not alone. And the fact that you choose to return, means so much to me.

7. I am at a loss for words when it comes to You, afraid I might say too little or reveal too much. So let me just thank you for now, for without you, all this would be for nothing. You've given me so much already: room to grow. wings to fly... and a love for all time.

And so, in the traditon of great memes, tags, and whatevers, I pass the virtual torch to Parisukat, Ms.Vessa, knoizki, isssa, KC, and whoever wants to do this, feel free to do so.

First Class Friendship

2007-10-24T23:41:00.000+08:00

Lex of parisukat.com gave me the First Class Friendship award.

Thank you, Lex. You're certainly one of the friendliest bloggers around.

Thank you for your friendship.

Friendly Site Award

2007-10-22T23:32:00.000+08:00

The Friendly Site Award was given to me by the lovely Erina of Into the Inkpot.

I appreciate your generosity and most of all, your friendship.

Solace in Solitude

2007-10-20T21:13:00.000+08:00

Here I am alone
Feeling the softness of the morning mist
On my face
And I am whole again.
I am alone and yet, I'm not lonely
To me there is a world of difference (now).

Here in my garden, I am
Away from all of the pain, sadness, and fears
The world may throw upon me
And on this soft grassy floor I sit
In awe
At the beauty of nature's simple wonders
And I am healed.

For how can anyone not be healed
By this magical serenity?

Leaves swaying in time to soft music
Sung only by angels.
I strain my ears, hoping to hear the melody,
But I could not.

It doesn't matter...
Just knowing it's there
Is enough

...For now.

Photo originally uploaded by Shaphan

Beautiful Blog Design

2007-10-19T21:11:00.000+08:00

Dawn of Antibarbie.net gave Midori-X the Beautiful Blog Design Award. She states:

Your blog design exudes elegance and beauty.
-- Dawn, Antibarbie.net

Thank you, Dawn. This beautiful award is such a pleasure to receive.

And Marni Smiles Again ...

2007-10-18T06:31:00.000+08:00

Last week has certainly been a week of surprises for me. Not only did Parisukat give me a gift but Rolando did as well.

Rolando, the ever-friendly head coach at rplayground has given me the very beautiful Shibumi.

Hawk, the award's creator states, "The Shibumi is a Japanese term which used in the following context is a noun. Its meaning refers to a 'particular aesthetic of simple, subtle, and unobtrusive beauty' which can be applied to almost anything."

Thank you, Rolando, for this gift. And thank you for making the net a friendlier place.

Marni Smiles ...

2007-10-18T05:19:00.000+08:00

A blogger friend surprised me with this wonderful gift a few days ago.

Parisukat gave me this. It's called "Nice Matters".

The Nice Matters award is awarded to those that are just nice people, good blog friends and those that inspire good feelings! Those that care about others, are there to lend support or those that are just a positive influence in our blogging world!

Such a sweet gift. Thanks, Parisukat and thank you for the gift of friendship.

The Butterfly Effect

2007-10-15T04:01:00.000+08:00

I was in the garden this afternoon, trying to clear my head, when I saw this butterfly. It was small and yellow and looked so light as it flitted from one orchid bloom to the next. It's a rare thing to see a butterfly here these days what with all the construction going on around. I remember when I was a kid, I used to see a lot of them, and even bigger ones with a myriad of colors. But all I see now are a few of these tiny yellow butterflies.

Photo originally uploaded by paulwoolrich
Do they have any problems, these butterflies, I wonder. Do they worry about their survival and the future of the ecosystem? Do they think about where they would go if all plants were to disappear? If they do, how could they possibly fly with the weight of the world on their tiny gossamer wings? If they have to worry about how fragile they are, then they would surely not be able to fly as free as they do now...

This was a post I wrote a few years back. It was all about being vulnerable. Our environment is vulnerable. The signs are there. But we do not see it, or rather, we choose not to. We surround ourselves with this shroud of indifference, or perhaps, we think that this problem is already so great that whatever action we take is useless. But it's not.

