PORTED FROM VOX: QotD: My Daily Dose (includes shameless plugging!!!)

What websites do you visit every day?
Submitted by Chez Michelle.

Hmmm... I regularly visit the following:

• Yahoo! (for Mail, MyYahoo, and Groups, particularly the ones I'm moderating ... oh, and of course YM d^V~b)
• MSN (for Hotmail, MSNBC and MSN Messenger)
• Cosplay.ph (moderator)
• FilCosplay
• CosplayKada
• The Oracle
• Livejournal

Sadly, Vox isn't one of them especially since I'm still attached to my LJ. XD; Sorry Vox! D:

PORTED FROM VOX: QotD/Vox Hunt/Hand Of God: Call to Action

 I count myself as lucky. Those who have heard my origins normally continue to disbelieve the dire circumstances we once came from. I guess that that's what ultimately pushed me to contribute actively to charitable causes through financial and voluntary efforts.

I am for children's and women's welfare, the rights of the transgendered, the disabled and the terminally ill. I'd like to support the rights of the aged and WWII veterans plus animal rights, but I've still got to get my act together and actually go vegetarian. (*Author's Note on 2010/09/04: This blog lists all my causes. Please check the left-hand side.)

Let me tie this to today's Vox Hunt question, since the documentary in question is one of the things that inspired me to become a volunteer: Minsan Lang Sila Bata (Children Only Once, 1994), by Ditsi Carolino and the Ateneo Center for Social Policy, in cooperation with the Archdiocese of Manila Labor Centre. It's quite graphic with its portrayal of child labour in the Philippines, with its feature of children working for more than 10 hours with little food or monetary compensation at slaughterhouses, warehouses, meat markets and shipping yards, among others. It shows child labour in all its ugliness, and what makes it even sadder is that the children involved are very much resigned to their fate, but continue to be rather cheerful in their work.

How very timely the appearances of these questions are, right when I'm about to embark on relaunching RO2.

PORTED FROM VOX: QotD: My Dream Room

In your ultimate dream house, what does your favorite room look like?

Right now, I already live in my dream house, and I have my favourite dream room! \^0^/

Only, it's not just as clean and as organized as I dreamed it to be. XDDDDDDDDDDDDD

Photos after the cut! (If you're wondering why I'm here, it's because I was camwhoring for some LJ-based fashion communities. :P)

PORTED FROM VOX: QotD: Secret Family Recipe

What's one family recipe that you wish you knew how to cook?

Actually, there's a whole lot. XD

As a few of you already know, I am proficient in cooking leche flan, a velvety custard made of milk and egg yolks, so much so that I know how to substitute egg whites in the recipe without anyone ever knowing or tasting the difference. XD This recipe I learned from Mama, my late father's mother.

But there's one other dessert I wish I learned from her, and that's to make ube (oo-beh) jam. My dad would describe how Mama would cut up and then mash the purple ube yam, before boiling the mixture, adding water while she stirred. It sounded easy, but then I learned that she cooked the very sticky ube mixture in large batches of at least four yams, in a gigantic saucepan that was half her size. And judging from her pictures, she was always a petite woman, so it was amazing how Dad told me that "stirring the mixture was difficult" in such a nonchalant way.

It's an acquired taste, sweet yet bitter, sticky yet grainy. I'm a HUGE, HARDCORE ube jam fan (I can finish TWO large jars in one sitting!), and so is my mum. That's why I want to cook it.

And I'm drooling on my keyboard now. XD;;;

PORTED FROM VOX: QotD: Recess!

What was your favorite game to play at recess in grade school?
Submitted by Elisheva Chana.

Now as many people know I'm not really a very sporty person, but there was one sport I always loved to play even if it meant scraped skin, twisted joints, dizziness, and tons of sweat.


It was patintero.


As far as I know, it's a uniquely Filipino game. The playing ground has to have a series of solid lines, either drawn or built-in (in our case, we played this at the school driveway). There are two teams, composed of at least two players each. One team is the "it" or "taya", and this team has to guard the lines on the playing ground as hurdles. The other team has to outwit and outplay the taya, avoiding their every move as they go through each area, and then return to their starting position. If one of their members is touched by the hand of one of the opposing team members, the entire team becomes the taya and they switch places with the former taya. (I'm sorry if it sounds complicated. I'm translating the mechanics in my head as I go along, and it's not as easy as I thought it would be.)


