Who would have thought that two years after the last episode of the mob series, we would see Carmela in nursing scrubs? Nurse Jackie is a comedy on a very hectic New York hospital nurse Jackie Peyton and her worldly day-to-day struggles with life, work and love. It is a diversion for the usual presentation of such an angle in a show with doctors and nurses. Shows would usually have a drama with Jackie’s life but instead, it is written in a light and easily digestible manner.

Seeing Carmela in scrub tops takes a little getting used to but it is easily forgivable after we see Peter Facinelli (yes, Twilight’s Dr. Carlisle Cullen and the husband of Beverly Hills 90210′s Jennie Garth), as a mere mortal medicine man in his uniform white coat, dapper tie and very brown hair.  The third season of the show since its premier in 2009 premiered this March, 2011.

Let us take the work attire of our lovely Florence Nightingale.  She became the first physical stereotype of how a nurse should look like.  Over the years, the nurse’s garb evolved into something whiter and uh, skimpier.  Fast forward to the early millennium, it evolved again into something that is more down to earth known as nursing scrubs.  This rendered the sexy nurse uniform obsolete, it is now only good for Halloween and other naughty costume-themed occasions.

The birth of the scrubs created a whole new professional face for our modern-day medical right-hand staff.  Scrub clothing may seem drab to others but it does project a sense of security to those who seek their care.  No matter how bad the reason is for you to end up in a physician’s clinic, you can start to relax once you see the shadow of scrub tops.  You can tell yourself not to worry about your congenital fear of needles because Miss Doctor’s-Little-Helper can make it all seem like a trip to the candy store.

Over the years, that comfort was later paired with a sense of security when it comes to hygiene and sanitation.  Some establishments use scrub uniforms in place of a traditional company uniform. It projects a more professional feel to the service rendered by the individual. Just like when you are ill in the hospital and a staff in scrubs with a clipboard comes up to you, you can be assured that he is competent and properly trained. It has inadvertently evolved into something that bears honour, a positive stereotype among those who need to don the outfit daily.  It is the modern day emblem of the sense of well being that doctors convey to their patients, except it is more down to earth, less elitist but highly respectable.

I would like cite Neil McCauley from the movie Heat as an example. Played by Robert De Niro, Neil is a robber who only wished to make profit from the bigger crooks without killing others. He would take money from banks since it is insured anyway and not from its customers. He took on a carjacking assignment to retrieve bonds for a client but never planned on killing the security detail. He had to, eventually, after one of the guys he worked with messed up and shot one of them. He tried to get rid of Mister Messed Up for what he had done.

He kept his assets liquid as well. If he was not in any government database, it would take a forensic accountant expert to trace his money back to him, one reason why the cops could not arrest him without actually catching him in the act of committing a crime. Leaving the aftermath of robbery to forensic accountants would have been an option if there was a paper trail to follow but he was a smart criminal who knew how to cover his tracks. It also does not help that he has his own set of principles that are innately good but somehow twisted by his manner of application in what he does. I would love to elaborate more on it but it would be a shame for you not to watch it.

We would always have music on when getting ready to do more important stuff. We had the same record as we were preparing for Halloween. I insisted on handling the matches and the candles for the décor. My folks pretty much left me to learn the lessons of life the hard way. I was stubborn and can never listen when told, I would rather find out for myself so they spared me the arguments and left me alone with the matches. Within half an hour, the smell of burning hair filled the house. It was not my head but it was close. Even as a child, I am not easily daunted by such trivial incidents. Instead of being told off, the good man and wife just kept Burnshield handy around me. That among other medical supplies. With a little troll like me running around, you never know what I might do. I have not done anything to seriously injure myself though, and most of my injuries are because I am clumsy and careless. Burns and cuts, yes, broken bones, no, not yet.

Scoliosis is a condition that can be reversed by expensive surgery which only promises partial straightening of the spine. Since I was already older than most statistics, we decided against surgery and opted for preventive measures instead. Preventive in the sense that it will keep the progression of the curvature at bay. I had a memory foam mattress for a bed complete with a memory foam mattress topper and an orthopedic pillow. I would usually skip the pillow and lay flat on my back, but I still got the orthopedic pillow just in case. It is hard not to sleep on my side because it is super comfortable but the excellent mattress compensates well for that small sacrifice. It is safe to say that it helped, for my xrays in the succeeding years are identical to the one I had when I first diagnosed with the condition.

Hence people have turned to supplements to make up for the vitamins and minerals that we used to get from fresh produce. It is a progression that is evolving so fast, one can easily get supplements without spending a fortune. Cheap supplements can be found at our friendly neighborhood shop or online. You do not even need to get out of the house! I can see the future of food being reduced to a pill in a bottle. It does not sound so bad, you can be sure that you get what you need to be healthy without exerting any effort.

I guess that is why I longed to be old enough to live on my own. I swore to myself I will live like an artist, I will get a studio-type flat with no walls and sparse furniture. I will have one bed in which I will do anything and everything. I will only have one table and a couple of chairs in the kitchen and not in any other part of the place. Mother never agreed to it of course but there was nothing she could do. One day, I will understand her concept of a proper home, a concept that she shares with the rest of the world. It is a concept of comfort, yes, at the same time, it is against my minimalist principles. Then again, mother knows best. And yes, you can still be creative if you keep the bedroom furniture where it truly belongs.

Back in the day, one can say, all the effort and the money down the drain.  Now you can leave out the latter part of that statement because of wedding cancellation insurance.  It may seem unromantic but if you are left by your lonesome after months or years of excruciating planning, it is nothing but practical to have wedding insurance.  You may have lost most of what was to be the beginning of a new chapter in your life, but most is not all, and you will still have the money to rewrite the chapter.

That is how I got introduced into the world of baseball.  In uni, girls played softball and boys played baseball.  We had one coach and we would all train together in the field, same time, everyday.  This is how I met the legendary Mark McGwire.  Not in person of course, but as the seasoned baseball god.  Someone with such statistics as Big Mac will make you wonder if it is pure talent or synthetics had a role behind those numbers.

It was not long before my worst fears were realised.  Big Mac admitted to using the dietary supplement androstenedione which is classified as anabolic steroid back in 1998.  This was up for a considerable debate since androstenedione is barely anabolic. He expressed deep remorse over what he had done.  Big Mac is not the first and he will not be the last to use steroids in baseball.

Not all steroids are dangerous.  Anavar for one was first introduced as treatment for muscular diseases.  If anyone is familiar with Ben Watt from Everything But The Girl, it is common knowledge that he suffered from a rare auto immune disease that destroys muscular tissue as part of its pathology.  Steroids are also used to relieve severe cases of asthma and psoriasis.  Anabolic steroids like Anavar acts as a muscle vitamin, making muscles stronger and tougher.  It is ideal for long term use since it takes time for results to show so it is easier to control overtime.  It is also widely available to consumers, you can even buy steroids online.

Another thing that has been a plague to mum is her thyroid gland.  Since she was a young lady, it has always been giving her trouble.  There was a point when she had hyperthyroidism.  It worked to her advantage for some time since it kept her slim, even after she had children.  The tiny lump was barely noticeable.  She said she would only feel it when she would swallow.  It took more than twenty years before the lump grew to a size that gave her an annoying feeling when eating.  Her yearly test results would come out fine until that one year when she was told to see a specialist.  They advised her to have the lump removed for further tests.  She had surgery immediately and after the biopsy, they determined it was carcinoma.  They had to open up again within the week to scrape off what is left of the gland.

It has been a good four years since that awful week and she has been cancer free.  She is taking thyroid and calcium supplements since she already lost the natural production in her body.  Another full body scan this year and she can call herself a cancer survivor.

After a while, it occurred to me, I was fine before I started using deodorant.  No matter how much I sweat, my smell never changed, I still smell like – skin.  I know this because when I went off the deodorant, I would go to the washroom whenever I feel my armpits are damp and sniff.  Immaculate.  I went as far as asking my mum to do the sniffing for me at some point and my mother does not lie.

For 23.75php, you can get Sisters Night Use Slim With Wings in a pack of eight individually wrapped pads. It has a net perforated top sheet and is 270mm long. It has the same gutter system that most pads have to contain liquid in the middle. It also said on the pack that it has ‘Super Gel to absorb liquid quickly deep within and turns it into gel for maximum comfort’. Since blood is as opaque as can be (not to mention gross), I cannot really see the gel magic so I did a little experiment.

