On 2010 Halalan...

I am writing this to express my slight annoyance to those people who call other people stupid for voting differently. It is one thing to promote your candidate, another to demean people who have other choices not similar with yours. Don’t get me wrong. I am a supporter of Noynoy’s and never was a fan of Erap’s. I am even scared of seeing the latter become our President again, in case he wins. BUT, even with that, I still believe in every Filipino’s right to choose the person they believe in. Whatever their reasons for voting him – we don’t have any right to question that. This is what democracy’s about anyway. Some people I know who were complaining did not even cast their votes for the candidates they think are better than Mr. Orange. How the hell can you complain, when you did not even have the effort to make yourselves registered, and your votes counted? I, for one, am glad that votes are being counted at the very least, this time. This is, by far, better than the last Presidential elections (na Lutong Macau lang). Remember, hello Garci? :P

On a lighter note, I am happy and relieved that, though not officially announced yet, my presidential bet is set to win the 2010 elections. My 4 hours of waiting in line yesterday to vote for him is peanuts compared to 6 years of positive change and better governance. Cheers for “yellower” pastures in the future. :P

Youtube Idol #1 - Joseph Vincent

Remember the reasons I told you why I stopped blogging? Well, I must admit that the internet has played a very major role in it. Apart from checking my facebook account oh-so -frequently, I also got hooked downloading movies/series, reading other people's blogs, and well, watching videos of Youtube artists! You know how much I love music, right? And as much as I love sharing my fondness of music to others, it also makes me happy and inspired when i see people share their talents as well. :) While I was on my blogging hiatus, I discovered very gifted Youtube artists, whose talents are ought to be shared to the world :) So I decided to make a series of blog posts featuring them one by one, and I will start with my current favorite - Joseph Vincent Encarnacion.

Joseph Vincent is a full bred Pinoy artist, residing in the US. He is only 20 years old, but his covers and other uploaded vids have already reached more than 4 million hits in Youtube. He's been awarded as Youtube Artist of the Year in 2009, by Star Central Magazine, garnering the highest votes among those who were nominated. :)

Okay okay, enough of the talk. Let me just show you what pure talent is all about. :)

This video has made me start to get hooked to his Youtube page. I just couldn't get enough of his vids! This is by far, the best cover of Bad Romance I've heard. :)

Apart from the vid above, my top covers of him are : Replay (by Iyaz), Sweet Pea (by Amos Lee), and Fireflies (by Owl City). I hope you'll enjoy watching as much as I did! :)

Til my next feature! Ciao!

I shall return =)

Yes, it's true this time. I shall return. =)

I have been telling this to myself (and to some) since I stopped blogging last year. Honestly, it's not about not having anything to write. There are actually sooooo many exciting things, which happened to me during the 2nd half of last year, and even on the first 3 months of my 2010, that I really wanted to share. Problem is, I also had a lot of things going on with me that I was not able to find time to write anymore. :( I became ultra busy with a lot of stuff -- facebook-ing, trying to catch up with episodes of the series which I follow, trying to catch up on my reading, learning the guitar, travelling, adjusting with my new job, etc. etc. You get the picture. Actually I know I already had you at facebook-ing ( now, how can you NOT be busy with that, right? haha).

After months and months of putting blogging off my weekly tasks, I find myself doing it again. Why? I was able to read through my old posts and realized the very reason why I started this in the first place. I wanted to immortalize everything which I want to recall for the rest of my life. I want to be able to share my life, not only with my friends now, but also with the people that I will be meeting in the future. I want to be able to share stories and pictures to my future husband and kids. And lastly, I want to remember every little happy thing which mattered to me.

So guys, whether you like it or not, you should wait for my return. :P This is gonna be legen-wait for it-dary!!! :)

Don't you just love my blog's new look? I do! It's so refreshing and happy and bubbly--I feel that it's so me! =)

Salamat, President Cory!

Just wanted to share the song Ninoy Aquino wrote for Cory when he was still in prison. It's the first time that I heard this today. Very touching.

RIP President Cory Aquino. Thank you for being an inspiration and a source of strength to all the Filipinos.

And the winner is...

