Food Porn: Kebab Turki!

One thing is for sure, I wasn't a fan of Kebab before I tried Kebab Turki. AND THIS IS NOT AN EXAGGERATION. HAHAHA.

I only found out of Kebab Turki when my good friend randomly decided to treat everyone  for lunch. Two of my friends only have praise for the product - which I didn't really care about because those two friends are likely to eat anything. But boy, were they right!

HAHAHA the kebab was soft and tender, unlike other kebabs with almost rubbery texture. The flavor was also satisfying! The wrap - just right, not too crisp, but not too soft. Overall, it was very tasty! BTW, the packaging was also adorable! See below.

You just have to pull the paper handle, and your kebab will pop out, hihi QT!

Because I got really interested with this brand, I tried to Google it, and I here's the result:

Kebab Turki is Indonesia's premier food chain, and it is currently expanding in different Southeast Asian countries, such as the Philippines. The brand was founded by a young entrepreneur who is now recognized internationally. But the most important news is that, THERE IS A KEBAB TURKI BRANCH IN ROB ERMITA, and it's just in Padre Faura wing!!!

HAHAHA, how I wish I was still a student in Faura. For sure, Kebab Turki Rob Ermita would have been my tambayan - just like Mexicali, Cerealicious, Wham!, Chicago Pizza, etc. Congrats UP Manila and St. Paul Manila students, dumadami na yung pwedeng niyong kainan, hahaha. I don't know about St. Paul, but I'm pretty sure UP Manila's canteen offers almost the same food today as it did during my freshman year back in 2008. Mehehe, that's why new food stalls and stores are always welcome around the area.

P.S.
Kebab Turki delivers via City Delivery. Just dial 87878.

The Strangers (2012)

So here goes my comprehensive review for the movie The Strangers (2012):

Tangina, please lang.

Food Porn: Mexicali

My friends and I have always been a fan of Mexicali so imagine my (and my friends') excitement when I (we) found out that City Delivery 87878 will now be delivering for Mexicali! HAHAHA blame this on the Mexicali branch in Robinsons Ermita. I mean it was the most convenient place where my friends and I can eat lunch with beer!

Obviously, Mexicali offers Mexican food such as burritos, tacos, nachos, and quesadillas. I like all except burrito. I find their burritos oily - or maybe it's just how burritos are made, hihi.

Anyway, Mexicali offerings are really affordable and it is a good deviation from the usual food that we Filipinos eat. Overall, I'll still eat and order from Mexicali.

P.S.
I have a certain emotional attachment with Mexicali so (as should always be) take my opinions with a grain of salt.

Wishlist

Hi person-who-got-my-name-for-this-year's-exchange-gift!

Here are some of the suggestions that you may want to consider in buying a present for me. HAHAHA and I appreciate your taking the time to read this post. Thanks!

1. Jumpsuit
Not the glamorous one, but the lazy loose jumpsuit that I can use whenever I need to go, drop, and roll - which is almost all the time.

courtesy of casualcutie.com

2. Studded leather vest (or leather shorts)
I've been trying to passively look for this since last year, I haven't found one that I liked.

courtesy of worldshopper.multiply.com

3.  Taekwondo shoes 
I miss kicking. I used to have Kix shoes (size 6.5), but it I never got to find one ever again. Lalala, I think Adidas would work too :) I mean, as long as the shoes are light enough for me to move around.

4. Office wear 
Dresses, skirts (26), blazers, long sleeve blouses, loose tops will be appreciated, but I suggest you refrain from buying pants - Pants rarely fit me well so I would rather buy (and try)  it on my own.

5. Books 
I promised myself that I'm going to start reading because I am obviously missing out a lot. Okay, you can judge me now since I didn't read books unless it was required. In my defense, I didn't have spare money to buy books :)

6. Night/reading lamp
I just actually need a light/switch near my bed so I wouldn't need to stand up to close the lights whenever I'm about to sleep.

7. Trekking shoes
I think that I'll go somewhere "rocky/muddy/not safe for doll shoes" every once in a while. Thus, I'll be needing a durable and sleek/light shoes with me.

courtesy of idmountaincentre.com

8. Bicycle
Truth be told, I do not know how to ride a bike, but I would like to learn how. And learning will have to start with having the medium to do so. Thus, a bike :) *Edited May 2013 - I know how to ride a bike now! and I have a bike too, courtesy of my father :)

courtesy of wired.com

9. Bluetooth headset

Bluetooth headset seems cool, right? my earphone wires always get tangled in my pocket so after a few months it starts malfunctioning. It's the same story over and over again.

