Easter

Today, Easter morning, I woke up feeling like I myself have risen from the dead.

My sister arrived from abroad yesterday and we went to our aunt's place in Cavite to spend the night. Naturally, knowing me, I couldn't sleep until around 3 AM which was obviously way too late when there's a mandatory 8 o'clock mass to catch the following morning.

My groggy state did not prevent me from having fun today though. Our aunt brought us to this farm that's just about a 5-minute drive from her house.

I knew it would be an interesting trip but I didn't expect to find half of the stuff I saw there. It's no ordinary farm.

There's more to this place than just flora and fauna. It was pretty awesome. I was pleasantly surprised.

In the afternoon, we went back to Manila and did a little shopping. Well, she did. Then we spent the rest of the evening catching up over a great, Filipino dinner.

Despite lacking sleep, I'm thankful for today. Happy Easter indeed.

Now, about that sleep.

literarybulimia@gmail.com

Just Maundy Thursday

So who else is doing Enrique, I mean, visita iglesia?

If I were home with my family, we'd all be church hopping with my father's 'brothers' and their respective families all day. But since I'm in Manila with only myself to please, I woke up late from a 9-hour sleep and spent the entire day staying in. I wasn't sure if we're not supposed to have meat already or only tomorrow, Good Friday, so I had hotdogs for breakfast. No more meat after that though until, uhm, is it Saturday or Sunday?

Anyway, the rest of the hot afternoon was spent lazing around until I decided to drop by the nearby church. While preparing, I thought I'd try something new with my face since I don't really plan on showing it to anyone I know within the next day or two. I shaved it clean, including the upper lip which, for years, I only trimmed. I've always thought I look weird with a bare upper lip. I'm thinking of it as my Lenten penance--because, you know, it's similar to getting nailed to a cross.

Another penance happened, albeit involuntarily, after taking a bath. Let me just say that anyone who claims to have experienced pain in their life should try getting their balls bitten by an ant.

This holy week is not as holy and as eventful as before but I'm just glad I don't have to wake up to an alarm clock for a few days.

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Mad Moves

This is some sick shit.

I've been watching this video repeatedly whenever I dance alone in my room. Yes, I've attempted to do that awesome choreography myself, but uh, let's just say it's been a while since I last did some proper, rehearsed dancing.

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Luxalittles

There are good reasons why I'm always discouraged to get a Starbucks frappuccino; it's expensive and fattening. It's a lose-lose situation basically.

There are times, however, when I choose to overlook the downsides to consuming such decadence. Unlike the Starbucks frap though, which is now less appetizing because of the different brand of milk that they use, I make sure every bite is damn well worth the extra buck and the extra flabs.

Such is the case with Delimondo. I have heard of this canned corned beef since time immemorial but didn't get to try it until a few weeks ago. They're right, it's the bomb; long shreds of juicy, tender beef shreds with a kick of garlic and chili cradled in almost too much oil. It's not too spicy neither too sweet. It's just right, a perfect breakfast to start the day. It doesn't come cheap at P160 a pop but matched with eggs and warm rice, I was able to serve three hungry, grown people with one can and everyone was satisfied.

Then there's the ubiquitous Magnum ice cream that recently took the country by storm what with its extravagant marketing efforts. It's undeniably delicious (my favorite is Chocolate Truffle) but I do think P50 is a little too steep. Also, I have a sensitive throat so I always think twice before indulging in anything sweet and cold. Having said that, Magnum is best enjoyed every once in a while preferably when someone else is paying. (Side note: I had the urge to try the Classic earlier but Magnum is sold out in the supermarket, 7 Eleven and Mini Stop. Insane.)

Speaking of begrudgingly-handing-money-while-eyes-closed, Chimara's multi-flavored tofu chips are bound to send me bankrupt. My flavor of choice is Onion and Chives and I absolutely cannot get enough of it. I even brought some to Cavite and another bag to Boracay. It's so good and since it's tofu, I would like to believe that it's healthy. The only turn-off is the price which is P270 for a 'Heavyweight' bag. Good thing it lasts me several days especially when not shared.