Keep in mind the "Butterfly Effect", where something seemingly innocuous as a flap of a tiny butterfly's wing can have far-reaching ripple effects as to cause a tornado in another part of the world. Even the smallest of actions can make a difference. A tin can recycled, instead of thrown away; lights switched off when not in use. Take a walk, for a change.

Let's not close our eyes from now on. Today is Blog Action Day, and bloggers around the web are uniting to put an important issue like "Environment" on everyone's mind. Let's do our part. And think of it as the Butterfly Effect a million times over.

I'm Not Strange; I'm Just Weird

2007-10-11T17:52:00.000+08:00

Am I weird? I don't know. You tell me.

parisukat wanted to know six weird things about me. Six. Not four. Not even seven. Just six.

So here goes my weird six:

I am a light sleeper. I wake up a full thirty minutes before my alarm rings.
I sms even in the shower.
I am afraid of running out of toilet paper.
I dream of surfing the net sometimes. (and by dreams, I don't mean hopes and ambitions.)
I dream of lizards.
I am afraid of lizards. (it's their eyes, I tell you. and the way they stare...)

................................................................
We all have a certain weirdness. Some of us try to hide it, some revel in it. But all of us have our quirks. It's what sets us apart; It's what makes us unique. And if we just try to learn to accept the weirdness of others as well as our own, then maybe, just maybe, being weird won't be so strange after all.

Indulge Me

2007-10-02T23:50:00.000+08:00

The day is officially over. well almost. It's 11:50pm in my part of the world. I know I should be getting to bed but I'm not. Not yet, anyway. There's still something I want to do before the day is over...

It's been sitting in the fridge for 3 days now. For 3 days I have been "pretending" to forget about it. Note the emphasis on pretending. I pretended to forget that it's there, waiting for me. To forget how much I missed it. And that it has been a while since I last had one like it. I pretended. To forget.

But I've never been good at forgetting.

So it stays. In a corner of my mind it stays. A constant reminder that I have to have it. Like a blinking neon sign in my brain. Or a soft whisper, more likely. Inviting, cajoling, seducing. Waiting for the right moment. Waiting for me to succumb to it. Waiting for me to give in. To surrender to my indulgence for the month of October... and maybe for November, even.

Lindt Pistachio. Swiss milk chocolate with whole pistachio nuts in almond filling.

Mmmm..

Of Violins and Mako Sharks

2007-09-22T14:52:00.000+08:00

that's what my desktop is all about right now. And it's usually free from icons except for the recyclebin. All the tiny icons are on the taskbar. It drives other people crazy sometimes, but that's how I like it. I want the wallpaper art to stand out.

But don't let my sparse desktop fool you. Underneath lies gazillions of folders filled with "whatevers". Folders filled with folders filled with even more folders. As I said before, I suck at organizing.

My present wallpaper is Violins by vladstudio. It's not a photograph; It's done in photoshop. I like how he pays attention to detail. I just added some tiny personal touches like the small butterfly and myMarni. My icons are from the Mako Suite theme by treetog. I didn't use the whole suite, just the icons. I like Mako because it's got amber-colored glossy orbs and tiny black shark fins. I love my recycle bin. Don't you? ;p

Thanks, K for My Desktop Free View tag. Now that you've taken a peek at my desktop, here's a list of some of the desktops that I want to see: Duke's, FruityOaty's, Issa's, Shay's and JP/eagleman's

Here’s a quick instructions:

A. Upon receiving this tag, immediately perform a screen capture of your desktop. It is best that no icons be deleted before the screen capture so as to add to the element of fun.

You can do a screen capture by: [1] Going to your desktop and pressing the Print Scrn key (located on the right side of the F12 key). [2] Open a graphics program (like Picture Manager, Paint, or Photoshop) and do a Paste (CTRL + V). [3] If you wish, you can “edit” the image, before saving it.

