David Cook takes on the Phantom

It's Andrew Lloyd Webber week in American Idol

and I sooo love the music from the Phantom of the Opera and discovering that David Cook is singing Music of the Night was simply brilliant!

goose bumps people...goose bumps!

He is really a versatile performer!

random thoughts on earth day

and before the title misleads you...nope you won't see earth saving tips here - maybe not entirely but these are just thoughts runing in my head yesterday during earth day haha

*****

2 of my kids visited me in the office yesterday...

the first guy just lurked...he was making excuses coz it was obvious going to the guidance office that day was not the main reason he was in school...he further confirmed that by groggily saying that he just woke up...yah right and i sleep in evan rubber shoes too! haha

the second guy...poor guy...was trying to impress me and sheila (she was in my cubicle when he passed by) I guess because...amidst his asking our advice on whether he should enrol in this other review center for the summer...he goes and blurts out...miss nakikita nyo ba toh suot ko...zarra yan (I had to ask how it's spelled)...duh! who?...i was dumbstruck dumbfounded and he was staring at me like 'from what planet are you from?'...sorry but the name isn't familiar...miss naman!...he said his whole outfit was from that boutique...and sheila said it was this boutique in MOA....ohhhh kay....so?! hahaha...then I go...cute ka naman eh...naka pink ka kasi...bagay sa lalake ang pink (that was no joke, Christian!) and when he left to do his errand in another office... sheila further enlightened me that most of the items from that clothing store cost around a thousand bucks each...wahahaha i knew that one was a rich kid haha...

*****

i was planning to celebrate or at least commemorate earth day yesterday...by not using the aircon in the office...in the first place it wasn't emitting cool air that much anyway...hayup! and just opened my window...pero wala rin ang init! haha...if i really wanted to save I would have shut down mypc and just left the office and conserve electricity wahaha...

of course not haha

*****

I am not a domesticated person...I don't know how to cook...but I do believe now that when you're hungry enough and want to eat...you'd be more than eager enough to learn...

so the other day...i cooked fishball in the office! wahahaha ... the pantry was smelly afterwards! haha good day i brought along my workshirt...and they shouldn't complain coz they enjoyed munching away...

yesterday...I was armed to cook hotcake naman...though I didn't end up cooking it really...I just added and mixed the batter...and Pat did the cooking while Emma and I watched haha...I insisted that we should have 6 cakes coz that was what the box said...so we did have 6...and 2 extras haha...little yellowish (not so brown kaya ang ganda) hotcakes for merienda! yup! nde po breakfast...merienda haha...when we ate...emma had to eat more of the left over batter haha i used to do that too and eat more of the batter than of the cooked hotcake...

at dahil naghotcake ka...pa-burger ka naman! burger! burger! burger!

*****

and since it's earth day...and I was the one who posted here about the Starbucks earth day disc...of course I did not pass up the chance to have an excuse to go to my fave hangout...

after my errand...my mom fetched me and we went to Starbucks BF Pque...I wanted to see where Kim was working...she wasn't the one who greeted me at the cashier and when she eventually came out and saw me...the other barista was quite confused coz I was then directing my orders to Kim instead of him haha...wala ba akong discount kung bumili ako nung tumbler ngayon?!...

had to order green tea for Ma (yikes!) sige earth day naman eh go green! haha...of course I had my tumbler with me and got the P40 discount...Ma of course didn't kasi wala naman sya tumbler eh...

We didn't stay long coz Ma was feeling chilly...of course that's what happens when you drink something cold in a colder atmosphere haha...

too bad wasn't able to have my pic taken with the barista Kim maybe next time when I get back there...though I liked the smiley in the plastic cup haha

odiba green! earth day eh

hindi lang kita pero may smiley diyan after my name

*****

and speaking of burger....haha

there were lots of new restos pala in BF Pque huh...as in...new restos near BF Ruins...Gloria Maris...Pier One...Rai Rai Ken...that place will really be bustling once Robinson's Supermarket opens (wawa naman ang Tropical)...and there we saw Hotshots Burger haha...

burger! burger! burger! burger!

