Modern, Cool Nerd 65 % Nerd, 52% Geek, 21% Dork |
For The Record: A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia. A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one. A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions. You scored better than half in Nerd and Geek, earning you the title of: Modern, Cool Nerd. Nerds didn't use to be cool, but in the 90's that all changed. It used to be that, if you were a computer expert, you had to wear plaid or a pocket protector or suspenders or something that announced to the world that you couldn't quite fit in. Not anymore. Now, the intelligent and geeky have eked out for themselves a modicum of respect at the very least, and "geek is chic." The Modern, Cool Nerd is intelligent, knowledgable and always the person to call in a crisis (needing computer advice/an arcane bit of trivia knowledge). They are the one you want as your lifeline in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (or the one up there, winning the million bucks)! Congratulations! |
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
certified cool nerd :p
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Channeling Marie Antoinette as i turn 24
How I Spent My BirthdayThe guys at Fleur D' Lys (Timog) were the sweetest:
Two mouth-watering cakes to celebrate my 24th birthday!
Strawberry Cream Pie
Just yummy. The chocolate made the always panalo combination of strawberry & cream even more delicious. And notice the legally blonde-ish water tumbler? haha!
(The Fleur D' Lys guys were not only excellent bakers, they were super thoughtful too. Upon learning it was my birthday, this actually came walking up the stairs, on the house.)
The Pavlova Cheesecake
Just yummy. The chocolate made the always panalo combination of strawberry & cream even more delicious. And notice the legally blonde-ish water tumbler? haha!
(The Fleur D' Lys guys were not only excellent bakers, they were super thoughtful too. Upon learning it was my birthday, this actually came walking up the stairs, on the house.)
The Pavlova Cheesecake
A strawberry meringue cake topped with peaches, kiwi and strawberrys.
And look, a green "happy birthday"!
Maybe they felt sorry i was spending my birthday alone?
Or, maybe it was because i chose to spend it at their lovely place?
(can't blame me, their cakes were so yummy)
Either way, this was such a sweet treat.
And look, a green "happy birthday"!
Maybe they felt sorry i was spending my birthday alone?
Or, maybe it was because i chose to spend it at their lovely place?
(can't blame me, their cakes were so yummy)
Either way, this was such a sweet treat.
Friday, November 24, 2006
Taking my second chance with Apo
On a recent blogpost in the web magazine pulse.ph, a writer I admire brought into consciousness (once again) the question, "Why do remakes, anyway?" Of course, she’s talking about the recent craze in the local Philippine pop scene wherein songs are rehashed & given new arrangements by today’s industry band-lings. The Eraserheads and Apo Hiking Society, two legendary Filipino acts, have a discography which spanned wide enough to each merit a tribute album. Like writer Joelle Jacinto (jarringly) observed, nowadays, revivals are given heavy airtime -- both on the local radio and noontime TV shows. As a result they’re played most everywhere -- on the jeepney, fx and the gig circuit. Everybody must have, at the very least, one revival song playing over and over again on their heads.
Some bias and a cover trauma
Let me admit that I’m really no Apo fan to begin with. Growing up, I (unfairly) dismissed the trio of Buboy, Danny & Jim as being too folksy for my taste (they were for older people, not me) and too visible, being that they were hosts of the then Sunday noontime variety show "Sa Linggo nAPO Sila”. Yeah, tell me about it: I’m being unkind because I know now you can’t dismiss a band just because they’re popular and could actually make a living out of being a band. But of course those 2 reasons are too trivial to even matter now. There simply just isn’t any valid excuse for my awful dismissal of this seminal Filipino trio.
But then again, those trivial reasons would quantify why, in the first place, it became more bearable for me to listen to revivals of songs by Apo compared to revivals of songs by the Eraserheads, which I can’t bear listening too because they always leave me feeling irritated, sad, & frustrated. I reason: the Eraserheads are not even a decade old yet; the songs are still good enough to be heard in their original form; why the f*cking allow some l*werlifeform to touch sacred ground?! You can’t really blame me because prior to the tribute album, I was able to catch – live- an MTV Awards show where certain popular acoustic singers (P.S. and J.B.) did murderous covers of "Ligaya", "Toyang”- their squeaky falsettos touching songs that were preciouspreciousprecious to me. And I don’t think, to this day, I’ve ever recovered from the trauma of that night. Of course, it may be that I’m just being OA and selfish. I’m being a little girl who’s refusing to share her precious life-changing paperbacks to a younger audience. (A younger audience, that tragically, has members believing that there’s no ultraelectromagneticpop, only an ultraelectromagneticjam.)
