The Eccentricities of Ajajaireh

Lamyerda: Trip to Taal

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 23 Jun 2017 22:00:00 +0000

I have been to Tagaytay so many times that I lost count. My father was originally from Cavite and so we vacation there from time to time. A friend also lives there so we basically go to restaurants there when we visit. I have seen Taal so many times as well as most restaurants we go to has an overlooking view of Taal. But I have never actually been there and when the chance came to go there, I quickly grabbed it. Over the holy week, my boss decided to suddenly come to the Philippines and do some business stuff. So I was able to meet up with my online workmates and also meet my boss. With that, me and my other workmate decided to go to Tagaytay and to Taal.

This is my boss. He does handstands on the streets during his spare time.

I was not prepared for the trip down Taal. I know it would be a long way down, but had no idea it would be a bit more extreme than I anticipated. You see, it was raining a bit but luckily, on the way down, it did not rain much, but it drizzled a bit. We actually just rode a tricycle down and I was riding at the back so that was the extreme part for me. I can basically feel the trike swivelling a bit and creating strange sounds as it twisted and turned with the road. To give you an idea how twisty and turny the road is, here is a map. I did not dare take a photo while on the trike.

We arrived at Talisay and what looked like a beach resort of some sort that rents boats to tourists. We waited a while but the boat costs PHP3,000 I think. The boat ride took about 30 minutes and it was a nice boat ride. It was a lake so it wasn’t as bumpy as when it is at sea.

Upon arriving, we were greeted by many many vendors of some sort. Everything has to be paid for. From the photos, to the dust mask. Not that it’s an issue for me, but it is kind of annoying how some of them keeps on selling you your photo that they printed even if you do not want it. We had to ride a horse to the top of the crater and I forgot how much we paid for it exactly, but I think we separately paid for the horse and guide for PHP1,000. It was a dusty ascent and there were a lot of tourists during this time. There was even a bit of horse traffic as we were about to go up to where the horses should be tied up.

Being on top of a crater is pretty cool. You know it’s a volcano but feel a bit oblivious to this fact as you look down the water filled crater of Taal. There were actually some glowing substances below the surface of the water and I wonder if it’s lava. There was a tiny island on the water and I can even see a sort of wooden structure there that may mean that there are people who actually go there.

We went down after a few minutes as the heat was unbearable. At the same time, the clouds looked menacing and we wanted to get back to Talisay before it turns into rain. It was a lot quicker getting down and soon we were heading back to Talisay to get back on that extremely winding road.

Lamyerda: To Hermana Menor Island

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 09 Jun 2017 13:00:00 +0000

Summer is for going to the beach so since I wanted to make the last hurrah for summer, I went along with a friend who invited me to go to Hermana Menor. It is an Island in Sta. Cruz Zambales, which is 3 to 4 hours away from my home city, Olongapo City. I saw photos of it and it looked really untouched and the water is really gorgeous. We spent, approximately PHP1,500 more or less. These includes the bus fare, the snacks and meals, the boat fare, hut rental, tricycle fare and the bathroom fee (we kind of had to use a bathroom owned by locals there to wash off the sand).

To get to the island, we had to get to this Petron station and ride a tricycle to go in further to where the boat we rented waited for us. We left at about 2 am and rode a bus ride from hell to Sta. Cruz. I say bus ride from hell because we rode an unairconditioned bus that basically blows off your face and does not let you adjust your seat to get comfortable enough to sleep. I actually woke up with a bit of a concussion since I was sleeping through the ride (yes, sleeping, I was tired) and I may have bumped my head while the bus careened through the sleepy streets of Zambales. We had to go through some murky waters to ride the boat and balance ourselves in there. It was fine for me, though, as I was kind of used to floods. :P

It took about 30 to 40 minutes, I think, to get to the island. It was not exactly sunny when we arrive so the waves are a bit rough and we were screaming our lungs out every time the boat hits some high waves. But we eventually got there in one piece.

There is a curious structure here in this island and some mentioned that someone actually owned the island, so some parts of it are not accessible to visitors. There was also an abundance of trash when we got there that may have been blown in by a previous storm.

There's a cute puppy that kept making friends with us but I'm sure it was because he wanted some food. But he was so cute and friendly that it is just hard not to pet him.

The beach and the water are so clear that it is such a joy to just stay there even when I know that I will get sunburnt after this. I did put on some SPF but I feel that it won’t be enough to combat the sun.

All in all, it was a great experience and it was a truly beautiful island. I hope that people would be more mindful of their trash though. I saw bottles of liquor there and plastic and various trash. The people who take care of the island and gets fees should try to maintain the cleanliness as well and hopefully, the island stays as untouched and as beautiful a few years from now.

Watercolor Adventures

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 22 May 2017 08:20:00 +0000

It’s been awhile since I last posted here and during the times that I was not posting, I was basically working and goofing around with watercolor, journaling, and calligraphy. I have been to a few places as well during my blog posting hiatus and crossed off Boracay and Taal off my list of places to visit. I have been very active in Instagram though and post there incessantly. I post mostly things I draw or my calligraphy stuff and also my art journal entries. It has been fun discovering more about watercolor and I basically try to paint one artwork a day because this is a new medium for me. I currently have three watercolors and the first one I bought was a student grade one. I will be reviewing the three of them and I just want to say that I am no expert. It has been barely a year since I started with this medium and I still feel lost at times when it comes watercolor. It is such a tricky medium and sometimes, the idea that I have in my head that is so perfect becomes lost when I try to paint it with this medium. But I do know that practice is the key, and I am a bit more proud of my work now. But for those who want to dive into this medium, here are a few watercolors that I think can give you a great start and I say this because I have used them and am a beginner so yeah, I know what would work for people like me.

Sennelier Aquarelle - Student Grade

I got my Sennelier at Art Nebula. I actually have gone through some serious decision making when I bought this set. I was worried that this isn’t what I wanted. Theres the tube watercolors that I feel I don’t need but maybe I was wrong. Ultimately, I decided with the student grade Sennelier since it is much more affordable and I wanted to try student grade colors before I even try premium grade ones so that I get to appreciate the difference. I am happy with this watercolor, but there are times that the pigments are quite lacking for me. But as a beginner, it barely mattered, really. I just enjoyed it and learned a thing or two about watercolors in the process.

St. Petersburg Whitenights Premium Grade

By the time I found out about whitenights, I have been watching a lot of watercolor artists videos. I especially loved iraville and she suggested that for people who want to try a premium grade watercolor without having to spend much to buy this brand. Luckily enough, I found a seller selling this in Shopee. The box is nothing special. It is plastic and I actually saw enough Schminke and Winsor and Newton to fancy the metallic containers that they are in. But, upon trying this, I was amazed. I have never seen blue watercolor granulate like this one. It is hard to control and just does what it wants. I was amazed. I used it but I ultimately failed in creating a masterpiece. I knew that I needed more practice. And it is far more pigmented than the student grade one, for sure.

Prima Watercolor - The Classics Premium Grade

I actually ordered this one in Amazon and I purchased this before I even bought the Whitenights. But I had to actually wait for my relatives package from the US to arrive before I can have it along with the Tombow and Micron Pens I bought. I love the combination of colors in this set. I especially loved the fact that it has purple and pink in there. I often have to combine colors to get these ones so it is a relief to have ready-made colors. But, I am not as amazed by this as I was with whitenights. I think I prefer it for my calligraphy practice rather than for my watercolor painting. It is also highly pigmented, but I feel that it does not granulate and mix with other colors as well. It's pretty awesome for calligraphy though and I often use it for my journaling and I love that it's in a metallic container.

So I think I did the right thing by buying the student grade one first and I would suggest this to other aspiring watercolorists. You would appreciate the premium grade ones this way and you will really be amazed by how watercolor moves on water. But my dream watercolor is really Schmincke, but it is oh so expensive. Hopefully, I can get a set this year on Christmas. I like giving gifts to myself and I plan to get that for myself as a Christmas gift.

My Fiverr Account Just Reached Level Two Seller Status

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 11 Sep 2016 11:50:00 +0000

When I created my first gig at Fiverr, it was supposed to be just a thing I wanted to try out. I had no real expectations about it and I am not even sure if people will order from me. My first gig was I will write an RPG game plot for you and I actually haven't done any concrete plots for an RPG before. But I had ideas and ideas run rampant in my head and that is something I can work on. When I received my first order, I was ecstatic. I felt happy that someone trusted me enough to order. I worked on it and I felt happy. I feel at home at doing something like this and it doesn't even feel like real work. My ideas came to life and my first client even ordered the full package, which included illustrations of enemies, maps, and characters. When I delivered the finished product I was nervous and willing to edit anything just to please my client. But as it turned out, he loved it and I got my first positive review.

