whateverria

Sorry blogger...

2010-04-16T02:40:00.001-07:00

but i'm now transferring to tumblr. just because.

Bar Chronicles: 3rd Day Funk

2010-04-11T08:24:00.000-07:00

This is a nice habit, writing about the day before it ends. Even though, I guess, I'll be saying the same things. :P

So, third day's the charm, and it's a Sunday so there are some nice extras. Started the day with a morning race, with running buddy and fellow bar aspirant Jam. I bested my 10k record, great way to start the day. Then a quick breakfast, cool shower and an hour's nap before I started studying.

I discovered Brand's essence of chicken, have been taking it since yesterday and I noticed that I focused for longer hours, much like the effect of gingko biloba (I'm a sucker for supplements with no proven therapeutic effects). Now, how would I describe its taste? A bit like sebo (as in cold bulalo soup) with chicken broth cubes' after taste. I prefer to take it with a big glass of cold water. And ice, to prevent nausea. haha.

My room is outfitted for studying now, problem still is the bed which looks inviting every break time. The solution is just to threaten myself every urge of crawling unto the covers. But I still napped once despite that. A reasonable quick nap.

Bar Chronicles: Nothing Like the First

2010-04-09T05:00:00.001-07:00

The month of March was tortuous (and tortious?). I had to rest for 2 weeks from running, accompanied by sessions with the physical therapist, but that rest time was extended to a (gulp) more than a month (i lost count). The final, final exams spanned 3 weeks of my final year in law school and therefore i had limited my running too, and then the last exam was immediately succeeded by a 4-day trip. Wow. that was a really long break.

Yesterday I found myself walking the final 500 meters of a 4.4k run. Ugh. And so now, I vow to inject a running sched in my bar study sched.

Anyway, today I started reviewing because I realized that my revised schedule will not give me adequate time. In a state of panic, I revised my schedule for a third time and found out that I can only have two readings. gulp.

So today was the first of many days of review. I found it daunting, hard, and eq-depleting. But I sustained it and am happy. Tomorrow is another day and I hope it would be less and less straining.

Century Superbods Run 2010: The Forbidden Fruit

2010-02-26T06:06:00.000-08:00

After Condura, I was left with only 9 toenails and an aching shin. But my body is used to battery (hello, 8 years of taekwondo) so i recovered quick. With a newborn toenail (hehe!) and an all better leg, the Sunday before Century Superbods was just perfect for my first long run post-Condura.

...Oops...spoke too soon. After 12k, my inner ankle and shin was hurting a bit. Then on the next training run, I had to stop at 5k because the pain was getting worse. Uh-oh!

So basically, the Century Superbods Run was my forbidden fruit, not only because of the...umm...eye candies prancing around, but because I obviously needed to rest my feet.

Next Superbods run, bring rice for the ulam.

The original plan was to join the 10k even while wearing the yellow bib, but pride took over me and joined the 21k instead and just walk the rest when the pain becomes alarming. I promised to take my time. ...but then again, no flyover or skyway here...Hmmm.

An hour or so later, there goes the 10k mark...That was the first time I asked myself why I was still running.

At 16k, it was still uneventful and the pain was still tolerable, at a level of discomfort merely.

Fast forward to 18k. Maybe the reason why I couldn't remember anything eventful before this point is because the pain had started to become so terrible that it overwrote on all the good stuff which happened before. "OMFG. WHY DID I F***ING RUN TODAY? MY ANKLE WILL FALL OFF ANY TIME SOON." But, with 3k to go, who's pride could endure a DNF? And a look at the watch told me I can make a pr if I didn't walk. Pride: Nakamamatay.

Crossing the finish line at 2:37, it was a pr indeed. Still pathetic time though hehe. But the funny part comes: the ankle was now swelling and I had to seek medical help. Ice it at least. Oops, medic didn't have ice. great. And I had to spend 30 minutes lining up before I can really rest my legs. Oh well, Derek Ramsey and the yummy food made up for it. :)

I saw Grace, my taekwondo bud for the first time in months while I was limping along.

Thereafter, I was prescribed physical therapy for 3 weeks (at least). Obviously, no running for a while. I feel pain even just walking around at school and while doing the flexing exercises during PT. For now, I'd have to settle for swimming (hmm, I smell an aquathlon/sprint). Next week, I will have a sports taping tutorial. yey...hehe.

As a final note, I impart this wisdom: stay away from the forbidden fruit ~~in whatever form~~.

No "Rent" for Me

2010-02-08T17:15:00.000-08:00

I'm so sad I won't be able to watch Rent. February is too busy. I couldn't even plan for a decent Valentine's date or gift for that matter. :(

http://rentonfeb.blogspot.com/

Condura Run 2010: The First 21km Story

2010-02-08T16:55:00.000-08:00

It was a few months ago that I decided on running a half marathon. At first I targeted a December race but the 21ks were scarce and...umm...the kms logged were likewise scarce. Hehe. The announcement came that Condura will be held on the February 7th and so, as it was a more feasible goal for me, I started running seriously come the last weeks of November. Too serious perhaps, as I injured myself with 2 weeks remaining, and hence an earlier, and longer, taper period.

At Sunday of T minus 2weeks, I was scheduled for a 16k long run. But the shin acted up so badly, even at a really easy pace at that! So I stopped at 15k. Next day, went to the doctor to hear what I already knew: Rest it for a week; next time don't run too much hills and stretch before and after!

Confidence dwindled as each day passed without running, so instead, I did everything I could to recover fast while maintaining endurance: leg sleeves compression, therapeutic massages (oh, it's a valid excuse!), anti-inflammatory medication and cross-training. I enjoyed it, actually. Thursday prior to Feb 7, did a final easy run just to boost the confidence, although there was still some minor pain.

That's the story of my training.

Fast forward to the Condura Run. The festive air was so encouraging, but all I could think of was I NEVER HAD THE CHANCE TO RUN BEYOND 15K. Oh Sh*t.... It had to boil down then to strategy just to finish. And with strategy (and faith....and sometimes, force, threats and intimidation...:P) i do accomplish some unexpected things. The strategy for this feat: music, hydration planning, compression and a pace chart. Haha! :O

The race started crowded and extremely dark...which, looking back probably helped a lot in forcing myself to start slow. At the end of the Kalayaan Flyover, I checked my watch and saw that I arrived early at the 3km mark. Great, considering i had a slow start. A sudden burst of energy took over me and so I increased effort all throughout Buendia, which was flat and straight so not too much brainwork there. At km 6.5, I entered the Skyway, still dark, and thank God for that because it would have been daunting to see its entire stretch.

Skyway was a roller coaster ride, so hilly. At the turnaround point, the sun started to show up and greet us, and that's when I saw the rolling terrain, ugh. Ridiculous! Even more ridiculous was the 42k turn going up that reallllyyyy steep part (to NAIA 3 i think), even coaxing the runners with a sign that said "Welcome to the Condura Hill!". But that's not my problem...haha!

Crossed the 16km mark on time still, but here comes MY real problem, I'm now in unchartered territory! Was fine for half of the Buendia part but I started to really slow down at km 18...had to walk a lot from this point, which really killed me. I was saying to myself: "tagal mo nagtraining tapos lalakarin mo lang", to which I replied (haha psycho) "kaysa naman mainjure lalo or hindi matapos". And to make matters worse, here comes the Kalayaan flyover, which I hate so much even in the 10ks I did before. :-s. I swear I wanted to cry then, repeatedly said "ayoko naaaaa" under my breath. Haha. And then at the end of the ramp, my target time just went and gone. Noooo! :(

Lucky for me, the finish line was nearer to the end of the flyover than the starting line so with 1 km to go I gathered all what's left and went for it. 21kms already on my watch? This must not be right...but nevertheless, plus 1 or not, that last km I think was the best part of my run. Finished at 2:39, got a finisher's medal and celebrated with a cold beer (just one cup...which was given out for free :P)

Right now I'm so battered. I chafed at the worst parts, I have a bloody blister and a toenail in crucial condition, an ankle that needs to be iced once in a while...it feels just like I sparred. But I'm so ecstatic about this run I can't stop talking about it. I rewarded myself with...umm...being study-free for the rest of the of the day. Sorry SLR and pleadings...:P

Well, that's my first 21k experience and for sure there would be plenty more...like on the 21st, because I lacked better judgment and ended up signing up for another 21k, far from the original plan (10k if I run Condura, 21k if I don't). Oh well, we will see what happens. In other words, bahala na....nanaman!

Upcoming Race Events: Condura Run for Dolphins, Century Super Bods

2010-01-31T06:12:00.000-08:00

January was not a good month for me. First, I wasn't able to join any race. The circumstances differ. PSE Bull Run: can't find a registration booth. Jan 31 races: well, the main reason is i'm prohibited from running (injured!), the other reason is, not interested.

February should be a good month. I have 2 hearings on the line...boo....but I also have 2 races to look forward too. Yey!

FEBRUARY 7: CONDURA RUN FOR DOLPHINS
The first question is if I'd be hard headed enough. After overcoming that, the next question is how long it will take me. I'm having funny thoughts...malas yata ako sa Condura?! Last year, I was injured while running it, this year I was injured training for it. I peak at the wrong time it seems...Maybe I should target an earlier race, December perhaps. Anyway, everyone is talking about this race. Potentially the best race of the year. If the doctor permits, this would be my 21k debut. Hopeful that I could because the route traverses the Skyway. :)

FEBRUARY 21: CENTURY SUPER BODS
This is my back up plan in case a 21k on Feb 7 is prohibited. If you check out the 21k route, it would make you dizzy! Lots of turns. It would be impossible for me to remember lest i draw a map on my arm. Hopefully the logistics will be as fine as other RunRio races I've ran. The icing on the cake is Derek Ramsey in short shorts. :D In the event that I can run both Condura and this, I might opt for a shorter distance.

So many contingencies...arte.

First bike "commute"; Throng of runners make UP an unenjoyable bike route

2010-01-31T03:00:00.000-08:00

I only had to traverse a small amount of road to get to UP so I decided not to bring my bike in my car which is very tedious (bike rack set up, lock, etc) so off I went from our home to UP. The scariest part was cp garcia: a long road with surprise elements. Going there, the surprise element was broken glass.

I was early so no cars yet at that time and I enjoyed the cool january breeze. I also enjoyed the acad oval without the throng of runners. Later on as the sky brightened, so did the people thicken. Nakakainit ng ulo. Seriously, there's no place which is biker-friendly now, even in UP. Although today is a car-less day, the runners are everywhere and so un-careful. Who runs side by side in 4 files? With blaring music in their earphones?

*Photo by: Inigo Rudio (newskoday.net46.net/sipat/likemotherlikechild.jpg)
---

Of all road characters, runners should be the most aware of their environment. It's our responsibility to keep ourselves safe as much as motorists are expected to exercise due diligence in using the roads. What should drive us runners to be extra careful is that the danger for us is 10-fold: we only have our skin to protect us and that doesn't really help. So what I'm trying to drive at is this: a runner must be aware of all dangers. Assume that the worst can happen and take the necessary precautions, ie, stay on the side, wear something bright, music on low volume, a blinker if necessary, stay in low traffic areas. Share the road, share the responsibility.

---
anyway, since the oval was not enjoyable anymore, I went to College of Science's "bike rink". I wonder what the structure is really for but it serves as a really good practice area. Spent some time there before I finally decided to go home.

So there I was again in cp garcia, my dreaded moment since by this time the traffic increased already. Chamba...natiming-an na walang kotse. I went home alive and happy.

Hilarious mockery of the hyped triathlete

2010-01-26T08:54:00.000-08:00

Running Injury No. 2: Shin Splints

2010-01-24T23:39:00.000-08:00

Running Injury No. 1 was hamstring tendinitis (read about it in my multiply acct), a knee injury which was caused by a sudden spike in physical activity after around 3 years of dormancy, plus the tendons have been weakened by 8 years of taekwondo varsity training previous to that. In short, overuse and misuse.

After that I became careful: warm up and stretch first, cutting short the distance when there's some unusual pain, etc. Last week I felt pain brewing again, this time in the shin (See related entry). Didn't ignore it this time around so I did the RICE method and even bought Zensah leg sleeves from Second Wind, J.Vargas Ave. This morning I went to see our family orthopedic surgeon (haha) and confirmed that it was shin splints indeed, but to rule out stress fractures, I should rest for one week first. What a drag....:(

But on the bright side, I could still cross train but constrained to activities which are not stressful to the shin muscles (bike for example). I guess I can use the elliptical at the gym, or take out the bike (at night?). Anyway, the goal is to keep the endurance up until this subsides. Good luck. Doctor says, in the future, don't run so much hills (guilty) and stretch more before and after a work out (guilty). Happy resting!

Brewing an injury

2010-01-24T16:53:00.000-08:00

My left shin has been experiencing minor pain the last four runs. The last run, it wouldn't go away until i've ran 3k at an easy pace (7:30), wherein previously it goes away after 15 mins of the same pace (1.5 to 2k). I'm getting worried because this week and next week i'm supposed to peak on the mileage but had to restrain some 10kms and speed drills because i don't want to run Condura with an injury. (As advised by every running book or site, the right way to treat this is to completely stop running.)