I don't mind doing a few more crunches for these little indulgences. A day when I get to enjoy Delimondo, Magnum and Chimara's tofu chips--and maybe some red bean milk tea--is time (and money) well spent.

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Volcom Fail

Remember that raffle I won over a month ago? For some reason, the prize wasn't available until today. I was instructed by Mr. R. Arcilla, Volcom's brand manager, to drop by the Primer office at 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM. I excused myself from work earlier eager to finally get the shorts that I picked at R.O.X last February 25. Each winner was allowed to select one item as prize. The Volcom personnel involved were supposed put it on hold until everything (paperwork I suppose) is clear and the prizes are ready for pick-up.

Upon getting to their office, imagine how disappointing it was when Mr. Arcilla asked me to select another pair of boardshorts because the one I picked was "hindi ma-pull out", whatever that means. I asked him if there was any way to get the exact boardshorts that I wanted which they said they'll reserve for me. Negative. He asked me to select one item among the ones they had on display instead.

There were racks of Volcom apparel in the lobby and upon checking the tags, everything was marked down, say from P3,000+ to only P1,000. I was basically asked to pick a prize from a bunch of marked down clothes which was fine until I couldn't find anything that I liked and that fit me as most of the items were only available in big (36, 38) sizes. Luckily, there was one in my size but in a design that I didn't really like. Frustrated, I asked Mr. Arcilla again if that was really all they had as it's the only boardshorts that fit me. He said yes and suggested I pick a shirt instead. "Nah," I responded.

While I'm glad to have won such raffle, I didn't like how they set the wrong expectations. I was so disappointed that after a few minutes of leaving their office, I sent a text to Mr. Arcilla asking him why exactly I couldn't get the prize that I initially picked. No response up to now.

I don't know how these guys from Volcom Philippines operate, all I know is this incident is not going to give the brand any favors. Too bad.

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Into Q2

My days have been so tiring. Last night, I actually fell asleep while on 9gag. It was after a day of frantic preparation for a major class presentation in the evening. I'm glad we're past that hurdle. Just one more paper due on Monday and a final exam after the holy week and it's party time. I cannot wait but the bad thing about that is I won't see my crush every week until I don't know when. Good thing there's many fish in this ocean.

Speaking of vast bodies of water, where are you heading out to this holy week? Boracay with the rest of the crowd? Puerto Galera with the majority of Manila's gay population? Or just staying in like myself? Easter might be a different story.

literarybulimia@gmail.com

Three Deadlines and a Wedding

Hello. I just got back from home. I just spent a night there to attend a cousin's wedding. To be honest, it's sometimes hard to still call it home without any of my immediate family members present. It's just so different. But the very short time I spent there this weekend made me realize how much my other relatives love me. It's obvious how my aunts try to make me not feel the absence of my parents. They all gave me a lot of food to bring back to Manila. My fridge is so stuffed now.

The cousin who got married is only a year older than me. In less than 6 months, three cousins of the same age tied the knot. Not only does that mean we're getting older. That also means more awkward moments for me. It's only a matter of time until relatives ask me when I'll follow suit.

It was difficult leaving home today. Aside from missing my parents so much, I also wanted to spend more time with cousins. Last night was epic. But I have so much on my plate right now it makes me want to cry. It didn't help that both my outbound and inbound flights were delayed. Good thing my Sunday afternoon/evening meeting got cancelled. That doesn't mean it's going to be an easy, laid back night though.

Oh my. SOS.

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Hail

I see Sean. I see Jon. Just two beefcakes among many others in this male model extravaganza, homo-erotic music video for 'Girl Gone Wild', Madonna's second single from MDNA.

A departure from the first one (thankfully), Madge does what she does best; crotch work, dance, make people want to dance, reference sex, and make people want to have sex.

During the first few notes, I almost thanked the heavens thinking Madonna is finally back to her old self circa 'Confessions on a Dancefloor' but later realized the song is really more 'Celebration' 2.0 which is not bad. The video, on the other hand, reminds me of 'Alejandro' which is reminiscent of Madonna so it's cool.

Once you get past the bad blonde wig, the excellent choreography, youthful styling and unmistakable, sexy-campy allure capture pretty accurately what Madonna's DNA is all about.

