PORTED FROM Vox Hunt: Just Doodling

Do you doodle?  Show us.

Here are some of my doodles! XD I'm not too proud of anything I draw since I have never had formal education in fine arts, but I rather like these the best. :3

More of this can be found on my deviantArt account, ~ligaya. ;)

Pit Stop 23

Race Queen-Paddock Girl Haruka

Well, seeing as tomorrow today is the start of another lap in the race of my life, let me look back at everything I've gone past so far.

Checkpoints:

1. Graduating from college
2. Eurotrip!!!
3. Getting a job pretty quickly - twice
4. Getting in touch with old friends especially from Poveda
5. Making many new friends especially through cosplay and RODCon
6. Getting in touch with more senior college friends
7. Learning more about myself and my capabilities
8. Making the decision to stay fit and healthy - and actually keeping it
9. NOT getting too sick, yay
10. Remembering that many other things, and not my whims, must command my attention
11. Reviving Reach Out Otaku, bit by bit
12. Enjoying my job, finally (well it's not all THAT good, but I'm finding it much better now)

Chicanes:

1. Choosing to be an accounts manager in the marketing-advertising field, instead of a journalist, a writer or a production assistant
2. Becoming the family breadwinner and taking over my older sister's duties (I didn't expect it to happen MUCH sooner)
3. Being forced to confront my shadows (since the one thing that occupied my faculties enough to keep them in check and not remind me of them was school)

Roadblocks:

1. Being an account executive in one of the crappiest below-the-line marketing companies alive, where I was hardly paid at all for all the work I did
2. Lack of time or memorable bonding moments with my blockmates, some other college friends and ICTUS
3. Never having enough money for myself or my loved ones
4. Never having enough time for my loved ones
5. Not knowing enough of the chores to do around the house (my sisters and I pretty much divided chores among ourselves and never really switched responsibilities)
6. Spending my birthday working, and with very few of the people I wanted to spend it with so badly

Pit Stops:

1. Turning 22
2. Graduating from college
3. Working and earning money
4. Turning 23

Though I'm still not as recharged as I'd hoped to be, I'm definitely ready to go through the next lap of my life.

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;;;

I love you Jollbee, kahit sa graduation ko~! {hum hum}

Proud father! ^_~
Originally uploaded by Ligaya Diwata.

This is one of my favourite graduation photos for so many reasons. The main reason is that as a family, we didn't eat at the grad lunch buffet (to the sadness of my friends in the graduation and yearbook committees XD;), but had lunch at good ol' Jollibee Katipunan instead since we were in a rush for the university commencement exercises (in my case, both the college and university commencement exercises had happened in the same day). It was terrible that we were only given around two hours at most to have lunch, since we spent the rest of the time that was supposedly going to be the start of the exercises suffering under the summer heat. XD;;;

When I logged in today, I saw this comment from Flickr user dffcao: "This can be a Jollibee commercial! Don't know if JB already thought of featuring important events like graduation meal at Jollibee. You can pitch the storyline to JB's advertising agency. Just some wild idea."

Now seeing as I actually work in a marketing company and have friends that work in the agencies, I'm thinking this is a great idea. XD More so because I'm also a Jollibee fan and our family has had some connection to Jollibee, employment- and career-wise. But I don't want to take credit for this idea since it simply isn't mine.

That said, who among you buddies at the agencies want it? I just ask in behalf of dffcao that he gets any form of credit or recognition for the pitch. :P (And, well, me for the photo since it inspired his pitch. XD)

Ah well, it's just a thought anyways. XD But if any of you ever take this seriously though, thanks! ♥

Oh, and you can still browse through the graduation set here. You may also add me if you're a personal contact (meaning, you want to see more of my non-cosplay photos and chances are you're actually in those non-cosplay photos XD) here. v^_~v

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.

Long-Awaited Workout Update: Feb-Mar 2007

Holy cow, has it been THAT long? @_@

Well. Since so many things are keeping me busy, I'm making this post short and sweet.