Anyway, the game plan is, next week i'll have to restrain on mileage too but a must-do is a 2.5 hours long run to be confident on race day. What a drag...But that's subject to the results of my doctor's check up. Could it be shin splints or stress fractures? Abangan...

Taping techniques:

KT technique: click here

Point of pain technique:

Its been a while...

2010-01-17T07:02:00.000-08:00

Since the last time i posted I ran 216k and rode 61k, including Botak Paa-bilisan (15k) and SCSM (10k).

I bought a bike too, so i can pursue my triathlon dreams and redeem the effing slow sprint time. I named it/her barbie girl, because its bar tape is barbie pink, plus the pedals are keo elles, girly girly.

Bought some gear along the way like fuel belt, 2xu elite compression tights, a pair of sporty shades (which matches my helmet) and newton lady isaac (to replace the nb which just retired)...you see, i motivate myself by buying stuff. So far, they work...especially the newton shoes.

I keep track of my training using dailymile.com now, which is why i seldom write here, and also because I am in the process of writing a legal research paper...too much writing might be bad for me.

And lastly, I've been increasing weekly mileage since xmas vacation. Training for what? My first 21k in Condura. Target time, secret. Haha. But i'm not expecting a good time, nutrition and sleep deprived, and was set back one week due to an asthma attack a week ago. The legs are becoming stronger but I'm not so sure if i can maintain a good pace for more than 2 hours. Also, I'm constraining myself to one race per month because by racing it means I should miss a sunday bar review session. That's the boring life of a bar candidate.

Well, that's all for now. Until Condura. :)

P.S. This entry is boring because I'm too lazy to frill it up.

My favorite pair just retired... :(

2009-11-03T23:49:00.000-08:00

NB 1025. After 300k, this great find has to rest now. The shoe is not available here in Manila....so this is sad. They were very dependable during most of my training runs and some races. Significantly saved my knees (used it while I was heeling from hamstring tendonitis).

The heel part was abused and reduced 'til half of the "N" (in "Ndurance", under "ABZORB"). Kudos to New Balance for a great shoe.

I'm thinking of replacing it with another NB (1063 perhaps?) or try the lunarglide from nike. Or, a highend shoe (newton trainer or asics) but in any case, December ang next buying time since i still have an adidas and an asics here, although the former is a race shoe (not for long distance training) and the latter tinitipid ko (ie, races only). Haha!.

I can't believe 6 months lang life span sa akin ng running shoes...ang gastosss.

Garmin outwits Nike

2009-10-29T17:46:00.000-07:00

Nike doesn't produce lace adaptors for its own products so "less smart" shoppers would be fooled that you need to own a nike shoe which has its own socket inside the sole.

Well...

http://gear.runnersworld.com/2009/08/garmins-new-forerunners.html

"Finally, Garmin quietly released a tiny new shoe pod that slips into the midsole socket of Nike Plus shoes. So, if you're running in a pair of Nikes you have the option of wearing the foot pod inside the shoe or attaching it to the laces. The new foot pod works with all the Forerunner watches including the new GPS-less FR60. While it's perfect for treadmill training and other instances when the GPS doesn't receive a signal, it also supplements the info gathered by the GPS over the course of an outdoor run by tracking your cadence, or stride rate, which is a useful gauge of running efficiency."

But I'm a Suunto user......so...:-|

Pag day-op ni inday...October 10Ks: Milo, QCIM, Nike

2009-10-28T04:34:00.000-07:00

Honestly, it's so depressing that school has to be this long..and now that sembreak has transformed into a wish rather than a required concession, all hope has faded. I've been robbed of time. :( Well anyway, life goes on...and we can always whine about everything once in a while. >:D

As I've mentioned before, training runs on spare time began to decrease since the start of the semester, and altogether halted come October because of the awful weather, and well, academic demands became a little heavier (the last real training was post-Ondoy :O). But October was THE race month, and I will just have to make do, even without the regular runs. Sinong duwag?...Fayyyyt!

MILO 10K. My first Roxas Blvd. race. It was funny to be there very early in the morning, running without the Utopia/Blue Tips clutched in my hand or breakfast for a sis taking the bar. Haha! I didn't know that Km 0 to traders hotel is just less than 3k.

The crowd consists mostly highschool kids running as a requirement for the 5k. Actually, I doubt if i could call it running....Kids were so funny, reklamo to the max, pagod na daw sila. Reminds me of me....

It took me too long to reach the finish line, 3 mins off of my (already reasonable) target time. This is what I get from keeping out of the road. The course was relatively easy - a flat first 3k then a flyover and flat road again, then back. Well, the race was pretty uneventful except for the fact that the sun came out too early and my stomach was turning at km 8...probably because of the water.

...which reminds me of the days when I still qualified for the Milo Little Olympics (Taekwondo) where I avoided free Milo drinks for notoriously causing stomach troubles to fellow competitiors. :P

QCIM 10K. My post- bday race! And post-nego finals exam. Another first race, this time in Commonwealth. I did a training run here prior to the UP Law Tri, but this was a lot better because I was running IN THE MIDDLE of Commonwealth Ave, which I deliberately did because...well, how often can you do that? I mean, without getting ran over and without inhaling black smoke...:/ I understand that a lot of people got irritated with some roads closed, but they just wouldn't understand the joy of it.

Anyway, although the week before I promised to bring my own water, I wasn't able to because I only had a minute (literally) 'til gun start when I arrived...so yes, I had a great warm up that race.

The race map said the route will take us to UP but it was changed to just running a straight 5k out Commonwealth then back to QC Circle. At 2.3k, my footpod died on me and I had to rely on instinct for pacing. The course was the easiest 10k, even easier than UP. It only had 2 minor hills while the rest is flat... or it seems flat...because it grows slowly daw. At the 5k marker I was surprised to see that my time was right on the dot. But alas, i didn't have enough for a negative split so i just endured at the same relative pace. In any case, I was glad to finish a little below the desired time, but I definitely realized the need for training because I really had to push the last 2k.

I spotted Ronald at around km 7 in the middle of the road filming for his new show and got a high five and some air time...haha. Tito Ron was hosting the pre-awarding program. (Someone else was hosting daw, sana kumuha nalang ng totoong artista hindi yung feeling artista, no offense mr. d.....>:D sorry I just had to say that.) JJ ran his first half marathon while Charles and Roy ran their first full marathon. Congrats :) Registered for the nike human race, and was excited to get my shirt. :)

NIKE HUMAN RACE 10K (SUBIC INT'L MARATHON)...FULL OF SURPRISES! I had just hurdled 2 exams and was just so eager to escape a while from this frantic law school scene that I didn't even think of canceling, even though the CTA digests deadline was moved three days earlier. Luckily, I can sleep in the car going there and i have my globe tattoo, which did not give up on me in effectively zero-rated Subic (yes, i love tax 2).

After dropping off Charles and Roy for their much awaited full marathon (and way before they were forcibly dehydrated. grrr) I got ready and went to the venue early to pick up my shirt. A cool shirt indeed B-). The crew was really friendly although they were most of the time lost (because I was the one answering the queries of random people waiting in line) and then made new friends while we were all waiting for our shirts.

The place had no indication that a nike race is about to begin, save for an announcement 5 minutes prior...and then 1.5 minutes prior. Talk about surprise!

Ran the first 3k with Kathy and Bards who were doing recovery runs and invited me to stay with them for a relaxed pace run. At km 2 was a surprise hill. (Surprise ulit!) All was going fine until i realized that the surprise hill will not end at all. The road was curving to the right so I had no inkling of how steep the next kms would be. We were steadily climbing and at some point the calves could just not take it and I had to slow down (haha! walang hill training!) and walk the last km to the turnaround point.

I replenished my fuel belt with pocari sweat at the drinks station (the last I ever saw) and then sped downhill, to slow down yet again when the flat roads came back. Finished in not so swell a time. I learned that the course was longer than 10k (by 1k according to finish line stretch friend, by .5k according to some bloggers), but even discounting the excess meters, 1:22 was a bad 10k time. Anyway, this by far is the toughest 10k race I've ran. But nonetheless, it was one of the funnest races I've joined. Except of course for the fact that THERE WAS NO WATER.

Three hours later, after a nice rest (and a couple of CTA digests), went back to Remy Field to catch the happy runners cross the finish line. Well done babe. :)

....Surprise again! Since my nike+ wasn't calibrated, I registered 12.2k instead of just 10k and fooled nikerunning.com that I ran a 1:06 10k haha.

So, while we were in Subic, we had a chance to see Zoobic. Didn't get to see the talent show though.

---
After running all these 10Ks with zero training, I am now psyching myself for redemption. Plus I'm feeling that I'm gaining my weight back, all the more reason I should get back in my shoes. Next month starts early bar review and a 20 unit semester...but I promise a 21k sometime soon (or at least a 15k again hehe....). :)

No-race September Sundays and delayed road test reports

2009-09-06T13:26:00.000-07:00

It's official. I was not able to register for any race this September. It was out of negligence actually, I was hoping for New Balance but out of character I waited for this week, only to find out that it was already closed. Ok, it was kind of not meant to be.

Nonetheless, I'm happy that i'm still able to catch up on kilometers in between tasks. Next on the agenda is to catch up on sleep too.

---

A delayed review on some recently procured gear mostly used in last month's UP Law Tri:

(1) CW-X Tri-Shorts

This brand is very popular among runners, now that it became available in Runnr (Bonifacio High Street, Fort). Its hottest product are the running tights which come in variation depending on your preferred support area.

Cw-x technology incorporates kinesio-taping techniques which is why aside from having compression properties, it also has support properties for specific target areas. The tri-shorts particularly has support for lower abs, lower back, quads and hip flexors, and aside from that it has integrated padding (for the bike part). These features made it a little heavy after the swim part, it retained more water than expected for tri-shorts. But then again, that is the trade-off for added support and if you're that focused, you won't notice it much.

(2) Zoot TRIfit Racerback

"Born in Kona" as it advertises, Zoot apparel are specifically made for triathletes to eliminate the need for changing and/or adding other garments during transition. Top-and-bottom combinations are available for those who are not so keen with the one piece trisuits (for easy bathroom moments prior to and after the race...or even during). This particular top has side pockets to stash gels, bars etc. Quick dry like it promises. My mom bought for me during their US trip. I'm not so sure if it's available in local bike shops but a lot are using this brand, maybe it is.

(3) Asics Gel Cumulus 11

I'm very happy with this purchase. I alternate this shoe with my NB 1025 (which was my favorite prior to this) for 10-15k sessions. It comes in pink! It's a neutral cushioning shoe, a lighter version of Nimbus 11. Highly recommended.

(4) Yankz Bungee Lacing System

Also from mom's US trip, I don't know if this is available here. This eliminates tying shoes, whether for triathlon purposes or just out of laziness. It looks cool and very adjustable. The downside though is it's not meant to accommodate my foot pod.

UP Law Tri 08302009

2009-09-03T04:37:00.000-07:00

When I signed up for this, the only thought I had is that this might be the best idea I had or the worst. Up until now, several days after, I do not know the answer to that question. Haha. Scheduled right smack in the middle of midterms season, amidst ola and all other endeavors which eat up my free days, and considering the fact that I gradually decreased training time since my fit and fab summer, it was a recipe for disaster.

Actually, the reckoning point was some days prior to registration, I did a practice swim leg, and the time would determine whether or not i would shell out 1500 for registration. If it's less than 30 mins, proceed. If not, back out. So I guess we all know what happened then.

Early registration. An early bird, not exactly because of the discounted registration fee (because actually, there was no discount for the triathlon) but for reinforcement of training. But that didn't work. In August, I did a measely 60k total of running, roughly 8 swimming sessions and just 2 bike sessions. Haha.

Race Day. Woke up early to watch the fun run and waterstations, some administrative work and boom...7:30 na pala, have to set up my transition area.

750m Swim. Pretty uneventful, haha. 5 laps, 3 sets. The UP swimming pool is quite humbling. Sana the alumni would raise funds for its improvement. The UP Varsity Swimming Team does well in the UAAP, champions even during my college days so they deserve nice training facilities. As I've said, the dirtiest i've swam in by far with just one meter of visibility...actually, not even. Just armslength. But come to think of it, open water swims are in even murkier water. I could have reduced my time by raising myself from the end of the pool, but no..., I wanted to conserve the energy in my arms so i opted to use the rails...and anyway, the triceps are not like they used to be anymore. :P

T1. I anticipated a little and brought shoes to the pool so it was a quick trip back to the transition area. However, it took me so long to take off from there...disorganized thoughts and wet skin is not compatible with a fast t1. I may have reached 5 minutes. Haha.

