Pond Perspective

It's Great To Be Alive!

2012-01-24T19:20:00.000+08:00

Come to think of it, these past few years that I have been blogging has been a gratitude journal of sorts. It has been a celebration of all things that I love, and not love so much, in my life.

Today as I celebrate another birthday, I can only be thankful for the grace, wisdom and strength gained through all this time. To God be the glory!

To The Vegans Out There...

2012-01-14T01:38:00.000+08:00

Let's all be kinder to plants - end vegetarianism! Hehe...=)

Apple - Steve Jobs = ???

2011-10-06T11:38:00.000+08:00

No app can ever replace you. Good job, Mr. Jobs! Thank you for being "crazy" enough to change the world forever.

New York State Of Mind

2011-09-11T03:40:00.001+08:00

We will always remember.

And remain steadfast.

Glee-ful Fashion Ad

2011-08-25T00:39:00.000+08:00

Take a gander at what the Glee kids were up to during hiatus: Sharing from Vogue.com

Say Something Nice

2011-08-24T22:52:00.006+08:00

How cool was this? The project involved the construction of a custom wooden lectern with a megaphone holster and an attached sign that read, “Say Something Nice.” The lectern was placed in public spaces around New York and then left alone. It was a chance to see what New Yorkers would do given the situation.

I absolutely loved the lady who didn't hesitate in stepping up to the mic to say, "Hey, you with the umbrella...the blue umbrella. I really like it. It's pretty". Even something as trite as "Have a nice day" might've even made somebody's morning.

Now if only people tried to say something nice everyday and paid that forward, imagine just how much more peaceful and loving the world would be.

Bravo, Improv Everywhere.

For My Fellow Filipinos

2011-06-12T10:37:00.008+08:00

Lest we forget what June 12 signifies.

Happy Philippine Independence Day, peeps! Good job, ABS-CBN!

Angry Birds Talk Peace

2011-05-14T17:07:00.002+08:00

Truly a historic moment!

A Mother's Day Post

2011-05-08T11:57:00.003+08:00

WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN'T LOOKING
by Mary Rita Schilke Korzan

When you thought I wasn’t looking
You hung my first painting on the refrigerator
And I wanted to paint another.

When you thought I wasn’t looking
You fed a stray cat
And I thought it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn’t looking
You baked a birthday cake just for me
And I knew that little things were special things.

When you thought I wasn’t looking
You said a prayer
And I believed there was a God that I could always talk to.

When you thought I wasn’t looking
You kissed me good-night
And I felt loved.

When you thought I wasn’t looking
I saw tears come from your eyes
And I learned that sometimes things hurt—
But that it’s alright to cry.

When you thought I wasn’t looking
You smiled
And it made me want to look that pretty too.

When you thought I wasn’t looking
You cared
And I wanted to be everything I could be.

When you thought I wasn’t looking—
I looked . . .
And wanted to say thanks
For all those things you did
When you thought I wasn’t looking
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, MOM! We love you!

Britney's Army

2011-04-23T17:16:00.003+08:00

As long as we've been on the topic of Brits, here's a video I got from Britney Spears' tweet:

Nice to know that those who are serving their country abroad have at least something entertaining to take their minds off the fear and stress. Way to go, Brit!

technorati tags: afghanistan, britney spears, music, troops, video, youtube

Top 10 Favorite British Words

2011-04-20T14:41:00.014+08:00

As the frenzy surrounding the upcoming Royal Wedding raises to fever-pitch, so does interest in all things British. That includes renewed interest in its' culture, people, and beautiful language.

From the first time I picked up books by British authors, I had always tried to imagine how the characters would speak - so properly and elegantly. I'll have you know, I and some friends of mine sometimes launch into an affected British accent when the mood hits us - much to the consternation and bafflement of the people around us. =)

I stumbled upon an article (in Merriam-Webster.com) recently which I found quite apropos for the occasion. Please allow me to share with you the current 10 favorite British words:

1. PRAT. Definition: a stupid or foolish person

Example: "Everyone's feeling a bit summery this morning, with a few rays breaking out over Britain and some of you lot daring to break the 'anyone who wears sunglasses in April is a prat' rule that we just made up." – 3am.co.uk, April 6, 2011

About the word: Prat probably comes from the 16th century slang prat meaning "buttocks." The original pratfall was a fall on the buttocks.

2. TWEE. Definition: affectedly or excessively dainty, delicate, cute, or quaint

Example: "Micmacs [is a] ramshackle and unbearably twee French comedy." – Chris Tookey, Daily Mail Online, February 26, 2010

About the word: Twee is a baby-talk alteration of sweet. It first appeared in print in a 1905 issue of the British magazine Punch.