Good:

1. I can do crunches now, as so many of you already know. XD
2. I can actually TOUCH MY TOES. Granted, it's not without a lot of some effort, but it has never been so possible. And I can actually do it with little strain on my back, which is a plus.
3. Some of my clothes fit again! (Well, not all. T^T But some!)
4. I can walk briskly for 15 minutes straight without getting winded. Found that one out on Friday night when I walked from my house to McDonald's on Jupiter Street and back again.
5. I actually have the discipine to continue doing this. I've passed the 21-day mark for forming a habit out of exercise, and now I try to turn even common activities into mini-workouts. Fun fun fun. d^V~b

Bad:

1. There's no real difference in my weight. I'm still 128.5 lbs according to the gym scale, which I consult for consistency's sake. O_o
2. Mum's birthday came up (on the 26th) and the whole house is doomed has been tasked to finish the large rectangular chocolate mousse pie that her subordinates and colleagues gave her. I've been good with the fruits, but I've never been good at resisting sweets, so this is instant death, almost literally. X__________x
3. Ever since I had to discontinue my sessions with Sir Rommel, I've been kinda lax on some exercises in terms of execution. Not to mention that with the variety of exercises he made me do, I don't quite remember how to do each one.

Ugly:

1. My knees HURT no matter what exercise I do. I can compare it to when you pull a piece of string (or even rope) on both ends too hard that it threatens to split in half. Do you guys think it's because I went to the gym religiously every day up until last week, which was when I forced myself to NOT go every day because of the pain? And does anyone know what I can do to minimize possible injury? I want to be fit and get thinner but I don't want to break my knee joints and make my knee muscles split in half. T^T
2. My birthday's coming up. And as you all have noticed, diet regimen pretty much fly out the window when someone's birthday comes up at home. I will love anyone who can suggest something that's delicious and sweet, but doesn't pile the calories and carbs heavily.

IdolMaster!

Check this out!
!


* Video courtesy of pointyman2000.



I kinda miss these kinds of idols, when they're all dancing and singing cutely. Most of the idols now are certainly more opinionated and more informed, making them more capable of controlling their own image. But, a lot of them are certainly much less cute and energetic too - it's like the whole world is gravitating towards seriousness and gravity. X_x

Workout Journal (25th Jan to today)

* For those on LJ, I'd prefer you comment there. After all that's why I cross-posted this. (Please don't forget to read this in full!) v^_^v Thanks!

Sooooooooooooooo... I've noticed that exercising at night increases my adrenaline and my heart rate. This keeps me up at night. I'd like to exercise in the mornings but the gym doesn't open till 8:00 AM, and by that time I'm usually either preparing to go to my office, if I'm not on the way there already. It also causes me to eat more since I'm deprived of sleep, and couple that with the hectic activities of the past few days which pretty much kept me from exercising. It's no surprise that I've returned to my original weight of 128 pounds. Ugh. X_x

This Tuesday (6 February) I decided to take a huge risk and enroll in a 6-session training regimen with one of the trainers at my gym. I guess I was sold hook, line and sinker to Sir Romel (the trainer)'s unabashed pride at having greatly improved the self-esteem and health of one of his clients when he was still in Fitness First Manila - imagine, from being a gangly duckling with rather severe scoliosis, she became this beauty pageant material in three months (I saw her picture. She's not spectacular at first glance but yeah, she was brimming with confidence and that made her look very pretty in her own right.)! And so I signed up. ^_^0 I know it'll remove PhP2,500+ from my salary, but if I budget really well I know I can afford it. Besides, he really did know his stuff - besides checking my BMI (body mass index) and heartbeat, he also tried some exercises on me so he could gauge how bad the curve of my spine was and the direction of that curve as well. In fact, he's tailoring the programme to my needs so that my body won't be overwhelmed by all the physical stress brought about by exercise. AND he gave me a power stretch-cum-massage afterwards, which felt goooooooooooooood. ^_^

Sir Romel also taught me how to use all the other exercise machines at the gym and assisted me in exercises, especially the abdominal-core muscle exercises like modified crunches. And I also learned how to compute my BMI from him. My BMI is currently 24, which fits the desired BMI range for my body type of 18-24.5. But he said that the best BMI range for me would be the average, which would be at around 20-21. To reduce my BMI by 3 notches, I have to lose 6 pounds, which leads me to suppose that 1 notch of the BMI is around 2 pounds. But to have a BMI of 21, I have to weigh only 122 pounds ... which is okay, but still above my desired weight of 117 pounds. I wonder if the weight of 117 pounds might make me underweight. But is it wrong to want to know how being underweight feels like though? ^~^

I've returned to SparkPeople, an excellent site recommended by the lovely Mew Pudding on, of all places, Cosplay.com. Although if you think about it, it does make perfect sense - most fictional characters wear tight-fitting and/or little clothing these days that just the slightest flab would make you fat. The great thing about it is that there's a growing Filipino (part Fil-Am, part-Noypi) community there called Filipino Pride. I joined it and now we're keeping track of our weight, food intake, diet and exercise regimens together. The people there are so positive that it's very nice to be around them, even it's all just online. I hope my weight- and health-conscious friends (FList, hint-hint! XD) join it.