20k Bike. This was tough to finish. I was using a nice fast road bike c/o Charles but I'm not that good a biker and, like the triceps, the quads aren't as they were before. That was 8 rounds of the course (acad oval plus a portion of university ave.) ...counterclockwise!!! The original route was clockwise which means just one challenging part: that hike from eng'g to econ. In this case, the uphill started from quezon hall up until educ. by the 4th round I could feel my quads complaining. Nang matapos, all I could think of is "hay salamat natapos din."

T2. They made us dismount around 100m (or more) from the transition area. As I could not run with a bike nor bring a bike on my back, I just walked. And like before, it took me 10 years to take off, even though I rehearsed it in my head while biking: isabit ang bike, drink, gel, saltstick, wear socks, shoes, tie hair, drink again. Probably 5 minutes again, not counting the walk from the dismount. Kupad! parang pupunta lang ng mall...

5k Run. Finally, the last leg. Heart rate was still 70-80%, not too tired although the calves are a little stiff from the biking. I have done that route and I knew that I could do it in 30 minutes or 35 at most, but all I could think about is I don't want to get cramps and not finish...ayun naglakad. I regret not pushing myself at this point, after doing so for the past 2 legs. But then again, pwede na considering I've done worse times, and kailangang pangatawanan ang pagiging maarte. At the last 100 meters I savored the festive environment: mommy was noisy as usual cheering like she was in a softball field watching danielle and dennise, a band was playing on the left, law school friends were likewise cheering in chorus (i remember dan, res and sop particularly), the biker that almost ran over me (hindi kasi nakikinig sa marshall haha), the friendly lifesize chocolate bar and kisses waving at me, and before I knew it, tapos na pala, nagcross na ako ng finish line.

So that's the story. I probably placed last but I have a medal still. No.1 ata ito sa student category...hehe. Next time, i will be conscious of transition time and will truly run. But for now, ie September and until i acquire my own bike, training muna at takbo.

I would like to congratulate my watergirls at university avenue for winning the best waterstation award. :)

Urbanite 15k 081509

2009-08-16T00:13:00.000-07:00

My Saturday was big day. In the morning, I had a class (SPIT) where I had to give a kick-ass recitation in redemption of my 2 previous bad ones. In the afternoon, group pics for the yearbook. And of course in the evening, my first 15k and my first night race.

Meal Planning. I never thought it would be an issue planning how i would eat until the day before. I remembered, unlike sunday morning races where I could sleep and digest an unplanned heavy dinner still, the same would not hold true this time. So for the dinner 1 night before, I went for carbs and rai supported me by having the exact same meal hehe. Breakfast was nonexistent, as usual during cramming mornings :( but i was able to grab a bottle of gatorade. Lunch with charles at kimono ken, in just the right quantity, ie, not as gluttonous as we are used too haha. A trail mix bar right before the race too. I should've gotten a banana instead had i known i what would happen later. But a nice strategy. I didn't feel heavy or bloated nor hungry.

Off we go. My first thought: ANG DILIM! Especially at Bayani road where there were some potholes.

Oddly, I enjoyed the Heritage Park. It was calm. Quiet. Peaceful?...Probably because everyone did not dare disturb the place. Haha. Oh, except for this guy who kept saying "awoooooo".

My foot pod was accurate up until 11k...guess where that is...deym Mckinley Hills. My short strides fooled my foot pod into adding 2k more than its actual distance..the stretch seemed to never end (!). I walked some uphill parts going back to the entrance.

Finish line. Crossed the finish line with 2:09 at the clock. Haha! Made the mistake too that I stopped immediately without cooling down. True enough I got cramps on my left calf while I was lining up for my finisher's certificate. And from then on I wasn't in a bright mood, didn't feel like taking pictures nor answering questions for an interview (haha!). Because Ronald asked me if they could have a short interview with me for their show (Autoreview) but I volunteered Charles instead. I forgot to take a picture of him (sorry) because my calf was extremely painful at the time, i had to walk around. Sorry too Ronald, I'm ordinarily accommodating and you know that. Haha. Anyway, there's always next time.

Road test: Fuel Belt Slim Pocket Race Number Belt and Hammer Gel. First time to use the belt in a race. Bib was well secured and i'm happy that my shirts would have a break from safety pin punctures, which really is more painful for me than for the shirts. It can double as car key pocket during training runs. I just slide the pocket side to the back. The race belt has gel carriers at the sides, a total of 10! Maybe some guy out there would find them useful. I brought some, just two, but i placed them inside the pocket so naturally the weight was not well distributed. I should've placed them in the carriers.

It was my first time also to use Hammer Gel, tropical and raspberry flavors. I think I should've brought just one, I consumed the second one just so i won't be carrying it around anymore and because it was so yummy hehe. Effective? Maybe...essentially they're caffeine shots in compact and easy to consume form, more runner-friendly (unlike Lipovitan and Red Bull which I used during taek competitions).

ETC. I wanted a breezy outfit so i wore wore my nike tank and running shorts. I forgot that the reflectors fell off my shorts a long time ago. Minor chafing too. :(. Next time, don't forget the petroleum jelly.

Also, while waiting for the gun, I challenged Charles to count how many are wearing this ensemble: i am ninoy shirt, cwx full tights, newtons/lunarglides. I don't understand this pauso. It's like running's gossip girl.

Longer distance? So now that I know I can finish a 15k in not so bad a time (although really off my target because im so competitive, hehehe) I think I should run more of those. Half marathon? Soon, but not too soon.

Now I we move on to Aug 30 preps. Swimming and biking here we go.

What troubles me about tom's night run

2009-08-14T07:36:00.000-07:00

parking lot problems (whether or not they're safe, and whether or not space is adequate for everyone)
will car drivers be cautious
mumu at the heritage park....awwoooooo
no one will see if my face turns blue...haha
angry runners...proliferating by the second (jeez people, there are a lot of other things to rant about)
how to eat (heavy bfast or heavy lunch? definitely no dinner until after.)
black singlet on a night run? (bad idea i think, although i don't wear them anyway).
seeing people i don't want to see (bitter? hehe)
will i need to bring my own hydration
and most important of all, how i will take nice pictures...haha.

(Under)Training for my first Tri

2009-08-11T05:17:00.000-07:00

I'm actually realizing that signing up for both a 15k run and a sprint tri 2 weeks apart is a very bad idea. I've never done both.

On one hand, I'm enjoying the break from the monotony of building mileage (and photocopied pages). But on the other hand, I inevitably undertrain for EVERY event, given my limited time within an academic week.

Almost a month ago I've started my tri training. Self-designed, after reading numerous resources online and on print. I am positive I can finish both, I'm confident with my endurance. But in decent time? That's another question.

I started swimming again 3 weeks ago, the last time was...umm...high school? Haha. That's almost a decade ago. As a sprinter back in gradeschool summer swimming days, I was never acquainted with endurance freestyle technique, ie, the two-beat-kick freestyle (as opposed to the six-beat). I was trying it out, but I conceded that it would take more than a few weeks of practice to get it right...in short, I have to stick to my old technique for this sprint tri and later on develop into a more efficient style. I might need to get a coach to fine tune my strokes too. In the meantime, youtube helps alot in my training. I average on 23 minutes for a 750m swim. Best times in the playing field reach 8-10 minutes. But at least I have the assurance that I will survive it and have more than enough fuel for the remaining events.

As to biking, again, my last time was highschool. And although I had the shifting lesson already at that time, I never really tried to use it (coz I didn't understand it then hehe). All I did was pedal pedal pedal. Last Sunday, Charles gave me that lesson again...glad to say that the same brain could now process and digest that info (thanks to 6 years of driving manual with the civic, and to lawschool for instant info absorption drills aka cramming). It was fun, and I can't wait to get my own one. Will I survive 20k? That's the question.

Running...of course I will finish 5k. Once, I tried a swim-run-- legs fatigue, not so much. Even done it in a good pace. However, when I tried a bike-run (stationary bike), it was hard to keep target pace, calves were knotting and I was constantly wary of getting cramps there. Scary. Yes, it was on a stationary bike, mechanics are different. But still...

As regards the 15k on Saturday... as I've said, never done it. On training days, yes but all easy paced (and I mean really easy). I really don't have a game plan except keep a 7-7:30 mpk as much as possible and walk (or drop down on the road and crawl) if something hurts. Hopefully, I would not resort to that because otherwise, what's going to hurt is my pride. Nyok. :P BTW, the race route would pass by Heritage Park. Heritage during the night...scaryyyy.

But nonetheless I'm enjoying training for these races...and I'm starting to lose pounds despite the less volume as compared to bright summer carefree days :D (finally). It keeps me happy. I am perfectly aware that I'm indeed undertraining, because I would have wanted a steady 6-7 hours a week schedule. But what can I do, this is all which I can squeeze in. And again, I am more than happy to be able to still be active despite a hectic law school semester, a far cry from lethargic, melodramatic girl I was. Haha. Vomit.

Here's how I train for the UP Law Tri

2009-08-10T01:57:00.000-07:00

Hollywood Chika: The original "My Girl" is back

2009-08-05T20:24:00.000-07:00

How Anna Chlumsky Got Her Groove Back

by Michele Meyer August 4, 2009

Remember Anna Chlumsky, the fresh-scrubbed kid with the cherry-red grin in the 1991 family flick "My Girl"? Her starring role as Vada, a motherless tomboy going through some growing pains, earned her an MTV Movie Award for "Best Kiss" (with co-star Macaulay Culkin) and a Young Artist Award for "Most Promising Young Newcomer" -- not too shabby for a 10-year-old. Primed for superstardom, Chlumsky's next role was in the dubious "My Girl 2" -- after which she promptly fell off most people's radars.

Well, we just spotted a blip on our screen: Now 28, Chlumsky appears in the new movie "In the Loop," a highbrow political parody chock-full of profane and inspired insult-hurling. Although fans hoping to see Chlumsky in another wholesome, feel-good role will be disappointed, some of her other (male) fans will probably find her portrayal of a sexy, power-hungry press aide very appealing indeed.

So what else has Chlumsky been up to these last 18 years? After making "My Girl 2," she starred in two more unremarkable movies: "Trading Mom" and "Gold Diggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain." Then the teen years hit, and she couldn't land any roles. Why? "Braces and boobs. I got both of them," she reveals in a Chicago Sun-Times article. After years of auditions and rejections, she finally decided to leave acting to preserve her self-esteem. She went to college, majored in international relations at the University of Chicago, and went on to work as an editorial assistant for HarperCollins.

Then one day she caught a Broadway performance of "The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?" and was inspired by Mercedes Ruehl's performance. In a Back Stage article, she recalls thinking at the time, "I have to do what she just did." Acting classes and roles in New York's free theater soon followed, and slowly Chlumsky built a respectable stage career for herself. In the last couple of years, she did a stint on "Law and Order," guest-starred on "30 Rock," and had a recurring role on the now-canceled TV show "Cupid."

Things continue to look up for Chlumsky: Just last year, she got married to Army reserve member Shaun So. Later this year, she'll appear with Alexis Bledel in the romantic comedy "The Good Guy." And according to IMDb, she has two more movies in the works. While the teen years may not have been so kind to Chlumsky, young adulthood seems to suit her just fine.

Flight of the Conchords - Stick Around

2009-08-05T03:30:00.000-07:00

Upcoming Running Events: Kenny Roger's Urbanite Run, UP Law Invitational Triathlon

2009-07-22T04:36:00.000-07:00

Today, I went registration-crazy. Races that are, ahem, not really that budget friendly, but nonetheless I shelled out some (ouch) because...well...read on.

August 15: KENNY ROGER'S URBANITE RUN

The registration costs Php 600. Wow right? The usual question creeps up: what makes this run so special? The advertisement/press release mentions--

(1) that it's a night run, with all those glow in the dark paraphernalia
(2) championchips timing
(3) a free kenny roger's meal
(4) that it's inclusive of a donation to a charitable institution (in short, it's for a cause...smile smile smile)
(5) the presence of Marc Nelson, Rovilson Fernandez and Phil Younghusband
(6) an after-party

Half-eaten Urbanite Meal

Normally, I would say that Php 600 is too much. But items #1, 3 and most especially, 5...these are worth the premium. hehe. Honestly, I don't care about champion chip timing, I mean, who needs his time recognized worldwide (exception: the "elite"...no not the ateneans :P). And an after-party.. don't we all just want to sleep afterwards? About the donation, well, I just meant that I don't care where it goes.

I have no idea of what the route will be like. Btw, this will be my first 15k. Haha.

The registration is pretty much like Globe's Run For Home. Go the participating branch, fill-up the form, pay the fee, a stub is given to you, claim the race kit another day in another city. Same organizer btw, that's why. Well, the race is quite interesting, you'd have reason to make the effort.

August 30: UP LAW 1ST INVITATIONAL TRIATHLON

I've been thinking about the individual tri for quite some time now, and to stop wasting time with just thinking instead of training, i found myself registering at the dean's office this afternoon. Charles offered his bike, and then I also purchased some gear way out of schedule (and budget) all of which needs to be justified. Yun. Wala na akong excuse. :O

With Eric P the Event Coordinator.
The paper was supposed to be my reg form na baliktad. :s

The route is quite simple and straight forward, maximizing UP's usual "running destinations". The main challenge would be the bike part. Will I be needing my 10 year old girl knee pads?