Rise of the Guardians

Rise of the Guardians is just a so-so film for me. I liked the animation and the characters, but the development of the story was a little too predictable for me. I guess it's really made for kids, and not kids at heart. Don't get me wrong though, I still caught myself laughing during some parts of the movie, it's just that I would have wanted to get more from it.

courtesy of Collider.com

My boss told me that he liked Rise of the Guardians better than How To Train Your Dragon, well that's his opinion. My favorite non-Japanese animated films are still (1) How to Train Your Dragon, and (2) Tangled. HAHAHA I'm that dorky.

P.S.
Please keep in mind that I was really sleepy and a little hungry during the movie. Thus, this might have affected me in enjoying the film less than I could have, had I not been subjected to such conditions.

I have to admit, Jack Frost was so dreamy when he was still a human :)
"Do you stop believing in the moon when the sun comes out?"

Food Porn: Ba Nois

Pho Hai San (seafood noodle soup) and Bo Luc Lac (Stir Fried Honey-Spiced Beef with Fried Basil) - The names are so difficult to remember.

In Vietnam, Ba Noi means grandmother on the father side. Anyway, I am not a fan of Vietnam noodles so I wasn't impressed by its taste. However, I loved Bo Luc Lac. Upon delivery, the ingredients of Bo Luc Lac are put in separate containers so you'll have to mix it yourself. I suggest you use the chili seasoning sparingly. HAHAHA I didn't, so it became very spicy, but still to my liking.

P.S.

I find the price a little too much for its serving size, but you know me, I dislike spending too much / not getting the (apparent) value of what I pay for.


Ba Noi's delivers via City Delivery. Just dial 87878.

"Mom For All, All For Mom"

My mom has always been a sharp lady, but old age is catching up with her. Lately, she's being forgetful and mindless, but that is not the problem. The real problem here is that I am not as patient and understanding to her as I would like to be. It seems that I've gotten so used to expecting a lot from her. But I guess it's time she expects a lot from me. And it pains me that I cannot deliver.

Whatever.

P.S.
I know we get hurt by people we care for because we give a fuck, but why do we (tend to) hurt the ones we love and care for? Why do I tend to hurt the ones I work so hard to take care of.

I wonder if all these is human nature?

Last full show by myself, Rurouni Kenshin

Last full show by myself, I regret nothing. And I can't stop smiling :)

I was looking forward to Rurouni Kenshin's live action movie for around a year now. That said, I'll definitely do everything in my ability to watch it (even if it means going out alone at night, and on a workday). I actually planned to watch it with my friends, but we were unable to fit everyone's schedule, and I'm as impatient as I can be.

Anyway, upon arriving 2 hours early for the last full show, I was absolutely certain that there were lots of seats that I could choose from, but lo and behold there were only 4 remaining seats when I got to the counter, OMG I just got more excited.

Because I was early, I was able to look at the people coming in the cinema. Most of them are actually alone too... which made me feel that they are like me, a fan :) This preconceived notion of mine was proven later in the movie. Watching Samurai X (local title of the series) with fans was very heartwarming. You hear their laughter and deep breaths and sighs the same time you make your own non verbal reactions :) 

Film review

Please take note that I'm a fan of the anime and manga, and I give relatively high score to everything, unless I had a very crappy user experience.

Should you not talk to strangers?

Do you talk to strangers? Do you smile at people whom you do not know? How do you feel when a stranger approaches you, or smiles at you? How do you react to people? How should you react to people?

I consciously try to shape my notions of people by not giving in to certain stereotypes. I try not to be judgmental and biased to everyone. I try to be friendly (with a few exceptions: when I'm hungry, when I have menstrual cramps, or when I'm under any negative condition - but even then, I try to be respectful.) Still, I guess trying to be nice/positive can backfire too - especially if you're like me, a bad judge of character.

Sometimes, people try to take advantage of me because I SEEM like an easy target. I remember someone telling me that I should not smile when I'm in public places. He said that I should always look mad so people would avoid me. HAHAHA Although it makes sense, I find it counterproductive. In psychology, one's physical mood can affect one's real mood. Thus, if I pretend to be mad for too long, chances are I'll somehow be in a negative mood. This is because my body sends signals to the brain, which the brain then reads, and reinforce, blah blah blah.

Other times, people misunderstand your niceness, and this misunderstanding can be VERY frustrating - and creepy. And the creepiness makes me think that it's better to just appear mad all the time. 

Then I remember my days as a volunteer for different projects back in High School. I got affected by mad people, while I felt extreme happiness when the others smiled at me, or thanked me profusely, or whatever. It felt good, to be smiled at. 

Hmmm, it's still freaky for me to be "misunderstood", but whatever, if I didn't talk to strangers before, then I might not have any friends today. I guess I'll just have to stomach certain kinds of people/situations or better yet, be a good judge of character so I could discern and avoid the ones with ulterior motives. 