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Crunched Time

This is depressing.

I am someone whose day gets ruined really bad upon finding a small stain on a white shirt. Imagine how horrifying it was when I was handed back my watch with the side details crushed after having the battery replaced at Strap Shop, Robinsons Pioneer.

This was given to me by my mom a few months ago.

The sides cracked and were falling apart after the guy cranked too tight this device used to keep the watch in place while the back/bottom part was being opened. I was so shocked when I saw the damage. He tried to reason with me saying it was just minor but I didn't buy it (duh). I could tell he was nervous and a part of me considered letting it go but I didn't. I couldn't. It's not fair.

The other rep took over and asked me to wait while they contacted their supervisor. It was grueling.

As advised by their superior, they will have my watch fixed so I didn't have any choice but to leave it there and hope for the best.

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Herschel

There's a new cutie in town! I was walking around Greenbelt 5 when I saw such captivating beauty at the window display of Bratpack. I've been having a tan leather moment lately so I was naturally drawn to this very handsome bag.

If I'm not mistaken, Herschel started in Canada way, way back and found its way to the Philippines only late last year.

I also wanted the big one perfect as a carry-on bag (or a big overnighter) but due to bad  personal economy, I contented myself with the 'Pop Quiz' backpack. It's an impulse purchase after all. Nonetheless, I am in love with it. Savings be damned.

It has multiple pockets, it's roomy enough for my gargantuan laptop and it even has a fleece-lined compartment for sunglasses---how thoughtful. The color-pop interiors, the modest appeal and other details set it apart from other backpacks. Then it has that classic, old-school charm that I am so into. It takes you back to the old days when form, function and quality were unintentionally fashionable.

I'm going to take it for a spin soon. Here's to hoping my Herschel serves me as well as it looks.

literarybulimia@gmail.com

Frivolous

The truth is, I haven't been working for a month. It wasn't until today that I begrudgingly went back to my old office after some time of doing nothing non-work related activities.

My 4-month internship with a telecom company ended last month. The plan was to take several weeks off after that, before I go back to my old job, to relax and also to seek other employment opportunities. But my parents visited then migrated, then my cousin visited and got married, then I went home and went to Boracay, so I never really got to look for a job properly. I am only human. I did update my resumé though. Besides, isn't it more fun to look for a job online while you're in the office being paid to do something else? How ironic though. On the day that I returned to the office, a co-worker got terminated.

The month-long holiday that I had was fun and very indulgent but, except for that night when I may have tried something illegal, I've been pretty harmless and well-behaved. Oh, how time flies.

The thought of going back to work feels good. Doing the actual work itself? Uh, well, like what they say, it's the thought that counts. Nonetheless, it's about time I'm back in the office. I wish I do but I don't shit money.

literarybulimia@gmail.com

Downtime

Sorry, been busy.

Regular programming resumes soon.

literarybulimia@gmail.com

Who's more of a knockout?

In this corner, giving serious face in a studded, satin jacket, and, uhm, a jockstrap, J to the Lo!

In this corner, wearing Chanel boxing gloves, leopard bloomers (?), and some serious Photoshop, Madge!

Jennifer Lopez is on the cover of the latest issue of V Magazine, 'The Sports Issue'. Upon seeing it, I immediately thought of Madonna's Interview cover from April 2008.

So who wins this round? I would have given it to J.Lo but that jockstrap, which obviously belongs to a black man, is way too distracting. I'm all for experimenting but please don't give the girl a penis.

Photos: thelavalizard.com, thejuicier.net

literarybulimia@gmail.com

Just 2/29

I don't really have anything to say. I just thought I should have something up here today since it's February 29 and it doesn't happen again until four years from now. I wonder where I'll be by then.

Also, wtf sun?! This heat is coconuts! *headache*

I have a midterm exam tonight. Bye.