And that was a year ago. I created more gigs on Fiverr but my best seller has always been my first one. I have done some sci-fi themes, post-apocalyptic, fantasy and even text-based ones. I mostly adapted to what my clients wanted and even research about the game they want to base it on. I have played a lot of RPG's but know that there are still many out there that I have not come across and the new discoveries make me giddy. I am so happy doing this gig that I barely noticed when I finally reached the Level Two Seller Status. It basically means I have sold more than 50 gigs and was able to maintain a 4.5 rating. To do something you love and get paid for it is really very rewarding. It feels like I can do this forever. Through this gig, I was even invited to be a part of a team of indie game developers and served as a Concept Designer. I feel really happy about this because I have never thought that this was even possible. I graduated as an Accountant and basically taught myself everything I know about Illustrator and Photoshop. Writing just came to me because I have so many ideas that I needed to put on paper. I cannot remember how I came upon Fiverr, but I am so happy that I was able to stumble upon it as I was able to do something I really enjoy doing, which is creating RPG game plots.

If you are interested in my gigs, you can definitely check out my Fiverr account. I do a lot of other things and would be happy to take orders.

https://www.fiverr.com/ajajaireh

I Made Planner Stickers!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 11:55:00 +0000

Okay, so it has been a while since I last made an entry here since I have been super busy with a bunch of jobs and basically, I cannot do anything but regret my inability to post more stuff here. But I have been doing a lot of Hobonichi Journaling and got into the world of art journaling. It's pretty awesome since I can do three of my most favorite things. Draw, write and collect cute stickers and stationeries. I have loved stationeries as a kid and did collect them, but I just do not know what to do with them, so I kind of stopped. And stickers are just so cute and I love any cute item. I actually bought a printer so I could print my own stickers. All I am missing is a Cricut Explore and I could basically stay happy forever.

For those of you who love Journaling, I actually made stickers that are free and ready to print. I hope this can be useful to your daily planning needs. :D

Here is a link to the PDF file: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-NAOwtjmLd_VTliWDFodUZGQWc

Here is a link to the PNG file: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-NAOwtjmLd_ODJZUTlNZjN3VWc

7 Ingredient Carbonara

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 04 Mar 2016 07:56:00 +0000

Here is a quick and easy meal to do when you are home alone and have a hankering for some pasta. All you need are seven ingredients which you can typically find in your own kitchen.

INGREDIENTS:

Cooked Pasta

Parsley

2 Eggs

Bacon

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Garlic

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

First, boil the pasta then prepare to chop the bacon the garlic and the parsley which you will need later. You should then cook the bacon until it is crispy. Add the garlic to the bacon and it’s also a good idea to add extra virgin oil since you will be adding the pasta next. You should then mix the pasta with the bacon, garlic and extra virgin olive oil. Turn off the heat and then prepare the 2 eggs and add some grated parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Mix it well and then add it to the pasta while it is still hot and whisk away. Add a little of the water where you boiled the pasta to thin out the sauce a bit. You can add a little salt and pepper to taste and voila, your easy carbonara is ready.

2 Day Foodgasm and Lamyerda

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 11:55:00 +0000

I have not left the comforts of my own city for a while so I was pretty excited when a friend decided to come home roughly a week ago. We, my high school bestfriends, decided to go to Cavite to our other high school bestfriends house and stay there for 3 days and 2 nights since our friend who came home also decided to stay there. It was always fun to stay at our friends house so it has been 2 days of eating and drinking wine late into the night.

We decided to go to Tagaytay the day after we arrived. We decided to eat lunch at a restaurant called Pamana and the ambiance of the place was really homy and you have this wonderful view while you eat.

Pamana Tagaytay

This restaurant is owned by the Barrio Fiesta Group and is a fine dining Filipino Restaurant that serves heirloom recipes handed down from generation to generation. They have all this antique furnitures in the restaurant along with family pictures that reminds me of how my grandparents house used to look like.

And outside you have this wonderful view.

We ordered a bunch of food since it is lunch. And they all tasted superb but I do love the Bulalo more.

Sisig

Inihaw

Nilagang Bulalo

Legaspi City's Famous Laing

Pansit Buko

You can check out more of their menu through their site: http://www.pamanarestaurant.com/

Sky Ranch Tagaytay

After lunch we decided to go to Sky Ranch Tagaytay. It was actually nearly sundown when we went there so the air was getting pretty cold. So the general entrance fee was Php 50.00.

We actually rode only 2 rides which are the Sky Eye and the Super Viking. We screamed our lungs out during the Super Viking ride. I would recommend riding the Super Viking to people who have been stressed out for a while and want to release some by screaming. And by the way, its Php 150.00 fee per ride.

Vikings MOA

The next day was the day I finally get to pig out at Vikings. My friend oftentimes mention this place to me and I was pretty excited to finally be able to eat at this place which is a buffet style restaurant that serves various cuisines. I get pretty excited with the thought of eat all you can food so I was already sold on this place even before the mention of sashimi and steaks.

It was a wonderful 2 days and 3 nights foodgasm for me and while I was on the bus ride home all I could think of was riding my bike and get the bloated feeling out of my system.

Macaron Hunting

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 04:26:00 +0000

I am a Macaron hunter, I try as much as I can, and as much as my budget would allow, to buy macarons at malls or stores. But my ultimate goal is to have a bite of the world reknown Ladurée macarons. Luckily, a store opened here in PH and I cannot keep calm until I am able to have a bite of the Ladurée macaron. But before I was really able to taste the best, of course I had to taste a couple of good tasting macarons that I can get my hands on. And living in a small city is frustrating for a Macaron hunter. I live in a city called Olongapo and we do have malls here, but there aren’t bakeshops that sells macarons here. But due to an opportunity to do a review for a certain certification arose, I was able to go to Manila and have a taste of this scrumptuous treat.

1. French Baker

I was at Megamall when I decided that its hightime that I treat myself to a macaron. I marched over to French Baker and purchased their six flavors and its 36php per piece, which is quite affordable, and then I headed to Cavite. It took about 2 hours before I was finally able to sink my teeth into my 2^nd taste of macarons. (My first bite of macarons was in a McDonalds in Macau, and it was magic.) I really loved their flavors, I was closing my eyes with each bite actually. My favorite is the Raspberry, but the Chocolate Ganache was also delicious.

2. Macarose

I was looking around for something, I don’t remember what, and walking around Megamall when I came across a macaron stall called Macarose. I bought three flavors from them which is Green Tea, Vanilla and Nutella. I wanted to take pictures first before I demolish this macarons, so I had to wait three and a half hours to finally taste this ones. But it was not as good as the French Baker ones. They were actually too sweet for me. I actually asked the saleslady for their bestsellers so I was expecting more from these macarons. And the fact the they are 50php per piece would really have you expecting more.

3. Ladurée

When I found out that a Ladurée store opened in Rockwell I was hyperventilating and decided immediately that I need to go there and hunt this macarons down. I decided that I would also treat myself to a night out before I do the hunt so I stayed in Makati for a night and went to Terno Inferno at Saguijo.

I was so happy that night because Up Dharma Down was playing and this is my first time to see them live. They are so good.

Before heading out to Ladurée we first ate at Burgoo at Powerplant Mall and I was so full by the end of the meal.

We asked the guard where exactly Ladurée was because we were a bit lost and do not know the exact location of the store. The guard then directed us to go across the street and then finally, I was at Ladurée.

The store looks so lovely and I was so happy to finally be able to taste the world famous Ladurée macarons.

I only bought four because I am out of ka-ching! I bought the Earl Grey, Rose Petal, Pistachio and Iced Mint. My favorite was the Pistachio one. The Earl Grey one was actually pretty intense and the flavor stayed in my mouth for over a day. For a 150php per piece macaron, I can definitely say that this are the best.

Next time I decide to go to Ladurée again I will definitely purchase the box of six with the victorian inspired boxes. I would also definitely look for locally made macarons that I can hunt down and devour.

I am swamped!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 03:53:00 +0000

I am officially swamped with stuff. I don't know what to call this things i'm doing right now so I would call them stuff for now. And as you can see I am no literary genius since I can't even replace the word stuff with something more accurate. First of all I have a full time job and I do this 8 hrs a day 5 times a week. I also have a bunch of part time jobs. One is mostly a per task thing so it's not taking up too much of my time. The other one is only 3 hrs a week thing. And the other one is also a per task thing. And the last one is a 12 hrs a week thing. Oh, and I also have this fiverr gig that I need to do. With all the part time jobs I have you would think I would not be able to fit anymore stuff in there right. But no, because I have this Certified Accounting Technician certification thingy that I still need to study for and I travel to Manila every Saturday to get my brains hammered with knowledge and learn more stuff.

