Vaginal Realm

On my usual commute home via jeepney (yes, I do ride a jeepney), a 4-km ride up to Kalayaan Avenue costs P7.00. The exchange of goods between passenger and driver goes something like this:

"Manong, bayad ho. Isang Kalayaan."

Realizing what I just said, I thought to myself how easy such phrases are uttered by the unmindful Filipino commuter day in and day out in all parts of the metro. With a few nickel coins and an abrupt stressing of the vocal cords, one can get himself to Kalayaan without much hassle as say carbon dioxide poisoning and a few pounds less.

Ironic. The true essence of this word has been haphazardly used by warmongerers for time immemorial to push their personal agenda incognito in the name of nobility and justice. That sovereignty and governance, which should NOT have worked without the other, discreetly wages war over and over again in its sake. Kalayaan. Freedom.

"Manong sukli ko ho. Kalayaan lang." - you can even demand change when you think you paid more than what is due you. CHANGE. What a taboo.

But here in a busy Philippine metropolis called Makati, one can get to it within four kilometers and a few nickel coins. It's a cheap buy, I know. *lol*

Labels: random ramblings

For the nth time, I'm on the hunt for a new place. That I haven't fully paid the purchase price of my current residence to my father still makes the house legitimally his, and that I could not kick him and my brother out of there even if I tried. Sieg is welcome to stay BUT as we would have it, we want to have a private place of our own and trust me when I say that these two aforementioned people are the last ones you would want to share your habitat with. I mean it.

So...off again I go to house-hunt. So far I haven't found one that would suit our requirements, to briefly enlist:

• Within the budget. Hopefully not more than 7k, if push comes to shove we're willing to pay 7.5k if it's worth it
• On a safe vicinity where I can go home after a day of overtime and not fear for my life. That also means no "illegitimate residents" nearby.
• Complete amenities, at least has its own power and water lines, and waste collection is regular and efficient. Nevermind telephone and cable service; I can provide that for my own.
• Baby-friendly - defined as quiet, clean, easily accessible via commute, and feasible for bubu's morning sunshine dose
• Of course, requires minimum renovation. As in we can move in immediately without having to worry about leaking faucets or door/window repairs

I have to find a place by the end of this month. Good luck to me. =(

*******************

Found a place in Guadalupe Nuevo where I first lived out of college. To give an overview of the apartment, it has linoleum for a floor (God knows what's underneath it. I didn't want to peek), about 2 yards of newly-tiled counter for a sink, about 4 sq.m. of newly-tiled cubicle for a bathroom, a small open laundry area at the back, and two bedrooms upstairs. Sounds feasible? NOT! I realized that no matter how much paint you smack on its surface, a rat hole is still a rat hole. And for 13k/month, it is such a rip-off. Pffft.

I passed by my old apartment in the area, where everything is nice except the bathroom, and the monthly rent is only 8k though that was around 3-4 years ago. Too bad they have no vacancies today. Awww sad. =(

Next option please...and fast!

*******************

I'm off to the Mandaluyong/Boni area tonight to look for a place. Jeezus, if only walking is not advisable at this point of my health...anyway I'm crossing my fingers that I'd be able to find at least one optionable option for a new home. Wish me luck.

Labels: random ramblings

Cash is defined as "money and other negotiable instrument that is payable in money and acceptable by the bank for deposit and immediate credit". Cash is the medium of exchange for any monetary transaction, and any other item that is readily convertible to legal tender is considered "as good as cash". It consists of bills and coins in circulation, and any other negotiable instrument immediately convertible to these by financial institutions. For cash to be actually used as an instrument of trade, it should both be available and acceptable.

What is available cash? Cash is considered available when it is unrestricted in use regardless of its location as long as it can be drawn immediately anytime when the need arises. A savings account opened in another country is still considered available cash when it can be drawn anytime at its counterpart institution here in the Philippines. Cash must be readily available to settle currently maturing obligations and other capital requirements and are not subject to any restrictions whatsoever. Restricted cash is any amount that has an existing limitation as to use imposed by a party other than the owner, and to which limitation the owner must submit. Maintaining balances of cash accounts, funds in escrow, special savings, and time deposits not maturing within three months fall under this category.

Cash is a very, if not the most, valuable asset of any business. A company's internal control status and operational effectiveness is mostly measured by how much cash its policies were able to save in relation to certain financial ratios, followed by level of employee morale and so on (see how the human factor is only second to money). A capital-intensive firm can establish its own treasury function to account for its cash movements at any interval as it sees fit, but SMEs and growing companies need to count every penny in their pockets to fund its capital requirements.

But how?

Some companies are puzzled where the money went after it is long gone. This is way past the time the expenses have been incurred and financing should have long been availed, thus making accountability for lost cash quite difficult to establish. As a rule of thumb, control is most effective when only one person is responsible for a given task. This, however, is only applicable to small-scale businesses; corporations especially publicly-listed firms are subject to the dreadful Sarbanes-Oxley law or equivalent. This rule is without its flaws -- it is hard to discover fraud when the person controlling cash inflows and outflows is also responsible for its recording for then it could be very easy to manipulate supporting documents such as collection receipts, bank deposit slips and withdrawals, and payment vouchers. Thus, a character check is crucial before selecting a trustworthy candidate for the job. Accountability should be established well within those involved in a cash cycle to easily pinpoint holes in the controlling aspect.

