SONA-A day in my Life

What I like about being part of the entire State of the Nation Address ceremonies is the feeling of being invited to the year's most exclusive party. Granted, I'm working the entire time, but being in the same room with the President, dis-"honorables" and people from all over the country? I'm basically rubbing elbows with people from diverse professions, ages, and socio-economic backgrounds.

I feel privileged to be part of the staff every year. It stirs my sense of patriotism and hope that maybe, things will be different. To be part of something that makes the country work (though many of us are frustrated because things seem to be going otherwise) is something that completely blows my mind.

This is the first SONA I've worked as a photographer. I was an usher in the past years, before I asked for this assignment.

Anyway, here's the SONA through my eyes.



The media setting their gear up for the big event



Menial task of the day: I was with Mrs. Boss in her car. We were cruising through EDSA when my mistress had a hankering for bananas. I ran across Guadalupe Market, in heels, looking for a bunch.



With Miko's Nikon F4, attached with a 300 mm lens. Damn that bitch has a fat ass! I had to lug that four pounder all day. Playing with the boys in the photographer's gallery. No flash, bawal sa proceedings eh.



Hello, Ramos?



Mindanao lawmakers applaud the parliamentary/federal government proposals.



The "pala" boys. Look at them generals! Uniforms!!!!



You have to love the free food.



Thomas, A German intern working for the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. Saturday's bound to get interestin ;)

SONA Fashion

Always interesting



Somebody's gotta tell him that Tony Ferrer is the original "da man."



A Manobo mother-daughter tandem. Gotta love the outfits!



Wonder what he's saying?



Don't hate her cos she's president.

WARNING! Men in Uniform Right Ahead!

Ahhh, the annual State of the Nation Address. I love going to the SONA. It's like Sailor Week in New York! Nothing makes my insides tingle like seeing all those men in uniform! Navy, Marine, Bugle Corps, SWAT...MEN IN UNIFORM ARE HOT!

Yes, I do have a thing for men in uniform. In fact, one of my sexual fantasies involve a man, in uniform, and the movie "An Officer and A Gentleman." Whether they're cassocks, school uniforms, and especially military uniforms, there's something to be said how a men, especially a military man, looks in dress whites.

Even if a man is bald, ugly, and has the biggest beer belly in the planet, donning a uniform makes him instantly one hundred times more appealing. It's as if he stands up straighter, his chin becomes more chisled, and turns god-like in awe-inspiring power.

My hercules, my warrior has come home to claim me. I Tarzan, You Jane.

Yes, I'm a brainless brute.

So this year, I decided to take shots of all those cute men in uniform. Ready girls?



Left: Philippine Army Capt. Adelio Abrugena. Married with three children. Likes to run in marathons.
Right: Philippine Army Capt. Jesse Montoya. Has a dimple in his left cheeck. Very shy.



Capt. Ivan Papera of the Philippine Marines. He likes to play basketball.



Philippine Navy Lieutenant Christopher Salimbangon. Married. Likes to ride motorcycles, practice target shooting with his guns, and to play golf.



I'm with P02 Edmundo Nabor, one of The Boss' security men. He has a crush on me, but what he doesn't know is that I have a crush on him, too! He's 23, and topped the police examinations in Baguio when he joined the force. However, he's reluctant to ask me out because he's afraid of my mom, aka The Boss' secretary (wuss!). It makes going to work a little more bearable.


Lt. RR Abendan is one of The Boss' aides-de-camp. He's from the Philippine Navy and has a beautiful and buxom girlfriend, also named Catherine, who's still in school (ha!)



Sgt. Glen Galvatorres of the K-9 Special Reaction Unit. He likes his dog.

There you have it, folks! Hope you enjoy looking at the men as much as I did! Hail the uniform!



Nikki Alfar
Tobie Abad
Gabby Lee
Andre Mischa Cleofe

The Story of My Life

Feeling a bit dramatic today...

It's all in the Name

I have a penchant for dating oddly named men. How many girls you know have dated a Kweku, an Irran, and a Mervyl? Maybe it's not the name. More likely I have a penchant for picking guys with commitment issues.