For MAC users: Press  [ Shift ] and [ 3 ]

B. Post the picture in your blog. You can also give a short explanation on the look of your desktop just below it if you want. You can explain why you preferred such look or why is it full of icons. Things like that.

C. Tag five or more of your friends and ask them to give you a Free View of their desktop as well.

D. Add your name to this list of Free Viewers with a link pointing directly to your Desktop Free View post to promote it to succeeding participants.

Foot Notes

2007-09-12T01:54:00.000+08:00

Photo originally uploaded by lorello

If there's one thing I hate about my body, it's my feet I hate the most. Yeah, I hate my thighs, too, but my feet ... ugh! Ugly. They're overused and abused. I do a lot of walking and by the end of the day, they just hurt like hell.

But I tend to spoil my feet, though. I pamper them with a home-style foot spa treatment whenever I can. Soaks, peppermint foot scrubs, lotions -- the whole works. So they can be normal again. At least they don't smell. ;p

I can't understand why some guys have certain foot fetishes and get off by sucking toes. I mean, yeah, some feet are nice to look at and a foot massage feels like heaven. But I wouldn't want to suck them. But if a certain special someone wants to suck my toes, go right ahead.

I'm sure I wouldn't mind.

--------------------------------------
Oh yeah, since we're talking about feet and stuff, here's something I found on digg. It's kinda old already but the comments on this article still crack me up.

The Purge

2007-08-31T16:02:00.000+08:00

I call it my yearly PC detox. Every year, I set aside some time to clean up my PC's hard drive. I get rid of all the useless junk I've accumulated and transfer the important ones into cds and flash drives.

I admit I'm a file hog and I'm not good at throwing away stuff.

Sometimes I even cheat a little and just put all my files in CDs where I can forget about them temporarily but still reassure myself that they are there. I know that defeats the purpose of purging but I can't help it.

Maybe I just have a hard time letting go.

It's been so long...

2007-08-19T21:00:00.000+08:00

I've almost forgotten how.

VisualDNA

2007-04-14T22:41:00.000+08:00

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Five Seconds of (Semi-)Fame?

2007-04-10T20:19:00.000+08:00

A weird thing happened over the weekend. Not bad weird. Just strange, surreal weird.

It was at the mall right after doing the groceries. I was given a special tag and told to proceed to a certain stall 'coz I was eligible for some value items of some sort. A guy was there before me and just as I approached, I heard the store personnel told him that he wasn't eligible because of some minor technicality ( type of items bought, I think. ) Anyway, since I wasn't going to avail of the value items, I told him that if he really wanted it, and if it was okay with the store personnel, I can get it for him. It was no hassle, really. Why let a good opportunity go to waste, di ba?

Turns out he was a balikbayan and that it was the first time he encountered such "kindness from strangers" (his words, not mine) and he was grateful. Anyway, he asked if he could have a picture taken together with me so that he could remember this. I politely declined. But he kept insisting so I had to give in. 'Just one lang', he said, 'sige na.

So there I was, standing with this stranger and his brother while another brother of his took our picture. I'm not used to having my picture taken, specially by strangers so it felt really awkward and weird. Like I was someone famous or something. LOL. And it was over a little thing really.

I knew wearing an olive & khaki colored shirt with HUGE flowers printed on it was going to be a regrettable decision. Uggh! What was I thinking?!?

Thank You

2007-03-31T21:54:00.000+08:00

Okay. So that's that. I didn't get it. I didn't win the PBA. Congratulations to Far from Neutral Notions. He's really good. Wish I could code like him. There's still a lot I have to learn, though.

Still, I want to thank you. For all your support. Your link love.

To be nominated by someone I didn't know is big enough. To be included among the best is such an honor. Huge. And here I was, used to sitting in the dark. I'm sorry I failed you. I tried my best. But I can only do so much. You may forget me and move on, I don't blame you. I still want to thank you, though.

... Because for once, you made this moth feel how it is to be a butterfly.

Now back to regular programming ...