Wednesday, August 29, 2012

No, this song isn't for someone...at least at first it wasn't.


Okay, I loved this song the first time I heard it years ago and I admit, I didn't actually understand what the song meant then. I just thought the melody's sweet and Ronnie Liang's voice sounds nice here, compared to the other songs I've heard him sing in Pinoy Dream Academy.
I searched for the lyrics just a few minutes ago and realized what the song actually meant. Nakakatawa. The first verse and refrain goes:
Minamasdan kita
Nang hindi mo alam
Pinapangarap kong ikaw ay akin
Mapupulang labi
At matingkad mong ngiti
Umaabot hanggang sa langit
Huwag ka lang titingin sa akin
At baka matunaw ang puso kong sabik
How funny is that? I've thought of one person after reading the lyrics of the song and it made me chuckle. If I were in college, I bet this would've been my song for him.

(Sorry if I seem too hung up with my college life lately. Blast from the past e.)

Monday, August 27, 2012

Seek first to understand, then to be understood.

(I hope some PSI grads or someone who went to a 7 Habits seminar can help me fully grasp this concept.)

This concept is habit #5 of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. It has been confusing me so much lately, as much as habit #3 which is Think Win-Win but habit #3 should be for an entirely different blog post.

Anyway, I want to know if "Seek first to understand, then to be understood" means that I shouldn't voice out what I need to say right after the person I talked to gave me a piece of his/her mind. I mean I am not one of those people who's been given the gift of understanding...of patience so during a confrontation, I blow up like a volcano. I've (recently) learned to stop and assess my reaction just so I can give the other party a much more responsible and appropriate response but there are some situations (and people...UGH!) that I am not fond of and when they come marching in, armed with their opinions and what not, I get all annoyed by the sound of their first word and before I know it, I'm rattling on like a machine gun.

FYI, I am one of those people who don't really doubt the intentions of other people to me so you can imagine how hard it is for me to have to deal with people who doubt me and my choices and the need for me to be "understanding" while they don't seem to make the effort to understand me. I mean, bakit ako napalilibutan ng mga taong mahilig magduda? I know, How could I have attracted those people into my life? And don't they understand that what they're doubting about is rooted deep inside of them, hindi sa mga ginagawa at nangyayari sa labas ng katawan nila?

Obvious bang affected ako?

Anyway, yeah. That's what I want to...understand, if you will: Do I not respond right away, given that I still haven't understood what they said? When will be the right time to speak my mind?

Friday, August 24, 2012

This still applies, even after all those years.

Things I used to do all the time that I cannot do anymore.

  • Drink a whole lot of gin without puking the next day.
  • Drink the Central way (one shot every 30 seconds) without getting drunk 10 minutes into the night.
  • Smoke 'til my voice - and lungs - give out.
  • Stay awake for more than 24 hours without getting cranky.
  • Eat once a day.
  • Drink 7 consecutive nights/days a week.
  • Watch TV the entire day.
  • Go out with an all-boys barkada without thinking how I look like or come across.
  • Plug earphones to my ear the whole day.
  • Stay right next to a blaring speaker the whole night and not care at all.
  • Sleep the entire day without getting headaches.
  • Commute without getting tired.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Prince Charming just got my attention.

I am not one of the people who fell in love with one of the two (then) eligible princes but Prince Harry, me oh my, you definitely got me looking your way by pulling this - and by this, I mean your clothes - off.


(Sorry for the totally perverted post. I bet  saw it coming, though.)

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

BPI online banking, you stressed me out.

Okay, I know that this isn't true because I won't be stressed out over something if I don't let it stress me out but I just want to blame BPI online banking right now, okay?

I booked a flight to Coron this morning with the hopes of getting cheaper tickets for almost a week's worth of vacation next year with my beloved friends. I am supposed to pay for it until 11:59pm today. It's only 10:35pm and I am giving it up just because I don't want to stress myself over it anymore.

I followed all of the instructions that this page has given me with regards to enrolling Cebu Pacific to my account but after 4 hours of sweat and throbbing temples, the online banking site still tells me that I did something wrong. I talked to 2 phone bankers about it. I complained about it for a good 15 minutes each - di pa kasama yung 10 years na paghintay ko na may mag-take ng tawag ko - and they both told me the same thing. I followed every damn thing but the website doesn't seem to agree with paying for the trip.

Now, I am settling with the fact that the trip to Coron is somewhat postponed for me. I hope I do get another chance to score really cheap tickets for that same trip with my friends. If not, well, I'm booking for another date. Di lang naman yun ang petsa na pwedeng umalis next year e...

