Guilty of Hoarding!

Gah. I’ve been thinking lately where all money goes since that I am not the type who buys pricey stuff. I looked around my room and realized I have tons of stuff which I don’t really need at all. Conclusion: I am no different from a person who spends his money on designer stuff. I may prefer mid-priced things but since I keep buying them in quantities, I end up making myself poor.

Remedy: Enough of the hoarding and impulsive buying. I’ve known since college I exhibit symptoms of mild hoarding but I somehow I never bothered to fix this problem. Now, I am facing the problem of where to put my shoes, clothes, magazines, books, DVDs, bags and lately cosmetics, make-up and accessories. Yes. I “hoard” all of these stuff. >_> Can anyone cure me?

On the brighter side, I am not messy hoarder. I am in fact an OC hoarder. All my books are properly covered and arranged according to size. My magazines are arranged by issue date. My clothes are arranged by color. My shoes are placed in their respective boxes. My DVD’s all have cases and arranged according to genre. So what the hell is my problem? Though I may be an OC, nothing changes the fact the fact I am a hoarder. Bow.

(Credits to rofldoctor @ tubmlr)

Save me!

Share a Photo: Amongst the Sea

Hmm. I want to start  Project 365: A Photo a day but since I don’t think I can do it, I will just call the project called Share a Photo”.  So, first one up:

I wandered lonely by the sea.

A view of the Subic Bay from the Ocean Adventure. The rock formations are such an interesting site.

Post 16: My Views on Mainstream Music

And so… I decided to continue the 30-day post challenge which I started ages ago but I somehow mutated it to a 30-post challenge. I can barely update once a week so how much more on a daily basis?  Anyway, the challenge for post 14: my views on mainstream music.

Before anything else, how do you define mainstream music? Wiki says ‘it is music that is familiar and unthreatening to the masses such as pop music and pop rock’. Genres such as alternative rock, hip-hop, punk rock, etc. have been classified as music of the subcultures. Hmm. It’s a vague and limiting definition.

Nowadays, I think mainstream music is not limited to pop music alone. RnB, alternative rock, and hip hop have found their way into the mainstream scene ages ago.  In essence, mainstream music is any music that founds its way to the general consciousness of the people.

Do I enjoy mainstream music? Yes and no. You see… I don’t have a clear picture in mind how mainstream is mainstream and how indie is indie. Music is a form of art but if I always take music that way, I would hardly enjoy any song. Therefore, I take it face value. It does not matter if it a song is popular or not, if I love it, I love it.

I also don’t limit myself to a certain language, artist, or genre.  I believe music transcends those boundaries. I don’t like a song just because somebody told me it’s good. We all have difference perceptions of what good music is. At the end of the day, I love a song because it entertains me and I feel a certain connection to it.

How mainstream is mainstream? I still don’t know but this I leave in parting. Music is the product of our interests and we also take it because we find it interesting. 😉

The Bleary Plight of Pisay Scholars

I’ve been bothered by a post of a friend in FB regarding the contract of Pisay students that it prompted to me to write this.

We were always told in high school that being a Pisay Scholar is a privilege. A lot of students dream of entering the school and only a few pass the rigid entrance exam. Privilege. I agree. Being in Pisay has a lot of perks: the stipend, the free books, the free use of dorm, etc. What I valued the most is the advanced level of learning the system uses and it certainly helped me in making my college years less thunderous.

Of course the privilege comes with heavy responsibilities and consequences. We have to take a science and technology course and we are not allowed to migrate while we are in the process of completing the course. Before we enter Pisay, we sign a contract  agreeing to these terms and in addition we have to reimburse the amount of the scholarship in case we violate the terms of the contract.  Unfortunately, we sign the contract at the age of 12, 13? So, our parents have to sign in our behalf as our legal guardian.

Now here comes the problem. What if… what if… a student realizes science is not really his inkling and he doesn’t want to pursue a science course in college? Whether he withdraws while he still in Pisay or even before/during college, he will pay the same consequences. Furthermore, he will also be placed under the DFA watchlist. Yes, we are on the DFA watchlist and we have to get a clearance before we can go out of the country. The same condition applies to all DOST scholars.

January to June 2011: Discoveries and Rediscoveries

I was just listening to the sound of fireworks on the night of December 31. Then now, here I am reviewing how the first six months of my 2011 passed by. In an “adult’s world”, time flies so fast indeed.