yup we took home our dinner from that place...sarap talaga burger dun...grilled kasi kaya kakaiba lasa nya para sakin

*****

and you thought my day ended that time...nop! maaga pa eh....haha...nagaya si buddy at ayun tambay daw kami....hanep! lumayas pa ako ng bahay ng 930pm...

and with my washed starbucks tumbler...went off and met up sa Mcdo Philam...then of course headed off to Starbucks for another discount haha...though I did not drink anymore coz diba i had mine earlier and I already had my burger! hanep sa katakawan...

after having a crink in the neck watching people entering Starbucks at around 11pm ...may nakita pa kami na family ha with lola and lolo (tho sa yellow cab sila nagpunta haha) dumating naman si Mylo...so syempre...what's up with you girl?...had just to ask about my former student - her younger brother - at ayun still the same...kainis! ewan ko ano kahihinatnan nun (he stopped studying and is busy with his SK)....

haaay at least good news came from Mylo...she's barely surviving college and she told me...she was the only one left in her barkada who is still in La Salle...nagsilipatan na sila waaaa... she's surviving amidst practices and competitions with fencing...huwat?! fencing huh!

Good luck with that, Mylo!

*****


kainis ha! nagddry na ang lips ko...ang init...global warming ito!...pansin ko na talaga...haha


*****

and yup I'm celebrating earth day with other people in Tomas Morato, QC this Friday...my problem would be...how to get there...haha

Earth Saving Tips

someone by the name of docneil posted this in my guestbook...so let's share...

in celebration of Earth Day, April 22



Earth Saving Tips from
Earth ShareFall 1997
--------------------------------------------------------------

Fall Planting Pointers
Though many people gear up to work on their yards and gardens in the spring, fall is actually an ideal time for yard work. By the time autumn rolls around, summer heat waves are long past, rainfall is usually more plentiful, and new trees, bushes and flowers have a greater chance of surviving than they would if they were planted during a hotter season.
Here are a few ideas for bringing your garden to life in the fall:

Compost the leaves. Rake the leaves into a corner of your yard and leave them there until next fall. During the year, the leaves will decompose into a crunchy mulch you can use to insulate flowerbeds or improve soil texture.

Fertilize organically. When preparing your soil for next year, add organic, slow-release fertilizers that will help enhance your soil over time. Most garden stores today carry a wide variety of organic fertilizers; many catalogue companies also sell organic products. See Earth Share's Web site at www.earthshare.org for more tips on gardening organically or check out your library for more information.

Plant trees. Choose species native to your area as well as those that are drought and pest resistant and can grow in the kind of soil and amount of sunlight available on your property.

Gauge your garden. Replace plants that demand too much water or attract too many bugs.

Back to School
As the kids get ready to return to school why not teach them some simple conservation tips:

Lunch break. Pack kids' lunches in lunch pails or canvas bags instead of throwaway paper bags.

Consider reusing plastic sandwich bags or only using durable plastic containers. Start with the basics.
Remind kids to turn off the lights in the bathroom or cloak room when leaving, throw away trash found on the school playground, use both sides of the paper and save unused chalk, pens or art supplies.
Check out schools' recycling programs. Ask whether recycling bins are accessible and if the kids are encouraged to use them.

DON'T SPOOK MOTHER NATURE

Halloween can be a lot of fun, but it's also a time when you can either trick -- or treat -- Mother Nature. These tips will help you treat the Earth right on this spooky night.

Dress down. Rather than buy a new costume you (or your child) will only wear once and throw away, make one out of clothes and fabrics you already have. You can also get terrific "costumes" at thrift shops and yard sales. Swap costumes with neighbors and friends. Donate your kids' used costumes to day care centers or shelters.

Bag it. Send your kids out to collect their candy with reusable buckets, canvas bags or pillowcases.
Redecorate. Keep Halloween decorations from year to year so you don't need to buy new ones each season.
Recycle. Once Halloween is over, recycle your pumpkins, the straw you used to build scarecrows and any other organic material by composting it. The compost can be used as fertilizer for your garden.
Teach your children. Urge your children to dispose of their candy wrappers in their bags or in trash cans rather than on the street.