So with much more open ears, I welcomed the tribute album for Apo. In response to Joelle, yes, remakes actually share the songs & a piece of the band legacy to younger people & even to the not quite young who stubbornly denied themselves the chance to experience the music when they could have in its original context. Tribute albums, to some extent, do breathe life anew to past songs and past bands.
So with the "Kami nAPO Muna" tribute album which I found nice enough, I sought about wanting to hear the originals, to see how the new ones would compare.
Kamikazee’s Doobi
I’m no big fan of the song "Narda" and so it follows that I’d say I’m no big fan of Kamikazee. BUT (that’s an all caps B**), I didn’t find the remake "DoBiDo" revolting. I even said, upon seeing the video showing the group having an obvious good time, that the song suited them- it was pop-chaotic and illogical in a good way, because, hey, the song was meant to be illogical, chaotic, and just fun right?
Or so I thought.
You could say that the album piqued my Apo Hiking curiosity. I’ve been listening to old Apo stuff. Quite
predictably, I’d taken a liking to songs like "Ewan", "Panalangin", "Blue Jeans", etc. But by golly, the original "DoBiDo" was the most surprising of ‘em all.
Yes, yes, I’ve been an Apo bigot. Because the original rendition of the song was far from comic. Far from chaotic, and certainly far from being illogical. I’d call it affecting, emotional, and genius. It actually sounds like a folklore being sung. The melody is rhythmic with a haunting quality to it. Blew me away. And it really validates the question: indeed, why do we need remakes again?
Answer: Probably to make bigots like me offer a blogpost of repentance.
Take the time to listen to some good ol’ Apo, folks. :)
Some bias and a cover trauma
Let me admit that I’m really no Apo fan to begin with. Growing up, I (unfairly) dismissed the trio of Buboy, Danny & Jim as being too folksy for my taste (they were for older people, not me) and too visible, being that they were hosts of the then Sunday noontime variety show "Sa Linggo nAPO Sila”. Yeah, tell me about it: I’m being unkind because I know now you can’t dismiss a band just because they’re popular and could actually make a living out of being a band. But of course those 2 reasons are too trivial to even matter now. There simply just isn’t any valid excuse for my awful dismissal of this seminal Filipino trio.
But then again, those trivial reasons would quantify why, in the first place, it became more bearable for me to listen to revivals of songs by Apo compared to revivals of songs by the Eraserheads, which I can’t bear listening too because they always leave me feeling irritated, sad, & frustrated. I reason: the Eraserheads are not even a decade old yet; the songs are still good enough to be heard in their original form; why the f*cking allow some l*werlifeform to touch sacred ground?! You can’t really blame me because prior to the tribute album, I was able to catch – live- an MTV Awards show where certain popular acoustic singers (P.S. and J.B.) did murderous covers of "Ligaya", "Toyang”- their squeaky falsettos touching songs that were preciouspreciousprecious to me. And I don’t think, to this day, I’ve ever recovered from the trauma of that night. Of course, it may be that I’m just being OA and selfish. I’m being a little girl who’s refusing to share her precious life-changing paperbacks to a younger audience. (A younger audience, that tragically, has members believing that there’s no ultraelectromagneticpop, only an ultraelectromagneticjam.)
So with much more open ears, I welcomed the tribute album for Apo. In response to Joelle, yes, remakes actually share the songs & a piece of the band legacy to younger people & even to the not quite young who stubbornly denied themselves the chance to experience the music when they could have in its original context. Tribute albums, to some extent, do breathe life anew to past songs and past bands.
So with the "Kami nAPO Muna" tribute album which I found nice enough, I sought about wanting to hear the originals, to see how the new ones would compare.
Kamikazee’s Doobi
I’m no big fan of the song "Narda" and so it follows that I’d say I’m no big fan of Kamikazee. BUT (that’s an all caps B**), I didn’t find the remake "DoBiDo" revolting. I even said, upon seeing the video showing the group having an obvious good time, that the song suited them- it was pop-chaotic and illogical in a good way, because, hey, the song was meant to be illogical, chaotic, and just fun right?
