Who is Gilbert Teodoro, Jr. (and why is he running for President)?

Today (Sept 16), the unified Lakas-Kampi-CMD party of the Administration voted to put National Defense Sec. Gilbert "Gibo" Teodoro in the running for the highest position in Philippine government - choosing him over MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando and pitting him against cousin Sen. Noynoy Aquino.

If you are like me who is a bit disconnected from Philippine politics, you would go: "Who is Gilbert Teodoro, Jr.?" And for that matter, why is he running for President?

I had this notion that people who run for President are those famous enough so that you won't have to ask. Then again, I asked the exact same question about NoyNoy Aquino. I didn't know Ninoy had a son in the Senate! Wow! Circumstances have changed a lot in the past couple of months. From obscure to Presidentiable was the path NoyNoy took - at least for me. And it seems Gibo will be much of the same now that he has been thrust into the limelight...

SM Batangas is now a free Wifi Zone!

This is an awesome new reason to get a wifi ready cellphone.

It seems like Henry Sy is pulling another card from up his sleeve. After the huge success of putting BDO Banks inside the malls and then extending banking hours, now, one by one, SM Malls are now becoming FREE WIFI ZONES. Ehem... FREE WIFI ZONES!!! (awesum Mr. Sy)

We (still) got rhythm - 9 years later!

A Theme Thursday Post

"Each morning I get up with the sun..."


Below is a video of the UP Concert Chorus performing a medley of Gershwin's songs, taken during one of our concerts in Norway way back in the year 2000.

I remember that the stage was huge, the lights and the sound systems were perfect - and the audience was amazing. We even had Norweigian visitors we met at a festival that we attended earlier that year.

St. Louis, Missouri and the Gateway Arch

 One of the many stops of the USA leg of the 2000 Millennium Tour of the UP Concert Chorus was St. Louis, Missouri. It was a short stay, just a couple of days, and a couple of concerts, but we managed to squeeze in a trip to that giant steel arch they call The Gateway Arch....

Interviewed by an American writer

I consider myself a newbie blogger - by all normal standards (Alexa Rank, Feedburner readers, etc. - and all those uber important metrics) and so I was a tad bit hesitant when I was asked to participate in a group interview about my thoughts on blogging - with some veteran bloggers, a few probloggers and winners of the EIB 2009. To top it off, the interviewer, Holly Jahangiri, is a professional American writer! Needless to say, I was both honored and pressured to give each question some long deliberation (and proof-reading) before I sent my answers. Lol.

I'm joining TheWeblogZone Blog Contest - and you should too!

Here are the reasons why I am joining this blog contest:

1. I want One year hosting with Hostican (Base Host Package)!
2. I want the Thesis Wordpress Theme – The best search engine optimized Wordpress theme.
3. It would be AWESOME to have a custom Banner/Logo done by a professional graphic designer and with a satisfaction guaranteed clause at that!
4. I'm interested to read the Problogger Book by Darren Rowse and Chris Garret
5. I want $100 (Payable through Paypal) - and I don't need to say why. doh!

If you're interested to WIN the above items too... head on over to The Weblog Zone and join The Weblog Zone Blog Contest today! (and I mean TODAY, because today's the last day!)

Highschool Life Meme - Pisay '99

For the non-Filipino speakers, please pardon me.

This is a meme I got from some high school batchmates, several of them have answered the survey and posted it on their Facebook. I do have an FB account, but I prefer to put this on here! :D

As a brief background - Pisay is a nickname for the Philippine Science High School - the premier high school in the Philippines.

If you want to take the PSHS Competitive Entrace Exams or have a son/daughter/niece/nephew/neighbor or anyone who want to take it - Click HERE for some details.

Here goes:

I was beginning

A Theme Thursday Post

Zero

I was beginning to get bored
inside my mummy's tummy
so I kicked the joint and split
through this passageway so tiny

It took me three whole days
it was a special trilogy
until at long last I was born
on that night of a syzygy

Puberty

I was beginning to grow
hair in places that you know,
and my voice was always cracking
Oh, what about my singing?

So I went to the Doc
To seek medical support
But instead, he circumcised me
Now I'm no longer "supot".


Lol.
*supot is a Filipino word that means "uncircumcised".



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Look who ate my mom's Periwinkles

We have a small garden with a small pond in front of our house - with a few potted plants around the cascading water fountain, a tall fortune plant on one side, and a row of flowering Periwinkles with pink, white and yellow flowers...

...well, we used to. THEY have eaten almost all of the leaves of my mom's Periwinkles. There were about 8 of THEM - none of them shorter than my longest finger - THEY were fat with chlorophyll, had purple and teal eyes with a sinister glare, tiny white dots form a row on either side, and they had these clawlike appendages near their heads. Caterpillars have invaded our garden!

French bulldog puppies and a newborn Yorkshire Terrier

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Are you a dog person?

My sister and her boyfriend both love dogs - and even though I don't (lol) their presence in our home have made me kind-of-fond of them too. We currently have two female Yorkshire Terriers - their tiny barks fill our home with warmth, they are attention demanding, sweet little critters. :p

After being in Batangas for 2 weeks for work, I was surprised to come home to a house full of doggies - not just the 2, but 4 doggies and 5 puppies! 5 French bulldogs and 3 Yorkshire Terriers! A few hours later, another dog arrived - an English bulldog (unfortunately I wasn't able to take photos of that one!). :D Come see the photos of the dogs...

I am now a Patay Gutom Blogger

I just published my first ever post as a Patay Gutom blogger - and I'm stoked about it. Woot!

It's 3AM, and although my high can also be attributed to the 2 hour travel from Manila to Batangas, and the Starbucks Cafe Mocha I consumed a few hours ago - I am more excited to have published my first ever food blog post - and on no less than one of the Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs for 2009!

The Symbology of Ninoy, a Filipino Hero

Why is it a holiday today?

Last night, one of my younger colleagues asked us over dinner the reason why it was a holiday today. We all laughed at her naivete - it was common knowledge: today we remember the 26th death Anniversary of Sen. Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino.

On a separate occasion, another friend asked if whether it was Ninoy's birthday or his death anniversary we are commemorating on Aug 21.

While both mistakes can be attributable to memory gaps and are forgivable, it made me wonder about myself: Do I really understand why it was a holiday today? Or am I just happy that I don't have to work? If I, who was already alive at the time of Ninoy's assassination (albeit too young to remember) can so easily forget, how much more so for those who were born much later?

The Cure for Pink Eye

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Have you ever had Pink Eye?

Overheard:

"Oh! You know what, a friend of mine from work recently gave birth. She was worried her baby was not drinking enough milk from her breast. She said her breasts always felt full like they were about to burst, and the veins on the sides were showing like those on an angry person's neck..."