Keep it simple. When you're buying treats to give out, choose items that come in a minimum amount of packaging. Some folks skip the candy altogether in favor of useable treats like pencils, pens, funky erasers and even nickels! Believe It or Not! The typical U.S. house loses 25% of its heating and cooling energy through its windows. If all the windows in the U.S. were energy efficient, we'd save up to 2.5% of the amount of energy the U.S. consumes each year. We could save about 200 gallons of oil for every household in the U.S. if all windows in the country were efficient. Environmentally improved windows have the potential to pay back up to three times their cost in energy savings.

COOL THE GLOBE

Global warming occurs because carbon dioxide (CO2) and other gasses released by the combustion of fossil fuels are building up in the atmosphere and preventing the sun's heat from escaping back into space. Many scientists, as well as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, are concerned that global warming could lead to serious changes in our climate, causing more dangerous storms and hurricanes, rising sea levels, and the spread of tropical diseases. In
December, delegates from around the world will meet in Japan to determine ways their countries can reduce fossil fuel emissions.

You can do your part at home:
Drive a fuel-efficient car. If your new car gets 10 mpg more than your old one, you can reduce CO2 emissions by 2,500 pounds a year. Walk, bike, carpool or use mass transit. If you leave your car at home two days a week, you'll reduce CO2 emissions by 1,590 pounds a year.

Weatherize your home. Insulate walls and ceilings, caulk and weatherstrip around doors and windows, and wrap your water heater in an insulating jacket to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 4,000 pounds a year. Use energy-efficient appliances. If you replaced your existing refrigerator with a high-efficiency model, you'd reduce your CO2 emissions by 220 pounds a year. Energy-efficient appliances are now available for microwave ovens, stoves, dishwashers and computers, as well.
Reduce, reuse and... Recycle? You guessed it. Buying food and other products in reusable or recyclable packaging can reduce CO2 emissions by 230 pounds a year, while recycling all of your home's waste newsprint, cardboard, glass and metal can reduce emissions an additional 850 pounds a year.

At the office, consider these additional ideas: Turn off the power. Flick off lights and turn off computers and other equipment when you leave your office for long periods of time. Use e-mail.
Use electronic mail and electronic faxes rather than paper and the postal system whenever possible.
Use a reusable mug. Choose reusable over throwaways as much as possible. Support company programs to save energy.
Participate in company carpools, waste paper recycling programs and environmentally friendly landscape strategies.
Tele-commute if possible.

WINDOW DETAILS

With winter coming on, it makes sense to "tune up" your windows so they keep the heat in and help you save money on energy bills.
Consider these suggestions:
Caulk window frames. Don't let the hot air out. Caulk around window frames to prevent heated air from leaking out or cold air from sneaking in. Cover windows with curtains and shades. A wide variety of insulated curtains, shades and window treatments is commercially available from hardware stores as well as specialty decorating centers.
Check your telephone directory for nearby listings. Replace old windows with energy-efficient models. Single-pane glass provides only a thin barrier to the outside and can account for considerable heat loss and gain. You can replace single-pane windows with those made of double- or triple-panes, or with "low-e" glass, which allows full sunlight to pass through the window but reduces the amount of heat that is transmitted. You can also investigate heat-absorbing glass, which reduces the amount of heat that passes through the glass and into a room.

American Idol's David Cook

I'm having a David Cook song festival hehe



He should win...
I mean really!



If only we can vote...I would spend all my load on voting for him!

music appreciation lessons @ The Podium

Sorry for the grainy pics...told you my cam is problematic lately

This is my first time to watch this OPM Soul Child, Julianne...
I can't describe whether I was anxious or excited...maybe a lot of both...I know for a fact that I was babbling when I met her...grabe! awestruck ba?! She's charming, friendly and pretty in person huh...and she was in a green sundress haha

So anyway...back to the music...what da?! akala mo kung sinong expert...haha

She did her sound check first...and I was wondering why she was all alone on stage...hmmm...one woman show pala sya that night...and my friends told me...wait till you hear her with a full band...OMG! goose bumps in anticipation of that! hehe...

