Plane as seen from the beach

Philippine Prudential Life

After visiting Comic Con last Saturday, Juzie and I were walking towards the other end of Megamall and as we neared the escalator going down to the movies we were approached by a very apologetic gay man who asked us if any of us had a credit card. I said yes I did and was immediately congratulated because he told us we won an umbrella and some other schwag. We even had a chance to win a car, he said. Fine. I was told to follow him and follow him we did into the office of Philippine Prudential Life although I could see it was Dunville something in the front.

I was told to wait a while and all throughout this time, this man kept winking, saying he was sorry for taking up our time and thanking us because we added a lot to his commission. He kept complimenting me and asking me where I was from and where Juzie was from and exclaiming what a wonderful place this and that was. He also told me that if I were asked inside the office if I was willing to listen to a presentation I should answer yes. Note that I was never given a spare chance to think for myself.

We were then called inside to meet a woman who introduced herself as Reynalyn. She gave me a questionnaire to fill out.

After asking for the basic information like name and address the questionnaire asked "What do you want for yourself, your family, and your children?" with lots of spaces to fill out a nice essay. I answered for myself "Gardening. World Domination. Immortality." For my family I answered "Security and World Domination." For my children I answered "Happiness."

After filling the questionnaire out Reynalyn gave a quite convincing spiel. First she asked me "How would I be able to fulfill my goals of-" (she looks at my answer) "Gardening. World Domination!" Without skipping a beat, "Immortality!" All this time she's writing upside down on my questionnaire but I can only make out the peso sign and stuff like "Today".

Well, after a long chat about millionaires having a chance to earn 4-8% interest on deposits if their initial deposit started at a million (I forgot the term) and how I could earn that much if I trusted my money with them, she asked for my credit card. I asked for seven days to think about it since I really hate making spot decisions on my finances. She wouldn't take no for an answer and for someone as shy as me, I found it hard saying no. Good for her that her manager suggested I take a cheaper option and so I took it just to get it over with. It's a good thing I already almost maxed my card or else I'd be charged with 1680 every month. I came away with a 365 peso charge to my credit card and a small pillow.

I took solace in the fact that Juzie was there for the whole presentation and that she would learn a thing or two about persuasive selling.

The Congressmen Who Signed HR 1109 Are…

Taken from http://filipinovoices.com/the-congressmen-who-signed-hr-1109-are with thanks to Dani

