Google Reader, NetVibes, and X

Outside office tasks, I haven't been able to think clearly and speak articulately. I seem to be in some kind of disorganized state of mind. I try not to do anything while I'm in this state so I could avoid committing blunders. However, it's been weeks and I haven't "fixed" myself yet. Things to do have piled up, and productivity has been jeopardized. 

Let me try putting things back on perspective. Kidding! I can't just do that nor publicly write about that. HAHAHA Anyway, I was a bit shocked that Google Reader is closing. 

Around 30 minutes after getting the shock of my life, I turned to NetVibes and wasted roughly 5 hours of my life manually transferring my subscriptions. Siguro, isa yun sa dahilan kung bakit sabaw na sabaw ako ngayon.

I miss Google Reader's "explore" and "tag" features. I know Google Reader is still up and it's too early to miss it because it is not even gone yet. HAHAHAHA but you see, I've stopped using GReader. I just don't think that I should stick with something that I know will not be there for me anymore. CHOS. HAHAHAHA

Seriously, I am already using NetVibes because I want to get used to it as soon as possible. 

See 5 Best Google Reader Alternatives based on LifeHack's readers

PS

The sky is beginning to clear once again. The clouds are dissipating. I predict that it will be a "sunny" day tomorrow. If not, I have my umbrella with me anyway. 

Focus on your right arm, Arlet.

UP Naming Mahal

U.P. naming mahal, pamantasang hirang
Ang tinig namin, sana'y inyong dinggin
Malayong lupain, amin mang marating'

Di rin magbabago ang damdamin

Di rin magbabago ang damdamin.

Luntian at pula, Sagisag magpakailanman

Ating pagdiwang, bulwagan ng dangal
Humayo't itanghal, giting at tapang
Mabuhay ang pag-asa ng bayan

Mabuhay ang pag-asa ng bayan.

Nobody would genuinely want to die, but anybody, at some point in life, would want all the problems to disappear. Lots have been said about her death, perhaps it is time for us to be silent, to recognize her passing alone. 

Peace be with her and her family. 

Food Porn: Swagat Indian Cuisine

I first knew of Swagat through the book "115 Manila Restaurants We Love." Swagat, which means welcome in Hindi, is located near my office. Thus, I asked an officemate to eat there. I was excited to try the food since Indian cuisine is known to be flavorful!

It was a little past lunch but there weren't people around - which I liked. It is also notable that the place looked really Indian. Even the television show and the background music were Indian -which I also liked. 

My friend and I ordered chicken biryani and egg curry after the waitress assured us that the serving is good for sharing. To our disappointment, the food was obviously made for a single person only, so we had to order extra rice each. 

This is not for sharing!

Food Porn: Star Cafe and Restaurant

The moment we arrived in Baguio, my boss immediately suggested that we eat at Star Cafe and Restaurant. He says that it is the best Chinese restaurant in Baguio, and that his family have always eaten there long before I was born - Star Cafe has been there since 1940. And yes, my boss is Chinese.

 

My boss ordered lots of food but I wasn't able to try everything because I was embarrassed to go to the other table just to try their dishes. HAHAHA Of course, I just tried what was served on our table. 

We started with the soup. It got cold pretty fast because of the weather but it did help regain my appetite (I lost it from the long travel time from Manila to Baguio).

The chopsuey was tasty, and the vegetables were a little crispy. I liked it. Well, the ladies in the bunch said that the vegetables used were fresh, I wouldn't know :) 

Duck!

Looking for Alaska

"She had the kind of eyes that predisposed you to supporting her every endeavor"

courtesy of redbubble.com

I am not a fan of Alaska, but I did like the book. I imagine liking it more had I read it when I was still in my teenage years, and not now - when I "can" partially judge the characters as immature young adults. 

The book presented various metaphors and interesting characters. I like metaphors; I like being able to anticipate what's going to happen (but I hate it when what's going to happen is so cliche that the story is just overly predictable.) 

On the story

I said it before, I am not comfortable of not knowing or being unable to explain what happened, but I guess, John Green, the author, does not care about my comfort zone. Thus, he made a book without a resolve in it, a book which forces the readers to have peace of mind despite not knowing.

On characters 

The characters are all well thought of and developed. Each has his / her own x-factor. 

1. Alaska - Again, I am not a fan of Alaska. I think that she is a careless and selfish person - a person who does not care about the feelings of her friends, a person who just wants to escape her pains even if it will hurt the people who care about her. But I don't blame her; she drowned herself with guilt. Guilt (among other negative emotions), when kept too long, is poison 

Was it Jack the Giant Slayer?

The story is cliche - or maybe I'm just getting old and humorless. HAHAHA

courtesy of collider.com

I think I enjoyed watching the trailers and commercials before the film than the actual film itself. To be fair, I wasn't a fan of the story of Jack and the Beanstalk, but that is a completely different story. Anyway, the end of the film hints that there will be a part 2, which I think is asking too much of the audiences' patience.

Fee Fi Fo Fum.

The end of the story pretty much disregarded Pixar's Storytelling Rule #19 - Coincidences to get characters into trouble are great; coincidences to get them out of it is cheating.

P.S.
I think I'm just a little bitter because I wanted to watch Silver Linings, but I was a minority in the group that I was with. Hence, I ended up watching the cheesy and predictable Jack the Giant Slayer.