Oh men, I feel tired at times just thinking about all the stuff I need to do. I basically have no time for myself nowadays and I try to refrain from downloading new games to play because I just have no time for that now. I sometimes wonder if maybe I need to slow it down and say no to some of the online jobs I have in line. But I know I need them also since you know, i need the kaching! Hopefully, I pass the CAT exam. And I swear when I do, I will treat myself to a Chez Karine macaron and I will savour every bit of it. So universe, please be kind to me and let me have this one.

The Descent to Silanguin Cove

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 02:33:00 +0000

Before our descent to Silanguin Cove, we were able to eat lunch and able to rest a bit. I thought I was ready and will have no trouble since the hardest part, which was the ascent, was over. But boy was I wrong. I actually believe that I had a harder time with the descent since my knees were buckling and aching so badly. Each step down was torture to my feet.

I can barely take notice of the beautiful scenery because I was in pain for most of the way down to Silanguin Cove. I was also out of water and I was not keen in getting my drinking water from the water sources we passed by since I have a very sensitive stomach.

I don’t know how I was able to keep walking since I was so tired during the last few hours of the traverse. I kept hearing crashing waves and I assumed the beach was near. But those last minutes before Silanguin Cove came into view are by far the longest minutes I have ever experience. I think it took more or less 6 hours when I was finally able to see the beach and the Silanguin Cove camp.

We had a delicious dinner of inihaw na liempo, buffalo wings and chicken curry. I slept early and did not leave the tent until 6am. I felt like my body has been rolled down the mountain when I woke up and had breakfast. I took a quick dip in the beach and disappointingly, the beach shore is full of corals and sharp stones and it was a pain to walk on. But it was nonetheless beautiful.

By 11 am we were all set to leave Silanguin Cove. We rode a boat to Cawag and it cost about 300php per person.

I am pretty proud of myself for having endured a 12 hr hike. I don’t really know if I can do something like this again. But at least I can say that I once was able to do a 12 hr. hike and survived.

The Ascent to Mt. Cinco Picos

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 02:33:00 +0000

The truth is I was nowhere near prepared for the Mt. Cinco Picos to Silanguin Cove traverse. I thought I have read enough articles to prepare myself but nothing really prepares you for the actual pain of this climb. We were supposed to meet up at 3 am but I actually overslept and I was there 45 minutes late. But I was not the last one to arrive and we left Olongapo before 5 am and arrived at Cawag before 6 am. We were hoping for little rain and cloudy skies can also be a good thing but our wish was not granted and our traverse has been hellishly hot to say the least. And as a heads up to those who plan to take this traverse, here are the essentials that you need to do and bring.

Do:

Exercise before this traverse. It is a must if you don’t want to be too much in pain afterwards.

Make sure you have every part of your body covered with SPF. (I actually have a sunburned backhand right now due to my carelessness)

Have at least 2 liters of water (1 liter for the climb up and 1 liter for the climb down). Although there are water sources along the way, it is best that you still have enough water in case the water sources have dried up.

Make sure that you have comfy shoes and that your bag is not too heavy that within an hour of hiking, your back is hurting bad.

Bring:

Plastics (to waterproof anything that might get wet)

Extra Clothes

Mosquito Repellant

Sunscreen

Water (2 liters)

Flashlight

Medicine (preferably Ibuprofen and Paracetamol)

Snacks (you will get hungry during the traverse)

Extra Cash (for the boat ride to Cawag)

Food

Tent

Slippers

Personal hygiene stuff (there are no convenience stores in Silanguin Cove)

There were 20 of us on the group and we had to register before doing the traverse at Cawag. We hired 3 guides to help us through the climb and we started at approximately 6 am, which is pretty late by the way.

We had to cross a couple of rivers on the way. And during the first hour, we could only see grasslands and stony dried up rivers.

I tried not to think too much about how many hours we still needed to walk to get to Mt. Cinco Picos. The first few hours was an easy enough traverse but once we got to those uphill areas, I was swearing like crazy.

There are moments when I just drop myself into any available shade when I become really tired. And the resting part was actually one of the best parts and you just look at the landscape and you eventually feel your heartbeat return to its normal pace and feel that the climb really is worth it even just for the view.

After 6 hours of fighting gravity, we were eventually able to reach the campsite in Mt. Cinco Picos. And here you can finally see the beautiful Silanguin Cove, which is our final destination.

PART 2: The Descent to Silanguin Cove

I’m reading Attack on Titan on Manga and I am Deeply Hooked!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 07:27:00 +0000

I started reading Attack on Titan yesterday. I wanted so badly to watch Attack on Titan anime ever since I saw the trailers for the movie. But I have no patience with downloading the whole thing and our internet connection is dreadful when it comes to video streaming so I decided to read the manga instead. And this is actually my first time to read manga since I initially believed that I would not like reading manga because I would get bored since I got so used to watching anime and seeing real action being played out on the screen. But reading Attack on Titan on manga completely changed everything I initially believed in. There are actually not enough words to describe what I am feeling right now upon reading Attack on Titan on manga. The whole plot really works for me. There is so much possibility in the plot that I contemplate about it when I go to the bathroom or eat my lunch. I did not know I could still get this excited. I actually only ever felt this much excitement when I was able to play a new old school game I haven’t played before. Like that time I played Earthbound and I was positively shivering with delight. And that’s what Attack on Titan does to me now. Makes me shiver with delight and excitement.

I have felt so many emotions when I read this manga and I can’t stop reading. I am in my office cubicle and I am reading manga. This is insane! But to be fair, I have nothing work related to do today, and I usually am a diligent worker, I swear. I am only on chapter 9 by the way. And I am also starting a Mikasa Ackerman fan club but I am guessing there’s already a bunch of those around, so I might just join one. And I think it’s safe to say that I might ruin my life and not be able to do anything for a while since all I want to do now is read this series.

If you want to read this amazing manga, here’s the website where I am currently reading it à http://www.mangatown.com/manga/shingeki_no_kyojin

A Quick Trip to Baguio

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 02:15:00 +0000

Two weeks ago my sister invited me to go with them to Baguio. It was a quick trip and it’s actually a trip that involves another purpose and not for “gala” or travel, so not a lot of sightseeing occurred.

On the way to Baguio, we bought tupig at La Union and ate them along the way. The drive there was fairly quick but once we entered Baguio, the traffic was frustrating. It was around lunchtime when we arrived at Baguio and we were getting really hungry. We were actually supposed to meet other people at a restaurant called Good Taste. And we got there at about 1pm and thankfully the food was already served when we got there. Sadly, because we were so hungry, we forgot to take photos of the food, but it was really delicious. The soup got cold too soon though. Well, when in Baguio.

After lunch we went to our accommodation. It was in Upper Rock Quarry and is fairly near Burnham Park.

After that we went to a place called Middle, which is a really high up area that gives you a stunning view of the city of Baguio.

After that, we decided to grab some dinner. And we all agreed to go to Good Taste again. You could probably tell that we love the food there by the mere fact that we ate there twice in a day. And for the second time that day, we forgot to take pictures! After dinner, we walked around session road.

And then we walked around the famous street where all the Ukay-Ukay goods are laid out and people flock there to shop.

The next day, we decided to go to Sitio La Presa, which became very famous because the TV show called Forevermore has been filmed there. We rode a jeepney and boy was the road to La Presa steep. And the view was amazing.

Sitio La Presa was basically overrun with tourists (and yes that includes us). It was very cold and you can see fields of vegetables over a backdrop of green mountains.

After La Presa, we went to Benguet. We were actually able to have lunch at a house there and I love the Pinikpikan. I was actually wondering why I kept chewing on tiny bits of bone while I sipped the soup until someone explained to me that the chicken used for the soup has actually been subjected to stick beating before being cooked. I should not have asked cause that made me a bit sad for the chicken. The other dish we had for lunch was a sort of Chicken Dinuguan. Dinuguan in the Philippines is typically pork, so this was something new for me. It was also very delicious and I will for a long time remember how delicious those dishes were.

It was raining hard and was very foggy when we finally took the ride down from Baguio. And even though I was not really able to do much in Baguio during this trip, I still enjoyed the cold weather, the food and the scenery, which I think still is worth the trip. I am planning to take a longer vacation in Baguio in December and I cannot wait to see everything then.

My 5th Attempt

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 02:02:00 +0000

So, I finally decided to stop smoking. Even as I write this, it feels weird saying it out loud. I have been a smoker ever since I entered college, so that was about more or less 11 years ago. I got into smoking because basically when you are in college you experiment with a lot of stuff and I was into bad-ass image with a little a bit of dorky vibe and the smoking I think gave me that bad-ass image, I think. But I actually only smoke when I am not in the house, or when I am out drinking. I don’t feel the urge to smoke when I’m in the house, I know some people who would go crazy if they have not smoke in a day, but I do not feel any of that. I think this quit smoking thing is my 5^th attempt. I don’t know if I would succeed this time, but it feels different now to tell you the truth. I feel like I am finally able to do this this time around. I just went out the other week and usually the hardest part for me would be when I am filled with alcohol and everyone around me is smoking and giving me cigarettes. But I was actually able to say no to everyone and not smoke a single cigarette that night. So hurrah!

