Saturday, September 29

Swabeng Random Thoughts Part 5

1. It took me more than two months to follow-up on my last Swabeng Random Thoughts.

2. As of today, I don't have a job. Not because I resigned nor got terminated, but rather my contract ended and I decided not renew. I wanted to explore other opportunities that doesn't make me feel a second-class working citizen by having a permanent job.

3. Since I don't have a job, my blogging time may be cut by almost 80%. Majority of my posts were done in the office. I guess I have to re-establish my Blogging Hour once more.

4. From 84 pending posts, it now ballooned to 104 (and counting). This is in-connection with #3.

5. I'm almost finished editing my 2011 sets. Now my 2012 sets are piled-up like pancakes. I think I may have more than 65 sets for 2012 (not counting the ones I've finished).

6. I'm thinking of running again even if its only for 5K. I'm not sure if I could go beyond 5K but I wanted to push myself again to the limits more. I could visit the gym again after more than 10 years.

7. At the end of the day, my time management skills will be judged and right now, I need a lot of improvement here.

Friday, September 28

Swabeng Thoughts: Why I look forward to stay at home after my contract

With my contract ending after Tonight, I know most of would worry what will happen to me if I lose my job. I assume some will ask what will happen to my finances and my ability to support my family. Others may say it would be bad for my resume as it would create another employment gap. Well, thank you for your concerns as I do appreciate them. Don't worry. I won't bum around if that's what your thinking. =P

I got to read an article from Yahoo a couple of (weeks/days/months) back and tried my best to digest each of it. 



1. No Tuesday blues: Well, my work week starts on Tuesdays so I don't think I'll be missing this one for now. I never felt that I wanted my shift to end everytime I'm in the office. And as a member of the helpdesk, doing presentations are not part of it =P. 

2. No horrible boss: AFAIK, I had a good working relationship with my boss. Though we argue and shout at each other often during the early days, we made sure that our client's concern are taken care off. If you ask me, he's one of the best boss I've work with though he needs to improve on some aspects though =P. 


3. Drinking hot afternoon over a fancy lunch: Hmmmm. Probably the beer part would do as my lunch costs expensive whenever I eat out for lunch. I can't wait to have lunch at home every single day.


4. More relaxing: Relaxing? Is baby-sitting relaxing? I could say no but its fun and if you get to take care of your precious little angel. Well, my BP would go much lower compared when I'm in the office probably. I just wish my daughter has a yaya or two for me to be more productive. ^_^


5. Bonding with kids: This is one event I would never ever miss. My wife took care of our daughter for the first nine months before she started working. It could be tiresome at one point but I'm sure I'm gonna learn a lot from doing a hands-on parenting to Migmig. 


6. Work from the luxury of your home: I could rebuild my blog as well as finish all of my drafts (I hope) as well as edit some of my remaining sets for 2011 ans 2012. I'm thinking of doing freelance photography as well as do some IT work on the side as well. The risks are pretty much bigger but the rewards could be never ending. 


7. Happier married life: Uhmmm. I hope my wife would appreciate every chore I'll be doing at home as well as taking care of our baby while she is away.


8. Patience and empathy: This would be one of my ultimate test of both patience and empathy. Only a few people knew my patience ain't that long as well as I'm not empathic.With my mischievous daughter slowly growing right before my very own eyes, I've got more than a handful. XD


9. You get to cook what you want: Uhmm, Nanay calls the shots here unless my wife requests for a dish or if were back home in San Pedro. I remeber giving my wife a cookbook so she would learn how to cook but she has yet to impress me with a dish. I guess I have to watch Chef Boy Logro's Kusina Master.


10. Improved health: I'm pretty much skeptical on this part. Though I plan to jog every morning even before my daughter gets up, I need to work on my diet and sleeping habits as well. This would be much better than sitting all day doing facebook =P


At the end of the day, it should be you (me) who would be the main provider (and protector) of your family. I don't see this as an excuse but rather a diversion for me to try other things, and be more creative once in a while. 



Thursday, September 27

Battling the Cybercrime Law, The Hacktivist's Way

I just went online at 12:30am and I just saw this interesting post on my facebook wall. Yes, some of the government websites are reportedly to be hacked as of 12:00am around 4 of them were hacked and increased as the night goes deeper.

Lead by a hacking group calling themselves Anonymous Philippines, they say this law kills freedom of expression online just like killing traditional media. They (Anonymous Philippines) have also expressed disgust with the government for adopting provisions from an "80-year-old antiquated libel laws." Journalists, media organizations and lawyers have said that the new cybercrime law violate freedom of expression and make an all-powerful justice secretary who, based on the law, can shut down any site on the basis of prima facie evidence of libel.

"The Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 is the most notorious act ever witnessed in the cyberhistory of the Philippines, and the language of the bill is cunningly designed to make you think it only applies to individuals who are deep in cybertechnology and doesn't apply to everyone. (But) some part of the bill basically says it can imprison anyone who commits libel either by written messages, comments, blogs, or posts in sites such as Facebook, Twitter, or any other comment-spaces of other social media in the Internet".

Anyway, I was able to get a screenshot of those said websites and they have really de-faced them showing dissatisfaction over the Cybercrime Law. As most ordinary twittizens were delighted to see this act, a few social media experts do disagree saying that hacking websites is not a solution. Whether you agree with what they did or not, the libel-provision of this law should be removed. 

















To know more about the incident, you may check the following links here, here, here, here, here and here.


The hackers have good taste in their choice of music. XD

Tuesday, September 25

The week that was (September 16 - 22)

Sunday: Got up and took Migmig up for a walk before having breakfast at 7-11. For a change, we had a different environment as me and my daughter spend some Daddy-Baby time before going back home. After her mom took Migmig and gave her a bath, I went out to buy some stuff at SM Centerpoint though I'm having a hard time walking with a right sore foot. When I got back, Migmig just fell asleep so I joined her till she woke up. The rest of the afternoon was pretty boring as I went online in the afternoon outside before having a merienda of congee. At night, I did some laundry as well as reading Sunday's paper before going to bed.

Monday: I got up pretty early at almost 7:00am as I'll try to apply for an SSS ID after two and a half years. I had breakfast first of congee with egg before walking along Legarda to SSS. My wife told me that her sister applied for an ID there so I had to give it a try as well. The process didn't take me that long as I just had to convert my weight and height before having my picture taken and doing a digital signature of mine. I got back at almost 9:00am as I took care of Migmig right away. After Migmig got her bath, I was able to go online but only for less than 2 hours before she got up and wanted to go down. She had her lunch with Nanay while I was able to have my own lunch. Then, her aunt took the chores of taking care of her later in the afternoon and took her back upstairs for her afternoon nap. I got some snacks at Mc Donald's and spent some time there before ordering some more for the folks back home. Migmig was awake by the time I got back so I gave her some french fries before her mom arrives. I went online at 9:00pm and almost two hours later, we put our baby to sleep. At first she didn't want to until her mom moved to another room so she could finish her work leaving our baby crying almost non-stop. Good thing I was able to put her to sleep in a few minutes before getting some sleep again. Had to be awake at past 1:00am as I need to check my games before heading back to sleep.

