Contest whore on the loose

Being the big contest whore that I am, I just couldn’t resist joining that MTV Asia one. I’m busy as heck, but the call of the $500 monthly allowance was just too loud. Hahaha! I’m penniless, remember? I’d do anything to get a little bit of extra.

Sooooo, the deadline’s today. I’ve manage to write something down and since I’m quite adept at complaining, I answered the one about the fashion pet peeves.

I’m thinkin’ positive, for once!

I’m calling on all citizens on the internet to please, please, rate me. Just click on the thumbs-up icon, that would be excellent. I hope it’s good enough. I’m not really sure though, as there’s so much competition, but you never know, right?

To see my entry, click here.

Cheerio, my lovelies!

If that doesn't work, then I guess I will just have to settle for Photofunia. It's probably the closest thing to stardom I would ever get. Hehe!

FS Picks of the Week, Jun 29 - Jul 5

Every Monday, Frustrated Sosyalera will try to bring you the best of the week to come -- called FS Picks of the Week.

If I get the movie schedules wrong, I'm sorry. Sometimes the showing times aren't final 'til Wednesday, so pfttt. =P


Is just me, or is June really slow movie month? They've been churning out just one movie per week now, sheesh. Either that or all the producers are scared of Transformers 2.

So, we've got Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Villa Estrella (overhyped, I think) and AKON Live at the Araneta Coliseum.





Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

Starring (voices)
Ray Romano
John Leguizamo
Denis Leary
Queen Latifah

Synopsis
Manny and Ellie are expecting their first baby, while Sid the sloth tries an unconventional way of starting a family that gets him into trouble. With all this talk of babies, Diego might be losing his saber-toothed edge, but a journey to save Sid may just turn the whole group into heroes. In addition to all that adventure, it wouldn't be an Ice Age film if Scrat weren't on a desperate hunt for an acorn, but he might get distracted by a shapely female squirrel.






Villa Estrella

Starring
Jake Cuenca
Shaina Magdayao
Maja Salvador
Geoff Eigenmann
Liza Lorena
John Estrada

Synopsis
Villa Estrella is a mysterious resort haunted by many spirits seeking justice from people who caused their death. The movie will start with Ana (played by Shaina Magdayao), who always been afflicted with so many bad dreams or nightmares about people being killed. The twist begins when her ex-boyfriend (played by Jake Cuenca) brings her to Villa Estrella for a vacation, where she meets a girl (Maja Salvador) who is very familiar from her dreams. A lot of spirits will haunt them while staying at the resort leading them to a danger they never expected to happen. -- Starmometer





Akon Live in Manila
4 July
8pm
Araneta Coliseum

Ticket prices between Php 550 to Php 5,500 (via TicketNet).

No longer Wacko, just Dead-o

Man, if you hadn't heard by now I'd say you were hiding in some cave without any kind of technology (Osama Bin Laden, isdatchu?).

So Michael Jackson is dead, huh?

When I heard the news this morning, I didn't really have any reaction to it. There was no disbelief or sadness or anything of that sort that usually happens to you when you hear someone had passed away.

It was inevitable, anyway. His life was spiralling out of control and there were scandals left and right. Whatever former glory he had became tainted with child molestation and dangling his newborn over a balcony.

But still, I grew up listening to this guy and danced to his songs. His big comeback suddenly became his goodbye tour.

So what if he's trying to be Elizabeth Taylor or his sister, Janet? Everyone was insecure about themselves at some point -- he's just more "challenged" than we are of overcomming that, I guess.

He will always be King of Pop. Unfortunately, he lived long enough to squander his excellent image. Elvis was getting towards that before he died, anyway. So was John Lennon. They were all a little loopy in their own way.

At least he died a respectable death of cardiac arrest (assuming, of course, that it wasn't induced by some drug or something) and wasn't found hanging naked in a closet somewhere in a Bangkok hotel with a rope tied around his neck and bits (you should know who I'm talking about).