So what finally made me try to quit smoking? Well recently a high school friend died. Of course when someone your age or near your age dies you rethink about all your choices in life. The truth is, death really scares me to the point that when I think about it, I hyperventilate. But I know this is something we would all have to face one day but I would really prefer to experience death later rather than sooner. So smoking I think really gets in the way of me wanting to live longer so I want to quit it. So far, I do not feel any urge or weird sensations, but I guess 3 weeks of not smoking is still too early to tell if anything is changing. I really hope that this time around I succeed in quitting this infernal habit. I never really even liked smoking, to tell you the truth. Sometimes it burns my throat and I get headaches when I smoke too much. I don’t really understand why I even stuck with it. Maybe it’s the feeling after eating a hefty meal and then going out to smoke or the feeling smoking gives when you are stressed out and a good smoke can lessen the burden somehow. But I guess these feelings are psychological in a way. I just have to learn to let go of those pre perceived smoking feelings and I think I can finally be free.

The Tingling Never Leaves Me

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 06:07:00 +0000

Whenever I read an article that has the words “Follow your dreams” or something similar to that phrase, my spine actually tingles. It’s as if I feel those words meaning directly being absorbed by my whole being. I feel as if those words were directly spoken to me and as if those words will forever haunt me if I did not take it seriously. The truth is I have no concrete plan really, about what I want to do in the future. I guess I want to have some sort of success. Like, I want to be able to do something I love and be paid while doing it. In the simplest sense, I want to not worry about anything. I want to travel whenever I feel a calling for it. I want to go to my friends house which would probably be a three to four hour drive without worrying about the amount of time and resources the travel would require for me to get there. I want to spontaneously give gifts to complete strangers and not feel that they have to pay me back for that one act of kindness.

Do I have to have a concrete plan to accomplish this particular dream? I know the answer is definitely yes. But at age 28, I feel like time is running away from me. Yes, I have some sort of plan, but I still feel uneasy at times. Like I can’t wait to do something different and finally be able to breathe a sigh of relief because I am finally doing something that would lead me closer to that dream. I feel like a fish right now flailing around at shore, gasping for water, trying to find some sort of lifeline. But I know many would consider that being 28 is still young enough. But for me, it’s not. Being 28 makes me sit down and contemplate the future.

It’s just that, I can’t wait for that moment. That moment where every locked door becomes unlock and my path is so clear and bright that it hurts to look at it. I know I should be patient and that patience is a virtue. But I actually get scared everyday. But yes, I do know that, even if I’m scared and can’t wait to get there, all I can do is trust myself and be patient because it’s all I can ever really do right now.

Follow your dreams. The tingling never leaves me. So even if it’s the last thing I do, I will follow my dreams. I might not be any closer today to that dream, but my bones keep telling me to keep at it, so I will.

Locally Made Brands/Products That I Adore

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 30 May 2015 05:18:00 +0000

Kimbel Bags

I was able to come across this brand when I was doing some Christmas shopping. There was a sale on bags on SM Olongapo and I initially picked a different bag to buy. But when I asked the sales clerk how much the bag was, it was actually way over my planned price range for my bag shopping. So I picked the Kimbel Bag, which I think looked easy enough to pair with most ensembles I would wear and it was in my price range. And this brand did not disappoint. The bag still looks brand new and is showing no sign of wear and tear. It has a very good quality and yes it exceeded my expectations.

Ever Bilena Lipstick in Pink Flame

Got this particular lipstick at a local department store. I can’t remember what actually prompted me to buy this particular lipstick. I was actually not fond of bright pinks before so buying this seems really off even for me. But I actually came to really love this lipstick. I remember wearing it almost everyday when I got it. I plan to look for this particular shade one of this days. Hopfully, it’s as good as I remembered.

Maxi Peel

Maxi Peel has always had a sort of notoriously bad reputation for me, since people I have asked that has really red, blotchy face or overly white complexion on the face area confessed to using Maxi Peel. But when I had this seriously bad case of pimple break out on my back, I was desperate to get rid of the dark spots and started using maxi peel soap and maxi peel exfoliant. It took about two weeks of continuous application but it actually worked wonders for my pimples. The pimples actually stopped breaking out and I was only left to deal with the dark spots. So yeah, this is a product that I think should be experienced first before being judged.

Vitress Hair Polish

My hair requires a lot of help, since over the span of a year, I have straightened it, permed it and bleached it. I have always loved Vitress, but I was able to really put it to the test and love it all over again when it was able to make my almost dead hair feel alive again. I always recommend this product to anyone asking how my hair was able to survive all the things I did to it. And the most awesome part is this is cheaper than most hair products I have used that never really did anything special to my dying hair.

Parisian

This particular shoe brand is actually a brand that is exclusively sold by SM Department Store. I have worn Parisian shoes as school shoes for the most part and I only recently have been able to try on their doll shoes and sandals. It’s actually a good quality shoe, but if you are the kind of person who hates seeing someone have the same shoe they have bought and wore then this brand is not for you. This brand is sold in all SM Department Stores and it would probably be hard to be the only person with that particular shoe design if this is the case, right.

Secosana

I have seen Secosana Bags being sold at retail shops when I was still in high school, but it was only recently that I was finally able to buy their bag. I bought a blue green tote bag that can fit almost anything I put in it. The tote bag also comes with a faux leather body bag with a leopard print design. It’s a pretty sturdy bag and I can pretty much be sure that I will be using this bag for a long time.

Artwork

I love shirts with quirky designs and Artwork has plenty in that department. I instantly fell in love with the Artwork brand because their shirts are awesome. I also bought a shoe from them that I wear with almost anything. They also support local artists and do some collaborative work with these local artists that I think is really cool of them. So if you love quirky, artsy shirts then Artwork is definitely your brand.

San San Nail Polish

I was ecstatic when an HBC Store finally opened here in our city. The main reason being is that I adore San San Nail Polish and HBC exclusively sells San San products. I love the San San Nail Polish because they have lovely pastel colors that I rarely see in local nail polish brands. It’s a bit pricier than other local nail polishes sold here but I am more than willing to shell out a few extra bucks for quality nail polish, which San San Nail Polish no doubt is.

Eating My Heart Out: Sakura Japanese Restaurant-SBFZ

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 16 May 2015 02:15:00 +0000

One of the restaurants that has been around SBMA for a long time but I didn’t get to try until now is Sakura Japanese Restaurant. And as the name clearly suggests, its specialty is Japanese cuisine. I love Maki and ramen and I decided to stick to something I am familiar with. When I ordered my food, I was a bit overwhelmed with all the unfamiliar food names in the menu. But I stuck to ramen and ordered Niku Udon and Matcha Mochi Parfait for dessert. My boyfriend then decided to have the Bento Special. While waiting, we were served an appetizer that I don’t know what was called but tasted fairly good.

Appetizer

My order came out first and I was not disappointed. The beef was tender and the soup was savory. The noodles are quite soft and thick and I think goes really well with the soup.

Niku Udon

I was feeling a little envious, because my bf’s meal looked really good and plenty. And all I had was ramen.

Bento Special

I tasted most of his food but I let him enjoy the sashimi and the shrimp, which I know are his favorites. I decided to order additional food and asked the waitress what’s their best selling Maki on the menu. She said there were two that she could suggest but many of their customers say that their Alaskan Maki was the best. So I ordered that. And boy was it good. I almost closed my eyes while I was chewing on my roll. It was by far the best Maki I have ever tasted.

Alaskan Maki

The flavors just blend so well in my mouth that even if I was already near full capacity, I kept eating my roll and I was able to finish it happily. But then the waitress came and asked if she should serve the Matcha Mochi Parfait, and I had to laugh because I forgot I still had one more food to demolish and here I am almost unable to breathe because I was so full.

Matcha Mochi Parfait

I am pretty happy that I was finally able to eat at Sakura Japanese Restaurant. And just to prepare you for how much you should expect to pay for eating really fantastic food, we actually spent more or less 2,000PHP for the whole meal. But I am not at all surprise with the price since I think that the food was very much worth it and I do plan to eat again at this restaurant, just let me recover first.

6 Things You Ought Not Do When Your Heart is Broken

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 11 May 2015 07:51:00 +0000

There are things that I wish I hadn’t done when I was groggily going through a break up. The 8 months that I was navigating through my own heartbreak has been really educational to say the least. I would not wish for anybody to feel how I felt during those 8 months and I think sharing what I learned during that bleak and awful time in my life is a way to help those who are going through the same thing right now to not do the same mistakes I did.

