mix: parties are made for mashups

 

Oh man, I've been having too much fun on Grooveshark lately. Here be a playlist of wicked mashups: Parties are made for mashups (and vice versa) -- ngl MGMT, Far East Movement, Enya, Prodigy, Eurythmics, Lady Gaga, Nelly Furtado and Robert Miles. How am I still alive. How are you still sitting there and not dancing?!

video dump, 10.26

Jeez, how is it only Wednesday? Haha. Here's a story to tell our mother when I come visit her grave this weekend: Ma, true to form, Nobyembre na naman at nababaliw na naman ako. Haha.

Anyway! Here be a massive video dump: M83, What's your number? and a few miscellaneous things under cut:

monthsary weekend round-up

I took this photo hehe. ILU love. 49 months! That's longer than my college education already! HAHA.

Marked our 49th month on Saturday and spent most of Sunday walking around (30%) and eating (70%). FORTY NINE MONTHS. I know, right, who'd have thought we were here for the proverbial long haul? Haha. Love is funny. Here's Andrea's account of the fantastic food-trip-Sunday over at her LJ (complete with photos!)

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Also on Sunday, Andrea joined in the bi-annual Read-A-Thon and finished six books. Hurray for avid readers!

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Meanwhile -- I've been considering my battle plan for the upcoming Nanowrimo 2011 (a.k.a. November! Let's torture ourselves!), primarily because, looking back, I had fun last year. (And I even have proof of it right here) I can't believe I just said that, but there. 2011 hasn't been a big year for writing AT ALL (except for a couple of things I finished earlier this year), and I happened upon a PDF of maps, letters and a brief guide to navigating scars while cleaning out my harddrive this morning and I'm all inexplicably weepy. JFC I need Happy Lemon in my life right now.

Anyway, last year's piece was, mostly: heat, beaches, quiet. This year, let's go for the opposite: cold, deserted roads after dark, and, well, running away from explosions and robots and gunfire.

Or maybe not. Which is the best thing about this exercise: It could be about anything.

mix: frightened rabbit playlist

What? No love for Frightened Rabbit hereabouts? RIDICULOUS.

• Nothing Like You | this is a story, and you're not in it.
• The Twist | you twist and whisper the wrong name
• My Backwards Walk | i'm working on erasing you
• Things | like new skin from old skin that'd barely been lived in
• Floating in the Forth | i'll steer myself through drunken waves

Grooveshark ILU - [Playlist]

mix: endings

This photo taken during Lilie's wedding. Nice shoes, Budi.

• The New Radicals - I hope I just didn't give away the ending
• Earlimart - It's okay to think about the ending
• Taken by Cars - Logistical nightmare 

this week, on the Internets

USB Cassette Converter by CD-R King (Php780)

Discovered earlier today that, not only does CD-R King have practically everything -- it has something that'd convert your old cassette mixtapes to MP3 FORMAT. (And while you're at it -- also a safe box disguised as a cereal box. Really.)

Indeed, this has been a rather interesting week for online finds. (More under cut: Longreads, etc etc)

more wedding photos!

As promised, I'm grabbing a few of the photos Francis took during Lilie's wedding. (Incidentally: It's his birthday today! Happy 20th birthday, Francis! Haha!)

Here's to the lovely years ahead!

(Rest under cut)

domestic injury time!

Excuse this "baby-book moment" (ever had one of those? you know, the ones pedias used to track your vaccines and your checkups and your prescriptions? I remember my pediatrician telling me when I went to her for a check-up one last time a few months after I turned eighteen: You have to get an adult doctor. Oh well. This is why we self-medicate, guys!)

Just putting a note here: I injured my right knee on Sunday night -- put simply, I was sitting Indian-style on the bed when something heavy dropped upon it by accident. Oh wow. That was a shock. Haha.

Anyway -- first time to encounter such an injury; in the past, I've always injured my ankles. (Remember that latest time I injured my ankle last year when I missed a step and fell down the stairs with laundry? YEP.) So yeah, when I woke Monday morning, I could barely move it. Tried a little dance and it hurt. Huhu. So much for hoping I wouldn't have to see a doctor for it.

And since it was my knee and I haven't injured it before, I figured I should have it x-rayed, for my peace of mind. Which was what I actually wanted to do, but the pleasant guys over at Healthway in Greenbelt 5 told me the Ortho was in and I should just ask him what to do with it. (Turns out it didn't need an x-ray, which is nice since Healthway isn't covered by our office healthcard; it's just conveniently located in a mall.)

The Ortho twisted my leg all sorts and checked for pain. Apparently it's a sprain. Nothing torn, nothing broken. Oh thank god. Here was his explanation:

This is my personal "artist's reimagination" LOL whatever I forgot to ask for the drawing from his pad sayang.