Hee! Hee!

This is how I would like to remember him. The "Dangerous" era had been a good one.

Routinely Routine

So where was the storm the news was warning us about the other day? These news people really do know how to hype things up when it isn't necessary. Tsk.

I'm not looking forward to it, if that's what you're thinking. I'm just saying that sometimes the news is so full of exagerrations.


.


.


.


I seem to be running on autopilot recently. Maybe the trying to keep to a low budget is driving me up the wall, but I think I'm getting bored of my new routine... because it's too damn repetitive! I just show up for work, do what I gotta do for the whole shift, then pack up and leave. Not much room for thinking, let alone room for imagination.

So it's kind of funny that I feel I should do this meme today from Vlad of Stalking Minds. I had been bestowed the honor of being a --

Yup, that's right! Someone actually thinks I'm creative and I am most certainly happy about it! *throws confetti*

To accept it, I have to mention 7 Things that I love as well:

1. I love coffee. If drinking too much wasn't bad, I would've been sipping away all day -- but it is, so I'm won't be. Tsk.

2. I love sleeping in. Because I find it difficult falling asleep in the first place, so when I do get 'round to getting shut-eye, I hate waking up too early.

3. I love the internet. Because I'm a dick... I'm addicted to it. (Bah, I know that was corny, ok???)

4. I love cute things. Especially chubby puppies.

5. I love travelling. Because you only live once.

6. I love going to the mall on Wednesday afternoons. Because being in a mall on a weekday feels like freedom from work -- well, to me, anyway.

7. I love having Twix with my coffee. It's the breakfast of champions. Hehe!


So!

Any one of you guys care to join in the fun (because I find you creative too)?

Jerine
Jessica
BearBear
Vicks Inhaling Man
Naoko's Cooking

The Penniless Tourguide

Panic!

A cousin from the US that I hadn't seen for like, FIFTEEN years is coming to visit. I would've been ecstatic, if not for the fact that I'm absolutely broke and worried that I won't be able to give her the grand tour she deserves.

*sigh*

I just really, really, really hope I can scrimp dough off somewhere. Sheesh. I am so poor.


So anyway, found this really cool game online --




It's basically a map of North Africa and the Middle East and all you have to do is drag the names into their rightful place on the map.

I thought I knew my Geography, but while playing this, I realised that I didn't know shit. I'm supposed to be a Catholic and I couldn't place Israel on the map! My mother would kill me, if she knew. Tsk.

Click here if you wanna give it a try.

Fort Santa Agueda, Guam

Ugh, the internet connection is all messed up, so I'll be quite relieved if it doesn't screw with my post today.




Standard vanity.


Eeeeeeeniweiz....





Fort Santa Agueda is another Guam landmark.






I'll be darned if I remember what it was for.

Just try and read the text on the stone in the previous photo.





It's got some nice views on top of a hill, though.






And summore gunz.





As is usually the case when travelling with your folks (in this case, it's the bf's parents), they make you pose in awkward places. This is Exhibit A. Gotta love 'em though, they really took us round the best spots in the island.







These two "skyscrapers" are said to be the tallest buildings in Guam. Funny how they're not much higher than the church(?) just up front.

FS Picks of the Week, Jun 22-28

Every Monday, Frustrated Sosyalera will try to bring you the best of the week to come -- called FS Picks of the Week.

If I get the movie schedules wrong, I'm sorry. Sometimes the showing times aren't final 'til Wednesday, so pfttt. =P


Wah, can you believe there's nothing else going on this week apart from the opening of the Transformers sequel???






Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen


Starring
Shia LaBeouf
Megan Fox
Josh Duhamel
Tyrese Gibson


Synopsis
Decepticon forces return to Earth on a mission to take Sam Witwicky prisoner, after the young hero learns the truth about the ancient origins of the Transformers. Joining the mission to protect humankind is Optimus Prime, who forms an alliance with international armies for a second epic battle.

Bongga!