3. KNACKERED. Definition: tired, exhausted

Example: "Went for a 4 miler and then when I got back from work we took the kids swimming. Nice and knackered now." – blog post at SoreLimbs.co.uk, January 18, 2011

About the word: The slang knacker means "to kill or tire." Etymologists can't be sure if there's a link between the adjective knackered and the knacker that means "horse-slaughterer."

4. JIGGERY-POKERY. Definition: dishonest or suspicious activity; nonsense

Example: "[Greece] flouted European Union rules on the limits to budget deficits; its national accounts were a moussaka of minced statistics, topped with a cheesy sauce of jiggery-pokery." – Jeff Randall, The Telegraph, May 20, 2010

About the word: Jiggery-pokery is an alteration of joukery-pawkery. Both joukery and pawkery are English regionalisms for "trickery."

5. PLONK. Definition: cheap or inferior wine

Example: "Fine diners are drinking premier cru wines at plonk prices as a bring-your-own booze revolution gathers pace in Britain's best restaurants." – Robert Booth, The Guardian, June 20, 2010

About the word: Plonk is a shortening of the earlier plink-plonk, and it may be a modification of vin blanc, which means "white wine" in French.

6. CHUNTER. Definition: to talk in a low inarticulate way: mutter

Example: "Tell me about it. I was chuntering on last night about *padded* training bras." – michlan on Twitter, April 13, 2011

About the word: Chunter is sometimes used as a synonym of "complain." The word is probably imitative in origin: when people are chuntering, it sounds a bit like they're saying "chunter chunter." (Mutter is also imitative.)

7. WHINGE. Definition: to complain fretfully: whine

Example: "I shall have one pint of beer less every time I'm in the pub, and I might occasionally whinge about the rises in the cost of living outstripping my wages." – blog post on A Dull Day at Work, April 2, 2011

About the word: Whinge (short "i" and terminal "j" sound) predates the long "i" whine. The Old English ancestor of whinge meant "to moan."

8. GORMLESS. Definition: lacking intelligence: stupid

Example: "Gormless, unhelpful and poorly trained shop staff create merry hell for customers who are simply exercising their legal rights to a repair, refund or replacement." – Sam Dunn, Two Pennies Worth blog, March 22, 2011

About the word: The word gaum exists in some English dialects and means "attention or understanding." Someone without gaum (or gorm) lacks understanding.

9. BOFFIN. Definition: a scientific expert and especially one involved in technological research

Example: "Brain boffins at University College London have made a major breakthrough in the ongoing effort to bridge the gap between man and machine." – Rik Myslewski, The Register, April 11, 2011

About the word: Boffin dates to 1945. Although its origin remains a mystery, it may have originated as a slang term for scientists engaged in wartime efforts.

10. PUKKA. Definition: genuine, authentic; first-class

Example: "... the record-breaking Sri Lankan [cricket player] has always shown himself a pukka gent...." – William Langley, The Telegraph, July 24, 2010

About the word: Chef Jamie Oliver rejuvenated pukka with his BBC series Pukka Tukka. That's fitting, since pukka comes from the Hindi and Urdu words for "cooked," "ripe," and "solid."

That's it. No blimey, bloody, bullocks, bugger, etc. Hmmm...seems I have a lot of catching up to do when it comes to the British language. Lest I be thought of as a prat.

technorati tags: british, language, words, favorite

The T-Mobile Royal Wedding

2011-04-16T21:58:00.006+08:00

Anyone see this T-Mobile spoof yet? Can you imagine assembling 15 royal doppelgangers together in one shoot? Bet the real McCoys thought it was a hoot!

Kudos to Saatchi & Saatchi London!

technorati tags: british, royal, wedding, spoof, funny, advertisement, commercial

A Twitter Follow Request

2011-04-14T19:42:00.009+08:00

Guess what I got in my inbox today from out of the blue?

And it's from her verified account, no less!

She (or her assistant) probably just click on random followers but hey, out of the 7.4MM followers that she's got, I still got chosen. Woot, woot!

technorati tags: entertainment, internet, social media, social networking, technology, twitter

Salamat!

2011-04-09T14:38:00.001+08:00

With the plethora of deal sites cropping up all around, shoppers nowadays want to be smart. They want to get their hard-earned money's worth every time.

Out of the pack comes a new site: Salamat.ph. Just recently launched, it offers free coupons to different establishments around the metro from restaurants to spas to golf clubs even! Its' homepage simply states that there is no need for pre-payment as all coupons are for free. No beating around the bush, no extravagant promises. You will most definitely save a pretty penny if you check out their offers.

Salamat.ph. Another alternative for buying smart.

technorati tags: deal, site, coupons

Summer Lovin'

2011-04-04T23:10:00.006+08:00

McDonald's came out with a winning commercial which I got to chance upon last night. Look at these cute kids:

All together now: Awwww.....