Maybe the reason why I end up with guys with interesting names is because the names become a self-fulfilling monicker; they end up being unique because of their unique names. And I do have to admit, it takes a lot to keep me interested in one guy.

Sometimes, I do wish I could pick out an ordinary guy. Somebody named Joey (oh wait, I did date a Joey), or Mark (hm, I've dated a Mark, too) or a Patrick (no offense to Sephie :D).

For some reason, I am convinced that I will have a son (please remain as optimistic as I am, people!). I want to name my son Jacob, aka Jake. A Jake sounds like a man, a manly man, man's man name. "Hey Jake, wanna play ball?" "Hey Jake toss me a beer!"

See what I mean?

For my future daughter, I'm partial to Dru. It does seem lame to name my daughter after a vampire on Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, but Dru seems like a hip name. She sounds like she's a tough, no-nonsense chick who can be one of the guys. It's not too feminine, but you know that she's drying her nails while she's kicking some loser's ass.
-------

I wanna speak out on the Jude Law thing. Not to excuse his infidelity, but if I were the nanny, how on earth could I refuse Jude Law? The most beautiful man on earth wants to be my sperm donor! He's hot, he's talented. He may not have morals, but that can be worked on. How can I refuse those genes?

All I'm saying is, I can't blame the nanny.

Sienna Miller is gorgeous, and can get herself another gorgeous man. It takes a beautiful person to have the self-esteem to be able to refuse another beautiful person. Way to go Sienna!

Since Jude is now single, he can make a deposit in my bank. Anytime. ;)
----

I stress, however, that this invitation is open to Jude Law and Jude Law alone. Not to you, Mr. Star Wars poseur. Whatever you heard about me is completely wrong.

"Cath, wasup, **** here, no one will ever know naman, eh, cmon just for once"

Does this line ACTUALLY work on women? Stupid!

No one will ever know? Yeah, right. You'll probably tell people that I've spread myself open, even without the benefit of the actual event.

To the man of the everchanging phone numbers (yes, you know who you are).

Screw you.

Man, I feel like a Woman!

For the first time in my entire life, I actually do feel an "adult-ness" that is entirely new and wonderous.

Of course, as soon as I say this, something will happen that will take me down a peg, and put me back on square one.

I like the person I am becoming. I like the person I have become. I do annoy myself a lot, which is not a good thing.

I feel that I now have more patience for other people (as patient as I can get--i still am a very impatient person), for where they are and what they are and why they are.

I like my body. I like how I look. I am very satisfied with it.

Gosh, I cannot believe how afflicted my self-esteem was in my early youth! How I wanted to be other people so badly!

Now, I'm just glad to be myself.

-----

The Girls are a group of friends, former acquaintances who have somehow, banded together and share innermost questions women share with their girlfriends. Of course, I've had good girl friends before, but this is the first time that I have a group of girlfriends whom I shop with and talk about everything-- uncensored!

Leslie is two years younger, and is about as experienced with men as I am. A certified shoe-aholic and shop-aholic, she is tickled that she finally has a "Sex In the City" bunch to call her own. She is the first girl in the posse I became close to. She likes to call herself the "Carrie" of the group.

Jewel is a lot like Miranda. A really tough chick. Bisexual, but is currently dating a guy. We were acquaintances before because of cosplay, but we only became close because of Leslie, her former high school classmate. She was a member of her high school basketball and soccer team, and nothing pisses her off more than men who stare at her very ample bosoms. Caution: She packs a mighty right hook. And how!

K is the youngest, also a cosplayer. Really smart, she's taking up an aeronautics something course in London (yes, England!). She's a bit heartbroken now because she broke her vow to give up her virginity to the man she'll marry, since the current Japanese dude she's seeing is apparently not the one (quite a shocker!)

I am of course the oldest and guess what role I just assumed? Of course, I just HAD to be in PR, just like Samantha!