If the company can afford to, monetary or effort-wise, the record-keeping function should be separate from physical custody. This is where value-added services from the depository bank comes in. A passbook savings account can be very helpful in monitoring cash movement: the cashier prepares a daily/weekly/monthly cash report based on issued receipts and invoices paid, to be compared by a separate person (the business owner or representative) to the passbook. Daily cash collections should be deposited that same day to the bank. Cash payments well over Php1,000 should be paid using the company check independent from the cash custodian. Expenses below this amount may be settled through the office fund which may be set up and replenished using a company check as well. These controls are to prevent window dressing, lapping and kiting - deliberate errors to cover over/under recording of cash.

A surprise cash count handled by the cash custodian should be exercised regulary and on a non-routinary basis to check whether the job of accounting for them is done well. Aside from bills and coins, the transactions stated in the cash report should have evidence of transactions - official receipts for collections accompanied by a bank deposit slip dated the same day, invoices/billings/statements of accounts for payments as well as receipts issued by the payee, shipping/delivery documents, and so on. This is proof that a cash transaction indeed incurred and was not just made up to conceal an unofficial use of company funds. It is also crucial that company documents such as official receipts are pre-numbered and accounted for regularly, for it is possible that a receipt has been issued by a customer but such payment was not turned over to the coffers. A missing or doubly-used receipt signals abnormality in cash inflow handling.

Cash disbursements are ideally made through checks wherein at least two signatories independent of the cash custodian are authorized by the bank to sign checks. This is to ensure that no connivance exists between these parties and establish the integrity of expense reporting. A ghost disbursement can only be possible if a signatory signs the check and the custodian reports it as legit - one thing management may find difficult to prove.

A monthly reconciliation of cas per records versus all bank accounts should be prepared by the custodian for review supported by the passbooks to substantiate the cash balance per bank. If not a passbook account, it is a depositor's right to demand a Statement of Account from its depository bank on a timely basis.

These are merely controls for cash actually existing for company use. To increase its cash level, collection of outstanding receivables should be increased so as not to let revenues stay idle in collectible accounts. Impose interest and/or late payments to customers as necessary to insist prompt payment. Trim down on unnecessary expenses especially those incurred for personal purposes - remember that it is company money they are using for their lunch or car registration renewal. For trading companies, keep inventory levels low either by ordering only what has been committed to customers with minimal allowance for unexpected orders - do this only if lead time for ordering and delivery from the supplier of goods is relatively short. A good inventory management is crucial in cash maintenance and reduce the possibility of wastage/spoilage, obsolescence, or shortage. During expansion or upgrading, plan the timing of major expenditures such as equipment purchase and office rennovation. Calculate carefully when the funds will be available to finance these expenses and if the benefits that will be received during the useful life of these investments will greatly outweigh the cost of its procurement. And if the company really does well, it should invest its excess or idle cash in special savings account, or to other revenue-generating instruments if someone can. Ask your bank how they can help you increase your net worth.

Labels: random ramblings

It's mom's 60th birthday today. Though she's gone older for her age for the past few years. Perhaps because of the feeling of loneliness and emptiness embracing our family house...we children started moving out one by one since the last 5 years or so followed by my father last year. She only have my other brother (I have two) with her in that big house. Maybe, she's sad.

I received a message from that brother of mine asking if I was going home tonight. I said my plan was to go home tomorrow instead, that is if typhoon Reming doesn't throw the MRT into a flying frenzy. I do feel kinda guilty not going home to see her today, but even if i try she'd be asleep by the time I got home. Travel's gonna be a hassle tonight, what with all commuters travelling back to the provinces to take advantage of the long weekend. EDSA is gonna be a nightmare.

*********************

I'll be on leave on Monday, so that gives me a 4-day weekend. Thanks to Reming I might end up spending it at home with no electricity. And without electricity, the water pump will not work. Ergo, no electricity means no water as well. Qui horror! No recreation inside and outside home for days. Sigh. Well, at least I have plenty of time to catch up on sleep. Yeah, as if I lack it. *chuckle*

Monday will be spent going to the routine check-up with Dr. Benavidez. If I'm not mistaken, I'll be on my 22th week and 1 day by then. Probably she can now recommend a US for bubu. I can't wait to see bubu. See who bubu is taking after. They say orange juice works, so I'm gonna drink lots of it before going to the US room and watch bubu do cartwheels on the monitor. Weee!

