Causing a commotion

So there's another rally outside. They're doing the usual - litter, pretend they know what they're protesting against, and wrecking my Friday night plans. When I bought food around 3pm, there were already people lingering about probably waiting for a celebrity to show up and sing "Magkaisa" or some cheesy song. I wonder why they hold it in the same corner all the time. Doesn't Makati have other strategic corners they can park their poor asses in? My Dad said the opposition is so fond of having these ousting-rallies when they even don't know who to replace the President with. And even if they did, they'd probably do the same thing when they aren't getting what they want from the administration. It's really all a bunch of bull. Now my problem is how to go home! They close the underpasses when there's a rally which means I might have to walk the entire length of Ayala just to get to the other side. Groan. It's good thing the shoes I'm wearing now are made for walking.

Taxi driver

It was my first for the year and it gave me a headache. I took a cab back to Makati after attending a briefing in Unilever. Admittedly, I do not know how to hail a cab unless there is an existing taxi line, which, let's face it - in this country, is non-existent. Well, maybe unless you're in a mall. Which I was not. I was in the middle of nowhere. So anyway, luckily my friend was there and she told the guards to get one for me. And this was in exchange for a Dark Chocolate Snickers bar. Hmph. The headache inducing experience began after we crossed San Andres. The ride suddenly became really bumpy and I felt like hurling. It didn't help that the car reeked of cheap car freshner that must have clung to the faux leather seats that were torn in a gazillion places it looked as if Freddy Krueger emerged from it. I wanted to open the window a bit but the lever was missing. On both sides! The radio was blasted and the DJ kept on saying "now you hear me, now you don't" but you could still hear him anyway. Weird. The only good thing about the ride was the driver was silent the entire trip. I was surprised it only cost me P81 bucks. I let him keep the change. He looks like he needs to buy new car freshner anyway. I saw this flyer on the seat and wondered - if you have a Porsche, couldn't you have afforded a bigger house in a more posh neighborhood? So there.

Sweet stuff

Guess who's really coming to Manila this July?

Samsung (errr..) was able to close the deal with a sponsorship package worth oodles and oodles of money. Say, two Mercedes Benz S500s or three Jaguar XJs- more or less.

According to Billboard Magazine, Madonna will be releasing her new record called Licorice this April.

Which means, she might be belting out new tunes. Im guessing it's going to be a small-scale concert, not Confessions Tour proportions. Maybe like Brixton Academy.

I was able to hear a 35-second sample and it sounds pretty promising. Justin Timberlake (who she's working with for this record) said he wanted to make it sound like an updated "Holiday."

Work Week

In an alternate universe, this would be my preferred 5-day schedule. Of course, if I would jet from one continent to the next, I would be near death when I reach my last destination from over fatigue. But at least I'll die luxuriously.

Back to LoVe

Ever since my cousin told me that LV is considered mass luxury, I've lost interest in the French brand. I've set my sights on Prada because I noticed not too many people have it. But when I saw the Printemps/Ete 2008 catalog of Louis Vuitton, I just might rekindle my fondness for it. I normally don't like bags that scream the brand but for some strange reason, this document bag in monogram bequia canvas seems ok. I need a new bag. I've been wanting to buy a new bag where I can dump my laptop in. I saw this Prada Jacquard bag in Tutto Moda at Town Center that was priced at 50k. It looked something like this but it had thicker handles. I don't know if that's a steal or a rip off considering the logo it had isn't the new one that Prada is now using. I wonder what they do to the items that don't get sold at Tutto?

Constant craving

After writing a poem about my dog for Pam's 2Bu valentine spread, I was trying to decide what occupation I should put - Master of his universe? too juvenile. Vanilla milkshake addict? Can't since I'm not anywhere near it yet. Dream Collector? Too gay. I ended up putting Constant Craver because I've been craving for tons of things lately. From the dumplings I had in Shanghai, to frog's legs from President's, chocolate cake from Costa Brava, hawker food in Singapore, to the chicken I had earlier in Sugi. After I sent the email to her, I suddenly craved for a double cheeseburger with supersized fries and a super large coke to push it down my throat. I hurriedly drove to McDonald's and satisfied my craving. It would have been better if they had a vanilla milkshake so I can jump start my addiction but they didn't carry it. Earlier, I realized I have a lot of things to do today (it's already Saturday as I type this). I have to buy my mom a birthday present, pick up the album I had made in Picture Books, and buy another gift for my good friend's mom for her birthday that I totally forgot about. Obviously, I have to skip being Jimmy Carter for the day so I could run all my errands. So in place of doing that charitable thing, I bought our guard the same meal I had. He looked like he could use a meal at 2am anyway. Damn, I'm still craving for a vanilla milkshake.