ABANTE, BIENVENIDO M. “BENNY” 6TH District Pandacan
ABLAN, ROQUE R. JR, Ilocos Norte, 1st District
AGBAYANI, VICTOR AGUEDO E. Pangasinan, 2nd District
AGYAO, MANUEL, S Kalinga Province
ALBANO (III), RODOLFO T. Isabela, 1st District
ALFELOR, FELIX R. JR. 4th District, Camarines Sur
ALMARIO, THELMA Z. Davao Oriental, 2nd District
ALVAREZ, ANTONIO C. Palawan 1st District
ALVAREZ, GENARO RAFAEL M. JR. Negros Occidental, 6th District
AMANTE, EDELMIRO A. Agusan Del Norte, 2nd District
AMATONG, ROMMEL C. Compostela Valley, 2nd District
ANGPING, MARIA ZENAIDA B. Manila, 3rd District
ANTONINO, RODOLFO W. Nueva Ecija, 4th District
APOSTOL, TRINIDAD G. Leyte, 2nd District
AQUINO, JOSE S. (II) 1st District Agusan del Norte
ARAGO, MARIA EVITA R. 3rd district, Laguna
ARBISON, A MUNIR M. Sulu 2nd District
ARENAS, MA. RACHEL J. Pangasinan, 3rd District
ARROYO, DIOSDADO M. Camarines Sur, 1st District
ARROYO, IGNACIO T. 5th district Negros Occidental
ARROYO, JUAN MIGUEL M. 2nd District of Pampanga
BAGATSING, AMADO S. Manila 5th district
BALINDONG, PANGALIAN M. Lanao del Sur, 2nd District
BARZAGA, ELPIDIO F. JR. Cavite, 2nd District
BAUTISTA, FRANKLIN P. Davao Del Sur, 2nd District
BELMONTE, VICENTE F. JR. Lanao del Norte, 1st District
BICHARA, AL FRANCIS C. Albay, 2nd District
BIRON, FERJENEL G. Iloilo, 4th District
BONDOC, ANNA YORK P. Pampanga 4th District
BONOAN-DAVID, MA. THERESA B. Manila, 4th District
BRAVO, NARCISO R. JR. Masbate, 1st District
BRIONES, NICANOR M. AGAP Party list
BUHAIN, EILEEN ERMITA Batangas, 1st District
BULUT, ELIAS C. JR. Apayao Lone District
CAGAS (IV), MARC DOUGLAS C. Davao Del Sur, 1st District
CAJAYON, MARY MITZI L. Caloocan, 2nd District
CAJES, ROBERTO C. Bohol, 2nd District
CARI, CARMEN L. Leyte, 5th District
CASTRO, FREDENIL H. Capiz, 2nd District
CELESTE, ARTHUR F. Pangasinan, 1st District
CERILLES, ANTONIO H. Zamboanga Del Sur, 2nd District
CHATTO, EDGARDO M. Bohol, 1st District
CHONG, GLENN A. Biliran, Lone District
CHUNG-LAO, SOLOMON R. Ifugao, Lone District
CLARETE, MARINA C. Misamis Occidental, 1st District
CODILLA, EUFROCINO M. SR. Leyte, 4th District
COJUANCO, MARK O. Pangasinan, 5th District
COQUILA, TEODULO M. Eastern Samar, Lone District
CRISOLOGO, VINCENT P. Quezon City, 1st District
CUA, JUNIE E. Quirino, Lone District
CUENCO, ANTONIO V. Cebu City, 2nd District
DANGWA, SAMUEL M. Benguet, Lone District
DATUMANONG, SIMEON A. Maguindanao, Lone District
Dayanghirang, Nelson L. Davao Oriental, 1st District
DAZA, NANETTE C. Quezon City, 4th District
DAZA, PAUL R. Northern Samar, 1st District
DE GUZMAN, DEL R. Marikina City, 2nd District
DEFENSOR, ARTHUR D. SR. Iloilo, 3rd District
DEFENSOR, MATIAS V. JR. Quezon City, 3rd District
DEL MAR, RAUL V. Cebu City, 1st District
DIASNES, CARLO OLIVER D. (MD) Batanes, Lone District
DIMAPORO, ABDULLAH D. Lanao Del Norte, 2nd District
DOMOGAN, MAURICIO G. Baguio, Lone District
DUAVIT, MICHAEL JOHN R. Rizal, 1st District
DUENAS, HENRY M. JR. Taguig, 2nd District (2nd Councilor District)
DUMARPA, FAYSAH MRP. Lanao del Sur, 1st District
DUMPIT, THOMAS L. JR. La Union, 2nd District
DURANO (IV), RAMON H. 5th District, Cebu
ECLEO, GLENDA B. Dinagat Islands, Lone District
EMANO, YEVGENY VICENTE B. Misamis Oriental, 2nd District
ENVERGA, WILFRIDO MARK M. Quezon, 1st District
ESTRELLA, CONRADO M. (III) Pangasinan, 6th District
ESTRELLA, ROBERT RAYMUND M. ABONO Party List
FERRER, JEFFREY P. Negros Occidental, 4th District
GARAY, FLORENCIO C. Surigao Del Sur, 2nd District
GARCIA, ALBERT S. Bataan, 2nd District.
GARCIA, PABLO JOHN F. Cebu, 3rd District
GARCIA, PABLO P. Cebu, 2nd District
GARCIA, VINCENT J. Davao City, 2nd District
GARIN, JANETTE L. Iloilo, 1st District
GATCHALIAN, REXLON T. Valenzuela City, 1st District
GATLABAYAN, ANGELITO C. Antipolo City, 2nd District
GO, ARNULFO F. Sultan Kudarat, 2nd District
GONZALES, AURELIO D. JR. Pampanga 3rd District
GONZALES, RAUL T. JR. Iloilo City
GULLAS, EDUARDO R. Cebu, 1st District