It was in my generation that we introduced new innovations to the game. We grew crafty and created all sorts of schemes to ensure that we would effectively catch the other team and extend the entire playtime. The biggest change was the installation of the patotot, who would guard the lines perpendicular to his or her playmate's line-areas. In time virtually every single line in the driveway was used as more and more of my schoolmates (and by this I am including members of the kindergarten AND high school levels) joined in the fun. It came to the point that the school authorities decided to close a section of the driveway during recess and lunchtime, and then re-open it during dismissal time; it's been that way ever since.


I loved playing it, even if I was often caught (to be fair, I was pretty good at catching the other girls). It was one of the few games that allowed you to get away with being cheeky in all good fun. It also actually encouraged me to keep running for fun and fitness, since prior to that I was pretty much anti-exercise because of my weak system.


It makes me a bit sad though that right now, most of the girls in my alma mater would rather play football (soccer) or dance as cheerleaders. There's nothing like the excitement and camaraderie that only patintero can bring.

PORTED FROM VOX: Vox Hunt & QotD combo! v^_^v

Vox Hunt: [design is good]

Link: Link to the Voxer who has the best personalized Vox banner you've seen so far.

--> Definitely has to be sutil-chan bar none. :P (Yeah I'm pimping a friend, but so what? She really does have a kick-@$$ banner. <3 )


Qotd: Fictional World

In which fictional world/universe/land/city would you most like to live?
Submitted by glenn is the new chuck.  

--> Hmm, something shiny and happy and full of love and peace and stars and sugar and... I'm boring like that. XD

{coughs}
Okay, seriously? 

1. The alternate universe where HEROES takes place in. Just so I can have the chance to glomp Hiro. (I don't ask for much. :P)
2. The alternate universe where Sailormoon takes place in. For obvious reasons.  XD;
3. Encantadia. Really. It's supposed to be a lush governed by four seasons, four faeries, and particularly strong elemental magic. It's very pretty. *_* (Alam ko, corny ako. XD;)

At this point, it's just about any place where there is magic, so I can cause mayhem! :P

PORTED FROM VOX: The Filcosplay Big Sister's Party-Hosting Guide (Was QotD: Party Time. Excellent.)

Are you throwing or attending a holiday party this year?  Any ideas/tips to share?

I attended two in this year already. One was the Filcosplay Christmas Party I helped out in, the other is the Christmas party of my company. I don't know if this counts, but my gals at the Kaka Fun Club are having dinner on the 23rd. Not to mention the family parties that each side of the parentals throw (with my family usually doing the party for the mother's side)

Here are some things I've learned about hosting holiday parties:

• Games are always good for parties, never mind if the attendees' ages range from 1 to 101. They not only let you learn something new every time (Uncle, during a guess-the kid-in-the-picture game: ****** ***! I didn't know my sister looked like that at age 10! O.o Mum (the sister in question) and us: ... >_>0 ...For serious!), they also foster group dynamics (Same uncle, this time during the let-yourself-and-a-partner-out-of-your-belt-bindings-without- using-your-hands game: Us: YOU CHEATER!!! ... True stories I tell you.). + XD
• If you are the host(ess) and you plan to have games at the party, make sure everyone in the party is wearing comfortable clothing and comfortable, easy-to-move-in shoes. Chuck your costumes and your high-heeled shoes, unless you either wear them like second skin or you are desperate for attention (in which case, you're better off trying to play with or against your crush or something than stepping on his/her toes, or worse, literally tripping all over him/her). This will be true especially for motion-based games. 
• You can never have too much dessert. Especially if the dessert is leche flan (sweet egg custard, prepared by yours truly).
• Hell, you can NEVER, EVER have too much food. And if you do, at least you have take-aways of the good stuff. I mean, really. Almost all the best food I've ever eaten was cooked and prepared for the Christmas holidays. And I know this will be very Filipino to say, but having too much food is better than having no food at all, especially in holidays celebrating abundance and thanksgiving.
• Music always sets the mood. Choose songs that fit the holiday mood, but have a more upbeat rhythm. I don't like Destiny's Child so much anymore, but their Christmas album gets everyone I know who has been in our house during the holidays partying.
• Name tags help a LOT especially in parties of 25 and more, and especially when you think these people will be meeting each other again, possibly outside of the party/holiday atmosphere. Not to mention that it cuts the host(ess), who has around a bajillion concerns in his or her mind because of the party, some slack in having to memorize who's on the guest list.
• Oh yes, always, ALWAYS draw a guest list, even if it's the people you know. And make sure they RSVP. It completely blows to invite these people and then come party day, no-one arrives.
• Always bring a still camera. If you can afford to, bring a video camera. Just make sure you get around to editing everything and sending them to the participants no more than a month after the party though. v^~^0

