My Life's Canal Stream

First of January 2012

2012-01-02T00:57:00.000+08:00

I went to church today.
It felt good. Even though I didn't get much of the priest's sermon. And the readers' voices weren't projected well. I'm not sure if they could use a better sound system. Anyway...
I'm just glad to be back to church.
I thanked God for all the blessings even when we aren't a prayerful and religious family. I thanked him for undeserved graces.
I asked that he keeps giving them, in fact, I asked him to not hold back in showering us and all our loved ones.
I also told him that between love and career, career is the 1st priority. I don't mind having both, though.
^______________________^
Happy New Year to Me!

...

2011-11-06T04:28:00.000+08:00

Earlier, while listening to Christian music, having my shower, preparing for this Sunday's first mass, I was reminded of MR.J.

Like, how bad is that? It's not like my whole CLP and SFC experience was about him! lol. Though, I must admit he was one of the reasons why i would look forward to it. I must stress that I really enjoyed the talk and sharing that it would've been still a great community and experience even without him. I would've still kept attending without him because I had my friends with me and I genuinely loved being with my group and experiencing God in another level.

But again, he was all I thought about.

Then I remember one time we were in his office for a meeting, I think we were to rehearse something, and while waiting for the others he was checking his mail, or maybe it was Facebook. He clicked on a friend's pictures. She was a good friend of his and at that time she was in Dubai. So the pictures were of her in Dubai. And suddenly he started sharing about how she and him were good friends and then at one point she confessed that she liked him. What was I supposed to say about that? "Oh yeah? ME TOO!" lol. He then said that the feeling wasn't mutual, that he only saw her as a friend. Uhm, I got it he was telling me ahead to not entertain any delusions. lol.

Haist, when do I totally get over him?

Google Chrome theme - Sandara Park

2011-10-02T15:20:00.001+08:00

i love Dara
my cellphone theme features Dara so it's only natural that my Google Chrome theme is Dara especially since I cannot change my netbook's wallpaper coz im using Windows 7 Starter.

so I made one.. actually this is my 3rd attempt. hehe ^p^

it's so pretty! i think hehe, anyway, the theme is available for download here.

Dara Fan Rant

2011-08-04T06:01:00.002+08:00

Hul. I always feel that we are singled out.

"I hate Dara fans. They are so annoying."

Why are they so annoyed about us?

Apparently they feel that the other members especially CL and Minzy are underrated and Dara is overrated. OVERRATED? Dara has been dubbed as the weakest link even before debut! How could she be overrated when she never gets credited for being talented? From the first day she was ranked with Yoona, Sohee, Kara, among others - prettiest but least talented members in their group. In their eyes she was simply the face, the mascot of 2NE1. Grrr!

They hate her for getting all the attention, that's what. They hate her for being pretty.

Is that a crime? She happens to be a lot more beautiful than even those considered pretty girls. So of course people are drawn to her. People worship her for it. She inspires her fanboys to write poems and sing songs about her. Some of them are athletes who bring glory to Korea. A lot of them simply look at her poster and find comfort in going through their mandatory military service. So what, people can worship talent, but can't with beauty? They are both God-given, what makes one better than the other. It's not like Dara, as a 2NE1 member, just sat and smiled while the others sang and danced. She worked just as hard, if not more, than the other girls. And to be clear, I'm not saying Dara doesn't have the talent but if people only did love her for her beauty, then why can't they just let them be?

"It's against YG's policy."

Umm, what is YG's policy again? Is it to not hire pretty people? Wow, they are so smart. All YG is about is believing in people's talent without the need to be pretty by Korea's standard. In the first place, who are you to say it is against this belief when it was YG himself who chose Dara to be a member of 2NE1 when he could've easily discouraged her to be a singer and try acting instead, like he did with Goo Hye Sun, or when he chose CL over Bom to be the leader of 2NE1, knowing fully well that CL is the most capable and responsible among the four? Dara is against YG's policy of talent over beauty? Isn't she not the one acting cute while performing? Isn't she not the one wearing those skimpy short outfits? Isn't she not the one who is always weaing heavy make-up? Isn't she not the one who is always criticized for having plastic surgery?

Dara is naturally pretty. Make no mistake about that. And when we say that it doesn't mean that we don't find others pretty in our eyes. I, for one, find CL very charismatic and charming, and very pretty, even without make-up. I find Minzy cute and gorgeous. Bom, to be honest, she creeps me out now. But she was so cute and pretty back in 2009 and earlier. If I could tell her one thing, it's to stop whatever it is she's doing to her face. Just stop before it's too late. And to her fans, please don't even try to deny it coz it just ends up being ridiculous and funny everytime u reason out that it's because of her lymph nodes, or whether or not the swelling is before or after the surgery to correct the lymph nodes problem. Nobody gets a surgery to correct a medical condition and ends up having double eyelids, a prominent nose, and sharper jaw. Yes, it is her face and life, and if it makes her happy then let her be, and just accept it. And don't hate on Dara for being naturally pretty!

And lastly Dara is talented. She doesn't have Bom, CL, and Minzy's powerful voice, that is true, but her voice is not weak (can u even sing her lines in In The Club without yelling and losing your breathing after? Psshh!). Rather, it is soft and soothing, and the only reason she doesn't get that many lines is because her voice is not very suited for YG's kind of songs, esp RnB. It really is more for pop. Thankfully, her voice found its way into UGLY's bridge that people, even non 2NE1 fans, acknowledge that this girl can sing. She can also dance, rap, and act, and OMG THIS GIRL IS TALENTED. LOL.

Please, just stop singling us out. We don't call you out when you praise CL, Bom, or Minzy, as long as you don't raise them up by putting Dara down. Love them freely as u wish, and let us do the same.

UGLY

2011-07-29T02:52:00.000+08:00

English Translation

[CL] I'm trying to smile brightly butI don't like itI'm not pretty, I'm not beautifulOh oh oh oh x 2

[BOM] I'm trying to sing butNo one is listeningI'm not pretty, I'm not beautifulOh oh oh oh x 2

[DARA] Why am I this uglyWhat must I do for me to be able to smile brightly like you?

