Experiences in Korea and Much More: Everything Kimchi

2012 Scholarship in Korea

2012-01-31T01:49:00.001-08:00

Guideline for 2012 KGSP Graduate Application

"Korean Government invites 322 international students from 100 countries who wish to pursue a master's or doctoral degree in Korea. To apply for this program, you should contact one of the 1st Selection Institutions (90 Overseas Korean Embassies or 51 Domestic Universities) and submit the application no later than the mid-March. For more details, please refer to the attached." [sic]

Visit niied.go.kr -> click "Korean Government Scholarship Students" -> click "Notice" -> click "Guideline for 2012 KGSP Graduate Application" dated January 30, 2012, to download the pertinent documents for the application.

Good luck! ^^

Face and Fingerprint Scan for Foreigners

2012-01-02T18:33:00.000-08:00

Fingerprints and facial recognition will now be required for all inbound foreign visitors to Korea starting January 2012. This process was first required in July for longer-term visitors.

Except for people exempt from mandatory submission of such information by law (e.g. foreign government officials, international organization representatives, etc.), any foreign visitor aged 17 or older will be obligated to go through a fingerprint and facial recognition registration process at immigration at all ports and airports across Korea.

------
If only we could have something like this in the Philippines, not only for foreigners but more so for the citizens. Thing is, the public trust in the government is not far from rock-bottom and a national/foreign ID can easily be misconstrued as a political weapon against an opposition, individual or group. I'm thinking, however, if the process of safeguarding and recalling private information being assigned to a public-private entity would make any significant difference in terms of delimiting information access only on the basis of highly defined criteria and substantiated security concern.

Full-time Nanny

2012-01-02T02:35:00.000-08:00

Happy new year everyone!
I'm posting this entry for anyone who is interested in nannying a one-year old baby boy in Bucheon City, South Korea (5-minute walk from Yeokgok Station). The baby's mom is a full-time professor and is in need of a stay-in nanny from 8am to 7pm. The mom was my professor and friend. She can speak excellent English and is a very generous and God-fearing woman. I expect no less from the nanny. She specifically wants a Filipino nanny as she trusts the nature and conscience of Filipinos.

If you are interested, or if you know anyone who might be willing to work in Bucheon, please contact me at (0 1 0 555 8 13 eighty six).

Too Many to Mention

2011-12-28T07:13:00.000-08:00

"Another star with Pinoy roots joins Glee cast." I really think that we should stop basking in the reflected glory of Filipino artists making waves abroad. We've already proven that Fil artists can, and in too many an instance, in fact. We need to revel in something more than this, something that can translate mere "national pride" to more significant movements and change.

Another singing with a drop of Filipino blood in X-Factor, yeah. Just another brick in the wall for me.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/entertainment/10/06/11/another-star-pinoy-roots-joins-glee-cast

Visa Requirements for Studying in Korea

2011-12-11T18:14:00.000-08:00

This is a scan of the latest requirements printed on DFA's pamphlet.

Tara at manguna! ^^

2011-12-10T18:19:00.001-08:00

Naisip ko lang habang nagbabrowse ng photo album sa FB ng Korean and Japanese friends ko...hindi lang sila simpleng litrato ng isang grupo ng mga international students, nakita ko ang isang karera ng henerasyon.

Hindi ko naman gaanong nararamdaman na mahuhuli ang henerasyon natin kapag nagtagpo tayo at sila sa edad ng karaniwang pamumuno. Marami naman satin ang nasa ibang bansa rin (at kahit ang mga nananatili sa Pilipinas) para magaral, at hindi madalang ang mga nakakakuha ng parangal at nagtatagumpay sa mumunti nilang pamamaraan.

Inaalala ko lang, at alam kong hindi lingid sa atin, na may kiling ang iba sa atin sa metalidad ng pagiging pangkaraniwan, basta mairaos lang, o kung hindi man, eh simpleng katamaran.

Scholarship in Korea, Gyeongju University

2011-12-09T02:38:00.000-08:00

Gyeongju University International School (GUIS) is now accepting students who are interested to take a Diploma Course or a Second Degree. Full scholarships offered to alumni of sister universities and half scholarships to ALL foreign nationals. Programs offered: Culinary Arts and Science, International Tourism English, Business Management, Hotel Management, Tourism Management, Taekwondo, Cinema and Photography, Electricity, Energy and Electronic Engineering, Korean Language and Culture classes.

Building 63 in Seoul

2011-12-07T07:39:00.000-08:00

You would not have missed the tall, golden, glimmering building if you're riding the train from Incheon to Seoul. What you are seeing is called Building 63 for an obvious reason. Below is a scanned brochure containing the things that you can find in the building. Things are a bit pricey in there but the sights and activities are worth the bucks.

Free online space

2011-12-06T03:12:00.000-08:00

If you're looking for a service that lets you upload and download files anytime, consider making a dropbox account: http://db.tt/GdpYgcvZ. Use the link to make one. It's the most reliable file storage and sharing website I've ever tried so far.

CJ Korea Internship

2011-11-15T20:28:00.000-08:00

CJ Recruiting
[탐님] CJ그룹 Global 신입인턴 모집! *기간:11.14(월)~11.27(일)23시까지 *대상:2012년 2월졸업예정 외국인 유학생* 채용 설명회:11/19(토)CGV왕십리 15시~19시 지원서접수:http://t.co/hwYe5ttK

Click on the link above to apply for the internship Good luck :D

Midterms, 2011 Fall Semester

2011-10-21T08:27:00.000-07:00

An admonition worth pondering about this exams week.
Thesis + advanced statistics exams = death by reading. T_T

Scholarship in Europe

2011-10-17T07:31:00.001-07:00

Never get tired of writin' em essays! I'm sure yhis one's worth a shot!
(This scholarship info is from the ASEAN Fb group)

Scholarship in Asian Countries

2011-10-09T23:19:00.000-07:00

I got this from the ASEAN University Network Secretariat. Test your fate and send your application way before the deadline!

Gangnam Fashion Festival

2011-09-30T18:22:00.001-07:00

We're going on Oct. 9th, when Rain (Bi) will hold his last public appearance before entering the military. The other days have amazing programs as well, so we're choosing two dates to visit and shop.

Venue: Coex Mall
When: from Oct 1-9

Embers of Confession

2011-09-28T20:15:00.000-07:00

There are mornings that I wake up in a trance even before I east breakfast and I just feel compelled to write the words down. They flow from nowhere and it's a waste not to grab them by the tail. So here's today's catch.

--------------------
Embers of Confession
-------------------

Behind the ember walls you hide,
Struggling to disclose your spirit.
The ashen chimney, and the frosted walls
Belie to your self,
What is behind the ember doors.

Through the glass I stare,
With dried drops of rain, those impure dots!
Hazing my sight of you,
The fumes that billow they don't help,
Clouding the carnal imagery we suppress.

I burst through your ember doors, for I couldn't help it.
And what a being to see!
Your hands gracefully lying on the edge of the bed,
Grasping a photo, of me, ornamented with embers of desire...

Squeeze out your remaining courage
And let's jump out the window.
You and I, dead on the grass.
Birds feasting on our love-soaked corpse.

Inha University Scholarship (Korea Scholarship)

2011-09-10T17:42:00.000-07:00

Inha University is one of the most prestigious educational institutions in Korea that is renowned for its engineering department. The uni offers scholarship biannually. So try your luck and collect all those required documents!

Download the brochure for a better view.

Enjoy Everland this Summer!

2011-09-08T01:36:00.000-07:00

Going to Everland is not really something a student like me can do in a whim--till now. Everland is giving out discount coupons that are valid until Sept. 14. Download and print the coupon below. Don`t forget to bring your alien registration card with you.

This will be my last stretch for Summer!

Global Korea Scholarship

2011-09-06T20:28:00.001-07:00

The Embassy of the Republic of Korea announces the opening of the application for the 2012 Korean Government Scholarship Program for International Students for an Undergraduate Degree.

The Korean Government Scholarship Program aims to provide international students with an opportunity to conduct advanced studies at higher educational institutions in Korea in order to promote international exchanges in education and mutual friendship between countries.

Academic Programs:
Undergraduate degree courses (4 years) after preliminary Korean Language course (1 year)

Scholarship Period:
March 1, 2012 to February 28, 2017

Scholarship Benefits:
- Round-trip airfare
- Monthly stipend
- Tuition Fees & Korean Language Training Expenses
- Medical Insurance
- Settlement and repatriation allowance

Application Deadline:
Deadline for sending the applications is on September 30, 2011

Place of Submission:
Embassy of the Republic of Korea
122 Upper McKinley Road,
McKinley Town Center,
Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City 1634
-----
This is a repost from the Philippine Embassy in Seoul, South Korea. Please visit the site for the application document.

Teach in Korea

2011-08-31T17:43:00.001-07:00

Gyengju University is recruiting more Filipino professors with the following qualifications:

1. a Master's degree (regardless of major)
2. PhD is an advantage
3. with more than 3 years of teaching experience in the University/College

Interested applicants may send their CVs to me (emelyabagat@yahoo.com) or directly to larrychong@hotmail.com or lc0703@gmail.com.

Press to Bobofy

2011-08-30T17:19:00.000-07:00

UK Scholarship for Filipinos

2011-08-26T00:15:00.001-07:00

Scholarship Information

Amount: Full tuition fee waivers, accommodation, living expenses and flights to and from London.
Eligibility: You must and hold an offer for a full-time Masters degree and be a student from the Philippines.
Criteria: Academic excellence, financial need and development potential.
Deadline: 31 May 2012

To encourage academically excellent students from the Philippines to attend the university we are offering a full scholarship to a student to study a Masters programme with us.

clicke here for more details.

Teaching Job in Alabang, Muntinlupa

2011-08-18T03:03:00.001-07:00

MIT International School (MITIS), the only international school in Alabang, Philippines that offers K-12 Curriculum and Advanced Placement (AP) courses approved by the College Board, USA, is currently looking for Chinese and Spanish Language Teachers to join its top-caliber team of professionals.

Chinese and Spanish Language Teachers

- Candidate must be fluent in Mandarin/Spanish
- Must possess at least a Bachelor's/College Degree in Education/Teaching/Training or equivalent, preferably Major in Chinese/Spanish Language and Literature
- Good academic credentials
- Applicants may be Filipinos or foreigners
- Fresh graduates are welcome to apply
- Full-Time positions available

Interested applicants may send their resume and credentials to:

The HRD Officer, MIT International School
Alabang-Zapote Road cor. Don Manolo Blvd.,
Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Philippines 1771
T. +632.809.1616 F. +632.809.3280
Email (DOC or PDF resumes) to careers@mitis.edu.ph

Foreign Volunteer Teachers in Korea

2011-08-17T18:15:00.001-07:00

l  MIZY center

MIZY center (Seoul Youth Center for Cultural Exchange) operated by Korean National Commission for UNESCO under the auspices of Seoul Metropolitan government is a specialized place for various cultures, a site of global exchange and understanding.

l  IEWCH program

Integrated Education of World Cultural Heritage (IEWCH) aims to enhance understanding of other cultures and foster appreciation of the values of world cultural heritage by educating our future generations.

l  MIZY is looking for

ü  Foreigners from various countries
ü  Foreigners over 19 years old who have a heart for education
ü  Foreigners interested in Culture, World Heritage and International Exchange field are highly welcomed.

l  Job description & Condition

ü  To deliver lectures about World Cultural Heritage from respective countries
ü  To create visual class materials (Power Point, Images)
ü  To inspire Korean students to be aware of Cultural diversity
ü  Active participation in orientation and group work for preparation is required
ü  This is a volunteering activity but transportation fee will be provided

l  Working Period

ü  September. 2011 ~ December. 2011 ( 5-7 classes during the period)
ü  Training Session
-  Orientation: 31st, August (Wed.) / 3rd, 10th, September (Sat.)
-  Workshop (Simulation Class): 17th / 24th, September (Sat.)
ü  Lectures on Saturday morning 10:30~12:00
(Change available according to schedule)

l  Location:
ü  Elementary schools and Youth centers in Seoul.

l  Rewards

ü  A certificate will be issued
ü  Transportation card provided
ü  Free culture trip
ü  Free trip to Jeju island is awarded to outstanding instructors

l  How to apply

ü  Online application on the website (http://wch.mizy.net)
ü  In case of technical error, please send the resume and application form via e-mail to mizywch@mizy.net
ü  Deadline : 24th, August (Wed.) 23:59

l  Selection Procedure

ü  Outcome of Resume Screening: 25th, August (Thu.) after 4 p.m.
* Successful Candidates will be informed via email and on the website.
ü  Interview: 26th, August (Fri.)
ü  Final result will be announced on 29th, August (Mon.) after 4 p.m. via email and on the website.

[Notice] Successful candidates must participate in the orientation and workshop. If attendance rate is low, selection would be canceled

l  Inquires

02-755-1024, extension 111
E-mail : mizywch@mizy.net
Apply Now ☞ http://wch.mizy.net

Mideo Cruz's Art?