 In 2010, I was so absorbed in earning and saving in money to the point I almost forgot my friends and probably even myself. At the end of the year, I was miserable and I felt that I was not able to achieve anything at all.

 2011 is about rediscovering what I forgot and almost forgot and discovering what I can still do. I am lucky enough that blessings are pouring non-stop. What I must ensure now is that I am worth every blessing I receive.

 Rediscovery

 Love for travelling. A certain change in my life early this year allowed me to do things which I really enjoy including travelling and several other things. I was able to go to Pampanga, Zambales, Batangas, and Bicol on several occasions. This may sound too “near” for some but for me, it’s a significant leap. I am slowly starting to realize my goals and hopefully, I can travel to farther places during the second half of the year.

Priceless.

 Love for photography. The first thing I listed in my wish list for 2011 is a camera. I made sure that I had one before my birthday. I fell in love with the camera at an early age. I am not a die hard photography enthusiast but I love capturing memories in pictures. A photograph is one of the very few tangible proofs that you were present at a certain moment, at a certain time.

Rediscovering friends.

 Friendship. Last year, I barely attended any HS gathering. I rarely contacted people outside of my closest circle of friends. What happened? I turned out miserable. I asked myself why. Is it because I have few friends? They are not thinking of me? But then I thought… I was not reaching out either. I forgot that it takes two people to make a relationship work out.

C’est la Vie, Carpe Diem

I came upon this on an All Adidas article about 2NE1’s CL. I just loved it so much so I am going to share:

We live amongst a countless number of possibilities. Some people compromise, take the easier path, and give up on their dreams. And as time passes, they sometimes regret not doing the things that they said they would try while they were young. However those people do not understand. The time when they come to regret is also the time given to them where they are the youngest.

What type of life are you living? Is it a life where you will some day come to regret? Or will it be a passionate life without regrets?

Passion, with that, all in

Interesting and poignant. It reminded me again that NOW is the time to enjoy life, make mistakes, and see what there is to see. It’s not just about being young but also because we never know what the future has in store for us or if we are always going to have the luxury of the gift called LIFE.

C’est la vie. Carpe diem.

(from http://www.psychologytoday.com)

(Review) 2NE1 – I am the Best

I had a dilemma on whether I should review 2NE1’s new single I am the Best. You see, it took me more time then usual to digest the song. If it weren’t for the awesome SBS Inkigayo live performance, it would probably take days before I listen to the song again.

(Credits to YGLife blog)

I chose to review the song after the live performance video and MV came out because I was hoping they would change my perception of the song. Thankfully, they did. Now, I’ll talk about the song first. The moment I heard the intro, I knew it would be something of the likes of Can’t Nobody: hectic and very electronic. Thankfully, Teddy chose to minimize the use of autotune this time. Like I said in my previous reviews, 2NE1 can sound hip hop or electronic even without the use of autotune. The music itself is already infused with electronic sounds that the vocals should not be treated anymore.

I had no qualms with all the instruments infused in this song. They are needed to build the atmosphere that the song was trying to establish: energetic, funky, and edgy. Vocal wise, 2NE1 also delivered. Parts were interchanged comfortably. The recorded version did not sound boring.

Sadly, the downside of the song is its structure and lyrics. The lyrics are catchy but when you analyze it carefully, they are just a bunch of repeating phrases. This also translated to the melody. The song lacks a decent chorus and bridge. Sadly again, one of the things I hate about a song is using a single phrase for the entire chorus. For that, it’s worse than Can’t Nobody and I’m Busy. Note that I’m Busy is currently my least favorite 2NE1 song.

Last Summer Hurrah

Summer is almost over and what’s the best way to spend it? Swimming with some of the best people I know! June 12 was the “unofficial” celebration of our HS batch’s 10 years of friendship. Twenty one of us flocked to Club Manila East and had our backs and butts burned by the scorching heat of the sun.

Club Manila East was nothing extraordinary. I still feel that I did not enjoy the PhP 350 I paid for the entrance fee. Bringing of food is also not allowed. This was why at the end of the day, most of us were already dying from hunger. Pools were okay. There were two wave pools, a diving site, kiddie pools and the standard pools. Their website was advertising a new facility which turned out to be a “low lying” and almost dysfunctional zip line. BLEH. Anyway, I still had fun! BECAUSE location does not matter as long as with my beloved friends.