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Random Rants

Jamba Juice

Because we need another brand of expensive drinks, Jamba Juice is here in Manila. After Hermes and the soon-to-open clothing stores of Uniqlo and Cotton On, it makes me wonder if we are still indeed third world. This thought was constantly in my mind as I was lining up for my own P100++ worth of fruity concoction at The Fort the other day. Partly curious and partly because I'm a sucker, I didn't mind the line and hoped that I'd get my money's worth sipping on 'Banana Berry' which came with a free 'Energy Boost'.

To be fair, it was a hot Saturday afternoon and there's nothing like a pricey, "healthy" fruit smoothie for a refreshment. I tried to convince myself.

When I finally got my order, I was delightedly surprised to see that their 'Medium' is the size of a Starbucks 'Venti'. Not bad. But when it came to the drink itself, well, let's just say that I'll stay with Fruit Magic, thank you very much.

Raffle Winner

We were in Mercato having a hard time deciding what to get when I got a text message informing me that I was one of the Volcom raffle winners. Since thee was a cut-off time for the claiming of prizes and I only had a few minutes left, I abandoned good food and my good friends for a bit and marched to R.O.X. where the brand representative was waiting.

Earlier that day, I had come to the store (and several others) to look for board shorts. This girl girl then approached me and asked me to join their raffle. There weren't any requirements. I just had to fill out the form and answer a few questions so I did it. As luck would have it, a few hours later, I was being asked to choose a pair of Volcom board shorts that I want. I happily obliged. The only bummer is I couldn't take the prize right then and there. I'm supposed to claim it at their office any day soon. But hey, that's not so much hassle for a pair of P3,000+ shorts.

Mercato

It was only my second time. Unlike most sequels however, it didn't disappoint. Mercato was bustling and as festive as I remembered it to be.

Aside from the variety of tempting eats, what I also love about this spectacle is you wouldn't know which to check out first, the food or the people. I think we can all agree that this fair is not your usual market. There's isaw and fish balls yes, but you know it's not the kind around the kanto once you hear someone say shit like "Oh, there's rice pala o."

Nonetheless, I'd love to come back. The vibe there is just different. It's like a nice block party. People don't mind sitting on the pavements eating their lechon or paella or katsudon al fresco. It's a sight to behold. It's good that they moved the location right next to the artificial soccer field. It provides a great view while eating if you know what I mean. They've also improved the restrooms which are free of charge. Also, starting this February 29, Midnight Mercato will operate during Wednesdays. Great news for those who have work on weekends.

I hope Mercato stays for a long time. I'd love to bring loved ones there when they come home.

literarybulimia@gmail.com

Cry Baby

I just got off the phone with my parents. It has been a little over a week since they left for the US. It's not easy but it has to happen. That has always been the plan.

Naturally, I cried. A lot. In fact, I was already getting emotional even days before their departure. But I didn't get to let it all out until we reached that part of the airport where well wishers are not to go a step further. I also cried the following morning upon waking up alone in my room.

The changes are a lot to take in but like what I told them, you have to share your blessings. They are incredible people who have done so much for many and are on a new path to touch more lives.

literarybulimia@gmail.com

Uncovered

All this time, I've kept this blog a secret from people I personally know. Slowly, I began to tell friends about it. There's only about 5 of them  though. What's great is it worked the other way around. I gained new friends because of this online journal. I've said it several times before; the ultimate goal of this is to have a personal documentation of my life the way I see it. Getting  followers and hits, of course, make me happy but I just consider those a bonus.

The very few people who have been reading this blog know how personal it is. I've shared stories including those that, maybe, I should have kept to myself. But that defeats the purpose. It's supposed to be a sanctuary where I can bare a part of me that I don't get to expose even to people who are close to me---no inhibitions, as raw and as honest as possible. It's a great outlet, especially when it gets too heavy. This blog is the priest that I confess to every now and then. Someone once said it's a part of me, and he's right.

I have considered volunteering my blog address to the rest of my friends but I didn't see the point. It's just not my style. Should it happen, I wanted them to find this little corner of the interwebs by chance or through an awesome phenomenon and not directly through me. Aside from privacy reasons, that concept may also be rooting from the belief that I'm more creative than that.