2011-08-13T20:28:00.000-07:00

One basic measure of decency is doing what you do with/to your family. stick a d*ck on your mom's photo (as what the infamous Mideo did to Jesus') and see how everyone reacts. Art for art's sake is bull shit. Everything exists in a relationship, relativity, comparability, compatibility with all others around it. Otherwise, if art exists for itself, it must exist in a void. An art without boundaries is pollution, a trash--an entity which knows not its place.

There's such a thing as responsible artistry.
C'mon UP Fine Arts students! Things are getting contemporarily and neoliberally disgusting over there!

(This post is a reaction to: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/8837/shock-for-shock%E2%80%99s-sake)

A Winter Project

2011-07-12T22:39:00.000-07:00

I had sharpened my pencil this morning and set off to write something I have never attempted before--a novel. I've written poems, dreams, and short stories before but because of forces of circumstance I had to shelve off my drafts. As I dusted off my notebook, it seemed as if a hardening crust of tardiness slowly cracked and peeled off. This one is no different from an experience of rebirth we encounter as some rare moment in our lives. With fingers primed and emotions unsealed, no date can ever be better than today. I'm starting off and typing away.

My novel will be about a person who's always in the middle, a criticism of the golden mean. Whoever says that being in moderation, on average, and in between will ever be mostly good will be challenged to think again. I am not putting up a cerebral fist at Aristotle in any way. This novel is mostly a self-reflective one. I hope the future readers will find it a good mirror, an enlightening surface where they can see themselves being caught in a life full of averageness and non-difference from many points of comparison. As I write, it is also my hope that I can provide some allusions to break the monotonous drama in life.

First Love

2011-07-08T23:45:00.000-07:00

Tried to translate in Korean lines from Adele's song First Love.

So little to say but so much time
많은 시간이 있지만 내 말할 것이 많지 않다.
Despite my empty mouth the words are in my mind
내 빈 입에도 불구하고 내 고개 안에 말이 어슬렁 대다. 난 커피를 마시고 너는 밖에 몇번이고 응시한다.
Forgive me first love but we're through
우리..우리의 관계는 이제 끝이다.. 미안해 첫사랑..
This love has dried up and stay behind...
우리 사랑은 이미 바싹 마르고 뒤에 남았다...

Scholarship to Korea, Winter Semester 2011

2011-06-14T19:49:00.000-07:00

ASEAN Millennium Leaders College Student Exchange Program 2011

The ASEAN University Network (AUN) in collaboration with Daejeon University (DJU) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Korea are now ready to launch the ASEAN Millennium Leaders College Student Exchange Program between the Republic of Korea and ASEAN Nations 2011

Scholarship Information:
Full Scholarships covering tuition fee, room and board, roundtrip ticket, and living allowance, will be offered to 30 students from ASEAN Nations who interested to study in the fields of Social Science and ICT at Daejeon University for the year 2011-2012. The program is developed for international exchange students and classes will be taught in English.

Students will be given a chance to attend a 2-month internship programme at the leading organizations in Korea, namely United Nations-Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication Technology for Development (UN APCICT), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Korea-ASEAN Center, Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS), Korea Nuclear International Cooperation Foundation (KONICOF), Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, etc.

Admission Requirement:

Applicant must be a citizen of ASEAN nations and currently enrolled in College or University.

Undergraduate students majoring in Information Technology (e.g. Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical/Electrics Engineering, Communications Engineering or IT related major) or,

Undergraduate students majoring in Social Science Studies (e.g. Economics, Business, Public Administration, Political Science, International Studies) and Korean Studies

Applicant must has an excellent academic record (Should be in the top 10% of their classes)

Applicant must have a good command of written and spoken English.

Applicant must have a good medical record.

Timeline:
- Application Deadline: July 10, 2011
- Scholarship Announcement: July 30, 2011
- Arrival Date (Fall Semester): September 1, 2011
- Scholarship Period: September 2011 - June 2012

How to Apply:

Interested students should contact their International Relations Office for the application package.

Individual applications will not be accepted.

Applicants must submit the completed package and required documents to the AUN Secretariat through the International Relations Office of their University.

Students must send 1 copy of their complete applications to Daejeon University via mail.

Check with your University’s International Relations Office for result of selection process.

Participating universities are:
Ateneo de Manila University
De La Salle University
University of the Philippines

For more information and/or application form, please contact the AUN Secretariat at pornpen@aunsec.org

Spa in Seoul

2011-06-09T03:47:00.000-07:00

Only two weeks are left before the spring semester ends. Exams. Papers. Stress level: 100, Word count: 0.
OMG.
I had to do something to at least make my body feel relaxed. I hope my mind follows after the matter.
It took an hour and a half to go to a spa in Apgujeong, Seoul that I saw on TV. It is owned my Lee Mi Na, a Korean news anchor. As is expected of spas, the ambiance is very relaxing and the minty scent just adds up to the relaxing and "happifying" feeling. The attendants are very courteous, too. They ushered be to wait on the couch for a while and served me a good brew of jasmine tea. I changed my clothes to a white robe and had a foot bath. I got an hour-long massage and facial, which were really, really super nice. I can't describe with words the tactile satisfaction I got from it but it was sooOo good. I'll go back there again for another detox session.

They offer various services (different kinds of peels, slimming, Oxygen treatment, Power Massage for Men,gold face pack, etc.) but I only availed the basic facial and massage.

How to go to Spa d' El:
Take the orange line. Get of at Apgujeong Station (after Shinsa Station). Take exit 4 and walk straight. After around 30 steps, you'll see Body Shop to your right. Go straight ahead and you'll see Global Plastic Surgery. It's a huge building and you won't miss it. Turn right. Walk for about 30 seconds and you'll see a huge church (forgot the name but it's made of red bricks) to the right. Opposite that church is the Spa. It's located on the 6th floor.

피곤해서 압구정 Spa d' El 갔고 마사지 잘 받았어요. 진짜 좋고 만족이었어요. 스파 가는 길: 압구정역, 4출구 나가고 똑바로 가서 (한3분) Global 성형 외과 볼 수 있어요. 오른쪽가고 (한1분) 큰 교회 보고 Spa d' El 왼쪽에 있어요.

Behavioral Therapy to Change an Effeminate Child

2011-06-08T06:44:00.000-07:00

You can read the full article by following this link.

What I think about this aside from pitying the man, is this:

Homosexuality was considered a disease in the 1970s and it was only recently removed from the DSM-IV list of psychological illnesses. The funny thing is, until now, the most widely stated parallelism between homosexuality and disease is that the former is no different from kleptomania and other behavioral disorders. To move the argument further, ask: Is stealing (being a kleptomaniac) a sin? Should it be treated? One can confidently retort, "Of course!". By extension, is homosexuality a sin? Must it be treated? It's difficult to run counter to the analogy. However, homosexuality being more pervasive differs itself from behavioral illnesses, which are confined to a relatively smaller portion of the human population." Why then, is homosexuality such a widespread and contagious behavioral abnormalcy! And those afflicted must be suffering self-denial as, like the man who took his life in the article, one should not act according to the behavioral congruency of being gay. Thing is, if one dissociates from one's nature, it causes neurosis, it extinguishes life, and it crushes the soul.

Gangnam to the World

2011-06-06T06:10:00.000-07:00

If you're in a foreign country and you know that your time is limited, it is a big shame to spend a weekend in a swivel chair and facebook the day away. It wasn't the case for me, amid the weather being overcast telling me not to go out. I had to set out on a familiar subway route boarding the train from Yeokgok Station and getting off at Gangnam-guchong Station (강남구청역, dark green line), for the district tour organized by Gangnam-gu (강남구). Seoul has 25 districts (구) but it is only Gangnam, as far as my email is concerned, that has sent me an invitation to become an honorary publicity ambassador. It is also only in this district where you will feel an air of sophistication, much like when I visited Manhattan, with the district being dotted with huge business buildings, museums, and commercial establishments. The thing is, I did not feel detached at all from the cultural face that Korea is projecting to foreigners. The culture and tradition was there, intermingled with modernity and much more.

So we arrived at the city municipal office and waited for about an hour for the other participants. There was a bus parked just in front of the building and we rightly suspected that it's for the trip. Sure enough, it was. We were welcomed on board by a very nice tourist guide, a friendly bus driver, and a bag of snacks and a water bottle. Small as the snacks were, they made me feel that the organizers took our needs to heart. The water bottle saved my day.

There were a lot of destinations in the trip but I liked Kukkiwon the most. I thought, gosh, we're going to Korea's top Taekwondo academy, and Taekwondo being Korea's national sport, I must be able to get a glimpse of how jins train hard and execute to perfection Taekwondo routines. The well-built jins started to do Taekwondo moves to a tune, as if it were easy kicking almost to a split and doing the spins and still landing with great balance and composure. The choreography was excellent. But I wanted to see the apples juiced and ply boards splintered. Well, those came right after a sparring, which still was done to a very upbeat tune. Surprisingly, it wasn't just apples and boards, there were swords and bells, too. I was privileged to see such a performance done in a place where Taekwondo was originally founded (Kukki). The exhibitions include jins somersaulting and crushing the apples pierced by the tip of a sword 12 feet up in the air. You can say that that's accuracy. I guess they'd feel awful if their feet touches the sword. And there was this jin who was blindfolded and was just listening to the sound of the bell, using it as his cue as to how distant he is from the apples. With a sharp, powerful somersault, he brought the apples down, and so was the crowd of spectators. At the end of the performance, we were allowed to step in the court and take photos with the jins. I also picked a splinter of wood not as a souvenir but in order to test whether I can break it into two at home, and how painful it is to try.

There were other highlights in the trip like the Garden Restaurant and Samsung D'light. All in all, it was a rewarding Saturday. I got the chance to watch the jins and meet the honorable Mayor of Gangnam Shin Yeon-hee. The freebie didn't stop with the water bottle; everyone also got a USB.

One Lucid Dream

2011-05-19T18:16:00.000-07:00

Suddenly I found myself in a mission to help a certain man. I know he's not a stranger to me because I felt unthreatened following him for the mission. We drove a van into a small Mexican-like village, got off, and started walking through narrow alleys of soil and scattered stones. There were walls enclosing in on us as well as semi-dilapidated houses. You know you're in a shady place if you can just visualize what it looks like. I don't know exactly what we're about to do there but I felt that, as his assistant, going through the narrowest alley leading up to a flight of stairs was the only way to go.

We started to ascend and up there I saw a very beautiful lady. She looks like an American with Middle-eastern descent. Draped over her head till her shoulders is a silk cloth adorned with sophisticated patterns and colors. She did not allow us to see her head, but some big curls escaping the embrace of the veil obviate any need for that. She looks 30-ish, elegant, and wise. She couldn't have been any more as after the conversation she and my friend had, I knew she was living for centuries.

Urdu. That small potion of youth was the key to her eternal beauty. I don't know how my friend met her but it seems like something romantic has been going on between them. For the concoction to be potent, the Urdu needs some ingredients to be acquired. The lady has drank the only bottle left and I suppose it was our mission to obtain the other rare ingredients.

More talks between them, about youth, life, wisdom, love. I was standing in one corner of the room. I saw her figure oscillate between old age and elegance. I was not shocked. Instead, I thought about the powers of the Urdu. "Will you drink it?", asked the lady to my friend? "I will not kill a person", the other replied. It was hard on him. It's as if however strong his love for the lady, extracting a human life for the bottle remains out of the question.

The lady did not dare argue. She has lived a long life. I don't think she's a bad person. Her figure trembled. I saw her arm wrinkle up. Feeling that she would be drawing her last breath any minute now, she invited us to sit on the floor with her, paying more attention to me now than to my companion. She unrolled a small scroll and wrote numbers, marks, and arrows. "8611** is the combination. The instructions for making the Urdu can be found inside this cabinet", she told me, her chest barely touching the ground; only her arm supports her weight.. Her voice is shaking now. White hair covering the sides of her face. I can only see traces of her past glory. In my heart of hearts, I felt relieved that she was able to write everything down for the Urdu can yet be rediscovered. The lady started to loose her mind. She began to babble and doodle on the scroll. I felt awful. "So it's what happens...", murmured my friend.

The lady was not able to bid us farewell for death took her as swiftly as youth runs into her veins everytime she drinks the potion. Her old body now sprawls on the floor as if embracing it.

I know where the Urdu is. When I dream again I shall visit her place.
By the way, I can still remember the number combination after waking up.

Rejoicing

2011-05-12T09:04:00.000-07:00

I was supposed to feel relieved, to say the least, that Bin Laden was killed finally on May 2, 2011 after 2 years short of a decade international manhunt. But something was stirring in my gut. I felt worried and perplexed about the extent Americans have reacted on the issue--jubilant, vengeful, veering towards moral looseness. As a foreign observer, it appears to me that killing Bin Laden can be construed more easily as an act of revenge more than anything else, more than delivering justice to all aggrieved by his terroristic activities, Americans and Muslims alike.
I suppose America would have to live now under more contempt from those who identify and sympathize with what Bin Laden has not brought with him in his death.
We're very fond of saying one's spirit lives on in a good, hopeful sense. But this time, unfortunately, the spirit that the US has tried to exorcise might prove to be inextricable from the corpus of Jihadist men and women.

So, who's the real terrorist?