Tuesday: My mom paid us a visit as I got up when I heard her voice. She took Migmig down as I got to do some morning rituals. After she left, we went outside to have some fun in the sun before getting back in time for her bath. I am tasked to put my daughter to sleep in the morning so my wife could get ready for work. I fell asleep again and got to my senses at past 12:30pm. I didn't rush because I need to take my laptop with me to edit some photos in the office. I took a quick stop at 7-11 in Buendia to grab 2 pieces of siopao since my tummy started to grumble already. I arrived late at almost 3:00pm as my colleagues from the morning were wrapping up. My boss gave me a special task that took some time away from my post-processing and doing other things but anyway, I got to do most of them. I had dinner at Jollibee since I need to do as much work as I can so I could lessen my work load when my last day comes. I took a cab after my shift and went online for a few more minutes before finally going to bed.


Wednesday: Since I slept at past 3:00am, I only had less than 5 hours of sleep before I took Migmig out for some fun in the sun. But I think my daughter still enjoyed it though she knows I'm still sleepy. I did got in the office late again but it doesn't matter anyway. I've been multitasking at my best. Doing work while editing photos at the same time plus checking my wife's game every now and then XD. I had my snack at Soup Kitchen which I haven't visited in recent weeks. I made sure I enjoyed my soup and salad combination to keep me nourished and awake for the entire shift. For dinner, I wanted Hainanese Chicken at Wai Nam Kee but heavy rains made it hard for me to go there. Even with my jacket with me, I got really soaked in the rain going to Ayala Triangle Garden. But alas, the resto was already closed at 9:00pm (they usually close at 10:00pm) so I got pissed-off and had Jollibee again for the second straight night. When I got back in the office, I was so drenched in the rain I wanted to take all my clothes off and dry-up. Well I tried to have my shoes dry-up as much a possible before calling it a day and took a cab home.


Thursday: My eyes got open before 6:00am as Migmig was hungry for Milk so I prepared her bottle before going back to sleep. Then, we all got up at past 8:00am as I feel pretty much okay. My daughter and I went out to have a walk as well as have a session at Mc Donald's where she uses the spoon and fork again. I think she's pretty cranky as she didn't finish her food plus she flip her container upside down. Well, I just have to be more patient and teach her more. We went back home as her mom just finished taking a bath. She gave a bath to our baby after before we went upstairs. I was able to go online for a couple of minutes before getting ready for work. I grabbed some Iced Mocha at Krispy Kreme and some lunch at Jollibee before heading to work just in time. I made sure my task as well as other things are finished before doing other things to enjoy. For dinner, I went to Persia Grill to have some kebabs probably for the last time before heading back to the office. After shift, I took a cab going home making sure I could still go online for a few more minutes before going to bed. But before I went to bed, I made sure I sent my RSVP email to sir Jo for the upcoming lecture next week.

Friday: Me and my daughter had breakfast of Siopao and Slurpee at 7-11 after doing some walking in the neighborhood. I tried putting her to sleep early but it took me a while and I fell asleep for a couple of minutes. I didn't take my laptop with me since I'll be the only one on shift. I had lunch outside before taking the LRT2-MRT ride to work. I passed by Tribal Gear to buy my Dutdutan ticket and I was also able to buy their Dutdutan 2012 shirt (XL) thought I felt that its pretty tight on the belly (you know I have a big belly). I arrived in the office a few minutes before 3:00pm as I declare No-Work Day for me (just kidding =P). Actually, the day was pretty slow as I just watched some videos and work on some of my pending blog entries. For dinner, I went to BFast to enjoy some local wagyu as I thought they already closed down for renovations. I didn't stay long there as I had to do other things in the office. Actually, I did a few more tickets before calling it a day and do some of my online work XD.

Saturday: Got up at past 7:30am though I had less than 5 hours of sleep (3:00am). I was able to take Migmig out even if the weather was pretty much warm already. We had pancakes for breakfast at Mc Donald's as my little daughter seems to have already an admirer by kissing her cheeks (Hmmmm. NO can do boy!). We made sure to kill as much time as possible so my wife could finish all chores that she needs to finish. After my daughter took a bath, it was my turn to get ready not for work but to attend something else =P. I had lunch at Manang's in Intramuros before heading off to Asian Institute of Management to attend the Social Good Summit: Manila (I'll write a blog about this). Then I immediately took a cab going to Alphaland Mall at Magallanes to attend the Pinoy_Blogfest 3.0 (I'll write a blog about this). By 9:00am, I took a cab going to the office to go online and check some of my tabs and have my mobile phone charged before going home at past 12:00am.


Friday, September 21

Which side are you on? Pinoy Blogfest 3.0

If you're not busy tomorrow, why not go to Alphatents, Alphaland Southgate Tower near MRT Magallanes Station and join us at Pinoy Blogfest 3.0 as it takes on the Digital Divide. I believe that we should never take only one side but listen to both - that's the best solution to settle some long-term feuds between pro- and anti-Internet piracy supporters.





Staged by Gadgets Magazine, its an annual event not just for techie people but its for everyone who want's to learn and listen to both sides. With the theme "Caught in the Web: Both Sides of the Digital Movement", this event would be filled with exciting activities whether you’re a tech geek, a music buff, a gamer, a fashionista, or just someone who wants to learn and discover new things.




Here is the program for both afternoon (free for everybody who wants to learn) and for Bloggers BIO (By Invitation Only):

01:00pm - 2:30pm, Visual Arts : Canon Crusader of Light SARA BLACK
Sara Black is one of the country’s leading beauty and fashion photographers. She has photographed models and celebrities for almost all of the country’s fashion and lifestyle magazines. In 2009, she released a book entitled When I Look in the Mirror, a series of portraits of women with imperfections with the objective of exposing society’s obsession with perfection.

02:30pm - 3:30pm, Information & Awareness : ATTY. ANN EDILLON on Copyright and Intellectual Property
Atty. Ann Edillon is an intellectual property lawyer with Bengzon Negre Untalan (BNU) Intellectual Property Attorneys. In her practice, she defends creativity, imagination, expression and innovativeness. Aside from her passion for law and justice, Ann is also a licensed medical doctor who advocates good health and safe medicines.

03:30pm - 4:30pm, Band Performances :  DOWNDRAFT  • COLOR IT RED

04:30pm - 5:00pm, Music : Artiste Connect on Online Project Funding
Mark Laccay is Artiste Connect co-founder, art advocate, and marketing head. Mark is an innovative and precise individual with a passion for the arts and an advocate of producing technically-advanced output. He ia an aduio engineer, music producer, artist, entrepreneur and educator. He is the owner of audio post company, Click Multimedia Inc. he has won various awards for Best Sound in Cinemalaya 2007-2010.