Nikki Alfar
Tobie Abad
Gabby Lee
Andre Mischa Cleofe

A Week in Narcoleptic Hell

I now realize why I was a klutz with bad skin as a teen--it was because was constantly sleep-deprived at the time! It wasn't because I didn't want to sleep. It was because I couldn't. I was constantly reading, daydreaming, watching tv,burning telephone lines, passionately into the Band of the Moment or crushing/swooning to realize that it was already 2 am on a school night.

Cathy now knows that she needs her sleep. Yes, sleep is indeed my friend.

The rumor was only the start of a week where technology and my mind seemed to work against me. It has been a very busy week, adjusting to my new routine, of being up late at night to submit stories on time to my editors in the US, then waking up at 5 to get to work for the Boss.

This Monday, on the way to the gym, my foot fell into a gap between the metal grating that covered a deep gutter in Pasay Road. I had not realized that some bufoon had sawed off a key in the grill, creating a hole big enough to accommodate my foot. Poor me has a dark, dark bruise near my elbow and my left knee. Had I not been holding on the jeep I was going to board, I would have dislocated my hip.

Tuesday,Wednesday, and Thursday was a blur, and I had literally traversed all of Manila in those two days. Days seemed to blend into each other, and I recall feeling the same light-headedness I felt the time I stayed up for THREE STRAIGHT DAYS to finish my thesis. Though I don't drink coffee, it had sustained me through that entire time.

I was supposed to meet my sister on Friday afternoon for an afternoon of shopping fun. I was on my way to deposit cash into my BPI Family Bank ATM using their Express Deposit Machine in their Park Square 1 branch when the machine not only ate my card, it also ate my P 1000 deposit! An hour of consternation later, I was told that I could only retrieve my card on Monday, but they would have to verify whether I did deposit money into my account. If verified, they would only credit it to my account on Friday!

Saturday afternoon through early Sunday morning devoted to a night out with the girls. After spending hours at the Starbucks near the Robinsons Galleria theaters, we decided to take the party to Libis. It was in Libis where I realized that I had left my wallet at Starbucks! I literally felt my knees buckle as I mentally ticked off what important documents I had in my wallet. It was at this time that I felt grateful that the machine ate my ATM. I called every person I could think of who lived in the Pasig/Mandaluyong area to plead, if they can go to Rob Gale and ask the Starbucks staff if they had found my wallet. My friends were either asleep or out of the house. (Me: DUH! of course, it's a Saturday night!) After ascertaining that only my debit card was in danger, I called the card company to have it cut.

Thank you, thank you honest Starbucks employees for keeping the wallet and giving it back when I returned the next day! Oh joy! My card was still cut, but at least I have it back, and I knew that my money was safe.

A lesson learned: I need my eight hours.

A Neil Gaiman Fangurl Moment

LOLZ!

Taken by my camera. Captured by Sephiroth.

Sex, Lies, and Voyeurism

I just heard the most fantastic, the most outrageous rumor about myself last Saturday night that I just had to correct this aspersion! It beats the rumor I heard in college about my friend Don King (he's Chinese, don't ask) hiring two hookers as a gift to himself on his 20th birthday!

The rumor goes like this: I was reportedly in a drinking session with several members of the anime community when I had sex with my 18-year old ex-lover, while he was wearing a borrowed Ragnarok Priestess costume, while anime community staple Vincent Ternida was watching!

Okay, okay, first things first: I DID have sex with the 18 year old in question.
While I am not adverse to a little role-playing, I'VE NEVER had sex in costume...yet.
I DID NOT ever join a drinking spree with the anime peeps. Please! I did with some J-rockers, but that's that.
I WAS NOT ever in a drinking spree with Vincent Ternida.
I MOST CERTAINLY did not have sex in front of him!

As far as I know, the only sentient beings that have seen me do the deed were 1) an ex-member of a j-rock band who was pretending to be asleep.
2) a cat.

I also heard that I am now being referred to as "the slut of the anime community" na "pumapatol kung kani-kanino" (to my non-Pinoy readers, that means: who sleeps with anyone who would have her). I know the people who have said this about me, and I am saddened that they have pre-judged me so.

