Interview with De La Salle Lipa Students

Here at Burger King North EDSA, where two students from De La Salle Lipa, Batangas interviewed me about blogging. They needed it for a documentary for school, and I heard next in line are Abe Olandres and DJB. They were hoping it'd be aired on TV-5.

Kahiya. Hahaha. I hate being in videos because they are unflattering, and I never know what to say in front of a camera. Case in point: the QTV-11 interview during the Philipping Blogging Summit, wherein my brain froze like hell.

But everything went well, I suppose. Being students (and not professionals), the duo understood my hesitation, and they put me at ease. They were willing to bend over backwards for my sake. Heh.

What's even better is that they gave me a package of Kapeng Barako. Mwahahaha. I love this stuff.

Thank you sa kanila. =D

The Awesome Two-One

Never thought I’d get to live this old, but it feels good all the same. Thanks you all for the greetings.

A cake like this one from last year’s celebration would be great.

Pic by Neil

Aww man, sucks I don’t have any money to get myself drunk today. Heh.

Bukas pa kaya!

The funniest thing happened a few hours ago. When I decided to turn it at around 3am, I caught my mom talking with Ate Susan, who's an OFW in Dubai, on her mobile. Of course, I had to make singit on the phone and remind the latter that it'd be my birthday soon, and that I was expecting a gift from her. In a joking manner, of course.

You see, when she went home 2 months ago, she gave my brother and mom lots of stuff, and me, a sweet scent from Benetton (the Hot one). :)) It made for a good joke or two. I told her then what I tell everyone who asks me what I want: perahin mo na lang! :p

Anyway, as soon as I mom got off the phone, she started singing:

Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, happy birthday...Happy birthday to you!

With matching dance moves pa. I was reading one of my precious fan fictions on my phone then, and I was, like, thinking, "Mom, what the hell are you doing?"

Amused, I told her, "Bukas pa kaya."

"Ha? Anong oras na ba?"

"3:30am."

"Anong date na ba?"

"August 12."

"Ah, ganun ba?"

"Excited ka?"

--- insert hysterical laughs here ---

I bet my mom was thinking I'd be 21, and I'd finally move out of the house. Must be the reason why she was so excited. ^_^

How Do I Introduce Thee?

Most of the time, bloggers are requested to introduce themselves in front of all the people in the room. I have an issue with microphones (especially when they’ve been used lots of times before my turn…kidding, of course), so I make my speech as short as possible. There’s just something about “self-marketing” that doesn’t settle well with me (read: I don’t know how to do it), and I’m just naturally a very horrible speaker.

Probably the only time I ever considered to speak for more than 30 seconds was when my blog won last year in the Philippine Blog Awards. I posted an acceptance speech that’s so incredibly dirty, it became quite a hit with some people. I timed it to 5 minutes, and I would have used it too, if not for the fact that there was no chance for me to speak.

This is the line I often use when introducing myself. I use it all the time, because it’s short and straight to the point. Besides the occasional giggles and side comments, that is.

Hello, I’m Shari of misteryosa.com.

The version I should probably use often.

Hello, I’m Shari of misteryosa.com and bloggerskapihan.com.

The version I should have used in the dinner yesterday night.

Hello, I’m Shari of misteryosa.com. I’m also a crew at bloggerskapihan.com. My Plurk handle is rakshari. And my birthday is on August 13.

Yesterday was my chance to solicit for gifts, and I blew it.

I’ve been thinking, how can I possibly make my introduction wittier and more fun? Should I make pun (pun intended) of my name, like ArbetLoggins does? Or should I pitch for my other blogs, like Doc Tess does?

It sucks to be boring. I’m itching to use the one written in my homepage.

On Books, and My Birthday Wishlist *hint hint*

I am so totally not into material things.

Yeah, right. Who am I kidding anyway? Like I’d fool myself by saying that.

Currently, I’ve only two obsessions: books (mostly the used ones; I don’t care about the condition as long as they’re readable and have no missing pages. Here’s a very incomplete list of my books), and the animanga Yu Yu Hakusho (I know I’ve told ya’ll that before, right?).

