thank you, 2011!

for the many happiness i experienced this year, thank You! :)

you rock, 2011!!!! 

How sharp is your brain?

i just stumbled upon this today - Cognifit.com. The site is about training one's brain. First, there will be three stages of assessment on how sharp your cognition is, from there, you'll see on what area you're strong at and which areas need to be improved.  After you're done with the assessment, you may begin taking the exercises provided for you by Cognifit. The site will help you boost those areas wherein you scored low. You may also invite your friends and compare results with. :)

Here's my current assessment:

 I got an average score of 418. Yeah, with cognifit, this can be increased. *winks*

Planning, Divided Attention, Shifting and Spatial Perception skill are among my weaker skills and these are the skills I need to enhance. Cognifit has exercises to offer for me to improve in those areas.

Below is the definition of each area:

Working Memory - refers to the temporary storage and manipulation of the information necessary for complex cognitive  tasks such as language comprehension, learning and reasoning.

Eye Hand Coordination - is the level of sensitivity with which the hand and eye are synchronized.

Response Time - is the ability to perceive and process a simple stimulus and respond to it.

Shifitng - is a mental process during which people redirect their focused attention from one channel of information to another as quickly as possible or change the course of actions while maintaining accurate performance.

Divided Attention - is the ability to execute more than one action at a time, while paying attention to two or more channels of information or modalities.

Planning - is the ability to think ahead, to mentally anticipate the correct way to execute a task.

Spatial Perception - is the ability to evaluate how things are arranged in space, and investigate their relations in  the environment.

Try this now and let's continue sharpening our cognitive skills! :)

forever young

and today, i'm a year older but hopefully a lot wiser. :)

it was a busy and indeed a happy, happy birthday weekend for me!

i met my friend's little brother tristan. he's so adorable!!!

dati sa video ko lang siya nakikita and now na-hug ko pa siya! kids really bring perfect joy in the heart. :)

friday after work, chill mode with the best people. :)

they surprised me with this delicious cake. yummy! tumo-thoughtful din pala ang mga lokong 'to. :)


saturday was spent with chaos. wooohoo. the much awaited day ever.
double celebration since magkasunod kami ng birthday ni marc. :)

it's like the gang's reunion! after dinner, we sang our hearts out at a KTV nearby. super fun! sa music bar nako inabot ng bday ko! :)

dana even baked brownies for marc and i. coool. :) pwede ng pang business!

sunday. my big day.

it's family time, had dinner with them. simple yet heart warming one.

i so love this weekend. i got to spend one of the important events of my life with the people close to my heart.

for all the greetings, the hugs, and the love. thank you! :) 
well i guess, this is the beginning of being forever young. hahaha.

iLove Steve Jobs

i was on my way to work while listening to chico and del's TMR, it stunned me when i heard the news that steve jobs, the creative genius of Apple, already passed away a day after the iphone 4S was released. when i reached the workplace, i can't contain my emotion and suddenly burst into tears. ridiculous yet true. i cried because i felt, i loss an inspiration.

well, it is expected to happen knowing that he's been fighting with cancer but not this soon. i'm not really an apple die hard fan but still it's so sad, it broke my heart. 

two months ago, i learned about his speech in Stanford University last 2005; that speech really inspired me which made me appreciate steve jobs more .he has touched everyone's life with his wonderful works  and  his 'foolishness' changed the world exceptionally. 

now, i wonder. how would the technology be without the iMaster?

anyhow, you'll always be remembered, steve. 

cebu visit 2011

last august, i flew along with my sister and cousins to the queen city of south for a vacation. i've always wanted to see the place ever since i was a kid and i already did. :)

we stayed in crown regency hotel. it's quite far from the Mactan Aiport, the travel time from the airport to osmena blvd (where the hotel is located) is thirty minutes without traffic.

this is the view from our room which is located in the 24th floor.

just by staying here in this hotel, you can do a lot of activities already! and we have only tried a few of them --

the sky adventure!

the skywalk.

walking outside the building at 30+ floors higher from the ground and only a body harness holding you is really Oh-yeah! feeling the cool breeze at the top is so likely and the view --- city light never fails to amaze me!

