From the monthly archives: August 2006
Because I’ll be going to work next week, I’ll be missing my weekday dose of cartoons…so that is what my fourth Thursday Thirteen is going to be about. All the cartoons that I’ve loved and liked ever since I was a kid. :) Memory lane, here we go!
Thirteen Cartoons I Like/Loved Since I Was a Kid:
Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon. This has got to be my most-loved cartoon ever. I loved it from the first commerical that ABC-5 put on air. I watched it religiously; cried when I missed an episode and cried when the first season ended with all four of the Inner Senshi dead except for Sailormoon. I bought merchandise — toys, cards, action figures, paper dolls, pop-up dolls, coloring books, activity books, joined a local Sailormoon fans club, wrote fanfiction and even made my own senshi. I loved everything about Sailormoon, and to be honest, I kind of miss this series, especially when ABC-5 didn’t show the last season.
As Told By Ginger. I heard this one time at Nickelodeon, and I knew I was going to like it. I like how As Told By Ginger tackles more mature issues from other cartoons, and the fact that they actually change clothes there makes me feel like they’re real people. The characters are far from perfect and they evolve as the episodes go on. I also love how Ginger could be so full of wisdom from all the things she learns in her life. :) In fact, I named my laptop after Ginger Foutley. :DOne of my favorite As Told By Ginger quotes is at the very last episode, The Wedding Frame. Okay, wait, make that two favorite quotes because they’re both too amazing not to post here:“…That’s what life is all about. You know we’re not put in this earth to live perfect lives, where we never get hurt, never make mistakes. We’re put here to hurl ourselves head first into this crazy world, and the bruises and scrapes you get along the way, it just means you’re living the life!” – Lois Foutley
“And if time teaches anything in from this crazy world, it’s that nothing worth having ever comes easy.” – Ginger Foutley
Martin Mystery. At first I didn’t like this series because I thought it was corny…but then I caught an episode and I liked it! I started getting hooked on it and now it’s one of my early morning routines (10:00am on Disney Channel). I love Martin’s comical attitude, Diana’s logic and most of all, Java’s caveman cuteness. :D Have you noticed that Java the Caveman’s eyes disappear when he smiles? So cute! :D- Sky Dancers. Back when we were kids, we’d always have a race on who was to claim the best character in a cartoon series. Whoever says, “Ako si [name of character here] (I’ll be [name of character])” will be able to claim the best one there. That was why I didn’t like Starla and the Jewel Riders because I didn’t get to claim my favorite one there. Sky Dancers‘ airing followed Starla and then I was able to claim Angelica as my character there. I liked her simply because she was blonde, and I like her love team with Breeze. I didn’t get to finish the series because of school, though.
Hey Arnold! It was one night at home that I started watching this series, and to be honest, I kind of crushed on Arnold. Haha. I love this series because it’s just so fun to watch; with Arnold’s niceness and Gerald and Helga’s rants and meanness. My favorite character would have to be “ever so sweet” Lila. :) I got to watch the full-length movie and I loved it when Helga professed her love for Arnold and kissed him. :))
Totally Spies. I can’t remember where I first watched it, but I knew I liked it immediately. I like Sam the most among the three of them and even if most stories are redundant and linear. I have to admit, though, the spies really are fashionable and almost too perfect. This series also inspired me to want to write a spy novel.
Kim Possible. Since we had Disney Channel a bit too late at home, I got to know Kim Possible a bit too late. Needless to say when I got to know her, I started to like the series because it is just so darn cool. :D The series gives off the ultimate teen hero thing: overachiever, cheer squad captain (which shows she’s not exactly homely), the loyal best friend and sidekick plus being the hero on the move without having any fancy costume. Who wouldn’t love to be Kim Possible???