2011-05-03T19:59:00.000-07:00

If we adhere to the aphorism "one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter", then terrorism, as a concept, is pure BS. All countries that have engaged in war and have built mounds of dead people, then, must be terrorists. And can states (including the civilians) really be terrorists? For me, a terrorist group is a highly committed organization of people whose membership is definite, with homogeneous belief systems. Its behavior inflicts damage without prior announcement, warning or proclamation of intended animosity, and of when and where it will strike. The prior qualification, by extension, can also make one man be labeled as a terrorist.

The US is a baddie, and it's equally (if not more) as bad as the al-Qaeda , but it is not a terrorist.

Modify and/or add your own definition.

Nighttime Thought

2011-04-06T09:33:00.000-07:00

내 방식에서 나는 아름답다
(I'm beautiful in my way)
신은 실수를 하지 않기때문에
('Cause God makes no mistakes)
나는 옳은 길에 있다
(I'm on the right track, baby)
난 이렇게 태어났다
I was born this way!

~Lady Gaga

I just like the lyrics, quite unconventional, bordering on being sacrilegious, which makes me like it more!

Wish it were another Japanese Fiction...

2011-03-15T05:43:00.000-07:00

Can you feel her agony?
You are seeing just one tragic narrative...

God bless Japan.
March 11, 2011

Scholarship to Korea September 2011 (Autumn Semester)

2011-03-12T02:44:00.001-08:00

This is your chance to go to Korea and study!

Daewon University College (DUC), Jechon City, in cooperation with the Embassy of the Philippines in Seoul, is providing scholarship opportunities for Filipino students who are interested in pursuing two-year associate program in the fields of Engineering, Natural Sciences, and Social Service. Scholarship benefits include three-year tuition waiver (1 year Korean language program and two years major education), roundtrip economy air ticket, dormitory and meal allowance.
The scholarship is open to Filipino high school graduates, ages
15 to 25 years old.

Selected students will start their autumn semester on 01 September 2011.

Interested applicants must email Mr. Mylo Fausto, Cultural Officer,
at m.fausto@philembassy-seoul.com for application requirements.

Deadline of application is on 15 May 2011.

http://www.philembassy-seoul.com/ann_details.asp?id=396

Comfy shoes make all the difference!

2011-03-10T20:29:00.001-08:00

If there's anything that I can find inconvenient here in Korea is that it is my having to walk a lot. Unlike in the Philippines where tricycles can transport people for short distances, for example, in subdivisions or baranggays (dong in Korean), people just go on foot to reach their destination. If you're in a subway, one transfer can take you a good one kilometer of walking, 50 or more flights of stairs (elevators are only for the differently abled, elderly, and the pregnant) to have you panting, and another 300 meters of walking to reach a bus stop. Summer and winter do not help much at all, but being a biped is something to be thankful for during Spring and Autumn.

Now, if you're going to Korea, anticipate this. There's no way you'll enjoy the city and the fringes if you won't slip on those comfy pair of shoes. Not that you have to rid yourself of fashion and height (I sometimes wear height-enhancing insoles because Korean men are relatively taller than me, and I'm already 5'8"). You just have to wear flats if you're going out shopping and sight-seeing. Given the imperative of having to walk and enjoy at the same time has made me decide on investing in a very comfortable shoes, not to mention a pair that can also at least deliver a cm or two height increase! ;D

It was Sketchers Shape Ups that did the trick. Not only that it promises improved posture, blood circulation, and soft workout while walking, it did give me an inch of height so I can walk long distances without having to strain my back and my toes. Promenading in Shape Ups also feels like walking on clay; the shoes change their contour according to where my feet puts on more pressure. You'd likely to sweat more than if you were wearing your regular shoes, especially if you're going uphill, but wearing Shape Ups still is such a pleasure you'd have more energy walking and enjoying your travel in Korea.

Presidential Appreciation

2011-02-20T21:47:00.000-08:00

I never imagined I'd receive a personal gift from the Korean president Lee Myung Bak himself! Being a volunteer in the G20 has been fun and literally rewarding indeed!
My sister wears the smaller wristwatch and my mom the bigger one. I'm keeping the box! ㅋㅋ

Never Say Forever

2011-02-15T18:50:00.000-08:00

I woke up one day
And the hymn I sang one Sunday
Was broken by chirps of ugly birds
I walked out and said goodbye.

Words that bind us, unshackle us now
They are illusions that marred my reality
Your voice shattered them
I walked out and said goodbye.

I had to open the door
It was as wounded as our promise
Your shadow beckoned but it was behind you
I turned the knob and said goodbye.

The ugly birds cheered on
I did not see you sad
I'll carry on, and guess I'll look back
But I had to say goodbye.

Seoul Land

2011-02-01T06:07:00.001-08:00

It's never fun to stay at the dormitory for four consecutive days. There are only a few students who are staying behind and the whole building echoes empty, while outside, despite the weather being cold, is very inviting. Today's highest temperature was only -2*C, perfect for 산책 (/san-check/ promenading, going outdoors). I and my the remaining Filipino scholars have decided to use the Seoul Land discount stubs that were for grabs at our uni's Global Lounge. Instead of paying 35,000 won, we only shelled out 10,000 for an amusement park that is not as diverse and modern as Lotte or Everland. Seoul Land, however, is not bereft of adrenaline and adventure. There were a number of rides worthy of trying like Sky-X, Drop Shot, and Rolling Waves. It's also nice to have a feel of how it is to be in the first ever constructed amusement park in Korea.

It's pretty easy to get there. Take the green line and get off at 교대원 (Korea Grand Park). Upon going out at exit 2, walk straight ahead until you reach a building; it's the only building you can see from the horizon at exit 2. Buy a tram ticket once you get there. It costs 800 won. Get off at the second tram stop and you've already arrived at Seoul Land.

For Beautiful Skin, I Swallow

2011-01-29T18:24:00.000-08:00

LG* uses this tagline for its skin supplement Pycnoskin. A lot of skin beautifying products are out in the market but I would still trust organically-based supplements, especially those that I take in my body. Being extracted from French Pine bark, Pycnoskin is one of these.

Since I'm based here in Korea, procuring Pycnoskin is no big deal. I've been taking it for more than three months already and I've noticed that my skin has become more transparent and glowing. I also feel more vigorous. I would not have believed that Pycnoskin does effect positive changes to my skin had my friends--and they're quite a lot of them--not compliment me for what they see.

If you'd like to try Pycnoskin for yourself, just pm me. I can PM you the price and shipping details. One bottle contains 54 capsules, 2 capsules a day.

*Yes, you've read it right. In Korea, LG is such a huge conglomerate that has expanded to virtually all manufacturing sectors, from technology to food and medicine.

Travel Korea, Seat Sale

2011-01-25T02:30:00.000-08:00

Cebu Pacific is offering round-trip tickets from Incheon-Manila, Manila-Incheon for P4,000.00 starting Jan 27 till seats lasts. Flight period is from April 1 to June 30.
Visit me here friends!!!

Be Careful what You Wish for..

2011-01-20T19:44:00.001-08:00

My wish has been fulfilled by my inaction and the force of uncontrollable circumstances, and to the detriment of everyone including myself. Had I acted, things would have just been the same, although in a different vein through which the blood of anger and malice would still run through.
The thought I toyed in my head has come true. It's as if as the wish master had listed to me, that evil jin! How could he have managed to listen to the deepest, shadowy recess of my soul and turn the benign whispers into a heartbreaking cacophonous shout? I don't know. But I'm certain I heard pure despair and it rent everyone's heart, some more than the others. Everyone bleeds.

Your wish. The forces around. The jin. Before they come together, silence the darkness in your soul.

Online Shopping in Korea

2011-01-08T20:59:00.001-08:00

On this material peninsula, shopping is a must. Offline and online cart pushing are equally enjoyable. I usually buy from Gmarket and it never fails. The delivery period takes 2-3 days on the average and there was no instance when I wasn't satisfied with what I paid for.
Gmarket, however, started to appear humdrum for me as it was my virtual house since 2007. I started looking for alternative websites when I encountered this page, which lists the top online shopping sites for men in Korea. Paradise! =^_^=

K-pop, K-ballad Translation

2011-01-04T22:18:00.000-08:00

어떤 그리움을
Longing

그대를 바라보면 포근함을 느꼈지
I feel warmth when I gaze at you
아직도 나에게 남아있는 그대의 모습
A reflection lingers inside of me
나의 마음 고요하게 해
and it quiets my heart.

지나간 기억속에 그대 모습 생각나
Your traces I remember, the memories in the past
견딜수가 없는 혼자만의 외로움들이
This unbearable feeling of solitude
나의 마음 허무하게 해
My heart yearns in vain.

*언젠가 그대는
눈물을 흘리며 내게 말했었지
There was a time when you told me your tears flowed down
사랑은 슬픈 이별보다 아픈 거라고
They say loving is more difficult than a sad goodbye.
하지만 내 님 떠나고 이젠 나홀로남아
But even if you go and I'm left here all alone
그대의 앞길 비추네
Your light still remains. (Your light shines down on my path)

----------

Just drop me an email if you want a song translated and I'll post it here.

New Philippine Bank Notes

2010-12-17T05:40:00.000-08:00

I really like the design of the new Philippine bills! The colors and the symbols they portray inspires a want for change for the better. Take a look at the slide show and see for yourself.

Scholarship in Korea, 2011

2010-11-23T22:48:00.001-08:00

Sejong University is offering a full tuition scholarship grant to qualified graduate and undergraduate students starting March 2011 (graduate studies) and March 2012 (bachelor degree).

Grantees will also be provided with accommodation and a stipend of 400,000 KRW per month.

Interested applicants must have demonstrated English proficiency based on the following table:
TOEFL (PBT) - 600 pts

TOEFL (CBT) - 250 pts

TOEFL (IBT) - 100 pts

IELTS - 6.5 pts

Sejong University will give priority to students who are interested to pursue studies in the following areas:

1. Hotel and Tourism Management
2. Business
3. Natural Sciences
4. Engineering
5. Physics
6. Biosciences

Interested applicants must submit brief résumé /curriculum vitae to Mr. Mylo Fausto, Cultural Officer, Embassy of the Philippines, through email address:

m.fausto@philembassy-seoul.com

not later than 20 December 2010.

-from PiKo (Pinoy Scholars in Korea)

Olive Oil for Dry, Flaky Skin

2010-10-15T17:59:00.000-07:00

It's October now and the weather has started to get belligerent towards the skin. The absence of moisture in the air, meaning it would absorb existing water from the skin, definitely made my skin feel itchy, uncomfortable, and rash-prone (you know the tiny red dots that look like ruptured blood vessels). I tried using Aveeno, Neutrogena, and Nivea to keep my skin moisturized especially after taking a shower, but the effect only lasted so long as my clothes haven't rubbed and stripped the creams off my skin.
Two days ago, I went to Home Plus, a local Korean supermarket, and tried out one of the skincare tips I read online: slathering olive oil to the skin would make it feel supple and moisturized for a longer time than paraben-infused lotions. For just under 6,000 won (around 5.50USD), I could practically rid my cabinet of moisturizers as a bottle of extra virgin olive oil would do pretty much all the moisturization I need.
It's my second day using olive oil and I've noticed that the skin on my arms and legs has lesser fine lines due to dryness. The complexion too has improved from being dry, pale, bambooish white to somewhat pinkish-white. I could swear on olive oil for its benefits!
Korean winter, bring it on!

A Chuseok to Remember

2010-09-28T18:39:00.001-07:00

Chuseok was a definite week-long break from the monotony of my university life. Not only because I had to go to Daejeon from Seoul, but moreso because I had to brave the knee-high flood in Bucheon area. It was beyond my imagination that Korean streets could be inundated with much water that subway lines need to be closed. But I had to go to Seoul station to catch the express train (KTX) bound for Daejeon. With my feet soaked in muck-smelling water, I went to the Green Line via taxi. It took me about an hour to reach the Light Blue Line, as I can transit from there to Seoul Station. But lo and behold! The Light Blue Line was also closed. Without any choice, I had to literally criss-cross Seoul City's interwoven subway lines so I catch the KTX on time. I didn't. I arrived in Seoul Station two hours behind my time of departure. With my feet icky with flood water and jeans dripping with ewwweness , the thought of just going back to the dormitory had predominated my mind. I had to rebel and I had to win over the situation. Another 22,900 won was painfully extricated from my wallet and I got off Daejeon Station half-irked, half-happy, but a total survivor.

A Stick the will Definitely Stand Out!

2010-09-20T19:26:00.000-07:00

I caught this curious Korean alternative to Meiji's "Yan-yan" off the shelves in Home Plus. It was just too compelling to not take a photo of this! :D

Looking for a K-drama to watch this month?

2010-08-10T01:21:00.000-07:00

Click here for Life is Beautiful episodes. It's a human drama--meaning 'Areumdaun Saesang' is heavy on narration--but it paints a good picture of what Korean family life is. The cast portraying three generations living under a single roof on Jeju island would not let the steam go down in the series. It even includes a flare of modernization introduced in a rather closed-minded orientation of Koreans by introducing a gay main character, discussions of divorce, and abortion.
The drama is really inspiring by giving viewers a sense of how strong a family can hold on despite its internal issues and intricacies.