What makes me a slut? The fact that I had a blabbermouth of an ex-boyfriend who revealed everything about our time together as a bet in a card game? The barely-legal nookie I had with an 18 year old bishonen? You can ask HIM. He started the affair! Okay, I may have exercised poor judgment at the time by agreeing to it. But you know the thing about mistakes? You learn from them. I did. I'm sorry. I got my just desserts. Get off your high horses, people!

While I do relish my reputation as a vixen, the sad truth is, I've probably had my heart broken more times than I've broken hearts. Nice piece of fiction, folks, but get your facts straight.

Somewhere in this city, a very bad 18-year old boy is in need of a good spanking!

Make-up 101: Lips

Oh my, the end of the tutorial. How time fles *sigh*

Might as well move on to the integral part of the series: Lips!

Girls already know the basics, right?

Step 1: Line the lips with lipliner in a shade similar to lipstick

Step 2: Fill in the lips with lipstick. I don't use lip brushes though it does provide more control. I'm just lazy that way. Again!



Step 3: Apply silicon-based lip gloss for shine.



But wait! I have a tip!

The point of the whole lip thing is to emphasize the fullness of the lip. I read somewhere that men associate full lips with fertility (not sure with that!), reason why geishas, flappers and Bett Boop apply lip color to only the fullest part of the lip.

ONe of my make-up pet peeves is the greasy feeling I get after applying lip gloss. Since the aim of lip gloss is to catch light and emphasize the middle of the lip, try applying lip gloss only on the middle part of the upper and lower lip. Avoid the icky just-ate-a-greasy-plateful-of lechon feeling without skimping on the beauty!



So there! I hope you guys picked up a thing or two (or maybe I should learn a bit more) about applying make-up for daily use. Til the next tutorial! Ta-ta AND mwah!

XOXO



Nikki Alfar
Tobie Abad
Gabby Lee
Andre Mischa Cleofe

New Life

After arguing with the fates, pleading to God for years, and whining to my friends, I'm finally getting my ducks lined up in a row, standing firm at my place in the sun, and getting my life in order. Finally!

I started out in my new job last July 1. No, I haven't resigned from Mr and Mrs. Boss. I got me a new job as a features (but sometimes news) writer/photographer for Asian Journal, a newspaper in LA, San Francisco and Las Vegas (yes, in the United States) that caters to the Fil-Am market. My aunt, who reads the paper, congratulated me for my new second job, and I'm just relieved that I feel that I am getting the life I've always wanted, that things are working out my way. It's a nice feeling, of being settled, of knowing where I'm headed. Of knowing that life is on my side. To not feel anxious about the future and of my capabilities.

That I don't have to keep raging, struggling and fighting for what I want. To finally have it *just like that*

I guess if things are meant to be, then they happen *just like that*

My new job entails travel around the Philippines (yay!) covering and writing news (not so yay) and writing feature articles of things that catch my fancy (major yay!)

Last Thursday, I had my first photo assignment! My hands trembled as Miko, my Philippine boss, handed me his verrry expensive Nikon D70. With excitement and trepidation, I took photos of the new Greenbelt malls, anxious to get my shots all right. I learned a lot of new things that day. I've never handled a D 70 before, and Miko kept complaining that his camera's auto-focus capabilites were already shot after only a year of use. I made a mental note not to buy a Nikon. It took me some time to get the hang of the camera, so some of my pictures were out of focus or too dark. I feel that for an amateur, I did well.

I still can't believe that I'm being paid to take photos! I'm not as good as I want to be, but I am determined that I do well in my new job.

My checklist

Live alone-check
Be healthy and physically fit-check
Emotional and mental stability, overall positive disposition-check. No more drama, I hope!
Job I love-check
Man in life-ergh, not at the moment. I need to prove to myself first that I can make it in the Big, Wide World.

Food for Thought

Walang kwenta ang Pilipinas
By: jawbreaker. (isang ordinaryong office worker na ayaw na magbayad ng tax...ever!)