1. Do Not Listen to Death Cab for Cutie For Goodness Sake.

So I figured out that Death Cab has some seriously dead on lyrics. The problem was I figured it out while I was in misery and going through a messy break up. And oh my god, I was almost suicidal (I said almost, not that I would even really consider suicide), while I lay in bed crying and I listen to DCFC for most of the day. Even now that it’s been two years since that “event” happened, I still feel sad whenever I listen to DCFC. So for goodness sake, do not under any circumstance listen to Death Cab while you are dealing with a heartache, specially their We Have The Facts and We’re Voting Yes album. Because even though I have love this band ever since I listened to their songs, their songs did not help me in getting over my ex. The songs became a sort of salt being rubbed on my wounds and who wants that, right?

2. Do Not Drown Your Misery with Alcohol.

Yatty yatty yah, alcohol never helps, yatty yatty yah. Yes you probably already heard this a thousand times before. Alcohol is never going to get you out of that funk you’re in during a heartbreak. Au contraire, it sometimes adds up to the craziness. You start texting your ex, and this text messages will range from angry, pleading to desperate. It will never make you feel better and in the morning you feel messier than you already are as the onslaught of hangover kicks you right in the gut. And so let me repeat this overused phrase one more time in case you didn’t get it the first time. Alcohol never helps!

3. Do Not Ever Contact Your Ex. Specially if They’re The One that Broke Up with You.

I was such a mess after my ex broke up with me that three days after we broke up, I was texting him like crazy. I would flood him with text messages until I get a reply. It still makes me cringe whenever I remember that and I highly suggest that you stay away from contacting your ex for a while after a break up. Texting your ex won’t bring him/her back. There is a reason they broke up with you and it does not matter what those reasons may be, because when someone wants you out of their life, it basically means that the love that once was there is gone or has diminish and you need to get out or else it would be more painful in the long run if you stay and push yourself on them even when everything they seem to be doing is to get away from you.

4. Do Not Try to Date Immediately After Breaking Up.

You think you’re ready to get out there a week after breaking up, but you are not. I actually got to dating someone new after eight months of being not in a relationship, but I still think I was not that ready to date at that time. I should’ve taken my time to sort out every emotion I still kept around at that time. Although the one I dated eight months after my messy break up is still the one I am dating today (and that was two years ago by the way), I still think that I should have waited. I should’ve fixed myself. Learned to love myself, without the help of another person. And should’ve enjoyed being single after five years of being in a relationship. So I tell you now, do not rush into another relationship just because you think it will make you move on faster. Instead, try to use this time to learn new things about yourself and try to live life independently.

5. Do Not Be Bitter.

The one thing that I constantly told myself during those eight miserable months was, I won’t be bitter. I still wanted to believe that love does exist and that not all men are like my ex. Whenever I felt the slightest bit bitter, I think about all the other couples I know that are still together despite all the problems that has gone through their relationships. Because being bitter won’t make you feel any better you know. All being bitter would ever achieve is to disillusion you and make you scared to try again. You will get out of that black hole and being bitter is not going to help you get out but rather it will keep you in.

6. Do Not Kick Yourself Over Every Stupid Thing You Do While Your Heart is Broken.

I gave myself too much of a hard time whenever I remember fleeting moments of the embarrassing things I did while I was out drinking my sorrows away. But now that I am so over those embarrassing moments, let me tell you that it’s ok. Everyone is allowed to have stupid moments when your heart is broken. Just keep it to a minimum if you still want to live in the same city, ok. Don’t punish yourself too much. You already have your heart broken, don’t break yourself over one silly night. After all, you aren’t the first person to go crazy when they got their heart broken you know.

7. Do Not Regret Dating Your Ex.

I know that the first thing you will feel when someone broke up with you is you regret ever meeting him/her. You regret that you even ever let him/her into your supposedly peaceful life. But you know what, the regret actually does not help you look forward to a brighter tomorrow. Instead, it holds you down and brings all the negativity into the surface even if you know for a fact that your relationship with your ex wasn’t really that much ugly you know. There was a reason you were together and you had something magical that made you connect in the first place. There will always be positive things that came out of your being together and it may be as little as getting to love a certain band that you did not care for before but got to liking because of that ex. Or you learned to cook a certain dish because of your ex. Do not regret dating your ex because a life with regrets is not a life. Just appreciate the fact that there are things you might not have learned about if it weren’t for your ex.

The Universe Has Spoken

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 06 May 2015 05:36:00 +0000

Something mind-boggling happened to me today. I was so geared up to enroll in RESA Review Center in preparation for the CPA board exam and at the last minute as if the universe decided that I am not ready for what I am about to get myself into, the training request my manager submitted to our boss has been approve. It was for another accounting certification, which is CAT, and I do not know if I should even be happy about this. Of course it makes me glad that our boss decided to let us have this certification and even pay for it, most companies would not do that. But this string pulling me for months to go ahead with taking a shot with the CPA board exam has suddenly been cut short and I was suddenly back to thinking about it for a year and it makes my stomach feel jittery. I even prepared my down payment and was going to deposit the money for the review today at lunch break. I actually almost cried because of the confusion this situation created. I was so ready with everything and all of a sudden it’s to a different direction I was being thrown at. If I seem negative about this, it’s only because I am overwhelmed and so surprise with everything. All the preparation I did, downloading books and looking up updated IAS and PAS was all for naught all of a sudden, but I guess I can also use them for the CAT certification. So now that I have done my little vent, it’s now time to get myself ready for this other certification.

On the brighter side of things, I have now a modest sum of money I don’t know how to spend yet. I could probably go on a trip to Mt. Pinatubo or Manila or some other place that doesn’t require me to spend too much. Or I could eat at several well-known restaurants here in Olongapo that I haven’t tried yet. There’s A Tavola, and then there’s Sakura Japanese Restaurant and Urban Deli, just to name a few. I could also maybe buy some of the things I have been depriving myself of buying for a couple of months now. That includes make up, a new contact lense, new pair of shoes, new clothes and a new bag. So basically, even though my plans did not pan out the way I wanted them too, I should just be thankful for the things that I am able to have even though my plans got sidetracked. And that is a certification that is all expense paid and a modest sum of money that I can use to buy things that will basically make me happy.

10 Simple Things That Make Me So Happy

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 26 Apr 2015 10:00:00 +0000

Being happy is a choice and anyone can choose to be happy with a little help from seemingly average things. I am easily satisfied, I think, and here are the few things that make me really happy even during a particularly off day.

1. Eating my favorite food

I have a lot of favorite foods. I never tried to make a list before but if I did I think it would be about four to five pages long. Just thinking about buying a snack I wanted all day after work makes me so happy that I actually smile while I walk all the way to the mall. And who doesn’t love food, right? Food actually takes up most of my monthly budget and I don’t regret that at all.

2. Seeing cute and cuddly things on the Internet

Yes, I watch lots of cat videos, but no I am not confined to only watching cat videos. I actually watch anything cute and cuddly like pandas and foxes. I find that watching cute and cuddly things on the web makes me appreciate being alive even more. And if you haven’t seen anything cute and cuddly on the web, then your poor soul is definitely starving and needs to watch some cute animal videos right now.

3. Browsing through funny meme’s and gif’s

Funny meme’s and gif’s are the reason I can work productively and efficiently. Whenever I feel actually worn out and bored at work, I would browse through a few meme’s and gif’s. I would have a few restrained laughs in my office cubicle and I am good to go. I love a good laugh and I thank the heavens for whoever created meme’s and gif’s.

4. Having new stuff and unboxing them

When I buy new stuff, which is not too often mind you, I basically can’t wait to go home to reap the packaging off and check or use my new stuff. I specially feel like this when I bought new make up. Even though I actually tried it on before I bought it, I would still feel the urge to immediately go home and wear it. Even if I would just be at home watching random Buzzfeed videos, I still want to wear it.

5. Being at the beach or pool

The truth is, I don’t know how to swim, but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying the water. Wading and just floating on a body of water is such a delight for me that even if I cannot swim, I find that I can stay hours in the water. I do plan to take swimming lessons someday, but right now I think I’ll just keep myself busy with floaters when I’m in the water.

6. Drinking my morning coffee

Mornings are typically hard for me. I am usually lethargic and out of it and cannot function well early in the morning. That’s why I need coffee. Coffee is my perk me up drink and I usually am not myself until I have had my morning coffee. It is one of the few things that I think I can never skip on because most of the time my mood depends on it. Thanks to coffee, I am able to function everyday properly.

7. Going to a destination/place I haven’t been

Going somewhere is always a welcome idea for me, specially if it’s somewhere I haven’t been before. I love seeing things I haven’t seen before and I love the feeling of discovering something new and experiencing them for myself. Even if the place I am going to is just around the corner, as long as I haven’t been there before, I will get excited.