Sara, ang Munting Prinsesa. This is the Japanese adaptation of A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett. This is one of the best series when I was a kid and I watched this entire series in ABS-CBN. :D Sarah is the perfect paper doll, if you ask me. :D
Remi (Nobody’s Child). I got hooked on this summer before sophomore year high school. It’s also one of the ABS-CBN morning cartoons before. There’s this other version of this, the one with the boy but I liked the girl version better. Plus I liked the entire Remi-Mattia thing. :D This is being shown in Animax now.- Fushigi Yuugi. I got to watch this during the time that anime was the rave in the country. I got to watch this at AXN and I liked the storyline. I really didn’t like Miaka though and I often wondered why they all fell in love with her. And I LOVE Tasuki. :D
Danny Phantom. This is one of the NickToons I really loved besides As Told By Ginger. The concept is quite original, the characters are funny (I really like Sam; in fact I named my iPod after her). The story is quite original too, and as I have heard, Danny Phantom has the most evil NickToon movie ever. I wish this show is popular though, so there would be more websites about it.
American Dragon Jake Long. When I saw the preview of American Dragon Jake Long, the first thing I noticed was it was like Danny Phantom, only Jake is half dragon instead of half-ghost and instead of seeing ghosts, it’s all on magical creatures. The series is quite good though. Jake is less angsty than Danny, though Trixie is a lot like Sam with regards to the nonconformist thing. I like the Huntsgirl/Rose and Jake angle though. :)
The Emperor’s New School. And finally! There is only one cartoon series that can make me laugh out loud and this is it! This show has got to be the funniest cartoon I’ve ever watched, including both movies. I love all characters: Kuzo, Malina, Kronk, Yzma, Pacha, even the teacher! My weekend is not complete without my dose of Kuzco and company. :D
Well, that was fun. :D This is a long post too, much thanks to the pictures. :D
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I cooked dinner tonight! :)
I’m not as good a cook as my brother is (who took culinary classes a year ago) so mostly all the cooking at home is done by my mom and my brother. I’m more of a baking person, actually, but that’s for another post. I can and like to cook, but I don’t cook…and believe me, that has gotten me into trouble. ^^; I know all about those cooking terms because I like watching shows on the Lifestyle channel…but to actually cook? Nah, no thanks.
Anyway, on our way home from Galleria today, my mom and I were talking about dinner and then she told me we’d just eat dinner at Sta. Lucia or something because she still has to go there. My feet, which has been on the go for the past few days, were already complaining and then my mom said that if I want I could go home already and then she suggested that I should cook dinner tonight.
Again, I don’t cook…but then again, why not?
So I went home ahead of her, and got set to work. I looked for some recipes online but I ended up making my own because I thought we didn’t have all the ingredients. An hour later…I got this:
I know it doesn’t look that good on the picture; my camera’s not good with food photography, but believe me, it’s good! It’s tuna spaghetti sauce and spinach pasta plus garlic toast. :) It looks so Chrismas-y. Haha. Yum yum. :D
Yay for my first successfully cooked dinner. Maybe next time, I’ll do it again. I’ll have to learn how to make better (and healthy) meals, especially if my mom goes to Saipan again, that way my brother and I can still have non-fast food meals. :D
If you want to know how I made that, post a comment and I’ll email you the recipe. It’s sweet and sour with yummy bits of stewed tomato and tuna, and the bread makes an excellent companion for the pasta. :D Wohoo, my days watching the Lifestyle Channel is not wasted after all!
This arrived for me today:
I didn’t know FedEx could be this fast. Then again, Ted‘s only in South Korea. But anyway, as what the post-it says, Thanks Ted! Haha, now I can buy the next two books in The Circle Trilogy without worrying if I will be able to find the first book in paperback. Yay! :D
And I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it here before, but I don’t like hardbound books. I think they’re too bulky to carry around, plus I always worry if I get the dust jacket wrinkled or creased. Paperback books fit my bag easier, they’re less expensive and they’re easier to carry around. Of course, they’re not as sturdy as hardbound books, but that’s what plastic covers are all about. Sort of. :p
Anyway, I’ll be returning the favor to Ted by sending him a Tagalog Bible, as he requested. :)
Anyway, today was another busy day. I had my medical exam around noon which is a requirement for my job. It was the first time for me to have my blood taken again, and the idea of having the syringe in my arm made me a bit queasy. To think I wanted to donate blood at school last term. The medical exam went fine, though the doctor said I was…overweight. :-s This means one thing: I better get even more serious with the “exercise regularly” resolution I made last January. ^^;
After that, my mom and I shopped for some slacks and some cardigan sweaters I will be using for work. Then we went to Megamall to renew my NBI clearance Now I’m almost done with all the renewing and paperwork, I just have to get an account in Equitable for the payroll thingie and then it’s time to fill out the forms I’m going to be submitting for work on Monday.