Hindi ko na mapigilan ang sarili ko. Sukang-suka na ko sa mga nangyayari sa bansang 'to! Walang katapusang corruption, walang kamatayang pangbabatikos, pagbabatuhan ng tae at pagpapa-taasan ng ihi ng mga pulitiko sa bawat isa, walang tigil na imbestigasyon ng kung ano-anong isyu pero wala namang matinong resolusyon, walang puknat na pag-aagawan ng kapangyarihan sa pagitan ng mga partido, patuloy na pagdami ng tamad at tangang Pilipino, patuloy na pakikipaglaban ng ideolohiyang wala namang silbi. Ang gobyerno ng Pilipinas, talo pa ang septic tank na hinihigop ng Malabanan - saksakan ng dumi at napakabaho. Kaya hindi nakakapagtaka na ang Pilipinas ang isa sa pinakamahirap at corrupt na bansa sa mundo. Kasi lahat sila bulok, lahat sila walang kwenta. Lahat sila sugapa sa kapangyarihan at sa pera.

ANAK NG TETENG! !$#%Q!&!* @!!!!!

KAHIT KRISTIYANO AKO, HINDI KO MAPIGILANG MAGMURA AT HILINGIN SA DIYOS (MINSAN NGA PATI SA DEMONYO) NA MAMATAY NA SILANG LAHAT AT I- BBQ SILA NG HABANG-BUHAY SA IMPIERNO. SINONG "SILA"? EH DI MGA CORRUPT NA GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND WORKERS, MGA TAMBAY NA PILIPINO NA ANG LALAKI NG KATAWAN PERO HINDI NAMAN NAGTRATRABAHO AT HINDI NAGBABAYAD NG TAX, MGA MAYAYAMAN AT ARISTANG TAX EVADERS, PATI MGA AKTIBISTA, NPA AT IBA PANG IDEOLOGICAL GROUPS NA HINDI NAGBABAYAD NG TAX PERO PANG-GULO!!! MAMATAY NA KAYO!!!

Lagi na lang sinasabi ng mga pulitiko: Ipaglaban ang masa! Tulungan ang masa! Mahalin ang masa!

PUNYETA! MASA LANG BA ANG TAO SA PILIPINAS? SINO BA TALAGA ANG BUMUBUHAY SA PUNYETANG BANSANG TO? SAAN BA GALING ANG PANGPAGAWA NG MGA TULAY AT KALYE? SAAN BA GALING ANG PORK BARREL? SAAN BA GALING ANG PERANG KINUKURAKOT NYO? KAMI NA MGA MANGGAGAWA AT MIDDLE CLASS NA BAGO PA MAKUHA ANG SWELDO BAWAS NA - KAMI ANG BUMUBUHAY SA WALANG KWENTANG BANSA NA 'TO!!!!!!!!! BAKIT YANG BANG MGA MASANG YAN NA LAGI NA LANG SENTRO NG PLATAPORMA NG MGA PULITIKO EH NAGBABAYAD BA NG TAX???!!!! F**K YOU! KAHIT ISA SA MGA NAG-RA-RALLYING MGA SQUATTER NA YAN, KAHIT SINGKO HINDI NAG-RE-REMIT YAN SA BIR! PERO PINAPAKINGGAN BA KAMI NG GOBYERNO? LAGI NA LANG OPINYON NG MASA ANG INIINTINDI NG GOBYERNO. KUNG SINO ANG NAG-RA-RALLY, SA EDSA, SILA ANG NASUSUNOD. KUNG SINO ANG MAS MALAKAS SUMIGAW PERO WALA NAMANG ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION, SILA LAGI ANG FOCUS PAG MAY PROBLEMA. SILA LAGI ANG BIDA. KAMING MGA ORDINARYONG OFFICE WORKERS, OFW'S, LABORERS AT IBA PANG NAG-TRA-TRABAHO AT NAGBABAYAD NG TAX - KAMI ANG NAGPAPAKAHIRAP PARA BUHAYIN ANG PILIPINAS. KAMI ANG MGA TUNAY NA BAYANI NG BANSA!!!