I have to ask the doctor too about the quite painful contractions I've been having lately. I read in my favorite site for the moment that contractions lasting 60-90 seconds are about normal at this stage as part of my body preparing for the labor. But jeez, when it last for, say, an hour and it feels like my tummy's gonna burst when I exhale is really uncomfortable. It can also be painful, and heavy, considering that most people observe that I my tummy is rather small for my term. I have so many questions. So many qualms. What can I say, I'm a virgin. *lol*

****************

I fervently hope that when I return on Tuesday next week, George would still be seated inside the room behind my cubicle. You know, just to start another week right. That's what I pray for: one more week. My sympathy goes to the guy. He is so...not deserving of any of this. But that story's for another day. I'll post more about it on another entry.

****************

Have a rainy weekend everyone! :D

Labels: daily mishaps, random ramblings

After 10 years of drought and embarrassment, the UST Growling Tigers finally bagged the crown as the UAAP Men's Basketball champions.

I remember going gaga over the game during my freshman year at the university. It was a dismaying season where UST scored a 10-0 status during the elims only to lose in the end versus La Salle. There were even accusations that two of the team's players, Yao and Oreta, were bribed by the rival team to play a losing game, as evident by their failed shots and poor defense on the court.

But what the heck, past is past. Today is 2006, the 69th season of the UAAP, and the UST Growling Tigers emerged as the champions. Go Uste!

A cute, fluffy tiger lazily licks its claws and wags its tail in satisfaction. It clears its throat and coughs out a blue feather. *burp*

Labels: random ramblings

Dear Santa,

Please tell me its name.

Love,
Ellen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Addendum 08/17/06 5:33PM

This is Kogepan, a burnt red bean bun (hopia) who ran away from the bakery because the baker won't sell him and the other red bean buns laughed at him. After living life adrift, smoking and drinking milk as beer, he decided to come back home to the bakery. Now he is on a never-ending quest to become the perfect bread. That blue cloth tied to his neck is actually a knapsack of his things when he ran away from home.

Cute story. Heehee.

Labels: nonsense, random ramblings

When I was a little girl, I would always get lost in the mall each and everytime my parents would take me there. It happens so often that everytime before we leave the house they would never forget to reiterate their instruction of what to do when I get lost. Ironically, each time I had the strongest confidence that I will not get lost this time. And each time I was found, a hefty scolding will follow soon after.

Almost 20 years after, I’m back in that state of confusion and hopelessness. That I wish there is some grown-up out there that will help me get out of this mess I got myself in, maybe the security guard accompanying me to the customer service to have my parents paged. Someone. Anyone.

I was confident I will not tread the wrong path. I was sure I’m making the right turns. I had the strongest confidence. There wasn’t any scolding. Things apparently don’t change that much when we grow up, after all.

I’m lost. Help?

Labels: random ramblings

................ or so they say.

It's been 9 months since my father moved in with me. He retired from work about 8 months before that. Since then I took upon myself the responsibility of carrying the weight of being the house's mistress, in the absence of a mother and a more responsible older sibling. I would pay for house renovation expenses and cable TV, while my brother shoulders half of the telephone and electricity bills. And more often than not I do the grocery (which I'm about to do later), do the cooking, and then wash the dishes thereafter. On weeknights if I had an early night off I would press my clothes, and on weekends I would clean the house and do my laundry. All these I have to juggle with a very demanding job, quality time with my SO, dentist appointments, and weekly visits to my mom, my other brother and my dogs in the province.

This is not a rant. This is just simply a recollection of how active I am despite the feeling that I don't accomplish anything. Hah, talk about quarter life crisis.

Going home to the old house has become a regular for me even though I moved out of it about 4 years ago. I started living on my own at the age of 20 and since then have learned to take care of myself. Now I'm 24, the weight of role-reversal starts to kick in as I now take responsibility on father, and my immediately older brother takes care of mother. My parents are in their 60's but not decrepit; they're still pretty active for their age. But loneliness kills the heart like cancer, and for two people who have been together for 33 years, they need not tell their children that for an old person time is all he has, that time is all that he wants, because at this age of carbon monoxide and monosodium glutamate and bone marrow anyone can run out of time anytime.

I will not deny my father of my time. To calculate, for the first 20 years of my life he raised me, and now that he's 61 I'd be damn happy if I'd be granted an equal number of years to return the favor. In fact, I wanna do something more for him because I know that he and mother had to let go of most comforts in life to send their 4 offsprings to good schools. That the lost opportunity of leisure when you can best enjoy it is irreplaceable and sadly regrettable.

For Philippine economic standards, I'm a middle-income earner for the workforce of my age. That is assuming that at my age I only spend for myself, with some scraps saved little by little for the rainy days, or for a grand vacation in summer. But I want to earn more, so that someday...

I can take father to a trip around the world
Maybe we'll stop at England for a week or two to watch Wimbledon
And get him an autographed shirt or ball from his favorite players
Buy him the most efficient tennis racket available so he'd always play the best game
Get him a lifetime subscription of Inquirer or Newsweek so he'd never have to worry about alzheimer's
Hire a driver to let his failing knees rest when within horrible Manila traffic
And of course, pay for the best doctors to take care of his hypertension

I also want to take mother around the world
Go to a shop-til-you-drop European tour where we'll ransack the churches and the shops
Eat shortcake and drink tea al fresco while listening to the music of the European streets
Enjoy a full beauty treatment together for a whole day
If she wanted to, she can get botox or diamond peel without worrying about the bill
Build her a small house in Tagaytay beside her mother's and her sister's, where she'll pass the time tending her little garden
Buy her a reliable spacious car with a driver to boot
And of course, pay for the best doctors to take care of her hypertension

I wanted to do all these for them. Because I know this was what they wanted to do together. I love them both so dearly, and I wish someday I'd have the courage to tell them just that when they can still hear me.