It feels somewhat unreal, you know? I’m actually entering the workforce. It feels like such a big step because I know I’ve never been seriously working (to be honest, my OJT did not really count because it still felt like I was in school doing a big project…only it was tons more boring)…but I always keep in mind that God has never forsaken me. I mean, I was having the same qualms before college started, but look where I am now. Why should this be an exception?
Back before college (again), I held on to one song as a theme for my life…and it was only “revived” for me when I was doing my thesis. Until now, the song rings true for my life.
BY YOUR SIDE
Hillsong Music Australia
Oh dear God, we ask for Your favor
Come and sweep through this place
For we desire You
I just want to be with You, be where You are
Dwelling in Your presence oh God
Oh I want to walk with YouChorus:
And I will climb this mountain
And I’ll step off the shore
And I have chosen to follow
And be by Your side forevermoreTell me what You want me to do Lord God
Tell me what You want for my life
It’s Yours, oh God, it’s Yours
Do Your will, have Your way
Be Lord God in this place
Oh I want Your will to be done
I choose to be with Him. Even if sometimes I feel like I’m groping in the darkness, I know that this is the only way for me to grow in Him. The unpredictability of it all makes life exciting, don’t you think? Haha, you should hear my inner control freak protesting right now. :P
So again, as I always say, bring it on, Lord! This gets more exciting each day, you know? Yeahbah. More pre-work thoughts in the next few days. :)
Rating: 
Dead bodies never look like this.
It’s Easter in Reading — a bad time for eggs — and the shattered, tuxedo-clad corpse of a local businessman Humpty Stuyvesant Van Dumpty III has been found lying beneath a wall in a shabby part of town. Humpty was one of life’s good guys — so who would want him knocked off? And is it a coincidence that his ex-wife has just met with a sticky end down at the local biscuit factory?
A hardened cop on the mean streets of the Thomas Valley’s most dangerous precinct, DI Jack Spratt has seen it all, and something tells him this is going to be a tough case to crack… - blurb from the back of the book
We all know Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall and had a great fall…but do we ever wonder why he fell? Jasper Fforde explores this idea in his first Jack Spratt novel, The Big Over Easy. The novel starts with the introduction of Detective Sergeant (DS) Mary Mary, who is applying for a job in the Reading Police Department. She’s a good detective, though she always ends up having to do difficult choices for herself. She thought she would be working with Friedland Chymes, her number one idol but as with every new employee, she had to start out low — in the Nursery Crime Division (NCD) under DI Jack Spratt.
I went out to our terrace earlier to put the plastic pot my mom bought from the mall earlier and found myself taking a deep breath outside…and wait a minute. Is it just me, or does it smell like Christmas already?
Funny, yeah, but then it’s almost September and all Filipinos know that once September starts, it’s the “ber” months already…meaning Christmas is almost here! And the year will soon be over. Wow.
I bet this Christmas is going to be different than last year. Last year, Christmas was kind of lonely because my parents were at Saipan and my brother was out for work so I spent most of the holidays at home and alone. I minded, because well…it’s Christmas! And it sucks to be alone on Christmas. :( But my brother and I made it up on Christmas day and New Year’s day when we went out with his girlfriend.
Anyway, this year, I think Christmas will be different. Firstly, because I have a job by then and there will be a lot of new people to think of gifts for and to share Christmas greetings with. Plus I’m sure there’s going to be the office Christmas party, which is going to be my first.