Well, I better get ready to leave for the gym soon (I'm winding up my activities for work here at the office). Tonight, I start my regimen. Good luck to me, I hope I'll be alive after tonight. v^_^0


Current Weight: 128 pounds (again!) >_>0
Current Waistline: still 29 inches though as before I can still squeeze into 28-inch clothes
Ideal Weight by 31 May 2007: 117 pounds
Ideal Waistline by 31 May 2007: 27 inches

OHOHOHOHOHOHOHO. (If you're hit by my comments, PISS OFF.)

Mike Abundo has put up a little missive, "inviting" people to the Blog Parteeh for the sole purposes of dukeing it out.

... IF, OF COURSE, HE ACTUALLY HAS THE PHYSICAL CAPACITY AND THE KNOW-HOW TO BEAT PEOPLE UP. X3

I'd like to go, but really. I can't. I have something coming up for work (FL, you know what this is), so no matter how this is highly tempting for me to ditch work (and really, beating him up would be good exercise!), I've got my priorities.

Besides, really. In line with my current drive to improve myself, I will prefer to take the high road for now. Meaning, I will let karma bite his ass instead. {wide catlike grin}

Oh, and I refuse to drive traffic to his site by linking to the "invitation". I'm not that low. XD

I feel so sorry for the Philippine mainstream blogging community (as opposed to the niche bloggers like us cosplayers) though. Or maybe, just maybe, I shouldn't, since a significant number of them (take note, I DID NOT SAY "ALL" or "OVERWHELMING MAJORITY"!) really just think with their dicks but don't have the heart or the balls to admit it to themselves. Seriously. I mean, Dickweed Fucktard's the best thing since sliced bread to those people, so much so that they want to be associated with him all the time. =_=0

If you're one of those people who think he is the best thing since sliced bread, EITHER YOU COMMENT WITHOUT THE SECURITY OF ANONYMITY OR JUST PISS OFF - nothing you say or do will ever change how I think of him and of everyone who associates with him. v^_^v

Blah.

I want a new Blogger layout. This one is not me, and it's also boring me to death. >_>0
If only I knew how to code... {sigh}

Getting Into Shape (Crossposted so everyone I know gets to read this)

After reading Hazel's vanity post, and re-reading sutil-chan's frequent posts on her fitness woes (too many to count v^_^0), I've decided to work out. Unfortunately, I'm not a gym rat; I really, REALLY would like to take martial arts classes, and maybe some beginner's yoga to help align my back while I'm getting fit. In any case, the gym will have to do for now because of time and financial constraints.

My biggest problem will be finding an exercise that tones the stomach BUT DOES NOT AGGRAVATE MY SCOLIOSIS. For those who haven't noticed yet, my abdomen is distended so that all my fat is concentrated there, my left leg is disaligned and I slouch forward so bad. I find it difficult to even do as much as sit up straight since it tires my back muscles. I know, I should work out my abdominal and back muscles, but like I said, the wrong exercise just might kill me (it certainly did seem like I would die the last time I did abs-related exercises - I could barely breathe and the pain wouldn't fade away four days after the exercise, even if I did a couple of stretches before and after). Sadly, I haven't had time to consult with the chiropractor I go to on this one; hell, I haven't had time to go to the chiro AT ALL. If anyone has tips, do drop a line please, because I haven't found any exercise that fits my needs at all, not even online. Trust me, I've looked; apparently fitness experts don't think people with scoliosis want to get fit too. >_<0 So far, my current weight is 128 pounds and my current waistline is 29 inches, though if I try really REALLY hard I can squeeze into 28-inch pants and skirts. I haven't been that huge since first year high school... WAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY before I met everyone I know here. ._. (Even Mum and Dad are remarking on the roundness of my face now. Stupid Christmas chocolates. XP) My ideal weight will always be 115 pounds and my ideal waistline is still 27 inches; I hope I get to achieve that. So! With a will and a prayer (okay, make that a couple), I'm going to try and eat right, exercise right and sleep right*. Already even in this cold office I'm drinking more hot water instead of pigging out on food (though this means more trips to the toilet) and I eat fruits and vegetables on all my major meals. I skip rice when I can, and I'm working on minimizing my dependence on rice completely no matter how much I love eating the fluffy grains. I'm trying to keep my pillows as far away from me as possible since I've learned that sleeping with a pillow under your head aggravates the spine's curvature, which will make it even harder for me to straighten it (I no longer move around as much when I sleep, so usually my sleeping position is also my waking position). I'm trying not to cross my legs while I sit down and type this right now, either, for the same reason. And miracle of miracles, I haven't touched the chocolate-covered almonds that my aunt brought from the US since last week. I wonder how long I can keep this up? Sana naman hindi ako mawalan ng gana kahit hanggang March lang. I want to fit into all my new clothes, which were given to me on Christmas by Mum and my well-meaning relatives with my 120-pound, semi-flat stomach frame in mind. T^T