Diego Mapa is Artiste Connect’s web manager and music advocate. He is a member of local bands Pedicab, Cambio, Monsterbot, and Tarsius. His band Tarsius is the first local band to press a Colored Vinyl Record in the country without a vinyl release after 20 years, with the help of Artiste Connect. He is also a gig promoter and owns a private audio post studio.

05:00pm - 6:00pm, Band Performances :  Ciudad  •  Taken by Cars


For Bloggers BIO:

06:30pm - 7:30pm, Panel Discussion
Leloy Claudio is assistant professor at the Department of Political Science at the Ateneo de Manila University. he graduated valedictorian from the Ateneo in 2007, and holds a PhD in History from the University of Melbourne. he is author of the forthcoming book Taming People’s Power: The EDSA Revolutions and their Contradictions. Apart from his academic work, he writes political and cultural commentary for GMA News Online.

Mark Robert Dy is a creative industries lawyer who served as a consultant for the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) for three years. He earned his AB Psychology and Juris Doctor degrees from Ateneo de Manila University. In 2011, he received a fellowship to study Copyright and Related Rights under the World Intellectual Property Organization and the British Copyright Council in London.

Jason Conanan is an active member of the Philippine International Jazz and Arts Festival, bassist for Terno Recordings band Hidden Nikki, and the live mixing engineer for Up Dharma Down, another Terno act. He is a licensed electronics engineer, and is currently pursuing his master’s degree in electronics engineering at the Ateneo de Manila University.

07:30pm - 7:45pm, Guest of Honor :  ATTY. ADEL TAMANO
Atty. Adel Tamano is the director for public affairs and communications of The Coca-Cola Export Corporation in the Philippines. He served as president of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila from 2007-2009. He went to the Ateneo de Manila University for his degree in AB Economics and later law (Juris Doctor). He has a master’s degree in public administration from the University of the Philippines and is the first Filipino Muslim to graduate from Harvard Law School (Master of Laws).

07:45pm - 8:15pm, GoodBlog Awards

08:15pm - 9:00pm, Entertainment : Runmanila  •  Black Summer

Pinoy Blogfest 3.0 is brought you by Gadgets Magazine and Coca-Cola, in cooperation with Edifier, NEO Laptops and AOC Monitors, and support from Canon Philippines, HP, Sony, Mili and Divoom, Ginebra San Miguel Premium Gin, Reebok, Supersale Bazaar, Artiste Connect, The Ateneo Musicians’ Pool, and official media partner Manila Bulletin. For more information, please visit www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph/pinoy_blogfest3

See you tomorrow at Bloggers BIO. ^_^

Martial Law's 40th Anniversary and Cybercrime Law (Coincidence or Master Planned?)

We all know that today is the 40th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law (Proclamation No. 1081) placed on the entire country which was proclaimed by former President Ferdinand Marcos. It was simply an Iron Hand with full military power controlled by a single individual (In Tagalog, it was Batas Militar as I recall watching the movie Eskapo back in high school). 


Taken from Google


Well apparently some liked it but most were not. Most people who didn't like it were the first one who revolted from the dictatorship. I'll ask my mom if there is anyone from our family (up to the third degree) joined the revolution against Martial Law.


Taken from FHM's website


As far as I can remember, those days were considered the Dark Ages of Philippine History with a lot of killings, missing people never been found among others. I wasn't even born that time when Martial Law was declared not until the turn of the 1980's. And even when I was a little boy, I had no idea what was going on during those time until recently. I may even say I belong to the Martial Law babies as well :D.


Taken from FHM's website



Too bad, I missed this rally held at Mendiola early this morning as I need to go to work.

Moving forward, there is a new Martial Law cooking after the old one which involves millions of netizens after this plagiarism issue on the RH Bill.


Taken from Google


I've been reading a few blogs about the new Cybercrime Law and it may target bloggers who would do cyber-bullying on a certain individual as the libel clause was already added.


So far, thirteen senators voted yes to the Senate Version on Third Reading of the Cybercrime Law (Loren Legarda, Francis Escudero, Gregorio Honasan II, Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, Pia Cayetano, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Jinggoy Ejercito-Estrada, Panfilo Lacson, Manuel “Lito” Lapid, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Ralph Recto, Vicente Sotto III, Manny Villar), nine has yet to make a vote and only one voted AGAINST it (Teofisto “TG” Guingona: Kudos to you Mr. Senator).

Swabeng Thoughts: This has been done in haste without consulting top technological experts (particularly in the internet and social media). This also violates freedom of expression (same with what Martial Law has done) as I can't imagine our freedom of expression after EDSA revolution may have gone up in smokes. Also Martial Law was passed on the 21st while Cybercrime Law on the 12th. Coincidence? Thank God that Nuffnangers like me still have hope after Country Manager Abe Olandres has already known this issue at hand.

Anyways, to know more about Cybercrime Law, you may check the links from Rappler, Raissa Robles, ABS-CBN News, Inquirer News, and The Official Gazette.

For now, lets expect the worst but do hope for the best.

Tuesday, September 18

Ilocandia Treats at Comida Ilocandia and Spaoay

After attending the Ultimate Taste Test event at Rockwell, I took a cab going to Timog to attend another blogger's event featuring Comida Ilocandia and Spaoay. By the time I got there, I was already soaking wet since the weather is so uncooperative.




When I got there, I was warmly welcomed by one of the organizers as they take me to my seat. As I'm setting-up my camera, Mr Danny Dela Cuesta, introduced himself and explained to us how Comida Ilocandia was conceptualized. He even let us try some of his secret concoction that reminded me of a condiment I am craving for.




Comida Ilocandia offers affordable meals. From rice meals to their bento meals to their refreshments, their slow-cooked specialty will never ever hurt your budget. Even a five-hundred peso budget would be good for 3-4 people who wants nothing but the best Ilocano cuisine. For me, I simply had Vigan longganisa paired with hot steaming rice. It was really a nice fulfilling meal for me as I tried to keep it light (I'm still full from the previous event I've attended.)





After dinner, we were treated to a soothing massage at Spaoay owned and operated by who else but Chef Danny Dela Cuesta. Honestly, I've never had a complete massage before and I'm pretty apprehensive as my right foot was pretty sore which prevents me from walking straight.




As the rooms were pretty much full as my fellow bloggers were already inside having their massage. Me and my fellow blogger had our foot spa/foot massage first but I specified to my attendant to be careful with my right foot. Well he tried to assure me that he'll take good care of my right foot.

My first apprehension on having massage is it tickles me whenever someone touches my skin. But I was completely wrong. My attendant was able to make me feel a bit better and lighter. As I lay my body down (on my stomach), I feel much vigorous as he was able to release all pain points and he almost put me to sleep as I've proven that massages are really effective in making one sleep better.

At the end of the massage session, It was off to another event as my body was completely rejuvenated with the wonders from the north. From my sense of taste to my sense of touch, I feel much better now.