Labels: random ramblings

No, I haven't tried coke, never tried to, but I think I know how being high on it feels. Shapeless phantoms haunt my unconciousness and brings terror. Why oh why do I feel this way?

*******************

You've been in my dreams for quite some time now. I don't want you here. Strange that you should walk amidst the confusing map of my realm despite the idiocy that is you. And honestly, I'm even surprised that you made it. Some of the nightmares delight me the morning after as I saw you crushed, humiliated, murdered. On some that I see you as something else, it brings me a troubled mind that you were even there in the first place. Go away, phantom. Leave me alone. Let me be. I won't have you tormenting my naked soul through your rot.

*******************

Human transmutation, as explained in Full Metal Alchemist, has its cost on the alchemist over time. One may be able to attach his soul from one body to another, thus living eternal life, but his power diminishes a little each time he does so. Over time his present physical body will rot, even faster if he uses alchemy frequently. The more times one attaches his soul from one body to another, the weaker he gets. Pondering on this, it could be concluded that time does not make a person stronger, but the complete opposite. Yes people learn from their experiences, but do they learn the right thing? We don't get wiser, we get more stubborn clinging on the belief that we think is right. We die a little each time we scathe our knees, but we emerge (supposedly) to become stronger persons thereafter. I have rotted a million times over, and believed that I have transformed into someone stronger a million times more. But a voice keeps telling me, "No you're not, you cocky bitch. You're still the same cunt as you were. Believe it."

Labels: gripe, random ramblings

What the fuck?! I received an MMS message below from SMART today. It says:


"Maraming salamat sa tiwala nyo sa akin sa nakaraan kong laban. Ang aking pagkapanalo ay iniaalay ko sa inyong lahat, aking mga kababayan. Ang mga dasal nyo, sigaw ng aking pangalan at ang walang sawang suporta ang nagdala sa akin sa pagkapanalo."





Okay na sana e. Kaya lang may kasunod pa.


"Makisaya kayo sa aking tagumpay. Maaari nyo nang idownload ang latest song na kinanta ko. Kung gusto po nyo makuha ang "Laban Natin Ito" na theme song ng laban ko nung linggo, itext mo lang ito sa 288: LABAN (for monotone), LABANP (for polytone).

Ipadala mo sa mga kaibigan mo. PISO na lang kasi magpadala ng MMS sa Smart ngayon. Ayos!

Libre po ang text na ito." - Manny Pacquiao


The Money Pakyaw phenomenon is still sweeping the nation like a raging storm, folks. Smart guy, encashing on his 5 minutes of fame. No wonder he can afford to lose Php30 million in the casino. Tsk tsk.

Labels: gripe, nonsense, random ramblings

Ahhh, nostalgia kept me busy for a couple of days. Wai wai wai!

This is a game in the NES called Konami Wai Wai World, an all-star game pretty much like the NBA during the Olympics. And what is the story behind this strange game? It seems that Konami World has fallen into grave danger. A mysterious alien being has infiltrated Konami World, and allied itself with the evil forces that already existed there. As a result, six of Konami's heroes have been defeated and imprisoned by their foes. Konami World's only remaining hope lies with its resident super hero: Konami Man! Aided by his lovely sidekick Konami Girl, Konami Man must travel to various areas of Konami World and rescue the imprisoned heroes. Then, once all of the heroes are reunited, the alien force must be eradicated! The Konami characters in this game are:

• Konami Man - the protector of all that is Konami! I don't think Konami Man had a game of his own. From what I read he only made cameo apperances in certain Konami games. He's the guy in the blue suit.
• Konami Girl - she's simply the female counterpart of Konami Man, and does not have a game of her own also. She's pretty cute for an 8-bit elven/alien chick. Yep, she's that tart sitting in Kong's left arm.
• Goemon - his english game released internationally is named Mystical Ninja, or something like that. His attack makes the coolest-sounding effect in the game. And I'm not sure what his projectile weapon is but is sure looks like tomatoes to me. He is that puffy-haired pothead that looks like someone from a japanese variety show in the 80's.
• Simon - the most popular Konami character as far as I am concerned. Star of the Castlevania franchise, he has the coolest soundtrack in the game and the most powerful projectile weapon -- the crucifix boomerang. He is at the leftmost holding a brown whip that actually looks like a monkey's tail that sprung out of his ass. He has the most amusing teleport animation in the game.
• Fuuma - the character of the Getsufuu Maden ("Maden") game, which by the way my brother played to oblivion, is at the most fucking difficult stage of the game, appropriately called "Hell". I was only able to use him at the Eastern Island Stage as his attack was short-ranged and actually looks like he's playing with a jumping rope. His three-shuriken attack was useful in breaking bricks. He's that headband-donning guy brandishing his probably too-limp sword.
• Mikey - star of the Goonies movie and eventually turned into two games by Konami. His slingshot makes the cutest "piw" sound. His most significant use in the game is he can fit through low passages that all the other characters cannot. He's the red-haired boy in red overalls behind Konami Man.
• Moai Head - if that character looks familiar to you, he's actually one of the enemies in the Gradius game. The character design is so frickin' hilarious. He has legs like a frog, and his attack! He attacks by headbutting his enemies, which is rather difficult since he is quite tall and thus cannot hit small characters. His ring projectiles can be quite powerful though, which is his only redeeming quality in the game.
• King Kong - hero of Konami's rendition of the King Kong movie. He is the most powerful and fast-moving character in the game, thus the most useful. He can jump through areas where the other characters cannot as he is the tallest character in the game. His projectile is throwing bananas, which is also the most powerful projectile attack in the game, albeit short-ranged and curved downwards. In case you have no idea, he's that big ape carrying Konami Girl in his left arm.
• Dr. Cinnamon - he is the creator of Konami Man and Konami Girl, and also the Twin Bee and Gradius Ships which you will use at the second to the last stage of the game. He can recharge the energy bars of the team, and also provides background info on each of the characters.
• Dr. Spice (not in picture) - brother of Dr. Cinnamon, his only role in the game is to revive dead allies for the low low price of 100 bullets! Pretty cheap, huh? He is differentiated from Dr. Cinnamon by wearing a black cape with red collar and white shirt, which kinda makes him look like Dracula with spectacles.
• Pentaro - star of the ever-so-lame-but-cute-nontheless Antarctic Adventure, he operates the teleport machine that will take the characters to the 6 worlds of the game.

I loved this game when I first got a copy of it eons ago, and I still love it now. By the way, wai wai is a Japanese onomatopeia that means noisy. Now I'm off to Macross. ^_^

Labels: random ramblings

Ever wondered how it's like to be the official Philippine deathbringer? What if you, as in YOU, are assigned by the President to be the embodiment of capital punishment, and you were given the absolute right to amend Philippine criminal law in terms of punishment for those who are convicted? In what specific way will you dispose those who were handed down with the death penalty?

This was the thought that crossed my mind while watching XXX, ABS-CBN's documentary show featuring controversial news from the week that was. The crew was able to catch on camera an actual robbery that took place somewhere near Luneta, and Penha and I were just infuriated by the guts these crooks have. Why, they staged it right along the main street!

So, the day after, we decided to categorize criminals based on the most common offenses, and thought of the most sinister, inhumane way of mutilating these bastards. IMO, they don't deserve to live, let alone plant their seed and multiply. So, here's what we came up with:

• Rapist - imprison them with very muscular men...of Middle-Eastern descent, to be more specific, who are into sodomy. No execution. Just imprison him til the day he dies. The Mr. Muhammad Baklush a.k.a. prisonmates will be replaced regularly to maintain a very able population of man-rapists. Prisonmates will only bathe once a month and will be on a constant diet of chili. A ratio of 20:1 seems fair, I think.
• Murderer - literally tearing them apart by pulling their body parts, one by one, until only the head and torso are left. Cut the tongue. Then set him free to the world where no relatives of his live. I bet he'd have a lot of time to think about his trespasses through this.
• Rapist and Murderer - IMO definitely the most unforgivable crime there is. I say a combination of the above punishments: reduce him to his tongue-less head and torso, then imprison him with male-rapists raking with body odor. For the rest of his fucking life.
• Plunder and/or graft and corruption convicts - or any large-scale thief, for that matter. Send them to a far-off island where privately-funded medical researches are being conducted on humans. They'd be the permanent lab rats here, with the doctors testing adverse physical effects on them one after another on a daily basis. Nevermind the psychological effect, pharm companies are only interested on the physical effects anyway. They'd be so sick with all the drugs mixed up in their system, but who cares?
• Illegal Drug manufacturers - nevermind the pushers, they'd have nothing to sell if there was nothing made to sell. So for these masterminds of the corruption of countless sanity, Penha thinks they should be injected very potent hallucinogens everytime they wake up, to let them confront their evil demons on a daily basis and see what it's like to be hooked on those illegal substances they fatten their coffers with. Let them lose their mind or commit suicide if they can't handle the heat. At least the government can save up with less convicts to execute.

Hmmm, I don't think the victims' relatives would agree with me. They would want it more gruesome, more cruel, more, more, MORE! Ah, I wish for world peace.