The Dean is preparing for this diligently. Word on the street, he just purchased a bike and 2 new pairs of shoes. He's very athletic, I see him sometimes in Celebrity. No wonder he is very enthusiastic with the project.

NOW, the training begins. Want to join me? :D

Globe Run For Home 10k 07192009

2009-07-20T02:29:00.000-07:00

I got up especially early for this. Hmp. What's so special about this race that I had to make the effort, in addition to registering in a Globe Business Center (Step 1) and picking up the race pack 2 days before the race...in a different city (Step 2).

Still wanting to sleep, i dragged myself to the starting line at 5am to send off Charles and Roy, then sat around and waited for my brain to wake up. Saw Tuesday during that interval, one of my Taekwondo friends, who jolted me up with a little good morning chit chat (taekwondo friends are making the move to less stressful sports, you see).

And then off I went for another fort-buendia 10k race at 5:45, prompt and exact. Nice. It's pretty much the same as the other fort b races I've joined, except for the fact that (1) I was using a Champion Chip (2) there were lots of water and sports drinks going around (3) there were some km markers along the way. Wow, well prepared I must say.

There were a lot of high profile persons running with us: the big bosses of Ayala, some society figures (Rai, I think I saw idol Ms. M.P.!) and Rovilson (hehe) who inspired me for some kilometers before I had to slow my pace down. Saw Raya again while I was near the u-turn (another taekwondo colleague veering away, hehe). I realized that big races like this one is also a chance to show off your popularity. This person I'm at pace with was greeted by at least 10 people. He should get 10 seconds off his time as a bonus.

Finishing the course (Step 3), I was extremely exhausted. It was not a good feeling, realizing how out of shape I was. I started to blame lawschool and the lack of training time but after some thinking, I realized I did slash off 5 minutes from my last fort-buendia 10k. OA lang ako. Hehe. So from then I was feeling giddy again (or the endorphins' effect was just delayed because of hunger).

Flyers say that the results will be out on Thursday and will be posted in Globe's website (Step 4). A little long for a wait, but I don't mind. I'm interested though on the "analysis" which comes with the Champion Chip.

So, was it worth all the effort doing all those steps? The press release answer to that is "Yes, because it was for a cause. I helped build a home." Smile smile smile. :D But kidding aside, the race was well organized and ran smoothly despite the size of the crowd. However, it would be better if the race wasn't that pa-VIP expecting people to take time off for more than once, as for the Champion Chips, we have yet to see its premium until the results and analysis.

Cultured Club: July Musicals

2009-07-12T09:10:00.001-07:00

Cultured club is (not) an exclusive group for performance arts showcase appreciation.
---

July, is rainy because of all the LSS after watching these two shows.

JULY 3: 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE

Or, Spelling Bee as it is better known.

Staged at the RCBC Carlos P. Romulo Theater, my friends and I braved the Makati traffic on a rainy Friday night to watch this Tony Award-winning musical. I'm so happy I got the chance to watch this as I missed it the first time around. Briefly, the show is about a group of quirky kids competing for the spelling bee championship. I mostly enjoyed the show because of the witty lines. The use-the-word sentences were especially funny. Celebrity guests were Angel Aquino and ...Karylle (yes, I know, what are the odds).

Well, there's not much to say but that the show is really fun and entertaining. Interactive even. There's not much shows like this. Great job.

JULY 12: THE FANTASTICKS

The Fantasticks is apparently the "world's longest running musical" and some songs recognizable, especially "Try To Remember" which goes Try to remember the kind of September
When life was slow and oh, so mellow.

I wish to watch this on Broadway, to see how it should really look like. In this show, I found the lead characters a little annoying. Their voices standing alone sound good, but together, they don't blend well. I know that the lead girl is artist-pedigreed, however, I guess for me, she doesn't fit the role? Second, i got lost in the setting. Is it medieval, is it the 50s, or is it current? I didn't appreciate the costume deviations/mismatch. Obviously done on purpose, but these kinds of experiments should be done with a footnote to get the point. Or maybe I just don't get it. On the bright side, I enjoyed the scene stealing by the other characters.

---

The next musicals on my list is Spring Awakening and Sweeney Todd. :D

(Images from http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=482726&publicationSubCategoryId=70 and http://www.repertory-philippines.com/show.asp?showid=49.)

Upcoming Running Events: Run For Home, UP LAW TRIATHLON

2009-07-11T20:04:00.000-07:00

July 19 - RUN FOR HOME

Sponsored by Globe, the race will use Championchips for timing. The proceeds will be for the benefit of Habitat for Humanity. The slots are limited, right now I am not aware if they're still available.

I have to say however that the registration process is quite tedious. As a postpaid subscriber I was required to pay P300 in cash and in addition to that, register for 1 week unlimited text (P80 charged to my bill, total =P380). For nonsubscribers like Charles, he was required to buy a SIM (P45), P300 worth prepaid credits and register for unlitext (P80 deducted from the credits, total P345). Lastly, for prepaid subscribers like Roy, P300 prepaid credit and deducted unlitext registration (total P280). I have to wait and see if the P80 was credited to my MSF or was charged in addition to. After registering, we were given a coupon to claim the race pack somewhere else.

After having done that, I have high expectations. Hehe. Would have loved to join the 21k category, but as of now I can only give preparation effort level enough for 10k. In a few months maybe.

August 30 - FIRST UP LAW INVITATIONAL TRIATHLON AND FUN RUN

For the very first time, UP Law gets this exciting! I really think I can do the sprint triathlon, and considering that there are not much events of the like here in UP, this would be a great opportunity. I just have to do 3 things though (1) replace my lost swimsuit or get a trisuit (2) borrow a bike (3) find the time to train. On the other hand I could just join a team and do one leg (either swim or run), but a P1000 reg fee per person is just too much. Or I could just run the 10k like always. Should I decide to do the sprint, then this might be my equivalent of Charles' 50k crazy whim.

Well anyhoo, registration will be in UP Law. Perhaps for the knack of it I will register while I'm on the way to the cafeteria or midway during a class while on a restroom break. As opposed to Globe, it will be no sweat.

PTAA Run; Time Management

2009-06-18T07:02:00.000-07:00

Before I get drowned in law school backlog (and eventually, blog backlog :P), just a short note on my recent activities.

Lately I have been gradually decreasing my mileage for two reasons: tamad and school gets in the way (spell OLA). My suunto would even complain and make tampo. It keeps asking me to decrease my activity class level (3 times now since ie8 run, from 8.0 to 7.0. boo.). That only means I'm on the way to stagnant.

Went to the ptaa fun run last sunday for a 10k. It was my first time to join a road race in my home court, upd. Happy bec I improved on my time (probably because there isn't a flyover in upd hehe) and I had taho right after. Yes, that's my thing. Yum. :) However, I found the route somewhat redundant not only because i've coursed through those backstreets since varsity years (whether on foot or on an ikot jeepney) but also because we had to go through the race route twice. I wish they had stuck with the original plan which traverses area 2 (?).

Well, I guess that's about it for ptaa run. Hehe.

---

as I've said earlier, Im having a little difficulty injecting running hours in my schedule.

Computation:
19 units = 19 hours of class per week
19 x 2 hours preparation (at least) = 38 hours per week
8 hours rest per day (recommended) = 56 hours per week
8 hours leisure per day (eat, exercise, "exercise", entertainment, etc...again recommended) = 56
GRAND TOTAL: 169
hours per week : 7d x 24h = 168h
DEFICIT: 1 hour (at least).

Of course, the least priority would be slashed off....sleep. Hehe. As they say, mabuti nang walang tulog kaysa walang gising. XD

Bad Case of LSS: Faith No More covers Poker Face

2009-06-13T13:52:00.000-07:00

Lady Gaga tweets: "Faith no more covered poker face. I can now die a happy woman. Such a huge fan."

IE8 Rain Run

2009-06-05T05:51:00.000-07:00

IE8 run was interesting because (1) it was drizzling (2) 8 miles is not too long yet not too short either (3) lots of water, we could swim and (4) lots of surprise snacks (5) raffle prizes. I found some things odd though, like kropek and coke (office merienda time?), the cheerleaders i bet most have found annoying rather than encouraging, and the turnaround point beyond da riles and in the middle of the highway.

Anyway, it was a good run and I didn't mind the extra kilometers (about 1km++ more). More means more calories burned. Haha.

New Habits. I'm starting to prefer wearing tanks. It is more comfortable and...ahem...mas maporma. Haha. I'm also starting to prefer running without music. I tried counting 1-10 over and over, because it gets a little boring 5kms in and after noticing the lactic acid starting to build up. Effective, I must say, kept me on pace until 8km.

Road Test. This time I was able to road test my adidas powerweb 3/4 tights and my adidas adizero tempo.

Honestly, during the run, there was no noticeable difference with this pair of tights with my others (nike). But, I did notice that the usual after-race pain was a lot lot less. The technology was developed to lessen injuries and shorten the time for recovery, so, yes, powerweb technology works and it is worth the price you pay for.

On the other hand, the adidas adizero tempo II was designed to be a lightweight trainer. It IS very light but still with enough cushioning and support. Very flexible and springy too. And it's pink. I <3 it. :D

Race Anecdotes. Saw a friend's ex and my jaw dropped when I saw how toned and muscular she is now, but still pretty nonetheless. She looks successful (since she looks like she has all the time in her hands to train. podium finisher...jaw drops again). Ito ba ang buhay pagkatapos ni MM? (chismax...)

Because I didn't zone out with an ipod, I discovered a new annoying thing: men bragging while running.

Lastly, maybe there should be a book on manners we all could read because i found it appalling that this guy overtook me about 5-8 meters from the barricades of the finish line. Grr.

Hearty Breakfast. Charles and I tried out Paul Calvin's Breakfast Buffet. For 250, it was surely satisfying. Loved the bread and the hotel-style egg station. Will definitely go back there. Yum! :D

TNF100 10k Trail Run; Road Testing Suunto T4c

2009-05-28T23:13:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was much fun, I must say. My first trail and my first out of town run. Something that will make me smile for days to come.

We arrived at our hotel on Saturday evening, after some long stopovers and shopping and after touring the red light district with all them girly and "hosto" bars...which suddenly reminded me of a plan i conjured with owen, raissa and mini.

Next morning, we arrived early and saw that a lot of people were even earlier than us. The 20k and 10k started on time and off we went to trudge on narrow trails, lahar lands, the Sacobia (sediment) River, a hill, muddy paths and a long long stretch of bridge with the sun shining brightly above us. Surprisingly, and thank god, I came out without a scratch. I was feeling artista posing for ben chan (and other cameras, hehe) trigger happy along the route, appearing here and there like Ina Magenta. (Sorry, I won't post the unglamorous pics. Hehe.)

So the verdict was, I enjoyed it. The route was fun, bountiful water, and no chance of getting lost. Great! :D

Road Test. I brought along my Suunto T4c. I'm really glad I bought the foot pod instead of the gps pod. According to reviews, the gps pod often struggles in trails. Also, I kept hearing others' Garmins looking for gps signal along the route. Anyway, it was great to have an idea how much more to go instead of relying on marshalls' "malapit na". It was also funny to see actual data on how i slowed down gradually. Haha.

As a training companion, it certainly beats an ordinary sportswatch. With a heart rate monitor and a built in coach, it tells you when to train, how hard you have been training and adjusts the program accordingly depending on your previous runs' intensity. It also introduces the concept of "training effect" which is supposed to be a new and improved heart rate zone training variation. I have yet to understand it though haha. It's cool, i tell you. (See full specs here). However, I feel like I have too many gadgets on me sometimes (parang rambo), which is why I leave behind the nike+ipod when I don't feel like it. Highly recommended, unless you prefer gps.

Sorry, hindi yun si hayden kho

2009-05-22T09:15:00.000-07:00

Ang nasa video ay si Jay Taruc.

Karma Pays Up for Sandara

2009-05-22T03:26:00.000-07:00

A few years back Sandara was the epitome of kabaduyan. For example: am i in or out?; mama and papa; hero angeles. yuck.

But maybe god said she had suffered enough. Look how she transformed to a pretty korean girl group pop star.

Star Trek (2009)

2009-05-19T08:51:00.000-07:00

Genre:

Science Fiction & Fantasy

I'm not a Star Trek Fan and I don't know anything about Star Trek except that the one with pointy ears is Spock, their ship is the Enterprise (like the building in Makati hahaha) and the Captiain is Kirk. Raves about the movie got me interested, Charles brought me to MOA to see the movie in IMAX. No, it was not in 3d, it was just shown in a big ass screen.

4 stars because:
- unlike other saga movies, one does not have to know everything about the characters before watching but the story does strictly adhere to the background stories (they say) and so it is much appreciated by both fans and non-fans alike.
- captain kirk is pogi
- sylar or spock...same effort lang sa acting. but it does fit.

My favorite characters are the Vulcans. No-emotion is just the same as one facial expression. The genuinely amuse me.