I took a fresh pad and stuck it on the counter. I diluted some blue mouthwash in water for color and visibility and poured it over the pad. The pad felt damp in half a second. I pressed harder and waited for a gel-like substance to stick to my finger. Nothing. As I was about to toss it, I thought of getting a pair of scissors and cutting the pad in half. Viola! It did turn the liquid into gel! The inside of the pad looked like a packet of silicone gel drops. For something so cheap, I never thought it would actually do what it said it would. I have never felt so wise for buying cheap. Thanks, Mega Soft Hygienic Products. It is money well spent.

There is still a nagging question in the back of mind though.  What is in the pad that turns it liquid into gel?  It is a chemical that has adverse effects on my body that I will not know of?  If you get something so efficient for so little dough, there must be a catch.  In spite of that, I will still keep using it.  We are all going to die eventually anyway.

In the middle of the sea, Boracay Island, Philippines

Alta Vista De Boracay

It became a real problem for me at uni.  Most courses are prerequisites to the set of courses one is meant to take for the following semester.  If you flunk one prerequisite course, you are basically screwed up because in most unis, they only offer the course once a year, so you have to wait for the next school year to retake the course you flunked.  This rule applies to most foreign language classes, at least in our college.  I was not so fond of my professor and I was slowly but surely taking the downward path to F.  The books are there, classmates are there, but I just had to go online and see a literal translation of what I wrote in English, to French, side by side.  My professor loved oral exercises.  He would ask us to work in pairs and come up with our own dialogue to be recited in front of the class.  As punishment for my laziness, he would ask me to work alone.

I would write my dialogue in English the night before the class.  I would attempt to translate it on my own with the help of our textbooks but being so far behind in the lessons, I would always end up going online for a free translation.  Before standing in front of the class, the professor would go through what I have written and my god, they were almost always perfect.  My professor would be the other character in the dialogue.  In this case, my laziness sort of worked out to my advantage.  The online translators actually helped me learn to language to some degree.

One of them is Pagudpud.  I decided to tick it off the list over the weekend.

I have my itineraries in word files.  It has a list of airlines with the airfares, the resorts and the details of both the resort and the locality that I wish to be in.  If I were someone’s personal assistant, I would get a raise every week.  The names of the resorts are clickable, and they are all linked to the rates page of the website of the place.

Whenever I am going to a beach and looking for a place to stay, I always want it to be isolated and beachfront.  More often than not, the websites make a big idiot out of me.  I go to the official website of the place, then to websites with reviews.  If both seem ambiguous, I just look at photos and decide for myself.

When I looked at the website of Kapuluan Beach Resort, the photos looked spectacular.  The description of its location said it is right along Blue Lagoon, which is one of the two highlights of Pagudpud.  The deluxe room, according to the writeup, is right in front of the beach with a hut as your façade.  It had a tub and complimentary breakfast for 370php a night.  The resort has its own restaurant with a menu made with ingredients from their own organic garden.  It also has a modest-size pool open to anyone checked in.

They offer a pick up service from the airport for 3500php.  Since I have a brain and a mouth to ask for directions, I decided to take the long commute to get to the place.  I flew to Laoag because driving would take more than half a day.  The flight is only one and a half hours long.  Upon landing, I went straight to the tourist assistance kiosk and asked where I can take the bus to Pagudpud.  I was told to take a tricycle to the GMW bus terminal.  The ride cost me 150php.  When I got there, I was told the next trip would be at six thirty in the evening.  It was only half past two. I asked a guy I saw loitering around for other ways to get there.  He told me to get a tricycle to the other bus station with hourly trips.  He said, the tricycle ride should only cost me 20php.  GMW buses are air-conditioned, this one is not and they are smaller.  Fine by me, at 60php.  The bus of the hour does not leave until it is full, which only takes a little while.  The bus ride is nothing but quick, it took two hours to get to town proper.  From there, it was another hour by tricycle to Kapuluan Vista Resort.

To get to the resort, one will pass by the Blue Lagoon, along which several other resorts lay.  The most commercial, longest along the strip, was Hannah’s.  When I was putting together the itinerary, I went through their website.  The words ‘Convention Center’ were big turnoffs, I did not bother for more details.  I was after quiet beachfront resorts.  When I saw Kapuluan Vista, I thought it was what I was looking for.  After the tricycle went through the gates along the highway, it did not take the Blue Lagoon to show itself.  Simply wow.  As the ride progressed, the white sand shore with the blue water started transforming.  I thought we were to stop before the pretty picture was over but no, we went on until we reached the mossy, rocky part of the beach.  I confused ‘oceanfront’ to ‘beachfront’ when I read it on their website.  So stupid.

The place apart from that was not bad at all.  It had a cozy little restaurant to the left of the entrance with the pool to its right and the rooms.  The restaurant was open from seven in the morning to ten in the evening and has a vegetarian section in their menu.  Dishes are American-size portions.  I had the vegetarian empanada and chicken tomato pasta.  I only finished half of each.  The empanada was gargantuan.  It was in a huge oval serving dish, all fat from the julienned vegetables and sliced omelette stuffing.  The pasta was really nice but the chicken part came whole which I found a bit weird.  I am used to having it in strips when having it with pasta.  It’s teh lulz.  It was yummy though but again too much for one person, making it quite reasonable for its price.  The room rate came with a free welcome drink which was the house specialty, Alma’s Margarita.  It was yummy and it is very hard to find yummy cocktails around here.  It did knock me out though, shame.

It was already too dark when I finished settling in but I went for a walk on the beach anyway.  I left the nightlight that came with the room and was struggling to find my way in the dark, rocky shore.  Seemed odd to me because I have been in Pagudpud before (I am just not sure if it was also in Blue Lagoon, but I certainly do not remember boulders on the shore.  Again with the confusion between oceanfront and beachfront.  Sigh.  The room made up for the location.  Its high ceilings and cool ambiance made the fee worthwhile.  The tub does not look like 1. you can fill it up in less than four hours, and 2. you cannot actually sit in it because it is filthy.  Who needs a tub anyway, you are in the best tub up north of the Philippines.

I got up really early the following morning to check out the beach.  My god, you cannot even swim in it.  I proceeded to walk down the road to where the white sand shore is.  I saw empty huts and the huge sign that said Hannah’s.  I thought maybe I could ask if the huts are for rent and if I could stay there all day.  Hannah’s is indeed looong, they have a huge separate area for the showers adjacent to the restaurant, right next to the main administration office.  I came in through the wrong gate and was sent walking further down the road to the administration office.  The huts cost 500php for six hours.  Not bad at all.  One can order food from their restaurant or get munchies from the four sari sari stores.  I got one Emperador lapad from a store and mango nectar from the restaurant.  I stayed in the hut for most of the day.  I took occasional quick dips in the water whenever I had to pee (it’s teh lulz!) and waited until around three thirty in the afternoon to go kayaking.  Kayaking is one of my very few, most favorite things to do in the world, especially in water fit for surfing.  They do not have the kayaks that are more like boats, which I am used to so I went overboard a couple of times.  Shame I could not open my eyes.  The water was amazing.

The kayak is rented for 300php/hour and there is no extra charge if you bring it back ten minutes late.  I can safely say, I have never had so much fun in ages.  I have bumps and bruises all over to prove it.  The next couple of days went practically the same until I had the misfortune of being in Kapuluan Vista at the same time as Jericho Rosales.  Man, the guy is loud, annoyingly loud.  He and his pro photographer buddy were singing Michael Jackson and chatting loudly like they had defective hearing aids so early in the morning.  I had to yell several times for them to shut up and allow me to a couple more minutes of sleep.

Going home, I decided I will check out of Kapuluan and stay at Hannah’s until three hours before my flight back.  I availed of Kapuluan’s airport transfer service since it was a long way to the airport.  They charged me 3500php.  Looking at the website of Hannah’s now, they only charge 2500php.

In conclusion, it was a good trip.  I messed up the accommodation bookings once again but it was still a good trip.  One down, ten thousand more beaches to go.

I live right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the city hub, I do not have the luxury of a real garden plot.  I just have concrete spaces for planters.  I have twelve outdoor planters, growing a variety of vegetables like broccoli, string beans and bitter melon.  They are not close to bearing vegetables but they have grown quite leafy and are crawling all over the place.  I am still waiting for the day when I can pick stir-fry ingredients from my pots.