P.S.

Companions say that I sometimes attract people with hidden agenda because of my appearance - that is unruly hair, piercings, and tattoos. Hmmm, regardless of how I look, a decent person is decent. 

 A decent person is decent. 

Let the world wonder, Puerto Princesa

I miss the mountains already. Sometimes, I fee like I don't belong in the city. Instead, I belong in the mountains, the trees, the wind, the sea, the sky... CHOS, gusto ko lang din nang sembreak (every month).

I said this to myself last month, and I guess I can't not follow what my heart desires. This is why I'm giving myself a break every week, and a "sembreak" every month :)) Hence, Puerto Princesa!

Puerto Princesa is in Palawan, which is dubbed as the cleanest place in the Philippines. I don't know about the other clean places in the Philippines (yet), but littering is strictly prohibited in Palawan. 

1. The City Tour (via World Holiday Travel and Tours)

The city tour is just a quick tour in the city's tourist spots like (1) Plaza Cuartel - where around 150 American soldiers were burned down alive by the Japanese soldiers, (2) Crocodile Farm - where lots of reptiles (and other wildlife) are taken care of, (3) Mitra's ranch - where you can try horseback riding, (4) Baker's Hill - where you can buy delicious food, and take photos of different icons and characters, (5) Binuatan Creations - where you can try weaving place mats and other stuff, (6) Baywalk - where Palawan's giant Christmas tree is erected.

Food Porn: Fely J's

Crispy patang bawang and crispy sisig by Fely J's

It was fine, a hearty meal. Maybe I ought to order other dishes next time, because I'm getting bored with crispy pata already - my brother likes it so we always order it. Lalala

Fely J's delivers via City Delivery. Just dial 87878.

Go Baguio!

If Baguio were a person, then he would be the cool guy whom everyone likes. He's the type whom you'd like to meet again because, even though he has so many friends, he won't make you feel like you're left out.

It was around 9 pm when my friend and I arrived at Victory Liner bus station in Cubao, but we got aboard around 1 am. It was too late when we found out that there's such a thing called chance passengers in buses. It's both our first time to ride a bus to Baguio so we didn't know any better. I was amazed at the number of people coming in to the station in such an ungodly hour. HAHAHA Out of boredom, I even followed the conversations that people were having. 

Touchdown Baguio, I immediately regretted not bringing any pants/legwarmers, because I clearly underestimated its November weather. All right, let the tour begin. 

Food Porn | Blue Toque

Blue Toque's cookies and brownies are definitely tasty, but I feel that they are a bit overpriced. Overall, I won't buy it on my own because I'll feel cheated. -I guess I'm not Blue Toque's target audience, HAHAHA.

Blue Toque delivers via City Delivery. Just dial 87878.

Food porn | Blackbeard's seafood Island

Dapitan's Pride boodle

My family is not fond of trying out new restaurants or whatever unless it is always recommended by their friends. Thus, I have sworn to myself that I'll treat them to something new every payday. And for last month's, I decided to let them try a boodle from Blackbeard's Seafood Island.

First, there was a generous amount of serving for each type of food. The smaller boodle can be for 3-5 people depending on each person's capacity to take in food. Second, the liempo, squid, crab, and tilapia all tasted great. The shrimp is also undeniably fresh (according to mama). We all liked it. However, we all felt that the san mig clams tasted bland, while the laing lacked coconut milk and other spices.

Overall, the food was okay, just okay. I'll try this restaurant again, but not this dish.

Blackbeard's Seafood Island delivers via City Delivery. Just dial 87878.

Food Porn | Cucina

Seafood ala pobre, seafood paella, calamares

I like it (the food) here. It doesn't feel stuffy like most fast food does. I don't remember the exact prices but I'm quite sure it's cheap- around 100php. It would be satisfactory for a usual and affordable lunch out- well at least if you're near Food Choices, Glorietta, Makati.   

Overall, I liked the food and would definitely try it again next time.

P.S. Cucina offers a mix of Spanish-Fiilipino cuisine. 

Food porn | Hungree Burgers

Hindi para sa tunay na lalaki o para sa tunay na babae, para lang talaga sa gutom

The price of Hungree burgers ranges from 50php to 175php. Likewise, nobody should expect its taste to be groundbreaking. At the most, it tastes like yum burger of Jollibee, and it's big - suitable for the hungry. My advice is that you only try this when you're really hungry - because everything tastes great for the hungry. 

Overall, the food is okay to mediocre. I'll eat it if it's served, but I won't buy it on my own whims. I'd choose McDo's cheeseburger anytime.

P.S.

I'll be posting about food very now and then, because my work implicitly demands that I get familiar with different quick service restaurants, fine dining restaurants, (food) home-based businesses, etc.