I'm looking forward to comeback for another round of massage plus some gastronomically feast from the north. Thanks Comida Ilocandia and Spaoay for bringing them here to Manila. ^_^

Note: Pictures here are borrowed from Ms Yani with her permission. Once I get my laptop back from repairs, I'll post mine. ^_^

The week that was (September 9 - 15)

Sunday: After Migmig and I got up, we went outside to do some walking before having breakfast at Mc Donald's. I let her use a spoon and fork so she could practice her motor skills as well as her hand coordination. When we got back home, we bugged everybody so they could get up and keep going.After Migmig's bath, my wife took her turn as she went off to Divisoria leaving the baby-sitting chores to me for almost the entire day. Good thing my in-laws were there to take turns in taking care of her while I was able to have lunch and do other things as well. My wife came back home late in the afternoon and I told her its her turn XD. By night time, I feel so tired but I still got to read Sunday's paper before going to bed.

Monday: Got up early at almost 7:00am as I had to do some errands as my wife and her mom will be going to Divisoria to buy our new mattress for our room. When Migmig got up at past 8:00am, I got to take care of her the entire morning. At that point, I got to shout at my baby for her uncontrollable behavior but thank God, I didn't hit her. Yet, I need to control my temper so I don't need to shout at her again. I know its bad and I'm a bad daddy for it.Eventually, I'll learn a lot from taking care of my daughter soon enough. When we went upstairs, I turn on the aircon as its pretty warm in our room and by the time my daughter fell asleep, I was able to go online for probably two hours. By 2:00pm, she got up again and wants to play with her daddy. Nanay went upstairs to feed her lunch. I finished some chores and dressed up as I took my baby to SM Manila for some quality time. When we got to SM, I had to settle some accounts before looking for a place to eat. Since I'm starving, I had my late lunch at Inasal Chicken Bacolod and feed my baby some as well as she's asking for it. Then we had ice cream but I didn't give her much as she's not yet ready for that. Before we went home, we did some grocery as I let her ride the cart while buying some things that my wife needs. Then we took a cab going home which was the best thing I did for the day as it was pretty dark and it could rain any minute. I didn't notice that my baby already fell asleep on my lap that gave me some challenges on taking her home as well as my heavy bag. When I took Migmig upstairs, it started to rain hard. I was able to go online for an hour probably as even thunderstorms didn't wake my sleeping baby up. Not until she got hungry anyway. Good thing my folks arrived one by one until I was able to go online for a while before going to bed.

Tuesday: Got up at almost 9:00am as it was raining the entire morning that made all of us stay in bed and enjoy the weather. When we went down, all of us got busy especially in taking care of our baby. By the time she went back to bed, its almost noon. I went to SM Centerpoint to check if there are shirts for Dutdutan 2012 but they ran out of stock already. Instead, I had lunch at Hainanese Delights and I loved their tofu that complemented my lunch. I took another stop at Tribal in Farmers but they don't have Dutdutan shirts of my size (XL/XXL). My last pitstop was at Krispy Kreme to get some caffeine fix before heading to work. I got in the office at 3:00pm and set-up my PC. I had a call that was pretty urgent as she has to be in the hospital after office hours to give birth. She kinda stressed me out that she should have instead took care of her health first and put aside her office problems later. What stresses me more is our network connection that is extremely slow the fact that we had a 100Mbps connection here in the office. I wonder who's doing some hanky-panky here =P. For dinner, I got out and head to Paseo Center as I wanted some sandwiches from PBCo as well as some coffee (from Krispy Kreme) for accompaniment. When I got back, I enjoyed my dinner while waiting for the clock to strike 11:00pm. Then I took the next bus and head home. I went online for a couple more minutes before calling it a day.

Wednesday: Got up as early as 7:15am as my mom paid us a visit. I went down to do some morning rituals and my mom took Migmig down and spend some time with her. My wife went down shortly to do some chores before we went out for some fun in the sun. After breakfast, we went back and spent the rest of the morning watching TV before my baby's bath. By the time I went upstairs, my baby was still playing and I told her to go to sleep. By 11:00am, she fell asleep, so am I and I got back up at past 12:00pm. I had lunch outside before reporting for work with some pit stops along the way. I got in the office late but not like the other day. I set-up my PC and off I work. I got to resolve some tickets via email while doing my  usual stuff online. I'm pretty sure I'm gonna miss this once I'm gone from Greif. I went out to have dinner at Chicboy before grabbing a cup of coffee at Krispy Kreme then going back to the office. I just waited for my colleague to arrive at almost midnight before logging-off and took a cab going home.

Thursday: I got up late at almost 9:00am and I started doing my morning rituals. But Migmig got up at 10:00am while I'm trying to go online for a couple of minutes. She may have overslept but enjoyed every minute of it. I took her down and spent the rest of the morning there as my wife do her usual morning chores. Even by my lonesome here in the office (plus my boss) our network is so freaking slow. I think our connection at home is much faster. Eventually, our network speed-up again. I had dinner at Chicboy for the 2nd straight night plus a cup of coffee for nightcap before heading back to the office. Though it would affect my right foot, I got to enjoy the benefits of coffee anyway. Work was pretty much steady as I got to do some tickets and calls before calling it a day. I took a cab again since its almost midnight already and I feel very sleepy too. 

Friday: My daughter and I had breakfast at Mc Donald's after we did her morning walk at Nanay's stall. I let her work on her skills to hold a spoon and fork properly. Sometimes, she gets a little bit stubborn which at times our food goes to waste. When we got back home, her mom was up and doing her share. After her bath, I put her to sleep before getting ready for work. By 2:00pm, I just arrived at Rockwell Power Plant Mall to buy some tickets for UTT10 (Rockwell 2) though I need to find where I the Admin Office is. When I was able to determine where it is, I made a quick transaction before finally heading to the office. I hope by the time Migmig is around 5 years old or do, I'll take her there (with her mom) so we could enjoy our stay there more. When I got to the office, I got a little bit busy with work as I got to do some tickets coming off from emails.  Dinner is at BFast for the last time as they have a scheduled renovation within the next few days as well as enjoyed my last dinner over there. I didn't noticed but I spent 2 hours for dinner before going back to the office. Work was pretty much steady as I got to do requests and some tickets. I left the office at 11:45pm hoping I could get a cab pretty quick. Instead, most cab drivers took advantage of the situation by being picky with passengers. If I only had a gun with me, I would have shoot those picky drivers in the head. Instead, I took the long way back home and I got home soaking wet at past 1:00am. I took a quick bath and dried-up while online before going to bed at 3:00am.

Saturday: Got up at almost 9:00am as all of us slept at around 3:00am early this morning. We wasted no time as I got to get a bath and leave home by 11:00am. But when the bus got to SM Manila, it was pretty much flooded that I had to drop-off at Lawton even if the area is flooded as well. I took the LRT to Buendia before getting a cab to Rockwell to attend The Ultimate Taste Test 10: Rockwell's Second (I'll write a blog about this). I stayed there probably until 6:00pm before heading off to Timog to attend a blogger's event c/o Comida x Spaoay (I'll write a blog about this). After having a massage, we were treated to a videoke session (I'll write a blog about this). By midnight, I took a cab heading home as my tongue and foot was hurt the most for the day. I hope by the time I get up the next day, I would feel much better.