it took us a while before the whole gang finally decided to try the edge coaster. it looks more heart-pounding activity than the skywalk but it's the other way around. looks can be deceiving at times. :) 

looking below (from 30+ floor) is quite scary but when you're already seated and ready for the ride - it's worthwhile!

they also have the view deck which is on the same floor as the edge coaster. beside it is the zip line.. from building to another building but time didn't allow us to try that one.

at the basement, you can find the shooting range. woohoo! guns! it excites me really coz this is one of my must-try things and cebu made it possible for me. it's not that i want to shoot people or anything. i only wanted the thrill it could give me :) sometimes, you gotta go the distance to do the things you like doing.

we wandered around cebu during the three days stay we had and it felt like i'm in manila - the surroundings, the atmosphere, it is so manila.

we went to basilica del sto nino, the baclaran church version of cebu but it is a lot bigger and really bigger than the latter. one difference this church has is that, they don't really lit the candles you offer instead you burn them wholly! cool. 

of course, we're in cebu, we've got to see the magellan's cross. 

we were told to never miss the TOP View Deck and we didn't! we rented a cab to bring us uphill. Manong june, our driver even told us that from the top view deck, all you need is a one-peso ride and you're already in heaven. hahaha. oh well, i thought it was just a joke until we reached the summit- so high and almost heaven. :)

this is cebu at night. :) 

our second day was spent in Plantation Bay. the resort is so beautiful and was invaded by koreans during our visit. :) it's a huge place and really so blue and white.

the beach here didn't appeal to my eyes but the lagoons are already enough.

this is me with my cousins and sister having a good time racing/kayaking :) 

there are other things you can do in the resort aside from swimming and kayaking. there's the archery, biking and other sports activities. a day is just not enough. 

and this is my cebu experience. it was all good and memorable.

to be happy. to love. to live.

we always have a choice. be happy or sad. love or hate. live or die.

yesterday, i really hated someone only to realize that hate does no good to me. it consumed all my energy and let my precious time be wasted. i could have used my head instead. to understand that people, at times, can be really such a disappointment and so just had not let the negative emotions kill me.

so today, i choose to be happy. to love. to live. to do things that make my heart rage in a positive way.  :)

...

♥

 

i feel good.

just had the urge to make a list of some of the best feelings one can have... (in no particular order)

1. being in love. yun na yun eh. i can't say enough.  :-)

2. minsan, ang best feeling eh sa restroom mo mararamdaman... when you started to unload all the crap inside your intestines. hahahaha. parang lahat ng sama ng loob mo sa mundo, eh nailabas mo na, hay. the best talaga. haha.

3. when you're looking forward to something. eto yung gusto mo lagi magbukas until that most awaited day comes. woohooo. kahit minsan kelangan mo mag-antay okey lang kasi nga excited ka!

4. getting that tight hug. you hug someone when you say hello, bid goodbye or show that you care. hugs are just so comforting in any way. tight hugs can even ease the pain without saying anything. *akap*

5. that moment after doing the thing that scares you. it makes you a braver individual.

6. having a dream come true. oh so surreal.

7. watching someone else sleeping

8. yung naiiyak ka na sa kakatawa! hahaha.

9. having that real conversation with someone. kahit anong bagay pwede pag-usapan, mapa-kalokohan o seryosohan. no holds barred.

10. the best yung feeling na akala mo bagsak ka sa exam pero yun pala, ikaw pa ang highest! hahaha. at malagpasan ang integral calculus!!! :-p

11. playing with your pet.

12. makitang paulit ulit na napipikon un taong iniinis mo. bully!

13. a moment in your life when all you can say is thank you. the best talaga yun. parang wala ka ng mahihiling pang iba. you already have everything in your hands.

ayos. i'll think of other best feelings pa.... for now, off to bed muna. ZZZzzzzz. :)

x-men first class

worth the watch! :) i've seen this flick twice. seeing it the second time was like watching it the first time. :)  charles' skills and erik's appeal are just Oooh-lala! Heheheh.

ngayon alam ko na kung bakit paralyzed si professor x. pero may tanong sken si WA. paano naman siya nakalbo. hahah. lolz. maybe sa sequel ipakita kung paano. hahaha.

fireworks that spark only for a few seconds

it's temporary but she's happy. with it. with whatever it is.

then she started to utter a prayer, not for herself but for somebody else.