See, I'm good at predictions. My "unbiased & objective" reasons did not fail me, right? haha =) I'm still on a Kris Allen high! Soooo happy he won. =)

Image from: watchingamericanidol.com

The Grand Finale was, by far, the most exciting & entertaining AI finale I have ever watched. It was packed with big moments & surprises. It was abundant with appearances of great & popular artists and the Nick Norman/Tatiana/ Katrina Darell acts had me laughing out loud. =)

Funny story:

I watched the AI Grand Finale at 11pm since I could not go home early because of work. During the day, I totally resisted the internet (facebook, search sites), since I did not want to know the results until I watched the finale. I even sent texts and emails to my friends to not inform me of the winner while I haven't watched it yet. Everything was going well... until I rode the DKS shuttle going to Makati when a group of girls started talking about the winner. Bummer. I should have listened to my friend Aiko, when she advised me to just listen to my Ipod during the ride home. hahaha Good thing Kris Allen woooooon! Woohoo! *Sorry, I still can't get over it.*=P

American Idol Season 8 Face-Off

The much-awaited grand finale of the American Idol Season 8 will finally happen today! A lot of changes have transpired this season, having a new judge by the person of Kara DioGuardi, the new elimination process in getting the top 13, it's-now- top13-and-not-top-12-season, and of course, the one-time-save by the judges, being just some of them. The chosen top 13 participants were very good. Some of them I did not expect to make it, but realized at performance nights how deserving they were to be there. Each contestant had something great to show which made it harder for the voting population to decide who to root for. I, myself, had changed bets over time. It's just too good a season, that stopping to watch AI after your bets getting cut was never an option.

My original favorite was Meghan Joy. I fell in love with her singing the first time I heard her in the auditions. She's different, quirky, hip, current & beautiful. I rooted for her until she got cut. My attention shifted to Matt Giraud who I always had the hots for whenever he sings soulful "blue-sy" music. I was disappointed when he got eliminated, and was totally ecstatic when the judges decided to save him and give him another chance. And although he did not make it all the way to the finals, I still believe that the judges did not make a mistake in choosing to let him stay. I knew that was just not his time to leave, with Anoop Desai and Li'l Rounds still around. He survived another 2 weeks before getting cut again. That might have been a good call since there's really no way he can beat Danny Gokey, Kris Allen & Adam Lambert. And it so happened that Allison's performance that week was the bomb.

When Matt got eliminated, I realized how hard it was for me to choose among the contestants left. The remaining guys had different niches and were awesome in their own ways. Although, I knew that Allison has already made her name & proven her worth in the competition, I was never her fan so the voters' decision of letting her go was not too frustrating & surprising for me. It was Gokey, Allen & Lambert after all. I was not sure of who to root for among them until that night of the Top 3.

After Kris Allen's version of Kanye West's "Heartless", I was immediately sold. And I'm betting that that single performance of his, turned tables around. You just have to love that rendition. Randy Jackson even commented that his version was even better than the original one. I wonder how Kanye reacted to that statement. haha Well, Kris Allen's vocals are great. He looks like the boy-next-door-you-wanna-marry-type kind of guy. I love his acoustic rock style. And although some of his renditions are kind of laid back for a big crowd, he never failed to connect himself in the audience whenever he sings. That's why, I was not surprised when Ryan Seacrest called his name as the first person to land on Top 2. I just knew he deserved it.

It was sad that Danny Gokey had to leave. In the beginning of the season, it was predicted that he and Adam will be the two people reaching the finals. Well, this is also a popularity contest anyway, so that just goes to show that Danny had the least fans among the three(Kris, Danny & Adam). I know he'll still go a long way, anyhow.

I've always thought that I would not be surprised if Adam gets the win this season. He's one of the most unique, current and talented contestants in the history of AI. He never fails to surprise the audience with his out of this world renditions and outfits. He's one heck of a performer as well who gives everyone a great show with his every performance. A standing ovation from Simon is just a classic example of how good he is.

Having said all of this, I am still rooting for Kris Allen all the way.

Fearless Prediction: (No biases included, ok?) Kris Allen will win.

Here are my objective reasons. (Uyyy, objective daw oh!) lol.

1. I think Allen's performance of 'Heartless' totally made an impact to the people. As I've said, he has turned tables around as by that song, he has made himself the "it-guy' right now. Case in point: David Cook's version of Always be my Baby. Adam Lambert has been incomparable and seemed to be unbeatable during the entire season until that Top 3 night. Allen's performance of 'Ain't no Sunshine' last night was also tagged to be one of the best performances in the season which even outshadowed Lambert's version of Mad World --the song which gave him a standing ovation.

