Tagged by Hoshi

Here’s the rule: Answer the questions with song titles (your fave songs or songs that you like to play most of the time). No side comments please. Let the song titles explain your answer.

The questions and my answers:
1.) How am I feeling today?
- I Don’t Like Monday by The Boomtown Rats

2.) Where/when will I get married?
- I’d Still Say Yes by Klymaxx

3.) What is my best friend’s theme song?
- Now That I Have You by The Company

4.) What is/was highschool like?
- But I’m Gonna Give It My Best Shot by Fall Out Boy

5.) What is the best thing about me?
- Suddenly It’s Magic by Vesta Williams

6.) How is today going to be?
- Only Time by Enya

7.) What is in store for this weekend?
- Close To Heaven by Color Me Badd

8.) What song describes my parents?
- My Immortal by Evanesscence

9.) How is my life going?
- Whatever We Imagine by James Ingram

10.) What song will they play at my funeral?
- As I Lay Me Down To Sleep by Sophie B. Hawkins

11.) How does the world see me?
- My Kind of Girl by Brian McKnight and Justin Timberlake

12.) What do my friends really think of me?
- I’ll Never Find Someone Like You by Keith Martin

13) Do people secretly lust after me?
- Til I Hear It From You by Gin Blossoms

14.) How can I make myself happy?
- Wouldn’t It Be Nice by Beach Boys

15.) What should I do with my life?
- Buses and Trains by Bachelor Girl

16.) Will I ever have children?
- Everytime I Close My Eyes by Babyface

17.) What is some good advice?
- Honestly by Harem Scarem

18.) What do I think my current theme song is?
- I Do by Natalie Cole and Freddie Jackson

19.) What does everyone else think of my current life?
- I Can See Clearly Now by Sam Cooke

20.) What type of men/women do you like?
- Iris by Goo Goo Dolls

21.) Will you get married?
- Born To Love You by George Duke

22.) What should I do with my love life?
- Give me Forever I Do by James Ingram

23.) Where will you live?
- Nights In Montreal by Gino Vanelli

24.) What will your dying words be?
- You Are The Sun, You Are The Rain by Lionel Richie

I’m now passing this fun tag to Raft3r.

A WEEK ago, an officemate stumbled on my blog and asked how I made it. So, I fed him the details and told him it’s an excellent way to detoxify his system from stress and worries. The guy wants a blog of his own, too, but dreads what other people will say because he is not a writer by profession. I told him one doesn’t have to be a writer to maintain a blog.

One’s blog serves as his soundboard. You can write or draw. Others even take photographs of people, things and places that interest them and post these on their blog. One reason why I like visiting www.coroflot.com is the fact that it teems with creative souls. I don’t get bored whenever I’m on this site. It’s like jumping from one room to another. Sometimes I feel I’m in a museum because of the superb visuals.

I went to the blog of the pretty DJ Kelly of radio’s 103.5 Max FM last week right after our interview for Pinoy Gazette and I was also amazed. Had I not been busy at that time, I could have read all her poems. Yup, her blog contains poems that are very interesting and riveting.

I really hope more people would see the essence of a blog. I especially like to encourage artists to get into this habit. It’s always a pleasure to see beautiful artworks. Whether it’s something you painted on canvas, designed in Photoshop or simply drew on a piece of paper using Mongol, that’s a work of art. Since my brother-in-law, who also happens to be an artist, doesn’t have a blog of his own yet, I’m posting here some of his works achieved through Photoshop.

INITIALLY, I wanted to share an article I wrote about the Afterimage band. Oh yes, they’re back! But if I did, nobody’s going to buy Top 40 Hits and Most Requested Songs anymore. I wouldn’t want that to happen because the editor’s a good friend.

I was a big fan of the band back in the 90s and I loved their songs such as “Next In Line,” “Tag-Ulan” and “Habang May Buhay.” Now I’m no longer that big a fan. I’ve turned into a mammoth fan! Blame the band’s current album entitled “Our Place Under The Sun” which contains 12 songs.

As usual, Afterimage’s music is still rock laden but there’s something new in their instrumentation. According to vocalist Wency Cornejo, a radio jock has categorized their music as “positive rock.” I don’t know what that means but positive their songs really are.