Or I might have that much money to spare, then I won't need the seat sale (Law of Attraction, let's do this!).

Either way, I am NOT using the BPI online banking website to pay for it. Di ko deserve ang stress.

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Zalora window shopping for my baby girl

Note: I know that I have a mommy blog but I don't get to update it anymore (I am moving the rest of the posts here soon...hopefully) and that is the reason why I am posting this here.

Anyway, I have always been on the look out for the prettiest baby/children stuff I can find and yes, that means even when I am online window shopping, I am still thinking of my baby girl how ever tempting it is to just buy stuff for me.

Since Zalora has such a wide range of brands, I am able to find pretty stuff that would help me become a better mom for my darling daughter.


Thursday, August 16, 2012

My kinda guy?

I was watching Praybeyt Benjamin online awhile ago - oo na, jologs nako - because I cannot remember what it's all about. I remembered halfway through the film that Kean Cipriano and Derek Ramsay are part of the cast which got me to watch it even more closely (Tutti Caringal is there, too, but that's not what I want need to talk about here).

Somewhere in the end, there was a scene where both of them are in the same frame:

Okay, the shot is definitely all about Derek but Kean is in the background so that counts as being in the same frame.

When I was watching this scene, I've come to the realization that what attracted me to these two are their jaws. Look at how sharp they are! I swear; I could nibble and bite on them 'til the day I die.

I don't think I'd be able to prevent myself from turning Jell-O when I meet them both but I would really love to (without looking like a fan). Soon.

Monday, August 13, 2012

#58. I've always wanted a Volks. The beetle kind.

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Helping the Zalora way.

The Southwest monsoon that hit Manila earlier this week asked a lot of help. There are many sectors who've reached out to those in need and Zalora is one of them but Zalora pushes it even further with a fashion show for a cause:


If you cannot attend the Fashion Fights the Flood Zalora event that will be happening at the Skye Lounge in Bonifacio Global City on August 15, 2012, you can still help their cause by donating through the Zalora website:

There are a lot of ways to help so there is no reason for you not to.

Voucher code: Aletotski0 
[Aletotski(zero)] 
5% discount for a minimum purchase
of Php500 in www.Zalora.com.ph

Friday, August 10, 2012

Birthday gift for myself...

iPad vs. Kindle Fire

I still can't decide on which I want to buy on my birthday.

I want an iPad because let's all admit, when it comes to tablets, it's the best there is. Thing is, it's so expensive, I don't think I have the willpower to release that much money in one day. No, I do not (and will not...unless someone offers to pay for the bill every month) own a credit card because I don't trust myself with one so a credit card purchase is not an option.

The Kindle Fire is the next best thing...at least for me. It's smaller and it can be used as an e-book reader (just like an iPad, I know) and it looks decent. Best of all, it's way, way, WAY cheaper than an iPad. I can actually muster the courage to spend PHP10,000 in one day.

Why a tablet all of a sudden? Well, I came to the realization that a tab has become a necessity when you have a child. It's portable and interactive. What reason do you still need, right?

Gah. I'm torn. I hope someone gives me a tablet as a birthday gift instead so I can focus my energy and money to other things I want like granola bars or a car.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Giving back has never felt this good.

Shopping at Zalora is always a joy and they've brought it up a notch higher by giving 5% of their sales for this week to those who have been greatly affected by the monsoon rains the past few days:


That means that you can actually do your part in helping the needy without leaving the comforts of your homes and by browsing through and buying from their online catalogue.

Note: You can still use my online voucher for this, Aletotski0 (Aletotski[zero]), to get a 5% discount on your 500-peso purchase.

Not only that. They are also accepting in-kind donations at their office in 50 Jupiter St., Bel-Air, Makati for those who prefer giving in-kind.


The donors will be given a 500-peso shopping voucher that they can use when they shop on the Zalora Philippines website.

For more information, you can follow their Twitter account, @ZALORAPH.


Voucher code: Aletotski0 
[Aletotski(zero)] 
5% discount for a minimum purchase
of Php500 in www.Zalora.com.ph

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

#bangonPilipinas

It's times like these where you'd really know how "waterproof" Filipinos are, college student or not.


#bangonPilipinas

Day 2.

Photo taken from Facebook. Photo credits: Ensogo

Day 2 of non-stop rains here in Manila and here I am, writing about it. I am writing about it just now because I was sorta hoping that it will all end when I closed my eyes last night and we could just pretend that that was just some horrible nightmare but lo and behold, I woke up again to the soft drumming of the rain on my window.