2. Kris Allen is mainstream. His songs capture a wider set of audience. Adam Lambert, on the other hand, has his own niche, with him having a different set of audience - which I believe is smaller than mainstream.

3. With Danny having been eliminated last week, I think it would be more or less safe to assume that Danny's fans will root for Kris instead of Adam. Why? Well, because Danny and Kris's music genre are more similar than Danny and Adam's.

I don't know. I may be wrong. And I know there's only one way to find out. I can't wait to watch the Grand Finale later. I will be watching it at the very latest schedule it's going to be aired as I can't go home early today. For all I know, there might be a winner already at this very moment. So please, please, NO SPOILERS. =)

Congratulations D!

After 8 grueling years of med school (bio & med proper) in UP, Donna "Tata" Marie U. Dy is now an "MD"! =) I'm not sure if I can already call her that since the board exams are still to be taken in August, but I'm sure that she'll pass it with flying colors anyway so sige, I'll call her Donna Dy, MD already. =) Hayyyyyyy, I'm just so proud of her & her accomplishments! Super galing! And I'm sure Joyjoy and I will be proudest someday when we get our first FREE lipo treatment care of her! hahahaha *kidding D!*

Congratulations D! Olive Juice! =D

Donna's grad party @ Something Fishy, Eastwood

Calaguas is Love!

I almost lost the chance of being on this trip if it weren't for Ca and Yob's persuasion skills. It was a great thing that I did, because I really had a legen-wait for it-dary time!

Here are the top 5 reasons why this trip was SUPER!!! (Pictures to follow, ayt?)

1. The trip was uber sulit.

I cannot complain on anything because everything was worth every penny spent. Calaguas was almost synonymous to love, happiness,chickenjoy (?!), and all the good things in the world. The boat rides (ala Rio Grande) were fun. The food was superb! Basta! This was one heck of a trip that was well worth it for less than P3,000. =)

Contact: Melvic Brinas

2. I got to bond with 4 of the most awesome girls in the world.

It was the first time that we actually got to hang out together. They used to just be familiar faces in DKS (well, except for Carina).But that did not stop us to having a really great bonding. We seemed to be already comfortable with each other as if we have been hanging out for years. Meet my awesome friends.

Ca is my travel buddy these days. I have gone out of town with her more than I have gone out of town with anyone in a year.

Yobel is the resident travel planner. She's a certified jetsetter and a bowling goddess! Promise, you'll just fall in love with how she releases a bowling ball through the lane with suave. :)

Brets is the acrobatic sleeper. When we were on the way to Camarines Norte, I was just seating adjacent to her in the bus. I have watched her slept in countless positions, which I cannot, in any way, mimic. But I tried. God knows I tried. =P

Maemei is the entertainer of the group. No, no, she doesn't sing and dance for us. But you'll surely be entertained just by talking to her. She's also the the group's document-er(?!) She takes pictures of anything anytime because she says she needs to document everything. haha

3. I found love in Calaguas!

I loved the waters, I loved the sand, and I loved the rock formations. It was just awesome how virgin the beach is! You know how much I love Boracay, right? But this beach, this beach has waters clearer and sands finer than Bora. The rock formations were just simply amazing. We just couldn't take enough pictures of them.

4. Camping is great!

You know how particular I am in choosing rooms when vacationing, right? The rooms must be clean, the bathroom must be clean, and it has to have an airconditioner. haha Who would have thought I can enjoy a room without all of these -- We stayed in a TENT! =) But believe me, it was really a great great experience. =)

5. I met NFFs. =)

I usually meet people on trips but never really get to have contacts with them after. But isn't it amazing how the internet is so powerful these days? Facebook rocks. It makes the world a lot smaller. :)

Happy Slip on Pacman!

Guys, I was checking on the Happy Slip website when I saw her latest video. If you haven't seen it, let me share it with you here! I loooooove it so much. =) haha

Ipinagmamalaki kong Pinoy Ako!

Disclaimer: I know, I know I should be writing this in Filipino as the article might elicit contradiction against my title. However, since I know that I have "international readers (hanep!) who might not understand what I have to say, I'm writing this in English instead.