I only have one indoor planter growing spearmint.  I do not want insects to take over my place that is why I limited the presence of green to a single rectangular trough with a natural insect repellent.  I read that spearmint can drive away most insects and the good smell is just bonus.  Sometimes I chew on the leaves I tear off when pruning the plant.  Yes, I am that antsy for my stir-fry veggies to grow.

I really hate the speakers on it though.  The volume needs to be way down to get quality sound for a playing song unless you turn on the equalizer and set it to Bass Reducer.  You can turn the volume all the up to the fullest but it would still be really quiet.

I also do not understand why they did not put a camera on it.  The new Nano has one, even if it only takes videos, it is still a camera.  Good thing it has wifi and voice capabilities, it can be as good as an iPhone with Skype. It is very thin as well.  I just do not like the chrome finish they have, it can get scratched just by putting it down on your office desk.

The usb cable is of very poor quality as well.  The part of the cable coating that joins it to the connector tore within a week.  It did not completely fall apart and severed the wires inside but it soon will because the coating has already fallen apart.  I thought it was just me and how I spent long hours on it while it is plugged to the Macbook but I learned that the same thing happened to several other people I personally know.

That is one thing I do not like about Apple products.  You cannot get everything.  It always have to just ‘almost perfect’.

One of those friends, who is now based in Japan, told me over YM that Nine Inch Nails was coming to town.  I could not believe my eyes.   I had to read the message several times and left bruises on my arms from all the hard pinches I had to give myself just to be sure I was not dreaming.  I went to another old friend Google and asked if it is indeed true and godamn, it really was.  From that day on, I started stalking the online ticket retailer for the tickets.  I can honestly say I have never done anything I could describe as religious as to how I would visit the website first thing in the morning, each and every single day until they released it.

I have not brushed my teeth yet then when I made the online reservation.  I got the best spot, which was the most expensive at 5000php.  I must say, the reservation function is pretty worthless since you have to get the ticket within the day.  I could not risk it.  I called up my dear mum and asked her to pick it up for me since it was ten minutes from her office.  I promptly deposited the payment to her bank account to make her realize how bad I want the ticket.  When I finally got the sms that she got it, I almost fell off my chair.  Trent Reznor will serenade me in person!!!

I got the ticket three months before the date of the gig.  That was how excited I was.  When the day finally came, I had mixed emotions.  I had a nagging thought in my head that I might get disappointed and that they might not play well live or the crowd would be full of people I would like to kick in the face.  When I got there, I almost peed myself.  Starting an hour late did not help.  Having a $h!+ opening act made me want to climb up the stage.  I decided I had to get a grip.  Trent Reznor will be serenading me soon, I told myself.  And they finally got on stage.  I got rock hard abs from having both fists in the air for three straight hours, just rocking to their sublime music.  Nothing else mattered.  Spending 5000php never felt so good.

Trent is one pretty hate machine.

I would open the bottle of gin and would try to hold my breath.  I do not like the smell of alcohol, no matter what kind it is.  I only smell it if I am having it for the first time.  I would stick in my Slurpee straw and take a looooong sip straight from the bottle.  I would take another long sip of chocolate milk to chase it.  Oh so yummy.  Everyone found it weird.  Apparently, it never occurred to anyone to chase gin with chocolate milk.  Apparently, everyone thought it would give you the worst case of the $h!t$ of your entire life.  A friend had to be depressed to finally try it and ended up being all jolly and good after having it.  He came to where we usually hangout to catch me in time just to thank me for the inspiration.

What is more weird about this entire affair with gin and chocolate milk is the fact that I am lactose intolerant but I moved bowels just fine after a good night with a good bottle.

I never mix it though.  I had a feeling it would not taste the way I want it to and I do not like taking risks with cocktails.  Most bars I have been to can never make a decent mojito, I do not want to feel the same about gin and chocolate milk even if I was the one mixing it.  The light bulb above my head just lit up.  There might be a follow up post on this.

I know most readers would find it repulsive, the smell, the taste, the lifestyle itself.  Mum used to say all I needed was to stick the bottle in a paper bag and I could pass for a hobo.  I do not do it like that of course.  I would take a modestly-sized Collins glass and pour the brandy up to half of it.  Then I mix some mango juice until it slightly changes in colour and add ice.  Mix it with your straw and you have Nirvana in a glass.  You know it is a good cocktail if it has so much alcohol yet you cannot taste a trace of it.

Occasionally having that with dinner makes me sing, ‘today was a good day’.

One can never have hard drinks all the time but again on a budget, it solves the problem.  One 20php bottle of gin or rum added to a 20php pack of powdered juice would send me flying like a kite.  As you get older, the hard fact of the impossibility of having hard drinks all the time hits you harder than a punch in the gut.  You can only imagine my happiness when Gilbey’s came up with Premium Strength.  It does not taste anything like beer, to me it tastes more like lemon soda or as a friend put it ‘ginger ale’.  Others called it bullshit, but for something with 7% alcohol per volume compared to 4% that beer has.  It is an ideal drink for people who want more buzz but still want to go home by themselves.  Drink it fast enough and three bottles will give you the buzz you want if you are me.  Drink more and you will be in heaven.  This is only my last resort though.  Teehee.  It does not really help that some places still do not have it on their menu.

You can only imagine how hard it was for my aunties.  Three hours of attempts to force down food and drinks were extended to five hours.  Both dad’s and mum’s families are slim by genetic default but they all seem to think I was undernourished, which I probably was, hence the lengthy meal sessions.

As I grew older, I developed a unique palate.  I eat anything, no matter how bad it looked or smelled as long as it has tummy appeal.  Recently, I have resurrected an old favorite: tofu and noodles.  If I were to be left on an island with nothing but food, I would my first choice would be a crate of frozen tofu and a jug of soy sauce, and I can assure you that I will never get tired of it.

Mongolian Quick Stop has been around for a while but I never really bothered to check it out until a colleague insisted on it, and so I did.  For 95php, you get a big bowl similar to what traditional Chinese people would have and you can fill it up with everything on their cart.  They have bowls of rice, rice noodles, egg noodles, several variants of greens, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, peanuts, chilies, beef, pork, chicken and of course, tofu!  It is like being eight in a candy store.  They also have several types of sauces that range from sweet to spicy.  You have the option of doing it yourself or have one of their friendly staff to do it for you.  I usually get Green and Light, that has no meat, as the name implies.  I fill up my bowl with at least three tongs-ful of rice noodles, egg noodles, carrots, bean sprouts, peanuts, all the variants of chilies, loooooads of tofu and the spicy sauce.  I then hand it to the chef to light my fire.  The bowl, which is approximately four ounces, packed to the brim can last from lunch to dinner for me.  I would get it around midday and have it little by little until around five in the afternoon.  It is very tasty, very filling and very healthy as well.

Service is actually good but again it depends on the therapist.  The first time I went there, I was with the same set of girlfriends and yes, I did get the perfect shade I want.  The foot spa service is very standard: soak, file, clean and massage.  The staff are very friendly which is a very big plus to such a place.  They have OPI, Orly and other brands that I could not remember in the hues that I like but they charge an extra 60php for OPI.  I forgot the exact reason but it means getting the color I want then it is all worth it.  If you pick from a different set of nail lacquers (I forgot the other brands), this fee is waived but since the shade I want is by OPI, my total bill was 250php.

As I have mentioned before, I get really obsessive with practically everything.  No matter how lazy I get when it comes to trimming my nails, I still end up cutting them as short as nail clippers would allow me and filing them down to the skin before I go to a professional to get it done all over again.  If I could apply nail polish properly, I would not even bother considering having my nails done by someone else but then again the obsessive me wins over everything else.  One tiny smear and I have to wipe everything off.  One tiny smear is not noticeable but I know it is there and that is enough to keep me from getting a good night’s sleep.

Basically, it is always hit and miss when it comes to places such as this.  They have numerous therapists, as they are professionally called, but they do not have the same skills.  Some of them actually give you what you want but what may work for you may not work for others.  Trying a different therapist for each visit can be costly and frustrating, it would help if you know people who have been to the establishment and have them recommend someone who is actually worth your time and money.

I spent more years in college than any other student with the same degree as me and it was all because I kept flunking math subjects, which kept me from taking other subjects.  In my last semester, I was already teaching English part-time because I only had one subject left to get my diploma.  I was taking Statistics101 for the nth time.

For most statistics problems, if you get one step of one lengthy formula wrong, you are screwed.  One can get all the free statistics help you can get with memorizing formulas because that is all it takes to make it through the course alive.  Application of them is trickier than it sounds.  No matter how well you have memorized each and every formula for every possible subject, one wrong move and you finish one lengthy problem in an hour with the incorrect answer.

