Thank You World!

This video brought me to tears...happy tears. The whole world knew what happened when Tyhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines, particularly the Tacloban province. I have relatives at Tacloban who suffer the onslaught of Yolanda (our local name for Typhoon Haiyan) which leaves thousands of people dead and millions of property damage. And they, too, among other people affected at Tacloban were recovering months after. THANKS TO THE WORLD. We are a strong spirited nation but we are very thankful to the people all over the world who reaches out (and still reaching out) to help in any way possible. And this video is a 'thank you' to all those who help Tacloban. 

When the strongest typhoon meets the strongest people (and with lots of help from the world) Philippines will survive!

It's Cold!!!

I am a summer girl. I mentioned it here a couple of times. That is why I feel a little off with the weather these days. It's too cold! I can make do with a light breeze or a mild draft. But what we are experiencing here in the Philippines (being a tropical country and all) is not light nor mild. Last Sunday was the coldest (8.1 degrees Celsius) in Baguio recorder this year. Here in Metro Manila, we experience a 17.5 degrees Celsius temperature last Saturday. Brrrrr.....

My problem with this weather are....

• My normal shower time is 45 minutes or up. That is twice a day. Now, I struggle every morning just to survive staying under the shower for 5 minutes. One time I switch to using 'tabo' (dipper) because I find it difficult to breath under the cold shower. But I assure you I still take a bath everyday, a shorter one but still everyday.
• I never like wearing jackets and long pants. But these past few nights I've been sleeping with my jacket and jogging pants on. Yes, jacket and jogging pants. Pajamas won't do. It's still too cold. And a pair of socks also for my freezing feet.
• We seldom turn on the fans. Well, we can save on electricity but the mosquitoes keep pestering our everyday activity. 
• I am suffering form dry skin during cold season. My lips cracked. And it's painful.
• Malls do not appeal to me anymore. If they would turn off their air conditoning unit I guess I would stay longer.
• We are doing our first climb on February 2 and I don't know if I can take the cold going up the mountain or even when we reach the summit. I don't even own a good pair of jacket. Oh God help me.

Baguio last Sunday

I know I am being maarte because other parts of the world are experiencing worse. People are dying in America because of the cold weather brought upon by the 'Polar Vortex'.

I guess I just have to make do. Keep my jackets handy and drink more hot beverages. Brrrrrr.....

Internet Action Star

I just got to post this article about my "crush". I admire him so much. I hope that one day we'll meet...

Source: Yahoo! News

What's an Internet action star doing in a romantic comedy?

Ramon Bautista doesn’t mince words in describing himself. He unabashedly refers to himself as the “Internet Action Star,” with 574,339 Twitter followers to prove it.

His pieces of advice on love is immortalized in the self-help book “Bakit Hindi Ka Crush ng Crush Mo?” which has sold 100,000 copies in one year. Star Cinema not only adopted it as the title of its new Kim Chiu-Xian Lim romantic comedy. The bosses behind the film outfit, which is marking its 20th year, decided to carry Bautista’s upfront, tongue-in-cheek style by making a film adaptation of his book.  It also took in Bautista as part of the cast.

This is not the UP film professor’s first crack in the movies.

He has appeared in indie films and in the 2012 comedy-action-horror film “Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles.”  

“Bakit  Hindi Ka Crush ng Crush Mo” is his first time to work with a giant film company.

Up close, something in Bautista transcends the physical. The guy may not have classic matinee idol looks, but he has the wit, humor and deadpan style of cracking jokes that give him star quality. 

Make that internet star quality.  

“Artistahin”   

         
“Artistahin ang lahi namin,” he announces to the press. “'Yung nanay ko,  nasa ‘Iron Man.’  Siya yung tumatakbo nung may nagpasabog.”

Before you can ask him if he’s telling the truth, Bautista adds, “Nung tinanong ko ang nanay ko kung saan siya don (sa mga tumatakbo), sabi niya, basta, isa diyan.”

You end up laughing, you couldn’t care less if he’s spreading fact or fiction.

Kim, Xian and Kean Cipriano are just as amused.