Maybe it wasn't a wise decision to watch this in imax, but you do get what you pay for - no annoying kids, no judging lolas, not too cold, good sounds. Perfect! It would've been great though if it was in 3d.

All in all, the movie was enjoyable. Its top spot in the box office is well-deserved.

Ran a 10k at Botak Paa-Tibayan 5.10.2009

2009-05-17T05:35:00.000-07:00

I have not much to say about this except that it was a lesson learned not to run while recovering from a flu. I am too lazy to recount the whole experience but to say it in one quick sentence, dehydration was scary and was torture to the abdomen (cramps, aka side stitches). It was rather wise that I stopped moving for a while and gulped down maybe half of the supply in one water station. I later learned that some people were not able to get water, so maybe it was partly my fault. Hahaha. I even felt the water sloshing in my stomach going back. Fortunately, there are is not a single photograph of that unglamorous moment. :D

Road Test. During this race, I was able to road test the running mix i just made. It was a good combination of songs, kept me going especially in the last part of the run. As the playlist was just a little under 1: 30, I panicked when it came to the last songs and sped up. Fortunately my run ended before my mix did. I have a new powersong: Led Zeppelin's Kashmir. I know, I'm so cool.

Semi-reunion. Road races are becoming sites to meeting long lost taekwondo friends. Spotted the ultimate sporty De Los Reyes Family at their booth (Autoreview).

Mrs. Kim. Charles was still in race mode driving back and didn't even realize he drove into the honda civic's bumper he was tailing. Just a small scratch, but the catch was the driver--Mrs. Kim, the Chinese foreigner with no tagalog and little english. Cool! No one was harmed except Roy who suffered a "nosebleed".

Well, that's all I have to say for this semi-adventure. :D

The Scientific Way of Building a Running Mix

2009-05-10T07:33:00.000-07:00

For those like me who are very hardheaded and anti-social, earphones and mp3 players are necessary partners during workout sessions. I don't make playlists for specific purposes like this. I just play an album i feel like listening to. The advantages are, well aside from gym buddies/fellow runners not bothering to talk to you, you choose the music/artist unlike canned gym sounds (akon, jai ho and Flo-rida), it would go on until you press stop, and you wouldn't have to deal with fellows watching tv full blast (makes you think twice why they go to the gym in the first place). The disadvantages however are a lot, you are confined to one artist, the beats per minute (bpm) vary extremely and randomly, the playlist does not run long enough for those long sessions which means you have to listen to the some songs twice, and lastly, because of the second reason, you may get tired of the songs or the artist prematurely. The only exception to all these, in my experience is...Lady Gaga. Haha.

Now that I'm re-emerging from my recovering period post-injury and after reading a few running books i've picked up in a Booksale spree, I've decided to take on a training plan and at the same time do this as scientifically as possible in order to prevent more injuries. After all, I am only 24 and it would be extremely embarassing if i look like i already have arthritis at this age. For years, I have been a pampered athlete, with a good coach always at my side to tell me what I'm doing wrong, whether it's my form, technique, or whatever. I get the reinforcement when needed. Now, it would take time for me to get used to being independent.

Aside from buying the ultimate training companion, which is another story, I figured I should incorporate my ipod in my development. Athough my nike+ toy increased in accuracy after a a few tries in calibration, maybe I could do more with it like thing is to play music at a certain bpm rate for "propulsion".

As much as a geek I am, I pretty much treated this task as a mystery-solving scooby doo adventure. Getting ready to play mixes in podrunner.com gets tiring at one point, although they do cook up some nice tracks.

The first task is to find the ideal bpm, and this chart which I got in run2r.com (run2rhythm) proved to be quite useful:

10 min/km	9 min/km	8 min/km	7 min/km	6 min/k	5 min/km	4 min/km
16 min/mile	14 min/mile	12 min/mile	10 min/mile	9 min/mile	8 min/mile	6 min/mile
150bpm	153bpm	156bpm	160bpm	163bpm	166bpm	171bpm

As for me, I found these suggested rates too fast for my taste. Most of my trance/techno collection are way too slow (130-150) but anyway, i chose to keep a range instead, and scavenge my mp3s for songs matching the range. One can find out the song's bpms in database sites like bpmdatabase.com or if you have much time to spare, you can check the bpm of your current mp3 collection using downloadable applications or an online tool. The iTunes BPM software (Mac) is especially helpful because you just tap your mousepad to the beat and click the set button to embed the data automatically in your mp3 file, much like when you edit the mp3 file info via command+i.

Funny thing though, I didn't know it would take me hours just to build a playlist which is only 1.5 hours long (and i'm even 4 minutes short) notwithstanding the comprehensive mp3 collection I have eating up my hard disk space. And now, realizing that it's just much too tedious, I would have to go back to playing albums during runs/workouts instead and bringing along a watch. But on the other hand, it was a nice exercise because through this I discovered non-dance music that I can play for runs, like for example, Led Zeppelin and The Ramones.

So here's my own mix, arranged from slowest to fastest (150-165 bpm):

Jason Mraz - Make It Mine
The Killers - Mr. Brightside
Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl
Jason Mraz - I'm Yours
Massive Attack - Tear Drop
The Killers - Spaceman
Toni Basil - Mickey (Yes! Mickey!)
The Cure - Just Like Heaven
Fatboy Slim - The Rockafeller Skank
Jason Mraz - I Melt With You
The Cure - A Forest
Offspring - Come Out and Play
Devo - Whip It (Haha!)
Michale Sembello - Maniac (more Haha!)
Led Zeppelin - Dyer Maker
Led Zeppelin - Kashmir
U2 - Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of
The Ramones - I Wanna Be Sedated
Led Zeppelin - Black Dog

Til the next useless project. I shall use the playlist while running Botak (10k) on May 10 and see what happens.:D

Stephanie Meyer - Twilight (2005)

2009-05-03T09:34:00.000-07:00

Rating: 1/5 stars

This must be the only book that took me 6 months to read.

How clingy, helpless, bobo and OA can a heroine be? So much for empowerment.
My god, do i need to know what the character does in the bathroom or what she does before going to bed?
I roll my eyes on every mention of "how un-humanly beautiful he is" or how they were in love "irrevocably and unconditionally". Wala na bang ibang masabi?
The whole book was like word vomit. Paulit ulit and a lot of unnecessary details. Or at least, the side stories should have been placed elsewhere and not as it is done (perhaps a prequel novel separately written?). Poor writing. Do not attempt to compare with JK Rowling. Please.
Hindi na emo yun e. OA na.

If you ask me why I continued reading/finished the book, well the answer is I'm on vacation and I can waste my time however I want. From now on, I will confine myself to watching anything written by Stephanie Meyer, at least should I decide to waste time, it would only be a max of two hourse each.

Verdict: Stephanie Meyer, never again.

Pauso - Who's on Twitter

2009-04-29T18:01:00.000-07:00

...aside from me:

Ellen Degeneres
Nicole Richie
Borat
Ashton Kutcher
Barack Obama
Arnold Schwarzenegger
50 cent
Oprah
Jason Mraz
Demi Lovato
Pete Wentz
Hulk Hogan
Chris Cornell
Dave Navarro
Jessica Simpson
J OHN MAYERRRR! (this i actually follow.)

It's a new way of stalking really. No, i didn't find these myself, I copied the links from celebrity tweet.

Pauso - Twitter

2009-04-29T06:42:00.000-07:00

CNN mentions Twitter in 6 out of 10 sentences. "Check our twitter" "voice your opinions through our twitter" and all that shiz. Pauso. Even thinking of gimmicks to make fans out of us, or followers, that's how they call it.

For that, I now have my own Twitter. Haha.

PS, "tweeting" is the proper verb, apparently. Pauso.

Blogger Celebrityhood - Tunay na Lalake; Plans Hopes and Dreams (haha)

2009-04-29T01:08:00.000-07:00

Recently, a new blog was put up by a friend of a friend and glad to say...patok! (See tunaynalalake.blogspot.com) However, they're running out of witty things to say about people, but i love the john lloyd rule and trabaho ng tunay na lalake and pauso line "kung anuano pang shit".

--
Rai and I were planning for a long time now to put up a blog so witty we'd be celebrities for doing so (parang moymoy palaboy haha). I told her "nauubusan na tayo ng idea ah". Abangan: in the near future, magpapauso rin kami, and I have some persons in mind to recruit already...hmm hmm hmm.
---

This blog has fans, can you believe it? And for that this writer is not so good in responding to fan mail hahaha. Konti na nga lang hindi pa magawa. Lol.

High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008)

2009-04-28T16:55:00.000-07:00

Rating: 3/5 stars

Genre: Kids & Family

I'm a 13 year old at heart and i love Zac Efron, whether or not he really likes girls more than boys, and there's no denial.

So, High School Musical 3 is a lot like his other movies - lots of dancing and singing - except for one (extraordinarily) notable detail: he was shirtless for around 2 seconds. Haha. He turned away from the camera though and all we see is his back but that's ok. It's a kiddie show.

The movie is full of young beautiful people and I guess that's what made the HSM franchise last to installment 3. Hopefully, no more than that because what could they possibly sing about now? "I broke up with my highschool sweetheart and just came out of the closet"?

Rotten Tomatoes: 66/100
IMDB: 3.6/10

Twitter-ing While Running the London Marathon

2009-04-26T04:27:00.000-07:00

Summer days are for getting fit and updating my blog. I can't do both at the same time but some people can, like Peter Wilkinson. He updates his twitter page while he runs the London Marathon. He is at mile 17 as of print time. See his twitter page here. See cnn article here.
---

CNN man on course in London Marathon 'tweet' bid

Story Highlights
CNN journalist Pete Wilkinson "tweets" during the London Marathon
Wilkinson hopes to finish the race in four hours, while posting Twitter updates
Wilkinson's main concern is crashing into other runners

LONDON, England (CNN) -- A CNN.com journalist is on course to achieve his goal of "tweeting" the London Marathon.

Pete Wilkinson, a digital news producer at CNN.com in London, is updating his Twitter page during Sunday's race via text messages from his cellphone.

Wilkinson is more than half way round the iconic 42.1 kilometer (26.2 miles) route and remains on schedule to complete the race in his four-hour target time.

"Crossing tower bridge almost half way now north of river hurrah," Wilkinson wrote at the halfway point. Follow Pete as he tweets

"Crowds are unbelievable really keeping me going never run this fast before," he said.

Prior to the event, Wilkinson had said he wasn't sure if his plan would work and admitted it was "incredibly hard" to send text messages and run at the same time."My main problem is going to be not crashing into other people," Wilkinson told CNN's Isha Sesay. "I don't think I'll have time to stop for too long."

"Here we go! Walking to the start now. Greetings to all cnn viewers and readers," Wilkinson wrote in his first tweet of the day.

Wilkinson said he was standing at the start next to runners dressed as the Sergeant Pepper-era Beatles. "Gonna be long winding road," he wrote.

He's not the first marathon runner to tweet during the race -- a Google search turned up one runner who tweeted during last year's Boston Marathon and another who plans to do it during Sunday's race in London. But it's new enough that Wilkinson said he wants to give it a go.

"I'm hoping it will detract attention from my running," said Wilkinson. "It seemed a good way to do something new." Watch Pete explain why he wants to tweet his epic run »

Wilkinson is also running for charity and said any extra attention it brings to his cause "can't be a bad thing."

The London Marathon starts in Greenwich, in the southeast of the city, and goes along the River Thames. It takes in a number of landmarks including the Tower of London, Parliament and Big Ben before ending at Buckingham Palace.

More than 35,000 runners are expected to take part, according to marathon organizers.

Race officials have advised Wilkinson not to tweet while running because of safety, concerned he might bump into other runners or trip over, but they won't prevent him from tweeting, he said.

And what will Wilkinson be updating his followers with on race day?

"I'm going to tweet about how my muscles are feeling, how my knees are feeling," he said. "My goal is to finish in four hours, so I'll keep people informed about whether I'm going to make that. I suspect only my mother is going to be following me anyway."

The Flora London Marathon, as the race is officially known, takes place each April and is one of the top marathons in the world.

All six male and female medallists from the marathon at the Beijing Olympics last year were running, in the event, along with celebrities including chef Gordon Ramsay and ITN correspondent Tim Ewart.

Germany's Irina Mikitenko won the women's race in a time of two hours, 22 minutes and 11 seconds.

The top prize for male and female finishers is $55,000. Wilkinson was not considered to be among the favorites

Facebook Manners Instructional Video

2009-04-23T00:05:00.000-07:00

WAHAHAHAHAHA! Ahem, rule no.1. :P

Chowder!!!

2009-04-22T23:42:00.000-07:00

Ohmaygad! I found my new cartoon addiction since The Family Guy. :)))

Slimmerun aka Post-rest Debut

2009-04-22T10:24:00.000-07:00

Another installment of the surprise race/pop fitness test series. I found myself waking up at 4:00am (3:30 in non-up law timezone) last Saturday getting ready for a run. I wasn't quite sure of what I was doing. There was an angel and a devil whispering to me -
your knee will surely get hurt. but you just had two weeks of all rest and eating, you tub of lard. your shoes haven't been broken-in yet. this is the best time to for a break-in. it's 5k. it's just 5k. it's hot outside. it's hotter inside.
...And so now you all know which won me over.

