Fashion of Convenience

I own a lot of black clothes… a lot. My wardrobe is composed mainly of neutral colors – white, brown, black and gray. Now, living in NYC, black IS my favorite color. One, it looks sharp and elegant. Two, it is slimming. And three, dirt and stains don’t show.

Back when I was living in Manila, I had nice shoes with heels. I had small handbags. And I have those cute multicolored blouses. But here in NYC, I now have good comfortable shoes, big bags and lots of black clothes. Here I walk a lot, so having good shoes is a must. And also here, I bring an umbrella and a book for reading during the subway ride, so I need a big sturdy bag. And also, I am always in a hurry so I like black clothes because black is a color that is not difficult to match. Also you can dress up black clothes anyway you want – for office, for any after-work party, for a walk in the park, for anything.

I notice how New Yorkers prefer good quality brands too. They will spend money on something that is durable. They wouldn’t blink about spending more than a hundred bucks for a good sturdy Longchamp shopping bag or a few hundred bucks for a pair of Hunter rain boots or a few more hundred bucks for a good warm jacket.

New Yorkers love black

NYC is one of the most fashionable cities in the world. But aside from the hip and trendy to elegant fashion styles, convenience is a big consideration for the average New Yorker. And it is very understandable with the daily commute, endless rush of people and the weather, one better has to gear up in the jungles of Manhattan.

Sun Sign and Moon Sign

Ok.  So there was a couple of weeks that I was really looking into my Astrological profile.  I know I make a living out of data and numbers and of thinking logically.  And I have the highest respect for research and empirical data. And there is no evidence that personality and events are the direct cause of the position of the planets and stars at the time of a person’s birth.  BUT… astrology is interesting reading.  In astrology everything is about you or the person you are interested to know about.  All of us are wired to be selfish.  Anything about us is interesting.  Hence, I delved into my signs to know more about me.

So there are two sign I looked into:  the sun sign and the moon sign.  This site calculates your moon sign -> http://lunarium.co.uk/sign.php. This other site gives you your sun and moon combined reading -> http://www.astrology-numerology.com/sun-moon4.html.

Here is my reading:

4-10 Cancer/Capricorn

The combination of your Sun and Moon signs produces a good deal of ambition and determination in your personality. Yet this is well disguised in a mask of congeniality and understanding. The Cancer Sun is naturally understanding and affectionate, lessening the normal coldness of the Capricorn Moon. This lends good insight and a penetrating look at human nature. You are well equipped for a role in some type of public or official responsibility, and apt to gain recognition for your work in this regard. Prestige and status are likely to flow your way if you make any effort to achieve before the public. You have a reassuring way as you always seem willing to assume responsibilities, and work hard to reach goals. You expect things of value to require a good deal of effort. Unassuming and unpretentious, you are ever willing to tow your share of the load. You appreciate the value of a dollar, but you’re not likely to spare cost when it comes to obtaining quality for your investment. A high degree of self-discipline allows you to save or even hoard money for that rainy day. You have a shrewdness that produces a genial and warm manner, but your purpose remains steely and determined. This nice blend of the personal and the sincere, with the calculating business core, allows you to accomplish much without hurting anyone’s feelings. It permits you to muster and retain many friends along the way. You know how to drive a hard bargain with a smile on your face, and you have a keen sense for understanding people and instinctively sensing their motives.

Hmmm…. interesting read.

Pretty Woman (1990)

Pretty Woman starring Richard Gere and Julia Roberts was released in 1990. This, for me, catapulted Julia Roberts to stardom. The film was about how Prince Charming rescues down-on-her-luck but charming prostitute Vivian Ward. I love the movie and I absolutely love the soundtrack.

Fresh-faced, charming Julia Roberts won my heart. She was perfectin this role although she was almost the last choice for the role. Richard Gere is swoon-worthy. Hector Elizondo as the kindly hotel manager was impeccable. I love how the actors made their roles their own. Not only was the film a blockbuster, it was a critical success as well.

Here’s the Pretty Woman Trailer:

And the soundtrack.. need I say more. “King of Wishful Thinking” and “Fallen” are my favorites up to now.

I remember a scene where Gere returns the necklace to the hotel manager and Elizondo saying, “It must be so difficult to let go of something beautiful”. I love how the film ends with Gere and Roberts kissing on the fire escape, then the camera fading out with the voice over.. “Welcome to Hollywood.. everybody has a dream…”

You know you are Filipino if …..