Tuwing nakikita ko ang payslip ko, nag-iinit ang ulo ko at gusto kong maiyak sa inis. Napakalaki ng tax na binabawas sa akin pero ginagamit lang sa walang kwentang bagay ang perang pinaghirapan ko. Lahat ng pagtitipid ginagawa ko para suportahan ang sarili ko, pamilya ko at ang punyetang bansang to. Ni hindi ako makabili ng chicken and spaghetti meal sa Jollibee kahit gutom na gutom na ko. Nag-tya-tyaga ako sa waffle na tig-P10, o kaya pag may konting pera, junior bola-bola siopao sa Mini-Stop sa halangang P20. Eh kung yung pera ko na pinapangbabayad sa tax sa kin na lang napunta, eh di sana nakakapanood pa ko ng sine at least 2 beses sa isang buwan. Nakabili na sana ako ng bagong rubber shoes. Nakapagpagawa na sana ako ng sarili kong bahay. Yung tax na binabayad ko, karamihan nun derecho sa bulsa ng mga corrupt na mga government officials at workers. Habang hirap na hirap akong i-budget ang pera ko, sila naman nagpapakasarap sa mga mansyon. SUV's at luxury cars pa ang dina-d rive nila, samantalang ako sa pedicab lang sumasakay!

P****** INA! PERA KO YANG PINAPAGPAPASASAAN NYO!!!!! Yung tax na binabayad ko, pinapangsuporta sa mga mahihirap. Saan ba galing ang pera pangpagawa ng housing at pagtulong sa mga mahihirap, di ba sa mga manggagawa na nagbabayad ng buwis! Pero karamihan ng mahihirap, kung umasta kala mo inaapi sila ng sobra.

SA TOTOO LANG NO, KAYA ANG MGA MAHIHIRAP LALONG NAGHIHIRAP KASI MGA TAMAD! Ang daming mga tambay sa kalye na walang trabaho pero ang laki ng katawan. Eh kung sila ba nagkargador sa pier eh di sana may pera sila.

TAPOS WALA NA NGANG PERA, ANAK PA NG ANAK! PUNYETA! LALO NYO LANG PINAPADAMI ANG TAMAD AT TANGA SA MUNDO!!!!! Naaawa ako sa mga batang pakalat-kalat sa kalye at namamalimos. Imbes na nag-aaral, dumadagdag lang sila sa bilang ng mga future criminals sa Pinas. Hindi ako magtataka na yung batang nakita kong namamalimos sa Cubao, pagkatapos ng ilang taon cellphone snatcher na.

YUNG MGA MAGULANG NAMAN DYAN, COMMON SENSE LANG! HIRAP NA HIRAP NA NGA KAYO SA BUHAY, MANGDADAMAY PA KAYO NG IBA?! PAPARAMIHAN NYO PA LAHI NYO!

Palibhasa walang mga trabaho at walang pinagkaka-abalahan, kaya nagkakalabitan at nagsusundutan na lang maghapon, magdamag. Sa totoo lang, nakakabilib. Kasi kahit sa ilalim ng tulay o sa kariton lang, nakakabuo pa rin ng bata! Ibig sabihin, maabilidad ang mga Pinoy. Kung gugustuhin, gagawan ng paraan. Kahit sa makipot, mabaho at maduming lugar - SOLVE! Isa pang mga grupo ng tao na nakakainis, yung mga aktibista, NPA at kung ano-ano pang ideological political groups. Sabi nila, mahal na mahal nila ang Pilipinas kaya pinagpalalaban nila ang kanilang mga adhikain.

