the toy shop

i went to the toy store with the family today. we were getting a gift for my cousin who's celebrating his birthday soon. as soon as i got into the store, i felt this familiar aura that never dies. i felt like a kid.

i strolled around the racks looking at the dolls they have, but i did that in passing. when i was a little kid, i surely have been a fan of those Barbie dolls and the like, but when I grew up, and had a baby brother, I was inclined to having those boy stuff. I've become the robots and cars kind of girl (though FYI: i had matchbox cars, a robot taller than Barbie, and R/C cars to name a few when i was young).

I got to the boys section of the store where the cars, action figures, robots, and those other new ones are. I saw some awesome Gundam figures I've not seen before (some of the boxes look much authentic and better than those we have at home), the Bey Blade toys and stadiums that have been revamped since seven years ago, and some other toys there. What caught me though are the huge boxes of Star Wars toys and a race car track from Hot Wheels which was a replica from that Toy Story scene when Buzz rode a matchbox car and went on a loop. It was awesome I wanted it. Then I saw an F1 Ferrari replica car. I've always been a sucker for that. die cast, 1:18 scale model of that cool red car. I wanted a whole collection of that ever since, like a whole glass case of that. it was on sale but i didnt get one coz it seemed like the windshield material they used was of poor quality. i think it was low class plastic. it didnt make the whole package. bummer.

so i have now some items on my toy shopping list. to get a VERY GOOD quality of die cast Ferrari, a Hot Wheels with Buzz Lightyear, that huge Star Wars box (that seems to have a universe), and order an Oriole Potato Head for me. That's just some of those I can think of right now...

PS: Saw the REAL Iron Man Potato Head. Thinking of getting one.... =D

and i killed your bubble

"whats so special about it?"

oops... wrong words.

ok, so here's what happened. i've been doing older sister duties to the young boy and i was pretty tired since its late at night, and i had to repeat myself to him just for him to understand the point that his lessons have been wanting to point out, and we've been doing it for the last five hours, and i thought he has been reading his handout since this morning, and just to tell you bluntly, i've not been satisfied.

and this is the kid who just turned into a teeny yesterday. and he is making a big deal out of it.

i told him thru his birthday card that i cannot remember if i made a big deal out of being a teenager during my time. for one, it seemed like the same like last month and even yesterday, and second, now i remember what was different, it was taking charge as an older sister since he came to our lives when i hit thirteen.

and thinking about it, yes i did mature, but he kept me acting and knowing what it is to be a kid. but now, i just popped the bubble by telling him, what is so special about reaching your teenage years? seriously, what gives it that big difference?

teenage years makes us pretend that we know things when we don't. it makes us deceive ourselves into taking in charge of ourselves when we know that we're only in charge of some of our domestic needs like changing our sheets but not paying for the electricity that gets the sheets cleaned. its just not the way it is.

but there's also the fact that later on in our lives we know why things turned out that way because we look back and remember that our teenage years became our foundation to who we are at present. i mean, anything in life is like that for me. anything that i encounter is part of a continuous trial and error process, an experiment, and i get to learn more at each step.

so kid, if you read this, remember that to just enjoy your life and what you have at present, but not to forget that what you do at present builds up your future. c'est la vie!

Writing

I've been wanting to write coz I surely miss it, yet what can I write about?

Honestly, I have three drafts and maybe a dozen other things to write about. My aim was to put up another blog site just to detail my rants and cheers to the Orioles but that never progressed due to (gasp!) lack of time. Yes, as much as I am "unemployed", I do not have enough time to deal with all the things I want to deal with. Why is it always like that? Coz when you are unemployed, you are everyones errand girl, you are everyones slave, you hear everyone say "can i ask you a favor?" (and you end up saying, "sure!").