* Oh yeah FL, if any of you catch me posting or YM-ing 12:00 am onwards, please call me off. I've just realized I work on semi-negative motivation, aka panlalait. Thanks. v^_^v

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

THE POWER OF NISSIE COMPELS US!!!

I enjoin all of you on my Friends' List - ALL! - to join Boys Don't Cry, Real Men Do, a fanlist dedicated to the kick-ass goddess Nissie/Rin. d^V~b

Much love to eL for putting up the site. ♥♥♥

New Year Celebrations in Makati City, 2006-2007

New Year Celebrations in Makati City, 2006-2007

Video of festivities here in Makati City. I am not liable for any neck injuries my Blair Witch-like camera work might cause. :P

Heroes 2007 Preview "Are You On The List?" (*crossposted from Multiply)

Preview Here!

Courtesy of one of my longtime friends, Ange. v^_^v Thanks for this dear! ♥ This completely removed whatever was left of my long and terribly annoying day.

Didn't have the heart to embed the video here since technically it's hers, and I didn't really ask permission to spread the Hiro HEROES love. v^_^v

Oh yeah...


BELATED MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!!! \^0^/



Hope your holidays were grand yet peaceful, with little to no hassle on your end.

PORTED FROM Vox Hunt: My Desktop

Show us your desktop.
Submitted by Anthony.

Desktop at work. My desktop at home is somewhat the same, but it's cluttered with more icons. :3

Happy Holidays!

Desktop ko-work

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. 

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

An end-of-the-year survey/meme from a friend in LJ (Paris would know her very well). Code's very basic and rather ugly in my opinion, but I don't make this stuff. v^_^0