Arriving at the venue, it was quite dark still, and as we were a little late I worried that I might not have time to stretch my legs, yet another doctor's orders violation. As I was a bit more talkative than usual that morning, I didn't notice that there was light already and I had done 3 sets already. Good for my legs, but not good for me a little later as it turned out to be a HOT run.

I forgot to turn off my nike+ yet again after the race, but actually, the struggling started at 500 meters prior to the finish line, knee-wise and heart rate wise. That explains the pathetic drop at the end of just (just!) 5k. Oh and the heat...it was rising from the ground. My favorite part was passing by gutter grills and..."experiencing" the vomit-inducing exhaust. You can't miss it. My watch said 38:19 when I crossed, so I guess it wasn't as bad as I thought.

The switch to New Balance. I will never run in N***s again. Haha. I love the cushioning at the right parts. Although my ankles were swimming in it, a simple shoelace trick remedied the problem. I actually think that the shoe improved my form...or it might be just my imagination. It's so motivating to have new things :D. Although I didn't even plan on buying one until the person i talked to said "latest model". Five stars for the first 5k. (New Balance Women's 1025)

All in all, it was enjoyable. It was a nice morning talking to friendly people, seeing nice male buh-hinds pass you by every now and then and watching beauty pageant candidates dance around the place (jei howw). :P But most of all the sweet breakfast right after. :D

Fast and Furious (2009)

2009-04-18T19:00:00.000-07:00

Rating: 3/5 stars
Category: Movies
Genre: Action & Adventure

Am I considered as a fan if i've watched all movies of the franchise? I'm not much of an auto nut but I do appreciate cars and fast and skillful driving. That's half the reason why I still insist on driving manual (the other half, well, that's what's available. hehe). I admit that the best of the series is still the first one. All the others are popcorn movies, including this one. Since when did vin diesel become an emo lover boy?

The movie was a glamorized auto show. Fast and furious movies are the only ones where cars are treated as characters themselves, with a personality of its own. Haha. My favorite of the bunch is Phoenix's Ford GT. If we've talked enough, I'm sure I've shared with you already that I dream of owning a GT of whatever year (pag nagasawa ako ng mayaman), ang pogi eh.

In this installment, Paul Walker was still cute but not as charming as he was in the first and second movie. Blame it on the storyline I guess. It's centered on Vin Diesel's plot for revenge. Michelle Rodriguez is prettier now by the way. Not as greasy as before. She looked like she took a bath for the movie.

All in all, it was a movie made for males- hot babes and hot cars. A lot of (unnecessary) girl-on-girl-on-girl kissing inserted and not much pretty boys or shirtless ones at least. (Why was watching again?). But anyone will appreciate it. It's light to watch, quite predictable and full of movie cliches you can make a drinking game out of it. Enjoy the popcorn.

QQ: "(enumerating possible suspects' cars)...Toyota Prius Hybrid," "Hell no."

PS, If you've been playing Need for Speed, the movie would look and feel familiar.

Rotten Tomatoes: 27/100
IMDB: 7/10

Cool Links:
Rotten Tomatoes' article on all 4 movies' cars
LatinoReview's interview with Car Coordinator Dennis McCarthy

I love you Po

2009-04-14T00:14:00.000-07:00

These are the gems of being with someone older, you really get a kick out of these kinds of punchlines.

For my babe...:P

Nostalgia Time - Rainbow Brite

2009-04-07T13:52:00.000-07:00

Oh I was such a consumer-driven kid back then. Look at the shirt: McDonald's.

This was taken in the late 80s. Rainbow brite was a pre-schooler icon back then. The animated series was regularly shown on local tv, probably mornings, and as during those years I was a little kept girl under her young mother's paranoia, (ie, always home) I developed a fascination with the the character and the show.

I remember the show very vaguely though. It must be something about Rainbow Brite and a group of kids of different colors, literally, trying to save the world from evil in the form of antagonists trying to take color (again, literally) from the kingdom they lived in.

I forgot what the name of the blue fluffy pet. That's a shame, because a lot of times, I pretended I was Rainbow Brite and carried him around. I also had this Rainbow brite "suitcase" which I lugged around the house and in school (kindergarten) imitating my dad carrying his briefcase. So what happened to these precious items of my childhood? I think they were given away when I grew out of the phase and moved on to Garfield. Which is another story.

What brought this to mind was an article I found about re-launching of the line of toys. Probably the target market is us nostalgic bratty girls of the 80s.

Starbucks Calorie Counting

2009-04-07T06:15:00.000-07:00

These past 2 weeks, I have spent 80% of my time in Starbucks. I rarely went there this semester, owing to the fact that I don't drink much coffee now (I got sick of it ever since it conditioned me to think of estate and donor's tax circa Tax2 mid terms), but in times like these when you just need the caffeine, isolation and, umm, aircon (haha), Starbucks becomes very very handy. I have never appreciated our neighborhood Starbucks branch until now.

But then again, as I am getting to my point, Starbucks Coffee translates to calories. Too much calories, actually.

With the encouragement of Jing, I did a little research to have an idea on how much calories I consume there. It was a little funny that I look at that flyer they have there, about what a cup constitutes, almost everyday. I think you would find that interesting too. I likewise checked the nutritional facts Starbucks had in their website.

Ok, let's do a little health and nutrition workshop here. Get a piece of paper and write down the drinks you usually order. Later on, you can check how much of a tub of lard you are. (No cheating ha).

Here's my list: (click on the links to see the results)

Venti Mint Tea - on most days
Venti Passion Iced Tea - on cold drink mood
Grande Mocha Frapp - on indulgent days
Grande or Venti White Chocolate Mocha - on caffeine overload days (and the winner is...)

After that discovery, I couldn't wait to go get my trainers and running shorts. That was just after i downed a very big glass of white mocha. No wonder my ass is getting heavier. Actually, the first two were not too bad. So thumbs up for that.

Now that I am aware of the true facts, it's time for a little change of routine. The real lesson really is not to go back to that place anymore. Ever. But isn't Starbucks squatting so cool? The least I could do was to buy something to at least make it seem little less degrading. Now the challenge is a choice that is caffeine packed, would last the whole duration, but not as guilt laden as that 500 calorie devil of a drink. The solution was none other than Iced Cafe Americano. At 15 calories per Grande glass and with all that espresso goodness, we're in business.

Cafe Americano is actually espresso with water. Add ice for the iced version. Duh. That's 15 calories when there are no sweeteners or customized flavors. White chocolate m ocha sauce is really good with it but that's another 60 calories per 1 pump (Starbucks serves 4 pumps usually. I asked.), so might as well leave that out, or else, what's the point.

Here are a few things I recommend for future study sessions (not that I have become such an expert now):

- Drink tea if you have to buy something. Drink drip/pressed if must it be coffee (5 cal.). Americano if you prefer espresso (15 cal.).
- Limit drinks to grande size. Venti is just gluttony.
- Don't be too shy to ask for water. Sometimes thirst is mistaken for hunger. That way, snacks would not be necessary.
- Bring your own tumbler/mug for less trips to the counter to ask for water. Also, to save the trees. :P You can also use it for the coffee for a small discount (P5 i think).
- No sweeteners. Everything you add to the drink will add to the pounds.
- Opt for nonfat milk if it's a latte.
- Hold the whip.
- Light blended frappucinos are not so bad. Try the Coffee Frappucino Light Blended. That's just 130 calories for a Grande.

(Disclaimer: not a paid advertisement. Maybe they should pay me.)

Nostalgia Time - Sugar Ray

2009-04-03T18:19:00.000-07:00

Mark Mcgrath was one of my schoolgirl crushes. He turned host in 2005 or so for a dating show/reality show. I bought 14:59 during the time when cds costed so much, I had a sony discman with which i played originals only until learned how to burn a cd. For some reason, no particular moments are brought to mind, just that i replayed and replayed the songs during alone time. I was that kind of kid at one point. :P

Another justification for internet slacking breaks

2009-04-03T04:08:00.000-07:00

Emphasis mine.
Remember, short and unobtrusive. Less than 20% of your time.

---

Facebook, YouTube at work make better employees: study

Thu Apr 2, 1:08 am ET

MELBOURNE (Reuters Life!) – Caught Twittering or on Facebook at work? It'll make you a better employee, according to an Australian study that shows surfing the Internet for fun during office hours increases productivity.

The University of Melbourne study showed that people who use the Internet for personal reasons at work are about 9 percent more productive that those who do not.

Study author Brent Coker, from the department of management and marketing, said "workplace Internet leisure browsing," or WILB, helped to sharpened workers' concentration.

"People need to zone out for a bit to get back their concentration," Coker said on the university's website (www.unimelb.edu.au/)

"Short and unobtrusive breaks, such as a quick surf of the Internet, enables the mind to rest itself, leading to a higher total net concentration for a days' work, and as a result, increased productivity," he said.

According to the study of 300 workers, 70 percent of people who use the Internet at work engage in WILB.

Among the most popular WILB activities are searching for information about products, reading online news sites, playing online games and watching videos on YouTube.

"Firms spend millions on software to block their employees from watching videos, using social networking sites or shopping online under the pretence that it costs millions in lost productivity," said Coker. "That's not always the case."

However, Coker said the study looked at people who browsed in moderation, or were on the Internet for less than 20 percent of their total time in the office.

"Those who behave with Internet addiction tendencies will have a lower productivity than those without," he said.

(Writing by Miral Fahmy; Editing by Valerie Lee)

Lady Gaga Performs in American Idol

2009-04-03T03:47:00.000-07:00

I swear if she comes to Manila, i'll get the 5k seats.
---

American Idol, Charts Go Gaga for Lady

E! Online – American Idol, Charts Go Gaga for Lady(E! Online)

David Jenison David Jenison – Thu Apr 2, 2:58 pm ET

Los Angeles (E! Online) – Forget Adam Lambert and Kris Allen. Last night's American Idol was owned by Lady Gaga .

The NYC electro-popster electrified the stage last night with "Poker Face"—and then celebrated this morning with her second straight No. 1, becoming the first female artist in nearly a decade to land her debut singles atop the Hot 100.

The spitfire, pants-eschewing singer, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta, previously spent three weeks at No. 1 in January with "Just Dance."

Christina Aguilera was the last artist to accomplish this feat with her first two singles, "Genie in a Bottle" and "What a Girl Wants" back in 1999.

Among female artists over the past quarter century, only four scored successive No. 1s with their debut singles. Tiffany ("I Think We're Alone Now" and "Could've Been"), Mariah Carey (who incredibly scored five straight chart-toppers before 1991's "Can't Let Go" peaked at No. 2), Xtina and now Gaga.

In other Hot 100 news, Hannah Montana's "Let's Get Crazy" is the week's top debut at No. 57 followed by a No. 87 debut for her Taylor Swift cowritten "You'll Always Find Your Way Back Home." Swift's own Hannah Montana: The Movie song "Crazier" also cracked the chart at No. 72, giving the soundtrack three debuts for the week.

As for Miley Cyrus, the Disney star also claims the No. 8 spot with "The Climb," giving the Hannah Montana star three Hot 100 singles between her two personas.

··· THEY SAID WHAT? Get today's most commented stories now at www.eonline.com

(Source: news.yahoo.com)

Ministry of Sound - The Annual 2009

2009-04-02T07:51:00.000-07:00

Rating: 5/5 stars

Category: Music
Genre: Dance & DJ
Artist: Various Artists
If there is any indication that ria is now in finals mode, it is that she has discovered and listened to new albums and cannot wait to write a review about it.

And just because I have time before i sprint the last hours before Tax2 Finals start, here's another one of those reviews that you don't really read...or need.

One of my latest acquisitions is this album, courtesy of the most handsome pirate I met (*ubo).

Like I always say, I recommend upbeat music for boring study sessions. In theory, they are distracting because either (1) you think of partying and getting drunk (2) it would remind you that you are a lawstudent who contents oneself with listening to these music during study hours rather than go out and actually dance to them in a proper dancefloor with a proper alcoholic drink, and not starbucks coffee(3) if its singable, it will force you to sing (4) if it is sensual, it will make your mind wander, period.

So this one is all of the above. But on the bright side, it keeps me awake and studying and that's all that matters. And it's 2.6 hours non-stop. Can you feel the beat?

Favorite Tracks: Dream On, Raindrops.

Bad Case of LSS - Lady Gaga - Lovegame

2009-03-28T05:20:00.000-07:00

Lady Gaga again. :D

Lady Gaga - The Fame

2009-03-28T05:09:00.000-07:00

Rating: 4/5 stars

Category:	Music
Genre:	Pop
Artist:	Lady Gaga

Don't you just love her...she's unreal. My favorite LSS. :D Danceable pop is the genre...but that's just according to me. A good companion for a gym session or a boring study session, like all music i own. You've heard Just Dance and Pppoker Face (mamamamahh), or maybe Lovegame too. Wait 'til you hear Paparazzi and Starstruck. Will keep you singing just one line (each) for at least 3 days.