I remember taking the final exams several times and lingering around the hall for the rest of the class to finish to compare statistics answers.  We were given different sets of tests to prevent cheating so I had to wait for someone who shared the same set as me.   If I get to talk to at least two people with two different answers from me, I know I have to take the course again the next semester.

With Statistics101, I was simply more antsy to get out of school and make a living full time.  Just like with Algebra101, I finally decided to dedicate myself to finish the course and I did.  It was finally my last semester and I got to teach English full time.

One of her sisters is an ultimate beach gal. She would take me to the beach every Sunday of every week, I had a deep, perpetual tan until I was eight. As we grew apart, we stopped going to the beach together and my complexion went back to its natural fair tone. Looking at old photos, I realized, a tan that deep on an older me seem wrong. I think it has something to do with getting used to having my natural color back, apart from the fact that the sun can actually kill you, from skin cancer to premature aging, it is simply not a good thing.

Now that I feel really old, I got back into old habits, partly out of nostalgia. I also promised myself that I will visit all the beaches in the world before I die. I tan easily that is why I wear spf 50 daily and I thought I needed something higher if I am going to hit the sand. I did my research online only to realise that it would be wiser to go to the nearest drugstore since most of the stuff online may never be available in the local shops. I went to nearest shop and saw that most commercial sunblocks go only up 50. I used Banana Boat Sport SPF 50 before and it did not really do what I expected it to. An orange bottle in one aisle caught my eye. It says spf 75++ UVA and UVB protection. It is also not a lotion but more like an oil spritz. After reading the labels on both sides thoroughly, I thought of getting two bottles but it might end up limping out of the shop on a single leg instead of two.

I sprayed small spots at a time on an area, like one would with face cream, and spread it with your hands. You cannot apply it directly to your face so I sprayed some on my hands and worked it on my visage. I followed the rest of the directions on the bottle and waited for fifteen minutes before heading out for the beach. I was out in the sun from midday to dusk. I was in a hut, sippin’ on brandy and mango juice and whenever I got some buzz, I would soak in the water for a considerable number of hours. I would go back to my hut when I got tired and reapplied the spray sunblock, have some more brandy and go back in the water and stayed in it longer. I did this for two days and I only got a very discreet tan, the type you would get when you wait for the bus everyday at ten in the morning.

The verdict? Beach Hut Max SPF 75++ Clear Spray Extreme UVA & UVB Protection is worth every cent. It has everything you need in a sunblock: sweatproof, waterproof, high sun protection factor and easy to apply.

When I was eight, I would walk around or ride my bike all over our neighborhood to pick flowers.  When my nan would take a leisurely stroll in our area and see a plant that would be of interest to her, she would actually ring the bell of the house and talk to the owner about it.  The conversation could last for hours until they both agree on letting her have a cutting.

Now that I am older, I thought taking up gardening as a hobby would be a good idea.  It would help me get my mind off things that stress me out during the day as I water them and try to keep them alive.  I have been quite successful so far.  I have full grown potted plants in my front patio.

I got so much into the hobby that I started going online to read up on it.  I learned that you can grow your own strain of a particular plant when you take a cutting off it.  I took several cuttings of basil and planted them in styrofoam cups full of soil.  I read that is the best way to start a new plant.  I know have three basil plants taking over my doorstep (I live in a big piece of vertical concrete, that is pretty much all the space I have for plants) and they all started out in those cups.

It never ceases to amaze me how small they start out and how fast they grow into thick forests.

The first time (more like, all the six times), I was just plain lazy.  The teacher was boring me out of my wits, I simply stopped paying attention.  It was my first year in university so I still kept going to class though I would fail in all of her quizzes. I tried to get free college algebra help from friends and tutorial groups but it was simply too late. Not because I could not comprehend the concepts, but because I have failed in too many short quizzes and the grading system was cumulative.

The same thing happened the second, the third, the fourth and the fifth time I took the course. Only after the second time, I just stopped coming to class two weeks into the semester because the mere thought of the subject was enough to ruin the rest of my day. I would still try to get math answers to college algebra problems that were given as homework, but I did not do it often enough to accumulate a passing mark.

Apart from the fact that I could not move on to the next math course, I got sick of taking the same class every semester. I decided to force myself to actually go through it like a proper student. I came to class regularly (and paid attention with great effort), did all the homework, studied for every test with a math tutor and finally passed the damn course.

I finished the beginning of twelve more units of college math.

It does not end with haircuts.  Other services can be such a nightmare as well.  I had the unfortunate experience of going to a budget salon to get my eyebrows groomed.  I asked the guy for threading and he told me he could not do that because the hair does not grow right.  I do understand that he probably knows a lot better than me because that is what he does for a living but I also shave my legs regularly and I know how the hair grows back.  I let him do it his way anyway.  For 30php, I had a brand new jungle the following day.

One thing that makes David’s Salon very convenient is the fact that they have branches all over the metro.  You can squeeze a haircut and an eyebrow threading between into your lunch break.  The prices are reasonable as well.  For 350php, you get the haircut you want, shampoo, blow dry and massage included.  For 135php, you can have your eyebrows threaded to perfection.  That last bit though can be considered expensive for me since I do not have much to tame but I simply do not have the hand for grooming eyebrows.  I must have a professional to do it to have it perfect.

I then proceed with my dead sea body lotion.  Remember, I do not dry myself, so I am dripping wet.  My towel is wrapped around my head because I do not blow dry either.  I like air drying my hair, just combing it all back away from my face and letting nature take its course.  I have been told off at the office for having hair that looked like I spent a considerable amount of time next to a chopper so I just head for the rest room and dry my hair under the hand dryer.  Saves me time and electricity.

Anyway, I digress.  I proceed with my dead sea body lotion.  I chose dead sea because I read somewhere that it is meant to even out your skin tone.  I have certain dark spots that I cannot quite explain how they got there but I have to do something about it because it is very unsightly (to me at least).  It is good to have your skin wet, like you have just hosed yourself because it gives the moisturiser something to work with.  When the water dries with the moisturiser, you will feel the difference between applying it on dry skin versus applying it on wet, straight-out-of-the-shower skin.

Give it a try.

As I grew older, I realized, it is a good thing.  Moisture is very important to our skin and one should have as much as he can.

As a teenager, I learned that not all kinds of body wash are moisturizing.  Most of them, especially those that smell yummy enough to eat can actually leave your skin dry and scaly.  That is why they make an entire line that includes body lotion and body cream.  Very capitalistic.

I was walking around the supermarket one day (I hate shopping but I enjoy walking around the supermarket aimlessly, just looking at stuff), when I ran into Dove Calming Night.  I am a big fan of anything calming, because people claim I read into things too much.  I love aromatherapy.  The entire science behind it is simply astounding.  I love the smell of lavender, vanilla and honey.  When I picked up the bottle, it explicitly said it has vitamin A and honey that helps regenerate the skin as it moisturizes.  I grabbed the bottle and went straight to the cashier.

I do not know about the calming effect, but it sure smells good.  It feels so soft and smooth on the skin, just like any other Dove product I know.  I have tried looking for it on Dove websites but I think this particular variant is only available in certain territories.  It comes in bar and body wash.

There are people who are born with extremely high sensitivity to light. Photosensitive people need sunglasses even if it is just a five-minute walk to the store during the midday. Some people simply do not understand that being partially blinded by something that is supposedly meant to help make you see is something one cannot live with. The bigger the sunglasses, the better. If they cover half of your face and wrap around half of your head, that is simply excellent. It is not for fashionista purposes though it is in the same section as jewellery, watches and similar luxury items. It has nothing to do with looking pretty or accentuating natural beauty. It is an important medical matter.

Some people have no idea how serious it is.  Photosensitivity is also a symptom of several serious illnesses. Sometimes big, dark shades are all you need to prevent fatality.  In conclusion, I am not just being prissy.  I need my sunglasses.  It would be similar to being devoid of clothes when you step out of your place onto the street.

I have always wanted to have those because I read that they are made of plastic more breathable than other brands.  It tried Precision UV but it was not for me.  I have also tried Focus.  They were okay but I was extremely drawn to the breathable plastic of O2 Optix.

Now I am told that Night and Day has been phased out but I saw on the official website that they do have Air Optix Night and Day.  The new doctor I am now going to insist that I should be wearing Air Optix Astigmatism because I have astigmatism and I can sleep in them.