GUNIGUNDO, MAGTANGGOL T. Valenzuela City 2nd District
HOFER, DULCE ANN K. Zamboanga Sibugay, 2nd District
JAAFAR, NUR G. Tawi-Tawi, Lone District
JALA, ADAM RELSON L. Bohol, 3rd District
JALOSJOS, CESAR G. Zamboanga del Norte, 3rd District
JALOSJOS-CARREON, CECILIA G. Zamboanga del Norte, 1st District
JIKIRI, YUSOP H. Sulu, 1st District
KHO, ANTONIO T. Masbate, 2nd District
LABADLABAD, ROSENDO S. Zamboanga del Norte, 2nd District
LACSON, JOSE CARLOS V. Negros Occidental, 3rd District
LAGDAMEO, ANTONIO F. JR. Davao del Norte, 2nd District
LAPUS, JECI A. Tarlac, 3rd District
LAZATIN, CARMELO F. Pampanga, 1st District
LIM, RENO G. Albay, 3rd District
LOPEZ, JAIME C. Manila, 2nd District
MADRONA, ELEANORA JESUS F. Romblon, Lone District
MAGSAYSAY, MARIA MILAGROS H. Zambales, 1st District
MALAPITAN, OSCAR G. Caloocan, 1st District
MAMBA, MANUEL N. Cagayan, 3rd District
MANGUDADATU, DATU PAKUNG S. Sultan Kudarat,
MARANON, ALFREDO D. III Negros Occidental, 2nd District
MATUGAS, FRANCISCO T. Surigao del Norte, 1st District
MENDOZA, MARK LEANDRO L. Batangas, 4th District
MERCADO, ROGER G. Southern Leyte, Lone District
MIRAFLORES, FLORENCIO T. Aklan, Lone District
NAVA, JOAQUIN CARLOS RAHMAN A. (MD) Guimaras, Lone District
NICOLAS, REYLINA G. Bulacan, 4th District
NOGRALES, PROSPERO C. Davao City, 1st District
OLAñO, ARREL R. Davao Del Norte, 1st District
ONG, EMIL L. Northern Samar, 2nd District
ORTEGA, VICTOR FRANCISCO C. La Union, 1st District
PABLO, ERNESTO C. APEC Party List
PANCHO, PEDRO M. Bulacan, 2nd District
PANCRUDO, CANDIDO P. JR. Bukidnon, 1st District
PICHAY, PHILIP A. Surigao Del Sur, 1st District
PIñOL, BERNARDO F. JR. North Cotabato, 2nd District
PUNO, ROBERTO V. Antipolo City, 1st District
RAMIRO, HERMINIA M. Misamis Occidental, 2nd District
REMULLA, JESUS CRISPIN C. Cavite, 3rd District
REYES, CARMELITA O. Marinduque, Lone District
REYES, VICTORIA H. Batangas, 3rd District
ROBES, ARTURO G. San Jose Del Monte City, Lone District
Rodriguez-Zaldarriaga, Adelina Rizal, 2nd District
ROMAN, HERMINIA B. Bataan, 1st District
ROMARATE, GUILLERMO A. JR. Surigao del Norte, 2nd District
ROMUALDEZ, FERDINAND MARTIN G. Leyte, 1st District
ROMUALDO, PEDRO Camiguin, Lone District
ROMULO, ROMAN T. Pasig City, Lone District
ROXAS, JOSE ANTONIO F. Pasay City
SALIMBANGON, BENHUR L. Cebu, 4th District
SALVACION JR., ANDRES D. Leyte, 3rd District
SAN LUIS, EDGAR S. Laguna, 4th District
SANDOVAL, ALVIN S. Malabon-Navotas, Lone District
SANTIAGO, JOSEPH A. Catanduanes, Lone District
SANTIAGO, NARCISO D. (III) ARC Party List
SEACHON-LANETE, RIZALINA L. 3rd district of Masbate
SEARES-LUNA, CECILIA M. Abra, Lone District
SILVERIO, LORNA C. Bulacan, 3rd District
SINGSON, ERIC D. Ilocos Sur, 2nd District
SINGSON, RONALD V. Ilocos Sur, 1st District
SOLIS, JOSE G. Sorsogon, 2nd District
SOON-RUIZ, NERISSA CORAZON Cebu, 6th District
SUAREZ, DANILO E. Quezon, 3rd District
SUSANO, MARY ANN L. Quezon City, 2nd District
SY-ALVARADO, MA. VICTORIA R. Bulacan, 1st District
SYJUCO, JUDY J. 2nd Dsitrict, Iloilo
TALINO-MENDOZA, EMMYLOU J. North Cotabato, 1st District
TAN, SHAREE ANN T. Samar, 2nd District
TEODORO, MARCELINO R. Marikina City, 1st District
TEODORO, MONICA LOUISSE PRIETO Tarlac, 1st District
TEVES, PRYDE HENRY A. Negros Oriental, 3rd District
TUPAS, NEIL C. JR. Iloilo, 5th District
UNGAB, ISIDRO T. Davao City, 3rd District
UY, EDWIN C. Isabela, 2nd District
UY, REYNALDO S. Samar, 1st District
UY, ROLANDO A. Cagayan De Oro City, Lone District
VALDEZ, EDGAR L. APEC Party List
VALENCIA, RODOLFO G. Oriental Mindoro, 1st District
VARGAS, FLORENCIO L. Cagayan, 2nd District
VILLAFUERTE, LUIS R. Camarines Sur, 2nd District
VILLAROSA, MA. AMELITA C. Occidental Mindoro, Lone District
VIOLAGO, JOSEPH GILBERT F. Nueva Ecija, 2nd District
YAP, JOSE V. Tarlac, 2nd District
YU, VICTOR J. Zamboanga Del Sur, 1st District
ZAMORA, MANUEL E. 1st District, Compostela Valley
ZIALCITA, EDUARDO C. Parañaque, 1st District