Looking back on 2006
About You...
Name:	Ma Jocelyn Bordador
Nickname:	Joy
How old were you in 2006?:	22
What was the most important thing you discovered in 2006?:	I've changed so much in the past 8 years, I hardly recognize myself.
What will you always remember about 2006?:	It's the year I've become stronger and regained some sense of self.
In 2006 did you...
Keep your New Years resolution?:	Yes and no
Go on a holiday?:	Yes, twice. XD
Change jobs?:	Yes.
Buy anything from eBay?:	No. I don't trust them there.
Prank call someone?:	No.
Get drunk?:	Yes, but didn't have a hangover.
Get high?:	No.
Fall in love?:	Yes.
Break up with someone?:	No.
Get married?:	Doesn't apply.
Get divorced?:	Doesn't apply.
Stop speaking to someone?:	Yes.
Kiss someone?:	Sort-of, I think... do cheeks and family members count?
Kiss someone whose name you can’t remember?:	No.
Make a new friend?:	Heaps! XD
Do anything embarrassing?:	My year wouldn't be complete without having done something embarrassing. v^_^0
Do something that you thought that you would never do?:	Oh hell yes!
Do something you have always wanted to do?:	Yes
Do anything that you regret?:	Sadly, yes.
Do anything illegal?:	I hope not, but I think I did...
Break a promise?:	Sadly, yes.
Lose something?:	Too many things to count...
Go crazy?:	Oh hell yes!
Best of 2006...
Movie:	Happy Feet! XD ...Does Brokeback Mountain count? :3
TV Show:	Encantadia/Etheria, NANA, Heroes
Song:	Rose by Anna Tsuchiya tied with Glamourous Sky by Mika Nakashima (both NANA)
Album:	Blue Monsoon by Sound
Thing you bought:	See "Album". And also my shoes from Liliw. <3
Memory:	Too many to mention, but most of them seem to be cosplay-related.
Worst of 2006...
Movie:	I'll get back to you on this later...
TV Show:	Jigoku Shoujo - too many loose ends, not much sense. So much wasted potential. Oh, and House and most local soaps.
Song:	Taralets by Imago, Hitoiro by Mika Nakashima (I dislike whoever composed it XP)
Album:	That one by Paris Hilton. UGH.
Hangover:	I'll try to add that before 2006 ends. XD
Memory:	Losing stuff. Saying goodbye to my sis (even if it's only for a year). Being in the middle of fights. Being betrayed. And that one thing I don't EVER want to remember.
About 2007...
What do you want in 2007?:	Weight loss. Idealism tempered with pragmatism. A raise - I keep getting all the this-is-WAY-much-for-the-n00b-to-handle-but-let's-give-it-to-her-anyways jobs. XP
Is there anything you would do differently in 2007?:	I would definitely try to be less paranoid and less temperamental.
Do you think it will be a good year?:	I don't want to assume anything.
What do you look forward to most about 2007?:	More financial independence, emotional stability, and contentment. Oh, and the possibility of meeting people.
Do you have a New Years resolution?:	To trust more, love more, bitch less and hate less.
Take this survey | Find more surveys Bzoink - The Original Survey Site

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.

Ahahahahahahaha.

XDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

Daily Romantic Horoscope

Dear Ligaya,
Here is your couple's love horoscope
for Saturday, November 25:

Your need to save the world rarely conflicts with your need to keep Sweetie happy, but that might happen today if you're not careful. Try to narrow the gap between the two, if possible.

---> ZOMFGWTFHBBQ?! @_@000

Horoscope courtesy of Astrology.com.

Quote of the day. Slightly bigoted but definitely hilarious. XD

"Any man who takes unconscionable advantage of a woman in need should be boiled in Shell oil and closeted with a faggot who is a cannibal."

- Dr. Thelma Kintanar, Women's Studies professor, UP Diliman as quoted from Presea (of Quiescence)

Mudra, I love you forever. ♥♥♥

For those who can relate, go and spread the love! XD

EDIT: Thanks for the correction mudra. v^_^0

Ang Buhay Nga Naman.

Nakakatuwa.
Sa bihira kong paspasang pag-e-emo nang todo-todo sa LJ, 'yung mga hindi ko pa inaasahang sasagot ang una't una pang sumaklolo sa akin.
Ngayon alam ko na kung sino ang mga tunay kong kaibigan. ~_~

Kilala ninyo kung sino kayo. Maraming salamat sa inyo.
Ang hinihiling ko na lang ay kung sakaling magkita tayo muli, hangga't maaari, magpanggap na lang muna tayo. Magpanggap kayong hindi ninyo alam na namomroblema ako, at magpapanggap ako na masaya ako. Masaya na rin naman ako dahil narito kayo at kapiling ko, sapat na 'yun.

Muli, maraming salamat sa inyo.

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. 

The Hand of God

This will be a series of vignettes where I try to articulate my daily experiences with my Lord and Saviour. Yes, I am Catholic, and I'm proud of it. I know I am not perfect, I know no Catholic is perfect (a Pope is only infallible when he designates dogma and writes encyclicals, and many saints are known for being tempted and even for succumbing to temptations), but it is my earnest belief that working towards being an excellent Catholic is enough. I also believe that there are no coincidences, that events happen for a purpose that I may not yet understand or witness until the far future. But usually, that purpose, to me anyway, is to show me how lucky I am that I am still able to enjoy my life as it is right now.


I took a jeepney on the way home after taking the Light Rail Transit, and grilled the driver into submitting to my demands to bring me to Reposo Street, a part of which is immediately outside my village. But then he brought me down at a stop along Sen Gil Puyat Avenue (Buendia) that was MUCH farther from the stop that faced Reposo Street. I was fuming at the driver for having the gall to say he'd pass through Reposo; the next time I ride a jeepney I should check if its driver means it will pass THROUGH or BY my destination.