I do not understand though why she kept saying there is no Air Optix Night and Day.  Anyway, I am now wearing Air Optix Astigmatism on lower frequencies.  I used to wear 450 for the right eye and 375 for the left eye on O2 Optix.  Now I am wearing, for the right 425 and 350 for the left.  The website also gives away a sample pair so I asked the eye shop and they will give me 2 complimentary pieces.  They also gave me a free travel size solution.

It is only reasonable to ask for freebies.  Air Optix Astigmatism cost 2500php for three pairs.

I have heard of several people scarring their corneas and being prohibited to wear contact lenses for a year or forever. Being the stubborn little kid I am, I always think, oh if I think it, it will never happen to me.

A month ago, I got a corneal ulcer in my left eye. Before I mentioned the problem, the doctor asked if I am photosensitive (see people, it is not just that effing serial killer analogy, it is a clinical condition). I told him my eyes feel fine when they are closed but once I open them, the left eye feels like it is being stabbed, but my right eye feels fine. One stupid thing I did was, throw out my contacts from the night before and wore a new pack before seeing the doc. He told me to throw out the contacts, the case and the solution.

After a five-minute look with his fancy gadgetry, he told me I have a crater in my left eye that was either caused by bacteria or something around me like too many ugly people. It is similar to having ulcers in your mouth. It could be anything. I just cannot believe after fifteen years, I effing get this common condition.

I was put on antibiotic eye drops that I need to apply every hour for the first four hours and every four hours after that for a week. I only did it for three days. Antibiotics scare the living daylights out of me. The doctor asked me to see him after three days in his other clinic but I did not because I felt better. I went back a week later and he reminded me of his order. Another look at my eye, he said I need to be off the contacts for another week and I will be good as new.

It has occurred to me, at some point, to just get some paint and stencil patterns and just print out the statements I want myself but online retailers are pretty creative nowadays, you do not need to go through all the trouble to get what you want!  The design possibilities are endless, you will go cross-eyed trying to figure out which one you want.

I use L’Oreal Elséve Damage Care Repairing Shampoo, L’Oreal Elséve Smooth Intense Daily Rinse Out Treatment and L’Oreal Elséve Re-Nutritive Conditioner.  Initially, the habit was, I shampoo every other day.  The days I do not use the shampoo, I just use the Daily Treatment with the conditioner.  Later, I realized, I should ditch the shampoo altogether and just use the conditioner, any conditioner.

Now I am using an old bottle of V05 conditioner I found laying around the bathroom.  So far so good.  I know most of you think it is gross, it used to gross me out that is why it took a while for me to try it out.  Having dry hair is a nightmare.

It also does not help that I am highly photosensitive.  Any eye doctor can tell with one look.  I cannot step out even for a little while without slathering on tons of gobs of sunblock on my face and my body and my Oakleys.  Most people think it is just a capricious whim and think I am just being prissy.  Well, ef you all.

I use Cetaphil UVA UVB Defense SPF 50 on my face and Nivea Sunblock SPF 50 over my moisturizing body lotion.  I always have Nivea Refreshing Milk Protect SPF 30 in my bag.  Sun damage is an eyesore, especially on the face.

It would be better to just leave the drunk alone to hit his head on the toilet bowl and have him cut his eyebrow on the edge.  Let the drunk die if that is what it takes for you not to tell him he was a piece of shit when he sobers up.

People also have a habit of quoting the drunk of the stuff he said when he was obviously inebriated.  Others would argue that a drunk is very honest and his subconscious thoughts are either fully realized or merely uttered for the world to hear.  This is not always true.  There have been studies on it and mostly what drunks say are simply drunk talk.  Drunken talk is never associated with fact or truth.

I do not like taking care of pukey drunks but if I like the person enough, yes, I do put up with the s**t.  Barf smells awful (though I saw somewhere that is one of the smells in a combination of a certain scent in perfumes).  I put up with the s**t and I do not hold it against him.  I tell him about what he does not remember without a trace of mockery because it is out of pure concern.  I certainly will not bother if it is not of genuine concern.  Genuine concern translating to not being held against the person.

Now I am being punished for being constantly drinking to death.  I am not allowed anything alcoholic while someone on his second bottle is sitting next to me.  Of course, he said, he never said I cannot have a bottle and he offered his but come on.  If I took the bottle, it will be yet another thing against me.  Let me reiterate the point at hand: it is pointless to drink if you are not crawling to a cab to get home.  The best people can do is watch, enjoy the show for a future story to laugh about, not something to get pissed off for.

Most of you readers think I have a problem.  Read through the post again and actually understand what it means.

The following day, it occurred to me that maybe it would be best to ask if I need to make a reservation for their spa services since the receptionist made it clear that they are fully booked on the day that I am going to be there.  I called again, only to hear the same woman say the same thing about how they are fully booked.  I explained to her that I already have a room and I just need to know if I need to let them know in advance that I want to avail of their spa services.  She repeats that they are fully booked but she can squeeze me in at two in the afternoon and proceeded to ask which spa services I wanted.  I said I would like have the Total Body Pampering package.  She said okay and hung up.  The way they end phone calls only leaves you more uncertain of your booking status.

I decided to call them again on the twelfth, just to be sure that I do not end up spending the night on the street.  I asked again about receiving the email of the slip and I got the same response in a form of a query with the additional excuse that their wifi connection is acting up and they cannot go online to check their email.  She did assure me though that everything is set.

When I got there, the ambiance was  very relaxing.  The place, to me, was like a typical vacation home for a wealthy family.  To the right of the gate was the pool, and to the left was the reception area.  I was greeted with friendly, smiling staff and an older woman who looked like the boss.  I was asked for the deposit slip and was asked to pay the remaining fifty percent of the total rate of the room.  The older woman asked if I want to go to my room or have some lunch first.  I was quite taken aback when she handed me a menu for Max’s and said she can also call up Pizza Hut if that was what I wanted.  I chose to go to the room first to drop off my stuff and have a look.  Plus I needed to take a crap so badly.  LULZ.

The room was not bad.  The bed queen-size bed was carved out of a tree and the mattress was comfortable.  The covers smelled musty though.  The air conditioner and the refrigerator were both old but they were working, just do not look behind the fridge because you would think that a bachelor is staying in the room.  The wall plugs behind the television set was wired to the light behind the headboard, if it was switched off, the tv will not work!  Very ingenious but very dangerous as well.  The bath was nice but it needs a lot of work.  The tub needed to be soaked in some powerful industrial cleaning agent.  Half of the drain cover on the hole next to the toilet bowl is gone due to rust.  The place would have been spectacular if they took the time to actually clean it.  The room had one window which should be permanently shut as it is literally the next room.  The two couple’s rooms they have are right next to each other.  You can hear the occupants talking, god knows what they hear from their side.

Right above the rooms is the function area.  It has three long tables, which again were not exactly clean, a kitchen with a full gas range, fridge and microwave.  There are also four bathrooms, two for each of the sexes.  I ordered from Max’s and had it there before my four pm spa.

I was given a towel, basketball shorts with a matching tank and was asked to shower.  After the shower, minty gobs were worked into my hair and I was asked to stay in the sauna.  After fifteen minutes, I was asked to jump into the jacuzzi filled with lemon slices and cut up pandan leaves.  I am not sure if they change the water after every client because it did not look like that to me.  After that I was asked to go into the scrub room.  It looked like the room in the Saw movies.  There is a bed in the middle of the room and I was asked to strip.  I was asked to lay on my belly and was scrubbed from neck to toe by a lady in a black rubber apron.  There were hairs on the face rest which were not mine.  There was a rolled up towel where you are meant to rest your arms on as you are being scrubbed.  Then I was asked to lay on my back for the same process.  After the scrub, she let the water run over my skin for about a second and asked me to get up off the bed and wash myself with the shower head.  She did not bother leaving the room, she just stood there and watched me shower.  If I cared about anyone at all, there would have been bloodshed.  As I was drying myself, I noticed that she was using the rolled up towel to clean the bed!  And the towel she used to scrub my body with, she was using it to clean the face rest!  Jesus h christ.

After the scrub, I was led to the second floor for the facial.  It was painful as expected but I did not think it would leave me with scabs.  As I was getting my facial, another girl as giving me a foot spa.  As she was filing the sides of my foot, the file kept rubbing against the bones of my ankle.  I kept shaking my foot and telling her off but she just carried on, oblivious to the scratches.  After these, came the massage.  The bed smelled like they do not change the sheets after each client.  The massage was excellent but the place has a lot to improve on.