[MINJI] I'm getting angry again, why can't I ever be perfectI simply put the blame on my ugly appearance in this broken mirror

[BOM] Don't look at me, I hate this feeling right nowI just want to hide away somewhere, I want to escapeThis world is full of lies

[CL] I think I'm uglyAnd nobody wants to love meJust like her I wanna be pretty I wanna be prettyDon't lie to my face tellin' me I'm pretty
I think I'm uglyAnd nobody wants to love meJust like her I wanna be pretty I wanna be prettyDon't lie to my face cuz I know I'm ugly

[MINJI] Don't tell me that you can understand me so easilyMy ugly and crooked heart may even come to resent you

[BOM] Don't force me to talk, I'm not right for youThe cold facade inside that patronizing gaze suffocates me

[MINJI] Don't come closer, I don't even want your concernI want to leave away to somewhere, I want to shout outThis world is full of lies

[CL] I think I'm uglyAnd nobody wants to love meJust like her I wanna be pretty I wanna be prettyDon't lie to my face tellin' me I'm pretty
I think I'm uglyAnd nobody wants to love meJust like her I wanna be pretty I wanna be prettyDon't lie to my face cuz I know I'm ugly

[DARA] All aloneI'm all alone x 2
There is no such thing as warmthThere is no one by my side
All aloneI'm all alone x 2I'm always alone
There's no such thing as warmthNext to my side, there's not even anyone to embrace me

[CL] I think I'm uglyAnd nobody wants to love meJust like her I wanna be pretty I wanna be pretyDon't lie to my face tellin' me I'm pretty
I think I'm uglyAnd nobody wants to love meJust like her I wanna be pretty I wanna be prettyDon't lie to my face cuz I know I'm ugly

Translated by GEE @ ygladies.com

HUL!
As much as I love and enjoy 2NE1, I always turn to Alanis Morisette and Vienna Teng music for the soundtrack of my life.
but OMG... 2NE1 just hit a home run right here.

Wahhh TT TT TT

I wanna be pretty...
I wanna be like someone who can brighten up the room whenever she's around...
I don't want to feel pretty just coz im wearing make-up...
I am tired of delusions. When I think of him I want him to be thinking of me too...
I wanna be pretty.

This is not Gdragon's concert!

2011-07-12T04:51:00.000+08:00

I want to tell that to Blackjacks in Soompi who are hoping that since Team GG will perform Having An Affair in 2NE1's 1st full concert, NOLZA, then there might be a chance that GD will perform Hello and The Leaders.

NO.

For the record, I am not against the performance of Having An Affair, or Hello, or the Leaders, if indeed thay are in the list - I just don't want GD's fans to think they need to come to support him because there are only 4,000 available seats for this concert. Coz if would think that way then they might get majority of the seats. Then what happens when he's done performing? They leave? Or just sit and wave their VIP lightsticks? No. Please let the concert venue be full of Blackjacks who will dance and sing and jump and scream and wave Blackjacks lightsticks for the girls.

Listening to 2NE1's 1st mini album

2011-07-12T03:46:00.000+08:00

because I miss this. I miss this chill album.

When I Don't Care came out it became my anthem for a whole week. It was the only song I played again and again and again. Listening to it made me happy and helped blow my stress away.

Then a week after, they released their mini album and all the songs made it to my playlist. I played it to and from work, while walking my way to the jeepney, riding it, and getting to the office and my place. I just loved it. It's a chill album. Sure it has the upbeat Fire and Pretty Boy, but they were very fun to listen too, and didn't seem out of place. They were great fun songs placed strategically between the the slow RnB and poppy ones.

It took more than a year before 2NE1 released another album but at that time it was a full album. While the songs were amazing, and yes I love them all equally (except Please Don't Go which I seem to like only when CL and Minzy perform it), I can't seem to listen to it as long as I did with the mini album. There's just more dance songs to it than I would have preferred and CL and Bom seemed to have wanted to outsing each other during recording especially in the song It Hurts. Dara and Minzy's parts are welcome respite for me in that song. To be honest I was really relieved that Minzy had a lot of parts in Lonely, while noting that CL and Bom did try to sing softer. I am not afraid to say this here since no Blackjack reads my blog. lol. If they do they might brand me an anti. Scary. I am an anti too but I don't let the idol's fans know. I just "dislike" their vids. LOL.

And they are back to releasing another mini album. Well, until YG releases an official statement, it will still be a rumoured tracklist. The information for now provide that there will be 6 tracks which will include the already released digital singles Dont Cry by Bom, Lonely, and I Am The Best, plus the bonus Yamaha Fiore track, Don't Stop The Music. Additionally, there will be a new track UGLY to be released on the 21st and Hate You to be released simultaneously with the album on the 28th.

I can't say I am thrilled with this released information. I really don't want an angst-filled song. I already have GDragon's She's Gone to listen to when I want that mood. That song is already perfect for me. What I want is something along the style of Let's Go Party and In The Club. And please let Dara and Minzy sing more. Power and belting doesn't equate to good music.

Dirk Nowitzki - Road to Greatness

2011-06-09T00:18:00.000+08:00

So I checked tweets mentioning Dirk after they won Game 4 of the NBA Finals. He gets so much love - win or lose! Is the NBA taking notes? Anyway, one that caught my attention and made me laugh was this:

GotEm_Coach: Kobe is so pissed that Dirk got to be sick in a Finals game.

Hahaha!

I have never been a Kobe fan. I just don't like the guy for no particular reason. He is good but I can't care for him or his game. So, yeah.

Anyway, when the amusement died down, I was suddenly thinking that "WOW, THIS IS DEFINITELY DIRK'S YEAR!" It was like a lightbulb turning on moment ^^

Why do I say that? Let me tell you how.

First, he establishes his Loyalty by renewing his contract with the Mavs. You can read the story here but I will quote the some lines:

With no guarantee the capped-out Mavericks can land the elite sidekick he seeks to keep Dallas relevant in the Western Conference, Nowitzki agreed Saturday night to give a hometown discount to the only team he's ever known, reaching terms with owner Mark Cuban on what sources close to the talks say is a four-year deal worth $80 million.