8. Watching cartoons in the morning

As a kid, I often eat breakfast in front of the TV with the cartoons on before I go to school. As an adult, I still do that, but now it's watching cartoons before going to work. Why? Because it gives me a sense of nostalgia and helps me start the day with a few quick laughs. Oftentimes, I would just go to YouTube, search my favorite cartoon and I will start getting ready for work as it plays. It’s the perfect day starter for me.

9. Listening to my current favorite song

I could just close my eyes and fly away whenever I listen to my current favorite song. And I say current because I usually love a song for a certain period of time and then I look for others. I oftentimes would rather not see someone I know while I am on my way home because I would rather have my earphones stuck in my ear until I get home rather than try to strike up a conversation with a person I forgot what I was in common with.

10. Finding extra cash in my pocket/wallet

Do I need to explain this one? This is basically everybody’s favorite thing. My eyes become wide and almost teary eyed whenever I find extra cash in my jeans pocket, wallet or bag pockets. It’s the most amazing feeling. That feeling when you thought you have just a couple of bucks left and then extra money shows up. It’s like an orchestra strikes up in the background and I want to go down on my knees and thank the heavens for the wonderful surprise.

My Top 10 All Time Favorite Video Games

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 18 Apr 2015 01:36:00 +0000

I am thankful, that as a child living in a third world country, that I was still able to have things that most kids in my country never did. I am thankful to my father who bought us Nintendo super nes and Sony Playstation’s 1 & 2. My siblings and I were also able to fight over a PSP when it came out. It makes me nostalgic just looking at pictures of old games we were able to play in these consoles. And over the years, I of course had a few favorites, and I will name 10 of them. But let me warn you, these are pretty ancient games. I have refrained from buying a PS4 until I have passed the board exam this year. And my laptop’s specs are way below gaming standards so I can’t even play DOTA 2 and such. Emulators actually became my savior. I got to play a bunch of games I would’ve missed otherwise since old consoles have been discontinued. So here goes my top 10 all time favorite video games listed in no particular order.

10 – Mother & Earthbound (GBA)

Mother

Earthbound

This is a recent favorite. I found out and got interested in this game last year when I watched an LP on this game by NintendoCapriSun (https://www.youtube.com/user/NintendoCapriSun) on YouTube. It’s an amazing game. I have never played a game that gave me so much feels as this game did. And what’s really amazing about it is that this is a 32-bit game and all of the emotions it was able to elicit in me were shown through a 32-bit animation. The gameplay is familiar enough if you have been able to play RPG games before. You basically walk around, talk to people and buy things you need while you also try to save the world from destruction and fight bad guys. Mother and Earthbound are basically made to have a bit of real world elements in them. You would save a game by calling your family at home, they have ATM’s where you can withdraw money and weapons are usually everyday items such as baseball bats and toy guns. There is a difference in the battle mode with Mother and Earthbound. Mother uses random encounters while Earthbound uses physical contact with an enemy to enter into battle mode. I can honestly say that this games difficulty level is on point. When I say on point I mean the difficulty level is enough that I did not get too frustrated and just gave up on finishing the game. I was still able to find techniques to use to beat bosses and finish quests. I love this game series because of the story, which is very typical of RPG’s but somehow it’s more relatable. I don’t know how to explain it exactly but the real world elements this series have really worked for me and this game series will be my favorite for a really long time.

09 – Pokemon (GBA)

Who doesn’t love Pokemon? You would either have to be insane or haven’t been able to play Pokemon to be able to not love it. I basically just put Pokemon and not any specific version of Pokemon for GBA because I was able to play most of them and I loved all of them. But the most recent version I have played is the Sapphire. What I love the most about Pokemon is the fact that you collect various species of pokemon’s. I love collecting so much that when I found out that in Sapphire, there are specific species that I cannot collect because it is specifically for the Ruby version, I just stopped playing because I was too upset. I also love that there are various mini games in the game itself that I do not get bored easily. Although I gave up on the game because of the collecting issue, I am still thinking about finally finishing the Sapphire version. I think the next time I pick up this game I should concentrate on beating the Elite Four before I start hunting for the other pokemon’s. That way I get to finish one of the main quests in the game before I succumbed to frustration.

08 – Final Fantasy XII (PS 2)

This game has one of the most amazing game graphics I have ever seen. Of course I haven’t played games for PC or PS3 so that makes my statement less convincing. But for someone like me who played NES up to PS2, the graphics in this game is just so visually stunning that I am in awe every time the opening scene plays on the TV when I put this game on. I love most of the Final Fantasy game series of course, but this one just really blew me away. The plot is wonderful, the side quests keeps you busy and everything in this game just pulls you in. In fact I was so obsess with the side quests that it’s all I ever really do when I played it. I think my game did not progress the main story line for a month because I just kept finishing quests. Of course I regretted not finishing this game. I still am hoping someday that I get to finish it and see the ending, but as of now, it’s not possible since I don’t have a PS2 or a PS3 console. I really love the characters in this game, I think this is the first time that I actually loved all the characters in an RPG game. My favorites were Princess Ashe and Fran. I also love collecting the Espers in this game because the scene when a character calls an Esper is really fantastic that I really want to see all of them. I loved every aspect of this game, this is one of the best games I played and I sure hope I can play this game again.

07 – Legend of Legaia (PS 1)

Legend of Legaia is one of those games that made me love RPG the more. I feel nostalgic just talking about this game. Remembering how I would come home from school and play this until either my siblings want to have their turn on the PS 1 or my mom tells me to stop. The story is pretty basic for an RPG, but for me at that time everything was brilliant about that game. The story centers around 3 main characters that go on a quest to vanquish the mist that is engulfing all of Legaia through the help of entities called Ra-Seru. The battle mode in this game is activated by random encounters and attacks are called “Arts” which include a combination of ether Right, Left, High & Low attacks. The boss battles in this game are no joke. I would sometimes spend a day or two leveling up just to get to a comfortable level where I can beat a boss. Luckily, there is a point system in this game where every time you purchase something, it is added to a card and you can choose to spend the points in this card as damage points to an enemy. But you can’t always depend on the point card so leveling up is still the best option. Mini games are also abundant in this game. I go fishing, play Baka fighter and my favorite mini game is the Sol Fever Disco mini game. My childhood would not have been half as fun as it was if I was not able to play this game, so thank you Contrail & Prokion for developing this game.

06 – Legend of Mana (PS 1)

This game is all about getting quests done. There is no main storyline here and you just basically do what quest you want until you get to that final quest. Some people will find this game too chaotic since it just lets you choose quests you want to finish and you have to actually create your own world through its unique “Land Make” system. But for me, who loves collecting anything and just checking off to do lists, this game seems like it was made for me. For me it wasn’t so chaotic since there are actually quests that are interrelated and I really love the graphics of this game, its very full of color and consists of adorable characters. And I am a sucker for adorable characters. You can also do a lot of things in this game like creating armors & weapons. The game also has a pet system and your pets can also be used to assist you in battles. There is also a workshop that allows you to create instruments and build golems. All in all I think the fact that this game is just a bunch of quest put together works for me.

05 – The Legend of Heroes: Trails in The Sky (PSP)

Pic from- http://www.dualshockers.com/

This is another game that gave me so much feels. Just remembering the game makes me smile because of all the good banters and dialogues I am remembering in the game. Playing this game is like reading a book for me, both literally and figuratively. I can barely put it down for the want of knowing what will happen next. The budding romance between the two main characters actually kept me going for the most part. I feel giddy whenever there is something sort of romantic in the way these two main characters interact. It’s just like watching a cheesy soap opera. And since I love old school graphics, I typically love the graphics of this game. Very traditional and the battle mode is although something I was not used to, it still was fairly easy to get the hang of. I actually cried during the ending of this game (so much feels), and I do not want to spoil it for anyone who wants to play this game in the future so I would just warn you, prepare for the tearjerker in the end. And this is actually the first chapter in the 3 part series of this game. It made me cry even more when I found out that the second chapters localization was still on going. Up until now, the English translation still hasn’t been finish. But I am still crossing my fingers because Xseed did not actually give up on this project yet, so why should I. According to Xseed, it would be release sometime this year.

04 – Resident Evil 3 (PS 1)

This game is the game of my childhood. I remember unboxing this game and just being so excited to play it. I played this game so much that I actually know most of the lines from the Jill and Carlos scenes. This is one of those games that I played so much that all there is to unlock has been unlock, even the infinite bullets I might add. I remember having a crush on Carlos and wanting to be Jill, Ha! But most of all I remember how wonderful this game is. The game is set in Raccoon City, a city that has been transformed into a zombie city with the help of Umbrella’s T-virus. You would have to battle zombies, zombie dogs, zombie crows, giant zombie worms, giant poisonous spiders and of course the infamous Nemesis. He is a creation of Umbrella and was made with the sole purpose of killing STARS members, which the main character is actually a member of. The graphics is mainly 2D with some 3D polygon graphics here and there. The gameplay is fairly easy to follow but what I love the most about this game is the action. There are scenes in the game where you actually have to choose between two critical choices that could result in a different game ending. Every time I play this game I get this rush and yes, Nemesis scares the living daylights out of me. The first few times I played this game, I was screaming and jumping up whenever the crows suddenly fly out of windows from a location I thought I already cleared up. I kept running away from Nemesis but gosh darn it, it feels good whenever I knock him out. If you want something that would keep you interested right to the end, then this is your game.