I will be able to buy Christmas gifts for people now because I will have money by then: salary + Christmas bonus + thirteenth month pay (as my mom and brother told me on the last two), unless of course I end up spending them all before Christmas comes…I hope not. :p This will surely be fun, because I’ve never actually bought Christmas presents for my family and friends with my own money. Yeahba. :D
But why am I talking about Christmas when it’s not yet even September? Haha, pre-holiday excitement. Yeah.
On other news, I just found out my high school has a website: www.LorenzoRuiz.edu.ph . Interesting! And they have a catch phrase thing too, much like “Animo La Salle”: Semper Lorenzo. I asked what this means and a younger alumnus told me semper means “go”. Well…it’s certainly unique. ;)
Anyway, if you go to the website, most of the pictures there are mostly from my batch. You can even see my best friend during the CAT graduation. How cool is that? :P
Rating:
Literary detective Thursday Next is on a mission — and it’s not just a mission to save the planet. If only life were that simple.
Unemployed following an international cheese-smuggling scandal, our favorite cultural crime-fighter is faced with a world of problems: Hamlet’s not attending his conflict resolution classes, President George Formby is facing a coup led by dastardly Yorrick Kaine and, what’s more, the evil Goliath Corporation are refusing to un-eradicate Thursday’s husband, Landen.
Will she ever see Landen again? Is shopping the new religion? Can Thursday prevent Armageddon? And who will babysit her son while she does it? - blurb from the back of the book
If you were (or still) a fan of Nancy Drew or have read Agatha Christie novels, you’d probably like Thursday Next. Thursday is Nancy Drew and Hercule Poirot thrown in a Harry Potter-like land: an alternate England where there is a special police department named Special Operatives (SpecOps) who deals with EVERYTHING (from literature to the undead), where having a stalker is normal, where time travel is possible and where dodos make good pets. What a world, eh? I definitely agree. :)
Something Rotten is actually the fourth Thursday Next novel in Mr. Fforde‘s Thursday Next series. In case you’re a new reader of his works (like me), you don’t have to worry about getting confused with the characters because more or less each character was re-introduced at the start of the novel. Thursday Next is a literary detective at SpecOps-27, the Literary Detective department (or LiteraTec) of the SpecOps. Thursday is also the head of Jurisfiction in the BookWorld and after living there for two years, she wanted a break for her to properly take care of her son Friday and to find a way to get her husband Landen back after being eradicated by the ChronoGuard (the time-travelling department of SpecOps — SO-12) when he was two. So she goes back to Swindon with her son, her pet dodo Pickwick and her son Alan and Hamlet the Prince of Denmark (who wanted to see if the reports about him from the real world a.k.a Outland is true). Thursday heads back home and tries to fix her life again (and to bring her husband back), but then finds herself under an assassination plot, responsible to get rid of Yorrick Kaine, a fictional character who got out of an unknown book and was planning to become a dictator and of course, to stop the world from ending. What’s new?
Rating:
In a Southern novel of unusual narrative charm eight-year-old Jean Louise, nicknamed Scout, tells about growing up as the daughter of a widowed lawyer, Atticus Finch, in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930′s. She and her older brother Jem happily occupy themselves with resisting “progressive education,” bedeviling the neighbors, and stalking the local bogeyman–until their father’s courageous defense of a black man falsely accused of rape introduces them to the problems of race prejudice and brings adult injustice and violence into their childhood world. Despite a melodramatic climax and traces of sermonizing, the characters and locale are depicted with insight and a rare blend of wit and compassion. (Library Journal Review)
To Kill a Mockingbird is a story about innocence and prejudice that is told in the eyes of a little girl. The story starts with Jean Louise Finch, nicknamed Scout, and her adventures with her older brother Jem and their mutual friend Dill who visits Maycomb in the summer. These adventures include reenacting scenes from Dracula as told by Dill, and “stalking” Arthur (Boo) Radley, the town’s bogeyman. School comes and Scout doesn’t like it, but agrees to a compromise with her loving father Atticus.