Diskoreamination against Filipino English Teachers

2010-06-08T16:38:00.000-07:00

Filipinos still can't teach English in South Korea. To the talented English teachers of the Philippines, please teach Filipino kids instead.

China Orders "English Cleanup Drive"

2010-05-04T07:37:00.000-07:00

I never thought that Chinglish could give more laughs than Konglish.

Korean Cosmetics Shop, spread the word!

2010-05-01T09:21:00.000-07:00

Shop here for SkinFood, The Face Shop, BRTC, Skin79, and other brands.

Pre-ordering:

*All the pre-ordered products will arrive in the Philippines on July 7, 2010. Shipping will be on the next day, July 8, 2010. Pre-ordering is from May 1-June 20, 2010.
Expect your order to arrive at your doorstep in two to three working days. For queries, contact the seller by sending an email to: ilovemyskin14@yahoo.com.

Pricing:

*Item price + 90Php for shipping in and outside of Metro Manila.

Item selection and Payment:

*You can choose any product you want by posting a comment on the item photo: "I want [quantity]".
*You need to pay 50% of the total price of the item(s) anytime from now UNTIL June 20, 2010. The remaining 50% is to be paid on or before July 7.
*Your item will be shipped as soon as full payment is confirmed.
*Please send your payment to:
Aidyn S. Dagandan, savings account: 3166-1359-61, BPI Alabang Branch

60th Anniversary of the Korean War

2010-04-26T00:18:00.001-07:00

written by Prof. Abagat*
published in JoongAng Daily

[Pinoy voices] The Filipino warriors remembered
I never knew about the heroism of the Filipinos who sacrificed their lives during the Korean War.
April 26, 2010
I was on my way to Daejeon to give a leadership seminar to the officers of a community of Filipino workers. On the train, an elderly Korean lady, maybe in her late 70s, asked my friends and me, “Eodiseo osyeosseoyo?” (“Where are you from?”), maybe because she noticed we were speaking in Tagalog, so we introduced ourselves as Filipinos. She then started thanking us, the Filipinos, for helping Korea during the Korean War. She started recounting stories about the Filipino soldiers who came to fight during those turbulent years. She said that Koreans are indebted to us, the Filipinos.

On another occasion, I met an elderly Korean priest in his early 80s who was originally from North Korea but had to escape during the war and managed to come to South Korea. On his way to the South, he met a Filipino soldier. They became good friends, and with the soldier, he smoked his first cigar.

Honestly, before I came to Korea I never knew about the heroism and gallantry of the Filipino soldiers who participated in and sacrificed their lives during the Korean War. I had never heard any of my history teachers lecturing about this in my classes or my grandparents telling me stories about it. I believe other Filipinos as well as Koreans, especially the members of the younger generation, are as ignorant as I regarding this historic act of heroism by our Filipino soldiers and the 60 years of friendship between the Philippines and Korea.

My encounters with these Koreans made me want to discover more about these unsung, unrecognized and underappreciated heroes. Some day, I promised myself, I will meet them in person and listen to their stories.

The Philippines was among the first countries to respond to the United Nations’ call for aid when South Korea was invaded in 1950. A send-off rally for the 10th BCT (Brigade Combat Team) was held at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila on Sept. 2, 1950. The Philippine flag was handed to Col. Mariano Azurin, the commanding officer of the battalion. The book “The Fighting Tenth” by Mariano Manawis quotes His Excellency, President Elpidio Quirino, during his send-off speech as saying: “Today, we begin to write a wonderful page in our history. Many of you have fought on our own soil to secure our freedom. You now go forth to a foreign land to fight for the preservation of that freedom.” The gallant soldiers left Philippine soil on Sept. 15, 1950, and landed at Busan on Sept.19, 1950.

Last year, Korea and the Philippines launched a year-long celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the Philippines-Korea Bilateral Relations. One of the highlights of the launch was a screening of the movie “The Forgotten War,” directed by Carlo Cruz. This movie intensified my desire to meet veterans of the Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea.

Months later, I met some of the PEFTOK veterans over several occasions. I had such an inspiring encounter with these brave and courageous men. Despite their age, they were excited as they shared their difficult yet inspiring fights, against all odds - the cold winter, lonely Christmas, homesickness and death.

Col. Francisco Tamondong from Pangasinan, born in 1923, was part of the 10th BCT. He was at the prime of his youth when he joined the battle. He left his family behind because he was ready to fulfill the call of duty. He was literally one of the first overseas Filipino warriors in Korea, because he, along with two other soldiers, belonged to the first group of fighters, who first came by ship and brought 17 tanks to be used for the war. When I asked him what sustained his courage and allowed him to go on with the fight, he said, with teary eyes and a trembling voice, “Whenever I looked at the Philippine flag, I thought about my country. Then I regained my courage and the strength to continue the fight.”

Col. Jovencio Dominguez, born in 1931 and also from Pangasinan, belonged to the 19th BCT. He was only 19 years old when he joined the troupe sent to Korea. His motto, “He who does not learn to obey does not hope to command,” served as his inspiration. So despite his homesickness, he managed to fight. “Letters from family and friends,” he said, “sustained our morale .?.?. So all of us were always excited to see if there was mail for us.” Prayer was also a great help, he said. With the spiritual guidance of their chaplain, they were strengthened.

Maj. Maximo Young, born in 1922 in Cebu, belonged to the 10th BCT. With joy and excitement, he talked about how they picked apples, plums and chestnuts to feed themselves. He also remembered how Korean children treated them. “As we began to immerse ourselves in the Korean way of life, we could see children who, regardless of their age, never showed any fear or indifference to us soldiers. Perhaps, though they were young, they already knew that we were defending them from [communist] aggressors.”

When I asked them about their wish for the future, all of them said that they wished that more people, especially the young generation of Koreans and Filipinos, could be made aware of this important part of history, and that the ties, friendship and collaboration between the two countries could become stronger so that the long-standing relationship would not go to waste.

These are just some of the revealing and memorable accounts of the gallant and chivalrous men who faced death to defend South Korea from communism. They deserve our heartfelt recognition and appreciation. As Korea and the Philippines celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Korean War this year, may we recall the memories of the past with gratitude in our hearts, and look forward to a better, more peaceful future between the two countries.

*The author is a professor of the Catholic University of Korea and a member of the Phil-RPG.

Inform Yourself, Transform the Country

2010-04-24T18:04:00.001-07:00

These links might help you choose our next president.

sen-Richard Gordon

Gilberto Teodoro

Nicanor Perlas

Joseph Estrada

Eddie Villanueva

Manny Villar

Noynoy Aquino

Job Opportunity in Japan (sic)

2010-04-11T19:15:00.000-07:00

Teach in Japan this April.

Current open positions:
ALT
Shizouka.
Package.
290.000 yen x 10 months.
April 100.000 yen.
August 100.000 yen.
Total 3.4 million yen.

Mon to Friday.
Jr high schools / ele
One year from April 2010. To march 2011.

Start april 16. Must relocate.
Can sponsor visa but must have visa.
Can assist in housing.
Native speaker.
Experience is important.

If match with conditions please reply with 1- name. 2- Nationality. 3- Visa type. 4- Expire date. 5- Experience. 6- Phone number.

Send your application to: application@jalss.com
Only applicants who are willing to relocate need to apply.

South Korea Scholarship

2010-03-19T21:37:00.000-07:00

대전대학교 초청 국비장학생 프로그램

Korean Government Scholarship Program
for Graduate Students 2010
Study at Daejeon University

Scholarship : Airfare, Monthly Allowance, Research Allowance, Relocation Allowance, Language Training fee, Tuitions, Medical Insurance etc.

Duration of Scholarship : 3 years(2010-2013)
(1 year Korean Language Courses + 2 years Master degree Program)

Available fields : All majors of general graduate schools

Admission Requirement
■ Both applicant and his/her parents must be citizens of the foreign country.
* Applicants cannot have Korean citizenship.
■ Applicants should be in good health, both mentally and physically, to stay in Korea for a long period of time.
■ Should be under 40 years of age as of September 1, 2010 Hold a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree as of September 1, 2010

■ Should have a grade point average (G.P.A.) at least 2.64 on a 4.0 scale, 2.80 on a 4. 3 scale, 2.91 on a 4.5 scale or grades/marks/ score of 80% or higher from the previous attended institution

■ Eligible Countries
Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Cambodia
Myanmar, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Laos, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Guatemala, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Tanzania, Ghana, Nigeria, Chinese Taipei, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Morocco, Brunei, Senegal, Singapore, Azerbaijan, Angola, Ecuador, Jordan, Ukraine, Kenya, Columbia, Kyrgyzstan, Rwanda, Turkey, Tunisia, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Hungary, Yeme, Guinea, South Africa, Nicaragua, Germany, Democratic Republic of Timor- Leste, Liberia, Romania, Mali, Bahrain, Belarus, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Slovakia, United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Haiti, Afghanistan, Algeria, Ethiopia, El Salvador, Honduras, Uganda, Iraq, Iran, Jamaica, Zambia, Chile, Cameroon, Canada, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Croatia, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Australia

Time Line

● Application Deadline : 26 April, 2010
● Phone Interview : 29-30 April, 2010
● Scholarship Announcement : Early in June, 2010

Submission of application documents

● Applicants may download the application form as below banner.
● Applicants must submit the completed package of required documents to Daejeon University via mail and email.
◆ email - choihy@dju.kr
◆ Address - International Office, Daejeon Univ. 96-3 Yongun-dong, Dong-gu, Daejeon, Korea

● Until When : 26 April, 2010

● Person in Charge : Chang-sun Pyo (pyocs@dju.kr),Chief Officer
Hwa-yeon Choi(choihy@dju.kr),Program Officer

● Tel : +82-42-280-2489, 2125

click here and here for application docs

Petty Things I Hate

2010-02-21T21:49:00.000-08:00

1) Mum says don't talk when your mouth is full. It's different from when you have to sneeze. >.<
2) When an eyelash gets into my eye and disappears without a trace
3) Things falling from my grip
4) Inhaling an insect or a tiny object and feeling it in my throat
5) Inhaling magic pops candy and it popping in my nostrils. pretty nasty
6) When my skin feels itchy but can't locate the source of the itch
7) When my cowlick can't get disciplined by gel
8) When in a public area and a booger gets detached from the walls of my nose. Breathe slowly.
9) When I insert a thumb drive the wrong way into a port
10) People playing the same song over and over again

Interesting Body Tricks

2010-02-18T18:54:00.001-08:00

1. If your throat tickles, scratch your ear.

When you were 9, playing your armpit was a cool trick. Now, as an adult, you can still appreciate a good body-based feat, but you're more discriminating. Take that tickle in your throat; it's not worth gagging over. Here's a better way to scratch your itch: "When the nerves in the ear are stimulated, it creates a reflex in the throat that can cause a muscle spasm," says Scott Schaffer, M.D., president of an ear, nose and throat specialty center in Gibbsboro, New Jersey. "This spasm relieves the tickle."

2. Experience supersonic hearing!

If you're stuck chatting up a mumbler at a cocktail party, lean in with your right ear. It's better than your left at following the rapid rhythms of speech, according to researchers at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. If, on the other hand, you're trying to identify that song playing softly in the elevator, turn your left ear toward the sound. The left ear is better at picking up music tones.

3. Overcome your most primal urge!

Need to pee? No bathroom nearby? Fantasize about Jessica Simpson. Thinking about sex preoccupies your brain, so you won't feel as much discomfort, says Larry Lipshultz, M.D., chief of male reproductive medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine. For best results, try Simpson's "These Boots Are Made for Walking" video.

4. Feel no pain!

German researchers have discovered that coughing during an injection can lessen the pain of the needle stick. According to Taras Usichenko, author of a study on the phenomenon, the trick causes a sudden, temporary rise in pressure in the chest and spinal canal, inhibiting the pain-conducting structures of the spinal cord.

5. Clear your stuffed nose!

Forget Sudafed. An easier, quicker, and cheaper way to relieve sinus pressure is by alternately thrusting your tongue against the roof of your mouth, then pressing between your eyebrows with one finger. This causes the vomer bone, which runs through the nasal passages to the mouth, to rock back and forth, says Lisa DeStefano, D.O., an assistant professor at the Michigan State University college of osteopathic medicine. The motion loosens congestion; after 20 seconds, you'll feel your sinuses start to drain.

6. Fight fire without water!

Worried those wings will repeat on you tonight? "Sleep on your left side," says Anthony A. Star-poli, M.D., a New York City gastroenterologist and assistant professor of medicine at New York Medical College. Studies have shown that patients who sleep on their left sides are less likely to suffer from acid reflux. The esophagus and stomach connect at an angle. When you sleep on your right, the stomach is higher than the esophagus, allowing food and stomach acid to slide up your throat. When you're on your left, the stomach is lower than the esophagus, so gravity's in your favor.

7. Cure your toothache without opening your mouth!

Just rub ice on the back of your hand, on the V-shaped webbed area between your thumb and index finger. A Canadian study found that this technique reduces toothache pain by as much as 50 percent compared with using no ice. The nerve pathways at the base of that V stimulate an area of the brain that blocks pain signals from the face and hands.