So yes, it should go away in a few days. I should try walking the best way I know how and not, you know, limp around because the muscles around it would cramp if I don't. OKAY. Wag i-baby ang injury. Gotcha.

So far, I think it's getting better. Or maybe it's my knee support (aptly branded, Manly. Tawang-tawa ako, Landmark, pero whatever, it's the cheapest sort on display).

/end baby-book moment. Stay safe, you guys. :)

a wedding!

Lilie's last words outside the church: Ngayon pa lang nagsisink-in. Kagabi lang, single pa ako.This girl is ALWAYS a laugh.

 

Lilie and Budi got married this morning! Ran a bit late and nearly bumped into Lilie just outside the door but arrived just in time to sub for Andrea, who was subbing for Elaine, who was supposedly the Mass commentator but unfortunately got the wrong Christ the King Church that morning. Haha! Ako na ang late na, may role pala dapat. Haha! Anything for you, kids! Pasensya na at hindi ko masyadong kabisado ang misa, kung saan-saang point tuloy ako naluhod (kung kelan dapat nakatayo ako at sumasagot kay Father, haha! Kaaliw.)

ANYWAY -- Much thanks to Jo and Francis for letting me hitch a ride from the Fort this morning! I'm excited to see the pics Francis took; from the few I've previewed, I am confident that they're all going to be awesome (and I'm grabbing all of them once they're uploaded! Whee!)

a welcome

Yellow cab! I missed you! :) Also in this photo -- me with THREE JACKETS ON. What is Antarctica.

L-R: Birthday celebrant Ana, Marielle, Almi, Lawrence. (We missed you in this photo shoot, Schatzi!)

On Monday, we welcomed the latest addition to the Research section family -- apparently, just in time for her birthday! Ana treated us to pizza, chicken wings, pasta and coke on Thursday. Thanks Ana! *burp* Here's to the pounds ahead! (Hehe, kidding. Half.)

all the pretty things that we could do

BOY - Little Numbers from Grönland Records on Vimeo.

We have been obsessing about this song by girl duo BOY (Valeska Steiner and Sonja Glass). And why not, really? In our heads, this video was shot in Rio de Janeiro, and they're secretly lovers. Too adorable. Andrea likes the lead singer, while I like that girl with the mini-piano (predictable taste is predictable haha). Wait for that one moment by the escalator -- brb trying to contain my kilig like whoa. 

Other things I also love here: riding through narrow streets on a bicycle (!!), walking on the beach at night, chalk pianos drawn on the pavement, street football (!!!)

ALSO: Check out their trailer for their album, "Mutual Friends."

new tv: the secret circle

Teenagers with magic powers. CHECK.

Caught the first episode of The Secret Circle over the weekend, and I must say I'm totally spellbound.

Story so far: Tragedy strikes a young girl's life when her mother dies in a fire while home alone. Sixteen-year-old Cassie goes back home to her grandmother, who lives in the town Cassie and her mother left after her father died shortly after her birth. She runs into teenagers in her school and is subsequently subjected to That New Girl treatment -- which apparently includes getting her car set on fire. Yep, these kids are freaky, and despite the fact that they all seem evil to me, I kind of like them. Especially that hot one in a leather jacket. YEP.

So. Secrets? Check. Teenagers running around practicing magic by setting things on fire/causing major storms/making water droplets float in a forest? Check. HOT GIRLS IN LEATHER JACKETS. Yes please.

new tv: awkward

Jenna Hamilton is awkward.

Just caught the first episode of MTV's Awkward -- ngl, my first worry was: This isn't going to be Skins US, is it? The good news is that it certainly isn't. The acting, for one, is actually pretty good, and that's what makes this series enjoyable. Lead girl Jenna keeps a blog called Invisible Girl Daily, but when she shows up at school with half her body in a cast -- well, guess who's not invisible anymore?

It's like Mean Girls, but with social networks. Also, who doesn't like a funny thing set in high school (and doesn't involve singing, for a change?) *hands up*

the midweek round-up, 10.11

I can't get enough of that guy who's napping flat on his face. For serious. I can look at him all day and ponder existential questions. Really. (Source: Huffingtonpost.com)

And just like that, it's October already?! Oh, wow. Time flies. We're eleven days into the tenth month and in those eleven days: the Ateneo Blue Eagles won their elusive four-peat, Sunday Inquirer Magazine transitioned from a weekly to a monthly magazine, the Philippine Azkals finished second in the Long Teng Cup, we lost Steve Jobs, I was compared to Charice Pempengco while having my picture taken AND I actually took that Graduate Admissions Test. Kind of a packed first few days, huh.