Sunday, September 16

Preserving Mankind with Kojie.san Men

How can one preserve the concept of manliness in this modern age of liberal views and cultural influences?




In ancient times, man is known for his masculinity, superiority towards his race. His decision is always final and no doubt about it, can be the law. When we read books about man during ancient times, they look pretty dirty as if they do take a bath once in a blue moon (I take a bath twice a day at the most). Their faces are filled with facial hair (mustache and beard) as well as they sport a long hair which looked good on them but during their time. If women of today would be asked if they wanted to go out with a guy like that, In a flash, they'll say no. 

However, in the 21st century where women wanted to be treated equally with men, I'd say these kind of looks (ancient times) won't look good especially women prefer a clean, shaved man over anyone else. Also women preferred men with moral values over barbaric ones. Given that most men have these good traits and values (both from old and modern times), women would still pick again, a clean, shaved man over a dirty-looking one. 

If you ask me, one should be more conscious on how they look and how would they present themselves with women. Before, it doesn't matter how I look as long as I take a bath once a day. But taking a bath isn't enough. We should also take care of our face and body and prevent any unnecessary odor.

Then I recall a song from a local band with a title of "Mr. Suabe". If you look at him, he looks pretty neat and clean that's why girls do chase after him. Who wouldn't want to get chased by girls right? Probably Mr. Suabe uses Kojie San for men that's why women swoon over him.

Anyway, you could check Kojie San Men's Club at http://www.facebook.com/KojiesanMensClub to know more how to preserve mankind and be the Mr. Suabe women would kill for.

Come next payday, I'll get my own set of Kojie San for men and start to look good, feel good and live up to reloading swabeh back.

Friday, September 14

Getting Ready for the Ultimate Taste Test X (Rockwell Revisited)

It's all systems go for me tomorrow to attend UTTX (better known as The Ultimate Taste Test 10: Rockwell's 2nd Ultimate Taste Test). I have my ticket already and all I need to do is to make sure my stomach is empty for tomorrow as 43 food concessionaires will provide us with their latest samples of their products from appetizers to main dish to dessert to their drinks. I'm pretty sure you're day won't be enough for this event.





Here is the map of where they (concessionaires) will be located starting 11:00am tomorrow.





As far as I recall this event can accommodate 1000 foodies so grab this opportunity to be one of them (us).

See you tomorrow at The Rockwell Tent!

PS. Images were from Our Awesome Planet. You may check his guide at his webpage as well. I'm still coming up with my swabeng thoughts and tips about his event. 

Thursday, September 13

The arrival of iPhone 5

I've been giving hints to my wife that my old phone (Nokia N73 Music Edition) is almost at its end and its not practical to have it serviced. At present she has 5 phones while I have only one. She even offered one or two of her phones to me but I refused. I want an iPhone 5, nothing else =P.

This phone has a larger screen (at four inches) compared with its predecessors with a resolution of 1,136 x 640 or 326 pixels per inch and has a widescreen of 16:9 aspect ratio. Apple had also decided to make this phone thinner overall weighing 112 grams and it is this at 7.6mm making it really lightweight.


The iPhone 5 can be compared with three more smartphones namely Samsung Galaxy SIII (my wife's choice), Motorola Droid RAZR HD and Nokia Lumia 920 (my second pick)


Taken from Mashable


To know more about the iPhone5, you may check it here, here and here.

Well, I could still accept an iPhone5 on my birthday next year which is few months away. Or I hope my wife would give this a a birthday present to me. XD

Monday, September 10

Journeying through Sweet Pea

Last Saturday, we celebrated not just our 6th Anniversary as a couple but also had a foodtrip as far as Mc Kinley Hills. Our destination was at Sweet Pea as I've read a few good reviews. When we got there, the place was all to ourselves and its really quiet at that time.

It took us a while to pick our orders as their food selection was quite fine. And the fact that their menu was leaning towards to the more affordable side, How I wish they could have another one in Manila XD.

For starters, we tried something new so we had a Spinach Bacon and Mushroom Quesadillas (250 pesos). This was a gamble on my end as my wife is not fond of Mexican-type of cuisine, yet to my surprise, she liked it.

With extra budget to spare, we had Beef and Mushroom Quesadillas (250 pesos) to take home.

For soup, we had their version of Squash Soup (145 pesos). I like its texture as well as its taste. Its a must for us to have soup especially when our daughter is starting to enjoy her meals.

Chicken Tropical Fruit Salad (175 pesos). Its a pretty refreshing salad with assorted fruits with sesame dressing. I think I could make my own version from this one. XD

Hot Choco with Marshmallows (100 pesos): Uhm, this one also tastes good as well. I won't comment much on this one as I kinda consider this as my pre-dessert XD. 

Bottomless Iced Tea (90 pesos): This tastes okay XD

Strawberry Lemonade (98 pesos): This one is pretty different as its a combination of Strawberry and Lemonade. 

Grilled Porkchop with Applesauce (295 pesos): This was my wife's choice for lunch. I like the simplicity of its presentation and how my wife loved it. For me, its all that matters. ^_^

Baby Back BBQ (375 pesos): This was my plate. The pork was soft and tender, which was very easy to chew. The house salad and corn on cob makes this dish more balanced. 

Banana Split (245 pesos): With an extra budget, I splurged on one of my favorite desserts. This banana split is good that I had it all to myself as my wife was already full XD.

Our over-all experience with Sweet Pea is pretty much excellent and their menu is pretty much affordable. Its best to go there in the afternoon (weekends) to enjoy some peace and quiet XD.

If only Sweet Pea had another branch near or within Manila, we could have frequented more often and try their other dishes.

Pictures to follow really soon XD

The week that was (September 2 - 8)

Sunday: I got up early to make sure Migmig would be able to get her morning exercise before taking her to her mom. By 9:00am, I was able to leave home and head to SM Mall of Asia to attend Pipho's 7th anniversary event (I'll write a blog about this). For lunch, I had to join the crowd and eat at Hecky's and grabbed an iced coffee before going back to the event. I was event hesitant to buy an R-Strap but eventually, I gave in. I didn't stay the entire event as I need to do other things as well as I'm not feeling well that time. After buying some diapers for Migmig, I took a cab going home so I could spend time with my wife and baby. I got to go online as well for a couple of minutes before going to bed late in the night.

Monday: Migmig and I had breakfast at Mc Donald's as I had to let her practice using some eating utensils. She can, but with more practice, she'd be able to eat on her own. I also did some errands at Llana's while my wife gave our daughter her bath. I just waited for Migmig to fall asleep before getting ready to go back to San Pedro. I left at 12:30pm with two heavy bags and hoping I could get a cab. Instead, I took the two-bus route to Buendia. By 3:00pm, I arrived back home in San Pedro starting to unpack my bags. I kinda missed my old home yet I feel like I'm a stranger to a place where I spend most of my growing years. I ordered pizza as I feel so hungry before taking some of my stuff out to sort and stock in my room. I almost finish the entire box of pizza except for two slices that I left for my mom when she got home. I left home (San Pedro) at 6:30pm but I got to Manila at almost 9:00pm as the bus bound for Manila needs to be filled with passengers so I had to wait (and I fell asleep while waiting). 