So there I was dragging my feet, plodding with a plastic full of cloth, blinking only momentarily when an old man went towards me. As I squinted I realized he too was dragging his feet, but then he had his hand on his stomach.

At the exact moment we passed by one another, we both fell under a dim streetlight. But it became clear to me that his face, with cheeks that told of fallen teeth and fallen tears, was twisted.

I stopped to ask if he needed help. He replied that he didn't, but he was just so tired and wanted to rest.

So we stayed near the railings that kept the sidewalk from the street. I asked him if he was alright, clever girl that I was. I never even asked his name.

His answer stunned me. He told me in a halting, raspy voice, that he was dying of a gastro-intestinal haemorrhage, and so much blood poured out of his anus. Even then he tried to ask for financial help just so he could arrange a decent funeral for himself from numerous government officials, who all sent him away saying "Please follow it up some other time." Now he was trying to make his way back to his residence in a faraway area of Cavite, but he showed me that he had no money in his pocket.

For people not in the know, it costs approximately PhP110.00 to get to Rosario, a town in Cavite, from Makati, our current location - that's one jeepney ride to the bus stop (around PhP12.00) and one bus ride to Cavite (at least PhP90.00). It's a steep amount even for me, what more for an dying old man with no stable source of income? And he lived so far from the capital, near Batangas!

I kept him company while persisting with my questions and attempts for small talk. I asked him why he of all people did it; didn't he have children who should by now be taking care of him? He said that nearly all of them couldn't make it, they were all living in the Visayas (I never bothered to ask the exact province), and even the money they sent wasn't enough to ensure that he could at least live the rest of his days as comfortably as possible, where he was cut off from them save for one who also was occupied with work.

But at this point I was still a bit sceptical - I can be such a sucker for sob stories like this, I am a true bleeding heart. So I only gave him PhP30.00 in coins. I asked him if it was enough. He thanked me graciously and then limped towards the jeepney stop I was dropped off earlier.

Then I realized how dire his situation was, so I quickly ran back to him. Good thing there were no jeepneys yet to bring him to the nearest bus stop, but then again he still wasn't quite there yet. I decided to give him the clean PhP100.00 bill stuck into my wallet, plus PhP10.00 in coins. He smiled widely, showing me an earnest, toothless grin, and told me repeatedly, "Maraming salamat po! Kahabagan nawa kayo nang Diyos at pagpalain kayo." ("Thank you very much! I pray that the Lord has mercy on you and blesses you.")

I stayed by him until I found a jeepney that would take him to his desired bus stop and ran to it, yelling for the driver to halt. I assisted him as he climbed painfully into the jeepney, telling the driver not to suddenly start driving while the poor man was only halfway up the steps I checked my wristwatch for the time; I was sure that my mother, who didn't know of my sudden decision to go to Divisoria beforehand, would be waiting at home, furious at me. Then I remembered that I didn't give him the PhP20.00 I had in coins.

I wonder why I didn't give that old man my extra money. I supposed the PhP110.00 was enough. Or maybe part of me still didn't want to believe his story, or I just hoped I could hop on another jeepney from the same stop that I knew would pass by my village.

But as it turned out I would have no use for the PhP20.00. After ten minutes of waiting, I ended up walking (and even running) the rest of the way home.

Addendum: There's a very inspiring video here courtesy of Click The City. Clipcast link posted for its relevance (and because the actual video won't embed here for some reason, sigh...).

All things new...

Thanks to the Good Lord in Heaven that I've got a job again, finally. And I hope this job allows me to attend all cosplays and all other events, especially in the coming months when virtually everyone and her mother is having an event. I'll upload my picture here at work tonight when I've got the IR device - and hopefully the internet - running again.

But first, to get my cold out of the way. XP

Oh yeah to the Cortez and Bordador clans: If and when you read this, I'd like to know your opinions... would it be grand to have a super-huge YM / MSN chat meet-up? Just comment with your email address so I can send you mine. ^.~

Crossposted. Finally finished a week later. ^_^000

Date: 27-28 September 2006
Time: 7:00 pm-2:20 am
Venue: Starbucks, Pacific Star Building, Makati City; Mini-Stop, H.V. de la Costa cor. Leviste Sts., Makati City


Today from the original four - Geo, Adz, Leng and myself - we became NINE. XDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