That's $16 million less than the $96 million maximum Nowitzki was eligible to receive and likely would have commanded had he been serious about shopping himself on the open market as an unrestricted free agent for the first time.

...All Cuban could promise Nowitzki is that the financial relief he's providing will make it easier for Dallas to keep trying to swing a landscape-changing trade.

Such assurances were enough thanks largely to Nowitzki's deep Dallas roots and the close bond he and Cuban have forged through more than a decade of extreme highs and lows.

So, Mavs battled and just like the previous 11 (or is it twelve?) seasons, they make it to the NBA playoffs, placing third in the West after the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers. Now what comes with the start of the off-season? The Predictions! Now thanks largely to them dropping their first round match-ups three of the last four times, including 2007 when they were #1 in the East and were swept by 8th seeded Golden State Warriors, many saw them losing to the Portland Trailblazers, including all these NBA experts.

I must admit I didn't have high expectations of the team. I just didn't want to get disappointed again. So when they lost games 3 & 4 after winning the first 2 at home, it was like, "Ah, the life of a Mavs fan, gotta get used to it."

But they pulled through in six games. They jumped through with their first hurdle, and my second "how": doubters and all, they actually make it past the 1st round.

My brother who is a Kobe and the Lakers fan wanted the Mavs to win because he felt that the Blazers would be a tougher match up to his team. So, yeah, he got his wish. The Lakers were heavily favored to make it to the Finals and possibly achieving their 2nd 3-peat. Kobe was supposed to equal what Jordan did, see? The Mavs weren't supposed to be in their way but no, not only do they beat them but the Mavs actually swept the defending champs. That would be "how" #3.

So the Lakers went to vacation after the 2nd round along with the Celtics and the Spurs (lost in the 1st vs. the young Grizzlies), and with stars like Derrick Rose, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant shining through, the talk became about passing the baton, the dawning of a new age. I really like it coz I'm a fan of both Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant and the league should look no further *cough*BlakeGriffin*cough* than these two for the future face of the NBA. They are amazing. I mean, yeah, we got the youngest MVP ever in DRose, right? ^^

Anyway, back to the Mavs, they would be the old one. I don't know their average age but Dirk is 32, Kidd is 38 (he officially became the oldest to play an NBA Finals game ^^), Terry is what, 33? So, yeah. People are even saying that between the Mavs and the Heat, Mavs deserve the title more coz this could be their only chance. My take on that is it doesn't matter. It's not who deserves it more, but who wants it more. Hmmm. Well, you know what, actually Dirk will have it because he is destined for it as what I am trying to prove here. hehe :p

Ok, back to my points. So the Mavs were up against the very young and athletic and DETERMINED team of Kevin Durant and his Oklahoma City Thunder. Durant, Westbrook, Harden, Maynor, Ibaka, and Cook are in the 22-24 age range. Their 6 key players! WOW! Meanwhile the twenty-somethings of the Mavs, except Barea, are the ones who don't get to play much. So, the Mavs team was pretty much 10 years or more older than the Thunder. Had the Thunder won (they had double digit leads), it would have been another case of Mavs being too old to run. But since the Mavs prevailed , it became the case of experience over immaturity ("how" #4).

It was in this Western Conference Finals wherein the question "Who's gonna guard Dirk?" became louder. It seemed a given that Pau Gasol was soft and couldn't guard him, even though Odom and Artest also tried. So, ok. The Thunder on the other hand did very well against the Memphis Grizzlies. I enjoyed that series very much, by the way. The Thunder contained Zach Randolph who was phenomenal against the Spurs. They also took care of Marc Gasol, so yeah, the Thunder defense is formidable. But Game 1 showed everyone that THIS GUY DIRK IS A PROBLEM - a popular tweet. ^^ Dirk, in game 1, scored 48 points in 12-15 FG and 24-24 FT shooting. NBA, where amazing happens! Suddenly, math geeks were into formulating new ways to calculate efficiency. So cool! ^^

So that's how the journey has been so far, and yet, his team isn't picked to win the Championships because they are up against the Big 3 and apparently, the Heat has the best defense in town. (Now that it's tied at 2-all I hope NBA fans see that Mavs have great defense too, and they have a great coach!)

In the end, it will be revealed that the Miami Heat is just part of the grand design in revealing Dirk Nowitzki's Greatness.

Let me recap:

1. He remained loyal to his team (In comparison to everyone jumping ships, not only LeBron James);

With him leading,

2. The Mavs get past the first round scare; prove doubters wrong.

3. The Mavs sweep the 2-time defending champion Lakers.

4. The Mavs show experience over the young and athletic, up and coming, Thunder team.

and to top it all: The Mavs beat the Miami Heat.

It just has to be the Miami Heat: to avenge the '06 Finals loss, to beat the league's touted Big 3, and to show everyone that loyalty and perseverance pay off. All that while playing against a worth adversary in Dwayne Wade (yes, props to him for his exceptional performance), playing injured and sick (yeah!!! see?), and staying humble all throughout.

The Dallas Mavericks are NBA Champions for the first time.

Dirk, Kidd, Terry, Marion, & Stojakovic, after so many playoff tries, finally gets a ring.

Dirk is the Finals MVP.

#DIRK #GREATNESS #thatisall

The King Has Donkey Ears

2011-06-01T01:05:00.000+08:00

I learned this through Dara's me2day update. yes, it is informative as well as entertaining, with translators and fellow fans sharing their knowledge.

There are many variations to the story as I have found out through Google. One involves the infamous King Midas, the very same king who turned everything he touched to gold. In one version, he offended the god Apollo, master of music, when instead of appreciating the play of a hundred instruments, he pretended to be an expert and criticized its parts and disturbed the orchestra with his loud talk. So the god punished him by turning his ears into donkey ears which caused a great deal of shame to the king.

The other version is about a king who had donkey ears which got his barbers in danger when they burst into laughter as they cut his hair and find out he has donkey ears. However, one was able to hold his laughter and showed appreciation to the king's unique ears. The king was delighted with him but asked him to keep his secret and in return he will reward him with wealth. The barber agreed but this caused him a huge deal of stress as he found it hard to keep a secret so one day, as advised by his wife, he went to the forest and whispered to an oak tree. Thus, he was able to free himself from the burden.