Hungree Burgers delivers via City Delivery. Just dial 87878.

Solitary retreat to Mt Pinatubo

Because at that moment, I felt invincible,

And happy. 

And so, I will do it again,

And again,

And again.

The darkness of my shadow seem to fit the whiteness of lahar

The past 2 months of being a full time earner have made me question my integrity as a daughter, as a sister, as a friend, and as a person. I felt that days were wasted into tasks that doesn't count in my aspirations. Lately, I always catch myself planning things that doesn't involve anyone - not my family, nor my friends, nor the society;  I always catch myself thinking of retreating from everyone and everything.

Lately, I always catch myself thinking of nothing but myself.

And it's scaring me- that I've got all these wonderful people around me, and yet I am always more inclined to leave them at shore; sail my own boat. Sometimes it worries me that they won't let me rest in their shores anymore, or that they see me as an ungrateful, selfish person who leaves and goes back without notice. It worries me, but right now, I'm just thankful that the opposite always happens. They always welcome me, listen to my stories, and laugh with me. 

For that alone, I have the courage to leave, and feel secure that I have my sanctuaries to go back to - no matter what.

Okay, I'm sorry. I didn't notice that my tone has been draggy for the past few paragraphs. Anyway, I just felt the need to leave Manila on my own, since If I can't live on my own yet, then I will leave on my own! Forgive the pun, hihi. (because sometimes you can only run away, and go back when you're ready.)

Thus, last November 11, I joined a tour to Mt. Pinatubo via Travel and Save Tours. At first, I was scared because I felt ridiculous traveling on my own, but whatever, I do more ridiculous stuff than this so WTH. Nonetheless, I was very lucky to be grouped with such nice people:

Into the Wild

Do you know what you want to do in life, or how you want to spend your time before you die? Well, I don't. Back in grade school, high school, and college, almost everything was laid out for me. Wake up, go to school, submit requirements, have semestral breaks, occasionally learn something new/meet someone new, et cetera-et cetera; it was there. It may have been as clear as Dora's map. Thus, I never felt lost.

Fast forward to the present, I feel lost (again, HAHAHA)

The inner child in me tells me that she does not want to work, even more so to be a burden to her family or friends. She doesn't want pork's fat either. What she wants to do is go places, meet faces, and just live. You know, be a nomad, or be like Forrest Gump. Sometimes she imagines herself to be Forrest Gump, and she hears the lines, "run Forrest, run." That line runs in her head like crazy. Even now, I can hear it screaming through her head.

I digress.

Maybe all these emotions are brought about by my recent "occupation" in life, a corporate slave. From the idealistic student, to the fresh grad, to the ever so loyal corporate slave. HAHAHA I guess I just miss the University - its people and culture, but I don't want to miss it so much that I actually miss this moment now.

Vanity post: Magazine Break

"Everyone is vain, the manifestations just differ" - Sir Chong (Audio-visual class)

Chos. HAHAHA, the said quotation is just my pretentious way of justifying this post. Anyway, 2 or 3 years ago, I joined the Cosplay Snapshot Project. However, I totally forgot that I did, and just 2 weeks ago, I met with my friend who showed me a copy of the project. Here!

That Killua cosplayer is my best friend :)

And here, look!

hihi, I made it to the first page of the Cosplay Snapshot Project. So yeah, that was me (2 or 3 years ago) as Kororo from Shaman King.

All right, on to my next pseudo magazine break, hihi.

Communique: UP Manila Organizational Communication's online magazine

Yay! As you can see, I made it to the cover page! BUT this was more of a coincidence because the photo was not an official photo (noticed the photo's inferior quality?) It just happened that the layout editor and editor in chief took a liking in my so close meme imitation during our graduation ceremonies.

So that's that! Sorry for taking 5 minutes of your life that will never come back. HAHAHA

Curiosity Feeds The Cat

My family's cat is named Juno, but everyone calls her pusa. She would sleep in my room from morning until afternoon -she's nocturnal, but lately she's been busy just looking out the window.

Although I find her antics fascinating, it worries me sometimes, especially that one time when I left my window open (My room is in the third floor). I was worried that pusa might jump on the window, like she always does, and accidentally fall off, huhu.

Reminded me of my Nat Geo shirt:

Captain Obvious's translation: curiosity killed the cat

Thank heavens Juno was peacefully asleep when I came back to check on her. In fairness to cats, they're very clever (and show off - kills anything she can kill and leave it in your room; territorial - pisses in her perceived territory; manipulative-has her way of working her "pheromones", etc HAHAHA). Well, I still care for her.