that he may feel the happiness in his heart.
to be found by the constant one -
who can accompany him in every journey,
to tell him how amazing he is when their eyes crossed,
and in which her intellect stacks up with his.

it's temporary and maybe he'd rather have whatever it is than on being solitary,
until the constant one comes along.

and she prayed again.
if whatever it is is ending,
let it be in slow pace
and like it never happened.

pangasinan's treasure

and for the month of May? i went up north with my office friends. :)

it was a six hour drive from manila to the province of pangasinan but it's a good road trip. :)

it was almost midday when we reached the town of bolinao. we stayed in treasure's of bolinao and it's worth the long trip.

oh so wonderful beach. it has white sands though not really fine but it isn't as rough as the other beaches.

the beach was just so calm and relaxing.

the next day, before traveling back to manila, we dropped by at some spots near the resort.

first stop. cape of bolinao lighthouse.

 

Captured by T.A.

beside this old white lighthouse was the ruined house. i'm not sure why but i love looking at it.

Captured by T.A.

bolinao has several caves too - the wonderful cave, cindy's cave and the one where we've been to - the enchanted cave.

there's not much to see inside,just a water formation where anyone can swim.

the last spot was the 400 year-old church, the st. james church.

it was already lunch time and our stomachs were growling. we hit an eatery nearby the church before heading back to the metro.

pangasinan also has their local food - rice cake on a bamboo called binuguey. delicious!

Captured by Mio

and this sums up my northern trip for summer 2011. :)

defense mechanism

it's not that she doesn't care.

she'd gone through a lot. and for a time, her life was all gray. then there was the silverlining - that began to color her once a neutral aura.

she has to be still but the force is that intense, it keeps her moving and vulnerable yet she has to have it noticed by no one.

it's not that she doesn't really care at all. she does but with subtlety. her defense mechanism.

been awhile

i haven't had a chance to post anything since last month. whew, i must have been very busy. hahahaha.
i really am. :)

i'll be back, with lots of stories, soon. ♥

Let's try NSG

one time, my friends and i gave National Sports Grill in Greenbelt a try.

this resto is one of a kind as it gives its customers the sporty environment. the place is designed as if you're in an arena or any basketball court watching your favorite game. several screens are displayed where basketball game is being shown - PBA and NBA.

crews are all dressed like players. cool. just so relaxing to be in this place. the menu and how they name their combos is also designed with a sporty-like theme. nice one.

time to feed the hungry stomach.

chicken caesar sandwich and fries on the side

our orders were chicken caesar sandwich with fries on the side, their national pick - seafood pasta and hall-of-fame chicken parmesan pasta.

i was disappointed by the seafood pasta. or i was just expecting a different taste or i just did not like the 'oily sauce'. it can be shared by two but the pasta weren't all consumed as we did not like how it tasted. the other pasta was just so-so. enough to eat when you're hungry.

the sandwich has nothing extraordinary, too. well, it's a big one and can be shared by three people but as i said, nothing special except for the fries! that's what we like best. so we ordered another plate of the fries!

so when you're in NSG, don't miss to try their fries. yummy and you won't get disappointed. worth the money. :)

bicol tour part 3: albay day tour

march 14. it's the last day of my bicol tour and this day was the albay day, just to see the perfect cone - Mayon volcano!

at 6am, from naga, camarines sur, we were fetched by a van going to Albay. it was a two hour drive without traffic and with a driving speed of 120kph. yeah, i know. that was fast for me! and that speed kept me awake and praying the whole time. hahahah.

first stop was the cagsawa ruins, we arrived at around 8AM. the mayon volcano's crater is not visible due to the clouds but it was a beautiful view.

little did i know, this perfect cone is very visible anywhere albay. hahaha. i thought we can just see it from the cagsawa ruins. hahahahaha. cagsawa ruins is the only place i know when i was in elementary where i can see the mayon in person.



we didn't stay too long as we have only limited time. second stop was the lignon hills/mayon skyline adventure.

during the time we had our tour, vehicles were not allowed to go to the top so we have to walk up hill. woah. very tiring. walking up hill seems forever and it was very windy! from the top you can see the whole legaspi and even some parts of albay. cool. you can also see the legaspi airport and the runway. so relaxing up there. aside from the view, there's the mayon skyline adventure where you'll do zipline across the mayon volcano. i think, it's worth Php300 - zipline plus a photo of you and the mayon as the background. other activities such as going through the tunnel and the kapit tuko trail is available. but we didn't try those as walking up the hill is just so tiring. all we wanted was to relax. hahaha.