I honestly admire people who can play the guitar...more so for women who can sing and strum =P...I don't know maybe because I've associated guitar players to males...so anyone - any female who can sing superbly and play the guitar...is plus pogi points for them haha

So as I was listening raptly to her sing...I kept on poking my friend's back, sitting in front of me: grabe! ang galing ha! ang galing nya! ... I think I did that more than twice haha...I wasn't attentive to her though coz I was writing down something in my planner and texting friends na ang kukulit hehe...but what was amazing about her music is that it seeps into your consciousness and can't help but really feel her songs...nyahaha too deep ba..haha...and I also like how she connects with her audience through her spiels...I like listening to the stories behind her songs...and yup! her album Grateful has all original compositions...talo nya lolo ko!

Playlist:Blackbird (I associate this to the movie I am Sam starring Sean Penn)Thank You (from her album)Put your records on (Corrine Bailey Rae)Tulak ng bibig..kabig ng dibdib (her famous single and which first attracted me to her music surely) Video (and not radio! hehe, by Indie Arie) Englishwoman in NY (originally Englishman in NY by Sting)Queen in me (I'm beginning to really like this song of hers...ang cute eh!)

After her brief show leaving me wanting for more...she chatted with the audience...had her picture taken with these basketball players - foreigners who dig her music too despite the fact they didn't understand "tulak ng bibig" for sure hehe...had my picture taken with her again...and my new Grateful CD signed together with my planner haha...

I assured Julianne that I will catch another of her gigs and she bid us farewell as rain started pouring that night...So I rate this one woman show of Julianne a 9 out 10 (what more kung full band diba?)

another kaladkarin adventure

define kaladkarin...
This was my Ym status msg early this am...and one of my kids PM'ed me and said...yung po "kalapateng mababa ang lipad"...of course this was not what he really typed...the term he used was more direct and vulgar and so I just had to censor this haha...

Then my officemate buzzed me and gave this in reply: paghila sa taong ayaw magpahila...partly true for me...coz I was more than willing to go haha

Another friend of mine who knew about my recent adventure replied and gave her two cents: kaladkarin yung nakikitulog sa bahay ng iba na walang baon na damit
wahahaha...I should know!

I believe I'm more than fortunate that I am allowed to go just about anywhere by my mother...but of course within reason and as long as she knows I'd be brought home safely or I would be with safe and reliable friends or sleepover at someone's place basta hindi lang hassle...truth to tell...wala na naman magagawa nanay ko kasi madalas nagpapaalam ako pag nasa labas na ako ...in short...pinapa-alam ko na lang..di ako nagpapaalam...wahahaha ang bad! but don't get me wrong my Mom imposes rules and limitations too and I know when I've overstepped my limitations...esp when it's one after another and when it hinders my work or is affecting my health...yun! magsesermon na sya haha...

So hmmmm... the bigger question I think for me now is...ako ba sumasama dahil gusto ko sumama...or dahil sa gusto yung nagyayakad?...yes to both...of course I'm not a stupid person who would jump and say "how high" when someone tells me to jump...I said reasonable...meaning within my means or more importantly within my budget haha...

Just had another "kaladkarin moment" recently...hanep! I know there was a reason why God did not grant me a car of my own...I would never really know where that set of wheels would take me...now that I don't have one...I still reach QC and get in time (huwat?! says who?! haha) for work the next day ... half day nga lang ako wahahaha

onto my new cubicle

so this week i was quite busy and had to bring my work shirt since i was
transferring my stuff from my old cubicle to my new one...

we do this every year since we move with our batch...

you'll see just a few pics ...there were not so many changes to the new cubicle
(as what the previous owner did)...
but I did haul out the long computer table...

dragged with it the table...
and got my old computer table and big desk from
my old cubicle and fit it into the new one...haha...

early morning workout yesterday...worked out sa sweat really! phew!

don't expect much am no interior decorator

so simple lang yan talaga...basta lang maayos...

di pa nga ako tapos haha...

Though I'd like to ask for suggestions as to what I can do with this bare wall...