Living Batangueño: Driving to Batangas City

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Driving from Manila to Batangas

I have been driving between Manila and Batangas City weekly since April 2005 and one of my frustrations about it is the wasted time - imagine around 5 to 7 hours a week (depending on how bad the traffic is) is unproductive time, just sitting on my butt, going from point A to point B. There was even one time I traveled from Batangas to Manila for 5 and a half hours!

Batangas - STAR Tollway

It was even worse during the episode when the "Bridge of Promise" was out of service. That bridge collapsed during the typhoon season of 2009, it was Typhoon Santi that destroyed it, taking the life of Romulo Soriano and his 3-year old son, Nicolo. His wife Malou who was also in the car when it crashed into the water, survived...

Review: "The Godfather (Part 1)" on Movie Night

Because since I moved to my current quarters I've had a lot more time to watch DVDs, I've decided to include mini movie reviews on this blog. And what better way to kick it off than with this classic, award winning film? 

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Now Showing on Movie Night: "The Godfather" Part 1 (1972)

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola

Screenplay by Mario Puzo

Paramount Pictures

Starring Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Richard S. Castellano, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard Conte and Diane Keaton.

"The Godfather (Part 1)"

Believe it or not, it was the first time ever that I saw this movie - but it is crystal clear to me now why it deserves it's Oscar wins and all the praises and accolades it received. Heck, I even think this mini movie review cannot bring justice to this epic. :p

Guest Post: "I Can Only Dream Of You" a song by Roy dela Cruz

Watch a video of Roy singing his song here: http://youtu.be/-sG9pXw3Fps

Roy is a widower from Angeles City. He maintains over 10 blogs including Roysville dot Com, The Struggling Blogger, Short Stories Blog, Travel To Angeles City, and Kapampangan Blog, and sees blogging not as a hobby but as a way of life.

Read the lyrics of his song and my short interview with Roy below about this new song and how music affects his life...

"Earning 10 in 2010" - July Online Earnings Update

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Earning 10 in 2010 - Online Earnings Update

Hello everyone and welcome to the July 2010 edition of my Online Earnings Update.
If it is your first time reading this, here's a quick background. I've decided to blog about my monthly online earnings via my Twitter account, and my Personal Blog.  I am not actively pursuing this earning online business - I'm posting around twice a week about things I usually blog about, receiving around 100 to 150 unique hits per day, and am only spending at most 1 to 2 hours daily writing and promoting my blog because of my busy work schedule. If you are in the same situation, I invite you to share what you know and how your efforts have been fruitful. If you are a newbie like me, then read on and join me on this journey! Here's the updated chart for July 2010...

Newsworthy in AIYF Aberdeen, Scotland!

The Aberdeen International Youth Festival 2010

The Aberdeen International Youth Festival (AIYF) in Aberdeen, Scotland "brings together and presents the best young performers and performing companies. It is a unique multi-arts event and has a reputation for attracting some of the finest young dance companies, classical dance academies, youth orchestras, bands and music ensembles from around the world." It is an annual festival that I have been privileged to be a part of twice - in the years 2000 and 2003. :)

Ask Me Anything

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Formspring.me? Formspring, you!

No, I do not have a Formspring.me account, and I do not intend to create one - I do not think I have the time nor the energy to manage another online account. But I do realize why Formsping has become quite the phenomenon - people just cannot resist answering a question.

Questions are in fact a key tool in Learning. When you are giving a lecture or even just presenting a report, a question triggers the audience's brains to answer even when you are not addressing them directly.

The whole concept of the lie detector test basically hinges on this particular human necessity - your body answers the questions for you even before you actually say anything...

My cousins' Sony PSP UMDs are for SALE!

PSP Games UMDs for SALE!

My cousins wouldn't like this much (harhar) but here goes. Anyhow, as they say, one child's trash is another's toy (whoa, that suddenly reminded me of Toy Story 3, did you watch it?)

SALE! SALE! SALE! SALE! SALE! SALE!
100% WORKING used Sony PSP UMDs For SALE! 

Avillion Hotel in Port Dickson, Malaysia

If you are ever in Port Dickson in the state of Negeri Sembilan, about 90 km from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on holiday or business trip, I suggest you book yourself at Avillion Hotel Port Dickson for a wonderfully relaxing time...

Franchise 2010, our Entrepreneurial Dream

ReyJr at Franchise 2010

Franchise 2010

Yesterday, Liz and I visited Southeast Asia's Biggest Franchise Event, Franchise 2010: The 18th Philippine International Franchise Conference and Expo at the SMX Convention Center. It was our first time to ever attend anything related to starting a business and we were eager to go around, talk to people and, of course, learn about how to start a franchise.  The event ran from July 14 to 18, featuring over 330 exhibitors of various business opportunities...

The UP Concert Chorus "Muling Dating" - A Homecoming Concert

The UP Concert Chorus are coming home

They're back from their international concert tour and are gearing to show everyone what makes them awesome...

The Uber Prestigious Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs 2010

What the Emerging Influential Bloggers Writing Project did for me

Last year, I met a lot of my now good friends via this annual "writing project" that awards new and emerging influential blogs making an impact in the Blogosphere. Several of them went on to be recognized as the most influential emerging bloggers of 2009. :)

A few weeks after that, I was invited to join PatayGutom.com - a group food blog and one of the awardees as well.

The Emerging Influential Blogs Writing Project is now on its 4th Year, and if you are a newbie blogger, I would most definitely encourage you to participate. :) It has helped me ease into the uncharted Philippine blogging territories and am happy to declare now that I am, indeed, a Blogger. :p woot!

So, which blogs do I think are the most Influential Emerging Blogs for 2010...?

"Earning 10 in 2010" - June Online Earnings Update

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Earning 10 in 2010 - Online Earnings Update

Welcome to the June 2010 edition of my Online Earnings Update. :) It is an interesting month for my online earnings, first because of the dramatic drop of my Google Adsense earnings and what caused it, and second, how much can you actually earn via the new service of Sponsored Tweets.

Click image to view full size

If it is your first time reading this, I've decided to blog about my online earnings monthly on my Twitter account, and my Personal Blog.  I am not actively pursuing this earning online business - I'm posting twice a week about things I usually blog about, receiving around 150 unique hits per day, and am only spending at most 1 to 2 hours daily writing and promoting my blog because of my busy work schedule.

If you are in the same situation, I invite you to share what you know and how your efforts have been fruitful. If you are a newbie like me, then read on and join me on this journey!

See how much I earned online this month...

An Interview with the author of “Balik-Tanaw: The Filipino Movie Stars of Yesteryears”

On May 22, the inimitable book of Philippine Cinema's stars was successfully launched at the Trader’s Hotel, Roxas Boulevard - an afternoon of nostalgia, reliving the glorious days of Philippine cinema  Many of the artists whose lives were vividly remembered in the pages of "Balik-Tanaw: The Filipino Movie Stars of Yesteryears" were in attendance...

“Balik-Tanaw: The Filipino Movie Stars of Yesteryears”

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Author Romy Protacio signing copies of his new book