Sex? Nah. I like it, but I can live without it.

I’m quite fond of pre-loved stuff, though I have no idea why. Ninety-nine percent of my books are from either National Bookstore in Cubao (but that was during the late 90’s era, back when there were books being sold for as low as P5) or Booksale (this one’s in major trouble; I can’t find anything other than romance books nowadays).

Christian said that reading is an expensive hobby, but I beg to disagree. In any case and at the very least, it doesn’t have to be. I can’t understand why book prices have gone up steadily since Harry Potter came along, when we’re supposed to be encouraging the youth to read. But I know I wouldn’t throw money in the air for one good book when I could find an equally good one for half the price. It takes a rather keen eye to spot the best out of the bunch of worn books in thrift shops, but it’s well worth one’s time if you find a gem.

Or maybe I’m living in the past…?

The only reason why I was one of the best English students in my class during my grade school and high school years was because I was a prolific reader. My mom would always scold me for reading novels during exams week, but I didn’t care. Blah blah blah. Yadda yadda yadda. Hell, reading saved my fugly ass in the UPCAT, because Language Proficiency and Reading Comprehension were the ones I got my highest mark in — 98 (Memorable because I was flabbergasted. Yay, I’m a braggart! Though really, I’m just pointing out that reading random things can do you a lot good even if you’re a major school slacker like I am. I failed goddamn PE, for crying out loud! So, yes, Marocharim, I only got into UP with a lot of damn dumb luck and ended up being a mediocre-slash-undeserving “Iska”). So why did books have to become so darn pricey as to stop even me from spending on them?

How incredibly stupid and sad.

Anyway, no sense in crying over spilt milk now, yes? So on to the birthday wishlist. The list is a reminder to self what to buy if enough money comes around. I want them so much I’m whoring myself out. Hell, I’d gladly trade misteryosa.com for them. Seriously.

First time I did this wishlist thing, actually. I had a little trouble coming up with things I like, since I like everything given to me.

YYH-related

• Botan Figure - $12
  Fangirl alert! I am so in love with Botan. I think she’s the most amazing animanga character ever made, and that’s not even because I think Yu Yu Hakusho is the best manga ever created (or because Togashi Yoshihiro is one of the best manga artists of all time). I’m obsessed, I know. She’s just perfection-personified. In the animanga character kind of way, I mean. And hey, you can even throw in Kurama, if you want, for good measure. Haha. There’s also one from Right Stuf.
• Complete Yu Yu Hakusho manga/Yu Yu Hakusho Graphic Novels
  Online manga viewing can only go so far, especially because my darn internet connection is all fucked up. It’s friggin’ hard to find YYH mangas, but the graphic novels are available at Right Stuf for less than $6 each. Now if only shipping wouldn’t be such a bitch….(Why am I not living in Canada or US again?)
• Yu Yu Hakusho Season One Box Set - $31.48
  This was released about two months ago, and…yeah, well. Hmm. It’s, like, two DVDs for the price of one. Selling price has gone up since its initial release, though. The Season Two Box Set will be available next month, and its current selling price is $26.24. Uncut episodes and all that jazz. Who could resist?
• Yu Yu Hakusho: The Complete Guide - $11.95
  Because I am a fan, and this is a potential gem. There might be some kind of revelation or information that’s not known to even the most obsessive YYH fans. Maybe there’s a tidbit about Botan’s past? Not much is known about her, so people tend to play around with her character.
• A new Kurama/Botan story.