In a matter of 12 hours, this blog gained over 2,000 page views thanks to my stalking skills. I know for a fact that some of those are by friends. That idea got me so worried I was considering switching the privacy setting to 'by invitation only' but I realized that's closing too many doors. This baby, I thought, needs to try new things and grow. And perhaps it's about time those who care get to know me a little better. Good thing I'm not Gossip Girl.

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The Chuvaness Effect

Today was crazy. At one point, I was literally shaking out of excitement. Imagine my surprise when famed blogger Chuvaness herself confirmed with me on Twitter that it was indeed Oscar-winning actor Adrien Brody that I spotted at the airport yesterday. She even DM-ed me. But above everything else, she also blogged about it, used the photos I took, and provided a link to this blog. I almost hyperventilated at EDSA when I saw the entry.

As expected, the exposure brought an insane amount of traffic to this humble, little online corner of mine. The number of hits went through the roof and almost 1,200 of the referrals were from chuvaness.com.

Someone from GMA 7 also reached out asking if they could use the photos I took. They probably didn't get my response on time as the said photos didn't make it to their late night newscast.

How cray-cray today was. Thank you Adrien Brody. Thank you CVS. It's more fun in the Philippines alright.

And of course, thank You for cheering me up. I needed that.

literarybulimia@gmail.com

Another Hollywood Actor in the Philippines?

There's so much I need to blog about. I have several pending entries but first, let me share with you who I saw at the airport today when I picked up my cousin.

I was walking towards the end of the line when I saw a familiar face. Too bad he was several people ahead of me at the queue.

But because I don't have a life, I practically ran to where he was once done with the security scan. I made it before he and an Asian friend went inside the check-in area but I didn't get a chance to take a picture with his face in the frame.

Thanks to Twitter (@brodysnoop), my celebrity sighting was confirmed legit. Well, I believe so. Apparently, Adrien Brody has been in Taiwan and will soon be in mainland China to shoot a movie.

What do you think?

Should I work for TMZ or what?

literarybulimia@gmail.com

Don't V Sad

Unsolicited justification of being single in 3, 2...

Nah. Whether you think it's just another Tuesday or it's lovers' holiday, try to have fun. As for me, I started the day by burning a finger with the oven, having breakfast with my parents, and giving a visiting uncle a phone (myphone4s). We're off to Cavite in a bit. Maybe we'll have dinner in Tagaytay, I'm not sure yet.

As usual. it's Valentine's Day and I'm dateless and single. I'm not justifying that and say I prefer it that way and convince my life is so awesome because that's bullcrap. I might as well work with what I have and just stuff my face with buko pie later.

Enjoy today!

literarybulimia@gmail.com

Photographs

There are too many goodbyes being said. 

My folks arrived Manila today. They leave for the US on Friday. It's not easy, not just for me. Back at home, everyone's already feeling their absence.

After dinner, I saw my mom holding a photo album. She's going to bring it with them. Looking at the old photographs, I couldn't help but get emotional. But just when I'm tearing up, I'd find something funny. Thanks to photography, such precious moments have been immortalized, albeit on stained photo paper that smells.

These photos affirm my suspicion that my mother dressed very well back then. I think I got the fashion gene from her. Then that's my father (far right) looking way better than me and my brother. His grandmother was Spanish, I think.

Then there were four. I love my outfit here. As usual, I'm distracted.
 

Did my mom have a faghag? Or is he just a guy friend? He's on several photos including the other one at the top. Either way, I love my mother's outfit in this photo. So 70s chic with a hint of androgyny.

Then the 90s happened. Check out my bowl cut. Also, acid wash anyone?

Priceless.

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Last Day

Greetings from my temporary workplace for the last four months. It's my last day today and I cannot finish this stint without posting a blog entry done in this office.

My mentors evaluated me yesterday---well, we evaluated each other actually. Unsurprisingly, my weakness was my PR skills. They said I need to smile more. Typical. It's the same comment every time. As for my strength, they said I'm dedicated to what I do and did challenging tasks including the ones that they know I do not enjoy doing. The most awesome part though was when one of them said I'm the "best one so far".

I'm not looking forward to going back to my other job at my uncle's office but I'm ready to conclude this internship.