Well I sure had a long day yesterday. I didn’t wake up on the right side of the bed, so I was kind of cranky that morning. My moodiness lasted until my mom and I left for Megamall around lunchtime to hear the mass. I was kind of in a hurry because I had to be at Assumption College in Makati before 2:00pm for their club meeting because I was supposed to give a talk. So right after the mass, I bought some food and started running to the MRT…but first a quick stop at Papemelroti! I needed to buy this box of Bible verses to give to the YFC members in AC, but the girl was being difficult because she told me she didn’t have change for my P500. I tried to look for an exact amount but I was short so I told her, and she said, “Eh wala pa rin eh.” I wanted to strangle her then — HELLO, it’s not my fault you don’t have change…you should find a way because it’s YOUR responsibility! I decided not to because I was in a hurry already.
So I went to Makati and walked to San Lorenzo Village. Of course, it was my first time there, so I followed an Assumptionista into the village so I’d know where to get in. I didn’t get lost and got there on time. I met up with Ms. Lea who led me to the YFC room and I met Louie, their president, who is such a sweet girl. They had a game, then my talk. The girls were kind of noisy but there were some who listened to me intently…I find them all kind of sweet and their noisiness didn’t really offend me because, well, they’re high school! Haha, after the talk, I got to talk to some of them who asked me some kind of difficult questions, and the other one, Shimmy, asked me about books. Haha. I’d like to go there again given the chance. :)
After the club meeting, I went to Glorietta again and browsed around bookstores while I waited for Gigie. When she arrived, she treated me some snacks and then I dropped her off at the MRT while I looked for a cab who will bring me to the Es-Twenty reunion. But it’s Friday night, and I’m at Makati, which means it’s hard to get a cab.
I went all around Glorietta and SM and Park Square to get a cab…until I ended up at North Park. I stood there waiting for a cab who will actually stop. There was a man a few feet away from me who was trying to hail a cab too. I stood near him and then he looked at me and asked, “Uunahan mo pa ba ako?” (Loose translation: “Will you steal a cab from me too?”) Of course, I said I won’t because I’m not like that. Then he asked me where I was going and it turns out we were going the same way and he told me we could ride together so it would be easier. I agreed reluctantly but of course I was kind of scared because I don’t know who that man is. We talked, and I found out he lives in the US but he was just visiting the Philippines and he was on his way to Batangas where he’s staying. He needed to catch the last trip of the bus from Jam transit and he was having a hard time catching a cab too. We stood there until we finally got a cab. We talked a bit more — he told me about his daughter’s college tuition fee, his divorce and how it is living in the US. Surprisingly, he wasn’t complaining that much about how the Philippines is compared to the US — so maybe there’s not much to complain? Anyway, when I got to my stop, I was about to pull out my wallet when he said he’ll take care of it. I accepted and he told me to have a good time and he and the cab went away.
That was really nice. :) It’s the second time that thing happened to me (the first time was during fourth year high school, a woman rode the tricycle with me and I helped her fasten her bracelet and she paid for half my fare), and I’d like to believe it’s God’s blessing for me. To be honest, I’m not comfortable riding cabs alone because I was always warned not to. I only do it in desperate cases like last night…and God is good. :D Amen.
I got to the reunion dinner on time…and it was fun being with my blockmates once again. There weren’t many of us though, and Jolai didn’t go down from Baguio which was what I was really looking for. But it was fun. It was fun reminiscing all our block days even if it was just for two terms. :D And because I love them so much, I’ll reserve all S20 memories in another post sometime soon. :)
Here’s one of the two pictures I have for the night…there’s a prof with us there…guess where he is. :P
Today I shall rest. And read. And watch TV. And fill out some forms for work. Haha that sounded so mature. :P
Yes, you read that right. FINAL. If you read my previous post, you’d know what I mean. If not…then let me say it once again: I HAVE A JOB!
It’s funny how God fixed things to happen and how He is still making things happen in my life, constantly catching me off guard. Monday last week (was it just last week? I can’t believe it), I was bummed out and all because of all the job hunting woes I suddenly got. Tuesday morning, I was praying and I was crying out to God that I just don’t want to disappoint anyone with the choices I’m making with my life. As I was reading my prayers the day before, I saw that my prayer was that God move me from the job hunting and future funk I got myself into. I needed some kind of motivation…and what do you know, I got what I prayed for. :P It was then I realized that we ask God something, and when He answers it, we don’t realize that what we’re seeing is the answer already because we think His answers are always in favor of us when in fact, it’s not. Hard lesson to learn, I know.