PUNYETA! EH HINDI RIN KAYO NAGBABAYAD NG TAX! ANG KAKAPAL RIN NG MGA MUKHA NYO! MGA IPOKRITO! MAHAL DAW ANG PILIPINAS AYAW NAMAN MAGBAYAD NG BUWIS! BAKIT MAY BIR COLLECTOR BA SA GITNA NG MENDIOLA AT EDSA?! MAY TAX COLLECTION BA SA BUNDOK?! WALA DIN NAMAN KAYONG MGA TRABAHO! KUNG MAY TRABAHO TALAGA KAYO, HINDI KAYO MAG-RA-RALLY DAHIL SAYANG ANG SWELDO NYO PAG ABSENT KAYO! PAANO NYO MAIPAPAKITA ANG PAGMAMAHAL NYO SA PILIPINAS KUNG WALA NA KAYONG GAWANG MATINO KUNDI MAG-RALLY AT MAMUNDOK??!!! ISA PA YANG MGA MAYAYAMAN AT MGA ARTISTA, NA NANGDADAYA AT HINDI NAGBABAYAD NG BUWIS. ANG KAKAPAL NG MUKHA NYO! ANG DAMI NYO NA NGANG PERA NANGDADAYA PA KAYO SA TAX!!!! HINDI NYO NAMAN MADADALA SA IMPIERNO YANG MGA KAYAMAN NYO. MASUSUNOG LANG DUN YAN. KAYA LALONG BUMABAGSAK ANG NEGOSYO DITO SA PILIPINAS, KASI MGA NEGOSYANTE MANDARAYA. PATI SHOWBIZ INDUSTRY, BAGSAK NA DIN. KARMA ANG TAWAG DYAN. MGA BALASUBAS KASI.

Sana magkaron ng POLITICAL AND NATIONAL CLEANSING.

- Alisin (mas maganda kung patayin na lang) ang lahat ng pulitiko at political families sa puwesto
- Tibagin ang lahat ng mapanirang organizations at grupo.
- Itapon sa malayong isla o kaya i-pwersa ng hard labor ang mga sobrang tamad na mga Pilipino.
- Ihiwalay ang mga bata sa kanilang mga tamad at tangang magulang
upang makapag-aral sila at maturuan na maging mabuting tao at mamamayan.
- Magkaron ng bagong lider na walang political ties at utang na loob sa kahit sino.
At higit sa lahat, dapat tax payers lang ang pwedeng bumoto!

Kung kinakailangang magka-giyera para magtino ang mga Pilipino, ayos lang. Masyado na kasing matigas ang ulo ng mga tao dito. Gusto ng kalayaan, pero hindi naman handang panagutan ang responsibilidad ng pagiging malaya. Meron daw pinaglalaban na prinsipyo at adhikain pero takot namang mamatay para dito. (Sa mga nakaka-alam sa anime na Gundam Wing, yan ang inspirasyon ko sa new Pinas hehe. I love you Zechs! I love you Treize!)

Hangga't hindi nagkakaron ng radical change, patuloy na walang kwenta ang Pilipinas at patuloy na magiging tanga ang majority ng mga Pilipino. Sa dami ng nag-mi-migrate na Pilipino sa ibang bansa, dadating ang panahon na minority na lang ng population sa Pilipinas ang may utak. Yung mga magagaling na Pilipino, malamang maubos na. Sobra na kasi silang na-fru-frustrate at na-de-depress sa mga nakikita nila. Ilang taon pa at aalis na rin ako sa Pilipinas. Wala kong balak na magkaron ng pamilya sa isang bansa na hindi pinapahalagahan ang kontribusyon ng mga taong tunay na bumubuhay dito. Kawawa naman ang magiging anak ko kung dito sya mabubuhay. Sa totoo lang, broken hearted ako. Minahal ko din ang bansang ito. Pilit kong pinagtatanggol kahit bulok. Nakarating na ko ng ibang bansa, pero pinili kong bumalik. Pero ngayon, ayoko na. Suko na ko. Sayang lang ako sa bansang to. Simple lang naman ang hiling ko. Gusto ko lang mabuhay ng tahimik at maayos. Gusto ko na kahit paano eh maipa gmalaki ang Pilipinas. Pero wala eh. Doomed to be jologs ang bansang to.

Alam ko marami pa ang umaasa at naniniwala sa pagbabago. Good luck and God bless! Sana tama kayo at mali ako.

Make-up 101: Cheeks

Welcome to a Slinging Ink Tuesday, I know you all missed me ;D! I really couldn't help it that I was downed by the sniffles!

I don't mean to get cheeky on you guys, but really, the way some girls blush can be so '80s!