Basically, the idea with this phrase is that someone has a secret and is itching to tell it but he can't because he will be in trouble.

One Act of Nothing and Everything.

2011-05-30T04:31:00.001+08:00

It's Yoon Ji Hoo messing Geum Jan Di's hair in Boys Over Flowers (KBS had a marathon of the episodes last night and I caught that part).
It's the young boy Kim Dong-young patting the young girl Kang Hee's head in Fashion 70's. A moment that will be replayed again and again as she went through life.

It's scenes like these that remind me of you, of that time when I got a new haircut and you reached out to place some strands behind my right ear. Little thing. Major shock.

The boy in the drama, like you did, just smiled and went on. While the girl is unable to move, suffering inside. The best she could do is smile like crazy when the boy is no longer around.

It's like a silent firework has shot through the skies.
It doesn't announce itself with a bang but humbly inspires with its burst of lights and colors.
As are fireworks, it's a one-time thing, one special time enough to make lasting impressions.

The Beauty of Kpop Songs...

2011-05-30T03:00:00.001+08:00

is listening without understanding, just feeling its message and emotions through the melody and vocals, and then finding the translated lyrics and discovering you were right in your interpretation.

and when you're wrong... the joy in being mistaken because the message is much deeper or stronger and you couldn't have written it any better.

I decided to change my blog design...

2011-05-30T02:34:00.000+08:00

because I wasn't feeling the old one anymore... certainly wasn't up to reading books.

I chose this new background
because it reflects my diminishing 20/20 vision. poor eyes.
because I think it represents my current state as far as my career is concerned; unclear.
because it paints the me wanting to experience the beauty and vibrancy of the city life but it's just a blur because right now I am totally at home.

The font. I didn't want Arial, Times New Roman, etc., for the reason that there are other choices. This reminds me of that article about love. Or was it attraction? Or men being unfaithful? ke ke. Anyway, it states there that men have problems committing even to a person they like because they tend to think that there's someone better. What if that someone better arrives and they are no longer free/single? This is a bigger dilemma now that the world has become more accessible and smaller with the television and the internet. Tsk. Men. Anyway, just have to say that I'm definitely not Arial. I wanted the "Just Another Hand" font. It is so me. It is special and unique, but common looks and an underachiever, just another girl. ke ke. Don't I just love myself? lol. The problem with that font is that it's not quite reader-friendly. I tried other fonts but just the same. In the end, I settled with Neucha.

Let me just share this bit of info about the font:

Description

Foundry:
Jovanny Lemonad
Version:
Version 001.001
You will throw tomatoes at me when I say that the font Neucha was invented for the sake of one and only one phrase: “I love you”. It was 2005 and I was in love. The first version of the font was done in 8 hours. I recently redid this fastfont from scratch, some glyphs have changed greatly but most of them I did not touch – just polished. Neucha very strong in terms of energy and I love it. Neucha translated from the Russian language means “not knowing how to create fonts right”.

Interesting, right?

I am a genius in discovering such things.

ke, just kiding ^^

so, there. In the end, it's all about love. :P

Chocolate brownie cake ^^

2011-02-17T21:05:00.001+08:00

I baked my very first cake today – a chocolate brownie cake, using our turbo broiler.

I would have chosen a cake cake ^^ (something to serve for papa’s birthday tomorrow) but from what I’ve read it won’t do in a turbo broiler as the middle tends to remain uncooked. So I chose this.

It cooked beautifully at first and I stared at it proudly as the mixture rose and formed, well, a cake. lol. However, it turned out as what I’ve read. The center and a huge amount of it was uncooked. It still was totally the batter I had made. What a disaster. I gave it an additional 5 minutes while lowering the temperature but still nothing. Finally, I thought about stirring the unbaked mixture again, then baking it as before and yahoo, it worked ^^ it’s not as pretty though since the top part is no longer smooth and uniform as it should look. It didn’t really matter as it turned out yummylicious that we ended up eating the whole cake tonight. keke.

Movement Lifestyle Adventures with YGE

2011-02-09T00:20:00.001+08:00

this time featuring Mari Martin working for the choreography of 2NE1’s Can’t Nobody! ^^

just wanna post this coz:

Mari Martin is lovely and awesome.

Keone is sweet.

Shaun is cool. and awesome too, of course.

Minzy is hot!

CL is sexy.

Dara is so beautiful. *Pretty whatever she does* and she looks like a kid while looking sexy at the same time. ^^

Bommie looks awkward being shy (knowing how much she’s opened now, and being a pretty good English-speaker). wtf with the comment on her singing though? lol.

The choreo rocks especially the beginning. I hope they do that for the English version. Japan, yeah!

There have quite a number of 2NE1 goodies lately, not coming from YG, so yeah, it’s all good. ^^

2NE1 will shake Japan and soon, the US!

RIP Angelo Reyes

2011-02-08T21:18:00.001+08:00

I don’t know why but I’m really affected by Angelo Reyes’ death.

I feel sad that a once highly-regarded man come down to this.

Heart don’t fail me now

Courage don’t desert me

Don’t turn back now that we’re here.

People always say

Life is full of choices

No one ever mentions fear.

Sigh. I wonder of the fear that his eyes can no longer meet. The fear that made a man of his caliber give up just like that. A man who had for so long made numerous critical decisions as a leader for the sake of this country, finally decided that taking his life is the only solution.

What is this place?

I don’t know if I should be thankful I’m not great enough to not receive huge amounts of bribe. Perhaps I should be as I am able to turn them down knowing that I’ll be able to earn them in time. ^^

I am not saying he is guilty. I saw the movie Fair Game recently and this was one case that demonstrated how stories can be twisted and fabricated to make it appear how you want it to. To quote the 1992 movie, Hero, “You remember when I said how I was gonna explain about life, buddy? Well the thing about life is, it gets weird. People are always talking ya about truth. Everybody always knows what the truth is, like it was toilet paper or somethin', and they got a supply in the closet. But what you learn, as you get older, is there ain't no truth. All there is is bullshit, pardon my vulgarity here. Layers of it. One layer of bullshit on top of another. And what you do in life like when you get older is, you pick the layer of bullshit that you prefer and that's your bullshit, so to speak.” ^^ No, actually, there’s something else I’d like to quote but I can’t find it online so I’ll have to watch the movie again and get back on it.