Tuesday: Got up a bit early as Migmig was already in her playful self. We went out and enjoyed the morning though we didn't had breakfast at Mc Donald's. Instead, her uncle bought some snacks to fill her little tummy and then we went back just in time her mom just got up. Morning were pretty much busy as my daughter keeps on telling me to go outside. After her bath, I got to put my daughter to sleep at 11:00am but I fell asleep for almost an hour so I had to get up quick and get going. I heard my baby cry so loud I had to check her before leaving. It turned out that she cried some more as I told her I'll be going to work. I took the LRT2-MRT route with stopping at Fully Booked in Gateway to buy another photography book (The Perfect Exposure). I did another stop at SM Makati to stack-up on deodorants for the long haul before arriving the office just in time for my shift. Work was pretty much okay but I felt so hungry since I haven't took any decent meal. I left the office at 5:30pm and head-off to Cabalen in Glorietta 4 to grab some Filipino buffet. I liked their selection but as time goes by, my stomach's ability to store food gets smaller and smaller as time passes. I couldn't even get a second serving of the same dish. After dinner, I head-of to the nearest restroom to dump XD. Then, I checked Fully Booked in Greenbelt to buy some magazines that are already available (September 2012 covers) before going back to the office. I enjoyed the rest of my shift before taking a cab home to be with my family and play some more cafe land. XD

Wednesday: With a rainy weather in the morning, Migmig and weren't able to go out as well as Nanay as they didn't set-up their clothes to sell for today. I let my wife get up early while taking Migmig out but within the area only. After her bath, she played some more and I got to change her diapers (she pooped) before she fell asleep at 12:00pm. I had to get ready for work and fast. With a hungry stomach, I had lunch at a nearby eatery in our place before taking the LRT2-MRT ride to the office. I grabbed some iced mocha at Krispy Kreme before beating the clock at 1:59pm XD. With some little network issues, its pretty hard to catch-up on tickets as well as on some of my games. Good thing our network has been restored after a couple of minutes. But eventually, our network connection is pretty much slow for the entire shift. For dinner, I was pretty hesitant to eat at Chicboy but I went there only to get disappointed that my order was not available. Next stop, Krispy Kreme to grab a cup of coffee and some pull-aparts while reading today's paper and giving my head some breather.When I got back, I just continued playing until it was time to go home. I took the next bus and got home by midnight. Before going to bed, I made sure I shaved to have a clean look in preparation for job hunting again.I let my wife go online as I joined Migmig to dreamland.

Thursday: My eyes were still shut when Migmig woke me up and apparently wanted to go out already. We went down and out as her uncle let her walk along the market. That gave me time to have a breakfast of bananas and wheatgrass XD. When they came back, we strolled the other way as I got to feed her with some native delicacies. As we got back home at 9:00am, her mom was still snoring so she had to wake her up XD.  Again, our morning got fast as everyone was pretty busy and after Migmig's bath, I was able to get a breather. When I was about to go upstairs and put my daughter to sleep, she's sleeping already but she was able to drink the milk that I prepared. I went online for an hour before getting ready for work. I got another iced mocha before beating the buzzer again at 2:00pm. Work was pretty much steady as my colleague did most of the job XD. I had my early dinner at Chicboy as I wanted to eat early and on time as much as possible. With my dental problem, eating wasn't as pleasurable as it was before but I have to endure pain so I could get nourished with the food I'm taking. I got back in the office early to continue working until 11:00pm. I took the next bus going home as my wife was already fast asleep. I went online for a few minutes before joining them to bed. 

Friday: I had to get up at 7:30am as Migmig was already playing in our room and even her mom was much awake than I am. I took her down so she could walk with her uncle while I had a bite at 7-11. When they got back, I took her to a different place before finally heading back home to rest. Since my wife was up early (good job) everything was done early as well and I was able to put Migmig to sleep at 10:15am. I took that time to doze-off as well until I got up at 12:00pm. I didn't rush myself as I ate lunch at a carinderia nearby before taking the LRT2-MRT route. I grabbed some ice cream at BTIC before running late in the office. Work was pretty much steady as I got to fix some requests and tickets. I was supposed to have dinner early but I had to do some more requests as well as answer some calls. By 8:00pm, I was able to go out and have dinner at BFast using my voucher. While I'm there, they told me that they will be renovating the resto for a month so I had to ditch my plans to eat there on the 28th and use my last voucher probably next week. After dinner, I was able to enjoy the rest of my shift before logging-off and took the next bus home. My wife was sleeping soundly when I got home so I went online for a couple more minutes before going to bed as well.

Saturday: Got up early as Migmig was again already up and wanting to go outside. I let her walk to her heart's content before having breakfast at Mc Donald's. I'd have her use spoon and fork while eating and again, I enjoyed teaching her the proper way to use them. My wife and I made sure Migmig gets her morning sleep before we get ready as we head-off to Mc Kinley Hills in Taguig to have lunch at Sweet Pea (I'll write a blog about this). We left home at past 1:00pm and took the LRT2 to Cubao before getting a cab to Mc Kinley Hills. After our late lunch, I let our daughter enjoy the place as she kept on chasing the doves that went down to have some feeds. I was able to take some good shots of her with the birds as well as some other places before my wife told her to get some rest as she's tired already from running around. We took a cab heading home as it took us around 30 minutes or more going back home. When we got back, all of us took an hour of rest before enjoying the rest of the night especially for our daughter. By midnight, all of us are back in the room to get some much needed rest for the day ahead.

Friday, September 7

Swabweng Thoughts: Loading and Re-Loading P.O.R.N.

Its not what you think you dirty reader you =P. 

If I'd promote or include pornography here, I should have wrote Porn or porn that way instead of P.O.R.N =P. 

But let me tell you first how it got through my sleepy head while I'm on my way to work.=P

I was riding the LRT2 bound for Cubao when I was thinking what to write again despite having a whopping 100 drafts already in my list. I recall an April Fool's Post a few months back. It could have been my make or break post should have I decided to add it on our weekly comments-exchange but I decided not to and just move on. Going back to P.O.R.N., its pretty easy what does it stand for (from my point of view). 

P for Personal. Majority of my posts here are personal and usually what comes between my mind and my heart (Shucks!). Since I do post some photos here, my P can be Photos/Pictures as well. As a hobbyist, posting pictures makes a lot of impact not just on my blog but everyone else as well.

O for Opinions. Well I do post what I think and I'd say all of them are my opinions from almost all aspects I've encountered in my day to day life. Be it I'm in favor of something or against it, its how I think of it and if some doesn't agree with it I just have to deal with it and respect theirs. My O can be Observations too whenever I do lurk from one page to another sometimes.