After doing extensive research on this topic, I have compiled my own “You know you are Filipino if …” list. These are the things that are true to me because no matter where I might be I am still a proud PinayPie!

In no particular order…
You know you are Filipino if …
1. You hang a rosary on your car’s rear view mirror.
2. You respond to a “Hoy!” or a “Pssst!” in a crowd.
3. You have a relative who is a nurse.
4. Your pantry is never without Spam, Vienna sausage, corned beef, and sardines.
5. You think Christmas season begins in October and ends in January.
6. You play cards or mahjong and drink beer at funeral wakes.
7. You eat fried Spam and hot dogs with rice.
8. You’ve mastered the art of packing a suitcase to double capacity.
9. You collect items from airlines, hotels, and restaurants as “souvenirs.”
10. You think a meal is not a meal without rice.
11. Everything you eat is sauted in garlic, onion, and tomatoes.
12. You have uncles and aunts named “Boy,” “Girlie,” or “Baby.”
13. You have relatives whose nicknames consist of repeated syllables like “Jun-Jun,” “Ling-Ling,” and “Mon-Mon.”
14. You can squeeze 15 passengers into your five seater car without a second thought.
15. Your middle name is your mother’s maiden name.
16. You love ballroom dancing, bowling, pusoy, mah jong, billiards, and karaoke.
17. You bring balikbayan boxes in the airport.

Pinoys and our balikbayan boxes

18. You always make too much food at parties and send everyone home with a doggie bag.
19. You hate confrontations but love drama.
20. You are smiling, easygoing thoughtful and an overall nice person!

Two Funny Flowcharts and a Graph

I like making flowcharts. Here is a flowchart that is simple, clear, concise, true and yeah.. funny!

How do you communicate with Britney Spears? Try this flowchart and sing along …

Okay.. so I don’t get tired to 300 jokes… sue me.

Images from graphjam.com

Blackberry vs Iphone

I had a BlackBerry 8830 World Edition. I had that phone for a year and I loved it. I love that it has the Facebook app and all the Instant Messenger applications and I loved the fact that I can receive emails instantaneously. It was easy adjusting to its QWERTY keyboard. It didn’t have a built-in camera but I liked my BlackBerry. It had that “busy executive” image.

Then the Iphone came. I always thought that the Iphone was overrated and just a product of good marketing. I still stuck with my BlackBerry. Until the time when I was forced to exchange my Sprint-locked Balckberry with my friend’s open line Iphone temporarily because my Blackberry.

For a couple of weeks I cursed my Iphone because for the life of me, I had a hard time texting and its predictive text had a hard time learning my Filipino words. I also hard a hard time with its controls. Then as days pass, my complaints about my Iphone lessened as I realized the convenience of its built-in Ipod. I have now realized the importance of listening to music while walking and commuting in NYC. The Iphone apps make the hours shorter as I wait in line or wait in an airport. And of course, the built-in camera is also a plus for me. The wifi capability of the Iphone saved my on my data charges, that’s for sure. The only thing on my wishlist for the Iphone though is BlackBerry’s push email technology. When my friend and I exchanged back our phone, I got my Blackberry back and she, her Iphone, I must admit, I kinda missed the convenience of the Iphone.

Thanks to Globe’s Iphone promo where you get an Iphone 3G 16GB at around $300 at 0% interest for 12 months, I got myself a white Iphone. Now I can say that although I still like BlackBerry, now I am an Iphone convert.

Year of the Rat almost over … Hello Year of the Ox

Advance Kung Hei Fat Choi !!!!!

The Year of the Rat (this year until January 25) has been a tough year for me.    2008, Chinese astrologers say is not a good year for us born under the Year of the Monkey. Here are their 2008 Predictions. 

 1. A mixed year for the Monkey in a Rat year, on first glance many will predict a bad year but if you look deep the year can be good for the Monkey and even exceptional if you are aware of potential problems as you can avoid them and this lets you move on.
–> In other words, they predict a bad year.  Yup, it was a bad year.
 
2. Be careful of people who you thought of as friends stabbing you in the back and also be aware that the clash of elements can also cause family disharmony.
–> I was so disappointed in two people who I thought were good friends.  I did not expect it.   Yeah, and there were family issues also.

3.  This is a good year to keep low and ensure your tactful nature is on full alert. 
–> I exercised extreme tact in some iffy situations this year.   I think it paid off.
 

4.  This is a good year to learn new skills or hobby and perfect for study and taking exams.
–>  I was supposed to take the Series 65 exam this year.  Because of the financial crisis, I decided to do otherwise.