Welcome, Cheska (I'll add you if you don't mind :D), Dandan (I'll add you too if you don't mind &hearts) Erving, Kel and Elbeeeeeeeeeeeeen! ♥♥♥ !!! ^__________^ {huggle-glomps them all collectively}

Actually we are not all cosplayers but we all come from the same community, and have more or less the same demented sense of humour. (Well, save maybe for poor Erving, who returned from Canada too late to know all those retro Filipino commercials and anime that we kept making fun of for most of the night. ^_^0 The poor dear. Sana hindi ka na- out of place. v^_^0) I was the last to arrive (^_^0) but I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO glad they all waited for me - I already missed the YM conference earlier today plus the discussion on the (DISPUTEDLY yaoi) already, but they were so kind to give me a heads-up on what I missed, and literally and figuratively humoured me as well on things like home TV shopping, retro anime, retro Filipino commercials, landiang yaoi at yuri, green jokes and innuendo-laced dialogues, shameless camwhoring, Ouran High School Host Club, other funny stories, (and even serious, personal things that would best remain with the Starbucks Wednesdates Cosplay Group.

...Yes, I dub us as such. Totoo naman e 'di ba? XD

I swear I've never laughed to hard and so much in the way I have in the past six-or-so hours. d^V~b And I haven't stayed awake and hyperactive THAT long in AGES. v^_^0

Thank you guys, I love ya heaps! {huggle-glomps them all collectively again}

Oh yeah, hi to JM (who surprisingly looks very cool and much less angry, yay v^_^v). Um, sorry we forgot to tell you we were at Mini Stop at the corner of De La Costa and Levista till 2:30-abouts. ^_^000

And for those who missed the fun but would like to join us, we meet again on Wednesday, 4th October at Starbucks-Pacific Star Building, Makati City for the next round. v^_~v

(Amp, parang weekly kapihan/tsaa-han/keiki-an ito ng mga taga-media. Kaso, siyempre mas buraot, mas kalog at 'di hamak na mas masaya. XDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD)

This post has been brought to you by the word "p(u)westo" and the song Yakap Sa Dilim by the band Orange and Lemons. v^V~v

Light A Little Candle to End Child Trafficking, Pornography and Prostitution!

The innocent victims of Internet child abuse cannot speak for themselves.

But you can.

With your help, we can eradicate this evil trade.

We do not need your money.

We need you to light a candle of support at Light a Million Candles.com.

We're aiming to light at least One Million Candles by December 31, 2006.

This petition will be used to encourage governments, politicians, financial institutions, payment organisations, Internet service providers, technology companies and law enforcement agencies to eradicate the commercial viability of online child abuse.

They have the power to work together. You have the power to get them to take action.

Please light your candle at http://www.lightamillioncandles.com or send an email of support to light@lightamillioncandles.com.

Together, we can destroy the commercial viability of Internet child abuse sites that are destroying the lives of innocent children.

Kindly forward this to your friends, relatives and work colleagues so that they can light a candle too.

Thank you and Jess bless.

Six Random Facts About Me

Tagged by Infinite Insanity.

Once tagged by this entry, write a blog entry of some kind with six random facts about yourself. In the end of it, pick six of your friends and tag them! (No tag backs). This explanation must be included, of course.

That said, let's get it on!

(... I'm automatically tagging Mao and whoever else still reads this. ^_^0 Otherwise this will be crossposted on my Multiply account.)


1. I know I talk to myself. And I actually LIKE it. ^_^000 My locomotor skills are lacking, and besides, my mouth is much closer to my brain than my hand is. Memorization comes naturally to me. ^_^000

2. I enjoy annoying my friends and my family. I particularly enjoy picking fights with my mum and sisters. I don't know why, but I'm guessing it's because they used to annoy me a lot. (Payback time! XD)

3. I still haven't been kissed on the lips. Sad but true. The closest I got was when Vicente kissed me but that was on the cheek and nothing more. I believe that’s because...

4. I am not comfortable with face-to-face romantic relationships. Still. My messed up life explains a lot. And at the rate things are going I'm not sure I ever will be comfortable with them. (But my beloved Mahal is so wonderful that he always inspires me to try. I love you Mahal, wherever you are!)