Afterimage dropped by 103.5 Max FM recently to perform live in the station’s Saturday program, Tunog Kalye. I got a firsthand experience of their new offering. I especially like the songs “Brightest Day” and “Musikero,” the album’s carrier single. Instead of Wency on vocals, bassist Niño Messina took the honor of lending his voice in the former song. His voice reminded me of Adam Levine.

I was drawn to the guitar scaling of the band’s new lead guitarist, Gereon Arcai, as well as Arnold Cabalza ’s keyboard strokes. There was not much effort but their music came out crisp and right.

It’s about time the bands of yesterday come back to inject a variety in the music scene. I don’t mean to be offensive but a lot of young Filipino bands today sound alike. I can’t differentiate their music not to mention their voices. I miss the likes of Alamid, Rockstar, The Teeth, and even Orient Pearl.

WHILE watching TV on a Sunday evening, I chanced upon the 2002 flick “John Q” which stars Denzel Washington.

The movie’s about a father who exhausts all his savings and possessions in order to come up with the amount of money needed for his son’s heart transplant since his insurance won’t cover the operation. Unfortunately, selling everything he had did not help because the required amount was just too big.

John, the father of the boy, became so desperate of his son’s condition that he held everybody in the hospital hostage and told the authorities he won’t surrender until the doctors perform an operation on his son. John even declared “free health care for everyone” inside the hospital.

I strongly agree with John’s point that sick equates to help so doctors should pay attention to people regardless of their standing in society, who walk into their hospital. They’re not there to shop for syringes and dextrose in the first place. They are basically seeking medical help.

I’m much aware that the medical equipment and physician’s fee are of utmost consideration in any hospital. However, is it impossible to attend to the patient first and just bill him afterwards when his health condition is more stable?

Fortunately, the movie ends with the doctors performing the operation on the boy.

I thought of the movie a few minutes ago after receiving this link from my husband: http://rescuemywife.blogspot.com/2008/06/open-letter.html

It’s an open letter of a husband pleading help for his beloved wife. The husband happens to be my husband’s supervisor at work that’s why we strongly feel for him. I know that we have no right to ask God why terrible things happen to good people. There is really nothing we can do. But I hope it would be all right to request you to send this message across to people you think are capable of extending financial help to the couple.

Let’s pray they survive this trial. Thank you very much and please keep safe always.

The universe has its way of surprising me.

Upon arriving home last night, my little girl surprised me with her new name. I heard her yaya call her ‘”Jahjah” so I wondered, who’s Jahjah? I gently scooped Sonnet up into my arms and asked her, “Be, who’s Jahjah?” Sonnet pointed to herself.

I don’t remember calling my sweet angel “Jahjah” so I asked yaya why Sonnet calls herself that and the former tells me, since Sonnet’s first name is Janaelah she thought Jahjah would be the perfect nick.

Although I initially didn’t like the new name, I’m sort of starting to like it especially when Sonnet reacts to it. Most of us, after all, come in different names. As a little girl, I was identified as Nini. When I started school everybody in the classroom would call me Antonette, my teachers and classmates alike. When I started working, colleagues would call me the same and when they got tired of it they’d cut it short to Net or Toni.

Some preferred to call me Ann, which is really uncomfortable. I feel like a nun whenever I’m called by this name. I don’t mean that in a bad way. I’m just honest to say that I’m no goody two shoes. Before my professional life, I was but since exposed to the real world I’ve long forgotten how it is to be a meek lamb who’d give in to anybody. Let’s face it, there are more evil than good on earth.

I’m open to the fact that someday my little Sonnet will make her own choices in life. She’ll face her own trials or obstacles on the way and there’s no way I could control the events that would come her way. But as her mother, I would never leave her side. I’ll be here to guide her through anything.

People can call her Sonnet, Janaelah, jahjah, or even Net. But to me, she’s always going to be the sweetest Bebe in the entire world

By the way, a friend sent me this important link. If you have time, maybe you can do something for the little angel here http://www.katrina.heavenmind.com/history.html

Been tagged by Avi.

To be a wife and a mother has been one of my biggest dreams but I never thought that I would marry Prince Charming. My Switee, Johnson, is not Prince Charming for nothing. Aside from being the sweetest, most adorable and responsible man I met, he’s also a hands-on dad.