Or so I thought.
You could say that the album piqued my Apo Hiking curiosity. I’ve been listening to old Apo stuff. Quite
predictably, I’d taken a liking to songs like "Ewan", "Panalangin", "Blue Jeans", etc. But by golly, the original "DoBiDo" was the most surprising of ‘em all.
Yes, yes, I’ve been an Apo bigot. Because the original rendition of the song was far from comic. Far from chaotic, and certainly far from being illogical. I’d call it affecting, emotional, and genius. It actually sounds like a folklore being sung. The melody is rhythmic with a haunting quality to it. Blew me away. And it really validates the question: indeed, why do we need remakes again?
Answer: Probably to make bigots like me offer a blogpost of repentance.
Take the time to listen to some good ol’ Apo, folks. :)
Thursday, September 07, 2006
good-by F-word.
I HAVE A JOB. Can you imagine, me, sitting behind a desk? Hooray to the high heavens- and I was almost about to believe they’ve given up on me.
Permanent work is a copywriting gig I stumbled upon in Jobstreet. After weeks of dragging myself (sometimes reluctantly, especially when it’s 6:30 am on a Saturday or 9:30 pm on a Monday) to interviews- from industries as varied as telemarketing, ESL, and inbound assistance, I met this Something I think I can do (and love). And yey, it decided to hug me back. So now, I’m a committed girl reading about what makes an effective copy and trying to learn some effective and helpful trade tricks. I’m excited and nervous and a bit expectant.
Although tempted to act like a fresh grad being an office newbie, I try to project a more grown-up exterior (naks!). A few months ago, Trixie and I were discussing how much we hated being treated like greenhorns because as much as it cuts you some slack, in a way it somehow puts a limitation above your head. And so I tell myself, this time, I don’t want that anymore. With a little help from above, I hope to avoid past work foibles. And sincerely learn to love this lovable thingy.
Because the world looks promising (and "promising", in my book, is defined by an attribute Mich and I agreed as essential: the importance to have something to look forward to), I leave you with this quote from St. John:
"I am not made or unmade by the things that happen to me but by my reaction to them.’
Permanent work is a copywriting gig I stumbled upon in Jobstreet. After weeks of dragging myself (sometimes reluctantly, especially when it’s 6:30 am on a Saturday or 9:30 pm on a Monday) to interviews- from industries as varied as telemarketing, ESL, and inbound assistance, I met this Something I think I can do (and love). And yey, it decided to hug me back. So now, I’m a committed girl reading about what makes an effective copy and trying to learn some effective and helpful trade tricks. I’m excited and nervous and a bit expectant.
Although tempted to act like a fresh grad being an office newbie, I try to project a more grown-up exterior (naks!). A few months ago, Trixie and I were discussing how much we hated being treated like greenhorns because as much as it cuts you some slack, in a way it somehow puts a limitation above your head. And so I tell myself, this time, I don’t want that anymore. With a little help from above, I hope to avoid past work foibles. And sincerely learn to love this lovable thingy.
Because the world looks promising (and "promising", in my book, is defined by an attribute Mich and I agreed as essential: the importance to have something to look forward to), I leave you with this quote from St. John:
"I am not made or unmade by the things that happen to me but by my reaction to them.’
Saturday, August 19, 2006
i believe the word is "adorable"?
| The Movie Of Your Life Is A Cult Classic |
 Quirky, offbeat, and even a little campy - your life appeals to a select few. But if someone's obsessed with you, look out! Your fans are downright freaky. Your best movie matches: Office Space, Showgirls, The Big Lebowski |
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Split-personality tendencies
| You scored as Jean Grey. Jean Grey is likely the most powerful X-Man. She loves Cyclops very much but she has a soft spot for Wolverine. She's psychic so she can sense how others are feeling and tries to help them. She also has to control her amazing powers or the malevolent Phoenix entity could take control of her and wreak havok. Powers: Telekinetic, Telepathic |
Most Comprehensive X-Men Personality Quiz 2.0
created with QuizFarm.com
global filial ties
So this is what how it feels like belonging to a Pinoy "global" family. I am in Fukui,Japan as i write this first post, and 3 days later, on Friday, i will be sick with separation anxiety; longing for my mom, Kazu and Teru, my two brothers who happen to be Japanese, and Oneisan Jesse, my Japanese stepfather so badly back in my familiar room in Quezon City. I will be back home. But, like a sad cliche which i can't help being, I will be leaving so much of myself behind. Here, in this sleepy Japanese town. Here in this sleepy Japanese town the Japanese people have agreed to call "the most pleasant place to stay in Japan." And i would be taking something of my mother's, my mother's, my mother's, of Kazu's, Teru's and even tito Jesse's with me.