I'm not ranting on those things really, its just that my hopes to put up a new blog was put on the side. I ended up throwing 140 characters (spaces included) on Twitter every 15 seconds. Sometimes, due to time difference, I end up sleeping during live games. Somehow I failed on my aim to practice my writing by pouring my heart out on something I like to do. Its tough being me (a reason that we always hear, right?).

Yet I have been doing writing lessons for kids these days. Wait, change kids to young adults. Its summertime and besides the need to polish my brothers writing, I wanted to gauge my cousins as well. Weeks ago, I asked them to write down five songs that they really like, and later on revealed to them the task at hand. They were fearful when they heard that they had to write. Write a three paragraph review of each song that they picked. I thought it was awesome, they thought otherwise. So I subjected five kids into writing without their permission? What happened afterwards is a nice study/ observation/ experiment for either behavior specialists or psychologists.

The youngest was the only one to accomplish five essays on the prescribed time period. My brother submitted his completed work three days after the prescribed time. My girl cousin finished the first essay right away, the second essay was submitted a day after the needed submission time, and essays 3 to 5 are not yet submitted. My two other cousins did not do anything, sadly.

It is such a hard task to impose writing to kids these days. With all the information on their hands, they do not make use of it by using their minds to analyze information and pour out their opinions about these. They pour out their energy using the internet as a means to play computer games, watch episodes of their favorite shows, and use social networking sites to know what the latest scoop on AI, on show business, or whats the latest emo song. It is tough being older and not seeing them spend their time doodling on paper, reading love stories or detective stories, writing phrases then sentences then essays. It is hard that they do not know how to properly express themselves in writing.

Writing for me is the best means to express oneself, and I do admit that I do get the moods too when writing. In numerous occasion I feel that anything I write does not make sense. It seems like I lack the complete thought or I was not able to equip my essay with words that makes itself understandable to the reader. I too encounter times when I do not feel like I am writing the way I should or that I lack the level of writing that I have put on myself. I always wish to be better, I wish to always improve my writing. But how do I even find out that I want to improve my writing?

BY WRITING, what else?

One of the tips in writing that I kept on telling them was that to know and improve how you write, you must write. There is no other way to know these things but to do it. You have to keep on doing it and have someone read it so you'll know how you fare. Later on you'll get the knack on writing and end up editing your own work because you have practiced it repeatedly. Writing is a trial and error process. Even the best writings can be improved by supplying better words or re-phrasing, whenever the need is there. Not only you exercise your writing skills but you exercise your brain, language skills, analytical skills.

It seems like a dead end task when they don't take things seriously as you do, but I am not giving up. I will think of ways to make them write, to let them understand that polishing their writing skills is important to do now than have their teachers criticize them. Oh Lord have mercy! Please shine the light on them.

How To Train Your Dragon

How To Train Your Dragon in 3D (Dreamworks)

4.5/5

We saw the 3D version coz after watching Avatar, my brother has immersed himself into researching about 3D animation. It wasn't my type of movie really as it didn't fancy my senses ever since I saw the trailer. Everyone who've seen it tweeted that they liked it a lot, and given that this is one of the rare occasions that my dad is watching with us, who am I to demand another movie?

So it got me. It got me because the 3D animation was really superb. The characters were doll-like, with hairs that looked like yarns but their skin is like human-flesh. The plants were really green and the waters were like ones you'll see on the sea. It was not completely life like since this is a kids movie, yet the background left you in awe, appreciating the art produced by the film.

The story was cute. It was full of heart since you'll see here that not all Vikings are scary warriors. Hiccup is the main character who is your uncharacteristic Viking, yet in the end he is a hero on his own right. The main character and his characteristics are not only seen thru him as a person but also thru the dragon that he got to befriend. Called by those who don't know him as the scariest dragon- the Night Fury, Toothless became the dragon counterpart of Hiccup as being the oddest kind within their group. They became fond of each other and grew to know each others lives in some ways. The advantage though of Hiccup was that he got to get a girl and Toothless didn't have a girl dragon.