The whole team is going out for lunch later as a simple send-off party for me. Sweet.

literarybulimia@gmail.com

MDNA

There's no denying that she's done better work in the past (i.e. Confessions), but come on, the woman is 53. I'm still not feeling 'Give Me Your Luvin' but that was a spectacular show. And oh, some giants won a game?

I thought the entrance was amazing (That head piece!), it promised the next few minutes to be a performance of epic proportions. And it was, really. But in the middle of 'Vogue' and during 'Music' I felt like she wasn't in the best shape, kind of worn down even. She even tripped at some point. Contrary to what the theme suggests, she's a mortal after all just like all of us. LMFAO was a pleasant surprise though. That was cute.

Like I said, I'm not a big fan of her latest song. Nicki Minaj was ok but M.I.A. was more saucy and entertaining and it's not just because she flashed the middle finger.

Then Cee Lo came into the picture. That electric, dancing teddy bear! He almost stole the show.

'Like A Prayer' was my favorite part. I had chills and after the nth time of watching the video, it got me emotional because it dawned on me that this might be it. When are going to see another Madonna again? I know she has a new album and everything but I'm afraid she's going the conformist way the way she did with her later albums.

Anyway, she did a good job entertaining the world today. She rocked that Givenchy. She  put on a damn good show and she's definitely still the queen.

literarybulimia@gmail.com

Hard Candy

Look what my FA friend, Rica, gave me from her trip to Austria.

So pink. You know you want one. :)

literarybulimia@gmail.com

Lez Talk About Boys

Sunday morning, I woke up at 7am to find 29 BBM invitations. It was so strange but I decided to go back to sleep anyway. An hour later, it reached 50 or so. By the time I got up from bed, around 10am, 71 invitations were waiting to get approved. I felt like a celebrity. Hah! It turned out my friend Luke, one of my very few gay friends, gave my info to some of his 500 BBM contacts. More invitations came later that day.

Close to a hundred men bothered to connect with me, no matter how meaningless---although some did chat me up. I approved all but only 5 of them remained in my contacts list. I deleted the rest and I'm thinking of deleting more.

There's also another guy who's been showing interest. He'd say hi almost everyday through BBM. I respond but with not much enthusiasm.

Oh, and remember that guy my friend Jeff is supposed to fix me up with? I saw his Facebook account and I'm no longer interested. Not my type.

What is going on? I don't know if I'm just not finding the right guys or I'm just being, uhm, too hard to please.
If it's really not that simple, how come others are able to jump from one relationship to the next?

You know, there are a lot of cute guys out there and a number of them are actually smart and even nice. But for me, it's not just about that. I have a confession. One of my most favorite things to do is browse through profiles on Planet Romeo (formerly Guys4Men). Oh, how fun it is to judge others!

It's such a shame to see a hot guy say things like "I'm a gay..." or write a slew of unnecessary and lame profanities which he probably thinks makes him the shit. And what about those who pose in their underwear like bad parodies of CK and Armani ads? Then there are those with that extra 'h' in their names. Mhike. Jhett. Jhay. Khent. What the fhuck.

Anyway, what I'm saying is, there's just always something wrong with these guys. I'm certainly far, far from perfect and a lot of people probably have a few choice words to say about me but I'm not striving for perfection whether for myself or for others. There are just guys, no matter how flawed, who make you feel like they're more than good enough for you. The question is, where the hell are they?

File this under 'Shit I Say When Everyone is Talking About the Month of Love'.

literarybulimia@gmail.com

Urbanears Bagis

It has been almost three weeks since I started using my new earphones, the Urbanears Bagis. I've been using them everyday.

I did my research before the purchase and as many reviewers warned, the bass on these is less than stellar. I also noticed that when I tried the sample. It's actually the reason why I took almost an hour in Digital Hub. I couldn't decide. There were other choices but the Bagis were the cutest. I know. Shut up.

The sound quality is not bad at all. My Philips were just better in that department. But you know what happened to those. I'm past the lack of bass issue especially since the earphones cancel out noise excellently. I could close my eyes in the middle of a busy street while listening to Guetta (which is obviously highly not advisable) and I wouldn't know where I am.