Generic spa products tend to do more harm than good.  Again this is one of those cases where you get what you pay for.  Hair spa, body scrub, facial, foot spa and sixty-minute massage for 2000php may sound like a good deal but you also have to make sure of the products they use.

I ordered pizza for dinner and had it in function area.  You can rent out the entire resort for 10000php for twelve hours but if there are no bookings, you can use all of the facilities.  Antipolo is famous for exotic cuisine and as I was having my pizza, I started hearing sounds only lizards make.  I am grossed out by reptiles.  Ever since I was a kid, a single lizard would always freak me out.  I asked two attendants about the noise.  My mistake was, I kept asking if they had monitor lizards around (stupid, I know, no need for nasty comments).  I asked one of their carpenters the same thing and I got the same answer.  Finally I asked the guard about ‘a sound that is made by something like a lizard’ and he replied that yes, they do have it all over the place, they breed them to eat all the insects.  He said they were approximately as big as two fingers stuck together.  That sort of calmed me down enough to change and take a dip in the pool.  I could only have my legs in the water because it was freezing.

The room comes with a complimentary breakfast that they serve in a bento box in the lagoon.  It has rice, omelette, fish, hotdog and fruits.  Coffee and water is also included.

In conclusion, it was a very good experience.  The place just needs to work on hygiene and getting better products for their spa.  I would say that having their own restaurant would also be a big plus but with the breakfast I had, I think ordering in would work well for the future.

I was extremely ecstatic.  It was early August and I was looking forward to working with my new toy.  I wanted to get the black one but of course, Apple have stopped making them eons ago.  The technician at the Apple store had one and I was trying to talk to him about having old stocks laying around that maybe they could sell instead of the white one.  He simply thought I was nuts.  So I got the 2.13GHz Core 2 Duo Macbook.  I wanted to get a black InCase hardshell case as well but they never have it in stock so I got the Civilian Lab Radiator Case.  Basically it is more like a sleeve except it has for suction cups on the screen side so it is permanently attached to your Macbook.

I left the store skipping and leaping, happy and in pure bliss.  I have never looked forward to working as much as I did that day.  Everything was fine and dandy.  Until Apple released another Macbook a couple of months later with the specs of the thirteen-inch Macbook Pro.  I had to try really hard not to jump out of my office window.  I just thought at least they did not make it in black because if they did, my god, Steve Jobs must be my karma for all the sins I have committed for fifteen lifetimes.

The Civilian Lab Radiator Case became a pain after a while, and the shop still does not have the black InCase hardshell case in stock so I just settled for a black Speck hardshell case that I found online.  It is not made of silicone and the craftsmanship is not exactly worth the money you paid for but I have no choice.  I thought it would be okay but it is an effing nightmare.  I take it off every couple of  weeks to wipe the Macbook and the case and my golly gosh, each time I did, the Macbook would have several new scratches that looked like it was keyed.  I am not an idiot, folks.  I do not just rant about things without completely figuring it out.  It is from the hardshell case and since it already has scratches and still getting new ones, I have no choice yet again but to keep it on for further so-called protection.

The problem does not end there.  I have friend who have sent their Macbooks back because of casing problems.  One friend had hers sent back because the case of the screen cracked within a week.  Knowing how she is just as obsessive as me when it comes to caring for her stuff, we know it is a classic statistic of the known issue with the case.  There are a lot more similar horror stories but I do not want to get sued and I still love my Macbook.  Until it the case nightmare happened to me.

The holes where the screws go in started to have cracks.  The very first one I saw was on the screw to the right of the hinge.  A couple of days later, I get a looooooong crack on the upper right side of the screen bezel.  A couple more days later, the same thing happens to the left side.

I know you would all probably say I am an idiot for not just taking it to the shop for warranty but there is one thing you should understand.  I cannot be without a computer, even for just one millisecond.  This is my tool for making a living.  Apple takes at least a week to look at it.  If I go without a computer for that long, I will be on the street with nothing but the clothes on my back.

The most painful thing for me though is the fact that I never had a problem with my iBook except for the low specs of course which I dealt with spectacular finesse.  I thought things would be better with this new Macbook but mishaps like the ones I have mentioned can be a real problem in the long run.

I do not know if it is because I expect too much from something that does not cost a lot or I’m too much of a perfectionist or it’s just pure bad luck but I can never seem to get the results that I want.  If you want superb service at Gloss, you should look for Lui or Mean.  From cutting to cleaning to nail polish application, it is all A+.  You will leave gliding like the tiny dancer Elton John was singing about with your newly pampered feet.

For 500php, you get the Foot Therapy which includes the typical exfoliating foot spa.  You lay on a fully reclined lazy boy with your feet soaking in a vibrating feet tub.  After a considerable amount of time, the therapist takes one of your feet and files off as much dead skin as possible.  You have the option the have your cuticles cut off or simply pushed back.  Then comes the painful part for me.  I can never seem to get the shade of red I want in Gloss.  It’s always something between reddish brown or brownish cherry.  I’m not a fan of pastels or nudes.  I love cherry red on my toes and Gloss never seems to have them.  You can always trust them to have to have top of the line brands like OPI or Orly which can last a month on your toenails.  I hate getting manicures, because clumsy me makes them last for three hours maximum.

They also have a variety of other services like eyebrow threading for 200php, a service that I’ve only tried once and will never, ever have again.   The lady takes the time to properly shape your eyebrows to fit your face but she wets the thread with her own spit!  Que horror!  I had a jungle growing right in the middle of my face and did not have the luxury of time so I had no choice but to have everything done in one place. Women’s health and beauty is more valuable than most people think it is. If you get the basics right, you can sow long term benefits. The human spit is host to all sorts of things. I will leave my statement at that. You dear readers, can do the math.

Apart from that, it was all good.  I have been back since then but I sort of gave up after I could not get the perfect shade of red that I wanted.  So if you are not a red nail polish fan like me, Gloss Nail and Body Spa is the place to be.  It’s worth it.

Of all the animals in the house (apart from those with two legs, teehee), the dogs had the most special care. My nan would prepare their bowls herself, carefully measuring the portions according to the size of the dog so as to not over or underfeed them. Pets are very much like humans, contrary to what most people think.  You need to watch everything from their calorie intake to their cholesterol level and everything else that comes with those.  It never fails to break her heart to see them eat in their doghouses but she makes up for it by taking them for long walks around town, each with their own leashes and collars which doubles as exercise for herself too.

They are more like mother and children. When they get home from their daily walkathon, she delicately bathes them like five-month old babies with their own special soaps that are formulated for their extra sensitive fur, their special brushes which are meant to stimulate their scalp and promote healthy hair growth.  Getting ready for bed is like a thorough checkup with the veterinarian.  And just like babies, they have their own special beds right next to my nan’s bedroom door where she can smell and watch them have a good night’s sleep.

Sometimes it makes me wish I were a dog and I won’t have to move a muscle to look super pretty.

Red Rock Country in Sedona will perhaps never go away from my list, for as long as those rock formations and those beautiful red canyons are there, its beauty will never fade. Many people visit this place every year to photograph it, or scale its walls (if you’re a climber), or freefall (and please don’t do this without thoroughly thinking about it – many people have died doing this). Its beauty is timeless and forever a representative of the beauty of the West, which would explain why it was at the top of the list back in 2003. It still tops my list to this day.

Next up is the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. It’s an icon, a landmark more popular than the city itself, and those who don’t live in or near Frisco and have never seen it should definitely go and see it. Even in the summer it’s windy by that area, and so you’ll enjoy cooling yourself down with the wind while taking in the view of the bridge. Also, the Clingmans Dome in the Tennessee portion of the Appalachian Mountains is a definite must-see, because of two things: first, hiking up the Appalachian trail gives you and your friends a good bonding experience; and second, it is the highest point of this trail and will give you the best view of the mountains below and the spruce fir forest on the mountain sides. Finally, Hawaii can never be taken off my list: the Na Pali coast. Kauai provides a very beautiful scenery, with its white sand and its lush greenery. Under the clear blue waters you’ll see a forest of sea life exclusive to the Pacific Ocean, and the corals in this area are abundant as well.

I’ve made these choices based on how long these natural beauties actually can stand the test of time. These places can stand the wear and tear time can impose on different tourist spots during the summer, and so I think that at any given time, they’re great summer destinations in America.