8. Make burns disappear!

When you accidentally singe your finger on the stove, clean the skin and apply light pressure with the finger pads of your unmarred hand. Ice will relieve your pain more quickly, Dr. DeStefano says, but since the natural method brings the burned skin back to a normal temperature, the skin is less likely to blister.

9. Stop the world from spinning!

One too many drinks left you dizzy? Put your hand on something stable. The part of your ear responsible for balance—the cupula—floats in a fluid of the same density as blood. "As alcohol dilutes blood in the cupula, the cupula becomes less dense and rises," says Dr. Schaffer. This confuses your brain. The tactile input from a stable object gives the brain a second opinion, and you feel more in balance. Because the nerves in the hand are so sensitive, this works better than the conventional foot-on-the-floor wisdom.

10. Unstitch your side!

If you're like most people, when you run, you exhale as your right foot hits the ground. This puts downward pressure on your liver (which lives on your right side), which then tugs at the diaphragm and creates a side stitch, according to The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Men. The fix: Exhale as your left foot strikes the ground.

11. Stanch blood with a single finger!

Pinching your nose and leaning back is a great way to stop a nosebleed—if you don't mind choking on your own O positive. A more civil approach: Put some cotton on your upper gums—just behind that small dent below your nose—and press against it, hard. "Most bleeds come from the front of the septum, the cartilage wall that divides the nose," says Peter Desmarais, M.D., an ear, nose, and throat specialist at Entabeni Hospital, in Durban, South Africa. "Pressing here helps stop them."

12. Make your heart stand still!

Trying to quell first-date jitters? Blow on your thumb. The vagus nerve, which governs heart rate, can be controlled through breathing, says Ben Abo, an emergency medical-services specialist at the University of Pittsburgh. It'll get your heart rate back to normal.

13. Thaw your brain!

Too much Chipwich too fast will freeze the brains of lesser men. As for you, press your tongue flat against the roof of your mouth, covering as much as you can. "Since the nerves in the roof of your mouth get extremely cold, your body thinks your brain is freezing, too," says Abo. "In compensating, it overheats, causing an ice-cream headache." The more pressure you apply to the roof of your mouth, the faster your headache will subside.

14. Prevent near-sightedness!

Poor distance vision is rarely caused by genetics, says Anne Barber, O.D., an optometrist in Tacoma, Washington. "It's usually caused by near-point stress." In other words, staring at your computer screen for too long. So flex your way to 20/20 vision. Every few hours during the day, close your eyes, tense your body, take a deep breath, and, after a few seconds, release your breath and muscles at the same time. Tightening and releasing muscles such as the biceps and glutes can trick involuntary muscles—like the eyes—into relaxing as well.

15. Wake the dead!

If your hand falls asleep while you're driving or sitting in an odd position, rock your head from side to side. It'll painlessly banish your pins and needles in less than a minute, says Dr. DeStefano. A tingly hand or arm is often the result of compression in the bundle of nerves in your neck; loosening your neck muscles releases the pressure. Compressed nerves lower in the body govern the feet, so don't let your sleeping dogs lie. Stand up and walk around.

16. Impress your friends!

Next time you're at a party, try this trick: Have a person hold one arm straight out to the side, palm down, and instruct him to maintain this position. Then place two fingers on his wrist and push down. He'll resist. Now have him put one foot on a surface that's a half inch higher (a few magazines) and repeat. This time his arm will fold like a house of cards. By misaligning his hips, you've offset his spine, says Rachel Cosgrove, C.S.C.S., co-owner of Results Fitness, in Santa Clarita, California. Your brain senses that the spine is vulnerable, so it shuts down the body's ability to resist.

17. Breathe underwater!

If you're dying to retrieve that quarter from the bottom of the pool, take several short breaths first—essentially, hyperventilate. When you're underwater, it's not a lack of oxygen that makes you desperate for a breath; it's the buildup of carbon dioxide, which makes your blood acidic, which signals your brain that somethin' ain't right. "When you hyperventilate, the influx of oxygen lowers blood acidity," says Jonathan Armbruster, Ph.D., an associate professor of biology at Auburn University. "This tricks your brain into thinking it has more oxygen." It'll buy you up to 10 seconds.

18. Read minds!

Your own! "If you're giving a speech the next day, review it before falling asleep," says Candi Heimgartner, an instructor of biological sciences at the University of Idaho. Since most memory consolidation happens during sleep, anything you read right before bed is more likely to be encoded as long-term memory.

got this from stumbleupon

The Catholic University of Korea (CUK) Scholarship for Graduate Studies

2010-02-17T07:01:00.000-08:00

The Catholic University of Korea Graduate Program for Philippine Students
Application is now open. Deadline is on March 7, 2010.

Purpose
- To provide top-level students from the Philippines with opportunities for higher-education in Korea
- To enhance the globalization of the CUK campus by creating a more diverse atmosphere
- To promote international exchange in education and mutual friendship between Korea and the Philippines

Quota
- Around 25 students

Recruitment Plan
1. Entrance period: Fall semester, 2010 (September 2010)
2. Programs: graduate program
Department and Majors
- Business Administration
- International Studies – American Studies, Chinese Studies, International Relations, International Trade
- Public Administration
- Computer Sciences & Engineering
*As for the science and engineering departments, students admitted with undergraduate degree in same or related majors
*Information, Communications and Electronic Engineering

The opportunities for admission to other majors shall be extended in the future.

3. Language of Instruction: English
A minimum number of courses about Korean language will be offered.

4. Eligibility
Program Eligibility
[Graduate] Nationals of the Philippines
Graduates or graduates-to-be of college (undergraduate program)
(as for the graduate-to-be, the student must be able to study from September, 2009 in CUK)

5. Screening
The screening will be conducted on the basis of overall evaluation according to paper screening and interview results.

Privileges
1. Exempt from tuition and on-campus residence fee during the whole study
§ Graduate program: 2 years

(※ On condition that the applicant shall meet GPA of over 3.0 in a scale of 4.0.)

2. Monthly payment is available for the students who work part-time jobs on campus (such as English Assistantship).

3. Round-trip airfare provided

4. Internship opportunities at local companies arranged during study (as for candidates)

5. When the applicant completes the degree in CUK, Job opportunities with Korean companies may be offered

6. When the applicant acquires a Ph.D. at CUK, a job opportunity as a teaching staff at CUK will be offered

Application Deadline:

The end of May, 2009

Required Documents
1. Application for Admission (CUK Form)
2. Study Plan and Personal Statement (Free Form)
3. A copy of Certificate of college graduation (or certified expected graduation form)
4. A copy of college official transcript of whole year (all the ranks and marks must be included on the transcript).
5. A recommendation letter by teacher or professor serving as relevant department head
6. Proof of Foreign Status (i.e., A copy of the first page of passport)

Inquiries

For further information, please inquire to Office of International Affairs

Address: Office of International Affairs, The Catholic University of Korea
Tel. No.: + 82-2-2164-4116, 4957
Fax No.: + 82-2-2164-4751
E-mail: cukintl@catholic.ac.kr

Click here for more information
Download the application form.
Download the application for admission.

A Thumbnail of the Future: Thoughts on Avatar (movie)

2010-01-22T23:24:00.000-08:00

---contains spoilers---

-----contains spoilers------

A Thumbnail of the Future

ALL STORIES MUST HAVE BEEN TOLD AT LEAST ONCE
Most of us do realize that environmental destruction is real, that global warming is more than a green political rhetoric. The Earth is crashing down at a rate faster and deeper than at any other point in history, and it is exactly because of this prolonged fall and unfathomable depth that we are bereft of inspired action.
Yesterday night I went to the cinema with friends and saw Avatar in 3D. I thought it would just be another humdrum doomsday flick playing on human vulnerabilities by the forces of nature. It was, in fact, the opposite. It wasn’t nature picking on man. Viruses didn’t convert homo sapiens to homo ergmonsters or the quakes flattening the White House. What was portrayed in Avatar is nature, which is a mother, someone who does not take sides, preserves balance, and lives with and within harmony. For those who have seen the movie, or even just the poster, might have predicted the end in the first few minutes of the movie. The plot is easy to regard as linear, yes. I thought it was. But I also thought that Avatar knows exactly what it is and what it wants to convey to the audience sans the convolution of artificially concocted cerebral conversations. It mission is clear and it did not let even the most brilliant visual effects overshadow it.
Avatar is another wakeup call to those being called but are still walking half asleep. For this reason, films with environmental undertones should never be dismissed.

HUMANS, NA’VIS AND AVVYS
For two and a half hours I ran throughout Pandora, meeting creatures modeled after civil savagery (in which description humans fit hand in glove), seeing bioluminiscent trees whose roots have grown deeper than my thoughts, meeting Jake and Grace reminding me that even the most callous ecological plunderer could put a stop to the death of birth. It was a long rough run but it was nothing like treading on a thin fracturing crust for three flat hours or escaping a humongous tornado that seems to possess a face recognition technology. While watching the movie, my seat was converted into an avatar capsule, merging me with the movie and the symbolisms it holds. First, there are the Na’vis, people of Pandora. They are the Tutsis. The Aetas. The minority. It is in their land where a mineral called unobtainum that sells for 20million USD can be mined. The Na’vis believe that every single creature is connected by a force called Eywa. And there are the humans who, after killing their mother, are now living in space in constant search for energy. Trite as it may seem, the plot just revolves around how humans can drive away the Na’vis from their ancestral land in order to obtain the unobtanium (sounds pretty much like the article “Dam Nation”). In order to avert conflict between the two species, Grace, a senior scientist, created a Na’vi that can be neurologically linked with a person. Instead of a human walking through the unwelcoming forests on Pandora, the Avatars, physically stronger and abler than a human body is, are sent instead. The paraplegic Jake Sully was given his late brother’s avatar and was sent onto a mission to gain the trust of the natives, with an ulterior motive of persuading them to move out of their ancestral home. Jake had to learn the culture of the Na’vis. He spent three months in the forest and has successfully went through a number of rites of passage. Eventually he developed a strong affinity with the Na’vis. He gave up the mission, even if it means not being able to get his legs back. As it became for him, his life as a human is the dream and living as a Na’vi is the reality. He found his self in his avatar.

EXTRA THOUGHTS
About Pandora
In Avatar, the Earth was not portayed as a fickle-minded mom that just kills on a whim by splashing its babies with lava or throwing at them flying kisses at 400 kilometers per hour. The Earth just restores balance. That means balance should first be offset and only then will nature act to reverse a tremendous pollution, or in the case of the movie, to suppress the mechanized warfare initiated by the humans. Eywa possesses a power to do that. Toruk, the huge predatory bird effectively embodies nature’s impartial and benign destructive power, and that which Jake harnessed to lead the war against the humans, and that which he let go of after the war has ended.

About the Love Story, Life, and Death
-Neytiri should not have had mated with Jake because she was already binded with another man. I suppose there should also be a ritual for that (arranged marriage). Given that there is, then she she must have violated Eywa’s biddings. One more thing, it was under an “Eywa” tree that they did ‘it’. >.< So yeah, a little bit of uneasiness in there.
-It is defensible to kill another living thing in self-defense, but it is never a reason for joy that the other has survived. Perhaps the attacked has placed himself in direct opposition to an erstwhile unaggressive yet territorial creature. Remember, human encroachment to forests and habitat destruction result to a cobra-infested sofa.
-At first, I felt that dying was not given its due ceremonial response in the movie, and the feeling was reinforced when Tsu’tey was shot and fell off his banshee. Was it easy to just rub off characters in the movie even if it occurs en-masse? And then I realized the movie does not focus on individual lives being reclaimed by Eywa, but about life that all sentient creatures on Pandora share. The death of the Tree and of any grander cause must be worse than any individual death that has ever occurred in the encounter.

THE ENDING
I felt quite disturbed when the humans were exiled from Pandora (back to where they came from perhaps) because I thought greed stops at nothing. If the humans are after an energy source then that means the humans on Pandora aren’t the only ones left. They must be supplying a population that’s large and is militarily ready to strike the Na’vis back in a moment’s time. Do you think the humans would assail Pandora again? Or would have they learned an invaluable lesson about harmony and life?

Teaching in an International School

2009-12-14T13:38:00.000-08:00

HIRING:
Full-time high school Social Studies teacher @ MIT International School in Alabang Muntinlupa City.

Tasks:
1) teaching World History and Advanced Placement Comparative Government and Politics; 4 hours/day
2) preparing weekly lesson plans
3) preparing quarter grades and all those teacher stuff

Full-time high school English teacher @ MIT International School

Tasks:
1) teaching Literature (American and salient literary works of other cultures) to Grades 10 and 11
2) teaching Grammar and Composition to Grades 9 and 10
3) preparing weekly lesson plans
4) preparing quarter grades, etc.
5) 4 hours/day

Benefits:
1) East-West insurance
2) perfect attendance incentive
3) teaching resources are provided
4) air conditioned rooms with large LCD & PC
5) small class (9-15 students)

*Work starts on March 1, 2010. Application is until Feb 24 (Social Science).
*Work starts on January 4, 2010. Application is open till the post is taken (English).
Send me your resume if interested.

Need I Say More?