Isla Fisher clearly needed to up the ante on her dressing during the UK premiere of Bruno, which stars Sacha Baron Cohen (to whom she's engaged) --



I really do <3 her. *sigh*



Of course, if your boyfriend had to go out like this --




You'd need to catch up even just a little, right? XD


*Bruno is a fictional gay Austrian fashion reporter portrayed by Sacha Baron Cohen, which appeared on Da Ali G Show.

Wash and wear

The clothes below are called "renewable clothing," designed by Fernando Brizio.




They're very colourful and I was actually quite attracted to them.





If you look closer though, the dress has loads of pockets and in them, were different coloured marker pens. The ink from the markers leak into the dress -- so those things made the patterns, get it?

Renewable clothing means that you can wash the clothes then use different marker pens to "re-design" them each time -- whatever colour or pattern you feel like using on the day.





Now, I just wonder if the colours wash out completely? I don't think your pristine white dress will be the same after all that ink seeping through the pockets.

And these red markers will make you look like you had tagos (period stains) all over your dress. Like, eww.

FS ChowNow: Cheesecake Etc., Megamall

On lazy weekend afternoons, sometimes I just want to lounge around and read a book -- not at home, but in a coffee shop. Where do you find somewhere quiet to do that nowadays, though?





Megamall would be the last place I could think of to do that, but Cheesecake Etc in Building A is like a tiny oasis of calm in a sea of chaos. Poetic, right?







I used to love their Pork Sisig meal, so I felt quite lucky that they offered it in a value meal package of Php 199 (with iced tea and a "yummy dessert") last time I went. I had no idea what the "yummy dessert" was, but as this was Cheesecake Etc, I assumed they would serve some kind of cheesecake, of course.







Oh my. Just looking at this picture is making me crave for Sisig. I think I'm gonna cry now. Oh what lemony pork goodness that was. T_T







After finishing my meal, I ordered coffee to better enjoy my "yummy dessert." Brewed coffee only costs Php 70 (refills would be Php 10, I think - isn't that a bargain???).





When the waiter served our "yummy dessert..."




I didn't realise it was the tiniest piece of blueberry cheesecake, wtf!!! (-_-')







I mean, seriously... this was like TWO TEASPOONS' worth of cheesecake.

*sigh*


Oh well. That's what I get for being a cheapskate, I suppose.

The Great Lifestyle Sale

So, I went back to my folks' house last night because I had left my mobile there the other day, right? Guess what? There were only 4 lousy unread messages in my Inbox -- 3 from the network and 1 from my sister (asking if I was coming back home last monday).

That's pathetic! I coulda sworn I was living a full social life, now it's blatantly obvious that I don't. How sad!

Well anyway, here's something nice for (us) you shopaholics --



(Click on the photo to enlarge)


The Great Lifestyle Sale


June 16-18 (exclusive to Lifestyle cardholders)
June 19 - July 19 (open to everyone)

Located at the 3/F Dimensione Bldg, Bonifacio High Street.

Hell hath no fury like a mouth ulcer

It's been cold, wet and dark lately. Apparently, we've got 2 low-pressure areas waiting to wreak havoc in the country, so it's no joke. It's miserable -- heck, I'M miserable!

So what did I do? I wore a yellow top. I swear, it works. It makes you feel all summery and bright and all the Sesame Street shit you can think of.

Unfortunately, it doesn't help me not think about a large mouth ulcer that has taken resident in my inner right cheek. It catches when I talk and when I eat, so I can't gossip or enjoy my food (which is a tragedy in itself). I've bought gallons of mouthwash, hoping it will go away tomorrow.

I feel like Vito Corleone, with wads of cottonballs wedged into my right cheek -- only it hurts!

Hayl meyk yu an offah you kent reh-fushe.

Anyway, there's this (new) meme from Jessica, right? She has given me the Honest Scrap award, sort of forcing me to tell y'all what my 10 deepest darkest secrets are.