Just look at her :))

Makes me wonder why the term "cat lady" is derogatory, hmmm

We Should All Be Informed (ABC of FOI Bill)

Why haven’t you availed your yellow/green/red card yet? I do not know how to.
Why did you not vote? I cannot decide whom to vote for because I do not know enough about the candidates/party lists.
Check if you are paying the right amount of tax. I do not know how.
No, do not turn right yet, that is against the law! What? I did not know that.
Why did you do that, that is considered as corruption? It's okay, no one will know anyway.

The most common excuse that I hear people say for failing to do the “right” thing is, “I don’t know” or “no one will know anyway.” Sure ignorance of the law excuses no one, but what if the law is not showing itself? What if the citizens are uninformed because information itself is elusive? I see people who could avail so much more from the Government, yet are unable to do so because they don’t know how to. I have witnessed people commit unlawful acts, because they have no idea that the acts were unlawful in the first place. I can imagine officials who are tempted to be corrupt because they think, “no one will find out anyway.”

This kind of ignorance should end (or be drastically lessened). And I believe that the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill can address this issue.

A. What is FOI bill?

DIY cropped top with back details

Just a few days ago, I needed to sort out my closet for clothes that I could do without. While doing so, I found a statement shirt that was given during the first TAYO youth camp. I like statement shirts and this was no exception, but it was just too big for me. Thus, a DIY project!

Tip: Begin with the end in mind (from 7 habits of highly effective people)

 #LookbookAngPeg HAHAHAHAHA

1. Get a shirt that you want to crop

2. Cut to your desired length and look. Make sure that you are completely positive about the resulting look before cutting the shirt. I recommend having a half-inch allowance for edging.

Cut the left sleeve

Cut the right sleeve by using the left sleeve's cut pattern

Because I will die

I'm not being an asshole when I say that we will all die; death is certain after all. Thus, it is one of those topics that have to be pondered upon.

I've seen my friend's father died years ago. I've seen how that particular death sucked the life out my friend. In an instant, he became the breadwinner; his problems grew from college algebra to mortgage payment.

Everyone knows that death is inevitable, but no one bothers to talk about it. People just shrugged the thought off believing that it couldn't happen to them, at least not now, not in the next years to come. That mentality is typical; I've seen people say bad things can happen, yet act as if such bad things won't befall them. "Not to me," they thought.

I know that I will die; I just don't know how or when. But when I die, I don't want to leave my loved ones in a similar state that my friend underwent. I don't want to be like an unannounced typhoon that leaves its victims devastated and lost.

Chances are, I will not have control over how I will die, but it can only be 1 of 4: death out of terminal illness, organ failure, frailty, or sudden death.

Figure 1. Trajectories of dying. Reproduced with permission of Blackwell Publishing (Lunney JR, Lynne J, Hogan C. Profiles of older Medicare decendents. JAGS. 2002;50:1108-1112). as cited in ScienceDirect.com

Yet even with this knowledge, it is highly improbable to prepare for death, but I can try. I'm far from depressed or anything, I just had some free time to think about my life, and death is part of it. Instead of my pseudo "last will and testament", allow me to just post here my work on death, and how I want to feel about it.

Look me in the eye

EDIT (March, 2015)

I have a life insurance with Sunlife that I will hopefully not claim, but just use as savings/extra fund years from now. My financial advisor is Fely Tio, and my dependents are my parents. I already told my parents and my sister about this, but I'm writing it out here for documentation purposes.

See you around!
Arlet

How to register for the Civil Service Exam

Passing the civil service exam or career service examination is important for government employees who want to get promoted beyond salary grade 9. Well, says my mom. Having a government employee for a mother, I was greatly encouraged to take the exam. Even though my mother doesn't exactly encourage me to work for the government while I'm young. That said, I spent my whole day today completing all the necessary requirements. So here goes.

A. Requirements

1. Accomplished CS form no. 100 (Revised 2012)

-or if you are reading this after year 2012, then get the revised form for the current year. A part of the document must be filled in front of a civil service personnel, so read it carefully. Here's a link to the pdf document: http://excell.csc.gov.ph/FORMS/CSForm100rev2012.pdf.

There are 2 modes for taking CSE: (1) paper and pencil test -PPT, (2) computer assisted test -CAT. I was told that it's hard to get a slot for CAT so I opted for PPT instead.

CSE is also available in 2 levels: (1) subprofessional, (2) professional. Again, I was told that you have to pass the professional level to get promoted beyond salary grade 9 (assuming that you're a government employee).

