Some weekends are fun. Some are downright great. Then there was yesterday, and it was packed but very, very fun :D
The boss' chief of staff (he calls himself, humbly, as nothing more than a "special assistant") let me have Saturday off (I work half-days on Saturdays), so I took this opportunity to sleep in since sleep is something that I have been greatly lacking for the past month or so. Woke up at 1100 hrs or so, then just got ready to go to Greenbelt 3 to meet PJ. Pretty awesome date :)
Started the day off with lunch at Sentro, where we go to when we need our Filipino food fix. We ate here before, at the Global City branch, and we never seem to learn anything when it came to Sentro's huge servings. We are both on healthy lifestyles commitment, so we ordered healthier options. It's nice to have a support/partner when trying to lose pounds!
Grilled chicken barbecue. Pot of green tea :) Pumpkin soup. Salad with anchovies, mozzarella cheese balls, and tofu. Sizzling tofu. Then we watched Love and Other Drugs which, can I just say, provided so much laughter to PJ and myself because we could totally relate with about 93% of the movie's contents. ROFL. Will definitely blog this when I have the time.
Then we walked around the malls a bit, looking at sneakers and clothes (I'm sure we were both planning to get something :P) then we decided to have a light dinner before she had to go home. Enter Krazy Garlik. It was my first time, and apparently, her brother-in-law partially owns the place. Virtually all of their menu items contain garlic in varying proportions.
Beer and candlelight. Baba ghanoush. Gambas al ajillo. Then I went home, and it was off to Global City to attend my crew's third performance of 2011 so far, at the Topshelf club in High Street. Thanks to DLSU's POLISCY student organization for the invite to this gig.
Daddy gave 'em swagger. There you go. A pretty solid Saturday :)
If you are not fond of little, furry creatures, kindly skip this post.
A couple of days ago, I was in the office kitchen making some tea (that just sounded so right) when I noticed a little piece of paper sticking out from under the refrigerator. It was bright yellow and looked awfully familiar. It was familiar because over three years ago, this exact same thing happened already.
A poor little mouse, traipsing along, did not see it was already heading towards a flat piece of sticky-death. It's the Attack of the Paper, Vol. 2.
Sucks to be you, Mickey Gave it to the janitor a few minutes later and told him to dispose of the little fella as humanely as possible. No flushing, stomping, or burning. I don't know how he did it.
My quest for a fit and healthy lifestyle is going really good. I've just recently added 3-4 mugs of green tea in my daily diet, and it is working wonders! I should have done this earlier (I'm a java junkie by nature). Anyway, my latest fitness progress picture has pretty much shown I can win the battle against holiday weight gain. Hard work plus discipline equates to results. Very nice visual results. Don't get me wrong, I feel very healthy as well, plus I've gotten stronger :)
Fitness Progress, January 2011
The 5th and 6th don't seem to want to show. Not sure if I can cut beer totally (I drink with friends twice a week) but of course, that is yet another challenge to my routine and my discipline.
I'm also really happy that my strength levels are (all for three standard sets of ten repetitions each, unless stated otherwise): Shoulder press at 100 lbs. Dead lift at 220 lbs. Triceps push-down at 80 lbs. Leg Press at 500 lbs (1 year consistent weight).
To all my friends who are trying to live a healthier lifestyle, ADD GREEN TEA to your daily intake! It works wonders, but remember to drink plenty of water throughout the day to avoid dehydration. Good luck!
Automated Teller Machines (ATM) Self-checkout Counters Touch Screens Mobile Phones Remote Controls Shopping Carts Reusable Shopping Bags Read the linked article for further elaboration on each one, though some (like the ATM and remote controls) are rather obvious.
For picture sources, click and check the link for the name of the picture.
My crew's first gig of the year. Even if I'm not with them on this gig due to work commitments, I am very proud of them. It was a pretty good show as well. Here's the video:
My alma mater, De La Salle University Manila, has traditionally been the venue of the Bar Exams, with lawyers-to-be gathering inside the campus to take the exams that would make or break their legal future. However, a grenade attack last during last year's exams, as well as the construction of our new Centennial Hall have made the Supreme Court of the Philippines reconsider the venue of the exams. That honor now goes to the Unibersidad ng Santo Tomas (or University of Saint Thomas, but no one in their right mind would call it that here in the Philippines).