R for Reviews. Most people don't know that I do reviews (personal) of what I eat, where I go, what I use and the lists goes on and on. As most of them got good reviews from me, there are a few (I think) that failed by my standards. Whenever you like it or not, your R can be Rave or Rants on something or anything under the sun. And again, those are my opinions =P

N for News. Like it or not, almost everybody posts about the latest news and scoops together with their personal opinions. From having more fun in the Philippines to Senator Sotto being cyber-bullied, Almost all blogs I've read contain those. The question is should I post every news whether its a hot topic or not?

Well, I guess this how I do P.O.R.N. in blogging. How about you, do you P.O.R.N. too? =P 

Thursday, September 6

Your September Covers

Well, -ber months are here and the weather is getting pretty much cooler and cooler. Ever wonder who would be the covergirl/coverboy of you favorite magazines? Let me share you and my initial impressions.

1. FHM Philippines (Melissa Ricks): At last, she finally say yes to FHM after years of waiting. I guess this would be perfect to start our September.


FHM September 2012


2. Rogue (Olivia Medina): I have no Idea who she is but the cover is interesting with the Style + Design issue. I have yet to grab a copy as its not yet available.


Rogue September 2012


3. Esquire Philippines (Ramon Ang): After Ben Chan, another tycoon is featured in this months edition. Did Ramon Ang bought the whole world? Will see.


Esquire September 2012


As of press time,I have to see what Playboy and UNO (they're coming back) has to offer. So now head to your nearest bookstore and grab a copy. XD

Pipho 7: The event I didn't completed.

I was anticipating for this event in a long time a few months back. but when the day came, it was like, something was missing. Could be the enthusiasm I used to have when I was starting taking pictures. Or probably something else.

I got to SM Mall of Asia at almost 10:00am and I already saw a long queue at the Music Hall at the back so I joined the crowd and sign-up. For a minimal fee, I got my ID, some free snacks and bought myself a shirt as a souvenir for the event.

Since I was by my lonesome, I didn't stay put at the venue though I am looking forward to listen to the speakers invited at the event. Instead, I just stayed outside the venue and look around for some good buys.

I was able to buy a camera strap that I'm sure would be useful in the years to come and tested it. It felt much lighter having a camera strap compared to carrying it all the time with your hand. 

Anyways, pictures to follow soon. 

Wednesday, September 5

Growing Orchids: Its more fun in the Philippines Opening Day

When it comes to orchids, I'm not the best person to ask to nor the person to seek advice with. More so, I'm not a big fan of orchids as I don't have a green thumb. XD

Yet I had a chance to check out the Orchid Show last August which was held at Quezon City Memorial Circle. Thanks to Mr. Lawrence Chan for inviting me to this event as I got curious on how broad these group of orchids are.

Before the opening ceremony started, I was able to take some pictures of the orchids while Lawrence gave me some lecture on their scientific names as well as on how they thrive in an environment like ours. But most of their scientific names are pretty long and I'm not the type of person who can recall each and one of them.

Anyway, here are some of the shots that I took as he labeled it one by one on my facebook account.


Vanda Sanderiana



Prosthechea Cochleata aka octopus orchid / squid orchid


Nepenthes Truncata


Dendrobium Thongchai Gold


Cycnoches Jean E. Monniers


Tillandsia Xerographica


BLC. COED Malvarosa


I hope I could attend the next Orchid Show so I could take more pictures. XD

Will be adding some more pictures here in the next few days. XD

Tuesday, September 4

Lego Exhibit at SM Mall of Asia

Last Wednesday, while waiting for my friends at SM Mall of Asia for the UNO event, I happen to pass by around this Lego Exhibit. I thought it was a re-run of their previous exhibit but it turn out to be a different one.

I took out my camera even if I forgot to charge my batteries (good thing I brought my charger with me) as I took some quick snaps of the exhibit. Eventually, I spent an hour or two looking for interesting angles and vantage points.  

I got to check some of Lego's toys on sale. If I only had more than enough money, I could have bought something for my daughter to try on and experiment with. 

Looking forward to more Lego Exhibits soon. 

Pictures to follow soon. XD

The week that was (August 26 - September 1)

Sunday: Got up early as I took Migmig out for a walk before having breakfast. Then we got back to wake her mom up to get going. We were suppose to leave home early but since my wife moves pretty much slow, I need to do some changes. We took the LRT ride before taking a cab in Cubao. We got at BGC at around 3:00pm and we went straight to Elias to have lunch there. After our long lunch, we spent more time outdoors as I took some pictures of my daughter while running into a new environment and let her mom catch her. I took time to take her to different spots along BHS Central which was my wife and my baby's first (its my second BTW). As the sun sets, we took a cab heading home as all of us got so tired even Migmig fell asleep. When we got home, I went out to go online to catchup before going to SM Centerpoint to do some additional groceries. I got to reading Sunday's paper as well and went to bed.

Monday: Migmig and I went out to do our morning routine of walking before having breakfast at Mc Donald's. When we got back, I helped my wife in cleaning our room as it collected lots of dust from the last time we had our general room cleaning in November. After cleaning the room, I took Migmig upstairs so she could get her nap. While she's sleeping, I got to do some cleaning of my own and read some of my magazines that I've bought as I make sure the aircon is on so my baby sleeps soundly. When Migmig got up, we went to Nanay to have my baby walk. We had some snacks at Mc Donald's as she's hungry already. When we got back, I went online for almost 2 hours to catch up before going back home. I enjoyed the rest of the night before going to bed as I've got work for the week ahead. 

Tuesday: Again, breakfast was courtesy of Mc Donald's after having a walk with my daughter. Before going to work, I made sure my baby was already sleeping. On my way to work, I grabbed some magazines and a book by FHM from Fully Booked at Gateway before heading off to The Landmark for lunch at Sisig Hooray. I arrived late but work was pretty much steady as my colleague was doing most of the damage. I grabbed coffee from Krispy Kreme for me to keep myself awake while doing some comment exchanges from different blogs I visit. Dinner is at Chicboy even if I don't feel hungry as I wanted to eat on time unlike when I'm home in Sampaloc, meal time differs depending on what time Nanay cooks. Work was pretty much boring as I got to do some comments exchange instead for the past three days (Saturday-Monday). After shift, I took the next bus going home even if I feel very sleepy by that time.

Wednesday: For the 3rd straight morning, Migmig and I had breakfast at Mc Donald's for me to kill some time so my wife could get some additional rest. Then I took her to Llanas to do some groceries before heading back home. I left home at 1:00pm as I forgot to charge one of my batteries for the shoot. By 2:15pm, I'm at SM Mall of Asia and went straight to Sweet Inspiration to have a Mongolian Buffet for lunch. I thought I won't be able to finish my second plate but I stayed there long enough for me to be able to finish everything as my tummy went round again XD. Then I strolled around MOA and I got to see an interesting exhibit from Lego that was pretty much different from the exhibit I saw last year (I'll write a blog about this). I forgot to charge my batteries so I had to do a stop at Starbucks to have it charged. Thank God there are plenty of electrical sockets to plug my charger to while killing some time inside. Also I have to wait some of my friends there as all of us would head off to 1Esplanade to attend UNO's UNOversity event (I'll write a blog about this).After the event, we went to the nearest Shakey's to share stories and spend more time joking each other. I took a cab on my way home as my friends dropped me off along Edsa-Shaw Blvd. When I got home, my wife was fast asleep so I went online until 3:00am since I won't be reporting the next day anyway XD.