He may be guilty. Some view it as an act of cowardice, an admission of guilt. But those who had worked with and served him would say otherwise. To them, his was an act of courage to save the dented morale of the PMA and AFP.

Personally, I don’t want to think he is. But that’s just me being sentimental.

RIP, Angelo Reyes.

P.S.

I just read a high school classmate’s post. She’s also a PMAer herself.

BUT even kings and great men can grow tired and get weak...May u now rest in peace General

Laymen’s Ten Commandments

2011-02-08T02:17:00.001+08:00

I got this forwarded e-mail from my older brother. The title is Laymen's Ten Commandments.

1] Prayer is not a "spare wheel" that you pull out when in trouble, but it is a "steering wheel" that directs the right path throughout.

2] So a Car's WINDSHIELD is so large & the Rear view Mirror is so small? Because our PAST is not as important as our FUTURE. So, Look Ahead and Move on.

To be honest I don’t like analyses like this. I’m sure the windshield and rear view mirror are sized for practical reasons. Come on.

3] Friendship is like a BOOK. It takes few seconds to burn, but it takes years to write.

Hmmm. I can’t say I agree. A person becomes a friend because you have come to share something that makes the relationship special. There are differences which you may or may not accept, and there could be misunderstandings and disagreements, but if you really are friends, I’m sure you’ll find ways to patch things up.

4] All things in life are temporary. If it goes well, enjoy it, they will not last forever. If it goes wrong, don't worry, they can't last long either.

5] Old Friends are Gold! New Friends are Diamond! If you get a Diamond, don't forget the Gold! Because to hold a Diamond, you always need a Base of Gold!

I think this sucks. Lol. The value of a friend is not simply measured by the length of time you’ve known them.

6] Often when we lose hope and think this is the end, GOD smiles from above and says, "Relax, sweetheart, it's just a bend, not the end!

7] When GOD solves your problems, you have faith in HIS abilities; when GOD doesn't solve your problems HE has faith in your abilities.

Which tells me I have more faith in God’s abilities, than Him in mine. kekekeke ^^

8] A blind person asked GOD: "Can there be anything worse than losing eye sight?" He replied: "Yes, losing your vision!"

9] When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them, and sometimes, when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you.

So, yeah, I, normally, would have scanned the first few rules and moved on to the next mail, but I actually read all of it, and I’m glad I made it to this. ^^ This really struck me coz I have been worrying about my younger bro the past days esp when he comes home very late. I always tell myself to one day sit him down and ask him if he really needed to be out there so late but I never got to. I’m not really ate material. Anyway, I told myself that when happens I should scold him and tell him that he should be thankful there are people praying for his safety.

Seriously, this is the only reason why this e-mail should be forwarded because sometimes when we’re too sure of ourselves and our capabilities, we need to be reminded that it’s not only through our own doing, but by others’ prayers and God’s grace that we are what and where we are. Unless if you’re actually not feeling happy and blessed, in which case maybe you need to reassess and ask yourself if you’ve got people caring for you. kekeke ^^ I’m pretty sure I have lots. ^^

10] WORRYING does not take away tomorrow's TROUBLES, it takes away today's PEACE.

“Winners wear the crown, Losers wear a frown.” sounds much better. ^^

I don’t know who wrote this but there are much better rules to live by than some written here, like Cleanliness is Next to Godliness, and Don’t Do Unto Others What You Don’t Want Others to Do Unto You.

Daragon again

2011-02-07T02:58:00.001+08:00

I haven’t touched up on Daragon for a long time now coz well, I’m no longer the avid Appler that I used to be, and there hasn’t been much really, unless you try to probe and analyze everything, I suppose.

But back in January, in one interview, Dara confessed that she found GD to be someone who’s ideal to date. Apparently, they went skiing and seeing that she was carrying a board that looked as big as her, GD took the board without saying anything. Sweet.

I thought it was cute ^^ and I was happy ^^ lol

GD was asked for a comment and well he said he was happy she thought well of him. Eh?

I liked TOP’s answer better. He said that if he were there, he would’ve been picked as well. LOL. Tabi! ^^

So, anyway, it was cute.

Then today came, and this afternoon, while promoting the song Jibe Gajima on Inkigayo, GD made a flying kiss move to Sulli. This was part of the song’s choreo. It must be noted that in a radio interview back in 2009, GD thought Sulli' was cute. ^^

So anyway, i read what happened and I felt disappointed. Initially, I was. Then I thought that since I don’t really like GD for Dara, then it’s all good. I just want Dara for myself. LOL. No, actually, I have realized that the biggest reason why I root for Daragon is because I feel like it’s the most real among these 2NE1-GD pairings.

I really don’t like this “competition” going on as to who GD really likes among CL, Bommie, and Dara. Somehow it has divided the Blackjacks fandom. Who is GD, anyway? I mean, yeah, he’s cool and cute, and maybe a music genius, but he’s not all that! But since I love Dara the most, I end up rooting for Daragon rather than Skydragon, or GBom. Which is typical for me since I only really care for a certain shipping if it involves Dara.

So anyway, I watched the “flying kiss” clip and realized that there wasn’t really in it. It was clearly scripted, and I thought all the reactions on Twitter are exaggerated. She could’ve been any girl, it just happened to be Sulli because she is the only female MC on the show.

So, ok, next! LOL. Not an issue.

However, I visited ohdara just now and wow, the comments just flooded because of that little thing. Well, here’s my take. I don’t think they’re together coz why would Dara ask Thunder to introduce her to guys? Even Se7en helps out in “pimping” her.

As for GD, people need to start getting a clue about his behavior. Like the thought that maybe he has someone else already. The guy looks really happy and inspired. Dara is not the only likeable girl around.

Anyway, Dara didn’t say she wanted to date GD. She just wants someone like him. Maybe it’s just her way to tell those who have publicly professed their admiration to her on how to score points. ^^ oh YG, just put her out of her misery and let her date!