First up is the most popular of the Scotland castles, the Edinburgh Castle. This is located in the center of Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital. This is the home of the Scottish Crown Jewels. The original castle was there from the 11th century, and additional buildings made it into the castle we know of today. The second is the Stirling Castle in Stirling, most of which was preserved from between the 15th and the 18th centuries. You can view the Stirling Bridge and Bannockburn outside, which are popular battlefields in Scotland, as well as the restored Great Hall from 1500 and the medieval kitchen inside.

In the island of Skye, you can visit the Dunvegan Castle, which is the oldest castle to still be inhabited since 800 years ago. Go visit its bottle-dungeon and its Fairy Flag, as those are sights you should see. If you want the ultimate fairy-tale castle, then go to Craigievar Castle in Aberdeenshire, which has been there since the 17th century. It is considered to be the best example of the Scots baronial style of architecture. For the most photographed castle, meanwhile, with the best view of three different lochs, then you must visit the Eilean Donan Castle in Wester Ross. There are more castles you can visit – some still inhabited, some destroyed but with the facade and some key pieces still intact inside, but you’re sure to enjoy your fairy-tale trip and it will sure leave you feeling like royalty.

But some people are saying in the lowdial forum that, because of the fact that the true independence of the Filipinos were granted on the 1946 by the Americans and not in 1898 as declared by the late Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, the 4th of July should be considered the independence day of the Filipinos, and not the 12th of June. Do you agree?

Those who are for the American date of independence argue that no other third-party countries recognized Aguinaldo’s declaration, and that no one ratified the constitution at the time, and so it was not to be considered a real government with a real leader and a real nation for that matter. They also argue that if the Filipinos were to make a declaration of independence by the Filipinos the independence day celebration, then that day would go back to a day from the 16th century, when Fernando Magallanes (or Ferdinand Magellan) first discovered the country.

Meanwhile, those for the June 12th independence day argue that they recognize this independence day because it was declared by a leader of the revolution that turned the country into a single nation. Before that time, the Philippines was comprised of different tribes and sultanates that were at either at war with or competing with each other, and so no matter how many small rebellions against the Spanish people were held at the time, no one could consider them a united nation. But in the 1898 revolution, the entire country acted as a nation with a leader and with ideals that were put to writing in the form of the constitution. So in spite of the fact that the Americans invaded the country afterwards, the united Filipinos still enjoyed that semblance of being a nation, thus they also got to experience that freedom for the first time as a nation.

My personal opinion here is that people are paying too much attention on the celebration and not on the effect. The Filipinos have freedom – that in itself is something to celebrate, no matter which date you believe in.

The most important thing is to have a good argument. Whatever it is you’re proposing, make sure the proposal you make about it has a significant amount of information to support it and to back it up, and make sure that it’s applicable to as many people as possible, because the more people it can benefit, the higher the chances of it being turned into a law. When you’re confident in your proposal already, and you’ve covered every possible supporting detail you can ever present, you then approach your representative in order to get him or her to introduce your bill formally. Only they (or a senator, but it’s easier to approach your representative right?) can do this. The next step is the waiting game – you wait for the committee to debate over the bill you submitted. This would be the time for you to get experts to speak on your behalf in support of the bill, so that you can get them to pass your bill through the first reading.

If your bill makes it through the first reading, then comes the second reading. Get as many representatives as you can by showing them that a large number of people support the bill. This is where your research will prove handy – if it’s well-researched and if it benefits a lot of people, then you can expect a lot of support for your bill and the representatives will get pressured to be on your side. If only it is as easy as being on a health insurance forum. It will then be passed for a third reading, after which it will be sent to the Congress for them to decide if it’s a bill worth passing. If it is, then it’ll make it to the desk of the president and you better hope that he takes your side to make things easy. If not, then you have to get majority of the house (the congress and the senate) to vote aye, so that it can be passed.

That’s what makes laws difficult to pass. Chances are, somewhere down the line, someone will block it. Also, it takes time because it has to go through the process of debate and votation many times before it can be declared a law. But while it takes a longer time, at least this process ensures that the proposal and its repercussions have been given much thought before it was passed as a law.

While this photo of the monarchy was true once upon a time, it has changed tremendously over the past two centuries or so. This is due to the introduction of the concept of the choosing of leaders by popular demand, and not by blood, during the time of the French Revolution in the end of the 18th century. Before that time the monarchies present were absolute monarchies, where the royal family pretty much held all power over their subjects.

Since the French Revolution, though, this has changed: those who leaned towards constitutional monarchy created laws for the monarchs, elected officials in what was to be the parliament, and made the monarchs either mere ceremonial figures or just gave them very limited executive power, which of course was still subject to the approval of the parliament and subject to their constitution. Some of the countries exercising constitutional monarchy include the British isles, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, and Monaco. The successors of these monarchs have it easier because they can choose their directions carefully, as the pressure to be great leaders of their country is not as great as with those in an absolute monarchy, because they have the parliament to help them and to basically execute for them.

There are still those who exercise absolute monarchies though: either they give their leaders total power and control over their lands, or they have majority of the power of the parliament bestowed on them. These countries include Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Brunei, the Vatican City, and Tonga. Still, expect the descendants of these monarchs from these countries to have a huge burden on their shoulders, because they are to rule their nation someday and all that power has to be controlled from a young age.

Still, the modern world allows these people the luxury of choice every now and then, and it’s not as it is in the fairy tales anymore. The monarchy is evolving with the modern times, and it will continue to evolve as time goes by.

The Louvre Museum is divided into eight departments. First up is the Egyptian antiquities, displaying relics dating back to 4000 BC, most of which came from Napoleon Bonaparte’s expedition with the future director of the Louvre, Dominique Vivant. Then you have the Near Eastern antiquities, which feature archaeological works from the Levant, Mesopotamia, and Iran, dating back to 2,450 BC. Next is the Greek, Etruscan and Roman department, which showcases the relics from the Neolithic times to the decline of the Roman Empire. This includes the popular Venus de Milo of Hellenistic fame. The newest department, the department of Islamic art, displays many decorative pieces covering three continents and thirteen centuries of Islamic history.

You then have those departments not confined by time or by religious sect, but by the type of art it is. The sculpture department contains works by Michelangelo and Étienne Maurice Falconet, among others. The Decorative Arts department contains decorative pieces from the middle ages to the 19th century. This includes ceramics, vases, and tapestries, to name a few. Among the displays are Louis XIV’s crown and Charles V’s sceptre. The Prints and Drawings department, as the name suggests, are works of print and sketches on paper. These were from the Royal collection and are not displayed all at once, because the paper is considered to be fragile already and needs special treatment. Finally, perhaps the most popular portion, the Painting department, contains about 6,000 works from the 13th century to 1848. This is managed by 13 curators and contains works by Raphael, Michelangelo, and the famous Da Vinci. If you’re in France and you happen to be an art lover, then you’re definitely bound to stop by the Louvre sometime to take a look at these magnificent works of art.

What will you be cooking? Some grills are made only for specific types of cooking, and so if you buy a charcoal grill and end up needing a smoker instead, you may find yourself looking for additional equipment (a good heat-conducting cover with a good heat-resistant handle, for instance) that you’ll be needing. You’ll be saving time and money if you consider this at once. Also, some grills are better for specific types of cooking. For example, a charcoal grill is not for grilling per se (which entails high heat and quick cooking); because of the heat the charcoal can generate, it’s best for slow cooking barbecues.

Will you be cooking for yourself, or for a lot of people? The size of your grill matters because if you’re the type who cooks for a large amount of people at a time, you’ll need a bigger grill with different controls so you can cook many things at once at different temperatures.

Where will you be placing the grill? If you are going to place it outside, far from any outlet, then you’ll need either a gas-powered grill or a charcoal grill. If you have an outlet somewhere or you live in the city, in an apartment where you’ll just be placing the grill on the balcony of your apartment, then an electric grill may be your best bet.

When you’ve answered these questions, you’re pretty much on your way to getting that dream grill you’ve always wanted.

For the salad itself, you need

one coddled egg (to coddle the egg, cook in boiling water for 45 seconds)

a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce

3 tbsps of fresh lemon juice

a medium clove of crushed garlic

a pinch of salt

half a teaspoon of ground pepper

1 and a half teaspoons of anchovy paste (or 4 pcs. of anchovies)

a teaspoon each of mustard and capers

You mix these ingredients together (except the egg) and add the egg afterwards, whisking until smooth. Afterwards, you add 1/3 cup of virgin olive oil in a slow steady stream and you’ve got your caesar salad dressing. Set aside.