Thursday: Got up at almost 8:00am as I am expecting that my mom will pay us a visit. When Migmig and I went down, my sister was there as well. Good thing they spent more time at home which helped me do other things as well as I let my baby wake her mom up. Then we got busy again as Migmig's bath was already in the works. After that, I took a breather before putting my baby to sleep. I was able to go online once she slept but only for a few minutes as I need to go somewhere else. I went to QC Circle to attend the opening of an Orchid Show as a good friend of mine invited me (I'll write a blog about this). After the opening ceremony, we had dinner at a nearby restaurant as we share stories. The people I am with are an interesting bunch as I got to listen to them and we parted ways at almost 9:00pm. With time to spare, I got to spend some personal time at Starbucks along West Avenue as I think and plan what to do after my contract ends. I know I won't be generating income but I wanted to be productive in one way or another. By 11:30pm, I took a cab heading home and went online until 2:00am before finally going to sleep.

Friday: Got up at almost 8:00am as I feel so tired and sleepy as I didn't have enough sleep for the past few days. I took Migmig out for a walk and she seemed to enjoy it. I had breakfast at 7-11 and bought some bread for my baby but she had some other food to eat so we went back home. However, she still wanted to go out  so I had to take her out sparingly. We went to other places that she seldom visits so her eyes would have a different view to see. Then my wife give our baby a bath while I rested for a while before doing some chores, When I got up to put Migmig to sleep, I was a little bit surprised that she slept early so I was able to get ready for work. I know I'll be by my lonesome for my shift so I played some Cafe Land as well for the first time. Its pretty much enjoying as I was able to level-up as high as I can.By dinner, I had wagyu at BFast but I didn't had as much as I can because there's no one in the office so I had to eat as quickly as I could. Well work was not that much as I waited for my colleagues to arrive before heading home, but not until almost 1:00am as I got hooked on this new game (cafe land) XD.

Saturday: All of us woke up late at 9:30am. I did some morning rituals before taking Migmig out to Llanas to do some groceries. When we got back, her mom got up as well so I was able to feed her some breakfast. Since my baby took her bath late, I had to take a bath for work after her. Going to the office was pretty much fast and smooth as I was able to grab a cup of coffee at Krispy Kreme and went straight to the office. I warmed up my laptop as I started playing Cafe Land again XD. It was pretty challenging to manage not one but two games as I need to play my wife's cafe for a period of time. I got a call that I need to figure out how the problem started and what would be the best fix. In the end, I got to fix the user's issue ^_^. I did some photo editing as well to lessen my backlogs but with some upcoming events I feel that I need more time to do this XD. Dinner was at Jollibee and I ate dinner good for two person XD. I wanted to go home early but my colleague arrived late at almost midnight so I had to wait for him while playing cafe land. I took a cab heading home to get the rest that I needed.

Sunday, September 2

Swabeng Thoughts: 10 Things Science Says Will Make You Happy

I accidentally saw this article from Yes Magazine and I find it really interesting. What makes us happy? Here are some Swabeng strategies for making you happy (based from studies from all over the world to find out how things like money, attitude, culture, memory, health, altruism, and our day-to-day habits affect our well-being)


Taken from Yes Magazine's Website.


1. Savor Everyday Moments: Pause now and then to smell a rose or watch children at play. Study participants who took time to “savor” ordinary events that they normally hurried through, or to think back on pleasant moments from their day, “showed significant increases in happiness and reductions in depression,” says psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky. 


2. Avoid Comparisons: While keeping up with the Joneses is part of American culture, comparing ourselves with others can be damaging to happiness and self-esteem. Instead of comparing ourselves to others, focusing on our own personal achievement leads to greater satisfaction, according to Lyubomirsky. 


3. Put Money Low on the List: People who put money high on their priority list are more at risk for depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem, according to researchers Tim Kasser and Richard Ryan. Their findings hold true across nations and cultures. “The more we seek satisfactions in material goods, the less we find them there,” Ryan says. “The satisfaction has a short half-life—it’s very fleeting.” Money-seekers also score lower on tests of vitality and self-actualization. 


4. Have Meaningful Goals: “People who strive for something significant, whether it’s learning a new craft or raising moral children, are far happier than those who don’t have strong dreams or aspirations,” say Ed Diener and Robert Biswas-Diener. “As humans, we actually require a sense of meaning to thrive.” Harvard’s resident happiness professor, Tal Ben-Shahar, agrees, “Happiness lies at the intersection between pleasure and meaning. Whether at work or at home, the goal is to engage in activities that are both personally significant and enjoyable.”


5. Take Initiative at Work: How happy you are at work depends in part on how much initiative you take. Researcher Amy Wrzesniewski says that when we express creativity, help others, suggest improvements, or do additional tasks on the job, we make our work more rewarding and feel more in control.


6. Make Friends, Treasure Family: Happier people tend to have good families, friends, and supportive relationships, say Diener and Biswas-Diener. But it’s not enough to be the life of the party if you’re surrounded by shallow acquaintances. “We don’t just need relationships, we need close ones” that involve understanding and caring.


7. Smile even if you Don't Feel Like It: It sounds simple, but it works. “Happy people…see possibilities, opportunities, and success. When they think of the future, they are optimistic, and when they review the past, they tend to savor the high points,” say Diener and Biswas-Diener. Even if you weren’t born looking at the glass as half-full, with practice, a positive outlook can become a habit.


8. Say Thank You like you Mean It: People who keep gratitude journals on a weekly basis are healthier, more optimistic, and more likely to make progress toward achieving personal goals, according to author Robert Emmons. Research by Martin Seligman, founder of positive psychology, revealed that people who write “gratitude letters” to someone who made a difference in their lives score higher on happiness, and lower on depression—and the effect lasts for weeks.
 

9. Get Out and Exercise: A Duke University study shows that exercise may be just as effective as drugs in treating depression, without all the side effects and expense. Other research shows that in addition to health benefits, regular exercise offers a sense of accomplishment and opportunity for social interaction, releases feel-good endorphins, and boosts self-esteem.


10. Give it Away, Give it Away Now: Make altruism and giving part of your life, and be purposeful about it. Researcher Stephen Post says helping a neighbor, volunteering, or donating goods and services results in a “helper’s high,” and you get more health benefits than you would from exercise or quitting smoking. Listening to a friend, passing on your skills, celebrating others’ successes, and forgiveness also contribute to happiness, he says. Researcher Elizabeth Dunn found that those who spend money on others reported much greater happiness than those who spend it on themselves.


Why not give it a try and let's be happy for a change... I'm sure you deserve to be happy. ^_^

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