Popularly known as "Uste" (oos-teh), UST is the oldest university in Asia at over four-hundred years. Founded in 1611, it is also the largest Catholic university in the world in terms of student population in a single campus. Uste is definitely one of the best universities in the country, and is famous for the medical disciplines that it offers.
I also cannot help but think that as much as I love the neoclassical design of La Salle structures, Uste's New World feel is also pretty breath-taking: UST's crest. UST's varsity crest.
Well then. I suppose the Bar Exams have found a fitting home :)
I know many people personally who have lost gadgets such as mobile phones and laptops in public places, and it is simply amazing to see a heist in action. In this article from Yahoo! News Philippines, a thieving-ring is caught on the in-store camera executing a quick and flawless job. This happened in Oyster Boy, an eatery at Metrowalk, off Meralco Avenue, Ortigas City.
The video:
So please, be wary of placing your bags with valuables out of sight. Remember, "out of sight, out of mind" sometimes applies in cases such as this one. Personally, I like placing my wallet and mobile phone in a place where it is either on me (a tight pocket, like a shirt pocket) or an inch away from me on the table. As for bags, I always loop a strap around my ankle - which would have prevented this one immediately.
This has been a public service post from me, courtesy of Yahoo! News and YouTube user Teddypork.
De La Salle University's Men's Football Team crushed Ateneo de Manila's Men's Football Team in the opening football match of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) football season.
5 - 1
All our goal-scorers were rookies; two bagged a brace each, and another a single goal, while AdMU scored just before halftime. In any case, it could not stop the inevitable La Salle demolition of the Ateneo team at the final whistle.
Yesterday, Atty. Lizada took us boys out again for a treat: this time, at Sakai Sushi in Mall of Asia. As if the Red Crab night wasn't deadly enough, for my attempted diet, at least. LOL.
We didn't eat as much as the night before, but I have to say, Sakai has some really heaping servings when it comes to the tempura sets. Here's what I devoured:
Japanese tofu. Blue marlin sashimi. Fish eggs or something sushi. :P Vegetable tempura set. Good place, I really liked it. The tea they served was piping hot as well, and went down well with the food. Service was quick, and very efficient. Pretty much what one would expect at a decent Japanese restaurant.
Atty. Lizada, Julian's mum, came over to Manila from Davao to attend a board meeting (those two words are destined to be a regular feature in this blog, it seems) and last night, she took Julian and I out for dinner. Supposed to go to Rockwell, but there are (I think) more restaurants in Greenbelt 3, so we decided to hit that instead. Ended up having a buffet dinner at Red Crab.
Steak on Mango Salsa & Pineapple-glazed Ham Paella Rice & Ribs with Barbecue Sauce Crab Fat Pasta & Crab-stuffed Squid Steamed Shrimps Red Crabs Grilled Shrimps Red Crab has pretty interesting choices, and the food was very filling. However, I think they could afford to have more choices - there wasn't much fish, for instance - and the food needs to be kept warm better. Also, they have to serve their tea hot! Mine was lukewarm, so I had to change it. Service was acceptable; the waiters could have been more attentive. The only downer for the night I suppose was the terrible singer in their employ. It really did not work.
Thanks again to Atty. Lizada for the dinner. Hours of good conversation regarding politics and administrative concerns was highly enjoyable as well. See you soon!
This was something that I knew about a couple of days before it was released. A tad bit disappointing in terms of potential consequences, but in my opinion, the noble thing to do, looking at the big picture.
One of my mentors and father-figures, Sir Edwin Reyes, spoke with me regarding this issue, and we were both in the same mind that coming clean and admitting the mistake first - an honest mistake at that - of our university would do all parties well. In the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), there is no space to make errors such as the one my university did. I'm very proud that not only did we own up to this error, but we are willing to face the consequences as well.