Charity choice

I'm supposed to tag along with my relatives tomorrow morning to help build houses at this site in Taguig for Habitat for Humanity. My Tita said I can either sift sand, make hollow blocks, tie together steel bars, paint walls, or pour cement. I MAY try to do all that IF I manage to be ready by 630am on a Saturday because I have to be at Serendra by 8am for the briefing. No, it doesn't take me that long to get ready but I'm hitching a ride with my Tita so I have to drive to her house and leave my car there. I've never gotten down and dirty. The last time I was in a construction site was when our Alabang house was being built. Back then, I'd get some nylon string and tie a nail at the end, pitch it, and once it embeds firmly, pretend to climb a mountain (which was really a huge pile of sand). I know, it was stupid but I must have been below 10 years old so shut up. Just this afteroon, Luanne, our sorta former client from Nokia dropped by our office and said that one of her resolutions for the new year is to make one random act of kindness a day. I wonder.. This doesn't exactly count as being random because it's planned. But it IS something that I wouldn't normally do and I told myself that this year, I ought to do more of the things that are not on my usual agenda. Now, I'm torn - should I make my existence in this earth more meaningful by doing something charitable or would I rather enjoy my existence by waking up in non-agricultural hours (read: super early) and glueing myself to my bed to watch Season 2 of Brothers and Sisters?

Mess in the city

It's been a very unproductive weekend with me super glued to my bed practically the whole day, getting up only to pee and eat. I finished the (almost) entire season 1 of Brothers & Sisters save for the last 3 episodes because the player claimed it was "damaged". I switched to Gossip Girl after dinner and I wasn't impressed. It was like Sex in the City minus the restaurant scenes, comedic timing, and substance. I found the characters a huge mess - it was a wild roller coaster ride from being friends, to enemies, to friends, then back to being enemies. For those who aren't familiar with the show, Gossip Girl is based on the hugely popular young adult novels by Cecily von Ziegesar and is about four filthy-rich main characters and two financially challenged sibs who show you their tumultuous world where teens have sex, swig dirty martinis and smoke pot during leisurely walks through Central Park, and how good a seamstress one can be if you can't afford to buy a dress from the department store. You have Serena van der Woodsen who suddenly left for boarding school but made a comeback for the new school year, thus shocking the entire student body especially when it's revealed that she slept with her best friend's boyfriend, Nate, who looks like a girl. Blair Waldorf (her salad-sounding best friend) is obviously pissed off so she makes Serena's social life a living hell in the first few episodes. It's only when Serena's brother who attempted suicide shows Blair his wrist wounds that she decides to wave the white flag. I really didn't understand it. To me, they were more like girls PMS-ing and channeling angst towards each other. You never know who Gossip Girl is but you'd end up being amazed on how she gets all her news and how almost every teen reads the blog where she posts her info in. Kinda reminds me of Soozie Hopper.

All in the family

My eyebags have reached the floor thanks to Calista Flockhart and Sally Field. I didn't know watching a family's messy life can be so entertaining. What started as a three-episode only sitting turned to 5, then 7, then 10 and till my eyes finally gave up and when I started hearing birds chirping outside my window. Brothers & Sisters is an Emmy-award winning TV series that tells the story of an upper class American family, its business woes, and personal problems. The trouble starts when the Dad dies from a heart attack leaving his family with an almost-bankrupt business because of his money funneling ways. The kids take over the family business and that's where all the action begins. The mistress is discovered, the brother in law falls in love with her, the estranged daughter moves back in and gets jiggy with a senator, the eldest daughter has a whole lot of problems that I even don't want to start enumerating, a brother discovers he's sterile, the youngest brother is ordered to go back to Iraq, and the gay brother can't just find the perfect man. The mom doesn't really know half of whats happening because she spends half the time beating around the bush with the contractor, who it seems doesn't get any job done on time. or at all. And that's just Season One. In some scenes you can't help be drawn to Calista's lips and start to have visions of a duck wearing lipstick. At least she isn't as thin as when she was during her Aly McBeal days. Then you see Sally who can't seem to keep her hair all in one place. She also looks problematic in most of the show. But even if, you'll still really, really, like her in this show. Then you also notice that the family drinks an awful lot of wine whenever they get together. In every kitchen or dining room scene, you're bound to spot them clutching a glass of red or white or a bottle or two lurking in the midst.

Burp

I used to be a big fan of fast food after hearing about how this guy in the US gained weight from eating fast food for like, forever. Back in college, I used to head to Wendy's to buy large fries and have that for breakfast along with an upsize order of OJ (for that slightly healthy feel). If I didn't have that, I'd go to the McD's next door and order a Big Mac AND a Sausage McMuffin with egg or a Longganisa meal. Sadly, my fast food strategy didn't win me any pounds. Being a frequent foodie in fast food joints did a nosedive after reading Fast Food Nation. This myth-shattering book tells the story of the world’s infatuation with fast food, from its origins in 1950s southern California to the global triumph of a handful of burger and fried chicken chains. In a meticulously researched and powerfully argued account, Eric Schlosser visits the labs where scientists re-create the smell and taste of everything - from cooked meat to fresh strawberries; talks to the workers at abattoirs with some of the worst safety records in the world; explains exactly where the meat comes from and just why the fries taste so good.

Both funny and terrifying, Fast Food Nation will make you think, but more than that, it might make you realize you don’t want a quick bite after all.

Sometimes though, I just can't help but gorge on food packed with artificial flavours, extenders, and preservatives. Yesterday for a mid-afternoon snack (yes, a snack), I had two pieces of original recipe chicken, rice, and extra gravy from KFC. It was slightly dry and I'm guessing they gave me the last batch that was fried but it was totally finger lickin' good anyway so it was aiiiggghhhhttt.

This morning, I had McDonald's for breakfast. I couldn't decide between getting a Big Breakfast and a Sausage McMuffin meal so I got both. Yummy.