1. I still love watching anime. I think it's the fountain of youth (or permanent dorkiness, you decide).

2. I'm a sucker for anything cute, short and round with eyes being 2/3 the size of its head. Spiders and roaches, in whatever form, are excluded.

3. I absolutely abhor scary movies (which some of you probably know already).

4. I don't get manicures. Maybe when I turn 40 and my nails become disgusting even if they're clean, I'll change my mind.

5. I have AT LEAST four pairs of shoes that I hadn't worn since I bought them.

6. My budgeting is so terrible that the bf spent nearly 2 hours fixing it for me to accomodate all my existing debt and still leave me with Php 600 savings a month (maybe I should sell them shoes).

7. 95% of the time, I order a tall Caramel Macchiato from Starbucks -- hot or iced, depending on the weather.

8. I've been mobile-less for nearly 2 days now. Gotta pick it up when I get home tonight.

9. I keep a tube of lipstick in my office penholder -- for emergencies.

10. I park at least 2 pairs of black shoes underneath my office desk.


Wtf, it's nearly all about shoes!


I would like nosey-in on these people's secrets as well (should be 10, but only got 5):

Quintessential Babble
Family, Health & Home
BUM-spot
We Heart Freebies
Aterhea

Fete Dela Musique 2009

Announcement:

There will be no FS Picks of the Week for the week commencing 15th June, simply because I don't feel like delving into the specifics of the movies named The Coffin and Mother of Tears. If you're interested in them, just look it up, 'kay? I can't be bothered.



But what I do feel like mentioning is that Fete Dela Musique 2009 is on this Saturday, 20th June! Wooooooot!



It's that time of the year again when we get rained on while listening to wonderful music from local bands, this time just in Metrowalk. The fun starts at 1pm.

Will any of you guys be going?


POP / ALTERNATIVE
(Metrowalk Center Plaza)

Stonefree
Mayonnaise
Danita Paner
Alamid
Mike’s Apartment
December Avenue
Armas
Gasulina
Chilitees
Shift
Itchyworms
Circa
Uries Attack
The Camerawalls
The Out Of Body Special
Manila Bus
The Charmes
Salamin
Enemies of Saturn
Ephesus
Purple Chickens
Callalily
Alibata
Chubibo
The Bernadettes
Corporate Lo-fi
Dice And K-9
Burning Bush

JAZZ

Yosha
Sinosikat
Brass Munkey
Elea And Jazz
Jazzin’ Project

ROCK/METAL
(Metrowalk Parking Lot)

Badburn
Witchtreesymbol
Final Vow
Hilera
Piledriver
Eternal Now
Fastpitch
The Ambassadors
The Youth
Intolerant
cog
Valley Of Chrome
sin
starscream
typecast
ginrum and truth
katoliko
ixion
april morning skies
bloodshedd
blue boy bites back
campbell
oremuz
angulo
maryzark
imbue no kudos

WORLD/FOLK
(Aruba)

syalam
bandang malaya
brigada
peryodiko
kadangyan
republika de lata
the chonkeys

ELECTRONICA/GOTH/NEW WAVE
(Metro Phi Bar)

switch
the edralins
turbo goth
taken by cars
skies of ember
tether
funeral frost
scarlet tears
the lowtechs
pedicab
us-2, evil-0
funcity boys

REGGAE/SKA
(Love To Laugh)

Tropical depression
reggae mistress
juan pablo dream
skabeche
sagor
coffee break island
Bambu Spliff
Pink Cow
Jeepney joyride
neighbors
tango bitoy
peace pipe
collie herb

CLASSICAL
(Starbucks)

BLUES
(Elbow Room)

snake charmer
blue jean junkies
joniver
bembol rockers
nicole and carlo
playphonics
house of ravens
dr. crowley
lady high

HIP-HOP/RNB
(Mugen Bar)

Pamilya di magiba
mike swift / j.hon
cd automatic
krazykyle
sinag
people’s future
ill-j

Bag-eyed and disconnected from the mobile network

Ugh. I only had a couple of hours sleep last night, so I feel so out of it today. I guess the Coke, Starbucks Latte and brewed coffee from Cheesecake Etc had overloaded my bloodstream with caffeine -- I was squirming in bed until about 5am!