Caught Raya Martin's Buenos Noches, España! at the Spanish film festival in Greenbelt last night with the girls. Can't say I enjoyed that (walked out of the cinema some twenty minutes into the film because I was starting to feel physically ill, literally) but then again, don't we all need movies like that to get all introspective about cinema -- what is the point of filmmaking? Was there something wrong with me as a member of the audience because I wasn't able to appreciate that? Will anybody be ever ready to sit through a 70-minute film with those sort of visuals and that sort of audio? Is there any other sort of success other than to make your film understood in the best way possible by the most number of people? Etcetera. To compensate for the nausea, we had drinks at Cervezeria instead. Drunk on a Monday night! FAB!

10/15 EDIT: A PHOTO!

L-R: Cy, Almi, Ice, Me. Scarf is not my fault, for the most part.
This photo nicked off Almi's Facebook, thank you! :)

Anyway. Speaking of movies -- what I did enjoy, however, was Anna Faris in What's Your Number? -- especially that British part. Hilarious! Caught that one in Rockwell on Sunday with Andrea, who treated me to my first Cocoa with Rock Salt and Cheese at Happy Lemon. I'm officially in love.

Work note: Today, we welcomed our newest researcher Ana into the fold -- here's to meeting new people and keeping all the old ones :)

Also -- the Azkals played a monster 4-nil game at the Rizal Memorial against Nepal tonight! Phil Younghusband scored 2, his brother James scored a fantastic goal from just outside the box at the 29th minute, while Matthew Hartmann put in his first goal for the country at the 89th minute. Good game was GOOD.

(Note to self: Nearly done with 2011 (what the fuck, did I just write that??) and I'm looking at at least 2 more huge projects before the year ends. Excitement abounds!)

new tv: the lying game

Yet another show with twins. YAY.

Sutton and Emma are twins separated at birth, and the question is: Why? I love Sara Shepard's (also of Pretty Little Liars) story formula: A secret, and a bunch of girls trying to keep it. As we all know, Girls/Secrets=OTP.

Also, it helps that the girl who plays both girls (Alexandra Chando) reminds me a bit of Sarah Michelle Gellar on Buffy -- the head tilt, the pauses, the inflection. Stellar. Main boy Ethan (Blair Redford) reminds me of Caleb (Tyler Blackburn) from PLL, and the requisite girl posse also reminds me of PLL, but then this is a Sara Shepard show, so.

In summary: SO SOLD. Hanging tight, and loving it.

an unsolicited letter to young girls who like girls

This image is from Tumblr, and is originally from here.

Saturday afternoon, overheard in a table full of twelve-year-olds:
Girl 1 to Girl 2: Ano, may crush ka sa girls?


Dear kids,

Here's where I say: It doesn't matter, don't let anyone tell you otherwise -- yes, you can like that girl/that boy/whoever you want.

steve jobs (1955-2011)

Steve Jobs: Innovator, visionary, icon. 1955-2011

Woke to news this morning that Apple co-founder Steve Jobs had just passed away. Such a heavy feeling. Just how big is this loss? Time Magazine stopped their presses on the issue they had just put to bed that afternoon and called an emergency meeting to devote a new issue to Jobs. If that doesn't make the hairs on your arms stand, I don't know what will.

I'm not what you can call an Apple fan -- my first Apple purchase was the iPod touch I gave Andrea for Christmas a few years ago. I bought myself an iPod classic soon after, then bought Almi's iPod nano as a gift to my brother -- and that about ends my list of Apple products. (10/10 EDIT: Ugh, I forgot about my sister's iPod touch, and our not-so-brief obsession with Tilt to Live! Haha! Still no Android equivalent, boo.)

I have iTunes on my non-Mac netbook -- an old version at that, since I'm too lazy to get an update -- and have since warded off my desires for an iPad or a MacBook: Too pricey, would probably burn a hole in my pocket for a long time, and, as my girlfriend often reminds me: What do you need it for? (For the record: She's right. I get by just fine on Windows, an old Nokia qwerty phone, and my trusty Android tablet.)

But more than his products, to me Steve Jobs is primarily an inspiration -- a man diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2004, he lived SEVEN YEARS MORE (a whole lot longer than his doctors expected, at every front, A MIRACLE) to introduce the iPod, the iPhone, the iPad -- and to inspire an entire generation.

This generation includes me. Thank you, Steve Jobs.

Here's a link to his famous 2005 commencement address to graduates of Stanford, and my favorite passage from that speech:

Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.

I'll be sure to remember, sir.

that beeconomic guessing game!

Take the quiz, change your life. FOREVER.

It is rather unavoidable for one to have inexplicably stress-filled afternoons, but here's a fix we discovered just this week: That Beeconomic newsletter that lands in my inbox every afternoon.

Allergic to Groupon offers? Impulsive online buyer with a recently activated PayPal that you've been trying NOT to use? Well. Good thing I've devised a guessing game so you could still enjoy Beeconomic's, um, out-of-this-world offers. (No, seriously -- out. of. this. world.)

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Beeconomic, I'm just a regular email subscriber who reads these things instead of letting them go automatically into the spam folder. Haha. :) All in good fun guys!