Books (Easy Reads)

• Block Sale of Nancy Drew Books - P1,250 (US $28-29)
  I’m a huge huge huge Nancy Drew fan even up to now. I especially like the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys SuperMystery ones. I was a bit disappointed when I saw that most of the SuperMystery books were removed from the list (most likely the seller allowed some buyer to just buy them off the lot), but I really had no right to complain, right?
• Lean Mean Thirteen and Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich
  Evanovich is simply one of the wittiest authors I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading since I became a sort-of-but-not-quite bookworm when I was in the 2nd grade. Fearless Fourteen is the 14th book (duh) in the cleverly written Stephanie Plum series of novels. The two books are the only ones missing from my collection, only because they’re not released in the Philippines yet. That just sucks. Especially since Ranger Manoso is the hottest book character ever.
• Books I Wish I Could Buy (040808 Edition)
  A list I made 4 months ago. There are only 6 books, and 2 of them I’ve read already (Bridge of Terabithia and Story of a Girl). Skip to the list if you don’t understand the Filipino language or if you don’t care much for ramblings.
• Body of Evidence series by Christopher Golden
  Oh, man. This series rocks. Of course, I haven’t read anything new from it in the past 5 years or so, but I still am hoping that *someday*, the books are going to be available in the Philippines *again*. This fueled my dream to become a forensic scientist, until I acknowledge the bitter fact that I didn’t have the smarts nor the perseverance for it.
• Time of the Eagle by Sherryl Jordan
  Released just last year, Time of the Eagle is the sequel to one of the most beautiful fantasies I’ve ever read, Secret Sacrament, which I sort-of-but-not-quite reviewed just a few months ago. Not even Tamora Pierce pierced my heart the way Jordan did. Drama, drama, drama.
• Children of the Night and Jinx High by Mercedes Lackey
  I fell in love with Diana Tregarde, psychic and witch extraordinaire, the moment I read about her in Burning Water years ago. I did a lot of reading after and found “The Last Straw”, where Lackey explained why the series was discontinued after only 3 books. Such a shame.

If you have any or the books listed above, please consider selling them to me at a discounted price. He he.

Miscellany

• Sometimes I have problems plugging my phone to the laptop, so I think I need a new Palm Desktop Hotsync Cable
• Saving up some hefty amount of money for the upcoming Manila International Book Fair
• My old book light’s a goner.
• Lava lamps fascinate me.

I’m easy to please. In conclusion, I reiterate this line I wrote from last year):

Anyone who says that all the good ones are taken has got to be kidding because, hey, I’m still single!

I knoooow. Walang koneksyon.

Verdict: Camp Rock Better than High School Musical

Demi Lovato isn't any better an actress than that Vanessa girl, but at least she sings helluva lot better. I actually liked her husky voice, to tell the truth. But I didn't exactly appreciate her blockings while she was singing "This is Me." She reminded me a little too much of the Vanessa girl, which made me like her less. And there's something about her smile-that-looks-too-much-like-a-grin that annoys me, but, at the same time, charms me. Meh. I must have been seeing things while I was watching the movie.

I dunno if it's the video or something else, but the lips just don't synchronize with the music most of the time. That happens only when the campers perform some songs. What gives?

Anywaaaaayyyy...The acting isn't *that* bad, I guess. I have many gripes with High School Musical, a lot of them stemming from the fact that HSM has got to have the most horrible actors ever casted on a Disney movie. Camp Rock has a more competent bunch of teenagers who call themselves actors, and they are surprisingly more effective than those from HSM (really, I HATE the movie series). How sad.

On one hand, if there's a story approach that I don't like, it's the "I'm pretending to be someone I'm not" kind. It's because I tend to be ashamed of the characters who do that. And I hate it pag napapahiya sila, haha. I hide my face during embarassing scenes, while I don't even bat an eye on scary ones. I'm weird, I know. Stupid-slash-clueless characters are so cliche. Worse, Camp Rock has two of them. They're funny at first but geez, people like them can be tiring.

On the other hand, I kinda like the "I just want to be *someone*" thing. Heh. I'm cheesy.

The Jonas Brothers? Nope. I don't like them. Even from the start. Eek. Uh-uh. But they're okay. For a cookie-cutter kind of popstars. ^_^

What else happened in the movie again?

....