He can change our Sonnet’s nappies without my supervision, He sings lullabies to her and doesn’t put her down on the bed until she’s fast asleep, he lets Sonnet tinker with his computer even when he’s busy working, and he has endless dreams for Sonnet and me. All these and more are reasons why my heart is solely meant for Jon.

Happy Father’s Day Switee Ko’y! I love you to pieces

{Start Copy Here}

Started by Mitchteryosa

Rules:

1) Copy from {Start Copy Here} to {End Copy Here}.
2) Blog Brag about your husband - yes, the father of your child/ren. As I’ve said singles may also join by bragging about their own fathers, or even grandfathers. It doesn’t matter! Of course, Daddy bloggers themselves may also join, but you have to blog about your fathers and not about yourselves, deal? Okay. Good.
3) Add your blog in the master list below linking to the post that you just made. Or if you wish, do it as how I’ve done it in my other blog by adding a new page.
4) Leave your comment here and don’t forget to leave your link so you can be added on the masterlist. Yup. Here. Thanks!
5) Let’s not forget Peppermint Creative for the corner border I used for the badge.

Master list:

1. When Silence Speaks

2. Everything About Deye

3. Etc Atbp

4. Pinay Mommy Online

5. Coffee Cup Princess

6. Pinaymama’s Dairy

7. A Mother of Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow,

8. Everything that has Breathe Praise the Lord,

9. Kate Ashley,

10. Top Form Secrets

11. Marilyn

12. Anything and Everything in Between

13. Can of Thoughts

14. Crumbs

15. sonnetshaven

{End Copy Here}

Happy Father’s Day to all fathers, uncles, ninongs and all the men in the world who love the kids in their lives the way any heaven-sent father would.

Now,  it’s your turn to do this. Just follow the instructions above. It’s easy and fun

THERE have been occasions in my life I couldn’t get a clear idea down on my sheet. Experts call this dilemma writer’s block which purpose of creation I never understood. It’s a good thing this disease doesn’t linger for days. After an hour or two, I would be back on work mode and I’m proud to say that I always submit my piece in time for our paper’s deadline.

That was the case until this week came into the picture. The moment I turned on my computer last Tuesday, I knew right away that I didn’t want to write. It was not because I was burned out due to the previous deadline. As a matter of fact, my entire system was still all revved up for any project that’s waiting to be accomplished.

It really had nothing to do with my mood but everything about interest. Suddenly, I found myself envious of my husband for being able to do what he enjoys doing. He does concepts and designs for print ads which come out in a widely circulated paper in the U.S.A, Charlotte Observer. How I thirsted for his knowledge in Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, and other programs required in the field of graphic design. I even requested our IT department to install InDesign in my computer which they immediately granted.

When I could no longer hold back my desire to learn in-depth print design, I confessed this HCH (Having a Change of Heart) Syndrome I’m going through to Johnson, my husband. I told him that I’m tired of writing about things, people, Pinoy TV shows, and that I would rather describe them through images. Fortunately, he took it in positively. He even shared links related to InDesign tutorials so that I could easily grasp the subject.

However, even with all those tutorials piled in my hard drive, I still turned into a nuisance to the graphic artists in our office because I would constantly ask them about the function of each tool displayed on the tool bar. I realized InDesign is a lot more difficult than Word and Notepad, programs which are commonly used by writers.

But I’m not about to give up on this brand new dream. Not just yet. As a matter of fact, I posted on this entry samples of my initial effort. By the way, if you’re health conscious, you can purchase this pure VCO (Take note, it’s pure virgin coconut oil not mere extract) from me.

A tag from Avi.

1. One movie that made you laugh.
I laughed really hard at “Billy Madison.” I’ve actually laughed at all Adam Sandler flicks. He’s my favorite actor for comedy films

2. One movie that made you cry.

That would have to be Robin Williams’ “What Dreams May Come.” It’s so painful to lose a loved one to the cruel arms of death. I’ve seen the movie thrice and every time, I would pray that my departed family members and friends would still remember me up to the next life.