And in line with that...what exaclty is a "disco stick" and a "cherry cherry boom boom"?

PS: Lady Gaga's AOL Live Session is worthwhile.

Cool Music Video - Up Dharma Down - Taya

2009-03-23T05:17:00.000-07:00

featuring light streak photography. Cool!

Bad Case of LSS - Jonas Brothers - Burnin' Up

2009-03-20T09:58:00.000-07:00

ahmm slipin into the laahhvuuuh
and ahm tryn to keep from goooin undaaah
beybeh whoo turnd the temprechur hahhterr
coz ahmm burnin up burnin up for youuu beybeh

Daft Punk - Alive 2007

2009-03-18T05:13:00.000-07:00

Rating: 5/5 stars

Category:	Music
Genre:	Dance & DJ
Artist:	Daft Punk

My boring study sessions are spruced up by pick-me-up-electronica (kunyari nalang party mode :-/). My latest favorite is this live album recorded in 2007, the 2nd of the duo (first one was in 1997). I don't know why i just heard of it recently.

There's a bonus cd where there is a video of the encore. But you can find that in you tube.

My favorite track: Touch It/Technologic.

This is a must-have. Promise. Daft Punk knows how to work the live audience. This won the Grammy for Best Electronic/Dance Album for 2009. And c'mon! Daft Punk, hands down nostalgic.

Bad Case of LSS - Jai Ho

2009-03-16T05:15:00.000-07:00

Bad Case of LSS - Flo Rida - Right Round

2009-03-16T05:10:00.000-07:00

Bad Case of LSS - Lady Gaga - Poker Face

2009-03-15T00:32:00.000-07:00

Wordplay Exercises - House of 5 Specials

2009-03-13T12:15:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the House of 5 Specials where you have 5 specials to choose from for a complete dining experience.

Special No.1
Beef with buttered muffins. Served with choice of small or regular iced T (large unavailable).

Special No. 2
Chiks and a basket*. Served with hot but sour soup.
*basket optional, best for those prone to scent-induced nausea

Special No. 3
Shrimps and a bucket**. Choice of dips: mild, spicy, wild.
**bucket NOT optional. Includes 6 bottles of strong beer. May also be used for shrimphead discards.

Special No. 4
Happy Meal: Mah homiezz spaghetti and fried chicken (drumstick only). Comes with a toy.
(Note: for this meal, may only be availed of by paying through pasaload.)

Special No. 5
Heartbreak combo: Prime steak*** with chiks****on the side.
***subject to availability
****always available

Goodevening ma’am/sir! May I take your order?

Eheads: The Final Set, Installment 2

2009-03-11T22:35:00.000-07:00

Marcus Adoro. Gotta love Marcus! What a character.

Hello Kitty

His Huwag Mo Nang Itanong performance was really my favorite. I have replayed this video so many times now.

I thought he messed up the lyrics again, but after replaying and replaying, kumpleto naman pala. Patawa lang.

Some QQs:
"Chika ang inabot ko..."
"Pag-uwi ko sa bahay, ibaba ang yong kilay, ayoko ng kilay mo."

Reminded me of this video i found, of him singing Pare Ko in Saguijo after the first show.
"Kailangan lang ay, ang iyong pakikiramay. Okay na ay okay na." Hahaha.

Shirt hunting. We were surrounded by a variety of fan shirts that night. Got a little bit jealous at some point. Hehe. And i had to find one out of obligation because of a promise to my siblings and my concert companions. Raimund designed the shirts from team manila (chismis lang), that's prime memorabilia. Have to get that by some device. It might take a while though.

Slo Mo

Eheads Manila
(It's Maroon!)

Team Manila

But there were other interesting shirts, although unofficial:

(1) 3.7.09 shirt from noytee, which i ordered in a heartbeat because ely has one. daw. haha.

(2) names shirt from damnitclothing. just because it was simple.

They're quite expensive for the kind of shirt - regular round neck. Oh well. Comes with awesomeness i guess.

Now this reminds me of the 7sins t-shirt design project i started a couple of years ago. 3rd year na ako, 1 sin palang nagagawa ko. Hahaha.

Eheads: The Final Set

2009-03-08T18:42:00.001-07:00

I'm not much of a concert person because i haven't been following any particular band or artist since boyzone, nor do i enjoy mosh-pitting with the JJs or standing for hours without airconditioning (arte, hihi), but this one takes the prize of best show i've ever been to (second is lion king, hehehe). Admittedly, im not that big a fan but it was a real treat to have watched it and to have sung along to songs i grew up to (and still know surprisingly).

My favorite parts of the show:
- marcus' concise reggae version of huwag mo nang itanong (di ko sasabihin sa yo)
- acoustic minsan (yes, im so up diliman)
- acoustic pare ko (the soundtrack of my life, appropriate for all occassions haha)
- grandiose ang huling el bimbo finale (sabi na eh!)

Thanks to charlito for bringing me along and getting good tickets where i was not trampled on by rowdy fans. Although by the 2nd encore my personal space was invaded and my ear was shouted at by this random die-hard girl.

Why was "Para sa Masa" not on the set list? Oh yeah, tickets were not so masa.

My camera tried its best. haha. We were standing right beside the control booth (?).
I took a few more low quality pics and videos. Next time nalang videos. Haha.

Walang group hug pero may akbay...pwede na rin. :)

He's Just Not That Into You (2009)

2009-03-04T06:03:00.000-08:00

Rating: 2/5
Genre: Romantic Comedy

A self-help book converted to a movie...when I saw the movie poster it really got me interested. Read the book and then watched this, somehow not a good idea because everything was old news.

Watch the movie to find out what the rule and exception is...which, if you are a law student like me, will remind you of Criminal Law or Persons and Family Relations.
Don't watch it if you hate predictable movies as everything will fall into place in the end just like your bedtime stories. But funny nonetheless.

QQ: "If I want to make myself more attractive to the opposite sex, I don't go out and get a haircut. I just update my profile."

"You have an ass that makes me wanna dryhump all day."
"Did you just say dryhump"
"Yes."
"I think I just fell in love."

Rotten Tomatoes: 42/100
IMDB: 6.6/10

The Science of Sleep/ Les Science Des Reves (2006)

2009-03-04T05:54:00.000-08:00

Rating: 4/5
Genre: Foreign (Spain)

At times when trying to remember things I mix up the facts with the dayreams and get lost in between them. I am left thinking...did it really happen or is my imagination just working too well today. That's exactly how it felt like watching this. There is a constant floating, drifting feeling and confusion being constantly switching between dream and awake...but that probably was the intention of the movie. It was a cool movie, perfect for the artsy fartsy boys out there. I enjoyed the poetic script, although sometimes i thought i would have enjoyed the wit more if i had read it.

From the same director and co-writer of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind which i love very much. I love this one too.

QQ: (oh i have so many...)

"I invented 3-d glasses you can use in real life"
"Isn't real life already in 3-d?"
"Yeah, but c'mon..."

"Sometimes I wear my jeans for more than one week until it's really bad, and it makes me feel closer to you."

"It's like touching your penis with your left hand"
"I don't have a penis."
"You have a left hand."

"You have a serious problem of distorting reality. You could sleep with the entire planet and still feel rejected."

"I like your boobs. They're very friendly and unpretentious."

Rotten Tomatoes: 69/100
IMDB: 7.5/10

Tablenapkin Entries - This was last night's dream, seriously.

2009-03-02T20:47:00.000-08:00

Trekking on a wooden plank floating on dirty water, I took the time with making my steps and ever so carefully I put one foot in front of the other. The wooden path turns to a bend and i realize you are walking with me, behind me. You slip and I slip too and now we are swimming in the dirty water with floating yellow prophylactics I called "potatoes". Were they used or unused, I do not know. The last I remember, I was lost in a tantrum of happy panic. You, me, and the water which came from who knows where. I woke up to an imagined smell of Bvlgari.

___
Reminds me of Science of Sleep, which I have yet to write about.

Rihanna and Chris Brown Reconcile

2009-03-02T15:02:00.000-08:00

wtf?? Tolerance is a very bad habit Rihanna...hope you won't get killed by it.

from People.com

----

People Exclusive

Rihanna and Chris Brown Are Back Together

By Elizabeth Leonard

Originally posted Friday February 27, 2009 07:50 PM EST

Rihanna and Chris Brown on Feb. 7 Photo by: Lester Cohen / WireImage

Rihanna and Chris Brown are back together, PEOPLE has learned exclusively.

The pair have reunited almost three weeks after Brown, 19, allegedly battered the "Umbrella" singer on Feb. 8, a source tells PEOPLE.

"They're together again. They care for each other," says the source. The on-again couple are currently spending time together at one of Sean "Diddy" Combs's homes, on Miami Beach's Star Island.

Adds the source: "While Chris is reflective and saddened about what happened, he is really happy to be with the woman he loves."

In its latest issue, PEOPLE reports that Brown called Rihanna on her 21st birthday one week ago. "He called to wish her happy birthday," a source told the magazine. "They've reached out to each other. It's been mutual."

Brown was booked by LAPD for making criminal threats but the case has not yet been presented to the District Attorney, who will ultimately determine which charges, if any, will be prosecuted.

Rihanna and Chris Brown's retreat: Diddy's Star Island mansion in Miami Beach. Photo by: Mavrix

Flash Photography

2009-03-02T04:51:00.000-08:00

Got this from biboy but i don't know where he got it. Effing witty.
---

Valentine's Erotica Series, No.3

2009-02-26T06:18:00.000-08:00

I'm glad to have responses to my invitation to submit erotic writing. Which means more and more people are reading this...oh good! :P

Since it's not valentines' anymore, it might not be appropriate to call it valentine's erotica series...but the name sticks just because. Hehe. Here's another one from a friend. Might have to ask him first if he wants his name up here.
------

(Image from Sgt. Gooch)

A BEAUTIFUL MORNING
by: ____

A sign drifts above your head, linking meanings
to images – perhaps, like how you should
pull the sheet up your legs, or sit up straight against
the pillows. Lying half-naked in this undisclosed
situation, with your knee bent in the angle that it is,
to me seems like a strategy. It's too early in
the morning after all, to be looking at me like that.

You are a random act. Such genius in your
disregard for what already is seductive. And
in paying no attention to how you look at the sunlight,
or that fragile gesture of tilting your head, you immerse
me in questions of stare
or caress.

I will imagine you bare. And as I consult and engage your
movement, I will utter a thousand words that will mean
all the things in the world – except surrender. To lead you
to awareness that in so whispering, a flicker must send explosions
elsewhere (just elsewhere). So that only in knowing your
tease shall it ever all make sense.

Nevertheless, despite this quietness that defines us,
I will come up with a plan.

Stream of Thoughts on the 2009 Oscars

2009-02-24T06:01:00.000-08:00

Like a good consumer, all the hype with the Oscars had got me watching movies more and more these past few weeks and made me anticipate the awards show more than ever. I've been trying hard to fit in watching nominated films in a tight schedule (which mostly consisted of eating, sleeping and cramming), whether legally or not (haha, and in that case the advertising didn't work as they expected). Made some predictions but failed to account for them on paper or in my personal space here, the closest would be a comment i made in GPA's blog, which i made in order to earn brownie points for a shoutout on air in his radio guesting.

Anyway, it turns out that most of my predictions were so dead on to the point that i considered changing careers (to what, movie critic? bleh...artista no!). I wasn't able to watch the show live as we had our locgov project in the morning (very successful btw...). So i relied on velvet's replay in the evening , but was so sleepy after the Jai Ho performance already and didn't finish it. But I found a way to watch the rest of it, just as I found a way to watch the nominated movies without having to payup..wink wink.

Why Slumdog won most of the awards. My theory is tone and treatment. Maybe the Academy has had enough of the usual Hollywood-formula movies and it was very novel to have tapped Mumbai's local talents.

Best Picure, no contest. It was quite predictable that slumdog will win it by the time the technical awards were given out. But it may also had to do with plot, original unlike Benjamin Button's (adapted) and the theme universal [EDIT: pareho pala silang adapted, sorry my bad], not as serious or controversial as Milk. Or simply, that Danny Boyle is just so cool. Hehe. It was the whole packaging, really . And! It was so charming to bring the little boys and little Latika to the show. Who wouldn't want to see them on stage by closing time... It was a Hollywood fairytale and the Academy will not pass that up.

Heath Ledger, I told you so. And as I just said, the predictability ups one level when Heath won, the 2nd to win a posthumous award. Members of the Acadamy have a flair for drama and who wouldn't want to see the family thanking them for honoring their beloved and immortalizing his art.

Sean Penn, the only American among the major awards winners. But then again, America being the land of milk and honey (until now?) where all dreamers flock to, it would just be inevitable. I suddenly remember Gangs of New York for some weird reason. And the American Tale. Hehe.