My Neighbor's Car

Want.

Best Spam Email Ever

From: Aguinaldo
Subject: What is A Dental Dam?

Of vernon. His son, richard, by whom the foundation are desirous
of acquiring virtue practise diverse.

What is A Dental Dam? Learn more

All the kalingas, he stayed in the midst of the with a name
very like yours, though i don't remember with joy and he
firmly set his heart on battle. Trifle, and that always
indulge in wrath. I never directly after the ceremony with
her certificate a poulet duchanel might easily account for
such but biffen evidently had not put his foot down. Wrinkle
in fine folds, the quick turn of her head recite to thee
the old story of vasudeva and the freedom from wrath, freedom
from decrying others, wouldn't. I certainly have no idea
of breaking their way over mountains of snow: he would nevertheless.

Beach and Belly Fat

I'm so fat. :( This was taken last Monday at Virgin Beach in Laiya, Batangas. This was the first time I went to the beach as the person responsible for almost everything. I have no money left :( That freaking beach resort was frakking expensive! 680 per person and 1350 for the parasol/place plus 10% service charge and 12% VAT. I also brought my sister and Juzie brought her brother.

The four-hour drive to the place wasn't that hard but the drive back was triply hard on me. We drove back at twilight so the fading light made everything hard to see. Also, Juzie's car was heavily tinted and the roads from Laiya until SLEX (even the Batangas Star Tollway) weren't lighted so I had a hard time seeing beyond maybe 50 feet.

The beach was fun if expensive and hard to get to.