Scribes from Ancient Egypt, I'm feeling you guys. LOL
Hi, I'm Tom. That's T-O-M, or The Office Man :P
Board meetings with the big fish.. Trying to stay awake when the paperwork stacks up.. Finding a "hidden joke" in the smallest little thing.. Attending ceremonies.. Then having pre-packaged lunch.. It's a good thing I have gym, Skittlez, and PJ to go back to after all that. Work is fun, and sometimes really challenging, but it's nice to know I'm experiencing the working world with my feet planted on the ground and friends around to help me escape and relax :)
With the recent AFF Suzuki Cup competition highlighting our very own national football team, the Azkals, football has certainly grabbed the attention of many Filipinos. We are a very athletic people, but football - the "Beautiful Game" and the most widely played sport in the world - seems to escape our grasp. Perhaps it was because we misunderstood it so much. Complaints on "how long the game takes" or "the low scores the games have" were just some of the supposed reasons many Filipinos I've talked with give when asked why not football for us.
And perhaps, we cannot be taken seriously by the rest of the world when there are numerous Filipinos (oh, you've seen this I'm sure) use football boots (not even futsal boots!) to walk around malls and parks, and, really strangely, as driving shoes. *nods* Those are cleats alright.. *sigh*
I don't know who Justin Bieber thinks he is, but he definitely crossed the line for me when he supposedly compared himself with one of the world's greatest rock icons - and a personal musical hero of mine - Kurt Cobain of Nirvana.
First and foremost, if you have never heard of the band Nirvana, kindly open another tab on your browser, go to YouTube, and search for Nirvana songs. Must have gotten humid under that rock, ey?
"I feel like the Kurt Cobain of my generation, but people just don't understand me." - Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber was born on the year that Kurt Cobain took his own life. He is as old as Kurt has been dead, and yet Nirvana songs still play on radios and are still downloaded and bought up to now - almost seventeen years since. With all due respect, Justin Bieber, you have absolutely no idea what you were talking about.
While Bieber may be one of the more popular (read: popular to screaming teenagers who have never listened to music on a cassette tape and whose lives would be ruined by the disappearance of the iPod) "musicians" right now, he needs to realize that there is no way he can ever say that he thinks "he is the Kurt Cobain of his generation". Cobain made a cultural and social impact to youth society in the mid-1990s, pioneered a movement we now know as grunge, outranked Elvis Presley in 2006 as the highest earning deceased artist, and left an iconic legacy that will be remembered decades from now. Bieber's contribution to society is his high-pitched voice waiting to break. Plus his mismatched lyrics to his apparent personality. So Mr. Bieber is either completely ignorant, or his ego is larger than the asteroid that him on the head.
In conclusion, Justin Bieber is already ragged on by many, many bloggers and online forums; statements as ill-informed as this latest gaffe will do him no favors. Remember Justin, do not bloody touch legends.
I should have read this article months ago. Now I'm suffering from "late-rage" LOL.
I had my first out-of-town business trip ever yesterday. Destination: Cebu City, a place that I've been wanting to go to for the longest time.
Departure, around 0645 hrs. Welcome to Cebu! Maxwell Hotel room. Had some downtime since we arrived at the hotel around 0930 hrs; slept off my allergy medicine until about 1120 hrs then went down for lunch. Lunch was really awesome, and I had a huge heaping slab of back ribs, while the boss opted for some traditional pork adobo. Rested after lunch, then took a quick shower in the hotel room. Around 1430 hrs, we were picked up by Mr. M. Go, Board Member of the SCC Board of Trustees. I think he's got a really cool job; apart from being a college board of trustees member, he also owns a trucking company and banks. What a combination haha. We arrived at the Cebu City Sports Club, a private club in the middle of the metro. Then it was board meeting time! Then we went around. Just passed by the SCC stand for the upcoming Sinulog Festival in Cebu, and the popular dried fish market, where I didn't take any pictures since we were busy picking dried fish to bring back. LOL. Then at 1800 hrs, it was time to go back to the airport. The boss' flight was supposed to be at 1900 hrs, but the arrival of the airphilexpress plane one hour later than scheduled forced him to leave Cebu at 1945 hrs while my flight was supposedly at 2035 hrs. I was still having dinner around 2000 hrs when I heard my name on the P.A.! Apparently, we were leaving way ahead of schedule (I used Philippine Airlines). I was the last one in my plane. How embarrassing :( Well anyway, back to the office tomorrow, and that means reports and paperwork on the trip but it's all good. The experience was great, and I sure could get used to these sort of trips :D