Let her date, please. My vote’s on Ki Sung Yung. ^^

2NE1 at 2010 SBS Gayo Dajeun

2010-12-30T11:56:00.000+08:00

yohoooo! they got the most air time ^^ and they did really well. ^^ and they looked so pretty especially Dara (biased haha)
Neway, since i dont have much stuff to do, i decided to rip the audio of their performances so I can listen to them again and again.

Here's the preview and link for the free mp3 download of their performances last night:

GO AWAY Remix

IT HURTS Remix with Kim Gun Mo

CAN'T HELP FALLING with Kim Gun Mo

EXCUSE with Kim Gun Mo

Omo omo omo...

2010-11-06T02:03:00.002+08:00

^^because I can't really think of a fitting title for this entry...

Still jobless and no schedules for interview, I spent most of my time downloading and watching movies. This, in between playing 2NE1's It Hurts MV! they're jjang!!!

Exam. Great movie about 8 candidates for a job. Keeps you guessing... I didn't get it so yeah, I'd surely fail that exam. I'd probably volunteer myself out. Haha.

I watched Kim's Island. Korean movie. it's was entertaining! that's all. I can't give anything that's not already found in it's IMDB data. ^^

I watched It Came From Somewhere Else because the reviews said it was funny in a kooky way, and I believe I am kooky and have a great sense of humor. LOL. It did give me some laughs. Another review said anyone who stumbles upon the DVD should get and keep it. I didn't keep it. Well, maybe it's a movie better seen with your group of silly and genius friends just because it's both genius and silly ^^ but so are other movies...

like Scott Pilgrim vs the World!OMG! I super loved the movie! It is epic beyond epic! kekeke. I think it's one of my favorites now... maybe... I'll watch again and decide ^^ i loved it!

I love everyone in the movie except the one who played the Chinese girl, coz she doesnt look 17, and her acting is just awful. Her only shining moment was towards the ending. She must've used those parts in her audition. Ha ha ha. I'm so funny!

I saw Inception too. Today. Finally. I kept hearing about how the ending confused them so towards the end, when their mission was completed, I braced myself for a twist. Is there gonna be a betrayal? Is he still living a dream? Did he dream this mission just to convince himself that he has a chance of regaining his life back? When he spun his totem and left the table I was half expecting his father to take it... BUT...no... the end... wow... but VERY clever ground-breaking ideas. WOW. What a world that would be.

This Is It.

Jam started playing (i remembered Michael Jordan featured in the MV!!!) and I started dancing. Really. They Don't Care About Us was awesome ^^ Then he sang Human Nature and I actually applauded when he finished. He really still has it. He can still move people with his performance. ^^ Then next was Smooth Criminal and the moment they showed that CG, particularly that marquee, then the silhouettes of MJ and the dancers, I was like O-O wow

then I felt so guilty having downloaded it for free! I should've watched in on the theaters! On the big screen! TT I should've paid to see something like this TT I really felt bad TT I was kinda overwhelmed. His music was one of those that I listened to growing up, and his MVs are ones I've watched with my family in marvel O_O He is incomparable! Yeah, How dare you JYP, for saying you'll create the next Michael Jackson in who, the Wonder Girls? Get real! They aren't singing about some universal message like Healing The World, or Being Black and White don't matter, or the saving Mother Earth, or just Beating It! Plus you give them cheap MVs for crying out loud! Is it because you got people singing and dancing to Nobody? Don't flatter yourself, it's not the first. As far as I'm concerned there was Macarena and the Ketchup song before that. They had different versions too. :))
Wow...breathe... anyway, if there was one thing negative It was seeing Michael look like that. I remember him looking much better which leads me to...

Justin Timberlake in The Social Network. Wow, he looks old to me!

And was he supposed to play a gay character? Is the founder of Napster gay? I don't think so coz in the movie he mentioned he was motivated to impress a girl and take her away from her bf. Something like that. Anyway, great casting, i think, sans JT. Or maybe he did do well because he sure pissed me off! What an asshole! The two of them! I'm glad those other boys got some moolah out of him, even though I wasn't fond of those Adonis brothers. I was just awed they found those guys to cast. Wow... His friend's a real good friend. And hopefully the founder of Facebook has learned to know whose company to keep. Wow. People sure are ruthless for money. They make a saint out of someone i know whom we fondly call as "hellboy." LOL.
I still can't quite believe Harvard got crazy over Facebook. Yes, at the beginning, it was the idea of exclusivity, but aren't they exclusive enough? Only the best enters Harvard then they have these houses that sort of symbolizes your status. Plus I would've thought they'd be too cool for that, and Facebook is not that cool! Seriously, the first time I signed up for it I took a browse and wasn't at all impressed. It had so many unnecessary application, I thought, so I deleted my account. It did get better when I signed up again. And it's fun but it does bore me now. Sometimes it's just another venue for people to act cool, and pretend like they care or they know. Yes, it has its uses of course, I admit, especially the ease and speed of interaction. but a lot of the information are shallow... or maybe I'm just looking at the wrong stuff. yeah, perhaps ^^

So there... just some of my thoughts... omo omo omo...

edit: i forgot why I mentioned MJ and JT's looks. It's because when I saw them I thought of my girls, 2NE1,and all I have to say to them regarding this is, "Girls, please age gracefully."

My New Favorite Snack

2010-11-05T12:34:00.000+08:00

Once upon a time last month, I really wanted to eat something but was too lazy to go out to buy food.
So I opened the ref and all i found was this round-shaped piniatos brought by my brother and his girlfriend from Romblon. I don't know where exactly they bought it, but anyway, i ate it, and sad to say, it tasted awful. Instead of peanuts coated with sugar, that one was the opposite. It was hard brown sugar mixed with a number of nuts. So I was mostly eating brown sugar :( really sad that I made a mental note to buy piniato the next time I do my grocery just to remind myself how piniatos are supposed to taste like.

So I made my usual groceries at Shopwise the next day and it was just perfect coz while choosing for bread I stumbled across these peanut nougats. As soon as I got to my room and put down my purchases, I opened a bar, took a bite, and wow, it tasted really good! Maito!!! Before i knew it I had already finished the whole pack. Haha! I was surprised I liked it so much since I was never really a fan of this snack ^^ but it has in fact converted me and I make sure to buy one whenever I'm doing my grocery at Shopwise. Today I went and got 2 packs coz one is not enough. lol.