The Philippine Graphic/Fiction Awards Volume 1

It's brilliant! Beautiful! There's even a story set in my hometown of Dumaguete.

A blurb at the back states:

"A powerful spacecraft fuelled by Kris Aquino's limitless gossip, is sent to an asteroid on a mission to save the world."

That's what made me buy the book.

I'm about halfway through. There is so much talent in this single book I wonder why Filipinos aren't at the top hundred lists of art, literature and every single aspect of creativity.

On a side note: I love the paper used in the book. I think it's vellum, like the ones used in good magazines.

Another side note: fuelled. Is that how it's actually spelled? It looked really weird for me.

Gym

27/03/09

I've been going to the gym for four nights now.

It feels great. "The iron does not lie to you." Before I went there I kept getting positive feedback from Juzie that I had a "macho" body (and like a sucker, I listened). Sigh. When I went to the gym I felt like a huge blob of fat.

I didn't know I could do squats. I jogged a bit and cycled a few weeks before going to the gym but somehow squat exercises just terrified me. I do three sets of twenty now.

I could do twenty pushups before getting bored before I joined the gym so doing bench presses and upper body exercises was comparably easy to do (even though the weights I lift are small compared to what my gym mates lift).

---

31/03/09 17:33

Last night was my worst night ever. I rested on Saturday and Sunday, well, partially. I did some manly chores that included the laundry and affixing hinges to a broken cabinet door. I went back to the gym last night. Things were pretty hard. The 10 minutes on the exercise bike was hell; I kept adjusting the difficulty lever lower than last week's difficulty as my thighs were burning with pain. This was just in the first two minutes.

I tried to do three sets of twenty on the bench press with seventy pounds but my shoulder kept complaining. (My shoulder was injured maybe four years ago when in a Judo match my opponent threw me using uchimata and we both landed on my elbow. I was stupid enough to continue another match thinking I could still use my left arm. Needless to say, I injured my right shoulder further.) It was only after a few bad starts and two sets that I was able to finish a full twenty.

I was able to finish the full set of squats. I started by increasing the weights to thirty pounds, a fifty percent increase. I finished the exercise breathing heavily and without much discomfort. The walk back home wasn't as excruciating like last week. It was only when I sat down on my comfy chair in front of my laptop that I felt the full impact of the exercise. I couldn't stand up again for a full five minutes.

No pain, no gain, right?

It's memories like these that keep me terrified of going back to the gym but it's the image I see in the mirror that pushes me to go back.

I've stopped exercising in the office to save up energy for gym time. I've given up playing on my laptop although I can find some small pockets of time in the morning while waiting for my roommate to finish taking a shower where I can play a little bit of Guitar Hero. (I know it's corny but I don't have the time to learn real guitar.)

Weekend Back Home

Yep. That's me on the left. Still fat. Sigh. Juzie looks wonderful.

I didn't have much time to take photographs this weekend when we went back home to Dumaguete. This picture was taken by the Amlan river near where my grandparents grew up. The river used to be 20 meters away but has changed a bit since the flood back in February 7. A lot of houses were washed away and one of my grandparents almost lost all his puppies to the flood. His workers had to climb the roofs of the pens and carry the puppies away.

Puppies! The Jack Russels in the back were too hyperactive to take a good picture of. The labradors were more accomodating.

Caffeine

I have discovered a candidate for the source of some of my headaches. It's caffeine. But I don't drink coffee. I read recently about caffeine being the most addictive drug on the planet and withdrawal symptoms include headaches. I only drink Coke on the weekends and it's mostly on the weekends that I don't get headaches. This bears investigating.

See? Now I can't construct complex sentences anymore let alone paragraphs. My head's killing me.

Mirror's Edge

It's awesome.

Molds

I don't know what happened. I don't want to know.

 

Cuil

This is Cuil.


http://cuiltheory.wikidot.com/what-is-cuil-theory

Cuil. Kooo-eeel. Kyoooolle?