The year of the OX is fast approaching.  I wish for love, peace, success and happiness this coming year for all of us.

The exact time of the Chinese New Year, when I will don a polka-dot outfit and jump up and down will be: U.S.A. – New York January 26, Mon 02:55

Slumdog Millionaire … Yay!!!

I watched the Golden Globes a few days ago. And I am so happy that Slumdog Millionaire, a movie set in India, with a relatively unknown cast of foreign actors won!!!!

Danny Boyle, Freida Pinto, Dev Patel

Truth be told, I haven’t watched the movie. What made me happy that it won Best Picture is that it paved the way for other “foreign films” out of the “Foreign Films” category into mainstream Hollywood. Year by year, this world of ours is turning out to be flatter and a more even playing ground for talented people around the world. This win will draw filmmakers to explore beyond the confines of Hollywood. Now, the ingredients of a great award winning and mass appealing movie are not just an A-list cast, a great story and a million dollar budget. The ingredients of a great movie will rightfully be – a great story, creative storytelling and talented cast.

Other Pinoy Jokes

With bad news all around, from my startup page to whatever I googled, I decided to look for pinoy jokes. Here are some that I found:

——————————————

Mrs. Tanoy is a very kuripot. When her husband died, she inquired with the newspaper, asking the price for the obituary.

The ad taker said: “300 pesos for 5 words.

She said: “Pwede ba 2 words lang? Eto lang naman yun… “Tanoy Dead”

Ad taker said: “No mam. 5 words is the minimum.”

After thinking for a while,

Mrs. Tanoy said: “Ok, para sulit, ilagay mo,

“TANOY DEAD, TOYOTA FOR SALE ” …

——————————————–

Battle of the Brainless

Host: What “N” (narra) is the national tree of the Philippines?

Contestant: Niyog?

Host: Mas matigas pa diyan.

Contestant: (in a strong-sounding voice) NIYOG!!!

—

Host: Sino ang national hero na naka-picture sa 500 Peso bill? Clue,
may initials na N.A. (Ninoy Aquino)

Contestant: Nora Aunor?

Host: Hindi. Ang pangalan niya ay nage-end sa “Y”.

Contestant: Guy Aunor?

Host: Hindi. Dati siyang Senador.

Contestant: Si Former Senator Guy Aunor?

Host: Hindi. Patay na siya.

Contestant: ANO??!! PATAY NA SI NORA AUNOR???!!!

———————————–

Patayin sa Sindak si Mark

one night…
Mark walks alone in Balete,then he heard…

“Mark!Mark!”
Lumingon siya,
wlang tao.

“Mark! Mark!”
Tumakbo siyaaaaaaaa……

Pagdating sa kanto,he saw a sign:

“BEWARE: NGONGONG ASO”

———————————–

Ngeeks.

Original Pilipino Music: APO Hiking Society

I love Pinoy music.  But nowadays, I often hear revivals and remixes of old Pinoy or foreign songs.  Don’t get me wrong.  I love these revivals.   in fact, I like MYMP’s Versions album or Sitti’s bossanova versions.  But what I miss are the Original Pinoy songs with its distinct emotional lyrics and its simple yet catching melody .  My favorite OPM  is the music of the  Apo Hiking Society.

Buboy, Danny and Jim

The Apolinario Mabini Hiking Society (or APO Hiking Society for short) spans 3 decades of talent, humor, originality and good good music. You can feel the wit, humor, melancholy, hope in their songs. Here are some of the APO songs I like:

1.  Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo
This was the 1986 EDSA song composed by Jim Paredes. This song made me feel proud to be a Filipino.

2. Yakap sa Dilim
This song is fun, catchy, naughty and romantic at the same time.

3. Awit ng Barkada
“Barkada” is a group of friends or a clique. It is a very important social group in the Filipino setting. You barkada will be there for you through thick and thin, this song says.

4. When I Met You
My personal favorite. I love the melody of this song.

5. Di Na Natuto
One can’t stop falling in love. Ahhh, this is the romantic Pinoy at his best.

 
I love APO because their music celebrates being Filipino. It’s not just all love songs. You can see different aspects of Filipino culture by just looking at their track listing. You will see how Pinay women are (“Bakit and Babae”) , or how we give advice to kids (“Batang bata ka pa”), or how we are affected by colonial mentality (“American junk”), and so many more.

I hope there are more bands like APO Hiking Society out there.

You can hear these songs, look at the lyrics and the chords in: Apo Hiking Society Songs .