2009-11-19T05:56:00.001-08:00

PacMan pwns!

Love Letters

2009-10-06T05:59:00.000-07:00

Watching full-length movies has never been a possibility for me these days. Short movies and youtube have always been my form of break and source of entertainment. I particulary like this one: Signs. It's a 10-minute clip about two people separated by distance and bridged not by email but by traditional letter.

Japan-ASEAN Student Conference

2009-09-04T19:36:00.000-07:00

[all errors, sic.]

Are you a student at an AUN Member University?

The JAPAN-ASEAN Student Conference will be held in Japan on 13-19 November 2009.

The Japan-ASEAN Student Conference proposed by the government of Japan is in pursuit of forging networks among 120 and 30 youths from ASEAN and Japan in building mutual understanding and network of initiative. Reflecting the Three Pillars of envisioned ASEAN community, the Conference set discussion themes around (1) Environment (political-security), (2) Economy, and (3) Socio-Culture.

1. All expenses will be shouldered by the Japanese Government

The air ticket of students will be provided by travel agency subcontracted with JICE

2. The application package and documents send out from AUN Secretariat includes:

· Application Guideline

· Entry Form

· Sheet for Academic Background

· VISA Application

· Description sheet of three discussion themes

· List of travel agency subcontracted with JICE in ASEAN country

3. Qualifications of the applicant

Age between 18-25 (undergraduate or graduate students)
Have English Proficiency
Have a deep understanding and relevant background in the assigned theme
Have basic knowledge of ASEAN-Japan relationships is desirable
Have not been participated in JENESYS projects
Preference to be given to the students who had been participated the ASEAN University Youth Summit 2008, Thailand.

4. Require documents from applicant:

· Entry Form

· Information Sheet on Academic Background

· Two photo (5x5 cm)

· Three copies of passport

· VISA Application

· Essay (1000 – 1500 Words)

· One Recommendation Letter

5. The documents’ collection:

Documents submitted to AUN: (the soft files submission is desirable)

· Copy of Passport

· Entry Form

· Essay

· Recommendation letter

· Information Sheet on Academic Background

Documents that should be kept at AUN Member Universities in each country (for visa arrangement):

· Copy of Passport

· Visa application form (two original with photo for each)

· Copy of Entry Form

6. The deadline of submission

Please submit the list of candidate to AUN Secretariat by 10 September 2009

The submission documents (please see details on Item 5) can be sent to AUN Secretariat later but not later than 16 September 2009.

7. Selection process

The candidates from AUN Member Universities will be selected by the Steering Committee which comprises AUN Secretariat, JICE and Japanese Embassy, Thailand. The successful candidates will be announced by the end of September.

8. Visa Arrangement

After the conclusion of the selection process, Travel Agency subcontracted with JICE in each country will collect Original Passport and Visa application form (with photo) of the successful candidates. For further information on visa arrangement, please contact the travel agency in your country directly.

The list of travel agency is attached herewith for your information.

9. The contact person of the programme

Pornpen JOY Khooharungkitcharoen (MS)
AUN Programme Officer

Office of the AUN Secretariat
Room 210 Jamjuree 1 Building,
Chulalongkorn University
Phayathai Road,
Bangkok, Thailand
Tel: + (662) 2153640/ 2153642 ext. 105
Fax: + (662) 2168808
Email: pornpen@aun-sec.org

Ratatouille too Late

2009-08-20T23:04:00.000-07:00

Although Liguini's terrible command of his bipedalism makes me jelly on my chair, something has just been fixed in my head, and that is the Critic's concession:

Ego
"In many ways the work of a critic
is easy. We risk very little, yet
enjoy a position over those who
offer up their work and their
selves to our judgment. We thrive
on negative criticism, which is fun
to write and to read.

But, the bitter truth we critics
must face is that, in the grand
scheme of things... the average
piece of junk is probably more
meaningful than our criticism
designating it so. But there are
times when a critic truly risks
something... and that is in the
discovery and defense of the new.

The world is often unkind to new
talent, new creations. The new
needs friends.

Last night I experienced something
new, an extraordinary meal from an
singularly unexpected source.
To say that both the meal and its
maker have challenged my
preconceptions about fine cooking,
is a gross understatement-- they
have rocked me to my core.

In the past I have made no secret
of my disdain for Chef Gusteau’s
famous motto: “Anyone Can Cook”.
But I realize only now do I truly
understand what he meant. Not
everyone can become a great artist,
but a great artist can come from
anywhere.

It is difficult to imagine more
humble origins than those of the
genius now cooking at Gusteau’s,
who is, in this critic’s opinion,
nothing less than the finest Chef
in France."
--------
I watched the movie just today. -_-

Multimedia Contest

2009-08-15T17:12:00.000-07:00

ASEAN-Korea Centre is organizing the 2009 ASEAN-Korea Multimedia Competition for ASEAN and Korean university (including graduate) students. The winners will be invited to attend the Awards Ceremony scheduled to be held in Seoul in September and their artwork displayed at an exclusive exhibition. The deadline to submit entries will be midnight August 31st, 2009.

● Categories

1. Photography

2. Video/Multimedia

For Yurina, Dave, and Peter

2009-08-14T20:18:00.001-07:00

화이팅 데이브, 판수야!
Ganbatte Yurina!

Bakla ako, pakialam mo [I'm Gay! So What?, literal]

2009-07-28T03:51:00.000-07:00

This is a Facebook post written by one of my favorite professors who is as brilliant, if not more, as any heterosexual professor I've had.

(Warning: This is a rant so pardon the profusion of argumentative fallacies. I deserve to unburden myself once in a while, I guess.)

I woke up this morning thinking this day would be pleasant. And I must say it started pleasantly. I finally submitted a chapter of my dissertation to my supervisor via email (after weeks of mental constipation) and got my Schengen Visa via the Polish Embassy in Singapore which granted it to me free of charge! As soon as I got the visa from the travel agency along Cantonment Road, I was ebullient!

That ebullience was cut short by the little incident that happened at the bus stop while waiting for Bus 167 that would take me to Orchard Road (I was to register as an overseas absentee voter at the Philippine Embassy located at Nassim near Orchard.). At the bus stop was a compatriot, a manong (uncle), who was speaking to what I surmised was his wife/lover/ girlfriend on his cell phone (I overheard him say ‘I love you’ to the other party). At one point in the conversation, he said these exact words in Tagalog: ‘…may bakla nga dito, e (in fact, there’s a gay man here).’ He was referring to me of course. We were the only people in the bus stop and really, there was no other gay spirit riveting his otherwise discriminating attention. My instant reaction was to glance at him with my rather bushy left eyebrow arched. Then he said to his fellow interlocutor: ‘Oo tumitingin nga sa’kin (Yeah, he actually glanced at me)’ to which I retorted ‘Pinoy po ako, naiintindihan ko po kayo (I’m Filipino. I could understand what you’re saying).’ Well, he was taken aback after I said that. He probably thought I was a Chinese Singaporean, or a Peranakan, or Thai (my apologies to Chinese Singaporeans, Peranakans, and Thais). I repeated what I said earlier: ‘Pinoy po ako (I’m Filipino).’ He quickly composed himself: ‘Ay sorry (Oh sorry)’ and then he continued to talk to his fellow interlocutor.

That was a very unpleasant experience, but I kept my cool. I thought I was just too blessed on this day to get a visa free of charge. Nothing can dampen my jovial mood. Not a butt ugly manong (ok, I’m biased but he is really bereft of male beauty!) who needs to be educated in civics, particularly the art of civic discourse.

When the manong’s telephone conversation ended, there was still no Bus 167 and we remained to be the only people under the waiting shed. As if to assuage the damage he has caused, he reiterated, ‘Sorry talaga. (I’m really sorry).’ I replied, ‘OK lang po (I’m OK)’ with a tone of sarcasm.

The guy is not only bereft of male beauty. He is bereft of balls. How could he afford to be so smug, so careless and so tactless and just take back words easily when his weakness is revealed? At the bus stop, I projected the iciest persona I could muster and distanced myself from the manong (Ang kapal kapal niyang kupal siya. He is not even my type! If the bus stop were an island where the two of us are the only surviving mammals, I would choose to die a spinster!). How could he be so mean and suddenly turn so defenseless when his vulnerability (in fact, stupidity) is unveiled?

I actually have no problem with the label ‘bakla’ per se. That term has been reclaimed/ re-semanticized by gay rights activists. Thanks to them, it has become a badge of courage, a sign of defiance in the sea of normativity. To others, it is a heroic subversion of what is repressive, of that which constricts livability. That it should hurled at me with contempt by a person who I do not even know since Adam is, however, reprehensible. Only my friends who know me and who have earned and deserve my endearment can call me that. But NOT even my most cherished friends hurl the term at me during our most carefree moments. That it should be used to spite me (albeit stealthily) while I sit quietly at a distance with the least-to-nil disturbance made on others around me is what offends me most. It is contemptuous; it is intolerant; it is inhuman.

At that point while I was waiting for Bus 167 alone with the man bereft of male beauty, I suddenly thought of GMA’s 2009 SONA. (That SONA will be remembered for its combative rhetoric – very consistent with the 2003 persona she carved in what should have been her valedictory address.) Well, I thought that that moment alone with the man bereft of male beauty was actually an appropriate time to be combative. And be boastful.

There was of course a moment of smugness when I would make obvious the NUS bag I was carrying. I thought the man bereft of male beauty should know that I am a doctorate student of Asia’s leading English language university (though not the top in the world), that I graduated with honors and among the top 10 percent of the UP system’s graduating class of 1998 (though not a summa cum laude and obviously not the creamiest of the cream), that I was awarded Outstanding Teacher in the Humanities and the Social Sciences at 26 (though only in UPLB and not in the entire UP System, which I should remind manong is the Philippine’s premier state university), that I’m the lone Filipino (scholar) presenting a paper in the 2009 International Conference on Political Linguistics (although I’m not really sure how well publicized the conference is. Haha!), and that I am all those things without having to pretend that I am straight! I am all those things (modest achievements as they are) without being heterosexual! Most of all, I need not be heterosexual to be able to exercise human kindness, compassion and tact! Charing! I surreptitiously laughed at the thought, of course. It would be the height of hypocrisy, not to mention, of being pathetic, to unleash those words to a blundering compatriot. Besides, I wouldn’t expend too much rhetorical energy just to spite a man already bereft of male beauty.

So when Bus 167 finally arrived, I gracefully walked towards it with my very dignity intact. Without gazing at the man bereft of male beauty. I thought he doesn’t deserve even the slightest of my rare glances.

Lee Min Ho's Photo Gallery

2009-07-25T17:06:00.000-07:00

Last night was a big bash. I've met my college batch mates at UPLB, some of them I've never met since our graduation four years ago. We talked about a lot of good stuff and it was just a relief to know that nobody in our batch is unemployed. After all the arcane and pedantic chats characteristic of UP student gatherings, we leavened up the night with talks on Korea and Japanese culture and soaps. All the girls were gaga with Lee Min Ho and other Boys Over Flowers cast. They even asked me if I saw him in person when I was in Korea. Advanced presents like Min Ho notebooks, postcards, pillows were also asked from me, as if I'm sure that I'd be in Korea again next year. But since I love my girlfriends, I'll just give tbem a lifeline till I can buy (or sell! *grins) them those:

Click here to drown in your own saliva. It's Min Ho's Cyworld, the Korean counterpart of Facebook/Friendster. Tons of pictures with my alterego.
I can hear ya! All right! I'm just kidding! o.O

OMG! 50% Discount on All Domestic and International Flights!

2009-07-21T03:30:00.000-07:00

For just 230USD anyJuan* Juana** fly could fly (I should really sell this ad to Cebu Pacific!)! I so love the airline if it's just for their perennial promos. But for their service, hmm.., it's okay. You get what your money bought you.

Here's a screen shot of my mock booking.

I'm in a dilemma, though. If I buy the ticket and my travel visa application gets denied, then moolah's gone bye-bye. T_T And even if I process my visa tomorrow, it won't get released before the sale dates (July 22-24) and in essence, I'm getting in a big gamble with 10,000Php at stake. Ottoke hajiyo? T_T

----
Juan /who-wan/ = a Filipino
Juana /who-wanna/ = a Filipina

Rainy days and Thursdays always get me down

2009-07-16T06:32:00.000-07:00

Ugh. Typhoon struck again. Classes were suspended. Went home early, fortunately with full pay. ^_^ Bored and beleaguered with something but nothing, my mind just made a cheese avalanche-inducing piece of poetry, or whatever you call it.

Glass Window of My Heart

You are in the million drops of rain.
In my heart, a sweet, carnal bane,
Dissipating the dew in all my morning
Silencing the hope of my every spring.

I forgo, for you are one in a million.
A rare condensed love contained,
I drowned but you’re never blamed.
Just a drop, a sea you have formed in me
I forgo, for this, you never can see.

I wish I were a raindrop, too
Incognito, I love you.

---
Art by voorikvergeet, devianart.com

We Belong TogetheeeEEer!