Anyway, so Tuesday morning, I decided to go ahead and send my resume to Accenture, which my mom has been pressing me to do for the longest time. They even sent me a letter, but I set it aside thinking that it’s going to be my last resort. I just didn’t really feel it, you know? But after Monday, I couldn’t exactly hold my fort anymore, so I decided to send my resume come Tuesday morning. As I tried to connect to the Internet to send my resume, it turns out we have no more prepaid card. I was suddenly hit with a thought that maybe God doesn’t want me to send it yet…and then I countered that with “You’re using Him as an excuse again!” so I connected with our backup account (the one we’re not supposed to use as much because it gets reflected in our phone bill) and sent my resume.
Let’s go simple this time. It’s time I update everyone about what’s happening in my life (like that’s so interesting, but then again this is my blog so I can post that :p). And this week has been quite interesting, so let’s get on with it. :)
Thirteen Things that Happened to Me Since Thursday
- Friday, I went to school to visit and to support my friend Tuesday on her final thesis defense. Her defense was at 11:30, and I got there around 9:00am, so I hung out at the YFC Tambayan first and talked with the people there. Gosh, I missed the people there so much! :)
- Happy arrived a little while later and we went on our way to Gokongwei building to support Tuesday. We talked, then she slept at the lobby while I read as Tuesday’s defense went on.
- My iPod broke down. :( Actually, it’s my brother’s iPod because we switched so I was enjoying the benefits of having a 40GB iPod. The hardware corrupted and the sad iPod started showing up. Cute, but that it meant no music. :(
- While waiting, I got a call from one of the companies I got interviewed at weeks before, telling me that my job offer is ready. I scheduled a meeting for Tuesday next week.
- Tuesday went out a bit before 2:30pm, and their temporary verdict for their defense was re-demo. That meant that their group is one step closer to passing, but they had to do something more. Sooo….that meant Tuesday wouldn’t be able to go with the rest of us for the Elim Singles table talk. :( But oh well, it’s the last one she’s ever going to do something for thesis, so it’s okay.
- I met up with Bea, and she updated me with her life over some hot chocolate. Then we went to Gox to meet with Tue again. She got ticked off over some thesis thing and she had to do some things before we left for Elim Singles. Then I met up with Bung when Bea disappeared and she told me about what’s up with her life and YFC-DLSU. Then Bea came back and we met Happy at the LRT station to go to Katipunan. :)
- Elim Singles Table Talk! The Veggie Girls minus Tuesday spent most of the time laughing at some things only the three of us could laugh about that night. Haha. We even had a pseudo drinking session — with water. It looked real enough! :p
- Saturday and Sunday was very…blah. We were supposed to go out but I ended up sleeping half the time. Finished reading The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde.
- Monday, I finally got to crack Gamehouse’s Mystic Inn and Delicious Deluxe. Spent most of the day reading and not worrying about my schedule the next day. ^^;
Tuesday, I went to the office of the company who called me last Friday to get the job offer. Read it and talked to my mom and brother about it. I bought The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. Then we went grocery shopping. Grocery is always fun when I’m with my brother because we ended up getting a lot of snacks that we normally don’t buy because we don’t have money. :D We got to buy Haw Haw Milk Candies and Haw Flakes (some of my childhood candies :D).- Tuesday finally passed her thesis. She’s going to graduate this October! :D All our prayers were answered :)
- Wednesday, I spent most of the day calling the HR of Sun Cellular to clarify some things. I went to the mall with my mom and spent some time in prayer at the Adoration Chapel at the EDSA Shrine. I finally made up my mind and made one of the biggest decisions in my life. The discernment I did was a big thing too, and I’ll reserve it for another post. :)
- And last, but not the least! Today, I accepted the job offer. :) I HAVE A JOB! Praise God!
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