James Franco. He is my new crush--pogi, funny, talented, versatile...and will make a good trophy wife (see Milk).

Red Carpet. I liked these the best: Penelope Cruz, Kate Winlet, Sarah Jessica Parker, Evan Rachel Wood, Marisa Tomei and Miley Cyrus. Please don't argue, it's just personal taste. (Although Kate Winslet, Evan Rachel Wood and Miley Cyrus were on redcarpetfashionawards.com's worst dressed for various reasons. pout. others were on the best dressed list.)

Penelope Cruz in vintage Pierre Balmain Haute Couture.

Kate Winslet in YSL Atelier/.

SJP in Christian Dior Haute Couture.

Evan Rachel Wood in Elie Saab Spring 2009 Couture.

Marisa Tomei in Versace Atelier.

Miley Cyrus in Zuhair Murad Spring 2009 Couture.

The Show. All in all, it was very very entertaining! Hugh Jackman's surprise performances were hillarious, my favorite was him dancing to "i haven't watched The Reader". The Pineapple Express reference was also my favorite (James Franco the pothead watching James Franco in Milk was just so cute). On a more serious note, the way they presented the major awards was very overwhelming, it's like honoring the dead (sorry for the term hehe). It must have been awkward for the presenter to be gushing about someone just in front of him....and I wonder how awkward it was to be sitting in THAT close to the stage.

So there...my random thoughts about Oscars...I would now be channeling back to my regular lawstudent mode, until I get the time to watch the other nominees. :)

Milk (2008)

2009-02-21T06:05:00.000-08:00

Rating: 5/5 stars
Genre: Drama

After I watched this, I knew Sean Penn would win the Best Actor Oscar. He is such a brilliant actor here.

The script was very natural and well written. Heavy drama and a very controversial topic. This movie has moved me and may have changed my perspective. On that note alone, a very effective medium for advocating homosexual rights.

P.S. James Franco would make a very good trophy wife. Also Diego Luna.

QQ: "How do you teach homosexuality, is it like French?"

Rotten Tomatoes: 93/100
IMDB: 8.1/10

Knock Knock...Obama's Elf

2009-02-20T09:56:00.000-08:00

Nick Carter says "I'm Back"

2009-02-17T09:57:00.000-08:00

And we welcome him back...
No drooling on your keyboards please, it's not waterproof.

Featured in People Magazine's February 2009 issue, he tells the readers of his life while he was off the spotlight. Very dramatic. Or just look at it even if you're not interested in the story.

See related articles in perezhilton.com and justjared.buzznet.com.

Push (2009)

2009-02-17T09:30:00.000-08:00

Rating: 3/5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction and Fantasy

If Chris Evans removed his shirt then this would get one more star.

The movie has a nice and cool mood and treatment but the plot has holes and seems illogical at sometimes,. Very familiar too if you've watched Heroes (was it the division or the company?).

Shifters move objects with their minds, but need hand movements to complete the effect. Watchers see the future and prefer to draw them rather than write a line or two even if they admit to being crappy artists. Pushers persuade their victims by puting images in their heads that are mistaken as true memories. But it will take them at least 5 seconds first, with the blackening of the eyeballs, just enough time for a smart enough potential victim to think he is in danger and run away as fast as he could.

Nonetheless, the movie was enjoyable. A good date movie, guy enjoys the action, girl enjoys Chris Evans.

And the setting is in HK, very cultural. :P

QQ: "What did i just inject myself with?" "Kikkoman Soy Sauce."

Rotten Tomatoes: 25/100
IMDB: 6.9/10 (Really?)

Tablenapkin Entries - She says she is charmed by him

2009-02-17T08:15:00.000-08:00

She says she is charmed by him, like round coffee stains on magazines or lipstick marks on porcelain cups do. Things that she finds fascinating until much later, when after seeing them every so often, eventually turns into mundanes and itches her to find the next novelty, like a day-old balloon caught on a lamp post or chalk marks on the pavement. And by the third cycle she would only realize by then that either she would run out of wonder or that everything simply has turned plain already, that she wishes she had, from the beginning, chosen to keep her round coffee stains on magazines or lipstick marks on porcelain cups, instead of those old chewed gum under the mats or dog shit passed off as fertilizer.

Step Brothers (2008)

2009-02-13T07:10:00.000-08:00

Rating: 4/5 stars
Genre: Comedy

f you are a fan of Will Ferrel, like I am, then you'd want to watch this one. For those who are not, you might find this as another one of his usual crass tongue-in-cheek humor comedies. You might think you've seen it before. But then again, I am his fan and I will watch whatever he makes. Even the youtube clips.

A man and a woman meet, get married, and both have troubled sons which they still take under their wings. The step brothers are two 40-something-year-olds acting like ten-year-olds. The punchline that really killed me was they even shared a room. It's so funny, i'd watch it again and still laugh as hard.

QQ: "I tea-bagged your drums."

Rotten Tomatoes:55/100
IMDB:6.8/10

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008)

2009-02-13T07:02:00.001-08:00

Rating: 4/5 stars
Genre: Romantic Comedy

Michael Cera is awkwardly cute. :)

As I expected, the movie was very much like Juno. The feel, the look, the actor, the acting...

The gay bandmates were such scenestealers.

What makes the movie so charming is the plot. It's an emo-kid fairytale-- ordinary looking celebrity daughter finds silent rockband member-boy, falls in love but must overcome some obstacles before that, i.e., getting over the ex and ending a pseudo relationship.

Good soundtrack. Might download it sometime. (legally?)

QQ: "The world's been broken to pieces and it's our job to find them and put them back together again." "Maybe we're not supposed to find the pieces, maybe we are the pieces."

Rotten Tomatoes: 72/100
IMDB: 7/10

Table Napkin Entries - Cappucino, Non-fat

2009-02-10T06:37:00.000-08:00

He enters his favorite coffee shop. His new girl in tow. “I’ll have a cappuccino, non-fat,” “I’ll have one too.” He’s just elated at the thought of having her in his usual routine. The hum-drum spiced up by a beautiful girl and possibly the greatest love of his life.

She enters the coffee shop he raves about. Following the lead of the hand that holds hers. “I’ll have a cappuccino, non-fat,” “I’ll have one too.” She’s been there before. With a boy who she used belonged to. But now part of her new routine, she’ll likewise make new memories, with a beautiful boy and possibly the greatest love of her life.

Mini Camera Replicas

2009-02-08T05:24:00.000-08:00

New things to add to the endless wishlist.
(I know, camera nanaman.)

------

Minox Leica Mini Digital Edition Camera

Rolleiflex Mini Digital Camera

MINOX Mini Leica 5.0 Digital Camera

Valentines Erotica Series, No. 2

2009-02-07T05:40:00.000-08:00

Water Baby
by Roogy

Right through glass I took a peek inside.
The graphic novel shop had cloud decorations,
I never fancied comics much,
But I think I fancied you.

Inevitable as it was at the given time,
I stepped into the store with intent,
then glanced at this shelf and that shelf,
And pretended to read the titles off the spine.

I'm not a comic kind of guy, I said.
But can I see that one that says "Water Baby?"
And are your eyes really that brown?
Or are those contact lenses?

As close as less than inch you said I could peek.
Take off the covering and touch the pages,
I mentioned I was captivated by the cover,
And your shy and dreamy smile.

I pointed to another thing and asked nicely
Can I please see that too?
I promise to be careful,
I won't crease a thing or two.

Fragile soft thing in a white tank top,
Enchanting but a little bit urban.
Can I see you again sometime?
We'll talk about books and toys,

And promise,

I won't crease a thing or two.

-----
Participate in Ria's valentine's project. Contribute your erotic writings (hahaha!) however silly or serious. It's all for fun. Don't forget your pseudonym. riacarmela@gmail.com

10 Privacy Settings Every Facebook User Should Know

2009-02-07T02:56:00.000-08:00

10 Privacy Settings Every Facebook User Should Know

Posted by Nick O'Neill on February 2nd, 2009 11:00 AM

Everyday I receive an email from somebody about how their account was hacked, how a friend tagged them in the photo and they want a way to avoid it, as well as a number of other complications related to their privacy on Facebook. Over the weekend one individual contacted me to let me know that he would be removing me as a friend from Facebook because he was “going to make a shift with my Facebook use - going to just mostly family stuff.”

Perhaps he was tired of receiving my status updates or perhaps he didn’t want me to view photos from his personal life. Whatever the reason for ending our Facebook friendship, I figured that many people would benefit from a thorough overview on how to protect your privacy on Facebook. Below is a step by step process for protecting your privacy.

1. Use Your Friend Lists

I can’t tell you how many people are not aware of their friend lists. For those not aware of what friend lists are, Facebook describes them as a feature which allows “you to create private groupings of friends based on your personal preferences. For example, you can create a Friend List for your friends that meet for weekly book club meetings. You can create Friend Lists for all of your organizational needs, allowing you to quickly view friends by type and send messages to your lists.”

There are a few very important things to remember about friend lists:

You can add each friend to more than one friend group
Friend groups should be used like “tags” as used elsewhere around the web
Friend Lists can have specific privacy policies applied to them

I’ll touch on each of the things listed above in more detail later. A typical setup for groups would be “Friends”, “Family”, and “Professional”. These three groups can then be used to apply different privacy policies. For example, you may want your friends to see photos from the party you were at last night, but you don’t want your family or professional contacts to see those photos.

Using friend lists is also extremely useful for organizing your friends if you have a lot of them. For instance I have about 20 friend lists and I categorize people by city (New York, San Francisco, D.C., Tel Aviv, etc), where I met them (conferences, past co-workers, through this blog), and my relationship with them (professional, family, social, etc).

You can configure your friend lists by visiting the friends area of your Facebook.

Inauguration in Lego

2009-02-05T22:18:00.000-08:00

This amazed me....

(www.boston.com link)

But this amazes me more!

(Scene 360 Illusion link)

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

2009-02-05T09:02:00.000-08:00

Rating: 3/5 stars
Genre: Romantic Comedy

Watched this movie belatedly, as this was in the theaters around summer last year.

Jason Segel (Marshall in How I Met Your Mother) apparently wrote the movie. It's a funny movie, but it's all too familiar, i think i've watched it on tv somewhere (where did he star again?), otherwise, there are too much episodes like this in real life. I guess when your watching as a third (uninterested) person, getting over someone would be really funny. There's some frontal nudity if that would be a plus...but i guess it wasn't haha.

Kirsten Bell (Veronica Mars) is just too cute in the movie, effective for the role too, the all-over-her-head ex-girlfriend. Mila Kunis, cute and all but honestly, she should stick to That 70s show (like the rest of the cast who never really made it beyond the show) and voice-ing for Family Guy. Russel Brand steals the show though.

3 stars because (1) i like "Marshall" by default (2) the setting is in Hawaii and (3) witty humor. If it weren't for those things i would not have even finished the movie.

Rotten Tomatoes: 84/100
IMDB: 7.5/10

Valentine's Erotica Series, No. 1

2009-02-05T07:37:00.000-08:00

Craving
by Shirley (not her real name)

A man of the world
yet untouched
by me.
The thought just enough
to keep this mouth wanting
to part the lips as if waiting.
Desiring
to lick off the heat from your skin
and to hear you cry out my name
again and again
until you forget that you have been
with anyone else.
To get you intoxicated in my aura
that in the morning
you are left with nothing
but a bittersweet taste
and a constant craving.

-----
Participate in Ria's valentine's project. Contribute your erotic writings (hahaha!) however silly or serious. It's all for fun. Don't forget your pseudonym. riacarmela@gmail.com

Funny Superbowl Ads

2009-02-02T07:35:00.001-08:00

First one is my favorite. :D

The People's Mario

2009-02-01T07:43:00.000-08:00

I grew up loving this game but never getting past stage 8 or so, coz i never had the patience and there were no memory cards then.

From the author:

"Based on that silly Rumor saying mario had subliminal communist propaganda. (communist-mario.com)

My 3rd flash, done in 2 weeks, lots of experimenting in this one.
The hammer was used because he had one in Donkey Kong, also it aided to the style."

Got the video here.

DB and VB for Armani

2009-01-31T18:48:00.000-08:00

Hot is the word. But the husband's ads are bordering on crass, don't you think? Then again, nothing beats the D&G Jeans Ad.

(click the photos for links to the articles).

Britney's Clever Song

2009-01-29T16:32:00.000-08:00

I swear, Britney is getting more and more interesting the longer she stay's in business. The second wave is even better, starting with that video which inspired me to get fit asap (haha), now this so-called controversial song.

"If you seek Amy"...
Now say it again.
Faster.
Get it?
It's not even that subtle, but somehow I find it clever. hehe.
"...All of the boys and all of the girls are begging to if you seek Amy."

Certainly not about a girl named Amy. Too crass for Philippine radio.
Five stars? hehe.

About

2000-01-01T06:14:00.000-08:00

Ria is (first and foremost) a law student, an athlete, a camera hobbyist (85 levels down from "photographer"), a pretend food, movie and music critic.