2. Four (4) copies of ID pictures with the following specifications:

i. philippine passport size

ii. with hand written name tag in the format of: First name, Middle initial, Last name, extension name (if any)

iii. in white background

iv. visible ears, no earrings 

v. taken within the last 3 months prior to registering

3. One (1) original and photocopy of any (of your) ID from the following: Driver’s License, SSS ID, GSIS ID, Philhealth ID, current Company/Office ID, current School ID, Postal ID, BIR ID, Barangay ID, Voter’s ID, Valid Passport, or Police Clearance (name, picture, signature, birthdate, and the authority's official signature/mark should be present in the ID)

B. Process

1. Just submit the requirements to any field office of the Civil Service Commission (CSC). Here is a directory that might help you: http://excell.csc.gov.ph/cscweb/dir_fo.html#fo. I suggest you call its office first to make sure that it's open for submission. 

2. Pay 500php examination fee, get your receipt and keep it, and show up for your scheduled exam with the necessary documents and items. You'll be given the list once you've paid the exam fee. 

Note that the applicant himself/herself should be the one to answer the cs form, and also the one to submit the requirements to the CSC office. That's it! 

Keep hydrated, applicant!

Life is not meant to be crammed

I. Doing nothing is very hard to do; you don't know when you're finished.

Long before I graduated, I had already decided that I will take some time off after finishing college. Like most of the youths out there, I needed the time to find myself and recharge my soul. HAHAHA yes, it is so cliche, but that was necessary for me to keep moving forward. I have this constant need to pause (or even step back) once in a while, so I can detach myself from the issues at hand, and hopefully think clearly. I usually do this when I'm sorting out my priorities.

And now, the recharging-and-finding-myself period is over.

It turns out that I was not really lost, but I just needed a rest. I needed to goof around, to oversleep and wake up as the day ends, to watch movies, to draw what I wanted to draw, to learn something new-no matter how mundane, to have a trip with people I don't know, to attend a concert, to volunteer, to drink out of celebration, to spend time with my family, to finally meet with my old friends, to attend anime conventions, to visit museums and bazaars, to read books and articles just because I want to, to have a favorite movie, to spend time with my sister, to swim for fun, and to stop when I'm satisfied.

And those things I did, just like old times.

Perhaps I'm lucky because I can easily afford to not work right away, and I'm grateful for that. So here goes my next mission, to look for a job-starting in 3,2,..

China and the rest of the world will just have to move

Because of the recent disputes between China and Philippines over the Scarborough Shoal, the idea of patronizing Philippine-made Brands (Pmb) has intensified. However, there is hardly any concrete actions taken to support the idea. I, for one, as a consumer would like to patronize more products that are made in the Philippines. Unfortunately, I am oblivious to such brand names.

Courtesy of Colourbox.com

Thus, I have come up with a solution. Why don't we have a shelf or shelves in supermarkets, groceries, and convenience stores that is/are dedicated to Pmb, and is/are labeled as such. This way, the consumers will be aware of brands that are made in the Philippines - which can actually be profitable for the supermarkets too. In fact, a research done by Reader's digest Asia revealed that 94 percent of the Filipinos believe that supporting local brands will help the local economy to grow, and of this number, 68 percent will likely purchase a local one over its international counterpart (which is good news, right?)

So if this is implemented, each section in the supermarket which currently holds brands that are made in the Philippines will have a shelf labeled as such. For example, in the coffee section, there would be a shelf for Pmb which may be filled with Cafe Puro, San Mig coffee, or Nescafe. Likewise, the chocolate section will hold Pmb such as Goya, Choquick, Flat tops, and curly tops. Furthermore, the toothpaste section might hold Pmb such as Happee, Gumtech, Beam, Kutitap, and Unique. If a certain section in the supermarket currently has no Pmb products, then it's fine, no need to hassle the supermarkets to find themselves ones.

I am not saying that because of this, I will suddenly throw my habit of buying combos, hickory-smoked spam, and meiji's chocolates just like that, but what I'm saying is that this will somehow give the Filipino consumers a bigger chance to make an informed decision in buying their household needs. Sure, I might still choose the more affordable alternatives when it comes down to it, but at least I know my choices well.

So I guess, when it comes to product placement, products that are made in China and the rest of the world will just have to move for the Philippines. What do you think? Is it really beneficial as I think it would be? Or did I forget to think of some serious repercussions it might cause? Come on, tell me about it.

P.S.
Products with barcodes that start with 48 are Made in the Philippines.

Kalumpit: Don't pop that cherry

It's June! It's kalumpit season!

Here in Manila, few are aware of what a kalumpit is. This is why a kalumpit tree and its fruits are sometimes left to rot in the ground. Kalumpit is a cherry-like fruit that is popular in Batangas but I knew it from growing up in Nueva Ecija (there are lots of kalumpit there, particularly in Cabanatuan). My grandmother would regularly prepare sweetened kalumpit for us, so mama became fond of it.

Kalumpit (looks like duhat, right? HAHAHA)

I have actually mistaken a duhat for kalumpit because I am more familiar with kalumpit than duhat. 