2009-07-15T06:14:00.000-07:00

My work at the office these days has been quite taxing. I tend to smile less, that is until I came across this hilarious Mariah parody from youtube. Watching it when I'm stressed gives my smile lines a good jolt.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

2009-06-27T07:37:00.000-07:00

Tranformers: Revenge of Fallen (should be the more grammatical way to put it) is like a 125,000,000USD Beverly Hills mansion without much furniture inside. But I don't care. Mansions are objects of envy for their facade anyway.
The plot is linear; expect no twists, but do anticipate a lot of tin-hammering and metal-wrenching action. What's the movie without all the noise?
One more thing: you would not believe what Rotten Tomato critics would say only if you suspend your being too story- and logic-conscious. Even if it's true that good visual effects don't make a good story, to me, entertainment has never belonged to the realm of the cerebral. Just enjoy hey! HeY!

Now the Teachers, After Minerva the Blogger

2009-06-26T08:03:00.000-07:00

Ugh! Am I reading North Korea Times?
So much for democracy in Korea.

Eighty-eight teachers will be dismissed or have their licenses suspended for orchestrating the issuance of an anti-Lee Myung-bak statement.

But the group behind the move has vowed to fight for freedom of expression.

The education ministry decided Friday to punish about 17,000 members of the progressive Korean Teachers and Educational Workers Union for their joint statement denouncing the Lee Myung-bak administration.

Among them, 10 will be sacked and 78 will see their licenses suspended as well as face a prosecution probe. The number of those to be punished is the highest since the group was formed in 1999.

The government said the group's leaders orchestrated members for ``anti-government actions'' on June 18 in front of Daehan Gate in central Seoul.

``Their anti-Lee action is a disgrace to civil servants. It is a clear violation of civil servants' responsibility to implement governmental policies. Legally, they are prohibited from holding class action and political activities," a government official said.

Chang Ki-won, a top-ranking official at the education ministry, said that the education field should be a ``sacred place ― free from all political ideologies.'' He said the punishments ― mostly warnings and admonition for the rest of the members ― will be issued according to the law.

ShopwikyD!

2009-06-22T07:13:00.000-07:00

There are only a few online shopping websites I go to whenever I need quality products and services. That includes Shopwiki. Even if you are not yet in ‘buying mode’ and is just window-shopping, Shopwiki is an ideal place to visit. I remember when my sister was looking for a Little Mermaid comforter, I had to to visit Shopwiki in search of good designs and possible sizes and materials. And as she is a mermaid incarnate, she also asked me to view the list of available designs of Little Mermaid pillows and bedding. Though I did not buy from Shopwiki, but I’m planning on doing soon, I know from the job descriptions what to expect from the products I can buy from offline shops. The thing about Shopwiki is that it shows everything that is sold on the internet and not only just the paid ads. Shopwiki could give an online buyer a wider variety of choices in terms of product type, quality, and price. This website also is not limited to selling specific commodities. If you’re looking for home furnishings and decors, you’ve got them here. If you’re experiencing neck pain from your old rock-hard pillow, type in therapeutic pillows and Shopwiki would return a great list to choose from. If you’re looking for lamps, desk lamps, furniture, home accessories and are on a limited budget, just select the price range in the filters, tick the brand, limit your results choices, and view only what meets your criteria. It’s very convenient to shop in Shopwiki.

Scholarship to South Korea for Spring Semester 2010

2009-06-17T18:59:00.000-07:00

This is a repost from Ms. Betchay's blog. If you feel bad about missing the scholarship offered by CUK, fret no more since they are still accepting applications for the Spring semester (March 2010). Professor Abagat sent me an email regarding this and I guess they accept a continuous stream of master's students in Catholic University of Korea. It's not much of a surprise since our population is around 80% Roman Catholic. Anyhow, go to Life in Korea to download the application forms, fill them up and send them to Dr. Abagat.
Good luck to us!
Cheers!

Learn Korean

2009-03-02T06:06:00.000-08:00

I got this software when I was in Korea. Anyone interested to learn Korean is enticed (lol) to buy: ReadWrite Korean (for those who don't know the Korean writing system) and Korean HakGyo (for those who already know Hangul and wish to learn grammar).
If you're working with Koreans, you might have wanted to learn their language, Hanguk-o. This is the perfect software pack designed for self-study.

Each costs 300php + 150php standard shipping fee anywhere in the Philippines.
Payment is through Paypal, BPI, or BDO.
Contact me for details.

AUN – GIST Scholarship on Science and Technology

2009-02-19T04:30:00.000-08:00

The cooperation between the AUN and the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) has been initiated in October 2005 with the signing the Memorandum of Understanding. The co-operation aims to promote human resource development in Sciences & Technology by providing the scholarship in Ph.D. and Master Studies in these areas.

This program offers 10 scholarships to ASEAN students to study Master's (4 scholarships) and Doctoral (6 scholarships) degrees in science and technology for 2-4 years (2 for Master’s degree and 4 for Doctoral degree). The scholarship covers tuition fee, airplane ticket, accommodation and living allowance.

Now the AUN Secretariat is accepting the application for the university staff and students in related department to GIST, Republic of Korea.

GIST offers the following (sub)disciplines:
□ Information & Mechatronics (SIM)
□ Materials Science & Engineering (MSE)
□ Environmental Science & Engineering (ESE)
□ Life Science (LS)
□ Photon Science & Technology (PhoST)
□ Medical System Engineering (SMSE)

Download the application for AY 2009 here.
Click here for more information.

Good luck guys! Tee-hee!

Scholarship to South Korea, ASEAN

2009-02-15T23:38:00.000-08:00

For undergraduate peeps in UP, Ateneo, and de la Salle, this is your chance to study in Daejeon University, South Korea--all expenses paid. Check out the poster for more details.

I know, I know. I posted this one too late.Application will be in December 2009. Visit the AUN Secretariat for more details.

Worrying is a Misnomer of Planning

2009-02-08T16:34:00.000-08:00

Getting a big job done well starts with careful planning. Never forget that a good plan is an essential part of the preparation process.

In the Bible there is an unforgettable story about planning, which isn't very well known. Its setting takes us far back in time---somewhere in the middle of the fifth century BC---after Jerusalem had been destroyed and the Jews from all over ancient Israel had been deported to Babylon.

As the years passed, Babylon was overtaken by the Persians, whose king, Artaxerxes, had a soft place in his heart for all those Jews who were being forced to live away from their homeland. One of his trusted confidants named Nehemiah, himself a Jew, longed to return to his beloved city in order to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem so it could be protected once again. When Nehemiah made that request, the Persian king not only granted him his wish, he even provided the official papers that would allow Nehemiah to return without any difficulty.

Finally, Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem. And what he saw must have broken his heart---perhaps he felt like those who had once lived in New Orleans and who returned following Hurricane Katrina back in the early fall of 2005. There was nothing but devastation. Nehemiah realized more than ever that the protective stone wall must once again stand tall and sturdy surrounding the City of David. Talk about the need for a big job to be done well! The man was determined to rebuild that wall . . . but where in the world do you start? And how do you get it done? He needed a careful plan.

Not surprisingly, he spent several days putting together that strategic plan. He began by walking through the devastation as he surveyed the damage. According to Nehemiah 2:11-16 (please read), he took plenty of time to think and to pray as he prepared for the days that lay ahead. We read that he didn't discuss his plans with anyone (except the Lord, of course), before he finally called a meeting and broke the news to everyone. Here are Nehemiah's own words as he told of that moment:

Then I said to them, "You see the bad situation we are in, that Jerusalem is desolate and its gates burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a reproach." I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me and also about the king's words which he had spoken to me. Then they said, "Let us arise and build." So they put their hands to the good work. (Nehemiah 2:17-18)

No less than 52 days later---in less than two months---the project was completed (read Nehemiah 6:15). The sturdy stone wall was totally reconstructed, new gates were built and hung, and everyone rejoiced! Oh, they had plenty of challenges along the way, they had numerous obstacles from without and within, but each one was overcome as the job was finished in record time. All the leader's work of preparation paid off because the tasks were organized so well ahead of time. As the old saying goes, Nehemiah planned his work then worked his plan.

Maybe you've made some goals for this new year that involve adopting a healthy lifestyle. If so, that's wonderful! But just as preparation played a vital role in a project of the magnitude of Nehemiah's, so also we can be sure that the same is true as we face the challenges of change. It won't "just happen." A good place to start is to face the truth of where we are---acknowledging the toll that bad habits and an undisciplined lifestyle have taken . . . but we can't stop there. We then must map out a plan we'll follow, just like Nehemiah did when he took a walk around the city. That involves preparing our minds and hearts for whatever it will take to reach our goal(s). And then? With enthusiasm and determination, we get underway . . . one day at a time.

I wish I could promise that in 52 days we'll reach our objective(s) , but I can't. However, I can assure you that you'll see some major changes start to emerge in that relatively short period of time, and that will be very encouraging.

Let's plan well. Let's prepare diligently. Let's pray hard. And then, let's go after it with our whole hearts.

Read Charles R. Swindoll, Insight for Today and start your day right!

An Urbanite's Must-have

2009-02-02T00:39:00.000-08:00

I’ve lived my life as a student taking the public transportation, but I could say that have I had my own car, commuting would have been a lot easier. You just can’t imagine how horrible riding a jeepney is. It’s our countries most ubiquitous vehicle; an open-air modified military jeep that lets you eat all the dust as it cuts through the moderately traffic streets. Now that I’m working, I won’t allow myself to enter our air-conditioned office smelling like a concoction of unwanted elements. I asked my dad a number of times to buy me a car from the used autos shop, but only to find out later that my mother has already suggested a new “house project” that certainly would displace my wheeled proposal. This time, she didn’t succeed. My bid for a used car has won over her new gas range. I and my dad went two months ago to the used cars shop and test-drove cars of different makes. I picked the Toyota Vios 2006 model. Well, if you’re like me who sees having a car as an urban dweller’s necessity, impede your mobility no more b visiting used cars or new autos shop. Autotropolis is a website that can help you select a used car hassle-free. It has a very convenient dropdown box at the right hand side of the homepage that lets you select that make of the car, the model, maximum price and maximum distance (or mileage) run by the car. Searching for a second-hand baby is such a breeze. You can also search the site for a used car by state. You can select your state from the list or you can conveniently use the dropdown box where you can type your ZIP code. With family budgets tighter than ever, and not to mention the palpable effects of recession, buying a used car would prove to be an intelligent decision.

Just Compensation Guaranteed

2009-01-29T00:33:00.000-08:00

Your belongings—your car, your house, your designers clothes, and your health—are things you have invested upon, and as such, should be protected from harm and impairment. But what if something or someone do inflict a considerable amount of damage? Of course you might want to ask—or even demand—for commensurate reparation. Just today I received an SMS from my mom informing me that her car was unintentionally hit at the rear by a woman driver. Both were cooperative and civil enough to just settle the matter amicably. The same situation doesn’t happen to anyone, though, especially if a greater degree of loss has been inflicted to the offended party. And sometimes, the offended doesn’t have the money to fend himself or herself and get his or her rights backed up by law. Herein comes First Personal Injury. It is a service that help the offended their rights to personal injury claims. In our country, where riding the bicycle as a means of transpiration is common, bicycle accident claims are commonplace. And to some universal degree, traffic accidents, which kills more often that heart attack, can entitle one to whiplash injury claims. The latter could be seen in a trivial light, but whiplash injuries could be very distressing and could limit the normal physiological activity of the person damaged. First Personal Injury boasts of its no-win-no-fee legal services to people who are not be able to afford to pay for these services. FPI is also a bastion of compensation experts and lawyers who already have garnered enough experience to flaunt a no-win-no-fee deal. Drop First Personal Injury a line should you need an expert guidance for accidents involving children, including birth accidents and other medical malpractice issues. Rest assured that your valuables would get compensated in the fairest amount possible.

Let Your Heart Be Established By Grace

2009-01-24T05:13:00.000-08:00

I'm resigning from my job this February. I think I've already finished the learning curve of online teaching and am all set to find my second job. My decision to quit does have a smidgen of regret as I'm going to lose the luxury of being able to buy things for myself, not to mention my ability to contribute to the family's budget. I also feel uncertain about my short-term future. Never before had I been like this. My advance worrying often leads me to doing advance planning. Not this time. My ego has been effectively pinned down by circumstances I have 10% control of. In the past, my achievements speak forcefully on my behalf; they grease me through success. Now, my self could only revel on my achievements, and nothing more.

My friend sent me this email as an encouragement. And I want it to share to anyone who has been inflicted with angst, if not with lack of grace.

Hebrews 13:9
9… it is good that the heart be established by grace…

God does not want your heart full of worries and fears, tossed and turned by every challenge that comes your way. He wants your heart at rest and established by His grace toward you.

But when you think that the breakthroughs to your challenges depend on your ability to obey God, then your heart will not be at rest. It will be full of worries and anxieties. Why? Because you can never obey God perfectly.

But when you depend on God's grace, that is, His undeserved, unmerited favor, the opposite happens — your heart becomes established. When you know that the only thing that qualifies you to receive God's blessings is faith in the finished work of Christ, your heart becomes established. Then, you will walk without the fear of your troubles swallowing you up. You will walk with full assurance that His blessings will be manifested in your life.