Note to self:

Sunday afternoons and coffee crazes don't mix. Stick to iced tea.



And guess what? I was so out of it that I've accidentally left my mobile at home AGAIN. This must be the 5th or 6th time I've done it, but at least it's the first time for 2009. Tsk.

Sheraton Hotel, Guam

Well, OUTSIDE Sheraton Hotel, to be exact. Hee!




My hosts tell me this was one of the best places to watch the sunset in Guam, so watch it there, we did.

Some photos for y'all --




Hotel facilities look well nice.





Had to have my photo taken in every corner.








Everything's lovely! The only drawback is there's no beach to lounge around in. You'll have to make do with their "infinity pool."





They did have this man-made mini-lake or whatever it's called. But I don't think you'd wanna swim in it. Just for display, maybe.





But yes, the sunset was amazing.




x2 x2 x2 x2 amazing.





I smell romance... NOT! Hee!





I did think it was weird that they only "proudly brew" Starbucks coffee 'round this here parts. Come to think of it, I hadn't seen a Starbucks anywhere in Guam -- maybe they wanted them hidden.

Manila is the 108th easiest city to live in

So if Manila is ranked 108th in this survey, I guess it's not that easy at all, huh? We're nearly the same rank as some very difficult Asian & African cities (where all the other SouthEast Asian ones, I have no idea), so it must be pretty bad.

I couldn't care less! I LOVE MANILA! It's dirty, it stinks, it's crowded, it's noisy and there's loads of pretentious people...but it's also lively, never boring, cheap, fun and there's loads of pretentious people. AYLAVETT!!!

So what if it's not "easy to live in?" It can be a breeze, once you get to know the ropes and be streetsmart. I love it in just the crazy way it is.

I mean come on! Where else can you go out to have dinner with 8 friends, drink loads of shots, and still just pay over Php 260 (US$ 5.50)???

Emo-emo-ing all over the place

I've just noticed that a lot of people are turning emo-emo lately (that includes me) and wonder if it had something to do with either the recession or the weather (because the monsoon is hitting us hard this year). Too much gloom and doom recently, it seems.

What is even more strange is that not-so-nice stuff had been happening to a lot of people I know, not just me. No wonder we're all emo-emo. The timing is weird, though. Heck, the world is all panicky about a(H1N1), damnit! Looks like there's a wave of depression in the Philippines now, which is nearly unheard of -- in 2006 it was the 5th Happiest Country in the world (I think).

I guess times do change, and sometimes in happens in waves. Do you feel emo-emo too, I wonder?

FS Picks of the Week, Jun 8-14

Every Monday, Frustrated Sosyalera will try to bring you the best of the week to come -- called FS Picks of the Week.

If I get the movie schedules wrong, I'm sorry. Sometimes the showing times aren't final 'til Wednesday, so pfttt. =P


This week, we've got the Pussycat Dolls concert, Taking of Pelham 123, Shinjuku Incident & Blood: The Last Vampire. Whoa, that was a mouthful.





The Pussycat Dolls

11 June
8pm
Mall of Asia Concert Grounds

Ticket prices are between Php 515 to Php 6,695. However, if you avail of the "Early Bird" promo, you'll get a significant discount (available for walk-in customers only -- via Ticketworld outlets or Clear promo booths). Regular prices apply to internet purchases.