Labels: random ramblings

Though I will not contest that I am normally a cranky person, there are those bits of life that indeed make me feel it is worth living after all. That despite all the bullshit happening around me, there are these things that makes stepping on them all very much worth it. A hundred can be too much to think of all at once, so I'm updating this list in episodes. Here it goes, in no particular order or group:

1. My penha, except when soy sauce starts to flood in
2. My dogs -- Milo, Meg and Mojo
3. shoes, shoes, shoes
4. Build for the Kill @ Nat'l Geographic Channel
5. Javaccino from Javaman @ Powerbooks
6. Meals at Haiku GB3 (especially if it's free!)
7. Sisig at Neilsen's, Landmark Foodcourt
8. CSI
9. CSI Miami
10. Drawn Together
11. Cooking Master Boy
12. Otogi Zoshi: The Legend of Magatama
13. Chronicle Of The Wings
14. Jeopardy
15. Gensomaden Sayuuki (OMG, did I even spell it right?)
16. Samurai X -- yeah yeah, so conventional. So f*** you
17. Final Fantasy VII onwards
18. Legacy of Kain
19. Cranberry Apple Zinger/Blueberry Tea
20. The Exorcist (Uncut)
21. My Dog Skip
22. Burger Steak @ Almer's
23. Banana Bread
24. shopping sprees
25. Timezone
26. Paella Valenciana @ Casa Armas
27. beaching ^_^
28. and of course, tanning
29. lavander massages
30. foot spa
31. sunsets
32. star gazing, only when they're close enough
33. Tango/Mango
34. Bulalo @ Sinangagan
35. any salad @ MyLK
36. theme parks
37. swimming
38. any beige/khaki wardrobe
39. bodyshop sun powder
40. bodyshop olive soap
41. The Man Show
42. spending time with high school friends reminiscing the old days
43. spending time with college friends ridiculing each other's breasts and boyfriends
44. Beck
45. Ong-Bak
46. barefoot walks by the beach
47. snuggling in cold weather
48. having a hand to hold while sleeping
49. cold weather + warm bed combo
50. Thai Chili Crab
51. Kinunot
52. Pinangat
53. milk foam baths
54. tuyo + tomatoes + fried rice
55. dinner by the sunset @ Badjao Restaurant, Palawan
56. thoughtfulness
57. patience and understanding
58. knowledge
59. honesty
60. brutal truth
61. justice
62. salmon @ cafe mediterranean
63. anything tofu
64. laughing cow cheese
65. trip-hop/lounge/chill-out/electronica
66. old school rock (ACDC, The Ramones, Led Zeppelin, and even The Black Crowes)
67. Scarface
68. Kill Bill
69. Ichi the Killer
70. nights overlooking the city @ antipolo/rooftops/baguio
71. Camiguin
72. Chaosansi
73. Tears of The Sun -- so good I can't bear to watch it again without my stomach churning
74. Triple Chocolate Mousse @ Sentro 1771
75. reading at the UST Library
76. going to Wednesday Novena
77. Diablo I and II
78. Tequila
79. gay humor
80. cooking
81. sleeping
82. pansit malabon
83. indian-inspired drapes and beadworks
84. crushing men's egos -- no wait, these things delight me
85. pistachio ice cream @ dreyer's
86. smell of new leather
87. anything Nine West
88. yellow long-stem flowers
89. nifty lingerie
90. big head sunflower(s)
91. smell of pines/citrus
92. morning-afters
93. jeans
94. wrestling the dogs in bed
95. having nothing to do
96. a good bottle of perfume
97. christmas breeze
98. a passionate kiss
99. an honest look in the eyes
100. a warm, tight hug

There. I'll read this whenever I feel bitching about life. I have no right to complain, as I am already blessed with all the wonderful things. I love life. ^_^

Labels: random ramblings

Chinatrust (Phils.) Commercial Bank Corporation (CHTR), a Taiwanese bank, has decided in its Annual Stockholders Meeting to fire its external auditor, Laya Mananghaya & Co. (LMC), a member firm of KPMG, for incompetence, based on a strongly-worded corporate disclosure the bank sent to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Monday.

Based on the disclosure, LMC has failed to deliver competency and quality in its work as certifying auditors of the bank, due supposedly to limited exposure of the engagement partner and the firm in standards and practices applicable to the banking industry, and poor service despite the bank's effort to communicate the firm's weak points at the conclusion of its 2004 audit. LMC was appointed as external auditors of Chinatrust for the 2004 and 2005 calendar years.

In an addendum to the statement it made earlier, the management of Chinatrust through its President and Chairman, made clarifications referring to the original statements as "merely opinions of some members of the Bank's Audit Committee expressed in a meeting, and do not necessarily reflect the conclusions of the Bank". It has furthermore stated that "the change of the external auditor is part and parcel of the Bank's corporate governance practice which requires a thorough evaluation of vendor relationships on a regular basis".

It can be recalled that LMC performed due diligence review on the books of UCPB the result of which will then be the basis of PDIC's approval of a debt-to-equity conversion deal with UCPB. Based on the deal, PDIC will purchase a total of P13 billion worth of Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) as UCPB is in need of fresh capital infusion back then. LMC's performance on the engagement was heavily scrutinized by critics of the business community, describing the engagement team's performance as biased, inefficient and incompetent.