I dare say, experiment, go crazy, but not with the blusher! I mean, go crazy and experiment on how to apply blush in the best way to suit your face, and what hue to use. I usually apply blusher on the apples of my cheeks. So smile and blush away!



Remember that the aim is to make your cheeks look like it has the glow of natural health, the flushed look after a good workout or a brisk run. Say a big NO to the urge to power-blush! You know what I mean! You are not going to a catfight on Dynasty. Besides, that show (god bless those shoulder pads) has long been cancelled. So should power-blushing. Leave those angry red streaks to the 80s punk wannabes.

There are many kinds ways to achieve that glow. Some people don't look good in blusher, and would be better off using sparkly bronzer for their cheeks. Some people, like my sister, like to use lip and cheek tints.



Lip and cheek tint hint! Do NOT dot the apples of your cheecks with the colors then spread! It will leave a ghostly red dot on your cheek and color that seems to have been smeared towards your ears! Say no to blusher comets! For liquid or cream blushers, do as the sister does: She applies a dot of the stuff on a damp sponge then applies it on her face. Remember that a little goes a long way. I think I should switch to liquid blusher, since it does seem to impart a more natural glow.

Oh and please remember to wash your blush brush every month! An unclean brush can lead to "overblush," and you may miscalculate and inadvertently give yourself the "power blush" look. I wash mine in a shampoo-and-water solution, rinse it out then let it air dry.

More of the Tuesday gang!

NikkiAlfar
Tobie Abad
Gabby Lee
Andre Mischa Cleofe

Taking Over the World...One Costume at a Time

Hello guys and welcome back to my domain! I see that a lot of people have come in while I was out! Welcome, welcome, and I'm glad to meet you, too!

It has been a good week for me, Cosplay wise. First up, I was a judge at the 2005 Toys and Collectibles Convention! Was glad to see a lot of familiar faces, especially familiar faces trying out new things!

It was rad to finally be a judge at a cosplay contest! I never thought that I was gonna be asked, and it was so hard to keep it a secret because I wanted to be impartial. I only told people about it on the day of the con itself. I now realize what goes on in judging a costume, and I sincerely believe that it has helped me become a better cosplayer in the process.

First up, I never thought that the modeling portion of the costumes whizzes by so fast! As a performer, that few seconds feels like an eternity onstage. But as a judge, I barely had time to jot down my scores. As a result, me and my fellow judges listed down when we could and caught up with the scoring during the breaks in between the batches.

Number two, I realized how important the stage performance part is in the cosplay. Even if the cosplayer is a veteran and/or an acquaintance, I had a hard time recalling the cosplayer during the "catching up" period, unless he/she gave a remarkable performance.

I now know that even if a costume is impressive, a good performance during the stage exhibition is also an integral part of the criteria. Even with a "B" costume, an "A" caliber performance can put a cosplayer dead even with a cosplayer wearing an "A" costume. However, cosplayers must be careful that they don't end up maiming the judges during fight scenes!

Number three, Audience impact matters, but it's not as important as it's all cracked up to be. I was just so pleased at how dedicated some people were in putting together their costumes. I now know that it doesn't matter to the judges whether or not you made your own costume. It matters to you, as a cosplayer, to take personal pride in your work. And I feel that it matters to me to make my own costumes, because I feel proud to strut in something that I made. And believe me, even if your costume is crap, it shows.

Then yesterday, my Slave Leia profile was put up in the Bikini Builder's website!


Click me!

Gyahaha!!! Power, power, POWER!!! Nah, just kidding! I am just glad that I am able to help better the local cosplaying community.

I'm just happy that cosplay has taken me to unexpected places in my life. At the beginning, I had a hard time explaining to my parents, and even myself, what was it about cosplay that fascinated me so. My love of competition? It fulfilled my creativity? Despite the politics inside the community, I'm just happy that I am so fulfilled by this craft. I'm eternally learning new things about costume construction and myself, and I feel that I have LOTS more to learn. I'm still surprised that I've even been asked to judge. I have miles to go, miles to go.