The Taking of Pelham 123

Starring
John Travolta
Denzel Washington
John Turturro
Luis Guzman

Synopsis
Denzel Washington stars as New York City subway dispatcher Walter Garber, whose ordinary day is thrown into chaos by an audacious crime: the hijacking of a subway train. John Travolta stars as Ryder, the criminal mastermind who, as leader of a highly-armed gang of four, threatens to execute the train's passengers unless a large ransom is paid within one hour. As the tension mounts beneath his feet, Garber employs his vast knowledge of the subway system in a battle to outwit Ryder and save the hostages. But there's one riddle Garber can't solve: even if the thieves get the money, how can they possibly escape? --© Sony Pictures





Shinjuku Incident

Starring
Jackie Chan
Daniel Wu
Fan Bingbing


Synopsis
A tractor mechanic from China travels to Tokyo to find a lost love, only to find that she's married to a powerful Yakuza leader. He is hurt and betrayed, but when he finds out that the Yakuza leader has been targeted for death, he saves his life, and becomes embroiled in the business of the Yakuza.




Blood: The Last Vampire

Starring
Jeon Ji-hyeon

Synopsis
In an alternate post-World War II Japan, a young vampire working for a demon hunting government agency is sent to go undercover in a military school to determine which one of the students is a demon.

Wake up and it's 1995 again

I am totally obsessed about looking younger than my age. I absolutely love it when people tell me I look like in my mid twenties, when I am actually 30. I am so obsessed that my future kids would probably volunteer me into one of those makeover reality shows and the stylists will tell me off for dressing up like a teenager.


So it was interesting that I’ve stumbled upon an article at Scrubsmag.com entitled “Waking up Looking Younger.” Yeah, it's not just for people who wear Scrubs, ok? There were 5 simple steps there and I already follow most of them, so I guess I’m on the right track. The only thing I don’t do is exfoliate my lips and (this is embarrassing) the one about grooming stray hairs.

Since I had been doing 3 out 5, I guess I was doing well so far. I do have trouble sleeping at times, though, but I try to get as much shut-eye as possible. They didn’t call it beauty sleep for nothing. The skin gets very dry and dull when you lack sleep, you see.

One thing that’s also important apart from the 5 steps is to always use sunscreen or sunblock, especially during summer. It helps put off wrinkles.

Drag Me to Hell -- always be nice to grannies

The bf dragged me to watch Drag Me to Hell last night and I gave in because I was outnumbered, 5 to 1.

I had no intention of watching this, as with all scary films from the past, because I get startled easily and hate being inundated with booming suspense sounds that scare the shit out of me. Why? Because it stresses me out more than working.

Frankly, I hadn't seen much of the film because I was hiding behind my hands or my hair for most of it. However, in (my limited) conclusion , I did think it was one of the better scary movies around.

As Sam Raimi was the same director that gave us Evil Dead, I now understand that "Drag Me to Hell" was definitely the best title for this movie. I thought it was utterly stupid before, but after watching I see now that it makes sense. It's meant to be serious, but the scary stuff turned out a little funny because they were so outrageous at times.

The moral of the story -- don't go pissing off grannies. You never know which ones turn out to be witches/mangkukulams.

The verdict
Watch it! This coming from a person who hates scary movies, that should be something.

Please, no! I'm not a lesbian and if I were, I won't be into women of advanced age!

Hooters, Guam

Boy, I sure could use a drink tonight.





Hooters, anyone? Hehehe!



Too bad, I didn't get a chance to do this in Guam --



Only in Manila! Hee! It feels so.......... lesbian-ish.

Skinny jeans cause nerve damage

I'm pear-shaped.

Yeah, okay, all my plans recently have gone pear-shaped as well, so it's kind of redundant, but yes, my hips are the widest part of my body (the more you can bear children with, my dear). I've been wanting to wear skinny jeans for so long, but I can't because they will just make my hips even bigger than they are with that tight and tapered look. So when I read on the news that wearing skinny jeans can cause nerve damage, I was little bit relieved.

The number of fit young women who complain of feeling numb, pins and needles or weird burning or itching sensation along their thighs had gone up recently, and it was apparently caused by wearing these tight trousers.




However, they will get better once you stop wearing them. I guess it's not all bad.

I don't think I will be buying a pair anyway, just to be safe.