after an hour, we went downhill and dropped by in daraga church.

we weren't able to get inside as this church is under renovation. after sometime, we dropped by again to another church, i just forgot the name. i was too tired by this time and was unable to enjoy the spot.

it's almost lunchtime and we were heading to embarcadero. a new establishment in legaspi. going there makes me feel like i'm in Manila. kinda traffic and lots of vehicles on the road. embarcadero is not fully developed yet but it was like ayala malls where high-end boutiques can be found.

there are still lots to see in legaspi - one i can remember is the misibis bay but we only have limited time since our flight back to manila is from naga, camarines sur at 4pm the same day. so after having lunch, we need to go back to naga.

for the people who by any chance read this, when you're in legaspi, you may opt to book a flight going to manila from legaspi. that would be easier and less time consuming.

woohooo. this bicol trip will be remembered. a very tiring one! i was able to travel by air, water and land, all in this trip. it was all adventure plus the tsunami story. :)

bicol tour part 2: caramoan islands and naga city experience

march 12. good news. tsunami alert number 2 has been lifted in camarines sur which means we can now cross the ocean!

we were fetched by a van from Naga to Sabang port, it was almost a 1 1/2 hour travel without traffic. for those who want to see the island, you have to be in the port before 11AM. 8AM is the first public trip and 11AM for the last boat ride or else you'll rent a boat which costs way higher than the public fare. we rented one as we did not catch the last trip. At the port, there were dedicated guys who will carry you on the shoulder just to get you in the boat as there are big waves, bigger than you are, that you will encounter and for you not to get wet, too.

 

during this time, i was really scared and hesitant to do so due to the tsunami alert but we still rode a pumped boat and traveled two hours just to get to the caramoan island. it was the longest two hours of my life! big waves and mountains to see while on the boat plus the thought of tsunami after shock may hit us, yikes, this is a life risking experience! hahaha.

 thank God we reached caramoan safely!!! :) we went to our hometel and it took 15minutes from Guijalo port to our hometel in the town proper. well, they don't really have hotels in caramoan. we just stayed in big house with a lady caretaker. it was a good accommodation though, three rooms and all airconditioned and the whole house is really yours.

after bringing down our baggages, we went straight to island hopping.

we only got to see the baguing island since we started late. it was a beautiful island. we've been informed that one of the survivor episode was taken at this island.

it was a beautiful view. never thought an island as wonderful as this is existing in the Philippines! the island is so serene and you can see great rock formations. there are parts where sands are fine as those in boracay and it feels good to walk barefooted.

it was like a two sided island. on the other side, you'll be able to see more rock formations and bigger than the once that we saw first.

 

the whole time we were here, all we did was to capture photos and a little bit of swimming! we went back to the hometel just before the sun goes down.

foods served to us from lunch till breakfast were all superb. all seafoods! there were fishes, squids, and lots of crabs for dinner, woot. my favorite!

march 13. before going back to naga, we dropped by at the caramoan church, just a few steps away from our house.

then finally, we need to go back to naga. another almost four hour land-water travel time. wooohooo.

in naga, we stayed in Villa Caceres hotel, one of the top hotels in Naga which is located in Magsaysay Rd where strips of entertainment and dining places can be found.

after an hour of rest, we went out to try BIGGS. it's a fastfood chain in Bicol and i think the most famous one. try this diner once you're in bicol and you'll realize how yummy their foods are! (maybe, i'll just have my review about their food on my other posts)

for those of you who want to buy some pasalubongs, you may go to the naga market, just a jeep away from the magsaysay road, where you can buy pili nuts. just be extra careful when buying. don't get fooled with the cheaper price as they aren't as tasty and crispy as the ones that are a bit expensive.

as i've mentioned, magsaysay road is the best place in naga for chill-outs and clubbings. so when the night comes and have nothing to do in your hotel, go out and chill!


****for those who want to see caramoan and is looking for travel agents, i recommend http://www.caramoanhaven.com/ . they provided us good service and their people are really nice.