03 – Suikoden 2 (PS 1)

This is another one of those games that I have played over and over again because this is one of the hands down best RPG’s I have played ever. The story centers around two childhood friends that had to choose their own destinies. It has a really deep storyline that mostly focus on how these two friends will be able to get through the complexities of war. The gameplay is your basic RPG set up where there are 2 maps, the outside world and then the map when you enter a village, a dungeon or a specific area. The most fun thing to do in this game is building the Castle base for your army. It basically becomes bigger and bigger as you progress the storyline and get more of the 108 Stars of Destiny characters which is actually the key in determining the ending you will get. Get all of the 108 characters and the ending is good, not getting all of them will result in a bad ending. There are three battle modes in this game. The first one is when you encounter random enemies in a field or a dungeon. The second one is the army battle mode, where you have units you deploy in a grid like area and is more of a tactical battle mode. The third one is the duel battle mode, where the main character is challenged into a one on one combat and its up to the player to choose between Attack, Wild Attack and Defend. There are lots of mini games in the castle, and my favorite is the Hai Yo Cook-Off game, where Hai Yo is repeatedly being harassed for a super secret recipe and the only way to make them back off is by beating them in a cooking contest. The music in this game is also fantastic. Each city has different background music and all of them are wonderful and gives you an impression that they really worked hard in developing this game. If you haven’t been able to play this game yet then you better get going because you need to play this game and see for yourself how good it is.

02 – Monster Rancher 2 (PS 1)

If you are like me who just loves the idea of collecting pets or in this games case, monsters, then this is your game. This is a very enjoyable game where you get to raise a battle monster that would join tournaments to battle for the top rank and be considered the strongest monster in the land. Raising a monster in this game also means training them to gain strength, speed and other essential attributes that are needed to be able to join the tournament. My favorite monster to raise is the Hare. The Hare is a cute bunny with a big jiggly belly that throws punches at its enemies. I collected almost all of the breeds of this monster and I just find this monster so cute that I just can’t seem to take care of much else but this one. It’s actually quite sad whenever a monster die’s, my heart becomes heavy every single time a pet monster dies. The most interesting feature about this game is the CD-generated monsters you can have. You basically put a CD, most type of CD’s are good, and then a monster is generated through that CD, which can either be unique or just a basic breed of monster. This is a game that has unlimited replay potential and the graphics are very lovely and for someone like me who is sucker for cute characters, this game just really went straight to my heart.

01 – Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley (PSP)

I love almost all of the games in the Harvest Moon series, but this particular title is what I remember the most since I am currently replaying this one. Harvest Moon is basically a farming game, where you plant seeds, water the plants, feed the chickens, gather the eggs, feed the cows and also milk them. You also get to raise a horse that can be then registered to race on Race Day. The games story starts with the main character inheriting his diseased grandfathers farm. But the town where the farm is currently located is actually in danger of being torn down to make way for Funland, an amusement park. He was then force by a Goddess and her little sprites into saving the town from being torn down. You basically live a life of a farmer in this game. You also have the option to marry any of the eligible bachelorettes in this town. But before anything else you must find ways to save the town to be able to succeed in the game. In order to save the town, you either have to pay 50k to the Funland CEO or make the town into either a Nature Preserve or turn it into a desirable Tourist Destination. This game actually takes a lot of time to finish since you take one day at a time to play it. This is a game for people who just basically want to enjoy a game that is not too fast pace and play the role of a farmer/savior/bachelor.

Women And What They Wear

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 14:00:00 +0000

I once saw a post in facebook that goes like “Ayaw mabastos, ang ikli ng suot”, translated to English it means, “Does not want to be disrespected but wears skimpy outfits”. I think we can all agree that this is directed to a girl right? I have heard enough of this to know for sure that even though there wasn’t anything in the said post indicating that it was a girl this was being said to, that the person who posted this was in fact referring to a girl wearing something skimpy. Now let us dissect this post and try to really understand what it means. A woman wearing something skimpy and revealing is asking for it, that is what this post basically means.

Men take off their clothes outside, mainly their shirts, without being told that they are too revealing and are asking for it. So basically, with women, when we wear something a bit more revealing or that it’s shorter or low-cut we are asking for it? That is like the most effed up thing ever. What this post is actually saying is that when a woman wears a short something that she is basically asking for perverted people to leer on her, catcall her and stare at her, is that it? Can’t a woman just wear something short because it is so humid and hot that it is much more comfortable to wear something shorter? No person has the right to assume that someone is asking for it simply because of what they are wearing.

I mean I do understand that people have eyes and we can’t all prevent them to not look or judge women based solely on what they wear. But come on, this was posted by a guy who is my age and who I know has gone to college and studied and had proper education. Do men today still think like this? I know this is turning somewhat into a rant but I just find it difficult to accept that men nowadays still think like this. We are living in the 21^st century, where men and women have equal rights, and some people still want to believe that a woman is asking for it when she wears skimpy clothes? Unbelievable!

6 Filipino Ways of Thinking That Needs to Change

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 09 Apr 2015 15:00:00 +0000

I am not saying that all Filipinos have this kind of mind set. And I am not saying that I am so clean that I also do not have this kind of mind set. But I do know that in our society, the ways of thinking listed below are present and needs to change. I grew up believing in some of this “beliefs” and as I got older, I got to realize that there is something wrong with them. I don’t know if we would ever get pass this way of thinking, but I do hope that we could see that these beliefs aren’t helping and that little by little we could stop ourselves from thinking this way.

1. Thinking that PH made products are not quality products.

I am for one guilty of committing this ugly way of thinking. I go to Watsons often and when I do, I tend to go for the imported make-up brands like Revlon and Loreal, I think I once bought a lipstick by Ever Bilena and it actually has the same quality as some of the imported brand lipsticks I bought. But I completely disregarded this thought because I was so used to looking for imported brands because I believed that they are better and that anything made here is sub par. This has to stop! I need to let myself take a chance at products made here because number one, it would be far cheaper, number two, I would help a Philippine company and number three, I do not have the right to judge something just because everybody else instilled a belief in me which I haven’t even been able to prove to be true, and that last one could be a logic I can use for almost everything in this world.

2. Pets that have “lahi” or have a certain breed are the only pets that matter.

We have here in the Philippines what you would call an askal and a pusakal, meaning “asong kalye” and “pusang kalye”, this is what we would normally call dogs and cats that does not have a certain breed. I had a cat, and he is a pusakal. My cat died last year, and it was like my heart got broken and I cried every time I remembered that he was gone. For a week people kept asking me why I looked miserable, and I told them the reason. And the first question they would ask me was “May lahi?”, and I would stare at them and try to calm myself before answering because what I want to yell at them was, he was my pet, and what does “lahi” have to do with why I am sad that my pet cat died?

I also have witnessed families keeping dogs, askals mainly, being kept on a leash and was only ever there because they want left over foods to not go to waste. And if there aren’t left overs, then tough luck for the dog. Although I do understand the logic that every last scrap of food should not go to waste, I also find it cruel that the dog only ever gets to eat when there are left-overs. And I really have seen firsthand a couple of families do this, and this really needs to stop. Your dog or cat is not just some accessory or a thing use for left-over disposal just because they don’t have a certain breed. They have feelings and should be loved just like how you love your chihuahua’s and German Sheperd’s and Siamese cat’s. Give them a chance at a happy life too.

3. The need to prepare lavish meals whenever there is an occasion even if it meant being in debt for a year.

Christmas, New Year, Binyag ni JunJun, Birthday ni JunJun, Fiesta and other occasions we celebrate here in the Philippines are not complete without lavish meals that is only possible through “utang” or borrowed money. I am not saying that all Filipinos does this, some actually are able to save enough for the occasion to be able to prepare these lavish meals without having to borrow money. But a lot of times, people here go to so much trouble just to be able to prepare extravagant meals for people who they only knew a little or people they do not even like. We should stop this for a bunch of reasons, but two of the main reasons being, one, you can always opt for a simple celebration that does not involve the whole town so you do not have to spend too much. An intimate dinner with your family will always beat a fiesta like celebration with people you only half knew, so why not just do that instead. And two, is being in debt for a year worth it? I know some will say it is, but no it never is worth it you know. And if being in debt for a year for you is ok, then you seriously have issue’s that needs fixing and you should definitely seek help.