Going back, mama asked me to accompany her to UP Diliman because she wants to pick some kalumpit. Not surprisingly for mama, she does not remember where the kalumpit tree is since it was long ago when she last picked some. She told me that she first started picking kalumpit in UP when she was still in college.  

The gut feel challenge

This may sound ridiculous but for 5 months now I've been playing this game. It's really simple.

The game:
You just tabulate the number of times you followed or did not follow your gut feel and write a sad face or smiling face depending on how it turned out.

Why play:
I don't know why I thought of this game but since it has given me such an interesting result I want to know if this can be replicated by others (so I will be really glad if you could share your result with me)

My result:
My result was that I followed my gut feel for 27 times and it all led to a happy face or nice result but during the start of the game I did not follow my gut feel for 8 times and it all led to a sad face or disappointing result.

Conclusion:
See? Isn't it interesting how our gut feel can always turn out to be right? I would not believe it had I not done it.

Most of the situations where I used gut feel were whenever I was stuck with two options. Sometimes the other choice being a product of my reasoning. It's really simple but the most common situation I was stuck with was "Should I wear shorts or pants?" (shorts because it looks as though it's really humid outside, pants because I feel like it's going to rain). BTW I never used gut feel alone to decide when I'm in a relatively crucial moment where a lot of things are at stake.

Side story:
I read somewhere (Social Intelligence?) that as a part of an experiment, someone with Alzheimer's was introduced to a doctor who then pricked the patient's hands. Then after some time, when the patient has already forgotten of the incident, he will again be introduced to the same doctor.

Results showed that the patient was having 2nd thoughts on whether to shake hands with the doctor or not. I forgot where the result was attributed to, but I say that it is our intuition, our instinct, our gut feel. I think somehow, gut feel has reasons, it's just that we have forgotten how to connect with ourselves and listen to our body that we put it off as something that cannot be explained and is therefore "unreasonable".

I think that if the mind can forget, the soul/the heart cannot.

Bicol express? Try Bicol impress!

Okay, that was a lame and ungrammatical joke.

Anyway, I was at CamSur Watersports Complex (CWC) last May 2-5 for the first ever TAYO summer youth camp (which was btw a real blast so I encouraged you guys to join next year)! Honestly, I didn't expect much when I decided to join the camp, especially because it was free. I thought that at best, it would be mediocre, but I was gravely mistaken. The camp was well planned, well organized, well budgeted, well implemented, and well documented! I was blown away.

HJ, Mae (photo courtesy of her too), Me

Since the camp was held at Bicol, I can't help but put a spotlight on the region, it is a fantastic place after all. That said, here are my top 5 impressive things about Bicol (and the camp).

5. Can be reached via bus (car)

Bus 1

You know I love plane rides but I like long bus rides just as much (especially if I'm with the right people, if you know what I mean, hahaha) However, I advise that you bring a really thick and large jacket because most of the buses will be really cold and you might have a hard time resting if the temperature is unbearable. The bus ride usually takes 10-12 hours, and freezing to death while in the bus is not a very good way to die, don't you think? hihi

4. Bicol Express 
or the Bicol cuisine is known for its use of chilies, coconut milk, and shrimp paste. It's usually spicy to very spicy in nature. I kind of like it since my father is a Bicolano (and he has greatly influenced what I like and dislike). My favorite would be laing (gabi/taro leaves in coconut oil and chilies) although their laing is presented differently since they have it wrapped in some kind of leaf. I actually like the unwrapped laing more because I find it juicier, therefore the spices spread more. Oh well, to each his own.

BTW they made me eat a whole chili (as a challenge that I needed to accept) and I immediately turned bulimic. I swear it is the only time when I am thankful that my stomach throws up everything that I don't like. I remembered the time when I ate a siling labuyo to sober up and I ended up puking every damn alcohol in my body. Well, if you can imagine that, then it's the same ugly sight.

Written between the lines

I told myself before that I won't write anything thesis-related once it's over. After all, I already passed and I'm already contented with that. Nonetheless, one email changed my mind and actually made me look back on my thesis life.

Not surprisingly, "Thesis-ing" is so much more than just Living the Brand: An Exploratory Study on Brand-Supporting Behaviors Among Selected Employees of Organization X. It is so much more than just learning how to decently write an academic paper, and certainly more than just getting your respondents done and over. In fact, I now quite understand why Dr. Sarile, the founder of Organizational Communication in the Philippines, insisted that a research subject like this be kept in the current and future curriculum of OrCom. Just like UP, "thesis-ing" is a very holistic way of learning, inside and outside the classroom. It is a holistic way of learning how and when to adhere and not to adhere with certain protocols of society. But that, you'll have to learn on your own.