Kim, who didn’t believe at first that Bautista is a UP professor until one of his students told her that students line up to enroll in his film class, is impressed.

“May sense siya kausap. Ang dami kong natututunan sa kanya. Matatawa ka kasi hindi mo alam kung seryoso o hindi ang sinasabi nya.”

“Noong nag-shooting kami at nagkausap, nagapatawa siya. Ang lalim pala nya!” Xian chimes in.

Proud fan

Kean is a proud fan.

“Binasa ko ang libro nya. Sinabi niya doon na pag ma-in love ka, malaking  possibility na masasakatan ka. At walang ibang makakatulong sa ‘yo para maka move on o ma-in love kundi sarili mo lang. Kailangan magtira ka sa sarili mo.”

It is this dictum of self-love that makes Bautista’s blog so uplifting and popular.

“Simply put, the best revenge is to live an awesome life,” he writes in his blog.

He also believes that “There's more to life than love.”

But the guy himself is unattached.

“I’m single and ready to mingle,” he describes himself.

How can he come up with all these pieces of advice that have become hits among young people like his students?

“Nagka-love life na ako,” he admits.

He also takes a cue from others who have loved and lost, and from good old common sense.

The teacher in Bautista comes out when he tells his followers, “Pag na-reject ka, it’s not the end of the world. There’s more to life than a love life. Kasama yung sakit sa buong process.”

Xian echoes Bautista’s words.

“Only you can make your own happiness.”

Xian, Kim and their co-stars will show just how this is done – at least on screen – when “Bakit Hindi Ka Crush ng Crush Mo” opens in theaters nationwide starting Wednesday, July 31.

The Heat Is (Still) On

This is today's temperature. But it actually feels hotter. I feel dehydrated. I'm in a room with three functioning air conditioning units that doesn't ease the heat a bit. That is why my boss place another four industrial stand fans in every corner of the office to help. Somehow it does the trick. But not enough for us to wear our coats. With this heat I don't even want to move but my work is piling and my phone calls keep coming. I want to go home already. Take a shower and sleep afterwards. I never like the rain but I am missing it somehow. I love summer. The swimming part specially. But with this heat, the sun shining at its brightest, I fear for my skin. (Sigh). Nothing else to do but suffer. I'll just drink more cold water and keep my cool.

February 25 Is A School Holiday

As per Proclamation No. 459, the 27th People Power Revolution Anniversary on February 25 is a school holiday...only! Meaning, us employees are working on Monday... with no extra pay. But if you'll ask my husband it's a special holiday for us. It's our 15th Wedding Anniversary. And I am very much looking forward to whatever surprises he would bring. 

source: theblacktwig.wordpress.com

whoa!..fifty shades got real

this is what greets me this morning....

Italian woman sues husband for seven years of ‘slavery’ after signing Fifty Shades of Grey-style submissive contract

An unnamed Italian woman is suing her husband after spending seven years living under a Fifty Shades of Grey-style sexual contract.

The saleswoman from Padua was 24 when she signed a bizarre contract promising total sexual and mental submission to her ‘padrone’ and husband, who is ten years her senior.
The two page contract stipulated that, "The slave agrees to obey and to offer herself for the satisfaction of the desires of her master. The slave agrees to place her body at her master's disposition, to be used at his pleasure."
The husband agreed that he would not subject his wife to "coprophilia, bestiality, asphyxia/restriction of breathing, branding by fire, any activities involving weapons and any acts in general which could permanently mark her physically".
After their relationship broke down, the woman has been able to use their sexual contract as evidence of physical and emotional abuse during the marriage. The husband, now aged 41, argues that she signed the pact entirely of her own free will and that the activities were always consensual.
It is now up to a prosecutor, Sergio Dini, to decide whether the wife can reasonably claim physical abuse, or whether her accusations should be dismissed on the basis that she signed a contract detailing her husband's extreme tastes in the bedroom.
The case mimics the plot of Fifty Shades of Grey where Ana Steele and Christian Grey get involved in a sadomasochistic relationship.
What do you think?

Source: yahoo! news