Its a family movie, much recommended to those who are thinking of watching it. It's fun and if you are into 3D movies, you'll surely love this.

random talking updated

hello world!

i am alive and kicking. yeah! its been a week and a half since i left the land of the free, and ive been feeling like its been forever. time has been slow and ive been gaining weight. ugh! or thats how i feel it to be. my clothes dont say it but my whole body feels like it. i feel like im in this state of calm that i dont really want and need. the only calm i need is passing out after shots. SHOTS!!!

ok. calm down. thats the deprived fish talking.

things have been too calm that ive been to the salon twice in one week, have had 4 massages the past 10 days, and i will be having my dermatology appointment this week. what have i been doing? geez! the past 10 days also included cooking breakfast at 430 am, sleeping at 10pm, and taking a shower for an hour complete with body scrubs, exfoliators, and hair treatments. for the next 48hours, i cannot wash my hair (major ugh!) because my hair has all these harmful chemicals to make it straight and black. u should see my hair, its too nice i cant believe it.

im jobless at this point. bummer. and i have to pay 3K for a cellphone bill that ive accumulated for 10days? wtf? Php1,768 is for Value Added Tax. Php 800 ++ for being stupid and going overboard with my internet bill. i need to hold off tweeting then. efffff!!!

i missed two Ravens games though the last crucial one was a bummer. i will be missing the Orioles fan fest. i will not see Brad Bergesen who might be written in my stars. who knows, right?

my weekends have been bummers. my parents are on my tail too much. bummmmmmmerrrrr. this is getting tiring.

the only positive note is that my brother is as tall as me and we've been poking each other on the side tickling each other. he's the reason i am here.... i think.

smiles everyone, and when u raise your glass and say cheers, think of me. i wanted to drink with u, u know. =D

--- fish tank---

ranting

I know my mom would hate this posted up here, but i just want to write it down because for me, i know im right in thinking this way.

Club moderators are part of the school system. 80% of club moderators are teachers for regular academic subjects also. Now, teachers usually have bulletins given to them, or regular meetings that tell them what activities are happening around a certain period. These things are given to them in advance. When teachers are tenured, they get to that routine and note down the common events that are happening in a calendar year.

These things happened in my private school before, where I went to school for 11 years. I am sure its the same thing, if not supposedly better, in my brother's school which is a private school also.

As club members, it is the duty of the student to inform the teachers if there is any conflict in their schedule with club meetings. If in any case you were not able to tell them ahead of time, club moderators are to me, usually approachable, that you can go to them and tell them politely, "I'm sorry I was out the last time because there was an event for my section." Period. That's it. No if's, but's, whatsoever. That stops there. The usual reaction I get before was "oh yes, I've heard." or a smile. I don't know with other teachers, but I had a pretty good experience I guess.

And mom, I have not changed for the worst, I think. I only want to speak out what I'm thinking. I don't think it is wrong to tell that teacher that whatever he does that is improper is really improper. Someone gets reprimanded whenever needed, but not when it is pointless or without merit. and Art class? Art should be enjoyed, not feared. And teachers should create a way to invite students to enjoy and appreciate art and know its value to life, and not for it to just be an obligatory part of their curriculum.

25-13=12!!!!

August 13, 2009 (Manila, Philippines)
Happy Birthday to my baby brother, Patrick. I cannot believe he isn't a baby anymore. Though for all his life, he will always be my baby brother. You've got to accept that. =p Love lots!

happy happy weekend

(1) summer's here! most on the blog roll were on the beach this weekend. we all got burned under the sun, i believe. when's the next one?
(2) Roger Federer, AT LAST won the Roland Garros cup!!! yey!!!

good morning, girls!

 

Happy New Yearzzzzz...

Happy New Year Olivia!, originally uploaded by Margeeboo.