One of the things that I hated about my last earphones was the wire. It gets so messy and unsightly. While the Bagis does not eliminate that problem completely, the combination of fabric and TPE cord looks less jarring when it does twist. Although if not for its noise minimizing purpose, I could've done without the fabric and just have it TPE all the way since the former is more resistant to coiling.

Another factor that made me switch is the fact that I can also use these with my phone because it comes with a built-in microphone as well as a remote for easy call answering and ending. The remote is especially important to me because it also allows me to play, pause and surf through songs without having to take out my iPod.

The packaging, of course, is awesome; very quirky and modern. It made the unboxing more fun.

In the box were the actual earphones, three pairs of rubber ear buds in different sizes, a stereo adapter, an Urbanears sticker which is now on my laptop, and 1-year premium warranty. I chose orange because I've done white before.

An additional quirk is the snap construction of the ear phones which allows you to "connect around your neck". It's a cute feature, but I'll pass on that suggestion. It does show the brand's attention to design though.

Urbanears Bagis are not perfect but so far, I'm satisfied. The sound quality is acceptable enough, they look good, and the remote and mic are making me happy.

Click here for more information.

literarybulimia@gmail.com

Declutter

I have trouble letting go of possessions, no matter how old or useless. It's the hoarder in me.

Yesterday, I decided to finally get rid of some of the shoes that I no longer wear. It took me some time. They've been sitting on the rack for months. It wasn't until recently that I've finally come to terms with the idea that they have to go. There's less clutter but there's at least two pairs more that I also have to get rid of.

There just comes a time when you have to stop holding on to things that no longer do you any good.

literarybulimia@gmail.com

Copywriting Class

Remember that cutie classmate of mine from last term? Well, we're classmates again in one of my classes. This time, he sits a row behind me. But enough about him. I think I've already mentioned that the prof in this class is difficult. Let's change that to "strict".

The second meeting was way better than the first one. He didn't seem that uptight this time. He made us write essays on our first meeting and returned our graded work last week. While the papers were being distributed, he announced that there were two outputs that stood out and that he would read both in front of the class. The good news is one of those was mine. The not-so-good news mine had the lower score of 97 and the other one got 99. I know, I know. But it would have been really great to score the highest. Oh well. I hope there's more cool activities ahead.

P.S.
I also learned from last week's class that cutie classmate and I are practically neighbors... Stalking isn't technically illegal, is it?

literarybulimia@gmail.com

6

I feel like such a bad mother. This baby turned 6 two days ago and I didn't even remember. It has crossed my mind several times since last month though.

It's not much, I know. I barely have readers but that's okay. I didn't start this blog for anyone else but myself anyway. I do get giddy over new followers and new comments and hits but ultimately, the goal is to "express, not to impress" as my college mentors said.

It has come a long way from this to whatever it is now. I like to think that, to an extent, it has grown with me. From that boring night in 2006 to this boring day in 2012. Oh how time flies.

I've talked about several issues (personal or otherwise) and has featured many characters by whom, in one way or another, I was touched literally and figuratively. Hahah... I love how I have been able to document all that so once a while, I go back to my own stories and ponder on the changes (or lack thereof) that occurred.

I have to admit. Lately, I haven't been feeling like airing out any of my thoughts. Maybe it's just a phase, I don't know. But come to think of it, I haven't had any blog hiatus since I started this little personal online nook. I know some bloggers do that. But not me. Whether out of town or out of the country, I've always made it a point to update this and save my stories here. I guess it's a commitment that I've subconsciously made to myself and I wish to hold on to that for as long as I can.

As for you, the millions and millions (Hah!) of readers that have shown interest in my stories, thank you.

More stories, more characters and more fun in the Philippines coming up!

literarybulimia@gmail.com

Broken Glasses

It's the end of an (eyewear) era. I found them broken in the pouch that I keep in my backpack a few weeks ago. It wasn't until recently though that I felt how much of a loss this is.

I got these from Cotton On in Hong Kong. I had the dark lenses replaced with prescription ones. I miss wearing them and the fond reactions I got when I had them on.

