Numbers

There was a time when I rode a jeepney and was surprised to find out that the minimum fare had already gone up. I was trying to recall the last time the fare was a certain amount but I could'nt place it. So I'm recording some vital numbers/statistics in this blog to help me remember this moment in time...
P7.00 -minimum jeepney fare, non-student, non-senior citizen
P10.00 -minimum bus fare
P130.00 -tall, non-fat, no-whipped, raspberry mocha at Starbucks
P110.00 -regular cafe mocha at CBTL
P120.00 -usual cinema ticket price
P250-300 -usual price of an original OPM CD
P450-500 -usual price of an original imported music CD
P1980.00 -my latest monthly phone bill
P150.00 -price of my haircut at Bruno's Barbers
P140.00 -price of Maxim magazine Jan 2007 issue
P160.00 -price of Reader's Digest Jan 2007 issue
P36,000 -amount i spent so far (more or less) on books at Power Books since Apr. 2005
USD329.00 -costliest book I ever bought (online at Amazon)
30 lbs -what i lost in weight so far since early 2006
7 lbs -what i still need to lose
:-D

Latest TV must-see: Australian Tennis Open. Maria Sharapova is simple great to watch! She looks so pretty, so fit and so stylish. Oh, and she plays good tennis too. :-) She recently became the World No. 1 in rankings, and is going to the Australian Open Finals where she is the top seed. World Men's No. 1 Roger Federer is also running true to form and is impressively unbeatable, piling up records along the way to his 7th consecutive Grand Slam Finals.

Celebrity Sightings: Kris Aquino and James Yap at GB3. Cute couple, Kris looks pretty much pregnant already.

Shirt Tales continued...
Latest funny/outrageous shirts I've seen being worn around:
"Never a silent night" -worn by a guy who was with his girlfriend, apparently.
"Bitch is my middle name" -worn by several females who dont look/act bitchy enough though.
"Do not pinch" -worn by a moderately stacked female... now this is reverse psychology at work! :-p

what's new?

The Jollibee Pancake Sandwich is sausage and egg (with or without cheese) in between two pancakes. It is very much like having a breakfast of the sausage sandwiches of McDo plus pancakes. The pancakes taste good, but the sausage of Jollibee tastes bland compared to the McDo sausage. All in all, i think it's passable if you're hungry but be sure to eat it only while it's hot.

...last book read: Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom. Brief and inspiring.

...currently reading: Zorro by Isabel Allende. This book is very good, it retells the story of Zorro in Allende's unique and distinct style.

...latest TV must-see: 6th season of American Idol (auditions). Hilarious! :-)

Eragon

Napanood ko kanina ang pelikulang Eragon. Sa aking mga dating naisulat ay nasabi ko na na nagustuhan ko ang libro/seryeng ito ni Paolini. Ang kuwento ni Eragon sa pelikula ay ibang-iba at masyadong pina-simple kung kaya't nakakapanghinayang. Malaking pakinabang sa pagiintindi ng pelikula na nabasa ko na ang librong pinagbasehan nito, ngunit lumabas ako ng sinehan na parang nalugi dahil sa hindi naisakatuparan ng pelikula ang lawak, suspens at intriga ng orihinal na kuwento. Marahil sa mga hindi pa nakakabasa ng libro ay maiiwang may maraming katanungan pagkapanood nito.

Bagaman maganda ang sinematograpiya at makapigil-hininga ang ilang eksena, bitin pa rin sa kabuuan ang labas ng pelikula. Naniniwala tuloy ako sa mga rating na ibinigay ng mga kritiko at manonood sa sine na ito (sa Yahoo Movies). Kung hindi nga lang maganda si Sienna Guillory
bilang Arya eh, baka hindi ko na tinapos ang pelikula. :-p

... napansin ko habang nagsisimula ang pelikula na ang Eragon ay anagram ng orange, pero mas hango malamang ito sa "gone era" na nangangahulugang isang kuwento sa panahong nakalipas.
...madalas namang nangyayari na ang pelikula ay ibang-iba sa tunay na libro/kuwento lalung-lalo na iyong mga hango sa nobela, maliban na lamang sa mga pelikulang hango sa mga kuwentong pambata (na madalas ay nagiging makatotoo sa orihinal).

New Year

Happy New Year!!! :-)
The holiday season has come and gone. I just want to write what I have learned and experienced this season, in a nutshell. This is not in any particular order...

1. It sure pays to shop for gifts and also to distribute them early. You should shop coinciding with the pre-season sale in order to get big discounts. Last-minute shopping is so stressful what with the huge crowds and rush of shoppers.

2. Giving is way more rewarding during this season. Admittedly, I gave away more than I received this Christmas, but I still felt very fulfilled and happy.

3. Things that I actually wanted were a Batman t-shirt, and someone's picture. I did'nt get either, but among the things that I got were polo shirts, shades, shoes, and a digital camera! You may not get what you want but you're bound to get what you really need - that's the magic of Christmas!

4. Christmas is a season of forgiving and being forgiven. 'Nuff said.

5. Children are the priority during this season. The smiles on their faces as they receive gifts or how they simply enjoy at kid's parties is priceless. I think it is also better to give educational toys rather than toy guns and the like.

6. The season is filled with so many traditions that it would be a waste not to enjoy these things: Simbang Gabi, decorations, Christmas trees, lanterns and lantern parades, choirs and carolling.

7. Food is aplenty but the season and weight loss are not mutually exclusive. Moderation is the key word.

8. More than any time during the year, it is a season for rebirth, renewal, and resolutions.

9. It may sound cliche, but people sometimes forget the real reason for the season: It is the birth of Jesus. He is God's ultimate gift to man, so that we may be redeemed.

10. Make the most of the season, say what you want to say and mean it... because you might not get another chance.


My last two books read:


Hugs for the Hurting is one of the "Hugs" books specifically written to inspire and encourage those who are suffering from sorrowful emotions through relevant stories and biblical verses. It is a very short book but it also has space for you to write your personal thoughts/reflections. It is a very enlightening read!


Inkheart was written by Cornelia Funke and was originally written in German. It tells the story of book-loving 12 year old Meggie and his father Mortimer as they become entangled in the books that they read. It is quite a thick book, but the story is fast-paced and straightforward, ideal for kids and young adult readers. It's sequel, Inkspell, promises also to be as endearing as Inkheart.