We have tried to have my visa extended, to no avail. The Japanese immigration officer couldn't see any good reason to enable me to stay longer in their country; we were only asking for two more weeks, but they just wouldn't budge. To them 3 months is as long as 2 weeks, and the official reason from the embassy is: why let me stay when there's a family already looking after me in manila anyway. It is my place on earth. And so there i should be.
But is it, really? Well, technically yes- dictated by birth and the family that reared me. Like gender, why can't we be free to choose "homes" for ourselves, cultures we would rather belong to- maybe if given the chance to choose, i would have chosen to be French or Arab or Indonesian. Or I would have chosen to be a hyphenated Filipino-Australian. Or a Chinese-Thai. Let's imagine that the world does reviolve around me and suddenly, i'm so lucky i'm given the chance to choose like a lone contestant about to win something from a game show akin to Kris Aquino's Deal or no Deal- something very apt for Pinoys when you think about it- and the price up for grabs is, instead of millions, is dual citizenry: please God, grant me permanent citizenry in Japan. But no, not for economic reasons- I just want to be able to visit my family freely, anytime i wish to, anytime i miss them so much, whenever it's my mom's birthday or Kazu's graduation or tito Jesse's promotion or Teru's special day. Just whenever i feel like going. It's not like I plan to abandon the Philippines; I just hate having to go through the tedious process of tending papers to apply for a Japanese visa whenever that longed-for visit comes. (and should it only be once a year and TWOf*ckingweeks because that's the only frequency our income allows me?) Families should be allowed to see each other freely, without question of race or of the economic standing of one's country.
So this is how belonging to a global family feels like. I would be going home on Friday with a newly-bought Kimono having to remain unworn as i can no longer attend sleepyhappytown Fukui's festival happening that night. Darn it. I don't hate my being Filipino but i find it rather unsettling and MADDENING and ILLOGICAL that just because my mother, stepfather and brothers all happen to be Japanese, i am required special government papers just to be able to be with them in their country.
We have tried to have my visa extended, to no avail. The Japanese immigration officer couldn't see any good reason to enable me to stay longer in their country; we were only asking for two more weeks, but they just wouldn't budge. To them 3 months is as long as 2 weeks, and the official reason from the embassy is: why let me stay when there's a family already looking after me in manila anyway. It is my place on earth. And so there i should be.
But is it, really? Well, technically yes- dictated by birth and the family that reared me. Like gender, why can't we be free to choose "homes" for ourselves, cultures we would rather belong to- maybe if given the chance to choose, i would have chosen to be French or Arab or Indonesian. Or I would have chosen to be a hyphenated Filipino-Australian. Or a Chinese-Thai. Let's imagine that the world does reviolve around me and suddenly, i'm so lucky i'm given the chance to choose like a lone contestant about to win something from a game show akin to Kris Aquino's Deal or no Deal- something very apt for Pinoys when you think about it- and the price up for grabs is, instead of millions, is dual citizenry: please God, grant me permanent citizenry in Japan. But no, not for economic reasons- I just want to be able to visit my family freely, anytime i wish to, anytime i miss them so much, whenever it's my mom's birthday or Kazu's graduation or tito Jesse's promotion or Teru's special day. Just whenever i feel like going. It's not like I plan to abandon the Philippines; I just hate having to go through the tedious process of tending papers to apply for a Japanese visa whenever that longed-for visit comes. (and should it only be once a year and TWOf*ckingweeks because that's the only frequency our income allows me?) Families should be allowed to see each other freely, without question of race or of the economic standing of one's country.
So this is how belonging to a global family feels like. I would be going home on Friday with a newly-bought Kimono having to remain unworn as i can no longer attend sleepyhappytown Fukui's festival happening that night. Darn it. I don't hate my being Filipino but i find it rather unsettling and MADDENING and ILLOGICAL that just because my mother, stepfather and brothers all happen to be Japanese, i am required special government papers just to be able to be with them in their country.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