Anyway, I was home yesterday - like any other day of the past (almost) 2 years - and I cannot be any more grateful. Almost 3 years ago, I was stuck somewhere in Makati when Ondoy struck. I was so uncomfortable and hungry and craving for cigarettes. Now, I am in the comforts of my home, sipping hot noodles and sleeping on a really cozy bed with my baby. I wouldn't trade all of that for anything. Not in this kind of situation.

I decided to enjoy the rainy day just like anyone else in Manila and took a day off from my work-from-home full-time gig to just lounge around...at first. Then my Twitter feed became flooded with messages about evacuation, rescue, relief operations and donations that I couldn't help but tear up a little bit. I knew how it felt like being out there, not knowing what I have to do, where to go and what to eat but what made me tear up more was the fact that I cannot do anything about it. I want to help in the relief operations in my previous schools but I cannot - for the life of me - leave our place. You see, I live in a place where water rises really fast and before you know it:

Mercedes Exec. Vill. guardhouse. Photo credits: Bong Tejada

I didn't expect for the rain to turn out this way, especially with the full knowledge that there's no typhoon anywhere near the Philippines.

Anyway, I cannot help by being part of a relief operation and I cannot even donate load to the volunteers because I don't have load myself. The best possible thing I thought of to help with this ordeal was to help spread awareness. I set my Twitter profile to public and retweeted almost all of the stuff that come up in my timeline: People in need of rescue, emergency hotline numbers, announcements, anything! I know the importance of awareness in all aspects of life and I knew that this will go a long way.

As I type this, I can see tweets about private companies and government agencies asking their employees to report for work today and I can't help but feel bad for them. The rain is still quite strong - this side of Manila, anyway - and most areas are still flooded. I want to tell those people who are complaining, though, that they shouldn't because they still have the option to stay home should their situation be dangerous or if they have the feeling that they might not be able to come home later in the day. I'm pretty sure their superiors will be able to understand this.

I can feel that today's going to be better than yesterday. I hear birds chirping and roosters cock-a-doodle-doo-ing when I woke up a while ago and that is always good news. Plus, the skies are much brighter now. The rain might still be falling but it can't rain forever. The sun is bound to come out one of these days. Nagpahinga lang yun kasi solid na init yung ibinigay niya nung summer.

Monday, August 6, 2012

Kellan Kyle

I am currently reading Thoughtless by S.C. Stephens as recommended by my good friend, Jill, and can I just say that I'm not even finished with the first chapter and I am actually getting all kilig over this Kellan Kyle character already? Mainly because he's described as the lead vocalist of his band, has tousled hair and the fact that he wears basic pieces of clothing... Sounds familiar, eh?

(Kean Cipriano, pano na kita maaalis sa isip ko niyan?!)

Travelling with Zalora

The family is planning an out-of-the-country trip for my sister's debut at the end of the year but being the excited little thing that I am, even without the plane tickets yet, I can't stop thinking about what I need to bring to the trip. Naturally, I went online window shopping to give me an idea of what I need to bring. I ended up in Zalora and here are some of my travel essentials picks from their boutique:

  1. This Tokidoki Terryl 2-set trolley is a mommy-baby must-have, if I may say so myself. When going out of the country for 3-5 days definitely calls for a lot of clothes, especially if you travel around December because of the cold weather and all the shopping you will most probably do on your trip will definitely call for a roomy luggage. In this case, the luggage is sort of a buy-one-take-one thing because the bigger luggage comes with the "baby luggage".
  2. A luggage tag has become a necessity now so you can quickly spot your luggage. This vintage travel agency-inspired Colulmbia retro luggage tag will do the job. I mean look at how pretty it is. You won't miss your luggage with this.
  3. My laptop will definitely need a nice home for the trip and I thought that this Santorini laptop case from Plains and Prints will do the job. It can even become a makeshift purse, if you have clothes that will match your laptop case.
  4. A shopping bag is definitely a must-have for out-of-the-country trips. I mean, you need one for a quick trip to the mall, what more to a place where you can get stuff that you can't see in the Philippines, right? This Flink Eiffel foldable shopping bag looks sturdy enough to handle all the shopping Brianna, Bry and I will most likely do.
  5. This resort tote bag by Jacinto & Lirio, in my opinion, is the best bag to bring to a trip. Why? The reason is simple: Look at its color. It's all summer-y and bright but look at the material in which it is made. It can be used during a rainy day without having to worry about getting the things inside of your bag wet. It is the perfect accessory to cheer you up in a gloomy weather.
  6. I always tend to forget to bring a pair of slippers whenever we go out of town but with these super comfy and super pretty Flexflop foldable slippers, I'm pretty sure I will never forget to bring it (even if I'm just going to the loo).
Zalora offers all of these items and more on their online shop, http://zalora.com.ph and all of the items in their website are subject to these services:


For discounts, just type Aletotski0 (Aletotski[zero]) on the coupon option on the checkout page to get a 5% discount on your purchase.