4. The belief that marrying a foreigner is the key to having a good life.

I know parents mean well when they want their children to find a foreign national that could take them to the United States, or the United Kingdom or the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It even almost does not matter where in the world you will be taken to just as long as its another country and that its a foreigner you will be getting married to. And I am not against inter racial marriage, just to be clear, what I am against and I think is a thinking that really needs to change is the way of thinking people have here about marrying foreigners. And I am not only talking about the parents, most people I meet think that all your existing problems will be solve if you landed a foreigner for a husband or a wife. They will think you are swerte or lucky when you marry a foreigner. And yes, maybe you are lucky when you marry a foreigner, but people need to stop pushing relatives or daughters or friends to date a foreigner even when they do not want to simply because they believe that it is the only way to a good life. Let them choose, let them not be coaxed into something, let them simply marry the person they want to.

5. That people who are more than 30 has no right to have a job.

I went to google, typed job vacancies in Manila. Then I browsed through the first 3 job ads. Not more than 30 years of age in the job qualifications section was a prominent entry. I went to google again and typed job vacancies in Canada. Guess what, age limit has not been mentioned in all the 3 postings I have checked. I again went to google and typed job vacancies in Singapore, again age limit has not been mentioned in the 3 job postings I checked. So whats wrong with being 30 here in the Philippines? Why do employers here hate people who are more than 30? Can somebody explain this to me? Maybe someone working in a recruitment firm can enlighten me on the rules set up by companies here in hiring people. Because I just don’t get why you can’t hire a person who is more than 30. Is this one of those only in the Philippines thing? Obviously, this needs to stop. There are a lot of Filipino’s struggling to get a job and setting this age limit thing is not helping.

6. Its perfectly ok to ask money from relatives abroad. It’s perfectly normal.

People here who go abroad typically has one goal in mind. To be the bread-winner of the family. And that is such a noble decision, sometimes people who decide to do this even forget their own needs and postpone making a family of their own just to be able to provide their parents and siblings everything they would ever need. While I know that this is not a bad thing, sometimes it can be. Because the person working abroad is sacrificing so much and sometimes it takes them so many years before they are finally able to have savings of their own. And then other relatives ask money from them like their millionaires or something. This is not ok, people here should also work and not just ask money and then live like rockstars and spend money like there is no tomorrow. I know a few people who do this and I feel sorry for the relatives of this people who work abroad. Knowing that they would probably have to support this rockstars financially for the rest of their lives because they think they have their own personal money machine is really sad.

Again, not all Filipino’s have this way of thinking. But being a Filipino has allowed me to see that most of us think this way. And it’s important that we try to see past of what has been the norm here and widen our perspective.

5 Things I Recently Realized About Myself

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 15:00:00 +0000

1. That even if I don’t want to, I am getting older.

I have been in denial that I am getting older from the moment I entered my 20’s. I did not make the year of my birthday on FB visible. I have refrained from answering questions such as, how old are you, what year were you born and when is your birthday? I did not even really try to remember how old I am that when I fill out forms that require me to put my age I need to compute it first. But this year, I accepted it a bit. When it was my birthday, I told people it was my birthday. But when they started asking me how old I am, I walked out. But I do know that no matter how hard I try to deny that I am getting old, I am. And I have been doing mature things now that I know my younger self would never have done. And I think that’s knowing and also accepting, that yes, I am getting older.

2. That I will never grow out of loving cartoons.

Do you know what movie I am mostly anticipating this year? No, it’s not Fast 7, no it’s not The Avengers Age of Ultron and no it’s not some unheard of indie movie. It’s actually Spongebob Squarepants, Fish Out of Water. I grew up with Spongebob and gosh darn it I am gonna die with him. The most recent cartoons I have grown fond of are Adventure Time, The Regular Show, The Amazing World of Gumball and Bob’s Burgers. I also sometimes search the net for some Roco’s Modern Life and Hey Arnold. And you know what, I don’t think I’ll ever grow out of my fondness with cartoons, and I am totally fine with it.

3. That I am progressively becoming a clean freak.

Once a month, that was my schedule for cleaning my room. But lately, I have been cleaning my room like every weekend (this is groundbreaking I tell yah). And then I actually notice myself getting irritated with clothes lying on the floor (seriously, this is very unlike me). And I frigging actually pick them up. That’s how far i’ve gone. Even dust on my laptop bothers the heck out of me now. Then I will notice my windows, also with dust which would then trigger my inner clean freak and I start cleaning everything. I seriously do not even know I have this other side of me. My motto before was, why bother with cleaning, when it will get dirty anyway? So yeah, maybe it’s a getting older thing or something, but I am becoming something I had no idea I would be after a few years.

4. That hangovers are the worst and is not worth it for me anymore!

I remember when I was younger. I would drink like there is no tomorrow. Then the next day for me would be like an episode of The Walking Dead, me being the walking dead. But later that day I would still have the energy to go for another night of drinking my brains off. I was not at all afraid of having a hangover. But now, just the mere thought of it makes me cringe away from drinking any alcoholic beverage. My hangovers are actually much worse now. Before, my hangovers would only last a day and I would sleep on it, then the next day, I was as good as new. But now, it is so much worse cause it takes 2 days of hell before I finally feel like myself again after a night of binge drinking. So two days of feeling like death is officially a no thank you for me. Not even my birthday is worth the hangover. I am done with hangovers!

5. That being concerned about my health is not a bad idea.

I have been getting a lot of news involving high school classmates getting diagnosed with a life threatening illness, mainly cancer. Not only classmates, there are also friends and friends relatives who I know that got diagnosed with a life threatening illness. But it was mostly people around my age getting diagnosed with life threatening illness' that has got me really thinking. Am I healthy? How many years do I have till’ I suddenly find out that I am about to croak? Suddenly, I am very concerned with what I am eating. I laid off carbonated drinks, made sure I drink lots of water, I exercised and got myself an insurance. I wanted to lower my risk of getting cancer and be prepared for any eventual health problems. I know its a long shot when it comes to cancer, but I can’t also just let myself be unhealthy and expect that I would be perfectly fine. I want to be healthy so that I can experience life for as long as I can. And there is nothing wrong with wanting that.

Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken-GAME REVIEW

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 11:00:00 +0000

I love tactical RPG’s, the very first such genre I have been able to play was Final Fantasy V Anthology, and I just remembered that I have not been able to play that game for a long long time. I remember playing it when I was just in high school, yeeesh.. that was so long ago, just kidding, I am not that old..haha. Anyway, let’s go back to the Fire Emblem review. So, I was looking for a good old GBA rpg game and came across this title. I did not actually know that this was a tactical RPG when I decided to play it, and I was a bit hesitant at first to play this game, since I had a few tactical RPG’s for gba that I have played and did not like unfortunately, so the hesitation came from there. But I continued on with it, and decided that I actually love it. I really love the gameplay, and also the fact that you can have this secret characters recruited base on a situations in the game (reminds me of Suikoden in a way) and have this support sequences in the game, which is also actually a way for characters to interact and have conversations and build relationships. And I have been actually reading about tactical rpg game history and it turns out that Fire Emblem was one of the first to incorporate this kind of gameplay that is still being used in modern day tactical RPG genre games today. I also love the storyline, currently on the Eliwood mode. The story is so far keeping me interested and I am racing to get to the next chapter to know what the deal is. But I actually restarted my game, because I was having such a hard time doing Chapter 27, and I kind of cheated and read some on this game and it turns out I have missed a whole bunch of potential recruits, so I was bummed and decided to delete my progress and start fresh. And now I’m almost at Chapter 27 again and I actually thought that redoing everything would bore me and ultimately lead to me not finishing the game (which is a thing I far too often do), but I actually am learning new things while redoing the chapters and it’s fun still.So if you have a thirst for a good old tactical rpg, I suggest you play this. It would really challenge you, especially on the chapters where there are new recruits to be obtained, and most of the time there are. And the story is really good, I actually love the playful bantering of the characters and also the blossoming love stories in the plot.

And after I think 6 months, (yes 6 long months), I was able to finish this game. I actually had to restart the game for I think atleast 3 times before I was finally able to get to the last chapter because I was not able to get some of the crucial items in the game like the member card. It a bittersweet ending for me and the game. I kind of got used to playing it during my commute to work that it feels weird not to. But I am proud of my accomplishment in finishing this game since I was not able to finish any game for a while now. I have a game just sitting on my laptop, and I am like 3 bosses away from getting it finish but I can't seem to find the energy to finish it now. I currently got Fire Emblem: Sacred Stones and will do a review for that after I get to atleast half of the chapters. But so far I am enjoying it, very close to what Rekka no Ken was so it was fairly easy to follow and play.

I want to write more about Rekka no Ken and some of the strategies that I really think would be helpful for people who want to play this game some time later. But for now I will just say that this is one of the best tactical rpg's I have played and is a must play.