It doesn't have a name on the label but in Shopwise it's tagged as Asunny Peanut Nougat, and can be found near the bread section, along with other sweets such as durian and ube pastillas ^^ I suppose it's their home-made honey that gives the peanuts the sweetness that I have come to love. Make sure to grab one if and when you come across this snack. ^^

Cloudy With No Chance of Being Shared To Others

2010-10-09T03:37:00.000+08:00

I fell in love with the movie How To Train Your Dragon that when I saw that a torrent for 3D copy was available I grabbed it. I didn't get the 3D effect but it was no doubt a better copy than the one i previously downloaded.

According to the info provided, and I quote, "How to Train Your Dragon is similar to last year's Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs - Long titles, great story, beautiful animation and a total delight. Highly recommended, and it goes into my list as contenders for best films of this year!" This is from IMDB, so, it was only right then that I also watch and expect to be delighted to this Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.

Ugh, not even close. At first I was like, wow, I wonder if the people behind these animated films are living as inspired and passionate and crazy as these characters and world they make out of these movies? I really should've stopped watching then because as I continued on I just felt that the movie is so stupid, ridiculous, and too clichéd, that I couldn't wait for it to end so I can write about how much it sucked!

A person with high IQ having such low EQ
A round bodied stupid clueless blonde bully
A round-bellied self-centered ruthless politician

Ugh, way to go for creativity! Sure, a machine that converts water to food by some molecular mutation is out of the box but come on, give us characters that we'll hate and love with reason! The ones we can identify with, not some overused one-dimensional played-out stereotypes.

This was a pretty stupid town who never thought of how an invention like this ought to be patented and sold to other countries to solve world hunger; or worried that it made the people lazy and unhealthy, and there was too much food than needed; or at the very least stopped and asked how in the world did it suddenly rain food just like that?! But no, it just had to go to such far fetched ideas as to killer pizzas, chicken, and... gummy bears??? Is it suppose to be funny coz it's so not! Throwing your kid like a football is not funny. at. all. The only time I laughed was when that short guy said he was a comedian. HAHA! That was funny. Imagine if they edited out that part... oh, how sad.

Sad indeed. This could very well be the worst movie I have ever seen. It tried soooooooooooooo hard, I can tell, to teach a lesson and make it meaningful (girl not letting go of the guy, allergies and all, guy letting go anyway; father doing what he could; the stupid jerk fumbling and all yet helping in the end; guy finding the girl more beautiful with her nerdy look more, ugh; etc) but the thing is it was really kinda shallow that I couldn't even afford to give an "awww" when the father said what he felt, of how proud he was for having this guy as his son. See, I can't even remember that guy's name. I remember Sam Sparks, the weather girl, the only one who seem to have this personality that works. I remember Hiccup, but he's from How To Train Your Dragon. I remember Steve, that stupid monkey, who's fetish for mustache seem to matter, but didnt at all! I don't know why they even include it. You're supposed to include it no matter how small coz in the end you reveal something big out of it, like the shoe spray on, yes, or in the case of How To Train Your Dragon, finding out that dragons aren't so full-proof from the inside!

I sound angry. I am. So before I even started writing this blog, I did what I thought was the right thing: I stopped seeding the torrent file.

Daragon love

2010-09-22T18:10:00.001+08:00

Bored from work and no new 2NE1 news to keep me busy I typed Daragon on Wordpress search box just to amuse myself ^^ and oh have I missed my original OTP (One True Pairing)! Daragon gave me so much happiness, it felt like falling in love with someone. It really did. I would listen to Hello and i'd be smiling while walking to and from work.
So what happened? Well, what happened was that I fell in love with Darayang, for one. Even before I Need A Girl, I had set my sight on Dara and Taeyang, even with nothing to work on. My Darayang love is really more of the result of me wanting Dara to end up with Taeyang since he's a great guy. He's my favorite BB, and I like his shyness ^^ It's cute. He's never had a gf yet but I think he's the type to remain loyal to the girl. And he seems like he's really into Dara. Weee!
There was also Gibo. A great diversion.
Another thing is that other Applers turn me off. I know I often say in 2NE1's case that rude Blackjacks won't ever get in the way of me loving 2NE1, but I just can't say the same for Daragon, not on the same degree.
They are not rude but they are annoying. The Daragon fandom has grown exponentially (lol) since Hello performances and it felt like I see them everywhere even on Darayang or someother else pairing's articles or vids. It's annoying, pointing out GD wearing this ring on a BB MV on Youtube. I am a shipper and it annoys me, how much more for none shippers, for die hard VIPs? They're like spam mails giving out unwanted information.
And then there's GD and Dara. GD who looks to be so in love with his butterfly he would do anything for her. I believe that. He has been very supportive of Dara. But i'm not too sure if he can remain loyal to her. It seems like he's easily distracted, easily swayed. He was even rumored to have a Japanese gf since they debuted in Japan. Oh, yeah, in one interview, his groupmates revealed that GD's preferences in girls is always changing, that whoever he's dating is his ideal girl. So, it's like when he gets close to you, and finds something interesting, then he falls in love. Sounds like Kuya2x. lol. This seems like good news to fans though ^^ and this is why his other pairings thrive, because they find a way to point out that he likes CL, and Bom, and Sohee, etc., and if u read them you'll actually get convinced! It's like MR.J. he does a lot of sweet things that makes u feel special but he does it to everyone else. Feeling ra sad kaayo ko no? LOL! It'll be good to know that to MR.J there will always be that one special girl, the one who got away. But knowing GD had Jae (the girl he wrote about in This Love, Ms. Sept 19), what does that make of Dara? Where does she fit in?
In defense to Dara, her other pairings are mainly because these boys have expressed their admiration to my favorite girl and that she looks great when paired with them (TOP, LMH, Taeyang, among others). The problem with her is she's really good in keeping her relationship secret. You just can't read her.
Anyway, so I read some blogs and hmm, apparently some are getting impatient cause hints are coming slow, that some have jumped ships while waiting, and maybe some are starting to doubt. To them, all I can say is Daragon Love Is True Love. lol.
Ah, how do i put it...
These two, whether they end up together or not, has cared and loved each other. Whether they continue to, or not, they have. They have spent wonderful times together, sleepless nights talking on the phone, keeping in touch even when they were a country apart. They will always have that chili and In and Out incident whenever they feel like teasing each other. They'll always have that soy sauce crab endearment, whatever that might be, between just two of them which Im sure will make them smile when it crosses their memory. They will always have each other - he will always be the dongsaeng she calls oppa, and she his unique three-syllabled name.
Daragon love is true love ^^

