"A Puppy, not a Guppy" book tour

Welcome to today's  "A Puppy, not a Guppy" book tour stop on Reyjr.com. You can check out the rest of the book tour schedule, where it has been and where it is going next, by clicking this.

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Who wants some fish?

Irma, our book's main character, is getting some pet fishies. Yes, she's getting some guppies - which I think are beautiful hypnotizing (that tail!). But she doesn't want them - she wants a puppy instead! A puppy, not a guppy!

I've always loved fish.  Whenever we go to the beach, we always go snorkeling to see some colorful fishes and corals.  Fish in aquariums are also a sight - a very relaxing one that adds color and life to any room. Memories of all those hours spent laboriously looking for the right breed on that addictive Fish Tycoon game also come to mind. Hah!

I do love fish. But pet fish? I've never had any of those. Dogs, on the other hand, we've had since forever so I can understand why Irma's parents doesn't want her to get one...

Fish Spa at the Manila Ocean Park

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Our day at the Manila Ocean Park was well spent. Liz and I enjoyed looking at the colorful fishies and reading about their characteristics and such - and we even found Nemo!  When we got to the end, we had a nice view of the Manila Bay and an option to either take a glass bottom boat ride or have our feet eaten nibbled by fish... at a Fish Spa!

How to smell your own tongue

French Bulldog Puppy

If you could smell your own tongue, wouldn't you?

Watch the UP Concert Chorus Christmas Concert 2009

Payapang Daigdig

During last year's concert, our conductor asked me and another UPCC Alumna, Tita Ritzi to share the solo for the Christmas song "Payapang Daigdig". It had been a long time since I last sang with the UPCC then and so I was really honored to have been asked.

This year though, I'm not sure if I will be able to make it. I'm bummed about that. But we'll see how it turns out. Hopefully I still get to go. :) In the meantime, here are the lyrics to "Payapang Daigdig".

Giving Google Waves and World AIDS Day

Google Wave Invites

After almost 80 comments, interesting points and suggestions (er and spammy comments too lol) on my "Who wants a Google Wave invite?" post, I'm glad to note that those 5 with the most interesting (or interested) comments will receive my invites. Haha. I am glad to be giving the Google Wave invites to:

1. Jacqui Hudson
2. japaulvergonia
3. geb0i
4. chrisBON
5. johnbresee

Google Wave is probably going to be available to the general public sooner than we think - much like how they began Gmail (where you can only get one via an invite) but heck - do you really want to be the last one to get GW? Haha, I don't.

So, if you don't have Google Wave preview yet, head on over to Holly's "It's All a Matter of Perspective" or to DiTesco's iBlogZone, I think they have a few more to give away...

Holiday Airfare Deals from my Friend in Paradise!

This is a sponsored guest post written by Ali Kendall on behalf of Airfare Secrets. Post powered by Sponzai.

Just wanted to send a quick "shout-out" across the Pacific to my friend Ali in sunny Honolulu, Hawaii!

Ali runs the airfare-now.com website with all kinds of tips, coupons, strategies, etc. for findng holiday airfare deals. Now airfare comparison travel sites have come a long way in the past few years but there are still literally thousands of them to choose from. So here's a big aloha and mahalo to Ali for keeping it simple on a pretty nifty little travel website!

 

“I Enjoyed My Century Bangus Fillet on my exhausting 5.5 hr drive to Manila”

Atypical Day

I work in Batangas, a province about 2 hours away from Manila by car, and I typically drive back to my house in Pasig every Friday night. I've been doing this weekly for the past 5 years or so, and if there was ever an expert on it, I guess I could very well qualify. I had developed a knack for timing my departure and predicting my arrival time - to the minute. Well... until recently.

You may have heard about the broken (Bridge of) Promise in Batangas City - well, it's still kaput and the only way out of the city is right through the traffic. Yes. Just getting out of Batangas City will take up to 45 minutes nowadays. Ugh. Traffic has become completely unpredictable.

But, last night - ohhh last night - was exceptionally atypical...

Who wants a Google Wave invite?

What Google Wave preview looks like:

Who wants a Google Wave invite?

First off, thanks to Benj for the invite. ;)

I have 5 Google Waves invites to give away, and since most of my blogger friends already have Google Wave preview, I will give these away to total strangers (lol) I mean to prospective Google Wave friends. Hehe.