3. One movie you loved when you were a child.

“Little Princess” ni Shirley Temple

4. One movie you’ve seen more than once.
Not just one kasi I would repeatedly watch “Tootsie,” “St. Elmo’s Fire” and Goodfellas. ‘Yung kahit memorize mo na ang mga scenes, type mo lang panoorin ulit

5. One movie you loved, but were embarrassed to admit it.

Brooke Shields’ “Blue Lagoon” kasi bawal sa amin ni kuya ang manood ng mga adult movies noong mga bata pa kami. Every time nagkakaroon ng mga recollection ng kabataan namin over dinner with our parents, I would hold my tongue para hindi kami mabuking ni kuya.

.6. One movie you hated.

Super dami, especially Pinoy horror flicks gaya ng mga sequels ng “Shake, Rattle and Roll.” Pag dating sa ending, parang galing lang ang mga characters sa Luneta.

7. One movie that scared you.

“The Exorcist” panalo! After watching it, I slept with the light on. Counterpart nya in the Phils. is an episode in the 1985 film “Loving Yours, Helen: The Movie” which starred the late Julie Vega.

8. One movie that bored you.

Nakatulog ako sa “Beowolf” kasi 3D eh. I like watching humans.

9. One movie that made you happy.

“Meet The Fockers”

10. One movie that made you miserable.

“Legends of the Fall” I hate endings. This is what the movie’s about.

11. One movie you weren’t brave enough to see.

None. I could watch anything even by myself

12. One movie character you’ve fallen in love with.

Amelie! I love her innocence

13. The last movie you saw.

“Saw III”

14. The next movie you hope to see.

The Al Pacino-starrer “88 Minutes”

Last Sunday, Mama asked some people in the neighborhood to harvest Santol in the backyard. Later in the afternoon, I was surprised to see sacks and pails of the fruit. I had no idea there was this much in the tree because looking at it from the ground, I could see very few fruits.

Although I’m not fond of eating Santol, I like its characteristics. It bears an element of surprise which is not common in other fruits. Some fruits taste sweet from the outside down to the core. Others, on the other hand, are sour from the first slice to the last.

The Santol is a unique fruit since it’s full of secrets. Why its skin alone does not give a clue about its ripeness. Aren’t fruits supposed to give off an odor or at least feel soft in one’s hand when they’re ripe? A Santol doesn’t. You have to peel and taste it to find out.

Once you’ve peeled the fruit, you have to suck the Santol’s flesh to relish its taste. The fruit is often sour that’s why I was surprised our neighbors claimed the ones from our tree taste sweet. Honestly, I only like the flesh that surrounds the Santol’s seed because it’s very sweet. Avoid swallowing the seed though for you might suffer an intestinal problem.

You discover a lot of things from the Santol. It’s not a boring fruit that leaves nothing to the mind after its consumption. The fruit’s skin and pulp represents the unexpected events in one’s life while the seed personifies something or someone you can enjoy but never have to yourself.

This past week, I’ve been constantly drawn to topics that concern extra marital affairs. I guess, listening to the fast circulating story of an illicit affair in the office shared by a couple from a different department had a strong impact on me. Of course, as a wife I wouldn’t want some woman to break up my marriage.

Before I go on, let me clearly state that I don’t indulge in office gossip. The uncalled-for office romance was only relayed to me by a colleague and after hearing her out, I locked her account in a trove and hid it in a place where no one would dare go.

I thought I’ve totally forgotten about the illegal office romance since this is our paper’s deadline week. I’ve been practically busy writing articles for my showbiz and lifestyle pages.

While watching QTV 11’s “Draw the Line,” however, the story popped in my head again as the host of the show delved into a married woman’s painful story. She (fortunately) had to file a case of bigamy against her husband after she caught him living under one roof with his mistress. The guy’s mistress, on the other hand, now faces concubinage.

The program clearly expressed that justice continues to prevail in the country. I’d like to believe this but is there any truth to that statement? I’m just wondering why the wife has to wait for her husband to start living with his mistress before she could file a criminal case against him.

Concubinage and bigamy are taken so lightly in the country. I think law makers should come up with a greater punishment for those found guilty of cheating on their spouses. The family, after all, has to be preserved because it’s the basic unit of society. Everything good starts from one’s family.

I’m tired of hearing separated women crooning to devastating songs such as that of Cher’s “Strong Enough.” I don’t get inspired by these lines from the song:

‘Cos I’m strong enough
To live without you
Strong enough and I quit crying
Long enough now I’m strong enough
To know you gotta go

I believe in a couple’s strength to stay together, not only for their kids but for their love and respect for each other.