Cheers to 10 Years of Friendship!

I almost forgot but thank God a high school batchmate reminded me. Being the “oh-so-good-at-dates” person in the batch, I’ve been blabbering since January that this year marks the 10^th year since all of us met.

So, without further ado… Happy 10 years Mamaws/Taukappahbah/ PSHS-BRC Batch 2005!!

(Travel Diary) A Weekend in Subic

I love traveling. I especially love long trip and road trips. I’ve been working for over a year now but because I still have commitments, I still can’t afford to go to far-flung places. However, in January I promised myself that I’ll try to reach different places this year. My goal this year  is to tour Luzon.

There is peace in traveling alone but we must admit that traveling with companions is still a lot more fun. I thank God I have friends who have the same idiosyncrasies as me.  So I and three of my high school friends have officially started what could be series of escapade. Our first stop last May 14-15: Subic Bay.

View from the window.

Going to Subic

We agreed to meet at Victory Liner at 5:30 AM in the morning. I don’t know what happened because for the first time in my life, I arrived late for a trip. LOL. I reached the terminal 5:55 AM, just five minutes before the bus departed.

(Review) 2NE1 – Lonely

Strings. This song is all about strings and I’m loving it. Lonely is an excellent addition to 2NE1’s growing resume. While many of us know that YG has the ability to produce a song of such quality and subtlety, the simple of use of stings still surprised me and it’s very refreshing to the ears. I already know 2NE1 can pull off mellow songs excellently: In the Club, It Hurts, Love is Ouch. But one aspect that made Lonely stand out is the absence of percussion instruments, synthesizers and minimal treatment of the vocals. Whoever composed and arranged the music, I so love you.

(Credits to YG Life)

I like how the music started with a simple guitar plucking then transitioned into strumming. It builds tension and anticipation for the chorus. The use of violin in the chorus made me grin from ear to ear. I love the music that violins create and I think violin music is one the most gorgeous sound you can infuse to a song. If you pay close detail to the song, at the part where Minzy and Bom sing “I’m so lonely…lonely..”, there are actually two violins playing. I loved it. They created a perfect harmonization. I wish 2NE1 can do the same.

Post 15: Favorite Tumblrs

Challenge for Post 14: My favorite Tumblrs.

I am not an avid user of Tumblr so I have a very limited idea of what a good Tumblr site means. Anyway, here are some of my favorites:

1. The Diarist . The site offers a good collection of quotes and pictures.

2. Khuntorialurve. The best source of Khuntoria goodies.

3. Pinoy Tumblr. Who doesn’t love some patriotism?

There you go. My three faves. 🙂

Post 14: My Earliest Memory

Challenge for Post 14: My Earliest Memory

Hmm…. I can’t tell at what age..probably I was three years old. I was driving my brother’s  blue bycicle in our house’s terrace.  I was wearing a yellow dress. I kept coming back and forth to the kitchen table because mom cooked my favorite kalingking  AKA kamote fritters. LOL.

For those who aren’t familiar with kalinking:

(from clickthecity.com)

 

Post 13: Dream Destination

Challenge for POST 13 : Somewhere you’d like to move or visit.

(I’m changing DAY to POST since it’s pretty obvious I can’t post everyday)

Hmm. A place I’d like to visit. I was going to write Korea but it’s cliche already  since  I have been sucked in completely into its culture. I thought hard again of a place I really want to visit.  That would be BATANES.

BATANES. Yes.. that group of islands in northernmost Philippines. Even in pictures, that place has a very mysterious aura. Almost every person I know  who have been there fell in love with the place. I want to know why. I became more curious about Batanes after my Archeology professor back in college discussed their unique culture and way of living.

Try watching the movie Batanes and you’ll probably understand what I’m talking about.

(From clickthecity.com)

(from quizilla.teennick.com)

 

Day 12: All in a Day

Challenge for Day 12: Bullet my whole day.

Since the day is not finished yet, I’ll just bullet my activities yesterday.

1:00 AM – Sleep. Oh yeah.  I’ll count this as Sunday. LOL.

7: 30 AM – Wake up

8:00 AM – Wash up; Breakfast; Clean my room.

8:30 AM – Iron/fold my clean clothes; Clean my cabinet ; Rearaange clothes

11:30 AM – lunch

12:00 NN –  Internet time

1:30 PM  – Nap

4:oo PM – Attend mass