But it's one of those good things that had to come to an end. I wore them to their capacity anyway. Besides, soon enough, I know I'll be seeing things from a different view. A better one.

literarybulimia@gmail.com

It's About Time

There's something wrong with this picture. I study, I work and since October, I have also taken on an internship which is ending in a month. No wonder I've been so tired and stressed and have been getting sick lately. What gets me is I don't think the rewards are worth it.

Well, school is fine. In fact, I find my self excited to go to class every once in a while.

The internship was initially enjoyable. Lately though, it's been a drag, mainly because of the excessive number crunching. I have never done so much Excel work in my life. Talk about brain hemorrhage.

As for the work that I do at my uncle's company, well, I'm not even a regularly employed there. The job is uninspiring and the pay is bad.

I just realized that I've been wasting so much time doing things that I don't enjoy. That has to change. I have to turn things around.

This touching TV commercial hits the spot quite accurately.

literarybulimia@gmail.com

Breaking Down

The connection between the washing machine and the water supply is leaky non-existent (I had to pull it off). I am so done with this internship. Everyday, I analyze numbers and court Excel from start to end. There are tasks that need to be done at my other office. One of our new professors seems difficult to deal with.

One more little mishap and I'm bald-Britney-with-a-green-umbrella.

I need to go shopping. I want a facial. I want a massage. I have to survive until Friday. I cannot wait for the long weekend.

literarybulimia@gmail.com

Lovely Breakfast

McDo pancakes and fresh strawberries. Two of my favorite things in one breakfast.

Talk about starting the day right.

literarybulimia@gmail.com

Consumer Corner: Philips In-Ear Headphones

There's nothing like drifting away from the rest of the world than slapping on earphones and let good music take you elsewhere. That's how I make lemonade out of lemons when taking the bus or the train or when flight attendants play a game onboard when all I really want to do is sleep. So when my Philips earphones broke the other day, I was so pissed. I only had them for 5 months. That was my second pair. The first one also broke after a few months of use. Same problem. Some wires close to the jack probably snapped and only one earphone worked. It could also be my fault as I like to put my tiny, old school iPod in my pocket where it's tight and gets beaten up when I move around and I store it in this small compartment of my backpack with the wire wrapped around it. Still, at P800+, I expected more. It's too bad because the sound quality was really good.

Being the mild hoarder that I am, I've been keeping the original packaging of both earphones complete with receipts and plastic bags. Partly because there's a warranty not that it still matters now as I'm pretty sure it's no longer covered.

Anyway, I'm done with those Philips earphones. I'm now trying Urbanears, a Swedish brand.

It's partly mostly because of it's aesthetic appeal (neat packaging!) but we'll see if it starts and ends there.

literarybulimia@gmail.com

Planners

For someone who is not really a fan of planning, this is too much.

Blank 2012

One I bought because it's cute and the artwork and text were done by good friends. The other one was gifted to me. I'm still not sure what to do with both.

literarybulimia@gmail.com

Sparklers and Tearjerkers

It's a new year but for some reason, I feel like nothing has changed except for the last two digits on my calendar.

I welcomed 2012 at home with my family, or at least those who were still there. We sort of celebrated it with my sister too who is in Dubai. It makes me wonder if that's how we're going to spend the following holidays once my parents leave.

It was great to be home. I got to bond with everyone; cousins, nephews, nieces, friends. But a certain pain would pierce through my now less toned chest. It has always been the plan. I've been hoping for it to push through. People asked me how I feel about it and expressed my support for it but it wasn't until recently that I realized how difficult it's going to be when my parents leave for the US and me left here with no immediate family member in the same country.

I always thought I was independent enough. Hah! Now each time I think about it I get so damn emotional making me want to fly back home and just relish the time we have left together.

I understand. I have siblings and I'm sure there have been many instances when they've wanted to jump on the next flight just to hear my parents say everything's going to be okay and feel their embrace.

Oh gawd. The things I'm saying now. This is supposed to be how we spent New Year's Eve with sparklers, polka dots and drinking at the side of the street.

I know I just said it seems like nothing much has changed. Well, now that I'm thinking about it, brace yourself.

literarybulimia@gmail.com