Mario T. Mananghaya, managing partner of LMC, expressed great disappointment on the statement released by Chinatrust, stating such publicity "has created tremendous concern from our clients, our people and our international affiliation". He added that the said statement brought agonizing pain among many members of the firm. Furthermore, the statement was released on the eve of San Miguel Corporation's announcement that it has appointed LMC to be its external auditor effective 2006. San Miguel Corporation is the Philippines' largest publicly-listed food and beverage conglomerate.

LMC has battled bouts of mismanagement and staff incompetency over the past years, with mass resignations and scandals plaguing its walls. I, for one, am a witness to the inefficiency of the way business in run within the corners of the 21st and 22nd floors of Philamlife Tower. However, unlike San Miguel, I knew when it was time to step out the door, that was shortly after Jaime Laya left while the firm continues to benefit from his good name. Pats to Chinatrust for finally opening its corporate eyes and see what LMC is really all about: profit.

Labels: random ramblings

Researchers at the Wake Forest University in North Carolina has recently stumbled into a breakthrough in repairing malfunctioning human organs. How? Organ Engineering.

Organ engineering may be defined as the infusing the techniques of math and sciences in order to tweak the natural structure of human organs for its improvement. Sort of like cloning but here only a specific unit of organ is replicated and is definitely not aimed to producing a functioning individual organism. Its goal is to repair and/or replace damaged componets of the human body as a step forward in healthcare that in current practice is rectified by organ transplant, surgery, or actual removal of the impaired component.

How does it work? Case in point: bladder engineering. Prior to this breakthrough, scientists remediate a defective portion of the bladder by taking a slice of the patient's intestine and using the same to patch the damage. This same century-old practice was also used to build brand new bladders for those patients who needed a total replacement of the organ. But since the bladder and the intestine are naturally designed to excrete and to absorb, respectively, this practice oftentimes lead to malfunctioning such as osteoporosis and increased risk of cancer and kidney stone formation. Organ engineering has rendered this practice passé by actually using cells from the same organ to propagate enough mass sufficient for repair, or propagate a brand new unit ready-for-transplantation. Healthy cells were extracted from the organ and placed in a culture in a Petri dish. After a few weeks when the cells have propagated, they are placed in a mold resembling the shape of the organ, and is left to grow even more until they entirely capture the mold's shape. Once the shape is solid, it is then implanted to the patient and will function as a healthy organ after a few more weeks.

I first came across this news while watching CNN last night. I admit I was in awe at this marvelous breakthrough...and since the organs were made from the patient's own cell, the ethical issue of "organ farming" is immediately stunted. An added bonus to this is the zero risk of rejection, as compared to organ transplants wherein the patient must first find a compatible donor, which oftentimes contributes great delay in the entire operation. The procedure is currently applied to seven patients in the US, and is yet to be granted legal license by the US government. Having mentioned that the procedure is not yet approved, we are yet to see the dark side of this breakthrough once commercialism steps in to the picture. Greedy capitalists may want to squeeze every cent of profit out of this new process at the expense of human healthcare.

What's next for this hullabaloo? Stay tuned.

Labels: random ramblings

Scene: Sieg and I, while walking towards Shopwise

My cellphone vibrates, only to check it once we got inside the grocery

Scene: While browsing the racks of Shopwise in search of tampons (which unfortunately were not available so I settled for the most reliable available sanitary napkins)

Reads text message: "Ask ko lang, alam mo ba kung magkano ang pregnancy kit? Secret lang natin 'to ha. Pls text back...kinakabahan kasi ako!"

*ponders*

Me (to Sieg): Shit, kinakabahan si ****! Kung sa bagay, matagal na naman sila ng bf nya...Shit, excited ako! Magkakababy na kami!

Me: *punches text message* "Meron around 150 lang. Reliable na yun. Punta ka sa malalaking drugstore na supermarket style. Yung malalaking mercury meron katabi ng mga IV and syringes."

Reads text message: "HAPPY APRIL FOOLS DAY! Hahaha tapusin mo kasi basahin yung text ko! ;-)"

Goes back to sender's first message:

"...baka buntis ang pusa namin! Hay, dadami na naman!"



Tangina.

Labels: daily mishaps, random ramblings

Pride
I have finally finally delivered that December SAP BCS requirement. After an almost 3-month long procrastination, I was finally able to muster enough willpower to sit down on it for almost 5 hours and upload the data once and for all. That should keep them from pestering me every hour to make me do-this-and-that-and-if-you-don't-we'll-tell-George. Haha, I'm so proud of myself. Finally! *bounce*


Bitterness
Wag kang bitter, you only seem more pathetic than you already are. Everbody knows it and you need not fan the fire and deal more damage to your oh-so-cool ego. You take pride in your maturity, NOW PROVE YOU INDEED HAVE IT. Sheesh, what a lowly asshole you are.

Jealousy
I told you before and I'm telling you again, you are nothing to me and you never were. In the future I might be running to my friends for whatever reason, but nonetheless I will never come running to you. Wala kang kwenta. At wag kang magfeeling dyan. Kahit anong lait pa gawin mo kay lover boy, you will never be half the man as he is. Now go back to your room and suck your dick, mofo.