5. I can actually be quite the bitch (goddess v^V~v). This was proven when Mr. "I have 7 years of web experience + I am the VP of a company regarding nascent technologies" chuva charva came along. (I'm not putting his website here unless you insist, but I'm sure a lot of you have an idea of who I'm talking about. Instead I'll redirect you to Distant Sparks’ blog Kizuki Houou so you can get to the site at your own risk. I don’t want to give him any more publicity – and cash, as far as I heard – than he has already got so undeservedly. XP) I’ve heard from the cosplay grapevine that people are actually SCARED of me now. v^_^000 For proof I present Around The World Forums, Filcosplay, Cosplay.ph, fellow bitch goddess Nissie’s uesugi_rin, and my LJ, _ligaya_, look for references to “Boobman” XD

6. I am a Roswell junkie. My Ate is to blame for making all of us watch it. I watch it not only for the story (which sadly became more convoluted with each passing season, no thanks to the endless ring-a-round-of-posies the production team had to play since so few networks wanted to air it T^T), but also for the delicious and talented Colin Hanks (who was [SPOILER ALERT] killed off in season 2 – man I wanted to kill their entire production team for that!!! >_<000) and lead actor Jason Behr, who I still swear is the perfect actor to play Shinji Ikari should Peter Jackson and his team decide to finally make use of their rights to the Neon Genesis Evangelion movie.

**Stupid PLDT DSL disconnected me RIGHT WHEN I WAS SUBMITTING so now I had to change #6.XP Tae.

PS Many Happy Returns to Mahal! ♥

Who knew?! XD

After the madness that was Red Horse Muziklaban, papetiks-petiks muna ako sa trabaho ngayon.

And guess what I found?

The First (and so far the ONLY) Filipino Transformers Cosplayer

What makes this doubly rock is that I was once paired to him in our org - yes, we're orgmates, sayang nga at alumnus na siya by the time I entered UP Diliman. XDDDDDDDDD Kaya pala lagi kaming pinagti-tripan sa ICTUS.

Regan Himura! This is Haruka-chan of ICTUS. 'Pag nakabalik ka sa dito sa Manila, drop me a line and we'll cosplay together! v^_~v

** Link courtesy of The Premiere Transformers Fan Group in the Philippines.

Unlock The Purity Code. Experience Smirnoff.

Do (some of) you guys remember the Smirnoff Purity Campaign project I've ranted and raved so much about?


Well, THIS IS IT.


(Sorry for screwing with the layout. ^_^000)





Join us as we Unlock the Purity Code on September 6th, 2006, 11:30 in the morning, 4:00 in the afternoon, and 7:00 in the evening at the Eastwood Central Plaza in Eastwood City, Libis, Quezon City for a day - and night - that's clearly bold, clearly smooth, and clearly pure fun.

Clearly a kick-ass event ... because it's clearly, purely Smirnoff. v^_~v





Please support this, it's my first project ever (and if the people executing it didn't change my original plans - since water from a tributary of Marikina River adjacent to the event venue will be purified for everyone to drink in! - everyone there who drinks the water gets a glass of Smirnoff free! :3) ! v^_^v

Taenang buhay ito... [FAN LIST OWNERS ALERT!] (EDITED FOR "ADS")

My links from the fanlists and onwards are ALL missing! >_<000

And until now I'm actually stupid enough not to back all my links up in a Word file so I can fix them later. XP

So, to all the fanlist owners whose lists I've joined, if you find the links to your lists (which should be at the left side of this blog) missing, please email me at minamino_haruka@yahoo.com with your name, your fanlist's name and your fanlist's corresponding up-to-date URL so I can put it back up as soon as possible.

Thank you very much, and sorry for the inconvenience! {bows apologetically low}


2013/08/17 EDIT: Google Adsense, there is NO violation here that I can see -- ads are placed where they should be, the layout came from you and I barely touched it, so any ads you may see here should not be my fault. You can only see my email address indicated, and some less than-greater than signs that I have used as emoticons. Did you mean the cussing was bad? Unfortunately there's nothing I can do about it because it's already published. Where exactly is the violation? PLEASE BE MORE THOROUGH IN EXPLAINING THIS. Thank you.

Campaign whore time!!!

Hi guys, for those few who follow my Blogspot...

The National Cosplay Competition 2006 Online Polls Are Up!

If it's no trouble at all with you, please be so kind as to open up an account on my baby project (click on "Cosplay.ph" at the Communities section to your left) and vote for me. I am contestant # 89. v^_^v

Thanks heaps!