Seven Years. Wow. That’s a long time. I can’t believe 7 years have already gone since we toppled a corrupt president, only to replace him with someone far worse than we’ve imagined.

I fondly remember that day. The people went out the streets in protest of the rejection of the Senator-juries to open the “Second Envelope,” an evidence rumored to be so compelling that it would assure the impeachment of then President Estrada.

I was actually frustrated that the revolt ended quickly. I wanted to stay tune to the TV more and see what else would transpire. My aunt, who then works at Robinson’s Galleria, always had fond stories to share. She had a hard time going to work everyday because of the volume of people assembline at the EDSA shrine, but she said that seeing the Filipino people in solidarity made the trip to work a bit less tedious. (more…)

At first, pigging out on over thirty different restaurants in a short span of time sounded like a good idea. But when it was time for the Trinoma Bloggers’ Food Tour last January 9, I believe everyone would agree that feeling satiated would be an understatement. Bellies bulged. Mouths were filled. Stomachs were filled to the brim. I swear a bucket would’ve come in handy that day, if only to throw out all the food we’ve tasted from the previous restaurants just to taste the next ones.

I believe I have tasted every possible dish available for pork, beef, chicken and shrimp out there. There were just a lot of food and cuisines around, all ready for tasting and sampling. But before I get to my reviews of the 32 or so restaurants who participated in the event, let me cue you in on my whole experience, and possibly tell a few behind-the-scene stories as well.

I was at the event quite early as always, but I found out some bloggers were even a lot earlier than me. And I thought I was punctual. Karlo arrived at Trinoma at around 10am. Excited? Not much.

Registration was a breeze and I was assigned to the Blue Group (which, as we found out later in the event, didn’t have that much significance anyway). They served cocktails near the registration booth, as well as some food so that we could eat properly (perhaps they foresaw that some restos were gonna feed us words instead of actual food). Several minutes later and the place was jampacked with bloggers, all hungry and ready to take on the food fest that’s coming their way. (more…)

Yuga (Abe Olandres in real life), top Philippine Pro and Tech blogger, is giving away tons of stuff to usher in the new year.  Prizes to be won include:

• Creative 2.1 Subwoofer System
• Php2,000 Gift Certificate on any Nokia Stores
• Shell-Ferrari Model Car
• Apacer USB 2.0 Drive
• 20 pcs. Auction.PH T-Shirts
• 2 accounts for 1-year Free 1GB Hosting and Domain

Winning the Subwoofer System or the 2,000-peso gift certificate would be swell, don’t you think?  By the way, this contest is also brought to us by Auction.ph and plogHost.  Have a great new year everyone!  =)

Sans the fireworks and firecrackers that marked the birth of a New Year past 12 midnight last night, it is now January 1, the first day of the year, and it is but apt to look ahead and explore the vast blank canvas we are once again tasked to paint with little colors of our lives.

But before proceeding with the future ahead of us (no matter how bright or dim it may be), it is also but apt to look back into the masterpiece we have painted the previous year–all the strokes, the dashes, the lights and the shadows, the uphills and downhills, the light and dark moments–they’re all worth reminiscing and worth learning from, especially because they will be pivotal in drawing the next future for us.

And as per tradition of my blogs for the past couple of years, I’ll have to name this year with something that describes its entirety. Last 2004 I named it The Year of Discovery, 2005 The Year of the Two, 2006 The Year of the Change. 2007, I believe, would be aptly named The Year of the Risk–for all the times I had to leave my comfort zone, for all the time I had to take on a challenge, for all the times I took a leap of faith (and times I fell, and times I rose from falling), and for all the times I took a chance… this year, it was definitely worth taking risks, for I’ve reaped many rewards because of it.

So come journey back with me and forever remember the significant moments of my life this year.

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!

New Year. New Home.
New Me? We’ll see.
Just you wait.

^__^

Last Saturday I attended iBlog Mini: Blogging and the 2010 elections where it was discussed how the blogging community can effectively help in the reportage of the next Presidential election.

The next election (if it is to take place) is a pivotal point in Philippine history as it marks the end of the road for the tyranny of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. That is to say, however, if an election takes place. The threat of Charter Change still looms beneath the shadows of Mickey Mouse and his rodent allies, so be prepared for a No-El scenario.

Reading through the pages of the Philippine Daily Inquirer last Wednesday, I chanced upon a two-page full-spread ad of the Nacionalista Party, sporting images of its viable elected officials juxtaposed with the images of Laurel, Quezon, Marcos and other members of the party who became President of this country. The message is a no-brainer as the ad even sported Manny Villiar’s ever-popular adage which has been used and abused since he ran for the Senate in 2001.

Weeks before, a new President to the Liberal Party was sworn in. With Drilon’s wing recognized as the legitimate party, GMA’s cohorts in LP lost their bid in landing a Presidential candidate. Mar Roxas takes the place of Drilon as Party President and erstwhile official Presidential candidate of LP in 2010.

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O diba, talagang pinilit ang title? Hehehe.

Chronicles of Insomnia
I’m not really an insomniac. If you know me well enough I’m sure you’re aware of my very stable sleeping patterns. You also know that I can sleep absolutely anywhere at any sleeping position if I’m really sleepy, no matter how grave the circumstances or the surroundings may be. So yes, I’m not really an insomniac, except for days when I find myself pondering a troubling thought or I simply just can’t put myself to sleep. Say, just like last Monday night!

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Everybody has a dream. Everyone craves for that one precious thing they long to have. And they do everything to achieve that dream. ANYTHING that could help them grab hold of that one thing which they’ve forever longed for.

As a matter of fact, and I bet you didn’t see this coming, I have a dream. (Pardon this little Martin Luther-King homage) Aside for my dreams for my life and career, I have this one very materialistic dream.

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Marking his return to the Philippine Blogging scene with a fresh domain, a brand-spanking new layout and a whooping crossover to the Wordpress side of things (Mwahahaha welcome, welcome!), Coy comes back with a bang unleashing one of the coolest advocacy writing projects to date–uBlog, iVlog.

If you don’t know Coy, then you probably missed half of your blogging life. (Haha) Without much pretense (and with much bravado), I’d say Coy is the mainland Philippines equivalent of HappySlip when it comes to Video Blogging (oha, oha, major pimping na ‘to!! Sponsored post? Haha). Though he’s not on the acting side of things (you very rarely see him acting for his vlogs), he can make kick-ass videos which he nicknamed as “pictovlogs.” Where he got the idea for the name is beyond me. Haha.

Anyway, if you haven’t checked out any of his videos I recommend this vlog (entitled Found) about Philippine Independence Day (which, for me, is his best as of late) and this vlog (entitled Paglipas) about a chick with a dangerously ascerbic wit which got featured in ANC’s Media in Focus (unfortunately for Coy, he didn’t get the credit that is due him).

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From reading people’s blogs, I somehow got the impression that the normal progression of things during a Bloggers’ offline event would be (1) Event, (2) Afterparty (3) Coffeehouse (to douse off the tipsiness brought about by the booze during the afterparty). Yesterday, the natural order of things skidded off its usual route as (overflowing) coffee was served first during the first-ever Bloggers’ Kapihan Lecture Series held at the Philippine Science High School in Quezon City.

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