Get 2 medium heads of Romaine lettuce, tear them to smaller pieces, add half the dressing, and toss. Add croutons, grated parmesan cheese, and the remaining dressing, and toss again. If you want, you can add bacon bits as well, and for cheese lovers like myself, you can add fresh parmesan cheese shavings on top. You have your classic Caesar salad.

This barbecue sauce is better than the store-bought ones because you will notice that I did not add any salt to it. This is because the soy sauce is already salty as it is and it usually makes up most of the barbecue sauce already so I consider that as my source of the salty flavor of the sauce. Also, if you want to add anything to it, you know it’s going to work because the ingredients are pretty basic and can go with anything you add.

So if you want to add chili powder or dijon mustard or herbs like basil and rosemary and thyme, it’s all going to work with your basic barbecue sauce. Best of all, it caters to your own taste, so you don’t have to worry about not liking it one bit. Try it and see for yourself, and let me know if you come up with other variations so I can try it as well.

The most common recipe for this dip would include catsup, mayonnaise, hot sauce and finely chopped vegetables usually olives, onions, pickles and bell peppers.  Usually it takes on a more orange hue than flesh but there is a solution to that.

This variation of the recipes requires a quarter cup each of Worcestershire sauce and white vinegar, half a cup each of chopped black olives and diced red bell pepper, three hard-boiled eggs minus the shell, a tablespoon of sugar, a pinch of ground cloves, and three-quarters of a cup of minced pickles.  You can use pickle relish if you prefer.  Mix all ingredients well and chill prior to use.

Like any other recipe, you can adjust and substitute according to your preference.  If you wish to highlight a flavor of one of the ingredients, you simply just add more of it.  Just like any other dip, you can make one big batch and store it in a sterile container in the fridge.

Let me break this down for you.  For the dry ingredients, you need a tablespoon each of garlic salt, onion powder, white sugar and dried parsley, two tablespoons each of dried oregano and salt, one teaspoon each of ground black pepper and dried basil, and a quarter teaspoon each of dried thyme and celery salt.  Whew.  You will run out of breath trying to get them all in your cart but we are not done.  For the liquids, a quarter cup of white vinegar, two thirds of a cup of canola oil and two tablespoons of water.

Here comes my favorite generic instruction: throw them all liquids together and mix like mad.  Mix the dry ingredients and store separately in two sterile containers.  When the time for use comes, have one part of the liquid mixture and add two tablespoons of the dry mixture.

Easy, convenient and versatile.  Go head out for your supermarket now.

It is also definitely better to make your own so you know what is in it.  Commercially manufactured products should be one’s last resort.

I am glad to say I have found a very basic recipe that anyone with half a brain can modify according to his own taste.

You will need half a cup of dijon mustard (or any type of mustard, again just adjust according to your preference), half a cup of honey to balance out the mustard, and a tablespoon of cider vinegar.  Just throw everything a pot and bring to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.

Give it a minute and you have your very own honey-mustard sauce made right in your kitchen with your bare hands.   Let me just remind you that the recipe is open to adjustments, to each his own as I always say.  You may use balsamic vinegar instead of cider vinegar, or replace honey with another sweetener or add more spices for an extra kick.

New York Fries (or simply NYF) is one of my favorite specialty joints.  Their fries are thickly cut, and believe it or not, they are healthy.  From their sunflower oil to their cheese and gravy, all are trans fat free.

You have four options with your potatoes.  You can have the Classic Fries which are similar to what you grew up to, nothing fancy or fussy.  You can also have the Works which is the Classic Fries with beef chili, bacon, sour cream, cheese and onions.  Again, everything is trans fat free.  If that still does not rid you of your guilt, you can get the Veggie Works.  It is just like the Works minus the beef chili and the bacon.

A visit to New York Fries would definitely be futile if you do not have the Poutine.  Truly Canadian, truly New York Fries.  It is your Classic Fries with beef gravy and cheese curds.

Do not hate me, Ronald, and I still salute thee, Colonel Sanders but New York Fries is the holy grail of potato strips!

Enough about gossip, what struck me most about the song Justin’s procedural step towards a more mature sound that is seemingly devoid of his Mickey Mouse Club and ‘N Sync past.  It is quite different from the first single, “Like I Love You” which definitely has obvious traces of his boy band roots.  Though one can say, it is not bad for a debut album of the man as a solo artist.  I have to say, “Cry Me A River” is certainly the notable turning point in his musical character.

Songs from the same album aptly called Justified, openly discusses more serious matters of the heart, as well as other aspects of maturity such as sex (among other things) and being on top of his game.  It is sad to say that the Britney stigma will always be there to overshadow the expression of a young man’s growth, but sooner the masses will realize that there really is more to Justin than Britney.

This year, Rihanna released her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad, and caused quite a stir in the industry.

She managed to rise to fame in just two years, with her first single entitled “Pon de Replay” in 2005.

In her first two albums, Music of the Sun and A Girl Like Me, she had the image of the typical female artist bursting fresh into the scene – little miss prim and proper.  In Good Girl Gone Bad, the title has a literal take on her.  The haircut is nothing compared to the change in musical style from soft ballads to dance-pop.

These changes serve her spectacularly well though, to say the least.  The first track off the new album, “Umbrella”, zoomed up to the top of the charts upon its release date and is a dance floor anthem.  The racy video clearly illustrates a good girl gone sexy clad in nothing but silver paint.

It would be interesting what the good girl gone bad would evolve to next.

I would like to start off with Keane’s “Everybody’s Changing”.  It has been used in The OC, among other shows.  The feel of the song just makes it seem so appropriate for anything dramatic.  I also like the dare night episode song by  the Rock n’ Roll Soldiers called  “Funny Little Feeling”.  It has a loud, party vibe to it that resembles the good sound of a broken guitar.

In the first season, Sheryl Crow made a guest appearance and sang her own song called “The First Cut Is The Deepest”.  It begins with an acoustic guitar solo and the accompaniments build up as the song progresses.  Michelle Featherstone’s “Coffee and Cigarettes” never fails to touch my heart with words like “But it’s true, I’m still blue / But I finally know what to do / I must quit, I must quit you” in her mellow voice blending with the piano.

Let us not forget the regulars of the soundtrack – Fall Out Boy and Jimmy Eat World. With songs like “Dance, Dance”, “Sugar We’re Goin’ Down”, and “I’ve Got A Dark Alley and A Bad Idea That Says You Should Shut Your Mouth (Summer Song) from Fall Out Boy and “Kill”, “Pain”, and “Hear You Me” by Jimmy Eat World, one will surely enjoy this great compilation.

He used his rich, well-controlled baritone voice to sing both classics and new songs that showcased his range but still was able to be integrated into the mainstream music industry. His repertoire includes a cover of “Caruso” (which was written in memory of the great tenor Enrico Caruso and is known to be a cursed song, mostly because of that long note near the end that you have to hold that is very, very difficult to sustain), his classical music-inspire songs “Per Te” and “Alla Luce Del Sole”, his more popular works “To Where You Are” and “You Raise Me Up”.  Let us not forget his live performances: remarkable duets of the song “The Prayer”, his participation at the CHESS: Actors’ Benefit Fund Concert, his performance of pieces from Phantom of the Opera for the Kennedy Center Honors in 2006 (in honor of Andrew Lloyd Webber), among many others. Add to that the fact that he’s actually a good-looking guy, and you’ve got a wonderful package.

He’s also done theater and acting in his early years, and so he’s a triple-threat who’s changing the face of classical singers all over the world. He is continuously proving that classical singers don’t necessarily have to look like Pavarotti or Caruso – they can just be themselves and what do you know, their music could be appreciated by more people all over the world.

Baby put your love on me

Just open up, don’t play hide and seek

Show me so that I can see

What’s on your mind? Don’t play hide and seek

This, and their first single “Yo No Se”, became popular dance hits of the time. Sure enough, in the music video of this song you have got Lynne Critelli, Marialisa Costanzo (a former dancer in one of the shows MTV had at that time) and a pink-haired Daphne Rubin-Vega (yes, the same Daphne Rubin-Vega from Broadway’s Rent and the recently shown Bernarda Alba) moving to the easy choreography which was effortlessly became a dance craze.  Look for the video or listen to the song and get a healthy dose of nostalgia.