Alright, I can't really suggest much at the moment. My older sister is the mistress of our house and the best hostess ever, but sadly she's studying elsewhere at the moment, so I'm still learning the ropes my own way with her guidance. v^~^0

+ I swear I will make comic strips out of these. 

PORTED FROM VOX: QotD: Books From My Childhood

What books did you love as a child?
Submitted by hearts. 

I'll admit that some of my reading was not intended for my age group at all. I learned to read because my mother kept reading to me, though she says my entire family was amazed that I fast-tracked the process, having been able to read with little supervision or guidance at age two (sadly, I can't say the same thing for my writing skills). I guess that's why my mind progressed so much faster, why I became more finely attuned to my surroundings, and why I continue to value my time alone reading (and sometimes secretly sniffing the pages of) a book.

• A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Before Hollywood bastardized it, TWICE. It was my first full-length novel and I read it on the Christmas of my seventh year, the same age Sara(h) Crewe was in her first year at Miss Minchin's Select Seminary for Young Ladies. I am forever angry at the classmate who borrowed my novel for her report, because despite all my reminders she never returned it (not as angry as I am with myself though, since I never seem to learn to stop being so generous).
• Nancy Drew mysteries. The old hardbound ones that my sister had are still at home. They were very female-affirming, which is something not a lot of mysteries - and particularly not the "new" Nancy Drew mysteries - are to-day.
• The Velveteen Rabbit, printed on a paperback colouring book. It is melancholy but beautiful, and it still continues to hold a lot of truth about life today. I was happy he was reborn as a real rabbit, though sadly reality is not always as kind.
• A hardbound storybook featuring stories from Hans Christian Anderson. I don't recall the exact title, and I remember we gave this away so long ago, but I'll always love it for having the story about the one-legged tin soldier and the ballerina with the original ending.
• Cordillera Folk-Tales. They were a refreshing change of pace from Western fairy tales (since they were as colourful and brilliant as they were violent XD), AND they were very Filipino. I felt very sad when I went to Baguio for the first time only to find that the people of the Cordilleras were no longer as extraordinary as the people in the books, but I am glad to say they are still as resilient and compassionate.
• The Did You Know? encyclopeedia-almanac published by Reader's Digest, and other similar books. I remember my mind being like a sponge, wanting to absorb things about history, geography and some sciences. Too bad it still refuses to include chemistry, economics, and all forms of maths. =_=0
• Encyclopaedia volumes and dictionaries in general. Learning new words was always exciting for me.
• EDIT: I forgot to include the Choose Your Own Adventures series. It was fun to try and get a different ending each time. And the fact that some stories are actually historical fiction (I have a book somewhere that's set in the middle of South Africa around the 1970s) makes this series a great combination of entertainment and education.

PORTED FROM VOX: QotD: Heaven Scent

What is your favorite scent?
Submitted by Erinen. 

My favourite scent would definitely be "Oceanus Eau de Toilette" by The Body Shop. It was introduced to me by one of my sisters - I forget which one - and I've been hooked since. I don't know if it ties in to my solar zodiac sign especially because of  the irony involved (Pisces ... about as watery as you can get, but I CAN'T and DON'T SWIM). And neither do I know how Ms. Anita Roddick and her team managed to blend together tuberose, water lily, violet, jasmine, rose, lily of the valley, musk, berries and wood. But ever since I sprayed some of it on the back of my hand, I has always been to me, as the Body Shop website puts it, "a fresh, clean fragrance reminiscent of crisp sea air." Even now when I spray it on I remember the few beach trips I've been to, and I feel much lighter - more floaty if I think about it. 


Unfortunately, I've heard it's being phased out. ;0;


Here comes my second favourite scent - A Touch Of Pink by Lacoste Parfums! Very fruity and summery.