Nevermind. The movie's okay, I guess. Better than High School Musical, acting-wise and plot-wise, definitely (sorry HSM fans, I fucking hate the story of the first HSM, and I never really watched the 2nd one because I dislike the Vanessa girl so much I can hardly look at her without rolling my eyes). Do I think it could have been better? Hell, yes! Did it disappoint me? The answer would've been a yes, if it wasn't for the fact that I didn't expect a better-than-HSM shit like that. So, well, no. Is it worth watching? I guess so. Does it have heart? I didn't hear it beating (or maybe it was too faint), if ever there is.

I really think Disney is slipping. It used to produce great original movies, but now...It's like the company's just putting something together just for the heck of it, as long as it sells. Bah. I hate showbiz.

But wow, Camp Rock gave me a headache. Literally. My head's throbbing like crazy. Must be from lack of sleep.

Ka-Blog!: Ang Coolest Teen Tambayan

Pilot Episode Summary
August 9, 2008

"Sup? I googled my BFF's e-shop, their just-in stuff's the shiznit! They've got them on Flickr too. Don't tell me you only friended her on Multiply? Get with it, IMHO Facebook's got more oomph. BUZZ! You're NR. I'll be AFK now, SYWISY!"

There's so much tech-speak going on among teens, the oldies might as well have been living under a rock. With new terminology cropping up each day like spambots (another thing there for the haplessly clueless to google) on your average website's comments space, it's like a whole new universe out there—social networking, blogging and e-mailing are the relatively easier parts, but it's a different story when things like phishing, twittering, and thread flaming start to come up. The acronyms, too, are a mouthful: PSP, DoTA, WoW, and MMORPG for gaming, and the likes of IDK, DND, ROFL and LMAO for chatting. Bridging the gen gap hasn't been easy before, but all this adds up to make it even more challenging.

The flurry of gadgets and gizmos in today's high-speed world has upped the tempo of everyday life, and among all, the youth are the ones that have done the best catching up so far. A new breed of teenagers has emerged, one that inhabits a parallel society within the physical: the online world. They create cyber-identities and hook up with e-friends to walk in virtual villages, and they do it all in their seats with a couple of mouse clicks.

So we can go two ways at it. We keep gawking our eyes out in disbelief, clucking our tongues and lamenting at how the good ol' times are gone, or cringing and shaking our heads as the very evolution of youth unfolds right before us. Or we tread on the same path as the rare breed of way-too-groovy moms and cool-as-heck dads: we go right on with the flow.

Riding the wave is just what they're at, the News and Public Affairs gang over at GMA 7. They're rolling out Ka-blog! soon, a first-of-its-kind magazine show that will feature anything and everything about adolescent life. Each week, Ka-blog! will serve as the tambayan for teens to get a load of the latest updates, trends, and information on the many issues relevant to them—from fierce fashion forecasts to mind-blowing tech toys, the hippest hangouts and the hottest heartthrobs, as well as more pressing problems that concern teens, such as relationship and peer issues.

Hosted by the newest and youngest reporters on the GMA block, Ka-blog! will take teen viewers on a weekly ride to discovering and examining the wonderful things about being a Pinoy teen. Smart and chic Andrea Torres, the show's official style sister, will help teens navigate through ever-evolving fashion and lifestyle trends. Total performer and tech enthusiast Mico Aytona is the show's resident IT guy, for the total lowdown on the coolest gaming and gadget stuff. Athletics and recreation are right up the alley of sporty dude Lucky Mark Mercado for maxed-out moves to keep active. For teens with dating dilemmas, BFF problems or questions they dare not ask their family, wise-for-her-age Monica Verallo is the go-to girl on all matters personal.

Together, Andrea, Mico, Lucky and Monica are all set to guide teen viewers as well as their folks, as they deal with the triumphs and challenges of adolescence. Ka-blog! is definitely going to make a change on their Saturday viewing habits, with a barkada they can turn to at all times, be it for a shoulder to cry on or a best friend to laugh with.

To kick things off in the pilot airing, Ka-blog! gets a rare chance to interview the hottest young team-up in showbiz today: KC Concepcion and Richard Gutierrez. Ka-blogs Mico and Andrea visit the shooting location of KC and Richard's upcoming romantic movie and retrace how the onscreen couple's love team came to be. Ka-blog Lucky gets to put his agility to the test as he discovers Parkour, an extreme stunt activity with the goal of getting from one point to another in the fastest, most kick-arse way possible.