My friend, God wants your heart established, knowing that His righteousness, healing, protection and prosperity are yours — all paid for by Jesus' finished work at the cross. God's blessings are sure in your life because they are not dependent on your ability to keep His laws, but Jesus' perfect obedience.

You see, under the old covenant, you receive God's blessings only if you keep all His laws. (Deuteronomy 28:1–2) If you sin and fail to keep even one law, you will be disqualified from receiving His blessings. But today, under the new covenant, your sins no longer disqualify you because God Himself has said, "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." (Hebrews 8:12)

So let your heart be established by God's grace. Because of His grace, you have full access to His blessings. You no longer have to worry about whether you are good enough. You can stand firm on the promises made in His Word and enjoy His blessings today because Jesus has paid the price. Your part is only to believe and receive!

Pschotic Propensities

2009-01-21T22:22:00.000-08:00

Take the test here.

Practical Distance Learning

2009-01-15T05:20:00.000-08:00

The nature of jobs today is very irregular. If you work in a call center, you have to bear with shifting schedules; the irregularity sometimes disqualify you enjoy life in ways you could indulge in before. Medical transcriptionists, though having more control of their time as compared to their peers in the graveyard, have to deal with the high mobility their job demands of them. These are but only two jobs that can bar anyone from pursuing master’s degree, or even a bachelor’s degree. Good thing one of my friends was able to get a higher diploma from a distance learning institute. These days, distance education has become more widely accepted and acknowledged. Online institutes have refined their craft, and have mastered the art and science of pedagogy in the virtual classroom. If you are looking for a credible distance learning institution, make no mistake with Ashworth College. It offers a very diverse range distance education programs and lets you study in the most comfortable place—your home. Academic programs in Ashworth College include nutrition, diet, and health sciences, real estate appraisal skills, small business management, and others. If circumstances allow me, I’d choose to enroll under Ashworth College with a diploma in Fashion Retailing. I think an online environment, given its wide interconnections, can truly give a practically satisfying and competitive curriculum on fashion and design.

First Time, First Buy

2009-01-02T06:05:00.000-08:00

This is my first every purchase in the Land of Kimchi. Accompanied by our Korean buddy Kim Jeryang, we braved to enter the "pyon-ee-jeom" (convenience store) to a cup, or rather, a bottle of coffee. Korean word learned: "sada", which means to buy.

It cost us 2,500won, roughly 2.50USD. It was a perfect drink for the chilly Springtime wind.Mashija! Let's drink!

Happy New Year

2008-12-31T09:26:00.000-08:00

Happy is such an understatement for this new year. God has already manifested to our family His loving kindness with the bounties on our table. And we are just on the first day of the year. We trust that He will continue to bless our family as all things work for the good of those who believe in the Lord. And yes, we don't fear the shaky economic condition; the God of yesterday, of riches and blessings, of health and happiness and prosperity, is the same God we have today.

Thank you Lord for the Year 2008.
God bless everyone.

Earn Money

2008-12-06T04:04:00.001-08:00

Perhaps some of you know that I'm a blogger--who earns. But blogging requires 2 hours or so of my time everyday for maintenance. Sometimes it just fills up my hands too much so I looked for alternative ways of earning online. And trust me, the net is such a goldmine! Last month, I dug a very good website that lets anyone earn just by clicking; .005USD/click. That means 10USD/monthly per 70clicks/day. You just need to visit certain ads (they're actually websites), and voila!

Things to do:
1) Sign up for AlertPay.com. This is where TakeTheGlobe. com will transfer your earned cash.
2) Follow this link and sign up for TakeTheGlobe.

Feel free to ask me if you have questions.

Moon is Smiling

2008-12-02T22:57:00.000-08:00

(UP Diliman Information Office)- Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary General of the United Nations, was conferred an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by the University of the Philippines on October 29 in ceremonies held at the Malcolm Hall Auditorium of the College of Law.

Ban received the University’s highest academic distinction in recognition of “his accomplishments in the fields of diplomacy, specifically in his capacity as Secretary General of the United Nations, a prestigious position held by an Asian for only the second time” as well as his “determination to mobilize political will, for the allocation of adequate resources for development aid to benefit the poorest countries in the world.”

At the time of his election to the United Nation’s highest post, Ban was Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Korea. He has long-standing ties with the UN, dating back to 1975 when he worked for the Foreign Ministry’s United Nations Division. He has also been actively involved in issues of peace and economic cooperation on the global stage.

Accompanied by his wife Ban Soon-taek, he is currently in the country for the Second Global Forum on Migration and Development being held in Manila as part of his four-country tour in Asia.

Once in A Lifetime

2008-12-02T04:51:00.000-08:00

I really love this song of Shinhwa (신화). We only live a single life. Be sure to do something you really want to before you literally fly to the sky.

ONCE IN A LIFETIME

Everyday I pray to help me through the day
to make myself stronger... and I pray

Gu oren kumduri jogumsshig dagawa nunaphe pyolchyojinun jigum
nan nunul gamgoso gasum soguro jonhe onun nugungaye gidol dudgo isso
sumanhun byoldulgwa yagsoghetdon modun kumdurul onjengan irwojindago mido
tamgwa i nunmulgwa sojunghan saramman itdamyon urin muoshidun he nelsu isso

Once in a lifetime fly to the star byolduri noui kumul jikhyo julkoya
once in your lifetime uri gu nal wihe
yongwonhi hamke manduro goya hal love for your dreams

Sulphugodo himdun naldurul da jinadorog he
ok open your eyes to the sky
then you can find the way for then better days
ije uri sesangul modu gathi da hamke hal su ikge

Himdulmyon shwiogado ok yo jamkan take a second gu oren kum
sumanhun star I know that you can take it hamkeramyon
jom do nal goya ni kumdurun passion it's all yours there's no question

Sumanhun aphumul gyondyonetdon modun kumdurun onjengan doraondago mido
tamgwa i yoljonggwa sojunghan saramman itdamyon urin muoshidun doelgoya

Once in a lifetime fly to the star byolduri noui kumul jikhyo julkoya
once in your lifetime uri gu nal wihe
yongwonhi hamke manduro goya hal love for your dreams

Teron salme jichyo uljiman (no baby no more cry)
noui himi doejulge (I'll pray for you and me tonight)
norul dalmun byorul bol su itdamyon naui sarangdo marhalgoya

Once in a lifetime fly to the star byolduri noui kumul jikhyo julkoya (jikhyo julkoya)
once in your lifetime uri gu nal wihe
yongwonhi hamke manduro gal everything for your dreams

Once in a lifetime fly to the star (fly to the star)
yongwonhi noui kumul gioghalgoya (gioghalgoya)
once in your lifetime uri gu nal wihe
yongwonhi hamke manduro goya hal love for your dreams

Picture taken from Korea Aeronautics Research Institute

Seeing Christmas with a Different Lens

2008-11-19T23:16:00.000-08:00

Christmas is in the air. Last week, I had to shop for gifts. I just received my Christmas bonus so my purse is empowered to splurge for other people. The feeling is much better when you’re giving, and the amount I spent didn’t haunt me in my sleep. I still need to buy a few things for my best friends because I shop separately for them. I plant to buy Eugen fashion eyeglasses since she likes wearing a pair even if her vision is fine. Holiday Glass Frames From Zenni Optical would be a good way to gauge the looks of offline eyeglasses. I browsed the popular online eyeglasses shop and found this pair particularly elegant. And since a pair just costs $ 8 Complete Rx Eyeglasses, Zenni eye wear just fits my budget. I think I’ll be ordering from this site instead.

Frame Color Choices: Silver/Raspberry with pattern temples, or Pink/Purple with pattern temples.
A medium narrow size, fashion full-rim frame with pattern temples.

A Break from Monotony

2008-11-19T00:33:00.000-08:00

I just got my new domain! ^^;
I'd appreciate it if you could link A Break from Monotony on your site.

Your Space in Cyberspace

2008-11-14T01:59:00.000-08:00

It was just recently that I discovered the net to be a real gold mine. My aunt has been encouraging me to set up an online space—could be a blog or a shop—to help me boost my revenues even when I’m at home. This freely hosted blog did spare me from the monthly wi-fi bills. However, unique .com domains seem to have greater potentials, especially if you want to make your online space more than just a diary. Of course, with your own domain you can also fully customize your page. Web hosting is the way around the limited features of your freely hosted domains. The best pay you to post websites usually require bloggers to have their own unique domains. Their rates are higher than the rest of the lot, and they give easier tasks. I started scouring the net for a good web hosting site and have stumbled on web hosting geeks.com, which is a website that features independent, unbiased, and professional web hosting reviews. The homepage is very easy on the eye; yes, I was scouring, and the pursuit itself could be very tiring, but the layout is very straightforward. You can see top web hosting providers ranked under a single column, their basic features, special and bonus features, and of course, hosting feedback. Reviews featured here are all independent reviews of hosting websites under $10. Cheap doesn’t usually mean bad. We all deserve a stable, feature-packed web hosting blog that can make our blogging lives easier, more fun, and more profitable. Check out Web Hosting Geeks.com and read through web hosting awards: best budget hosting, best blog hosting, best ecommerce hosting, etc. If you want more professional reviews, then scroll down through the page and click on webhosting reviews according to hosting pundits.

When Luck and Hardwork Collides

2008-11-11T05:42:00.000-08:00

Nobody really has to start from scratch. These days my mom and dad are thinking of investing our last ace to business; my father is retiring and how the separation pay would be invested would be the make or break of our immediate future. I thought it would be nice if I’d give them biographies of people who have become successful in the realm of entrepreneurship. Jim Piccolo is one of my parents’ contemporaries so I recommend them to take a look at his biography. They have considered opening up an English school here for underprivileged children so Mr. Jim Piccolo’s experiences are really invaluable. Mr. Jim Piccolo is currently the chairperson and CEO of Nouveau Riche University, an institute for higher education that specializes in real estate investment. Mr. Jim Piccolo’s business acuity and twenty years of business experience have made him one of the most successful entrepreneurs of our time. Not only has he have stakes in the education market and in the manufacturing sector but he also has prove his ability to create niches that are “outside” of his specialty. He is now a nationally-recognized, after-market, sport-truck accessory maker and designer. Opportunities are bucketful. I’d like my parents to hit the jackpot in the market as well. Who knows, if things go really well, we could really open an English institute. I’ll be the first one to enroll. ^^;

November Sun

2008-11-07T12:04:00.000-08:00

I was disappointed when I lost one of my sunglasses because of my carelessness. I slipped it into one of my bag’s zipper-less pockets. I thought nothing would happen to it as the pocket was relatively secure. But yeah, the bus was crowded and I think it was pickpocketed by God knows who. Anyhow, I am definitely going to buy a replacement. Those glasses were not really expensive but are resistant against scratch (vulnerable to pickpockets) and have a durable frame. It was exactly like one of those Zenni Optical glasses. Zenni offers great eyeglasses for less. I wonder why people buy uber expensive, signature glasses when the public wouldn’t bother to know what’s beyond the face value. If you’re looking for great lenses for an affordable price, try out Zenni. Variable dimension frames from Zenni shouldn’t be missed out. Also, if you’ve been recently watching TV, Zenni Optical was on FOX news!

Smokin'

2008-11-04T09:48:00.000-08:00

Two faces of Horeb.
Halloween '08 at Starbucks.

Do you really think I smoke?

Free Image Source for Bloggers

2008-11-03T04:58:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I forget to include images in my posts. Well, it’s not really that I forget. It’s more of because I’m kinda lazy to scour the net for appropriate images for my posts. Sometimes I use deviant art, but I feel compelled to cite the origin of the drawing. It’s always better to include even a single relevant picture in one’s post because 1) people could be drawn to reading the whole blog post, 2) people can easily understand and crystallize in their minds what your entry was about 3) people would keep on coming back to your site, if only for the interesting pictures. If you are looking for free blog images, you really have to try Acobox service. This website offers free images for bloggers so you wouldn’t have to worry about proper referencing of the sources of you image; they sometimes ruin the whole post for you. What is good about Acobox is that it’s very easy to search for images. There is a search box where you can scavenge relevant photos for your blog post. You can also search using filters: animals, landscape, nature, etc. Take your pic. Sign up on Acobox and start using images worry-free.

Sight of Affluence

2008-11-01T20:26:00.000-07:00

A website layout tells more about site than any homepage graphics or introductory remarks. I especially like Nouveau Riche’s innovative web layout where organization, professionalism, vivacity, and success are reflected. More than just being an eye candy to visitors, the real estate university’s website provides a clutter-free presentation of what the institution can offer. Nouveau Riche offers cutting-edge curriculum for students having a penchant for real estate investment. The university ensures that its graduates will have the best brew of real estate astuteness by mixing theory, concepts, hands-on, practicality, and real life experiences in classroom instruction. Nouveau Riche is also offering extensive workshops for people having the same goals and interests. Participants can take part in case studies, classroom discussion and role-plays that can aid better information retention. The learning approach in Nouveau Riche is non dogmatic, far from traditional, and like its website layout, innovative. If you feel that you have a knack for real estate investment, or even if you don’t feel like you have the “it”, you can try to visit the university’s site and explore the things it offers for the wealthy people in the making. Experience professional facilitation from expert instructors in Nouveau Riche.