I have always had this reverie of representing the country somewhere someday. I don't know how and when but I know in time, I will be able to fulfill that dream. Despite us Pinoys, being deluged in unbridled political assault and poverty, I have never hoped on being born in any another country. I've always been proud to be a Filipino and am still continuing to pray for hope for our countrymen. Yes, I admit that I often find myself disappointed whenever I watch the news and see our country suffer from the same problems again and again.I truly abhor the things I read about politicians arguing endlessly over nonsensical matters. Where does this really lead them, anyway? Their continous bickering and backstabbing does not, in any way,help the country prosper. They merely satisfy their own ulterior motives which make our economy and reputation even worse as though our current situation isn't enough for us to digest. I don't know anyone who will not agree with me when I'll say that Filipino politics is simply crap. If only all our leaders would stop corrupting our government funds and give the kind of service the people really deserve, I think we can still manage to recover. I know, I know my wish is nearly impossible, but still, there's hope, right? =)

I have often wondered of the time when I would be telling the whole world that I am Philippine's pride.I really admire those people who go out of their way representing the country with their heads held up high.Despite all the ridicule we get from demeaning countries (believe me, there are a lot!) ,I am glad that there are Filipinos out there to make Pilipinas proud and somehow manage to elevate our status. Let me tell share with you some of the people I admire most when it comes to giving pride in being a Filipino.

Lea Salonga

Those who have been reading my past blog entries may have already known that I have always been a Lea Salonga fan. I am a theatre and musicale lover so the reason why I idolize her is out of the question. We all know that she's always been exquisite, superb and fantastic on stage. She's one of the best - if not the best - in her field. I admire her a lot, not only because of her extreme talent but also because she's so proud to be Pinoy. Despite the fact that she's already recognized in Europe and in the other parts of the world, Philippines is still the place she calls home.She takes pride in carrying the Filipino name wherever she goes. She's truly a sensational Pinay.

Let me show you a clip of an eighteen year old Lea telling the whold world in a foreign show how proud she is to be a Filipino and how she takes pride in representing the country.

Christine Gambito

Christine Gambito, better known by her screen name "Happy Slip" is a pure Filipina born and raised in America. She maintains one of the most-subscribed-to channels in YouTube, Happy Slip, which showcases her own videos on how she sees life as it is, based on how she grew up. You'll be quite surprised though that even if she was raised in the US, you'll still recognize how truly Filipina she is in her videos. She recently was appointed ambassador for Philippine Tourism by the Department of Tourism as her videos tend to be informative and influential in nature. Christine is one hot talented woman and I will forever admire her acts in making a big difference by introducing and promoting the Filipino ways to the world. =)

Charice Pempengco

How can one not admire Charice for all the recognition she gets from the people all over the world whenever she sings? At a very young age, she has already performed with numerous famous singers in the US e.g. Celine Dion, David Archuleta, Josh Groban & Andrea Bocelli to name a few. Despite all the good things coming her way, I can see that she remains to be the down-to-earth person she always is. And while Charice gives her best whenever she's on stage, she makes all the Filipinos look good everytime the song finishes with a standing ovation. All the Pinoys should be proud of her and her achievements. I'm betting this girl will still go a long long way. =)

Marc Nelson and Rovilson Fernandez

Ok ok, the hunk duo is not as Filipino as we want them to be...BUT I really admired both of them in carrying the Filipino name (and flag) in the The Amazing Race Asia Season2 Series. Watch the whole season and you'll get what I mean. =)

Apl the Ap

"Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makararating sa paroroonan." Apl the Ap (of the Black Eyed Peas), a true Pamapaguenyo at heart, knows the saying so well that he never fails to come back here in the Philippines as often as he can. His songs 'The Apl Song' and 'Bebot' are very visible proofs on how he still recognizes & is proud of his Filipino ancestry. *Clap, clap, clap*

Francis Magalona

I cannot believe I almost missed him on this list. (Thanks Ca for reminding!). Francis M is one of the people I truly admire when it comes to expressing love for the country. I know and am sure that his ferocious passion for nationalism, through his songs (and his blog & his shirts), will contiue to be an inspiration to me and to the rest of the country.

Here's my salute to the master rapper.

Manny Pacquiao

Who would not agree when I'd say that Manny Pacquiao is the country's number 1 pride these days. He continues to be an inspiration to the millions of Filipinos out there boxing bout per bout. He's a living testimony that there's hope where prayer is present. Here's for you MP: Two Thumbs UP!

I really hope someday I would also be able to make the country proud of me. I'm not sure when exactly, but I know that it will come...at the right time. =)