Villanueva, AC | Living the Brand: An Exploratory Study on Brand Supporting Behaviors among...

Writing my thesis was mentally, physically, emotionally, socially, and even spiritually taxing that I got really stressed out. There was even a time when literally my whole family was suffering from dengue but I wasn't. Maybe it was my mind telling me that I cannot afford to get sick at that moment. Another time, out of desperation, I wanted to pay people or have them kidnapped just to get an immediate interview, but instead, I went to company X and bluffed my way in. I pretended to know some random person from LinkedIn and had an appointment with her. While waiting for the random person, I interviewed employees who were passing time at the lobby. Good thing, she never really came, and I finished my quota. 

Later that night, respondents also emailed me. You could just imagine how grateful I was (and still am). As most people know, I am a devoted-Catholic-turn-agnostic-turn-i-have-my-own-notion-of-god-and-you-have-your-own-it's-cool kind of person, thus I'm not as "religous" as most people are. I don't "pray" but I say praise where it is due, and that time I honestly felt divine intervention so I was and am really thankful. Whether that was just a random, inevitable circumstance or not, I'm thankful, to the respondents, and to some powerful being that I cannot objectively explain right now.

Oh, yeah, the email! Here it is (kinikilig ako shet) HAHAHA

So yeah, my paper got accepted for presentation at the Lupcon Center for Business Research (LCBR) European Marketing Conference 2012 in Munich, Germany. I want to go but I can't. Why? GYAHAHA, because I'm poor and I don't have the money to fly to Germany just to do some kind of presentation that I haven't even done here in my country yet. Having said that, I haven't replied to the email yet, I don't know how to. 

Oh well. Maybe next time, when I have my own money, and am totally independent already. 

Still, this form of recognition is nice :)  

YOOPIE diary

Experiencing University of the Philippines



Tomorrow (at 7:30am) will be our college graduation, and 2 days after (same time) is our University graduation. And the usual dilemma of graduating students haunts me - I can't sleep. That said, here are the random bits of my UP life (excluding my thesis experience)

1. When I'm late, professors tell otherwise

A. 1st yr, 1st day

P: What time does your class start?
Me: ughm-
P: -I believe it was 5 minutes ago (locks the door, leaving me with a-wtf-happened-face)

Edited: I eventually chose this person as my thesis adviser during my senior year

B. 3rd year, 1st day

Me: Sir, I was late
P: Ah yes, you're absent.

Edited: I never really came to like this professor, but I respect him.

2. How professors and/or students talk

A. 1st year, Math class

Prof: What comes to your mind when you see "x"
Student: Inferiority complex

B. 4th yr, 1st day

Professor: The important thing is that you will all graduate
Student: -no matter how long it takes
Professor: exactly, quality education may take time

Edited: the same thesis adviser I mentioned a while ago

3. How we roll

Because there was a sudden brownout in UP Manila during the finals of the students, some stayed inside the class and sweat their brains out (see what I did there? HAHAHA), while some went out instead.

'Iskolar ng Bayan' will adapt. 

Lahat mahirap, walang madali sa UP, walang madali sa buhay.  

UPCAT sana makapasa ako...forever 

4. Complain to jeepney drivers: "Hindi porket walang uniporme, hindi na estudyante"
5. Rally and demonstrations are very common

6. Humor and wit everywhere (can be witnessed especially during random chats, events, vandals, and even application for the University's official publication)

see overheard at UP facebook for other "relevant" posts

7. Classic UP "banats"

A. The batman joke

courtesy of overheard at UP facebook fan page 

B. The annoying question

courtesy of tumblr.com 

Quotes from UP professors and students

A. Be rich, then speak for those who can't
B. We are so deprived that we are pushed to become creative
C. What will you defy for the future to enjoy?
D. Sell your soul to the devil, but know how to buy it back
(Sir Chong, audio visual comm class)

E. If you truly are a great University, produce knowledge and leave the transmission of that knowledge to less great Universities (Sir Paeng)

F. Developed countries exploited our nation and nature, let us fight back through piracy, take their 'knowledge' for free (I don't want to name)

G. If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything (Mary Anne)
H. Don't aim to graduate in time, graduate on time (me to myself)
I. When you're a professor, you can't just be chapters ahead, you have to be at least several volumes ahead (Burn)

J. It's a tragedy to think that there's no more hope for the Philippines; what will happen to the 90 million Filipinos living here then? (Ma'am Castillo)

K. You are not trained to win a contest but to do the ultimate goal (Sir Barry)
L. Don't confuse practice with process (Ma'am Aya)
M. A thank you would have sufficed (Sir Vinzons)

UP does not just change people, it hones us. I have to return the favor somehow, because to whom much is given, much is expected.

Honor and excellence, padayon!

See you around!
Arlet