My rules are simple:  the Top 5 people with the most comments on this post at the stroke of midnight of Tuesday, December 1, 2009 (Philippine time!) will receive the Google Wave invites. Make sure you put your email when you comment.

But please don't spam me. Wah! Hint: Why not ask a question or answer someone else's question, or give your opinions on Google Wave, or ask me a question. I answer all comments on this blog. :D I am looking for prospective Google Wave friends and this is why I am wiling to give the invites to those most engaging.

In case of ties...

"Can't you just cut me some slacks?!" and other hilarious one liners

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The first time I read this list, I was literally teary eyed while trying to stop myself from laughing out loud during our Information Technology 101 class....

This is an old joke list I unearthed while going through my Xanga blog archives. It had me in stitches once again, much like the first time I read it, so I figured, it needs to be reposted! :p I modified it a bit too, to update it for 2009.  :p

How to misuse Figures of Speech

• Company manager mulling over his next strategic move: "Argh! This is a no-win-win situation!"
• Man to his new wife: "Don't worry honey, we'll just burn the bridge when we get there."
• Lawyer to the jury: "Ladies and gentlemen, this contract is anulled and void!"
• Same lawyer above, on a different case: "Your honor, this exercise is mute and academic..."
• Man to his friend, "Don't worry too much about it, if worse comes to shove, just leave it!"

Food Blog: Late lunch on a Lazy Sunday Afternoon

A couple of weeks ago, me and Liz, together with my mom and sister and her bf, drove up for a late lunch at "San Jacinto Panciteria".

Suffice to say, I deemed the trip worthy of a blog post. Hehe! The food was great, the service wonderful. What more can you ask for on a lazy Sunday afternoon?

Here's one of the photos - yummy beef with brocolli.... nom nom nom. 

I'm inviting you over to my group food blog on "Patay Gutom" to read (and please comment!) on my new PG post:  

"This Panciteria packs in the goodness"

Keeping in touch with the Pizzoccheros

Find reyjr

Allora! Allora! Allora!

Text message exchange:

Reyjr: "Ciao tutti famiglia Pizzocchero e Buon compleanno per Papa Angelo! Tanti bacci per tutti!"

Pizzocchero: "Ciao Rey, Papa Angelo dice mille mille grazie, qui a Cascine tutto OK, spero che anche li state tutti bene, abbiamo una casa nuova ti aspettiamo per vederla."

Reyjr: "Sono molto felice di leggere il suo messagio! Amerei vedere la nuova casa. :D Tutto e buono qui anche. La manco, il mio amore a tutti."

No, I don't speak Italian (un pocississimo!), I used this website to translate: http://ets.freetranslation.com/ and I'm not expecting a machine translation to be perfect but what the heck, I still get the message across.

I'm sharing this to show that even though you are miles and miles apart and don't speak the same language, keeping in touch with friends is possible...

Leonids Meteor Shower! How could I not blog about it?

sI've never seen a shooting star in my life. Or I don't remember. Will try to catch some for a wish or two tonight.

From Perseid to Leonids - Meteor Shower crazy

In August of this year, I blogged about the Perseid Meteor Shower. I was excited because I usually find out about these stuff after the fact, but that time

I went out and walked around the compound for a couple of nights in a row, hoping to catch one. It turned out to be a disappointment: It was drizzling, and the clouds were too thick to see the sky, much less any meteor showers.

This time around, I'm optimistic. Local weather station PAGASA says...

Pacquiao defeats Cotto!

Looking for the Pacquiao vs Cotto fight results? You've come to the right place.

Manny "Pac-man" Pacquiao vs Miguel Cotto

Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao wins against Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto in "Firepower" today Nov 15, 2009 (Manila). The match was stopped at mid-fight by the referee at Round 12 and then Manny Pacquiao was proclaimed victorious via TKO.

After that, bloodied and bruised, yet a dignified Miguel Cotto hugged Manny Pacquiao and even gave him a wink.

Manny Pacquiao also makes history by becoming the new Welterweight champion, his record seventh title. 

Congratulations Manny!!! You make us damn proud to be Filipinos. Woot!!!

Pacquiao Twitters Abound!

A few hours before the fight, twitters were wondering why Cotto was in the Twitter trending topics when Manny wasn't. About an hour later, there were 3 Pacquiao related topics on Twitter. ;p