Where to Go? What to Do? (2)

one of the things that me and my brother share in common is our love for cars, and if i get myself into this place and take lots of pictures, i know he will bawl around and scream at me the next time we get to talk. for now, he should see this link and drool over the pretty cars. they are too sexy and sweet looking. =D
http://www.exoticcargallery.com/

auntie on morning reflective mode

"good morning!" (with a wide smile =D)
"no, im not yet awake." =D

and no one is giggling from the other room...

Going Back To Emo Mode

 "Falling in love is not necessarily a bad thing."
"...Because I've realized that encountering something unsuspected can be a wonderful thing."
"But then there's the someone you didnt think you loved originally, but suddenly you will realize that you actually do love that person."
"Just keep believing on the path you chose for yourself"

This Hana-Kimi episode is too revealing for me, especially by the 30th minute. http://www.crunchyroll.com/media-135245/Hana-Kimi-Japan-Episode-6.html?h264=1

and of course the father-daughter scene was bringing tears to my eyes...

where its orange, black, and spooky.

halloween is around the corner. are u excited for it? i dunno about u (until u all tell me), but i think its pretty exciting. no one is more excited about it than kids, and my cousins Matthew and Rebecca are not too excited about it, as you shall see here:

Darth Vader and the little Princess or Fairy (either way, she's cute.)

 

Happy 25th to Mom and Dad

 August 31st is my mom and dad's anniversary, and i just wanted everyone to know that they've been together for 25 years. six years ago, i was psyched with the idea that this day was coming and i was quite doing some planning on it. but of course, this is the next best thing that i can do maybe. so to anyone who gets to read this and knows how to get a hold of them, just greet them too. =)

because its his birthday

happy birthday to my baby bro! he is 11 now. wow! i remember crying over this song when i sing it to him. this song touch my heart so much and reminds me too much of him. when did this song hit the waves anyway? was it 11 years ago?



and here are the words to this song God Must've Spent A Little More Time On You

and a word from Iz...

i did not kick her.

this is the whole story. so i had to answer the phone while the kids were in the playroom. then as i turned my back on them, the little girl was crying and screaming. then as soon as i put down the phone, i had to ask what happened. though Olivia stopped screaming, i still had to interrogate. this is the conversation i had with Iz.

M: what happened?
I: she's not crying anymore.
M: but why was she crying?
I: she's not crying anymore.
M: did you grab her card (flash cards)?
I: no.
M: did you hit her?
I: no. (stops, then flutters her eyes to answer) i did not kick her.
M: Izzy, i did not ask if you kicked her.

of course you have to put on a straight face! but really, i was ready to burst out laughing. geez! this girl is a trip!!!

May 10th is...

(1) National Train Day
(2) and my mom and dad's 24th wedding anniversary (and come aug31st is their Silver. so which one should i celebrate?)

One Week After: An Update

to all those who included my uncle in their prayers, thank you so much! and i would like to tell you, and i am so glad to tell you even, that all our prayers have been answered. He is such a good Lord!

after a week and a half in the ICU, his respirator has been removed, and he is using an oxygen tube right now. but if in the next couple of days, he still progresses really good, then even the oxygen tube can be taken out. he has more consciousness than the last couple of days when we were all waiting for developments. he started trying to talk again, and all he can think about is his family and friends, and how he needs to get back and tour more of Australia with his tour group (his office mates who was with him for the trip/vacation). my aunt (his wife) says that they might be able to put him on a wheelchair now so that he can be mobile. he also was concerned about my grandma if she is so worried about what happened to him (maybe thinking if her BP shoots up). he is also like most patients who regained consciousness of what happened to them. he has become irritable of all the tubes that are on his body, like he wanted to take out the O2 tube coz i guess he is having a hard time talking properly. he is on a soft diet, and still under observation. but nevertheless, there were a lot of progress. thank God!

i couldnt ask for more right now. i am thankful that he has shown progress, that his body responded well to medications, and that he will, in God's time, survive all these and surpass his tribulations with a strong mind and healthy body.

with all praises to good Lord above!