Meanwhile, Ka-blog Monica tackles cyberbullying, a potentially more dangerous way that teens attack each other, as she interviews students who have fallen victim to bullies in the virtual world.

Get ready to tune in to the tube as the hippest, coolest and most exciting weekly program for teens starts rocking your world this August! Ka-Blog! airs Saturdays, 10:00-10:30 AM starting August 9 on GMA-7.

TANGNA! Pagmalaki mong taga-UP ka, ganito ka mag-isip? (ANGE, HELP THIS FORSAKEN SOUL!!!)

Comments on the "UP students = fake scholars" thingy aside (have half a brain? you'd be disappointed too), this one has me reeling. I am honestly mortified. This fucktard deserves to be burned in the deepest pits of hell.


Honey, you've obviously missed the point of the whole entry. And Jester IS a UP student...LIKE YOU (oh really, UPian?)! He needs not be bitter about anything. I don't have to state the reason why that's the case, because it should be pretty obvious.

SHIT! ANGE! PLEASE HELP THIS POOR UP JOURNALISM STUDENT! S/HE EVEN DOESN'T KNOW THE CORRECT USAGE OF "YOUR" AND "YOU'RE"!!! "AN" UP STUDENT? OWMAYGAWSH!!! EL TERIBLE NA NGA ANG KANYANG GRAMMAR, EL TERIBLE PA ANG KANYANG LOGIC!!!

I really snapped at this one. I was pretty much cool during the whole fiasco, pero this comment was just so ludicrous it deserves to be spat at.

anong paki nyo if subsidized tuition namin?

You are biting the hand that feeds you. Better watch your words. Anong paki ng taxpayers kung subsidized ang tuition ng UP? Gamitin mo naman yang utak mo! Hindi na dapat pinapaliwanag sayo yan!

Grabe. Nakakainis. UP Journalism daw, tapos ganyan? Kumusta naman?!

Hmm Hmm Hmm

Nasa Burger King SM North EDSA (pwede kayong humabol kung gusto niyo ng libreng mea---2 pa pwede).

A short thought: I never should've expected anything at all. Disappointing, really, but I love BK enough not to bitch too much about it...I think.

Be a sponsor for the Philippine Blog Awards 2008

What is the Philippine Blog Awards?

The Philippine Blog Awards (PBA) is an annual event that aims to recognize Filipino-owned blogs that represent the best in the vibrant and diverse Filipino blogging community. This diversity is seen in the different niches, ranging from but not limited to the arts, culture, technology and politics and the new forms and medium of blogging like podcasting and video blogging. Indeed Filipinos here and abroad and netizens from around the world have become more familiar and regular punters or visitors of the Filipino blogging industry and community.

But there is still more. Not only does the Philippine Blog Awards limits itself as a venue to showcase notable Filipino blogs but it is also an annual event that aims to promote blogging as a growing new media industry.

History

The Philippine Blog Awards was a project conceived in the latter part of 2006 to recognize quality content in the Philippine Blogging Community. The PBA as it was to be known was co-founded by bloggers Gail Dela Cruz, Abe Olandres and Jayvee Fernandez.

The 2007 Philippine Blog Awards was successfully held on March 31, 2007 at the RCBC Theater, RCBC Tower, Makati City with over 200 bloggers and participants attending the awards night. The awards were covered by Inquirer.net, GMANews.tv, Manila Bulletin, RPN 9 and hundreds of bloggers across the world.

In 2008, the Philippine Blog Awards was able to register and is now officially recognized as a non-stock and non-profit organization – Philippine Blogger Awards Inc.

Sponsorship Packages

PM or email at shari@misteryosa.com if you're interested. Will send the info ASAP.

The event will be covered by INQUIRER.net, GMA News.TV, Manila Bulletin, RPN 9, and --- of course --- hundreds of bloggers. (Total Media Value = P250,000)