Update April 13, 2011: McDonald's pulled out the ad after the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CPCP) said that it was sending out the wrong message to children. In the commercial, a little girl asks a boy if she was already his girlfriend. The boy says no, claiming girlfriends are too demanding. However, he seems to change his mind when the girl says all she wants are french fries at McDonald's.

Hmmm...didn't find anything offensive or even mildly controversial about an innocent ad. Did you?

technorati tags: entertainment, commercial, advertisement, television, fastfood, mcdonald's

Major, Major Tsunami Alert

2011-03-12T06:00:00.006+08:00

Just a little past 2pm Manila time yesterday, Japan got hit by a massive 8.9 magnitude earthquake. They continue to experience strong aftershocks and the entire Pacific Ring of Fire (where the Philippines lies) is bracing itself for metres-high waves that are eastward-bound. Tsunami warnings have been issued for the Philippines, Indonesia, Russia, Taiwan, New Zealand, Australia, Mexico, South America, Chile and the Pacific Coast.

The force of the quake was so strong that it created this whirlpool:

This was the scariest video from Japan thus far - waves as high as 33 feet swept cars, trucks, trains, boats, planes and everything else in its' path into a huge debris-filled torrent of water.

Now news of a potential nuclear meltdown is doing the rounds. Let's pray the Japanese are able to contain it in time. Meanwhile, if you would like to help in the relief efforts, click here.

Steven Tyler Rocks!

2011-02-20T10:23:00.000+08:00

Not missing Simon Cowell on AI at all. ♥ ❤ ❥ ❣ ❦ him!

Gwynnie At The Grammys

2011-02-15T22:35:00.002+08:00

Gwyneth Paltrow wows the Grammy crowd with this colorful number, confidently strutting her stuff alongside Cee-Lo Green and The Muppets.

Happy Hearts' Day!!!

2011-02-14T00:01:00.007+08:00

Starting off this red-letter day with three of my all-time favorite love songs...enjoy!

Valentine Venue

2011-02-10T22:57:00.004+08:00

Got any plans for Valentine's yet? If you're finding hotel prices too steep, consider bringing your family and friends to the Ayala Triangle Gardens for concerts and valentine treats. See schedule below:

Ubiquitous Quiz 56

2011-01-13T00:28:00.002+08:00

You Are Sunrise

You enjoy living a slow, fulfilling life. You enjoy living every moment, no matter how ordinary.

You are a person of reflection and meditation. You start and end every day by looking inward.

Caring and giving, you enjoy making people happy. You're often cooking for friends or buying them gifts.

All in all, you know how to love life for what it is - not for how it should be.

What Time Of Day Are You?

technorati tag: ubiquitous quiz thursday

Goodbye Facebook?

2011-01-10T23:32:00.005+08:00

The internet was all abuzz this weekend with the news of our beloved social network's demise. Friends were posting warnings on their homepages to make copies of all personal albums before March 15th or suffer their disappearance into oblivion. Tweets were likewise of the same vein on Twitter.
Ayayay! When will people ever learn to do a little research first before succumbing to that urge to repost/retweet?
Fear not FB friends, here are the facts straight from the horses mouth:

So all those rumor-mongers, shut up, k?

Ubiquitous Quiz 55

2011-01-06T23:34:00.011+08:00

You Are 80% Girly

You're a pretty girly chick, and you're not ashamed to admit it (or wear pink).
But you're also practical. You can hang with the guys, as long as they're not too gross!

How Girly Are You?

technorati tag: ubiquitous quiz thursday

Manigong Bagong Taon!!!

2010-12-31T13:33:00.004+08:00

As we usher in the new year, almost everyone sings Auld Lang Syne as the clock strikes midnight. Well, most everyone in the western world anyway. I bet my bottom dollar there'll be a couple of hundred thousand people singing this holiday jingle in this part of the world, too, in a few hours.

Ever notice how a lot of people don't actually know the lyrics by heart and usually just end up humming along or just singing the same lines over and over again?

Well fear not. Here are the complete lyrics to help you get ready to belt it out with confidence in time for tonight's festivities.

AULD LANG SYNE
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and days of old lang syne?

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup!
and surely I’ll buy mine!
And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
since days of auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

And there’s a hand my trusty friend!
And give us a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.

Now for a little history...Did you know that the original Auld Lang Syne was written by Scottish poet Robert Burns. The term “auld lang syne” roughly translates from 18th century Scottish into “old times’ sake”, and just like it is used today, it is meant to be sung at the end of the year to remember the things that have transpired through the past year.

As you can see, the song does a pretty good job of bringing up fond memories of the past year. And drinking. LOTS of drinking.

And so, wherever you may be singing Auld Lang Syne tonight, I hope you have a happy and safe New Year’s Eve. Here's to a GREAT 2011!!!

It's Christmas All Over The World

2010-12-24T21:54:00.006+08:00