Labels: daily mishaps, gripe, random ramblings

I would like more of this:

Undisturbed Nature + My Zen = Happy Me. =)

Spent a few hours alone along the beach of Luna, La Union. And I thought, "obviously, this is what I want. I want more of this, and I want them longer."

A paradox of sorts, I was in awe at the dusk of day that has been whilst celebrating the dawn of friendships that will be. What I thought would not spill out of an automated box is now overflowing with...with...something more. We have bonded. Or at least, I have bonded to/with them. Waiting for the sun to turn from yellow to orange to purple hazes and dark nights, ever serene and calming. Better, looking at it with a person who sees it in the same color. What seemed to be an endless palaver suddenly halted and the exquisite sight of the way nature heals itself as it slumbers into darkness. And then there were sighs.

Labels: random ramblings, wanderlust

Maybe our universe is a toy in the form of a shiny marble played upon by one superior being, the creator (or buyer of the toy) to whom we all owe the spinning of the earth. What if this being created a master list of possible things a human can do, categorized into physical, emotional, mental, and social groups? How do you think you would fare?

Of course, there really is no list of what humans can do but rather what he should not do. Human flight is in no way possible and yet nobody bothered to write this down among other absurd things; facts like these are ever present in the quiet little corner of our minds. Of the list of deeds man can do, which do you think are the ones that really worth commending (positively or otherwise), and how many boxes can you tick?

Let's start with the basics. If I am to consult the 10 commandments in the Old Testament, probably the only sins I have not committed are killing another human being and sleeping with a married man. However, we cannot omit the fact that the bible is written by man during the time of Constantine who is known to be a pagan emperor of his time. What it boils down into is, who really is the authority of delineating good and bad? And who says this person is THE person? Simple. One's own self. We are the masters of our own domain, and we have free will to use in pinpointing apples from oranges. At my age of 23, barely a full-fledged adult, I can assume that I have endured quite a lot compared to other people in my society.

On Familial Grounds
I am born to a typical Adams Family-ish set-up. A band of freaks, each being the center of a comical episode of everlasting mortification. As the youngest of 4 from a conservative line, and being a female at that, I was subject to the tighest of constraints which almost all the time contradicts with my free spirit. This often leads to a slap (doesn't matter where or from whom) or a yanking of the hair or being grounded among other things. My fire seldom manifests into a flame, but when it does it even surprises myself by the things that I can say when my rage of reasoning overwhelms my respect to elders that is from my being Filipino. I have mastered The Idiot's Guide to Excuses to enjoy the world outside. Also the art of climbing 10-feet spiked fences and sneaking-in-and-out-ala-ninja. Even running away.

Heartstrings
My roster of lovers is modest but not really reserved. I have my fair share of wonderful loves and silly flings that equally give me a smirk and a grimace that concludes I have so far a healthy lovelife. Men of astounding strengths and incomprehensible shortcomings have touched my life and I say my patient nature allowed me to observe and remember well the effects of male hormones of their manliness. I endured queen-like treatments and scandalous embarrassments; hitting and being hit; cheating and being cheated upon. Loved, laid, and lied. As it is for love, what goes around comes around.

On Friendships
I have always believed that I am blessed with the best friends there ever were. People have come and go into my social circle, with those worth treasuring being left behind for safekeeping. My friends' personalities range from artists to analysts, from princes to paupers, from pleasant to obnoxious. Strong bonds need serious investments of time and effort, thus I often do things with these friends to strengthen further our camaraderie. With each new experience comes wisdom of the lessons in life that I cannot possibly assimilate without their presence. With each friend I have experienced pieces of life, be it in a form of a novena booklet or a roll of joint.

And to myself, who I inconceivably love, pushing to the limit of physical and mental human prowess. Of intaking all those that construct, improve, repair and destroy. Of absorbing all the wisps of Gea and much more. I can't say there is anything right now that I regret doing/not doing. To him who got away, to her who shut her eyes, to them who look low...I really don't care. I love my life. I may not have it all, but hey, I'm happy with everything I got. For I possess many things that I have yet to show the world.

Labels: random ramblings

I lost my cool earlier today coz a certain someone plucked the wrong chord. And it was very immature of me. I'm not even sure if being human is a valid excuse, but nonetheless I'd like to say sorry for my behavior. No, nobody is in no way permitted to act like I did. Period.

FYI, I was never neutral. - I know, dude. I know.
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My entry below seems odd to me now that I'm reading it. Gee, I sounded high, though I wasn't. I don't know why I even put it here, considering that we have talked about this mushy stuff over and over again, that sometimes all we need is look at each other and we'd know what we want to say. That's knowing each other too much, I guess.
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The Adams Family is having another episode again. Argh, if only I could get somewhere far far away in a blink of an eye, I'd be everywhere but here.
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Holy motherfucker. All I did is whine and complain. Obviously I'm still in a very bad mood. >:( *sigh* I need to see other people. Other other people.

If I am to become something else, I'd like to be the moon.

Labels: daily mishaps, random ramblings