Letters To Juliet

2010-09-22T12:20:00.000+08:00

I saw the movie Letters To Juliet last Friday.
This girl named Sophie, played by Amanda Seyfried, spends a pre-wedding honeymoon with her fiancee to Verona, Italy. Unfortunately for her, he takes this chance to search the best recipes and ingredients for his soon-to-open restaurant in New York. She's not so enthusiastic as he is, so they both decide to spend their time separately.
The girl is an aspiring writer, by the way, and one afternoon she stumbles along Juliet Capulet's house, which interestingly, is not only attracting tourists but also heartbroken women from all over. They write their stories then tapes them on the wall just below the balcony where she was supposedly wooed by Romeo. So she sits and observes them and writes on her journal. Then later, a woman comes bringing a basket, and one by one takes the letters down.

Curious, she follows her as she makes her way to a restaurant and meets with other women. Turns out they're Juliet's secretaries tasked to answer those letters, giving out comfort, encouragement, and advice, when needed.
The next day she visits again and as she helps out in collecting the letters, a loose brick falls out, and she discovers an old letter folded inside of it.
The letter came from a young English lady, Claire, who has fallen for an Italian guy while she spent some time in the country. She wrote of sadness for not meeting him on the night they both decided to elope. Thinking that the girl deserve an answer regardless of how much time has passed, Sophie, with the women's enouragement, writes her back.
Days later, a man arrives at the restaurant and asks for Sophie and starts scolding her for being careless with her reply. It turns out he is the grandson of that girl who wrote the old letter and against his will, citing fear of her getting hurt, he is in Italy to accompany his grandma in search for the man she stood up fifty years ago. After some heated exchange she finally wins in tagging along the trip. To make it short, as anyone would have predicted, she and the grandson ended up together. Grandma found the man, already a widower, so they got married, and Sophie got to write her first book. Yipee!
Yeah, the story sucks, there was nothing so original about it. Girl falling out of love for her boyfriend who had no time for her and falling in love with someone who "sees" her.
However, Vanessa Redgrave is beautiful; Italy is beautiful; and most of all, Sophie's letter was beautiful.

'What' and 'If' two words as nonthreatening as words come. But put them together side-by-side and they have the power to haunt you for the rest of your life: ‘What if?'...

I don't know how your story ended. But I know that if what you felt then was love - true love - then it's never too late. If it was true then it why wouldn't it be true now? You need only the courage to follow your heart...

I don't know what a love like that feels like... a love to leave loved ones for, a love to cross oceans for... but I'd like to believe if I ever felt it. I'd have the courage to seize it.

I hope you had the courage to seize it, Claire. And if you didn't, I hope one day that you will.

Pure win. And me tooooo.. I'd like to believe that if I ever felt it, I'd have the courage to seize it.
I'd really like to feel it. In this lifetime. Soon, please. Haha!
Hwaiting, Janice!

The Sky Is Falling

2010-09-20T15:20:00.000+08:00

There is so much hate in this world now, wouldn't you agree?

Whereas, before, 50 years ago, the persons you can hate are limited to those in your neighborhood, the acquaintances you detest, the person whose face you hate seeing on tv, now, it could include someone who lives across the globe, and you don't even have to see his ugly face to hate him.

No thanks to the internet, the hate is spread online, ranging from the simple stupid careless comments to serious cyber-bullying crimes.
I have come across a lot of them, especially in my Kpop online world. Trolls pose as fans to this fandom and write stupid stuff about the other fandom, and voila, fanwar! One "fan" only need to put _______ > ________ in a post and it could flame to pages and pages of discussion on who is the worst fandom of all. Not only that, they have the power to ruin your life. Korean netizens, particularly, notice the littlest things. They could drive an artist to apologize for small matters as in wearing a shirt that has the words F U written on the back, an idol to leave his group as in the case of Jaebom and 2PM, and even to the point of celebrities committing suicide. It is disturbing. Thank God, im not a celebrity, right?

Wrong. It does not kill but it disturbs me. There are obviously people out there who, although not out to ruin me, are nonetheless irritating. People who can't mind their manners, who are disrespectful of one's privacy, even those who are lacking of reading comprehension therefore responding nonsense and thus creating miscommunication, miscommunication creating misunderstanding, misunderstanding creating conflict, conflict creating hate.

The sky is falling.

Broken Curse

2010-09-16T12:14:00.000+08:00

Junnah, at one time, made it a point that we all should thank her for breaking the curse on TAF.
Yes, thank you, Jun. Thank you! After her wedding last April, Hunnie followed last August, now Guy is gettying hitched come December.
yey!
and Duardo's lovelife is blooming, who knows who else will be happily strucked by Cupid's arrows, Edz, Joanna, Leah, Ian, Debby, Kim? or maybe it's Sam! We don't know yet but I'm positive it's gonna happen. *fingers crossed. no. knotted!* ^^

My SFC family seems to be walking on that road as well. A lot of those I know, though I wasn't close to them, have gotten married this year. As for those in my group, Girly is on her way this Saturday. It's too bad I'm missing it. Anyway, I see from Dan's FB page that he has found his GG, and I was told that Pavs has as well.

Isn't it super nice???! Isn't it? Everyone's found their pair, their other half, their missing piece, so they say. One by one the chips fall. And pretty soon, before you know it, there'll be no one left standing single and available in both circles except MR.J and ME! Ah, it must be meant to be! hahahahahahahahaha!

yeah, I am kidding ^^ lol