Sunday, August 5, 2012

I'm not really a radio person...

So yesterday, I went radio shopping with my mom at Boni High Street and we ended up getting stuck in Dimensione. They have this radio that I've always been interested in since I first saw it two years ago:


The first one I fell in love with was a blue version but I thought that the pink will match my now white and pink room so that's the one I got. Plus, it's the last pink unit they have on stock so letting it go is not an option for me. At that point, anyway.

It's not just a radio (with a screen! I didn't expect for it to have a screen because it looks like a vintage radio.) and that's the reason why I didn't hesitate to get it this time. You can actually use it as your iPod speaker and there's a port where you can insert your USB drive and play whatever's on your thumb drive. There's also a slot for an SD card, if you prefer storing your songs in your phone but don't want to use it as a player.

Another reason why I bought it? It has a friggin' remote control! That made the sale, if I may say so myself.

It is rechargeable, making it useful for rainy days like this, where electricity is almost always unstable.

This radio from Dimensione costs Php 995 now from Php 1,650 so you imagine my eyes lighting up when I saw the discounted price tag. I felt that I definitely should get it.

To tell you honestly, I don't really need a radio but I really missed listening to Wave 89.9's The Quiet Storm so here we are...

Friday, August 3, 2012

I knew it!

Remember when I said I felt I was part of the top 20 of our wave at the Outbreak BGC? Well...


I ran a shorter course, though, me thinks.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

50 Shades of Freakery.

I've just started the third 50 Shades book (Special thanks to Anna and Angela for sending me a copy of the third book) and can I just say I am quite thankful that the copy I first had was blank? Why? Well, because I couldn't take the emotional rollercoaster it brought me and having half a day away from the book actually stabilized me a bit.

As I've said, I am not one to actually read books on my computer but for the sake of this book and the money that I can save if I read it here, I did and can I just say that my eyes are puffy either because of the fact that I sleep later than usual, the long time I spend reading the book on my laptop or from crying in different parts of the book. Maybe all of the above.

I'm not really into the whole sado-masochist sexual lifestyle but I must say this book got me hooked only because I love how twisted the character of Christian Grey is. He's so intriguing and you'd never know what he'll do next. I also love how my emotions are so high up on one paragraph and then all of a sudden, it plunges so far down, I actually feel the hurt. There are times when I also want to throw my laptop because I can relate to the frustration Ana has towards Christian. (Yeah, I have my very own 50 Shades, too, though he's not a sadist and he's not disturbed. Demanding lang talaga siya.)

I know I haven't finished the third book yet but I guess it's safe to say that the charm of the book is on the manner it is written. If you ask me, it's like reading a fiction written by me. It's not at all well-written and the author would've done a lot better when it comes to storytelling but the manner on how it is written actually works. It's like a justification of the twisted-ness of Christian Grey.

Anyway, I've to get back to the book now. I want to finish it before Friday ends. I've a lot of (e-)books to read after this. (Thanks, Jill!)

Shop Team Manila Lifestyle apparel at Zalora!

I was mindlessly browsing through my Twitter feed this morning when I came across one of Zalora's retweets from a girl who just got her new shirt from the boutique. What caught my attention was the design. I'd know that design anywhere: it is a Team Manila Lifestyle exclusive!

Team Manila is one of my favorite local shirt brands because of their unique designs and their witty catch phrases. Here are some of my favorites:

Philippines Plus 63

Promoter of Positive Vibes

Y'all Phillin It?

You might be wondering why I chose men's shirts. Well, I am not much of a girly girl and when it comes down to t-shirts, I choose from the men's catalogue. Not only do they fit me better, they also have much cooler designs for the men's line...in my opinion, anyway.

These shirts and a whole lot of different designs are available at the Zalora boutique. You can get them, too, for a more affordable price with this discount voucher:

Voucher code: Aletotski0
[Aletotski(zero)]
5% off for a minimum purchase of Php500